RP between AJ, Rigby and Rook
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AJ — 09/17/2020
The physician had upgraded to something a little nicer than the floor-display they’d had previously, finding themself a (abandoned) wooden booth in the market square and setting out an old dupatta as a ‘table cloth’ before setting out their wares. Funds were hard to come by, as with an actual infirmary, most would rather go there than pay a random quack on the street for medical advice. What they really needed was a proper, housed shop. To add legitimacy. That would come. Assuming neither they nor Jaxamir got the pair run out of town.
They’d learned a bit from previous days, choosing to line their table with mostly herbs, fresh up front with pickled and dried bundles behind, carefully wrapped. To the left, several more squat jars of more dried herbs, for smoking, as indicated by the hand-whittled pipe they’d set in front, and a few paper labels. To the far right, rows of tinctures, and other crafted medical supplies. Nothing precious, mainly hand-sewn bandages, things that might appeal to adventuring sorts. Items imbued to stem bleeding, clot blood.
The doctor themself perched a bit gangly on the stool, one foot up on the seat and the other on the ground. Wispy smoke curled around them, a resinous but not unpleasant odor, like cedar and vanilla. It emanated from a second pipe, long and thin and serving as an idle fidget-toy in one long-fingered hand. They still dressed masculine enough, loose gathered pants, a kurta and vest, hair bound. Their fingers purposefully stained red.
The little jars of pre-blended smoking herbs were proving particularly popular, and they leaned forward to quietly answer a barter from a man.
Rook — 10/04/2020
To say she felt out of place was an understatement, but what place seemed normal for a lab-made beasty? She came there alongside Aldo and his small group, though wound up elsewhere. Probably an alley, probably someone's shop to peek at things she couldn't buy.
She hadn't followed Vaidya, but she managed to find the physician despite this and the Chupakri made her way over to the market. It wasn't their stall that got her attention first, but one with fruit. When the seller wasn't looking, Neeva snuck a few grapes and hid them by holding her hands infront of her stomach innocently. It wasn't inside a shop, so no one could say much, right? That's what her twisted logic decided anyway.
"Doctor." Neeva greeted, kneeling near them and she'd pop a few grapes into her mouth. "The city is loud."
Rigby — 10/05/2020
It was loud indeed. SO loud that the little clicking taps of tiny raptor nails on cobbles and roads could've been missed among it all. Similarly lost were the happy trills of recognition!
As both Doctor and visitor likely knew by this stage, where one was, the big man (or the icy elf) wasn't likely far behind, but for now it could very well have looked like the miniscule manaraptor was out on his own shopping trip among the big people! He grabbed onto the table rung with little wing claws and used it to vault himself up to the top of their table in a little leap and promptly started snuffling at their more fragrant of wares.
Before remembering why he'd stopped here at all, and he clicked his stitched little beak a few times, swinging his head between the two, and tilting his head.
ʜᴜʟʟᴏ, ʜᴜʟʟᴏ.
AJ — 10/06/2020
The doctor leaned forward to peer over the side of their booth at the seated Chupakri. "It is. It is not so bad. But it becomes taxing after a while." They eyed her fruit, suspecting it stolen.
Two claws hooked the edge of their display, and up popped a raptor, succeeding in disturbing their 'tablecloth'. They reached around him to adjust It, try to smooth out any holes left by his claws. "Hello." Puffed from their pipe, there was no surprise at his appearance (in fact, it was almost becoming welcome--almost).
They let him sniff with a critical eye that he didn't knock anything over, but as a potential customer passed by, scooped him in their arms without warning, and set him in their lap. No Bag of Shame today, although they almost considered it, glancing for his usual followers.
Rook — 10/06/2020
Neeva continued to munch grapes, but eventually took interest in Vaidya's own wares even if she couldn't eat half of them. They smelled nice, atleast. "Is that why you all were elsewhere?" Not that the other island was much quieter, but it had places one could not see people for hours and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Little Polpetto was spotted immediately, but the doctor got a hold of them first. Instead, the Chupakri reached out to pet the little 'raptor on the head. "Hello. Where is your Master?" She'd ask, peeking over her shoulder and around. When she couldn't spot anyone right away, she offered him her last grape.
"Are the tiny raptors from this place?" Maybe she'd get one to take 'home'.
Rigby — 10/06/2020
Polpetto went up like a cat that got scruffed, eyes round, toes splayed and arms dangling! Any protest was stilled to a low warbling hum that burbled from his throat.
Once he was deposited on the Doctor's lap, he spun around, light on his feet and tapping his toes thoughtfully, examining their lap itself before settling on his haunches like a tired little chick and clicked his beak a couple of times at the both of them.
Tentatively, he waddled back up to the table while still somewhat seated until his beak was just peeking over the edge, and decided to investigate the wares from that position instead, pupils pinning with interest as they flicked from one to the next, before finally looking up to Neeva.
ʜᴀɪʀ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ. Who was he if not (sometimes) polite? ᴛᴀɪʟ ʜᴀɪʀ. ʜᴜʟʟᴏ. He fanned his own tail for emphasis.
One of his usual followers wasn't so far behind, today - and managed to catch the tail end of Neeva's question!
"...not sure they're from this place, but I can't imagine they're impossible to find here, either!"
And Aldo was on the scene! The big man lifted his hand in greeting to both, gave the Vaidya a significant don't-try-anything sort of Look that managed to avoid being truly threatening and err on the side of playfulness, and continued.
"I'd found him at the last island Lae and I lived at. We're not going back there, though, outta' the question. You would've hated it!" Not to mention his and the Vaidya's infirmary stunt would've earned them an instant stint on the stake.
A headtilt as he managed to evenly split his attention between the doctor's wares and Neeva's questions.
"Why? Want one?"
AJ — 10/07/2020
The doctor thought on it. “It is a change of scenery.” Not to mention the books. They settled Polpetto into their lap, where his tiny claws were less likely to knock over their precious wares, although their hands hovered until it looked as if he intended to settle. They brushed a few fingers under his chin. At Polpetto’s request, they started to reach up for their own bun, but the hand paused and dropped when they realized he was requesting Neeva’s tail instead. “Close behind, I suspect,” they answered her question instead, but returned to rearranging their wares rather than keep a lookout.
They paused at Neeva’s next question. “I am not sure. I have not been in this place long.” And Aldo came off as someone too used to dimension-hopping. He’d spoken of the egg, but not... Where he’d found it, exactly. And, speak of the devil—demon? He appeared to answer the question. His Look was met with blank, unassuming virtue. Impossible to read or entirely unassuming. Try what? Stuffing your manaraptor into a bag? He wouldn’t always be so diligent. They ran the back of their hand off the top of Polpetto’s head. “There are eggs.” They probably didn’t need to state the obvious.
Rook — 10/07/2020
Neeva shifted closer to Vaidya and sat down, flopping her luxurious tail onto the physician's lap to completely smother Polpetto in tail-fluff. That way, too, Vaidya didn't have to relinquish their hold on the little beastie just yet. "Oh, I see. That is good, I don't have many chances at seeing new places." If she hadn't met the science-loving pair, she'd probably still be at 'home'.
"Oh, good. Yes, I am wanting one. I would be good with it." Not that the Chupakri had ever owned a pet before, but she decided she would be good and that's all that mattered. "Why would I hate it?" She asked curiously, having gone from given a proper greeting to just outright questions.
"Eggs! Where? In the forests?" She wiggled her tail excitedly, probably right in the manaraptor's stitched face.
Rigby — 10/08/2020
"Doctor, you ruined it!" The grin and the tone clearly indicated they'd done no such thing and that it was actually pretty funny that they'd cut straight to the chase.
"It was mostly a human city. Anything else was shoved underground. 'Least...I think since after that fire." It was a slight trail, a very vague memory - but it was also brief. "Shoved underground...and hurt. I don't think they would've been friendly to many of the...fuzzier sorts," his tone did briefly spike into a teasing little note "...much less someone made up of many of'em." Something unusually grim did threaten to lace his tone, then. He and Laerdya could at least hide. A being like Neeva, crafted of unusual means, probably wouldn't have stood a chance. Or been poked and prodded under all sorts of blades and eyes until she broke. "This city seems to have its problems, but it's nothing like that!"
Polpetto was ecstatic! It might not have been Mom's Hair, but these were friends and there was plenty of pets to be had and strands to chew. He even ventured a couple of bobs and some lazy catlike swats with little wing-claws at Neeva's tail-fluff, just to see what it did!
Aldo watched the little beak poke through the fluff to nibble and those tiny horns headbutt the Vaidya's pets carefully, before continuing. "Neither have I. Your island's...place-number-three," four, and the white lie only slightly flickered in those odd eyes, "and it's...definitely different from what I've seen. Before it was just..." a vague hand-wave, even though they were nowhere near anything he'd meant. "...the islands around where Lae'n'I lived. I hopped aboard other boats just to get to the mainland. You'd talked about a lab...you fresh out of it?"
And then a headtilt and that smile spread, sparked in laughing eyes. "I...kinda' would like to see what would happen with you, Neeva! We're not exactly sure how they'd hatch, but have a few ideas." And then to both Neeva and the Vaidya. "There...might be couple ready to go that came over on the boat with us, and my sister-in-law and a friend want to work on breeding more. One egg's with that friend already, but there are a couple more if either of you want to try with this round!
"I'm pretty sure he only hatched because he was dead in the egg when I'd checked and...well, y'know." An egg was a sneeze compared to their naga adventure! "Or they might...choose-their-people."
AJ — 10/08/2020
The doctor lifted their hands and looked down at Neeva's tail with a puzzled look, as if having trouble rectifying this sudden display of physical contact (even if meant for Polpetto--it was their lap). After clearing their throat with a hum, they settled their hands back down (her tail would get a tentative stroke whether she liked it or not; it was their lap).
"Have I?" Their tone somewhere between not quite catching that he was joking, or perhaps at least pretending at it, blinking dreamily up at Aldo. They let the manaraptor shuffle and grab at this, keeping a hand hovering for him to bump against when he felt like it. The doctor watched his face a moment, but if they registered any lie they didn't show it; their expression tended towards 'blank' when they weren't putting any effort into it, although it verged on thoughtful contemplation, gaze skewing diagonally to the edge of their booth. "I have not been to many worlds either. Three, I suppose." Their voice dipped in an exhaled thought more to themself. "Perhaps four..." Maybe that one didn't count. A sister plane? They would have drifted off in thought if not for Aldo's question to Neeva, and the doctor tried to keep their side-eyeing subtle. "Do you recall this lab?" Perhaps even take them there--
"Oh? How would Neeva effect the egg?" He had neglected that part of his explanation. They assumed necromancy was the end of it. Still, they were obviously intrigued in obtaining one for their own purposes. Uses? There was no guarantee they wouldn't just dissect whatever hatched. "I would like to see one." Have one.
Rook — 10/09/2020
"Oh, that is strange." An unaccepting city should've been something not too out there, but being from a lab to an island full of strange creatures left her with the assumption that it'd be like that anywhere. "People give me strange looks here, but I think they don't care much about me." Perhaps curious ones, too. Polpetto's tiny experimenting would be responded to with tail wiggles and occasionally a flop.
"No, the lab sold us all many years ago. We were made for people to use as perfect servants and more, so I lived on an estate for that time. My Master told me I could go, so I went and lived in little places until I found the island. I am not sure why I went there, but my kin were there." Perhaps it was a draw of sorts, even if she hardly knew any of them. Vaidya asked about the lab next and she pulled her tail away, slipping her fingers into the fur to tug at it. "Yes, I remember it. It's gone now, they took everything." Sadly, that also meant Vaidya wouldn't get to explore the lab!
"Send someone to get the egg." Even with her blunt nature, it was spoken as more a request than a demand, perhaps a change after mention of the lab. She was meant to be good, so she'd be good. "You have to make eggs warm to hatch, I will hold it in my hands." The concept that it might be different with the manaraptors hadn't really occurred to her. "I would like to try, the Doctor can help me."
Rigby — 10/09/2020
"They're all in their eggs at home and been ready to hatch for a while. They just...haven't." Though he or Lae were about due to check up on Jaspur's household to see if any of the kids had managed to hatch their 'borrowed' egg. Especially...Akka was that twin, right? Akka. "'Risk of sounding all prophetic, he might've been waiting for me. Or waiting for their right kind of magic. Match. Y'know." The waggle of his hand was utterly inadequate at describing the imprinting-impression on which the little creatures likely operated!
The raptor's eggs were also still perfectly alive as far as he could hear whenever he'd checked, tiny fluttery heartbeats and all. He rather deliberately neglected to mention that just in case the Vaidya might get some ideas of hatching one, themself.
Polpetto had poked his little head out from between strands of fuzz, blinking and tilting his head, eyeballing the both of them. They were talking about his eggs, again.
ᴍɪɴᴇ.
ᴇɢɢꜱ. ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇ.
It wasn't the unexpected panicked shrieks that overcame him the first time the discussion arose; it was more of a wary warble. He was getting used to the idea of friends taking eggs...but still. They had to be reminded. Naturally.
Aldo's interest was held rapt by the Vaidya's worlds; even more so at this lab and the purpose of her creation. "If you were made with magic, one might pick up on that, too."
There had to be some reason they'd aimed for biological servants rather than golems or other animated means. Something about them had to be self-sustaining, self-replenishing. Reproduction, obviously, but...Aldo was reminded of street-corner hucksters - a vial of chupakri blood grants eternal riches! Weave Chupakri hair into a cloak and it'll deflect any spell or arrow slung your way! Chupakri eyes ward off evil!
Another odd concern flared uncomfortably, a gut feeling he'd learned to trust. They could be assembling. Unconsciously. But why sell them at all? Unless these lab-folks ran...
He did his best to keep the concern and curiosity that spiked in equal measure out of his tone, but it still wrote itself across his face, even as he ironed his tone out into a smiliing and encouraging little "Freedom's more fun, 'course!"
"I can go get an egg if you two hang tight, Lae and I live just outside the city. Polpetto can barely fit them in his mouth!"
Polpetto too chimed in as he stretched his neck after Neeva's retreating tail while simultaneously not ready to get up from his seated position.
ʜᴀᴛᴄʜ. ɴᴏᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ. ʜᴀᴛᴄʜ. ᴄᴀʀᴇꜰᴜʟ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ.
Another series of headtilts and blinks, his pupils animatedly shrinking and dilating...and then remaining incredibly dilated as his focus appeared to shift. He flicked his tail once, feathers fanning and remaining, and held it taut, quivering and he stared at them both.
ꜰᴀᴛ ᴇɢɢ. ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ.
It wasn't that Aldo didn't entirely believe Chupakri or human wouldn't snatch Polpetto up in his absence as much as it was that Polpetto wanted to keep an eye on those eggs for every step of this attempt, but after Aldo announced his intentions to get an egg, the raptor finally rose and with a fluttering hop that hopefully didn't scatter TOO many wares, he was clinging to Aldo's coat again and crawling up to his shoulder, trilling and humming.
The Doctor earned a few shards for a pipe and an aparajita, and some for Neeva to spend should she wish, and he'd left the two to chat more for a bit!
(Lae definitely got an explanation were she home and a note by that particular egg's hiding spot if she wasn't, and a question whether they if either or both can come over for tea and visiting later!)
---
'The fat egg' finally returned to them before long. It wasn't particularly fat, but Polpetto was small and proportions were a strange thing.
Like the first egg at Jaspur's, this sibling was stubbornly ready to hatch - and not just for anyone; lighting behind the egg would reveal the little thing curled tight, feathering yet amorphous, little beast occasionally twitching curled wings and squeaking almost inaudibly and impatiently.
He'd waited for other customers to clear out, then set the thing down on the table.
"It's definitely alive."
ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ. Polpetto trailed off into a trill as he'd crept down to the table to keep a very close watch on it.
AJ — 10/11/2020
“Oh. I see.” They frowned to themselves, but added nothing, idly running their fingers across the top of Polpetto’s head. Instead, as the conversation progressed their look and attention grew distant. Attuned to a magical affinity made sense. Aldo’s abilities seemed inherit, something that can be picked up on. Theirs was nothing like that; they doubted any manaraptor would pick up on anything from them. Shadows, perhaps. They were as broken as they came. The doctor slowly came back around at their title from Neeva. “If you like.”
The doctor inhaled sharply at Popetto’s jump, leaned forward quickly to grab at rattling bottles before they fell and rolled. Their mouth briefly pursed into a thin, sharp line, but they didn’t hold the emotion long, ducking their head to quietly line up their items again in some compulsive tick. They slid Aldo his wares (he was going to end up with quite a few pipes if he kept this up), and after some thought lit up their own pipe in his absence.
All of that, and Aldo returned with the egg, forcing the doctor to part their wares to make room. They reached across the table, using their arm to carefully sweep the bottoms and herbs on either side to the corners.
They leaned in, holding their hands under the table and rotating their wrist in another twitch as if working out a stiff joint. Or to hold themself back from touching it. “It is.” They should have left in the mean time.
Rook — 10/11/2020
"I do not have magic. Not like you." She couldn't do anything, even if she tried, she wagered. Part of her wondered if it'd be detrimental, if taking up a book and trying would result in her already strange genes mutating.
"It makes sense, to me." Polpetto got up and reminded them, which she responded to by pressing a finger to his snout. "Yes, until they hatch, then they are someone else's babies. Like you are." He became Aldo's 'baby', after. "One of my kin used...something, I was told it was like electricity and they exploded. They lived, but hurt everyone else. I was not there, thankfully." It would probably lessen her desire to keep Lume around, but Neeva simply did anyway because of what she could do.
"I like freedom. I like being called a patron, and allowed to do what I want. I am sure it will change someday, and some part of me feels....strange." The two were off, and Neeva decided to use the strange shards she had been given to actually buy food. Kebabs from a nearby stand was her choice, and she had finished two before Aldo returned.
"What do I do now?" She asked, staring down at the egg. Instead of nabbing it immediately and too roughly, she pressed a finger against the shell. "It is fat. Hm."
Rigby — 10/11/2020
"I am sure it will change someday, and some part of me feels....strange."
"I don't think it will. Hope it won't! But I understand."
And while there was an odd and unreadable expression about that statement - sympathy turned into empathy turned into the spark of an idea taking root turned to a practiced sort of a nothing, that was all he'd said on that, for now, maddeningly silent about what he'd meant.
--
The fat egg was 'correct' and that was all of the endorsement that Aldo had needed to follow the little animal's direction. Perhaps Popletto had sensed something about either or both of the two that had seemed to require that particular egg.
And here Aldo noticed the marked difference between this egg and Polpetto's; the fat one was not only alive, but very much so, downright thrashing as much as it could within its tiny constraints, chewing more space to move around, it's wails a bit more audible now to sensitive ears. It's waited long enough! It was frustrated!
ꜱᴇᴇ? ꜰᴀᴛ.
Polpetto had decided the Vaidya's lap was the vantage he'd wanted, once more - but while he was perfectly happy to soak up attention (save for bags!), this time his eyes never blinked and never left the egg. Occasionally he quivered.
"Wait, you explode too?!" Aldo had missed THAT part of the laboratory story. Electricity though...was that kin also free? (Never mind the exploding-and-hurting-people-part!)
"One of you...hold it? Carefully. Still small!" Still, there was immediate tapping and scraping against where finger met shell!
And then, a flicker of what had initially been on his mind. He'd looked at the Vaidya, thoughtfully...then back to Neeva. "If you were to work for someone, with someone...would that...scratch that same itch? So to speak."
AJ — 10/11/2020
They waited until Aldo stepped away before answering Neeva. “I am only human. Everyone here seems to have magic in their blood. More or less.” The doctor certainly felt different. “You are likely stitched together with it. It is unfortunate we cannot see this lab. That kind of knowledge could likely be turned to medicine.” They didn’t think Neeva much cared for that, specifically.
“...Why do you think it will change?” If she had been made to be a servant—suppose that made sense, and they looked towards the Chupakri, where previously they had been talking absently at the air with their pipe in-hand. If they could break her down and take a look. But reconstruction was the tricky part. Maybe an inherent need to Serve was as simple as an electrical output that just needed to be redirected in the brain. Aware of their own unblinking, sleepy stare, they went back to puffing their pipe.
Aldo returned then, and despite his urging to the both of them they kept their hands under the table (although as Polpetto settled back into their lap they very briefly stroked him). Although it was clear by the click of their jaw, causing a faint bob of their pipe, that they wanted to pick it up and examine the thing. The decision not to seemed cemented when Neeva reached out to touch it, although they couldn’t help shifting a hand to touch the underside of the table, trying to feel or tug on something of a soul or at least magics through the wood and the eggshell.
He said he had more. They were interested to see the process, or whether it would react to an artificial creation like Neeva at all, before confirming they were unable to hatch anything themself. Not entirely intent on the conversation (they often deemed their own thoughts more important), they looked up, a bit spaced, at Aldo’s look and the address to Neeva. Assistant how?
Rook — 10/12/2020
"Hmm, I don't know how it works or what happened. They thought she was destabilizing, but she looked the same as she had before." Neeva said thoughtfully, cradling the little egg between her hands after carefully picking it up. "Maybe, maybe they're doing something else somewhere else." She doubted they had all gone and died, it truthfully hadn't been that long. She flopped her tail, sitting down infront of the stall.
The little being thrashed inside and she perked her ears up, but the dip of her head only caused them to droop towards her forehead. "It is why we were made, someone will learn things. Most of my own already belong to someone, it's mostly the stunted that are free. I think because no one wants them." It was a cruel thing to assume for sure, but Neeva saw no other reason why the elite and hybrids were all mostly owned and the rest weren't.
If the egg started showing signs of hatching now that she had it, the Chupakri stared down again. "Oh, yes, I think so. I have considered working for someone, but I don't trust most of them not to take all my money for themselves. Tailoring is sometimes hard on my fingers, they ache a lot."
Rigby — 10/12/2020
"Stunted are probably kept for parts when they are kept at all." It was an equally frank and perhaps mildly brutal assessment; Aldo was starting to get some insight into how this old laboratory group might've thought through things. Magically stitch together THAT many earthen-animals, there was bound to be quite a few 'mistakes' - but the renewable resources would've remained.
"They should've thought of it when they'd made persons and not constructs." Clearly Neeva's person-hood and self-sentience had never been called into question, even after finding she was a lab creation! "What happens when your kind destabalizes? Is that something that happens all the time?" Maybe they weren't old enough to have a 'natural end.'
Luckily Aldo was prevented from prying further into what could be an uncofortable topic by a sharp little yelp from Polpetto - the egg was doing thing! And the raptor's yelp gave way to a series of tiny little bubbling tweets, coos and hums from deep within the raptor's throat - silly and small, he'd not heard anything like that from Polpetto up until that point!
"...if you would like. If you would want to stick with us for a while?" Either. Both. The pocket of people that had traveled to and from the island were restless sorts - but they were also resourceful. And maybe they could figure out that lab...
And the idea of Neeva getting stripped for parts was an unwelcome image that yet remained stubborn and horrible in Aldo's mind.
The Vaidya's touch under the table also didn't seem to go unnoticed, strangely; the thing's angry scrabbling halted briefly to scrape a few times at the bottom of its shell, briefly puzzled but curious all the same. The Vaidya's probe would net the tiniest little tug of a new soul, and something uncertain and half-formed and shifting about the magic within - and that the magic reached back at the Vaidya in a minute, tickling and primitive form of examination, itself. One on the outside was already taken - but there were two left. Two strange ones left...
Once in Neeva's hands, though, the certainty asserted itself, and one small segment of the shell gave and collapsed to a tiny and green little snout, chomping at the shell fragments, peeping insistently and attempting to flail its tiny arms from within its little eggy confines! It had made it! Fresh air and a Person were out here! It was so close!
AJ — 10/17/2020
They looked to Neeva passively, pausing to tap ash from their pipe before inspecting the remnants in the bowl. Despite the nonchalant expression the doctor wore, their voice dipped dangerously. “So? At my birth I was intended for someone’s use. I don’t care to be wanted.” Had they been programmed for that use? Presumably not, as a simple human, but they said nothing to it and slid seamlessly to Aldo’s logic.
“Creating a temporary Person for preserving the parts may expend less energy than the alternative.” They certainly had no qualms with Neeva as a ‘lab creation’. Maybe they weren’t friends—did Neeva even consider them that? But that merely spoke to the difficulty the physician had with connecting. Was Aldo a friend? Who knew. “There is no rule of ownership in Thornmouth, I believe. Do you enjoy being a tailor? Perhaps something else.”
Their hand settled back on Polpetto at his noises, pipe hanging jauntily from two fingers. The other was still under the table, and their ethereal tugging got a tug in return, something that made the Vaidya start visibly. However subtly, with a few confused blinks that had no context, given the motion with their hand was hidden. They withdrew the hand quickly and settled it on the little green manaraptor instead (his yelp and chittering getting an instinctive scritch at his jowls), leaning in to watch as Neeva clutched the egg, a beak breaking through. “That was fast.” Well, there was no denying that it was reacting to magic, now.
Rook — 10/17/2020
"Yes, for parts, blood, things like that." Neeva was nonchalant about it, but that was their life and not hers. As long as she wasn't being 'harvested', she didn't outright care. It was difficult, even for her, to determine if she even like stunted or not. "Oh. Maybe." She didn't think too hard on the Collective, and was happy to switch to something else. "No. It is hard to explain, it is different for everyone. Some do when they grow, some when they are stressed. When they do, they...gain something from an animal not in their genes."
She hoped that'd work. "Or they change appearance entirely. Lume did not change, she simply 'exploded' as they say. It was not destabilization, but something else. I did not ask her, because she gets upset and is hiding now." Somewhat, she did see Lume recently, but the girl tried to run. "Only elites do not destabilize." Lucky them!
"Like my keepers?" Neeva asked, shifting her wings underneath her cloak a moment. "I do not mind." Vaidya's comment was met with a faint hum in her throat. "It is different for you." She mentioned, though she didn't get into it. There was an egg hatching, and she stared down at the little beak. "You have to come out now." The Chupakri commented, picking away some of the shell gently.
Rigby — 10/21/2020
The Vaidya prodded at that ever-strange question of 'ownership,' and Aldo still decided to poke at the nature of these lab-beasts, though something the Vaidya had said had seen him stop cold for a moment, squint a bit. Look as if he desperately wanted to interject at their mention of being 'wanted,' right to where he was ready to lift a hand animatedly...then thought better of it. Later. If at all.
And he'd remembered Neeva was not Elite. "This just something that happens? You don't age, just eventually roll the dice on a different mix?" Suppose Chupakri had not yet reached 'old age' - perhaps there was no answer. "Wonder what they'd expected - stuffing every creature they could think of into you all!"
--
The indecision that might've made itself known to the Vaidya seemed to manifest again around the egg, but the feeling was kept closer to the struggling little baby within, this time. It had found who it was waiting for - but what should it be, for its person?
There was a squeak of new surprise at Neeva's help; after a moment of snuffling, the beak retreated, and the egg began to rock. Back and forth, right into the space where Neeva had pulled away some pieces of the shell, and the rest collapsed, startling the creature within, who let fly with a pathetic and puzzled little wail.
Polpetto whistled in a quiet, new tone, his own little green crest rising.
The tiny thing, freed from its little prison, was flailing stubby little wings with all the coordination of a kitten, proto-feathers wet, thin and green, not unlike Polpetto's. Around it, though, was something of a haze, pulling itself into definition. The green coloration of the creature was similar to Polpetto's as well, but instead of the morbid patterns of its father, there were flashes and glimpses of poisonously pale oranges and yellows and dramatic eye-spotting that would undoubtedly be fierce later in life, once feathers and fuzz dried and were allowed to grow and fill out. No stubby horns here; four slick spines lifted curiously, expressively from the top of its head, two by two.
Its beak was wide open and panting, very tired after its miniature ordeal - revealing a long amphibian tongue - but finally it tapped its wing-claws on the table and squinted up at the Chupakri, trilling in a tiny, tiny voice.
AJ — 10/25/2020
They eyed her again. “You will have to tell me more of these uses. I presume Chupakri blood is a useful magical ingredient...?” Don’t go harvesting your friends, Doctor. In the meantime, they refilled their pipe, fiddling with the lip in their mouth and waiting to relight it. “I see.” They were morbidly curious—they wanted to see this ‘destabilization’ take place. Perhaps as a species they weren’t old enough for ‘old age’.
Aldo’s pensive, look, the way he raised his hand as if to say something—the doctor furtively looked away and down at their pipe again, tamping down the herb with their thumb and humming quietly to themself. “Do you want ‘Keepers’?” It seemed... tied into whatever she was, programming-wise. Sure, perhaps it was different for them. They weren’t ‘made’ like she was. She seemed downright content with the idea, and they looked at her oddly, thoughtfully, but didn’t press the matter, finally lighting that pipe again. It certainly wasn’t that they didn’t like having her around. She was loud. An interesting. Almost a clash of very similar personalities.
They leaned in further at the little creature’s wail, trails of smoke puffed out from between their lips, still holding Polpetto and—in fact—holding him up a bit, so he could have a better look. They plucked the pipe with one hand to speak. “Curious.” Never one for personal space—or asking—they started to reach down to extend a finger to it. Stave off, Doctor, the little chic needed room to bond with its Chosen One. ...The need to Poke was real.
Rook — 10/25/2020
"I don't know. None of us are old." All around their twenties, so it was hard to really determine! "Some traits do not show until we are teenagers, but I guess it is not really destabilizing. Just...growing?" That seemed to make sense. Like young animals growing horns, feathers and whatnot.
Little Larkspur pulled free from his egg and she set him down on a stall, flicking away the broken eggshell. "Hello little baby." She cooed down at him, distracted for a moment and she'd use a sleeve to clean away any gunk from his downy feathers.
Vaidya had more questions, though, and she turned to them. "Hm, I do not know. It might be dangerous to try." She also wasn't sure if she wanted to deal with a little bloodletting. "I do not mind, I suppose. It is better than owners." There was still a feeling of freedom, but she also liked Vaidya, Aldo and the others....excluding Jaxamir anyway.
"He is so little. I must protect him." Neeva said, and she scooped up the little raptor, holding him in both hands. Vaidya reached out for Lark, and the Chupakri kept an eye on things. "I wonder what his magic is.."
Rigby — 10/28/2020
"Could make sense. Especially if you are...everything." That was accompanied by a gesture indicating Neeva from head to toe, as if she'd burst into every anthropomorphic animal at once on the spot. "Or...contain everything."
A bit lip, a nod, a "likely," to the Vaidya's theory about the Chupakri blood being magical. "If not blood, then something else the lab could regrow quickly." It was weirdly appraising and evaluative words, spoken warmly and with care; he made the dichotomy work in an odd way that only he could.
"Neeva, if we do end up looking into things like that...it will be on your terms." He'd admit he was a little curious!
Well.
Quite curious. But this was also Neeva - and if she was going to be in any actual danger, it wouldn't be by his hand. They'd be careful.
---
The tiny beak only closed from its pant to sniff at the Vaidya's finger. The little spines on its head rose with some interest, rather like the crest on a parrot...but this was not his Person.
He squinted, careened his neck backwards to take in his surroundings, wobbling on his wing-claws. Aldo. The Vaidya. Polpetto earned a tiny, happy cheep! The large Manaraptor was his father; he knew that immediately with feelings beyond sight and beyond words. These others were good. They were here and they were good.
But here was his. Neeva earned another happy trill, and he'd press his little forehead, spines instinctively lowered, into her sleeve and hands as he was held, and he finally nestled, pressing as much of himself up against Neeva's fuzz as he could, chewing on any stray long hairs that came within reach of that tiny beak.
---
Aldo glanced at Neeva, head tilted in a question, hand lifted. Could he pet?
"If he's attaching to you, and you're made up of many animals and many magics...he could've latched onto anything."
He watched those spines lower and rise as any potential-pets. "Whatever it is, I wouldn't touch those if he gets older."
AJ — 10/31/2020
“Mm.” They palmed their pipe with a distracted, thoughtful look. An odd sort of ‘puberty’—they almost opened their mouth to ask invasively what ‘changes’ she had gone to, but stopped, kept their own reactions under wraps; they wanted to investigate it, clearly. ...On Neeva’s terms, as Aldo was quick to point out.
They left the thread of Neeva’s ‘keepers’ open for now, holding still so the chicklet could investigate their finger before briefly petting his little beak. They withdrew their hand so Neeva could coddle the manaraptor. “Defensive quills, perhaps coated in a poison?” Did that mean Neeva was hiding defensive poison-tipped quills? “He won’t grow too large,” a tap to Polpetto’s head. If this one was any indication.
Rook — 10/31/2020
"Oh, not everything. Chupakri, fox, ram. Some feline." Two of those were noticeable enough, though she knew the serval blood hadn't really manifested itself, outside maybe contributing to those massive ears. "My old Master never tried to find out much, so it was never brought up." He wanted a companion, and little else, which she had been fine with. Bored by, but fine with, up until she walked right out.
She allowed Larkspur to nibble at her fur, reaching for that crest of spines to examine carefully. She'd poke in the middle, making sure to avoid the pointed tip. "I will be mindful." She promised, watching as Vaidya interacted with the tiny raptor and she'd hold him out to Aldo.
"Might be." Poison wasn't something she knew she could use, though who knew if something was hiding away in her genetics. "I will have to make him a bed for travels." Perhaps a nice, safe basket. Atleast until he was old enough not to need much protection.
Rigby — 11/01/2020
...oh, he couldn't help it.
"If those are the main four, would destabilizing or growing show more of those four?" None of them were old, and from what it sounded like...all very hastily sold, if her former Master was ready to just grab and go. "Get more feline as you get older? That kind of thing?
"Could figure out more. Long as you're sticking around, y'know?" On her terms...but he'd figured she could've been at least a bit curious! "Bettern'owners, indeed. 'Kept.' 'Employed.' 'Warded.' 'Compatriot in our shared exploration.' Take your pick." The naga stunt had been a taste of her new company - she'd be kept, and never be bored!
ᴀᴍ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ʙɪɢ, Polpetto lied, letting fly with a little purring thrum from his throat at the Vaidya's tap, anyway.
Larkspur cooed in a tiny, tiny voice, lowered those quills and pressed a tiny forehead happily into Neeva's pets.
"I'll help you find things for him. Food while he's still this small."
ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇʟᴘ ꜰᴇᴇᴅ. ᴍʏ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ.
Aldo could probably picture what Polpetto had meant by that.
"Maybe a bed or a little bag, 'least until he gets strong enough to hang out on your shoulder!"
AJ — 11/01/2020
The subject of ‘ram’ had the doctor’s hand snaking out to nudge one of her long, curling horns with interest. Well, that had certainly manifested. Fox... But the remnants of wings? “Flying fox?” She held them close, didn’t draw attention to them, and the doctor may have miscalculated by nearly doing so now. “Have you experienced instances of ‘growing’ before?” In line with Aldo’s questions.
“You would likely have to come to terms with... nagas.” Of the Undead variety. They didn’t know what use they could be to Neeva, or what use Neeva could be to them. “If you knew more, perhaps you would know what to expect. If you... grow. Or destabilize. ...Stitching clothes is not so different from stitching flesh.” It was vastly different, goodness.
They rubbed a finger under Polpetto’s chin at his protest. The little manaraptor was getting the full extent of Affection the spacy doctor would manage. “Perhaps a sling, to hang across your body.”
Rook — 11/01/2020
"Probably both, but destabilizing would mean something would mess up." Neeva said, as she thought it over. She didn't quite want to test it, incase her horns curled right into her face or something that disastrous. "I'd like to learn, somehow." How was the big question, though!
"No, just fox. Most Chupakri have wings, regardless of their sort." Those that didn't just got the bad draw, Neeva decided, even if some Chupakri's wings were badly formed. Like hers, like Monet's. "The horns came in when I was older, I recall. It was one of the things they wanted, they were happy, it was a good day." Aesthetics, probably. They weren't much use otherwise.
"Perhaps. I was shown how to do medical work, just to increase my useful skills." She nodded in regards to help with food. "I'd like that, I've never fed such a tiny creature before." Polpetto's manner of helping wasn't something she saw as different than what she'd do. "A sling? Like for a broken limb?"
Rigby — 11/05/2020
He echoed the Vaidya. "Come to terms with plenty of nagas. And plenty of things I couldn't even begin to know about!" Eager rather than fearful. "But that's the fun of it, isn't it? Could show you what I know."
And regarding learning more - "We'll find out how. If it means tracing it right down to whatever's left of your creators." He shrugged with a little smile. 'Whatever's left' was fairly inconsequential to someone like him. Remains didn't have work in any sort of linear timeline.
"A sling! Like for a limb, except...raptor-sized. Pack it with something comfy he can hang onto until he gets strong enough for your shoulder-"
Polpetto nodded brightly in agreement - before gently horking up some loving blips of his dinner into the chick's mouth. Which unfortunately had the side effect of Aldo completely forgetting what he was about to say for a moment.
Pol'd stepped backwards, then in his most informative, tinny voice, added to Neeva ꜱᴏꜰᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ. ʙʀᴇᴀᴅ ꜱᴛᴜꜰꜰ. ʙᴜɢꜱ. ᴄᴀɴᴅʏ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ.
A solemn nod, eyes pinning brightly. ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴄᴀɴᴅɪᴇꜱ.
AJ — 11/07/2020
“I see.” Her wings were...! Hm. A clue to the familial ‘thread’ that tied the haphazard race together, perhaps? They didn’t think Neeva knew the answer, letting that conversation thread drop. For now. But they did rub their face at the idea of learning to control her own growth—“Somehow.” If only they had access to research notes, or just remains—organic remains—echoing Aldo’s thoughts.
The doctor perked from their revere with a sleepy blink. “How much were you shown?” To medical work. Was she a capable nurse? Jaxamir had never played nurse very well. “A sling, yes. Ah...” As Aldo tried to describe it, they quietly started removing their wares from the table, so that they could pull away the dupatta they had been using as a tablecloth. Holding the long scarf up, they folded it over diagonally a few times and tied the ends, fashioning a crude but effective sling.
The fanciful red embroidery was a bit much for a baby-carrier, but they leaned over to drape it over and across one of Neeva’s shoulders, unprompted (and unfortunately timed as Polpetto decided to play ‘dutiful mother’). The doctor squinted at the little manaraptor, but... Well, that was the cycle of life. They were rather blasé about vomit. Leaning back, they scrutinized their sling-work. “Perhaps with more padding.” So that Larkspur could be properly nestled. “...I do not think candy is a good idea.” Sorry Polpetto.
Rook — 11/07/2020
"If there's anyone left." Neeva didn't know where they went, didn't particularly care. Where some might want the answers, the Chupakri didn't - they weren't exactly kind people. "I will watch you do...things." As she had done before the naga reanimated. "I know a lot. Suturing, cleaning wounds, dealing with burns and what various herbs are for. Mostly to assist than to be a doctor, they didn't show me anything like surgery." She explained, giving a shrug.
Vaidya gave them the scarf as a sling and she adjusted it, oblivious to what Polpetto was doing at first. However. "No! You don't get sick in his mouth!" Obviously that's what was going on, which struck her as disgusting and strange. "You will make him sick!" She exclaimed, but the larger raptor was explaining what to give him.
"Cake is...soft." Probably not anything worth more than a treat. Vaidya argued against candies, so she was sure cake wouldn't be on the menu too. "I will find him many soft things." Neeva said, scooping up Lark to transfer him to the sling.
Rigby — 11/07/2020
Neeva listed her skills and Aldo bobbed his head in her direction. "Enough for gainful employment, right there!" A bright little smile despite the subdued nod, a gesture a the Chupakri. (And here, no worries about her getting scooped up and recaptured, either). "What do you think? Find her something outside of the odd island commission?" Finding jobs was pretty touch-and-go there, truly! "Give her a field test, show her some more after that?"
Polpetto watched the Vaidya fashion that sling, tiny claws tapping. ɴᴏᴛ ꜱɪᴄᴋ! ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ. Despite him acting without thinking, it did seem to make perfect sense to the raptor! ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ, he'd added simply, burbling in the happy trill. Polpetto-approved!
AJ — 11/08/2020
The Vaidya seemed content to give up their dupatta (they had many more), and it added a little red and gold to her wardrobe. “That is enough to be an effective nurse,” they suggested. Well, perhaps add and administering correct dosages, maybe. “If your suturing is as clean as your fabric stitches.” They reached up to cup the pipe in their mouth, looking to Aldo. “...Perhaps, if it would be agreeable,” settling tentatively on the idea. If Neeva would consider it. ...Well, they’d all have to start up a proper practice, first, if they truly expected to bring in revenue. They couldn’t expect the three of them could just start kidnapping creatures from the forest and turn a profit from it (well, they could—but they would have to be careful).
“...A small amount of cake,” conceded in a whisper of a voice. “The frosting may be too rich.” It was hard to tell. But it was a good bet that they’d be lactose intolerant. Although the good doctor's head bobbed in approval as the little raptor settled into the sling.
Rook — 11/08/2020
"Yes, many good jobs." Atleast tailoring had a wider range, since people often had their own doctors and whatnot. Nonetheless, she could find work assisting others, like the pair she hung around often. "They fight on that island and need medics. Does that happen here too?" She never understood bloodsports, even with one of the castes existing for around that range.
"I will eat the icing for him." And probably 90% of the cake, but he was little and didn't need full slices. Larkspur was tucked away, and Polpetto insisted it wasn't getting sick! "I want to nap. We go to your place?" Whereever either of them were staying. Neeva didn't outright choose right away, but wandered off nonetheless. Probably to Aldo's house, because Lae would also be there. She had tea, and that always helped her sleep.
Rigby — 11/08/2020
"'Agreeable.'" He echoed (agreeably), turning to Neeva. The smile was playing at his lips and sparking in his eyes at that head-bob of a shrug. Which, as the pair could've likely caught on with the man at this point, was the equivalent of others' bouncing off the walls singing the Hallelujah chorus.
"So far! From what I've seen. Humans and orcs especially, all over that coliseum. Fights. Races. Some very bendy dances and performances that pull people apart more often than they'd like to admit, probably. Not gone in for long yet, m'self."
[4:55 PM]
Neeva announced her intentions, then. "Nap. Sounds good, I'll catch up after shopping, we can introduce you to the others." And she was gone! But he was likely of the same mind; Lae would pull the Chup-mom card and be ready with tea.
Though he may need a nap himself and another long stint with his new Vaidya-hewn pipe before he could summon the fortitude for an Amalia and Neeva meetup!
Polpetto was sure his own parting advice was sound, too. ᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴇᴀ. ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ. ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ ᴍɪɴᴇ. A chirp, a gentle little trill for Larkspur. ʙᴀʙʏ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏᴏ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ. ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ, ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ.
"How about you, Doctor? Finish up here, I can treat you to a drink, we can plot?"
AJ — 11/08/2020
“Yes. Although it doesn’t seem to be like that place.” One could never really escape bloodsports. ...Although barfights were universal. “There has been some adventuring into the surrounding forests as well, which can require medical professionals.” Plenty of work, if one looked for it. And anyone was willing to trust a ‘self-employed’ doctor. Although his mention of ‘bend-apart dances’ earned an odd look. Trust that the little doctor didn’t much go into those places either.
“’Others’? ...Goodbye.” Spoken to one and then the other. Aldo was more established, and better with accommodations. Jaxamir was messy, and the odds were slim that he would have tea ready for her if she’d popped that way instead. They looked down at Polpetto instead. “...I am sure she will leave the lizards to you.”
The Vaidya looked between their setup and Aldo. With no dupatta to wrap their wares in anymore, they started collecting the vials and herbs by hand and stacking them ever so gently in their oversized bag. “I believe you and Neeva will be my only customers tonight.” Well, Aldo. Neeva had windowshopped. “I would find that agreeable.” There wasn’t much to tidy up, and they stood, bag on one arm, little manaraptor in the other hand. No doubt he would want back on Aldo’s shoulder.
Rigby — 11/11/2020
ʏᴇꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ. The little manaraptor wobbled his head in an exaggerated mirror of his master's satisfied gesture, the move made ridiculous by his horns. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ.
"Plan on my patronage many more times, Doctor!"
Aldo would help the doctor pack up should they allow and as the Vaidya stood, he reached out an arm so Polpetto could grab hold and climb back to his favorite vantage on the man's shoulder's.
"Can't wait until Lae meets the baby. We've got a couple more eggs at home and have been working on finding them homes, she'll be delighted! But drinks are my treat. Gets those ideas flowing, after all..."
And together they too would exit the stand for the evening!
The physician had upgraded to something a little nicer than the floor-display they’d had previously, finding themself a (abandoned) wooden booth in the market square and setting out an old dupatta as a ‘table cloth’ before setting out their wares. Funds were hard to come by, as with an actual infirmary, most would rather go there than pay a random quack on the street for medical advice. What they really needed was a proper, housed shop. To add legitimacy. That would come. Assuming neither they nor Jaxamir got the pair run out of town.
They’d learned a bit from previous days, choosing to line their table with mostly herbs, fresh up front with pickled and dried bundles behind, carefully wrapped. To the left, several more squat jars of more dried herbs, for smoking, as indicated by the hand-whittled pipe they’d set in front, and a few paper labels. To the far right, rows of tinctures, and other crafted medical supplies. Nothing precious, mainly hand-sewn bandages, things that might appeal to adventuring sorts. Items imbued to stem bleeding, clot blood.
The doctor themself perched a bit gangly on the stool, one foot up on the seat and the other on the ground. Wispy smoke curled around them, a resinous but not unpleasant odor, like cedar and vanilla. It emanated from a second pipe, long and thin and serving as an idle fidget-toy in one long-fingered hand. They still dressed masculine enough, loose gathered pants, a kurta and vest, hair bound. Their fingers purposefully stained red.
The little jars of pre-blended smoking herbs were proving particularly popular, and they leaned forward to quietly answer a barter from a man.
Rook — 10/04/2020
To say she felt out of place was an understatement, but what place seemed normal for a lab-made beasty? She came there alongside Aldo and his small group, though wound up elsewhere. Probably an alley, probably someone's shop to peek at things she couldn't buy.
She hadn't followed Vaidya, but she managed to find the physician despite this and the Chupakri made her way over to the market. It wasn't their stall that got her attention first, but one with fruit. When the seller wasn't looking, Neeva snuck a few grapes and hid them by holding her hands infront of her stomach innocently. It wasn't inside a shop, so no one could say much, right? That's what her twisted logic decided anyway.
"Doctor." Neeva greeted, kneeling near them and she'd pop a few grapes into her mouth. "The city is loud."
Rigby — 10/05/2020
It was loud indeed. SO loud that the little clicking taps of tiny raptor nails on cobbles and roads could've been missed among it all. Similarly lost were the happy trills of recognition!
As both Doctor and visitor likely knew by this stage, where one was, the big man (or the icy elf) wasn't likely far behind, but for now it could very well have looked like the miniscule manaraptor was out on his own shopping trip among the big people! He grabbed onto the table rung with little wing claws and used it to vault himself up to the top of their table in a little leap and promptly started snuffling at their more fragrant of wares.
Before remembering why he'd stopped here at all, and he clicked his stitched little beak a few times, swinging his head between the two, and tilting his head.
ʜᴜʟʟᴏ, ʜᴜʟʟᴏ.
AJ — 10/06/2020
The doctor leaned forward to peer over the side of their booth at the seated Chupakri. "It is. It is not so bad. But it becomes taxing after a while." They eyed her fruit, suspecting it stolen.
Two claws hooked the edge of their display, and up popped a raptor, succeeding in disturbing their 'tablecloth'. They reached around him to adjust It, try to smooth out any holes left by his claws. "Hello." Puffed from their pipe, there was no surprise at his appearance (in fact, it was almost becoming welcome--almost).
They let him sniff with a critical eye that he didn't knock anything over, but as a potential customer passed by, scooped him in their arms without warning, and set him in their lap. No Bag of Shame today, although they almost considered it, glancing for his usual followers.
Rook — 10/06/2020
Neeva continued to munch grapes, but eventually took interest in Vaidya's own wares even if she couldn't eat half of them. They smelled nice, atleast. "Is that why you all were elsewhere?" Not that the other island was much quieter, but it had places one could not see people for hours and enjoy some peace and quiet.
Little Polpetto was spotted immediately, but the doctor got a hold of them first. Instead, the Chupakri reached out to pet the little 'raptor on the head. "Hello. Where is your Master?" She'd ask, peeking over her shoulder and around. When she couldn't spot anyone right away, she offered him her last grape.
"Are the tiny raptors from this place?" Maybe she'd get one to take 'home'.
Rigby — 10/06/2020
Polpetto went up like a cat that got scruffed, eyes round, toes splayed and arms dangling! Any protest was stilled to a low warbling hum that burbled from his throat.
Once he was deposited on the Doctor's lap, he spun around, light on his feet and tapping his toes thoughtfully, examining their lap itself before settling on his haunches like a tired little chick and clicked his beak a couple of times at the both of them.
Tentatively, he waddled back up to the table while still somewhat seated until his beak was just peeking over the edge, and decided to investigate the wares from that position instead, pupils pinning with interest as they flicked from one to the next, before finally looking up to Neeva.
ʜᴀɪʀ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ. Who was he if not (sometimes) polite? ᴛᴀɪʟ ʜᴀɪʀ. ʜᴜʟʟᴏ. He fanned his own tail for emphasis.
One of his usual followers wasn't so far behind, today - and managed to catch the tail end of Neeva's question!
"...not sure they're from this place, but I can't imagine they're impossible to find here, either!"
And Aldo was on the scene! The big man lifted his hand in greeting to both, gave the Vaidya a significant don't-try-anything sort of Look that managed to avoid being truly threatening and err on the side of playfulness, and continued.
"I'd found him at the last island Lae and I lived at. We're not going back there, though, outta' the question. You would've hated it!" Not to mention his and the Vaidya's infirmary stunt would've earned them an instant stint on the stake.
A headtilt as he managed to evenly split his attention between the doctor's wares and Neeva's questions.
"Why? Want one?"
AJ — 10/07/2020
The doctor thought on it. “It is a change of scenery.” Not to mention the books. They settled Polpetto into their lap, where his tiny claws were less likely to knock over their precious wares, although their hands hovered until it looked as if he intended to settle. They brushed a few fingers under his chin. At Polpetto’s request, they started to reach up for their own bun, but the hand paused and dropped when they realized he was requesting Neeva’s tail instead. “Close behind, I suspect,” they answered her question instead, but returned to rearranging their wares rather than keep a lookout.
They paused at Neeva’s next question. “I am not sure. I have not been in this place long.” And Aldo came off as someone too used to dimension-hopping. He’d spoken of the egg, but not... Where he’d found it, exactly. And, speak of the devil—demon? He appeared to answer the question. His Look was met with blank, unassuming virtue. Impossible to read or entirely unassuming. Try what? Stuffing your manaraptor into a bag? He wouldn’t always be so diligent. They ran the back of their hand off the top of Polpetto’s head. “There are eggs.” They probably didn’t need to state the obvious.
Rook — 10/07/2020
Neeva shifted closer to Vaidya and sat down, flopping her luxurious tail onto the physician's lap to completely smother Polpetto in tail-fluff. That way, too, Vaidya didn't have to relinquish their hold on the little beastie just yet. "Oh, I see. That is good, I don't have many chances at seeing new places." If she hadn't met the science-loving pair, she'd probably still be at 'home'.
"Oh, good. Yes, I am wanting one. I would be good with it." Not that the Chupakri had ever owned a pet before, but she decided she would be good and that's all that mattered. "Why would I hate it?" She asked curiously, having gone from given a proper greeting to just outright questions.
"Eggs! Where? In the forests?" She wiggled her tail excitedly, probably right in the manaraptor's stitched face.
Rigby — 10/08/2020
"Doctor, you ruined it!" The grin and the tone clearly indicated they'd done no such thing and that it was actually pretty funny that they'd cut straight to the chase.
"It was mostly a human city. Anything else was shoved underground. 'Least...I think since after that fire." It was a slight trail, a very vague memory - but it was also brief. "Shoved underground...and hurt. I don't think they would've been friendly to many of the...fuzzier sorts," his tone did briefly spike into a teasing little note "...much less someone made up of many of'em." Something unusually grim did threaten to lace his tone, then. He and Laerdya could at least hide. A being like Neeva, crafted of unusual means, probably wouldn't have stood a chance. Or been poked and prodded under all sorts of blades and eyes until she broke. "This city seems to have its problems, but it's nothing like that!"
Polpetto was ecstatic! It might not have been Mom's Hair, but these were friends and there was plenty of pets to be had and strands to chew. He even ventured a couple of bobs and some lazy catlike swats with little wing-claws at Neeva's tail-fluff, just to see what it did!
Aldo watched the little beak poke through the fluff to nibble and those tiny horns headbutt the Vaidya's pets carefully, before continuing. "Neither have I. Your island's...place-number-three," four, and the white lie only slightly flickered in those odd eyes, "and it's...definitely different from what I've seen. Before it was just..." a vague hand-wave, even though they were nowhere near anything he'd meant. "...the islands around where Lae'n'I lived. I hopped aboard other boats just to get to the mainland. You'd talked about a lab...you fresh out of it?"
And then a headtilt and that smile spread, sparked in laughing eyes. "I...kinda' would like to see what would happen with you, Neeva! We're not exactly sure how they'd hatch, but have a few ideas." And then to both Neeva and the Vaidya. "There...might be couple ready to go that came over on the boat with us, and my sister-in-law and a friend want to work on breeding more. One egg's with that friend already, but there are a couple more if either of you want to try with this round!
"I'm pretty sure he only hatched because he was dead in the egg when I'd checked and...well, y'know." An egg was a sneeze compared to their naga adventure! "Or they might...choose-their-people."
AJ — 10/08/2020
The doctor lifted their hands and looked down at Neeva's tail with a puzzled look, as if having trouble rectifying this sudden display of physical contact (even if meant for Polpetto--it was their lap). After clearing their throat with a hum, they settled their hands back down (her tail would get a tentative stroke whether she liked it or not; it was their lap).
"Have I?" Their tone somewhere between not quite catching that he was joking, or perhaps at least pretending at it, blinking dreamily up at Aldo. They let the manaraptor shuffle and grab at this, keeping a hand hovering for him to bump against when he felt like it. The doctor watched his face a moment, but if they registered any lie they didn't show it; their expression tended towards 'blank' when they weren't putting any effort into it, although it verged on thoughtful contemplation, gaze skewing diagonally to the edge of their booth. "I have not been to many worlds either. Three, I suppose." Their voice dipped in an exhaled thought more to themself. "Perhaps four..." Maybe that one didn't count. A sister plane? They would have drifted off in thought if not for Aldo's question to Neeva, and the doctor tried to keep their side-eyeing subtle. "Do you recall this lab?" Perhaps even take them there--
"Oh? How would Neeva effect the egg?" He had neglected that part of his explanation. They assumed necromancy was the end of it. Still, they were obviously intrigued in obtaining one for their own purposes. Uses? There was no guarantee they wouldn't just dissect whatever hatched. "I would like to see one." Have one.
Rook — 10/09/2020
"Oh, that is strange." An unaccepting city should've been something not too out there, but being from a lab to an island full of strange creatures left her with the assumption that it'd be like that anywhere. "People give me strange looks here, but I think they don't care much about me." Perhaps curious ones, too. Polpetto's tiny experimenting would be responded to with tail wiggles and occasionally a flop.
"No, the lab sold us all many years ago. We were made for people to use as perfect servants and more, so I lived on an estate for that time. My Master told me I could go, so I went and lived in little places until I found the island. I am not sure why I went there, but my kin were there." Perhaps it was a draw of sorts, even if she hardly knew any of them. Vaidya asked about the lab next and she pulled her tail away, slipping her fingers into the fur to tug at it. "Yes, I remember it. It's gone now, they took everything." Sadly, that also meant Vaidya wouldn't get to explore the lab!
"Send someone to get the egg." Even with her blunt nature, it was spoken as more a request than a demand, perhaps a change after mention of the lab. She was meant to be good, so she'd be good. "You have to make eggs warm to hatch, I will hold it in my hands." The concept that it might be different with the manaraptors hadn't really occurred to her. "I would like to try, the Doctor can help me."
Rigby — 10/09/2020
"They're all in their eggs at home and been ready to hatch for a while. They just...haven't." Though he or Lae were about due to check up on Jaspur's household to see if any of the kids had managed to hatch their 'borrowed' egg. Especially...Akka was that twin, right? Akka. "'Risk of sounding all prophetic, he might've been waiting for me. Or waiting for their right kind of magic. Match. Y'know." The waggle of his hand was utterly inadequate at describing the imprinting-impression on which the little creatures likely operated!
The raptor's eggs were also still perfectly alive as far as he could hear whenever he'd checked, tiny fluttery heartbeats and all. He rather deliberately neglected to mention that just in case the Vaidya might get some ideas of hatching one, themself.
Polpetto had poked his little head out from between strands of fuzz, blinking and tilting his head, eyeballing the both of them. They were talking about his eggs, again.
ᴍɪɴᴇ.
ᴇɢɢꜱ. ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ. ᴍɪɴᴇᴍɪɴᴇ.
It wasn't the unexpected panicked shrieks that overcame him the first time the discussion arose; it was more of a wary warble. He was getting used to the idea of friends taking eggs...but still. They had to be reminded. Naturally.
Aldo's interest was held rapt by the Vaidya's worlds; even more so at this lab and the purpose of her creation. "If you were made with magic, one might pick up on that, too."
There had to be some reason they'd aimed for biological servants rather than golems or other animated means. Something about them had to be self-sustaining, self-replenishing. Reproduction, obviously, but...Aldo was reminded of street-corner hucksters - a vial of chupakri blood grants eternal riches! Weave Chupakri hair into a cloak and it'll deflect any spell or arrow slung your way! Chupakri eyes ward off evil!
Another odd concern flared uncomfortably, a gut feeling he'd learned to trust. They could be assembling. Unconsciously. But why sell them at all? Unless these lab-folks ran...
He did his best to keep the concern and curiosity that spiked in equal measure out of his tone, but it still wrote itself across his face, even as he ironed his tone out into a smiliing and encouraging little "Freedom's more fun, 'course!"
"I can go get an egg if you two hang tight, Lae and I live just outside the city. Polpetto can barely fit them in his mouth!"
Polpetto too chimed in as he stretched his neck after Neeva's retreating tail while simultaneously not ready to get up from his seated position.
ʜᴀᴛᴄʜ. ɴᴏᴛ ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ. ʜᴀᴛᴄʜ. ᴄᴀʀᴇꜰᴜʟ. ᴘʟᴇᴀꜱᴇ.
Another series of headtilts and blinks, his pupils animatedly shrinking and dilating...and then remaining incredibly dilated as his focus appeared to shift. He flicked his tail once, feathers fanning and remaining, and held it taut, quivering and he stared at them both.
ꜰᴀᴛ ᴇɢɢ. ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴇ. ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ.
It wasn't that Aldo didn't entirely believe Chupakri or human wouldn't snatch Polpetto up in his absence as much as it was that Polpetto wanted to keep an eye on those eggs for every step of this attempt, but after Aldo announced his intentions to get an egg, the raptor finally rose and with a fluttering hop that hopefully didn't scatter TOO many wares, he was clinging to Aldo's coat again and crawling up to his shoulder, trilling and humming.
The Doctor earned a few shards for a pipe and an aparajita, and some for Neeva to spend should she wish, and he'd left the two to chat more for a bit!
(Lae definitely got an explanation were she home and a note by that particular egg's hiding spot if she wasn't, and a question whether they if either or both can come over for tea and visiting later!)
---
'The fat egg' finally returned to them before long. It wasn't particularly fat, but Polpetto was small and proportions were a strange thing.
Like the first egg at Jaspur's, this sibling was stubbornly ready to hatch - and not just for anyone; lighting behind the egg would reveal the little thing curled tight, feathering yet amorphous, little beast occasionally twitching curled wings and squeaking almost inaudibly and impatiently.
He'd waited for other customers to clear out, then set the thing down on the table.
"It's definitely alive."
ᴄᴏʀʀᴇᴄᴛ. Polpetto trailed off into a trill as he'd crept down to the table to keep a very close watch on it.
AJ — 10/11/2020
“Oh. I see.” They frowned to themselves, but added nothing, idly running their fingers across the top of Polpetto’s head. Instead, as the conversation progressed their look and attention grew distant. Attuned to a magical affinity made sense. Aldo’s abilities seemed inherit, something that can be picked up on. Theirs was nothing like that; they doubted any manaraptor would pick up on anything from them. Shadows, perhaps. They were as broken as they came. The doctor slowly came back around at their title from Neeva. “If you like.”
The doctor inhaled sharply at Popetto’s jump, leaned forward quickly to grab at rattling bottles before they fell and rolled. Their mouth briefly pursed into a thin, sharp line, but they didn’t hold the emotion long, ducking their head to quietly line up their items again in some compulsive tick. They slid Aldo his wares (he was going to end up with quite a few pipes if he kept this up), and after some thought lit up their own pipe in his absence.
All of that, and Aldo returned with the egg, forcing the doctor to part their wares to make room. They reached across the table, using their arm to carefully sweep the bottoms and herbs on either side to the corners.
They leaned in, holding their hands under the table and rotating their wrist in another twitch as if working out a stiff joint. Or to hold themself back from touching it. “It is.” They should have left in the mean time.
Rook — 10/11/2020
"I do not have magic. Not like you." She couldn't do anything, even if she tried, she wagered. Part of her wondered if it'd be detrimental, if taking up a book and trying would result in her already strange genes mutating.
"It makes sense, to me." Polpetto got up and reminded them, which she responded to by pressing a finger to his snout. "Yes, until they hatch, then they are someone else's babies. Like you are." He became Aldo's 'baby', after. "One of my kin used...something, I was told it was like electricity and they exploded. They lived, but hurt everyone else. I was not there, thankfully." It would probably lessen her desire to keep Lume around, but Neeva simply did anyway because of what she could do.
"I like freedom. I like being called a patron, and allowed to do what I want. I am sure it will change someday, and some part of me feels....strange." The two were off, and Neeva decided to use the strange shards she had been given to actually buy food. Kebabs from a nearby stand was her choice, and she had finished two before Aldo returned.
"What do I do now?" She asked, staring down at the egg. Instead of nabbing it immediately and too roughly, she pressed a finger against the shell. "It is fat. Hm."
Rigby — 10/11/2020
"I am sure it will change someday, and some part of me feels....strange."
"I don't think it will. Hope it won't! But I understand."
And while there was an odd and unreadable expression about that statement - sympathy turned into empathy turned into the spark of an idea taking root turned to a practiced sort of a nothing, that was all he'd said on that, for now, maddeningly silent about what he'd meant.
--
The fat egg was 'correct' and that was all of the endorsement that Aldo had needed to follow the little animal's direction. Perhaps Popletto had sensed something about either or both of the two that had seemed to require that particular egg.
And here Aldo noticed the marked difference between this egg and Polpetto's; the fat one was not only alive, but very much so, downright thrashing as much as it could within its tiny constraints, chewing more space to move around, it's wails a bit more audible now to sensitive ears. It's waited long enough! It was frustrated!
ꜱᴇᴇ? ꜰᴀᴛ.
Polpetto had decided the Vaidya's lap was the vantage he'd wanted, once more - but while he was perfectly happy to soak up attention (save for bags!), this time his eyes never blinked and never left the egg. Occasionally he quivered.
"Wait, you explode too?!" Aldo had missed THAT part of the laboratory story. Electricity though...was that kin also free? (Never mind the exploding-and-hurting-people-part!)
"One of you...hold it? Carefully. Still small!" Still, there was immediate tapping and scraping against where finger met shell!
And then, a flicker of what had initially been on his mind. He'd looked at the Vaidya, thoughtfully...then back to Neeva. "If you were to work for someone, with someone...would that...scratch that same itch? So to speak."
AJ — 10/11/2020
They waited until Aldo stepped away before answering Neeva. “I am only human. Everyone here seems to have magic in their blood. More or less.” The doctor certainly felt different. “You are likely stitched together with it. It is unfortunate we cannot see this lab. That kind of knowledge could likely be turned to medicine.” They didn’t think Neeva much cared for that, specifically.
“...Why do you think it will change?” If she had been made to be a servant—suppose that made sense, and they looked towards the Chupakri, where previously they had been talking absently at the air with their pipe in-hand. If they could break her down and take a look. But reconstruction was the tricky part. Maybe an inherent need to Serve was as simple as an electrical output that just needed to be redirected in the brain. Aware of their own unblinking, sleepy stare, they went back to puffing their pipe.
Aldo returned then, and despite his urging to the both of them they kept their hands under the table (although as Polpetto settled back into their lap they very briefly stroked him). Although it was clear by the click of their jaw, causing a faint bob of their pipe, that they wanted to pick it up and examine the thing. The decision not to seemed cemented when Neeva reached out to touch it, although they couldn’t help shifting a hand to touch the underside of the table, trying to feel or tug on something of a soul or at least magics through the wood and the eggshell.
He said he had more. They were interested to see the process, or whether it would react to an artificial creation like Neeva at all, before confirming they were unable to hatch anything themself. Not entirely intent on the conversation (they often deemed their own thoughts more important), they looked up, a bit spaced, at Aldo’s look and the address to Neeva. Assistant how?
Rook — 10/12/2020
"Hmm, I don't know how it works or what happened. They thought she was destabilizing, but she looked the same as she had before." Neeva said thoughtfully, cradling the little egg between her hands after carefully picking it up. "Maybe, maybe they're doing something else somewhere else." She doubted they had all gone and died, it truthfully hadn't been that long. She flopped her tail, sitting down infront of the stall.
The little being thrashed inside and she perked her ears up, but the dip of her head only caused them to droop towards her forehead. "It is why we were made, someone will learn things. Most of my own already belong to someone, it's mostly the stunted that are free. I think because no one wants them." It was a cruel thing to assume for sure, but Neeva saw no other reason why the elite and hybrids were all mostly owned and the rest weren't.
If the egg started showing signs of hatching now that she had it, the Chupakri stared down again. "Oh, yes, I think so. I have considered working for someone, but I don't trust most of them not to take all my money for themselves. Tailoring is sometimes hard on my fingers, they ache a lot."
Rigby — 10/12/2020
"Stunted are probably kept for parts when they are kept at all." It was an equally frank and perhaps mildly brutal assessment; Aldo was starting to get some insight into how this old laboratory group might've thought through things. Magically stitch together THAT many earthen-animals, there was bound to be quite a few 'mistakes' - but the renewable resources would've remained.
"They should've thought of it when they'd made persons and not constructs." Clearly Neeva's person-hood and self-sentience had never been called into question, even after finding she was a lab creation! "What happens when your kind destabalizes? Is that something that happens all the time?" Maybe they weren't old enough to have a 'natural end.'
Luckily Aldo was prevented from prying further into what could be an uncofortable topic by a sharp little yelp from Polpetto - the egg was doing thing! And the raptor's yelp gave way to a series of tiny little bubbling tweets, coos and hums from deep within the raptor's throat - silly and small, he'd not heard anything like that from Polpetto up until that point!
"...if you would like. If you would want to stick with us for a while?" Either. Both. The pocket of people that had traveled to and from the island were restless sorts - but they were also resourceful. And maybe they could figure out that lab...
And the idea of Neeva getting stripped for parts was an unwelcome image that yet remained stubborn and horrible in Aldo's mind.
The Vaidya's touch under the table also didn't seem to go unnoticed, strangely; the thing's angry scrabbling halted briefly to scrape a few times at the bottom of its shell, briefly puzzled but curious all the same. The Vaidya's probe would net the tiniest little tug of a new soul, and something uncertain and half-formed and shifting about the magic within - and that the magic reached back at the Vaidya in a minute, tickling and primitive form of examination, itself. One on the outside was already taken - but there were two left. Two strange ones left...
Once in Neeva's hands, though, the certainty asserted itself, and one small segment of the shell gave and collapsed to a tiny and green little snout, chomping at the shell fragments, peeping insistently and attempting to flail its tiny arms from within its little eggy confines! It had made it! Fresh air and a Person were out here! It was so close!
AJ — 10/17/2020
They looked to Neeva passively, pausing to tap ash from their pipe before inspecting the remnants in the bowl. Despite the nonchalant expression the doctor wore, their voice dipped dangerously. “So? At my birth I was intended for someone’s use. I don’t care to be wanted.” Had they been programmed for that use? Presumably not, as a simple human, but they said nothing to it and slid seamlessly to Aldo’s logic.
“Creating a temporary Person for preserving the parts may expend less energy than the alternative.” They certainly had no qualms with Neeva as a ‘lab creation’. Maybe they weren’t friends—did Neeva even consider them that? But that merely spoke to the difficulty the physician had with connecting. Was Aldo a friend? Who knew. “There is no rule of ownership in Thornmouth, I believe. Do you enjoy being a tailor? Perhaps something else.”
Their hand settled back on Polpetto at his noises, pipe hanging jauntily from two fingers. The other was still under the table, and their ethereal tugging got a tug in return, something that made the Vaidya start visibly. However subtly, with a few confused blinks that had no context, given the motion with their hand was hidden. They withdrew the hand quickly and settled it on the little green manaraptor instead (his yelp and chittering getting an instinctive scritch at his jowls), leaning in to watch as Neeva clutched the egg, a beak breaking through. “That was fast.” Well, there was no denying that it was reacting to magic, now.
Rook — 10/17/2020
"Yes, for parts, blood, things like that." Neeva was nonchalant about it, but that was their life and not hers. As long as she wasn't being 'harvested', she didn't outright care. It was difficult, even for her, to determine if she even like stunted or not. "Oh. Maybe." She didn't think too hard on the Collective, and was happy to switch to something else. "No. It is hard to explain, it is different for everyone. Some do when they grow, some when they are stressed. When they do, they...gain something from an animal not in their genes."
She hoped that'd work. "Or they change appearance entirely. Lume did not change, she simply 'exploded' as they say. It was not destabilization, but something else. I did not ask her, because she gets upset and is hiding now." Somewhat, she did see Lume recently, but the girl tried to run. "Only elites do not destabilize." Lucky them!
"Like my keepers?" Neeva asked, shifting her wings underneath her cloak a moment. "I do not mind." Vaidya's comment was met with a faint hum in her throat. "It is different for you." She mentioned, though she didn't get into it. There was an egg hatching, and she stared down at the little beak. "You have to come out now." The Chupakri commented, picking away some of the shell gently.
Rigby — 10/21/2020
The Vaidya prodded at that ever-strange question of 'ownership,' and Aldo still decided to poke at the nature of these lab-beasts, though something the Vaidya had said had seen him stop cold for a moment, squint a bit. Look as if he desperately wanted to interject at their mention of being 'wanted,' right to where he was ready to lift a hand animatedly...then thought better of it. Later. If at all.
And he'd remembered Neeva was not Elite. "This just something that happens? You don't age, just eventually roll the dice on a different mix?" Suppose Chupakri had not yet reached 'old age' - perhaps there was no answer. "Wonder what they'd expected - stuffing every creature they could think of into you all!"
--
The indecision that might've made itself known to the Vaidya seemed to manifest again around the egg, but the feeling was kept closer to the struggling little baby within, this time. It had found who it was waiting for - but what should it be, for its person?
There was a squeak of new surprise at Neeva's help; after a moment of snuffling, the beak retreated, and the egg began to rock. Back and forth, right into the space where Neeva had pulled away some pieces of the shell, and the rest collapsed, startling the creature within, who let fly with a pathetic and puzzled little wail.
Polpetto whistled in a quiet, new tone, his own little green crest rising.
The tiny thing, freed from its little prison, was flailing stubby little wings with all the coordination of a kitten, proto-feathers wet, thin and green, not unlike Polpetto's. Around it, though, was something of a haze, pulling itself into definition. The green coloration of the creature was similar to Polpetto's as well, but instead of the morbid patterns of its father, there were flashes and glimpses of poisonously pale oranges and yellows and dramatic eye-spotting that would undoubtedly be fierce later in life, once feathers and fuzz dried and were allowed to grow and fill out. No stubby horns here; four slick spines lifted curiously, expressively from the top of its head, two by two.
Its beak was wide open and panting, very tired after its miniature ordeal - revealing a long amphibian tongue - but finally it tapped its wing-claws on the table and squinted up at the Chupakri, trilling in a tiny, tiny voice.
AJ — 10/25/2020
They eyed her again. “You will have to tell me more of these uses. I presume Chupakri blood is a useful magical ingredient...?” Don’t go harvesting your friends, Doctor. In the meantime, they refilled their pipe, fiddling with the lip in their mouth and waiting to relight it. “I see.” They were morbidly curious—they wanted to see this ‘destabilization’ take place. Perhaps as a species they weren’t old enough for ‘old age’.
Aldo’s pensive, look, the way he raised his hand as if to say something—the doctor furtively looked away and down at their pipe again, tamping down the herb with their thumb and humming quietly to themself. “Do you want ‘Keepers’?” It seemed... tied into whatever she was, programming-wise. Sure, perhaps it was different for them. They weren’t ‘made’ like she was. She seemed downright content with the idea, and they looked at her oddly, thoughtfully, but didn’t press the matter, finally lighting that pipe again. It certainly wasn’t that they didn’t like having her around. She was loud. An interesting. Almost a clash of very similar personalities.
They leaned in further at the little creature’s wail, trails of smoke puffed out from between their lips, still holding Polpetto and—in fact—holding him up a bit, so he could have a better look. They plucked the pipe with one hand to speak. “Curious.” Never one for personal space—or asking—they started to reach down to extend a finger to it. Stave off, Doctor, the little chic needed room to bond with its Chosen One. ...The need to Poke was real.
Rook — 10/25/2020
"I don't know. None of us are old." All around their twenties, so it was hard to really determine! "Some traits do not show until we are teenagers, but I guess it is not really destabilizing. Just...growing?" That seemed to make sense. Like young animals growing horns, feathers and whatnot.
Little Larkspur pulled free from his egg and she set him down on a stall, flicking away the broken eggshell. "Hello little baby." She cooed down at him, distracted for a moment and she'd use a sleeve to clean away any gunk from his downy feathers.
Vaidya had more questions, though, and she turned to them. "Hm, I do not know. It might be dangerous to try." She also wasn't sure if she wanted to deal with a little bloodletting. "I do not mind, I suppose. It is better than owners." There was still a feeling of freedom, but she also liked Vaidya, Aldo and the others....excluding Jaxamir anyway.
"He is so little. I must protect him." Neeva said, and she scooped up the little raptor, holding him in both hands. Vaidya reached out for Lark, and the Chupakri kept an eye on things. "I wonder what his magic is.."
Rigby — 10/28/2020
"Could make sense. Especially if you are...everything." That was accompanied by a gesture indicating Neeva from head to toe, as if she'd burst into every anthropomorphic animal at once on the spot. "Or...contain everything."
A bit lip, a nod, a "likely," to the Vaidya's theory about the Chupakri blood being magical. "If not blood, then something else the lab could regrow quickly." It was weirdly appraising and evaluative words, spoken warmly and with care; he made the dichotomy work in an odd way that only he could.
"Neeva, if we do end up looking into things like that...it will be on your terms." He'd admit he was a little curious!
Well.
Quite curious. But this was also Neeva - and if she was going to be in any actual danger, it wouldn't be by his hand. They'd be careful.
---
The tiny beak only closed from its pant to sniff at the Vaidya's finger. The little spines on its head rose with some interest, rather like the crest on a parrot...but this was not his Person.
He squinted, careened his neck backwards to take in his surroundings, wobbling on his wing-claws. Aldo. The Vaidya. Polpetto earned a tiny, happy cheep! The large Manaraptor was his father; he knew that immediately with feelings beyond sight and beyond words. These others were good. They were here and they were good.
But here was his. Neeva earned another happy trill, and he'd press his little forehead, spines instinctively lowered, into her sleeve and hands as he was held, and he finally nestled, pressing as much of himself up against Neeva's fuzz as he could, chewing on any stray long hairs that came within reach of that tiny beak.
---
Aldo glanced at Neeva, head tilted in a question, hand lifted. Could he pet?
"If he's attaching to you, and you're made up of many animals and many magics...he could've latched onto anything."
He watched those spines lower and rise as any potential-pets. "Whatever it is, I wouldn't touch those if he gets older."
AJ — 10/31/2020
“Mm.” They palmed their pipe with a distracted, thoughtful look. An odd sort of ‘puberty’—they almost opened their mouth to ask invasively what ‘changes’ she had gone to, but stopped, kept their own reactions under wraps; they wanted to investigate it, clearly. ...On Neeva’s terms, as Aldo was quick to point out.
They left the thread of Neeva’s ‘keepers’ open for now, holding still so the chicklet could investigate their finger before briefly petting his little beak. They withdrew their hand so Neeva could coddle the manaraptor. “Defensive quills, perhaps coated in a poison?” Did that mean Neeva was hiding defensive poison-tipped quills? “He won’t grow too large,” a tap to Polpetto’s head. If this one was any indication.
Rook — 10/31/2020
"Oh, not everything. Chupakri, fox, ram. Some feline." Two of those were noticeable enough, though she knew the serval blood hadn't really manifested itself, outside maybe contributing to those massive ears. "My old Master never tried to find out much, so it was never brought up." He wanted a companion, and little else, which she had been fine with. Bored by, but fine with, up until she walked right out.
She allowed Larkspur to nibble at her fur, reaching for that crest of spines to examine carefully. She'd poke in the middle, making sure to avoid the pointed tip. "I will be mindful." She promised, watching as Vaidya interacted with the tiny raptor and she'd hold him out to Aldo.
"Might be." Poison wasn't something she knew she could use, though who knew if something was hiding away in her genetics. "I will have to make him a bed for travels." Perhaps a nice, safe basket. Atleast until he was old enough not to need much protection.
Rigby — 11/01/2020
...oh, he couldn't help it.
"If those are the main four, would destabilizing or growing show more of those four?" None of them were old, and from what it sounded like...all very hastily sold, if her former Master was ready to just grab and go. "Get more feline as you get older? That kind of thing?
"Could figure out more. Long as you're sticking around, y'know?" On her terms...but he'd figured she could've been at least a bit curious! "Bettern'owners, indeed. 'Kept.' 'Employed.' 'Warded.' 'Compatriot in our shared exploration.' Take your pick." The naga stunt had been a taste of her new company - she'd be kept, and never be bored!
ᴀᴍ ᴘʟᴇɴᴛʏ ʙɪɢ, Polpetto lied, letting fly with a little purring thrum from his throat at the Vaidya's tap, anyway.
Larkspur cooed in a tiny, tiny voice, lowered those quills and pressed a tiny forehead happily into Neeva's pets.
"I'll help you find things for him. Food while he's still this small."
ᴡɪʟʟ ʜᴇʟᴘ ꜰᴇᴇᴅ. ᴍʏ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ.
Aldo could probably picture what Polpetto had meant by that.
"Maybe a bed or a little bag, 'least until he gets strong enough to hang out on your shoulder!"
AJ — 11/01/2020
The subject of ‘ram’ had the doctor’s hand snaking out to nudge one of her long, curling horns with interest. Well, that had certainly manifested. Fox... But the remnants of wings? “Flying fox?” She held them close, didn’t draw attention to them, and the doctor may have miscalculated by nearly doing so now. “Have you experienced instances of ‘growing’ before?” In line with Aldo’s questions.
“You would likely have to come to terms with... nagas.” Of the Undead variety. They didn’t know what use they could be to Neeva, or what use Neeva could be to them. “If you knew more, perhaps you would know what to expect. If you... grow. Or destabilize. ...Stitching clothes is not so different from stitching flesh.” It was vastly different, goodness.
They rubbed a finger under Polpetto’s chin at his protest. The little manaraptor was getting the full extent of Affection the spacy doctor would manage. “Perhaps a sling, to hang across your body.”
Rook — 11/01/2020
"Probably both, but destabilizing would mean something would mess up." Neeva said, as she thought it over. She didn't quite want to test it, incase her horns curled right into her face or something that disastrous. "I'd like to learn, somehow." How was the big question, though!
"No, just fox. Most Chupakri have wings, regardless of their sort." Those that didn't just got the bad draw, Neeva decided, even if some Chupakri's wings were badly formed. Like hers, like Monet's. "The horns came in when I was older, I recall. It was one of the things they wanted, they were happy, it was a good day." Aesthetics, probably. They weren't much use otherwise.
"Perhaps. I was shown how to do medical work, just to increase my useful skills." She nodded in regards to help with food. "I'd like that, I've never fed such a tiny creature before." Polpetto's manner of helping wasn't something she saw as different than what she'd do. "A sling? Like for a broken limb?"
Rigby — 11/05/2020
He echoed the Vaidya. "Come to terms with plenty of nagas. And plenty of things I couldn't even begin to know about!" Eager rather than fearful. "But that's the fun of it, isn't it? Could show you what I know."
And regarding learning more - "We'll find out how. If it means tracing it right down to whatever's left of your creators." He shrugged with a little smile. 'Whatever's left' was fairly inconsequential to someone like him. Remains didn't have work in any sort of linear timeline.
"A sling! Like for a limb, except...raptor-sized. Pack it with something comfy he can hang onto until he gets strong enough for your shoulder-"
Polpetto nodded brightly in agreement - before gently horking up some loving blips of his dinner into the chick's mouth. Which unfortunately had the side effect of Aldo completely forgetting what he was about to say for a moment.
Pol'd stepped backwards, then in his most informative, tinny voice, added to Neeva ꜱᴏꜰᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ. ʙʀᴇᴀᴅ ꜱᴛᴜꜰꜰ. ʙᴜɢꜱ. ᴄᴀɴᴅʏ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ.
A solemn nod, eyes pinning brightly. ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴄᴀɴᴅɪᴇꜱ.
AJ — 11/07/2020
“I see.” Her wings were...! Hm. A clue to the familial ‘thread’ that tied the haphazard race together, perhaps? They didn’t think Neeva knew the answer, letting that conversation thread drop. For now. But they did rub their face at the idea of learning to control her own growth—“Somehow.” If only they had access to research notes, or just remains—organic remains—echoing Aldo’s thoughts.
The doctor perked from their revere with a sleepy blink. “How much were you shown?” To medical work. Was she a capable nurse? Jaxamir had never played nurse very well. “A sling, yes. Ah...” As Aldo tried to describe it, they quietly started removing their wares from the table, so that they could pull away the dupatta they had been using as a tablecloth. Holding the long scarf up, they folded it over diagonally a few times and tied the ends, fashioning a crude but effective sling.
The fanciful red embroidery was a bit much for a baby-carrier, but they leaned over to drape it over and across one of Neeva’s shoulders, unprompted (and unfortunately timed as Polpetto decided to play ‘dutiful mother’). The doctor squinted at the little manaraptor, but... Well, that was the cycle of life. They were rather blasé about vomit. Leaning back, they scrutinized their sling-work. “Perhaps with more padding.” So that Larkspur could be properly nestled. “...I do not think candy is a good idea.” Sorry Polpetto.
Rook — 11/07/2020
"If there's anyone left." Neeva didn't know where they went, didn't particularly care. Where some might want the answers, the Chupakri didn't - they weren't exactly kind people. "I will watch you do...things." As she had done before the naga reanimated. "I know a lot. Suturing, cleaning wounds, dealing with burns and what various herbs are for. Mostly to assist than to be a doctor, they didn't show me anything like surgery." She explained, giving a shrug.
Vaidya gave them the scarf as a sling and she adjusted it, oblivious to what Polpetto was doing at first. However. "No! You don't get sick in his mouth!" Obviously that's what was going on, which struck her as disgusting and strange. "You will make him sick!" She exclaimed, but the larger raptor was explaining what to give him.
"Cake is...soft." Probably not anything worth more than a treat. Vaidya argued against candies, so she was sure cake wouldn't be on the menu too. "I will find him many soft things." Neeva said, scooping up Lark to transfer him to the sling.
Rigby — 11/07/2020
Neeva listed her skills and Aldo bobbed his head in her direction. "Enough for gainful employment, right there!" A bright little smile despite the subdued nod, a gesture a the Chupakri. (And here, no worries about her getting scooped up and recaptured, either). "What do you think? Find her something outside of the odd island commission?" Finding jobs was pretty touch-and-go there, truly! "Give her a field test, show her some more after that?"
Polpetto watched the Vaidya fashion that sling, tiny claws tapping. ɴᴏᴛ ꜱɪᴄᴋ! ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ. Despite him acting without thinking, it did seem to make perfect sense to the raptor! ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ. ᴄᴀᴋᴇ, he'd added simply, burbling in the happy trill. Polpetto-approved!
AJ — 11/08/2020
The Vaidya seemed content to give up their dupatta (they had many more), and it added a little red and gold to her wardrobe. “That is enough to be an effective nurse,” they suggested. Well, perhaps add and administering correct dosages, maybe. “If your suturing is as clean as your fabric stitches.” They reached up to cup the pipe in their mouth, looking to Aldo. “...Perhaps, if it would be agreeable,” settling tentatively on the idea. If Neeva would consider it. ...Well, they’d all have to start up a proper practice, first, if they truly expected to bring in revenue. They couldn’t expect the three of them could just start kidnapping creatures from the forest and turn a profit from it (well, they could—but they would have to be careful).
“...A small amount of cake,” conceded in a whisper of a voice. “The frosting may be too rich.” It was hard to tell. But it was a good bet that they’d be lactose intolerant. Although the good doctor's head bobbed in approval as the little raptor settled into the sling.
Rook — 11/08/2020
"Yes, many good jobs." Atleast tailoring had a wider range, since people often had their own doctors and whatnot. Nonetheless, she could find work assisting others, like the pair she hung around often. "They fight on that island and need medics. Does that happen here too?" She never understood bloodsports, even with one of the castes existing for around that range.
"I will eat the icing for him." And probably 90% of the cake, but he was little and didn't need full slices. Larkspur was tucked away, and Polpetto insisted it wasn't getting sick! "I want to nap. We go to your place?" Whereever either of them were staying. Neeva didn't outright choose right away, but wandered off nonetheless. Probably to Aldo's house, because Lae would also be there. She had tea, and that always helped her sleep.
Rigby — 11/08/2020
"'Agreeable.'" He echoed (agreeably), turning to Neeva. The smile was playing at his lips and sparking in his eyes at that head-bob of a shrug. Which, as the pair could've likely caught on with the man at this point, was the equivalent of others' bouncing off the walls singing the Hallelujah chorus.
"So far! From what I've seen. Humans and orcs especially, all over that coliseum. Fights. Races. Some very bendy dances and performances that pull people apart more often than they'd like to admit, probably. Not gone in for long yet, m'self."
[4:55 PM]
Neeva announced her intentions, then. "Nap. Sounds good, I'll catch up after shopping, we can introduce you to the others." And she was gone! But he was likely of the same mind; Lae would pull the Chup-mom card and be ready with tea.
Though he may need a nap himself and another long stint with his new Vaidya-hewn pipe before he could summon the fortitude for an Amalia and Neeva meetup!
Polpetto was sure his own parting advice was sound, too. ᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴇᴀ. ɴᴏᴛ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ. ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ ᴍɪɴᴇ. A chirp, a gentle little trill for Larkspur. ʙᴀʙʏ ɪꜱ ᴛᴏᴏ ꜱᴍᴀʟʟ. ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ, ʟᴀᴛᴇʀ.
"How about you, Doctor? Finish up here, I can treat you to a drink, we can plot?"
AJ — 11/08/2020
“Yes. Although it doesn’t seem to be like that place.” One could never really escape bloodsports. ...Although barfights were universal. “There has been some adventuring into the surrounding forests as well, which can require medical professionals.” Plenty of work, if one looked for it. And anyone was willing to trust a ‘self-employed’ doctor. Although his mention of ‘bend-apart dances’ earned an odd look. Trust that the little doctor didn’t much go into those places either.
“’Others’? ...Goodbye.” Spoken to one and then the other. Aldo was more established, and better with accommodations. Jaxamir was messy, and the odds were slim that he would have tea ready for her if she’d popped that way instead. They looked down at Polpetto instead. “...I am sure she will leave the lizards to you.”
The Vaidya looked between their setup and Aldo. With no dupatta to wrap their wares in anymore, they started collecting the vials and herbs by hand and stacking them ever so gently in their oversized bag. “I believe you and Neeva will be my only customers tonight.” Well, Aldo. Neeva had windowshopped. “I would find that agreeable.” There wasn’t much to tidy up, and they stood, bag on one arm, little manaraptor in the other hand. No doubt he would want back on Aldo’s shoulder.
Rigby — 11/11/2020
ʏᴇꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ. ᴍᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ. The little manaraptor wobbled his head in an exaggerated mirror of his master's satisfied gesture, the move made ridiculous by his horns. ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʟɪᴢᴀʀᴅꜱ.
"Plan on my patronage many more times, Doctor!"
Aldo would help the doctor pack up should they allow and as the Vaidya stood, he reached out an arm so Polpetto could grab hold and climb back to his favorite vantage on the man's shoulder's.
"Can't wait until Lae meets the baby. We've got a couple more eggs at home and have been working on finding them homes, she'll be delighted! But drinks are my treat. Gets those ideas flowing, after all..."
And together they too would exit the stand for the evening!
