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Post by jessejames on Mar 30, 2020 13:48:16 GMT -6
"Uh... Thanks..." the title 'servant' didn't sit well with his pride, but this once he'd have to swallow it. Before he attempted to eat the strange meal, he took a dropper from his inner vest pocket and tested it for poison. He wasn't too suspicious of the gargoyle, but since she'd never seen a human she couldn't be expected to have substantial knowledge about their anatomy and what was safe for them to eat. But the liquid didn't test positive for any harmful substances, so he carefully tried a bite. To her credit, though, the hemal tasted really good despite it's appearance.
"So, what are the sorts of things you expect me to do for you?" With a sudden icy feeling of anxiety, he realized he should have asked about this BEFORE he made the deal, but it was too late now.
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Post by softscales on Mar 31, 2020 5:09:48 GMT -6
Haru swallows what was in her mouth, knowing well that her part of the deal means she must answer every question he asks and must tell the truth. She gives herself a chance to at least wipe her mouth with the back of her hand before answering. "I believe I already gave the opinion that living here on this island is a constant survival. Fight or die. It's dull. I am hoping that you will be able to provide a better, entertainment. It'd be a welcoming change to have some kind of companionship. I also have a few, games in mind for us. But those will come later." Thinking she had said enough, the gargoyle goes back to eating. Hermals were not the most tasty but it was food.
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Post by jessejames on Mar 31, 2020 12:50:06 GMT -6
Her reply was a bit strange. He was expecting to do grunt work like hunting or cleaning, though he was curious what she meant. Still, he had more pressing concerns. "Do you know anything about the nearby village or why it was abandoned?" He asked. It looked like it had been deserted a long time, which was worrisome since he had no idea where all of the reports were coming from. Someone may have lied to him... Set him up, even. But for what? The gargoyle was a substantial threat, but not worse than anything he'd faced before-not to mention, she was rather benign. There must have been something else.
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Post by softscales on Mar 31, 2020 23:41:32 GMT -6
“Forgive me to answer a question with a question, have I not already answered this question before? I do not know anything about it. The ruins have always been there, but never seen anyone live in it. So no.” Haru finishes her chunk of meat and grabs another. She eats a balanced amount. Fill but not full. Enough to give her energy but not be weighted down by a full stomach. She gives her fingers a clean then stretches her arms above her head. Haru gets up from the ground and walks to the entrance of the cave. ”Your first order, stay here. I have to go do something. You shouldn’t have any danger, unless something flies.” Haru steps off the ledge and opens her wings mid fall. Catching the air she flies off leaving Jesse alone in the cave.
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Post by jessejames on Apr 1, 2020 13:55:25 GMT -6
"I thought you might have heard of some legend or something," he said in reply at first, then simply nodded as she left the cave. He finished his meal quickly, then stood up and began pacing. Though the luminous crystals were certainly impressive, there wasn't much else to see inside this part of the cave. He checked his wound. Nothing had worsened, so at least he negated the poison. Though now he had another thing to worry about: lack of supplies. He couldn't exactly go buy new bandages in a jungle like this. Not to mention he'd lost his scythe earlier, so self defense suddenly got much harder... He ran a hand through his hair, anxious. It was one thing after the other here.
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Post by softscales on Apr 2, 2020 5:38:16 GMT -6
Haru flies fast since she wasn't carrying added weight like a kill and a being as big as her. She makes it to the spot she was looking for. She lands and begins scanning the ground. As she searched she thought about Jesse's question. But what more of an answer could she give? The town had been on the island as long as she existed, maybe longer. Its been abandoned for as long as she's known so what could she know about it? Maybe she should bring the human back to the village. Her eyes lift as she finds what she was looking for.
It didn't take her long to get back to her cave. "Jesse, I believe you are still here?" she asked.
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Post by jessejames on Apr 6, 2020 0:56:24 GMT -6
She interrupted his thoughts, briefly startling him, but he quickly regained his composure. "Indeed." He turned to face her, his arms still folded but his pacing stopped. "I see you've returned empty-handed. Hunt didn't go well? Or were you out for something else?" He'd meant it almost conversationally, but remembered (not without some amusement) that she'd have to answer even that with perfect honesty.
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Post by softscales on Apr 6, 2020 22:24:52 GMT -6
"I suppose you don't want this? I returned to where we met to retrieve this." She pulls out her hands from behind her back to reveal the very weapon he brought with him to the island. "Now that I no longer have to be concern of you attacking me I don't see harm in returning your only defense. "You are my servant so I would prefer you don't get mauled or eaten."
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Post by jessejames on Apr 7, 2020 11:46:32 GMT -6
"Thank you!" He said, heaving a sigh of relief. Weapons like that were incredibly expensive to make. He most likely would have been resourceful enough to survive without it, seeing as he had a few smaller weapons, but it was still that much of an extra security. He tested the button for the retractable blade to make sure it wasn't damaged. It worked perfectly.
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Post by softscales on Apr 7, 2020 18:54:15 GMT -6
Haru walks over to the cave opening and shoves the large rock to cover the entrance. "Night time is coming." When it was covered enough, she goes over to the glowing crystals and brushes away more dust to brighten the room. She looks to what remains of their dinner. There was still more of the hemal. Enough to have for a light morning breakfast. With the room lit enough she checks the spot where she scratched the ground to release steam. It was still warm there. "Still warm, shall keep the cave warm enough for the night. I'll need to deal with it tomorrow. That can be something you can help me with." Haru opens her wings as far as she could to stretch them for a moment then relaxes them. She then gives a few small flaps to loosen them. "For now best to get some rest." The gargoyle walks to another side of the room where a pile of leaves and grass was being used like a nest. It was placed above another warm spot from the ground. Haru gets herself comfy. "Come here."
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Post by jessejames on Apr 9, 2020 15:59:26 GMT -6
He took off his coat and set it next to his medical supply case. The scythe in it's compact form he'd keep in his vest pocket in case of an emergency. Sealing the cave made him feel a little claustrophobic, but he understood it was necessary to keep out intruders. As for the heat, at least he wouldn't need a blanket. At her command he crossed over to the far side of the room, where he noticed her makeshift leaf bed. Now he certainly missed the comforts of his own house, but that would have to wait.
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Post by softscales on Apr 15, 2020 18:55:29 GMT -6
Once he was down, Haru uses a wing to pull him closer to her body. "It can get cold here, but the warmth below will help keep the chill away." She reaches out a hand to touch the pale mark on his throat. "An try to remember well of our agreements. Breaking a deal with a beast has terrible consequences."
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Post by jessejames on Apr 15, 2020 19:42:48 GMT -6
"Right..." gently he removed her hand from his throat. Under his shirt, several black marks shifted across his skin; indellible reminders of the experiments. He told himself he always dressed professionally-button up shirt, vest, tie, slacks, gloves-because he never knew when he would meet a potential client as a surgeon. But really it was because of the looks he received when others would see the marks protruding from his shorter sleeves. The last time he wore a t-shirt was the time his mother saw it.
...Anyway, he hoped the new mark wouldn't remain forever. Having never made a deal such as this, he wasn't aware of the finer details about pacts. He just knew what he needed to survive.
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Post by softscales on Apr 17, 2020 7:36:37 GMT -6
Haru doesn't take offence to him pushing her hand away. She then closes her eyes without another word and settles herself to let sleep take over. Making a deal with a demon has many dangers. But Gargoyles aren't technically demons. Just like Haru had been calling herself, her kind were in the category known as a beast. Breaking a deal with a demon most times will result in transformation into a monster or a terrible curse could be placed on them that will feel like a weight on their heart and soul. Breaking a deal with a beast is less drastic yet complicated too. The paling on the skin is a pin to where the penalty will hit them. As it was on their throat; it could cut off their voice or cause shortness of breath. Could even go worse by taking their breath away. Yet what also differs from demon and beast is a beast's deal has some leeway. If either party so much as think of defying the deal they will feel a slight pain where the mark is placed. A warning as well as a reminder of the oath they gave. The only way to remove the mark is to sever the agreement. For that to happen both sides must comply to relinquish the deal. But Haro had made the agreement for as long as Jesse was on the island. Meaning they won't have to. All he has to do is set foot off the island and back out into the open sea. Once he was far enough away the agreement would be terminated. The penalty would leave them both back to the selves they were before they even met.
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Post by jessejames on Apr 19, 2020 11:17:27 GMT -6
He struggled to break free from their grasp. "No, there's been a mistake! I'm not insane! I don't belong here!" The staff only grinned and sneered in response. He felt a prick in his arm, followed by a sickly nauseating sensation that spread throughout his chest and down to all of his limbs. Every second his struggles became weaker as he could feel his muscles stiffening. He looked at various patients, staff, and visitors down the hall. The visitors! "Someone help! I'm being taken against my will! My name is Doctor Thisten and I-"
Every head slowly turned to him.
And they laughed.
Every one of them, laughing louder and louder until his ears couldn't take it any more-and louder still. There were even rises and depressions from the chest of a man on a gurney covered by a white sheet.
But those were for the dead, right...?
Jesse woke up gasping. His pulse was fast, and he could feel his own heart beating against his ribcage. He was back in the cave. It was all a dream. Well, more than that. It was a memory.
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