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Post by Emiko on Mar 27, 2022 13:26:08 GMT -6
It seemed to be the end of yet another beautiful day in the Indian Jungle. The sun was just beginning to set in the west giving way to a gorgeous orange-red sky framed gently by the lush green foliage underneath. The animals that called this place home were all beginning to nestle in their respective havens for the night. And the sounds of the day were beginning to give way to those that filled the darkness of night. It truly was the end of a beautiful, but typical day for everyone that called this place their home. For everyone that is except...one particular girl...
Where most other inhabitants were getting ready for the night in their usual way, a stranger to the jungle found herself caught up within the branches of a tall tree. Panting in a fright, she had just escaped jaws of a hungry predator that had been stalking her ever since she came out here. She didn't know whether said predator was a lion, tiger, leopard...it didn't matter. She heard the growls of something big and sprinted til she found a tree she could climb and scaled it to safety. Now having been treed by a big cat, there was no where else for her to go... It just seemed like things were going from bad to worse for poor Emiko...
To think that...the events leading up to this current moment actually started years in the past. Back then in her original home of North America, Emiko had discovered a deep fascination for the rich history and culture that came from the Indian subcontinent. Something about India and it's Hindu culture just...sparked her spirit with enthusiasm and made her want to be a part of it. To that end, she spent years of her free time studying and learning all that she could. It was a silly dream of hers, but she wanted to try and adopt the lifestyle of the culture that fascinated her with an even sillier dream of possibly being fully a part of it someday. After years of preparation, she'd finally get that chance! Or...at least a small opportunity to at least experience it.
A few days to the present moment, Emiko had booked a trip to India and flew in for something of a vacation. That was the excuse, anyway. Just taking a couple of weeks to get away from things. Rather than relaxing at a resort or something like that, the anxious girl instead made arrangements to stay and live in a more traditional way. This thrilled her soul at first, but...proved to be a bit of a challenge.
As she spent her time in the way of tradition, Emiko found it to be a little different than what she was expecting. The naive girl was expecting a colorful life with festivals and other cultural events. Those things did happen, but only after the chores and other communal responsibilities were taken care of... Contrary to her life back home which included a 40 hour work week and then downtime afterwards...there was no structure here like that. It was...do what needed done as it needed to be done regardless of the time. And such a drastic change made Emiko start to think that perhaps adopting the lifestyle in part was more appropriate than being fully immersed in it.
Whatever the case was, Emiko did her best to comply with what she had already agreed to before finally getting something of a break for a day. She wanted to use that day to step into the jungle for a bit of a nature walk. However, that was when she caught the sound of a big cat that had been stalking the path and ended up on the run. Hours later, she was high up in the tree just barely free of the danger she was in moments ago...
With the realization that she was safe for the moment, the frightened girl fell back against the tree trunk and sighed. She glared out towards the beautiful sunset feeling a sense of distress that contrasted with the scenery before her. That's when she huffed though having realized that despite escaping danger, it wasn't fully past. That big cat was still down there, and she'd have to wait it out. But...how long would it be? Would she literally be stuck in this tree all night waiting for the creature to hunt something else...? Spending the night in a tree sounded bad enough, but...not as much as trying to run for her life when she was already wiped out...
If she did have to stay the night here, Emiko was at least somewhat properly dressed for it. She had came out into the jungle wearing a pair of blue jean capris with a light blue undershirt, and a white jacket over her body. A pair of white sneakers on her bare feet made up the rest of the outfit which...was honestly perfect for light travel. And though it did cover her body from the jungle during her escape, it may have been her bright colors that let the cat spot her to begin with... If nothing else, the clothing provided crucial cover and warmth from the elements.
Settling in with the realization she was in for an all-nighter, the pale-complected Japanese girl slowly reached back and started working to fix her long brown, wavy hair into a proper ponytail. She did this while keeping her matching brown eyes attuned to anything going on around her. Once her hair was tied back, she unzipped and took off her jacket, folded it lightly and placed it behind her back to act as a cushion against the otherwise hard tree bark. Propping her feet up afterwards, she settled in for what was sure to be a very long night...
"...I hope that cat is gone by the morning... The last thing I wanted to do was spend the night in the jungle like this... I don't want to be out here a moment longer than I have to be..."
Those words were little more than a vent on her part about the situation she was currently in. However, it never one time occurred to her that someone else might have heard them. And if someone had...only one could guess just how long she'd REALLY be out here in the jungle... With Emiko's lack of experience, this little nature walk of hers might turn into quite the lengthy experience...
(Reserved for alF1208)
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Post by alf1208 on Mar 27, 2022 16:07:16 GMT -6
It was indeed a long road from Emiko's comfortable life in America to getting lost in the Indian jungles, and one might wonder how exactly did it come to that night that she would to be unlikely to survive, judging by how dangerous the night predators were for someone as unprepared as she was. But most of these predators were not much of a danger compared to the one who happened to hear her little rant.
He was known as Serin: a gigantic, brown python, more than 35 feet long, and almost as thick as Emiko's midsection at his thickest part. Obviously, that body alone would make him able to subdue most of the jungle's inhabitants, but as if he wasn't already absurdly dangerous, the young serpent was also gifted with an intelligence matching the one of men, along with a certain ability making him able to alter the mind of his preys...
Despite that terrifying introduction, Serin was actually a timid specimen, and quite unsure of himself. Unlike his cruel cousin Ra'zak, who fed on humans every few weeks, taking great pleasure at squeezing the life out of them after rendering them mindless (if they were lucky), the brown python had never dared approach humans, and was continuously teased by said cousin for it. The fact he was way bigger and supposedly even more dangerous than most of his kind was making quite the contrast with his almost comical shyness.
It wasn't than Serin didn't want to catch humans, of course. Watching his cousin hunt made quite the impression on him, and although he would use a more sneaky and "nice" approach, using his specific ability to a bigger extent, he had long dreamt of having one of those interesting mammals, especially the females, in his coils.
That's why when the young Japanese girl settled in the very tree he was resting on, he couldn't believe his eyes. This specimen was very different from the locals Serin occasionally saw from afar, but she was also very cute, making the young serpent flush at the thought of claiming her for himself. Stuggling internally with his irrational fears of approaching humans, especially given this one was basically offering herself to him with how alone and unprepared she seemed, the brown python finally, in an act of bravery unlike his shy self, slowly made his big head poke out of the canopy, right above the resting lost girl.
"Huh, hello? What's that about a cat? I heard you running before, are you all right?" Serin spoke in a shaky voice.
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Post by Emiko on Mar 27, 2022 21:02:55 GMT -6
Emiko didn't have the faintest idea that the tree she had been chased up was home to a predator perhaps far more dangerous than the cat that chased her up here ever could be. From the moment she climbed up to the one where she decided to try and rest and wait the big cat out, it never crossed her mind that there were more dangers she'd have to be alert for. That was made painfully obvious just by how lax and careless she was to lounge in the tree like she was. But...the realization of what she was missing would come to her attention when the serpent revealed himself.
At first when the creature poked his head out, Emiko almost missed it entirely. The brown snake was so well camouflaged with the tree's surroundings that she couldn't see it at a glance. However, when he spoke up to her and drew her attention to him, that's when she saw him. And...was she ever shocked...
A gasp escaped her lips as she tensed up with the first thought being that a large snake was in the tree with her. But...as her mind 'thought' about it after the shock, her eyes opened wide in surprise at the fact it had just spoken to her! In that moment, Emiko wasn't sure whether she was more stunned that she was with a gigantic snake in the tree, or one that could talk! But whichever it was, it was enough to keep her paralyzed with shock and awe for several long moments... It would be a long minute of silence before she'd finally be able to speak. And...what came out was naturally less than coherent.
"...I...was chased up by a hungry animal... But...how is it that...that you can...? Oh my gosh, I'm a tree with a giant talking snake... How is this possible!?"
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Post by alf1208 on Mar 28, 2022 4:42:34 GMT -6
The shock made Emiko look both extra helpless and extra cute to the timid young python. The way her mouth was opened in awe, her brown eyes full of confusion... Despite his usual meek attitude, he simply had to get her in his coils. But he had to overcome his own shock, and think carefully about the next steps.
Slowly descending from the canopy, keeping a safe distance with the brunette but offering more and more of his gigantic body for her eyes to see, he answered softly "I think you outruned it good, I cannot smell anything. And yes, I guess I can talk like you humans, I always have been able to communicate with your kind. I hope I haven't startled you too much". Serin had decided it would be better to talk with her, trying to gain her trust, before trying out his... other abilities. He had never used those on an intelligent creature before, so he was not confident on betting everything on it at first glance...
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Post by Emiko on Mar 28, 2022 21:31:59 GMT -6
The shock that Emiko was in wasn't about to leave her that easily, or quickly. That in of itself could have been a major problem for the snake to work around had he played his cards wrong. Thankfully though, his approach to try and calm her down while gaining her trust was the most beneficial option. A timid girl like her would be sure to react quite negatively to anything else after the shock she had been delivered.
As more of the snake's body came into view, there was a moment where the young girl felt a sense of nervousness creep over her that rivaled what she felt when she heard that big cat growling earlier. But...the snake actually kept a respectable distance from Emiko making him appear less threatening than he seemed. Not only that...he spoke to her rather casually while offering assurances to ease her anxieties over what had actually TRIED to kill her. Somehow...these things helped to calm her down, if only slightly...
Taking the snake's word to heart, Emiko shifted her gaze down to the ground below her to see if perhaps the animal actually was gone. At a glance, she...didn't really see anything that suggested the cat was nearby... Everything was still and quiet; not a guarantee that it was gone, but no evidence that it wasn't laying in wait somewhere... She continued to look around hoping that perhaps this snake was right, but...found herself chatting with curiosity about the snake...
"...I've just...never met an animal that was actually capable of speaking before... How is...that possible? That you are able to speak with human speech and communicate like this...?" She asked, still looking around for any sign of the danger below rather than the potential one above...
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Post by alf1208 on Mar 29, 2022 8:14:52 GMT -6
The young python would have gotten quite flustered by the 'casual' conversion he was having with such a cute female - if snakes were actually capable of getting flustered, that is. He could tell by her attitude that she was more wary of the predator who chased her before than she was of him, even though he could tell she wasn't entirely relaxed around him, which wasn't surprising regarding his threatening appearance.
The thing was, even though his intentions towards Emiko were not exactly nice (he could barely get out of his mind the idea of getting his thick coils around her, let alone thinking about having her as a meal), Serin was still very unsure about how to interact with the brunette and almost frightened by the prospect. Gathering his composure, the python finally tried to answer her, keeping his coils at a respectable distance but making them run around the branches, too nervous to stay still.
"I don't really know... My cousin can do it too, I guess we were just born this way" Serin answered in a meek voice. Trying to get control of the conversation, he added "I'm Serin, by the way! What is your name, and what are doing by yourself in the jungle at night? It is unusual for your kind, isn't it?"
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Post by Emiko on Mar 29, 2022 15:42:19 GMT -6
Emiko had taken a few more moments to look around the jungle floor before finally lifting her head up to look at the python once more. He had moved slightly closer while she was distracted, but was still respectably distanced from where she sitting. These actions along with his tone and demeanor made the serpent seem far less threatening as time went on.
With the threat level diminishing by the second, Emiko found herself growing more curious about the snake in this tree than the big cat down below which...may or may not have moved on by now. The shock that the creature could talk was still something, but to learn he had family and even a name... That made it seem even more unreal, yet here it was...
"...Serin? You actually have a name to go with your ability to speak?" She asked, tilting her head curiously before giving it a shake realizing that asking it that way could be considered inappropriate...
"...I...I'm sorry, that was rude of me to say... This is just so...foreign to me. My name's Emiko, and...I didn't intend to be in the jungle at night by myself. I was just...trying to enjoy a nature walk and got chased in. I'm wanting to go back home, but...it's not safe to travel so...I thought I might be stuck here for the night..."
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Post by alf1208 on Mar 30, 2022 4:53:15 GMT -6
Chuckling softly, the silliness of her question overcoming how intimidated he had felt to interact with the young brunette, Serin answered "It's not so uncommon to have a name, you know. Pleased to meet you Emiko, even... even in those circumstances"
Getting more comfortable around Emiko, the brown python wrapped around the tree trunk and the branches, taking the opportunity to rest his long body, sore from the exploring he had done, slithering all day in the treetops.
"If... if you were to be comfortable with it, I'd be glad to keep you company for the night" Serin added, a bit unsure about this move. "I could watch over you, while you rest in this tree, and help you get home tomorrow... You must so tired and so tense from all that running earlier"
That sure was a bold move, maybe a bit hasty with the level of trust they had established so far, but the young python knew Emiko's options were limited, and besides he still had a trump card to play...
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Post by Emiko on Mar 30, 2022 19:44:04 GMT -6
The longer things went on, the less danger Emiko actually felt coming from the serpent. He didn't seem like the kind of creature she was expecting when she first saw him. In fact, he was far more civilized that Emiko herself had been making assumptions about the creature. Perhaps they were right, and his true motives were unknown to her. For now though...couldn't she be a little more respectful?
To the serpent's question, Emiko wasn't exactly sure how to respond at first. Even if the snake wasn't threatening, having him around to watch over her felt...weird. At the same time though, she didn't necessarily want to be by herself. And the promise of being able to go home tomorrow was quite an appealing offer. She made a quiet vow to herself that if she ever did get out of this alive, she'd never go jungle hiking alone again. In spite of all that, there was no denying at least one thing. She was tired, and quite tense from her trip... That much she could agree with him on.
"I...I don't know... I mean, it's not that I don't want the company, but...this is all kind of strange and so new to me..." She'd reply, giving him a shrug. A moment later, she'd lean back against the tree and resume her reclined position to give things a bit more thought. "...I suppose maybe for now the company would be appreciated. But...I do want to try and sleep soon. It really has been...quite an exhausting day for me... An exhausting week, truth be told..."
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Post by alf1208 on Apr 16, 2022 7:21:55 GMT -6
The young snake was relieved him pointing out the sillyness of her questions seemed to make her apologetic, and less and less wary of him. His shy personality was making a stark contrast with how frightening his form was, the bulky, thick coils wrapped all around the branches surrounding them, looking like they could squeeze the life out of the brunette in an instant.
Thankfully, that wasn't the way Serin planned to handle his new acquaintance, and he was glad to slowly making her comfortable around him. "Maybe I can give you a lift then? It'll be much safer up here than near the forest's floor, and I'll be able to watch over you." As he spoke of lifting her up, he formed a coil seat in front of her, illustrating how he could help her to climb to 'safety'...
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Post by Emiko on Apr 16, 2022 9:11:38 GMT -6
It was certainly true that Emiko was carelessly dropping her guard around this rather dangerous creature. In fact, she was oblivious to the fact that the creature's coils were winding in the branches around her where they could take action at any moment. And there she was, just casually reclined against the tree branch having a simple conversation with this creature like it was nothing... To say she was like a silent lamb in the presence of a hungry wolf wasn't far off only her situation was a bit more dangerous. And she didn't even realize it.
Despite the obliviousness to danger, Emiko was at least a little cautious when the python offered to give her a lift up higher into the trees. Sadly though, it wasn't for the reasons she should have been. Rather than giving the snake wiggle room to put her in further danger, Emiko was instead focused on the fact that...she was tired and didn't want to climb anymore. At the core of it though, she hated heights and didn't want to go any higher up into the tree than she already was. It was a fact she didn't hesitate to make known as well as the reasons for that decision...
"...Honestly, I'd...rather not go any higher if I don't have to..." She replied timidly, taking a moment to look upwards into the branches above with a nervous gulp to follow. "...I...don't like heights at all... Just being up this far is bad enough. I'd never get any sleep if I had to rest any higher than this. I'm...perfectly comfortable right here and would rather sleep where I'm at..."
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Post by alf1208 on Apr 21, 2022 9:46:54 GMT -6
At the frustration he felt before Emiko's slight lack of cooperation, the young python realized he was more eager than he thought to get the cute brunette into his clutches. However the reasons she brought up reassured him about the fact he had not lost her trust yet, and this was only a challenge for him to overcome. He was mostly worried about Emiko staying on the ground, where other predators could claim her, but he had another way of 'convincing' her to get into the cover of the canopy...
"I understand..." Serin finally said. "I was only worried about predators coming during the night, but I guess I can keep watch over you". The brown python coiled around the tree trunk tightly, making himself more comfortable near Emiko, his big head now facing her. "So, would you be comfortable enough to sleep here, with how stressful your day was?"
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Post by Emiko on Apr 21, 2022 10:02:26 GMT -6
The dangers that awaited Emiko were lost to her entirely... She was oblivious to the snake's motives, or abilities and didn't fully comprehend the danger she was potentially in. That in of itself, while she didn't fully know the snake well enough to fully trust, kept her calm and rather casual despite the serpent moving a little closer and shifting his gaze directly onto her. Instead, what she focused on was their conversation which...in some ways actually helped to deflect the danger even more than it already had.
Emiko thought about the question Serin asked and remained silent for a good moment pondering the possibilities... Could...she sleep here where she was? Emiko wasn't exactly a nature girl at heart and had never spent a night in a tree like this. There were a lot of factors at play to consider. Even still, the current circumstances dictated that she didn't leave this tree for any reason. And her own fear of heights kept her from going any further up... It was a no win situation; one that no matter where she was, this was as good as it would get. At least...in her mind...
"...I...I don't know... No matter where I sleep, it's foreign to me, and I've never been good finding rest in unfamiliar places. Throw in the stress of the day and...I don't think I'll be getting much sleep tonight. That...despite how exhausted I really, truly am... I'd like to sleep... I should sleep, but...can I? That's a good question..."
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Post by alf1208 on Apr 22, 2022 8:09:02 GMT -6
Serin had to suppress a smile at Emiko's words. He had the perfect solution to help her get some rest, and more. The brown python knew he had to be careful in the way he offers his assistance though, or the brunette might get suspicious of his true intentions.
"I... I get it's tough to sleep far from your natural environment" Serin finally said, his meaty coils slithering around the treetops, the young snake being quite the 'fidgeting' type, if you could say that. "I might have a way of helping you get some sleep though, should you be interested?"
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Post by Emiko on Apr 22, 2022 10:14:26 GMT -6
There were signs all around Emiko that hinted how things weren't what they seemed... On more than one occasion, there was rustling in the branches above along with slight, but quick noticeable jitters along Serin's body. The snake seemed eager to watch over her for...some strange reason, and even now he was a bit insistent on helping her get to sleep. Why he seemed anxious in some moments and eager to help in others wasn't exactly clear to Emiko. But...rather than feeling the obvious sense of danger that she should have, she instead found herself a bit curious...
Serin had came off as a friendly, albeit anxious snake who didn't seem all that dangerous. And his offer to help Emiko sleep came with a tone that matched that sentiment. The young girl didn't think there was anything wrong with Serin necessarily and...while skeptical about how he might be able to sleep, was there any harm in inquiring what he had in mind? No help at all meant perhaps no sleep tonight. If that happened, Emiko knew the following day would be a nightmare for travel... Perhaps it was worth at least hearing him out...?
"...What sort of way do you have that...might help me sleep? Some sort of...jungle plant, or remedy that can induce drowsiness? I know next to nothing about the jungle so...I'm willing to at least try something..."
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