Learning anew

[notagiraffe]

Characters: Taiki and open
Setting: Meadow throughout the 6th, 7th and 8th.
Format: Either
Summary: Recovery, relearning some skills and a regain
Warnings: First prompt characters will probably be speaking more to Sanshi than Taiki

[6th] Taiki of course couldn't fight, but that didn't mean battles didn't affect him. As the plague doctors got more violent and the fight against Jason began his condition worsened. He kept going as long as he could, running supplies, helping where he could even without his powers, due to the transition to the new collar fluid.

In the end he had all but collapsed, he had gotten to his room and hid there, letting himself drift in and out of consciousness, without his Shirei to look after him. The days were a blur, and by the time his powers came back he was barely strong enough to manifest Sanshi. So time past, and it took days after everything was over for him to regain enough strength to stay awake for decent periods of time.

Today though Sanshi took him out of his room, carrying him on her back. She didn't feel any different even though she was now real- and Taiki wasn't sure how she wasn't real before but was now, but didn't have the energy to think about it properly. They ended up in the meadow, still Taiki's favourite place and he curled up next to her.

[7th] Taiki was stronger today, not quite sitting up on his own but more aware. He managed small, tired smiles at those he saw. And even managed quiet conversation with Sanshi and stroked Gohran who was in puppy form beside him.

Every now and again he took out the picture he had received and stared at it, feeling sad but also comforted by it. At these times Sanshi stroked his hair and murmured at him softly.

[8th] Taiki is a lot brighter today, though the bloodsickness is no where near gone, it never really is gone. Still he is sitting up and even managed to walk part of the way here himself. Now he is feeling a little better he is beginning to explore the differences, if he can find any in his real powers.

He transformed and for a while there was a black horned creature flying around the meadow until he tumbled back to the ground, transforming as Sanshi placed his cloak over him.

One thing he noticed though was how much harder it was to heal, he supposed it made sense. He had learned to heal here, with his glamour powers, and it wasn't part of his actual powers.

And so he spent the day practicing, resting curled up in Sanshi's knee when he was exhausted. If anyone was to pass during these practices they would see a dark haired child in formal looking robes stood very still before announcing "Heal" to thin air.

Comments

7th

[chainsawn]

What's that?

[ Urotsuki is so quiet and blank that it might almost have seemed like she snuck up on him out of nowhere even if it wasn't her intention. But she's there all the same, staring over his shoulder at the picture like she's genuinely interested in it despite her lack of emotion. ]

[notagiraffe]

Oh... [Gohran had sensed her coming near and growled softly but the voice still shocked Taiki and he jumped a little, Sanshi resting her hand on his head to calm him.] Hello... Urotsuki... [He held the painting closer to her with slightly trembling hands]

It's me and my king...

[chainsawn]

[ She leans even further over to the picture despite him already holding it closer, like she wants to make sure that she's seen absolutely every single part of it. Then she lightly nods to herself. ]

I see.

[ ... ]

He looks.. pretty strict. I guess. Like he doesn't like having fun.

[notagiraffe]

He's really nice... um... I guess he's a king so he has to be strict... but he's kind as well [He gave a tiny smile] I was a bit scared of him when I first met him... but it was mostly the ouki... telling me he was the king... it scared me.

[He paused, since this was the most he had spoken in a while] This... this was an important portrait... so we both had to look really serious...

[chainsawn]

Oh, so he looks more strict here than he usually is..? [ That would make sense. It's just like people pulling silly faces in photographs, except then the other way around.

In the meantime she's busy making herself comfortable sitting next to Taiki. ]

I'm sure you must miss him then..

[notagiraffe]

Yes... [He snuggles up next to her and nods sadly] I do... a lot...

[chainsawn]

.. There's people I miss too.

[ Yuuto most of all, of course. But there's other people she knew in the tower as well that disappeared over time. Like Tara and all the others. ]

But.. I won't get to see them even if I'd go home to a normal world. At least you'll see him again. Probably.

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki nodded] Yes... like Eridan and Willow and Haldir... I won't see them again... [He blinked sadly] But... Kirin are always sad... when they aren't with their kings... it's something inside us...

[chainsawn]

You can't even help it? [ Granted, Urotsuki can understand dependancy since it's her sort of thing, but the way Taiki makes it sound seems like something slightly different. ]

It just.. happens right away..?

[notagiraffe]

Yes... it just happens... when we are with them we are always happy... um... it's like a light inside us but when they are gone there's no light and it is all dark and sad... sorry...

[chainsawn]

...

[ She gets most of it, but one part leaves her blinking in surprise. ]

"Sorry"..? Are you apologizing? For what?

[notagiraffe]

Just... complaining... I don't want to make you sad... or mad... [He presses into Sanshi's side, embarrassed.]

[chainsawn]

It's fine. We're just.. talking. [ This is how people normally talk, right? She's pretty sure of it. There's no need to apologize for every little thing. ]

If you'd have to keep saying "sorry" for that, then you probably would never be able to stop.

7th

[altitonant_emperor]

Good afternoon.

[ Hidetoshi wasn't expecting to find a small child and his presumed guardian, with a puppy sitting next to the child, when he visited the meadow for a chance to relax on one of the floor certain to not harm him. It felt a little like an unintended intrusion. ]

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki jumped a little when he heard someone speaking and turned his head, Gohran growling softly.] Good afternoon... [He blinked nervously] Sorry... are we in the way... we can leave...

[altitonant_emperor]

No, it's alright. [ Hidetoshi shook his head and took care to not look the growling puppy next to the kid in the face, it might take it to be confrontational. ]

You're not the way. Please, do stay where you are. I'm certain this floor is big enough for all of us.

[ ... That last bit was a wryly delivered joke. ]

[notagiraffe]

[He actually gets a tiny smile out of Taiki and Gohran stops growling, lying back down.] Are... sorry... are you alright?

[altitonant_emperor]

I'm quite fine. Don't be concerned. [ Hidetoshi wouldn't want to burden a little kids with his problems even if he wasn't alright. He twitches his lips upward and brushes some stray locks of hair out of his face as he admits; ]

Tired though, I suspect everybody is in some way.

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki tried to sit up a bit more, Sanshi reaching out to help him and he gestured to the grass next to him] You can come and rest here... um... sorry... only if you want to...

[altitonant_emperor]

Mm? Thank you. [ When what looks like a sick little child offers to let you sit down next to them, your sense of compassion obliges you to agree. Besides, any place in the meadow wasn't much different after another.

He sits down stiffly in the spot indicated, flattening the grass underneath him. There's a pause as he glances from the guardian to the kid. ] Excuse me for asking, but... Are you feeling well? Is something wrong?

[notagiraffe]

[Taiki smiled at him, glad for the company, he turned so he was facing Hidetoshi before leaning back on Sanshi.] Oh... It's okay... I'm a Kirin... sorry... we can't be around blood... it makes us sick...

[altitonant_emperor]

[ Hidetoshi blinks, then automatically says; ] Don't apologize for your state of health.

[ Then the rest of what Taiki said registers. Surprise flicks across his face for a second before vanishing. ] A kirin? Well... I see.

[ It wasn't every day you met a kid saying he's a creature from one of your childhood folklore stories. ]

I don't know that blood sickened you. Will you be recovering soon?

[notagiraffe]

Sorry... [The apology comes automatically and he blushes and looks down. At the question he shrugged] Yes... I'll be okay... just... there's always blood here... But it's okay...

[altitonant_emperor]

It's not okay. [ Hidetoshi protested indignantly and crossed his arms across his chest, though he tried to speak quietly as to not frighten the timid child that he really didn't know anything about. Kids shouldn't suffer like that. ] Even if you recover. Is there no method that could shield you from the side-effects?

[ Accepting stuff like blood-sickened kirins doesn't even seem surreal to him in this Tower anymore. ]

[notagiraffe]

No... I... um... when I die it gets better... but only for a little while... [Gohran growled at that, Taiki dying was not an acceptable thing in the shirei's eyes.] I don't think... there's anyway to stop it... except not being near bloodshed...