Skysong "Kitten" (
skysung) wrote in
taxonomites2012-04-25 08:02 pm
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[Visual+Text | Location: anywhere around Taxon | Open to all]
Kitten had hesitated to visit the zoo. For anyone who can understand the speech of animals, zoos are exceedingly unhappy places unless they are constructed with the animals' natural habitats in mind. She is relatively pleasantly surprised by Taxon's zoo, but then, she supposes that the aliens are used to adding amenities to their prisons.
Then she reaches a section that makes her skin crawl in the same way Ozorne's menagerie had. Unicorns. Not killer unicorns, even, but their far from malicious cousins. Winged apes not in league to anyone and wishing to fly free.
Kitten screeches. She holds back just long enough to listen to the creatures for a moment, to get a clearer idea of whether they would be peaceful when released. As soon as she is satisfied they will be, Kitten takes action.
With a low croak, she shatters the locks on their cages, the entrances to their enclosures swinging open.
Unicorns and flying monkeys flee from their prisons-within-the-prison, free to at least travel the larger enclousure of the city itself. And then, to protect her new acquaintances, Kitten turns to the tablet.
She slowly types a message, switches to visual mode long enough to whistle for everyone's attention, then transmits what she has to say.
I am aware that many of you will be concerned at the appearance of winged monkeys in the skies of Taxon, considering recent events. Be advised that those currently flying throughout the city are not in service to anyone. They have no desire to harm humans, and should you attack them unprovoked, I will see it as an attack on an innocent and respond accordingly.
It is bad enough that we are all trapped within the large prison of the city. I see no need to leave magical creatures imprisoned in an even smaller cage, not unless they are a threat to others present here. Neither the unicorns nor the winged apes released today should pose such a threat.
((OOC: Feel free to use this as a party style post! Tag each other, encounter the newly released creatures around the city, respond to Kitten's network post, have fun finding out that you can't get near the unicorns unless you're a virgin, etc.))
Then she reaches a section that makes her skin crawl in the same way Ozorne's menagerie had. Unicorns. Not killer unicorns, even, but their far from malicious cousins. Winged apes not in league to anyone and wishing to fly free.
Kitten screeches. She holds back just long enough to listen to the creatures for a moment, to get a clearer idea of whether they would be peaceful when released. As soon as she is satisfied they will be, Kitten takes action.
With a low croak, she shatters the locks on their cages, the entrances to their enclosures swinging open.
Unicorns and flying monkeys flee from their prisons-within-the-prison, free to at least travel the larger enclousure of the city itself. And then, to protect her new acquaintances, Kitten turns to the tablet.
She slowly types a message, switches to visual mode long enough to whistle for everyone's attention, then transmits what she has to say.
I am aware that many of you will be concerned at the appearance of winged monkeys in the skies of Taxon, considering recent events. Be advised that those currently flying throughout the city are not in service to anyone. They have no desire to harm humans, and should you attack them unprovoked, I will see it as an attack on an innocent and respond accordingly.
It is bad enough that we are all trapped within the large prison of the city. I see no need to leave magical creatures imprisoned in an even smaller cage, not unless they are a threat to others present here. Neither the unicorns nor the winged apes released today should pose such a threat.
((OOC: Feel free to use this as a party style post! Tag each other, encounter the newly released creatures around the city, respond to Kitten's network post, have fun finding out that you can't get near the unicorns unless you're a virgin, etc.))
[Text to Kitten]
Fumbling with the pad, working out how to send back a written message though she had no idea whom she was speaking to. Nor, in that moment, did it matter. She wanted answers.
Hello and greetings. I am very new here so I'm sorry to bother you but what did you mean of recent events involving flying monkeys? I hope I'm not bringing up a sore subject.
[Text]
It is not a sore subject for me. It may be for others. A resident of the city was recently possessed by a witch, and the monkeys in the sky during that time were there to do her bidding.
[Text]
That sounds horrifying. They looked to be like monkeys and bats mixed? This resident, does she have a name?
It could be anyone. It could be a coincidence. It could be so many things.
[Text]
I believe the woman's name is DG. The witch is no longer possessing her, and she is innocent of any action she took while possessed.
Kitten stops and tilts her head to the side, wanting to know with whom she is sharing this information.
With whom am I speaking? My name is Skysong, but you can call me Kitten if you wish to.
[Text]
DG was possessed by a witch that released flying monkeys? What became of the witch?
Had this been her fault because she had gotten away from her with DG's help?
I am Azkadellia and another time I'm most certain this would be my pleasure, Skysong but DG is my sister and I fear this was my fault.
[Text]
Kitten whistled in remorse when she heard of the relationship between the two women. Just arrived, and already Azkadellia was blaming herself for what happened in the city. Kitten should have asked more before answering.
How could it be your fault? You were not here. The blame lies squarely with those who imprison us. They feel they have the right to do with their captives whatever they wish.
[Text]
Here she arrives, and others than those she had known had already dealt with the horror she had put the O.Z. through for years. Slowly sinking down to sit on a bench, trying to find the right words.
She is from our world and I've only just been released from her. The witch, that is.
[Text]
Azkadellia's next statement just makes Kitten worry more, and she chooses her next words rather carefully.
Our captors can bring whomever they wish to the city, from different points in the world's timeline. Their whims are not your fault, and your freedom is a blessing, not to blame for what happened to your sister here.
[Text]
She paused realizing he might not go by that name here.
He may be known as Glitch here. With a zipper along his head.
Would the witch think she could get more from him?
I will try and not be upset by this if you are certain it is about whatever brought us here and not myself.
[Text]
I am sure. They can be manipulative in the worst ways when they choose to. You are no more responsible than I am.
[Text]
And with her, though she knew most didn't see it that way. That she remembered everything he went through made things difficult.
I guess that is a bit calming, thank you for that.
[Text]
You are welcome. I am glad it helped to set your mind at ease.
She hesitates, then adds,
If you need anything, you may contact me.
[Text]
I am sorry for anything you and others endured because of the witch, and thank you for that as well. If I have need, I will be in contact.
[visual]
With hours before the full moon will rise, Remus can't do anything about it, but he opens a line to Kitten.
"In my world, unicorns hate werewolves. We're dark creatures, they're light. We're antithesis and the unicorns react to that. I hope you're right about intending no harm, Skysong."
[text]
Kitten refuses to let any harm come to anyone as a result of something she chose to do, but she also does not want to lock up the unicorns unless she knows they really would try to harm someone in the city.
Would it be alright if I spent some time nearby to see if the unicorns really would pose a threat? I will not allow you to be hurt, but I hate cages and do not want anyone imprisoned without cause.
Part of what makes the menagerie so unsettling, Kitten supposes, is the fact that but for the whims of the aliens she would be in there as well. Kitten is the only prisoner of the city who is never in a human shaped body. And however good she might be at escaping, the aliens have proven the strength of their barriers against her magic, both in the arrival room and around the city. If they want to keep a dragon captive in an even smaller cage than the city at large, they have more than enough power to do so.
[visual]
"I'm going to be housebound for a few days anyway, the full moon's tonight and I need to rest up afterward. Maybe they'll quietly head out of town to live in the woods?"
[visual and text]
She nods, a couple soft clicks and whistles attempting to convey some cross between hope Remus will be well and hope that the unicorns will stay away from him so they can maintain their freedom.
Re: [visual and text]
[visual | location: all over] - open to anyone to reply to!
"Okay, look, I know you're just trying to do what you think is right," she began, clicking the bullet holster into the bottom of her new gun. Her tablet was sitting on a table in her apartment, settled so she was in clear view. Resting all around her, on chairs and the floor, were several stunners and other assorted firearms. "But I'm not exactly gonna just believe someone's assurances that these creatures aren't going to do something to indirectly hurt someone. And for that matter, how do you know they aren't gonna go after each other? They could be rival species or something."
She stashed that gun into one of the holsters on her pants and picked up one of the stunners, looking it over and firing it up as she spoke. "I'm not saying we're going to hurt them. I won't let anyone do anything to harm them, my mother would kill me if I did."
Not literally, but...
"And if you're really that worried about them, I promise I'll go check on them every day after this. I grew up protecting creatures like this. I'll be sure they're fine."
Stunner down, time for another round of tranqs into a new gun. She was working quickly and efficiently, like someone who knew what she was doing.
"All right, the rest of you. Anyone who wants to help me capture these little guys and bring them back to their homes is welcome. Only thing is weaponry. Stunners and tranq guns only." At that point, she gave the tablet her best straight face. "Trust me when I say you do not want to deal with me if you hurt one of these guys or try to keep it for a pet. They aren't pets. Believe me." Back to working on her tranq rounds. "I've got stunners and tranq guns if you want one. Start at the edge of the city and move inward. We'll corner them in the middle."
And with that, she headed outside, towards one edge of the city. To start with, she held a flashlight in one hand, crossed underneath a tranq gun held in the other. Ashley Magnus would not be caught off-guard, but neither would she allow anything to hurt these creatures. Her mother would lecture her to no end if she returned and found out harm had come to Abnormals when Ashley could have prevented it.
[visual + text]
What gives you the right to determine what is best for them? Can you even understand what they say?
Kitten could. And while they probably were the animal equivalent of Extras, as Remus had called them, keeping them captive just felt wrong to Kitten. They were magical creatures just as she was, though Kitten was not sure whether they were immortal in this world. Their minds were much less keen than the dragon's, and that was the only thing keeping Kitten from outright fighting Ashley tooth and nail over this. They had harmed no one, and if they were intelligent enough to fully grasp the concept of cages, to hate them as any Immortal she knew did, she would kill to keep them free. For now, words would do.
They had no animosity toward one another when released simultaneously. You are basing a decision to imprison living creatures on nothing but unfounded supposition.
If Ashley thought she had the right to make decisions for creatures like these, especially if she thought a cage was the right decision, Kitten was not comfortable around her. What was to keep Ashley from deciding Kitten ought to be in a cage, to keep her from doing things like setting other creatures free? Ashley considered that a danger to said creatures.
[visual]
"I've been doing this for my whole life. My mom taught me to respect all life, even if I can't understand what it's saying."
She admitted that she couldn't hear whatever they had to say. They might be sentient and intelligent, but they weren't able to communicate with her.
"I'd rather have them in a space where they can be protected than out here where I can't guarantee their safety," she explained as patiently as she could. Remembering how her mother would have explained something like this were she here, Ashley tried her best to replicate that, though she was nowhere near as good at it. "If they're in a controlled space-" She would not call it a cage, even if it was one. "-and the aliens glitch someone, they've got a higher chance of not being hurt for it. If they're out here and someone gets glitched to hate every living thing? I can't protect them all. No one can. Or what if the aliens decide to affect these creatures themselves? It's just not safe for them."
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, trying to think through her argument and make sure she'd presented it in a decent fashion.
"I'll see if I can petition the aliens to give them a larger and more habitat-friendly enclosure after this. That I can promise you."
[visual+text]
Kitten was honestly not sure which way the unicorns or winged apes would choose, nor did she know if they had the intellectual capacity to make as informed a decision as she would wish for them. Again, that was her only hesitation in countering Ashley.
A cage was a cage, no matter how much prettier 'controlled space' might make it sound. The whole city was a big pretty cage, and it was grating on Kitten more than ever today. No Immortal she'd ever met coped well with confinement, and she was far from an exception to the rule.
You are trading a certainty of confinement for a possibility of increased safety. In Taxon, no one is safe anywhere if the aliens decide otherwise.
Asking them still seemed better, though. Fairer, somehow. They wanted freedom when she first granted it, and she would like to know how they felt now.
They cannot understand me, or I would ask. Mama could, but she is not in the city. I do understand their speech, though, and I set them free because they wished to be out of their cages.
[visual]
This was starting to turn into more of a debate than Ashley wanted to deal with. Precious minutes were being wasted on a subject that neither of them would be willing to back down on.
"Look, I think we're just going to have to politely agree to disagree. It's clear we're not going to see the same on this subject. If you'd like someone to debate it with, take it up with my mom when she gets back. She can tell you better than I can about Abnormals and how to take care of them.
"If they really still want freedom and you can get them to say as much... I'll see what I can do."
She made no promises, but at least a more open and habitat-friendly enclosure would be a good first start.
[Visual]
Even now, she frowned as she switched on her tablet.
"I hope you're right."
[Text]
I apologize for any worry my actions cause you.
[Visual]
The witch had been wearing her face and controlling her actions, but DG had been along for the ride whether she liked it or not. She knew that the city was on edge because of her actions. She knew that she was the one who had given people who would never have otherwise considered a reason to fear the flying monkeys.
[Text + Visual]
I am glad to see you free.
Kitten whistles encouragement to DG, glad that at least her own actions do not seem to be the source of additional distress so soon after the witch's possession.
[Visual]
"Az ... Az knows what happened?"
She hadn't told her sister about her own experiences with the witch. Not because she didn't trust her but because Azkadellia had more than enough to be dealing with. She had to deal with the strangeness of her new life in Taxon and, even more important, she had to deal with the aftermath of her long and bloody years of possession. For DG, protecting her sister had taken priority over her own struggles.
[Visual+Text]
I am sorry. I was unaware she was your sister until after I said it. I assured her you were alright, and she expressed concern for Glitch.
She hoped to hear an answer of her own with regard to Glitch's well-being.
[Location: Wilde]
Drusilla had never seen anything as beautiful as the unicorn. She'd seen battlefields and murders and executions and aimless slaughter, yes, but the purity of the magical creature was something else entirely. Was this how Angelus had felt when he'd found her? A beautiful girl with a sainthood ahead of her? Ripe and ready for corruption ...
She wouldn't hurt it, of course. She'd care for it and keep it safe and feed it on sugarcubes and rainbows. They'd be blissfully happy together, she was certain of it.
[Location: Wilde]
[Location: Wilde]
"Hello."
[Location: Wilde]
[Location: Wilde]
[Location: Wilde]
[Visual]
A cage within a cage. It was a horrible thought.
"We should have done this a long time ago."
[Visual+Text]
Did you have a way to know their intent before now? If they harm anyone after I release them, I am largely responsible. I can understand them, though, so I am better able to calculate the risk than others in the city.
She recognized the guilt, and she did not want Martha carrying it.
[Visual]
She appreciated Kitten's attempts to reassure her and smiled a little, though her doubts were far from erased.
"How do you think they'll take to freedom? I'd like to help, if I can."
It would be a lot to adjust to and offering her assistance was the least that she could do.
[Visual + Text]
Maybe, but you are willing to help them. That counts for a lot.
She shook her head at the next thing, though.
If everyone would leave them alone, I am certain they could adjust quickly enough. I will check on them regularly. If I do think of anything else, though, you will be the first to know.
[location: Osten]
Walking at a leisurely pace, she followed one down the street. And when she was close enough to touch the creature, she softly ran her blue hand along its mane. It was pleasant to the touch, and it did not shy away. Illyria regarded it with an almost delicate fascination.
no subject
The unicorn shakes itself and shies away from her touch.
Some time later, she can be found, sitting outside, staring into the distance, her tea growing cold.
[Location: Briar's House] (come save & laugh at him, Ashley)
Should have, because there in the very center, a horse pawed at his vegetables before lowering his head to start on the greens. Not a horse, Briar realized as he looked more closely. The animal had a long horn extending from the center of his forehead.
Whatever it was, and however beautiful, Briar didn't feel like giving up half his garden, not when there was plenty of grazing available nearby. He opened the window and climbed out, grimacing as he got a better look at the damage. "Did you have to trample over that whole corner on your way in, too?" he mutters with a groan. "I had plans for those." It would be a little longer before Briar could replace the last couple things missing from his medicine kit.
"Time to get out of the garden!" he called to the unicorn, moving forward. "The grass and trees are thriving for at least a quarter mile in every direction. You'll be fine." It seemed skittish, backing away (over an entirely different patch of plants, to Briar's dismay) as he approached. Briar gently shooed the creature out of the garden and into a nearby clearing before returning to the house.
Ten minutes later, a glimpse out the kitchen window revealed the exact same sight.
Twenty minutes later, Briar could be found sitting grumpily in the middle of the garden, glaring at a unicorn.
An impasse had been reached. The unicorn would not approach while Briar was there, nor would it stay out once he left. They were both stuck, for now.
[Location: Briar's House] (YOU CALLED?)
"Are you unicorn gazing or what?"
[Location: Briar's House] (Yesssssss)
Her question answered, he figured it was time to ask his own. "What are you doing?"
[Location: Briar's House] (♥ :3)
It was something to consider now. With a shrug, Ashley stashed one of her tranq guns. The unicorn was just so pretty. She kind of wanted to see if she could get close to it before she tranqed it. Or maybe she could just teleport it out without tranqing it. Worth a shot.
"I'm on round-up duty," she answered, slowly making her way closer to the thing. It swished its tail at her, but didn't respond to her movements otherwise. An ear flicked as she approached and soon enough, she was reaching out to touch it. "I might be able to just take this one home without knocking it out. You wanna come, too?"
She figured he might want to see what she was doing with the thing that tried to destroy his garden.
[Location: Briar's House]
"See?" Briar said. "I'm not sure why. I didn't do anything to it when I was shooing it out of the garden. Just walked toward it; it didn't want me getting close."
Briar stopped, letting Ashley approach the unicorn on her own again. "Why are you on round-up duty, anyway?"
[Location: Briar's House]
She was refusing to use anything else on the things, even if she had a stunner with her, too. Sighing, she kept her gun lowered and cautiously approached it, ready to lift her arm and hit it with a round or two if she had to. The thing stood still, even when she reached it again and lifted her free hand to grasp its mane tightly to keep it in place.
"It's-" How to explain what she and her mom did. "It's what I grew up doing, helping abnormals like this one. My mom runs a Sanctuary for them. If she were still here, I'd be able to take them there so they couldn't be hurt or hurt anyone else. She'd be able to take care of them, give them a home that wasn't a prison and everyone would be happy."
Or at least, she could hope the little dragon would be happy with that, but at this point she had no idea.
"I don't want anyone getting hurt because of some stupid miscommunication between these guys and the rest of the Taxon population."
[Location: Briar's House]
"Abnormals?" he asks, raising an eyebrow. "Ah, your mom's one of the ones who brought a whole building along with her, huh? Now I wish I'd gotten to visit it. That sounds like something to see."
He looks at the horse with a horn again, wondering if anything is odd about the creature other than the horn on its head and the way its beauty was almost otherworldly. "What sort of miscommunication are you anticipating, then?" Ashley is on much more solid ground than Briar is right now, so he'll ask questions and let her handle things. He is genuinely curious, when it comes down to it.
Of course, right now he wants to know if the unicorn really does have a problem with him. He steps forward again, and the unicorn shies like a skittish horse. "Yep. He does not like me one bit."
[Location: Briar's House]
"It's... a long story. Take a rain check and I'll tell you later." Too long a story for now. Ashley huffs out a breath of frustration as the unicorn darts out of her grip again. "Oh come on. Stand still!" She doesn't really want to shoot it if she doesn't have to, but if it keeps this up, she may not have much of a choice.
"My mom's work deals with things like this. We protect creatures like this from humans and vice versa. A lot of differences come up because humans don't understand the place these creatures play in our world, or that they actually live and breathe and feel the way we do. They just can't express it the same way. You should see some of the dangerous ones we've faced."
In essence, what Ashley is preaching is inter-species equality and understanding. It's something her mother drilled into her head from an early age.