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Post by SongofWindchimes on Nov 28, 2011 22:47:25 GMT -5
Bianca would never forget the sound of the explosion, or the feeling of the shrapnel piercing her skin. Just like she'd never forget being slammed against the wall with telekinesis by that crazy bastard those years ago. Both times in her life, something had been taken from her with sudden and violent force. At least this time it was nothing with a life. The Murkrow's Nest was no more. The vast majority of the non-living merchandise was impossible to salvage; she had seen the creeping frost spreading across the rubble from the numerous shattered Nevermeltice right before she escaped. Her pokemon and her pets were safe, but there was no way they could live in the wreckage. Bianca had limped her way out, bleeding, leaning on Faux Zoro, and sending her other pokemon to help her few customers, and anyone from the nearby stores who needed it, get to safety. Most of her belongings were lost, and what money she had access to for the time being was quickly spent; anyone she knew who would have had the heart to help her were in worse situations than she was. Bianca was on her own. Once she was patched up as best as the hospital could with so many worse cases, she'd left, reluctantly, for the shelter. Taking the food and blanket, as basic as they were, bothered her; she would only be misplaced for a little while, after all, unlike some of the others here. For once, however, she swallowed down the odd mix of pride, guilt, and twinge of misplaced of fear, mostly due to the fact that Bianca was simply exhausted, physically and emotionally. She didn't have enough energy to be stubborn anymore. She settled against one of the walls, covering her bandaged body with the blanket. A set of five cat carriers sat next to her, as their occupants simply had nowhere they could go. Jezebel had been screaming at first, but now the elderly black cat simply sulked in the back of her carrier. Spook merely cowered, the tiny feline only enticed to eat a few of his favourite chicken treats all day. None of them could possibly understand what had just happened to their world. As for pokemon, Bianca hadn't wanted to take up any more room than she had to, so her only companion in that regard was a small Skitty who sat next to her and watched the crowd of people. The 'Skitty,' however, was not exactly what it appeared; Faux Zoro could never leave his captain's side when she was so injured and, clearly to him, in a state of shock. Even if it meant flexing his powerful illusion skills to appear as a harmless pink cat. |
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DJ Boomkitty
Retired Staff 
The Cat That Knows Where It's At [M:-11530]
LMFAO can't shuffle.%%Birthday Cake%%
Posts: 1,033
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Post by DJ Boomkitty on Nov 29, 2011 22:02:31 GMT -5
R Y U U ---
Unlike Bianca, Ryuu had been spared from the blast, having been preoccupied with tailoring a rather extravagant dress for a loyal customer. For the blond, that day had been just like any other; orders were lines up, the doors were open, and his independently operated business 'Sew it Seams' was bustling; as usual. Although he had heard a booming sound echo over from the Central area, Ryuu simply dismissed it as the product of vigorous battling at the EEC. He never liked battling, really...
However, as the day progressed, it became obviously clear what that blast actually had been. Having been cheerfully singing along with a musical that was playing on the television, Ryuu was caught off-guard when his regularly scheduled broadcasting was oh-so rudely interrupted by 'breaking news'. In fact, he had reached for the remote to turn the banter off until the images caught his eye, leaving the man feeling rather flabbergasted. So many people were hurt, and... dead. And so close to home. The broadcaster mentioned how the Shelter was being turned into a temporary relief center for those in need, and upon hearing that, Ryuu decided to take action.
With Charming, Felicity, and Grace in tow, Ryuu made his way down to the shelter, each of them carrying various little things that the man found helpful; washcloths, a blanket or two, some snacks... but mostly tea. Grace could make water and Felicity could boil it, so it was rather easy for Ryuu to make. It wasn't much, but... it was something nice, which he was sure these poor people could appreciate.
As he made his rounds, a blue eye wandered over to the corner of the center, noticing a woman settled there, heavily bandaged, and looking rather uneasy. With a small hum, he beckoned his Poke'mon over, and carefully stepped in front of her. "Uhm, excuse me dear..." He spoke softly, kneeling down in front of her with a polite smile. "Its not much, but... are you hungry? Perhaps a little tea?" He asked, Charming leaning forward then to offer a cup of tea, while Felicity gently set a plate down in front of her with an odd assortment of snacks, ranging from cookies to crackers. Grace just sat there, peering at the Skitty by the woman's side keenly.
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Post by SongofWindchimes on Nov 29, 2011 23:03:29 GMT -5
Zoro noticed the approaching man before Bianca did, and his ears perked up, watching carefully but with no hostility. Only when he knelt in front of her and spoke did Bianca react, starting just a little and looking surprised at the offering. She wasn't shocked so much at the idea of someone doing this--had her shop been spared from the blast, she would likely doing the same--but that he had approached her.
Bianca tried to sit up a little more, wincing at the pain. Zoro moved a little closer to her as she did so, his gaze concerned. The shrapnel had mostly affected her right leg, but a few parts of her arm and shoulder had bandages as well, and the blanket sliding a bit down showed some bandaging on her side, visible due to her midriff-baring shirt. Her face had been spared, but between her injuries and exhaustion, she was hardly the enticing beauty she presented herself as most of the time.
Bianca looked at the man, part of her mind noting that, if she'd met him under any other circumstances, she'd probably flirt with him. As it was, she looked at the offered food and tea, then looked at her 'Skitty,' making a little gesture at the plate. Zoro only gave a moment's pause, before he quickly retrieved a cookie and returned to her side to nibble at it.
Bianca then summoned what weak smile she could manage and said quietly, "Thank you, but...there are people who are a lot worse off than me here. You should probably save it for them." Her gaze ended up sliding toward the Ninetales. Despite the different species and colouration, the fox made her think of April somehow. Her poor little princess; she'd been so terrified when it all started falling apart that it'd been the only time she'd outright pleaded to be recalled.
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DJ Boomkitty
Retired Staff
The Cat That Knows Where It's At [M:-11530]
LMFAO can't shuffle.%%Birthday Cake%%
Posts: 1,033
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Post by DJ Boomkitty on Nov 29, 2011 23:51:55 GMT -5
R Y U U---
His smile fluttered into a frown as he noticed the woman wincing as she moved, biting his lip slightly and looking over to Charming. The Leavanny didn't have to be told a word; he gently set the cup down to floor and bowed to Ryuu, before turning and retreating to another part of the shelter. With Charming on his way, Ryuu looked back to the woman, his smile returning. "This isn't about who has it worse. You're injured, just like everyone... else..." He gulped then, glancing away towards the other bodies that lounged about, bandaged or otherwise hurting. "I insist." He finished boldly, with a firm nod of his head.
Felicity blinked at the 'Skitty', leaning forwards and taking a small sniff, tails twitching subtly. They... didn't smell like a cat. Yet before she could ponder it further, a cookie had been taken, and that alone was enough to please the Ninetales. With a contented "Niiine.", she nudged the plate towards the woman, practically insisting herself. She then looked down at Grace, whom still had been staring at the 'Skitty', and gently bopped him on the noggin with a tail, shaking her head. Staring was rude, after all. The Ducklett flailed somewhat before composing himself, puffing out his chest and nodding, resuming a... "dignified" pose.
Ryuu grinned at his Poke'mons' antics before looking back over his shoulder, smiling when he caught site of Charming returning, a blanket in his arms. He stood to meet the Leavanny, taking the hand-sewn item gently with a polite bow. "Thank you darling." He crooned, Charming simply smiling and bowing himself before taking a polite posture, watching the woman curiously. Turning, Ryuu gently draped the item across her shoulders, making sure to be cautious around her wounds. "Its better to have layers, ne. Your body probably can't tell whats cold or not right now..." He trailed off, biting his lip again. Ugh, it was a gruesome thought... who could do this to these poor people... "Oh! But... I'm sorry... I'm Ryuu." He fumbled, a blush coating his cheeks.
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Post by SongofWindchimes on Nov 30, 2011 14:44:37 GMT -5
Bianca sighed a little at the expected response. She looked like a wreck; of course he'd insist. She would have offered further protest, but she was just so...tired. Tired, in pain and, much as she hated to admit it, just plain lonely. In a place like this, even with the non-human company she kept, it was easy to feel lost and alone.
The antics of the man's pokemon earned another weak smile, and even managed to cause a small sound that tried to be a chuckle to bubble from her throat. What a cute little Ducklett. Zoro watched this quietly, pretending either to not notice or not care about the scrutiny. He knew better than to let a little suspicion shatter his illusion; it was the act of a young Zorua pup to let down the deception rather than work to maintain it.
The blanket was a true surprise, though less due to its offering than its sheer quality. Bianca stiffened very slightly when he draped it over her, but she relaxed and idly ran her left hand over the fabric. The woman could not sew if her life depended on it, nor did she have an overly artistic eye, but..."Thank you..." she said in a near-whisper.
The introduction made her glance up at him again, and the blush earned another soft chuckle. "I'm Bianca. It's...nice to meet you, Ryuu." The words 'I wish it were under better circumstances' were left implied by her tone.
However, Bianca's eye was soon drawn to the number of cat carriers she had with her (one of which looked more like it was intended to house small dog instead; Blue was impossible to cram into a normal-sized carrier), mostly because there was a little fluffy, white face with big blue eyes staring out curiously through the mesh door of one of them; all of Bianca's cats were used to pokemon, but Pixie was the only one who seemed to harbor a fascination for them.
Bianca scooted a little sideways to get closer, again flinching at the pain the action produced, and gently poked a finger through the bars to scratch her cat under the chin. "It's okay, darling," she cooed gently, an affectionate light in her eyes, "It won't be for too much longer. Promise."
As she withdrew her hand, what smile she had fell from her face as Bianca stared down at the blanket she'd been given. She hated having to put her babies through this. They weren't pokemon; she couldn't just put them in a comfortable stasis, or explain to them what was happening. Zoro would be able to take them out one at a time to let them stretch their legs outside and deal with the lack of litterbox, but then he'd just have to confine them again. It wasn't fair, dammit...
His cookie finished, Zoro moved over to nudge Bianca, making her blink and look down at her companion. He looked at her, then at the food; he was adding his own insistence to the list. She smiled weakly and finally picked up a cracker, nibbling lightly at it. Pausing a moment, she made an effort to swallow her pride again and asked hesitantly, "I have some other pokemon with me. Could they...?" Her eyes flicked to the plate. She really didn't want to take very much, but it was different when it wasn't for her.
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DJ Boomkitty
Retired Staff
The Cat That Knows Where It's At [M:-11530]
LMFAO can't shuffle.%%Birthday Cake%%
Posts: 1,033
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Post by DJ Boomkitty on Dec 1, 2011 23:28:03 GMT -5
R Y U U---
A small smile cracked through his frown as the woman revealed herself. Bianca, hmm? He would remember that... or at least try to, anyway. As sharp as he looked, Ryuu's mind was far from that, the man being a bit... slow, at times. He wasn't stupid, just a bit... spaced, at times, as if he was constantly dazed. He'd always been like that, however... as to why, nobody really knew for sure.
Oh! What was he doing...?
With a small start, Ryuu turned and picked up the cup Charming had placed on the ground, inspecting its contents with a critical eye. The brew was old... time for a fresh cup. "Grace dear..." He held the cup out, the Ducklett turning to Ryuu before looking down at the cup. Understanding, he carefully took the cup in his beak, somehow managing not to spill its contents all over the floor. With a muffled "Lett!", he turned and waltzed off, Felicity rising to walk after him. They would brew a fresh cup and return shortly.
He turned back to find Bianca talking to her... were those... "Cats? Ooh, I've never really seen one in person before..." He trailed off, leaning forward to peer into the carrier curiously. Upon sighting the animals, a wide smile took over his lips. "Aww, such cuties!" He exclaimed, before looking over at Bianca, another blush rising to his cheeks as he realized how... neglectful he was being. "Oh I'm sorry dear, of course you can take more! Take as many as you'd like! I'll just have to run and make more if I run out, which wouldn't be a problem at all." He said, picking the plate up and holding it out for her. "You need as much energy as you can get, after all~" He chimed with a small giggle.
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Post by SongofWindchimes on Dec 2, 2011 16:53:43 GMT -5
Bianca seemed to twitch a little when Ryuu peered at her cat carriers. Her poor pets were a bit on-edge, after all, and the staring of a strange man wasn't really what they needed right now; Jezebel was nothing but a black shadow with bright, staring amber eyes in the back of hers, and Spook a tiny curled-up lump of white with brown-tabby ears and tail, though bright orange Rusty blinked his green eyes slowly at the stranger and Pixie was clearly interested, mewing slightly. As for Blue, whether anything of the beast of a housecat other than her grey-blue face with splashes of cream, yellow-green eyes, and bat-like ears was visible, Bianca would be surprised.
Bianca was momentarily a bit shocked at the idea that Ryuu hadn't really seen cats before, but then she remembered that this was the Capital, and the more big-city you tended to get, the more the space and protection considerations made the powerful, smart, and portable pokemon practical pets; after all, how many people had she really met here who kept housecats? Bianca just happened to like animals as well as pokemon.
The sort of answer from Ryuu made Bianca bite her lip, since that wasn't exactly what she'd asked him, though she blamed that on the distraction from her kitties. Though, the assurance that he wasn't going to run out of food easily eased the guilt somewhat. She finished off the cracker she'd been nibbling at and gingerly reached for another, thinking a little. Her eyes flicked to the carriers again.
"Um, you know...that white, fluffy cat? Her name's Pixie, and she's quite sweet. If you want to hold her, you can." It would get one of her cats out for a little bit, at least.
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DJ Boomkitty
Retired Staff
The Cat That Knows Where It's At [M:-11530]
LMFAO can't shuffle.%%Birthday Cake%%
Posts: 1,033
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Post by DJ Boomkitty on Dec 20, 2011 21:42:39 GMT -5
R Y U U---
(Hey Windie, sorry about the wait. x.x)
Ryuu set the plate down carefully so that it would be in Bianca's reach, a happy grin plastered across his face. It always felt nice to help others, and just knowing that he could do so... even in small ways like these... meant a lot to him. His eye briefly looked up and wandered amongst the shelter to the other victims and otherwise lost, a slight frown twitching his grin, yet his attention was snapped from the scene when Bianca spoke again.
His grin split even wider, if that were possible at this point. "Oh, such a darling name!" He crooned, looking into the carrier once again at the feline, Pixie as she was called. "I... I would love to!" He cooed enthusiastically, carefully unlatching the crate and easing it open, peeking in once again. "Hello there Pixie dear, come here you~" He chuckled, reaching for her.
Felicity and Grace returned then, the Ducklett carefully placing a now-full tea cup besides Bianca, before folding his wings closed and standing tall. Felicity grinned a little before focusing on what Ryuu was doing, leaning forwards with a curious sniff. Blinking, she looked over to Charming, whom only smiled politely and gestured for her to be silent. The Ninetales' tails twitched, but she did not argue, settling down on her haunches simply to spectate.
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