001 || Of Arrivals and Introductions

[crimsonmischief]

[The handwriting appearing across the page was a messy scrawl, one that you would perhaps see from a scientist, if said scientist was forced to take up calligraphy lessons because someone had gotten tired of trying to decipher his illegible scribbles. The lessons were perhaps not a success in the conventional sense as the handwriting was far from elegant, but at least people could now actually read what was being written.]

I must say that hatching out of a cocoon is not something I’ve ever experienced before, or at least, it’s not something I think I’ve ever experienced before~! I’m not sure if I would ever want to be born in such a way again. Once makes for an interesting experience, more than that makes for…

[Some ink splotches appeared on the page as the writer tapped the pen absent-mindedly while searching for the phrase he wanted.]

A bad habit! And one must be careful not to accumulate too many of them~

To the dearest Dash-kun who was there to greet the newborn me and explain this extraordinary world, you have Crimson’s thanks~♥! As for the rest of you... Won’t you come introduce yourself to your newest neighbor~?

Assuming of course, that this journal does really work as it's been said to work.

Comments

[crimsonmischief]

Has Bastet-san been lucky?

[treeleopardess]

Bastet-san has been managed well enough, thank you.

[crimsonmischief]

Crimson is happy to hear that~!

[goneonenight]

How kind of you.

Well, Crimson, I suppose I'll let you get settled in.

(ooc: ready for her visit? XD)

[crimsonmischief]

Thank you~ I think I'll enjoy exploring this large specimen of a tree!

_{{OOC: SO TOTALLY READY! The question is, is she~?}}

quicklog

[treeleopardess]

[About an hour later, a black cat can be seen heading through Section 4 towards the temporary housing. Oddly enough, the cat is holding a green and white striped hat in its mouth, and it never seems to be visible for more than a few seconds at a time.

Now that she knows he's here, it's easy enough to track his reiatsu to where he stands outside--examining the tree, the leaves, the walkways and everything else in view. She slows to a normal speed, approaching him quietly. Even in his distracted state, she's sure he'll notice her soon enough.]

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

Crimson's walk through the residential area had been quite interesting and productive if the pockets bulging slightly with pieces of leaves, scraped off bark and other random knickknacks he had picked up out of sheer curiosity had anything to say. Pausing to sniff cautiously at the tree bark, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his head to get a better look, spotting a black cat with a striped hat in its mouth.

It was a sight that jerked sharply at something inside of him, and before he was fully aware of it, his body had automatically bounded over, long arms joyfully sweeping the cat (and hat) up into the air.

"Kitty~!"

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

Bastet barely had time to flinch before he'd shot over, scooping her up and whooping like a fool.

It really was him, although rather less guarded than she remembered from his visit last month. And she was glad enough to see him that she allowed him to raise her into the air; she did nothing more than tighten her jaws around the brim of the hat, making certain she didn't drop it.

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

"Would you like to go up~? Yes~ Crimson knows that kitty wants to go up high! Upsy-daisy~!"

Anyone who happened to pass by at the moment would be treated to the sight of the sandy-haired newcomer swinging the black cat up and down excitedly, words spewing out of him in the same fashion of mindless baby-talk, pure enjoyment and happiness etched across his face, though perhaps the same thing could not be said for the cat. Not that he seemed to notice.

"Upsy-daisy~! Whooo~~ Wasn't that fun? Would you like to go again? Yes, I know you do... Aaaaaaand upsy-daisy~!"

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

Idiot.

She couldn't belie--no, yes she could, as he'd done the same thing in one of her memories. It was obviously a hardwired response.

He kept whooping and kept swinging her up and down, until she'd abruptly had enough. She opened her mouth, and let the hat fall--then twisted free of his hold to shoot up and headbutt him right in his forehead.

She landed on the ground next to him, smoothing her ruffled fur as her golden eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Idiot," she said, her voice acidic. "I'm not a toy."

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

Eyes widening as the hat fell, Crimson was suitably distracted before a small, but hard, furry head crashed into his own, causing him to stumble somewhat woozily after the whirling green and white stripes.

But then the cat decided to talk and so his fingers overshot their object as he unbalanced, ungracefully crashing down next to his hat at the sound of that familiar voice even as some part of him vaguely commented that it wasn't the right voice. That part was promptly ignored as cats did not talk, much less have right or wrong voices.

"Ahaha... I think I may have hit my head too hard if kitty is now talking to me..."

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

Her composure now regained, more or less, she watched with no little sense of satisfaction as he landed on his ass.

"Hoh~?" she said, padding closer to him. "You'll accept a giant tree in a glass sphere, but a talking cat is where you draw the line?" She settled on her haunches near his hip, bending to nudge his hat with her nose.

"Take it. It's yours, after all."

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

Automatically obeying her command and plopping the hat onto his head, Crimson couldn't help the happy grin that spread over his face as his body recognized the familiar weight.

"Ah well, a giant tree in a glass sphere is far enough beyond the realm of possibility to be accepted immediately whereas a talking cat is near enough to be doubted upon first occurrence~!"

The black cat got another close look.

"I suppose you'll find it odd if I ask you if your voice is the right voice..."

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

She shook her head, warmed by his wide smile in spite of herself. Was this the same Kisuke she'd seen before? Or a different one who'd been drawn to the Sphere?

It didn't matter. Either way, she was glad to see him again.

She tilted her head at his question. So she was familiar to him this time; the realization loosened a knot in her chest that she hadn't even realized she was carrying.

"I wouldn't find it odd at all," she said, coming to her feet. "But it's not something I care to answer out in the open." With a flick of one small ear, she starting walking, betting his curious nature would prompt him to follow her.

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

He did indeed quickly scramble back onto his feet to follow after her, somehow finding the scene both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Do I-- That is, do we, um... know each other?"

Because try as he might, he couldn't remember a cat in his dream, much less a talking cat that liked to headbutt people before giving them back their hats.

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

She looked over her shoulder as she led him through the residential area--they weren't very far from her house, so she'd just take him back there.

"We do. I'll explain what I can once we're inside." She'd be very sparing with the information she parted with--she wasn't taking any chances on giving him too much.

They reached her front door a few minutes later. "Go on and open it," she said. "I left it unlocked earlier."

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

Catching the flash of golden eyes as the cat looked back at him, Crimson remembered the same eyes appearing in his dream. But they had belonged to a dark-skinned woman with purple hair and the cat's voice was definitely male...

He silently opened the indicated door, wondering if he should check.

Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

She padded inside her living room, not speaking until he'd closed the door behind them. "Come in," she said. "This is my house, so no need to worry about anyone else showing up."

She rarely transformed in front of anyone these days, and very few people even knew she was capable--Kazahana, Toushi, Ghost...everyone else who'd known was either gone or had forgotten. So while she didn't hesitate in her decision, the rarity of it all did cross her mind.

Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

Stopping in the middle of the floor, she turned to face him. Without another word, she focused her energy, feeling her body lengthen and shift. Billows of mist surrounded her, and in moments, a naked woman stood where a cat had been before.

"So," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Does this voice sound like the right one?"

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

Following after her curiously, Crimson came to a stop when she turned to face him, gray eyes widening slightly in shock as mist began to form around the cat only to finally dissipate and reveal a woman.

Or more precisely, the woman in his dreams-- The one who had released him from the too tight bonds, the one who had laughed in genuine amusement and happiness, the one who had seemed to be his best friend and perhaps something more. She was there, in front of him, long strands of purple hair running down her back as golden eyes studied him.

And naked. Very, very naked.

"I... It..." His brain didn't seem to want to work. "Where are your clothes?!"

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

The look of shock on his face was rather gratifying, and she grinned, letting out a snicker. Deliberately, she lifted one foot, using it to scratch the back of her other leg.

"Did you see me wearing any a minute ago?" She tilted her head, still looking amused. "And you didn't answer my question." Her voice grew a touch more serious.

"Am I familiar to you, then?"

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

"T-That's because you were a kitty!"

Yet even as he was verbally protesting her nakedness (or was he?), Crimson couldn't help it as his eyes drifted down her body, very obviously liking what he saw before he suddenly realized exactly what he was doing. Blushing slightly, he quickly fumbled with his shirt, voice slightly muffled by it before he managed to pull it off, stepping forward to tug it down over her head.

"Yes. You were in my dream." When she was at least partially clothed, his hands slid down to rest familiarly on her hips as he studied her intently. "I know you..."

The last statement, said more to himself than her, seemed to make the knot that had been in his stomach ever since he had arrived here loosen slightly, as if everything would be all right, so long as she was here.

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

She raised an eyebrow at the way his eyes ran over her, but a moment later he was yanking his shirt over her head; a far cry from his reaction the last time he'd seen her naked.

"Hey," she huffed, her voice muffled by all the fabric as she struggled to work her arms and head through even as she did her best to push his hands away. Finally, she managed, and the shirt fell over her body to hit just above her knee.

Her frown faded, though, at the way he inspected her face. His hands fit over her hips with an ease he obviously remembered, in some small, unconscious way.

"Yeah," she said, brushing her fingers over the back of his hand. "We knew each other before...I go by Bastet here." She knew her real name--and his, for that matter--but she doubted he would be able to hear either this early.

Quicklog

[crimsonmischief]

"Bastet..." Cat goddess. He let out a chuckle. "It does seem to fit you, especially the goddess part."

For his dreams had depicted her as a goddess at first, but somehow, he knew that she wasn't one, even as she was. Her touch, smell and looks though... They were like pieces of a jig-saw puzzle he had solved many times before falling into place, beginning to form a picture that was still just as wonderful and beautiful despite its familiarity. Or perhaps because of it.

"We were friends." Another intent look as he remembered the dream, the sense of implicit trust between them, the knowledge that she was an important part of his life. "But far more than friends..."

Re: Quicklog

[treeleopardess]

She looked down, huffing a soft laugh. He'd called her that in her first dream, although the tone had been clearly teasing and meant to poke at her.

The look in his eyes now, though, was serious and utterly focused. "I've remembered telling someone that we grew up together," she replied. "And I've been told that we were best friends."

But being told something wasn't the same as experiencing it for yourself, even when the knowledge was accompanied by a pull as strong as this. While she had dropped her guard fairly quickly with Kisuke before, it had been easier to do so knowing that it would only be temporary.

She'd had a month since then to rebuild her defenses, and it was going to take time to get used to being around someone who could get past them as well as he could.

"I recognized your writing over the journal," she said, squeezing his wrist before moving back a step. "You've been here before, even if you don't remember."