[Flashback] Promises in a City of Stars (Malas)

[Devmond Incarnata]

Timestamp: Spring, AV 510, Star Festival
Location: Okomo Villa, various locations
PCs: Malas, Devmond Incarnata

Tomorrow would be the night that strangers and foreigners came from across the world to witness the miraculous view of lights that did not fall from the sky, but rose up to meet the heavens. The center peak of Zintia, where Devmond Incarnata and his entourage had taken rooms, was packed to each side of its brim with the heated bustle of Lhavit’s preparations; they had only been fortunate enough to find even the cramped, utilitarian space out of weeks of booking in advance.

His daughter seemed infected by the constant hum of the Lhavit’s native movements, and the tangible excitement of the Star Festival newcomers. Her body and feet were swaying with the practicing musicians outside their window, prattling about what crystals she wanted in her mask. Eyes were wide, already switching easily to the nocturnal habits of the city, as the first chime hit unheard. The Incarnata family were bred and raised in the caves of Kalinor; the perpetual night dosed with the glow of the opalgloams was preparatory for the nighttime glory of Zintila. If the Harvests were not so necessary in disturbing a Lhavit family with eligibly aged daughters, Devmond often wondered how well a Symenestra would fare here in this quiet city so close to the webs of his people.

When his party had first entered the city, they had been flanked by a small guard of the Sinya. It had taken quite some time for five Symenestra’s and a half to enter during the busiest day of the year. All quite understandable, Devmond had tried to console his five-year old who cried as a Sinya asked bluntly what happened to her mother, after all they must assume that people could go missing with so much going on. Luckily for them, both his family and Lhavit’s citizens, Devmond was here purely for business and a bit of pleasure. They had taken, in the name of the Incarnata trade, bolts of Kalinor silk and tapestries to barter and swindle for the potential costumers from around the world.

At the moment, Devmond was preoccupied the taming of a rambunctious five-year-old from climbing the wooden walls. Taking a bit of sweet Yatani as bribery, he convinced the child to accompany him on a walk away from the noisy stimulation of the center peak. As they headed for the Shinyama, he tried to keep her flighty attention and teach Lhavit’s history. He only got so far in telling of the Okomos legendary soft and protective fur, when he was interrupted by a squeal of delight. Giving in to her batting lashes, he found himself in the Turov Gardens. Now, she had been distracted again, forgetting the Okomo, and had plead for them to stop and have a picnic amidst the bioluminescent plant life. Taking a knife and a couple Yatanis crammed into his pocket, he sliced them lunch and watched as she plucked bunches of glowing flowers. Devmond smile was bittersweet, realizing in her tireless movements just how old he was getting.

[Malas]

She swayed through the streets to her own music, imagining a grand symphony of harps and flutes to herald the rising of the Stars out of Zintila's city. This was the eve, the day before, and Malas vibrated with excitement.

Small footsteps twirled and stumbled, loped and swayed their way through the streets of Lhavit, the City of the Stars high out of reach. The girl, the Kelvic with the fiery hair and animal eyes, tilted her face back to bask in the glory of those glittering diamonds so unreachable to her hands... Then, she was in the Garden.

Malas stopped as the scent off the glowing landscape washed over her, her eyes once again dropping in pleasure as she allowed her senses to float along the paths of magic in a city crafted out of glowing stone-glass and plant life. The silly Kelvic had once tried to eat the glowing plants here in these Gardens, under the impression that she could glow if she ate enough, but had failed miserably and had been put off plant life for several days. Of course, even Malas couldn't say no to lovely little fruits, little Yatani and small, fresh, sweet strawberries.

Her stomach rumbled unbecomingly and she paused for a moment, opening her eyes and looking down at her traitorous stomach for sighs of rebellion. She had just eaten! A small, fat mouse that was so greedily hogging a nice wedge of cheese had become food for a little fox with an undeniable enjoyment in what she did for a living. Maybe she could find someone to pay her for killing mice? Pay her in Yatani? Such a thought made her even more hungry!

But then, the hunger was overruled by a new sound. The sound of a sweet child's laughter, and the still young Kelvic turned towards the sounds and crept her way through the Gardens. Large yellowy-green eyes flashed intermittedly in fluctuating light as she darted behind the shadows of large flowers, and came upon the sight of a man and a small girl enjoying the evening as well as some foreign humans enjoyed the day. These two were a curious sight for her, their pale skins and long limbs eerily beautiful and befitting of the bejeweled City. They could have been children of the stars themselves, yet their sounds were human and the young feet of the smaller child uncoordinated. Not that she was a klutz, but she was as wild in step as she, Malas was.

A kindred spirit, of sorts.

With a mischevious grin, Malas pulled back into the little patch of flowers she crept from, and shucked off her clothing until her as of yet barely developed body became bared for the stars. She closed her eyes, and with a swirl of colors from dark, solemn neutrals to vibrant neons, brought on her change from human to the small fox form. Now, Malas shook her head and stretched, luxuriating in the glorious feel of muscles unhindered by bipedalism. Little sores and aches from walking upright relieved with the creation of two legs and a different skeletal structure.

Malas once again poked her head out, considering the adult, before darting to the girl, her bushy tail held low against her rear as she head-butted the thin girl on the side of her leg. In this form, she was more suited to a child's plaything, and she always loved playing with children. This showed as she circled the child closely, her fur rubbing against her legs to coax her little fingers to touch her. She forgot the man for now. Children were far better company than adults.

[Devmond Incarnata]

Sunay felt something bump against her leg, a furry form brushed against her ankles. She gave a yelp, hopping away with one foot only to loose balance, her backside and a clump of sparkled grass padding the fall. Although surprised, Sunay could quickly see that the creature looked harmless, the hair of the creature was a dull red that did not glow like the other fauna. Most importantly, the thing was adorable with its small triangular ears were perked and its twitchy whiskers, and a bushy tail that could be soft to the touch. The girl came to her knees and reached out her hand eagerly.

"Oh, your so cute, Okomo baby!"

-

Devmond gave a disheartened sigh and continued to cut the fruit slowly. He felt childish for being so self-conscious about his age, truly he he would not suffer thirty yet for another few years. It seemed, however, that the world favored only the very young, especially in his own violent Symenestra gender that's passionate throws in their middle-age often proved fatal. This new world was still being built up amidst the ashes of a brighter age, so young and unsure that each sect lashed against one another in a desperate hope of raising their own view closer to the heavens. Perhaps when Sunay would be grown, the Symenestra would find a measure of peace with itself, thus finding peace with another. As a parent, he prayed every day to Vitaras that a future like that awaited her. It was selfish prayer, he knew but did not regret, as long as their was hope their was also the crushing weight of your own mortality with all its blinded shortcomings.

A sudden cry from his daughter made Devmond's heart sink in itself, the blood cold and his breath hinged. A small dark creature had wrapped itself around his daughter's legs. The fruit was dropped forgotten from his lap in the dirt as he was on his feet still clutching the knife. His daughter was then on her knees, her arms wrapped around it like a doll, cooing and giggling. His rapid-fire heartbeat was slowing, it looked as though she had found a stray puppy. As Sunay continued to dote, the red fur stood bright against his daughter's ash skin and white hair. A fox. Devmond was aware how unusual it was to see an animal like that so high in the mountains, especially one that lacked the traces of the reactive mineral Calias. That meant it had not been bred in this area. Devmond walked casually, the knife and his hand stowed carefully in a front trouser pocket, and knelt with them both.

"Good evening to you, Kelvic friend."

[Malas]

Malas twitched her whiskers in a grin as she circled the fallen girl, rubbing up against her more before pushing her nose against her pale hand and snorting. As arms wrapped around her body she nuzzled the little girl, her fur sliding along her skin.

Sudden noises brought back memory of the older person, the father of this child, and the eyes of the fox looked for where he had been seated, settling briefly on fruit that had been abandoned in the worry of a father for his child before seeing the tall, spindly man and his knife facing her. For a moment, Malas' happy demeanor was replaced with worry for herself and this little girl. Not that she expected the man to cut his own child, but because she didn't want a cute little person to watch an 'Okomo baby' die. But the knife was hidden away and he was kneeling before her and his daughter.

She poked her nose out at him with his words, her tail flicking. She didn't have a human voice in this form, but she still put her nose against his for a moment before going back to playing with his small daughter. She escaped her arms and darted around her form again, before slipping away from them both to watch them from a mere few feet away. She wasn't certain if the adult wanted to play as well, but she sat there with her long tail curled around her legs in a regal sort of position, waiting to see if the little one would chase her and play with her.

The knife had gone completely forgotten already as her whiskers twitched again in a smile.

[Devmond Incarnata]

The whiskers tickled against his cheek as the moist nose was pressed against his own. Devmond suppressed the sneeze and gave the Kelvic a small smile. Normally, he would not be so docile towards this kind of being, charity to the weak was unlikely for his character. With his daughter near, however, Devmond's condescension was, every so often, blunted in the warm glow of innocence. Sunay was the one and only person who he could leave bare the tender parts of his heart.

"This is not an Okomo baby dear, you'll see them soon I suppose. The creature here is a red fox. However, I am assuming that it is actually a Kelvic in his animal form." he said. "It looks like its eager to play, and, as long as you stay within my sight, I will allow it."

The girl nodded obediently and pranced up on her feet. "Catch me!" she squealed. Running away out of the fox's reach, she turned every so often to make sure her new friend was following. Devmond followed their path around the gardens, as went back to pick up their discarded lunch on the ground. He shrugged away a particular dirty piece and shoved it in his mouth. A little added minerals with the fructose. Sunay saw his meal and made a face at her father, sticking out her tongue and mouthing "gross" before running to hide in a lighted bush.