A Family Reunion (Tychonius)

[Ephraim]

5th day of Summer, 511 AV One..Two...Three. Ephraim followed his gaze after a guard, trying to figure out how many steps he would make before vanishing behind the corner. It's not like today the young half breed was stalking docks to steal something, it was just a habit. One of the first thing that always caught Eph's attention in any place were guards. Their placements, patrol routes, even a certain way they walked. Who was tired and who looked a bit soused. After few years of thieving such observations became a habit. Aside from that Ephraim was bored out of his mind. His mother rarely asked him for favors and as distant son as he was, there was still a small streak of loyalty Eph kept toward his kin if only for the sheer fact they hadn't leave him to die right after birth. And so the young mix blood found himself to be waiting for who was supposedly his cousin – a mother's sister's son or something like that. She had passed away recently and her sister decided even if she couldn't go to the funeral, she would make sure that at least her son was taken care of in Ravok. Ephraim didn't like that, telling himself that the money were scarce and they don't need this trouble to deal with. His mother just looked at him with sadness and walked away weeping. Eph immediately felt guilty and had gone to meet his cousin. In truth he was scared and jealous. Scared about Tychonious' reaction and jealous of his mother's attention. A very petty feeling even Ephraim wouldn't like to admit. He gritted his teeth at this memory and returned to watching people passing by. As if led by some streak returned to Tychonious. Eph didn't know anything about him aside from the fact his mother lived in Zeltiva and had no husband or had one for a very short time since her surname changed. Maybe there was some kind of a curse running around this family- that all of women will give birth to bastard children. Just Tychonius had this luck to be born as a human. The young man shook his head to change the train of his thoughts. The more he didn't want to think about this situation, the more unwanted thoughts just crumbled in his brain. He hoped that his cousin had gotten the message. Tychonius was worse to locate than a roach under a wood paneling or he was here and decided it was better not to associate with a mongrel like Eph. Ephraim couldn't blame him, he wouldn't associate with himself either, Dhani were feared, disliked, sometimes even hated. Being a half of it didn't actually make Eph a desirable individual. A guard spotted him and now was trying to drill a hole in Eph's head with his beady eyes. The young mix blood just lowered his gaze, knowing better than to challenge a guard. Some could call it a cowardice but for Ephraim it was just a matter of survival. He could be the guard's doormat as long as they would leave him alone. The Sun was getting higher, covering everything in its life. The summer was starting to Eph's relief, his favorite time of year when you could lie down on a rock near the shore and bask in warm light. Ephraim took a deep breath, smelling fish and human sweat – two inextricable savors of the docks which could make new comers nauseous, but for Eph it was a smell of home. The half-breed , leaned against the wall of a small shop and decided to wait no more than two dozen of heartbeats for his newly discovered family.

OOCI am not sure if you have to post at the gates to enter the city, before you can post in this thread...Anyway, here it is

[Tychonius Nioni]

Tychonius walked through the Docks as if they were home. But they were not home. They were the farthest from home he had ever been. At home, the salty smell of the sea dominated the expansive and breathable air. At home, Anna followed him, kluh-klok-kluh-klok, and happily grunted and sweated up the hills. At home, his mother would- Mother. Tychonius had stepped off the boat moments ago, and had been smiling and beaming despite the close and suffocating heat and the smell of bodies sweating, cooking. He had smiled and beamed until he thought of his mother: Gone, suddenly; without warning, disappeared. His smiled sagged at the edges, and his eyes lost their focus and grew wet and the world turned into a shimmering blur of color until someone bumped into Tychonius shoulder. He broke his trance-like state and wandered forward underneath the overcast sky into the dark and menacing streets of Ravok. People moved back and forth in some vicious, cannibalistic rat race. Tychonius did not fit in. Where he wore sandals, the Ravokian wore dirty black boots. Where he wore a billowing and simple tan shirt and white pants, the Ravokian wore dark colors so as to blend in with other people wearing dark colors. Tychonius was all too aware of the side-long glances and the full on broadsides of jeers and laughter from either side of him along the streets. He was supposed to meet his cousin here, find himself a home, or some semblance of a home in this dirty, hateful place. He smiled stupidly and glided through the streets. He had to believe life is good. "I have to believe life is good," he thought, "Otherwise, why am I here?" He pulled his horse to the side of one street, what looked like a good meeting spot, and, based on a few things he had seen while walking up, was where he was to meet his cousin. He leaned himself up against the wall, and pretended he belonged, although, of course, he did not. He decided to whistle.

[Ephraim]

5th day of Summer, 511 AV He felt a movement, before seeing it. Air whisked by his face and ruffled his cloak, making Eph to turn away from a little beetle that was scurrying around most likely looking for anything to eat. More than often Ephraim found himself feeling like this little creature just fighting for survival whereas all the others either wanted to stomp you or just didn't care if they did. Ephraim squashed the bug with his shoe, he hated damn things almost as bad as snakes. His green eyes moved to look at the person next to him. A young man, but still older than Eph was casually leaning against the wall, as if mimicking Ephraim's position. His slip pupils dilated a bit as he was measuring the young human, assessing a possibility of them being related. There was no similarities he could find and only differences, but it wasn't surprising. Ephraim hardly resembled his mother, let alone anyone else in his mother's immediate family. And then the man began to whistle. The young mixed-blood eyes widened a bit, hearing simple yet very beautiful sound. This human certainly knew how to create melodies, but there was something else to it. His mother had told him Tychonius was some kind of performer as her sister claimed. The aunt had been one of the few well educated individuals in their family, something his own mother was very proud of and main reason she had kept in touch with her sister. Ephraim scoffed at education, he was fine without it. Basic reading and calculating was enough to survive. ”Tychonius?” Eph asked carefully, being read to walk away immediately if he was mistaken. He took some time to get closer look at the man's features. Handsome and noble looking, definitely someone who gets a lot of attention. Well, Eph got a lot of attention too but for all the wrong reasons. His golden hued skin, eyes and patterns of snake like scales were hard to hide. Ephraim almost instinctively expected the reaction of disgust or at least bewilderment from the possible-cousin-stranger and almost automatically raised his barriers in a form of crossed arms and tensed muscles. There were very mixed feelings in the young half-breed about all this. He liked being alone and got used to being alone and suddenly now he had a cousin.

[Tychonius Nioni]

"Tychonius?" Tychonius stopped whistling, leaving his melody (borrowed from a ballad he often sang) unresolved. He felt his gut drop into his knees, trickle down, through his groin, through his thighsl, tingling. He was afraid. Ever since he was mugged back in Zeltiva, he was afraid of strangers speaking to him. And the fact that this one, this one with the voice that sounded like sandpaper (and Tychonius blieve that the voice is the vehicle of the soul), knew his name was even more scarier. He paused momentarily, braced for a blow. When the blow did not come, he turned his head warily towards the voice, and found a rather rough looking man leaning against the same wall as he. Except, as Tychonius realized, he was not a man. Maybe half a man. Half... "Half- Half whatsitcalled? What is it... Dhani? Dhani. Half Dhani! How exciting, how unbelievable, I cannot believe I am talking to one. Mother should be here." Tychonius' face broke into a silly but knowing grin. His teeth glinted a surprising white in the grimy city. "Yes, my friend, I am Tychonius, and you are?" His eyes twinkled with genuine joy at this new discovery, this new potential-friend, this new to-be buddy. Then the cogs began to turn in his mind. "If he doesn't want to kill me, and he already knows my name." Tychonius' eyes flickered around. And, yes, this is indeed Ravok... The smile was washed off his face in shock, and then was quickly replaced by a face full of helplessly naked teeth. Tychonius allowed himself to be awash in a sea of emotion to be in the presence of a family member, and one so... "...Ravokian" Tychonius bounced off the wall and immediately embraced the half-Dhani, holding him tight as a brother might. He found he was laughing. He found that his loneliness seemed to be washing away, leaving him through his feet and spreading across the dirty street. And then he found himself feeling very foolish. He pulled himself away and held the Half-Dhani by the shoulders at arm's length and looked at him with his twinkling eyes and the happiness oozing from him (slower now; Tychonius felt conscious of potentially hostile eyes scanning their movements). "Cousin." Tychonius nodded and patted the half-breed on the arm. Then he removed his arms from the shoulders of the half-dhani and adopted an apologetic tone. "I hope I have not been too forward."

[Ephraim]

5th day of Summer, 511 AV The young man tensed, the sound of his whistling came to a rapid halt. He didn't even look at Ephraim and was already scared. The mix blood expected him to just run off upon seeing who was speaking to him, but to Eph's surprise the man just stared at him for a moment and then his face broke into a goofy grin. That was...unusual to see humans smile at his sight. Maybe the man was a bit ...mental? Ephraim eyed the cousin suspiciously. "Yes, my friend, I am Tychonius, and you are?" This human was certainly new to Ravok with his attitude. Eph blinked few times, trying to think of something to answer. A word 'cousin' didn't want to climb up his throat, but before the half-breed could muster any response, the young human leaped toward him and caught in a tight embrace. The half-Dhani was too busy thinking about how to tell this men he may be his cousin to see this coming. The mixed blood's body tensed immediately and he was ready to kick the man right in his stomach wen he heard a laughter. The surrealism of this whole situation made Eph to freeze in the awkward pose with his arms spread like he was about to fly. “Nnnnghhh...” He breathed, having no way out from the bear hug. It also confirmed Ephraim's suspicions that the man was insane. Maybe it was a good news, maybe he was not the only whackjob in the family... After few agonizing moments the embrace came to an end and Tychonius let him go, though Eph could still feel the man's hands on his shoulders. It took him some time to process that most likely Tychonius was happy to meet his family, which further proved, at least to Ephraim, that his cousin was not entirely right in the head. No one could be happy from having a Dhani mongrel in the family, not someone who was a part of so resented and disliked species. It was another truth Ephraim had learned the hard way. The mixed blood stood motionlessly with an expression of confusion and surprise written all over his golden hued face. ”"Cousin." He could feel the hands being removed from his shoulders. "I hope I have not been too forward." Eph didn't like to be touched, by anyone, even his closest family. It made him feel uncomfortable and provoked the immediate reaction of withdrawal. Ephraim stepped away from his crazy cousin and almost fell over the scurrying cat. The animal let out a yelp and vanished in one of the alleys. The half-Dhani hissed after it and turned face his newest family member with raised hands. ”Jussst don't touch me again.” Eph responded, forcing a neutral tone. Ironically people who were nice to him were much more scary than those who treat him badly. It was a matter of trust and predictability – Eph learned to deal with all the rang of negative emotions but had hard time to recognize a genuine affection. There had to be ulterior motive, always.

OOCGreat post! I had a lot of fun responding to it, really gave me something to think about my character's reactions

[Tychonius Nioni]

"Jussst don't touch me again." Tychonius nodded and swallowed. His smile was wavering on his face, trying to persuade his brain to release it's warmth to scurry away, and follow the cat down the ally. Embarrassment crept like snakes up his spine and from his heart to his throat. His toes wiggled in his sandals uncertainly. People passing looked down pointedly or sneered at them. He put his hands on his hips and raised his eyebrows. "Can do. I never got your name?" Without thinking, Tycho shot out an open hand to shake his cousin's hand. He withdrew it as he made eye contact, remembering the aversion his reptilian relative had to being touched. He took this time to look, to actually look at his newfound cousin. He didn't know much about Half-Dhani, but his cousin seemed young; young enough to have been joining, perhaps, the incoming class at Zeltiva. His eyes were slitted, but... "...but they seem smart. Clever. Beautiful in a reptilian way, shamefully majestic, darkly regal. They look as if the eyes of a man who has lived in a cage, and who wants to escape. Desperately. What a pity; I hope he warms up to me. I want to hear his thoughts." His cousin was taller than him, and with a sort of sickly golden hue. Scales crept up his chin, and the side of his neck. He remembered the hiss at the cat, the tensing up of the body when he had embraced him. He remembered it all and reflected for a moment. This half-dhani expects to be loathed. He expects to be kicked when he is down, and he expects a push to the ground at any time, form any one. Tychonius' felt tears rise timidly up in his throat, gently begging to be released. Tychonius' swallowed them. "There is something in there, yet. Something great and lovable. I know it Tychonius' had always been optimistic; it was a trait he had inherited from his mother, a trait he had had reenforced by Kolit, the man who had taught him to use a sword, to ride a horse, to love the world and, thereby, to make art. His smile, formerly wavering and fading, gained a new wind and plastered itself to his face proudly.

OOCHey, thanks! This is really fun, it's been a while and I'm quite enjoying this as a first-in-a-few-years comeback to RPG. You're really fun to RP with.

[Ephraim]

5th day of Summer, 511 AV This was getting awkward. Ephraim could also see growing embarrassment in his cousin. A cousin...So strange. People around them didn't ignore this fact either. Ephraim felt growing anger with his new family member, as a mix blood he already had enough of being a center of attention for all the wrong reasons. Instead of venting on his cousin, Eph hissed angrily at the nearest man who cursed and stepped back. The human carefully moved away, though still throwing insults at Ephraim. "Can do. I never got your name?" A still cheerful voice brought his attention back at his cousin and his hand. Ephraim looked down and blinked. Not that he didn't know this habit but firstly not really this many people wanted to share it with him and secondly didn't he just squeeze him. Was he so touchy feely by nature? Confusion took place of anger and was most likely heard in his voice when the half-blood spoke. ”Call me Ephraim.”. It was still puzzling how calm his cousin was about Eph's heritage but maybe he was just ready. Yes, he must have known it before, most likely the news about his father traveled all the known family. Eph smiled bitterly at this thought and wanted to comment on this when saw his cousin's face expression of a kicked puppy. Instead the half-Dhani just sighed and shook his head not even trying to guess what this oddball was thinking. The cat returned and took strange interest in Tychonius, sniffing his shoe. Ephraim wanted to kick it but he wasn't sure of it wouldn't give his sensitive cousin a heartattack. He tried to figure out what to say now or do. His mother asked him to show Ravok to his new family and 'befriend him, because knowing her sister, it is a good boy'. Eph had no problems with leaving Tychonius here to fend for himself, but also had hard time in directly disobeying his only parent. After all she asked him for so little in return for so much. It was clear for everyone how she had kept him and raised despite the common sense. No, Ephraim maybe was a bit egoistical thief but not a bad son. ”Ssso...You want to look at the city?” The half-Dhani asked, feeling the raising guilt over thinking to leave his cousin like this. Making a tour with Tychonius shouldn't be hard, after all Eph knew every inch of Ravok as his own pocket. And every hole in it too. He looked at his cousin attentively, trying to avoid any more touching.

OOCEph's looks was changed to fit in the lore after consultation with Cayenne. These are minor changes and he still is half-dhani, but some things were altered like no scales and yellow eyes but with round pupils ^^ Sorry for the confusion, you don't have to edit your post

[Tychonius Nioni]

"Ssso... You want to look at the city?" "Yes, yes, I would love that very much Ephraim." Tychonius said. He was smiling again. Trying to tone it down for his cousin. He was confused by him, uncharmed, unhappy. Tychonius was unhappy with this fact. He quite liked his cousin. Tychonius quite liked everybody. Even when Ephraim had hissed at that man earlier, and Tychonius had felt the distaste felt towards him channeled toward the stranger, Tychonius liked him. The fact that he had taken the time to assault a stranger instead of his cousin showed that the half-Dhani had some humanity in him. And humanity is interrelated to goodness, and goodness ought to be loved. "Where to first?"asked Tychonius. The cat who had scurried around came to Tychonius feet and was sniffing them. The Bard noticed Ephraim eyeing the cat with resentment and ill-veiled hatred. Tychonius decided to pick up the creature. It had matted fur, and looked as if it had been through hell, and likely was not used to being held. But Tychonius held it as he had learned at university and coddled it close to his chest. He looked at it: it had great, big green eyes which looked at Tychonius' coolly, levelly, in that feline way. He held it close and began to pet it. He smiled at his cousin as benignly, humanly, knowingly as possible. He understood it was imperative to understand his cousin. "To Understand is the first step to love." Kolit used to say that.

OOCAlrighty, noted. Thank you! =)

[Ephraim]

5th day of Summer, 511 AV His cousin didn't seem to lose his good nature smile, even after Ephraim's display of temper. The half-Dhani still felt uneasy, but maybe his cousin didn't try to show pity for a poor mixed blood. Ephraim abhorred pity. He hated it even more than insults and shunning. He frowned his brows and nodded at Tychonius. ”I can show you a good tavern first. I am hungry.” He smiled back thinking about how much tolerance the cousin would show toward Eph's dietary habits. Sometimes people thought they are tolerant enough to form a bond with Ephraim, but after a while majority decided otherwise. It was like some self-fulfilling prophecy on the mixed blood's part or maybe his ways of thinking were so odd for humans or not acceptable to stick around...Or maybe he was just a jerk. Their eyes met and as on command they both looked at the cat. Ephraim wondered if his cousin saw the half-breed's intention and decided to save the feline or he just liked cats. Actually cats were not a bad meal, chewy but when he was desperate a cat could do too. Not in front of others, neighbors tended to get anxious when he was trying to eat their pets. Beside this one here looked a bit sickly with its matted fur and a small sign of disgust changed Eph's features. ”You may want to put that down if we are going to The Sssilver Sssliver.” The name of this tavern was always giving him hell and there was no way in pronouncing it with no hissing. His cousin again had this goofy grin all over his face and Ephraim had to ask, as he motioned Tychonius to follow him. ”What's going on with you? If I met myself for the first time I wouldn't be smiling like that.” There was not really any emotion in this question or hostility, just genuine curiosity. There were people who he had met that pretended to ignore his heritage but no one was ever happy to see him. Eph squeezed himself between two stands and snatched an apple from the woman who was busy with another customer. He quickly turned and threw the fruit at his cousin. ”Here. I don't eat this stuff.” Ephraim said with a smirk. For him stealing something was normal. It as one apple, no one would miss it. It's not like he killed someone by 'lending' himself a fruit. Beside it was embarrassingly easy to steal single things from stands. Small things like fish or vegetables were the easiest, thought the latter he was snatching just for fun and to hone his skills.

[Tychonius Nioni]

Tychonius felt a sort of disdain, still, despite his best efforts to dispel it, to appear friendly. But he did not waiver. He stuck to his tactics. He wanted Ephraim to like him, and if that meant pushing onwards and forwards, fighting for every inch of familial or fraternal love with the only weapon of smiles and good nature, he would do it.”I can show you a good tavern first. I am hungry.” Tychonius nodded eagerly at his cousin's suggestion. "That sounds nice right now. Do you know if they have kelp beer? I would love some kelp beer." I would love some alcohol. It feels like my innards are aching for it. He saw Ephraim look at the cat. ”You may want to put that down if we are going to The Sssilver Sssliver.” This was a shame. He had forgotten the stigma on cats. Tychonius loved cats; intelligent and majestic and independent things. Winning their love, that is truly rewarding. Tychonius' mind naturally drew the parallel between cats'-love and his cousin's love. He smiled and put down the cat without saying anything, and the cat was off and away again, but not before looking up at Tychonius with a questioning look. Tychonius looked up smiling, still. He was warming up to his cousin. Maybe it was the attempts to be kind, perhaps it was the charming and obvious passion for survival, which, having grown up in the relatively comfortable Zeltiva, Tychonius had not seen before. At any rate, he was quite growing fond of his younger cousin. ”What's going on with you? If I met myself for the first time I wouldn't be smiling like that.” Tychonius began to follow his cousin. He felt no need to make eye contact, and looked up and forward. At some third point that perhaps they'd both be looking at. "You're family, aren't you? It's been a long time since I've looked on a face that is related to me; you're not as ugly as you think, there.Tychonius' smile widened. He had to stop himself from punching Ephraim lightly and friendly on the shoulder, like a brother might. He watched his lanky cousin steal something quickly and smartly. He tossed something red to him. It was a blur and Tychonius snatched it from the air, bobbled it, then caught it. A shiny red apple. ”Here. I don't eat this stuff.” "Thanks. This is just what I needed." Tychonius took a bite of the fruit. It was a tad soft and bruised in several places, but it had been a while since he'd had a gift to eat. Despite being stolen, this was still a gift. And it was tasty because of it. "So, then, Ephraim, how far is this Silver Sliver?"