YEAR: 405 AV Summer
INTELLIGENCE |
Another day with a man and his snake, the man's wares sprawled out across the surface of the table, warm sun basking them in it's warm rays. Though only a touch larger, Koh remained as usual within his container, his eyes staring at the world around him. The excitement of the snake that knew how to say yes or no died down fast, people finding the next best thing. There was one fortunate thing however to keep his days excitable. The little girl from before, still coming for her visits.
Koh had grown quiet fond of the girl at this point in time, my days consisting of little more then basking and learning. After having watched people for many months now, he continued with a new study. As each person would come to talk with the shop owner, Koh would listen and watch. Trying to comprehend the meaning of their words in accordance of action. I heard the words "no" in the gesture of refusal, "yes" with a gesture of acceptance, "hello" with a gesture of greeting, "good bye" with the same gesture of greeting.
This helped him understand that one does not simply speak with others, but instead, combines speaking with body movements. The body movements were easy to mimic, however, he found myself unable to vocalize words in a similar manner as they did. His hello only came as a hiss, his goodbye only came as a hiss, and of course his yes and no's one could easily guess, came out as a hiss. This set Koh back quiet a bit, throwing him into a slight sorrow some days, but still he kept hope, watching everyone as they spoke.
Their lips moved in certain motions to make certain sounds, and he continued to watch these lips. However, one could make similar lip movements and produce a different sound. As Koh watched this, he became confused, wondering how one was able to alter their speach without a different formation of their lips. This day he pondered, wondering the possibilities. Could they have something else that could alter it? After a moment he remembered a day not long ago.
Coiled around the girls arm, his flicked his tongue to taste the air. The girl laughed at this, sticking her own tongue out with a smile. Remembering this, he realized what it was. It was their tongue. They changed their tones with a combination of their lips and their tongues. He felt foolish for a time at the thought of this, not having realized such a simple thing beforehand. Before long, the sun set and his friend had not visited him.
He slept well that night, waking to the warmth of the sunlight shining from the window. As to their usual routine, the owner held up a mouse which Koh accepted this day. He ate, coiling up after, watching as the shop owner took him outside. As he flicked his tongue, he could taste the sea, much better then usual days. In the distance he saw someone rushing with a smile on her face. As she approached she smiled even brighter, speaking,
"Hello Grou," then turning to me,
"Hello Koh"He was unsure why, but the girl had called him Koh for quiet some time, which even the shop's owner had taken a liking to.
"Hello Yun" said the shopkeeper with his usual merchants smile. The kind he used with many of his customers to try and please them so they would be willing to buy something, and once more giving Koh the feeling that he was trying to sell him off to the girl. After a minute the cage opened a new found routine, where I would be pulled out and given to her care.
She would sit there with Koh at hand and talk to him for the longest time. This made Koh's study of their language much easier, and also helped keep his positive attitude. She said something that still rings in his ears today.
"I''m going to buy you Koh." she said with a whisper. Koh may not have understood much of the language but he knew a few things. "I'm" being a reference to herself, "buy" being the act of trade, "you" being a reference to whom she was speaking, and "Koh" being of course the one she held now.
At this point in time, he knew what was going on. She wanted to take him out of the care of the shopkeeper. Though Koh had always had safety with him, he also felt no concern over it, realizing that he has been trying to sell Koh for years, and knowing that she of all people was one that he would not mind having purchase him. Koh coiled up her arm, bringing his head near her ear. He flicked my tongue with a slight hiss from under my breath, hoping she would take that as a sign that he would accept such a thing.
She took out a small bag of coins, as so many others had done before her in my time in the shop. She smiled, standing up with koh still wrapped around her,
"Mister Grou..." she said, her entire attitude suddenly changing.
"I know I don't have as much as you're asking but...please...Can't I buy Koh from you?" Koh's head did a doubletake, trying to figure out who this person was. Yun's manner of speaking, and physical appearance seemed to suddenly change. She had her hands clasped together, her face altering its form. In the end she looked much like the mice I ate. Small, weak, and scared.
Grou seemed to think of this for a moment as he took the money from Yun's hands. He poured it out, seeming to examine each and every bit before releasing a heavy sigh.
"You really are your mother's daughter." He said, smiling a bit at the thought.
"She ripped me off with that EXACT Same look about fifteen years ago." With that he suddenly laughed heartily, placing his hand over the girls head as he returned the bag to her hands, only half the money gone from it.
"I've had Koh for a long time, and you've had him for a while too, visiting him so often. Ask Shi for the mice to feed him. He eats about once every three days so please." he paused for a second, thinking to himself,
"Take good care of him"Immediately Koh knew what this ment. He didn't even have to understand most of what was said to understand the bright look on Yun's face, nor the suddenly sullen look over Grou's. After so long a time, Koh have finally been purchased. Purchased by someone who would help his understanding of the language of others, who would help him keep living a happy life, and who, in the future, he would realize he cherished deeply.
by Koh on April 26th, 2010, 6:52 pm 
