Songquest (Angel of Chaos)

[Anonymous]

“OK,� Kasumi said. She wasn’t unaware of the tension here. Taking a neutral stance was fine, but…it couldn’t hurt for everyone to get along. The last thing she wanted was another fight, so she was glad that Felina had consented.

Nodding, Art took off, darting through the narrow streets. That tiny kid sure moved fast, Kasumi thought. Garments that had been strung out to dry, flapped at her body as she raced after Art. She wasn’t as used to running as the others seemed to be, so fell behind out of the three.

Art noticed this, and as she rounded a corner, she found that he’d paused to wait for her. He didn’t seem tired at all. Whilst she caught her breath, Kasumi couldn’t help but feel a little nauseous by the smells that were emanating from this place. This was really and truly, the heart of the slums. Filth and squalor ruined what could’ve been such an attractive square. The water pump had long since rusted, and the fountain was nothing more than a mass of rubbish. Weeds grew threw the cracks in the cobblestones, and cats wailed all around her.

Pity filled her heart, for all the poor people who had to live in a place like this.

“Can…can we keep moving?�

“Yeah sure,� Art said, a little distractedly. “Wait here for a minute.�

And with that, he darted off, into the shadow of a cracked building.

“Felina, we haven’t really had a chance to talk about what’s going to happen now,� Kasumi began, a little shyly. “I don’t know what you want to do, but I think I’m going to have to…� She paused, closed her eyes for second, and hummed something so quiet it was inaudible. Her face fell, and she sighed. “I’m going to have to…They’ve just set off, and I want to go see if the fortune teller is still with the travelling circus. I think they’re headed for the North West.�

She didn’t have much hope that the woman would still be there…after all, hadn’t her tent vanished before her very eyes?!

[Anonymous]

Felina had followed them through the labyrinth of buildings, unsure of where Art was taking them. Since Felina's cat half made her a very fast runner, she passed Kasumi easily and almost passed Art until he stopped. Felina stopped herself just before running into him. She didn't even have to catch her breath as Kasumi caught up with them.

Felina looked over their surroundings and made a sad expression. She felt extremely sorry for the people who were forced to live in conditions like this. It made her feel like she had to do something to help them. But how?

After Art took off again, Felina made to go after him, but was stopped by Kasumi's voice. When she heard the idea of going after the fortune teller, she shook her head.

"I don't mean to be negative, but that's just ridiculous," she said, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I saw it as well as you did; the tent just vanished into thin air. And even if she were there, what could we do? She might take something else away from us, and it might be something that we may never be able to get back."

True, she had her doubts as well.

[Anonymous]

“I suppose,� Kasumi mused sadly. But there was still hope, shining on the horizon, always there if you were willing to reach out and grab it. She didn’t want to give up, even though deep in her heart she knew that there was little chance of the woman being there.

A few minutes later, Art reappeared, with what looked like a dirty bundled up handkerchief.

“My effects,� he said proudly.

Oh…so he lived here. Kasumi’s pity for the boy was suddenly overshadowed by another thought.

“Hey, we can go see your mother and--�

“NO!� He cried, almost a yell. Visibly controlling himself, he swallowed, and said, “You don’t want to do that. She won’t like it if other people come in, especially if she’s…�

He trailed off, looking lost.

Kasumi glanced hopelessly at Felina, wondering what to do, but the decision was made for her when Art suddenly took off again, exclaiming for them to follow him, lest they become invariably lost. Eventually, they came out of the maze, to wide open ground. In the distance lay the West Gate, and even further on, the last dregs of the sun’s rays could be seen. This was such a bad idea, setting off now, if it was going to become dark anytime soon, Kasumi thought.

“Do you know where we can go?� She asked Felina, with slight concern in her voice. “I’ve never travelled out here at night, so I don’t know if there will be any danger to us or not.�

[Anonymous]

Felina now knew that Art lived here, in the slums. This is probably part of the reason why Art disliked his mother so much. She was very curious as to what kind of person Art's mother is. But he made it clear that his mother was not one to be messed with. Well, curiosity killed the cat, she supposed.

When Art took off again, Felina and Kasumi followed him until they reached Ketra's West Gate. Unfortunately, the sun was nearly setting, so setting off now definitely wasn't the best idea. Felina had more than her fair share of wild animals or xenophobic people attacking her, and each time, she barely escaped any major injury.

"Hmm...heading off now would be a bad idea," Felina said. "We need to find someplace safe near here to rest for the night. I don't know about you, but I have no money to stay at an inn. What should we do?" She looked at Kasumi hopelessly, then at Art, then back to Kasumi.

[Anonymous]

“My rent still lasts for a few days at the inn where I stayed, so maybe we could go there. I really hope those people aren’t still around,� Kasumi murmured. Walking over to a signpost, she stood up on her tiptoes, and scrutinised the directions. “OK, it’s on King Lane so I think we go this way.�

“Wait,� Art said, tugging her sleeve. “I know a quicker way than the way you want to go.�

She didn’t doubt him. Turning to Felina, she asked, “What do you think?�

((No musey!))

[Anonymous]

Felina shrugged. She had every reason not to like Art. But that didn't mean she can't trust him. If Kasumi trusted him, then why can't Felina? Besides, this had to be done as quickly as possible.

The sooner we can get to a safe place, the better," Felina said. "Let's follow him and hope he's right."

[Anonymous]

Once again, Art led them down winding streets that twisted and turned, all the time, racing against the dipping sun. Gargantuan shadows fell across their path, and the route through which Art took them was eerily silent, save for the clattering of their feet upon the cobblestones.

Kasumi chose not to speak; she was wrapped up in her own troubles, and now that a few hours had elapsed, she was finally starting to come to terms with everything the old woman had said and had done to her. All she wanted to do was to break down and cry her heart out, but no, it would not do. She was with other people, and must affect an air of cheeriness, or at best indifference. And plus Art still didn’t know the truth.

Finally they burst out onto a main street, opposite the drapery shop. The inn, “The Three Stars� was situated two buildings away.

“Thanks Art,� Kasumi said. Once again the boy had shown how useful he could be. “Felina, it isn’t much, but the only place that I could afford, and that had an available room was here.�

“The Three Stars,� Art said thoughtfully, looking at the picture on the sign rather than at the words. “I’ll be back at the crack of dawn so you better not leave without me!!�

And with that, he took off. Kasumi smiled, knowing that Felina finally had room to breathe.

“Shall we go on?�

[Anonymous]

Felina followed the boy and Kasumi through the winding alleyways that cast huge shadows over them. It had grown quieter as they neared the main street, yet Felina was praying to the nine gods that those "lawyers" weren't waiting for them.

When they emerged onto the main road, she looked around and heaved a sigh of relief when she found that they were nowhere to be seen. That made things a bit more easier for them.

She was also quite relieved when Art took off, probably heading home. She didn't like him. Not that he seemed to be a spy working for the woman or the old hag, it was just because he was rude and mean. Was he angry that Felina befriended Kasumi?

Despite all the events that had transpired in just a few hours, Felina was at ease as last.

"Sure, let's go on in," Felina said. "Thank you for offering me to stay here."

[Anonymous]

Kasumi strode to the door and leaned on it, using her weight to push the worn wood in. The door swung open, and a hubbub of sound rose to greet the two travellers. Mingling voices, hearty laughter, the strains of music assaulted her senses, and muted light flooded into the street.

“Don’t be timid, come on in,� she said, indicating with her head.

Kasumi stepped in, and held the door open for Felina. It was a rowdy night, so she was hoping they’d be able to get to her room without too much hassle. She wasn’t sure what effect Felina’s appearance would have on the drunken revellers, but she was hoping that there wouldn’t be any events.

[Anonymous]

As Felina made her way into the inn, she noticed that the place reeked of alcohol under her sensitive nose. She hoped that no one would cause a row because of what she looked like. But no one seemed to notice, either because they were either too drunk to notice or didn't care; no one was turning their heads toward her.

Nonetheless, it made Felina uncomfortable. She had never drank alcohol in her life, and she probably never will. She didn't want to wind up like them. Her tail quivered.

"Where's your room?" Felina asked Kasumi. "I don't want to stay in this room for too long."

[Anonymous]

“Come this way,� she said, and skirted around to the wall. Following the wooden wall, she came to a set of creaking stairs, which she began to ascend with alacrity. “Watch out, these stairs are quite low.�

Normally she would’ve stayed to entertain the guests, as there was a small stage in a corner. But tonight, all she wanted to do was to get away from anything that reminded her of the voice she’d lost and so she made herself appear as inconspicuous as possible, keeping her eyes fixed to the floor in order to avoid meeting with any revellers.

At the top, they came to a sparsely furbished corridor, more wooden floorboards with a few odd paintings hung to inspire a homely feel. They just made the place look more shabby. Kasumi strode down the corridor and stopped when she came to the third door on the left.

“Here we go,� she said and inserted the key. The door swung open with a flourish, showing a tiny room with a low sofa, a single bed, and another door which led to the bathrooms. The walls were a neutral white, and despite the inn, the rooms were well kept. The rest of Kasumi’s belongings- which she would’ve forgotten if she’d left the town- lay in a corner.

“Not much, but hope it’s OK for you. I’m alright with sleeping on the sofa, so you can have the bed.�

[Anonymous]

Felina carefully followed Kasumi through the tavern part of the inn, making sure that no one was trying to grab her tail as a malicious joke. She was a bit more at ease when they were climbing up the stairs. This place seemed a bit shabby to her, but it was better than sleeping outdoors...not that she really minded to spend the night outside.

When they got to Kasumi's room, Felina felt that she could finally relax.

"Thanks Kasumi, you're too kind," she said with a smile. She went over and set her pack next to what looked like Kasumi's belongings. She then sat down on the bed, resting her bare feet from weeks of carrying her.

[Anonymous]

The only light came from the corridor, so Kasumi left the door open as she went from candle to candle, lighting each with the taper the inn supplied. Soon, the room was bathed in a warm, orange glow. Once the room was lit, Kasumi skipped to the door and swung it shut to give them privacy.

“It’s still early evening so it’s up to you if you’d like to do anything,� Kasumi said.

Slipping out of her shoes, she also removed her cloak, folding it carefully. Even though folding things neatly was a childish thing, to Kasumi, these small oddities brought her comfort. After all, it had been a long while since she’d last seen her parents, or anybody of comfort. Kasumi then went to her belongings and pulled out a blanket, which she spread over the soft squishy sofa. That formed her makeshift bed.

“Or, we could just sit here and talk. We’ve spent an afternoon together, and yet we’re still strangers, at least, in terms of knowing each other.�

[Anonymous]

Felina shifted herself on the bed so that she was facing Kasumi. She undid the ties that held her scimitar and hunting knife and placed both weapons behind her. She then brought both legs up onto the bed and fixed them into a cross-legged sitting position.

The soft glow of the candlelights gave the room a pleasant atmosphere, she felt.

"Of course we can talk," Felina said, giving a friendly smile. "What would you like to talk about? There are a lot of things about ourselves to talk about."

[Anonymous]

“I’d love to know more about you, but I feel as though it’d be impertinent of me to ask,� Kasumi said, blushing and averting her eyes to the ground. “My history itself isn’t remarkable by no means.�

As she began to speak, Kasumi stood up, and walked around the room, gazing at the all the objects, and occasionally touching them. She didn’t dispense with her history very often, but Felina just had such a friendly air, that she found herself confiding to her.

“I was brought up in a forested village near Adela,� she said. “We were pretty isolated, so everything I knew back then, I learned from my village, and I believed that’s what the rest of the world was like too. My singing voice is something I have always ever known, and it used to bring me great joy, when I’d go to the forest and just sing my heart out…� She didn’t feel like going into too many details, so she just sketched things out. “…But, over time, my voice only brought me pain. As I grew up, I don’t know why, but people started to say things about me that I didn’t like, so…I left, in the hope that the rest of the world would be more friendly. Since then, I’ve travelled through towns, paying my way with folk melodies. I…don’t know what I’m looking for, but I’ve always hoped that someday I’ll find it.�

A sad smile played about her lips.

“I guess, after today, I guess I’m looking for my voice now.�

[Anonymous]

Felina listened intently to what Kasumi had to say about herself. She found it sad when Kasumi spoke of people ridiculing her for her voice. Maybe they were just jealous? But Felina was glad that Kasumi had resolved to find her voice.

When Kasumi finished speaking, Felina nodded, unconsciously curling her fingers around her tail.

"I guess we're similar in a sense," Felina said, a tone of sadness in her voice. "I come from an isolated village as well, only it's on the Yoreiq Isles. The people of that tribe...half-cat, half-human, like myself...didn't like outsiders. They had a particular hatred towards humans, because they used to hunt my kind near the point of extinction. I was taught to hate humans as well. But I wandered outside my village and met a human boy. He completely changed my outlook, that not all humans are bad people. But my tribe eventually found out that I made contact with him, and they tried to kill me. So I ran away from my village, but not without my mother's help. She died protecting me, because she was the only one who believed me.

"So here I am, wandering the world," she finished, a sad look on her face.

[Anonymous]

Kasumi couldn’t help but be touched by the things Felina had told her. She found herself moving over to where Felina was sat. So Felina too, knew what it was like, to be driven out.

Oh, how she missed her parents. The looks, their smiles, their hugs, everything about them she remembered with fondness, and through an increasingly misty veil.

“Is it OK if I hug you?� She asked gently, feeling empathy well up within her being.

((Sorry for being uber short!))

[Anonymous]

Tears were almost forming in Felina's eyes during the pause. She missed her mother so much. She missed Hugh, the first human boy she had befriended. Were it not for the two of them, she would still be stuck in that godforsaken village, and she would never have met all those people in her travels, including Kasumi.

She snapped out of her thoughts when she was asked if she wanted a hug. This brought the tears to her eyes; she had not had a hug in over nine years. The last time she was hugged was by her mother the day before she was killed.

"S-sure," Felina said weakly. "I haven't had one in nine years." She then allowed herself to be embraced.

[Anonymous]

Kasumi embraced the cat-woman, and rested her head on Felina’s shoulder as she closed her eyes. She’d met few people who were this fragile; perhaps they could both support each other emotionally. She let her breathing become in tune with Felina’s, and simply enjoyed the calmness that the moment brought.

Distant noises, the sound of hearty laughter downstairs and the tinkling of broken china roused Kasumi and she let go of Felina. Giving her a watery smile, she said, “Probably best if I get an early night for tomorrow.�

Going to her belongings, she picked up a few of her effects and headed to the bathroom, casting another look at Felina to see if she was alright. Inside, she busied herself, mind turning over the things Felina had said. As she ran a brush through her hair, she gazed at her face in the mirror, a face that had dimmed in it’s lustre. Her eyes bore slight shadows, fleeting marks that showed that underneath her countenance, things were not hunky-dory.

What she needed was comfort. Nothing more, nothing less. She’d never had a boyfriend, so she didn’t know anything on the closeness a partner could bring. She never stayed long enough in towns to form solid friendships, so she lacked emotional support too. At least the one good thing was that wherever she returned to, she would be known. Unfortunately, if she didn’t get her voice back, they’d know her then for the wrong reasons and have false expectations.

On leaving the bathroom, she said, “Everything’s good in there if you’d like to use it.�

((Haha this situation could be soooo awkward when they both have to undress))

[Anonymous]

Felina now felt truly accepted. Not the kind of blunt "Okay, I accept you" kind of acceptance, but something that could only be brought about by a true friend. She had found her first true friend, one that she wouldn't dare abandon the memory of. She finally felt true warmth inside her, one that used to have only been brought about by her mother.

When they released, Felina's tears had dried up. She then waited for Kasumi to finish up in the bathroom. She then thought of how to go about preparing for bed. Her tribe...well, the females, anyway...would usually sleep with no clothes on whatsoever. In her travels, when she was alone, it stuck with her. But when it came to sharing a room with someone...now that could be an awkward situation.

It was a good thing that she brought a sort of robe with her, just in case. While Kasumi was still occupying herself in the bathroom, Felina quickly fished her brown silk robe out of her pack and took off all of her clothes. She then slung her robe around her body and packed her clothes in her pack.

When Kasumi came out and allowed Felina in, Felina gladly stepped into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She undid the braid that held her tawny-streaked hair together and let it loose freely. She took some of the water in the basin and washed her feet free of some of the dirt that had accumulated on her journeys. She them splashed her face and dried up. She then came out of the bathroom, all freshened up.

"Well, we do need to get a good night's rest," Felina said as she headed for her bed.

((Awkward indeed X3))