The Forgotten Doll Found ((Lion!))

[Anonymous]

It was a chilly autumn day. Firey colored leaves swirled in the wind, flying to the sky then floating back down to the ground. The warm colors shone bright against the dull, cloudy sky. The sun's rays were dulled by the clouds, giving the earth a dull, dim light. The village was quiet today. Few people walked around, most deciding to stay in their houses, away from the chill of the wind. The clouds threatened rain. More people began to hide away inside buildings, sitting by their fires.

On the outskirts of the village, there was a figure buried by leaves, unknown to the people. The leaves rustled slightly, and what looked like a tiny girl surfaced to the top of the leaf pile. She lay on top, blankly staring upward. Her clothes were torn, her shoes worn, the ribbons in her hair frayed and dull. She, overall, was dusty and looked like she had been in the same place for a long time. This girl was a doll. A thin crack in her face was yet another sign that she wasn't being taken care of. She had been laying there for a very long time. She didn't know how long. Earlier, about 2 weeks earlier, she had been shattered to pieces by a careless man who had picked her up, just to toss her down. Even though she was a doll, she felt pain. Why couldn't they understand that? She had been laying in this leaf pile for 2 weeks now. She had a tendancy to lay in the same spot for an incredibly long time, just thinking. In her stare, a doll's stare, there still was a certain something about her eyes that showed she was intelligent. But, nobody was careful enough to see it. She watched as the clouds began to gather and drift apart, then gather again. Why was everyone allways in a hurry? They couldn't even show the slightest bit of compassion and pick her up? Put her in a safe place? Apperantly not. The only difference between her and a normal doll not was the scowl on her face. She glared at the sky, not caring if it rained. It could pour. She didn't care. She wouldn't get sick. She was a doll. She scanned the area above her again. It began to rain slightly, and a drop fell on her face. It trickled into the crack on her face, reminding her once again of how the crack got there. She sighed. She wasn't even supposed to exist. She was an outcast. She didn't want to be a doll, she didn't want to be cast away. She narrowed her eyes at the sky. Ivy just wanted a friend.

[Lion]

He wasn't in a hurry that was for sure.  The massive footprints in the soil, which easily made way for the emerging figure's weight as it came through the forest.  He was on the outskirts of town and even though he was not headed immediately toward civilization's center but, instead, lingered a while in the woodlands that surrounded him.  The trees towered above him despite his own size and stature.  It was perhaps nature's way of putting him in his place, forcing him to undergo an act of humility.

Grave, as he was often called due to the headstone attached to his back, leaned on a few trees as he wandered through the forest, lingering as a slight patter of rain came down from the fluff that was the darkening clouds overhead.  He didn't bother looking up to know that the sky was suddenly angry with him.  He had failed to find good souls to transport back to Cadameris and he knew in his god's eyes that he was rather worthless if he could not fulfill the purpose he was put on this forsaken planet to carry out.

But this could not be helped.  For once in his time here, Grave felt bereft and forsaken, more alone than ever.  He did not have a connection with his home realm and no one bothered with him here.  So, in the meantime, he wandered from location to location, most of the time causing up irreparable stirs and scares as most of his unorthodox actions were enough cause for people to freak out on him.  He was not prone to violent behavior, and though he was wont to go on a rampage, taking as many souls as possible, and was nigh unstoppable, he was rather a teddy bear when the moment suited him.  Grave was a curious being and was often misunderstood because of this.  He knew not when to stop, to him there were no such things as morals.

And as he was walking, keeping his eyes closed as always, finding travel much easier this way, he made his way closer and closer to the magical town of La'marri, a location known as a haven for all creatures of the mystical variety.  His footfalls were a little woozy on the ground and as he was stepping, he nearly did notice the little doll beneath his boot.  His foot was but an inch away from squashing its head into oblivion.  But he felt something beneath it and he quickly moved away.

Grunting in curiosity, Grave bent low, intent on inspecting the object further.

[Anonymous]

Ivy gazed up, thinking, when she heard an approaching person. She stiffened, and pretended to be a normal doll. She found a sick humor in that. Almost right when she did this a giant foot threatened to crush her. She did not want to be crushed again. No. She was quite releived when the foot lifted. She saw a large figure look at her, the owner of the foot that almost got her. When he bent down to inspect her, she dropped the doll act. She didn't feel like acting. "Thank you for not stepping on me."  She said in a polite, tiny voice. It fit her. She didn't want to say anything that would make this person angry. He, by the looks of it, would just shatter her. That would hurt. A lot. She wondered silently what he would do.

[Lion]

Grave drew his face closer and closer toward the little doll which he towered over by his full seven feet and ten inches.  But as he crouched lower and lower, he nearly lost his balance and fell on her.  He was sure that this little doll, female by the looks of it, was quite delicate of all things and, though he was hesitant to open his eyes, he could sense some kind of aura drooping off of her, he wasn't quite sure exactly what she/it was yet.

She was a doll to be sure.  He'd seen many of them before in the past when he had observed the actions of small children through house windows.  They seemed fond of them and were often colorful objects with bright hair and even brighter smiles.  But he found it even stranger that this little thing started talking to him.  He nearly responded in return.  Rather, instead of doing so, he grunted and still refused to open his eyes.  His lids were glued shut and his brow drooped over, creating an effective shadow over where his eyes were.

"Hm," he grunted and picked her up with the greatest care.  It was then that his yes opened, two small flaming orbs.

[Anonymous]

Ivy just stared at him, sitting still. Who was this man? He looked rather human, but she assumed he must also be something else. How would a human be that tall? They were tall in general, but not this tall. He answered her statement with a grunt. Well, that was something. If she talked to most people, they usually denied her existance, the fact that she could talk, and said they may be in a dream of sorts. Or, threw her on the ground to run away. Honestly, she was a doll. How scary could that be? She wondered why he kept his eyes shut. How could he see her if his eyes were closed? It seemed as if he could see just fine. Ivy had seen some weird people in this world, and this guy probabaly topped the list. But, she wasn't really one to say. She was a talking doll, after all. How many of those are there?

When he picked her up, she just lay still. She was surprised of his care in not breaking her. She didn't come across people who actually tried not to break her often. Most just swung her upward, andn downward. She was rather nervous to be picked up, because of this. Just as she had relaxed, She saw him open his eyes. She thought he was rather odd to begin with? His eyes were fire! Not much change of expression, but she sighed. What was this man?

[Lion]

Grave, even in his innocent curiosity, was not always so gentle.  He saw that the little doll was delicate and though he could squash her into oblivion, he did his best to respect that delicacy.  It was only a few months ago that he'd come across a helpless fox that was trapped in a hunter's snare and though he was wont to eat the small creature, it has just in the animal's fortune that he'd consumed his fill for the day.  Grave had crouched down at the creature to examine it but was taken aback when the fox snapped at him in desperation and began to bite savagely at its own paw.

He had watched it begin to tire when the bone was revealed and still the trap had remained.  The fox had slumped down in exhaustion and it was then that he decided to do something about it.  Grave had released the animal, but with the force of his hands, he had inadvertently snapped off the creatures paw.  The fox had snapped at him again, this time landing a blow right on his hand.  Grave was take aback once more, but watched in silence as the fox had stomped away on its remaining three paws.  It was then that knew that some things could not be handled with simple brute force.  Sometimes things were far too delicate to be handled at all.

And he regarded this doll with the same care.  He wasn't sure exactly how this thing could talk or if it had a name at all.  But he found it peculiar and rather harmless.  He'd seen worse things in his time here, and even back in Cadameris, things that were unspeakable to the depraved mind.  It was obvious that silence would serve no one here, so he said the only thing he could think of in this moment.  "Name?"

[Anonymous]

Ivy looked kind of sad. "I....don't remember my name..it was given too long ago to remember." She had never heard her name but twice. It was rather sad to not remember one's name. The sad expression gave way to her neutral doll's face. She never really smiled. That was the odd thing about her. Almost all dolls were smiling, happy things. She couldn't seem to smile, as what was there to smile about? She would try to be optimistic, but she failed. She tilted her head. "May I ask your name?"

[Lion]

Grave grunted in displeasure.  He didn't like having to waste his breath speaking when the answer that came back wasn't the one he sought.  But this was but a little doll.  He didn't quite know what to expect from her yet.  "No name?" he replied, softening his face further and even frowning sadly a little.  He didn't know what it was like to not be called something.  He had lots of names wherever he went.  Most of them went along the lines of Bastard or Brute, Dumbass, Buffoon, Fool, Murderer, and other choice words that would not be very kind to normal people.  But there was one name that he had been called back in Cadameris, one name that stuck and that he had used time and again.

"Grave," he responded, simply.  And it was then that he smiled.

[Anonymous]

Ivy watched him warily. But, she realized that if he was going to do something bad, he would have done it by now. She watched him more curiously now. She was surprised to see that he smiled at her. Most dolls, (If they were like her) would be used to people smiling at them. However, she got no looks from anyone usually. Or a look like, 'wow, that doll didn't talk. nope.' "Grave, is it?" She smiled a bit. "Nice to meet you. I'm sorry that I don't have a name to tell you. You could come up with a name for me, if you'd like." She didn't really care what she was called, as long as it was reasonable.

[Lion]

A name, huh.  She wanted him to name her.  Grave wasn't quite sure  but to make of this, but it sounded like an order to him, and for a creature that was destined and designed to serve, it was in him to follow any and all decrees...  Would this little doll suddenly be his new master?  He wasn't sure yet, but he'd have to see what her motives were.  If there were any.  Grave didn't have many friends and above all, few actually had any interest in being friends with a brute-like creature such as him.

Grave, frowned again a little and thought for a long time as to what he might call her.  Grunting as he saw something on the ground that sparked his interest.  "Flower?"

[Anonymous]

Ivy tilted her head again. Hm. She guessed he wasn't so bad after all. Maybe she had finally found someone that would be her friend. She didn't mind if he was a little different.  She thought about how she was different. When you're 2 feet tall and an object, it's hard to fit in. Why couldn't they just look past that and see her personality? Stupid people. She looked thoughtful. "Flower? That sounds nice. Flower it is, then." She looked at him hopefully. "If you were going anywhere, may I go with you? I was left behind...a long time ago..."

[Lion]

Grave looked at her like he was a child and smiled just as stupidly.  The frown that normally caressed his morose and aged face was gone for a short time while he held her.  He stood now, to full length and nodded to her.  "Good name, Flower...  Dirt good too, no?  Eh....no."  Grave stopped speaking now and tossed her onto his shoulder, hoping that he wouldn't have to tell her to hold on.  He pointed toward the town and grunted, knowing that it wouldn't take a genius to understand that he was going toward La'marri.  He wondered just how he would be welcomed in such a small interesting place.  Grunting once more, Grave said one final word, hoping to spark some small conversation.  "Behind? Why?"

[Anonymous]

Ivy looked rather sad when she was asked why she was left behind. "It was a long time ago. I disobeyed the woman who brought me to life, because I was loyal to my owner. My owner was killed by the woman who brought me to life. I was left behind as useless. She kicked me and gave me this.." She pointed to the crack in her face.

[Lion]

"Hm," he said unsatisfactorily.  So she had suffered some abuse in her time.  That was okay.  He had too, though it was a normal thing where he was from and there was no such a thing as suffering.  At least not by this realm's standards.  To be kicked was like getting flowers and chocolates by someone who was soft about you.  In Cadameris, getting kicked was more of a pleasure than a pain considering what other things that could be done to you.

"Horrible," he said plainly.  "Hurt any?"

[Anonymous]

Most people wanted sympathy or rejected it terribly. She did neither. She didn't want sympathy, but she didn't reject it. It was something she didn't get much of, but it wasn't exactly a luxury. A luxury was the careful hand in picking her up, the voice of another talking to her. No matter the conversation, it would be music to her ears. "The hurt then, but it wouldn't hurt now...my definition of pain has changed scince then." The curse had a tendancy to bring her to the worst places. Including battlefields. She had seen things that would leave a normal person speechless and terrified. "Now, I don't have anyone to be with me, though...nobody to remember me and aknowledge me. Do you know that feeling, when you feel like there is a purpose to you, but you want someone to tell you what it is?"

[Lion]

What this giant being was offering her was far from sympathy.  In fact it was quite the opposite.  Grave was not used to many emotions and he responded to the passions more quickly than anything else.  Anger was his best friend and hate had aided in his survival for quite some time.  When there were things to be killed, he killed them, often without remorse.  But when he was goaded into combat, he fought with ferocity and with rage.  Right now, he lingered in a state of apathy that relaxed him and made him sociable.  "Grrm!"  Grave grunted again in severe displeasure.  "Purpose?.... Hm, purpose.  To eat.  Yours, to look pretty, no?"

[Anonymous]

Ivy wondered what he meant by his purpose was to eat. Eat what, she wondered. She smiled when he said hers was to look pretty. "I guess one could say that. But, for the last 50-or-so years, I have been wandering the earth, searching for something to do, really. What use is a doll in the world?" She sighed. "I'm not supposed to exist. That bothers me. I was brought to life, not created like everything else."

[Lion]

Brought back to life?  Not created for another purpose?  Grave didn't know why but it seemed that he had some sort of affinity with these phrases as opposed to any of the others.  There was something about the way they rang in his ears that made him perk up.  They seemed all too familiar too them.  Well, it was no matter now and he didn't want to bother racking his brain about it if the answer would not come so easily.  "Hm," he grunted once more, keeping up the pace.  "Grm...Do you....hurt people?"

[Anonymous]

Ivy looked away for a moment. "I was originaly brought to life to kill someone. But, I don't use my powers for hurting people unless it is needed. It hasn't been needed." She sighed. She had only really hurt someone once, because they were doing something she thought terrible.

[Lion]

Grave never presented himself as really an intelligent person and this usually backfired on him in most ways when people attempted to outsmart him.  He was passive until provoked and could be prodded like a giant doll until he just couldn't take it anymore.  But just where his line was, was always a mystery, even to him.  He kept listening to the little doll he had propped up on his shoulder and made his way into town, the gentle rain now coming in slightly harder and most people shut away in their houses.  "No need to hurt?  Hm.  Does not sound good.  Sometimes, hurting needed badly," Grave patted the little doll and entered town.