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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 1, 2011 9:15:36 GMT -5
One makes little discoveries about their friends every day. Some things were little, like learning about a hobby or pastime the other enjoyed. Other things could be a fear (of spiders) or something involving their childhood. Now Jasmine didn’t know too much about Shaehern’s childhood but she did know his arachnophobia and his hobby of spying on people…and now she knew that her dear friend was a feather-weight. The little Boogie blinked as he giggled for what seemed to be no reason.
Mental note: never let Shae have anything over 60 proof.
Jazz looked at her more-than-tipsy friend with a bemused expression. He was an entertaining drunk at least, though he was indeed turning a shade of violet and making barely any sense whatsoever. “I think you’re turning more of a Mulberry, actually,” the plum woman chuckled. A purple pair they were, but at least she could hold her liquor. Speaking of which, the little woman took a quick sip herself, ignoring the indirect kiss. "Remind me to never let you drink tequilla."
Loosen his tongue was right. But was that such a bad thing? Maybe now I can ask some more questions and get different answers. Catching him in a lie might be interesting…if not a little more informative. “Hey, Shae-hen,” Jasmine started with a slight smirk, “Are you sure you don’t know the man who lived in this cabin?”
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 1, 2011 19:35:19 GMT -5
Loose tongue and slippery guile were quite the combination. Shaehern was a serpent swimming in a pool of deception, but the nature of his distorted reality was always carefully adjusted and tweaked. He modified the truth in tiny little ways so that it was indistinguishable from reality while still being greatly displaced from it.
If Jasmine was hoping that having a looser tongue would yield any better results in questioning, then she had an entirely different thing coming. She would, however, learn firsthand how powerful Shaehern's ability to weave complete bullshit on the spot with nothing but threads of truth was.
"Knew him? I'd never admit to such fanciful rumors, but it might be feasible to say I knew him in a sense that was not quite platonic. Biblical? Babel--utter nonsense!" Shaehern smirked and snorted a little bit. That was just how he was.
"Other than that, I can be sure of nothing other than my own ignorance. That's the way it is." The fan was shut firmly and Shaehern started playing with his hair. "If I didn't know better, I'd think that you'd think that I might think I know something about this place and that I'm not telling." His face took on something quite unlike his usual look. It was not so serious, but not nearly so silly either.
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 3, 2011 14:19:20 GMT -5
Okay, so that didn’t work exactly as planned. It seemed even when intoxicated Shaehern was keeping whatever he knew well hidden. Jasmine was actually impressed. When she got this drunk she was a terrible secret keeper…of course in her case it would take much more than a mere sip of Lemonade to get her like that. Five bottles? The little woman leaned in, crossing her legs and placing her elbows on her knees and her face in her palms.
She was simply asking questions.
Jazz blinked when the fan was shut rather quickly. Now what? Oh, he was accusing her of accusing him for thinking he was hiding something? Well that wasn’t completely the truth. Jazz didn’t know if Shaehern was hiding something, and if she did she wouldn’t be beating around the bush about it. But now that he asked, her smile took a little inch toward a darker tone. “Well up until you said that, I didn’t think anything like that,” gold eyes darkened a little, though they still glowed like normal.
Drunks did speak without thinking…and now her interest was piqued.
“Is there something you aren’t telling me, Shae-hen? Because if there’s anything I hate…” her eyes flickered like the fire, “It’s liars.”
But why would you lie to your friend...?
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 3, 2011 16:19:21 GMT -5
Shaehern just mumbled something. Was she really capable of being that daft? Also, he was not that drunk. Not in the least bit. He was flushed and she was being somewhat insulting by insinuating that he might behave any differently now.
Shaehern would not trust himself to swim safely or jump through trees at the moment, but those were things that required full body function to do well. Jasmine claimed that she had failed to even consider that there might have been a deception. Her behavior suggested otherwise.
Or maybe she really was just thick.
Shaehern sighed lightly. "I'm sorry. I guess I just took a little offense at you asking again, like you didn't believe me the first time." He took a nibble of the tip of his finger as he spoke, but most of his words were still pretty clear.
"You should trust that if I ever did lie or otherwise deceive you that it was for the overall benefit of those involved." Some secrets were not his to tell, but that idea conflicted strongly with his business model. He usually extorted people for far more than they should be willing to pay if they insisted on knowing a particular tidbit of information.
Shaehern did not sell family secrets. "I don't like secrets," he murmured just loud enough that Jasmine might be able to hear him.
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 3, 2011 18:24:50 GMT -5
“Mumbler mumbles mumbles. Speak up if you want to say something?” Jasmine’s smirk softened slightly as she looked over her friend. She could see how he’d take offense to her asking again, but she had just wanted to make sure he hadn’t been lying. However his former statement made her wonder just how much of his tale was true and how much he was sugar-coating. She leaned in a little more, gold eye lightening again.
“I’ll forgive you if you forgive me for offending you, okay?”
Jasmine wondered even more as her fruit-basket friend continued to speak. Her grin faded for a moment, just a moment, before a different sort of smile graced her pale lips. It was one only a few people, most recently a certain Roberts boy, had ever seen. “I’d rather be hurt than the truth than deceived for the benefit of others…even if it was you. Isn’t it better for one to hear a secret from someone they care about before they’re told by somebody else?”
Sitting up a little straighter to free her hands, one such hand reached to brush gently against Shaehern’s wrist. There was no change in her expression, except for her softening gaze. “You know there isn’t a secret I haven’t told you…if you ask, I would inform.” The hand pulled back, her eyes wandering to gaze at the bottle at her side.
“I just wish you would give me the same sort of trust, little raven.”
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 4, 2011 19:04:39 GMT -5
"Forgiveness for forgiveness is fortunate and frivolous. You are forgiven." Shaehern felt rather silly. Maybe even like mocking playing some ridiculous instrument or attempting to play something peculiar like the ukulele. His fingers motioned a faux string strumming accompanied by a "brrrrum" from his lips, but otherwise he allowed the urge to go unfulfilled.
The entire moment still felt much too serious. Shaehern nodded gently in Jasmine's direction. "I trust you just fine." And now he was wondering if that was really true? Certainly he distrusted everyone else that could feasibly overhear or hear about any conversation in which he confided particular pieces of sensitive information, but did he trust Jasmine?
Maybe enough that someday he'd be willing to write her a note under the agreement that she'd chew it up and eat it for him after she had read it.
"And I didn't even know there was a translation for raviolis," he said with something of a smirk and a laugh. "I'm kidding. I know what you said, but I am not one of the wise and feathered stock. I am something of a snake, I suppose."
Shaehern could go into great detail about the appropriateness of both metaphors and how he failed to match ravens in the myriad of ways they were represented, but he still finely matched the snake in a totemic sense.
"They're fascinating creatures, really."
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 5, 2011 14:17:52 GMT -5
Trust was something one earned in life, rather than simply gained. Friends had a certain amount of trust to begin with and over time more accumulated…as long as nobody stabbed the other in the back, that is. Jasmine would never do such a thing, and she believed Shaehern would know better than to do it to her. Of course he should also know she would throw him off a building if he did. That alone should be a reason to keep his pretty lips zipped about her personal information.
"Good," she said, her smile brightening a little, "Because I trust you."
Mostly.
Jazz shook her head a little at the little joke, “Honestly, of all words, I figure you should know the name of your own familiar,” a little laugh escaped her regardless, her little face in her hands again. Shaehern was a bit like a snake and a bit like a bird, if only for the feathers. “Snake does seem to fit...though you like water far too much to be anything but an anaconda. Even that move of yours…” straightening her back, Jasmine tried to mimic a wrapping motion with her skinny arms, like how Shaehern had caught Iugo that night in the dining hall.
She couldn’t quite get it.
“Well, you know what I’m talking about,” she mumbled, giving up. Quick and limber she was, but not as much as a serpent. “Would you say I’m more of a bird, Shae-hen?” Though some birds ate snakes...well, some snakes eat birds.
How lovely.
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 5, 2011 20:07:01 GMT -5
Trust was something that changed throughout time. In many ways it was similar to respect in that the nature of it in relation to other beings had changed. Shaehern remembered the days when everyone was afforded some degree of respect; even a total stranger was deserving of some. Now respect was something that one worked toward and the labor required to gain it was not worth the returns.
Respect and trust had both fallen by the wayside as individuals decided that they were not valuable commodities. Shaehern watched common courtesy die, along with common sense. In their absence, the void was filled with something that was entirely different.
The Shae of the here-and-now was more fun, though.
"They have legends of serpent snakes. Couatl or something like that. Maybe I could be one of them." Shaehern giggled and then touched Jasmine's nose in a gentle and giggly fashion. "You, on the other hand, would most certainly be some kind of bird. Mayhaps a dove or a bright peppy hummingbird." References to her size notwithstanding, Shaehern found both types of birds to be admirable in their own ways.
"Or maybe you really are a dirty old phoenix under that sweet exterior." Ah, yes. He could not resist the chance to deliver some sort of jab at his friend.
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 6, 2011 14:24:07 GMT -5
Jasmine tilted her head at the mention of legendary snakes. She knew a few little bits and pieces from human stories, Basilisks and other things, but the one he mentioned didn’t sound completely familiar. It did remind her of another name of a Mayan deity. “Quetzalcoatl, the ‘feathered-serpent’…there, that’s perfect!” Jazz giggled right back as her nose was poked, then taking another little sip from the lemonade bottle.
One must wonder why a snake would bother to wear plumage…
So she was a dove or a hummingbird? The plum woman put her hand to her cheek as if she was embarrassed, though her smile was too bright to match her body language. “Such pretty birds they are, but with my wardrobe I’d be black dove! Who would care to see something like that,” and onward came the jabs. Her smile twitched into something that was half a smirk, half a sneer, “Oh hush. I’d rather be a rat than be something like that birdbrain.”
With an innocent chortle, the little Boogie leaned forward so she was on all fours, and then reached one arm up to flick Shaehern on the forehead. “I’m sure you’re not so pretty under all your feathers and scales.” One playful poke deserved another, right?
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 8, 2011 20:23:53 GMT -5
No, she was not a dirty old blue phoenix like Hades. Then again, Shaehern did not really think Hades was all that dirty or ugly, save in his self-centered personality. The little plum was far too giving of herself to be likened to that phoenix. Having not met many phoenixes Shaehern could not determine if Hades was the exception or the rule in personalities.
Somewhere in the back of Shaehern's mind Zalamel was giving him a knowing smirk. The bird always acted like he knew something that Shaehern did not and he'd never speak up about it. Shaehern figured that maybe the bird had just given in to the behavior because he knew that it would pester his master. Yes, perhaps it was the rule for familiars to test their masters at times.
Speaking of tests, Jasmine seemed to pose her own to Shaehern. "Yes, underneath my fine mating plumage and those crisp scales you would see my true form. The form of the snake that hath shed its skin!" He gave a light giggle and allowed the loosely fitting robes to fall a little way down his shoulder. He flashed Jasmine a coy look and a bit of blue skin before sticking out his tongue for a moment.
"Oops. Speak of the act--I may be ready to shed soon."
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 9, 2011 13:51:25 GMT -5
Jasmine too wondered if Hades was acting like he was cock of the walk because that’s how phoenixes were, or if he was simply an arrogant brat on his own. Just because the familiar is yours doesn’t mean you see many of them, and phoenixes were especially rare…maybe he found that individuality to be his pride. Being the one very few of your kind was somewhat impressive. Hades was still a brat though, that was a fact as far as Jazz was concerned.
Uniqueness is not an excuse for selfishness.
Still on all fours the plum blinked when Shae spoke up. The part about mating plumage was silly, but now he was talking about shedding skin and--why were his robes sliding off? Oh bother. Gold eyes widened a little bit and a pair of little pale hands snapped up to grab the loosened robes and pull them up to cover Shaehern’s exposed shoulders. “What do you think you’re doing?” Her lips pressed thin with a weary sigh, kneeling in front of her fruit basket friend. “We just got out of the rain. Last thing we need is you stripping and getting a cold.”
Another note to self: never say anything, even a hint, which might cause Shae to try to undress while he’s drunk. He might do it.
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 10, 2011 19:24:42 GMT -5
Shaehern felt a little flushed and warm, but he was fully aware of what he was doing. It was very much like the little voice that usually told him when something was a bad idea had just shut up for a little while. Under normal circumstances Shaehern doubted he would have listened to the voice even if it was talking, but that was hardly a topic up for debate at this time.
His robes were rising and shifted back into place. He still gave Jasmine a light wink, but chose not to push the topic any further. After all, he might make an ass of himself if he did.
"Fair enough. Mayhaps I can make it up with a story for you. You might appreciate it." Shaehern smiled with one of his precious little grins.
"The shadow twins were something of a terror when teamed up. They could pop up most anywhere they pleased and vanish just as quickly. I'm sure it was something of a game when we were all younger. I was hiding from them in a tree. I was perched on my own and had just whispered to a familiar little monkey to keep quiet so they wouldn't find me."
Shaehern had remembered nestling up in that tree with Mar as his company. It was a good hiding spot and the branches were certainly thick enough to provide him some cover.
"Anyways, I never really saw the flutter of the shadows, but she popped in right behind me and scared me senseless. I fell out of the tree and into the water below to the sound of her laughter." It had felt like just another way the two would torment him, but it had been nothing more than a game, right?
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 11, 2011 13:50:11 GMT -5
Shaehern was being silly, plain and simple. Then again, wasn’t he always? Jasmine rolled her eyes as she was winked at, though she couldn’t keep herself from smiling just a little. He was silly indeed, but he was a dear friend, and she wouldn’t have him any other way. As long as he keeps his clothes on. The offer of a story did intrigue the little Boogie and her smile brightened, making sure his robes wouldn’t slip down again before sitting herself down in front of the blue man. She looked a little like a child listening to her big brother’s tales.
Which was ridiculous, considering their ages.
Jazz blinked at the mention of the ‘shadow twins’ before remembering Naelona had, indeed, a twin brother. Hadn’t she seen him at the ball? Oh, right, duh, he had that huge black cat as his familiar. She couldn’t quite recall his face though. Her mind was quickly distracted with trying to picture her dear friend and the youngest Ezel as kids…they were probably quite cute as children. She could tell. Picturing said cute Nae popping out and scaring poor Shae and having him fall into the water made her laugh.
“My goodness,” she mused between giggles, “They sounded little hellions. How does the saying go…’With friends like that who needs enemies’?” Jazz leaned in a little with a tilt to her pretty purple head, “The other day Naelona mentioned when she tricked you into thinking a tree was falling on you.”
She closed her eyes and smiled warmly. "I hope you got them back."
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Post by Shaehern Azhrarn on May 11, 2011 23:58:56 GMT -5
So it seemed that Jasmine was familiar with at least one other story of the Ezel twins' antics when they were younger. Shaehern remembered being scared out of the tree. In retrospect it was amazing that he was even willing to climb anything after all the tree-related hijinks.
"Get them back?" The way Shaehern asked the question suggested that the thought might not have ever occurred to him. He was certain that as time progressed he must have gotten them back in some form or another, but nothing he ever did would have been really on the same scale.
"I was the straight man when I was younger," Shaehern admitted with a giggle. It was the kind of confession that no one that had ever met him would believe. Humor and practical jokes had not been his strong suit in his youth. He imagined that some people would be inclined to believe he never developed a sense of humor and that everything he did was just juvenile.
"But I suppose I orchestrated something with Anolean's familiar, Locke. I don't know that you'd be interested in hearing about it. My parents failed to see the humor in it."
Actually, looking back on the entire situation made it seem hilarious. Cats were so stupid and predictable so long as you knew what you were doing.
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Post by Jasmine Krisp on May 12, 2011 17:04:03 GMT -5
Trees seemed to be the Ezel sibling’s second-favorite method of tormenting their younger friend, next to their own shadows of course. Jasmine too wondered why Shae didn’t catch on and start insisting on playing in fields rather than forests. His response to her question did make her blink once. The ‘straight-man’? It was almost unbelievable, and some might think it was a lie, but Jazz had seen those snippets of something else under the ridiculousness that was Shaehern.
However brief those snippets had been.
Jasmine made a face at the mention of Anolean’s familiar. Retched black cat…so much like her brothers. Hell even their names sounded alike! Locke and Loki. It seemed a little too similar to simply be coincidence, but what can you do. She wouldn’t let her own fear get in the way of a story. “I hope it involved messing with that…feline,” she almost shuddered as she spoke the word.
Maybe he lit a branch on fire and tied it to Locke’s tail.
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