Emerging from His Grotto (Finished)

[Kinsley]

It appeared that this man also shared her profession. She found it to be quite interesting to find another person who had the same profession as hers. She has met other thieves and crooks before while on the job; Sometimes she joined them, only if the reward is great enough to her liking, or if the heist it's self is a good challenge. She did like a good challenge. To her it makes the reward all the more sweeter.

Because she preferred stealth, many of her wanted posters had poor pictures, however, her beauty still shined through in those poor shots and angles.

"So, you are like me as well? How interesting." She did find it sorta cute at the young man's awkward behavior. Before she could answer her question, the heavy scent of rain flowed through the air. And being in the animal form, she could smell it everywhere. "Certainly." She said, agreeing with the old turtle. She hated getting her luscious fur coat wet.

[Caramon Zero]

As I allow the others to enter the dwelling before me, it begins to rain, and quickly becomes a downpour.
I walk over to my armor, now full of water, and gather it up, drenching myself even more than the rain could possibly hope to.
I finally decide that I should quit horsing around and get inside as I use my wings as a shield against the rain, and walk in.
I cover my entire body with my wings as I remove my drenched clothes, set them near the fire to let them dry, and, still, all but my head, enveloped by my wings, sit in "my" corner, a place I'd go to every time I came to Ol' Nestor's hut that I was always most comfortable in.
I stay there, not saying a word, as I am very embarrassed by my modesty of technically being bare in the presence of a beautiful woman, wrapped in naught but my own spinal appendages.

[nestor]

The rain was coming down pretty hard. Luckily for Nestor, his swelling was built under the rock facing, so it remained mostly dry. He laid down on the dirt floor and smiled again. He looked over to the family heirloom he kept on the wall; his lamp.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. There isn't much here, except the lamp." He never decorated the place. Most found it nigh unlivable, no bed or chairs, but it was perfect for him. He turned to Zero and chuckled.

"So you've turned over a few new leaves hmm?"

[Kinsley]

To avoid getting completely wet by the rain, Kinsley lowered herself and walked underneath the younger gentleman, if you can call him that. With his wings now out, he made the most useful umbrella. She didn't want to anywhere close to him, but it was either this or get wet doused with rain water, and so she choose to shallow her pride.

When they stepped into the dwelling, she ruffly shook off what rain water had entered her coat. Most of the droplet that flew off of her, landed towards the young man. At this, she made a sorry gesture. But this was another act she was playing. She thought it would be funny for some reason to throw her droplets at him.

She hazel eyes darted around, looking if there was anything of value in this dwelling. But sadly, there wasn't anything; He didn't even had furniture. She then noticed something there, the only thing there, was a lamp on the wall. Pfft. A lamp. In a sweet voice she asked the old turtle.

"What is that lamp? If you don't mind me asking?"

[Caramon Zero]

As I retrieve my clothing from near the fire and redress myself, still very red, I look back at the old lamp on the wall as Lady Kinny asks about it, and I remember the many times I almost broke the poor thing when I was "training," or what could loosely be referred to as such.

I look outside at the pouring rain and count the droplets as they fall, so far I'm up to 57,579, ...80, ...81....
A short time passes and I give up after hitting 100,000.

I look back to the others and smile.

Master, I've been on my journey for some time now, so it's only natural that I'd mature, even though it may not be apparent at first glance, I'm not the simple boy you trained not so long ago.

I turn to the Lady and hand her a towel that I was drying for her by the fire that I'd had with my clothes to allow her to finish drying off.

Milady, it seems to me that you may have some form of resent for me for some reason or other that isn't apparent to me at this moment, and I'd like to assure you that there's no reason not to be straight with me.
I understand, to some small degree, what you must have been through to distrust me, yet I would think it best that, since we're going to have to stay in here for some time, it might help to pass the time by talking about how we came to be in this particular predicament, and what caused our fates to converge at this specific point in time.

I sit back down near the entryway and turn my head upwards towards the sky.

I believe everyone's story is important to life, and that each of these stories should be told so that no one can be forgotten, no matter what they did, no matter who or what they are, and no matter how their paths crossed, each and every one of us has a story, and the right to decide wether or not to share it.

On that point, I leave it to you to decide whether you tell it or not, milady, either way, I will understand.

I hope that neither of you have been offended by my "mask" that I've put up, and I wish to remove it, but it's been so long that I'm afraid to take it off, so if you wish to see the true me, then all you have to do is ask, and I believe that I'll be able to break free of this accursed thing and be who I truly am.
Otherwise, you'll have to put up with this idiot a bit longer...[/i][/color]

[nestor]

Nestor looked back at the old lamp and smiled. "Family heirloom." Really it was the only memory he had of home. He left everything behind a long time ago.

Nestor couldn't help but chuckle at the words of wisdom coming from Zero. So the boy hadn't forgotten all the teachings, but that accursed mask was still holding him back. Nestor never had a mask, he put his cards on the table for everyone to see, knowing the risk but not caring in the slightest.

"Masks are so cumbersome, yes? They only obscure." His eyes turned to Kinsley, his goofy grin still glued to his wrinkly face. "But in the end some people prefer obscurity, anonymity, don't they?" She should have recognized the pointed comment easily. Like everything else, he had little subtlety in those words. Thieves required hidden identities to avoid capture, but it had the consequence of leading a double life, which was cumbersome.

[Caramon Zero]

I grab hold of the sides of my face and pull free the crystalline mask that was upon my face, causing the gold on my wings brighten, my skin to lighten, and my eyes to turn a darker blue.

I throw the mask into the River from the doorway and watch as the thing that weighed me down for so many years sinks into the depths.

I look up at the clouds with a new light as I smile a smile I hadn't in so long.

Master, I missed you.
You were like a father to me back then, did you know that?
I remember all those things you taught me, and all the things I ignored, yet I have to thank you for putting up with the like of me for so long.
I hope that someday I may be able to return the many favors you have done for me.[/color][/size]

[Kinsley]

Kinsley listened to the man's words while she was laid out on her stomach; Her tail wiggling around as she focused her attention onto him. As she listened to him, she started to find his lack of confidence to be somewhat annoying. So, after he was done, she grabbed the towel he offered to her with her mouth; Quickly regretting it once her tongue touched the fabric. Hastily, she throws the towel on her body.

"Thank you." she said to him, as nicely as she could, while in her thoughts, she wanted to forced feed him the towel.

The vixen then turns over to the old turtle, who answered her question about the old lamp being an old family heirloom. Thoughts of stealing it slowly disappeared once he told her. In fact, she wasn't going to try and take it anyways. The man lived in a den. She had a code against stealing for poor people, and this man would make a beggar want to pity him.

So, while the two talked, she looks outside at the rain, wishing for it to go away so she can leave.

[nestor]

Much like Kinsley, Nestor was laid out on his stomach. He looked up at Zero, but wasn't paying much attention to him.

"Oh Zero, you're so easy to read. You wear your emotions on your sleeve. Your joy, your embarrassment, you're attraction to the fox over there. The mask doesn't suit you, since you're not hiding anything, do you see that?" He looked back over to Kinsley, focusing more on the rain. Being stuck in here was probably not thrilling her. It was an old man and his ex-pupil, probably not the company she normally kept.

[Caramon Zero]

I do so to make myself harder to read Master.
It's how I've been for some time now. That was my mask, my emotions, my feelings, all of it to shield my thoughts.
I'm afraid I'll grow another mask soon, making the "inner" me be free once more.
I hate when he's out and I'm trapped inside.
Only when he takes off the mask can I be free of him.
But bit by bit, he's learning to use me to his advantage and bit by bit, we're finally becoming one once more.
I'm sorry for any confusion, yet this is the me he decides to keep hidden, the one who doesn't hide in the shadows, but is confined to them.
While he hides his true heart in darkness, he goes gallivanting around hitting on women of all sorts, when I'm inside suffering because he's using my body to be what he's afraid to be: human.[/i][/size][/color]

I walk into the rain to hide my tears. And as I look up, the sky begins to become clear as I feel the mask slowly move along my face. I smile at the others inside, as I'm soaked to the bone with tears rolling down my cheeks.

I guess my time's up... I'll see you again Master, you can count on it. It was nice while it lasted...[/i][/size][/color]


I fall onto my face and get back up.

What a weird dream... Wait, why am I crying....? Oh, the rain's stopped... I guess this is where we all part ways isn't it...?[/i][/size][/color]


I walk inside and replace my armor before shaking Nestor's hand and giving the lady a pet.

I'll see you both later then. Take good care of yourselves. So long![/i][/size][/color]


I fly off into the sky with a smile on my face, glad that I've met such interesting creatures, and even more enlightened by my time with them.
[EXITS]

[Kinsley]

"Good bye, young sir."

Kinsley got up from the ground. She stood there, watching him go about on his way. Would she see him again? She wondered. The world isn't that big of the place, despite there being so must to see, if that made sense. But she didn't mind seeing him again. And hopefully. He'd be more confident.

Once he had disappeared into the horizon, she turned her body and eyes over at the old turtle. She let out a small sigh. "Well, it was nice meeting you sir, and your pupil, but I too must go." With that said, she trotted through the dwelling's exit. The white tip of her tail flicked around as she made her way out. In her mind, she thought of the men she had just met on this day. And wondered if they will cross paths once again. If they do, she hope they will provide her with more entertainment.

[End]

[nestor]

Nestor held up a hand as a goodbye, still wearing his smile as the two of them left. He was going to start his day, but ended up back in his home. Oh well, it was of no consequence, but he felt like he should go back out and start his day.

"Farewell, travelers." He then laid down for a second rest before he would do anything else.

FIN

[Azler Wilder]

This thread has been Officially Finished!

Nestor, Kinsley, and Caramon received a 20 Rupee Finisher Reward for completing the requirements!

Thank you~