ORIGIN - the illusion of greatness

Despite Talion's best efforts, time slipped by mostly unmarked and meaninglessly. There had been some change in his earliest cycles, whenever he grew and shed the soft downy feathers of chickhood for the sleek flight feathers of adulthood. After that though, there were only sporadic events to mark time's passage. The lights had gone off, which had been a big deal at first and then just became the norm for a while. Then they came back on, and it was a big deal again, at least to those that noticed. There was one other event that was supposed to have marked a great change in his life, but he refused to think of it.

In an effort to keep the memories at bay, Talion clenched his talons around the branch and narrowed his eyes to focus on the depths of the tunnel. Eridanus opened up behind him, as green and alive as the day he'd emerged from his chrysalis. He'd been all through the other rooms and tunnels, and he still preferred this one to all the rest. It always seemed to be active, whether with plant life or Gembounds, and there was always something new to see.
Those were the same reasons he liked to look out over this tunnel too. Since it connected three of the other main rooms, it seemed to be where most Gembounds came through. Activity had been low since he'd arrived, but he expected some excitement soon. Or rather, he sincerely hoped for some, since it would help keep thoughts of her at bay.

Even the faintest mention of the trickster made Talion clench his talons again, his eyes narrowing further as he stubbornly stared down the tunnel.

@Fate

Like an apparition, she padded through the dark. Her long legs made for graceful strides as like a ghost, she came. Eridanus was a cavern she often frequented, making for much more interesting scenery than the gloomy halls of Orion or the mountains of bones of Canis. Unlike much of the caves, Eridanus was ever-changing, and she liked to let the cycles pass her by as plants unfurled their leaves and withered in an endless cycle.

...oh?

As she neared the entrance of Eridanus, Fate was greeted by a familiar sight. She perked her large ears as she caught sight of an owl, grasping onto a stray branch of a tree that oozed out of Eridanus' entrance as though it were trying to escape the roots which bound it to the earth.

Fate approached, with a grin that was familiarly knowing, and bowed her head in greeting. Her body language oozed carefree grace, and she appeared oblivious to the aura of tension lingering around the bird. The more likely story was that she was aware of it, but chose to ignore it. "My feathery friend!" Fate crooned as she drew near. "It's been a while, Talion."

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words:
tagged: @Talion
ooc:
muse:

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

The soft scrape of pad against stone notified the owl of a Gembound's approach. By the way the steps sounded, he deduced it was a canine of some sort. Since his gaze had already been focused on the tunnel, he didn't have to wait long to see it, or rather, her.

The familiar sight of Fate's black mane and smokey quartz mask made Talion's feathers lift up in aggravation. How dare she come here, to my home, he thought as his eyes narrowed even further. By the time the maned wolf stopped beneath the tree, the barn owl was near twice his size and had slits for eyes.
If he could have puffed up any further, he would have in response to her nonchalant greeting. Instead, he clenched his talons around the branch as tight as he could, and glared daggers at the dog.

"You. Dare. Call. Me. Friend?" Talion punctuated each word by hopping down from one branch to another until he was at the lowest. He seethed with rage at the sight of the trickster, and at her unashamed attitude. She should be asking for forgiveness! "It has been quite a while, yes. I remember the last time we saw each other very well, because I was promised something."

He didn't plan on playing into social niceties and trying to befriend Fate. She wasn't his friend, never would be, and he was pretty sure they both knew that. What Talion did know, now, was that she couldn't be trusted. So even if she finally delivered what she had told him about so long ago, he couldn't be sure of it. The only thing left to do, it seemed, was finally make her answer for her treachery.

@Fate

Fate seemed unnerred, pausing, with a flick of her tail and twist of her large ears. Behind the smokey-quartz mask, her true expression was unreadable, but that parting of her maw to reveal a glimmer of fang appeared to be amused. "My my, aren't we prickly today," she sang, moving closer until she stood beneath the branch upon which Talion perched. She looked up towards him, craning her neck slightly, and lightly tilting her head. "Whatever could be the matter?" She spoke lighthearted, as though she knew full well, her tail swishing lightly.

Sche closed her jaws to listen to the bird's words, spouting bitter accusations. As though she'd rehearsed them a thousand times, the words came easily. "My dear, I promised that you were destined for greatness, not that you'd be handed it on a silver platter," she soothed. "Greatness takes time, and a lot of effort besides. I don't know when such a thing will come about. Your time could come next cycle, or it could take a thousand. But, with a spirit like yours, it's inevitable." The maned wolf exuded an aura of relaxation. She was at ease here, and, although it was impossible to tell, didn't even seem to look Talion's way. But she did. out of the corner of her eye she glanced his way, and her gaze lingered on the puffed-up bird.

"Of course, it could be that the very act of knowing has bred laziness, and changed your destiny. If that's the case, I apologize. Really." Her voice, though, was singsong and unapologetic, as though such a thing was inevitable in the end.

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words:
tagged: @Talion
ooc:
muse:

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

Fate's smooth, soothing tones rolled off her tongue, and right off of Talion's shoulder. He wasn't going to be charmed and dazzled by her serene and knowing aura this time. Although the words were exactly the reassurance he had been searching for, the owl didn't trust it coming from this witch. She'd say anything to avoid a slash across her lying mouth, he was sure of it.

Had the maned wolf left it at that, Talion probably would have been able to get over seeing her. But, she didn't, and the extra couple of sentences Fate threw up at him sent a chill of hatred down the owl's spine.
"What?" He demanded as if he hadn't heard her. From the edge in his voice, and the way his talons clenched the branch so hard it groaned though, it was obvious he had.

Could it be possible that by knowing, I have messed up my own destiny? Talion wondered fleetingly before the rage washed away his doubts. He didn't have time to wonder about what might have been, or what he needed to do to achieve the greatness he desired. Right now, Fate needed to be taught a lesson. You didn't just play with other's destinies and feelings for fun, or, at least you didn't play with his.

Even though the wrath inside him urged Talion to give the other Gembound a good slash across the maw, he knew that wouldn't teach her. If anything, it would only expose him to more vulnerability. He needed a different kind of revenge, something as tricky as her meddling prophecies.
The idea came quickly, so fast that he blurted it out before really mulling it over.

"I curse you, Fate." The owl began dramatically, his head dipping to stare at the maned wolf with narrowed, inky eyes. "Let each day that you gaze into, and meddle with, others' futures, be another day you will never find yours'. Let the fact that you know it all, be the reason you never find it."

@Fate

"My my, it would appear I've struck a nerve," Fate mused, turning her muzzle away as though merely pondering to herself. "I think you know full well what, Talion. And if you don't, well... what are you still doing here? You have a destiny to pursue. I've heard there's a... wild goose for you to chase, if you're interested. I'm sure killing it would be very much appreciated." In fact, Fate had heard rumours of a growing presence in the caves, one full of vengeance and anger. A goose, conveniently.

But at a glance, her genuine offer would seem like a useless metaphor. No matter. Talion could do whatever he wanted. She was eager to see where fate lead him.

Her gaze snapped back towards him as he began his melodramatic charade, one that sent a grin crawling over her face. "Is that so?" she drawled, noticeably intrigued. Her tail flicked eagerly from side to side. "Why, I'd love to see that. To be the one to possess a fate beyond any powers of speculation, each day something happening that I could never have foreseen. Why, Talion, my dear... that feeling is what I live for. I want to see the day when a cave rat becomes king, with the cave's deepest denizens its subservient servants... We need the unpredictable to be predictable. When those around me run in pre-set patterns, and when I begin to see those patterns, I'll be able to choose my fate myself regardless of whether I see it coming. Or, maybe I won't. It's all a matter of probability. "

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words:
tagged: @Talion
ooc:
muse:

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...

Talion knew that his bluff had been called the moment that Fate began to grin. He, ignorantly, kept up the act though and continued to glare down at the maned wolf. Her drawn out question was met with a dead-pan stare since the owl refused to be sucked into any more debates. He was not good at them, especially when he had to face off against this bitch.

However much Talion wanted to remain composed and threatening, he utterly failed as his brow slowly furrowed in confusion and his beak yawned open. The very obvious question of 'Whaaaaat' could be seen all over the owl's face while the maned wolf spoke.
Even after her last, nonchalant statement was thrown into the air, Talion continued to stare, completely dumbfounded. He had known to be on guard around the wolf, and still she had tricked him. Foiled him with her words that ran in circles, and that always, always seemed so fucking calm.

Talion's control snapped. He began to shake, a mere quivering at first but within seconds he was practically vibrating with rage. "What- Why I... How the f-" His stuttering only made the owl even more furious. He screeched, pure unadulterated wrath echoing off the tunnel walls, before swooping down.

The owl made it look as if he were going to swoop right into Fate's side, and he nearly did, though not on purpose. At the last second, Talion pulled up and swooped over the wolf's back. "You don't control me, Fate!" He screeched over his shoulder, his words echoing into Eridanus. Then, with another few flaps of his wings, he was swooping down the tunnel, headed away from Fate. Nothing else mattered except getting away from her.

[EXIT]

@Fate

Fate watched, clearly amused, as Talion's resolve gave way to confusion and then, finally, to the anger that she knew so well. Still, even Fate couldn't help but flinch as the owl's claws grazed the air a hair's breadth from her face. Sensitive, radar-like ears flattened as the owl's scream raked them like shards of glass. And then, he was gone, with a parting yell that seemed redundant, to her.

"Of course not," she murmured soothingly, to the empty air. "Somehow 'control', doesn't strike me as the main issue here." And with that, a solemn chuckle reverberating in her throat, the maned wolf padded after, quickly disappearing into the folds of Eridanus' ferns and glistening undergrowth.

-exit fate-

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words:
tagged:
ooc:
muse:

"Talking looks like this!"
Thinking looks like this...