(Future dated to a week from now)
Seffy flew low above the floor of Canis. His eyes scanned the ground for any sign of a 'man who collects', yet none met his eye. Just the bones of all the innocents his powerful birth had destroyed. Truly Seffy was above mortals...but he was not like that stone said! He'd never use his powers for evil! The mortals needed him, needed his help! He wanted to cover his eyes in a haze of darkness, that reflected his inner battle. But none came. It must've been too soon after his mishap to work properly.
Surely his training would fix this. A burn scar stretched across the sides of his mouth, pulling as he frowned. It was very cool. A lightbulb went off in the birds head, his blue and red eyes widening. Ah, thats right, Seffy was supposed to 'call' for him. Kitty had said so! He hadn't seen Kitty after he awoke, but that was mostly due to his hasty retreat after pulsaring himself to the ground. He banked in the air, turning in a tight circle.
"Man who collects? Collector of things? Destiny told me to meet you!"
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When at first the Collector stepped forth from behind his rock--all magic, not a bit of it flashy, just a rush of black cloak--he was ready to begin his regular theatrics. Maybe a purred greeting, or a crooning introduction, as was his custom.
But the sight of a pink pair of sharp-edged... sunglasses? -stopped him dead, and for a beat even Algol was speechless. Only the thought What is that? hovered there in his mind for a moment, bright and baffled. He then cleared his throat, and gathered himself.
"Destiny, hm..? Be wary, little one; Fate can be a fickle thing. But yes, I am the Collector; please, tell me what I might do for you." After the initial jolt, his crooning purr had made its return, and he seemed as slick and oily as ever as he gestured outward--welcoming--with clawed and hairy palms.
@Seffyroth Gryphon
Collector. This was the one who collects! This must've been what Kitty's meant.. . Seffy found his appearance mysterious, but this was what he needed to do! Even if he didn't trust him, it was up to him to extend the olive branch. Misinterpreting the Collector's gesture of welcoming as one of offering a perch, Seffy fluttered down to his hand. What was meant to be a impressive landing, stunning in all aspects of athletics, instead turned out to be Seffy stumbling to keep his grip on the collector's comparatively massive hand.
Seffy 'tch'd. "Your names Collector, huh? Fate? Destiny? Heh. Destiny doesn't know me. Neither does fate... I'm following it now, until its my time to strike. I've had to go against fate since the day I was born. Fate told me I was destined to be a villain... Kitty said as much. I'll will use my great power for evil rather than good, subjugating those I swore to save.' but fate is wrong. I wont be a villain." The collector had fallen into one of the pitfalls associated with speaking to Seffy, and was now subject to a monologue.
"I destroyed this cave when I was born. My birth was so powerful that I...I reduced this cave to dirt and bones. My magic is so much more powerful than any other being I've encountered...Keh." Seffy looked away dramatically. His dark and tragic past was too much to bear.
"My parents....they were amongst the rubble...but I reject the hand fates dealt me! I'll fight for a new future! My own future! You cant change the past, but you can change how you live the future. I work hard, I train to be the best there is. I never give up. That is my strength! My names Seffy. Seffy Kenshiro Anime Gryphon. Remember it, because you'll be hearing it a lot!"
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He paused when the bird landed atop his hand. This hand remained up, though gradually he shifted it to its side; the other hand he brought around to support this elbow, idly. To an observer, it might seem as though this had been the Collector's plan all along: to offer a little perch.
Most of the bird's ranting was nonsense, of course, but he listened closely nonetheless, picking what he could from it. There were certainly delusions of grandeur there, and that he could work with. The mention of Kitty perked his interest, and--carefully--he asked, "Ahh, Kitty is a good friend. Did she send you my way-?" It was important to clarify; as per their agreement, the visitors had to say that she had sent them, otherwise he had no real way of knowing. But he could ask, himself, in his bountiful generosity. He had to be sure this one would count toward her contract--that this was one of his guests by her doing.
Seffyroth spoke of his hatching having destroyed Canis, and the Collector looked around mildly. "Truly..? That is impressive, little one. Your power must be extreme. I fear I was in a gemstone at that time... but I seem to have luckily escaped your power's indiscriminate wrath."
Seffy Kenshiro Anime Gryphon. That third word sparked recognition in him. Perhaps that was something he could use, if this bird somehow held... unconscious cultural links... to such things?
This one was certainly eccentric, and for a moment he wondered if this is why Kitty had chosen him: as a little practical joke, a twist of dark humor, perhaps. This amused him, pleased him; he always appreciated a chaotic little sidestep of rigidly-written rules, and if this was her game, he approved of it. It was impressive, if it truly was deliberate. Perhaps he was being overly generous in asking for clarification of who had sent Seffy, but he felt the mention of her name justified it.
Well. On to business, then.
"I see. What a fine tale, Seffy Kenshiro Anime Gryphon. It is always admirable, to determine to build one's own fate. So, tell me; you, with such immense... power, you have come here to see me, a humble Collector of items; what is it that you seek, and what do you offer in trade? -I am a trader, you see. Nothing is given away for free, but I am certainly willing to make a deal. So: what did you have in mind?"
@Seffyroth Gryphon
Seffyroth blinked. "Kitty-kun? Heh, yeah. She sent me! She mentioned something about receiving a great boon -- a powerful item, to help me harness your destiny. Said id end up in Canis, calling for a man who collects! But me? I didn't come for that alone... tch. As you know, destiny doesn't rule me. I came here to set things right. Finally get a hold on the way I want my destiny to go... ."
Tch...so this guy had escaped Seffy's birth? Was it luck...or power? Was this creature a villain in disguise? No... Kitty, the gembound he'd had literally one interaction with, would never. This guy... Collector-san...he was a teacher! "I knew I could trust you! You understand my backstory, huh!"
"What I seek..." Seffy thought deeply. His eyes closed. "I want a lotta stuff. I...I want to understand my past. I want to be able to harness my power. No, more than that! I want you to grant me the power! The power I've mentioned! The power to harness my own, unique destiny!"
Seffy hopped on the Collector's hand. His head tilted up, a blue eye twinkling. The twinkle died. "Er, I dont have anything in trade. Ah! You could harness my power!" The Collector would surely appreciate Seffy's power! He realized, belatedly, the Collector hadn't seen Seffy's awesome power. As a demonstration, Seffy tilted his beak to the sky. A glow entered his glasses. But luckily for both of them, nothing happened. "Huh? My power... it isn't responding. It must be the emotional weight of this cave."
spk thk
The Collector stared, silent for a long moment as he listened--and then as nothing happened.
His mind was running over possibilities--what use could this little bird be, to him? Its insistence that it would not be the villain of course amused him, and he was more than a little tempted to pull a nice little reversal on that. And he had plenty of options for that, naturally.
But first, a little amusement.
"Your power..?" he asked, his voice a polite and curious croon. "Oh, please do try again. I would so very much love to see it."
@Seffyroth Gryphon
Seffy watched the Collector intently, waiting for his verdict. And it was the best thing he, and his ego, could've hoped for. The Collector actually wanted to see Seffy's power! In action!
"Y-You would!?" Seffy practically beamed at that. "I thought you'd never ask! Well, alright! I'm warning you though, its like nothing you've seen before." Seffy prepared himself. He ruffled his feathers. He let the energy of the universe flow into him. And now, it was time to let it out.
Seffy screamed, charging up his power. His glasses glowed, his stance widened, preparing to channel the energy of the universe into a single bolt of power. Enough to bring down the heavens, and force god to fight him. And then, nothing. The glow faded, the burning energy surrounding him dissipated into nothingness. Seffy's eyes closed. Disappointed. "Keh... so difficult. Something about this cave is dampening my abilities. Give me another chance! I can do it!"
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Seffy didn't wait for a reply. He wasn't done yet! Sure his power refused to work now, but he needed to show the collector just how powerful he truly was. "No, I can do this! I've done it before--no matter how many times I fail, I WILL get back up. No one failure, no one broken bone is gonna stop me!" Seffy grit his beak. Exhaled. Then, he took in the energy of the universe again. It was time.
The glow of his glasses begun again, but it died out even quicker. "Kusooo!" He swore. He grasped at his glasses. "Keep watching, Collector-san!" Seffy cried. His eyes burned with determination. He could do this! He knew it!"
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"Why...why isnt it working!? Grah!" Seffy's frustration expanded, until it had a physical impact. His feathers fluffed even further, and he lifted off of the Collectors hand. "No! No giving in! This time, its for real! Again! And again! Until it works! I won't fail! I wont lose again!"
And Seffy wouldn't. This time, as the glow began, power began to flow through the bird. He felt the beam, this time it was for real. "I...I'm doing it! Collector, look at me!" He cried. Seffy laughed. Finally! His power obeyed him! Seffy turned to grin at the Collector through the bright pink power flooding him. At exactly the wrong time to do so. The beam left his mouth, shooting straight for the Collector. Before Seffy could process the dread. Before he could even formulate the words 'oops' in his head.
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((The audience, including diceboy, demands collector blood))
On a regular day, the Collector was composed.
Reserved.
Elegant.
His motions were fluid, practiced. His voice was smooth and confident.
He did not generally scramble back, half-falling over, one hoof kicking out from under him in a desperate bid to avoid a mutant fool of a child's errant beam of incredibly powerful energy. He'd felt it gathering only just in time, and the pinwheeling of his arms--likely to dislodge Seffyroth in his flailing--was most distinctly undignified.
There was the stench of burnt cloth, and burnt hair, and singed flesh, and the Collector came back to his feet disgruntled and rumpled and generally just thrown off. There was no gentle praise, no misdirecting purr. There was only a sort of squawk, and then a "WATCH where you are AIMING that! -Please!" as he remembered himself.
Crimson eyes picked out the bird, and the eyes were wide.
How much damage had the radiation done-? At the very least, a hole was singed through his tattered cloak; in the coming days, this would need to be patched. He could feel a burn on his chest. But would he grow sick? Would he need to rest?
Damn fool child.
"A very powerful magic, indeed," the Collector said through gritted teeth, slowly regaining his composure. "But... perhaps a little more caution in your work, hmm?"
@Seffyroth Gryphon