He smirked in self-hatred when she offered to blind him temporarily. It was a kind gesture. He rather liked listening to her speak, a soft whisper that began no argument or opportunity for painful words. Her voice just....asked questions. He shook it off though. It was dangerous to start to like anything about her, and he knew it.

But just as he thought this, his head snapped up to the sound of her, and he froze, hardly believing his ears. She...wanted to - to get to know him?

He hardly knew where to begin. He barely thought about his own qualities.

"I...I am a coward, to start," He said, settling himself down on the ground. "I've been running from others for so tong that I don't know how to stop. I've only been blind for a little while, since someone showed me that it helped." He smirked. "A woman who tried to kill me, of all gems.

I'm good with words, and have been able to speak fluently from awakening. I haven't...used them much, because I....hide. I would want to be good with my magic, and be powerful with it, but -" He frowned. Was this really all he had to say? That running and hiding kept him from doing what he was good at?

Slowly, he said, ".....Honestly, most of my life has been running and hiding. I don't - I don't know if I can answer your question." He coughed again. "I don't really know who I am."

They were both silent, and he wanted to look at her now, to gauge her reaction, to see what she looked like. Was she sneering at him behind his blindfold? Was she silently laughing at him? Was she looking at him out of pity? He felt like the latter was worse than the first. What kind of gem even was this ghost?

"And who are you, Dovefeather?" He asked after the silence grew to uncomfortable lengths, an adscript to his empty speech. "If I may ask, what do you look like? It makes for terrible company if it's all one sided."

@Dovefeather

DOVEFEATHER

i'll be your guide so you can see the other side
then I will never let you get away never let you get away

Dovefeather's pale, pollen-dusted gaze watched him perk up as she asked him her simple questions, and observed him stuttering over all of his insecurities. He was honest, she noted, but his story was one that left her wanting more.

What was it like, to struggle to get by? To not have a family to rely on? To not have the guidance of the All Mother-- to be blind? She sat quietly, that buzzing hum in her chest like a soundtrack to the story.

The silence lasted longer than she perhaps should have let it lay, but he offered a question in return. One that the kitten usually would be so eager to spill out-- at least she had answered the question enough to give a structured, well-worn response without thinking too hard.

"Like I said... I'm a Seer of the All Mother, one of the Sisters that teach and learn her ways. My Sisters commune to her through the plants and fungi, and She leaves us signs and messages through the birds and the earth. Unlike my Sisters, my gift is one of Sight. I can See the truth in things, sometimes. I was born by the All Mother's Eyes, and its my goal to be able to See as She does some day."

It was long and complicated, but she tried to keep it to the condensed version. He had also asked what she looked like, and for a moment she paused, glancing over her own fur, trying to think of what she would say to such a question.

"As for what I look like, well, I'm a cat. About half your size, with grey and white curly fur and two dots on my forepaws... And I have yellow eyes, two ears, four paws, long, thin tail-- you know. That sort of thing."

She explained, feeling a bit silly knowing he could just lift up his weird strap and look her... And really, what harm would it do? From what it sounded like, he wouldn't hurt her-- he'd just... Be dumb. She could tell him to put the blinding material back on if it was really a problem.

The cat sighed softly, raising a paw to her muzzle and tried to rub an imaginary itch out of her nose.

Maybe once he got used to her, and relaxed a bit? She had never had so much trouble with someone before. He had a hard life though, so she figured she should at least give him a chance. Besides... He was smaller than Giggle, almost like a cat himself. Perhaps she could convince him to become a Brother and fix whatever was wrong with him..? Well, a kitty could dream.

words:....... nyah
tagged:....... @Basil
ooc:........... listen
muse:........ 10/10 tbh

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

He settled his head down on his paws, feeling....comfortable, as he listened to her. She had a lot of sisters and an important job. Was her magic something that involved seeing what couldn't be seen? He smiled a bit at that. He'd like to have that kind of magic.

"Don't take that for granted," He murmured, slight commentary.

And as she continued, he formed the image of her in his mind, this small grey and white cat with bright yellow eyes. He liked to think they were clever eyes, eyes that saw many things in even the simplest of things.

He thought and thought, and the more he did so, the clearer the image in his mind became. He heard her lick...something, and the image he'd made was now licking her paw thoughtfully.

"You sound pretty," He said with a grin, before he really thought about it.

Then he coughed, trying to cover up what ridiculous nonsense he spouted. "I mean, for a verbal description, anyway."

@Dovefeather

DOVEFEATHER

i'll be your guide so you can see the other side
then I will never let you get away never let you get away

Dovefeather's whiskers twitched as the dog paid her the silliest compliment she had ever heard. Still, it gave her an idea. She put down her paw and rose to her feet, tail lifting up into the air and she glanced around.

"Hey, I have an idea, Basil."

It was a long shot, but if his weird brainmushing demon could be conquered with just a simple cloth around his eyes, surely a bit of magic could trick him too! She just had to think of the proper way to do it, and the way to convince him.

"I can show you what I look like, with my magic, while I wait over behind one of these trees. That way you can see me for real without really seeing me!"

It was probably a dumb idea, but she wanted to try it, if he'd let her. It was, after all, all up to him and his nervousness.

"I mean... I've never really tried to use it before, it just sort of comes to me... But I've managed to make it look like what I picture in my mind's eye... So. It could work."

"What do you say, Basil? Do you trust me?"

words:....... nyah
tagged:....... @Basil
ooc:........... listen
muse:........ 10/10 tbh

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

He raised his head from the comfy spot on his paws, grimacing, his stomach twisting itself in knots. Take the blindfold off? Was she trying to trick him?

He bared his teeth, though not at her. No, he had had enough of playing the coward. He was nothing because of his curse, and for once, for just once, he wouldn't let it rule him. And besides, Dove had been nothing but patient and considerate even through his raging.

"That...sounds like a good idea, Dove," He said, biting out the words, sitting up fully. His innards were like snakes inside him, coiling and slithering, but he ignored the feeling. "I'll be waiting."

Did he trust her? Not yet. He still felt on edge, waiting for this encounter to go sour like every other time he'd met another gem. But this time he would wait for the end to come with courage.

@Dovefeather

DOVEFEATHER

i'll be your guide so you can see the other side
then I will never let you get away never let you get away

The feline watched, gauged, the canine's reaction to the idea. Frustrated. Hesitant. Her tail twitched in the air, a tree tossed by the wind. Her golden eyes closed as he spoke, her claws flexing into the ground as she tried to feel his emotions, tried to See without using her eyes, if this was a good idea or not.

In the end, she nodded apparently to herself, turning her white paws towards the nearest tree. Pausing to cast one last curious glance at the canine, she proceeded over to that tree, and then crouched down in her hiding place.

"Alright, just give me a moment."

The kitten closed her eyes once again, putting her forelegs together just under her chin, forming a tiny splotch of a dark circle on her limbs. She touched the underside of her maw to the spot, ears twitching, and did her best to summon the magic in her heart. She had only done it a few times before, but she felt... Confident.

Pulling back her lips into a near snarl, she felt the warmth of light hit her face. Though the feline couldn't see for herself, if she had anyone besides a blinded dog for company, they might have seen the glimmer of a rainbow dance across her teeth as her gift took hold.

A lithe kitten made of golden sunshine manifested from the shafts of light flickering down through the leaves prowled forward from Dovefeather's fur, stepping out from behind the tree.

Although the show of light couldn't show shades of color very well, it emphasized her eyes and the two spots on her forepaws strongly, almost a clean copy of the cat in question.

Short, with tiny ears, and a long, swishing tail behind her. The only flaw was that the light hardly managed to show off her curly fur except with how the light swirled in the form, and it lacked her whiskers-- an oversight, perhaps.

"You can look now, Basil."

She breathed, claws digging into the dark soil as she focused on her magic, feeling the energy drain from her body. To hold the vision of herself took immense concentration, and even as she spoke the other's name, the image flickered... But it held, and he could see her-but-not-her once and for all.

words:....... nyah
tagged:....... @Basil
ooc:........... listen
muse:........ 10/10 tbh

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

He waited patiently, keeping completely still, keeping all of his attention for his hearing. He heard her hurry away, and involuntarily frowned, the soft pitter-patter delicate on the fallen leaves and grass of the jungle. He heard her pause, and he imagined her hesitating just once, looking back at him with wide yellow eyes. Basil continued to wait as she spoke, her voice quiet, and he knew she was behind something from the sound. At that, his whole body relaxed as he let out a long sigh. From his standpoint, that was a gift in itself.

When she said that he could look, he raised his paw to his face tentatively, hesitantly. But with a slight peek he could see light pouring from under the cloth, and he took it off completely, curiosity getting the better of him.

The image he had of her in his mind was off, to be sure, compared to this wonderful, heartstopping visage he had in front of him. He imagined something small and petite, a basic replica of him with differently colored fur and a long tail. He'd never seen a cat before, bit this image appealed to him and took his breath away without the normal ensuing loss of sanity.

She was smaller than him, with impossibly wide glowing eyes, which made him smile - all of her was yellow, so it wasn't as if he could tell the color, but he liked to think this is what her eyes actually looked like. Wise, watchful, full of life, positively glowing with it. He got up and paced slowly around her makeshift magic, seeing the Light-Dove turn to watch him, smiling patiently. He liked the curve of her spine compared to his, how in ended in a long and slender tail that curled around her little feet. He liked her small nose, her soft round ears, even those little spots on her paws. He liked how her head turned as he reached the back of her, peeking over her shoulder with those eyes, sending a thrill down to his stomach.

He was tugging the blindfold back on, his voice gruff, "Alright. That- that was- educational."

Anything to cover his face suddenly radiating with heat.


"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

@Dovefeather

Dovefeather felt her entire body drain of energy as the boy looked over her picture perfect light-form, trembling as she focused-- barely hearing his pawsteps as he wandered around the shimmering image. It was a great relief when the canine barked towards her, telling her that it had been educational of all things. With a huge sigh followed by a gentle panting, she tiptoed to the edge of the tree and peeked her pale gaze out to see if he was back to being blindfolded.

Thankfully, the dog was. With a flick of her tail she stepped back out into the open and sat down, exhaustion shaking her down to the bones. She had never tried so hard to do something for someone else.

"Educational, huh?"

She mewled, a purr prickling through her voice and rising to a booming, vibrant hum.

"What did you learn, then?"

She wondered aloud, lifting a paw to groom down her fluffed up, mismanaged fur. The feline observed the canine, trying to judge his reaction now that the initial viewing was over. What did he really think of her? The cat was dying to know, in such a way that she almost felt embarrassed by her own eagerness.

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

@Basil

She sounded tired but pleased, a pleasant mixture to her voice as she spoke, and he couldn't help but smile. She must be exhausted after that working of magic. He knew what it was like to be so uniquely tired because of it, though he was hardly any good at it himself. And that spell....

"I learned...." He began with a wry grin, remembering the way the Light-Dove looked at him. "That you're an amazing spellcaster. That you can create incredible detail even when it costs you. You're determined when you want to prove something, Dove. And I commend you for it. Thank you." He went quiet at the last part.

He sat down, collecting his thoughts. "I learned that there is some manner of truth to the manic words I spout when I'm insane. There is beauty to be found in others, even if I do go mad with exaggeration. You are....lovely."

But then he quickly went on, coughing a little as if he had something stuck in his throat. "I learned that when I don't see a female directly, I don't lose my mind, which is an absolutely huge step in conquering my curse. It gives me no end of relief, believe me. I suppose the next thing to try would be if reflections would have the same result. Do you know of anything around here that reflects an image, any still water, perhaps?"

There was something else that he didn't want to say. After that little test he felt safe. Safe around her. He wasn't paranoid, he was relaxed. The feeling, the realization of the feeling, even, made him almost want to cry, and he didn't want to say that to her at all.


"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

@Dovefeather

Dovefeather leaned forward as the canine began slowly, flashing his teeth at her in a coy fashion. Her tail twitched and she gave into a compulsion to kneed at the earth in her nervousness. It was a miracle that he was cursed-- it meant she could let all of her anxiety show without worrying about how silly she looked.

The aardwolf's words set her heart fluttering in the worst way. She blinked her pale eyes at him, a tingle going down her spine as he praised her and thanked her. She simply mewled quietly in response and then the air went still.

"You're welcome."

The canine sat down and eventually continued, his words coming as a surprise to the cat. He was starting to see how silly he was being, perhaps-- but then he threw out another compliment at her and she was stunned into silence, involentarily purring even when her heart skipped beats.

Basil quickly deflected, rambling on a bit more, and then asked her something that she could answer at the drop of a hat, even without thinking. She bounced on to her tippy toes and mewled excitedly, quick to get the topic changed.

"Oh, of course! The All Mother's Eyes have the best reflection, through them She Sees nothing and yet everything. Come with me, Basil."

A nervousness made her voice pitch up; her fur tingling with thousands of pin pricks. She started off towards the pools she prayed by with her loud purring to direct the canine towards his goal.

Dovefeather, who was so used to speaking often and frequently, felt more than tonguetied. She wanted to say something, to reflect on his large montage of words, but what could she say? It was quite a long way to the Eyes, as well, and surely she should have something to fill the dead air between them. She had to come up with something...

And in the end, she blurted out the worst possible sentence she ever thought of.

"You know, Basil, I think you're luh-- pretty, great... too. Cursed or not."

"Basil Speech" "Dovefeather Speech"

@Basil