02-04-2020, 08:33 AM
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Without a home to hide in, the little poltergeist roamed the streets. Just as he did in life. A familiar misery of rainy nights spent under shrubbery settled upon him, dragging his paws along aimlessly and kicking pebbles across cracked sidewalks. His pads ached from so much roaming within the concrete town, no matter how overgrown it was. Nothing to do but mourn and weep and wander. Occasionally, his head would lift, gaze focusing on an empty residence with a hopeful spark ruffling his fur. Until the flaws of the building presented themselves: obnoxious neighbors, no privacy, and little room to freely roam. A pang tugged at his chest, worming through him like a worm to apple core. What God had he crossed to bring about such bad luck?
Sulking did no good for anyone, even if it was all Beck had the will to do these days. Gnawing on the inside of his intact cheek, too lost in thought to realize bitter blood welling around the area, he turned on his heel to slink back to the shadows. Only to rear his head up from its defeated hang, murky eyes scanning the trio a distance away. It was their gentle chatter that lured him, a sailor adrift to friendly sirens, knowing full well he could be stripped to the bone with judgemental teeth and a flutter of vocalized fins. Creeping along with hesitant, silenced steps, the boy set his focus on the floral arrangement, scarred brow knitting. The last he remembered of Roy, he was nothing more than a fiery beast, designed to engulf all around him in flame. His tongue idly poked the roof of his mouth, remembering long since healed burns from Audrey's influence when the plant decided to lock jaws around a living campfire before he returned to toying with torn and tender flesh. Ironic that the walking inferno now controlled himself enough to handle delicate stems without them burning up like little green matchsticks. At least one of them had made positive progress.
When he shifted his stare to Roy extending flowers out to passerby, he saw a meadow blooming with myosotis and dandelions -- he blinked and the skeletal-patterned tiger replaced it. A hollow sigh escaped him, filtered by a smoke-strangled wheeze. Rolling back onto his haunches, Beck remained a respectable pace or two away, guilt biting at the nape of his neck when he glimpsed W- no, Aurum's bandaged face. Surely, understandable anger filled the lion at the half-sight of the poltergeist. Oh well. What difference did yet another person in line for revenge against him matter?
"Where'd you get them?" His voice raw from disuse, he glanced to his gauze-bound paws, avoiding the assumed eyes on him for even considering to speak up. Shame flushed grey beneath freckled fur when he realized he wasn't specific enough -- would they call him out for it? "The- uh.. the flowers, I m-mean. I was just- was just wondering." A shy look to the much larger creatures around him, dull eyes still ringed with exhaustion and upset, before he broke it off, resigning to stare at the much more interesting dirt they stood upon.
Sulking did no good for anyone, even if it was all Beck had the will to do these days. Gnawing on the inside of his intact cheek, too lost in thought to realize bitter blood welling around the area, he turned on his heel to slink back to the shadows. Only to rear his head up from its defeated hang, murky eyes scanning the trio a distance away. It was their gentle chatter that lured him, a sailor adrift to friendly sirens, knowing full well he could be stripped to the bone with judgemental teeth and a flutter of vocalized fins. Creeping along with hesitant, silenced steps, the boy set his focus on the floral arrangement, scarred brow knitting. The last he remembered of Roy, he was nothing more than a fiery beast, designed to engulf all around him in flame. His tongue idly poked the roof of his mouth, remembering long since healed burns from Audrey's influence when the plant decided to lock jaws around a living campfire before he returned to toying with torn and tender flesh. Ironic that the walking inferno now controlled himself enough to handle delicate stems without them burning up like little green matchsticks. At least one of them had made positive progress.
When he shifted his stare to Roy extending flowers out to passerby, he saw a meadow blooming with myosotis and dandelions -- he blinked and the skeletal-patterned tiger replaced it. A hollow sigh escaped him, filtered by a smoke-strangled wheeze. Rolling back onto his haunches, Beck remained a respectable pace or two away, guilt biting at the nape of his neck when he glimpsed W- no, Aurum's bandaged face. Surely, understandable anger filled the lion at the half-sight of the poltergeist. Oh well. What difference did yet another person in line for revenge against him matter?
"Where'd you get them?" His voice raw from disuse, he glanced to his gauze-bound paws, avoiding the assumed eyes on him for even considering to speak up. Shame flushed grey beneath freckled fur when he realized he wasn't specific enough -- would they call him out for it? "The- uh.. the flowers, I m-mean. I was just- was just wondering." A shy look to the much larger creatures around him, dull eyes still ringed with exhaustion and upset, before he broke it off, resigning to stare at the much more interesting dirt they stood upon.