Oh, lord, here we go...

[nomen_est_numen]

"I've... something of a question." The bird in question appears to be holding an intricately folded piece of paper. It doesn't resemble anything in particular, but it's still quite pretty.

"Y'see, I've remembered a few things about the sort of poetry that was very popular where I come from... as well as rather a lot of customs surrounding it, and I... wish to give this to Ran but I never did get the number of her telephone or even her apartment so I've no idea how to get it to her, and--" Here he breaks off. "That is... not what I planned to say...."

If at all possible, he actually looks a bit frightened.

"There, now, I've gone and made a mess of it...."

((1% on 5th-century Chinese poetry and its cultural implications))

Comments

[faithful_kitsune]

...Oh my.

[nomen_est_numen]

"I... oh. I had... really meant this to be more subtle. Really, I've no idea why I'm blathering like this..."

[faithful_kitsune]

Ah, I do not know what to say. I honestly don't. I mean, I am flattered, but I can not honestly say I fully reciprocate in such a fashion, at least not ye -- eep!

O-oh my goodness! I am sorry, I did not mean to -- although I suppose I should, but... oh, blast it all!

[nomen_est_numen]

A couple beats pass as he stares blankly.

"Too soon?" he murmurs sadly. "It is, isn't it? I've gone too fast." Sighhhh. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to frighten you."

[faithful_kitsune]

N-no, no, nothing like that. I am surprised. Honestly. Flattered, I suppose. But I still would like to get to know you a lot better before we even consider this sort of thing. I am almost guaranteed to be much, much older than you, after all.

Ah, I am afraid to speak. I am worried now I will say something I will regret.

[nomen_est_numen]

"You don't seem very old to me...." A beat. "I shouldn't have said that, should I? There's something making us all blurt out what we're thinking..." Another sigh and he rubs his forehead with one wing. "And I stupidly fell right into it. I... I can't.... I have no words to say how sorry I am...."

[faithful_kitsune]

*She focuses on the age thing; it's easiest to tell truths she cares to tell there.*

I do not look obviously old, perhaps. And I admit I hardly remember any of my life aside from the first hundred years at this point. But these tails... I remember this much, at least: one tail for each hundred years of wisdom, each step closer to divinity, for a total of nine. I do not feel very divine, I admit, but the tails indicate I must be quite old compared to humans. And other animals, of course.

Oh, what a bother, you look so down now. I genuinely wish there was a way I could cheer you up.

[nomen_est_numen]

"But that's one of the things I like about you, you aren't a screeching adolescent--I mean... there are a lot of things... it's just one of many that I've been realising for the last month or so... why can't I stop talking....?" He literally holds his beak shut with both wings for a moment, making "mmmfmmmrf" sounds for a couple beats. Then he hesitantly lets it go.

"I'll be all right. Honestly, I will. I'm not right now, I'll admit, but I will be. And then maybe I'll have the sense not to leap right into something like this...."

[faithful_kitsune]

Perhaps.

...But you know, I'm happy in a way you're responding as well as you are. It's admirably mature.

[nomen_est_numen]

He's actually surprised by that. "Ah, er... th-thank you," he answers. Then, because he can't shut up to-day, he continues blithering. "I get the feeling this sort of thing has happened before, possibly dealing... oh. Oh, that explains it." He looks at the intricate thing in his wing. "I was never very good at poetry, I remember that, now, and being bad with poetry really make one a subject of ridicule at best, pity at worst--I just could never get the hang of all the metaphors... and... this means absolutely nothing now and I should really just turn this thing off before I make myself look even worse...."

[faithful_kitsune]

*She blinks. Then chuckles a little bit.*

Oh deary me. There's no need to apologize. I doubt I would be much more eloquent with words myself. I'm actually a pretty terrible artist, I have realized of late.

[stinglikeabat]

Ran? The lady with all the huge fox tails? I've visited her a few times! You might not be able to tell it from looking at her, but she makes a pretty good cup of tea!

[nomen_est_numen]

"You had? When?" Far from being jealous, he looks utterly lost, instead. Possibly it's the leftover shock from having just blurted his intent....

[stinglikeabat]

Oh, a while back. I was looking for the fox I'd seen sneaking around the apartments... It took me longer than I'd like to admit to realize they were the same person! Or... same... fox, I suppose. Same demon? I'm not entirely sure what she is. What would you call her?

[nomen_est_numen]

"'Beautiful'--" Goddamnit, brain. "I mean--'fascinating'--splj... 'KITSUNE.'" He catches his breath. "She's a... a kitsune."

CHANGE OF SUBJECT, NOW.

Kinda.

"I--I do remember that, now. The, er, fox, that is."

[stinglikeabat]

Really? Say, have you seen her fight like that? She's pretty good either way, but I think her fox form's much cooler. Maybe it's the teeth. There's something respectable about just diving right in and biting someone, you know?

[nomen_est_numen]

"Er, y-yes." He looks a bit distracted at that, but possibly also a little nauseated. "Quite... respectable either way...."

[stinglikeabat]

The little flying doll thing she does seems more your style, what with all those throwing knives. I wonder if she can do that as a fox, too.

[nomen_est_numen]

"Possibly. I haven't seen it. Though, with my luck, I'll get a firsthand look at it."

[stinglikeabat]

You should ask her! I'm sure she'd like an excuse to show off!

[trustycrowbar]

Soooo, these customs. Are they what I THINK they are?

[Spoken with a sidelong smile.]

[nomen_est_numen]

Blinkblink. "Why? What do you think they are?"

"I mean... I wouldn't--Oh, hells, am I that transparent?"

[trustycrowbar]

That earns a laugh.

"You sure are, chicken legs! Not that I blame you. She's a helluva woman."

Wait... what the hell did he just--

"F-for a fox, that is. Yeah."

[nomen_est_numen]

He manages to ignore the 'chicken legs' comment for now, because something else had completely superseded it in his mind.

"Y-you don't think she'd be... repulsed, do you? I mean... by the fact that I'm a bird? Birds and foxes... I mean...."

Flounder flounder.

[trustycrowbar]

"Hell, how should I know? Humans don't have this kind of, uh... diversity going for them. But I guess you don't know until you try."

[nomen_est_numen]

"I... suppose you're right. There really isn't anything else for it, is there?"

1/2

[trustycrowbar]

"Hey. You're a prince, remember? You got this. I'm rooting for you... mostly because if you succeed then I won't have to evaluate any of my feelings for her--"

2/2

[trustycrowbar]

Oh god DAMN this honesty field!

"--Wh, I mean, ngh... just... good luck."

[nomen_est_numen]

Shen just blinks at him.

"I'm beginning to get the impression she's quite popular."

[trustycrowbar]

"More than I think I want to mention."

[rainbowbrush]

You wrote poetry?!

[And she dissolves into giggles.]

[nomen_est_numen]

"I fail to see what's so amusing about it."

[rainbowbrush]

You're a bird!

[Clearly, that explains it all.]

[nomen_est_numen]

"Yeeeessss, and you're a little girl. So far we've got the obvious covered, would you kindly connect the logic, then? Is there something inherently amusing about birds and poetry?"

[rainbowbrush]

Birds can't write. You don't have any thumbs!

[nomen_est_numen]

Blinkblink.

"How d'you think I do anything in this town? I have got thumbs, of a sort." He picks up a random object with one wing, said object turning out to be a teacup. Sure enough, the primary feathers are holding it the same way a hand would. "Granted, it's not typical of birds, but I've been doing this all my life. Picking things up, I mean."

[rainbowbrush]

[And Relm is fascinated.]

Whoa! That's neat!

[nomen_est_numen]

"Er, thank you." He has never encountered a reaction like that and, because to-day is Painfully Awkward Day, he says just that: "I've never encountered a reaction like that to it... and I really should not have said that."

It's gonna be a loooonnnnnngg day.

[rainbowbrush]

Really? So birds that can talk and have sort-of thumbs is normal where you're from?