Private Tales Paper Tigers

[Rahma]

Ragash, the Brazen City. Another month, another round of bread and circuses on behalf of the good old boss-lady, Mistress Medja. Seemed like lately the Empress-Regent, Rahma's boss, was coming up with any excuse she could to throw some kind of party in some section of the Empire. Last month it was "Midharvest," celebrating the halfway point through one of two harvest seasons Ragash enjoyed thanks to its illustrious canals. Who the fuck ever celebrated the middle of a harvest? Wasn't that shit supposed to be for the open and close of the season?

Whatever. Questions like that were above Rahma's paygrade. According to those among the Hidden Hands who were paid to think, the frequent celebrations were doing their job; civil unrest was at a record low among the Imperial city-states, pretty much exactly as Medja had planned. Of course, with any big, overplanned festival came a surge of travelers from throughout Liadain, looking to partake in something they thought might wind up being historical. With that uptick in people came a need for tighter security. Emerald Hands like Rahma were being run ragged...very rarely did they have the luxury of actually enjoying the festivities.

Worse than that, lots of new faces meant that familiar buzzing sensation that loved to dance across Rahma's skin when someone like him was around was near constantly active. Ever since he'd met that snowy-haired woman with the fox ears, Rahma at least knew what the awful feeling was, but that knowledge didn't bring him any closer to enjoying it. Usually he just tried to avoid walking in any direction that made the tingling grow stronger. Unfortunately, that wasn't always an option.

Today was one such day where that was the case. The latest celebration being hosted was "Tribulations' Triumph," an anniversary of the Empress-Regent's similarly named "Tower of Tribulations." Mock battles and friendly sparring tournaments were being held all over the city, on-theme merchandise sold in the bazaar, food and drink being served aplenty.

Rahma stood at the edge of some prize-fighting ring that was still in the process of being set up in the early morning light. He was already sipping hard liquor from a gourd canteen, trying to ease the edge off of that terrible crawling sensation along the ridge of his spine. As he observed those below preparing the arena, however, the effect only worsened. Whomever was provoking his senses was nearby...Rahma could only pray to the Hundreds that it might fade soon.

 

[Nix]

Before stepping out into the morning light, Nix hops in place and shakes out her arms. "Ugh.. The hell is that...?" She mutters to herself while adjusting the wraps on her arms. She squeezes her fist to check the tightness and then relaxes her fingers. She shakes again and the hairs on the back of her neck stand up as she approaches the ring. The ears ontop of her head twitch around, listing to the hired help call out to one another as the ring is finally done being set up. She steps out and touches the edge of the ring, this time, she uses her eyes to dart and look round, trying to find the source to her unpleasantness... Nix groans and rubs her arms. "This ain't good for a fight. What the fuck is that?" Her tail wips around behind her, accidentlally slapping into a person walking by. It's soft enough that they ignore it thankfully. I can't back out now... I've been training non stop for the past three weeks. Whatever it is, it will have to wait till after my fights.

 

[Rahma]

Flick, flick.

Rahma's ears twitched as he scanned the stands, then the ringside. No sign of anything suspicious, no one picking pockets, no belligerence...ah, wait. There. A blessing and a curse wrought by the damned animal parts of him, sometimes better-than-average senses were good for something. In this case it was spotting what had to have been the source of the static crawling across his back.

Hair in black and white stripes, muscles galore, a tail trailing behind her, and ears poking from the top of her head. She'd be the spitting image of what Rahma had imagined he'd be bumping into today if not for the clear fact that she was feline instead of canine. And of course...it had to be a woman.

Trouble, that's what this was. Yet, if history was anything to go by, then the only way to make this shit stop was to...ugh...get acquainted.

So it was that Rahma found himself descending the gradual steps of the stands towards the strange cat-woman, feeling the tingling get worse and worse with each step. Pins and needles pricked his skin, his hair bristled, and the shift started to take hold. Fur climbed the edges of his extremities and up his forelimbs, and he could feel his fangs elongating in his mouth.

"I swear to the gods, if she fucking attacks me..." he muttered beneath his breath.

 

[Nix]

The feeling intensifies ten fold. She makes a low growl sound and her tail sticks straight out. She moves her head around to see what it was that was getting closer.. And closer... And CLOSER. She whirls around with her arms up, ready to defend herself.

"Alright! Lets go! Le--" Her pupils widen into big black saucers that leave a sliver of ice blue. Her eyes move up, staring at a pair of tall ears on the top of a mans head. She steps back and hisses at him involuntarily.

"That gross feeling is you?!" Nix points a finger at him with the other hand up by her mouth as if she smelled something nasty. Meanwhile her tail is flicking around her like crazy. So much so it's moving her hips slightly with each twitch.

 

[Rahma]

Despite his every intention not to, Rahma's nose curled into a nasty snarl. His legs had taken on their digitigrade shape that they often did when the shift took hold. Overall he looked remarkably more feral than he ordinarily would.

"Me. You. Us. Whatever you wanna call it," Rahma called back flatly. He moved forward again, another several agonizing steps down towards the strange woman. The buzzing hit its fever pitch. "Feels like shit, doesn't it? I fucking hate meeting people like you and me. You could always get lost if it bugs you too much. I wouldn't lose any sleep over it."

 

[Nix]

A low growl rumbles from Nix's chest as he gets closer. She doesnt back up this time. "Whatever it is, I'm not leaving. I was here first! Goddamn mongrel." Who does this asshole think he is?! I have a fight to win. This is my ring.

She bares her teeth at him with another hiss while her eyes drift up as he gets closer. She stares at him from under her lashes and furrowed brow. Nix brings her hands up in fists with her knuckles faceing away from her.

 

[Rahma]

Couldn't say he blamed the aggression. Rahma had acted the exact same way the first time he'd met another...weird animal person, whatever they were. Only reason he wasn't attacking her right now was that he'd already done this song and dance a few times before.

"Then give it a few fuckin' minutes and it'll pass, whiskers!" he shouted, fangs bared and hands buried deep in the pockets of his slops. There were a thousand different threats he could throw in her face, even authority he could flash, but with the both of them as riled up as they were the rational part of Rahma's brain told him it was a bad idea.

By the gods, this must have been personal growth. Even a year ago Rahma never would have put up with this...

 

[Nix]

"W... W-Whiskers?!" She yells, leaning back and blinking up at him. No one calls Nix names, only if they want to get their ass handed to them. But she's never been called a name like that before. It's usually really derogatory about her sex or how small she is.

Nix looks away as a rose color forms on her cheeks. "The hell kinda nickname is that?" She mutters and kicks the dirt under her feet. Her ears flatten on her head, pointing out to the sides. "So uh... You're like me huh?" she asks, a bit more calm, and rubbing her arm. Everything still itches like crazy! Is he sure this feeling will end? I can't fight like this. Also he is too close. Tooooo close.

 

[Rahma]

Rahma grit his teeth and squinted down at the diminutive cat woman.
"Oh, don't get all fuckin' huffy with me after you just called me 'mongrel,' for Annuk's sake..."

He planted his butt in the stands, resting his elbows atop his knees. Another good ten minutes of this crap and he could get back to his day, with any amount of luck. His hair and fur began to lay down a bit flatter, but the fact that he wasn't shifting back to normal yet was a good indication that the effect hadn't passed just yet.

"Must be. We wouldn't be having this feeling if we weren't," he said, looking around to the various arena staff as they went about their business. Festival time really was something else, how people could just go about their business and ignore a loud altercation like this.

"Soon as it passes I'll be on my way. Just can't stand getting these fuckin' tingles all day long, so I've taken to actually talking to our kind when I feel them nearby instead of avoiding them," he explained, then shook one of his arms to show the toll it was taking on him. "Still hate it every damn time. Feels awful."

 

[Nix]

She eyes his legs and then his arm with an eyebrow raised. Nix shifts her weight and put a hand on hip. "That's.. Big of you. I guess. Obviously takes patients... And practice." she remarks almost sarcastically.

She takes an agile step and hops up on the stands. She spins around on the ball of her foot and sits down next to him. This makes her teeth grit for a moment. Nix leans back on the seat behind her with her arms bent, letting her hands hang off the edge. She isn't very lady like at all it seems.

"My name is Nix. I'm assuming your name isn't mongrel." She jokes, trying to lighten the mood depsite the feeling they are both being delt.

 

[Rahma]

Was it big of him? Rahma had always thought it more selfish than anything.
"Patience has never been my strong suit. If it was I would've just ignored the buzzing and left you alone."

Rahma shook his head, whipping his fair about and clearing any stray strands from his eyeline.
"No, it's not my name, but I've been hearing it ever since these fuckin' things sprouted up," he said, flicking his one of his jackal ears with a finger. "The name's Rahma. I'd say 'nice to meet you,' but uhh...I think we both know that isn't really accurate."

The demi-jackal glanced around the area.
"So you're a fighter, huh?"

 

[Nix]

Nix sits up in the same pose as him and looks up at his face with curiosity. "Rahma." She repeats his name and nods. "That's a good name. Suits you."

She purses her lips for a moment and then says, "Weeell.... This feeling sucks, you're right. But I'd say it was at least interesting to meet you. For me, I mean. Sorry you had to deal with it... And uhm.. I'm sorry. For calling you that. It sucks to be called names." She says, avoiding looking at him now while she fiddles with the wrap on her hands.

Her ears perk up as he brings up the most important reason she is here for the day. "Hell yeah I am. I'm the best in town! Don't let me spoil your fun. You said this crap goes away after a little while. And uh, you're already here." She gestures to the arena.