[Nicolay]

The disappearance of the monkey -- or whatever could be said of whatever happened a few days ago -- seemed to have pretty much pushed Nicolay's up to a proper stance and now, he was happier and healthier although he was yet to regain his previous weight before the monkeys appeared. He was only the more driven to look for a job even if it meant punishing his walking sneakers (he needed more shoes but alas, for some reason, all his money had disappeared somewhere) as he walked around the city that was becoming more and more to be his home -- a thing he had not expected to happen as it simply used to be his temporary solace or residence until his view changed since what happened about a month ago. His previous work as a courier had helped him immensely on mapping out the city but it was not a work he was willing to go back to. He was an educated man, after all! Albeit still yearning for his degree but he was confident that his capabilities were beyond that of a delivery man.

So his mind was more open and he persevered -- looking for jobs that would earn him higher than the regular wage (for there were many!), even so much as declining the offer of Thomas Windsor's friend who welcomed any and all Therians looking for work and operated a mill. True enough, it was the easiest way out but Nicolay wasn't sure he wanted to be dismissed so easily as one of the rank-and-files and being surrounded by perhaps 15% of Alexshire's entire Therian population did not appeal to him quite well, either -- he knew he was now one of them but he'd like it very much if they didn't shove the fact up his face just yet.

Still, it was in these endless referrals and search that Nicolay managed to catch the office of Gabel Glasses who had an opening for a helper of sorts. He thought he might try it out as his education was more fitting for an office environment, after all, so after his breakfast, he set off to the Undergrounds where the office was located -- and it was his first time there. He was baffled, awestruck and almost ran over by a cart of broken glasses the first few steps he took inside the magical cavern and under its fake sky and melodic crystals. For thinking that it was a dark and cramped place and of the changing seasons, he'd decided against bringing his jacket and had walked in unawares of a cool and damp atmosphere, dressed only in a cream polo top, sleeves folded up to his elbows (still enough to hide his scar), a long, thin, woven scarf, a pair of dark-dyed denim jeans and his sneakers. He felt cold at first but the cart that had passed him took his attention away from his discomfort and upon reading Gabel's name on the sides and back, had hurriedly approached the male anyelos who agreed to take him to the office, confirming that they were, in fact, in need of someone to replace their pregnant and outgoing fellow.

He did his own share of sightseeing of this discovered world as he was following the man with the cart and even paused from his journey upon sight of a small, stylish stall that sold brushes and pens and inks. His eyes were instantly upon the decorated brushes, taking up one with a bluish motif and went so far to ask how much it cost. It was expensive for his budget but he was willing to sacrifice a little for it until, of course, he remembered the circumstances that existed between him and the supposed recipient. He'd wronged her after having ignored her texts and calls for so long and now, nothing was going on between them.

Nicolay gave a small frown at the memory. She'd probably just throw it away when she sees it, anyway. He didn't know what brush she used and a letter to explain its reason would be too weak. He'd have to face her -- and that felt too sudden and improper to him. Thanking the young lady, he set the brush down and went on with his trip.

Gabel Glasses owned a small outlet store near a dead-end of the caverns, behind which contained the forge of glassblowers. He met with the boss -- a wrinkled, lanky human who could pass off as a vampire except he was warm to the touch -- and after a fifteen minute interview filled with his best smile, laughter and ego-boasting, they shook hands and Nicolay was sent off. He would be contacted by his COM regarding the results. He felt a little hopeful that he would land the job, Mr. Gabel seemed nice! For now, however, he was concerned with something else entirely. With the rest of his day ahead of him, he thought he might look around a little more (Shopping, oh my God!! thought he excitedly) before he came back for lunch and spent what was left of his time resting and gearing himself up for the lecture in the Windsors' place later evening with regards to his...transformation. They were beginning to do exercises.

He went into different streets, passed by jewelry stores, crystal shops, some that sold porcelain, accessories and crafts but everything was too expensive for him so he was left to promise himself that he would come back and actually buy something should his financial situation look better. There was a particular bracelet that he thought might look good with his other pair of shoes, however, and he had been thinking about it since he left the shop a few minutes ago. After counting the money he had brought along, he decided it would not be bad to reward his recovery by a new item and with a smile, turned back and began to walk.

Until, he realized, he didn't know where it was. Neither did he know where he was and how he got there.

And it was still cold.

Cussing at himself in his Earthen language, something that the crystals seemed to have absorbed and reciprocated, he stood in the middle of a street lined with rags, drapes and other decorative fabrics as he held his right side and thought. What would Nicolay do now?

[Kiel]

“Dude! Hey, hey, man, like, dude! What are you doing here, hahahaha, this is awesome, it's awesome.”

Kiel had been bored. Like, he wasn't working at either of his jobs today, and Zeph was too busy with his own work to keep Kiel occupied. All his friends were busy too, and when he texted home Chlo Chlo barely had time to say she was on a date before turning off her COM. They'd all abandoned him, and so he'd come out for a run but was kinda bored with that, too. And then he'd spotted the entrance to the Underground and figured he could kill some time just, like, admiring all the sparkling colours, you know?

“Dude! Like, where've you been, man, I was texting you, like, tons and, like, you didn't reply to most of them, but that's okay 'cause some were just, like, random things I thought everyone would want to know, but dude!”

Jogging up to Nicolay, and not even think it remotely strange that they'd bumped into each other like this, Kiel flapped his hands. “Are you okay? You're okay, right? Are you okay?”

[Nicolay]

Oh goodness. How many times had Kiel saved his life by now -- three? If Nicolay's brain was still working properly (which he thought and dearly hoped did), he was pretty sure this was going to be the third time this Dracovari came in the nick of time to save his behind. As the saying goes, however, three's a charm!

He, also, was not going to admit that he sucked in a little breath when the voice came up from his side because seriously, who could ever mistake that voice for anyone else? But more importantly, Kiel had been a religious textmate of his and they often went on for a whole day just texting each other that Nicolay often got fed up and ended up just calling the man because his thumb can only compete with the 'vari's by so much but after the whole thing with the monkey and his revelation, he had stubbornly ignored his texts altogether until they stopped and he felt bad. He liked reading Kiel's texts about his boyfriend and his quirks even if that made him feel just as bad. In fact, he'd only just recently responded to his messages and yet, not as faithfully or energetically as he was once wont to.

So for a while there, Nicolay was a little frightened by the prospect of meeting Kiel face-to-face after what seemed like ages, worried that he had offended the man as he had done to many of his friends until he reminded himself that that had been a much-delayed plan of his. He never liked the idea of apologizing by text or call, after all. Apologies were always better when done in person, he thought. This decision was only further solidified when he turned to see the brunet 'vari closing into him and the sight of his eyes only made him smile wide and true as he gasped, “Kiel!” A local had found him. He was saved. All is well.

Nicolay waved to him with his left hand and slipped his thumbs into his pockets as Kiel rampaged him with his questions. Much to his surprise, though, he was embarrassed to have this man asking him those curiosities like this and he pressed his lips together as he hummed a little. He nodded a second later. “Yes, I am. I'm all right.” He moved to smile.

Then to be a little more natural, he gestured at Kiel, “You're looking awesome yourself.” He surprised himself that he still remembered that word that Kiel often used. Pointing vaguely to the blue denim newsboy cap atop the man's head, he asked, “Is that a new hat?”

[Kiel]

“Like, dude, man, how'd you know? Hahahahaha, ChloChlo sent it me, she said when the dude showed it to her she couldn't resist.” The merchant who supplied most of the Taskel farms' fabrics always used to bring a couple of hats along to tempt Kiel, and it seemed like even though he'd moved away, the guy was still getting money out of him. Or, like, his baby sister, at least. “You like it, man?”

Being ever so generous, Kiel whipped the hat off and attempted to plonk it on Nic's head, but then had trouble letting go. “Like. Like, I'll buy you one if you want, okay?” and he tipped the hat back onto his own head instead, looking down at his feet to toe the cobblestone bashfully.

Like, you know, Kiel didn't normally have trouble throwing gifts at people and would have given the hat to Nic in a heartbeat if it weren't, like, you know. A hat. Or at least if he hadn't, like, already worn it. Once a hat touched his head, it was like... spiritually glued to the thing forever more or something. “C'mon, c'mon, let's go buy you a hat!” and he tugged at Nic's shirt sleeve like a toddler begging his mom for sweets.

[Nicolay]

Nicolay stretched his smile wide and gave Kiel a thumb up. “You have a face and a head that's good for hats so it really fits you easily.” He dropped his hand so that his left one could itch at the inside of his right sleeve and he opened his mouth to speak but as expected of his friend, he was raced to the end.

“Like. Like, I'll buy you one if you want, okay?”

“Oh no! It's all right, completely all right.” He said with some laughter and a wave of his hands. “I don't wear hats, they make my hair look flat after I take them off and--”

“C'mon, c'mon, let's go buy you a hat!”

What an unpredictable man! Kiel's efforts had forced Nicolay to stumble a little to his direction, his hand doing its best to unscrew the 'vari's grip on his sleeve while he insisted, “But I don't look good with a hat! And I wouldn't know what to match it with. I don't have much clothes for that!” He really didn't wear hats -- but he more so, also didn't want to have the man treating him suddenly to a spree he was about to do for himself after he had completely ignored his efforts of friendliness. Kiel acted like it was completely nothing, though -- and he had to wonder, was it really nothing? He couldn't see it the way Kiel might, those days had been terrible for him and he always remembered hunger and gloom and frustration and weakness whenever he thought back to the days.

In the end, he decided that it was just wrong that Kiel should be the one to treat him kindly after his history of unkindness to him. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

“Anyway, you might just end up buying the hat I like,” Nicolay said to him. “So why don't I buy you one instead? I, i, it seems more proper, after all, since I...didn't talk to you for a long time...” His voice softened a little as he spoke the last words although it was nowhere near sounding sad or forlorn. More embarrassed than anything, actually.

[Kiel]

“Hahaha, everyone has room for more hats, man, for sers!” But Kiel knew when to stop being insistent, and, like, knocking somebody over was usually a good sign, you know? So he chilled and started bouncing on his toes instead.

Nic's apology was totally unexpected, though, man. Like, Kiel was kinda used to people getting fed up of him and just, like, stopping with the replies, you know? It made him dejected for a while, like somebody'd blown up a sheep's stomach and then popped it with a big fat needle, but he couldn't stay upset for long, hahaha. It was his insecurity that got to him, you know? But even that tended to get buried under a pile of energy.

“Hahahaha, dude, like, for sers, man! I thought you, like, got up and died or something, you know? But, like, it's awesome that you're not. Dead, I mean. 'cause, like that'd totally suck, you know, and I'd have to find the guy that did you in and then there'd be this whole vengeance gig and I dunno if you know this but I'm super cool amazing with my katana but Zeph said I need to -” He lowered his voice and hulked out his shoulders to imitate - poorly - his boyfriend “- focus, dammit - except, like, how are you meant to focus when there's a lion trying to de-throat you, you know?

But, like, where were you, man? Did somebody bully you? Has somebody been bullying you? 'cause, like, if somebody's making you feel like you gotta stay inside, man, that sucks! I'll totally sic Slythe on them, hahahahaha! Except, like, you're paying for his food, okay?”

[Nicolay]

Nicolay was sure that everyone was bound to have room for hats except his crates were about ready to reach their limits simply with his clothes so he doubted adding a hat or two on top of his pile would be of any help. He did his best -- and it was easy -- to wear a smile as he reunited with his friend but it faltered in place of a slightly stunned face when the 'vari mentioned the possibility of his death, almost blurting out how Kiel had no idea how Nicolay himself thought he might -- and even wished -- actually cross over to the next world. That was during the time of the monkeys.

And then he was just a little more confused when the lions came in to eat the monkeys away and he even gaped a little at the prospect of Kiel losing his throat over to them. “You nearly got killed?” he spat in bewilderment but that had been drowned away when his friend promptly turned the tables back to him and he frowned a little when he suddenly had to feed this guy named Slythe. Suddenly, there were so much things he had to spend on using his non-existent money...

There was a lot of ideas bounding up and bouncing around in his head and he took some time to sort through them. Nicolay then decided that he had to satiate Kiel's curiosity first of all if he wanted to keep things simple. “Well, I'm still alive,” he said, stating the obvious and lifting his hands a little at his sides as if to present himself. “No one bullied me.” But the monkey and himself. “It's just that I...mm...” he pressed his lips together and flicked a tongue across them as he thought of how to put it... “...went through a...pretty...” Why was it suddenly so hard? Everything he thought of had a possibility of worrying Kiel and sending his imaginations a billion light years away so he was trying to tame it down. “a pretty...ehhh...w, well, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it later! More importantly, you almost got killed?” he asked again, plus gape and soft gasp. “How did this happen?” And why were lions involved?

Maybe they needed to find a place to sit down in...

[Kiel]

“A pretty?” The less Nic was able to explain what the pretty was, the more Kiel's imagination ran riot. By the time the dude had asked again how he almost got killed, Kiel was bursting to ask “A pretty chick?! You met a pretty chick? Dude, like, dude, that's awesome, man, tell me all about it over lunch, okay, I'm starving!” And with that, Kiel grabbed at the younger man's sleeve and started tugging him towards the Underground exit to find the nearest source of food.

Like, you know, the boutiques down here were crazy expensive, man.

“I didn't get nearly killed, man,” he denied, waving away the incident with the lions as unimportant compared to Nic's meeting a chick, but then changed his mind and admitted, “Zeph was all, like, swoosh and I was all wahoo! and the lions were all rawr and I came this close to being lion food, man!” This close was said an octave higher than a boy should probably be able to accomplish, and accompanied by a gesture with him pinching his forefinger and thumb together with bare millimetres separating them just to prove how close he'd come. “Tell me about your girlfriend, your girlfriend!”

[Nicolay]

OOC: OMG Emma. Rule #35 of our friendship: DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH AT WORK. I was covering my grin the entire time I was reading Kiel! Damn you and him! XDDD

If Nicolay's face didn't spell "protest" well enough, he didn't know what else would! Kiel made him doubt his skills on Elysian for a while there but now, there was no time to entertain that thought as he was soon racing to keep up steps with the excitable 'vari, passing through boutiques and shops and faces, all the while noting the change of lighting and perhaps, even atmosphere as they moved closer to the exit.

“Y, you wouldn't be interested about my girlfriend,” he tried helplessly but promptly stopped from there. It was true he had a girlfriend -- back in Earth, that is but he rather doubted that was what Kiel was talking about. He insisted he met a girl and yes, Nicolay met a very special girl however, they were not together currently.

At all.

It made him sad. “My girlfriend's in Earth, though,” he added a little awkwardly while he almost stumbled in his steps and then pulled his head to a clothes boutique they had spent 1.2 seconds passing. “I...I hadn't really met anyone here yet...” Wow, did he sound weak when he said that or what?

And then like Kiel, he turned the tables on the other man, again, because a second life was more important than a kth girlfriend, right? And Nicolay just had to know! Make sure his friend was fine even if he was obviously faring better than himself, lions inclusive. (And he was rattled over monkeys. Goodness.) “But the lions!” he all but exclaimed. “What under Hel were you and Zephyr doing with lions? That's knots!” As opposed to, "That's nuts!" Homonyms were hard.

[Kiel]

Kiel didn't have eyeballs any more, man, they'd totally bugged out of his skull when Nic said he "wouldn't be interested". “Wah! It's chicks, it's chicks!” Of course he was interested! 'cause, like, even though Kiel had been dating a dude quite happily for, like, a year now, man, he still thought of himself as being totally straight. It was weird, 'cause he met tons of hot chicks in his life, right, but not a one of them had been anything more than a friend to him. But, like, you know, his brain was kinda slow catching up to his body, you know? And it wasn't like guys normally did anything for him either, it was just that he really liked Zeph. You know?

The conversation had turned, like, crazy, though, man. Which kinda happened to most of the conversations Kiel had, actually, but he just kinda figured people were weird. Even Kiel couldn't have two conversations at once, though, you know, and his eyes crossed to prove it. He even, like, waved his arms and crossed them over too, then let his foot flop in front of the opposite leg so he was standing on the street corner looking like a puppet with no strings.

Then blinked almost immediately and flapped his hands madly as he straightened up and shook his head. “Wait, wait, like, wait, dude, what? She's on Earth but you're here but you met someone but you didn't meet someone but you tied her in knots, like, huh?!”

[Nicolay]

OOC: 100th post BOOM! \o/

To Nicolay, Kiel was like a firefly he wanted to catch but couldn't and now he was afraid. It almost seemed like every syllable he spat out was wont to be turned to a word and stretched out to a novel! He lifted his hands, his fingers formed loosely like they were about to strangle the hell out of Kiel and when he found his opportunity, he clasped them like a snake on a leg on the 'vari's arms and kept them there, eyes wide, lips parted. He probably had practice because of his monkey, the experience of which tempted him to shake to his friend needlessly.

He gave a blow of breath, almost hesitant to let go of Kiel in case his arms should shoot loose again. And this day wasn't supposed to be stressful, was it? It was his free day! His day of triumph and celebration.

And then came Kiel Taskel.

He liked him for that, though. Still, first things first: “Can we look for a place to sit in first?” He said, almost exasperated.

[Kiel]

At this point, Kiel was convinced Nic was into S&M. It wasn't something that bothered him like it might some people, but, like, it was kinda weird to be standing on the street talking about kinky stuff, you know?

His conviction was totally strengthened when Nic caught his arm, man, and he totally would have started yelling "I'm not gay, I'm not gay!" except then he caught sight of Nic's face and realised it wasn't a flirty expression, more, like, desperation. Which just got Kiel concerned about the guy all over again, so he did his best to reign himself in and be all, like, serious and stuff.

“This way, this way!” he yelled, startling a nearby pegasus into rearing up. The owner, who had been leading the winged horse along, tried to keep hold of the reigns but was dragged about a foot off the ground before the pretty beast settled, but Kiel was too busy dragging Nic along to notice the owner's glare.

“Okay, so, like, tell me, tell me!” he said finally once they were seated in the first cafe they'd come across, a pretty waitress tottering off with their order. “I totally didn't know you were into all that kinky stuff, man.”

[Nicolay]

Nicolay gaped. Kink-what?

“What are you talking about? I'm not into kinky stuffs!” he declared desperately and it was amazing, too, how it totally came out the very moment silence fell over the cafe. There were two old men seated about two tables away from them, a teenage lady, one waitress, and two waiters, one behind the cafe bar, and all of them in some way or manner wore awkward faces.

Well, all but the youngest lady who simply choked into her milked coffee, three droplets raining onto her table, COM at hand.

“OhmyGod,” Nicolay muttered to himself in English while he dipped his head and hooded his eyes with his right hand, elbow on the table so that his arm helped obscure his looks from the lady at the far end of the cafe. Thank goodness these COMs didn't have those fancy cameras Earthen mobile phones did but it didn't change the fact that he terribly wished for any of the following: that Kiel knew English, that Kiel did not exist, or that he did not exist or that he was hibernating in a hole seventeen feet underground. That was sooo embarrassing...

After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat, moving his hand away from his face so that both wrists were now on the table, half his palm and parted fingers facing Kiel-wards while he looked at his trimmed nails, reading his next words from them. “Hear me out first, all right?” he started softly...calmly. He cleared his throat: “I have a girlfriend. Her name is Emily. And she's in Earth. We haven't dated for...around...” his eyes looked up while he counted, “Four...five months now. For obvious reasons that I'm here and she's not.” And he doesn't want to go home and he wasn't her first boyfriend, anyway. “I didn't meet anyone here yet,” he continued. “All the women I've met are, as far as I'm concerned, just my friends.” Or former friends. But he forced that thought out of him. No, he will make peace with all of his friends and by God, was he determined.

One breath later, Nicolay asked the excitable man, “Do you understand what I've been trying to say now?”

[Kiel]

Now Kiel felt like a kid who'd been chastised by his mom for, like, asking where babies came from - at the top of his lungs - in the middle of a crowd at the Xanth Day festival when he was, like, ninety or something. Nic even had that same look his mom had been wearing, like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole, so for once he was silenced. He wasn't embarrassed for himself, you know, but, like, Nic looked so horrified that for once, Kiel didn't know what to say.

And then the dude made him feel ten kinds of dumb for explaining it slowly like Kiel couldn't understand Elysian, but instead of getting all upset like most people probably would, he just nodded along and kicked his feet against the leg of the table. Except, like, he didn't know what that had to do with Nic tying his girlfriend up in knots, but it didn't seem like the younger dude would want to be asked that so Kiel looked skyward for a new topic.

“Okay, so, like. You didn't meet a pretty chick, then? But, like, what was that thing about a pretty chick you said earlier, then?”

[Nicolay]

Nicolay sighed, although he managed to keep his head up even when his shoulders sagged as he did so. Sometimes, talking to Kiel was like talking to the phone while he was chasing a headless chicken around or something.

But he didn't give up. He understood that Kiel was just mannered this way (and what Zephyr liked in that, he could never even begin to imagine) and, he had some explaining to do, anyway.

Well, both of them, really.

“That,” he began slowly, making sure he kept his words in a leash lest Kiel think he had suddenly impregnated a girl, “was not a pretty chick.” And wonder upon wonders, he managed a weak, awkward smile at Kiel when he looked up to meet him in his shiny eyes -- which reminded him of someone, again. Augh, these eyes! He didn't look away, however. “What I really meant to say was that I went through some pretty trying times. But I didn't want to tell it to you outright because...” he gestured to Kiel, “Well, exactly because of what happened where you completely mistook my words.” But he wasn't blaming him. “But I'm not blaming you.” Just to be safe. Kiel had the worst kicked-puppy look, he'd hate to be the recipient of it, again. Kiel was just being Kiel, after all.

Which was nice...at least some things in the world still didn't just change in a snap.

After a heartbeat or two of silence and him gazing at his fingers on the table, he spoke again, “Can I ask you something, though? I mean,” he shrugged and looked up to the 'vari, “This is probably a really long time ago and I'd actually already forgotten about it but now...now I can't get it off my mind.” And then leaning forward a little, he asked Kiel, “But do you remember the time those two men came into your house? And Phenny and I were there? Before I left, you told me to tell everyone...I was a Therian.” Oh bravery, he actually managed to say the word now. “Why did you say that?” He sounded sincerely curious, even so much as knitting his brows a little.

[Kiel]

Kiel's mouth moved and worked like he was having a conversation with himself, but he managed to stay quiet and listen instead of butting in, having nodded when Nic asked him to hear him out and realising that he'd utterly failed, if the dude's sigh of exasperation was anything to go by. Like, Kiel was being good, okay? His feet were bouncing on his toes and he was clenching and unclenching his fists on his knees in an effort to be quiet, but he was being good, okay?!

Focus, Kiel, focus.

I'm focused already, sheesh!

But the silence was killing him. Dude, Xanth, the silence was killing him, he had to say something, he had to say something, anything, just something random, oh-em-ex food! He could smell it; it was headed their way. Just one more second and he could stuff his face full and Nic would never know he was about to start tearing at his hair while breaking into an erratic dance for the love of staying quiet.

“DUDE!” His yell was one of relief that startled the other customers, exacerbated by him slamming a fist onto the table in relief that Nic had actually asked him a question so he could start talking again. “Hahahaha, huh?” The question confused him at first, 'cause, like, it was a long time ago, you know? Kiel's memory didn't normally work like that, you know? He couldn't just pluck stuff out at random, he had to go looking for it, but that day had made a huge impact on him so Nic was in luck. “Like, sure, sure, I was, like, you know, Therians can't be turned into vamps, you know? Like, you'd either get dead or be a monster or something, you know? Like, there was this one time, I heard about it from the merchants that pass by the farm, right, and they told us about this crazy scary monster, man, that was, like, this Therian dude, chick, dude guy that was infected by vamp blood, right, and she he it turned into this, like, crazy hairy thing that, like, bit a couple of Xanth's Aides. It was, like, awesome, man, but I missed it.” He pouted, both insanely glad he hadn't been on the mainland when the thing got loose, and sad that he hadn't been able to help defeat it and be all, like, awesome and stuff.

“I figured if they thought you were a Therian, they'd leave you alone but, like, you know. There aren't that many humans in Elysia, you know, so if we weren't friends and I didn't know you were from Earth, people'd just assume you were Therian anyway, you know? 'cause of you not having eyes like mine or wings or being all, like, girly and stuff, you know?”

[Nicolay]

The moment Kiel's fist connected with a table, Nicolay pulled his hands back with a gasped yelp -- and then he sighed in relief when he realized it was just his friend and even held his chest with his left while his shoulders sagged. Goodness, this man! Nicolay would not be surprised if he would actually be the reason he would one day just...fall over and die of a heart attack or something.

At least the next words came smoothly out -- as smoothly as Kiel could make them, at least, but Nicolay listened intently. And then...

And then it was like a wide shadow encapsulated him and everything just went silent and dim. He held his breath as Kiel told him about the hairy monster of a Therian, his jaw slackening at every breath the Dracovari took and his shoulders sank even lower while his lungs tightened into itself. He forgot where he was, that his hands were on his lap or that he was even looking at the table. His eyes were round, cheeks paled and lips frozen while the rest of Kiel's words slipped in and out of his ears and yet, for some reason, they also managed to stay partly in his memories.

But more importantly: he had every potential to be a monster.

“Oh my God,” he barely muttered to himself, looking like a lost, dehydrated boy in the middle of the cafe. “I'm going to turn into a monster?” he continued in English.

Then looking tragically at Kiel, he finally revealed his predicament, “Kiel, I'm a Therian.”

[Kiel]

Kiel froze, mouth open on a tumble of more words and his finger pointing at the ceiling mid-gesture. He closed his mouth and lowered his hand, then repeated the whole effect to look across the table at Nic all "oopsy"-eyed.

“Like. For sers? That's so cool! That's not cool. That's so cool!” He was torn between his enthusiasm for shapeshifters, this idea in his head that Nic could be the puppy he'd always wanted, and recognition that he'd just scared the stuffing out of the guy with his ill-considered story.

“But, like, it's dead now, okay?” That... kinda really wasn't the point and he knew it, but he didn't need to understand Nic's language to know the guy was freaked more by the potential for himself than by the monster-that-was. Like, it'd freak Kiel out too, you know? Except, like, how was he meant to comfort his friend now? “And, like, it's okay, man, the chances of you becoming a Hind are, like, three billion to one or something, you know? You'd probably just end up dead.”

Like, dude, Kiel. Way to go!

[Nicolay]

“Dead?!” Nicolay exclaimed and promptly attracted the attention of everyone else, again, but this time, he didn't even bat an eyelash at them. He just remained gaping and staring at Kiel long enough for a cheefle to dive right into his mouth. What was worse, though, he wondered? Monster or dead? A monster, he figured, but being dead was just as bad!

“If I don't end up as a monster, I'd end up dead? Good Goddess, what kind of life is this?” he stared incredulously at...anything but Kiel. “A, and as if what happened to me wasn't bad enough! As if my body wasn't bad enough, this comes up. Goddess damn it, Adie never told me anything about this-- Adie,” he threw his hand to...some direction as he did his best to explain to his helpful 'vari friend, “she's my Therian friend. Sh, she and her uncle are helping me come into terms with my body. Goddess, none of them told me about this...”

Nicolay looked problematic with the way he carried his forehead with his right fingers, although still careful to keep his hair untouched, while he mulled the whole discussion over. Then throwing his left hand up a little, he asked Kiel, “Well, what else do I have to know about being a Therian? Am I going to die at a very young age? Do I transform in a full moon? Am I going to go into a frenzy when this happens? Am I going to look ugly?” Actually, that was the least of his concerns but right now, his brain was too muddled to keep all these flustered thoughts to himself so out they went.

[Kiel]

“Oh, man.” Why did Kiel have to shove his foot in his mouth like that?

Well, like, at least he had tiny feet, you know?

“Well. I hate to be the one to tell you this, man, but yeah. When you transform, you'll look soooooo ugly.” It was his attempt to cheer the dude up by making him laugh, but Xanth knew if it was the right approach and She didn't even know Kiel existed.

He hoped.

“But then you'll be all furry and furry is cute, so it's all good, you know? Except, like, what's the deal with the full moon?” he blinked. “Neme doesn't do anything weird when she's full, you know? Like, unless you count making my dad bald 'cause he frets over the gytrash being able to hunt the 'striders more when they can see better, but he's mean, he's mean!” Which was Kiel-shorthand for saying his dad totally deserved to go bald anyway, even though he didn't really mean that.

“Like... for sers, man, you gotta chill out, okay? Like, you know, there's a ton of Therians in Elysia and we've had, like, one Hind in, like, forever, you know? It's crazy scarce so you don't have to worry about that, okay? And, like, I dunno, I think Therians have this, like, crazy awesome instinct to stay away from vamps that keeps them from getting infected, you know? I dunno, like you can tell when you're next to one or something.” He didn't know if that was true, but he'd seen some of the more feral Therians baring their teeth and growling at people in the street and it turned out they'd been warning a vamp out of their personal space, so maybe it was true, and it'd cheer the guy up, right?