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Post by Leda on Jul 27, 2009 22:01:19 GMT -5
"Well... I could try and answer that for you." Sitting upright, Tikal sheepishly scratched at her spines and explained, "I could do a divination for you. I mean, I'm not that good, but..."
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Post by Lans on Jul 27, 2009 22:26:52 GMT -5
Manic gently grabbed her shoulder as he sat up himself. "No that's ok...I don't wanna know." He paused, the added, "...Well, I do, sorta, but I'd rather, like, still have the...hope that he made it out."
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Post by Leda on Jul 27, 2009 22:50:12 GMT -5
The priestess could only smile. It was a little surprising that he declined, but in her case, it was also a little refreshing. Pachacamac so often forced her to attempt divinations, regardless of her confidence level in the matter at hand... It was a pleasant change. "I understand. But if you ever change your mind, I don't mind trying to find out for you."
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Post by Lans on Jul 27, 2009 23:48:27 GMT -5
Manic reached up and brushed her dreds affectionately. "Thanks. I might take ya up on that sometime..." he said, giving her a smile.
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 0:21:59 GMT -5
At that gentle touch, the echidna practically melted. A warm, tingly feeling rushed over Tikal's body, sending a chill down her spine and quiet whimper from her throat.
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 0:33:55 GMT -5
Distracted by his inner musings about his pre-coup 'family' Manic honestly didn't notice Tikal's reaction and instead just blankly gazed at the starry sky as he continued petting her.
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 0:46:47 GMT -5
'Heavenly' could've been the only word to accurately describe it. Her breaths deepened and quickened; her eyes rolled back before closing; her hands gripped shakily around the stalks of grass. " O-Ohh...~"
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 0:58:08 GMT -5
That was enough to recall Manic out of his reverie. He stopped his idle petting and looked at her in concern. "Hey Teeks, you ok?"
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 1:03:40 GMT -5
A full-body shudder overtook Tikal upon being released from Manic's spell. Her cheeks thoroughly flushed, she confessed, "My... My heart's really pounding."
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 1:42:22 GMT -5
"Well, hey, nothing to be scared about out here," he told her, totally misinterpreting her reactions. "SWATs don't come out this far, and even if they did, I can, like, handle a few chrome brains," he assured her, pulling her closer and resuming playing with her spines.
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 2:05:47 GMT -5
And before she realized what was happening, that blissful sensation returned, and the echidna breathed heavily against Manic's shoulder. "Ah... Ah-I... f-f-feel funny.."
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 2:10:03 GMT -5
"Yeah...I think I feel something too..." he said sort of dreamily, and meaning something entirely different, as he rested his head on hers and took in her scent...also noticing an unusual, but pleasant smell, he hadn't detected before.
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 2:21:26 GMT -5
SUDDENLY, FROM BEHIND... "What're you guys doin' out here?"
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 2:29:50 GMT -5
Manic nearly jumped out of his skin at that, and the only reason he didn't do any actual jumping was that he was still holding Tikal. "ESP, Geez! What're you doing out here? You're, like, supposed to be asleep!"
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 2:35:25 GMT -5
The chameleon shrugged. "I woke up. Then I saw you guys were missing, and the grass was parted this way..." Meanwhile, Tikal slumped slightly against Manic's shoulder and wheezed for air. Despite the nightly temperature drop, she had come to feel rather feverish. Shuddering and pushing herself upright, the priestess glanced over her shoulder and put on a weary smile. "Oh, h-hi Espio..."
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 13:27:04 GMT -5
"Well YEAH," Manic said sarcastically. "We kinda, like, came out here to talk...alone."
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Post by Leda on Jul 28, 2009 14:05:01 GMT -5
"No no, please, don't be hard on him," Tikal implored, gently grabbing Manic's arm with one hand. "He's got just as much right to be out here as we do. No one can fault him for that." Turning back to the chameleon, and subtly wiping a bit of sweat from her flushed face, the priestess patted the ground on her other side. "Would you like to join us?" Espio smirked. "I would like that very much!" As he passed around Tikal's back, however, he shot Manic a nasty look and pulled down one eyelid before taking his seat.
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Post by Lans on Jul 28, 2009 22:22:02 GMT -5
Manic just gave Espio a equally nasty glare for that, keeping his arm still wrapped around Tikal. "...So, did you have any other family besides your...'dad?'" Manic asked, changing the subject and sounding like he was using 'dad' very loosely.
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Post by Leda on Jul 30, 2009 19:37:57 GMT -5
"Well, when my clan was still together, I had some other relatives," the echidna explained, turning her attention back to Manic. "I really miss my cousin, Lilli. She's so funny, and knows just how to make you feel better when you're not well..." Never one to be one-upped by his would-be big brother, especially with a girl that he did genuinely find cute, Espio took hold of Tikal's right hand, rubbing it between his own. "Your dad seems like a pretty mean guy," he commented. "Must really suck to be stuck with him." The priestess didn't immediately reply. On the one hand, her instinct was to defend her father, but at the same time, she had just tried to run away from him a couple of days ago. Dismissing the idea that he was difficult to live with would make her a hypocrite, but she couldn't very well tarnish his name. "...Well, he does take care of me," she finally said, as neutrally as possible. Tikal gave Espio's palm a reassuring squeeze. "And the Elder is with us now, which is very nice. He's my grandfather, so, it's been nice to have more family around."
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Post by Lans on Jul 30, 2009 21:26:31 GMT -5
In Manic's personaly fantasy world, the glare he gave Espio right then would have lit the chameleon on fire and reduced him to ashes. However he had to settle for just regular glare, and the comfort that he still had an arm around the girl. "Well, I guess I sorta consider everyone in Meadowood family now...usually."
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Post by Leda on Jul 30, 2009 21:48:54 GMT -5
"My tribe was very much like that; we were all sort of extended family. But I myself can't help feeling a closer connection with my direct kin." "I really wouldn't know what that's like, myself," Espio replied honestly. "Even when my folks were around, they weren't 'around' around. I barely saw 'em. I mean, I love 'em and all, it's just I've always been used to them not being around, so I don't really miss them very much." The corners of Tikal's mouth dipped downward. "That's a shame... Everyone deserves a family."
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Post by Lans on Jul 30, 2009 22:12:31 GMT -5
"Except some of us are too stupid to stay with a good thing when they've got it..." Manic muttered quietly to himself, obviously meaning Espio.
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Post by Leda on Jul 30, 2009 22:39:11 GMT -5
Tikal's attention returned to the hedgehog, but this time, she did not look pleased. "Manic, you're being cruel. You just said that you consider your fellow villagers family, and I can't imagine Espio's not included in that since you were so happy to see him when he arrived." Shrugging his arm away from her shoulders, the echidna turned to her other companion and wrapped him in a hug. "He deserves a lot more respect than you're showing him." And Espio might have been more smug about his victory, but the girl's embrace quickly made him forget about Manic entirely, and instead he hugged her back. "Thanks~"
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Post by Lans on Jul 30, 2009 22:57:58 GMT -5
"Then I, like, wish he'd knock off the talk about leaving already..." Manic said, this turn of events not helping his mood any. ...And now his upper right side was cold without Tikal there.
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Post by Leda on Jul 30, 2009 23:00:18 GMT -5
The chameleon blinked. "But... I didn't say anything about it."
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Post by Lans on Jul 30, 2009 23:37:22 GMT -5
"Yeah, but you didn't really stop either. You're just gonna split after we get back to the village, right?"
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Post by Leda on Jul 31, 2009 19:34:11 GMT -5
"Well, yeah, but y'don't have to be such a big jerk about it!! It's getting hard to believe you even want me to stay at all!!"
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Post by Lans on Jul 31, 2009 20:14:28 GMT -5
"What!? Hello? Who was telling you you were being a moron and that Rob'd just give you a chewing out? If I wanted you gone I would have, like, let you live in your stupid delusions that he was gonna kick you out!"
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Post by Leda on Jul 31, 2009 20:18:17 GMT -5
"And you think calling me a moron sends me warm and fuzzy feelings?! You know what, Manic? You can just kiss my--" "STOP!!" the echidna abruptly burst out, springing to her feet and standing several steps away from the boys. "Look, I understand that you're both upset, and you're hurting, and you're picking a fight at each other to keep from feeling sad, but..." Tikal took a deep breath and held up her hands. "I j-just can't take you guys fighting anymore! I like you both and can't stand listening to you hurt each other and m-my father yells at everyone enough and I don't want you guys yelling too..!"
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Post by Lans on Jul 31, 2009 22:07:13 GMT -5
Yeah...that pretty much chastised Manic, who looked as bad as he felt right then, with his ears flattened in guilt. "...Yeah, ok. Sorry."
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