But Still the Days Seem the Same [CLOSED]

[spiritwalks]

Who: Obi-Wan jedies and Vyng spiritwalks
What: A chill evening in an empty, abandoned bar
When: Very beginning of July
Where: Colonel Dan's in Red Cellar

Content Warnings: Listed in subject lines when applicable


((From here))

When they step inside, they're met by darkness pierced only by slivers of lamplight from the alley. Silence — rare in the entertainment district — blankets the place like dusty tarps draped over old furniture.

Vyng flips the switch. A warm glow spills onto a mahogany bar top, an empty stage, and the vacant booths lining the far wall. Nobody is here.

"Welcome to..." Laughter quietly colors Vyng's words. "This. Place."

(He forgot the name.)

Comments

[jedies]

I wasn't much of a hellion.

[ this is half a lie, at best. it depends on a person's point of view. ]

[spiritwalks]

Of course not.

I'm sure your brand of chaos had very good reasons behind it.

[jedies]

I haven't the clue what you might mean.

[spiritwalks]

Uh-huh.

[Thunk! Thunk! Both flaming bottles flip back onto the bar top. With a wave of Vyng's hands, a fiery koi fish emerges from each one. They "swim" in tandem like intertwined ribbons for just a second, before they disintegrate into fleeting embers.]

[jedies]

[ magic was very fascinating. obi-wan watches out of curiosity. ]

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng never describes what he does as magic, because that's not what it is in his original world. But a stage magician's flair is always fun to imitate, and Vyng very much embodies the Performer tonight.

He uses his bare hand to snuff out each bottle's flame, no pain registering on his face...and gently corrals the resulting puffs of smoke with the other. After dipping his fingers into the sink, he flicks several water droplets into the gathered smoke.

A tiny, dense cloud forms, its edges briefly lighting up with crackling electricity.]

[jedies]

[ it is showmanship, but obi-wan has always been partial to it, being a show off himself. ]

[spiritwalks]

[A long, lanky feline form takes shape — languid and unhurried, as if Vyng were sky gazing, and the nimbus simply moulded into whatever shape his imagination pieced together.

Tail curling into a curious question mark, the cloud cat owlishly blinks at Obi-Wan...with an essence that is very much alive. This is not a construct, nor an illusion. But an actual creature, channeled into a bundle of raw elements.]

He says hello.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan smiles at the cat. ]

Hello there.

[spiritwalks]

[The fluffy creature hops up onto the bar, leaving a set of wet paw prints on the mahogany. Wispy whiskers trail from its face as it sniffs around. Vyng watches with a wistful smile.]

This is what I've started doing instead.

[Since he can't change his own body into animals anymore, that is.]

[jedies]

[ he smiles. ]

It's lovely.

[spiritwalks]

[Warmly:]

I'm glad you think so.

[The cloud-cat turns its attention to Obi-Wan's glass, suddenly finding it very interesting.]

[jedies]

[ obi-wan holds it up for the cloud cat. ]

[spiritwalks]

[It gingerly smells the extended glass, and then— Zap! A small spark from the tip of their nose. The cat sharply draws back, not from pain, but surprise. Vyng chuckles.]

You know, I think I figured why I miss shapeshifting. [He pours a shot into the newer (clean) glass he'd retrieved moments ago.] It's kind of embarrassing, though.

[jedies]

What's embarrassing about it?

[spiritwalks]

[Vyng pauses, and then—]

I thought I missed the sensations that came with flying. Or running on all fours. Or the spiritual connection of channeling another creature's essence.

That wasn't quite it, though. Not really. Because I can experience those things in other ways.

[He nods toward the cloud cat, who's insistently pawing at Obi-Wan's glass now.]

[jedies]

[ he smiles warmly at that. ]

I suppose it just took some time to rediscover that.

[spiritwalks]

Yes.

[That's true. Maybe it wasn't the same, but of course it wouldn't be. Not after Eagle's rejection in the Spirit World, or losing control over his shapeshifting in the Dream. Certainly not after the Summoning Stones. But "different" doesn't mean "gone". He hadn't been cut off from the natural world, nor had he truly lost those connections. They were still with him, just in other ways.

But in rediscovering that, he was forced to confront what might be the bigger source of pain in all this.]

The one thing I still can't do. . . is be seen as one.

[jedies]

[ he blinks. ]

As a shapeshifter?

[spiritwalks]

. . . Yeah. I guess you've never seen it. But I used to be able to take the shape of any animal I'd studied the essence of.

[He layers some more spirits and adds a bit of a mixer. Then with a snap of his fingers, a tiny fire-cat leaps up from the liquid with a tiny mew! — and gracefully dissolves into embers.]

One time? Before I met Billie or Tuck, I rented myself out as a horse for awhile. As far as anybody in town knew, I was a regular work animal. [He traces a finger along the edge of the glass, leaving bits of decorative, frosted glass in its wake.]

This one dude, though — he was a mean old man. He barely wanted anything to do with anybody, and he stank of alcohol more often than not. You could tell he was miserable. [ Finally, he places the drink in front of Obi-Wan, his expression soft.]

But when he saw me at the stables, his eyes lit up like a kid on Charles Eve.

[jedies]

[ ah. obi-wan listens attentively. he thinks back to his own eopie. she hopes she's faring well. ]

What happened then?

[spiritwalks]

It was like night and day. He fed me apples. Started petting me. Muttered a bunch of soothing nonsense. Very carefully brushed the tangles out of my mane.

[That man, unbeknownst to many, held so much tenderness close to his chest. And for a few fleeting moments, Vyng was privileged enough to be on the receiving end of it.]

I'd been on my own for so long. I'd almost forgotten. . .

["What unconditional love feels like," he thinks. But the words stay lodged in his throat. It hurts. With a watery smile, he just shakes his head and reaches to collect the empty glasses from the countertop.]

[jedies]

[ if obi-wan notices, he doesn't bring it up. ]

Sometimes, that's all a person needs. You must have meant a great deal to him.

[spiritwalks]

I guess so. In that moment, at least.

[A pause.]

After awhile I was like, "Wow, this feels amazing. Thank you, sir." The color drained right out of his face.

[jedies]

[ obi-wan seems bemused. ]

What made you reveal yourself?