World That Never Changes [open]

[Sasque]

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust...

Someone had died these days... For some reason, that person was buried after the sunset. For the first time in her life, Natalie saw a funeral. Definitely something she doesn't want to see again...

Fifteen years ago, her mother went through that... Now that she saw what happened with a dead man, Natalie was able to understand why some people were afraid of her. She looked a lot like that person in the casket...

Lost in her thoughts, in form of a beast, Natalie walked down the dusty streets of downtown. She never walked as a human here. Most of the residents knew her mother and her while she was still alive. Before the illness. When she made a mistake of showing up here as a human, they thought she was a vampire... or some other monster. They tried to kill her.

Since then, she came here only as a beast. She looked like a dog enough to pass. As she evaded other animals, there was never a problem with her not barking. Though, the residents of the downtown already knew her scream. The scream of death. They also knew that chasing her away won't do anything.

And now... Natalie felt the stabbing pain in her heart as she progressed down the dirty street towards a man lying on the ground. He's not going to live long, Natalie would say. She sped up, heading towards a pile of boxes next to a badly-made house and climbed up to its roof. Here, the pain was even stronger. So, it's not the man from the street...

Natalie closed her eyes, raised her head and opened the muzzle, letting her piercing scream out. The more and longer she screamed, the less pain she felt... but also she knew that she just destroyed someone's hope.

She couldn't stay away from the town... yet she always felt bad when things like this happened... Confused and sad, Natalie sat down, hoping that one day... that one day she'll be able to walk down these streets without screaming... without destroying hopes.

[Oroan]

The screams. Aloysius heard them in the capital of the kingdom he had sworn an oath to defend. It wasn't something that seemed to be causing a real problem that he had been able to discover, but the screams worried him. They were even more terrible than a scream of rage. They held in them a sadness and pain that Aloysius could almost feel when he heard it. It haunted him, and since the last time, he had resolved to find the source.

He had heard this one coming from downtown. He normally couldn't tell where they came from, downtown or anywhere else, he didn't know. but he was out on a self assigned patrol this evening, and it was loud and clear. After it had died away, he followed what he thought was the source of the noise.

Walking by the very building Natalie was on. Aloysius didn't look up, didn't see her up high. He was keeping his eyes on the ground, looking between the buildings, trying to see if he could catch a glimpse of the person in so much pain. He didn't even like coming down here in the first place. Downtown reminded him that there were so many things he couldn't do for his people. All he could do is be their sword and shield, help defend them to his dying breath, it was depressing.

Though that wasn't the foremost thing at his mind at the moment, he needed to find the person in such pain. If there was anything he could do. The general would do it. It was beyond being his duty as a soldier, it was the human thing to do. At least as far as he was concerned.

[Sasque]

Finally forcing herself to stand up, Natalie opened her bright eyes and slowly walked towards the edge of the roof. As she reached it, she looked down, trying to find a way to safely land. The boxes and the humans were something that she often fell upon, hurting herself and a person if she landed on them.

Noting that there should be no danger in the area, Natalie jumped, landing clumsily onto her front paws, while the other side of her body was way too heavy and continued onwards. With a heavy hit and somewhat quieter scream, Natalie fell over onto her backs.

It was long ago that Natalie learned not to stand up as a beast while in town. Her legs weren't long enough for her to stand up without stepping on her fur... And that has always hurt.

So, lying on her backs, Natalie observed what she could see in this position. And one of the things that didn't seem right (not including the world being upside-down) was the fact that just down the street was a man dressed in a fashion that couldn't be expected the people of these streets to wear...

Forcing herself to roll around, trying not to scream, Natalie stood up and headed towards the man.

[Oroan]

Aloysius stopped at hearing the impact of a body, and the ever so silent scream that came from whoever it was. He didn't turn around for a moment as he took a deep breath, and when he turned around, there it was, the source of the screams. He did not expect to see what he saw.

It was a beast of some sort, that much was clear. He wasn't sure as to his, her, or it's nature, though he didn't sense any hostility. Not that it meant much, he had no idea of what he had just run across.

Holding his arms out to his side, he gave a smile, not sure as to the intelligence of who he was facing. It could be dumb as a rock, or much smarter than himself, but the eyes suggested an intelligent being.
"Hello, would you nod if you can understand me?" He said, a greeting and a question as one. He didn't know if they could communicate, but he would try.

[Sasque]

As the man noticed her, Natalie stopped in the place, not moving even an inch. He didn't seem like a threat, especially with that smile on his face.

As he spoke, Natalie sat down, and watched him with curiosity. It seemed that he thought there is a possibility that she could understand him... Well, finally some regular person who seemed to have mind open for creatures like her...

As he requested from her to nod if she could understand him, Natalie did that, shaking her dog-like head. Well, if he asked a question, she would have answered... Like this... why would she show him that she's a beast who can talk with humans?

Still, she'll have to see if there's a possibility that this man knew her mother. And for that, she'll have to talk with him... Well, she could let him find out what he wants, first.

[Oroan]

Seeing that this being was capable of understanding him, Aloysius felt a surge of relief. He would at least be able to communicate. Taking a few slow steps forward, wanting to get a little close, but not wanting to spook or provoke this being, Aloysius stopped about five feet away.

"I am Aloysius. If you can talk. I would like to know if you have been the one making the screams I have heard, or if you know anything about them." He said while clasping his hands at the front of his waist, doing everything he could to appear non-threatening, he was here to help, not intimidate.

[Sasque]

Natalie tilted her head to the side, trying to seem as harmless as possible. The man seemed as if he was trying the same thing. To be precise, he looked same as humans who tried to approach an unknown dog.

"Nice to meet you, mister," the girl in her beastly form spoke, her voice low and husky. Still, the fact that no part of her body was like that of humans at the moment didn't mean that she was beast. And Natalie planned to show that to this man, Aloysius.

"I am Natalie," she continued, so that the man could know whom he is talking to. "Yes, I am the one who screams," she added on the end, so that the man could have his answers.

[Oroan]

Seeing that his new acquaintance could indeed speak with him. Aloysius gave a warm smile and walked a few paces to the side, and sat down cross-legged, he figured they might be talking a while and wanted to get comfortable.

"A pleasure to meet you as well Natalie." He said as he shifted in his spot just a little.
"I am sorry to pry. But I have heard your screams recently. And they have been haunting. I simply wish to know if there is anything I can do to help you." He said before giving a sad smile.
"I'm a general of the kingdom. As you live here it is my duty and privilege to help you as with others in the kingdom." He said as he gave a glance around him.
Though I can't help everyone. He thought with irritation.

[Sasque]

What could this general do to help her? Natalie wasn't sure herself. She wasn't even sure what exactly she was. As much as she has learned by now, she was dead. And she was probably supposed to pass on.

"Um, if you could stop people from dying, that would stop most of my screams," Natalie said after shorter pause. Well, that was true... Whenever someone's life was supposed to end, she felt it in form of stabbing pain.

"Or you could try to find out why am I still alive. I still don't understand that part," Natalie added after being quiet for few moments. Well, that could be helpful as well, since if she knew what's the problem, she would know what to do. Simple!

---

((Well, I miss the time when problems were simple. And we didn't even think about all the problems that might occur in the process of solving them. xD))

[Oroan]

"So that's part of why you scream..." Aloysius said softly, more to himself than to her. He gave a slow shake of his head. That I cannot stop anymore than I can stop the rising and setting of the sun. I'm sorry." He said. He felt bad, that was something he had no control over, and apparently it was a cause of suffering for Natalie, though it was her next statement that he found more interesting.

"I do not know the root of your problem myself, but I know someone who might be able to help if you are willing to come with me Natalie." He replied, making a point to use her name. Sure he didn't see her as human due to her appearance., but as far as he was concerned. That didn't mean she wasn't a person.

[Sasque]

When Aloysius said that he can't keep people from dying, Natalie felt sad, but when she heard that there might be someone who could know more about her, the girl's mood changed.

She jumped up and started running around the general, like a happy puppy or excited child. "Yes, yes, yes," she was almost squeaking, which seemed quite strange for a creature with deep voice like she was.

Suddenly a thought came to her mind which stopped her in place again... "Um... Mister? Would you happen to know my mom?" Natalie asked, looking down at dirty road, not even thinking that a general might not assume that her mother wasn't a beast like she was.

[Oroan]

Aloysius thought upon the question for a moment. If Natalie's mother was the same as her, than he most assuredly did not know her. Though he was beginning to wonder if the form he saw was what she really was. Her question of why she was still alive had unsettled him slightly, but it also made him think a little more.

"I'm not sure to be honest. I run into so many people that it can be hard to tell. I ver well may have met her, but it is just as likely I have never seen her before."
He said softly.
"What was her name?" He asked.

[Sasque]

"Um... Mariah... um... she's blacksmith's daughter," Natalie spoke, muttering a bit. She wasn't actually sure what her mother's real name was. Nat only knew that her grandpa used to call her mother Mary.

"I don't remember well, as it's been... um... the people who lived near us told me she left the city fifteen years ago," Natalie said more, so that general could try to remember.

If it was needed, she'll even describe her mother... "Oh, and she's normal," Natalie added, remembering that people usually thought that her mother is a beast as well. 'Unlike me' are two whispered words Nat added on the end of the sentence she told Aloysius.