The Deciever and the Black Feathered Weaver (Azure;Copper)

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

And so Azure and Capri went to eat. Capri ate with relative silence, and Francis was seemingly quick to pick up on the mood. She kept silent as well, though her stance seemed to be one of patience, as if waiting for the coal to cool before stepping over them. Partway through the meal, after both had a chance to partake in Francis' prepared meal, the merrow looked to Azure. "Azure, darling. Horrible timing I know, after just eating, but tis a short walk to a place with a nice view." Francis offered, seemingly wanting to speak with Azure one-on-one, but it was clear it was more meddling on her part combined with her desire to play cupid. Capri himself didn't seem to think anything of it, simply standing and announcing he wanted more rest.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Mmm, very true, since all I usually want to do is laze around after a meal." She makes a bit of a playful face at the merrow. "But, it might not be a bad idea. Some fresh air might do me some good." She'll finish up, help Francis tidy up as much as she wants to before they leave, and head out with the other mamono. The rest, too, would likely do Capri some good. Wouldn't do to have him overexerting himself after the strain from earlier.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

Very thankful for Azure's help with the dishes when offered, the two walked outside, not very far, to a location where they could sit on a prepared bench on a location that overlooked the entire temple, a sight worthy of painting a picture, and a natural location of rest that a painter such as Francis would seek out. Sitting down, a spray of water came forth from the various jet streams that shot up. Francis' form changed from that of human legs to the pink scales of her mermaid form as she got wet. She gave no reaction, as if such didn't matter to her in the slightest.

"Isn't this sight wonderful?" she asked Azure. "The water shooting forth glistens in the sunlight to display very pretty colors, if you look closely." She announced, watching with her own eyes. Indeed, if Azure looked, the colors would be indeed a shining and colorful display of the rainbow. "It's the finer things in life that are so much better to enjoy with someone whom you know well, just as much as they know you. We've only known each other for so long, but I feel that I've overcome a hurdle. Many distance themselves from me when they learn of me, of my meddling and my desires. I'm quite weird, but you knew that." said Francis. "But it's my philosophy to be weird. I feel everyone should be at least a little strange, if they aren't already. That's what makes life interesting." she said, before stretching for a moment, letting out a happy sigh.

"It's fine to be weird. Even if people don't accept you. That's life. So I support you all the way, Azure. If you want to get intimate with those boys, go for it. Capri will just have to accept how weird you are." she said firmly.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

Azure will settle as best she can on the bench, though with any luck, it's designed for folks that don't always have legs. Francis' shift doesn't seem to bother her either. It might cause her to do a slight double-take, but she's clearly not bothered by it.

"It is," she agrees, letting her eyes trace the colors while she listens to Francis' words, laughing a bit as the merrow concludes her speech. "Is it so strange to want to have multiple partners? Or is the strangeness stemming from the fact that they'd all be around at the same time? Honestly, yes, I will admit that the thought of being with them has crossed my mind, but we've got a job to do. Things like that can wait. And I really don't see why he's getting worked up over that kiss." Even if that wasn't something Francis mentioned originally, they're talking about Capri dealing with things and this is what's being dealt with right now. "I meant it more as a joke than anything else, since Zidane was demanding compensation and I didn't have anything to give him." She shakes her head. "Capri's been acting as though I proposed marriage to the other man."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"You don't know what it is?" Francis giggled, before leaning forward slightly. "Like most beings, Capri is simply a greedy man. If anything, you should be reinforced in his feelings for you, if he's willing to get angry over where you place your lips." she advised Azure. "Just means the only place he wants your lips touching is right upon his own." Francis said with a bit of a sinister giggle.

"But, I see you've already got your plans. Still, I imagine each of those boys has more story to tell, so it might be best to learn a lot about them before making your attack. Though some are easy to read, like the mage boy. In my experience, the tougher one might actually be the tall dark one, Zwei. He's got such a stoic face that I imagine trying to get loose with him will be difficult. But on the flipside, he seems quite loyal~" she cooed, almost as if she looked ready to snatch one of them up if Azure idled too much.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Jealousy," she remarks quietly. "Though hearing you say it, that doesn't quite seem the case." She exhales a breath, fluffing some of her hair up as she does so. "I'll have to see what I can do about him in that case."

The end of her tail flicks absently back and forth. "You're saying that like I haven't thought of that already. They've been abused enough by Metal and her ilk, not to mention having been through a lot to get where they are now. They don't need treated like...prizes or...just..." She flails a hand a bit in a circle. "Men. They've got their own wants and desires and it'd be foolish of me, or anyone, to ignore that fact." Her hands settle in her lap and a little smile comes to her lips. "I like Zwei, at least what I've seen of him. He's level-headed and thinks before he acts. But there's past ghosts around him, too. More than anything, I think he's going to have to trust me, which is why I'm trying to be a good leader and not just seem like a...man-eater," she says with a bit of a chuckle.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Most men don't know what they want until they have experienced it." Francis said with a wink. "For instance, I once stuck my fingers up a man's butt while having fun. He acted like I did something horrible, he was so confused." She laughed. "But then... We got into it once more, and wouldn't you know? He found a taste for it." she said, almost with a sadistic glow about her.

"On another topic, I'm surprised that the cat was the first one you kissed. He's quite unruly and doesn't like doing what other people tell him. Some girls like that kind of thing but for someone like me he's just a handful to a fault. Ah, but I suppose that's the difference between us. I'm fine with one, and you are not~" she chuckled. "A woman I knew who was a lot like you simply told me that she had more broad tastes. Like a traveling gourmet~"

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

The 'advice' from Francis is filed away for later and given the merrow herself changes the topic, Azure seems fine to do the same. On the subject of Zidane, she simply shrugs. "Like I said, it was impulsive. I don't think Zidane's a handful. He just has a strong independent streak, especially given he was practically a prisoner to the last woman who promised to take care of him. While reigning him in on occasion might be good, the last thing I want is to make him feel like I'm taking away his freedom. That'd probably make him even more of a handful, as you call it."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Heh, I wish you luck, Azure. I'll inform you now that you're already in possession of a lot of envy from some women around the temple. If I were you, that'd make me feel quite good~" Francis giggled. "That's all I wanted to talk about. Just some smalltalk. You'll always be welcome in my home~" she cooed, before turning her fins back into feet and returning to her house.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Well, maybe some women need to stop just sitting around and be a little more proactive. Then they wouldn't have anything to be jealous over," comes the lamia's reply, touched with a faint chuckle. Francis' words make her smile, though. "And I appreciate that. I think if I'd have had to stick around with that harpy, one of us would have wound up pulling the other's hair out."

As Francis shifts back, Azure will slide off of the bench and follow her back. Big day tomorrow and still a few preparations to be done, not to mention getting some rest would probably be good, given the traveling they were going to be doing tomorrow. That, and she had to make sure a certain husband-to-be wasn't going to get himself into any trouble with their hostess.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

And so the two scaled women returned to their shared home. Capri was laying in bed, reading a book. "Weaving: The Art of the Universe" was it's title. It was a rudimentary book that even Azure would have heard of, written by a crow tengu long ago during the first discoveries of world manipulation, otherwise known as weaving, and commonly known as magic. It was a most common and ancient history book of sorts that developed the theory that threads of existence can be broken up, and put together, but never lost. So even if an object is torched to the ground, it's fabric of existence will not have simply vanished. It becomes the smoke in the wind, and the ash in the air. Everything is only reshaped, it is never destroyed. Such discoveries brought about the knowledge of souls, the thing that deceased bodies lack and why they can no longer function, even when the most advanced weavers revive the body. Souls, as most know, are the puppeteers of the bodies everyone sees each other in.

So, she saw him reading that book, educational but it's knowledge is for the most part common. "Welcome back, honey." Capri said to Azure. "Welcome back, Francis." he said to Francis. "Hi-hi, Capri~" Francis replied to his welcoming with a mirthful voice. Francis went about getting her face wet yet again, while Capri continued to read, leaving Azure to her own devices for a short moment.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

While Francis heads off to freshen up, Azure will slip over to the bed and settle beside (or behind, pending on how he's laying) Capri. "Have an interest in magic? Or are you just interested in the theories?" True that the information in the book might be common to mamono, Capri was still an outsider, so this might be new to him. Then again, he is a scholar, so she might just be interrupting a refresher course for him. If he doesn't seem too bothered by it, her arm will drift around his waist and he'll find her head pillowing on his shoulder, close but not intruding on his reading.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

He doesn't take his eyes away from it, even as she snuggled close and put her arm around his waist, but he doesn't ignore her either. "Theory says that all mamono are theoretically capable of magic when the conditions are right. The succubus magic that seemed to transform your kind into mamono needs to obey the laws of conservation. So, you technically have a great deal of untapped magical power within you, Azure. It'd be interesting to see if you could cast spells..." he hummed. "Maybe you could get Marth to teach you?" he inquired, before closing his book and looking at her. "How do you figure something like that to work out in your head? The concept honestly eludes me. Is it like the men of the human world who take multiple brides? Ugh," Capri twisted his head to the side, before opening the book back up. "Forget I said anything. I can't think of any of those men without thinking of you 'and' them as of late. I'd like to focus on this mission we have ahead, but unfortunately it seems there's little to think about... It's quite simple, actually, even if a bit curious given we're protecting 'other' mamono from our escortee."

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Something to think about. I've never actually thought about possessing any talents as a weaver." She shifts slightly, her lips brushing against his shoulder as she speaks. "Maybe it will give him and I something to talk about while we escort Claire. Or while we're waiting for her to finish her business in Waymeet." As he talks about their upcoming job, she'll draw back a little, propping her cheek onto her fist. "As I gather it, Claire's a pacifist, or at the very least, she doesn't want anyone to get hurt, should she get into confrontation with them. Guess our job is to deter folks from harassing her. Hopefully just numbers will do that, but you never know what motivates people. I'm gathering, too, that she's not going to want us to do any lasting damage to anyone that tries to assault her. I'm probably going to have to impress that on Ragna." She pauses, thoughtful. "Although he seems rather impressed by Claire. Might be able to use that to an advantage."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"I'd say everyone is impressed by Claire. She's a see-through bipedal crystal woman, who is also apparently indestructible. I'd have to question someone who thought that wasn't interesting at all." Capri said as if he'd expect anyone else to say the same. Though, when it came to Marth, Capri couldn't help but comment. "I'm sure it will do well to improve your relationship with him, especially after he snapped at you. Surely, it won't take much to get him to snuggle with you." He said casually, though it was clear he was probing for reactions.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"I'll give you that," is her remark about Claire. While she doesn't seem as caught up by the woman as the others had appeared to be, the celebrity of the other mamono seemed to at least perk Azure's interest in her and her dealings.

As he brings up Marth, the corner of her mouth quirks up slightly. "It might smooth things over. Bit of an olive branch of sorts. Though I don't know. While he seems to have gotten better, Marth seems easily flustered, so I don't know that if cuddling with him would be the best course of action, were I to try to discuss magical theory with him." Her expression goes a little flat as she winds down. Seems she knows what he was up to and has turned the comment back on him, since he seems to be the one to toss her into bed with the others rather easily.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"You could always chase him through the forest, and wrap yourself around him while whispering sweet words. It's worked before." Capri said, also with a blank tone.

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

"Those words were a promise, made to a man I could have just as easily fucked and abandoned. They were not spoken lightly. Starting to regret accepting my proposal?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

Capri let his book fall with that, while letting out a sigh and letting his head slump to the bed. "No. I regret meeting 'them'." He replied. "I regret getting captured by those elves, and I regret thinking that my female cell partner needed my protection, before she attacked me in the small space we shared. Overall, I regret knowing nothing before I set out on this so self-titled journey of enlightenment."

"I hate most of all how little I knew about you before agreeing to be with you. I don't know what to think, I find the lifestyle on this other side of the world baffling... And I hate the fact that I know so little that I don't know how I'm shaming myself. I want to be jealous, but it's somehow normal. Men are somehow completely fine with being shared so long as that woman is strong and can provide for their children and relationships. The fact that those four didn't completely rule you out when romance was hinted at... I can't tell you how confused I was... I guess I've yet to understand how correct you've been acting and how ridiculous I've been."

Capri sighed. "I'll accept whatever you decide, Azure. Just don't ignore me for one of them... Even if you happen to be sharing a bed with one of them..." He chuckled as if sounding a little out of sanity. "Or, hell, all of them!" he shrugged. "I really don't know what's normal..."

 

[Copper]

Re: Competition (Azure;Copper)

He can hear her let out a soft sigh as he finishes speaking, though it's one of concern, not frustration. Her hand settles lightly on his shoulder. "You asked me once for patience and I haven't forgotten. This isn't your home or customs that you're used to. I understand that there's a lot for you to try and adjust to and I'll try to be there for you while we figure all of this out." There's that press of her lips against his shoulder again. "I also haven't forgotten the promise that I made when I asked you to stay with me." There's a soft chuckle. "Looks like we've both got some learning to do, still." And another pause. "You were attacked by your companion? What happened?" She seems rather concerned about that fact. He'd mentioned the woman before, but really only in passing.