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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 3, 2014 1:12:42 GMT
Elliot was a drifter. It was in his heart. He was born with this sense of wanderlust. He had collected a good many stories since waking up dead and with few memories. Most weren’t of him, but some were. And, in the noonday sun, he was drawn to this hotel. A weathered sign depicted a black cat with an angry arch in her back. He could imagine her hissing, and, had it been night, might have even heard it. However, in the daytime, he was safe from the hallucinations and poltergeist occurrences in the night. Now, he was in his element. He could be cocky, confident, and charming. His morning had been fine. He met a few dogs, angered them a little in the way a little boy angers others and laughs because he knows he will get away with it. The hotel seemed like a safe place to hide out while everything cooled down. He walked around the stately building. He walked through the gate instead of finding the hole in the fence. He moved down the walkway up to the front door, where it was busted up, but had two boards nailed across it in an X. “Let’s see,” he said. “I think if I just..."He ducked down and lowered his head to make it through the broken door, between the two lower legs of the X. It looked like someone had punched the lower half of the door open. Shards of wood poked from the circumference of the hole. Had he been alive, Elliot would have felt them bite into his skin and rake a cut in them because he was a large dog. Tall. Stately. Exactly what you’d expect a Rough Collie x Greyhound to look like. The chocolate sable mix entered the hotel. The floor was filthy. Years of neglect showed in the scuffed floors and the peeling wallpaper. The windows were boarded up. The hotel’s roof was holey enough to let light beams provide some ambience to the creepy setting. In the daylight, Elliot was unafraid. Nothing could hurt him now. Nothing could scare him. He whistled a sweet tune as he walked across the lobby and started up the stairs. Had he any weight to him, they would creak underfoot and the more deteriorated steps would have crumbled underneath him as he ascended to the second story. At the second story, he moved to where the railing had come undone and lay down. His front legs hung over the edge and he marveled at the sight below. “If I wanted to,” he said to himself, “I could pretend this was all mine.” He laughed. It was a shitty territory. It lacked a good, close-by source of food and clean water. It lacked good protection from the elements. It had too much access to curious humans. It was hard to defend--outside dogs could get in whenever they pleased. But, it was a nice place to visit. The atmosphere was lovely. Motes of dust played in the noontime sunbeams. The damp floor had a mosaic of rot upon it. The walls peeled. The furniture was ripped up. “Gah, I’m too damn lonely. Talking to myself again.” He lowered his head onto his paws, now bored. Time passed too slowly for the ghost. He hoped for some excitement. Alarice
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Post by Alarice on Aug 3, 2014 12:13:05 GMT
Envy was a smart dog, though still young. Black and tan body had roamed a lot, coming to rest at The Black Cat. It was a shitty motel where curious human still roamed, but canines ruled here. Passing trough a gap in the fence, the Rottweiler trotted through, her muscles rippling beneath her skin. Envy still missed her owner, who had brought her here to "explore". At least he called it that. He really just came here and got drunk sometimes, and Envy kept watch. Sighing, she walked up the old steps, her weight making them creak beneath her paws. Usually she was so careful of other knowing where she was, today she didn't care. Walking down the row of doors, most were open, busted or gone completely. A few humans lingered in rooms, doing things she didn't want to repeat.
Envy passed a room with two boards across it, she didn't even look. But something inside made her stop. Ebony audits perked at a voice, something she knew she had heard. Turning, she looked at the hole, cocking her skull. Deciding to test it, she crawled under, the boards scraping her skin. Once inside, she took a minute to sniff, but nothing. Ahead of her was a dog, and he looked sad, almost depressed. Maybe he was a collie of sorts? Envy walked forward, staring at the male before speaking.
Hello?...
Voice was soft and innocent, not something you'd expect from a Rottweiler.
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 3, 2014 14:15:44 GMT
Elliot watched as the female entered the room from the same place he had come in. His heart almost leapt at the possibility that she had tracked his scent. Did he do something to leave a scent trail? But when she fully entered, he could tell she couldn’t smell him. The way she smelled the air and didn’t breathe in deeply and followed his every pawstep told him that.
Instead, she heard him talking to himself. And her eyes rose up, taking in his form. Right now, he appeared solid, though he wasn’t. Right now, he was so relaxed that he didn’t even bother to hide the sadness he felt in his heart. It made him appear wise almost. Mature only because he experienced too many things, both wonderful and heartbreaking.
Elliot saw her form, blockier than his, but she had every bit of grace he’d expect from a smaller dog. She was well-bred, he deduced. No conformation faults from what he could tell from his perch on the second story. Her voice was softer and kinder than he expected. He thought, from her appearance, that it would have been lower and less melodic. Goes to show you, Ells, you can’t judge a book by its cover.
He rose into a standing position in one motion. His movements were easy because he was weightless. “Hello,” he answered back.
”Hey, want me down there with you?” he asked with a grin. He had no intention of waiting for her answer. He was cocky because he wasn’t being terrorized, because he was emboldened from a recent, successful prank, and because she was a nice looking female. Elliot walked backwards and then jumped off the second story. He dropped like a living dog in any case, but landed expertly at the bottom. Had he been alive, he probably would have been stuck with a limp at best or had a broken leg at worst.
But instead, he stood before her, perfectly fine. “My name’s Elliot. I’m a collector of stories,” he said. His voice was smooth and warm.
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Post by Alarice on Aug 3, 2014 21:55:29 GMT
Envy watched as the dog stared at her taking her in. He seemed to want to talk, as he leapt down effortlessly to her. His moves were graceful, even effortless. Chocolate brown orbs stared at him curiously.
Nice to meet you Elliot, I am Envy. I am a wanderer.
She cocked her large German Rottie head and sat on her haunches. She looked like a angel before him, her eyes watching him. He was a god looking dog, and seemed pretty cocky himself. It was opposite of her shy and flirty attitude she had.
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 4, 2014 19:07:49 GMT
Elliot smiled. “A wanderer you say? I’ve done a lot of wandering in my time. I think it indicates that a dog loves freedom. A dog who isn’t mired in the past and is always looking forward. And a romantic. Wanderers tend to be romantics.”
He stayed his distance from her. He always let the dogs approach him. It built trust because approach was their initiative. He wagged his white tipped tail. This scene was familiar to him: Facing a lovely female with the intention of charming her. It felt right to him, though he didn’t know that, in the past, it was for sinister reasons. He was a devil in the past, a dog who operated under a different set of principles. A liar.
But in this moment, though he was using a skillset developed through dark intentions, his behavior was thoroughly innocent. He wanted to impress her and that was his sole consideration as he interacted with her.
“So, Envy, how close was I in describing you?” His expression was charming.
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Post by Alarice on Aug 4, 2014 19:26:29 GMT
“A wanderer you say? I’ve done a lot of wandering in my time. I think it indicates that a dog loves freedom. A dog who isn’t mired in the past and is always looking forward. And a romantic. Wanderers tend to be romantics.”
Envy smiled at him and waved her stubby tail. He wondered how good he had described her? very well. You described me almost on the dot Elliot. Nice to meet you. Envy smiled and walked forward, sitting just before him. Her big brown eyes stared at him with a flirty smile. Her large tan and ebony form was relaxed, not sensing a threat from the male before her
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 4, 2014 19:59:44 GMT
Elliot wasn’t surprised when Envy confirmed that his spontaneous description of a wanderer was correct. Of course he was right! And of course she would let him be right, even if he was wrong, because she was flirting with him.
Envy moved towards him. Her body was relaxed as she sat in front of him. Her fur was black and a rich tan, almost red-brown. He returned her flirty smile. He could read it in her eyes that she wanted to continue this and see where it took them. He could do that. He was more than willing to do that. It made him feel more than alive.
She was so close that if he reached out, he could touch her. Elliot knew that he looked best standing and so, remained standing. He wagged his white-tipped tail. “Now, you do look much more lovely up close. And it seems, at least for me, the difference between lonely and lovely is you: Envy.”
He was attempting to wax poetic. The words lonely and lovely differed by one letter. N and V. Put them together, N-V, or, rather, Envy. He thought himself clever for thinking that up so quickly.
Elliot tilted his head, letting his soft gaze fall upon her. His eyes were a rich olive color with a little gold in it. It usually wasn’t this easy to draw a female in, but if two were lonely, then it was more than enough reason to let infatuation control one’s actions.
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Post by Alarice on Aug 4, 2014 20:45:29 GMT
He returned her flirty smile and she licked her maw. He was very flirty, his words echoing softly.
Well, isn't that convenient, handsome. You're very handsome, no matter how far I am
Smirking, she cocked her skull to the side, wondering why she was happy to flirt with him. Maybe she was being too lonely, not socializing enough? envy licked her maw and spoke agian
Why is a handsome boy like you all alone here? Shouldn't you be claimed by now?
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 5, 2014 19:31:12 GMT
Elliot found his interaction with her to be fun. He liked to flirt and he liked to be charming. And, most of all, it felt right to him. Like something he would have done in his past life. Being flirtatious was more than sweet words and body language. He had an aura about him that said I’m interested. And he had the confidence to register on any female’s radar and the looks to back it up.
” Why is a handsome boy like you all alone here? Shouldn't you be claimed by now?”
He wondered that too, for a brief moment. He never wondered whether or not he had a mate before he died and lost his memories. He didn’t even wonder why he knew how to please a female and get her to open up to the idea of loving him even for a brief moment. But he knew a few things in love. Nobody could be as good as he was in that aspect without experience. Elliot knew the pain of heartbreak. He didn’t know why, but he understood it. He knew the feeling of being absolutely in love, fully infatuated, with your mind on nothing else but the girl you love.
He had decided, in that moment, that if he had had a mate, surely she would have tried to find him by now or maybe she moved on. But, it was, more or less, a decision made in the irresponsible way boys chase available females.
“I suppose that, like any good wanderer, I just became lost. And no girl has taken the time to look for me, coax me by her side. Tame me.” He had a passionate look in his eye because he liked her. He liked her attitude and the way she flirted, both confident and desperate. His wanted so badly to touch her, but knew that such an action was denied to him.
Because he was a ghost, all she could feel, if their bodies touched, would be the chilly, almost moist air, like reaching through the mist. And his illusion would be gone. Then, she would know the sad truth that he himself tried to bury in his stories and his cocksure smile: He was dead.
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Post by Alarice on Aug 5, 2014 20:09:31 GMT
Envy liked his cocky ways, and wished she was actually as confident as he seemed. Brown eyes wandered his form, wondering what he was like, what his coat felt like. Walking forward, she stopped about a foot away, watching him for a sign not to approach. Envy would let him close the distance if he wanted to, it was his choice.
Tame you?...I am very good at taming...though most boys cant tame me...they surely try
Totally bluffing, but he wouldn't know that.
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 7, 2014 16:52:09 GMT
Elliot liked her attitude and the way she chose to pursue him in the game of flirting. He would give her space and she would respond. And now, it was his turn to respond. Between two compatible dogs, flirting was almost like a dance of words and gestures. It was artful, even. Her words fired him up, threw him into a mental frenzy over her. He wanted her. He wanted to see how far she would let him go.
“Well, it takes a wild girl to tame a wild boy, doesn't it?” he said with a seductive smile. He closed the space between them that she had left. If he had been alive, she would have felt his warm breath on her. She would have had his scent filling her senses. But he had none of that. He just had a chilly presence that somehow his smooth charm had hidden.
He cast a gentle gaze on her. His green eyes were luminous, and the color, rich. And he leaned forward and softly touched her nose with his. He was like mist. Clammy, but also without substance. Not solid.
He had hoped his touch was gentle enough that she wouldn’t notice, but, as he pulled away, he remembered that a con never worked just because you wanted it to. You always had to know your limits. Even if you didn’t want to.
“I’m sorry, Envy.”
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Post by Alarice on Aug 7, 2014 17:45:31 GMT
Envy was happy with his words, he was continuing to flirt, and he even closed the distance. Yet, he reached forward and touched her, and it sent a shiver down her spine. Something was wrong. Pinning her audits as he apologized, she backed up a couple steps, eyeing him. Why sniffing the air, she realized he didn't hold a scent, his breath hadn't fanned over her. What the hell? Envy frowned and spoke in a confused tone..
You're one of those...those...dead...oh my lord...
She was stuttering unsure how to process this idea. Envy frowned even deeper as she realized that he was dead, how could that be, he was standing here. Walking forward, she eyed him, his form was solid looking, but when he had touched her nose, it had felt wrong. Brown eyes held hurt and confusion, what the hell was going on here
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 7, 2014 18:24:14 GMT
Envy’s reaction just broke his heart. It reminded him that he was dead. That there was nothing he could do to even pretend to be alive again. That he was fooling himself when he was flirting with her. It felt like his heart sank into his belly, but that wasn’t true because he was nothing but mist and spirit now.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated. He wanted to take back that last moment. He had wanted the lightness between them to last just a few minutes longer at least. But all of that was gone now.
“Envy, please calm down,” he tried to comfort her panic. It was understandable, really. He was dead. Not many dogs got to converse or interact with the dead and she had full-on flirted with him. He tried to be understanding, but her panic hurt him. And, it was unfair.
He never asked to be dead. And he hardly even remembered being alive. And every living dog, once they found out, they turned him away when he had done nothing to them. He was so upset that he was losing his illusion and his body became transparent and it was like his form was wispy on the edges, not entirely defined as solid. He didn't want to freak her out more, but his emotions were getting the better of him. "Damn it." And he remembered why he even chose to pursue her: He was so lonely. And now, at this moment, he felt lonelier than ever.
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Post by Alarice on Aug 7, 2014 19:56:22 GMT
Envy was sensing his unease, his loneliness. Frowning, she didn't want to make him feel bad for something he didn't choose. Smiling, she watched his form turn wispy and she spoke in her velvet voice again.
Look...you didn't choose this. I just ... have never met a...dog like you. You must be lonely...I can be a friend..please...stop
Envy wanted to nuzzle him, make him feel better, but she knew she couldn't. An internal battle was raging and she decided to sit on her haunches. Elliot didn't mean any harm in his flirting, he was simply trying to be real, be a live, and she didn't blame him for that. Her fear and hurt was gone, back was the dog from before.
I am sorry I reacted that way. You didn't choose this...
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Post by Quirky Tea on Aug 7, 2014 20:30:33 GMT
Elliot couldn’t believe how much she understood his pain and how quickly she erased her own for his sake. It was as if she were merely surprised rather than truly hurt by his folly. When she found her calm again, he discovered that he was the one freaking out.
His breathing was quick and shallow as he had tried to stifle a cry because of the tense moment between them. And, he looked down and saw that he could see the ruined floor underneath his transparent feet. He was worse off than he thought. He thought that he had just barely lost the illusion of life, that he was only slightly see-through, but he saw now that he was more gone than present.
“A friend, really?” he gave a laugh. Half nervous and half relieved. He didn’t believe he could make friends still. Living friends, in any case. “Thought I’d never hear those words. Not really. Not once anybody figured out I’m not even alive. That I can’t really remember being alive.”
He tilted his head towards her, but his expression was meek, as if he were still apologizing for being dead. “I’m glad you realize that I didn’t choose this, but… do you really want a ghost for a friend?”
He doubted her because he doubted anything that was too good to be true.
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