Serpent in the Streets

[Toyoll]

She sat in the open window frame, a dispassionate expression etched on her face. She kicked her feet, back and fourth, as she watched the withering man on the floor.

His eyes bulged, his right hand clawed wildly at the air, trying to reach the girl. A few last gurgles and then he fell silent... his left hand clutching his throat.

The sleek form of a snake winded it's way across the room, it's dark scales flashed in the moonlight like polished stones. It climbed up the girl's leg, then up and around her shoulders, it's head by her ear. "It's....It's so ugly, Shabi....Why are they so ugly?" she seemed close to tears, "Why are they like this?"

-I don't know, Nariobi, people are like that...- the snake was patient, he has repeated this same conversation over and over, he would just do it once more.

"No....I'm a person too...." she looked at her dear friend with bright eyes, "Am I ugly too? I question myself a lot. I'm no better than they are."

-No, Nariobi, you are noble. You are pure. It is hard, yes, hard, but you are the only one who sees the uglyness...You can make it beautiful again-

A smile tugged as her lips, her eyes wide, "I can?...Yes...I'll make this place beautiful again....Beautiful...Like your scales, dear friend. I'll clear up this mess, I'll make this a beautiful country!" confidence and clarity seeped back into her words.

Smiling, she lept off the window sill and into the streets, stroking her snake lovingly. Already the sky was beginning to pale and the young girl began to hum a happy tune. The only clue to her affinity, an almost ridiculously long serpent's tail, swung nonchalantly from side to side...

[iamtuo]

As she walks along the streets, a curious cat starts to follow her, occasionally trying to bat at or pounce her tail.

[Toyoll]

Nariobi, feeling something batting at her long tail, turned slowly, tilting her head to one side.

"Feline......"

She walked over to the small cat, lifting it from the scruff of the neck and bringing it to eye level. A small smile broke her monotone expression. "You are beautiful. I don't need to change you. The snake brought up her other arm and proporly held the cat in her arms now. She continued down the road, gently petting her beautiful creature.

[iamtuo]

(by the way, how many signs does Nariobi have?)


The cat mews at her in confusion before getting placed in her arms, soon though, the cat begins to purr from the petting treatment she was giving it.

After another moment or two of walking, another beast type elemental walks into view, looking around as though looking for something before looking at the cat in Nariobi's arms and smiles, this beast obviously has an affinity for felines in general. "Oh, hello miss. I see you attracted the attention of Blinky." The feline beast elemental seems amused for a moment. "Oh, i'm sorry, my name is Richard. And yours?"

[Toyoll]

((Only one, but very skilled with it))

Nariobi eyed Richard with an expressionless face, "Blinky?...That name does not befit a beautiful creature." She slowly lowered her precious friend to the ground and let it go.

He doesn't seem ugly. Not yet.

The cobra whispered to Shabi, debating wether or not she should tell this man her name. Shabi nodded. "....I am Nariobi." Her companion hissed, "...This is Shabi."

[iamtuo]

Richard smiles pleasantly as Blinky strides over to Richard gracefully before nuzzling his leg. Richard chuckles and picks him up gently before scratching him behind the ears. "Hey, I would have given him another name if I could, but Blinky is the name he is comfortable with, and the last time I tried to change the name he clawed me in the arm. And it's nice to meet you both Nariobi and Shabi." He nods his head politely to each of them.

[Toyoll]

"Okay." Nariobi said simply. The serpent stood there for a moment, staring blankly, and, with nothing else to say, she turned around and started walking.

Shabi hissed at her angrily, -That was not very polite, Nariobi- "Oh..."

Nariobi turned around abruptly, and with the same expressionless face, bowed for Richard. "Would you like...food?" she queried awkwardly, pulling the threads of her simple garb.

[iamtuo]

Richard scratches Blinky behind the ears as he purrs. "Yeah, why not."

Blinky silently murmers through the purring. ~There is something...odd about her. She mentioned something about me being beautiful and not needing to be changed..~

[Toyoll]

Nariobi grinned, but it wasn't the smile of a child. It was a bright smile, but it was empty, almost manic. She wrapped her incredibly long tail over her shoulders and fiddled with the tip, even putting it in her mouth, like a silly little hatchling. "Richard wants to come with Nariobi...." she said dreamily to herself, then suddenly, clarity came over her and she seemed more focused, her eyes sparked.

Nariobi bowed again, "This way, Richard. We can find some food down town!"

-Good, Nariobi- Shabi said warmly.
"Shabi smiles?" the girl whispered.
-Shabi smiles-

Nariobi cracked the same manic grin.

[iamtuo]

Richards ears flick slightly, just barely hearing the whispers. "all right, lead the way." He scratches Blinky behind the ears as he moves to follow. Silently he whispers to Blinky. "You're right..there is something different about her..."

[Toyoll]

Nariobi walked allongside her new 'friend', holding her tail aloof, bouncing comically to the rythm of her footsteps.

The cobra didn't say anything, but kept smiling as she made her way down the street. Eventually, they began to encounter more and more people as the merchants filed into the roads and began to set up their booths in the soft light of the waking sun. Store and inn owners began to open up as well.

Nariobi halted without warning infront of a restauraunt that has just opened up for the day. She pointed blankly at the door, "We will eat here." she said.

[iamtuo]

Richard looks at the restaurant curiously. "So..do you know what kind of food they serve here?" He and Blinky both sniff the air curiously to smell the food served inside the restaurant.


(By the way, how old is Nariobi?)

[Toyoll]

((Nariobi is about thirteen-fifteen years old, no one's really sure))

Nariobi shook her head, "I want to try it." She said airily. She pushed open the door and disapeared inside, careful not to get her tail caught in it.

Inside the cozy restauraunt, early-bird tenants of the inn were already downing their food, most of them had haggard expressions on, dazed in the early hours of the morning.

Nariobi seemed content to just drift up and down the aisles of tables and booths, debating where they would sit. After nearly five minutes of this, a particularily grumpy man shouted at her over his breakfast, "Sit down already, Beast!"

The cobra stopped, her tail slowly sank to the floor, the air about her seemed to shift again. Nariobi looked at the man over her shoulders, ".....I'll sit right here, thanks." She quickly sat down in the booth closest to her.

"........He's ugly."

[iamtuo]

Richard looks at Nariobi curiously and cautiously sits down next to her. "Umm..if you dont mind my asking..why were you taking so long to choose a seat?" He asks in genuine curiosity, rather then any judgement or amusement some may give in such a question.

[Toyoll]

Nariobi looked up at Richard, that dreamy, far-away look has seeped back into her eyes, "I needed a place in the sun..."

She gently stroked Shabi's soft scales, he was curled up on the seat next to her, soaked in daylight. "If I don't, I get all sleepy..."

A waitress came by and took their orders, once she had them, the young lady walked to the kitchen and disapeared behind some more doors.

Nariobi watched her go, then continued to stare darkly at the grumpy man.