Asato was walking the halls today, wanting to head into the library to find something that Miles might like to read more than his cat book. The frightened voice and names that sounded like they might be from his own world caught his attention however and he detoured towards it.
He was a bit disappointed to find another not!cat, but he was still friendly and willing to help. Ears flicking forward, he tried to appear calm and gentle.
Riku is still huddled against the wall, trying to get his bearings, when he spies what he takes at first for a person approaching. Then he notices the cat-like ears on the young man's head. He's seen manga artwork with catgirls and catboys, but he never thought they might really exist somewhere.
"Huh-who are you?" he asks, still nervous and apprehensive, but starting to grow curious. "What is this place?"
"I'm Asato. This place is called the Mansion. It's a good place." He may not fit the usual image of catboy, being about six feet tall and a little rougher looking, but then, what does Asato know about manga?
"It's very nice to meet you Riku." He beams, though he's learned to hide his fangs when he smiles, and nods. "I am! I'm not a true cat, like the ones here that walk on four legs, but I am a cat. You aren't a cat, but ... you're like a kitten. You don't smell like the others here."
He clearly means that in the best possible way. If Riku doesn't watch out, he'll get a large, protective cat-'brother'.
"Oh, I probably don't smell like most people," Riku says. If there were vampire-like beings in his world which could turn into bat-like creatures, perhaps there's a world where there are cats who look a bit like people. "I'm different from most people. It's hard to explain: I'm not going to get any bigger than I am now, but soon I'll become stronger and quicker than most people. I'm a Chevalier, or at least that's what they call someone like me, or the kind of person I'm turning into."
"Well..." he doesn't want to spook this nice cat, so he decides not to go into detail. "Yeah, that's a good way to describe me. I just hope someday I can be strong enough to protect people when they need it," he says with a smile. "So, you live here? Do you have a family?"
He smiles again and there might be just the slightest hint of fangs in the otherwise friendly and warm expression. "I do! Well, I live in the forest, but I come in here to visit and eat and go to the library. I'm learning to read." Asato is terribly proud of this.
"And, I found my family here! They're not cats, but they adopted me anyway."
"That's great! I'm adopted too," Riku said. "My brother Kai and I lost our mom and dad when I was little. I don't remember them too well, but a really nice guy named George adopted the both of us. And then a year or so ago, a girl named Saya came to live with us: it wasn't easy at first because she was kinda weird, but she got used to being with us and it was like she'd always lived with us. Our dad always told us that family is important and even if we all looked different, that didn't matter because what being together and caring about each other is what's really important," Riku replies. He's really starting to like this cat, and he's starting to feel a bit at home. If Asato could find a family, so can he...
Asato beams. "That sounds wonderful. I've never had a family before here or so many friends too. So many people here are very nice. You'll like them." His ears flick a bit. "Though... there are some not nice people here. And sometimes the Mansion likes to play tricks on the people here..."
"Well, there's not nice people everywhere... but maybe someday I can help keep them from hurting other people," he says. Then a bit puzzled, he asks, "What do you mean, this place plays tricks on people?" He sounds a bit worried, but right now, he's more curious than anything else.
"I've never seen it do anything bad, but once there was a party and everyone that came somehow grew young again. I heard of another time when humans turned into animals too. It didn't last long, but it happens."
"That would be fun! I've wondered what it's like to be an animal," he says, smiling. "And I think I will, too: it looks like a nice quiet place here. Are there many kids here?"
He was a bit disappointed to find another not!cat, but he was still friendly and willing to help. Ears flicking forward, he tried to appear calm and gentle.
"Hello? It's okay. You are safe."
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"Huh-who are you?" he asks, still nervous and apprehensive, but starting to grow curious. "What is this place?"
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"What's your name?"
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He clearly means that in the best possible way. If Riku doesn't watch out, he'll get a large, protective cat-'brother'.
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"Is that ... like becoming a butterfly? Only you change inside and not outside?"
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"And, I found my family here! They're not cats, but they adopted me anyway."
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