thread ☆★☆ the birth of downfall

[clockfoxxed]

CHARACTERS: Quentão household + Izayoi household
WHEN: Early 7QJ89 | Anjouverse
WHERE: Quentão, also Izayoi
SUMMARY: Sherry summons Paris to Izayoi where he receives a shock... and a new responsibility. Sercial comes to Quentão to join the Noble Family

Comments

-FLASHBACK-

[timelykitsune]

The nights had just started to turn chilly and the leaves begun to change colour as autumn took hold of Amarcord. That was, of course, the perfect excuse to spend some quality time near the fireside in the company of a loved one. And that was exactly what Jing was doing, with Cassis snuggled up against him as she read aloud from a book as he played lazily with strands of her golden hair.

A firm knock came at the door, and Cassis' voice died away as she looked up at Jing with a perplexed expression. "Who would...?" she began. Jing seemed just as puzzled, especially given the late hour. He rose from the couch and opened the door.

There was a woman standing there, a very beautiful woman. Her hair was so pale it was nearly white, and with her pale complexion and slim white dress she seemed to glow in the backwash of the lamps. Jing found himself staring, not only because of her appearance but because he knew he'd never seen her before yet couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity that grabbed him. Who was she?

Evidently sensing she'd get no verbal greeting, she finally spoke. "Are you really going to let me stand on your doorstep while you stare like an imbecile?" she said icily.

The voice hit Jing like a ton of bricks and his eyes nearly popped right out of his head. "Sherry?!" he gaped. "What is-- why're you-- how'd this--?" He couldn't quite seem to form a complete sentence.

"Jing?" Cassis cautious voice came from behind him, helping him focus a bit.

The thief regained a foothold on his composure. Sherry was still watching him, her violet eyes just as startling on a human face as it had been on a fox. Finally he stepped back, holding the door wider for her. "Come in."

"Thank you," she murmured, stepping past him and into the main room. Her eyes took in the interior, finally settling on the blonde woman across from her. Sherry had never met Cassis, and in truth she was a bit curious as to what kind of woman it had taken to bring an end to Jing's wanderlust.

Jing closed the door and came to stand next to his wife. "Sherry, my wife Cassis. Cassu, this is Sherry, from Adonis."

"Formerly," the taller woman put in smoothly, but she knew why Jing had introduced her in such a manner when she saw recognition to the name then dawn in Cassis' gaze. No doubt the tale of his deeds in Adonis had been repeated many times over.

Re: -FLASHBACK-

[timelykitsune]

Jing was shaking his head. "You'd said it wasn't possible for you to take human form, like Shiraz had..." he said.

"It wasn't an easy task," she said coolly. "But that's not why I've come."

Before the conversation could continue, Cassis interrupted both of them. "Please sit down," she said to Sherry. "And if it's more comfortable for you, please use your real form. This house is no stranger to Bonded, is it? Would you like something to drink?"

"I'll stan--" Sherry began breezily.

"Sit, please," Cassis repeated, a sweet smile still on her face but a tone of steel in her tone. "You're our guest, so you should enjoy the hospitality. We don't have much company here."

The kitsune regarded her with a new interest. So perhaps it was not so unusual that she had not been overwhelmed by the presence of three Bonded in her family. Sherry raised an eyebrow, but sat. "Very well."

Jing wisely (he could, after all, learn eventually) not to question Cassis' behaviour. Once they had all been seated and the fire stoked to warm the room, Sherry again began to speak. "I have come to ask a favour of you," she said to Jing.

The thief was understandably surprised. "What sort of favour?" he asked, carefully keeping his tone neutral.

"The Grapes of Time," Sherry said promptly, seeing no point in skirting the issue. "What did you do with them?"

Jing laughed a bit. "Well... ate them."

The kitstune twitched a bit. "They weren't for casual consumpt-- never mind." A pinch developed between her brows. "Then none remain," she said, her voice flat.

"There are more," Jing said. "After the clock fell, they grew again. But I think you already knew that," he added shrewdly. "What's so important about the grapes from that day?"

Re: -FLASHBACK-

[timelykitsune]

"They grew under the touch of the demon of time," Sherry answered. "And so only a vine which had grown out of the clock would carry that strand." She wasn't sure why she'd come -- knowing that the chance of Jing choosing to help her was slim; the only thing slimmer was that he even possessed such a thing.

But he didn't answer right away. "Why would you want something like that?" he asked.

"Jing," Cassis broke in gently. "Is that important?"

It was plain that the thief wanted to say yes, but slowly he shook his head. However tenuous their peace might've been, the fact remained that Sherry and Jing had made amends and, until proven otherwise, he chose to give her the benefit of the doubt.

Jing pressed a kiss to Cassis' cheek and stood, looking at Sherry. "Walk with me?"