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[seker_pride]

You know a trip someone has taken is a success when you look at all the souveniers they bring back

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[vs_nuggan]

A young teen holding a tiny baby staaares up at the giraffe.

And backs away from the strange creature she's never seen before.

[seker_pride]

He bends over.

And realises that giraffe necks don't quite reach the ground.

"Hello there," he says, eyeing the girl and baby.

Must be the season for birthings.

"If I knocked something over that belongs to you I do apologise."

Now this is odd.

The giraffe talks.

[vs_nuggan]

Indeed. Three in one week. Or eight days depending on which time zone you're in.

She squeals and stumbles backwards in terror, clutching the infant.

"Y-you can talk?"

[seker_pride]

Perhaps if he just stood there he wouldn't offer any real threat. And the furniture would be safe. As well as the patrons.

"Aye I speak. It seems as though I am able to retain my human voice even in animal form."

If he'd smile he would.

Even Cheysuli can't do that!

[noble_samurai]

Jack, passing by on his way out the door, takes a moment to stop and stare.

He's seen giraffes before, even up close. Rode a couple as a child as well. But it's been ages since he last saw one. They might very well be extinct in the future, for all he knows, so once his initial surprise wears off, he continues to watch the oddly ungraceful animal try to make its way through the bar without hurting itself or anybody around it. It brings back fond memories, even if there is something odd about this particular animal.

[seker_pride]

Yeah the giraffe is odd all right.

Starting with the mismatched eyes and halter that would require a good-sized ladder to help you reach the head.

OK maybe those are not so odd after all.

He looks down at the stranger.

"Hello?" he asks, trying to lower his head down and knocking over a few things in the process.

"This shape is ... not ideal for taverns..."

[noble_samurai]

The few words the giraffe speaks are followed by several moments of Jack's brain trying to understand this. It's not easy.

He's seen a lot, and he's been forced to question a lot of things he thought he once knew. But this is something he is sure he knows.

Giraffes. Don't. Talk.

...and now he's reconsidering that too. "I...I see that. Are you not a giraffe?"

[seker_pride]

No they don't. They're supposed to be tall and decidedly silent. Just oversized hedge-trimmers.

This one has broken the rules and is using that large voice box giraffes have but apparently don't use to vocalise aloud and is speaking.

"No. I am an Ihlini sorcerer. Human. But I have decided to try out a new form.

And as usual I seem to have miscalculated something when formulating my plans."

Like the number of additional bumps he can add to his head from banging into the rafters.

[asar_suti]

What on earth and in all the netherworlds was this tall long gawky creature doing in the bar??

Asar-Suti staaaaared at the giraffe. Then he noticed its eye colours. Plural.

Strahan? Is that you?

[seker_pride]

Apparently Strahan thought it terribly clever to try out his new shape in the bar.

I mean, it's worked before; why not now?

Well it's not working now as he bumps his head yet again.

"My lord?" he says, looking about. "Where are you?"

[asar_suti]

"Down here, at about the height of your kneee - oooh, mind your horns! That rafters! My poor Strahan!" Asar-Suti said.

The, he laughed. "Don't be offended," he added, "but you look terribly funny. Ouch - that must have hurt!"

[seker_pride]

Forget Strahan's head. Worry about the bar and the fact that this is all going to be added to Strahan's tab once the damage is calculated.

"Aye it did hurt. Though this animal seems to have a skull that can, if not prevent pain entirely, can at least minimise the blow."

He really should do what he's doing in other threads and lie down.

"Funny? This shape amuses you my lord?"

[3rdtimelucky]

In the light of a recent conversation, Goldilocks has very good reason to stare. She should have expected something like this.

Really.

[seker_pride]

Well, Strahan's the acacia-browsing variety, so no need to worry about him sinking non-existant fangs into your neck and draining you dry.

"Hello my lady," he says, trying to be polite while his left hind leg sends a chair skittering for about ten yards.

"Did I knock over your table? I do apologise."

[3rdtimelucky]

The lack of sharp blood-letting teeth is... mildly reassuring. The fact that it speaks is less surprising.

"No harm done," she admits. She is still doggedly hanging on to her cocktail, which she had prudently removed from the table as the giraffe loped her way. "Just...ungh..." she pauses during the rather tricky one-handed table righting procedure, then wonders if it was even worth it yet.

She continues, not unkindly. "Just watch your feet. I thought you guys had a bit more grace than this."

[seker_pride]

By now, the idea of a talking animal in Milliways is passe. So the fact that Strahan can is not likely to raise many eyebrows.

Unlike other threads, he decides to simply stand, with only his ears, head and tail being the parts of his body that are still moving.

"They do, but I am new to this shape," he agrees. "I suspect I will have to move this form to a place that's more condusive to learning about it and its limits, but I would have to get to the door and I doubt very much that I would fit through it like this."