Mar 3, 2017 11:12:14 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 3, 2017 11:12:14 GMT -6
She took the train into the city alone, for the first time in over a year. It was a harrowing, incredibly uncomfortable experience, but she survived. It wasn't a long trip from her little town to the city, just a short trip from the very outskirts, and Ren thanked her lucky stars that she had decided to look for an apartment at the first place she came across rather than pressing on to get farther from the city.
The ferry ride to the island was even more harrowing. It was fine (mostly) by the shore, but once they got halfway across the bay — too far from land on either side — she was thankful that the ferry railing supported her weight as she leaned over. Nerves and motion sickness got the best of her, and by the time they arrived at the island's docks she was looking green and frazzled.
Her fellow acolytes greeted her fondly, helping her off the ferry and offering assistance as she regained her composure. She was escorted into the dining hall and a cup of hot ginger tea materialised in front of her. Ren took a sip gratefully.
The preparations for the Lantern Festival were well underway, and when she had finished her tea she stood, fully prepared to find a place where she could be useful. Instead, another acolyte took her by the hand and led her to her old room.
Ren hesitated, her chest feeling tight; vividly, she recalled running down that very hallway as screams echoed in the night wind, carrying the smell of smoke and metal with it. The other acolyte waited patiently, humming a calming, meditative tune as he rubbed her back in slow, gentle circles. Every so often, he reminded her to take a deep breath, counting to seven as she inhaled, and then counting to five as she exhaled.
It took a while, but the panic eventually subsided to a manageable level, though she could still feel the tense undercurrent crawling in her skin. She rubbed her arms vigorously to try and combat the feeling as she followed the acolyte into her old living spaces.
What she saw shocked her so much the anxiety dissipated immediately. Her room had been maintained. Someone had tidied up the mess, and not a speck of dust could be seen. Her futon and blankets were freshly aired, and the succulent plant that had withered under her care had been replaced by a larger potted succulent garden. At the centre of the room: an old-fashioned kotatsu.
Ren looked questioningly at her companion; a kotatsu was an unnecessary luxury for those who took a vow to live plainly, with no material attachment. But he smiled and told her that it was a necessity, as their use of electricity was limited — basic needs only, such as lights and telephone — and heating such a large complex like the temple was more frivolous and expensive than allowing each room their own personal kotatsu to be heated by the use of charcoal.
The grey-haired woman took another look around her former — no, her room — and noticed that red and gold lanterns had been strung up delicately.
Tears welled up in her eyes. It felt good to be home.
After a while, Ren found her way back out to the temple grounds and stood by the docks to await Johar's arrival.
Anonymous
Mar 4, 2017 22:12:31 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2017 22:12:31 GMT -6
The day of the Lantern Festival dawned, and Johar was up early. He was an early riser by nature, but today especially he found it difficult to stay in bed. He was too excited not to get going as soon as he could. Not only would he finally be visiting Air Temple Island today, but he'd be doing it with a guide who knew the place and its customs intimately. Exploration was all well and good, but exploration accompanied by an insider's perspective was even better.
So Johar was up and out quickly, making his way to the docks and the ferry that would take him to the island. As he moved through the streets, he saw plenty of people out doing their best to enjoy the last day of celebration as much as possible. Mostly he saw couples walking arm-in-arm, reveling in each other's company. He looked after them with a wistful expression. He wouldn't have minded having someone to do the more couple-oriented activities of the day with. But, he reminded himself, he did get to spend the day with a friend. That was just as good, really.
The ferry at midmorning was packed with others eager to see what the Temple had in store for the Lantern Festival. Johar wriggled his way into a spot right at the edge of the boat, and spent the ride enjoying the feel of the wind on his face, laughing at the occasional bit of sea spray that tickled his face. His journey to Republic City had been entirely over land, and now that he got a taste of sea travel, he found it much more exciting. If he ever left Republic City to see more of the world, he decided that he would do so by boat.
The ferry ride was too short for his liking, but he was excited to set foot on the island. As he did so, he saw the Temple in full, and his jaw dropped. He'd seen the complex from a distance, but up close it was much more impressive. The tower that was the center of the Temple was a marvel, and even from the docks Johar could see colorful decorations leading up the stairs from the docks all the way to the temple. He was so caught up in all of it, he almost forgot that he was supposed to be meeting Ren.
Luckily, tall as the woman was, she was easy to spot, even when among people dressed just like her. Catching sight of his friend, Johar ran up to her with a smile. "This place is beautiful!" he said, beaming. "I can see why you love it here so much."
Mar 7, 2017 4:05:09 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 7, 2017 4:05:09 GMT -6
"Happy New Year, again!" Ren replied in the traditional tongue. The words felt heavy and awkward on her lips; it wasn't uncommon for the Acolytes to speak in the traditional way amongst themselves, especially as since so many of the Air Nomad scrolls they were able to salvage weren't in the common tongue, but the grey haired woman was entirely out of practice.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" She smiled, bowing slightly and gesturing with her arm. "Shall I give you the tour?"
When Johar consented, she led him away from the throng of people heading toward the displays and instead took him towards the meditation pavilion. "This is where we meditate," she said, gesturing to the red pillared structure, "along with Master Tenzin and his family, and Avatar Korra, when they were here."
There was a tinge of sadness to her voice, but she quickly moved on. "This way!" she said brightly, and led him to the dining halls, then a quick glance at her room ("Look! We have kotatsu now!"), then a quick glance at the temple proper, and then —-
"And this," she said with a flourish, "Is the library."
She helped two other acolytes open the heavy wooden doors and gestured for Johar to step in first. The library was massive, though many shelves further down the room were empty. It was clearly a work in progress, but the filled shelves spanned floor to vaulted ceiling. There was a large glass case full of old, brittle-looking papers, roped off from easy access.
"Those are some of the teachings the early acolytes found when the Southern Air Temple was re-explored. They're under the glass because their exposure to the elements have made them incredibly fragile; those texts are almost two hundred years old, at their youngest."
Ren gestured to a large filing system. "Other, less fragile papers and scrolls are placed here. Some are fragments, some are whole pages, but even though they're not as fragile we still need to wear gloves while dealing with them, lest our skin oils damage the integrity of the piece."
She led a little further down and pointed out some shelves. "These shelves are transcriptions of audio recordings from Avatar Aang, and Master Tenzin. Sifu Katara has also spoken a little bit, and there are some transcriptions from former Fire Lord Zuko about his uncle, General Iroh the First, who he says incorporated a lot of ancient Air Nomad philosophy into his Fire Bending. Honestly, I'm not sure how that would even be possible, during Avatar Aang's childhood, General Iroh was old but he wasn't "over a hundred years old" old, I don't think." She paused. "Though, I guess that wouldn't be impossible, it's well known that King Bumi of Omashu was Avatar Aang's contemporary."
Anonymous
Mar 9, 2017 13:46:19 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2017 13:46:19 GMT -6
"Happy New Year!" Johar replied. He used the modern tongue, not familiar enough with the traditional way to feel confident in using it. He smiled back at Ren, nodding eagerly when she offered him a tour. "That would be great," he said. "I think if I wandered around here by myself I'd just get lost."
He followed close behind Ren, breathing a small sigh of relief as they moved away from the crowded docks. They approached a wooden structure with red pillars, and he looked up at Ren for an explanation. She quickly provided one. Johar nodded, mulling over the mentions of Tenzin and Avatar Korra. He'd never gotten the chance to see the Avatar in person, but had heard recordings of speeches she'd given before she died. From what he'd heard, he would have loved to meet her. She had seemed brash and headstrong, but with some good ideas and a clearly strong desire to do what she felt was right. It was sad that she'd never get the chance to grow into her role as the Avatar.
The somber moment passed as Ren led him on. They passed through the dining hall—it astounded him how many acolytes the place could hold, and that there were so many dedicating themselves to keeping Air Nomad traditions alive. Then they took a quick look at Ren's room, and at the temple itself . Their next full stop, though, was what he'd been waiting for.
The library was huge, and though there were some empty shelves, Johar didn't see them, focused as he was on how much literature the building contained. His eyes grew wider the longer he took it all in. "This is amazing," he whispered as he turned back to Ren. "I think if I lived here, I'd never leave this library."
Johar turned his attention the glass case, then, marveling at the age of the documents contained within. It was mind-boggling that they still had knowledge from over two hundred years ago, and that the Acolytes had managed to preserve them as well as they had.
As Ren led him on, she impressed him with her knowledge of the library's contents and of the history they contained. "There's so much here," he remarked. "I've never really thought about the work that must go into preserving history for future generations, but this is seriously impressive. And you know so much!" He beamed up at Ren. "Do you have any books on Air Nomad medicine?" he asked. "If you do, I'd like to come back some time to look at them. The library back in the city doesn't really have anything."
Mar 10, 2017 18:23:56 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 10, 2017 18:23:56 GMT -6
Ren tilted her head to the side in thought, her perpetually messy braid swaying with the motion. "That's not my area of expertise, but I know who does do those transcriptions."
She looked around. "Aha, one moment." She walked quickly toward another acolyte, speaking in low, library-appropriate tones. A few moments later, she returned to Johar's side. "The person who wrote those transcriptions isn't here, but it looks like they were added to a larger collection of works regarding Air Nomad scientific advancements."
Leading the way further into the library, Ren pointed to a mostly empty shelf; there were a few bound tomes — the binding was made of thread and fairly hardy plant fibres rather than leather, in keeping with the Air Nomads' dedication to living creatures — of average size, as well as one thick tome that looked like three of the others joined together.
"I've been told you are welcome to take notes, later, after the festival is over, and that you are welcome to return to the library at your leisure."
Anonymous
Mar 11, 2017 12:53:24 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2017 12:53:24 GMT -6
The first half of Ren's answer was disappointing, but she immediately followed that with some words of hope. Johar watched as she went over to speak to another acolyte. Unable to contain his excitement at the possibility of learning more about his passion, he fidgeted, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he waited for Ren to return.
She came back, and brought with her the welcome news that the acolytes did have what he sought. Johar beamed. "That's great!" he exclaimed, making sure to keep his voice low, cognizant of their surroundings. "I'll take whatever I can get, honestly; so far I haven’t had anything."
He followed close behind Ren as she led the way to the section she'd mentioned. It was a bit disheartening to see how empty the shelf was, but that was to be expected, really, given the genocide almost two hundred years that had wiped the Air Nomads out. Really, it was impressive that the Acolytes had anything at all. He was itching to just sit down now and pore through the books in front of him, but that was not why they'd come here today. And Ren did tell him that he was welcome to come back whenever he liked. There would be time to get lost in the books later.
"Thank you," he said to Ren, bowing slightly. "I can't tell you how much this means to me. You told me you transcribed old Air Nomad writings, but I didn't realize the scope of your work. It's wonderful." He took another quiet moment to marvel at the library—a moment that was interrupted by his stomach, which growled. He glanced down, then up at Ren sheepishly. "Um…would you mind if we got some food now? I didn't think I was hungry, but I guess I was wrong."
Mar 13, 2017 23:51:24 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 13, 2017 23:51:24 GMT -6
"Oh! Of course!" Ren motioned for Johar to follow her, and she led the way back out to the front of the temple grounds. The crowd of people had only gotten larger; luckily for Ren, the sight of her gold and scarlet robes caused everyone to make way for her and her companion. It was a welcome change. While her robes always made her stand out amongst non-acolytes, in the City and in her little village they were cause for open stares and curious whispers, not respectful acquiescence.
She led the way to the colourful food stands. "There are a few here," she said. "Vegetable dumplings, tofu-and-veggie ramen, rice bowls with fried tofu and grilled veggies, and of course, further down, the confection stands."
As was customary, instead of set prices for any food or souvenirs, the acolytes put out little bins for people to donate money. Many people gave generously to the acolytes, who were seen as doing the noble job of keeping the Air Nomad culture alive. If the bins were any indication, this was especially more prevalent now that Master Tenzin and his family were presumed dead — ending the line of Air Nomads once and for all, and making the acolytes' jobs even more vital.
"Anything catch your fancy?"
Anonymous
Mar 16, 2017 0:11:44 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2017 0:11:44 GMT -6
Johar followed Ren back out to where the Acolytes had set up their stalls. As they emerged outside, he noticed with some discomfort how large the crowds had gotten, the recent arrivals mingling with those already on the island. Not one to make a fuss, he stuck close to Ren, hoping that she'd clear a path for him to follow. As it turned out, though, she didn't have to. It was clear to see how much the Acolytes were respected on their home turf. He found himself blushing as people moved out of the way for the two of them as though they were very important people. He was glad of it, but not entirely comfortable.
It wasn't worth worrying about, though—not when there was food to purchase. Johar stared at the many options available to him, trying to decide what he wanted. "It all looks good…" he mused. His stomach growled again, and he laughed. "My mother's always said not to wait until you're starving to get food, that you'll get too much if you do. Now I understand why she says that."
He couldn't stand here deciding forever; he had to make a decision. He allowed himself only a few more seconds of contemplation before settling on a rice bowl. He took it with enthusiastic thanks and, digging his hand into his pocket, pulled out a crumpled handful of yuan bills and dropped them in the donation bin. He began to eat, smiling as his stomach ceased its grumbling. "This is delicious," he mumbled around a mouthful of rice. Between the library and this, it's clear that the Acolytes are a pretty talented bunch."
Mar 18, 2017 10:44:36 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 18, 2017 10:44:36 GMT -6
Ren chose a rice bowl as well, but did not drop any money into the donation bin. After all, the acolytes paid her wages so it would, effectively, be returned to her anyway.
She was not particularly partial to tofu, and had struggled with the presence of it in her new daily life when first arriving at the temple. It was bland, bizarrely textured, and just generally a poor replacement for meat. She was certain that all the acolytes knew she didn't keep to the diet, but as was the way, no one ever reprimanded her. It was one of her favourite things about the teachings of Air Nomads: everything in its own time. And it worked. Her eating habits gradually changed as she became accustomed to life at the temple. Sure, she was still imperfect, but she was miles from where she had started.
Fried tofu, in particular, played a huge role in turning her around. The crunchy outer texture of fried tofu balanced out the more gelatinous texture of its inner parts and made the whole thing more palatable.
She crunched her tofu now, reaching for the condiments that the acolytes had left out. "It is pretty good," she agreed, adding a bit more ponzu to her dish. The grilled vegetables were perfect as well. Snowpeas were her favourite greens.
"Did you have a pleasant journey?" she queried, feeling a little at a loss. It dawned on her that the life of an acolyte wasn't particularly exciting in comparison to city living, and the absence of anything to do while they ate seemed to drive that home. It wouldn't be appropriate to head over to the air bison stables before they finished eating, and it's not really as if they could listen to the radio.
It wasn't so much that Ren was uncomfortable with the silence; it was just ... odd, to stand there and eat, without making even the slightest bit of small talk.
At least, she thought so.
Anonymous
Mar 20, 2017 13:55:48 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 13:55:48 GMT -6
Johar was unsure how he felt about tofu. It was fine, could be very good when seasoned well, but he couldn't imagine eating it as a substitute for meat. It just didn't seem satisfying enough. But the Acolytes avoided meat out of respect for nature and the animals from which meat came, and he respected that. And really, the rice bowl was good, meat or not.
He followed Ren's cue with the condiments, adding a splash of sauce here and a garnish there as Ren spoke. He took a moment to swallow before nodding in answer to her question. "I did," he replied. "I've never ridden the ferry before. It's exciting! I think I'd like to travel more by boat in the future if I get the chance."
He let silence take over for a moment while he ate some more. Then, hesitating a bit, he spoke again. "Ren, I was wondering…if you don't mind me asking…how are you doing? You know, being here again, I mean?"
Mar 27, 2017 9:21:09 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 27, 2017 9:21:09 GMT -6
She had known the question would be forthcoming. How could it not, after all her dramatics? But despite this, Ren was unprepared. Her food stuck in her throat and she sputtered a bit, coughing to dislodge the rice from her throat. Wordlessly, one of the acolytes nearby appeared with a cup of water and she took it gratefully.
Once she was sure everything was all right, she smiled apologetically at her guest. "Sorry. I knew you would ask but someone you caught me wrong-footed." She placed her chopsticks lengthwise over the top of her bowl before continuing.
"It's... it's bizarre, I have to say. I had a moment, earlier, when one of the other acolytes showed me back to my room. There are moments when I get... flashes, I suppose, of memory. The smell of smoke, or a phantom scream..." Ren looked at Johar, but didn't really see him. "There's a back exit," she murmured. "Down the cliffs behind the temple proper. I don't think I should like to go there any time soon."
After a moment of silence, her eyes came back into focus. "But honestly, it's not quite as bad as I thought it would be. I expected my first step off the ferry would end with me curled up into a ball, sobbing." She laughed, a little deprecatingly. "It is ultimately, I think, my home. I don't think I'm quite ready to return here full-time, but I know it will be waiting for me when I am."
She smiled, but it was a little sad at the same time. "It's nice to see the temple full of people, the air rich with laughter. It was once a very lively place, you know."
She reminisced about the one day she had found young Meelo in her quarters, having upended the entire place in search for a bag of candy. She doubted he would remember that encounter, or the little fruit-flavoured orb she had secretly given him, but she hoped against hope, with every fiber of her being, that the young airbender was alive, somewhere. She wished no harm to any of Avatar Korra's associates, but little Meelo in particular she had once felt would become a very great and innovative young man.
Anonymous
Mar 29, 2017 12:32:08 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2017 12:32:08 GMT -6
Johar winced as his question made Ren almost choke on her food. He'd spent most of the ferry ride over trying to figure out how best to broach this subject. While they were eating, a quiet moment away from the temple proper, had seemed like as good a time as any. But still he'd caught her off guard. "Sorry about that," he muttered before Ren answered him.
Ren was looking at him as she spoke, but he could see in her eyes that her mind was somewhere else. Fortunately, she soon came back to the present. Johar smiled as Ren ended on, if not a completely happy note, a better one than he might have expected. "I can imagine that moving back right away might be overwhelming," he said with a small smile. "But I'm glad that this first visit back has been a good one so far. If there's anything I can do to help keep it that way, just let me know."
Done speaking for now, Johar returned to his rice bowl. He finished it off, and returned the empty bowl to the Acolytes with his thanks. Wiping his mouth, he turned back to Ren to wait for her to finish eating, eager to see what she had to show him next.
Mar 30, 2017 11:44:49 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Mar 30, 2017 11:44:49 GMT -6
Ren smiled in return. "Sure, I'll let you know."
Though, she didn't really see what more Johar could do that he hadn't done already. He mended her sash, showed her the basics of sewing, accompanied her to Hangetsu's apartment, spent New Year's Eve with her, accompanied her back to the Island for her first visit in over a year.... if he did any more, she'd owe him some serious karmic debt.
Though, let's face it, she already did.
She finished her rice bowl neatly, taking care to retrieve every single stray grain of rice with a practiced hand. It was bad luck, it was said, to leave grains of rice at the bottom of your bowl. Ren wasn't particularly superstitious, but this one was a remnant of her childhood. Johar finished his food a minute or so before she finished making sure all of her remaining rice was gone.
Before she spoke, she ran her tongue over her teeth to make sure there was nothing stuck between. Satisfied, she smiled and gestured back to the other end of the grounds.
"Feel like braving the air bison?" she asked, absently scrunching up her nose to wiggle her glasses to a more suitable spot on her face. "Or we can go make our lanterns for tonight."
Anonymous
Apr 1, 2017 22:37:02 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2017 22:37:02 GMT -6
As he waited for Ren to finish her food, Johar took the chance to look around and see what he had missed while focused on his hunger. There were so many people on the island. "It's generous of the acolytes to welcome all of us to the island," he commented, watching as the crowd parted to allow a group of acolytes passage. "It's so beautiful here."
Johar couldn't help drawing back a bit when Ren mentioned the air bison. He'd been nervous about that prospect ever since she first mentioned it. She did give him an alternative with the lanterns, and he took a moment to consider his options. Eventually, though, he made his decision. "I think I'm ready for the bison," he said. He swallowed hard. "But, um... I think it'd be best if you fed them first... showed me how to do it right."
Apr 6, 2017 18:30:44 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Apr 6, 2017 18:30:44 GMT -6
Ren smiled kindly and motioned for Johar to follow. She led the way across the courtyard and around to the side of the temple. Here the grounds were green and lush, and there was a cave along the mountainside.
"That's where the bison stay," she explained. "We try and leave them alone so they have a place they can be away from us."
The grassy area had no fences. "What use are walls when they can fly?" Ren asked rhetorically. "Plus they're so intelligent, you just let them know they can't leave the grassy area unless it's an emergency."
She signaled for Johar to wait before walking calmly forward to a large bison. She reached out to pat its nose and murmured for a few moments before the giant beast let out a rumbly snort and meandered away. A small calf had been hidden under its long fur, and Ren knelt down and motioned for Johar to come over.
"Sit down," she said with a smile, her arms around the calf's back and shoulders. It was roughly the size of a large dog. "This little one's mother has agreed to let you pet it. Just reach out your hand and let it sniff your scent."
Anonymous
Apr 8, 2017 0:01:24 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Apr 8, 2017 0:01:24 GMT -6
Johar followed as Ren led the way toward the bison. He made sure not to lag behind, but wasn't right at her heels either, trepidation in his mind urging him to keep his distance just in case. They moved away from the crowded courtyard, and to a much quieter area featuring grass and an ominous-looking cave. More importantly, this was where the bison were.
Johar gaped as the bison came into view. "They're…big," he said, his voice transformed into a small squeak by nerves. "I mean, I've seen them flying before, but never this close. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but…" he trailed off, still trying to process what he was seeing.
He was more than happy to wait as Ren instructed, watching in awe as his friend approached a large bison with seemingly no sense of the fear he was currently feeling. He reminded himself that the bison were herbivores, and therefore highly unlikely to eat him. The thought helped…a little.
He breathed a little easier as the large bison moved away, revealing the much-less-intimidating-sized calf that had been hiding in its mother's fur. He still didn't run over, but once he was sitting down in front of the calf he had to admit that it was more cute than scary. Gingerly, he held out his hand to the bison, ready to snatch it away at a moment's notice. He needn't have worried. The calf shuffled forward, sniffing at his hand for a long moment. Then it gave his hand a lick.
At that, Johar let out a small yelp. "I was not expecting that," he explained, grinning sheepishly. He looked at his hand, flexing his now slightly sticky fingers. Then he reached out, and slowly patted the calf on the head. Seeing that the limb didn't fall off or burst into flames, his smile grew. "I guess I really was worried for no reason," he said. "Good to know that I can—oh!" He was cut off by the calf, which had bumped its head against his palm, seemingly seeking more pats. Laughing, he obliged. "Well, that seems like a good sign."
Apr 11, 2017 13:42:13 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Apr 11, 2017 13:42:13 GMT -6
Ren scritched the calf behind its ear but it was far more interested in Johar. She smiled; Johar was new, not a temple regular, and the calf was highly aware of that.
She laughed with him as the young thing headbutted his hand for more petting. "See, no harm at all. The adults are essentially just... larger versions of this. They're really easy to talk to, you know. They're incredibly intelligent and understand what we're saying. I'm... I'm not sure if they understand the words or the intent behind the words, but whatever the reason it's incredibly difficult to offend one enough to attack."
Her face grew a bit more somber. "The last time I saw the bison in a frenzy was when the temple was attacked. But you know. When you come armed with weapons and start hitting the people that live here, the intent is pretty obvious."
The calf rolled over, its six legs waving lazily in the air, asking for belly rubs. Ren laughed again, obliging. Sometimes the six legs were a sight to get used to — most more-than-bipedal creatures had four legs, in her experience.
The mother bison ambled a little closer and sat down, leaning forward to take a wiff of Johar's hair. "Er —" she began, standing up quickly. She held her arms and hands out to the bison, who dwarfed even her unusually tall stature. "Come on momma," she murmured, making little shooing gestures. "Let's give the man some space."
Anonymous
Apr 11, 2017 16:25:24 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2017 16:25:24 GMT -6
Johar kept scratching the calf, being sure to move his hand all around its head rather than staying in any one spot for too long. The more time he spent with the calf, the more at ease he began to feel. He'd spent much of his childhood helping his parents with the animals on their farm, and really, if he thought about it, air bison were just like bigger hippo cows that could fly. When he thought of them that way, they were much less intimidating.
Of course, it did help that Ren was there with him. Having someone else who was already familiar with the bison and who knew the best way to approach them took a great deal of stress out of the meeting. "Must be nice to talk to an animal that can understand you," he said, nodding. "I tried all the time with the ostrich horses back at my parents' farm, but they never seemed to get what I was saying. Though, now that I think about it, they always listened to Ami and Li…and even Ken, once he learned to talk…" He shrugged. "Maybe they just didn't like me."
Ren mentioned the events of a year ago, and Johar was reminded that, as joyous as this celebration was, it was taking place on an island that had suffered greatly during all that had happened. It was inspiring that, at a time when fear and paranoia were infecting the entire city, the Acolytes opened their home to any and all to celebrate the new year.
Johar drew back a bit as the calf rolled over and he saw all six—six!—of its legs. But the request for a belly rub could not be denied, so he joined Ren. "I forgot that they had so many legs," he admitted, chuckling a bit at himself. "That's a bit…well, it's not something I see every day, that's for sure."
He was intent upon satisfying the calf's desire for affection, ignoring his surroundings. Then, he stiffened, a shiver running through him as he heard a loud sniffing noise and felt air move above his head. He looked up, and clapped his hands over his mouth to stifle a gasp. Fear froze him in place. Fortunately, Ren came to his rescue, gently but firmly moving the large bison to a comfortable distance. It took Johar a moment to remember to breathe. "Th—thanks," he managed to stammer out at Ren with the barest hint of a grateful smile. "I was not expecting that."
He eyed the mother bison, who stared back at him curiously. Slowly, he stepped toward her, ready to back off the moment anything went wrong. Not sure what proper protocol was here, he decided to repeat Ren's strategy of holding his arm out. The bison sniffed at the limb, then moved right past it to resume her investigation of his head. He stood as still as he could, wide eyes finding Ren's. "Is this…is this a common thing?" he asked, his tone low. "I mean…" he could the air of the bison's movements blow over his scalp. "There's not much hair there, so I don't see what's so interesting."
Apr 11, 2017 16:56:29 GMT -6
Post by Ren on Apr 11, 2017 16:56:29 GMT -6
Ren giggled as the mother bison elected to ignore Johar's outstretched hand and continue sniffing his hair. Or what was left of it.
"It must be the light," she teased gently. "Perhaps it caught her attention and she's come to investigate."
But the mother bison was very keen, somehow, on Johar's head and eventually, opened her mouth to give it a good, approving lick.
Ren gasped, horrified. "Oh good gravy!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to stand between her friend and the bison. "Really, missy," she said, admonishing the giant beast. "This is not how we treat guests!" Turning to her friend, Ren held out her shawl in offering. "I'm so sorry, she must really like you. Bison groom the creatures they like."
As if to prove Ren's point, the mother bison had begun liking it's calf, who seemed to enjoy the attention. Every so often, the enormous creature would look back at them with big brown eyes doleful, reproaching them for scolding good intentions. But she kept her distance, clearly understanding she had done something that the guests to the pen had disliked.
Anonymous
Apr 12, 2017 1:26:10 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2017 1:26:10 GMT -6
"Hey!" Johar protested as Ren teased him about his lack of hair. "I'm not completely bald," he mumbled. "Just don't want to have to take care of a bunch of hair is all." He would've said more, but the feeling of a large tongue scraping against his scalp somehow managed to drive all thoughts out of his mind. He stumbled at the pressure of it, almost falling. Luckily, he managed to catch himself. He gaped at the bison, too shocked to back away like he knew he should.
"I…it's okay," he mumbled as he accepted the offer of the shawl. Raising an arm, he used his sleeve to wipe off his head before shielding himself with the shawl. He watched as the mother bison took her tongue to her child, who seemed much more receptive to the licking. "Well, as far as first meetings go, I've had worse," he said. "Good to know she likes me, though. Not every day you get to make friends in a…unique way like that." He scratched his head, still feeling the lingering touch of the bison's tongue. "I wonder if it's good luck to be slobbered on by an air bison."
