The Bounty [Black Orchid and Onyxsonal]

[Black Orchid]

He saw the little quirks she did with her limbs—her tail and ears—he wonder what insight it gave into her mind, what made her react like that, and what every flick or directions of those part meant on her feelings.

“I see.” Jaroslav said, picking up his pace and slowing down to walk beside her, “But why are you heading that way?” He kept it up, he seriously wanted to know where she was going, or at least where she thought she was going; because, it being his house, he was the more knowledgeable here, and it was only three other things in that direction at this current time, none of which she should be wanting to head off to.

"I do indeed know where your headed, but do you?" He asked, looking over at her.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis looked at him as he walked beside her her mind racing as to how she was going to get out of this place with him following her. Her ears burrowed back into her mane of hair as she turned right when the first avliable right came up. She did not want to answer his question yet she felt frustrated with him, her tail jerking once in agitation.

"I am leaving. I am heading this way because the little fairy, Bozidara I do believe her name was, said that in order to leave I must go down this hall and make a right then take the stairs down." She said blandly, filling in the last part herself. She figured she was not on a first story but if she was there would likely be a door in which she could exit from.

[Black Orchid]

He nodded his head, adding in little 'yeah's and 'uh-huh's, “Yes, 'take the stairs down' right into my closet.” He said the 'take the stairs down' part with her and continued the rest. “Either my little Bozidara is a comedian, or she was trying to send you to two other places; 'the first only door to the left' or 'the stairs up'.” He said actually pausing in confusion.

Jaroslav then blinked as his lips bloomed into a mirth filled smile, “The first door is into my newly bred ten feet tall ligers; the stairs up is my bedchambers.” He knew his Bozidara well, she was probably sending her into a room full of mixed lion tigers. “Are you trying to visit me in my chambers, little kitten?” He asked, slinking over to her and blowing at her flatten ears.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis frowned when he continued where she left off. His closet..? Why in heavens name would that stupid fairy send her to the man closet? When he continued to speak her mind narrowed in on one thing. Newly Bred Ligers. The heat around her spike quickly and her eyes darkened to a maroon color, borderline violet. If the floor and walls could be scorched they would be. If he had no way of combating extreme heat he would feel it. The temperature was enough to melt crayons in a instant and plastic bottles in a few moments. Yet she did not look like she felt it at all, for she didn't. That little fairy would not send her to his bedchambers....of that she was sure.

Her ears suddenly jerked when he blow on her ear. She felt her body heat, the type she could acknowledge, spike on her face, causing a slight blush to appear. Her ear were sensitive to touch and wind blowings. She turn on her heels, her claws turning a nice red color. Like pokers left in the fire too long. She was going to do what the fairy wanted the liger to do to her; rip her to pieces.

"I will never go to your bed chambers...." She muttered as she raced back down the hall to the room. She was going to get that tempestuous fairy for trying to kill her. Screw her innocence, that fairy was going down. Yet....through all of this the only thing that gave away what she was going to do where her claws, the heat, and her tail jerking around tensely.

[Black Orchid]

It was his turn to shiver as he grinned at her, he loved feeling her fire, it was a great adrenaline, he was slightly distracted, or probably didn't care, as the demon extracted her claws and charged back towards the room. The blue and green fairies felt it first as the heat irritably warm their body, Bozidara didn't notice the temperature change as she continued to tug on the green fairies hair.

“Heads up, Bozidara." The green fairy said as she laughed at the tugging.

Bozidara was confused at the... pun maybe? As she too was having her hair pulled by the green sprite; but the green sprite was tugging her to the ceiling as the demon suddenly appeared in the room door way. The Blue sprite flew down to try and stop the raving woman.

“Please, calm down!" She said but she was shaking too, she was to tiny to really do anything.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis stared at the green and yellow faeries that were locked together by hair pulling. Her eyes looked at the blue fairy before she snapped at the girl, slamming her fangs together in warning. She did not want to hear any 'calm down' or crap like that. She was stressed to the hilt with worrying about what she was going to do with the rest of her destroyed life, had people hunting her for no true reason other than the need for money, she was a wanted woman and on top of all of that she was in a strange environment with strange people! Needless to say she was not int he right mood for jokes, especially if they ended up with her dying. She worked to damn hard to be killed because of some jealous little whisp of a fairy.

Her tail batted away at the blue fairy as she crouch and pounced to the yellow fairy. She had made no other noise then snapping her teeth at the blue fairy. She wanted to grab that fairy and land on her, hopefully breaking her tiny little body, and that required stealth. She really did not want to be chasing the stupid chit around.

[Black Orchid]

The blue fairy shrieked as the demon snapped at her, she sunk to the floor in a faint. The green fairy was trying to get Bozidara's attention. Bozidara gave in to the turning of her head and she looked to see the feral demon. She cried out and released the green fairy as she swooped down to try and avoid the pouncing woman.

“Jaroslav!” She cried out in terror as she now noticed the demon's heat.

He wasn't one to poke around in women squabbles, but it was more important things at hand than the annoying chimes of a fairy and the angered snapping of a... fox... wolf... mammal. He squeaked back to the room, picking up his pace once he heard Bozidara's cry.

“Easy now.” He said, trying to get the demon's attention.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis smirked when the fairy did a small dive downward. As she moved over the girl, her tail flicked at the fairy. If her tail did not hit her than the wind created by her tail's flicking motion would certainly jar the tiny creature enough for her to have another go at the girl. She landed gracefully on her hands and feet before she turned and moved to pounce again only to stop when Jaroslav entered the room and told her to be easy. Her tail bristled as she stood, storming to the man, smacking at the fairy roughly, in the hopes of knocking the fairy firmly on the floor.

"....I am not some pet for you to tell me easy. I am not a dog, nor will I allow you to treat me as such." She still had a monotonous tone even though everything about her screamed rage and anger. The heat around her was growing each moment she grew more angry. Like he wanted, he had her attention. Whether or not he liked it was another story.

[Black Orchid]

Bozidara fell to the floor, she huffed as the air was knocked out of her. She cursed as she bit her tongue from the impact.

“Well then, stop behaving like one; I mean—” he pulled out the wanted poster with her sketched picture on it, “—your starting to look more like this.” He laughed, but decided to get serious. “I'm sure you want to stop all this running, and I want... You want that bounty off, right?” He said, crossing his arms lazily as he leaned on the door frame. "You really do have nothing else to lose—no harm would come to you, I promise—unless you want to be caught.

He knew the fatigue trick wouldn't work on her now, especially in the morning like this, so he pulled out his best card in this current deck. “Plus this is a big house, non-normal house; as you know, the hallways change every five minutes—even I get lost some times.” He said, not hinting on if he was joking or not. “While your running around trying to figure out the effort in this grand house—” Okay, now he was gloating, “—Then your free to do so, and I'll just call the authorities, find you, and collect the earnings.” Both was really a win/win for him, she could either help him out with what he wanted, or he could get paid off her bounty. “So, unless your a better magician than me, you'll be setting up your future here.” He said, letting her pick her choice.

Yeah it was a little unfair that he placed her in such slim options, but that was all technicalities, technicalities indeed, no, no wait, he was pretty selfish.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis hated being out of control and he was only making it worse. She touched the paper, burning it completely into ashes in a matter of miliseconds. She turned to look at him, her rage unadulterated in her eyes. They were now a strange purple color. She wrapped her tail around her waist, her ear vanishing into the mane of her hair, burrowing uunder her hair to hide. She stared at him blankly.

"....you are after what from me that you have gone throguh such length to capture me...." She asked in a plain tone, her eyes had yet to change colors and her claws had grown black.

[Black Orchid]

He watched her little quirks, they entertained him greatly, “Your so cute.” He said, walking over to the side of her and picking up the two unconscious fairies. He turned to her and shook his hand like he was trying to flick them off, and they disappeared, he showed his hand to her with an astonished look, like magicians did to their audience.

“I want your fire.” He said suddenly, bending one finger in a 'come over here' fashion to the green fairy, as she floated down to him, he raised both his hands and clamped them around her as if he was clapping, he then opened them again and showed the female demon his hands. “Now I hope you'd stop asking so many questions and listen.” He said.

“The only real way to get that bounty off your head is to change your image and persona.” He said, looking at her, “Or, turning yourself in, that's one way too.” He said walking over to her. “Your appearance is very convincing, even with the horribly drawn picture—that let me tell you, does not flatter—” He said, going off topic and checking her out again. “—So, do you have the,” He wiggled his fingers in front her face, “magic, to conceal the extremities?” He asked, still wiggling his fingers.

[Onyxsonal]

"You want me to kill me basically." She said in a plain voice. He wanted what she could not truly give him without removing a significant part of her that would leave her unable to live and survive. To change who she was in appearance was something she never considered or even wanted to think about. He was asking something of her that was nearly impossible for her to do or even consider.

"I can not give you something that is so much a part of me as my fire. I will have to take my chances with being captured." She turned and walked away, her tail wagging behind her. She had no real choice in the matter. She could give him her fire and die....or she could risk the authorities and plan to escape from them. If she did not have to give it to him she might consider it.

[Black Orchid]

He sputtered at her accusations, and was a little slow in chasing after her, “No, no you have it all wrong—I don't want to kill you.” He said, appalled at such a thought. “I just need... you around, look, stop jumping to conclusions!” He said, trying to get her to stop walking.

“Let's talk about happier things—your dead to this town—you need to cut your hair, and lose a few ears and that tail.” He said, showing her his suggestions. He even cringed at the thought of cutting her hair, but they needed to move a great distance, maybe three towns over, and they'd be fine--it'll grow back! Her bounty was pretty minor, other towns wouldn't be so passionate about her killing another village's inhabitant, especially if it was just one.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis slowly and looked over her shoulder at him. So he wanted to keep her near him to utilize her power. Now that was a different story. She had thought he sought to take it from her to have it himself. Well, inadvertently, he would have it, just she would keep it. She stared at him, wondering why he did not put it that way in the first place. She cringed at the thought of cutting her hair off. She loved her hair. It was a mane of beauty to her. It was fluffy and wild and well...she really liked it. She frowned for a moment before she blinked as an idea caught her.

"What day is it? Season...it was turning from winter to spring right?" That would make sense because arctic water was hard to get other wise. If they were still in winter but entering spring then that would lessen her worry about her hair. She could cut it however she wanted to but  once they were firmly in spring, her hair would grow back quickly. She tended to get a few feet cut off during that time. It was like shedding. Her thick mane  turned into loose, lighter creamy curls during the spring and summer. It was natural for her to do.

"If so then cutting my hair would not bother me for it will grow back in loose curls come spring. My ear and tail I will have a problem loosing...or are you merely going to hide the...make them vanish like you made your silly little fairies vanish..." She eyed this man carefully...wondering what kind of man only had tiny fairies around him. She wondered if he had a male partner some where. It certainly would explain the flamboyant attire when she first met him.

She smiled to herself, the first smile in a long time. She remembered her best friend. He was a character in deed, he always wore flamboyant colors. She remembered fondly his wedding and how happy he was with his partner. She felt a ping of regret...she would never have that now. She let out a soft sigh and once again he mask was on. She watched the man carefully, waiting his answer.

[Black Orchid]

“It is, it is!” He said happily, he would have agreed anyways at the thought that she'd do it, but it made him more at ease that she'd get her lovely hair back. “Ah, yes.” He said, agreeing with her, that was what he planned to do, “But not like the fairies...” he mumbled to himself. “Uh, may I?” He asked, gesturing to her ears,  he normally didn't care about invading peoples space, but she was relaxed now, he saw the fleeting smile, he wanted to keep her in that state.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis watched him agree in a very excited tone. She couldn't help but blink. This man was very strange indeed. Then again she had given him what he wanted in a way, so it made sense for him to be happy. She shifted a bit before she nodded slowly when he made a motion to her ears. They twitched as did her tail, anticipating what he would do. She was very unsure of what he was going to do or if it was reversible, but at this point he hadn't lied to her that she knew about. He might have taken a few too many liberties to get what he wanted, like bringing her to this place without her permission, but other than that...she knew of no lies.

"......sure....just...don't....meh....they are sensitive so be nice to them." She mumbled, not liking it when people touched them sometimes. People had a tendency to be rough with her ears as if they wanted to rub them off her head. It was never a pleasant experience.

[Black Orchid]

“The up most gentle gentlemen.” He said, reaching his hands up and placing them on one set of her ears, he push them down and patted them as they disappeared like the green fairy, he then did the same to the other set, all until she had no more ears left.

“Now... ah hem.” He said, pointing to her tail, “Turn around...” He said, but he couldn't help the sly smirk that crawled over his face.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis jumped a little when he patted her head. She felt him do it on each ear. She whined softly, not likely that they were hidden from sight. She couldn't really feel them but she could still hear at the same quality she had before. Now when he asked her to turn around the problem arose. Her tail was more sensitive than her ears and in a very different way. She saw that smirk and she fought the urge to run. No one had ever touch her tail. One person tried and she had freaked out. It was not something she wanted touch because when she touched it she grew flush and hot. Not something she wanted happening when he touched it! She glared at him before she turned around a bit.

"Watch the hands....Any funny business....and I will claw your eyes out Magician Man" She muttered softly, watching him over her shoulder. Her tail was stiff, and jerky...trying to avoid his hands at all cost.

[Black Orchid]

Jaroslav smiled innocently as he bent down, he then moved his hands trying to fallow the restless tail, when he was able to he grabbed it and held it firmly, once in a nice hold, he loosen into a gentle grip. He clamped down on it with his left hand, placed his right hand a level up, above his left, and clamped down again, both spots of her tail disappearing; he did that all the way to the hilt, he then patted the spot on her lower back, and stood.

“Aw, don't look that way—it makes me feel guilty.” He said, lifting his hands that now held scissors in them.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis felt her face grow hot when he grabed her tail, a natural reaction. She let out a soft purr as he went along her tail, making it vanish. She knew that she looked much more human now withot her ears and tail and hated it. She turned when he finished and lept backwards when she saw the siscors in his hands. She really wanted to do it herself!

"...May I do my own hair please?" she asked, her eyes staring at the blades.

[Black Orchid]

He looked at her oddly—he really wanted to do it—it gave him an excuse to touch her hair. “Yes, yes. It's the least I could do; it'll clear my conscience.” He said, handing them to her.

He watched her to see what she did with it, “Since we're being honest here, I guess I could tell you that I could have just,” He snapped his fingers and the sheets on the bed disappeared. “but I'm a hands on type of guy.” He said, raising his hands and doing a grabby motion.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis took the siscors and tossed them to the ground, having no real plans on using them. She bent over, flinging her hair infront of her, and ran her finger through her hair of hair. It was thick and a little bit longer then waist length. She paused and looked up at him with a raised brow upon seeig the grabbing hands. She gathered her hair into a both hands.

"then use them and hold just where my hands are." she said, knowing her would do so. Once he did she ran her sharp claws from the edge the mane, a tad hit more than shoulder length before she walked backward as she ran her claws forward. This way her hair was naturally layered and without stray pieces of hair to deal with. She righted herself and shook out her hair, comin through it with her now dull claws. She sighed morosely at the shortness, it had gotten shorter as the curls began to form.

[Black Orchid]

With out a second thought, Jaroslav pocketed the hair into his seemingly infinity waist pocket, he then began to walk forward and out of the room as he waved her over to come with him. “We can't stay here, now can we?” He said leading her down the halls and up the stairs onto the bottom floor, it might feel a little confusing seeing as they were indeed on the top floor, but minutes has past, and now the stairs up was the way down.

“We must make haste and hop over to a few unfamiliar towns.” He said, leading her out of the house and into the vast forest that perched on the edge of her home town. If she could remember, she'd know that it was only a short ways from where they had 'ran' into each other.

[Onyxsonal]

Artemis watched him pocket the hair and couldn't help but raise a brow. This man was just gettin stranger by the moment but that dis not matter right now for he motioned for her to follow him. She couldn't help but mutter something as she walked behind him. She was still unsure about this man but for now she focused on where they were going. She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, watching him go up.

Didn't that lead to his bedroom? She bought for a moment what he had told her about the house and it's ability to change. They ha been in the room for a little bt longer than five minutes so she assumed that meant the stair led else where now. She raced up the stair, not wanting to lose him. She folowed him outside and couldn't help but feel the urge to run. She wanted to but the reality of the matter was that he would likely make her appear normal again and she knew hat her villager had artic water still. She shivered at the memory of her body being doused in it.

She kept up with him but move a little slower, soakig up the sun's Ray. Her making became more vibrant in color and more pronounced on her skin unlike the pale red they had been last night. Her hair even seemed to gain more color and vibrance, becoming a richer cream color.

[Black Orchid]

As they began to walk, the house began to disappear—literally vanish—not because of their distance. Jaroslav seemed more vibrant now, no longer needing his magic to keep the allusion up. He began to lead them out of the forest and to just barren grassy plains and fields.

“So, since I'm helping you, are you going to help me?” He asked, noticing that she had yet to voice if she truly would agree with his terms. He also notice that they were coming up on another sister village.