♪1 audio ♯ action

[chirpchirp]

< what is this strange place? what is this? what is that? why is it not brown? or gold? or made of stone? what are these big green things above its head? what is that? where is the temple? wait, where is the buddy? >

♪? ♪♪ ♪~!!

< .....

no answer? try again and louder this time>

♪~~~~!

< hm...alone? okay, then time to find a new buddy! >

♪　♪　♪♪　♪~

[the traveler has appeared on the edge of town along the road. anyone in the surrounding buildings may have heard it chirping and calling out as it runs toward the town square. and anyone it encounters along the way will have a close to three foot tall red cloaked creature running circles around them.

ooc; an example of the tonal chirps can be found here on a youtube let's play]

Comments

[redjacketthief]

[It was like a puppy!

Holding back another laugh, Lupin ruffled the little guy's hood affectionately. Treating a being that seemed this sentient felt strange, but he was at a loss of what else to do.

Tentatively, he tried another echo.]

♪♪~~~~~~~~

[He held the last note for longer, and laughed.]

You don't know how to speak, do you?

[chirpchirp]

<is this how these travelers charge? with patting? oh! i wonder if i can pat!>

[The traveler chirps and flaps its cloak, the symbols on its scarf glowing. It can't get high enough to pat his head, but it will bump up against him and then fall back to the ground.]

♪♪~

1/2

[redjacketthief]

Whoa~

[He hadn't expected the sudden flapping of it's cloak as if the fabric were wings, nor the glowing of it's scarf--but he understood what it was trying to do when it bumped lightly against him.]

2/2

[redjacketthief]

[Laughing, he dropped down to his knees so that his new little friend could have a better reach. Standing at 5'10", the lowered height was substantial comparatively.]

Here you go. Now try.

♪~~~

[Another copied note. This was kind of fun!]

[chirpchirp]

[With Lupin kneeling down, the traveler bumps up against him and climbs up onto one of his legs, making its way up to his shoulder and then up to his head. It's surprisingly light, barely weighing anything at all and it stands there, confused for a moment. After a second, it pats its feet against Lupin's hair gently and then chirps again.]

♪♪!

< i did it! >

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin just laughed in delight over how proud the little stranger sounded. He had never seen anyone or anything like it and was astounded by its lightness and its innocence.]

Oh, this is great! You're just--do you have a name?

♩ ♫~?

[He didn't whistle that time, but used his voice as a trained vocalist warming up for a performance would. da dee-daaa~.]

[chirpchirp]

[Dropping from Lupin's head, the traveler flops onto the ground and slides a little in the dirt. It turns and looks back at him when he sings and tilts its head.]

♪ ♪ ♪♪?

<what is name?>

[redjacketthief]

♪♪?

[Lupin peered at the little stranger curiously, and noted from body language alone that it didn't understand something.]

...Let me guess, you don't understand?

[chirpchirp]

♪♪~

[It copies his notes and then tilts its head the other way.]

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin mimicked the motion and whistled once more.]

♪~~~~~~~~~~~

[He held the note out before pausing to breath, regarding the stranger with amusement. He slumped in the dirt, fastidiousness shoved aside for the moment, and folded his legs beneath him.]

Guess you really don't talk, huh? Okay, okay.

[He broadly stretched his arms, glad to get the muscles working, and pointed a thumb at himself with a grin.]

Lupin. I'm Lupin.

[He pointed at the stranger in turn.]

And you are?

[chirpchirp]

♪♪

[It mimics the sound of his voice in tones and then chirps again in a different pattern.]

♪ ♪ ♪♪♪ ♪

< are you a traveler?>

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin laughed again.]

Sorry, little guy. I don't understand you any better than you understand me.

[chirpchirp]

♪♪

[It turns and starts dragging its feet through the dirt and manages to draw a picture of a flower, albeit mangled.]

♪♪

[redjacketthief]

[That dual pitch must have been the stranger's way of saying his name, Lupin realized as he watched it draw its picture.]

That's a flower. Hang on~

[Lupin crawled onto his hands and knees and drew a similar looking flower in the dirt with his hands. He could wash up later; this was more interesting.]

[chirpchirp]

♪♪

[It looks at the prettier drawing and chirps at it, then moves a little ways away and draws a mountain with twin peaks and an opening between them. It stands at the top of the mountain, looking down at it, chirping sadly.]

♫

[redjacketthief]

[He heard his 'name' again and looked at the new drawing as it was being created. It was a pair of mountains, and he was distantly reminded of some of the sights in Japan--

But the change in body language and tone was enough for him to understand something.]

You miss your mountains, huh?

[Lupin likewise attempted to draw something he was familiar with. He drew a bare facsimile of a city horizon in the dirt, with the shapes of the buildings all melded together in the distance.]

I miss my home too.

[chirpchirp]

[coming over, it looks at the cityscape and tilts its head.

then it looks up at Lupin.]

♫?

[Is he one of the Elders? Is this what they looked like?]

[redjacketthief]

♫♪

[Lupin whistled low, almost melancholy, before speaking again.]

I don't know what you mean, but we're alike.

We both miss home.

[chirpchirp]

♫~

[The traveler chirps and then presses itself up against Lupin's side, causing its cloak to glow slightly from the proximity.]

[redjacketthief]

[The glowing again. It threw Lupin off, but the intent was clear. Lupin wrapped his arms around his small, new friend and laughed.]

I'm happy to be with you too, Petit Ami.

[chirpchirp]

[aaaaah what is that - oh it's nice. yaaaaay

The traveler can't hug back but it sings and lets the sound wave wash over Lupin to let him know it's happy, too.]

♫~

[redjacketthief]

♫♪ ♪~~~~~~~~

[He was trying. Give him points for trying--but he choked on laughter before he could say more.

After such a hard few days, having someone who was so innocent and so non-judgemental in his arms was exactly what he needed.]

[chirpchirp]

[Wiggling free, the traveler runs a circle around Lupin, peeping happily. A new buddy! yay!]

♫♫ ♫ ♫ ♪　♪　♫♫　♪　♪♪　♫♫　♪　♪♪

[redjacketthief]

['Lupin'. There was his name again at the end of the sudden bubbling melody. He quieted the laughter, but couldn't keep it from his eyes.]

You're happy about this too? This really has been a good meeting!

[chirpchirp]

[Pulling back the traveler starts drawing in the dirt again and makes a:

♥ ]