Broken From the Start [Jack]

[keiko]

The few wonders of the world
only exist

Hunter green eyes turned wide as Keiko continued to wander around the thickly vegetated forest. The deer shifter had been playing with her best friend Laura before she got lost again, it was something that seemed to happen a lot to the fifteen year old. However, of all the times Keiko has gotten lost, she had never seen this forest before. It was so pretty, with bright colors and strange sounds Keiko had never heard before. Just having the honor of stepping into such a magical and fascinating place made Keiko's heart sore. I wonder what magical creatures live in this forest, Keiko wondered to herself.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, something bright and sparkly caught her attention. Without a second thought, Keiko trotted over to the source of the distraction, a huge grin spreading across her face as the object of her interest came into view. Something shiny was poking out from a little bag under one of the trees in the forest. Keiko smiled and innocently began to search through the bag for said shiny thing, all the while wondering what could be hiding in the small, beige sack.


ooc: YAY FOR SHORT MSN POSTING? xD

while there are those
with the sight to see them.

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] It still took effort to adjust to the change - from a world of black, white and shades of grey to a forest littered with various blinding colors and hues. Though he was more agile and much more comfortable in his natural form - the lithe jackal - it was easier to pick up on slight changes in the bulky human form. Even if it was slower, he was much more powerful. As he thought on this, his hazel eyes drifted over the forest floor from where he crouched upon a thick bough, silently guarding his resting place for the remainder of the day. Today, he would rest, and he'd pick up his mission later that night or at dawn. So far it had been peaceful - an Analoya patrol a while back that hadn't picked up on his scent. Fools. He shifted slightly, looking down to ascertain he wouldn't slip - and in the instant he looked up, he saw a girl fishing through his bags. A terrific snarl ripped from his barreled chest and he leapt from the tree to the hard earth below, a tremor running through it. In two bounds he was upon her, thick hand wrapped around her thin wrist as he slammed her roughly to the earth, chest still rumbling with a ferocious growl. Lips peeled back in a snarl, he clamped a hand around her thin throat. It took a moment to realize that his opponent was barely more than a pup. His grip slacked slightly, so she could breathe, but he still held fast. "What are you doing?" He grunted, awkwardly straddling her stomach. "Who are you?" She didn't smell of Analoya... ooc; YES YAY 8D

[keiko]

The few wonders of the world
only exist

After a few seconds of rummaging, Keiko found what she was looking for. Keiko wasn't really sure what "it" was; all she knew was that it was thin, pointy, sharp, and most importantly shiny! A wide grin spread across her face as she idly sat down on the dewy grass and examined the object. The tenderfoot began to turn it back and forth entirely amused by how the light from the sun would bounce on and off, on and off the gleaming object. She wondered who's it could be? So tempted was she to tuck the glistening object away and take it home to show it to all of her family and friends! But alas, that would be stealing since the shiny object did not belong to her, and Mama always told Keiko that stealing was wrong. Right as Keiko was about to put it back, however, she was jumped upon and pinned down by some stranger.

A sharp gasp escaped Keiko's throat as he was choking her, but it didn't last long since he soon loosen his grip. She blinked up at the man once, twice, then three times, before he began to ask his questions. A wide smile spread across her face when he stopped to allow her to respond. "Just putting the shiny away, " Keiko chirped gleefully, green eyes sparkling at the thought of meeting someone new. "Oh how rude of me, I'm Keiko! And you might be...?"

while there are those
with the sight to see them.

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] Jack blinked. Unbelievable. There was no fear in her wide, green eyes - only a brilliant, shimmering innocence. He observed the features of her face - most likely Hispanic in origin, her skin delicately tanned and her hair long and dark in coloration - black, to be exact. Most likely a Shifter, as she seemed too lacking in proper foraging skills. Judging by her features she was no older than 15 or 16 at the most, and Jack felt a sudden burst of what might be called humiliation at thinking her a threat. "Just putting the shiny away, " "The...shiny?" His eyes flickered to one of his several knives that lay on the ground, dropped and forgotten. Her introduction was a cheery chirp, and he released her throat cautiously, still perched atop her midsection. The gangly youth didn't see a threat - but he never underestimated- anyone. "Oh how rude of me, I'm Keiko! And you might be...?" "Jack. Some call me Peacemaker." With that, he motioned to the knife. "And that is called a knife, not a shiny." His brow furrowed and he frowned softly, some thought pressing at the back of his mind like a lost memory, a feeling...he hadn't felt in so long. "It's sharp. Dangerous." He paused, looking around. "What are you doing here? Are you Analoya?" "Who are you?" She didn't smell of Analoya. But she could be an insurgent, for all he knew. Others might laugh off the thought of this skinny, innocent youth - but he knew better. He was well versed in the ways of battle and the extremes the enemy would go to to simply get a kill. He hadn't any qualms, really, he just preferred to use his hands and own weapons as a medium for retaliation. ooc; we'll finish postin' this up tomorrow. Woot, finally getting somewhere with these two x3

[keiko]

The few wonders of the world
only exist

The deer shifter blinked up at the man in interest as hazel eyes stared right back at her. It was strange, Keiko hadn't expected to find any people wandering about the forest, she thought that she would merely come across some colorful bugs or cute little bunnies like Keiko found littered all about the desert. All that Keiko knew was the desert and the people that she met there, so the very sheltered girl assumed that the people and surrounding were the same as back home. Though she supposed that was what made wandering so very exciting and fun, the wonders one see on the journey.

"Yes, the shiny!" Keiko giggled in response to the man's silly question, her smile never wavering for even a moment. The young teen always had that tendency, to name things by how they looked when she didn't know exactly what they were called. Even when someone informed Keiko of their title, she normally continued to call the object by it's mere appearance; it was easier for the girl to remember stuff that way. She had always been a more visual than auditory learner, or at least that was what Tio Boni always called it.

When the stranger announced to Keiko his name, she couldn't help but blink a couple of times in bewilderment. "Peacemaker?" Keiko questioned with a tilt of her head, "Why would they call you that when 'Jack' is so much shorter?" It didn't make sense why anyone would make something more complicated that it already was. Her belief that every worked it's best when it was at it's simplest. Why make something so much more difficult than it needs to be, when it works just fine they it was originally. Sometimes, Keiko thought that the people she met could be a little strange. However, Keiko just smiled again and nodded, pushing any confused thoughts to the very back of her brain. "I like Jack better, Jack-san."

Her eyes turned back toward Jack's shiny. "Knife? Never heard of it." Keiko didn't know a lot of things that most people in the menagerie knew, not because she never saw one before but because no one ever bothered to inform her about anything. Whenever she asked a question, her parents would merely ruffle her hair and tell her not to worry about it or distract her with another topic. Though, Kiek odidn't mind, she figure that whatever her parents didn't tell her about was obviously not that important. Another giggle passed her pink lips. "Yes, but sharp things can be useful, si?" Though, there were a few things that they had to tell her because she needed the information, she mused to herself. At his next question Keiko peered down, a bit embarrassed. "I was playing with my friend when I got lost..." She admitted, though she quickly looked back up to start another conversation, something less red-face worthy. "But, what's an 'Analoya'?"

while there are those
with the sight to see them.

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] "Yes, Peacemaker." He grunted in reply, hazel eyes flickering around warily. "They call me that because when there is war," he looked down, wondering if she would understand war, "I eliminate everything until there's nothing left to fight." There was no hint of bragging, or pride, nor vanity in his deep, throaty monotone - only emotionless fact. "In effect - Peacemaker." Jack watched her with mild interest. 'Jack-San'? 'Si'? He didn't understand her usage of these words and stared down at her, puzzled. "Very useful, indeed." He mused. Her next words proved him correct - she was not, in fact, an Analoya. He opened his mouth to answer and a snarl erupted - but it wasn't him that was snarling. Jack cursed under his breath and looked up, staring straight into the slitted, feline eyes of an Analoya, as if they'd summoned it. Jack rolled off Keiko and grabbed her by the waist, effectively hauling her with him as he came out of his roll. One hand grabbing the knife, the other arm held Keiko at his side, slightly behind him defensively. He dropped her carelessly at that point, leaving it to her own devices to catch her footing. The cheetah scrambled backward at the sudden movement, snarling viciously - threateningly. 'Leave now!' it roared in Shiftertongue, though as he was in human form Jack couldn't rightly translate, he got the message clear enough. But he wasn't about to back down. Jack lunged forward, but the warrior had already turned tail and fled, yowling a threat over it's lithe, bony shoulder. Jack sighed - the speed of such a thing promised retaliation. And soon. Bare chest heaving, Jack stood rigid and still until he ascertained there was no more present danger. Remembering Keiko he whipped around to face her, and tucked the knife in his pant-hem, grunting. "That is an Analoya." ooc; -

[keiko]

The few wonders of the world
only exist

Keiko's forest green eyes went wide at Jack's explanation of why he was called the "Peacemaker." "Kill? B-B-But why would you do that?" Keiko asked incredulously. Killing? It was inconceivable to Keiko why anyone would want to hurt anything at all; Keiko just couldn't believe anyone would do that. It just didn't make sense to her. Plus, how could anyone be called a "peace maker" if they are the ones causing all of the deaths? Aren't "peace makers" supposed to be the heroes, the ones who save people not cause them pain? Keiko was going to voice hr opinions on the subject when something burst out from behind Jack.

Suddenly, Jack pulled Keiko onto her feet and pushing her behind him. "Oh look," Keiko point out cheerfully, the earlier shock from his strange misnomer forgotten, "It's a kitty-cat!" Keiko waved at the spotted cat with a friendly smile. "Hi Mr. Kitty-cat!" She greeted. But her cheerfulness was interrupted when Jack lunged forward. Keiko gasped and quickly grabbed his wrist. "Stop! You might hurt the kitty!" She shouted out, worry lacing her voice.

The fifteen year old watched with concern as the adorable, spotted cat fled. "Awww, I guess the kitty had to go somewhere..." She stated with disappointment lacing her tone. However, Keiko tried not to let that ruin her joyous mood. "Bye kitty!" Keiko called out to the speedy cat as she gave it a friendly wave. The young girl couldn't help but wonder if the cat would come back to play with them again soon, he seemed so excited to meet them before. Keiko looked back at Jack with a bright smile on her face. "Oooooh, so the Analoya are a bunch of cute kitties? How nice." They didn't seem to be as dangerous as Jack had made them out to be.

while there are those
with the sight to see them.

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] "...what?!" Jack snarled back at Keiko as she pulled on his arm, disbelief edging his strangled voice. He wrenched his wrist free and shoved her roughly back, hearing a soft thud as she fell to the ground. "No!" He cried in slight desperation as the beast rustled not far off, his blood thrumming in his veins, heart pounding with adrenaline. Jack swung around to Keiko again, grabbing her by the shoulder and shaking slightly. "Cute kitties?" He sighed, struggling to restrain the pure adrenaline surging through his veins, unable to haltered the pulsating energy. Keiko's voice turned into squeaks and chitters that seemed to blare in his ears with extreme and painful accuracy, his hyped up brain analyzing ever pitch and keen in her tone. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, taking a deep breath. He held it for a long while, till it seemed his lungs would explode, his arms hanging limply at his side. Hazel eyes flickered open as he released the breath through his nostrils, this odd ritual seemed to do the trick to calm him down. He looked at Keiko, unsure as to whether this child was extremely sheltered or just unbelievably stupid. Judging by what she had been saying - the latter. Tilly would be interested in this kid, for sure. "That kitty could tear you apart in a second." He pushed her aside and began gathering his things, stuffing the knife and a few other small items back into his duffel bag. "You must be a Shifter." He muttered, shaking his head incredulously. With that, Jack walked back over and leaned in close, inhaling her scent. "You smell like the humans who live in the desert." He said, pulling from his boot a smaller knife and handed it to her. "Here, play with this shiny," He grunted, not believing he'd give away his knife to this odd human. He nodded slightly and headed off, not worrying for a moment if Keiko would find her way back or be devoured by the Analoya. He was here for one thing only - to complete his mission. It seemed in this place - this Menagerie - that he was always getting compromised. He was always saddled with interruptions and overly curious females. ooc; -

[keiko]

The few wonders of the world
only exist

The only thought running through Keiko's mind was that the "kitty" needed to stay safe. Why anyone would want to hurt the adorable feline was beyond the deer shifter, and she took it upon herself to make sure that Jack didn't do anything too rash. Though, it seemed like Jack was stronger than she was determined. "Eep!" Keiko squeaked as she fell to the floor, small specks of dirt flying up at he plopped down. A small whine slipped form her light pink lips as she lightly rubbed where her now wet butt hit the ground. Keiko wasn't use to getting hurt or getting pushed around, most people were oddly gentle with her like she would break in half if the so much as looked at her wrong. So, the young girl couldn't help but look up at Jack in surprise at his reaction, though the surprise quickly faded once their eyes met again.

A pout formed on Keiko's round, tan face as she picked herself up and dusted herself off. "That wasn't very nice," she pointed out, peering up at him, "Mama said it's never nice to push people." Isamu had always tell Keiko that violence wasn't the answer to anything. All problems could be solved through good communication and a caring aura. Her thoughts were interrupted as Keiko noticed Jack's frustration. She silently observed the man as he took in a deep breath and held it for some time. In her childlike curiosity, Keiko couldn't help but do the same, puffing out her checks in the process and tilting her head to the side a bit to see if she was doing it right. She didn't understand how it helped him calm down, though it sure looked like fun.

Another look of confusion crossed her face at Jack's next remark, her brows furrowing together. "But why would the kitty do that?" She innocently inquired, her eyes glazing over in bewilderment. Why would anyone want to hurt someone else? It didn't make any sense to Keiko, so she just assumed that everyone was just as nice and sweet as she was. If they didn't show the same kindness right away, Keiko just thought they were having a bad day and just out of character for a while. It was just something she had always grown up to believe, to give people the benefit of the doubt. No sooner than later, however, Keiko's confusion was quickly replaced with cheer. "Of course I am," she remarked at with a giggle, her hand cover her mouth slightly, "Aren't you?" Another thing Keiko assumed about people, that they were all from the Fallen. The ring separations didn't exist to her, they were all shifters so they should all belong to the same family. Or, at least, that's how it worked in Keiko's mind.

As Jack leaned in, Keiko instinctively blink at his odd closeness, though she smiled the awkwardness away, just as she always does. "Yep, I'm a Fallen, just like my Mama, Tia Deli, and Onee-chan!" Keiko was about to ask where Jack was from when he gave her the shiny thing that had started this whole meeting in the first place and began to walk off. Keiko looked down at the shiny object and then up at Jack several times, torn between playing with it or going after him. ...Jack won. "Jack-san, wait up!" The deer shifter called out as she trotted up behind him, her bright smile still etched on her face. "Where are you headed to this fine day?"

while there are those
with the sight to see them.

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] "Nice?" He looked back and sighed, not really understanding the word. He'd heard it before, of course, but never really understood. "Well, your Mother is correct. Pushing is useless - a waste of time. Better to break their neck and get it over with." Jack kept walking and ignored the rest of her inquiries, wondering who the humans she spoke of were. She had a family. He slowed and blinked, trying to remember his mother and father. But he found that he couldn't. All he remembered was human hands reaching in and taking him away from a warm, breathing side and stuffing him in a cloth-filled incubator. The emotions bellowed at the floodgate, but the suppressants injected into his system refused to give way. He shook his head to clear away the thoughts - he was losing focus. 'Jack-San, wait up!' Jack kept looking straight ahead, blatantly ignoring the girl, eyes focused straight ahead. 'Where are you headed to this fine day?' Would she never relent? "To kill the Analoya patrolman that is responsible for my packmember's death." He grunted, reaching into his bag for the machete when his path was barred by choking vines. With slight regard to Keiko, he cast a glance over his shoulder. "If you're going to insist on following, stand back." and with that he began hacking his way through the overgrown forest. He paused, panting slightly as the summer sun burned along his skin, the muggy, boiling air stifling. Usually it wasn't a problem - but he hadn't gotten rest, thanks to the human girl. "I'm a Seeker." He said, recalling her questions. "From the Nilda Pack. On orders." Jack watched plant juice run down the blade of his machete, wiping it on his pant-leg. "And I usually work alone." ooc; who posts short posts? -shot-

[keiko]

[bg=fff799][atrb=width,490,true][atrb=border,0,true] The tenderfoot's brows furrowed together, her mind not comprehending what Jack was saying. "But wouldn't that hurt them?" She asked in confusion, "Nobody should ever get hurt, hurting people is very bad." She didn't understand why everything he said involved hurting someone. Keiko could never imagine anyone hurting anything unless out of complete necessity, but Jack spoke as if killing people and animals for no reason was completely okay. To no surprise, when she trotted up to his side, Jack began to talk about killing a poor cat. "Jack-san, what do you mean?" Keiko just couldn't understand his mindset, "You shouldn't kill anyone! Killing people is very, very bad." She paused for a moment. "Even worse than pushing people!" Suddenly, Jack used a name Keiko was familiar with, distracting her from her earlier confusion as quickly as the confusion had come. "Oh I know what that is! You're a doggie Retro?" Her green eyes glittered with joy as memories of good times flooded her mind. "Laura and I go to the Nilda all the time! She tutors the doggies there." Keiko giggled a bit, bouncing on her heels as she continued with her tale. "Well, she only tutors two of them. This big one with really floppy ears--" Keiko hung her hands over her ears to show Jack what she meant, "--and a another one that's really, really tiny. Maybe you know them?" The smile that had graced her face suddenly dropped at what he said next. "Alone? Well, that sounds so...lonely." She gave him a concerned look before continuing. "Why don't you go out on missions with your friends instead?" ooc; I FINALLY POSTED! Sorry it took so long! DD:

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[/table][/center]

[jackal]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,400,true]

[atrb=background,http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/sketchedesigns/JACKTABLEBG.png] "Hurt them?" He rubbed his temple after wiping away the sweat from his brow. "Child, that's the point. And it's not bad - not if they're a threat. If they're a threat, they need to be eliminated. Simple as that." The words fell from his lips with blunt, factual determination. Her furrowed brow bothered him somehow - in some way he couldn't comprehend - couldn't even name. This girl confused him to hell and back. He watched her expressions shift and change as quickly as the glassy waters of GoodLady Lake, almost enchanted by the sparkle and variety of emotions the child could feel. It hadn’t always been this way – at least he liked to think so. He hadn’t always been unable to ‘feel’, as dramatic as it sounded. He could remember nothing, though – but it was a gut instinct he had. There had to be something more than the blank slate. But, it wasn’t important –there were much more important things to be done than delve into the subconscious and ‘discover’ himself. He would’ve laughed if he could. He’d paused in trying to cut his way through the Huntingrounds, catching his breath and trying to stifle the urge to gag the small girl so she’d quit her yelping – half the Analoya could probably hear her. Even so, Jack found himself leaning forward slightly, interested, intent on her words. He watched her lips move, her eyes gleam with joy at the thought of her friends. Jack was keen to learn that she had been to the Nilda before – perhaps she was the girl that Chief Tilly often spoke of. He nodded curtly. "Chief Tilly and Commander Ivan." "Why don't you go out on missions with your friends instead? Well. That left him stumped and again, confused. "I..." his eyes narrowed and he turned abruptly to continue hacking at the vines with a vigor previously unseen. It seemed he was almost determined to escape the probing questions of the child that left him with an emptiness in his chest, something he couldn't explain but sought to desperately. "They don't fight as well as me. Get in the way." He kept hacking. "Besides, it was what I was trained for. Hand to hand combat, alone. Clear the field so the rest can move in." He cleared his throat, but kept hacking, every now and again looking back to Keiko, thinking on what she'd said. "I don't know what lonely means, anyhow." ooc; lol Jack is such a durp