At The Park, 4th of July

[velesdonnersen]

 ACTION

[Tarvek has been shifting in and out of his own memories all day, alternating between an uneasy but convinced native Mayfield POV, and a frantic, panic-stricken Europan Spark-Prince convinced he's being mind-controled: which, of course, he is. He's seen Ilsa, but failed to accomplish much.  He's taken part in baseball, sack races, picnic with potato salad and fried chicken.  Now dusk is falling, and while the big show has yet to begin, dozens of daredevil little Mayfield scamps are already beginning to "light up."  Firecrackers, that is.]

 

[Tarvek, leaning against a big maple tree in the park, hears a muttering, raucous, edgy burst of laughter near the hedge line at one side of the parking area... the sound of adolescent boys who are about to cross a line they know they shouldn't.  After all, this is Mayfield, and boys will be boys.  The Mayfield father in Tarvek knows, just as surely, that it's time to serve as a role model to Mayfield youth, for Father Knows Best.] 

 

[Excusing himself from his wife and children, he rises and followed the whoops and chortling, only to find a small cat backed up against the impenetrable wall of the fence, scared as a gang of boys reach and grab.  Some have firecrackers, and some have string, and still others have matches, and all are planning how to tie the firecrackers to the cat and set them off.]

 

[Reality once more crawls for Tarvek. His eyes see two things -- a small, helpless cat, and an equally small, helpless Nall-the-not-cat, his draconic friend.  Both Mayfield Tarvek and Europan Tarvek, however, know what to do.  With a firm, certain shout he calls the boys to order, striding forward through their gathered ranks, grabbing the little cat by the scruff and quickly wrapping it in a confining but gentle hug.]

 

"Boys, that's not how we do things.  Not here in America, and not in Mayfield.  This great country of ours was founded on principles intended to protect the weak from the strong, to give rights to those cast aside, to defend the liberty of all.  We are a nation of protectors and defenders, and so shall it ever be."

 

[He staggers out, cat still held firm to his chest, unsure of himself.  He's Europan Tarvek again, for one moment, stroking Nall-not-cat, swearing because the stupid town is both the beautiful dream he just described, and the hell-hole that has trapped him, trapped Nall, and set the boys loose with their firecrackers.  Tarvek yearns for the dream -- and more and more sees the bitter nightmare, too.]

 

[How is he to deal with both?  He doesn't know.  So he holds the cat, which his Mayfield self has now decided is his cat, his family pet, their dear little Nall-cat.  He will hold Nall and protect him through the evening and the fireworks to come, and at the end he will bring him home and let him sleep safe, curled on the sofa in the home office where once the same Nall-cat lay dead with Dead-Ilsa.]

 

[Maybe, in the morning, it will make sense to all of them.]

Comments

[catslooklikeme.livejournal.com]

[Kitty!Nall didn't like the being grabbed by the scruff of the neck any more than being manhandled by those Mayfield demon children, but in the future, after having his sense of self restored, surely he'll agree it was the better of the two options. Initially, he struggles against being held, but quickly settles when he realizes he's not getting away. Peeking his head up to look at his "captor," Nall's furry little face exhibits the very briefest moment of wrenching heartache...

...and then it's all good. "Daddy" found him! Nall has no qualms, it's his human, the one who raised him since he was just a kitten and gives him a home and feeds him... not enough, but is such a thing really possible?

So he stays in his human's lap as the loud noisy things go off, for an eternity it seems, stiff as a board until the noises finally stop. He allows himself to be carried home, for the small humans to pet him and then possessively claims his place on sofa. HIS spot, because he likes it just slightly less then being on his master's lap. He curls up into a ball and drifts off to sleep. When that bright ball of sun comes out in the morning, maybe he'll chase down some of those small critters that his humans like so much and present them as gifts...

...but probably not.]

[velesdonnersen.livejournal.com]

[As the last of the fireworks pop and kaboom, Tarvek wanders wearily into his office, massaging his forehead and sipping a cup of hot tea. He sits down on the sofa, careful not to squish nice Nall, and rubs the cat's head, behind the ears. He is miles deep in confusion and unease... and whether Nall is cat or dragon, his presence is a comfort.]

Hi, Nall-cat. I'm glad those kids didn't get you, buddy. I'd miss you.

[catslooklikeme.livejournal.com]

Prrrt?

[Kitty!Nall closes his eyes as his ears are rubbed and purrs like a motorboat. This is peaceful and quiet and most welcome. At the moment, he is quite the content little cat.]