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Post by Ladorak on Jun 30, 2009 12:36:47 GMT -5
"And I want you to sleep in 5....4....3.....2....and 1...." the otter's word were delicate, soft, commanding, and he swayed his silver claw in front of the hypnotized mouse's face, the mouse finally giving in to the otter's instructions and letting his heavy eyes slide closed after Otto Kurtz lowered his paw.
"Well.....there now.....that does it." he said quietly, heading over to his front desk. The blue furred otter sighed happily, getting ready to close the parlor. He would let that fellow sleep for a bit, as after all he'd paid for a relaxing session. After that the shop would be closed for the day and he would go home.....or would he?
First things first. He approached his business partner, Sciurus Whirlpaw, the amiable if not a bit timid at times squirrel who had taken him up on his offer to go into business with the mustelid and help out around the parlor. Two hypnotists were better than one as they said...well they didn't say but Otto held it as a belief of his.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, still keeping his voice low as he looked out the window. Gathering dark clouds on the horizon indicated rain. "Have you recovered from last weekend's little excursion?" he asked, curious as to how the rodent was holding up. He had to do something more.....he had to convince Sciurus to either join the Revolution and leave it or alone....but he couldn't hedge. He had done so well before....he had a talent speaking to the King.....it would be a shame to waste it.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 30, 2009 12:49:25 GMT -5
"I'm managing... something like that stays with you, you know...," Sciurus murmured. The squirrel had been shaken to the core by what he had witnessed in King Augustine's palace. It had been a week and a half since the demonstration, in which he had out on a brave front, speaking his piece confidently and calmly. It was the events aftrward that had gotten to him, however. The squirrel disliked violence, but was not afraid of it, so he could not tell why he had been affected so by what had happened. He was idly tracing a claw in a spiral pattern upon the desk, seemingly entranced.
"I can tell that you've been thinking about what my decision would be as regards the revolution, and, well, I would indeed like to help. It all seems to be happening so fast, however... and I certainly can't risk another, erm, reaction like that. You know how I am..."
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 30, 2009 13:10:27 GMT -5
"Yes....I do know how you are." Otto said, almost murmuring but not quite as his eyes watched the spiral that Sciurus was tracing. It seemed natural to Otto that the squirrel would be interested in such shapes...it was his profession after all.
"You know Sciurus....." Otto picked up a spiral disc from behind the counter, looking at it and turning it on and off, toying with it as it danced and whirled before his eyes. There was something truly beautiful about a red spinning disc....something Otto always admired and found enrapturing....but enough of that.
Looking up from it, the mustelid wondered if tonight would be an OK time to approach the squirrel about strengthening his resolve. "I was wondering....the way you froze up.....would you say that perhaps you aren't fully attuned to the goals and the ideals of the Revolution? Do you feel any passion for it?" he asked.
He ran his own claws along the desk now, though not scratching anything. His tone remained neutral, noncommital, as he planned on definitely helping Sciurus if he was still hedging, and even if he said he was fine the otter would probably still take him to see......the "Friend of the Citizens" tonight anyways.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 30, 2009 13:19:29 GMT -5
"I feel that what we are striving to achieve is truly the right thing, and am willing to do whatever I can to help reach our goal...," Sciurus replied. He did truly believe what he was saying, but in his downhearted state, the words seemed slightly forced.
"...but I must be honest, I don't feel any of this passion you speak of... I haven't been here since it all started... haven't seen things unfold through your eyes and as you did... maybe I still just feel slightly detached from it all for that reason... simply that I still feel like a newcomer...."
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 30, 2009 13:31:23 GMT -5
"I thought as much." Otto stated, nodding slowly as he replaced the spiral disc. "It worries me.....worries me that you won't commit when the time comes....and that you'll just be content drifting in complacency here at risk to the shop and your livlihood. We started this...maybe not you but we did....." He said, fixing the squirrel with a sidelong glance now.
"And we have to finish....otherwise our very way of life is at stake. This shop.....it might not even exist anymore if the King is allowed to return back to power." Otto said, in almost a whisper. "I want you to become involved, to do your utmost. You were inducted into the Cordeliers Club after all, and that's a responsibility in and of itself."
He pushed off from the countertop now. "But fortunately.....I think I can help. There's a beast I want you to meet." he said, his eyes twinkling a bit now. "He's had to live in hiding off and on for many years now....but he used to be a highly respected vet and a scientist. If you like...." He paused a moment, his tail swishing back and forth as he studied his sleeping subject now.
"After we close up....I could take you to him. I'm sure he'd be able to show....and I mean really SHOW you....what the Revolution is all about." were the otter's finishing words to the squirrel now.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 30, 2009 13:46:42 GMT -5
"I'm having trouble wrapping my tail 'round it all, as I've said before," Sciurus replied, slightly timidly as he sensed that his companion was getting worked up.
"I really do think that this creature would be able to help. I know full well what the consequences are of Augustine reclaiming power from us... 'commoners'," the squirrel told his otter friend, spitting out the last word. His tail swished to and fro also as he spoke.
"I just feel as though I'm not really in on this whole thing. I know the basics, and have you to thank for that, but beyond that, I'm not so sure. I'm willing to commit myself to the cause, Otto, you should know that by now, but I still feel as though things haven't been made clear enough."
The squirrel's voice was soft. He seemed more than a little disappointed in himself. Here was Otto, working night and day to support the Revolution, and he, Sciurus Whirlpaw, still didn't have any strong opinion about it. It saddened him a little, too. He had thought that things had been explained to him enough by now for him to commit, yet it appeared they had not. All this, combined with what he had been through in the last week and a half, caused the squirrel's tail and whiskers to droop miserably.
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Post by Ladorak on Jun 30, 2009 14:37:36 GMT -5
Otto had to admit that he was surprised by the squirrel's emotional response. He had understood that Sciurus hadn't been following things as closely, and had even suspected him of outright complacency, but it seemed that even the rodent was ashamed of his own actions, though Otto could see now that it wasn't of his own doing.
Smiling at him, the otter moved over to him. "Now come there Sciurus. I would hate to think ill of you just because you haven't been keeping up with things. It's just that I feel you have a talent....and if you could get into the Legislative Assembly why you would be a most powerful weapon of the Revolution I think. I mean that when I say it. I WANT you to sit on those benches...I am unable to now by law.....but I just feel like if we could have a voice again...and not give ourselves over to those Girondins....whom I suspect of some shady dealings.....then we'd regain our standing and our voice!" he exclaimed, suddenly remember he had a sleeping client in the room.
Heading over to him, he held up a finger for Sciurus to wait. "After we close up....I will take you to meet Mr. Cutter. He will light your chest afire with passion for our cause I think.....as only he can do."
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Sometime later the mouse was out the door, waving as Otto closed up behind him and slid the locks into place. "Now then, all's well that ends well. I'm going to have to take you to a rather....secluded part of town. Mr. Cutter has been forced into hiding you see. He's quite brilliant...he's not just some hermit. Oh and he also has a skin condition that requires...special attention. He's a bit deformed you see...in that he sloughs off his fur if his condition flairs up, poor fellow. But don't you worry....he's quite the amiable sort."
Otto cracked a smile now, grabbing his coat and hat. "Oh yes.....he's also from my country, Gradvar, originally, but he's travelled around quite a bit. Tell me, do you know the Island of the City in the middle of the Trist River? If yes then lead the way, and if not I suppose I'll have to take point." the otter said, flipping his hat up and onto his head now.
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Post by Carrow on Jun 30, 2009 15:27:50 GMT -5
"No, I do not," Sciurus replied truthfully as he walked, tail swishing to and fro. "So I suppose you'll have to guide me, friend. So, this Mr. Cutter, what manner of creature is he? And as for his condition, I think I know what you speak of. He would be what is referred to as an albino, would he not? That particular skin condition is rare, although I have met a few before on my travels, so it's nothing new to me."
The squirrel also possessed quite a great deal of medical knowledge, and so was proficient as a vet, a swordsmith, and of course, a hypnotist. He saw swordsmithery as a hobby, and of the two remaining career choices he had had in mind, the squirrel had eventually decided to go with the latter.
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Post by Ladorak on Jul 1, 2009 9:54:40 GMT -5
Otto shook his head. "Hardly albino. As far as I know he's normal in terms of his fur color. I said that he actually sloughs his fur off...it falls out when his skin condition flairs up, which is becoming more frequent than not." the otter explained as he took the lead, heading along the riverfront and towards the Island of the City. There were many former government offices and buildings there, including one of the former palaces of the King of Rosferia that had been used as a prison for hundreds of years now to house political prisoners. An old cathedral also rested on the island's east end, it's twin square spires jutting up and poking in to the night air in the distance.
"He loses his fur, his fur isn't white, and as far as I know he has normal eyes." Otto explained further. "Albinism is not something that afflicts him. Even though he's a former vet, even he can't say what his condition is. So chances are....when you meet him....he'll be furless. Don't worry though...he still wears clothes." the otter said with a chuckle. "Although....if you ever call on him again you'll probably find him sitting in a bathtub, as it's been known to soothe the sores he gets over his skin and promote the regrowing of his fur. His best guess is that it's an allergic reaction of some kind but to what, he isn't positive."
They were passing in front of the Chatelet Prison now, an ancient medieval fortress constructed originally to defend a bridge over to the Island of the City and the old King's palace but now used to house some of the most vile cutthroats and criminals in the city of Cosnair. Otto stayed well clear of it's lonely towers and darkened windows as he made his way further on, heading for the new public bridge that linked the island to the mainland. A fish jumped somewhere down below in the Trist River, creating ripples that were swiftly dissolve by the swift flowing current of the river.
"Does this surprise then? A skin condition like that? I believe you mentioned you had medical talents, so I'm unsure if you've ever heard of such a condition afflicting mammals or not. Oh yes! You asked me his species.....well as far as I know he's a ferret, a mustelid like myself, and as I said previously he hails from my own country of Gradvar originally." Otto remembered the squirrel's first question at the last minute. The Chatelet was behind them now, and the Cathedral Bridge was coming into sight. There were three bridges to the island on this side of the river. One was too far behind them to cross and that one was closest to the King's Palace, the New Bridge. Then there was the Bridge of Change, which the Chatelet formerly guarded, and finally there was Cathedral Bridge, the one they were heading to.
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Post by Carrow on Jul 1, 2009 10:43:46 GMT -5
"That puts an entirely different spin on things. I had assumed he was an albino from your description, for as rare skin conditions go, it's quite common, if you get my meaning, friend. I have to say that is a most unusual condition indeed. While I would consider myself to be a dab paw when it comes to medicine, I must admit that I have not come across anything as unusual as that. For a while, I considered opening a veterinary clinic, but, well, you know...," Sciurus said, chuckling.
"A ferret, you say. Hmmm. I'm wondering how you know this much about Mr. Cutter. You've been to see him a few times before, I gather? What role has he played in all that's gone on over the years since the Revolution kicked off?"
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