trans_9 | Fool's Hierophant

Current Mood: determined
Current Location: Stacy: The Hallways
Current Music: "Son of Man" ~ Phil Collins

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Fool's Hierophant

Title: Fool's Hierophant
Location: Stacy; The Hallways

Strength.

The word meant many things to many life-forms, Renne included.

He'd thought of this word and how its meaning had changed over the years. Over days, events, eras and how it changed depending on where he ended up. When he ended up and who he ended up with.
The word had carried several meanings and as he wandered down familiar scent-trails, Renne came to a decision.

What was not there could not be, but what was there, could be. What he felt was something outside of English and what he wanted? That too, wasn't something he could entirely explain. Thus, through a stretch of hallway with a familiar landmark as his starting guide, Renne pulled and pushed himself to stand on his own two feet.

In more ways than one, he wanted to be a man.

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Of all the sights for Billy to see when he rounded a corner, a strong-willed Renne pushing onto his feet was not one of the expected options. The human had seen this attempted once before, but today he sensed that the imp would not falter today. There would be no obstacle blocking his goal of standing tall.

This was important, Billy knew. So he watched with silent pride and well-wishing for his brother, making no move to speak unless spoken to. Something told Billy that words were inappropriate at the moment.

Edited 2010-05-25 03:37 (UTC)

It burned.

Like last time, it burned from his back down to his feet, forcing his legs to stand up. He wasn't used to this posture, nor was his body used to the change in support but it was a necessary pain. He took deep, slightly shuddering breaths and remembered times of too long ago when he could walk.
When he stood six feet tall and stood straight, under the illusion of almost appearing human.

That however, was then and this was now.

Renne blushed when he heard/smelled Billy nearby. Another deep breath later and he stood nearly straight, flush against the wall.

If he were honest with himself, this wasn't for Renne alone.

And it wasn't, because Billy felt something race down his spine at the sight. Something that felt suspiciously like inspiration. Especially after what had recently happened, it was quite a shock to see his Renne standing strong.

A happy shock, of course.

Prodigious, thought the human with a clear note of approval.

Fire. Ice.

Both sliced through his Solidity with each trembling second. Still, he was no stranger to pain and while it showed in a face growing slightly ashen, the oddity squinted his eyes shut. And bared his teeth.
He'd do this come hell or high water.

Tears began to trickle from his squinted-shut eyes.

By now, he stood completely flush against the wall; his posture from the hips down somewhat reminiscent of a Gargoyle's stance. He breathed slowly, steadily and carefully pushed off from the wall.

Pushed off. And took his first step.

Billy watched his brother's progress with silent awe. The human felt a burning in the back of his mind from Renne's effort, but that didn't bother him. All the action was right in front of him.

Sending a tiny trickle of encouragement (not enough to be overbearing or out of place, but hopefully enough to be heard, Billy silently cheered Renne onward. It was an event he'd waited for and wondered about since meeting the imp, and now it was finally happening. After all that had happened to knock him down, Renne was standing on his own despite the pain. He started to walk, even.

All of this was enough to cause the emotion in Billy's heart to swell upward: pride, awe, empathy, and love flowing through him in equal measure.

First steps.

He'd tried this before but those times had been, for one reason or another, unsuccessful. The timing hadn't been right. The place perhaps hadn't been right and as it was, those times had fallen away in thunder, rain and fire.

Renne nearly growled at the burn rooted in his back through his feet. Whispering by now -- nearly hissing actually -- he kept his mind on a double-task. Control of his legs and a mantra that kept his mind away from the pain.

Another shaking step, he took forward.

I'm here with you.

As Billy watched, he prayed. That Renne would make it. That no one would meander down the hall and interrupt this moment.

For now, the two of them were the only life forms existing in Billy's universe. And they were united in more ways than one.

The pain grew with each faltering step.

Renne had expected this to some extent -- logically, disuse of muscle blocks tended to mean atrophy of said muscle blocks, just as moving like a quadruped for so long meant the body compensated. The body taught itself, conditioned itself, as a quadruped.

That time, he wanted now to end.

Tears streamed down his face uncontrolled but Renne kept on. One faltering step at a time seemed to take an eternity.

"Bee?"

"I'm here, Renne. Always here." And I'm proud of you, he added forcefully with a rush of awe. The pain filtering through stung his back and legs, but that was such a small price to pay.

He kept waiting, longing to scoop his Renne up and tend to him but knowing this was a journey he had to make. Not that that would stop Billy from offering his own brand of pampering after this.

That voice did a wonder on him.

He understood it and didn't understand it all at once. Knew why and had no inkling why, and anyway he didn't care to analyse it or put it under a microscope. Not now, likely not ever.
The simple fact was, that voice, that life bade Renne do things he didn't think possible. And this was yet another example of such.

Renne's steps wavered. He wasn't graceful. If anything, he felt like a toddler trying to walk for the first time in its life.

He didn't think much on that analogy between tense, shuddering paces.

Clumsiness meant nothing to Billy. Knowing where Renne was coming from, those steps were worth the world to him.

Renne, if you're still feeling Billy's thoughts? He is beyond happy for you.

Breathe. Step. Breathe. Step.

It's as much a mantra as the one whispered shakily under his breath.

By now swaying like a drunkard despite being a fierce abstainer (ironic, that, considering his nautical streak), the oddity's shaking, halting steps advance him slowly forward.

Yet, on a particularly bumbling misjudgment, his arms instinctively extend out as gravity pulls him forward-and-down.

Instantly, human hands catch those arms and hold steady. When did Billy get there? He honestly doesn't know.

His hold is soft and quiet, seeming to ask a question that eventually filters through into their minds. Do you want to keep going?

Either way, Billy is immensely proud of his brother's accomplishment. He hopes Renne knows that.

His tears are no longer just from the burning sear present from the back down.

Holding on, he can't help but let himself smile even amid tears that turn into drops of sheer joy. Oh, he feels it all right, and a wave of something comes out from him, greater than the searing ache in muscles unused.

"Rrr-enne hap-py, Bee heee-rrre. Rrrr-enne be Mahn fohrr Bee."

Just like Renne. Always fighting to stand strong.

And you've done it. But actually...I think you've been a man all along. You're one of the bravest people I know. This is just one of many times you've proven it.

He hopes that sentiment isn't offensive.

It isn't offensive. Rather, it brings a full-body blush to the oddity.

Bashful, shy kind of blush, the kind of blush that a small child gets when he realises his idol has been watching. Thus, despite any temptations to drop back into his usual crawl, the beastie's arms wrap around Billy as much as possible.

Something in him suggests that maybe, he's growing up a little.

"Bee. Rrr-enne Bee."

As always, the embrace is returned without hesitation, though he might be supporting a bit more of Renne's weight than usual.

"I'm yours. We're together in this." That will always be true.

"Rrrr-enne bee-lon-g to Bee."

Those four words make it out of his mouth nearly before his own mind has a chance to parse them out. Still, even then, it doesn't entirely surprise him, nor does it frighten him like he once thought it might by saying something like that. To anyone.

He's still trying to stand up and carry his own weight but it's not long before that shy blush tints more into a robin's-egg blue. Ah, yes. Slight embarrassment at his own feet shaking under him.

As I said, you're one of the most determined people I know. I doubt I'd last half as long, he points out. He watches as Renne stands tall, the human smile never wavering.

But he is definitely going to pamper his Renne the second the opportunity arises.

One be-lieve thee would.

For another twenty four seconds, his shaking legs support both themselves and the rest of him from the hips up.
It's...probably a good thing he hadn't let go of Billy just yet, for once those twenty four seconds end, a particularly sharp moment of pain lances up his legs and back. It's brief, the pain, but it's enough to have his feet give out.

"Eee."

All right, Billy soothes, softly easing Renne to the floor. If I know you as well as I think I do, you're going to keep practicing several times every day. But do you want to relax for a little while?

There are slowly forming plans in Billy's head, yes indeed.

"Eee...Rrr-enne go-t do good-errr, tha-t."

His legs still shake and his lower half still burns like mad but the fact that the pressure's off is a relief. Once he's down? Oh, the blush and the slightly embarrassed little half-grin.

One must, or One re-main not-Mahn.

And you will, I know it. But you can sustain injuries if you push yourself too hard at once. One tear in the muscle and you might not be able to practice for a month. Billy knows from experience. He did that in a karate lesson once---desperate to catch up to the other students, he inadvertently held himself back

"Eee. Haow Bee do leahrrrn?"

He hasn't learned that lesson the hard way yet but given the aching burn felt now? It's not a lesson he wants to learn the hard way, thanks.

"Train hard, but make sure you get adequate rest between sessions. It can be sleep, or you can immerse yourself in warm water or rest in a certain position. I'm not a medical expert, but I can pass on what I've been taught. If you're in excruciating pain and feel that your muscle is about to tear itself, stop."

That's all he has to say on the subject for now.

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