trans_9 | Fool's Hierophant

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

Entry tags:

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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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.

"Eee. Rrr-enne do tha-t. Bee do too?" Chirp.

'S right, Billy. Just because the imp may be on the ground again doesn't mean he's not going to reciprocate mother-hen-dom. Although trying not to let a wince flicker across his face, the beastie slowly leans forward to attempt a gentle nosing.

Billy manages to smile lightly at that. They worried far too much about each other.

"I do. You're usually the one seeing to it, funnily enough." Sound familiar? "Anyway, you'll be ready to try again sooner if you relax now. What do you want to try?"

"Eee. Rrr-enne ta-ke cahrrre, Bee." Chirp.

And yes, that's a very matter-of-fact little nod out of him. Alas, that stubborn streak is hard enough to quell on the best of days. Already, he's beginning to try and get back up again.

"You definitely do plenty of that." It's true. Nodding, he allows Renne to take the lead. It's his choice, after all---but if he needs Bee's help for anything, Bee is only a step away.

The first thing out of him is a light, playful raspberry followed by a grin.

"Is dahm rrrigh-t. Bee ah-serrrve it." That's his simple answer. Billy, to him, deserves anything and everything good that can be done. That's just part of the workings in Renne's own little head.

A chirp later, he's halfway between standing upright again and on the floor and shaking like a leaf through it.

"So do you," he points out.

As he watches Renne, he thinks: Take your time. If you need my help, let me know. I'm right here.

That gets him blushing again, barely seconds after the first round of blushing had begun to fade off.

Offering a shy smile, he manages to get one leg positioned for the final push. Deep breath. It burns something hellish, but he's determined to try again.

That's it. He's doing it. Billy will wait as long as he needs to. All that matters to him is Renne getting what he needs out of this---but he does hope Renne doesn't go too far. Muscle tears are not at all enjoyable.

But he trusts his brother to know his absolute limit.

Limits.

He's not got a good track record for keeping within those, but much of the time when he'd broken them had been life or death. Now? It's a different story altogether.

Halfway up, his face gives a visible flinch as a sharp pang erupts in his left thigh. Immediately, the flinch turns into a frustrated almost-scowl and yes, he's being good and dropping back down.

"Eeeegh."

"Renne!"

Billy is right at his side, trying to restrain his worry. It wouldn't do to embarrass Renne further right now.

"All right. You're doing fine, it's just time for a break. Would you like a ride?"

"Eee."

For a minute, his head ducks down as if he thinks he can hide that blush of embarrassment. It isn't at Billy, no. It's more the kind of embarrassment one might get when there's the prospect of having failed a well-loved hero.

"Haow Bee leahrrrn s-tahnd uhp?"

Billy sighs. Not at Renne, but at the situation. Renne didn't fail him, and he wishes the imp was ready to accept that. But the human knew very well that if their roles were reversed, he'd feel exactly the same way.

"It's a process that happens automatically in humans. We learn to walk in degrees---first we raise our heads, then we start to lift our torsos, then we sit, then roll over, then crawl, and eventually stand when enough leg strength is built up from the previous steps. Once someone is strong enough to stand, they're usually walking in a few months---but since you walked at some point in the past, you may have some advantage and learn faster. With some leg exercises to build your strength up, I'm sure you'll be walking soon."

"Eee. May-bee, bee hell-p?"

There's a bit of a squeak then. Although part of him (the survivalist) is a tad embarrassed at the prospect of requesting assistance, most of him is slowly getting used to the ability to trust again. It's that part of himself that squashes down the survivalist.

Slowly, his arms extend out and up toward the Human's voice. If anything, Billy's the one he'd allow beyond the walls of survivalism any given time.

"I will. You can count on that."

Smiling, he lifts his brother and rests him on the broad human back. Once Renne's arms are securely around Bee's shoulders and the feet are gently supported, the human begins a slow walk to the Sensoriums. This position will minimize embarrassment and strain on Renne's legs, he thinks.

What do you think about a hot bath? I probably need one too, now that I think about it.

Squeak.

This is a curious position. Curious but...kind of fun, actually. Chitter-squeaking, his head comes to rest on Billy's left shoulder.

"Eee. Th-is be ba-ck pig?"

He's heard of this position before but had never actually done it. At the prospect of a hot bath, the beastie grins a wee bit.

Thee do not have stench. But...yes. Bath sound good.

"That's right, a piggyback ride." Grinning, he sends a wave of delight Renne's way. If they both hadn't been sore (Renne from walking and him from training), he would've bounced Renne up and down just for that.

I'm not worried about my scent, just my health. My muscles need to adapt to all those extra training sessions.

After a brief walk, they're inside a Sensorium. It's a quiet, peaceful place. The glen's grass is a bright blue, lit by two shining moons and a sky of stars. It didn't quite match Renne's sea, but it was the closest he could manage.

The hot spring itself was carefully ordered to register as different temperatures for them. Billy knew very well that Renne could handle hotter water than he could. Sighing happily as the steam hit his nose, Billy crouched low so that Renne could crawl in. A rock was positioned where Renne would climb down, allowing him to sit where his head would remain above water easily.

"Eee. May-bee Rrrr-enne gi-ve Bee ba-ck pig."

A chirp and a grin later, the pulse of delight is sent right back with a touch of something akin to "Sweet gods, I adore you" added in there. His grip remains careful while he's borne like this -- tense and sore muscles can't be missed in such close contact.

"Bee hurrr-ted?"

Chirp. Trilling at the scent of a hotspring, then outright purring at the prospect of heat, he gives the Human a nuzzle before crawling awkwardly down. It takes a minute of sniffing and exploring to learn where things are but once he hits the water?
He's beyond purring. Outright cooing, the beastie gingerly sprawls in a shallow spot with that rock as his "pillow".

Billy snorts with laughter at that, shaking his head. Then the imp is made aware of his pain.

"It's not so bad. You adjust to a constant ache after some time, but it makes sense for us to go together."

And together they go. He watches with a smile as Renne slips into the wonderfully heated water, then strips to a pair of swim trunks and slides in. All lingering worries vanish from his mind when the water touches him, to his amazement. He sits next to Renne on a deeper rock chair, submerged up to his neck. Aches and pains slowly begin to unravel, leaving a very content human behind. It helps that Renne's pleased as well.

"Is it too soon to ask if you're feeling better?"

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