Old furre and old books (Vespa)

[Raron]

"This is what it's like when worlds collide."
Tarsus sang gently to himself as he walked. One cheerful foot in front of the other. It was a good day. A great day in fact. After a month of toe tapping infuriating in activity he had gotten a job and finished it last night. It had been a complete victory and he hadn't even gotten injured. The girls involved had been rescued before anything bad could happen. It was a good day indeed.
He had awoken that morning sore as usual... he was sixty-two and getting out of bed got harder everyday... the sores and breaks over the years were not helping either. He had gotten up and eaten breakfast. Microwaved pizza from the night before. Done his usual morning work out and then on to brushing the teeth and dressing. Routine as usual in the morning. And then a walk.
He liked to look around the neighborhood, get a feeling for the way the area was going. Feel the pavement beneath his feet and remind people he was still quite alive. After a certain age if you didn't show your face every so often rumors began to spread. Of your death. Soon enough people would start claiming they were there when it happened.... and then the gangs got uppity. All in all it was annoying. He would rather not deal with it.
So here he was walking in the rain on a wonderful day. And singing to himself when he looked over and saw a store. He had passed it many times before on various errands and walks. Each time he passed it he had made a note to go into it next time but he never had. It was always "next time" or "when I am not so busy". He nodded to himself and turned towards it with a grin on his face.
"What is today but yesterday's tomorrow"
He walked to the door and opened it gently and took a look around and his suprisingly silent feet moved him into the store.

[Vespa]

As silent as his feet may be the old fashioned store bell wasn't quite up to par when it came to silence. It had rung a thousand times--a thousand times a thousand—but the old bird still jumped at the sound. You wouldn't think so. It's sound is so gentle. It resonates through the building, yes, but the frequency is so harmless to the ear it couldn't startle a flea. If you think so then you underestimate the store keep. Hidden amongst the many isle the little bird squawked. A clatter of falling books and a thump on the floor soon echoed after.

Rustling to her feet she gathered the fallen books. The poor avian didn't even get a foot on the first step of the step ladder and she's better for it. It wasn't too often she had customers. Not surprisingly, since the place looked more like an abandoned library trapped in the past. For all intents purposes that's what it was. The side walls lined, top to bottom, with books and the tall isles from front to back were probably too intimidating for most Lucentians. Only bookworms, the aged, and the fact searching ever passed through those doors.

From the far right a voice hailed over the shelves. “Need help finding something or just browsing?” Tryphena was busily slitting books into the shelves, too preoccupied to assist directly at the moment.

[Raron]

He gazed upon the shelves of books as the door swung open and the bell rang. This was to be expected of any bookstore... the sounds of falling books and loud thump following soon after was not so expected. Tarsus cocked his head curiously. Then the voice rang out.
“Need help finding something or just browsing?”
A pretty voice... not yet ravaged by age but not the voice of a youngster either. The throat was very used to the voice and it showed in the patterns of speech.
Tarsus smiled and rubbed his own throat that had been ravaged by years of smoke from various sources, his own deep gravelly voice could not compare.
"Nah, I am just browsing ma'am I am sure you have things to do. I will find ya if I need ya."
Tarsus stepped into the room and let the door close behind him as he gazed upon book after book. From time to time he would pull one out of it's slot and look at the back before slotting it back. He did the a few times as he wondering looking at titles, covers, author's names screaming at his eyes. He perfered paper books to e-books. They were so much more personal, so much more real... type on a screen seemed so temporary. No staying power as it vanished and more letters appeared before you. Reaching down he picked a leather bound copy of "Dante's Intrigue" and smiling farther kept it in his hand as he kept moving.
"Wonderful store ya have here ma'am."

[Vespa]

Hm, well that was a bit odd. The response wasn't very new. It wasn't the usual but it wasn't too far from some she's heard before. The peculiar part was the voice that answered. Most voices were timid and confused. Likely belonging to the odd shut in too preoccupied with their work to gather some confidence. Ironically Hena wasn't too far from being just that. But this line of work lent itself to a bit more interpersonal skills then some. But this voice was a good deal more gruff. The possibly owners wheeled through her mind. Maybe it was a dirty old bum off the street. An alcoholic who hadn't taken a bath for years and was looking for a warm place to stay. The idea wasn't too appealing. If it was that kind of man please don't let him touch any of the expensive books.

Maybe he was a dashing older man. Not too old and aged. With a good body, dark handsome eyes and a mysterious air about him. Her woes and whims were abruptly stopped as the visitor spoke up and the last book plummeted to the floor and landed smack on her toes. A birdish yelp escaped. She really should pay better attention to where the shelf ends and the book begins. A few hops later and she snatched the book from the floor and slotted it into the shelf. “I take it you found something you like?” She snapped the ladder closed and shuffled it down the isle towards the back of the store. After being in the business for so long you begin to be able to read your customers like, ironically, a book.

[Raron]

Tarsus eyeridge shot higher into the air when her heard her yelp and his long legs propelled him towards the aisle it had originated from he met her partway and he looked at her a moment before the question she had asked on route registered. He had been distracted for a moment. She was very cute. She obviously tried to hide it but his eye picked out her form, her poise that had nothing to do with cordination... which from the sounds of her bookstacking was not the best... but she seemed nice enough. To cover this discrete appreciation he lifted the old leather bound book.
"Yes ma'am found this already. A... friend of mine from way back loaned me his copy a long time ago. I loved the book back then despite the fact it was a hard read for a ten year old... I forgot completely about it till I saw it on ya shelves. Well stocked shelves I must admit ma'am."
He tipped his head at her once before his eyes roamed the shelves again. She seemed familar he could not put his foreclaw on why but she seemed very famillar.
He gestured with his hand towards her.
"Ya okay ma'am? I heard you shout."
He knew she was okay from the way she walked and held herself but he wanted to hear her talk some more. At least this lady he was fairly sure wasn't a angel in disguise... fairly sure... thirty percent sure at least.

[Vespa]

Today was a day of surprises. For such a large creature he sure was fast. There in a heartbeat. A little chirp escaped as she stopped dead in her tracks midway down the isle. Another step or two and the ladder as well as herself would get very familiar with their guest. Most visitors ignored her fumbling was so him caring enough to hunt her down through the rows was a bit of a marvel. Peeking above the ladder she spotted the book and smiled warmly. “Oh, nothing this old bird hasn't done a million times.” Her glasses slid gently down her beak. Being that the ladder remained in her clutches she watched as they inched toward the tip of her beak. She set the ladder to rest on the ground as she replaced them on her face.

The awkward moment passed and she cleared her throat before speaking. “Like my father said, 'the best way to sell a book is to have them all'. He wasn't kidding. Should I ring that up or are you still browsing?” For her there was almost nothing to recognize. Nothing about him seemed familiar. But everything was irregular. Her eyes peeked around him to the back counter and the stack of books that still needed indexing.

[Raron]

Tarsus rubbed the top of his domed head with the flat of his empty hand.
"Oh I am still browsing ma'am. I have some me time coming up and with all the rain I figure it might be nice to spend it inside with a cuppa warm tea and a few good old books."
He lifted the book in his hand and smiled and pointed his face at the pile of books behind her.
"I'll let ya get back ta work. I will holla if I be needing ya ma'am."
With that the large and older furre began to turn, slowly and carefully to avoid his large metal club tail from smashing into the delicate books he turned and started peering at nearby books while humming softly to himself. The song was old, old as the city. A hymn almost. As the humming rose from time to time he would repeat the previous rythm of pulling out a book carefully and slotting it back in it's place. No book was misplaced, all returned right where they were. Some were taken down and kept down, stacked into the crook of his right arm where books began to be collected for purchase. They were handled with suprising delicacy. Suddenly he stopped and tapped the underside of his jaw in thought.
"By the way ma'am. Do ya have a copy of 'Inside the mists and beyond'. It is the next book in a series I am looking for."

[Vespa]

Quite the large fellow we have here. Brows furrowed as she watched the awkward maneuvering. IT was the look. The one she always had when she disapproved of something. But far more deft then she was this large brute. Not a page fell to the ground as he walked away. This left a look of bafflement on the old bird's face. She had completely expected a whole shelf of books to clatter to the ground but no. How could he possibly manage that.

She shrugged it off. There was work to do. And she'd long since gotten over the fact that she wasn't nearly as agile as most others. A few steps more down to the end of the isle and she re-set the ladder and waddled back to the stack of books. Grabbing a few, again, she waddled to the latter. Yes, this was the life of a bookkeep. No sooner had she placed the first book in it's slot did he start humming a tune. Now this was something familiar. It wasn't quite a memory, for there was nothing much to remember. But still her mind looped back to that day. She didn't know who it was or even what they looked like. Only recalling the strong arms wrapped around her body and that melody. This in fact wasn't just a fantasy as most are. An actual memory of something you'd expect her to fantasize set her off into dreamland. Wheeling out of control she pictured a handsome young man--and by young she means well aged--,beautiful forestry, long gowns and warm sunny days.

Snap and she was back. His voice whipped her out of it and off balance. The spook sending the latter tilting slowly toward the opposite shelf. It was like slow motion as she cursed silently to herself. Books fell from her hands and to the floor. With a yelping peep she managed to act fast enough to catch the opposite shelving. It was stopped but not steady. Only two legs of the ladder canted eerily beneath the terrified avian. 'That's one...two....four rows of shelving....oh please someone save me...' “I'd be happy to find it for you.... if I wasn't stuck.”

[Raron]

A series of loud thump rang out again as Tarsus spoke. His eyes widened and his feet positively flew over the ground carefully, He mentally kept his eye on the width of the aisles and the placement of his limbs so he did not knock over a shelve, as he moved his mind worked fast.
-thumps, those would be the books, no single loud one followed by wail of pain, she did not fall... no books fell on her this time... but I am just checking, nothing wrong with that-
As he walked briskly as he could her voice rang out and his thoughts were confirmed that she was stuck on the shelves somehow, he could slow down most likely... his legs kept moving, the old male instincts would not let him slow and honestly he was in complete agreement with them really. He turned the corner and blinked a few times at the position she was currently in. The position was dangerous for sure, any wrong move and she would crash to the floor or into the shelving. He resisted the urge to chuckle at the paniced look on her face and instead up on a serious face as he slowly walked foward to avoid shaking the ladder. He spoke calmly without a trace of doubt.
"Don't worry ma'am ya gonna be fine. Just hold still for a moment."
He nodded agreement of his own words and firstly held out a hand and steadied the ladder. His grip was sure and unyielding. It would take a crowbar to move the ladder now. With that he smiled and reached upwards and placed one hand on her waist and lifted a bit to take some strain off her arms... and with a shift movement he let go the ladder and knocked it gently away with his tail while using his other arm to curl under the back of her knees and shifted the hand on her waist to the middle of her back, effortlessly shifted her weight into his arms rather then the ladder which laid upon the floor now. He held her against his chest and breath a sigh of relief.
"Ya alright ma'am?"
For some reason this very position, this very feeling of feathers brought to mind last night... he wondered absentmindedly if...

[Vespa]

Thin arms wavered and wobbled under the weight. Again, not a book fell but she could hear him shuffling through the isles. As a bibliophile there was a vague prayer for the books. 'Please don't knock anything over'. This wasn't exactly the first time she's been in this position but the seconds still ticked on at half time. Finally he was there, at the end of the row. He hesitated just long enough for her to know. Heck, even she thought it was an amusing situation. If she hadn't been the one in it she's have laughed too. Instead her head tilted down and her brows furrowed—his first time to get 'the look'. His voice was reassuring but her arms were like rods of jello.

Thankfully he steadied the ladder and wrapped his arm around her waist. She didn't know how long the jello rods would last and it gave her the chance to slip back into the world of fantasy. It was almost like a fairy tale. A very awkward, uncoordinated one. Once in his arms she could almost envision herself being carried by that dashing young hero. But wait. This was far too familiar. In his arms she recalled that familiar fantasy. The one where all she knew was the safe warm arms and the sound of a booming heartbeat. And this was very much like it.

Her eyes slowly looked up to him with a distinct, unhidden look of surprise and wonder. Maybe he was the one? No, couldn't be. The odds were against it. Her voice softly whispered back. “I'm...fine.”

[Raron]

Tarsus smiled relieved the slender avian was alright and breathed a sigh of relief. He almost bowed his head but at the last second he realized where his face would end up if he did and a slight blush came to his features. His smile turned to one slightly embaressed.
He coughed slightly and then slowly and carefully lowered the feet of the avian till they touch the ground and lifted her upper body till she was standing up stright. As he did so could not help thinking he was lifting lots of girls lately but seeing very little action considering...
"Hehe umm sorry about that. Are you sure you are okay?"

[Vespa]

A blank stare was all she could offer the world for far too long a time period. Her mind screeched to a halt and raced with one thought. The odds of finding him were so slim this just couldn't be him. Her toes touched ground and she realized the world was still moving around her, including her visitor. On her feet she straightened herself out a bit. She was a bit disheveled but mostly she was using it as a nervous device to waste time. She had to build the courage to ask him the question. It shouldn't be such a big deal but after having reconciled with the fact she'd never see him there's a bit of emotional preparation necessary.

Eventually she straightened up and answered his question. “Yes, yes, I'm alright.” She paused and swayed lightly. What if it wasn't him and she was just touched by some creepy old geezer. What if it was him and he was a creepy old geezer. Enough was enough and she just kind of, blurted it out. “You didn't happen to be round the hospital about a week ago did you?”

[Raron]

Tarsus's eyes did not widen suddenly, he did not snap his head backwards as if shocked, did not cock his head in confusion. For several moments as the clock ticked, marking time as it pasted into places where is could never be retrieved, he just stood there... and then he exhaled and wiggled his lower jaw as he debated his answer.
"I need a smoke..."
He looked around at the books, took a wiff of the dry scent of paper packed together, the sound of the silence of the shelves... the silence of a open grave... He jerked his head towards the entrance and started walking one foot in front of the other. The same carefulness was evident but more exaggerated. Like he was afreid that he was gonna bust through the floor or tear open a wall. When he touched the metal handle of the door he opened it slowly and carefully keeping care not to touch the glass. Slowly he opened it and the sounds of the city roared into his ears. The honks, the screams, the scent of water evaporating off pavement. The scent of furres crammed together like sardines.. He walked a little to the side of the door and reaching into his pocket took out a cigarette paper and a bit of tobacco... like an old habit he placed the tobacco upon the paper and placed it upon his tongue.. once more he did what he had done a thousand times and licked, rolled, and held the newly formed cigarette in his mouth without even looking at the woman next to him. Making the switch strictly on automatic he lit the cigarette and took a deep puff letting the scent of sea salt and tobacco drift in the breeze. He gazed upon the ever changing cityscape for a while. Looking at the cars and cycles fly by. For a minute he did this and then he turned back to her. Looking like a furre who had seen too many miles of bad road. He looked at her and the greenish feathers, the downy softness and he took a deep breath.
"I am a repairman. For a living I solve furres problems for money. I am not talking a refrigerator or a toaster repairman. I am talking things they could not trust their neighbor for. I solve problems the best I can, get paid, and move onto the next job."
A ring of smoke left his right nostril as he took another puff.
"It started out routine. I was asked to put a stop to some of the girls who have been vanishing in the area. Paid good money for it. Half up front, half on a job well done. Me usual way."
Nodding he reached his hand into his pocket and took out a hip flask and opening it he filled the cap up with a few drops, downed them, and closed it.
"I tracked them down. I asked questions, gave bribes for infomation... sometimes just asked for it... sometimes I asked loudly with angry motions... but I got the info. I got to an old warehouse in the far far lower levels. That is where they had taken you."
He took a breath. Inhaling the calming scent of salt and nicotine. His mind went back into the past. To last week. He remembered the warehouse, rusting metal, cold walls. The roar of unforgiving winds. He remembered entering the back door, picking the lock gently. He did not want to alert the guards. Entering the back he still remembered what he saw. The girls chained to the walls. All blindfolded, all in cages, all chained to the walls. He remembered the smell of waste, the sounds of them sobbing... and worst of all the ones that would not sob. The ones broken.. not in body.. but in mind and soul. They just hang in their chains... the outside world forgotten. As he remembered his eyes darkened and his features tightened in flawless repeat of what his features had contorted to when he had come across that room. He had felt the heat rising, the rage, the fire within... and beneath all that flame of hate and pain was something cool, something old, something so cold it burned. He remembered looking around the back room with the girls in it and at the door leading where the jailers were undoubtably hiding. Smoothing his face down into something a little kinder as he picked the locks on the cages and one by one let the girls free. Silencing them with coos and whispers of gentle things. He had the healthier ones help the weaker ones as he found them clothing thrown in the corner. As he led them to the door they told him a new girl was inside the front most of the warehouse. They had brought her in just before they arrived. They had heard them talking as they dragged her in. They were gonna wait till she woke up... He nodded and told them to get someplace safe and to call the cops. They asked him who he was.. he told them
"Just a repairman... and I am staying a bit longer... this place has a pest problem that needs taken care of."
They looked into his eyes. Their scared glances peering into his brain... and they nodded at what they saw. Some smiled. One told him to make them scream. He nodded and waited till they were out the door and then counted. He counted to ten and as he did so the cold rose from the core of his being. He could feel the blood freeze in his veins as the frozen rage swept through him... finally he reached twenty and knew he was ready. He turned towards the door and nodding knocked on it three times. He waited a while and knocked again three times. This time harder. As he waited again he reached into his coat and withdrew a gun in each hand. In he left one of the "broomsticks" a semi auto sawed off shotgun, in the other a huge single shot pistol. Once more he waited, once more he knocked this time with his tail. Not hard enough to rock the door but he could do that... this time he heard a scream of anger as a furre stomped towards the door. He heard the furre yell.
"DID ONE OF YOU FRECKING CUR'S GET LOOSE? I WILL MAKE YOU..."
Tarsus never found out what the raccoon opening the door would do. Because without even thinking about it the tail lashed out impacting the bones in his face, the jaw shattered, the nose spewed blood, his teeth shot out the side of his mouth. The raccoon still stood and without feeling, without remorse, with the same expression one would wear stepping on an ant he lashed out twice more... the raccoon fell and would not stand up.
He walked over the body, not bothering to register the crunch as he boots landed on bone. It was not like the coon would ever feel the pain of that... or anything. The cold had taken over. All that mattered was there were monsters in the building. Monsters in the true sense of the word... and Tarsus knew some monsters should not walk under a living sky.
He walked swiftly over the concrete floor, his right boot sticking slightly due to the scarlet contents of the raccoon which lay on the floor behind him. From the other side of a set of boxes he heard a voice call out.
"Jinx? Did you talk care of those tiels or what? I did not hear them scream."
This was followed by giggling. Part of Tarsus raged against this. It wanted fire, blades, saws, jagged edges. Kindness was not needed for them. But that was why the cold arose. To make sure things were taken care of right. To make sure Tarsus did not become like them. Once more he walked foward without a word, without a hint of emotion other then a slight annoyance on his features. He rounded the corner and looked at what he perceived. A girl... avian... green feathers...tied down. Down upon a table in the midst of several chair. Tools were strewn around. Some with dried blood on them, some twisted and cruel. As he rounded the corner he saw the guilty party. Saw the youths in gang colors, their leering faces, saw their expressions of suprise as it was not Jinx. Saw them freeze...
That was when hell opened up. Without thought Tarsus moved. His left hand rose and pointed a foot of steel and pulled the trigger. The buckshot rushed out the opening with a roar and two feel screaming, his other hand jerked towards the furre nearest the avian and pulled the trigger. A single shot when in the center of the young hawks chest and out the other side without slowing down. he gazed downwards in shock. Dead despite the fact his brain had not told him that yet.
The rest of the next few seconds were full of screams, falling bodies, and even pleading. But the Cold heard not the pleas... it heard the sobbing of woman in cages and screamed soundlessly.
Soon enough all was still... not a shot had been fired by the youths. They had been stoned, drunk, and suprised. They had not stood a chance. Tarsus holstered his gun and went to look at the avian. She was still alive, clothed... they were gonna wait till she awoke... Shaking his head he let the cold sink away, it was not needed right now. He checked her pulse, her breathing, and then noticed the blood on the back of her head... they had knocked her out with some sort of blunt insterment. A baseball bat or something... that could result in serious trama if not taken car of. Tarsus could not wait for the police to come. He had saw the look on the girl's faces. They were planning on giving him as much time as he needed with the youths now lying oozing upon the gray pavement. He did not blame them. He cut her bonds and gathered he into his arms. Careful with the head most of all. He let that lay across his chest for cushioning. Nodding he walked out. Again not bothering to avoid puddles.
In the present he shook his head. He had been submerged in the past. He had even begun thinking of it in a present tense rather then a past. He sighed. That memory was too new.. too.. raw... he knew he should not be talking about it without more alcohol under his belt but she deserves to know.
"Short story is... there were some bad furres out there... hurting girls. I found them and they found out something about old furres my age."
He took one final puff before grinding the cigarette under foot.
"I am so old... and have so little mercy left."
He gazed into her eyes. Weary as hell.

[Vespa]

The anticipation in waiting drew the seconds out like hours. Her nerves were spiking like they never had before. What kind of answer would she get. Unexpectedly he made for the door. She despised the things but thankfully he knew better then to smoke in here. His tone became so serious she wondered what he could possibly have to say. Somewhere deep down she knew there was a greater tragedy hidden in her own story that she did not yet know of. Waddling herself after the man she waited without thought. Ironically there were no stories to tell in her own imagination. This time it left the story telling up to the truth. At the door she reached over to the coat hooks and pulled from it a shawl she wrapped around herself. The shop was a fairly warm place and though the weather had changed for the better it was a still a bit cold for the avian.

She followed him to the door and hesitantly stood in the door way. Something felt suspicious about the situation and from what she knew of the city she lived in she wasn't wholly trusting. He had yet to say a word and the remorse was clear on the repairman's face. The paranoia subsided to the woman's curiosity and she left the door to close behind her. Standing beside the dino she wrapped herself tightly in the shawl and waited as the last apprehensive seconds ticked by.

Wide eyes watched as his lips finally spread to speak. He didn't say much in the way of details but it was far more then she knew. It was far more then just words he communicated with. In his eyes you could see the fear and anger, it all played out on his person and with that she knew just how dire the situation was and how close she was to a really bad situation. There was nothing for her to remember. Not like him. All she knew was the sound of footsteps behind her as she walked home from a grocery run and the warm arms around her that brought her safely to the hospital. By the time she woke up he was long gone and the nurses couldn't tell her much of anything.

Setting aside what plan she had for this moment she rest a hand on his arm. It was nothing like she expected. Her mind intended something much happier but the world works in dark ways.

“Would you like to come in for some tea?”

The details weren't needed but it was clear he needed someone. If only just for a while. She'd unintentionally burrowed to something dark. The proper way to thank him would be to undo the damage as best she could. Though, there are things that can never be fixed.

[Raron]

This time Tarsus's eyes did widen in surprise, his head did snap back a little in shock. He raised an eyebrow wondering if she had been serious or if this was all a joke. As he evaluated her seriousness he gazed upon her. The green feathers upon her were well taken care of. She obviously preened herself well but from the lack of bald spots he knew she was not obsessive about it like some he had met. He looked at her glasses did not subtract from her appearance but instead added quite a bit of class and seriousness. He doubted she was a giggler. He outfit itself was classy... a bit on more revealing then most outfits of the like but fitting of the modern times. Finally his brain remembered the scent other then the books that had been in the closed in bookstore. A light perfume. Not obvious but light... an earth scent. She was not trying to rope him in it was obvious. Not trying to rope in anyone. Just taking care of herself. He could appreciate that. He could appreciate the offer and what it cost her. He had saved her true but that was not why she was offering it. He could tell he could see his pain... he sucked at hiding it when he was tired. Always had and the past few days had taken there toll... he could feel the ache of old broken bones, the throbbing constant pain of much abused knees, and the dull burn in his neck... all added up. All made him more tired... all slowed him down but he could not afford. Not for one second could he afford to be slow. The slow died. He thought quickly and mentally reviewed himself. A broken down old furre, now smelling of salt, tobacco, and a little liquor... he doubted she had an sinister motive for the invite. She just wanted to give him tea. Warm tea, maybe with a couple of sugars... and a few drops of milk and honey. That was something he had not treated himself to in a while. Add the company of a well read and intelligent woman. Woman... not a giggling adolesant... it was very appealing to Tarsus.
"Tea... yeah... that would be lovely. A day like today..."
He gazed upon the gloomy cloudy sky and the rolling rainclouds as the readied to dump their load of freezing life giving tears upon the busy city.
"Pretty much demands a cup of tea I would say."
With that he grinned peeling back his lips revealing the dull ivory colors of serrated teeth with their sockets. Despite the contents of the mouth the smile was kind and a little happier then it had been when he had walked in the store. The furre he had taken to the hospital was alright. It was a bit of a relief and one small weight off his shoulders.