middaeg | (open | february log)

[There is a library of magical tomes and texts, and even if Hector's own talent isn't working in this world, he's still going to spend way too much time here, reading up on magic theory.

There is a sad lack of resources on necromancy, though he can approximate the major elements of his forging methods with a mixture of conjuration and transmutation texts.

His little scarred pug, Cezar, snoozes by his feet while his master reads, but eventually perks up and plods off beyond the shelves.

Hector, stiff from sitting for too long and mind full to the brim on magic study, takes this as a sign they both need a break. He stands, stretches, and follows.

There are celestial kittens playing on one of the desks. There's a man there too, but that is much less important than cats. Magic cats. Hector pats down his pockets, trying to find something that might catch their eyes and lure them over so he can get a better look at them...

...but the pug, seeing potential playmates, ruins all of those plans by just waddling over and looking up from below the desk. He braces his front paws, one heavily scarred, on the desk so he can stand on hind legs, and yips at the two kittens to notice him. His little curly tail is wagging frantically.]

[So focused is he on his notes and what he is reading that Ozymandias does not notice the small dog's approach. It is not until he hears the click of the pug's claws against his desk that he looks up, the excited yipping drawing both his attention and the sphinxes. Both celestial felines pause in their play to look about until one of them spots the dog. Both come to the edge of the table, but only one is brave enough to crane its head down to have a sniff at the air around the dog.]

...Where did you come from?

[Cesar sniffs up at the person and the kittens, then drops back to all fours and spins in a circle, urging them to come play.

Hector sighs, then steps out from the shelves. So much for observing from afar.]

He's mine. Your pets are more interesting than my studies, it seems.

[He walks over and kneels to grab Cesar before he makes any more noise in the library.]

[Ozymandias' attention moves from the dog to Hector when he speaks and emerges from his place of observation, but his kittens it would seem could care less for the moment. They both walk remain near the edge to continue ogling at Cezar even after Hector has managed to pick him up. Perhaps even more.]

They are not pets, [Ozymandias says with a slight shake of his head.] They are young, but they are divine beasts created in the image of the Sphinx of Abu el-Hol.

[Despite that Ozymandias has had to make this correction numerous times to others -- the natural consequence of the sphinxes being so small and frankly kittenish in their behavior -- he does not snap at Hector or condescend. If anything, he is more prideful in this statement of fact.]

[Cezar whimpers and wiggles in Hector's arms, wanting to get free so he can play. Hector keeps a tight grip on him.]

Oh, like from Egypt? So those stories are real.

[Hector has seen a lot of mythical creatures, but sphinxes are new to him. He only knows them from legend.]

Will they talk when they get older?

[Poor Cezar is likely to feel so taunted right now as he's carefully restrained. The sphinx cubs start trying to bat at the air, trying to extend themselves without falling off to Hector. They clearly want to tussle.]

No. Unfortunately, only one of these sphinxes will ever reach adulthood. One is a creation from my world, but the other was conjured here. When it has expended all of the mana I have placed into it, it will fade and return back to the mana it was created with.

[The magic of this place is strangely and unfortunately impermanent.]

But even the one that will grow will never speak as a human might.

[Poor Cezar will have to go outside if he wants to play. A library isn't the place for rough play, and he's getting no pity from his owner right now.

Hector's eyes widen and he looks between the kittens.]

Really, creatures of pure conjuration? I've experimented with that, but it's always proved easier to start with a base of physical material. Which one is the original?

[He might feel sad at their limited time if he wasn't so fascinated by the theory of them. Besides, all creatures die, so it isn't so much different being conjured versus being naturally born.]

[Ozymandias tips his head slightly at this man's curiosity over his divine beasts. Most do not express such interests, their curiosity limited to playing with or petting them instead. But he supposes such curiosity should not be all that surprising if they are in a library.]

The larger of the two.

[It may be difficult to tell at first glance as they both appear to be roughly the size of a housecat, but the boldest of the pair -- the one that has been expressing the most interest in Cezar -- is slightly larger than its "sibling." There does not appear to be any overt, discernible difference other than their aforementioned size difference, however. The conjured sphinx of this world appears a perfect clone.]

[Hector looks between the two of them, and there is a slight difference in size, though not any other differences of note.]

Can I touch them?

[Because he also really wants to pet them, like he does every animal, not only because he wants to see if he can feel a difference.]

[He nods.]

Of course. They enjoy the attention.

[And probably will never stop hounding Hector for it in the future in the case of the permanent sphinx once it knows it can get it. The sphinxes themselves are still currently trying to figure out how to get to Cezar while he is just out of reach. Neither sphinx's wings are large enough to support their weight just yet.]

[When Hector touches them, there is where he'll likely find the difference if he knows to look for it. Although both creatures are arguably made of magic -- and the magic of this world has assisted to stabilize the form of the larger of the two -- only one feels purely of magic from this world. Otherwise, texturally, they are entirely the same. Both are incredibly warm, perhaps even warmer than one might expect with the swirling cosmos that appear to make up their forms, and while they could not be described as furry, they are both still surprisingly quite soft. Almost like running one's hand over satin.]

[Hector has to shift Cezar into one arm to free up his other hand for petting. As he leans in, it puts Cezar low enough for the kittens to get nose to nose with him, if they choose. If they do get in range, they can expect to get licked.

Hector lets the kittens smell his hand, then he goes for the larger first, stroking down its back. He repeats with the second. Materially, they feel the same, but yes, there is a bit of a difference in their auras.]

They are gorgeous.

Yes, they are truly glorious gifts from the gods.

[In return for being licked, one of the kittens gives Cezar a gentle bap of its paw with no real force or claws behind it. But before it can fully try to engage Cezar in a game of wrestling as it had with its "sibling," it's distracted by being pet and leans into Hector's hand. The other kitten, jealous over the loss, simply leaps onto Hector's shoulder. Ozymandias makes no attempt to stop this or reprimand the sphinx for doing as it pleases, sitting back in his seat instead.]

[The Sphinx leaps onto Hector, and Cezar lurches to spring up after him. Hector has to quickly grab at both as he overbalances. He ends up on his ass with his arms full of undead pug and magical cat.

The second Sphinx might as well hop down and join the party.]

[It happens all so quickly that there's a brief pause as Ozymandias parses through what just happened. More instinct than anything else, he's about halfway out of his own seat, about to extend a hand to catch Hector but it was too late and he ended up on the floor.]

[Cezar carrying on might have been disruptive to studying, but it has nothing on Ozymandias' laughter as he stands more fully out of his seat. The other sphinx hops off the table, walking the short distance over with Ozymandias, while the one in Hector's arms is ready to tussle with Cezar now that they're quite literally on the same level.]

Are you alright?

[He wouldn't be laughing or asking if he thought Hector had actually managed to suffer any sort of injury beyond (potentially) his pride, but he will still be polite and ask. He doesn't offer a hand to help him up though. Not with the third contender in the wrestling match making its way in. It seems better to let Hector get the animals off of himself first, then offer him a hand up.]

[Both animals scramble out of Hector's hold before he can get a grip on them.]

Fuck.

[He makes a grab for Cezar, who is scrambling out of his reach so he can play with the cat. The Sphinx also hops free, but Hector feels less empowered to wrestle it back into place.]

I'm fine. Cezar, be still!

[You are getting your master laughed at, dog! Hector loves you, but don't embarrass him in front of the other scholars at the library.]

[Normally, Ozymandias would not particularly mind to leave the creatures to their devices. There is no way this man's dog could ever particularly hurt his sphinxes and they were capable of playing gently in return. But it seems to be causing this man some distress that they are causing all this fuss. And so, while there's still good-natured humor to his voice, Ozymandias is firm in putting an end to it with a single command.]

To me.

[Near immediately, the sphinx cubs stop what they are doing with Cezar and break away from him to stand in front of Ozymandias. Any attempts the pug might make to pull their attention away from their master is futile.]

Up.

[The larger of the two sphinxes leaps immediately onto Ozymandias' shoulder while the other is back on the desk nearby. Ozymandias offers each attention, scritching just underneath their chins. It's after that he offers Hector a hand up.]

My apologies for the way they keep teasing your dog.

[Great, not only is his dog causing a scene, this other guy has the most well-trained Sphinx-kittens on the planet. Help.

He takes Ozymandias' hand up. Now that the kittens are out of reach, he lets Cezar keep zooming around the desk.]

It's my own fault. I've keep him cooped up for too long.

[Ozymandias' kittens were certainly not always this well-behaved and getting more than just two a time... Well, it lends itself to an increased element of chaos. So, for that reason, he is more empathetic to Hector's position than he likely realized.]

That's exactly why I have a friend of mine watch over them when I am likely not going to be home for a while. They would level my house if I left them to their own devices too long.

Cezar isn't inclined to destruction, at least. He just makes a nuisance of himself.

[The little dog is too sweet, and more importantly, too low to the ground to do much damage. Cats can get up to much worse, given the opportunity.]

Apologies for interrupting your work. I think a walk is the only cure for my dog.

[Ozymandias shakes his head as he steps back around the desk to his seat.]

Not at all. I welcome the occasional distraction. [As he sits, the sphinx cub on his shoulder hops back onto the desk beside its "sibling."] As much as I'm interested in this research, these texts do not make for the most riveting of reads. It's easy to find oneself reading the same line a few times.

[Ozymandias may be an intelligent man with a great amount of curiosity and some inherent talents with magic, but he was never a scholar and never devoted himself to such tasks. This is the sort of thing he would typically place in the hands of someone with more experience and skill at the task, and allow them to report their findings to him. But things are not so here in Aefenglom and he must apply himself more directly to the task if he is ever to summon one of his mightier sphinxes.]

But I do believe it is perhaps poor manners to have introduced me to your dog, but not yourself. [He is, of course, not actually any more offended by that than the interruption.] Who is it that finds themselves in the presence of Pharaoh?

[Poor manners, or just really telling priorities? Either way, the Pharaoh's chastising has the intended effect.]

Oh, right. I am Hector.

[And he takes it you're the Pharaoh.]

You know, if you are reading the same lines over again, you may be due for a break as well.

[One of two pharaohs in the city, but there's very little that one might confuse between Iskandar and Ozymandias. Ozymandias waves a hand slightly.]

I will be returning home shortly.

[He can't leave his cat sitter there forever. He made a promise to her that he would only ask for a few hours of her time. Just enough time for Fang to focus on something else for a while.]

Right.

[Hector gives the Pharaoh a nod.]

I'll take my leave of you, then. Sorry again for interrupting your studies.

[It was worth it, in Hector's mind, to have met the sphinxes and their master, but now that he's been called out, he's trying to scrape together the bare minimum of manners.]

[Ozymandias shakes his head at the apology, having already once deemed it unnecessary.]

It was a pleasure to meet you both. Good luck with settling Cezar down.

[It certainly seems like it will be a challenge with as energized as the pup is now having spent some time with the sphinxes riling him up even further.]

(open | february log)

The siren call of kittens

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