midnight and lovely decay

[lovely decay]

Dark brown hair meshed against a pastel pillow case in soft waves as the girl's form moved ever so slightly with each breath. Meri was sleeping quietly, except for the gentle purr that came from her throat with each exhale. A soft, white kitten ear twitched as she moved to curl into a tighter ball beneath the sheet she had covered herself with the night before. It would be about time for her to be rising to greet the new day, but Meri's animal instincts had kicked in, making her want to do nothing but nap all day long. As a kitten should, of course.

However, she knew this would more then likely not be tolerated. As she came to this conclusion in her half-asleep state, she decided she would have to force herself to wake up and begin the day. Mouth wide with a yawn, she pulled herself up from where she'd been curled beneath the sheet, her feet hitting the floor. A squeak escaped her pale pink lips as she curled her toes against the floor, her arms stretching above her head as she yawned yet again. Going to sleep was always easy, waking up was more of a challenge for her. Of course, it could be much easier if she was a complete human instead of a mixed breed. Being part cat, she always loved napping and lazying about.

A pale hand reached forward to brush her tousled hair from her eyes, another yawn building up already. A white ear twitched as she tried to listen for any other sounds that indicated movement in the castle. Not hearing anything too out of the norm for morning movement, Meri stood, a thin white tail automatically wrapping itself against her waist as she stepped forward. She was clothed in a simple black nightgown, and as the floor was cold beneath her feet she decided that some sort of stocking would be necessary before moving from the room.

After retrieving a pair of black stockings, she wrapped her mid-back length, brown curls with a black ribbon at the nape of her neck. Her ears twitched once more as she turned towards the door. It seemed as though her Master was hiding away in his study already, and Meri walked in that direction. It didn't take her very long to reach the entrance to the study, the door extremely large in comparison to her petite frame. Raising her right hand, she knocked lightly against the wooden door, then placed her hand back at her side as her ears twitched; waiting for him to speak.

 

[Midnight]

Jae had awoken long before the sun rose, as he always did, every day, The man had managed to program himself to awake the moment it started to get brighter outside, it helped him with his work and his studies.

Jae currently was standing in his study over a small cauldron, peering inside and consulting the manual in his hand, the Alchemist was a spectacle, tall, handsome, if it weren't for the fact that he alienated himself from all human life a casual observer would be shocked that he wasn't married. He had long black hair, perfectly maintained and bound behind his head to keep it out of his way. His figure was rather impressive and healthy, he made sure he and his pet ate the healthiest foods avaliable... actually she made sure he did, otherwise, he would probably starved to death in his study by that time...

The man wore thick goggles over his emerald eyes as he toyed with his latest project, a village boy had come to him seeking the cure to a rather nasty case of pissed off witch, in other words, someone in the nearby village had been turned into a newt...

When Jae heard a sound at the door, he turned around, propping up the goggles he wore as as he turned around, a frown appearing on his mouth, there were days he regretted the cat part, but it did make her so damn cute, Jae had a weakness for cute behavior, and unfortunatly his pet seemed to be the paradigm of cuteness, he didn't let her know this, but she could still butter him up. The man turned and walked to the door of his study, picking up books as he went

Jae was a good master, and a better teacher, he had learned from the best, and now he was the best in his field of study, the practice of alchemy and magic, he was a famous enchanter, and was always seeking knowelege and experimenting on new things. The man brushed his hand off on his pants before extending it and gripping the handle firmly, pulling the heavy oak door towards him and looking through at the smaller creature that stood in her little black nightie and stockings on the other side of the door. Jae sighed a little and opened the door a little bit more "Meri" he said, his voice dissapointed as he peered down at his pet, an eyebrow quicked "Remember what I said about getting up earlier"

Jae opened the door so his apprentice could scoot past him, she was bright, and really quick when it came to her lessons, her catlike nature also made her a much better companion, she was sweet and affectionate, and when he needed that, and other things, she would be there for him. "Come on in" The man spoke softly, as he always did "Put on something protective" Jae smiled a little, abcently placing a hand on her head and scratching behind her ears with gloved fingers before turned to the cauldron, taking a scrap of paper in his hand before he turned around, handing it to Meri "I need these ingrediants, one of the villagers tresspassed in Elzibeth's garden and got turned into a newt... again... and she doesn't want to turn him back" Jae's study was filled with jars of hundreds of ingrediants, many of which he had made Meri memorize.

Jae was a good man, the a very strict teacher, and a good master, he hoped Meri was happy with him, he wouldn't be around forever, and if she learned his trade she could continue without him, even getting her own apprentice. Jae waited a moment before turning to the girl "Did you have a good sleep?" he asked, his voice softer.

 

[lovely decay]

As the door was pulled open, Meri's form went still, her tail unwrapping itself from her wasit to twitch against her legs. With her head cocked to the side as his sigh echoed through her ears, she gave a weak smile as an apology.

"I tried, but the pillows were so comfy!" Meri leaned forward, arms still folded behind her, a playful girn upon her face now. "But I will most certainly try harder to wake up earlier, I promise." With a nod, she moved past him, already reaching for a pair of protective goggles, and the small pair of gloves that lay under them. As she was pulling the gloves on, her head cocked to the side where he was scratching behind her ear, and a purr fought its way to the surface.

Once the goggles were in place on her head, she took the paper from him. Without a verbal response, she took the paper and scanned it over quickly before she turned on her heel and started to gather the ingredients he needed. "Mm, perhaps someone ought to turn her into a newt." A small giggle escaped her, Meri was far from hostile. The comment had only been made with humor in mind.

Meri had grabbed a handful of things he needed, and was now bring them to him. There were still a few more things she needed to retrieve, but she could only hold so much in her arms at a time. "It was pleasant. I dreamt of mice again." A shudder ran down her spine as she thought of her dream. Though part cat, she had an unusual fear of mice, or any sort of other rodent. She wasn't sure of why she had this absurd fear, cats were supposed to enjoy catching and playing with mice. Meri never felt that way towards them.

 

[Midnight]

Jae went about his business, stopping for a moment to listen to his pet after she took the list of ingredients from him, the man searched through a selection of stirs and picked a smaller vessel for mixing ingredients. Elzibeth had a penchant for amphibians; he would keep extra bottles of the resultant mix just in case. The man turned a little, taking one of the stirs from the wall, the solution called for a chrome wand.

Jae turned to take the ingredients from his assistant "Well, I don't think I would be able to do that, after my specialty is turning things into people, not the other way around." Jae grinned, turning back towards the kettle, taking a couple of the ingredients that the girl handed him, chopping some of the roots up, and pouring a couple of bottles of the liquid into the container, mixing it while reciting a short incantation, turning the stir, the liquid in the kettle began to glow and bubble. Jae nodded towards Meri "Goggles on" he spoke without turning towards her, taking ingredients and placing them inside the cauldron

Jae reached for a couple of small bottles and poured them in, stepping back as the cauldron released a puff of orange smoke. Jae turned away from it, taking his gloves off "Besides, Elzibeth gives me most of my ingredients, and I can see where she is coming from, I know she scares you, and honestly, she scares me too, but her ingredients are very hard to get at otherwise." Jae set his gloves down and took his goggles off again.

When the kitten spoke of her dream Jae sighed, she never was a really good mouser, but he could live with that, he had brought her to be to be his companion and assistant after all, not to kill mice. Jae took a bottle and filled it with the concoction, bottling it and busying himself by putting all his ingredients away. "Perhaps..." Jae grinned, glancing over at his kitten "Perhaps I should make you a little playmate" Jae's grin could only be called evil as he said so "Maybe if I did you would be a little less afraid of them?" Jae knew a playmate for the girl wouldn't be too great of an idea, he knew how siblings operated. Jae walked over to his kitten petting her lovingly on the ears and leaning over to brush his lips across her cheek "I will be delivering the potion to the village in a little bit, but for now I am going to the library, if you care to join me" The male walked to the door, opening it for his cat.

 

[lovely decay]

Meri was quiet after he took the first batch of ingredients she'd fetched for him. Now she busied herself with searching for the last few things on his list. It didn't take her very long to find them, after all he'd had her memorize what they were, and where they were located. Peering up at him while she held out three more jars, she gave a smile. Well, of course he couldn't turn Elzibeth into a newt, but at least Meri wasn't the only one the woman scared.

After he'd taken the last of the ingredients from her, Meri reached up and pulled the goggles down over her eyes, and peered over his shoulder as she watched him closely. To her, this sort of thing was interesting. The ability to mix an assortment of things together to make something that would turn a newt back into a human was incredible to her. And the way he did it with such ease and naturalness, it awed her every time.

Once Jae removed his gloves and goggles, Meri followed suit, placing her items right back where they had been before. If she moved too many things around, she'd lose track of them. Not that her memory was bad, but she just preferred things to be in the same place every time.

Meri's smile turned into a pout as he spoke of making her a playmate. She stepped forward, meeting him as he moved towards her. Her head cocked to nuzzle against his petting, and as his lips brushed her cheek, a soft pink color rose to the surface. "I wouldn't enjoy fighting for your attention, Master." Meri's tail twitched as she spoke, and then took a step back. Well, her statement was true, she didn't want to have to get into a fight with another just to keep his attention on her. She enjoyed his attention, and Meri wasn't one who liked to share.

"Shall I go with you to the village as well?" She asked, stepping forward until she made it through the opened door, then turned back to face him, waiting for him to lead the way to the library. She knew where it was, but he was the one in charge, not her. And she was simply showing him respect for that.

 

[Midnight]

Elzibeth was a scary woman, she always wore black, practiced dark magic, something Jae would never do, and he was under the impression that she spied on him, she was older than him, yet she looked young, likely a cheap trick, she also hated it when villagers tresspassed in her precious garden, to the point where she used her skills to reduce villagers to amphibians.

The man pushed past the door, looking back at his pet, she had displayed such a sweet reaction when he kissed her, she was adorible, and he liked her that way. "Alright, I understand" Jae chuckled, passing through a doorway, a little mouse boy or girl would be so cute, but there was the secondary characteristics that he would have to get rid of, an adorable little kitten like Meri made a great companion, but a skittish, biting mouse, Jae didn't want to do that. Jae blinked as Meri asked if she could come along with him "Sure" Jae spoke in a pleased tone. "I wouldn't mind if you come with me to the village, the villagers might be a bit confused as to where you came from though, I don't leave often". The man continued down the hallway, heaading down a flight of stairs and approaching one of the great oak doors that seperated the main hall from the library.

The doors almost flew open with a touch, allowing Jae and his pet to enter into the library, a huge room with book cases rising to the ceiling and a large chair facing a fireplace on the other side of the room. Jae's father and grandfather had collected tomes of knowlege from across the world, Jae could only regret he would likely never have a son to pass this on to, but he would be alive for a long while at least. The man walked through the library, letting Meri go about her own devices, he let her in here as many times and whenever she wanted to so she could read any time. Jae moved across the open room, collecting books as he went before he flopped into the chair, setting the books down on a end table, kicking his legs up a litte "We can bring the antidote to the village in a couple hours, it is not all that far away from the castle" Jae focused, snapping his fingers at the fireplace, starting a flame.

Jae relaxed a little bit, sighing as he patted his lap. It was so good Meri was around to keep him company "Meri, could you come here?" it was still fairly early, but Jae felt he could relax a little before he continued his work. Jae was glad Meri liked his attention so much, she was a good kitten, and Jae felt like she needed a reward "You have been a good girl, how would you like a treat?" Jae did not mention what this treat was, he would probably give her a choice, or just ask what she wanted. They were going out to town, he could buy a fish or some sweet cream for her, Jae may have been a good alchemist, but he was a terrible cook.

(Sorry if it sucks, I need sleep)