Like A Fish Out Of Water

[Shanty]

February 1st, Year 1

Hopefully, enough time has passed.

Shanty mentally chastised herself for waiting so long. It wasn't fear that had held her back, that's for certain. She had nothing to fear from most of the Rogues. A tiger, as strong as they were, couldn't do any damage that couldn't be repaired. At least, not to her. it seems that the period of aversion was more for.. introspection. For decades, the Captain had gone about things her way. Her humor was a show of respect and trust. Some liked it, some didn't, but rarely had anyone had a reaction as sharp and volatile as the reaction Shenzi and Shere Khan had given. Every time prior, it had been a new addition to her crew, and every time prior, they had come from... let's say, 'different' backgrounds. Ones of conflict and strife. Personally, Shanty saw no use in holding on to something so bitter. She'd lost the first few years of her second life to those feelings, and most of her first. Life was too short. While the squeaky wheel gets the oil, if there's no oil to be had, one must get it themselves.

A hiss of smoke, and a shake of a head. Another internal chastisement. Not everyone could escape death like she had. She had to remember that.

When the machine finds the tiger a few moments later, uneven paces stop a distance away. A slight berth, out of respect. Her tone is... different. There's no joking or humor anymore, just business.

"... Mister Khan. May I have a moment of your time?"

Alice | Sherekhan

[Deleted]

Silence laid over Sherekhan like a thick blanket of snow. His singular golden eye observed the activity below in the streets while a firm thin line of a frown pulled at his maw. The differences between his home and the home of man were breathtaking, and not in a good way. There were no places to hide out on the streets, no sense of comfort among the greenery. The city was pretty much desolate of it, and there were no similarities between this place and India. So it made perfect sense as to why the tiger king who usually felt confident in his own pelt felt unnerved.

Tension riddled his form and at the sound of a fellow assassin, his pelt seemed to tighten over the muscle that laid underneath.

However, as she addresses him as 'Mister Khan' there seems to be a key moment of, change, in his attitude towards her. He seemed to set his jaw straight as he turned his body towards her. Giving her his undivided attention. Large form moving to settle in the shadows of the room, more out of his own need for comfort than the need to plan an attack.

"I suppose you can," His usual snippish tone almost sounds as though to be lacking that 'endearing' quality it usually does. Instead, he seemed almost genuinely ready to listen for once. "What is it... Shanty, wasn't it?"

[Shanty]

"Correct," She states, giving a slight nod of a bow. Her arm sways out instinctively in the motion, and something odd becomes readily noticeable.

She's gone and removed her cannon-arm.

It's a small gesture, but one of significance for the Captain. Removing her main weapon, and essentially disarming herself for the meeting. A motion of peace.

"I wanted to apologize for my actions at the recent meeting," She begins, arms easing to rest behind her, "It's an instinct of mine to meet those I trust and respect with humor, but it never dawned on me that the sentiment might not be shared, or even frowned upon. While I'd meant to poke harmless fun, I had no intent to offend, let alone make a starting impression like that."

Despite her almost official tone, it seems she's being genuine. As far as she was concerned, Shanty trusted Clopin and his judgement with her life. If others were at such an important meeting, she'd trust them, too. It seems she'd just handled it in an odd way.

[Alice]

  It was a rare day for Alice. She had no chores to do, no soldiers to assist, and nobody looking for her to fetch them something. Today, Alice would declare, was the finest kind of day. For today was a day to explore. And oh how Alice loved to explore. Things to climb on, to climb under. Doors to open and secrets to find! It made Alice feel so light on her feet, and she could swear that each skip held her aloft for just a second longer than it should. Perhaps it wasn't very adultlike to skip down the hallway like this, but as long as she didn't go skipping all the way down, that was fine. Just a few skips, Alice reasoned, were perfectly acceptable. She allowed herself a total of three, feeling that to be a nice number, and then smoothed out her skirt the moment she landed. There. Back to exploring.

  Alice continued down the hall, minding not to make too much noise with her shoes. Secrets didn't favor loud sounds, after all, and if she wanted to find any, Alice had to remember that. As she passed by one of the doors, Alice's attention was drawn to the sound of voices; one she recognized, and one she did not. The door hung slightly ajar, and oh so inviting, and Alice was already peering through the crack before she had even given it a moment's pause.

[Deleted]

Confusion seemed to be a reoccurring emotion that Khan was forced to deal with daily in the midst of the Court of Miracles. If one thing bewildered him, so did the next. He did not understand the beings around him, the differences between them were so vast and great that he simply had trouble keeping up with it all.

However, despite all of it, he was going to try to understand no matter how hard it may be. He was not here to be stuck in his past, he was here to grow and be a better tiger. Hopefully, if he was lucky, maybe he could even live far past the age that most of his kind did. He was already pushing on twelve years of age after all. He had been lucky thus far too. His thoughts were quickly diving into that of his past, and he was rapidly becoming sidetracked when he noticed the vast lack of something utterly important on Shanty's body.

The weapon that was typically intertwined on her arm, was absent.

The relaxation that had begun to trickle over his form was quick to dissipate as wariness grabbed him like a vice. Did Shanty intend to make a fool of him? Or was this sincere? She sounded sincere, and everything read sincere, but caution due to past experiences had Khan on edge. It took a moment of an internal battle for him to even get past the thought that this was a joke to make fun of him, but once he managed it his muscles appeared to fall slack once more.

He was quick to avert his gaze from Shanty, awkwardness blossoming in his chest. He had never had someone apologize to him, let alone treat him as an equal. It was an odd an occurrence that threw everything out of his usual perspective. The silence that filled the space between them did little to help how he currently felt, but his words were lacking. Usually, by now, he would snip back with a snide remark or two, but that was not the case now.

He breathed out sharply between clenched teeth before he forced his gaze back onto the Captain. "I..." He began but immediately stopped, a paw being scrubbed down his face roughly. "Am bad, at conversing, where I come from I am feared, and for good reason but it was... not my attention to come onto a bad footing with you. I..." He was reluctant, and the look on his face was clearly a look of social awkwardness. "Also, apologize." It was then though, he noticed the presence at the door and his golden eye focused on it. "If I were you I would make it very present who you are and quickly."

[Alice]

  Alice leaned, ever so slightly, against the frame of the door, trying to get a better look inside. It wasn't that she was intending on spying. She wasn't even intending on sneaking! It was only that, well... curiosity always had to get the better of her. Through the sparse little gap, Alice could make out the form of the Captain Shanty. Just as she had suspected! A little smile pulled at the corners of Alice's mouth, both delighted to see the Captain, and simply delighted for being correct in her guess. The owner of the other voice, however, was a most interesting surprise!

  Alice had heard of the Rogues' tiger before. She had seen him once, but it was too far, and only too briefly. How exciting it was to see him up close! Alice leaned just a little more. Just a little closer. Just--

"If I were you I would make it very present who you are and quickly."

  She froze. Alice was a brave girl, oftentimes to a fault. She often did not view most animals with the modicum of caution that they most certainly deserved. But here, seeing the glimmering, golden eye swivel and fixate directly on her...

  Somewhere, deep down inside, survival instinct had suddenly made Alice very aware of how small she was.

  "H-..." Alice swallowed the lump in her throat, and tried desperately to will her legs to move. They would not. "H-hello..!" She shook her head, fighting to speak around the pressing weight in her chest. "I-I do beg your pardon. I didn't mean to intrude." It was unpleasant to hear the uncertain squeak in her voice, but she wasn't sure she could manage much better than that.

[Shanty]

"If I were you I would make it very present who you are and quickly."

There's a sharp whir as the Captain shifts to face the door, optic focusing carefully on the doorway. Though, what hard expression had been there immediately faded at the sight of that familiar blue dress.

"Ah, Miss Liddell. Curious as always, aren't we?"

Shanty couldn't be too upset at the girl. Such unbridled curiosity reminded her of her own days in youth, lovely dresses and all. To be unbound by what others wanted of you, and to be self-seeking, she adored it. She knew that could bloom into the most beautiful love of the world.

There's a soft hum here, and azure optics turn towards the tiger.

"Mister Khan, I know you just recently said that you were used to being feared, but I'm a foolish woman with little fear of death. May I join you? And, if it suits you, extend the offer to Miss Liddell? For someone so young, she's got quite a good head on her shoulders. This is, of course, all up to you."

[Deleted]

A little girl. How ironic, it seemed like the cubs of men always appeared to flock to him for whatever reason. Ready to provide a snack for him or some form of entertainment. He was never quite sure why this occurred, it was always some sort of weird happenstance but he had never bothered to question it before now. And now that he did, he found it alarmingly weird. Even back in Indian small cubs always found their way to him. Though, despite what everyone thought he did, he often led the little ones back home.

It unnerved him to actually think about. Hell, he even tossed a small gaze upward wondering if this was the doing of some sort of ancestor of his to torment him. He was quick to cast the thought aside as Shanty spoke again. Dark ears tilted forward before he shook his head, they were fools for wanting an old grumpy cat's company. "You can," He huffed before rising to his feet. Stretching the stiffness out of his bones and joints. "But I'm not much good company so I've heard." He tutted softly, his paws led him towards the door where Alice was stooped. He focused his gaze on her before tapping her chest with a toe.

"Next time, I suggest you step lighter as not to be caught, cub."

[Alice]

  "I-I..." Alice felt the claw poke into her chest, and her tongue was stilled. She hadn't meant to spy, truly! Her brows furrowed, followed by her lips pursing into a thin line. In spite of her fear, a young Englishwoman's indignation was the key to bringing her voice back to her.

  "I wasn't trying to be sneaky, so there wasn't anything to catch." She explained, finally, feeling the weight starting to lift from her chest. "And I do find it hard to believe that a tiger would have nothing to contribute to his company." Here Alice's hands popped up onto her hips, her tone exchanging the frightened squeak for something more matter-of-fact. "Why, I would imagine that he would in fact have a great many interesting things to say... should he decide to say them." The last part of that sentence, Alice had added mostly for catching the almost demanding nature of her tone. Really, she couldn't help but be very, very curious indeed. After all, how often does one get the chance to converse with a tiger?

[Shanty]

"On the contrary, Miss Liddell," Shanty hums gently, arms tucked behind her, "I believe one can catch a rather obvious cold, or maybe a tune. Neither are particularly stealthy. A thrown ball would also be rather obvious, I think."

Oh boy, Shere Khan! Two blonde humans with a penchant for strange, out of the box thinking! Joy.

"But I do agree with you. In my many years, I've spent company in all sorts. Sixty plus years, in fact. But not once have I ever been graced by a tiger, at least not extensively. I don't think you'll be bad company, Mister Khan. All it takes, I believe, is to find the right company."