The Good In Me

[Sherekhan]

March 6th, Year 1

The world hadn't been more quiet than it was now. Night lulled over the kingdom of the Rogues and in the shadows lurked Shere Khan. His mind was still fresh with the events of a few days ago. Something had left him unsettled, something that he did not expect. What should have been a simple move in and kill became chaos at it's finest and seeing her turn into something he didn't quite recognize left an odd coil in Khan's stomach. It was not fear, but it was close enough to leave him unsettled. He had avoided her and the rest of the assassins as he gathered his thoughts.

He pondered over everything if he was going soft, if he was truly having his hatred for humans die down among other things. In the past he wouldn't hesitate a beat to get rid of them but now? Now the thought left him... Discontent.

The heavy sound of foot steps caused his gaze to shift from his feet to the woman he had been spending most of his time with over the long course of months that this war had raged on. Their meeting was not one of friendly circumstance but when they had admitted to each other's faults it felt like someone had connected with him. Even though he was repulsed to admit it to himself.

When he had joined the Rogues he was simply looking for a place to eat and rest, somewhere he wouldn't be made a mockery of and wouldn't have to deal with those annoying bibblers of 'oh we're going to stop this war' that the Freedom Fights were, or worse the pure cruelty of the Blackblood Legion. They would have seen his physical weaknesses and turned him into chow... That thought had him shuddering. However, he had turned one of their soldiers cowering and running from him. What was her name? Mystic? She looked like she hadn't ever seen a day of battle, perhaps he would have been better off there. No, he wouldn't have.

A heavy sigh left him as he scrunched up his face. He was just letting his thoughts run wild to avoid the one thing that currently bothered his mind the most. Shanty. He wouldn't quite say she made his chest twist in a fluttery manner but she did. When she turned into that... well form back in Agrabah he was not afraid more in awe of her power it made the feeling stronger. The conflicting feelings in his mind and body were really not helping at all with that either.

A loud groan of frustration and confusion left the king before he dramatically dropped his head against the stone he was perched upon making an audible thud. Whatever, he knew he could not avoid her forever. "Shantyyyyyy." He moaned pitfully to grasp her attention.

[Shanty]

It was hard not to notice when a companion avoided you, especially someone who you spent a lot of time with. And while Shanty wouldn’t bother her striped friend about it, she couldn’t help but feel a little... nervous. It wasn’t often she let people see... that. It made people nervous. It scared them. Made them see her as... something else. But, Shere Khan was a predator. He was big, strong, brave... he could handle it...

Right?

Porcelainesque teeth worry silicone lips ever so slightly as the Captain busies herself picking up her workshop. It was almost funny, seeing someone take to such menial tasks. But it helped her relax, to put her blinders on and focus on something so simple.

Even if it often let details slip by. Such as a tiger joining in company.

The King’s complaint pulls her from her focus, and she blinks lightly before facing him. A soft smile forms on her lips, and she tilts her head ever so slightly.

“Oh, now that’s a sad tone. I don’t think I’ve heard that sort of noise from you, Mister Khan. Something amiss?”

[Sherekhan]

A loud ever so drama sigh left the tiger king as he huffed and puffed, sliding off of his stone perch to greet the floor in a haphazard manner. His paws touched the cold stone beneath him and he felt a tingle rip up through his body. He was quick to shake one foot after the other as if to bring the heat back to them before stretching his body backward and then forward.

He lazily slinked over to his pirate companion in a moping manner. His rump meeting the ground beside her as his one golden hue moved to gaze up at her. He was acting absolutely pitiful, but no one else was around so why did it matter? He knew Shanty wouldn't tell a soul. He gave a roll of his shoulders before attempting to hold his head up in a bit more of a dignified manner without much luck.

"Nothing is amiss." He announced in response though his ears spoke otherwise as they laid as flat possible out towards the sides of his skull. There was a few lingering moments of silence until he stood again, giving a small gesture of his body and then rubbing his side against one of her legs as he moved to exit the workshop. "Join me on a walk?" He invited quietly.

[Shanty]

She can’t help her growing smile as the tiger continues to mope, obviously a bit entertained by the theatrics. Despite what he said, it was very obvious something was bothering him, and he was being fussy about sharing.

Robotic arms twist lightly to gently place the box she was carrying on the floor, and her gloved hand dusts off her front, “I think that’s a brilliant idea. I think the night air could do us both some good.”

With a swish of her coat, she’s at his side, giving him that signature, playful smirk.

“You lead, Dear, I’ll follow.”

[Sherekhan]

The playful smirk had those weird bundle of feelings arising in him again but he paid no heed to it as the two of them strolled into the night. Long near silent strides were accompanied by Shanty's louder once it was an interesting mix of movement and the silence felt louder than ever to Khan. He had never felt at a lost for words, he was silver of tongue a charming cat through and through but also ruthless. Yet at this point in time he felt nothing more than a fumbling child learning his way without a mother.

Finally though, as sweet as a relief like this could be he spoke carefully.

"That... scuffle at Agrabah was quite the show wasn't it?" His brows raised lightly though he kept his golden hue forward. "I'm surprised Clopin actually managed to kill that overseer, though that other man looked ready to spill blood worse then him." Another soft pause had his sentence drifting. "...What happened back there?" There was no hostility, no note of fear but genuine curiosity as he came to a halt beside her. Head and gaze lifting to meet her expression.

[Shanty]

“Mmh, I think you’re right. I think we’ll have to keep our eyes open. They’ll definitely want blood for that.” She hums, words accompanied by puffs of smoke.

"...What happened back there?"

There’s... a soft noise. A sigh, maybe? Gears click softly as her steps slow to a halt, cerulean gaze holding forward for a moment. There’s a hesitation here, as her hand finds her pocket.

“... Something I don’t tend to show people. But you’ve seen it, so I suppose you deserve an explanation. It’s really only fair.”

There’s another hang here, and she takes to walking again, keeping her clip with Shere Khan.

“It’s a long story, really. The short of it is that I’m.. a weapon of sorts. A hunter, just like you. Or, I’m built to be one. But where you hunt boars, deer, the like, I’m built to hunt... well, mechanical pirates. Or, one, specifically. That was ages ago, though. Nowadays it’s good for, well, grinding up anyone who crosses me, really. Like you saw.”

Another sigh, heavier this time.

“It frightens people, it seems. It’s good in a fight. Scares away meeker enemies, destroys the stronger. But it’s certainly got a way of scaring even allies and friends away. I’m sorry about it, by the way. Things were escalating so quickly, I didn’t want either of us getting hurt, you know?”