Gaining Strength [Part 12]
Jul. 19th, 2020 12:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
esp_dragonv2Fandom: Noblesse
Summary: Frankenstein needs to gain strength to protect humanity; the werewolves might hold the key to that.
Notes: Frankenstein decides werewolves are the bigger threat AU.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 2,371
Total word count: 26,159
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein scribbled a note before he paused mid-sentence. Wait, if he could-
He started digging around his desk. "Ah, now where did I put the-"
"Third drawer on the left," Muzaka's sleepy voice drifted over from the corner of his room. He had taken residence on Frankenstein's bed and Frankenstein had forgotten he was there as he continued his research.
The object he was seeking was where Muzaka said it would be. "Thank you," Frankenstein said, but before he put it to use, Frankenstein paused. He looked over his shoulder at Muzaka. "How did you know what I was talking about, and where it would be?"
Muzaka kept his eyes closed, his hands clasped behind his head. "You talk about it a lot and I can hear where you put it. Ya always start with that tone when you want it."
Frankenstein considered him, turning Muzaka's words in his head. But that meant... "You're listening to me?" And to that degree?
"Yeah? You thought I was just sleepin'?"
"...Well, yes." That had seemed to be the main reason he came when he wasn't dragging Frankenstein out.
Muzaka snorted. "If I just wanted to do that, I could find a tree or anywhere not here to do that. Somewhere with sunlight and a fresh breeze." In the candlelight, Frankenstein saw his smirk.
Oh. No-one had wanted to talk to or listen to him in the Union - when they sought him out, it was usually to solve their problems.
"Can't understand much about what yer sayin'," Muzaka said as he stretched, "but I know what most of you're usin' is called now."
Huh. "...Thank you," Frankenstein said softly.
Muzaka opened one eye to look at him. "What for?"
"For keeping me company, I suppose," Frankenstein said, turning back to his work. He had gotten used to lonely nights, but the presence of another person was appreciated.
"Hn."
* * *
Frankenstein frowned. "But no, that doesn't make sense, because that would mean - Oh, of course!" His eyes widened and he dived back to his journal, scribbling. Yes, that was a much better idea. "Thank you!"
"Uuh, what was that?"
Frankenstein looked over his shoulder to see Muzaka staring at him in confusion. "I needed a, hm, sounding board for my ideas. You helped immensely."
Muzaka furrowed his brows. "But I didn't say anythin'."
"But if you weren't here, I wouldn't have come to the right conclusion," Frankenstein countered. "Thank you for that."
"Uh. All right?"
Now to follow that thread of thought...
* * *
"What are you doing?"
"Mm?" Frankenstein rubbed his thumb over the rock before throwing it. "Skipping stones." He wanted to do something else with his hands. The river wasn't the best place for it, but he could still skip the stone at least once.
Garda watched the stone skim the river once before it sank. "I know you can throw it further than that."
Frankenstein smiled, picking another stone. It was true: if he wanted to, he could easily throw it to the opposite bank. "That's not the point. I want to skip stones across the surface." He threw the new stone, watching it skip twice. Better.
Garda frowned. "Are you wrapping the stone with your aura when you do it? I couldn't sense anything."
"Mm? No, no use of my aura."
He watched her as she picked the first stone she reached for and flung it in a arc. The stone sank instantly.
"It's not just a strength exercise," Frankenstein said, searching for another stone. "You need to find the right stone first," he said as he picked one up, and found a second. "It needs to be flat so that it can generate enough lift to-"
He stopped, seeing Garda's blank face.
He cleared his throat. Right. Not everyone would care for the exact details. "A flat stone, a low angle, and fast." He demonstrated with the stone.
Garda tracked the stone as it bounced over the water.
"No aura needed," he said, smiling as he tossed the second stone to Garda.
Garda caught the stone without looking but she glanced down to study it.
She threw it in the same way Frankenstein had. The stone sank. She narrowed her eyes and started searching for another stone.
It was interesting to see her work, but it was nice to see the roles reversed.
* * *
"Frankenstein." Garda threw one more stone and then straightened her cloak.
"Yes?" She had managed to skip a stone once a few times, which pleased him. She picked up things fast - he'd only needed to instruct her once and she was able to correct herself and improve after that.
"I...," she said, walking over. "I hadn't gotten around to tell you that I'm glad you spoke out against Lord Muzaka when you first arrived."
He raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" She had been the one chiding him back then, though...that was more for his actions, than his words.
"Lord Muzaka is our Lord, so his decision is final," she said. "We can't stop him when he decides to travel again. It was a surprise he listened to a human, but...I'm glad." She exhaled. "It's nice having Lord Muzaka here to deal with things, rather than waiting for his next return."
"Is Muzaka's decision final?" Frankenstein asked softly. He'd seen how the other werewolves acted around Muzaka. If he could get her to question her assumptions...
"Of course it is!"
"And what happens when someone questions his order, or gives him something new to think about?"
"They would be-" She stopped, her mouth open. A frown slowly formed as she stayed silent.
Good, she was thinking over what she'd seen, not what she'd been told.
"He listens."
"Yes," Frankenstein said, smiling.
"Oh." Garda looked dazed.
"Let's go get something to eat," Frankenstein said as he guided her towards the eating area. He was sure she had a lot to think about in the meantime.
* * *
"Don't you ever sleep?" Frankenstein demanded as Muzaka tugged him outside. It was a cloudless night, the stars twinkling overhead. He thought he would have been safe from getting dragged outside during the night.
"Yeah, but you don't either-"
...That was true.
"-and if we go up the mountain to the south, we'd get a great view of the stars from there."
Frankenstein paused, letting Muzaka guide him further into the forest. The stars?
He hadn't studied the stars since his arrival to the werewolf territory, too focused on the werewolves.
"Lead the way."
Muzaka grinned at him. "Wasn't I already?"
Frankenstein smiled, following him.
* * *
Frankenstein craned his head skyward, leaning back on one hand, his breath puffing as he rested an arm around a knee. "Interesting."
"What is?" Muzaka was sitting next to him, arm still raised as he pointed to the sky.
"I would have thought you would have more warrior or hunter constellations." It was more of their people of legend and only a handful of fighters.
Muzaka laughed at that. "Naw, we're not always about fighting." He grinned.
"I find that surprising," Frankenstein said, returning his smile. "It seems like that is what everyone is focused on."
"Heh." Muzaka dropped his hand, scanning the skies again. "That's 'cause you hang out with warriors all the time - we chose the path to fight and strengthen ourselves." He breathed out, a large cloud escaping his mouth. "Not everyone does, or can."
Yes, that would skew his perception.
Frankenstein shivered, another cloud escaping his mouth.
"You're cold?"
"Yes, I wasn't able to grab my cloak before you pulled me out." He hadn't thought the nights were that cold to need it either, since he stayed inside.
"Oh, heh."
Frankenstein started when something warm was dropped on his shoulders. When he turned his head to look at Muzaka, he almost ate a mouthful of fur.
Muzaka had given him his jacket.
"Don't you need it?" Frankenstein said, frowning at Muzaka's skin, which showed no sign of goosebumps.
"Nah," Muzaka said, smiling.
That made sense with how little layers the warriors wore.
After a few seconds, Frankenstein slipped the jacket on. "Thank you."
* * *
Frankenstein hummed, making Dorant look towards him. ...Huh, had Dorant gotten used to that being a signal that he wanted his attention.
"I'm curious," Frankenstein said. "You don't give out an aura as strong as other warriors." He was getting better at sensing when he was being approached, but Dorant continued to surprise him, no matter how much he concentrated.
"I dampen it, to hide my strength."
Ah, that answered his question. "Would you be able to teach me how to do it?"
Dorant's eyebrows raised slightly.
"It annoys me that everyone knows where I am before I see them." He was trying to hide after all, yet the warriors knew exactly where he was when they wanted a spar. He'd been lucky only Muzaka had found his lab so far.
A small smile curled Dorant's lips. "You do give off a very distinctive aura. All right."
Frankenstein smiled back.
* * *
"Time ta go outside!"
With the warning, Frankenstein placed his pen down and gathered up his bag with practised ease. Inside it was his journal of sketches, and his design for a pen that could hold ink inside it. He also had a dry pen and ink pot if his test didn't work.
He was ready in seconds, and Muzaka slung an arm around his shoulder as they went outside.
It didn't take them long to reach a spot to sit, and when they did, Frankenstein was sitting as much against Muzaka as he was the tree.
Muzaka peered at his sketches. "The whole point of takin' you outside was so you have a break from squintin' at everythin'."
"I don't squint," Frankenstein said distractedly, still focused on drawing. The pen was working so far.
"Your eyes are narrowed - yer squintin'."
Frankenstein paused, checking what his expression was. ...So he was.
He set the journal to the side. "All right," he said, putting the pen away. He had tested it and that was what he had needed. "No staring at paper for the time being."
Muzaka grinned at him.
* * *
Frankenstein stretched, rubbing the back of his neck as he collected his things. The non-dip pen had been a success, but he would need to see if the ink had dried on the inside after being left for a few hours as well.
"Muzaka," he said, getting to his feet, "I'll be leaving for the mainland to gather some new supplies." There was only so much he could make or find himself here and there were a few things that werewolves didn't make that he needed as well.
Muzaka perked up. "I can come!"
What? "No." Though...how long had it been since Muzaka had left the islands? He must be starting to get itchy feet if he was used to travelling around. "I'll see if I can find you things of interest when I return," he promised. Multiple things, considering how he couldn't be sure if it might have a negative effect on Muzaka.
...Hm, maybe it shouldn't be food. Something else? Something durable. There wasn't anything human made that could withstand werewolf claws or their full strength, but there was surely something he could find.
Muzaka blinked, his eyebrows raised. "You will?"
"Mm, is there anything in particular you'd like?"
Muzaka shook his head, smiling. "Surprise me."
* * *
Being back amongst humans was...strange. Frankenstein kept the cloak hood around his shoulders as he walked through the port. The rumours about him should have died by now, and with it being a port, strangers were a common sight as new ships docked daily.
After all the time he'd spent with the werewolves, he could feel the stark difference between humans and werewolves in the air. Human auras were more muted in comparison, like water brushing against his skin; werewolf auras were more brash, demanding his attention and space like fire. Was this what he felt like to the werewolves? A mix of in between?
Frankenstein browsed the market, just letting his eyes drift as his senses were filled. He could have collected some of these supplies himself, to be sure of their freshness, but trying to find them would take time when he didn't know the area that well.
He turned his head, smelling the sweetness of cakes and baked goods. ...It had been a while since he'd had something like that. Maybe he should collect some flour as well.
He followed his nose to the sweet selection. Ah, there was jam?
Frankenstein heard the heavy tread of guards pass his back but aside from noting their presence, ignored them as he bartered with the woman behind the stall. Acting wary of the guards would only bring more attention to him.
His bag heavier and purse lighter, Frankenstein continued his perusal of the market. Maybe he could find some books. Or even scrolls. He wasn't picky - it would be nice to read anything that wasn't his own handwriting, even if it was outdated. If it was, then he could spend a slow afternoon picking at all the flaws.
Or he could find something for Muzaka. Food wouldn't be the best choice when he didn't know what it was made with, and weapons and armour weren't something that Muzaka would ever need. Hmm, what would Muzaka like...
As he walked, Frankenstein heard the guards' tread follow him.
The port was busy, so they would be making patrols. He couldn't have been recognised.
But it was best if he cut his excursion short. Just in case. He could travel to the next town over to buy everything else he needed.
Summary: Frankenstein needs to gain strength to protect humanity; the werewolves might hold the key to that.
Notes: Frankenstein decides werewolves are the bigger threat AU.
Rating: G
Genre: General
Word count: 2,371
Total word count: 26,159
Status: Work in progress
Frankenstein scribbled a note before he paused mid-sentence. Wait, if he could-
He started digging around his desk. "Ah, now where did I put the-"
"Third drawer on the left," Muzaka's sleepy voice drifted over from the corner of his room. He had taken residence on Frankenstein's bed and Frankenstein had forgotten he was there as he continued his research.
The object he was seeking was where Muzaka said it would be. "Thank you," Frankenstein said, but before he put it to use, Frankenstein paused. He looked over his shoulder at Muzaka. "How did you know what I was talking about, and where it would be?"
Muzaka kept his eyes closed, his hands clasped behind his head. "You talk about it a lot and I can hear where you put it. Ya always start with that tone when you want it."
Frankenstein considered him, turning Muzaka's words in his head. But that meant... "You're listening to me?" And to that degree?
"Yeah? You thought I was just sleepin'?"
"...Well, yes." That had seemed to be the main reason he came when he wasn't dragging Frankenstein out.
Muzaka snorted. "If I just wanted to do that, I could find a tree or anywhere not here to do that. Somewhere with sunlight and a fresh breeze." In the candlelight, Frankenstein saw his smirk.
Oh. No-one had wanted to talk to or listen to him in the Union - when they sought him out, it was usually to solve their problems.
"Can't understand much about what yer sayin'," Muzaka said as he stretched, "but I know what most of you're usin' is called now."
Huh. "...Thank you," Frankenstein said softly.
Muzaka opened one eye to look at him. "What for?"
"For keeping me company, I suppose," Frankenstein said, turning back to his work. He had gotten used to lonely nights, but the presence of another person was appreciated.
"Hn."
Frankenstein frowned. "But no, that doesn't make sense, because that would mean - Oh, of course!" His eyes widened and he dived back to his journal, scribbling. Yes, that was a much better idea. "Thank you!"
"Uuh, what was that?"
Frankenstein looked over his shoulder to see Muzaka staring at him in confusion. "I needed a, hm, sounding board for my ideas. You helped immensely."
Muzaka furrowed his brows. "But I didn't say anythin'."
"But if you weren't here, I wouldn't have come to the right conclusion," Frankenstein countered. "Thank you for that."
"Uh. All right?"
Now to follow that thread of thought...
"What are you doing?"
"Mm?" Frankenstein rubbed his thumb over the rock before throwing it. "Skipping stones." He wanted to do something else with his hands. The river wasn't the best place for it, but he could still skip the stone at least once.
Garda watched the stone skim the river once before it sank. "I know you can throw it further than that."
Frankenstein smiled, picking another stone. It was true: if he wanted to, he could easily throw it to the opposite bank. "That's not the point. I want to skip stones across the surface." He threw the new stone, watching it skip twice. Better.
Garda frowned. "Are you wrapping the stone with your aura when you do it? I couldn't sense anything."
"Mm? No, no use of my aura."
He watched her as she picked the first stone she reached for and flung it in a arc. The stone sank instantly.
"It's not just a strength exercise," Frankenstein said, searching for another stone. "You need to find the right stone first," he said as he picked one up, and found a second. "It needs to be flat so that it can generate enough lift to-"
He stopped, seeing Garda's blank face.
He cleared his throat. Right. Not everyone would care for the exact details. "A flat stone, a low angle, and fast." He demonstrated with the stone.
Garda tracked the stone as it bounced over the water.
"No aura needed," he said, smiling as he tossed the second stone to Garda.
Garda caught the stone without looking but she glanced down to study it.
She threw it in the same way Frankenstein had. The stone sank. She narrowed her eyes and started searching for another stone.
It was interesting to see her work, but it was nice to see the roles reversed.
"Frankenstein." Garda threw one more stone and then straightened her cloak.
"Yes?" She had managed to skip a stone once a few times, which pleased him. She picked up things fast - he'd only needed to instruct her once and she was able to correct herself and improve after that.
"I...," she said, walking over. "I hadn't gotten around to tell you that I'm glad you spoke out against Lord Muzaka when you first arrived."
He raised his eyebrows. "Oh?" She had been the one chiding him back then, though...that was more for his actions, than his words.
"Lord Muzaka is our Lord, so his decision is final," she said. "We can't stop him when he decides to travel again. It was a surprise he listened to a human, but...I'm glad." She exhaled. "It's nice having Lord Muzaka here to deal with things, rather than waiting for his next return."
"Is Muzaka's decision final?" Frankenstein asked softly. He'd seen how the other werewolves acted around Muzaka. If he could get her to question her assumptions...
"Of course it is!"
"And what happens when someone questions his order, or gives him something new to think about?"
"They would be-" She stopped, her mouth open. A frown slowly formed as she stayed silent.
Good, she was thinking over what she'd seen, not what she'd been told.
"He listens."
"Yes," Frankenstein said, smiling.
"Oh." Garda looked dazed.
"Let's go get something to eat," Frankenstein said as he guided her towards the eating area. He was sure she had a lot to think about in the meantime.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Frankenstein demanded as Muzaka tugged him outside. It was a cloudless night, the stars twinkling overhead. He thought he would have been safe from getting dragged outside during the night.
"Yeah, but you don't either-"
...That was true.
"-and if we go up the mountain to the south, we'd get a great view of the stars from there."
Frankenstein paused, letting Muzaka guide him further into the forest. The stars?
He hadn't studied the stars since his arrival to the werewolf territory, too focused on the werewolves.
"Lead the way."
Muzaka grinned at him. "Wasn't I already?"
Frankenstein smiled, following him.
Frankenstein craned his head skyward, leaning back on one hand, his breath puffing as he rested an arm around a knee. "Interesting."
"What is?" Muzaka was sitting next to him, arm still raised as he pointed to the sky.
"I would have thought you would have more warrior or hunter constellations." It was more of their people of legend and only a handful of fighters.
Muzaka laughed at that. "Naw, we're not always about fighting." He grinned.
"I find that surprising," Frankenstein said, returning his smile. "It seems like that is what everyone is focused on."
"Heh." Muzaka dropped his hand, scanning the skies again. "That's 'cause you hang out with warriors all the time - we chose the path to fight and strengthen ourselves." He breathed out, a large cloud escaping his mouth. "Not everyone does, or can."
Yes, that would skew his perception.
Frankenstein shivered, another cloud escaping his mouth.
"You're cold?"
"Yes, I wasn't able to grab my cloak before you pulled me out." He hadn't thought the nights were that cold to need it either, since he stayed inside.
"Oh, heh."
Frankenstein started when something warm was dropped on his shoulders. When he turned his head to look at Muzaka, he almost ate a mouthful of fur.
Muzaka had given him his jacket.
"Don't you need it?" Frankenstein said, frowning at Muzaka's skin, which showed no sign of goosebumps.
"Nah," Muzaka said, smiling.
That made sense with how little layers the warriors wore.
After a few seconds, Frankenstein slipped the jacket on. "Thank you."
Frankenstein hummed, making Dorant look towards him. ...Huh, had Dorant gotten used to that being a signal that he wanted his attention.
"I'm curious," Frankenstein said. "You don't give out an aura as strong as other warriors." He was getting better at sensing when he was being approached, but Dorant continued to surprise him, no matter how much he concentrated.
"I dampen it, to hide my strength."
Ah, that answered his question. "Would you be able to teach me how to do it?"
Dorant's eyebrows raised slightly.
"It annoys me that everyone knows where I am before I see them." He was trying to hide after all, yet the warriors knew exactly where he was when they wanted a spar. He'd been lucky only Muzaka had found his lab so far.
A small smile curled Dorant's lips. "You do give off a very distinctive aura. All right."
Frankenstein smiled back.
"Time ta go outside!"
With the warning, Frankenstein placed his pen down and gathered up his bag with practised ease. Inside it was his journal of sketches, and his design for a pen that could hold ink inside it. He also had a dry pen and ink pot if his test didn't work.
He was ready in seconds, and Muzaka slung an arm around his shoulder as they went outside.
It didn't take them long to reach a spot to sit, and when they did, Frankenstein was sitting as much against Muzaka as he was the tree.
Muzaka peered at his sketches. "The whole point of takin' you outside was so you have a break from squintin' at everythin'."
"I don't squint," Frankenstein said distractedly, still focused on drawing. The pen was working so far.
"Your eyes are narrowed - yer squintin'."
Frankenstein paused, checking what his expression was. ...So he was.
He set the journal to the side. "All right," he said, putting the pen away. He had tested it and that was what he had needed. "No staring at paper for the time being."
Muzaka grinned at him.
Frankenstein stretched, rubbing the back of his neck as he collected his things. The non-dip pen had been a success, but he would need to see if the ink had dried on the inside after being left for a few hours as well.
"Muzaka," he said, getting to his feet, "I'll be leaving for the mainland to gather some new supplies." There was only so much he could make or find himself here and there were a few things that werewolves didn't make that he needed as well.
Muzaka perked up. "I can come!"
What? "No." Though...how long had it been since Muzaka had left the islands? He must be starting to get itchy feet if he was used to travelling around. "I'll see if I can find you things of interest when I return," he promised. Multiple things, considering how he couldn't be sure if it might have a negative effect on Muzaka.
...Hm, maybe it shouldn't be food. Something else? Something durable. There wasn't anything human made that could withstand werewolf claws or their full strength, but there was surely something he could find.
Muzaka blinked, his eyebrows raised. "You will?"
"Mm, is there anything in particular you'd like?"
Muzaka shook his head, smiling. "Surprise me."
Being back amongst humans was...strange. Frankenstein kept the cloak hood around his shoulders as he walked through the port. The rumours about him should have died by now, and with it being a port, strangers were a common sight as new ships docked daily.
After all the time he'd spent with the werewolves, he could feel the stark difference between humans and werewolves in the air. Human auras were more muted in comparison, like water brushing against his skin; werewolf auras were more brash, demanding his attention and space like fire. Was this what he felt like to the werewolves? A mix of in between?
Frankenstein browsed the market, just letting his eyes drift as his senses were filled. He could have collected some of these supplies himself, to be sure of their freshness, but trying to find them would take time when he didn't know the area that well.
He turned his head, smelling the sweetness of cakes and baked goods. ...It had been a while since he'd had something like that. Maybe he should collect some flour as well.
He followed his nose to the sweet selection. Ah, there was jam?
Frankenstein heard the heavy tread of guards pass his back but aside from noting their presence, ignored them as he bartered with the woman behind the stall. Acting wary of the guards would only bring more attention to him.
His bag heavier and purse lighter, Frankenstein continued his perusal of the market. Maybe he could find some books. Or even scrolls. He wasn't picky - it would be nice to read anything that wasn't his own handwriting, even if it was outdated. If it was, then he could spend a slow afternoon picking at all the flaws.
Or he could find something for Muzaka. Food wouldn't be the best choice when he didn't know what it was made with, and weapons and armour weren't something that Muzaka would ever need. Hmm, what would Muzaka like...
As he walked, Frankenstein heard the guards' tread follow him.
The port was busy, so they would be making patrols. He couldn't have been recognised.
But it was best if he cut his excursion short. Just in case. He could travel to the next town over to buy everything else he needed.