Independencies

I was browsing blogs the other day and rediscovered this gem from Too Many Annas. But why am I bringing it up? ... Because last night Rheugan totally threw me for a loop.

Little bit of backstory: Fells, one of Pitch's fellow Riders, has a bet going on with a newcomer named Zve. The bet? Zve, who is not exactly a high-class citizen(he is in fact barely above "street bum" status. I think >.>), has to get into the Silver Feather, a well-known "high class establishment." He has to do it on his own- aka no one he knows can just let him in- and he has to get his picture in the paper while he's there as proof. The stakes for the bet are pretty dang high, and Fells and Zve have nearly been at each other's throats a time or two about it(at least it seems that way from my characters' perspectives).

So last night, there was a party at the Blue Recluse. It was fairly dressy, so everyone came wearing their best clothes.

Zve was there. So was Fells.

When Zve went to leave, he discovered 2 things: Fells had left some time before him, and his hat (and I think his cloak and cane, but I'm not sure) was missing. He tracked Fells down at the Pig and Whistle, where Pitch and Rheugan had gone to get away from the crowds. They had a... talk. It was a fairly intense talk, as it seemed that Zve had been trying to get himself "let in" which was apparently against the terms of their bet. Fells had taken his hat, yes, and was going to hold it hostage(I think? Not real clear here.) as assurance of Zve's good behavior. Aka, he had to go along with the terms of the bet, no more trying to cheat. Fells being Fells, she was being smug about it, and Zve finally lost his temper and had to leave before he "hulked out", as his player put it.

(A side note? Both Fells and Zve's players have become friends already and are in no way fighting with each other- in fact the whole scenario has been an awesome source of amusement for everyone.)

Rheugan left the Pig shortly after Zve did. I knew that something was bothering him, but I wasn't totally sure what. I think it was at least partly Fells' attitude toward Zve, who is actually a worgen and not a human. Rheugan (and Pitch!) being a cat, he can tell the difference, and right after Zve left Fells admitted she knew he was a worgen but swore that he "was no danger." Rheugan knows very well what living with the worgen curse is like, and the way Fells treated the whole thing bothered him a lot.

So, Rheugan left. Pitch knew that something was bothering him, so he went out after him to make sure he was okay. The following conversation ensued:

Pitchblàck says: All right?
Rheugan says: I'm not sure of much of anything right now
Pitchblàck blinks at Rheugan.
Pitchblàck says: Was it Fells?
Rheugan says: Partly
Rheugan says: I don't know if she is prejudiced or simply ignorant
Rheugan says: Or if it is something else that I can't see
Pitchblàck says: She's been nice to you, right? She hasn't said anything?
Rheugan says: No, but then I don't know her well
Pitchblàck says: Do you want to go back in?
Rheugan says: I don't know
Rheugan says: I thought about going after Bosch, but I'm not good at following a trail
Pitchblàck says: Would that have been a good idea?
Rheugan chuckles.
Rheugan says: He can't hurt me, Pitch
Rheugan says: Don't let me keep you if you want to go back in
Pitchblàck says: You're my student. I don't like leaving you alone like this
Rheugan says: I won't harm anyone, I promise
Pitchblàck says: It's not that
Pitchblàck lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

This was when I realized that I did not know what was going through Rheugan's head. This has never happened before with any of my other toons, and frankly it floored me. It was like he simply kicked me out of his head and shut the door. I'm still boggled by it.

This is both awesome and scary. Awesome, because I've never had a character come alive like that before, and the possibilities are pretty amazing. Scary, because I don't know what will happen with him now. I know that right now he's on edge, and anything could push him over. Whether it pushes him to the "good" side or the "bad" side remains to be seen. I could even see him giving up, and going out to the wild places left in Ashenvale, or some similar place, and letting the beast go for good.

This is bothering Pitch as well, because he doesn't want to fail poor Rheugan. Pitch is trying his hardest, but he's realized he has no idea what the worgen curse is like, and that curse added to the wild animal trapped in Rheugan's head is simply more fuel for the fire. On top of that, he's now afraid that his new "pack", the Riders (one or two in particular at least) may not like Rheugan very much.

The good news is that this set off some especially awesome RP with Kyraine, a human-turned-worgen that Pitch was already friends with, who has promised to talk to Rheugan herself. I really can't wait to see what will come from that. She also explained a lot of what the curse is like to Pitch, who now has a better understanding of what his new friend is going through.

So I think that sums up pretty much everything. I'll be giving Rheugan some extra attention, I think, because I want to see where exactly this all goes. I'm hoping my poor kitty-cat can come to terms with things, settle down, and become "real people" again. And as another side note? I've been trying to write out Rheugan's backstory, but it's being near impossible, and I'm thinking now that it's because he doesn't want me in his head. Will I ever get it written? Only Rheugan can tell me that.