Into the office walks...

[Lord Panther]

...a tall mage, clothed in what was once a dark purple, almost black, mage's robe with a hood covering his face, sleeves hiding his hands and flowing all the way to the rags that meet the floor. The mage reaches up with his paws and removes his hood, revealing what appears to be the very black face of a panther. The mage tips his head to the side and thinks to himself. "well, maybe these people aren't used to seeing such large cats, I should make myself appear a little more.. uh...normal." With that, he stretches out his paws and shakes his head, changing his paws to hands and his head to that of a dark haired, pale skinned mage. He studies the room, which is littered everywhere with papers. Even the desk has mountains of papers and a few ink drawings. The mage sits in the chair on the non-business side of the desk and finds some unused papers and a pen buried under a few books.

 

"Now, what to write...what... to...write..." thinks the mage to himself as he taps his brow with the pen. Suddenly he straighens up as if lightning had stuck his brain! "Oh! I know, I can tell of how I came to this land! I'm sure that will be quite alright."

 

Furiously, the mage starts writing...

[Lord Panther]

My Journey...

 

How did it come to this? How did I come to this point?

 

These questions pass through my mind as I wander aimlessly throughout the lands that we once called Terra.

 

I was once a mage that had great respect throughout the world. I was an Accepted of the Legion of the White Rose, a diplomat known to travel the borders of many different guild countries, be those borders those of the Pacifists?, the Angels of Apocalypse, or even the Army of Darkness. Everyone who was anyone knew of me.

 

The Legion of the White Rose was a guild of great beauty and artistry. I can still remember the fair Lady Madoka telling one of her tales from upon the stage of the Tavern of the Morning Rose, or even Lord Kendricke having a great debate with the other elders within the Inner Sanctum. A place that few knew existed and even fewer had entered.

 

The beauty of the White Rose didn't end with the people that lived there. It could be seen in every corner of the country. The great spires of the Knights were works of artistry that everyone could behold and pay homage to the masons and carpenters that built them. The artistry ran right down to the very cloaks and weapons that each mage had fashioned for themselves. Pride was in everything that surrounded you when you entered the country, and you could not help but to be in awe if it was your first time beholding such pride.

 

But that seems like eons ago now. I've watched as more and more of my friends and comrades from both within the Legion and all over Terra leave this world, and finally watched as the Legion itself closed its doors upon this world. I have since wandered this now desolate wilderness, visiting the borders that I knew so well. Seeing that each and every guild has either escaped existence or is a mere shadow of what they once were.

 

Even I have not escaped the ravishes of time. My once exquisite robes have seen more than their share of shrubs and thorns, leaving them torn and frayed. My blades have become dull and tarnished as there has been no one to fight, no enemies to work against, no reason to whet them. Yet I travel on, in search of a new home, one that I would feel welcome, one that I could possibly compare to my home of old in both culture and the arts.

 

I pass by the entryways to many different, now nameless, countries, most who have abandoned their lands, who have left this now desolate world. Yet even as I pass more and more decrepit lands, I feel that my journey is taking me in the right direction. Be it far from my home, I know it is where I must go.

 

As the last rays of the day escape from the sky, I come over the crest of a hill and behold something that I thought I would never see again in this world. I see houses. Not houses that are old and rotting, but houses that have people still living in them. Chimneys that have small trailings of smoke escaping from them. The sounds of people going about their late day business. My senses are filled with life once more.

 

I make my way down from the peak of the hill and towards the signs of this civilization. To my surprise, I burst through the bushes onto what appears to be a well-traveled road! Imagine that, it's headed in the direction of the town. I decide to walk into town, right down the middle of the road, still stupefied by the existence of this place, and the tranquility of the town.

 

As the night comes on fully, another spectacular sight is brought to me by my eyes. A fortress! But not the usual drab battlement, but one who's design was obviously meant to have beauty as well as providing fortification. I figure that I have nothing to lose by investigating which country's borders I have now passed, so I head towards the keep. As I approach the outer walls of beautifully hewn stone; I notice a carving above the main entryway. In a very old lettering, the carving reads "The Pen is Mightier than the Sword".

 

I know somewhere in my mind that I have heard that name before. It must be my mind playing tricks on me. Spending so much time in the wilderness by myself must have gotten to me more than I had realized. In any case, I just can't resist the urge to explore this new place, to meet these new people. So, as I see it, I have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. I give my shoulders a hefty shrug and take in a deep breath before making my way inside.

 

The inside is quite as impressive as the outside. I walk down the long halls, looking into vast rooms, all very eloquently decorated. At the end of the hallway, I see an what appears to be an office door. Written on the door is "Recruiter's Office". I wonder to myself, "recruitment for what?". As if to answer my question, I notice a sign beside the door explaining that "the Pen" is a guild of writers and poets, and that in order to become a member, I must submit a piece of creative writing, and have some fellow named Wyvern read and accept it. Once again, I figure I have nothing to lose, so I open the door and make my way inside to do some writing for this application.

Edited June 23, 2005 by Lord Panther

[Lord Panther]

With his story written and proof read to his best abilities, the mage finds a spot on the desk to put the now completed application. He lets out an deep exhilation and sits back in the chair to await, hopefully not too long, this Wyvern fellow...

[Gryphon]

A ghostly image of a Gryphon appears by floating through one wall, he appears rushed and somewhat distracted and he's rubbing his head as though he's got a slight headache but he pauses and surveys the applicant with absent bemusement in his eyes

 

"Sorry I can't stay, I'm dreadfully busy at the moment, but it's good to see you applying here..."

 

The distracted expression clears for an instant as the Gryphon's scrutiny of the applicant sharpens

 

"Feel free to wear your own shape, you'll fit right in. Nothing at all wrong with being a panther mate."

 

Gryphon's placeholder shade floats out through another wall, distracted once more

[Mynx]

Sensing a familier scent in the air, Mynx began tracking it down to the Recruiter's Office. Smiling kindly at her parter Gryphon as he wandered by tiredly, Mynx paused to give him a hug before she opened the door and walked in to find Lord Panther.

Conjuring a chair, Mynx sat down on it backwards, resting her arms and chin on the backrest as she grinned widely at her feline friend.

"So what's wrong with being a cat may I ask? I don't know about you but I find it oh so hard to maintain a human form..."

Mynx grinned further, nodding her head in the direction her distracted partner had drifted.

"Listen to what he said, ain't nothing wrong with letting your hair out here."

 

[Tanuchan]

"A panther? Is he around? Thank you, Gryphon!"

 

Hugging her friend, Tanny hurries towards the Recruiter's Office, changing into her wolf form for speed and comfort.

 

"Yay!"

 

Lord Panther turns his head in surprise as the door opens and a black wolf runs in, coming straight to him and jumping the last feet to rest her front paws on his chest.

 

::What's wrong with cat shapes, then? I have a kind of dog shape, and don't intend to chase you all around, no sir no.::

 

As Panther blinks, not sure if he has listened to something and staring at the bright grey eyes not five inches away from his, Mynx grins and tugs gently at Tanny's tail.

 

"Hey, Wolf Lady... not nice to add to the tear and wear of his clothes by leaving claw marks into them..."

 

::Hmmph.:: Tanny leaves Panther, surprising him as she changes back into human shape and grins affectionately at Mynx. "Alright, alright... as if you don't go around here doing the same... "

 

"Huh... Tanny?" Panther's surprise turns into a grin, and she curtseys with a smile.

 

"Sorry, Lord Panther... I forgot you have never seen me as a wolf. I'm really glad that you have finally found your way into that scheming lizard's..."

 

"Ahem..." Mynx cleans her throat, hiding an amused face.

 

"... I mean, honorable Elder..." Tanny glances at Mynx, grimacing, "...Wyvern. We'll make you company, as he usually takes some time to get rid of his problems."

 

And I really hope that this time he doesn't have any new use for those manniquin limbs... maybe I should take some precautions, though...

 

~~~~

 

So glad to see you finally applying here, Panther! Be welcome!

[The Portrait of Zool]

Only somewhat taken aback at his warm welcome, Panther takes heart and takes a closer look at his surroundings.

 

Overstuffed filecabinets, irregularly piled furniture and a blizzard of papers were mixed liberally with the detritus of hundreds of Wyvern's failed money-making schemes. Lord Panther looked with bemusement at random drawings scattered on the floor including plans to manufacture and sell business suits made of recycled trash, skunk-drawn carriages, and a restaurant featuring "31 types of imported air" (Wyvern had particularly high hopes for that one). Each also had a large black 'X' drawn through it, leading Panther to conclude correctly they had all turned out to be unmitigated disasters.

 

He noticed off in one corner apart from everything else was a broom, looking like it had seen a lot of use at one time it was now idle, covered with cob webs and thick dust.

 

On one wall stood a large painting, so large Panther was surprised he had not noticed it when he had first come in, though of course he had been busy making his application and all. It was a full standing portrait of a man dressed in black leather trimmed in red, with a huge mane of jet-black hair swooping up from his head to a flamboyant curl. Over his arm hung what looked like a boneless featherless chicken, while his other arm sported a silver handled walking stick.

 

The painting looked back at him. Panther looked back at the painting, his neck hairs beginning to prickle. He nearly leaped out of his seat when the figure in the painting bowed towards him, but through battle hardened instincts showed hardly any outward sign at all.

 

"Lord Panther," said the painting as he made his bow. "Pardon me, but I couldn't help from my vantage point but read your application as you wrote it. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Portrait of Zool, a fixture here at the Pen, also formerly of Terra old. Your reputation does proceed you, you will find, by those with firsthand knowledge of the legends of Terra old and The Legion of the White Rose. I am pleased to at last make your acquaintance, and hope your wandering does find respite here in the Keep of the Pen is Mightier than the Sword. Welcome."

Edited June 23, 2005 by The Portrait of Zool

[Lord Panther]

Now surrounded by people that are telling him that he should wear his true colours, Lord Panther stretches once more, shifting his form back to that of a tall, black, panther, complete with a tail now poking out slightly under the hem of his cloak.

 

He nods to his new aquaintance, the Portrait of Zool:

 

"Thank you for your warm welcome, m'lord. It is good to make your aquaintance."

 

Panther then turns to Mynx and Tanny:

 

"Hello M'ladies, I hope this form is more to your liking. To answer your question, Mynx, over the many, many years of practice and majik discipline, I no longer find it hard to change between forms, and find it rather effortless to hold one of my familiar shapes. That said, it is, of course, the easiest for me to keep this form."

 

Feeling more relaxed as well as still anxious, Panther sits and chats with those who are keeping him company, as he awaits the Elder Wyvern...

[Wyvern]

"Neigh-hey-heh-heh!"

 

Lord Panther and the ladies surrounding him turn in the direction of the sound. Zool raises a brow to Picasso-esque distortions as he notices the image of a crudely drawn horse on the wall opposite of his portrait. The horse creaks in awkward movements with its poorly drawn limbs, wagging its stick figure tail.

 

"Neigh-heh-heh and I'm the horse that got doodled here recently." The horse raises it's head in the direction of Zool's canvas. "Say-hey-heh-heh, that looks like some nice grass over there. Mind if I graze? I only make ink blots sometimes."

 

"Grimmael!" cries Zool as the monstrosity of a horse begins advancing across the wall, leaving ink blots everywhere it goes. "The paint thinner! Quick, bring the paint thinner!"

 

Lord Panther and the others that have gathered observe this spectacle for a moment, then turn as the Office door opens of its own accord.

 

"Hi, I'm Woody." The door speaks in a grainy voice. "Temporarily working in this Office, but if you ever need a high-class door for working your nightclub, just call me. I'm trying to get to WOODSTOCK!"

 

With that, the door begins opening and slamming shut several times while hooting loudly. Lord Panther's concentration is broken from the spectacle as the Office broom closet bursts open and a large woman jumps out of it. She points a rifle with a broom's end attached to it in Panther's direction.

 

"Oh. Hi, sorry, I thought you were that criminal Wyvern. Melba the Almost Secretary, pleased to meet you." Melba glares in the direction of Woody. "What did I tell you about the warning signals?! Oy vey, and what happened to this Office?! It's in an even bigger mess than I remember it being."

 

Those that have gathered in the Office suddenly go quiet as a conversation is heard in the hall outside.

 

"Hmmm, cheaply fabricated you say...?"

 

"Yesss. You see, Alfred, Cute Innocent Kittens are really rather easy to catch."

 

Woody the door creaks open, and Wyvern enters with a well-dressed gentlemen in a mynx overcoat and a racoon hat.

 

"Yes, I have gotten so tired of those hideous kitt- what is the meaning of this?!"

 

"This? Oh, this isss my-" Wyvern notices Lord Panther, Mynx, and Tanuchan gathered in the Office, along with a crudely drawn horse on the wall that appears to be tugging at a rubber chicken. "Errr, Office."

 

"After all that talk of making coats." Alfred takes a step back and points. "Large cats- a sabotage?!"

 

"No no!" Wyvern lunges for a bag in the corner of the Office and begins emptying it's contents over those who have gathered. The prosthetic limbs run out after completely covering Tanuchan, however. "There's nothing to see here. Nothing to see!"

 

"Nothing indeed!" Alfred points in the direction of Melba. "Even without the cats, how do you explain that whale over there, hmmm? I'm leaving."

 

"Wait, Alfred!" Wyvern rushes over to the area where his failed air restaurant lies. "This is all a misunderstanding, we should still do business. Look, at least let me offer you a free vial of imported air before you go."

 

Wyvern catches Alfred at the Office door, and hands him a vial. Alfred examines it for a moment, then scowls in a horrified manner.

 

"Imported from Los Angeles? First sabotage, and now poison! Wyvern, you know no lows!"

 

Wyvern slumps over and grumbles as Alfred storms out of the Office. Turning to Lord Panther, the lizard nods and glumly heads over to his desktop. Finding it in complete dissaray with ink spilled on his favorite chair and his acceptance stamp gone missing, the lizard begins banging his head over his desktop in frustration. Fortunately, the ACCEPTED that had been previously stamped on the lizard's forehead comes off and fades onto Lord Panther's application.

 

;-p

 

OOC: An ACCEPTED application, Lord Panther. Welcome to the Mighty Pen! I hope that you find this a welcoming community, and will look forward to reading more of your stuff and participating with you in community projects. Welcome, once again.

[Quincunx]

After he leaves, Alfred turns around and flings the empty vial at Wyvern's door, which dodges by opening swiftly. Wyvern's head comes up, the can flies in, and Wyvern goes down again for good. The deflected can shoots straight up in the air, punctured by one of the almost-dragon's horns, then twirls around on the descent so everyone in the office can read the logo: Almost Perri-Air.

[Lord Panther]

Quite breathless and surprised by the events that have just transpired in front of him, Panther looks down at his application with the forehead stamped and mirror imaged "ACCEPTED" on it, then up to the now unconscious Almost-Dragon.

 

"Umm... thank you!"

 

Panther then turns, wide-eyed, to both Mynx and Tanny. He opens his mouth as if to ask a question, but is unable to choose which one to ask first...

 

(OOC: Thank you very much. I will do my best not to disappoint.)

[HappyBuddha]

Disappoint? Pish! You've got us very happy just by being here

[Lord Panther]

Finally shaking his head, and squeezing one question out past the others that have blocked his mouth, Panther askes Tanny and Mynx:

 

"Is there anywhere around here that I would be able to see about getting some new threads? These ones are kind of worn..."