• A Tempus Journey

    Chapter 1 Cats and dogs and Otherworldly beings?

    Main Street.

    Every city has one. Wing City was no exception. Though as normal as it is to have a street called Main, the city itself was anything but normal. The buildings, almost pre-futuristic in nature, stood tall and high, towering above the normally named street that was named Main. Despite the buildings size, the sun would still shin brightly down on the street, illuminating the stage that is to be. It is here, on the normally named street in this pre-futuristic city, that the a time travelers tale takes place…

    A bright, some would say over exrarated flash of light would announce the arrival of a newcomer to the world that is wing city. Dust would kick up and a strong wind would blow, obscuring the view even more. As everything settled down it would become quite clear what was in the epicenter of it all, a lone, gray cat. Not just any old cat, oh no. This one was standing on two legs. It wore a rather large coat and on his lower half, dark tan pants. Covering his eyes were a pair of broken goggles. He held in his hand a stopwatch and would look at as the dust cleared around him. "Well...that can’t be right...I'm supposed to be in 1722..."

    Coincidentally, another newcomer to Wing City came down the street, patterned, but weathered cloaks bellowing in the wind that suddenly decided to bellow from nowhere. It had been so calm before that. In the flash of light, the figure had put up a pale, slender hand to cover their eyes, and as it all died down, the stranger looked on toward the little kitty cat that sat in the middle of the street. The figure tugged at their fur hood, staring on before watching a car roll towards the cat.

    Calmly, gracefully moving toward the sentient animal, the figure attempted to pick it up by the scruff and move it to the sidewalk.

    "HEY! WHATS THE BIG IDEAL?!" He screamed. He started too frail about as he was picked up and carried by scruff of his neck. "LET GO! How dare you treat me like some obscure tabby in the back of a alleyway." As he continued to frail his arms and legs, he would chance a glace back to see a car driving by where he was just standing. A noticeable gulping sound would come from the little kitty. "Oh...right..."

    The stranger would, very gently, place the cat down onto the sidewalk, looking down at the small animal. Their fingers hooked onto their hood, and drew it back, revealing their features.

    It wouldn't be hard for anyone who was attracted to humans to say that this person was somewhat beautiful. Though pale, they were exotic, with sharp, slanted eyes and thin lips, with a rounded nose. They nearly looked delicate, though there was harshness to their stare. It wasn't...quite obvious to their gender, either. They could have been either a lady-boy or a slightly strong-featured lady, what with that long silver hair draping over their shoulders.

    "Perhaps one should be more careful when teleporting. It would be safer to look around before you check your watch." They spoke almost in a teaching tone.

    "Ah...heh heh of course...Silly me..."He placed his watch inside his coat and raise a paw for the one before him to shake.

    "You...ah...well I don't say this very often...but you have my thanks, and because of that I will introduce myself. My name is Tempus, time traveler, space adventurer and the bane of my enemies worlds over. It is a pleasure to meet you." As the two would meet, there would be a third watching their every movements
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    A figure with a black hoodie watched from the sidelines, ears perking up and down. He smelt a cat, he wasn't sure how to feel about that being a dogman. He made his way through the crowd and stretched his fingers.

    Time to get to work.
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    The figure extended their other hand, which had three long fingernails growing from the index, thumb, and middle only, to shake the little animal's paw.

    "Samori," they said coolly. "The pleasure is all mine." The exotic traveller smiled. "That is quite a collection of titles. From which time have you come?"

    "Well...Now thats hard to say. Depending on what time it is this very moment, I could be from the distant past or I could be from the far future. Its any ones, guess really." He turned around looking at all the buildings before him. "Well...At least I landed in an advance cavitation. Last time I was nearly made into a full course meal by a couple of over enthusiastic cavebats."

    Samori knelt on one knee in front of the small bi-pedal cat, the long sleeves of the robe brushing the pavement of the street.

    Both of them looked very odd with Wing City's advanced, modern-day buildings and people surrounding them. What with the cat’s Victorian like wear, and the Samori in the tradition of something vaguely Tibetan.

    "That sounds like quite an adventure. Is there anywhere specific, perhaps, you were trying to reach?"

    They continued to conversant. So far, the exotic travelers did not know of the dogman's presence.

    "Hey, old buddy! Hey! HEY!" the hooded man started to shout, pushing people out of his way and reaching an arm to tap Tempus on the shoulder with a friendly and toothy grin. His other hand went to offer Samori a handshake. "Hey! Stranger!" His voice was friendly and energetic, like a small puppy. He'd put an arm around the cat quickly smiling like a fool.

    Meanwhile his tail was swishing back and forth behind them, snatching at anything valuable behind Samori.

    Tempus was completely surprised by the man’s actions. He would struggle alittle, trying to slip himself away from the man’s grip. "Old buddy? Dear sir...I'm sure I would remember you if I knew you...though I do tend to forget where I'm at times...hmmm?" He was unaware of the male’s sticky fingers-eh tail.

    Samori was much wiser than Tempus in the art of thievery. When the coyote man tried to sneak his tail into the exotic traveler's robes, a hand snatched for the appendage, long nails pinching the very end of it to cause a sharp jolt of pain.

    "-be careful who you steal from." said the figure venomously

    The coyote man cringed and let loose a wicked growl. Somebody had his tail, this was not good. He shot backwards and attempted to push Samori over with his sholder and sprawl them out onto the concrete.

    "Hey! What the bloody hell!?" Tempus watched as the as saw his friend fall to the ground. He would’ve tried to catch Samori, but due to the size difference he felt it would hurt their predicament more than help.

    As Samori was indeed pushed back and hit the ground, but they did not seem worried in the least. With a rather flat expression, their leg whipped out to kick the man in the side, hitting his hips with more force then the thief realized

    Samori looked to Tempus as the hit connected. "No worries. This beast is no challenge."
    No challenge? The thief felt like he should be insulted and intimidated, but he felt neither and settled with a vicious grin. His left hand moved to keep their right arm down. "Silver" the thief whispered and a pair of magical cuffs shot out as he tried to lock his right arm with their attacking leg as they connected to his side.

    The thief aimed to spit in their face.

    Tempus, not being one to let others have all the fun, pulled out of his coat, a few colorful looking playing darts. They were sharped to a thin point at the tip, giving them a dangerous albeit cute edge. He threw three expertly at the thief’s arm, hoping to help his friend out in any way that he could.

    The would be thief howled as two of the three darts found their mark on his left arm, the other missing him entirely. He didn't know where they came from for he was too busy howling and spitting. "You'r tryan' to kill me now?" He cursed loudly.
    Samori kept their leg in the air, even with the cuff clamped tightly around their ankle. Reaching their hands into their cloak the traveler withdrew a chain. As they swung it overhead, the cat and the dog could clearly see a blade whizzing at the end of it.

    "I appreciate the assistance," Samori said to Tempus. The traveler then stared down Jarkal a cold look in their eyes. "Release me."

    "Dunno how, and don't threaten me." The thief said in a rather arrogant voice for someone who'd just been stabbed. The thief took a tiny orb from his hand and threw it onto the ground creating a cloud of smoke. At the sudden distraction, he began whispering the name of his end of the cuffs and it detached from the thief’s wrist, but not the travelers.

    The thief ran into the crowd, coddling a new wound.

    He'd find them next time, and it'd be lives he'd be looking to steal.
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    After lowering his guard, Tempus would sigh deeply before giving his new friend a kind wink. "Well...that was...an interesting welcome." He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head gently. "Something tells me that’s not the last I'm gonna see of that one."

    Samori stopped the chain’s stopping its deadly swing. It wrapped swiftly around Samori's arm, the hilt of the knife landing in their hand skillfully.

    After looking breefly toward Tempus, they looked into the crowd seeing if they could see the thief. "Or the last of a lot more trouble period.” Samori added with a matter of fact tone. “ I've always heard Wing City's rumors. In the very least, it has proved interesting."They shook their ankle, where the cuff still lay. "...how annoying."

    "Allow me..." He took out a dart and stuck the pointed end into the cuff. After a few seconds a click could be heard and the cuff would open releasing the leg it was attached to. "Darts...so many uses others don’t know about."

    The figure raised an eyebrow. "Intriguing. You have my appreciation; I do owe you for your help." they replied. "You are quite handy, aren't you?"

    "Well, of course. I've stayed alive this long due to my skills alone. Combine that with my witty personality, and my knack for making the impossible happen, then you got the coolest cat you’re ever going to see in your life." He winked again as he bragged non to shamefully about himself.

    "Oh, I'm sure," Samori agreed, going along with the cat's brag. Why not boost an ego for a little while? "Perhaps the cat will like to visit an establishment? The air grows cold."

    "Establishment you say? Well if it’s one with warm air, cool drinks and place to rest my bum then count me in." He made a motion for Samori to lead the way.

    -End of chapter one-