Let's Talk ((Travi, open))

[Romulus]

Father Rommel didn't know the whole story. Part of him didn't want to. But the damage had been done, and the prankster had been caught. Travioso Trueflight sat on his dormitory bed, awaiting one of Rommel's famous talks. Or heart-to-hearts, as some called them. With a short sigh, the abbot pulled up a chair and sat across from Travi, making sure the door was closed so they could have some privacy.

For a long while, Rommel studied the young otter. It was clear to him that Travi did not want to be here, talking. Father Abbot was aware that his talks had gained some infamy among the more reckless pranksters. Cyle and Trace Galahad came to mind as two beasts who thoroughly disliked receiving these talks. But the twins' discomfort was nothing compared to Travi's obvious hatred. The thought almost made Rommel chuckle. Young beasts these days . . .

"Ye ken why Ah'm here, me son," Rommel began easily, keeping his tone friendly and level. "Ah do ken ye'd rather no' have this talk. But Ah'd liek tae ken the whole story. All Ah heard were tha' they foond ye somewheres ye were nae suppos't tae be. Can ye fill et in frae there?"

Folding his scarred paws in his lap, the abbot patiently awaited the young otter's explanation. Oh, this oughtta be a good one . . .

((Let me know if I need to tone down his accent a little. I'm playing it by ear, so it might be a bit hard to understand in some places.))

[Prankster101]

Travioso Trueflight was having a horrible, no good, very bad day...

Not that his day started out that way. Travi's day had actually been going well! Travi had been released (finally!) from the infirmary on the condition that he get a new bandage every morning until the twinging in his footpaw stopped, had a wonderful breakfast of oatmeal with extra hotroot, and had a soothing swim in the cool Abbey Pond. The weather was still a bit warm and sunny, but slightly cooling off due to the encroaching autumn chill. It was an all around perfect day.

And of course, a perfect day needs a little mischief.

Travi had everything all planned out. It was going to be simple, quick, and hilariously funny. Travioso had snuck off into the orchard after having a quick lunch. With a blanket that he had brought along, Travi collected as many leaves that he could grab and hurried into the Abbey. Miraculously, nobeast saw Travi with his large load (seeing as they were all outside) as he tiptoed up to the attics.

Having studied the maps of the attics while locked in the gatehouse on previous punishments, Travi knew exactly where he was going. He had read that a mouse had climbed up to the open rafters of the Great Hall, oh what was his name..Matthew... Matty, No... Matthias!... Or something like that. The mouse had gone through the wooden loft door near the top of the dormitory passage and when he followed the small passage, the mouse reached the ledge between the arches of the columns and that was Travi's destination. When Travi got there, he could preform his trick perfectly!

Stopping by his dormitory, Travi grabbed his little climbing rope and continued up the hall till he came to the little latched door. Setting his load down, Travi made a small loop and tossed it up and pulled the door open. Putting the blanket full of leaves back on his back, Travi swiftly climbed up the rope and through the little door, being careful to close the door behind him. The passage Travi was in was completely dark and rather small for a tall otter's frame, but keeping his paw to the wall and turning to his right as the map described, Travi soon came to his destination and at the perfect time.

The Abbeybeasts, having finished lunch outside were going back to work and a fair amount were coming back inside with the large crowd of young ones for their afternoon nap. Taking his load, Travi flicked the blanket sending the leaves flying into the Great Hall.

The little dibbuns laughed and giggled as they ran about in chaos trying to catch the falling leaves while all the adults scrambled to coral the dibbuns and clean up the new mess.

Laughing quietly to himself, Travi gathered up his blanket and hurried back along the passage. However, when Travi opened the little door, and Travi lept down, covered in dust, Travi was caught by an Abbeybeast who was coming up to the dormitories to replace the sheets.

Caught red-pawed, Travi was quickly taken and locked in his dormitory. Now again, this wouldn't have been that bad save for the fact that Travi learned he was being sentenced to one of the Abbot's 'heart-to-heart' talks. That one little detail simple ruined Travi's day.

Travioso hated the Abbot's 'heart-to-heart' talks. They were the worst punishment that Travi could ever receive! Travi would face washing dishes, rolling the cheeses, or even organizing the infirmary! Just anything but those talks! Travi hated it! He absolutely hated them! He didn't like explaining his feelings, he didn't like talking about why he did things, and he didn't like the way he was treated like a child!

Now as the Abbot came into the dormitory, Travi sat upon his bed in a sulk, paws crossed over his chest, heavy eyebrows furrowed. Travi's clothes were still a bit dusty from his excursion to the attic, but Travi didn't care. All he cared about was getting out of here.

But seeing as that wasn't happening, Travi sulked. The Abbot closed the door with a small squeak. Dere goes mea exit... He thought angrily. The Abbot came around Travi, pulled up a chair and sat there smiling. Travi glared in return until the Abbot started speaking.

"Ye ken why Ah'm here, me son," Rommel began easily, keeping his tone friendly and level. "Ah do ken ye'd rather no' have this talk. But Ah'd liek tae ken the whole story. All Ah heard were tha' they foond ye somewheres ye were nae suppos't tae be. Can ye fill et in frae there?"

Travi held back a snarl. "Dere ain't a crime fur bein' up by da dormitories be dere?" His ears twitched angrily. "An' not'in' 'appened dat needed explainin', so can we be don 'ere?"

((*chuckles* His accent is fine. I'm sure mine has to be worse at times.))


_{Posted while still a member of this site.}

[Romulus]

"Dere ain't a crime fur bein' up by da dormitories be dere?" His ears twitched angrily. "An' not'in' 'appened dat needed explainin', so can we be don 'ere?"

Father Rommel chuckled lightly. "Thar be nae crime for that, me son," the older mouse replied. "Wot Ah'm after is why ye did et. Thar be nae need tae 'ave a grea' patch o' leaves rainin' down frae the ceilin', tho'. Ye do ken Ah wont ye tae rake 'em oot."

He paused, studying the young otter. Travi tried to act so much older than he really was. Rommel knew the otter was quickly becoming an adult, but Travi's obvious dislike and disobedience to authority needed to be put to a stop. After all, even adults had to be obedient.

"So, if ye doon't mind tellin' me why ye foond the inclination tae drop leaves oon our 'eads," he finished. "Ah'd love tae ken." He really would like to know, and since Travi would probably avoid speaking to him ever again, Rommel was taking the chance to further understand this otter.

They'd talked before, many times, but Travi was always distant and angry. The abbot knew the otter would prefer to just rake out the leaves and be done with this, but that was not happening. Punishment taught very little when the criminal was this unwilling to change.

[Prankster101]

Father Rommel chuckled lightly. "Thar be nae crime for that, me son," the older mouse replied. "Wot Ah'm after is why ye did et. Thar be nae need tae 'ave a grea' patch o' leaves rainin' down frae the ceilin', tho'. Ye do ken Ah wont ye tae rake 'em oot."

Travioso rolled his eyes. "Look mate, ah ain't yer son an' ah'll rake does leaves, can ah just go?" Travi didn't like the way the Abbot studied him, but then again, he didn't like anybeast studying him, so he couldn't single out the Abbot on that one. Travi truthfully would rake out the leaves if he could just leave this conversation. Raking leaves weren't that bad and he could be done by dinner, but no, he was stuck here, forced to sit and talk about how he felt. Both of which, Travi hated doing.

"So, if ye doon't mind tellin' me why ye foond the inclination tae drop leaves oon our 'eads," he finished. "Ah'd love tae ken."

Shrugging angrily, Travi rel plied, starting to get a bit snappy. "'Cause Ah felt likes it? It nay 'urt naw un, da dibbuns loved it, an' da mess ain't dat bad! Ah nay see da problem 'ere ur w'y Ah 'ave ta be explainein' meaself!"


((I know it's a bit on the short side. Sorry about that. :/ ))



_{Posted while still a member of this site.}

[Romulus]

"'Cause Ah felt likes it? It nay 'urt naw un, da dibbuns loved it, an' da mess ain't dat bad! Ah nay see da problem 'ere ur w'y Ah 'ave ta be explainein' meaself!"

"Aye, lad," Rommel replied, his tone still level. "Ah alreddy ken ye dinnae wont tae be 'ere. An' ye be right. It dinnae bring 'arm. But Ah also ken thar allas be another reason be'ind wot somebeast does. Naebeast does bad for th' sake o' bein' bad. Frae th' way Ah see et, ye go' somethin' oon your mind."

The abbot folded his arms, a small smile stretching the scars on his snout. He liked Travi. Under better circumstances, Rommel was sure he and the otter would get along famously. But he wanted to make sure the otter understood that being a troublemaker, or a Prince o' Pranks as Travi liked to refer to himself, was not always 'harmless fun'. After all, Romulus had once been a simple troublemaker . . . The abbot quickly banished those thoughts from his mind.

"Ah'd be obliged tae ken wot that somethin' is," he finished, keen blue eyes locked with Travi's emerald ones.

((No worries. Mine is kinda short, too.))

[Prankster101]

"Aye, lad," Rommel replied, his tone still level. "Ah alreddy ken ye dinnae wont tae be 'ere. An' ye be right. It dinnae bring 'arm. But Ah also ken thar allas be another reason be'ind wot somebeast does. Naebeast does bad for th' sake o' bein' bad. Frae th' way Ah see et, ye go' somethin' oon your mind."[...] "Ah'd be obliged tae ken wot that somethin' is,"
he finished, keen blue eyes locked with Travi's emerald ones.

Travi threw his paws up in an exasperated gesture. "W'at 'ave ah done dats been bad? Ye said yerself dat da leaves did naw 'arm! An' da dibbuns laug'ed! Dey were 'appy! Da Ah need ta be explainin' meaself more?"

In all truthfulness, Travi tossed the leaves to make the little ones smile, but more so as a release of all the energy Travi was forced to subdue while in the Infirmary. After being couped up for that long Travi needed to let loose. He needed to do something wild! Travi's adventurous blood was up and he needed a release.

But this 'talk' was not helping in the slightest. Travi never liked revealing his feelings to anybeast in the first place and now that he was forced to sit and spill out all of his inner thoughts Travi closed back up. Why did Father Rommel care about what Travi was thinking about? Travi was sure that he didn't. The Abbot had many a talk with the other trouble makers. What made his talk with Travioso any different?

Plus, Travi knew if he told the Abbot everything he would probably be kicked out of the Abbey anyways. Who wants an uncontrollable berserker otter around anyways? Not beasts who want a peaceful Abbey that's for sure. Not like Father Rommel would ever understand what Travi felt like, so why should he bother telling?



((Sorry about the wait! ))

_{Posted while still a member of this site.}

[Romulus]

"W'at 'ave ah done dats been bad? Ye said yerself dat da leaves did naw 'arm! An' da dibbuns laug'ed! Dey were 'appy! Da Ah need ta be explainin' meaself more?"

Rommel held his silence and let the otter calm down for a moment or two. Nothing was accomplished when at least one party was frustrated. The abbot had a distinct impression this talk wasn't going to go anywhere, just like their past talks, but it never hurt to try again.

Finally, the older mouse nodded once, his smile fading a little. "Aye," he replied. "D'ye think maybe pleasin' yon Dibbuns be a simpler task than shirkin' ye chores, climbin' intae the roof, an' droppin' a bag o' leaves ontae e'erybeast?" He raised a brow. Perhaps this different approach might improve things.

Then again, it might not. Rommel was perceptive, but this Travi fellow was just . . . different. Rommel didn't know his whole story. Nor did he fully understand the otter's personality. He could relate to troublemakers fairly well, having enjoyed the odd prank in his own younger years, but he could never quite get through to Travi somehow.

((No worries. I'm not totally satisfied with my post. >< ))

[Prankster101]

"Aye," he replied. "D'ye think maybe pleasin' yon Dibbuns be a simpler task than shirkin' ye chores, climbin' intae the roof, an' droppin' a bag o' leaves ontae e'erybeast?" He raised a brow.

Frustrated, Travi growled. "Could..but dey liked it didn't dey?" Not being able to sit still anymore, Travi stood up and started pacing back and forth putting a bed between himself and Father Rommel. "Look," Travioso emphasized his words with his paws. "Ah shurked mea c'ores cause ah dan't like'm an' ah dan't like bein' bossed around, ah find da attics quite useful an' dey ain't dat dangerous, and ah did it cause ah wanted ta an' it made da little un's 'appy. Can ah go naw?"

Travioso had about had enough. He wanted either to be let go or punished. Whatever the decision was he wanted to quit talking! Just punish or release! Travi wanted to be out of this dormitory and out of the view of the Abbot. This was an interrogation! Not a heart-to-heart chat and Travi had taken enough!

((Grr..another shortie..))


_{Posted while still a member of this site.}

[Romulus]

"Look," Travioso emphasized his words with his paws. "Ah shurked mea c'ores cause ah dan't like'm an' ah dan't like bein' bossed around, ah find da attics quite useful an' dey ain't dat dangerous, and ah did it cause ah wanted ta an' it made da little un's 'appy. Can ah go naw?"

Now they were getting somewhere. Rommel's smile returned, and he chuckled lightly. Why did the young beasts get to exasperated with his talks? Sure, it may be a lot of sitting still, but it wasn't an interrogation, was it? What was there to be mad about in talking?

"Were that sae hard, me son?" the abbot asked. "All Ah needed were ye tae be honest, ye ken? Ah dinnae wont ye tae think Ah do thes for mesel'. Ah do thes tae help ye." His keen, care-worn eyes sparkled with mirth. "An' tae find oot who tae watch for coom nex' feast. Plenty o' times tae make trouble at a feast, ye ken?"

He winked and stood from his chair, offering a friendly paw to the river otter. "Shake me paw, an' ah'll let ye go," he said. He knew Travi was going to take none of this to heart, but at least Rommel knew a little more about this puzzling otter.

((Ugh, still not happy with this.))

[Prankster101]

"Were that sae hard, me son?" the abbot asked. "All Ah needed were ye tae be honest, ye ken? Ah dinnae wont ye tae think Ah do thes for mesel'. Ah do thes tae help ye."

Travi rolled his eyes as he continued pacing. Oh yea'! Yea'! Defiantly trying ta 'elp! Travi muttered to himself. Forcing him to sit and talk was defiantly helping Travi. Travi was agitated and frustrated. He wasn't telling Father Rommel the whole truth and he really didn't care too. Travi just wanted to get out!

"An' tae find oot who tae watch for coom nex' feast. Plenty o' times tae make trouble at a feast, ye ken?" He winked and stood from his chair, offering a friendly paw to the sea otter. "Shake me paw, an' ah'll let ye go,"

Sighing, Travi stuck out his paw and shook the Abbot's tough paw. If shaking the Abbot's paw meant he could go then he would. He kept the shake brief, quickly retracting his paw. "Dere. I'll rake da leaves if ye want. Can Ah just go?"


((Short and unsatisfying...*sigh* Sorry Jan. If you want to continue this we can or we can stop it here if you wish. It's totally up to you. ))

_{Posted while still a member of this site.}

[Romulus]

Rommel had to chuckle again at the look of pure frustration on the otter's face. He really was getting nowhere fast with this Travi. Ah, well, there was always next time . . .

"Dere. I'll rake da leaves if ye want. Can Ah just go?"

The abbot nodded, returning his chair to its rightful place. "Aye, me son," he replied. "Brother Oakback sh'uld 'ave yon rake ready for ye. Dinnae forget wot we talked aboot, aye?"

But his words were lost on the young sea otter who'd already bolted out the door. The mouse sighed, rubbing his forehead. What was it going to take to get through to that boy? Young beasts these days . . .

((Thanks for the thread, Prank!))