FA'E: Naolin's Journal (XBear is Guardian)

[XBear]

The moment the sun peaked through the bay window in his room, Nao was awake, his eyes snapping open like clockwork as he looked around.

Something was different, he was cramped sore and after further examination, he noticed that his crib was attempting to eat him! In attempts to get free from its evil clutches, the Fa'e grabbed onto the rails and stood up, popping his head out into the 'fresh' air outside of the baby eater.

Looking down, he squawked in horror as he noticed there were at least a handful of his feathers that were formally in his precious wings sprawled across his sheets.

That damned crib was in trouble now!

He let out another angry squawk and began muttering incoherently in his 'language', shaking and banging the crib against the wall as best as his little arms could.

It was by that time that X had groggily shuffled into Nao's room, barely functional enough to tie her robe before coming to the 'rescue' and scooping up the fussy toddler from his crib. Setting him down in his play pen of sorts, she gave him every plushie he owned with a half-lidded yawn. "Shhh... Too early for noisy..."

Grunting, X managed to collect all of Nao's lost feathers in her hand, placing them absently in a box someone had dropped by for Nao.

Nao quieted when he was told to, eyes gleaming happily when he noticed that his play pen was in the sun! Babbling to himself happily, he picked up two new dolls that seemed to have appeared, and began to play.

Once everything was shoved into the box and 'organized', X trudged back out of his room and to bed, not even noticing his sudden growth spurt.

The toddler seemed to have forgotten about it himself, not even noticing his mother leave while he created story upon story for Peach and Lily, his two dolls, to embark upon.

[karma_k]

Karma checked and rechecked the address on the piece of paper she'd jotted it down on before looking back to the house that loomed out the window of her Honda. Well, unless she'd written it wrong, this was it...

Earlier that day, she'd gotten a phone call from X stating that perhaps she ought to bring Arkie over to see Nao and Morty again. It would be good to form friendships early in case they ever needed to protect themselves from fa'e such as the ones that had graced HQ last night. While she thought Arkie was a bit young yet for visits, she had to agree on this point. Strength in numbers and such.

"Well? What do you think, kiddo? You ready?" she asked, unfastening her seatbelt. Arkie, of course, didn't answer as his mouth was full of the over-the-shoulder strap of the carseat. He hadn't seemed to care for it very much and had been anxious all during the car ride over, pulling at the straps all the while. Smiling, she got out of the car and retrieved him from the seat, grabbing up his diaper bag as well.

Everything seemed in order as she made sure the car was locked and headed up the walkway with the green fa'e baby cradled against her neck. When she reached the front door, she gave a sharp knock and waited.

[Kochikens]

Was that a knock at the door? Could it be? Morty's ears perked up from where he was sitting in his temporary room. He hated how silent this house could be at times. But there was knocking at the door! His eyes were pie plates as he listened. Yes, someone knocking. Who could it be? Should he go see? He must he must! Afterall, Mom wasn't here and Winny was probably sleeping (She had been doing a lot of that lately) and it was up to him! He had to do it! No one else!

Morty leaped off of the bed which he had been sitting on, taking a cat nap. He ran for the door and bumped it open with his head, (he left it open, he expected visitors at all times) and then darted down the hallway and rampaged down the stairs. His footsteps could be heard like an elephants trampling, the THUMP THUMP THUMP quite audible as he raced down and made a sharp turn at the bottom of the stairs. He was about to crash into the door, but he dug his claws into the floor to bring himself into a skidding stop.

Smooth Morty, really smooth. He stared at the door and shouted out loudly, "WHOOOO ISSS ITTT?" at the frame. He couldn't open the thing anyways, not like it mattered. But he made sure to say it in the most loud, obnoxious tone he could muster.

[karma_k]

Karma blinked at the juvenile voice on the other side of the door. It MIGHT have been Morty, but she couldn't be sure. "Uhm...Karma?" she said hesitantly. "I was at Headquarters last night. The fox lady." Hopefully he remembered her...

Even if Karma didn't know who the voice belonged to, Arkie seemed to as he brightened up, remembering the birdkitty from last night with the tasty paws and gave a squeal of joy. Oh thank GODS! This morning had been so boring! But where was he? Arkie couldn't see him anywhere, and looked cluelessly up at Karma for answers.

Karma ruffled his hair in reply, smiled, and waited to either be sent away or let in.

[XBear]

Nao was in the family room, playing with his newly found dolls and sorting through his feather collection, which had grown thanks to several nice donators. Soon he'd have to get a box for his feathers, and then another for his growing bead collection, which he had sorted by colors.

And then there was knocking at the door, followed by rather loud scrambling that sounded like a sack of potatoes being flung violently down the stairs. Widening his eyes through the doorway, Nao saw the potatosack in question claw his way to a stop, and after realizing that Morty couldn't open the door with his paws, the hummingbird Fa'e stowed his dolls away and carefully stood up.

Padding over to the door quietly, he stopped in front of it and evaluated the situation. The door knob was too high to reach, his wings were too weak to fly as he had learned earlier, but hey, Morty was under the doorknob. Quickly, the Fa'e stepped up on Morty as a stepstool, balancing on his back as Nao reached up and grasped the knob.

With a twist and a pull the door was open and Nao dropped to his feet on the floor, peering up at Karma and Arkie. Oh! That was the baby from last night, and the nice lady that gave him the butterfly bandaids.

Rubbing his hand over said bandaids, he grinned softly as his eyes lit up towards the pair with a greeting that was just as soft. "Niltze!"

Yes perfectly normal greeting.

[karma_k]

Karma smiled, both in greeting and in surprise. Oh my...! Was this still Nao? The same little baby she'd held just the night before and bandaged his sliced hands? But....he'd grown so much! It couldn't be....yet...the bandaids on his hands said otherwise.

"Hi, Nao!" she greeted, lowering herself to one knee to be at eye level with him and then looked to the heap of lion nearby. "And Morty too!" she chuckled. Arkie was now squirming in her arms frantically trying to get at Nao and Morty. They were much more interesting than the Karmamom any day! He accompanied his efforts with a frustrated cry of "Laaagwa!"

To her credit, Karma managed to keep her grip on him more or less, not wanting to set him down just yet until she'd been given the okay. "Is your mom home?" she asked, hoping he might understand. This wasn't her house, she was not yet more than an acquaintence of X and Kochi, though she felt she was off to a good start with them, so she didn't feel comfortable simply assuming it was all right to enter.

[Kochikens]

Morty squeeked as he was stepped on, but couldn't stop the toddler from climbing ontop of him. As soon as Nao got off, however, he rubbed his back with a paw, looking back up. It was that green Fa'e from the HQ! Eee! Maybe they could share recipies! Upon being questioned by the lady, though, Morty knew there was only once acceptable answer.

"Crazy X lady being craaaaaaazy. NAO. Go find." He demanded of the colourful new Fa'e, shooing him off with his paws. Afterall, he didn't know where the boys mother was. He didn't know where his own mother was! Not like he cared. There was a cute green Arkie thing at the door!

[XBear]

Lucky enough for Nao, X had heard Morty's 'sack of potatoes' down the stairs and had made her way from feeding the twins in the kitchen, leaving the job to Nathan. She arrived just enough to hear Morty's comment as she whisked Nao up under one of her arms carefully to avoid the tailfeathers, resting him on one hip as she debated giving Morty a punt. "Crazy X is right behind you Morty."

Nao himself was about to say something else to Karma, when he was demanded away wit a paw, blinking at Morty he turned to do as he was told when he was dutifully scooped up. Hey! Mission accomplished. "Nantli!" He affirmed with a rapid flick of his wings and a rustle of his tailfeathers.

Turning her attention towards Karma, X grinned and ushered her and the baby in, 'shuffling' Morty to the side with her foot so the door could be opened further. "Come in, m'glad to see you and Arkie."

The hummingbird Fa'e seemed to like his new view from above, and he smiled lightly while watching the ongoing with Arkie, Morty, and his mum's foot below. So much fun from higher up.

[karma_k]

"Thank you. Its good to see you too." Karma said sincerely, grateful to be welcomed. She always felt a bit uncertain visiting others, as was exhibited at the headquarters, the way she skulked around as though she was being hunted.

"Is everything okay since last night?" she asked then, trying to take in stride the fact that Arkie was practically lunging over her shoulder to get at Morty, as the little green fa'e likewise puzzled over where Nao had gone, not having seen X pick him up. "Arkie, settle...!" she chuckled, readjusting her grip on him.

Arkanti, however, was having none of it. His tail swung back reflexively for purchase, catching Karma in the nose accidentally and making her wince as she gave a sigh of aggravation. "Okay...OKAY!!" she said, peeling him off of her shoulder and setting him down to visit Mortimer. Cripes...if he was this bad now, she could only imagine what he was going to be like when he was old enough to ask to borrow the car.

[Kochikens]

Morty gave X a disgruntled look, coughing once at Crazy X. Only crazy people would say that. She was so crazy. Nao would end up crazy like his mother. Of course, he had a rather rad looking wig or something on his head now, (He would have to test that out later to see if it was real or not). He was anxious to play with Arkie, to show him his room and all of his fish and even his stupid Fandangle that was just annoying.

As soon as the green boy was put down, however, Morty leaped towards him! He grabbed Arkie by his hand with his teeth gently, tugging on it. "C'mon cmon!" He practically squeeled.

[XBear]

X rolled her eyes at Morty, shutting the front door once everyone was inside, taking a quick peek out the window before locking the door, still wary about the wild Jivvins. Turning to Karma, she watched the pair on the floor for a second before speaking, "Maybe we should move this into the living room, and then I can get everyone some snacks."

Ha! Nao was higher up than Morty AND Arkie were, and that seemed to make him rather gleeful as he looked down upon the other two. "Food!" He chided, one of the few English words he knew thus far, his vocabulary seemingly limited to his 'language' and Polish for the most part, though he didn't really speak the latter unless it was just him, the twins, and/or mum.

Motioning towards the living room, the vampire bent down to scoop up Morty after carefully dislodging his mouth from Arkie's hand. "Cmon, food first, room tours later..."

[karma_k]

Arkie gave a squeal as Morty was taken away, his hands reaching for the lion fa'e uselessly. It was bad enough when his chosen meal of the day was taken away, but his friends too?

"Oh tell it to the judge." Karma said non-chalantly at her baby, smiling as she scooped him up as well to follow after X. "You guys have a lovely home here." she stated, making conversation. "It really makes me remember I should clean mine before having anybody over like this."

As he was lifted up, Arkie blinked at Nao's proclamation and then broke into a grin. "Bleee!" he said back in retort, acting as though he was making just as much sense as the toddler. God help his poor mum the day he DID learn to talk...all the better to embarrass you in public with, m'dear.

[Kochikens]

Morty glared at X and dragged his paws on the ground as he followed X into the living room. Sure, snacks were good, but they could never be as good as fish. Unless they were fish snacks. But he knew very well that she wouldn't let him eat any little fishes.

Once they came to the living room, however, he jumped up onto the far side of the couch which he had claimed as his own when he first got here. It already had a little ridge in the fabric from him sitting there and watching television. He looked to Naoilin and Arkie, waiting for them to come over and visit. So much to do! So little time to do it all! Thoughts flew through Morty's head and his eyes light up, practically vibrating in his seat waiting for snacks to get here so he could show off his food eating abilities.

[XBear]

X watched as Morty plunked down on the couch, making a mental note to attack that part with Fabreeze and tape to remove the smell and the hair respectively. Setting Nao down next to Morty, X stepped aside and towarrds the kitchen, "Yeah, Nathan loves to clean and cook, so everything's usually pretty good looking... Um, any requests on food?"

The last part was called out from the kitchen itself, X having been talking while walking there.

Oh no! His feather box was in jeopardy! Nao quickly leaned over and grasped his box in his hands, carefully bringing it into his lap and guarding it while watching Morty and Arkie.

[karma_k]

"I'm fine with whatever, thanks!" Karma called back. ".....and I think the feeling's mutual." she said, setting Arkie down with Morty and Nao. Considering Arkie was perfectly happy to try and eat dust kitties off of the carpet, she couldn't imagine him being picky about whatever X presented as snacks.

Arkie immediately crawled after Morty before anybody else could take him away and grabbed onto the lion fa'e's shoulder, babbling at him happily. He looked to Nao and the box he was protecting now and then, talking all the while as though asking What's up with him and his box?