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 Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:08 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:03 pm
"Yup!"
"... Yeah, what it said."
"She said."
"And i-she doesn't have an owner or anything? You're sure you looked for a collar or a note or something...." Bantu stared across her desk at the yellow and grey thing that Twitch was holding in his arms. She had never seen anything quite like it before, though that wasn't saying much. The Ajaba had only been living in Gaia for a fairly short time – was it four years this year? – and so it would have been impossible for her to see all of the creatures that inhabited this strange world. But in all her travels down to the market or out on business she had never encountered a thing such as this. At least it could speak. Hopefully she would be able to get some answers out of it.
"Well, Boss, there was a note." It was Spark who stepped forward and set the rather hastily scrawled note on Bantu's desk. The hyena woman frowned as she picked it up, turning it over once before reading aloud, "To Whomever this may concern, blah blah blah, etc etc.... Moofuls. Apparently this thing here,"
"She," the strange yellow and grey creature corrected without skipping a beat. Bantu blinked up at her, before shrugging and continuing on. "Is called a Jivvin. They've got a whole headquarters or something for them and everything. Map's on the back of the paper." The Ajaba turned the paper over to study the map for a moment, before moving to stick it on her bulletin board. It was only after she returned to her desk that she addressed the Jivvin.
"So, you're a Jivvin then. Do you have a name or anything we can call you by?"
The yellow and grey creature shook her head, seemingly quite comfortable in Twitch's arms. Bantu gave a small sigh, before turning her attention to the ermine twins. They were never the type to leave small animals laying about on front porches, and she knew if she told them to get rid of it they would keep it around by feeding it. It – she, Bantu corrected inwardly – seemed intelligent enough. Perhaps she could be useful to the guild. You never knew with these things. At least she would keep the twins amused for some length of time.
"Well, she seems to have picked you as her... owners I guess. I'm holding you responsible for her, so don't come to me if someone bad happens, got it?"
Two identical faces lit up in a very excited look, ears perking instantly. They could keep her? Hooray! "Thanks Boss! We owe you one!" The twins chirruped in unison, before hastening out of Bantu's office. They could to keep her! The pair of them all but skipped down the staircase to the sitting room, settling down on one of the battered old sofas.
"I told you she would let us," Spark whispered, grinning from ear to ear. Twitch simply stuck his tongue out at his brother, before setting the Jivvin gently down in between them. She paused for a moment to scratch an itchy ear, before peering intently up at them. "We gotta give her a name," Twitch murmured, looking up at Spark. The brother tilted his head at this, before his face lit up. "I got it! How does Puck sound?"
The Jivvin now named Puck blinked at them, before giving her head a bob. "Yup! Puck now. Go play games, yes?" She grinned when the twins laughed, allowing herself to be scooped up and carried off by Twitch. Let the games begin!
Up in Bantu's office the Ajaba rested her face in her hand, and gave a small sigh. This was trouble, she could feel it. But, what could you do? It was done now.
But if they tore down that tapestry in the Great Hall....
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Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2008 8:54 pm
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Posted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 7:56 pm
The End of the Fishing Trip
Eventually, when the adults had stopped conversing and Kiba had fallen asleep in Quinn's arms, Beatz decided it was time to go home. Though the ratling was not the type to be cranky, she knew that his guardian would start to get antsy if they didn't go home in a couple of hours. Bantu worried endlessly about her little charge, more than she did about any of the other young ruffians housed in Bramble Manor. Beatz didn't blame her, however. Kibarango was pretty much her own child, even though he was not biologically so. The badger cook was sure that if she ever was gifted with a child like this she would feel the same way. It was just the natural mother instincts.
Seeing as she really didn't need the fish she'd caught, she had tossed the poor critter back into the lake instead. Once that was finished she had packed up her things, bid the pair adieu and started back home. The rat baby had slept the entire way home, tuckered out from his adventures with Quinn. Beatz was altogether quite pleased with how the meeting went and it seemed Kiba felt the same way. Perhaps when he was older and could speak more humanly she would have to hook up with Barry and Quinn again. No doubt the ratling could use all the normal friends he could get.
With a smile on her face, Beats gave Kiba a small rub as she settled him in his crib. If only all her days off could be as nice as this.
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:39 pm
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:41 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:29 am
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Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2008 11:52 am
Dear Mama,
Thanks for the baby stuff! Beatz said it was at lot easier to find the proper stuff when she could look at the package, and since she does the majority of the shopping I'm glad to help her out whenever I can. Saves me the trouble of having to go into stores at bizarre hours, still dressed in my mission gear and waiting in line to buy more washable diapers. Believe me, the looks I get for it are pretty weird, especially if I've got blood on me. You'd think there would be enough weirdoes here in Gaia that the store clerks wouldn't stare, but they apparently have never seen an Ajaba with weaponry before. Jeesh. Regardless, thank you very much for making our lives a lot easier.
Work's been fine, but I left my paperwork too long and now I've got huge mounds on my desk to work through. Luckily Mwelewa is here to help, otherwise I would never get through it. He's actually read most of the papers before he puts them there, so that made things go so much easier last night when we sat up until 2 AM sorting through papers. The only good thing, I guess you could say, that happened because of all this was I found the address to that Headquarters again. Beatz was really pissed that I'd managed to lose it because she wanted to take the ratling there. She acted like I'd burned the paper or at the very least lost the paper on purpose. I was busy!
Speaking of Beatz, I'm glad you liked the deserts she sent you! She said she wanted to try out some new recipes and she's anxiously awaits your comments on them. I haven't even gotten to try them yet, so make sure you let me know what's good! I think Chagina will enjoy a couple of the toffee squares that Beatz sent for her. She's doing okay then, her and her husband? You guys should come down and visit us one day when we're all free. I'd like to spend some more time with Chagina's husband, especially since I really didn't get to meet him when I came over to the house. And you can spend some time with Kiba, Mama.
Hope to see you soon
~ Bantu
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:26 pm
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Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 12:18 pm
Boss,
I went to the Wand Shoppe that you gave me the address for. Quite pleased to find that the place did exist and was still standing, so it's good to know you remembered it right. I can see how it was easy to borrow from though as there wasn't a soul there. Really funny looking place too, I'd reckon. Anyways, like I said, nobody was there so I couldn't ask any questions whatsoever. You'll have to give it a shot some other time. Wasn't even some kind of contact information either, so I can't help you with that either. Looks like we'll have to just keep trying.
But what I did find were the guardians of two other little wand children. Apparently they had shown up at the shop looking for someone to watch their kids. I know, you'd probably want me to do a background and medical check before I let Kiba interact with a couple of little squirts but that's not exactly something you say to a pair of guardians. Besides, it's not like I had the time, and they were just kids. Kiba seemed to really like them, which is pretty much the only good news of the trip. He got some new friends, and I found more people who have raised these wand kids, so I'm hoping that we'll be able to find out more through them.
Anyways, catch you later!
-Beatz
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Posted: Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:00 pm
There Is No Spoon
Clink. Clink. Clinkity-clink.
Kiba chewed idly on his peanut butter spoon as he watched Beatz move about the kitchen from his place in the carrier. Most wouldn't be caught dead in the kitchen while the badger was cooking or doing anything even remotely food related, but as always the little rat baby was the exception. He was tolerated in the kitchen no matter what time of the day, so long as he didn't bother Beatz when she was focusing. At this stage of the game he was rather easy to amuse. All you had to do was give him a spoon with some peanut butter, and he was quite content to simply chew on it until it lost its flavour. The world was not a complicated place for Kibarango, and that suited him just fine.
The rat baby was pulled from his peanut butter filled reverie by the sound of approaching footsteps, and he looked up when Beatz came towards him. He gave her a welcoming churr and a toe wiggle, glad that she had decided to come over and visit him. She did that every now and again, talking nonsense to him or offering him things to eat. It appeared that it was going to be the latter, as she had a small spoon in her hand.
"Here, try this and tell me what you think."
Two large pink ears perked as a spoon was offered to him, and he dropped the one in his mouth in favour of this new one. It smelled... he wasn't sure what it smelled like but it smelled pretty darn good! Kiba giggled happily, before eagerly accepting the spoon. He sucked on it thoughtfully for a moment, before chirruping around it. Oh yes! This was good! He didn't seem bothered by the chuckle that his actions received from Beatz, still enjoying the taste of the sauce in his mouth. It had a rather spicy flavor to it, and yet it was not so spicy that it burned the back of his nose and made him cry.
"I'll take that as a yes then, Fuzzy. I hope everyone else shares your sentiments about the sauce."
Beatz winked, before turning her attention back to her cooking. Such a funny little critter. He had a good sense of taste though – probably because he looked so much like a rat, but looks weren't always everything – and always seemed to know when something was at its best. The sauce had tasted a little different to her, but perhaps different was a good thing. She might surprise the thieves that decided to come down to dinner tonight. The badger hummed under her breath as she turned the stove down, leaving the sauce to simmer for a moment. She had something else in mind for her little ratling to taste.
It was a little something of her own creation, though she wasn't entirely sure how well it would be received. A little bit of this, a little bit of that and voila! The perfect spread for breads of any kind. She liked the way it tasted, but then again, she also had a very weird palette. Thus, Beatz wanted to get someone trustworthy to try her little concoction before she released it to the public. Kiba was really the only one next to Bantu she would allow in her kitchen, and since Bantu was busy upstairs with paperwork that left the little ratling to play taste-tester. Beatz had already made sure to expose him to as many things as possible to check for allergies, and so far nothing had come back positive. Thus, he was a relatively safe candidate for testing her new foods (at least, the liquid kind for now).
"I've got a little something else for you~"
The cook sing-songed as she scooped up some of her spread onto a spoon. The response was another giggle, as Kiba waited eagerly for the newest thing she was going to bring him. Beatz couldn’t help but smile as she offered him the newest spoon, watching as he eagerly licked up its contents. He seemed unsure about this one, his face scrunching a little as he contemplated what he had been given. Then, without warning, Kiba stuck his tongue out and made a face, scrunching up his nose.
"Pffft!"
That was not good! It tasted all sweet and sour and ew! No thanks! He liked the first two things, but this one was really weird and not good tasting. Bring back the peanut butter! Beatz couldn't help but sigh a little at his response, but she knew when to take a hint. Yup, it was definitely only a spread that she would like. Oh well. She thought it tasted pretty good. The sound of approaching footsteps made her look up, surprised to see her boss standing there with her hands on her hips.
"You stealing my baby again?"
Beatz grinned as Bantu mock glared at her from the entrance of the kitchen, and simply shrugged. "He looked like he could use the company down here. But he looks like he could do with a nap right about now." As if on cue, Kiba yawned, but not before he gave his mother a double-fisted "wave."
"Yeah, looks about right. Thanks for keeping him occupied." Bantu scooped Kiba up out of his carrier and settled him neatly on her shoulder.
"Any time. You better come back later, I have some things for you to try~"
Bantu resisted the urge to groan, instead barking out a laugh. "We'll see, Beatz, we'll see."
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Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:21 pm
The following note was scrawled on several napkins and left on top of Bantu's pile of papers on her desk:
Quote: HAY BANTOO BANTU U WR BUZY SO WE TOOK FUZZEE OUT FOR A WALK N STUFF. PARK WAS PACKD SO WE WENT TO THE MOOZEEUM. U NO, BIG PLAYSE WIT LOTS OF RLY OLD AND VALUABLE STUFF. NO WE DID NOT STEEL ANYTHING WE WR JUST LOOKIN AT STUFF! PROMIZ ON MI MUTHER WEESEL. FUZZEE LIEKS THE STACHOOS AND THE TOUCHING STUFF (I DO NOT KNOW WHUT THEY R CALLED BUT U NO WHUT I MEEN RITE U TOUCH FUNNEE THINGZ). HE LIEKS THE FURRY STUFF. MAYD ALL SORTZ OF CI CHITTERIN SOUNDZ AT EM. MAYB WE GET SOME OF THIS FOR HIS KRIB? FRUM TWICH N SPARK
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:14 pm
The following was written in a very neat hand (considerably neater than anything previously) on a carefully folded piece of parchment:
Bantu,
Kibarango came with me this morning as requested, though we did not run into the boy that he and I met previously. It appears that he and his guardian were not in the market place that morning, as no one I saw could tell me if they'd seen the boy or his guardian. Believe me, if they had been there we would have known. It is extremely hard for people to miss a boy with deep red skin and a man with enough scars for ten people. Needless to say, I will keep my eye out for them and see if I can get into contact with them. They seemed the most trustworthy of my customers so far, not to mention the boy would make a very good friend for Kibarango.
He was very well behaved today, and only fussed a little when someone brought over a charm to ward away vermin (understandable, which is why I keep that one on the far side of my little stall). I gave him a little dream catching to play with, and he seemed quite content to lie there and wave it around. I think he enjoys things with lots of colour, especially if they make noise when he shakes them. The beads clacking together was hardly a distraction for me, but I would advice you not to go out and buy him a rattle (and to make sure that Twitch or Spark don't buy him one either). I have a feeling the moment he gets his hands on one of those you'll never hear the end of it. You and I both know what happens when you don't get enough sleep during the night, and I can assure you that giving him a rattle would result in such an event.
Nonetheless, I suppose a few more stuffed toys for him to play with wouldn't hurt. I gave him a wooden statue to gnaw on today, which kept him quiet for some time. I know Beatz gives him spoons to chew on, so I wonder if buying him some sort of chew toy would help? Perhaps he's teething. I wouldn't want him to start chewing on table legs or anything of that nature. We have enough of a problem with the actual vermin much less this very large rat child. (I merely speak the truth when I say this, and I do not mean to offend you by it. He will have to come to terms with the animal he's associated with, not you, and as of now he seems to care very little about it. Thus, I hardly think it necessary to shelter him from the truth, and you don't need any coddling either.)
If you're going to be out on a job, let me know and I'll work something out with Beatz as to when I can take him out with me and give her some time off.
Until later,
~Gyp
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:23 pm
Dear Mama,
How is Chagina doing? She'll be having her baby soon, right? That'll be really exciting, having another baby around the house. What's Katiti going to say now that he's not going to be the littlest around the house anymore? Haha, it'll be interesting to see him adjust to this. I dunno if he'll like another kid around the house, even if he's not a baby anymore. Have to share all the attention with the squirt. I'll try not to tease him when I come over to visit, even though it'll be tempting. I know what it's like to have to share your mother with a pup.
I'm glad to hear that Baba is getting along better with Chagina's boy, though. It's always better when people live in the same house together if they at least get along. You should tell Baba to invite Chagina's boy out with him when they go shopping or down to the local pub. I'm sure some of Baba's old friends wouldn't mind meeting up with him. He may not be an Ajaba, but he's not an enemy of them or anything. Do he and Baba share anything in common interest-wise? They can always go golfing or something together, can't they? Male bonding is important, even if Baba doesn't believe me when I say it. We have to be a strong pack, and inviting Chagina's boy into the pack is the first step in keeping us strong. We want Chagina's pup to be raised in the proper environment, right? Tell him I said that, and if he needs male bonding ideas he can always write to me himself or just add onto a letter that you write. I'll send him back an answer write away. He can always call me too. I'll tell Twitch to pick up the phone if he's nearby. That weasel is always around to do stuff like that.
Kibarango is doing fine, though I think he's starting to teethe. Not surprising considering the size of his front teeth, but still. Beatz is working on looking for stuff to buy him to keep him from chewing on the edge of his crib. I want to keep the thing in good shape in case I happen to pick up another child from a stick (or another child from anywhere. I heard around here the children just appear on your doorsteps and stuff like that. Nobody really has their own children. Weird huh?) Have to keep all Kiba's stuff even when he grows out of it in case something like that happens to me. If you've got any old chew toys from when we were younger (preferably ones we didn't use) do you think you can send them over?
Cheers
~Bantu
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:32 pm
Bantu,
Hey you! Figured I'd write this on something bright so you’d see it when you come in. None of the fancy paper stuff that Gyp writes on, but I only had a limited time before the little ratling woke up. He's so cute when he goes for his afternoon naps, but they never last very long. So, I'm taking this opportunity to write you a little note just so you know how things are going. I suspect with the large piles of paperwork on your desk that you probably won't be down to pick him up until quite late. Never a problem to keep him, but I like to at least know when to expect you. <3
I've been making different kinds of baby food for Kiba, and he seems to have picked several different kinds as his favourites. He seems to like anything sweet, which isn't unusual, but there are some not so sweet ones mixed in there that are a little bit healthier for him. They'll be labeled and in little jars in the fridge, so if you'd let whoever has him know what to feed him. Just try and mix things up so he gets a good balance of the sweet stuff and the healthier food (not that it's unhealthy because it's sweet, but you know what I mean.) He'll also eat peanut butter off a spoon if you want to give him a little snack, not to mention the spoon keeps his pretty occupied if you want to do something and just need him to sit relatively quietly for a bit.
When you come and pick him up from me tonight, I'm going to run out and do some more errands. We're running low on some very crucial baby supplies, and I don't trust the twins to get me what I want.
- Your musical friend
P.S. If I come up and find that you've thrown this off your desk in a fit of paperwork rage I'm going to be Very Upset. At least read things before you throw them, okay?
P.P.S. Can't you get that wild dog of yours to do some of this paper work? This is crazy!
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