|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:05 pm
Ariadne sat on the floor of the living room, her white clothing all spread about her small form. For once, the scarf was off her head, sitting on her lap. This was because Lex had caved in his attempts to get her used to the light of the world. The girl apparently preferred darker settings, which made sense when one took into account those oddly bright eyes. They seemed to pick-up light so easily.
All of the curtains were drawn tight over the windows and no lamps were on. Lex disliked the darkness, but it made the girl happy. She was staring up at an African tribal mask hanging on the wall. She seemed to have a real fascination with it and Lex made sure to take note. Perhaps he could take her to look at more soon. There could be a connection with her apparent empathy and her attraction to the mask.
The doorbell rang, pulling him from thoughts of the girl. That would be Noire, the imaginative girl who stayed with Alistair. He'd thought it would be good for Ari to spend more time with her age-mates. Socialization was important to proper assimilation and it would take much for Ari to become a healthy, normal, well-adjusted girl. Not that she seemed particularly unhealthy... just different.
He pulled away from the sitting room entrance and headed for the door, opening it with a friendly smile on his face.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:15 pm
Had they known this new girls guardian was a shrink, they probably would of made sure to look weirder.
Standing in the door way was the gray and pink haired child with a grown man's hand tight over her mouth, keeping her from speaking. She gave a muffled hello and waved when she saw Lex.
Next to the girl was a boy about the same age, with white and yellow hair. He was wearing a dark black and gray sweater and rockstar jeans to complete his faux-hawk and pierced'ed face. He couldn't of been more than 13 or so years old, so all in all, they looked fairly strange.
The man with them, the 'grown up,' had a nearly shaved head and looked half awake. There was a bright red convertable pulled up where the lot got out from, a black skinned man with a tall moehawk sitting impatiently in the driver's seat.
"Yo." Sad the shaved headed one, looking at Lex with a brilliant smile. If anyone echoed 'rockstar' more than the kids, it was the adult, thankfully. "Your Ariadehnaya's dad or whatever? Great. This is Noire. This is Noire's brother Harper. I'll be by again in an hour, have fun."
He unleashed Noire, who promptly lurched forward in an attempt to run past Lex and into his house. Harper was staring Lex down in a very 'whatcha gonna do now?' expression, while their adult friend, the ever mysterious Eliot, turned to leave without further explanation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:31 pm
Lex shook his head at the adult-- the man obviously did not have the patience to parent-- and looked down at the remaining child curiously. "Harper... Hm. I wasn't aware any of the children had siblings. Well, come on in and join your sister. Ariadne is in the sitting room."
He stepped back and beckoned the boy inside, shutting the door behind them. The house was not large, with three bedrooms, an office, and all the other usual rooms in a home; but it was decorated in a style that could only be called 'handsome', with dark wood carvings and furniture, often very warm colours as well.
Ariadne looked up as he came in and smiled wanly, pulling her eyes away from Noire too look at him and then the teenager nearby. He wondered briefly what she felt. "Ariadne, this is Harper. You remember Noire?"
She nodded, scanning the teenager. She wasn't picking up much from him. Mostly, she felt Lex's confusion and curiosity. He was very curious for an adult, which she liked, even if he did sometimes feel like an old woman picking at stitching.
Noire had much energy, while this Harper seemed... well, she wasn't sure what to think of him quite yet. Perhaps if she tried to read him a little?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:48 pm
Harper, who was for all intensive purposes not quite a teenager yet, shook his head. "She aint like my real sister, duh! I came from a cabbage. She came from a tube. You seein any connection? Cause I sure aint!" He shook his head disappointedly at Lex and came to a stand next to his sister who was standing there, staring at Ari.
"Your eyes are awful bright, brighter than Minty's even... At least they aren't pink, too!" Noire said, hands on hips. "So, whatcha doin? We gonna play games or anything? Grilled cheese at least?"
"Cause' if they were that bright and pink she'd gorge em outcha know. She's awful jealous!" Harper elaborated, moving to take a seat very close to Ariadne. "What's your name? I'm Harper. I ain't a tube freak like you all but I've been around em long enough to know lots. I'm sorta like your King."
"YOU ARE NOT! IM THE QUEEN!" Protested Noire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:56 pm
Gouge them out? She is a jealous one, then. Very hungry, this one. She peered at Harper for a moment, the strange sort of confidence and recklessness flowing from him. It was interesting and conflicted lightly with Noire.
"Can't you both rule... together?" She knew the moment the words left her mouth that she should probably have not said it. The two both liked having a claim over something, Noire even more. She seemed like a cat, willing to fight to the end for what she wanted. It would be an admirable quality if she wasn't so sure it'd easily become violent.
Minty? Another of the Terras, I suppose. Just how many are there?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:00 pm
"No!" Piped the two feathered children in unison. Though, of course, Harper's feet-wings were considerably harder to spot and currently only slightly peeking out of his boots.
"It doesn't matter." Harper finally declared with ease, leaning backward. "You can be Queen if you want, Noire."
"Yes!" exclaimed Noire, sitting on the other side of Ariadne with a new grin on her face.
"Yeah, you go off and die in some epic war and I'll be the queen's brother who inherits all the gold and pie."
Turning red in the face, Noire smartly decided to switch the topic for Ariadne's sake. "So, how's your family? Uhh.. your dad... hey.. can he cook grilled cheese?" She sheepishly asked, rubbing her stomach. "Have you ever had grilled cheese? ITS AWESOME! What's your favorite food so far? Color? Toy? Do you have a favorite toy? Can I see it?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:43 pm
Grilled cheese? What's 'grilled'?
She turned to Noire, considering her questions. She was a curious one, very strong. Sharp. She almost made Ari want to stand up and take control... or something like that. "My favourite food? Hmmm. Last night, Lex made this thing called... salad? It had tomatoes and parmesan and-- ah--dressing? Croutons and all sorts of things. It was very good." From the doorway, Lex smiled at her. "Colour... I like white. It's clean and light and and doesn't make me as warm in the sun. As for a toy." She tipped her head and looked up at the African mask on the wall.
She didn't know much about it, just that the people who'd made it were tribal, dark skinned, and hunters. That they had been enslaved. That last part had shocked her when she'd heard it. Who would enslave a people who thrived under the sun?
Ari pointed up at the mask. "I like that."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:22 pm
"Salad is good! And it's good for you.. sometimes." Noire thought about it briefly, soon deciding she still liked grilled cheese more. "But grilled cheese is better." She gave Lex a pointed look, wondering if she'd have to drop any more hints or if he was ignoring it on purpose.
"I'ma vegetarian though, like my daddy!" Noire added proudly, while looking up at the mask with a frown. "Do you wear it?"
"That's why she's so stupid, she doesn't eat meat so her brain stopped working." Harper said smartly, crossing his arms. "Or she just copies everythin' stupid Sunny does!"
"I do not!" Noire stood up again, stomping her foot. "He's stupid. Boys are stupid. We should go play SOMEWHERE ELSE. That's the only toy you have? On the wall? You don't have a doll or a ball or anythin'?!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:57 pm
Lex thought it was time he intervened, as the child seemed overwhelmed and quite captivated by her visitors. "Are you hungry, Noire?" He walked forward, standing beside Ari. "You certainly seem fixated on grilled cheese right now. I could check the kitchen and see what we have, if you like?" Far be it from him to let his guests go hungry.
"As for toys... Ari doesn't care much for dolls. She has a few in her room, but doesn't see the point in playing with them after making them look nice. I'm sure I have some sports equipment, though I am not certain they're the sort a young girl would like. You're all welcome to look in the back closet down the hall while I make something for you."
Ari smiled at him softly, seeming grateful for his help.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:03 am
"Grilled cheese!" Noire promptly piped, grinning cheekily at Lex. "And some chocolate? Do you have chocolate? I'M A VEGETARIAN OKAY?!" She asked, giddily moving to grip one of Lex's hands. "Why don't you like toys? Does he not let you have them? Are you a meanie?"
Harper shook his head, but then grinned impishly at Aria. "So. What are your powers?" He asked, a shimmer of young boy comic book/video game aspiration in his black eyes. "Can you do somethin cool like walk on walls or burn people up or is it somethin sissy and girly like turn invisible?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:11 am
Lex smiled down at the hyperactive girl. She was certainly nothing like Aria at all. "I do have chocolate, though you'll have to wait until after eating lunch to have it. There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian. And Ariadne has many toys." He turned towards the kitchen, leaving the children for a moment. "The grilled cheese sandwiches will be ready in a bit!" he called out after a moment.
"I don't get the point of playing with toys when there are people to watch. Or the mask. Masks are interesting. Like costumes." She blinked slowly, thinking as she turned to Harper. He was quite eager, though that much was obvious without having to peer beyond his face and actually into him. "A power? Well... Lex says it's unusual, but I wouldn't call it a power." Her eyes began to brighten as she looked deeper into him, nearly glowing, reflecting the light at a higher degree. "I can read people's emotions."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:38 pm
Harper eyebrows rose, and almost instantly a look of 'challenge' came over him. "Oh yeah? What am I feelin' now!?" He asked, closing his eyes tight, doing his best to look 'angry' which resulted in a scrunched up quite uncomfortable expression on his face.
Noire had lost all attention she had on the other kids. Instead, she was intently focused on where Lex had disappeared to when she heard a series of knocks on the door closest resembling a person 'drumming' against the frame.
"I'LL GET IT!" Noire called, running to the door happily, presumingly, deciding she apparently owned this house as well. Figuring out how to open the door, Noire poped it open and happily let in four adults who all walked in expectantly looking around.
"No parents?" The only woman of the four hissed, hands on hips. Garbed in ridiculously tight leather and netted arm-stalkings, about a dozen ear piercings and enough makeup to paint a dog house, the multicoloured haired woman scowled deeply at her surroundings.
"I'm sure there is a parent somewhere.. I hope.. how are you doing, sweetie? I'm sorry Eliot left you here! Without my permission!" Sunny exclaimed, kneeling down and pulling an annoyed looking Noire into a hug. He promptly kicked at the man behind him who gave an indignant 'ow.'
The kicked man, Eliot, was looking quite angry. 'Caught' more like it. Soloman, the very tall, very skinny black man to his right was busy thumbing away at a hand held until he promptly looked up, "DEAD, SUCKAAAA! YEAH BABY! THATS RIGHT! GIMME SOME SUGAR SUGAR!" and with a squeal, Noire wriggled out of Sunny's arms and into Soloman's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:51 pm
After smiling secretively at Harper, Ariadne rose to her feet and walked out to the entry way to find four adults coming in. Lex, who was right behind her, felt apprehensive.
"Ahh. I'm sorry. I was just making lunch for the children," her guardian began. Oh no, he was not comfortable at all. "You must be... Harper's and Noire's--er-- guardians?"
Having limited experience out in the world, Aria took the time watch this strange group and their interaction with Noire.
"Would you... ah... Please come into the living room. Harper is waiting in there. Would anyone like something to drink?"
Poor Lex was confused. She wondered if their looks were that strange or if they had commit some sort of taboo. She really wasn't used to the way things worked and sometimes became confused on what was acceptable and what was unusual. Shrugging gently, she led the way back into the room where she'd just been.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:01 am
With Sunny glaring at Eliot, Eliot back at Sunny, and Ashley glaring death at Lex, Solo was the first to truly notice anyone else existed.
"Naaaah man..." Solo said, throwing Noire over one shoulder with remarkable ease for how fragile the man appeared to be. She kicked and threw a mock fit, giggling when she discovered the end of his mohawk that was currently pulled into a ponytail for her to pull on. "I'm their uncle. You're too old to have kids - what, you adopt her?" He asked, nodding at Aria.
Sunny looked over at Lex quickly at that, coughing to make up for what he felt was lost standing. "Ah, thank you, water would be good." He said quietly, hissing under his breath as Eliot threw an elbow into his chest while walking by. "My name is Vincent-"
"YOUR NAME IS SUNNY!" The woman finally cared to speak again, voice authoritative. "Moron." She muttered, following Eliot into the living room.
"-Sunny.." Sunny said meekly, rolling his eyes. "I'm Noire's father. That woman is my sister, Ashley, who is Harper's mother. The other two are our friends - I, uh, hope we aren't disturbing much?"
"FASTER, FASTER!" Noire commanded, pulling on Solo's ponytail upside down as he 'galloped' into the living room in a remarkably dangerous gesture that threatened any nearby breakable furniture.
Harper watched his family walk in, smiling. "Yo!" He proclaimed, grinning at Aria. "What are they feelin!?" He demanded to know, patting the spot next to him for her to sit. "Don' worry, only my momma bites and she prolly won't bother. That's my momma. Ain't she pretty?" He asked, pointing at Ashley who indignantly went for a place to sit.
"Hey kid." Eliot greeted Ariadne, a disinterested wave in her direction. "Disgustingly charming house you got here. Nothing... interesting in it at all." Yeah, he was in a grumpy mood. Ashley had been nagging him all day, and it was a rarer ocassion where he was actually letting it go to heart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:13 am
Lex nodded to everyone, a bit confused as he tried to take in what they were saying. He first realised he was being called old. "No, I am her guard-erm..." And then he found that a woman was glaring at him-- Harper's mother, apparently.
"Oh. I'm Dr. Lex--" These people were quite confusing. "Vince--Sunny... ah, pleased to meet you all." Water. One of them had said something about water. Perhaps he should get it. He could leave for a moment to fetch a guest a glass of water, surely?
"I'll, uh. I'll be back momentarily," he said to no one in particular, having the feeling that the only one who might here was Vincent/Sunny.
Ariadne sat beside the boy, her white clothing flowing around her legs, the mask still in her hands. "That one," she told Harper, nodding at Sunny, "is the most like Lex. He's kind of... mousy. Hesitant. And that one." She peered at Eliot for a moment, her eyes lighting slowly as she focused. "Something has him dejected. Try looking at the mask," she told the dejected man who proclaimed that the house wasn't interesting. "I happen to like it."
After a moment, she added, "Yes, your mother is lovely. Wait. She bites?" Before she had to hear anything else unusual, Lex returned and handed Sunny a glass of water, perching on the egde of a lovely European chair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
