Sizzla
This was a place that Finn had never, ever wanted to go, yet he found himself here, bright lights flashing in his eyes and the sounds of arcade machines announcing their winners (or losers, as it may be).
He had taken to pushing around Maya in a stroller, which didn't make him the most manly father, but he found she wouldn't throw fits in it, like she did when he tried to hold her and carry her around. She still wasn't happy with his touch, though he was much more 'okay' with her than anyone else -- except for Sevan, that is.
Maya was pleased. She could tell her father wasn't happy to be there, and his displeasure was what made her most happy. Though yes, the flashing lights and bright colors of the Pizza Palace were pretty, she prefered quieter surroundings. But she'd suck it up this time. She'd enjoy herself while Finn wasn't.
Mortality watched everything around them with interest, unable to figure out what kind of place they were in. It was all quite new to him, as he had lived mostly in the past...
As the pair sidled up next to a table, Finn grabbed a highchair from the empty table next to the one he'd chosen, and picked Maya up, hoisting her into it. She didn't struggle, which amazed him, and he sat down himself, opening the menu to try to decide if there was anything that Maya could actually eat, seeing as how she didn't quite have teeth yet.
He had taken to pushing around Maya in a stroller, which didn't make him the most manly father, but he found she wouldn't throw fits in it, like she did when he tried to hold her and carry her around. She still wasn't happy with his touch, though he was much more 'okay' with her than anyone else -- except for Sevan, that is.
Maya was pleased. She could tell her father wasn't happy to be there, and his displeasure was what made her most happy. Though yes, the flashing lights and bright colors of the Pizza Palace were pretty, she prefered quieter surroundings. But she'd suck it up this time. She'd enjoy herself while Finn wasn't.
Mortality watched everything around them with interest, unable to figure out what kind of place they were in. It was all quite new to him, as he had lived mostly in the past...
As the pair sidled up next to a table, Finn grabbed a highchair from the empty table next to the one he'd chosen, and picked Maya up, hoisting her into it. She didn't struggle, which amazed him, and he sat down himself, opening the menu to try to decide if there was anything that Maya could actually eat, seeing as how she didn't quite have teeth yet.
Smerdle
Baxter, too, had no real interest in being here. He disliked children, even his current one, and to have what seemed like hundreds of them running around, sticky hands slapping into his legs as they used him as an impromptu obstacle in their games of freeze tag, made him even more irritated. He couldn't actually feel how sticky their hands were since he was wearing pants, but he could imagine.
He wouldn't have been here at all if Dora had been a normal baby. She was content to do baby things like shoving feet and fists in her mouth and crying and staring off into the distance. It was that damn monkey that caused all the problems. Spot. The only word Dora could say.
He had tried to get rid of the thing, but whenever Dora and it were far apart, the little girl cried until she was blue in the face. Baxter had managed to convey the fact that if the monkey moved or caused a scene in public, he would throw the two of them out so fast they wouldn't know what hit them, but that didn't stop Spot from acting out at home.
This morning, Baxter had awoken to the scuffling, scratching and crackling of Spot taping an ad for this godawful place to his bedside lamp. The daemon had plastered Baxter's mattress and walls with them too, and in a seemingly miraculous feat, had even gotten one on the ceiling. The last time the monkey had wanted something, he had used paint. In a rare moment of amusement, Baxter had decided to reward the living toy for good behavior.
A tiny child scuttled through Baxter's legs, and he managed to not fall to the floor by catching himself on a chair and plopping down at the table next to Finn's. Dora made a sharp noise of surprise as she jerked in his arms and awoke from her nap. Spot dangled from her grip, still except for the sparkle of his button eyes.
"Sorry about that," Baxter grated. "We can move." He really didn't want to now that he was sitting, but at least he had offered.
He wouldn't have been here at all if Dora had been a normal baby. She was content to do baby things like shoving feet and fists in her mouth and crying and staring off into the distance. It was that damn monkey that caused all the problems. Spot. The only word Dora could say.
He had tried to get rid of the thing, but whenever Dora and it were far apart, the little girl cried until she was blue in the face. Baxter had managed to convey the fact that if the monkey moved or caused a scene in public, he would throw the two of them out so fast they wouldn't know what hit them, but that didn't stop Spot from acting out at home.
This morning, Baxter had awoken to the scuffling, scratching and crackling of Spot taping an ad for this godawful place to his bedside lamp. The daemon had plastered Baxter's mattress and walls with them too, and in a seemingly miraculous feat, had even gotten one on the ceiling. The last time the monkey had wanted something, he had used paint. In a rare moment of amusement, Baxter had decided to reward the living toy for good behavior.
A tiny child scuttled through Baxter's legs, and he managed to not fall to the floor by catching himself on a chair and plopping down at the table next to Finn's. Dora made a sharp noise of surprise as she jerked in his arms and awoke from her nap. Spot dangled from her grip, still except for the sparkle of his button eyes.
"Sorry about that," Baxter grated. "We can move." He really didn't want to now that he was sitting, but at least he had offered.
Sizzla
"No problem man," Finn said. "Table's all yours. Looks like you're on kid-duty too eh?" He gave Baxter a knowing smile and pointed to Maya, who was banging on the top of the high chair, expecting someone to feed her, or at least let her crawl around and play.
Mortality, who had caught the sparkle in the sock monkey's eye, inched his way down his usual resting place around Maya's arm and finally got to the table, eager to see if the monkey would truly come alive. He could tell that it was no regular sock monkey, oh no.
Maya watched as Mort crawled down her arm, curious where he was going. It was rare that he got too far from her, but even now he was still within short distance from her fingertips. She noticed the monkey that he was now watching, and followed the hand that held it to the face of a little girl...
Mortality, who had caught the sparkle in the sock monkey's eye, inched his way down his usual resting place around Maya's arm and finally got to the table, eager to see if the monkey would truly come alive. He could tell that it was no regular sock monkey, oh no.
Maya watched as Mort crawled down her arm, curious where he was going. It was rare that he got too far from her, but even now he was still within short distance from her fingertips. She noticed the monkey that he was now watching, and followed the hand that held it to the face of a little girl...
Smerdle
"All the time," Baxter said, scoffing briefly to himself. The noise-making blond girl was cute enough, but like all the others, she was still making noise.
Dora squirmed slightly in Baxter's arms, lifting Spot so that his head was right under hers. As Maya stared, Dora yawned, and when she was done yawning, her mouth clamped down around the side of Spot's squishy head.
The monkey, now in a position to see what was going on, watched Mort as he descended his little girl's arm. Spot still didn't move, not perceptibly at least, but he was far more alert than a toy would be, clearly intrigued by the metal snake.
"That's some pet she's got," Baxter said, propping Dora on his leg and using his free hand to flip through a menu of his own.
The gumming of Spotlight's head complete, Dora looked up. Another kid! She had only ever met one before, and this one was different. Dora reached out a hand and splayed her fingers at Maya, willing her closer.
Dora squirmed slightly in Baxter's arms, lifting Spot so that his head was right under hers. As Maya stared, Dora yawned, and when she was done yawning, her mouth clamped down around the side of Spot's squishy head.
The monkey, now in a position to see what was going on, watched Mort as he descended his little girl's arm. Spot still didn't move, not perceptibly at least, but he was far more alert than a toy would be, clearly intrigued by the metal snake.
"That's some pet she's got," Baxter said, propping Dora on his leg and using his free hand to flip through a menu of his own.
The gumming of Spotlight's head complete, Dora looked up. Another kid! She had only ever met one before, and this one was different. Dora reached out a hand and splayed her fingers at Maya, willing her closer.
Sizzla
"Yeah, me too. I never thought at this point in life, I'd have to be taking care of a kid 24/7." Finn rifled through the menu, glancing at Maya every now and then to make sure she was still safely in the high chair. He noticed the golden worm snaking its way down her arm, but thought nothing of it. He knew Mort was the more friendly of the pair. He hadn't thrown a fit yet.
Mort watched the sock monkey intently, willing it to move of its own accord. He wanted to know if it was truly what he thought it was.
Meanwhile, Finn tried his best to play the golden worm off as nothing more than a toy. "Pet? Oh um, no. That's - uh, her new toy. It's a mechanical worm and it's ... it's a wind-up."
He had a hard time getting through that one. The other Forgotten and parents he'd met seemed to recognize Maya and Mortality as children from the library right away. Perhaps this little girl and her sock monkey weren't from the library. Maybe they were just ... normal. He wasn't sure how to explain a living mechanical worm to someone he'd never met before.
Maya shirked away from Dora's splayed hand, fearing the germs that might be there. But she still studied the girl, sure there was something familiar about her.
Mort watched the sock monkey intently, willing it to move of its own accord. He wanted to know if it was truly what he thought it was.
Meanwhile, Finn tried his best to play the golden worm off as nothing more than a toy. "Pet? Oh um, no. That's - uh, her new toy. It's a mechanical worm and it's ... it's a wind-up."
He had a hard time getting through that one. The other Forgotten and parents he'd met seemed to recognize Maya and Mortality as children from the library right away. Perhaps this little girl and her sock monkey weren't from the library. Maybe they were just ... normal. He wasn't sure how to explain a living mechanical worm to someone he'd never met before.
Maya shirked away from Dora's splayed hand, fearing the germs that might be there. But she still studied the girl, sure there was something familiar about her.
Smerdle
Baxter nodded shallowly. There had been a time when he had been eager to raise a child, his son, and he had. It hadn't turned out well. As much as he simply didn't care for children now, a part of him didn't want to irreversibly screw up another kid, even if she was a conniving little magic user.
"A toy. Right." Whatever. Baxter had his own 'living toy' to deal with, and he was perfectly willing to stop talking about the worm if the other man didn't want to. His finger stopped on the menu and he looked around to see how one placed an order in this place.
Dora pulled her hand back, glancing at it for a second before tucking it between her body and Spot's. What was wrong with it? Oh well! She thrust her daemon out toward the worm in greeting instead.
Spot's limbs and tail whipped forward when he reached the end of the tether of Dora's arms, and in the split second they were farthest from his body he raised his right arm in a wave. With no fingers and a perpetual smile it could have been any number of hand gestures, or just the movement of a lifeless toy, but Spot hoped his message had gotten across. Maybe Baxter would let him move. After all, no one seemed to be raising any sort of alarm over this golden snakey thing.
"A toy. Right." Whatever. Baxter had his own 'living toy' to deal with, and he was perfectly willing to stop talking about the worm if the other man didn't want to. His finger stopped on the menu and he looked around to see how one placed an order in this place.
Dora pulled her hand back, glancing at it for a second before tucking it between her body and Spot's. What was wrong with it? Oh well! She thrust her daemon out toward the worm in greeting instead.
Spot's limbs and tail whipped forward when he reached the end of the tether of Dora's arms, and in the split second they were farthest from his body he raised his right arm in a wave. With no fingers and a perpetual smile it could have been any number of hand gestures, or just the movement of a lifeless toy, but Spot hoped his message had gotten across. Maybe Baxter would let him move. After all, no one seemed to be raising any sort of alarm over this golden snakey thing.
Sizzla
Finn gave a sigh at the other man's response. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell him that the golden worm was actually alive...it was just that he didn't want people to think he was weird.
As a waitress finally made her way to the tables, Finn proceeded to order a large pizza, thin crust. Half cheese, half pepperoni. Maya woudn't eat any type of pizza but cheese for some reason. She'd quite rejected the idea of baby food back at the beginning of her life with Finn, so he resorted to cutting up all food she ate into tiny pieces that her baby teeth could handle.
Maya was pleased that the other girl had retracted her hand. Getting dirty was unappealing to her, and she preferred to remain crisp and clean at all times. Giving the other girl a half-hearted smile, she watched as Mort squirmed up to the sockmonkey, more than a little curious if it was indeed alive.
Mort's emerald eyes twinkled as he saw the wave from the sockmonkey. It was alive after all! And perhaps...perhaps it was a Daemon! Hello, he said in greeting, squirming to sit upward, much like a cobra waiting to strike would. What do they call you? he asked, merely a voice in Spot's head.
As a waitress finally made her way to the tables, Finn proceeded to order a large pizza, thin crust. Half cheese, half pepperoni. Maya woudn't eat any type of pizza but cheese for some reason. She'd quite rejected the idea of baby food back at the beginning of her life with Finn, so he resorted to cutting up all food she ate into tiny pieces that her baby teeth could handle.
Maya was pleased that the other girl had retracted her hand. Getting dirty was unappealing to her, and she preferred to remain crisp and clean at all times. Giving the other girl a half-hearted smile, she watched as Mort squirmed up to the sockmonkey, more than a little curious if it was indeed alive.
Mort's emerald eyes twinkled as he saw the wave from the sockmonkey. It was alive after all! And perhaps...perhaps it was a Daemon! Hello, he said in greeting, squirming to sit upward, much like a cobra waiting to strike would. What do they call you? he asked, merely a voice in Spot's head.
Smerdle
Several moments of confused mental sputtering followed Mort's greeting, as Spot tried to figure out what was going on. He automatically assumed it was the worm speaking, but how? Spot? he replied, his voice odd and gravelly for a creature that looked so constantly ecstatic. He turned his head slightly to see if anyone could shed some light on the situation. Nobody had ever spoken to him but Dora and even then it wasn't so much actual speaking, not in real words at least. He wasn't sure he was going to be able to carry on a meaningful conversation that way. Dora was no help, not having a clue what was going on between the daemons. She returned Maya's half-hearted smile with a much larger one, then turned to stare at her father's menu. For what was probably the first time in his life, Spot didn't know what to do next.
Baxter glared at the back of the monkey's head as it moved. "Hey! Stop it!" His hand crashed to the table, finger randomly pointing at some new and exciting pizza that he hadn't originally picked and didn't even glance at now. "One of these," he said. "And a hot dog for her. With a knife." Spotlight didn't eat, which was probably a good thing. Who knows where the food would have gone if he had?
Dora's face squinched up briefly. She hadn't been expecting such a loud noise so close to her head. Instead of crying, however, she hugged Spot close and quickly calmed, content to watch Mort as he reared upright.
Spot's worry eased as well, and he decided to try out a question he had heard on TV. Who are? You? He wasn't moving anymore, in a possibly futile attempt to make Baxter a more pleasant mealtime companion.
Baxter glared at the back of the monkey's head as it moved. "Hey! Stop it!" His hand crashed to the table, finger randomly pointing at some new and exciting pizza that he hadn't originally picked and didn't even glance at now. "One of these," he said. "And a hot dog for her. With a knife." Spotlight didn't eat, which was probably a good thing. Who knows where the food would have gone if he had?
Dora's face squinched up briefly. She hadn't been expecting such a loud noise so close to her head. Instead of crying, however, she hugged Spot close and quickly calmed, content to watch Mort as he reared upright.
Spot's worry eased as well, and he decided to try out a question he had heard on TV. Who are? You? He wasn't moving anymore, in a possibly futile attempt to make Baxter a more pleasant mealtime companion.
