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 Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:17 pm
It was a nice summer day outside near one of the local parks, the sun warming the air just enough that it wasn't too hot to be without shade, and as Ahiru moved to sit beneath a tree and watch the different trainers and Pokemon play together she couldn't help but heavy a little sigh.
It always made her happy to come here and watch the different people, and one day she hoped to come here with an egg of her very own. The thought made her smile and giggle slightly, and she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear as she settled into the grass.
"Mmm, warm."
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:27 pm
How long had it been since she had left that house? Judging by the calender date, not long at all. When a life changes, even a few days can feel like years.
"I have to stop thinking about that." Jade sighed as she glanced up at the warm sun. It was nice to have those rays on her pale skin. "Besides, it's a lovely day. Why worry about storm clouds?" Yet as she tried to cheer aherself up, Jade truly wasn't watching where she was going.
The next thing Jade knew, her head was hitting the ground with a loud thump.
"Ow..." She whispered slowly picking herself up to look back at what had caused her to fall. The answer started straight back in her face. A tree root. "Oh. I shouldn't day dream so much. Hope no one saw that..."
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:32 pm
Ahiru's whole body jumped as a sound echoed from behind the tree she was leaning on, and with a hand over her heart the little girl tried to calm her nerves in time to figure out what was going on. She'd been lost in her thoughts when the sound had been created so she assumed the worst, though when a human voice greeted her ears so faintly she felt a small tingle of dread and fear leak over her spine once more.
She slowly got to her feet and dusted off the back of her shorts as she moved to inspect the source of the sound, one of her hands now moving to her lips in a nervous gesture. As she rounded the corner she expected to see the worst, but instead was greeted by a young woman.
" . . . . "
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:38 pm
Picking herself up into a sitting position, Jade started the daunting task of inspecting certain areas of her body for any cuts or discoloring. Thankfully, her hands had saved her just in time from causing serious damage to her brain. Nothing came without a small cost.
Looking at her hands for a moment, the blue eyes found a large gash on her left hand. Nothing too serious but anyone weak at the sight of blood most likely would have fun. "Well if that is the worst of it..."
Jade's voice trailled off as a small shadow caught her attention. Glancing over and through her raven hair, the woman noticed something she had missed. A young girl, no older than a child from the looks of it. "Hello there. Did I scare you? I'm so sorry. Wasn't paying attention to where I was going." She added with a small laugh at herself. It was forced but none the less, she hoped it would break the ice.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:47 pm
Ahiru's shoulders tensed as the woman started to speak, though they slowly relaxed at the woman's laugh and general kind tone of voice. She shook her head in response to the question of being frightened, though she pursed her lips at the woman's hand.
"Are...you okay? You look...hurt."
Her own voice was quiet and husky, and she almost had to repeat herself to make sure she'd actually spoken out loud. She was used to talking to her brother or mother or to herself, but because she wasn't around strangers often other then with family it was unnerving. She was only eleven after all, and a little sheltered at that.
"Do you...need help?"
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 8:58 pm
It wasn't hard for Jade to guess one thing about this girl: she was terrifed of her. And why shouldn't she be? I'm a complete stranger and she is a child. I would say it would be concerning if she was more friendly.
"Thank you but I'll be alright." Glancing around the park, those eyes tried to focus on something but with a losing sigh she glanced back at the girl. "Wait, there is one thing. Could you please show me to either a near water fountian or hose? While the cut will heal itself, I would like to clean it."
Looking back out at the people playing with their partners, she couldn't help feeling a little bit of envy. "I haven't come here before so I don't know my way around. Yet I'm sure a young girl like yourself..." She stopped and looked back at her "...comes her all the time with your pokemon."
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:07 pm
"A fountain? I...don't know of any nearby, I only...come here sometimes. I can tell you...where a hose is though."
Ahiru smiled slightly and moved her hand away from her mouth finally, allowing herself to speak slightly better. She interlaced her fingers and they rested against the bright orange strap that served as her belt. She had another kind of belt resting over that one, a poke-ball holder, though it was clearly empty.
"I don't have any...pokemon of my own just yet, but I help out with the hatched ones at home. One day I...would like to come here to play with one."
She didn't seem ashamed or sad to admit it, and as if she finally remembered what she was supposed to do she motioned for the woman to follow her to a nearby building.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:19 pm
The small deal about not having any pokemon caught Jade off guard. Both eye brows raised slightly as she pushed herself up with one hand and started to follow her.
"I'm sorry I assumed. One just doesn't see many children around without pokemon. Just older people like myself." Letting a small shurg fly past her, Jade placed her free hand near the wound to apply pressure.
At least the girl wasn't afraid to speak to her. "You said something about hatched ones at home. Do you leave at a nursery?"
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:28 pm
Ahiru nodded her head towards the question, a little look of pride beaming across her face.
"Papa and Mama breed Eevees. Well, Mama does mostly because Papa runs a bakery too, so I get to help out there with my elder brother when I'm not at school."
The little girl turned at a shed and made her way around to the back, only knowing this location because of an incident she'd once had and her brother bringing her here to clean her up. Otherwise she would have had no idea and both of them would be in trouble.
"Mama says I'm still too young to have a pokemon of my own because I can't even care properly for myself. She's worried I would get lost or hurt or lose my pokemon and be unable to stay safe."
She continued to talk as she moved and pointed at a spigot sticking out of the wall, the hose strangely absent.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:48 pm
"That will work." Jade smiled as the spigot caught her attention. Stepping past the girl and towards the silver metal, she slowly turned it on. Thank goodness she had because even at low, the spigot was still spraying water everywhere.
Humming to herself as she washed out the cut, using the tune to keep her mind of the pain, Jade then glanced up. "Like a good mother should be. I'm sure she is also worried about your brother going out on his own. I know I would be." She slightly rolled her eyes at this thinking of the younger girl left behind.
"Anyway, so are you hoping your Mama lets you have one of those Eevee's?"
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 9:57 pm
"My brother didn't go out on a journey because he can't walk well on his own, so he stays home and tends to the Eevees with her. He's older than me and is more responsible so she trusts him more too. I just run...errands."
Ahiru's speech was getting better as she got more used to the company of the other woman, her words having to be less chosen and more natural coming off her tongue. Her voice was still low and husky, as it would never change until she perhaps grew older, but she didn't sound nearly as frightened.
"As for Eevees, I don't think so. Mama's starter was an Eevee she got from her parents, but I don't really want an Eevee. I've grown up around them so I know all about them and I want to try something more challenging. I want to-"
The girl cut herself short and blushed deeply, knowing good and well she may have sounded like she was bragging over her knowledge of the small pokemon. It did her no good to be rude to a woman who clearly didn't have a partner of her own and she knew it would be in her best interests to be polite.
"I....I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ramble that way."
She bowed her head slightly, her ash gray hair falling about her face.
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 10:12 pm
Turning the water off and attempting not to slip in the newly formed mud hole left Jade with a rather annoyed at her hand. Already it had started to seal but that didn't stop it from hurting any less. As she shook it softly to the side, she managed a light laugh once more.
Walking forward, her free hand reached out and she placed it ontop of the younger one's shoulder. Kneeling down into a more a frog than putting her jeans in the mud, Jade attempted to get the young girl's attention. "Please don't apologize. You have done nothing wrong." She smiled and tapped the child's nose just as her 'mother' used to when she was sad or scared. "As you can see, I don't have a partner either. Yet I don't know nearly as much about any as you do. Be proud of your knowledge. Your Mama has taught you well."
Standing up again, Jade watched to make sure the girl understood and might, just maybe, would smile. "Besides, you can't apologize for something I asked you. That would be my job to apologize to you for asking the question so..."
Bowing her own head towards the girl, the raven hair fell just as her gray hair did. "Forgive me?"
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 10:26 pm
Ahiru's cheeks tinged with pink as the woman before her bowed her own head and asked for forgiveness, causing the eleven-year-old to be very glad that no one else was around. While it made her feel better to know an adult was apologizing to her (for some reason or another) it was also a little embarrassing, as it made her wonder if this woman had any shame or pride. Not that saying you're sorry was a bad thing, but...
"My name is Ahiru, so please don't apologize to me."
She raised her head and smiled timidly, her face still slightly flushed with nerves. It had been so long since someone had spoken to her, even if they did speak to her slightly like a child, that it was refreshing.
"Um, if...if you would like...we can get a bandage for your hand at my house. It's nearby, and you can see the Eevees."
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Posted: Sun May 31, 2009 10:34 pm
"Ahiru. That's a lovely name." She smiled as she picked her head up. No doubt the girl thought she was crazy by this point. Jade sometimes thought she was a bit insane as it was. No woman this much older than a child need apologize. Yet, after living with Katherine, it became a habit that needed to be broken.
"I'm Jade." Simply put, with a smile. While it was not her given name, it was the name she wished to go by from now on. After being forced out of a home, last thing one wants it to stay with that name.
"I would like that very much. Are you sure that your Mama would be alright with it? Bringing a stranger home might make her even more worried."
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 3:18 pm
"So you're Ms. Jade? I don't think she'd mind, it's breeding season right now so she's really busy and doesn't notice when I go in and out. My brother knows where I am though so he might be the one to worry a little over me. He says someone out of the family has to, but I don't know what that means."
Ahiru dusted her hands on the side of her pants again, a clear habit, and her sandals made a small swish on the ground as she moved to start walking. Her face was still a little pink, though it was now because of the compliment towards her name more than the woman's actions from before.
"My name...it's not that pretty. It means 'duck'. I...I think you have the pretty name, Ms. Jade. Jade stones are beautiful and worth something, while a duck . . . ."
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