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 Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:19 pm
Efios tossed rocks into the water. Plunk. Plunk. Plunk. In his other hand, he held a card; he'd read the spare information it held numerous times, and was no more enlightened for having done so. He'd left the flute undisturbed, puzzled and a bit unsettled by the footprints around it.
There was only one problem with finding this Jaden Silvermoon person. He didn't recognize the address, couldn't find it, and had no idea where to start.
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:28 pm
"Mister Efios!" That sweet voice could only belong to Etain, and the sylph bounded acoss the sand in her eagerness to get to the yuniko. In one hand was a long white feather, which she held onto for dear life.
Shiromaru followed at a more sedate pace, smiling in welcome as he spotted Efios. "Glad to see you found my beach," he called, amused. "But then, it's always open to friends. How are you?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:32 pm
The Yuniko looked up from the waves and knelt, smiling, to open his arms for a hug from Etain. "Hi, cutie!" he said. "Nice to see you again! I brought you something, I was hoping I'd see you and your da."
He grinned at Shiro a little sheepishly. "I thought this area might still be yours," he answered. "I have a present for your little sweetheart and a mystery of my own."
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:46 pm
Etain barreled straight into Efios' arms, all shyness from the last visit totally gone. "Hugs!" she chirruped, hugging the yuniko gleefully. "I brought you somethin' too!" She offered up the feather with a bright smile.
Shiromaru sat down on the sand near Efios and Etain, folding his legs. "I have a lot of land, but I sort of need to. What's your mystery?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:50 pm
Efi hugged Etain, a bright smile lighting up his face at the embrace. "Did you? Oh, it's lovely. I like feathers. How did you know?" He took the feather solemnly, then untangled himself from the child carefully and reached back for the staff lying on the sand nearby. A small pouch was tied to the twining carved decoration near the top with a leather thong. He untied the thong and used it to fasten the feather there in its place instead. "Perfect," he said with satisfaction, and handed the pouch to Etain. "Here you go."
He had managed to drop the card, and took a moment to retrieve that, too. "You wouldn't happen to know a Jaden Silvermoon, would you?" he asked Shiro, holding the card out for inspection.
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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:56 pm
Etain squealed in delight at the sight of the new feather on the staff, then accepted the pouch with wide eyes. "C'n I open it now?" she asked hopefully, clutching the pouch and listening to the metallic tinkling.
"Jaden Silvermoon?" Shiro took the card, blinking at it. "Yes, actually, I do. He's the one who helps the changelings when they arrive on here in Gaia. Annora and Etain are both changelings, and so is Keelan, and several others. If you have this card, does that mean you've found a relic?"
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:00 am
"Sure, sweetling," Efi said, and grinned. "That's what I brought it for, after all."
"Is that what the flute is?" Efi asked, blinking back. "It was among my ferns when I woke up. With little footprints around it. I had no idea what to do with it."
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:05 am
"That's definitely a changeling. Pretty soon you're going to have your own little handful to take care of. After Etain opens her present, why don't we go back to my house? I can get you set up with some onesies and bottles and what was left of Etain's diaper stack so you're not caught completely flat-hoofed," Shiro offered, handing the card back to Efios.
Etain waited until she heard those magic words from her papa, then opened the pouch -- and went almost starry-eyed at the bracelet. Oh yes, she liked her sparklies. "Oooh... S'pretty!" She turned that big smile on the yuniko and hugged his arm. "Thank you Mister Efios!"
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:09 am
Efi blinked again, then broke into a big smile, nearly beaming at the news. "That's great," he said. "I like babies - wasn't expecting one - oh, wow - that's great! I'd appreciate that," he added, taking the card back and tucking it into a second small pouch that hung from the staff beside the feather.
He returned the sparkling smile Etain gave him. "You're welcome. That's a beautiful smile," he told the Changeling child. "Something pretty for a pretty young lady."
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:15 am
Laughing, Shiromaru took the bracelet and fastened it around Etain's wrist. "I can tell this isn't coming off anytime soon," he noted as an aside to Efios. "She loves pretty things." Once Etain was satisfied with the bracelet, she scrambled into Shiro's arms and he stood with her, offering a hand down to Efios to help him up. "C'mon, let's get you those baby supplies. I know I have leftover formula, too, I can give you that."
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:19 am
Efi took the hand long enough to stand up, and leaned on his staff while he shook sand out of his mane and fur. "I know more theory about taking care of babies than practice," he confessed. "I was the youngest in my family. Er. Is changing diapers difficult?" His ears flicked back with mild embarrassment.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:22 am
"Only if you end up with a boy," Shiromaru informed him with a wickedly playful glint.
"Papa? Why's that?"
"I'll tell you when you're older," Shiro assured her. Grinning, he led the way back towards Kailas, where even from a distance the sound of life could be heard.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:25 am
"Um?" Efios looked blank; obviously he really hadn't had any experience with this particular aspect of child care. He shook his head slightly and put the question aside. It'd get answered, or it wouldn't. He followed sedately, swishing his tail and enjoying the day and the company.
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:30 am
Once inside, Shiro toed off his shoes in the genkan and stepped into his house slippers, and Etain very studiously did the same, though she ignored the slippers in favor of running on into the kitchen. That was where the formula was, after all!
With Etain out of earshot -- mostly -- Shiro glanced back at Efios and snickered softly. "Babies aren't very caring of when or where they go to the bathroom, so if you have a boy and he decides to go in the middle of changing his diaper, it can be... well. Messy."
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Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:33 am
Efi wiped his hooves very carefully on the mat outside the door; he didn't wear shoes, and didn't see any slippers that looked like they'd fit him. When he'd gotten the sand and dust off his feet, he stepped inside, bobbing his head and making a quick gesture with his free hand as he crossed the threshold.
" ... Oh." Efi looked both apprehensive and amused at once. "I see. That could be, ah, awkward."
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