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 Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:29 pm
After the last playdate that ended in a kerfluffle with Yeesha, Jenner was not too certain about this whole "socialization" thing with respect to DCorp. Still--as Tizzy kept pointing out, irritatingly enough--it was a requirement that the children spend a certain amount of time with their classmates and future teammates, and so she'd arranged another little social time with one of the teachers without informing Jenner beforehand.
She'd need to have a word with her child about that, Jenner reflected as she sat on one of the playground swings next to Indigo. The little girl had just discovered swinging, and was currently squealing in glee as she propelled herself back and forth. Oh well--sometime after they'd had this latest little playdate.
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:50 pm
Honestly, how did D-Corp expect her to get anything done when they kept putting more and more requirements on her plate? First it was class attendance, then homework completion. But mandatory socialization time was just too much. Why did children have to be social anyway? It just took time away from important things, like work and sleep. But there were studies that showed interaction with other children stimulated certain areas of the brain, and after all, she didn't want to lose her job.
It was with mixed feelings that Raven entered the playground, her left hand held tightly by the child she was watching. Not that she did much of that while walking; her attention was fixed on the swingset, studying the two there. The small one was certainly of more interest. Raven hadn't seen many of the other children D-Corp was "producing," and she was beginning to regret it. The possibilities were fascinating.
Anoki squeezed his guardian's hand, his other wrapped around the pale blue blanket that was always with him. She'd said a lot of things he didn't understand before they came, but that was nothing new. The playground was. He'd never been there before, which was sad, because it looked like a lot of fun!
Then he spotted the others, and slowed down a moment. He was seeing people? Would they like him? It took a tug from Raven for him to keep moving, bringing them to just in front of the swingset.
"I take it you are Miss Preston?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:06 am
Indigo spotted the other kid from a figurative mile away. She had an apparent seventh or eighth sense for new playmates, and so dragged herself to a stop and hopped off the swing to race over to Anoki. "Hiiiiii!" she shrilled, all but twitching with excitment. "'M name's Indigo! Who're you?" The hydrostatic skeleton borrowed from her velvet-worm kin made her look a little like a shaken bowl of jell-o when she was excited, Jenner observed with some amusement.
It took the faceless a moment to drag her mind around as Raven addressed her. She fixed the other woman with bright blue eyes and a ready smirk, removing a hand from the chains of the swing to wave at her. "Th' very same. You'd be Miss Millner, I'm assumin." She dragged her feet to stop herself--before leaning over to pat the swing next to her.
"C'mon, take a seat. There's plenty of room for everybody an' I don't feel like standin."
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Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 10:37 pm
Wow. Whoever this was, she was pretty! She had lots of colors, including his favorite one, light blue. Anoki was so taken it was a few moments before he registered the girl's question. "'Noki," he replied slowly, draping his blanket over his shoulder to free his hands.
In the process of checking herself again, Raven frowned and removed her hands from her hair. "Anoki Kenelm, pronounce your complete name please. Do it again."
Anoki flinched. He'd forgotten his "mother" was there. Taking a deep breath he started from the beginning. "Ano-oki Ken-nelm." That was hard, but he did it! Breathless, he looked up for praise, but Raven had already looked away. With sagging shoulders he cast his eyes at the ground, then at the girl again. Did she think he did it well?
Reluctant to sit but seeing no other choice, the woman daintly sank into the swing, keeping her feet firmly planted. "Thank you. Tell me, Miss Preston, what observations have you made of your child? It is a female, correct?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 10:22 pm
Jenner frowned to herself as Raven reprimanded her kid--she may have been a demon, but at least she knew how to treat kids. And this new lady seemed to be stiff as a rod, on top of--Jenner amended, as Raven fussed with her hair--being more than a little self-concious. ...On the other hand, Jenner could work with this.
"You did good, kid," Jenner called from the swing, tone encouraging. She smiled sweetly as Raven came over to sit down, dragging her feet back and forth to give herself a bit of momentum. It also made the swingset creak.
What observations had she made? Jenner's nose wrinkled up, before she chuckled. "Her name's Indigo, but mostly we call her Indi back at my place. As for what I've observed about her..." The faceless demon's eyes twinkled with momentary mischief. "Well, she can drink me under the table and the coffee an' cigarettes aren't stunting her growth any. She picked up on safe-crackin pretty quick, too." All of this said as if Jenner took Raven's question in complete and utter seriousness.
Indigo covered her mouth with her hands as her mommy fibbed about her, managing to corral a giggle--so 'Noki didn't think she was laughing at him. "Anoki? S'pretty name!" She paused, giving him a look up and down, before adding, "You gots horns, like a cow! Are you a cow? Or maybe a deer!"
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2006 11:09 pm
Raven folded her hands in her lap, not really looking at anything as she listened. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the woman's stories. In an odd way, they made sense. If D-Corp was going to allow such deviant people to become "parents," of course they would have strict rules about conduct and interaction. Whether or not the stories were true mattered little in that context. Pathological liars or alcoholic thieves, either way the children with irresponsible parents would need contact with ones raised in a more stable and firm household. The other rules added structure to an otherwise unstable existence.
But making her abide by them was just annoying.
"I see," she finally replied. "It seems that you have a quick learner on your hands. These children seem remarkably adaptable, do they not? Of course, some are more so than others. Perhaps it is a result of genetic restructuring, based on species?"
By this time Raven had given up on getting any real answers out of Jenner Preston. However she was mildly curious as to what answers she would get. If nothing else, it was better than sitting in silence while her child gave the purple girl structure, or whatever was supposed to happen.
A faint blush was hidden by slick brown fur. "Indi's p-pretty too," Anoki said shyly. First the nice woman said he did a good job, then the bright colored girl liked his name. He smiled, then giggled as she asked about him. "Not cow. Bex! Ibex!" Would she know what that was? He didn't, until Raven had explained to him during one of his lessons. "Sorta goat."
But what was she? Anoki was too shy to ask, so he didn't. Instead he pointed to her hair. "'S blue. I like blue lots!"
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:00 am
At this, Jenner gave the other woman a look of utter disbelief, before giving a ringing laugh. "Adaptable, huh? You haven't spent much time around kids, have ya. --Nah, obviously not, from how you treat poor little Anoki over there." She gave a quick kick of her legs, starting herself swinging again.
"You kinda remind me of my kids; you're about their age. Say--you're not in the marriage market, are ya? I've been looking for a decent match for Ambrus; he's just come into the keepin of a kid himself." She beamed sidelong at Raven--human or demon, mothers can be terrible when they're about the matchmaking game.
"Ibex? Goat?" Indigo said, wonderingly. "You mean, like goats that climb mountains an' eat tin cans? Wow!" She was visibly impressed, her antennae semaphoring her excitement with several declarative twitches. Fortunately, she also more than compensated for his shyness with her own pride in her heritage: "'M a velvet worm! We spit glue an' eat crickets."
If it would have shown under her overall dark coloration, Indi would've colored at the comment on her hair. Aww, he liked it! "I like red," she replied, happily. "You're almost red! An' got pretty white spots all over." Her pale eyes flicked to his blanket, and she pointed, curious. "Whassat? Issit a blankie?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 26, 2006 3:27 am
Oh, that was rich. The delinquent was calling her a bad parent? If Raven had more emotion accessible she would have either laughed out loud or yelled. Instead she simply shook her head. "Actually, Miss Preston, I have been a teacher for two years. And one thing I have learned is that to properly teach, one must correct mistakes quickly, before they have time to become habit." It was a neccesary action to take, one that the children under her tutelage eventually got used to. This would be no different.
"And I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I happen to be engaged." Raven smiled, stretching her arms a little. "My fiancee is finishing his work, and should be joining me in a few weeks. But after all, you certainly wouldn't want a bad mother for a daughter-in-law," she finished tartly.
Anoki nodded, his head thrown slightly off balance by the weight of his horns. So she did know what he was, sort of. That made him feel a little more comfortable. "I l-like climbing. Not sure ab-bout cans."
When her gaze fell on the blanket, he all but glowed. "Is my blankie. Special." He considered for a moment, then handed one end over to the girl for observation. The material was light, but surprisingly warm and fluffy, and it had a border of a sleek and shiny fabric in the same color.
Her previous words finally hit him. "You spit glue?" How cool!
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2006 6:26 pm
"A teacher? What age?" Jenner looked back over at the other woman, still grinning. Then her blue eyes widened with mock surprise, as of someone stumbling across a forgotten fact. "Oh, hey, that's right--yer one of the teachers here, ain'tcha. I remember Tiz sayin something about that." She continued to swing, looking away from Raven in favor of the horizon. "Magic, as I recall it. That'd make the anklebiters more kneebiters by the time they get t' you." She clucked her tongue, shaking her head slightly.
"Seems a shame they're havin you raise kids; don't figure you can be very unbiased when it comes to your own brats." The chains of her swing jangled again as she dragged herself to a stop with her heels. "Oh, y'are? Congrats to you an' the hubby, in that case." The innocent sweetness in Jenner's tone belied any emotion she might have over the jab at her assessment of Raven's parenting abilities.
"I'm sure the kid'll rub your rough edges off, Raven." Oh ho, familiar now, were they. "If not, well, good luck to your man in that case. Hope for your sake he doesn't want more any time too soon."
Indigo all but squeaked in happiness as she was offered the corner of the blankie, patting it with a clumsy lower hand. "It's soft," she declared of it, happily. Then, she added: "I don' know how cans taste an'way. Mommy just said goats like to eat 'em." She nodded firmly to this idea--and to his question!
"Uh-huh! I do, I do! Wanna see?" she asked, eyes widening. The other kids had liked it when she showed off for them; maybe 'Noki would like it, too!
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Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2006 7:55 am
The longer the strange woman drawled on, the more Raven found her composure slipping away. It seemed that a certain someone was trying to trip her up. Why, she had no idea. Perhaps some baseless attempt to deface the more polished of the two, or to boost her own self-esteem. Either way, Raven kept her rein on her emotions tight. She would show Miss Preston exactly who was in charge.
"On the contrary, Miss. I believe that one must hold all children to the highest standards when teaching. I would not accept less than Anoki Kenelm's best effort, and I would expect no less from any of my students. That includes children and adults, by the way." Raven pushed herself back on the swing a little, that motion betraying what could be boredom or a yearning for childhood.
"Thank you, and please don't worry on my account, we're quite able to happen whatever comes along. It comes from a lifetime of responsibilities. But never fear, Miss Preston, young Indigo should teach you some of that in due course." Her tone was as flat as ever, though with a bit of smug satisfaction that hadn't been there before.
"Don' th-think ca-ans taste good." Then again, lots of yummy things came out of cans, so how was he to know? Maybe the outside part was as good as the inside. Once he'd had an orange, and his "mother" had peeled away the outside, but he'd tried some anyway. That was pretty good, wasn't it? He smiled at the memory, tuning back into his new friend's hyperness.
Eyes wide, Anoki nodded silently. He'd never seen anything as cool as someone who could actually spit glue! Not that he was ever allowed to use glue, but he'd seen his "mother" using it before, and he'd gotten his hands in it. That was fun, until he'd gotten yelled at and had to have his hands dunked in hot water to get them unstuck from eachother. But if Indi could do it without getting hurt, that would be the most neat thing since finger paints!
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Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 1:52 am
It wasn't as if Jenner could exactly help it, being a demon, after all. She'd existed for centuries specifically for the purpose of tripping people up and knocking them off their pedastals. She also happened to enjoy the whole affair thoroughly, and so gave a ringing laugh to Raven's reply to her. "Oh, aye, an they'll grow up to be perfect copies of their mum, I'm sure, just like you did." A wink punctuated the comment, even as the faceless demon started wiggling around on the swing for some reason.
Which rapidly became apparent when she started twisting the chains up around each other by turning in a circle. Even as she did, though, alternately presenting her back to Raven and scrabbling against the tarmac with her feet, she kept talking. "Much as I'd been interested in attendin your lessons, Miz Raven, I've probably fergot more about magic than you've got to teach." Phrase cheerfully said, making no real sport of Raven's relative inexperience. "But hey, never too late to try teachin an old dog new tricks, right?"
It didn't take Jenner too long to get the swing wound up as far as it would wind. She wedged a heel into the ground to keep herself in place, grinning a little breathlessly at the other woman. "Hey, so you do have teeth under all the gloss. Good one, kiddo. Indi, though--she's a good kid. It's my boys that give me ulcers an drive me into the bottle. Let 'em grow up to be assassins and they think they own the world. Pfeh." With that syllable, the unwedging of her foot. She tucked her knees up to her chest as the swing unwound fast enough to make her a blur. "Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
Responsibility? What's that, now?
The cry of glee caused Indi to look away from 'Noki, putting her upper hands to her mouth and giggling at her mother's antics. Mommy was so silly, but that made her the best mommy EVER. "Mommy is silly," she remarked to 'Noki, when she'd had her giggle. Then, she added, "I bet they taste wei-eeeird, like when you bite your tongue an' your mouth gets all salty an' stuff."
She nodded sagely at this, before giving a cheery wiggle of her fingers. "Glue!" Off on to another train of thought now. Making a great show of it, as she usually did, she made as if swishing a mouthful of water between her cheeks, before spitting a gray wad of stuff into an upper hand. Putting all four of her hands together, she then pulled them apart with the "glue" spread between them in an irregular web.
"See?" she said, beaming.
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Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2006 10:09 pm
In spite of herself, Raven couldn't help wondering what the woman would say next. It wasn't fun exactly, but there was something refreshing about holding a conversation with someone unpredictable. However, Jenner's next comment drained most of the color from Raven's face. She stopped the swing abruptly, looked down, and thought before answering.
"I should hope not. No child deserves to repeat the mistakes their parents made."
It was a moment before she spoke again, in which she fiddled with her bracelet uncomfortably. "I certainly have no desire to grow up to be my mother. I doubt anyone does." The tragedy that could come of that was mindboggling.
"As for my lessons, while I have never strictly taught adults, I am a believer in the adage that students teach their teachers. In my case, they constantly show me ways to improve my lesson plans. One would think the same would be expected of any teacher. And, well, age before beauty they say."
With that, she was as good as new, nearly. It was almost as if nothing had affected her just a minute later. Her composure regained, Raven cast a scornful eye on the freewheeling swinger. Who was really the child?
"My m-mommy's not s-silly," Anoki replied truthfully. She was stern and demanding and constantly busy with other things. But she was also helpful when it really mattered, and that was the important part, right?
Indigo talked so fast, it was hard to keep up! Constantly tripping over his words, Anoki finally managed to get out his feeling. "N-never bitten m-my tongue. B-but crackers a-a-are salty."
And then there was glue! It really did look like the stuff that stuck his hands together. He leaned in for a closer look, but didn't try to touch- he didn't want to get in trouble, or to have to put his hands in hot water again. She didn't seem to mind though... she was brave and could do cool things and everything. "I c-can't do anything cool like tha-at."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:26 pm
Though she twigged in to Raven's dismay, it didn't seem to alter Jenner's antic mood a jot. When she'd finished spinning--which took only a few seconds--she dragged herself to a halt with a breathless laugh. "Well, iffen y'don' mind havin an irresponsible parent in yer class, I wouldn't mind sittin in for a lesson or two," she said cheerily.
Then--finally--she sobered up a bit, though she didn't quit smiling. It would likely be very difficult to get Jenner to stop smiling, all things considered. "Lissen--it's pretty clear t' me you're not much interested in advice, but I've raised five kids so far with two still under m' wings, an none of them have gotten themselves killed yet. They are gonna screw up eventually, an they are gonna make mistakes that make you wanna strangle them. But," she raised a finger to illustrate her point, "when the chips're down, they're gonna turn to the person they know best for an example. Which is basically a fancy way of sayin that you're not gonna avoid the kid takin after you. So ease up on him a little bit, huh?"
She looked away from the other woman, hooking her arms around the chains of the swing and giving an absent kick of her feet. "Anyhow. Figure that's more'n you wanted to hear, but hey. What's an old mind good for but givin advice?"
Indi wasn't quite yet old enough to appreciate the fact she chattered away a lot faster than most people her age could follow. She knew discomfort when she saw it, though, and so offered the glue toward him. "Want to touch it?" she asked. "It's not too sticky an it stops sticking in a little while." A pause, before she added, warmly, "But you can climb an jump on things without falling off! That's really cool!"
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 10:25 pm
Raven listened motionlessly, nearly snorting at the offer to sit in on a class. A class full of unattentive children, or one woman... it was difficult to say who would cause more chaos. "I certainly won't twist your leg," she said with a wry smile, "but anyone interested in learning is welcome."
And then the advice. Of course, everyone had something to say about everyone else's parenting styles. She was too strict, was she? And what of the hysterical madwoman raising a child? Who would teach that little girl about responsibility? "You're right." Raven scratched the nape of her neck boredly. "I'm not particularly interested in advice, giving it or taking it. Besides, no one ever listens to it anyway, unless it is forced upon them, and in those cases they only learn to resent it."
Digging her heels into the ground, she pushed back a few inches, swinging slighly while keeping her feet firmly planted.
Part of him did want to touch the glue. Still, Anoki kept his hands to himself. "Is st-sticky," he informed her with a slight shiver. He wouldn't get his hands stuck together again, no sir!
"N-not yet," he put in. Sure, he'd heard he was supposed to climb well. And he liked climbing, even if it was just on the furniture. And he could even climb over the gate into the kitchen, even if his mother didn't know that. But he did fall off. A lot. "Falling h-h-hurts."
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 7:44 pm
Probably all for the best that Raven had yet to meet any of Jenner's other kids, though the demon figured she might like Tizzy. Of a like mind, that pair--well, and Ambrus... Jenner let out a breath in a gusty sigh that became a chuckle, and she gave an idle kick of her feet to start herself swinging again. "Just so long as y'aren't teachin my baby the wrong way to go about things, I figure we'll be set," she said, warmly.
"So why'd the end up saddlin you with a kid anyhow? I've a suspicion that says y'weren't lookin forward to this part of the assignment."
Expression screwing up int a pouting little moue, Indigo nodded nonetheless to Anoki's decision. "Not that sticky," she said for the sake of saying it. Well, he'd seen the glue--now what? She clasped all four of her hands together, rolling the glue up into a compact ball and carefully desticking all but one hand.
Now what to do? "Falling does hurt. I fell off the swing an hurt my knee! But now Mommy and your mommy have all the swings." An idea occured to Indi as to what she could do with the glue. Turning about, she hefted the glueball experimentally, before calling, "Mommy, catch!" Up, up, up went the glueball...
Jenner looked up. "Huh?" ...and down it came, headed straight for Raven's intricate coiffure. "Ack!" Probably to the benefit of Raven's hair, Jenner had lightning reflexes. Unfortunately, catching the glueball also meant tackling the other woman straight off her swing. ...oops?
Indigo buried her face in her upper hands, giggling helplessly at the unintentional chaos she'd caused.
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