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 Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2011 11:58 pm
"Dad, this is booo--"
"Gabriel, I swear to God, say it one more time and you'll be in time-out."
"Dad? I'm a pre-teen? Y'know, not a toddler anymore?" Gabriel snapped, pouting pointedly at his dad as he glanced away from the mirror he was preening at.
"Yep. And you're living in my house, eating my food, and if I tell you to put your nose in the corner and shut your mouth, you're gon'na do it," Fifth replied easily as he continued putting black butcher paper over the windows and walls of his room. Though he could tell Gabriel didn't agree with his actions ( especially since Damien was in school and therefore actually out doing things ), so long as the boy shut up, that made his job at least a bit more bearable.
Today, he was supposed to be teaching a patience / envy child. Though pride was definitely a pain of a sin, Fifth was sure that he wasn't going to enjoy doing this. His oversized wings stretched out and fluttered gently before tugging back against his back. A few quick strides across the room and he flicked out the lights. It had worked; aside from the edges of the windows, the room was completely black. Gabriel whined and, simply for the fun of it, Fifth chuckled to himself and took a few steps to the side, listening as his irate son struggled and tripped across the room to turn the light back on so he could see his reflection again. Little Narcissus, that boy...
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:25 am
"Move your feet, kiddo." DS encouraged as she brought him out of the car. She'd gotten used to moving with the spade around her leg and just pushed toward the facility. She hated this place almost as much as Devan did. She went through the halls as she made her way toward the studio door.
"Mom, this place looks scary..." The boy whispered holding to her leg as they got to the door. He looked up at her hopefully. "Leave?"
DS sighed. "No way. You need to see if this guy can help you. Frith. What kind of a girl's name is that anyway?" She knocked and waited putting a clawed hand on her son's head. "Just chill out. If he can't help we'll turn right around."
"Promise?"
"Like hell I'm staying if he can't." He translated it to 'promise'.
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 12:58 am
"That was so mean, Dad!!"
"Nah, I think it was pretty funny."
"No, it was MEAN!!" Gabriel whimpered, once again practically pasted to his mirror as he stretched the dark skin around one of his eyes, which was already darkening with a bruise from where he'd managed to hit it on Lord-knows-what; one of the many things that littered the floor, more likely than not, from all of the other classes that he'd taught before. Gabriel let out a pathetic, melodramatic cry, dropping both of his arms and falling back on the beanbag chairs. "YOU'VE DESTROYED MY BEAUTIFUL FACE!!"
It was about when Gabriel yelled that the door was knocked on, and the giant gryphon made his way to the door quickly, tugging it open. He offered a smile to the both of them, a little surprised at the appearance of the guardian, as all of his students thus far had come alone ( he assumed they'd been dropped off, but their parent had never come in with them ). He saluted awkwardly, unused to behaving for adults ( nevermind him being one ).
"Hello there. I assumed this is Devan and you must be his guardian, yes?" he greeted politely, lion-like tail flicking behind him as Gabriel continued moaning behind him. Sighing a bit irately, he turned his ears back. "Ignore the melodrama, if you will. He just got his first black eye and... I'm afraid he's not taking it very well."
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:06 am
"I don't wanna go in there!" Devan yelped trying move away but his tail had tightened his grip and he had ended sprawled on the floor instead. He looked up at the man and took in his appearance. He didn't... look so scary. He peered in at the moan and like that he was gone, passed Fifth and inside. "GABRIEL!" He shouted tackling the boy's tail like he'd done once before.
DS stood there and gave a mental face palm. So much for being terrified. She gave a sniff and wrinkled her face into a scowl. "They let bird-brains in here?" She commented walking passed him. Her illusion fell and her tails swayed behind her as she walked. "Name's DS. Oh no not him again..." She puffed up her fur. "So -Frithy-, how does this work?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:21 am
Fifth raised an eyebrow at the behaviour of the little boy, chuckling softly. "Don't worry, kid, I'm not as bad as you mii--" The man blinked in surprise when the kid was gone, looking around and thusly giving the woman a chance to slip past him.
Gabriel squeaked girlishly at the shrieking of his name and the tackling of his tail, hiding his face in the beanbag pile that his father had collected in the corner of his room. "Don't look at me!! I don't want anyone to see me like this!!" he whined pathetically, headwings and ears both tipped back against his head as he did whatever he could to hide his face.
The look on Fifth's face easily expressed his displeasure. "'Least he'll stay out of the way. I doubt he'll show his face until that mark is gone," the gryphon grumbled irritably before raising an eyebrow at the woman and rapping his knuckles on his head. "Unless I missed something, I have a normal, fully-functioning brain. I think you're referring to pigeons. And the name is Fifth. Fifth Avenue. I hear you've been having troubles with your son disappearing in shadows, have you?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:27 am
"Aww, but I think you look pretty." Devon responded trying to peer at the damage while he held onto Gabe's tail like it was a lifeline. "What's a black eye? If your eye turned black just turn it back."
DS cocked her own eyebrow toward him. If it weren't for the fact she had long hair it'd be nearly impossible to tell she was a woman. She had hardly any chest to speak of and a strong jaw. "Witty. You might actually have a brain in that fluff of yours." His mane and his color were both strange. She went out of her way to appear human but this guy obviously didn't give to shits about that. She snorted in what was almost considered a laugh. "Fifth Avenue? Were your parents hippies or something? Let's find the nearest street sign and name our kid it?" She said not bothering to care if she insulted him.
"Oh he'll disappear. Wait for it."
Sure enough while he was attached to the tail moments ago he was gone from staying still too long.
She sighed. "Devon!"
"Heere!" He complained reappearing when he moved to look up at her. "I didn't move!"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:48 am
Gabriel shook his head despite the compliment, not even able to generate any real tears, just being a whiny little pride child. He hit one of the bean bags unhappily and made a whining noise, tail tugging away from Devan a bit, but finding itself unable to do so. "No, it's worse! 'Cause that would be cool but nooo, I fell on some stupid thing my dad left on the stupid floor because he wouldn't turn the lights on and now my eye is all bruised and gross!!"
"Hardly; dun'no if my parents even exist or if I just crawled out'ta the sewer one day, but I know for a fact that they didn't name me. It's ah... a long story," Fifth explained idly. By now, he'd gotten in the habit of avoiding any talk about his gang. A bit of a faux pas to mention your highly-illegal life at a job you had gotten by luck and chance. A brow arched over his bright green eyes at the disappearance of the kid and he chuckled softly. "Alrighty. I'll see what I can do.
"Devan? Would you mind coming over here for me?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 1:54 am
Devan held on tighter when the tail moved. It was his darn it! He tilted his head. "Oooh, its an owch. Momma he has an owch!" He said pointing at the other boy.
"Sounds tragic. I don't want to hear it." She looked to her boy, "So I gathered. Get over here and do what he says." She beckoned him over. She did rather aburuptly turn on her heel and poke the large man right in the chest, ingoring the size difference with defiaince. "Listen, Puss. If those claws of yours even leave a dent on my brat I'll make a pillow out of your feathers and make your ears into a hat. Got it?
Devan looked sheepish. "... She's... not as scary as she sounds." He muttered in an embarrassment as he approached the adults.
"Damn straight. I'm scarier."
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:14 am
The lack of attention only made Gabriel louder. Fifth knew to ignore this, of course, but it didn't make it any less annoying, and it certainly didn't make it any less constant.
"Good; wasn't gon'na tell it even if you did," was Fifth's simple reply, though there was a slight quirk of his lips to go with it. She was certainly a feisty one, wasn't she? When she jabbed the sharp tip of her finger into his chest, however, he really didn't look very impressed, lifting one hand to give her a two-fingered salute before holding up both hands and pulling the claws back into their respective sheaths. "Aye-aye, captain.
"Alright, sorry 'bout this, bud, but this class is gon'na be pretty boring, but it's very important that you pay attention and do what you're told, alright?" Fifth said, addressing Devan himself. "This way, you won't keep disappearing like you are and, maybe, when you grow again, you'll learn some kind of magic like that. What d'you say? Some boring little class now, some cool magic later?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:21 am
"That's better. You're a smart, Puss." She responded moving away to give the two of them more room. She was keenly watching Fifth interact with her son, eyes glowing slightly yellow-green. She gave him the universal sign for 'I'm watching you' before she left it alone.
Devan kept glancing back at Gabriel who he thought must be really hurt with all that whimpering. True to his dominant virtue he sat down on the floor to wait. "OK. I don't mind. I can wait to learn..." His eyes did go to his wings then his fancy mantle. "... I want." He stated simply.
"Oh no. What is it your after this time? I already told you people can't just take things off and give it to you."
He looked at his mother. "Feather. I want a feather. I want it!" His voice was raising in pitch.
She gave him a glare. "And?"
He sobered up and looked up at his teacher. "Feather please?"
"Much better."
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:39 am
"Good thing, too, since children don't get to do the whole spirituality thing," he half-mumbled. The man took a seat in front of Devan, simply so that he wasn't talking down to him, and blinked in surprise at the declaration. Of course, he'd never dealt with envy or greed children, at least none with a dominant sin. He nodded slowly before an idea wormed its way into his head.
"Alright, tell ya what," he offered, tugging a small feather from his mantle and wincing slightly. He showed it to the small winged boy, twirling it between his fingers to show that it was real and true. "Since this class is going to be in a bunch of different steps, we'll start simple, alright? When you finish the simple one, I'll give you a little feather. While they get harder, I'll give you a bigger feather each time. Does that work with you, Devan?"
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Posted: Wed Feb 09, 2011 2:45 am
"Spiritual?" The boy asked him with a soft tilt of his head. His fear was all but gone of the man. He seemed like he was really soft and fluffy rather then mean and coarse. His tail reached out and rested over his knee.
This concept made sense to him. "ABC game." He said nodding. "Get a litter get to eat! Only feathers... I like feathers." He said flapping his wings. He nodded his approval and reached up for his first feather.
"You'll be bald, Puss." DS said helpfully from where she'd found a wall. She was resting against it lazily, tail flicking. "That kid will sit there and learn until you tell him to stop."
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 1:21 am
Fifth's green eyes flicked toward the woman, seeming to glint slightly in the fluorescent light. "Don't worry your pretty little head," he chided easily. "After all, it's only one from each size grouping; nothing that I'll miss too terribly." At least, so long as he managed not to accidentally pull out anything necessary for flight or otherwise important; that would surely end badly. As he had been the entire time, Gabriel was providing the whiny background noise to the ordeal but, by now, Fifth had managed to tune it out. Damned pride kids...
The man didn't honestly understand the relation that the child was talking about, but it almost sounded like his own tasks for his children. But it was more along the lines of 'work at the warehouse, get to eat' instead. At least, get to eat good things. "Spirituality classes are where you learn how to do magic. And you'll get your feather as soon as you do your first task," he explained, pulling the feather back a bit to keep it from Devan's reach. "Now, Devan. I want you to sit still from when I say 'start' to when I say 'stop'. For that time, you have to sit completely still, but focus on what part of you is still moving. Focus on your heart beating or your lungs breathing, and use that to try and keep yourself from disappearing, alright?" Fifth asked, lifting the stopwatch from under his shirt and getting ready to start it.
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Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2011 5:54 pm
DS crosses her arms, her ears pushed back against her head. "Yah, whatever. I don't care if you can't get up in the air." She glared at Gabriel and got up with a roll of her eyes. "Hey, kid." She demanded his attention as she walked over to him and knelt down. "Shut it before I shut it for you."
Devan stared at his teacher and froze in place. It was like time had stopped and the only proof the boy was moving was his breathing. In and out just as slow as he could. He was already doing what his teacher said and didn't stop for a second. True to his nature he was obviously going to sit there until utterly told otherwise.
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Posted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:55 pm
"Go." Fifth hit the stopwatch as soon as Devan stopped moving. He watched the second tick by, green eyes flicking between the small screen and Devan, making sure that the boy didn't vanish before the timer reached thirty seconds. When it did, he pressed the stop button and smiled, handing the feather over to the young boy. "There we go, Devan. Thirty seconds and your first prize. Next we're going to try for an entire minute and a bigger feather. Think that you're up for it?"
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