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 Posted: Thu Dec 30, 2004 1:09 am
They were not a couple. In fact, in many ways, they were about as far as they could be FROM being a couple, but Trio had grown very used to touch and hated the way the loneliness crept in. It had started with nightmares (hers) from the time while Schuldig was still on his quest. Dalreidan was a light sleeper, and hearing Trio upset, he'd crept into her room one night and awakened her from the dream. She'd latched on tight, and slowly, it had become a routine - so much so that any upset found him offering her a gentle touch. On days when she was really upset, he'd hold her, but that was rare.
And that was what was happening at the moment, Trio curled back against Dalreidan's chest as they contemplated the egg sitting in front of them. He'd tried for humor at first - "It'd make a huge omelette, you know." - but she'd leveled a glare so fierce that he'd sat back, stunned at her. And then looked away.
Now, he watched it, his chin on her hair as she stared ahead of her. "How did you come by it again?" he asked softly. She smirked, glancing up at him.
"How do I come by any of you?" she asked. "Youkochylde and Envy both have one, and they mentioned that another needed a home. So I..."
"-Volunteered," Dal finished dryly, raising an eyebrow at her. He shook his head, but there was something fond in his gaze, lurking deep enough that very few would catch it. "Why am I not surprised?"
"We should start seeing signs of what it will be soon, I understand," she offered to him, as one arm came around her shoulders and settled her closer. "I hope so, anyway. I can't wait to meet it."
Dalreidan smiled faintly - a smile only two people ever saw. "You and your companions," he muttered, and this time, the fondness was much more obvious.
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2005 1:44 pm
Event! Your Egg has been removed from the incubator.
 With a noticable air of worry- or perhaps, unease- Zaxzi steps into the room you have currently occupied and folds his wings. There is no time to question how he entered the room, your home, this secure location- he is simply there, and he begins to speak. "The eggs have begun to emerge from the incubators. This is the second stage your egg will reach- it is still impressionable and easy to damage, but the shell is harder and the cub has gained the ability to take care of itself, somewhat. It no longer requires the artificial heat of the incubator, but it is also no longer protected by it- be very careful what you subject it to. Strong magic of any kind should be avoided at this stage...and may your God help you if I find you've mistreated it."With that...optomistic message, the Seer turns and leaves your presence.
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 11:05 pm
The small red sprocket floated closer, examining the oddly-colored egg in curiosity. It could feel it's element tugging at it, the aura of life emanating from the egg. In glee, it moved closer, knowing that if Trio caught it in here, she'd likely do something awful. But Anima LIKED life.
She could feel it pulsing within the egg - it was odd, warm and flowing around her and she paused for a moment before squeeing softly and deciding that it certainly couldn't HURT whatever was inside the egg to add a bit of her own element to it. Life energy poured off of the red sprocket, surrounding the egg before settling slowly within the shell. The being within, who had grown a bit restless, quieted.
Deciding quickly that she LIKED this creature inside and the way that it responded, Anima scuttled off, returning a few moments later with Cantus following her. In binary, she commanded Cantus to sing a lullaby. He did, voice soft and gentle and soothing. And inside the egg, the creature quieted more.
Cantus and Anima might have done more, had Trio not returned then, finding the two mischievous sprockets near her egg and shooing them away good-naturedly.
As she left, Anima promised silently to return.
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Posted: Tue Mar 08, 2005 9:26 pm
It had been a while. Anima had tried, periodically, to get into the room with the egg, but without much luck. Trio was quite good at keeping the thing "protected". And then Anima had been introduced to a new housemate - one Shinigami. Shini was another Life sprocket, and had accompanied Trio and Trinity home from the shop one day. Shini and Anima got along reasonably well - they shared energy occasionally, and could often be found as the accomplice to each other's pranks. So when Anima finally got an opportunity to sneak back into that room, she urged Shini along. The two Life Sprockets hovered over the egg curiously, occasionally extending tendrils of energy out to it when they felt the being inside begin to stir.
For a while, they settled like that, taking turns at settling it and all the while chattering at each other in binary. Their games continued like that for some time, until another of Trio's sprockets - one named Dual - came floating in to discover them. He asked what they were doing, and when Shini explained the game, he decided to join in. The moment the creature within the egg stirred, he blasted the egg with his element. Water drenched over the egg, soaking it while Anima and Shinigami looked on and giggled. The game continued for a few more rounds, the egg getting more and more soaked every time. And then Trio caught them, eyes wide as she stared at them in shock.
"What the... GET OUT!" she snarled, pointing sharply towards the open door. As they floated off, Dual looked back, grinning cheerfully and aiming one last blast of water energy at the egg (and Trio, who'd knelt beside the egg in order to start drying it off) before darting out of the room. A loud yell followed his exit.
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Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2005 12:25 pm
Event! You have received a second egg.
Annoyed with the world in general, Zaxzi once more steps into your presence. Just as abrupt as the last time, the pard shakes himself thoroughly before nuzzling the pretty egg he has brought with him. "You've got a new little one running about the place, correct? Here, give her some responsibility. This egg is in need of a new home."Mission accomplished, Zazxi leaves you to handle it as you please, and stalks back to his Pool.
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Posted: Thu Apr 14, 2005 11:21 am
It started with a visit from a pard - a great winged cat who spoke. His voice was oddly grating, though Trio couldn't quite put her finger on just why it made her wince. And his demeanor was far from amiable. But in the end, he'd left another pard egg in her care, this one apparently intended for her 'daughter', Annora. At first, Trio had tucked the egg in the same room with her own, keeping a careful eye on both as often as she could. She didn't allow her sprockets in there, and while Trinity had been vaguely curious about the whole thing, he hadn't been inclined to go tinker with it. He was far too busy redesigning her toaster oven at the moment. And Annora was too young...
...Or was she? Lately, Trio had noticed the infant's eyes opening more, looking around with some sense to them. She reached out for things, tried to interact with toys. And Trio was fast coming to the conclusion that perhaps it was time to introduce Annora to her first pet. The blonde's opinion had been confirmed the night before by Dalreidan, who watched Annora during the days that Trio had to be at the Pixa shop.
"She's growing up," he had pointed out, despite the fact that his hands could still ever-so-easily cradle that small head, that the body fit well along his arms. "You've noticed that, right?"
Trio nodded. She had noticed. She picked Annora up so regularly that the girl didn't immediately seem any larger or heavier, but it was apparent in other tiny ways, like the way her eyes tracked movement, peering out at the world in boundless curiosity. Or the way she'd started reaching for the music box whenever Trio wound it for her. And Trio had noticed, recently, that she'd started to coo at Trinity whenever he floated over her crib. The blonde was suspecting that Annora was trying to communicate.
So when Dalreidan pointed out that Annora was growing up, Trio'd had no choice but to agree with him. And the comment lingered in her head that night, floating through her mind as she stared up at the ceiling thoughtfully. Annora needed to meet this pard that Zaxzi had delivered. Trio's decision remained with her for the next couple of days, lurking in her head as she played with Annora and examined the latest 'improvements' Trinity had made to her toaster oven. (Which, incidentally, was looking less like a toaster oven and more like a clock.) And when she finally decided, she was determined not just to introduce Annora to the pard, but also Trinity, and perhaps a few of those ever-inquisitive little sprockets that she'd picked up to keep Trinity company.
She waited one more day, knowing that the best time to catch Trinity for such an introduction would be after his daily cleaning and oiling. If she tried before, all she'd do is wind up making him stubborn and irritable. He liked creating things, but derailing his train of thought often meant that she had to listen to muttering and grumbling in addition to the ideas that abruptly cropped up throughout any conversation with him. So after his cleaning and oiling it was. She got Annora bathed first, as always, and once the little girl was clean, dry, and tucked into a onesie, Trio turned her attention to Trinity, dragging him out of his own little world for a charging.
Trinity liked being charged - he'd developed a rather fast friendship with the Forge Sprockets (who were, as yet, nameless. Trio was having a bit of trouble coming up with names for everyone, especially when they didn't remain still for very long and she lost track of who all she'd taken home in the first place.) - and he liked being cleaned and oiled. What he didn't like was being interrupted in the middle of figuring out what else he'd like to do to Trio's toaster oven. He hadn't seen much point to the initial configuration, but while the clock seemed more useful in the long run, there were so many other ideas he had to play with. Trio had tried, once, to guide what he was doing to the toaster oven. The end result was Trinity growling and Trio sighing and giving up. The oven was now his, and Trio was already debating trying to add on a small workshop to her home for him.
So Trinity came with her, submitting to the cleaning, then oiling, and finally, as he charged, she explained what they were going to do next. Annora was on the floor nearby, laying on her back as three of the Hope Sprockets (Wing, HeavyArms, and Sandrock - Trio had managed to name a few of the sprockets, at least) danced and played over her. Pale arms lifted, chubby little hands grabbing awkwardly at the sprockets, and it only reinforced what Dalreidan had said. When her explanation was over, likely far more explanation than the event warranted, Trinity was silent for a few moments, processing the whole idea.
"So we're going to meet eggs," he finally asked, and though he didn't sound particularly mocking, Trio smiled wryly anyway. "But the creatures within them aren't likely to remember meeting us?" She nodded, and he mulled over that for a few seconds before asking, "Are they done with the incubators?"
A startled blink later, Trio was nodding again, already anticipating his next question. "Yes, Trin, you can have the incubators to play with."
Trinity wasted no time. "I'm game. Do you think Annora will remember it?"
Trio chuckled, shrugging. She moved to pick up the small girl as the Forge Sprocket Trinity had charged from that day fell away and hovered near him. "I dunno. But... it feels right to do this, you know?" Trinity didn't know, but rather than pointing this out, he kept silent.
When they went to the pard's room, it was Trio, Annora, Trinity, and a few of the sprockets who'd decided that they were too curious about what was going on to allow it to happen away from them. The five Hope Sprockets made an odd-looking crown around Trio's head, while one of the music sprockets seemed content to remain clutched in Annora's tiny fist. The other two whirled around her head, faint classical music floating from them. Although neither was playing the same song, they had somehow managed to mesh the two pieces until they sounded as though they went together. Duo, the Faith Sprocket, and a Life Sprocket with no name joined the two Forge Sprockets to complete the entourage.
Trio opened the door slowly, but it didn't stop the sprockets from slipping into the room first. Only the five faith and three music sprockets remained where they were. The rest moved to examine the two eggs. Of them all, Duo and the Life Sprocket remained near them. Something in the eggs spoke to them, made them want to remain nearby. The Life Sprocket in particular pulsed out a faint wash of his energy over the eggs, bouncing a bit when the creatures within the eggs seemed to respond. He darted back to the music sprockets, a stream of oddly mechanical sound pouring from him. The two music sprockets abandoned Annora's head and moved to circle around Annora's new egg.
Trinity was the next into the room, though he held back a bit as he waited for Trio to follow him. When they were all inside (the last, of course, being the silent Sankouri, who still never left Trio's side), Trio shut the door again, then moved to sit down before the pink-purple pard egg that she'd initially chosen for her own. Sitting Annora carefully on her lap, Trio took the girl's small hand and leaned forward until both hands rested against the smooth surface. "This is a pard egg, Annora," she murmured, while the girl teethed on the third music sprocket in rapt fascination. "This one will hatch into a companion for me, but right over there...," and Trio turned them both, pointing toward the striped egg the music sprockets were orbiting, "is an egg whose baby is meant to be your friend. What do you think of that?" The girl's soft giggle and clapping startled Trio, making the blonde wonder if Annora had understood her, or was merely approving of the sight of the sprockets floating around the egg.
Trinity floated forward, hovering directly before Trio's egg for a long moment before saying simply, "I am Trinity. When you have a name, we will meet again." Then he turned to Trio. "Where are those incubators?" Trio just chuckled.
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 7:51 pm
Event! your pard eggs have hatched!!
Gender: Male
Personality: Friendly
Gender: Female
Personality: Timid
P.S.: Be sure to PM a name to Brit so she can get them certed!
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Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 2:25 pm
Event! Your pards have grown into gorgeous adults!
Large image can be found here.
Magic: Seer
Specialty: None
Large image can be found here.
Magic: Healer
Specialty: None
Your pards may now begin studying to control the magic that they have been gifted with. Soon, Zaxzi will be posting questions for your pards to consider and answer; eventually, this series of questions and exersizes may guide your pards to their human form! If you do not wish for your pards to gain this magic, please inform Britain immediately.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 7:06 am
The next few weeks were a whirlwind for Trio. It almost seemed as though the wading pool Trio had fashioned encouraged Annora to grow - Trio later remarked to Dalreidan that somewhere along the line, Annora had shot up, gaining inches and suddenly showing a remarkable penchant for learning. Annora spent more and more time each day out in the water. At first, Trio took her out for a little while every couple of hours. And if Trio couldn't watch over her that day, then Dalreidan, or Levon, or Aziraphale, or one of her other, older companions might watch over Annora. The girl crawled and splashed, then rose, taking her first wobbly steps in the wading pool. By the end of the first week, Annora was spending more than half the day in or around the pool, splashing and laughing and scrambling about - sometimes on her hands and knees as a baby might, but more and more often she'd stand upright. And as if the days couldn't be faster, Annora's teeth came in. Whenever they were bothering her, she seemed able to soothe the pain away if she were just in the water. Trio didn't know quite what to make of that - I've never heard anything about sirens HEALING in water... - but she certainly wasn't complaining. By the time the second week was done, Annora was spending pretty much her entire day outside in the side yard or with her uncle Shiromaru. She accompanied Trio to the Nereid pools any time Trio went, generally wading into the water as soon as she got there to be around her favorite aunts, Raighne, Quellious, and Ulare. Her skin was darkening, the fins on her arms and legs slowly unfolding to allow her better movement in the water. And her voice was getting stronger - Trio noticed that any time Annora babbled. Or, she began to realize, as Annora spoke. Clear words were coming through more and more often, generally in a sort of singsongy-lilt that she seemed to have picked up during her visits with the Nereids.
It was sometime in the third week when Trio got out her photo album and stopped, blinking at the pictures there. Her skin had grown so much darker, the hair on her head a shimmering silver-white that matched the markings on her cheek and leg. She'd grown to nearly two feet, and water which had only come to her waist before was now dropped to about her knees. Trio frowned at that, grateful she'd at least made a creek/pool that Annora seemed to like, however little water there was in it. And Annora did love it, sometimes basking in it for hours. By the end of the third week, Trio had picked up multiple bathing suits, and found a way to connect Annora's pool to a natural water source that would keep the water in it moving. Shiromaru had, of course, helped in the last task. His reward had been a gentle hug from Trio and a tacklepounce from Annora, who'd dragged him into the water clothing and all, whether he liked it or not.
At the beginning of the fourth week, Annora discovered she had some new companions - two fully-grown pard had taken up residence near the pool. One held back, watching with soft silver eyes as Annora played. She seemed nervous about approaching, but unwilling to let the young siren go without protection. The other had taken a more active interest in the pool, prowling around it as wine-colored wings flared. It was this second pard which nudged the first one, when Annora yawned and moved to curl up under a tree near the water for her daily nap. The first pard, all bright indigo and black wings moved forward when she was nudged, curling up under the tree and peering solemnly at Annora before one wing beckoned her closer. Annora didn't hesitate - without any reluctance, the girl nestled into the pard's side, using the larger form as a cushion and falling asleep with a trusting smile on her face. Trio, who knew the shy pard for a kind creature, just watched, nodding quietly to herself. There was a friendship waiting to be formed there. Perhaps Annora would be good for Psaltria.
Claret took the opportunity then to approach Trio. Unlike other pards, Claret had come to Trio's home fully-grown, and knowledgable. The pard could speak, and she waited until both Annora and Psaltria were asleep before murmuring quietly to Trio. "I can help you deepen the water. I can shape and move stone and earth." Trio stared at the suggestion, starting to open her mouth before Claret continued. "But... I will only do it for a price. Consider that. When you've decided what to do, come see me." And the pard padded off without allowing Trio to speak.
A price..., Trio thought, tilting her head and watching Annora. As Dalreidan came to spell her for a while, letting Trio get some rest from Annora, the thought lingered in her mind, tempting.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:12 am
Trio held the tiny hand in hers tightly. It had taken quite a bit of determination to part Annora from the waters that so held her attention, but Trio wanted to make another visit to town again, and along the way, she'd decided that in addition to the clothes shopping she wanted to do for Annora, it would be nice to stop in at the Changelings shop and say hello to Jaden. He was, after all, the reason for the tiny girl at her side.
Annora was walking much better now - she still had her clumsy moments, and had a tendency to trip over her own two feet if she got overly excited, but she'd learned to walk fairly quickly. Although Trio had to laugh at the way she shifted from foot to foot in a little dance any time she wore shoes. Even sandals seemed too much for her, and those were the shoes Trio had managed to coax onto her feet today.
There were two others by their sides - Sankouri padded along Trio's side, silent as always and watchful, his green eyes sweeping ahead of them thoughtfully. But the other companion was a bright indigo pard, the large form dwarfing Annora's, but the attitude balancing her, to make her seem no larger than the Zurui opposite.
"Jaden?" Trio called out as she got close, her eyes smiling. A loud, high voice echoed hers, muddling the name slightly, though it was still recognizable, and Trio laughed, glancing down at Annora fondly.
The satyr's ears perked up as he smiled from inside the tiny cottage, setting the last of the dishes aside to dry. Talistan was constantly picking on him for handling the 'mundane' things around the house... up to and inclusing doing dishes. Still, if he didn't do them, no one would. He shook off his hands, moving towards the dutch door at the front of the house and glancing out over the open top. When he saw the pair approaching, the smile turned into a grin and he waved.
"Well hello there!" he called, arms folding as they leaned on the ledge of the lower door, the satyr's tail buzzing behind him in excitement. "And who might this lovely young lady be? Surely not Annora Lyris, she was MUCH smaller than that!"
Trio laughed, hoisting the girl up onto her hip so that Jaden could better see her. "She grew," she said proudly, eyes sparkling.
Annora stared at Jaden for several seconds, then grinned back at him. "My name's 'Nora," she pronounced proudly, pointing to her puffed out chest.
"I thought I'd bring her by for you to see, since she's changed so," Trio explained as the nearby Zurui padded around the front of the house, sniffing carefully.
Jaden reached out one hand, taking up one of Annora's and kissing the back of it lightly. "Well it's good to meet you, Annora," he said, tilting his head to the side. "My name's Jaden." He was amazed to see the girl, and that she was doing so well. This half-baked idea just might work if THIS was the result!
Annora giggled, drawing her hand back as her eyes sparkled. A moment later, she leaned forward with no regard for Trio's hold on her, peering through the open door top before looking back at Jaden. "What's in there?" she asked, eyes wide and curious, as though he might be concealing great secrets from them.
Trio caught her around the waist with one arm, obviously used to such a move by now. With a faint blush, she looked wryly at Jaden before saying, "That's his home, sweetie."
"That's 'is home," Annora repeated solemnly to Trio, making sure the blonde understood where they were.
Chuckling softly, Jaden stepped aside and opened the lower half of the door, making a sweeping bow to them. "Would you like to come in?" he asked, the man's hair falling in a tangle of braids over one shoulder with the movement.
Trio set Annora down, turning to direct the pard and Zurui to wait outside. In the time it took her to turn, the little siren had made her way up to Jaden, staring up at him for a moment before peeking around him into the house. She almost seemed to use his legs as a shield for a moment, then darted inside with a giggle.
Trio turned and smiled quietly at Jaden before following Annora with a soft 'thank you' to the satyr. "Did we catch you at a bad time?"
Annora wandered through, eyes bright and glittering as she examined the objects carefully. She seemed drawn to the sparkly items over others, shiny things that caught her childs'-attention well.
"Dishes," Trio said, wrinkling her nose. "The bane of my existence. I'm lucky I've got help around the house or they'd never get done." She did her best to keep her own eyes from wandering overly-long. That sort of attention in an adult could be considered rude, after all. And she wondered, briefly, if she'd have enough chances to visit that she'd grow used to seeing such a vast collection of things.
Finally, Annora moved back to Trio's side, catching on her pocket and tugging as she repeated, "'Scuse me. 'Scuse me." Trio glanced down as soon as she'd finished speaking, frowning at Annora.
"Sweetie," she said. "You need to wait while I'm talking. It's rude to talk over others," she explained, though her voice was much firmer than before. "What is it?"
"Egg!" Annora said, a bit subdued by the chiding but her voice determined.
Trio shook her head. "How do you ask?"
"May I please have the egg?" Annora said dutifully, and was rewarded by a small tamagotchi-like egg that she ran over to Jaden. "Lookit the egg!" she crowed, shoving it up toward his eyes.
"Unfortunately, I don't have help here. Then again, it's just the two of us, so it's not that bad." He couldn't help but catch Trio's attention wandering and was actually impressed with her restraint. "You can stare if you like," he said, grinning. "I find myself staring for hours, and I LIVE here."
As Annora caught his attention, he gasped softly and gave all of his attention to the little girl and the objet she held. "And a very pretty egg it is," he exclaimed, looking at it intently. "Do you know what it'll be when it hatches?"
Trio's blush deepened, but she held quiet, letting Jaden talk to Annora. Her eyes did wander back over the objects, a bit more comfortable now with the idea of looking. Some of them looked fascinating, and others quite boring, and she had to wonder whether they were all intended to call more changelings.
"It's a... it's a... egg," Annora said, frowning deeply as she tried to figure out the question. She shoved it into Jaden's hand, then climbed up into his lap before he could protest, squirming until she was properly settled. "It's a color blue," she added gravely.
Jaden let one arm move around her waist so that she didn't slip on his fur and nodded solemnly. "And a very lovely shade of blue it is, too," he said. "But I know something an even prettier shade of blue..."
He waited until the girl looked at him questioningly, and then pressed his finger lightly to the tip of her nose. "Annora."
Annora squealed, nose wrinkling and eyes sparkling. She reached out to tap his nose in turn, the egg forgotten in her hand. The compliment seemed to sail right over her head, but it didn't matter. She paused only a moment - just long enough for Trio to see what was about to happen and move to catch the egg as it slid out of Annora's hand, and then Annora was dancing her fingers under his chin and chanting, "Tickletickletickle!" As her chant continued, the syllables tripped over themselves until she wasn't quite sure what she was saying anymore, but that wasn't nearly as important as the actual tickling.
Laughing, the satyr fell back onto the couch, winding up with Annora sitting on his chest as hooved feet kicked at the air. "STOP!! Stopstopstopstopstopstopstop no faaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiirrrrrr!" He slid a glance at Trio then, winking conspiratorially before going back to wailing for mercy from the toddler that was trying to tickle him to death.
Annora beamed delightedly, having far too much fun with this. A few moments later, however, she stopped and demanded imperiously, "My turn! You tickle me!" Trio blinked in surprise at the declaration, but the indigo pard laying just outside the door cocked an ear toward the commotion, her tail tapping in feline contentment at the sound.
Sitting up slowly and tumbling Annora onto the couch, Jaden seemed to think for a moment. "I dunno if I can... I mean, satyrs are horrible at tickling people, we never really do it right..." Just when it seemed like he was going to do nothing at all, he pounced, tickling at the girl's sides for a few moments, before sitting back innocently as if nothing at all had happened.
The moment he pounced, even before his fingers could do more than tickle air, Annora shrieked blue murder, the sound echoing through the room. She squirmed and, shrieking a bit after he'd stopped before blinking and seeming to realize that her 'torture' had already ended. Determined to continue the game, and oblivious to the human nearby who was wincing at each shriek, she pounced on Jaden again, her fingers a little rougher when she tried to tickle him.
The moment before she would have landed on him, the satyr seemed to vanish, leaving Annora landing on nothing but empty couch cushion. Before she could realise where he'd gone, Jaden reappeared on the OTHER side of the couch, behind her, and tickled her from there before disappearing again with a snicker.
Annora paused a moment, caught between indignation at the way he'd disappeared out from under her hands and admiration at how good he was at playing this new game. Admiration won out, and she twisted, scrambling around the room as she called out. "Where you are~?"
"I arrrrrrreeee..." came the singsong voice. "Not there." This was said just as Annora tried to peek under the couch.
As she vanished around to the other side of the couch, Trio saw Jaden's head appear RIGHT next to her own, whispering softly. "Quite a set of lungs she's got. I suppose that's to be expected with a siren, after all. I recommend earplugs. Good ones." At that, he vanished again, just before Annora could turn around and see him.
Annora looked a few more places before stopping in the middle of the room, a pout on her face. "'S gone," she told Trio, staring at the blonde for all of ten seconds before her eyes lightened and she dashed outside, looking around again as though certain he must be waiting there.
Trio blinked, watching her for a moment before shaking her head and saying to the thin air, "We've already invested in them... lots of them, so that we have some for guests, too."
"It's a good move," Jaden said, reappearing on the couch as if he'd been sitting there all along. "When she gets older, I daresay I won't even be able to handle her shrieking like that. As it is, she hasn't come into her abilities JUST yet. She'll get there, though."
Trio scooted just a bit on the couch, keeping the girl in sight from the doorway for a few minutes until she saw both the Zurui and the pard pad up to hover nearby. Knowing that Annora was in good hands, and that they'd summon her if necessary, she glanced back at Jaden instead. "You mean... it's going to get worse?" she asked softly, as his answer finally clicked.
Outside, it didn't take long for Annora to abandon the game of 'chase the satyr' in favor of another game with Psaltria, chasing her down before the pard turned and chased her instead. Sankouri sat off to one side, a neutral party that Annora wouldn't run from, and therefore a safe guard.
Jaden nodded, watching the girl. "She IS a siren, after all. Their voices are legendary, even if you know little of them. I'm trusting that I didn't read you wrong...' Jaden turned to gaze at Trio then, his eyes suddenly deadly serious. "And that you're a strong enough person to turn her from the path she would have normally taken if raised in Arcadia."
Trio blinked at the sudden solemnity, drawing back just a little. She swallowed, never looking away from his eyes though she suddenly wanted to very badly. Instead, she wet her lips, then spoke up. "Not alone, I'm not." It was the truth, after all. "But... I believe that our family can. I... there are a lot of us who love her very much, Mr. Silvermoon," she added, falling back to formality in the face of his seriousness. "A lot of us."
A mock-growl rolled in from the doorway, followed swiftly by Annora's instantly-recognizable squeal of delight as Psaltria pounced her, pinning her down with gentle paws. The squeal trailed off, then started again, higher and longer as the pard began to groom Annora's hair gently. Trio watched for a moment, then looked back at Jaden. "We'll do our best. That's all any of us can promise."
Wandering in the direction she and Sayuri had a while back, Angie made her way towards the house that she'd seen that day. A tiny bundle lay cradled within her arms, carefully held onto, as if it might break if she dropped it, and indeed it might. The wrapping was a pretty blue hawaiian print blanket, one that, if someone had been to Angie's house in any particular recency, would look suspiciously like a particular material she'd had laying around for a new shirt. Beside her padded a lean little beauty, Juliet. Ang had managed to leave the rest of the horde at home, though how that came about was nothing short of a trade secret, so to speak.
It wasn't long before she reached the house, hesitating slightly at the sound of a squealing, happy little girl. Did she have the right place, or had she stumbled upon someone's home? Shy as she was, Angie's soft call might've been mistaken for the wind, though she really hoped someone would answer. "Uh... Hello... Is umm... anyone home?" Stupid question, of course someone was home. She could she a blue flash followed by furred blurs.
Attention caught by the new person, Trio looked around, oddly grateful to be free of that all-too-serious stare. Recognizing the woman almost immediately, the blonde grinned, lifting a hand in welcome. "Angie, hi!" She rose, glancing back at the couch, but Jaden had disappeared again, and this time, she found herself a little discomfited. Moving to the door, she stepped just beyond it, eyes taking in Annora and Psaltria darting back and forth again even as Sankouri abandoned the game to come sit near the door in statuesque silence. "Who's this?" Trio asked, as soon as she'd verified her own little one was just fine.
Catching sight of Trio, Angie let out a sigh of relief. A friendly face she recognised. "Hiya Trio, been a little while!" Shifting the bundle from being cradled in one arm, to the other as carefully as possible, Angie glanced around at the life running about the area. "Looks like you've been busy." The fox-girl couldn't help but chuckle as she leaned towards Trio and gently pulled back the luau floral blanket, to expose a mop of red curly hair, and a fair skinned face peering up at the world, squinting in the brighter light of the outside. "This is Dulcinea, Dulci for short." As she spoke, the young fox-girl gently brought her free hand down to rest upon the woofie's head. "And this, is Juliet, my woofie companion." Juliet glanced up at Trio with her sadly soulful eyes, although she wasn't upset in the least.
The woofie tilted her head, glancing towards the pard and zurui in curious fashion, while Dulci tried to swirm around inside her blanket. "I'm... still not altogether sure how this one came to be. I had a stick.... and it was under the tree, then not long after she appeared and the stick was gone. I'm still rather confused about it all, I think. Or maybe I understand it and just don't know how to explain it to myself so I realize I understand it." Poor Angie, off she went, a rambling about something she could have gone without saying.
Trio just chuckled, letting Angie ramble for a bit before nodding. "Annora's parents were drawn by an old harp Jaden entrusted to me," she explained, nodding back at the house as though he were still inside. And for all she knew, he was. She reached out, brushing her fingers through the mop of hair before glancing up at Angie. "Dulci's gorgeous. Congratulations." Shifting her voice a bit, she called out louder, "Annora! Come here, sweetie." And when the little girl didn't obey, the same words again, a touch sharper. That tone brought the girl wheeling about, and as she ran it seemed almost as though she were herded by the pard. Soon enough, the tiny form barreled into Trio's legs, the force strong enough to make the blonde stumble a bit. "Annora, meet Angie. Angie, this is Annora," Trio continued proudly.
Annora, however, had more pressing concerns. "Look! PUPPY!" she cried, pointing to the woofie.
Angie cocked her head, listening to Trio's explaination of Annora's existance in defined interest. So the wand had drawn Dulci's parents to it, and therefore they'd entrusted her with Dulci? Wow, that was some major trust there. She smiled as she watched Trio play with Dulci's hair, and grinned as the little blue flash headed back in their direction. Without thinking, Angie stepped back, keeping herself out of the way of Annora's barrelling form. "Thank you. I feel honored that I'm entrusted with her care.... Though there are times when I have to remind myself she's there. She's such a quiet little one, hardly fussy.... it's amazing, simply amazing..."
Bending down with Dulci still cradled carefully in her arms, Angie grinned at Annora. "Hello there Annora, I'm quite pleased to meet you!" As Annora squealed at Juliet, Angie couldn't help but laugh at the woofie's reaction. Juliet hadn't yet been exposed to the exuberance of a young active child, so hearing the word "Puppy" squealed out as she was pointed to was quite the shock to her. Tilting her head, the woofie padded a step closer to Annora, trying to figure the little girl out. Angie glanced over at the woofie, and the zurui and pard nearby and softly spoke to her companion. "Easy Juliet. Be careful with her." Turning to Trio as she stood up, Angie chuckled. "I'm not worried about Juliet being gentle, more that I don't want the others to think she's a threat. She's young still and not used to kiddos yet."
"Ahh," Trio nodded. "I was about to say. Annora's very used to all sorts - think about my house for a moment," Trio added with a laugh. "Annora was quiet, too. Well, mostly. Her voice is still developing, according to Jaden."
As Annora stepped closer to the woofie, Sankouri drew closer, sniffing at the new creature before settling right beside Annora, and well within reach to protect her should the woofie prove even the slightest bit dangerous. Annora, however, knew no such fear. She reached out, ruffling the top of the woofie's head happily before tugging on Trio's pants. "Puppy," she said again.
Angie nodded, chuckling. Indeed, Trio's home was full of odds and ends in the creature world. "That I do. Mine's starting to be as diverse these days. It's quite the chore to keep everyone fed and happy, but definately worth it." Keeping an eye on the woofie and the others, Angie couldn't help but laugh as Annora fluffed Juliet's fur around, and the soft mutter the creature gave in response. The sound wasn't malicous, just resigned. Rolling her eyes towards Sanokouri as if to ask how he dealt with it, Juliet allowed herself to be pet, and soon found herself enjoying it. "I think she'll be quite good with kids, don't you think?" Angie grinned, glad to know that Juliet wasn't going to freak out with the attention.
"Looks like it," came Trio's response, even as Annora threw her arms around the woofie's neck and hugged her. "She'll have plenty of practice, at least," she added, nodding to Dulci.
Shiromaru wandered up towards Angie and Trio. Behind him, as was becoming usual, were Murasaki, Izumi and Dakota, his zurui. "Trio! Annora! Angie! Hey there..."
Juliet sighed and leaned into Annora, not enough to knock the girl down but enough to gain the full benefit of the hug. "Mmm lets just hope Dulci is as good with her, as she will be with Dulci." Angie chuckled, knowing full well what kids can be like from time to time. "I have confidence in the two of them though, so I'm pleased. It's good to see you again though! I feared I was becoming a bit of a hermit these days. Been trying to get some things done around the house and haven't seen hardly any life beyond what lives with me."
Angie caught sight of Shiro and waved brightly with her free hand. "Hey! How's it going?" Doing her best not to shift the now sleeping Dulci in her arms, Angie grinned happily. "Yaaaay Naptime. Wish I could use a bit of that naptime myself." SHe couldn't help but giggle.
Trio glanced up at the newcomer, grinning. "Hi, Shiro," she called, waving a hand in greeting from where she stood.
Annora was not nearly so shy. With a whoop of delight, she went barrelling toward Shiro, slamming into his legs bodily. She threw her arms around him, crying out, "Shiro!" as though she didn't see him every few days or so. Sankouri stared at her for long seconds, then nodded, completely used to such behavior. Instead, he moved back to the door, curling up and simply watching from where he lay.
Trio turned her attention back to Angie even as she waved Shiro over to join them. "Yeah, if it weren't for Shiro and Dal, Annora would run me just as ragged. And that's without counting all the other things I have to do," she confided, tilting her head a little.
"Now there's my favorite little girl," Shiro announced, lifting Annora happily up into his arms. "How are you doing, sweetheart?" Setting Annora at his hip, he joined Trio and Angie, grinning at them. "Things are going fine," he offered to Angie. "Chaotic as usual, but fine." He leaned in and kissed Trio's cheek cheerfully after that.
All three zurui flopped down in a pile nearby, Izumi somehow managing to get one tailtip over her nose, one over Murasaki's and the last over Dakota's.
"I'm a girl," Annora agreed, nodding eagerly before resting her head against his shoulder. Her arms wove around his shoulders, not really doing anything to help support her weight as she watched the adults talk. After a moment, she decided to cut in, dragging Shiro's attention away from the mundane to tell him about her exciting new discovery. "That's a PUPPY," she proclaimed, waving one hand at Juliet.
Trio snickered, patting his shoulder in welcome.
Shiromaru immediately offered Annora a surprised face. "A puppy? Really? That's very interesting! Can you name off anything else for me?"
Annora looked at him in confusion for several seconds, then shrugged and leaned her head against his shoulder, her eyes sliding down to half-mast. This was comfortable, she knew, and he'd take care of her.
Trio watched the two, then glanced back inside the house, wondering where Jaden had gone. After several moments, she glanced back to Angie. "I think that's my cue to take Annora home for her nap. We've still got a fair ways to go to get there, after all. It was good to see you. Bring Dulci by sometime!" she added, turning to Shiro and holding her arms out for Annora.
Shiromaru just held on to Annora. "I'll go with you. Let me carry her?" asked he, hopefully. Really, he was hooked on his adopted niece.
Angie smiled, seeing Annora slow down and begin to look sleepy. "Yeah, I should probably head back as well. Laying Dulci down and curling up with her sounds like a good idea right about now." Waving to Shiro, Annora and Trio, the foxgirl gently patted Juliet's head and backed away towards her home. "I'll definately do that Trio! See you later, and take care of yourselves. Good to see you again Shiro!" With that, the girl turned and gently picked her way back home to her waiting bed, tired already from being up so early and having been busy all day long so far. It had been awesome to see a familiar face, and she'd learned some interested facts along the way, so it was all in all a great trip. Maybe next time she'd learn a bit more about Dulci.
Trio waved goodbye to Angie, then peered thoughtfully at Shiro for a moment before nodding. "Hand her off to me if she becomes too heavy?" she asked. Even as she said it, Psaltria came padding up beside them both.
"Lay her between my wings if she's too heavy," she corrected, peering shyly at Shiromaru before settling in beside him.
Trio blinked, then looked back at the water demon. "What she said," she murmured, pointing to the pard. It would be an awful thing to discourage their friendship. "Shall we?" she asked, a moment before turning to head off toward home.
"Bye, Angie!" Shiro called, smiling back at her, then resettled Annora in his arms. "I will," he promised to Psaltria, nodding to her. "I'll just carry her for a little while." The zurui followed after him, padding along quietly, Murasaki once again carrying Dakota as they left the area.
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Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:14 am
Finding himself gifted with Etain was one thing, Shiro mused as he held the infant with an almost reverential air. Realizing that Etain would truly stay with him, be raised by him, held by him, cared for by him... that was taking more time to sink in.
For the longest time, Shiromaru had just held Etain, entranced by the infant's sweet nature. It was the first time Shiro had ever used the rocking chair on the front deck, though Shiro had rocked Etain for hours. Once she was then fed, and burped, and changed, however, Shiro decided... it was time to go traveling.
He had to tell Trio.
Carefully wrapping Etain up in a light blanket, Shiro settled the girl into the carrypack he'd bought ages ago, her head carefully resting against a head brace as she was nestled against his chest, her wings watched to make sure they wouldn't get caught, then he unfurled his own wings and flew off towards Trio's house, his arms protectively around Etain still. When he touched down, he knocked quickly on the door, waiting impatiently for it to be opened.
Aziraphale answered, his smile as welcoming as ever as he peered at Shiro. It widened a bit when he caught sight of the bundle against Shiro's chest. "Who's this?" he asked, reaching out to pet the girl's head despite his instinctive need to withdraw from the demon.
"This is Etain," Shiromaru explained, smiling kindly at Az. "She's come to live with me now. Would you like to see her a bit better? And are Trio and Annora around?"
Aziraphale nodded, eyes sparkling. "She's lovely, Shiromaru. Trio and Annora are in the side yard, with Annora's pool. Why don't you go on out there? I'll set up the baby pen in the yard for Etain..."
Shiro beamed at Aziraphale, then started padding over to the side yard. "Isn't she beautiful? And that would be very helpful, thank you." Quickly, he headed up to Trio and Annora, grinning from ear to ear.
Annora was basking in the water, as always, her skin glistening. She was giggling, sitting there in water up to her waist as she sang 'Wheels on the Bus' with Trio, her voice surprisingly on-key.
"Tri~o, Anno~ra!" Shiro sat down next to the pool as Etain turned her head towards the sound of Annora's singing. "Mm, I should get you out of there, shouldn't I," he added to Etain softly, starting to carefully get the girl out of her carrypack.
"Shiro!" Annora cried, leaping out of the water to dart to him. She stopped nearly there, staring in wonder at the new baby in Shiro's arms. "It's a baby," she suddenly chirped, as Trio finally looked over. The blonde froze, staring at Etain wide-eyed before looking up at Shiro in wonder. "Who... how...?"
Finally getting Etain out of the carrypack, he set the pack aside, then leaned forward with Etain in his arms so Annora could see. "Annora, sweetheart, meet Etain. She's my new daughter. When she gets bigger, would you like to be able to play with her?" The grin he flashed at Trio was brilliant, though it softened somewhat at his next words. "Etain... used to live with Shinobu," he explained.
Annora nodded vigorously, watching Shiro carefully before saying, "Baby..." After a moment, she stepped back a pace, running into Trio's legs.
Trio caught Annora, holding her even as she peered down at Etain solemnly, then up to Shiromaru. "She's in good hands. Shinobu would be happy," she said quietly, her eyes soft.
"I hope so," Shiro whispered, drawing a careful fingertip over Etain's soft cheek. The little girl gave a wide yawn, then snuggled into Shiromaru's arms contentedly. He just watched her for a moment, then shot Trio another of those blinding grins.
Trio found herself grinning back - it'd been a while since she'd seen Shiro this happy. "She looks like she likes it with you, at least," she noted, lifting Annora into her arms when the girl turned to her and grunted a demand. She blinked as Annora's arms tightened a bit too much, and looked at her own little girl, shaking her head. "It's okay, sweetie. Shiro's gonna play with you, too."
Shiro blinked at Annora, then padded closer, leaning in to kiss Annora's cheek gently. "I could never forget you, 'Nora. You'll still get lots of attention from me, I promise you that."
"Annora," Trio tried, when the girl sulked. "Would you like to hold Etain?" Her eyes lifted to Shiro, looking curious.
Nodding, the water demon offered to let Annora hold Etain. "You can, if you want. You could be her big cousin, and teach her all sorts of important things!"
Annora looked between the two warily. Trio sat down awkwardly in the grass, settling Annora in her lap and beckoning Shiro over. "I'll help you for now, okay?" she suggested, her eyes dancing as she looked up at Shiro.
Shiro sat down again, in front of Trio and Annora. "Careful of her wings," he suggested gently, his smile warm as he watched Annora.
Annora's arms came around Etain carefully, supported by Trio's underneath. The blonde smiled softly, her attention caught by the baby very quickly. There was something soothing about them at this age, something that made her ache for another. But the odd feeling in the pit of her stomach quickly disappeared into wonder as Annora sang to the baby, her voice soft and off-beat as she stumbled over words.
Etain looked up at Annora, those soft grey eyes widening a little. After a moment, she waved her arms awkwardly, making soft little cooing noises. She liked Annora's singing, apparently. Shiro couldn't help but grin, his own gaze softening as he watched the pair.
Annora sang for a while longer, then looked up at Shiro. "You hold baby," she announced without warning, squirming against Trio's lap. Trio laughed, lifting Etain up to let Annora dart back to the water, then curled the girl in her own arms again. "I think... they'll be friends," she offered, more out of hope than any certainty.
"Give it time," Shiro mused, watching Annora with undisguised fondness. "Once 'Nora realizes she hasn't been replaced..." He looked down, letting Etain curl one little fist around his finger.
"I think she'll be more afraid of that from you than me," Trio returned, looking up at him.
Chuckling softly, Shiromaru shook his head. "She needn't worry. I'll still be here all the time to see her and you." He reached out, wanting to hold Etain again.
Trio gave her up to her new father easily, then patted the ground beside her. "You'd better," she teased gently, eyes soft as they watched the pair.
Annora, frowning slightly as the two adults cooed over the child, darted to Psaltria, whispering for a moment before hopping on the pard's back. Psaltria winced slightly, fighting to keep from sighing at the little girl's exuberance before she padded toward the two adults, feeling much more like a horse than a pard.
Settling at Trio's side, Shiro kept his arms safe around Etain. "Don't worry, you'll consider us a constant nuisance before we're done. Hey there, Psaltria," he offered to the poor pard, then looked up at Annora. "What is it, hon? What's wrong?"
Trio looked up and choked, fighting to keep from bursting into laughter. "What on earth!"
"Lookit me!" Annora crowed, bouncing on Psaltria's back. The pard's wings flared, and she growled softly, more out of frustration than anger. "Lookit me lookit me lookit me," Annora continued.
Trio shook her head. "Get down, Annora. You're not supposed to ride on pards." Annora glared for a moment, then wilted, sliding off the pard's back and flouncing over to flop down beside the pool again.
"Hmmm... Trio, can you take Etain again for a second?" Shiro whispered, offering the infant to Trio.
Trio nodded, blinking and reaching with practiced arms to hold the little girl, mindful of the delicate wings.
Shiromaru rose, then made his way over to Annora, crouching down next to her. "Hey, you. Come here, I want to talk to you for a second."
Annora glanced over, eyes narrowed. She said nothing, merely waiting for Shiro to speak.
"Etain is my daughter, yes. But she can't replace you in my heart. I need to be around you just as much as I need to be around her. And besides," Shiro whispered conspiratorially, "I don't think I can take her swimming deep down in the ocean like I can with you."
Annora's head tilted, her eyes thoughtful as she took the assurances in. "You like the baby?" she finally asked warily.
Shiro nodded softly. "I love the baby. But I love you, too, Annora. Just as much."
"You love the... my... 'Nora?" Annora said, her voice fair less wary and far more content now. "You swimming with my 'Nora?"
"Yes," Shiro agreed, smiling warmly. "I love you, Nora-fish. And swimming with you is lots of fun."
"You... tickle 'Nora?" Annora asked, her voice now cagey as she turned more. A second later, she pounced on Shiro, rough, clumsy fingers already trying to worm under his chin as she yelled, "Tickletickletickle!"
Squawking playfully, Shiromaru tickled Annora right back, then swept the girl up into his arms and twirled around with her playfully. Moments later, he plopped down onto the ground next to Trio, Annora in his lap -- and kept safe, since he'd lifted her up enough to keep her legs from getting caught.
Trio laughed, Etain up on her shoulder as she watched the other two. "Thank you," she mouthed to Shiro, eyes gentle, then glanced up as Aziraphale made his way over, spreading out a blanket before Trio.
"I'll have to dig a bit more for the fence, but this should work for her now, hmm?" he suggested, reaching out to pet Annora's hair. Annora laughed and mewled before announcing, "I'm a CAT," and squirming off of Shiro to go prowling on all fours down to the water. And Trio, still laughing, carefully laid Etain on her stomach on the blanket.
"A cat!" Shiro pretended astonishment. "I thought you were a fish, Nora-fish!" A large mouse made of ice formed in the water, floating there for Annora to play with, and Shiromaru looked back at Trio with a warm grin. As the blanket was spread out, he grinned up at Aziraphale, nodding his gratitude. "Thank you." Etain's wings buzzed, just a little, then she settled more comfortably on the blanket.
"Maybe she's a catfish," Trio noted, giggling. She got to her feet, darting after Annora as the girl squealed, happy once more now that she realized she'd have plenty of attention.
Etain, at that squeal, started fussing. That squeal hurt! Shiro leaned in and picked her up, rocking her to try and soothe her.
"Annora!" Trio said, realizing the problem immediately. When Annora pulled up short, Trio caught her arms, holding her still. "Look, around the baby, we have to be quiet and careful, okay? She's fragile right now, and needs us to be good for her. Can you do that for me?"
Two huge eyes locked with Trio's before sliding slowly to where Etain was fussing against Shiro, and then back to Trio solemnly. "The baby's crying?" she asked, something vulnerable in her voice.
Trio nodded, kneeling before her and wrapping her arms gently around Annora. "The baby's crying. But she'll probably be happy again if you go sing to her?" she suggested, letting Annora go. The girl hesitated a moment, then moved to sit by Shiromaru, quietly stumbling through the Itsy Bitsy Spider.
Shiro blinked as Etain immediately started to settle, once Annora sang to her. That seemed to be a magic touch. Etain looked wide-eyed up at Annora, then finally started to wave her arms a bit, cooing once again. "Well, now. Annora, she really seems to like your singing," he murmured, grinning at the girl.
Annora beamed in return, chest puffing out in childish pride. Trio relaxed, watching the two fondly for a moment before her gaze darkened slightly. I really need to read a lot more deeply on sirens, now that it's beginning to show... she decided.
"Mmm?" Shiromaru glanced up at Trio, brows furrowed slightly. "What is it?"
"Just thinking I should do a bit of studying soon," she said, waving away the concern as she sat down beside Annora. The siren grinned, draping over Trio's lap. "And I think it's someone's naptime. You sticking around for supper, Shiro?"
"Sure, if you want me to. I should probably put Etain down for a nap again soon, too." Shiro brushed a kiss light over the sylph's forehead, and Etain yawned again, hugely, one hand tight around a lock of Shiro's hair.
"You can put her down on my bed. I've got a couple heavy pillows to keep her safe." Trio paused then, blinking. "I should dig out Annora's bottles and things for you," she added, whirling Annora into her arms and rising with a bit of difficulty.
Shiromaru stood carefully, Etain in his arms. "That'd be appreciated. I have a couple bottles at home from the ones I bought in a hurry, but that's about it... I was going to do some more shopping tomorrow."
"Use Annora's. They're still in good shape, don't worry, and it's one less thing you'll have to spend money on," Trio said, bending down to get the blanket and carry it inside. Psaltria watched them go, then settled by the water, dozing in the sunlight.
"Thank you," Shiro said again, softly sincere. "That will help out a lot." He followed Trio into the house, humming to himself contentedly. Life... was good.
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 12:36 pm
Annora was chasing a butterfly. Or, to be more exact, she wasn't chasing so much as following, moving along behind the brightly-colored wings without paying much attention to anything else. For the most part, she didn't have to pay attention. Psaltria followed behind closely enough to spot any real danger to Annora before it could happen. She was occasionally accused of being overprotective, but as the words very often came from James, she rarely took them seriously. James didn't seem to have a great deal of loyalty to Trio, and that bothered Psaltria. But Psaltria did allow that she was far more protective of her charge/guardian than James was, and she liked it that way. ...Even if it did mean that she got less time lounging in the sun.
It was a cute scene, she'd decided. Annora was laughing, hopping and bouncing and walking and sometimes running behind the butterfly. She liked them, she'd once told Psaltria, because they reminded her of Etain. Psaltria also liked Etain, and couldn't fault Annora, so she opted to point out butterflies to the small girl every chance she got. Which actually wasn't often, as Annora usually spotted them before Psaltria did. But as the butterfly flitted over the back fence, Annora paused, staring after it in disappointment. "It gone," she announced to Psaltria, who padded forward and nuzzled Annora gently.
"Yes it is," she agreed, hesitating only a moment before adding, "Want a ride?" Psaltria knew pards who wouldn't deign to let ANYONE on their backs. Certainly, they were NOT beasts of burden, and to imply such a thing was insult indeed. But this was special. Annora was small, light, and loving. She didn't view such rides as her right, but instead as a gift. And when the smile lit her face and she waited for Psaltria to lay down before scrambling up to nestle between Psaltria's wings, the pard purred softly. This was good.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 7:11 pm
:: AND SO BEGINS THE QUEST :: Zaxzi Dear Psaltria; It has come to my attention that you have started looking beyond the existence of normal pards, and into what could be. To that end, I have prepared a set of lessons for you- spend some time contemplating them, and send me your answers and thoughts. I am certain they will assist you in your search for a wider world. ~Zaxzi ((Britnote: Answer the following questions or exercises, in no particular order, with at least one page in Word (three-five good, solid paragraphs) each. For activities, write out your pard's actions, and write a journal entry about them. There is no length requirement on the journal entries. All responses should be posted in the pard's journal. If you have more than one shifter pard, indicate in some way which pard is answering- remember, each pard has individual questions! Once you have completed this list, send a PM with an updated profile of your pard and notice of completion to Britain.)) Psaltria's Questions 1. What is your worst trait? What is your best? Why? 2. What is the first responsibility of a Healer? Why? 3. What is the second responsibility of a Healer? Why? 4. In your travels and studies, you have come across a Healer who did something so horrible, it nearly made you ill. What would this be? Why does it affect you in this manner? 5. What type of music soothes the soul? 6. Name five types of medicinal herbs and their most common uses- as well of some of their more uncommon uses and any warnings- and examples of when they would be used. 7. You have two children to save, one human, one pard, and you CANNOT save them both. Which will you choose? What factors would influence your decision? 8. When is it ethical to use healing magic? When is it not? 9. Spend some time in a quiet location, watching people interact with each other (people meaning any type of creature, but humans most specifically). What stands out most about their behavior? Is this a positive or negative trait, in your eyes? 10. Go to a local hospital or place where many people are injured. Heal yourself into exhaustion, then document how the experience affected you and how long it took you to recover. Learn your limits.
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Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 9:18 pm
:: AND SO BEGINS THE QUEST :: Zaxzi Dear James; It has come to my attention that you have started looking beyond the existence of normal pards, and into what could be. To that end, I have prepared a set of lessons for you- spend some time contemplating them, and send me your answers and thoughts. I am certain they will assist you in your search for a wider world. ~Zaxzi ((Britnote: Answer the following questions or exercises, in no particular order, with at least one page in Word (three-five good, solid paragraphs) each. For activities, write out your pard's actions, and write a journal entry about them. There is no length requirement on the journal entries. All responses should be posted in the pard's journal. If you have more than one shifter pard, indicate in some way which pard is answering- remember, each pard has individual questions! Once you have completed this list, send a PM with an updated profile of your pard and notice of completion to Britain.)) James' Questions 1. What is your worst trait? What is your best? Why? 2. What is the first responsibility of a Seer? Why? 3. What is unacceptable from a Seer? Why? 4. What do you dream at night? Do you consider your dreams good or bad? 5. Has anything you've dreamed come to pass? If so what? How did it affect you? 6. List five uses of your ability, as well as specific situations. These do not have to be practical- not everything in life is flatly useful. 7. You have Seen the death of someone nearby- within a few blocks. If you go to the authorities to assist, there is a strong chance they will not believe what you have Seen, since you have no proof. Would you offer your assistance? Why? 8. When is it ethical to use Sight? When is it not? 9. Spend some time in a quiet location, watching people interact with each other (people meaning any type of creature, but humans most specifically). What stands out most about their behavior? Is this a positive or negative trait, in your eyes? 10. When did your magic first show up? What were you doing at the time, and how did you know what it was- if you did?
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