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 Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 2:31 pm
Glowing PresentsRaife Receives the Vial and BottleQuote: Dear Diary,
It is not so often that one receives a gift that is so unlike one's self as for a box of pure shining light to show up at my doorstep. For those of you skeptical at my phrasing, I assure you I'm being completely literal. At the moment, I cannot take my eyes off what appears to be a vial full of sunlight. Not just any sunlight, mind you, but a most delightful beam that glows even when it is darkest. It is not conditional. It does not look better or brighter in certain lights or lack thereof. It just exists, shining like a beacon on my dresser. I put it there because no matter where I put it, it's absolutely delightful, and I'd rather have it somewhere where I can see it full time, all the time. Sometimes I just find myself staring at it for much longer than I should. It can't be healthy.
The box came from a very suspicious source, no matter how auspicious the contents. It was marked with a smooth, neatly printed label from a research and development facility "Lab 305." The only note inside said the following:
Please take care of these, my creations, for me.
The vial was not the only thing inside the box. There was also a curious bottle. It wasn't remarkably unlike what a flask might have looked like, and it was quite pretty, with its own little red and orange kerchief. I didn't know whether to store it on a shelf or give it a collar and a name. It was empty unlike the bottle seemed to be, although, one could argue, that both were empty in the strictly material sense of the word. Except for the light, there really wasn't anything in the vial at all. But that light. Nobody would say that it was empty. Nobody could. Not really.
I let Mikhael take a look at it. He has a sixth sense for these kind of things. The strange yet beautiful. He loved the vial. Caressed it, held it, didn't want to let go like a little boy with a new toy. He seemed vaguely put off by the bottle though. I'm not sure what that means, but I put it in a separate place on my bookshelf. I trust Mikhael's instincts more than he even understands them yet. He likes to visit the vial, watching it on my dresser the same as me, with toes and feet arching, body craned upward to peer that high. It's quite cute.
I don't know what this Lab intended for me to do with these artifacts, but I'm sure that when the time comes, I'll know. Until then, it's certainly not a hardship having them around.
-Raife.
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 1:17 am
A Slightly Different ViewZethos Spies on Raife for the Last TimeQuote: It was Friday evening. Somewhere between the sprawling one-story ranch house and the thick thorn brambles that stretched beyond the borders of Gaia into lands uncharted, nestled in the thick outcropping of trees that blanketed the edges of a relatively unknown piece of property, there were intermittent flashes of metal. If one had looked closer, it might have looked as if a bush was peering into one of the windows of the rambling house with an ancient, rusted pair of binoculars.
One wouldn't have been entirely wrong.
Perched behind a low, thick bush on the edge of Raife's property lay a young satyr in wait. His name was Zethos. As far as he knew, it meant nothing in particular and there was nothing else in particular to distinguish him from any other satyr. He was a little tall for a satyr -though still short for a human- just a bit scrawny, hoofed and furry of course and an all around horrible sort of guy. Also in a very satyr-like manner, had he been asked, he would have described himself very differently.
Excruciatingly handsome.
Devastatingly charming.
And a swinging bachelor.
Of course, he was none of these things. Maybe a bit cute like a puppy when he was begging for some tail, but mostly he looked like a little boy that had gotten the wrong end of an encounter with a goat. He was very much like a satyr.
And very much like a satyr, he was spending his evening spying on an unknowing female. It was, besides perhaps, making music and merriment and being lucidly drunk, what satyrs did best.
Pressing the binoculars snug against his face again, he watched flutters of movements through the blinds of a window. The binoculars were a gift from the gods -not literally of course- he could watch flashes of skin as the woman that lived there undressed. He grinned delightedly. There were definite perks to being small and furry. Blending in to the scenery was at the forefront of them. Even his short, unbrushed shock of hair just looked like dead grass if he flopped down. It was handy.
The woman in the house wasn't the only girl he watched, he mused as he lowered the binoculars to clean them as she moved out of sight into what must have been a windowless adjoining room. He most heartily enjoyed the wood and river nymphs in the forest. They were...exquisite. And more importantly, always naked. What more could a guy ask for? They were a bit more dangerous though and a bit more in tune with nature -and therefore, could tell when something was amiss. His hair didn't look like dead grass to them. He had to be careful. But not here, not with this woman, he mused, lifting the now sparkling binoculars back up to his face for a better view.
Only to be greeted with an open window and accusing eyes. He jolted back behind the bush, his eyes wide and shocked, just as he heard a shoe whiz between the trees only a few feet from him.
"HEY PERVERT! GET YOUR a** OUT FROM BEHIND THOSE BUSHES SO I CAN AIM PROPERLY!!"
He supposed that was his cue to exit.
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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:42 pm
Unconscionable ActsTrance Tries to Intervene Into A Potentially Horrible Situation and FailsQuote: "I'm going to bust a cap in his a**, and you're not going to stop me. No one violates my privacy like that!" Raife struggled to release herself from Trance's arms as the plucky conscience did his job.
"No, you're not. You don't even know what this guy looks like, not really." Trance smiled amicably, hefting her up by her arms and setting her down onto the couch. She fixed him with an icy glare.
"I don't care what he looks like. That b*****d had the nerve to come all the way out here to the boonies with his binoculars just to peek through my windows. What if he's been watching me for some time? What if he's been watching all of us?" She leered and scowled challengingly. "What if he swings both ways and has been watching you and Nero too?" She gasped. "And the kids? What if he's been watching the boys?"
Trance sighed, and braced his hands on her shoulders. "You're over reacting. For all you know, those binoculars weren't even pointed at you. He could have been watching something on your roof, or in the sky and just happened to be pointing towards the house. The possibilities are endless." Raife snorted in a rather unlady-like manner.
"Uh-huh, sure. And he just happened to be watching while I was naked, and he just happened to turn away when he saw that I saw him. If those binoculars had been pointed somewhere else, he wouldn't have seen me at all!" She leant forward, making her point defiantly. Trance just chuckled, no matter how unwise that might have been.
"You're just upset because he saw your boobies." He grinned wolfishly and earned a thump on the arm. She yanked a hunk of his hair and muttered irritatedly, pushing him out of the way.
"You're such a guy. Maybe I should be more worried about you." She narrowed her eyes at him before turning towards a rather large bow staff she kept -usually unused- in her umbrella stand. "I'm going to brain him." She barked irritatedly. "Brain him and leave his unconscious body back in the woods so that the dogs can feast on him!"
Trance winced a bit. "You really are pissed, aren't you? Look..." He laid a hand on her arm gently. "You don't even know where he is. Just let it go, Raife. It's not that big a deal." Raife shook off his arm and frowned, stalking to the door then turning, pausing in the doorway.
"Oh no. I can feel it. He's still here. And if I don't make a stand now, he'll be back." She slipped out the door, slamming it behind her.
Trance sighed and tensed at the noise, before shrugging and relaxing.
"Meh. Women."
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Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:06 am
A Good Time To DieThe Nymphs Take Charge of The SituationQuote: Raife could be quite quiet and sneaky when she wanted to be. This was one of those moments. She moved quietly, with the sounds of the rushing grass, towards the forest on the outskirts of her property, her feet barefoot in the dirt, her hair tied back so as not to get in the way, the bow staff strapped tightly to her back. She smiled, delighted with the feel of the wind in her hair. She wasn't overly worried much about the fight. She wasn't aiming for a death match, really. She just wanted to beat some sense into the intruder.
Slipping into the forest, she made use of the shadows, darting through them and then slipping into the trees. "I can't see the forest for the trees." She murmured, perching on a branch and getting her bearings. She knew this forest like the back of her hand instinctively. Her legs would take her where she needed to go. And if she knew well -and she thought she did- where to find a pervert, he'd definitely be somewhere near the nymph pond. They bathed there. As if they weren't naked enough normally. She snorted and leapt from branch to branch, judging which were sturdy enough to hold her weight, and which weren't, occassionally stopping to listen for noises. The forest was a veritable maze of noises. You really had to know what you were looking for. Thankfully, Raife did. She leapt from tree to tree, following the rushing water upstream.
--
Zethos' mind was melting. There was nothing more enjoyable than the incessant, incomprehensible chattering of a band of nymphs as they lounged in the water. There was nothing about nymphs that didn't appeal to him. Their luxurious hair, their slightly wild doe like eyes, their high, firm breasts...their..nakedness. He grinned. His thoughts strayed so easily. He sat back on his haunches, his whole body hidden behind a bush, and scrubbed his hand through his short, scruffy brown hair. He had to stay behind the bush, otherwise the nymphs would see him. Unlike that woman in the house, the nymphs were more attuned, and would notice a pale skinned, scruffy haired goat boy. But he could use his eyes. His vision was sharp and his eyes were the color of grass, so he blended right in to the bush as he peered through and drank in the sights. The nymphs were laughing and chattering, socializing with the fish and the birds, for the moment atleast, unaware that they were being observed.
Suddenly, a flutter of birds blew by him and the whole forest seemed to go still. The nymphs stopped in their camraderie, and their eyes grew feral, darting around, looking for the intruder. The birds had told them of the satyr in the bushes. And while they might have skattered at a half-god or even a well built mortal or two, one satyr would be no problem for them to handle. Before Zethos could make a move, one of the water nymphs thrust out her arm and he was suddenly encased in water, the bonds unable to break, like the constantly turning tide of the ocean. He struggled against the pressure as he lost his balance, toppling over onto his side.
"Hey! Hey! Let go!" They surrounded him like beautiful ghosts. He wriggled like a baited fish against the water bond. They whispered and giggled to each other before their eyes grew dark. He'd heard tell stories of the wrath of the nymphs. Until seeing that light in their eyes however, he hadn't believed a word of it. He felt the water band constricting more around him. It was getting harder to breathe. He felt something wrap around his leg. With a roll and a struggle, he looked down, only to find his legs strapped to the ground with tree roots. His eyes darted up to the circle of nymphs, only to spot the ethereally smiling wood nymph in charge of that part of the torture. Everything was tightening. It was getting hard to speak, hard to breath. "Come on, ladies, you can't really fault me for just a peek--ugrk!" He gasped as the air choked out of him completely, and he spat out some blood with a groan. Goddamn nymphs! Why did they have to be so emotional! "******** women!" He managed to spit out the words, even as his bonds tightened. Finally, he saw it. Saw his demise. A thin spike of a root, stretching from his foot bonds, pointed down at his heart. So, this was it, then, he thought hazily, his eyes closing. Out of all of the ways to die. He'd always thought he'd live a long life, as satyrs were prone to do, but only 200 years. No chance he'd get to the elysian fields either.
"Stop!" Raife barged through the trees and landed near the nymphs, bow staff drawn. There was no use being quiet. Chances are, they'd known she had been watching. She'd been silent, intending to let the satyr get his due, recognizing the faun as her peeping tom, but when it had become apparent that they were about to kill him, she'd had to intervene. She swallowed, seeing the mass of nymphs up close. She couldn't take on two nymphs, let alone a half a dozen. But she could try if she had to. She held out the bow in fighting stance, pushing her way through them to the satyr. Kneeling down beside Zethos, she tried to free him from his bonds, but they didn't budge, and the nymphs stood firm. Suddenly, with a gust of wind, she was sharply pushed away from the circle, out of the circle. She could no longer see what was going on.
A piercing scream. Then silence, and the nymphs parted and melded back into the forest. The lifeless body of the satyr boy lay on the forest floor. He seemed small and fragile like that. She crouched next to him, and pressed her hand to the wound over his heart. She didn't have to be told that he was dead. His body was cold, and his eyes were wide and lifeless. She crouched there for a moment longer, before standing up, startling at a jangle at her waist. There tied was the bottle. She remembered, she'd tucked it there, intending to collect some berries on the way back. Stroking it with blood covered fingers, she frowned a bit. She wasn't really in the mood anymore. She wanted to take the boy, and give him a proper burial. But she knew she shouldn't. His kind, and the denizens of the forest would take care of him. She sighed and tucked her bowstaff back behind her back, stumbling towards a large tree and leaning against it.
She got what she wished for..problem solved..but...she hadn't meant it that way. Why did everything have to turn out badly?
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 1:59 am
Into The WoodsMikhael Finds A Shiny.Quote: Mikhael was elated.
It was a rare afternoon. A solitary afternoon. For once, for the first time, Raife had let him into the woods by himself. She'd been a little worried, but he'd reasoned with her. Gray was around...not too far away anyway, talking to a centaur..and the centaurs...well, god, who'd mess with those bastards? Eighteen hands tall and as broad as a barn, each of them. She knew them all personally, and they all knew him. They wouldn't let anything happen. He wasn't as little and helpless anymore either. He knew how to control his power a bit better. He could protect himself in case of attack.
All was well in Mikhael's little universe.
He knew where he was headed for in the forest. Raife had told him not to go in too far, but all was well. What he wanted wasn't far away at all. In a clearing only a hundred feet from the edge of the forest was a large oak tree next to a crystal pool of water. Raife had taken him there before several times, and he'd always admired the spreading branches. He wanted to enjoy the dappled sunlight under the branches, reflecting against the clear water.
He had a book under his arm. A slim picture book, it would help with his reading. He was getting very proficient at it. They'd taught him well at the academy. Nestling under the branches of the tree, he took the book out of his arm to read. As he started to open it, however, a glint of light flashed in the corner of his eye. Seeking the source, the muse boy looked around curiously. Another light flash signaled the source.
A glowing, swirling bottle lodged between two tree roots had caught his attention. At first he was dubious. It looked strange, possibly dangerous, and what was swirling inside...whatever it was...looked like his Inspiration. Was another Muse's inspiration trapped inside the bottle? And then, he felt something, in the back of his mind. A distant memory...yes, he knew this bottle...it was...Raife's? She'd once kept it on a shelf in her room. He scooped up the glowing bottle. He hadn't remembered it glowing like this. But certainly, Raife would want her bottle back...
Forgetting his book in the grass next to the tree, Mikhael ran home.
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:01 pm
Chandelier.Raife Re-Possesses The Strange Bottle.Quote: "Founnit."
Raife's ears perked up as Mikhael's soft voice broke through his thoughts. He smiled at his boy. Mikhael was a little grimy from exploring the forest, and he just looked so...normal. "What'd you find, pal?" He motioned Mikhael over to sit next to him on the couch.
Shuffling over, Mikhael nestled next to Raife, settling himself on the thick, plush couch cushions, before taking the glowing bottle out of his jacket. Even though it was the middle of the day, it lit the room up with a shimmer.
"Yours, yeh?" Mikhael smiled proudly. He figured Raife must have lost it in the woods. He didn't remember it ever glowing but...
"Y-yes...but....I mean...what'd you put inside it, Miki?" Raife blinked, taking the glass from him lightly, peering inside. The glow was swirling, as if trying to find a way out of the thick glass. He frowned a bit and traced the swirl of it with his finger.
Mikhael looked puzzled. "Put innit?"
"Yes, my boy. Inside it. The glowing?" Raife smiled patiently, holding up the bottle to let it dangle by the chain.
Mikhael shook his head. "Dinnt."
Now it was Raife's turn to look puzzled. "What? You didn't? So this is....why is it...?" He frowned. "Hmm. Looks like we stole something from the forest or something. Or it stole my bottle to use as a home." He tapped the glass and frowned as it swirled and gathered and pulsed. "It's weird looking, that's for sure."
"Pretty." Mikhael smiled, and motioned for Raife to hand it back over to him. The man dropped the glass bottle into Mikhael's waiting palm. The boy closed around it, tucking it back into his jacket. Raife smiled, amused.
"You gonna keep an eye on it for me then?" Raife grinned, and ruffled the boy's hair.
"Yup. Finders keepers." Mikhael grinned right back, and Raife chuckled. It was times like these that Raife knew EXACTLY what sort of lessons Mikhael's 'big brother' Levi was imparting on him.
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:07 pm
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 12:08 pm
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Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:22 pm
West Side Story.The first venture back home...Quote:
It didn't make sense.
Raife had told him again and again that she found him...or...his essence or whatever in the woods. So why didn't he ever let him go in there? Sometimes that was what he felt he wanted more than anything. An unsupervised visit outside where the woods were...what did it say in that poem? "Lovely, dark and deep."
He hated poetry. He hated learning to read.
Staring with vehemence at the tumbling corner of books in his room, he looked up at the television. Ah, now there was a piece of equipment, baby! Kept him entertained, taught him new things, and the best part of all, he didn't have to try! Just watch. But he still wanted outside.
Well. He had legs, didn't he? Okay, he didn't. But he could float! And maybe, just maybe, if he was sneaky enough...like a ninja on that cartoon, right?
Flattening himself against the wall, he inched out of his room and down the hallway towards the back door. He was nervous, even though nobody was around. Raife didn't let any of the kids go outside by themselves except Mikhael. He felt a little irritated, being lumped with a bunch of brats! Slinking out the back door, he breathed a sigh of relief, then beamed like a lighthouse. He was outside! Bobbling a bit, looking to see if anyone was around, he floated towards the forbidden woods. Not even Mikhael was allowed in there. But he wasn't LIKE Mikhael. Mikhael was tiny. And fluffy. And boring. He was Luka! Master of adventure and kung-fu! He chopped the air with his hand, spinning a bit with the momentum to add to the gesture. Nothing big, bad or scary in the woods could get him!
He was unaware that he set off a magic barrier that Raife had had someone set up for him on the edge of the woods after the last encounter with Gray.
The woods were lovely, dark and deep.
Crystalline skies and sunshine stalled from the forest floor by canoping trees. Luka stared up into them, the dappling shade making him squint a bit. He wished he could feel the ground under his feet. It looked soft and loamy. He pleased himself by running his fingers over the trees. They felt...familiar? Maybe. He hadn't been here before though, had he? Oh, right, his essence. But...what was that? Essence. Was that like Essence of Emeril? Did he taste good in sauces?
Straining upward, he reached for a treebranch, grasping and hanging on to it, swinging upward until he could perch over it, laying across it like Cleopatra, lazily enjoying a single beam of sunlight falling over his face. Something told him this was where he was meant to be.
"LUKA!"
He jolted up at the voice, falling out of the tree to bounce neatly on the curtain of air that kept him upright. Raife was down there, steaming mad and scowling at him. "You know you're not supposed to be here! It's dangerous! Especially for you! Get...get back home." He nudged him along, the air currents on his side of things.
"I just wanted...to see...I remembered...IT'S NOT FAIR!"
Raife sighed at his outburst, still leading him along to the house. "I know. But Gaia is a dangerous place. I'll explain it to you..some other time."
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