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 Posted: Tue Nov 04, 2008 4:27 am
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Posted: Mon Nov 17, 2008 3:14 am
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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:33 am
~Moving in with a Sorcerer~
Xiao Huo was both nervous and excited about this "Kumoru", even after he had actually met the man. How long would he be with him before he could go home? He was interested in seeing magic, to be sure, but the stories he had heard about Sorcerers made the boy doubt just a little if this was really a good idea.
Kumoru had dark skin like a Northerner and long hair like a maiden. He was also freakishly tall, though shorter than Setsushi (it was okay for Setsushi to be tall). He permitted Xiao Huo to hold his hand as they walked back from the place where Jilan said Kumoru worked; the young boy examined every inch of the human's hand. Jilan seemed quite interested in speaking with Kumoru, which was fine because that meant Xiao Huo could allow his mind to wander. The sound of the man's voice was somehow comforting, though of course the Porcelain could not really understand much of what he was saying.
He had heard some stories about magic before, but of course he had never actually seen a Sorcerer. They never lived with other people. Kumoru brought them all onto a "bus", which was like a cart, except full of people and Xiao Huo could not see anything pulling or pushing it; no one seemed to mind having a Sorcerer among them, and the magic-user seemed at ease as well. Kumoru also looked very tidy, even though Jilan said that he was tired after a day at work.
Xiao Huo's little heart quickened as they got off the "bus" to walk the last distance to Kumoru's house. All Sorcerers were insane, he had heard. Would they reach the house only to have Kumoru suddenly trap them inside and do terrible things? He mentally prodded his new brother with worry, but Jilan just kept assuring him to trust Kumoru.
Maybe... maybe this was just the same as exploring. He was going to do something new and unexpected, so it was only natural to be a little scared. As they walked up the front walk to the place the Sorcerer called home, Xiao Huo steeled his nerves and prepared to step into the unknown.
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Posted: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:50 am
~Kumoru's Chaos~
After being shown most of the rooms in the house, Xiao Huo followed Jilan and Kumoru back to the dining room where everyone who lived there gathered at the promise of something called "pizza". Jilan said that his younger brother could have something plainer, though, to go easy on his stomach, since pizza tended to be a little harsh, and so Xiao Huo ended up with something the Sorcerer called "toast with marmalade".
The others who lived in the house did not look anything like Kumoru. There were two other boys present at dinner, one named "Donat", and one named "Bhel", both considerably younger than Kumoru. Donat was covered all over with fur and had two straight horns, but he talked just like Kumoru did. Bhel also had horns, and looked like an animal only from the waist down. Bhel also apparently had no problems with sitting in front of company bare-chested, which Xiao Huo noted with amusement - if he was such a wild one, maybe they could go on make-believe adventures together and do all kinds of crazy things.
The one who really caught Xiao Huo's eye, however, was the one called "Lucretia". Xiao Huo knew by looking at her that she was Kumoru's Chaos. She looked like a white-skinned woman down to her boobies, and then - she wasn't there anymore! Her sleeveless dress just sort of turned into a long trailing ribbon that swirled around a glowing blue-ish thing. She had wings on her head and on her back, and really long hair.
Xiao Huo ate his toast in complete silence, just admiring her. He was also afraid of what she might do to him, too. What was a little boy supposed to do in front of a Sorcerer's Chaos? Or, more importantly, what was he not supposed to do?
Well, he could not be frightened by new things, because that was not the explorer way. Perhaps after dinner, he would try speaking with her. And he also very secretly thought it might be fun to see if he could get her to follow him to Setsushi's shop sometime....
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 1:58 am
Xiao Huo followed the Chaos around the house after dinner, attempting to remain hidden. She kept glancing back at him, though, and he had to make sure he looked like he was doing something else every time she did. The boy figured one of his dolls was making too much noise, and she could hear it, and so he had to keep scolding the two of them to be quiet.
He wanted to talk to the Chaos - Kumoru said her name was Lucretia - he was just not at all sure what to say. What was one supposed to say to a spirit? Maybe just a 'hello' and his name?
Finally settling on this course of action, Xiao Huo stepped up to the Chaos and announced himself.
Lucretia peered down at the tiny boy, her expression blank and unimpressed. Jilan had said that this one's name was Xiao Huo; she had to take his word for it, because the Porcelain toddler could not speak. Instead, images flickered through her mind, but the Raevan was not at all sure what to make of them.
Might as well humor the child for now. The Ice Rose girl smiled sheepishly and floated closer to the ground, waving her fingers at him. "Er, hello there," she said, realizing she had no idea at all how to deal with little children like this.
The little boy reiterated his hello, and allowed his dolls to greet her as well. One of them was a Sorcerer (but his Chaos was imaginary), and the other one was a beautiful warrior maiden today. They might be different things tomorrow because the dolls were just like that. ... Xiao Huo frowned a little, trying to figure out how to properly express this idea to the Chaos.
But they were... always changing, so that is kind of like Chaos, right? So they are just like her, he finally decides.
Looking utterly confused, the girl reached out with one finger to poke at one of the boy's dolls. "Like me?" she repeated - that was about all she had really understood of his projections. "They have feet, though, and I don't."
Lucretia laughed a little and gestured down towards her missing lower half. "Not quite like me."
... Well, he had been trying not to stare at her absence of legs, but since she was drawing attention to it, Xiao Huo boggled at the trailing ribbon and the glowing rune.
... That was where all the magic was, right? The glowy rune looked like all the stories he had heard about Chaoses. Xiao Huo resisted, barely, the powerful urge to touch it.
"Magic? I thought we were talking about your dolls...." The girl looked confused.
Xiao Huo shook his head and sat down on the carpet. She really should know this, but... okay, one doll is still a Sorcerer, but now the other one is the first one's Chaos. He gestured along with his projections to help illustrate thusly: The Chaos... has magic somehow. And it hangs out with the Sorcerer. And that's why the Sorcerer can do magic, too.
... Duh.
Lucretia laughed and patted the tiny boy's hair gently. "Whatever you say."
Then she started to drift off. "Listen, little guy, I have to go to sleep now. You should, too. ... Good night?" She waved to him with her fingertips as she retreated to her room. At least her new brother seemed cute, and very excited to see her. Lucretia decided she liked the attention.
Thoroughly pleased with himself, Xiao Huo mimicked her goodbye wave and remained where he was, seated on the floor.
This was so cool. Maybe he would even be able to take her home with him tomorrow or something!
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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 2:00 am
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 7:14 am
Xiao Huo curled up inside his sleeping bag, unable to fall asleep. The first night at Kumoru's house had been fun, like a vacation or a party, but he had not forgotten that he really needed to get home, and soon. He missed his Mommy and his friends, and even though he had his dolls and Jilan with him, Xiao Huo felt very very small and alone.
He still did not even really know where this "Gaia" place was. Not that he had seen very detailed maps of the Empire yet, but he had never heard of it at all before his arrival - was he still even in the Empire?
There were other Porcelain here, for which the toddler was infinitely thankful. But they were still all strangers. Xiao Huo needed to be with his family, and back with all of his medicines and potions so he could feel safe eating again. Would he starve here, or die of Gaian food? So far the toast had not killed him, but it did leave the child hungry.
During the day, Xiao Huo could distract himself with being an explorer, but his mind went wandering all on its own at night and he could not stop it. It liked to explore dark places, too, which left the child frightened. What if he never got home? Mommy probably noticed he was missing now, too - what would she think? She was probably very sad, and that thought hurt her son.
And why was Jilan so content to be with the Sorcerer now? Xiao Huo thought that the older boy had been seeking out Kumoru to find a way home, too, but his brother appeared to be ready to stay in this house for a long time. Jilan had moved all of his things in; the wagon was sitting in the corner, illuminated by the little "night light" Kumoru had left on for the two Porcelain. When would Kumoru be able to open another portal in the air so that Xiao Huo could go home? How could Xiao Huo even ask, if Jilan was not going to do it for him?
Xiao Huo sniffled and clutched his trio of dolls closer, his vision blurring with tears. Was he the only one of the Porcelain who even wanted to go home?
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Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:23 am
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Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 6:14 pm
Xiao Huo sat outside Kouyo's door with his arms crossed, waiting for the priest to return. He had gone to work with Kumoru that morning, which Xiao Huo was pretty sure was the first time he had left his room since arriving. The boy wanted to ask him about portals and such, to see if he knew anything about getting back home. He had thought it would be so easy with a magical grown-up so close by.
But... Kouyo had not been feeling well. Jilan had told Xiao Huo that the priest was, in the vaguest terms, "a little sick", but his brother was always plagued with such worry that the younger Porcelain suspected that there was something more. Kouyo never left his room. If he was the High Priest, then he should not get sick as often or as badly, right?
Then today he had mysteriously gotten better, but gone to work with Kumoru. Xiao Huo had missed him. He had waited outside the door as Kumoru came home alone, then joined the strange Sorcerer family for dinner, and then resumed watching Kouyo's door. Now it was getting to the boy's bedtime, but he tried not to nod off, just in case the High Priest returned.
Kumoru walked by, and went over to join Xiao Huo by Kouyo's door for a moment. He had been here himself that morning, also in order to catch the red-haired man, in order to try to get him to see reason again. Perhaps he had been successful, or perhaps he had been too harsh; either way, Kouyo had apparently not chosen to come back.
"I do think he will be back sometime," he told the young Porcelain boy. "Kouyo has had a long day today, so he probably just needs to rest with Setsushi. His house is closer. Kouyo does not like taking the bus."
The child nodded, but still looked troubled. He did not care much for the bus himself, but... he was confused why Kouyo had come, stayed in his room for a week, and then disappeared.
He demanded to know what Kumoru knew.
The necromancer settled down on the carpet beside the boy, considering what to tell him and how. Kouyo himself had told Kumoru very little about his intentions, and had also not really told the mage who he was, either. Kumoru knew how to read people, though, and there were other things that Kouyo had made quite obvious.
"I think Kouyo wants to be here with us," he began slowly. "But he is afraid of leaving Setsushi's side. I'm not sure what the relationship is between them, but they are very close." Kumoru glances at Xiao Huo. "Like I imagine you and your mother were, maybe."
The young Porcelain nods, though he definitely did not understand all that the human Sorcerer had said. He clumsily projected back what he had gotten, though, to try to confirm - Kouyo did not like being alone? Away from Setsushi?
Kouyo would have plenty of friends here if he would only come out of his room....
"... Maybe you can help remind him that when he comes back."
Kumoru was determined to allow the strange red-haired Porcelain to learn whatever he planned to learn for himself, and had decided he would only interfere if it seemed absolutely necessary. Like he had done that morning. However... Kouyo seemed to wish to remain a mystery to the mage, and so perhaps it would be best to allow the other Porcelain to do what they could for him; maybe he would trust them better.
He glanced down at Xiao Huo and touched his shoulder lightly. "Kouyo will come back," he told him. "And in the mean time, you should get some sleep."
Aha, a clever ploy to get Xiao Huo to leave his post and go to bed! However... it did seem like a good idea. The boy yawned and climbed to his feet again, grabbing Kumoru's hand as the mage also stood up.
Xiao Huo would sleep now, and also plan out all he wanted to tell Kouyo about portals and what he had seen when he arrived in Gaia. Hopefully Kouyo was sleeping, too, so he could be just as well-rested and ready!
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Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:49 pm
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Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:58 am
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:31 pm
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:38 pm
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 1:40 pm
Xiao Huo sniffled miserably and clung to Kumoru's leg as he tried to walk with the child into the doctor's office. Fear rolled off of the boy like clouds, and people nearby took notice and stared at him, which, naturally, did little to comfort him. When they reached the doorway, he finally stopped, looking up at his Sorcerer, and firmly projected as he wiped snot on his sleeve that he was not going in!!1
With a small shrug, Kumoru leaned down and gathered the tiny boy up in his arms, and silently thanked whomever had built the pediatrician's office for having the foresight to equip the place with automatic doors.
Doing his best to ignore the now-aural as well as mental squealing from the boy, the mage stepped up to the reception counter, gave the woman behind it a patient smile, and signed in.
His tummy hurt and he felt bad, and now he had to see the doctor, too gonk Perhaps if he was braver, Xiao Huo would be able to find something to look forward to about this ordeal - exploring a Gaian doctor's office again? How was it different from those of the Golden World? - but wailing and trying to kick Kumoru until he put him down seemed like a more urgent task for the moment.
Courses in battle-magic at the Tower of Wings had helped Kumoru develop an uncanny concentration, but it was still far from easy to converse with the receptionist with a flailing boy in his arms. She seemed to have seen it all before, and attempted to calm him by promising lollipops and stickers if he was good for the doctor, but Kumoru was not convinced the young Porcelain had any idea what she was talking about.
Fortunately, she promised him that the wait would be short, and sure enough, the mage had barely enough time to sit down and set Xiao Huo on his feet (where he immediately sat down and made himself difficult to lift again) before they called him back to the exam room.
This was the second time in under two weeks Xiao Huo had been subject to this torture and injustice! He flopped back onto the carpet when Kumoru tried to lift him again, and pretended he was a sticky jelly-side-down toast on the floor in hopes of deterring any attempts to move him.
Last time the doctor poked him with needles, which had never happened to him in the Golden World gonk The only reason he had ever gone to the doctor with his Mommy was because she always promised that, even if the doctor was scary, he was only there to help Xiao Huo, and would never ever hurt him.
"He's just got a cold this time, I think," Kumoru explained to the nurse has he peeled Xiao Huo up off of the floor. "He's been sneezing and his nose is all runny-"
"Come on," he told the boy sharply, starting to lose his patience. Bhel was stubborn, as well, but at least he was not quite so... flexible. "The more you behave, the sooner we both can leave, I promise. Now get up and walk and quit whining."
Still projecting fear and sullen worry, Xiao Huo allowed the mage to herd him down the hallway to the exam room. He fidgeted and whined as the nurse took his temperature, but as soon as she left, leaving him alone with Kumoru in the exam room, he slipped down from the table and clung worriedly to the Sorcerer's legs.
If Kumoru smuggled him out now, Xiao Huo would do... something good for him? crying
Kumoru sighed a little and handed the child one of his dolls, then ruffled his hair. "They won't need to test you for allergies this time, so it won't be as scary this time, I promise."
Xiao Huo did not seem convinced, so the mage distracted him with some simple cantrips for about twenty minutes until the doctor came in.
When the door into the little room opened, the boy promptly retreated behind Kumoru's chair in the corner and tried to be very quiet. Kumoru stood and moved the chair, and Xiao Huo settled instead for clinging to his legs. The doctor assured him that there would be no needles this time, which seemed to ease the boy's terror somewhat, but it still took the promise of an extra lollipop before the Porcelain let the doctor touch him without wailing.
Kumoru offered to hold his hand, as well, but Xiao Huo insisted that it would not work because Kumoru was not Mommy.
The mage apologized for the boy's behavior, explaining to the doctor that he had come here alone from another world, and because he could not speak, his fears along with his allergy were mysteries until just recently. Fortunately, children from other universes being dropped off randomly on doorsteps was a common occurrence in Gaia, and this clinic in particular seemed to see a lot of the little ones of all shapes and sizes.
The doctor told Xiao Huo he had a "cold" (which was silly - he didn't feel cold!), and gave Kumoru a paper with names of medicines to take. And then he gave the Porcelain both of his lollipops, which he accepted with great relief. Sensing that he had little else to worry about, the boy resumed clinging to Kumoru and insisted as he slurped on his candy that they should leave right now.
At the reception desk again, Kumoru made arrangements for a follow-up appointment... as quietly as possible. Fortunately, his Porcelain seemed sufficiently distracted by the candy. And the woman in charge of appointments assured him that he could always cancel if little Xiao Huo seemed better with no problems in a week.
Kumoru swore that he would do whatever was necessary to cure the boy's sickness at home, so that none of them had to deal with him again anytime soon.
When it was time to leave, Xiao Huo was the one pushing Kumoru out the door. Definitely one adventure he did not wish to have again gonk
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Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 12:38 pm
Kouyo bristled and glanced back over his shoulder as he heard Kumoru murmuring from the doorway of the storage room. The priest was both surprised and relieved to see that the necromancer had brought Xiao Huo with him, though, and was urging the child to join him.
Xiao Huo glanced warily at Kouyo, clutching his dolls in one hand and the human's sleeve in the other. He sniffled a little and projected a quiet, shy fear.
"I wanted to surprise you with him," Kumoru told the older Porcelain with a faint smile. "But...." he trailed off, glancing down at the boy, then up at Kouyo again. Then he gestured subtly for Kouyo to remove his mask.
"This little guy has been to the doctor a few too many times recently, and I think you worry him a little with the mask on." He crouched beside Xiao Huo, watching the priest as he rested one hand gently on the child's shoulder.
After placing the books he had been holding back into their proper cardboard box, the High Priest took his mask off and immediately held a sleeve to his face in anticipation of a sneeze. Fortunately, it did not come; the storage room was worlds cleaner than it had been when Kouyo had started his work there, and he probably no longer really needed to wear the mask.
Turning back to face the doorway, and trying to suppress panic at the necromancer standing in it, he carefully knelt on the concrete and focused on privately encouraging Xiao Huo to join him.
Somewhat reassured, Xiao Huo toddled closer to the High Priest, glanced back at Kumoru, and then climbed over a few boxes to cling to Kouyo.
Smiling gently, the priest sent reassuring and friendly feelings to the child - Setsushi's suggestion that Kouyo eventually take in children of his own to raise into good, kind priests was one that he found he liked. However...
"Why so often to the doctor?" he asked, looking back up at Kumoru with far more concern for Xiao Huo than suspicion for the human.
"We found out he has an allergy to milk," the necromancer told Kouyo, stepping into the storage room. He leaned one shoulder against one of the shelves and pulled his reading glasses down his nose a bit to see better over them.
"I imagine his parents must have known and were doing something about it before he came here, too, because the little one is terrified of doctors." His tone was dispassionate, but there was a slight crease in his brow that betrayed his sympathy for the boy.
Xiao Huo gave off a worried feeling, not fully understanding what the adults were talking about, but having a good idea. He looked thinner than he had when he arrived, likely from how he had tried to avoid eating as much as possible for fear of being taken to the doctor when he found something that really upset his tummy.
The little explorer had also been sick recently, too. And missing his new big brother Jilan. One of Xiao Huo's dolls slipped from his arms as he reached up to wipe his still-slightly-runny nose on his sleeve.
"He is alright now, yes?" Kouyo leaned around Xiao Huo, to pick up his dropped toy.
Kumoru nodded. "I have medication for him to take now, which he absolutely hates, but I think he'll take the pills if it means he does not have to see the doctor again. And they also gave me a list of foods he should stay away from, and things he should be careful eating, if you want to take a copy of that to keep at Setsushi's house for him."
The priest nodded, projecting his thanks that Kumoru had been taking care of the child. "How long may he stay with us?" he inquired, feeling perhaps a bit upset that he had to be asking the human.
Crossing his arms, the mage glanced upwards and considered for a moment. Then he replied, "As long as you like for now, I guess." He shrugged a little. "With Jilan gone in the Silver World, he has seemed kind of lonely. He still goes out with Lucretia and seems to have a blast pretending he's a Sorcerer or whatever goes through his little imagination, but I think he really wants to be around other Porcelain."
Xiao Huo wanted Mommy, he clarified. And Daddy, of course. And... maybe even his great-aunt, too, at this point. He took his doll back from Kouyo and bowed a little, thanking him clumsily but politely.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Kumoru's mouth, then faded as he fixed Kouyo with his stern blue gaze. "Well, High Priest Kouyo is ready to help you get back to your parents now, so you don't need to worry," he told the boy, the gentleness of his voice not matching his eyes at all.
Kouyo fidgeted under Kumoru's stare and glanced away from him, instead opting to focus his attention on the Porcelain child. "Ready to do whatever my people need of me," he replied, and did his best to project a feeling of comfort and stability, to show Xiao Huo that he truly meant it.
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