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 Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:16 am
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 12:21 am
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:01 pm
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Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 6:02 pm
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 7:56 pm
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Posted: Fri Mar 13, 2009 8:00 pm
Ako ran into the shop ahead of Akram and her mother, radiating glee and excitement. She paused for a moment just inside to look around and take everything in, then headed straight for a set of bins filled with all manner of plain plastic animals, right next to the ones with the wind-up toys.
Just one, Chourou gently reminded her daughter with a laugh as she followed Akram inside. Then she told the girl that she would be just a little bit down the next aisle, and not to leave the store without her.
The merchant prince stepped down the aisle of models with the Porcelain Knight following, scanning them over.
"Any idea what your other daughter might like?" he asked, figuring that the answer would include neither tanks nor warplanes and moving past those.
The Knight of Bukoku concealed the fact that she did not really know for sure, and joined the human man in studying the ones on the shelves. Perhaps she would have been able to make a better guess at what Uki liked if the choices were things of the Golden World, but, confronted by so many Gaian vehicles and objects, Chourou was really at a loss.
"What sorts of things do Gaian girls like?" she inquired after a moment, figuring she could at least try to make conversation while she considered the numerous models.
"Usually little houses for dolls," Akram began, trying hard to remember what his younger sisters played with. "Cute little... how do you call them, plush animals. Puzzles, maybe. Or needlepoint pictures." He pointed to indicate that they should perhaps move to the next aisle over. "Puzzles are on sale today, as well...."
Kouyo looked up from where he crouched, pawing through the puzzles, as a large human with a red cloth hat brushed past him, and cowered slightly, surprised by his size.
... And then the priest gave off a sheepish feeling as Dame Chourou passed him as well. He offered polite greetings nonetheless, and stood, clutching the puzzles he planned to purchase to his chest.
"Oh, hello, little bird Kouyo," the Knight exclaimed, giving off a feeling of pleasant surprise. She noted the boxes in his arms, and projected curiosity but not judgment. "I am here for toys for my daughters, so they do not get bored here in Gaia." Has Kouyo found anything interesting?
Also, "This is Master Akram," she told him, indicating the human, who smiled briefly. She then turned to Akram and gestured to Kouyo, introducing him as well.
Glancing up at the tall human, Kouyo offered polite greetings and a small shy smile in reply.
The priest admitted that he had not been in the store very long, but tells Dame that he found puzzles enjoyable, and was excited to see that there were three-dimensional ones. All of them were apparently famous Gaian buildings; Kouyo handed one of the ones he held to Chourou to examine.
"You like puzzles and models, as well, Kouyo?" Akram inquired, glancing over Chourou's shoulder to look at the one he had given her. "I have made a few models, myself. Since I am buying toys for the girls, as well, I can also get you something, if you would like?"
"Master is too generous," Kouyo respectfully insisted as the human moved back into the aisle of models to scan the shelves. ... He was being treated like a child? The priest tried to keep his embarrassment hidden.
But, um, yes, he did enjoy building models. It was a good way to pass time up in his tower, and now he had less time to fill, but he still required some way to fill it.
Smiling faintly, Chourou returned the box to Kouyo, then poked about at the others on the shelf. She assured the priest that she thought the Gaian puzzles and models looked quite entertaining to her, as well, and did not think him childish. There were other Gaian adults shopping here now, as well, yes? She would be most interested in seeing the High Priest's completed work when all of his puzzles are built.
... Ah, 'Hanging Gardens' sounded like something Uki would hopefully enjoy. It had no real plants, but Chourou thought the building looked interesting. The Knight picked the box up off of the shelf, turning it over in her hands to look at the pictures on the back.
Ako rejoined her mother, then, beaming happily as she showed off the colorful plastic bird she had selected. Look at how many different colors it had on its wings! The girl made a little soft whooshing sound, turning in a circle to let the toy fly around a little.
Then she made it land on Kouyo's wrist, and grinned up at him.
The priest smiled back at the girl and held his hand steady for her bird.
Dame and her daughter were lovely. Kouyo had nearly forgotten his worry at shopping with them around. Both would be welcome to join him sometime, perhaps to help him build his puzzle buildings? Dame Chourou's other daughter as well, and her husband. ... And also Akram. He was quite pleased to meet her family's human friend.
"Here, if you are going to be in Gaia building models, you should have one of these," Akram told Kouyo, holding out a box labeled "1937 Ford" and featuring a picture of a car. "And all the pieces are blank, so you can paint it your favorite color."
Ako's bird flew back to Mommy when Akram returned, because it was still kind of shy around the big human.
... Chourou had to admit that she rather liked the look of the car. Why had she not yet seen one like that driving about in Gaia?
"They do not make them anymore," the merchant explained, sounding perhaps a touch disappointed. Then he turned back to Kouyo and told him, "Tell me when you are ready to start building your car, and I will help you buy paints for it."
Kouyo nodded slowly, glancing wide-eyed between the tall human and the box he had just given him. Then he bowed deeply in thanks. "I will be sure to summon you, Master Akram."
"I think I will pick another model for myself as well, and then I will be finished shopping," the High Priest then told the others. He had seen some interesting wooden ones earlier that he wanted to take another look at. "If, um" - he squirmed a bit at the thought of having so much company - "You would like to join me for a few more minutes?"
Little red and blue and green birdy was getting hungry~
The Knight of Bukoku rested a hand on top of Ako's head, gently assuring her that they were nearly done shopping and could get some dinner at home as she told Kouyo, "Certainly."
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:44 pm
Ako clung to the railing as she made her way down the steps. They were bigger than steps back home, so she had more trouble than usual with them, but the operation of the moving-room in the apartment building escaped her, and she was definitely too short to reach those buttons anyway. And so the stairs were her best bet.
Behind her, the door to her family's apartment was slightly open. Mommy was home but resting, and so Ako would have to remember not to leave for too long.
The tiny girl just wanted to look around a little.
Steps thundered on the stairs above her, and Ako huddled against the wall, giving off a fearful cowering feeling as one of the other humans who lived in the building rushed past her carrying a backpack. When the student was past, and the door at the bottom had opened and clicked shut, the girl resumed her journey down the stairs, until finally she found herself at the foot of the stairwell... facing a large door with a handle far over her head.
With a frown, Ako stood on tip-toes and reached up with both hands, trying to grasp the bar to push it in and open the door. She could feel it with her fingertips, but....
One of the doors some floors up opened, letting a pair of loud voices into the stairwell. The pair of humans also journeyed downwards, and Ako tried to hide again when they reached the bottom. One of the human girls, however, noticed her, and said something and smiled, but Ako shut her eyes and held very still, and the humans left her alone.
As soon as they were gone, Ako rushed at the door to catch it before it closed all the way, and, with some effort, shoved it back open so she could let herself out.
The Porcelain found herself in the entry space of the apartment. The door-watcher-person was behind his desk and watching Ako, which made her a little nervous, so she edged over towards the room full of little doors instead.
She had made attempts in the past to open some of the little doors she could reach (there were things behind some of those doors!), but had not yet had success. Ako figured she could try again now, at least for a little while. She had no particular goal in mind for her exploration, really... though she sort of wished she could go outside. That might be too far, though, and she did not want Mommy to get mad at her for going outside while she was resting.
The girl made a face as she concentrated, grasping the knobs of some of the little doors and twisting them at random. Things were written on the knobs, but she could not read them. It had to be the key to opening the little doors, but she hoped that perhaps she would get lucky.
Ako got frustrated after a few minutes, though, and pouted as she turned away from the wall of small doors.
And that was when she noticed Master Akram's creature watching her.
Eyes going wide, the girl huddled against the doors, and tried to ignore where the little knobs poked her. The creature was still looking at her, though, and seemed to be in no hurry to leave like the humans had been.
Ako projected go away feelings at the creature, gently but worriedly, like she was afraid of making him angry. He was not as big as a human, but he looked very different (Master Akram at least looked sort of like a Porcelain, even if he had a beak) and he also did not talk or make noise at all. He just watched Ako from under his heavy-lidded eyes.
Apparently he misunderstood the tiny girl, too, because after a moment, the beast padded into the room with the doors, straight towards her. Ako shied away into the corner, whimpering and growing more insistent in her efforts to get the creature to leave her alone. But, without a care in the world, it walked straight up to her and sniffed.
She could feel its breath on her face and in her hair, even as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly and shrank away, trying to get as small as possible. He touched her with his nose, too, which was fuzzy but still scary. When the monster stopped his scrutiny, Ako remained curled away from him for a few more minutes before she ventured to open an eye.
The creature was still waiting there, boredly watching her.
... He had not eaten her, at least.
After a few more moments, Ako very slowly and very cautiously stretched her hand out towards the creature. Maybe he was her friend now that she had let him smell her? Ako half-wondered if she was now supposed to smell him back. But he seemed content enough with her offered hand, and put his long fuzzy nose against it.
Wide-eyed and shaking, Ako rubbed his nose.
The creature blinked, then leaned towards her.
With a tiny squeal, the Porcelain tried to get away, but was already backed up against the wall. Fortunately, the monster did not seem to be going for her - instead, he leaned down on his front knees. Then he settled back with his hind legs folded under, too.
... He was more Ako's size that way. Warily, she reached out to pet his nose again, and he closed his eyes and made a quiet sound somewhere in his throat.
Nothing she had seen in the Golden World remotely resembled this creature. There were things that walked on four legs, but that was about it. Nothing with a hump on its back like Akram's pet whatever. Or such a silly face.
He was kind of silly-looking overall, Ako observed. And a smile tugged a little at the corner of her mouth. She stepped away from the wall to walk in a slow circle around the sitting beast to get a good look at him. Then she touched him on the shoulder, burying her fingers in his fur; it was kind of wiry, but still fairly soft.
At her touch, the animal looked back at her and huffed a sigh. Ako froze, but kept her hand on him. Did he mind? Maybe he even enjoyed it? When he was no longer looking at her, she experimentally started scratching his shoulder. He sighed again and craned his neck around, as though trying to nuzzle Ako again, but of course could not quite reach her where she was standing.
The Porcelain glanced between his body and his head, then settled for attempting to scratch behind his ears instead. She had no animals at home like Akram did, but touching soft fur seemed like a good enough idea, especially since the creature seemed to like it. His heavy tired-looking eyes slid closed and he leaned his head against Ako's hand a little. Maybe he was not so scary.
She pet him a moment longer, then hesitantly sniffed at him to see what he would do. The animal watched her, but of course did not say anything, nor did he move. So, Ako went ahead to do her part to make friends, sniffing the creature until she got a loose hair up her little nose and sneezed....
Akram had brought Dagan over to the apartment to help run some errands, but could not find the camel when he stepped out of the stairwell. The miniature camel had just been in the lobby not five minutes before.
And then he thought he heard the tiniest of sneezes from the mail room, and felt a little happy feeling through the air like the odd emotional projections of one of his Porcelain.
The concierge pointed towards the mail-room when Akram glanced at him, and the merchant strode over see the tiny Porcelain girl Ako, all by herself... hugging his camel.
Laughing, the young man carefully gathered her up in his arms. "You should be upstairs, I'd imagine, not down here all by yourself."
Ako projected surprise as Akram lifted her up, and she struggled a moment before deciding to hold still instead. He did not look angry, but it was hard to tell because he did not talk like Porcelain did. As soon as she saw him push the button on the moving-room door, though, the girl knew she was being returned to her home.
She twisted around in Akram's arms and hurriedly waved to the merchant's pet - hopefully she could pet him again sometime because he was very nice and not quite scary, just big.
Pain ran through the human's body as the girl bade her farewells to Dagan, but his smile did not falter. When the elevator came, Akram set Ako down on her feet, instead holding her hand, and led her on board to take her home.
"Maybe next time when I am not so busy, you can ride on Dagan's back a little," he suggested as he felt sadness from Ako when the elevator doors closed. No one had ever ridden the camel before, but then that was because most humans were too big. But... if Dagan did not mind the little Porcelain girl petting him, then perhaps he would not mind being a ride, either, if it would entertain the tiny girl.
... Ako had no idea what Akram was saying, but she nodded anyway, her pigtail bobbing a little. At least if he was taking her home this way, she would not have to worry about figuring out how she was going to open the heavy stairwell door again.
She beamed up at Akram and projected her thanks.
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 11:39 pm
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 8:31 am
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Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:16 am
Chourou let herself back into the apartment and headed straight for the shower, herding Ako along with her. The Knight was pleasantly filthy and exhausted, not minding too much about the dirt she and her daughter were inevitably tracking across the carpet. She could always clean it up later....
The Knight's daughter gave off a pleased feeling as well, perhaps because she was much dirtier than her mother. Chourou had managed to get most of the potting soil off of the tiny girl's hair and clothes, but Ako was still quite dirty up to her elbows, and had some dirt smudged across her face as well.
Mommy was not happy about all the dirt, but it was bath time now anyway, so everything would be all better soon, she figured.
... The day had been a success overall, at least.
The Lady of Bukoku shut the door behind her once she and Ako were both in the bathroom, and then lifted the girl and put her into the tub even before she was undressed. In the private space, a smile started to form on her lips, and Chourou let it slip to her daughter that she was not really angry at all that she had made a mess of herself - just as long as she did not do so again.
Now, Ako should take off her clothes in the tub so if any dirt falls off, she can just rinse it down the drain. Leaving the girl to that task, her mother starts to take the ornaments from her hair, and tosses her head a little once her hair is all loose.
Chourou's daily wanderings had taken her today to a gardening center a bit of a walk from the apartment, but the journey had been a pleasant one. And when she had arrived, the Dragon Knight had been fortunate enough to find that they were looking for strong pairs of arms to help out.
And, well, while they were showing her around....
Ako had done just as Mommy had asked - she had stayed put in the greenhouse, looked around only a little, and not done anything wrong.
Of course not. She appreciated that Ako had been trying to help put the dirt back into the pot that had fallen over. Ako was very sweet and helpful.
The little girl beamed as her mother stepped into the tub to join her.
Chourou worked on undressing as well, shaking out each article of clothing a little before piling her things with Ako's outside the tub.
She was so thankful that there were machines that would wash clothes in the apartment building. They required Gaian coins, but they were quite easy to operate. Not that the Knight had forgotten how to take care of her own things but... there were so many things in Gaia that just made life much easier.
After drawing the curtain across the tub, Chourou told Ako she could be helpful now by turning on the water, and then joined the girl in watching the mud wash off of them both and down the drain.
Ako fell quiet as her mother offered her the shampoo. After she had started working on scrubbing her hair by herself like a big girl, she wondered if she would be going with Mommy to work here in Gaia now, too?
She had followed Chourou nearly everywhere she could for as long as she could remember. Obviously Ako had never seen a battlefield, but she had tolerated numerous boring planning meetings and such with great patience for a child her age. She loved her mommy, of course, so if Chourou told her to be quiet and play for a little while, Ako did it.
The Knight was silent for a moment while she thought, and worked on lathering up her own much longer hair.
Though the Gaian workers had assured her that they were not at all upset with Ako's little adventure with the toppled potted tree - apparently the person who had been directed to clean it up had forgotten or been distracted by some other more immediate task - the Lady of Bukoku had gotten the distinct impression that Gaian children did not often accompany their mothers to work. There was certainly no danger involved in what Chourou was now employed to do - strained muscles, perhaps, but nothing like the dangers of battle.
The thought of leaving the girl at home all the time troubled Chourou, though. Ako had made her wish that she had never done so with Uki.... The woman sighed a little and finally told her younger daughter that perhaps she could stay at home with Daddy while she was at work? Maybe just for the first few days.
On the other hand, at least, Chourou could walk to and from the garden center daily. She could spend every night at home with her family. This job did not mean leaving any of them for weeks, months on end.
Ako stuck her head into the stream of water from the shower-head, and sputtered as she rinsed the soap from her hair. A faintly troubled feeling drifted from the girl as she then turned to peer up at her mother. Stay at home with Daddy and Uki? Not that she did not like them... she just did not know them and love them quite as well as Mommy....
But if that was what Mommy wanted, she would do it.
Chourou had selected soap that had a smell that reminded her a little of the fragrant flowers of home; she took one of the washing cloths from where the four of them were draped over the shower curtain bar, and handed that and the soap to Ako.
... Well, things would be different here, because this was Gaia and not home. Everyone would have to learn to adjust. The Dragon Knight kept her doubts to herself, and showed the tiny girl only her confidence and encouragement. This would be Ako's chance to get to know Daddy and Uki better, right? And Mommy would be home every night, so Ako would see her, too, of course.
The girl nodded slowly, and squeezed out perhaps too big a blob of soap onto her washing cloth.
Ako will try then....
Kneeling down, Chourou turned Ako to face her and smiled. She will be sure to bring presents home for everyone when she can. How did that sound?
The uncertainty and disappointment faded from the girl's face, and she smiled back a little. That sounded fine.
... So now the dirt should disappear from Ako's face, too, so she would not look like a potted plant when her father saw her. Chourou took the cloth from her daughter's hands and started to work on gently scrubbing the last of the soil smudges away.
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Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 9:47 pm
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