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 Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2010 9:41 pm
In the center of her spell, Katia sat, waiting, expectant. The room around her was dark, and a pink unicorn blanket had been stuffed under the door to prevent her father from noticing. He didn't need to know, she thought, gripping the paper in her hands. Not until it worked.
But she had said the final words of the spell almost an hour ago, and still nothing had happened. Tears welled up in her pale blue eyes as she recognized failure, her small hands shaking. The droplets fell on the paper, which she dropped angrily to the floor, and kicked across the room in her hurry to throw herself on the bed.
It wasn't fair! The book had said it would work. It had said she could have her mommy back!
But the book had lied. She sobbed silently into her pillow, knowing that if her father heard, he would come and investigate. And now, so soon after failure, was not a time that Katia wanted visitors.
Eventually, the small girl cried herself to sleep.
Viktor had been confused when he entered her room, the door resisting his efforts to open it. Something was blocking it from pushing inward; a pink something, he realized upon inspection. A pink something with a large unicorn on it. At first, he thought that perhaps something had happened to Katia, and forced the door open. Once inside, he realized that she had merely thrown the blanket off the bed.
Smiling softly, he carried it over and lay it on top of her, kissing her small forehead, and opening the window a crack. Katia much preferred fresh air while she was sleeping, and Viktor was happy to oblige.
Quietly, and assured that his little girl was safe, Viktor slipped out of the room.
Katia slept soundly through the night, despite dreams of her mother running from her. When morning light hit her eyes, she woke with a jolt, clutching the blankets. Shaking, she looked around, acknowledged that it had been a dream, and lay back down again. It was here that she waited, silent, until her father woke her for homeschool.
For a man so concerned about his daughter, Viktor took no notice of her sullen mood. He was distracted, about something, but Katia didn't know what. Still distressed, she threw herself into her work, hardly noticing when her father left the room to answer the phone.
She also didn't notice the small black form that crept up where her father had last sat. She, in fact, didn't notice until it had moved so close it's little black nose was nearly touching her forehead.
Katia let out a shrill shriek, dropping her pencil and flying backward out of her hair. The creature did the same, throwing it's hands over it's head and jittering "Ja, Ja!!!" over and over again. Katia screamed again as it tried to hop toward her, and as she heard her father coming, promptly burst into tears.
"Katia!!" Viktor's eyes widened when he saw her on the floor, hurrying to scoop her up into his arms. She sobbed, telling him animatedly about the shadow-man, pointing at the table...But when Viktor looked, nobody was there. Katia assured him that there had been, and he smiled, nodded, and suggested that she skip today's lesson.
He didn't believe her.
Katia's little face worked itself into a scowl, but she slid off of her fathers' knee and walked to the door, wiping away her eyes. Perhaps her father didn't believe her, but she knew what she had seen.
And it was not the last time she spotted the creature. Through the house, for at least a week, the little creature seemed to be following her. Once, when she had walked around the corner and into it, it had shouted a very shrill "JA!" and disappeared.
The disappearing act was what caught Katia's attention. There was no way that anyone, any normal creature, could disappear like that. His appearance itself (For she had decided it was a he) already gave the suspicion that he wasn't human merit.
He had not only caught Katia's attention, but her curiosity. She needed to find out what he was.
She took to wandering the halls aimlessly, in hopes of another appearance by her strange shadow, though none came. In fact, it was near a whole week later that the shadow finally showed himself again.
He hid in the far end of the hall, keeping his distance from Katia, and stepping back as she stepped forward. Eventually, however, he ran out of room, and was forced to stay put as she advanced on him.
He shook against the wall, obviously considering escape again, and squeaked as Katia's nose nearly touched his own. He was still, painfully so, for a few seconds...
And then Katia stuck her hand in his stomach.
He squealed with tittering laughter, and squirmed around her. She gasped, then burst out laughing as well.
In the strange way that sniffing another dog's butt could tell a canine friend or foe, Katia had just made a friend through a laugh.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:05 pm
"Papa! Papa, look!" Lugging Luka, as she had named the Shadow, after her, Katia Kovak was struggling up the stairs. Luka was offering very little help, and instead seemed rather content to let the little girl drag him.
"Papa!" She called, panting as she reached the top, stopping on the landing. Luka's wings gave a little flutter and he hovered into the air, hanging by Katia's ear as she stared furiously at her father's closed oak office door.
"He's locked it. And he's on the phone." She said with a frown, pressing her ear against the door. Her father sounded like he was in a good mood; he was laughing, which was strange. He must not have been working. But then, who was he talking to?
She looked at Luka, who had his head cocked to the side, green eyes focused on Katia.
"Ja? Ja, lu." He nudged her, leaning on her. She gasped as he let himself drop, catching him. To an adult, he would be light as anything. But to tiny Katia, he weighed a metric ton.
"Luka, no. We need to show you to Papa." She frowned. How could she possibly get her father off of the phone?
When the answer came to her, she was rather shocked that it had taken her that long. Smiling, she hopped down the stairs, waiting until the last landing and the last four steps before stopping. Then, with a breath, she shrieked; and proceeded to throw herself down them.
She landed at the bottom in a heap, shoulders smarting and tears stinging her eyes. She sniffed, lip wobbling. That had hurt more than she'd thought it would. But, it worked. Her father was pounding down the stairs, eyes wide, hands outstretched.
"Katia!!" His deep voice rang through the echoey house, and he scooped her into strong arms, cradling her close. "Katia, doll, what did you think you were doing? Did you fall? My doll, are you hurt?" He fussed over her, and she quietly let him inspect every inch of her pale skin. He found one bruise on her shoulder, but nothing was broken, though it took a bit for her father to stop insisting that she needed to go to the hospital.
"Papa, I only tripped, and screamed because I was frightened." She said, dusting her knees off when she was finally set back down.
"I am sorry, Katia. I should have been-"
Katia tossed her father her most charming smile, and took his hand. "It is okay Papa. I was just clumsy."
Viktor stared guiltily down at his daughter, who smiled reassuringly, and then blinked, eyes brightening as if she remembered something. She was staring across the room, at something on the small couch. He blinked, and followed her gaze.
A little black creature was sitting, watching them.
With a roar, Viktor settled himself in front of Katia.
"What IS that?!" He demanded, watching as the little creature began to quiver.
"Oh, Papa, don't yell, you'll frighten him!!" Katia ducked through her father's legs and ran to Luka, clambering up beside him and wrapping her arms around him protectively. "Luie Luka, don't cry! Don't cry. Papa is just loud, that's all. Papa, say you're sorry." She demanded, looking over at him.
Viktor, to say the least, was bewildered.
"I...am sorry?" He didn't understand what was going on. But, he did know one thing. He didn't want that creature near his Katia! But, she was not budging, no matter how he tugged on her. And he wasn't about to drag her away! No, he couldn't risk hurting her himself. He would never be able to live with that!!
"Can I keep him, Papa? He's just a baby. I think he's lost." She said, stroking the things' little black head. It seemed to like it, because it chirruped, cuddling into her.
It seemed harmless...
"I...don't know, Katia..." He said, trailing off.
"Oh, Papa, please!!" Her lip trembled, and he saw tears sparkling behind their sterling blue. "Please, I don't want him to be alone. He's very afraid, papa. He's only little. Just like me. If I were alone, wouldn't you want somone to watch me? Please?"
That was all Viktor needed. Wrapped around her finger as he was, he sighed, and conceded his defeat.
"I suppose...you may keep him."
"Yay! Luka, you're allowed to stay!" She flung her arms around the little shadow, who chirped again, surprized. Then, she slid down, ran to her father, and hugged him as well. Chuckling, Viktor hugged her back, still quite wary of the shadow.
He may have let her keep it, but he didn't trust it. Not one bit.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:23 pm
"Why is my living room covered in flour and bacon bits?"Against his better judgement, Viktor Kovak was currently sitting on the top floor of his company building, behind a desk that was too small for him, quite at work and far from Katia.
He didn't like it one bit.
Drumming his pen against the table, he looked habitually from the window, to the picture of his daughter on his desk. What if something went wrong? He should never have left her alone. He should have gotten her another nanny, if anything. But, Katia had refused all nannies, demanding that they be Kali or no one at all. And Viktor had hardly the time to ship his niece in from Aekea, especially if he was only coming to the office for less than an hour. Katia was a bright girl, he assured himself, and could take care of herself.
So why, when he said this to himself just about every minute, was he still worried? And why was his assistant still talking to him?
"There's been unrest in one of the factories sir, and we think it would be best if you made your speech..."
Ah, yes, the speech. His speech to appease the working masses, assure them that he would not cut pay or fire them. Which, he thought, he wouldn't. He wished they believed him more often. He also wished the idiot managers he hired for the factories would stop being so cruel to the workers. He could only fire so many before people started to not want to work for him.
"Yes, of course, Markham." He cut his assistant off, standing up from the cramped desk. "Why not right now? We can broadcast it and give the workers a well deserved break. And perhaps a holiday to sweeten the message."
"But, sir-"
"Have you ever worked in a factory, Markham?" Viktor asked, looking over at his assistant. The small man scoffed, as if it were a profession he would be ashamed of.
"A factory? No, sir. I am an educated man."
"Well I have." He said coldly. "I have worked in one, and I know what it is like to be hot, sweaty, tired, and yet still yelled at by your superiors. A holiday will do, I think, and a boost in benefits."
Markham muttered something about bankruptcy, but Viktor ignored him, waiting impatiently for the video feed to be set up.
When his message was delivered, the workers cheered. He smiled softly and thanked them, wished them well, and assured them that things would not change. Then, he signed off, grabbed his coat, and hurried out without telling Markham. That man could use some stress in his life, he scowled. An educated man. And what was he, then? A neandrethal?
Even if he was, he snorted, getting into his car. He was a neandrethal that happened to be that idiot's boss.
He probably broke a few speeding laws getting home, but the feeling of relief he felt when he pulled into the drive was worth it. He stuffed his keys in his pocket and hurried to the door, throwing it open.
"Katia, doll! I am home!" He threw his coat on the chair beside the door and stepped further inside. His nose tickled, and he sneezed. Katia did not respond.
"...Katia?" His call was cautious now as he stepped into the room, tense, and ready to strike.
"Uh...in...in here, Daddy!" Her guilty voice came from behind him, and he turned.
He was met with a wall of white. White? He had been sure that his living room had been decorated with mahogany and deep green. Not...white...
"Katia?" He thundered. "What is this?!"
He stepped in the room, dust clouding at his feet, making him sneeze again as it rose into the air. Across the room, a figure of pure black stood out against the white mess, chirruping cheerily as it spotted him.
"Ja! Ja lu!" Luka cooed, waving the bulk bag of flower that he clasped in his hands. Well...most of an empty bag. The rest of it was clutched in the flour-covered hands of Katia, who seemed a ghost in the 'snow'.
She laughed nervously, kicking at the flour by her feet, beaming at her father.
"Hehe...Hello papa!" She stuffed the piece of empty bag behind her back. "I, um...I had an accident."
"JA!" Luka seemed to be giggling, fluttering about the room and waving the sack. Katia shot him a look filled with venom, and her father looked around. There were spots of brown, he noticed, among the flour.
"What happened?" He asked, at a complete loss.
"I, um...we tried to make cookies. And supper. And..."
"JAJAJA!" Luka zipped around the room, faster.
"And he ate some cookie dough!" She spoke loudly, over the repetitive 'JA's of her newest companion. "I don't know what happened!!"
"I should never have left." Viktor groaned, then sulkily set about cleaning his living room. He made a mental note to keep all sweets away from this thing in the future...
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:24 pm
"Remote fight! Ready, GO!"It took Viktor more than a while to clear his living room of the mess that the little Shadow had so joyfully created. And when he did, he banned it from entering. Then, posessively, he set up camp on the couch. Remote in hand, Viktor ruled the living room with an iron fist. If Luka wanted in the kitchen, he barred the way until the little shadow travelled in his strange way around him and into the kitchen. Katia was not at all pleased.
"Papa, it was an accident!"
"Not in my living room." He growled, insistant on his new rule. Scowling, she stomped past him, joining her little shadow in trying to reach the cheesy poofs. They had long ago learned to stock them up.
Little did Viktor know, he was about to learn another lesson.
It happened on a Thursday, when Viktor had dared fall asleep on the couch. Katia was napping as well, and Luka...well, Luka was bored.
And that was never a good thing.
Standing at the edge of territory that should have been his, Luka stared at Viktor, the tense silence punctuated by his bear-like snores. Green eyes were fixed in a serious expression, and had he posessed a mouth, it would have been a grim line.
Vengeance must be had, the little shadow knew. He was going to take back his territory...one piece at a time.
And he decided that he would start with the most important part.
Approaching the couch on tip toe, he examined it, wondering how he could possibly store THAT in his stomach. Of course, after a while, he realized that he couldn't, and settled for the second most important part of the living room.
The remote.
Viktor clutched it in one bear-paw, on his thick chest. Luka fluttered up to the back of the couch and stared, wondering how he could possibly get it without disturbing the man. He scurried along the edge of the back, wondering and pondering, until Viktor gave an enormous snort. With a squeak, Luka melted and reappeared at the door, staring with wide, frightened eyes. Was the hulking mass awake?
No. No it was not. It had simply rolled over.
Shivering, he tiptoed into the room again and peeked at Viktor once more. The bear paw with the remote hung over the edge of the couch, now, and was far more accessible. Luka supressed a trill of excitement and scurried over, lying beneath the hand and shivering happily. He raised his mouth to Viktor's hand...and sucked it in.
Viktor woke instantly, eyes wide, yelping. When he jerked upright, Luka went with his hand, eyes wide. But he was so light, Viktor hardly noticed him!
Except when he raised his hand to scratch his face. Spotting the shadow, he yelled, and tried to jerk his hand away. All he succeeded in was jerking the shadow around with him.
"Let go!!" He demanded, trying to pry it off. The shadow made obstinate sounds, though, and latched onto his arms with it's suction cup hands.
"Let me go!!"
But Luka was loathe to relinquish his prize. He jerked and sucked, trying to pry Viktor's fingers from the remote. But in the end, the human man was too strong. He pried the shadow off his hand, and the remote, snarling as he dropped him on the couch.
"Ye're in my living room." He hissed, and with a squeal, Luka vanished from the room.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:25 pm
Early this morning, when she had just woken, Katia had gone to the kitchen to find her father deep in thought. When she entered, he turned, smiled, and kindly told her that she would need to spend the day in her room.
Katia didn't understand. And Viktor, in a surly mood, had not bothered to tell her. Frowning, she had tried to search through his office, but he had caught her, and no amount of Luka being in the living room or big blue puppy dog eyes was enough to convince him she should stay out of her room.
Whatever it was, it was important.
She now sat crosslegged on her bed, hands folded in her lap, staring at the door hatefully. Luka fluttered near her head, chirruping questioningly. What was wrong with his host? She seemed very bothered.
"I cannot believe he locked me in my room..." She finally said quietly, and Luka dropped into her lap, snuggling her. She was upset. Cuddles would make her feel better. But as he snuggled, she did not smile, and he shook his head.
"Ja lu?" He cooed, nudging her with his head. Did she want out? Was that all? He flitted from the bed to the door and cooed again; but stopped as Katia held up her hands.
There was a scraping sound on the stairs outside, and down the hall. Like someone was dragging a very heavy trunk, or something. She blinked, and hopped off her bed, running to the door and pressing her ear against it. She couldn't hear any voices...and eventually, the scraping faded away with the bang of a door.
Was that why she was in her room? Because her father didn't want to see something? Well, she thought, he should have known how curious I am.
"...I need to get out of the room." She whispered. Chirruping, Luka was only too happy to comply.
Landing, he melted into the ground, and zipped through to the other side of the door. It was still locked; but that would be easily fixed with a key.
He slipped around the house, green eyes wide and searching for Viktor. He didn't need the big scary man seeing him.
He didn't seem to be home, though, and after a few minutes of tense sneaking Luka decided it would be better to just zip through the house and search. He finally found the key by the back door; but froze as he heard Viktor's voice, swallowing the key and diving into the cupboard. Just in time, too. Viktor opened the door, followed by what appeared to be a red-headed woman.
"I hope you'll be comfortable." He said quietly. "Katia...doesn't know why you're here. I couldn't think of a good enough reason..."
Luka blinked, confused. Who was the red-headed lady? And why was the scary man keeping secrets from his host?
"I'm sure we'll think of a reason." The woman said, smiling. "But...that's all my things. I should probably go unpack."
"Alright." Viktor replied. "Just call me if you need any help."
"I will...Thanks." She smiled at him. Viktor smiled back, kissed her forehead, and watched her as she hurried up the stairs.
Silently, Luka melted into shadows again, appearing at the end of Katia's bed.
"There you are! I was getting worried that Papa had caught you." She scrambled over, sitting on her hands and knees. "Did you get it?"
"Ja, Ja!" Luka chirped, and produced the key from within himself. Katia didn't ask questions, instead she hurried over to the door and pushed the key in. It popped open, and she poked her head out. She could hear her father down in the living room...and noises higher up, in the guest room.
Quietly, she scurried up the stairs. Who was in her house?
Luka was chattering by her ear, variations of Ja, Lu, and chirping that she couldn't understand. Which confused Luka. Didn't she get that he was trying to tell her about the woman?? Clearly not, because she wasn't listening. Luka scowled, and followed, fluttering as usual by her ear.
Katia skipped the third step from the top; the one that usually squeaked, and lay down on the floor. The guest room door was open, slightly, and she wiggled along the floor until she could see inside of it. Someone was humming, and playing some music. They were in the closet, though, so Katia couldn't see them...
"-Ain't that mister mister on the radio, stereo, the way you move ain't fair you know-"
"KALI!!" Katia shrieked gleefully, bouncing from the floor and flying into the room. Her cousin turned around just in time to be tackled around her midriff, nearly toppling her onto the floor. Laughing, the red-head hugged her back, gaining her balance again.
"Katiaaaa! You scared me!"
"When did you get here??" Katia gushed, looking up at her. "Are you here to watch me again?"
Smiling a secretive smile, and a twinkle in her eye, Kali nodded.
"Yeah...I'm here to watch you. Sure."
"Yay!!" She beamed, giggling. "Oh, you have to meet my friend! Luka!"
But the shadow was nowhere to be found. Which was strange. Katia frowned and poked her head back into the hall, and spotted her Shadow's green eyes staring out from beneath the rug.
"Oh, you silly. Come meet Kali. She won't hurt you!" She giggled. Cautiously, Luka emerged, hiding behind Katia as they approached Kali. The older girl had crouched down and was smiling at Luka, not put off at all by his appearance.
"Hello Luka." She said, grinning. "My name is Kali. I have it on good authority that you like cheesy poofs...right?"
At the mention of his favorite food, Luka perked up, clearly interested. Kali produced a small, snack-size bag from a box in the room, and Luka chirruped happily, zipping over and snatching them. He scarfed them down in seconds, before attaching himself to Kali's leg, cooing.
"I think he likes you." Katia giggled.
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:26 pm
"Hey! Get out of there!"“Stop following me! Why can’t you just go with Katia?” Kali turned on the small shadow that was following her up the stairs, eyes wide and begging. Really, he could out-puppy-dog-eye an actual puppy. And Katia, which was a feat to be reckoned with. The shadow let out a low, keening noise, inching closer and rubbing his head on Kali’s leg. He wrapped his little arms around it and pouted up at her. She could just see the imaginary lip wobbling. Could Shadows cry? She really wasn’t sure.
But she really, really hoped not.
Luka whined again and pushed at her leg with his head, mimicking a dog perfectly. She wondered when he’d seen one, or had time to watch it, since they didn’t own one and Viktor was careful to keep all animals away from Katia.
Sighing, she propped one hand on her hip and rubbed her forehead. Luka had followed her out of the house, but she hadn’t noticed until a few minutes ago. Why he wasn’t with Katia, she wasn’t sure. It could have been because Katia was spending the day with Viktor, and that man had scared Luka into not going within ten feet of him if he could help it. But she had told Luka to go home, where Viktor wasn’t, and he had determinedly disobeyed her, hiding in the shadows. He hadn’t actually taken his full form until she entered the apartment complex, and attached himself to her leg.
This was a problem. She needed that leg.
Groaning, she looked down at the Shadow again. Was it just her, or had his eyes gotten BIGGER since she last looked.
“Oh…damn it all.” She muttered, turning and dragging the leg Luka was attached to along with him. He chirruped happily, and zipped into the air, twirling around her head. She swatted him away, wondering how this was going to work. Maybe Cain would entertain him. Or he would find something to occupy himself. Either way, she didn’t want him to be bothering her. Not right now.
Brushing hair out of her face, she looked down at the magic marker number on her arms. Forty five. She looked at the door beside her, and was pleased to see that she was in the right place. Forty one. Their apartment shouldn’t be far.
Luka followed her down the hall, bouncing against the ceiling and giggling. Kali sighed as she stopped outside their door, looking up at him exasperatedly. It was really no use. Her ‘date’ was going to be ruined.
Resigned to her fate, she knocked on the door, really wishing there was some way to stuff that little Shadow into a bag and toss him into a river.
“I’LL GET IT!”
“CHARLIE, GET AWAY FROM THE ******** DOOR!” The yelling was heard quite clearly from the other side of the door just before the redheaded impling boy yanked the door open. He grinned at Kali, fully knowing that he was being a huge s**t by doing so, and tilted his head at her.
“Hi Kali. Lance is busy jerking off right n-” The redhead didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence as a fist slammed into the side of his head, knocking him out of the way. Seconds later, Lance was standing in the doorway, a somewhat forced smile on his face – it was times like these that really made him hate his best friend.
“Come in. Ignore him. He’s a douche.” The Gothic boy jerked his head, gesturing for Kali to come inside. “I’ll lock him in a closet if he keeps it up.” Really, why couldn’t Charlie had gone with Gin? That was where he was SUPPOSED to go. “Did you find the apartment alright?”
Cain suddenly flew over from across the room, tackling Luka with a hug and knocking them both to the floor. He chirped happily and nuzzled at the other Shadow’s cheek, clearly happy to see his best friend. He then proceeded to drag Luka off; there was something that he wanted to show the other shadow.
That was not Lance’s voice. Dreading what she knew was coming, she took half a step away from the door and hoped that it wouldn’t really be someone else…but. No. No, that was Lance, yelling at someone else. And definitely someone else standing in the door.
Kali stared at the overbearing impling that was currently talking to her. She knew who he was; Charlie, Lance’s roommate. But what the HELL was he doing here?
She forced a smile, though her eyes were fixed into a look that would melt iron. He apparently didn’t notice, but even he had to notice a fist to the side of the head. She smiled, slightly smug, watching him slingshot out of the way of the door. He was replaced by a much more welcome sight, though Lance was in some damn serious trouble if he didn’t explain why his idiot room mate hadn’t left.
”Can’t we lock him in the closet now?” She muttered, slipping past Lance. Deliberately close, to show him what his room mate was keeping him from. Serves him right, she thought, pushing her lip out into a slight pout before she looked around. It was surprisingly clean, for being the apartment of two teenaged boys in a band.
“I found it fine. I just had a bit of a problem with Luka. He wanted to come, and I couldn’t get him to go away. I figured Cain could entertain him…though it seems there’s a bigger issue here than a rogue Shadow.” She glared in Charlie’s general direction.
Luka chattered happily and rolled along the floor with Cain, cuddling him for a moment. He went along more than willingly with Cain, chirruping and looking around at all the things he could chew on. Specifically, Kali’s fingers, but she was busy and Cain was gonna show him something super cool.
Lance really wished that Charlie had left. Really, the only thing standing between him and being alone with a really cute girl was his roommate, and the two Shadows, though the latter could entertain themselves enough to be ignored. It didn’t help that Kali was, in a way, punishing him for it. Damn girl and her body; it was his biggest weakness, really.
“Unfortunately, no; I’d need to clear it out first.” He scratched the back of his head, not wanting to actually go look in the closet; that thing held horrors beyond all comparison, honestly. Mostly thanks to Charlie. Everything that was bad in their apartment was because of Charlie. Everything.
“Are you guys gonna ********?” EVERYTHING.
Where Cain ended up bringing Luka was towards the bunk bed, or more specifically, underneath it. Under it was a box which was labelled in pretty pastel colours ‘Charlie’s Toys’. They weren’t really toys, or at least not the ones that a child should be playing with, but Cain didn’t know any better. And so, he proceeded to open the box so as to show the contents to Luka. It really was full of many interesting little trinkets.
Kali managed to keep from turning red, and instead leaned against the back of the couch, looking over at Charlie.
“Not with you here.” She smirked, tossing hair out of her face. “I don’t do shows. You’re cute. But not that cute.” It was a better reaction, she thought, then using magic to trap him in an alternate dimension where people would hit him with sticks. Constantly. While that did seem like a much better idea, restraint and control were the first things she had learned with Zak. That had kind of been the point, after all. Keeping her from exploding things. Like Charlie’s head.
Sighing pointedly, she smoothed her skirt and stretched out one leg, examining her shoe.
“So Charlie…what are you planning on doing today?” There. She gave him opportunity to leave.
And if he didn’t, what she did was not her fault. She had given him a chance, after all.
Luka’s eyes grew large as he stared at the brightly coloured toys, each shaped in a strange new way. What were they? They looked like fun! Giggling, he picked one up. It looked like a sword!
Jumping back, he brandished it at Cain, remembering a movie he’d watched with Katia. A duel! He challenged Cain to a duel!!
Charlie decided to take the hint, mostly because he valued being alive; being alive meant that he could go out and have sex another day. “********!” Seconds later, the boy had bolted from the apartment, leaving Kali and Lance to themselves. FINALLY. Lance had been wondering if he’d ever leave!
“…so…where were we?” Lance leaned a little closer to the redheaded girl, a small grin on his face.
And then Cain ran out from under the bed with Luka, brandishing one of Charlie’s ‘toys’. The Gothic boy’s eyes bugged out, and he could honestly that, for once, he was speechless.
“BOTH OF YOU GET OUT OF THERE, AND PUT THOSE DOWN!”
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:27 pm
"Don't be afraid to ask to be always by their side."Katia leaned over her textbook, small shoulders hunched to hide her flushed cheeks. Her face was hot, though pale around the flush on her cheeks, and she was somehow cold. Shaking, and freezing, actually.
She was sick. And she knew it.
But she didn't want her father to know it.
He would go crazy, she knew; take her to every hospital in the area, and demand treatment. He was so scared of sickness...
She shook her head, and looked back at her work. It would pass. She would just have to avoid him for a while.
From her side, she heard a questioning chirrup, and looked down. Luka was leaning on the edge of the chair, eyes large and worried, his small wings flapping. What was wrong with his host?
Katia offered a reassuring smile, but it was off-set by the coughs that suddenly racked her small body. Luka shrieked, scurrying around her frantically, before shooting up the stairs. Something was wrong, and somebody needed to help. Kali. Kali would know what to do.
He flew under the door of her room and slammed into her, wrapping around her head and shaking.
"Lu, lu!" He insisted, reforming into his own body and pointing at the door. "Ka...ti...." He laboured out the syllables, face screwed up in determination. Then, he tried to mimic the noises she had made, to no avail. His lip wobbled, and he looked near tears.
"Woah, woah, Luka, it's okay..." Kali tried, pulling him into a hug. "It's alright...what about Katia? Is she okay??" She couldn't help but sound worried, and Luka picked up on it. He shrieked again and slipped out of Kali's hold, zipping out under her door and down the stairs again. The red-head followed, hurrying. Something was wrong, obviously. But what?
She found out as she came into the dining room. Katia was trying to sneak into the kitchen, but she wasn't going fast enough. Couldn't.
Even from across the room, Kali knew she was sick.
"Stop right there, blondie." She ordered, and Katia froze. Slowly, she turned, laughing nervously.
"Oh...Kali...I thought you were in your-" Another round of coughing sent Luka into a frenzy, zipping around Katia's head and squeaking. "Your room..." She finished, rubbing her chest.
"We're going to the hospital." Kali said, walking over and picking her up.
"N-no!" Katia protested, pushing at her. "Not a hospital." She coughed, squirming. "I'm fine! And you don't have to tell Daddy either-"
"We're not arguing about this." The tone of Kali's voice told Katia that the decision was very final. Silent, she let Kali bundle her into a coat and boots. Then, they set off for the nearest hospital. Neither of them considered calling Viktor. The later he knew, the better.
All the while, Luka stared, wide eyed. He didn't want to be left behind. He didn't want to leave Katia.
He stayed hovering beside her all the way to the hospital, and even there he perched on her shoulder, cooing reassuringly and rubbing her cheek with his. She smiled and coughed, stroking his head.
"Miss Kovak? If you'll just follow me..." The nurse said, when everything was arranged. Katia turned, and Luka's eyes widened again. Was she leaving? What was going on? Where were they taking her???
A low whine rose in his throat, and he clung to her, whimpering. The nurse turned, and smiled at them.
"Your...pet, may come as well."
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Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2010 8:28 pm
"Tantrum. Uhoh.""No! No, no, NO!" Katia was yelling at the bottom of the stairs, hanging back as her father tried to wrestle her over to the door. "I won't, I won't, I won't!"
Kali wasn't exactly sure of what was going on. She had woken to Katia screaming, and a banished-from-Viktor's-vicinity Luka sucking on her fingers. Confused, she'd poked her head out of her room and peered down the stairs to find...this.
Whatever it was. Clearly, Katia was throwing a tantrum, but what the hell for?
"You are getting immunized, young lady, and you're doing it today!"
"I'm not going to a hospital, and YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!" She had surprisingly good lungs for a little girl who had been born as sick as she had. But, that explained everything. Viktor was trying to get Katia to go and get her latest and greatest immunization, at the hospital. Katia hated hospitals. It was only through her being seriously sick that they got her to go. Or...there were scenes like this.
Sighing, and rolling her eyes, Kali leaned on the wall and watched Viktor stuck Katia into her coat, and tried to fasten shoes on her flailing feet. Usually, he would never have done this; but if there was one thing that trumped Katia's stranglehold on her father, it was her father's compulsive need to keep her safe and healthy. Beside her, Luka watched also, lips around Kali's fingers. What was Katia doing anyways? He wondered why she was screaming so much. At first, he had thought Viktor was hurting her, but even the little Shadow had enough sense to know that that would never happen.
So...was it a game?
If it was, he wanted to play.
Frowning, he pulled his mouth off of Kali's hand, and looked up at her. She didn't seem to be paying attention to him. She was watching their game. Maybe she wanted to play too. That was it! They could play together!
Chirrupping, he grabbed her hand and leaned back like Katia was, nearly jerking her down the stairs.
"What the-" Kali held herself from falling, staring down at the Shadow that was currently hanging off of her arm. "Luka, what are you-"
He beamed at her, before emitting a shriek that sounded uncannily like Katia. At the bottom of the stairs, the commotion stopped as Viktor and Katia turned to see what was going on.
Kali had less of an idea than they did. Luka jumped up and down, jerking her arm around, before throwing himself on the ground and slamming his fists into the floor.
This was fun! It was a fun game. But why wasn't Kali playing right?
Maybe he had to pull at her more.
Wailing, he clung to her legs, knocking her backward a few steps on the landing. She grabbed the railing and yelled, trying to pry him off.
"Luka!! You posessed little pest, what's wrong with you?!" Kali tried to pull her legs away from him, but he only wailed louder, bouncing up and down and nearly knocking her down the stairs again.
"Let go! Luka, I am warning you..."
The Shadow did not respond, screaming and leaning backward.
At the base of the stairs, Viktor wasn't sure what to do. Luka was currently harassing Kali, but she knew how to take care of herself, and he really did need to get Katia dressed...
But Katia was distracted now, staring at Luka and Kali, confused. She didn't know what was wrong with her Shadow either. Goodness. Was he sick? Why was he throwing such a tantrum??
Viktor took this opportunity to stick her shoes on. She yelped as she realized she was dressed to go, and dragged out to the car, fastened tightly into her seat.
Damn it all, she had been beaten. She screamed angrily in defeat, but her father was heading for the house again. In the door, and up the stairs, he grabbed Luka in one hand and Kali's legs in the other. With one mighty wrench, he pulled Luka off, and the Shadow ceased all of it's noise. They stared at one another for a moment, green eyes locked on steely blue. A minute passed, then two...
The clock rang out as the hand struck 3:15, and Luka disappeared.
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 10:22 am
Most times, Kali was a very responsible psuedo guardian. When Viktor was at work, she watched the kids, played with them, fed them, and kept them out of trouble. She made sure Luka had lots of Cheesy Poofs, and that Dimitri wasn't wrestled into dressup by Katia, and that Katia did the homeschool work that had been assigned to her. She kept the house tidy, kept up with her own studies, and was generally a very cheerful person.
But like everyone, everywhere, she had her days. And she was to be feared when they happened.
Of course, there was no way to predict them. They came and went, as whimsical as the wind, set off by the slightest malfunction or even something that was just...too...something...
So, the children had no way of knowing what was about to descend upon them.
They too were having a 'bad' day. Dimitri had suffered through eight 'My Little Pony' episodes and was demanding the T.V. Luka had swallowed the remote, and refused to give it back until he was allowed in the Living Room. Katia had long-since abandoned her work, and was currently threatening Dimitri with lipstick if he didn't let her finish the Pony marathon. None of them noticed Kali stalking up to Luka, one hand glowing an eerie green, until the little Shadow bolted past.
"GIVE THAT REMOTE BACK, YOU LITTLE FREAK!" She roared, vaulting over the couch and into the kitchen after him. He went for the cieling fan, but she jumped up on the table after him, grabbing him with her glowing hand. He tried to become incorporeal, but her grip stayed. He stopped, and stared.
What, the hell, was going on?
"Not so slippery now, are you? Well good. That's what's supposed to happen. Now spit it out, Luka!" She shook him upside down, but he refused to relinquish the remote. He did, however, begin coughing up other things.
Earrings that Kali had thought she lost. A muffin, wrapped in plastic that he obviously hadn't figured out how to open. One of Dimitri's action figures. Katia's graphing calculator. And, the thing that really made her mad?
Her scrying orb. It bounced out of Luka and across the floor, rolling under the counter and lodging itself between the floor and the wooden door. All fell silent, and Katia and Dimitri stared as Luka offered Kali an adorable smile.
It didn't work.
"You ATE my SCRYING ORB?!?!" She shrieked, dropping him. He took this opportunity to bolt, zipping out of the room and screaming. She followed, leaving the orb on the floor, focused on murdering her cousin's Shadow.
"LUKA! YOU ARE DEAD! YOU WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN A JAR!"
"Lu, Lu, KAA!!" He only screamed, heading up the stairs with Kali hot on his tail.
"Kali, no!" Katia jumped away from Dimitri, running after her cousin. "It was shiny! He likes shiny stuff! Kali, PUT THAT JAR AWAY!"
A thud, a smack, and a clatter arose upstairs, the noisy struggle escalating. Downstairs, Dimitri switched the channel and amped the volume, leaning back to watch Spiderman.
Finally. The TV was his.
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Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 6:26 pm
So many colours, all in one box.
He had eaten a couple of them; the prettiest ones, at least. The purples, and the greens, and of course the pinks, because Katia liked them too. A particularily bright blue found its' way into his mouth, and one red orange that looked like Kali's hair; but the rest? Those were his tools.
He was sitting cross legged in the entranceway, the color sticks all on the floor beside him. The box they had come in lay demolished, the bright yellow tatters proclaiming Cr-o-la. Or something like that. He didn't much care for reading. But using the colour sticks?
That was fun!
He beamed as he scrawled across the wall, drawing out a not-half-bad picture of everyone in the house. There was Katia and him in the very front, with Viktor, and Kali, and Dimitri around them. And there was a rainbow. And some butterflies. And a puppy. It was a very happy picture, even if Dimitri did have a leg coming out of his forehead, and Viktor seemed to have only one eye. Kali's fingers also looked suspiciously like cheesy poofs.
But it was a happy picture. And he was very proud. He couldn't wait to show everyone! They were all gone, now. Dimitri was at school, Kali was off with Cain's boy Lance, and Katia was at the office with Viktor. None of them had let him come with them. He'd wandered around for a while, and even tried to follow Dimitri and Kali when they had left. But, Dimitri's school bus wouldn't let him on, and Kali had threatened him with that awful jar.
So he was drawing them a picture. Go figure.
He thought he was done and stood, stepping back to judge. It looked good to him. It just needed...a little something. Frowning, he pulled the bright blue one from his stomach, and began to scrawl a sky around them. That took quite a while, and the colour stick was almost gone when he finished, but he swallowed what was left and looked back at the wall.
Perfect! Now, it was perfect. He chirupped, and stuffed the color sticks in Viktor's left boot before zipping up the stairs to draw another one somewhere.
The bathroom and the colour sticks became great friends, it's light coloured walls perfect for his art. He also found that the kitchen ceiling was perfect; and the stair railing was perfect for the white one, what with it being dark. The whole house; it was his canvas, and he was Picasso. Or DaVinci. Or...somebody awesome!
By the time he was finished, he had used all of the colour sticks he had not swallowed; and every room but the living room bore the marks of his effort. Beaming, he took one spin to look at what he'd done, before dropping himself to sit on the stairs and wait for their praise.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 8:21 pm
Substitute for ORP - 1/6
The pictures thing hadn't gone as planned. They hadn't appreciated it. And he had been quite sour when they had yelled at him. Well. Viktor had yelled at him.
And if he could have, he would have cried. For some reason, though, he was strangely unable to.
This left him with only one option; disappearing.
They wouldn't find him here. They couldn't. None of them would fit. They were far too solid. And too big.
He, however, was perfect for hiding here.
Snuggled in the shadows, eyes closed, there was no way they could find him. Not here, inside the grandfather clock. They wouldn't even think of it, even if they were looking (which they probably weren't.)
Yes, he was sulking. He had every right to. Nothing he did meant anything to that great grump. Nothing! He had drawn him pretty pictures, tried to play games, and what did he get?
Yelled at.
It wasn't fair.
The little Shadow forgot himself for a moment and sniffled loudly, snuggling back between the gears. Even if someone had heard the sniffle, they couldn't find him.
He didn't want them to.
They didn't want him around, anyways. He could just leave. Leave, and never come back. That's it! He would run away! Yes!
But...he would miss Katia terribly. She was his host! He couldn't leave her.
So...he would just have to take her with him!
And where would he go? Well, he thought, his mind wandering back to the book he and Katia had read earlier that day. He would go on a boat! Yes, that's right. A boat. And...and they would sail to a deserted island, where there were no people! And definitely no Viktor.
That would make him happy; if Luka left. But he'd just get mad again, because Luka would have to take Katia with him.
Ugh. There was just no winning for the little shadow.
He might as well just go out and face his fate, he thought, opening his eyes. He could see Kali in the hall, clearing away his pictures with magic. Where Viktor was, though, was a mystery.
Quietly, he slipped out of the crack on the door and onto the floor, sliding around the house in stealth.
He found Viktor in the bathroom, leaning against the sink and staring at the picture he had drawn there. Guiltily, he stared at it, then up at Viktor.
The large man hadn't noticed him yet.
His gaze was fixed on the picture. It was one that Luka had found under Katia's pillow, of a pretty blonde woman holding a very small girl. He had been able to guess that the girl was Katia...which made the woman her mother.
Tentatively, he grew out of the shadow he stood in, and stepped into the bathroom.
"Lu...?" He asked, gently touching the woman's face. Viktor started, and looked at him for a few moments, completely silent.
"Do you know who that is?" He finally asked, voice softer than Luka had ever heard. Tentatively, he made a motion between a nod and a shake of his head, and Viktor chuckled, kneeling down to look at the crayon scrawl better.
"That's Elisa. She's...Katia's mom."
"Lu..." Luka turned and looked at the picture he had drawn. She had been very pretty in the picture; and he had tried to show it in his own picture, but really, he couldn't have matched it. But, he had tried.
"...You shouldn't draw on the walls." Viktor finally said, pushing himself up, standing straight and ruffling Luka's 'hair' with one large hand.
"But that is a very nice picture, Luka." He added quietly, stalking out of the bathroom and back down the stairs.
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Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2010 9:40 pm
Substitute for ORP - 2/6
Sometimes, Luka was suicidal. At least, that's what Dimitri thought, staring up the stairs at the Shadow. He was currently hovering over Kali's door, upside down, his head pressed against the wood. Listening, to something. But what, Dimitri didn't know.
Whatever it was, Kali wouldn't be pleased. If she had one rule, it was that her room was never to be bothered, entered, or even looked at if she didn't let you. He was definitely one to adhere to that rule; he would never forget being stuck to the ceiling fan by his underpants. Ever. It really wasn't something someone could forget.
He decided that whatever the hell Luka was doing, he wanted no part in. He hurried up the stairs to grab what he needed; a bag of cheesy poofs for Balto, and some bones he had taken from last night's dinner, before hurrying back down the stairs and out of the house. Away from any implications.
Really, Luka wasn't specifically doing anything. Nothing he wasn't allowed. He was listening. And memorizing. He had decided that he would learn some new words, because Viktor could not understand him like Katia seemed to be able to, and maybe if he learned to speak better, the adult would stop not liking him.
He had thought listening to Kali would help him; she talked a lot, and that was for sure! But, she didn't seem to be saying any words right now. It was...strangely quiet, in her room. But, if he pressed his ear against the door, he could just barely make out her giggling. Giggling about what, his curiosity asked.
Well, he didn't exactly know. But he was going to find out.
Sliding down, he hit the floor and made himself into a shadow, trying to slip under the door as he had so many times before. He found the way blocked, however, by something he could not see. He could certainly feel it! And it hurt. Bouncing back, he rubbed his nose, and decided he would try the key hole. Their house was fairly old, though Luka didn't know the significance of this. It had many strange things, such as old door handles and a dumbwaiter that Katia and Dimitri pretended was an elevator when they weren't trying to beat each other up.
The small hole was blocked like all other cracks in the door, but if he poked his head inside as far as he could, he could just barely hear Kali's voice, muffled.
"Shh..." She was hissing, giggling again. "I just heard Dimitri!"
"What happened to 'nobody will hear anything', miss Magic?" There was laughter barely hidden in the male voice that responded.
"Sarcasm," Kali replied, and Luka heard the springs of her bed squeak. "Is not attractive."
"Oh, but I am."
Luka frowned and tried desperately to see inside the room. He knew that voice. He was sure he did. Kali giggled some more and there was a whump as something hit a pillow, or the bed. More laughter, and Luka pressed his ear up against the invisible thing keeping him out.
"Someone needs to do something about that ego of yours, tin-grin." Kali laughed.
"And someone needs to do something about your mouth. Insults hurt." He could imagine the pout that went with the tone of voice. "So you should be punished." There was an evil cackle and Kali shrieked, slapping at something and...
Luka's eyes widened and he redoubled his efforts to get in the room. What was going on?! He needed to help! Kali was- Kali was-
Kali was laughing. Hysterically.
He stopped and stuck his head in the keyhole again, listening as the redhead gasped for breath.
"Cheat! Unfair! NOT THE FEET!" She squealed with laughter, trying to drag her feet away from her attacker. The bed squeaked ominously and there was a loud thud as whoever it was got thrown onto the floor.
"Ow, floor is hard!" They complained, and Luka heard Kali's triumphant cackle.
"p***y! It's your turn now!"
Now the boy was laughing, trying to push her off. He could see shadows moving on the floor, and struggled to see more. He dropped to the crack by the floor, and found that he could faintly make out their outlines.
The laughter slowed to giggles as Kali's outline stopped tickling; for, he could see, that was what she was doing. She was straddling the other dark shape, leaning over it, moving her head down until their faces touched.
That was not tickling, Luka thought. He didn't know what that was. But it wasn't tickling. He squirmed, trying to get himself through again. No success. He opened his mouth and took a breath to yell, and was startled into a small cry by the front door opening and closing.
"Luka!" Katia's voice rang out cheerfully. "We're home!"
"Katia, please hang your things up, and don't drop them on the floor." Viktor's voice rumbled through the house. There was a thud from the room and a scrambling noise. Luka could hear the window grating open, but heard nothing more as Katia hopped cheerily up the stairs.
"Luka, what are you doing?" She asked, spotting her shadow. He didn't answer, beaming guiltily at her.
"Katia!" Viktor called up the stairs, leaning against the railing. "Is Kali home?" He saw her shoes at the door, but he couldn't hear anything coming from her room. Usually, there was music, or something...
"I'll check!" She said to her dad, turning to knock on the door. It swung open before she could, and a slightly red-faced Kali grinned down at her. Her hair was a mess, and her shirt was riding up on her hip, though anyone would just think that she had been sleeping if they had not seen and heard even the little that Luka had bore witness to. The window hung open behind her, curtains flapping in the breeze.
Luka squirmed out of Katia's grip and zipped down the stairs, in time to see a black-haired figure beating a hasty and rather sneaky retreat out of the yard. Lance.
That was who the voice belonged to! He chirrupped and waved at his retreating figure, zipping back up the stairs and to Katia. He felt much better now that he knew.
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Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2010 9:26 pm
Substitute for ORP - 3/6
Luka had yet to give up his mission to learn new words. And he had yet to give up on using Kali to learn how. Katia was at work with Viktor now, most days, though they wouldn't tell anyone why. Luka suspected it had to do with the strange blonde man that was currently in their living room.
They seemed to be using magic, which was something Luka recognized. But, it wasn't Howl in the living room. It was somebody else; and he didn't seem very nice. He was currently wondering two things. One, why most wizards were blonde. And two, why Kali hung around a boy so mean.
"Fingers straight." The man was saying, slapping Kali's hand as she made a gesture, standing in the middle of the carpet. "I'll glue popcicle sticks there if I have to. Or just enchant them straight. Either way, you're going to do it right before I leave."
"You know, in some countries, that's considered abuse." She sniffed, but straightened her fingers.
"Stand up, don't slouch." Another slap, this time on the back.
"Zakaria Arrington, I swear, if you slap me ONE more time-"
"No talking." God, his smirk was more smug than Howl's as he slapped Kali's cheek lightly; more like a pat, but enough for the mage to change what she was doing. Her fingers were certainly straight as she swung her arm out, slapping Zak so hard Luka winced in pity. That looked like it hurt.
"...STRAIGHT." Zak snapped, lashing out with his hand. Kali was suddenly struck, rigid as a board, into the pose he was currently teaching her.
"Rai...Rai!" Luka practiced, sitting on the back of the couch. Neither of them seemed to be paying him any mind at all, so he just bounced happily, babbled, and watched.
"The hell is wrong with you, kid? You're not focused." Zak frowned, studying the glare that was frozen on Kali's face.
"oo...nchnt...ee." She managed through her frozen face, but Zak didn't pay any attention to what she was saying. He frowned and leaned close to her face; kind of like Kali and Lance usually did, but without actually touching her face with his. Then, his attention went to her neck; or rather, her collarbone. Pulling at her shirt collar with one finger, he earned himself a very angry "MMMMM!!!" from Kali, but also a glimpse at the red mark that she was hiding underneath her shirt. Luka didn't know what it was. Maybe a bruise. She must have run into the door.
"MMMM!" He mimicked, beaming.
"Well, someone has been busy, hasn't she?" Zak let her shirt fall where it had been, turning away from her. Kali made muffled angry noises, obviously trying to break free of his spell and cast one of her own. Zak turned and eyed her, before snickering.
"Perhaps we'll not work on that spell today. Today, you're going to look at how to escape from that. And myself? I'm going to look at your fridge."
"Idge!" Luka smiled. Wasn't somebody going to congratulate him? Wasn't he amazing?
Zak turned and gave him the same look he was giving Kali; like Luk awas the gum that he had unfortunatlely trodden on and couldn't get off of his foot.
Luka didn't like it. He stuck out his tongue.
Kali made laughing noises even as she struggled to free herself from the spell, and Zak glowered at Luka. He blew a raspberry, and disappeared into the cushions of the couch. He didn't like this man. So he'd help Kali.
He waited until the green eyed man disappeared into the kitchen to appear at Kali's feet and c**k his head to the side.
"Lu?" He whispered. Kali stared at him, before looking pointedly at the book across the room. As long as he brought it over to her, she could use it. It took some doing, but finally Luka went over and dragged the book down from the table, and over to Kali. He lay it on the floor, and she struggled to move her head so she could read it. Eventually, she did, and once she could, she quickly found a spell to counter it. Feeling returned to her limbs and she shook off the residual pins and needles.
"Took you long enough." Zak said from the doorway, chewing on a sandwich he had made. Kali turned her head to gaze at him out of the corner of her eye...and then?
"Luka? Get him."
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Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2010 9:57 am
Substitute for ORP - 4/6
"Ka....tia." Luka laboured, hovering over Kali as she worked on something at the table. "Ka....lleeeee."
The red head chuckled and looked up at Luka, propping her chin up on her fists.
"You're doing really good, Luka." She told him smiling.
"Idge!" He beamed, dropping down to hug her head. "Lu, ka!"
Katia and Dimitri giggled from across the table, watching as Kali nearly fell out of her chair and tried to pry Luka off. She failed, of course; the little shadow had a certain amount of skill in head-glomping. Finally, she gave up, and returned to doing her homework in a very strange, Luka-shaped hat.
He chirrupped, and looked down at what she was doing with interest.
"How's everybody doing?" Viktor asked from the kitchen, poking his head into the dining room.
"Good!" Katia and Dimitri chimed. Kali didn't respond, mostly because Luka had his left foot in her mouth. Viktor wiped his hands on a tea towel and walked out to check everything. Dimitri's math was going fine, and Katia was working on an essay. When he got to Kali, he chuckled, shaking his head.
"I won't even ask." He knew he wouldn't understand her work. She grinned at him from around Luka's foot.
The Shadow shifted on her head, turning his wide green eyes to Viktor. The man hadn't been chasing him out of rooms as he had been before, and he wondered if he was going to be asked as well. Viktor watched him for a moment, before sighing, and smiling thinly at him.
"Alright Luka. Don't make me regret this. What have you learned?"
Luka beamed and moved so he was sitting on Kali's head, eyes bright and bouncing.
"Lu..ka!" he said, stringing together his name and pointing at himself. Viktor blinked, and seemed surprised. He knew that the Shadow had known syllables, but he'd had no idea that Luka had been learning how to string them together.
"Ka...tia! Ka...leee! Mi...trr!" So, he didn't have Dimitri's down. Admittedly, his name was more complicated. He couldn't help but grin at Luka.
"Impressive." He said, reaching out to ruffle the 'hair' atop his head.
"Idge!!" Luka beamed. He was congratulating him! And touching him, in a way that didn't involve threats or fists!!
He decided that he would show Viktor what else he could do. He began to mimick noises he heard around the house. First, it was the microwave's beep, then the house phone ringing. They were so uncannily like the real things, Dimitri craned his neck to make sure they hadn't started going off. Then, a siren; he really liked that noise. Viktor continued to be impressed, so Luka beamed again, and thought of a really hard noise to make.
He began to replay a song he had heard earlier today; started with some innocent keyboard music, and moved into heavy guitars. Viktor frowned and listened closely; it sounded familiar. What was it, though?
Kali knew exactly what it was. She heard it often enough, since Charlie thought the 'call and interrupt Lance' game was great fun. It was his ringtone. A song called Inside of You, by a band she didn't remember. She looked up at him, wishing he'd stop. It was an innocent noise, but really, she didn't much want her Uncle to know how much she had been hanging around Lance.
"I think I recognize that from the radio." Dimitri said, and Viktor nodded in recognition. Luka trilled happily, and moved on to the next noise. A squeak like an old spring, which Kali also recognized. But she couldn't do anything to shut Luka up, or Viktor might have gotten suspicious. Instead, she slowly closed the book and inched off of her chair. Luka took to the air and hovered, until Katia named the noise.
"A squeaky spring?"
Luka trilled again, and Kali stretched innocently. The next noise that came out of Luka turned her face red, though, and all pretenses of innocence went right out the window.
A moan. Luka didn't know the significance of the noise, and neither did Katia and Dimitri, but Viktor? Viktor understood it completely.
"Luka...where did you hear that noise?" He asked, eyeing Kali. Really, who else could it be? Unless Luka had found a channel on the TV...it certainly couldn't have been from Dimitri or Katia.
Luka shrugged, though, and Kali was safe. Mostly. The reason it was only mostly safe was that Luka switched to other, more embarassing noises. It seemed he had memorized the entire sound track of the event, including the phone ring that had risen in the middle, and the angry yell that had followed. Color slowly drained from Kali's face and she grabbed for Luka, but her uncle pulled him out of her reach.
"Do you have an explanation?" He growled at her, already making plans to find this 'Lance' boy's house and kill him.
"...KATIA SNUCK OUT LAST NIGHT." Kali said, then ran up to her room. Hopefully, Viktor would be more pissed about THAT than what had happened!!
Ooh...she was going to KILL Luka!!!
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Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 5:57 pm
Substitute for ORP - 5/6
Katia was grounded. No, she was beyond grounded. She was imprisoned. Really, there was no reason for it! It wasn't even fair! So, she had snuck out, just once. But there had been good reason for it!
She had been trying, yet again, to find out where Dimitri kept going. Luka knew something, but he was keeping very silent as to what it was, which was strange.
It seemed as if everyone in the house knew something that she didn't.
It was infuriating.
She wasn't usually the one out of the loop. She, usually, made the loop! She was almost a genius, damn it all, she wasn't supposed to be the one in the dark.
So, she had taken it upon herself to find out what was going on.
She had waited until after she had heard Dimitri's window slide closed and seen him shimmy down the drain pipe to ease her own window open, Luka wrapped around her back. She really wasn't clear on whether it was going to work. It was just a theory.
But all theories needed to be tested.
She jumped, and thankfully, Luka had slowed her descent enough that it didn't hurt overly much. A minute of pouting, wobbly lips, and watery eyes, and she was fine. Up and after her brother like nothing was wrong.
She followed him for twelve blocks. Twelve! Where in Gaia was he even going? Determined to find out, she quickened her pace to keep up, turning the corner and...
and he was gone.
Vanished.
How?! It wasn't possible!!
Luka zipped around with her, searching for Dimitri, but he couldn't find him either. It was as if he had disappeared completely! The little shadow was confused, but he shook it away. It didn't matter. He knew Dimitri was going to see another Shadow. His problem was that his host was up and out of her bed! Didn't she know it was dangerous out here?! He frowned, chirrupped, and head butted her for what felt like the thousandth time tonight. He should never, he thought, have helped her. But what choice did he have? She would have found another way if he hadn't.
"Lu..." He said, tugging on her fingers. She stopped, and looked down at him. He was giving her a look he had learned from her; the one she reserved for her father when she was in trouble. At first, she didn't think it would work on her. And then, she crumbled. Gaping, she toddled after Luka back to the house, up the stairs, and into bed.
She was completely dumbfounded. How had that worked?! It was her look! He wasn't supposed to be able to use it against her! It was...it was...
Well, it was Luka's new secret weapon.
And such a pity, it hadn't helped her at all with getting out of being grounded! It seemed her father was beginning to build a resistance to 'the look'. She scowled, crossing her arms.
Well, she thought, watching Luka chew on Dimitri's shoes from across the room. If her father could do it, then so could she.
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