|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:05 pm
"I assure you, no one has raised any issues regarding my methods thus far. Though if you do have a problem, I will listen." Not that she really had much choice. One of the annoying parts of her job was to deal with the parents. In some ways they were worse than the kids.
When asked about her assignment Raven shrugged, making her look far more human. "I honestly don't know. One would think that they had enough "parents" clamoring for the job. My assumption is that they want some of the teachers to set an example, as well as to do further observation and analysis. But I could be mistaken."
Anoki watched, hypnotized, as Indigo rolled the glue around her hands. It really didn't stick to her as much. Maybe she was special. Or the glue was special. Either way, it was really cool.
"I f-fell off a t-t-table." That was scary. He could still remember how he froze up all over when he fell. Of course, he wasn't supposed to be on the table in the first place, but he didn't mention that part. He didn't want his new friend to think he was a bad boy.
And then he watched again, fascinated, as the glue ball flew across the playground. Not that their parents were far away, but it travelled a fair distance before-
As she went down, Raven shrieked. First she was insulted and picked on by someone she certainly wouldn't trust, even if she did offer interesting conversation. Then the stranger's child threw something suspicious at her, and THEN she was knocked to the ground. What sort of people were these?
"Get off of me!" There was dust all over both of them, and Raven was sure that she had ripped her new sweater. She might have even broken a heel off her shoe. "What sort of behavior is this?"
The ibex boy paled under his fur. Whenever his mama made those sounds, she was angry. Usually at him.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2006 8:49 pm
"Whoop. Sorry." Jenner's manner was ENTIRELY too casual as she picked herself up off of Raven, the glueball clutched in one hand as she hopped backward a pace or two. See, she'd made the catch! Though apparently at the expense of the other woman's dignity.
Jenner extended her free hand to help Raven up, smiling somewhat sheepishly. "My bad. S'pose I jumped before I thought about what I was doin. You ain't hurt, are ya?" Her bright blue eyes flicked toward the kids, and she offered a wave of her gluey hand in reassurance. See, they're okay! Her words weren't quite so sanguine, though. "Indi, what've I told you about throwin things at people who aren't lookin?"
By this point, the velvet worm had her face entirely hidden with her hands, still trying to corral her giggles. She snapped out of it at her mother's tone, though, peeking one eye through the mesh of her fingers. "...uhm...don't do it?" she said in a tiny voice, before glancing sidelong at Anoki. "I don't think Mommy's mad at you," she added, her voice still small. He didn't look good, even if she'd completely misdiagnosed the reason for his paling.
"That's right," Jenner said, firmly, before looking down at Raven. "Truly sorry, sai; this kinda thing just happens around us. If y'want, I can have her apologize t'you as well." The fact she was still smiling might have hurt her sincerity a bit.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2006 12:38 am
Feeling thoroughly humiliated, Raven dusted herself off, still sprawled on the ground. That woman quite possibly had the whole scheme planned from the beginning, and had coerced the child into cooperating. It was not beyond the scope of her belief that such a plot could have been cooked up for whatever reason. To upset her, perhaps. Whether it was intentional or not, Raven refused to let them win.
She regarded the proferred hand as though it were a rotting tomato or something equally distateful, but accepted it nonetheless and climbed to her feet. "Thank you," she commented through clenched teeth.
Anoki looked towards Indigo, and then back towards his guardian. Was she mad at his friend then? He didn't want his mama to be mad at anyone, but if she was then he'd rather it be him. After all, he'd been yelled at before, but he wasn't so sure Indi had.
"S-sorry," he got out before inching closer to Indigo protectively. His intention was to protect her, but his body trembled and shrank in on itself instinctively.
After listening to both Jenner and Anoki, Raven shook her head dismissively. "That will not be necessary. The child's actions are a reflection of the parent. As you have already apologized, therefore setting an example, further apologies are not needed."
Physically she was mostly unharmed, only sporting small scratches on her hands. Her pride, however, was wounded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:50 am
"My pleasure." And unlike the apology, Jenner sounded like she meant those words to the hilt. She could do Raven one better, though--as soon as the other woman released her hand, she calmly, casually, wiped it off on her pants as if she'd just handled something distasteful. Smile still firmly in place, she rolled the glueball to her now-"clean" hand, fussing with it absently. Blue eyes flicked momentarily toward Anoki, then back to Raven--and if anything, the demon's grin widened.
"Aww, c'mon, now. Indi's a sweetheart. No sense in lumping her in with her blood-drinkin, fornicatin, murderin, cheatin, lyin, scumball of an unwed mother." She winked. "I mean, I'm extendin the same kindness to 'Noki over there; y'may as well do the same for her. The innocence of youth, an' all."
How quickly the protector turned into the protected! "'Sokay! Not your fault!" Indigo said firmly, scooching herself closer to Anoki. Whether in a show of solidarity or hopes that Raven would be mad at her--well, it was likely both. "I threw the glue." She patted his nearer arm with one of her lower hands, trying to be reassuring.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:51 pm
For a moment Raven would have rather been back on the ground again. As demeaning as that was, it didn't hold a candle to the verbal slaps the two traded. Still, this was as much of a test of skill as anything else, and she refused to defer to such a wild, unruly, willful woman. And those were her good points, Raven thought with a small smile. She completely missed the hand movements, instead focused on a comeback.
"I was merely indicating that since you had the presence of sense to apologize, you were setting a good example, thus reducing the chance another such incidence would occur and therefore an apology from the child would be pointless. If you feel the need, however, to defend yourself, I certainly won't stop you."
She wasn't finished. Dusting herself off once more before sitting back in the swing, her eyebrows arched. "And I would rather you not criticize my own habits without knowing them, Miss Preston. Then again, if you watch, you may learn something. After all, time wasted is simply age without wisdom."
Gulping, Anoki nodded, but remained tense. Still, it looked like the grown-ups were talking to eachother again, so they both got off without much yelling. All in all, that was a huge success.
"T-thanks," he mumbled, not entirely sure what he was thanking for. It just seemed like something he needed to say.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 1:45 am
The other woman's words won a broad and toothy grin from Jenner--somehow altogether more feral than her previous sanguine expression. "My word," said she, savoring the phrase. "Somebody's up an got her startched panties in a bunch." As ever, her tone was light, teasing, but Raven may have struck a nerve back there. That, or the demon got irritated easily by people who didn't just roll over and submit. Childish, that habit--but no one had ever told Jenner Preston to grow up in so many words.
She loosed a hand of her glueball, scrubbing her fingers under her chin, a nervous tick. "You're how old, sweetheart? Twenty, thirty? Come back to me in another hundred years an maybe Momma Jenner can tell you a thing or two about wastin time." Her grin took a turn for the serpentine, and she slid her free hand into her pocket, rolling the glueball between the fingers of the other hand. "Y'ain't nothin I haven't seen before, though I will say y'make the stick up yer arse look good."
The gloves were most definitely off.
Indi goggled at her mother, not quite sure what to make of Jenner--and not understanding more than half of the words coming out of her mouth. She was pretty sure some of those would get her a lecture from Aunt Tizzy if she repeated them, though.
Wisely, she turned to Anoki, offering him a "say-nothing-of-it" smile. "Wanna go play on the slide?" she volunteered, pointing in that direction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 12:29 am
The gloves, indeed, were off. If Raven had brought a pair with her she likely would have slapped Jenner with one of them, issuing a true challenge. Instead she tilted her chin up and looked down her nose at the other woman. Whatever she was compensating for that required such ridicule, it had to be big. But Raven didn't care. All she knew was that she wouldn't take such treatment, no matter what the cause- even if she did start it. She would end it too.
"Tell me, Miss Preston, have you ever seen Death? You probably have, if you're as old as you say you are and have seen everything you say you have. But if not, allow me to inform you that he cares not about such petty things as age and time. He takes who he wants, when he wants. I have met him more than once. The only way to survive a meeting with him is pure strength. And I will not tolerate being mistreated and belittled by someone so vulgar and disgraceful.
"Opportunity strikes differently for everyone. If you cannot accept that maybe, just maybe, I know something that you do not, than you're not worthy of the shred of respect I have for you. And if that's the case let me know right now, because I have nothing to spare for small-minded ageists. You're older than me, wiser than me, have seen more than I could dream of seeing- so you say. But if that's your only argument then I certainly do have something you don't. Anyone can get age, experience, and memories. You, however, seem to be lacking the skill of dealing with them. Lashing out at strangers is not the way I would go about it were the roles reversed, and frankly I find it unseemy for a woman of your supposed repute."
Anoki had been watching the two mothers argue with a fearful expression. At Indigo's suggestion he brightened marginally, and nodded. It was a short walk to the shiny silver slide, and he ran as best he could, hooking one arm over the first bar and pulling himself one rung up the ladder. He really, really liked slides!
Then he paused, looked back for a moment, and jumped off. "Y-you f-f-first."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:29 pm
Wonder of wonders, Jenner was actually quiet long enough to listen to what Raven had to say, that ugly grin still on her face. It lost its antic edge as the woman wound on, turning into something almost condescending and all amusement. "Ageist," she echoed, apparently savoring the word--before laughing aloud.
"So you've fought off the reaper, eh? Bravo. Most of us do that every day just by drawin breath, but I imagine if that's the only mark of pride you've got, Miz Millner, I won't take it from ya." She winked, folding her arms across her chest and smiling merrily. "If you've really met him as many times as y'claim, you'd also know that he catches up with everyone eventually.
"It's not the length of th' life, old as I am, but what yer doin with it that counts when he does come for ya. So you might as well relax an actually pretend y'care for somethin rather than yer own strength, hey?" She unfolded her arms again, tossing the glueball experimentally, before tossing it at Raven. "Catch."
That said, she dusted off her hands, taking a step around the other woman and ambling toward the slide. "Now, if that's all you've got t' tell me, I'll be playin with the kids."
Indigo followed Anoki at best speed, no more than a pace behind him the whole way. She was just as happy to wait if he wanted to go first--so when he stepped down off the ladder, her antennae perked curiously. "...Okay!" Though too polite to push and shove, she wasn't going to give up a first turn on the slide! Scrambling up using all six limbs, she swung over the top, wiggling eagerly to get herself in position, before pushing off and sliding down.
"Whee!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:27 pm
Raven's ears reddened, possibly ready to start smoking. She had been playing nicely, as parents said. Really. But if that wasn't going to work- if some overaged hooligan wasn't going to give her the respect that she rightfully deserved- then she would simply have to deviate. She disliked lowering herself to the levels of the people who gave her so much trouble, but she didn't see any other choice.
Of course, it was possible that the woman was right, and that she did possess powers greater than Raven could have imagined. Her face reflected that thought briefly, in a sort of wondrous daze that quickly faded. Even if that was the case, however unlikely, that was no longer important. If she didn't protect what was important to her, if she couldn't do her job, she would be no better than the people she loathed.
The glueball narrowly missed Raven as she stood, crackling with discontentment and anger. If that woman thought she could get away with attacking her verbally and then walking away, she had another thing coming. Her hands twitched, with barely visible green-gold sparks running down them. Eyebrows furrowed, she marched towards Jenner, not even caring that the children were playing nearby.
It was hard to wait, but Anoki was glad he did, since Indi looked like she had so much fun! As soon as she made it to the bottom he started racing to the top, reaching it in two big steps and pulls. Then, with no more than a "c-c-coming!" he swing his legs over and let gravity pull him to the bottom.
Of course, he had forgotten to check if Indigo had gotten off at the bottom first...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2006 12:40 am
Indigo had juuuuust made it to the bottom and gotten off as Anoki started down, turning around to call up to him that he could come down now--only to note that he was most of the way there. "Eep!" She backpedaled, tripped over her own feet, and went down in a squishy heap of velvet worm. At least Anoki would have a soft landing at the end of the slide?
Like most of her breed, Jenner could smell magic in the offing. She stopped in her tracks, turning her head over her shoulder to narrow brilliant blue eyes at Raven. "Don't bring that if y'can't finish it." Her voice was low, and had a note of sober warning to it that belied her grin as she rolled up the sleeves of her overshirt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 9:14 pm
That was fun! And... squishy? Anoki looked down, puzzled, and squeaked. How could he land on top of her! He scrambled to roll off her, sputtering apologies the whole time. "S-s-sorry! Sorry!"
Was she going to be mad? He didn't mean it, but sometimes people got mad anyway. All Anoki could do was cross his fingers, and his arms for good measure.
"You are unwise to doubt those you dislike." Raven's voice was neither soft nor hidden. Part of her was even hoping the children noticed, so they could learn something. "And I would be unwise to unleash an attack on someone with greater magic than myself."
"Then again... this offence cannot go unchallenged."
Eyes flashing, she raised her palm and aimed it towards Jenner's face, waiting for it to meet its target with a satisfying smack.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 12:21 am
The good thing about having no bones is that it didn't hurt much when someone little and light landed on you! The squishy pile of Indigo squeaked when landed on, but didn't make any noise of pain--instead popping up to her feet as soon as Anoki hopped off, giggling. "S'okay! I don't got any bones, see?" She did something that could best be expressed as turning her arm over and inside out where she definitely didn't have a joint--it might've been a little stomach-churning to watch, but the arm snapped right back into place when she let it go.
"So it doesn't hurt any!" She bounced on her toes, beaming at him. "Wanna go again? This time I'll get off faster, promise!"
It had been a long time since another woman had smacked Jenner Preston. The demon rocked back on her heels, head nearly turned right around by the force of the slap--and raised a hand to rub at her reddened cheek, blue eyes narrowed as she did. "You call that a slap?" she said, at length, mischief brightening in her eyes as she turned around to deliver a backhand slap of her own. For such a small woman, there was quite a bit of strength behind it--that might sting, if it connected!
All of the noise of scuffling did manage to attract Indigo's attention at last--and she looked over, watery gray eyes gone huge at the sight of the mommies fighting. "Oh-oh," she breathed. That couldn't be good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2006 9:27 pm
"S-s-sorry!" Anoki repeated, shaking his head frantically. When things fell on top of him, it hurt! But he watched, unable to tear his eyes away, as Indigo bent her own body in ways he knew he couldn't- not that he hadn't tried. "D-duzzn h-h-hurt?" he asked, amazed and concerned at the same time.
It was obvious to Raven that a challenge such as that would not go unmet. Eyes fixed on her prey, she drew back and prepared herself. Of course, a woman who spent most of her time teaching and reading was not a superb fighter physically, or magically for that matter. All of her precautions- trying to avoid it, the thin shield of sparks that ran up and down her body, making a pale imitation of a defence barrier- only protected her from a maximum of five or ten percent of the force Jenner put into that blow. It hit her cheek just under her eye, bringing tears that she hurried to blink back. She staggered backwards, but did not reach for her reddening face, instead keeping her hands balled at her sides.
Oh-oh? That was what he said when something bad happened. Had he hurt her after all? But she didn't look hurt. Puzzled, Anoki looked around, and spotted the quarreling parents. "Oh-oh-oh," he agreed loudly.
"Even, then?" Raven said, her voice strangely level. "Or would you like to continue? I'd rather not set a violent example, but I'm not above it."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 6:00 pm
"Nup!" was Indigo's reply. "I can turn my head around backward, too! But Aunt Tizzy says that scares people so I don't do it." A sage nod followed this.
"Even, then?"
Jenner rubbed at the back of her hand thoughtfully, before bending her head and running her tongue between her second and third knuckles to get at the taste of Raven's magic. At last she seemed satisfied at something, giving a shake of her head and a rumble of a laugh somewhere in the back of her throat. "Yeah, sure," she replied, amused. "Don't know how much of a fight ye'd put up if I wanted one, anyhow."
She rubbed the back of her hand off on her jeans, before offering it to the teacher in a decidedly congenial shake. The petulance of moments earlier seemed to have departed, leaving behind it a venomless smile.
On the sidelines, Indigo had turned to watch the fight, hands balling into fists with the force of her anxiety, lower lip sucked into her mouth. When it didn't erupt into largescale parental violence as she'd half-feared, half-hoped, she let out a sigh of relief. "That was scary," she opined to Anoki.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:56 pm
Raven stared at the handshake for several moments before accepting it, grasping Jenner's outstretched hand in her own. Just as quickly as she shook, she let go and turned away. "Anoki Kenelm, come."
"V-v-very sc-scary," Anoki was agreeing, inching closer still to Indigo. When Raven spoke again, calmly, he was glad. Then the words themselves impacted him. "L-leave?"
"I'm afraid so. You see, Miss Preston, as fascinating as this experience has been, I'm afraid I have other other obligations I must attend to. Good day." Anoki had not come to her, so Raven was forced to go over to him and take his hand. "Say goodbye."
"B-bye-bye," muttered Anoki reluctantly as he was pulled away.
((Whoa, totally forgot this wasn't done. ^^;; Sorry, thought it would be best to wrap up for now, though feel free to post again if to finish if you like. And thanks, this was funfun!))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
