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 Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:29 pm
For a single moment, Riley thought about the group that she'd collected back home. They weren't necessarily a harem, but they certainly would have followed her into battle. Many were likely dead now. She took another sip of tea.
I do not feel bad for my choices. My father is already ashamed, and would be moreso if he knew the truth. I feel nothing concerning this. She lied smoothly, and easily, her knitting never stopping for a moment. I spent far too much time worrying about what my hive would think about my chosen directions. About.. about Malodore. A soft, resigned sigh escaped her. They shall never know.
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Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 5:49 pm
"That's a very strong decision." He pointed out, and a sad one. There was no point in asking if she wished her father would be happy for her or if things could be different as it would make no difference and nothing could change matters.
He swirled the dried flowers in the bottom of his cup around.
"Though Malodore is very happy to be with you." He knew that much from how often Malodore had come to get help and advice to make Riley happy. It was at least nice to see that there was giving on both ends.
"I take it going home is out of the question then. Will Malodore and you find a place of your own after graduation?" He glanced at the knitting. "Knit some little red hats?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 3:23 am
If she could have truly smiled, one would have plastered on her face the moment he mentioned Malodore's happiness. As it stood, the planes of her face rose visibly, and she knitting just a little faster. Even the following questions couldn't manage to wipe the metaphorical smile off her face.
Oh, yes. Quite out. Unless I kill them all and reacquire my homeland for my own. Always an option, you know how these things are. But in all honesty, it will probably be just as you say. A place of our own, somehow. She paused and looked up at him, clueless about the hats. I don't think Malodore wants another hat. It likes the one it has just fine. And a knit one would be, might be, well, floppy.
The knitting resumed.
Perhaps a nice shawl, though.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:12 am
Now it was Calder's turn to laugh. "Wow, you really are perfect for Malodore." Completely clueless and taking words for just as they were. He had to wonder that, if they had scarlings, how they would turn out. Hopefully that got a little rowdy one to spice things up. One could only hope.
"I meant for scarlings." He then imagined Malodore in a shawl and snickered. "Though Malodore could use some different clothes." Robes were nice, but he didn't get to see the Plague Doctor in much else.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:50 am
Riley's eyes crescented in happiness when Calder pronounced her perfect for Malodore, but as soon as the topic of scarelings came up, the mirth left her. She simply shook her head. Malodore and I will not be having scarelings.
She continued knitting as if nothing odd had been said.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:13 am
Calder looked as if Riley had just said something very sad. "Why not? Don't you two like scarlings? You don't even want to adopt?" Who were his scarlings going to have play dates with?
His ears dropped as he popped a sugar cube in his mouth and mumbled. "Little Mals would have been cute." Calder looked at Riley as if she made the decision just to be mean to him, and she was to deprive him of seeing little scarlings.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 12:14 pm
I do not like scarelings. And they would not like me. The mere idea of a chance at creating another mindflayer in this world disgusts me. Her needles clacked against one another louder, as if the idea angered her. And to inflict a mother like myself on.. on.. a young life? Riley snorted heartily and unraveled the last few strokes she had knitted in anger, to redo them. Before she began again, she looked up at Calder, and her eyes lifted just slightly. If all of our spawn could be assured as plague doctors, I would be fine with it. But you know that isn't how it works, and I will not be taking chances.
The sound of a completed slurp indicated her cup was empty again, and she put down her needles to hand him back the cup. You, you will be a find parent somehow. You have those characteristics. I do not. It is best this way.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:22 pm
Now it was Calder's turn to beam, smiling at the idea and general reassurance that he seemed fit to be a parent. "Ya think?" He certainly liked the idea of a big family. "I hope I will be. I want lots of scarlings one day. I wouldn't even mind what they were.... But that all depends." He and Barth were in a unsure state as far as the future of their relationship went. Barth was a demon who was engaged to Siddie and while it was a lie till graduation, things could change.
As for Calder, his clan wanted kelpies only and the only way to assure that was to go to the pumpkin patch with another kelpie. Murchadh had that claim on Calder that, when he was willing and of proper age (which was fast approaching), he was obligated to go with the stallion.
"Maybe someday..." If things were different.
He filled their cups and set Riley's next to where she was setting it in order to allow her to continue knitting without interruption.
"If you won't behaving scarelings, what will you do after graduation?"
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:32 pm
Riley's needles stopped, but this pause was longer than usual. Her eyes slowly lifted up to focus on Calder for one, very thick and penetrating moment, before she finally put down her needles for good, and folded her hands up atop the lump .
Mayor. She answered, quite simply. Once I oust our current mayor, I will take his seat. And Halloween will be mine. Her eyes blinked innocently. Then we shall see if we cannot harmonize Halloweentown's dissention and dissonance. Mm? Her eyes crescented in lieu of a smile. I find that those who do the most dramatic of changes to a society in need are those who have less time to work with. And a crisis or two.
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Posted: Fri Mar 30, 2012 5:13 pm
Calder thought of what it would mean to have Riley as a Mayor, but the role of a mayor was very vague to him. He heard it mentioned, and had only the smallest of definitions of what that career was. Something with answering phones, making changes, and being a leader. Seeing as they didn't have mayors in his clan, he felt that this was the other version of what a Lead was, and tried to imagine Riley as a Lead Mare.
This made him look as Riley as if he was trying to fit a odd shape into a mold and having to work his imagination in a way he didn't think he would have to before. So Riley as Student Council president, but of everything.
He didn't know what to think of that. She got things done with the student council, but this was a lot bigger. Still, confidence was a key thing, along with strength. It was what determined his leads in the end. Who could beat the other to a pulp and win. "Well, I'm sure you could beat up whoever challenged you for the position." That was how the process went, right?
He then thought of the image of the current mayor he saw in the newspaper and frowned. "Just don't get fat." A fat Riley was, though humorous, a strange sight to imagine. For some reason he felt it would be a grape with tentacles or maybe an upside down octopus.
Calder was lost in this thought, slowly turning his head and ears adjusting as if trying to pick up a radio signal. At last he shook his head and mumbled. "Octopus grapes."
He noticed her cup at long last and filled it, glad the tea wasn't going to waste and still was warm. He placed it back beside her before filling his own. Needing plenty of liquid to remain hydrated, he could down a kettle of tea by himself like it was nothing.
"How do you ouch a mayor? Are you going to challenge him for his position and fight him?" That's how his Leads did it. The strong lead. Simple as that.
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:37 pm
Riley rather liked the idea of simply 'beating up' the current mayor for his position, but sadly, she was well aware of how politics in this town worked. No, I will have to be elected. Just like with the Student Council. The seat of Mayor is an elected position, for now.
She didn't know what to think about the idea of getting fat, but it certainly wasn't going to happen. She was too obsessed with maintaining a responsive physique to allow such a thing to occur. She would have explained this to Calder, except he muttered something about octopus grapes, and she was at a loss for words.
Sometimes she truly had to wonder if Calder was losing his mind a bit.
So, she continued hesitantly. That means another long, elaborate campaign. If anything, I'm sure it will bring some people excitement.
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:01 pm
Calder thought of the elections and frowned. "That sounds boring." The elections had been long which involved a lot of work and being alone at his booth for a long time. While he liked meeting the other students, changing their opinion was a art he lacked when it involved trying to sell himself as a candidate. It was just something he never had experience with, and he noticed that when the results came. We was still a wee bit bitter over it.
Reaching back, he combed his tail with his hand a moment to remove a few kinks. "I thought you'd be helping Malodore." Calder had a pretty good idea what the Plague Doctor would be as It had stated very clearly it's dedication and love for it's skill. "...but it seems to be what you do. Being a Lead."
He stopped his combing and resumed drinking his tea. "...lot of pressure. Even now." Especially in this school. The Student Council was supposed to create events for students and other projects, but it was harder and harder in the mist of what felt like a war. Sometimes he missed just going to dances and classes and not worrying about hunters. With more and more students feeling lost, they were looking to their classmates and the leaders of their group to help guide them. As elected members to represent them, that meant the Student Council was sure to feel some pressures, right?
Oh, he was dwelling back on the bad. DETOUR!
Think. Think.....
"Did you ever spend some time with Christof?" He asked, knowing there was something he had wanted to ask.
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:24 pm
Calder's response made a little chuckle escape her. She fell silent at his assumption, however. Malodore has mentioned it's own aspirations. I intend to help it, by giving it all the resources a true leader has at their disposal. It will have a fine laboratory if it's own, one day, if I have anything to say about it. She took another sip of her tea, but reached out for the sugar again. But yes. Pressure. We thrive on it.
Blinking at the sudden mention of Christof, she nodded her head. We went out. I don't know if he understood what we were doing. He kept trying to revert to the position of igor, but I was very clear.. I wanted to spend time with him. As a friend. She let out a soft, quick sigh. I hope he got the point, eventually.
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:15 pm
"I expected that. You tend to have to trick him into relaxing and having fun. It's...a great deal involving how you phrase things and before he knows it, he realizes he wasn't ordered, but is just doing what he feels." Things he decided to do, not what was decided for him. It was an ongoing project Calder had adopted, but sadly he didn't get to see Christof as often. He did spend some time with him during the trails, but that had been more traumatizing than fun. Defiantly not fun.
Calder finished his tea, and didn't make a motion to fill his cup again. "Sometimes I don't know which would be harder. Having his respect as a demon off the bat and trying to have him see you as friend, or being a monster and trying to gain his respect."
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Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:56 pm
It's all very complicated. It is simply difficult for me to see the value in doing such a thing, sometimes. I only wish for him to be happy. And at times, it feels like he is happier when I am ordering him around. She shook her head, and shrugged. Perhaps we will never truly understand his desires. At least we try.
She considered the options Calder weighed, understanding at once that he was having as much difficulty being Christof's friend as she was. She took some measure of comfort in it, but it also led her to be less enthusiastic about trying. They are both troublesome and difficult. The boil needs to know the value of his friendships, for himself. It should not always be on our shoulders to carry the burden of our affection.
She took another sip of her tea and concluded, very quietly. He needs to grow up.
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