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 Posted: Sun Apr 24, 2016 3:39 pm
"You've just recieved your paperwork to have the child. The child approaches you, looking very sad, but eager for something. Tugging on your clothes a little, they seem to want something. But what could it be? What item of yours do you give them? You choose an item and hand it to the child. It hugs the item and smiles as a light envelopes the child. When the light subsides, the child seems fine, but the item is gone."
"Another one?" The butterfly-winged fae watched his guardian speculatively. He sat in a worn chair with a fan waving to and fro.
"Yes." He's my cousin. I can't say "no," the adult, a scruffy-looking half-elf thought. "I have to take this one."
"Okay." As usual, Cullo did not argue or question Hísime, only clarify and confirm. He was a neutral party in all of this. But maybe he would make a friend in this other boy. He had gotten along well with the girl, so far. "Now what?"
"We wait for the phone call." Then there will be three children instead of two. Only recently had been just the one. And who could say Cullo was really a child but only looked like one. He certainly sounded older. What was she getting herself into? The phone rang several minutes later. She jumped then quickly collected herself to take the call.
Their home was a little small for the family's new size but it was comfortable. A main room connected the kitchen and the living room. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a storage room all crowded around that central living area. For now, the two youngest would share the storage room as they were little more than toddlers. Cullo would have his own room, as would Hísime.
As they lived on the Sanctuary campus, Hísime would have just a short distance to go, and even with her traveling by foot the new child would only be waiting a short while. "Well, I'll be going now," Hísime said gruffly, hanging up the phone. "You mind the house, Cullo."
"Okay," Cullo replied.
Firnriel stepped out of the storage room, which served as her bedroom. She moved slowly and held herself as if she was afraid of upsetting others. "I'll be good," the ghost child said.
"Good. You better."
As for an artifact, she didn't have one to share with the boy. He had already received his gift from his parents, specifically his father. That was what she knew. And she wondered just what kind of item he would "wear," and how he would use it; what he might look like and if they would recognize each other. They were kin, after all. Surely they had some common ground.
But when she arrived, she found a boy already tall for his age. He was nearly as tall as Cullo, stocky, and winged with the weird eyes of a Feral. "What is this?" She asked incredulously. The boy looked up at her in confusion. "What item?"
"A feather. Barn owl wing." When he muttered, his voice was low and closed. He made eye contact and did not look away. He was not defiant, but he was ready to shut her out entirely. He would not warm up to her anytime soon.
But a wing? He had been given a barn owl's wing? How morbid! Maybe he would work out after all. In her mind churned many scenarios where he would be useful. "I see. Well, I'm your cousin. Not a meta but... still, we're related."
"Yeah."
There was more exchange between the adults but clearly he had tuned them out until someone raised their voice at him, calling his name. "Hen. Hendugaul."
"What?"
"Well, come on then. We're leaving now."
"Okay."
When would he talk without being spoken to? It seemed like a long-term goal. But they had time.
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 1:09 pm
01: "She can't know that I like it," Hendugaul
15 April 2016 (backdated) Given a handful of money and a list of required materials, Cullo ventured out with his new siblings. At first, the two youngest showed no interest, even after the elder fae slowed around a corner and stopped in the stationery aisle. Hendugaul looked around without really seeing. Then he heard a voice and started paying attention.
Cullo was grinning. "Like that one?"
Firnriel looked down at the journal, her tiny fingers sliding across the cover's smooth surface. She nodded gently.
"Open it. What's inside?"
Strands of the girl's hair fluttered around her face while Hendugaul watched over her shoulder. He was almost as tall as Cullo, even if he was younger than her. She glanced back at him with a brighter smile, if brief.
Seeing her smile made his heart flutter. It was an alien feeling that he decided he liked.
Opening it slowly, the journal's binding crackled softly; she was the first to open it, but this would not be the last time. Inside, the pages were crisp white, with black lines alternating with blue dashes. They only covered the bottom half of each page.
"See that, Firn? When you write in your journal, you can draw a picture to go with it."
Hen heard Firnriel gasp softly. He wanted one like that, too. Impulsively, he said, "I like it too. Cullo, I want Firn to pick out one for me."
"All right. Firn, will you pick one out for Hen, too?"
Surprised, she glanced between the two boys. "Okay," she murmured. She glanced around helplessly for a moment, then with a sigh she decided to begin again from the beginning. Hendugaul stiffened with expectation. She seemed to take her new job very seriously. Very, very seriously.
But as time progressed, he stood with his arms crossed, his stubborn expression gradually grew more and more sour. He watched with growing impatience. "I'm bored. Why is she taking so long?" He noticed her flinch without looking at him.
Cullo put his hand on Hen's shoulder. "She's picking out a good one."
Hen's complaint did nothing but stress her further. She moved stiffly, her new journal pressed to her chest, on the edge of tears before she finally found what she was looking for.
The volume she chose was compact and sealed with a lock. The key packaged with it was made of flimsy metal. The cover was an owl with feathers, wings and horns, the facial features and chest feathers embroidered with brightly-colored thread. It was purple, like hers, and more importantly, it was an owl.
"An owl journal," she said, offering it to Hendugaul with reverence, but with tears in her eyes.
To Hen, it was obviously a little girl's diary. Cullo hiding a snicker behind his hand only confirmed it. "I hate it." With a snarl, he slapped it out of her hand and stomped off to the next aisle. His arms were crossed again, his face an ugly scowl. Why would she give him a girl's diary? He wanted a cool journal with the inside like hers. He wanted to draw pictures. While he stood and sulked, he heard their voices. Even Firnriel's tiny voice came to him clearly.
"He didn't like it."
"It's a good one, Firn. And it's his, even though he's a dummy and doesn't deserve it. Right?" He did not hear a reply. Did she also think that he didn't deserve a journal? Now tears burned in his eyes, but he wouldn't let them fall, furiously wiping his face with a sleeve. "Come on, let's go pay for these."
"Um, o-oh. Cu'u? You want one?"
"I already have one. It's at home."
"Oh."
Hen peeked around the corner and saw their backs as they retreated toward the registers. Firn glanced back and jumped with surprise. Was she surprised to see him, or surprised that his eyes burned bright pink like hers did? She turned back and hurried after Cullo.
"Tsh." Hendugaul followed bewilderedly and stayed back when he reached them. He felt so confused. The whole outing was just so stupid.
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2020 1:20 pm
01: A little test, Hendugaul
April 2016 (backdated) As a test to see if Firn is reading his diary:__________FIRNRIEL IS UGLY AND STUPID.When he sees her the next day, she acts no differently, so he crosses it out:__________FIRNRIEL IS UGLY AND STUPID. not really
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Posted: Sat May 16, 2020 12:29 am
"I trust her with it," Hendugaul
April 2016 (backdated)
Hendugaul entered the "bedroom" he shared with Firnriel. It was tiny, barely enough to fit two cots and a desk. Aside from that, he was not expecting what he saw. "What are you doing to my journal?!"
Firnriel jumped and leaned away from it. "Nothing. I..." She stuttered, trying to find the words to speak. "It's soft," she sighed. But she got up out of the chair and retreated from the desk they shared, leaving the two journals stacked in the center, otherwise untouched. She sat on her bed, clearly hurt by his insinuation.
The boy watched his sister disbelieving. "So, what... you were petting it?"
She nodded. "Feel it," she added suddenly, a moment later. Surely he would understand if he touched it.
Hendugaul felt a little silly, but he approached the desk and complied. His brightly-colored, owl-shaped diary was indeed soft. "Okay," he offered begrudgingly. "I mean, I already knew it was soft."
"Did not. All you did was hit it out of my hands!" The memory was still fresh and so was the wound. She had done her best for him, and could not help but retaliate.
"I could see that it was soft!" Hendugaul growled. So what if he didn't know how it felt in his hand until just now? It was only a couple of days ago! Not much time to touch it at all.
"Oh."
What? She agreed? "Ahmph. Y-yeah." Hendugaul practically tripped on his tongue. He glared at her. "Did you open it?"
Firnriel grabbed a strap around her neck and snapped it. In her hand was the key to his diary. "NO. Do you want the key? I don't want it." Firn was sick of holding his stuff for him. He was paranoid and ungrateful.
"No... It's safe with you," Hen mumbled, looking away.
For the moment Firnriel was speechless. "Okay fine, I'll keep it." She pouted, feeling hot and confused. She lay down in her cot with her back to him.
Away from her watchful eye, he stroked the furry surface of his diary. After a moment he sat down with a pencil and glanced up at Firnriel's back. "Hey Firn, give me the key."
"Make up your mind!"
"No, um... I want to use it. The journal."
"Oh."
"Yeah." When she removed the key from around her neck, he unlocked the diary and began to write:
__________ She's the only one I can trust.
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