|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:20 pm
[January 24th, 2005~]After the arrival The little girl looked up, two toned eyes curiously taking in the sight of the woman with the large eyes and the other tale. She cocked her head at the two, "kyu?" she murmured.After a moment Chao moved and picked the little girl up with one arm, "um...hello there, where'd you come from?" she asked. "Hu?" Linny tilted his head at the other baby. He hoped nothing would go wrong this time, like with Luna and Kiarhu."I'm baaaaack." Huni chirped, entering the Study, carrying a tray of sandwiches and juice cartons. She paused at the sight of the new Tale and broke into a smile. "Oh my!! The Study chose you! The Tome chose you!!! Eeeeeee!!! I'm so happy for you!!" she squealed, half-dropping the tray onto the writing table.Aido blinked at Linny, before hesitatly raising a hand in greeting towards the other Tale, her crimson shirt falling a bit so she could wave her tiny hand a bit. "Hu?" she repeated.Chao glanced down to the new addition to her arms then back to the squealing Huni before smiling slightly, "oh gods. I suppose so? I'm sorry for being disbelieving about your story earlier Huni," she said, still slightly in a state of shock. Linneas giggled as Huni took him into her arms to allow Chao better leverage on Aido. He pointed to himself with his broom plush "Leenee." he nodded."She's adorable, what's her name?" Huni asked, patting Aido's hair, careful not to touch her halo.She giggled in return, waving her pacifier a bit, about to respond in turn when she paused momentairly."Her name?" Chao echoed before glancing at the tome the girl had left on the table, the embossed words catching her eye. "Aido-?" That rang a bell! With a small grin Aido, gestured her pacifier to herself, "Aiiii," she said, smiling at the pleasant feeling of Huni petting her hair."Aiii." Linneas repeated, he then pointed to his broom plushie "Praaa." he beamed proudly. Please don't let anything go wrong, he prayed, no scary images, or crying like the last time."Aido, eh? How pretty." Huni grinned, adjusting Linneas as he seemed to be leaning forward.Chao nodded, patting Aido's hair tenatively, smiling when the little girl smiled back, "it is," she replied, glancing around the study. "Hey Huni, have a lot of kids..." she groped for the word. "Appeared from here?" She hadn't seen any other than Aido and Linny after all, and she'd only witnessed Aido's appearance after all. "Praa?" she cocked her head before smiling, wiggling in Chao's arms until the teen lent forward so that Aido could pat the broom plush, "Praa," she chirped, as if greeting the broom plush, rapidly getting used to being around the other tale and the two women, not even the slightest question in her mind as to why she was there. She just was."Believe it or not, excluding Linny and Khia, Aido's the-" Huni pauses to count on her fingers "Fourth one that emerged from the Study. And I don't think it's satisfied."Linneas didn't wonder where Aido came from, it didn't seem important enough to the infant. All he knew was that he had a new friend.Huni briefly glanced at her watch and yelped, "Gah!! Must cram! Not finished yet!! Oh no's." she exclaimed, her expression similar to the feeling of gonk ."Forth?" she blinked, "wow. Just, wow. At least Aido and Linny will have lots of people to play with," she said with a grin. Aido smiled at the other boy then giggled slightly at Huni's expression, though her tone didn't sound good her face just looked so funny!Chao patted her friend, "heh, then go study! Aido and I'll just hang out in the shop for a while until we go home." A gust of chilly wind blew into the small shop as a hula-skirted figure pushed the door open. Glancing about the interior of the shop, Rieluni would slam the door shut behind her, shedding woolen scarves as she did so. "Is anyone here?" she called nervously, leaning down to scoop up a dropped daisy. This was the first time she had set foot within the shop, for some odd reason--Riel usually attacked every stationary shop she spotted like a ravaging bear. At the sound of a new voice Chao made her way back into the main store, waving slightly to Huni, "good luck studying!" Aido mimiced the wave to her newly made friend as the door shut, pouting slightly. She had wanted to play...Catching her newly adopted daughter's pout Chao patted her head, "you'll see Linny again soon. Don't worry." Finally, the girl was done. With a satisfied smirk and one last twist of her scarf(s), Riel would add the last touch to her clean-up by lifting her dripping OMFG off her head and upending it--all over the clean floor. Apparently, she didn't know about Linny's pleasure with Clean Things... Riel would look up at the sound of advancing footsteps, hiding her rainwater-puddle behind her as she put on her best "I'm-not-causing-ANY-trouble" smile and greeted Chao with a cheery wave. "Eh..." the girl was a little lost for words. "Is all the stationary this beautiful?" Chao tilted her head to look at the puddle, wondering how Linny would react to that later on. Either the boy would have a field day or... she wasn't sure what. "Uh, yes. It really is," she said with a smile. Aido peered at the new woman curousily, though she remained quiet, not drawing attention to herself. Hearing all of the noise, Lemonlime seemed rather interested in finding out why the study was so crowded - and loud. She moved foward, rubbing her head slightly before her mouth opened in awe.
"My, she is beautiful." She exclaimed, beaming at the new infant. Nalira was close behind, and let out a strange sound. She rushed forward, sitting just before Lemonlime, staring at the new Tale. She tilted her head softly, entwining her hands together. In all truth, she was a little scared - she'd never seen something quite like her.
" .. Bah?" Riel grinned at having said something intellegent, and proceeded to follow up her question with another statement of the obvious: "It's very cold outside. Her eyes would stray to the angelic (in terms of beauty; that halo looked a little...gray...to Riel) infant nestled in the other's arms. "Nice kid," she remarked, eyes crossing as she attempted to remember what it reminded her of. All that came to mind was a vague sense of urgency. Sticking out a not-TOO-grimy hand for Chao to shake, Riel would introduce herself as "Riel, who lurves stationary," before requesting the other woman's name. Aido looked from person to person, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the large beings. "Kya..." she murmered, gripping onto Chao slightly before Nalria caught her eye. Someone closer to her size. Smiling lightly she waved a hand, "kyu," she chirped.Chao smiled to both Lemon and Riel, letting Aido down onto the floor then shaking Riel's offered hand, "thank you both, she just... um, arrived," a bit odd sounding but gaia was an odd place in general. Arrived...the word struck a chord in Riel's subconscious. Racking her brains for a suitable comment to offer in return, the girl would reply with, "Oh! Arrived? Baby? That happened to me once. My friend Usha sent it to me as a birthday present--well, actually she thought she was sending lizards, but it was really a cute 'lil pointy-eared tyke. I--" She paused suddenly, biting her lip in worry. "I'll be right back!" she promised, dashing out of the shop to grab her charge from the counter at which he sat. A few minutes later, she had returned to the shop, a green-eyed infant with (sure enough) elfin ears clutching her shoulder. "I swear, I just put him on the bench while I purchased Fish & Chips!" she babbled, attempting to shift her charge into a more comfortable position. The sidhe himself, meanwhile, was squirming in Riel's arms, having spotted two beings on the floor below. What fun! Aido looked up to the sidhe boy, though she didn't really think him any different than the others. "Ki?" she questioned, wondering if he was coming down to play with them."Lizards?" she'd questioned as Riel returned, looking to the little Sidhe boy and wondering how that mistake had been made. Lemon nodded, absolutely beaming. She looked over to Chao, sighing heavily. "Quite a miraculous meeting, isn't it? I nearly screamed when Nalira came to me." Nalira bubbled, waving back and rolling onto her back. She grabbed onto her knees and started rocking back and forth. She grinned, sitting up straight and beckoning her forward, grinning.
"Nala." She said, pointing to herself softly. "Miraculous... and quite a bit freightening to tell you the truth," Chao admitted, "I nearly screamed as well. I would've if Linny hadn't been with me." "Na...la?" she repeated slowly, testing out the word as her attention snapped back to the wolf girl before nodding. Moving closer to Nalira, she sat in front of her and pointed to herself, "Aii.""Yes, lizards!" Riel nodded wryly, setting the sidhe down on the floor besides the others. "They were Venezeulan ones, too..." Breaking off abruptly, as if ashamed at her mistake, the girl would glance over at the two Tale. "They're beautiful," she told the others, fingers automatically twitching into a pencil-holding position. "Beh," the sidhe told the duo cheerily, crawling over to them and holding out an outstretched hand--perhaps he had picked this action up from Riel's tendency to greet people with actions rather than words. Lemon smiled, nodding. "But I bet your glad now." She said, beaming and lacing an arm around her. She grinned, bubbling and lacing her arms around her, and repeating her softly, and under her breath.
"Aii." She said triumphantly, grinning. She now had another friend.Chao let out a soft laugh and beamed at the two little girls and the Sidhe boy, "oh yes. I'm very, very glad now." She cocked her head slightly as her arm was laced but shrugged it off, leaning against the other Tale slightly with a soft yawn. As she opened her eyes she noticed the offered hand. With a blink she took it with her spare hand, although she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with it.Riel smiled at Chao's comment, eyes straying over to the two girls as she vaguely wished that she had paper to jot down this memory with. Zamyr winced as the halo-ed girl took his hand, withdrawing it quickly and holding it to himself. But he wasn't one to reject possible friendships (or at least acquaintance-ships)--the sidhe pulled himself closer to the two, flicking his ears in a cheery manner. His grin appeared to be fixed and wavering about the edges, but it was still genuine. Aido frowned as the hand was quickly taken away, bringing her hand up and looking at it herself. She hadn't done something wrong had she?
No, he seemed to be okay, as he was smiling and flicking his ears but she still felt slightly ill at ease. Though Nalira's laced arm was rather comforting.Zamyr would pause a mere inch away from the two, respecting whatever personal bubbles they might have while attempting to show his willingness to befriend them. "Urp," he added knowledgably, indicating the drips of rainwater still falling from the hem of Riel's coat. Hopefully they would not be TOO displeased about this. For the third time since that morning, Zamyr feverently wished that he had gotten another Guardian. His own was just too...embarrassing, sometimes. Not that Riel cared--she seemed to make an art out of it. Nalira smile, slowly taking her arms from around the other Tale she had dubbed 'Aii', smiling softly. She entwined her fingers around her fabric tail, smiling and gnawing it, smiling as she bit and chewed the tail. She loved chewing things, it was her hobby.
She tilted her head, blinking at the halo atop the infants head, moving forward, entanced by it's beauty. She blinked, moving back and frowning, raising a pointed finger to it.
"Hu?"Aido looked up, barely catching sight of the halo before it followed the path of her head. She shrugged, not really knowing what it was, "nyu."Chao glanced towards her watch and grimanced, it was getting late. "I'm sorry guys, Aido and I hafta be going," she scooped the girl up and into her arms, wrapping her coat about her slightly. She waved to the others. "Hope to see you all soon," she said with a grin before heading out of the store and turning in the direction of home.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:21 pm
The walk back from the stationary shop was never a short one and by the time Chao sighted the luminescent glow through the window panes of her home she was exhausted and cold, wanting desperately to crawl under thick warm covers and sink into sleep.
Her new charge's bi colored eyes peaked out from beneath half closed lids through the crack in Chao's makeshift cover made from a small dark colored blanket (why in heaven's name the teen had one in her pack was a mystery, though the babe didn't know that). The white washed world continued to whisk by, though at a slow pace, allowing her to admire it in her sleepy state.
Pausing to collect herself on the doorstep the newly made guardian took a deep breath of frigid air then slid open the wooden door and slipped in silently.
Shutting the door with care so that only the small click of a latch attaching and a lock slipping into place could alert the other members of the household to her return.
As she slipped off her dark boots she loosened the wrap about Aido with her free hand, allowing the infant room to sleepily stretch her limbs and peer about her surroundings, curiosity alight in her bi-colored eyes.
"Welcome to your new home," she murmured quietly, looking about the long hall way, as if suspicious there would be someone she needed to watch out for.
Aido watched her actions with a slightly creased brow then allowed her attention to wander yet again, maybe this was how all larger beings acted when they entered a new place?
Padding down the carpeted floor silently Chao poked her head about a corner, catching sight of the large crimson form of Runae settled on the plush rug that was settled near the pellet stove. One golden eye flickered open and for a moment the Nieken growled deep in her throat until she noticed that it was only Chao, who had a finger fervently pressed to her lips.
The Nieken quirked her head to the side and stood, padding over quietly.
-Is Rico awake?- Chao asked quickly, the silent message had the smallest edge of panic to it.
-No...- the Nieken replied slowly, sniffing the air slightly then starting back, claws clicking on the tiling slightly as a small hand landed on her forehead and a soft giggle sounded about the nearly silent room. -What is that?!- she yelped through the link, attention snapping to the small face that was peering over Chao's arm, bi colored eyes regarding the Nieken curiously.
Chao nibbled on her lip slightly, although Runae wasn't-
"Ae?" a sleepy voice sounded from another door which led to the kitchen. "Was' goin' on?" a yawn and a dark haired teen stepped through, regarding the frozen girl, who was staring at her twin with a slightly guilty look on her face, with a quirked eyebrow. "Why do you have a kid with you?"
Looking back and forth between Nieken and teen Chao sighed in defeat, she hadn't wanted to have to explain this right away but it didn't seem there was any helping it. She waved a hand to the table.
"Sit and I'll explain," she groaned out, settling on a wooden chair with Aido on her lap, who let out a sleepy yawn and snuggled into the teen's shirt, shutting her eyes, too tired to attempt to understand the new situation.
As Runae settled beside her and Rico settled across her from her Chao settled into telling the two about the events of ealier that day, holding up a hand every so often to stay their questions, she didn't think she could answer many.
After she was finished a heavy atmosphere settled on the trio.
Rico was the first to break it, regarding his sleeping niece with a sigh. "I take it she'll be staying here now?"
"Of course!" Chao snapped, had he not been listening to a word she'd said? Her twin knew how often things such as this happened in Gaia. Though it was a surprise it wasn't really unexpected.
The dark haired boy stood and trotted over to stand next to her and she glared up defiantly, watching intently as he picked up Aido and cradled her against him. "We'll need to haul out a cradle then," he murmured, ruffling her hair, causing the babe to shift in her sleep.
Chao let out a sigh of relief and lent back against her chair, shutting her eyes, opening them again when she felt a weight return to her lap as Aido was returned to it, she turned her neck and watched her twin bustle about the kitchen, setting on a pot for tea or hot chocolate and searching around for a bottle they kept around incase one of the animal like beings Chao had a habit of bringing home with her should need it.
She sighed, this meant a discussion, though probably a short one, Rico wasn't bringing out a platter of things to eat, that was the big warning sign.
With a large yawn she sat up straighter and put her coat over Aido, preparing herself for at least an hour more of wakefulness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:23 pm
[January 25th, 2005~]
[Homecoming.]
The walk back from the stationary shop was never a short one and by the time Chao sighted the luminescent glow through the window panes of her home she was exhausted and cold, wanting desperately to crawl under thick warm covers and sink into sleep.
Her new charge's bi colored eyes peaked out from beneath half closed lids through the crack in Chao's makeshift cover made from a small dark colored blanket (why in heaven's name the teen had one in her pack was a mystery, though the babe didn't know that). The white washed world continued to whisk by, though at a slow pace, allowing her to admire it in her sleepy state.
Pausing to collect herself on the doorstep the newly made guardian took a deep breath of frigid air then slid open the wooden door and slipped in silently.
Shutting the door with care so that only the small click of a latch attaching and a lock slipping into place could alert the other members of the household to her return.
As she slipped off her dark boots she loosened the wrap about Aido with her free hand, allowing the infant room to sleepily stretch her limbs and peer about her surroundings, curiosity alight in her bi-colored eyes.
"Welcome to your new home," she murmured quietly, looking about the long hall way, as if suspicious there would be someone she needed to watch out for.
Aido watched her actions with a slightly creased brow then allowed her attention to wander yet again, maybe this was how all larger beings acted when they entered a new place?
Padding down the carpeted floor silently Chao poked her head about a corner, catching sight of the large crimson form of Runae settled on the plush rug that was settled near the pellet stove. One golden eye flickered open and for a moment the Nieken growled deep in her throat until she noticed that it was only Chao, who had a finger fervently pressed to her lips.
The Nieken quirked her head to the side and stood, padding over quietly.
-Is Rico awake?- Chao asked quickly, the silent message had the smallest edge of panic to it.
-No...- the Nieken replied slowly, sniffing the air slightly then starting back, claws clicking on the tiling slightly as a small hand landed on her forehead and a soft giggle sounded about the nearly silent room. -What is that?!- she yelped through the link, attention snapping to the small face that was peering over Chao's arm, bi colored eyes regarding the Nieken curiously.
Chao nibbled on her lip slightly, although Runae wasn't-
"Ae?" a sleepy voice sounded from another door which led to the kitchen. "Was' goin' on?" a yawn and a dark haired teen stepped through, regarding the frozen girl, who was staring at her twin with a slightly guilty look on her face, with a quirked eyebrow. "Why do you have a kid with you?"
Looking back and forth between Nieken and teen Chao sighed in defeat, she hadn't wanted to have to explain this right away but it didn't seem there was any helping it. She waved a hand to the table.
"Sit and I'll explain," she groaned out, settling on a wooden chair with Aido on her lap. Aido looked about then let out a sleepy yawn and snuggled into the teen's shirt, shutting her eyes, too tired to attempt to understand this new situation.
As Runae settled beside her and Rico settled across her from her Chao settled into telling the two about the events of ealier that day, holding up a hand every so often to stay their questions, she didn't think she could answer many.
After she was finished a heavy atmosphere settled on the trio.
Rico was the first to break it, regarding his sleeping niece with a sigh. "I take it she'll be staying here now?"
"Of course!" Chao snapped, had he not been listening to a word she'd said? Her twin knew how often things such as this happened in Gaia. Though it was a surprise it wasn't really unexpected.
The dark haired boy stood and trotted over to stand next to her and she glared up defiantly, watching intently as he picked up Aido and cradled her against him. "We'll need to haul out a cradle then," he murmured, ruffling her hair, causing the babe to shift in her sleep.
Chao let out a sigh of relief and lent back against her chair, shutting her eyes, opening them again when she felt a weight return to her lap as Aido was returned to it, she turned her neck and watched her twin bustle about the kitchen, setting on a pot for tea or hot chocolate and searching around for a bottle they kept around incase one of the animal like beings Chao had a habit of bringing home with her should need it.
She sighed, this meant a discussion, though probably a short one as Rico wasn't bringing out a platter of things to eat, that was usually the warning sign that she looked for.
With a large yawn she sat up straighter and put her coat over Aido, preparing herself for at least an hour more of wakefulness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:24 pm
[January 26th, 2005-]
The glowing red numbers of the digital clock shifted from 6:56 to 6:57 silently. Though it was to be the calm before the proverbial storm. The instant the ':57' was firmly in place the silence of the room was shattered as a loud, annoying howl of an alarm wailed out into the darkness.
Both occupants of the pile of covers and pillows which could be called a bed jerked awake, the older of the two muttering some choice curses as well as she lunged forward and silenced the thing with a swipe of her hand while the younger stared at the thing nervously, wondering if it would screech again and attack them.
Settling back on the mattress with a slight grumble Chao glanced down to Aido, who's eyes hadn't left the digital clock and drew her closer with one arm, "not one for loud noises, are you Ai?" she muttered to the slightly shivering girl, remembering the meeting with Olivia the day before.
Ai glanced to her but didn't respond, either because she'd gone back to carefully watching the clock, not yet trusting its stationary figure, or because she didn't truly understand Chao's words, was unknown.
Chao settled against a pillow, it didn't matter really, all that mattered was getting a few more hours sleep....
Aido heard the quiet footsteps a moment later and allowed her attention to be drawn away from the silent clock.
"Kiyu?" she asked into the silent room, there seemed to be many beings crawling about this place, but these steps were nonchalant and fairly quick, not those of one wishing to go unnoticed, growing louder by the second.
Something in the back of her mind tickled at her, beckoning, drawing her hand back towards the shadowed covered mattress-
And then the door swung open, revealing the teen who looked so much like her mother.
A smile lit up her face and she yet out a chirp of "Kyu!" in greeting to the teen, raising her arms towards him, silently asking to be picked up.
"Up before Ae' eh Aido?" Rico asked with a smile as he trotted over and picked up his niece, cradling in his arms and nuzzling her with his nose, causing her to giggle cheerfully. "Your, well, mum I suppose, gods that sounds odd.." a puzzled look fell over his face before he shook his head, banishing whatever thoughts were distracting him and continued on, "anyway, she could never get up before ten. Unless it was to go flying."
"Mrrg..fly..." came the sleeply murmur from beneath several layers of blankets.
Rico rolled his dark eyes and kicked lightly at the matress, "oi. Get up Ae. Time to go to school."
"Dun wanna," came the reply, "warm here."
"You have to," Rico replied, throwing back the covers with his free arm.
Aido remained silent, watching the exchange with curious eyes.
"I hafta watch Ai," the pajamaed teen said with a sleepy glare to her twin, she'd taken a sick day the day before so they could go and outfit the home to be baby safe. Though Ai's room wasn't quite set up, the plan was to finish outfitting it during the weekend.
"No you don't, I'll do it, you go to school," Rico said firmly.
Chao blinked at her twin, mind searching for a fitting argument.
Having found none it was ten minutes later that the teen found herself on the phone with Sin and after another five situated in the passenger seat of her car, the two arguing amiable as to why Sin was being a good friend and giving the highschooler a lift. Rico and Aido waved to the duo from the window before turning to one another. Now what to do?
---
Hours later a slightly more knowledgeable Chao was practically kicked out of the metal structure that was Sin's car. With a grin and a wave the car sped back off, the owner still oblivious to the fact that her friend was now a mother (which would have provided a rather nice explanation fot the growls of 'go faster!!' on the way back.)
With a grin and a skip the teen practically frolicked to her door and slid it open, ditching her shoes by the front steps before calling out into the household, "I'm home!"
"We're in here," a muffled call followed by a sleepy chirp of "Aaaeeee.."
Following the faint cords of music Chao frowned as she slid into the cool colored shaded living room, "you taught her that?" she asked, glaring at her twin.
"Hey, I'm not having her call you 'Cha!', I find it insulting," the other teen scoffed.
Chao rolled her eyes, "weirdo," before turning her attention to her sleepy eyed daughter, "hey Ai! Miss me?"
Aido yanwed and put her arms up, asking to be picked up. Chao immediately scooped her up and cuddled her gently, "ah man I missed you," she cooed, "what'd you guys do all day?"
"Made breakfast and lunch, listened to some of the music-"
"My CDs I see," Chao murmured, the orchestrated music obviously part of her collection.
Rico shrugged, "yes, yes, yours, yours, blah, blah..." he said waving a hand about with a roll of his eyes. "We went outside, played in the snow. Ai made... something out of snow, it's out back. And finally we sank into the couch and started to read."
Making a mental note to go see what Aido's snow creature was later Chao tossed her bag to the side and slipped onto the couch, peering at the book in her brother's lap, "'Gwinna, by Barbara Helen Berger'? Can she even understand this?!"
"Doubtfully, but she liked the pictures, and I think she was listening, even if she didn't fully understand."
Aido's golden eye flickered open and she glanced to the illustration and smiled, perfectly content at the moment as she looked up to Chao who simply sighed in defeat. It probably wasn't best to infantize Aido anyway. Well, hopefully... It was 'interesting' being new to 'motherhood' or whatever it was she'd found herself in.
"Go on then Rico, keep reading, we'll listen, m'tired anyway..." she murmured, sinking back into the couch.
With a chuckle Rico picked up where he'd left off as Aido snuggled against Chao's chest the two wearing identical looks of sleepy interest as Rico's voice floated alongside the soft music. "Day after day, Gwinna came out to the meadow alone and stood on the mossy crag. Every day while the leaves fell..."
[breif book passage copyright to Barbara Helen Berger. M'not claiming it. >>]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:27 pm
Chao I don't trust Aido's tome, not after the events of earlier today. I feel like something may be wrong with Aido. Sure, now she looks fine now, settled in her crib and sleeping peacefully [note to self: get her a plushie, she's gripping her pillow right now] but earlier she was shivering and just had this look about her. Huni said something about the question and answer written in her Tome affecting her. I would have never written that thing about the lost things if I'd known it would affect a kid who was about to appear and who'd I'd be caring for as well. Maybe the Tome has nothing to do with her, but hell, I doubt it. Maybe she was scared of Leah? She was yelling at her, but I doubt it. Aido doesn't seem to be fazed that easily, at least not by yelling. Screetching is another thing altogether. Screetching=freaked out Aido. Besides that, they seemed to get along a bit better towards the end... I feel like I'm going to be a horrid mother, like I'll curse my new family and lead to its downfall. I'll end up hurting Aido in the end, I don't mind if I bring myself down, but Ai? She's so little and- really, what was I thinking, agreeing to take care of another? That's it, I'm just going to go for a walk, writing isn't helping me sort out anything anyway....
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:28 pm
[January 30th, 2005~]
Light and wakefullness had come to the house early this sunday morning, though the youngest member had slept through the raquet the others had made upon waking.
Still curled up in her crib, inky black and snowy white hair splayed about the pillow her head rested on Aido was still on the edge of sleep and wakefullness. The warm body of Loth was curled up against her own, the walrus pup making for an excellant plushie/heat source, as Chao didn't seem to want to turn up the heat in the house past a chilly 60 degrees.
But the noise of the rest of the household was making it difficult to continue to hear the siren call of sleep and consciousness was tugging at her fiercely.
With a yawn her eyes flickered open, meeting with the sight of half of her mother's backside, as the upperhalf was pressed over the top of a low bookcase and out of sight as her head and arms hung behind the bookcase itself.
Her bare toes dangled several inches off the ground, fuzzy slippers beneath them. They'd been shed as she'd wiggled about to push more of her body into the dusty space behind the wooden structure.
Aido gave her mother's backside an odd look and cocked her head, bangs falling into her eyes, what was she doing.
A triumphant cry echoed from the general direction of the teen followed by several kicks of her legs as she attempted to pull herself out of the posistion she'd landed herself in.
"Oh ep..." she grumbled, finding the task a bit more difficult that she'd originally anticipated as she was bent abit painfully on her stomach and when she wiggled the edge painfully bit into her flesh, exposed as her shirt had wiggled a bit down as well.
"Aaaeee?" Aido questioned, scooting up so that she was just behind the bars of her cradle.
A grumble of something that sounded like 'I'mgoingtokillRicoforthat' came from the general direction of the author before she replied, "it's just me love! I'm just... sortof...stuck."
Aido didn't really understand but giggled all the same as Chao's legs thrashed about a bit more before she managed to get herself to the point where she could hook her legs about the opposite and and haul herself back up and over, falling onto the newly placed rug with an 'oof' causing Aido to clap a bit along with her giggles.
"Yes yes, watch mumsies fall on her butt and laugh," Chao sent a mock glare Aido's way before smiling at the infant and holding up a small, dust covered plush, "look what I found for you."
Aido cocked her head, the plush looked dirty and like it desperately needed attention. With a small pout she raised her hands towards it, "myuh..."
Chao smiled, "okay, don't worry, he's for you. We just need to give him a bath, which, by the way, you're in need of as well love."
Walking over Chao scooped up the infant, who immediately latched onto the plush and hugged it fiercely as she was swept away towards the bathroom.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:29 pm
[Febuary 2nd, 2005-]
Night had settled over the house like a stifling blanket, smothering all those who took shelter in the large structure into a state of unconsciousness.
Scattered about the carpeted covered floor of Aido's room were creatures of various sizes, shapes and colors. All had taken up residence in the room for the night, as they often did when a new member of the household arrived.
Though Aido had been there for days now it'd only been that past weekend that her room had been finished. It was in that room that the infant now lay, bi-colored eyes shut and tiny body perfectly still, save for the small motion of her chest rising and falling, beneath the blanket as her consciousness drifted away into the depths of sleep.
A landscape of nothing but oblivion lay about her, the only light came from her halo. The floating object barely let off enough of a glow to cast a white shadow upon the ebony beneath her feet.
She looked about, bi-colored eyes sweeping over the bleak landscape briefly before she began to walk swiftly, almost as if there was a purpose behind the steps.
Her bare feet brushed over the warm land beneath her feet and occasionally she would pause, turn and look about, but there was no way to tell if she had truly traveled anywhere, for everywhere she went all there was just the same ebony stretched out everywhere. Upwards, beneath her feet, out in any and every direction it was all the same.
Her breath swept out over her lips as she stopped again, this time without any intention of moving again until...she was not sure what.
A soft snarl passed from her lips, morphing into words that lost themselves in the void, dwindling into nothing before she could even hear what they were.
Fear swept up and seized her as the oblivion beneath her feet began to move away, leaving a clean slate of pure white where it had been before.
She took a quivering step back as the shadows began to gather before her, swirling, melding, shifting until a beast of some sort stood before her, sitting on its haunches, golden eyes fixated on her.
She stared back, it seemed familiar to her, she could feel the cord of recognition being struck again and again, demanding her attention to, not only the shadow creature, but something else entirely.
It struck her like a brick.
"This is not now," she murmured, brow creasing in confusion at her own words.
The shadow beast's eyes flickered and its head jerked to the side, her eyes immediately followed its gaze.
But too late, the force of the wave swept her off her feet before plunging her downwards against the ground and holding her there. With the force and the slick feeling of water thundering over her form, reared the feeling of hopelessness and a gripping feeling of lostness that gripped her so forcefully she gasped, involuntarily sucking in some of the liquid.
She glanced up, fighting to open her eyes against the force of the water crashing down upon her, she could see the vague shape the shadow beast. It looked like it may have been trying to get to her, but every time its form grew larger the force of the water increased, forcing it back and pressing her harder against the ground.
Her eyes flew open as she gasped and sputtered wildly for air, wailing out in alarm whenever she could suck in enough breath to let out a cry.
The dream fell away, leaving not even a faint memory in her mind. But just as before the horrible lost feeling remained, gripping at her tightly and strengthening the force of her wails.
All about her various creatures awoke as well, several scampered off to fetch Chao and Rico if they were still sleeping whereas the others echoed the infant's frantic cries.
For the remainder of that night, no one in the small household slept.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:31 pm
Chao's journal--Febuary 7th Oh gods, I miss sleep, I think Ai does too. After the inital night when she seemed to have her first nightmare, nothing seemed to happen for a few days. Ai slept through the night, I slept through the night, Rico, everyone! We were all happy little sleepers! But last night it happened again, Rico and I arrived in Ai's room to find her crying and pale as a sheet. Could this have to do with her Tome or is it just normal nightmares? We should head down to the shop, maybe seeing the others will make her feel a little better, I wouldn't mind seeing Huni today either.
The duo flopped in the door shortly after midnight, Aido nearly asleep in her hip bag, her halo was hovering so low it was nearly resting atop her head.
Peeking into the kitchen and Chao waved hello to a studious looking Rico, who was bent over several overlapping maps. The two received only a vague wave of a hand from the other teen before Chao had turned and padded up the stairs and down the hall, heading for Aido's room.
Experiencing that bizarre feeling of maternal concern Chao paused momentarily at the door, looking to the half asleep girl in her arms to the shadowed crib that lay waiting, the memory of the study rising to the front of her thoughts.
She shook her head, laughing at her own foolishness as the feeling passed and the shadows lost their menacing edge. "Mmm, you're turning me into a worrying mesh of a mother little one," she grumbled halfheartedly as she set Aido down and pulled up the covers.
"Aem..." the little girl murmured, waving her hands up and giving Chao a pat on the cheek as she lent down and gave the infant a kiss on the forehead.
"You're getting better with your words, aren't you love?" Chao asked, leaning against the top of the bars while musing with Aido's hair with her free hand.
Aido simple yawned as a reply causing Chao to giggle and pat her hair down, "g'night Ai! Sweet dreams," she said, standing and heading for the door.
"Nih..." Aido murmured, turning over and gripping a large plushie in the image of a walrus.
Chao smiled and shut the door quietly.
Aido peered out into the darkness of her room. The darkness reminded her of Khia with his small, puffy body which could change so easily into so many things.
She let out a soft, muffled sigh and curled up about her plushie tightly; looking at the shadow it cast on her blankets. Her eyes followed it as it changed and shifted as the plushie itself moved as she tugged it back and forth.
Reaching out one tiny hand she dipped down and into the dark surface of the shadow pulled upwards. For just a moment some of the shadow pooled in her cupped hand before it ran back to its source.
It was like water, just darker and more solid. As it ran through her fingers she meshed it about a tiny bit. It felt kind-a like Khia, without the fuzziness, it even had that weird feeling that she couldn't quite place.
The shadow squirmed a bit as the remains of the tendril fell back to it. It spent a moment reaching out from its confines, stretching its shape before pulling back again and stilling.
Aido giggled, the shadow could change! Like Khia! Though, she cocked her head, not quite as well. Khia could turn into a furry book after all.
She let out a yawn and gave the shadow a small pat, feeling it squirm and arch to her touch before falling back again. "Nih..." she murmured sleepily at it before letting her hand fall back to the bed, eyes sliding closed at the same time. She'd have to show Khia that how the shadow could change as well next time she saw him...Posts combined because, apparently, Chao can't count ><
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:32 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:37 pm
Quote: Febuary 21st, 2005An escape artist? Ai? I suppose I should follow my own advice and try not underestimate her. When Rico first began to tell me that Ai, sweet innocent 'lookie mommy I can crawl!' Aido had somehow: gotten out of her seat and down to the ground and made a break for it during their food shopping trip, I wasn't sure I should believe him. But for some reason I didn't doubt it after he'd finished. I doubt Ai has suddenly turning evil and is going to go on causing all sorts of mischeif just to cause her parental figures to go crazy with worry. Watching her ride about on Runae and explore the household makes me think it's more like a 'oh hey, what's that? I'm going to go look!' sort of thing, just acting on curoisity rather than an evil intent, you know? But that's just a speculation.... On another note, she's become so mobil ever since she met Khia and played tag with him. She still can't walk too well and often she ends up falling to her knees and continuing on crawling until she can get up on her feet yet again. It's nice to see the animalia getting such exercise, even if she still can't always walk Ai's fast for a toddler and seems to enjoy tag as much as the next person. Sometimes you can hear the thumps of feet echoing about the house as they sprint after eachother. Watching Rico get mixed up in the fray is something to see. It's weird how maternal insticts will just pounce on you. Another life to protect, a girl without horns who cannot even walk on her own two feet yet and still finds ways to wander off when the whim strikes her. Who knew how much terror there could be in seeing an empty cradle or car seat? If someone had told me before I probably would have just nodded politely, feined understanding. Now I know better... Arg, Rico's calling, dinner's ready. I wonder what he made?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:38 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:39 pm
[March 6th, 2005~]
The Stationary Shop door flew open, sending piles of paper scattering over the floor. A scream ripped through the unsettling silence as Lemonlime threw herself through the door. There were so many things she didn't want to think about – that she didn't want to exist. Her life was a trap and now and she's struggling as best as she can to not fall in. But she had to think about this. She had to stop it from happening. She let her guard down. The thought caused her stomach to clench and she slammed the door behind her, sending more papers skittering over the floor. She doesn't want to think about this, not now.
But eventually reality crept in and she can’t ignore it anymore. "s**t," she whispered, wiping furiously at the hot, wet tears threatening to spill. Her mind and body screamed it's all your fault, and she nodded, yes it is. It is her fault. She should have checked on her again and again and again like she always does. But she didn't, and this is her punishment. Her daughter is gone.
An absolutely uncontrollable fury was consuming her as she threw off her jacket and stalked around the store, not even sure if anyone was there and barely caring if they were. It was too much. It was all too goddamned much. Lemonlime growled and spun in place, so angry and so helpless she just wanted to rip at her own skin.
Another wave of fury hit her and she had to get it out somehow, so she lunged forward and rammed her fist into wall. There's a slow blossoming of pain through her hand, but she didn't care. She slowly sunk to the ground, covering her face, hurting and crying and burning.
"Oh my god, she's really gone." She mumbled into her hands, clenching her fists.
Tucked beneath a dark umbrella Chao approached the shop. Motherhood was taking its toll on her, resulting in a paleness of her skin and the twitchy need to check on her daughter every few moments to make sure that Ai didn't actually manage to squirm out of her hip bag in order to catch the fat rain drops which were falling from the sky.
Finally the warm lights of the Stationary Shop blinked into view and Chao swung aside the umbrella and allowed the rain to pour down onto them, soaking the mother daughter duo through almost instantly. "Happy Ai?"
Aido gave a rather joyous squeal as the rain pelted her, running down her face and plastering her hair to her head. It felt so good and cool and nice! She opened her mouth to allow some of it to land on her tongue.
Chao chuckled, "well, I'm glad then," she murmured and continued forward through the downpour. She pasued midstep at she caught sight of a familar figure on her knees.
"Lemon?" she called and quickened her step as the sight of the distressed form of other girl.
Lemon whirled her head around to see Chao standing there, looking at her seriously. She laughed bitterly, trying to take a deep breath, trying to count to ten, but it didn't work. "Nalira's gone. I don't know how, I don't know why, and I don't know where, but she's gone." And it's all my fault.
~
Somewhere far, far away, Nalira lay bundled up on the ground. She could feel her heartbeat, feel it pounding against her chest, incredibly aware of each breath she took. She opened her eyes, dark and confused, shifting so that her hand was resting her chin. You are far away from home, little one. Let me lead the way, let me help you.
Nalira whirled around, her eyes frantic and scared. A sudden wind picked up, pushing and pulling at her. She slowly pushed herself off the ground, watching as the autumn leaves rustled past her in an array of gold and brown, begging her to follow. She shuffled a little, scared, unsure if she should be doing this, if she should follow.
~
Aido's brow creased at the mention of her friend, "Naalaa?" she asked quietly. The little girl didn't need to know what the adults were actually saying to catch onto the worried tone of Lemon's voice immediately.
Aido sat up, her halo glowing brillantly for a moment as her, eyes darted, looking to see if about looking for her friend.
Her halo's light faded as quickly as it had lit, unnoticed by the two older women who stood besides her. The metal was left as it had been before, dull and barely refracting the glow of the shop. Aido sat back, taking silent, deep breaths and shutting her eyes.
"Nala...."
Chao was speechless, her mouth agape as she grasped for a way to deal with this sudden news and came up with nothing for several long moments. Glancing down the road than back to Lemon she shut her open mouth with a click. Taking Lemon's arm she gently steered the three of them into the shop, afterall, it wouldn't help Nalira, wherever she was, if they all froze.
Once they were inside the door and dripping on the woodwork Chao turned back to Lemon, asking the first question which came to mind. "Where'd you last see her Lemon?"
Pacing quietly, Lemon ran her hands through her hair without even realizing she was doing it. There were so many thoughts running through her mind that she could barely hold onto one. She leant back against the wall, almost misjudging the distance, almost hoping she did, hoping that she'd fall and hit her head just to stop the pain.
"I put her to bed last night. I usually check on her sometime during the night, but I fell asleep on the sofa. When I woke up this morning, she was gone. There was nothing missing, nothing ascew. The doors were all locked, and the windows were shut." Her voice was hoarse and broken, and she almost laughed as she smothered her face with her hands, covering the tears.
~
Nalira found herself wishing hard that she was cold. As cold as she's ever been. That she was shaking and shivering beyond all human control, then she wouldn't have to think about the lack of control she had over her body. Knowing made her frantic, made her scared, made her hurt.
Nalira closed her eyes, willing herself to stop, begging herself. She shook her head slowly, purposefully, opening her eyes only to reel back as if she'd been hit. Suddenly, out of nowhere, there was a wolf standing infront of her. Nalira stood there, stunned and disoriented.
"We have awaited your return." Nalira almost flinched, looking pinched and confused. No, she thought, this can't be right. Wolves can't talk, and they certainly don't appear out of nowhere. Then again, you don't just appear in a forest, either. Nalira pinched the bridge of her nose, legs weak and breathing hard.
"Nalira, you have once more graced us with your presence. We are eternally grateful and hope that you take your place one more as Princess of the Arcanaine Wolves." Nalira opened her mouth, rediculously aware of her chest rising and falling.
~
Chao wrung her hands and looked around, desperately wishing the little girl would appear out of the woodwork.
Of course, Nalira didn't. Chao mentally slapped herself and tenatively gave Lemon an awkward hug, fumbling badly with her reactions, "it... it'll be alright, we'll find her. If nothing was ascew then... then no one must've taken her." She grimaced, "we'll find her." She repeated. The teen's mind never even flickered to think of the police.
Aido squirmed in her bag, whining lightly and looking around the store. Where was Nala? Why were the big people just talking? If they were going to take so long they should just let her down so she could go herself.
When none of her squirmings caught her mother's attention she groaned and worked harder to free herself.
"I don't think I'll ever see her again." Lemon whispered, her voice tired and worn. She could feel her muscles contracting, tightening, could feel the pain and fear emanating. She was scared to let herself relax, even a little. It was all too much, too soon.
~
Nalira laughed. Princess? Now this is definately a dream, not that she didn't like the sound of being a Princess. But what about home? her mind screamed, almost coming up to slap her in the face. Nalira paused, closing her eyes. Of course, home. As if reading her mind, the Wolf pressed on.
"Your home is here. Your real friends are here," No, Nalira shook her head, you're wrong. She didn't belong here, this place wasn't real. This was a dream. Soon she would wake up and everything would be okay. She pinched her arm, willing herself to wake just as the wolf snatched her up in his mouth. Nalira went limp, her thoughts severed.
"You're not getting away this time, little one. You're staying here for good." His voice was cutting and final. Nalira squirmed and punched and screamed and kicked, but it did nothing.
~
Chao's gaze hardened, her mouth instively pursing in reaction to the defeat already showing on Lemon's face. "Well, if you're not even going to look for her, than you're right. You'll never see her again."
She realized too late the probably inappropraiteness of her harsh words. She opened her mouth, but her brow furrowed and she shut it again. Even if they were cruel they were the truth. To leave them unspoken would be crueler than speaking them had been.
Ignorenent to the adults moral crisis Aido was still working single mindedly to get out of the contracption which held her hostage. A small 'wumph' sounded as Ai hit the floor, thankfully butt first. She grinned in triumph and, with an annoyed look in the [slow moving] adults direction, moved quickly, making a break towards the door.
If Nala was here she would have come out by now, thusly, she must be playing hide and seek outside. Maybe she'd even lost herself because she'd hidden so well! The infant nodded to herself, content with the logic, that must be it. And that meant she needed to be found.
Suddenly she was back in the arms of her mother. Her yelp of surprise quickly turned into a growl as she reached desperately towards the door. Nala was lost! She needed to go find Nalira!!!!!!
"Naaaalaaa!" she cried, snapping her gaze around to glare at her mother for impeding her so.
Lemon searched her face for a moment, then nodded, slightly taken aback. Yes, she thought, we have to look for her. Where's the good in sitting and worrying about what and where and how and why. That's not going to find her, that's not going to make sure she's safe. Lemon gathered up her coat silently, nodding to Chao and Aido once more.
~
Suddenly, Nalira was flying forward and hitting the ground, teeth smashing together painfully. Nalira tasted a warm copperyness in her mouth as she slowly got to her feet, shaking. She carefully rested a hand on her mouth, wincing a little at the burn.
"Now, are you going to come with us, or will we have to make you?" Nalira frowned, looking away quickly. Everything seemed too dark and too cold all of a sudden. As each second ticked by, she felt more and more eyes on her, just daring her to say no. She looked up, her face still pinched and angry as she nodded.
"You have accepted, as we knew you would. Now, to show your loyalty, we will mark you as out new leader." Nalira recoiled, panic rising inside her chest, the kind that made her tight and coiled and breathless and ready to run. In less than a second she was pinned to the ground, her screams echoing through the deadened forest. There was an explosion against her arm and Nalira instinctively curled inwards, hot, wet tears streaking spilling down her cheeks.
Nalira took the chance to glance down at the strange symbols carved into her arm through watery eyes. She buried her head in her hands, smothering the tears, trying to get control and just forget. Just enough to get her breath back. Everything is going dark and black and numb, and before long she's gone.
~
Aido's tiny face was bunched up, her brow furrowed, looking as if she was going to scream if they didn't start to move soon [which, yes, she was]. The cold feeling was back but, for the moment, it wasn't strange and intrusive, it was comfortable, but pressing, encouraging her to go!
"Nala!" she cried again, wiggling and attempting to spring from her mother's arms to the door. Chao's arms held fast and she slumped, her gaze sliding towards the floor, staring at her own shadow. "Nala," this time she said her friend's name with sharp the sharp presise tone of an order, rather than a whine or a growl.
Chao nodded back and, making sure to keep one arm locked around her impulsive daugter, grabbed her umbrella once more and gestured towards the door, indicating that Lemon should lead and that she would help in whatever way she could.
Lemon hesitated, silent in thought for a moment. "Shouldn't we gather everyone else? Or do we go alone?" She stood there for what seemed like hours, her arms crossed, her chest tightening. She wanted to find her baby girl by any means possible, and if that meant gathering others, she would.
~
Nalira stirred and opened her eyes, cold and sweating. She lifted her head, painfully aware of the slow, throbbing pain in her arm. She pinched the bridge of her nose, squinting up at the figure infront of her.
"Ah, Princess, you have awoken," Nalira slapped her hands to her ears as the wolves all raised their heads to howl and she suddenly forgot how to breathe. This wasn't right, this wasn't real. Soon she will wake up and it will all be just a dream, a horrible, terrible dream.
However she wasn't waking up as the wolves began to circle her. She lowered her hands and closed her eyes, scrunching her nose. If this was bad and wrong and all things not good, then why did it feel so right?
~
Aido stared at Lemon when the woman didn't move for the door, absolutely taken aback by the fact that they still weren't moving.
The toddler shook her head and looked towards the door instead, watching carefully asthe stray shadows of the rain danced along it. Her bi-colored eyes followed one of the shadows carefully until it broke away from its fellows and skittered out the crack in the doorway. Aido nodded to herself and looked back to Chao and Lemon imploringly, gesturing towards the door with her hands.
"Let's go ourselves, I have my cell phone if we have to call back. And-" she paused, looking around at the deserted Stationary Shop and the nearly deserted street beyond. "-it doesn't look like anyone else is about anyway."
Lemon nodded, taking a breath. "Okay," A pause. "Well, quickly, let's go." She shrugged her coat onto her shoulders, sucking in it's warmth as she made her way for the door. She blocked out the nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her that she isn't good enough or strong enough, that this is all in vain. It's not in vain, she can do this. They will find her daughter, and she will be alive.
~
Nalira felt her body betraying her as she rose her head to the sky to howl. A pain shot through her body as her muscles contracted and stretched and ripped. Nalira, for the second time that night, let out a scream. It seems much too frightening all of a sudden. Her stomach clenched and twisted, her eyes rolling into the back of her head.
Suddenly, her knees turned in, her face elongated, her eyes dilated and fur sprouted over her body. She felt her knees give way as she fell to the ground, shaking and shivering.
"You have returned." She looked up, stubbornley silent. This isn't right, she thought, shaking her head. She watched her stomach rise and fall, breathing in sharply, fidgeting under their searching eyes, hoping and wishing for someone to jump out and say 'April fools'. Or maybe this is a test. That's it. Nalira has no idea what it is she's failed at, but she knows. Yes, that's what this was.
~
Chao nodded back and quickly she stepped towards the door, snatching up another umbrella and handing it to Lemon before popping her's open.
Aido sighed in relief, glad that they were finally moving. She looked back out into the storm pensively, gaging the way the feeling in her head shifted as she looked left then right down the street, focusing only on that and her desire to find her lost friend.
Looking up to the older Gaians the toddler pointed in the general direction of her friend and said, "Nala."
~
Okay, maybe it's not a test Nalira thought as she watched them circle her, determined not to let any curiosity show on her face. A small amount of water lay at her feet, reflecting her image. She laughed suddenly, and it wasn't a nice laugh. She scrunched her nose, placing a foot in the water, looking away quickly. This isn't me, she thought to herself, this isn't me at all.
"We have awaited your return with great anticipation and now that you have returned, our circle of life to continue." She didn't like where this was going. She kept herself from starting, from looking up sharply to see what he means. This isn't right, this isn't right, this isn't right.
~
Lemon took the Umbrella, holding it high. "Where do we start?" She asked sadly, looking up at Chao, all of her hope draining away quicker than it had arrived, the nagging voice winning her over.
Chao pushed a hand back through her damp bangs, forcing them away from her face, it was more a nervous habit than anything "I don-"
Aido didn't give her a chance to finish. "NALA!" she snapped, pointing again. She didn't question the feeling or the 'hows' and 'whys' of it. She wanted to find Nala. The feeling said that Nala was that way. As she was confined to Chao's arms and couldn't begin to move unless she was either let go or Chao herself moved she was going to have to get the adults to go the way she felt they had to go.
Looking up to Lemon she pointed and whined imploringly, "Nala, Nala, Nala," every statement of her friend's name was accented was a jab of her tiny finger.
~
"Look, I'm not who you think I am, you must have the wrong person," She turned, feverishly running away from the scene and not looking back. Nalira hadn't gone far before there was a searing pain in her back, her knees buckling. She buried her head in the ground, squeezing her eyes shut. "I don't want this."
And then she couldn't breathe. The goddamned wolf had sunk his teeth into her neck and she was going to die. She was scared to touch her neck, scared that she was going to die, scared to be scared, scared to wake up and just scared.
~
Lemonlime looked at Aido, shocked. "I think she knows where she is. Let's – let's follow her." Lemonlime whispered a little too eagerly. She wouldn't let herself hope or wish or dream incase she was burnt, but she couldn't dismiss this. This could be it.
Chao looked to her daughter, as shocked as Lemon was by Aido's directions. She wanted to ask the toddler how she knew and why, but there wasn't time. Instead the Author contented herself to smile at Aido momentarily and quickly start after Lemon.
Aido's eyes lit with hope as they began to move quickly. She let her finger fall and curled her arms to her. Finally! There were moving! They were even moving the right way! They would get to Nala and then... then she wouldn't be lost anymore!
Smiling Aido squirmed a bit until sher was able to sit up in Chao's arms, watching as the landscape passed by and concentrating on the feeling that she just knew would lead them to Nalira.
~
The wolves were circling her again. She fidgeted and squirmed under their gaze, struggling to breathe. 'If you are not one of us, then you are one of them,' they chanted as Nalira's chest tightened, her eyes widening as a dull pain reached from her toes to her finger tips.
Suddenly, Nalira felt her muscles tightening once more, all too aware of the pain and ripping to come. She bit down hard on her tongue as pain exploded in every part of her body, her body shaking violently as she transformed. She looked up them with tear filled eyes, bracing herself.
The wolves moved towards her, their eyes red as they squinted against the sun. She dared a glance at their blood-stained paws, her chest constricting. No, no, no it's not meant to end like this. "Please," She whispered. Please, she screamed, let me wake up. Let this be a dream, let me wake up to Lemonlime shaking my shoulders and asking me if I'm okay. Nalira snapped her eyes shut as he brought his paw crashing down across her face.
~
Chao grit her teeth and picked up her pace, her shoes were already soaked through with slush and mud as they sloshed the gunk every which way as they moved forward. Why would a little girl be out here? 'Gods I hope we're close...' actually, what she really hoped that Aido and Lemon were wrong and that Nalira had been at home the entire time....
Aido tensed in Chao's arms, bi-colored eyes flickering to Lemon then back to the path a head. They were close, she knew they were close, why couldn't they just be there now?!
Taking a deep breath she called "Nala!" as loudly as her tiny lungs would let her. She buried her hands in her scarf, hoping Nalira would hear they, if only to tell her that they were almost there.
~
Nalira heard her name briefly over the loud ringing in her ears. She began yelling, hoping and praying to god that someone would hear her. She was suffocating and spinning and bleeding and dying. Save me, she screamed, unable to open her mouth, save me.
Nalira's cries reached Lemon's ears all too soon, and in one swift movement she grabbed Chao's hand and ran. She skidded to a halt, the whole world stopping as she saw the scene before her, whispering a quick yet audible curse.
Chao discarded her umbrella as they broke into a sprint and when the reached the fray she didn't hesitate. The Heanzian teen forgot even that her own daughter was in her arms as the world narrowed to the scene in front of her. The teen leapt at the into the fray, snapping out a blade from the confines of her shoe. She lunged at the wolf whose paw was on Nalira's face, throwing her weight against it and striking at it with the small dagger's blade. "Get off her!"
Aido's eyes widened in terror, a gasp escaping her mouth, this was why Nalira hadn't been able to end the game. Maybe this was why it'd been started.
The terror was short lived, as blood burning anger replaced it. "NALA!" she screamed and broke away from Chao's loose, distracted grip with a stupid amount of ease.
Chao cried out in alarm as Aido landed in the mud by the wolfs face. The little girl barely noticed. Above her head her halo's glow intensified sharply and drifted up to level directly in front of the wolf's eyes.
"Le' Nala go!" she snarled, bi-colored eyes narrow and fierce.
The wolf scattered backwards. He growled and bristled and spat, fleeing from the scene. Nalira shifted weakly before passing out. Lemonlime fell to her knees, gathering her daughter in her arms. "Nalira, sweetie, baby," She kissed her forhead, just for a second, then rears back and gently brushes back her hair, afraid that she might do something wrong.
Aido sighed and slumped down into the mud. Her halo's glow extinguished itself and the circlit flopped onto her dark locks with a dull thump. Weakly she raised a hand and rubbed at her eyes. All her anger and adreniline fled her quickly, leaving her shivering from the cold, exhaustion, and belated fear of what she'd just faced.
Whimpering, she looked up, and cracked a tiny smile at the sight of Nalira. At least Nalira wasn't lost anymore, though she did look hurt.
"Nalaa..." her friend's name was like a whimper of relief.
Chao quickly sheathed her dagger, almost stabbing herself because her hands were shaking so hard. Rushing over she scooped up Aido and hugged her close, sniffling, "oh Ai, you little brave little fool..." she murmured, a few stray tears running down to grace her daughter's head as she nuzzled Aido's muddy hair, pressing a kiss to her crown of dark locks.
Still shaking she slipped off her jacket and wrapped it around her daughter, to help the little girl warm up. With that bundle in her arms she looked over to watch the wolves scatter.
Finally she turned her gaze to Lemon and Nalira and tenatively asked, "is Nalira alright Lemon?" a pause, then "should we get her to a hospital?"
Lemon frowned. "No, let's just get her home, she's experienced enough tonight without waking up in a whole new world." Suddenly, Nalira shifted, her sleeve rolling up to show the markings carved into her arm, still bleeding and throbbing.
"What's this?" Lemonlime whispered to herself, brushing a hand over the toddler's arm before turning her attention to the vile tied around her neck. "It seems to be carrying blood in it. Before it was just empty." She mumbled, taking hold of the vile and holding it up to Chao.
Chao peered at it, brow creasing, "what in the...?" she reached out, taking hold of the vile for a moment and looking at it critially. The liquid instide certainly appeared to resemble blood..
"But why?" she murmured aloud.
Aido peered out briefly, wondering what her Aemu was holding. Unable to recognize it on sight and feeling far too tired to even be curious she settled back into Chao's coat without a fuss
For a moment she was distracted as a tiny shadow curled around one of her fingers. She rose her hand to her face and smiled at it, thankful for what she was sure had been its help. The toddler murmured a soft goodbye as the shadow dissapeared amongst the shadows of her own soaked shirt.
Closing her eyes she slumped back against Chao, drifting into unconsciousness herself.
~
Nalira stood in her room, against the door, her forehead resting against the cool wood. Oh, god. She reeled back, stomach clenching. This isn't right.
Nalira stumbled over to her bed, head throbbing. Damnit. Her heart was pounding and her fingertips were tingling in a way that made her feel like her whole body was about to explode. She flopped onto her bed, clutching at her head and roughly rubbing her face.
Everything was overwhelming and questions. Was any of it real? She moved to sit, crossing her legs. She glanced over to her arm, a peculiar tightness forming in her chest. They're there, but then..?. She shook her head, trying to lose her thoughts, trying to be sleepy, trying not to think about tonight, about now. She leant forward and dropped her head into her hands, and sat that way for a long time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:39 pm
[March 7th, 2005~]Quote: Chao sat, hunched over in a corner, fingers flying across the laptop computer she had on her lap as she worked on the work due the next day. Stupid reading analysis....
Aido was, as per usual, off on her own, though remarkable she'd kept in sight of her Author. She was standing next to one of the shelves and seemed to be peering at the shadows cast off by the stationary curiously, though her eyes glazed, halfseeing and lost in thought.Ying bursts into the shop first, slamming shoulder-first into the door and shoving it open, chest heaving.
"I win!" She shrieks, giggling madly as she leans against the door to keep her companions from coming inside.Junyi rolls her eyes good-naturedly, pushing against the door. "OOF! Too... strong... can't... open...door!"More giggles.Right. Junyi did her civic duty and indulged the kid. With a smirk, she begins to push the door open, Ying and all."Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Ying's giggles suddenly cease, and she steps away from the door, a glorious pout on her face.Junyi wasn't expecting that. "Whoa!" Barely keeping her balance as she hops into the store, thankful that Luna was in JOKEPH'S arms this time. sweatdrop , says Jokeph, who quietly slips into the store with a very confused-looking Luna in his arms."Hellooooooo?"The clicking of keys was soon overshadowed by the lively entrance of Junyi and her family. Linneas instinctively stepped back to give them room before he approached them.
"G'morning." he greeted, bowing formally before everyone.Ning perched on Linny's shoulder, a little wary as to where all these 'humanoid beings' had been. She wasn't sure if they were clean enough for her bonded."G'morning," Junyi echoes absently, not recognizing Linneas. "Sorry about the noise..."They weren't supposed to WIN and get inside the store at all! scream
Ying stomps off to go sulk.Luna seems to perk up a bit, recognizing Linneas somewhat.
She doesn't project anything at him, though; she seems too afraid to.Chao's head shot up at the sudden burst of voices, finger still typing, though the words were only pure instict and fractured thought as she slipped off her headphones, and peered at the redhead. "Linny?"
She paused, looking him up and down before grinning, "LINNY! YOU GREW!" she was up and hugging her gonson in a moment, headphones clattering on the floor.
Aido snapped her attention away from the shadows, shivering lightly at the sudden change of atmosphere as people entered, peering curiously around the corner she looked about. There was the Tale from the other day and...someone new?
At her mother's yell she looked over the older tale, "Leenee?" he'd grown too? Like Khia had?"It's... alright... I just hope mom doesn't wake up. She needs to rest." Linneas explains, "I'm her helper while she and Uncle Syrie can't be around." he smiles proudly.
He notices Luna and waves to the infant, he vaguely remembers what she had done but somehow he isn't afraid anymore.Ning chanced to hover over to where Aido was, "Hello Aii." she greeted, the light from her Halo seemed to assure the Fandangle of her cleanliness and purity.Linneas barely had time to greet his godparent before he found himself in Chao's embrace.
"Hi, Aunty Chao." he greeted, "Aii around?" he asked."We'll be careful, then. I'm sorry."Frowning, Luna squirms out of Jokeph's grasp, slides down his leg, and begins scooting toward Linneas, sending out one faint, but clear projection:
She's a good baby. crying She didn't mean to make Linny sad.Ying, meanwhile, peeks at Linneas and Aido, her pout growing even deeper.
...YING wants to be tall. And YING wants a shiny ring over her head. stressed
Someone seems to be in tantrum-mode. While the attention would have been overwhelming to Linny had he still been an infant, he was able to handle things better now that he had grown. True he was still a little nervous at all the attention but he could cope better.
The projection Luna was sending him was well received, at least it was compared to how he first reacted. He nodded to her to show there were no hard feeling, Linny was never one to keep grudges. Especially when one never meant for anything bad to happen in the first place. crying heart , says Luna.
She projects EXTREME relief at that, and finally scoots back to Jokeph and clings to his ankle shyly.Aido looked up at the Fandagle floated over to her and smiled, "'alo Ning." Her eyes flickered over the floating contraption curiously, the last time she'd interacted with the Fadangle she'd had no time to actually look at it but now she was taking in its shininess and ability to float with interest.
"Yes, thankfully she's decided to stay in sight, for once," Chao grumbled, with a roll to her eyes, loosening her grip on her godson and pointing over to where Aido and Ning were, "she's right there.""No, Ning no Halo..." the Fandangle replied, not quite getting that 'alo was a greeting rather than a reference to the shiney circle above one's head.Linneas waved to Aido and smiled happily at the sight that Ning wasn't going ballistic over another person. The Fandangle never liked to associate with others aside from him and... well... Him.
He noticed Ying from the corner of his eye, and smiled at the new girl to come out so they could meet officially.Ying peeks out from behind a shelf, and finally steps forward, her anger slowly melting away.
She shouldn't be jealous. She, after all, has the cooler toys.
.......Like Mister Lighter. ninja
"Hi....." Ying finally mumbles, her gaze firmly fixated on the ground.Aido blinked at the Fandangle, confused. "Ahh! No, 'allo, not halo." She said after a moment, giggling at the mixup before sighting her friend and waving in return, she looked up the Fadangle, "Ning come?" she asked, motioning towards Linny, she wanted to properly greet/inspect her grown friend but she didn't want to just leave Ning.Still in Chao's embrace, Linneas gestured that Ying come closer "Hi, I'm Linny, you?" he asked brightly. He vaguely wished he still had Praa, but ever since he grew, his plush had turned into a real mop.Ying takes a step forward, still not raising her gaze.
"Ying," comes the mumbled reply."Did Ying come from that room, too?" Linneas asked, somehow alread knowing the answer as he pointed to the Study."Ah, hello!" Ning bobbed up and down, "Yes, Ning go with Aii to Linny!" she declared brightly, hovering just beside the Tale's silver Halo.Ying nods glumly, although whether or not her sudden demeanor change is due to shame or residual anger is anyone's guess.Ai grinned and quickly made her way over to Ying and Linny, resisting the urge to pounce upon Linny like she had Khia. Instead she smiled brightly, taking in his older form with her bi-colored eyes. "Leenee big," she said simply, nodding to herself, "but still Leenee."
With that she turned to the other Tale, "'allo" she said with a soft smile.
Chao, suddenly remembering that she had work, squeezed her godson once more, smiled to the other Tales, and headed back to her computer, plugging on her headphones and reading over what she'd just written."Aii!" Linneas grinned, kneeling down so that he was eye level to both Aido and Ying. "Linny not so big," he smiled and gently pat his friend on the head. His mom often pat him on the head and pinch his cheeks to show affection, but he decided against he pinching part.
"Aii, this is Ying." he introduced. "She's like us." he explained. "Right?" he smiled to the other Tale.Ning hovered over to where Ying was and inspected her, the fandangle wondered why this Tale was so glum given how cheerful she had been when she first entered the shop."'Allo," Ying echoes quietly, still finding the floor absolutely fascinating.Aido giggled as her hair was pat, reaching up a hand and returning the favor to Linny, "'allo Ying," she paused in her petting of Linny's hair for a moment as she looked the other girl over, also wondering why she looked so sad. "Ying sad?" she asked, halo dropping a tiny bit.
She paused, shuffled her feet, then gave the other girl a tenative one armed hug before releasing her, "Ying'nLinny wan tag?" she asked, looking from one Tale to the other."No, I can't play tag, we might wake mom up." Linneas sighed, besides he wasn't much of a tag person to begin with. But they never had to find that out, did they?Ying seems to brighten a bit at the prospect of playing a game.
.....She's not going to LOSE this game, is she?
Ying so hates losing... .______.
Aido nods, tag was fun, but loud, and often involved crashing into things....
Shaking her head she looks to the others, "wha'Ying wan play?" she asks, looking to the other Tale, lacking ideas at the moment.Ying seems to brighten even more. "War?""War?" Aido had never head of that game, she cocked her head, contemplating it, it sounded like it could be fun... "how play?""Um..." Ying thinks for a moment.
"You are general. Me too!" A pause. ".....Have pretend armies, and fight!" blaugh Aido blinks again, "armies? Generals?" This wasn't curing her confusion at all.She knew about fighting, sortof, but wasn't it bad or something? Well, pretend fighting probably wasn't bad...."Um..." Ying doesn't appear to be able to decribe armies and generals very well.
But fighting she knows! "I'm the good guy! I call it!""Good guy...?" Oh yes! So if she was good... Aido frowned, "me evil?"She didn't want to be evil! Evil people hurt other people and did bad things and-
Suddenly she stood stark still and let out a tiny whimper, the bitter cold and the lonlieness washing over her like a wave. Shivering she brings her hands up, wrapping her arms about herself.Ying's face falls as she realizes what she'd said really hurt the other child.
"...Sorry..." she mumbles, lowering her gaze. "You can be good... I'm sorry..."With a snap the feeling rushed away, broken away by the sound of another voice.
Aido blinks, feeling it continue to rush away as a bit of cold twinged on her bare ankle, "ah! no... m'sorry," she brings a hand up, and tugs at a bit of her two toned hair, she hadn't wanted to make the other girl feel bad, but she couldn't properly explain what'd just happened either.
"We both good?"
Good people fought eachother too, right? Ying blinks. "Nu-uh! Good fights bad!" She folds her arms across her chest, closing her eyes. "S'true. Good guys, bad guys. Good and good don't fight."Aido couldn't help but giggle, "alrigh," she was beginning to get really curious about this war game, the feeling of only a few moments before pushed aside by the curoisity. "Ying evil now, Ai evil-" pretend evil she just had to remember that, if she did the feeling wouldn't come back and this way she could see how you prentended to be evil, "-next time?"Ying frowns. She knows good guys are always supposed to win, but she didn't want to lose! crying
Still, if it'd make the other one happy...
Taking a moment to get into character, Ying suddenly lets loose with the most insane, maniacal laugh ever heard out of a toddler.
"No one will beat Queen Ying!" She belts out, hands on hips as she sneers at Ai. "Yingtopia is MINE!"
A pause.
"Um... I hope a hero does not try to beat me!"For a moment Aido simply gaped at her, taking an instictive step back, before the smallest of smiles crept back onto her face.
So this was how you played war... it was like some of the movies she'd seen.
Tensing where she stood Aido narrowed her eyes at the other girl fiercely, "I won' let you win Queen Ying!" she mock snapped, the corner of her mouth twitching, as she fought not to start laughing, heros facing villians didn't laugh, right?
"Ying'opia will never-" what was it she was supposed to say, "-uh... never...ever...bow to you!" Yeah! That was it!"Woooooooooooooosh," Ying declares, dropping into a fighting stance. "I have my BEAM sword now." She nods at her left hand, clenched in front of her. "What do YOU have?"Beam sword, eep.
Sliding into a slightly awkward fighting stance Aido pretended brought her hand away from her side, "swiishhhh..." she clentched both hands out in front of her, "I 'ave my SHADOW sword!""Nuh! Only BAD GUYS use--" Ying quickly stops herself. "Uh... I mean... ON GOURD!"
With that, she lunges at Ai, furiously swinging her "beam sword".Junyi, sitting with Luna, can't help but snicker at the butchering of "En Garde."From her computer Chao snickers as well and mutters a choice 'Princess Bride' quote.
Aido yelps and hops back and to the side, avoiding being hit by the "beam sword" before jumping forward, swinging her "shadow sword" in retailiation."You missed! You missed!" Ying swings again, leaping gracefully to the side."So'd you!" Aido calls as she drops dives beneath the path of Ying's swing, hopping up after a clumsy moment in which she nearly tripped over her own feet, only to turn and swing again."You missed again!" Ying cries, retaliating with a whirling swing of her own. "SUPER MOVE!"Aido blinks pausing momenterarily, "super move?" Snapping out of her confusion she jumps back, but this time, her scarf, which had come partway loose from the fairly close hold she'd had it, got beneath her foot causing her to slip and fall back, rolling a bit, knocking gently against a shelf of stationary. It rocked back and forth before steading, though several pieces of stationary were knocked off and the hit the floor about her.
"Owo," she grumbled, rubbing the back of her head, before remembering she was in the heat of battle and scampering up and back into a battle stance. At least she'd rolled away from 'Queen' Ying.Ying immediately hesitates, rising from her stance and staring at Aido worriedly.
"Owwie?" She asks quietly, biting her lip.Aido smiles sheepishly, rising from her hurried stance, her head and back were only throbbing lightly from the bump, "no' big owwie."
Quickly she places her scarf back in its original posistion, where it wouldn't trip her again.Ying's frown deepens; she doesn't want to continue the fight if Aido is hurt- even just a little.
Instead, she makes a little sound of displeasure, glancing away.Aido shuffles her feet slightly as Ying glances away, and plays with the tassels of her scarf, taking the noise and the glance as signs of frustration or maybe even anger.
She hadn't wanted, or meant to, ruin their game or make Ying mad.... "Ai sorry..." she murmurs."Don' wanna hurt you," Ying finally mumbles, staring at her feet. "Sorry."Aido glances back up and shakes her head, "nono, Ying no hurt Ai. Ai jus' trip..." it'd been her fault, not Ying's!Ying sighs, plopping on the floor. "No war if it hurts Ai." A pause. "PERIOD."Aido sighs as well and wanders over, plopping down on the floor next to Ying. "Ai no hurt," she grumbled in return. "Small owo."
It'd hurt worse when she'd hit that wall while chasing Loki, or when she'd fallen from the plushie pile...Ying shakes her head stubbornly, folding her arms across her chest.
"NO owo."Aido sighed and flopped against the other Tale, "owo not big, no' that bad. Pleeaaase Ying play?"A shrug. "Dunno."Aido looks up at the ceiling, thinking for a moment, "hide n'seek?"".......Who hides first?""Do you wanna or should Ai?""Um..." Ying thinks for a moment. "I hide? Maybe?"Aido smiles and stands, "alrigh! Ai go count," actually she couldn't count very well but... "and Ying hide.""No peeking!" Ying calls, already bolting off in search of a suitable hiding place.Aido nods, closing her eyes tightly and placing her tiny hands over them, "one! two! three!" she calls out as she counts, pausing in between each. "four! five!" a longer pause this time... five... five...then... "ssssiz! Seven!"Where to hide... where to hide? gonk
Ying quickly scans the shop, searching for somewhere- ANYWHERE to hide.
Finally, her gaze fixes itself on a shelf on the bottom; filled with folders. Without giving it a second thought, she dives at the shelf, pushing folders aside as quietly as she can manage while she grabs a handful of even more folders.
Squeezing herself into the space she cleared, she quickly uses the folders she'd grabbed to shield herself from view.
........This is going to be AWESOME. whee "Eigh'! Nine! TEN!" Aido calls, finishing up and spinning round, "here I come!" she scans around, looking for where the other Tale might be hiding. Not seeing her in anyplace obvious she begins to walk about, checking every place that even looks remotely suspicious, for the other Tale.
Chao glances at her watch. It'd be time to go home soon.Ying lets out a quiet giggle.
She is SO ninja. heart Aido just barely hears the giggle and turns, looking around for the source of the noise. Slowly, quietly, she turns and begins to walk towards where she thought she'd heard it from.Oblivous, Ying continues to giggle quietly.Aido continues to stealthily creep towards the giggling sound, it was echoing slightly through the small area, so she couldn't be sure percisely where it was coming from...
Chao glances at her watch again and quits away from her computer programs. Closing the laptop she begins to pack up, deciding if Ai hadn't found the other girl by the time she was finished they'd need to go anyway. They still had to walk home after all.The giggling suddenly ceases as Ying realizes just how DUSTY the shelves are.
"A.."
Oh no! gonk
"Ahhhh...."
Not now! Ying has it MADE! gonk
"Ahhhh---CHOO!"Aido swings around from the direction she was heading in and rushes over to where the sneeze had sounded from. Grabbing a few folders she pulls them back and peers into the dim darkness, halo glowing softly so that she can look at the other Tale. "Found you!" she chirps happily."Nofaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaair!" Ying whines, crawling out from the dusty shelf and wiping her nose. "It's NOT FAIR!""Yeah, and it's time to go, squirt," Junyi butts in, already looming over the pair.POUT. >OAido giggled, "sorry Ying." She smiles cheerfully, "nex' time Ai'll hide and Ying can seek."Chao trots over, scooping Aido up, "time for us to go as well. It was nice seeing you, Junyi, Ying.""Baiiiii Ying!" Aido chirps cheerfully, waving a hand towards the other Tale. She hoped they'd be able to play again soon.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:46 pm
[March 24th, 2005~]
[And suddenly, the second hand begins to move again.]
Chao stepped back, looking over the 'masterpiece' she and Aido had managed to create. Looking over to said Tale she smiled, "Aido, I never knew egg and graham crackers could be used to create such wondrous paintings."
Aido giggled, her hands were matted with the mixture used to create the crusts and the patterns which were lain out in front of her.
"Wow," a lone masculine voiced murmured, causing the two to look over towards the doorway, "had fun with the graham crackers?"
"And egg!" Chao said with a smile, grabbing a cloth and turning on the faucet of the sink, letting it become moist before handing it over to Rico, "mind wiping Ai off for me?"
As he shook his head she poured soap onto her own hands, "what're you up to today?"
"Not much," he rubbed the cloth gently over Aido's hand and fingers, the little girl giggling in response, eliciting a smile in response, it was nice to see she'd come out from the silence she'd slipped into for the past day, "was thinking about taking Aido for a wal-"
"That'd be perfect! Could you go now? I want to finish this pie, and maybe another one, either way it'll take a few hours to cool, and when you get back you both'll be hungry!" it all came out in a rush and ended as Chao clapped her hands together, earning slightly frightened looks from Rico and Aido.
"Uh, alright then, let's go Ai," he finished mopping up her face and hung the towel back up. With a wave in Chao's direction he scooped the young Tale into his arms and quickly headed to the door, grabbing their coats.
In moments they were out the door and heading into the woods that lurked behind the house.
The duo was silent for several minutes as Rico's lean legs brought them deeper and deeper into the forest at a quick, steady pace.
"You've never been in here, have you Aido?"
Aido looked around, her halo alight, casting its dim light upon the fog that still clung to the damp, partially snow covered earth.
"It's often misty here," he continued, "heaven, it's almost always foggy once you get this far in, at least in the morning, but in the winter and spring it often lasts into the afternoon." A pause, "it's a good place to hide...."
Aido looked up at her Uncle then, "hide?"
"Mmmhmm..." he didn't elaborate and Aido didn't prod further, simply tucking the information away and turning her attention back to the cool, soon to be spring feel of the air and the dull shadows, partially obscured and dulled by fog, that speckled the ground.
Rico sighed, looking down at the little girl.
He was still worried.
After her trip to the Stationary shop she'd seemed to be perpetually exhausted throughout the previous day, worrying her Author and her Uncle. But it seemed it'd only been a temporary thing and the little girl was slowly regaining the lost energy.
It'd probably just been a phase, or a brief sickness, or something to do with the weather, any way, it seemed to be over and done with.
Abruptly receding from his thoughts he paused and looked around. The territory was familiar, but only vaguely so. They were rather far into the forest, "oh dear, maybe it's time to head back?"
No response, Aido had fallen asleep using his chest as a pillow.
With a chuckle he turned and began to head back towards home.
--
She was lying down, staring up a diamond speckled sky. The stars seemed much further away than usual and they were moving, or maybe she was moving? She couldn't be sure.
She pulled at her limbs, but they moved only in a slow, sluggish, leaden sort of way and it was far easier to simply let them lie.
She sighed and relaxed. It didn't matter anyway, she could simply-
The thought was never finished as directly in front of her the water exploded in a small geyser, causing her form to jolt up and away from the cool water of the river, the leaden feeling gone.
A form was there, within the column of water, but it was badly blurred as the fountain of water still shooting upward and out, only to drop down, further soaking her form.
The water began to part, a clap of thunder echoed about her-
Aido's eyes flew open as Rico slammed the door.
"Sorry Ai," he mumbled with an apologetic smile.
She returned the smile, though it was a bit shaky, "home?" she questioned softly, looking around the dully lit room.
Rico nodded and gently set her down, removing her coat, immediately she made her way towards the kitchen on slightly shaky legs.
The lights dimmed as she entered causing her halo to glow in response.
A match was struck somewhere in the darkness, it's light illuminating Chao as she lit several candles, their light revealing that the table had been set, dinner steaming upon it.
"Great timing you two!" she quipped as Aido wandered over to her, taking her mother's hand. "Dinner's all set; the pies are made and are cooling-"
"Pies? How many did you make Ae?" interrupted Rico.
The Author paused as she helped Aido up the step stool so that she could wash her hands, "uhm... three? No, four and a crust. That's it."
Her twin said nothing and simply shook his head.
Chao ignored him and toweled Aido's now washed hands.
In a few minutes the small family was situated and digging into the meal.
--
Several hours later, full of pie, Aido sat in her crib, arms wrapped around a plushie, her brow creased in thought.
She could remember the dream. She'd never remembered one before. It was both curios and scary to the Tale to have the first one be of such a sort, more nightmare than dream.
Sighing she flopped forward and stretched, one hand whisking over the plush walrus' side in the movement.
With her head cushioned by the soft fabric she peered sideways at the plush's shadow questioningly, "wha' sha think?"
For a moment the shadow did nothing. About to close her eyes and pass it off as the shadow being away Aido sighed, only to catch a slight shift in the appearance of the shadow.
It squirmed, rippling the walrus shape away for a moment until it settled again and a portion of the shadow rose away from the two-dimensional confines of the walrus' shape. For a moment it was simply a small blob before it began to stretch and change until in its place stood a small three-dimensional figure that vaguely resembled some sort of canine. It sat on its haunches; golden eyes blinking into existence like two tiny golden suns had just been born. For a moment it eyed her sharply before seeming to relax and shrug its shoulders.
For a moment Aido simply blinked sleepily at it, she didn't know the shadow could do that. Oddly she didn't feel surprised; not really, she'd seen it shift before, just not like this. This was simply the next step.
But with this new form the shadow wasn't simply the Shadow anymore, it was something else.
Scooting a bit close Aido lent her chin on the plush and peered into the golden eyes of the Shadow, pointing to herself, "Ai," she then pointed to the shadow, cocking her head slightly.
The Shadow knew the routine of name exchange well, but, instead of simply speaking, it lifted itself upwards, form flexing and changing, enlarging until it could look at Aido on the same level of height. Leaning forward it brushed their foreheads together.
With a gasp Aido flinched away from the Shadow, images of somewhere that was not her room overriding her mind while emotions that were not her own seared into her mind-
A paper trembled sharply, reflecting the vibrations of the hands that held it.
The world was blurred by tears, to the point that it wad only just possible to read the first few words written on the page-My dearest Rael.
The world shifted again, the vision ending as abruptly as it had began, leaving Aido lightheaded and back to viewing her darkly lit room.
Breathing heavy Aido gasped in several breaths, the feeling of bitter sadness remaining with her like a bitter aftertaste.
"Rael?" she tried to focus on the Shadow, but her eyes were fluttering closed, blurring everything before tapering off into bleak oblivion, mind slipping out of consciousness. Suddenly the subject to gravity she fell back against the blankets, breathing evening out as she slid deeper into sleep.
For a moment Rael simply watched her, unblinking golden eyes curious and calm. Seeming to decide that she wasn't about to suddenly awaken he slowly pushed himself up and stepped closer until he was right up against her face. Gently he brushed their foreheads together briefly before moving back.
At the contact a mark flared to life on the middle of the girl's forehead. For a moment it lingered then easily faded away, leaving the skin unmarked, as if it had never been.
Satisfied Rael stretched out by Aido's side, let out a wide yawn and followed the girl into sleep.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:47 pm
[March 11th, 2005~]
"Aiiii~doooo," the sing-song echoed about the living room, causing Aido to look up from the book she and Loki were pawing through, mostly for the pictures and pretty decorative letters that began each chapter than for the story itself.
Almost before Aido could get a clear look at her uncle as he bounded into the room he was beside her and dropping something into her lap which snatched up her attention instantly. A blue and white, kind-a round something...
Aido peered at it then up to her uncle and cocked her head, "kyu?"
"It's an egg. It was just dropped off; we don't even know what's in it yet."
Aido merely stared at her uncle, the effect of the words pretty much lost on her then smiled, happy if only because her uncle was happy.
Rico, luckily, picked up on how lost his niece was, and kneeled down, tapping the egg gently, "from inside here a creature, like Loki or Runae or something, will come out, when it's ready to," he gestured to the Sunchild as he spoke.
Normally Rico would object to having yet another being take up residence in their household, but the little egg had been a gift. Besides, maybe it'd be good for Aido to see what some creatures looked like before they were what they were now?
Aido mulled over the words before nodding slowly, more or less understanding. It was a new friend; they were just inside in this...egg right now, for whatever reason.
Smiling Rico bounded dup the stairs, off to find his sister and tell her, leaving Aido with the egg in her lap.
Her brow creased as something dawned on her.
Didn't Aemu eat eggs?
She looked back down to the large egg in her lap and shook her head, no, Aemu ate smaller, white eggs. But she'd seen them crack, this one probably would too.
She moved her hand over the surface off the egg, taking in its smooth feeling, she'd have to be careful until, whatever lay beneath the surface, decided to emerge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
