|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:58 am
{Tall trees will grow} An Outing with Serra. Addie had quickly learned that the colder, wetter days were the child's favorite days to be outside and, with her maternity leave ending soon, Addie was determined to spend as much time as she possibly could with the rain spirit.
Even if it meant her bob hairdo becoming frizzed like an afro from the moisture in the air.
A new pram had been purchased to replace the second or third handed one that she had first gotten and Serra was currently strapped in and enjoying the coldness on her little face. Quiet, as usual, her water-colored eyes were looking around the streets at the bare trees that stood like lone soldiers on either side of the road. The patterns that the branches made held her attention firmly, at least, and the snow beginning to drip from them and fall into puddles at the base also amused her.
It was rain, but not.
A small little finger pointed at one tree dripping into a puddle not too far away from them and she made a little sound, as if asking Addie a question.
"Hmm, little one?" Addie asked, leaning forward to see what she wanted. Eyes drifted in the direction of the pointing finger and she smiled. Ahhh, it was confusing Serra as to why it seemed to be 'raining' in just one place.
A science geek she may not have been but she did know the basics.
"That's frozen, Serra, and when the air around something frozen is warmer than the frozen object, the frozen object begins to melt. The water is simply falling because it's heavier than air."
...That made no sense to the little spirit and she made a small, unhappy noise. She didn't want to hear Addie talk about it, she wanted to touch the water. It looked lonely.
Another noise was made, more insistent, and waved her finger. THAT way, she wanted to go TOWARD it, not further away!
"Fine, fine, we'll go over to the tree. Is that what you wanted?"
"Buh!"
"I'll take that as a yes." The pram was turned around and Addie began to push it toward the dripping tree. Serra, content with going in the right direction, settled down against her pram and sighed, stuffing her thumb in her mouth.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 23, 2006 1:54 am
{ All because of mist } An Outing With Serra ii. Finally - though not soon enough for the rain spirit - they reached the tree and Serra was lifted out of her little pram to be brought closer to the tree. "See, lovely, it's just melting water."
Serra reached out her tiny hands and put them under the steadily dripping water. It was freezing cold but the child didn't seem to much mind, babbling in glee at the contact. A nice day was all well and good for anyone else but the spirit was happiest with water on her skin.
Not that she understood why she liked the water so much - her small, infant brain could only catch on to so much before it flitted away into abyss. Eventually, she would understand - but for now she would simply go with the flow of things.
Addie couldn't help but smile at her daughter as she played in the water, wriggling in her arms with joy each time it splashed against her. Serra was getting bigger every day and each time she discovered something new she seemed absolutely thrilled - it made Addie's heart swell.
Why she was chosen to be this child's mother she had no idea but she was not complaining. No, she was sure she wasn't ready for motherhood but she did love Serra very, very much.
A surprised sound from her daughter lurched her out of her own thoughts and she looked down, spying a single leaf laying in Serra's outstretched palm. It must have fallen off the tree and landed in her hand instead of the water.
It was one of those rare, perfect leaves with no blemishes on it and Addie, being the strange one she was, had to keep it. The small leaf was plucked from her daughter's hand, "Hey, Lil' Drop, isn't that a pretty leaf? We can press it in a book and keep it as a momento, huh?"
Serra didn't know what a momento was but she did know that her mother seemed quite pleased with the find. So, to express her agreement, she nodded her head and clapped her hands enthusiastically. Addie laughed and set Serra down in the pram again, tucking the leaf in one of the little slots meant for bottles and other nifty baby things.
"I think our outing's been quite a success, Serra. Come on, let's go home." Addie began to push the girl back in the direction of the house and Serra, who was throughly pleased with being able to play with the water, did not protest. For once.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:03 pm
Well, you're certainly not sure how it got there, but when you check your front steps it seems someone has placed a full flowerpot with a note attached on them.A letter from Eden
Dear Kyri,
I'm not sure if you've heard of us yet, but we're an organization called Eden Project. The leaf you have found is a very special one. It will grow into a child if you take care of it. I know it sounds strange, but that's how it goes. To start the growing process you need to plant the little one. That's why I've attached a flowerpot and the soil. Every leaf seems to react different to this so please be gentle. Feel free to visit our headquarter near Barton Town.
Have a nice day
~Tyyne
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:48 pm
{ And the green grass grows all around } Planting Landon i. It was time - Addie's maternity leave had finally ended and the woman had hired a babysitter to take care of Serra while she taught her classes at the local college. The historian had mixed feelings about this and was currently squeezing the toddler tightly to her body.
"I don't want to leave!"
Serra, who was quite intent on getting out of her mother's grasp and being able to breathe, was struggling and slightly turning blue - though whether it was from the squeezing or from anger was uncertain. "Leggo!" She gasped.
Addie let her go and sat her down on her cloud once again, "Sorry, Lil' Drop, I just don't want to let you go!" The brunette sat herself down on the couch and frowned, fidgeting with her skirt. As much as she wished she could take Serra with her to class it had firmly been denied.
The toddler sucked in air greedily and crossed her little arms over her chest. While she didn't know why Addie was so upset (after all, Addie had never left her before so why should she think she'd start now?) she was certain it hadn't warranted almost squeezing the life out of her.
A few more minutes of fretting and fidgeting were allowed before the doorbell sounded and Addie jumped up, running to the door. A teenage girl was there, loudly smacking her gum and holding a flowerpot in her hands. "This was on the doorstep when I got here, think it's for you."
"Hello, Jessica. A flower pot?" Addie furrowed her brow and took the pot from her, examining it, and then the note that was attatched to it. Promptly, the woman paled significantly.
The leaf you found is a very special one. It will grow into a child if you take care of it.
A CHILD? Her maternity leave JUST ended! How could she take on ANOTHER child?
"Something wrong, Ms. Barclay?" The teenager asked, chewing stopped in concern for her newest employer. If she was sick, she wouldn't be needed and she really needed that job.
"Wrong? Oh, no, n..not wrong." Yes, something is very wrong. I wasn't ready to be a mother ONCE and here's a 2nd kid?.
"You sure? D'ya need to go lay down?"
Addie shook her head. She needed this job and she couldn't just not show up. She would go to work and she would come home, stare at the leaf, and see if she would do as the note said.
The historian turned and looked at her daughter. "I'll be back in six hours, Serra," she said softly and stroked her cheek, "Be good for Jessica."
And she left.
Serra stood there, eyes wide. Her mother had left without her? In all her life, she went everywhere with the brunette and now she was....gone? And there was a stranger there trying to pick her up?
"No! Nonononono!" Serra screamed, struggling against the teenage arms that held her now. "Moooommma!"
It was hours before Serra stopped crying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:06 am
{ Now what will I do? } Planting Landon ii. Aderyn went through the entire day with only half of her mind on her classes. It was impossible to concentrate fully but with the level of idiots she taught nobody noticed. History didn't tend to be people's favorite subject. They didn't understand that history was, in fact, one of the most important things in the world. That just by being there they were creating history, even if it was just their own. It was why Addie liked it so damn much.
This, however, was not on Addie's mind as she dismissed her final class for the day. She had a plant at home that would somehow turn into a child. Well, at least it was bigger than air this time. Serra had come from thin air, this kid comes from a leaf. Maybe it'd get bigger next time!....If there was a next time. Oh dear god, Gaia was strange. It was all she could do to keep from hyperventilating.
Next you knew she wouldn't be able to go to a restaurant in fear that her hamburger would sprout eyes, legs, and call her mama.
The last of her paperwork was put in her brief case and, after waiting the mandatory thirty minutes to make sure none of the students needed help (they never did), left the classroom and began to walk back to the house.
"Jessica?" The historian called, closing the door behind her and placing her briefcase by the coat rack, "I'm home."
The teenager she'd entrusted to watch her daughter turned the television off and clumped loudly down the stairs, "Great. Can I get my 30 bucks, then?"
Slightly put off by the way she was acting, Addie dug into her purse and handed her the money, "Mhm. Thank you, Jessica, and have a good day."
Jessica saluted and waltzed out the door, completely forgetting to tell Addie where Serra was. Sighing, the historian put her purse on the coat rack along with her jacket and went up the stairs, assuming she was in the room where the television was.
Sure enough, Serra was sitting there and coloring quietly, her little cloud encased around her like a private little veil.
"Serra?"
No response.
"Serra? Honey?"
Again, no response. Obviously, the toddler was still quite mad at her mother for leaving her alone. She'd never done that before. Without warning, Addie slid behind her daughter and scooped her up (Much to the toddler's protests) and cuddled her close.
"Momma missed you, Lil' Drop," Aderyn murmured to the rain spirit, only to get a blast of water to her face. It didn't detour her, "Come on, Serra, please don't be mad at me. Mommy had to go."
Serra stilled, "Did not."
"I did, Lil' Drop. Mommy needed to go and make money for us. I'll always come back though and spend time with my favorite girl, hm?"
The toddler gave a heavy pout and looked up at her mother, the cloud melting away and floating slightly off to the distance to keep her mother from being more soaked. "Missed."
"I missed you too. Come on, though. We have a pot to plant."
And pot him they did, amidst the squealing, laughing, and dirt fights, that little leaf had found a home. Now all there was to do was wait and see if she'd truly be a mother again.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:24 am
Nestled mostly with the carefully packed dirt the small leaf began to wiggle furiously. Though not powerfully enough to rock it's pot the motions were more noticeable than any it would have made before.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:29 am
"Maaaama!" Serra cried, bouncing up and down as the pot began to move. It had been some time - almost a year now - since the leaf had been potted and she'd been watching it intently after being told it would become a brother or sister to her. No, she didn't understand, but when did a child question such things?
"What is it, Serra?" Came Addie's voice, fresh from the shower, a towel around her waist as she made her way down the stairs and to the kitchen where the plant was nestled on the window sill, "Oh. Oh my!"
Serra giggled. Her mother's reactions were always so amusing.
"Is that pot moving?"
"Yup!"
"I'm not just seeing things?"
"Nuh huh."
Addie hurried over to it, moving it away from the sill and onto the large kitchen table.
"Have we killed it?!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:36 am
The leaf was decidedly not dead, those it's normal green colour was disappearing as blues and purples began to tint the edges of it. As if spurred on by the sudden doubled attention the small lea began wiggling mostly int eh direction of it's watchers, as it did so it also seemed to grow larger from a small and hand sized to bulging out of it's pot.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 3:02 pm
"It's dying. I killed it!" Aderyn was about to completely panic now, "I'm going to jail for murder!" All those...seven?...months of watering and taking care of that plant and now it was DYING. Wait.
...
...
Did that thing just grow? And bulge out of the pot? "Serra, go into the living room." If the thing was going to combust, it would be best to allow her daughter to be out of the line of fire. It wasn't as if SHE could leave it there alone, though.
"But mama!"
"Go, Serra!"
Panicking humans were amusing. Now to find something to poke it with. Wildly, Addie looked around, thankful that the toddler was reluctantly moving to the living room.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:30 pm
Like a Banana the seems on the leaf seemed to pop and then peel away revealing a very strange looking little boy and an and knocked over pot sitting on the table.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:20 pm
{Writing My Life Story} Addie's Online Journal Log iv.
01/15/08
Dear Journal,
Second child has finally arrived and boy do I feel awkward. He's...strange. Okay, a little more than strange! Definitely not something an upper middle-class respectable woman would have as a son! Yes, journal, the plant was a male. Worse now, though, is that he looks (and acts like!) one of those punk rockers that I try to shy Serra away from. He has electric blue hair that's tipped with some kind of violet and he's always twitching and unable to stay still. I've attempted to put him in the clothing that I recently purchased for him (lovely sweaters and khaki shorts with little baby ties) but he's managed to shred each and every one of them - WITH IS TEETH.
Serra's positively refusing to go near the boy and that leaves me running between the two of them like a mad woman. I didn't sign up for this! I want my quiet life back!
s**t. I heard a crash. Pray to god it's not my Antique 1550 vase.
~Addie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:21 pm
{Freed} Another one?! It was just a simple, normal, average day the day the mermaid decided to make her entrance to the world. The sun was shining, and Serra was zooming around the large, generous back yard on her small thundercloud appropriately, by Addie, named Doom. Addie was sitting in the new garden she had started (a normal one, in which no children would pop out of, thank you!) with her new son sitting not too far away from her, chewing on the clothing that she'd purchased him using a small portion of her last paycheck.
Which she would now have to stretch even further until she decided to break down and touch the family accounts.
And the cabbage was now shaking, rocking back and forth oh-so-slowly, though it was doing it without anyone noticing. In fact, it was half way opened before Serra felt a change in the air (a talent she'd picked up, in trying to learn how to predict the weather) and her cloud stopped.
Hmm. "Momma?" Came the child's voice, the girl hopping off the cloud as it disappeared for the time being until it was called into existence again. "It moved!" Serra's small legs carried her toward it before she dropped to her knees before the leafy plant, a hand now sticking out of it. A dark hand.
Addie's head popped up from her task of tending to the plant bed and her floppy hat fell off, bouncing from her shoulder before landing on the soft grass, "What's moving, Serra?"
"Plant."
Fluidly, the historian pushed herself onto her feet before making her way toward where her daughter sat with the cabbage which seemed to be rapidly deteriorating. By the time she got there, a small mermaid child rested on the ground. Soil and some kind of sticky goo covered her skin in a thin sheen, but outside of that, she was very beautiful. Long, wavy and dark hair with a definite tan to her skin. She looked every part a dark, tropical beauty except for the piercing green that startled Addie as her eyes opened.
"Hnn. It looks like you two have a little sister," she murmured, a touch of awe in her voice, "and we have to go shopping again."
She didn't show it, though worry had crept up in the back of her mind as she looked at the wiggling child before her. Three children, a teacher's salary, and one of them definitely would need more resources due to the very apparent lack of legs.
Aderyn Barclay would need to swallow her pride and go to the bank first thing in the morning.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:22 pm
{Writing My Life Story} Addie's Online Journal Log v.
01/18/08
Dear Journal,
Nerissa has made her appearance, finally, after months and months of waiting and taking care of the cabbage. This is the second child that has come from a plant. Gaia certainly is the strangest places. Unfortunately (Or maybe fortunately, from the eyes of my work) she seems to have made her appearance rather close to the appearance of the other one. Landon.
Within three days, actually. It's slightly overwhelming having two babies in the house along with a very indignant Serra who isn't getting as much attention as she did before and thus is lashing out. But I'm really, really happy with the two of them. A beautiful little girl who is quiet (though sometimes loudly protests her inability to do much more than wriggle around due to her lack of legs) and a handsome little boy.
Who is anything but quiet and has a tendency to attempt and bite his way out of the clothing I put him in. (I suppose this journal entry is nicer than the first. I've calmed down quite a bit, please disregard the other)
The two provide a beautiful contrast to each other, this much I can fully admit. If I didn't have Nerissa's quiet presence along with his more destructive one, I can assure you that I would go quite mad. Thankfully, this is not the case and I have some semblance of balance in this life that I must get used to.
I never saw myself as a mother to begin with and now being faced with being a single mother of three young ones is, admittedly, quite scary. I don't know how I can do it and maintain my job. I cannot afford baby sitters all the time and while I have much of the family money at my disposal, I have a strict policy with not touching it and making my own way. I never liked depending on others.
But perhaps it's my own selfish need to prove myself. I have three little ones depending on me now. Would it be right of me to let them go without because of my own preconceived notions? Is it fair to ME to have to go against what I've felt was right all of my life? What would mother and father tell me to do? Well, I know what THEY would tell me to do...I suppose I just need to step back and assess this.
I have a lot of thinking to do and I think Landon just hit Nerissa because I hear crying and it's definitely not Serra. So I must bid you adieu for this evening. Wish me luck!
~Addie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:23 pm
{A Place For Us} A Room For Nerissa & Landon i. It had been almost immediately that Addie had gone to the bank to withdraw the funds that would be needed to turn one of the guest bedrooms into a bedroom to be shared between Landon and Nerissa. Normally, she would have given each their own room (Considering they did have quite a large home) but she found it silly as both were still babies and it didn't seem practical to do much else. Besides, it would cost more to fix up two rooms and she wanted to be able to pay at least for one of them by herself. Already she'd broken one rule - touching the family money - but that was a necessary evil.
The banker, who had known her family for as long as she could remember, seemed utterly surprised but genuinely happy to see the proud Aderyn using the funds which had been rotting for fifteen years. Without hesitation, and a purse full of cash (Heaven forbid there be a check record of her weakness), Addie returned home, paid the sitter, and looked at her three children.
Serra was currently sitting in a corner, finger painting with all sorts of colors - most which were on her, or the floor, and not the paper itself. Addie inwardly cringed at how she was going to get electro-green out of her pristine white carpet, but let it go for the moment. Nerissa was curled up and napping on a blanket which had been laid out on the floor, Serra's stuffed octopus clutched tightly in her small hands (which was amazing considering Serra’s inability to share anything, truly, was what Addie had come to know her for lately) and Landon…Well, Landon seemed to be entranced by the television, with the dancing things called Teletubbies that the historian just didn’t understand the point of. Apparently, it was good for children and helped them learn. Idly, Addie wondered what they learned other than drugs were bad.
She had decided that the room would be done in a sunny gold-yellow that matched the mer-child’s tail, with a blue trim (Though what shade wouldn’t clash was beyond her, and she’d have to pour over swatches for hours, she was sure) to compliment Landon. If they were to be sharing a room, it would be equally. Certainly, her son would likely complain later about sharing with a girl, but at the moment there was no other choice.
Then there were the things she would need to buy which included bedding, toys, furniture (Bunk beds? Regular beds?), curtains, books, and a wading pool. In the short time she had with her new daughter, she’d discovered that she didn’t do well without water and figured having a small childs pool somewhere in the room to slither over to (When she could actually slither rather than scoot herself along) when she needed water as, obviously, Addie would not be there all day as much as she wished she could be.
”Serra? Let’s get you cleaned up,” she murmured toward the girl as she came closer, careful not to wake the sleeping Nerissa off to the side as she picked her toddler up, holding her on her hip (which also got paint on it, ugh!) and carried her up to the bathroom. “So, little girl, you’re going to help me today.”
”Mmm?” Came Serra’s reply as she sat still, allowing her mother to take off the smock she was wearing (Which had become a rule in the household when it came to painting) which had, thankfully, protected her sea-green dress which was her favorite of the week.
“Mmhm, we’re going to the store to get things for Nerissa and Landon’s room today. You won’t need to share your room anymore in a few days. You think you’re up to helping me?” A cloth was wetted in the sink before it was brought to the child’s face, the material being stained with electro-green, plasma-purple and outrageous-orange as it was swiped across.
”Can help,” Serra agreed, “Want my room back.” Her eyes shut as her mother washed her. At least this cloth was soft, and not rough. The sitter had a tendency to grab whatever she could to wash her face.
”Give me your hands,” Addie toned, allowing Serra to obey before she began to wipe them down as well. The cloth was turning an interesting shade of brown in places where the colors mixed, and she knew that she’d need to get some bleach on it to keep the pristine white if she wanted to save it. “It’s a big responsibility to be a big sister, you know.”
”Uh huh,” the toddler murmured, pulling her hands back once her mother was done with them, placing them in her lap. She had no idea what the word ‘responsibility’ meant, but she knew it was important.
”And just because there are now two other children in the house you know that you’re not any less special, right?”
Serra sent a look to her mother which clearly said ‘Of course nobody’s more special than me’ before nodding her head. OF COURSE she knew that! Sure, she hadn’t been getting as much time lavished on her, but that was no different from when her mother went to work and left her with that awful babysitter. Well, she wasn’t awful but she wasn’t her mother.
“All right, let’s get going then.” Addie went through the door connecting the bathroom to Serra’s room to get her Mary Janes and brought them back, slipping them on the child’s feet. “I’m going to need you to walk or float beside me, since I need to carry Nerissa and make sure Landon doesn’t try to run off and terrorize the general populace, okay?”
Frowning, Serra shook her head, “Use pram.” She pointed to the one that had been hers, which was sitting off to the side of her bed. It hadn’t been used since she’d been able to walk and zoom around on her Doom-cloud. “For Nerissa.”
A smile touched the historian’s face and she nodded, letting the girl hop from the counter and go down the stairs while she picked the pram up and somehow maneuvered it down them and to the ground floor. The sleepy Nerissa was placed in the pram, the top drawn for shade, while she looked at Landon who had yet to move from his position in front of the television.
“Landon.”
No response.
”Landon!”
Still no response.
“Landon Essander Barclay, if you do not get up and come with me, I will put you in a dress.” THAT seemed to get the boy’s attention and he scowled toward his mother, pushing himself up into a wobbly standing position.
“Coming.”
”Do you need me to put your shoes on?”
”No.”
”Do you know how to do it?” She’d tried to show the toddler, but trying to teach Landon anything was like trying to pull the teeth of a crocodile.
“No.”
”Then you need my help.” She moved to get his shoes from the closet by the door, but Landon shook his head, “Well, you’re not going barefoot.”
He nodded, then, and started out the door and was almost there when Addie swooped in and picked him up, despite his struggling and kicking. “You will wear shoes, young man. I already allowed you to go without your tie.”
The young boy stilled. If it was a choice between a tie and his shoes, he’d take shoes any day. Pleased with her progress, the historian sat him down, fetched his shoes, and started to put them on the boy who looked like he couldn’t stay still if his life depended on it. “There. Now, where’s Serra…”
The girl coughed from behind her, handing her the baby pink blanket that Nerissa had been asleep on and the plushie, “She’ll want it, and Octo,” Serra said softly, waiting for her mother to take the offered objects.
“Thank you, Serra,” Addie beamed at her eldest, bending to kiss her fully on the forehead before herding her children out the door and toward a day of shopping. This would definitely prove to be interesting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:24 pm
{A Place For Us} A Room For Nerissa & Landon ii. Nerissa and Landon's Rooms Set Up - Phase 2. THE PAINT JOB OF DEATH
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
