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 Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 2:02 pm
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Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 12:20 pm
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Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:46 pm
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A Moment With Jealousy
*************
Somewhere in the manor where Yaruka and her family lives, the young succubus wanders through the halls silently, eyes glancing over the many room doors as she passes. Somewhere down one of the darker sections, she comes across the Anthro known as Jealousy.
Silently moving along the hallways, the not-yet-fully-formed succubus known as Lorn explored her new home in eerie quietness. Her misty eyes roved over the many doors that led to many rooms, most of which belonged to the other members of the household. Her keen ears could hear the noises from within, laughter and lightheartedness permeating the air. More than once, she made a face that was similar to that of distaste for the light mood that surrounded the place. She seemed to be searching for something different, heavier in tone. A dark hallway caught her attention and, thinking she could find what she hoped for, she turned her wanderings down into the shadowed alley.
The hallway began to echo with the sound of rather heavy boots thudding at a steady pace along the hardwood floor. The first thing to be noticed through the shadows was the distinct yellow glow that came from a pair of angled eyes. Such eyes were attached to the face and body of that of a demoness, quite punkish by nature, and this beastly woman made her way down the darkened walls, mind occupied with thought. Her aura was as green as the tips of her hair, eminating all that she was; Jealousy, a voice of brutish nature. Not even paying attention to what she was doing, she very well may have run right into the creature that was soon about to meet her half-way. Her eyes cast their glow upon the strange creature that floated before her and she merely came to a stop, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh, hello?" Her coarse, yet alluring, voice implied, "Can I help you?"
Lorn paused upon seeing this creature before her, her eyes widening in surprise. She felt the darkness that surrounded the woman and drank it all up. This was what she was searching for. She moved closer to the Evil Voice, her tendrils flowing behind her gracefully. Lorn circled Jealousy as an actual smile broke out upon her silent lips, leaning close to the demoness to bathe in her jagged aura.
Jealousy backed away from this strange being, holding her hands up as if to block this thing from getting any closer. Hell, it was already too close for comfort. She didn't even know what this thing was, save for the fact that it seemed to be female.
"Whoa, slow your roll there. Back off. I don't like you breathing my air." She made a quick weave and made her way around the creature, making her footsteps a bit faster.
The succubus looked disappointed. She actually pouted when this interesting being moved away from her. It only increased her curiosity and she had no other option but to follow her. She tried to get closer, wanting to inhale the envy that surrounded the Voice.
Jealousy sensed the creature following her and actually sped up to a point where she was almost jogging. There was no losing this thing. It was dead-set on following her, for what reason she didn't know. It was creeping her out. Still, she continued to move away from her and still she followed.
"Okay, what the HELL is wrong with you?" She turned suddenly and faced the creature, her tone obviously angry, "Why are you following me? It's freaking me out!"
The little being said nothing. She only smiled, in a very eerie fashion. It appeared that she enjoyed the yelling, being that despite the negativity, it was still attention being paid towards her. She looked into Jealousy's wine-yellow eyes, searching her mind for the darkness she craved.
Eyebrows raised, Jealousy shook her head and turned away from her, heading on her way down the hallway.
"You are weird. Why is everything in this house completely freaky?" She muttered to herself, on her way towards whatever goal she had in mind at the moment. Seeing as she couldn't shake the little creature off, she simply let her follow.....hoping that she could get bored with her soon. |
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Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2007 3:15 am
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Silence Broken
******
It had been quite a few days since Lorn had come into being. Still, the strange creature wandered throughout the manor without a single word. All that was expected from her should one meet her was a smile filled with grace, a twinkle in her eyes, and a nod of the head. Her silence was such that she frightened most that she came across, sneaking up on them unintentionally. The more often it happened, the more disturbed she seemed to become, her face turning pensive and miffed. Over and over again, the little succubus mulled over the reactions of the other family members. She just couldn't comprehend why they seemed to be frightened by her one moment, and then annoyed and angry the next. What could she do? Who could tell her what was wrong? Unwittingly, she had found her way into Yaruka's study. Hope rose within the girl's heart, having observed how wise and understanding her mistress was with the other household members. Surely, Yaruka would know how to remedy her problem.
Yaruka was reviewing through her family records, pouring over the pages of ancestrial heritage and correcting certain errors she had found. She seemed to have been doing this for quite some time now, finding that there were at least 4 mugs with coffee and tea remains on the large oaken desk amidst the scattered books and papers. Other things were troubling her mind as well, between certain members of her family that were causing great amounts of trouble, and her concern for the succubus that was in her care. She worried that the poor thing would never speak. Yaruka wondered if she had done something wrong to make the poor creature silent. Taking a break from her reading, she leaned back in her cushy chair with a sigh, taking off her reading glasses to rub her tired eyes. She happened to glance up for a moment and spotted the main reason of her concerns coming towards her desk. She smiled and sat up straight, leaning forward so she could give her full attention to her.
"Hello there, Lorn. It's nice to see you." She smiled to her sweetly, looking at her curiously, "What brings you to my study?"
Lorn smiled gratefully to her mistress, but her expression quickly turned to that of worry. She twiddled her fingers in front of her, seeming to be fidgeting internally. She actually was wondering how she could put the question on her mind. Deciding that bluntness was the best tact at this moment, she took in a large breath and opened her lips.
"Yaruka," a soft, sultry voice carried the name, "Is there something wrong with me?"
For a moment, Yaruka balked, sitting there with her eyes wide and mouth a-gape. She couldn't believe it; the succubus that had been silent since emerging had just up and spoken to her.
"Lorn......you just spoke to me."
The succubus raised a curious eyebrow. "Yes, I did. Why so shocked?"
Yaruka stood from her chair and walked over to Lorn, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She could cry out of relief.
"You don't understand. I was worried that you'd never talk. I'm so glad that you can." She smiled and held her out at arms length, looking into her misty eyes, "Why didn't you ever talk before?"
Lorn tilted her head to the side curiously, surprised that she was suddenly hugged out of the blue. And Yaruka was glad she could talk? Was that what was worrying her all this time?
"I just....didn't feel like I had a reason to." She said in her smooth voice, "Is that what's been bothering everyone?"
Yaruka nodded a bit to her and smiled as she moved to try and clean up her desk.
"Yes, I'm sure it was." She tried to place papers with their proper books, "You see, Lorn, it's normal for people to speak. They may not immediately, but usually do after about half a day to a day. You worried me when you didn't speak even after three days. I started wondering if you were mute. I thought that I had done something wrong to make you silent."
Lorn raised her eyebrows and looked upon her mistress with concern and sympathy. She never intended to make her worry for her.
"I'm sorry, Yaruka. I can assure you, you did nothing wrong as far as I'm concerned. I just saw no reason for me to speak yet. I didn't feel as though I had anything important to say."
Yaruka smiled to the succubus as she put the last of her folders away. She truly didn't care about the order of things at the moment. All that mattered was knowing that she had done nothing wrong to hurt Lorn. She was glad to hear her voice. Now would come the task of helping Lorn find her place in the world. |
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Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:54 pm
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~*New Arrival*~
*******
Another typical day in Yaruka's household. Random chaos eased with play, tummies filled with snacks, and people dealing with their own issues. Yaruka felt slightly overwhelmed, but happy in the end. She couldn't imagine her life without all of her charges and children. Still, she couldn't ease her concerns and worries over one particular family member. It seemed as though Lorn had retreated to her old habit of silence. It disturbed her. Just as the poor thing was starting to speak and be social, she suddenly sank back into herself. All she did nowadays was make origami figures, tend to her window-box roses, and play haunting melodies on her handmade harp. Daily, Yaruka would silently wish for something, or someone, to come and help Lorn come out of her shell.
Engrossed in her thoughts, she hardly noticed the faint knock at the front door. Not expecting company (then again, when did she ever?), she smothed herself over and strode up to the door, pulling open its heavy oaken girth with ease. Upon looking out, she saw no one there...but there was a note lying in the grass before her. Further inspection revealed that an orb was mysteriously placed in her care. She had heard about this from others. She started to wonder if this could be the answer to her prayers? Feeling slightly excited, she was more than ready to welcome the new addition......except for one problem; where was the orb?
Meanwhile, outside of the manor itself, Lorn was exploring through the back garden's small maze. She took her time as she traveled along the pathways, admiring how it well it was cared for and the various flowers and brush. It was a nice, quiet, breezy day; the kind where you could just lose yourself in thought and relax. Indeed, that was her intention. She sighed contentedly and closed her eyes as she wandered, using her fingers to guide her as she ran them along the leafy walls. Nothing could ruin this blissful peace.
Something brushed one of her ribbony tendrils. She opened one eye and looked about, dismissing it as a passing butterfly or something of the like. She quickly returned to her meditative state, but it was once again interrupted by something brushing her tendrils again. Slightly irritated, she turned to see what was disturbing her.
There, just a few inches in front of Lorn, was a glassy, colorful orb of swirling light. It's glow seemed to brighten when it caught her attention.
A rather dumbfounded look crossed over Lorn's features. So this was the being that was disrupting her nirvana? She looked it over a few times. It seemed harmless enough. It even looked like one of the garden glass balls that had fallen off of its pedistal. Taking that as the answer, she turned back around and started her way again down the path.
The loss of her attenion didn't please the orb one bit. It rolled after her as she wandered, hopping up a little every now and then to try and get her attention again. It failed, but it wouldn't give up. It continued to follow her and hop every so often, trying to bump up against her tendrils as she moved away from it. For a moment, it stopped, seemingly giving up on its chase; it was merely leaving space in which to gather momentum. With great force, it rolled and lept as high as he could, knocking against her backside noticably.
The tailing of the orb was rather annoying to Lorn, but she chose to ignore it and continue her merry way. It was working until the thing suddenly struck her backside and knocked her forward enough to hit one of the shrub walls. Momentarily entangled in the branches, she glared over at the spherical neusance, noticing that it glowed brightly once again and was rolling about in circles excitedly. Finally freeing herself from the brushs' clutches, she moved closer to the orb and watched as it spun and rolled around as if dancing happily. What's more was that it didn't seem to want to leave her alone. For what reason, she couldn't understand.
Whatever this thing was, it seemed alive. Surely Yaruka would want to know of this. Just as her thoughts wandered towards telling Yaruka of this thing, she could hear her caretakers voice calling for her, closing in the distance.
"Lorn?" Yaruka called out as she attempted to find her in the maze, all the while looking around the ground to see if she could find her missing new member. It worried her that the thing she was supposed to take care of was nowhere to be found. What would she do if she couldn't find it? Maybe Lorn had seen it by now.
"Lorn? Where are you?" Rounding the corner, she saw Lorn, her back turned towards her, and she seemed to be looking down at something. "Oh, there you are. I was wondering....have you seen a colorful-looking orb around here? I need to find it."
Talk about your lucky coincidences. Lorn thought to herself. She turned to Yaruka and half smiled. "I believe this is what you're looking for?" With that said, she moved aside to reveal the pestering sphere behind her.
The swirling sphere of energy rolled from behind it's original target and headed off towards Yaruka, proceeding to circle her excitedly. It's glow pulsed and brightened as it danced about happily before coming to a contented rest beside Yaruka's feet.
Yaruka had to smile when she saw the orb and even laughed when it rolled around her in circles like a happy child. Once it stopped, she picked it up carefully and held it as securely as possible in case it should try to escape. "Energetic little thing, isn't it?"
"So I noticed." Lorn muttered as she eyed the orb suspiciously. "Annoyingly energetic. It wouldn't leave me alone."
Yaruka smiled and looked down at the glassy sphere, watching it pulse a bit. "I think it's taken a liking to you. That's so sweet." She took her sleeve and gently rubbed off a bit of dirt that she spotted on its surface.
"Sweet?" The undera raised an eyebrow at Yaruka and crossed her arms in annoyance, looking back down at the orb. "It's a pest. It disrupted me when I was trying to enjoy the quiet. It's bad enough with all the other pesky little things running around here, I don't need that thing hopping after me like a lost puppy."
Yaruka shrugged a little bit and held the orb close to her. "So you say, but I think you need to stop being so cold. You need a friend, Lorn. This little orb could do you a world of good if you just let it." She smiled and turned around, heading back towards the manor with her new charge in hand. "Come on, lets set you up with a nice place to stay and clean off that dirt and grass."
What good could that thing do for me? Lorn thought to herself and returned to her peaceful, if not lonely, wanderings through the hedge maze. She knew Yaruka was right about her needing a friend, but the orb? How good of a friend could it be to her? |
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Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:14 am
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~*Orb-ital Audience*~
**********
A rare quiet had taken a hold of the manor. It was refreshing to hear the halls echo with nothing but the quiet sound of the mid-day breeze as it whispered down the passageways. What the residents of the house were doing, who could say? However, there was a faint hint as to the activities of one particular member.
Delicate fingers gently picked at the strings of a small, hand-carved harp, the sweet notes melding together in flow and song. Lorn was enjoying the quiet, a genuine smile on her face as she played the dulcet music in her room. Secluded musical musings were her cup of tea, her eyes closed so that her mind could wander freely through the dreamscape the music provided. As she entered her mental nirvana, she suddenly got the sensation that she was no longer alone. Cautiously, she opened one eye.
It had been sitting there calmly in front of Lorn (for how long, no one knew), it's energetic glow pulsing steadily at a pace that matched the rhythm of the music. Now that it had her attention, the orb quickened it's pulsating glow and rolled in small circles in an excited manner.
Lorn's eyes opened to fully glare coldly down at the happy sphere in front of her. She was not at all pleased that it had been sitting there, let alone the fact that it completely invaded her privacy uninvited.
"You again?" She grumbled, stopping her current melody, "Don't you have someone else you can annoy? I'm busy." With that last comment, she returned to playing her beloved instrument, lightly plucking out the tune of Greensleeves. Every now and then she opened her eyes to check on the spherical neusance, watching it with a suspicious glance.
As Lorn watched, she could see that it had stopped its rolling once she began playing again. It was now sitting there in front of her, it's glow pulsing in synch with the beat of the tune. The mist within swirled in it's hypnotic way, but steadily as it seemed to be paying close attention to what Lorn was doing.....almost as if it were listening to the music.
The behavior intrigued her. Compared to their first meeting, this moment made the orb seem tame and placid. Her gaze softened to one of curiosity as she continued to play, watching for any change in the orb. Even with her eyes locked on it, it didn't move an inch and its glow continued to pulse in rhythm with her song. The sudden calm of the orb made her smile a bit. She continued to play until the song reached it's haunting end, then she watched to see what the orb would do.
When the song ended, the orb brightened its glow and it rolled around a little, seeming to make quiet trilling noises. It seemed as though it was actually cheering. It came to rest after a bit and it's swirling mist was turned in Lorn's direction, seeming to be looking at her. One could almost swear that it felt as though the orb were smiling.
To this, Lorn couldn't help but turn out a genuine smile. She even laughed a little when she heard the noises the crystal being seemed to be making.
"You liked that, huh?" She set her harp aside and focused her attention on the glowing thing before her, "You know.....you're the first person...or thing....to appreciate my music. I'm glad you liked it."
She smiled brighter when the orb pulsated in response, dancing in rolling circles again. The display seemed to inspire her to play again, as she picked up her harp and began to pluck out more notes.
For the rest of the day, the reclusive musician would continue to play for her audience of one, quite content. |
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Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 2:37 am
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~*A Rose Is A Rose*~
***********
The day had started off cold and gloomy. Gray skies promised rain, which they brought with the wind. On and off through the hours, the pitter-patter of raindrops would sound against the windows and rooftops, echoing throughout the hallways of the manor. Every so often, the rumbling of thunder would roll through, making the walls tremble with hidden power. Such things had quieted most within the household, as they sought shelter from the wet and the cold.
Yet the manor itself was not the only place where the chill could not reach. Just down a stone pathway, off to the West, stood a small house of glass, the walls lined with thriving greenery. The chilled hand of spring brushed the outside world while, within the glass walls, it was touched with summertime. The greenhouse provided the perfect shelter for a private lesson.
"Alright, now see this? This is the calyx, or 'hip' of the rose," Lorn explained as she pointed to the base of a still-blooming rosebud, "This is there the pollin is made and all the petals connect."
The orb, which sat upon the table next to the potted rose that Lorn was demonstrating on, trilled happily in response to her. It rolled from side to side as it observed her teachings, or at least it SEEMED to be paying attention.
Lorn smiled upon hearing the trill, nodding satisfactorily before returning to her instructions.
"The thorns along the stem are there to protect it from creatures that would try to eat it. Some people strip the thorns off so that they don't get harmed when they try to pick or cut the roses, but they don't realize the greater risk they put them in." She looked over to her pupil to make sure it seemed to be paying attention still. When it pulsed a bright glow in response, she smiled again and continued.
"Now, when you cut roses, you don't want to cut them straight across the stem. That'll damage it and cause it to die quicker. You cut at a diagonal angle, like this," She demonstrated on one of the smaller rosebuds, "This way, you don't inhibit its ability to still absorb nutrients and water if you should put it in a vase, so it lasts longer than the average cut rose. You understand?"
Once again, the orb trilled in response. It circled around a glass of water that Lorn had put the freshly cut rosebud into, taking in the sight of it.....or so it seemed, anyway. It was getting rather excited over its tutoring in the botanical arts......so excited, in fact, that it almost rolled off the table.
Yaruka, who had stepped in to check up on them, placed her hand in front of the orb quickly to prevent it from falling from such a height.
"Whoa, there. Let's try to stay ON the table, alright?" She laughed lightly as she smiled down to the orb, picking it up in her hand gingerly to feel its warm, smooth texture. She smiled up to Lorn as she looked about the glass house.
"Your flowers are looking fantastic, Lorn." Yaruka stated honestly, "Giving our little friend here an early start at a green thumb?"
Lorn smiled and nodded a little bit, placing her cutting shears down on the table.
"Yes. I thought it might be nice and relaxing to learn how to take care of flowers." She said quietly, looking about at her many floral charges. The roses, of course, were her favorites, but each and every plant within the greenhouse got special attention and care.
Yaruka had to smile. Lorn was opening up, finally, and a new side of her was being seen. She had been so used to the quiet, seemingly cold creature that wandered aimlessly throughout the halls and out in the hedge maze, and now this new being with a warm heart was shining through the shell.
"That's nice." She looked down at the orb thoughtfully, watching as it pulsated happily in her hand, cooing quietly as though happy to be where it was, "I think it might be nicer if you started a new plant for our friend here."
Lorn blinked a bit and placed her hand to her chin in thought. She soon smiled and snapped her fingers.
"I have the perfect thing," She said before moving into one of the table drawers, pulling out a seed packet, "Sunflower seeds. Sunflowers are the perfect starter plants."
That said, she grabbed one of the smaller teracotta pots and filled it with some soil, fertilizer, and plant food mixed. She poked one of the larger seeds into the pot and covered it up, using a small watering can to trickle some water over it.
"There. That should be a good start. That'll be for it to take care of, with my help until it can do it on its own, of course."
Yaruka smiled brightly and held the orb securely as she felt it tremble with the want to move about excitedly in its usual manner.
"That's perfect. A fine start that I'm sure will 'blossom' into a fulfilling hobby." She couldn't help but giggle at her somewhat-unintentional punn.
All the while, the orb glowed warmly in Yaruka's hands, the mists within swirling about in a joyful manner. |
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Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2007 4:17 am
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~* In A Childs Hands*~
*********
The halls of the manor filled with a childs happy laughter, echoing faintly through the passageways so no one could quite pin the source. A bit of wandering would take one down the halls a bit and into a room just beyond the right corner, one that resembled a little boys room. Indeed, it was just that; a little boys room.
Yarukas young son, Jorend, was clapping his hands with joyful laughter as his crimson eyes followed the shiney thing that rolled back and forth in front of him. It rolled into his room unexpectedly, which scared him at first, but when it started making nifty noises, he couldn't help his curiosity. He now watched in wonderment as it rolled and moved around him, making sing-song noises and making him laugh.
The ord had decided to go exploring on its own, being bored and seemingly fed up with rolling about its own room. It had been in many random rooms until it came across one that was open, but occupied.....by a child, no less. It got excited at the prospect of a new friend and rolled right up to the new being, only to be surprised when he moved away from it. This confused it, but it figured that showing him that it was harmless and friendly that he would come around.
Sure enough, it worked, and now the orb happily trilled and cooed to the child, rolling around in circles and to-and-fro motions in a rather entertaining dance. It glowed brightly when the child laughed and clapped at its antics, glad that it could make another being happy.
Jorend was so happy with his new friend that he saw no harm in picking up the little shiney ball and hugging it to his chest. He tried his best not to let it fall, since it wasn't very big, and he was pleasantly surprised to find that it seemed to be made of glass.....and it was warm.
"Shiney ball my fwend!" Jorend proclaimed happily, nuzzling the smooth surface, "Jowend be good to shiney ball always."
All the laughter and trillings would catch someones attention before long; Lorn had been looking around for her spherical friend, not finding it in its room, nor out in the garden. She had started getting slightly concerned and decided to go find it.
Hearing the laughter, and the words that the childs voice announced, she found her way to Jorends room and gasped when she saw the boy hugging the crystal like it was a stuffed toy. She rushed into his room and snatched the orb out of his arms, which caused him to whine in confusion.
"No! This isn't a toy!" She stated firmly, her voice raising a bit, "Little children shouldn't play with fragile things!"
Jorend gasped when his new friend was suddenly taken from him and his eyes looked up at Lorn with hurt, glassing over a bit as tears started to fill them.
"But...but....I be ca'ful. I pwomise." He whined, pouting as his shiney friend was still kept from his reach.
Lorn glared down at the little boy and snorted, holding her nose high in the air as she held the orb in her hands.
"Hmph. I don't trust this in a childs hands. You might drop it and break it, then what? It might die because of you." Her voice was rather cold as she spoke to the little boy. Honestly, she didn't mean to sound cruel....she just didn't think children could handle fragile things well. She obviously didn't know Jorend.
His lip started trembling as the harsh words hit him like backhanded slaps. Jorend couldn't help himself as he began to cry, sobbing at the aparant loss of his new friend.
All of this didn't please the orb one bit. When its new friend began to cry, it glowed brightly in angry pulses. In one quick motion, it hopped out of Lorns hands and rolled quickly to Jorends side, cooing quietly to him as a means of comfort, trying to assure him that it was still here and wasn't intending to leave anytime soon.
Lorn blinked, looking quite dumbfounded that the orb, her only friend, would suddenly roll away from her and choose the child over her. It felt like a cruel betrayal. She bit her lip a bit as she fought back tears of hurt, turning away from the two as Jorend picked up the orb carefully to hug it once more.
"Fine. I see the way it is. I hope you're happy with your new friend." She tried not to let her voice waver, but couldn't stop when it cracked a bit from her hidden tears. She started to leave.
Jorend had ceased his tears and nuzzled the orb affectionately. His ears perked up a bit when he heard Lorn speaking, picking up on the hidden sadness that her voice contained. He got confused for a moment, but realized that she thought the orb had chosen him over her. Real friends couldn't choose between friends. That much he knew. When he saw her try to leave, Jorend got up quickly, orb still in hand, and grabbed Lorn's hand gently.
"It you fwend, too. Jowend no steal." He tried to explain in his childs tongue, "Shiney ball have two fwends, now. Jowend not hu't shiney ball. It gwass.....gwass bweak. Jowend no bweak gwass fwend. Pwomise, honest."
Lorn was surprised when the little boy grasped her hand in his. It would have angered her, but then she listened carefully to his words. It all became clear to her, despite his childish language, and she found a smile between her tears. She reached up to brush away any signs that they had escaped her eyes and turned back to Jorend, accepting the orb back into her hands.
"Okay. I trust you." She said quietly to him, smiling a bit, "And it's not made of glass, it's made of crystal. Crystal is like glass and just as breakable, but it's much prettier." She smiled when Jorend nodded in understanding, ruffling the boys hair affectionately.
Between the two, the orb glowed and pulsated happily, cooing in contentment when its two friends reconciled and came together. It was much happier now that both friends could be near it. It hated to see fighting, so it seemed, and wanted everyone to be happy. Today, it succeeded in keeping peace between people....even though it didn't say a thing. |
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Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 12:13 am
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~*Orb-servations*~
**********
(Getting tired of the word puns yet?)
Freedom; a blessed thing, but one that could produce a vast amount of tedium. With the freedom of choice and movement, one could do whatever they wished...but what if there is nothing to do?
Rolling about within its room was no longer good enough for the orb. Even with all the room in the world to gain speed and do tricks, such things had fallen under routine. Amusement was gone, it seemed. Rather bored, the misty sphere rolled beyond its domain to wander the halls of the manor.
So much to explore! So many doors, so many places to go, and so many things to see! This was a world worth seeing. The orb rolled slowly down the hall its room inhabited, observing what it could through the cracks under the doors and even doors that were left slightly open. So much it could see; the many inhabitants and creatures of the house in their rooms, enjoying themselves with favored activities. The org longed to join in, but feared of disrupting the privacy that the others seemed to be seeking. Taking this into consideration, it continued on in its observational exploring of the world it was placed into.
It passed by the large library. Such a large room, and so full of knowledge! This would have to be explored in further detail in the future. It passed by Lorn's room, a bit disappointed to discover that she was not there. Still, it moved on....until it reached a door that seemed to lead nowhere but the outside. The orb waited until one of the residents decided to take a walk, sneaking out after it.
The orb was rather surprised to discover that water was pouring down from the sky. Was this what they called 'rain'? It was delightful! What a wonder! It trilled and cooed joyously, dancing about in its rolling style until it was drenched. Coated with a fresh spring shower, it glowed happily and decided that it was time to go back in.....but how would it do this when no one was around to open the door? It decided to find its own way, looking about the houses outside before finding a pet door. Taking a running start, it lept through and was relieved to be back inside the warmth and dry.
What was left? Not much, it seemed. It rolled a wet path down the hallways until it came upon Yarukas den. Seeing its guardian, the orb trilled happily and rolled right up to the feet of its caretaker.
Yaruka, engrossed in her book, was too distracted to hear the noise that the orb made. In fact, she didn't even know it was in here until she felt it bump against her foot beneath her desk. Blinking in surprise, she left her studies and looked underneath to find her glowing charge.
"Well well, now how did you get in here?" She smiled and picked up the crystal, surprised to find that it was chilled and damp. "What have you been up to? Lets go get you dried off and warm."
She stood up and left her studies for a later date, in search of a warm cloth to wrap the orb up in. |
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Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 12:07 am
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~*Turning Faith*~
******
Had it been minutes? Hours? Days? No one could really say just how long Yaruka had been sitting in her den, pouring over books and books of family history. So many names, so much history......and so much that was yet to make any sense. Frustration was on the rise and sleep the negotiator for the hostage that was Yaruka's mind. Having run out of coffee long ago, the only thing that was keeping her awake and going was sheer force of will; the drive to know. With every turn of the page, there came new leaps and and new pitfalls.
It drove her to madness. She reached for mug to sip on coffee, only to find it empty....and it had been empty for a long time. It was the straw that broke the camels back. She growled and slammed the mug onto her desk, shattering it with the force of her frustration.
"It's hopeless.......utterly hopeless!" She shouted, losing her mind in a fit as she threw and shoved books and papers from her cluttered desk, "Every book, every page....and still nothing! I'll never find him..." She sank into her chair and rested her head on her arms upon the desk, tears stinging the back of her eyes.
A heavy feeling seeped through the air. The orb had sensed it. It followed the thick tendrils of despair towards its source, coming upon its guardian in her den. She seemed frustrated, lost, and ready to give up. Could it allow this?
It rolled quietly over the hardwood floors, seemingly unnoticed by its weeping benefactor. Gliding easily under the massive oak desk she sat at, it bumped lightly against her foot, hoping to get her attention.
Tears leaked from her tightly shut eyes as she fell into the pit of despair...deep into the darkness..pulled in by cold hands..............until she felt something touch her foot. She lifted her head from her arms curiously and looked beneath her desk, smiling when she saw the swirling mass.
"Oh, hello there." She said through a softly cracking voice, picking the orb up into her hands gently, "How did you get in here? I must not have shut the door completely."
She looked upon the crystal that glowed and swirled with energy, feeling its smoothness in her palms. She faintly saw her reflection upon the glassy orb and sighed heavily.
"My little friend, I just don't know what to do." She said softly, leaning back in her chair as she held the orb, "I've been looking through these blasted records for weeks....and still I find nothing that can connect me to my father. There's nothing about his last known location....nothing about other family....just nothing. It just feels so.....hopeless. Perhaps it's time for me to give up this rediculous quest."
The orb focused its attention on her as it held her and spoke. Hearing such incredulous words, it pulsated brightly. How rediculous! Giving up on such a noble quest...preposterous! It made fast trilling noises, as if trying to voice its protest to her.
Yaruka looked down at the brightly pulsating sphere, hearing its noises and finding them curious. She felt the warmth increase, seeping through her skin and finding its way through her bloodstream......snaking its way into her heart. There, she felt the warmth embrace it and fill her with a strange sense of comfort. She could feel the hope returning, her outlook brightening as her thoughts upon seeing her father once more began to become more clear. She smiled down to the orb with a light chuckle.
"Perhaps you're right. I've come this far, I can't give up now. Perhaps the answer is right in front of me and I just can't see it." She stood up from the desk and took the orb with her, "I think what I need is a rest. A nice bubblebath and some hot cocoa..."
She mused aloud as she headed away from the den, leaving the mess for another day. |
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Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 8:15 pm
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~*Blooming*~
****************
A day of unusual silence. The air was quiet, but none-too-peaceful. The tension was thick, nearly tangeable to the residents of the manor. Despite the bright shining sun and the warmth of the oncomming summer, a certain darkness had settled upon the place.
The succubus undera chose to leave the silent manor, the hanging tension causing her to feel somewhat ill. How could one find peace in silence when said silence causes the stomach to churn? Her harp in hand, she chose to find solace in the one place that brought her comfort; the greenhouse.
Upon opening the door, she was greeted with the warmth that the greenhouse always provided, coupled with the smell of her precious roses. The beautiful, blood-red buds glowed with the life that coursed through their amazing petals. It all brought a genuine smile to her face as she picked up her bottle of specially-mixed plant formula, feeding some to her precious plant friends.
"Hello, my darlings. How are you doing today?" Lorn spoke softly to them as a mother would to her children, her fingers softly caressing their delicate closed buds, "Your petals feel so soft.....and your color is pure and bright. You're all doing very well." She smiled as she fed the last one, placing a kiss to its topmost bud as she did with the others before it. She moved to where a pile of sitting pillows were, settling herself amongst them with her harp in hand.
"I have a special treat for you. I hope you like it." With that, she positioned her instrument and began to pluck the strings delicately. From her working hands and the carefully tuned chords, a soft, soothing melody soon flowed into the air of the growing house. Her eyes shut as she let her very soul pour into the tune, wishing nothing more than to fill her beloved plants with joy and life.
Unseen to Lorns eyes, one of the buds began to open slowly. It drank up the energy within the music, encouraging it to blossom in all of its hidden glory. One bright, vibrant red rose now bloomed in full view. How many more would follow as the succubus opened her heart? |
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Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:41 am
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~*Growth*~
**************
It was a beautiful day! Purely gorgeous. The warmth and the sun made it perfect to go outside and explore the further parts of the garden that hid within the hedge maze. Lorn had decided to take the orb with her on an exploration through the beautiful maze. The orb had now been dubbed Croyez, the name being French for 'believe,' which Yaruka seemed so inclined to believe suited it. Lorn thought the name was rather amusing. Then again, she didn't know of the events that led to Yaruka naming the little thing such a title.
Lorn only knew that Croyez was getting very anxious and fidgety. She, herself, had felt rather congested within the walls of the manor. The heat was starting to get to everyone. Seeing as her friend and herself were feeling closed in while the outside looked so inviting, Lorn chose to ceize the day and stretch her ribbons. Croyez could roll around to its hearts content and, hopefully, find peace once more. Lorn couldn't pinpoint it, but she sensed as though the orb felt highly cramped. A good stroll is what was needed for them both. And now, as they moved through the leafy green passageways, it seemed that both breathed an equal sigh of relief.
"This weather is beautiful. I love springtime and summertime." Lorn sighed in a dreamy fashion, looking down to her spherical friend.
Croyez rolled about behind Lorn, following her closely, but its usual direct path. Instead, it rolled about in zig-zags, moving from side to side, backwards and forwards, and even in swirls and circles. It felt highly aggitated and showed its frustrations in the only way it knew how; rolling.
Lorn saw her dear friends frustration and sighed heavily, unsure of what she could do for it. It had been like this for a couple days. It seemed highly testy and was constantly being found in wet places. Showers, sinks, bath tubs...even Lorns watering can. Yaruka had managed to keep it quiet by placing a bowl of water for it to rest in, but that didn't last long. It craved for more.
Lorn hoped that her friend would return to normal soon as they rounded the next bend. She smiled when she saw what she brought them there for; within the very center of the maze was a beautiful part of the property that Yaruka had left untouched. It was a natural spring, a large stone pool with a fountain of water that shot straight upwards from the bottom, raining back down into the pool like a beautiful fountain. The spring itself was surrounded by beautiful soft moss and grass, various flowers bordering it to give a splash of color. The sound of the natural fountain and the sight of it all was enough to bring peace to the spirit.
The little orb trilled a sound of annoyance. It loved its friend dearly, but was getting very tired of being led around....and in this heat! The grass was far too warm for its taste and rolling on it was a task that was taking a toll on the already irritated thing. It rolled out in front of Lorn when she stopped, ready to tell her off in its only available language, when it saw the beautiful spring before them.
Such beauty and purity.....and all of it natural. It had always been there. It took in the magnificent sight, loving the clarity of the water and the delicate water lillies that floated upon its surface, graced by those raft-like lilly pads. It looked so cool.....so purifying.....so inviting. Without a second thought, the orb rolled at full speed towards the spring. It shot through the floral border, lept over the edge, and sank into the cool water with a nice crowning splash.
Ahh...it felt so lovely. So relaxing....
The Succubus was so caught up in the refreshing sight that she nearly hadn't noticed when Croyez suddenly rolled forward away from her. However, her eyes caught the glimmer of the rippling orb as it shot right past her and lept right into the spring...and it sank! Lorn rushed forward and peered over into the spring, trying to see past the abstracting ripples that the fount created.
Her heart raced; was she about to lose her only friend? She dipped her hands into the cool water, feeling around to find her dearest companion. She couldn't feel the smooth surface of the crystal.....and then the water began to swirl with colors of pale lilac and dusty rose. Lorn quirked an eyebrow in panicked curiosity, wondering what was going on...and then quickly withdrew her hands when she felt something touch them. Backing away from the spring was the right move just as wave of water sprung up from the pool. After brushing away the water from her face, Lorn gazed up and couldn't believe what she saw.
Sitting upon the surface of the water was a creature much like Lorn herself. The ghostly upper body of a beautiful girl with ribbony tendrils caressing an orb beneath her. Long pale lilac hair flowed gracefully past her pointed ears and framed her face, her large eyes orbs of lavender. She blinked curiously for a moment before waving a webbed hand towards Lorn.
"You look wet, my friend. Do you feel any cooler?" Her soft voice reminded the listener of a spring rain. She smiled brightly to the Succubus, seeing her odd look. "Don't you recognize me? I'm Croyez."
Lorn couldn't believe that she was looking at another undera...and she was pretty. She looked at the girl funny when she was called her 'friend.' Then, when the creature explained herself, the Succubus blinked in surprise.
"Croyez? It's really you?" She leaned close to inspect her, recognizing the orb within her tendrils. She smiled up to her lightly. "I suppose that you feel much better now that you're out of the orb."
Lorn sat on the edge of the pool while Croyez took it upon herself to swim around a bit in the cool waters.
"Hmm....I wonder if we can convince Yaruka to let you live out here..." |
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2008 4:03 am
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~*Dusting Off*~
**************
Everyone in the household was busy, cleaning and dusting things off after the absence. Yaruka herself was moving around the house, supervising cleaning and helping wherever she could. It had been far too long. Once she made sure things were in proper order, she headed outside to the garden. She needed some time to think.
Making her way through a pathway in the maze, she went to Croyez's spring. It was the only place she could really get away and do some deep-thinking or calming meditation. Maybe she could do both. Staring into the water, she saw a shimmer of lilac that showed Croyez was busy doing some cleaning of her own. Algae and rough moss, as well as weeds had invaded her home. Yaruka chose to leave her be to her work and simply took a seat on one of the larger garden rocks by the side of the spring. She sighed a deep sigh, closed her eyes and let her thoughts wander more freely.
Croyez had come to the top to throw out the ruffage from her crystal waters, when she noticed her guardian sitting nearby. The pensive look on her face made her worry. The ghostly nymph glided quietly in the water till she was at her guardians side, looking up at her curiously without making the slightest noise. If she was deep in thought, or meditating, disturbing her could cause regretful circumstances either way. She merely watched her, waiting for a moment to speak.
It took a few minutes......actually, more like ten...until Yaruka felt she was being watched. She opened an eye slightly and glanced down at the beautiful face looking up at her from the surface of the water. She wondered how long the nymph had been there, but it didn't matter. She blinked her eyes and stretched with a bit of a yawn, wondering if she might have dozed off at some point.
"You seem quite interested in me, Croyez. Might I ask as to why?" She stretched herself over the rock in her belly, waiting for the nymph to answer.
Ever the patient one, she felt relieved when Yaruka finally opened her eyes. She shifted more to the edge to lean upon it, her thin fingers swirling the water around her idly.
"You look unhappy....thinking too deeply. I can see in your eyes that you don't feel quite right. So tell me........why?"
An eyebrow raised when she heard Croyez describe what her interest was based on. It seemed she couldn't hide the truth from the little creature. To be honest, she never tried to hide much from her. She had become quite the confidant to Yaruka, always willing to listen and keep their shared words in silence from the ears of others. Seeing no reason to break that bond of trust now, she simply shrugged her shoulders and sighed heavily.
"Guilt, I suppose, above all other things. The way things have been, I don't exactly have much confidence in myself. I never expect anything like 'mother of the year', but I never felt so badly about my caretaking as I do now." She closed her eyes, for fear of shedding a tear for even a moment.
Croyez kept her ears turned to Yaruka's voice, listening intently to her thoughts. She knew that the woman had been troubled for quite a while and had done her best to be there for her with a supportive shoulder. The burdens that her guardian took upon herself were great and she often wondered what it was that made her do so. Perhaps the longing for true motherhood? Another subject entirely. For now, the current matter had to be addressed.
"Things happen....it's called life. Sometimes it cannot be avoided. People understand this, though some can be unreasonable about it....but their expectations are too high." She mused for a moment as she played with the water, making it swirl in patterns, "You cannot blame yourself for things that are beyond your control, yet you continue to try."
She knew she was right....of course she was. It just was always hard to accept the cards that life tended to throw at her.
"I do blame myself because I feel responsible for it. I do have some kind of control over it. Which is why I feel guilty. The control that I had is ripped from me and I can't take it back after a time. It effects the lives of all those around me....and it hurts them. It's almost enough to make me just want to give up." She crossed her arms in front of her and hid her face among them, not wanting to show the tears that escaped. She tried to stop them, listening closely to the flowing water around her for comfort.
Croyez listened and watched her guardian begin to crumble before her. She felt somewhat powerless. She had always offered words of encouragement before, but now knew that anything she had to say was already said. It was up to Yaruka to make herself realize this. She had to find her own strength. In the meantime, she merely rested a webbed hand upon the womans arm, as a sign that she was there and trying to help. Who knew what the future would hold. |
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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:03 am
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~*All Hallow's Eve*~
**********************
The entire house was abuzz with activity and excitement. The halls and walls, which were already ancient and gothic in design, were taking on a much darker tone with trimmings of black and orange. Hanging bats and spiders (with fake webs), jack-o-lanterns being carved and placed on various tables and surfaces. The Halloween Spirit was taking over! The children and adults and other creatures within the house were rushing about to get the place decorated and their costumes prepared.
Yaruka was no exception. She was completely into the holiday spirit. She now sported gray feathery wings, rather than her usual white ones, along with a black tattered dress and knee-high black boots with skulls on them. From top to bottom, complete with scythe, she was her own embodiment of the Angel of Death. She had cheered up considerably from her previous mood. Halloween tended to have that effect on her.
Croyez was helping to decorate the outside. The beautiful garden was taking on the look of a haunted cemetary. Though a lover of color and light, the nymph couldn't help but be fascinated with the darkness that Halloween brought. It was as if the world turned completely about-face. She learned from Yaruka that the holiday was based on old pagan traditions and a celebration of the time when the spirit world and the physical world were almost one, which allowed the spirits of the departed to return and see their loved ones for one night. One of the old traditions, which related to the present time, was that people would take on disguises so they could blend in with the spirits, avoiding harm from mischievious ghosts. They would also offer up treats for the benevolent ones, encouraging them to come back again
As dark as the holiday was made out to be, it was actually a rather joyful celebration of life. So, she took great delight in participating in the celebration, but refused to wear a costume. Although....it was tempting. As she was hanging a false spider web from one of the archways, she saw Yaruka coming out to see her work.
Yaruka had walked out into the garden to see Croyez' progress and was amazed by the transformation. It was looking fantastic. She had an idea for Croyez to help with a haunted garden feature, which involved fog juice in her fountain and the ghostly nymph rising out in costume for a frightening effect.
"Everything's looking great out here." She commented with a smile, looking around at the darkly decorated maze. "I almost wondered if I was in the right garden when I saw it."
Croyez had to smile at her caretaker and seeing her costume. She pulled off the Death look quite well.
"I'm glad you like it so far. I tried my best." The nymph slipped back to take a good look at her work so far and saw some of the residents running past in their costume, taking it for a test run. She sighed a bit and looked away, starting to wish she could wear a costume and be a part of it.
Yaruka watched her charges running around and turned her attention to Croyez when she heard her sigh. She could tell by the look in her eyes that she felt a bit left out.
"I have a proposition for you, Croyez. Just hear me out and think about it before you say yes or no, okay?" She waited for a nod until she continued. "I was thinking that your fountain could be the main attraction of the haunted garden. With the right decorations and some dry ice to make fog, it would be a perfectly creepy display. But the winning part of the idea is your participation. You could rise out of the fountain in costume for the perfect effect. I was hoping the costume for you would be a ghostly water creature. Now, remember it's all up to you whether or not you want to participate like that. I know that you refused to wear a costume and you don't want your home ruined, but it would be a great chance for you to get into the holiday with the rest of us. So, I leave it up to you."
Croyez listened to Yaruka's proposal and thought about it for a good long moment. She didn't think it could hurt....and it was a good chance for her to get into the holiday spirit. She might make a fool of herself though.....but it seemed like too much fun to pass up.
"Alright. I'll do it." She looked to Yaruka with a smile. "I think that might be the perfect thing for me....as long as I get to design my costume."
Yaruka smiled brightly knowing that she had accepted the idea.
"Quite frankly, I wouldn't want it any other way." |
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