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___The Dining Room


Crow spooned mashed peas and milk into Lenore's mouth patiently, ducking from time to time as the child spat out the mushy vegetable goo all over the high chair, herself, and the floor. Having just finished washing all her clothes the previous day, Crow had decided it would be best if she wore a rain slicker while feeding the rambunctious child. Offering another spoonful of the milk and pea glop to Lenore, she glanced around to see if there were any other guardians or Mishaps lurking about.

__The Dining Room
Foot steps were muffled by carpet as a pair of worn converse shoes traipsed over it and in to the large kitchen. Azumi hadn�t even noticed where she had walked herself or the fact that the room was already occupied. Her mind was set on trying to once more get the bawling babe in her arms to calm and stop his racket. Black wolf ears were pressed so close against her head they looked like fluffy hair ornaments and her shoulder was damp from Osso's tears.

Still without noticing anyone was in the same room as her, the werewolf made a bee-line to the fridge when its glory caught her eye and she yanked the door from its suction. A cold air wafted up from the open fridge and greeted the exhausted woman, but her duty was not done yet. Grabbing a bottle filled with a white liquid she gingerly held it and placed it into the child's open mouth before even closing the refrigerator door.

As soon as the bottle was placed, tiny hands seemed to stick to the sides of the bottle and once more peace was restored. With the door closed and peace, Azumi now took the time to gaze around the kitchen, but was startled out of her wits when she saw she wasn�t alone, �oh!� She gasped and took a step backwards before wine hued eyes could absorb who the other people where. When she saw it was another guardian and mishap, a sudden wave of stupidity rushed through her as she started to stumble her words a bit as she apologized, "I'm so sorry! I..I didn't know anytum....I mean anyone, was here and....and.... God, you gave me a fright!" The last words came out in a funny little chuckle as she straightened up a bit.

Crow looked up uncertainly at the other girl. She had never seen her before, and it was obviously likewise. Pushing the rain slicker hood off her head and quickly replacing it with her pilot's helmet to hide her unruly hair, she smiled shyly and shed the yellow coat, throwing it haphazardly on the floor.

"Um, hi. My name's Crow, what's yours?"

Lenore glanced up at the intrusion into her dining. She couldn't have Crow wandering off to talk to someone else when there was peas and milk to be eaten. She scrunched up her face and was ready to give a mighty squall of protest when she laid eyes on the mysterious little black and white creature in the woman's arms. A lovely pattern of bones, illuminated by the overhead lights, seemed to glow quite beautifully. Lenore had never seen such a fascinating thing before, and immediately wanted to see it closer.

"BONE!" she said clearly, pointing at the black and white thing.

Juggling Osso a bit, the half werewolf was able to get one hand free and give a small wave and shy smile to this other woman. "'Ello, it's very nice to meet you. I'm Azumi and this," she shifted the babe once more, "is Osso." She blinked once or twice before gazing around for a second.

What to say, what to say....It was during this quick and mad search that she spotted, or rather heard, the other little Mishap in a highchair. "So you're a guardian to?" It was only after she said it that Azumi realized that Crow obviously was, "sorry, obviously you are," she gave another little sheepish laugh before speaking again," I'm a new guardian, I've only had this little one for about a week or less, how about you?" Black pointed canine ears perked up a little to catch any other noises around her, the fluffy and equally black tail wrapping a little around her left leg.

Until the word "bone" was yelled by the other child, Osso hadn't even cared to notice the others around him and his guardian. He had been contently sucking on the bottle with closed eyes, but when the small voice reached his ears, a new thing had captured his attention.

Flicking up an eyelid, a hollow black space gazed around till his sight came upon the small baby some feet away. It was the first time he had seen anyone his own size and now both lids were open and two black holes peered out from behind the bottle. Now being fully awake and curious Osso looked very similar to Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas, a movie he had watched part of with his motherly figure. Pushing the bottle away as his interest in it had faded, the child was able to squirm and position himself so that he was almost just perching in a sitting position in Azumi's arms. Pale blonde strands of fine hair hung in his face as just continued to look at this other little being.

Crow's mouth opened slightly in surprise as she caught a glance of a black tail and wolf-like ears. Deciding it would be rude to ask about them, Crow focused on Azumi's face and smiled again cheerfully.

"It's nice to meet you! I keep forgetting that other guardians live here, too - I don't get out much anymore. This is Lenore. We were just in the middle of dinner, if you'd like to join us." She said, motioning to the rain slicker and their pea and milk goo plastered end of the table.

Lenore gaped openly at the black and white creature the woman had called "Osso". So, he was a Mishap too, huh? Leaning forward to get a closer look at him, she gave a delighted shiver as she got a good look at his face. The beautiful white markings gave his face a skull-like look, accentuated wonderfully by two pitch black holes where eyes ought to be.

"Bone! Bone!" she cried, stretching out her bladed arms and making grabbing motions with her long-fingered hands. She wanted to get to know this one, most definately...

Wine gaze caught the open-mouthed stare as she got that a lot, but never in her life had it really bothered her so she just decided to answer the unasked question,"half Noir Werewolf, at your service," she said with a small giggle that progressed to a slightly louder one when she looked over at the soggy end of the table.

When her gaze returned to Crow was when she decided to reply to the last statments made. "Oh, I actually don't live here, or well...I do, but I don't. Um...You see, I own Cabin like house about fifty miles outside of Durem in the moutains. I still have the room here, but I really only came today to pick up some laundry from last night, that is until this little one started screaming his head off....Again." Azumi looked down at her charge with a fond expression," but dinner with someone to talk to seems perfectly in order.

With that the werewolf walked the few feet to a chair close to Lenore, but out of the mass splosh of peas and milk.

Osso giggled and waved a chubby little arm when he was close enough to this talkative young one. He was still in a sit perch but now on his mother's lap as she had sat down at one of the wooden chairs. Hollow eyes scanned the smaller being, taking in her black hair and gray skin, but it was the blades on her arms that gave him a small thrill. Their shiney surfaces and silver color made him want to examin them more than anything, the dangers or such sharp objects not known in his mind.

Crow's interest was piqued in this mysterious, pleasant new guardian.

"That's cool - I used to have my own place, but it didn't work out so well. Major demon infestation that got a little out of hand on my part," she said conversationally, pointing to her vivid yellow eyes and thinly drawn tattoo-scars that wrapped around her arms, exposed by her shirt's short sleeves. "I was thinking of trying to find a place in Aekea once Len's grown a bit, but this place has sort of grown on me."

Taking a sip of her mint tea, she pulled out her ever-present Thermos and offered some of its contents to Azumi.

"Would you like some tea?"

Lenore's delight in this new Mishap doubled as she got a closer look at his startlingly beautiful features. The white and black contrast in his skin was lovely to look at - it made her feel slightly embarrassed of her own appearance, with the ashy gray skin, feathery hair, and her arm-blades. Osso seemed interested in them, though, and she held them out politely for him to more closely examine.

"Len!" she said eagerly, pointing to herself, "Bone?"

Azumi's eyes widend a bit when she was offered the tea. "Ooo, I'd love some thanks!" she could already smell it's minty aroma and it tickled her for the oddest of reasons; tea was her favorite drink-green tea at the top of the list and soon followed by mint. With the scent, her fluffy black tail swayed lightly from behind her and she shifted a bit in her chair to get more comforable with the lump on her lap which was Osso.

"I try not to get too attached to homes at times, but I ended up doing so with two of my residents and now I don't want to leave the one in the mountains. It's a bit sticky and a pain when I have to drive all the way down here, but the car ride makes Osso fall fast asleep and let me tell you, that kid can make anyone go insane with his crying," she chuckled once more and lightly ruffled the slightly long, pale blonde locks on her charge's head.

Osso cocked his head to the right when he was pointed at. Too young to understand most things, he could only get that this other's name was Len and that she was saying "bone"...But why was she pointing at him. The babe's mind spun and sifted through all the words he slightly understood...Ah ha! He got it now. Len wanted to know HIS name, but how couldhe tell her?

Osso had yet to learn how to talk and the best he could do was make odd little noises that represented words. Mimicking the pointing gesture, he pointed a chubby finger at the other and said,"nnnnnnnn." After he made the sound, he screwed up his face. No, that wasn't right, so he tried to say it again but still only managed to say,"nnnnnnnnnnn." With a hard sigh he gave up and decided to try and give his own name,"ooo...oooos...Os!" He stated happily though the mindless 'word' sounded more like 'O'-ss.

The bone child was about to try and say Len's name once more, but when he saw that she had extended a bladed arm, he shut right up. Because of Azumi's arm that was put lightly across his middle, Osso leaned forward as far as he could and stretched out both arms. With chubby, bone marked hands, he made silly little grabby motions. Finger tips were mere milimeters from the shiney blades and his face became slightly screwed up with frustration.

Crow gave a laugh as she sipped at her tea again.

"I know exactly what you mean - Len kept me up for four nights in a row when I first started taking care of her. I guess it's just a matter of getting used to each other, that sort of thing." she said, nodding sagely to herself and tracing the rim of her plastic tea cup with a finger.

Lenore drew back just a little, to keep the razor edges of her arm blades feathers out of Osso's reach.The memories of how Deimos had reacted when he had cut himself and its aftermath were too vivid in her mind to risk another accidental injury.

"Os?" She murmured once or twice, playing with the unfamiliar name. Pointing back to herself, she murmured her name to confirm it.

"Len."
She then pointed to Crow.

"Ma."

She then pointed to Azumi, deeply fascinated by the woman's ears and tail.

"Who?"

Azumi nodded in agreement as she sipped her own tea, careful to keep the substance out of the grabby hands of Osso. "Yes...It's a good thing we're semi used to each other now. No more completely sleepless nights, but because I lack a crib he sleeps next to me in my bed and I often wake up to find the little guy with both hands clinging to one of my ears. How he moves himself onto the pillow is still a mystery to me," she smiled to herself and twitched a black pointed hark.

The bone child blinked a few times as Len drew back her arm and the shinies. A small sniffle crossed his nose as if he was about to start crying again, but when this new person spoke once more his sadness was practically forgotten. Following Lenore's pointing hand, he looked behind him and at his mother and then back to Len. Tilting his head once more the babe tried to figure out a way to tell her who his 'mother' was. A few silent moments passed and after some hard thinking on Osso's part, all he could do was shake his head in response.

Feeling a little silly and sorry for not being able to answer this possible future playmate's question, Osso quickly looked around for something to show Len. It was out of the corner of a hollow socket that her caught sight of his guardian's swaying tail. It was moving and swishing much closer to him now and by leaning as far over to the left as he could manage, and after a moment of grabbing at thin air, his bone tattooed hand came up triumphantly with a fluffy black thing clenched in his palm.

Azumi didn't even notice that her tail had been captured, Osso's grip wasn't really that hard and the werewolf rarely payed attention to where she swished the thing...Maybe that's why she always ended up paying for broken items in stores.

With the now limp tail in one tiny hand, Osso let out a shrill giggle and presented the ebon fluff to Len.

Slurping down the rest of her tea, Crow stared thoughtfully into the murky green dregs at the bottom of the cup.

"Len's wings are really sharp, so I have to replace everything she has about once a week. Blankets, shirts, bedding, everything..." she trailed off, still looking at her tea dregs. She hadn't thought about it since she had first gotten Lenore, but suddenly the comprehension that she was completely responsible for Lenore dawned on her. Staying silent for a moment and staring unblinking into her tea dregs, she gave a sigh.

"How long do you think they take to grow up?"

Lenore smiled as Osso offered the fluffy tail to her. Tails had been a source of fascination for Lenore - though after the fiasco with Deimos she had learned to be careful with other people's body parts. Running a thin finger over the soft black fur, she gave a suddenly delighted squeal and grabbed hold of it.

Hard.

Azumi listened as Crow talked, trying to think of how hard it would be to have to replace everything every week.

When pointed ears caught the question, she gave a little smile and looked down at the two interacting babes, still not noticing that Osso had her tail,"oh, I'm don't think anyone can ans-Hm?" Sentence was cut short when she felt something similar to a pinch.

Looking about she spotted the two little trouble makers had her fluffy tail and even though Lenore's grip was much stronger that her own charge's, the strength of the child couldn't fully penetrate the thick, warm, black fur...Though if it had been Azumi's ears that were grabbed, that would be a different story.

With a funny little chuckle, the Noir made her tail tip twitch back and forth. The movement gave the appearance that the black fluff was alive and wriggling to be free of it's little captors; though Azumi didn't mind that much as long as no fur was yanked out.

Osso gave a multitude of shrill giggles and squeeks when the tassle started moving in his and Len's hands. His free hand happily fist slapped Azumi's arm that was still around his middle. And his slightly shaggy/longish pale blonde locks fell a little over his hollow eyes, veiling his sight at times, but even so, he still continued to shriek with laughter.

Smiling as the two little ones were occupied, Azumi once more gave her attention to Crow. It was almost at that moment that an idea suddenly popped in to her head,"hey, Crow, have you even thought of creating or perhaps finding something to just put over Len's blades? Like...A heavy leather, the kind they use for welding gloves, and just making a sheath like protector?" The werewolf grew a little excited now at the thought of this.

Azumi listened as Crow talked, trying to think of how hard it would be to have to replace everything every week.

When pointed ears caught the question, she gave a little smile and looked down at the two interacting babes, still not noticing that Osso had her tail,"oh, I'm don't think anyone can ans-Hm?" Sentence was cut short when she felt something similar to a pinch.

Looking about she spotted the two little trouble makers had her fluffy tail and even though Lenore's grip was much stronger that her own charge's, the strength of the child couldn't fully penetrate the thick, warm, black fur...Though if it had been Azumi's ears that were grabbed, that would be a different story.

With a funny little chuckle, the Noir made her tail tip twitch back and forth. The movement gave the appearance that the black fluff was alive and wriggling to be free of it's little captors; though Azumi didn't mind that much as long as no fur was yanked out.

Osso gave a multitude of shrill giggles and squeeks when the tassle started moving in his and Len's hands. His free hand happily fist slapped Azumi's arm that was still around his middle. And his slightly shaggy/longish pale blonde locks fell a little over his hollow eyes, veiling his sight at times, but even so, he still continued to shriek with laughter.

Smiling as the two little ones were occupied, Azumi once more gave her attention to Crow. It was almost at that moment that an idea suddenly popped in to her head,"hey, Crow, have you even thought of creating or perhaps finding something to just put over Len's blades? Like...A heavy leather, the kind they use for welding gloves, and just making a sheath like protector?" The werewolf grew a little excited now at the thought of this.

Osso let his high giggling die down a bit when he no longer felt his new friend playing along with the fluffy tail. Stopping his waving of this new toy, he titled his head to the side as if always did when confused or questioning something. "Nnn?" was said as he tapped her hand, wondering why she had stopped. Osso blinked once from behind the strands of blonde as he waited to Len to do something.

Azumi was no longer paying too close attention to the babbling young ones, but was aware that they still had her tail. She nodded her head absentmindedly as Crow's response to her idea floated into her ears. "Hmm...." she said allowed, biting her lip a little as she searched for some other idea, "maybe metal on metal could work? Though I'm not sure if it would be comfortable or where you could eve find a blacksmith to create something for the blades.."

Crow gave a non-commital shrug and toyed with her empty cup.

"They can cut through anything - cloth, leather, flesh..." she winced as she touched a few half-healed cuts on her hands, the result of Lenore's last bathing.

"I suppose I'm just going to have to live with it until she's old enough to understand not to try to slice at me with them."

Lenore let Azumi's tail slip from her grasp, looking at Osso uncertainly. Ignoring the fact that they had only known each other for a few minutes, she pondered the curious feeling that welled even higher in her chest as her eyes lingered on the boy's wonderfully macabre face.

What on earth was she feeling?

Azumi nodded and was a little put down with not being able to help this new friend of her's. "Seems that that's really the only possibility, I guess...Sorry that I couldn't help," she offered a smile and then glanced out the kitchen's window. The sun was already setting and dark clouds were drifting about lazily,"do you think it'll rain?" she said while still looking out the window.

Hollow eyes watch as the tail fell from Len's small hand and Osso just become so confused. Questions flew at his mind as he looked back up at the other. Was it him? Was there something wrong with him or something? Or maybe there was something behind him...With that thought he looked over his shoulder, but only saw the kitchen door and nothing unusual. Facing Lenore again, Osso tried to understand what she was doing or thinking or something.

Leaning forward he patted Len's arm, being careful of the blades no matter how much he wanted to examine them, "Ennn...Llll-lll..." Once more the bone child tried to say Len's name, thinking that maybe he could get her to play again if he did. "Llln...Leeeh...Leehn....Len!" Finally! Finally the simple word sounded from the blonde boy's mouth and he gave a triumphant little smile for his work.

Lenore felt her face grow very hot as Osso said her name and touched her arm. Feeling even more confused than ever, Lenore could think of no other explaination than that she had very suddenly become ill. How else could she explain why she was feeling so peculiar?

Making a noise halfway between a whimper and a giggle, she tugged hard at Crow's arm.

"Sick," she said firmly, not taking her gaze from Osso's charmingly empty eye sockets. Perhaps they ought to be going now, before Lenore gave poor Osso whatever she had contracted to violently!

Crow looked at the window, examing the sky.

"Red at night, sailor's delight - Red in the morning is a storm warning," she murmured, remembering the old mariner's forecasting rhyme. Looking out at the angry dark clouds and seeing no hint of red, she gave a nod.

"Yeah, it'll probably be a bad thunder storm - look at how the wind's blowing through the trees," she said, watching the branches flail in the strong gusts. She gave a small jump as she felt Lenore tug at her arm, clearly wanting attention.

"Sick'? Oh, Len, are you feeling okay?" she asked the baby in concern. Quickly wiping up the pea glop that now threatened to eat away at the table top and gathering up her rain slicker, Crow smiled at Azumi.

"I'd better go before she does the Exorcist - projectile barf thing; she's only been sick once but she can aim pretty well. I'll see you guys later, maybe?"

Lenore gave a sigh of mingled regret and relief as she was carried out of the dining room. She would have to be careful around Osso from now on - she couldn't help but think that hearing his sweet little voice saying her name had contributed to her illness.

Azumi chuckled a little at the Exorcist note and bowed her head as they left,"hope she feel's better." Wine hued gaze watched until the pair went through the kitchen door and when they were alone, she gathered up Osso and rose from the wooden chair. The werewolve's ears failed to hear Osso speak his first real word, but just as she was about to start babbling a little herself, her charge started up his well known wail.

Osso let loose one of his loudest cries yet when he saw his new friend leave. What had happened? Was she alright? Did he make her go away? Such big questions were running through his small mind, even though he was around the same age as Lenore. Clinging to his mother, the bone child let her shrill wails die down to racketed sobs on her shoulder.

Not wanting to wake everyone up, Azumi left her laundry and just headed right out to her car parked along the curb. The Jetta's winsheild was already being light sprinkled with misty little drops of new rain. Shoving her key into the door, she unlocked the rest and piled the sobbing little babe into his car seat. It was only a few minutes later that bright headlights could no longer be seen as the car disappeared.

Movie Time


"The babysitter'll be here soon, Len. So, what do you wanna watch? Ju-On, Ringu, or Jaws?"

Crow browsed over the pile of DVDs with mild interest, waiting for the Mishap to pick. As she waited for a response, she looked over the crinkled and slightly stained note she had read enough to know by heart. Len acting like a kid? Jabir and Maggie might as well have asked for a flying golden pig with reindeer antlers singing a Spanish lovesong in soprano.

Come to think of it, that might have been easier.

"C'mon, Len, just pick a movie."

Lenore made a shushing noise, poring over the movie selections. Ju-On was too dull, Ringu was hardly scary at all, and Jaws...well, she had seen it enough times to know it from opening to ending credits. Sorting through the haphazardly stacked pile, she noticed a dented case she hadn't seen before. Removing it from the pile and staring at the jacket art, she gave an almost girly, gushy giggle.

"BONE!" she cried in delight.

Crow glanced at the movie Len held in a death grip, giving the child an odd look as she noticed the rosy blush coloring the girl's cheeks. Prying the case from Len's hands, she gave it a quick look before smiling and setting up the DVD player.

"Alright then, The Nightmare Before Christmas it is."

As the movie began to play, Crow's phone gave a shrill ring. Answering it eagerly, Crow's face fell into incredulous annoyance.

"So, you can't come because your fish died, and you still want me to pay you? ....I don't care that she was a gift from your late grandma. But - ....No, I don't care that she was a rare Fiskan Gelatinous Diamondfish, I need someone to take care of my baby while I'm out of town! .... If you're going to be rude, I suggest you get-" Crow bit her lip and slammed the phone down.

"Stupid jerk hung up on me." Glancing over at Lenore furtively, she watched as the child was completely engrossed in the movie opening credits. She couldn't miss the movie premiere, but....

Kicking her door open and running out into the hall, Crow looked around frantically, praying for help.

"Anyone up for an evening of babysitting?"

Wolf ears pricked as they caught the sound of Crow's frantic call from the hallway. Walking backwards in her own room, she leaned backwards and raised a brow to her newer friend. "You in a sticky-wicket, Crow?" she asked, giggling a little by the way she said her question.

"Mama!" cried Osso from the barren bed in the equally barren room whose floor was only covered in a few empty boxes. The bone child huffed as looked over to where his mother was, curiosity of who she was talking to getting the best of him.

"Hold on dear," replied Azumi as she turned her head towards the boy.

They were both only there because Osso hadn't been sleeping and so Azumi, in desperation, went on the long car ride down into town and just 'magically' ended up at the HQ.

Crow gave a delighted squeak and nearly fell to her knees, praising every god in the universe for conveniently-available werewolves.

"Azumi! Man, am I glad to see you! I've got a date tonight, and Len's sitter called and cancelled because her fish died, and I need a replacement for the night. Everything's all set for food and stuff, and I need to get going in about ten minutes, and please please please could you watch Lenore for the night? I'll be back around two, and I'll pay you and everything!"

Crow tried to take a deep breath as her rapid recitation sucked the air out of her lungs. Her date was waiting, and she could hardly bear to wait for Azumi to reply. Nearly flailing in desperation, she gazed up at Azumi and clasped her hands together pleadingly.

Azumi laughed at Crow's antics, "of course! I've got Osso here and I'm sure I could make it into a nice little playdate." When she heard about the payment she just waved her hands in front of her self,"no, no, no! There's no need!"

Osso now recognized the other voice from the hallway. It was Crow, which ment Lenore was also here! Wait... The boy's expression went to worry, 'was she still the way she was when she left after their first meeting?'

"Osso, dear, do you want to go see Len?" Azumi asked happily as she disappeared into her room again. Tail swishing back and forth behind her as she scooped the babe in to her arms.

"Len!" He threw his arms up, trying to mask a little bit of the worry inside of him.

The Noir came out with charge in arm and walked over to Crow,"well, I'm packed and ready!" She laughed; Osso the only thing she brought on this little escapade to the HQ.

Crow was happy enough to cry. Her first date in nearly a year would go off without a hitch - when she got back, she was going to shower Azumi in praise and movie theatre popcorn.

"Thanks! The emergency numbers are next to the vampire pumpkin's cage on the window sill, and there's a couple jars of Pea and Milk mash in the mini-fridge next to the Tezcatlipoca skull. I'll call a little later to check in, and okay I'll see you later bye! Bye, Len, be good!"

And with that, Crow grabbed her pilot's helmet and ran out the door.

Lenore glanced at the the two new arrivals dismissively, not wanting to miss a precious macabre second of this delightful new movie.

When she realized who it was, all thought of the movie disappeared in a flash of suddenly gushy giggles and a curious fluttering feeling in her stomach.

"Osso?"

"Len!" Exclaimed the bone child happily. He waved a chubby hand in her direction, though it was practically covered by the long sleeves of his little dark blue hoodie.
Hollow eyes looked from his friend and soon almost all of his attention shifted to the movie she was watching,"Ack!" He thrust a finger at the movie when he saw Jack Skellington.

Azumi waved and watched as Crow ran out the door. With her foot she closed the door behind her and then smiled to her newest charge,"'ello Len, dear. Yes, Osso, it's your favorite movie!" She said in smiley reply to her son's pointing hand.

Walking over she set Osso down on the couch in front of the TV before walking around turning on a few lamps and seeing where everythingwas located so that her tail wouldn't break a thing.

The blonde boy smiled and then pointed to Jack again,"Ack!" He told Len.

Lenore felt the warmth creep into her face with shy clarity.

"Ack?" she asked Osso, puzzled. What the heck was an "Ack"? Turning her attention back to the movie briefly, she watched as the main character, an impossibly tall and thin skeleton, sang forlornly as he wandered through a graveyard. Nibbling her lip in thought, she turned back to Osso and pointed.

"Osso!" she said, pointing to the singing skeleton. After all, the two looked almost completely identical, so perhaps Azumi had decided to name her charge after such a lovely thing.

Turning to look at Azumi, she pointed at the mini-fridge, which sat next to a jade-tiled skull with a c**k-eyed stare that wandered over the room.

"B'ekfast!" she demanded, her stomach grumbling slightly to accentuate her desire.

Osso shooke his head and giggled,"no no no! Ack!" He once more pointed to 'Jack'. Hollow eyes then went to his mother as Len said something about breakfast; he was hungry as well and a small rumble from his stomach made it clear.

Wine red orbs followed the little girl's pointing hand and she nodded to show she understood. "You guy's hungry?" she asked even though she knew the answer.

On almost silent steps, the Noir werewolf made her way over to the mini-fridge and crouched down to the thing's height. Before opening the door, she looked at the strange jade-tiled skull and tilited her head. What a strange artifact..Mayan, she was almost sure, were the skull's creaters. Shaking her head a little, the werewolf went back to what she was doing and retrieved the pea and milk mash and set the cold container next to the skull. She wanted to let it warm up a little, since that was what she always did for Osso, and out of that strong habit it never occured to her that perhaps Crow did something differently.

One of the skull's ivory-inlaid eyes swiveled to examine the pearly green contents of the food jar next to it, and then fixed both on Azumi.

"The birdie likes its mash cold, tzopelic," it said with a hollow voice that creaked with age.

Lenore smiled as Osso tried to clarify things. Glancing back at the screen and listening, she tried to pick out the word "Ack" as the characters talked.
She heard it a couple times, and played with the word as she tried to mimic how she thought it sounded.

"Jaaak, Jak, Ja...,Jack!" she smiled again in triumph and pointed from the screen to Osso.

"Not Ack, Jack."

Crow had often been baffled by Lenore's skill at expanding her vocabulary after playing with a word for mere minutes - the child spoke like a precocious toddler already, though talking in more than a few broken sentences was still a bit beyond her. Momentarily distracted from her newest vocabulary conquest, she glanced over at Azumi and made a slightly pouty face.

"B'ekfast."

Azumi let out a short scream/yelp and almost fell backwards when the jade skull spoke. "Jeezus, don't do that!" she pointed a stern finger at the skull. Most would think her weird for this, but if that damn thing talked than it could probably here as well.


"Jjj...JAAaa...Kk..Jaakk..Jjjack-Jack?" Osso said the name out loud, but he was still questionable to whether he said it correctly or not.

"Very good you two!" Exclaimed Azumi as she praised the both of them. She was now standing in front of the couch with the still cold mash. In the time it had taken Osso to sound out his favorite character's name correctly, the Noir had realized what the skull had told her and was able to find a clean spoon.

"Now who's hungry?" she asked, wine eyes looking from len to Osso and then back again.

The skull gave a wheezy laugh, yammering in Nahuatl as it cocked a dizzy eye at Azumi.

"You're on the other side of the rabbit hole, I'm thinking now, eh tzopelic?"

The skull gave a cackle sharp as the crack of a whip, suddenly falling silent as Azumi moved away.



"Yush, is Jack, not Ack," Len told Osso solemnly, though her features were lit with another smile. Really, she had never been so relaxed around another Mishap before. Toying with the blood pendant 'round her neck, she wondered why she had thought friends would be an annoyance she didn't want. Being in Osso's company was a delight!

As Azumi came forward at last, Lenore made grabby hands for her breakfast. The delectable scent of spiced peas mixed with milk drifted out of the mouth of the jar, making her stomach grumble even louder. Humming along to the unfamiliar tune from the movie, she looked up at Azumi and smiled.

"Glop!" she cried, naming the strange mixture with the word Crow referred to her favorite meal as.

The werewolf laughed at Len's grabby hands and happy shout of enthusiasm for this 'Glop'. Azumi had never understood how on earth babies like this stuff, but she didn't complain. It was so much easier to just have to pick jars of a shelf and know that your child was going to eat it rather than having to go around listening to,"but I don't like that!"

"Shhhh!" Osso said as he put a hand to his mouth. His second favorite song was going; the one where Jack falls into Christmas Town and starts slinking about. A basket full of giggles left the boy when his favorite skeletal character jumped out of snowman.

Azumi smiled and shook her head before putting the movie on pause, which was retaliated with a 'hmph' from Osso. Crouching down to a little above Lenore's eye level, she finally put the spoon into the 'glop' and took out a little to feed to the gray child.

Osso sniffed and the scent, too, made his stomach rumble more, but when he saw it was still cold, he stuck his nose up at it and just went back to staring at the frozen screen.

Lenore eager opened her mouth and sucked at the spoon to get every last jelly-like bit of the Mash. The taste of curried peas and sweet milk filled her mouth, and she eagerly grabbed at the jar.

"More!" she demanded of Azumi, though she was reluctant to let the spoon out of her mouth because of the delicious lingering taste. She looked over at Osso, who seemed to be steadfastly staring at the paused screen.

"Osso want Glop?" she asked as she kept her mouth open wide for another spoonful.

The skull gave another creaky laugh, rolling its eyes madly in Azumi's direction.

"Wouldn't give the little omitl telpochtli that slime if I were you. Nasty taste for nasty children, yesss..." it trailed off as its ivory eyes caught sight of Lenore glowering at it, and shut its eternally grinning maw with a snap.

Once Azumi finally got the spoon out of the girl's mouth, she shot a hard glare at the jade skull just as Lenore did. When the odd thing finally shut up, she dipped the untensil back into the glop and gave it back to the eager child.

When his friend's question caught his ears, the bone child dared to take his eyes off the frozen screen, thinking that any minute it might come to life and he'll miss something. He shook his head quietly in reply, longish pale blonde locks swishing in front of his eyes.


It was at that precise moment that a chortle sounded from the boy's hood and out skittered Klaz, the tiny murk gwipple, and perched on Osso's shoulder.

A smile appeared on the black and white face as he gently pet the little creature with a finger.

Azumi dramatically slouched when she heard the chortle,"Osso" she said not looking at him,"what did I say about bringing Klaz?"

Osso simply looked at his mother and exclaimed,"Klaz!"

Lenore looked at Klaz in fascination, not sure what to make of the little stowaway Osso seemed so fond of. Not wanting to be left out in the pet-sharing, she clucked her tongue loudly.

"Cole!" she called, facing the dark space underneath Crow's bed. A sound like a death rattle came from under the lace bed trimming, sending a chill breeze into the air.

"Cole! Cole!"

A shadow crept from underneath the bed, under Azumi's feet, and pulled itself off from the floor, materializing and solidifying. A reptilian creature that looked as though it was half-rotted loomed over Lenore, its ruby red eyes fixed on her face.

Lenore reached up to pat the creature's nose fearlessly, smiling and pointing from it to Osso and Klaz.

"Osso, this Cole. Say hihi, Cole!"

The creature sniffed at the air slightly and opened it mouth wide, uttering another death rattle purr.

Lenore giggled and turned to Azumi.

"Cole mah doggie!"

This time Azumi did fall on her butt in start from the shadow creature's appearence. A sheepish smile was given in a reply to Len's introduction. "It's very lovely," she said. The animal's black color always did put a plus on Azumi's list of good pet traits...But the partially decaying thing? Ah well.

Osso opened his hollow eyes as wide as they could as he watched this odd creature materialize from shadows. "Cole! 'is Klaz!" the little boy thrust his finger to his shoulder, only to find that he was pointing to thin air. Looking around him in utter confusion the bone child finally felt the little imp inside his hood. "Klaz! c'mount!" ordered the boy even though his voice was still all happy and excited.


Klaz clicked his beak and refused to come out...But eventually gave in to his strong urge of curiosity to the little girl. Tiny gryphon like head peered out from behind Osso's shoulder, green lamp like eyes staring owlishly at the other pair.

Lenore crawled forward to inspect Klaz. Cole edged forward with her, alert to any danger that he had to protect her from. Smelling the scent of a graveyard on the tiny creature, Cole untensed a little. Nothing from Lenore's home environment would hurt her (though they would have been mad to try it around a Mastiff-sized zombie-dragon, anyway).

Lenore leaned almost on top of Osso as she examined the strange little creature. It was a little homely in her opinion, but Osso seemed to really love it. Besides, she was hardly one to talk when her own pet looked like it had been freshly dug up, chained, and dragged through an alley. Giving the creature a little friendly tap on the head with a finger, she turned to Azumi.

"From cem'try?" she asked. A very faint air of death and grief seemed to hang about the little creature, though it seemed unaware of it. She had recognized it at once as a cemetary-aura, but thought it polite to ask before coming to any conclusions.

Cole sniffed at Azumi carefully as Lenore examined the bone-child's pet, smoke furling from his half-open jaws. Beady ruby eyes examined her from head to foot to tail, and he unfurled his bony wings and raised his hackles in warning. Her scent was unfamiliar, and what he didn't know, he didn't trust. But, Lenore seemed to like her, so he would keep his temper in check as long as she wanted this unknown woman around.

Azumi suprisingly didn't really flinch or scare, just got to her feet and took about a half step away to give the creature space. In her line of work she was used to these types of encounters and was highly skilled, or at least she thought she was. Her only action to hint at dismay was that she lowered her black wolf ears a little and flicked her black tail around her right leg.

Pulling her gaze away from the dragon she watched Osso and Len examine pets and such, a smile falling on to her face as she did so.

Osso almost fell backwards as Len tried to inspect Klaz. The little boy had managed to get the skittish critter out of his hood.


A few chortles and murrs could be heard from the tiny creature after his pet from Len and the gwipple now sat rather calmly in Osso's hands.

The werewolf looked to Lenore when she asked where Klaz was from. With a nod of her head, which made her blonde bangs flutter a little, she replied with a,"mmhmm, he from's a little shop in the near-by cemetary." Then she looked to te still frozen screen of the TV,"you guys want to finish your movie?"

Lenore felt a distinct sense of unease as she thought about her last experience in the Deus et Dolor cemetary. Surely there were other cemetaries around HQ, right?

...

Right. No need to bring up that nasty bit of business unless Azumi asked about it.

Turning her attention to the television screen, that featured Jack with his mouth wide open mid-word, she nodded vigorously to encourage Azumi.

"Movie movie movie movie!"

With a dissatisfied huff at Azumi's lack of reaction, Cole meandered over to Lenore and curled around her, tail wrapped firmly about her tummy. Extending his long neck over the girl, he sniffed at Osso's hair and gave him a calculating look before withdrawing. He bore the same scent of magic as Len, and that link alone put Cole's ever-protective mind at ease. They were kith and kin, and for once he wasn't wary of strangers around his beloved owner.

Lenore leaned against Cole's warm bulk, toying with the exposed bone at the tip of his tail. Waiting patiently for Azumi to restart the movie, she reached over and tugged Osso's sleeve, beckoning him a little closer.

"Osso wanna watch wif Len?" she asked shyly, moving Cole's tail a little so that the boy could sit next to her against the dragon's soft belly. Unsuccessfully stifling a genuinely child-like giggle, she motioned for Osso to come forward again.

Azumi gave a nod and pressed play on the remote. The screen burst to life, Jack continuing his singing as if it was never paused. She stepped back and out of the way of the screen before spotting a chair against a wall, a bookshelf opposite of it. The two looked like they didn't have to be watch closely and with Cole there, it'd be find for her to sit back and read. With that thought lodged in her mind she started to rumaged through the book shelf for anything interesting.

Osso clapped his hands together when the movie started, but soon turned his head to look at the space made for him near Cole and Len. With a smile he crawled over parts of Cole's massive bulk and seated himself next to his friend, though he didn't forget to say a,"sowweh," to the dragon after stepping on 'im.


Klaz had once again skittered onto Osso's shoulder where he hid half way in the hood, peeping owlishly at the dragon when his guardian seated himself next to the little girl.

Lenore watched the movie in total contentment, now that Osso was beside her. The alien feelings of child-like happiness fluttered around in her like butterflies - she was always too serious to act like a kid. But now...

She edged a little closer to Osso, listening to the song that blared from the TV's surround-sound, and nestled into the crook of Cole's foreleg, which he then wrapped around her protectively.

Glancing over at Osso again, she gave a smile and a small sigh of relief for not blushing as badly as she had before. This friendship thing was easy, really...

Cole gave Klaz a tolerant look and blew a bit of smoke in greeting. He was hardly in the mood to deal with small furry things that were too curious for their own good - Crow had enough of little buggers of that ilk hovering, burrowing, and flying around the room. Turning his attention to Azumi, he nestled his head on his bulky front paws and glared at her, his jewel-like eyes following her every motion.

Klaz brought large mint lanterns to the massive head of Cole before clicking his small gryphon like beak in his own greeting.

Osso slouched down a bit into a more comfortable position. The warmth of Cole's body relaxed the bone child more than ever. As the movie played Osso revisited the questions he had asked himself so many times after his first meeting with Len. Why? Why did she just suddenly stop playing and leave? Eh...Osso shook his head, making blonde locks swish back and forth and fall over his eyes again. Why bother asking those questions when everything was just perfect now? All past thoughts were pushed away and the he, too, edged a little closer to his, or who he personally considered to be, his best friend so that they were pretty much shoulder to shoulder.

Azumi finally found a book of interest from the shelf and she gingerly plucked it out. "Ancient Mayans" was what it was called and anything ancient or having to do with ancient scriptures caught the Noir's eye. She glanced at the happy group on the couch and noticed the decaying dragon staring at her. Bah...she snorted lightly to herself and plopped herself onto a chair.

The Tezcatlipoca skull gave a hollow snort as its ivory inlaid eye caught the title of the book Azumi held.

"Careful with the mistress's books, my sweet. Some might get you into more trouble than ye bargained for."

Lenore felt only minor warmth creep into her face as Osso snuggled against Cole next to her. Waiting until the song finished, she turned and looked at the boy, nibbling her bottom lip a little nervously.

"Me an' Osso f'ends?" she asked, almost dreading the answer. She was so happy to have someone she could be comfortable and relaxed with besides Crow - Deimos was a friend, but a friend that made her very nervous and tense. Pulling at the blood-pendant, she looked at Osso shyly.

"Len like Osso. Osso like Len?"

Cole flicked an ear towards Klaz's clicking, acknowledging his presence. Keeping his eyes on Azumi, he let a guttural death rattle growl escape from deep within his throat. He didn't particularly like Crow, but he wouldn't allow this stranger to make a mess of her belongings while she was away.

Azumi looked up when she heard that damned skull talking again...and then the growl from Cole. She let out an exhasperated sigh and put the book on the small table next to the chair. With a huff of annoyance to the two she positioned herself so she could see the TV screen, crossed her arms over her chest, and slouched down in her seat. She actually looked a pouting kid who just got scolded for touching one of mommy's necklaces or something.

Osso turned her hollow gaze on Len and gave her his attention now that the that song was over. After she asked her questions he tilited her head for a second before nodding it vigerously,"Len bes' f'end! Osso like Len!" He exclaimed happily. Of course he liked her, he wouldn't be sitting with her if he didn't.

"Bes' f'end?" Lenore asked, toying with the new term. Best friend....with a sudden swoop of happiness, Len reached over and hugged Osso, careful to keep her arm-blades out of reach.

"T'ank you!" She said, honestly meaning it. She didn't know how badly she had wanted to be accepted by another Mishap until Osso made it clear he liked her. Releasing the boy quickly, she snuggled up against Cole and watched the movie aptly, glowing inside.

The skull gave another creaky cackle as Azumi fumed.

"T'isn't that easy to get out of, now that ye've taken it!" it said snarkily.

The book that Azumi had set down gave a shudder, and slid off the table back into her lap. Its leather-bound covers waved and creaked as it opened on its own, snapping at Azumi's fingers.

"Ye've touched it, now ye must be reading it!" the skull said, rolling its eyes madly.

Azumi started a little as the book snapped at her,"fine!" She picked up the moving object and held it open in her lap, wine hued eyes scanning the pages as she stayed in that slouched position on the chair. "I honestly have to ask Crow how the heck she got you," she mumbled to herself while shooting glares at the stupid jade skull.

Osso laughed and returned to hug. A giggle acted as his 'you're welcome' and he sat back against Cole once more. Hollow sockets went back to the moving screen as he watched three little kids get ready to 'get' Santa for Jack. Osso moved a foot back and forth to the music's tune. He was extremely happy that Lenore saw him as a best friend!

After the song ended, Osso looked at Len from the corner of his black sockets and saw the blood vial around her neck. "Was'sat?" he asked, pointing to it.

The skull fixed an eye on Azumi as the other stared blankly at the colorful television screen.

"She stole me away from the once-great city of Tenochtitlan, from the tomb of the long dead Aztec noble Camatl co Azcatl. Not that its any of your business, Missy Dog-Ears."

The skull clicked it teeth at Azumi insolently, watching as the book quivered under the woman's touch.

Lenore held up the vial for Osso to see better.

"Dei gave Len a p'sent, 'cause we f'ends," she said solemnly, admiring how the light reflected off the dark red liquid inside. She instantly had the urge to give Osso something, and reached back to her tail of feathers. Before she could pluck one out, she remembered Crow's warning against giving other people her appendages. Wondering what on earth she could give Osso, she let her eyes wander around the room.

A couple Sprockets floated here and there around the room, chattering in Binary or hovering in sleep mode. Lenore knew she couldn't give away one of Crow's little robots, but perhaps she could pester her into buying one for Osso the next time they went shopping?

"Len get a p'sent fo' Osso, 'cause we f'ends." she told him happily, wondering what she could find that he would like.

"I'll Missy Doggy-Ears you, you brainless skull!" she snapped back before continuing her reading once more. One wolf ears twitched in annoyance from this thing's comments and remarks.


Osso leaned over to inspect the crimson filled vial as he listend to Len. When she said 'p'sent' Osso sat back and cocked his head in comfusion. "What's a p'sent?" he asked as he tried to think of the definition himself.

"No need to snap," the skull replied mildly, obviously enjoying the effect of its own disrespect. "Just havin' a little fun. Mistress never talks to me - I think I annoy her a bit."

Lenore hesitated for a second, trying to sound out the word.

"A p'sent is a...prrrresnt, no, ummmmm...." she said, struggling to complete the word. Looking up at the TV screen again, she watched as nightmarish creatures made toys and wrapped them up. Pointing at the screen, she turned to Osso.

"That! That's wha' a p'sent is! Some'ting you give sommone 'cause, 'cause..." she trailed off for a second. Why did people give presents?

"'Cause you like 'em!" she nodded resolutely, smiling and toying with her pendant.

Azumi rolled her eyes as she spoke in a sarcastic tone,"hmm, I wonder why..."

Osso looked to the screen and noted the things and boxes that the characters were making,"p'sent?"

He finally understood somewhat and when he heard Len say why presents were given, his expression lit up,"Osso give Len p'sent too!" For pretty much the first time that night Osso looked around for his mother to tell her the news. He soon spotted her in a chair talking to what he thought was thing air...Mama's weird..."Momma! Osso git Len p'sent!"

Azumi heard the word 'momma' but nothing else as she moved her attention to her charge on the couch. She nodded her head absentmindedly as if she udnerstood the words Osso said,"yes, dear."

The skull clicked its teeth at Azumi again.

"Hmph. Just trying to make conversation. T'isn't the most interesting life in the world, sitting on a book shelf collecting dust."

The skull quieted down as it watched Azumi read with one eye, the other ivory sphere fixed on the television screen.

Lenore thought hard what to get for Osso as she watched the movie. Toying absently at the exposed bone at the tip of Cole's tail, she sat quietly as time ticked by and the film finished. She sat up and stretched as the screen flickered to black as the credits finished, yawning a little.

"Movie done," she said loudly to notify Azumi. As she prepared to slide off the couch to restart the DVD, she heard the door open and slam shut. Turning and staring in surprise, she saw a disheveled and angry-looking Crow straightening her clothes and fixing her goggles back onto her helmet with a sour expression on her face.

"Just because I went out with him for coffee doesn't mean that gives him the bloody right to try to rip my clothes off!" Crow snarled angrily to her pilot's helmet, tearing off the antique goggles and polishing the glass furiously. Peeling off her coat (which was inside-out) and placing her helmet delicately on the hat stand, she blushed as she remembered that Azumi and two children were in the room.

Shuffling out of Lenore's view and trying to fix her twisted clothes, she blushed violently and held out a bag of movie popcorn and gummy worms for Azumi.

"Uh, thanks for watching Len while I was out, Azumi." she mumbled, looking down at the floor in acute embarassment. Not that anything had actually happened besides Crow delivering her, ah, overexcited date a swift kick where it counted, but she felt embarrassed to be seen even more out of sorts than usual.

Fixing its dizzy eyes on her, the skull burst out laughing and yammering in Nahuatl. Crow gave the skull a dirty look and removed her helmet from the hat stand, placing it on top of the unruly bit of calcium instead. With a resolute nod and a smirk as the skull's protests were muffled by the helmet, she turned to Azumi.

"I'm sorta tired so I'll see you guys in the morning, okay? Thanks again for helping me out, Azumi."

And with that, Crow despondently made her way to the bathroom, jumping into the shower in a brave attempt to wash off the nasty stink of her date's cologne.

Azumi started a little as the disheveled Crow came in. Her ears perked and she tore her widend eyes from the book as she listend to the hate words towards her date. When she saw how red she was she chuckled and put the book down,"I trust you gave him the good one two, yes?"

The werewolf then rose from her chair and smiled at the thankyou,"you're welcome, anytime!" and watched as her friend made her way into the bathroom. Another chuckle escaped her lips as she went over to where the children were, but not before tapping on the helmet that was put over the talking skull.

Osso was about to say something when he stopped as Crow burst in. He turned around where he sat and gazed hollow eyed as Len's mother got red and went over to where his guardian sat. When she left he was just about to starting speaking again but was soon caught eye of his mother coming towards him.

"No!" He cried firmly before Azumi even got to him.

"It's time to go dear, Crow is very tired and I think Len is too," she cooed as she plucked the bone-child from where he sat against Cole.

"No! no no no!" He kept repeating that word as he tried to crawl over the werewolf's shoulder and get out of her grasp. It was NOT time to leave yet!

"Osso, cut it out! We're going home. You can see Lenore again soon and give her a present" the last words were a little jumbled as she tried to keep her charge from falling over her shoulder.

At the mention of the word "present", the wiggling child stopped and soon sat calmly in his mothers arms, hollow eyes almost covered by blonde locks still continued to peer over Azumi's shoulder and down to Len. "Osso get Len p'sent!" he was able to say before the apartment's door closed and clicked shut.