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 Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:36 pm
A Half-Truth Too Far
It's a fine line between lying The day was warming up faster with each passing minute, but Nina was much too stubborn to move back inside where the air conditioning beckoned -- she almost had it! Just a little bit longer, just a little! She whipped out her untaloned hand, her wings almost dissipating behind her but some wafts remained, she could feel them. She was getting frustrated, but knew that the heat of the day was also bringing this emotion down to cloud her temper. Hold it together, just a little bit more! Again, she struck her hand out, and again and again. Why couldn't she get these wings to cooperate with her? They were practically another limb, extra arms, just... ethereal. Shouldn't she have more control over them? "Ready for something cold to drink?" It was Ephron, emerging from the back door with a glass of lemonade for her. She glanced at him, heavy questioning in her eyes. He gave a meek laugh, reassuring, "It's not from the mix, don't worry." It had been a few weeks ago that Nina had fallen prey to the effects of a food allergy. Who would have thought that an ingredient used merely to tint the color of the beverage could cause such unpleasant side-effects? Thank goodness it hadn't been as warm as it was today back then, for they would be dealing with much serious issues. Nina, after all, had a higher body temperature than... well, just about anyone. Ephron figured that this was because of her compact build, her tight structure inherited from her demonic genes, that caused the blood in her body to flow so much warmer, her heart to beat a tad faster, and to control her body that much more accurately. The weather must feel much more unbearable to her than it did to Ephron at the moment. The yellow food dye that had been in the lemonade mix rose her body temperature even further that day, giving her a horrible headache on top of everything else. It was surprising to find the dye in so many products at the grocery store, too... Nina took the glass gratefully, though her face couldn't manage that much -- all that was there was fatigue. She liked lemonade, so it wasn't as if she'd hesitate too much on the offer. Ephron knew what he was doing, after all, right? He was the adult. Sitting perched on the back steps, she remained silent until the drink had cooled her down a bit. It almost caught Ephron off-guard when she started speaking, her voice tipped with irritation but mostly still saturated in the wear of her fruitless efforts. "Ephy, what do you think I'm doing wrong? I still can't get my wings to disappear completely; they won't listen to me," she sighed, eyes drifting off into the scenery as opposed to looking at the man. He hesitated slightly, unsure of how to answer. No, he didn't know exactly how such things worked, and with such supreme magical ineptitude that he owned, he was probably the last person she should honestly be asking. He had some musings on the matter however, so it wasn't as if he was totally in the dark, but... should he really answer with what he had feared? Her wings were the largest physical embodiment of her Hope genes. It was easy to come to the conclusion that, just maybe, they could be dispersed by... letting go of the hope she felt within her. He shook the thought off; if that was the case, then couldn't the opposite just as easily be true as well? Spreading hope so thin, sharing it with others, couldn't that disperse it as well? Maybe the more hope she held on to, the better control she might have over the wings. It was possible, but there was no real way that he could know one way or the other. Ahh well, best to venture a guess, and the last was the best possible candidate. "Raise your hope, maybe. Get a firm grip on it, and use it to control those wings of yours. Maybe that would help you out a little," he replied, raising a fist as if he was literally gripping onto something. Nina cocked an eyebrow curiously at him, "And how am I suppose to do that?" Funny, the man seemed so much smaller, so much more scrawny, without that thick cloak draped around him. Almost made him appear younger, which made it harder for her to take him seriously. However, that could also be the heat's doing, fogging up her mind again. Ephron snorted slightly, but without derision. "I'm not sure. Maybe grab hold of a memory of yours that you hold dear, and focus on it. A dream, perhaps; something you'd like to do in the future. You have another idea, go ahead and use that, too," he offered before taking a swig of his own glass of lemonade. After a moment of contemplation and coming up empty, Nina sighed, "Maybe tomorrow. I'm beat." "Good idea," Ephron agreed, without hesitation. "I've got a question I wanna ask before we head in, though." "Oh? Shoot." Nina was fully calm, but it was a thinly-veiled emotion. "What happened to Ella? When am I going to be able to see her again?" Ephron almost choked on his drink. No, it wasn't a, "Augh, I completely forgot!" moment, but rather one of, "I hoped she wouldn't ask me that one." She caught on almost immediately, and within seconds, was almost entirely tense. Fidgeting, he contemplated on how to answer without upsetting her too terribly. "I've looked into it," he started. "And?" "And... a few issues came up." Was it just her, or did it almost feel as though he were lying out his teeth? There was sincerity there, but it was almost invisible. He was horrible at beating around the bush, and even more so when it came to keeping her calm. "Like what?" she growled, annoyed. This wasn't going well... Maybe it was better to just state it outright, rather than doing things the hard way. "She's... still at the labs. We don't really have permission to just go there whenever we feel like it. You can see her just as soon as she's released, but until then, there's really nothing I can do about it. I'm sorry, Nina, but we'll see her just--" Before he could finish his sentence, Nina slammed the back door on him, leaving Ephron to mull over the conversation by himself. She didn't want to hear the excuses, she just wanted to see her sister. [[ Word Count: 1,102 ]]
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:38 pm
Ephron's Journal
Entry #5 Clack! Ephron took his hand slowly from the receiver of the phone, his expression a confused mess of emotions as neutrality tried desperately to vie for control. He didn't know what he should be feeling at this moment, but it sure wasn't happiness. He couldn't help but feel like almost everything was heading down the wrong path. He thought maybe things were off to a rocky start before, but now these thoughts were beginning to fester and turn into a question of "did I just irreversibly damage everything I was striving for?" After a moment to collect himself, another thought wandered into his mind. It seemed to help before when stuck in a rut like this, maybe it could help now? Carefully picking up his pen, he began etching another entry in his journal. Maybe starting from the beginning would be best, he thought, but his hands decided otherwise. I thought things couldn't get much worse, not until Nina reached the equivalent to a teenager. I don't know, maybe I'm just being too paranoid about all this, but I can't help but feel like I'm royally screwing everything up. It's one thing to do this to myself, but I don't want to turn someone else's life upside down because of my own stupid mistakes.
Okay, okay, it's not at all as bad as it sounds, but I can't help fearing that it may grow into that sort of problem eventually. Caring for a child and everything; you've got to be ready for whatever life throws at you, and save the child from experiencing the brunt of anything bad. So far, I've done a pretty good job of that, I think. Overall, Nina's a pretty happy kid. She seems content with her position in life, and although being of such peculiar heritage tends to bug her a lot, she's encountered many good friends to distract her from most of it. Maybe it's because she doesn't seem to dwell too hard on things, but that could just be a front she's been putting up, replacing her outward demeanor with her exceptional curiosity. God, I hope that's not what's been going on, but I'll keep my eyes peeled.
When I first met Nina, she was overcome with so much rage. That all seemed to dissipate once she was brought home with me, anger being replaced with curiosity over the world that she'd missed out so much on with her long stay at the Seven of Seven facility. Lately, however, that rage has been coming back. It seems more desperate that before, though; not a boiling anger, but one borne of things just not going right. She blew up at me the other day, frustrated that she hadn't seen her sister yet. I've really been trying, but I know it's just not good enough. I don't think that's the only thing bothering her, however; she's still upset over her thoughts after the meeting at the facility, I'm sure of it, and her wings have been giving her a bit of a hassle.
...She is putting up a front, isn't she? She's struggling with some inner turmoil, and won't let anyone in. s**t...
Well, if that didn't make matters worse, I just got off the phone with my father. Okay, no, that's not the bad part -- he's a great guy and everything, it's just that something was a bit... off. I don't know, maybe it's just the stress that's been hanging in the air, maybe he was tired, but I can't help but think that that's not quite what it was. He was happy to catch up with me, and I was likewise. He seemed speechless for a moment when I mentioned that I had adopted a daughter, and that I wanted him to meet her, then he sounded ecstatic. Maybe I came on too strong about her not being exactly human, but I could have sworn that it was at the instant that I mentioned "demon" that he grew silent. There was much less enthusiasm after that point. Maybe he was just concerned? Afraid I couldn't take care of her? He still wants to come over and meet Nina, though, which is good... I think.
I'm not sure anymore. I don't want to cause her any more grief than she's already been experiencing, but... I can't turn back time.
On the bright side, the sleepover Nina had with Ilyrosa seemed to go pretty well. Sure, it's hard to take care of two little trouble-makers, but they were surprisingly well-behaved for the occasion. It looks like they had a lot of fun, too, as Nina was extremely happy for the next week or so afterward. Until she got sick, that is. Even then, I think she'd love to have another sleepover at some point. I wouldn't mind, but everyone has a life, after all.
Ephron Falco << He tried to write more, but just the mere effort of getting these thoughts down on paper really had the man drained. He stared at the page for a few moments, trying to conclude the entry in a better way, but was at a loss for the words. He sighed and signed his name. At the very least, he was able to come to a couple of revelations, but nothing that helped his stress levels at all. Who knew? Maybe things would get better. Maybe he was just being too sensitive... [[ Word Count: 903 ]]
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:39 pm
Playdate #6 Link: Rose WindowParticipants: Cody & Nina Stage: Child Status: OngoingPremise: The fly has been caught in the spider's web. The only escape? Unraveling the mind games that have been set upon the table. Your move.
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:42 pm
Playdate #7 Link: Smores, anyone?Participants: Roman, Kieran, & Nina Stage: Child Status: DeadPremise: A camping trip in the midst of a heatwave leads to a couple of new acquaintances!
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Posted: Sat Jun 26, 2010 7:43 pm
Nina's Journal
Entry #4 Nina sat at her desk, chin cupped between her hands as she stared out the window. No, she wasn't really looking outside, rather she was looking to the inside of her own being, trying to decipher her own thoughts behind her eyes. Her legs were kicking at the air, rocking back and forth without conscious effort. After a moment, she slid her journal closer, opening it slowly as she clicked the pen and started to write. She decided to opt out of using the dictionaries for spelling aid this time -- perhaps some of it was drilled into her head since the last time she wrote in here? Honestly, she just didn't feel like sliding out of the chair and exiting her room to grab the large books. Ephron may have been at the grocery store at the moment, but she didn't want to risk the off-chance he may come home. The past few days have been strange. Effy seems alot more annoying then before, and it always sounds like hes not telling me something. I know he prolly really doesnt know where to find Ella, but I cant help thinking that hes holding something back from me. Im not a little kid anymore. I understand things that he doesnt think I know, and even though I still cant write very great, I can think just fine.
I know Im making a lot of mistakes.
Nuff about him, tho. Ive been having fun anyways, and Ive been meeting alot of new friends, keeping the old. Best part is that I dont think Ive made any enemies yet, not even with Cody. Hes wierd and annoying, but no enemy. Hope it stays like this, it really makes things easier to handle. Im not the only one going through bad times, Im not alone in anything, Im not the only kid from the labs. They can have a good time, and so can I.
Rosa is the only person Ive seen more than 1 time, though. Its okay, shes my best friend, but it sometimes makes me wonder if its worth it to meet others. Makes me happy, yes, but only for a short time. If I saw more of them more, I wouldnt feel like it was only an act.
My wings have been trouble lately. I havent showed Effy since, but theyve been changing a little. They havent just been hard to use, their... different. I dont know what that means, but theyre harder to control. Ive just been hiding them since then. He doesnt need to know right now. I can tell him if they get worse, like I do when I get a scrach skrach hurt. I can get better, I just need to try harder.
~ Nina Falco Good enough, she thought to herself, sliding the journal back to the side of her desk. She still had a million other thoughts floating through her head, but she was having a highly difficult time untangling the mass and getting her words straight. So much more she could say, if only she could come up with the right wording, if only she could straighten one thought from another, cease to mix ideas together. Maybe next time, there was always a next time... "I think I need to read more books," she exhaled, but made no motion to rise from her seat to get one. Mark that off as a mental note. [[ Word Count: 570 ]]
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Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 6:33 pm
It would be on a Saturday that you open your mail box (if you have one) and notice there is a rather thick envelope stuffed in there. There is no postage stamp and a very vague return address. But you recognize the font and the company's name. 'Seven of Seven Inc' scrawled in majestic font across the upper left hand corner. As you open it, you may strangely find yourself drawn to the letter, there is a mass of notes inside. They read as follows:
Letter Congratulations! You have managed to succeed in raising your child. (IE: Not killing him or her or getting killed yourself. Haha we kid of course.) We would like an update from you on the following: Guardians Name: Child's Name: Sin: Virtue: Gender: Current Attitude: Likes: Dislikes: Any abnormal growths: (if any, example: Feathers molting, horns growing larger, scars ) Current hair style: Current clothing preferences: Dominant celestial trait: (The sin or virtue) Please summarize in your own words how difficult or easy it was taking care of your child. Did you manage to care for them in a kindly fashion? Or were you forced to discipline them? As well do not be alarmed if you suddenly find your child achieving a massive growth spurt in the next little while. We are finding that the children from our facility have strange growing patterns and are rather unpredictable. Although please let us know if anything unexpected occurs. Sincerely the technicians from Seven of Seven Inc. Ps. Please just leave your letter back in your mail box one you have completed it our courier will pick it up. Thank you.
You would notice the letter seems overly friendly...strange since the scientist were so ...cold before.
(Just take the from Guardians name to Dominant Celestial trait and pm it to the mule, the summarization doesn't have to be long just have fun with it.)
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Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:32 pm
New Surprises
They don't erase the old He must not have slept all that well, for when Ephron heard footsteps enter his room, he attempted to bury his face in the pillow and fall back to sleep. In fact, the footsteps almost sounded as if Nina wasn't trying to be quiet at all, hitting the floor with a little more force than usual. Maybe it was just because he was so fatigued that it sounded this way, for her steps came at longer intervals, as if she were trying to tiptoe across the floor. That must have been it, must have... "Ephy?" Nina's voice came, strained in a whisper and slightly muffled by her own sleepiness. Ephron fidgeted slightly, but made no further move. Sighing, the child placed her dominant hand on his shoulder, nudging him a little as she repeated, "Ephy?" Finally, her guardian mumbled something incoherent while his mouth was covered by the sheets, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "'m up, I'm..." he rolled the words out of his mouth before glancing around the room. Okay, it was still dark out; that would explain why he was so tired. After a moment to gain his bearings, eyes still not adjusted to the dim light of the room, he asked, "What's wrong?" "The lights," she stated, before stopping to rephrase her answer, "The power's out." The far-off rumbling of a passing thunderstorm could almost be missed, if it wasn't for the fact that everything else was so deathly quiet in the room. Actually, no. The rain, it was pelting against the spare room's window, in the other room... how hard was it raining? Sliding his feet from the bed, he let out with a yawn. "Okay, it'll be okay. Transformer must've blown. The power should be back on in the morning," he replied sleepily, reaching for her head in an unnecessary attempt to reassure her. However, his fingers hit her shoulder, and after a moment of confusion, he was almost instantly wide awake. "Nina, you--" "You didn't get the power bill paid, did you?" she asked bluntly, stepping backward to avoid her guardian's hand. She pulled the sheets she had brought with her tighter around herself in annoyance. She had seen the shut off warning that he was given, there wasn't any need to lie to her about it! He blinked, a momentary lapse of frozen surprise before he pulled the hand back and placed it to the side of his head. "Augh, yeah, that's right," he mumbled, "I... I should be able to take care of that in the morning." In all honesty, he would have to dip a little into their food allowance to pay the bill, but they would be able to manage around that somehow. There were some more important things at hand right now, however. "Nina... come here," he scooted over, motioning for her to sit down. Although still slightly irritated, she took the offer up without any word, bunching her sheets up around the sides of her jaw uncomfortably. She fidgeted; she could tell that her markings had spread along her skin, as they had gained her DNA father's ability to faintly glow in the dark. As much as she tried to hide it, Ephron's eyes were already adjusted enough to see them clearly, as well as see her inner frustration on her face. Without a moment's warning, she felt Ephron slide his hand under her chin, tilting it so that she could face him fully. After a pause, he stated, "You don't have to hide from me. You are beautiful, no matter what happens. Keep that in mind, okay?" The sentiments were clearly those from father to daughter, in pure sincerity. However, she couldn't help but get one thing clear. "You can't see what I've become; it's too dark," she mumbled, almost in silence. He just smiled, "I don't have to, to see what's in your heart." [[ Word Count: 649 ]]
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Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:35 pm
Playdate #8 Link: Mercy in DarknessParticipants: Ilyrosa, Nina, & Ephron Stage: Preteen Status: OngoingPremise: Living nightmares aren't solely reserved for adults, a lesson learned all too early. One can only offer what little comfort they can.
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:15 pm
Nina's Journal
Entry #5 For the longest time, Nina found herself sprawled on the top of her bed, staring up at the ceiling as if watching events unfolding on the other side of the wall. She felt that this action -- or rather, lack of action -- would get her head to stop spinning, her thoughts to stop creating a whirlwind in her mind. Unfortunately, it wasn't working, but she had little motivation to get up and figure something else out. It may not have been the end of the world, but it sure felt like everything was caving in around her these past few weeks... Idly, she grabbed hold of her thickly-bound journal, toying with the thought that it may help her out. True, the last time she tried it it hadn't, but she'd since been practicing her wording and spelling quite adamantly. The pages prior were spent instating corrections to previous entries' misspellings and making notes to use apostrophes in contractions, and she was feeling more confident in her writing style now. A little over a week ago, I had what Ephy's been calling a "growth spurt," and since then it's seemed like everything's gone straight to hell. I've gone through a growth before, but it seems like it was a really long time ago, and I can barely remember it. I don't think it was really like this, though. No... that's not when everything started going down the tubes, it was before that. When exactly did everything start feeling so wrong? It feels like it was after that one bad night, when I was stuck in that creepy building with Coyote, but I'm pretty sure that things were starting to go bad before then. Maybe that's just when I started noticing it all? Or maybe I'm just being selfish? I mean, sure it's been bad for me, but Rosa's had it even worse, and it makes me feel like I'm just complaining about sticks and stones compared to that.
It still feels like I'm complaining, so to change the subject: there's been a few things that have changed since I grew. Because it's part of me, it almost makes it a little hard to remember what it was like before I grew, but there are still things that stand out. For one, I'm still short. Like, really freaking short. Yes, I grew some, but I'm still tiny compared to most people my age. I heard that my angel-mom was really small, too, so I suppose that's okay. My demon-parent is where I got the markings all over my body, though, and those keep... well, there's more of them now, and they glow now, too. Does that mean that those attributes have gotten stronger, too?
My wings are still really difficult to control. I can't make them disappear completely when I want them to, or bring them back when I call them all the time, either. They're bigger, so I should be able to fly with them now if I'm not too heavy, but I'm afraid they might disappear if I try that right now. So... I guess I'll keep practicing and hope that they'll listen to me soon.
What else... oh, Ephy said that I was going to meet his dad sometime soon. He seemed a little scared about that, but he was trying to hide it. I guess he's afraid of what his dad might think of me, because he's not embarrassed of me himself. I know I might give him problems about that, but I do know he cares. Whatever, I'll just see how things go. I probably won't even have to talk to Ephy's dad if he doesn't like me. Then maybe I can go somewhere else for the day.
~ Nina Falco Okay... that helped straighten out a couple of things, but not as much as she had wanted it to. She shrugged, setting the journal back on her desk; at least it helped with some thoughts, which was more than she was expecting it to. Not only that, but she was proud of how far her writing style had improved, with the evidence right in front of her eyes. Guess all that work paid off, she thought with a smile. Finally, she was ready to face the day. [[ Word Count: 709 ]]
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:18 pm
Melee Class #1
Nina learns some of the basics of combat with her sparring partner, Ilyrosa
Link: A Deadly Duo
Teacher: Arytiss Darsonix
Stage: Preteen
Status: Ongoing
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:20 pm
Playdate #9 Link: A Respite from RoutineParticipants: Llujah & Nina Stage: Preteen Status: OngoingPremise: Where one spawn's summer feels like it's moving too slowly, the other finds it moving too quickly. Common ground is found on the grey area in between.
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Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2010 9:23 pm
Over the Fence
But which side are you on? With summer winding down for the year and autumn just around the corner, it was a particularly nice day outside. The temperature was mild enough for the average person to be able to comfortably get by with only a t-shirt about their arms, though heat-saturated days were quickly waning. The temperature merely marked a transition period, but one that the heat-sensitive facility child welcomed with open arms. Earlier in the week, it had been confirmed that Ephron's father was coming for a visit, which ended up inadvertently making this otherwise pleasant day high-strung. Although the week hadn't been marked by the expected "spring cleaning" that usually came with the news of company, actions were still wrung with etiquette. Was this a good thing to leave lying around in the open? Did that need to be taken to the trash? Did this have the potential to offend someone? It was enough to make Nina's head spin, the girl knowing nothing of the man Ephron called "father." As for Ephron himself, he didn't seem to be much more help, being reduced to a bundle of nerves -- he hadn't any idea of what time had done to his father either. With irritation, Nina ended up defaulting to tossing whatever had potential to stir up trouble into her closet and closing the door. Nobody would want to snoop through there anyway. Ephron's father's arrival time came without delay, and the large man's entrance was surprisingly punctual. His large frame in the doorway put Nina on-edge right from the get-go, but the soft smile on such rugged, worn features allowed her to loosen up a little -- especially when his arms went immediately to Ephron's shoulders in a hug. Despite her guarded feelings, she couldn't help but slip a little smile at the show of affection, the sight being something she was hoping to see. That is, until her initial fears were brought back to the surface, unearthed by Ephron's own silent suspicions. Over her guardian's shoulder, his father -- as she understood, Ben was his name -- locked a steady gaze, brown eyes to red. In that half-instant, she could have sworn his eyes narrowed; in the following instant, her defenses were once again initiated full-force. The silent sizing-up was done without Ephron's knowledge, and as soon as the young man turned around, the atmosphere was replaced with the faux smile Ben arrived with. Nina attempted to slink off unnoticed, not feeling the need to deal with this sort of drama, but knew it wouldn't be that easy. She had to help make this man, this stranger, comfortable within the walls of what should have been her own fortress. Homes were suppose to be a safe haven, and Nina couldn't help but think that this sanctuary had now been breached, infected. Maybe she was just being too cautious. With a sigh, she tried to replace the minor smile that had moments before been washed off her face, but her shields remained up. She could be optimistic, but she wasn't going to be foolish. Strategically, she tried to keep her hands moving with busy work, offering to do all the menial tasks of preparation for this and that while Ephron was able to catch up with his father. The young man, about to negotiate that offer, nearly choked on his own breath when he noticed what he should have recognized before: her expression was almost pleading behind the chipper exterior, suddenly realizing she was scared. A brief pause to put his thoughts back on track, and he decided against compromise, "Okay, but you let me know if you need any help. I'll be right in the living room." No asking to take over the job, just to help. He knew better, and for once, Nina was grateful for his insight and perception. Without complaints, she took over fixing snacks and meals, washing dishes and clothes, organizing and putting things away... anything to avoid taking a break to sit out in the living room with that man. She could tell that Ephron was a little concerned, hoping that whatever was grating on the child was merely a misunderstanding or nervousness, but he wasn't about to make the situation worse. Perhaps she'd exhaust herself enough to reconsider meeting his father; they hadn't even exchanged so much as a hello! Nina didn't feel as though she were missing much. She knew that the reason he had come for a visit was to meet her, his granddaughter of sorts, but there was still the journey the two men needed to complete, of catching up on lost time. Amidst the solid crack of knife-to-carrot-to-chopping-block, Nina was able to pick up bits and pieces of conversation. Seemed Ben really liked his job at the construction yards, sounding as though co-workers and employers got along fairly well on a regular basis. How long had he been in such a business, without change of pace? It was worded as though he had been in the same area of work when Ephron had been but a boy. Tossing the chunks of carrot into the pan, she snorted softly, Suppose I should just be grateful they refrain from talking about me. She never thought anything less than awkward about herself, anyway. Despite fears present, the evening went fairly well. Dinner -- although not the best, as Nina wasn't looking for anything higher than ordinary out of what she cooked -- was nonetheless met with a positive review. Sitting together at the table was less than comfortable, however, but Nina still managed to mumble a word or two in response to remarks every once in a while, through a grin that was difficult to muster. In all the time she had been working, hardly noticing her own fatigue, she began to wonder if she really had just let her imagination run away with her. Maybe he wasn't all that bad, though the lack of trying to spark conversation out of her did seem to suggest otherwise. But he's Ephy's dad. Maybe he was giving me some space to calm down, too, she tried to convince herself, but the nervousness of being in the same room as Ben didn't falter. Something was bugging her, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly that something was. It wasn't until things were winding down for the night, Ben's guest room getting last-minute maintenance, that Nina was really able to see it. She had let Ephron take care of setting things up in there, partly because he had insisted and partly because she didn't want to enter the foreboding cave of a room. Which meant she got to spend time with Ben, and Ben alone. Hesitantly, she ignored the urge she felt to skitter off to bed herself, to lock herself up in her own room and hide out until she felt it was safe. It was obvious that Ephron had wanted her to stay up until they knew his father had everything he needed, but that wasn't the reason she refrained from instinct; no, she was sick and tired of feeling so wound up. It wasn't like she was his prey or anything, and she didn't want to feel like the victim to her own emotions, especially when it was a feeling of weakness. Instead, she stood her ground, a foothold that felt uncomfortably close to the large man. Trying to ease her muscles to relax, her ears twitched as she carefully glanced up at him. "Hope you thought the evening went well," she attempted. Inwardly, she winced, I'm so freaking horrible at small-talk.A momentarily silent lapse in time, and Nina began feeling more uncomfortable than she had felt before opening her trap. Did she say something wrong? He seemed rather talkative earlier, when he was with her guardian. Maybe... maybe he was shy? That could have been it. It could have been, if his words stalled in his throat, but they didn't. He didn't even bother to look down at the girl, but his eyes narrowed again as if he were. "What do you think you're doing, demon?" he growled, a low-toned voice to mask the conversation from his son, "You know you don't belong here. What are you plotting?" The words were dripping with malice, Nina finding herself frozen fast to where she stood. It was then that it struck her -- his posture, his body language, it was all wrong. She hadn't seen it because she was engulfed in a hopeful, albeit avoiding, outlook, embracing her angelic side for an interim. She thought that this man, so close in blood relation to Ephron, would have been more open-minded, as her guardian himself was. This was precisely the worry that Ephron was conveying, that he was trying to hide, and that she grasped on to without fully comprehending it. This fear... "All ready!" Ephron called from the doorway, stepping aside to let his father in, "If there's anything else you need, I'm just a door over, okay?" Nina wasn't sure if this was admirably adequate timing on his part, or if Ephron had just clear-cut any chance she had at gathering answers, at convincing Ben's views otherwise. The girl wasn't sure if she wanted to punch Ben, or if she just wanted to curl up into a ball in the furthest corner of her room. Seeing the mixed emotions on his daughter's face, Ephron frowned, "You alright? Everything okay, Ni--" "It's fine." She didn't wait for it, she just spun on her heel and closed her bedroom door behind her. The barriers weren't going to fall anytime soon. [[ Word Count: 1,595 ]]
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Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:17 pm
Bandage
Scars are a little more difficult to heal It wasn't every day that the Falco household was found entertaining when it came to company, so the rusty feel to any visit was always plainly and almost painfully obvious. It was met with expectation that this fact would be met with understanding, any luckily, this phenomenon had yet to be proven false. Going with the flow of a situation seemed invaluable time and again, and seemed to loosen any hesitation in reaction to the awkward, especially when a person could point at themselves and laugh at where they lacked, and then move on. This was the general idea Nina had managed to gather in the few times she visited or was visited by a friend or acquaintance. That, she could handle. A week's stay by a man that would not look past his own self-imposed, superstition-laced bubble was not. The day Ben had to leave for home couldn't have come any sooner. Or, as a matter of fact, any slower. Lovely how time seemed to move like molasses when a person wished for it to speed up, whereas the tables were turned when the same person wanted time to only slow down a mite. Couldn't time make up it's damn mind? She knew, however, this was merely the flaw of the mortal whose preferences changed like the directions of the wind. The day that Ben concluded his visitation, Nina opted to stay in the confines of her bedroom until she knew he was gone. If nothing else, she could always pretend that she wasn't feeling well, so Ephron wouldn't ask her to come out and say goodbye. This past week had made it clear that "grandfather" and "granddaughter" were not going to get along, and Ephron wasn't about to strain things even further, despite his best intentions. Nina quietly opened the door to scope out the hallway, eyes peering around the doorway of the guest room to make sure that all of Ben's possessions were evicted from it. It had been a good half an hour since she had heard the front door close, and although she knew that her guardian was still in the house, she hadn't heard much of anything from him to support that knowledge. "C-Crap!" a voice spat out before a thump! was heard, causing Nina to inhale sharply in surprise. That didn't sound good... Urging rooted feet to move, she hustled down the remainder of the hallway to find out what was going on. Standing at the entrance to the hall, she spotted the familiar dark-tipped mess of hair at the front door, steadying himself with a hand to the inner molding. Upon closer inspection, quiet steps inching further past the blockade of a kitchen, she realized he was trying to stabilize his footing on the footstool. It was priceless; she couldn't help but cough out a snicker, "Yeeesh, Ephy, you've got skills!" How hard was it to keep those things from toppling over? She'd never had a problem before! The sudden sarcastic commentary nearly made the young man topple over into the wall again, but he still had his hand braced against it. " Nina!" he managed to mumble past the screwdriver that was currently held in his mouth, his other hand holding onto the framework of... some electronic device. Regaining his bearings, he juggled the materials around to free up his speech, cumbersomely grabbing the tool with a pinky. He sighed, as if her sudden appearance nearly gave him a heart attack, "You scared me; I didn't know you had gotten up!" "Such a drama queen," she huffed, rolling her eyes. Her sideways smirk belied her amusement even though her choice of conveying her words may not have. With a flick of the wrist, she dismissed his statement, "I just got up. It's not like you have anything to complain about when the first word I hear out of your mouth was an exclamation better used for something really bad." Ephron had to laugh at that point, "Touché, touché." Walking closer, she eyed the equipment Ephron was currently holding. "What are you doing, anyway..?" she asked, only to be answered by her own observations. It was then that she saw the unmasked inner-workings of the device at the door. Mock shock ensued, "Oh, no way! You're actually fixing the doorbell? Who are you, and what have you done with Ephy!?" Staring down the accusing finger-pointing, the man's eyebrow rose, "Who's the drama queen?" It was true, however; in all the time that Nina had lived with him, the doorbell had never once sounded as it was built to, instead letting out with an electrical croak every time it was put to use. Glancing up at where it was perceived the bell originated from in the ceiling, he agreed, "I have this free time, I should put it to use. I don't know much about electrical repair, but it looked like it only needs some minor work. If this doesn't work, I can always call someone in." A sheepish smile surfaced, indicating he knew very well that he could only afford charity work. Fortunately, it didn't really bother Nina to the same extent it had in the past. Seemed the relief of company's exit made everything better in comparison to earlier in the week. As he went back to tightening a bolt here and there, Ephron asked, "Sleep okay?" She frowned at the back of his head, his eyes pointed in the opposite direction as her jaw set solidly. Awkward silence; he got the picture. After a moment, trying to come up with how to work around this road block, he continued, "He's not going to be back for a while. He lives pretty far away, and travel can get daunting when transportation is hard to come by. Not to mention vacation -- they'd take it out of his pay." Talk about a nail to the head. She hissed, "That won't stop him. You're stubborn; he's no different." She didn't mean the comment to sound like such a low blow, only that she could tell because of past experience. "What do you think he's going to do?" He was concerned that Nina was dwelling too much on it, mistaking a lack-of-action for something that was yet to come. It didn't always mean that. "He's not going to move, if that's what you're concerned about," he tried explaining, "He's got too much invested in that place, in his job." Ben had far too many memories tied to the place, and Ephron knew that he wouldn't give it up without a fight, haunted by the need to live as closely as he did when Ephron's mother was still alive. It almost hurt Ephron to think about it. However, Nina didn't know the history, and had never thought to ask. "What makes you so sure?" she queried, on the defensive. He hadn't seen the look that his father had given her, he hadn't heard the words. It was like he was playing the role of the mother hen, and finding everyone the enemy. Perhaps 'mother puma' would have been a more fitting analogy... Ephron was unsure how to explain it, his nervous fidgeting used instead to fiddle with the doorbell. "For as long as I could remember, that's always been home. He's never once moved, not as long as I've been living. He's too... he's nostalgic like that," his words were hesitant, but in all the suspicious gingerness he chose his wording, Nina could still tell that he was sincere. He wasn't lying. She also knew, however, that her own fears weren't unfounded, but it seemed as though they were both unable to speak their minds clearly. They were both holding back. Despite this, it did manage to ease some of the bitterness the girl had been feeling. Even if Ben did come back for another visit, it wouldn't be for a while yet. The economy was on the downturn, and it seemed employers were taking any excuse they could to downsize the amount of money they had to dish out. At least the news was good for something, every once in a while. "Hey, can you do me a favor?" Ephron chirped, digging for a change of pace. Pointing toward the door, he asked, "Could you ring the doorbell?" Nina nearly jumped at the offer. "You mean you fixed it?" she exclaimed, bolting out the door in the eagerness to finally hear what the device was suppose to sound like. Pressing a finger to the button, she poked her head inside to hear the full effect. It wasn't anything special, delivering the average ding-dooong! that so many others before it had called. However, the smile on her face could not have been any bigger, catching on to the notes for the first time. For the first time since she had left the facility, it seemed as though things were beginning to fall into the pace of normality, a trivial contraption set back onto it's little pedestal. Maybe things would be okay after all. [[ Word Count: 1,506 ]]
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Posted: Sat Feb 26, 2011 8:36 pm
Ephron's Journal
Entry #6 He wasn't sure if there was any other time he had felt so exhausted -- more emotionally than physically, at least. As a merchant and wayfarer, Ephron was used to being out and about for entire days at a time, but this, this... Sure, he was quite the mediator, but there was only so much a person could take before snapping. He nearly fell face-first into the bedspread, wanting nothing more than to get some much-needed shut-eye. He'd feel better in the morning, he just needed time to recharge. Maybe he could actually sleep in, for once... Once his eyes were shut, resting in the encompassing darkness, his brain refused to follow suit, pulling up random images and strings of thought. It wasn't until an hour had passed that Ephron finally decided to ignore his own stubbornness, grumbling as he sat up from the comfort of the mattress. His eyes trailed to the bedside drawer and the clock that sat contently on top. It was mocking him, grinning a toothy 3:30am. Tossing his pillow irritatedly at it, he decided that the least he could do was get some of the thoughts that were bugging him out of his head. What happened with you? Insomnia, you used to be cool; now you're just being an a**. It's not funny anymore. Go home.All right, this is going excellent! Despite the amusement, this wasn't going to help him any quicker. Might as well pull the tangled strings of thought out of his head and lock them behind the blue bars on the pages. So... I'm fairly certain that my worries weren't completely correct, but they also weren't without proper footing. I don't know if there was anything that specifically went wrong, but I do know that my father and Nina are not going to get along. At least, not without a lot of effort and patience, neither of which I am sure either one of them are willing to offer. I can only do so much, only offer so much advice. Half of it is tossed aside as hogwash, or, I don't know... really old, reeking garbage. Hogwash sounds like a more useful term...It was obvious by this point that there was only so much he could focus at such an early time. He was running on fumes. As long as he was able to get the general idea down of what all was bothering him, even if it was entrenched in random quips, that was fine by him. I don't know what to do about this situation. My default action is to just run with the flow of things and help out when I can, where it feels like I will be the most useful. Above all, where I think I have a right to say something, and not have the backlash of the other person getting angry at me for it and end up tossing all my advice out the window instead of just a good half. Yes, again, like hogwash. I suppose this worry is nullified to a degree when it is family that I'm working with, but... well, I hope Nina still considers this to be her family. Or at least like a family. If she can come to me for advice, that's all I ask. I want to help, to be there for her, to be able to give advice when things seem tough. I know what the world is like, I have the experience. I just need to be able to use that for good.
I don't know how things will go from here. All I can hope is that they stay fairly stable, even with this speed bump in the road. Maybe... maybe I can try to do something special, get her mind off of the problems again. My father isn't a dangerous man, especially not to a child. The only thing is that, well... he's gotten fairly religious in recent years. There's a possibility that that may have something to do with it, but again, he wouldn't hurt a child. She's family, whether he accepts her as such or not.
But again, all this is is contemplation. What-if scenarios, as it were. There is so little that I have concrete, factual evidence down for.
I think that's about all that I've really been truly concerned about, what's really been clawing at my mind lately. No... wait, there is something else. Although I've already mentioned it before, I'm still looking for work. Still haven't been successful in that endeavor, but I'll keep going with it.
...I have mentioned that before, right?
Ephron Falco << He scratched his head at the afterthought, rummaging through the past few entries. Huh... seems he hadn't gotten around to doing that. Perhaps that was one of the reasons behind the tangle of thoughts? His last entry was... so long ago. He was really shirking his responsibilities, as far as written updates were concerned. Worst thing, however, was the fact that he was still unable to sleep![[ Word Count: 836 ]]
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Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:06 pm
Skills Class #2
Nina learns better hand-eye coordination by... shooting things with a gun? Oh dear...
Link: Learn to Do It
Teacher: Tizzy
Stage: Preteen
Status: Ongoing
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