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 Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:04 pm
A Precursor to the Rain Roleplay post with RaiMidoriWhile out digging up herbs, Julien runs across someone new... who happens to have an egg in tow.
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Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2008 9:31 pm
No Falling Apart, Y'Hear?  It was time. Julien sat at Mireille's computer, a mug of sweet hot tea on the desk beside the monitor, and he trawled through the sites offering job openings. It wasn't as easy a thing as he'd first hoped - so many of the places wanted experience or schooling, or both. But he'd persevered, digging past the ones he was eminently unqualified for, and ignoring the ones with requirements he simply couldn't meet. And eventually, he'd built up an admittedly small list with which to work. From there, he printed out details and contact information, and begun work on the resumé template in Mireille's word processing program. It didn't look like much, to be honest, but then, there were so many blank spots, and so much empty space even with all the information filled in. He was a teen. He just couldn't have had that much life experience yet, but knowing didn't make him feel any better about the resulting paper. The next step, of course, was to fax his resumé out to each place that demanded a faxed copy. And once that was done, he went to his room, digging through his closet until he came to one of his good button-up shirts, and the tie that Mireille had purchased to go along with it. He fought with the noose for several minutes before finally getting it, and then finished off with slacks and shoes. Hair combed into as manageable a cloud as the curls would allow, and eyes bright with hope and nerves, he set out. In one hand, he carried an old briefcase, the leather case still in good shape. It had been a hand-me-down from Mireille herself, and he was grateful that she'd chosen a briefcase at the time with a hint of masculinity to it. In the first place, all the attendant did was take the paper from him, almost snatching it out of his hands as she hurried off to one of the whining nearby animals. In the next was a teenage boy who looked like he would never safely walk through a metal detector again. He took the paper with a sort of lazy reach, glancing at it before nodding and promising to pass it along. The third place housed an older man clad in denim and flannel, with workboots and gloves and a rather pleasant look on his face. He pulled off his gloves to take the resumé, reading it over for a few moments before looking up at Julien critically. "You do much with your hands?" he asked, the words colored by a faint but definite country accent. Julien nodded slowly. "Yes sir. As it says on the paper, my hobbies are cooking and quilting both. You can't do either without getting your hands involved," he said quietly. "And if I were to tell you to go muck out the pens, would you know what to do?" the man pressed, raising an eyebrow threaded with a tiny hint of silver. "I wouldn't know the proper method the first time, but I'm a quick study," Julien promised. "And I'm not afraid of a bit of waste getting on me." "Waste!" the man laughed, eyes crinkling with the expression and deeply-grooved lines appearing around his lips. Whoever he was, he laughed often. "Call it what it is, boy! It's s**t. We all do it, and you're gonna have to get used to it around here. Okay... I'll hire you for a week on half-wages. If I like the way you work, I'll take you on part-time for minimum wage. Got it?" Julien's own smile was slow but honest. Legwork, it seemed, truly did pay off. "Yes, sir, Mr..." he said, trailing off as he realized he had no idea what the man's name was. "Boyd," came the response. "Jim Boyd, at your service. Just one thing, Mr. Lemieux," Jim added, stumbling over Julien's last name but pressing ahead without waiting for Julien to correct him. That was okay though, Julien decided. 'Julien' or 'Jules' would come easier to the man's lips. "Just 'cause we're a no-kill shelter doesn't mean we don't see our share of animals in pain. If you're gonna work here, you're gonna have to have a strong stomach, and a stronger heart. You fall apart over any one of these animals, and I won't keep you around. I just don't have the time for hysterics and whining. Got it?" Julien's face firmed, determination settling into his eyes. "Mr. Boyd, I can't help these animals if I'm falling apart every time," he said in response. "And I'm here to help them. I won't let you down." "Good. You show up here tomorrow at seven a.m. And wear proper clothes!" Jim said, nodding him toward the door even as he headed off in search of an animal who'd just started to cry softly. Julien let himself out, smiling softly. The rest of the resumés appeared to be moot.
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:25 am
It's Dirty Work, But Somebody's Gotta Do It Six forty five in the morning found Julien wearing worn jeans, the knees and hem white with wear, but not quite torn through, and the legs marked here and there by stains of an indeterminate nature. He had on a t-shirt, the plain indigo fabric without logos, and sneakers. Slung over one shoulder was a black backpack, where he'd tucked in, carefully folded and packed, nicer clothes, should his current outfit not be appropriate. He approached the door, not even sure if anyone else was there yet, only to hear from behind him a welcoming shout. "Now that's what I call 'on time'," Jim said, grinning widely as he pulled his pickup around the building. Julien followed the truck back, almost surprised to see that it wasn't old and run down in any way. In fact, the red and white truck was gleaming in the sunlight. "You bring your lunch?" he asked, stepping out of the truck and reaching around to grab a paper bag lunch with one hand. Julien had to smile at the thought. "Yes, sir," he nodded. "I have a bento in my bag." He half-expected the man to ask him what a bento was, but Jim simply nodded, striding toward the building. "And Mr. Boyd? I'd like it if you'd be willing to call me Julien or Jules. It's... usually a lot easier to say than my last name," he added wryly. Jim nodded as he unlocked the door, letting himself into the building. From the hallway, they could hear the whines and cries of the animals, eager to be fed. "All right, then, Jules. You can call me Jim, if you like. Now, you follow me and listen close, and pretty soon, you'll be breezing through the day," he directed, moving to the small staff room to stow his lunch in the mini-fridge and grab a locker key. "This is your locker," he said, pointing to one of the locking metal cabinets along one wall. "You put your stuff in there each day and lock it. Take the key with you and keep it for now. I've got a copy at home, should we ever need it." Julien did as requested, and Jim turned to a little timeclock on the wall next to the door. "Here's where you clock in. You take your timesheet, slip it in that groove, and it punches a time on it. Then you put it back. Getting anyone else to punch you in is against the rules, and if I catch you doing it, you'll be in deep trouble, y'hear?" Julien nodded, moving to take the new card he'd been given, feeling the way the paper was thick and sturdy before slipping it in for the very first timepunch. He'd taken the job for a reason that had nothing to do with money, but there was still something very... satisfying about hearing the machine slam down on his paper, then spit it back out at him. It made him feel... well, for lack of a better expression, like a man. His chest puffed a bit, and he grinned as he slid the card back in its holder before turning to follow Jim out to the main room. "There are three sets of kennels," Jim was saying. "One's for cats, the other for dogs, and the third's for everything else. Since we mostly end up with cats and dogs, we find it easiest to just let 'em have their own rooms. Things are easy when you're working with someone. You take one room, he takes the other, and you share duties on the third. When you're alone, you gotta make sure that you have enough time to feed them all, muck out the stalls, and still keep an eye on the front. When you do that, each room has a metal gate you can close to keep the animals from getting out, and it'll still let you see into the main room. Some of 'em are skittish, and will bolt at the first chance they get." He led Julien to a small closet of a room. Inside the room was a sink with a bucket stored under it, a wall of cleaning supplies on one side, and a wall of feeding and grooming supplies on the other. "Your first step is to muck out the stalls. I know they're whinin' for food, but they can wait a bit. They don't spend a full day hungry, so they're in no danger, and everyone will be healthier if the stalls are clean first. Grab the bucket, fill it up with soapy water. Okay, now grab those rubber gloves and that scrub brush. Some of 'em make right messes every night." And so it went, with Jim giving orders and Julien following. He found that while the man was firm in his words and determined to get through it all as though Julien weren't utterly new at it, Jim was still a forgiving man, willing to pitch in and set things to rights any time Julien messed up. When the cleaning was done, they moved on to feeding and watering the animals, making sure bowls were cleaned before food and water was put in. When that was done, they moved on to taking the animals out into the fenced in yard for a bit of exercise, a few at a time. And then it was time for grooming, and that took up a good portion of the day, though Jim showed Julien how he could bring one or two animals, if they seemed sedate, out into the main room to better man the desk while he groomed them. Somewhere in it all, Julien got his lunch, and got two small breaks, but he didn't really notice them. What he did notice was that he was never without work. There was always something to do, and he could sense more than a few of the animals had some complaint or other, though he was still new enough that he didn't dare to try anything. At noon, Jim told him that he could head home if he wanted... or he could hang around, rack up a few more hours, and meet one of his co-workers. Julien decided that staying definitely made more sense, and so he did, getting to know a few more of the animals as he waited for this 'Elliot', not quite sure he was reading Jim's face just right. The man seemed to frown every time he mentioned the name, and it left Julien more curious than ever about just who else he would be working with. At two on the dot, a thin teen slunk into the shop, his black t-shirt hanging off his frame as though it were two sizes too large. A large skull was emblazoned on it, along with a sketched out A surrounded by a circle. Julien tried to make sense of the logo before giving up with an inward shrug. The best he could come up with was 'Death to Anarchy', but he had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't quite so simple a message... if it even was a message. Elliot's hair was dark, messy but clean, and he had freckles spread across both cheeks and under a disinterested look. "Hey," he muttered, nodding briefly at Julien before heading off to the back room while Jim murmured something under his breath. "Jules, that's Elliot. He works here part time, and likes to leave getting here to as late as possible." There was definite annoyance in that voice, and Julien glanced at the back room for a moment before simply nodding. This was one situation he would leave well enough alone. It was probably healthier that way. "You can head home now, if you like, but be back here at two tomorrow, and I'll take you through the evening procedures. Got it?" Jim asked. Julien smiled, putting the cat he'd been combing back into its cage before heading for his stuff. A fulfilling first day... and hope for more....
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Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:27 am
You Say You Found an Egg? "No, you don't understand. I have no clue whatsoever what I'm supposed to be doing with this," Wapasha insisted, his hands around the egg he was trying desperately to keep warm. "I'm not a bird, I can't sit on it and brood it or whatever, so what else am I supposed to do?" The struggle with the uninterested employee was frustrating to say the least. Wapasha had come to this animal shelter in the hopes of finding at least one person who had any idea what to do with the egg, but the employee was brushing him off. "You should have just left it where it was." "In the fire?!" "You found the egg in the fire?" Jules blinked, stepping out from the back room. "Hey Elliot. If you wanna go for your break, I can hold down the fort." He turned back to Wapasha, offering a warm smile. "Sorry to interrupt, but he's due for a break," he said. "Maybe I can help?" "Fantastic, I'm outta here." Elliot was off in a flash, leaving Wapasha staring at him in consternation before offering Jules a wry smile. "Yeah. I did. I was just burning a bonfire, it was a good night for it, and when I started putting the fire out, I found this." Wapasha thrust out the egg, still careful to keep from dropping it. "It definitely wasn't there when I started the fire." Jules reached out, cupping his hands under the egg. His skin, still somehow soft, brushed Wapasha's as he tried to gently take the egg and examine it... though the wings were really a dead giveaway... Willingly, Wapasha let Jules take the egg. "It was almost like it formed from the fire. I don't know what to make of it." The egg was still warm to the touch, as if a constant flame burned within it. "And you came here... looking for what creature might hatch from such an egg?" Jules asked, stroking his fingers over the egg's surface slowly. The egg thrummed like a heartbeat of a bird, heat flaring across it. "No," Wapasha murmured. "Not just that. I wanted to find out how to take care of it." "Each egg is different. Given the heat this one offers, I'd keep it away from anything cold. It probably needs the warmth," Julien offered, an almost... fatherly look on his face as he smiled down at the egg. "...You look like you've seen these types before," Wapasha mused. That earned Wapasha a grin, impish eyes looking back up at Wapasha. "I have," Jules said. "Several times. Tell me something. Do you really believe it appeared in the fire... by magic?" Wapasha raised an eyebrow. "Well... how else did it get there? I'm open to suggestions." "I'm asking what you believe," Jules countered, watching Wapasha steadily. "...I think I do," Wapasha murmured. "This egg... and the person inside it... were meant to be found and cared for by you," Jules said, handing the egg back almost with ceremony. Wapasha hesitated, then carefully cradled the egg in his hands. "The person inside of it? So a person will be born from the egg?" He stroked a thumb over the hard surface of the egg, amazed by the very concept. "That doesn't phase you, does it?" Jules asked, grinning. "...No," Wapasha decided. "I don't think so." "There's a woman you can talk to... she raised one herself. Is still raising, I suppose," Jules offered, after a moment. "She may be able to give you an idea of what you're in for, as a guardian." Wapasha chuckled, his gaze on Jules. "She raised you, I'm assuming?" "Very good," Jules grinned. "You're quick." "So can I get your advice as well?" Wapasha asked with a hopeful smile. "Any time you want," Julien promised. "Besides... I want to meet whoever comes out of there." "Then... um, here. Let me write down my information." Wapasha carefully handed the egg back to Jules, then grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. "My name is Wapasha Spencer, and here's my phone number." Julien took it, then wrote down his own number and address for the man. "And here's our info. Feel free to call me any time. Sometimes, when it hatches? It can be disturbing." Wapasha carefully tucked the paper away and offered Julien an honest smile. "Thanks. I really do appreciate it." "If you don't mind me asking... what do you do?" Julien asked, making conversation as he leaned against the counter. "I work in construction, mainly," Wapasha explained. "I like building things with my hands." "That sounds like good, honest work," Julien grinned. "Are you married, Mr. Spencer?" Wapasha snorted in amusement. "Me? No. I'm more married to my work than anything else." Rather than amusement, the look in Julien's eyes was thoughtful. "You know... I never have heard of an Ashe whose guardian was married," he said softly. "Ashe? Is that what you and the egg both are?" Julien nodded, chuckling softly. "That's what we are. I don't know where the name comes from, but I don't think it matters all that much. We're a lot like humans." Wapasha gave a slow, thoughtful nod. "And none of the guardians are married?" "Not that I know of, though I don't know all the Ashe out there. But of my closest friends, not a single one." "That is definitely interesting..." "It could just be luck, but I have to wonder," Julien said thoughtfully, his eyes growing distant as he considered the idea forming in his mind. "Maybe... we're drawn to people who need the company..." Wapasha smiled faintly at that, his gaze on the egg. "I guess I did need the company," he mused. "My house is too quiet." "Mir seems fine enough by herself, but I think she needed me as much as I needed her," Julien agreed quietly. "And the same goes for Aesop and Cindy... and maybe even Felicity and Toulouse... I don't know." "...I'm going to need to build a nursery," Wapasha decided after a moment, his eyes softening. Julien blinked, then chuckled softly. "It might be the first but... most of us are children, not babies, when we come out of the egg." "Oh. ...Well, at least no need for nappies, then. I wouldn't mind not needing to buy diapers." Julien nodded, glancing up as he heard some barking from the back of the shelter. "Definitely talk to Mir before you make plans, okay? I need to go check on those guys..." Wapasha grinned and backed up for the door. "Okay. I'm going to go call your guardian, then, and see about what I need to do for my egg." "Just tell her Jules sent you, okay?" Julien grinned, waving before turning to head toward the back. "Hey Elliot! Break's over!" As Elliot grumbled his way to the front desk, Wapasha headed out, still smiling. Life was going to be interesting now... (AIM Roleplay with Abishai)
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:49 pm
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2009 6:19 pm
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:26 pm
[ G.r.o.w.t.h. xxxQ.u.e.s.t. ]
Solo Quest
As the wiles of the teenage years become less appealing Julien must face the past which has yet to be unravelled in his journey to adulthood. As the third of his kind Julien must approach the Seelie Queen and request a hearing with her to learn of who he previously was and why he met such an untimely end.
Furthermore, armed with this new information, it now rests on the Ashe's shoulders, if he wishes, to take permanent residence within the fae courts and assume the role he once had. But the court is weary of the new species of their culture and not all Ashe.
During this quest Julien must also find three suitable offerings which may please those of the Seelie court who do not find favour with him. This can vary from actual item to song, lyric, riddle, material, essence, animal and more. While finding these items he may also find new abilities or master older ones which may or may not change his physical appearance.
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Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:59 am
Strawberry Fields Forever Roleplay post with The RiyoJulien and Mir help Cindy and Aesop move... and discover some unhappy truths about their friends' lives.
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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:16 am
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Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 12:58 pm
Engraved Invitation Sachairi nestled back into the arms that wrapped around him, his eyes closing as the sunlight dappled over them both. His head rested against his lover's shoulder, and he chuckled softly. "I like this best," he whispered, and heard a rumbling chuckle in return. There was no spoken answer, but one wasn't needed, really... The arms around Sachairi tightened a bit, and the healer smiled a bit. Though the arms, slender and wiry, felt slightly off somehow. There was something wrong with them, something that Sachairi couldn't quite put his finger on. He shifted a little, and for the moment, he felt the rough touch of thick twine instead of smooth muscles. "...Beloved?" he whispered softly, as rough bark bit at his back. He couldn't move... he couldn't lift his legs....Julien sat straight up in bed, one hand lifting so that slender fingers splayed against his chest, searching the bare skin there for arms that held him, or bindings that kept him captive. When he found neither, he sagged back, his spine curving as he stared down at his hand. It glowed silver in the moonlight, the fingers folding inward to form a clutching fist that held nothing but air. That's all his lover was anymore... air that he couldn't quite touch or hold. "Are you alive?" he whispered, knowing no one would hear him in the night. Sighing, he swung his legs out of bed, bare feet teasing over the carpet before settling more firmly into it as he stared blankly out the window for a moment. However, it took barely a breath for him to notice something different in the window - something unusual... Getting up, he padded to the window and reached out to take up the rolled parchment, his fingers marvelling at the texture as he carefully unrolled it. Why did everything feel like the past right now, in the darkness of the small hours? The air almost tasted of it, the parchment under his hands feeling old and familiar. He reached out to his desk, flicking on the lamp there and flinching as it lit the room in a soft, golden glow. And then he read the words penned on the parchment, and reread them, before setting it aside to stare out the window once more. His hand reached out, turning the lamp back off with shaky fingers as he leaned his forehead against the glass. It would seem that he had finally been summoned to the Seelie Court...
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:44 pm
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Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2009 5:59 pm
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Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2009 5:12 am
What To Do...? It had been around a week since the parchment had first shown up on Jules' windowsill, and the Ashe was no closer to knowing how he felt about it. He'd brought it, after a few days, down to show Mireille, but her reaction had been a quiet nod, and the conversation had immediately shifted back to breakfast. So he'd carried the parchment back upstairs, wondering whether the worry he'd seen in Mir's eyes had been real. How funny, really, that he - who had never feared going out and making friends with anyone he met - should so fear the thought of appearing in the Seelie Court. But that was a different-colored horse entirely, he thought, as he sat on his bed, one leg drawn up and his chin settled against his knee. Out here, he knew what was expected, and how to live up to it. He'd never been perfect at it, sure, but he had a good idea of how to make others smile. And, too, he knew that seeing his friends out here made him feel like he was right where he was supposed to be. Where did one go to read up on the customs of the Courts? How would he find out how not to make a fool of himself? Was he supposed to bring a gift for the others, and if so, for who? Julien sighed, closing his eyes as he let the questions chase each other around his mind. There were no answers, and would be none for him... not before he chose to go. He'd lost track of how to reach Toulouse, and who else was there to trust with this? No one, for him. "I... don't think I want to go," he said softly, the verbal expression of his thoughts almost surprising him. "But... I have to, don't I?" he asked the parchment. It offered nothing but silence in return. But silence was really answer enough, wasn't it? In this, there was no other option. Not for him.
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