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 Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:03 pm
Skull Monkeys don't have parents. The ones around here, anyway. The ones from the old HQ. My generation. Yeah, we don't have 'real', blood parents. We were created by mixing DNA in a laboratory by Quietsnooze. We had a creator. Not parents.
I had parents. This is nothing new to me. I've known for a while now--well before I reached fifth, anyway. So a few months past a year. I had never really thought about it before. They had given me up for their own reasons, and that was fine. I was happy with Moo.
Recently I went back to Moo's to get some of my belongings, because I really only brought clothes and a bit extra when I moved in here with Slush. A long wait, I know, but there wasn't much use for it until now.
Anywho, I was over there cleaning out my old room and found the letter me blood parents left with me. Read through it, recognized it, packe it away. But it's been on my mind, off and on.
And then I got one of those "It's a -----" postcards saying Sarabi had her babies--two boys, Adam and Dalton. And, naturally, this made me think to the last time I had spoken with Sarabi, when she mentioned she was expecting twins.
"Because Skull Monkeys always have twins, Tawn says," were her words, I remember.
Skull Monkeys always have twins.
Right there two things clicked. Firstly, Mauli and I hadn't had twins with the whole, er...Kailee incident. Had there been another child she never told me about. Still born, or...?
I had arrived late at the hospital. It was entirely possible. Or had there never been another child? And, if not, why?
It could be either... And I'm inclined to blame myself for either loss.
Compare Kailee to Tourmaline, for example. Kai's....normal. She's much, much more like her mother than like me. As far as wel know, she has no metal whatsoever.
Tourmaline, on the other hand, has little bits of metal here and there, meaning who knows how much inside. It seems strange that mauli's child would have escaped the metal when Slush's did not.
Would Kailee's twin have been like me? And is that why the child is not here today...?
It's just.. Gods above, if I had known, I... I don't know. What if Tourma... Something could easily have happened to her, you know? But after Kailee, i thought the metal wouldn't pass on. And now I learn that Kailee should have had a twin, and that Tourma could have died in the egg, and I don't even know what to think anymore.
It'll have to get in touch with Mauli, ask her about it. If there was a child... I know I shouldn't dwell on it now, but I can't help but feel responsible. If I had thought about it before, or know there should be two, or...or anything, maybe I could have done something about it.
Ah, well... If Slush finds out I'm sulking about my arm again, he'll get upset, so moving right along... Where was I?
Second point: I have a twin. Or should, anyway.
I, unlike the other 'original' Sms, have parents. And if Skull Monkeys always have twins, and they had me... it stands to reason that I have a sibling, right? But then, where is he or she? And why was I the one they sold at auction...?
Yesterday I went to HQ and dug through the old records: backgrounds on all the SMs, who they live with now, where they live, etc. The records are available to anyone. Or, at least, each SM has access to his own file.
Respect the privacy of others...unless you have permission from Em or Tawn to dig through the other files. Moving on.
Found my file, dug through a few papers. I had a bit more than most other files, I noticed. Auction papers, mostly. Legal crud. Found one contract signing me over to the HQ--my parents signatures were there, as was QS's. Found an adoption certificate from when Moo took me in. That gave me a smile.
A second run through ot the actual info sheet revealed what I was searching for. On these 'profile' sheets, there's a small box in one corner labeled 'Obtained by:'. On most forms, this box simply has two or three or four sets of numbers representing certain DNA stocks from which that particular SM was created.
On mine, there was an address. No name, no phone number--just an address.
I haven't had a chance to look into it yet. Between work and the shorties and general home life, I've just been too busy. But soon... Well, we'll see.
For now, I'd better go. I've been writing for long enough, and Tourma started shrieking a few minutes ago, meaning, as she hasn't shut up yet, that Slush is probably near tears. Poor guy.
Ahh, babies...
--Isto
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Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 4:04 pm
So. I met my parents.
...
Ah, ******** this.
--i
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Posted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:53 pm
People who sell their son at auction certainly can't be perfect, neh?
Their house was nice. I'll give them that much. Small, but comfortable. Much further south than we are. I liked it. False sense of security.
I probably should have given them some forwarning, now that I think about it. But after meeting with them, it's probably better that I didn't. They recognized me immediately when they answered the door. To say they weren't happy to see mewould be vastly understating the situation.
Had I let them know I was coming, I'm sure they'd have found a way to avoid me.
As before stated, they weren't too happy to see me. My 'mother' answered the door, slammed it in my face. Fifteen minutes of ringing the doorbell later, my 'father' answered, yelled at me for a while, slammed the door.
I'm persistant.
And when they didn't answer after another ten minutes, I broke the doorknob and walked in.
I love my arm sometimes.
Another shouting match ensued. My dear father was threatening to have me arrested, mother was half hiding behind him, and I was trying to convince them both that I wasn't a lunatic and just wanted to talk. Eventually they calmed down, but they wouldn't answer anything I asked, and they kept staring at me as if i were some mass murderer.
It... I don't understand it, I... What did I do? Why did they give me up, and why did they treat me like a..I don't know, like a monster? And why did they keep my brother if they were so anxious for me to be gone..?
Because that's all I learned from them. That I do have a twin--a brother. They told me he had moved out some time back, and they gave me his phone number. And that was all. They refused to say any more, and soon after I left.
They didn't even give me his name. Hell, I don't even know their names. They were written on that adoption form, but I can't remember what it said, nor do I want to. Nor do I want to...
So I'm left with a phone number... Couldn't hurt to call, I guess. Maybe this guy'll actually speak to me.
I wish I knew his name...
...
They sounded so nice in the letter, too.
--Isto
And, as I've only just realized I never posted that letter in this log, it can be found here <3
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:00 pm
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Isto stared down at the phone, willing someone to answer. It was his second call for the day; the first had proved fruitless. After the meeting with his parents, paranoia was insisting they had given him the wrong number, or had even 'warned' his brother that he might be claling. His rational side assured him that his twin was just out of the house.
Ring.
Ring.
Click. Someone picked up. "Hello?"
Isto glanced down at the scrap of paper in his hands--a name he had gotten off one of the forms in his file. "Irokez?"
A laugh. "Yeah, it's Dan. Who's this?"
A pause, and Isto allowed himself a shakey laugh of his own. "You're not going to believe this, but..."
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:01 pm
...Well, it was better than the thing with my parents. Loads better, in fact.
His name's Danton and...honestly, he's a lot like me? Not so much in appearance. Well, kinda. Same build, same facial structure, but his hair's blue and sorta spikey, and his tail's blue but with the same pattern as mine.
And then there's the whole no-metal-arm thing. But he does have this small metal plate on his cheek, and claims that he used to have many more. Just like Tourmaline.
The first meeting went great. We talked on the phone for a while and he took the news surprisingly well. Neither of us are terribly fond of phones, so we agreed to meet at the SMO.
I gave him directions. Apparently he'd never heard of the place before.
So we met, and we talked. He's a lot like me... It's kinda weird, when you think about it. Something to be said for twins, I suppose.
As I said, he's a lot like me, but...calmer? Not really. Less...spontaneous would be the word, I guess. I'm more laid back, he likes to talk, but he thinks things through and I...don't so much? Most of the time, anyway.
Lost my train of thought. Um.
So, yeah, it was fun. I could ramble forever about this and that, but that would be extremely boring. So there you go.
Oh, and I got in touch with Mauli. Kai never had a twin. Feeling a bit better over that.
--Isto
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:17 pm
 It's a Twin Thing.
Actually, scratch that; he hadn't gotten Dan onto the motocycle.
The wuss.
The metal armed SM sunk lower in his seat, glaring out over the dashboard and pointedly ignoring his considerably happier sibling, who was driving. The car wasn't bad, persay. It was a nice enough model, and wasn't completely falling apart. But so dull... Isto hated cars.
Danton, on the other hand, while agreeing with his newfound twin on many subjects, had no desire whatsoever to go riding around on a motorcycle. Glancing towards Isto out of the corner of his eye, he quirked a brow, lazily slouching in his seat as well. "Where're we going again?"
"Take a right up here," came the muttered reply. Dan rolled his eyes. Isto huffed. And then they were there, much to the relief of both men. Dan parked, both climbed out, and a suddenly much happier Isto ushered his brother towards the door..leading the way in himself, naturally, and shouting, "Oi Jen, you still here?"
Jen picked his head up off the table where it had landed after the last time he had thunked it against the table.... "Wha?" He raised his voice "In the den!"
Glancing down at the table he looked at all the papers and bills and other things that were there. With a sigh he tucked all the papers into one single pile and leaned back in the chair. "What could Isto want?" He rubbed his eyes and continued muttering to himself out loud. "Calls on the telephone and says, hey, ol Jen ol buddy, ol pal, be at the center in an hour... " He chuckled to himself at the thought of Isto actually saying things like 'ol buddy and ol pal' Then he glanced over at the clock... "And an hour comes and goes and there's no Isto... now there's an Isto... "
Bills made Jen a little manic.... just a little.
"In the den," Isto repeated aloud and, grabbing Dan's sleeve, dragged him off towards the den. In time to hear Jen's mutterings, in fact, though he merely rolled his eyes. "It's not my fault we were late," he replied loudly. "And since when have I said ol' pal?" Sure, Isto gave people nicknames, but that was stretching it a bit.
Anywho, that wasn't the point. Without waiting for a reply, he stepped further into the room and tugged Dan in behind him, stepping aside and gesturing with both hands to his twin. "Tadaaa! There're two of me! How cool is that, eh?" A pause while Dan stood there looking confused, and then Isto let his arms fall, shrugging. "Well, 'cept for the lack of general...me-ness, but it's there if you look. Jen, this is--"
"Danton," his twin interrupted, shooting Isto an 'I-can-introduce-myself-thank-you-' look. Glancing back to Jen, he smiled faintly, nodding a greeting. "Or Dan if you'd rather. Sorry, Isto didn't tell me we'd be meeting anyone."
Jen had been leaning back in the chair with his hands up against the sides of his face... "I never said you said anything of the like..." Jen turned to see Isto and another man step into the room.
At first he just sat there looking stupid, "Two of... " he didn't get it, but Isto should have warned him that he'd be meeting someone, and he shot Isto a short glare. "You didn't tell me either you ken right?"
He turned to Dan... "Jen, I'm... " finally getting a look at Dan he found that his breath was momentarily caught... damned if he didn't look good. "I'm Jen." He stood up and held out his hand for a handshake.... taking the moment to shoot Isto yet another confused look....
"Course not." Isto grinned, shrugging innocently. "It was a surprise. Besides, if either of you had known, you'd have insisted on dressing nice or some crud like that." He grimaced, waving vaguely. "It'd have been stiff and awkward and I hate situations like that."
"Nice to meet you," Dan replied, gladly returning the handshake and all but ignoring Isto. He wasn't paying much attention anyway, but the looks of it. Catching Jen's confused expression, and noting that Isto was still rambling about who knew what, he flashed a grin, nodding briefly towards his brother. "We're twins. Isto hunted me down a bit over a week ago and's been dragging me around to meet..just about everyone." A pause, and he laughed, "And now the infamous Jen. Really, it's nice to meet you."
He shook Dan's hand and directed his current blank stare towards the man.... And it was a full 20 seconds before what had been said clicked.... "Twins?!?!?!" He looked wide eyed over at Isto. "I didnae ken you had a brother, when did you ken you had a brother?" He shook his head side to side and then up and down... "Makes sense I guess, but you have a brother and that's... " He paused and thought it over.... "That's I dinnae ken what, but it's certainly sommat." He grinned to himself. "Wish I had a brother... other than gus I mean... " He raised an eyebrow as he looked Dan over carefully... "I can see it, I really can."
No wonder he had found Dan attractive, he did have a sort of Isto look about him and the tail was the same, only blue... he frowned at Isto "You told your brother about me?"
"Not long before you did, honestly." Isto grinned. "I worked it out after Sarabi sent me a postcard about her twins... And one thing just led to another. Innit nice?" Folding his arms across his chest, he allowed himself a faint smirk, following Jen's gaze back to his twin. "'Course I did. Had to ramble about my best friend, right?"
Danton was beginning to feel a bit awkward from all the staring...but, really, what could he do? Dropping Jen's hand, he grinned sheepishly, hand rising to rub the back of his neck. "Best friend and just about everyone else he knows, I'd say. But I'm guilty of the same. Lots of catching up to do, after all.."
Jen's darkish skin blushed beet red at being posted Isto's best friend. "Um well... " He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at the floor. "I can only imagine what it must be like.... I've known Gus most of his life, and he doesnae talk about life much before he came to us.... "His eyes went wide "But now I'm rambling... should we, um, get sommat to drink or eat?" he guestured towards the kitchen with one hand and shoved the other down in his pocket. "Has it been a lon drive? I take it you live far away, I've never seen you round here before.... "
Dan let his hand fall, looking slightly crestfallen. "Gus?"
"His brother," Isto supplied, still smirking faintly. "A Jivvin. Like Jack."
"Oh. Ohhhh.." Nodding his understanding, and flushing faintly himself, Dan brightened up and started out towards the kitchen with Jen. "Not long, no. I'd have dropped by sooner if I'd known about the HQ, but this was the first Isto bothered to tell me where it was... Drink would be nice," he added after a beat.
And Isto followed behind, tempted to pat himself on the back. Ahh, conniving little twit.
Jen was half lost in his thoughts and didn't notice the expressions of the other two... but he did hear what was being said... "Well this is the second Hq actually, Kitchen's this way, " He started to lead off towards the kitchen... "The, um, one we grew up in is over across the lake there, this one's new and all... sort of." He felt silly saying that the place was new when is obviouls wasn't in the best of shape.
"Gus is great, he's a bit of a romantic but he's a really nice guy. I've got a couple adopted siblings but nowhere near as many as Isto." He rolled his eyes and chuckled... "I think I've met but a small fraction of that family... very small fraction."
He stepped into the ktichen and opened the glass cupboard. Pulling out three glasses he guestured over at the refrigerator with his head and set the glassed down on the counter. "Cold drinks in there, there might be other things in the cupboard next to it but..." He shrugged. "So many people in and out of here all the time... the younger ones, some of the teens and the children all help themselves to whatever they want whenvever they want so I cannae promise anything."
"It's a nice place," Dan replied honestly, admiring the room. It was certainly better than where he was staying, anyway. Not to complain, of course, but that building wasn't even worth calling a house. It was good enough, though, and he wasn't home often anyway. "Isto's family..." Dan rolled his eyes. "I'm jealous, honestly. I never had any siblings after Isto vanished, and only knew a couple of other SMs back when I was really little."
Following Jen's gesture, he stepped over to the fridge and pulled it open, frowning faintly to himself as he explored it. "Hmm...I think you're clean out, actually. But there's--"
"I'll get more," Isto offered, interrupting him. Stepping over, he stole the car keys from Dan's pocket, and was heading for the door before his twin reacted enough to protest. "Back in a mo'."
Dan stared after him, confused, then scowled, shouting, "You'd better not wreck my car, dammit!"
"Your car wouldn't run if I hadn't fixed it! I can wreck it if I want to." Door closing.
"Isto!" But too late. Sighing heavily, Dan ran a hand over his face, summoning up a bit of patience and letting his hand fall away. Shaking his head, he closed the fridge and turned to the cupboard beside it that Jen had mentioned, soon pulling out two cans of coke. "Found them. Not cold, but we can add ice. Coke alright?"
Jen watched Isto leave with a puzzled expression... The man had told him to be here and then shown up late, brought someone else, and then abandoned him with a stranger.... Jen sighed slightly and walked to the other side of the tall counter. Pulling up a bar stool he shoved the third glass over towards the sink and sat himself down on the stool.
"Sure, if we have ice. And coke's fine. I could actually use the caffeine... I was trying to sum up my Mum's bills when you and Isto came in." Looking up at Dan he let himself realize that the man looked slightly uncomfortable. Great. Thanks Isto... bring your brother here and then abandon him in my uncapable hosting hands.
"So, you're Isto's only brother... I mean, you just said that you, um, didnae have siblings... But you knew other Sms? So it's not all that bad right? I mean, you're probably married or have a girlfriend of something..."
A freezer trip and two full, cold glasses later, Dan took a seat on one of the other bar stools, idly swilling around his glass. "Ahh, bills, the finer things in life." Chuckling dryly, he took a sip of his drink, setting it down on the counter and glancing towards Jen out of the corner of his eyes.
"Well, SMs always have twins, you know? All I ever knew of Isto was that he existed at one point. My parents didn't name him that, so...yeah, it wasn't like I could have looked him up. They told me he died as a pebble." He paused briefly, gaze flickering back to his glass, then shook his head with a laugh. "I did as a kid, mind. Friends of my parents and their families. But they grew distant, so I stopped seeing them--probably over the Isto situation, now that I think about it. And no, I'm single, and...eh.." Hesitating, he gestured vaguely in the direction his twin had gone. "Well, you're Isto's best friend, so I'm assuming you have no problem with gays, right?"
Jen literally choked on his coke... after he had regained himself he stared wide eyed at Dan, and then he realized that this could be badly interpreted so he directed his gaze down into the coke. He couldn't help but laugh to himself... "I have absolutely no problem with gays" He wiped his hand down his face and let go with a smile. "I'm sorry... I didnae mean to do that, I just wasnae expecting you to say that. I really dinnae have a problem with gay men... Isto and I dinnae really talk about it, it's sort of a touchy subject... we only talked about it once and even then it was sort of a one sided conversation." He shrugged and smiled. "He obiously didnae tell you that I was gay did he?... I mean really gay, not bi or anything, just plain old gay."
Dan's gaze snapped back to Jen when he heard him choke, and he relaxed only when he realized Jen wasn't strangling on his drink or anything. If that was possible. It very well could be, so oh well. ....But it was just a touchy subject. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't--" Pause. Blink. "No, he hadn't told me that. I--Ohh..."
Again pause. Again blink.
"Damn him!" Danton muttered, and promptly blushed bright red, fixing his eyes determinedly on his glass, only to attempt to distract himself further by downing half of his drink.
Jen watched Dan blush red and then curse a little storm... Jen found himself looking around the room confusedly again. Why was it that Isto always made him so confused? "Damn.... Damn who? Isto?" Jen shook his head in several directions trying to make sense of the current situation... no go.
He turned to Dan with half a smile. "you ok?" He placed his hands around his own glass and wiggled it back and forth. He didn't want Dan to be uncomfortable, but he also didn't know what was wrong or how to make it better... It was a little frusterating and it was all Isto's fault... you know what.... damn Isto. He nodded to himself and chuckled dryly...
"Mn," he replied with a sigh. After taking another sip of his drink, he set the glass back down and shrugged absently, calmer now and, apparently, resigned. "Yeah, I... Listen, I'm sorry about this. Isto's gotten it into his head that I can't possibly be happy single, and he's been trying to convince me to go on these blind dates with his friends since we met."
Chuckling dryly, he leaned forward to rest one elbow on the counter, half turning to Jen and resting his chin on the propped-up hand. Grinning faintly, he raised his glass with his free hand in a mocking toast to his brother, taking a small sip after he spoke. "I think we've been set up."
Jen stopped to think a while and then nodded shortly. He turned to Dan with a smile. "I bet you're right... in both cases. Super Isto strikes again." Yeah, he thought to himself, just like lightning... He took a large drink and then turned to Dan with a laugh... "You ken though that you're the best one so far?" He nodded and pointed over at the door with yet another laugh. "He's set me up twice already... gave me a list of all his single gay friends, who I have tae say arenae a very nice bunch." Jen shrugged. "It's my fault though... I told him that I wasnae happy single, and I think he has it in his mind that my lonelyness is mostlyhis fault..." He sighed as he touched old wounds with his mind and then tried to compose himself... "It's not though... I'm single by choice... "
At 'Super Isto', Dan quirked a brow, but decided it was better not to ask for the time. He blushed faintly with the compliment, but it faded when he laughed as well. "See why I haven't let him? Isto and I may be brothers, but we still hardly know each other. I trust him about as far as I can throw him." Which really wasn't very far, when it came down to it. Isto was the stronger of the two.
Falling silently, he glanced curiously to Jen, hesitating a moment before continuing. "I don't mean to pry, but... His fault?"
Jen shifted his eyes to Dan's face... Why had Jen said that? He didn't even know this guy.... but he did look like Isto when you looked for it... It was like talking to Isto without all the undertones that Jen got when he was around Isto... he smiled. Might as well.
"Isto was my hero when I was young. He was only a little older than I was and long story short, when I saw him after he changed from Sm to anthro It just kind of clicked and I realized I was in love with him... I was an adult then and all so it wasn't a childhood crush... I eventually got up enough nerve to tell him... " He sighed... "He was striaght then, or at least he said he was, so I figured it couldn't hurt to tell him everything...." He paused and took a drink then managed a genuine smile at Dan. "He said he was flattered... " Jen shrugged. "I dinnae ken why I'm telling you this..." He paused again... "I guess it's because you asked " He laughed at that last statement. People didn't have a tendancy to ask him things... He just never talked to anyone.
Well... Dan wasn't quite sure how to respond to that. He was silent for a short while, sipping absently at his drink, musing over Jen's words. "Makes sense... Isto told me you two had lost touch for a while, but he didn't mention why." Finally nodding slightly, he glanced back to Jen and returned the smile. "I'm not going to make excuses for Isto. But I'm glad you told me. Seems like something I should know. And something you needed to get off your chest," he added after a beat, pausing once more before shrugging and continuing, "I'm always happy to listen. It's something I'm good at." He grinned.
Jen laughed and stepped down off the stool. "You and I both" ... turning to the cupboard he grabbed two more sodas and set one in front of Dan. He poured the other in his own glass which was mostly empty. "we're gonnae have tae relinquish the heavier subjects, elsewise we're gonnae run out of soda." He shrugged and tossed the empty can at the bin in the corner.... missed. "I can never make that. Never." Jen walked over, picked it up, threw it into the bin at point blank range and then hopped up and seated himself on the counter. "Isto and I did lose touch for a while, but I'm glad he's back... Not many people ken what I jsut told you. I dinnae think that Isto makes it a well known fact. or anything. I think the only people that ken are Isto and me... and my Mum, but she's slightly omnipotent when it comes to me and Gus and Saty." He put down his glass and gave his shoulders a stretch.
Accepting the second soda, Dan popped open the can and refilled his own glass, nodding his thanks with a laugh. "Ah yes, drowning our sorrows at the bar." He tapped the bartop fondly, then, again laughing, tossed his own empty can after Jen's. And made it. He grinned. "Was never one for basketball... But baseball's enough for throwing away soda cans." Eyes following Jen back to the countertop, he shrugged. "I'd say he's of the same mind. And no worries, I won't tell anyone without making sure it's alright first... Er, not that I expect anyone to ask, really. I doubt I know anyone you do aside from Isto." Pausing, he let his eyes slift down to his glass and took a sip. "Moms are skilled like that. Not that I have to worry anymore. I haven't spoken with mine for a while. My parents were against, uh.. well, they'd say abnomalities, I say individuality. They always told me Isto was dead when I asked, and now I know he was given away because he was worse off appearance-wise that I was. I think if they hadn't wanted a kid so badly, they'd have sold me too." Again pausing, he chuckled softly, "And then the gay thing threw them off quite a bit."
Jen half smiled and shrugged.... "I think I was lucky in that respect... My mum's really fine with it. I think she knew it afore I did really." He pointed at the door that Isto had so quickly retreated through... "You think he's comming back?" Sip of the soda... "He left so quickly, the a**." He laughed. "He's really really sneaky.... I wonder how long before he came up with this idea..." He smiled. "You wannae tell him off for it, or should I?" Jen found himself looking at Dan's hair... nice hair, he thought. Nice hair.
"You are lucky, then," He replied quietly, but he was smiling. Following the point to the door, he rolled his eyes, setting his glass back down on the counter. "He has to come back eventually. He stole my car. He has to come pick me up or I'll be sleeping here tonight." Course, that might be his intention, went through Dan's head, but he shrugged it away, glancing back to Jen with a smile. "Who knows. I'd say it were spur of the moment except that he dragged us both here without mentioning anything. You can have the privilege." Waving vaguely, he picked up his glass, turning his eyes towards the door once more. "Now that the initial shock's past, I'm rather grateful for it."
"Graetful that he stole your car and left you in a strange place with a total stranger?" Jen laughed out loud. "You're pretty accepting. I'd hate that. Not a social person me." He glanced out the window. "What kind of car do you have anyway?" He thought about his own car... sort of Keppit's handmedown, the car she didn't feel she was cool enough to drive anymore. But Jen was cool enough. No matter what Saty said.... He grinned to himself.
Dan laughed, shrugging. "Well, I got to know his best friend a bit, didn't I? And made a SM friend of my own. Don't get me wrong, I cuss him out for it. And for stealing my car. But I might soften it with a thank you. Uh..." He fell silent, flushing fanitly, and shrugged, fixing his gaze on his glass. "It's nothing special. Real piece of crap, to be honest. It broke down for the upteenth time the day after I met Isto, and it's only working now because he voluteered to fix it for me. I don't know enough mechanics to do it myself just yet. Prefer smaller stuff."
Jen looked up. "I'm sort of driving my Mum's cast off... she used to drive it everywhere, sitting in the driver's seat, sunglasses on, hair blowing in the wind... " He remebered Keppit before the Zombification and suddenly realized that he was talking to someone that didn't know his mum was a zombie... That hadn't happened in a loooooooong time.
"So you're into mechanics?" He blushed as he sort of changed the conversation. "I've got tae be the least mechanical person in the whole world. I can sauder an anamatronic connection but I cannae use a power tool for the life of me." He laughed at himself. "Someday, you go and look at the dock that goes out to the boat. I had my cousin help me out and you can tell which parts she built and which parts I built... "
Dan was more than grateful for the subject change. As fond as he was of his car, it really was a piece of junk, but it sort of suited his life style right now. The house, the car, the odd jobs... Given his situation, it was all he could afford right now. "Mhmm. It's just sort of a hobby. I like taking apart broken machinery and getting it to work again. Household junk....radios, TVs, took apart the air conditioner once." Snickering, he shook his head. "I'm sure my job'd be much worse. Mechanic, not carpenter. Or construction or whatever you'd call that. It'd be all lopsided and crooked and probably wouldn't hold for more than an hour."
"Well that dock will hold, but I guarantee that the bits I did are more nails than wood. Tam's a genius when it comes to carpentry woodish stuff." He shrugged. "I spend more time trying to staighten out my Mum's stuff, playing with puppets and taking care of my family than I do with anything else." He shrugged...
"How long are you staying with Isto... Assuming he comes back for you and all." Jen smirked at the blue haired man.
"That's something to be proud of. You've got your priorities straight." He quirked a brow, shrugging, and took a sip of his drink. "Family and happiness, you know? Who cares if you can't build a dock perfectly if you don't like building docks." He nodded, more to himself than to Jen, and set his glass back down. "I'm not staying with Isto, actually. I have my own place, I just need my car to get their unless I want to be walking half the night. I'm starting to think he's not coming back," he added, frowning towards the door.
"Well you're more than welcome to stay here you ken... it is the center, it's not like it's my home or anything. Or I could give you a ride, my car's right outside." He pointed over his shoulder out the window... "No one's expecting me back at the house, I've got Gus watching Jim so I'm good." He took a drink out of his soda and thought for a minute.
"I dinnae think he'll come back either. He's a hard character to suss out but I think when he makes up his mind about sommat he tends to commit with everything he's got." He smiled. " Mind you that's an admirable things about him. He does what he follows his desires no matter where that puts him."
"Oh, that's alright, really." A ride would have been most welcome, actually, but that would involve Jen seeing his half-a** house. "I have his cell number, so if he's gone for too long I'll just call, cuss him out from hear, and hope the languge doesn't make you think too badly of me. Commited or not, I'll drag him back here." He grinned, though it was somewhat forced, and promptly changed the subject. "Who's Jim?"
Jen nodded and shrugged at Dan's refusal of a ride, and then stared in shock for a second at the mention of Jim's name.... Oh JIM!
"Jim's my, um... Ward I guess you could say." He smiled warmly at the thought of Jim. "I was out in the cove getting more pebbles, you ken the ones that were ready to hatch, and when I got there there this small Sm sitting in the cave crying in the dark. He didnae let go of me for a week straight. People call him my son but he's nae related to me really. It's jsut recently I can leave him with other people... but I feel bad doing it. He's still just a small baby you ken." Jim's skull face surfaced in Jen's mind and it made him smile even more. "He's my rescuer... the one person in the whole world that needs me." He loved that feeling. Loved it to peices.
"Ooh..." Jen had a kid? True, it wasn't really his, but...Hm. Okay then. That was the last thing Dan had expected. And it probably showed, too. However, the look soon passed and he smiled, nodding and lifting his glass to take a small sip. "That was nice of you. Everyone needs someone..."
Jen caught the look on Dan's face... and it hurt. He frowned... but why did it hurt? He didn't even know Dan... but Dan did look like Isto. And jen had just told this man that he had a son, not a real flesh and blood son, but a son all the same. The look on his face said it plain and true. Jen felt that he needed to explain a little.
"It's just..." Sigh "I was so lonely and... and alone for so long that when he clung to me I clung back. It's nice to have a night to myself and meet new people though... " He passed Dan a genuine smile. "Truth be told, all those silly dates of Isto's were kind of nice..." O.o "well acutally, not the dates themselves, but the concepts offered by my going to meet new people.... ... You ken? The thought that there might be someone out there for me after all, not like Jim likes me, not like someone who needs me to teach and care for them, but someone who needs me to be near them, or to know that I'm safe for them to be completely happy.... " He sighed... he was babbling. "Jim's my son... He fills part of a void in my life... " His shoulder's had fallen and his general posture was almost defeated...
"I used to think that Isto was the peice for that puzzle... I ken that's not true now, but I'm too tired to look for the right peice." He looked up at Dan. "I'm sure you've had good moments and bad... you've had your heart broken right?" Jen sighed... "I'm not that strong I guess." and then he laughed...
"Oh, no, there's nothing wrong with... I apologize, it just surprised me." He kept his eyes on his glass, idly swilling around the ice cubes in it. For a short while he was silent, and then he flushed faintly, shrugging. "Truth be told, I know what you mean. I sort of gave up on dating when my parents found out about me and threw a fit. Shortly afterwards I moved out of the house due to the tension and I've been living alone since. That was, oh...eight, nine months back, I guess? And I never really tried to start again."
"I missed it, though," he added after a beat, during which he paused to sip his drink. "Missed having friends, occasional dates, maybe... relationships in general. I really delved into my photography during that time. It was nice. Focus on what you want to, and let the rest of the world pass on by without worrying about it."
"And then just a little while back," he laughed, shaking his head, "I met Isto, and not only did I have a friend again, but I had a brother. And then tonight..." He paused once more, then shrugged weakly and glanced over to Jen, smiling. "Tonight, I thought, might be the next...piece, as you said. Step back towards a normal life. But the way you mentioned Jim...uh...momentarily tossed that hope."
He blushed and, relaxing somewhat, returned his attention to his cup, downing the rest before setting it on the counter. "I have no problem with kids. I always liked kids. And now I understand better and, eh.. I apologize for rambling." he muttered.
Jen laughed as he leaned over and dropped his head into his hands... "I always ken the right thing to say I guess." He suddenly sat up... "Let me see... what else can I say to shock you? Best get it done quickly right?.... I'm a puppeteer by hobby, I was a brown Sm with these swirls" He pointed to his arm with one hand and his face with the other... "I like to sail, I was in love with Isto, I had a best friend named Diro that I haven't talked to since we were teens, I cannae spell, I inherited my Mum's accent, I have a small Sm that follows me around, I still sleep with my stuffed kitty, I live in a one room cabin with my family which are two jivvin siblings, one dinosaur brother, one toad sister, a sadistic aunt and my Mum's a zombie..." He paused and glanced up at Dan... "That's why she gave me her car... she doesnae feel like it suits her anymore... " He grinned... "She's a vegetarian and she's very nice... she does smell a bit and Jim wonnae go near her for it, but I love her."
"So you like photography? And other things I'm sure... " He reached back and rubbed the back of his neck"
Dan blinked, straightening up somewhat and watching Jen curiously as he attempted to take in all the information. He could remember about half of it by the time Jen finished, but would probably relearn the rest sooner or later. And then it was his turn. He laughed. "Yeah, photography. Let's see, my turn for shocking array, hmm? Well, I'm a freelance photographer for three different magazines, though I doubt you've heard of any of them, I used to have metal plates like this one," he tapped the bit of metal on his cheek, "at random points on my body, but my parents had all but this one removed when I was still young. I rent a small house aways from the city for more than it's worth and my landlord refuses to fix it up, I've never been kissed, and my best friend, aside from maybe Isto, is my kayack."
He nodded absently, eyeing his empty glass thoughtfully, then pushed it away and glanced up to Jen once more, grinning. "And anything else can't be all that important because they're slipping my mind right now."
Jen laughed quietly to himself... "Photgraphy and Kayaking... Nice." He looked down at his own glass again and saw that it too was empty, but he wasn't thirsty anymore really, so he set it down. "I've never been kayaking. Never trusted myself that far... I love the water though. I was thinking about trying to get Jim and I a place out on the lake... get away from my crazy family." He grinned.
"You want another?" He pointed to the glass... "or sommat to eat?"
"Varied hobbies make life more interesting." He chuckled, shrugging. "You really should try it. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it's well worth it. They're more...interactive than other boats, and easier to manipulate than canoes. 'Course, they're also easier to flip..." He trailed off, realizing he was rambling, and smiled sheepishly. "House on the lake'd be nice. Lake or river, maybe so far as the ocean, though I doubt it. Once I save up some money, I'd like to get a place like that."
At the offer, he glanced back to his glass and shook his head, smiling. "Nah, I'm fine, thanks."
[cut short due to hiatus D: ]
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:18 pm
 (Oct 19th) Cody and Gwen are toddlers!
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:23 pm
Within three days of each other.
Violet's grown, Cody's grown, Gwen's grown, and Tourmaline grew, too. L'aven looks a bit older, but nothing drastic, and Faust is acting like the adult he is... Aside from the OCD-neat freak thing.
It's kind of nice...and then kind of not. Toddlers sleep better than babies, and, thus far, aren't nearly as clingy as them, which is good.
But toddlers...well, terrible twos, you know?
They're into -everything-, and they can talk now. So, we're getting about thirty arguements a day between Cody and Gwen alone.
Ahh, children.
I really am enjoying it, though. It's one thing to have a bunch of babies crawling around--quite another once they're toddlers.
Toddlers will actually have conversations with you...to the extent that they can. They develop interests, personalities...
It's hard to explain. But you know what I mean, right?
It's getting kind of crowded now... Well, no, it's not, but all of the shorties will need their own rooms soon.
They're all staying in the nursery for now, along with X and Jack's daughter, Stazja. There's plenty of room there...for a bunch of toddlers.
But children will want their own rooms, and I feel bad taking up so much of X's house. Slush insists she doesn't mind, and X herself has to me the same, but...
I don't know. I'd really like us to get a place of our own. Maybe some time around Christmas..?
That'd give me a bit more time.. Maybe take on a second job now that the shorties as a bit older.
I know X would chip in if I asked, but... I'd rather not. She's done enough for our family already, you know? It wouldn't feel right.
We'll see. I'll talk to Slush about it.
Gwen and Cody are at it again.
--Isto.
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Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:24 pm
Kids in a Candy Store Ting rushed toward the door, pulling the now even heavier Adani behind her. The woman was healthy enough, just carrying heavy, that was all. She was even starting to act like a normal person, not freaking out every two seconds at least. Maybe that came from a little more time spent with Andreas, he had a calming effect on some people. Course, he still never wanted to go on any of their little trips. As the bell jingled and the glass door clinked shut behind them, Ting froze in her place, staring up at the rows upon rows of jelly beans, gummis, chocolates, and all other manner of things that lined the wall of the store. There was a colorful playspace near the corner, though whether that was for children or your sugar high average joes she couldn't tell. And though her English had improved a lot, she still burst out in a loud voice, starting in English but dropping off, "Candy! Guardi all la caramella Adani! Ci e cosi a lot! Jujus!"
Adani tried to hold back a laugh, just shaking her head as she took it all in. It had been a long while since she'd been in a candy store. She'd worked in one when she was a teenager, but she hadn't been in one since. This woman never ceased to amaze her though. Not by intellect, though it would have been mean to call her dim, sheerly the childish innocence she carried that never seemed to go away. Like a kid with a new toy, but all of the time.
Sadly, the door hadn't closed quite quickly enough. Cody darted through, pausing only to yank his bear in after him when it caught in the door, then hefted the plushie and gazed in awe around the room. "...Cahdeeeeee!" came a shriek from the toddler, and he 'trotted past the women towards the nearest candy counter, groping around for a treat.
Only seconds later, the door opened once more and a rather frazzled looking Isto stepped in, holding it open for the young girl clinging to his normal hand to enter and letting it swing shut behind them. "Cody?"
A gasp. The centaur froze, head craning back towards the door, then ducked around the counter and sprinted for the playspace, a stolen lollipop in hand and the bear dragging along the floor in his wake.
Isto sighed. "Cody, we have plenty of candy at home. Remember Halloween?"
Gwen merely glared after her brother, tightening her grip on her own plush with a huff. Stupid noisy Cody.
Adani apparently hadn't noticed the odd little toddler, instead shutting her eyes while she settled down in a chair, hands set on her belly. The pup would bring her something edible, and if she didn't she could always gripe at her. Shoot, at least the doctor had given her something for her ankles. But what she really wanted was for this baby to be born so she could go back home and back to her normal life.
Ting on the other hand, spun on her heels at the unfamiliar people, a wide smile on her face, "Allo! Who you be? I am Ting!" A lot of people found her forwardness a bit intruding, but she never seemed to care, it was just the way she was. Though, in her slight oblivious stupor, she hadn't noticed anything odd about any of them.
Bwaha, Cody was safe and hidden in the playspace. Daddy would -never- find him here! Snickering softly even as his hooves clacked on the floor of the plastic tunnel, Cody shoved the lollipop into his mouth, gnawing idly on it while he explored. Mmm....sugar.
And brief scan of the area had turned up no Cody, but the centaur's hooves were clearly audible from the playplace. Oh well, he couldn't get into any trouble there, right? Starting over, Isto paused only when Ting caught his attention, quirking a brow but nodding politely nonetheless. "Nice to meet you. I'm Isto, this is Gwen," he paused, gesturing down to the little girl, who stuck out her tongue. Isto grimaced, but soon replaced it with a rather forced smile, then waved vaguely in the direction of the playspace. "And that terror is Cody."
The small woman's tail swished around as she tried fruitlessly to find this "terror" he was talking about. Sometimes, she took thinks a little to literally, "Cody a gheest? Like nightscares?" Well, it was almost the right words, right? Aie! Over on the shelf there! Candy finger paints! She had seen Ul give them to her son once, they were lovely, even though she could never get any for herself. She rushed over to it, nearly sliding on the tile floor. Coming to a stop just a few inches short of the shelf, she snatched a pack off and held it against her chest, letting out a content little murring whine.
Adani opened an eye at the sound of hooves and the odd whine, choosing to ignore Ting for now. After all, she was with her all day, and there seemed to be a little one scampering around nearby. She didn't hate kids in general, she just wasn't thrilled with the one she was carrying. Ting didn't want her to have an ultrasound, something about "Sureeses" surprises she guessed, but she was fairly sure the little moster was a girl. She'd be a heartbreaker all right, she was close enough to be a backbreaker. Well, she had to get her mind off that, and with a bit of a groan, she lowered herself onto the floor so that she had a better view of the plastic tubes, "Hey there."
"Gheest?" Isto blinked. What the hell was a gheest? Maybe a geese? Or, that is, a goose? But no, nightscares... Ah, ghost. Right, he knew that. "Oh, no, he's just a pain in the...neck." You know, in the nicest way possible. Isto grinned and was about to say more when the woman took off for the paint candies. ...Okaaaay, nevermind then. He glanced down to Gwen. "Wanna go search the tunnels for Cody?"
The girl spared the playplace a glance, but shook her head. Remaining silent for the time, she hefted her butterfly plush, released her father's hand, and set about exploring the nearest candy display. Gwen liked candy as much as they next toddler. She was just quieter about it than her brother.
The young centaur visably jumped with the woman's voice, bumping his head on the top of the tunnel,but hardly seemed to mind and merely sent her a somewhat wary stare. However, after only a moment his smile returned, though much more bashful than before. Suddenly shy, the toddler stuffed his lollipop in his mouth and wrrapped both arms around the neck of his bear, peeking around its head at Adani. "'Ai. Whozat?"
The papillon quirked an ear at the little.. Centaur was it called? "My name's Danny, who're you?" Normally, she didn't like to be called Danny, but she was in a fairly good mood, all things considered. She'd be in a better mood if she could find some Whoppers, but she wasn't supposed to have chocolate. And come to think of it, neither was Ting. Shoot, the pup could deal with herself. With a little friendly rumble in her throat, as if she were comforting a young pup, she tried to think of what to say. What would you say to a munchkin like that anyway? "What kind of candy have you got there?"
Ting dropped onto the ground in a sit in the aisles, taking a note of the barcode of the pack before she tore it open and smeared a bit on her face and arms. She gave a little smile, almost growling without thinking at the little girl.
"K'dee," the young centaur replied from around his treat. Normally his name was no problem, but...well, it was a rather large lollipop, and it was quite difficult to hold it in his mouth and speak at the same time. But he had no choice, because his arms were wrapped around his teddy bear, and if he released his teddy, the woman might eat it! Faust had threatened to eat it once. Daddy said Faust wouldn't, but that didn't mean other people wouldn't. "Lol'pop," he mumbled around the candy, smiling shyly. "Lak Hal'neen."
Not one to be phased by such trivial things as hisses, Gwen merely hissed right back before wandering over and helping herself to one of the paint candies. She stuck out her tongue at the woman and dropped down onto the floor as well, setting the butterfly plush on her lap and dipping a finger in the powder. Good stuff.
Ting laid her ears down against her head, giving a little yip when one of the rings caught coming back up. Dangit. Andreas had warned her not to do that. Oh well, she thought, giving her ear a little rub that left a smear of candy on it. She didn't care so much about things like that, but the little munch got a little more of her attention. The little one had stuck her tongue out, so seeing it as a friendly gesture, she mimiced, sticking her own out with a smile, it was her, "more polite" alternative to sniffing people when she met them. She had a flutterfly stuffie! Papillons were fluttterflies too, well sometimes, when they weren't pups.
Danny set her hands on her belly, showing the child a weak nonthreatening grin. "Halloween's a fun holiday, so's Easter. Any time there's candy." She reached her arm back, grabbing at the shelf. The closest thing, a bag of apple rings. Perfect! Cheered up a bit, she yanked the bag open and popped one in her mouth. Delish!
Gwendolyn frowned. How dare this woman stick out her tongue at her! Ohhh, Gwen wished her daddy would have been paying attention instead of apologizing to the lady at the counter about the candy messes. He would have shown Ting for making faces at the wonderful Gwen! As it was, she merely scowled and fixed her attention on her candy. Calling for Daddy was certainly an option, but he would likely take her treat away if he came over. Better to ignore the stupid woman and hope she went away.
"Yeast?" Cody questioned from around his lollipop. The young centaur shifted awkwardly to sit on the floor of the tunnel, letting his teddy bear sit as well so that he could move one of his arms. He pulled the lollipop from his mouth and cocked his head at the woman, horse tail idly sweeping the floor behind him. "Whazat?"
[cut short due to hiatus D: ]
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:27 pm
It had this big play area tunnel thing for shorties and then...shelves and shelves of candy. Reminded me of something out of Willy Wonka.
I would've quite enjoyed it if Cody hadn't stolen candy, run to hide in the play place and left me arguing with the manager.
Wasn't my fault. -I- wasn't arguing until he snapped some insult about Cody. Until then, I was apologizing.
But...yeah, can you blame me?
I'm not exactly sure what Cody was up to during that time. He stayed in the tunnels until we left. Though he's mentioned talking to some woman in there.
He says he thought she'd eat his teddy bear, but she said she wouldn't... And that's about it.
That's Cody for you.
Gwen, on the other hand, was very well behaved. She stole some candy of her own and made faces at this butterfly woman while she ate it--The woman didn't mind.
I'm not sure either understood what they were doing, the woman being foreign and Gwen so young. But they just sat in the middle of the floor, eating their candy and mocking each other.
And I won the arguement, because I'm scarier. Took some more candy for good measure, bribed Cody out of the tunnel, got Gwen away from the woman and left. So, little adventure.
And, let's see, what else?
Oh, remember Dan? He and Jen met, and I think they've hooked up. Bit of happiness for them both, I guess.
It's kind of...awkward. But I hope things work out for them. Dan seems happy about it, anyway.
Best of luck to them both.
--Isto
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:29 pm
Tourma Freezes Over A look to the left. Coast clear.
A glance to the right. Nobody.
The toddler cracked a toothy grin before wobbling off as fast as she could towards the open closet, where she quietly stole a broom from before toddling back to the front door.
Once again she looked over her shoulders, just in case. There was nobody to witness her.
Grabbing hold of the broom part of the broom, Tourma lifted it up straight so that the end of the handle came in contact of the lock they had up there too keep the little ones inside. Not her though, she had formulated a plan and it was going to work!
Tongue stuck out in concentration, the toddler, through trial and error, managed to finally knock the lock out and unlock the door. A muffled victory squeak left her before she dropped the broom and reached up to toggle the door knob.
There was a click, and soon the door was creaking open.
Tourma's eyes peered out of the newly revealed outdoors. Victory was hers! The sun was warm on her face and she ignored the chilly breeze that blew. Within seconds she was bounding outside, and after nearly tumbling down the stairs, she went peeling out into the grass.
Slush didn't notice Tourmaline leaving, as she was supposed to be down for a nap, but he did hear the broom fall, brushing it off as Dari doing something stupid again. Not his problem.
Instead, he kept on reading the book in his hands, until the kitchen's call was way too much. Rustling down the back stairs, book in hands, the SM searched around in the fridge until he found what he was looking for, Nathan's apple pie.
Bless Nathan for coming back. Slush put his book down on the counter and after getting a fork, began to eat straight from the pie pan.
The outside was SO cool! No wonder the big people didn't want the little ones out here, then they'd never be able to get them back inside. Psh, she wasn't going to go back inside. Not with all this cool stuff out here!
Tourma gazed out at the giant expanse of land that made up X's property, bicolored eyes wide. This was amazing! She wanted to see it all!
But she had to pick a place to explore first.
Staring over to the gardens, the toddler decided to got there first, and THEN decide. Immediately, she began walking unsteadily towards the gardens, every so often stopping to regain her balance.
Suddenly Slush looked up, feeling a too cold breeze that caused him to automatically stop what he was doing out of habit. Isto and cold never really mixed, so he always tried to keep the house and his husband warm whenever possible. Even though Isto wasn't there, Slush made his way to the front door, stopping when he noticed the broom there too.
Hadn't the door been locked?
She shivered, the sun was setting and it was getting a bit colder, and sure enough, Tourmaline soon had a harder time moving her body.
Furrowing her brow in irritation and frustration, she managed to continue going for a bit longer before with a cry of surprise, her legs gave out from under her and she fell to the ground, unable to move.
She whimpered softly when she tried to lift her hand and couldn't. All she could feel was cold and it made her sick and woozy.
A warmth began to seep into her chest, however whatever it was making the heat was under her and she couldn't see. Still, the warmth calmed her and made her feel much better.
Carefully standing the broom upright, Slush grabbed a coat from the closet and slipped outside, shutting the door behind him. His eyes scanned the front yard and saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Even though he didn't see anything, something told him things weren't right, and he continued to walk around the house, eyes scanning for something out of the ordinary.
The heat grew, but everything soon became hazy for the toddler. A bright light came and Tourmaline refocused almost immediately, as if something had yanked her back from a nice, deep sleep. The warmth at her chest was gone just as suddenly, and she whimpered until she caught sight of the animal in front of her.
A pegasus foal stood in front of her, the light around it fading as it stretched it's green and majenta wings, colors seemingly reflected from the Skullmonkey.
Tourmaline was dazed, and comforted as the black animal nuzzled her face comfortingly before kneeling down next to her, sharing his body heat with her.
Despite the sudden awaking, Tourmaline soon slipped into darkness.
The light caught his attention as well, and Slush started after it at a brisk walk, which turned into a jog, then full out run when he saw who was sprawled next to the creature that caused the light. Nevermind the pegasus, Slush could only see his daughter through the panic running through him.
The moment he reached her, the Skullmonkey fell to his knees and struggled to pull Tourma into his arms. If he had thought her heavy earlier, she was ten times as heavy when she was not helping. Eventually, he hauled her into his arms, wrapped her in his jacket, and ran as best as he could back to the house.
She was just like Isto.
Tourma didn't respond, but the pegasus, sensing and recognizing this man's intentions and relation to this young one, stood up and followed the pair at a light trot.
Slush didn't stop till he was in front of the fire, where he held her close to him, rubbing her limbs to try and get circulation back into them. Tears flowed freely, he couldn't lose her! This reminded him all too well of when X and Jack brought Isto back half frozen and inches from death.
"Someone!" He cried, not wanting to leave Tourma, "HELP!" Choking back a sob, Slush rocked her to him ever so gently.
The fading light meant the end of the work day--for Isto, anyway. In truth, he could come home whenever he wanted during the day, given the properties of the Past door, but he liked to time it as close to normally as possible. After weeks of thirty hour days while Cody was so clingy, normal sleep patterns were most welcome.
And now, with the weather growing cooler after dusk, the earlier Isto was home, the better. Riding the motorcycle home added a good deal of a wind chill, and Isto did not want a repeat of the previous winter.
He wasn't in the best of moods upon returning home. His metal arm was throbbing unpleasantly from the cold--but at least it hadn't given out completely just yet. He pushed open the door and started through towards the stairs, but paused when he heard Slush's cry and, immediately concerned, changed directions to follow the sound to the fireplace.
"Relax, Doom," he murmured automatically, stepping over and crouching beside Slush, metal hand resting no his shoulder. "What's--Tourma?" Only then noticing the toddler--and pegasus, though he ignored that for the time--and surprised by the lack of life, he momentarily fell silent, staring down at the girl. However, only moments later he snapped out of it and sunk to sit beside Slush, metal hand reassuringly rubbing his back while the other gestured for him to give him their daughter. "What happened to her?"
Tourma didn't move, though she was breathing, however faintly.
The pegasus had indeed followed Slush inside the house through the open door, and simply peered up at Isto silently, sizing him up before neighing softly in approval and returning his full attention to the toddler.
Slush jumped, then relaxed against Isto's hand ever so slightly and immediately handed Tourma as carefully as he could with shaking hands to Isto. "Sh-she... Out--tss-side!" Slush wailed, obviously not the one to stay calm in such a situation.
"Brooomtodooropen." He gasped all of a sudden before wracking himself in another sob.
"Relax, Doom," Isto automatically repeated, carefully accepting the girl and holding her in his normal arm. "Crying won't help anything." Letting his right hand fall, he turned his attention to Tourmaline, unwrapping the jacket around her somewhat and, just to reassure himself, checking for a pulse.
Choking back a sigh, he forced a smile and rewrapped the jacket, shifting the girl onto his lap infront of the fire and resuming where Slush had left off, rubbing the life back into her limbs through the makeshift blanket. "Look, she's breathing and she's inside and safe now. She'll be fine, alright? Just give her a little while." He glanced up slightly, adding as an afterthought, "We'll need a better blanket. And maybe something hot to drink. I...can't really remember from when this happened to me."
With the added heat, the toddler was beginning to regain color and her body was warming up a bit. Her eyes opened slowly, almost painfully after a while, but when she tried to move her body, Tourmaline couldn't and her eyes widened. "'Addsy!?" What was happening to her?! Why couldn't she move?!
The pegasus immediately stepped in to lean down and nuzzle Tourmaline, trying to comfort her as well.
He made a sort of swallowing and choking noise as he attempted to stop crying, and Slush quickly got up to collect the items Isto had asked for. The SM was back in front of the fire in no time, handing Isto the items before finally eyeing the horse with wings in X's living room. "Uh... Who... Whuh?" Articulate as always.
Slush hmphed, watching Tourma with happiness when her eyes opened, but soon became worried and confused when she couldn't move and cried out.
Upon Slush's return, Isto removed Tourma's jacket to wrap the blanket around her a few times instead, immediately resuming rubbing her arms through it. He brightened up considerably when she awoke, and even her cry didn't upset him.
The reason for the cry was obvious--she hadn't moved, after all--so there was no reason to worry just yet. She was awake and warming up and, by the looks of it, hadn't been exposed to the cold long enough to suffer any major after effects. She would be fine.
"Hey kiddo," he replied brightly, smiling down at her. "You'll be alright in a second, okay? Lookit the pony, Tourma." Maybe the pegasus would distract her.
Smiling. Smiling? Tourma blinked at Isto's words in mid crying and turned to look at what was nuzzling her and she smiled, moving to reach and pet the horsey.
No such luck, no matter how hard she tried, Tourmaline couldn't get her arm to move out of the sausaging blanket. About to start wailing again, the toddler was stopped short when the pegasus stuffed his nose into where her hand was through the blankets, flapping his wings lightly and awkwardly.
This seemed to cease her cries and grab her attention as warmth began to slowly trickle through her limbs from her middle.
She was awake! Slush, if he weren't so confused with everything going on, would have promptly celebrated, or asked coherently about the pegasus in the living room.
Unfortunately, Slush could not effectively do ANYTHING helpful at the moment, and only watched everything wide eyed, blinking rapidly until he was yanked up off the floor by an unseen person.
"You need a drink." X grunted, nodding to Isto before dragging off a weakly protesting Slush towards where she kept her liqour.
Their bickering could only be heard for a while before X's hand found its way to over Slush's mouth, and all that was heard was a faint muffling of complaints from the Skullmonkey.
Soon enough, they were out of hearing range.
Sometimes X wondered why Slush was so wimpy when he was her child.
More good signs! Tourma was coherent enough to understand and let the pony cheer her, so the cold hadn't effected her all that badly, and probably caused her no pain to boot. He glanced back to Slush to assure him of this, but paused instead when X yanked Slush to his feet and led him from the room, merely nodding in reply to his mother-in-law.
...Oh well, better for Slush this way. Tourma would be moving properly by the time her returned from whatever drunken stupor X put him through, which meant Slush would be happy, which meant less stress for them all. NOw all he had to worry about was the horse in the house.
He was silent for a short while, watching the pegasus and his daughter and continuing his attempts to warm Tourma. Finally lifting his normal hand, he offered it to the little creature for inspection, speaking more to himself than to the pegasus. "And where'd you come from, kiddo..?"
And Isto was right, Tourmaline was soon beginning to regain feeling and movement of her limbs, struggling with the blanket wrapped around her with an irritable cry. She wanted out! Now!
The pegasus eyed Isto's hand, giving him a glare when Isto called him 'kiddo,' stomping the floor with his right back hoove as if to emphasize the point that he was indeed not a 'kiddo.' Maybe he should bite him...
Instead, the pegasus snuffed at the Skullmonkey before leaning down to carefully help unwrap Tourma since the big one wasn't helping. Useless he was, and the pegasus snorted in disapproval.
Kiddo. Who bloody called a pegasus kiddo?
Isto wasn't exactly familiar with pegasi and their dislike for the title 'kiddo', but the glare spoke it clearly enough. Letting his hand fall, he pulled a face at the little creature, then turned his attention the the squirming toddler on his lap. "Well, what else was I supposed to call you? I call everyone kiddo sooner or later. You'll get over it."
He briefly debated over freeing Tourma or not. It would probably be better for her to stay wrapped up for a time.. He remembered mention that he had fought to get free of the blanket when this had happened to him. But Tourma didn't seem to be ill or anything. She was just irritated with being stuck in a blanket and unable to move--which was perfectly reasonable, especially knowing the little girl.
Nudging the pegasus out of the way somewhat, he unwrapped the blanket and set Tourma down on the floor infront of him, leaving the blanket in a heap beside her. "There, happy now?"
He could care less whether this one called everyone kiddo or not, this pegasus was not to be called such and he decided that the next time Isto did, biting would be in order. Neighing when he was pushed out of the way, the pegasus eyed him silently for a moment before turning his attention to Tourmaline.
The toddler nearly exploded herself from the blanket when let free, panting lightly and glaring at the blanket. Tourma nodded pompusly in response to Isto's question, the fire was warm and she was next to it. No need to be sausaged in that blanket.
Flicking her tail curiously, the SM reached for the foal, who flapped his wings happily, and made a sort of smile.
"Whorsey!" She exclaimed, clapping her hands together in time with the flapping, bicolored eyes bright with excitement. Obviously, she had forgotten what had just happened for now.
Haughty little bugger, Isto mused, eyeing the toddler thoughtfully. However, he smiled, sitting back to watch the pair play. However much the pegasus might not like him, he could tell it wouldn't hurt Tourma. Now all he had to do was figure out where it came from and what they were going to do with it. They couldn't exactly keep a winged horse in X's house...
The pegasus ignored Isto, but instead knelt down before flopping on his side at Tourma's sudden yawn. Crawling towards the pegasus, the toddler seemed to understand the other creature, and simply curled up next to it and slightly on top of it before dozing off, tail curling around herself as much as possible.
Yawning softly himself, Isto waited until he was sure Tourma was asleep to climb to his feet, starting from the room. Leave her there to warm up for a bit longer, and he would take, and the pegasus if needed, up to the nursery later before he went to bed himself. For now... Well, maybe he could catch and reassure Slush before his husband got too drunk. Knowing Slush's alcohol capacity, he doubted it, but maybe he would get lucky.
Isto was in fact, too late as far as Slush was concerned, X had given Slush vodka, and the Skullmonkey was now singing to a statue in the room, shotglass still in hand while X kept an eye on him.
Slush gave a dramatic twirl, and stumbled into the wall, looking a little dazed for a bit before the singing continued. It was nearly impossible to tell what song it was because X was quite sure that even if he had been singing properly, that he was making up lyrics as he went.
The vampire looked up at the thud, but upon noticing he was okay, returned to her scarf she was knitting, something Nathan had taught her recently.
Long before he reached the room, Isto could hear his husband's 'song' and was hard pressed not to grin when he found Slush singing to a statue. He watched for a short while, fighting the urge to laugh, then nodded his thanks to X and stepped over to Doom, looping an arm around his waist and steering him for the stairs and, eventually, their bedroom. "The statue's trying to sleep, lovely, you can sing to it in the morning. C'mon, it's late."
Slush fell into Isto, giggling and squealing as he stumbled upstairs with Isto. Several times did Slush attempt to drag Isto into some sort of failed waltz, singing and giggling all the while.
Yawning when he saw their bed, Slush suddenly went silent as he stared at the piece of furniture. "Heeeey~!" He murred at the mattress before turning to look at Isto, swaying slightly in his drunken state, "Lets tango Sharkie. Rar!" At this, Slush lost his balance and fell over.
Isto managed to avoid most of the dance attempts by tightening his grip around Slush and steering him determinedly in the direction of their room. But one or two caught him off guard, usually resulting in one or the other tripping and stumbling into a wall. It was all Isto could do to keep from laughing.
He finally judged it safe to release Slush when he calmed to stare at the bed, and sighed lightly when Doom tumbled to the floor, helping him up only to scoop him off his feet and deposit him on the bed, immediately pulling the covers up over him. "Bed time, Doom. I'm gonna go check on the shorties, alright? You stay here."
"Owh." He groaned after being deposited into the bed, "Shark~" Slush whined as Isto left him; the bed was warm and he was in fact tired, but Isto should be with him. Unfortunately, Slush was soon lost to sleep before Isto could even get back.
It took only a few minutes for Isto to get Tourma (and the pegasus) up to the nursery and, following that, to assure himself that everyone was asleep in bed. Returning to their room, he undressed and climbed into bed, curling up beside Slush and soon drifting to sleep himself.
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:06 pm
Tourma's just like me with the cold.
Yesterday while I was at work, she 'escaped' from the house, wandered off and, far as I can tell, nearly froze in the yard. Luckily, Slush found her and got her inside and warming before it could do much harm. I arrived home only a few minutes afterwards.
Calmed Slush down....somewhat. Took Tourma from him to warm her up. Fireplace, blanket... She was fine before long.
Some time during that, X dragged Slush off and got him roaring drunk so he'd stop worrying. Not that there was any reason to worry anymore.
It became apparent almost immediately that Tourma would be fine--she was acting normally, just couldn't move right until she had warmed up a bit.
She wasn't too happy about that, but the pegasus distracted her.
Oh, right, the pegasus. Uh... Some time during all that, this little pegasus showed up. We think it's from that seed thing Slush got Tourma a while back, but I'm not entirely convinced.
Not that it matters either way. He's here to stay.
And lives in the house...
...Well, now I'm glad we're still at X's.
It'll be enough trouble dealing with Cody inside once he's a bit bigger without having another set of hooves around.
Anyway.
Tourma's find today, which has reassured Slush a lot. I doubt she'll be going outside without six layers of clothes for a while, though.
She'll get used to it. I had to. And there's plenty of do inside...sometimes.
Maybe I'll take her to work with me some day, let her play in the snow. It can't hurt her there.
Me an' Slush's anniversary's coming up. No idea what to get him yet.
--Isto
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Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 8:07 pm
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:20 pm
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2006 10:31 pm
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