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 Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 9:24 pm
[sufficiency]
It was getting to the point where Raven couldn't go a week without getting some sort of note from D-Corp. Either she was needed for some sort of teacher's meeting that kept falling through, or Anoki's presence was requested at this class or that. It was getting rather tedious. Finally, when the next letter from D-Corp came, Raven let it sit on the table for a few days before finally opening it. "Well, this is interesting..."
Anoki raced into the room at nearly breakneck speed, followed by a small bundle of technicolor fluff and feathers that had been dubbed Harkaitz. The boy had chosen the name because it meant rock in some obscure language, and the gryphlet DID come from a rock. But he was starting to question his choice. It was rather difficult to pronouce.
"Anoki Kenelm, how many times must I tell you and that creature of yours to slow down?" Raven sighed, massaging her temples. She wasn't getting much rest these days.
As if sensing Raven's ill will, Harkaitz cheeped indignantly. He was not a creature! Pride wounded, he tottered over and rubbed against Anoki's legs, much like a cat.
"He's n-not a cr-creature, M-Mama Ray. H-he's a gr-gryphon." He'd had to look that bit of knowledge up, and was quite proud of the fact that he could now introduce his friend by name.
"Yes. Well... sit down, Anoki Kenelm. There's a letter for you." Arguing with the child was proving useless, and Raven was too tired to deal with any uneccesary actions. The sooner she got him out of her hair, the better.
That took Anoki by surprise. Rarely did he get any mail. Usually if there was anything that involved him, Raven would read the relevant parts aloud, and if a response was required, would write the reply herself. Curious, he took the letter and unfolded it, stumbling over a couple of the words, but getting the gist. "D-dragon s-soon?"
"Complete sentences, Anoki Kenelm." Really, did he ever listen to her? That was something Raven had been saying since Anoki had first come into her care. If he didn't listen when she was being nice, she would have to be less nice. "And yes, they expect your dragon to hatch soon. They want you to fill out the form, so please be quick about it." Meanwhile she could draft a response from herself, about his progress. Or lack thereof.
She was letting him answer by himself? That was new too. Still, Anoki didn't question it, for fear that Raven would change her mind and write it all herself. He wanted to show that he could do things without any help. Selecting the sky blue from his set of colored pencils, he frowned at the form.
What is your name?
Well, that was an easy one. They always seemed to start with the easy ones. His name was Anoki Kenelm, of course. Raven made him add Millner on the end of papers and such, for what she called "legal purposes," so he tacked that on the end. That looked okay. Long, but okay.
What kind of animal are you?/What is your DNA?
Another easy one. Anoki had grown up knowing exactly what he was- an ibex, of course. Sometimes Raven used fancier phrases, like "Nubian Ibex," or the even fancier "capra ibex nubiana," but for Anoki the word ibex was sufficient.
What can you do?
Well, that one was tougher. He could do a lot of things, after all. Like eat. But Anoki didn't think that was what the people were asking. They were probably asking things that he had learned to do. Like read and write. He scribbled that down quickly, then added "clean," since he'd had to learn that too. But those were all pretty boring tasks. He could climb too, and he'd had a class with the nice guy who was Ligeia's dad, so he added that on the end and left it at that. Four things was a lot after all!
What color is your egg? (You may color the picture above)
Anoki blinked in surprise and looked at the top of the form. Sure enough, there was a blank picture of an egg at the top, like in the coloring books he had. Grinning, he got out more of his pencils and crayons. This wasn't so bad after all.
Partway through her draft, Raven looked up to survey Anoki's progress. He seemed to have a good part of the form down, however he also seemed to have strayed from the task. "What are you coloring, Anoki Kenelm?"
Looking up innocently, Anoki replied "Egg. F- I m-mean, th-the f-form said t-to."
"Oh." Well, at least he was on task. That was an improvement. Raven watched him at his work for a few more moments, then frowned again. Something about what he was doing didn't look right. "Anoki Kenelm, are you coloring with your left hand?"
Which one was left? Anoki set down his crayon and looked at his hands, holding them palm out. The one that had been holding the crayon made an L, so that was his left hand. He nodded.
So it wasn't just her. "Were you writing with your left hand?"
He nodded again, not sure where this was going. Was he in trouble?
"Why?"
Anoki shrugged. "Dunno. It f-feels b-better that w-way."
"Why didn't you use that hand before?"
"C- I c-couldn't. B-because of th-the c-cast."
Raven cursed mentally. She should have remembered that. So the boy was left-handed naturally, by the look of things. No wonder his handwriting had been so atrocious before, when she'd made him practice again and again. Now it seemed he had passable, but not excellent handwriting with both hands. Perhaps he was even ambidextrous as a result.
"C-can I k-keep g-going?"
Almost saying yes, Raven caught herself. "Please work with your right hand for a while, Anoki Kenelm. I'd like to see."
Anoki shrugged again. It didn't really matter either way. The egg was done, down to the orange veins in it, so he went back to the written portion.
What does your egg like? (cold weather, hot, slime, ect)
The egg liked fire. Anoki didn't know what ect was, much more than slime, but he knew that it didn't like cold weather. So it had to like hot. He thought the word was different when you were talking about it like a thing, but the form said hot, so he did too.
The answers to the last questions were both "red," and with that Anoki was done. He looked up, to see Raven still watching him. "I-I'm d-done."
"I can see that. Let me see." Raven took the form and eyed it. "The non-adjectival form of hot is heat."
"The p-paper s-said hot," Anoki protested.
Then clearly whoever was doing D-Corp's paperwork was working without an editor. They spelled et cetera ect, for crying out loud. "Yes, well. I won't make you change it then, but remember. That's fine, you can go now."
Unsure, Anoki stayed put. He really didn't have anywhere important to go. Maybe if he stuck around, Mama Ray would read to him, or they could go to the park together.
"I have work to do, Anoki Kenelm. Take your gryphon and go to your room."
Anoki's shoulders slumped. He really wanted to do something fun, but he listened. Maybe Mama Ray would take him out later.
Raven watched him as he retreated into the depths of the apartment. Wearing a slightly odd expression, she pulled out a sheet of her good stationary and began to write.
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Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2006 10:39 pm
 Final Report, Secondary Stage
Anoki Kenelm continues to grow at a rather astonishing rate. His abilities, however, leave much to be desired. After months of daily work in reading, writing, and other such basic skills, Anoki is passable at them. He can now read simple books on his own, and write coherent paragraphs provided someone assists in his spelling. I have given him some preliminary arithmetic, which he is abysmal at. This leads me to want to give him more. In Anoki Kenelm's case, the only way he improves is with a near constant amount of work.
Fortunately age and experience have caused him to become less accident prone. I believe a large part of this was one particular experience, which left him with a broken wrist for several months. His cast was only removed a fortnight ago. While he is still curious and interested in the world, his enthusiasm has been rather dampened, fear having put a protective barrier on it. I believe this may be for the best, as before he was nearly self-destructive in his efforts to explore.
Socially Anoki Kenelm has met a number of other children. Due to constant instruction he is courteous and treats them with respect. He is still curious about them and asks a great many questions, some of which may verge on rude, but I doubt he knows better (despite my better efforts). Fortunately his fellow students don't seem to know any better either, so they rarely mind. Indeed, he still has a very group-oriented attitude when forced to open up.
Physically, Anoki Kenelm's left wrist has healed completely. It is still a touch sore and stiff from having held it in the same position for so long. He is currently wearing a bandage to support it, but I doubt that will be needed for long. It does not hinder his movement in any way. One surprising effect of his injury is the fact that he learned to write with his right hand. Recently I have learned that he is naturally left handed. He now has passable to good skills with both hands, causing me to wonder if he's amidextrous because of this. He is growing like a weed, as some would say, and becoming taller. In addition his horns seem to be growing again. I hope that they don't become too much of a burden from him- the Creator never intended humans to have to bear such a weight. Thankfully he has gotten over his fear of sharp objects enough to allow a haircut, but that was some time ago and it has grown out again. Anoki Kenelm seems to like it at this length. As long as it is cared for.
Mentally, Anoki Kenelm is rather guarded from experience, but quick to open up to those he trusts, or those he is interested in. He still stutters, though this has lessened slightly in severity. I indend to take some measures to help improve his speech further- many have recorded good results from using pyryte, but we shall see.
When he is not working, Anoki Kenelm enjoys being outside, whether it's in the park or the woods. I suppose he is what could be called the "outdoorsy type." This is reflected in the way he acts and dresses. Despite my reprimands he continues to run in the house as if it were a racetrack. In addition, he dresses not in the slacks and shirts I have procured for him, but in far more casual attire, regardless of situation. Anoki Kenelm tends to gravitate towards loose shorts and short-sleeved or sleeveless shirts, all with lots of pockets. He dislikes button-down shirts, which means anything he wears has to have a large neck (to fit over his head), and is generally a couple sizes too big. He will not wear shoes unless I put them on him myself. My associate, Mahou Runako, has taken to shopping for him. She recently picked up a pair of gloves without fingers, which she hopes will help support his wrist as well as help in his climbing. I think they look ridiculous, which means that Anoki Kenelm will adore them.
In regards to his dragon, Anoki Kenelm is excited and anxious. Having done some research, he has decided to name his future partner, regardless of gender, "Myung-Ki." It is a Korean name, meaning "to rise up shining," and is surprisingly appropriate. Less appropriate was his decision to redecorate part of his room in anticipation, a task that involved a good deal of time and resources. Hopefully the dragon will like it, or it will have all been for nothing. Anoki Kenelm has also procured a small ruby from one of his classes, which he is saving for the dragon.
In summation, Anoki Kenelm is energetic, active, and will learn when he is given ample work. I indend to start him on basic spellcasting soon, once I am confident he won't blow the house up. As well, when I have some free time, as being a full-time teacher, full-time "parent," and pursuing my own research is a definite drain. But indeed, he seems for the most part a normal child, if anything at this facility could be referred to as normal.
- Raven Millner
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:32 pm
[fragments]
Ever since Anoki had recieved the letter from D-Corp, he'd taken to checking in at the incubation facilities at least once a day. The workers took it differently; some were amused, others indifferent, and a few were even annoyed at his constant questioning. No, they didn't know exactly when the dragon was going to hatch, how could they? Anoki didn't mind any of this. He continued to stop in as often as he could, usually with more questions for the technicians.
"Is it t-time?" he asked for the twenty-seventh time, leaning his arms on the front desk. Fortunately the technician there didn't mind children, but she gently shooed him away. It would be time eventually.
And then, when Anoki was going in to ask for the forty-first time, a pair of workers hurried him into the back of the facility. There was the egg, the same brilliant red hue as it had been before, but with one noticable difference- there were long cracks running down it.
The cracks made Anoki let out a slight shriek, and he crept closer, only stopping when a tongue of flame lept up from the egg's nest. Another crack appeared, and a flake of shell fell off, revealing the darkness within. The next flame illuminated the egg's interior slightly, revealing red scales and one golden eye.
"C-c'mon," Anoki stammered, watching the egg. "You c-can d-do it."
Another two fragments of shell fell away, revealing more of the inside. A bone white horn butted the side, causing half of the shell to fall away, the rest crumbling further. In the center of the wreckage was a small red dragon with a golden underbelly and eyes, looking around inquisitively.
Anoki's breath caught. For several moments all he could do was stare at the baby in the fire, amazed. It really was a dragon, a living, breathing dragon. And it was his. "M-myung-Ki."
The red wyrmling cheeped. That name worked. And better yet, the voice that said it dripped with admiration and respect. He could get used to that.
Trembling fingers outstratched, Anoki reached forward and patted the wyrmling on his head. The scales were hot, but not painfully so, and he maintained the connection. "G-good."
Yes, he could definitely get used to that. Myung-Ki rubbed affectionately against the hand, until it touched a tender spot on his neck. Then he turned around and nipped the fingers lightly. It was lucky that his teeth were still young.
The wound hurt, but it was small and Anoki managed not to whimper.He wanted his dragon to think he was brave and powerful and worthy, all the things Raven kept trying to instill in him. "K-kay. You're st-still good."
Myung-Ki cheeped contentedly. Training this one would be child's play, and a good thing. After all, he had to start young!
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Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:12 pm
[jewel in the crown]
It was Myung-Ki who first noticed the glowing. And why not? The relic was his shiny, one of many that Anoki had given him, and as such was kept close at all times. Of course, it wasn't as special as the ruby that was his most treasured shiny, but it was still a shiny and entitled to protection. And it was kept close enough that the sudden light awoke the young dragon. He snorted crankily, then cast his eyes at the bed next to him. His "master" was still asleep, head supported by a small mountain of pillows. On the bed next to the slumbering boy was a small ball of fluff and fuzz. Myung-Ki glared at his nemesis briefly before deciding on a course of action. He tapped the relic with one claw, despite his doubts that it would help, and padded over to the bed. Without hesitation he inhaled, held his breath for a moment, and blew a stream of hot air across the head of the bed.
In his dream, Anoki was exploring a mountainous cavern. He skipped over rocks with ease, heading towards a mysterious light at the end of the tunnel. Voices around him whispered anxiously for him to turn back. Ignoring them, he squeezed through a space between two toweing stalagmites, topping a patch of especially uneven ground. The light dimmed unexpectedly, obscured by clouds of hot gray smoke. The air around him heated up painfully, and he choked on its aridity and thickness. Suddenly the scene wasn't so pleasant anymore. Anoki turned to run, but came face to face with a sheet of solid rock. The smog closed in, flooding out all traces of light, and with it all hope of escape. It was becoming hard to breathe, he couldn't last much longer-
Breathing heavily, Anoki sat up suddenly, scattering plushies and sheets. His eyes were wide open and his fists clenched with terror. But nothing was there. It was only his room as it should be, and the boy relaxed slightly. Still, it was obvious that something wasn't right. Myung-Ki wasn't there! A new wave of panic kicked in, and Anoki turned again, this time coming face to face with a red scaled snout. He let out a small cry of mixed surprise and relief, and put one hand to his mouth.
Myung-Ki snorted disdainfully. All that, and he was barely even noticed! Still, there were more important matters at hand, or rather at claw. Letting out a stream of draconic clicks and hisses, he waved around the glowing artifact that was clenched in his talons. Something was wrong with his shiny! And person had to fix it. Now.
Anoki took the relic from his dragon and examined it. As soon as he touched it he could feel a faint vibration, as if something inside the artifact was struggling, trying to get out. The formerly monochromatic surface was glowing with new colors that reminded Anoki of Christmas- half calming green, half deep red. With a clacking noise the shaking grew more vigorous, and Anoki dropped the object, a yell escaping him before he could contain it.
A light sleeper, Raven awoke instantly. She didn't need three guesses to figure out who had woken her. Scowling, she threw off the covers, pulled on a long velvet robe, and marched down the hall towards where her charge was supposed to be sleeping. Clearly he wasn't. "Anoki Kenelm, what is the meaning of this racket? It's-"
What exactly "it" was never got disclosed, nor was anyone really listening. The relic had captured all eyes with its jolting movements. It was shining more brightly than ever, and started to spin, slowly moving off the floor to hover a few inches in the air, which started to fizz with energy.
As soon as Raven felt that tingle of magical potential, she sprang into action. That silly boy was just sitting there, gawking. In her haste Raven knocked both him and his dragon over, but managed to get between them and the dangerous seeming artifact. That tone, she fished a clear stone out of her pocket, extending it in front of her, and with it drew a semicircle around the three of them. It was all she had time for. Hurriedly the sorceress drew a symbol in the air that briefly glowed gold, and braced for impact.
BOOM.
With a thunderous cracking sound and an intense burst of light, the relic shattered. Chips of red stone scattered in all directions with almost bullet-like force, and bounced harmlessly off the invisible shield Raven had erected. The rest simply disintegrated, falling to the floor in a light snow of green dust. The light faded, until the soft glow of sunrise through the window was all that illuminated the room. And in the center of the floor, two figures blinked at the woman, the boy, and the dragon.
They were both small, and vaguely humanoid.
They both had tails, and wing-like appendages.
They were both female, at least to the unknowing eye.
The differences ended there.
One was green-skinned, with a thick mane of curly white-green hair that tumbled past her thin shoulders, and a fluffy, horse-like tail. From her back, a pair of iridescent, fairy-like wings unfolded and beat slowly, as if testing the air. Emblazoned on her chest was a circular crest, familiar to any flower child, and indeed this girl resembled someone from that place in time. She smiled at the others, fuschia eyes radiating serenity.
The other was far from calm, and grinned savagely, showing a mouthful of sharp looking teeth. Her skin was a deep shade of russet red, with crimson markings on her arms and hands that eerily resembled bloodstains. There were appendages sprouting from her back as well, but these were much less dainty than the other girl's wings, and more difficult to identify. She had a thin tail as well, ending in a spray that appeared to be made of the same material as her "wings." A khaki belt pack was wrapped around her chest, which she hugged protectively, red eyes daring anyone to comment, approach, or even breathe.
For once Raven was rendered speechless. Her mouth opened and closed of its own accord, trying to make words that might explain what had happened. She knew Gaia was a strange place, and that bizarre circumstances were commonplace. She even knew that it was possible for life to emerge from seemingly surprising sources, inanimate objects even; as a sorceress it was a concept she worked with daily. What she did NOT know was that the seemingly unimportant trinket contained life. If she had known that, she would have reclaimed the relic immediately, after Anoki took it from her. It it was pure life that had been stored and exploded, it was horribly wasted. But if the energy was still there...
Raven looked at the object in her hand. It was a quartz crystal, which she had used to power her shield. Examining it, she saw that the inside of the crystal was now blood red, and its surface glimmered with a pearly green sheen. Somehow, Raven thought, it absorbed the energy of the blast. "Interesting."
"Wh-what happened?" Anoki was shocked, but not as shocked as he might have been. After all, he was the partner of a dragon, and lived in a house with an elf and a sorceress. The relic starting to glow was a bit unsettling, but now that the danger had seemingly passed, he was more at ease. After all, if Raven was relaxed, he could be too. And in Anoki's mind, anything, even this, was possible.
What happened? Raven wasn't sure of that herself, but couldn't admit that. Instead she took one step forward and put a hand on each girl's shoulder, ignoring the looks of bemusement and innocence her action yielded. "These two are my new subjects," she announced. "Let's get to work."
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:30 pm
[A Stroller in the Park (Perilas and Nibal) can be found here.]
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Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:32 pm
[Meeting Over Ice Cream (Kumoru and Donat) can be found here.]
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:24 pm
[sibling rivalry]
Anoki often had his nose in a book. With Raven always on his back to study, and never satisfied no matter how hard he worked, it was a fact of life that if he didn't have anything important to do, he should be studying. He didn't even mind it anymore. It was interesting to learn new things, exhilerating to perfect a skill, and if things got too intense, he was finally old enough to take Myung-Ki and leave for a while. Knowing that he could do that, having his nose in books wasn't so bad.
This time, however, it actually hurt.
"Ow" he yelped, quickly forcing the hands that had closed his book closed on his face open again, and letting the book drop into his lap. Wincing visibly, he rubbed his nose tenderly. "That hurt."
"Then you should have listened to me!" One of his new "sisters," who had somehow acquired the name Bian, stuck her tongue out at him and ran behind the chair. "Play play play PLAY NOW NOW NOW."
Closer to Anoki was his other new sister, who had been dubbed Isvara. She looked up at the ibex with concern, trying to ignore her twin's antics. "Are you okay, 'No-ki? Can I kiss it better?"
"No. N-no!" Blushing, Anoki scooted his chair back. At least Isvara was nice and didn't try to bite his nose off, or pick fights with Myung-Ki. But she insisted on being close to him all the time, and hugging and kissing and playing games and all sorts of fun things. And while she seemed to thoroughly enjoy things, and meant them in good spirits, such behavior was almost suffocating.
Then again, he had to prefer it to Bian's endless violence and destruction. She'd torn apart his favorite pillows, cracked one of the Easter eggs he'd gotten from Mahou, and left a fair share of battle scars on each of his limbs. That was enough to make Anoki want to move out, with nobody but his irritable dragon for company.
The only thing that kept him going was that when Isvara wasn't snuggling up to him, and Bian wasn't scratching his face, the two kept each other busy. Anoki was surprised that they both had hair left.
"Why do you have to be all mushy?" Bian demanded, putting her hands on her lips. The boy was a fraidy cat, an idiot, but bigger than she was, and she needed to show her superiority if she was going to win. And then Izzy had to go and be all sweet and cute and wreck all her work. It was sickening.
Standing in front of Anoki- she couldn't let him get hurt again, after all- Isvara shook her head. "I'm not being mushy," she whined. "I just want to make it better. Can't we play nice, Bee?" That was all she asked. She didn't want Bian to give up her mock battles, because they gave her sister pleasure. But she didn't have to act every single one of them out. That got other people hurt, and Isvara couldn't tolerate that.
"Are too," Bian said, voice escalating. "Are too ARE TOO!" Her hands balled into fists at her sides, and her eyes burned with rage. Just looking at Issy was enough to make her mad. Anoki was forgotten in favor of the new, and more attractive target. It was time to strike, while the iron, and her temper, were both hot. "And I'm sick of you getting in my way!"
Isvara felt Anoki move behind her, but she shoved him back into his seat. She was the target this time, and if Bee took her anger out on somebody who wouldn't fight, she might not have to take it out on anyone else. That somebody[/color:efa750
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:19 pm
Wednesday January 31st 2007
There are girls living with us now for a few months. Mama Ray said they came from an artifak artifact, and that she is going to study them. I don't know how she can do this because they are not books. One of them is green and called Isvara and likes to hug things. The other is red and called Bian and likes to hit things. They fight a lot. And when I get in the middle, it hurts.
My dragon Myung-Ki likes the things I give him. But sometimes I think he just like the things and not me. I want him to like me. I want people to like me. But I just keep messing up. Kiyu says that's okay and that I'm still learning, but I still get disk discorag discouraged. Kiyu says that has courage in it and that my courage will come out soon. I don't know if she's right.
Anoki Kenelm
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Posted: Fri Feb 02, 2007 5:20 pm
[Augh, use the laser guns! (Etain and Watson) can be found here.]
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Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:52 pm
Quote:
Dearest Sord,
It has been far too long since your last letter. I am pleased to hear that your students are doing well. However, if they require so much of your attention that you cannot take time enough to visit, I feel that they are not doing well enough. It is my job to teach, and your job to research, and while these two jobs often intertwine, it seems that they are switching outright.
I have taken on two new research subjects. Three, if you count the dual nature of one. That one was entirely by chance, however if one believed in fate, this would be a most appropriate time to apply that faith. What I believed to be a simple relic turned out to store an incredible lifeforce, so powerful that it shattered from the power, and produced two strange children. They are of conflicting natures and often fight, but their properties are fascinating and so I forgive them their strange habits. The more mellow one, Isvara, almost looks like a fae or a dryad, and is appallingly clingy and loving. The fiercer one, Bian, seems to embody the spirit of a warrior, and is constantly fighting. The two are never satisfied, and it is impossible to please them both. Fortunately, that is never a necessity.
I leave Kiyu and Anoki Kenelm to deal with them most of the time. Anoki Kenelm now has his dragon, a red named Myung-Ki, and the two are still feeling each other out. The dragon also has an annoying tendency to abscond with my valuables when he thinks I'm not looking. This has lead me to put a spell, alerting me when my rooms are tampered with. Anoki Kenelm continues to be a lackluster student, and while he has finally caught up to his age level, there is no subject in which he stands out. I continue to teach him, in hopes of discovering some sort of talent within the shell of a child, but find nothing. All he appears good for is tripping over nothing, and keeping the dragon in line, to a degree. He has even become moderately rebellious, and I am not sure I can trust him with my secrets anymore. This is bothersome, as I have just added another secret which I may need assistance with.
D-Corp, as you know, is a merciless organization not above blackmail, murder, and hiring less than scrupulous sorceresses to curse their enemies. This last proved to be amusing, but I worry that their allegiance may sway. In an attempt to protect myself- and moreover, to further my research- I have found another facility and gained a position there. Called the Vale of Earth Laboratories, they claim to be researching botany in relation to Yggdrasil, the World Tree. Such a fascinating possibility cannot be overlooked. As such, I have become an "observer," and much like the name suggests, observe one of the specimens. Based off of a White Clover, I was given the task of naming her, and decided upon Eirinn. It felt fitting, somehow. Their research is quite secret, however- all the more reason for me to participate myself- and I cannot disclose more, in case this letter is intercepted. Which it won't be, of course, but rules are rules.
In any case, Sord, I do hope that you can pay us a visit. While Gaia is nothing like home, it is not an unreasonable place to visit, though I would not want to live there. Sadly, one has no choice in these matters while they are on a mission. I pray my research, like yours, proceeds swiftly, and that I can return to you soon.
Please write back soon.
Love always,
Raven
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Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 3:48 pm
[interlude]
For once, Raven wasn't involved in research. She had left Eirinn at the Vale Laboratories, in the care of a somewhat reliable babysitter, and rushed back to D-Corp to teach a class. Now that it was finally over, she was loathe to go back and spend another long night watching over nothing but experiments that tried to pull her hair, or goad her into telling stories.
Normally, she would have barricaded herself in her workroom and worked on polishing the antiques. There were plenty that needed it, and the activity was a commonly used de-stresser, the monotonous, brainless motions giving Raven time to get her mind back under control. Yet the door to the workroom was locked from the outside, and no sounds could be heard from the interior.
Instead, she was flopped on the couch, hair and limbs splayed every-which-way. She wasn't asleep, nor was she entirely conscious. Instead, her mind drifted along at random, touching on thoughts of little or no importance, as those were the only ones she could handle for the time being. For once, Raven was so physically and mentally exhausted that she didn't have enough energy to care if anyone saw her looking vulnerable.
As that unusually complex thought wandered through Raven's brain, the door to the apartment opened. Stashing the key in her pocket, Mahou dragged a bag of groceries just inside, and wiped a bit of sweat off her forehead. It was then that she noticed Raven on the couch, and frowned. Something wasn't right.
Before Mahou could reflect on what might be wrong with Raven, she was pushed forward by a streak of red. "Move," Bian said angrily. Once she was comfortably inside, she pulled off her shoes and threw them across the room. "It's too hot out there!"
"I thought it was nice," Isvara commented serenely, almost dancing into the room through the path that Bian had cleared. "The flowers are so pretty in summer, Bee!" So pretty, in fact, that Isvara had picked several along the way. Choosing a scraggly daisy from her makeshift boquet, she presented it to Raven proudly.
Raven didn't even reply, though she did take the flower and look at it curiously, holding it up to the light. What was that thing supposed to be? For some reason she was having trouble forming the words, though her mouth seemed to be trying for her.
"Girls," Mahou said sweetly, "would you please go to your room? I need to talk with your Mama Ray."
Ready to protest, Bian looked for something to throw. Unfortunately, she had already thrown her shoes. Grumbling to herself, she crawled across the room and retrieved one of them, which she shook for a moment before aiming it at Raven.
Before she could throw the shoe, Anoki came in from outside, dropping a pair of shopping bags and picking up Bian instead. "C-come on," he said quickly, ignoring the screams and kicking of the red girl. He didn't want anyone to be in the way when Mama Ray got mad- and it seemed that she would- so he was quickly herding both girls away.
"Thank you, Anoki." Mahou did something she didn't often do, and locked the girls in their room. Usually that caused more trouble than it saved, but this was one of those times that she was going to risk it. She didn't have to motion twice to get Anoki and Myung-Ki into their room, though the dragon did not go quietly. They were old enough to know to stay put, so once that was done she pocketed the keys and went to sit on the end of the couch.
Raven had barely moved. Her hand had flopped onto her chest weakly, still holding the daisy in a loose grip. Her green eyes were open, but they were glazed over, as if she was barely conscious. If she hadn't been breathing, it might have almost looked like she was dead.
Instead of looking worried, Mahou just rolled her eyes. "Is all of this really necessary, Ray? It isn't as though I don't know what the problem is; I do. So do you. And you know what you have to do to fix it."
If anyone else had spoken to Raven that way, they likely would have found a smoking hole in their chest, energy drain or no. The fact that Raven just groaned and dragged herself into a sitting position spoke more about their relationship than any words could. "This is the worst possible time for me to go on leave," she muttered. "The Vale project is still sensitive, and the Aduthule research was near a breakthrough. Besides which, the classes I have won't teach themselves. And-"
"And none of that will happen anyway, if you don't take care of yourself. Really, Ray, you should know better by now," Mahou scolded. She was there to make her mistress's life easier, and she felt that she did a pretty good job of it most of the time. But she wasn't a miracle worker, and she couldn't do everything by herself, even if she wanted to. Which she didn't, really. She wanted Raven to be able to stand on her own two feet, if only so that her lady could say that she could.
Anoki knew well enough to stay in his room. But he also knew that he wanted to hear what they were talking about, so he'd put his ear right up against the door. It was a task made more difficult by the placement of his horns, but he managed to hear most of what was said- and he didn't like what he heard. Was she sick? Was something bad going to happen?
Raven shook her head sluggishly. "There isn't time, not now. If I can make it a bit longer... at the end of the month, I'll request a leave. Until then, I just have to make it." She took a deep breath, then lifted her head, appearing for the world like she was not only fine, but willing to get in everyone's face to prove it. "Or do you have an objection, Mahou?"
She was full of objections, but none that Raven would listen to. "Very well, my lady," Mahou sighed. "I will not argue with you anymore." Mostly because she knew it only tired the both of them out, which just made matters worse.
When the talk turned to that of the grocery shopping, Anoki pulled away from the door and flopped on his bed. "Something's wr-wrong with Mama Ray," he muttered to himself. It was so obvious, just from the way she had been behaving when they got home. The conversation he'd overheard only reinforced it. Maybe she was sick, and just not saying. Or maybe there was something else going on. But whatever it was, he had to help her, or she might get even worse.
"H-hear that, Myung-Ki?" he asked. The dragon was snoozing in its spot by the window, but Anoki spoke anyway. "We're gonna t-take care of Mama R-ray, okay?" And then, maybe, she wouldn't be so mad at him. It was a perfect plan! Wasn't it?
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:13 pm
[check-in]
It had taken three months for Raven to request a vacation, and another month for D-Corp to actually grant her one. Which meant four months of her slogging through life, working at maybe 50%, teaching classes without knowing what was going on, slacking on her research projects, not really caring about the world. Some people who didn't know her would have said there was no difference between that and her normal behavior. But Mahou and Anoki noticed, and they worried about her constantly.
Near the end of October, she finally got her break. It was her intention to spend a couple of days in Durem, browsing the antique shops and relaxing and squaring things away with her other job, before heading home for some quality rest and relaxation. Unfortunately for her, what was supposed to be R&R was interrupted by Halloween. What was normally a productive ritual day for her became overrun by leeches, and somehow she wound up right in the middle of it. It was not a fun time, all in all.
In spite of- or perhaps because of her less than restful time in Durem- Raven's vacation became prolonged. She was spending time off-world, which she had planned to do anyway. Rumor had it that she was in a recovery ward for something that had happened on Halloween night. Another rumor said that she was visiting an insane relative in an asylum. Whatever the case, she had summoned the children to stay with her. Eirinn needed constant supervision, something that could only be provided if she was in the viscinity. Anoki Kenelm needed his own recovery, from a frightening incident involving dragons that he had been summoned to. And Isvara and Bian simply could not be sent anyplace else.
In the middle of December, they returned.
Anoki shivered. He didn't especially like the cold, and where they had been staying, it wasn't nearly as bad as this. He needed to dig up some warmer clothes, and maybe a pair of earmuffs, since the hat someone had lent him didn't do much. At least his hands were warm, since Isvara was holding one, and Bian the other.
It felt weird, to have been away and then come back like this. He knew it was his home, but the sense of relief he should have had at arriving there never came. There was only anxiety. Would his friends still remember him? Would his teachers be mad that he missed classes? He'd been excused, but there was a lot of work to catch up on. Would it still feel like home, once he settled back in?
"Are you fretting again, Anoki?" Mahou asked. Her voice was soft, but rang out clear in the cold night. The cold seemed to bother her less, since she was wearing just a long coat over her normal short skirt and boots, and didn't shiver. She was carrying a small child with green hair, who looked at the building before them with wide eyes.
Eirinn had never seen D-Corp before. Raven and Mahou had argued about the wisdom of bringing her there, considering the fact that D-Corp had eyes everywhere. Finally they agreed that if she was wearing a charmed coat, and kept inside the apartment or at the lab at all times, it would be safe. The coat was yellow, recently discovered to be one of Eirinn's favorite colors, and was spelled to prevent any scrying about her origins. She didn't know any of this, of course. For her, the past month had been a blur of new adventures, and the weeks to come promised to be the same.
Isvara and Bian were quiet, Mahou noted. This was not out of any personal growth, but a silencer Raven had forced to put on them before leaving. It would wear off in another hour or so, but in the meantime it meant that they didn't spoil the scene of their arrival, which the elf felt was a nice touch.
"We're home," she murmured softly, feeling that someone had to say it.
"Yes, well." Raven was bundled up from head to toe in her longest skirts and warmest sweaters, along with a pair of boots and a lace-trimmed black scarf she had bought back home. She was even wearing a pair of goggles, which kept the sharp wintry wind out of her eyes. She pushed them up just a bit, looking at the building, and then let them slide down again. "It will do. Come now, I don't want to freeze out here."
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Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:30 pm
[Reserved- Secret Santa Shopping (coming after the big reveal)]
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2007 12:10 pm
The package that held the gift was a small, square shaped box wrapped with red and green wrapping paper. Within was a pendant on the end of a long leather cord to be worn around the neck. The pendant was a very intricate pattern called a Celtic Knot and made completely in strong metal. Along with it came a card that read, 'Have a Very Happy Holiday and a Wonderful New Year'.
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Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:55 pm
[the gift of light]
Christmas in Apartment #5 was relatively quiet, all things considered. Everyone was still a bit tired, and getting used to the way things were supposed to be. The twins had ripped open their gifts- two board games and new dresses for each of them- and taken them into their room to play. Eirinn had gotten Anoki's old books and forgotten toys, as well as a dress of her own. She had cooed and giggled, and then been swept away by Raven, back to the laboratory she lived at. Raven brushed away the gifts that she recieved, saying that the greatest gift would be quiet, and only her workroom and the laboratory had that. Besides, she had work to catch up on, and true innovators didn't take holidays.
Anoki was sure that inventors did take holidays, but he didn't say so. He wasn't feeling the Christmas spirit much himself. His birthday had been earlier in the month, and for the most part, it had been ignored. Oh sure, there was cake, and Mahou gave him a gold ring that Myung-Ki soon took for himself, but nothing made him feel special. It was the same with Christmas. He'd gotten yet more books, most of which looked boring, and a pair of oven mitts for handling some of the things Myung-Ki was learning to torch. Dresses weren't generally part of his wardrobe, but there was a nice quilt for him instead. All fine, practical gifts... but nothing that he could have fun with. In fact, Anoki almost felt like they were bought by someone who didn't know him. His favorite color wasn't even red, for crying out loud, it was blue! Myung-Ki was the one who liked red, and the one who most of those gifts seemed to be meant for. There wasn't anything that was solely for him, nothing that he could really enjoy.
Once Raven was gone, Anoki sighed and opened one of his new books. It was a magic book, very thickly worded, and filled with information about elemental spells. He could instantly see who had picked it. He could even see why. But that didn't make him feel any better.
"Anoki?" Mahou looked over her charge's shoulder, and blinked in surprise. "It's not like you to study on your own. Come on, it's Christmas... you should be off having fun!" After all, the twins were playing Snakes and Ladders (if rather noisily), and Raven was off doing what fell under her skewed definition of fun. Mahou was ready to curl up with some hot apple cider and a fashion magazine, but she couldn't unless she knew everyone else was taken care of.
If that was meant to encourage him, it didn't do the trick. Anoki just shrugged and listlessly turned a page in his book. "N-nothing to do," he muttered. Everyone else had lives, but his seemed to have stopped sometime in the past couple of months, and he felt like he was being left behind.
This didn't look good. Mahou frowned, but then her face lit up. "Oh, Anoki, what about your Secret Santa? Aren't the gifts in the lobby? You should go see what your Santa got for you!"
It was a promising idea, but Anoki didn't look too excited as he shut the book and got up. He doubted his Secret Santa knew who he was- or worse, maybe he knew but didn't remember. In any event, it would probably be something else that he didn't really care about. But he had to go look, he supposed.
He ended up leaving Myung-Ki in the apartment. The dragon was stubborn, but Anoki was learning to be just as stubborn. He couldn't risk an errant fireball setting the tree on fire. And it was a nice tree too, with all sorts of shiny ornaments. The space under it was mostly empty, since he was coming in the afternoon, and most of the presents had been picked up already. He could see bits of wrapping paper though, evidence of what had once been there, waiting to be opened.
The sight was an encouraging one, and Anoki was soon on his knees, hunting for his present. But he couldn't find one. There were still packages left, but none had his name on the tags. That didn't make any sense. Everyone who participated had to get a gift. Unless his Secret Santa had... forgotten him?
"No!" Anoki shouted, letting his head fall back against the Christmas tree. That was a bad move, he later realized. His horns wound around the thick branches, and in a moment he couldn't move without threatening to topple the entire tree. If that happened, he knew Raven would never let him live it down.
It seemed like once again, he'd been stupid. He'd been stupid to think he could go away, and have things be the same when he got back. He'd been stupid to think that he could change who he was. And apparently, he'd been stupid to believe that his Secret Santa would leave him something!
"Well, n-no more!" he said forcefully. "I'm done b-being stupid." And with that, he forcefully yanked his head away from the tree, sending pine needles and ornaments flying everywhere. For a moment he looked apologetic, but then a determined expression crossed his features. Why should he be sorry for something he didn't do?
As he looked away from the mess he'd made, something colorful caught his eye. It was a tiny square box, wrapped in red and green wrapping paper. Anoki's heart clenched, but it wasn't until he saw his name on it did he let himself think it was his. His fumbling fingers carefully peeled the paper off, letting the taped-on card drop away for the moment. He didn't want to tear the wrapping, but he was so curious to see what was inside!
Once the gift was open, he spent several long moments examining it. Of all the things he might have expected to get, jewelry was probably last on his list. It was another one of those things that was more his dragon's style than his. But while Myung-Ki liked gold and jewels and delicate things, this was made from a stong, heavy metal. Maybe iron, or pewter. The design was intricate and not one that Anoki recognized, but it was sturdy and felt solid in his hand. And the leather cord was ridiculously long. That might have even been the best part, since it meant that he could actually slip it over his head- which he did, right then and there. The long cord meant that the pendant hung nearly at his stomach, but Anoki didn't care.
There was no way of telling who his Secret Santa was. Still, whoever it was must have at least known a little about him. Enough to give him something sturdy, something that Myung-Ki couldn't break. Enough to give him a long cord, so long that it actually fit over his head. But there was one thing that made it even better. The gift, beautiful as it was, wasn't practical. There would be no one expecting him to make good use of it. It was just something nice for him to enjoy... and at that moment, that was exactly what he needed.
There was a card too, he remembered. It was plain, but the words were enough to send his spirits soaring. 'Have a Very Happy Holiday and a Wonderful New Year.' Even if the person was just saying that, the wish for him to be happy- not successful, not useful, but HAPPY- was the best gift of all. And if little things like that could still cheer him up, why would he want things to change?
"M-merry Christmas," he murmured to no one in particular, stroking the pendant with one hand. There were still some things that needed to change, especially when it came to him, but maybe not as much as he thought. There were still good people out there, he just had to find them! And he would. And he'd be better too, for everyone. And...
It was a little early to start thinking about New Year's Resolutions, but Anoki's mind was buzzing. This would be great!
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