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 Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:53 am
euphoric Monday, July 26, 2004 Journal, I think that the transformation is nearing completion. Call it a hunch, but I doubt that the relic would be pulsating so vividly with such strong magic if the process was far from over. I hope it is nearing completion, anyway. Not only am I anxious to see Kikuei again, but I still cannot help but wonder just how tiring the spells taking place must be. I feel awfully worried about him; I'm just keeping my fingers crossed for now. Until next time, Euph
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:54 am
euphoric Tuesday, July 27, 2004 Journal, I still have not seen even a slight bit of movement from Kikuei inside the relic. Is this dormant state of his normal, or am I worrying far too much again? Meanwhile, the pulsations from the relic seem only to glow stronger. The fact that this entire transformation is even taking place is absolutely amazing. I still cannot get over it. If only I could ditch my anxiety, I think that things would be that much easier. Well, writing in this journal does bring me comfort, I suppose. It helps me to organize my thoughts during moments when they are least able to be collected. That would be a help to anyone, I believe. What should I expect when he finally does emerge? I really am nervous about all of this. More later, Euph
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:56 am
euphoric Thursday, July 29, 2004 Journal, Not much has changed since I last wrote. She shook her head and paused, finding herself unable to concentrate on the entry she had started to write. It seemed to her that an awful lot of commotion was going on somewhere nearby, on another shelf, perhaps. That was strange. Things had been quite quiet for a few days, save for the flashing relics, of course, and she had assumed that most were anxiously watching over their transforming friends. She herself had been keeping a close eye on her own charge (while working in her journal, of course) when she first saw the glittering rays thrown out from an immense light and felt a sort of shuddering. How very peculiar. This light, these tremors seemed even stronger than the noticeable signs her spirit's relic was emitting. She put the diary aside. Something was not as it normally was. She could tell that much, even if she was not particularly keen on realizing exactly what could be occurring. Curiosity kills the cat, however, and she was no exception. She had been silently wiggling her way to the edge of the shelf in an effort to get a better look when she was struck with a vision, something like a movie playing out in her mind. This was not the first time a vision had been conjured without her having expected such, and previously, it had signified an event of great importance. Something was happening, alright. Completely distracted now from trying to get a better view of the actual experience, she sat back, staring raptly ahead at seemingly nothing, but really watching the scene play out in her mind. She did not know that all of the tree's visitors were currently observing this spectacular event at the same time, but it did not matter. Her attention was caught. She could see the lights swirling, growing increasingly brighter, brighter, until even she had to close her eyes. When she finally was able to open them, there was much more to see. La Karasu~ As your vision clears, you see a frazzled Rasu, her pupils mere pinpricks. She puts a hand to her face, rubbing her eyes to clear the phantom images from her sight. Rasu crawls forward, tears already slipping unheeded down her chin. "Are you.. okay" she says in barely a whisper. The child looks up, its bright blue eyes fixing on Rasu. It slowly uncurls, its motions awkward, and sits with its knees pulled to its chest. The ieldi regards her friend of many weeks with a calculating, and somewhat frightened gaze.  The girl watching all of this from her relatively quiet shelf could only gasp, gasp at the sheer beauty of the small, frightened child. "My God," she whispered softly, surprised to feel her voice beginning to catch in her throat. This was absolutely amazing, incredible, and beautiful. Somehow, even generous adjectives failed to fully describe what she had the privilege of watching. La Karasu~ Rasu crawls closer. "Do you remember me," she asks the now trembling ieldi girl. The ieldi nods slightly, her eyes now brimming with tears. "Then.. you know you.. can trust me..?" Rasu asks in a shakey voice. The ieldi's brow furrows for a second before she nods a second time. A moment of silence follows before the child whimpers and crawls forward to fling her arms around Karasu, weeping into the woman's shoulder. At this touching moment, the vision began to fade. She felt almost sorry, for she had never seen something so beautiful, but at the same time, her own amazement and wonder had made her feel as though she had just run a very long, taxing race. She felt positively winded, but she had not even left the shelf. La Karasu~ A small echo, so quiet you wonder if you even heard it.. Rasu's voice, "Your name.. is Imriel" With that final, whispered statement, the vision in her mind faded completely, leaving her shaking on the shelf. If she was acting like this after watching a vision of another rebirth, how would she cope with her own? She took a deep breath and began to pull herself together, now staring back inside the opening of her own relic as she sat across from it, the image of the gorgeous Imriel never seeming to leave her mind.
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 10:58 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:00 am
euphoric Youkochylde Chronos stepped into the main room of the headquarters, nodding softly to those around him. The magic had drawn him here this night, and it was almost as if it called to him. Something was afoot... Chronos nodded to Felix, smiling softly to the Kyun as he paced to the far end of the building. He didn't quite seem to be able to sit still right now, his gaze flicking around as he tried to pinpoint the cause of the disturbance. euphoric She leaned over the shelf just in time to watch one of the Pantheon enter the headquarters. Hmmm. Was something going to happen? Shifting back so that she wouldn't fall right off of the shelf, she sat and absent-mindedly began to doodle in her journal, occasionally throwing glances at her relic and down at headquarters, quite curious. Youkochylde "Hello," replied Chronos, tilting his head to the side slightly to watch the dazed man. His attention was pulled away once more, however, and he anrrowed his eyes as he glanced up. "So there it is...." He walked towards the wall then, bringing up one hand and passing it over the carved wood, a scene coming into play as it appeared against the wall itself. It was Karma, sitting near her relic, and hte relic itself was gleaming... almost as if it were glowing from within with a pulsing magic that was quickly becoming visible. karma_k The spirit inside of the relic began to shudder as it dawned on Karma that the reason the disturbance had felt so intense this time was because it had been happening right in front of her. Feeling suddenly helpless, she debated running down the tree for help...but... "No...!" she hissed at herself, forcing herself back up the ladder onto the shelf. She could do this...she HAD to do this. ....but how? O_o;;; A cocoon of brilliant light began to swarm around the relic, painting its moss-colored surface in brilliant pastels euphoric Enough was enough, she just had to go take a peek. She bit her lip slightly, chanced a last glance at her relic, and finally decided to make her way to headquarters, resisting the strong urge to stay and sit around like an overly anxious, nervous wreck. She wandered inside and slipped away from the door, apparently arriving just in time to watch Chronos conjure a vision upon a nearby wall. "Another rebirth?" She mumbled in quiet awe, watching the scene unfolding raptly and suddenly losing all consciousness of her surroundings, eyes fixed upon the wall. Youkochylde In the vision of the Ieldi's shelf, ribbons of magic could be seen nearly pouring from the opening, the spirit itself not visible through the brightly coloured rays. Chronos smiled softly, his eyes softening as he focused on the relic itself, bringing it into full view against the wall. karma_k Karma edged as near to the relic as she dared as it thrummed and rattled madly on the shelf, the light slowly intensifying. Should she try talking to it...? Could it even hear her, given all that was happening? "I--Its all right, I'm still here, friend..." she heard herself say, though her voice was all but lost in the energy eminating from the shelf. She couldn't even -see- the spirit anymore. The entire relic was becoming a nova of brilliant light that, though not blinding, was beginning to make her eyes water. Youkochylde Runes began to circle the relic in an ever-increasing swirl of light, colour and patterns. Chronos himself had to narrow his eyes against the light, one hand coming up to shield his eyes as he kept hte vision going. "Soon, little one... very, very soon," he whispered, smiling at the relic and watching intently. This one was eager to emerge... as well all of them, he wagered. euphoric The light was dazzling, but she soon found that she was involuntarily beginning to shut her eyes from the rays resonating from the vision of the relic. Used to the soft glow of dim light she experienced most of the time upon her shelf, this was certainly a drastic change. karma_k Karma's stomach was a coil of tight dread. She felt like she was supposed to be doing something, yet could think of nothing except to sit by helplessly as the transformation took place. From what she'd seen yesterday, Rasu hadn't been much better off...given how collected and calm she'd known her to be about all of the strange happenings in Kyendi that had left others slackjawed, that spoke volumes for how intense something like this truly was. As runes emerged and swept across the relic, Karma felt her hair begin to tousel from a breeze that came from an unseen source, having to squint to see. Much more of this, and she wouldn't be able to see -anything-...! Youkochylde Chronos heard Karasu enter into the Headquarters, but didn't turn to face her. Instead, he was more intent on the vision he was showing the others, his gaze locked to the relic as the magic threatened to overwhelm it. Soon... it would happen soon. euphoric She continuously tried to sneak glances from between her fingers, wishing to watch the vision above all else but not wanting to risk permanent damage to her retinas at the same time. Squinting, she waited, eager to see another of the beautiful Ieldi children emerge. karma_k The shelf rattled so hard Karma's teeth began to chatter together and she felt the shelf bounce a bit beneath her. The once-relic had become a sun of light and color that made her avert her eyes from it, shielding her face with one arm. How much more violent was this going to get...?? As though in answer to her question, the relic punctuated its long sentence of vibrating with a loud splintering clatter and the light, which had been blinding before, seemed to overtake the entire tree with its brightness and force. For the second time that week, Karma felt her vision robbed from her in the resulting blast as she was thrown backwards, scrabbling for purchase on the wood of the shelf. For a brief second, she felt herself flailing only at blank air before catching the edge of her shelf with her wildly-flailing hands, hanging there a moment and trembling all over. Above her the commotion raged for a second more, and then seemed to die all at once. There was now silence. Swallowing hard, she began to hoist herself back up... Youkochylde Chronos grinned, his head falling back slightly as he laughed, the light fading from the vision until a small figure could be seen. Small and frail-looking, the slight form was curled up against the still-intact relic, one hand clinging to the branch near the entrance. "Welcome, little one," Chronos said softly, knowing that neither Karma nor the little Ieldi would hear him. "Welcome to your new world."  euphoric The light had been powerful before, but Euph was forced to turn away completely from the vision as it reached its blinding peak. Shortly thereafter, she became aware of a calm, and she curiously but somewhat hesitantly opened her eyes and stole another glance at the scene playing out upon the wall. When her eyes had adjusted enough to allow her to see once more, she gave a quiet gasp upon seeing the second Ieldi child. Beautiful, just as the first, though she had expected nothing else. Once again, she found herself rather dumbstruck, staring at the vision upon the wall in awe, suddenly deprived of her intelligence and ability to speak. Goodness only knows how she would survive this when it happened to her. karma_k Karma winced with the effort of wriggling back onto the edge of the shelf where she lay for a moment, gathering herself and panting before turning her head to see that the relic was gone....in its place was a smoldering jagged heap. Feeling a sudden grip of panic, she forced herself to her hands and knees and crawled hurriedly toward it, only to stop short at the tiny white infant inside, her wings curled about her, and glowing yellow runes on her skin. For a moment, Karma could say nothing....and then gently cleared her throat. "Are you hurt...?" she asked hesitantly, unsure if she should touch the little ieldi. The child slowly lifted its head, its amber eyes swimming in tears as it trembled and whimpered. The two regarded one another in silence for a long moment and then, hitching a sob, the little girl began to cry. The last of her worry being lost in a wash of maternal instincts, Karma reached for the little girl, taking her gently in her arms. "Shhhh...." she comforted, despite the fact that she herself was still shaking like a leaf. "Its all right....its over now, you're safe. I'm going to take care of you, little one..." The ieldi girl said nothing but clung to her tighter....as tightly as her vulnerable state would allow her, anyway. They stayed that way for nearly ten minutes, the baby ieldi sobbing softly, and Karma smoothing her hair and speaking to her quietly. When, at long last, her sobbing quieted to occasional hiccups and whimpers, Karma drew back a bit to look into her eyes. "Your name is Safrinni." she whispered. The little ieldi goggled up at her, blinking owlishly and cluelessly, though there was a flicker of comprehension in her eyes. At length, she simply collapsed against Karma once more, shaking with exhaustion and fear as her new mother wrapped her carefully in her jacket. Youkochylde Chronos smiled, letting the vision fade as his hands fell to his sides once more. The new child and mother deserved thier privacy, and he felt that h is 'duty' was now finished regarding the showing of her birth. "I'll have to go and see them," he whispered, facing from view as silently as he'd arrived. euphoric Who knew how she even managed to snap out of her awe long enough to watch the bond between Karma and Safrinni already beginning to form, but she smiled as she did. It also seemed to jog her memory a bit, and she suddenly remembered that she should return to her own shelf; she wanted to watch her sleeping friend, even if she could not do too much for the spirit at this time. With a final glance around the headquarters, she took her quiet leave and made her way back up to her shelf, eager to record the exciting happenings of the evening in her journal.
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:03 am
euphoric Friday, July 30, 2004 Journal, I had the immense honor of watching another rebirth tonight! This time, Karma's Ieldi was the one to emerge, a beautiful girl christened Safrinni. With the arrival of the second child come and gone, I only grow more anxious to see Kikuei. Of course, I'm also nervous as can be, but that's another story entirely. When will he make his appearance? Each day is beginning to seem like an eternity, but I do not wish to rush him or the magic currently enveloping the relic. Even if he is not the next to emerge, I cannot wait to watch the other Ieldi children as they come into the world. The two I have had the privilege of seeing are absolutely beautiful, not that I expected any less. Staying hopeful, Euph
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Posted: Sat Nov 13, 2004 11:05 am
euphoric Occasionally, unfavorable circumstances come to be at the most inopportune of times. Something unavoidable had called her away, and she could not be more stricken with panic, worry, and immense regret. Why, of all the rotten luck, did she have to leave the relic for an entire week, especially when her spirit was so close to making its reappearance? They say that all things happen for a reason. With a final sigh, she forcefully attempted to rid her eyes of tears and slowly walked down the steps of the enormous tree after bidding a silent, temporary farewell to her spirit, the lump in her throat growing with each step that she took.
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Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2004 1:29 pm
euphoric A week later found her dashing up the stairs, only slowing down when she came to the shelves housing relics. She did not wish to disturb others, after all. A few moments of lingering about the headquarters had given her all of the information that she needed. Two more children had been reborn, Odilen and Kujaku, both of them beautiful, according to the descriptions of others. Having seen Imriel and Safrinni already, she did not need much convincing on the subject. Only two spirits had yet to emerge, it was said, and she knew that hers was one. She hoped that her lack of presence had not traumatized her friend any and she especially prayed that she had not disturbed the magic by being absent. Her heart was pounding audibly as she hoisted herself onto her shelf and nervously peeked inside the relic. Her spirit slumbered there, not upset in the slightest or even aware of whether or not she was about. It was extremely lucky that the transformation had not begun to take place without her there. If anything had changed, the pulsations of light seemed stronger. It would probably happen soon, or so she hoped. Heaving a great sigh of relief that her companion had not been fazed, she promptly and quietly took a seat before the relic, vowing not to leave the shelf again until this entire process was over.
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Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2004 12:09 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:01 am
euphoric Ullue Ullue slowly materializes from a shining mist, sitting on a couch in the corner. She tilts her head back to gaze out the window towards Euphoric's shelf. Smiling softly, she waves a hand, summoning a vision of the shelf for all nearby to see. euphoric Euph sat on the edge of her shelf, sleepily perusing through past entries of her journal. After a few moments, she snapped the book shut, stretching her arms over her head and yawning, about to steal a last look at the relic before drifting off to sleep for the night. Expecting to see the relic emitting its typical pulsations of light, she was rather surprised to see a steady stream of light glowing from within the relic, becoming more radiant in just a matter of seconds. She felt her heart begin to pound. Was this it? Excitement quickly began to build in the pit of her stomach at the thought. Pushing the journal completely to the side, she stared raptly at the relic, watching as small tendrils of brightness snaked their way from the small opening. She knew that she probably would not be able to stand the light in only a short time, but for now, she simply stared, jaw slightly dropped, feeling absolutely overcome with anxiety and happy anticipation. euphoric Though she tried to watch for as long as she absolutely could, the light was beginning to make her eyes water. Gritting her teeth and squinting, she backed away from the overcome relic, stopping only when she felt her foot slide slightly off of the edge of the shelf. Throwing a quick glance over her shoulder to visibly confirm this, she once again focused her attention upon the relic and made an effort to shield her eyes without blocking her vision of it entirely. euphoric Well, some things simply cannot be avoided forever. As far as her eyes were concerned, the light had grown strong and persistent enough to become unbearable, and as much as she longed not to blink or move her gaze away from the beaming relic, she also could not resist the temptations to do so any longer. She closed her eyes and fully covered them with her arm, waiting for darkness, silence, sounds, or anything, really, whatever might come to signal her that something was happening, that everything had gone as it was supposed to. She felt her anxiety growing as she made an effort to save her vision. Her eagerness was making these few moments feel like an eternity, while at the same time, her nervousness and worry rendered this last bit of waiting just a bit more bearable. euphoric With a final burst of light, it ended. Relative darkness once again engulfed the shelf, which had stopped vibrating and was now rather, well, silent. Hesitantly, she opened one eye, then the other. Finally, she removed her arm from her line of vision and stole a glance at the opposite corner of the shelf, emitting a small gasp at what she saw. In the spot where the light had danced vibrantly only moments before, a small figure sat in the darkness. Though not crying and looking more intrigued by his surroundings than anything else, the fright he was trying so hard to hide would flit occasionally through his eyes and across his expression.  Euph, meanwhile, had finally found her voice again, and in a tone slightly above a whisper, she murmured, "Kikuei?" The youth looked up, meeting her gaze, and that was it. She immediately moved toward her new charge, embracing him and calming the now shaking child with whispered words of comfort, feeling both drained and immensely happy, all at once. Ullue Ullue smiled warmly, and with a wave of her hand dispelled the illusion that the others were watching so raptly, giving keeper and charge their privacy. She then got to her feet and dissappeared up the stairs to the third story.
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:01 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:03 am
euphoric The early hours of the day had been dedicated to allowing Kikuei to select the fabric he liked best. He had chosen a rather peaceful gray, a stark contrast to his own hues. Euph set to work immediately. She cut and pinned the fabric, eventually beginning to sew. All the while, she talked to Kikuei, who was curiously observing her actions. "I'm making some clothes for you," she explained with a warm smile, gesturing to her own shirt and pants. "See? I have clothes. You'll be able to have some, too, once I'm done." He nodded and continued watching, apparently rather interested. It did not take long for his keeper to finish, and she held up a small pair of pants and a shirt. "There, that looks nice, doesn't it? Would you like to try your new outfit on?" Kikuei hesitated, but eventually nodded, anyway. Euph managed to dress him with little fuss. He did seem such a sweet and willing child. Euph had just been in the process of putting away all of the sewing materials, mostly so that Kikuei would not hurt himself, when she heard a small, but insistent gurgle. Blinking in slight surprise, she turned around to face the child, first looking confused. Within moments, an expression of dawning comprehension began to manifest upon her face. "Oh, I see! You're hungry, aren't you?" She grinned. "No worries, I'll get the both of us something to eat. How does that sound?" Without waiting for a response, she grabbed what appeared to be a bundle of picnic blankets. In truth, it was only one blanket, a fact that was quickly revealed as she opened and spread it. In the middle of the blanket was a smorgasbord of food. Kikuei's silver eyes widened. "You can pick whatever you'd like and have as much as you wish." She felt safe saying this, as all of the nutritional food had been carefully selected and prepared. Kikuei cautiously picked up a red apple, examining and even sniffing it. Apparently deducing that this thing was edible, he took a large bite of it. Euph watched. "Is that good?" Her little charge waited until he had completely finished the apple before responding, setting the core gently on the ground with a small, shy smile and nodding feverishly. Euph grinned. "Good! You can have as much or as little as you like." Though she had originally planned upon eating something herself, she changed her mind. She could wait. It was much better to ensure that he got his fill. As it turned out, it did not take much to satisfy him. An orange and a banana later, he was full and stood up, wandering around to examine the items, trinkets once so familiar to him. Euph, meanwhile, busied herself with picking up the remaining food for later, musing upon how all of his meal had consisted of fruit, despite having many choices. As his keeper was cleaning up, Kikuei wandered over to the beads, staring at them for a long time. At last, a little hand hesitantly reached out to brush against the beads; Kikuei jumped slightly at the tones they made, startled, but recovered quickly and grinned. He remembered these beads. Having finished, Euph turned around at the gentle clinking sounds, smiling gently as she watched Kikuei. "Do you recall the songs we used to make?" Kikuei furrowed his brow in mild contemplation before nodding his agreement. He was pretty sure he remembered, anyway. Euph sat down with a smile as the youth took to cautiously and curiously brushing a single finger across the beads. Taking care of Kikuei was not proving to be anywhere near as difficult as she had once thought it might be.
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:04 am
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:05 am
Trio made her way up the path to the shelf, feeling slightly uncomfortable. She had Aimi in her ear, the Kun-kun nestled in the warm cavity while Trio debated what she'd find. The others had heard little from Kikuei for some time, and nothing from euphoric, so they'd approached her, asking if she'd keep an eye on the little Ieldi for a while. She'd been happy to, her natural love of being around others only spurring her on.
"Kikuei?" she called, sounding the name out gently as she watched the shelf come into sight. Immediately, the rhythmic chimes of beads hitting beads ceased, leaving her in relative silence. She sighed, summoning a quiet smile and making her way up the last few steps to survey the shelf.
It was pretty, decorated with shiny bits and pieces, most of which had clearly been turned into games at times before being abandoned. In a corner, curled up near the bead curtains and looking sullen and miserable, sat Kikuei, glaring at her. "What do you want?" he demanded, as she stopped just on the threshold of the shelf.
This is going to be tougher than I thought... She hesitated, realizing she wouldn't be welcomed if she continued on, and sat down a bit further in, watching him quietly. "I was asked to watch over you for a while," she offered softly, making no move to reach for him. "You've been alone up here way too long..."
He glared. "Where's euphoric?" he demanded sharply, and Trio sighed, shaking her head.
"I don't know... I wish I did, sweetie," she offered, and Kikuei flinched at the title. "I thought," she continued uncertainly, rising and offering a hand to him, "that we could maybe head down and see what some of the others are doing." And get some advice... "A friend of mine is also watching over another Ieldi. If we can find them..."
Kikuei rose, peering at the edge of the shelf for a moment before demanding, "You go first."
He waited as she reached up, withdrawing Aimi from her ear and murmuring to the little kun-kun. A few moments later, the kun-kun took to flight, zooming off toward the ground. Trio watched her go, then turned back to Kikuei, peering at him solemnly. "I hope we'll become friends," she offered softly, and when Kikuei turned away, she sighed, moving to head down the stairs as Kikuei followed close behind.
~*~
The tiny pink creature flitted down toward the pond, eyes wide as she nervously glanced around. Aimi had been told to find Youkochylde, and Trio had gotten her cooperation by bribing her with a trip to visit Fizzle. Now, the little Kun-kun settled near the water, noticing a pretty green Ieldi and someone she recognized, eventually, as being around whenever she saw Suri... That must be Youkochylde. Chittering, she darted back up toward Kikuei's shelf, catching sight of Trio as she and Kikuei made their slow way down. The bright boy was sullen, following Trio without touching her while the blonde frowned and led him toward the ground. "Find him, Aimi?" she asked, and was rewarded with a nod and another string of more or less incomprehensible chatter. She let Aimi alight in her palm, following the kun's pointed directions toward the pond while Kikuei padded silently behind her.
There was the sound of splashing in the pond, and high pitched laughter as Kujaku darted tot he side, hair splaying wildly in the water. He was avoiding a splash by Youko and giving back his own as the two of them relaxed in the water after a day of flying practice.
Hating to interrupt their fun, Trio nonetheless glanced back at Kikuei, offering the quiet boy a soft smile before calling out, "Um, Youko? Got a minute?" She moved toward the pond, while Kikuei dropped into the grass, reaching out with one hand to play with the feel of it. He wasn't particularly good at staying grumpy - already, the emotion was fading away in favor of curiosity since Trio was moving away. And having never been off of his shelf before, he was learning that things were vastly different here on the ground.
"Hey there, Trio!" Youko called as he caught sight of his friend. Waving, he got to his feet, jumping to the side a bit as he got soaked yet again. He snickered softly, then moved to Trio, looking concerned. "What's wrong hon? You look troubled."
The little teal Ieldi, however, frowned softly. Well damn. This wasn't any fun alone. His eyes moved to a brighter patch of colour then and the veiled youth slid partway beneath the water, sneaking up on Kikuei. If it were possible, one could almost hear Jaws music playing...
Kikuei didn't notice Kujaku - apparently, he couldn't hear the nonexistent mood music - and he curled up, flopping onto his stomach as he continued to toy with the grass, fascinated by the feel. It TICKLED!
A moment later, boy and grass were beset upon by a tidal wave of immense, catastriophic proportions!! At least, that's how Kujaku viewed it as he let out a whoop and sent the wave at the other Ieldi. Youko thought this was a fun game, EVERYONE should play!
The water was enough to at least half-drench Kikuei, who yelped and turned sharply. Eyes wide, he stared at Kujaku, dripping wet. "What...?" he asked slowly, trying to figure out why he'd just been splashed.
Grinning, Kujaku jumped up, the peacock Ieldi's face half hidden by the veil that he still refused to take off. The rest of him, however, was covered by his hair as it clung to his skin. "Your turn!"
Kikuei tensed, then started to relax as he realized that he wasn't required to trust this new boy. "What'd I do?" he asked, the thought of a game - ANY game - perking him up. It'd been far too long since he'd gotten to play with someone else.
"C'mon in and try to get me!" Kujaku let a light splash aim towards the boy again before he dove off, wings folded closely against his back while he swam.
Kikuei smiled, wading into the water with ungainly strides as he moved to join in the fun. Whatever dark mood he'd been in upon arriving was gone, and he celebrated the loss by pausing for a moment before grinning and trying a belly-flop into the water, the resultant wave washing over Kujaku. "There!" he said, rising from the water as his hair clung to his head, streaming paths of water down over his cheeks and shoulders.
Laughing, Kujaku tried to shield against the wave, and only wound up getting tossed back a foot and a half by it. Still, he thought this was GREAT fun and immediately dove back towards Kikuei, chasing after him.
Kujaku swam forward until he was almost to Kikuei, then pulled himself up to perch on a rock, aiming to jump at the other Ieldi. "HAH! I gotc---YYAAAAGH!" One foot slid one way while his weight pitched forward, and the youth was dumped headfirst into the water with a splash that didn't so much go OUT as it did UP.
Kikuei blinked, staring for a moment as the spray barely hit him. He waited for Kujaku to surface, peering down into the turbulent water as his hands tried to clear a path to see, the same way they did with the bead curtains euphoric had gotten for him.
There was no motion at first, and suddenly Kikuei felt something brush against the inside of his knees. A moment later, Kujaku surfaced, splashing him from behind and giggling.
Kikuei fell a bit, floating for a moment in the water as he stared at Kujaku curiously before starting to giggle as well. "This's fun!" he declared needlessly, voice happy.
Kujaku settled in the water up to his shoulders, the veil clinging to his face for a moment until he let out a harsh breath and managed to get most of the water out of it. "It is! I like it down here, but I'm usually the only one here. Who're you?" he asked, almost as an afterthought.
Kikuei followed suit after a moment, leaning forward to peer curiously at the veil. It was pretty, though he had to wonder how the boy kept it from getting in the way. "Kikuei. This is my first time down here. I'm normally up on my shelf, but it's been lonely without euphoric around. I have some toys though, so I can make games for myself, at least," he chattered for a moment, before seeming to realize himself and stopping with a final, "Who're you, then?"
"I'm Kujaku," the boy replied, then pointed over at the pair of kitsune on the shore. "That's Youko, he stays with me up on our shelf at the top of the tree." He looked back to Kikuei then, as if that were all the explanation needed. "You make games? What kind of games?"
Kikuei looked momentarily sad, glancing at Youko before shaking it off. "Well, it depends on what's available. I bet we could make something with the water and the rock, right?" he offered, using one hand to make little waves that moved away from the two toward the shore.
One brow lifted curiously. "Make what from it? Other than waves, I mean..." Kujaku moved to peer over Kikuei's shoulder, his hair fanning out in the water around him as he watched curiously.
Kikuei tilted his head to one side, then moved to scramble up the rock, treading carefully once atop it. "Well, we can make really BIG waves, for one," he declared, launching himself off of the rock with a loud cry.
Yelping, Kujaku dove back, grinning from ear to hear as he saw the other Ieldi aiming striaght for the water. "Yeah... we could!!" He swam to the rock then, climbing up onto it carefully.
Kikuei slogged out of the way, his eyes bright as he grinned cheerfully. He bounced in the water, feeling it slow and cushion him in a way he'd never felt on land, and dipped his head back long enough to slick his hair against his scalp before shaking it wildly. The wet strands clumped and stuck to his face, but he didn't seem to notice.
The peacock Ieldi wasn't wearing a stitch on him, save for the veil as he curled back to gain momentum and sprang into the air, wings spreading wide to take him just that BIT higher before he cannonballed into the water below.
Kikuei cheered wildly, peppering Kujaku with more water as the boy finally surfaced. After a moment, he left off, eyes wide. "That was GREAT!"
Kujaku laughed, nodding softly. "Wanna see something cool?"
"Sure," Kikuei nodded, wading over to him.
"Watch this..." Kujaku swam towards the shore of the pond, climbing onto the wooden ramps that led here and there into the tree. He vanished around one corner, not noticing the facepalm by his guardian as he did so. When Kujaku reappeared again, he was nearly two stories above, calling down to Kikuei. "Ready??" He disppeared back once more then, only to be seen about ten seconds later, making a flying leap off the platform, wings extended fully before he curled into a ball and hit the water with a splash that nearly soaked the two guardians on shore.
Kikuei's eyes were as round as saucers, mirroring Trio's shocked expression on land but with a decidedly manic gleam. "Teach me to do that," he demanded, almost pouncing Kujaku in glee. "I wanna try that!!!" He was almost vibrating, immediately moving away from Kujaku to head toward the shore.
Grinning, Kujaku took the boy's hand, leaing him up along th e platforms. "It's fun... you get water up your nose the first few times til you get used to it. That's how I taught myself how to fly, because I knew I'd just wind up hitting the water and wouldn't get hurt!"
Youko reached out lightly, Resting a hand on Trio's shoulder. "Trust me, it'll give you a heart attack the first few times... but it wasn't until he tried that from our SHELF that he got hurt."
Trio's hands were clenched at her sides, and clearly the only thing holding her in place was a rather remarkable strength of will... which was visibly crumbling away as she continued to think about just what she would do if he did get hurt.
"You can fly?" Kikuei asked curiously, following Kujaku with no apparent reluctance. If anything, the idea of a new game - even one with potential dangers such as this - held complete fascination for him. "Is it fun?" The words were out of his mouth before he ever stopped to consider how he was really feeling - the odd tug that thought of flight sent through his stomach.
Nodding, Kujaku smiled. "I'm still learning, but I can keep myself in the air if I have to." His expression darkened then, one hand almost unknowlingly coming up beneath one side of the veil as he turned away and walked towards the Phoenix Nest tavern, where his 'jumping spot' was. "I just can't carry anything with me when I do, or I fall." He shook off the mood quickly enough, pointing towards the end of the 'patio' of the inn. "There! Just get a good running start and you'll be fine. Do you want to take a look down at the water before you jump the first time?"
"Any reason I should?" Kikuei asked, moving to position himself where Kujaku pointed. "I run, jump, and spread my wings, right?"
"Yup," he replied, nodding. "There's no rocks or anythign to worry about. Just have to remember to take a breath before you hit." Kujaku grinned, standing near the inn. "This is a good spot to get a start from. Just remember to FOLD YOUR WINGS in before you land. I forgot the first time, and couldn't move my wing for an hour...."
Kikuei nodded, getting himself ready before flashing a bright, happy grin at Kujaku. "Jump, spread wings, take a breath, fold wings. Got it," he said, bouncing on the balls of his feet for a moment before launching himself forward with an excited cry.
On land below, Trio winced, taking a step forward.
Kujaku ran to the edge of the platform to watch his newfound friend dive for the first time. He let out an encouraging yell, wings flapping against his back as he jumped up and down, cheering him on.
A pair of arms wound around Trio's waist from behind, Youko holding her close and resting his chin on her shoulder. "He'll be alright... they can't get hurt from the water from that distance, and we're both right here in case something goes wrong. I learned real quick that I couldn't stop Kujaku from doing this... but I COULD watch him to make sure he didn't get hurt."
Kikuei leapt from the platform, spreading his wings and taking a breath before realizing just how far the water really was. His eyes widened, and he gulped, losing track of what he was supposed to do next and flailing about as he fell toward the water fast. At the last moment, he started to fold his wings back in, hitting the water with them halfway in and having totally forgotten about holding his breath. He panicked as the water clogged his nose, making it to the surface and spluttering and coughing.
Trio was on the move as soon as she saw Kikuei hit, twisting free of Youko's hold with worry etched in her features. The kun-kun lingering in her ear took to flight, hiding in the shadows of the leaves as Trio, fully dressed, waded into the water.
Youko moved as well, as Kujaku knelt down on the platform and called down. "You okay?? You look like you forgot to take a breath. S'okay, just snort the water out your nose, s'what I did."
Kikuei coughed and hacked, one hand clapped to his nose as he flexed his wings tentatively and winced a bit. He was too busy taking stock of himself to notice Trio approach, and as she reached out to him, he finally saw her. Almost immediately, he jumped back, not managing to get nearly as far while fighting the water. "I'm fine," he bit out at her, sounding a bit like his nose was stuffy, and his wings folded in completely, protectively.
Unaware of the confrontation going on below, Kujaku waved, shouting to the macaw Ieldi. "That was GREAT!! Breathe out your nose really hard and you'll be okay. Next time, hold your breath!"
Trio left her arms outstretched, not wanting to push Kikuei too far too fast. Her thanks was Kikuei taking Kujaku's advice... directly at her. He dove under the water as soon as his nose was clear, moving away while Trio sighed, dropping her arms and glancing back at Youko in dejection.
Youko frowned, glancing to the Ieldi with his ears lowered slightly. He waded into the water towards her, taking her hand and narrowing his eyes slightly as the boy resurfaced. "You could have NO ONE to worry about you, you know..."
Kujaku had never seen Youko angry before and stayed where he was, on all fours with his hands clinging to the edge of the platform as he watched the kitsune lead Trio back to shore. What the heck was going on down there?
Kikuei bristled at Youko, eyes dark and hair plastered to his head. Sullen anger reflected back at the kitsune, along with a faint uncertainty lingering deep within. He said nothing, though.
Trio trudged to shore, shaking her hair for a moment before gathering the hem of her shirt and wringing it out while she glanced at Youko. "It's okay," she said quietly, summoning a smile that looked almost perfectly genuine. "Next time, he'll probably remember to hold his breath, and pretty soon, he'll be as good as Kujaku at this."
Youko moved to sit on the wooden planks, pulling her towards him and winding an arm around her gently. "He'll learn that you're here for HIS sake..."
Kujaku sighed then, deciding now was as good a time as any to break the tension. With what could be a war cry, he launched off of th e platform with a running start, arms spread wide as if he could just glide across the sky. He tucked up then, landing in the middle of the pond with a splash.
Kikuei and Trio both watched the peacock for a long, silent moment. As the splash sounded, Kikuei cheered, his anger forgotten in the light of Kujaku's impressive display. He jumped and bounced, grinning wildly.
Trio leaned against Youko, nodding quietly. "He's been alone for a while now. He's not gonna accept me just because I happen to show up." She shrugged. "At least he's making a friend."
"He'll accept you soon enough... it'll just take time. I don't even want to think about how many months it took me to get Kujaku's spirit to trust me."
Coming up for air, Kujaku grinned, swimming towards Kikuei and floating near him. "Just takes practice... and it's a safe way to learn to fly."
Kikuei nodded, flexing his wings again. "If I remember to fold them in, it is," he grumbled, before offering Kujaku a grin. "At least I started to. The water pushed them in before I could get too hurt. My nose hurts more."
"You'll remember. It was your first time." Kujaku grinned then, tilting his head to the side. "Wish you'd taken a look at the water from up there first?" He was the first to admit that he'd looked the same after his first time... nose red and full of water, green feathers everywhere, and a bruised pride.
If Kikuei had any pride bruised, it didn't show. He considered, poking his nose carefully before laughing. "Nah. I still would'a lost it. But it was fun! Or it will be, when I learn how."
Nodding, Kujaku grinned, bouncing on his toes in the water. "It is... it's great, and fun and you should SEE the looks on people's faces when they see you do it for the first time. They FREAK."
Kikuei crawled up onto the rock, draping on his stomach on the sunwarmed stone as he watched Kujaku. "Sounds good to me." He closed his eyes, a content look on his face. "Do you have more games on your shelf, like me?"
Tilting his head, Kujaku shrugged. "I have the music player that Youko gave me... and some books... and my stuff that decorates the shelf. I like coming down here though, and playing in the water... or sitting down by the grass and letting my toes wiggle in it."
"Music?" Kikuei perked again, eyes opening to fix on Kujaku.
Nodding, the boy grinned, pushing himself up onto the rock and leaning against his hands. "Yup! It's got lotsa music on it, and when I get bored with what's on th ere, Youko takes it home and brings it back with all new music on it."
The thought made Kikuei frown slightly in confusion. "Can you play on it?" he asked, pushing himself up so that he was propped on his arms, looking up at Kujaku.
"no, you listen to the music on it... I think Youko said something about stuff that you can MAKE music on, but he hasn't brought anything yet. HEY! Maybe that lady knows what can let you make music and bring it!" Kujaku looked towards the shore then, grinning.
Kikuei glanced over, then draped again, staring down at the water. "euphoric brought bead curtains and rocks that made pretty music."
"Is that her name?" Kujaku's tail swished in the water behind him lazily as he lay across the rock.
"No. euphoric's my friend," Kikuei said quietly, reaching out to trace a pattern in the water and watching the slight ripples move outward. "Dunno who she is. She came to the shelf today and said she was here to watch over me. I haven't seen euphoric in a while."
"Well, have you asked her?" Kujaku looked at him, propping his chin up on his hand as he kicked his legs against the surface of the water. "I mean, if she's here to watch over you, then she can be your friend too."
"I don't want another friend," Kikuei said sharply, splashing the surface of the water abruptly. "She's just gonna disappear, too." He sighed, rolling off of the rock into the water. "I can find music makers myself." He paused, then looked up at Kujaku. "Bet we could do it together, too," he offered, smiling again quietly.
Kujaku was still frowning, however, and he just watched the boy silently. "But... does that mean I can't be your friend either?"
Kikuei blinked, utterly confused. "Of course not," he said, looking at Kujaku oddly. "Why would you think that?"
"Because you just said that you didn't want another friend," the peacock Ieldi answered quietly.
"But you're different," Kikuei said calmly, head tilting. "You're not like them." He waved toward the shore.
"So?" The boy was confused, and not sure whether it was because of Kikuei's troubled nature concerning the woman, or if it was because of the way h e seemed to dismiss them. "She was worried about you... and she seems really nice. Youko likes her, and he doesn't like mean people..."
Kikuei frowned, shaking his head. "euphoric was nice, too. But she's not around anymore." He shrugged, splashing a bit. "I don't even know HER. She just came to the shelf today and told me she was gonna watch over me."
Kujaku watched him curiously, tilting his head to the side. "Did you know Euphoric the first day she showed up?"
Kikuei frowned, tilting his head. "No. We got to know each other," he said slowly, eyes narrowed as he peered at Kujaku.
Nodding, Kujaku looked back towards the two on shore, smiling. "That's the way it was for Youko and I. I was scared at first, and didn't trust him. I think maybe I was remembering what happened before... and thought he was just someone that would hurt me again. He was new to me, and I had no reason to trust him. But I do now."
Kikuei leaned back against the rock, watching the two curled up together quietly. "I'm not gonna just like her because she happens to show up, though." He frowned. "Why should I?"
"Not expecting you to like her right off the start..." Kujaku began, moving to sit next to Kikuei. "But is there any reason why you can't at least give her a chance? Has she been mean to you or hurt you? Has she given you any reason to not at least give her that chance?"
Kikuei's frown deepened considerably, and he glanced at Kujaku. "I just didn't want her around..."
"Well, she's around," the boy said, looking to him with a sigh. "Like it or not. And if Euphoric asked her to watch over you, she's not gonna leave just because you don't want her to stay. So you can either be miserable for the near future, or you can maybe at least TRY to get to know her a little bit."
Kikuei looked at Kujaku uncomfortably for a while, then nodded slowly, not offering up his own thoughts on the matter. He wasn't quite ready to decide, either way. "When I find some music makers, you can come to my shelf," he offered instead.
"Okay!" Kujaku grinned, taking the subject change eagerly. "And if Youko finds me any, then I'll let you know and you can come up and see me, okay?"
Kikuei nodded, relaxing a bit as Kujaku didn't push the matter. Eyes still slightly wounded, he shifted, shaking out his hair again. "Games too?" he asked, wanting to pursue happier thoughts.
"Sure! I'll bet we can find stuff to make games out of easily around here... the tree's FULL of stuff." Rolling onto his back on the rock, Kujaku grinned up at the sky, wings, arms and legs spread against the stone as if the boy didn't care WHO saw him like this. "Maybe after you learn to fly we can go flying sometime, too?"
"Sounds good to me!" Kikuei nodded. Kujaku's excitement bolstered his own, and he glanced up, laughing. "But if we go flying, you put something on!"
Blinking, Kujaku stared at him in confusion. "Why?"
"Why not?" Kikuei asked.
"Because I'm comfortable like this," he answered, grinning as his tail fanned out beside him, the feathers drying slowly.
Kikuei peered at the tail, reaching out to brush his fingers lightly over one feather. "You just like shocking people," he declared goodnaturedly.
The feather twitched slightly, but the boy gave no indication of being bothered by the touch. He grinned at Kikuei then, pillowing his head on his arms. "Yup. It's fun, and it keeps people on their toes."
Kikuei laughed, smiling at Kujaku. "Sounds like a good game," he offered, reaching out to ruffle Kujaku's hair. "But how come you wear this?" As his hand moved away from the peacock's hair, he moved to finger the edge of the veil.
Flinching slightly, Kujaku reached up, taking hold of the edge and keeping a grasp on it so that it couldn't be lifted. "B-because I like it," he said, quietly at first, then with a resurgence of his normal good-naturedness. "Fir'Ethal made it for me, he's a spider... but you can't call him a spider or he gets mad, he says he's a Loom Oculai. He makes lots of pretty things."
Kikuei blinked at the flinch, his hand drawing back to curl against his stomach for a moment before he offered quietly, "Sorry..."
Fidgeting with the veil, Kujaku smiled. "It's okay... I just don't want anyone to see my face." The smile faded as he looked down, catching sight of the glistening gems near the bridge of his nose where the silvered material rested. "It's ugly... and I don't like it."
Kikuei looked completely confused by the words. "How come you think it's ugly?" he asked, not offering judgement either way. As far as he could see, Kujaku wasn't ugly - if anything, the peacock was a heck of a lot prettier than the macaw. But if Kujaku said he was ugly... well, he must have a reason. He'd certainly talked sense before.
Curling up a bit, Kujaku let his tail drape over himself almost protectively. "I went with some others... to the place where we were before. Before we were brought here. Something happened there, and the ground opened up... we fell down into a hole and the gods fought with each other. I saw some statues, and they broke... and the pieces flew everywhere." Sighing faintly, he let his fingers slide beneath the veil to touch at the hidden scar that was forming on his face. "One of them hit me... and it ruined my face."
Kikuei leaned a bit closer curiously, eyes somewhat sympathetic. "How come something like that ruined your face? It looks awfully pretty where I am."
"It was... and then it got ruined." Kujaku let the veil settle again, curling his arms around his knees. "Fir'Ethal made me the veil so that I could go out and around again. I didn't want to before, I didn't want anyone seeing me like that. But now it's okay, because no one has to see it."
"It does to me..." Kujaku sighed, looking up towards hte sky again. "Looks like it's almost time for dinner... Youko's not gonna let me stay out here much longer."
"Maybe whatever it is will go away," Kikuei offered softly, then reached out, catching Kujaku's hand and tugging him back into the water. "Let's go jump again, before you have to go up!" That'd get both their minds off of how they felt, he was certain.
He didn't respond to the comment, but did move to get up along with Kikuei, the smile returning. "Wanna try once more off the top?"
"Absolutely," Kikuei nodded, eyes alight. "Bet this time, I'll remember to hold my breath!"
"Bet you will, too..." Kujaku laughed, darting off up to the platform as fast as his legs could carry him. "Race you!!"
Kikuei laughed, darting after Kujaku as fast as he could manage.
Trio, watching from where she sat with Youko, murmured quietly, "I hope they'll get the chance to play a lot. It looks like Kujaku's good for Kikuei..."
"Maybe he'll make your boy come around as well," Youko said, curling around her gently and resting his chin on her shoulder again as they watched them. "He's nervous... and reacting with anger to it instead of admitting that he's probably scared and hurt. Just give him time, hon."
"I'm doing my best," Trio nodded, sighing and leaning back against him. "I didn't exactly expect to be welcomed with opened arms, but I'd kinda hoped, y'know?"
"I know." The kitsune smiled, wriggling his nose a bit when one of Trio's magically produced fox ears flicked against the tip. "You're too good a person for him to stay away from for too long. Maybe Kujaku can give us a bit of an idea what Kikuei likes, and you could bring him things to occupy himself?"
She visibly perked at that idea, twisting to hug Youko. "That'd be fantastic! If Kujaku's willing, I could definitely use the help in making sure that Kikuei's got some new things to enjoy. He seems pretty solidly bored of all the old ones." She pulled back, grinning at Youko happily for several moments before curling up with him again. "See, this is why I come to you. You come up with good ideas." She paused, then chuckled. "That, and you're my best friend."
Snickering softly, Youko glanced up just in time to see both boys take flying swan-dives off of the upper platform. Wincing, his ears flattened against his head and he chuckled gently. "Remember that when one of them winds up misjudging and landing in a bellyflop from that distance."
She tensed again, though not nearly as badly as before. "No kidding," she muttered softly, grateful that Kikuei didn't even bother to extend his wings this time, choosing instead to focus on breathing and calm and deal with the wings later.
"He'll learn," Youko whispered softly, content to just watch the boys for now. Curling near Trio, he let his arms wind around her, the fox certain that things would work themselves out in their own due time.
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Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:06 am
Trio had headed back to her place for a while to check on other companions, and that's when Kikuei made his move, heading off of his shelf in search of Kujaku. Trio hadn't been bothering him as much as before - she seemed content to simply sit for hours and play with him, and her little kunkun was slowly getting used to his company. But he still wasn't sure he liked having her around. It was uncomfortable, and nerve-wracking.
Bored, he wandered down the steps, then through the branches, looking around for Kujaku. Or at least for another Ieldi to play with. Catching sight, finally, of a shelf above him, he darted up the steps, grinning as he almost pounced the last one and came into view.
Safrinni, having been immersed in the large book in her lap that was nearly as big as she was, had heard the footsteps on the ladder and didn't immediately react, assuming it was Karma back from one of her ground excursions with the food she'd said. At the sound of their eagerness, however, she peered over the top of the book.
Karma had never RUN before...maybe something was wrong? The little Ieldi no sooner had done so, than a large burst of color appeared on the shelf with her. That--that wasn't Karma...!! For that matter, it wasn't anyone she recognized, either. Eyes big as saucers, Frinni dropped her grip on the book and scrambled backward in a skittering crabwalk.
"Who--who---" she tried to ask in a very small voice and found she couldn't get any words out. Cringing, she hoped that he did not intend to hurt her...she didn't yet think she was able to fly.
Kikuei's eyes went wide at Safrinni's reaction, and he froze, not moving save for the grin he sported slowly fading into a worried frown. He didn't want to scare her more by moving away, but he also didn't particularly want to leave - maybe if he could relax her, they could be friends and play together, after all. Caught in the mental debate, he did nothing for a long minute before finally sinking slowly to sit near the stairs, watching her.
Safrinni, her backward movements carrying her to the outer lip of the shelf that hung over the pond at the base of the village tree, huddled there, her eyes warily on Kikuei. Why was he here...?? What did he want? .....why wasn't he doing anything now?
For what seemed forever, she simply stared back at him. Somewhere in the distance, a cicada began to sing. Mustering up what little courage she had, realizing that he didn't intend to go away or to make a move against her, she tried again to speak.
"....who are you?" she managed to get out in a little mouse-like squeak.
A question - he could answer that. Relaxing a little and offering what he hoped was a gentle smile, he finally spoke. "I'm Kikuei. Who're you?"
The egret ieldi's tapered ears folded back a bit in a slightly submissive fashion. Kikuei. She did not recognize the name. She'd heard often the name Kujaku when Karma spoke to her of her friend Youko and his ieldi charge....she'd likewise seen the peacock boy on a few occasions, but had found him very offputtingly noisy. She hoped this one was not as loud as he was colorful...
"M'Safrinni...." she murmured shyly, still watching him carefully.
Kikuei cocked his head to one side, watching her for another moment before fully grinning again. "Wanna play a game? I'm bored. I wanted to play with someone," he explained, drawing his legs up and rocking a bit as he held them to his chest. "I went looking for Kujaku 'cause we played in the pond the other day but I dunno where his shelf is so I couldn't find him. But I found yours, and I was thinkin' that maybe you'd wanna play a game." He finally finished, watching her expectantly.
A game...? She blinked slowly, almost afraid to tell him she'd never actually -played- before...and if all of the other ieldi were as flashy and vibrant as this one and Kujaku, it was a small wonder he wanted anything to do with her. She was so....ordinary. So easily-missed.
As much as her normal routine of solitude wanted him to leave her be, another part of her didn't. This was the first time she'd ever been approached by one of the others...it would truly be a shame to send him away and spend weeks agonizing over "what ifs" and "maybes".
"O--Okay..." she said with a nod. Saying was one thing, doing was another....it took her several more minutes to actually unhuddle herself and tentatively inch further back onto the shelf. It was almost as though she still expected him to spring on her at the last moment. "What kinda game...?"
Kikuei tilted his head for a minute, then nodded. "A music game! You make music and I try to imitate you," Kikuei said, tossing rules out before he really had time to think about them. "Then I'll make music and you imitate me. Okay?"
Safrinni seemed confused. Make music with what...? Or was that yet another thing the others could do that she couldn't? Blinking twice, she looked apologetically at Kikuei. "Never made music before...." there was a long pause before she winced, looking like it was almost painful to ask. She didn't want to dismiss him or the game entirely...especially if it proved to be very simple after all to make music ".....show me?"
Kikuei hesitated, eyes wide as he tried to imagine never making music. After a moment, he scrambled forward to sit near her.
Her first reaction was to shy away, her little hands balling into fists and tucking themselves beneath her chin as he quickly came near her. She was well-aware of the fact her heart was pattering like a hummingbird's wings within her from the continual fright she seemed to be experiencing.
He paused halfway there, seeing her shy and wincing a bit. Stopping and curling back up, he watched her for a moment before saying, "Can you clap?" He held up his hands, clapping twice in demonstration.
Relieved when he stopped, Frinni blinked owlishly at him and then quickly nodded, holding up her own hands and bringing them together twice, just as he'd done.
He grinned widely, almost bouncing in place as she did so. "We can make music that way! Watch." He clapped three times quickly, paused for a moment, clapped thrice again pausing once more before doing a very quick rhythm of two three two one.
One ear twitched as she listened to the pattern he'd picked up, trying to get the beat of it. Unconsciously, her hands had started softly clapping along, a bit off-beat to his own, but eventually coinciding with him until they clapped in unison. Her eyes lit up a bit at this, seeming to shed at least one layer of her shyness. She -could- do it....she -was- capable of playing with the others. Very, very slowly, a thin smile began to unfurl on her lips
Kikuei seemed delighted at her willingness to learn. An impish grin coming into his eyes, he slowly changed the pattern of the clapping, wondering how long it'd take her to pick up the new rhythm. His eyes were wide with glee.
Hearing her own rhythm suddenly clashing with his, she blinked, startled, and paused a moment, listening to what Kikuei was now doing before attempting to pick it up again. Her brow furrowed a little with concentration, but her amber eyes had picked up a glow to them that wasn't ordinarily there.
"Think you can do that while I'm doing something else?" Kikuei asked softly, watching her concentrate. This was FUN, easily as fun as diving and splashing with Kujaku.
She looked up suddenly, her hands faltering before continuing the rhythm they held. Something...else? Biting her lip a bit, thinking, she then nodded. "I think so..." she said, trying to sound certain of herself. She wasn't entirely sure if she could or not, but supposed they would see.
"I'll keep clapping to help you out, okay?" Kikuei assured her. "You focus on that for now, and try to ignore what I'm gonna do." He waited a beat for the instructions to sink in, then began to whistle a counterpoint. It was a very simple little melody, and far from perfect, but it was definitely fun.
She did try very hard to ignore what he was doing, thinking that with as much lead-in as he'd given it, it would be something horribly confusing. However, as he began to whistle, she found that keeping her beat wasn't very hard at all. In fact, the two different strains of music seemed to mesh well. It wasn't her first choice in music, by any means, but still -- to actually be taking part in making it....
She allowed herself a faltering grin at this.
At her grin, he grinned in return, losing the ability to whistle for several long moments before finally giving up and giggling. "You're good at this!" he crowed, unable to keep still and thrilled to have found another friend to play with - especially one who seemed to like making music with him.
At his loud voice, Frinni cringed reflexively. She didn't seem to be able to help it....loud voices always made her feel two inches tall for some reason. Forcing herself to calm, she continued to clap, finding a slightly-fractured semblance of her former grin.
"Thanks." she said, somewhat sheepishly. Perhaps, if she tried hard, she could get past that....it would be nice to have at least one friend. And for that matter, at least one person in general, aside from Karma, that she didn't feel the need to be on her guard around. Her doubts about Kikuei were slowly fading....if he meant to hurt her or if his friendliness was farse, surely he would have let on by now.
He hesitated, then suggested quietly, "Make up a new rhythm and lemme see if I can do it." He'd caught the cringe, not at all sure why she'd done so - had he upset her with something he said? Maybe she didn't like compliments... Nodding to himself, he determined not to say that again, in case she didn't like it.
Frinni paused, her hands stopped clapping, and she puzzled for a moment before attempting to invent a new rhythm. Four single claps, five quick claps, one single clap, brief pause, repeat. Was it good enough...? She watched the other Ieldi for his approval hesitantly.
Kikuei considered, then began to imitate her, catching the rhythm fairly quickly. He offered a bright grin at that, then frowned for a moment before trying out a bit of simple whistling again.
Frinni listened to him whistle, not sure if it was as good as it sounded with the rhythm he'd had or not....maybe she'd ruined the game. Remaining hopeful, she continued to clap along with him, waiting until he told her to stop
He stopped finally, eyes alight. "Now you whistle," he directed, as though the ability to do so were the most natural thing in the world.
The record player of Frinni's mind scratched to an abrupt halt. Whistle? But...but she'd never whistled before...!! "Uhm..." she faltered, wincing. How did you do it...? It looked like he had just put his lips together and then blown to make the music come out. Doing the same, she was disheartened when only a silent gust of wind came out. She tried again with the same results. "I don't....I don't think I can...." she said, looking upset with herself.
Immediately, Kikuei looked upset - he seemed to be stumbling all over himself with this game, first making her run, then flinch, and now making her unhappy. Casting about for some way to fix things, he finally said, "Maybe I can teach you?"
She hadn't meant to upset him, and immediately felt bad that it seemed she had done just that. Setting her jaw a little, she tried to think of some way to explain herself....that she was like this around everyone, not just him. Would he understand, though?
"Could you?" she asked, her eyes lighting up a bit. She paused then, hands fidgeting. "I--M'sorry. I don't....I just get scared a lot....it isn't you." There...that had been about as barebones of a summation as she could provide.
He blinked at the apology, hesitantly moving closer. "You don't have to be scared of me," he offered softly, reaching out toward her. "I just like to play games..."
Her first impulse was to pull away from his hands, but she steeled herself, trying to remain still. ~He isn't going to hurt you.~ she told herself firmly. ~But what if he does? No....no he isn't. Its okay.~ In the end, she remained where she was, deciding this would be a test.
He didn't actually even touch her, instead letting his hand hover nearby for a moment before offering a soft smile. "I have fun playing with you. Do you think maybe we can be friends?"
"You want to be my friend...?" she asked, sounding genuinely surprised. It was that easy...? For all of her fidgeting and uncertainty, he'd still managed to like her. How was that possible? For a brief moment she almost felt as though she might cry, but she quickly pushed that away. That was the LAST thing she needed to do right now.
She didn't give a verbal answer, but nodded her head twice briskly.
He beamed at her, smile as vivid as his colors as he nodded back and moved to sit beside her. "Great!" For a moment, he didn't seem to remember why he'd been moving over beside her, but the memory of teaching her to whistle quickly came back. "So... whistling..."
Yes, whistling. She straightened a bit, still reeling a bit from the shock a moment ago. It was nice that he switched topics quickly, in a way....if it were left up to her, she'd still be cowering where she was when he'd initially come up.
She turned a bit, facing him, giving him her full attention like a student ready to learn.
He started to say something, then stopped, his brow furrowing as one hand lifted to scratch the back of his head. After a moment, he puckered his lips, whistling briefly and concentrating on it to figure out how he did. Tentatively, he tried out a few different notes before tilting his head. "Okay... make your mouth into a little 'o'."
Cocking her head slightly, Frinni pursed her lips into a pucker much in the way he did, waiting for further instructions. She'd paid close attention while he'd whistled, wondering what it was she'd been doing wrong earlier....it -seemed- simple...
"Now, when you blow, try blowing kinda soft," he said, not sure he was explaining it right but having no idea just how TO explain it.
The egret ieldi nodded her head and inhaled, exhaling gently. Still no actual whistle, but, on the outrush of air, it had carried what sounded like potential to be a whistle...a whisper of pitch somewhere within. Looking hopeful, she moved to try again.
He waited, leaning forward slightly and staring at her in excited anticipation.
It took several tries...each with about the same result. Maybe...if she blew a little harder. Inhaling again, she did so and suddenly a loud, shrill, single-note whistle escaped her mouth, startling her as her eyes went wide and she simply stared, wondering if that had possibly come out of her.
Kikuei startled back, then cheered loudly, whooping as he clapped. "That was GREAT!" Bouncing for real now, he moved back to her side, eyes alight.
A pink flush rising in her face, showing like a beacon beneath her alabaster skin, she looked fixatedly down at her lap, trying to hide the fact she was trying not to dissolve into giggles. That was...she didn't know what that was. It struck her as a little funny that, for as frightened as loud noises made her, here she was capable of producing one of the loudest noises she'd heard yet.
He leaned over, nudging her. "Try it again!" he demanded, eyes alight.
It came a little easier this time. On her second try, she produced another whistle...this one not quite as loud as the first had been, and it wavered, breaking in the middle, but it was a whistle nonetheless. This time she made no effort to disguise her delight in the fact she'd done it and practically beamed behind the soot-colored mask over her eyes.
Kikuei cheered, getting to his feet to bounce in excitement before seeming to think of something. "Hey... wait right here. I'll be right back, okay?!"
"Okay..." Frinni nodded, though she was puzzled. He wasn't leaving already, was he? ....would he really be back? Fanning the small wings on her back once, she shifted herself to a slightly more comfortable position to wait.
Kikuei ran down the steps and over the pathway, trying ot find his way back to his shelf. He finally did, gathered up what he was planning to bring and running back to Safrinni with delight in his gaze. "What do you think?" he demanded, appearing suddenly several minutes later draped in beads and clinging to a soft velveteen bag.
Safrinni blinked, not exactly sure what to think. He was suddenly much...shinier? "You're pretty." she said, examining the beads from where she sat, fidgeting a little and suddenly very self-conscious of the fact she was rather drab by comparison. "It kind of looks like the pond." she remarked, pointing at one of his green-blue wings where one of the beads had settled, seeming to set off the luster in the feathers.
He blinked, then grinned, moving to unwind the bead strings from himself after setting the bag down. "euphoric showed me this," he offered, looking for a small branch to attach them to. Waving her over, he fastened five strands, then stepped back as the beads caught the sunlight and sparkled.
She wasn't entirely sure what he was doing until she approached and stood, surprised at the display. It--it was like watching the sun play over the pond and she didn't even need to go down below to watch...! "Its beautiful...." she breathed, her feathers ruffling a bit and her hands clasping.
He grinned delightedly, reaching out and brushing his hand across them lightly and listening as they chimed back softly. "See?" Everything seemed to be either music or games to him...
As the beads clinked musically together, producing not a harsh clanking noise or the loud raucous clapping they'd been producing a few moments ago, she smiled serenely. It seemed not everything Kikuei did involved lots of noise and somehow that was a comfort to her.
"When the wind blows, they chime together a lot, and sound really pretty," he said, grinning at her before moving to get the gems euphoric had brought him, cupping a hand and showing her the sparkling beauties.
Peering into his cupped hand, she blinked and then cautiously extended one finger, gingerly touching the surface of one and tracing the top facet. "Euphoric must like you lots." she remarked, looking up at him again.
He frowned a bit, drawing back before glancing down at the gemstones. "She did. I miss her," he whispered, staring at the stones as though they might answer him.
"She went away?" Safrinni questioned, her ears perking a bit. That---was hard to believe. It had taken her so much indecision and agonizing to decide whether or not Karma could be trusted before she had given up the last of her reservations and settled on the foxcoon's shelf. If Karma should just spontaneously not come back, she would be lost. Utterly lost. She certainly wasn't prepared to invest that degree of trust in anyone else.
The ieldi gave a shudder at this, not wanting to think about it.
Kikuei looked suddenly vulnerable, something twisting in his gaze before he shuttered his eyes, glancing up at her with a shadow of his former grin. "They sound pretty when you shake them," he offered, which explained the small scratches on some surfaces. Hesitating, he abruptly thrust out his hands, staring at her. "Pick one."
Safrinni hesitated, startled by the offer. She didn't want to be rude, but.... "But they're yours, Kikuei..." she said softly, wanting to see if he was sure or not.
"Pick one," he insisted, brows furrowed deeply. A moment later, he said something much softer, that might've been "Please?"
Frinni bit her lip and then nodded once, hesitantly selecting a light blue gem. Blue was a color she'd always been drawn to for some reason, despite the fact she lacked any blue to speak of on her body. Holding it between two fingers, feeling the warmth it had absorbed while in his hands, she watched him carefully, making sure it was really all right with him.
He seemed to almost relax, carefully setting aside the other gems before peering at her thoughtfully. "Maybe... maybe we can figure out a way to make it so that you can wear it?" he asked, wondering if she really even liked it enough.
Gently transferring the gem to her own cupped palm, she examined it a bit more closely, liking the way the light shone on it, smiling a little. As he made his suggestion, she looked up, her ears perking a bit.
"Really? Do you think we can?" she asked, sounding hopeful. She could already feel herself growing attached to it...along with being her favorite color, it had been the first gift she had ever been given. .....from....her first friend, she forced her mind to add. Yes, at this point it was safe to consider Kikuei a friend, she decided.
~Its rude to take and not give back.~ a stern voice in her head reminded her. A voice that had seemed to be with her ever since she'd been reborn that she recognized, yet didn't...yet somehow was compelled to obey. Just as she was wondering what he might like, moving to take a step backward, her ankle bumped something soft.
Looking down, she saw one of her plush cats...dark blue, mottled with little white stars, and a pair of angelic wings on his back. Smiling, she picked it up, examining it briefly as though checking it for scuffs or damage before offering it out to Kikuei.
"Do you like kitties...?" she asked hesitantly.
He blinked, nodding slowly before reaching out to pet the cat for a moment. "It's very cute," he offered, smiling at her.
She hesitated and then held it out to him. "....would you like him?" she asked shyly. "He's soft...he keeps bad dreams away." Safrinni offered. One of her heels dug at the shelf floor awkwardly, half-expecting him to say no. A plush toy really wasn't much compared to something as pretty as a gem, and she knew it...
His eyes went wide, and he looked up at her before carefully taking the kitty from her with a soft, "Y'mean it?" When she released the toy, he hugged it close, a slow smile beginning to light up his face.
"Uh huh." she nodded, feeling proud somehow when she saw him happily accept the plush. It felt good to see someone else smile and know she'd been the reason for it. Smiling, she watched him hug it and placed her hands behind her back, her left hand still holding the gem he'd given her and her thumb still idly tracing its corners and facets.
He grinned at her, then turned back to the beads, running his hand across them again. "I'm glad I found your shelf," he said suddenly, still snuggling the cat with one arm.
"I'm...I'm glad you did too." she said in return. And she found that she was, really. Before he'd visited, she'd been sure that all of the other ieldi children would hate or ignore her. Or that all of them were loud and raucous and would expect her to be the same. Maybe more of them were like Kikuei had turned out to be. "Its nice to have a friend." she added sheepishly.
Kikuei nodded vehemently, his head bobbing up and down on his neck before he stopped. "Now I've got two friends!" He reached out, catching her arm and only then seeming to realize her hands were behind her back. Dropping her arm almost as soon as he'd touched it, he said cheerfully, "You try making them chime!"
Blinking as he caught her arm, seeming to forget to pull away this time as her nerves had calmed themselves considerably from what they'd been a few minutes ago, she didn't even flinch. And when he requested that she make the beads chime, she turned to where he'd hung them, reaching out, trying to see if there was a particular trick to it.
Letting her fingers play over the strands as though it was a very odd harp, she produced a jingling of noise, someone reminiscent of falling rain. Again, the sound, combined with the way the light shone through the shimmering greens and blues made her smile.
Kikuei moved back, flopping onto the floor and watching as she played with the beads. He set the pretty cat in his lap, leaning back on his hands and ignoring the way his hair settled in his eyes, looking ragged and disheveled.
Taking this as an invitation to keep 'playing' the beads, she continued to pluck at the strings experimentally, producing different cadances of soft noise as different sizes and shapes of beads clicked together. Every now and then she looked over at Kikuei to see if he was still, indeed, there or not.
Kikuei watched for a while, occasionally adding his own whistles and clapping to the light tinkle of the beads. At length, though, the sun began to set and he glanced up at the dimming sky before frowning and reaching for his bag and slipping all the gems but hers back inside. "I hafta go... Trio's probably back," he said, sounding more sour than she'd yet heard him. "So she's probably looking for me." He paused, then looked back at her hopefully. "Can I come back again?"
Frinni's ears drooped a bit, seeming disappointed that he had to leave...which was funny considering when he'd first shown up, she'd wanted nothing MORE than for him to leave. But he'd been nice to her....
"I'd like that, Kikuei." she said sincerely, nodding softly. "Thank you for coming to see me...and for the shiny." she added, looking down at the light blue gem still in her palm.
He grinned, moving to unhook the bead strings and wrap them back around himself until they appeared to be a ton of bead necklaces again. "Thank you for the kitty, Safrinni." He paused, then added, "Maybe you can come to my shelf sometime. I've got other pretty stuff that we can play with... and we can make more music again." After a moment, he giggled, adding, "Practice your whistling!"
Beaming a smile at him, she felt herself blush again. Yes....she had to work on that, didn't she? As he gathered his things up, she offered him a wave. "Bye Kikuei." she said. "See you soon." And with any luck, she would. Karma, thankfully, wasn't very possessive about letting her leave the shelf...it was just that she'd never chosen to. Maybe she WOULD seek him out one of these days. It wasn't as though the tree was enormous, after all...surely she'd find him eventually.
Happily, he began whistling, making his way off of her shelf and heading back to his own with a bright grin that even the thought of facing a worried Trio couldn't dim.
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