[J] Althalus' Journal - Guardian: Kel | Page 5 | The Forgotten Library | Guild Forums

Kel-chan
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Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:52 am

Daniel chewed the end of his glasses thoughtfully as he turned the page, curling paper loud in the quiet living room. He looked up suddenly as a breath of cold wind wafted through the place; in the next room Althalus reached up and tugged the patio door closed with both hands, cheeks bright from the crisp coldness outside. He was dressed warmly in black trousers and a small brown hoody, a grey scarf tucked snugly around his neck by his mother that morning. The only touch of colour about him was the red bandana that sat jauntily on his head, making his dark eyes bright.
"'Lo Dan'l! Momma back yet?" He pattered across the room and jumped onto the sofa, pinning the 'shifters legs down and releasing a grunt from him. Daniel put the book down and replaced his glasses. Thank goodness the Forgotten had remembered to take his muddy shoes off first...

"No Althalus, not yet. She took Laurel to the Headquarters... trying to find out why she's so quiet and depressed than normal."
The little boy wriggled round til he was sitting further up and more comfortably. There was no sign of Stealth; the little daemon, as far as was explained by her doting Forgotten, hated the cold weather and spent most of the day burrowed into his clothing, only appearing when her curiosity overcame the coldness. Althalus looked out of the window to the garden where he had just been, the leaves brown and nearly all gone from the trees, especially the fast growing sapling that belonged to the Painted Soul.
"Laurel don't like winter, trees sleep," he said absently. "Like Stealth. But I like cold! Wakes y'up," he bounced slightly on the man's stomach for emphasis, and Daniel groaned slightly.

"Do get off, Althalus," he said, grabbing the toddler under his arms and hauling him onto the floor, ignoring the curious statement the boy had made.

"But boooooored!" whined the Forgotten, clinging to the man's trousers. "Wha' you doin'?"

"I WAS enjoying peace and quiet before you came in, troublesome child," replied Daniel goodnaturedly. "Okay then - what do you want to do?"

Althalus cast around, brown eyes searching for a method of entertainment. They fell on the pen and paper Kel had left sprawled there this morning, scribbling down hasty notes before leaving for one of her lectures.
"Daniel teach the magic pictures! The ones that say things!" He had the piece of paper from April upstairs, treasured as something he (alright, with a lot of help) had 'written'. He had been told the word said 'thief', but he didn't quite see how...

The shapeshifter scratched his head.
"It might be a bit advanced for you, kiddo," he said, looking doubtful. "But I can always try teach you how to write your name..."

He pulled the chair up closer to the desk in the living room and sat down, offering his lap to Althalus. The little boy had managed to remove the cumbersome scarf, unwinding it into a haphazard pile on the floor. Daniel was surprised to see a small lizard-like creature appear on his shoulder for a moment, before wriggling down into the hoody. But after a few seconds Stealth's head reappeared, eyes bright and curious, small feet clinging to the fabric. So! The daemon was out, and interested! Daniel grinned and picked up the pen, pulling the cleanest sheet of paper towards him as Althalus scrambled up onto his lap. The small boy sat quietly, attempting to control his impatience, as he knew if he wasn't good he wouldn't get the magic pictures. There was an odd, burning desire to learn this, and so he and Stealth were prepared to give this lesson their full attention.

"Right! Okay Althalus. You know, certain pictures are called letters and have certain sounds."
"So you say sound and it means picture?"
"Other way round, but close. Here, look at this." The tall man scribed a careful circle, adding a straight line on the right with a little flick at the bottom.
"This letter here is an 'ah' sound. It's a letter 'ay'."
"So it's a letter 'ay' but sounds like 'ah'?" Althalus was puzzled before looking up in delight. "Ah like Althalus?"
"'a' like Althalus," Daniel agreed. "When you see this letter, it means the 'a' sound. Here, you try."
He almost passed the pen over but stopped and changed it for a pencil. Much easier to write with.
"You copy the letter into the space below mine."
Althalus, the pencil clutched in his fist, carefully made a circle, his mind unconsciously remembering the way he saw Daniel make the letter. The circle was a bit elongated and tilted, and the flicky stick at the side didn't quite touch it, but it was a start!
"A for Althalus!!"

Daniel blinked and raised his head at a sound, wincing suddenly as he realised he'd had his head bent over for far too long, and a small boy on his lap also. Trying to ignore the neck pain and the pins and needles, he put on a cheerful smile. "Good morning Kelinor," he said affectionately as his fiancee came into the room, shrugging out of her coat and shaking the cold air from her hair.

"It's afternoon," she reminded him, and he blinked and stared at his watch.
"So it is! Good grief..."
"MOMMA!" Althalus' voice cut over theirs as he bounded off the lap and onto the floor, dashing to fling himself against his mother's leg and almost crumpling the piece of paper in his hand. He remembered himself in time and waved it excitedly, Stealth appearing on top of his head dancing from small foot to foot. Kelinor smiled and crouched down, hands teasing out the crumple of the paper.

"What's this?"
"It's letters, and they say ALTHALUS on the paper!"
The redhead blinked. Sure enough, vaguely decipherable on the paper were letters. The skinny toddler pointed them out excitedly.
"See, see, Ah-Lu-Te-Hu- that's TH - Ah-Lu-Uh-SSSSSSSSS!"

"I'm so proud of you, trouble!" Kel-chan beamed and wrapped one arm around the Forgotten. "And you have such a long name as well, I'm so impressed!"
Althalus shared an ecstatic mental grin with Stealth that matched his physical one. They definitely had to learn more of this. To capture the magic of words on paper... it was so much FUN!

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 1:01 am

The little boy frowned as he clutched the pencil tighter, staring at the difference between the neat writing Daniel had left him and the scrawled part underneath. No matter how he practised, it still wouldn't come out looking quite the same as theirs... maybe it had something to do with the fact that he found it easier to make the pencil stay still in his left hand, rather than his right.
He leant forward, both arms on the table, fair blonde-brown hair sticking out messily from under the bandana, a golden charm that hung around his neck gently clicking on the tabletop. Stealth looked up at her Forgotten, pale grey as she sat atop the paper that littered the desk.

We practise more, we get better, she said stubbornly, not liking the look of defeat creeping into the chocolate eyes above her. Then we can write messages and secret thoughts and remember things!
You right.
As always...
Tease.

The Forgotten shared a mental smile with his daemon and propped up his head on one hand, carefully rearranging his small fist around the pencil, attempting to make it look the same as how he'd been shown to hold it. No-one else was here with him, perched on a few books and cushions on the chair in the living room, his lined practise paper strewn across it. Mother was working in the next room, also doing studying; he felt proud that he was grown up enough to be doing what she did. He could hear Auriga and Sasha arguing good-naturedly in the kitchen; Laurel was asleep upstairs (he was older than her. Ha, he didn't have to take naps like that,) he thought proudly. He was definitely not the baby any more! He grinned to himself and leant down diligently to his work, copying the sentences as best he could, sometimes making his own ones.

A lot of children his age would not have the attention span for this; and certainly one would not expect it of the troublemaking, laughing little Althalus; but writing was something that bound him, intrigued him, and he would do anything to be able to do it properly.

Of course, it helped that it was raining outside, and so he couldn't have gone out to play even if he wanted.

Kel-chan
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Kel-chan
Crew

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Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 1:02 am

(( Kel is dressed red and black and sparkly... Althalus is a cowboy (lame I know, but he looked so cute in the costume xD )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v117/cinnamon_kel/althaluscowboy.jpg ))

Kel-chan was in spangles, and starting to regret the idea.
But as Althalus giggled and tugged at her hand, she shook her head with a rueful smile. No point going back to change now... Her top was red and glittery, her skirt (a skirt? Good grief!) was glittery, and even the black stripy socks were dusted with glitter that Auriga had carefully sprinkled on for her. There was even glitter in her damn hair...

Althalus let go of her hand, frustrated by his mother's slowness, and ran a few steps ahead. The toddler was dressed in jeans, a red check shirt and had, for once, his beloved bandana around his neck; a cowboy hat perched on his fair, messy hair and his dark eyes were excited. Stealth had tucked herself around his neck, almost invisible as usual, apart from her own bright eyes. They loved meeting people! This was going to be so much fun!

The pair reached the porch, and Kelinor smiled as she looked up at the warm lighted windows of the House. It looked so inviting.. she couldn't wait for this party. An impatient Althalus hanging on her wrist, she opened the front door and went in.
"Hellooooo...."

As the last of the guests spill into the house, the door slams itself shut. Itchy in his King Kong costume, Pippin anxiously glances at it from the corner of his eye, but decides against paying attention to a little detail like that. It probably isn't anything to worry about, he decides.

"Welcome, welcome!" he pipes up instead, clapping together his monstrous plastic gorilla hands. "I'm very glad all of you could make it to my costume party!"

Counting the heads of his guests, or at least the ones he could manage to spot between the movement, Pip counts a total of seven guardians. Seven guardians means seven Forgotten, and, of course, seven daemons.. somewhere. He swings his large costume with extravagance and, finding that the front hallway is too crowded for a costume as bulky as his, steps up onto the staircase with help from the railing.

"We'll just relocate to the living room!" he announces loudly, trying to raise his voice over the murmurs of various voices.

Outside the weather is fair - cloudy, but not windy, and the temperature is mild for the season. But cutting off the final word of Pippin's voice is an overwhelming crack. It is as loud as lightning striking the top of the house, and from the following effects it might as well have been lightning. All lights surge and falter. Most of the windows are boarded up, but even the cracks and the uncovered windows provide no source of light either. It can be simply compared to being knocked unconscious, though it is far more than just a cheap attack..

Nonetheless, no one sees it coming, and no one is prepared for what happens next.

---

Following the abrupt blackout occurs the strangest thing to happen at the house. [And, considering what actually does take place in it, that is saying a bundle.] The guardians will "awaken" to find out that they are locked inside the Library, including even Pippin's secret exits. [This can be roleplayed out or not, but the main focus is the next part.]

But strangest of all.. is that each Forgotten and daemon pair will wake up alone and somewhere very unexpected facing challenge. The stakes are high - to fail the challenge is to never escape the hell now awaiting them, as well as possible serious harm. But to win.. that is the only means of escape, to rejoin their guardian and to continue living.

===============================================

It is unknown where Althalus and Stealth are located. Their surroundings are perfectly black, save for a pinpoint of light straight ahead in the distance. The room, if it even is a room, gives the vibes more of a cave than anything that could have been located within the house.

Althalus's lamp is missing.

Althalus involuntarily flinched, as any small child might be faced with a sudden blackout. He reached for Stealth, and with the physical touch came the mental touch, strong and reassuring. But it was still dark.

The Forgotten did not fear the dark; as long as there was a sliver of light to see the shadows, he was happy. But this all encompassing darkness was a little frightening.
"Momma?" He called out loudly, surprised suddenly that he cannot hear anyone, despite the hall having been crowded a moment before. The toddler bent over and tried to feel the floor; his shoes were standing on something cold, more stone than wooden floorboards, and he frowned before closing his eyes, hand reaching to pet Stealth carefully as she latched her tail tightly round his neck. There was no way he was going to lose her... the closing of his eyes stopped the strain he was feeling, from opening eyes so widely to make the most of that tiny little pinprick in the distance.
Althalus needs more light.
Agreed... this is not enough, we might trip!
Lantern.
Yes...

The small boy reached around to where the lamp had been carefully tied to the waistband of the jeans.
And found nothing.
It's GONE!
Who stole it?
Did you hear anything?

The onset of a little panic crept into the toddler, and he sat down with a bump on the cold stone floor, one hand clutching his shirt, the other on Stealth's head. They were in the dark, with no light by which to see the dangers.. He rocked gently, shoes pressed together, eyes alternating between wide wide open and squinched shut. WHAT WAS GOING ON?

The pinprick of light flickers momentarily. Perhaps someone walked in front of it, or maybe it is the nature of the light to do so.

A soft whistle of wind breaking through the smallest crack can be heard, but nothing more. The walls, if touched, are mossy and damp. It has the characteristics of a cave, for sure.

He wasn't quite sure how long he sat there, feeling lost, but it was not that long, he was sure. After a while he carefully got to his feet again, spinning round slowly until he found that light again and then took a deep breath. He listened as hard as he could; there were very few sounds, but they sounded more like echoey drips in rock than a leaky tap in a basement... and the air was chill. A whisper of a damp wind, and the light ahead flickered. The toddler was getting a bit angry. Why, he'd get whoever did this back... his LAMP! He cut off that thought quickly, as it brought erratic feelings of panic. The toddler was not that well marshalled in his mind, however, and started firmly feeling forward in the dark, trying not to cry and trying to be silent, heading for that pinprick of light. It would not do to alert danger on himself here in the darkness..

Stealth latched firmly around him, as much skin as possible pressed against his. Even if he couldn't not see her or she him they could feel one another in the darkness. This reminded them unpleasantly of a dream... where the two had been torn apart. Stealth shivered delicately, and not just because of the cold. Was that pinprick even getting any nearer? It was so difficult to tell...

A screech and the sound of wings flapping fills the air, as a good dozen black blobs scramble midair past Althalus's face. Bats.

The little boy threw his hands over his head immediately, stifling his whimpered cry. Flying things, in the dark! His hearing was getting treacherously better in this light-excluded place, and now he imagined or heard every rustle of leathery wings, each faroff drip of water, strange and ominous noises in the dark...
Want my lamp...
The shared thought quavered a little before suddenly hardening. Althalus was a brave boy, Althalus wasn't afraid of anything, Althalus would always get through and win!

Snuffling a little, his own sounds and footsteps echoing in this dark place, Althalus continued forward, checking to see if the floor would hold his weight before every step. What if there were holes in the way, or chairs? Chairs had always proved enemies in his previous midnight wanderings, but that had been with some ambient light around. Althalus, who loved the comfort of the darkness, the protection it gave, was now desperately yearning for that little piece of light that made the darkness warm. And the only brightness anywhere is that tiny piece of light...

The bats gave him warning the second time as they flew angrily past him, scrambling for position in the crowded air. The Forgotten crouched down, hands over his head and arm protecting Stealth.What if these flying things stole them away from each other??

When it seemed quieter, Althalus slowly stood up again, hand plucking at the bandana round his neck where it had been part of his costume. Reaching behind him and feeling for the knot, he undid it slowly and replaced it in its accustomed place, firmly around his head. He couldn't get it to cover his head, so instead he made a clumsy band of it, tying it round his forehead with a tug to make it tight. That felt a little better, at least... He would have to get mother to put it back properly. When they got to the light...

The light does seem to be growing bigger, but is still distant. It dies again, for only a moment.

Althalus blinked furiously, willing the light to appear again, which it did a nano-second later. WHY did it keep flickering like that? His eyes were straining in the almost perfect darkness, and he continued stumbling forward through the strange cave-like place. One hand held out in front of him in case he knocked into anything, the other was clutched to his chest. Stealth no longer felt safe on the back of his neck; the small lizard-daemon had crept into his hand and had latched her tail around his wrist, pressing into the palm for comfort. Althalus allowed her a small mental smile, and she returned it with alacrity, peeking her small head through his fingers to look for that elusive light.
See, it's getting bigger!
Bigger means closer to...
We keep going, we get to the light.
But.. what if it is harsh light, exposing light, bright and painful?
...
At least in the light we can see who has my/our lantern..
But no places to hide!
Better than this kind dark.
Althalus set his small mouth in a grim line and kept feeling forward. Stealth was right, the light was closer, but whether it was a good or a bad thing...

One thing was for certain, he was getting nothing done here in the dark. Only thing to do was keep going forward.

He kept going forward, yelping slightly as his foot bashed into a rock. At least Kel had made him wear shoes for this costume party.. the small sneakers were little protection from the rock, but better than nothing. He sat down in the damp darkness, clutching his foot to him, listening for the bats and trying not to cry.

And then went on again, the light growing larger all the time.
It was the only thing to do...

The rounded edges of a clearing come into view, but it is still very far. It sheds more light onto Althalus and Stealth than they had, but barely enough to see their own feet.

Another whistling breeze, much stronger this time, blows at Althalus's back. A rumble sounds from where they just came.

The toddler viewed the hand in front of his face with almost painful relief. He could see a bit more! They were nearly out.. but to where?
Althalus placed his feet still cautiously; he could not see where he was stepping yet, but unconsciously speeded up. The light was so much closer now... was that distant trees, and grass? A ghost of a smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and he stroked Stealth's head absently with his thumb where she still nestled in his palm.

A strange, eerie sounding breeze came. The Forgotten blinked; he didn't remember wind coming from the darkness behind them.. he stumbled slightly again as a dull sound echoed from behind the pair. Not bats this time; a rumbling noise. His breath caught in his throat; normally he wasn't the kind to be scared, but the last little while had shaken him, and he was still very young. Was it a bear behind them? A rock, like in the book mother was reading to him? A sense of impending danger stole over him, and he clutched Stealth close against him, truly knowing that he speeded up this time. He preferred the dark, but in the light you could at least see what was coming... The circle of light still seemed so far, but it was better than the hungry dark behind them.
He broke into a shallow run.

Whimpering breathing. Patter, of sneakers on rock. Wind whistling round their ears.. the rumble behind. Althalus shivered in the cold wind that pushed against his back, ruffling the ridiculous shirt.The light was now visibly obvious as an opening, into a clearing of some kind; this reinforced the idea to Althalus that there was no way he could still be inside the house. But for now the wondering of why he had even reached this place was postponed; for now he ran, as cautiously as he could, once looking back over his shoulder and straining to peer into the darkness and see what this danger was.
But was this clearing any safer?
We can stop at the entrance.
Shadows to hide in there, but light to see...
What is behind us?
Keep running!
But don't trip...
It was gettin easier to see his way forward, the boy realised. Now they were frightened not so much by the darkness, but what it hid behind them; but he could turn it around, they could hide themselves at the entrance, and whatever was behind them could not find them.
Or hit us, if'n it's rocks...
Thankyou for the cheerful thought.
Welcome...

After being in the dark for so long, the light of the cave entrance was hurting the boy's eyes as he dashed towards it. He could see the floor beneath his feet now; the wind and rumblings issuing from behind were growing stronger, and he was running as best he could now. Flinging one hand up to shield his eyes, Althalus cast around, looking for a place that was still in shadows and closeby.

He spotted one an instant later, and changed direction, slipping over as he did so and catching himself painfully hands on the floor. He then scrabbled over to the seeming safety of a tall spirelike rock on the left that appeared to have been broken off half way. He tucked himself behind it, breath panting in his throat, squinching himself as small as possible in the shadows it threw. Facing the cave wall, he could not quite see the entrance of the cave that now lay to his right, but by twisting his head he could see where he had just come from.

Eyes straining into the blackness, he could see nothing. For a long while he sat there nursing his stinging palms, his breath slowly calming; Stealth curled close into the hollow of his throat with his hand holding her close. When nothing seemed forthcoming, he risked peering round to the other side... where was he now?

The terrible crashing, rumbling noise follows them, and it quickly picks up the pace. As if fed from Althalus's imagination, a large bolder squarely crashes into the tunnel he had just ventured through. It stops, too large to roll the whole way out the entrance, but now it blocks the Forgotten and his daemon inside.

Inside what?

The lantern, lost since the beginning of the "adventure", sits on a shelf of rock. It had been the light that guided Althie, but someone or something had either walked in front of it, or caused it to flicker.

Nevertheless, the centre of the cave clearing, possibly an identical one to where they awoke but larger and circular, is most intriguing. In it is a long dagger, its handle laden with sparkling jewels. The lower and wider blade is stuck very deep in a higher shelf of rock.

The pyramid of rock layers provides a decent staircase to the top, where the dagger is trapped. The light from the lamp, one step under the precious artifact, illuminates the entire space but also causes the dagger to emit a glow of sorts. It's a beautiful scene, and definately an entrancing one for thieves.

The toddler shuddered, still blinking from the fading echoes and tricklings of rock as the huge boulder settled more firmly into place.
Told you it was a rock...
Hesitantly, now the rumbling was gone, the boy slowly got to his feet, eyes finally adjusting to the light. A warm glow, a familiar one.... grazed palms finally releasing Stealth, she scampered up to his shoulder and settled there as Althalus stepped into the light, and into the clearing.

Immediately his dark eyes became large and round, taking in the scene. The light... came from a lantern.
LOOK!!
I see too!!
He dashed a few steps forward before Stealth hissed an annoyed stop in his ear.
What?
Maybe bad things about. Check first. *annoyed expression*
And what that?
Shiny.... *awed*
The item, gems and blade glowing softly in the yellow light, finally burned their way into his brain, holding all his attention. What a prize! The flickering reflected in his eyes, Althalus took an entranced step forward, then another. Even Stealth had forgotten her previous warnings, similarly held entirely to the two items at the top of the staircase.

Had Althalus been a little older, a little more cautious, he would have realised that it was not, as his mind had carelessly assumed, bats flying across that light to make it flicker. And he might also have known that it was unlikely that such a treasure would go unguarded... a small thought on those lines did in fact creep softly to the fore of his mind and make itself known. At the foot of the staircase, Althalus hesitated, looking all around. The boulder and walls of the cave made a solid wall in one direction; the other showed where they had come from, impenetrable blackness. But they had been there, right? Nothing more around...

Nevertheless the little thief did not trust the stairs very much. But he had no choice; it was a kind of step pyramid all the way round. At least he could go up by the side, not the front (or at least, he assumed the front was the side the lantern sat on).
Even as he began to climb, an angry thought sprang to mind. Who had put his lantern there? It sure wasn't bats! But oh, that shiny looked so pretty... easily diverted, Althalus and Stealth continued upwards.

A shadow flickers across the wall, and it isn't Althalus's. But, no one can be seen.

It is Stealth's eyes who catch it, her Forgotten being all too fixed on the prize ahead. Her head slides round, eyes sharp, but she cannot see it anymore...
Althie, a shadow!
Many shadows, because of the light, silly. *preoccupied*
No! Other shadow, not us?

In response the toddler blinked, and looked round to where his daemon had indicated she had seen a flicker. Nothing could be seen except the slow glowing of the lantern light on the walls, still shadows thrown by rocks.

"Come on, nearly there," he said firmly, for the first time speaking out loud since he had shouted for his mother. There were only a few steps to go before he reached his lantern! Once in possession of the item that allowed light and shadow and darkness would make him feel braver once more... and then the item! Dagger, a thought came from his memory of the small blade he had once asked Daniel why he wore. But so much more beautiful, and glowing shiny!

For once all the sixth sense was on Stealth's part, and she wrapped herself firmly around Althalus' throat, eyes everywhere around the cave. If a lizard could whimper she would have; instead, she made a soft worried hiss.

"Got it!" Small fingers closed around the ring atop the lantern. The steps of rock had been large, but Althalus had not even thought about their size, just tackling it as something that had to be done. No he scrabbled round to the front, ignoring grazed palms as he eagerly claimed what was his once more.

There is a short, shallow hiss after the lantern has been misplaced from where it was positioned.

"Uselesssss."

At the sudden hissed word, loud in their silence, both Althalus and Stealth jumped. The lizard daemon immediately fled to safety, ducking under the shirt collar and dashing down his arm to cling to his wrist, hidden by the red-checked sleeves. Althalus himself looked around, arm outstretched to the lantern still from his kneeling position on the bottom step.

He jerked upright, still kneeling but with the light now close to his chest, swinging the light this way and that so the shadows danced across the walls but changed constantly, in the hope that he might reveal what the shadows hid... and saw nothing. He scrambled to his feet and hauled himself up to the small, top plinth where the dagger still gleamed faintly, brown eyes wide and scared. But it was in his hands now; he was sitting there, by the dagger and in possession once more of his lantern. He should be the one who was unafraid... and he wasn't useless! He'd got up here, hadn't he?

Faint anger infused him even as he searched ceaselessly for the intruder that had spoken. He'd managed to find this place, not got hit by the rock or frightened off by the nasty bats, and climb this rock. Far from useless, he thought angrily. But he did not reply, or say anything at all; until he knew this entity, and whether it was friend or enemy, he would not know what tone to take. So instead he clutched the lantern to himself, swivelling round at the waist to look on all sides. At least he had the advantage of being above the entire floor, but in a way he felt unhappy without a wall at his back. Sending the light all around and the shadows fleeing, he searched for the speaker.

Whoever, or whatever, it was, they are nowhere to be seen now.

Only the dagger, embedded in the rock without the slightest hope of budging, accompanies them, it seems.

They hadn't been imagining it.
Although their own imagination was vast, kept them amused for hours playing in the garden, Althalus and his daemon knew what was imagination and what wasn't. An older, wiser person might doubt their own ears, but with Stealth's sight of the shadow and that hissed word, they couldn't possibly be mistaken.

Someone was around here! But there is nothing, absolutely nothing that the swinging light of the lantern reveals.
They must have gone?
Agree..
Maybe not for long though.
We should go now,
Have lantern!
But..
But..
Both sets of bright dark eyes swung from their searching to look once more at the treasure set beside them in the stone. It would be such a shame, if they didn't even have any compensation for their troubles... And if they wanted it, they should take it now, before the person came back. Hide it inside the shirt, sneak back down... go back along the tunnel, but with light to guide them out this time.
Plan is good.
Just quickly...

Althalus, with a final glance around the room, turned his whole body to kneel in front of the dagger in the stone. Stealth ventured creeping up to his shoulder, little claws gripping half the shirt and half the boy's skin. Althalus was so used to his daemon's grip by now the tiny pinpricks were nothing to him.
The blade gleamed softly in the lantern light, a beckoning, enticing glow. Left hand clenched around the lantern ring handle, the Forgotten reached out to grasp the inlaid handle, wrapping little fingers around it tightly. Just this beautiful shiny, to repay him for what he had been through...

It doesn't budge whatsoever, as to be expected. The rock seems to have melted around the sword, or.. grown around it?

"Uselessss!" the voice comes again, this time half laughing. A shadow darts across the wall, dancing across it, but it has no origin..

It was there, again. Althalus hated being the one out in the open, where hidden things could watch him... if only they could take the shiny! Eyes darting to and fro, matching the small lizard-daemon at his shoulder, the little boy clutched the lantern and tugged again at the knife, knowing somehow that it just wasn't going to move, not using brute strength.

Gotta have a plan!
Being still there. Retreat, flee...
To shadows, hide
stay until it's gone!
But...
we cannot face it...
hide behind it?
Know the enemy.
Decieve it...
and dagger will be ours!

A decision, and Althalus uncurled his grip from the dagger handle, levering himself to the step below once more, standing straight and tall as he could, the picture of innocence as he gripped the lantern ring tightly.

"Who's that? I be sorry if I come in to what is your place..." The Forgotten cursed his still tender as yet grasp of language. SOmething in him said that could have come out better... hesitantly, he remembered something Daniel did a lot, and bent forward at the waist in imitation. The bow ended up with more of a flourish than Daniel's did though.
Yes, if he could speak to this annoying shadow, perhaps he could get it to believe his innocence, and then... then he would have all the time in the world to retrieve that beguiling dagger.

A horrible laughter fills the enclosed area. The dagger does not budge.

Althalus's lantern light flickers as a breath of chilling air blows around his ankles.

Standing tall as he could on his step, the little thief narrowed his eyes but kept his courteous smile.
Trick, deceive.
How could he do this when the person did not show themselves?

"'Scuse me," He called again, Stealth curled tightly around his neck, a shimmering silent necklace. "I'm lost, can you help me?"

Play the little child,
lost, alone.
Innocent.
Maybe even they will remove the dagger, to taunt us...
Then even simpler to make it ours.

The chill air caused the lantern light to dance slightly, and with only a brief glance down Althalus tried to adjust the glass sides a bit more. If the lantern went out... A brief chill went down his spine as he waited for a reply rather than annoying, mocking laughter.

At least it proved there was someone there.

There was silence following the toddler's words but then the laughter came. At first it was just a few soft chuckles before it turned into a full ruckus of laughter that echoed about the cavern.

"As if I'd fall for that." The voice said, finally, sounding as if he was wiping tears from his eyes from too much laughing. Just before it died again, it muttered out, "It's all useless, boy. Useless."

Althalus flinched a little as the laughter bounced around the walls with the wildly flickering shadows. For some reason the mysterious owner of the voice could see right through his deceit... or at least seemed to. And anyway, he was lost! Hadn't he been in the house with momma and the other people before the darkness? His growing dislike for the voice thickened, and Stealth flicked her tail irritable against his neck where she sat holding tightly.

"What's useless?" He said then, voice bright and innocent. "And I really am lost." He twisted his fingers round the lantern ring, calming the light source until the shadows were more solid on the walls around the curious pyramid. The dagger gleamed in the stone beside him, the single step up leaving it at around waist height on the toddler, if he leaned in to get it.

"Who are you? Are you from the Library?" His piping voice tried to mask the cutting questions beneath it, his face smiling but his dark eyes guarded.

" ... don't try my patience, boy," the words were hissed into the toddler's ear as a shadow passed over him.

Seconds later, laughter once again filled the air, but it was mocking, just like the tone of the voice as it spoke, "Don't you know what's useless? It's all useless. Everything you're doing."

The toddler winced a little and swung round, trying to follow the shadow as it passed by, Stealth shivering against his neck. He was more than a bit annoyed by now, but he couldn't let it show in his voice. Not if he was to deceive...

"You keep r'peating yourself, mystery voice. Evrything can't be useless, that makes no sense." He tried to aggravate it then; maybe it would show itself? It was so difficult without knowing what this thing was! But he was slowly picking up some things. He tried to put a condescending tone into his voice, not realising that these were some of the most complex sentences he'd tried yet.
"Please do try and keep up... no use being a menacin' shadow if'n you can't even make sense. After all, dun wanna waste my time trading remarks with someone that's useless..."

Fingers shifted grip on a lantern ring, body quivered tensely. Small daemon laid her head against a cold cheek.
Courage.

A chilling laugh fades off, as if the shadow is retreating.. or perhaps just waiting. The lantern suffers a temporary lapse again, its light faltering over the jagged rock hill.

Inside the hilt of the dagger, a ruby catches what little light does remain, making the item even more tantalizing than ever before.

The little boy's eyes narrowed, and he hugged the lantern tighter to himself, as if keeping his body pressed against the cool glass would somehow keep the light inside alive. Althalus and Stealth held their breath for a moment, ears straining to catch what had happened to the one who talked from the shadows.

Has he gone?
Or hidin' somewhere?
If he's gone...

Both sets of dark eyes, sparkling slightly from the weak light, fixed upon the glittering prize beside them. Cautiously the toddler stretched out one hand again, looking all around as he leaned slightly backwards. His hand touched the hilt once more; fingers brushed against the cool gemstones and a thrill ran through the Forgotten. He tried his hardest to continue looking around, but he couldn't help his eyes being drawn to the dagger. Even Stealth slowly inched down his arm, small claws clinging to his skin under the shirt, her head eventaully peeking out from his sleeve.

Stay alert...

But it was so difficult, with a prize like this in his sights.

The dagger warms up his hand on contact. It isn't an unpleasant feeling; quite the opposite, really. But still, there is the matter of pulling the dagger from the solid rock that lies between Althie and safety. For as the dagger entrances him the longer he holds it, it drives a sense of security through the handle and into the thief child.

Such a wonderful treasure, such a fantastic find.. and it could be his for the taking.

He risked another quick look round, knees finding the cold rough stone beside the dagger. If the shadow was gone... no time to lose.

Stealth clung to the back of his hands as he wrapped both of the firmly around the entrancing prize, dark eyes darting around in the increasing adrenalin of thrill and terror at being found again, being plunged into the dark. No hissing laughter, no mysterious presence...

Hurry!
I try!

And the boy's little face was creased into a frown as eventually he threw caution to the winds and tugged with all his childish might at the dagger, the blade gleaming as if oiled and entrenched firmly in the rock of the pyramid. He could take this, he could flee, he would be safe...

The dagger merely wiggles. It seems pathetic, considering the effort driven in it, but it's a start. It isn't every day that someone can break stone, is it? Tiny pebbles chip away as the dagger is trusted to and fro, but not deep enough to release it.

"Uuussssselesssss!!!" a voice laughs repulsively, and a highly blackened form of the shadow lunges straight at Althalus's face..

He couldn't help it. The toddler screamed, one hand flailing in front of his face, shielding himself from the shadow. He would have fallen backwards, tumbling step after painful step down the pyramid, yet one hand, foolishly, amazingly, still clung to the dagger's handle, fingers unwilling to let go of such a prize even if half the brain demanded that it should be done.

Stealth wrapped her legs around his wrist and clung with all her might, unable to make a sound, melting instantly into the pale and redcheck colours around her, blending in as best she could.

The shadow!
THE DAGGER!

It moved slightly, so slightly in his iron-locked grip.

Maniacal laughter resounds in the bubble of a cave as the shadow swipes through Althalus's face. With every pass through his body, sharp pain mixes with sweltering heat. The shadow continues, knowing and wanting to hurt and distract the boy.

From the increase in pulling on its handle, the dagger slides out almost halfway, splitting the rock immediately around it. The cracks leech off but stop as the dagger stops; the tugging is now on an angle. If Althalus can free himself from the shadow for just a few moments and tugs upwards, the prized dagger will be his..

Pain.
The dark presence that fled shadowlike across Althalus's body, prickling his skin like burns.
The boy closed his eyes at the unexpected agony, clamping his mouth shut on another whimper. He almost lost it; he wanted to stop himself from falling, to run, flee away from the burning pain and the shadow's grasp...
but the dagger shifted suddenly, and all thoughts, all concentration zeroed in on his left hand. The delicate shape of Stealth, still clinging desperately to his wrist. The knuckles of his fingers white in their grip on the warm handle, the pain nothing to the waves of prickling sharpness, but still something to focus upon.

Only a little more!
Nothing else mattered except his left hand.

With an enormous pull, the toddler threw himself forward, fighting the shadow's grasp, putting him back on the relative stableness of the small rock surface and wrenching his grip forward on the dagger. The angle shifted back to vertical, the rock now crumbled and loose around it...

With a yell, the thief Forgotten pushed himself to his feet, the dagger almost as long as his forearm, but now.. resting in his grip, snug, secure. His ward from danger, a glittering prize. His eyes went flat, and his arm swung out in a gleaming arc.

Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:15 pm

[---- Reserved for Miniquest Aftermath---]

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Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2006 2:44 pm

Shiroko looked up indifferently as she heard the door open in the hallway, and put down her sketchpad. The concept of art was confusing to her, but also intriguing; when no-one was watching she liked to play around with the pencil and paper, but swiftly hid whatever she was working on. With a smooth movement the persocom pushed the pad under a sofa cushion and got to her feet, pattering out into the hallway as little Althalus came thundering down the stairs.

The door opener was in fact looking vaguely bemused, even as he closed it behind him and flung his coat carelessly over the bannister. He held no keys, as the door to his and Kel's home was a mental lock; but he was holding a curious looking wand.

"Dan-yel!" Althalus grinned and cannoned into the tall man's leg, and was promptly picked up and tucked under one scar-laced arm, giggling madly, the small lizard-daemon that was his companion wriggling under his bandana. Daniel laughed and addressed the silver-haired persocom who stood in the doorway, eyebrows raised.

"Hold this wand for me one moment will you, while I deal with this rascal?" His words held the mock anger and laughter for the little boy, but also a tinge of seriousness which made Shiroko dart forward and take the curiously warm length of wood from the man's hand. She held it cautiously, examining it and trying to scan through her files to find out what it was.

When the shapeshifter returned from his tussle with the little Forgotten, he motioned Shiroko to follow him into the lounge. Althalus followed too, more calm now but just as curious. The little boy's own guardian, Daniel's fiancee Kelinor, was out shopping still; Shiroko, who knew that the man had been doing his own gift buying that day, handed over the wand as he sat down at the little table at the side of the room.

"So, Daniel, what's this? Kel's gift?" The child-like persocom was only that in looks most of the time; her mind was sometimes closer to a cynical thirty-year-old than her small stature would suggest. And now her tone held a sort of diselief, wondering what on earth it could be that Kel would want this wand so much. In reply Daniel stroked the wand lightly as it lay on the table in front of him.

"Actually, Shiroko, this is mine, I think."

"You think? How can you shopping and buy some pretty trinket and not even know who it's for?" Shiroko flicked one silver plait over her shoulder, peering more closely at the artifact.

"I think it looks cool!" said Althalus enthusiatically, putting one foot on the chair bar and leaning over to get a better look. "All firey..."

Daniel smiled a little bemused still. "Actually, it's not a pretty trinket. It seems this time I was the one who ended up with a little one to care for..."

"This is a child??"

"There's a child trapped inside the wand, yes. Or at least I think."

"A little brother or sister like Laurel then!"

"I guess so, Althalus... isn't that exciting?"

Shiroko tossed her head slightly. "I'm sure that's exactly what Kelinor wanted, another mouth to feed..." She made a face. "But I'm guessing you had no choice, right? That's the way it seems to work in this part of town..."

Daniel could do nothing but nod, his curious potectiveness for the wand reappearing once more as he wrapped his fingers carefully around it.
"I guess it just means that I'll have to go shopping again tomorrow."

Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2006 1:21 pm

Christmas was a LOT better this year, Althalus decided. All he remembered last year was paint and sparkles.

Sitting in his corner, back against the sofa, he tried to tune out the happy babbles around him and the Christmas music, concentrating on the small pile of gifts in front of him. In fact there were three piles; one of wrapping, discarded to the side, one in front of him, the few left unopened, and the one tucked behind him, carefully safe; the ones already open. That way he could remember stuff!

Stealth muttered again as she pattered up his leg, tiny claws gripping the corduroy easily and navigating around the bulges which were the pockets. Even these trousers, inflicted upon the boy for the Christmas holiday, had accumulated junk, or perhaps just transferred... the contents could not help but grow, especially today.

Eventually the Forgotten sat back with a satisfied smile upon his face like a cat. He'd got plenty of stuff, and interesting too, apart from the big toy truck... he'd pushed that aside, trying to mask his distaste; Kel-chan's friends from uni had got it for him, and he doubted he would ever use it. The two plushes... he still was child enough to love them, after all they were squishy to lie on at night! And one was a cat that looked just like his Mau...

The leggy adolescent kitten-cat, as if knowing she was thought about, came and rubbed herself against his arm, peering down at the presents curiously. Stealth flickered her tail slightly before taking a flying leap for Althalus' arm and srabbling up the fabric to his shoulder. She didn't mind the creature's adoration of her Forgotten, as long as he did not ever place cat above daemon. Of course, he never would, but Stealth was a little jealous, nevertheless. She curled her tail about his neck possessively, and continued watching as the boy in question carefully opened his last gift.

It was a packet of writing pencils, taped lightly to a small book. It was not high quality, after all he was still young; but the lined paper inside the hard black covering was perfect for practising writing, making up codes, writing his thoughts.. Althalus blinked and then picked up the book, hugging it to his chest, eyes darting from side to side until he sought out his mother's face. Unusually he had not been taking notice of who was watching him, and so it was odd to see her looking straight at him, a wide smile on her face as she leant over from her chair opposite where she had been reading a new book to Laurel.

"So, rascal! D'you like your present?"

"Thankyou momma!" The response was chirped excitedly and automatically before the toddler scrabbled round and rearranged all his presents, getting them all into his sight before lying on his stomach and curling his arm prootectively around his new writings, pencil laboriously working. The redhead sat back and shared a quiet smile with her fiance. The present seemed to have gone down quite well.

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Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:19 pm

Quote:

MARCH

Ths iS how we STart a diari, diAry,

Dear Diary,

Today we went oUt to a gardinin centr, it was qwIte borin but we nideD stuf fore LAUREL's tree mother said. It was too cold today for Stealth, she had to sTay insyd my kote and sleps she dos that a lot in the cold. I want sumer to come agen.

My writin is geting beter now Daniel says, if i uSe my lef hand + not my rite liek him and mother do, houever hE sais my spellin is ATROSHUS but I shud spel things bi sownding them out. I will take this to show in a minit to see how bad it is!

~Althalus

Quote:

You're right, Althalus, your spelling is atrocious. But well done for the sounds at least. Remember only to put capitals at the beginnings of the sentences and at the start of someone's name!

"I won't write any more than that," and Kelinor smiled as she handed the small notebook back to the impatient little boy. "I don't want to spoil your own journal. We all have our own to take care of, but I'm glad you came and showed me the spellings."
She knelt over from her chair and hugged him cheerfully, resulting in an embarrassed squirming. Althalus pushed his bandana further onto his head and scowled slightly. He was getting too old to be cuddled like a baby!
Holding the notebook close to him, he dashed back to the stairs, dropping to all fours to climb the stairs agilely, however tall they still were on him. Stealth slumbered on curled around his neck; he was wearing a hooded sweatshirt, which meant it was still plenty warm enough for her there. She softly echoed his sentiment though; she could not wait for the warmer days.

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 3:25 am

Living with a being that only burbles loudly in your head and appears to only whisper to others is.. difficult.

"Shush, shush," said Daniel worriedly, arms cradled awkwardly around the insubstantial cool firesmoke that was Bennu, wails echoing in his head. And as he walked backwards and forwards across the living room floor, the other occupants looked at him blankly. Althalus looked up from his drawing paper that he was sharing with Shiroko, and laughed.

"Bennu's shushed already, silly!" The toddler smiled widely and tucked his red pencil precariously behind his ear.

"Trust me, he's not," Daniel replied shortly, bouncing the ghost babe lightly. He wasn't quite sure what had caused the racket that Bennu was setting up, but as a rule the phoenix was normally quiet...

"Well, I can hardly hear him," said Althalus stoutly, scrambling to his feet and pattering over, one hand coming up to cling to the 'shifter's trouser leg and bandana'ed head tilted backwards curiously. So Daniel's surprise, the baby ghost in his arms quieted down for a second, his head craning downwards.

"Am I not good enough for you then, Ben?" Daniel's tone was self-depreciating but he grinned as he crouched down to bring the babe within range of the little Forgotten child. The small 'hand' not clutching the wand waved out a bit at Althalus, and the burblings quieted even more. All Althalus could hear was like a whisper on the wind, and he grinned.

"Bennu is going to be my little brother," he informed the ghostbabe importantly. "Which means you and me are going to do lots together when you become not seethrough..." His fingers curled around even smaller non-existant ones, and accidently.. passed through.
Daniel attempted to prop the almost non-existant weight of Bennu on his knee, one arm still protectively around him, and patted Althalus on the head.
"You're a good kid, Althalus. Stay that way, okay?"
The Forgotten smiled, and nodded cheerfully, before going back to where Shiroko sat patiently, pencils held idly in laceclad hands. The persocom raised one small eyebrow at the phrase, and fixed Daniel with a piercing look; but she said nothing, and Althalus continued drawing, and Daniel stood upright again, cradling a much quieter Bennu. Kel had said Althalus was destined to be a thief, a deciever, unless he fought hard against it; while he was still a toddler, he showed these traits rarely. Hopefully.. he'd be as good a big brother to Bennu as he promised.

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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:05 am

Quote:

Well, it's the first of September. This means offishially officially the summer time is over.... I wish it would stay summer a bit longer, because I like being able to play outside. BUT a good thing is that it's only a month til my birthday time, and I hope I get a lot of presents! last year I got some fish, but they had to go to the pond outside becos they got too big.

I have grown too, you know... I come up to mother's elbo now, and am much taller than Laurel, this is a good thing! But Daniel is still a lot taller than me. I don't mind that much. means I can still crawl into the little spaces that mother can't get to. biggrin

I stole another few coins off the lady on the bus yesterday. she didn't notice this time! And I put them back, so she didn't evin notice, so mother didn't give me a telling off. Stealth is very pleased about that. She doesn't like it when mother yells, it's too noisy. I agree.

I am glad I have a lock for this book now. That way mother doesn't get to read it.

I am also glad my writing and spelling are lots bettar. The begining of this book is so mesy! But I am trying hard to make my writing better. This book is save becaus of the lock, but what if i write in other places? I shuld think of that.

~ Althalus

Althalus looked thoughtful as he dropped the pen, closing the book with a snap and picking up the small copper key beside him. He sat up stretching, yawning slightly as he locked the padlock across the cover and looked across at the window.
"Still sunny," he said softly, almost to himself.
Let's go out, Stealth mumbled sleepily, uncurling her choketight hold around his neck, sleeping bronzebrown colour fading to merge with his skin tone.
"Just cause you like the sun all the time," the Forgotten teased lightly, picking at the patch of carpet under his bed and sliding the now-battered journal underneath it.
You like it too, retorted Stealth, small eyes narrowing slightly. Else you would still be winter pale and clean enough to stop mother scolding.

Althalus laughed, and pattered barefoot out of his room and down the stairs.
"Goin' outside!" he called cheerfully as he raced past the open kitchen door and Kel's surprised face as she looked up.
"Stay clean!" Was the hopeless call after him, and Althalus grinned.

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:11 am

September 15th

Althalus peered around the corner of the building before stepping out. Mother had wanted to go into the House, but he wanted to be outside...it was going to be cold soon again, best to enjoy the weather while he could, he thought optimistically.
It's not exactly warm today. Came the caustic answer to that, and Althalus laughed slightly, reaching a hand to the disgruntled daemon on his shoulder.
"Best you'll get soon enough," he said pointedly, before pattering a few more steps onwards, towards the approach to the House. Mother could go get lost in there; he'd be fine outside.
"And besides, there are still trees around out here," he went on softly, looking across to the scrubby foliage along the outer wall. "We could get more food..." The pockets of the skinny child were already bulging with previous attempts, and thinking abut it the Forgotten pulled a small, wrinkled apple from his pocket and rubbed it on his sleeve, dark eyes bright.

Lysium refused to wear something like THAT ! She stared at Faiga in disbelief as he tried to push a something out of wool onto her head. It looked horrible, he totally had no taste in anything and it wasn't nice for her skin and after all it was...yellow. The girl frowned hardly, but no sound escaped her lips as she watched Shiver who didn't seem to understand her behaviour. His tail was curled around his legs as he was seated on top of the chocobo's head, a large riding bird the three of them were sitting on.
Bad stuff ?
Makes scratching, like fleas.
The girl let him know.

Faiga had wanted to show the child something else, but he hadn't manage to leave the damn cat alone. Being an animal friendly person he didn't mind too much and so they were riding through the streets and Faiga tried to keep the little bobble cap on the baby's head.

Shiver knew only one way to help her : He jumped of the chocobo right into Althalus' garden.

Althalus' head snapped round at the lithe black shape that darted over the garden wall. Mau? Was it his cat?
Daemon. Stealth's voice echoed sharply in his head, and the boy blinked. Daemon? One from the Library?

He shoved the apple back in his pocket, and ran over to the wall, crouching slightly beside the daemon, but politely not reaching to touch it, looking up in bemusement at the wall.

"Hey, little guy.... where's your girl? What are you doing here?" He asked quietly, Stealth unlatching her tail slowly and deliberately walking down his arm, scales fading to brown to reflect the fabric her little claws hooked in.

Shiver watched the one approaching and stretched his muscles before giving the stranger his best don't come to close look. Actually it didn't seem to work out properly. He started to feel uncomfortable already and hoped Faiga and Lysium would come closer quickly.

Now,what was that ? The other one talked to him and he felt strangely...familiar ? Smirking Shiver noticed a movement on the other one's arm and hissed slightly. What was it ?

Lysium watched the cat with curiousity as Faiga sighed and got off the chocobo. A little boy and a lizard ? What had he gotten into actually...

"Come back, Shiver." The man mumbled while Lysium extended one finger and pointed at the stranger. Get hat.

Althalus stood slowly, peering up at the face that was appearing over the wall. A man? That wasn't what the daemon meant, surely?

"What're you looking at?" He asked candidly, blinking dark-circled large eyes. "You this one's daddy?" He pointed the arm which Stealth balanced easily on down at the cat-like creature that hissed oddly. What was with it? Had it never come across another one or something?

Hey, don't look at me like that, Stealth sent snarkily at the other daemon, rolling to grip on the underside of Althalus' arm, peering down at the other. She knew other daemons could talk to her, she'd talked to Curiousity, hadn't she? Maybe this one would reply.

Faiga blushed slightly as he looked at the young boy and scratched his head with one hand while the other one made sure that Lysium didn't fall off the big yellow bird. "Sorry, my name's Faiga, this one is my daughter's cat." Aware that it probably would take a bit longer to get Shiver back he decided to pick up the baby girl and put her on the wall. "This is Lysium."

So-called cat had nothing better to do but squint his eyes and sniff at the other daemon. You are same as me. Shiver declared and looked at the interesting other one. He looked just like the other one's skin. Perhaps he could ask this one for the hat ?

Lysium watched Shiver intensively and then pointed at Althalus' hat again.

We want the hat.

Althalus snorted. Ignorant! He pattered over to the wall and clambered up it agilely to sit, dangling his bare feet over at the street side.

"Not a cat, silly. Daemon. Like mine." He tilted his head at the silently pointing baby. "Lysium's daemon?" He smiled charmingly at the little girl, ignoring the hesitant man. Stealth returned to scamper up his shoulder, latching around his neck and turning a tan shade to match his skin.

Close. You're from the Library too. Name? Stealth's bright black eyes blinked once. Names were important, somehow.

Faiga really didn't know how to deal with the boy. He was probably better with chocobos and so he just grinned sheepishly and looked for a way to make sure that the riding bird stayed. "Daemon...uh...yes." Hadn't another person told him about that ?

Lysium instead smirked and looked at Althalus curiously. She hadn't met a taller child before and so this was something that interested her a lot. Extending one pale hand delicately she nodded. "D'mon." Her voice was unexpectedly dark, but not in a bad way.

Shiver. How you do that ? He was talking about changing colour. It was something he'd like to do as well. Sometimes when he stood inside the shadows you were only able to see his eyes, that was always a lot of fun.

"Lysium speaks?" The boy brushed the scruffy fringe away from his eyes and tucked it more away under his bandana, though it almost immediately fell away again. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Althalus." His voice was sweet and friendly, but he was almost ignoring the tall man. "Stealth says your daemon is called Shiver?"

Cause I'm clever like that, came Stealth's cheeky reply.

Lysium nodded slightly and her tiny hands were wondering down her fabalous clothes to straighten them a little. She didn't want to look that dirty at all. A conversation was always difficult, but talking wasn't her best ability. She could do things with her hands, nice things. "Shiva." For a moment a soft smile was conjured onto her lips as she eyed cat. She wanted that thing on Althalus' head and Shiver had to get it for her, walking and moving and such was...difficult.

I'm clever TOO ! Shiver pouted. He was an honourable hunter of everything and now that little thing that changed colours wanted to insult him. Not directly, but...she wanted to, didn't she ? We make fight bout thing... Looking at the item Lysium wanted he became afraid out of sudden and his claws extended unwillingly. He wasn't good at holding them back yet.

Althalus blinked slightly as he gauged the reaction of the enigmatic babe and the suddenly nervous daemon. What had he said wrong now?
Stealth, play nice, he chided gently.
I am playing nice, the small gecko-daemon grumbled slightly, but wrapped her tail more lovingly around Althalus' neck, before blinking back at Shiver.
Thing, what thing? No need to fight....

Althalus stared at the little girl, a sudden brainwave hitting as he shifted around more carelessly on the wall. He reached into his pocket, pulling out one of the small, sweet apples and holding it out with a smile. "Here, Lysium want an apple? They're nice, you know...."

Lysium didn't show a sign of interest in Shiver's idea of a fight. She was well aware that he used to hunt everything he could get and that was fine as long she received the something.
As she didn't pay attention an apple was offered to her and her eyes suddenly focused on the fruit. It had a nice colour and so she gladly accepted the offer. She knew how the game went, you get something and give something in return. Wrapping her small fingers around the apple she looked up and smiled slightly at Althalus. "Nice."

What to make out of this, Shiver ?

Thing on your friend's head...that thing...but no fight then...'s alright... The cat purred and managed to give Stealth a look which said that he knew what he was talking about. As usual he didn't have a clue. Smelling the scent of the apple he turned to Lysium and rubbed his head against her side. Smells good.

"Eat apple?" Lysium moved the fruit towards her mouth and looked at Althalus.

"Sure! Apples are for eating. I've got more," and the boy patted his pockets cheerfully. What did she think they were for, wearing? He grinned again, Stealth laughing in the privacy of their heads before she suddenly darted down Althalus' shirt to perch on his knee, staring at Shiver, fading to the muddy black of his trousers.

Fighting is silly. Words stop fighting. And those things are ours, she said sweetly.

Shiver felt stupid as he listened to Stealth words. In some ways he was still a baby himself and so he couldn't comprehend the deeper meaning behind the lizard's sentences. It just made him feel uncomfortable and so he pouted.

What you like to do ?

Lysium comforted the cat by promising him to pet him at home silently, while she tried to believe Althalus. Still there was more about apples. Nibbling on an edge of it she quickly managed to see that beside the red there was something more yellowish. And the red stuff could be created into new things. Slowly she started to peel the apple with her fingers. "Stalth..."

"Hey, you're right," Althalus blinked, and smiled again, eyes calculating as he watched the methodical babe peel at the apple. "Stealth is here," and he reached a grubby finger to stroke the small lizard's head tenderly. "My version of your Shiver. Your daddy know that?" He addressed his words to the little girl, but the question was still pointed at the guardian that still hovered nearby.

"And you eat the stuff on the inside. Ca'ful, you'll get sugar juice all on your fingers," he warned absently.

Lysium was very careful, but laughed slightly as Althalus pointed at him daemon. "Nooo...Stalth...'ere.." The peeled of red skin from the apple was formed into something new by her tiny hands. It looks scrumbled and couldn't be detected at first, but slowly it looked a bit like the small lizard. At least it had a tail and legs and even eyes. The girl giggled slightly as Shiver started to purr.

Faiga instead just watched the scene and scratched his head. "Sorry, Althalus it was, right ? Well...what do you mean by version ?" Sometimes kids were just strange, the man knew. He didn't have much contact with other children, but it was an accepted fact, wasn't it ?

Althalus looked up, his expression slightly scornful. "Lysium come from the Library, like me. She 'n her Shiver are together, like me and Stealth. Didn't you even know that?"

Stealth meanwhile was eyeing the busily moving hands of the babe. Was she squishing the skin up, and trying to make it look like -her-? The small gecko-daemon was half highly amused, and half affronted, and she brought Althalus' attention to this pointedly. The boy blinked, and twisted his head back down to peer at Lysium and her forming creation.

"Of course I knew that !" Faiga mumbled, but he wasn't a very good liar. The woman they had met in the city had told him the same and the boy had had an animal as well. It was a bit creepy. "But say, what makes your kind so special again ?" He was the grown-up, the other one had to respect him. Yes...perhaps...

Lys good with hands. Shiver announced proudly and watched Stealth with amusement. Perhaps she liked his new apple-self ?
The girl herself smiled as she managed to smooth the apple lizard's surface and handed it carefully to Althalus. "Stalth..."

Althalus shifted around his position on the wall again, tucking one foot underneath him as he took the small creation just as carefully.
"A gift for me? Hey! Thank you," and he smiled charmingly again. No harm in making a good impression, even if the appleskin lizard was fragile, likely to go off, and not really any use. But still, it was a gift... he grinned, and put it on top of his bandana, the red merging with red.
"Is a bit like Stealth, huh..."
I look like nothing of the sort, and the daemon on his knee opened her mouth in a silent reproach, pink tongue appearing scornfully for a moment and then disappearing again.

Come on, does a little, -smileimage-
You are growing a bigger fool than I thought then -DISAPPROVAL-
Doesn't that mean you are too, dearest?
......

Althalus laughed out loud, taking another apple from his pocket and throwing it up and down in one hand idly.
"The gift is pretty, Lys," and he grinned. "Don't forget to eat apple too though...."

The man's question he pointedly ignored.

Lysium giggled slightly and a pleased smile was conjured onto her lips as Althalus appreciated the gift. Now she started to nibble on the apple and watched him while Shiver was jumping around. The daemon didn't seem to have any patience left. This was boring.

Can we play ? Please ? Can we play ? Lysium watched him for a moment before returning to Althalus. She knew that Shiver would calm down if she ignored him.

Faiga watched the scene full of misery. It just wasn't fair, the kid was laughing at him. Perhaps he should try it in a nice way ? Coughing he slowly petted Shiver and smiled. "So, do you visit this library often ?"

Lysium was startled by the voice but then continued to eat the apple.

Althalus stared. He hadn't met that many other Forgotten with their guardians as well, but the man was allowed to -touch- the daemon? He put his hand instinctively to cover Stealth on his knee, and she wormed her way back into his touch slightly, tail wrapping around his wrist, colour fading to shadow and skin. He couldn't imagine anyone else touching Stealth except him...

He blinked a little, to regain his composure. Maybe it was just a them thing. After all, that little girl he had met in the summer had an elephant-daemon. Her mother must have had to touch it... he shook his head slightly, the easy smile reappearing as he jumped to his feet, balancing perfectly on the wall.

"Sometimes. Mother takes me to the Library, but it's weird there."

Lysium seemed to listen to the conversation out of sudden. She had noticed a certain unease in Althalus' behaviour and so he received her attention. Where did that feeling come from ?

Tilting her head to one side she looked at the jumping boy and then leaned back. Her head was still a bit heavy for herself, but she managed to look at Faiga, who was standing behind her. She didn't mind that he stroked Shiver, the daemon enjoyed it.

"'brary."

Faiga smiled at Althalus with gritted teeth and then looked at Lysium. "Oh you want to visit this library thing, Lysium ?" The baby remained silent again and grabbed Shiver who was pushed onto her lap gently. The cat purred and rolled himself around. Lysium started to get tired, this was an exhausting meeting.

"Perhaps...your Mother could take down the address for me ?"

"You want me to go in and ask her?" Althalus removed the small applemade lizard from his head carelessly, slipping it into his pocket to rest on the other things there. Stealth remained in his hand for a while longer, before winding her way up his arm to his shoulder again as the boy jumped agilely off the wall into the garden again.

"I'll go get her. Nice to meet you, Lysium! Don't forget apples are tasty, 'k?" He grinned charmingly again before pattering swiftly across the garden to disappear into the house.

A short while later a flustered looking red-haired woman came hurrying out, a piece of paper in her hand.

"Hello? I'm so sorry that Althalus kept you talking at the wall, you could have come inside, you know..."

"Thanks." Faiga mumbled and watched Althalus move away.

Lysium nodded and moved her hand in a silent goodbye. NEXT TIME WE'LL PLAY ! Shiver shouted after Stealth and grinned at the girl as she gave him a strange look. He knew she didn't like it when he was that hyper.

Her 'daddy' was instead busy with trying not to blush. Damn, why did he have to have such a problem with women ? A slight smile crossed his lips as he greeted Kel. "I hope you don't think I'm one of these bad people talking to kids..uhm..Althalus said something about a library and..." The words just didn't seem to come out right.

Lysium felt that the man was insecure and looked at Shiver, who nodded. "Lys-um."

Faiga stared at his daughter and then became as red as a fresh tomato. "My name's Faiga..."

"Pleased to meet you, Faiga." Kel smiled warmly, coming over to lean on the wall. "And don't worry, Althalus told me you had care of a Forgotten as well, so I figured you couldn't be all that bad...."

"And the Library?" The woman looked a little puzzled as she idly waved her fingers in a greeting at Lysium. "Surely that annoying place is where you found this little one?"

Althalus hung at the back door, still watching, eyes guarded and thoughtful. Done the introducing, now the analysing...

Faiga was glad that Kel didn't seem to mind his insecurity and nodded slightly as he heard her speak. Putting his hands on Lysium's shoulders he smiled. She was an adorable little baby, of course a bit strange, but adorable.

As the woman started to talk about the library though he shook his head slightly in disapproval. "No, I'm sorry, I found her close to a marketplace in the grass. There was already another woman who told me about the library, but Lysium...I didn't find her there. Perhaps her former mother ?" Scratching his head he looked at the girl, who wasn't able to show him the truth.

Lysium just studied Kel and listened to the mumbled words of Shiver, who was sure that Althalus and Stealth were still around. Somewhere.

Kel blinked. And blinked again, before passing over the piece of paper gravely.

"Okay, on here is an address. To a House..." the capitilazation slipped almost unconsciously into her speech, ".... and perhaps if you can, find a man called Pippin. He'll be able to tell you a lot more about your little girl, I'm sure, more than I can ever explain. Needless to say... it's probably important." She smiled weakly. "Did you happen to find a slip of paper with her, at least?"

Faiga listened and appreciated the paper. "Thanks, I'll try." Thinking about the words he quickly shook his head. "Nah, no piece of paper..." Lysium squinted her eyes at his response though and so he tried to remember some more. "Wait, I found a strange paper inside her clothes as I washed them the first time. It was old and it had something strange about the night and a city of light on it...yeah..is this kind of paper important ?" Faiga was sure he had it somewhere at home, hopefully.

"You've still got it?" Kel let out her breath slowly. "Don't lose it. It... almost defines her, you know?" Her smile was slightly worried. "Go to the Library, and find out. I'd be terrible at explaining, but it's probably important for you to know. " She scratched at her head, and then pulled a pencil from behind her ear, tugging at the address she'd just handed over and reaching to scribble a number.

"THis is my number though, if you still can't find it, and I'll take you there, okay? I think Althalus would get mad at me apart from anything else." She shrugged, and looked back at the house, where a pair of chocolate eyes blinked and disappeared further into the shadows of the doorway.

Confused didn't describe Faiga's expression well enough, but it was the closest description possible. He swallowed and then nodded slightly looking at the piece of paper in his hands. This sounded serious and serious was often a problem especially when it was important for somebody else. For Lysium.

Smiling at the baby he picked her up and nodded slightly gesturing towards Shiver to get on the bird.

"Thanks a lot, Ms. Kel. You've been a big help and greetings to Althalus. I hope we'll find that house." Pushing the baby onto the big yellow bird's back he sighed and followed her up there. "Perhaps we meet one day again at this library." He blushed slightly. "Goodbye."

Lysium opened and closed her hand slightly as she looked towards the garden where Althalus had been. Shiver purred and climbed onto the bird's head. With a squeak and a lost feather they were gone.

Kel-chan
Crew

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Kel-chan
Crew

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Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 6:13 am

The food was good. An the best thing about it was that it was free! Althalus grinned as he pattered back, listening to the latest announcement. A scavenger hunt? He almost giggled. After all, even if they didn't find anything, at least they could go through his pockets and find somethign for that.

He watched the people around with dark, darting glances, noting Kel further off talking to some other people. Well, he could always enlist her help if needed, but it was waaay more fun on their own...

Let's go up a tree, -suggestion-
Bird's nesting?
Find things in the branches!
..I can climb higher 'n you.
Can not.
Can too.

Althalus stuck his tongue out at the small daemon on his shoulder, who swiftly scuttled up his sleeve and onto his wrist, small claws catching slightly against his skin as she wrapped her tail firmly around it.
"You are so, so, CONTR'RY," he whispered at her, vaguely annoyed, vaguely excited at the thought of finding something. Stealth did nothing but turn an enigmatic lizard grin to him, and he shook his shaggy head slightly and grinned again, tucking errant wisps of hair behind his bandana before sizing up a few of the larger trees round the skirts of the garden. That one there, by the wall...

He dashed towards it, eyes always looking for something else, before scrambling up the wall and jumping agilely from there to the trunk of the tree. He hoped Kel wasn't watching. She'd shout at him again...

-------

He'd picked a good tree. The bark was rough, offering all sorts of handholds for small hands, and the boy practically swarmed up the trunk to the lowest branch, Stealth unwrapping herself from his wrist as he reached up to the next handhold and scuttling along the underside of the branch before righting herself, projecting a smug grin as he clambered to the top, balancing easily on the thick part of the branch, hands held out to the side as he looked around.

I so beat you.
SMUG.
So not. And anyways I still beat you.
Some of us can't defy grav'ty like you, dearling. -SCOWLimage-

Althalus gave as hard a real mock scowl in reality as he did mentally at the small daemon, but as she turned away with a small huff both of them were stilled by the glint off something shining in the fork of the branch, a little way off.

Shiny?
Shiny!

Synchronised in thoughts easily, both the thief Forgotten and his daemon began inching along the branch, Althalus balancing precariously, but having to drop to all fours. And he still couldn't reach far enough... Stealth, although the cooling evening air was making her slower, was small and light and easily ran along the branch, far beyond the reach of her soulmate. A small weaving of branches, an old little bird's nest? Too small for magpie, but still something shiny... perhaps somethign thrown up there, or lost long ago... Althalus' eyes were wide and excited as he clung to the branch, letting Stealth drag the slightly tarnished silver pin out of the nest, little lizard hands clumsy and mouth not suited for such a job. She hissed silently and started pushing it along the rough bark, slowly, slowly.... if they were not careful the prize would drop to the ground.

Reaching out grubby barkstained fingers, Althalus eventually lay along the branch, and almost crowed in delight as both daemon and trinket made it safe to his hand. He stroked the small gecko-daemon's head fondly, silent approval in his touch before they both turned their attention to the trinket, worming backwards on the branch again until the reached the relative safety of the trunk, and Althalus sat up, bare foot dangling idly below him and attention riveted to the shiny. A hairpin, silver, with a little feather or wing in shiny white... something precious, but he couldn't remember what it was. Like.. shell or something.

He pocketed it carefully, pushing it far down among the accumulated junk. It wouldn't do for it to fall before he left the tree, would it? And this made a good vantage point for where to look now.... his gaze was drawn irresitably to the House that loomed over the bright bustling party below, and he looked at Stealth.

Wonder how far we could climb up the outside of the House...

--------

From the height of the tree, the House certainly looked like a worthy target, and there was certainly enough iy and cracked buttresses and windowsills to make it possible....

But you're short, Althie.
I told you not to call me that!!
Still short, Stealth said patiently. Who knows if you reach that high? We grew, but not that much.
....
I know.
But it looks fun!
And if we find trinkets, green man Pippin is happy?
...let's find another key for his April girl!
!!
.. I nearly forgetted her.
For-got-.

Althalus looked smug at noticing this grammar point, and Stealth huffily tucked herself inside his collar. He gave a last look around from his vantage point; the tree got thin quickly, and while small and light meant good for climbing trees, Stealth was right; it wasn't so good for climbing tall walls.
He swung around until he was hanging by skinny arms from the bottom of the branch, and let go, landing into a crouch like a cat and bouncing upright again. He allowed himself a small smirk; at least here he could try and see just how far he could jump, without being scolded for being too high. Brushing bark from his hands, the young boy resisted the urge to either whistle nonchalantly or start giggling. One item down, lots more to find! He darted among the chairs that were strewn around the food tables, avoiding chattering people, making it a game not to be noticed as he worked his way around, dark eyes wide as they looked this way and that.

-------------

Althalus nearly tripped as he snuck past the next person. Noticed! As the surprised woman turned, the boy flungrolled himself under the nearby table, clutching his scuffed knees to himself, eyes wide and adrenalin pulsing through him. Was he seen? Did he manage to escape her notice?

Althalus wins again! He crowed mentally as she turned back again with a small puzzled expression. The master of deception!

Not yet, said Stealth snippily. Little ways to go before that.
Spoil my fun. She didn't notice, did she?

Althalus' tone was slightly defiant as he uncurled a little, looking back along the grass to see what on earth he could have tripped on. What -was- that stick doing, sticking out from under a chair like that? He scowled again, sneaking forward a little but keeping under the cover of the low-hanging tablecloth. Not a stick, a walking stick perhaps? Belonging to someone? He loked around cautiously, but there seemed to be no injured or old peoples around that might use it. He held out a hand, letting Stealth run down his arm silently and out onto the grass, fading instantly to a muddy green as she approached the curiously carved cane.

With green man Pippin's signature on?

The lizard-daemon's disbelief was almost patent as she scrambled up onto the top. Did this mean it was for the hunt? Way too big to carry in his pocket, Althalus thought distastefully. But he'd at least have another item....
He waited until no-on appeared to be looking, and then crept up from under the table, standing to look as if he had been there all along. He bent down to heft the cane, which nearly came up to his shoulder. He was supposed to carry this around?? It was so obtrusive!

...More chllenging to not be seen, pointed out Stealth diffidently as she made her way back up to his shoulder. Althalus blinked. Good thing, or bad thing? Ah well then, challenge it was... he hefted it slightly, the walking cane almost a staff to him. Back over to green man Pippin, then, to display these items. And no being seen! His eyes lit up again, and he started the curious game all over again.

----------

Thank the fates the green man had taken that big cane from him! Althalus had felt so conspicous. He looked up again, round at the many groups of people laughing and overturning pots and crawling under tables. If this wasn't a competition, he'd go and say hello....
Could still go say hello, Stealth commented a little plaintively and Althalus fixed a dark glare on her.
Competition!
But we could see where they're looking, and find it first?
......
......
Could do, but then it's not fun to find things....

The Forgotten folded his skinny arms across his chest, staring out across the garden, expression warring. He didn't care about stealing things from under people's noses, but then, he wouldn't have the glory of having claimed the thing himself...

He shook his head, looking determined. Let's just go back to the wall, a little way from those people, and have a look anyway, huh? Just.. look in -front- of where they were looking.

He pattered off, bare feet muddy and dusty on the grass as two pairs of bright dark eyes glanced this way and that.

------------

The overgrown flower bed that sometimes was grass all the way up to the wall was great for hiding things in, Althalus decided. Stealth had left the safety of his shoulder and was darting among the stalks and leaves, sometimes going up onto the wall itself, challenging herself to all the different colours she could merge with. Althalus amused himself by playing 'find Stealth' as well as look for trinkets, even though he could tell instantly without looking where the small daemon was. But that wasn't the point. He had to -see- her, or it didn't count.

He grinned, running short fingers over the moss-stuffed cracks in the wall, every so often peering over at the other people and moving a little further onwards, and away from then. His own space, his own search, see?

------

Whispers.
"In that flower."
Where now?
"..... saw you move, silly. On the wall." A giggle.
Look away for a moment then, came the cross reply.

Althalus obediently turned away, fingers running through the long grass, looking for holes in which things could be hidden, his voice teasing.

"We're not babies to be playing baby games, dearling."

Survival skills, Stealth snapped back, but she still hid as carefully as possible, a hint of amusement in her mental tone.

"Can I look now?"

----------

Despite the beautifulness of the location, Althalus decided, the green man had been dumb enough not to hide anything there. Of course, someone might have already been this way, he conceded, wandering away slightly, more in the direction of the House. Stealth ran to catch him up, and he stopped still long enough to let her climb onto his ankle and then scurry up his leg, aiming for the safety of his shoulder as he started walking again, looking thoughtfully up at the large building ahead of them.

Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 7:43 am

(April/Althalus)

September 22nd

The university library was in the middle of the town, a building tucked between the shops on a sidestreet, a little way away from the main campus. Kel had been called into work again; she'd come straight from doing her own shopping, and thus had left her shopping bags on the steps that led down onto the main street, leaning against the entrance to the library itself.

And next to them sat a slightly skinny boy, barefooted, dressed in brown and dusty maroon, a bandana tied firmly around his head. He was staring intently at the coin in his hand, and so was the small lizard that could be barely made out to be perching on his knee.

Saw that. Do it again.

"Rubbish," grumbled Althalus, holding out the coin between his fingers again. He was practising the coin trick Daniel had shown him, and was.... to be honest, absymal at it. As Stealth was so smug at pointing out.

Fingers, palm, turn your hand around.... the young boy was thoroughly engrossed in his efforts, dark brown eyes fixed on the silver coin.

Engrossed in a sleeveless hardcover novel, April navigates the sidewalk with ease even with her dark eyes glued to the page. Her own talents have been breathed life, too; although she doesn't nearly have a complete grasp of it, her ability to foresee events in the near future has strengthened enough to allow her to avoid things like bumping into someone around the corner, tripping over shoelaces, or stubbing toes, for instance.

Raptured by a story about a young heroine stowing away on a pirate ship, the young Forgotten passes right by the university library without a second, or even a first, glance at her surroundings. It is instead Curiosity who overhears the speech of a fellow daemon.

April, he interjects sharply, shattering her thoughts and intruding in on the story. April twitches, her pace slowing, but otherwise she lends her daemon companion no attention.

Don't pretend like you can't hear me, lazybones. Pull your nose out of that book and turn around, he commands gruffly, wiggling out into the brisk open air with a shudder. He aims his large eyes up at his Forgotten, barking sharply. I'll eat the pages of your books again if you don't!

With a heavy sigh, April slips the orange ribbon she uses as a bookmark into the pages and shuts the book as she turns on her heel.

Stealth was the first to look up, turning her head completely away from Althalus' sad attempt at the trick.

"Hey, you're -supposed- to be watching!" He said, slightly annoyed, bringing his own gaze to follow hers.

See, another of us! Stealth's tone was sharp, and Althalus blinked. Huh? He stood up, slipping the silver coin into his pocket, peering at the older girl who suddenly stopped, and turned around slowly.

I remember! 'S Curiousity,
"And... April!" Althalus found he had a good memory for names and faces, and some events you don't forget no matter how young you were.

"Hey, April!" He called cheerfully, bare feet making no noise as they pattered down the worn stone steps a few, Stealth swearing at him sibilantly as she scrabbled up to his shoulder.

A slight smile touches on her lips, though probably not visible from a distance. Tucking her book away into her messenger bag and shrugging the strap up her shoulder, she approaches cautiously, but calmly.

Curiosity grins as best he can, looking utterly mischevious in doing so. I see some of us have gotten a little bigger, he comments cheekily, still half blanketed by his Forgotten's lime green scarf. Been a long time, I guess, hasn't it?

April nods in agreement, her eyes falling first on Althalus's face, holding this strange gaze for a moment or two before carefully looking over every part visible part of the other's attire. The orange turtle daemon growls in impatience, rolling his enormous slitted eyes, fighting back the feeling of obligation to fill April's silence.

"Long time, sure," Althalus grinned cheerfully in reply as Stealth relayed the words to him, but to his chagrin he still wasn't anywhere near as tall as the older girl.
"You haven't been around for ages," and he made a small face. "Not so fun...."

Althie is too noisy for first meeting again.
Altha-lus-!
-snicker-
....
Curiousity is okay? Stealth went on blithely, and Althalus wrapped his own arms around himself, blinking at the silent April.

Curiosity shrugs himself out of the shelter of his Forgotten's scarf, much to his displeasure. Me? I'm fine. Right as rain, y' might say. Don't mind the deer in headlights here, she hasn't stepped foot outside all week, nevermind talked to anyone other than yours truly.

He puffs out his chest with a sense of pride in his dominance of the situation. He is about to speak again when April, much to his surprise, interrupts.

"We have been hiding," she explains softly with an unusual formality [unusual for a child, anyway, but not for her] to her voice. "I am sorry if we have worried anyone, but it is for the best."

She brushes the left side of her orange bangs out of her eyes. Her second skull clip is missing, as she gave it some months ago to Mael. Her hair is tied in two loose pigtails to accomidate for the hoodie she wears beneath her trademark brown jacket, one which is pulled down at the moment. She wears an hefty amount of layers for a mid-September day.

"So you can talk," And Althalus smiled a little. "Hiding, hiding is good. Just glad you haven't left the world or anything," and his voice was serious, though his logic was surely not quite right.

Scuse my Althalus, he is rude, said Stealth in an aside. Althalus gave her a put out look, but she went on.
But this is good. Does hiding mean if we see the green man Pippin, we're not to tell? Her tone was aimiable. The pair had nothing wrong with that concept.

Althalus pulled the coin out of his pocket again, and flipped it a few times deftly as he could, tilting his head for the reply. He was merely wearing trousers and a t-shirt over a longsleeved top, looking eminently scruffy, and despite his bare feet didn't seem to be feeling cold at all.

The air around April warms up in slight embarassment. Another skill that had been simmering for quite some time, and one regretably more heightened than the other, is that of her emotive projection. Rather than wear her emotion on her face, her emotion is readable by those closeby.

Only when she wants, which is, oh, never, complains Curiosity as he scratches boredly at April's jacket. And as you can imagine, I don't much find talking to a wall entertaining..

April flicks her daemon lightly on the horn, who recoils into his shell with a garbled stream of strange curses. Satisfied by this, April seats herself on the thick concrete slab on the library stairs.

"Please do not tell my father you have seen me," she pleads weakly, her eyebrows furrowing barely, but the air around her is flooded with concern. "It will only hurt him to know what has become of me, and I do not wish for that.."

What Little Miss Americana here means is, we had to do what we had to do, and for good reason, Curiosity mutters, peeking out of his shell. He pauses, letting out a bark somewhat that of a laugh. Did you two run away too, or didja just not feel like dressing up today, thief-boy?

Althalus shrugged, and smiled carelessly again. "Why would I tell him? 'S all good," he said aimiably. "Our secrit," and he grinned at her, flipping the coin again in his hand and dropping to sit on the stairs nearby, glancing back at the doorway.
"And no running away for me, unfortunately. Nothing wrong with these clothes! Comfortable is fine," he said almost obstinately, as if he'd already had this argument today. His shoes could be seen, if you looked hard enough, to be abandoned by the shopping bags.

"Anyway, mother, Kel, she's in there, but don't worry, she won't be out for a while.... too busy working," and he stared at the coin as it flipped up, and then he looked over at April cheekily. And.. promptly dropped the coin, and swore under his breath as he scrabbled to his feet to go catch it before it rolled down the street, skinny arms flailing slightly.

Stealth had jumped neatly free, although the cold stone slabs were distasteful to stand upon, and gave the mental indication of rolling her eyes.

... Honestly. Stop showing off, Althie. And don't say those bad words! She made the comment deliberately hearable to Curiousity, and turned a mock long-suffering stare at the pair opposite.

Curiosity gives a snicker, his large eyes fixated on Stealth. You tell'm! he chokes out in a laugh, yipping aloud. Seems to me that he needs the practice, though, the turtle daemon teases, scurrying across April's collar to her other shoulder.

Twisting a strand of orange hair around her finger, April moves her head to the side and squints slightly, seemingly concentrating hard on him for whatever reason. "Do you plan to stay here all day?" she inquires calmly, chewing on her dry lower lip. "What would you do to keep.. entertained?"

Althalus returned back to his step, face almost defiant to ward off the embarrassment, and smiled again instead.

"That's Althalus, Stealth, and don't you forget it," he said mock annoyed to the daemon, who had quickly scrambled her way back to his knee, warm fabric much more inviting than the energy-leeching cold stone.

"And I wasn't expecting to come here. Mother got called on short notice, and I'm not supposed to leave here.... I went for a walk, but then I decided it wasn't worth the hassle if she came out t'find me gone," and the boy smiled sunnily, pushing his bandana back slightly to squint between the strands of hair that covered his dark-circled eyes. "So I was practising things that Daniel taught me." He held up the coin between his fingers, fixing her with a sideways stare.

"Wanna see?"

She nods uneventfully and comes to his side, tucking her hands into her pockets. "Who is Daniel?" she asks without much interest, but more for a factual sense to get her story right.

Closer now to the other daemon, Curiosity propels himself off his Forgotten's shoulder, tucking in his limbs to lessen the impact. His graffiti-covered shell clicks as it bounces on the pavement, rumbling back and forth on the daemon's back.

.. Bugger. His limbs shoot out and he grunts and growls, occasionally barking, until he manages to tip the shell and fall onto his stomach. April watches with mild amusement, knowing better to offer him help, but enjoying the spectacle nonetheless.

Stealth stared at Curiousity, and opened her mouth in a silent snicker that was about as much as the lizard-daemon could manage.

Having fun? She inquired, amusement in her tone as she diverted her attention from the coin to the other daemon, safe on her perch on her Forgotten's knee and skin faded to a dusty black to match the material.

Meanwhile Althalus puffed up his chest slightly, holding out the coin to show her.
"Daniel's mother's fia- fia - guy who lives with her. But that's not really important. What y'have to do is watch, k? See this coin?"

He held it out, fixing her with a friendly gaze and not looking at his hands as they moved in a complicated movement, until he held up both palms seemingly empty.

"Now you don't!"

April watches the trick intensely, and although she sees right through it, she puts on a rather convincing show of amazement for the younger child. She straightens up and claps softly, even attempting a smile.

"That was impressive," she tells him with a definitive nod. "Do you know a lot of tricks?"

Curiosity snorts aloud and rolls his enormous eyes at Stealth's question. He grunts, rocking himself back and forth until finally he flips right side up. Meant to do that, he mutters with a scowl on his voice, not meeting the other daemon's eyes just yet.

I'll believe ya. Thousands wouldn't, returned Stealth, stealing one of Kel's favourite phrases and delivering it still in that amused tone.

Althalus grinned, ignoring the byplay of the daemons, still elated that he'd managed to pull off the trick okay this time, and that he'd got a positive response.
"Lots more," he said confidently, before adding a conspiratorial whisper. "Of course, they're not ready jus' yet, so you'll have to wait." He winked, and pulled the coin again out of his pocket and flipping it idly, attempting to look suave and relaxed, though the effect was rather more comical than he imagined it to be.

Curiosity growls in response, catching the humour in Stealth's reply and not finding it amusing. What's there to do 'round a place like this, anyway? You expected to sit with your boy all day out in the cold? the turtle daemon retorts saucily, stretching out his front legs to emphasis his boredom.

A small smile on her lips, April presses her fingers against them to suppress an equally as small laugh. The air around her warms slightly in her amusement.

"You are much different from when I last saw you," she reflects instead, tugging her fingers through one of her pigtails idly. "Though very much the same. Have you kept in touch with the others?"

She has one Forgotten in mind in particular, and having not been present at the costume party event or heard any of its results, her question is of genuine concern. Half of her bangs fall in front of her eyes, and a slight breeze dances the hair across her nose as nervously waits for Althie's response.

Stealth looked a little nonplussed for a moment, before affecting an almost haughty glare. We were practising. Kel/mother said we shouldn't run off.... Her voice trailed off slightly as she suddenly felt as if that was a childish response, not equivalent to the slight bravado that Althalus was trying to pull off, and snapped her mouth shut, still looking a touch high-and-mighty.

"Well, Kel says it's called grow'ng up, you know?" Althalus nodded solemnly. "No wonder I am a little different. But, the others...." He frowned slightly, a flicker of unhappiness threading through his thoughts. He took a deep breath.

"Haven't seen very many others of us since the House was so nasty to us," and he swipes an imaginary weapon through the air with one hand, still frowning. "Saw Eydis, and grey boy, and lots of new little ones.... wait, April, you didn't know about the party?" His dark eyes are suddenly intent and serious, now that he is talking about the House.

Curiosity barks out a laugh, springing around to finally face Stealth. Where's the fun in that? Sitting around like dogs on leashes, you are! He laughs again, this time mentally, but his thin tail swishes much like a canine's would when amused. Your mama wouldn't even notice if you went off for a while.. or is she one of those control freaks who checks up on you every ten minutes?

Exhaling slowly, April takes out her skull clip and begins to fix her bangs so that most of it is held out of her eyes, at least as much of it as is possible with only one clip. A sudden chill takes hold of her, and she moves to cross her legs in order to conserve heat.

"Party?" she repeats, her dark eyes caught in a daze. "Did my father host a party..?"

She bites the inside of her lip, overcome with conflicting emotion. If Pippin has gone and hosted parties, has he gotten over the shock and grief she'd assumed he'd feel at her for running away? Perhaps he never did feel a loss in my disappearance..

Despite her face staying stoney and expressionless, the air around her changes to hold and expose a certain level of disappointment.

Althalus nodded, noting the change and reaching out to pat her on the shoulder, a friendly gesture and nothing more.
"I'm... sorry you weren'tent there. But I.... the House was nasty to us, you know? Sent us all different places. And still hasn't sent Mael, snake boy, still hasn't sent him back...."

Stealth seemed to be debating the issue. They'd got into enough trouble recently for running off, but....
She probably wouldn't care, she said carelessly instead.

She wasn't expecting to hear that.

April perks up immediately at the mention of her friend, her eyes widening in considerable shock. "The House took Mael? Mael.. is missing?" she whispers in disbelief, her voice choking off. A sudden chill billows around the Forgotten girl, and she wraps her arms around herself to fight the chill that actually comes from her own body.

To this, Curiosity seems actually intrigued. Oh? I find that hard to believe, or you wouldn't've still been here when me and mine came by, he analyzes arrogantly, stretching out his limbs once more.

"The House has him somewhere, the grownups think.... because we all got sent away, and only he didn't come back..." Althalus looked down. "Sorry. But, y'know, if we come from the House, it'll look after us too?" The optimism was as always creeping back into his voice. "Mael'll be okay, I'm sure. 'Sides, I bet he can look after hisself, you know?" He nodded.

Well, she might, Stealth amended grudgingly. But only to yell at me/us again. But anyway, I told you we were practising. And if we weren't we wouldn't have seen you/April, so a good thing in the end? She trailed off slightly, half of her consciousness still entwined with what Althalus was saying and talking of, and she faded further against the fabric, barely visible to the normal eye.

Kel-chan
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Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 12:43 pm

November 24th

Walter was a very happy boy, he thought at he toddled across the sand, hand in hand with a bikini clad Ice. The sea was huge and pretty, and women wore the most awesome clothing on beaches! He grinned up at his mother. "This is like the lake, right?"

"You're right, but it's a lot bigger!" She replied. She wasn't worried about Walter, though, Walter would be fine no matter where he went. It was Oblivion that was starting to worry her.

The poor metal daemon stayed back as far as she could get without straining her bond with Walter. She didn't like sand. It kept trying to get in the metal plating of her skin. And she REALLY didn't like the large, imposing, horrifying body of water that loomed ahead of them-- 'Kill Bill was on... shouldn't we be watching it?' She asked her forgotten desperately, getting skittish as a small sandcrab raced across her path. She actually hated that movie, but anything was better than this!

"Oblivion!" Walter called over his shoulder, pretending not to have heard her. "Hurry up! We want to go swimming!" And look at more swimsuit clad ladies!

Althalus was having -fun-.

He'd lain on the sand for a while, Stealth sunning herself neatly on his tanned back as he rummaged around through the sand at the bottom of the runnels of water that ran away fromt he springs towards the sea. The sea? Lots of water, and salty, and kinda boring. But the sunshine? He had no reason to try hiding out here, and Stealth was adoring the heat that she had craved.

Several shiny shells and interesting rocks later, Althalus jumped to his feet, grinning. That was boring now, but this wasn't! Now, who to show it to..... Stealth scratched indignantly at his back as she scrabbled to a safer balancing point on his shoulder, latching her tail around his neck with a grumble.
Warn me next time you jump up like that!
Training for being taken by surprise!
Shouldn't you be the one more worried about being taken by surprise?
....
SHUSH.
Don't shush me.
Despite the snide comments, Althalus grinned widely as he pattered along the sand barefooted, hands clutched together in front of him. Kel was..... over there, reading a book. Boring! His glance came down on the pair walking down towards the sea, a miserable looking metal daemon clanking along behind.

"Hey, hey, guess what I found!" The short, skinny boy ran over to them, completely unphased by the fact they were strangers. The boy was a Forgotten too, was he not? Then he was okay. He skidded to a halt on the sand in front of them, holding his closed hands out towards them, dark eyes bright in his tanned face. Stealth on his shoulder gave the mental equivalent of rolling her eyes, and blended to merge easily with her partner's skin colour.

"You got three guesses!"

Walter looked up, grinning. "Is it pink?" He asked.

Ice groaned, already knowing what he was thinking from the conversation with Silva. Walter was getting used to talking quickly, she noted, but she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

'Ask him if he wants to go watch TV with you.' Oblivion suggested, too miserable to care that it was a strange forgotten pair.

Althalus shook his head, still grinning. "Not pink. Two more! What do you think, pretty lady?" He tilted his hands towards her, blinking innocently. Stealth tried her best not to be amused.

She won't be impressed if you throw it at her.
You spoil all my fun.
I stop you getting in big trouble from Kel/mother.
..I guess I stop you sometimes too -grinimage-
...
And who says trouble ent fun?

"Is it something alive?" Ice asked, knowing trouble when she saw it, but not really minding.

'I dislike the living things on this beach.' Oblivion commented, now backing away from a more aggressive sandcrab.

'Oh relax already, there's got to be something interesting around here! Look, I bet this guy's got a daemon, too, why don't you try to make friends or somethin?' Walter asked, trying to peek into Althalus's hand.

Althalus looked sideways as he held his hands a bit lower for Walter, though they were still squeezed tight shut. No-one was going to peek here... Stealth pretended not to be caught up in the game, but cautiously she unlatched her tail and moved a bit further down his arm, the movement the only thing that gave away her position, small claws leave unnoticeable scratches on Althalus' bare arm. One bad thing about the beach was that it was a lot easier to grip onto cloth rather than skin.

"Maaaaaaybe," came the cheerful reply. "One more guess!"

Kel looked up from her book, where she was lounging on a laid out towel a way away. Glancing around absently for Althalus to check he was alright, she finally noticed him standing in front of some other people. Sitting up slightly, she squinted into the sun at them, leaving a finger in the book to mark the place. She'd just check he wasn't trying to be an infernal nuisance....

"Is it something with a shell?" Ice asked as Walter squinted to try and see closer. Was it going to jump out at him? That might be cool...

'Next vacation let's go to a metal plant...' Oblivion muttered as she swiped her tail at the crab to make it go away.

"Three guesses over!" Althalus flourished his hands, waving a manylegged crawling thing proudly in front of Walter's face, face lit up in expectation of the surprise. Stealth snickered, opening her mouth in the lizard-daemon's equivalent of a smile, before flicking glittering eyes to the miserable looking metal daemon that was a little way behind.

You look happy, was the only comment she made, trying to ignore the mad giggles that Althalus was happily producing.

"Coool!!" Walter said, clapping his hands happily at the sight. "Can I hold it?"

'Ecstatic.' Oblivon replied sarcastically. 'The sand is getting in my plating and my tire keeps wanting to spin out on me.' She finally looked up, noting the tiny little lizard and snorting. 'At least you can get a ride.'

Ice shook her head, taking a step back as the boys oohed and awed over the creature.

Not quite fright, but curiousity was just as good...

"Sure," said Althalus firmly, holding the madly wriggling creature by its tail, hand still damp with salt and sand. "It was right in the bottom of one of the pools. "Here, you have it. I bet it's got over a hundred legs...."

There is that. Stealth reply was aimiable, and she yawned delicately again. Maybe you should ask your one to carry you too...

'Heh, I'd like to see that... Walter! Carry me!' Oblivion called to her forgotten, making him look up at her right as he was reaching for the creepy crawly thing.

"But you're heavy." Walter said matter-of-factly. "You could carry me better than I could carry you."

Oblivion's tail flicked, certain he was calling her fat.

Althalus blinked, squinting over at the metal-formed daemon who seemed to be complaining so vociferously. He dropped the squirming thing into Walter's hands, and tilted his head cheerfully.

"I bet you have more fun in the city, huh? Me too, but you can't find the creepycrawlies there." He laughed, straightening up a little, obviously older but barely taller. "And Stealth would complain about the lack of sunshine if we stayed inside all the time." He stroked a finger across her head lightly, grinning.
Would not, was her halfhearted snippy reply.

"She's just irritated cuz there's no big metal poles to eat." Walter said, dismissing his daemon's irritation easily. "I got a lady cop friend cuz she ate this one red sign pole one time! And she really likes to chase the ice cream truck." He said, his eyes fully focused on the creepycrawly that was inching its way up his arm.

'There's no sand in the suburbs, either.' Oblivion muttered, reluctantly making her way closer to the group.

"Walter? I'm going to go set up our stuff right over there, okay?" Ice said, seriously hoping the creepycrawly thing wasn't poisonous. "If you need me, just call, okay?"

"Sure, Ma." Walter said, not even glancing at her as she crossed over to where a younger boy and his forgotten were playing in a small pool of water.

"You can eat metal stuff?" Althalus's eyes were round, looking at Oblivion. "That's pretty cool! Hey, it would be great if you were locked in a room, then you two could escape by eating the lock...."

He blinked suddenly, and then smiled again, pointing his head over to the departing back of Ice.
"That lady your mother, then? That's mine, over there being boring," he said, pointing with the hand that Stealth was on, before looking back. "And I'm Althalus, by the way, and you can guess this is my Stealth. What's your two's names?" Names were important.

YourStealth?
Well, aren't ya?
Just as much as your my Althie, *grumble*
Altha- LUS!
*grin-image* Sorry.
No you ent.

Both Forgotten and daemon rolled their eyes in mirrror image.

Ice blinked as she realized the small group was moving away, wondering why, exactly, until she noticed the people scrambling for their umbrellas. It didn't surprise her too much, maybe that daemon ate metal too! Speaking of which, she hoped Walter and the others kept Oblivion from noticing that...

"I'm Walter, and that's Oblivion." Walter said, pointing at Oblivion rudely. "And that's Ice." He added, pointing at his mother. "And Silva's in the room watching Kill Bill."

'Two.' Oblivion added, her eyes straying to the people that were on the beach. Those poles on their umbrellas looked shiny....

"Two." Walter repeated. "And she's eaten a lot of stuff." He added with a nod.

Althalus' grin became more sly. "All Stealth eats is whatever I am. Or butterflies when she thinks I'm not watching. What's Kill Bill? Do they kill someone called Bill?" He snickered, eyes going to the creeping creature again, crouching down on the sand and hugging his knees. Even in this heat, the bandana had stayed firmly tied around his scruffy head. Stealth scurried up to perch on the dirty red material, raising her head to peer at Walter.

Walter plopped down on the sand in front of the older boy, moving his arm so the creepy crawly had a better surface to walk on. "At the end." He said. "Silva really likes it, especially the part with the girl and the chain with the ball at the end..." He didn't seem too bothered by the bloodiness that scene entailed, nor did he mention it.

'I want one of those.' Oblivion said as she reluctantly crept towards them, leaning against Walter's shoulder. 'It looked tasty.'

"Maybe we can ask Ma to get you one." Walter said with a glance over at Oblivion before glancing at Stealth. "Do butterflies taste good?"

Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 1:43 pm

We shouldn't be doing this.
Since when has that ever stopped us?
Point.

Althalus grinned as he looked up at the house and stroked Stealth's head lightly as she sat on the back of his wrist. It was true, of course; if mother, if Kel saw them, they would be in biiiig trouble. But it was a challenge! The boy stepped back slightly, darkrimmed eyes critical as he examined the side of the house, and the grey-slated roof.

The day, altough cold, wasn't damp at all; the sunlight was weak behind Althalus' head, and the stones looked dry. No good -starting- something like this with a handicap. Stepping forward again, the Forgotten laid the palm of his hand against the rough brick to let the small lizard-daemon scurry from her latched position on his wrist to cling to the wall itself. She wandered up the wall a little way, before looking down with a slightly teasing glint in her small black eyes.

Coming up?
I only wish I could ignore gravity like that, was his tart reply as he pattered over to the garden wall at the side. Althalus was wearing trousers, a brown sweater, and his soft, indoor sneakers; bare foot wouldn't do, and apart from anything else it was waaay too cold for it. His palms were bandaged again, but through choice, as he often did; it offered a little protection against rough surfaces, but also allowed him more grip. He wasn't quite sure quite why he felt such an urge to see what the view was like from the roof; but it was forbidden, and something he was sure he could do.... so why not?

So slow! I'm not freezing my tail off here for no reason, you know, came the snide comment echoing in his mind, and Althalus grinned again, pushign his bandana back on his head slightly as he hauled himself to the top of the low garden wall, balancing easily on the thin bricks. Looking over at the house, he tilted his head again; he'd have to go over the bins and onto the top of the gate, and then the bathroom windowsill if he could scrabble up there; he just wasn't tall enough to make that jump straight. In accordance with his wandering thoughts, Stealth made her way over to the piece of wall he was examining at a distance, small claws agile on the brickwork.
Good enough?
Some good. This bit; not enough purchase. This bit.. a little dangerous?
It'll be fine, responded Althalus breezily, balancing on one foot before pushing himself off to land cat-like on top of the garbage bin, wobbling slightly as he landed but quickly grabbing at the top of the tall wooden gate. He paused, hanging mainly from his arms as he considered his next move. Getting to the top of the gate would be good.... the wood creaked ominously for a moment, but the skinny boy wasn't going to make that much of a weight difference to the structure.

--TBC--- (zzz)

Kel-chan
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Kel-chan
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Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 3:12 am

(Althalus/Walter/Maya)

December 29th

There was a playground next to the local dump, and Ice often brought Walter and Oblivion there while she went scrounging for metal to feed Oblivion. Kisa was playing guard--er, babysitter this time, sitting on the nearest bench, reading a book as Walter and Oblivion played on the entirely plastic playsets. They had once been metal, but Oblivion had changed that quickly enough.

Walter sat on the slide, looking a bit bored as he and Oblivion chatted. "No, she would win." Walter said seriously. "She's got that big... metal thing--,"

'The tasty looking one.' Oblivion agreed. 'But she's slow.'

"No she's not. You're just thinkin of the slow moment."

Finn had tried his best to convince Maya that going to the playground would be fun. She was hard enough to get out the door--after throwing a hissy-fit because she didn't want to wear long pants, she had begged him to feed her, with little result. She was having a hard time communicating with her new--father. He didn't seem to do what she wanted him to, and it irritated her to no end. He was new at being a dad, and her old soul could tell, even at such a young age.

"C'mon Maya, it won't be so bad!" he said, hoisting her up further in his arms as he carried the little girl to the playground. "There'll be swings, and a slide probably."

If Maya would have been able to get out coherent words, she would have scowled at her father and proceeded to curse at him in a most foul way. She wasn't sure she wanted to swing and slide. She wasn't good at dealing with the unfamiliar.

Looking around, the little girl noticed they were walking by the dump. She pinched her nose shut with two small fingers and waved in front of her face with the other hand. "Ewwwwww!" she squealed unhappily.

"Hey, this is the only place we've got around here. Sorry if I don't live in the best neighborhood...We still had to bike quite a ways to get here." He sighed. She was always difficult. Always. Even when he wanted to show her something fun!

Mortality, on the other hand, was looking forward to getting outside for awhile. Maya liked the indoors, but he always craved adventure. She snaked up Maya's arm and to the top of her shirt, resting on the collar and looking around with glittering green eyes.

Althalus crept along the fence by the playground edge, looking over his shoulder. He'd managed to give Daniel the slip... hadn't he? He must have.

Sure we have, said Stealth confidently, scrabbling to come and sit on his shoulder, tail latching firmly around the boy's neck. He tugged at the maroon jumper and shivered slightly; it was kinda cold to be out, but that didn't matter. At least it was away from them....

He peered around the fence, and suddenly blinked. Wait, he knew that sense, didn't he? Grinning unconsciously the thief Forgotten fixed dark eyes on the boy and daemon by the slide, and tried to overhear their conversation without being seen. As he pressed himself back against the rickety railing, his gaze darted to the newcomers, and also decided to try and remain unseen by them. A game!

Another like us, though, Stealth said softly, and the boy's attention was diverted a little more thoroughly suddenly. Another one?

"But the best fighter..." Walter said seriously, "has got to be Conan the Barbarian."

'Oh really.' Oblivion drawled. 'Ice told you not to stay up all night watching that movie.'

"You were right there with me! Silva laughed and flew off before it got good, though." Walter complained, completely oblivious to the people heading towards them, or the boy and daemon spying on them. "He had a cool outfit."

'Hulk.' Oblivion said, as if that summed it up.

"Oooh... fergot about him..."

Maya spotted the boy crawling down on the ground by the fence as they rounded the corner and headed for the entrance to the playground. She couldn't imagine why he wanted to roll around in the dirt, and a sour look came to her face. For some reason though, she couldn't keep her eyes off the rough-and-tumble boy that seemed to be lurking around the playground.

Finn, on the other hand, hadn't seen Althalus at all. He was pretty oblivious most of the time, just making sure that one foot was set down in front of the other. He just wanted to make it to the playground before Maya threw another fit.

He pulled the gate to the playground open and slipped inside, one arm holding Maya tightly.

Mortality seemed to see them all, and he felt something strange inside him as they approached the children. Maya, they're like us..., we warned her. Perhaps you can make some friends, eh?

Maya just stuck her tongue out at the worm, and then went back to staring. It wasn't long before her eyes shifted to a boy and some kind of metal creature perched on the slide. There were more people around? The little girl sighed. She'd have to interact. Great.

Maaaaaaaan... she sees us!
Althalus scowled and got to his feet, brushing mud carelessly from his knees and bouncing over to the centre of the playground, voice loud and cheerful. If he couldn't use... well, stealth, then he'd be just himself.

"Waaaalter! It's you, right?" He ran a couple of steps up a ladder and balanced there precariously, darkringed eyes bright and laughing as he smiled across at the other boy, seemingly ignoring the man carrying the little girl for now.

"What are you dooooing?" He tilted his head with an annoying whine in his tone on purpose as he looked at the blonde boy. However, Stealth on his shoulder had her glittering eyes fixed silently on the other Forgotten babe.

Walter blinked at the whine, but grinned anyways. "We're talking fighters while Ma' gets Oblivion's dinner for the week." He said, pointing at the dump. "'Blivion's hopin' for a car this week."

'A van.' Oblivion said. 'More metal in a van.'

"Er, a van." Walter corrected.

Finn jumped out of his skin for a second as he saw the other young boy jump up from the ground and greet the boy on the slide. They looked as if they knew each other, and Finn grinned as he watched them say hello to one another. It had been ahwile since he'd been a boy...Those were the days.

Carrying Maya over to the swings, he sat her down inside the swing made for babies. She kicked her legs back and forth unhappily, not sure whether she still wanted to be agreeable or not. Could this swinging nonsense possibly be fun?

Aqua eyes scanned the playground again, and she watched the boys as well, wondering if they were interesting at all.

Mortality eyed Stealth, who seemed to be half-hiding on her Forgotten's shoulder. Hello, he said to her. We're new around here.

Althalus blinked, looping one arm from the ladder and hanging from the side slightly. 'Fighters? Like in films?" He looked slightly amused, bandana tipped at a rakish angle on his scruffy head. "The best one has to be the guy from Princess Bride. Y'seen it?" His glance darted to the side again as Stealth watched the little girl, but his expression remained easy.

New, is that so? Stealth's tone mirrorred her partners, and she snorted slightly, though a slight mental smile was apparent. I couldn't have guessed. From the Library, like us?

Oblivion's eyes followed Stealth's, gleaming slightly red for a second as she recognized a newcomer. 'I try not to remember the library, myself.' She commented darkly. She had never been too fond of Patrick. Then she sniffed. 'You smell metallic.'

"No eating other daemons." Oblivion told her seriously before turning back to Althalus. "The one with the mask on? Or the big, big guy?" He asked, holding his arms out and slightly rounded.

Before Maya could scream, Finn pushed her high into the air, letting her swing back and forth rapidly as he giggled to himself. He was certain she wouldn't enjoy this too long...She seemed to be fickle that way. But it was almost amusing to watch her squirm. What a great father he was turning out to be, he thought to himself, laughing.

It was the first drop that did it. Maya's stomach seemed to leap into her throat as she came down rapidly from the top of her swing. She was breathless as she swung backward, and for a second, there was a crack in the pained expression on her face. Was it a grin??

Mortality didn't feel the swinging much, but was more distracted by the other Daemons. Yes, we're new. You two seem to smell familiar at least. As if we came from the same place. I guess it was a library. He paused to consider the place from where they had come. I would have to agree with you there, he replied to Oblivion. It was not a pleasant place to be...and yes, I am metallic, as are you it seems. The name's Mortality.

"The guy in black of course! He beat the big guy. And anyone who's that big couldn't move fast anyways," and there was a slight hint of scornfullness in his tone as he dangled himself a little more sideways on the ladder, though he did turn his head slightly towards where Stealth's gaze was directed. He grinned over at Walter.
"Hey, maybe we should go and say hello or something," he suggested.

I'm Stealth, and this scruffbag is my Althalus. I'm -not- metallic, and the lizard-daemon closed her eyes with a slight huff.

"Yeah!" Walter said, hopping to his feet and heading for the swinging little girl. "I'm Walter." He said, stabbing his thumb at his chest. "This is Oblivion. She eats metal." Which was his usual greeting to strangers.

'That makes you special, right?' Oblivion asked Stealth with a hint of amusement.

As the swinging slowed, the smile slipped back off of her face, and she looked questioningly over at the boys and their Daemons. Was Mort talking to them? She sighed and looked down to the worm, whose eyes were fixed on the group of older Forgotten.

Mort! Nooo! Why you...need know...others? She managed to get it out in small bits. She was still unhappy not being able to communicate well with anyone, even her own Daemon. Forming words was harder than she thought it would be.

Nice to meet you Stealth, Althalus. And you as well Walter and Oblivion-though I hope to stay away from you--I would hate to get eaten in my first months here! The worm gave a chuckle and a gracious nod of the head to the boys before looking back to Maya, who seemed displeased. Finn continued to push the swing lightly so that she could still interact with the other Forgotten if she wanted to. This is Maya, and she's displeased. I hate to go into why, but she's kind of rotten sometimes, Mort said with perfect honesty.

Maya just scowled at the Daemon, unhappy that he was spilling all of her secrets without her permission.

Althalus pattered over to the swing, and dipped his face to look solemnly at the little girl, blanking the adult completely.

"Maya? Okay. Wanna see a trick?" He looked sideways over at Walter too, and winked cheerily. "Make you less displeased." Stealth sniggered slightlym, opening her mouth in a silent hiss of amusement as the skinny boy produced a silver coin from his bulging pockets with a flourish.

"Oblivion, no touching this metal, see? This is verrrrry important metal. Called money," he grinned.

'Money tastes good too.' Oblivion commented, her tail twitching as her eyes focused on the coin. Walter snorted, but didn't say anything, watching the trick with a little grin pulling at his lips. This would be interesting, he figured. He hadn't seen a coin trick since Otium had given him the gold coin he still kept in his hat.

Then again he couldn't remember if it had been a trick or he just hadn't been paying attention...

Maya hadn't been expecting anyone to address her--for any reason really. But she was curious about this stealthy boy, and her eyes flickered to the coin as Althalus pulled it out of his pocket. A trick? What kind of trick would he know? What kind of talents would he have?

She nodded, managing to put a half-smile on her face, hoping that would be enough positive reaction for him to continue with his 'trick'. If he wanted to try to make her happy, why not oblige? She rather liked it when people payed attention and did things for her.

Money tastes good? Mort asked, curious what kind of taste metal had. Money is very dirty. You really shouldn't put it in your mouth...lots of germs. The worm chuckled and couldn't help but add: Though I suppose it doesn't matter to us mechanical creatures...

Finn, who was absentmindedly pushing Maya, turned his attention to Althalus when he addressed his daughter. He was curious about the coin trick too. "Do you know much magic?" he asked the scrawny boy. Finn was always skeptical of magic and tricks. He knew there was little actual magic behind it.

Stealth huffed slightly. Regardless of dirtiness, money is not for eating! You can buy things with it, idiots.

Althalus shrugged, and winked again, tone reasonable. "Could be magic, couldn' it? See what Miss Maya thinks...." He flourished the coin again between his hands, the movements seeming effortless. After all, he'd practised this same one how many times? With an astonished expression, he dusted his empty hands, and then reached over to Maya's head. "Look, the coin disappeared! But maybe.. it's here?"

The silver flashed between his fingers, and the coin reappeared again in front of Maya's half-grin. "Would y'look at that?"

Walter clapped, easily impressed. He didn't know about the little one, but it had looked cool to him!

'Can you buy more metal with it?' Oblivion asked, looking thoughtful.

A little slight of hand went a long way. Finn looked amused, and gave the boy light applause, examining his actions, trying to see how he managed the trick.

Maya was more than a little pleased as the coin flashed in front of her face. When Althalus reached over her head, she looked up at his hand, wondering what he was pulling from up there. But when she looked back down, there was the coin, taunting her from his fingers.

Cracking a smile and letting out an "Eeep!", Maya reached out for the coin, wanting to examine it further.

Yes, yes, I know you can buy things with it. Like metal, for example, Mortality said, nodding his head I was just saying...it is dirty.

It wouldn't take much working out to see how the trick worked, but Althalus was proud nevertheless, and he bowed with a flourish. An audience always made it so much better. He hesitated however before handing over the coin to the chubby baby fingers; it wasn't like he wouldn't be able to get it back from her. He turned slightly to Walter, and grinned a little more happily for the applause. "Good, eh?"

Are you kidding? The gold coins could buy tons and tons of cheaper metal, Stealth replied airily, clearly exaggerating. And dirtiness doesn't affect the price. She scrabbled up from her perch on the scruffy boy's shoulder, him barely noticing as she clawed at his ear lightly in her way up to perch high on the bandana, raising her tiny stature slightly to look down at the others. Money is a very precious thing, she went on solemnly. Never forget that.

'A gold coin, eh?' Oblivion asked, her eyes flickering to Walter's hat. But he turned, looking at her.

"Ma's getting you metal right now." He told the daemon. "That's mine."

Oblivion snorted, looking irritated but didn't say anything.

"I don't know any tricks." Walter said, turning back to the other forgotten. "'Cept how to break out of places."

Snatching the shiny coin from his fingers, Maya turned it over in her own hands, looking for any irregularities. Though she was still small, she knew something strange was going on, and she wanted to know where he'd pulled it from. She wanted to pull things from out of the air too!

She squealed a bit and wriggled in her swing, the coin clenched in her fist as she waved it toward Althalus. Now that she'd examined it, she could give it back to him.

Tons and tons of cheap metal... Mortality mused. No, I know it doesn't affect the price. I was just looking out for everyone's health and well-being, the Daemon said. But you must remember Stealh, money is not everything...Though it may be important, it isn't everything. His eyes twinkled as he squirmed down Maya's arm and to her wrist where he could see the others better.

It was then that Maya's attention turned to Walter. Breaking out of places? This could lead to an interesting conversation. She stopped squealing, just in time to listen. She wanted to hear more about the other boy's talents.

You don't need to lecture me, replied Stealth slightly snippily, fading her skin instantly to become nighon invisible.

Althalus retrieved the coin with a swipe of a hand, the gleam of silver disappearing swiftly into a pocket and a curious grin on his face. "Yeah? I like doing that too. Got any hints and tips?" He shoved his hands in his pockets and stood casually, dark-ringed eyes bright.

"If you eat the lock first people don't notice you going." Walter said seriously. "But eating the gate always gets too much attention. Door knobs are good to eat, too, right 'Blivion?"

'It's much easier now that I'm bigger.' Oblivion agreed.

It's no lecture, just advice, Mortality finished, turing his head up from Stealth, who had disappeared, seemingly unhappy with Mort's thoughts on material things.

Eating locks and gates? Maya's aqua eyes twinkled as she turned to Walter and Oblivion. Sure, that was a way to break and enter, but it was highly unusual. It wasn't something Mort would want to do, she was sure of it. Then again, he didn't have such an easy time digesting metal.

"You guys are regular thieves and misfits, aren't you?" Finn said with a chuckle, thinking that if he were a boy again, he'd love to join them on their adventures. "Do you two hang out much? Seems like you'd make quite a pair."

Althalus blinked at Walter, and then at the adult, and suddenly burst out into loud infectious laughter.
"Eat the lock! That's a good one. Wish I could. I gotta settle for unlocking it!" Still giggling, he reached over to flick the brim of Walter's hat with one finger, to push it down over his face slightly. "Any other words of wisdom, Mr Walter?"

Sobering up suddenly he blinked again, before looking up at Finn. "Not much, I guess, but we're from the Library too, you know, just like your Maya and Mortality there. So it's easier to talk." The smile broke back out again, and he looked sideways at Walter.

Walter grinned. "And another way to get out of things is to open your eyes real wide and say 'I didn't mean tooooo.' He said in a baby sweet voice before grinning wickedly, proud of himself for that one. "We're like family, in a way." He added to Finn. "And she's one of us, right?"

'We've never worried about what's on what we eat.' Oblivion told the metallic snake. 'We're just happy to eat at all.'

"Well, you could probably learn how to pick locks pretty easily," Finn suggested to Althalus. "It could be a good skill to learn. But don't tell your mom. I don't think she'd like that very much." He gave the boys a finger waggle and smiled.

"You guys are from that crazy Library too!?" Finn's eyes went wide as he looked at the boys with new eyes. "I went on quite an adventure before I actually got to the Library itself...and then, there were a bunch of kids and animals that just seemed to appear on top of this table! Did you guys arrive that way too?"

He'd never seen any other Forgotten outside of that first time in the Library. He'd not met with any of the other new guardians since then. This meeting could prove to be interesting. Turning around to check on Maya, he could see she was paying fierce attention, trying to understand what they were discussing.

Finn laughed aloud as Walter gave him the baby face. "Hey, that's really effective!"

I'm sure you are, Mortality said with a chuckle. Can you eat real food, or does it hurt you? He couldn't help but ask.

Althalus' face flickered to a slightly guarded expression for a moment before being replaced swiftly with the easy smile again. "'A bunch of kids and animals' is what you call Forgotten Documents, I guess. And that's us, a child and a daemon and an excerpt from our book." He reached up to stroke one finger lightly across the top of the slowly reapearing Stealth, who still seemed to be sulking. "And my first memory is of that Library.... you, Walter?"

He'd noticed Oblivion's comment about 'happy to eat at all', and carefully filed it away for future reference. He was very curious about this other boy, and what tales he might have to tell.
And like he'd tell this stranger he was already halfway to mastering how to pick those darned locks...

"I remember..." Walter said, his face paling slightly for a second before he smiled cheerfully and lied through his teeth. "The same thing!"

'I've never ate real food.' Oblivion said, turning guarded. She didn't feel like talking of their past suddeny, despite the fact that it wasn't anything she felt bad about. She hadn't liked it, sure, but that didn't mean much. 'It doesn't look tasty.'

"Forgotten Documents..." Finn said in a hushed voice as if whispering a secret. "So Mortality is a Daemon? mmmm...I guess Maya did have a piece of paper clipped to her when I found her. It had a really eerie passage typed on it..." He thought back to when he found Maya. He had to struggle a bit with her to grab the thin sheet of paper that had been pinned to the back of her leg.

I guess real food just isn't your thing. But that's no big deal...it's probably healthier for you to eat metal...

Hah. If Walter was telling the truth, then he, Althalus, was a toasted lemming. He'd slapped on enough fake smiles to notice that at least. But no way was he going to ask more. Some other time, perhaps....

"Don't lose that passage, okay?" The skinny child said firmly to Finn before turning away slightly, focussing on the other conversation that was going on in the back of his head.
"Stealth eats what I do sometimes. Or insects," He volunteered with a grin, trying to steer the subject back to food. "If you eat at all, sweetheart," and he plucked her from his bandana, Stealth putting up token resistance in her sulk and flailing slightly, though her tail wrapped instinctively aroud his wrist.

"Does he eat metal?" Walter asked, pointing at Mortality and looking at Oblivion. She would understand the answer, he figured.

'I have no idea. If he does, he's not getting mine. He'll have to send their guardian in to get his own.' She replied grouchily at the idea of her food being taken.

Before the boy could turn away, Finn tried to get an important question in. "What happens if I lose the passage? What does it mean anyway?"

Maya's eyes shot over to Finn and an embarrassed look came over her face. He should know, shouldn't he? She scowled at him yet again and then turned back to the boys and Mortality.

No, I don't eat metal...I don't eat much of anything really...I require very little nourishment. Just a little energy from Maya here and there...

Althalus grinned again, turning his hand the right way up so Stealth could rest neatly in his palm. "I remember meeting this one girl called Nisha, her daemon was thiiiis big!" He gestured widely with both arms. "Bet he ate a lot. Maybe we're lucky, Maya," and he turned back slightly, still smiling, though his tone took on a slightly edge of hardness.

"And as for the paper, just... don't lose it, mister. Not even we know what it is yet, but... it means a lot. Maya'll thank you one day I bet."

Suddenly both scruffy-haired boy and tiny daemon stiffened, heads turning to the side, dark eyes fixed on the park entrance.

"Aw maaaan....."

Walter looked up, following Althalus's eyes, but Oblivion looked in the opposite direction, watching as Ice came out of the dump with a wagon full of car parts. She was groaning a bit, since the pile was much taller than she was, but she didn't look to be having that much trouble. Oblivion was almost positive she was trying to make her feel guilty for eating so much. But Oblivion didn't at all.

"I had to dismantle an old junker." Ice said as Kisa walked over to help her. "And I only realized that Oblivion had eaten my half inch socket wrench when I needed it the most." She looked up as she realized Walter had made friends, grinning sheepishly. "Hi." She said, waving a hand.

Maya nodded to Althalus, her grin returning for a second or two. She was glad Mort didn't eat a lot. She'd have to feed him all the time if so!

"Alright, well, I'll do my best to keep that piece of paper safe. Perhaps one day all the Forgotten will know what it is for..." he said, turning to see who was coming into the park.

He saw a pair of women with a wagon of metal car parts and couldn't help but laugh. He was sure they were for Oblivion. "Hello," he greeted Ice with a wave. She must be Walter's guardian.

Althalus's frame was tense, but nevertheless he still smiled brightly.

"Well, it was nice seeing you guys," he said swiftly, bowing again at Maya and nodding to Walter. "But I really should be going now! Say hi to your ma from me, Walter," and he started backing away from where he had been looking earlier, a sunny expression on his face.

Idiot! He's going to catch us again, we stayed here to long!
But I like talking to people. So do you.
Well, his mother turned up. Excuse.
Let's go!

Still trying to avoid Daniel, Althalus waved, and then turned and set off at the run, giggling under his breath and disappearing quickly. At the other park entrance, a man passed by, blinked... and then walked on.

Walter waved, but didn't call out as Althalus left, knowing the run-away schtick better than most. "Oblivion's hungry." He said, turning to Ice and Kisa.

"Right, right... um..." She looked at Finn, then dug a card out of her pocket. "That's a forgotten, isn't she? I try to make sure Walter keeps in touch with as many of them as we can find, so here's my card." She said, handing it to him even as Oblivion headed for the pile of steel. "Call us sometime! The two can play together!"

Walter grinned at Maya, waving to her. "And she should meet Annie. They're the same age!" He added cheerfully. Just then a loud CHOMP came from the wagon.

"We should get going now, or else I'll have to come back tomorrow." Ice said, tugging the wagon again before Oblivion could get another bite.

Maya waved at Althalus before he ran off. He had been nice enough, she thought. And he knew how to pull things out of thin air, which was also a bonus in her book.

Nice to meet you Stealth, Oblivion. Perhaps we shall meet again some day, Mort said, curling around Maya's wrist more tightly, ready for action.

"Bye Althalus," Finn said, waving at him before he disappeared to the other end of the playground.

Maya waved at Walter too, giving him a grin. The boys had made her day a bit better, so that gave them an A+ in her book.

He then turned to Ice, who was pulling a card out of her pocket. "Thanks, we'll call. It's good to know that there's a lot of kids like Maya. I had no idea. Have a good evening," he said, watching as they walked off with the wagon in tow.

"Ready to go home Miss Maya?" he asked her, watching as she shook her head rapidly. She was tired of sitting in the uncomfortable swing.

Finn picked her up and cradled her against his chest. He saw her yawn, and smiled. "Alright, let's go." With that, he turned and walked back out the way he came, back to the small apartment that they called home.

Welcome to Gaia! ::

Gaia Guilds

The Forgotten Library

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