|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Mon Jun 11, 2018 11:10 pm
 "Mmhmm. Some people call it the Plane of Shadow." I told her. "It's really dark." And that is a summary that is Exactly what it says on the tin.
She teased me that I had said I wanted to eat a horse earlier. "I actually wouldn't be surprised if horse is on the menu." I mused, putting a finger to my chin as I heard Sapphire and Gossamer titter near my ears. It did seem valid, but I was in no mood for red meat like that. If I wanted land meat I'd go for pork or mutton. "Naw, I think I'll stick to fish."
At the mention of her and the potentiality of being a herm, I rolled my eyes at her face turning pink. "It is fun, you know. You could at least try it with a temporary spell, maybe?" I said. I had to word my next words carefully so I didn't come off passive aggressive. That was the last thing I needed. "I have bits like yours after all, and no one to satisfy them if I have the need..." Before I got the ability to turn back into a human it was hard to satisfy myself with either set, truth be told... Still, I saw the way her face was turning pink. "But if you really don't want too, I understand." She was very comfortable as a woman, and I don't need to give her that kind of identity crisis.
"It is." I said, regarding the magical mishap. "They don't need the details of it." I sat back, popping a piece of tuna off my chopsticks. And if it hadn't been for the pregnancies, we probably wouldn't be on our honeymoon. Probably knee deep in arguments and I'd have moved back to Aria out of frustration.
Then she spoke of Lilian and the possibility of a home birth. "First you want a hospital birth, then a home, and now a hospital birth." I commented. "I'm fine with a home one, myself. As long as Dr. Mark or a Midwife is there, we'll be fine." I said to her, reassuringly. "And yes, we probably should talk to Liliana. But we should at least see what we're having first."
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 1:51 am
Larissa doubted she would ever want to go to the plane of shadow. So she was quite content with that explanation.
She looked slightly horrified when Midnight said there might be horse to eat but then relieved when they chose to stick with fish. Phew. After the way she'd just talked about horses and how she wanted one when she was little, talking about eating them was sort of barbaric. "Probably better for you anyway. Omega 3 and all that".
"There are spells for that?!" Larissa whispered, cupping a hand around her mouth as she leaned forwards to talk to Midnight. She listened to Midnight and looked thoughtful. "You know, I've never thought of things like that. When you put it that way...I mean, I guess I could try a spell if that's what you want" she said, glancing around to make sure no one could overhear them. She chewed her lip, still somewhat flustered at the mental images and ideas in her mind. "Umm. It's not that I'm against it or anything. I'm just very comfortable with what I've got and changing is kind of scary to me" she admitted. "I'll need time to think things over, at any rate. I want to make sure that you're happy and that your needs are being met. I just- I don't want to say yes straight away. Oh, and, we should probably get some uhh, toys and such" she hinted, "So you can be properly fulfilled, so to speak. I don't want to be a bad lover and neglect your wants and needs". Larissa didn't really want to try changing her body but if it was something that makes Midnight happy, she'd try it out at the very least.
Still she was glad for a subject change "I wonder how many pregnancies happen by magic, anyway? Did you hear about that odd little pastry shop where women who eat the bakery products would find themselves heavily pregnant? And what about that couple in the newspaper last week; the human and the fairy? There's no way they could have conceived naturally!"
She continued to eat, nearly finished her plate of food as they talked. Larissa paused and tried to remember what she'd said on previous occasions. "Oh. Well, all I can say is I guess I changed my mind. I just can't seem to decide on which one would be best. There's pros and cons to both. And I've been reading books and websites and they all say different things. I just...I really think the hospital might be my final choice after all. Just in case something goes wrong" she frowned. "I don't have a high pain tolerance either and I'm scared. And what if something goes wrong with the baby?"
She smiled when Midnight agreed about talking to Lilian. After all, who better to know about angels than an angel themself? "Oh yeah! I can't wait to find out. I wonder if it'll be a girl or a boy. And what they look like, and if there's more than one. I tell you what; I just can't wait to lift this stasis spell!" she said, banging her fistlightly on the table and sending a spork flying "Whoops" She looked around and saw that it had landed in someone's mashed potatoes and gravy. Larissa quickly turned back around and pretended not to see. The other person was some big strong guy with bulging muscles.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jun 12, 2018 2:17 am
Stars, she's cute when she's flustered. She was blushing all pink and biting her lip, as if her leaning conspiratorially would make it any less obvious what we were talking about. Still, we were in a bustling buffet hall, I really doubt that anyone was actually paying attention.
I pulled her close, gently; and I whispered into her ear: "I understand, I do. If you need time to think, then take your time." I whispered. "I just heard it feels better if it's real." She would know better then I would on the quality of pleasure from a real partner verses a toy, wouldn't she?
I then sat back, popping another piece of tuna in my mouth, this one accompanied by a piece of lettuce. "I wonder if they sell those kinds of toys around here." I mused, still teasing.
We moved onto the pregnancies and I shrugged. She mentioned the pastry shop and I made a horrified face. "Oh stars, that must be a nasty surprise. Not even having 9 months to prepare? Must be a nightmare waiting to happen." I said in reference to the magical cafe. At the human and the fairy, I shrugged. "I think there are spells that can shrink people... just like Sapphire and Gossamer like to use spells to make themselves bigger or smaller. I've heard that purely magical pregnancy can be pretty random. Like a human gets knocked up by a spell and they end up with a ball of tentacles instead of a human." I then rubbed my chin. "Then again, in that instance the ball of tentacles was pretty friendly..."
She brought up the hospital and I reached out to rub the back of her hand. "I have faith in you, no matter what happens. I will want a midwife at the very least." I said gently. "My hospital is well versed in delivering magical children of all stripes. Home or Hospital, we will be taken care of."
I watched her get all axited over the gender and possibly number of children and I had to cover my mouth as she pounded the table and sent a spork flying. I snerked, squinting my eyes and trying not to laugh too loudly as it went flying into someone else's food. Thankfully the man was sitting away from us as I tried to contain my laughter.
After a moment I calmed. "And I'm still scared, Larissa." I told her, my expression going serious. "I didn't come to collage to have a kid... I'll lift it when you do, but I still don't think I'm ready."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:46 pm
Larissa's colour darkened further when Midnight pulled her close and whispered to her. "W-well, well, uh, okay then! I'll have to t-try it out sometime!" she stammered, flustered, but now positive that she was going to try the spell. When Midnight put it like that, it made her feel sort of guilty for holding out on them, "Maybe tomorrow. Maybe for our whole stay here" she added. "It sounds k-kind of fun" She giggled at Midnight's question, "Oh gosh I don't know! Maybe~"
Larissa tapped her lip and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Umm, from what I remember, the pastries just make you pregnant, but you can choose when you want to give birth. So I think it's okay. And they could always use the stasis spell like we did"
"Oh yeah, didn't think of those" she said regarding the shrinking and growing spells. "That would be the obvious solution" she finished her food and the rest of her drink. "Mmm. Can you imagine how tiny a baby fairy would be though?! Oh my gosh, I wouldn't know how to take care of someone that little!" She looked kind of unsettled at the mention of magical pregnancies and tentacles "Ugh, that sounds awful! Imagine going through all that to not even have a baby at the end of it. That's scary" she frowned "Our pregnancies are magical, I hope they don't turn out to be anything weird. Like, like a ball of tentacles" she said, waving her fork in the air. She put it down before she could poke someone with it.
Larissa smiled at her mate, enjoying their touch on the back of her hand. "I'm sorry. I know I keep changing my mind. I'll try to stop doing that. And that sounds fair. Maybe we should look into midwives that are knowledgeable about dragon biology and breeding. Most dragons lay eggs, and that's somewhat different than natural birth" She took Midnight's hand and kissed her knuckles "I have faith in you too. Okay then, if you saw we'll be taken care of then I believe it! I'll stop stressing over it so much"
Larissa covered her giggles with her hand, trying to not make it obvious she was the one that sent the spork flying. She heard the guy in the background loudly say "Hey! Who threw this?" but not one fessed up and things went on as normal. A few other people were laughing who'd seen it too. Larissa fanned her face and tried to stop giggling. She took some deep breaths and slowly breathed them out. "Haah. Oh gosh, that was funny" she muttered. She sobered up when Midnight became more serious "I-I didn't come to college for that either. But I was hoping I would meet someone and get in a relationship. I never expected it to happen on our first day there" she said "But I'm glad it did. I suppose some things you can't be ready for, you just have to take them as they come. But hey, you'll have me to support you, and your friends, and my friends, and my mum. Dad will probably help out too" she said. "I know a lot of people worry about being bad parents but I think if you're worried about that, you'll be a good one. Bad ones wouldn't care enough to question their actions" She grabbed her plate and stood "Hey I'm going for seconds, want me to get you anything? There's more plates"
Poff meanwhile was very quiet. She was eating at another table where familiars were allowed to eat. It was noisy in here, especially for a cat with good hearing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:14 am
"Well then." I said with a purring thrumm. "I look forward to it." I said with a smile and a wink. Oh, if she does we're going to have a lot of fun over the next two weeks.
I made a noise at the mention of the pastry shop and the people who ended up pregnant from it. "I suppose. Maybe if it was in an area where people were having trouble conceiving." I snapped another piece of sushi up into my mouth. "Either way, that kind of place should have a warning on the menu or something. Getting pregnant by a spell is one thing, but a food item? How the hell do they stay in business? Wrong person walks in, gets knocked up by a pastry-- bam sued into oblivion."
I raised an eyebrow as she waved her fork, before hurriedly putting it away. "A baby is a baby." I said. "Whether it be a tentacled or not. The lady still got a child in the end, even if it wasn't one she was expecting. Though, her husband is the one who cast the spell... it sounded like he botched it royally."
I smiled at he when she said she'd relax about the whole giving birth then. I'd make sure we were taken care of, and she'd stop stressing. That sounded good. i smiled at the kiss and I held her hand a moment longer. "It'll all be alright."
I couldn't help but snicker at the man's reaction, but I was more focused on Larissa. "I... When I was fresh out of high school, I heard my parents planning on retiring early." I told Larissa. "I already had a cushy job at Amarazing, I've been groomed for it. But I didn't want to go straight from high school to running a corporation, you know? That's why I spent a year building Aria, trying to learn my capabilities, and then I decided to go to collage." I took a sip of my drink. "I wasn't intending on a relationship... I wanted to be a collage kid in a collage town, having fun before reality caught me in it's clutches of responsibility." Another gulp of my drink. "This isn't... isn't that. I've escaped the corporation for the moment at the price of something else."
Otherwise though, her words were reassuring. I nodded when she spoke about bad parents not questing their own actions-- I just kinda gulped, kinda not sure what to say. Soon after she got up to get more food. I looked at my plate and picked at a piece of my roll. "Perhaps a pork chop?" I asked her.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:38 am
Larissa felt butterflies in her tummy at Midnight's reply and their wink but also a flash of excitement. This would be quite a thrilling new thing to try. "Okay then!"
She nodded, "Yeah. I guess so. Maybe they have warnings on posters somewhere or something" she said "I heard the children born from there are based off the pastry they were spawned from. So like, an eclair baby would be the colour of the cake dough...with hair that looked like whipped cream and chocolate sauce...and they smell like baked eclairs. I suppose that's why monsters try to eat them a lot. Magical towns sure are different than non magic ones!" she laughed lightly.
She blinked "I dunno...if an alien busts out of your chest is that still counted as a baby? There are plenty of things I'll accept as my own child but not something like...like an octopus or a slime ball or something. That's just a monster or creature..then again if I gave birth to a kitten or cat it would definitely be my baby" she looked over at Poff and smiled.
She frowned slightly when Midnight spoke about wanting to go to college and have fun before reality sunk in. "Yeah, your plans sure worked out differently. But hey, there's plenty of good things about how they turned out. I mean, I've heard having children keeps you young inside. That's a positive"
She got herself a bowl of soup and some more salads, bringing it back to the table. She set down a plate with a large pork chop on it. "Didn't know if you wanted apple sauce so I got some to put on the side" she pointed at the yellow much on the plate that used to be apples. Larissa ate a mouthful of pasta. The soup was still really hot and she had to wait for it to cool down. "So, are you going to keep the baby or babies? I found out they have a daycare at the academy. Or you can pay local child care centres if you want. It means you can still study and have time to yourself to do what you want" she scooped up some delicious vegetable soup and blew on it before sipping it carefully. "Mm, actually, are they even going to be human-like in appearance? I dunno if child care takes baby dragons. Maybe they would go to the pet care or familiar care centre instead" she puzzled over that "We will have to look into it. For my baby, I already decided they're going to use the academy's child care while I'm at classes. Thought I might take some parenting classes and maybe yoga too"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:01 am
I listened to the description of the babies born from the magical pastries, and I just shrugged. I really didn't know what to say. "Sounds kinda weird. Yeah, if a human smelled of sweets I'm sure monsters would want to eat them too."
"Well, a chest burster isn't really something you can give birth to, now is it?" I asked her. Then she mentioned having a cat as a baby and I chuckled. "That's because you have an obsession with the furballs." I said. "Really, there are more animals out there then cats!" I could keep this discussion going, but I also didn't want to run my appetite either, so I didn't want to linger too long on unpleasant subjects.
"Young inside, yeah." I said, prodding my food with a chopstick. "That's why my mother has grey hairs. Or was it because of Amerazing? I dunno..."
Larissa wandered off to get more food and brought back the pork chop, as well as some soups that she wanted to try. I looked at it and speared the chop with a fork and but into it, not even bothering to use a knife. I left a large almost cartoonish bite mark in the chop when I pulled it away, chewing.
"I don't think the pet care center could handle baby dragons." I said, shaking my head. "Maybe familiar care, but I think..." I thought about it. "I think Aria would be best for keeping an eye on them. I'd rather not risk them destroying something or hurting one of the other babies. And Aria is good at keeping people out of places if she wants too."
Sapphire and Gossamer were sharing an insect and fruit salad, also in the familiar area.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 1:31 am
"Yeah, I just saw it on some website, on a couple of them actually. Some people see it as an easy, fun way of having kids or increasing their family" she said. "Luckily, I don't think it's a franchise. I'm pretty sure it's run by a local family" Larissa paused "Well, a lot of humans do like to smell sweet. Especially girls. Fruit scented body wash, fruity perfumes and the like. I guess you just have to be careful where you wear them"
Larissa laughed "I hope not! That sounds horrible" She hummed as she ate some more mouthfuls of food "I do, I do. I blame my mother's love of them for rubbing off on me" she smiled. "I got very lucky to get one as a familiar. Since most people walk in wanting one thing and get something else. I do have trouble not thinking of her as my baby though"
She giggled a bit at their sarcasm. "Hey, I said young inside! You're thinking of the outside. Let me put it this way; young at heart. Kids make life interesting"
"Wow that's a big bite" she commented on the pork chop. "Glad it tastes good"
"Hmm maybe you're right" she pondered on the best place for the dragons. "Aria, oh yeah, now that you said it, it seems so obvious. I bet baby dragons can take care of themselves and are more intelligent than more human babies. I have some milkstone saved up in case of poisoning from their teeth or spines. Doesn't hurt to plan ahead"
when they finished their main meal, Larissa got up a third time and came back with a glass of creaming soda and a large amount of ice cream that had sprinkles and sauce and a flake stick poking out of it. "Mmm! Dessert is the best part of any meal!" she beamed, sitting down and starting to plop spoonfuls of icecream into her soda. It fizzed up and frothed like crazy and she leaned forward to try and drink it before it overflowed. She failed and froth went all round her mouth and on the table. "Ah! Nothing like an old fashioned spider! These are the kinds of spiders I like!"
Poff was sitting near Sapphire and Gossamer. They were family now, so she was trying to get along better. Normally she'd sit away from them because them eating bugs grossed her out but she was making an effort to be friendly and more close to them. "That salad looks very colourful" she commented, eating her meat in gravy and her crunchy cat biscuits. "It's nice that you two can share meals like that" she licked some of the cat milk in her dish, it was lactose free and safe for cat's tummies. "Fruit looks so appealing and yet every time I've tried it, I can never taste much of anything. People say it's sweet. I don't think cats can taste sweet. But I do like the texture of bananas"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:07 am
"It's one thing to smell sweet, its another to look like you're a human confection." I told her. "And trust me, I know a thing or two about confections."
I didn't make another comment about the chestburster, instead responding her her words about getting a cat as a familiar. "Partner, not baby, not pet." I said good naturally. "Partner."
I smiled as I chewed the bite from the pork chop, taking another and another until there was nothing left. I licked my lips and scooped up the apple sauce with a spoon before eating it all in a couple bites. Mmm.
"I'm not going to argue that." I said when she commented kids making life interesting. "I suppose with my lifespan I'll have plenty of time after the hatchlings is grown..." I smiled weakly. "But by then I'll be running Amerazing. Agh."
"Well." I said, after I picked up my chopsticks and nibbling on a piece of pink ginger. "I also don't want anyone getting any funny ideas with my hatchling." I picked up a piece of sushi with my chopsticks and bit into it, nomming until the piece was gone. "You should keep that in mind for your baby too... the person who's been summoning the demons may be actively trying to kill me, but they're also trying to avoid hurting you. Save for maybe trying to corrupt you and your baby."
I finished my sushi at roughly the same time she finished hers, and I had pushed the plat aside and sat there, trying to decide what I wanted for dessert. She brought over a large glass of soda and some ice cream, and I watched her plop the ice cream into the soda and sent foam all over the place.
I smirked and got up, swiping some of the sweet foam with a finger, licking it off and winking at her as I went off to get my own dessert.
Sapphire and Gossamer looked at Poff who was sitting nearby, eating the cat's typical gravy and meat and milk. Sapphire shrugged. "I love fruit. It's sweet and it gives me a lot of energy." She said, flapping her wings. She picked a big out of the salad and munched on it. "The insects are good protein."
Gossamer hopped a little on the table, before picking a cherry out of the salad and pecking at it, getting his beak and claws covered in colorful juice. "Yumyy."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:42 am
Larissa believed Midnight on that. After all, her father made chocolate for a living. "I know, I know. And Poff knows it too. We're partners. I just have maternal feelings towards her sometimes" she admitted with a smile "I know she's not a pet or a baby. But I still find myself wanting to take care of her and give her lots of petting and pampering"
She was surprised Midnight still ate the apple sauce. It usually tasted good with pork but it was nice enough on its own too.
"Yeah, that's the spirit!" Larissa said, patting Midnight's arm. "Look at this as a positive experience. Don't focus on the negatives. And hey, if you really don't want to take over the family business, you should probably let your parents know so they can train someone else for the position" she said "I know you're immortal but do you want to run a chocolate factory for ever?" She noticed Midnight kept saying something "Hatchlings, you think there's more than one? Sometimes a woman's...parent's intuition is right. You just subconsciously 'know' things. Won't that be exciting to have twins or more? Instant shake n bake family!" she threw her hands in the air in a celebratory gesture. "I've always wanted a large family"
She turned serious at the follow up comments. "Yeah. That would be bad. Like, trying to kidnap them and keep them as a pet or something? That gives me chills" she said, looking down at the table. "Why would they want to corrupt us? Anyway, let's not talk of it too much here. We're here to have fun and relax as much as possible before we have to resume real life" she smiled. "Demons might still find us here but it's nice to pretend they don't exist for now"
She grinned at Midnight's stealing the foam from her fizzy drink and blushed slightly at the wink. She wondered whether Midnight would enjoy using whipped cream when they were together sometime. Or ice cream. Hmm, that sounded fun. She wondered what the dragon was getting for dessert. Hopefully not meat puree or something like that.
*****
Poff looked curious "Well that's good for you. I wish I could taste sweet but I don't think cats are made to eat sugary things" she sighed, "Oh well, sometimes I eat cream or ice cream, but I can't have much of them" She scrunched her face up when Sapphire ate a bug. "Protein is also what I live on but I prefer it in a more meaty form" she said.
"Cats do eat insects but I choose not to out of purrsonal prefurrence" She smiled as she used cat puns. She watched Gossamer eat the cherry "Be careful or you're going to be a red crow" Poff snickered. She looked at Sapphire, her smiled fading "Actually, I'm glad you two are still hanging around. It's nice to have other familiars to talk to. I helped as much as I could when the demon attacked Midnight and I thought you both were goners when he smacked you into the water. When I thought about that, it made me feel lonely"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 15, 2018 3:05 am
I shook my head at her words of wanting to pamper Poff. That's not what partners do for each other-- or they reciprocate at the very least. I don't see Poff trying to do things for Larissa the way she does things for Poff; but hey, is that really any of my business?
I just hope she doesn't try to spoil our kids. I've said it before, I don't need one or more spoiled dragons, hatchling or not, to deal with...
"It's not that I don't want to run the company... at least for a while. It's just that I don't want it right now." I told her. "I live a cushy, extravagant lifestyle. Whatever I need I can just buy. That kind of power can go to people's heads. It's why I try to still do things myself if I can... building, fixing, making, fighting, driving, ect." I shrugged with a kind of eh look on my face. "Those things are important. I don't want to be lazy, I don't want to be pampered, I don't want... I don't want my money to corrupt me. Still, the cash comes in handy in a pinch, and I do love making chocolate. What I want is to live. Just me and my girl, living life to the fullest, not having to worry about anyone further then our familiars."
I leaned forward, lowering my shoulders. "I'm 19. I'm not even allowed to legally drink and I'm having one or two dragon hatchlings. I haven't had the time to live life without having worries. With children you have to make sure that they have enough food and that they eat the right food so that they don't have health issues in the future; no one wants diabetes when they're in their 20's. You have to provide a good environment for them to grow into healthy people who can get along with others... You have to make sure you don't neglect them, but at the same time you can't give any one child too much attention or that gives them favoritism complexes... It's all messed up. I wanted to wait till I was in my goddamn 30's before I had kids, and even then it would be one child." I poked at the remains of my food with the chopstick. "I don't want a large family. This is... I love you, I do. But this... I'm sorry, but I don't... I do want them, but I don't want them now." I popped a piece of sushi in my mouth. "This isn't fair to them but this isn't fair to us, either. I know what I should do, take it and accept it, but this is against everything I wanted for my life when I took the test to come to Caelfall. All the things I wanted to wait until I was at least 22 are suddenly smacking me in the face, like life is saying to me: You're not allowed to enjoy life without feeling like a monster, deal with it."
I don't think I needed to iterate what the monster reference was about. What happens when a mother really didn't want to carry a child to term. My ears were drooping as I popped the last piece of sushi in my mouth. Still, it was good to air these feelings to Larissa... I wanted her to know, as she had made it quite clear that she was feeling the exact opposite of what I was.
That's okay, right? We didn't have to agree or feel the same things.
I looked up at her when she mentioned the kidnapping them. "Or worse... if their scales are like mine, I can imagine what kind of price their scales might fetch on a market as bits of jewelry." Weather that be by directly killing the hatchling or plucking their scales off over time and keeping them alive, there are more then a few reasons why I wouldn't want to just leave my hatchlings in some random place where anyone can see them.... and possibly hurt them.
"I don't know. The demon said his summoner was a 'bleeding-heart' which implies sentimentality." I told her. Why was I suddenly picturing the man in the plague doctor mask from Halloween? Holding what seemed to be a heart shaped item under his jacket? I was going to say more but she commented that she wanted to pretend like they didn't exist. "And that kind of thinking could get our fellow vacationers hurt or killed." I told her. Maybe I wasn't meant to escape responsibility after all... But I couldn't just standby and let another get hurt because of Larissa and I being selfish like that. "We should either tell someone of the danger or try to place a holy ward over the resort, keep them out. Telling someone, even if it be by an anonymous line, might be best. That way they can amp up security for everyone, and we can relax more."
I got up then, taking my late again and giving my flirty wink to Larissa. I wanted dragonsbane, but it seems to be the one thing this buffet didn't have. I wasn't seeing a slew of crimson dishes anywhere, much to my disappointment. Understandable, as other dragons frequent this resort, but still disappointing.
Infact, none of these dishes, again understandably, don't have the poisonous ingredients I require. I'm gonna have to go hunting for foxglove or just go back to Aria for a dragonsbane salad every few days.
In the meantime; I got some cheesecake, some dulce de leche, and cherry pie with some vanilla ice cream, and I brought it back to sit across from Larissa.
I ate quietly, still unsure... of everything really. Of how different we felt about the whole family thing. Of how I wanted freedom and she wanted to settle down, already. I mean, I know she wanted a family when I accepted the ring, but... Stars, how old is she? She can't be older then I am... 18? Why would she be so eager to have the baby now beyond wanting the morning sickness and the moodswings to calm down?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 5:05 am
Larissa saw things a different way than Midnight did regarding Familiars (and other topics). Poff's presence and words, the little things she said and did, they all meant a lot to the human. Poff reciprocated in her own ways. Just by being herself, she made Larissa's life better. Her purrs, being able to pet her, having conversations and being there for each other. It didn't matter how small Poff's actions or words seemed, they held a lot of weight to the crystal witch. And she responded to her partner's loving friendship the only way she knew how; by pampering and taking good care of her. Both of them were happy, they had a system that worked for them.
Although, spoiling the kids, Larissa was bound to try that. It would be so easy to do, and so tempting. Their children were bound to be cute and pretty and with how much love Larissa would feel for them and the parental feelings of wanting to nurture, she'd have a hard time not spoiling them. She didn't say that at the time but she didn't understand a whole lot about dragons and how they worked, despite being married to one. She'd read up on them but there was still a lot to learn. Midnight wasn't spoiled. Well, maybe a little bit. But they turned out fine!
She listened to them talk while slowly consuming her dessert. It was hard to eat ice cream fast unless you liked brain freeze. "Ohh" she said, trying to understand Midnight. "Well, there must be a way to postpone taking on the company until you want it. Surely your parents could train someone else for a managerial position, just until you're ready to take over. Maybe even a cousin or other relative. Heck, if there's more than one manager, you guys could cover shifts for each other; one week on, one week off" she tried to think of her next words.
"Well, even though you live like that, it doesn't make you a bad person. Your parents have raised you well. You have good values and ethics. You're grateful for everything you have. And you're aware of potential bad endings, and try to avoid them and to be a good person. You know, you can still do all those things you're into. Your children will only be little once and they grow up fast. The days are long but the years are short, so my mother says" she said, waving her spoon around conversationally. She ate the bite of ice cream off the end. "Sure you might have to put some things on hold while they're really little and need lots of care, but that only lasts a few years. And you have eternity. And besides, even if you became lazy or ungrateful....no one is perfect. And you have me and your friends to kick your butt and get you back on the right track if you veer off course!" she said in a chipper way. "You could always pour all your money into charities and such if you're worried you've got too much of it. Then you'd have to live like a normal citizen"
She looked at Midnight and frowned when they said it should be just them and their familiars. She grew quiet and slowly poked her spoon around in her ice cream, stirring it. "Mm...yeah, but, we're already pregnant. So it's not going to be like that, at least not straight away. But hey, Aria can babysit for us. Or we can find a nanny. People who can afford it usually pay people to mind their kids. We could do the same. I mean, I want to raise my baby myself but taking days off to spend with each other is a possibility. We're lucky because we have that option open to us and most people don't"
She watched Midnight slump forwards "Huh? But I'm 18 and where I live that's the legal age, so that means I could drink before you!" she gasped, happily surprised by that revelation. "Then again, it's not like it's a competition" she said, balancing the spoon on her top lip as she talked. She looked at Midnight and leaned slightly towards them, fixing her attention on them. "You make it sound like having kids is going to end your life and take away your freedom" she stirred her ice cream around. "But look at other young mothers and teen moms, some even younger than us. They survive, they get through, they find their feet again and you can too" she encouraged. "As for living life without worries, psh, everyone has worries. Even people who seem like their lives are perfect. Sure, children can be a lot of work but I hear they grow up fast. And what's a handful of years to someone who's got forever to live? If you screw up in the beginning, then you've got plenty of time to spend making up for your mistakes and getting things right"
She listened to Midnight say they don't want a large family. Uh oh, another difference between them. "You don't want them right now..." she repeated softly, letting the words sink in. "But you'll have to have them eventually. And we agreed to lift the stasis spell together. I'm sorry for how you feel about this but...I still think you should go ahead and lift it at the same time as me. I promise I'll help you take care of them. And even if it's sooner than you'd like, just focus on the good and not the bad. We're going to have a large family and even if you don't want them right now, I think you'll be happy to have them in the future. You can give up less than a handful of years to your children, can't you? They'll only be babies for two or three years and you'll still be young and full of energy after that. Then you can get right back into doing all that stuff you like"
She ate more ice cream, thinking about Midnight's words "Well. I do want a large family! It was lonely growing up without siblings. But...I don't see why you don't want that. You're set up perfectly to do so. A giant magic mansion, tons of money, the ability to hire help, powerful magic, a doting parent for my part. A young healthy body. I guess this is just another one of those things we think differently about..." she trailed off and looked at Midnight, biting her lip unhappily. "You're allowed to enjoy life still, even if you do have kids. The hatchlings aren't going to ruin your life. They're just going to add to it. Parenting is hard but, it's the most rewarding thing in the universe. And once they hatch and you hold them for the first time and you bond, you'll know that you made the right choice"
The talk had turned back to kidnapping. "Yeah, that would be horrible!" Larissa agreed emphatically. "But surely the people running the care centres would be properly trained to protect their charges. And most places have security measures in place. Not just anyone is allowed in to see the kids. Surely the academy's daycare would be well protected by powerful magics. But if that giant demon showed up there...well, there's always the choice to just leave them in Aria and let her look after them"
They talked of the demon together. "Ohh, that's interesting. But even if we could sympathize with them, they've already caused so much trouble. And getting through the demons to the summoner would be hard" she commented about the summoner.
She looked surprised at Midnight's reply to her wishes of pretending the demons didn't exist."Oh! But how would they know that we're here? We didn't tell anyone where we were going for our honeymoon, did we? How would the demon's summoner know of our location? We're all the way up in the mountains. We could be halfway across the world and they wouldn't know" she said. "Well, maybe you're right. I just didn't want people to worry...plus I didn't think their summoner would find us here. I thought this was a safe place. You can tell them if you want, but I was really hoping they wouldn't be able to find us at all"
She finished the last lick of her ice cream and drank the rest of the soda. She was enjoying the long talks with Midnight. Talking without exploding from her temper, that is. She had been working on that. "You know, Midnight, being a young mom isn't all that bad. They say you have enough energy to keep up with your children at this age. And the sooner you start, the more time you have to spend with them" she smiled. "I don't know about you, but I'd lay down my life so my child could live, even right now. They're that important to me"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 11:04 pm
I poked at my food as I listened to Larissa talk; she was offering suggestions and things to do about my parents and taking on the role of leader of the company. "I'll think about talking to them about it. I don't think my parents trust anyone else with the company though."
I was looking at my food. It was strange... the children we were carrying had brought us together, but yet we felt so differently on them. "I don't think like an immortal though." I glanced to her. "Not... yet, anyway. I know it's going to happen, that I'll live for an eternity. But I still feel mortal. I feel like I have precious few years to really live. I'm sure it'll hit me one of these days. Perhaps I'll go mad that day." At least the talk wasn't upsetting her, which was nice even with her chipper words of kicking my butt. Could she even, if I got to that point?
At her words of taking days off, I could feel a knot of tension in my back start to ease... just a little. "I suppose..."
I glanced up at her with a complicated look of annoying written on my face. Mostly because she had decided to gasp about her living in an area where the drinking age was 18 over 21. Not the damn point; but her next words made me relax again. "I'm having dragons, Larissa. How long do they take to grow? 20? 50? A century?" I asked her. That also reminds me. "How long do Angels take to grow? For all we know, our children will not take a handful of years, they could take hundreds or thousands of years to grow to adult-hood." I then sat back with an almost sarcastic smile. "And who is going to raise them?" I pointed to myself with my thumbs. After all, if anyone has the lifespan to keep up with a dragon (or two) and an angel, who but a budding goddess?
"I already said I would." I said, looking at her when she said that I should lift it when she does. "And I keep my word." I simply cannot be so assured that I'd be enjoying myself with a group of little hellions taking over my house for who knows how long. "And, I have to disagree. I don't think Parenting is a rewarding thing. It's a necessary thing, that people put far less importance on then they should.... but I don't think it's rewarding. I'd rather leave my mark on the world. Be someone, do something extraordinary. Have people talking about my actions long after I've vanished into the heavens. That's what I think would be rewarding. Not spending my time chasing after rugrats who won't understand what we're trying to teach them until long after they've left the house."
Then I leaned back forward, my eyes locked on hers. "After all... there is a large family sitting 4 tables behind me, two to the right." I didn't usually like to mention how good my hearing is, but this group had been a pain in my ear for the past 5 minutes. Indeed, if she searched them out with her eyes she would see the chaos that the three kids were wrecking. "Two of three kids are running around the table, leaving trash and food all over the table and floor. The 3rd is refusing to eat until their mother can somehow obtain chicken nuggets and fries, even though this restaurant doesn't have those on their menu." Those kids behind me were the perfect example of why I was worried about spoiled kids... except that a dragon and an angel could be 50 times worse. Kids were bad enough, magical kids were nightmares. "Another mother, who is sitting alone with her kid in a booth far to my right, is trying to get her son to hold still as he is running back and forth along the benches along the wall. He's stolen all of the silverware on the unoccupied tables along that area, and now he's trying to make as much noise with a pair of chopsticks as possible." I paused. "And now she's telling a waitress to bring her a box and her check, as she's getting more and more embarrassed by her son's behavior."
I sat back, blinking, wearily. "I don't intend to listen to that, but I hear them anyway. This room is a shimmer of sound and color and emotion..." The room was too large, too full of people, I can feel a headache coming on. Was this a god thing or a dragon thing? Or perhaps a painful mesh of both. "It hurts."
I was tempted to ask her why a daycare of all things would need security, but the topic of conversation was proof enough of that. "I'd feel safer leaving them in Aria." I said. "Not just for our children's sake, but for other innocent kids who might get... I don't know, stepped on or something as a demon's trying to get at one of ours. No thank you, don't want that on my mind when I try to sleep at night."
"Well, we hoped the summoner wouldn't find us at our wedding either." I commented as she said she hoped we wouldn't be found. "They might even have some way of tracking us." Unless someone told them where we were holding the wedding, which was likely. Especially since I am still suspicious of Seth, but I know, I know Larissa won't hear of me speaking ill of one of her 'friends.' "Better safe then sorry. Again, I don't want innocents wrapped up in our problems."
And then she told me that being a young mother wasn't all bad, and that she'd... lay down her life for her child? I just gave her a blank, unbelieving look there for a long moment. I had no words for how to respond to that statement. How could one just give up their life for another, when the person doesn't even exist outside of them yet? I don't... I don't understand.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 03, 2018 11:01 pm
Midnight agreed to talk to their parents and that was a good enough answer for Larissa. Midnight's parents cared about them a lot. Surely talking things over would help matters. They might not be aware of how their child felt about taking the company so soon.
Larissa's brows knitted in confusion when Midnight talked about immortality and living. "Really live? I don't really understand what that means. Can't you enjoy life at any stage? There's still enjoyment to be had while raising a family and afterwards when they grow up and leave. You sure seem to have a negative view about things that haven't even happened yet. If you feel like it's going to be something that makes you miserable, then start searching for a way out of it or a loophole or something. I don't want you to be immortal and a god if that's not what you really want. I want you to find happiness in life, no matter how long or how short it is"
"Well yeah, you gotta take breaks. I mean, everyone has to. Parenting 24/7 with no breaks would drain all your energy" she said. "You have to look after your own wellbeing so you can look after theirs" she smiled.
She noticed Midnight's look of annoyance about the drinking comment and tried not to smile. Why did that make them so grumpy? She was just rubbing it in a little, teasing.
She stopped smiling when Midnight started talking about age spans and time to grow. "Uhhh...." she fiddled with her spoon in her empty bowl. "I don't know. I didn't think of that. But they're not going to be as helpless as human babies, for sure. I read about dragon hatchlings some. So it shouldn't be too much trouble, even if they do still need some care for a long while. You all...we all can work out a routine that works best for everyone in daily life" She looked at the sarcastic smile and frowned. It irked her a little but she counted silently to ten to let the little flare of anger subside.
"I can raise them too! If you need me to be around longer, then I'll find a way to gain more years. I mean, sure it would be easier for a dragon to raise their own dragons but hey, if you don't want to, then I will. If they need a dragon parent and you don't want to be the one, then I could find a dragon who would help us, or even find a spell to turn myself dragon. Nothing is impossible in this world. I will do anything for our children"
She smiled again slightly when Midnight reminded her that she already promised to lift the stasis spell. "Okay, okay. I just wanted to make sure that you're not backing out on me" she said. "I know you keep your word but everyone has second thoughts sometimes"
She then looked stunned at Midnight's next words. Her eyes widened slightly. "Maybe you don't think that way because you've never been a parent before. But I can tell you it is rewarding, extremely so. Watching someone achieve goals and make progress, knowing you're the reason they do so, you're their entire world and they love you unconditionally and you mean everything to them. That's incredibly rewarding. Watching them grow up and learn and explore, knowing they wouldn't be able to get there without you. All of that is rewarding. And it's okay to have goals for yourself and think about yourself, but when you're a parent, you can't be selfish anymore. You can't only think about you and what you want" she thought over their words more.
"You can still leave your mark on the world and do something amazing and have everyone talk about you...but you might just have to plan things differently around being a parent and your kids, and reach goals at different times than you had planned to. To be honest, wanting to be the greatest person and have lots of people adore you isn't a bad thing ...but it's very self-centered. And why would you want to work so hard for a whole heap of strangers to adore you...when you have the adoration of the ones you created, who look up to you every single day? I guess...we just think differently and have different goals in life. Maybe it would be wise to plan some other goals to reach as well. If you really don't want to chase after rugrats, as you say, then I'll do it for the both of us". she said, hurt but determined to make sure their kids would have a good life.
Midnight leaned forwards and locked eyes with the crystal witch. Larissa listened to them talk. She looked around the restaurant and spotted the first family. "Okay, so maybe those parents aren't so good with disciplining their children in a public setting. That's okay. The world's not ending. The kids aren't hurt. Some people might be annoyed but it's not going to kill them" she reasoned. "As for the one refusing to eat, well, they'll get over it eventually. Toddlers have short attention spans. Most likely, they'll eat later when they are hungry enough. Missing a meal won't kill them. I'm sure the kids aren't like that all the time. And if they are, then their parents need to adjust their parenting and find help and resources to make life easier for everyone. But those parents don't seem too stressed actually, it's more like everyone else is getting annoyed" she chuckled.
She didn't agree about magical kids being nightmares (spoiled kids, yes, but just because they were magical? No) but even without knowing what Midnight was thinking, or Larissa voicing that, it should be obvious to the dragon. She tended to see the positive and always look for it...in things and in people.
She watched the little boy running back and forth along the benches. Mischievous and annoying, but some adults were worse behaved after they'd been drinking. "He's got lots of energy and he's not listening to his mother. That's not good. Looks like he thinks this is a playground and the silverware are toys" she said, looking back at Midnight. "But hey, we're judging strangers here. Maybe his mum needs to discipline him better, that's all. If she's a single mother, she's probably too tired to deal with his errant behaviour right now. She could use some help and understanding. After all, I'm sure she didn't teach him to do that stuff. Being too lenient and not creating rules and boundaries will let kids think they're allowed to do anything. Maybe she just needs assistance or advice. Like that nanny that comes to families and helps them get things calm and routine...Super Nanny" she smiled.
Of course a daycare in a magic school would need security. They were holding some of the most precious beings on the planet; people's children. If it were an ordinary daycare in a human only neighbourhood, things might be different but in a magical place, there should be magic wards and spells to protect and keep peace and keep the children safe. Or so Larissa thought. Maybe she was naiive about that. But surely the magical community realised that if they had kids with magic powers or who weren't human, that some people would want to steal them.
"Yeah, Aria sounds like the best place for them. I agree with you on that" Larissa nodded, glad to agree on something with Midnight. "Your dragons would have poison teeth and spines too. Gotta protect the other kids from that" she said. "As for demons getting in, well...yeah that's scary. But hey, surely the academy daycare is well secured!" she said.
She frowned "I know. That was a real disaster" she said about demons showing up at the wedding. "If you really think they have some way of tracking us, then I guess we'd better let the manager and security know" she said. "I just really didn't think they'd know where we were this time! Or maybe that was wishful thinking. But I've not seen any tracking devices. Unless they can see us with a crystal ball or something" Midnight talked about innocents"I don't want that either! I'd feel really bad if innocent people got hurt because of us. Fine, fine, then I guess we'll tell them. We need to find out who to talk to"
She noticed Midnight's blank stare after her words about her child. "What? It's not all bad! Your body bounces back faster if you have kids young, plus you have more energy so you can keep up with them easier. Those are two reasons being a young mother is good" she said "And you're able to spend more time with your child. That means by the time you have their siblings, you would have more experience" she smiled. "Or, was it the part about giving up my life for my child? Well...I know that's a sensitive topic. But it's like this: I love my child, who is just a small soul at this point. I've already had the chance to live and make decisions and choices. And if it came down to me or my child living, then I'd choose them. If they were in danger, I'd use myself to protect them. If they got sick I'd wish it was me instead. If a demon wanted them, I'd offer myself instead. If there's a complication in the labour and I have to choose between me living or them living, I'd choose them. Do you get how I feel now? My child is the most important thing in the world to me, even though they are currently a small soul hiding inside. To me, they are a person and they are alive. They are a life. Not just any life. My special life that I will bring into this world"
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kasumi Roseglimmer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2018 12:25 am
I sighed and groaned. "I don't know what I want." I said, nearly slumping to the table. "I'm getting hit with everything at once, I don't know how to feel, Larissa. Maybe I do want to be a god? Maybe I don't. I don't know. The demon attacks aren't helping."
I covered my face with my hands, and I hadn't even touched my dessert yet. "I am a right mess, I am. I've been having this nasty headache since we walked in here."
I slowly started eating, still slouched over the table, starting on the cherry pie before the ice cream melted. "Mmm. I suppose." I said to her comment about them being helpless. "Might make things entertaining at least." Kids were annoying, but they could be funny. Who knows, maybe the little buggers would grow on me anyway. It's not like I've been dealing with the normal pregnancy symptoms. That's all Larissa, though maybe I have been a bit more aggressive lately.
I looked up at her, taking another bite of the pie. "Are you sure you want to do that to yourself? I don't understand why you would sacrifice so much for another... If it's just me in the end, I'd know what I'm doing at least by that point. It wouldn't be so bad, I guess."
When she was reassured that I wasn't backing out on her I shook my head. "We agreed." Besides, I'd have to go through with the pregnancy sometime, might as well get them laid before some demon kills me. Last bite, and the pie was all gone.
Next was the cheesecake. I shrugged, at her words, about how leaving my mark was self centered. "I don't know. Maybe it's the budding god in me talking, wanting faith and love." I remembered my talk with Leo, how he said that gods war over something so tiny as a soul gem. And I had one. But I had done the right thing with it, I'm sure of it. "And I don't want to disappoint them. I know I will. I'll disappoint the people that need me the most..." She was unbelievably optimistic. I wasn't nearly so selfless about this whole thing. Two, three souls looking up to me, expecting me to care for them, to be there. What if I wasn't? What if something happened to me and they thought I abandoned them? What then?
I listened to her talk about the parents and their kids, and the things that were going on. That still... didn't make the noise in my ears any lesser, the clatter of the chopsticks and the irritation caused by the kids any lesser.
"I'm sure the rest of the academy is secure too." I told her. "And look where their security has gotten them." Demons popping up left and right like weeds.
I let her explain about the concept of giving everything for her child, and I paused, mouth full of cheesecake. I chewed and swallowed. "First... the kids we are having now are plenty enough for me, thank you very much." I'd see to it that we wouldn't have more, even if I have to make myself sterile to do so. "Second... if you had to give up your life for the baby... what happens to the baby?" I asked her. "They're alone and vulnerable with no one to take care of them. I mean..." I groaned. "I'd take care of them if I knew what was going on. But don't you know how heartbreaking it is for a child to find out that one of their parents is dead? And that nothing they can do will ever give that child a chance to bring them back to get to know them, to find out who that parent was like?" I may have the blessing of having two parents who are still together, but there were a few people I know who weren't so lucky. "No! If I was in that situation I would not die for them. I'd tend to them, I'd care for them, but I'd live for them. That, Larissa, would mean so much more then simply dying for another." I had actually sat up during that little rant, though the pain of my headache was getting worse.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
