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 Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:34 pm
When they came up the drive, it was obvious that it had snowed lately. it was not entirely clean and untouched like a new snowfall, but it certainly set the scene. Toby smiled and turned the car off, got out, and went to open Maia's door for her.
"Well, welcome everybody," he said.
Dari smiled and nudged Cody with Lily's carrier.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:42 pm
"Thank you, love," Maia smiled and climbed out of the car. She looked around for a moment. "It's beautiful," she said. "Come on out," she added, looking in at Kevin.
The kelpie hesitated. He stepped out of the car slowly. He'd heard about snow. Toby had told him about it. White, wet, and cold. He experimentally reached a hand down to feel it. He jerked his hand back.
"We're here," Cody turned to smile at Dari. "Let's take the midget inside, then I challenge you to a snowball fight.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 3:52 pm
Toby leaned into the car to retrieve Peaches. The part-time groundskeeper had turned on the heat for them and shoveled the driveway, probably all in one trip considering how far he lived from the property, so it was all ready to go. They just had to get the cats inside before they unpacked. Peaches had calmed considerably during the flight, almost as if the thrumming of the plane's engines was somehow less frightening than the car's gentle vibrations.
As for Kevin, he'd let the kid explore himself. He didn't want to condescend.
"You can pick whatever room you want, Kevin. It's a big ole place," he said.
Dari nodded. "I want to get her some water too." He wondered if that was all snow tasted like, or if the extreme cold changed it. He'd had ice and he'd had a Sno Cone, but snow? That was a different thing entirely.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:44 pm
Maia started to unpack the car; but only retrieved Peaches' bag and Kevin's. "Let's get them settled," she said, looking to Kevin, then to Toby. "How'd he doing?" She asked, going over to study the cat. She'd been worried the trip would be hard for him, but it didn't seem like it'd bothered him too much.
"It's cold!" Kevin announced, "I don't think I like it!" He added, and headed for the car. "I'll get more things. You didn't leave Michael on the plane, did you?"
"Probably a good idea," Cody agreed. "We can let her play in our room."
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 5:01 pm
"He's fine," Toby said, and then to Kevin: "Of course it's cold!" Then he pointed toward one of the upper-floor windows. There Michael stood. The ghost raised a hand and waved at them. Toby waved back.
"She can have the house. oh, and we have to set up her litter box..." Dari mused.
"Papa Dari," Toby said as he walked past.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 5:30 pm
Kevin waved back and smiled. He was relieved to see the ghost had arrived safely. "He likes the house," he said. Michael had found a room already, then. "Let's go inside!" He decided, taking his things from Maia.
"Is true, she needs that," Cody agreed. He laughed as Toby passed. "He's not nearly as bad as you are!"
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 5:49 pm
"I raised him!" Toby called back over his shoulder. He was still clearly saying so in good spirits, but it was true.
It took a bit for everyone to get ready to go back out to the snow, but it did happen. The cats were let to explore the new house while every gathered back outside in their jackets.
Michael was standing out in the snow, dressed in his usual Victorian garb, staring up at the sky. He didn't want to ask to possess anyone. He was pretty sure that he had forgotten what it felt like to be cold. They should enjoy their vacation. He was only a guest.
Dari meanwhile scooped up a bit of snow and pitched it at Cody's arm. It wasn't quite a snowball so much as it was a handful of snow.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:01 pm
Maia made her way towards Michael. "Do you want to come play?" She asked. She'd bet he hadn't been taken out in the snow--well, since the poor guy'd been murdered. "It'll be fun. I bet Kevin would like it."
Kevin had reluctantly left the house. After his first impression, he wasn't sure he was ready to give it a second chance.
Cody grinned as he was hit, bent and scooped up snow. He threw it at Dari. "You're not very good at this," he observed.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:08 pm
Michael turned to Maia slowly and smiled. He shook his head. "I'll watch."
Toby saw Kevin bent over and crouched, sneakily making a snowball and tossing it relatively gently at the boy's back.
"I was being nice!" Dari said, and he began to make a proper snowball as he strafed left and tried to avoid Cody's next throw.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2017 6:40 pm
"But next time?" She prompted. "Please? I'd like to take you out in the snow." She turned to watch the boys and smiled. "Looks like they're having fun," she said.
Kevin was hit and immediately turned to see Toby. "Hey!" He protested, bending down and scooping up a handful of snow. He threw it towards Toby.
"Don't go easy on me!" Cody grinned, and threw a snowball at Dari.
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Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2017 4:34 pm
Michael just smiled and then reached out to nudge Maia. Go play, he seemed to say. Have fun. Enjoy your life.
Toby grinned and watched the powder fly. "No, no. Pack it up first!" He demonstrated packing a snowball, reeled back, and pitched it as hard as he could against the trunk of a nearby tree where it exploded.
Were the snow any deeper, Dari might have just tackled Cody to the ground. Right now that might hurt. He began to make a few snowballs at once, taking whatever hits came bodily.
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 1:34 am
Maia bent down and scooped up a snowball. She carefully packed it and took a few steps, backwards and away from the ghost before tossing it at him. "Come play!" She called.
Pack it? Kevin grinned at Toby's demonstration. Cool! He scooped up another handful, began packing it into a snowball, and threw it at Toby. "I think I've changed my mind about this stuff," he said. He bent down to scoop another snowball up.
Cody threw another snowball at Dari, grinning. "I hope some of those are for Toby," he said. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 5:55 pm
Michael watched the snowball arc and smiled. He considered just letting it hit the snow through him, but that wouldn't be very satisfying for Maia. He let it burst a few feet in front of him, but didn't wince when it splattered.
As if on cue, Toby wheeled around and threw a snowball at Dari, who yelped and laughed. You really appreciated 360-degree vision when you didn't have it!
"Well, there you go!" Dari shouted and began to pelt Toby with his snowball horde, then turned and tossed some at Kevin too.
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:12 pm
Maia scooped up another, turned from Michael and tossed it at Toby. She gestured indicating that Michael should do the same. It'd be much more fun with the whole family playing!
Cody started forming several snowballs. He was grinning; so they were all playing. He tossed a snowball at Toby, then at Kevin. "Gotcha!" He called, when the snowballs pelted the kelpie.
He got one in the chest for that. "I'm better at snow than you!" Kevin called, making a face at Cody. He wasn't NEARLY as cool as Toby, even if the guy was a werewolf now. "Toby, you're on my team!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2017 6:17 pm
Michael shook his head and held up a hand. He wanted to maintain his strength to stay conscious the whole time. Besides, it would be strange to see, and he wouldn't be able to feel it. He knew how, he just didn't want to.
The great fight had begun and continued for quite some time, until the cold started to be a bit too much for those involved. Damp and chilled, they headed inside.
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