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 Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 8:56 pm
While Nusumu has been on her best behavior, it is safe to say that there are more things in her room now than there were when she arrived. A few things no one would miss from the kitchens, like simple wooden spoons and cracked dishes, are piled near the bed. There are also a small selection of library books, as well as a stack of plain fabric swatches, each one cut into various intricate designs. In the place of honor in the room is her box, which she polishes nearly every day.
However, Nusumu has begun to recieve things that even she, a well-rounded collector of things, does not know what to do with. In her lap is an sizeable pile of letters. There must be a dozen at least, she figures, each one from someone different. The thought of a letter is simple enough, but these... Nusumu eyes them uneasily. What is she to do about them?
It is not that she does not know what they contain. While she still cannot read the text, she did take them to Shinkou, who kindly read each of them to her. Many of them sounded quite similar to her, but that was not what bothered Nusumu. Rather, she was perplexed at why anyone would send her such a letter.
Shinkou, with a smile, directed Nusumu to Raii. While she was initially surprised by this, Nusumu decided that perhaps a man needed to answer this question. And as always, Raii was quite accommodating, assuring her that while not serious proposals, the letters were more meant to flatter Nusumu and make her feel accepted.
While Nusumu realizes that Raii is probably right, as she studies the letters, she realizes that they have had the opposite effect. Even though she does not feel as foreign as she did almost year ago, she knows that there are differences between her and these boys. They would not understand her. Moreover, she does not especially want them to. She has someone already, and that thought brings tears to Nusumu's eyes.
Nusumu did not see Gongjin before she so suddenly left. There was no time to. At the time, she was so excited and anxious that she barely thought about it. As the months passed, she thought of him and her friends at home often, but she was content in her mission. So what changed now? Why did she suddenly hurt so much?
A new thought occurred to her. Was Gongjin thinking about Nusumu? Were her friends? She didn't want to consider if they were not. But it was possible that they too had other things to do, or new friends to meet. That made her realize that despite the fact she had many respected mentors, and numerous stalkers, Nusumu did not have any true friends in the Silver World. She could not get close enough to anyone her own age.
Perhaps she missed everyone else too much.
Perhaps she made a mistake in coming.
Hurriedly, angrily, Nusumu wiped her tears away with the back of her sleeve. She needs to stop being so foolish. She came for a reason. She cannot afford to be weak. She does not see her friends often even when she is home. As for Gongjin, Sneaky... they will wait for her. She firmly believes this.
But that does not stop the other voice in her mind. The one that says that she has done all she can. The one that says that she is not being helpful anymore. The one that says she wants to go HOME.
In one quick movement Nusumu slams her head against the mattress and pulls the covers over her head. She will not dignify such foolish ideas with thought. After all, she has more important things to think about.
And so she does. But the foolish ideas have taken root, and it will not take long for them flower.
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 9:25 pm
[Of course, Sneaky is not just twiddling her thumbs while Nusumu is gone, and ends up meeting the High Priest Kouyo. Not that Sneaky cares what a High Priest is, unless she can eat it.
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Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 10:50 pm
Nusumu sits on the couch, her legs close to her body and her head resting forlornly on her knees. There are things around her everywhere, which is not unusual, since she is at home. But these are all things from the Silver World, the few dishes and utensils she slipped away with, and the two library books that she honestly forgot to return. She looks at them longingly, and shuts her eyes.
Although she is worried, Sneaky does not interrupt Nusumu. Instead she watches carefully from the kitchen. Her Nusumu has been home for several weeks, and while Sneaky is thrilled, she knows something is wrong. Nusumu has been home for weeks, after all. Home, that is- no where else. She has not tried to reestablish her job, she has not gone to look at pretty things, she has not gone to the udon-ya. While at first Sneaky was all too pleased to have her Nusumu all to herself, now she knows that something is not right.
A small purple fluffball climbs onto Sneaky's shoulder. While at first surprised to have been inadvertently stolen by another thief, the creature, who calls herself Maggie, has come to like living among those who see the world as she does: there for the taking. She even likes Nusumu, who supposedly "returned" after she had taken up residence. But she does not like seeing Sneaky upset. "S'wrong?"
Sneaky does not know. But the little Magpie need not worry. She will find out."
All of a sudden, Nusumu picks up a spoon and throws it across the room. She watches it sail in an arc before it smashes into the wall with a clang. The noise seems to inspire a change of mood, and she restlessly puts her head on her knees again.
When she was in the Silver World, she was helplessly homesick. So much so that in the end, she had to leave before she had seen her mission through. While Jilan and Shuuken seemed to understand, she was sick with guilt over her weakness. And so she atoned for it by staying home, shutting herself away. Solitude would teach her not to be swayed by her emotions.
But was this really penance? Maybe, instead of atoning, she was just hiding. She couldn't bear for her friends to see her in such a state. If they knew how she had failed, they would surely discard her like the useless thing she was. Rather than face such a fate, she would shut them out.
Of course, the two fates had much in common, didn't they?
Angry again, Nusumu clenches and unclenches her fists. Is there nothing left for her then? she demands of the air. Are those her only options? To abandon, or be abandoned? How could she have ended up in such a situation?
That is exactly what Sneaky would like to know.
Nusumu screams, she is that stunned by Sneaky's interruption. Of course, she knew that she wasn't home alone. But her thoughts of being deserted made her forget that she was not truly alone. Yet, anyway.
After several deep breaths, she finally manages to calm down somewhat, and faces Sneaky. Nusumu is sorry for being noisy. Did Sneaky want something from Nusumu?
Sneaky looks like she is about to say something, but pauses, mentally flailing. What on Gaia could have happened to make her Nusumu like this? And why on Gaia did she not notice earlier?
When Sneaky does not answer, Nusumu carefully unfolds her body, her joints protesting the movement after spending so long in one position. She ignores the small stabs of pain, knowing they will fade in a moment, and heads to the kitchen. Sneaky is hungry, isn't she? Nusumu can whip something up for them to have as a snack.
As Nusumu passes, Sneaky grabs the Porcelain's wrist tightly. Sneaky is not hungry. Well, not particularly hungry, and what hunger she has can wait. What she wants is to talk to Nusumu, to know what is wrong.
Nusumu recoils slightly, and begins trying to pull free from Sneaky's hold. Nothing is wrong. She just wants to do what needs to be done. And Sneaky is preventing her from doing such.
Well, Sneaky will continue to prevent Nusumu from working, she says bluntly. There is nothing that cannot wait, except for this. And Nusumu will not dare to say that nothing is wrong again, or she will make Sneaky angry.
Nusumu flinches and squirms, but cannot get herself loose. Why, she demands, is Sneaky so convinced that something is wrong? Why can't Nusumu be fine? Nothing is wrong with her. She is not defective.
Her grip remains as tight as ever, but Sneaky's guard lowers significantly. Defective? Why would her Nusumu think she is defective? Just because she is upset does not mean she is broken. And even if it does, that only means that they need to find a way to repair her.
Eyes flashing, Nusumu wrenches her arm hard. She manages to pull free, but not without Sneaky's claws carving deep scratches in her skin. Wincing, she wraps her free hand around her wrist, which is starting to bleed, and looks up at Sneaky angrily. So she is defective, then? And moreover, she is just a thing. She has always been just a thing to Sneaky. Well, if she is broken, there is no point in repairing her. Sneaky can just get a new one, a better one.
Sneaky's eyes dart from Nusumu's bleeding wrist to her eyes, which are starting to overflow. Swiftly she walks over and, before the Porcelain can react, picks Nusumu up and carries her to the couch. This is not as easy as it once was; Nusumu is bigger and Sneaky is older, but she does not show any sign of pain.
Nusumu does not struggle, but glares at Sneaky when she is deposited on the couch. Is this where the discard pile is? she remarks, biting her lip.
No, Sneaky answers calmly. This is the repair shop. This is where broken Nusumus will talk about what is bothering them, and Sneaky will fix them as good as new. She does not like her Nusumu to be hurting so much. It hurts Sneaky to see Nusumu in so much pain.
Then maybe Sneaky should get herself a new Nusumu, since this one is beyond repair.
In a moment of rage, Sneaky reaches out with both arms and holds Nusumu's head between her foreclaws. No. Sneaky does not want a new Nusumu. No Nusumu could ever replace this one, even if this one insists she is broken. Even if this one can never be fixed, Sneaky will never, ever want a new one.
But she would be much happier if she can fix her Nusumu, for both of their sakes. She thinks that Nusumu's friends would be happier that way too. As much as Sneaky likes to have her Nusumu all to herself, she admits that it feels sort of odd. Her Nusumu is simply not her Nusumu if she is not thinking about others as well as her.
Why does her Nusumu think she is defective?
Nusumu takes a long time before replying, and does so with a question of her own: why does Sneaky constantly refer to her as an object, a possession?
Because her Nusumu is hers, Sneaky replies immediately. Just like Sneaky is Nusumu's Sneaky, and no one else's (except maybe DS's, and that is debatable). Sneaky wants other people to know that Nusumu is her Nusumu, so they will know not to bother her. So they will know how proud Sneaky is of her. But most of all, Sneaky wants Nusumu to know how proud she is of her. That she will never, ever let her Nusumu go.
...
... Nusumu does not mind being Sneaky's Nusumu, and no one else's (except maybe Gongjin's, but she tactfully does not mention this). But she does think that Sneaky deserves someone better. Someone who doesn't fail at what she does-
Sneaky grips Nusumu's head even more tightly, her claws beginning to press into her captive's cheeks uncomfortably. No one- NO ONE- succeeds at everything every time. Sneaky thought she had taught Nusumu about this. Not patience, perhaps, since that has never been Sneaky's strong suit. But certainly about trying again. And again. And again, if necessary. If one is not willing to fail, they can never succeed.
Does Nusumu understand? Just because she fails does not make her a failure. And who knows, maybe she did not fail after all? But Nusumu will never know for sure if she shuts herself in and never goes to see the fruits of her labor.
Nusumu's tears trickle down her face, and as soon as Sneaky lets go of her, her head droops. She has been a fool, to give up so soon. For thinking she was a failure, she has become one!
- but this is circular thinking and she will not get anywhere with it, so she firmly pushes it out of her mind. With that, it feels as if a burden has been lifted from her.
Finally free to express her feelings, Nusumu cries into Sneaky's shoulder. She is sorry, so, so sorry...
Sneaky is sorry too. For what, she is not entirely sure, but the feeling itself is unmistakable. She is definitely sorry that her Nusumu is so unhappy. But she hopes that if there is a next time, her Nusumu will talk to her sooner. Sneaky wants nothing more than for her Nusumu to be happy.
... and things. Lots and lots of things.
"Things!" a tiny voice peeps, followed by "yuck! I'm getting wet here!" Maggie crawls over to Sneaky's other shoulder and makes a display of wringing out her slightly damp hair. "Is Nusumu better?"
It takes her several moments, but Nusumu finally nods. She is, a little bit. She think it will take time for her to be all better. But this is a start, and as Sneaky says, she will have to keep trying to finally succeed.
As for things- her eyes, though still moist, regain some of their familiar mischievousness- certainly between the three of them, they can find nice ones, can't they? It has been a while since Nusumu has been hunting.
With the same twinkle in her eyes, Sneaky shoos Nusumu off to the bathroom. When she is cleaned up and feeling better, they can go hunt. There is no way they can fail at that!
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Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:52 am
[Nusumu finally leaves the house, only to run into Boyan and Yousei. Literally.]
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 12:02 am
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Posted: Fri May 15, 2009 12:59 am
A massive amount of clattering wakes Sneaky from her nightly rest. She stretches, dislodges Chale, who has a tendency to curl up with whoever's closest at bedtime, and looks blearily at their bedroom door. Apparently it isn't a dream. Rubbing her face, she then glances at the clock. Her eyes snap open as she notes the time. 6AM? Why is Nusumu awake already?
Nearly tripping over the snoozing DigiKi, Sneaky scrambles out of the bedroom and into the living room slash dining room area. Here she pauses, stunned, taking everything in.
The kitchen is a mess. There are mixing bowls and cake pans everywhere. Bags of flour and sugar are open on the counters, some leaking into dishes or onto the floor. A number of completed dishes sit on cooling racks on the table, on chairs, even on top of the fridge! Pies, cakes, candies, donuts... even a couple of entrees, including an unidentifiable casserole and a large grilled salmon with green beans.
Nusumu is humming cheerily, but she stops abruptly when she notices Sneaky come in. She is still in obvious good spirits, however, and she bids her partner good morning.
It isn't morning for at least another three hours, Sneaky notes testily. This is mostly reflex, however; her brain is still trying to take in the enormous amount of food.
... where did all of this come from? eek
Nusumu starts to laugh, again abruptly breaking off vocally, though her protections continue to indicate that she is amused. Where does Sneaky think it came from? Nusumu is not shy about displaying her disdain for mass-produced food. There won't be any of it in this house for a while. Not without reason, anyway.
So, of course, Nusumu had to replace it! And she had to make dessert to go with it, and test a couple of recipes she had been meaning to experiment with...
Riiiight... Sneaky nods blankly, looking at what is (to her) a veritable desert of desserts.
The next question is when did Nusumu make all of this? It's still so early, so Nusumu couldn't have gotten up much earlier. And Nusumu came to bed with Sneaky, didn't she?
... didn't she? stare
Ehehehe... okay, Sneaky got her. Nusumu couldn't sleep, so she thought she'd make some tea. And she can't have tea without cookies or biscuits or something, but they were out of everything, so she thought she'd whip up a quick batch. And while she was doing that, she might as well get a head start on dinner for the next day, which also requires dessert, and...
Well, things may have gotten a bit out of hand. sweatdrop
Nusumu didn't sleep? At all?
Sneaky thinks back, recalling the past few days. Now that she thinks about it, there has been quite a bit of fresh food in the house lately. And Nusumu has always been up before her. Sneaky thought she was just motivated, but now she's not sure. With the sheer amount of food present, one thing is clear: a bit out of hand is an understatement.
Has Nusumu been doing this every night? gonk
Nusumu is quick to assure Sneaky that she has not been going completely without sleep. She's just been going to bed a tiny bit later and waking up a tiny bit earlier. This is only the second time she's forgotten to go to bed at all, and she'll make up for it by taking a nap later.
Isn't Sneaky happy? Most of the food is for her, after all. Nusumu eats well, but it is nothing compared to what a hungry raptor can consume.
W-well, Sneaky is different. She moves around a lot, and she needs lots of food to keep moving. Although she has probably been eating more than she should, since Nusumu came back and started cooking for her again.
But that isn't the point! The fact that this is in fact the second time Nusumu has gone without sleeping worries Sneaky considerably. She is glad that her Nusumu is doing what she loves, but there are limits!
Nusumu blinks in surprise, and finally takes a look at the numerous dishes around her... and on the appliances... and in the dining room.
... maybe she did get a bit carried away. sweatdrop
It could be worse though. Sneaky could be stuck eating frozen food again.
Sneaky shudders at the thought. No, she would definitely rather have her Nusumu around and busy than away and stuck with frozen food again. xp
Exactly! So really, there is nothing to worry about. Sure, Nusumu may have made a little extra food, but if they don't eat it, they can find someone to share with. Nusumu has been meaning to take some to Melody, so she doesn't have to cook with the chibis coming. And she still hasn't given anything to Setsushi to thank him for the soup, except for the sneaky pie and spaghetti. And so many other people she wants to cook for!
But enough about that. Nusumu's most important customer (one of them, at least) is right there and clearly needs her. What would Sneaky like for breakfast?
Nusumu is going to cook even MORE? Usually Sneaky is fond of cleaning up leftovers, but even she isn't sure she can eat all of this. And surely Nusumu will make more that night, and the next morning... gonk
Flailing wildly, Sneaky randomly points to a dish. She'll have that for breakfast! It's fine!
Peach cobbler? An excellent choice! Cobbler is a decent breakfast food, since it doesn't have as much sugar as pie and has lots of delicious fresh fruit! Nusumu will plate some for Sneaky right away~
While Nusumu works, Sneaky watches anxiously. While she is glad to see her Nusumu do something she so enjoys, Sneaky can't help but wonder if it's healthy for anyone to not sleep like that. They're used to keeping odd hours when they go off sneaking things, but not sleeping at all is a different matter entirely. And for two days in a row...! gonk
Then again, it's better than watching her Nusumu curled up into a ball, feeling guilty and ignoring the world. Sneaky feels a twinge of guilt. Is this behavior her fault, because she was worried? Is it all an act?
Of course not. Nusumu is not that good an actor.
She stands next to Sneaky, holding a plate with a sizeable helping of peach cobbler. Sneaky should not be worried about her. While she admits that the raptor's appetite factors into how much she cooks, she would probably cook anyway. There is much to do, and she really must get better at the skills she has. And, perhaps, learn a new one or two, but until she feels comfortable enough to search out a teacher, she is stuck improving on what she has.
The point, however, is that Nusumu is really doing better. She is going out and seeing people sometimes, and enjoying staying home and cooking more. She also wants to look more into the Silver World, or Space Danish, or whatever it is... but she does not share this fact with Sneaky. If she does go back, it won't be for a while yet. For now, going out and about near her home is quite enough.
Speaking of which, would Sneaky be up for a field trip later? Nusumu has discovered a very interesting way of being sneaky. It doesn't involve taking things- the opposite, in fact- but it is lots of fun, and Sneaky might enjoy it. ninja
Well... as long as Nusumu is sure that she isn't just putting on a show for Sneaky's benefit, she is happy. And will eat less, if it would help, though not too much less.
As to this proposition, Sneaky's eyes glint with curiosity. A new game, is it? Nusumu shouldn't even have to ask! Sneaky is all for the sneaky, even if they can't add to their (already vast) collection. ninja
Wonderful! heart
Nusumu starts to hum again, stopping almost immediately. With a small sigh she begins to collect the dirty bowls and utensils so she can wash them.
She knows she's better than she was. So why is she not yet satisfied?
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:24 am
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:26 am
The first custard was terrible. Nusumu overestimated how much essence she needed, and the pudding was saturated with the taste of orange, almost bitter in that quantity. Even Sneaky refused to eat it after the initial taste, so the whole thing had to be discarded. Terrible. Nusumu hates wasting food.
The second one, she had been scared, and only used a single drop for the whole batch. That one tasted better on the whole, since too little flavor was better than too much. It tasted like vanilla more than of citrus, which was not a bad thing in the long run. Vanilla custard was lovely. It was simply not what she was aiming for.
The third one was actually pretty good. Five drops, she discovered, was about the right amount for a large batch, while smaller ones only needed two or three. The difficulty with that recipe was not in the flavoring, but in the rest of the ingredients. The soy milk wasn't gelling like she hoped it would. Maybe she didn't do something right? Not enough gelatin? Too much acid?
Frustrated, Nusumu surveys her ingredients. The eggs are essential; it was an egg custard she was making. The soy milk was also essential. Aside from fruit-flavored desserts, her current project is making old recipes without using milk. Eventually, she hopes to remodel some of her favorite recipes so she can make them for Shinkou the next time she visits the Silver World... Space Danish... whatever.
Hm, Danish. Nusumu hasn't made any of those in a while.
Still engrossed in her thoughts, Nusumu sets the bowl of custard aside and reaches for the nearest cookbook. It happens to be one entitled "Best Recipes of The Silver Dragon Bakery," but Nusumu can only really understand the "Best Recipes" part, and tends to disagree. Many recipes are better than these. Still, it's a useful cookbook. Not for Danish recipes though, so she sets it aside.
She continues searching through cookbooks: "Simple Wedding Cakes" isn't any help, nor is "Buns in the Oven," or even the one actually entitled "A Dash of Danish," much to Nusumu's surprise. Finally a plain, basic pastry cookbook has the recipes she's looking for. She leafs through it, looking at ingredient lists while comparing her mental list of what's in the refrigerator. They don't have any cherries; she used the last of them in a pie. The cream cheese went into frosting for the carrot cake and filling for the cream puffs. The kiwi and peaches were turned into fruit tarts along with the second batch of (mostly vanilla) custard, the pecans into pecan sandies-
Honey Lemon? That sounds feasible. A quick check of the crisper reveals that she does have lemons that escaped the lemon cake and lemon-poppy muffins. She always has plenty of honey in stock, and while she is beginning to run low- only one bear left- there's enough for this recipe. The rest of the ingredients are quite basic, with the exception of one Nusumu is not used to seeing.
Milk is common. Almonds are common. Butter is common. Nusumu uses all of these frequently in her baking. But almond milk? Almond butter? Do such things actually exist? She has sliced almonds before, and never come across the milk of one, nor the butter. Maybe they come from the tree, or aren't of almonds at all, but merely named for them?
She puzzles over the dilemma for several minutes before deciding to substitute her soy milk for the almond milk. The butter is more of a problem, since while Nusumu knows that butter comes from milk, and is thus not palatable for Silver World and Golden World Porcelain, she has yet to find a substitute for it. Since it is mostly used for greasing, and in the filling, she substitutes a small amount of canola oil and hopes for the best.
The ingredients combine easily, and assembling the triangles is great fun. The filling is loose and liquid thanks to her substitution, and the dough somewhat dry, but Nusumu hopes that it will turn out nicely once it is baked. Her hopes aren't high, but they do exist.
All is in vain, however. The timer goes off when Nusumu is wrist-deep in bread dough, so it takes her several moments to get to the oven. While there's no smoke at least, the triangles are scorched, the filling charred and even alight on two of the pastries. She blows them out hastily, wondering what she did wrong? She didn't follow the recipe exactly, true, but she rarely ever did anymore. It was more fun to tweak them to her liking. Sometimes it yielded delicious innovations. Other times... she eyes her creations moodily. Other times, the risks aren't worth the gamble.
And now she's out of lemons, along with being out of most ingredients. Nusumu gets a pencil and paper and begins to jot down her shopping list, which is partially numerical, partially pictorial, with very few words in the mix. Even though she can read many of the words in her cookbooks, Nusumu has some difficulty writing them.
She tacks the list to the fridge as a beam of light hits her in the eye. Blinking, Nusumu catches sight of the sun rising and sighs. Sneaky will be mad at her for forgetting to sleep again. But she is so interested in her research... and really, just has too much energy to sleep these days.
She reaches to take off her apron, but pauses. Maybe Sneaky won't be too angry if she makes a good breakfast beforehand. She does have flour and butter left, for pancakes, and there is sausage in the freezer, and maple syrup...
Humming to herself, Nusumu gets out her last clean mixing bowl. She's aware Sneaky will be displeased with her, but Sneaky does plenty of things that displease Nusumu. Like eating greasy, disgusting sausages, or having that awful woman over for tea so often, or going off on her own for months without a word-
No, that's quite enough of those thoughts, she scolds herself. The important thing is that she has to take care of Sneaky, like Sneaky is taking care of her. But while she does so, she has to be herself more, be more independent. So that the next time she goes to the Space Danish, she won't get scared and leave partway through an important mission. Assuming anyone wants her on their missions anymore.
Now what did Nusumu just say? No dwelling, she reminds herself sharply. Just moving forward. That's better. Though she'd still better keep an ear out, so Sneaky doesn't catch her humming. Not that she is at the moment, as she stopped without noticing. But it is nice, to hum.
To talk?
No, not to talk. Talking does nothing that mindspeaking can't do, and more people can understand it. If she's supposed to be sneaky, she can't have everyone eavesdropping on her. And she can't be making noise. She has to be silent, stealthy, calm and collected.
But other people understanding can be good, the contrary part of her says. Like the people she's trying to get jobs with, who claim that because she can't talk, they can't use her.
Yes, but-
And how is humming different from making noise? If Nusumu makes exceptions for that, why not for anything else?
It's just different, she insists, sick of arguing with herself. She doesn't talk because Sneaky doesn't talk. Because Sneaky says they don't need to talk. Because Sneaky gets so upset when she makes noise when she isn't supposed to. And even if those are silly reasons, Nusumu doesn't have any more pressing ones to learn to talk, so there.
She can picture herself sticking her tongue out at... well, at herself. Blinking rapidly to dispel the image, she resumes mixing the ingredients for pancakes. Baking is simple, pleasurable, something she can understand. She'd rather leave the other thoughts for later. After she finishes cooking... and maybe for a day when she manages to get a good night's sleep.
While the birds have started singing outside, Nusumu's humming has stopped.
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Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:14 pm
Sneaky is going out for a while.
Nusumu nods, not looking up from the bread dough she's kneading. While she acknowledges what Sneaky is telling her, her comprehension is muddled, thanks to another sleepless night and a shorter-than-usual midday nap. She's also curious. While Sneaky does go out alone sometimes, she usually tells Nusumu why.
Sneaky isn't sure how long she'll be gone, so she helps herself to the homemade buffet of cookies, cupcakes, and danishes. She probably won't be home for dinner, but maybe for breakfast. Or maybe not. Since she might not be home for a while, she doesn't want Nusumu to worry about feeding her, and promises to bring back something nice.
Nusumu isn't moving, havin paused mid-knead. She no longer feels tired, only anxious. Slowly she pulls her sticky hands out of the dough and turns to face Sneaky, who she sees is avoiding her gaze. Nusumu's worry shoots up several notches, but her projections are calm. Barely.
Where is Sneaky going? she asks, smiling sweetly, her hands squishing as she clasps them tightly.
She doesn't have a lip to bite, so Sneaky fiddles with her bag instead. Just an errand, she replies hastily. It's urgent, so she has to leave at once, but it isn't anything Nusumu should worry about-
-which is why Sneaky isn't telling Nusumu any more, right?
So Nusumu understands! Sneaky lets out a sigh of relief and turns to leave-
-only to freeze at the sound of Nusumu slamming her hands on the counter. There is a moment of silence, followed by a soft squelching noise as Nusumu peels her hands away, leaving doughy prints on the otherwise clean surface.
Nusumu understands perfectly. Now Sneaky needs to understand that she isn't leaving until she tells Nusumu where she's going, and why, and when she'll be back. Or else.
Sneaky fiddles with her bag some more. While she sees why Nusumu wants answers, she can't help but feel a bit put out. The two are close, and they don't keep many secrets from each other, but there are some. Why can't this be one, especially when she's just trying not to worry Nusumu?
Because if Sneaky insists on keeping it secret, Nusumu will have no choice but to think that Sneaky is trying to get away from her, or at least that she's not planning on coming back any time soon. If this isn't true, fine. But if it is, Nusumu has the right to know, after last time.
That again? Sneaky growls under her breath. She didn't mean to leave Nusumu, okay? It just happened, and she's only apologized about a million times since. Nusumu's even gone off on her own for weeks, so why can't Sneaky just go outside for a bit?
It is not the same thing, Nusumu retorts. She had to beg and plead and guilt-trip Sneaky in order to go. And when she did, she told Sneaky exactly where she was going, and why, and at least a general idea of when she would be back. Sneaky isn't doing any of this, so what is Nusumu supposed to think? That Sneaky just needs air so badly she might not be back tonight, or tomorrow, or for days?
Well no, of course not, but... but...
Nusumu isn't going to be happy. sweatdrop
Nusumu is already unhappy. Sneaky not telling her will only make it worse, so maybe she should just tell and see if it helps.
Riiiiight. Well...
Sneaky sighs and scratches the tip of her tail, stalling for time. That does her no amount of good, so she instead looks Nusumu straight in the eyes... and almost immediately looks away again.
She needs to help DS with a problem.
At the mention of that woman, Nusumu stiffens. She smiles again, after a moment, but this smile doesn't look even remotely genuine. What has she done this time? What trouble does that woman need Sneaky's help to solve?
While the reaction is far from positive, it's actually better than Sneaky expected. But it will only get worse from here, so she does not allow herself to get comfortable.
DS... one of her children is missing. Again.
Really? Again, Sneaky says? Fascinating. Admittedly, Nusumu has always thought that that woman has far too many children, but she didn't think she was so disorganized that she actually lost them. Why does she do things that hurt others? Ah, but if she didn't, she wouldn't be that woman at all, would she?
Out of idle curiosity, she asks Sneaky which one is missing. While she hasn't been to that woman's house for some time, she remembers enough to know most of the children, and fills in the blanks with information from Sneaky. It can't be the big one; he's run away twice already, the second time not long ago. And the fishy one is too small still. Is it the pale one again, or the frilly girl for a change?
Actually... it's Xue.
A chill runs down Nusumu's spine. She doesn't even hear Sneaky explain that Xue vanished early the previous day, taking most of his toys but little else, leaving no word at all. Her face is blank as her thoughts tumble in her head.
Of that woman's children, he's probably the one Nusumu knows best, if only because of his tendency to cling to her whenever he can. In a way, Nusumu understands. For a while she was the only Porcelain he had contact with, and she almost felt happy to see him too. But he's noisy and far too nice, and not at all suited to the things that Nusumu enjoys, as she is not suited for drawing and playing pretend and whatever else he likes.
She doesn't know a whole lot about him, usually tuning him out when they meet. But from what she does know, Xue is not the type of kid who'd run away. He adores his family, and his home, and even that woman. He wouldn't leave.
In spite of herself, Nusumu is worried about him. She even wonders if there's anything she could have done to prevent whatever happened... but quickly dismisses that thought. She hasn't seen him in months; it's unlikely she had anything to do with it. But maybe, if it was voluntary, she can prevent a second time.
If it was not voluntary... Nusumu shudders, the chilled feeling returning. He's so friendly, almost dangerously so. He would go with anyone if they asked. And if they were less than friendly in return... she doesn't even want to consider the consequences.
... him yet, so she called Sneaky and asked her to look around. Since DS can use all the help she can get, Sneaky of course said yes. Nusumu isn't upset, is she?
... is she? Nusumu? confused
Nusumu is going with Sneaky. She's going to help.
Eh?
While Sneaky had gone through a lot of possibilities in her mind, this was not one she'd considered. After all... Nusumu isn't fond of DS, to put it mildly, and the feeling is at least somewhat mutual.
This isn't for that woman, Nusumu asserts hotly.
Sneaky didn't think Nusumu was all that fond of Xue, either.
She's not... not really. But he isn't that bad. And she can't just leave him there, can she? This is a serious situation. If she can help, she wants to.
...
Okay then. Sneaky had thought that this would only make Nusumu upset, but clearly she was mistaken. She is relieved, but also...
Sneaky reaches up and pats Nusumu on the head lightly. She's very proud of her Nusumu, for being so grown-up about the situation.
Nusumu smiles, then frowns. She is not a little kid anymore! stressed
No, no, that's not what she meant!
Sneaky fumbles with her thoughts. After a few seconds, she gives up entirely, and suggests that they leave. She's not going to win any battles by talking her way out of it, and the sooner they head out, the sooner they find Xue.
Right. Nusumu nods seriously, her happiness and sadness and anger and pride all shelved for her to deal with later. There is something more important for her to deal with now.
Friend or not, she will find him.
... after she washes her hands, that is. sweatdrop
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Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:03 am
So, Nusumu asks testily, why are they looking here?
'Here' is the area North of Nusumu and Sneaky's apartment. They scoured the minishops district, and upon finding nothing, kept going. Now they're at the beach, and Nusumu is confused. Wouldn't someone else have looked here already?
Unlikely. DS lives by the beach, true, but in Gambino. She and the rest of her children are combing that island and central Barton, while another of her contacts is searching Durem, and her assistant has been dispatched to Aekea. But there's a lot of places between that could slip between these areas, so that's where Sneaky is looking. If Xue came to Barton from his home, he could have passed by here.
Nusumu rolls her eyes at most of Sneaky's explanation, but doesn't argue. There is some logic in there. In which case, it must be Sneaky's plan, and not one formed by that woman. In which case, she is willing to go along with it.
Still, she is discouraged. They have been looking for more than two hours already, and still nothing. Sighing, Nusumu looks up at the cliffs above the coast. She can see the crater ahead, where there was a big commotion a couple of years ago. She remembers seeing the news reports, but can't quite recall the details of the incident. Not that it matters, she supposes. She is about to suggest they move on- the beach is empty as far as the eye can see- when she feels something nearby.
Xue stirs, his eyelids fluttering. His head hurts, but it's more grogginess than anything else. His arms and legs are sore, but no more so than if he'd tripped and fallen. Admittedly, he'd have to trip and fall a lot to get that many bumps and bruises, but individually, they're not hard to deal with.
As he tries to roll over, he jostles his ankle. Suddenly it feels like it's on fire, and the flames quickly spread to the rest of his body. Xue quickly stops moving, but it's no use. The pain only intensifies, until it's worse than anything he can remember, and far worse than he can stand.
Nusumu looks at Sneaky, to ask if she hears anything. Then, without warning, a sharp pain overwhelms her mind. She doubles over, completely unprepared and wondering what's going on. It takes her a moment to realize that the pain isn't hers, but being wildly broadcast from nearby. When she does, she hurriedly throws up a wall, effectively screening out the worst of it, and reaches for something to help her up.
Sneaky quickly offers a claw. Is Nusumu okay? she asks worriedly. Is something wrong? She felt something, but it didn't affect her as badly.
Using the hand to help steady her, Nusumu stands. She is okay now, and points towards the crater. Whatever it was came from there, didn't it?
Sneaky thinks so. Should they take a look?
Does Sneaky even need to ask?
Nusumu darts forward, running for the hole in the ground. As she runs, she sends out a simple projection, of her presence and little more.
Xue stops clutching his ankle and looks up sharply. Someone is there? Yes, someone is there! And Xue is here and he's hurting and can whoever it is please make the ouch go away because it really really hurts please! crying
Nusumu and Sneaky exchange a glance as they pick up the pace. Nervously, Nusumu identifies herself. She and Sneaky are there looking for Xue, so she's glad they found him without too much fuss.
Oneechan? It's Oneechan? Really?
ONEECHAN AND THE DINOSAUR CAME TO RESCUE XUE!?
While the feeling of OMGYAY largely outshines the pain from his injuries, at least temporarily, Xue can't help but feel a bit upset as well. He was so set on being brave and bringing home a monster, and now he needs to be rescued. Some monster hunter he turned out to be. No monsters, and he's hurt to boot.
... ow. Ow. Owowowowowow. gonk
Finally reaching the rim of the crater, Nusumu looks inside. It's not too deep at this level, but it's deep enough to hide Xue, his clothes torn and filled with sand, sitting with his legs bent at awkward angles. Relieved that he's relatively unharmed, Nusumu slides into the hole.
What is Xue doing here?
Not listening, Xue throws his arms around Nusumu's legs as soon as she's within reach. He is so, so, SO glad to see Oneechan and Dinosaur and he knows that they'll help him and make the owies go away and and and...
And Xue's hungry. sweatdrop Does Oneechan have anything to eat?
Sighing, Nusumu reaches into Sneaky's bag and pulls out a buttermilk biscuit, which she hands to Xue. She's a bit startled that he trusts her so openly; they really don't know each other that well. But it's also kind of gratifying to know that someone appreciates her.
So, what on Gaia is Xue doing in a place like this?
Xue immediately starts scarfing down the muffin, having no qualms about projecting with his mouth full. And so he explains how he wanted to find a monster, so he came out on his own looking for one. He got sort of lost, but since he was looking for a monster and not a place, he's not sure it counts. And then he found this place, and heard a noise, and slipped on the sand and fell down. And that's all he remembers.
Which means that his mission was a failure, wasn't it?
Avoiding the question, Nusumu eyes Xue evenly. That was dangerous. He could have been hurt seriously, or taken away by a stranger, or worse! Why did he go off on his own?
Unable to look at Nusumu while she's scolding him, Xue hangs his head. He knows it was dangerous. That's exactly why he went by himself; so none of his friends would get hurt helping him. The mission was to bring back a monster- partly to study it, but also because he wanted to prove himself. He's capable of handling things and protecting people.
Except maybe he isn't. Maybe the only thing he can do is fall down and get hurt and make people worry about him.
Nusumu doesn't know what to say. On the one hand, she wants to make sure Xue realizes what a stupid thing he did, so he doesn't try it again. But he's already hurting so badly, both inside and outside, and she doesn't want to make him hurt worse.
Xue... does more than that, Nusumu states awkwardly. He makes his family happy. He's good at talking to people and helping them have fun. There's a time and a place for that skill, so sometimes people might not appreciate it, but it's a very good one to have.
Besides, Xue's still young. He has plenty of time to learn new things, and to figure out what he wants to do if the whole monster hunter plan doesn't work out.
Xue supposes he does. And that's part of the problem, but he doesn't elaborate on that subject. Instead he thanks Nusumu for her encouragement. It's a surprise that she's out here at all, and even more shocking that she's actually saying nice things about him. Does this mean that Oneechan doesn't hate Xue after all?
Nusumu never hated him. Xue needs to learn where and when to do his playing is all. As long as he stays out of Nusumu's way when she's busy, she has no reason to hate him.
... of course, she has no real reason to like him either, but maybe she does, just a bit. It took a lot of courage to do what he did, not just stupidity. And he's really not a bad kid.
... crying
Xue didn't know Oneechan cared. He was so scared that she would be angry with him, but if she isn't, Xue will do whatever she asks him to! He promises! He owes Oneechan even more now, since she's rescuing him, and he's determined to make her like him as much as he likes her.
Nusumu simultaneously blushes and raises her eyebrows. One of these days, she will have to tell Sneaky to tell that woman to explain things to Xue. If she didn't know better, she could have taken that statement seriously. She almost did, until she thought about the person saying it.
Before her thoughts get away with her and end up with a certain blue-robed Porcelain, Nusumu tries to help Xue to his feet. Can he stand? She should get him back home as soon as possible.
Although he's still hurting all over, Xue takes Nusumu's hand and tries to get up. One leg moves easily, but his other flares up in pain again and he collapses on the ground, clutching his ankle. It hurts so badly why is it hurting make it stop please! crying
As if it was her touch that caused the pain, Nusumu recoils. What can she do? If she can't move him... she'll have to go for help, she supposes.
Before she can even turn around, Xue's hand shoots out and grabs onto the edge of Nusumu's robes tightly, his entire arm trembling with effort. His face is even whiter than usual, and his eyes are wide with fear.
Oneechan is leaving him again?
No, Nusumu explains quickly. She is just going to get help. She and Sneaky can't carry Xue by himself. Once they find someone who can carry him safely, they'll bring the help back here to Xue. It's the only solution.
Xue doesn't care if it's the only solution. All he cares about is that Oneechan wants to leave him alone, and he absolutely cannot handle that. He's been pretty brave over the past two days, doing all sorts of things by himself. He's even been pretty good about his injuries. But if Oneechan leaves, he just knows he'll be too upset to manage anything else.
Sighing again, Nusumu looks over to Sneaky, who's been strangely quiet. Is everything okay? she asks, peering over the raptor's shoulder. What's Sneaky doing?
Sneaky tucks the device she's playing with, some small contraption with a number of buttons and lights, into her bag. Help is on the way, she confirms. She's alerted DS, who's on the way. All they have to do is wait.
Nusumu eyes the device suspiciously, but nods. Good. Then they don't have to leave Xue alone after all.
A wave of relief washes over Xue, as he realizes that his adventure is finally over. He's too hurt to continue, he's been found by people looking at him, and Des will be there soon. It's a comfort, but it's also another blow to Xue's pride. He wasn't trying to do anything really hard, and he was trying with all his might. Why couldn't he do it?
He's breaking his promise too, he sees. He promised not to go home until he'd caught a monster, but now he'll be forced to go without one. Unwilling to do this, Xue tries to get up again. Repeated efforts only yield more pain, but he doesn't give up yet.
At least, not until Nusumu puts her hands on his shoulders and forces him down. He should not be moving in his condition! Why is he so determined to catch a monster?
Because he promised himself he would! Even if it's just to himself, a promise is a promise. He is going to catch a monster before he goes home, by any means necessary.
It's a weird promise, Nusumu thinks. But it's clear that she has to do something; Xue continues to struggle in her grip, and she's afraid he'll make his injuries worse.
A brilliant idea occurs to Nusumu, and she grins slyly. Any monster will do, Xue said?
Any monster. As long as Xue is the one to catch it.
By any means necessary? Even if he couldn't take it home?
Well... Xue had wanted to take it home with him, but catching it is more important. He'd be willing to let it go, if he proved he could catch it in the first place.
In that case, Nusumu knows what to do. She takes Xue's net- miraculously unbroken, though the metal rim is dented- and hands it to him. Is he ready to catch a monster?
Does Oneechan really mean it? surprised Of course he's ready! He'll catch any monster he can!
~~~
And so, an hour later, the car arrives. Xue is thrilled to be reunited with Des, who is likewise thrilled to find Xue okay... and amused to see Sneaky, with a net over her head, looking indignant but pleased with herself.
Xue caught a monster! Finally! He did it! 3nodding
Sneaky roars, half with shame, half with amusement.
And Nusumu just smiles, relieved that the everything has worked out for the best, somehow.
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