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 Posted: Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:06 pm
>>-Assignment-<<
Link: The Lethality of Wordplay
Participants: Merit, Halo, Fage, Card, & Kayen
Stage: Toddler
Status: Ongoing
Premise: Halo got a letter from a weird laboratory... of course Card is going to want in on it!
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:10 pm
>>-Good-Morning,-Sunshine?-<<
Go away, I'm not saying hello!
-November 2010- "And you're not worried? Not at all?"
"Naaaw, of course not. Why, should I be? Did you see something about it?"
"T'ch... you know it doesn't work like that," there was a cringe that came from the darkened form, an action almost hurt, "But... to know nothing about any of it... It doesn't concern you? You take things much too lightly. You'll get bit, acting so careless."
"Heh, like you're one to talk."
"I'm serious , Card!"The sound seemed to hit the man physically, the cold start bringing nothing but a white void to his vision. It was blaring, incoherent, and much too loud! "What in blazes--?" he tossed himself over to try to face the origin of the racket, groggy from the punch back into the physical realm. If one hadn't known better, they may have taken his expression to be one of a furious nature -- he always looked angry when first waking up, after all. It took a couple of minutes for Card to regain his bearings, having been lost in sleep only moments prior. The loud, electric sounds came snowy in effect, not quite tuned. He recognized it, having used the noise as a means to wake up in previous years during the times he actually needed to get up by a certain time. However, the volume on the radio had never been cranked up so high! He refused to get up at such a time, despite the sun already having lit up the sky for a good two hours. His brain wasn't fully functioning yet, and he was made that much more fatigued in the effort by being torn from mid-REM sleep. "Turn off, turn off, why don't you?" he grumbled from under a pillow, as though the boom box had consciously turned itself on, all on its own. It was then that he felt an energetic -- if slightly lightweight -- figure bound onto his bed. It clumsily crawled closer until it was hovering above where Card was hiding, poking a wooden talon at his shoulder to get the man's attention, "Heeey, what does this thing do?" "Mhrrr," he responded before pulling the pillow away to get a better look at what Fage was referring to. There was very little he was able to see before he was blinded for a second time that morning; namely, he saw a terribly impish grin on the blonde toddler's face. Click! FLASH!"AUGH!" Card's hands flew immediately up to his eyes, a reaction that Fage was counting on. Cackling, the bark-swatched arachnid hopped off the bed, clutching the instant camera in his hands as he ran out of the room. Oh, this guardian was going to be so much fun to pester! Word Count: 452
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:13 pm
>>-Lose-Lose-Situation--<<
There are times one must use their brain, and there are times when it won't save you
-December 2010- It may have saved him a little trouble if he truly had thought things through more concretely before taking up a life-changing job like this, but then again time was not something that often played into one's hands so cleanly. There was no telling when he'd get another opportunity like the one he had been offered that day, and it was too intriguing of an idea to pass up -- or rather, it had been offered to an acquaintance and, by chance, offered to him as well. True, it hadn't been nearly so random, but he still may not have been offered under the same circumstances. Different points in time posed different options, after all. There may be times where charging in by instinct and intuition was the lesser of evils, but there was honestly no telling whether this particular instance fell into that category or not. It had been little over a month since the boy had come to stay with Card, and the man was beginning to wonder if it really had been the right choice. Sure, he could handle it, and he knew that Fage could handle it with ease, but... what would it ultimately do to Card's own sanity? He had requested a problem child, sure, but Fage was in a completely different ball park from what he was used to with Halo. It was time to change things up a bit. A little bit of pranking was fine, even expected, but he didn't want it to get out of hand. Boys would be boys, but Card wasn't going to see Fage turn into a bully. Not on his watch. Least of all, a bully to his own father-figure. "Fage Fage Fage, where's the tabasco sauce?" he sighed, playing with his sentence as though he were about to turn it into a nursery rhyme. He closed the refrigerator door and glanced at the toddler as he peeked his eyes over the countertop. His expression was almost one of defeat, as though the boy were about to give in and tell him where it was hidden. Instead, as though he were a pro at it, he easily manipulated the expression into perplexity. He nearly scoffed at the question, "Why would I have it? Dun like the stuff." It was only because Fage was so young that Card hadn't pointed out the error in the statement. Fage hadn't minded using the sauce every once in a while on some of the foods he ate, but toddlers were finicky -- it was possible he was going through a bout of 'not liking' something he really did. Possible, but highly, highly unlikely. Fage also took great amusement in the fact that Card could hardly stand the stuff in small doses without making a face, much less the amount that Fage used. Wandering back over to the counter with some creamer, Card looked down at his cup of coffee. The fur on the back of his neck rose momentarily as the smell of the cup reached him, and he grumbled in irritation as he dumped the wasted mug's contents into the sink. "That was a perfectly good cup of joe there. Why'd you have to go and do that?" he whined; he couldn't hide the amusement in his voice, but he could pretend it wasn't there. Fage stuck his tongue out in response, but had to admit his failure, "Too quick for me. Oh well!" He was impressed, if a little miffed that he couldn't see Card's face contort as he tasted the harsh mixture. It wasn't until later that Card realized that the toddler wasn't giving up so quickly. The man's guard had been down because the boy had been rather tame since then, but that was only because the act was undertaken at the same time, prior in the day. "Ack! The tomato juice, too, Fage!?" Word Count: 645
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:14 pm
>>-Playdate-#1-<< Link: The Joys of Holiday MadnessParticipants: Tamara, Risa, Merit, Halo, Fage, & Card Stage: Toddler Status: OngoingPremise: Christmas shopping, complete with all the hazards of the holiday rush when one is accompanied by small children. ...And one man who thinks he's a small child.
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:15 pm
>>-Student-Driver-<<
And a hazard to all pedestrians
-January 2011- Although there was a space in his thoughts reserved solely for the utter confusion of the entire situation, the reflection was masked by sheer excitement. His mind was already spinning ideas, already conjuring up plans for the coming months in advance as he stood in the garage, doors open to the neighborhood. In the boy's hands was a crafted plank of wood adorned with four small, balanced wheels at what would be the rounded corners. It wasn't that Fage was oblivious to the fact that most parents wouldn't hand over a skateboard to a troublemaker willingly, quite the contrary. However, if this were some sort of game that Card wanted to play, the toddler was determined to get the upper hand in such an instance. Mainly, by becoming fairly proficient in the art of skateboarding. Maybe it would be playing directly in to the trap -- if there even was one to begin with -- but he would at least be having fun with it if it was. Besides, this was a much more efficient way to cause havoc. He had been practicing with the board for a good week now, locked safely in the garage while he got his bearings. He had it down fairly well in only three days, but he wanted to make sure there weren't any mishaps that occurred when he used it out on the town. Well... any mishaps as far as he was concerned, at least. He took a brief glance back toward the house, a passing query as to whether or not Card was going senile so early in life, and then he walked out to the sidewalk. He knew that Card was probably watching him somewhere, so clipped on his helmet to avoid a scolding later in the evening about safety or something as equally idiotic. Maybe he could get away without the precaution at a later date... Now, though, it was the weekend. Even better than that, it was the beginning of the weekend, nearing noon but not quite there. It was warm out, as the weather decided to take an unusual hot draft their way from the south that week. In other words, there would be plenty of people out and about right now, having a good time in the precursor to the warmer spring months despite the threat of snow for later in the month. And, of course, there was a nice hill through the street just up the road. Fage almost pranced up it in his excitement, though the speed of the nosedive down the length of the pavement did stir up some apprehension in his thoughts. That's what the practice was for, though. Confidence was needed, and he never seemed to be completely lacking in that department. He nearly leaped onto the board once he reached the apex of height, gaining greater speed at the onset than otherwise. He nearly tumbled off the side in reaction to the eagerness, but his second pair of claws were already clinging to either edge, bracing himself. The top pair of arms had his body down into a comfortable crouch, latched lightly at the side and front, keeping Fage more aerodynamic on the small vehicle. He was still standing, but was practically kneeling at this point. His grip was as tight as he could muster, as cautious as his helmet, but his huge smile was enough to make anyone second-guess that aspect. Especially when he all but aimed for every single person that was walking the streets at that moment. He didn't call out, as a bell on a bicycle might warn, but rather stuck with cackling as he breezed by. It was almost as if he were insinuating that he could hit every single one of them, if he so wished. It got to the point where Card decided to just unplug the phone from the wall, with all the upset calls he received that evening. He had hoped that Fage might think about the actions he took before... well, enacting them. "Time for another talk," he sighed. Maybe he should have reserved teaching the toddler responsibility until he was a bit older... Word Count: 691
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:16 pm
>>-Playdate-#2-<< Link: Don't Scare Me Like That!Participants: Abigail, Merit, Fage, & Card Stage: Toddler Status: OngoingPremise: One should think heavily about it before applying the phrase "a walk in the park" to a situation.
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:18 pm
>>-Appreciation-<<
It apparently comes in many forms
-February 2011- Fage supposed that maybe, just maybe, he had gone a bit too far last month. It may have just been a test drive through the town, but he had made a few people a little upset. Including Card who, as any normal parent would do, confiscated the skateboard for a month. Or until Fage could act responsible enough to get it back, whichever came first. Well, the latter just wasn't going to happen. Which meant Fage's original plans for Valentine's Day were grounded with the skateboard as well. While his original plan still seemed to be the better option for celebration, this wasn't going to keep him from doing something for the holiday. True, it wasn't one of his favorites, and he had only learned the details about the holiday for a short time, but that didn't mean he couldn't still make better a bad situation! The best part about it was that there was no way anything he used could be taken away from him after-the-fact this time. Gripping the plastic rifle in his hands, he measured how much it had filled up with the notched marks on the side, the hose still attached to the back. This little toy, as it turned out, wasn't his. No, he hadn't resulted to stealing, but rather bribery. He had a little leftover Halloween candy in a stash under his bed, and traded it to the boy a few houses down in exchange for letting Fage use his water gun for a day. The boy giggled, proud of himself for being able to worm his way through loopholes in verbal contracts. He would still have to move fast, as there was no telling when he'd be caught this time, but at least he'd be able to get decent mileage out of it. It was still early, and while he'd probably get less time to carry out his mission than last month (people were bound to be even angrier about this), celebrating now left that much more time for the toddler. Card was so slow-moving in the mornings, after all, and the older kids would be waiting for the bus to go to school any time now! Turning the hose off and capping the back of the water gun, the four-armed sniper pumped the gun a couple of times before he decided he was ready for action. "Showtime!" he trilled, spotting the first of the kids at the designated stop spot of the neighborhood. He opted to take the elementary students down, if only because he knew for sure that he didn't stand a chance against anyone older. He still might not stand a chance, but he had a greater chance to get away with them. The bus stop was in the open, and while there were still homes around the corner stop, it was still less than if it were in the middle of the cul-de-sac. It gave him that much more of an advantage, despite it being but a measly one. The parents of the students sent from the nearer houses may still be lurking, on-watch, but there was less of a chance of it with how late it was in the year -- routines had taken root. That may not have meant a thing, however, especially on a holiday. Even if it was just a holiday made by greeting card companies. That, and they might still be on the lookout for Fage, what with all the antics he's pulled in the past. It was still much too good of an opportunity to pass up, even if he were caught right away. He'd at least have a few moments of delight. Unfortunately, there weren't any bushes nearby the stop, it being in the open where the view remained unobstructed. He'd have to move fast, or not at all. It seemed as though most of them were already there, so Fage got the ploy started. He plotted an indirect route that would take him out of the sight of the students, sticking near the buildings in the background and moving quickly, more so when he wasn't in the shadows. He half-froze when one of the kids spotted him, until he caught the boy's smirk. He'd keep his mouth down as long as he wasn't a target, so Fage gave a grin back and nodded as he moved along. It didn't bother the toddler -- after all, it was mostly the girls he was aiming for. Just as Fage got near enough, the older boy stepped out of the range of the water gun. There were a few puzzled glances before the group was shot down by a cold spray of water; then all that followed were curses and shouting. "You little pest! Get out of here!" one shouted, who was dressed particularly nicely. "You better not have ruined these!" cried a girl who was clutching her neatly-wrapped valentines possessively. Most of the rest was a jumbled mass of shrieking and scolding, and a single boy laughing his head off, but Fage didn't stick around for the rest. Once he had emptied the container of water on the crowd, he had scattered out of there, lest he get caught red-handed by another parent or any violent kids. Unfortunately, fate had it in for the prankster. One of the girls had gone back home, distressed and freezing, and Card was woken by the bluster of the phone. Well, even if he were grounded for the rest of the month, at least Fage got the fun he was hoping for! Word Count: 923
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:28 pm
>>-Refuge-<<
With an iron-fisted rule, it might not be any consolation
-March 2011- If it wasn't for the fact that it actually was a dark and stormy night, one may consider the statement to be a little over-the-top. However, an adult and toddler had been all but run out of the house on tight notice, and situations were very dire due to it. Lightning never seemed to be so terrifying before, but when one was directly under the flashes, it seemed almost surreal. Especially when one was on the doorstep of someone who could be just as dangerous. "Merit, hey kid, could you get the door?" Halo hissed from the couch. She didn't want to be interrupted during such racket outside, but there was little choice. Using the night-haired toddler to run minor errands like this seemed the better option, especially since she had a clear view of the doorway from where she sat. Merit glared in her direction, but the face made didn't get past the child's shoulder, to keep the image hidden. The hybrid wasn't going to take these ridiculous jobs up without silently protesting, but knew better than to go up against such authority. The child knew that it was probably better that it answer the door anyway, what with how Halo acted on a good day. Standing on liquid amber hooves, Merit tried to step over the fortress it was trying to build with a set of wooden blocks, only to accidentally trip over an outer wall, having it crumble on one side as though hit with a natural disaster. "Aww!" Merit huffed, briefly glancing back to see the destruction in disappointment before continuing to the predetermined destination. It was hard to reach the door knob at such a measly height, especially when one was robbed of the ability to stand on tip toes, so Merit ended up hopping a little to turn it. The toddler opened the door quickly, thinking the rain would make otherwise normal cautionary measures a little too aggravating and tedious. With what little knowledge as Merit had of the outside world and its inhabitants, the child was surprised to note that it actually knew the pair outside the doorway. "What're you doing here?" the wide-eyed toddler asked before it was able to think the statement through first. Card, despite his desperate situation, had to snicker at the question. A cold and miserable Fage was on the man's back, Card's tail over the boy's left shoulder while the blonde child's head was over Card's right. The half-dryad was gripping a tattered umbrella, holding it over the both of them, but swung an irritated -- if tired -- glance at his guardian. Card looked apologetic, despite not actually catching the glare, "We're... in a bit of a bind. Merry, can I talk with your, um... parental figure?" " Mom, you mean?" Fage scoffed, finding the fancy language a bit too much, although agreeing that the word didn't suit Halo very well. " Gawds, Card, don't you dare tell me..." Halo bristled from where she was seated. Although she projected to all around the door that she didn't want to get up, she was already rising to her intimidating height, pulling a cigarette from her mouth, "There is no. Way. Don't you say it!" The warning words were coming from her mouth as she reached the door, Merit taking a step back and out of the way, as though her venomous speech could bowl the toddler over. Of course, the man was not intimidated, but remained apologetic, "We need a place to crash for a bit." "I told you not to say it!" Halo shouted; it was even enough to make Fage shrink back. "Augh... Go... just go somewhere else, why don't you? Stay with Star or something." "You weren't, by any means, my first choice. I couldn't get ahold of Star. I rarely can, but I tried." "...Memo? What about her?" "She couldn't. Too busy, and not enough room." "And what makes you think I'm any different than that? Card, you're just about the only one that isn't busy all the time!" He flinched, his eyes darting briefly to Fage at his shoulder, "It's... not just that." She hated, absolutely hated the fact that she had to be so careful with her language around kids. If Fage and Merit were anyone else, she wouldn't hesitate to speak her mind, but they had to be so impressionable, so delicate, that it couldn't be that simple. "Again," she seethed, exasperated, "What makes you think I'm any different?" "Experience," he stated flatly, "Star wouldn't be able to handle it, even if I could get ahold of him. Memo values her hobbies more than... well, anything. Anyone else, I either don't have readily-available contact information for or am currently on bad terms with." It was at that point that Halo had an intense urge to punch Card, just for how easily he was able to filter his language. It all translated simply enough: they either couldn't stand Card, or they couldn't stand Fage. No punch to the toddler's pride at all. So she let the silence drag on uncomfortably long, noticing that the umbrella was lowering little by little in an attempt for Fage to hide himself. After she deemed it was adequate time, she lit another cigarette, took a drag of it, exhaled, and made a firm judgment, "Down payment of a thousand." Card glanced up, surprised, and she continued, "Monthly interest of thirty percent while you're here, fifteen when you get out. You pay when you can, but until you pay in full, the interest stays." Card gave a meek grin, "Giving me mercy?" He was expecting any payment she put forth for him would have been much steeper. Merit was watching its guardian from its station, holding the door open for the toddler's uncle and cousin, with a mixture of relief and terror both. Turning back inside, she waved a hand dismissively, "You'll be sleeping on the couch, so yeah." Word Count: 989
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:29 pm
>>-Egg-Hunt-This-<<
It adds character... and flavor?
-Easter 2011- The wooden claws of Fage's almost gripped the plywood handle of the paintbrush in a stranglehold as the toddler attempted to focus everything on the task-at-hand. The dye on the end of the bristles was much too watery for the boy to find any pride in what came of the project, and the shell of the canvas was much too slick. Despite the shortcomings, he was still utterly determined to finish what he set out to do, and not without some effort. Card watched from the front window in concern, though he was surprised that he could see much at all; these had to be some of the grungiest windows he'd had the misfortune of trying to see out of. It wasn't every day that Fage concentrated so hard on a non-destructive craft like this. The toddler was either upset, or he was scheming something. Neither seemed like a great scenario, but both were highly plausible. Glancing back around the place they had made into their temporary home, the man decided to leave the boy be. Halo was out doing who-knew-what, and Merit was at the lab's Easter event. Card would have been happy to bring Fage to the hunt at the facility, but it came as no surprise that the child vehemently refused; it just didn't seem fun to him. Why painting eggs seemed more fun was beyond him, but he wasn't going to argue. Fage set the egg down on the tiny stand that came with the kit, sighing as he briskly looked it over and turned away. He was only really doing this because it gave him ample time to think things through as he kept his hands busy doing something that didn't require an excessive amount of thought. The end result came out horribly in his eyes, and the dye appeared to have gotten more on him than the hard-boiled egg. Of course, his mind was also only dwelling on things he couldn't change instead of making him feel any better. Setting the brush down, he ignored the rattling it gave as it rolled off the front stoop, leaving a light blue streak across the face of the concrete. This neighborhood was completely unlike what he was used to. Not only were there few -- if any -- families in the area, but the streets seemed to be vacated on a normal basis. Unfortunately, it was quite deserted still, even though Fage had been hoping there would be a little more activity than usual. It didn't sit well with him. He was unhappy in these surroundings, he was unhappy at having to be uprooted from "home" so much in so little time, and he was unhappy with his guardian. In fact, he was unhappy with Merit and its guardian as well, but that almost went without saying. Scowling back down at the chipper little egg at his grained feet, he picked it up and bounced it idly in-hand. The dye had already dried, reacting quickly to the surface of the shell, leaving his hands without further smears. If the other residents in the neighborhood were anything like Halo, he really didn't want anything to do with them. In reality, her rash nature put the toddler on edge, even scared him more than anything he actually experienced. He didn't want to deal with anyone else like that, let alone to get on their bad side. There was quite a lot of construction going on nearby, though. It was even abandoned for the day; not many companies functioned on Sundays, it seemed. He stared at the rusted apparatus for a moment or two, as if trying to figure out how to operate the locked crane himself. Instead, his scowl deepened milliseconds prior to reeling back his arm, hurling the colorful egg at the machine. It made a satisfying wet, cracking sound, but being hard-boiled robbed Fage of the satisfaction the mess would have caused. Word Count: 654
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Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:35 pm
>>-Comet-Pass-<<
Avoiding crash-collision, the best way the (un)knowledgeable know how
-April 2011- A heavy fog had rolled in that day, making it difficult to see more than a yard in any direction. While Halo's abode sat near a harbor, just mere miles from a set of hills rising into a dinky couple of mountains, she had never seen fog this thick. She contributed it to the fact that she hadn't actually been living in the area for more than half a year, but it still unnerved her. After all, she had to drive in that mess! "Better not hit a customer..." she muttered to herself as she slipped a jean jacket on. "Can't you just call in sick? It's really bad out," Card winced, trying to decipher anything in the streets through the newly-cleaned windows. He could hardly make out the outline of Halo's vehicle, for Pete's sake! Merit was scribbling slowly in a large coloring book, but glanced up then from the pages, both worried and fascinated about the conditions outside. It was still rather early, but the starry toddler was used to getting up at such a time; Fage, on the other hand, was losing the battle of consciousness on the couch. Halo snorted in response, grabbing her supplies and reaching for the door knob, "Extra pay on days like these. Someone's gotta get the money to keep all ya alive around here." She glowered at the man, though he could have sworn he saw the edge of a smirk through his own grimace. She was out the door in a manner most adept at halting further conversation, but before the door was completely shut behind her, it bounced back again. "Auf! H-Hey, what's the big--" she stumbled in her confused rage, about to strike out at the one who blockaded her way before the familiar, frantic voice was able to focus her attention -- and her anger. "Eek! Sorry! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were heading out. I just needed... help," the tall obstruction breathed, the exertion of his hasty speech seeming to leave him altogether out of breath. It was no stranger, though Merit itself didn't recognize the lanky individual. The toddler was quick to toss its materials aside at the conversation outside the door, always seeming to be on edge in this living environment, and was already clinging to the front door standing ajar to get a better look. Halo readjusted her posture in realization, however was no less frustrated than before; she was still on a fierce defensive. "You can't be serious. Don't tell me you, too!" she snarled. His eyes went wide, showing a mix of fear and confusion; they looked as though they were stolen from the face of a scolded child. His attention twitched to the doorway, and Merit was suddenly aware that Card had come to join the toddler in curiosity. "C-Card?" the man squeaked. "You are not staying here," Halo stated dryly. The perplexity on the tall, child-faced man only deepened with the sentence, nervousness lingering. "H-Help, I said help. I dunno what I'm supposed to do here, because..." he tried to explain, his words coming slowly but the elaboration not reaching them. Halo growled in reaction, the explanation sounding just like what she had warned against happening. The road block twitched his tails, grasping at words that just weren't there. "What's the matter, Star?" Card asked, voice level as he smiled. Star couldn't help being afraid of such an unpredictable element as his sister, after all; he was more comfortable talking to the lax brother. Or showing, as he seemed to be doing instead. He pointed a shaky finger behind him, to something that was, invariably, blocking Halo's car from getting out of the driveway. "I don't know what to do!" he repeated, whimpering. It was only as Card was walking over to the Star's small scooter that he was able to begin to understand the weight of the situation. Halo was too busy getting increasingly agitated to bother, deciding that, if she hopped in the car and waited, the situation would blow over sooner rather than later -- or she would ram said situation with the bumper of her car. The flat surface behind the single seat was occupied by a small, dark form. Card nearly jumped when he realized that the shadow in the fog was alive, something he hadn't been immediately anticipating. The child glanced groggily up at him as he neared, a vertically-striped tail wrapped around the body as a defensive measure, minutely tightening in reflex. Card paused, refraining from nearing the dark-haired boy to give him some breathing space; he didn't appear to be too thrilled with this particular happenstance. "Hey," the man broke the silence after a moment, "What's your name?" A set of faded eyes turned to him as if to try to deliberate what sort of man Card was, though focus was limited due to the weather as well as the boy's own debilitating fatigue. He almost offered a snide retort in response, but thought better of it, if only because it would be too much effort -- effort that he was tired of wasting. "Kreutz," he murmured, the name almost engulfed in the thick atmosphere. "Kreutz, huh?" he repeated the name, nodding as if to say that he made a note of it. "I'm Card, Star's brother," he exchanged the introduction, stabbing a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the driver of the scooter. Star, meanwhile, had inched closer to the conversation to take note of what was going on in the hopes that he could acquire pointers. "Got yourself into a bit of trouble, did you?" Kreutz frowned at the question, mildly confused as to where the accusation had come from, but Card was continuing regardless, "He's not the most social of people. I'm not sure why else he'd be asking for aid with a kid..." "I didn't ask him to," Kreutz grumbled, irritated with the quick conclusion though refusing to answer with a definitive. Card only grinned back, just short of appearing smug. He waved a hand, turning, "It really doesn't matter, either way. Any friend of Star's..." It didn't sound as though Kreutz had the option -- or intention -- of ditching Star at all. Card wasn't getting any vibe from the child that made him worry, like Fage could give off, either. It didn't help matters that he didn't like giving up on anyone, and he rather enjoyed it when he was given a challenge; the only question was whether or not Star could handle it. But, then again, that was where Card came in to the picture, after all. Facing Star once more, the taller man flinched, nerves on edge. Card found it almost comical, considering that his brother didn't make it a habit to be in such a tattered wreck, preferring to give off a sense of confidence instead. "Sure thing," he responded, "I'll help you out. Won't be a problem." Star brightened, "Really?" He didn't need clarification on the subject, giving the shorter sibling a hug as a thank-you. Word Count: 1,171
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