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 Posted: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:09 pm
 Meeting the Public?
Characters: Nikita, Melvin
Setting: Divinty HQ
Link: Meeting the Public?Flamefire123 Melvin stared at the worn wood of the single door and looked left, then right before he took a deep breath. He shouldn't be here. He knew he shouldn't be here. If Mother found out he went here after school....Well did she have to know everything he did? Melvin's stomach tightened and tried hard to grab tight to that string of rebellion, it wasn't even a thread, it was a string and it broke so very easily.
But he was here, and the next bus wouldn't come for a half an hour, so he might as well go inside...right? Oh god he hoped this was the right thing to do. Melvin let out a long sigh, took another deep breath, then sighed again before one pale shaking hand rose to grab the cool metal of the door knob.
His hands were clamy as he turned the door knob and opened the door slowly. The inside was a pure shock, the quality of the inside inspired opposite but twin emtions of relief and awkwardness. Melvin was horribly out of place anywhere nice, but he was allowed in any place nice. Suddenly it didn't seem like Mother would disaprove as much.
And with that though Melvin took the first few steps in, looking around before spoting the young man. With an odd mix of lord to servent and student to teacher Melvin approched him, unaware if he was 'help' or if he was...the one. The one that sent him the letter that got him in here in the first place.
The letter that said he might be important. That he had a job, a job only he could do. A person who believed he could do something important, something worth while, something...more.
"Excuse me, I-I-I'm Melvin Reynolds. I was invited here about...an offer? A job or something?" Melvin tried to sound confident, and powerful. His voice cracked and he just sounded unsure. Divinity HQ "Melvin?"
Nikita offered a slight smile to the boy, feeling a bit thrown off by the fact that someone actually seemed more nervous then him, for once. But he regained balance after a few moments, and hurriedly moved on to speak.
"Oh, yes, ah - I'm Nikita, the one who sent the letter. I'm in charge of meeting potential guardians..."
A job offer? Some people might see it that way, he supposed.
"But yes...the letter contained some basic information, but the basic idea, is that we are helping Sylph - magical beings - become human. But we need people to help us raise them, because when they become human, they become children."
He'd explained the basics in the letter, but reiteration was always good. And while Melvin was stuck in that odd mixture of uncertainty and lordship, Nikita was stuck in a similar mixture of nervousness and general shyness; he just wasn't very comfortable with people. Although it was a bit easier to talk to someone who didn't scare him. Flamefire123 Melvin noticed that he also seemed a little nervous, just like with Nikita it helped him relax a little too. Not a lot, he still felt uncertain and embaressed when he realized he asumed something completely different than the truth.
Stupid,stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid. his mind chanted while Melvin listened intently to what he was saying. Then the young boy paled, a kid? This guy wanted her to take care of an actual child? He wasn't a parent! He wasn't even old enough to go for his permit! And they wanted him to take care of a child!?
"Wh-Why did you send this to me?" Melvin asked, holding up the letter, still in the orginal letter, which was clearly neatly opened with a letter open. There was no torn bits, sticking up irregularly. It looked almost as if he just cut the very tip of the enevelope off before sliding the letter out, then when he was done he slid it just as carefully back in.
"I'm mean....I'm just a kid. I'm fourteen years old." Melvin told the man, "I'm not...guardian material. I'm not even legal. I mean...I'm flattered of course...right? But well..." Melvin was rambling, and he knew it but...he couldn't stop. Melvin was horrible at starting things at the right time.
"I'm sorry, I'm acting werid." Melvin sighed and looked away, "I'm just confused I geuss. Why you think I would be a good person for this slif thing." Melvin blushed as he butchered the word, forgetting how to really pronouce it already.
God he was pathetic. Divinity HQ "U-um..."
Melvin was only fourteen, true...he'd known that. But his name had still popped up on Nikita's searches, so he hadn't even thought about it - just given it with the others, to the higher-ups.
"Well...to be honest, I'm really not that much older then you, despite appearances. Divinity is aware that age doesn't always have much to do with capability."
But to be even more honest, he didn't have a clue why they picked Melvin. They just told him which ones were potentials.
"In some places, where we're from, fourteen is how old some people are when they're just starting to have kids of their own, even."
Some of the more rural locations, anyway; places where life was more dangerous, and wilderness was more true. Gaia was a good bit more industrialized then a great deal of their homeland had been.
"That's probably why the higher ups didn't exclude you from the possibilities....but I hope you'll consider this."
Becaues he really didn't want to have to find another guardian, and one quite possibly scarier then Melvin; it would be nice to have one person around who didn't either scare him witless or make him nervous.
"There are some more things I think you should hear, before you make a decision." Flamefire123 "I wasn't turning the offer down!" Melvin explaimed. Oh the idea of taking care of a kid scared him sure, but...it was excited too. It was a lot of responblity and no one had ever trusted him with that much responblity. He felt it was an honor he was chosen, he didn't want to give up the honor and Melvin was willing to work as hard as it took to prove that he was worthy of this honor.
"But...um..." Melvin blushed at his out burst and looked down at his shoes as he shifted a little, "You're right, I geuss age doesn't matter much, I was just a little curious." he admited, cursing himself. People always yelled at him for asking the wrong kind of questions. It was proably private information anyway.
"I will consider it." he finally said. It was the most dignified answer he could think of to give. One that wouldn't make him look like a bigger fool than he has to already look like.
At least the other guy seemed relaxed. It was hard to be afraid of Melvin, he took up all the fear already.
"But...yeah, I'd like to hear the information please." Melvin continued to atempt to be dignified. Aletea Melvin was right; it was hard to be afraid around him. Nikita was a person used to being nervous around everyone - so it felt odd to not be afraid of someone, for once. But he really didn't feel afraid; he just still felt some nervousness about making himself look like an idiot.
"Alright, well.."
The information. Right.
"I um, I explained about the Sylphs in the letter...but the reason that we need guardians, is because there have been some complications when they've become human. The two we already have, have an enhanced sense - and a very weakened sense."
When they were little, it had required a lot of attention; Sariael had taken all of his attention, but at least she's been a sweet little girl. If he'd had to take care of Rodya, he didn't know how he would have pulled that off...
"So, they can be a little bit difficult at times. But as a plus...you get a free apartment here on the compound. The downside to that, is that you're required to live most of the year there, as wel." Flamefire123 Melvin nodded slowly, listening to him carefully. It didn't sound that bad. The senses thing was odd. He glanced down at his own hands, trying to imagine that. Yeah he had weak eyesight but it wasn't like it was horrible. He mostly needed glasses for seeing things far away but if he lost them he could survice, he just wouldn't be able to read things from far away. He wondered what sense his child would loose...and what one would be ampliphed.
Melvin opened his mouth to ask, after running it though his head to make sure it was diginified and not stupid or anything. Luckily it wasn't. He never got a chance to ask about his child though as Nikita told him the last part of information.
"Wait! I can't move out. I-I-I live with my mother. It's a family house, it's not...like a place you move out of." Melvin tried to explain but how could he explain the Reynold's Manor. "I mean...that is...ah...Is there anyway I could just visit here a lot?" Melvin struggled to try to keep the whine from his voice. "I'll...try...to move in when I turn 18" Try being the key word, he knew his mother wouldn't like him moving out. "But I really can't move out now." he tried to explain, his eys begging for a little help. Aletea "Ahh..."
Nikita rubbed at his glasses, feeling nervous again; he wasn't sure how to deal with this. Anything outside of his nice little pre-prepared information was lost to him. But he had been told that the guardians had to live on the compound.
"It's supposed to be required for guardians to live here..."
Looking back at Melvin, he felt himself wilt; the look in the boy's eyes was pleading for help.
"...I'll talk to the higher-ups, see what they say. If- if they are willing to make an exception, you'll probably have to spend as much time as possible here..."
They were not going to be happy with him. Not Melvin, no - him; he should be able to convince the guardians to live here. But he had difficulty convincing dogs to let him pet them, much less convincing humans of something. Flamefire123 Melvin visably relaxed, he gave the man a soft smile. As if he understood the plight of being at the bottom of the foodchain and having no where else to go. Making expections were not how Melvin liked to start realtionships but...he couldn't move out. Mother would never let him move out without her and she would never live anywhere but the Reynolds mannor.
For a moment Melvin thougha bout moving out. A small cramped apartment, with mismatching furniture and breaking appliences. A room he decorated himself and not enough space in the kitchen where he would cook for himself...
It sounded like paradise. That's the type of house where diginity wouldn't matter, where you could relax without worring someone will catch you and tell you to sit straight, and smooth out his clothes and...Melvin blushed as he realized his train of though and shook his head before glancing to Nikita again.
"I'm sorry to make you do this, but I just can't move out. I'd like too but...my mother..." He trailed off, not really sure how to finnish the sentence after he mentioned his mother. One might notice that Melvin paled a little and looked like he was in pure misery. Aletea Resigning himself to getting yelled at (yet again), Nikita offered Melvin a faint smile, "...I'll see what I can do."
It didn't sound like the boy had much of a choice, anyway; if the higher ups wouldn't relent, he had a worrying feeling they'd have to find a different guardian. Or perhaps they would talk to the boys mother?
"If they won't concede...I'll see if they will be willing to discuss it with your mother."
Nikita wasn't about to offer himself up for that chore; he couldn't convince a kid, much less an apparently frightening mother. He would leave scary mothers up to the higher ups.
"But yes, um...are you willing to accept guardianship, if we can work things out with the higher ups?" Flamefire123 Melvin didn't like that idea at all. He glanced around and then gave a helpless shrug, "I geuss you could talk to her." he said slowly, but the way he voiced it it sounded like a warning. Don't talk to her if you want to keep your life. That's how Melvin felt. His mother was unbending, she'd never let him move out and she would never move out herself, certainly not for an apartment.
Reynolds were above apartments.
"Ah well....I would like..." Melvin paused at that question, he nibbled his bottom lip and looked around franticly for a moment. As if the answer was writen somewhere. One pale, slightly shaking, hand straightened his glasses before he took a deep breath.
"Yes."
There he did it. He comited himself. He made a promise, gave his word, and Reynolds never went back on their word. For a moment Melvin felt better. He wanted this kid, he couldn't say why but he really did and finally he did something he wanted and...it felt good.
Melvin gave a small smile. Aletea "I'm glad to hear that."
Nikita's smile turned far brighter at this, with relief that he wouldn't have to find another potential. And not only that, this potential - or rather, this guardian - wasn't scary. That didn't happen often.
"Now, um...there isn't really much we can do just yet. The Sylph we were thinking of for you is still in the process to change to human, so she hasn't actually been born yet...there's some paperwork, but I can mail that to you."
There was paperwork for everything: it was the third bane of his existance. The second was people in general, and the first was Dmitriev.
Especially after a certain job he'd had to participate in, that had wound up involving him crossdressing...not a memory he particularly wanted to recall. Flamefire123 Now that Melvin had agreeded he couldn't stop smiling, he liked this, liked this feeling and this relif. He did something right. No amount of evil glares, or stern talkings from Mother could destory that. He...had taken his first step to being a man. He could feel it in his heart.
"Okay, that sounds fine. May I see my...Slyph?" Melvin paused to try to remember the words as they had talked. He felt more confident this time that he said it right than last time where he knew he butchared it. he better learn how to say it right, after all he was getting one.
"Also...may I ask what his heightened and lowered senses are?" Melvin asked, starting to feel pretty good about that. Four whole sentences without making any mistakes, and one firm descion that his mother didn't have any say in.
Melvin was glad that he decided to follow the letter. He had made the right choice, very rare for the mousey little boy. Divinity HQ "I'm afraid that the only ones allowed to see the Sylphs during the process are the ones working on it...they worry that ambient energy from other people would disturb the process."
It was very delicate, Nikita knew. As for the ambient energy - everyone carried magical energy within them. If you didn't have any, well...you couldn't exist; it was what tied everything together. When a researcher was assigned to helping make a Sylph human, they stayed in that room unil the job was done, because they didn't know if the energy levels fluctuating would damage the Sylphs.
"But I can tell you the senses, yes. Um, just let me check my notes..."
Clicking through some things on his laptop, Nikita found what he was looking for, after a few moments.
"Because of the discussions and work with the Sylph in question beforehand, we are able to discover the senses. Your Sylph...enhanced sense of touch, and a limitation of taste."
The limitation didn't seem too bad, to Nikita; touch was probably the one that worried him the most, since those children wouldn't even realize if they were hurting themselves, in all likelihood. Flamefire123 "Oh." Melvin's good mood vanished that fast. He made a mistake, he shook his head. It didn't matter, the point was that the child would be his when he was ready. Melvin just asumed it was a guy. He didn't even consider getting a little girl.
"That doesn't sound too bad. Lost of Taste, um...so do I take anything home?" Melvin asked and glanced at the fancy watch on his wrist. "I kind of need to go home. Mother expects me to be home by four." he explained and knew he was cutting his time close. he needed to go with in the next few minutes to catch his bus and make it home on time. Divinity HQ "Oh, I'll just mail all the neccessary paperwork to you...so you don't need to take anything now."
Glancing back at the laptop, to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, he nodded again to Melvin. They'd covered everything neccessary...he just needed to remember to go talk to the higher-ups. Although he really wanted to put it off.
"We should contact you before too long...have a good day, Melvin." Flamefire123 "Oh...okay, thanks." Melvin smiled and looked at his watch again. "I'm really glad I came today. Thanks for bending the rules for me." he added, going though the proper things to say before he could say good bye. "I'll send the paperwork back as soon as I can and...well I geuss that's it."
Melvin took Nikitia hand in a firm shake before giving him a sheepish smile. He use to have handshaking lessions from the head butler, he could do that really good at least. It was kind of ironic considering his personality.
"Thank you, and have a pleasent day." he finally said before waving slightly and running off. He didn't want to miss his bus.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:53 am
 Growing Up
And it was helpful, for no one would have to know about his little trip to Divinity till he got the paper work. Then Melvin would explain to his mother the great honor in being chosen, and how he already promised.
Melvin's stomach twisted at the thought of that meeting but he didn't fight it as he steped inside. He got use to his stomach pains, and for once he found something worth not backing down from. This feeling in his heart couldn't be wrong. The new Sylph was for him, and just him.
"Master Reynolds." the cool, slightly accented, and always proper voice of Corliss, the head butler made the young boy jump, almost to attention. His back straightened, his hands went firmly to his side, even his clothes seemed neater by pure force of will.
If there was one thing Melvin knew, it was that Corliss was as trustworthy as a jailhouse snitch. Everything went back to the one in charge, his mother. No matter what sin he did, what mistake he made, no matter how big or how small, it all went back to Mother if it was made in front of Corliss. Melvin always felt awakard around the man, unsure what exactly his role was with the help. The other help treated him in a way that made sense, as son of the paycheck giver, and one that will be hiring when old enough. Corliss though...Melvin had a feeling he would never serve Melvin, nor would he leave the Reynolds house hold.
Melvin wasn't entirely sure of the furture when he was with Corliss. And right now, in the mists of the biggest rebellion Melvin had ever been a part of he wasn't too sure he'd have a future if Corliss found out. He couldn't have his mom find out before he mailed in the papers. Than the deal would be completed and his word would be given as a Reynolds. Then his mother wouldn't be able to argue.
If she found out now she'd simply call Divinty and tell them no thanks. Melvin couldn't allow that, couldn't allow her to take away his Sylph, it would be...defying destiny!
"H-Hello Corliss." Melvin greated with a weak smile. Sure that his plans were written all over his face for the butler to read at his pleasure.
"You did not mention that you were staying after school this morning. The Madame was worried about you when she went off for her afternoon tea." Corliss spoke softly, a fool would think innocently. Melvin knew otherwise, he was probing.
"A teacher asked me to stay behind last minute." Melvin heard the lie being uttered perfectly, no hint of falsehood in his simple tale. "I couldn't say no. I apologize, but I have lots of homework." Melvin nodded once and turned to head up the stairs to his room.
He faced Corliss, and he didn't loose. Now of course he didn't win ether, but he didn't loose.
When Melvin was sure the butler couldn't see him, he smiled again.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 11:42 am
 A Victory in Hand
But it was Melvin's room, one of three really and the only one with a lock. It was in here that he kept his most special journal. He had lots of notebooks but early on he learned that those were most often read. So he had one he bought in secret, with cash, that he kept safely stored away to not be read. He wanted his private thoughts to remain that, private.
He opened up a drawer in his desk to pull out a locked box. He reached up to his neck to pull out a thin, but fine, red ribbion from under his shirt. The ribbion had a key on it, which he used to unlock the box, where his journal nested, comfortable in the fine velvet that coated the sturdy oak box. He pulled out the book, then sat down at the small desk in his room, opening it up to a fresh page and grabed a pen to start writing.
I did it.
I did something without turning to Mother, and I managed to not let Corliss find out about it. I wrote a few days ago about how I got the werid letter at school. Such an odd place to recive a letter, but it was a good place. If it went to my home Corliss would have found it and this would have never had happened. And I'm glad it happened, oh so glad.
Anyway, the letter asked me to come to a place called Divinty, at a certain time, today, at three o'clock, and well discuss me accepting their offer to a great responblity. It went a little into history but over all I was very confused. I think that's why I went. I met this man, Nikita I think was his name, and he explained to me more. I liked him, Nikita, he was nervous, like me, which was nice. Too bad he's average, mother would never approve of me inviting him over. Like he'd like to be with a child like me...
Anyway. The point is what he told me about. He said I would be taking care of a child, a sylph. They're some kind of creature that wants to become human. When they emerge though, they're children, that's why they need guardians. And the higher ups wanted me. I was really honored when I heard about it.
I feel a little bad because Nikita might get in trouble because of me. The guardians are suppose to live on a compund but I know Mother would never let me move out. Getting the Sylph itself would be a victory, moving out would be impossible. so Nikita is going to try to convince his boss to let me live at home, just visit the compound a lot. Which is fine with me.
My little Slyph will need lots of friends.
Oh something interesting about Slyphs, aparently when they become human they mess it up a little. One of the five senes is dulled, and the other hieghtened. My little boy will have sestive touch, but no taste. I think he'll feel quite lucky, taste is something you wont miss unless you had it before. Touch though, I suppose he'll just have to be care, but I'm sure it will all be fine.
I'm so excited. As soon as I agreed to take the Slyph something bloomed in my heart. I know this was the right thing to do. I feel even more convinced now.
When I got home I told a lie. A good one too. I was caught by Corliss and he asked me where I was. I lied so easily I felt like I've always been a good lier. I don't think he bought it exactly but he couldn't chop me down for it. After all it made sense and I seemed confident. I didn't give him a chance anyway. I left right away because of homework.
Speaking of which I really do have a lot. I just had to write down what happened today. I can't wait till I get the paperwork, then my little Slyph. The only problem will be Mother. Once I sign the paper work though my word will be binding and Mother wont ever let me break my promise. I just have to keep it a secret till then.
I better go now. I'll write more later.
Melvin let out a sigh as he set his pen down and carefully closed his book. He put it back into the box, locked it, then put it away. Then he got up to clean up his mess before he took his books out. He had to get his homework done and he couldn't work with this mess everywhere.
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Posted: Tue Jun 19, 2007 10:57 pm
The Showdown Corliss frowned as he grabed the mail. Master Reynolds had been up to anything. He been checking the mail before Corliss for days, only missing today because he had another turtoing session. All this started that odd day he stayed behind school without warning. It wasn't like Master Reynolds to not let his mother know where he was. He must be hiding something. Corliss figured it was his duties as head butler to keep the Madame fully informed.
"Now...what is this?" Corliss raised an eyebrow as he stoped on a certain bulky letter addressed to one Melvin Reynolds. Without a second though Corliss set the mail down here it belonged then grabed the letter opener, easily sliting the enevlope open. He slid the papers out and started to read them over.
First thing he noticed was the snap shot of water which confused him. He placed the picture on the table then read over the intro letter. He only read a few paragraphs before he saw the problem. He looked over the other paperwork and paled.
The Madame wont like this Corliss thought as he placed the paperwork on the mail table, holding only the letter, as he hurried to Madame's private cordiers. No servents were allowed to bother her there but Corliss wasn't a servent, he was something...else. He raised one hand, and knocked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Melvin walked in a little late. The mail was already gotten but he was sure that...Oh no...Melvin raced forward as he saw the papers on the mail table. he picked it up and saw the picture. He frowned a little, then understood. It must be a picture of his Sylph! He carefully slipped that into his binder before looking over the paperwork. He glanced around and then started to fill them out right then and there.
He just finnished licking the enevolpe to send them back when a servent walked up to tell him that Mrs. Reynolds wanted his presence in the parlor. Melvin paled but nodded and handed him the enevelope, asking him to send it to the post office.
"It's urgent." Melvin urged as he slowly walked to the parlor, his stomach twisting as he got closer to the room where he knew Mother waited for him. He paused at the door and took a deep breath as he opened the door.
There she sat, Marion Lisa Reynolds. She had on a long black dress with her grandmother's pearls around her neck and a slim expensive watch on her wrist. Prim reading glasses rested ever so perfectly on her nose and her gray hair was done up in a tight, perfect bun. She looked ready for a portiet to be painted of her, or at least she would, if it wasn't for the stern look as she peered over her glasses to stare at her only son.
In her hand rested the letter. The one that explained about the arrangements, the paperwork, the picture, and most of all Melvin's previous visit to Divinity. The proper simple letter had told her all she needed to know. That her son, her one and only son, went behind her back to attempt to bring a...a...commener into the Reynolds home and raise that child like a Reynolds itself! It was sick, and wrong!
Still, he was her only son, and maybe there was some kind of mistake. There must be Melvin would never do something like that. Now she would be calm, and reasonable, so Melvin would know he would not be unjustly punnished. It was good for him to realize that only bad things were punnished.
"Son, come in. Corliss gave me this letter." Mrs. Reynolds mentioned, sending the butler a luke warm look, which for her was fond. The butler stood off in the corner, patiently, standing straightly. He been in there since they moved from her bedroom. Nether of them seemed to find a problem with him opening up mail addressed to Melvin and Melvin only.
And because he grew up here Melvin didn't think twice of it ether. His mail was commonly opened, hence why divinty sending the first letter to the school was odd but right. He would have never gotten this far unless they did so. Melvin looked to his side, and saw his bag, which held the picture of his new little Slyph, water. He wondered what that meant...Well it didn't matter, because the paperwork was out, and there was nothing they could do now.
"Yes Mother?" If there was one thing Melvin knew though, if you had the nose around your neck don't go jumping off clifs. It never worked out for you. Act innocent till there was no other option. Besides it could be a different letter, maybe something from school. No point killing himself over false news.
"Yes, and it mentioned you are trying to get..." Marion trailed off to look at the letter and then nodded once, "a Slyph from a place called Divinty. Now, you know I do not like little animals running around the house." Now of course Marion knew that a Slyph would not be a little animal running around. The letter had made that very clear that a Slyph would be a child. Marion just wanted to see how much her son knew, just how far he went behind her back to bring trash into her home.
"I know Mother." Melvin agreeded meekly. He stood there a moment before continueing. He could stop right now, just say he had no idea where the letter came from and leave. His mother wouldn't know till he had the child, but he knew he'd only be deleying and it would make him a coward. Melvin didn't want to be a coward anymore.
"It's not a pet though Mother. It's a child." Melvin finally spoke, "And I agreed to take raise him. He needs a home and I was chosen for him." Melvin faultered for a moment, unable to look at his mother. Maybe he was a coward, but he wasn't going to back down. "I gave my word I would help her. the word of a Reynolds."
Marion slamed the letter into her little reading table and stood up. Her entire body trembeling with rage as she stared at her son. The one that didn't even look her in the eyes as he told her that he went behind her back to bring...what could be anyone, into the Reynolds home. Only Reynolds and servents lived here. Not just anyone off the streets!
"And you expect me to allow this?" she asked slowly, allowing Melvin one final chance.
Melvin took one deep breath, then looked up at his mother. "You don't have a choice. The paperwork needed for the final agreement has been sent out. To break out word now would prove to the world tha we are not willing to take in a helpless child when it's in need. Mother, this is right. I know it's right. I'm suppose to do this, please, trust me for once."
Marion stared at her son, then looked over to Corliss who was standing off to the side carefully. He looked mad, just like she felt but he was repectful and calm. He knew his place. Unlike Melvin aparently. Marion looked back to her son and realized what he said. He was right, if she forced him to refuse it could reflect badly on them.
"Fine. The Sylph will live here." she spat, "But he better be very well behaved."
"I will keep him out of your hair." Melvin promised. "Thank you for understanding mother." Melvin knew his mother didn't understand at all but he also knew that if he didn't thank her she would get mad. He bowed and slowly left the room. He just serious changed his realtionship with his mother. Proably for the worse, but at least his Sylph could come home. Melvin smiled and went to decide which geust rooms would be his.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 2:39 pm
The Great Pick-Up Users: Flamefire123, Remiyah
Characters: Melvin, Royda, Tai
Setting: Divinty HQ
Link: The Great Pick-UpFlamefire123 Melvin glanced over his shoulder at the stony faced chafuer. His mother knew about Tai by now of couse. The paper work was found by Corliss, and Melvin barely managed to get it in the mail before his mother confronted him. Melvin shuddered in memory of that confrontation. He knew he started his new little Sylph on the wrong foot with Mother but he was sure the little boy could charm her.
Melvin smiled a little, nervously of course, as he walked down the familiar small street. He didn't feel as confused as he reached the shabby door but he knew what it hide. He hoped Nikita was there. the man didn't scare Melvin as much as most do. Besides Nikita would be nice to his new little Sylph.
Melvin realized that he never thought of a name. He frowned a little as a new thought came to his head. What if he named the sylph after his...father? Would that be wrong? No...no, it be just right. Melvin smiled and nodded. Yes, that would be the perfect name for his new son. It would be just right and it would also bring him into the Reynolds family. Just the thing to get his mother to love him.
Melvin steped in with a smile and a good mood.
Boy was that about to change. Remiyah Instead of the good-natured Nikita, a sulky Rodya sat inside the wooden room of the entryway. How this managed to happen was beyond him. Apparently Nikita had to work on something, and Dmitriev shoved the responsibility onto him. Since when is a teenager fit to do this kind of stuff? Plus, on top of watching the shop, another horror had been bestowed upon him.
Babysitting.
He was told to watch the newly born Sylph. Sure she was cute, but dammit why did he have to do this? It wasn't like he could see her enough to watch over her properly anyway. All he saw was a purple-blue fuzz through the thick lenses of his glasses.
The door opened. He could hear it. The creaks of the hinges, the sound of confident footsteps, the street noise from outside.
"Who's there?" Rodya asked, pretending like he could actually see. And failing miserably. Instead of facing the door, he was pointedly demanding the identity of the wall next to him. "Who are you? Are you here for a Sylph?" Flamefire123 Luckily Tai wasn't a type of child to cause to much problems for the almost blind man. Of course she was touching everything she could. Picking up the odd objects, often too quickly or too hard for her tender skin (something she wasn't use to having) and droping them quickly. Each time she did that she'd look back to Rodya, giggle then squeal,
"Sorry!"
That sound was still ringing as Melvin stepped in, and blinked as he stared at the grumpy teen with the thick glasses. He blushed a little at the acusation and he reached up to straighten his own glasses as he looked away. Some how the boy's mistakes made Melvin embaressed
"I'm Melvin." he answered, mummbling a little, "And yeah, I'm here to pick up my new sylph. I was called down here to get him." Melvin explained and looked around for his new little boy who would carry on his father's name and...
All he saw was some werid girl. She had purple, and blue, hair, wore a long simple, and cheap dress...and she made him think of this girl's mother he met a long time ago. the mother would laugh alot, and hug her daughter, and call her cute little names like "sunshine" and "sweet pea". The woman's name was Tailynn, and she made Melvin wonder what it be like to have someone care so easily.
"Ohhhh! You must be my new guardian!" Tai ran forward to Melvin. She looked over Melvin, then looked bacy to Royda, they both had glasses. She wondered why she didn't have them too. Everyone seemed to wear glasses. She giggled to herself and rolled her eyes.
"Hi! I'm your new sylph!"
"B-b-but...you're...a girl." Remiyah At the sound of dropping objects, Rodya swerved around to scold the young girl. However, a particularly round one found a place underneath his foot as he stepped forward, causing the older Sylph to slip. And fall right on his face in front of the new guardian. He stayed that way, too embarrassed to look up. His glasses had scattered off somewhere.
"If you're Melvin," he said, his voice muffled from the floor. "Then yes, she's yours. Yes, she's a girl. And yes, I want you to get her away from me."
Who knew what other kind of obstacles she'd thrown on the ground, only for him to trip over them. He hated kids. Surely he didn't act this badly when he was that age. Of course, he got in his own fair share of trouble. But other than that he was absolutely sure that he was a perfect child.
Right. Moving right along.
"Would you mind locating my glasses?" Flamefire123 "I'll get it!" Tai called out, getting down on her hands and knees without a thought as she streatched her hands out. The thin protection of the dress didn't stop her knees from hurting at the mere pressure of her young body pressing them into the floor. She whimpered once and stood up, frowning a little, then leaned down to carefully walk along the floor, keeping her face close so she could continue to search for Royda's glasses.
Melvin blushed at what Rodya did. Oh boy, that could not be good. He glanced back to Tai and wondered what to do with this bright girl who was already searching the floor. Melvin would have gotten on his hands and knees too but he would get his clothes dirty and Mother wouldn't like that.
Oh god, what was he going to name a girl? He couldn't name her after his mother. He had a feeling his mother would get insulted by that. Besides she didn't seem like a Marion. She seemed like...like that mother from so long ago....
"Tailynn?"
"Yeah?" The purple haired girl didn't think about it as she turned to answer to the name. It just made her think that he wanted to talk to her. After all he had to name her something. She thought that name was pretty. So she smiled over at the awkward boy, who seemed so unsure of himself. It was cute.
"What? Oh...nothing I geuss." Melvin muttered, looking down with a blush. He geussed he managed to get the answer he wanted. He had a little girl...named Tailynn....He blushed but smiled a little bit. At least she was a little cutie, and willing to help.
"Oh! I found them!" Tailynn ran over to Royda, offering her hand to help him up. "I got them Mr. Roy-da." She giggled to herself and offered them to him. Remiyah "It's Rod-ee-a," Rodya replied, finally lifting his head from the floor to take back the possession of his vision-correctional devices. Well, that's what he got for having a guardian with liking for Russian names. Rodya, Dmitriev. He must think it makes him sound intimidating. Like Dmitriev needs to be more intimidating than he already is...
Rodya pushed himself up from the ground, brushing the dust off his shirt. Once that was over with, he returned the glass to his face. Not that they helped much. They were the strongest prescription the doctor offered, but all they did was keep the blobs from meshing together into gray.
"So you've named her then?" he asked Melvin. Tailynn. That was an interesting choice. "I'll make sure to let Divinity know."
Along with letting him know that he was not a resident babysitter. Flamefire123 Tai giggled, then crossed her eyes at him. "Sorry Rod-ee-a." she pronounced it just like he did and looked over him. She turned to look to Melvin who still stood there awakardly. She thought he looked like he could be fun. She was glad that she got this guy. She didn't like most of the people here. Not Rod-ee-a, she liked him, he was funny but most people here were so pushy and they proded like she wasn't even real. Which she was, she had the body to prove it now. Tai grined brightly, that's right, she had the body now.
Melvin glanced at the man as he spoke to him, jumping a little as if he didn't expect to have him talk to him again. He looked a little uncomfortable, as if he didn't know if he should take Tai with him or if he should just wait for some more paperwork to fill out. Though he couldn't imagine what was lefter to fill out.
"Um...well, yeah, I geuss. Do you think it's an okay name?" Melvin asked Rodya timidly before glancing to Tai. Did she like it? Oh how the heck was he suppose to handle a girl!? He didn't know anything about girls. He barely knew anything about boys.
Tai nodded quickly though, at Melvin's question. "Oh yes! I love my new name. Please don't change it." she said quickly, rushing forward to take Melvin's hand. "You're Melvin right?" The touch of skin to skin caused an explosion of feeling. The soft texture of Melvin's unworked hands, the warmth of his living heat, and even a very soft and gentle pulse of Melvin's heart. She would never forget this feel, this hand, she'd always knew Melvin from his touch.
"I'm glad you're mine, Melvin." Tai told him simply.
Melvin stared at the girl, trying to take in that simple, almost harmless sounding sentence. "Yours?" he whispered, just staring at her as she merely held his hand. She didn't shake, just held, just felt, just memorized.
A soft explosion of laughter came from the Sylph's mouth. "My guardian." she explained with a quick grin before she turned back to Royda. "Where's your guardian Rod-ee-a?" Remiyah "Sure?" Rodya responded. The name sounded fine to him, if a little girly. But that made sense, since the Sylph was female. She seemed to like it too, so it all worked out.
At the mention of his own guardian, Rodya tensed up. His guardian. Father. A jackass on an entirely different level than anyone else. And everyone wondered why he grew up cynical. Having Dmitriev as a parent would drive any kid mentally insane.
"Not here," he replied, his eyebrow twitching. "Thank god."
One day he was going to get back at his guardian. He didn't know when, or by what methods. However, anything he did would probably backfire. Dmitriev had so many aces up his sleeve, one had to wonder if he created the deck. Not to mention the fact that he looked like a giant, gray bear was enough to make anyone cower underneath him when he stared down at them.
Rodya hated Dmitriev. Flamefire123 Tai glanced up at Rod-ee-a's sudden anoyence at the mention of his father. The young girl, so fresh and new to the world, couldn't imagine the feeling of hate. Her open untried heart had already accepted most people she met inside, as was her nature. Already she was ready to do anything to help Melvin and found such enjoyment in Rod-ee-a's company. People would like to tell her that it was impossible to care so deeply so easily but for the young one it was easy.
Too bad such emtions would never last.
"Why?" Tai asked, pausing for a moment to give him an odd tilt of the head, watching the young man who never seemed to look directly into her eyes, he always stared vaugely at a person, even with his glasses on.
Melvin on the other hand blushed at Rodya's sudden rage, and then blushed deeper at Tai's question. The young teen tried hard to avoid other people's problems, not wanting to intrude on what was obviously none of his bussiness. It wasn't that Melvin didn't care, he did, but he hated to make people mad at him by sticking his nose where it didn't belong, and it didn't belong there.
"Tai, that's none of our bussiness." he muttered to the girl, walking closer to place a hand on her shoulder, ready to ease her out of the shop, besides the driver, and Mother, was waiting.
"Why?" Tai asked again, this time looking up at Melvin, "I just want to know what's so bad about his father. Is he mean?" Tai asked next, looking back to Rod-ee-a.
Melvin blushed deeper and looked utterly miserable as he tried to tug the unmoving Tai from the store, and failed miserably. He was so wraped up in his own embaressment that he didn't even notice how Tai winced a little, nor would he be aware that such a gentle, though forceful, tug would leave bruises on Tai's sesitive skin. Remiyah The words that wanted to come out of Rodya's mouth were, "Because he's an insufferable a*****e, that's why." However, no matter how much he was corrupted by Dmitriev's special form of 'parenting,' he still had something that vaguely resembled a heart. The young Sylph seemed so innocent, completely unaware that not every guardian in the world was all love and hugs. Judging by the demeanor of her own guardian, it didn't look like she'd be losing that innocence any time soon.
"...er," he paused, not entirely sure how to answer now that he'd decided not to impart his cynicism on one so naive. "You could say that..."
He scratched the back of his head uncomfortably. One day he'd learn to keep his mouth shut, and then he could actually avoid these kinds of situations. Think, then speak. It was a life lesson he'd been failing since he could form words.
"Anyway," he continued, anxious to change the subject. "Just make sure you come back to check in with us soon...or else you might actually run into my guardian."
That would not be pretty... Flamefire123 Melvin saw how Rodya was holding back for Tai and he felt pure relif. The teenager might have been a bit rough and a little scary but at least he was aware of Tai and her own innocence. Melvin already got the feeling that who ever instilled such anger and cynicism into such a young soul couldn't be all that good but still, he had the brains to know Tai didn't really need to hear about it.
"I'll...um...bring Tai in after school tomorrow." He promised. "I want her to have plenty of chances to be with people." he asured him. He knew that they made an expection with him so he'd have to spend plenty of time with Tai here, which was fine with him, it gave him something to do.
"You didn't answer the question." Tai told him, not one to be lead off though Melvin clearly didn't mind going to an utterly different topic. He didn't seemed to like her previous topic at all though she geussed it really wasn't that surpising. Tai was confused though and wanted to know more about this 'bad' guardian.
"I'd like to meet him." Tai told Rod-ee-a, a bright innocent grin on her face. "Does he look cool?" she asked quickly, eager to learn more, mostly because no one wanted to talk about it. If Rod-ee-a had seemed bored instead of bothered Tai would have been bored too but he seemed bothered and she wanted him to be happy, so she dug, trying to find out what was wrong. Remiyah Rodya nodded at Melvin. "That's fine. I think a couple more Sylphs are already in the compound with their guardians. She'll have plenty of people to meet."
So long as those people weren't Dmitriev or Sariel. Sometimes he wondered who he liked least. Fortunately for Tai there was at least one other Sylph around, other than himself. A boy, maybe. He wasn't really paying attention, and he'd heard it in passing only anyway.
"Er...you really don't want to do that," Rodya laughed nervously, though he had the feeling he was only encouraging her. Stupid kids. Why do they explicitly do or investigate what they're told will bring doom and unhappiness upon themselves? He gagged at the last question. Dmitriev...cool? If you liked bear-men then sure.
"Um, he's very tall?" Rodya replied, hoping that would quell the girl's curiosity. Why were they still on this subject again? Oh yeah, because he had to blurt out his contempt for the man who raised him. Brilliant. Flamefire123 Melvin smiled, looking relived. When ever Melvin was in a situation that involed bent rules he tried to follow the other rules to the letter, not wanting to risk upsetting anyone else because of that. Besides, Tai deserved to have friends. He didn't want her to grow up like him, lonely and in a big house with no one to play with.
He just hoped that no one tried to bully Tai, though with the way she was dealing with the cold Rodya he wasn't entirely sure if Tai would notice. Rude remarks seemed to just go over her head, or she ignored them, for the kinder, or at least calmer remarks.
"Tall." she paused and looked between the three people in the room. Tai's short stature was mostly due to age but Melvin's mouse like appearence and habit of hunching managed to bring him several inches below Rod-ee-a, so by her standers, the small little things that they were Mr. Rod-ee-a was tall.
"How tall?" she asked, now interested in someone who would be tall to Rod-ee-a, "What does he talk like? What color are his eyes? How come he takes care of you?" The questions have begun, Tai would have a million and a half and still come up with more once it was all over. Melvin didn't have a chance to get out. Remiyah Rodya had to keep himself from backing away at the bombardment of questions. What's with this girl?! Anyone who wanted to know this much about Dmitriev must have a death wish. He looked toward Melvin--at least he thought it was Melvin, it was hard to tell when everything was a bunch of blobs--silently pleading for help. Please take her away.
"Why don't you meet him yourself?" Rodya asked, desperate to stop the questions. "I'm sure the next time you come you'll run into him. Can't miss him."
Unfortunately.
"Just look for the guy that looks like a giant, grey bear."
He'd used the metaphor many times, but there really was no other way to describe Dmitriev. The guy was huge, strong, and hairy. Also, never wake him from sleeping. That will get you killed. Flamefire123 Tai let out a soft squee at the thought of meeting someone knew. Especailly one as interesting sounding as this Dmieriev. His name even was cool and he raised Rod-ee-a, whome Tai decided she liked very, very much.
"That will be cool! I love bears!" Tai only had a mild glimer of what a bear was but that glimer was very attractive for a glimer and her interest in this misterious man increased only tenfold.
Melvin on the other hand was getting more and more scared, worse Tai was getting more and more itnerested. Maybe it really was time for them to just...go. He didn't want to get Tai to get to interested in this man that Rodya seemed to despise and fear. And if Rodya (someone who scared Melvin) feared this man Melvin wanted to avoid him like the plauge.
"Come on Tai, Mother is very eager to meet you." Melvin urgered, this time just offering his hand to the girl since brute strength (if you could call Melvin's muscle that) didn't work last time. "We really need to go, we stayed here far too long. It was nice meeting you Rodya, I hope to see you soon, thank you for taking care of Tai." Melvin chimed polietely, bowing his head slightly and then glanced at Tai.
"Awh, do we have to leave already?" Tai asked but when Melvin started to say his good byes she knew she would have to too. Copying Melvin's bow she took his hand and sent Rod-ee-a a dazeling smile, one even he could see. "Yes, thank you Mr. Rod-ee-a, I'm gonna miss you, I hope we can talk again soon!" Tai let go of Melvin's hand and rushed forward to give Rod-ee-a a tight loving hug. "Sorry I was a bother." she giggled then went back to Melvin, "Was that right?" she asked as she took her guardian's hand again and they started to leave the building.
"Yes." Melvin smiled a little at Tai and held her hand gently as he held the door open for her. Mother taught him to always open a door for a lady. "You did very good Tai, but you really shouldn't as so many questions."
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Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 3:12 pm
The Ride Home Melvin lead Tai away from Rodya, even as the young Sylph waved at the closing door. He couldn't help but feel his hands get clammy and his heart start to beat harder, faster, as he lead his new...child to meet his one and only mother. He didn't know if he could handle this. His stomach was twisting and face paling. He was never good at hiding how he felt.
"Melvin, what's wrong." Tai asked with a frown. The hand wraped around her's so warm and comfy became clammy and mildly wet. The gentle heartbeat of the blood quickened and became almost violent against her hand. His face paled and he looked like he could be dying at any moment. Tai didn't like that, what inspired such changes. Something in her heart told her it was fear in that boy's eyes, and nothing less.
"Nothing Tai, you're just about to meet Mother." Melvin said softly, looking back at her with a clearly forced smile. Tai was not amused. One should never for a smile in her mind, a smile was a beautiful thing and it should ether be there, or not, never faked. Then again Tai was young enough to believe you wouldn't ever be truly forced into anything.
"Why are you afraid?" Tai asked softly, moving a bit quicker so she could watch his face closely, wanting to spot a lie. If she could, she never had anyone lie to her before...she thinks. Her mind went on a small side trip as she thought over the small amount of things she ever been told then nodded as she decided none of them were lies.
"It's hard to explain Tai." Melvin sighed and looked over at the innocent ball of sunshine in her long flowing dress and bright untempered smile. She was utterly undignified. "Mother has some high standereds, and she wants people to meet them. She...she didn't want me to take you in. She doesn't like the idea of a non-Reynolds living in the Reynolds mannor."
Tai looked at Melvin very confused, "But...I'm yours. I was suppose to be yours. I chose you. You're mine and I'm yours. If you're a Reynolds than I should be a Reynolds too, right? So there's no problem." Tai smiled, glad she managed to get that settled right away.
"No...wait, Tai." Melvin sighed but then reached out to feel the door of the limo, there would be no more time to explain. Mother was waiting. "Tai, just please...be polite, and don't ask Mother too many questions."
"Why?" Tai asked as Melvin opened the limo door and beckoned her inside. Crawling into the limo without an answer Tai went over to the otherside then turned to see Marion Lisa Reynolds. She sat there, back straight, eyes glaring at the young Slyph who smiled in return.
"So this is the young Sylph you were so eager to get Melvin." Her voice shot though the air, sending little ice darts straight into Melvin's heart, and his gut, as he sat next to Tai, pulling the limo door shut. With a simple tap of the glass between them the driver started the limo and glided away from the curb.
"Yes mother, I'd like you to meet Tai...um...Tailynn." Melvin introduced, waving a hand over Tai who tilted her head as she kicked her legs. Some part of her needed to move. She seemed unaware of the tension that all but choaked the air but her eyes remained linked with Marion's, something Mrs. Reynolds was not use too. Even Corliss looked away after a moment.
"Hi! You know you look really cool. I like your dress. You have cool colored hair I never seen anyone with that color before!" Tai realized with joy. She just saw something different! Something new! It was great. Tai wanted to see new thing all the time.
Marion raised one sculpted eyebrow and watched over the young...peasent. She sat there kicking her bare feet, grining over her gray hair (how rude!) and completely unaware of how Melvin sat miserable less than a foot away. Her eyes glanced to her boy who was finally watching his tounge and realized he wanted her to aprove of this simipltion of a girl. Her son was wanting too much again.
"You need to learn some manners little girl. I suppose you think you were smart, choosing my son to live with to avoid apartment living" clearly apartments meant squalor to Marion Reynolds. "But do not thik that you will get off so easily. Your lessions will begin tomorrow. Since it is too late to enroll you in school as Melvin is, you will recive a tutor, one who will teach you how to behave properly."
"Mother do you really think-"
"Do not question me Melvin, you wanted your Sylph, well you got her, now she needs to learn how behave or else she can go to someone else." Marion intereupted sharply, making Melvin cringe. Tai looked between the two very confused.
"What's a tutor?" she asked, wanting Melvin and his mother to stop fighting anyway. Melvin looked really miserable with the whole conversation. Maybe if she accepted having a tutor Melvin and his mother would stop fighting and Melvin would be happy with her. She smiled at the idea, she wanted to make Melvin happy.
"A tutor is someone who comes to the house and teaches you what you need to know." Melvin said softly, "But Mother, I could tutor Tai, there's no reason for you-"
"There's every reason. I will not have Tai interupt with your school work young man. She can be tutored while you're in school." Marion spoke firmly, ending the discussion right then and there. Or so Melvin and Marion thought. Tai still had things to say.
"So I get to meet a new person?" Tai asked, smiling, that sounded like fun. And it be something to do while Melvin is away. "So while Melvin is gone I'll get to be with a tutor, so I wont be alone?" Tai asked next, looking between them. this tutor person sounded like fun! It be another Melvin for her to be with while her Melvin was busy getting smart. And when her Melvin returned she could impress him wth all she learned. "That sounds like fun. I want a tutor!" Tai grined brightly, looking between the two. Melvin was being pale and sickly looking again but Tai wondered if he was always liked that with his mother. She looked at Marion and smiled as she saw a smile on her face. It looked werid, almost mean, but it was a smile and a smile meant she was happy, which means she wouldn't have to scare Melvin anymore.
Tai did good.
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Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2007 4:33 pm
A Welcome Home Present The ride home took forever in Melvin's eyes and wasn't nearly long enough for Tai, who decided she loved the smooth flide of the limo and the ablity to push buttons. Marion was just relieved to get home. When she did Corliss took her to her room, as she had bussiness to conduct. Leaving Melvin alone with Tai to finally show her around. Melvin knew his mother had her victory and felt no need to stick around to 'bond', and in a way he was relived. It was only a matter of time before Tai picked up on the insults sent her way.
"Come on Tai, I'll show you around." Melvin said softly. Tai smiled at him, glad to see that he was relaxed again as he showed her around the house. All the expensive furniture and expensive knick knacks didn't impress Tai in the least. She made the appropiate noises but was rather bored with the fancy rooms wose only purpose was to give the house more space and look even more impressive. The library intrested her, but it was the game room that made her smile the brightest.
Melvin let her play a bit but urged her up stairs. "Your room is up here. It's near mine, so if you're ever scared at night or something, I'll be here for you." Melvin said softly, smiling down at the little girl as she glanced back at him with a similar smile.
"I like the sound of that." Tai admited as she was lead into her room. The large room was decortated plainly and luckily for the little girl, genderless. The queen size bed was made with a softly colored quilt and had tons of fluffy pillows. The walls were a soft sand color that Tai felt was boring. A beautiful oak dressure matched the vanity and the bed, all which were a bit too squarish for Tai's tastes. Some respectful art doned the walls but they were of flowers in pots and couples in fancy dresses dancing in a fnacy room. Not Tai's tastes, but was Tai's taste was the neatly wraped present in the center of the bed.
"Hehehehe! A present!" she called out, rushing forward and snatching the dry but smooth paper. It's lightly waxed cover felt odd against her finger tips, but she did not dwell on it for long as she riped the paper apart. She was surpised to feel the other side was courser than the brightly printed front side.
The paper was soon discarded though and reveled the gift it hide. A brightly patterned blue journal. Tai blinked and opened it slowly, hearing the soft crack as she flipped though the heavy but smooth paper, the kind that suck up ink and preserve it forever.
"What is it?" Tai asked softly, turning back to look at a blushing Melvin.
"Well, you see, I thought you might like a journal. You can write down your most private thoughts in there, and no one will ever read it but you, or if you wish, someone else can read it if you give to them." Melvin explained, walking over as he sat on the bed. "You can write whatever you want in here. How your day went, if someone made you really mad, anything. This book is just for you. No one else."
Tai looked downa t the book, taking in Melvin's words. It sounded really special, she would need to take really good care of it. She looked up at Melvin and smiled, jumping up to hug him tight. "Thanks Melvin. I love it." she pulled back and gave him a big kiss on the cheek before she curled up on his lap. "I love you Melvin"
Melvin blinked at the kiss and the easy love, blushing deeply as his arms came around her. Could she really say those words so easily? And mean them? she only knew him for a day and yet...she sounded serious.
"Tai I...I'm glad you're here." Melvin whispered, hugging Tai close, unaware of the pain and joy he managed to cause the girl with a few simple words.
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:45 am
Pen to Paper Tai sighed as she closed her own door, Melvin was going to bed to bed, he had school tomorrow and that meant it was her first day with the tutor was tomorrow. Melvin was saying something about going straight to bed but Tai didn't know why. She just went to the window, running her hands over the smooth painted wood for a moment before she pulled open the window. A rain scented breeze flew though the room. Chasing away the stangent scents of linens and poppuroi. She much perfered the slightly chilly wind than she did the stuffy but perfectly tempatured room. The wind was real.
Her blue eyes looked back and fell on the journal before she looked outside again. The sky was getting dark but she figured she should use her new gifts while she still had some sun light, it sounded nice. With a smile the Sylph went to pick it up, and the pen Melvin gave her before moving back to the window, she sat near it and let the natural but fading light of the sun revel the first blank page.
Melvin said you're a journal. That you're for writing all my most personal thoughts. Like a best friend you can carry with you. I think that sounds cool. Having someone will you all the time. I think I'd get lonely really. I already miss Melvin and he just left a few minutes ago. I got a tudor comming tomorrow. I'm glad. I don't know what I'd do all day while Melvin was gone. Maybe when I'm older I can spend my time at Divinity. I think I'm suppose to be over there a lot. I hope I can meet lots of friends. I met Rodya today. He was interesting and funny. One time he lost his glasses and fell and just laid there, it was really funny expect he might have been hurt, but he wasn't and I managed to find his glasses for him, so I got to help him. I heard about his father. He said his father was really tall which sounds cool. I hope I can meet him soon. I like meeting new people.
Ohhh, there was another person I met today, besides Melvin. Yeah I met Melvin today. I'm glad I picked him, he's so sweet, I know he was right for me. But I met someone besides Melvin. I met his mother. His mother is funny she speaks loudly and is always interupting Melvin and she makes Melvin change colors and start to sweat. I don't know why. I was glad when she left though so Melvin started acting normal. He's so funny and nice. He gave me you as soon as I came in. He showed me my two rooms. Yeah I got TWO rooms. It's kinda cool. I don't like the way they look much but I geuss there isn't much I can do right? If I get a choice I'd like it to be brighter colors. I like the window though, it's nice.
Tai glanced up and out the window, taking a deep breath of the fresh air as she smiled. This really would be nice. She was excited for the tudor, she'd have someone to be with till Melvin came back and Melvin said they go to Divinity tomorrow. She hoped she met someone nice. She wnated to have friends badly, almost needed them.
I think everything here is going to be okay. Everyone is so kind and sweet. I can't wait for tomorrow and my first day as a Reynolds. I hope I get to learn all sorts of fun stuff. I love this house.
Tai.
Tai blew on the ink of what she just wrote and then closed it as she looked up at the sky. The sun was almost done setting but she just wanted to watch everything for a moment. She was glad she had her sight unlike Rodya, she wanted to see all the beauty Gaia posses, it had so much of it. The stars were just comming out, and the sun was leaving it's final marks in the sky, almost waving good bye to the young Sylph who was just saying hello to the world.
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:29 pm
Expectations and Reality Tai waved her arm quickly as Melvin's limo drove off. He had given her a big hug and an embaressed kiss before he climbed into the limo. He waved but turned a way long before Tai was done waving. Even now as he was bent over notes and going over his homework Tai waved till his limo was out of sight.
She sighed softly, a bit sad that he was gone but she knew he'd be back soon, and then they'd go to Divinity! Her heart lept and she turned around, starting to walk back to her room when she ran right into the straight back Corliss, a man she had not met yet. He coughed lightly at the idoitcy of the little girl who fell back and looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Wow! You're tall! You have the same hair as Melvin's mom! That's really cool. I think that hair color is neat? Do you? I don't think Melvin's mom liked it though because she went like this when I mentioned it." Taking a moment to compose herself, Tai blanked her face, then sent Corliss a sharp glare and flared her nostrils, a common Madame trait when she was truly anoyed.
Corliss coughed softly, knowing that to do otherwise would be unwise. Liking this girl would be unwise, at least till she earned the Madame's favor. Which judging from her never ending chatter proably wouldn't be any time soon. At least her tudor was comming today, maybe that would calm her down a bit.
"I like my hair color. 'cause it's different. I never seen someone with purple hair before, and I like this little bit here." Tai grabed her blue lock and showed to the tall bored looking man. "Because it's different. I like different things. Like Melvin. I like him 'cause he's so different from anyone else I ever met. Oh! I'm Tailynn! Who are you?"
Corliss coughed softly again and was glad for the breif break, "My name is Corliss, I am head butler here and-"
"What's a butler? What do you do? I like the name Corliss. It ends with a neat 'ssssssss' sound." Tai giggled a bit and managed to give Corliss the chance he needed.
"It's my job to make sure that everyone is where they belong, and doing what they're suppose to do." Corliss interupted but answered, "And you are suppose to be in your new classroom. Ms. Sterling, your tudor will be ariving soon and you need to be ready for when she arives." Corliss pointed out, looking over the young girl, hair still messy from sleep and wearing the same clothes from yesterday.
"How do I get ready?" Tai asked confused and made Corliss realize that he would have to play nanny for a little while. He let out a small groan but lead the girl back to her room. He had a headache by the time he was done but she was dressed in the proper clothes of tights, a nice dress and pretty shoes, her hair was brushed and put back, face clean, and ready for the day.
"Corliss, this dress itches and I don't like these tights." Tai complained as she scratched over her legs and parts of her body. "Why do I have to wear this?"
"This is the proper atire for a little girl going to school." Corliss said simply but stoped when he heard a soft bell, "One moment, I'm being summonded, stay here and I'll come back for you." Corliss ordered quickly before dashing out too see what the Madame wanted.
Tai scratched and scratched at her dress and made soft whining noises as she opened up her drawers, searching for something better. She tugged and pulled out all the fancy lace and satin, the itchey materials that her hands could barely stand so she couldn't wear on her body when finally she found a soft cotton dress. She smiled and tugged off her clothes ina hurry pulling on what was actually a nightgown but sighing with relief. This felt so much better. Tai glanced at the mess she made and was about to start cleaning it up when Corliss walked in.
"What the hell happened here!? Where's the dress we put on you!? Why are you wearing a nightgown!?"Corliss snapped, he was always in control but wlaking away from everything perfect to find everything a mess was the last thing he expected.
"I couldn't stand that dress, it was too itchy, so I found me a new dress!" Tai said with a smile, twirling around, feeling so much better. "So everyone wins, right?" Corliss groaned and rubbed over his face. The tudor had arived, there was no more time for her to change, at least she was still clean.
"Just follow me." He muttered, knowing the Madame would not like this. Tomorrow Melvin would have to take care of Tai before he left. It wasn't Corliss job to handle the little brat. He lead Tai down the hallway and into the geust room that was changed into a small school room yesterday, everything Tai or Ms. Sterling would need would be in here. "Just sit in here. Ms. Sterling will be in here soon. Behave Tai, Melvin would want you too." Corliss ordered softly as he left the girl their, glad to be away from the chatter box, better get a maid to clean her room.
Tai looked around the class room wondering what she was suppsoe to do. She shrugged and headed to the table with the single chair. She sat down and pulled it up. She looked around, wondering what the tudor would be like, and what exactly she was suppose to be learning. Tai rested her elbow on the table and then sighed a bit. She wished Melvin was back, she missed him and wanted to go to Divnity. They got her clothes there.
"Sit up straight young lady! And no elbows on the table!" A sharp whistle of a voice sliced though the air, jolting the young Sylph. Tai whipedaround and stared. The woman was small, barely five feet, with a wrinkled face and a straight back. Her body was thin and dressed in an ankle length skirt, it was a stern gray with sliming slightly darker down. It had a high neck and long sleaves. Her sensible shoes were black and boring. She moved with quick economical motions, as if she didn't believe in moving unless there was somewhere to go. Her eyes were a bright and hard brown that were glancing ove Tai with slight distain. Her also gray hair (it was becoming less interesting) was pulled back into a tight neat bun. She had few wrinkles around the eyes but deep wrinkles around the lips, wrinkles being carved deeper by the disaproving frown already there.
The tudor had arived.
"Why?" Tai asked, even as she obeyed, kind of. She didn't sit perfectly straight but her arm moved from the table, "What are we going to learn today?" That question was more interesting to her, she didn't really care much about why she isn't suppose to do things. Not doing things was boring, but doing things, and learning things, now that was the fun part.
"It's rude to have your elbow's on the table. Today we are going to learn the proper way to behave. Then we will see how much you already know about history, math and reading." Ms. Sterling seemed to clip her words when she was done saying them. They didn't hand in the air instead shot, from mouth to ear, leaving no time to dottle. She sat down at her teacher's desk and opened a breifcase Tai had not noticed earlier. It was nice, made of suple leather and seemed to be the woman's only extravagence. She pulled out clean and straight peieces of paper, a corner would not dare fold on those pages as she set them in front of her. "Do you know anything of manners, young lady?" The question was an acusation, and one Tai did not understand.
"I know please and thank you, I'm sorry and excuse me but what else is there to know?" Tai asked, tilting her head to the side, "And my name isn't young lady, it's Tailynn. You can call me Tai if you want. I like both names. What's your name? No one ever told me." Tai chated along innocently, smiling as she thought this could be fun.
The smack of a ruler hitting the desk chased the smile away.
"Clearly we have a lot to learn. You may call me Ms. Starling and we will start with the proper way to start a class." Ms. Starling then started to tell Tai everything she was doing wrong. The young girl sat wrong, she spoke wrong, she was dressed wrong, acted wrong, stood up wrong, sat down wrong, breathed wrong.
A little ways in Tai thought it would have been smarter just to tell her what she was doing right. The problem was...the more she was told she was doing things wrong the less Tai understood. Why was a nightgown wrong? It was a dress wasn't it? And it was comfortable? Why was sitting in an uncomfortable postion right, when sitting 'wrong' felt better? Why was it bad to ask questions? How else was she suppose to understand?
The more Ms. Sterling 'taught' the less Tai knew. By the end of the day all Tai knew was that she was very glad Melvin was home and that they were going to Divinity, she was tried of being wrong.
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2007 6:49 pm
A Bear Huh? Users: Flamefire123, Remiyah
Characters: Melvin, Dmitriev, Tai
Setting: Divinty HQ
Link: Bear, Huh?Flamefire123 "Are we there yet Melvin?" Tai whined from the back seat of the limo, moving to the window where she looked outside. She didn't really remember what the outside of Divinity looked liked even though she was there just a few days ago.
In retrospec giving an already hyper girl a caffinated soda most likely wasn't the smart idea, Melvin realized and sent one sad look to the driver who merely nodded quietly. Melvin smiled and turned back to see Tai with her head out the window feeling the rush of air.
"Oh! Tai no!" Melvin called out, pulling her back suddenly and causing the girl to hit her head on reentrence. Worse as he pulled his hand from her shoulders he saw more bruises.
Tai was loving the rush of wind till her guardian tugged her back in forcing two explosions of pain, one on her shoulders and the other on the back of her head. Unlike in the Divinity she had nothing to distract her from her pain so this time she just screwed up her face and started to cry.
"It hu-hu-hurts!" she sobbed, big fat tears rolling down her face. "Melvin it hurts."
Melvin's heart, and stomach, twisted at the sound of Tai's tears and he reached out, pulling her closer to him as he rocked her softly. He learned quickly that Tai's sesitivity was normally what lead her to such tears, but it was also what calmed her down.
"Shhhh, shhhh, Tai." he murrmered, just holding the girl to him softly, "We're almost to Divinty okay? You're gonna meet some new friends and you don't want to do that with red eyes do you?"
"No." Tai pouted but snifted as the tears slowed down. "but it hurt Melvin. Why did you have to tug so hard? I would have come inside. I just watned to feel the wind was all."
"I'm sorry Tai, I didn't mean to hurt you." Melvin quickly apologized as the car pulled to a stop, "but you could have gotten hurt, I was just worried. Come now, we're here, how about we go inside and make some new friends?" Melvin asked as he reached over to open the door for his little girl.
Tai snifted a few times and crawled out, "Okay..." she agreed slowly, she did want to meet new people. She rubbed her eyes, then whiped off her nose and snifted deeply. Melvin took her hand, a common practice between the two, and they walked together to the door, by the time the Sylph and guardian steped though the door Tai was smiling once again. Enforcer Dmitriev As the two made their way to the door, another black car pulled up behind the limo. A very well-dressed driver exited and opened one of the back doors to reveal two very large, booted feet.
"Sir, we're here."
There was a loud snort as Dmitriev woke up in mid-snore. "Wha--?"
The assignment he'd just finished left him completely devoid of energy, and therefore he allowed himself to spread out across the backseat for a nap during the two hour drive back to the compound. Fortunately the driver was used to this procedure, and always remembered not to open the door Dmitriev's head rested against. It only took one time to get that across.
He rubbed his eyes. Dammit, the ride was too short. "Alright, I'm getting out."
Though it took a moment, he managed to get himself up and out of the car. He blinked at the limo. Were they expecting important visitors today? He couldn't think of any off the top of his head. Weird.
Still groggy, he slowly lumbered his way to the door. He hoped Nikita was there. The other man was so much fun to pester after a job. It always reminded him that there were easy pleasures in life that didn't require him to put his life on the line.
With a giant yawn he burst through the door. "Nikita, you in here?"
((Just to be clear, he's only about 15 seconds or so behind Mel and Tai, so hopefully they're still in the room :3 )) Flamefire123 Melvin was a little lost as they looked around. He hadn't ever been father than the front room, so he really wasn't sure where to go from here. He had hoped that Nikita, or at least Rodya would be there to guide him. Tai of course was already distracted by the many objects that weren't off limit to touch, like all the knick knacks at their home was.
Melvin glanced down the hallway and wondered if that was the right way or the wrong way. Maybe he wasn't allowed down there, but maybe that was the way to the guaridan quaters. He wanted Tai to have a chance to make some real friends.
Then the bear walked in.
Tai turned when she heard the booming voice and the slam of the door. Her bright blue eyes went wide as she looked over the large man. He was taller than anyone she ever seen. Even Mrs. Reynolds, who was super duper tall! He was big too, all over, and kind of hulked and groweled and...
"You're Dmitriev!" Tai called out suddenly, pointing to the man, glad to know that she figured him out so quickly. "Mr. Rod-ee-a told me all about you!" she grined happily and then as was her way rushed forward to give him a hug too, mostly just because he was someone she heard of and he was here, in exsitence. "I wanted to meet you."
Melvin had a far different reaction. He jumped when Demitriev came in, and cowarded down though he wished Nikitia was there too. he liked that young man, he was calm and shy and easy to talk too. Just like Melvin. How ever as the young teen reconized the bear man just as quickly as Tai he just felt his face pale as Tai rushed up to touch him.
He yearned to rush out and grab her but was afraid he'd take that the wrong way. He just didn't want his Tai to get hurt.
"Tai...um...Tai, you shouldn't hug people you don't know." Melvin said weakly to his charge, who merely giggled in responce.
"Silly Melvin, we know him. Rod-ee-a told us about him. Demitriev. Wow that name is hard to say. Can I call you Demi?" she asked the large man, whom she was still hugging. Enforcer Dmitriev When he entered the door, it became quite apparent that Nikita was not there. Instead there was a very not-Nikita young man and a girl. Were they supposed to be there? Before he could react, there was a flash of purple as the girl basically threw herself at him, even though she only came up to the very bottom of his waist.
"What the--?"
Rodya. Well that made a little more sense. That little b*****d...
At least he now knew that the girl was a Sylph, and therefore allowed to be there. His back hurt too much from the 'job' he just finished to bother throwing people out.
Dmitriev threw a look at Melvin that was a mix between glaring and confused amusement, as if he couldn't decide whether to be angry or flattered by this show of affection.
"Do you think you could remove your offspring?" he raised an eyebrow. Sylph, child. Same thing. Either way this kid seemed way too young to be taking care of anything. Looking back down at the little girl, he tried to give a friendly smile. It looked more like a wolf trying to smile at a sheep before he pounced on it.
"I only let my lovers call me that," he replied, not caring that the girl probably didn't have a clue what he was talking about. Or that her guardian might be mortified that he was bringing up such a topic so soon in her young life. "Call me when you've hit puberty, then I'll let you hug me all you want. But I'm very curious to know what my good-for-nothing Rodya has told you about me." Flamefire123 Melvin almost fell over his own feet trying get to Tai. Possibly bruising or not he wanted his kid away from that man, especailly after what he said. Melvin was already blushing deeply at what he was implying as the first trickle of rage touched him. Did he really mean what he said? that he'd sleep with Tai? He was far to old to do those things with a girl! He should still to women his own age.
Luckily for Melvin's glass jaw he was to much of a coward to pick a fight over something that Demitriev proably never meant. He was just saying it to make Tai back off. Still Melvin swore he'd never leave Tai alone in a room with that man, just incase. Rodya didn't seem to like him much and he was really big, he could force Tai very easily, especially since Tai would proably do half of it herself just out of innocence.
Tai on the other hand let go the moment that Demi (and he would now be known as) mentioned he didn't like the hug. She didn't move away or anything though, even as Melvin tugged. She just grined up at him and tilted her head to the side at how he talked.
"Lover." she said the word slowly, then grined. It must be someone who loved him! "Is Rod-ee-a one of your lovers?" Tai asked, "He said that you were tall and looked like a bear. Which is true." Tai nodded, unable to pick up the anoyenece that was in ether man's voice. "I like the way you look." she added, "You're taller than everyone! I bet that's cool. I'm small, it's kinda anoying. Can you reach things from the top shelf? I tried once but I fell down, it really hurt." Tai's face fell in the memory of the pain and she snifted once, almost ready to cry again. Enforcer Dmitriev Dmitriev saw the young man blushing as he tried to pull his daughter away, and his grin turned into a mischievous smirk. Obviously he struck some sort of nerve there, though he only half meant what he said. If any of the Sylphs ended up being hot babes--and willing--who was he to deny them a good time?
However, at the next mention of Rodya he gave out a huge guffaw. Oh, the innocence of children. "Hah! Little lady, it seems like someone needs to educate you no matters of making love. Rodya's the furthest thing from being my lover. He's not a woman, first of all."
At least Rodya hadn't said much. The last thing he needed was for that a** going around telling everyone what a terrible man he was, which he was no doubt doing. How was he going to hit on any female guardians if they all thought he was some horrible, child-abusing monster? But really, he did have to work with these people, and it was a little easier when they weren't trying to lecture, berate, or call the police on him.
At the next string of questions--which never seemed to end--he looked back at Melvin. "Does she have an off button?" Flamefire123 Melvin blushed a deep red when he spoke so canidly about...um...well adult realtionships. He paused and saw that Tai would not be moving so he did one of the bravest things he ever done in his life. Stood a few steps behind Tai, ready to grab her incase Dmitriev lost his temper or this conversation went south.
Though Melvin was clearly the most uncomfortable one here. Tai was chatting on without care or worry. In fact all the little traits that seemed to terrify Melvin just made Tai more interested. She was such an odd girl though.
Melvin jumped when Dmitriev spoke to him again. "Um...well...no. Not one that I've found." he admited, blushing again, just because someone was speaking to him.
Tai just giggled at Melvin's every changing face color and turned back to Demi. She loved nicknames and his name was so hard to say, besides, then he'd always know it was her, right?
"So do lovers have to be girls?" she asked, tilting her head to the side, mildly confused about the whole thing. "And what's 'making love?"
"I...um...Tai." Melvin spoke up, "How about I answer that question...later...when we get home." he proposed, blushing even deeper now.
"Okay Melvin, if you say so." Tai glanced back to Demi. "Melvin's funny huh? His face is always changing color." she giggled to herself and then the questions started again, "So what do you do here? How do you know Rod-ee-a? Do you want to play? I know lots of fun games! Melvin taught me them." Enforcer Dmitriev Dmitriev quietly studied Melvin while pretending to pay attention to the little girl. Easily flustered, socially awkward--at least from what he was displaying now, and obviously somewhat of a prude. Sort of like Nikita. At least that meant he'd have another doormat to harass when he felt like being particularly irritating.
"I have movies all about 'making love' back at my place," his wolfish grin got wider, if that were even possible. This was way too much fun. "If you drop by sometime maybe I'll show you."
Like a little girl could comprehend porn anyway. Just so long as she didn't want to experiment on boys before she grew into a teenager, it wouldn't do that much harm...right?
At the next bombardment of questions, he rubbed his forehead. The girl was starting to give him a headache. He was already sore from the assignment he'd just finished, and now this girl was interrogating him like some criminal. When she was done, he knelt down on one knee to--putting him at eye level with her--put both hands on her shoulders, and stared at her with his gray eyes.
"Yes, Melvin is funny. I'm basically the security around here. I'm Rodya's guardian. No, I don't want to play. Please stop asking me so many questions." Flamefire123 Melvin steped forward now, traped somewhere inbetween pure embaressment and utter rage at what he was implying. "I don't think so. Those movies would be bad for Tai." he said softly, a rare firm tone under his fear and embaressment. He was a doormat, but he was a loyal doormat and he truely cared for Tai. He'd do anything to make sure that she remained happy and innocent like she was today.
Tai glanced at Melvin a bit surpised. She never seen him be serious before. It was a bit odd, she shrugged it off though. She loved movies but if Melvin said they were bad then they were bad.
"I geuss I can't watch them, sorry." she apologized polietely then smiled as he lowered himself to look into her eyes, she liked being on this level she felt less small. He was so big when she was standing up straight, "Why?" she asked in refrence to the questions and struggled to keep the rest back, she was dying to know more. Did he beat up bad guys? what was Rod-ee-a like at her age? Why didn't he want to play? Why were the movies bad? Did he like her? Did he like Melvin? Did he know his way around here? Did he know other kids?
Well the list went on questions poped in and out of her mind so fast it was hard to keep track of them. They were bursting to come out but young Sylph kept it inside, not willing to upset her new friend, Demi.
"I'm sorry." she admended her why question quickly, looking down, "I don't mean to bother. Mrs. Reynolds says I should learn to keep my mouth shut. that children are to be seen, not heard but I don't get why." she admited.
Melvin relaxed a bit as he looked at Tai sadly. His mother did not like the girl and already it was showing. He reached out, gently touching her shoulder in a gentle massage. "It's okay to be heard most of the time Tai. Just sometimes too many questions can give someone a headache. You make people feel like they should have studied."
"For what?" Tai asked confused, looking over at Melvin, her sad little spell over just as quickly as it came. Then looked back to Demi. "I'm sorry Demi, I didn't mean to make you feel like you should have studied. You're just interesting I think. The most interesting guy I know. Melvin is the sweetest, and Rod-ee-a is the most fun!" Tai seemed to not be perfect with titles. [Not finnished, kept here for placement]
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