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 Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:21 pm
It was getting later by the minute. The setting sun at their backs and a busted car issuing steam out from under the bonnet had Shyer and Aelia stretching their legs and observing the descending twilight around them while waiting for the mechanic to trundle up the road to fix the automobile.
It had been Shyer to at first offer a walk around the countryside, Aelia following in her eerily silent revere only because waiting by a steely car alone was not a positive way to start an evening. Now that they had been travelling in this odd fashion for twenty minutes though, Shyer commentating on the surroundings and getting a very short but concise answer back, found it harder to believe that sitting alone in a car was not a better alternative.
Aelia floated only inches above the ground, she's started about ten minutes into the walk. She had yet to tell Shyer but as of late she had felt herself becoming uncommonly good at this and had even tried going a little higher with some success. Her gentle wings beats sent a cooling breeze ever her skin, mimicking the breeze which accompanies the night. It was a rhythmic orchestra to play behind her thoughts.
"You know what? I think I can actually see a house over there!" Shyer finally said aloud, oblivious that the abode had been spotted by her ward previously without verbal acknowledgement. Aelia dropped demurely to the ground, peering now at the residential block whose lights shined over the grasses and illuminated the surrounding area.
"You think they'd give us a jump cable for the car if we asked?"
Shyer didn't actually know what was wrong with the car, but she felt allot smarter commenting on it. That and she was hoping to get some kind of reaction from her younger companion. She didn't, just a shrug.
Mm maybe they'd just walk up to the house and turn around then.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:02 pm
Tongue between her teeth, Felicity kept one eye on the red levitating ball and the other on what her hands were doing. The television had died, again, and Felicity was currently fiddling with plug in the back. She had no idea what she was doing and supposed that some fiddling had to be in order
“I demand the tellyviser back on right now!” Toulouse commanded imperiously from the couch. The red ball began to float menacingly close to the top of Felicity’s head. “I have to know what happens at the end. I must!”
“Don’t get your undies in a bundle. I’m doing the best I can. This T.V. is older then I am so can.” Felicity went back to messing around with colored cords as the evil ball bonked her meanly on the head. “Darn it Toulouse quit it!” Felicity yelled irritated. Ever since the boy had gotten the ball, he made the thing float behind him like some errant spirit, hitting her in inopportune moments.
“Make me!” Toulouse cried. The ball fell on Felicity again, but she ducked away. Now, instead of her head, the obnoxious ball smacked right into the power outlet of the television. There was a strange buzzing noise followed by a loud sputter. Felicity cursed and Toulouse screamed as all the lights in the house flicked off.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:47 pm
The flights flickered off up ahead, confusing Shyer momentarily as to how the house had disappeared so suddenly. It had of course not disappeared but it did take a moment for her to adjust to using only the silvery light of the moon. Soon enough though the outline of the house became apparent again and she stopped to wonder if maybe the people inside had seen her coming and turned off the light to prevent her coming forth further.
The moonlight, on the other hand, had a slightly more eerie effect on Aelia. She hadn't been outside the comfort of a house during dark hours and the silver tint of moonlight gave her own blue-grey skin the same odd shimmery effect, which was astounding even to her. This was not the thing she had noticed first though. What she had noted was that as the circle of light around the house went off, something even stranger happened in the grassy areas surrounding it.
"Stars...?" She whispered looking at the tiny light dancing and flashing in odd patterns along the earth. She looked up, watching the blue glittering stars above follow the same twinkling fashion. The ones on the ground seems more unstable than the ones above and they had a yellow-ish complexion.
The gentle utterance from her ward had Shyer curious to see what she was on about, misdirecting her gaze directly up at the heavens. Shyer was not the biggest star-gazing fan, but she could see the obvious beauty and difference between the skies of the country and skies of the city.
"Yeah, Beautiful aren't they?" She smiled, glad to have some form of communication between the two and looked back down to where Aelia had been standing. Wait...had?
Shyer spun around, worry touching the lines of her face before seeing Aelia running off towards the house. No wait, not the house! A small cluster of fireflies had apparently made some of the surrounding area their home and this was what Aelia had meant. Oh cra, but it was so close the house. Wasn't this trespassing?
"Aelia, wait!" Shyer hissed despite being well out of earshot.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 12:05 am
“Damn it to Hell!” Felicity shouted in an uncommon way. “Look what you’ve done you idiot. Now one of us has to go and flip the switch. You overloaded the circuit breakers!” Felicity fumbled gracelessly around in the dark, trying to maker her way to the couch so she could strangle Toulouse.
“What do you mean what I’ve done? If you hadn’t ducked this wouldn’t have happened, so it’s your fault.” Toulouse’s voice floated through the darkness and Felicity knew he had just left the couch.
“Oh, you…you! You are so dead when I find you.”
“That is if you can find me.” Toulouse’s voice seemed further away now. “I wish you’d make the lights come on. I don’t like the dark.” He said unnecessarily.
“Then go flip the switch. Can’t you do it like you levitate that ball of yours?” Felicity asked, hoping that this indeed would be true. She didn’t want to have to fumble around outside at the switch box.
“No I have to see it. Where is this box of switches anyway?” Toulouse asked.
“It’s outside on the wall, near the left of the front porch. Are you going to fix things for me yourself?” Felicity wondered, awed that Toulouse would do such a thing.
“No. I’m doing it for me.” He stated calmly. “Goodness knows how long you’ll take while tripping in the dark. I’ll be right back.” Before Felicity could say a word, Toulouse and waded through the darkness into the kitchen and to the front door.
Toulouse nudged the door open, the dark instantly lightening from the glow of the moon. He looked out over the front yard to see fireflies flickering to and fro. He was entranced for a moment and decided he would have a closer look at them once he flipped that darn switch.
He made his was quietly across the porch, down the creaky steps, and to the place the Felicity had said the box laid. He saw no movement except that of the lightening bugs.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 3:24 am
Huffing, Shyer brisk-walked/trot-ran her way as silently and quickly as she could to Aelia's side, trying to hunch down on her knees so as to not be seen. The twilight had begun to recede even more now and the first stars (in the sky ) had now a handful more to accompany them. The first moment she realised that the air was now alive with glowing, flying bugs she stared gapping in horror in case one should land on her then clasped her hands tightly over said mouth in case they should fly in there. Ew bugs. Glowing bugs. Over her and Aelia was..ick.
Not two meters away Aelia stood fascinated by the flittering bugs, no beetles. Beetle was a prettier word she decided, it reminded her of a glittering, bejewelled kind of word. One of the glowing things sat perched on her finger, wings alighting up and down slowly like it was breathing deeply.
"What is it?"
Unsure weather she was as fascinated or repulsed by the critters, Shyer trusted herself only to answer the stated question.
"Fireflies, the glow. Kinda pretty huh? Don't worry, they' don't bite."
Shyer paused, she'd never seen the Ashe so struck by something and wondered if she'd actually be interested in learning more about them.
"You know, if you like them that much we might come out with a jar and-"
She was cut short at the start of loud voices, subconsciously dipping lower to the grass as if it'd shield her. As far as she could so no one had come out yet. She was wrong though, a movement on the far wall caught her attention soon enough and she fretted about some sort of Looney coming out to yell at them for being in their yard.
Aelia had no such qualms though and continued to play with her new interest, blowing on any that came to rest on her skin and watching on amused as that same speck of light rose into the air and settled somewhere else on the lawn. Soon enough she'd picked out one of the larger ones and had started following it through the large open space, running if it sped up and creeping when it stopped. Cat and mouse, one after the other.
"You wouldn't bite me, even if you could. Would you?" She asked the little beetles flying around, taking heed of the only sentence which had pertained to their current activity.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:47 am
“Damnation!” Toulouse shouted as his foot caught on the last step in the stairs. He had forgotten it was slightly raised. “Bother all this then.” He grumbled to himself, wishing for a flashlight or something. In answer to his thoughts, a low beam of light clicked on.
“I thought you might need some help.” Felicity’s voice came from behind the suddenly blinding yellow light. Toulouse squinted making a face.
“Don’t make me blind you fool. Point that the other way.”
“Oh, sorry.” Felicity moved the light and Toulouse was able to see the night again. Somewhat. He waited a moment for his eyes to adjust. Felicity was stadning at the stop of the stairs in her sleep wear, staring down at him. “Well, what are you waiting for? I thought you were going to flip the switch. It’s just right there.” She pointed to around the side of the house.
“It’s not too far along is it? I’m not wearing any shoes.”
“You should be fine. It’s just grass along there. Here.” Felicity handed the flashlight off to Toulouse with a flicker. He took it silently. The redhead watched as he left the porch and ambled his way to the side of the house. After that, all she could see was the bobbing of the flashlight.
Toulouse found the box easily with the flashlight and didn’t step on anything either. He opened the metal box gingerly, wincing at the strong feel of iron. Inside was two vertical rows of five switches and a big red one on the bottom. “Which do I push?” Toulouse called over his shoulder.
“The big red one. Just flick it from one to off then back again. That should reset everything.” Felicity’s voiced floated up from the front of the house.
Toulouse quickly switched the flick as told, thinking how silly this was. With the last flick of the red plastic, all the lights in the house suddenly shot on, illuminating the house like some Midsummer’s Eve tree.
The lights of the house also, alighted the yard like a fake yellow lights. Subsequently, two figures standing on the far side of the yard caught her eye. One was crouched in the long grass while the other wasn't. She couldn't see who they were.
"Hey!" She shouted in surprise more than anger. She didn't think they meant any harm but if worse came to worse, she did have an American Bolt rifle 22WRM on the wall for such things.
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Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:53 pm
Shyer stopped like a deer under a car's headlights. She's been of two minds before, focusing on getting Aelia to head back away and towards the car and also eavesdropping on the conversation. The first thing she's realised was that not one but two people was there. The second thing was that there had been a fuse blown or something and they were trying to turn the lights back on. Inwardly she's gasped, eyeing the space between themselves and the house. It didn't take a genius to figure out that once those lights were back on they'd be pretty damn visible. Still, it chocked her all the same to be addressed so suddenly. Apparently they were closer to the switch box than first thought.
Aelia turned as well, though was not glued in place as her guardian was and took more notice of those whom had been talking. A boy, golden haired and not much taller than herself. A girl, not much older than Felicity, they might even be the same age. She was the one who had spoken out.
"Oh man, we must be totally LOST Aelia huh. Maybe these nice people will lend us a phone huh?"
Shyer said, trying to think logically as she snapped out of her surprise. The exaggerated tone gave away that it was a lie. She sounded like a four year old in a play and it didn't help that her voice went an octave higher halfway through.
"Where did the fireflies go?"
Aelia questioned, unaware of Shyer's lying for a 'good reason'. Aelia ever saw lying as a good thing.
Damn it! Given away for the firefly obsessed child.
Aelia continued looking around her, stopping only to remember that these might be normal humans and putting up her shallow glamour of a blonde child in a cutesy fairy-costume. It didn't strike her that she might have already been seen. Where had the glowing things gone? They were here a moment ago...
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 1:24 am
“Are you really lost?” Felicity called back a little suspiciously.
“They look lost. At least the younger one does.” Toulouse replied with his notorious floating red ball. “Maybe you should let them come in for a bit. And don’t worry. I’ll protect you.” Toulouse smirked.
“Oh yeah, cause you are sooo scary.” Felicity said placing her hands on her hips. Well at least the two looked like girls, even though that didn’t matter if they tried to rob you. She could take a girl though, if worst came to wort.
“Oi!” Felicity called again. “You can come up and use my phone if you need to.” That was that. Felicity waited with Toulouse to see with the two strangers would take her up on her offer.
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 6:15 pm
"Erm...well no."
Shyer added, sensing the hostility directed towards her. Crap, they really were upstart people who had a problem with people on their lawns. She bit her lip, testing the idea of how far truth would get her. Oh hell, they weren't carrying a shotgun in hand and a good head start should get herself and the young girl outta range if they pair in the house ran in to get one. Not that she thought they would, that idea was a 'worst case scenario one and the likeliness of it less than .2%.
"Actually...My car broke down about two k's back and we decided to walk around until the mechanic arrived. but he's taking forever."
Sidling up to her guardian, since the glowing bugs had disappeared, Aelia tapped Shyer's pants, her hand reaching only up to her hip.
"You should ask them to turn off the lights again."
Shyer turned around furiously, noticing the glamour that had been cast over the girl's form, her wings no longer obstructing the view. at least she'd thought ahead.
"Aelia, I don't think they want the lights off. and besides we can go somewhere else to catch fireflies later and besides, it's not out house. We can't stay here and less they say we can."
Shyer's voice was edging on firm. In truth she did somewhat blame Aelia for this, though she'd never breathe a word of it out. But if Aelia hadn't run off the path to look at the fireflies they'd be one third of the way back to the car.
Aelia's expression betrayed what her actions would be sooner than shyer had realised what was going to happen. She didn't see what was to be argued about. She looked at the friendly people on the steps with interest. (In her opinion they looked friendly at least. )
"Do you want to catch fireflies with us? They were here right before you turned on the lights. They were very pretty."
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:05 pm
“Are you sure?” Felicity asked again, trotting forward a little. These people looked okay. Nothing to be worried about. “Well, at least let us walk you back to your car. It’s dangerous out here at night. You know, wolves and stuff.”
“Not to mention bogies and the occasional kelpie.” Toulouse muttered under his breath.
“Don’t be an idiot.” Felicity hissed to Toulouse.
“I’m not.” Toulouse said flippantly, walking away from Felicity and towards the little girl. “Isn’t it a little early for fireflies?” He asked when he had gotten close enough.
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:44 pm
"W-W-W....WOLVES!? Oh you've got to be kidding me? Are you serious? There are WOLVES out here? Like actual wild wolves? As in...not wild dogs but furry shaggy wolves that howl late at night?" Ah the pleasures of panic stricken and fear driven Shyer. She'd had no idea anything close to a wild animal would be skulking around these areas, if she had she most definitely would have been staying right there in the car with the lights off and doors locked with only the radio on while patiently checking her cell every two minutes. Argh, there were wolves around here!
"oh my god you weren't kidding were you?" she fretted now officially torn between begging to stay in their nice lighted civilised house and running the distance from there to her car.
Aelia was much less concerned about this though, mostly because she'd yet to think much of any animal being able to harm her. Staying with Shyer gave her a most cushioned up bringing and what stories she had been exposed to about wolves made them seem a weak threat indeed. Like dogs that just weren't tame yet.
She drew back at first from the little boy, they didn't seem hostile but they weren't the exact image of welcoming either they were friendly, in a polite manner.
"There were here before" She insisted matter-of-factly, glancing to where she had previously seen them. She thought of what might have driven the glowing things away, ruining her fun for the moment. It must have been the light, most bugs were attracted to light. Then again most bugs didn't glow so maybe it was the opposite. Suggestively she aired the only idea she'd come up with.
"They might come back if you turn the lights off."
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Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 11:57 pm
“Oh yeah, sure.” Shocked that the young woman was so upset by this. “There’s a local pack just east of here. They don’t usually bother anything…well, unless you’re a sheep that is.” Felicity gave a half smile, shrugging. She hadn’t intended to scary anyone. She really was just worried now, seeing that the other girl had a small child with her, about Toulouse’s age. “You can come in if you like and wait for the tow dude.” Felicity offered the house behind her. Her car had broken down plenty of times so, she’d totally been there.
“Eh, I don’t think your friend would like that.” Toulouse said pointing to the frantic woman who was complaining about wolves. Didn’t she know that there were much scarier things about? “I think all this yelling and such scared them off if anything. We’d probably have to go sit on the porch real still like and wait for them to come back.” Toulouse replied, referring to the fireflies.
As Toulouse got closer to the girl, he could definitely feel some kind of magic afoot. The pretty little girl was pulsing slightly and Toulouse could see a little light if he closed his eyes. This didn’t really upset him, only made him curious. Being a child, Toulouse didn’t think the girl posed any kind of threat magically of physically. He shrugged. She could do whatever she liked as long as it didn’t bother him.
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 12:57 am
Despite the good intentions of the lady of the house Shyer continued to hear only the bad. A pack, east of them. She thanked whatever god there was they hadn't happened over that way. Her eyes scanned the east horizon now, like simply mentioning them might bring a rabid pack of hungry wolves charging from over the hills. Oh they were so never coming here again. At the mention of coming in Shyer's attention was once more snapped up by the young woman still on the doorstep.
"N-no, that's be so rude of us to and…and...Oh hell, would you mind so much? I mean, wolves! Can you believe that?"
It didn't occur to her that given that this woman had pointed out that wolves were in the area, she'd believe it.
Aelia looked back towards shyer who was still being as frantic as before, though she could tell that the frazzled state would more than triple under the idea of having no light whatsoever, the boy raised a good objection.
Her face looked puzzled for a minute then it dawned on her that indeed the yelling would have turned off anything less bold than something of human intelligence. Her expression turned downwards instantly.
"Oh...you're right."
She answered simply, if a little forlorn. They would just have to sit and wait then. Knowing Shyer though she'd be just as frantic and over the top, they'd be lucky to have even one back before two hours had gone by, but the idea of waiting alone was...not exactly depressing but she preferred the presence of another rather than the conversation.
"Would you wait with me?"
She asked, more out of curiosity then of actual want of him personally. She hoped Shyer might be prevailed on to sit still for an hour at least.
She had watched him watch her, though only for a few moments and it made her ponder his reason as to addressing herself. Parents rarely let their children play around in the dark with other children they'd only just met.
((OOC: I was unsure whereabouts Toulouse's little red ball was at the moment, care to fill me in? Otherwise Aelia woulda noticed a floating ball in this post at least ))
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:16 pm
“It’s not rude at all. Honestly.” Felicity replied truthfully. “They really won’t bother you though. My father actually set up the pack. He was a really save the animals kind of guy you know?” The redhead gestured the woman towards the house. “How old is you little girl?” Felicity asked conversationally.
“Alright I suppose.” Toulouse agreed. He did care about the fireflies, he was only curious about this new girl child. She smelled distinctly Fey and he wanted to know more about her. “Do you want anything to drink?” He asked leading the way to the open front porch.
As Toulouse walked up the stairs, his red ball came rolling out the door like a well trained dog, bouncing into his hands with a rubber “boing.”
((Toulouse’s ball usually stays in or on the house. He often forgets about it and leaves it there. He never takes it outside past the porch. That’s why is wasn’t present. Sorry for the confusion there.xD))
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Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 5:46 pm
Not needing any more encouragement or pressing Shyer eagerly strode closer towards the house, nodding in reply to whatever the woman said for the moment. It disturbed her that she was staying with the daughter of the person that had encouraged a wolf pack start-up but a house with four walls and a person who was sympathetic to wolves was better than sitting in the dark waiting for a mechanic.
“Oh erm…that’s very noble of him. Oh, sorry! I’m Shyer by the way, erm over there is Aelia,
” Shyer turned around to gesture at her younger companion. “She’s about um…six. Yeah, six. The years sure do fly by huh?”
Shyer obviously knew how odd it was for a guardian to not know their own child’s age but to be frank Aelia and her had been together for only a few months tops. That was why she’d thrown in the comment about years going fast, made it seem that she was just doting on the younger years.
Aelai offered a polite smile instead of just a thank you, she hoped the fireflies would be back sooner than later since she had quite a pleasure in just watching them flitter round in patterns, more than she did talk at the moment. She followed him up the stairs though, Shyer had already agreed to come inside so it didn’t seem weird. Besides, this was a completely separate invitation from Shyer’s.
Then the red ball came along. Aelia jumped back, startled. She hadn’t seen whereabouts the ball had come from or known who had thrown it. Were there other people in the house? No, there couldn’t have been, they would have come out as well right? A suspicion of the boy suddenly blossomed in her mind. Was he as different from his own guardian as she was? Or was it some trick of the eye?
“How did you do that?” She squeaked.
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