|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:16 am
It had been just her luck. After having spent an early night, she had risen early, gone straight to Mr and Mrs Rook's at half past seven (as they had requested) and they weren't there. Decided to go on holiday at the last minute apparently, and their mobile phones weren't taking any calls:in fact, the only reason why Emi knew they were on holiday had been the friendly neighbours popping their head over the garden fence to collect their early morning post. Out on a cheap resort they had said, last minute deal, and they had mentioned nothing of the interview that was supposed to happen today.
So, here she was, in the centre of town, trying to find somebody to ask a set of questions to. After all, she couldn't face the public if she went back empty handed, her reader's were looking forward to the next column- even if she wasn't looking forward to writing it! Luckily, the weather was at least on her side, and in the warm spring sunshine a certain cafe was the furry's first resort.
There would be kids trying to buy ice cream surely, the weather was far too nice for them not to be...And perhaps while in there she could have a cup of coffee. Pushing her laptop bag over her shoulder, Emi took the final few steps towards the menu board outside, studying it intensely.
Hm...Chocolate chip, or an iced coffee. The decisions, the decisions.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:24 am
About that time, two of those children she had expected to be about came for a stroll and a snack. The elder - a small purple skinned female with her long black hair in pigtails and eyes seemingly perpetually closed - skipped along, leading her little sister - a rather pudgy panda baby - by the hand. While the younger child was more intent on having her sister read the menu, the elder was more interested in people and promptly greeted Emi as soon as she saw her.
"Hihi!" Ebony intoned warmly, "Are you here for ice cream too?"
Shiraz pouted. Usually her sister being so social wasn't a problem but the bear wanted her treat!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:36 am
She'd been so intent on trying to decide between the iced coffees that when the child spoke to her, the middle aged journalist nearly jumped out of her skin. There, in front of her, stood a pair of sisters- it only took a second for it to click, aha! These two would do nicely. Clearing her throat, Emi smiled on down towards the pair.
"Oh, no, I'm here on business," Glancing from one pair to the other, her furry fingers reached into her pocket, fishing out a pen, and a small piece of white card. Clearly, the bear wanted ice cream, and she couldn't blame her - she knew exactly what it was like to live in a layer of thick fur, and on a day like today as a child she would have jumped miles for a cold treat.
"Are you taking your sister out for ice cream? I hear the chocolate chip is very good," First, roll them in gently, and then you can ask the questions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:40 am
"Yep yep. Shiraz loves to eat and since its all warm and she's got fur, I figured she'd like to cool down with something nummy like ice cream." Ebony agreed with a smile. She'd been about to ask about the lady's work when the topic of chocolate chip was brought up, "Oh I don't much like chocolate or most sweets. I'm getting vanilla. Shiraz likes everything though so I'ma try to get her something yummy."
The bear, now noticing the topic was on food, smiled a bit and waved to the woman. Chocolate was nice all right. But maybe there was something better. Like mint. Mmm mint.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:00 am
Listening to the little girl talk with an attentive ear, Emi couldn't help but chuckle - how long had it been since she'd spoken to children? It'd been far too long the journalist decided, and the little bear in front of her reminded her of Toby at home, in a strange sense. He'd eat anything and everything, even more so if it was sweets...Well, when she said everything, it was everything bar Emi's attempts at savoury recipes.
Well, these two were now ascertained to be sisters, not friends, so perhaps it was time to lean in for the kill. "I work for a local newspaper, your parent's might read it?" She started, on the rather hopeful note.
"We're doing a small article on family life, I've been trying to find people to talk about their family with," Pushing the white card into the little girl's hands, it was now time to tempt the panda's sweetest tooth. One eye glanced at the menu, before her tail swished all the way round to by her side, the fluffy tip almost wagging. There, straight ahead on the board was the most expensive thing on the menu, a fudge brownie, covered in lashings of chocolate, one ball of mint ice cream, one of vanilla, with a chocolate flake, whipped cream and fudge sauce. It was a calorie delight, a dessert that would have striked fear into the heart of any dieter, and dentist alike.
"I had a little sister much like Shiraz when I was little," She started, seeming to veer completely off topic for a second.
"Hm..If you'd like Shiraz, would you like to share one of those fudge cakes? There's vanilla on it too," The vanilla was an important second half she decided, addressing the question to both girls. Emi knew full well she could more than likely devour the entire fudge cake whole, happily, but for the sake of serious journalism she'd be willing to share.
"I don't think I could finish one by myself, and your sister seems to have a large appetite," Emi proposed, waving back at the panda child.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:12 am
"Mama doesn't read newspapers." Shiraz commented quietly, holding Ebony's hand and looking at the woman.
"Well that's just because she's Mama, 'Raz. Uncle Charlie reads them sometimes and so does Bailey." her elder sibling replied with a warm smile, ruffling the baby's hair tufts with her free hand.
The panda's attention was then turned to the card. She couldn't exactly read it and had to tug her sister down to look. But before the purple girl did, the baby was questioned about sharing a dessert. Well, the way to her heart was usually through her stomach so Emi'd won the tot's agreement to questions already.
Ebony looked at the item in question and back at the journalist with a smile. "I think 'Raz looks like she wants to take you up on that. I wasn't going to get her one since it seems like a lot - too much sugar's bad for her - but sharing should be fine." the girl explained with a grin.
Truthfully, the purple skinned girl would have just gotten her little sister a cone of something and the pair would have been willing to answer anything asked of them, but now that the offer was made, it seemed perfectly fine and like something not needed to be passed up. Though, Ebby made sure to keep knowledge of the more 'normal' families in the area - such as those of her many friends - in mind, seeing as her family was a bit odd and it would need to be clarified as such.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:26 am
Bailey? Uncle Charlie? The names rolled around in her head, storing them for the time when she needed to write everything up later. Now, once the child had agreed so wholeheartedly to her offer of ice cream, she took her first step off the spot they'd been standing on for the past few minutes.
"Just a second then," Luckily, today, they had put quite a few people behind the till, and it was just a matter of minutes before the ice cream had been ordered- who knew getting interviews was this easy? Had she of known this early this morning, she would have skipped the two hour ride half the way across Barton to Mr and Mrs Rooks. Unluckily, that was the beauty of hindsight, but oh well - she had her scoop.
"Shall we find a seat?" Emi practically beamed down towards the pair, perhaps a little strange for the journalist, but for once she was actually enjoying talking to someone. Certainly, talking to the pair was a few up on discussing the price of oranges with a local farmer.
"So...You live with your uncle, and your Mother then?" She started.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:38 am
The two girls led their new companion over to a seat and plopped themselves down across from her. Ebby made sure to keep herself on the outer seat so as to keep Shiraz from running off or anything - that's how Bails usually had them sit so he could monitor the pair. Though usually it was the purple girl he watched for running off, not her sister.
"Uncle, Mama, twee brothers." Shiraz replied quietly, curling comfortably into her seat and watching the other woman.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:47 am
"Big family, then, hm?" Curling her tail around the seat as she sat down, she produced a small jotter out of her trouser pocket. Opening it up half way, she poised, pen at the ready.
"You don't mind, do you?" She queried as a secondary thought, twirling her fountain pen between her mocha brown fingers. Her ears twitched as she spoke, a warming smile still inked onto her face.
"It must be really fun having five of you, I presume you play together a lot?" Emi's pen, and Emi's mouth seemed to work together like clockwork, while one would question, the other would quickly jhot down the question without a moments thought. The journalist didn't even blink at her page- it was a skill born out of many interviews over the years, sometimes there just wasn't enough time to write.
As an afterthought, she joked. "Are they all as sweet toothed as you then?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:00 am
"Not at all, go ahead." Ebony replied to the bit about the jotter, seeing as her sister seemed to not notice it.
"Nah. Don't play with brothers, all siblings older." Shiraz replied. "Bailey's a teenger, Sinny's got 'ther friends, 'n' Lua's anti-soshul. Ebs plays with me, takes me places 'n so does Bailey, but we don't play together." There she went, slurring and mispronouncing words again. But they seemed to be at least coming out all right.
"The others aren't particularly sweet toothed, no. Our mother's tastebuds don't work anymore, our Uncle and eldest brother aren't picky, and Lua doesn't like anything - though I think that's just because he's going through a bratty phase. Sinny's got a bit of one but he likes eating other stuff more. Shiraz is the only one who really loves sweets especially." Ebony added, seeing as her sister barely registered what a sweet tooth was, and didn't exactly observe the family eating habits.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:14 am
Not one detail of this little family was missed, from Lua's bratty stage, to the fact that two out of the four children were male. Pausing to nod in the correct places, her pen did most of the work, padding out the jotter with details. Now, had she have been with the Rooks, now was the time to talk about their marriage, but she'd have to tweak things in her mind now matters hadn't gone completely to plan.
"Are you are biologically related then?" Clearly, the pair in front of her weren't, although on second thought - it was possible, Gaia came up with far stranger people at times. Keeping her smile, one ear twitched as the waitress finally wandered over towards their table, complete with a huge glass bowl of ice cream and cake, as well as a small cup of coffee. Picking up the milk jug, Emi poured a few drops into her black coffee.
"Tuck in," She announced, taking a sip of her drink.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:23 am
"Nope. Not a one." Ebony replied with a smile. "Bailey and Lua come from other planets, Sinny came from a plant that exploded, I came from a laboratory, and Shiraz came out of a cabbage - but Mommy adopted her as she is. It seems odd but a lot of my friends' families all come from weird places too."
The purple girl monitored her sister as the panda took up a spoon and started to tuck in as commanded. The child was in charge of her sister and told to make sure the baby didn't eat too much at once lest she get brain freeze. That'd be awkward - particularly since they were with someone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:34 am
Nothing surpised the furry, she herself wasn't from Gaia, and she very much doubted half the people she worked with (apart from Annette) were from Gaia either. Coffee in one hand, pen in the other, her fingers still didn't stop any fault in her writing; every last detail was written down.
"A cabbage? Are there a lot of children like Shiraz then?," Pausing with a smile, she shook her head, twitching the furry tips of her ears back to her skull in the process. She'd never heard of children coming out of cabbages, books, items, desks, glasses- yes, but never a cabbage.
"Oh gosh, don't worry, it's not strange, my parent's weren't from this planet either," She commented calmly, before pressing on with the next few series of questions.
"Where do you all go out together then, when you do go out?" Leaning over the table, she delved into a childish habit of taking the peak off a cream mountain, popping the cream right into her coffee.
"Do you eat as a family?" She finally questioned, ending her line for now.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:52 am
"Yes actually. I wanted a sister - since I was the only girl in the family - so I looked up local places that had adoptions and sent Mama to get one. There's a place in Barton known as the Cabbage Patch and people can take home genetically engineered cabbages that hatch children. Or they can be adopted as babies, either way." the half demoness explained matter-of-factly before taking a bite of the monstrous dessert as well.
"We don't go out all together, us'ly. Too manivus 'n' too differ'nt intrests. Go in small groups though. Us'ly Bails, 'n' Ebby, 'n' me. Sinny comes too sometimes. Or Mama instead of Bails." the younger female explained, words messed up beyond their usual point because she was clearing a bit of fudge off of her lips. Still a baby, she hadn't completely perfected her manners yet.
"'Raz, wait till you've finished your bite first, sweetie." the older girl chided softly, patting her sister's head. "Sorry if you couldn't understand that, Miss. I can translate if you like."
With a nod, the tot swallowed the rest of the way before speaking again. "Eat mostly together, 'less we's out. Lua drifs in 'n' out but rest of us eat together. Mostly cause tha's when food is made."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 12:09 pm
Had she not been so open minded, the notion of a child getting her mother to go out and get her another sister would have certainly been something to ponder on, but the journalist just nodded- getting each word down. Genetically engineered cabbages, eah? Who would have thought, certainly who would have thought that this little encounter would end up with Emiko recieving her very own cabbage in front of her door.
With another sip of her coffee, Emi almost blushed, had she not had a layer of thick fur stuck to her face her face would have been more flustered than it seemed. She'd forgotten the fact that she'd not yet introduced herself, other than through her card, which only really had her initials printed.
"Ah, forgive me, I'm Emi," With the introduction over, she stretched her tail around in a light flick around the tail.
"No, no, I think I got that, thanks. Do you have any favourite places to go out to with your family?"
"I don't blame Shiraz though, the fudge sauce is excellent," Emi finally noted with a smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
