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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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 Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 11:57 am
From The Ashes - Part One It was the middle of the night and the only light shining in Ianna's room was the digital alarm clock she had invested in. But that isn't what woke her up.
The voice in her head, the sharp, frantic voice of Matilda, woke her up. "What the fark do you want?" she murmured, hiding her head under her pillow as if it would keep the woman's voice from ringing in her mind. Unfortunately, no amount of blockage of the outside sound could quiet her voice.
"A new wand has awakened, Mother. It's in Egypt and your arm is better. This means you get to go get it. Now."
Ianna grumbled and poked her head, hair flying every which way in a fashion which was more crazy than usual, from beneath the pillow. "Mmph...It's..." silver eyes flicked towards the clock. "Two...In the morning, Matilda. Go away."
There was an angry hiss. "You didn't get the other wand I had begged you to get, and it went dormant again. Who knows when, or if, it will wake again. You need to go get this one!"
Her daughter's words were true. She hadn't gone for the last wand and...She sighed, sitting up and looking half dazed. "Egypt, eh? Where in Egypt?"
There was a long stretch of silence. "The desert."
Great. "Uh huh. Let me get dre--"
As per usual, the woman was cut off and teleported, as is, into a strange place. "ssed.....Did you just send me here in my NIGHTGOWN!?"
There was a devious giggle. "Mmhmm, now GET LOOKING."
Ianna looked positively livid as she trudged through the ankle-deep sand, carefully and slowly. There was snakes. And scorpions. And other things in the desert she didn't want to think of. God she hated snakes.
Thankfully, unlike her Indian adventure, she ran into little trouble at all. A few scorpions scuttled past her, but nothing really bothered her as she made her way through the thick, sand, already hot with the sun. It was day time in Egypt, after all.
"Matilda, it's hot. I'm tired. I haven't found the wand, and I want to go home."
"You always say you haven't found it and want to go home and a few minutes later you find it." Matilda pointed out. Ianna grumbled. Her daughter was right, and that annoyed her to no end.
But she needed a rest and so she plopped on her rear in the sand, closing her eyes. "This desert is huge, Matilda...It could take me forever to find it....Please just tell me."
Matty sighed. "It's somewhere east of here. That's all I really know...."
Ianna's eyes looked around here and she hissed, standing up slowly and starting in the direction she had been told.
A few minutes of walking and she saw some flames leaping from the sand...a mirage? Maybe, but it could also be a wand...god she hoped it wasn't on fire.
Aha! A....OH! A PHOENIX! "SWEEEET MONKIES!" she screeched and grabbed at it...the fire was cold as ice. "Can I go home NOW?"
Matilda laughed. "Uh huh, sour puss."
 ~End Part One~
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 12:01 pm
Ianna sat at her desk, as per usual, reading and writing in what appeared to be a very old ledger. Six children had been found, and one still needed a home.
Carefully she wrote over the pencil marks for the newest wand with her fountain pen, making sure not to blot any of the ink. SHe wanted it to be neat and legible. It was just the kind of person she was.
"I wonder how long it will take this time to find a home for the little thing, eh? Though I'm going to be sad to see this one go. It's so pretty and wrapped in fire..." she trailed off and stroked at the wand.
It would be interesting to see who this one went to. Little did she know that the new guardian would be coming in shortly to claim it.
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:14 pm
Dafriel wandered the early morning streets, restless. He had left Kelinor asleep, for once a respite while the children she had adopted were being cared for by their great-aunt in the days running up to the holiday. Theoretically the shapeshifter was shopping for a gift; but his mind was moody, swirling with thoughts of home, and he strolled the streets with a vague frown on his face, pale eyes lost behind the glasses.
Eventually something nibbled at his attention, and he glanced up. Just a normal, quiet street, a few people wandering here and there. And another shop, that somehow drew his curiousity. The man, if he was in his other form, would have pricked his ears and sniffed cautiously; instead, he just shrugged and turned the handle to the shop door, peering into the room with dust dancing in the sunbeams.
"Good morning," he said aimiably, scanning the walls of boxes and eyes finally settling on the pale woman sitting writing at a desk in the centre of the room.
"Are you open?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:21 pm
Ianna's silver eyes lifted to look at the man who had peeked in. "Mmm, we're always open." she said, shifting in her stool. A voice in her head immediately prodded her to let her know that the one who had entered the room was yet another guardian to her wands.
HER shinies.
"Come on in and sit down...Welcome to Ghosts of the Past....YES Matilda, I realize...NO Matilda...JUST SHUT UP DAMNITTTT!"
She growled low, seeming to be talking to herself. Ianna was really annoyed by her daughter, so it seemed, especially since she had JUST gotten Coailiann to take a nap after hours upon hours of her crying. "Mmph....sorry, please, come in..."
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:27 pm
"Ghosts of the Past?" Dafriel looked vaguely confused as he was told to take a seat. He hadn't somehow wandered into a pet adoption shop, had he? He was definitely shopping for a present, but another pet was not what Kel-chan needed. A brief thought sprang into his head as he realised he had no pet or strange ward thrust upon him; he grinned to himself, revealing slightly pointed canines, unuasual on such a mild looking, bespectacled man. He slung his black coat onto one arm, and pushed the sleeves of his blue shirt further up his elbows as he took a seat, peering round the shelves once more. He politely continued paying attention to the woman, but blinked as she seemed to be talking to herself. Maybe she was called Matilda?
He cleared his throat, trying not to catch dust in it.
"Uh... so, what do you sell here, miss?"
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 3:37 pm
A devious smile touched Ianna's lips. "Oh, we don't sell anything here, darling." she said. "We give things. Hold on a moment..."
The woman disappeared behind the desk for a few moments before popping back up, a large leather bound book being plopped on the desk with a large, loud THUD...Dust flew everywhere as she did and she giggled to herself.
"Place your hand on the book, please?" she asked, pushing the book towards him until it was sitting right before him. Once more, she wondered what reaction she would get THIS time. Each guardian had wonderful reactions, but none had been better than the black man's.
The moment he touched it, the book would start to glow and would fly open, dust being sprayed every which way and the pages moving quickly, as if an invisible wind was rushing past and rustling the pages. It would stop on a page with a beautiful sketch of a wand, wrapped in fire, feathers hanging from it..and a pair of wings.
Under the picture it would say:
"Egypt. Wand ID 00005. A Soul has been trapped within the confines of the wand. Congratulations, you have become the next guardian to take on the task of raising it from infancy to greatness. We, Ianna and I, have the upmost faith in you to complete your task dutifully. Best of luck,
Matilda."
If he looked to the side, he would see the exact wand pictured sitting beside Ianna.
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:00 pm
It was till morning, and Daniel was still in bemused mode. He blinked at the thud the large book made on the table as it was placed in front of him, and automatically reached a hand out.
A few milliseconds before he touched the beautiful leatherbound book, instinct kicked in. Wait a minute! What the hell did he think he was doing? They give stuff out, huh? Well, he wasn't going to be saddled with anything, that was for damn sure!
Pale blue eyes startled and then angry, he whipped his hand back, but his fingers brushed the surface as they retreated.
"Kirichnahin!" The word was probably an expletive in whatever northern tongue he uttered it, the way it was spat from his mouth as a crazy thing began to happen to the book. His chair thudded back as he extended long legs to push himself away, and he was on his feet as the book finally fell open with a frenzied rustle, and was silent.
Dust settled on the tableau, the still-grinning woman, the man half stood up in his seat, the book sitting innocently as if nothing had ever possessed it.
Dafriel swallowed before setting his face into a narrow frown. He could see the beautiful sketching in the book, the writing a little too small for him to see from that distance, but a quick glance suddenly revealed that the exsquisite drawing was merely a copy of the gorgeous real item sitting previously unnoticed on the desk beside it.
"Please tell me this is a shopping catalogue," he growled, eyes flashing dangerously.
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:04 pm
Ianna giggled. "Oh No." she read slowly the reading of the book, and watched for his reaction.
Inside, she was near giddy from his reaction. Definitely one of the top reactions....and that was a highlight of her day. "You're going to be a father....Daniel." she raised a brow. "Lovely name, by the way."
She loved the fact her daughter knew things and she could frighten the customers. Just then, though, a baby's cry filled the air and caused her to hiss. "Excuse me. Coailiann's up."
The woman walked into the next room, picked up the infant, and walked back out...a placated girl in her arms.
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:33 pm
The shapeshifter's eyes darted to the door, the windows. Oh, no. A father? This was EXACTLY the opposite of what he'd come out to do. Here had been priding himself on not having fallen victim to the craziness that surrounded Barton town, where people became guardians to children not of this world... obviously spoke too damn soon, didn't he.
"How do you know my name?" He spoke harshly, the scent of the silvered woman's smug satisfaction filling his nose as she excused herself momentarily. Was this some kinda trick? He didn't let on that at least his real name was safe; she had used his nickname instead... Perhaps she had heard it once.
His mind quickly dismissed that however. Something was up, and it was a baby. His mind, running as it was along the lines of 'guardianship', quickly connected the firetwain, rich spice-smelling wand with a child, and he leaned forward to slam his hands on the desk either side of the book, and read ferociously.
'Congratulations'?
Just freakin' great!
He recognised the last name, Matilda, as what the woman had been muttering. Who Ianna was, he had no idea. He read it again, a sinking feeling in his heart.
"And what happens if I say no?" He looked up, lip curling slightly derisively as he raised his head to fix the woman with a piercing gaze, as she stood unconcernedly, a girl-babe cradled in her arms.
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Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:58 pm
Ianna blinked. Maybe this guy wasn' t the best of guardians for a child? Eh. If the wand chose him, the wand chose him. There was no switching guardians...not right now, anyway.
"You can't. If you do, the babe will die. The soul inside this wand died a horrible death already and is being given a second chance. Do you want to be the one to take the poor babe's life away?" she replied, sliding into the stool she had perched herself on previously. Coailiann looked over to Daniel with wide eyes, shining brightly and innocently...for the most part. She seemed a little mischievous as well.
"And I know your name because you were supposed to come here, it's simple as that." If he reacted this badly to the book, how would he react to the paper portal which would transport them into the main headquarters? She didn't quite like to think of that
She did know, however, that Matilda could protect her and the infant if needed.
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:08 am
The man continued standing there, the hard look upon his face for a few seconds. Then, as if suddenly coming to a conclusion, he rolled his eyes up to the sky and flashed a defeated grin, slumping back down into the chair.
"Okay, okay, I get it," he said, vaguely annoyed but with a wry tone. "Kel's always getting these little burdens. Just never figured it would get round to me."
The initial shock over, he pulled the chair back towards the table for a better read. Studying it again, at last he shrugged.
"Well, I'm not the kinda person to leave little kids trapped... wherever they're trapped. In this wand?" He reached out to stroke the smooth wood gently, marvelling at the slight warmth it emitted, the feathers ethereal and soft to the touch. He became aware of small eyes fixed upon him, and looked up at the curious Coailinn.
"Is this little one from a wand as well?" He indicated with a brief wave towards the baby. Seeing her still staring, he pulled a face, to see if she would laugh. The werewolf had his scary, vicious front, one that he tried to convince himself was his real one, but underneath he wasn't that averse to fatherhood, even if it was of the proxy type.
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:14 am
Ianna gave a little chuckle as relief flooded her. He hadn't refused the babe..."Yes, their soul is trapped in that wand. It's a Phoenix, by the way...If you couldn't tell by the feathers and fire...which is absolutely cold and won't hurt you or light anything else on fire." She paused.
"Coailiann did indeed come from a wand, just as my other daughter, Matilda did. She's the one who trapped the souls in the wands to give 'em second chances....Kay here, however, decided she wanted to skip three stages and go straight to infant, not giving anyone time to claim her, so she became mine. She's a rebellious little Sidhe babe."
Coailiann, at the mention of her name, gave a cute little babble and clapped at her hands. "Ahugha!". An incoherant baby speech, but baby speech none the less as she reached out to grab the feathers hanging from Daniel's wand. She almost succeeded, as well, until Ianna pulled her back into her arms.
This caused the little girl to pout and give a dissatisfied snort. And then a whimper.
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:32 am
The 'shifter picked up the wand curiously. It was just shorter than the length of his forearm, and beautifully light. He gave it an experimental twirl, but then suddenly stopped, guilty. "So... uh, how does one go about caring for these wands? How do you release the child?" He was holding it gingerly now, as if he expected it to break. Another thought struck him.
"And this... Coailinn," he struggled slightly over the pronunciation, leaving a soft northern burr to it, " she is a Sidhe? Are they not all Phoenixes then? And how do you come by them?" He stopped for a few moments, suddenly realising he was on question overload.
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:39 am
Her silver eyes watched him and then smiled at his questions. It was good to question and not just accept. "You just..make sure they don't break. Talk to them. When they feel as if their safe, and you've accepted them, they'll slowly begin to emerge. As a wisp, at first, and then a baby ghost. From there it'll go to a normal infant baby, solid and mostly human.
And Coailiann...((Pronounced Kay-Lynn for you dear))Yes, she's a Sidhe. There's many many different souls, and you're probably the only one who will ever get a phoenix. Right now we have a Selkie, A sidhe, a Kitsune, A moon child, and a naga...They all have one thing in common. They are all magical creatures who died a horrible death."
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Ianna Umbridge Vice Captain
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