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 Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:53 am
Who: Alfons, Kon, Meryl, and Rail
When: December 3rd; mid-morning
Where: Rail's Apothecary
Weather: Cold but clear; some light snow fell the previous night
"Take care, ma'am."
The front door shut with a clatter and a jangle of the overhanging bells. With the morning's first patron gone, Rail let his shoulders slump and his posture relax, releasing a soft sigh as he had done so. It had been a rude awakening to hear the front door being wailed upon and an even ruder first hour awake as the woman had been snippy, entitled, and foul mouthed. Rail had bared the brunt with a minimal smile and was grateful, at least, for the fact that through the grumbling, himming, and hawwing that Meryl hadn't come down to hear it herself. He didn't know how she would have handled it, and didn't even want to think of what the old bag would have gone on about if she saw his citrus-y daughter. Hell, he didn't even want to think of how he would have reacted to such a thing and instead set about cleaning up his work station.
The old woman had wanted to fill a prescription for an arthritis remedy and because of that the tabletop before him was littered with all manner of herbs, powders, tools, bottled liquids, and packaging materials. The apothecary frowned as he surveyed the damage before deftly sweeping various herbs into segregated piles. She had insisted on a tonic rather than tablets. Said it was better for him because it was impossible to choke on a liquid like you would a tablet. And if she didn't choke, he wouldn't get his a** handed to him for murder. Thinking back on it made the dark haired man shake his head and grumble "You can choke on a liquid, you old bat." under his breath.
While Rail made himself clean up - he was expecting quite a few people after last night's snowfall that brought a terrifying three inches of powder - Meryl was adding finishing touches to her tiny person before making her way down. She had heard the strained yelling of an unhappy woman and while no one bossed her papa around like that, she knew better than to run down there and start demanding 'who do you think you are?'. Not after the first - and last - time.
Instead, the citrus-scented Dust went about making breakfast while Rail bore the old woman like a temporary pain in his back. Toast with peanut butter and a glass of milk was her chosen source of morning nourishment and now that she was done eating she was keen to get outside and play in the freshly fallen snow. Her red plaid coat was buttoned, her matching scarf was tied and tucked, all that was left was her fur-trimmed cloak - which was proving to be finicky to get off the coat rack.
"Come on...Mmph!" The blonde haired child stood on the tiptoes of her coal black boots but could only just touch the white trim of the cloak. She puffed her cheeks out in frustration, but was undeterred. A chair would solve her problem just right, but the Dust opted instead for the foot stool Rail had gotten for her. It was "Meryl-size" as the older man had put it and had served her well over the past couple of months. There was no reason why it wouldn't now. Meryl carried the wooden stool over and plonked it down in front of the rack. The latter's outstretched legs kept her from putting her step against the rack as she had hoped, but even with that in the way, she was still able to climb atop the stool and reach her cloak.
"Easy." Meryl chirped as she pulled the black cloak down and threw it over her shoulders. The hood was placed atop her curly head and with yet gloved hands the Dust tied the strings into a bow just beneath the bottom lip of her scarf. With that set, Meryl opened the door downstairs and took the steps two at a time.
"Good morning, papa!" She cried as she made her way to Rail from the bottom of the stairs, hugging the dark haired man around the leg. Rail gave a start as the Dust was suddenly attached to him, but chuckled and rested a hand on her head.
"Good morning Meryl. Going outside I see."
"Mmhm! I wanna make a snow man!"
"The snow's powdery, so you might have some trouble..." He knew that wouldn't deter Meryl, but wanted to give the warning all the same. "Did you have breakfast?"
The Dust nodded happily. "Toast with peanut butter."
"Good. Eat it all?" Another nod. "Okay, you can go out and play...if you do one thing for me."
Meryl's face had lit up at Rail's allowance, but the clause made her pause and look at him owlishly. Rail chuckled again and held out a hand filled with thin, frail-looking twigs.
"Could you put these away for me? I've gotta get this tidy before the next person arrives and I could use a little help."
"That's all?"
"That's all." Immediately the twigs were snatched from his hand and Meryl was skipping off between the towering rows of shelves - a plume of sweet orange scent aerating in her wake.
"Okay papa!"
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 4:44 pm
A cough wracked the body of a pale blond man decked out in the cleanest white coat and hat ensemble you ever did see. A dark scarf was wrapped nearly around his neck, tucked into the neck of the coat like an ornate cravat. With his fairly messy hair pressed down by the hat and most of his face concealed from the cold thanks to the scarf, only one of his eyes was visible. It was a light brown, but against all of the stark whites surrounding and covering him it looked obviously blood shot.
Beside him was a smaller figure about the size of a child nearing puberty, cloaked from head to toe in browns, reds and tans. The only color that breached this pattern was the dark blue of his pants, which were messily tucked into thick brown boots. His coat was long and thick, hanging loosely and looking two sizes too big. Beside the taller man, the top of his hooded head seemed to reach just under his bicep and his stance while walking seemed uneasy like a woman learning to walk in heels. A bright red scarf covered his face from the nose down, but its ends were long and not tucked away, draping far over his shoulder or almost tripping him up. Scruffy locks of black hair covered his forehead, russet skin almost blending with the hue of his hood. His eyes, darkened and black, held two mismatched eyes -- yellow and blue -- that shone brightly against the dark of his sclera.
With each uneasy step, the younger of the two was falling behind without the other noticing. He attempted to scramble faster, holding his gloved hands out (dark fingers with sharp looking black nails peeking out of the holes) for balance but to no avail. The surrounding snow did little to help and after a bit more tripping about, he took a knee. It was then he let out a whine, somewhere between that of a sad puppy and a scared child, and another fit of coughs came from his older companion as he stopped and turned to look behind.
"Dammit," he sputtered, turning quickly on his heel and nearly slipping on the snow himself, "Come on." His black gloved hands, these ones neat and tidy without the accompanying finger holes, reached out and began fussing with his scarf, taking the two long ends and tying them into something passable that wouldn't trip him up anymore. That settled, he held onto the boy's arms and provided leverage for him to get to his feet and keep a steady stance. All the while, his eyes gleamed happily while the blond man's looked even more tired and agitated.
Once settled, he made to move away from the boy but now that he was holding onto his arm he was determined not to let go. Alfons grumbled, looking down at his charge in annoyance. "Off," he commanded, but the Dust child looked up at him, silently pleading, and he couldn't keep eye contact. "Rrgh..." glancing in the direction of their destination, he eased back. They were practically there as it was. If he had to hold on for the duration of that time then, as long as he didn't get tripped up, it was no skin off his back. "Fine. Just until we get there."
A dull thumping sound from behind them signified that this was an acceptable situation. The snow crunched under their feet, amusing the child now that he had no fear of being left behind or abandoned in the cold. A soft, almost growling sound was coming from him, heavily muffled by the scarf, but there was also an occasional tinge of laughter to it that at least let his caretaker know he wasn't angry.
Yards turned into feet and before long they were before a building the blond would have normally overlooked. He scrutinized the exterior critically, craning his neck to get a better view. Was this really the place?
"Okay papa!"
Alfons tensed as Konstantin excitedly dug his claws into the arm of his coat. Thankfully his nails weren't sharp enough to pierce the fabric, but the immediate reaction of "Hey, hey!" made him quickly back off. The voice sounded young, certainly not older than the child next to him, but a worry was rising in the back of his mind then. Would this werewolf child pose a danger to other children? To his knowledge he had never met any others, only being around himself, Ezekiel and his assistance, Henry. And what, then, if it turned out this was the wrong place after all and he had brought a potentially dangerous child-creature into this home?
...No going back now.
Letting out a frustrated grumble, Alfons made a fist and rapped it roughly against the front door of the building that doubled as an Apothecary. Watching his movements carefully, Konstantin waited a moment, raised his own fist, and mimicked the motion exactly. More thumping against cloth. Alfons narrowed his eyes at him, unamused.
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Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2012 5:27 pm
Rail chuckled as his daughter skipped off, shaking his head as he turned back to finish cleaning up. The piles he had made were swept or picked up one at a time into his hands before being carried to their designated drawers; filling many of them back to full although the odd one or two was looking pitifully empty even with the returned contents. This made the apothecary frown and inwardly chide himself to go to the market when he was next able to do so, taking down mental notes of what was needed out of what he had just put back.
Chamomile and St. John's Wort...I think I'm running low on--
A resounding knock - then two - on the door cut Rail's thought and drew his eyes from his storage bin to the door. Knowing how some clientele needed assistance with the basic things in life, the dark haired man briskly strode out from the aisle, lifting the bridge of the counter up to get through to the lobby area of his pharmacy. Once through, he kept his pace until he reached the door, not peeking out of the curtains before swinging it open.
"Uh...Hello?"
Two figures clad in what had to be both the most and thickest winter garb he had ever seen stood on his stoop. Seeing them decked out for what could only be described as a potential North Pole expedition made Rail pause and stare blankly for a handful of long moments. Eventually his eyes slid from the strangers to the definitely-not-deep snow and the sight of that white covering helped jog Rail back to the now.
"You ah...You must be my next appointment!" The apothecary laughed nervously, stepping back from the door and holding it wide for the colorful polar explorers. "Please come in, won't you? Make yourselves at home."
When the knocks rang out in the quiet apothecary, Meryl had most definitely heard them. Standing on tiptoe once more in order to stick the thin, twiggy herbs her papa had given her in their proper place, the Dust child turned her attention to the door at the front of the establishment. Once Rail moved to that place and into her line of sight, the girl merely shrugged and finished the task assigned to her, keen to leave the pharmacy and set about making her snowman as previously declared. However, as she slid the drawer shut again, Rail's questioned greeting made her look to the door again, standing still in puzzlement.
That's weird.
But it was quickly taken care of. As Rail moved out of the way, Meryl caught a glimpse of Alfons in all his splendor and like her papa, had to stare. Recovering just as quick with the notion that she had to take a closer look at that, the Dust girl padded down the aisle and to the spot where the still-raised bridge normally covered. Peeking out, she saw that there was not one, but two odd-looking people coming in. Although the taller figure was a sight to see in all his white, it was the shorter person that Meryl stared at the most. His clothing colors stood out more for sure, but just how odd he looked in his too-big coat, too-long scarf, and giant hood was too silly not to draw her gaze. In fact, it was so silly that it struck a chord with the Citrus Dust, making her giggle audibly before she covered her mouth with her hands.
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 2:15 pm
The taller of the pair stared at the owner of the shop as he opened the door, looking confused at their attire. It was cold. Alfons didn't feel the need to justify himself to a man he would only be speaking to once (or a mere once in a while, if the results from these prescriptions were as desired). The only reason his young companion was as bundled as he was, though, was for the sake of disguise.
"You would be correct," the blond male muttered, pulling the hem of his scarf down to uncover the bottom of his face. Without so much as a thank you, he tugged the hand holding the young Dust's at his side and with a stumble they were both inside, past Rail. The interior was much warmer, a comfortable temperature without the wind chill, and Alfons wasted no time in undoing his scarf, removing his hat and pulling off his gloves. His already messy fluff of blond hair was twisted in all sorts of directions thanks to the fluffy lining of the hat but he didn't seem to notice outside of a stubborn shake of his head.
Beside him, Konstantin finally felt comfortable enough on a completely flat surface to let go of his alpha's hand and take a few clunky steps, eyes wandering over everything. This place looked very different from Alfons' home, which was practically spotless now that the kitchen's walls had been fixed and everything was in order aside from his occasionally muddy paws tracking marks on the floor. This place, however, felt cozy and lived in, unlike Alfons' home which felt more like... well, a museum. There were many things Konstantin was not allowed to touch, let alone go near, in his home, but here it looked like everything had a use and everything was free game to touch.
A gruff cough quickly broke the brief silence between all parties present and Alfons quickly brought a hand to his mouth as it turned into a more violent group that made him bend over uneasily. Once they were over, he let out an irritable grumble and looked at Rail while keeping his mouth covered by a hand. Parting his fingers so his voice wouldn't be muffled, he asked bluntly "Do you have anything for that?" With Winter only just getting started, it was bound to get worse from here on out.
Beneath his hood, Kon's ears drooped slightly and he looked at his guardian with concern. That wasn't normal, not at all, and it had only started a couple days ago. Was it something that would pass just as quickly as it had come or, perhaps, it would be with him the rest of his life? Just as a rumble of a whine started in the back of his throat, it was cut short by a sound that caught the werewolf pup off guard.
Giggling.
His gaze quickly found the culprit, a curly haired blonde girl that he hadn't notice even enter the room was chuckling and looking at him. It was a happy sound, one his Alpha had never made but one he had heard from others off and on. In time with her giggling, Konstantin's cheeks rose with an obvious smile despite it being hidden beneath the red scarf and a soft, quiet thumping of fabric came from somewhere alongside a short boyish chuckle of his own.
"What?" he asked curiously, voice muffled, before approaching Meryl's little nook behind the counter. Gracelessly, Kon propped his arms up on the edge of the counter and peered over it at her, grin still present. If she was to be laughing, he wanted to know at what so he could laugh too!
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Posted: Mon Jan 23, 2012 3:17 pm
As the pair made their way in without thank you or general pleasantries, Rail kept his frown to a minimal size as he shut the door behind them. As the door was placed in its jam, the bells hanging overhead rang out again before falling silent and the apothecary faced his new appointments. As he looked at the pale haired man and his shorter still-covered companion, the frown faded into neutrality. Rail instead took to noting how the adult's cheeks were flushed and his eyes were a little watery, knowing both could just be from the cold they had just come in from. However, when Alfons released that hacking cough, Rail felt it was more due to that cough than the weather.
"Do you have anything for that?"
As muffled as the question was, it was spoken in an irritable tone. Crossing his arms and remaining neutral faced, Rail felt as though he'd be in for one of those types of appointments.
"I might. Do you have a prescription?"
One hand was removed from the criss-cross and Rail gestured toward the bay window seat so the new man could sit down but did not yet move himself to the bridge to get behind the counter. If there was a prescription - and he dearly hoped there was so he wouldn't have to pussyfoot around - he wanted to have it in hand so he could immediately toddle off into the rows of shelves for supplies.
With eyes on the sickly man, Rail did not see his shorter companion wander off to look around. However, Meryl had her eyes on the Werewolf, only peeling them away to giggle again as Alfon's hair briefly took on the appearance of a dandelion gone to seed as well as stare openly at the tall man when he gave that hacking cough. He did not sound well at all to the little girl, but she was confident her papa's medicine could set him right. With that assurance she went back to looking at Kon, surprised to see the werewolf looking back at her.
Oh! Her laughter hadn't been as muffled as she thought and with the other Dust looking at her, the girl couldn't help but duck under the bridge again as though they were playing hide and seek. In doing so, she missed the show of Kon's tail wagging, but that was no matter when the male peeked over the counter at her.
"What?"
Giving a little start, Meryl looked up at the taller child, ogling his size before reacting to his presence and question. Once she recovered, another series of giggling escaped her, because with him up close and personal, she could really see how funny he looked in his get up!
"You look so silly!" Her words were not muted by gloves this time and the blonde girl tittered her words out. "Your coat is so...big!"
"Meryl," Unmuffled, Rail heard his daughter's words quite clearly and his carried a chide. Meryl looked surprised and covered her mouth with one hand, squeezing between Kon and the counter to get out front and look her father in the eye.
"Yes, papa?" She knew what she had said and how it could be conveyed, but she didn't mean anything by it. She tried to show this with how she smiled innocently at the apothecary and even twined her hands behind her back as well.
"Be polite to our guests." He gave his child a knowing - if not amused look - that made the Citrus Dust release the wafting scent of tangerines as she looked to Kon and gave him a little curtsy.
"Sorry!"
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:26 pm
When the doctor crossed his arms, Alfons narrowed his eyes. He left a hand over his mouth, both to cover the scowl that was present in order to save face but also an attempt to keep his germs from spreading. His next question felt incredibly condescending to the blond, whether Rail said it with such a tone or not. Before he could respond, the apothecary motioned for him to seat and Alfons took it eagerly, still keeping his mouth covered.
"No," he hissed, voice muffled, "I was referred here. Said your stuff was better and healthier than normal pharmacies..." Letting out a gruff sigh, which lead to another small cough, Alfons leaned back against the window. "Do I really need a prescription for these symptoms? Nobody told me to call ahead."
Across the room, Kon was still grinning beneath his red scarf at the girl, awaiting an answer. She seemed taken off guard, to which he tilted his head, but his expression remained the same. He couldn't tell if she was thinking or just staring, but she started laughing again and this just made the boy grin harder, letting out a couple chuckles of his own. It wasn't until she blurted it out that he understood and looked down at himself. Kon hadn't really given much thought to how he looked, but he certainly felt silly wearing all this bulky mess! It was so hard to move. Alfons insisted, however, and though he still didn't understand why he had to hide, he knew people not seeing his more eye catching features made his alpha more comfortable.
The werewolf child moved to pull his scarf down so the bottom of his face was visible, but he required a bit of tugging and arranging to get it comfortable, in which time the girl's alpha told her off. The word she referred to him as, though, 'papa', he had heard other children use in regards to their parents. These two looked and smelled nothing alike, and Kon dropped his arms to his sides to stare at Rail curiously. Was this girl who he was not the father to one like him? Since they arrived, he could certainly sense some similarity, but it was extremely hard to place. She smelled so fragrant, like fresh fruits -- a smell he was well acquainted with thanks to Alfons' mostly plant-based diet. Her alpha-not-father smelled incredibly different, simultaneously of the forest but also nearly of nothing, a sort of sterile scent that the Dust did not care for.
Turning back to look at the girl, Kon gave a soft huff from his nostrils before leaning over the counter top again and draping his arms across it to rest his chin on the wood. "Meryl?" he repeated, keeping his voice low but there was a curious grin present. It was a nice name, rolled off the tongue easily and felt surprisingly strong for such a bright colored, fruit smelling girl. Letting out another quiet chuckle, his smirk broadened and he tilted his head, "Can we play outside?" She looked dressed up to go and as difficult, as it was to navigate the snow, it was getting far too warm for his comfort in this building while being wrapped up like this. Maybe outside he could take his hood off, too... if she promised not to tell either of their alphas.
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