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 Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:53 pm
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:08 pm
It had been a long morning of errands. First they were off signing Anoki up for some ridiculous club, then there was a bit of shopping to do. It seemed Raven was to have students soon, finally, and while she was neither pleased nor displeased about it- her job was to teach, after all- she had to fit preparations in with her own schedule. And with Mahou out of town it mean that Raven had to take Anoki everywhere, which was quickly becoming boring. Some of the errands involved him, such as the club sign-ups and a quick visit to the doctor to see how his arm was progressing. But the rest bored Anoki so much that he had done something he didn't do very often. He whined, and whined, and wouldn't let up until they came to the park.
Raven wondered again, as she tried to keep her temper in line, if it was worth it. She could have probably found another job in Gaia. But free housing, and access to research... shaking her head, she pulled her bland tan trenchcoat around herself snugly. It felt like rain. With any luck, that meant that the visit to the park would be short.
Anoki moved a bit more slowly than he might have, but still did his best to get to the swings in a hurry. Last few times he was at the park, he didn't get to try them out, and they looked fun. But more importantly, they were a ways away from where Raven had decided to sit. He knew that complaining to his Mama usually just got him yelled at, but decided to risk it after the long boring day of going place to place and having to sit, or more often stand, and not touch, and stay quiet, and don't ask questions. If he didn't get some fun he would... he would explode!
He was so busy imagining this explosion, with lots of sparkles and noise, that he didn't notice the other boy until he was almost on top of him. Startled, he took two shaky steps back. That kid was BRIGHT! Pretty, but bright!
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:30 pm
Noise, rustling steps, someone was coming towards him, closer, closer...Paxton snapped around just in time to see the Ibex stop at a sudden halt and take a couple of good steps backwards. For once it had seemed that someone was more surprised at Paxton than he was at them. Of coarse Paxton was still surprised, and with his usual screech fell back into the dirt. Great, why did it seem that this outing was starting to repeat its self from the last one. But this time there would be no Gabby to comfort Paxton that his Ma wouldn't through him in the wash-wash for getting dirt on his clothes. Then again, dirt was a lot easier to get off the mud.
For a moment Paxton lay back on the ground, eyeing the creature in front of him. Unlike the last person he had encountered, this fellow was quite different from himself. He didn't look anything like Paxton at all. So had meting Gabby been a special exception then? Possibly, possibly not, he hadn't met enough people to quite decide upon that yet. Well weather or not there were more who looked like him out there (besides Gabby) was all well and good, but the person standing in front of him was superbly fascinating. Brown fur, long horns coming from his head...and those eyes Paxton was amazed by the boys eyes, brilliant yellow, magnificent compared to the dull brown of Paxton's own.
Was this creature a threat? No, it couldn't possibly be, admittedly to Paxton he did look a little strange, but not in a bad way or anything. No teeth or claws (as far as Paxton could see). Besides, this thing seemed more surprised than Paxton was when it saw the little bird, this mean that it couldn't possibly be trying to sneak up on him. Maybe...maybe it had been trying to run away from the big scary voice up in the sky too? Paxton decided to risk it and be the first one to speak.
"Did yu heaw it twoo? Ish da why yo look so scawed?" the boy piped up from the ground mistaking the words for surprise and fear. Being so little it was very hard to distinguish between two similar emotions. "I-sa know da voices scawed me." He looked up to the sky again, half expecting to hear the angry sounding voice bellow again.
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Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:47 pm
Even more of a surprise than the boy being there was the fact that he seemed even more startled than Anoki himself. That was a change. Earako had been a bit shy, but not scared (in his opinion), and Indi was downright jolly. It made Anoki feel a little better about himself, but also worried. Was he that scary? He didn't want to be, and the fleeting feeling of joy at not being scared turned to worry and dismay.
"S-sorry! I d-didn't mean t-to!" What exactly he didn't mean to do, even Anoki wasn't sure. But he did know that being scared wasn't any fun, so he had to apologize for making someone feel like that. He had to apologize for a lot of things, but of course that was all his fault.
Raven eyed the two by the swings. Maybe if Anoki socialized a little, his mood would improve. And if his mood improved, he would be less of a bother. Her main worry was that if there was a child somewhere, there had to be a so-called parent around. And that meant that she would have to socialize as well, which she was in no mood for at all.
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:21 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:17 pm
Why did people have to be confusing like that? Some people, like his mama and Mahou, said that you were supposed to say sorry. Others, like Indi and this kid, said you didn't. Maybe you were supposed to say sorry to big people, but not to people his own size.
"So-" Anoki cut himself off, not wanting to upset the boy further. "Paxt-ton. M-my name's A-anoki K-k-kenelm." He made sure to say it slowly, and include both names, just like he was always told to. Then, seeing that he was being invited, he climbed into the swing. It looked like he would get to try it after all! It felt a little scary, and he held the chain in his free hand tightly. Once he was steady, it felt better.
When Paxton started talking again Anoki nodded. "S'mama R-ray. Is y-your m-mama h-here?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:32 pm
Even though Paxton usually perfered to be out and about roaming alone having company today was quite nice. Especially when the boy he was with seemed to relax and allow himself to become at ease around Paxton. "A-no-Key!" The toddler tryed to repeat the others name, finding himself stumbling across the first part, not even daring the second. Slowly he repeated it to himself again "A-no-key....ish vewy nice tuh meet yu."
Letting go of the bars of the swing Anoki was now situated in Paxton crawled over to a screecing swing next to Anoki. It took him a few minutes to get comfrotably seated and all, life could be very difficult you see when you had wings and a tail. But Paxton eventually found a way he liked to sit and grip the handle bars. He looked over at his companion to see how he fared. Oh my Anoki looked slightly nervous about this, he was holding onto the chains so tightly. "Dun wowoie, swing ish fun." Paxton nodded his to assure Anoki of this, as he kicked his legs out from underneath him propelling the seat foreward a couple of inches.
"Mah, Ma?" Paxton looked about for the car where Naito was sitting inside. He couldn't it though. "She hea...we jus can see hur. She sai if Ie wants tuh get wet...go ahead, she be dwyie." He pointed up to the sky as if this would explain to Anoki what he ment by the 'wet' part. "She say I going to catch phu-mon-ya, if ies get wet."
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 7:35 pm
Since he'd never been swinging before, Anoki made sure to watch Paxton carefully before trying himself. It was a little scary, sitting on something that moved every time he fidgeted, but he had to admit it was also sort of fun. Feeling bolder, he pushed with his legs and swang up and back, then down and forward again. It was fun! But he was careful not to go too high, since with only one hand on the chains he was still shaky.
Only hearing his first name didn't bother Anoki at all. Only big people called him by the long one. He supposed that was another difference between big people and small ones. "Nice t-to m-meet you t-t-too," he replied politely. "W-what's... phu-m-mon-ya? I-is it a b-bug?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:01 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 10:24 pm
Despite the fact that Anoki admired the easy time Paxton had with the swings, he was puzzled. Why would anyone want something bad? If it was a bug, that was one thing. Once he had caught a bug outside, something with lots of legs, and he liked that. But Mama Ray had made him throw it out of the window, and into the garden. He hoped the bug was okay. Maybe that was a phu-mon-ya.
"I h-hope it d-d-doesn' r-rain." Anoki shivered, and curled himself up in the swing a little. "M-mama Ray s-says I c-c-can't g-get w-wet." He gestured to the white wrappings around his left arm. "N-not sposed t-t-to."
But it did rain. Whimpering a little, Anoki pulled his arm to his chest. He couldn't get wet! Mama Ray would get mad at him if he did! He looked at Paxton nervously, then at Raven. Did she notice yet?
One drop of rain splattered in the middle of the book Raven was skimming through. She frowned and snapped the book closed, looking up. There was an excuse to leave now, at least, though she didn't want to deal with a whining child any more than she had to. Debating the issue, she decided to wait a few more minutes. If the rain let up, she could resume her reading.
In the meantime, she watched the woman who emerged from the car with some suspicion. That was probably the other child's mother, or close to it. Perhaps she would take the other child away, and then there would be nothing keeping Anoki in the park. Whatever the cause, she hoped that they could return home soon.
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:04 pm
[ Message temporarily off-line ]
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Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:25 pm
The rain continued to fall, and while the drops were few and far between Anoki flinched with every one that touched him. Normally he liked walking in the rain, and being wet, as long as he wasn't all-over wet. But this time he had been told not to get wet, both by Mama Ray and Mahou, and if he somehow did they would both be mad at him. And then there would be yelling, and disappointment, and no cookies for dessert.
And then the rain stopped, and it was dark above him. Sometime while he was thinking Paxton had come next to him and was keeping the rain off. And even though they were a little squeezed together and it was still raining, that felt so much better! If he was dry, then everyone wouldn't be mad. In some ways the act of kindness made Anoki feel worse- Paxton was being so nice, and getting wet instead, and might get that bad phu-mon-ya thing- and it was all because of him. But he wasn't allowed to say sorry. So instead, he leaned over a little, smiled, and whispered "Thank y-you."
But why was this new lady taking him away? Anoki could only watch as his new friend was lifted up and away, and he was scolded no less. That wasn't right. It was all his fault, and he had to put things right. Hopping iff the swing, he chased after the woman for a few steps. "D-don' be m-m-mad, l-lady."
"That's enough, Anoki Kenelm." Raven was tired, damp, and more than ready to go home. She wasn't too fond of rainy weather, and all she wanted to do was curl up with her book, a blanket, and a cup of steaming coffee. "We're leaving."
She did spare a moment to eye the other woman. Nothing remarkable stood out, but she fixed the face to memory. Knowing her future students, and their parents, would be most beneficial.
There wasn't much he could do to resist. Anoki bent around his arm unhappily, to protect it from the rain, and waved with his other hand. "B-bye P-paxton! T-t-thank you!"
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