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 Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 12:01 pm
Nara and Mr. Mysterious stared at the door for several long minutes. "Do you think she's home?"
"...."
"I hope she lets us have the scroll.."
"...."
"Yeah...I guess so."
Long association had taught Nara to read her friends subtle body language almost as well as if she had read his mind. Of course it wasn't easy, that cloak hid almost everything, and Nara was fairly sure she got what he was trying to say wrong about every other sentence but it made life more interesting. The young woman hesitated for a second longer before firmly knocking on the door. Hopefully they had the right home. It would be horrible if after all that work they had to start over again.
It took far too long for them to track down the first scroll. With only Dr. Smith to help look through the old records hidden far far below ground, Nara and her partner had despaired of ever finding another scroll. Luck had been on their side though. Desperate for fresh air, Nara had snuck out to wander the city, eventually ending up at a flea market.
The sights and sounds beat at the young woman from every side. She had thrown a shawl on over her head but the thin fabric was no sheild from vendors shouting at the crowd.
"Beautiful antique jewlery!"
"Hand-woven blankets!"
"Old books! Precious scrolls!"
The last was what caught her attention. Although she had been stuck with musty tomes all day long, it was hard to keep from wandering in, just in case.
That, just-in-case, was just what was needed. Buried beneath the stacks of books and scroll cases glinted the gleam of gold. The sense that Nara had been blessed with ever since the accident flared into life. A scroll! The relic-fused woman tried to fight her way through crowd, excitement turning her stomach into butterflies.
Her fight only turned more frantic as a woman started to sift through the pile, an odd toddler fidgiting by her side. But the crowd was too strong, and Nara was forbidden any progress. With a sinking stomach, and sinking hopes the scroll child watched as the woman paid for the other scroll and left.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 5:30 pm
Various muffled sounds were heard from inside before Nara even knocked on the door. Loud commands and sobbing were heard from the back of the house. At the knocking, a shout, which could've been a rather muffled 'Coming' or a sort of 'Come in' was heard, then cut short. A sobbing child was heard to be running from one end of the house to the other.
After a few moments, the door was hauled open by a rather exasperated woman, holding a pair of scissors. The woman's blue eyes darted between the two strangers on her doorstep. With a sigh, she asked, "Can I help you...?"
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 5:59 pm
"Hi!" Nara smiled brightly eager to make a good impression on the woman, particularly since she happened to be holding a pair of fairly sharp scissors. "I'm Nara and-this is going to sound a little odd- but you have a child sealed in scroll. I really need to unseal him or her and we'd be happy to give you the scroll back. Well, you could take care of the child too if you wanted but I wouldn't put that burden on you," the young woman blurted out quickly.
During the speech Nara had slowly been inching her foot between the doorjamb and the door. The quick version of the story was rather far-fetched for most reasonable people. Even Dr. Smith hadn't really believed in it before he met Nara. She glanced sideways at her partner, silent and looming as always before turning back the woman.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:06 pm
Blink. Blink. Blink. That was Nikiana's reaction. She hadn't caught even half of what Nara had said. "Uh... Do you think you could repeat that...? A little slower?"
Scroll..? That had been one of the very few things Niki had picked up out of that jumble of words. She had a few scrolls. Which one could this person be talking about?
Loud sobs could still be heard from the end of the house and Niki sighed, rolling her eyes at the sound. It hadn't hurt Ala at all. What was the three-year-old all upset over??
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:26 pm
The relic's smile faltered for a moment. "Well.. My name is Nara and this is my partner." Mr. Mysterious, in all his shrouded glory nodded at the woman. "You have a scroll, the one you bought at the flea market?" She paused hoping to jog the woman's memory. "Well, a child is sealed in it. I need to unseal the child now. You can keep the scroll when we're done. Nothing much will happen to it." Nara shrugged and paused letting her words sink in. "But you don't have to take care of the child, we can find a home or raise him or her at the libarary." Nervously she waited for the woman to answer.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:36 pm
Oh. That scroll. Of course... Wait, what?!?
"A child sealed in a scroll?" Well, this was Gaia. All kinds of odd and strange things went on. And another child? Well, it would probably be best if she didn't try taking on another child. Especially with Ala still sobbing loudly (and rather fakely by this point) from her bedroom.
She'd thought it was supposed to be 'terrible twos'... not threes...
"Well, uh... Come on in... I'll go find the scroll..." Now... where had she placed it?
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:42 pm
The two stepped slowly across the foyer, steps oddly in sync with each other. Nervously Nara began to play with her hair, running the black locks through her left hand. Idly she glanced around the foyer.
A particularly loud, and faked, sob echoed through the foyer. Anxiously Nara glanced toward the direction of the sound. Just as she was about to go investigate, her partner placed a hand on her sleeve.
"Fine...." Nara muttered as they waited patiently, or impatiently.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:51 pm
Niki caught Nara's movement out of the corner of her eye as she closed the door. "That's Alaqua, an adopted daughter of mine. She's upset because I cut her hair after she got some gum stuck in it. Don't worry about her..." The last was muttered as Niki set the pair of scissors down on the nearest flat surface. She'd put them away later.
"Now... where had I put that scroll...?" More mutterings from the woman. She turned. Oh, that's right. Right there. She plucked the still closed case from one of the shelves of a nearby bookcase, turning back to Nara.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 6:55 pm
Deep red spun across Nara's cheeks as the woman caught her attention. "Oh.. I see." Desperately she glanced at her partner, wondering what he thought of the situation. With a toddler already in the house the woman wouldn't want to watch over another one. Although she had said the woman wouldn't have to keep the child, secetly Nara had hoped that the child wouldn't be put in her care.
"Oh!" Nara exclaimed as the scroll was suddenly revealed. Idly she itched her palms as they began to feel warm. The bright green gem on her throat pulsed odly, the light almost undetectable in the brightly lit home. "I...outside please," the relic's voice was strained slightly.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 7:02 pm
Niki blinked at the odd couple and, with a shrug, opened the front door again, holding it open for the other two to exit before her. Still carrying the scroll (and wondering just how her luck had made it where she had picked up this scroll), Nikiana followed them outside and down to the front lawn, curious as to what would happen next.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 8:22 pm
Once out on the lawn, and away from any breakable windows and other such objects Nara gestured towards the ground. "If you'll place it there... And please, open the case and make sure it's spread out." Her hands were really itching now. Long red marks began to appear where her nails dug into her skin.
Slowly the hooded man moved along an arc until between Niki, Nara and himself they formed a triangle around the scroll.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 8:31 pm
Niki nodded. "Okay..." Kneeling on the grass, she opened the case and spread the scroll out on the ground, leaving the case beside it. She stepped back a few steps and looked at the scroll.
A noise from the house made Nikiana look up. Alaqua stood at the doorway, peering outside. She'd tired of being ignored and was now curious as to what her mother was up to.
Her hair wasn't that bad, Niki thought. A little choppy, but it really didn't look that bad from a distance...
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 8:48 pm
A few hairs fell out of the case when Niki opened it up, dissapearing into the grass. As soon as Nikiana had moved back a few steps, neatly forming a equilateral triangle with the other two, the green crystal flashed brightly. Nara's hands suddenly stopped itching as all feeling dissapeared. Indeed, her entire hands began to dissapear into a pale green mist.
The mist flowed around them connecting the points of the triangle in a soft greenish mist. With a loud, painful thud of depressed air a young toddler appeared, flattening the scroll beneath her. Soft grey hair framed the pale skin, as the young girl huddled against the cold. Not surprising since she was dressed only in a short pale pink dress. Her feet looked oddly like hands and a dark grey tail curled out from behind her.
For a moment the green mist brightened before suddenly dissapearing. Nara stumbled backwards, falling on her behind. Taking deep breathes she gazed at the child before her. "So that's what happnes...." She said breathlessly.
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 8:56 pm
Niki turned back to watch as the pale green mist surrounded the area between the trio standing on the grass. There was an audible thud as something hit the ground. The mist suddenly disappeared and Niki was left staring at an adorable little chimp girl, who blinked directly at her.
Bright green eyes focused upon Niki and the woman noticed that the toddler girl was cold. Poor thing! The woman walked forward, scooping the youngster up and holding her close.
The chimp girl wrapped her arms about Niki's neck and her tail curled about the woman's torso. Aww... how could she not take in such an adorable and sweet child?
The front door slammed as Alaqua stomped her way back to her room. Poor koala girl. The day was not going well for her...
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Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 9:06 pm
Mr. Mysterious made is way to Nara, pulling her to her feet. The young woman leaned against him for support, blinking at the woman. About to say something, the woman rushed in. Scooping the girl up and craddling her, it didn't look like she was going to give the girl up any time soon. But that was fine.
"Ah... What will you name her?" The quiet question came from Nara.
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