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 Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 7:59 pm
Normally, Cressida had faith in her ability to juggle her instant family and all of the curves they threw at her. After all, Leonatas alone was enough quirks to sponsor a talk show. Throw in a small boy who seemed determined to be the next Sir Galahad, a lion who acted more like a sheepdog, a would-be nudist-daughter who swam like a fish, and a lizard-like creature who could make any hiss sound like invective... Well, it pushed even her elastic nature. Now Quixana had developed a new habit that had her at a loss for explanations.
Two weeks ago, Quixana had begun to pull all of the books from the shelves in the apartment. Carefully, systematically, almost tenderly. He would pull one down, sit Indian-style, and open it on his lap. Each page would be turned with the utmost consideration as if he were afraid of tearing something. Then, when that book had been thoroughly searched, he would replace it and get a new one.
She was starting to wonder if he was looking for the scrap of paper that Puchiko had given her in the rush of transferring child and lion. Maybe someone at the House would know.
"Mommy?" Quixana tugged gently on the hem of her coat and looked up at her with curious brown eyes. "What's wrong?"
Courage echoed her Forgotten's sentiment by nuzzling helpfully at her calf before moving back to Quixana's side. He promptly buried one hand in her soft fur and scratched. Then he followed his mother's gaze to the House. "No one's home?" he asked. "All dark."
"I know, darling angel," she sighed. "I guess it was a silly thing to hope for, hmm?" She looked down at her son and smiled. "Would you like hot chocolate now?"
His face lit up in a smile. "Yes, please! Courage, too?"
"Courage, too." Reaching down to take his hand in hers, Cressida turned them around and began the walk back down the overgrown pathway.
Courage hesitated for a moment, squinting up at the House. It's too quiet, she thought at her partner. Like no one's home. I don't trust it. It smells wrong. Quixana shrugged. They would come back later and explore, he promised her mentally. In the meantime, there was hot chocolate to be had and, knowing Mommy, there would be marshmallows involved, too.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:09 pm
"Hold him snug in there!" Koosh directed to her infant as she saw Pitch wobbling, threatening to fall out. It wasn't like the baby would understand her, so far the most Ally had done was gurgle, spit up, and stare intently, but she figured that she might as well fill up the silence in the air.
Pushing the stroller at a leisurely pace- it had been borrowed from her brother who had quite the collection of infants- Koosheeka made a turn down the road that had changed her life only a couple of days earlier. It was a change that she was not yet equipped for and she hoped that there would be someone who was familiar with these interesting beings that could offer her a bit more information than merely being 'their caregiver'.
Alouette sat contentedly in the stroller, her bright eyes scanning the changing scenery. Trees, sidewalks, shrubs, everything was new to these fresh eyes. Pitch, who Koosh had noted was inseperable from Ally, stood tenderly on his companion's lap. Wanting to see everything up close and personal, it was more often than not that Koosh had to stop the stroller to prevent the flimsy daemon from tumbling out of the vehicle.
As Koosh neared the House she heard Ally gurgle and noticed her small, pudgy hand motioning toward the abode. "That's right, this is where you were born," said Koosh, still new at this mothering business.
However, upon looking back toward the House, Koosh noticed three figures just outside the door. A mother, a son, and was that an animal? Her heart leapt and her mind began to calculate. The other boy that Ally had arrived with had had an animal, also! And Pitch could be called an animal- of sorts.
Excitedly she hurried her pace and, in fear of missing the group in question, she called out, "Hello there!"
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:31 pm
"Mommy!" Before Cressida could react, Quixana was already pointing, his round face all smiles and excitement. "Another baby! Hello, baby!" Taking this as a cue, Courage trotted ahead a few feet before settling down into a pretty upright-seated pose, forepaws neatly in front. She cocked her head to one side and meowed her own hello.
Cressida laughed and bent down to scoop up her son before joining Courage. "Hello, there!" she called out. "Are you here for the House? I'm afraid it's closed right now. I think."
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 9:45 pm
Alouette was also excited to see the boy. There was something about him that was different than any of the other people she had encountered so far. She pointed at him, a smile in her eyes.
"Oh, closed?" Koosh recalculated, "It's a pity, I was hoping to ask a couple more questions about these two here. I acquired them, you could say, just last Wednesday and I'll be frank, I have no idea what's going on." She chuckled.
Curious about this large critter, Pitch extended what would have been called his head toward the large creature in a motion that resembled sniffing. However, still learning his boundaries Pitch leaned forward too much and, inevitably, tumbled out of the crib. He clanked out of the stroller, shortly arriving at a safe stop due to the firm, solid paws of the critter.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:17 pm
Courage tilted her head down, utterly at ease despite the racket the other daemon had made and the near collapse -on- her. "Mrrrr?" Then, delicately, she took a step back to allow pitch room to stand again.
Giggling, Quixana squirmed in his mother's arms until she obediently lowered him and he promptly moved over to pat Courage's head. Whoopsy, he thought at her with a bright grin. He's a baby, too!
Cressida laughed as well and, after a quick look at her two charges, moved forward to extend her hand to the other woman. "My name's Cressida and those are Quixana and Courage."
"Xana," corrected the little boy happily.
"Yes, darling. Xana." Rolling her eyes in amusement, Cressida crouched down to peer at Alouette, all bright smiles and warmth. "Hello, little beauty," she cooed. "Did you come from a book, too?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:45 pm
Springing up from his fallen position, Pitch recovered quite quickly. However, finding his footing was not as quick as he stagerred toward the crib. This walking thing had proved to him more difficult than assumed. Koosh, the big guardian, luckily came to his rescue and placed him by the foot of the stroller.
Meeting Cressida's extended hand Koosh shook and said, "I'm Koosh, this is Alouette, and that film thing over there is Pitch." Turning to Xana she smiled, "A pleasure meeting you, Xana." He exuded such a happy air that it was hard not to smile around him.
Ally stared, wide-eyed at the new face that had invaded her stroller. While Cressida talked, Alouette could understand nothing, however she did use her hands to poke at the closest attribute of the lady's face- her nose.
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Posted: Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:53 pm
Laughing again, Cressida obligingly wrinkled her nose for the baby girl and crossed her big violet eyes. Quixana craned his neck just in time to catch the action and crossed his own eyes. Then he padded over to stand beside the stroller. "That's Mommy's nose," he informed Alouette. He touched his own. "Mine." Reaching out a hand, he pushed a finger against hers. "Alloo's."
Courage shook her furry head and joined the little knot of people. She butted her head against Xana's back and he stumbled slightly. The look she gave him was clear in meaning between them; he flushed. Then he took a step back and ducked a gentlemanly little bow in Koosh's direction. "Sorry, Miss Koosh."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 6:50 am
So many new people, new faces. And they looked so funny too! Just a baby and ever the mimic, Ally too tried to cross her eyes. Though there was hardly any success she did manage to catch a glimpse of Xana's finger poking her nose back. Upon the poke Ally cried, though a cry of happiness, and smiled. What a ham for attention. Pitch, on the other hand, was now tentatively moving at the feet of Cressida, sniffing along the way.
"Oh, it's no problem." Peering down over the stroller at Ally, Koosh smiled, "looks like she's liking all of this attention!"
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:31 pm
"You'll be glad she's a people person," Cressida laughed. "I couldn't imagine if Xana or Annie were introverts. I think Leon and I would... Well, maybe not Leon but -I- would certainly not know what to do."
Having done his polite best by Koosh, Quixana returned to the far more fascinating prospect of the baby in front of him. A tiny little girl just like his Meme. Well, wearing more -clothing- than his Meme. Even he, the adoring brother, had to admit that Anemone seemed to think that clothing was optional. Reaching out, he rooted around in her oversized sleeves until he could take Alouette's hand and squeeze it. Then he pointed at Courage. "Courage," he offered. "She's mine like Pitch's yours." He grinned at Pitch. "-Silly- Pitch."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 7:41 pm
"I guess I do have to be thankful for that," agreed Koosh. "My brother has quite a bit of kids on his hands and, though they don't come from the same place as Xana and Ally, he's got one child, Eva's her name, that hasn't spoken a word yet. And she's past her toddler years!" Koosh shook her head, "I don't know if I'd be able to take that, but luckily he's the patient one."
Though at first startled by the movement of her clothing, Ally relaxed when she realized the source. Feeling the pressure on her hand offered by Xana she responded by squeezing his hand back. Her green eyes followed where the boy pointed, resting on the big lion. Oh, how fluffy it looked! Hearing his name, Pitch stopped mid-sniff and picked up his head, like a dog who was knowingly guilty. However sensing the joking attitude he slightly wagged the roll of negatives that acted as a "tail" of sorts.
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 8:45 pm
Courage looked sideways at the other daemon and then made a low rumbling noise in the back of her throat. Standing, she padded closer and cocked her head to one side. Then, solemnly, she swished her tail back and forth. Kind of silly indeed, she told her Forgotten with a silent laugh. He thinks like a dog but I'm a cat so, my darling, this is the only time you'll get a tail wag.
Giggling, Quixana shook his head at Courage. Then he turned his attention back to Alouette and swung her hand in his a bit to get her attention. "Wanna play? Castles?"
Cressida shook her head, leaning closer to whisper to Koosh, "That's one of his favorite games. His sister doesn't play it very well since either she's the world's tiniest women's libber or else she really does have the attention span of a goldfish. She won't hold still long enough to be rescued."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:08 pm
Koosh giggled, "Rescued? Sounds like quite the spectacle!"
Noticing the large, in fact even larger up close, daemon hovering over him, Pitch's popcorn eyes scanned upward to meet Courage's. Though Pitch was not entirely sure why the daemon was displeased, he did decide to hobble his way back to the side of the stroller. He was done sniffing, anyhow.
The boy was talking to her, and smiling, and doing a very exciting motion with her hand. "Eeeeee!" squealed Ally.
Stooping a little to speak to Quixana Koosh added, "She's not yet started talking, but my bet is you can take that as a yes."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:17 pm
Quixana beamed up at Koosh. "Thank you, ma'am. Can she come over an' play, please?"
"Now, Quixana, we just met them. Maybe they have other things they have to do." Cressida was clearly doing her best not to laugh. "And what about your hot chocolate?"
He thought for a moment. "Aloo can have some of mine, Mommy."
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:34 pm
Laughing Koosh patted the boy on the head, "She can come over if your mom is all right with it." Turning to Cressida she added, "I know we've got some extra time, and perhaps you could answer some questions I've got about these library children?" However she added in insistance, "But if you guys are busy for the afternoon perhaps we can play castles some other time." She smiled back at Xana.
With no attention paid to her (she didn't quite realize the whole conversation was about her) Ally amused herself by making some nice, beautiful spit bubbles. Pitch, who had now returned to his position in her lap, occupied himself by popping her hard work with the pointy corner of a negative.
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Posted: Fri Jan 05, 2007 9:55 pm
"Well... Why don't we go to a cafe for a bit, at least." Cressida adjusted her scarf absently and then sank into an easy crouch to tuck Quixana's coat more tightly around him. "Get warmed up and talk. He may not look it but I'm sure my little darling here is getting tired."
So-called darling waited patiently while his mother fidgeted with his coat, only shooting one amused glance at his daemon. Courage merely grinned back lazily. Once released, though, Quixana trotted back over to Alouette and indicated her bubbles. "Meme does that, too," he informed her. Then he pulled a face. "Meme -licks-, too."
"Meme is what he calls his sister Anemone," Cressida explained to the other woman, cheerful as a bird.
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