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 Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:08 pm
Rain and Fog tend to come in pairs, though they mostly never meet. The rain nourishes, as does the fog. However, conditions are rarely right. In the case the following two baby spirits, there was one time when everything fell in place, and they met face to face. That split second of chance was all they needed, for spirits are known to have long memories.
The sun peeked out from miscellaneous clouds, spelling out an end to the recent rainy season off the meadows of Northern England, though drizzles had not yet become uncommon. Evaporating water coated the ground with creeping mist, reaching ever upwards towards the skies. Two pairs of watery eyes gazed across one chasm; one caught a glimpse of the leaving rain, and the other the sight of rising fog.
One second passed. What was left of the rain's moisture gathered itself up and pushed once, twice, towards its old companion...
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:22 pm
"You're such a good baby, huh?" Addie spoke to the little girl in the little pram that she had purchased as they made their way through the parking lot of the mall. It was the only piece of baby furniture she had and she had gotten it at a garage sale. Definitely would be getting a new one but for now, Serra didn't seem to mind too much.
In fact, the rain child was as placid as ever, floating just above the blankets in the pram and chewing on her fist. The shroud of mist that hung around her made the furniture just a little wet, however, and Addie soon realized that she would have to water proof everything unless she wanted to keep buying new things.
Addie had opted to walk to the store this day simply because it wouldn't make sense to take the car. The furniture wouldn't fit in it and Serra seemed to prefer being outdoors anyway.
"Hey, we're almost there! Ready to find stuff for your room, Serra?"
Serra simply gurgled, sounding more as if she were underwater than anything else.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:43 pm
Though Caden had followed Ethan to many places (the park, restaurants, football games, coffee houses, class, the police station), he has never been to the mall. Ethan just didn't take him there, that's all. No explanation was necessary. Lucky for the fog-boy, today was his lucky day. They were going to the mall.
As usual, Caden was stuffed into Ethan's canvas bag, then slung across the shoulder. Now ready for the trip, the two headed off on the silver Vespa. The ride wasn't uncomfortable, and nor was the little space that Ethan's bag provided. Caden simply destructuralized his bottom half, and poked his head out, feeling the passing breeze.
They arrived at the mall early. 11AM on this fine Friday, because Ethan wanted to avoid all the kids who would be hanging around after school. A few people were around, but not too many for Caden to come out of the bag to follow Ethan around. After not looking at the directory (because Ethan knew his way around the mall like the back of his hand), the two headed off to Astek, the designer sunglasses shop (spring was coming, and the sun would be coming around soon); one walking, one hovering 2 inches above the polished floor.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 5:59 pm
At that particular moment, Addie was pushing the pram past that shop toward the stores of baby clothes and furniture. However, when Serra let out a sharp little cry, Addie skidded to a stop.
"What's wrong, baby? Are you okay?"
Something is..f..familiar.. Not that Addie could hear the little girl's thoughts but her cyan eyes were looking around wildly. Serra was incredibly sensitive to those things around her and something - no, someone nearby felt as though she knew them.
There! THAT one! One of her little hands flailed out in the direction of Caden and she let out a gurgling babble that clearly stated to Addie what she wanted. Oh, dear.
"That's just another baby, Serra."
She protested louder which was very out of her character. The normally quiet baby wanted what was there and she wanted it -now-. Addie sighed and shifted the pram in the two's direction, "Uh...Excuse me...I..."
Please don't think I'm a freak for coming up to you for no reason simply because my daughter - oh hell, daughter? - kept pointing to your son.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:14 pm
As the two were walking over (yes, Ethan was watching them -- he couldn't just IGNORE the crying baby, could he?), Caden felt just a little bit odd. Something snapped in his head, but not in a horrible/insane way. He just felt drawn. Drawn towards the sound of rain bubbling down the storm drains. Or perhaps it was just a little baby's cry of determination. In any case, Caden partially dematerialized on command. As in, he suddenly but unintentionally started melting away into fog, floating towards the lady with a... pram.
Now this was unusual, but like most things, it didn't surprise Caden. Though most things did NOT surprise him, this went one step further. It was expected, familiar, even sought after some time ago. And so it WASN'T with reluctance that Caden floated on by towards the Raining One, as she and her guardian came towards him and Ethan.
The guardian began to speak. Her voice was tense, forced, but well thought out nonetheless. She faltered a bit at the beginning, but that's because she was wisely choosing her words. Taking his time -- for he nearly had all the time in the world -- Caden rose towards the pudgy hands sticking out of the pram.
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Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2007 6:28 pm
Serra stopped her demanding whining the moment Caden came near, her cyan eyes looking up at him, wet from her previous tears. Oh...He was very VERY familiar but the baby couldn't put her finger on it. Familiar, but only a passing, fleeting feeling.
What was he? Who was he? Serra reached out her small hand further and tried to grab at him the moment he came into view.
In a world where nothing was quite familiar anymore the smallest thing she recognized was a comfort to her. Here was a giant neon flag waving in front of her.
Did he recognize her too?
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Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2007 4:53 pm
Peeping up over the edge of the less-than-pricey pram, Caden caught a glimpse of something blue and pale. It reached out to him, and reflexes told him to duck. Caden tried, and felt the pillar of fog that was holding him come tumbling down. When he hit the ground the spirit-baby was nothing more than a condensed layer of mist.
This didn't go over too well with either of the guardians; obviously they didn't think he would do something THIS rash. However, under special circumstances, Caden would have to break the rules a little. Because there was something familiarly vague about Blue-and-Pale, Caden would HAVE TO break the rules a little.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 11:44 am
The sudden disappearance of the boy peering into the pram made Serra whimper a little bit. Where did the familiar thing go? She could still feel his presence, but it was...different? It wasn't the same, but it was there.
It confused the rain spirit and she made a gurgling babble noise once more, as if calling out to the boy. Serra wanted to see him again!
Addie, on the other hand, was gaping at the boy who had just turned into fog. Was this normal? "Uh..." she said calmly, "Will he be all right?"
She was definitely not the 'panic first ask questions later' type of person. Especially when it was in Gaia.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 5:27 pm
"Caden, what were you doing?"
Ethan was nearly on the verge of being hopping mad when he was interrupted by Addie's question. Interrupted and proven guilty. Time seemed to stop in order for Ethan to look at himself, and examine how much he really cares for Caden.
"Why would I say that? Why didn't I react like HER?! Like someone who really cares?!"
Time resumed. Rushing over to where Caden lay, Ethan looked for a way to answer Addie's question, for he didn't have the slightest idea whether or not Caden will be okay. Kneeling down on the polished floor, Ethan blew gently on the irregular layer of gray mist.
"You alright, buddy?"
The guardian held his breath, and the irises in his golden eyes became pinpoints in his anticipation.
Caden solidified, and little by little became visible again.
"No ha-ha-hoit."
The spirit of the London Fog blinked a smile up at Blue-and-Pale.
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Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2007 6:58 pm
Oooone. Twoooo. Three! Up!...Nope. That didn't work. The little spirit was becoming frustrated. Why couldn't she sit up? She wanted to sit up, darnit! Concetrating as much as a baby could she manipulated her shroud to solidify and help her sit up, supporting her as she looked over the pram.
"Gooobaaaa?" she babbled, cyan eyes glittering with curiousity. Was the familiar-thing all right? He looked to be. Satisfied, and tired, the shroud poofed and she flopped back into the pram, splashing bits of water when she did.
Oof.
Addie raised a brow and carefully picked Serra up out of the pram, "Hey, little girl, you all right?"
Serra made some babbling sounds and stuck her fist in her mouth. Yes, she was A-okay!
Making a sound in her throat, Addie looked down at Caden, "You okay, little man?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 14, 2007 2:23 pm
Caden looked up at Addie, who held genuine concern in both her arms and her eyes, and nodded. It took a while before Ethan responded for him in words.
"Oh yeah, he's fine now. He said 'No hurt'. Did you hear it? Jeeze, those were his FIRST words. Actually, up until now, I had NEVER heard his voice once. Not once."
Caught in a little trance of his own, Ethan held Caden tightly, while the little boy just stood there, waiting to be let go of. It took a while, but Ethan finally released the fog spirit.
"So, uh, where were we?"
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