[J] Saturnidae's Journal

[karma_k]

Dear Diary,

Well, it happened. I don't know exactly what 'it' is, but the transformation from leaf-to-toddler was very abruptly and quickly completed very early this morning. I really got no warning about it either. I noticed on my way to bed that the leaf was beginning to turn white at the tip and shaking...we're not talking Dae's usual vibrations either, we're talking he was rattling the POT too. That's quite an undertaking for such a little leaf.

Honestly? I thought I'd managed to kill him somehow...in fact, I was preparing my "holy s**t I'm so sorry" speech for Lena in my head even as I reached out to take the pot. But no! The leaf bursts out of the soil and starts making this godawful buzzing noise that made me wonder if Talon was right after all about it being a wasp.

I panicked...can you blame me? *I* didn't know what was happening! I ended up kind of dropping the pot in the process, too. Go me...

When I finally got the bedroom light on, there was Dae, confused and curious. He froze up in the presense of the bedroom light for a minute until I turned it off and then was fine again and fell asleep after a bit more exploration.

He was very quiet and withdrawn most of today...I fed him some apple slices but he didn't seem too keen on doing much more than huddling on my bedspread and laying still. I'd THOUGHT maybe he was sick, or that I'd finally been blessed with a very docile child.

The sun setting proved me wrong on that count. As soon as it started to get dark outside, he was up and into EVERYTHING. Thank god I saved that playgate from when Arkie was little, because if I didn't corral him into the family room, I think I would have gone nuts.

He's not a BAD child, he's just curious. Very curious. And, oh my god, FLIGHTY. He goes from one thing to the next to the next with no pause between and is incredibly skittish. He makes me nervous just watching him. There's nothign wrong with that, I suppose, except he moves far too quickly to keep tabs on and was quickly getting into places he shouldn't be getting into. IE - the nursery while Phaerna's napping or Talon's room. Oyy. I'm hoping this is just jitters from being new and that he'll settle himself eventually.

...crap, I think that was the gate falling over. I'd better go assess the damage.

--Karma  

[karma_k]

Dear Diary,

The holidays are FINALLY out of the way. With Arkanti out of the house and in a whole other country, we were finally able to enjoy some quiet and have a nice family Christmas together.

We weren't sure what Dae might like since he's not very vocal as of yet, so we decided to try and play it safe and got him some bug plushies, some new clothes, and a couple of interactive toys that the salesman assured me kids Dae's age would just LOVE.

The outcome? Well, I'm not sure if Dae even noticed his presents, honestly... You see, this year was also the year we decided to get Kendall the Nintendo DS he's been not-so-subtley hinting about wanting and yet not willing to spend his own money on. As soon as he turned it on, Dae was drawn to the glow of the screen and would NOT stop peering over Ken's shoulder.

Ken thought he wanted to play and popped in Animal Crossing for him, but all Dae would do was sit there, transfixed, and holding it.

...I'm assuming this has something to do with the fact he's heavily moth-influenced. And I would find it alarming if it didn't keep him parked in one place for prolonged periods of time without me having to worry about what he was getting into.

I may have just found the greatest pacifier of them all...

--Karma  

[karma_k]

Amid the unintelligible scribbles and meaningless letters and words is written the following...

Wanna go owt. Howse is to small. Mom ses its cold but wanna go owt. I puttin it in moms buk so she kan see. I lerned how to rite!! Mom can we plez go owt? I'l be gud!!!

Tancs.

Dae  

[karma_k]

It had been a long day, but it was, at last, coming to a close as Karma seated herself on a bench, a sleeping Dae in the crook of her arm. He'd been sleeping all day, actually, which was just as well as the sights and sounds of the festival surrounding them likely would have terrified him.

The foxcoon hadn't been able to find him a babysitter, try as she might, and had been forced to bring him along with her as she made it a point never to miss the renaissance festival, kids or no kids. Oh well, at least it was giving her arms some much-needed exercise.

He'd be getting up soon, though...it would probably be best to be in the car and headed home by then as it was much easier to handle a spazzy toddler in his carseat than it was to handle him in an open strange place with millions of places to hide. She would just take a quick rest, she promised herself. The parking lot was a long walk from here.

Ballentine was a first timer there, and since Belinda had been acting favorablly decided that a small treat was in store for the girl. Ballentine had wanted to dress Belinda in a Renaissance gown, but learned that would be quite difficult with an unyeilding child. Pants and shirt it was.

So the two walked through the fair, Belinda demanding to play every game at least once. Ok , so maybe it was a bad idea... And a very expensive one. Not only did Belinda usually lose the games, she'd stomp and kick and have a tanturm until the booth worker either called for security or gave her a booby prize to shut up.

The need to feed was what took the duo in Karma's direction. Ballentine held all the prizes while Belinda gnawed contently on a carmal apple.

A large bulky man would step in Belinda's way, causing the small girl to fall back onto her a** and lose said apple. instantly she lashed out. "YOU IDIOT!" She shouted, gripping his leg and attempting to bite him. Thankfully Ballentine grabbed the girl in time and apologized to the man and stopped any problems.

Taking Belinda to the bench Karma sat upon she let the girl stand on it while getting eye level with her. "Now you listen to me missy. You either behave or we're going home and you won't see the fire works. I had enough of you and your tempter."

Belinda's response was a narrowing of her tear full eyes and a scrunch of her face. "Humph." And her nose upturned while arms crossed her chest.

Karma's attention was immediately attracted by their company as she turned to look at Ballentine and Belinda quizzically. She'd never seen either of them before, but as long as they were sitting less than a foot away, it would probably be rude of her not to at least greet them.

"Hi." she said, smiling tiredly and a bit awkwardly. It sounded like the little one had a temper on her and she didn't want to agitate it. Against her shoulder, Dae's wings gave a small flutter as he stirred at the sudden influx of noise, but he didn't quite awaken.

A green felt robin hood hat sat crookedly on his head where his mother had placed it nearly two hours ago. Considering he had slept through the entire thing, Karma had reasoned that the boy might like at least ONE momento of the occasion to prove that he'd gone, if nothing else...

Both Ballentine and Belinda turned to look at Karma. Ballentine in a bit of shock as someone actually said something to them, Belinda more curious who the person was. And what a tick, what was that? Instnatly her eyes focused on the wings, a small smile spreading on her lips. Before Ballentine could react, Belinda launched herself at Karma's arm to take a peek at what or more importantly who she held. "Ooooh! Look Mommy! Someone like me!" She explained, having a good sense of smell and able to detect the boy was in fact an Eden.

Ballentine just forced a smile, "Sorry about that... She's a bit of a handful."

Karma smiled back, bracing herself and wincing a bit as Belinda's weight collided with her arm. "That's all right. By now, I'm used to it." she assured Ballentine before lowering Dae a bit so the little girl could have a look at him. Was Belinda an Eden too, she wondered? Had that been what she'd meant by "someone like me"? Or was she simply referring to the fact he was also a small child?

Dae's head lulled back a bit, his eyes still closed and his feathery antennae twitching lazily on an early-evening breeze. "Sorry he's zonked right now..." the foxcoon apologized to Belinda. "He usually sleeps all day, but he's due to wake up any time now..."

And, oh, what fun that would be, she thought warily. If only society didn't frown on leashes for unruly kids...

At the mention of the boy being due to wake, Belinda leaned back just enough and began to take in a deep breath. Thankfully a hand slapped over her mouth befor ethe girl could scream whatever it was she was going to say. She struggled while being tugged into Ballentine's lap, the woman holding her down with ease.

"My name is Ballentine, this is my daughter Belinda. She happens to be an Eden, I take it your little bundle is as well?" She asked, wincing as sharp teeth nipped her hand. She tugged it away and glared at the pouting girl in her lap "Like I said she's a handful. More so since she can reach higher since her growth spurt."

Karma's eyes lit up at confirmation that Belinda was, indeed, an Eden. "Yes, he is!" She smiled, before clearing her throat, calming herself. "I'm Karma, and this is Saturnidae....we all call him Dae, though."

Dae flinched a bit at the sound of his name and one silver eye cracked open a bit only to squint shut again as sunlight smacked into it. He moaned and rubbed at it groggily....he didn't like the sun. Not even at sunset.

"You're probably seeing him at his best right now..." she warned. "Once he wakes up and gets going, he's jittery as all get out. I've been trying to socialize him, but its harder than you'd think to find kids for him to play with that aren't my own."

"Oh I know the feeling! Belinda hasn't been around much other edens either. I took her to the HQ once but we didn't get a chance to stay long. She played with one boy though who's name slips my mind." Laughing a bit she glancd down at Belinda who had calmed down enough to be released. "I try to get her out but time is a problem."

Belinda on the other hand once more returned to Karma's arm, though this time was much more gentle at the approach. She bat her eyes curiosuly at Dae, reaching over to flick an antenna. "ooooh. Fuzzy."

"Yeah..." Karma agreed, watching the two children carefully. "It would help if they had a directory or something...or maybe a calling tree so we could all arrange our own get-togethers or somesuch..." That wouldn't be a bad idea...but then again, some people had severe issues with getting calls from strangers.

Well, that did it. Dae's eyes both snapped open at the antennae flick and focused on Belinda instantly. He didn't know this person.

He...didn't....KNOW this person...!!

For a moment, time seemed to stand still before the moth eden gave a squealing yelp and dove to bury his face in Karma's shoulder, his wings trembling on his back like a pair of large brown leaves.

"Oh, Dae....Dae, honey, don't be afraid..." she tried to soothe him, while prying him off of her neck. "She was just saying hello."

Belinda's face once more turned into a frown, her eyebrows creasing. What was wrong with the kid!? She just wanted to play. "Hey..... HEY!" A finger jabbed lightly at Dae's shoulder, "Come play with me." She demanded, gripping the shirt sleeve togive it a directing tug. Ok so she wasn't gentle, but she didn't try to rip him out of Karma's arms either.

Ballentine sighed, taking Belinda's hand into her own to stop the girl from any more damage. "Belinda no, don't frighten him. you might be to big to play with him kiddo."

Dae gave another squeal and tightened his grip on Karma's neck like a panicky drowner as the foxcoon coughed once and then made a greater effort at prying his hands away. "Okay....okay...." she gagged. "Look, if you choke me, I can't take you home, okay?"

Dae whimpered, though this seemed to make some amount of sense to him as he grudgingly loosened his hold until Karma was holding him slightly away from her, not relishing getting caught in another toddler deathgrip. The moth eden looked warily around him, spotting Belinda after a minute and beginning to tremble all over again.

"Izzit an alien...??" he whispered.

"No...Dae, she's an Eden, just like you." Karma assured him, tightening her grip on him a bit in case he decided to spazz again. "You came from the same tree, isn't that special?"

He was silent a moment, looking back to Belinda. ".....sister?" he tried, now looking incredibly confused.

"No..." Karma laughed. "No, not your sister. Can you say hi without freaking out, do you think?"

"Hi." he said, reaching for her again.

"No. To them." she clarified, motioning to Ballentine and Belinda. He turned to look at them again, his eyes seeming to take up most of his face, such were their hugeness, and was silent, save for the dry rattle of his ever-trembling wings.

Belinda's ears twitched. Alien!? She was the alien!? She let out a small snort as she took the boy in once more, he was the alien with his antenna and big eyes. Silently something was muttered under her breath as she shifted to sit on her bottom instead of squatting.

She took a moment to ignore him while picking something out from between her toes. Mmm, mud. It was casually tossed aside while her foot was brought up to her face for closer inspection. She kept her ears turned just enough to catch the converstaion incase she was addressed once more, and she was.

The child looked up at him, fixing her eyes on him before wiggling her toes at Dae. "You're a big baby! No fun at all." That said, she turned her face away.

Ballentine frowned. "Belinda apologize. He his a toddler of course he'll be afraid of you... You're intimidating to some people." She said, ruffling the girls hair.

Belinda snorted. "I unno what you mean but he's a big baby. I bet he won't even play tag!"

"Dae? Do you want to play tag?" Karma goaded, not having very high hopes but still giving it the old college try that maybe he would lighten up a bit in the presense of a fellow eden.

"No...!" he whimpered, trying to lunge back for her shoulder and failing.

"Please?"

"Don't wanna!!" he cried, his robin hood hat suddenly flopping down over his eyes and making him fall silent for a moment. He couldn't see!! Karma dodged as his arms began to flail, accidentally slapping against her face before she set him down watching him run in circles blindly before colliding with Ballentine's leg and toppling over backwards on his butt, the hat falling off of his head at his side as he blinked owlishly up at the strange adult.

"See. Baby." Came Belinda's call after the boy fell onto his butt. Belinda shifted to lay on the seat, her feet in the air and head hanging off the edge upside down and eyes fixed on the boy. "Biiiiig baby." Lifting her head a bit, she smiled at Ballentine. "Can we go now Mommy? He's not fun at all."

Ballentine frowned, shaking her head at Belinda then looking down at Dae. She smiled softly and offered her hand down to Dae. "It's alright. Let me help you up..."

He cringed away for a moment, staring at the hand as though it was a giant moth-eating dragon. A second ticked past....two....and the hand was still there. Why wasn't it grabbing at him? Why wasn't it dragging him off to its underground lair to do all sorts of awful experiments to him? No, it was just sitting there....being a hand, basically.

After what seemed a very long time, he tentatively extended his own hand, which seemed very small by comparison, and placed it in Ballentine's palm. As he did so, he looked to Belinda in puzzlement. He was a baby, yes...his mom always called him her baby and Kendall called him his baby brother. But, he wasn't big. SHE was big. She was...GINORMOUS!

"Big." he said solemnly, pointing to Belinda. She had it backwards, that was all.

"Yes. Belinda is big. But she was small like you." Ballentine said as she gently and of course carefully lifted the boy up off the ground, sitting him on the bench. This unfortunatly put him between Ballentine and Belinda, so far out of mommy's reach! "You'll get big one day too, then you won't have to be so afraid." She said as she reached to ruffle his hair but was quick to pull it back not wanting to freak him out or upset Karma in any way.

Belinda followed the boy with her eyes, "I'm not big. Mommy is big, you'rejust small. A big small baby!" Hmphing once more, Belinda sat up only to slip off the bench completely. One of her booby prizes was a ball, and said item was taken into her hands. She walked a few steps away and started to bounce it, the ball flashing lights each time it hit the ground.

Well, NOW she had Dae's attention as his head tracked the ball with each bounce, barely hearing the words that were said by either female. To say he liked lights was an understatement...and horribly ironic considering how he avoided sunlight like the plague. He was transfixed...watching the little flashing lights twinkle with the single-minded intensity of the truly obsessed.

Karma, though she looked relaxed, was tensed and ready to lunge for him if he showed any signs of trying to flee. Having him run away in the house was one thing...she knew where to look for him. She'd never find him amid all the booths and trees in this place.

Belinda paid no mind to either the adults or Dae, humming lightly while she continued to bounce the ball. Up and down, up and down. The lights flashed and twinkled even as Belinda caught the ball between her hands. She took a small glance around and then threw it up, high up into the air. She gave a small laugh as she waited in the right spot and caught it in her arms, the ball setting off another 3 seconds of flashing before going still until the next bounce.

Ballentine in the mean time glanced over at Karma and smiled. "So how long have you had your Eden? He sure seems to have a personality of his own... Quite the opposite of Belinda as you can tell." She chuckled lightly.

"Oh its been a few months..." Karma said, looking to Ballentine and satisfied for the moment that Dae was more or less calm. "He had uncanny timing...my husband had just said no more kids, and then he shows up." she chuckled and then knit her brow in concern. "I'm starting to wonder if maybe I should take him to a child psychologist or something....see if there's a reason he's so jittery and a way to calm him down..."

As the two women spoke, Dae silently slid off of the bench and wobbled on his feet a moment as he watched the ball twinkle and sparkle. He was drawn to it like...well...a moth to a flame. His wings were too weak, as of yet, to support his weight, but they beat against his back in a rapid buzzing vibration all the same as, inch by inch, he drew nearer to Belinda and her ball.

"Well he doesn't seem to be so jittery right know." Ballentine stated while pointing at Dae, who was now walking towards Belinda. "Those wings of his are adorable. I'm not too partial to pink, but the color seems to suit him well." She said with a small smile. "Belinda on the other hand won't wear anything unless it's red. Though I'm one to talk, I wear a lot of blue." Laughing again, she turned her attention over to the children.

Belinda had noticed Dae's approach when she heard the wings buzzing. Cold eyes turned to look at him, the ball cradled other chest. "Whacha want you little baby." She snapped, hitting the ball with her hand with enough fource to make it twinkle once more. "You want my ball doncha? Well you can't have it!" She stuck her tongue out at him.

"I think lights are one of the only things he likes without reservation." Karma said, though she was a little surprised to see that he was actually approaching Belinda. "We had to bribe him with a Gameboy Advance to get him used to his new room once we'd finished it...he was so busy staring at the little glowy screen he forgot to be afraid." She cocked her head slightly. "I hope Dae didn't make your little girl angry..."

Dae seemed uninterested in her insults, his eyes locked on the ball. Wings still buzzing and flapping he began to walk in toddling eager circles around Belinda, in a poor imitation of a moth circling a lamp. He wanted to see the little flashy ball from every angle.

"Naw. She may look angry but in my opinion I think it's all just a game to her. She snapps and gets snotty but no matter what I do it doesn't seem to stop her. It's probably bad to let that kind of behavior go but I really have no way of stopping it unless I resort to violence and I'm not one to hit my kids if you know what I mean. She's young I'm sure she'll grow out of it. As long as something is there to keep her occupid she's good." Shruggling a bit, Ballentine slouched a little mroe to relax, one of the small stuffed animals that Belinda got now being used as a minor pillow. "I have to admit she ran me for the line today.. I'm exhausted. I could sleep here I'm so tired." She chuckled. "Fire works and then home."


Green eyes followed Dae, narrowed slightly. What was he up to? Sizing her up. Tch, she could so take him. She waited until Dae was in front of her once more before she made her move. The ball was quickly moved right in front of his eyes and smacked, lights twinkling right up close! Though should Dae make any movement to grasp it, Belinda would move it up high and out of his reach.

"There's going to be fireworks?" Karma groaned. "I wonder if I should take him home before that...I'm not sure if he'd be enchanted by the big sky sparklies or if he'd bolt screaming at the noise." It could be either-or when it came to Dae...though it would most likely be the latter.

The twinkles reflected in Dae's eyes as his mouth dropped open in wonderment. Oohh sparklies...BIG sparklies....quivering all over now, he began to circle again, quicker, more excited than before and pausing every time he reached the ball to stare at it some more. To passersby he probably looked ridiculous.

"Yes.. they start in about an hour if I'm guessing the time right. And I can understand your concern after seeing him when he woke. Perhaps if you stay you can cover his hears. When I was a little girl my mother used to do that for me. Doesn't block out all the sound but may work." Shrugging a bit again she took her eyes from the kids to glance aroudn at the passing crowd.

Each time the boy reached for the ball it was lfited away. Belinda laughing and continuosly hitting the ball to keep the flashing active. She even began to move her steps, making the boy follow her now. She lead him back towards their parents and started aronud the bench. Ok maybe she was wrong, but this was quite fun!

"Maybe..." Karma relented, watching the new game Belinda seemed to have invented at Dae's expense. He wasn't protesting, though, so there was no reason to get involved. "He's going to be really difficult when his wings get big enough to actually lift him....in fact, I'm dreading that day." she smirked. "Kind of like how most mothers dread their kid getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time."

Dae followed obediantly around the bench as though Belinda was the pied piper and he was a rat, eyes glued to the ball. Just as long as it kept twinkling, that's all he cared about. As it grew darker around them, the ball became even brighter and more interesting. If she wanted to, Belinda could probably have kept his interest this way all night long.

"Ugh.. " A small groan, "My kids already stole the car. Bricriu, one of my other little ones, thought it would be funny to drive the car. Took a drive down the drive way and smashed into a tree.... he's quite mischevious that one. He and his brothers are still doing time for that stunt. THough I'm sure they are goofing around since I'm not there and Jason doesn't keep disciplin well. Jason is my oldest. I think I have..." A hand was lifted as she started to count. "Oh gosh.... I ran out of fingers." She laughed. "I kicked Jason out and into his own house on the property so that took three out of the house, leaving around 8 off the top of my head in it. Not including myself. All in all I have a very full house."

Though as much fun as it was, all games got boring after awhile. The boy wasn't even making much of an effort to get the ball! Snorting and now agitated, she stopped walking and promptly shoved the ball at him. "HERE! Take it." Turning on the ball of her feet she went to her mother and put her head down in Ballentine's lap. "Moooommy.... I'm bored." Her tail swished behind her slightly.

Ballentine looked from Karma and down to her daughter and smiled. "Well the fireworks will be starting soon. We can go head over to the field and get a good spot in a little while ok?"

Belinda pouted but gave a faint nod then cast a glance at Karma.

Karma looked back to Belinda and then sat up a little straighter "If you guys want to go ahead, that's fine....before the good seats fill up, I mean. I'm thinking I might take Dae home after all before I'm too tired to drive."

Saying so, she looked around for her eden son, seeing him nowhere. "Dae...?"

Dae however, was under the bench having the time of his life, it seemed, with the little sparkly ball. Like a kitten with a ball of twine, he was rolling, batting, and otherwise making a mess of himself in the dirt as he batted the thing around.

"Dae..." Karma groaned, unable to see him well in the dimming light but able to see him well enough to know that he had gotten himself filthy. "I hope you're having a good time down there, because now you're going to need a bath when we get home..." When he gave no reaction to this, she reached beneath the bench and dragged him out, gathering him back into her lap.

Belinda all but bounced up at the other woman's offer. Yes! They could go now! Green eyes were full of excitement as they looked at the mother once more, Belinda bounching on the balls of her feet.

Ballentine gave a faint nod. "Mmm. Seens mine is more eager to go than anything. It was good meeting you and perhaps our kids can play again... or attempt to." Standing up, all the prizes were once more gathered into her arms as she looked at Belinda. "let's go kiddo."

Belinda smiled brightly and looked at Karma. "Bye bye! And keep the ball shortie!" With that said, Belinda turned and began to run off into the crowd, must to Ballentine's displeasure.

"Thank you!" Karma called after Belinda as she waved to Ballentine "Hope to see you two again!" Saying so, she looked to Dae. "Can you say thank you...?" she asked, watching him shaking the ball in front of himself. "Dae?"

He shook himself out of his trance to look up at her briefly and then, at the happiest she'd ever seen him, proclaimed "BALL!!!" and shoved it in her face like some sort of majestic treasure. Smiling a bit and sighing deeply, she got up from the bench, carrying him with her as she plodded against the flow of the people heading for the fireworks show toward the parking lot..

"And once we're done getting you over your social anxiety, kiddo, we're going to work on your manners."