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 Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:19 pm
Piper held Anua's hand as they slowly walked up the pathway to Kumoru's house. She thought it would be good for the little Anima to interact a little more with the others and perhaps make some friends. Anua herself thought it would be a good idea too, to make Revenge feel more at home, and to keep her promise of teaching him English.
Anua was carrying a plate of chocolate-chip cookies in her hands. She thought it would be nice to bring something along. She had been baking a lot lately, so she had plenty anyways at home. Hidden away in her dress pocket she had different cookie, but just for Revenge.
They finally reached the door so Anua excitedly reached up and pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to answer.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:27 pm
The small cottage could only be described as "quaint", looking rather unremarkable, and likely not large enough for more than about three people.
After a few moments, A'rendalith came to answer the door; she wore a cheerful face and was quite honestly glad to see Piper and the little anima girl, but the lady wizard also appeared quite tired.
"Hi, sorry," she said a bit breathlessly as she let them both into the house. "You just missed Kumo. He had to leave for a bit. Something about a pod and someone named Miss Koyuki?" Ren shrugged a little and laughed. "Good to know he gets out of the house sometimes. But he said he would be back soon, and perhaps with a surprise."
The red-skinned anima sat cross-legged on Kumoru's living room table, in sight of the door if he had been able to see. He was brushing his hands over his lantern which sat in his lap, but he seemed to be aware that there were newcomers in the house. Flicking the tip of his tufted tail a little, he shrugged slightly and went back to memorizing the feel of the lantern with his hands.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:39 pm
"Oh.. Too bad. Nice to see you again Ren.", Piper replied a smile, "What did you mean a surprise?" They both entered the house, Anua, being much more observant and curious of the house than Piper was.
"We thought we would stop by with some cookies. Anua's getting pretty good at it. I bet she'll be a famous chef someday." Anua was still looking about the house, and didn't really hear her. She had never been in anyone's house except for Atraia's and her own. Atraia's home had been much different from this one. This was much.. less dark. She sat down somewhere on the floor near Revenge, setting the cookies down next to her. She took one and offered him one. "Want to try one?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 9:46 pm
Ren shrugged, smoothing out the folds in her robes a little. "No idea, really. He got some phone call, and pretty much ran out after instructing me not to destroy anything and to keep an eye on the little one." The lady wizard cast a glance over her shoulder at the two anima.
Revenge turned ihs head towards Anua; he'd heard her, but was unsure of what he was asking. He thought he could smell something different in the air, but he was blind to the cookie Anua offered. The anima shook his head a little, frowning ever so slightly, not out of disapproval but confusion.
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Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 10:01 pm
Piper went to take a seat in a chair nearby. "Ah.. So how has the Anima of yours been? Everything must be new and strange to him. It was like that for Anua when she first came."
Anua had almost forgotten he could not understand her- ....Also that he couldn't see. She took the cookie she made for him out of her pocket. It was mixed with food-coloring to make the whole thing read. It was frosted to be made to look like his face. A sugary tuft at the top was meant to be the hair, a black line drawn across the cookie to be the sash across his eyes, and a great big smile below it. It was all drawn very scraggly, as Anua had an unsteady hand and insisted on doing it herself. Maybe he could feel the puffy frosting... Anua thought to herself.
She nudged it into his hand, took a different cookie and crunched on it.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:50 am
Ren nodded, crossing her arms and turning to watch Anua and Revenge. "He's been moody and skittish, at least when I'm around. He won't let either Kumo or me touch that blindfold, either, so we have no way of knowing if his eyes are alright under there or not. I hope so, though."
Feeling something against his hand, Revenge tensed slightly, then set the lantern aside to take the mysterious object in both hands. He frowned a bit more and brought it closer to his face, sniffing at it cautiously.
It smelled like nothing he had yet encountered, but some part of him found the scent quite appealing, and he ventured to lick the object, then take a bite. Hmm... Sweet and crunchy. Distractedly, he waved his fingers a little to the one beside him who had provided him with the treat, and continued to eat it.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 7:44 pm
"He seems alright. I mean he came from the lantern like that right? Unless something happened while he was a lantern. Anyways, I'm sure in time he'll trust you both enough to let you touch it. He just needs to get a little more comfortable." Piper glanced around for a few moments. "Have you got any water? I'm practically dehydrated."
Anua was glad he liked it, so she slowly pushed the whole plate towards him in case wanted more. It was sort of hard to interact with him, since he could not communicate with her. She wondered how he would learn how to speak. She had learnt from reading and watching TV and recognizing pictures on them. But how would he if he couldn't see? Then she thought of one way; she reached over to take his hand. She knew he was still uncomfortable and cautious of everything so she did so gently and carefully.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:01 pm
Ren nodded slowly. "I really don't know what went on through his er... lanternhood. I guess we can ask Kumo when he gets back. As for water, I think Kumo keeps a pitcher of filtered water in the 'fridge. Want to come into the kitchen with me for a moment while I get some for you?"
The faintest of smiles lingered on Revenge's lips along with the crumbs of the cookie as he finished it. He felt about the table a little, wondering if there were more treats, when Anua touched him. He jumped a bit, lips parting slightly, but did not withdraw. Then, cautiously, he lay his other hand on top of hers.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:13 pm
"Alright." Piper got up from the seat and began to follow Ren, disappearing with her into the kitchen.
Her hand carried his to touch her own shoulder. "My name is Anua!" repeating, "Ah-noo-ah.." She thought the first step would at least for him to learn her own name. She took his hand from her shoulder but put it back and reiterated her name again. She had never taught anybody anything so she hoped he understood and would learn to repeat what she taught him.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:40 pm
Revenge frowned curiously - he seemed to have a variety of expressions through different frowns - and lightly moved his hand up from Anua's shoulder to pat the top of her head lightly, then to stroke the length of her short hair. He could sense that she was one like him already, but this way, he found he could get a better feel for how she actually appeared.
"Ah-noo-ah..." he repeated, soundlessly at first, then in a soft whisper.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 8:59 pm
Anua was happy for the little accomplishment. She giggled slightly at his curiosity of her when he touched her hair. "Anua.. Good!" she exclaimed, handing him another cookie. She nudged the lantern she saw him feeling earlier from the ground into his hands. "This is a lantern. Lann... turn! Mumma told me I came from one too... I wonder where the lanterns came from though.", she said the latter part of this mainly to herself than to him, since he could not understand her.
Again, her curiosity got the better of her. Her eyes had drifted off towards his sword again. But remembering his reaction from the last time she tried to touch it, she refrained from going further than just looking at it.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:13 pm
Revenge nodded, sitting back a little and resting a hand on his sword almost by reflex when Anua glanced at it. Then he reached over to the lantern with his free hand and rubbed it over the place in the hood where Kumoru's knife had sliced it.
"... Home..." he murmured distractedly, turning his attention fully to the lantern. Then he carefully added, "F-free... free now," and reached over to get another cookie.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:25 pm
Anua was startled. How could he tell she was looking at it? But she was also surprised that he knew more words than she thought. She had thought he did not know how to speak at all. But vaguely she remembered that she too knew some words when she had once come from the lantern, without knowing how she knew. Perhaps she had learned something when she was a lantern, but shook that thought from her head as it sounded silly.
"Free... Yes. Free." Now her attention was on the lantern, she noticed the slice on it. She carefully traced her finger over it. Could this be why his eyes were like this? She pondered to herself... Or maybe it had only been accidently cut afterwards... "What.. what happened?" She pointed at the cut.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:33 pm
The anima's expression returned to its usual, neutral sort of frown. He had found his voice, but lacked enough words with which to work. Having a good enough idea of what Anua had asked, he pondered how to respond for a moment, then decided to show her.
Hoping she was still sitting where she had been, Revenge leaned back a bit and drew his sword. Then, using his free hand to feel the blade carefully, then the edge of the lantern, then the blade again, he showed Anua how the sword's edge fit into the cut in the lantern hood.
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Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:47 pm
Anua frowned herself. "Stop frowning so much. You make me frown when you frown." She reached over and took her two index fingers to his cheeks and nudged the edges of his mouth up. Then she made a big smile with her own mouth.
She watched him take out his sword, gasping quietly at its sharp glinting metal. She made a sound of understanding and asked, "Why?". She thought he might be able to understand her and somehow tell her what happened or who did it. She shine of the sword attracted her. She felt an urge to touch its cool surface.
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