Just Past Midnight

Orin Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 01:57 AM

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ooc... *pretends this post isn’t 2 days late* ... EDIT: 3 days late in 'Souls time.

WC 545

She had been restless all night and even when she bothered to lay in bed the young white wolf could not convince her eyes to close long enough to doze even for a few minutes. She was so excited, and her excitement, as it usually did, brimmed into her every gesture and word the day before. She had spent that day avoiding her brother, Niro, which was a bit uncommon for her. Despite wanting to go to him and chatter about how thrilled she was for tomorrow, and how important that day was for them, she resisted. She pretended to stick to her reading, which was not an uncommon venture for her. In fact, despite how happy she was to have made it to Cour des Miracles and be accepted into the pack, the girl had spent much of her time strangely secluded. It was not that she was unfriendly to strangers, she just had a strange affinity for what they wrote rather than what they said.

So under the guise of another particularly antisocial day, Orin kept secreted away from her brother as she awaited the long hours of morning to pass into noon, and noon to evening, and evening to night, and then it would seem midnight would take forever to come! Midnight... a peculiar time of the night that was always so important. In her world, midnight meant great deadlines, and the hour spells were to be cast, and a mysterious time when the creatures of nightmares snuck into your room. It was a fantastical thing, and many nights she stayed up late, Orin wondered if there was such a thing as “absolute midnight” and if these spells had to be cast and deadlines had to be met at that second, or if there was a give of a few minutes.

Sitting on the edge of her bed with her feet slung over, swinging back and forth like a pup’s (for she was too short for them to reach the floor), she rested her chin on her hands while she pondered this, until finally her honey-coloured eyes wandered to the old, reconstructed wind-up clock she had salvaged and she gasped. Well, if there was an “absolute midnight,” she missed it!

Suddenly she leaped from her perch, grabbed a couple items from her writing desk, and slipped out into the hall. Despite her waxing exhilaration, she managed to creep the few feet through the hall in a near dead silence; a task it seemed she would master with a little practice, thanks to her small size. Quietly, she crept up to the door next to hers, careful to step around the creaky old floorboard, and pressed her ear against the door until she was certain the occupant was inside. A grin she couldn’t corral pulled at her muzzle.

KA-BAM!!! The door slammed against the wall as she threw it open and burst into the room yelling and bouncing. She was a streak of pink and white until she was on the bed, jumping up and down on the mattress, and throwing fistfuls of confetti into the air. Her other hand clenched a plate with an iced cake, and a tiny bag was tied to her arm.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER!!!”

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Niro Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 02:30 AM

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WC:400

Niro had tried only a few times to get his sister to put down her books and come enjoy the nice weather but she did her best to ignore him, he rolled his eyes at her and stormed out of the room, she’d been so into the books lately he couldn’t get her out of them, he bet she didn’t even know what day or time it was, she probably fell asleep reading and woke up reading, he sulked the whole day knowing his sister was wasting away in her room while the weather was getting warmer. It was a beautiful day and he wished she could enjoy it, but he couldn’t get her away from her books. He ate alone that day, not feeling the want to be in anyone’s presence at that time afraid he would do something or say something he would regret. That night he went to bed grumpy in hopes in the morning he would surprise his sister with a birthday gift from him to her. Hoping she might like it.
But Orin had other plans. As soon as he heard the door smash open he Jumped to his feet and stood ready for some kind ofattack. Then in a flash of pink and white and suddenly he was being bombarded with lots of colorful confetti, he didn’t know what was going on until he heard her yelling happy birthday to him as loud as she could, he was flattered she remembered what day it was but…

Orin could you keep it down you’re going to wake up the whole of the hotel!

Niro said in a loud whisper but he had a big grin on his face, he was ever so glad she remembered, but wished she could have waited for a reasonable time to wake her up, he doubted the sun would be up for hours. Unlike Orin he didn’t have a clock he used the moon to tell what was going on as well as the sun. He felt a little agitated she got him up so early but still much more happier about her excitement. He couldn’t help it. They were one year old now, a full years cycle has passed since they were born it was definitely something to be excited about.

Happy birthday to you too sis, but couldn't you come in at a DECENT hour?

Orin Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 02:50 AM

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ooc... WC 302

Her joyous laughter could not be contained as he protested her untimely birthday party. She stopped bouncing on the bed, thankfully momentarily stopping the thudding of the headboard against the wall, but did not get down from her station. At his second protest, she pouted.

“No I couldn’t have come ‘at a decent hour.’ Not only is it our birthday, it's our first birthday! It’s five minutes past midnight, I was almost too late!” She giggled as she pulled off a chunk of cake and tasted it. She pretended to be enthralled with the flavor, and if it was not an act then she had not baked the cake herself. She was a notoriously bad cook. When she tried, or rather, when she didn't screw around, she could conjure up a decent meal. But too often she would add ingredients to food just because they were pretty, or because she wanted to see how it would react. “You know, when humans were alive, they developed so slowly they couldn't even remember their first birthday?! I don't know how they survived as long as they did. I guess it's no wonder about what happened to them, then."

“Mmm... Quit whining and have some cake!” She laughed as she shoved her hand into Niro’s face, smearing confection and icing on her brother’s muzzle before licking it off of her own fingers.

Finally she jumped down from her spot, too hyper to be graceful and silence the thud of her feet against the ground. She set the plate onto the desk and turned to Niro, grinning from ear-to-ear. She held up her hand, the pouch wrapped around her wrist swayed like a pendulum. She wriggled her arm and the pouch worked down into her fingers. She held it out to her brother. “Got you something!”

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Niro Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 11:51 AM

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WC: 311

Grumbling at where she could put her human facts, Niro rose from his bed tiredly. But before he had time to do anything else cake was smeared all over his muzzle, it made his stomach churn, it was too late… or too early now? To think about eating cake, but knowing she would do it again if he didn’t at least lick some off his muzzle he did so with plenty of hesitation but before he was finished licking and wiping off the frosting Orin thrust another thing at him, this time much more clean, he was use to this act from his sister, she had always been such an excitable person, he’d been worried that something happened to her while she was cooped up reading her books. He didn’t look into his pouch because he had something in return, he’d found it when he was pulling together the materials for his birdcage. He knew she would love it, since she was always complaining about not having enough, he on the other hand didn’t have time to wrap it, but he thought he made it personal, he handed them to her in a bundle, because they did belong together, he’d found some paper and made a cover for her, hopefully something that would last, he’d always been pretty good with his hands. The journal he’d made for her had a leather cover, made from rabbit skin, and he’d found a bottle of ink near the stables, it looked like it would work for her, he wasn’t sure though. Then he took the pouch

What’d ya get me?

He asked not looking in his bag, giving her a sly grin seeing if she would tell him out of her excitement. He might have enclosed her death sentence on that new journal, but she had to DO something to write in it… right?

Orin Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 01:46 PM

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ooc... wc 392

“Oooh!” she marveled as Niro handed her the present. The shape was unmistakable, and her heart began flip-flopping in her chest with excitement. Quickly she opened the book to discover the freshly bound paper and sturdy, reliable cover. She ran her fingers over the rabbit-hide binding, feeling the rough yet smooth textures. It was certainly a great specimen of a book!

She took a second to open the book and flip through the pages. Seeing they were bare, she brightened. “A new journal! Oh Niro, thank you!” Forgetting the gift that she had been holding out to her brother, she lurched forward and threw her arms around his shoulders, hugging him tightly and sincerely. “Thank you. You know how ragged my old one got on the ship on our way here and how bad I needed a new one.”

She stepped back, beaming down at the journal, before finally she realized her forgetfulness. “Oh yeah!” She set down the journal and fresh ink and held out the pouch again. Her grin pulled back and grew as she tried to resist falling into his trap and telling him what she’d gotten him. “Come on, it’s better if you just open it, I can’t describe it!”

Actually, she could. She could very easily describe the beautiful trinket that she had gotten her brother. . . and she had done it all whilst scavenging by herself. She had gotten out of the hotel a little more than Niro had known about. She could easily tell him everything she had read about black dacite, the type of rock she discovered the arrowhead was carved from. She could go on and on about how she had yet to understand the meaning of the flying eagle etched into the face of the arrowhead, but knew that he would like it. She could tell him about how, as the snow began to melt, she climbed tree after tree in search of an abandoned bird’s nest, and eventually finding the two falcon tailfeathers she attached to it, and how she tied the leather thong to it with plenty of room so he could wear it as a necklace, or a bracelet, or if he grew his hair long enough, weave it in. She could tell him all of that, but the surprise was so much more fun.

“Open it already!”

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Niro Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 05:35 PM

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WC: 244
He looked at her with a raised eyebrow and wasn’t sure if he really wanted to open it but his curiosity rising from her excitement he opened the pouch to find the trinket she’d braided into a leather thong it was perfect for his wrist, she even put a few falcon tail feathers on it, it was beautiful, he breathed in deeply to keep his composure he wrapped it around his wrist and held it out wordlessly to his sister to let her tie it around his wrist knowing she knew what he wanted her to do. When she was done he admired it for a while

Thank you it’s wonderful!

He gave his sister a hug, knowing she was expecting it but he wanted to give it to her, because the present was so thoughtful and he absolutely loved it, especially the etching on the arrowhead. He wondered where she found the arrowhead. It was a beautiful masterpiece.

So… now that I’m awake, What do you want to do… I doubt I can get any sleep and I think you woke up the rest of the hotel as well.

He said looking over at his door, he was sure she had something planned for the day and if not, he knew she’d keep him up telling him about her stories. Hopefully someone would come in and save him before then, he didn’t mind listening to her stories but not 12 midnight.

Orin Takekuro · 03-27-2010, 11:34 PM

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ooc... Anyone is still welcome to join, especially now that Orin's made all that noise and likely woken some people up!

WC 540

She beamed with pride as she watched her brother’s reaction to his first birthday gift from her. As he lit up in awe of the bauble (though that was far too insignificant of a word to call the item) she brightened in happiness. She knew he would like it, but sometimes you’re never quite positive until you see someone’s reaction to their present. “You like it? I’m so glad!” She marveled as she took his wrist and knotted the thong, then stepped back for a moment to admire the stunning ornament.

“You’re welcome!” She leaped into his arms and exchanged a tight embrace, and even when it seemed they should break she still held on to her brother for a few minutes more. It seemed that for so long, this was all they could do – hold on to each other – but now everything was different. Everything was so wonderful, here in the Northern lands, and they were really celebrating their first birthday at peace! The emotion welled up inside her and pooled at the corners of her eyes, but she grinned against her tears and when they finally ended their hug, she dabbed gently at her eyes before they could fall. She giggled lightly, feeling a bit foolish. “I’m sorry, it’s just. . .” but she didn’t finish; she didn’t have to. She knew Niro felt it, too, there was no way he couldn’t. He had done so much fighting for them in the past, he was now finally able to rest and take some time to get in touch with himself. That place they came from would have eventually robbed her of Niro, if not by death then because its seasons of abuse are enough to harden and destroy even the strongest, noblest of Souls. . . Souls just like her brother.

She took a deep breath, and soon enough the urge to burst into happy tears abated. “It’s crazy, isn’t it? That after all we’ve been through . . . It’s a wonder we even made it to our first birthday, let alone are here!” She made a gesture with her hand.

“Eat cake, silly!” She hopped over to the desk and snatched the plate off of it, holding the mini-cake out to him. It was just big enough for the both of them to have a very generous slice, minus the chunk Orin had already scooped out of it with her fingers. “Sorry, I forgot forks.” She shrugged as she apologized; digging in with bare hands would be no problem for her. She was certainly no girly-girl that couldn’t handle a cake just because there were no utensils. After all, wolves were not meant to eat with utensils . . . not even werewolves. She scooped another bite and stuffed it into her mouth.

“Ooh! I know,” she turned and headed for the door before Niro could take a taste of the cake. “Lets go to the great hall and see if the fire’s still going. I’m sure there’s a few more treats around here we could rustle up, too. Hey! Let’s stay up all day today! That way we’ll know everything that happened on our birthday!” Her voice trailed off as she pattered out the door.

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Niro Takekuro · 03-28-2010, 01:19 AM

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WC: 325

Niro took a deep breath from her hug, and bit his tongue a few times for himself not to lose his own emotional control. He cleared his throat and poked her forehead when she moved away

Don’t get all emotional sis, I’d never leave you to the wolves, we’ll always survive we are the Takekuro’s after all, remember what dad said? As long as there’s one, we will survive… and there’s two of us.

Niro said and then she changed the subject, just like his own sister, she was too excited about everything. He was just happy for a nice moment, early or no, then he cringed thinking she would actually throw the cake at him, it wouldn’t be a first that was for sure. But she didn’t she started eating her half while waiting for him to eat his, but before he could get it she moved away and ran out the door on a small excursion

Hey what about my cake!

He said as he ran after her out into the hallway, she was already halfway down the stairs now, how could she be so fast at times, he didn’t know, and he wondered why she never hunted, she’d be so good at it if she put her mind to it, girls… he ran after her taking every other step down before catching up to her. He snatched the plate out of her hands and grabbed his piece of cake, and held the plate up too high for her to grab at to get the rest of the cake.

Since you got me up so early you’re definitely not going to ever forget

He said grinning at her knowing she would have a hard time reaching her cake, he was sure her mind would wander off again before too long and she’d forget about the cake, of coarse she’d take him along with her and he’d forget about it too.

Orin Takekuro · 03-28-2010, 02:53 AM

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ooc... WotD: Sylvan, adjective - 'Of or pertaining to woods or forest regions.' (Hope it counts, there's still 7 minutes of 3/27 in my time zone!)

WC 314

It was nice to think about their father, even for the brief moment that Orin’s broken heart allowed her to conjure up the memory of their parents. To this day, it was still a mystery to Orin why the sylvan wolf brought his family into a place like the slums of Florida after all the lessons of the woods and forest it seemed he tried to teach his offspring. Thankfully, she had a piece of each of them in Niro, and she would never let that go. But, just as Orin so often did, she had quickly pushed away the touching moment for more silly things.

As she scuttled out of the room and heard him yelp after his cake, she called over her shoulder, “Come get it.” And then, when she was halfway down the stairs and he still hadn’t caught up, “Hey, it’s only our first birthday. Are you a grey-muzzle already?”

She knew her brother would obtain retribution for her teasing, and she loved every second of it. By the time he was in the main hall with her, she was settled comfortably into a large chair as though she had been waiting for him for hours, happily scooping the frosting off of his side of the cake. When he seized the plate from her, she gasped dramatically and jumped to her feet, reaching up for the plate, but her small physique was no competition for her brother’s height. “No fair! You’re cheating!”

She jumped up onto the chair, reaching for the coveted pastry, then in a moment of ingenuity, her ears laid back against her head as she flung herself against Niro. Her limbs wrapped around him, legs at his waist, arms at his shoulders, clinging and shimmying for higher ground until her fingertips began to close around the plate and tried to yank it from his evil brotherly clutches.

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Niro Takekuro · 03-31-2010, 06:58 PM

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OOC

orry it's short
WC: 146

Ok Ok you can stop now!

Niro said as she climbed up on him. But it was too late, with all her weight on him, he couldn’t hold both of them up and they came crashing to the floor, he expertly held onto the plate until the last second and it slipped out of his fingers and onto the floor, he made a face as it hit the ground. The plate didn’t break, but it did make a loud thud as it hit the ground and whatever was left of Orin’s cake was now all over the floor. It made him feel bad, she didn’t have much left on it, but it was still hers, Niro handed her his slice.

I didn’t mean to drop it sis, I’m sorry.

He said, and he meant every word, he smiled at her, hoping this wouldn’t ruin their birthday.

Orin Takekuro · 03-31-2010, 08:55 PM

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ooc... Wrapping up. Minor control of Niro in this post was ok'ed by his RPer

WC 361

She laughed like a madwoman as they tipped and went tumbling to the floor. Sometimes she had the most fun when she was falling down. She heard the plate clatter and watched as the cake slid off and made a mess on the floor. Her ears fell back and she stared at the fallen comrade. Crestfallen, she mourned the cake for a moment before bursting into laughter again. She couldn’t feign the disappointment for long.

Accepting his proposal, she snatched half of the piece he offered her, “it’s okay. You eat it!” She cackled as she shoved the piece at him, smearing it on his face again before scrambling to her feet and bounding away from him. She crossed to the other side of the room and took up position behind the table. When Niro chased, she led him on a game of ring-around-the-rosy before he eventually sprang over the table and tackled her. Again the siblings crashed to the ground in a roar of laughter. This time, Orin didn’t get back to her feet or play any other dirty tricks. Eventually, their mirth ebbed to the soft afterglow that followed a silly play session.

“I bet we’ve woken the whole pack up by now,” she mused. “All the way up the Shattered Coast.” She hushed and listened for sounds of any fellow packmates within the Chien Hotel who may have been roused or angered by their games. But somehow no one seemed to stir; or at least if they had they forgave the Takekuro’s their games and did not come to chastise them.

“Hey, I’ve got a new story to tell you,” she said as she finally moved into a spot before the low-burning fireplace. “Want to hear it. . ?” And without waiting for his confirmation, she began the tale as Niro cleaned his face and sat down beside her. This time she told him about the legends a group of tribe-dwelling humans believed about their K-9 companions and the peculiar heaven they believed their pets went to, and how they must take part in helping them get there which typically involved a raven and a dais in the woods. It was a short story, for once, and it wasn’t long until they had drifted into idle conversation. Eventually they stretched out there on the floor, and in the warmth of the fading fire, the Takekuro siblings drifted off to sleep on the morning of their first birthday.

-End-

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