Once upon a troubador

[Guest]

"Tom, Tom Bombadil~ Tom-a-Bombadil-o! Bright blue his jacket is, and his boots are yellow!" A voice sang out softly, but happily as a orange-haired girl went skipping down the street of Waterford, Carraig, humming the bright little tune to herself. She had heard it in a book on tape once back when she was in school and it was such a delightful, and simple, melody that she fell in love with it completely. Today was a day of good things! Kaede was in town to do some shopping for Mickey and herself while he was off on a job (or else he was looking for a job, she wasn't sure which it was), and she got to cook tonight! It had been so long since she had gotten to make them a proper meal as opposed to little things here and there. Those in themselves were fine, but it wasn't.. the same. She did miss getting run of the kitchen like she used to at home.

Home... No. No she didn't miss it at all. The pep began to lessen from her step, her brown school shoes falling silent against the cement. For now, she was wearing her old school uniform, the ribbon in her hair blue today that matched her eyes. Maybe it was just another reminder of that place she had escaped, but she hadn't thought about home in a while because... it was scary to. She could only imagine what would happen to her if they found her! Oh god, it sent shivers down her spine! She bit her bottom lip and hurried onward to the grocery store, her shoes clacking against the cobblestone streets. See, this is why she loved her home country. There were still so many signs of how life had been like before! Cobblestone was just somehow charming. Or maybe it was just her. She didn't really know or care so there! Heehee! The store loomed up into sight and she slipped inside, quickly running over the grocery list that was in her mind. Let's see... Some rice if possible, eggs, veggies, spices, sauces....

About ten to fifteen minutes later, Kaede emerged with plastic bags in tow, the bright smile having returned to her features. Oh how she did like to get groceries! So she was a girl of simple tastes, was that so bad? It's not like Mickey cared either. Ooo, she hoped he would like what she was planning on making. He too often didn't eat the right things (or healthier things at least), and it concerned her! Just because good food cost more money and was harder to acquire than junk food, didn't mean that counted as a decent meal! She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice the college age man who suddenly grabbed her arm, startling her quite badly as she swung around due to her own momentum. Her blue eyes went wide as she stared up at the handsome man who was giving her a less than reassuring smile. "Well hello there cutie. Shouldn't you be in school?" Creep! "N-no. Would you please let go of me?" She asked him nervously, her blue eyes watching him with a hidden fear. She couldn't let him know how afraid she was! Maybe she should have tried to learn some of that boxing from Mickey after all. It was a good thing he had given her that little knife...

"Oh really? Well then, would you like to join me for some lunch? I know a great place-" "No! Thank you. I appreciate your offer, but I really must be getting back." He didn't seem to like this answer even though his features didn't immediately twist or anything. A coldness seemed to come over him as he pulled her a little closer, leaning towards her ear as his grip tightened on her arm. "Little girls should listen to their elders. Now-" Kaede was like a terrified horse and she struck without thinking, her knee immediately going into his groin to which he went quiet and sort of.. tilted... over... Thump. His grip loosened and she pulled free, running as fast as she could away from him, not even caring what direction it was. Just away from him!

So when she ran full force into a man, the two of them went tumbling. Her groceries scattered, flying from her hands due to the force and nature of their fall. The wind was knocked out of her as she lay there, unaware she was partially on top of him on a perpendicular angle and that, well, her skirt had risen up far enough to reveal she was wearing light green and white striped panties (that were rather cute). Owowowow.... What had just happened?

[Guest]

Oh, what a journey he was on today! The wind had led him south from Drachma, much to his mother's dismay. But as he had promised, he found his half-brother. Once he was well, he had promised he would visit again. But the urge to walk out had led Vladmir into Creta. And as he traveled down through Creta, the wind kept him going south. Soon enough, he found himself on the shores of Creta and yet... he STILL wished to go onward. As Bilbo Baggins so cleverly said, “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”* Vladmir felt swept off his feet and he couldn't be more excited. He had caught a ferry to Carraig, a new country. He realized he knew nothing of the language but luckily, they were equally fluent with Cretan. Vlad chose to ignore the larger cities of Carraig for the time being, traveling instead towards a small town called Waterford. He had heard of the beautiful crystal they had made there for hundreds of years. It would definitely be an interesting visit. Maybe he could manage to find something beautiful (and small) to ship back to Mama in Drachma.

For a change of pace, Vlad held his backpack in his hand as he walked down the streets of Waterford. He hummed absentmindedly to himself. Soon enough he would reach the factory and get a lovely tour. Then he would find himself a place to stay for a little while and maybe an odd job to get some money. But for now... Such a lovely da-

OW!!! OWWWWWWWW!!!!!!! Vlad was suddenly not walking but rather flat on his back on the ground. And there was a weight on top of him; not quite heavy but not quite light either. He cocked his head up to see a girl sprawled across the top of him. A glance from side to side indicated that his backpack was strewn into the streets, as well as a LOT of groceries. He managed to squirm a little and the girl rose somewhat slowly. As Vlad himself sat up he noticed her... OH MY. His eyes got wide and a huge blush stole up his face. “Ummm...yourskirtisummm..yourskirtisup.” He spoke quickly because he really didn't know how else to react. He stood up and threw his backpack over his shoulder, beginning to gather the girl's groceries as he let her fix her skirt. As he finished up he heard some footsteps coming up behind both of them. Uh no.

“You little bitch. I'll-” Vladmir turned to see a guy coming up behind them, looking extremely pissed at the girl nearby him. She didn't exactly look pleased to see him either. He glanced between the two of them, totally confused. He really needed to learn Creig! Drawing up all his movie knowledge he looked at the man again. He looked angry and was limping a tiny bit, slightly hunched over. OH!!! He must've done something to her and she must've hit him in the groin!! Right?? And he looked super angry about it; which did make sense. But the small young woman besides him surely wouldn't have done that just for fun? Otherwise she wouldn't look so frightened. ...What would... AH! ADMIRAL ACKBAR! “Take evasive actions!”* Grinning down at the girl, he threw an arm around her. “Hey, sis! I was just coming to look for you. Mom's been wondering where you were with the groceries. Good thing we ran into each other.” He laughed, gathering the rest of the groceries. He gave the man a withering glance as he carried all of the groceries and looped a free arm through the girl's. “Come on, let's head home.” As they walked away Vlad brought his head down and whispered. “I'm Vladmir. Let's get you out of this sticky situation, eh?”



*The Fellowship of the Ring & Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi

[Guest]

"Ow... what..." “Ummm...yourskirtisummm..yourskirtisup.” ....Huh? Who was that? And why was--OHMYGODHERSKIRTWASUP!! With a rather loud 'eep!', Kaede somehow seemed to do some strange flip-push-skirt-down-jackie-chan-worthy flop that landed her on her bum next to her, her cheeks positively rosy from embarrassment. But now that the crisis was done, she realized that there was another. There was a reason the two of them were sitting there on the ground. "Oh goodness, I'm so sorry. I.. I wasn't paying attention- I... Wait, you speak Cretan?" Yes. Yes her mind did just jump from one thing to another even as she was already speaking the mainland language easily. Her blue eyes blinked twice as she stared up at him since she was rather perplexed as to what had just happened. One minute, there's a creep. Then there's a foreigner she ran into and who was- Oh! Who was picking up her groceries. Scrambling onto her feet, she too, began to scoop up the food that had scattered every which way before a shadow loomed over them.

“You little bitch. I'll-” Kaede immediately tensed up, trembling like a little leaf on the wind, hardly soaring at all as she tried desperately to think of what she could do. Uh.. Uh... Mickey could-- Wait, Mickey wasn't there. Uuuummm... She could throw a molotov! Oh wait, that wouldn't be good either... That would throw fire everywhere and possibly damage the man she had run into! And others. Can't forget the others. B-but... Uh-oh... Turning onto her back now, she fell right back onto her bum, her skirt rising dangerously high until she began to scoot backwards and away from the man. Oh that was smart. She was about to stammer something out to the man when this foreigner's arm was suddenly about her, causing her to rise up to her feet as she clung to the groceries she had managed to grab. She still looked terrified. Probably not helpful... “Hey, sis! I was just coming to look for you. Mom's been wondering where you were with the groceries. Good thing we ran into each other.” Shbuto-wha? "I... I.. Yes!" OH RIGHT OK SHE... she thought she got it? This was an act! Yes! Smiling apologetically, she laughed nervously as she nuzzled his shoulder affectionately. "I'm sorry I took so long, and for running into brother. I was in a huge hurry!" Slipping the groceries into one of the bags, she smiled sweetly up at this stranger who was certainly saving her life right now, trying to think of how a sister would act. Sure, Mickey and her were like brother and sister (and so many other things. It was really confusing), but they certainly weren't normal to say the least.

“Come on, let's head home.” "Ok! Um, bye mister." She didn't dare look at the man at all, instead staring just past him or at the ground as she fought desperately for her legs to stop shaking. But they wouldn't stop shaking because she was still scared witless! But they were moving away now, yes yes far away please. Oh god... Who [i]was this-- oh... this handsome stranger? Oooo..... pretty... “I'm Vladmir. Let's get you out of this sticky situation, eh?” Zabba-wha-Oh! Yes, stop staring. That was rude. "Thank you so much Vladimir... I am really super sorry I ran into you." What would she have done if she HADN'T run into him? Get raped? Possibly. Very possibly. Ok, maybe there was some merit to what Mickey constantly told her about trying to learn some kind of self-defense thing. UH-OH! Name! She almost forgot to say her name! "I'm Kaede. Pleased to meet you." Giggling softly, she led them off to the right down another street, her ears pricking to hear the sound of that man following them. Good. He wasn't.

Ok so... where did they go now? Eh..hehehe? "I um... Where were you headed before? I'm afraid I don't really know my way around this town." She admitted with a blush, gathering her orange hair behind her hear. Gawd, she was going to die from embarrassment today! And fear, but that wasn't now anymore!

[Guest]

As they turned the corner, Vladmir quickly, but politely, removed his arm from her shoulders, moving a respectful distance to the side. He slipped his sunglasses off of his nose and stuck them up in his hair instead. “It's nice to meet you, Kaede. And I am glad we bumped into each other.” He laughed, shifting the groceries in his hand. “Otherwise that horrible guy could've caught up to you. I'm not sure what he wanted, but it definitely didn't seem honorable.” Not honorable at all, that was for sure. Nasty, even. He chuckled a little to himself. “Now for the final note in my symphony of down right nasty not-niceness!”* Returning back to the present he looked back over at Kaede. She seemed a lot more relaxed and was apologizing for not knowing the town. He shrugged his shoulders. “I wasn't headed anywhere in particular. Eventually I was planning on finding the crystal factory that they have somewhere here. But I find that maps can be silly things, at times. You can find so much more just by wandering around.”

In fact, as he talked, his feet lead them down another street and then another. He honestly had no idea where he was going, but Kaede seemed to be okay with their current direction and the wind did always lead Vlad into good places. “I'd be happy to help you get the rest of your groceries back to your home safely, first. I would hate for you to have any more problems. And I'm sorry I don't speak any Creig. I kind of came here by chance.” He smiled at Kaede, his tone still so polite and his face genuine. He didn't want her to think of him as some kind of creep himself; he just wanted to make sure she was safe. It was the “knight” in him.



*How The Grinch Stole Christmas

[Guest]

Oh yes, propriety or something... She was never really good at manners... Or she was, but she.. wasn't? Oh she was being stupid now! But as he removed his arm, she did take a step to the side so as allow to more space between them. It was really kind of comical since they both stepped to the side, Kaede appearing a bit nervous about it. But as he raised his sunglasses, her bright blue eyes turned back towards him and she found herself smiling. He really was kinda cute wasn't he? Oh silly Kaede! Pay no attention to that! “It's nice to meet you, Kaede. And I am glad we bumped into each other.” "Heehee, me too. This is turning out to be a good day!" She giggled brightly, “Otherwise that horrible guy could've caught up to you. I'm not sure what he wanted, but it definitely didn't seem honorable.” She shook her head slowly as she brought her wrist up to her chest, keeping her arms closer to her body. Her arm was still sore from where he had grabbed her.... What would she have done if he hadn't come along in all seriousness? "No... Not honorable at all..." She murmured thoughtfully as she glanced down towards her clothes, wondering if it was because of the clothes she had decided to wear or not. Oh hell, she didn't know anymore....

But then she realized that maybe she was worrying her new friend, looking up to meet his gaze as she forced her hands back down to her sides. She was a fierce girl! Yes, so very fierce! With her molotovs that she didn't have.... Oh she was a fail boat in the self-defense department.... “I wasn't headed anywhere in particular. Eventually I was planning on finding the crystal factory that they have somewhere here. But I find that maps can be silly things, at times. You can find so much more just by wandering around.” Really? Her eyes went wide at this new information, wondering at these crystals that he was talking about. She liked shiny pretty things!!! "Woooow.... Seriously? I had no idea this town had something like that!" Oh. Maybe she shouldn't have said that? After all, he might think that she was from there or something. Boy was that incorrect. How far was Dublin from here? Oh who knew. "Ooo! My friend and I love to wander around. Heehee, we are just silly with the wandering sickness." She giggled brightly as her mind drifted towards Mickey, skipping for a few steps.

Oh yeah, where were they going? They were just going down street after street in no real order or anything. Did he know where they were going? Or... Oh wait! He said he just wandered! Right! So they were just going. It was like that book and movie or something.... "Be careful where your feet went?" Something like that? Oh she was so bad at remembering things sometimes!! “I'd be happy to help you get the rest of your groceries back to your home safely, first. I would hate for you to have any more problems. And I'm sorry I don't speak any Creig. I kind of came here by chance.” Huh? Uh.... Uh-oh... Now Kaede looked a bit uncomfortable, looking away from him towards some of the streets that they were passing by as a form of distraction. "I uh.... " How was he going to react to that? "I don't...." Ooooooo...... "It's no problem that you can't speak Creig! Plenty of visitors don't know the language, so its ok. I should practice my Cretan anyways otherwise I'll get all rusty and stuff!"

With a bright grin, she moved right over the subject of where she lived and onward! Though, it was probably important to at least take him up on his offer or something, or at least respond to it. "I mean, I can take those from you. I really appreciate how much you've helped me out today." Kaede smiled softly as she looked up to him, her skirt swishing from side to side as she extended her hands to take the bags from him, the nervousness still clear in her eyes. "I-I... Idon'tactuallyliveanywhereI'msorry!" The words came tumbling forth out of her in one big whoosh, finding herself bowing like she used to to her parents when they yelled at her for something. Her eyes shut tight, hands now pressing against her thighs as her orange hair fell on either side of her face, hiding it pretty well from view. Oh god, he wasn't going to hate her now was he? He wasn't going to think her some strange girl was he? She wasn't that strange! Just... misguided? No, that wasn't right either. She was just... um... something! Oh....

[Guest]

"I-I... Idon'tactuallyliveanywhereI'msorry!"

Um. She was. Bowing. And... what??? Vlad felt so terribly confused. One minute they're having a lovely little conversation and the next, she seemed terrified and in a submissive position. Vlad doubted it was actually him that was causing this reaction but something ingrained in her nature. Nevertheless, it made him feel extremely uncomfortable. Yet he realized that appearing uncomfortable would just make Kaede be more... strange. And that would just ruin a pleasant day, as far as Vladmir was concerned. Soooo... how to do it? Any suave gentleman from the movies would lean over and chuck her lightly underneath the chin with a smile and witty remark. Something that would bring the light back in her eyes and make the awkward moment pass right on by. One problem. Vlad was definitely NOT that suave gentleman. He could try, but that didn't seem chivalrous by any means. In fact, it felt like if timed incorrectly, it could go horribly wrong. So perhaps physical contact wasn't the best choice. He'd have to settle for a nice chuckle (but not condescending!) and a good smile for when she raised herself back up.

Having made a plan of action, Vlad decided to implement it, posthaste. He laughed lightly, making sure to keep a smile in his voice. “What do you have to be sorry about? I don't have a place to live everywhere either! I find places to stay where I can, although my mother always said I have a room at her place when I get tired. But seeing the world is far more interesting than staying in one place, don't you think?” He had a feeling that she didn't have much of a place to call “home” even when she wasn't wandering, but decided to remain oblivious to that fact. That would just bring the day down and that was not the point at all! “Let's bring these groceries to wherever you're staying, eh? And maybe if you're not too busy, you can join me at the crystal factory? I would enjoy the company.” Younger than Vlad she appeared to be, but he still felt a blush steal up his cheeks at asking a girl to go with him somewhere! AH! It was just so... strange. As she finally raised herself up he took a dramatic forward pose, stating. "The game's afoot. 'Follow your spirit and upon this charge, cry god for Harry, England and St. George!'”*



*Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock Holmes

[Guest]

Ohpleasedon'thateheroranythinglikethatorhitheror.... mew? Taking a very deep breath, Kaede slowly (and I mean slowly) raised her head, squinting one eye open to look at him only to see and hear his laughter. To that, both of her eyes shot open as she straightened up in a single jerking motion, her blue gaze filled with surprise. “What do you have to be sorry about? I don't have a place to live everywhere either! He... didn't? She had to perk up at that, brushing her hair behind her ears as a smile slowly began to make its way across her face. "I find places to stay where I can, although my mother always said I have a room at her place when I get tired. But seeing the world is far more interesting than staying in one place, don't you think?” She nodded with great fervor to his observations, finding more of a kinship with him than she could have ever expect to.

Lets analyze things a little here; he liked to travel, he didn't have a home to call his own, he had helped her out tremendously in her time of need, was cute, and didn't judge her for her life style. Wait, one of those didn't count! Er.. er... Aw man.... “Let's bring these groceries to wherever you're staying, eh? And maybe if you're not too busy, you can join me at the crystal factory? I would enjoy the company.” As if her eyes weren't wide enough already, they widened even more at this invitation to join him! Really? Really really she could? Kaede was positively beaming as she nodded fervently in answer, not even realizing there was a hint of color in her cheeks (she also seemed rather oblivious to his blushing as well). "I'd love to! Thank you so much!" She cried before she gave pause and actually thought about it. Oh boy, just where were they going to leave the groceries? She had no doubt that Mickey was off somewhere and it hardly seemed a good idea to just leave them sitting out in the middle of that drafty old abandoned house....

Her ponderings didn't last for very long as her companion suddenly struck a pose and intoned, "The game's afoot. 'Follow your spirit and upon this charge, cry god for Harry, England and St. George!'” Now she simply had to giggle at that for it sounded like a quote of some sort! That, or he was just very witty and knowledgeable of stuff. She really was worrying too much about all of this, wasn't she? So with a wave of a hand, she ran off down the street towards the edge of town where the amount of people decreased to old couples and those merely living out their years in peace. The buildings were getting more sparse and spread apart, expanding out into some old farmsteads that appeared to be in rather good shape except for the fact that at least two in every three of the barns were in complete disrepair. "We're hiding out in some house over here." She didn't know why she hadn't really spoken up while they had been traveling, but she certainly had been very focused on not getting them lost.

Soon they reached a single house that by a nearby overgrown field, the only sign that someone had been there recently being the cleared dust. In fact, it was oddly clean inside and on the front porch. There were some makeshift pelts for beds with blankets that were recently store bought laying over them. There was only one bag in the place, and that was Mickeys. Strange that he hadn't brought it with him or anything.... "Well.. here it is. Home sweet home for the moment..." With a deftness she didn't seem to possess, she took the grocery bags from him and walked into the kitchen to lay them out, humming a light tune as she went. "Sorry its a mess... Mickey and I gotta make due with what we got. Which usually isn't much."

[Guest]

SHE HAD AGREED! WOO! Vlad managed to have a small freak out fest in his head without revealing it externally. Plus she had cheered up, which was a definite bonus. Point one to chivalry! And point two to having some balls and asking a girl to go somewhere! Vlad was seriously on a roll today. It was then that he realized that Kaede had started to walk away and was walking rather quickly at that. Vlad jogged a few steps to catch up with her, content with the silence. He would drop back into his usual pace and then realize she was about to lose him again, so then he would pick up his pace. He was just having too much fun looking through the town and seeing it disappear into more and more farmland.

He was beginning to wonder where they were going when they apparently arrived. Kaede led them into the house, taking the bags from him as he looked around. It was definitely a temporary feeling in this place. But still cozy... in a strange way. He couldn't really explain it. Anyway... he walked through a short hallway as he joined Kaede in the kitchen. “Why do they always paint hallways that color?” “They say taupe is very soothing.”* Vlad chuckled to himself. Taupe was soothing, he supposed. But then again, he didn't see many taupe hallways... but that could be his lack of being in casino cages or the like.

“It looks pretty tidy to me, considering it's probably a really old house.” He smiled, going over to help her with the groceries until they were all laid out neatly. “Do you and Mickey travel everywhere together? Friends on a quest for adventure?” He asked politely and also... curiously he supposed. When she had said “Mickey”, he felt himself sigh with annoyance internally. Great, he had attempted to be polite and make friends with someone who could potentially have a big, scary boyfriend or something. Hopefully this “Mickey” wouldn't come back and beat the crap out of Vlad for being nice. That would seriously suck.


Danny and Rusty, Ocean's Eleven

[Guest]

Kaede was feeling an unfamiliar nervousness at having Vlad there, at least busying herself with the task at hand. It wasn't as if they hadn't had guests before but... those guests had been different. They had been Mickey's guests and related to the job that was at hand, not some person that had just helped her out. But somehow... it felt more than that. Biting her lower lip absentmindedly, she paused as he spoke, “It looks pretty tidy to me, considering it's probably a really old house.” Well now she had to blush since the only reason it looked half as nice as it did was because she was such a stickler for cleaning. Honestly, she might as well be a professional house wife or something. Bowing her head in thanks to both the compliment and his aid, they were soon done laying out all the groceries and she was left with little to busy herself with as a distraction. Why was she so nervous? This wasn't like her! "Thank you. I did my best with it, but it is, as you say, old. It's still home for the moment though and thats what matters." Heck, it was practically a palace compared to some of the places that they had stayed before (or lack thereof).

Her smile was genuine blue eyes turning to her new friend as she leaned with her back against the counter, hands folding in front of her. “Do you and Mickey travel everywhere together? Friends on a quest for adventure?” Well.... That was kind of amusing to her and so a giggle spilled from her as she nodded a couple of times. "We do indeed. I owe my life to Mickey, he's my best friend ever. If it weren't for him I'd..." She drifted into silence as she thought of that home she no longer had, the parents that had raised her, the friends she had left behind... Should she tell him about all of that? Would he even WANT to listen? Her hands tightened a little as her gaze lowered towards the floor, biting her lower lip once more at the internal debate. Had she really improved since then? Had she really completely cast away that life she had left?

Crack. Kaede's head shot up at the sound, turning towards the doorway to see it was just a little cat walking through. It stared up at them with mild disinterest before moving onward, breaking the awkward silence that had settled over them. "He certainly leads the adventures though, I'm just like that little sidekick! But I'm not as combat oriented as Batgirl or anything heehee." Boy was that the truth! The only thing she was good at was molotov's. Oh, she was running low on those again, she should have stolen some alcohol while she was out... Damn. Oh well, maybe Mickey would have better luck. Her gaze rested upon Vlad, her worries in her eyes, yet she tilted her head slightly with a smile. "Do you ever travel with anyone? Or do you fly solo?"

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Guest]

Best friend? Whew. Slightly less likely that he would get beat up. She seemed excited to talk about Mickey and their adventures, and yet... she still looked kind of sad. Definitely not cool. When she asked about his own travel companion, he smiled. He shifted his backpack on his back with a little shake of his shoulders, emphasizing it. “A man and his backpack. That's all I need to travel. Well, that and my movies.” He shrugged his shoulders with a laugh, his voice going a little higher than his usual octave and a bit more nasally, “I don't know about you guys but, we are the weirdest herd I've ever seen.”*

Taking his backpack off his shoulders for a minute, he lovingly pulled the 100-disc binder case from his backpack. He showed it to Kaede, slowly flipping through the pages of discs. “Books might be good, but movies... they take you places even your feet can't get you.” A few minutes of viewing later, he tucked the case back into his sack, putting it back on his shoulders. He moved towards the front of the house, turning backwards to stretch his hand out to Kaede. “Right now, our own feet have a journey. You ready?” He smiled brightly, excited for a scene in the plot of his life.




*Sid, Ice Age

[Guest]

Aw man, Mickey was taking his time with... er... whatever it was he was doing. She hadn't honestly been paying full attention this morning when he told her what he was going out to do. All she had really understood was that it was work related. Gasp, what if he needed her help or something?! Wait... No he didn't. He always had his plans! And, and they always worked out and stuff. Even the one that they had shifted around cause of her discomfort at stuff.... Maaaaan she really needed to work on her tolerance of stuff (boy was she specific)! There was the sound of his backpack shifting which prompted Kaede to immediately pay more attention given the fact he was answering her question, tilting her head slightly at his response. “A man and his backpack. That's all I need to travel. Well, that and my movies.” Movies? He had movies with him?! Omg when was the last time she had watched a movie?!?!?!!!!!!

Oh right, and he traveled solo. Did he ever get lonely though? She knew she would if she didn't have Mickey! Then again, he didn't seem any worse for wear off the bat so maybe he didn't...? Heehee, his voice had sounded funny there! Was he doing an impression or was he just nervous? “I don't know about you guys but, we are the weirdest herd I've ever seen.” Wait wait wait... that was from something! But... what? Aw man.... Why was she so bad at this! She was clearly puzzling over the line with great difficulty, choosing to cast it aside for the moment lest their conversation grow stagnant. "I haven't seen a movie in so long! Erm.... What is that from? I swear I know it!" She was blushing so hard as she asked the question, brushing her strawberry blonde hair out of her eyes. And she loved movies too...

But it was like he could just sense something in her for he was removing his backpack in order to delve into it. The 'getting an item' theme from Zelda might as well have played in the background as the massive binder came into view, her eyes going as wide as saucers as she just stood there dumbly staring at it. Was... was that real? Leaning over in utter awe, her blue eyes vaguely followed the movement of the pages, quickly scanning from disk to disk. “Books might be good, but movies... they take you places even your feet can't get you.” "Thats so true..." The words were soft, barely focused on what she was saying since all she wanted to do was paw at the beauty before her. And she wasn't even talking about the boy. Her parents had hardly let her see ANY movies so this was just amazing to her. As soon as the collection appeared, it was gone and it was just the two of them once more.

Blinking a few times, Kaede seemed to snap back into reality before refocusing upon him with a bright smile. "I've never seen so many movies! Thats so cool Vlad!" “Right now, our own feet have a journey. You ready?” Oh right! They were going to go places today! "Ah! Yes! U-um, let me just grab something...." With that she darted over to what must have been her bed for she grabbed a nearby white purse that she slung over her shoulder. Now she had anything and everything she'd need just to be safe! Molotov's weren't overkill... right? "Ok, lets go!" She spoke brightly to her new companion and friend, turning towards the door to follow him onward. Hold on... "er.... Do we know where we're going?"

[Guest]

As Vlad exited the house he removed his compass from his pocket, flipping it open. He watched the guide turning and felt the circle on his palm tingle. As he activated the alchemy he allowed himself to appear very puzzled, muttering. “Hah! A heading. Set sail in a... mmm... a general... in that way – direction.”* As the word direction passed his lips he released the alchemy and saw the compass point distinctly in one direction. The wind followed suit a few seconds later, stirring a few strands of Vlad's hair. He allowed the wind to lead them for a few moments as they began the trek towards the crystal factory. He then let his alchemy return the wind to its original movements, snapping the compass closed and slipping it back into his pocket. He smiled brightly at Kaede. “I have a general idea. And we can always ask directions!”

He walked along at his usual rambling gait, continuing to watch the world go by. It was a comfortable walk, with comfortable chatting and comfortable silence in turn. They reached the center of the town easily enough and after asking a kindly old woman for directions, were led towards the opposite side of town. Soon enough they emerged on the other side of home, staring at the old factory building, with another building under construction next to it. As they wandered along towards the visitor's entrance, he glanced at Kaede with a smile. “We can watch that movie later, if you want. The one from earlier. It's called Ice Age.”




Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

[Guest]

Kaede skipped out the door after him, landing at his side as he seemed to be pulling something out of his pocket. Was that... a compass? She gasp softly, she hadn't seen one of those in forever!!! "E lyh'd pameaja ed... E ryjah'd caah y lusbycc cehla Selgao pmaf rec ib..." Eep! Wrong language! Blinking rapidly, Kaede blushed a decent pink, instead watching as the compass seemed to swing this way and that before settling on a direction. The slight wind caused her to immediately press at her skirt since, well, that would be bad. No flashing! She had already done that to him once today, no need to do it twice. Aw man.... She still couldn't believe he'd already seen her panties.... At least.. At least they were cute? Oh this wasn't helping! “Hah! A heading. Set sail in a... mmm... a general... in that way – direction.” Oh?

Snapping out of her little tizzy, Kaede followed after him as he began to move after the wind, her hands moving away from her skirt. Maybe she should have changed out of her old school uniform? Too late now. With a resounding 'snap!' the compass was closed, vanishing back into whatever pocket it had come from. "Do we have a bearing cap'n?" She asked him with a slight tilt of her head. “I have a general idea. And we can always ask directions!” A giggle escaped her, for that was the truth. She was so used to sort of avoiding talking to people in town, or else it'd be under different circumstances, that the possibility of doing that fell to the wayside. Mickey and her were always so aware of the chance that the police were still looking for them, that her parents were looking. The smile faltered upon her lips, glad that she was a couple of steps behind him so he wouldn't notice. She really shouldn't be thinking of them now for they would just bring her down! They always did that.

But soon enough the pair of them were chatting as they walked, as easy as if it were Mickey instead of her newfound friend and savior. It was really nice getting to talk to someone who wasn't like... ten years older than her or something. It was... enlightening to the world that she had left behind, to the world that she had embraced. He was traveling alone, and he was doing fine. She, too, would be fine. Could she... No, she couldn't do that at all. They were a team, and teams didn't break up. As the town began to rise around them, she cast her blue eyes about to the bustling people. They were living their lives as they knew how to live them. Would she be doing the same had she stayed with her parents? No. She didn't think so at all. She wouldn't be the same person that she was now. She wouldn't be here, traveling all around their homeland. She wouldn't have met Vlad at all. There was a slight tugging at her chest upon the thought and it caused her to inwardly frown, what was that all about? Why did that thought upset her? She told herself it was because he was an upstanding guy, he was fun! And.. *ahem* He was kinda cute... BUT ANYWAYS!

They spoke to an elderly woman and were on their way, soon coming up to a large factory before them. It was.... HUGE. Her blue eyes went wide at the site of it, almost falling far behind him because she was staring in awe at it. “We can watch that movie later, if you want. The one from earlier. It's called Ice Age.” Eh? Oh! "I'd love that!" The words tumbled out of her before she could really think about phrasing, startling herself at that fact. "Er... well... Yes. I would." She had already said the words, there was no taking it back. So she straightened up and looked at him resolutely although it was soon broken by one of her smiles. Taking his hand, she suddenly skipped forward into the visitor's entrance, picking up their pace with a giggle. "But for now, let's go look at shininess!"

[Guest]

Cool! She wanted to watch the movie! That was defini-.... SHE'S HOLDING... AHHHH!!! Vlad seemed to be a state of shock, stumbling slightly as he was tugged at by Kaede into the visitor's center. He managed to recover himself easily enough, sliding forward to purchase two tickets to tour the factory. It started with a nice little video, giving the history of the crystal factory, way back in the day. Vlad kind of forgot Kaede was there as the video played on the large screen in the small room. Once there was some kind of film rolling on a screen, it was hard for him to focus on anything else. He focused on the Cretan subtitles as the Creig voice played through the speakers. It was a pretty language and one he would have to start picking up. Definitely.

The next hour and a half were very enjoyable. Kaede and Vlad walked together in their small tour group, learning about the delicate art that went into making crystal and how technology was gradually making this process even better. It felt good to learn a lot and later in the gift shop, Vlad even managed to pick up a small crystal bird. He had it very securely wrapped so he could give it to his mother when he next returned to Drachma.

They exited the crystal factory and Vlad watched the sun as it begin its slow descent into nighttime. ...Now what? He had mentioned watching Ice Age, but that would involve going back to her and Mickey's “house.” And it was very rude to just invite himself back over. So what to say??? “Let's turn on the juice and see what shakes loose!”* Well... true. With a smile he looked at Kaede. “That was a lot of fun. What's next on the agenda, do you think?”



*Betelgeuse, Beetlejuice

[Guest]

Kaede was completely oblivious to his shock and awe at her holding his hand, her own mind leaping around elsewhere and all about. What was with her? She was never like this with Mickey! Though he didn't exactly inspire her to be... what was she right now? Like a... child? Maybe... Maybe. That was the closest word she could find to this although.... GASP! IT WAS LIKE THOSE KIDS IN HIGH SCHOOL! Thats what she was like right now! The humor of the fact she was a recent high school graduate did reach her, blushing as she stood behind him while he got their tickets. Was this... This was! It was like a date! But they had just met... So could it still be a date? She would have to ponder this later, their tour was starting!

They were led inside, and she could hardly focus on him at all with everything that was going on. She had never really been good with history, but somehow watching the film was far more interesting than those lectures in a classroom. She didn't pay any attention to the subtitles as her native tongue rolled into her ears, her eyes darting about the screen to look at everything. Despite her excitement, she was sitting rather still beside him, her hands folded nicely in her lap, the only sign of her interest was her eyes looking all about the screen. As soon as the movie started, it was done and they were traveling onward! Clasping her hands behind her back, she couldn't help but walk with bigger than necessary steps at first, then returning to normal. She'd slow down, skip ahead, sometimes spin as they looked at all those GIANT machines! Wowowowowowow!!!! This was so cool! Why didn't she and Mickey ever do stuff like this more... often... oh yeah... Because they were normally working. They were passing by some artisans shaping the crystal when she hung behind Vlad a bit to watch him, tilting her head slightly as her smile softened. No... She would have never done anything like this with Mickey. She was already happy to have met Vlad today, but now she was feeling it even more so! Catching up to him as they began to move, she giggled and followed him onward. In the gift shop, she picked up a little keychain with a crystal on it that she thought looked like a dog. Mickey would like that, right? She hoped so!

The sun was lowering into the ground as returned to the outside world, the shadows growing longer and longer as the street lamps began to turn on. It was as if the rest of the world were creeping into their bubble, Kaede staring off at that horizon as something felt as if it were gripping her inside. She couldn't tell you why she felt some kind of fear, holding the straps to her little bag tightly in her hands, biting her lower lip. She didn't like this feeling at all. It was like when Mickey left alone to work. Like much earlier today. But she had just met Vlad! She shouldn't feel that at all! But he was turning to her! Quick! Different expression! A smile popped up on her lips as she tilted her head, her orange hair billowing a little in the wind. “That was a lot of fun. What's next on the agenda, do you think?” Oooo boy... "It was! Thank you so much for taking me with you!" She started, humming softly as she took a few steps around him. "We could..." She hopped another step around him, now on the other side of him from where she started. "Watch a movie. We could...." She took another step around him, now standing in front of him. "Get something to eat... Or both. No!" She popped up now, hitting her fist into her palm in an 'ah-ha!' kind of way. "I want to cook for you, as thanks for today. I'll cook dinner, and we can watch that movie! How does that sound?" She asked him excitedly, positively beaming at the prospect of getting to make him a meal. To her, it was a way of repaying him for all he'd done for her that day, but... well... she also just wanted to.

[Guest]

Umm... Kaede moved. A lot. Vlad had a hard time keeping up with the girl as she bobbed and weaved around him, talking excitedly about their next set of plans. His eyes attempted to follow her as skipped from side to side and front and back and left and right and up and down... Vlad reached up, shifting his sunglasses off of his eyes and up into his scraggly red-blonde hair. She had finally stopped moving! And it appeared that a decision had been made. Double hooray! Vlad gave Kaede a bright smile and nodded. “Sounds like a fantastic plan to me! Lead on!”

The walk back definitely involved more bounciness from Kaede but it seemed to be well in-step with Vlad's more lumbering pace. He would coast along and she would duck and weave around him, never getting too far ahead or too far behind. It was nice... walking with someone. Vlad had walked alone for a long time, with just the characters in his head for company. Sure he hadn't known Kaede long, but it was always easy to tell right off the bat if you meshed with someone. And when you traveled and met new people everyday as a rule... well, you picked up on things a lot faster. And the comfortable mood Vlad found himself in around Kaede had appeared... well, fast. “Yes, we're gonna have to go right to ludicrous speed.”* Vlad let loose a small chuckle as he and Kaede climbed the steps back to her temporary home.

Inside it was shadowy with the falling of the sun and Vlad let his bag slip from his shoulders. He placed it inside the “living room,” removing his puffy green coat and lying it atop his bag. Then he moved into the kitchen and turned to Kaede with another bright smile. “So! How can I help?”




*Dark Helmet, Spaceballs

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Guest]

As the sunglasses lifted up from his eyes to reveal them, she couldn't help but lean ever so slightly closer to really get a look into his features. His eyes were gorgeous, especially with how the fading light was reflecting into them at this particular angle. Wow.... “Sounds like a fantastic plan to me! Lead on!” Ah! Right! Plans! They had made them. Blinking rapidly, she giggled and gripped her purse strap a bit tighter, that bright smile still clear upon her lips. "Fantastic! Aye, aye cap'n!" And with that, the pair were off.

The walk back to their humble abode was as easy and comfortable as the first time, maybe even moreso. She couldn't be sure if it was the twilight, the day that they had spent together, or if it was just something she didn't even know about but... This may have been one of the best days of her life ever. It was like when she had first met Mickey in those woods with her friends. Wow... Why did that seem so long ago now? It had only been a few years! She wasn't ancient. Not by a long shot. She had only just graduated high school.... huh. It had to be almost a year now though..... Still! She wasn't ancient at all! Although.... Her eyes slid over to her new companion and up to his features, clasping her hand behind her back as they drew closer and closer to their humble, temporary abode. How old was he? Was he still in school? He didn't seem like a high schooler at all so.... was he in college? No, that was a stupid question, of course he wasn't! He wandered around! How would he go to college like that hm? Stupid stupid question.

The stairs creaked against their weight as they strode into the rundown shack of a home, her bag getting dropped next to the run down couch that clearly needed new springs badly. OK! FOOD! What should she make? Pulling out her lighter from the pocket at her breast in her uniform, she picked up two logs of wood that were hidden around the corner of one of the counters, tossing them into the oven and lighting them up. She heard his bags hit the ground as well, turning as he spoke, “So! How can I help?” Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she looked around at the sorry excuse of a kitchen and tried to think of what she would need in order to make her things. "Lets see.... Well, I know it sounds stereotypical and stuff, but I will probably need more firewood for the stove. The gas was shut off here long ago so we gotta make due with what we got. Um..." She turned her gaze away from him and took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. Yes! She knew exactly what she would make now! Clapping her hands together with a bright smile, she immediately went over to the groceries that she had picked up earlier and picked out a few things that went onto the counter. "After the wood though, I will need some help chopping up these veggies." Kaede couldn't help it, she winked at him and giggled, super duper excited for this!

[Guest]

“Firewood, right! I shall return!” He grinned at Kaede before disappearing out of the front door. He had spotted a broken down old barn a little ways from the house and behind that, a fringe of trees. Vlad didn't exactly feel like finding an axe to chop down a tree or anything, but he suspected he could find a good chunk of fallen branches and brush. And if he was lucky, there might be some firewood in that barn. Success was quick to find him as he found a single large stick pointing his direction out to the barn. He swiped it up without slowing his pace and began to swordfight against imaginary enemies, clearly besting each and every one. He was soon lost in his own game, reliving scenes from movies. He neared the barn and stopped suddenly. He twisted the stick that he held it as a staff, stooping his shoulders and make his voice thin and warbly. “Stop! Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ere the other side he see.”

Vlad quickly hopped to face the other direction, standing tall, the stick in his hand clearly a sword. He raised his nose a little high in the air, his voice changing to a deep, serious tone. “Ask me the questions bridgekeeper, I am not afraid.”

“What... is your name?”
“My name is Sir Lancelot of Camelot.”
“What... is your quest?”
“To seek the Holy Grail.”
“What... is your favorite color?”
“Blue.”
“Go on. Off you go.”*

Vlad continued on this vein as he discovered a small cart in the barn filled with a small bit of logs. He then dragged the cart towards the tree line, filling it high with branches and brush. He finally finished out the scene as he headed back towards the house, humming under his breath. He returned to the house and carried a good stack of wood into the kitchen, smiling brightly at Kaede. “I've got more outside. Managed to find plenty. Now then! Where are those vegetables?”



*Bridgekeeper and Sir Lancelot, Monty Python and the Holy Grail

[Guest]

“Firewood, right! I shall return!” And before she could even say anything else he was out the door and off on his new quest from her. She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head slightly before turning her mind to the task at hand. Ok. The eggs came out first, getting cracked into a big bowl, prepping to be made into sushi as she found another bowl with which to make the rice. As she finished with each, she left them on the counter for the moment, chewing on her lip in thought. What else should she make? She really shouldn't go overboard, though... She already was! She never made this much food for her and Mickey! Only if.... only if it was a special occasion. Kaede turned slightly as she stood there in her torn mind, her blue eyes gazing out towards the doorway that he had left from.

But wasn't this a special occasion?

Nodding once to herself, Kaede smiled softly and got down to business. This would be the best feast EVER! Or at least as close as she could manage! If he had been there watching her, she would seem as if she were a woman possessed with how fast she whipped out ingredients and mixed up the right spices. She had no measuring cups, only the approximations. It was weird how some things could work in a seemingly abandoned place, and what things didn't. For example, they still had running water. The fridge also remained cold which made her wonder if there had been a back-up generator or something. Oh but whatever!

She could hear his foosteps as he came back into the main house with wood in tow, brightening at the sight. “I've got more outside. Managed to find plenty. Now then! Where are those vegetables?” Gesturing to a makeshift cutting board, a knife and some leeks, carrots, and lettuce waited for him. "You are the best Vlad!" She giggled and began hauling logs into the stove, diving into her white purse for matches so she could start the fire up. Oh right! She'd also need something else.... Frowning slightly to herself, she proceeded to pick up a nearby rag and place it in a bundle on top of the logs before setting it aflame. Soon enough they had a decent fire going in the oven and so she began placing bowls and makeshift pans onto the surface.

[Guest]

Vlad guffawed aloud. The best? Hardly. Vlad chose to ignore the comment (and the pink flush in his cheeks) and focused on the vegetables. Leeks, carrots and lettuce, oh my! Vlad washed his hands in the sink and then started in on the vegetables. First came the leeks. And a chop-chop-chop and a chop-chop-chop. Vlad hummed a little under his breath as he moved from the leeks to the carrots, creating neat, little piles as he did so. He wasn't entirely sure what Kaede was planning on making but it did appear that it would be tasty. “I've got a lovely recipe for blackened rat.”* Vlad had to resist a childish giggle. This would definitely not be blackened Rizzo the Rat... or at least, he hoped it wasn't! There were no stray tails lying around so Vlad shook off the silly thought and went after the lettuce. While Kaede had her back turned, he ever-so-casually popped a piece of the crisp, green, leaf into his mouth. Crunch-crunch-crunch.

“Finished! Now what?” Vlad turned to Kaede with another bright smile. He enjoyed this sous chef deal. He was able to be helpful but there wasn't a risk of him burning down anything. His cooking skills were somewhat... iffy. Oh he could manage a few dishes, to be sure. But he usually avoided ovens. One too many blackened cookies. He shook the thoughts from his head. He wasn't cooking tonight, so that was good! And it would be even better when it was time to eat this delicious food because Vlad felt his stomach gave a subtle rumble.



*Clueless Morgan, Muppet Treasure Island

[Guest]

Mew? What was so funny about her comment? Oh but it was a good natured laugh, so how could she be upset at it? She couldn't! Giggling to herself, she ripped open a package and quickly washed off the meat that was there, glancing over to be sure he couldn't see what exactly she was cooking. She wanted it to be a complete surprise! ... which was odd. She had never cared if Mickey saw what she cooked. So why did she care if he saw? They were going to eat it and it wouldn't matter anyways! A blush rose to her cheeks as she listened to the hissing of the meat cooking alongside the quick chopping of vegetables. His humming made her ears perk up a bit more, unable to resist listening at the risk of burning herself slightly due to slight distraction. While that began to cook, she turned her attention to making the sauce, biting her lower lip since she really wasn't sure how this would turn out given their makeshift conditions. She really really REALLY wanted this to be perfect! Ahhhhh why did she care so much!! She had just met him!!! Bwaaaaahhhhhhhh

“Finished! Now what?” Kaede startled a little out of her distractedness, emitting a little eep before whirling about to face him. "Eh..... I'm not quite sure... She mused aloud, checking quickly on the rice before pulling that bowl off with a thick stack of towels from her purse so as not to burn her hands. "You could also get the movie set up while I finish up." She offered with a bright smile, her blue eyes sparkling before she seemed to somehow move even faster. Alright, it was all a matter of timing now.... Gathering up the chopped vegetables, she threw them together into a sort of salad, emptying out the hot water and forming the rice into little squares. Where were the... Oh yes! The eggs came out next, cooked in a flat pan which she promptly began to cut up into squares that matched the rice ones. Then the meat which turned out to be salmon, flipping it over and double checking that it wouldn't burn. Ok good. Returning to the left over rice, she opened up the cabinets and fished out the dishes she had cleaned the night before, laying the food out as the heavenly aroma of deliciousness began to fill the abandoned house.

She knew the smoke that rose out of the top of the house from the chimney could attract unwanted attention, but right now? She was far more focused on her company and making this meal amazing! Which it already was. Within ten to fifteen minutes she was finished and everything was placed neatly on their respective plates or bowls, a fork and a spoon was all they had for utensils. "It's done! I er... hope you like it." She said sweetly as she dumped water on the stove to put out the fire, thankful for the chimney that it was connected to.

[Guest]

"You could also get the movie set up while I finish up."

Well, that definitely sounded like a good idea. “Hey, look at that. Dinner and a show.”* Too true, too true. And what an evening it would be! Vlad departed from the delicious smells in the kitchen to go to his backpack in the front hall. There was the living room with the blankets and stuff. Sitting on the floor could work... but that could make it awkward when handling his portable-DVD-player. As he pulled his DVD player and DVD case from his backpack he wandered into a room opposite the living room. A huge sturdy table sat there the middle. WELL. That was awfully nice. It looked super huge and heavy, which was probably why no one had bothered to move it out. There was a definite lack of chairs though. Vlad went on a hunt through the house and managed to find some wooden crates. He carried them into the dining area and flipped them upside down. PERFECT.

The smells of dinner wafted from the kitchen to the dining room as Kaede brought the food in. Vlad turned on the DVD player and slipped the Ice Age DVD in. He then assisted Kaede with the plates, grinning as she explained their feast. Tamago sushi, terakyi salmon, white rice and veggies. “Sounds Aerugese... definitely looks delicious!” He gestured for Kaede to sit on one of the crates before settling himself down on the other. As he hit “play” on the movie, he popped a bit of salmon in his mouth. DROOOOOOOOOOOL. “Yup! Definitely delicious!” As the beginning of the movie rolled onto the small screen, he flashed a quick smile at Kaede. It had been an exciting day and one that would not quickly leave his mind. After all, it wasn't everyday you were run into by a pretty girl and ended up spending the whole day with her!

[END THREAD]

*Manfred, Ice Age

[Sponsored content]