(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

 

Terris: *snerk of his own.* I can understand how it would be. The town is doing well. A lot of inriomai have found their way there as well... which means demons have started attacking. Nothing focused, just short chaotic battles, and they’ve held their own rather well. I was hoping you might be able to offer some advice or assistance in setting up wards to give them an extra layer of protection or warning.

Hellboy: *brow furrows in thought, nods* Yeah, actually, I think I could do that. *will rummage around through his belt pouches, taking stock*

Terris: Thank you. I know everyone will appreciate any assistance. I don’t think it’s possible to completely stop the attacks, but any advantage we can gain can only be good for everyone.

*And he’ll sit back, just waiting while lunch cooks now.*

Jendayi: *bounces off to get plates for everyone, carefully bringing them back.*

Terris: *snugs her to his side* Thank you, Princess. 

Jendayi: Papa, will you sing our song?

Terris: *glances at his friends, perhaps mildly self-conscious, but looking back at Jendayi’s pleading little grin, he can’t deny her. He smiles and starts to sing. His voice is low and smooth, soothing, perfect for the lullaby that tells his little girl that she’s right where she belongs and is full of potential* ~You are the dawn of a new day that’s breaking~ A masterpiece still in the making~ The blue in an ocean of gray~ You are right where you need to be~ Poised to inspire and to succeed~ Soon you’ll finally find your own way~ *he nuzzles her cheek, glancing again at his friends.*

Hellboy: *very little grin on his face, small nod*

Darnell: Terris, that's lovely. Did you write that? And you have a wonderful voice, too.

Terris: *smiling* My mother’s grandmother wrote it. It’s been a family tradition to share it with the kits of our families ever since. I never imagined I’d have a chance

Comments

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: It's beautiful.
Hellboy: Glad you do now. Gotta ask, though . . . what made you keep her instead of showing her to this village you've talked about?

[socrowdedinhere]

Terris: Thank you. *to Hellboy’s question* ...We just... bonded.
Jendayi: He saved me...after the bad men killed mommy.
Terris: ...Her mother gave her life to protect Jendayi. I arrived too late to save her mother. *snugs Jendayi a little tighter.* She barely let go of me those first few days, and I couldn’t make myself force her to go to another. *smiles at her* I’m glad to fill this role for her, though.
Jendayi: *smiles at him.* I love you.
Terris: And I love you.

[neverasked4this]

Hellboy: *grins* My teeth are rotting from the all the sweetness.
Darnell: *subdued, like he's remembering something terrible* I'm sorry about your mom, Jendayi. I knows how that feels.

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *sticks her tongue out at Hellboy, then giggles. Darnell’s comment subdues her a little.* Your mommy died too?

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *nods* I was sixteen. Dad was away on a business trip when a burglar broke into our house. I don't know if he didn't realize we were home, that we were still up, that there were so many of us, or what, but...in the course of things, he panicked and pulled a gun. Think crossbow but much smaller and does a lot more damage. I was the man of the house, so I tried to protect my mom and my sisters. Mom tried to protect her kids. We wrestled the guy for the gun, the gun went off...and he ran. Cat called for help while Lin and I tried to save Mom. *softly* The paramedics were too late. Mom died in my arms.

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *slips from her Papa’s lap to come wrap her arms around Darnell, face tucked to his shoulder.* Do you still miss her?

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *tucks over her, hugging back* Sometimes. That was a long time ago now. Mom...heh, she...she wasn't really a very good parent, she had a lot of mental and emotional issues, but she...she always did the best she knew how for me and my sisters.

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *Hugs tighter.*
Terris: Jendayi.
Jendayi: *turns, sees Papa has a plate of food. She’ll take it and offer it to Darnell.*

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *grins and accepts it* Thank you, Jendayi. *and not just for the food*

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *smiles sweetly at him and will retrieve the nect plate fixed up and bring it to Hellboy.*

[neverasked4this]

Hellboy: Thanks, kiddo. *will dig in*

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *accepts a plate and will turn to set it before Ari then turns back to her Papa for her plate.*
Ari: *blinks and looks at the plate, completely baffled.*
Terris: *chuckles as he dishes up his own plate.* That was your plate, Princess. Ari doesn’t eat food like we do.
Jendayi: ?? Oh... *will retrieve her plate and settle snuggles to Ari.*

[neverasked4this]

Hellboy: *snerks* It was a nice thought, though, kiddo.
Darnell: *grinning* Yup. Ari lives on the energy that's all around us. A little like living on nothing but breathing air.

[socrowdedinhere]

Ari: *snuggles her* I get shat I need from being around peopl.
Jendayi: ......you eat people?
Ari: *sputters!* I ah! N-no...well... yes, kind of, I mean-!
Jendayi: *giggles!* Are you eating me?
Ari: *embarrassed, but smiling. She’s not afraid.* You could say that.
Jendayi: But I don’t feel anything.
Ari: Because I only ah...”eat” the energy you’re putting out.
Jendayi: Huh...

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: Again, think of it like air. You breathe in and out. You breathe out and it becomes part of the air around us. I breathe in, and some of what I take in is what you breathed out. Have you ever felt like someone's watching you? You can't see them, but you can feel them. What you're feeling is the energy they're putting out. That's stronger because there's a strong intention behind it. But people put out energy all the time, just like breathing.

[socrowdedinhere]

Jendayi: *Seems to really think about that.* How do I put out energy even if I’m not doing anything?
Ari: Oh, but you’re always doing lots of things. Even when you sleep you’re breathing, and your heart is beating, your eyes move, your brain is active. You are always making energy around you.
Jendayi: Huh...*leaned against Ari as she eats.* Do you ever wish you could eat our food?
Ari: Oh yes. It smalls so good. But it would make me sick to try it.

[neverasked4this]

Hellboy: It's not something we do consciously. It's something our bodies just /do/, even mine. Energy is what makes us alive. One of the things that happens when we die is all the energy leaves our bodies. That's what makes something dead - it has no energy.

[socrowdedinhere]

Ari: *nods and nuzzles at her.*
Jendayi: ...Do different energies taste different to you?
Ari: Oh yes. Each person, each living thing, has a different taste to it.
Jendayi: ...Do you like how we taste?
Ari: *would blush if he could* Yes. I do.

[neverasked4this]

Hellboy: *snickers* /Must/ like how Barrett tastes. *thumbing with his stone hand* Has hardly left the guy's side in, like, ten years.
Darnell: *his turn to blush softly* I live an "interesting" life, full of people with various, strong energies. Most of the strongest are people I'm trying to /stop/ from doing the harm they're doing, but . . . they feed Ari rather nicely.

[socrowdedinhere]

Ari: *sheepish.* A person’s heart determines a lot about how their energy tastes. *so yes, he really enjoys Datnell’s energy. Mature, yet clean, sweet almost.* And various magics certainly have ingsrriesting flavors, but those can’t sustain me like being around life can.

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: *grins and reaches over to scrub Ari's head before getting back to his food*
Hellboy: How far is that village from here? *mind going back to considering wards and herbs and such*

[socrowdedinhere]

Ari: *happy noise and presses into the love.*
Terris: Not far. I thought we’d visit after lunch. How long are you guys able to stay?

[neverasked4this]

Darnell: Just a few days, unfortunately. Not long.
Hellboy: *nods* After we clean up but before we take off, let's go over some of the herbs and plants you have here, see what equivalents you have to what I'm used to using.