Catching up on Old Times (Private)

[Calise Desseren]

After the Flounder's Finn
Brightening 16th of Imperos
Summer of Era I of the Celestine Mandate

A good meal was best followed by a good rest, Calise had always thought. But exceptions could always be made, especially when they involved a long-lost older sister and a newfound younger brother. Calise figured that a reunion like that had priority over a nice nap after eating.

She turned to glance back to Jaali and Krono, whom she’d invited to stay for the night, or however long they were planning to stay in Narim. Calise certainly hoped that it would be for longer, as one brightening was just not enough to catch up on two patterns of absence! And it seemed that plenty had happened… Jaali had acquired four dogs and a cute little brother – now all Calise wanted to know was how it’d all happened.

Smiling at them both, she gestured towards the house they’d walked to from the Flounder’s Finn. It was rather plain, and not too different from the surrounding houses, but the price had been right and Calise had jumped at the offer… to rent it, at least. “Well, here we are! I haven’t really prepared for guests,” she admitted. “But I’ll try my best to accommodate you all.” With a dramatic flourish, she unlocked the door and flung it open.

The interior of Calise’s home was just as plain as the outside, but it was scrupulously clean. The door opened into the main room, which was a combination of kitchen, living room, and dining room, with two smaller rooms off to the back and side. It was rather plainly furnished, with a few wooden chairs and a table, but Calise liked to think that the lack of furniture meant more free space. An optimistic thinker, indeed.

“So, welcome to my humble home,” she exclaimed, leading them inside. “There’s two beds, although one is more like a cot, I suppose. I can take that so you two can have the bigger bed,” she suggested. Calise held up a hand just in case anyone was going to object. “And don’t even think about saying no. Nothing but the best, or at least fairly decent, for my guests,” she declared grandly. Even if meant sleeping on the slightly lumpy, stiff cot. Calise winced at the thought, but smiled at her family anyway.

“So, why don’t I show you your room?” She opened a door into one of the rooms and lit the candle on the desk so they could see more clearly. It was the larger of the side rooms, with a bed against the corner wall. A mostly empty wardrobe was against the wall to the side, along with a desk and a chair. Everything was neatly arranged – the bed made, papers neatly stacked and quills lined up. It was fairly obvious to see that Calise was an obsessive neat freak.

“So, feel free to use the bed. But… before we turn in for the night...” Calise couldn’t help but clap her hands together excitedly, her eyes bright with curiosity. “You have to tell me… everything!” she exclaimed, waving her hands in the air. “Starting from the beginning, too!” Calise looked at Krono and Jaali expectantly.

[Jaali Desseren]

Jaali had a violent stomach ache after the food from the Tavern, perhaps it was because she was so excited in meeting Calise, reuniting with Krono (once again ) and also meeting Mister Minty Fresh Breath that she ate without chewing adequately.

She excused herself for a good half a candlemark's time before returning to the topic of discussion, that was before continuing the story. Put three young silly beings and four dogs in one humble abode, the story was bound to be more than just juicy...

Well, a good look around the place and Jaali felt happy, despite her face being a bit pale from the prior experience... ack Narim water differed from that of Medonia's... She would not be used to it anytime soon. Luckily, Medonia was but a few cycles away, she'd soon be at home, dear sweet home. But for now, this was her new transient home and she could not be any happier. Where ever it was that she would visit, she wouldn't have to reach for crowns and rent an Inn room. In the end, Jaali was a stingy moocher.

"Narim will suit ye well, Calise. This is a lovely place! Don't worry about us, dear. Our treehouse in Medonia seems even smaller compared to this house. And the upkeep is excellent. Krono here is in charge of everything around the house. He is truly Ioanne's gift..."

But soon... he'd have a loving home in Tirisfal with Shaolin and Marwin... He deserved the best and those two could give him the best... They were like his young mama and papa... Despite the love, Jaali was not the best guardian in the whole of Telath for the poor child. A bad influence she truly was... Smoker of cigarellos, drinker of wines...

But at this very moment and time in Narim, she was happy. Very very happy, but angry when he dogs began their destruction in Calise's new house.

Arms flailing, Jaali chased the canines into a little corner before her story for Calise began... This was something she had written before to Calise. The girl probably chucked out the letters, or they never reached her. The bump on her middle finger resulted from vigorous writing to dear Calise during the darkenings...

Settled, Jaali began to speak in a monotonous tone that could easily bore all to sleep.

"Well Calise, it all began that brightening when Garrick and Lina left. I wished to leave too... but the only way to do so was to sneak a ride with the band of passing so called thieves... Remember them? Ye thought one of them were cute... They all thought I was a young boy... and they agreed to take me to the Prime. Since then, I've not heard or seen Lina and Garrick... Well and after a few jobs, I decided to settle in Medonia... And so much happened in between. Are ye sure ye want to hear it all this darkening?"

Jaali scratched her head. Now that her stomache was emptied, it rumbled a bit. Yes at this candlemark, she wanted a snack...

[Krono Gail]

Walking alongside Calise and Jaali was like doing a double take. The boy thought they had looked exactly the same. Both had purple bright eyes, long brown blackish hair, and a goofy smile on their face. But yet they also seemed so different. Calise was extremely outgoing and clingy and Jaali was well sometimes sociable and pretty much independent. Staring at them from behind, he really didn’t see how he fit in the picture. Shaking his head, he didn’t want to think too much of it. It did not matter that he was an orphan; he was Jaali and Calise’s brother now.

Seeming extremely cheerful the girl had lead them directly to her house. Lifting his head, he scanned the structure with his blue orbs. It reminded him of one of the houses he lived in not too long ago in Abestat. Wondering if the inside would look the same, he peered into the main room to find it decorated with plain tables and chairs. This house had its own style. One of the first things that Krono noticed was that it was extremely clean. At least one of the Desseren sisters bothered to do her chores.

With bright eyes, he smiled at Calise. “Wow! This place is great. And it smells nice too.” The boy thought of their tree house in Medonia. It definitely emitted a funky smell. There was nothing quite like it in the world; it was a mixture of dogs, lemon, poop, garbage, and lavender. Still the boy loved their tree house…after all there was no place like home.

After a tour of the bedrooms, Krono was ready to jump into the comfy blankets and go off into sleep land. Sadly, this was interrupted. Calise had suddenly wanted a whole recap of Jaali’s life and Jaali had her usual bathroom problems. This only meant one thing…Krono was not going to get his sleep tonight!

Krono had heard Jaali’s life story once before, and it was a big mistake back then to ask her. Reason being that Jaali took ten candle marks to complete her tale. Sighing silently to himself… I guess this is the joy of having sisters. Pasting a silly smile on his face, he tipped his head downward. “Yes, sis. Please do go on. Krono would love to hear your story.”

[Calise Desseren]

Calise glanced at Jaali a little warily. Her sister looked a little pasty, and given her rather length absence beforehand… well, suffice it to say that the half-elven girl would not enjoy having vomit, even sisterly vomit, spoiling her sparkling clean floors. She wondered if she had an empty bucket somewhere, just in case…

She beamed at her siblings as they complimented her home. “I’m glad you both like it! I like it too! And it was such a bargain too, only 15 crowns a cycle. That’s… that’s 75 crowns a month,” she calculated slowly, rather distracted as her worried eyes followed Jaali chasing her various doggies around the room. Aforementioned eyes began to water as she continued watching them, and she turned away - both because she couldn’t bear to see what kind of destruction they would wreak, and also because her eyes were streaming. Certainly, she wasn’t about to turn her sister’s dogs out… not even if they pooped on the floor or chewed on her shoes, Calise swore solemnly to herself. Well okay fine, if they pooped on the floor they were goners… but hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

As Jaali began her story, in a monotonous voice that rivaled the most boring of professors, Calise waved her hand swiftly. “No no no… not that beginning,” she hastily said. She was trying to forget her flirtation with one of the bandits, who had looked so dashing with a bandanna wrapped around his head - until he’d taken it off to reveal his balding, reddish scalp. Not sexy at all. I was only fifteen patterns old, she justified to herself silently. Everyone makes mistakes.

“Anyway, I remember that. I tried to follow you as well, remember?” An exodus of Desseren siblings. Calise doubted that the empire could handle that. “I suppose I never told you about how I had to hitch a ride. With a merchant selling fried orc fingers.” She wrinkled her nose at the weird combination. She’d arrived in Prime greasy and smelly... No wonder she hadn’t stood out at all.

“And of course I want to hear the rest of your story! And obviously Krono does as well!” Calise grinned happily, oblivious to the boy’s utter boredom. “Especially the part where you meet Krono. And of course, any romantic encounters. Perhaps, how you met this… Xitus fellow?” Violet eyes sharpened as Calise aimed a curious, somewhat suspicious stare at Jaali. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her sister’s judgment, it was that she just didn’t trust men in general - especially men who were smooth talkers. Those were always the worst.

Jaali’s rumbling stomach did not go unnoticed. Reaching into her bag, Calise pulled out the only nourishment she had ... a yummy and nutritious ration! “Do you want?”

[Jaali Desseren]

Jaali chuckled at Calise's little tale. She hitched a ride with a merchant who sold... orc fingers? Ack, even though the Desserens had their share of destitute times, they never resorted to eating orc fingers. Poor brave little Calise!

"It was no fun for me, well... alright it was a bit fun. But I bet it was terrible for ye, poor Calise. Orc fingers? Ack, I'd rather ride on a cart with pig entrails! And to the Prime... ah, everyone loves the Prime. But lately, it is not exactly the best city to be in. I actually like Narim, I do... Am I repeating myself? Anyway, the story. It will be short lest we wish not to sleep this darkening. Dear Krono, ye can lie down, oh and Calise, I'd rather not have the rations... My stomach rumbles but it also umm stirs... so aiya ."

So thus, the tale began once again and Professor Jaali spoke, her tone monotonous, her voice not mellifluous, her eyelids droopy like before, her face nearing pallid.

"Clerking in the Alabaster proved to be fun enough but then I met Moranor. He offered me a job as his secretary. I thought it would be the ticket to fame and fortune in the political world, but then the Senate disbanded... And Moranor left for Medonia. I went to Zerdargia, Olympia, Candaceburg, Paxia, Tirisfal, all over in search for a place to call home after the Prime. Medonia... I partially decided to go so that I could find Moranor... but then things fell into place. I decided not to pursue the path of Ioanne's Holy Knight and signed up for the Prefect Debates, won by seventeen votes, and that's my life thus far. The babies are from Tirisfal mostly, except for Goosey. She is from Candaceburg... And the strangest thing... In that city, I met a man whose eyes turned violet in my presence... from brown to violet. He looks like Garrick with brown hair... Very strange, Calise! As for Krono Donno here, I met him in Medonia, in the shoppe I clerk in..."

[Krono Gail]

OOC: Sorry for the long wait. But I am back now…so expect posts everyday.

IC:
The boy’s boredom went unnoticed by Calise...perhaps because he was good at pretending. As for Jaali she noticed right away her brother’s tiredness and the boy followed her advice and plopped on the bed with his arm outspread. Looking up at the ceiling, with his blue eyes, which now lacked its usual luster, everything started to turn white. Wait Krono! Her ceiling is white so your not going crazy.

Folding his arms across his chest like how dead people were buried, he wondered if when he passed he would be in this same position. It was definitely comfortable and most likely he could stay this way for all eternity. He smiled a creepy smile and nodded. Yes it will be a longtime before I go. If my sisters don’t drive me to an early grave. He started to giggle to himself. Most likely his sisters could here his laughter.

The boy was oblivious to the sister’s conversation, but only remembered faintly hearing in the background orc fingers . But when the subject of the Prime was brought up, Krono quickly jolted out of bed. He started to shiver all over. Awful memories started to resurface, flashing before his eyes. The image of the orphanage appeared along with the other children. Flames engulfing the institution, children screaming for help, but the boy could only watch with tears as they dissipated into oblivion.

Krono shook his head hard, trying to rid himself of those painful memories. I told myself I wouldn’t think of them. But why? Yes…I am just tired, that’s why. I will be fine…just fine. He now turned his attention to Calise and Jaali. Yes I met Jaja in the Gen Apple. Then she took me in. Now we are the best of friends. The end! Can we go to sleep now?”