[PRP] Spring and a Storm ( Anouk & Rindou )

[alpha lyrae]

Who : Ciellas & Anouk, Jarett & Rindou
Where : The museum where Jarett works
When : Mid Afternoon
Weather : Warm but growing cooler; the clouds moving in are indicative of a small spring storm

_______________

"C'mon lass, keep up." A tug on the hand and a few unsteady steps responded to Ciellas's prompting, and Anouk moved stiffly up the steps at her side. For her age, she looked rather composed, with facial features kept even and unrevealing, until one glanced at her eyes. She looked warily about her at the crowded front stairs of the museum. In fact, Ciellas felt a pang of pity for the child, who had not wanted to come out in the first place given the warmth of the air, who had complained that it hurt when she tried to drape a coat over her wings. In the end, she had sufficed by dressing her in a breezy but overly large top that had remained stuffed in the back of her drawer (a gift from a regular patron indicating advances she was not the least bit interested in). A belt was fastened around Anouk's petite waist to fashion the top to be more like a dress, which worked well enough, but it hung so loosely that the woman felt ashamed for the unforeseeable circumstance of not having clothing ready for a child in the first place. So clothing (or more specifically, fabric and thread) were what she needed.

And on the subject of clothing, another issue had to be addressed.

"Is this.. where clothing comes from?" Anouk's even, wispy voice broke through her guardian's reverie, and the woman laughed to ease the tension she was feeling from the impending meeting (her teeth still grinding at the thought of it). The laugh had come as a surprise to Anouk, whose small wings (finally left free as per the child's request) fluttered gently. A few wayward stares her direction colored her cheeks, giving the only indication that she had noticed.

"Not exactly, but there's someone we have tae meet 'ere first." The child nodded and followed alongside quietly, until wide eyes glanced upward uncertainly.

"... Must we?" She asked in desperation. "This clothing is too big, and it is too hot. What else could be so important--"

"Don't be rude now." Ciellas wasn't unkind when she replied but she was firm; however it was obvious that her thoughts were elsewhere, judging by the look on her face. "I don't want tae be here either, but I have a promise tae keep." The bittersweet tone brought a surprised "oh" to Anouk's lips. The mood had seemed heavy already, but the child wondered what she could be so upset about? Once she obtained cooler clothing, then everything would be well. They could return to the cooled haven of the tavern and she could tell Roark all about her day.

But that would have to wait. For the time being, Ciellas pushed open the front doors of the museum and looked around, eyes half squinting and half glaring for a familiar sight.  

[Rown]

This was only the second time Rindou had been brought inside the museum, Jarett usually opting to bring his work home with him instead of bringing his Dust to the main location. It probably was going to be the very last time he was brought in as well if the museum director had anything to say about it, Jarett currently occupying his office and getting an earful of the century. Rindou had been left outside in the man lobby to fend for himself for a moment or two and very easily found himself occupied with several objects that came underneath his hands. The blindfold on his face wasn't nearly as troublesome or completely inhibiting as it had been when it was first placed on him, the months of wearing it helping his body to adjust to being one sense down. His touch and smell were growing stronger with each passing day, and his sense of hearing was almost startling to his guardian.

The three small balls he'd taken from one of the displays were floating in his hand, a few inches above the tips of his fingers. This little trick was something he'd only recently learned to do after many hours of trial and error, Rindou having been curious as to what else he could make float. He was very aware that his own body was easily controlled by his mind and soon he'd wanted to find out what else he could make join him in the air. Jarett had told him once before that he made things swirl in the air when he was terrified, so it took learning and attempts to allow him to control it willingly. Small objects were all he could handle though, but it was most certainly a work in progress.

He could hear the door open from where he was, the sound echoing in the hollow hall that was the main foyer. The museum had been empty for most of the day, bad weather keeping anyone who actually might have wanted to come in away, so it wasn't too hard for the Dustling to pick up on the sound. His head turned in the direction and he tilted it slightly to the side, trying to figure out just who or what had come in. The three balls in his hand slowly rose higher, as if responding to his lack of concentration, and they began something of a strange bouncing orbit around his torso and head.

"IS SOMEONE THERE? I CAN SMELL THE CITY."  

[alpha lyrae]

Ciellas had shuffled Anouk through the double doors first, tucking herself behind the child in order to shield her fluttering, icy wings from view of those left on the street. To both Dust and guardian's surprise, the interior of the museum was empty of guests, despite the number of people who lingered on the front steps.

"Let's see then.." The woman glanced around and nudged her charge forward, and the halls echoed with the sound of her clacking footsteps, followed by Anouk's nearly silent ones as she glided behind her. The dustling eyed the exhibits as they continued down the entry hall - musty paintings that hung in ornate frames, skulls and tools on display. What manner of things were these? "Aha, there he is." The child nearly bumped into the back of her guardian's legs when she suddenly stopped. She gave a nod of the head down the hall and Anouk blinked at the sight of a boy alone in the hall, with the brightest hair and most interesting skin tone she had yet to see on a person. This boy.. was quite different from the type she had seen playing in the streets. But it seemed that he had noticed their presence as quickly as they had noticed his, and his yell made her wince from the sudden surprise of his volume. Eyebrows were knit together in a half-agitated, half-confused look at his comment, and she lowered her eyes to her hand before pulling it towards her face and sniffing it lightly.

"Really. I do not know what you mean. I do not smell like anything." Her eye traveled to the hovering objects that circled his head, which caused them to widen and look doubly funny on what could have otherwise been a good poker face. Really now. Her guardian washed her quite well, thank you very much. Ciellas rolled her eyes and shook her head, waving her hand to direct attention back to the real matter of importance.

"It's me as well. Ciellas." She hoped the child remembered her voice, but in a sudden flush of embarrassment, she half regretted thinking that, given the circumstances of their first meeting. "I'm here tae.. tae repay ye an' Jarett." Red spread over Ciellas' cheeks. Anouk's lips tugged into a small frown as she looked from her guardian to Rindou. Just what was going on, and why hadn't anybody told her anything? "By the by, where's he at? Does he have an office or somethin'?" A glance at the clock and the orange hues of the setting sun that slanted through the museum windows told her that the hours were slipping by. "We've got tae hurry if we hope tae make it before closin'. I'd like tae get started on yer clothing tonight, seein' as we'll have the time." Spare time was precious and few when owning one's own business, so the night off a week that Ciellas normally took was both a blessing and a curse. A nice break from work, but only to catch up with household chores and errands.

"Oh, he is coming with us then?" Anouk added with another curious glance at Rindou. So this must have been the promise that Ciellas had spoken of. The boy was dressed more nicely than she was (something she had to admit with a touch of jealousy), but his clothing was awfully baggy and somewhat heavy. The way the objects continued to float of their own accord around his head made her wonder if perhaps he was in need of something lighter. It made sense to her at least. "Are we going to be going soon? This is terribly hot." Pale fingers lifted the hem of the large top and fanned it over her knees to ease the heat that was gathering there. As far as she was concerned, the sooner this Jarett person got here, the better. She was getting impatient.