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 Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:08 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 1/7Ogre Can you still see your dreams in the distant, starry sky?
Are they more vivid than they were when you were little?
When one forgets to put the emotions that overflow in her heart
to rest, they burn the color of passion.
I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.
Dreams are more fragile and fleeting than a glass rose,
so then why are we destined to dream?
Sometimes two dreams can turn into love,
but there are also times when they can't.
Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard.
Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.
Even when they're alone, people want to share their feelings, but it can be so hard.
Words are powerless to express one's feelings, and sometimes they become a silver knife.
I used to believe without a doubt that I could reach my dreams, no matter how far off they were.
But that me from long ago now sleeps inside my heart.
___________ Winston always loved to dream. It was something he usually transcribed into a journal beside his bed in the mornings before breakfast- another thing his aunt had recommended during his stay with her. He was curled in one of the large train sofa's in his assigned car. He'd gotten sleepy after the first half of the ride. The gentle motion of the train and the soft sounds had lulled him to sleep. He wasn't in his uniform yet, it hung safely on the far side beneath his small suitcase of personal items. He wore a pair of jeans and a sweater, tail flopped over him like a throw blanket. In consideration, he'd taken off his shoes and placed them carefully beside the sofa. His assigned train partner hadn't made it to the car yet... and before drifting off he'd wondered where Seon was staying.. and if he should go looking for him after his nap. Britain Being almost late for the train had been worth getting that precious signature from his mother. Seon maintained a firm hold on his patience as he inched his way through the train cars; there wasn't any hurry. Hopefully Winston hadn't been worried about him.
He located the door to their compartment- finally!- and quietly slipped inside. Winston was asleep, looking so comfortable and warm...Seon himself wasn't in his uniform yet, but he was wwearing his usual, slightly stiff clothing. He envied the other boy's snugglyness.
Setting his own suitcase and uniform aside, he knelt on the train floor next to his friend, gently petting at his ears. "Winston....?" Ogre Win tilted his head, leaning into the ear pets. His tail lifted and refluffed itself over him as he opened sleepy eyes. "Mou...?" He pushed himself up a little, rubbing a few fingers over his eyes. "Seon..? You made it." Britain "Of course I did," was the cheerful reply, and Seon sat back on his heels to watch his friend return to wakefulness. He looked a bit tired, but determined- and pleased with himself. "I was able to get my note from mother, Winston! Isn't that wonderful? You...DID get the note from your aunt, didn't you?"
Since that was fairly vital to their outing in the city, it was pretty important to Seon. He fidgeted as he waited for the answer, anxiety in his fiery eyes. Ogre "Course," He murmured, sitting up fully so he could wake up a little more. He wanted a cup of water or something cold. Win rubbed at an ear as he slid towards his shoes. "It's in my suitcase. This means we can stay longer and explore the city like you said, right?" He leaned over and began putting his shoes on, turning to glance at his friend. "You remember to bring your uniform?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:13 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 2/7Britain Standing and dusting himself off, Seon smiled at the faint sound of crinkling paper from inside his pocket. He wanted his note kept right near him and safe! "Yes, it's hanging over there by yours. Look at you, asleep already! You won't be able to sleep tonight if you keep that up, and I hear they plan to work us quite hard tomorrow."
He stepped over to the window, leaning on the small ledge there and smiling with the sun in his face. It was the most he had smiled in a long time...he was really looking forward to this trip. Ogre "I don't think I'll have much problem sleeping tonight..." Winston finished getting his shoes on, standing up to check his bags. All was in the right order so he turned back to his friend. "I might be a little excited though... It was far too comfortable here to resist dozing o-ooff-" He yawned, stretching an arm up over his head. "There's supposed to be a tea car a little bit from ours... " He checked his pocket watch, nodding to himself. "Would you like to get something?" Britain "Alright." Seon flashed him that same smile, flicking the end of his braid back over his shoulder where it belonged. "I believe you are correct- I passed it when I was fighting my way here. Thankfully, it isn't too far- there's a lot of people on the train!"
He opened the door and peeked out, waiting for Winston to join him before setting out. Lots of people, but he'd been right about how close it was- the dining car smelled wonderful, the smell of cakes in the air. "I wasn't hungry before, but it smells good in here..." Ogre Winston followed, nodding enthusiastically. Now that he was awake, his tummy was growling. "It smells delicious, I almost forgot I'd skipped lunch today." The lunch cart was set up like a huge glass car, with windows to display the scenic route in full effect. One of the waiters approached them as they entered, gesturing for them to follow him. The staff was well aware of the children on board heading towards the town to work for the week. Once they were assigned a table (beside a huge set of glass windows on the right) the waiter was replaced with another who gave them menu's. "I'll be back in a moment to take your orders," She smiled and walked off to refil someones tea glass. Winston's ears lifted as he peered at the menu, nose wiggling curiously. "Everything sounds good..." He peeked up over the menu towards Seon. "What are you getting?" Britain One flame-eye glanced at him from the other side of the menu. Usually, Seon did what was proper; it was a very hard temptation to resist when they were given so much freedom, though. For a moment, he bargained with himself- if he got this instead of that, then maybe getting a desert so early wouldn't be so bad...
"Well...the cake smells very good. I think I would like osme of that, but we should eat something good, too...perhaps a small plate of sandwiches?" He pointed out which he meant on the menu, leaning forward a bit. "And tea, of course." Ogre Winston nodded. "The cake slices look pretty large. The sandwhich plate and tea sounds good, and perhaps a piece of cake to split?" He pointed towards the desert cart, which held HUGE slices of cake on small tea plates beside fruit tarts and pudding goblets. The waitress returned with a smile, "You young men ready to order?" heart Britain "Very good idea." Seon folded his menu, giving the waitress a direct look- he never had any problem giving orders. To anyone, really. >.>;;
"Yes, we would like to split a plate of sandwiches and...a slice of Italian Cream Cake, please," he stated, sliding the menus across the table for the woman to retreive. "As well as a pot of tea."
He smiled a little as he said it, trying not to sound like a COMPLETE jerk. Once he was sure she'd gotten the order, he glanced at Winston- making sure he had gotten everything correct. Ogre The waitress nodded before taking the menu's and flitting off to bring them tea. Winston was admiring the silverware and it's placement before he realized Seon was looking at him and snapped back to attention. "Are you looking forward to working at the palace, Seon?" He took the napkin from the plate, laying it across his lap. His ears flattened comfortably against his hair, relaxing as the warm smells of brewing tea and coffee filled the atmosphere. Britain "As long as it isn't my HOME...absolutely," the other boy sighed, folding his hands in his lap and looking out the window with a frown. "I am slightly afraid that I will see soem of my family...but I am sure I can handle it, if it comes up. I don't want to see any of them, not for a while, and my cousins can be...very persistent."
He seemed uncomfortable with this topic, and changed the subject. "I hear the Palace is very grand. We will have to be careful, and not get lost!" Ogre "Oh yes, my aunt has shown me pictures before!" Win's ears perked up. "I'd like to see the garden at least once... she's taken pictures there with some of her Garden Ladies. They took tea there once, she brought me back a tiny statue of a butterfly she'd bought at the market." He smiled at the memory, sitting back as the waitress set the tea out for them. He took his with a grateful smile and added his milk and sugar. "Did you have any plans for what we're going to do for our free time there?" Britain Seon mirrored Winston's gestures, fixing his own tea with thoughtful eyes. He liked lots of cream, and just a little sugar- not too sweet. He set his spoon aside and sipped the drink before he answered, making sure it was perfect.
"Well, I grew up in the city. There are many places I want to show you- all sorts of shops and fountains and things to see. If you have anything you particularly want to see, tell me."
He grinned, eyes dancing over the rim of his cup. "I promise I won't get us lost out there, at least." Ogre "Just the garden, everything else is up to you." Winston nodded, enjoying his tea. "If we DO get lost, at least you're from there!" XD It was only a few minutes more before the waitress brought thier sandwiches and cake. As he'd expected, the Italian Creme cake was huge, with two gold spoons resting on the plate. Winston's eyes were as big as the tea saucers as he looked the cake over. "Whoa.." Britain Sandwiches...cake. Sandwiches...cake. Dutifully, Seon ate one of the small sandwiches first, but it was clear which plate his eyes were locked on. He tried not to rush his eating, since that was...more than a little rude and unmannerly. The second that sandwich was done, however, he carefully brushed the crumbs from his fingers on the napkin and picked up a spoon. His eyes closed blissfully as he took a bite of the cake, licking the spoon clean with a sigh.
"That...is REALLY good." Ogre Winston's ears perked again, curious about the cake.. but still finishing his sandwhich. He sipped at his tea, gesturing towards the cake. "I wonder if they'll have these in the town, wouldn't it be nice to take some back?" He set his empty plate aside with the tea cup and leaned forward, taking the other spoon. Very carefully he selected the perfect bite of cake and sat back to savor it. heart _ heart "Eeeyaa! That's some of the best cake ever," He said between licks of the spoon. Sandwhiches forgotten, he took another bite of cake. XD They were on holiday, with no-one to tell them they couldn't eat cake as a lunch... Why not indulge in it while they could? Britain "My favorite bakery is just as good...but I don't know if they have this kind of cake." Seon did take the time for a few sandwiches between bites, of cake, but ONLY so that the cake would last longer. That, and it would be horrible to get sick from something so good.
"Make sure you eat more sandwiches, Win...hey, that bakery makes wonderful tarts for tea! We'll have to stop there while we're exploring." He smirked at his friend across the table, spoon touching his lips. "I bet their strawberry ones won't be as good as yours, though."
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:21 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 3/7Ogre Win set his spoon aside, lifting a sandwhich. "Oh, well we'll have to see... that was my first attempt at it. Maybe they have a new recipe I can use!" He let the cake sit, enjoying more of the tea sandwhiches as his friend advised. "I'm glad you could come with me today, Seon. Thank you." 3nodding Britain For a moment, Seon stared at Winston, unsettled. People had thanked him for his presence before, but always because it was good manners...Winston actually meant what he said, which was a definite change. He felt the faintest hint of a blush rising to his cheeks, and he turned his attention back to the cake in an effort to hide it.
"You...are welcome, of course. I couldn't let you come all the way here without a proper guide, could I? It would be terribly rude." Ogre After the food was finished and cleared, and both had drank thier fill of tea- A porter appeared to lead them back to thier car. Winston took his shoes off again, curling into the window seat to watch the scenery pass by. It was only a few more hours until they arrived. "I think we're supposed to get changed soon, right?" Britain Now, Seon could understand why Win had been napping earlier. With food in his stomach and the gentle rocking of the train, he was warm enough to want a rest himself...he dozed for a while, leaning against Winston until his friend spoke. "You're right. We aren't too far out, now..." he yawned, breaking the sentance. "We should get changed." Ogre "Maybe in a little bit..." Winston glanced at him, seeing that his friend was dozing off. It made him want to go back to sleep too. He got a little more comfy against the window, curling his tail around them before dozing as well. Britain So peaceful...so easy to just...fall asleep...
Seon slept peacefully, comfortable in the company and the warmth of the train car. Which was probably why it was such a SHOCK, when the sudden blast of the train's whistle ripped through their peaceful slumber. His sensative ears screamed with the volume of the blast, and he fell hard off of the seat...before yelping and flying for his things.
"Winston, wake up! Get up, quickly, we have to change- we've arrived!" Ogre "W-what?" Winston jumped up, nearly falling over as the train started to slow down suddenly. "It's the train station!!" He darted around Seon, grabbing his hanging suit. There were plenty of changing rooms at the end of the cart. "I'll meet you back here!" Win dissapeared outside and into one of the end rooms to change. Britain Not slow to grab his own things, Seon darted after his friend and changed as fast as he possibly could. The cut was a bit strange, but he was used to wearing clothing that was a bit more formal; he forced himself to slow down as he buttoned the shirt, so he wouldn't send any buttons flying. Quick fingers knotted the tie carefully, and he ran back to their compartment to throw his other clothes in his suitcase before Winston emerged. "Hurry! Come on, Winston, people are starting to leave the train!" Ogre ".... I have a problem, Seon-" Came the mumbled reply. Winston peered around the door, ears flat. "They sent me the wrong uniform." He stepped into their car, dressed in the maids clothes. He had no other choice, there wasn't any other uniform around for him. He scratched at an ear, embarassed. "What am I going to do?" redface Britain And if I didn't know you were a boy, my friend...
Seon stared at his friend, eyes a bit wide in his pale face. He drew in an unsteady breath after a moment, trying to shake away the surprise. You weren't supposed to ever have to see your friends being PRETTY...it simply wasn't natural. The maid's uniform suited Winston a little too well.
"Oh, my," he managed, and stepped closer to look him over. "I guess we've got no choice, Win, it's too late...but at least you don't look stupid in it. We'll be in the laundry...no one will see you but me, and perhaps we can find you a boy's uniform there!" Ogre Winston nodded, little ribbons in the maid headband swinging with the movement. "The skirts terribly uncomfortable... especially since my tail doesn't have a place to fit through..." He turned around, tail swishing around and managing to give him an upskirt at the wrong moment. He yelped and smoothed the skirts back down, hiding the black ruffled bloomer-pansu beneath. "This is horrible...! If anyone sees me...." crying Britain Smothering some VERY inappropriate thoughts, Seon carefully touched his nose to make sure it wasn't bleeding. Oh, this wasn't good at all...and yet. And yet. He grabbed Winston's arms, shaking him slightly to get his attention and calm him down.
"Winston! It's alright, everything will be alright. You can't move around so fast, or you will find yourself in a...compromising position. Just slow down, take a deep breath...I will protect you."
That sounded a bit absurd, but part of him suspected it might be needed. He looked around for a moment, then spotted something on a shelf...a maid's headband, left behind by one of the girls. Grabbing it, he tied it over his own flame-colored hair, then turned back to his friend with as much of a solemn air as he could muster.
"There, now you won't stand out quite so much. Everyone will be looking at the boy with the ribbons, instead of the slightly odd-looking girl." Ogre It was such a selfless act, something he wouldnt have thought of at all, that Winston was actually speechless. Seon was so proper and stiff, for him to wear such a silly GIRL thing... was totally out of character. He blinked for several seconds, gaining that bit of courage from him. Win stepped up to him, placing a hand onto Seon's shoulder. "Thank you again, Seon. You are a true friend." His tail began to swish again and he twitched, other hand going back to grab it and keep it from flashing people. "We'd better get off the train before it leaves." o_o;; Britain It really was a strange thing for Seon to do, and he wasn't sure what had prompted it...but it didn't matter. They had to get off that train before it left! He grabbed Winston's hand, dragging him back to their compartment to get their stuff. Once they had their bags, he lead the way in a mad dash to get off of the train...JUST in time for it to start moving, and leave them behind on the platform.
"That...was too close," he managed, breathing hard as he glanced at Win. Noting the other people in the area, he stepped behind his friend...so his tail wouldn't give away anything improper. Ogre Winston held his bag with both hands infront of him, looking around. The train station itself was new and semi-impressive. Everything felt fresh and the stone work and little decorative plants were so... fancy to him. He looked around for Seon, and discovered him standing behind him. "Oh... Uhm, so where do we go from here?" He wasn't overly excited at the moment, so his tail was dangling behind him out of mischief's way. 
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:47 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 4/7Britain After a moment's hesitation, Seon took Winston's arm and hooked it through his own, escorting him like a lady. He felt a little bad about it, and he KNEW Winston was from a good enough family that he would probably be embarassed...but he decided it was a little bit safer.
"We're NOT going that way...my family is that way," he stated firmly, indicating a certain direction of town. "SO, we go this way...which leads to the Palace." He set off with his friend, giving dark looks to anyone who looked at that fluffy tail twice. Ogre Mortified. Just MORTIFIED. Winston turned red, keeping his eyes forward so he wouldn't fall over or smack into Seon. He didn't want to look at anyone else, for fear of them seeing him and realizing he wasn't a girl at all.. but some weird boy DRESSED like one. "S..so the palace is close to the station? Or.. do we have a long walk ahead of us?" He kept a firm grip on his suitcase, keeping his strides matching Seon's. His friend walked swiftly, and with purpose... while he tended to slow down every once in a while when his attention was distracted by a shop window or something in the street. At one moment he actually stopped to catch a glimpse of a cart full of prisms carved into animal shapes- perhaps they had a butterfly? When he stopped suddenly, his arm around Seon's yanked the other boy backwards towards him. "Ek!?" Britain "It won't be too far-" Seon began, and then squeaked as he was yanked around. He stumbled, right into his friend...the only thing he could do to keep his balance was to slip an arm around Winston's waist. It was either that or...grab his skirt, and the possibility of that tearing was NOT a good thing at all. He wound up nose-to-nose with his friend, eyes wide...like a young man with a pretty girl.
Blushing faintly at the thought, he caught his balance and yanked away- not looking at Winston. "Come on," he muttered, taking his hand again. "We can shop when we have time off, I promise- but now is a bad time!" Ogre "Sorry.." Winston began, walking after him again. "They just reminded me of the ones my aunt brought back." He glanced back towards them, memorizing the location of the cart for later. He stumbled a bit and walked fast to match Seon's stride again. "You know, you don't have to hold my hand... " He figured he'd upset his friend with his stops, making them tardy to thier first day of work. His pocket watch was tucked away inside his scarf in the suit case. "Are we going to be late?" Britain Seon glanced back at his friend, realizing he'd probably made it seem as if he were angry. Sunlight caught in flame-red hair as he shook his head, brushing off the comments. "We might be a little late, but don't worry about it. I DO want to bring you back here- but we have somewhere to be, right now."
His grip on the other boy's hand didn't loosen- he knew what kind of people liked to look at cute girls (or boys) in maid's uniforms. "It's safer this way, Winston. You're too pretty for your own good." Ogre Too pretty?! What kind of insult was that?! Winston flushed with embarassment. Just, let them get to the palace and thier assignment... and then he could burn the uniform! The streets parted onto the main palace grounds, thrusting them into a large crowd of people making thier way into the palace. Winston's grip on his friends hand tightened as they suddenly found themselves in huge group. He stepped close, bag held against him protectively. So many people made him nervous and fidget. "Are .. all of these people here for the appreciation festival?" Britain "I would assume so," Seon stated absently, examining the grounds carefully. His eyes lit up after a minute, cutting through the crowd to reach the side entrance where he could see others like them disappearing. "There! Come on, we're almost there..."
Within a few moments, he had them checked in and given their assignment. The lady handing them out didn't seem surprised by Winston's outfit...and now that he looked, there were other boys in the girls uniform, too! "Look, Win," he said softly, pointing one out. "You aren't so strange after all!"
Of course, there was a pretty big difference between doing something on purpose...and having do to it by accident. Ogre "Oh.." Winston looked towards them, ears lifting a little. If other boys were dressed like this, he wouldn't be standing out so much after all. He relaxed a little, letting the excitement of being in the palace finally with thier assignments sink in. "So, where do we go to!?" He grinned, tail flicking around behind him. "This place is a lot bigger than I'd imagined!" blaugh Britain "This way!"
Seon didn't know the Palace's layout, but he could find their way- he dragged Winston through several long hallway and staircases, until they eventually reached the laundry. There were so MANY clothes being worked on at a time- it was clear they had a lot of work to do, but...at least they weren't in so much danger of Winston giving someone a show. He listened to the instructions they were given carefully, before smiling at his friend.
"Well...are you ready to get to work?" Ogre Winston nodded, looking around the laundry room for a safe spot to place his suitcase. A small side table was tucked away to the far right beside a wash basin and a few mugs turned down to dry. "I'm going to put my stuff over here until we're done..." He darted over, tucking the case under the table out of the way. Once he'd finished, he returned to Seon's side. "So... What do we do first?" Britain With a smile, Seon explained to him what he'd been told, and cheerfully handed him a pile of ironing. It was hard work, requiring a lot of determination and patience to cope with the tediousness, but he didn't mind it so much since he got to work with his friend. His entire life, he'd been 'spared' this kind of work, because he was fortunate....he could understand where you could get to hate it after a while, but for just the few days they were there he enjoyed throwing himself into the activity and seeing piles of clothing leave the laundry- all because they were working hard.
At night, they collapsed in the dormitory-style room with the other students. Seon made sure to take the bunk on the other side of Winston, still feeling pretty protective over his friend. They hadn't been able to find any of the boy's uniforms...Seon didn't really see that as being such a bad thing, but he did his best to make sure Winston didn't worry about it. Up early, work hard, go to bed late...it was a hard schedule, but they were having fun.
Finally, once their assignment was over, Seon came to find Winston with a feeling of excited impatience. He wanted to take his friend everywhere, show him the city- show him everything, and right now! He leaned in the doorway where Winston was, arms crossed, still in his uniform until they got on the train back.
"Hey! The supervisor said we're done now- we can go explore the city, if you want." Ogre Win finished his very last ironing, hanging the shirt carefully onto the rack before turning the iron off and settng IT aside. He wiped an arm across his forehead, turning to smile at his friend. "Oh, that's great!" He fixed the headband, walking toward Seon. His tail was thrashing around behind him as he went- but he didnt notice it at all. He was happy to finally be done and get to do some shopping and exploring. "Let's go!" heart Britain Carefully NOT letting himself get distracted by the tail and the skirts that fought with it, Seon placed a hand that the small of Winston's back and escorted him out of the palace. It had gotten to be habit over the last couple of days...it was a good way to make sure no one was looking at Win when they shouldn't.
Out in the streets, Seon raised his face to the sun, smiling as the warmth seeped through his flame-colored hair. "Where would you like to go first? The city gardens, the shops, the bakery...?" Ogre Win lifted a hand to sheild his face from the sun, looking around as the thought. "Well, it's pretty hot right now... maybe we should head to the garden first before it gets warmer... then we can go to the bakery and get a snack?" He glanced towards the other boy, eyebrows raised. "Unless you had a better plan?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 8:52 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 5/7Britain "No, that sounds good to me." Seon seemed so warm out here, comfortable in the place where he grew up, walking the streets he knew better than his own hands. There were even the occasional people he smiled at, or waved to- his hair and features were pretty distinctive.
He turned them around a corner, changing their direction slightly towards a large, open city garden. It was full of beautiful plants, flowers, herbs, birds, and butterflies...a wonderful place to spend a few hours. Seon let Winston lead, going wherever he wanted and pointing out wonderful things he thought his friend might miss. Ogre Winston darted into the garden, running through a huge archway made entirely of roses. He twirled around beneath it, arms outstretched upwards. He'd never seen roses that big- not even in the pictures Auntie had brought back. He skid to a halt, watching a butterfly float past with fascination. The entire place seemed like something out of a book. Through the archway more rose bushes of different colors lived, each attracting hordes of butterflies and the occasional group of birds. "Wow... I wish I had a camera to take some pictures for Auntie," Win turned back to where Seon had been. "Have you ever been here before?" Britain "Yes, when I was much younger," Seon replied with a smile, hands in his pockets as he trailed after Winston. He was so cute like this, all excited- and just about beng in a garden! It made Seon think twice about the things that really made him happy.
"My family usually kept me pretty busy, so I haven't had time more recently to visit. I didn't like it as much then, anyways...I wouldn't have enjoyed the trip, a year ago." Ogre "Oh? We have plenty of time to explore now!" Win darted back over to him, eyes bright. "So, where do YOU want to go now? Anywhere you like." Another butterfly floated past, catching his attention for a few moments before his eyes drifted back to his friend. There was so much to see here, and it was only the first day! "Do you enjoy shopping? Or are you hungry? Or maybe you know of a better place to go exploring.." He tilted his head, one ear lifted while the other flopped forward. Britain The other boy snickered at him, brushing crimson hair out of his eyes. "There's no hurry, we've got lots of time. I AM getting hungry though...so let's go to the bakery! They have excellent sandwiches thee, and lots of sweets too."
With an impish smile, he bowed very formally and offered his arm like a gentleman. "Come on- the streets are pretty crowded this time of day, we don't want to get separated." Ogre Winston frowned at him, taking the offered arm... since well, he'd been doing it all week. It was starting to get to be a habit. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" He mumbled, ears flattening against the hairband. Not that he didn't want to be safe in the city. The thought of being lost in a huge crowd of people made him dizzy. He stepped closer, placing his other hand on Seon's arm while his gaze darted across the groups of people they were passing. "Have you ever been lost here before, Seon?" Britain "Often enough that I don't want to do it again," Seon replied, lips tightening at the memory. He hated not knowing where he was, or how to get back where he needed to be. He banishd the thought with a glance back at his friend, shaking his head.
"Of course I'm enjoying this. It's probably the first time I've ever actually enjoyed going anywhere with a 'girl,'" He stated, making a face. "Usually it's my cousin, and she's always lecturing me about being serious and the like. In fact...ALL of my cousins are like that." He didn't seem particularly happy about this; clearly, they'd given him a LOT of trouble in the past. Ogre "... But, I'm not a girl Seon." Winston blinked, batting his tail back behind him since it was swishing around as they walked. He noticed the change of tone in his friends voice whenever he spoke of his family. "Are you unhappy with your family? They sound like they pick on you a lot..." Britain "You're better than any 'girl' I've had to escort, so I suppose that IS an insult- my apologies," Seon muttered. He still had a courtly air about him, even with that rebellious flash in his eyes. He didn't even notice Winston's tail issues for a few minutes.
"My cousins want me to go back home and be responsible, and take over the company for my family. I hate it, it's boring...but everyone's always yelling at me to grow up and act more adult. My cousin Nero and I get in fights about it all the time...then Lika has to come and drag us off to get bandaged up." He sighed, frustrated. "I wish they'd just leave me alone." Ogre "At least we haven't seen any of them today, right?" He shook his head, smoothing down the back of his skirt again with a little irritation. "We're fine, so let's just enjoy the day!" Winston tugged on his arm, pulling him towards the bakery. His eyes caught something bright red behind them in the crowd, causing him to freeze. "Do your cousin's look like you?" o_o;; Britain "Quite a bit, actually, why-" Seon began, turning to follow Winston's gaze....before he froze, as well. The flash of flame-crimson in the crowd clarified into the form of a slightly older boy...one that was frowning in their direction. They locked eyes for just a moment, before Seon grabbed Winston's arm and dragged him through the crowd.
"My cousin Nero! Hurry, before he catches up to us- we'll never see the end of him if he catches up to us now!" Ogre "But-" Winston yelped, getting spun back around to chase after his friend. "What are we gonna do?!" Girl shoes were not running shoes. He stumbled a bit, almost falling before catching himself enough to keep up a little with his friend. "Is there somewhere we can hide?!" Britain "Not where he won't fnd us, he knows this place better than I do- all we can do is loose him in the crowd!" Seon did his best to keep Win on his feet, grimly aware of the confrontation that would happen if he and his cousin actually had to speak to each other. He didn't mind fighting Nero, but not in front of Winston...and not where his friend might get involved or try to separate them, and get hurt.
He dodged into a small side square, very crowded and centered around a wide, shallow fountain. It was very pretty when the square was empty, but now it was hard to take it in- he sighed in relief as the crowd cut them off from his cousin completely. Just a little farther until they cut through to the bakery, then everything would be alright...
...and then the crowd shifted, shoving them both off-balance, and sending Winston directly into the fountain. Ogre Winston yelped, grip on his friend loosening as he crashed backwards. His foot hit the edge of the fountain, sending him tipping backwards and into the water with a cry. "ACK...!" The fountain was shallow, but he was soaked completely. Coughing a bit, he lifted a wet hand to push dripping hair out of his eyes as he looked up at the crowd just STARING at him. All those people, gathered around the fountain... he felt like he was going to be sick. Britain Everything just...seemed to stop. Seon turned almost in slow-motion, vision blurring slightly with how fast he moved, breath caught as he watched Winston fall. For just a second, he prayed his friend wouldn't be hurt- and then he was in the water, looking horribly miserable, but otherwise apparently unharmed. Thank God.
"Win!" He cried out, darting back to his side and taking the quick step up onto the edge of the fountain. "Are you alright?!"
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:02 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 6/7Ogre "... I'm fine," He mumbled as he pushed himself to his feet. He rung out most of the skirt, giving up after a while and just standing there like a wet rat. His tail was still sitting in the water, but he didn't seem to notice. "Did we get away from him?" Britain "of course, everything is fine- except you." Abruptly, Seon became aware of the attention his friend was getting- none of it very nice. He drew himself up, fixing the onlookers with a cold, flame-colored stare- disgusted with them all.
"Don't you have something better to do?" He bit out, tone acidic. He knew how to talk like someone of rank- he didn't use it often around Win, but it came back easily to snap at the crowd. Face with his cool contempt, most of the people moved on; he took off his uniform jacket, throwing it arund his friend's shoulders as his voice softened.
"Come on, the bakery's close...you can dry out there, where it's warm." Ogre Win slipped the coat on, freezing as he stepped out of the fountain onto the edge beside his friend. "Thanks," He dropped down to the ground and began walking towards the bakery, shoes making squish squash sounds as he walked. Thankfully, the bakery had an outside sitting area in the sunlight. Winston found a nice spot and parked himself there, ear flicking the bit of water off of it. As he waited, he carefully pulled the headband out of his wet hair and set it aside with a sigh. Britain Seon moved to speak with the owner of the bakery, conversing quietly with the woman for several minutes before returning with an armful of warm towels. "Here- these should help a bit, at least."
He took one and started working on his friend's hair, careful of his ears. "The owner is bringing us hot tea, as well. We can order lunch when you're a little bit more dry." He went quiet then, knowing full well that the situation was at least half his fault. "....I'm sorry about this." Ogre "Eh, it's alright- at least it wasn't mud.. right?" He waited until Seon had finished drying his hair to stand up and carefully peel the wet apron off and hang it on one of the other chairs. He removed the little tie and undid his shirt before he realized he looked like a girl about to strip out of her maid uniform... and people were starting to notice. O_< "Gah, I hate being a girl." He quickly wrapped the towl around his shoulders, hanging Seon's coat to dry beside his apron. "Thank you for the help, Seon. Warm tea sounds really good." He rubbed at an ear, yawning a little. "What sort of good things does this place have, beside hot tea?" biggrin Britain More than slightly distracted by his friend stripping out of his uniform, Seon didn't hear him at first. He shook off his distraction as much as possible, turning slightly red when he realized he'd been staring.
"Next time, we'll make sure you have the right uniform," he assured his friend, taking a seat across from him in one of the un-draped chairs. "The soup here is very good, as well as the pastries...they have ones for lunch, too, not just sweet things. We have to take some of the bread back with us, I swear there's no better in the world." Ogre Win nodded, huddled in the warm towels. "A-alright," His teeth were chattering. "Go ahead and o-order whatever sounds g-good." His ears perked as the owner appeared with a tray of steaming tea and two cups. He thankfully accepted the cup, curling up in the chair and breathing the steam in. The hot cups helped. "With your cousin out wandering around it adds a little danger to our adventure, don't you think?" Britain "If you want to look at it that way," Seon replied dryly, stirring cream into his tea. "When I wrote to Mother for my permission slip, she agreed to leave me in peace...but Nero is sort of law unto himself. He's just slightly older than I am, and I think he's angry because I managed to get away...and he is stuck here having to work with the family."
He sipped at his tea, eyes thoughtful, and ordered soup and sandwiches for them both. "I didn't want to get into a fight out here with him, especially not on a school-sponsored holiday- and you might have gotten hurt, too." Ogre His ears flicked, standing up straight in his half-dried hair. "I can defend myself AND protect you if it became necessary." He finished his tea, pouring himself another. It was getting warmer now, with hot tea in his belly and the sunlight beaming on him. He shrugged the towel off and relaxed. "Did you have martial training, Seon?" Britain "Does regular scrapping with my cousins count? I certainly had enough bruises, scrapes, and cracked bones for it," Seon snorted, but he eyed his friend with interest over the edge of his teacup. That wasn't the sort of thing he'd ever expected to hear from easy-natured Winston.
"Otherwise, no, I haven't. What about you, Winston? You've never mentioned anything like that before." Ogre "Well, my parents are tacticians... they know a lot about stratagy and all that..." He shrugged. "When I was sent to live with me Aunt, she thought it would be best that I know how to defend myself and her, since I was the 'man of the house'... so she let me take some training at one of the local schools. It was lots of fun, and I enjoyed learning- though I'm pretty sure Auntie could defend herself if anything DID happen." He laughed a little setting his tea cup down. "I don't like to fight, if I can find a way out of it. It's better to speak about your problems then to just pound your opinion into someone." o_<; Britain A slow blink later, and everything finally clicked. No wonder the last name had seemed so familiar! "I didn't realize that you came from THAT family," Seon murmured, fascinated. He leaned forward slightly in his chair, not even noticing their food as it arrived.
"I know of your family, of course, but I suppose I didn't notice the connection until now. That's wonderful- but it would still be a bad thing for you to get into a fight with one of my cousins!"
This really was GREAT news. Far from being a casual friend Seon's family might not approve of...his friend was actually respectable! His mother couldn't possibly argue with that! Ogre "Don't worry.. I don't think I'll be fighting your family anytime soon," Winston grinned at him, nodding thanks to the waiter who brought them soup and things. He tasted a spoonful of soul, eyebrow arching at the flavor. It was different, something he'd never had before at home.. but really good. "Mm! I could get used to eating in the city, everything's so good." ^__^ "Great choice, Seon!" Britain Smothering a laugh, Seon grinned at his friend and turned his attention to his own food. He didn't have many friends at all...so this was a nice experience, touring the city and watching Winston's reactions. He was now SLIGHTLY more horrified that his friend (from a very good family) had been wearing a maid's uniform for the last few days...but that was okay. Hopefully Nero wouldn't blab to the family about him wearing the maid's headband.
"From here, we can go shopping," he said, gesturing down the nearby street with his spoon. "There's a few glass and porcelain shops down that way, a couple of tea shops...all sorts of interesting things. I need to stop and get some new stationary, mother goes off on tirades if I write her on plain paper." Ogre "Oooh! I'm glad I saved up my allowances from the last few weeks..." Winston's tail thwapped excitedly, eats perked as he mentally tallied all the gifts he needed to get. "Something for Auntie... and-" He bit his lowerlip lightly, setting his spoon aside- soup bowl empty. "Are you getting any gifts for your parents?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:27 pm
Of Maids and Men, pt. 7/7Britain "I don't talk to them if I have a choice," Seon replied flatly, scooting his own plate out of the way. "I'll probably get mother something because it's proper, but...otherwise I just avoid them. They aren't very pleased with me for leaving home to attend school."
He smiled a little, though, and rested his chin on one hand. "You should get an empty cookbook at the stationary store- then you could put your recipies in it! You could write garden notes in it, too." Ogre "That's a good idea..." Winston murmured, wondering why he hadn't thought of that sooner. As it were, he kept his recipies in a tiny little tin in his room... not very organized. He finished his food and stood, still a little damp but not soaked as he'd been.. it would get better as they walked. One he was completely dried he'd re-do his tie.. but for now, he tucked it into his little pocket and folded the apron to carry. "Are you finished?" Britain "Just give me a moment.."
Seon slipped back inside the bakery, pressing a few lera on the owner and waiting pateintly. Shortly, he returned with a medium-sized box- and a napkin with two small pastries on it. "Desert," he explained cheerfully, handing Winston one and taking the other for himself, "as well as some cake and things for later. Let's go!"
He lead the way down the street, careful to stay close to his friend and point out al of the interesting shops. "Just tell me which ones you want to go into- there's only one I really need to visit, and it's close." Ogre "Where is the paper store?" Winston had a few ideas and wanted to go ahead and get some things before he forgot. "I'd also like to see the tea shop and maybe find one that sells tea cups." His shoes were dry now, thankgod, so he didn't make squishy sounds when he walked. o_<; Win's tail was flitting about cheerfully behind him, dancing to it's own music. Britain With Win's skirt still a bit wet, Seon didn't have to worry so much about anyone doing something inappropriate. He was grateful for the reprieve, though a little sad Winston's cute outfit had been run a little ragged.
Taking a sharp left at his friend's words, he tugged him into a quiet, dim little shop right around the corner. It was lined with books and papers of all kinds- even some paint sets and special papers for them. Seon gestured widely, smiling.
"This is the stationer's shop. I get all of my paper things here- they have a better selection than anyone I've ever seen." Ogre Win nodded, eyes scanning the place. "Oh, wonderful!" He smiled before heading around the store. Seon was off to the side purchasing his own items, so that left him to buy a few things for his Auntie, himself, and a present for Seon. Once he'd picked the goods he wanted, he headed to the counter to pay. Thankfully, the clerk offered him a big enough bag to fit everything AND his apron and the cake box carefully. He was quickly running out of hands and they hadn't even BEGUN to shop. Once he was finished, he turned to wait for Seon. When his friend has shopped and reappeared, he lifted a paper wrapped parcel and offered it. "This is for you." It was a book with loose sheets of stationary paper inside. Britain Seon had also bought a present for Winston, but had ordered it delivered to them with his own purchases- so it was a definite surprise when Win offered him the package. Not to mention that no one ever gave him gifts just to be nice...most of his 'presents' were all for appearances within the family. He took it silently, running his fingers over the edge of the beautiful book, and looked up with slightly wide eyes.
"Thank you," he said softly, running a hand through his hair. "You're a really nice person, Winston." Ogre "No worries, now your mama won't get mad!" ^__^ He grinned and headed outside, toting his bag along with him. "Where to next?" People were going in and out of shops all around them buying incense. hand blown glass, chimes, all sorts of clothing, and all kinds of food. There were cart vendors EVERYWHERE. It was a wonder they were lost, but thanks to Seon (being the local he was) Winston was sure there wasn't a problem with them wandering the streets looking at everything. "I don't remember if I've asked you before Seon.. but what's your favorite things?" Knowing someone's favorite things was always a plus when it came around to birthdays, christmas, and other misc. holidays... his Aunt always said to poke your friends until you had a list of ideas for gifts. XD Britain "Pudding," was Seon's immediate, absentminded response. He promptly laughed at himself, shaking his braid back over his shoulder. "How funny, and we just ate! I like soft things. Blankets, pillows, kittens, flowers...anything soft."
A smile touched his face, thinking of the book and paper Winston had just given him. "I don't really like cold things so much...or glass. I break glass things a lot because I don't like them enough to be careful, so I just don't get any." xd ;; Ogre Winston blinked, laughing. "Soft things, huh? Wow, that's a suprise." Coming from a boy in a dress.... Winston frowned at himself. o_<; "Fleecy soft things are nice." He glanced down the street, spotting a tea shop- or what looked like one from the sign of a tea pot hanging above the door. "Can we stop in that one?" He lifted a hand to point it out. He was still stuffed from earlier today, so pudding and desert things would have to wait.. or he might explode. oXo Britain "Wherever you want to go," Seon replied amiably, hands in his pockets as he followed Winston everywhere. He was quite peaceful, just following his friend around- he was home and not dealing with his family, which made him happy. Ogre The rest of the day consisted of more shopping, a stop for some delicious pudding desert, and a few hours spent in the cities library. By the time the day was turning to evening, both boys were exausted. Once they returned to the dorms and safely packed away thier treasures, each bathed and prepared for bed. Winston was glad to change out of his maid uniform for good, returning it to the laundry staff he'd worked with the previous week. "Ahh... tomorrow I can wear my normal clothes," He yawned, curling onto his side in his bed. The other kids were in thier bed- sleeping or chatting quietly to the new friends they'd made. "I wouldn't mind doing this again, would you?" Britain "Almost gonna miss the ribbons," Seon murmured sleepily, fingers straying to touch the maid's headband that was still sitting on his bedside table. He'd forgotten to turn it in with his uniform. His PJ's were soft flannel, pale yellow, and he snuggled into them and his blankets.
He smiled a little at Winston, flame-colored eyes drowsy. "No, I wouldn't...but maybe with the right uniform next time..."
Within a few minute, he was dead asleep, hair still braided because he was too tired to brush it out. heart Ogre "Deffinately the right uniform..." Winston sighed, burying himself beneath the covers. "Goodnight, Seon." heart [ END ]
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Posted: Mon Jun 19, 2006 9:29 pm
Maid/Butler Event Notes
Paragraph Posts: 46
Items: Butler's uniform and Maid's headband
Lera: UNASSIGNED
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Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 6:47 am
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