A Story and a Song...

[smallspot]

Who: Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (smallspot ) and anyone who wants to run into a cute little kid.
Where:  An open grassy area near Building One.
When:  8-19, in the afternoon
Format: Starting in prose, but please use whatever you want to reply!
Summary:   There are a lot of fun ways to spend a warm afternoon, though, for a bitty knight the best way to spend it is...training!  Oh, and sometimes stopping to sing songs to his 'family.'
Warnings: Cuteness?

For once Diarmuid is using his cloak as something other than a blanket.  Right now, he is carefully spreading it out on the grass so that he can set his new toys on it.  With him are three small stuffed animals he got at the end of the festival--two adult swans and a baby one.

"Here is the father swan," Diarmuid carefully sets the first of the adult swans onto the cloak--the one he has picked to represent his foster father, Aengus.  He then sets the other adult swan next to the first, this one representing his foster mother, Caer, "And here is the mother swan!  And here is the baby swan who isn't lost anymore!"  The boy sets the baby swan in front of the two adults and then jumps up and claps his hands happily.

"Now the whole family is together again!  Watch me, Father!  Watch me, Mother!  I'll show you what everyone has been teaching me while I've been away!"  The boy bows to the toys and then picks his practice sword up off the ground.  He takes a few steps away before starting to practice the new sword moves he's been taught by Suzaku and some of the others who have offered to train him.

He knows that the toys aren't really his family, of course, but over the last few days he's been more homesick than usual and talking to them like they are helps for some reason.  Once he's practiced for a while, Diarmuid will sit down by the toys for a rest and to sing some happy songs to his 'family.'  After a few songs, he will jump up and start practicing again.  Diarmuid isn't really paying attention to anything going on around him, but he will be happy to talk to anyone who approaches him and be even happier should anyone decide they want to train along with him.

Comments

[beforetights]

[During Diarmuid's second practice session, Cu Chulainn, holding his pig doll, spots his friend next to the building. Without saying anything, he walks up next to the swans and puts the little pig down next to the baby swan. Then, he sits down and waits for his friend to finish practicing.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid is focusing hard on the move he's currently doing because it's the spinning kick Suzaku taught him last month. While he has been working on it, he still gets wobbly sometimes. As a result, he doesn't notice his friend's arrival right away. Once he finishes the move and looks up, though, he smiles widely and waves at Cu Chulainn.]

Did you see? I didn't even wobble that time! Suzaku will be proud! Do you want me to teach it to you?

[beforetights]

[He nods eagerly.]

Oh yes! Please teach me! It looks great. Is Sir Suzaku truly so strong?

[smallspot]

He is! This is just one of the moves he showed me!

[Diarmuid runs over to his friend and sets his practice sword down on his cloak before patting Cu Chulainn's stuffed pig on he head in greeting. He then reaches out to grab his friend's hand to pull him out toward where he was practicing.]

I have to show you in more than one part. It's easier to learn that way!

[beforetights]

[He bounces up and down as Diarmuid drags him over.]

Okay, what's the first step?

[swordofzero]

The excited singing in a familiar made Suzaku pause and go to see what the kid was up to this time. His mind was still spinning from Lelouch's arrival but he watched the boy sadly as he called the toys mother and father. He must be very homesick.

"Your hands need to be a little higher." He stepped out of hiding, trying to sound stern but failing completely.

[smallspot]

Diarmuid pauses in his motion, making the correction before finishing the swing and looking over at his friend with a smile on his face, "Suzaku! Was that better? Did I get my hands up high enough that time?"

[swordofzero]

Suzaku bent down to pick up a stick, with all this training he did he should probably see about getting a proper practice sword, but this worked for now, he moved slowly into the counter of the move Diarmuid was practicing. "Let's see."

[smallspot]

"Okay!" Diarmuid nods and gets ready to do the move again, "I will keep my hands up this time! Do you want me to attack you, Suzaku? Is that what you are going to teach me? How to beat this move?"

[soldiernoclass]

[ Wow, so that's pretty much the cutest thing he's ever seen. Or if not, a super close second.

It almost feels wrong to interrupt the kid's latest round of sing along with the stuffed swans, but Zack's curiosity gets the better of him (like usual), and he just has to know what's up. Besides, it looks like Diarmuid's having fun, and that alone is enough to hold his interest as he cuts across the grass toward the kid. ]

Hey! How about introducing me to your friends, huh?

[smallspot]

Zack!

[Diarmuid looks up happily when he hears Zack's voice. He waves at the man before giggling and picking up one of the adult swans.]

Did I tell you my Father and Mother Caer can turn into swans? So this is the Aengus swan. That is my father! And this is the Caer swan. That's one of my mothers!

[He sets down the toy he's holding and points to the other adult swan before picking up the baby one and giving it a hug. He then holds it out toward Zack.]

My father calls me 'Little Bird." When I found the toys, this one was hiding under the counter. I'm hiding from father and mother right now so this is me!

[A sad expression fills his eyes and he reaches out to lightly touch the top of of the adult swans' heads.]

I miss Father and Mother. I hope I can stop hiding soon...

[soldiernoclass]

[ Ouch. Zack's cheerfully prepared smile falters, but doesn't quite fall until that last bit.

Maybe if he hadn't been forced in the last few months of his life to literally hide from his own parents (both for their sake and his own), the effect of this cute little coping mechanism would've been lessened. As it is, though, he has to admit to a certain level of empathy. There's a world of difference for a kid, but that knowledge doesn't make him regret not being able to properly go home any less, in his somewhat more advanced age.

That's all entirely too heavy for a picnic with swans, though, so he summons up another smile as he falls into a crouch beside the little gathering on the grass - if one a bit less careless. ]

I hope you can, too. It's tough not knowing when you can go home, and it might be a long time you have to be strong for. But it won't be forever.

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid nods, his eyes wide. He noticed Zack's smile falter, but he's too young to understand why. He is happy when the man smiles again, though. He doesn't want any of his friends to be sad.]

I know! I need to be strong. Knights are strong!

[He hugs the toy in his arms tight before setting it back down with the others.]

I have been sad the last few days. Maybe it's because some of my friends went home. It made me think of going home too.

[heroofjustice]

[Kiritsugu comes across Diarmuid while he's singing and talking to his "family" of swans. It's not that weird to him--Diarmuid's a little kid (unlike himself, a mature grown up), so of course he'd do things like that.]

Hi, Birdy. You really are a bird, huh?

[It's been a while since he last saw Diarmuid, but he's still not sure exactly how long he was away. He comes closer, raising a hand in greeting.]

How've you been?

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid looks up, eyes wide when he hears that familiar voice. For a moment he just sits there looking surprised before jumping up and running over to give Kerry a big hug.]

Kerry! You're still here! I thought you went away like the others who got sick!

[He bounces up and down on his feet happily once he lets the other boy go.]

How are you? What have you been doing? I'm...a little homesick, but I am strong. I will be okay! Do you want to see the sword skills people have been teaching me?

[heroofjustice]

[Kerry hugs back with a laugh, careful of his injured arm. Hugs are way more normal here than back at home.]

Yeah, I did go away! I didn't get sick, though.

I went back--to where I'm from. I was gone for almost two weeks before they brought me back here again. But I don't know how long it was here.

I'm okay. I didn't want to come back--but maybe I can help people here, so it's not so bad.

[He smiles.] I know you'll be fine. You're tough. And sure, show me! I bet you're getting really good.

[If he's homesick, Kerry should probably try to cheer him up.]

[smallspot]

You didn't get sick, but you got hurt?

[Diarmuid notices Kerry's hurt arm and gives the boy a concerned look.]

What happened? Will you be okay?

[He's excited by the chance to show Kerry the moves he has learned and he would also like to hear more about what it was like being sent home, but for the moment he is more worried about if the other boy will be okay.]

[fixated]

Jack had been watching from the sidelines for quite some time before he shifted, walking in plain view towards the boy practicing his sword skills in front of the tiny audience. People watching was one of his favorite pastimes, and it would seem this was no different.

"What due diligence. No enemy could last for along against your blade!"

Because clearly the kid must be fighting some great foe to save the swans. A veritable hero in the making!

[smallspot]

A hero in the making indeed, though right now he's just a little boy who is trying to get the block his teacher taught him not long ago right.

Diarmuid pauses in his practicing, though, when he hears the unfamiliar voice, then giggles and shakes his head, "Maybe when I am bigger, but I am just a little knight now. I have a lot to learn!" The boy runs over to the blond man and bows to him, rising from the bow with a big smile, "My name is Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. What is your name, Lord? Are you new here? I haven't seen you before!"

[fixated]

Jack hid his smile behind a very stern visage, bowing in equal measure to the boy.

"I am Jack Vessalius, at your service, young knight." He paused, straightening and giving Diarmuid a thoughtful look, half rubbing at his chin in contemplation. "I think you do yourself a disservice however. You might even be able to teach me a thing or two."

Jack looked a little apologetic as he glanced around the little clearing and then leaned in close, giving the impression as though he didn't want the stuffed animals in the clearing to hear him.

"To be truthful, I'm just a minor lord myself. I've never been that good with a sword. I haven't even touched one since I arrived two months ago!"

[smallspot]

Diarmuid shakes his head sending his dark hair flying and seeming to dislodge a small blue and green butterfly from...somewhere. The butterfly flutters around before settling onto the boy's shoulder.

"It doesn't matter if you are just a minor Lord! Father said I should always call people Lord as a sign of respect," Diarmuid gives Jack a curious look. "What haven't you practiced? Are you just too busy? Do you just not like it? Were you sick? I hope not!"

He knows now that people can get sick from not having enough contact with others. It's not a problem he has had, but he has run into those who are having that problem.

[lytelcniht]

[Dressed appropriately in a button up and trousers, thanks to the help of Diarmuid and others in obtaining modern clothing, Art watches carefully, surveying Diarmuid's play space as if like a guardian.

She makes little effort to approach him, but isn't unpleasant about it, and even seems to be smiling a bit as she watches.]

[smallspot]

[Diarmuid is so focused on practicing the spin kick/sword slash that Suzaku taught him, that he doesn't notice Arthur until he stops for a break. When he sees his friend, though, his eyes light up and he waves, before running over to her.]

Lord King! You found some new clothes! How are you doing?

[lytelcniht]

I have indeed, young sir.

I am well, and I trust you are the same-- are you busy practicing? How well of you to do so.

[smallspot]

Suzaku is teaching me sword moves. The latest one is a tricky move. I have to practice a lot to get it right!

[The boy bounces happily on his feet.]

Do you want to see the move? I am pretty good at it now.

[Diarmuid doesn't answer her question about how he is. It might just be because he's so excited about showing her the move or it might be because he doesn't want to let her know he's homesick since he's suppose to be a knight and be strong.]