rekindleme | A Story and a Song...

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A Story and a Song...

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.

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Yes, please! I don't want to leave them behind!

[Diarmuid kneels down and carefully wraps up his toys in the cloak they have been sitting on. As he does, his butterfly flutters up off them and disappears into the boy's hair. Once he's done, Diarmuid gathers the bundle and his practice sword into his arms. He then giggles and looks up at Zack.]

It might be a good idea if we stop at my room so I can drop them off. My arms are kind of full! I won't be able to help you carry anything like this!

Yeah, good plan. Your arms must be pretty tired after all that training, anyway.

[ And if he wants to help carry groceries, too, it might be a good idea to give them a break. ]

Which building are you in?

Building one! It's just over there.

[Diarmuid starts to gesture with his full arms but stops just before he drops everything and nods in the building's direction instead.]

I'm in room 2-17. It's not far away. Do you want to come see it? I can show you the tunnel my friend made to connect our rooms if you do!

Oh yeah? Me, too. I'm up in 3-12.

[ Building One is best building, obviously. Starting toward it across the grass, he turns to walk backward as he talks. ]

But there's no tunnel from my room. Now you've gotta show me.

3-12. I don't know what a three looks like. Will you show me, Zack so I can come and visit you?

[Diarmuid giggles as he follows Zack, finding how the man is walking funny.]

My friend built the tunnel all by himself. He's very strong. Someday he is going to be a hero. My father tells me stories about all the great stuff he will do when he gets big, but for now he's my best friend! We go all kinds of stuff together! You should meet him!

Yeah, no problem. You're welcome any time.

[ Wait wait, he can do even better. Lifting his arms as he shrugs, he laces his fingers together behind his head as he walks. ]

So what's your great and powerful best friend's name? Maybe I've met him, already.

Did they teach you to walk like that in SOLDIER? Will you teach me sometime? It looks like fun!

[He giggles again.]

Thank you for teaching me the number! Soon I will know what they all look like!

My friend's name is Cu Chulainn. At least, that is what they called him after he killed Culann's hound. He's about my size and has blue hair. Have you met him?

Huh? [ IS HE WALKING FUNNY it didn't even cross his mind. Zack shakes his head, dropping the unusual stance as he steps aside to get the door to Building One. ] Nope - that's all me. But we can practice your cool walk, too, if you want. A good heroic pose is important!

And I'll draw you a picture so you don't forget the right numbers, too. [ Or just write them down - but he's not sure how literate Diarmuid is, either. Not that he was much better, at that age. ]

...Hmmm. Sorry, I don't think I know him. But I'll keep an eye out for a kid with blue hair.

[Diarmuid enters the building before turning back to wait for Zack.]

A pose is okay, but I want to know how to walk backward without walking into anything. Do you have a special power that lets you see what is behind you?

[Children...]

I would appreciate the drawing! I don't know how to read. Only druids write stuff down sometimes. Everyone else just tells people what they want them to know and bards make sure stories and lessons aren't forgotten! I have been told reading is important here so I am trying to learn.

You should! He will want to meet you. He's like me. He wants to learn how to fight because you can't be a hero if you don't know how to fight!

A special power? ...Nah. I've just got eyes in the back of my head.

[ Of course, he only half expects this to be taken seriously, as he makes a face and points to the back of his head (not that literal eyes would do him any good, back there, with all of that hair in the way). Exceptional spacial awareness is more accurate, but that's a concept that's easier to show than tell.

Plus, yeah, children. Maybe he likes teasing them. A little. In good nature. ]

Well, reading's a little boring... But it's pretty important to know the basics, I'll give you that. You'll wanna be able to read a map or know which shop you're going into once you start going on your own adventures.

[ Just stay away from big words and it's all good. ]

You have eyes in the back of you head?

[Diarmuid's eyes grow wide. Fortunately for Zack--and perhaps unfortunately for Diarmuid--he is an easy target for teasing both because he is so trusting, but also because his father has told him stories about creatures with eyes in the back of their heads...

He's just never gotten to meet one before.]

Can I see? Please, can I? I really want to!

[In his excitement, the boy forgets all talk of reading. Why talk about something boring when there is a chance to see a person with eyes in the back of their head?

Try not to disappoint the boy too much, Zack...]

[ ... Oops.

That backfired a little.

But. Okay. He can totally save this! ]

Uh... Well - I can't really show you. Because- [ Because. Wait, he's got something. He just has to think of it, first.

A little useless gesturing and a lot of super thoughtful eyeing of the ceiling later: ] Because they're invisible! Yeah! I mean, what good would having eyes to see everything be if I didn't still have the element of surprise? [ If one takes into account that SOLDIER senses are basically like being able to detect most overt kinds of incoming danger, then it's almost like he's not blatantly lying to a child. Nobody asked if these were metaphorical or literal eyes.

So he's giving himself an A+. ]

[~~Bravo, Zack. Nice save.]~~

[Diarmuid's expression grows confused as he listens to Zack explain, but by the time the man is done explaining that confusion has become a smile instead.]

Of course! If they weren't invisible than anyone could see them and try to do something to them! They would be weak spot when you are fighting. Right, Zack?

[The way his eyes are shining, Diarmuid obviously believes every word.]

I can't wait to tell my friend that I met someone with eyes in the back of his head. If he didn't think you were neat before, he sure will now! Not everyone can say they know someone like that!

Right!

[ Totally saved it.

Feeling mildly guilty about making up dumb stuff is almost worth it just for that look of total admiration, though. ]

But don't go telling everybody, all right? Just like you said - I'd never win another fight if everybody knew about it.

I promise! I won't tell anyone but my friend. He is the only one who would believe it.

[Diarmuid leans toward Zack and then whispers to him.]

He is from the same place as me, just a different time. There are fairies and spirits and gods and magic and monsters where we are from. Not everyone believes it, but it's true! Father has told me all about them.

[ Leaning down a little to accommodate this conspiratorial moment, Zack crosses his arms as he nods. ]

Thanks. ...And for the record, I've seen most of that stuff with my own eyes, too. Y'know, the regular ones in front. Don't doubt it.

I don't! I just wish I could make others understand.

[Diarmuid nods and then starts walking toward his room again.]

My father is a god. I know all those things are real. Just because people don't see them anymore, doesn't mean they aren't still there. They are probably sleeping! Or just waiting for their chance to cause trouble if they are bad things.

[ Probably more of the latter, he thinks, though he can't really speak for other worlds. Or of gods, or the reality of living in a world full of monsters that don't prefer to keep out of sight. That's a little heavy for today.

Following after him, Zack nods. ]

Hey, it's enough to believe, yourself. The best we can do, now, is be ready for everybody else's sake, if any of those things end up here with us.

Yes! I will be ready!

[Diarmuid gives Zack a confident look.]

But I hope nothing scary comes here. This is a pretty happy and safe place. I want it to stay that way. That way once the energy problem is fixed, everyone here can be happy again!

[Diarmuid knows that not everyone wishes the people here well, but he can't help be do it himself.]

Yeah, me, too.

[ Especially if there really are that many people who don't believe in such basic facts of nature as magic - or monsters. ]

Even tough guys like us need a vacation every once in a while, right?

Yes!

[Diarmuid jumps up and down excitedly.]

Vacations are important! You have to practice, but you have to rest too! You have to get away and have fun. That way you remember what you have to protect!

[He pauses for a moment and then points to a door.]

This is my room! 2-17!

Exactly.

[ Well said, especially for a kid.

Zack takes a second to scrutinize the door, as if committing it to memory (and knowing his memory, he might really be doing just that). ]

2-17? Got it! Mine's just overhead somewhere; I'm only one floor up and a few doors down.

Our doors should really have our names on them, shouldn't they Zack? It would make it easier for people to find us.

[Diarmuid looks at his door for a moment and then nods determinedly.]

I will make a sign for it! I will need help because I can't write my name in anything other than ogham, but I will do it!

Yeah, or pictures, huh?

[ For the slightly more literarily-impaired. ]

I'd be happy to write your name for you, but maybe you should put a self-portrait on it, too. That'll help anybody else who's still learning to read. [ Or maybe he just wants to see a bunch of cute signs hanging all over the hallways of this place. It'd certainly cheer the buildings up a little. ]

Like me!

[Diarmuid giggles and points to himself the best he can with his hands full.]

Thank you for writing my name when we make the sign! Will you help my friend too? He can't write either, but I know he will want a sign!

[The boy falls silent a moment, thinking about something, before continuing.]

I wonder if he can draw. I should ask him! We will want to make part of the sign and if we can't write that means we should draw. Maybe we can even make signs for others!

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