Post by Kiernan on Nov 29, 2012 2:38:10 GMT -5
[46th of summer, about an hour to midday. Just my characters meeting for lunch, shortly after Homeward Bound]
Turnkey grew weary of waiting. True, it had only been about five minutes since he had arrived, and it would be another ten before his appointment was supposed to arrive, but he grew weary of the wait nonetheless.
"Waiting long?" asked Akaitora, stepping up behind him, and patting his shoulder with his hoof.
"Too long," replied Turnkey, standing to embrace his brother briefly. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of ordering for you."
"Whether I mind or not, it's already been done, which means there's naught I can do about it now," chuckled Akaitora, taking a seat across from the master locksmith.
"Good, because you can't bring your own food to a place like this."
"You know that's the only way I like it, Uru."
"What did I tell you about calling me that, Kai?"
Before Akaitora could answer, a plate was served in front of him, with a steaming Apple Tarte Tatin on it. Another plate, bearing a ramekin of Creme Brulee, was served to his brother.
"So, enough with the banter. Have you been to see mother?" asked Turnkey, biting into the tuile spoon that had come with the creme brulee.
"I have," replied Akaitora, after a bite of the cranberries that filled his apple. "She's not getting much better, and I fear that if you don't visit soon, you may not have the chance." Another bite, and he continued, "She really misses you, and wishes you to return quickly."
"It would seem the tables have turned on us, brother," said Turnkey, crunching into the caramel spear. "Six years ago, she wanted you, when you couldn't return home. Now, she has you, and she wants me. It seems to me," he took this opportunity to enjoy a slice of kiwifruit, "that she wants both of us back at the same time. But of course, I can't return until I finish my round. You did tell her that?"
Akaitora's eyes fell. "I haven't actually..."
This caused Usutora to stop, mid-bite. "You didn't tell her?" he asked, mouth full of custard. In response, he received only a shaken head. "Is there anything else you should have told her, but didn't?"
Akaitora popped the small scoop of ice cream into his mouth, before calmly stating, "She doesn't know who I am, yet."
Silence befell the two of them, as they glared into each other's eyes. Akaitora stood by his decision, while Usutora rejected the very idea.
"If you're not her son, then what are you?" he asked, an angry undertone in his voice.
"I'm the gardener, groundskeeper, and most importantly, godfather of her child. Who I was to her will come when it must."
"Come when it must?" grumbled Usutora. "You said it yourself, she's not long for this world, and I doubt that Stain is just going to let you visit whenever you wish." He took another bite of creme brulee, the last bite, then realized that he had either misheard, or something he didn't now about yet had happened. "What did you mean, godfather of her child? We're both fully grown, and you did so underground."
"Don't remind me," sighed Akaitora, finishing his apple. "I was there this morning, and all I could think about was her. As for what I meant, we're not her only sons. There's one more you don't know about, having been gone shortly before his birth. He doesn't follow our naming pattern, but he's still our brother. Almond Bark, he is called, and he says that he wants to seek us out, when he grows old enough."
Usutora buried his face in his forehooves. A brother... and I haven't been to see him... How terrible of me...
"By the way," mentioned Akaitora, "I picked these up for you on my way here." He climbed to a standing position, dropping a small bag of lockpicks on the table. "Now, I have some rocks to shift underground, and a brand new room to furnish, so, If you'll excuse me--"
"She's here." interrupted Usutora.
"What do you mean?" asked Akaitora, now slightly hesitant to leave. "Who's here?"
"I saw her last night. She was with the others."
Akaitora turned back, and pulled his brother to his rear hooves. His eyes grew wide, as dinner plates. "Did she recognize you!? Answer!!"
"No."
Akaitora breathed a sigh of relief. "If you're lying to me, your fate would become sealed."
As Akaitora turned to leave, Usutora called out one final time. "Before you leave, I have something I need you to do." He pulled from his bag, a tangled string of lights, and moved it over to his brother.
"Great. One more thing I have to do today," he said, tucking it away into his cape pocket. "Anything else?" he asked, prompting Usutora to shake his head. And with that, he galloped off, ready to renovate.
Turnkey grew weary of waiting. True, it had only been about five minutes since he had arrived, and it would be another ten before his appointment was supposed to arrive, but he grew weary of the wait nonetheless.
"Waiting long?" asked Akaitora, stepping up behind him, and patting his shoulder with his hoof.
"Too long," replied Turnkey, standing to embrace his brother briefly. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of ordering for you."
"Whether I mind or not, it's already been done, which means there's naught I can do about it now," chuckled Akaitora, taking a seat across from the master locksmith.
"Good, because you can't bring your own food to a place like this."
"You know that's the only way I like it, Uru."
"What did I tell you about calling me that, Kai?"
Before Akaitora could answer, a plate was served in front of him, with a steaming Apple Tarte Tatin on it. Another plate, bearing a ramekin of Creme Brulee, was served to his brother.
"So, enough with the banter. Have you been to see mother?" asked Turnkey, biting into the tuile spoon that had come with the creme brulee.
"I have," replied Akaitora, after a bite of the cranberries that filled his apple. "She's not getting much better, and I fear that if you don't visit soon, you may not have the chance." Another bite, and he continued, "She really misses you, and wishes you to return quickly."
"It would seem the tables have turned on us, brother," said Turnkey, crunching into the caramel spear. "Six years ago, she wanted you, when you couldn't return home. Now, she has you, and she wants me. It seems to me," he took this opportunity to enjoy a slice of kiwifruit, "that she wants both of us back at the same time. But of course, I can't return until I finish my round. You did tell her that?"
Akaitora's eyes fell. "I haven't actually..."
This caused Usutora to stop, mid-bite. "You didn't tell her?" he asked, mouth full of custard. In response, he received only a shaken head. "Is there anything else you should have told her, but didn't?"
Akaitora popped the small scoop of ice cream into his mouth, before calmly stating, "She doesn't know who I am, yet."
Silence befell the two of them, as they glared into each other's eyes. Akaitora stood by his decision, while Usutora rejected the very idea.
"If you're not her son, then what are you?" he asked, an angry undertone in his voice.
"I'm the gardener, groundskeeper, and most importantly, godfather of her child. Who I was to her will come when it must."
"Come when it must?" grumbled Usutora. "You said it yourself, she's not long for this world, and I doubt that Stain is just going to let you visit whenever you wish." He took another bite of creme brulee, the last bite, then realized that he had either misheard, or something he didn't now about yet had happened. "What did you mean, godfather of her child? We're both fully grown, and you did so underground."
"Don't remind me," sighed Akaitora, finishing his apple. "I was there this morning, and all I could think about was her. As for what I meant, we're not her only sons. There's one more you don't know about, having been gone shortly before his birth. He doesn't follow our naming pattern, but he's still our brother. Almond Bark, he is called, and he says that he wants to seek us out, when he grows old enough."
Usutora buried his face in his forehooves. A brother... and I haven't been to see him... How terrible of me...
"By the way," mentioned Akaitora, "I picked these up for you on my way here." He climbed to a standing position, dropping a small bag of lockpicks on the table. "Now, I have some rocks to shift underground, and a brand new room to furnish, so, If you'll excuse me--"
"She's here." interrupted Usutora.
"What do you mean?" asked Akaitora, now slightly hesitant to leave. "Who's here?"
"I saw her last night. She was with the others."
Akaitora turned back, and pulled his brother to his rear hooves. His eyes grew wide, as dinner plates. "Did she recognize you!? Answer!!"
"No."
Akaitora breathed a sigh of relief. "If you're lying to me, your fate would become sealed."
As Akaitora turned to leave, Usutora called out one final time. "Before you leave, I have something I need you to do." He pulled from his bag, a tangled string of lights, and moved it over to his brother.
"Great. One more thing I have to do today," he said, tucking it away into his cape pocket. "Anything else?" he asked, prompting Usutora to shake his head. And with that, he galloped off, ready to renovate.