Post by Allen on Jul 19, 2008 14:40:36 GMT
This one's not finished. Indeed, it's barely started! It takes place when Freya is still a young child, and finds that not everyone likes people that are different.
Ladeez and gentlemen! I give you, Differences
“It’s only for today, and I can pay you twice the daily rate. She’s no trouble, I can assure you” Indra dug into her purse and pulled out a 5000 gil note. The human woman didn’t seem swayed, however.
“If it were up to me, I’d say yes, but the director, she doesn’t think there’s room . . .”
Indra cocked an eyebrow incredulously, gazing past the receptionist at the eight children playing in the back yard.
“If possible, I would like to speak to the director”
The woman hesitated, as if trying to find some way of directing the Nezumi elsewhere. Finding nothing suitable, she sighed, and waved Indra down the hall. At the end of the hall was a single door bearing a brass plaque reading ‘Director’. Indra tapped on the door before entering. Another human woman sat behind the desk. She looked up at the opening door and her eyes narrowed when she saw who
(what)
was coming through. She gestured sharply to an uncomfortable looking chair.
“What do you want rat?” she said coldly and without preamble. Indra smiled warmly, ignoring the Director’s tone of voice.
“Hello, my name is Indra Crescent. I’m terribly sorry to ask on such short notice, but I’ve been called to the palace, and I can’t bring my daughter. Would it be possible to – “
“No” the Director interrupted. “Absolutely not”
Indra, unfazed, reached for her purse again.
“I can pay double the usual amount, plus a little extra for the trouble?”
The Director slammed her fist against the desk.
“Don’t you get it, sewer crawler? We don’t want your kind here! This is a human daycare, run by humans, for human children! Our patrons pay good money so that their children don’t have to associate with lesser species like you! We don’t want your demon-spawn near our children! Now get – “ Indra stood up, drawing herself to her full six and a half feet. All warmness was gone from her face; she was all dragoon now.
“No, you listen to me, bigot bitch! I didn’t leave my homeland and come to this city on the request of the regent with my child only to be told that I’m the inferior race!” she smiled sweetly, the smile not softening the steel in her eyes. “It would be such a shame for the regent to hear that I couldn’t make it because you wouldn’t let my daughter soil your little Aryan daycare, wouldn’t it?”
The Director cowered in her chair, terrified of the emerald-eyed storm on the other side of a suddenly very narrow desk. Indra continued, less angrily, but still just as cold as before
“My offer still stands, Mrs Director. I suggest you take it” She left the promised money on the desk and stalked out, leaving the door open. The Director shivered in her chair for a bit longer, afraid that the demoness in a mortal’s skin would return. Satisfied that Indra had left, she got up, left the room, closing the door behind her, and went in search of her staff, intent on informing them what had happened. The pouch of money was still on her desk.
Indra walked back to the waiting carriage, appologised to the driver, and went to the cabin. She opened the door, and there sat her daugher, Freya, clutching a plush cactaur doll. The child was short by nezumi standards, which made her just about perfect by human standards. She wore an orange sweater, a little large for her frame, and blue silk pants, a hole in the back for her tail. Her eyes matched the green of her mother’s, their youthful joy eternally sparkling. Her long silver hair was held in a ponytail with an orange ribbon matching her sweater.
Indra lifted Freya down from the Carriage, and set her gently on the ground. She crouched down to eye level.
“Dearest, I have to go and talk to Regent Mika. The people here will take good care of you.” Freya clutched the doll closer. Her Ma left often, although she usually left Freya with Rhia’s Ma.
“Just remember your manners, and remember this too: words can only hurt you if you let them. I’ll be back to get you in a few hours. Have a good time!” she gently pushed Freya towards the waiting receptionist. Indra then got into the carriage and instructed the driver to take her to the palace. She smiled out the window, waving at Freya, and trying to make the worried stone in her throat go away.
Freya refused to go inside until Indra’s carriage had turned a corner and vanished. The receptionist led Freya through the cluttered playroom, and out into the back yard of the center. Before she stepped behind the woman’s legs, Freya caught a glimpse of several human children running about. The receptionist, used to nervous children, ignored Freya with a wicked grin, for she was one of the staff that shared the Director’s views.
Let the little rat sweat a little. She thought to herself. Bringing a small whistle to her lips, She blew a blast to get the attention of the playing children. They all stopped what they were doing, and turned to see what the whistle was for.
“Now children, we have a new friend for you today. I would like you all to meet Freya. I know she’s different, but I think that you can work things out” she stepped aside suddenly, and the terrified nezumi child was left standing there, nervously pulling her tail.
Ladeez and gentlemen! I give you, Differences
“It’s only for today, and I can pay you twice the daily rate. She’s no trouble, I can assure you” Indra dug into her purse and pulled out a 5000 gil note. The human woman didn’t seem swayed, however.
“If it were up to me, I’d say yes, but the director, she doesn’t think there’s room . . .”
Indra cocked an eyebrow incredulously, gazing past the receptionist at the eight children playing in the back yard.
“If possible, I would like to speak to the director”
The woman hesitated, as if trying to find some way of directing the Nezumi elsewhere. Finding nothing suitable, she sighed, and waved Indra down the hall. At the end of the hall was a single door bearing a brass plaque reading ‘Director’. Indra tapped on the door before entering. Another human woman sat behind the desk. She looked up at the opening door and her eyes narrowed when she saw who
(what)
was coming through. She gestured sharply to an uncomfortable looking chair.
“What do you want rat?” she said coldly and without preamble. Indra smiled warmly, ignoring the Director’s tone of voice.
“Hello, my name is Indra Crescent. I’m terribly sorry to ask on such short notice, but I’ve been called to the palace, and I can’t bring my daughter. Would it be possible to – “
“No” the Director interrupted. “Absolutely not”
Indra, unfazed, reached for her purse again.
“I can pay double the usual amount, plus a little extra for the trouble?”
The Director slammed her fist against the desk.
“Don’t you get it, sewer crawler? We don’t want your kind here! This is a human daycare, run by humans, for human children! Our patrons pay good money so that their children don’t have to associate with lesser species like you! We don’t want your demon-spawn near our children! Now get – “ Indra stood up, drawing herself to her full six and a half feet. All warmness was gone from her face; she was all dragoon now.
“No, you listen to me, bigot bitch! I didn’t leave my homeland and come to this city on the request of the regent with my child only to be told that I’m the inferior race!” she smiled sweetly, the smile not softening the steel in her eyes. “It would be such a shame for the regent to hear that I couldn’t make it because you wouldn’t let my daughter soil your little Aryan daycare, wouldn’t it?”
The Director cowered in her chair, terrified of the emerald-eyed storm on the other side of a suddenly very narrow desk. Indra continued, less angrily, but still just as cold as before
“My offer still stands, Mrs Director. I suggest you take it” She left the promised money on the desk and stalked out, leaving the door open. The Director shivered in her chair for a bit longer, afraid that the demoness in a mortal’s skin would return. Satisfied that Indra had left, she got up, left the room, closing the door behind her, and went in search of her staff, intent on informing them what had happened. The pouch of money was still on her desk.
Indra walked back to the waiting carriage, appologised to the driver, and went to the cabin. She opened the door, and there sat her daugher, Freya, clutching a plush cactaur doll. The child was short by nezumi standards, which made her just about perfect by human standards. She wore an orange sweater, a little large for her frame, and blue silk pants, a hole in the back for her tail. Her eyes matched the green of her mother’s, their youthful joy eternally sparkling. Her long silver hair was held in a ponytail with an orange ribbon matching her sweater.
Indra lifted Freya down from the Carriage, and set her gently on the ground. She crouched down to eye level.
“Dearest, I have to go and talk to Regent Mika. The people here will take good care of you.” Freya clutched the doll closer. Her Ma left often, although she usually left Freya with Rhia’s Ma.
“Just remember your manners, and remember this too: words can only hurt you if you let them. I’ll be back to get you in a few hours. Have a good time!” she gently pushed Freya towards the waiting receptionist. Indra then got into the carriage and instructed the driver to take her to the palace. She smiled out the window, waving at Freya, and trying to make the worried stone in her throat go away.
Freya refused to go inside until Indra’s carriage had turned a corner and vanished. The receptionist led Freya through the cluttered playroom, and out into the back yard of the center. Before she stepped behind the woman’s legs, Freya caught a glimpse of several human children running about. The receptionist, used to nervous children, ignored Freya with a wicked grin, for she was one of the staff that shared the Director’s views.
Let the little rat sweat a little. She thought to herself. Bringing a small whistle to her lips, She blew a blast to get the attention of the playing children. They all stopped what they were doing, and turned to see what the whistle was for.
“Now children, we have a new friend for you today. I would like you all to meet Freya. I know she’s different, but I think that you can work things out” she stepped aside suddenly, and the terrified nezumi child was left standing there, nervously pulling her tail.