Grace and Julia manage to not try and kill each other - LP 3/7/20

Ol'random · 2020-03-11 01:05:05 PM

Lord Ciocan, a badger,
Pvt. Dominik,
Grace,
Lt. Gregorian,
Julia,
And Sgt. Terrence, hares.

It was for once a sunny day though no less cold than all the others lately as a strong breeze comes off the sea. Greg has opted to take his lunch outside for some air and peace. Sat on the sheltered side of a rock though his food is left half eaten and forgotten as he stares down at the world, just thinking.

Terrence, meanwhile, had forgotten the hour. Rolling his newly freed shoulder the sergeant had wandered up to the crater to test his arms strength - though upon seeing Greg he waves. "Hello there, sah! Didn't think anyone would be up here, but perhaps I should've learned by now. Haven fo'h those who want to be alone up here, eh?"

Gregorian sits with his arms folded, it's almost like he's judging the world. His ear turns to the voice but he recognises it so he doesn't have to look "Mm, except no one is evah alone up here for long...Yah can't fault the view of course. Yah hidin' out too?"

"Not intentionally, no." Terrence replies, sitting down on a rock. "I've just been sick of staying inside so much. Like you said the view's great. Sure beats the training room's walls, as well."

Gregorian hehs and nods slowly "There is only so many stone walls a hare can look at before yah start tah feel buried...I suppose that might be different for hares who grew up here though. How's yah arm?"

"Well, even fo'h a hare born here it can feel like I'm being buried alive..." Terrence mutters. Then, stretching his arm out and swinging it left to right, he says in a brighter tone, "It's rathah good, actually. I went to the infirmary fo'h the last time this morning to get all the bandages off. It healed with little to no problem, so I got lucky I suppose."

Gregorian chuckles quietly, a small smile finally appearing "Broken free from the healahs at last. If I had a drink tah share we'd celebrate...or if I had a pile of work tah hand I'd give yah it. See? Yah are lucky"

Terrence laughs. "Well that's good to heah. Glad I caught you with you'h paws empty then." Still grinning the sergeant slides down the rock to rest his back against it on the ground. "Technically I still have the day off, leastways until you tell me to do something, of course."

And naturally, any peace that may have been present as Greg and Terrence converse is utterly shattered as the sound of a pawful of little voices can be heard shouting and carrying on in the passageway leading up towards the crater. "Hey, I wanna be first!" "No, me! I'm th'fastest, I wanna get there first!" "No, me! Me! C'mon, stop shovin'!" "No, you stop shovin'!" Not too long after, another voice is heard, booming up the passageway. "ENOUGH!" After this, the other voices immediately quiet down. "Is plenty of room for all. If vant to see top of mountain, get in straight line...vait for Dom. Vil be there in moment." After a pause, the voice is heard again. "Is okay, go ahead now." And with that, a small group of leverets burst into the crater, immediately making a beeline for the edge, of course, where they likely shouldn't be, all of them chattering and carrying on. Soon enough, Dom appears as well, the large buck looking utterly exhausted, but still with a smile upon his face. "Get avay from edge!" he calls over to them. "Vind vil blow you over, then vil not be any more trips to mountaintop, or beach..." He seemingly hasn't spotted Greg or Terrence as of yet, his attention focused on his charges.

Gregorian waves a paw at Terrence "Ah, take yah day off. There'll still be plenty tah do tahmorrow" any further thoughts are disturbed by the sound of many small hares approaching, a sound Greg instantly recognises but this time he does look around "Eh?" for a second he was concerned they were on their own until he hears Dom yelling "Well, there goes the quiet" he mutters before the dibbuns suddenly burst outside. Dom might not spot them but some of the dibbuns do see the other adults and Grace among them instantly changes direction "Da'!" she jumps, hangs off Greg's neck for a moment in a hug while he's still sat down and then spots his half finished food and drops back to the ground "Can I have yah cheese?" she asks, already taking it off the plate without waiting for the answer. Greg doesn't object but is more concerned by the dibbuns near the edge "Dom? Wot's all this?" he points at the dibbuns and finally gets up "Back from the edge now"

With a sigh Terrence watches the chaos unfold around him. "Daresay leverets are a change of pace from privates and recruits, at least." Standing he catches one young hare from tumbling head over heals down the slope. "No you don't!" With the leveret safely back on the crater the sergeant arches an eyebrow at Dom, asking, "So, what brings all of you up here?"

Dominik gives the other two an apologetic look as he eventually spots them, seeming a little relieved that Greg happens to be there...one more set of eyes to keep an eye on Grace, at least. And Terrence proves valuable as well as he saves the leveret from slipping over the edge of the crater. Said leveret gives Terrence a raspberry, before hurrying off to try his luck at climbing a nearby boulder. Dom sighs, "Is sorry. Did not know you vere here, vould have taken them to other places if known." The buck hurries over to retrieve another of the Dibbuns as they move back in the direction of the exit. He sits them on his shoulder, as he plops himself down with a tired sigh. "Vanted to go outside, but...could not take to beach, so...brought up here. Figure it good enough, is basically outside, yes?" His head moves to the side as the Dibbun tugs hard on his ear, and he lets loose with another sigh, though he appears to be happy, all things considered. "Ouch. Is ear..."

"I don't know, the similarities tah recruits are numerous" Greg mutters back to Terrence before he also moves to nudge a few of the dibbuns back from the edge to safer spots "Yah not handlin' them all on yah own are yah?" he asks as he automatically plucks a dibbun up who's walking towards the edge, turns them around and ushers them back the way they came "Lets get them ovah tah the gardens perhaps. There's a few more walls tah keep them safe"

Terrence stares down at the half squashed raspberry now in his paw. "Well. I suppose that's true." He does his best to hide tossing the raspberry over the edge so as to appear to eat it. "But at least leverets aren't armed with pointy sticks alongside thei'h lack of sense."

Dominik gives Greg an exhausted smile and a nod to his question. "Yes. Volunteered to do, did not count on so many. Vas going to take Grace, and couple of her friends, but...everyone else heard an vanted to come, too. Could not refuse those faces," he chuckles. "So, here ve are. Ooof!" The small doe on his shoulder continues to yank and tug on his ear, the buck's head tilted to the side as a result. Another leveret runs out of nowhere and takes a flying leap right onto his lap. Dom oooofs, blinking. "Hiiiii Mister Dom!" the little one squeaks, before giving Dom a hug. Dom smiles and hugs back, before another small hare starts climbing up his shoulder. "Am like own personal mountain, it seems. Is fun to climb." Giving the two another look, he nods to Greg's suggestion. "Might be better idea, yes. Oh, and Grace is talking to Dom again, so...is good thing." He seems quite pleased at that particular development.

Gregorian plucks a dibbun off a boulder and puts him on the ground again as he's gesturing the rest to move towards the gardens "First thing yah need tah do with dibbuns is learn tah tell them no" he's doing a quick mental headcount as he talks. He pauses though and looks back to Dom at the news Grace made up with him "Really...she didn't tell me" he frowns. That concerns him. Grace meanwhile is distracted! She's busy trying to eat the remainder of her father's lunch while at the same time trying to ward off three hungry dibbuns who want some too.

"Well, that's fo'h sure the same as with recruits, now isn't it?" Terrence laughs, hanging back to herd any stragglers down to the gardens. "You do this often, Dom? Watching the leverets, I mean." He avoids dealing with Grace and the band of hungry dibbuns as that's Greg's problem. For now.

Dominik gives Greg a nod. "Yes, is something is learning fast. Is sometimes hard, especially ven there is so many." The buck chuckles, extracting the small doe from his shoulder and setting her down beside him. "And yes. Ve had talk in mess hall. Dom apologized, Grace accept. Is not sure vhy vould not tell, but. Now, you know. Must also apologize to Greg, as well..." The buck gives a heavy sigh. "Dom is sorry for vat happened. Is under control now, vil never happen again." To Terrence's question, he nods in confirmation. "Yes. Dom seem to be official vatcher of leveret, ven others cannot do, or is busy. But Dom does not mind." He smiles. "Likes them. They are fun, even though Dom gets lots of ear pullings." He slowly rises in preparation to head towards the gardens, and he waits for the others to get in line to follow. "HUP. All get in line, follow Dom. Going to gardens!" At the barked command, the leverets all fall in line, all fidgety but standing in one spot, in preparation to leave. "See? Dom can do," he grins to the others.

Gregorian considers Grace defending her stolen food to be her problem, he's not helping there! He frowns slightly at the apology, still concerned that he doesn't know things but Grace thought he might worry. She was right, he worries. Still, he nods once to Dom "Good tah hear it's undah control at last" he leaves it at that and helps with the dibbun herding "Yah should at least tell them tah leave yah with some back up tah help with them all. Yah can't watch a dozen or so dibbuns on their own. Yah lucky they haven't done a runnah yet"

Terrence thinks it best not to involve himself with Greg's and Dom's reconciliation, instead focusing on keeping the leverets going in the direction of the gardens. "Oh well. Suppose it might have to do with how short pawed the mountain still is?"

Dominik gives Greg a nod. "Can speak about at length at other times. But yes, Erg is asleep, hopefully for good." The buck makes sure to take a headcount as well as Greg assists in keeping the Dibbuns all in line. Once they are seemingly all accounted for, Dom gives them a smile and a nod. "Alright, all is here. Vil go down to gardens, now. Is better place to play, yes?" All the Dibbuns bounce up and down energetically and cheer, just happy to be able to be somewhere other than the classroom. To Terrence's question, he nods. "Is reason, yes. But, Dom vil not complain." He reaches down in attempt to life Grace and deposit her on his shoulder, if she allows it. "Vun who behaves most gets to sit up here. So far today, Grace is vinner." Not counting the theft of her father's food, of course. But that doesn't count.

Gregorian does not like that word 'Hopefully' but "Hrmm" is his only response to that and then his attention is back to the dibbuns. He relaxes slightly once they're in the gardens and away from the sheer cliffs. They can still cause trouble of course but hopefully it's harder to attempt a shortcut to the shore "I guess we are short on numbahs of course...and perhaps as time goes on more hares are pairin' off again and havin' kids..." Greg gives Dom a look when he says Grace is the best behaved "How bad are the rest of them bein'?" he jokes before glancing back to Terrence "How's yah date plannin' goin'?" because since he mentioned pairing off it was on his mind but he didn't want to ask immediately after mentioning kids. Grace meanwhile is greatly aided in her fight to keep the food when she's suddenly up on Dom's shoulder! Victory! She rests the plate on top of his head and reaches over to offer him a bit of celery.

Terrence manages to hide his surprise at the news. Grace behaving? The sergeant lets out a light chuckle. "Eh?" He's taken slightly aback at Greg's question. "Ah, yes. That. Going well, all things considered. There's not all that much left to plan, got a date set fo'h the, ehem, date."

Dominik chuckles and gives Greg a smile. "Hmm. Only vas talking about today." He winks, before he suddenly finds that his head is being used as a table of sorts as Grace sets her plate down there. He peeks up at said plate, before he accepts Grace's gracious offer of celery, taking it into his muzzle and chewing loudly. "Hmm. Thank you, leetle Grace." He reaches up a paw both to give her a light pat on the head, and also to steady her on his shoulder as they head to the gardens. "Dom vil likely not pair off, vil not haff kids. Vatching leverets is good enough, is like having dozen kids, already..." he chuckles. "Dom is giant kid, too. Need to take care of self first before bringing another life into vorld." His ears perk as there is mention of a date, but the large buck does not pry.

See! Grace is good! She shares her food. With Dom at least, none of the dibbuns are getting anything. She grins at the pat she gets but tilts her head at the conversation "But won't yah get all sad an' lonelys too?" she asks Dom while Greg is busy imparting wisdom upon Terrence "Well, it doesn't hurt tah have somethin' tah do tah fill the awkward silences. If yah do somethin' beforehand yah have at least one thing tah talk about ovah dinnah which isn't work"

"I've always been at least decent at avoiding the topic of work." Terrence winks, but nods soon afterwards. "But you're right. Problem is Halyard isn't exactly the place I think of when I think of fun. Too many drunken brawls and the like, wot!" And then his stomach growls. "Ah. I suppose I missed lunch now, haven't I?"

Dominik chuckles at Grace's question, the large buck giving her a curious but amused glance. "Dom has alvays been this vay, leetle Grace. Vould not be anything different from usual." He gives a light shrug. "Is also busy vith trainings and other things. Is not much time for other other things." It's not something he'd particularly thought about before...he'd honestly never really had much of a reason to. He shifts his gaze to Terrence. "Halyard is place to go ven vanting to break up, not ven wanting to get together." He smirks a little.

Julia has been in the group, her dolly tucked into her belt, as usual. She's been semi-good (although she did kick one of the other leverets in the shins -- she feels it was deserved because he was being obnoxious), so she's a little miffed that she's not getting a ride! She looks at the flower beds, then walks over to Terrence and staaaaares up at him with her big green eyes. "You'sa takin' Lissie to somewhere's nice, right?" Because her sister has obviously explained to the Dibbun why she won't be hanging out with her on an upcoming evening.

Gregorian hehs "We're short on fancy places tah visit in the area, Dom. Halyard is at least out of the mountain. There are some nice places ovah there if yah know where tah look" his voice is calm and educational. His eyes though say shut up Dom or you're going to mess with Terrence's head. Grace seems to consider Dom's words carefully "...So I won'ts ever get lonely cause I never hads nothin' but Da' gets lonely 'cause 'e 'as me?"

"Considering last time I was in that town I was shanked, I think there's some truth to that Dom." Terrence laughs, "Perhaps we can break up some brawls and bond ovah smacking vermin about." Seeing as there's no reason to not tell Julia anything, he nods. "I'm planning on it. O'h at least as nice as Halyard can offah, of course - unless the LT there is right. Anyway, I need to go hassle the cooks fo' leftovahs, I think." As he turns to go he says, over his shoulder. "I'll extricate myself now - I'm hungry. Good luck with the leverets you two!"

Dominik shifts his gaze over towards Julia, the buck giving her a smile. "Julia gets second place today, vil get ride on shoulder vunce Grace's turn is done..." he offers. "And ven kicking in shin, remember to kick higher." Dom giving kicking advice to Dibbuns is likely not a very good idea. He gives her a wink, watching as she wanders over towards Terrence. Chuckling, his attention shifts back to Grace. "Everyvun is different, leetle Grace. Am not going to say that you vil never get lonely...even vuns vith big family get lonely, sometimes. But, if your da' ever gets lonely, it is not because of you. I am sure you are reason for him NOT feeling lonely, as matter of fact." Sorta of confusing, perhaps. But hey. It made sense to him. He catches Greg's look and gives him a sheepish shrug and mouths the word 'sorry..!'

Julia nods once, then looks up at Dom. "Okies, I kicks 'igher next time. But 'ow 'igh?" She is so distracted that she doesn't notice Terrence leave, but when she does, she pouts. "'E left!" She goes to tug on Greg's pants leg, looking between the 2 adult bucks with a slightly worried expression. "Is Toowence gonna marry Lissie so's I has a big bruvver agin?"

Gregorian sighs heavily "Yah are not tah kick fellow hares" he says loud enough for the group because someone has to be the adult here. He looks a little sorry for Grace. He doesn't burden her with these things but she notices "Ah dahlin'. He's right, yah make everythin' bettah" he takes the plate from Dom's head as he gives Grace a quick kiss on the cheek "Now why don't we let Julia have her turn and yah come ovah here" he says as he swings his daughter off and up on to his own shoulders. He looks back down to Julia afterwards "Well, that's up tah them but not right now. Yah'll always have yah sistah though, no mattah wot"

Dominik gives Greg a nod of understanding and thanks as first he reaches over to remove the plate, then pluck Grace from his shoulder and place her on his own. "Yes, Greg is right. Leetle Grace alvays brightens up day. Dom is happy to know." Dom cannot help but hold in a laugh at Julia's question, the large buck snerking a little at least. Clearing his throat, he reaches down a paw in an offer to lift Julia up onto his shoulder as it is vacated. "Come up here. Dom vil say, is like brother to Julia, yes. Really big brother." He grins to her in amusement. "No matter if marrying or not, vil alvays be so."

Julia allows the huge white hare to place her on his shoulder. "But I useded to has a bruvver, but Davie died. I don'ts even know 'im. I wants anovver bruvver." She pauses for a few moments, then goes to hug Dom around his head. "I wuv you, Dommy." She looks puzzled, though. "But hows cans yous be my bruvver ifs you not Lissie's bruvver or 'usband?" She obviously has not encountered adoption yet.

Settling in on her dad's shoulders Grace listens intently to the conversation "Can I have a brothah too?" she asks innocently. Greg's eyebrows shoot up "Heh, ah, no dahlin'. There's just tah be the one of yah" giving dibbuns ideas is dangerous "But, erm, sometimes family isn't just who yah related tah. Yah friends can becomes just as close as a brothah or sistah tah yah" he hopes that might work on both of the dibbuns.

Dominik listens quietly to Julia mentioning having a brother who died, and he gives her a nod in understanding. "Dom had brothers, and sisters. Died, too. Knew them a little better, maybe, but...probably not as vell as should have." He gives her a smile. "Vun day, Dom is sure Julia vil have brother again, but...until then...Dom is, vil alvays be like brother." He nods in agreement to Greg, thinking he described things rather well. "Yes, Greg is right. Leetle Grace, and leetle Julia are friends, but also...remind Dom of sisters, too. Do you vant to be Dom's sisters?" he asks them with a hopeful smile, the buck blushing and seeming quite pleased as Julia hugs him around the head, his eyes and half of his muzzle covered by small paws.

Julia thinks really hard about that. "So......Dommy cans be my bruvver in my heart 'cause 'e's my friend?" She smiles and snuggles down more, basically draped across the huge buck's head as she continues to hug him. "I coulds be you sistew. Does dat make Lissie you sistew, too?"

Ciocan has decided to get some fresh air and heads to towards the gardens, he slows when he learns it's a bit... crowded and seems to rethink his plans on where to sit for a little while.

There's a pause where Grace considers everything before suddenly looking excited "So I cans have a brothah!" she grins at Dom "Yeah, yah can be my brothah...And I guess tha' makes Julia a sistah...I'd like tah have a sistah too I think" she's slightly more cautious about that idea because this is probably one of the longest conversations they've had where they haven't fought. Greg is just helpless as the family apparently grows but Grace is happy so it's fine. He spots Ciocan pretty quick but he's not saluting because Grace is sat on his shoulders. He nods a greeting though "Sah"

Dominik hadn't really thought about things the way that Julia put them, and so he scrunches up his muzzle in deep thought as the Dibbun clings to his head and drapes herself across it with her hug. "Hmm. Vell, Dom is supposing so, in same vay. Lissie is Dom's friend, too, and so is like sister." He smiles, peeking an eye open as he lifts a paw to gently pat Julia on the head. The large buck just seems to melt at her words, and his eyes even well up just a little, though he quickly lifts a paw and wipes it across his eyes. "Yes. Dom is brother in Julia's heart," he agrees, his smile spreading across his muzzle....especially once he also hears Grace's excitement as well. "Dom is happy to have two of best sisters vun can have." He gives Greg an amused look as he sees his helpless expression. Dom glances to Ciocan and nods to him as he enters, as well. "Sir."

Julia gets jerked a little as her ride nods, and she sits up and wave frantically to the badger. "Hi! Hi! Hi! Hey, Dom's my bruvver in my 'eart 'cause 'e's my fwiend!" She then gives Grace a skeptical look, also noting how long they've been in the same group without trying to kill each other or whatever. "Does we has to be sistews, though? Maybe we can share Dommy an' not be sistews..." Because children have a way of killing a mood.

Ciocan nods a hello to the group "Greetings" He says softly "I was out to get some fresh air...seems a lot of others are as well."

There's another pause as Grace stares at Julia. She's trying to decide if she wants to take that personally. She suddenly looks down at Greg instead "Yeah, do we have tah be if Dom's our brothah?" Greg hehs and chuckles at the pair "No, yah don't. The great thing about friends becomin' family is that yah can choose them" it was probably good the pair weren't related. He glances back to Coican "Ah, the kids apparently wanted some fresh air too. Wot one does the rest will apparently follow though"

Dominik has also seemed to notice that the peace has been kept between Grace and Julia for most of the day they'd all been together. Definitely wanting to keep it that way, the large buck gives a smile to Julia. "But see, Julia, part of being sisters is that you vil not alvays get alongs, yes? Brothers fight, sisters fight. But alvays make up in end. Alvays be sisters, no matter vat happens." He chuckles as Julia waves to Ciocan and announces the recent developments. "Vil you promise Dom that you and leetle Grace vil try your best to get along?" Try to be good sisters ven together?" Greg's reply seems to be the opposite of his own, but both answers seem to be well meaning.

Julia's pleasure at Greg's answer is muddled by her displeasure at what her huge friend says. "I twies to not bites hew. We's not sistews." She wriggles and climbs down Dominik as if he's a tree. Crossing her arms, she stomps away, obviously grumpy at the thought of being related to her arch nemesis. She melts back into the crowd of leverets playing in the gardens. She'll be fine soon, and head inside with the rest.

Ciocan nods "Young ones do like to get into mischief at times and sometimes will follow one around." He smiles at the younger hares. "But yes family doesn't have to be someone related to you, friends can be family as well"

"But I didn't do anythin' tah her!" Grace protests after Dom's explanation. Greg rolls his eyes and immediately turns "Alright! Time tah take this plate back tah the mess hall and check for leftovahs" which means he's taking Grace with him and not staying to have her further escalate the fast approaching argument.

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#1 2020-03-11 01:05:05 PM

Grace and Julia manage to not try and kill each other - LP 3/7/20

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