Returning Home (Pasture)

[ebony]

Ebony took in a deep, refreshing breath at the sight of the swaying grass and the wide open, cloudy skies. She was home. She didn't think she would ever want to leave this place; it was like her own little paradise. Something about it always kept her here, whether it was the memories or the atmosphere she couldn't tell. She looked over at her modest home, the way it just pleasantly sat in the middle of this huge, vast space.

"I'm ho-ome!" she called out, almost as if expecting a response. She made her way happily over toward there, glad to see the familiar surroundings and the comforting scent of wheat and fresh fruit. She kicked the creaky door open with her foot, and waltzed into the bright, simple kitchen.

"Now... Where to put this..." she muttered, looking for somewhere to settle the rabbit before she was ready to cook it. She beckoned to Apollo, calling out, "You can leave the berries outside the door." She inhaled deeply, the smell of old wood filling her nostrils. She walked over and slumped into the rocking chair that sat contently by the doorway.

[apollo]

Apollo watched as Ebony came closer to her house. It seemed as though she was awaking from a sleep and was charged with happiness. "I wonder what it would be like to call something home.." A smile crossed his lips as she called out "I'm home!!"

The girl seemed to be a different person totally. Home.. the word echoed in Apollo's head as he looked at the house. It was old to be sure but certainly seemed to be very welcoming. Carrying the large pot over to the door he set the heavy thing down. Straightening up he held the back of his back and stretched. He was glad to be rid of the heavy burden. Wiping the sweat from he brow he looked at his hand that was shaking slightly. "Took more power than I would have thought." he thought as he leaned against the house. That was a long ways away, and he admired Ebony all the more for traveling that far for berries. "I guess you do what you can to survive." He smiled as he straightened and stood up.

Steping into the house the floorboards creaked with his weight and he leaned against the door frame. "Nice place you have here. It's so... secluded. Seems to be so freeing. The wind that blew over the fields ruffled his hair slightly. It's cooling breeze was refreshing.

[ebony]

((Sorry, I really don't have any time to post again >.< The chat box just randomly stopped working, so I just figured I'd tell you here Anywho, I gtg, so I'll post later))

[»Míríel«]

(Yeah it did the exact same thing to me. I don't know what Chatango was doing.. but anyway, that's fine by me )

[ebony]

Ebony nodded cheerfully in agreement. "It was just what my father had in mind when he chose it." She flitted over to the shutters and flung them open, the curtains buffeting in the light winds. She walked past him towards the pot of berries, getting in position to drag it across the floor. She wrapped both arms around it, and with a huff, heaved it back into the kitchen. "Whew, that should do it."

She glanced around, looking for something. Eventually she just strolled over to the wooden cabinets with rusty metal knobs, opening each one and peering inside for a second. She bit down on her lip and furrowed her brow in frustration. "Where is that bowl..?" Mumbling something else under her breath, she shuffled to the other side of the kitchen and threw open a white door that hit the wall with a bang. Some crashing sounds could be heard from the kitchen as she muttered angrily, "Why can I not find anything in here anymore?"

She sighed, about to go back into the kitchen and tell Apollo they were out of luck, when suddenly a roaring sound erupted outside. She froze for a moment, then dashed over to the window and glimpsed out cautiously. Her heart almost stopped at the sight of a tall figure standing in a strong stance farther out in the pasture. Without another thought, she flung the front door open and dashed full speed toward him, her heart leaping. When he turned to face her, he gave her the gentlest, most loving smile she had ever seen in her life. He held his arms out, and she promptly leaped into them and refused to let go as he embraced her warmly. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks and looked up to see bright, calm eyes and a wonderful smile. "You kept your promise," was all she could manage to say without choking on her tears.

Raphael chuckled and replied softly, "Yes, my dear. I kept it for you." Such a wonderful feeling he had, hugging his daughter like this.

[apollo]

Apollo watched the girl as she ran, well more like flitted, around the room like a butterfly visiting flowers. He leaned his head against the wall and sighed contently. Only the crash from the kitchen caused him to open on eye.

A crash from outside cause him to jolt awake. "What was that?!" Before he could tell Ebony to be careful she was out of the door as quick as lightning. "Wait!" He called out as she rushed past him. Apollo looked out of the doorway at her running into the tall figure. "Who.." He squinted slightly at the familiar form. Something about it.. why did it awake such a feeling of acquaintance. His footsteps carried him out of the doorway as he stood still a good ways off. "Must be her father.." He smiled slightly, so she wasn't left an orphan. The thought of her father seeing him alone with his daughter in her house never crossed his mind. Poor Apollo.

[ebony]

Raphael twirled Ebony around and she laughed gleefully, just as she did as a young child. He released her from his grasp, but she refused to leave his side. He took in a deep breath of the fresh air, the atmosphere comforting. Everything is as it once was, he thought happily. That is, except for the figure hanging in the doorway. His eyes narrowed as he tried to focus on who this was. He felt his daughter stiffen slightly as she noticed where he was looking. He knew what that meant. Without looking away or even blinking, he demanded, "Who is he?"

Ebony tried to find the right words. Something that wouldn't make him explode at Apollo. "He's just a friend.. He helped me bring rainberries home, that's all." She smiled innocently up at her father, but she could tell he wasn't buying it. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either.

Raphael closed his eyes and grunted. "You invited him home!?" he growled. When she didn't respond, he began to stomp forward, but two hands tugged on his arm.

Ebony was holding onto her father for Apollo's life. "I told you that he was helping me carry the berries home! You know how heavy that pot is. I couldn't carry it by myself." She hoped he would take this without any further questioning. She knew what would happen if he let his anger get to him.

Raphael stopped and sighed with defeat. "Alright, alright. I won't strangle him, I promise." He winked at her and she grinned. He walked more calmly over towards the man who looked to be much older than Ebony. He hoped they hadn't planned on... "doing" anything. When he was face to face with him, he found it comforting that at least he was taller than this stranger. It gave him more authority. He stared him down intently. "And who are you?"

[apollo]

Apollo watched the two together, and as a smile played on his lips, the smile was a sad ones. There had been no such happy reunions with his parents. In fact he had never even known his parents. After all when he was young he had been abandoned. Never knowing his parents and never having any friends, that is until he met Axel. The two of them seems to be common souls, not many friends and alone in the world. So they seemed to become fast friends.


He snapped out of his memories as he noticed the father coming near him. Something about the man...something familiar. As he grew closer his features came into view and Apollo slowly seemed to be remembering. Something of the past, a face.

"and who are you?"A voice called out to him

"My name is Apollo. Forgive me I don't mean to intrude on anything, I was just merely helping out your daughter." He stared at the man who was just a little taller than him. "I'm sorry but do I know you.. You look so familiar..."

[ebony]

Ebony was so relieved inside that her father had calmed down a bit, and Apollo had replied just as calmly. Maybe this will end without a fight, or someone getting tossed halfway across the pasture, she thought happily.

Raphael eyed Apollo suspiciously. There was something about him that seemed familiar as well. "...Perhaps you do." He focused on his face, trying to take it back a few years. When he was able to get a good idea of his childhood face, something went off in his mind. "I remember seeing you." Somehow, he had a feeling that this man was connected to...
"With Axel." His thoughts whirred with confusion. A friend.. A friend of Axel's?

[apollo]

Apollo Looked at Raphael as his mind finally connected a to b. " Yes, I'm a good friend of Axel, though I haven't seen him... in a long time...that was before he was the death guardian" A sigh escaped from his lips as he looked away for a moment. The memory of Axel telling him about the guardians and how strange things had been happening to him.He had mentioned someone, a Raphael, and as he had the man that was now standing before him had shown up. "You're" Apollo looked up at Raphael, "You're Raphael, the guardian of life right?"

"Imagine meeting him here." He thought, "And that Ebony is the daughter of one of the most powerful guardians in this world." He smiled slightly and running his hand through his dark hair he smiled crookedly, "Please forgive me, I wanted to help your daughter." Apollo tried not to glance at the girl, but he couldn't help a little glance, a slight peek, before looking up at Raphael.

[raphael]

Raphael examined him thoroughly, trying to find out what was beneath the skin of this man. There seemed to be some source of power within him. He could tell this man wasn't human, and certainly had many more years of experience than his face showed. "Yes, I am," he answered coldly. Friends with Axel, was he? Quite an interesting and ironic thought, Axel having a friend.

He caught Apollo's eyes shifting over to his daughter for a moment, something someone with an untrained eye couldn't catch. He stepped subtlely and protectively in front of his daughter, almost blocking her from view. "Well, if you are through helping her, I would suggest being on her way." He felt a persistent tugging on his sleeve, and he turned to see Ebony looking up at him with pleading in her wide, blue eyes. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply out of his nose. "Although, I suppose there is no rush. After all, you seem like a fine enough young man." Raphael smiled as Ebony leaned her head against his shoulder lovingly.

[apollo]

Apollo looked down at the ground when Raphael mentioned his time to leave. A great sadness filled Apollo's eyes, a sadness that seemed as deep as the ocean. "You should have known, this is how it always is, and how it always ends." The thought passed through his mind as he gazed at the ground. He looked at Raphael and smiled lightly. " No, It's ok. I need to go anyways.. my deed here is done. One more thing to make the world a better place eh? Though I'm sure you've already done that."


His black hair hung into his stormy blue eyes as he stared at Raphael. There was questioning in Raphael's gaze, a gaze that was trying to probe into his soul. "Have fun with your daughter. It seems as though this is a moment that has been long waited for, on both ends. Don't let me spoil it." Even though his smile was bright it had a slight fakeness to it. Turning to ebony he winked and continued, "don't eat all the berries at once you hear? Though if you need any pots to be carried I'd be more than glad to help. Enjoy the rabbit." With that he picked up his hand in a sign of farewell and started moving off. "Enjoy your stay....home.." He smiled sadely again and with that turned and started walking off into the distance.

[raphael]

Raphael watched Apollo go with curiousity. He certainly was a strange one. He was quite indifferent to his decision to leave, wanting to spend some quality alone time with his daughter. She would most likely go look for him later, anyway. He turned to look at her. She was watching his fading figure sadly. He could feel her grasping his arm tighter, trying to hold back the urge to go after him. Even though Raphael wished for her to stay with him for at least this day since they hadn't been together in so long, he knew she wouldn't be content here. Kissing her head, he whispered regretfully, "Go."

Ebony looked up at her father with a shocked expression. "W-what?" He nodded at her, reinforcing what he had just said. She looked back and forth between the two for a moment, her heart wanting to go both ways. She looked up at her father guiltily, then slowly started to move away. She hesitated, not sure if he would hold her back. But to her surprise, he let her go without a word. She had to run to catch up with Apollo, touching him on the shoulder when she finally reached him. She said breathlessly, "Didn't expect this, did you?"

Raphael's eyes followed his daughter. She had grown up so much. It was time he gave her some slack; he had to let her follow her heart. He glanced back at his home and calmly turned, walking through the door and closing it gently behind him. He flopped down on the rocking chair with exhaustion.

[apollo]

Apollo turned slightly at the touch on his shoulder. He had been so tangled in his own thoughts he hadn't heard her come up to him. As his head turned it revealed his eyes, that had a raw emotion of sorrow in the depths. His eyes widened as he saw the girl beside him and he turned his face away from a moment. "You....came back.." He turned to face the girl with astonishment written all over his face, though his eyes now had surprise showing. Reaching up where he hand was on his shoulder he enclose her hand in his for a moment and smiled crookedly at her, "No. No I didn't." Then he took his hand from her and looked over her shoulder to where Raphael once was. "I didn't dare dream of it."


Then his face turned to the usual playful look and he smiled brightly saying, "Though I didn't know you would need my help so soon. " There was something growing inside, something that he had never felt before. It's warmth seemed to fill his body with happiness, the feeling he had suffocated as he turned away from the house now leaped into life, and blazed brighter than it had before. All sadness was erased from his face and a new brightness shone from his eyes. Perhaps this story would be different than the one he had lived before.

[ebony]

Ebony smiled sweetly and nodded. "I sure did." She laughed happily at his response. "The unexpected is always expected, I suppose." Her hand felt so warm and comfortable in his that she didn't want to let go. She felt a tinge of disappointment when he did release it and looked back at her home. She was beginning to have a dreading feeling that her father may interfere far too much for her liking. She didn't want anyone, especially Apollo, to be cautious or intimidated just because of who her father was.

Ebony gave him a teasing look and responded, "Trust me, neither did I." She felt so very happy here, even if she did still feel a touch of guilt for leaving her father behind. She hoped he would still be here when she came back. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if he left before she got to spend any time with him. It's your own fault if that happens. Pushing the dark thoughts away for a later time, she interlocked arms with him, her head leaning on his shoulder. Her heart was a mess right now, torn between two men who were both so important in her life. If only they were on the same page... It would make my life so much easier, she thought sadly.