Morality Pet [Ryan]

[Aione Higurashi]

"...kono te wo hanashite yo..."
Deaete yokatta.
"Kimi ga suki."

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Things were returning to normal.

Aione Higurashi was paused over a bowl, an egg-beater in one hand and confused look on her face as she looked from the bowl to the little piece of paper she’d placed next to it. The tip of her finger was against her lips in thought. If I want to make a double batch, should I add more cinnamon? But then it might come out too cinnamon-y…why am I doing this again? The black haired woman sighed and lowered the hand at her mouth to rest against the counter. Her now shoulder-blade length hair was loose and messy as always, but something was new about her.

“New” was in the sense that it was new to Aione...not to her in general.

It was those eyes, which seemed to be a little brighter than they’d been months ago. Months ago in the beginning of winter her world had fallen around her. Now, like the melted snow and fallen leaves that were long gone, she’d begun to bud and blossom like the summer fast approaching. Maybe it was the weather that was causing her to warm like the past few days. It was more likely to be a certain little stalker she now had: that little blond child from the beach. Apparently giving the child candy had given him a reason to follow her like a baby chick. He was sometimes a little annoying, but at the same time…

I want to spoil him senseless. And I’m not even the maternal type!

Speaking of spoiling: that was exactly what Ai was planning on doing right now. Years ago her mother, inbetween those awkward mother-and-teenage-daughter moments, had taught her how to make pumpkin-cookies. It sounded like a strange idea since normally people only had pumpkin pie and such in autumn, but it was the only thing Aione knew how to make off the top of her head and she didn’t want to go digging for a cook book only to set the whole kitchen on fire. Shrugging her previous quarry aside the young woman took the little cinnamon dispenser from the spice rack and opened it, closed her eyes, took a pinch between her long fingers, and tossed it into the ‘dry’ bowl.

Another ‘method of cooking’ learned from her mother.

Who cares if it tasted a little strong. It would still be cookies, and they would still be good-tasting. She doubted the little boy would be so picky as to turn down cookies or tell her they tasted bad. Turning her attention to the bowl with the ‘wet’ ingredients in it she proceeded to pick up the last of the eggs and crack it over the edge. A little bit of shell tried to sneak in but she caught it with the beater. Was it strange that she felt like she was being watched…? Come to think of it she’d been feeling it a lot.

But not in the bad way.

Aione smiled softly and glanced over her shoulder to try and catch the bright, innocent eyes she knew were looking from around the door-way.

[Ryan Cardwell]

Ever since that night at the beach, Ryan had scarcely left his magical princess for anything. Most of the time he followed along with her through the walls or the roof or sometimes even the floor; wherever and whenever there was a way that would allow him to stay close enough to see her. He didn't like it when she went places where none of his secret roads went, because then that meant that he couldn't follow her. Sometimes he would come of out his secret hiding places and follow her through the halls, hiding behind vases and things whenever she turned around. He only did this though whenever there was no one else around; because even though he wanted to protect the princess, he was still really, really, really scared of all of those monsters. They were everywhere, although now that it wasn't so cold they were staying outside more than inside; which was good, because it meant for less chance of them finding him. He didn't know what he'd do if any of them ever found him, he was sure they'd find him even hiding if they knew he was there. That was why he had to stay hidden, even if it meant having to leave the princess sometimes.

Today though he'd overslept, and so when he followed his roads to her room she was already gone. This made him really worried, and so he immediately set out to find her, frantically searching all over the place so far as his roads would let him. It seemed like forever and ever before he found finally her (though it really wasn't all that long). She was down in the place where the monsters kept all their goodies and yummables, all the stuff that he never got to eat unless he snuck out in the night and took it for himself. Sometimes even that didn't work though. They liked to put things up high where he couldn't reach it, not even if he jumped and stretched reeeeeally far. When they did that he just had to go without anything unless he could find some bits and pieces on the floor or in that stinky can.

When he found her he'd first tried to watch from his secret roads, but one of them she was standing in front of and the other opened up on the opposite side where he couldn't see her. He didn't like it but the only choice he had was to sneak out of the roads and watch her from the open. If he went out one of the ones in the yummy place though she'd hear him, and then she'd find them and he was supposed to be hiding. So instead he moved back outside the yummy place and instead came out in the long road outside. Quiet as he could he sneaked his way up to the door and cracked it, just enough to poke his nose through and see through with both eyes.

Across the way he could see her standing in front of one of those high things where they made the food, but he couldn't see what it was she was doing. Pouting to himself he craned his neck this way and that, trying to get a glimpse of what was on the other side of her. His eyes never missed anything though. When she put the beater down, then again when she reached for the cinnamon; he followed her every movement as though doing so was the only way to stay alive. For him it very well could be. There was no way he could possibly take care of himself much longer, though he didn't know it and would insist that he could if he did know. It was because of this that he again allowed himself to be caught, so intent on watching her hands that he didn't realize she'd turned and was looking right at him. When he finally did notice he let out a squeak that could easily have been mistaken for a mouse and shuffled backwards; accidentally bumping the door in his haste and causing it to drift closed until it shut with a loud 'click'. In worry he rapidly scanned the road, looking or something, anything to hide behind; but it was empty and couldn't remember where his secret road was either. He was caught.

[Aione Higurashi]

Aione giggled a little as the tiny blond finally noticed that she had, indeed, noticed him. He was still so tiny that she was amazed he’d even survived this long on his own. Sometimes it was the frail ones that made it…hell, look at Kristopher, the boy was a sickly little mess who’d been bumped and bruised and beaten (and killed once, but Ai didn’t know about that) and yet he was still walking around. Now that her whole ‘trip to the crazy side’ was closing up she pushed those less lovely memories back and focused on the squeaking boy as he backed away.

Placing the beater on the counter, the woman smiled and stepped over to him.

“You were doing it again, weren’t you?” she said and leaned in the door-way to the kitchen, arms crossed but a gentle expression on her face. Her brighter silver eyes focused on his chocolate ones. “You don’t need to hide from me. I'm glad to see you…in fact; I could use your help.” Uncrossing her arms Aione stood a little straighter, placing one hand to her hip and the other twirling her finger at him in a ‘follow me’ motion. Then turning on her feet she went back to the counter and picked up a wooden spoon as well as the bowl of dry ingredients before looking back at the boy.

“I’m making something special for somebody,” Ai waved the spoon once, “So can you c’mere and stir this for me? They might be a reward in it if you do!”

Like a plate of cookies. He’s gonna get a sweet tooth at this rate…

[Ryan Cardwell]

For just a moment longer he looked about for a way to escape being caught, but there just wasn't anywhere he could see to go. There was nowhere he could hide, and if he ran down the hall then not only would she see him but something else probably would to. He didn't want that, no not at all. The princess was the only person besides him who wasn't a monster, all of the rest of them were mean and nasty and evil and they'd love to eat up a little boy like him without a second thought. All the times he'd seen the monsters eating one another, it hadn't looked like it was very fun for the ones being eaten so he was sure that he didn't want to be eaten either.

All too soon his chance to run and hide had come and gone, and the princess was standing there looking down at him. At first he scrunched up and trembled, afraid that she was going to use her magic to turn him into a bug or a bird or a mouse. He didn't think he'd like to be a mouse, the mean little things always bit at his toes and fingers while he was trying to sleep. When she said that she needed his help though, the little boy visibly perked up, like a little pup that had just received a spot of praise from its owner. If the princess needed his help, then it was his job as her super special super secret protector to help her, right? Right. And if he helped her then maybe she'd let him wish for something, like more yummies! That would be just wonderful. So, grinning brightly, he scrambled up to his feet and hurried into the door after her.

Pausing close to her leg (or rather, pressed against it and clinging), he looked up at her as she waved the funny looking thing about. He couldn't help but to giggle bubbly at the funny sight of her standing there waving that weird thing. When she talked though the giggles cut off, and he gaped up at her in wide eyes wonder. He'd been right! If he helped her then she would let him have a wish! Well, Ryan knew just exactly what he'd wish for, mmhm. He'd be wishing for more yummies, he'd already nommed all of the ones she'd gave him before. Without hesitation he went after the 'bowl' that she wanted him to 'stir'.

Immediately he ran into a problem though; namely the fact that it was up way too high. Well, he wasn't going to let that stop him from getting his wish! Bending his knees and screwing up his face he jumped as high as could! ....To no success. He had to jump more times (he couldn't count so he didn't know how many) before he managed to grab ahold of the countertop, his short little legs flailing vainly as he tried to get a grip on something so that he could push himself up.

[Aione Higurashi]

At the risk of being called a sap, Aione couldn’t help the longing to give the little blonde boy a hug. He was like a little puppy wasn’t he? One night she gave him a treat and now he followed her wherever she went. It was truly adorable, and just his little pick-up from her asking for help was enough to make her smile double and the urge to hold him stronger. He reminded her of her little sister when they were around his age. Of course Ayra would much rather play with dolls than bake.

And knowing Motoko she would have been sipping the cooking sherry.

While giving her instructions the young woman felt as Ryan clung to her leg. He was way too cute! Ai gave him a pat on the head and returned the bowl and spoon to the counter before picking up the whisk and the bowl of wet ingredients…before she noticed the hopping and bouncing head of gold as he tried and failed to reach the counter. Oops. Placing her bowl down Aione watched for a little while as Ryan hung there like a doll before she got an idea.

“Don’t squirm!”

With a little reach and a soft ‘huff’ from her lips, Aione scooped the boy up so he was sitting on her hip, her arm wrapped against his waist and the other on his leg to steady him. It was, again, like how she’d used to hold little Moto. Giving Ryan a gentle smile she raised her hands under his arms and hoisted him up before sitting him down onto the counter, right next to what he’d been trying to reach. He was almost her height sitting there. “That’s better!” she laughed once and handed him the wooden spoon, “Now get to work lil’ guy.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

Briefly he thought about simply letting go and trying to find another way up to where she needed him to be, but as soon as he looked down and saw how far away the ground seemed to be he immediately got rid of that thought and went back to trying to scramble up all on his own. All in all it was pretty impossible; his arms were just too weak to pull even half of his scant weight and there was nothing against the side for his feet to get a grip on. He wasn't about to give up though, the princess needed his help and he wanted that candy. Oh, boy, did he want that candy!

He was so focused on his single-minded goal to make it up on the counter and do what she wanted so that he could get his reward that he didn't even notice her watching him. That was surprising because he was almost always on guard because of how scared he was of everything. His fear was such that when she suddenly plucked him up he completely forgot who she was, squeaking and flailing in terror like a mouse who's tail was caught beneath the cat's paw.

It wasn't until he felt himself being placed upon her hip that he suddenly realized that she wasn't going to eat him. Even so he had to glance up at her face before he could let himself believe that it really was the princess and not some monster trying to trick him so that they could use him for a snack later. When he was finally convinced that it was her and not a monster, the full effect of the moment came over him. Never before had he been held so securely, so safely. He couldn't help but smile at how safe and warm he felt in her arms, it really was wonderful, even better than yummies........well, maybe not quite as good as yummies, but it was really, really good.

That's why when the grip suddenly faded, due to her setting him down on the counter by the bowl, the little boy immediately reacted by looking up at her and pouting, his brows drawing down and his lower lip sticking out. Of course, that was right before the wooden spoon was handed him. With bright, wide eyes full of wonder he stared at it. He knew exactly what it was! It was one of those magic stick thingies that witches always used when they were stirring their pots of magic potions! Which meant that the princess had to be doing some sort of magic, and she needed his super special help! The tiny boy swelled with pride as he gripped the handle in both hand, the tip sticking up before his nose as he continued to stare at it. Giggling wildly he happily turned to the bowl and flipped his magic stirrer around, stirring it with both hands and sticking his tongue out in concentration. He knew that he had to be careful. magic was tricky business. He just hoped she wouldn't make him touch the lizard eyes.

[Aione Higurashi]

Aione let a loose giggle escape her smile as the little boy stared at the wooden spoon like it was something magical, which he did think it was but she didn’t know that. Everything seemed to fascinate him. To be young and full of wonder was a great thing, but Ai couldn’t remember being like Ryan was now…she’d been taught to understand things rather than given the chance to be wide-eyed and curious. Maybe that was why she was so inquisitive now. Either way she was happy to have her little helper at her side as he stirred the spices and sugar.

Placing her hands on her hips for a moment the young woman nodded with a smile, then picked up the bowl and reached for the can marked “pumpkin”.

(Some time later…)

“Now roll it into a ball, like me!”

Now that everything was stirred up and thick, it was time to place the cookies onto the baking tray. The mixing had gone without any hitches, except for Aione being unable to work the can-opener and eventually just stabbing the can to death until pumpkin poured out of it. Might have seemed a little rash, and maybe even scary, but Ai had made sure to do it out of sight from the little boy’s sight. With a bright smile she rolled the orange-brown ball of smoosh between her palms, watching the blond from the corner of her eyes.

“You see? After that we bake them, and they come out as sweets!” she giggled softly and placed the ball against the buttered tray. “We’ll just have to wait a while til they’re ready.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

Every bit of it was just so fascinating to the little child. Her stirred and stirred and then stirred some more, but it never boiled or bubbled, and there wasn't any toil or trouble either; whatever a 'toil' was. He didn't mind though, he thought it was all kinds of fun just stirring the stuff she had. What was in the bowl he didn't know, but it was really funny how it moved and sloshed about as he worked, getting all over the bowl and his magic stirring thingie.

It was a total mystery to him at first just exactly what kind of magical potion the princess needed him to help her make. Afterall it wasn't green or purple like magic potions were supposed to be, and it wasn't catching on fire or swirling or making itty bitty little rain clouds and tiny little lightning bolts either. To make it even more confusing, it didn't look like she was putting any of the right magical thingies either. There were no lizard eyes or frog wings or snake feet or anything, not even magic mushrooms. He did see her put in alot of dust which he supposed could be magic, he'd certainly never seen any of it before. No, it was all a complete mystery to him until he saw he add in the orange goop from the can with the pumpkin on it. Once he saw that it was perfectly clear to him what was going on; she was making a magic spell so she could turn the mice into horses and such, and go to the ball to get her prince! Once he had that all figured out he was a whole lot more comfortable with the whole task. Not to mention he was really, really happy and proud to be such an important part of such fantastical magic spell business.

Later

"Wike this?" The little blond had his tongue stuck out in concentration as he tried to copy her exactly, squishing the orangey goop between his little hands. The problem was, of course, that his hands were only maybe half as big as hers, and so he didn't have very much room between them to do anything. That's why instead of it coming out as a ball, it came out looking much for like a partly flat, knobby oval. He didn't really notice that it looked almost nothing like it was supposed to though, which was obvious from the fact that he was proudly showing it to her as though it were a gold crown.

At the mention of sweets though, he forgot all about the hunk of goop in his hand and instead stared at her with big brown eyes the size of dinner plates, his little mouth hanging open in awe and wonder. "Reawwy?" he asked breathlessly. It was simply amazing that such a funny looking hunk of whatever it was could be turned into a sweet yummy. For just a moment the wonderment wore of, and he stared at the glob in his hand skeptically, wondering just how such a thing was possible. But a scant second later and he figured out that he shouldn't be surprised, it was a magic princess' magic potion afterall. Looking back up at her a bright grin spread across his face as he proudly proclaimed his super smart discovery. "I knew it was magic!" Ryan had always been a little afraid of magic, but if it could turn things into yummies then afraid was the very last thing he was. In fact, he wanted to learn magic like that! Maybe the princess could give him some? He'd have to make sure to ask her, after he'd eaten the yummies of course.

[Aione Higurashi]

Princes and princesses had never been high on Aione’s list of ‘favorite storybook chestnuts’. The only fairy tale involving a princess she’d ever liked was Beauty and the Beast, though she might have been a tad biased after Motoko had played Chip the tea cup in a school performance. If she knew how much this little boy was thinking of Ai being a princess she would have laughed. Not laughed at Ryan per say, but at the idea. Maybe she looked the part, but weren’t princesses supposed to be very sweet and innocent and cute and waited around in a tower to be rescued?

No thank you.

Ai smiled at the little oval that her helper held up. It wasn’t perfect but cookies didn’t taste good depending on their shape. It also wasn’t too thick to cook properly with the rest. She nodded and patted Ryan on the head with her floured hand. “It looks good to me. Plop it on the tray,” she went back to pinch up what was left of the dough and roll one last blob of pumpkin and sugar and mush. He seemed quite taken with the idea of baking…or magic, or whatever. Kids are so innocent. Let him call a rabbit a smeerp.

With a pause Aione realized that the tiny blond reminded her a little of her other persona…naive little ‘Ai-chan’…except for the gold hair and big brown eyes that reminded her of somebody else. Rolling the ball and placing it alongside the other balls and ovals the young woman smiled softly. “It’ll take a while to bake,” she said while picking up the tray and moving over to the oven, opening it with one hand and sliding the cookies in with the other, careful to avoid the heat. After it was closed she looked back at her small stalker. “While we wait, why don’t we play a game? You can pick.”

[Ryan Cardwell]

The little blondie giggled with pure childish delight as she patted his head. He didn't really know what it was for or why she'd done it, but he did know that it felt nice and somehow it just made him feel like he was a big boy. That feeling only got bigger when she told him his little goop ball looked good; meaning that the teeny boy just smiled all the bigger and brighter. With a grin the size of the sun and just as bright he went to plop the goop down on the tray....only to realize that it was stuck to his hand. The smile turned to a confused frown as he stared at it, which grew even more as he started shaking his hand up and down in an attempt to get it off. When that didn't work he grabbed it with his other hand, which became stuck too.It was only after several moments of thought, and a glare that couldn't have scared a baby rabbit, that he finally just pressed his hands to the lip of the tray and used it to pull the mess off, leaving a mess that looked like anything but food.

No sooner had he done that than the tray was up and away, his little brown eyes wide with wonderment once more as he watched it move through the air on its way to wherever the magic was going to take place. Unfortunately though that place was below him, so he couldn't see anything from his vantage point. That didn't stop him from trying though, and as she carefully placed the cookies into the oven he was thoughtlessly leaning out off the counter, putting him in a position that it would be all too easy to fall from, especially since every last bit of his attention was riveted on the amazing magical device that would turn all of that goop in yummies.

When the princess stood back up though his attention, short as any child's, immediately shifted to what had just happened, the magic machine almost completely forgotten. What she said though confused him; 'game'? He didn't have any idea what that was or could even be. Unlike most children he'd never played, at all, so he didn't know any of the things that someone his age should know. Instead he knew how to sneak and hide, how to take food and things without being noticed, how keep the rats from nibbling his toes and lips, and how to settle for eating whatever he could find when he couldn't make it to the food. He'd had a hard life, however long it had been; which was anyone's guess considering he couldn't even begin to count. That's why her question caused his bright little eyes to swirl with confusion, his head tilting a bit to the side as he stared at her. "What's a game?"

[Aione Higurashi]

Aione couldn’t help how her smile brightened when she saw the look on her little blonde’s face. He looked so unbelievably happy at her compliment, and was so cute when he couldn’t quite get the cookie batter off his hand. His expressions reminded her of back when Motoko was a little girl, pixie-thin, quiet, and adorable. Now the blond boy was indeed a tiny thing but he wasn’t a twig like Moto had been, nor was he as quiet. Another thing was Moto had grown about three feet in a year and a half, which Ai doubted Ryan would ever be able to accomplish. Not even if he drank a gallon of milk a day and ate all the veggies in the fridge.

As she closed the door to the oven, the woman paused. Ryan? The name had just popped into her head. Why? But…it does seem to fit him somehow.

Silver eyes watched “Ryan” closely as he sat precariously on the edge of the counter, and then blinked a couple times at his question. “What’s a game?” she parroted back to him, then placed a hand to her cheek and gazed to the side, “Well, it’s something you do for fun. Like sing a song or play with toys. You know what a toy is, right?” If he didn’t, it would be something she’d have to find for him. Aione doubted the markets would have any toys for human kids, let alone sell them to her. She didn’t have any of the currency the Boogies used, so how could she buy anything? There was always the alternative to make him something.

“I’ll teach you a fun game. It’s called ‘Shitori’. I’ll say a word then you come up with a word that starts with the last letter of the one I said. Got it?”