Roses have thorns
Ok I know I haven't finished a single thing. Actually I might take down some stuff...again. Any way read and reveiw.
He strode in with a purposeful look about him. I had looked up from my homework just in time to see him enter, and see his reaction to the catcalls of the drunk at the far end of the bar. It was a whistle and he looked taken aback.
"Noah shut up he's a guy." I yelled down to him.
"He's gay?" Noah grumbled
"I don't know that but he is a guy."
"He's got some hair and body for a guy…" He muttered before slouching back over to his drink again. I went back to my homework. I bet your wondering what's going on here right? Well my mother is a bartender and I get off the bus and go to the bar and do my homework. It's been this way long enough that I knew the different drunks and party guys, the bikers and the snowmobilers who come in all season long. I was also picking up bartending tricks by watching the bartenders, learning tricks for a good college job. Anyhow it's daily routine now to do homework in the booths next to the bar like it's routine for people to eat dinner at five and go to school Monday through Friday. Anyhow he's not the usual person I'd see around here or one that who would live around here. And he hadn't just moved. If hehad I'd've heard of him for three main reasons:
One: The hair: it's too long and too red for a regular at any of the bars or public places around here for me to not have known any thing about him.
Two: The eyes, they were too green and to cute for the regular guys around here, well no, for the regular guys around here who didn't come in with a posse of girls fawning around him.
Three: The posture, there is no way any one who didn't grow up in my family (we're big on posture… it's a LONG story why, and I'm already off track)
Anyhow he seemed to brush it off with only the minimum amount or brashness, including stiffening blushing and clenching and unclenching his fist. And the blushing thing wasn't helping the defense of my speaking up had just risen for him. I was somewhat imposing here, having legal rights to throw the sorry drunks out and having done it before. (I have rights as a guard/bouncer… I'm actually fairly strong and I don't mean just for a girl, I mean for a teenager/person.) Never been in too many brawls though so any authority I have is in constant question. I've also never had to fight a weapon but there aren't that many violent drunks around here, well that any bartender doesn't know to cut off. But any way I was talking about my odd day with the odd dude in the odd place for what he looked to be.
He, after finishing a series of clenching his fists, walked over to the other bartender, the one who owned the bar, and asked something I couldn't hear. I sighed and went back to my homework. 'Roses are a flower prized for there value and beauty. Rare roses often sell for high prices…(bla bla) Most roses have thorns as a means of deffence...' Why did I chose to do an essay on flowers? I could have thought of something easier, like I don't know, the time space continuum. I never new that these stu-, 'big smile, big smile, deep breath' interesting little flowers had so much junk written about them. I looked up again as a plunk landed on the seat behind me. My head shot up and swiveled around. I peered over my shoulder and saw the guy whose posture before I'd've called impeccable, was now slouched over like some one who had recently been punched in the gut. I sighed; conversation or a try for it would be the polite thing.
"Hey you know any thing about roses?" I asked the guy. He looked bewildered and a slash of fear crossed his face. Ever herd of a guy afraid of roses before? Don't answer that.
"I know a bit about them yes." He said. My mother looked over and eyed me warily. I rolled my eyes at her but gave her a smile and on my side of the booth made a fist and my smile broadened. She shook her head but backed off a little. Then she threw the confidence she had instilled in me by going over and talking to the burliest of the bikers who nodded and looked in my direction.
"I don't suppose you could tell me what you know of them?" I said. A brief smile crossed his face and buried its self again.
"I'm afraid I don't have time now." he said and got up. And walked from his seat to stand near seat across from mine. "I'm in the middle of a search."
"What for?" I asked then slapped my head. "I'm sorry that was rude of me. It's just I know a lot of things and people around here. Probably more than any one else. Anyhow I thought maybe I could help you but that was rude and now I'm babbling. I hate it when I babble. It irritated me and the people around me and- and- and-…" I let my self-slip into silence as the guy gave me a bemused look and sat down. I was startled, I thought he was leaving. Drat.
"Tell you what. Tell me what you need information on roses on. I'm actually a bit of an expert." He said. My eyes got big and I smiled.
"YES! Then I don't have to look it up in the encyclopedia. Sorry my school has us doing research papers and I chose roses. I have books and internet sources and I needed one more and I hate encyclopedias." I took a breath. "Maybe we can help each other. You first, this isn't due for a while." I said. "OH! Wait! Before we start all of this I'm Seth. And before you say it yes it is usually a boys name but I like it a WHOLE lot better than Stephanie." He gave an obvious effort of a smile.
"I'm Karl," he said. I blinked. There was a definite pause there and he REALLY didn't look like a Karl, not that I knew a lot of them. But then again who was I to question his name.
"Sooooo, Karl, what slash who are you looking for."
"A girl named Deninaline." He said, I smirked. He frowned. "I'm helping my aunt with a family reunion." I smirked and raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"Well Deninaline," I frowned as I was concentrating on saying it. "is not a common name. I know a few Darcy's and a handful of Daniel's and two girl Danny's." I said. The Biker got up and sat down next to me.
"Hey Greg." I said and Karl, not intimidated in the least, gave a nod of hello.
"Yo red head best buy or get." he said. I laughed hard and after a second Greg joined. Karl looked at us expecting the reason behind this.
"I'm sorry, I'm the bouncer here and Greg is one of the few people I've had to throw out." I said. Karl looked me over once but didn't so much as raise an eyebrow at me.
"So kid what are you doing here, and more importantly why are you talking to Seth?" Greg said serious again.
"I'm helping an aunt with a family reunion, Seth said she knew a lot of people around here and was looking for information on roses. I know a bit about roses and we decided to trade information." Greg and I were blown away.
"Crap Seth who are you talkin' to these days? He speaks like my granma." Greg said
"Holy--- Well I didn't know I was talking to the king of blunt but he seems all right so you can lay off with the spying bit." I said.
"Nut-uh Seth I get to be your bouncer this time." He said. I whined.We sat there for a few seconds.
"So out of curiosity what was the bribe mom used ta get cha over here?" Oh my slang showed through. Gah. People give me odd looks whenI say things like 'And then ya got the whole string theory aspect to this particular situation.' And they really don't like it when I try toexplain the String theory.
"A free drink, 'sides, I like you kid ya' got guts and the mussel to back'um. And you got a lot of guts." I punched him in the arm in a friendly way but he still rubbed his shoulder.
"You callin' me fat Greg?" I laughed. His eyes went wide.
"I wouldn't dare."
"Then for any reason, when I tell you to hold back and cool off you hold back and cool off 'k?" he grumbled, not like he can do any thing any way but I'd rather be polite. "Any how I seem to like getting of topic." Karl looked confused, as did Greg but you know what I mean. Ah common quit looking at me like thatI was talking to you.
"Any way we're talking about finding his" air quotes " 'long lost cousin' of some kind. OH! By the way do you know what she looks like?"
"Well… no." He said
"Well I guess we'll just look for family resemblance."
"NO." he demanded. I blinked a couple three times. He got a sheepish look. "I'm the odd one out in the family, adopted and such." I blinked, I seem to be doing a lot of that lately. He blinked at my blinking and I blinked again. Greg watching this stuck a menu between us so we couldn't blink. I laughed and I believe, if I could have seen him through the menu, Karl blinked again. I heard a soft chuckle a moment later though. Greg slowly lowered the menu and we blinked together once and Greg disgusted left.
"Sorry only flirting can drive him away." I said with a laugh.
"Quite alright." He said. I gave him an odd look. Not an acceptable answer.
"Seriously though, you sound like the girl we call dictionary." I said changing the subject to his vocabulary.
"I'm sorry, I think."
"Much better!" I laughed he looked confused but then again I am confusing. "Never mind, so do you know what this girl might look like?" I asked. He shook his head. "Does she know to look for you?" He shook his head. "Are you sure she's a girl?" I asked exasperatedly. Again he shook his head. "So the name is Deninaline?" Again he shook his head.
"LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT YOUR LOOKING FOR A COMPLEATE STRAGNER?" I asked more harshly than loud. He nodded almost apologetically. I smiled "Fun." He shook his head.
"How long've you been looking?" I asked. He shrugged. "Throw me a bone would you? How are you suppose to know him/her when you see him/her?" I asked
"I… don't know." He said.
"Karl, with the information you've given me even Noah" The drunk at the end of the bar "isn't excluded."
"No wait she's our age, she has to be." he muttered.
"She again." I said with a smirk.
"She… she has something to do with it." he said
"Ah come off it I've read grave stones in horror stories less cryptic than you!" I said. I now had the attention of over half the bar and a few people from the dinning room. "I'm leaving." I said and got up and walked out. I guess I was going to pick the black berries outside, they are right next to the tiger lilies, I don't know where else I can go, not like home's in walking distance. After a few minute, Karl walked out.
"Ok now that the large of the community isn't breathing down our necks what's in this for me." I asked and smiled. "I don't think a few simple answers to a report will cover this charge, and I am your best chance since you said she lived around here."
"I don't know what I can offer you… adventure maybe?" I laughed at this then frowned.
"That sounded so wrong. You think of something and meet me here in the blackberry bushes tomorrow. And don't you dare make that perverted comment." I said and waited for him to leave. To my surprise he didn't walk toward the cars or bar but out of the lot and he kept walking. The hotel isn't even in this part of town, where could he be going? Well I'd think of that another time. I still wanted to know what he could offer me. Money is a pathetic and not well thought out offer, power is a drug and I have no plan of using it but it's not the kind of thing a sane person offers, jewels, now there's a thought, but what kind? No jewels were my own privet passion. Dragon, jewels and evil unicorns, my own odd loves. Jewels were to precious for info and dragons and evil unicorns were my own things, no one else would know of those, so what would he bring?
(Time being skiped because no one wants three pages of me snoring and every thing leading up to it.)
I got off the buss the next day and went to my booth. The people behind me we chatting about the towns love life. Joy, no fun to eves drop on them. Well back to my paper. About 4:30 rolled around and I stretched out and went out for some air, right to the blackberry bush. I was out the door when I saw Karl walking up the road. I walked over to the blackberry bushes and waited. He walked up calmly.
"So what'ca got for me?" I asked. He pulled out a tiny item from his pocket and held it for me to see. It was beautiful! An iron dragon perched submissively on the under side of a red crystal, on top was a black steal unicorn it's eyes blazed the steal from it's tail drifted down and slowly blended with the iron dragons fire that hadslowlyspiralled from it's mouth in a mournful way. I felt my eyes get big in spite of my self. Then I shook myself back to reality.
"How did you get such a gorgeous piece and why give it to me?" I asked
"My uncle makes them and my aunt isn't feeling well and really wants this." Run on, well whatever my slangs still worse.
"How- how do you know her-er itsname if you've never met her-gah itsand how should we find her/him." I asked tired of its.
"This piece should take care of that she should have a piece made of iron with the same kind of unicorn." My heart stopped in my chest. I swear to the lord in heaven. Out of my pocket I drew a unicorn necklace. Two unicorns fighting with their knees on a crystal ball, the horns formed the link and the feet joined at the bottom. He looked shaken as well.
"Where did you get that?" He asked.
"I've had it as long as I can remember." I said.
"Well then I guess you'd best come with me." He said and handed over the necklace. "Keep it." He said, but something told me he wasn't happy.
"I'm sorry?" I said
"What for?" He asked
"You sound sad, am I a disappointment? And what about my mom? Shouldn't we bring her? How is my name De-" I stopped he looked like he was forcing a smile.
"No your not a disappointment, to the contrary, no your mom's busy why upset her we're just going a little ways." I set off toward the bar any ways.
"Mom? I'm going to Kit's house. I'll be back later ok?" I asked cheerfully as I could muster.
"Fine. Be back before 8 ok? That's when Archer's coming to pick you up and drop you off at home." She said. I walked back out and Karl led the way, the same way he went last time. I walked with him only far enough to get to Kit's house.
"Wait my alibi." I said and walked over and knocked on the door. After about 10 seconds Kit opened the door.
"Seth? Hey it's been eons!" She said and rapped her arms around my gut.
"Kit-Kit!" I choked. "Can't breath!" I said and she let go.
"But it's been ages!" She said.
"I visited you the day before yesterday." I said. She nodded
"Eons!" She said. I laughed.
"Hey today's your mom's work day right? I need an alibi." I said
"What for this time?" She smiled. "Let's see last few times it was to check on an abandoned litter, the time before that weeding. Now what?" I shook my head towards Karl. Her smile got bigger.
"A date!" She asked.
"No," I said calmly. "No he told me that he's found a hurt kitten, one from that litter." I said
"How does he know about those?" She asked
"He lives near where I dropped them off, he must have seen me drop them off and one was sick wanted to tell me." I said. This really was hurting me. I hated lying to her. Karl's dumb nodding like a bobble wasn't helping me pull these lies out.
"Can I come?" She asked.
"You know the drill you have to cover for me." OK I bet your all confused right? Well Kit is my friend from way back as long as I can remember; almost as long as I've had that necklace that seems to be changing the way things work here. You see I'm not submissive yet I seem to be surrendered and I don't know why, it's like something deep within me died or fell asleep. Kit knew something was wrong but since she knew it wasn't anything she could help with, leftme (and itI suppose)only tweaking atus to see if she really couldn't help.
As soon as we left Karl told me to put the second necklace on my neck instead of the one I had on. I was confused but again something in me wasn't there and I put it on. It weighed deep into my chest and I cried out softly and gripped at it.
"'Bloodline crystal'" Karl recited "'It carries something in it's origin that weighs a demon to the core of the body it takes over.' Listen Seth, I haven't been honest with you."
"No duh, it don't take a genius to figure that one out." I gasped as what shreds of stubbornness that seemed to retreat from me. It felt like every thing I was, was draining from me.
"My name is Kurama and I promise you're safe."
"Like hell I am." I snarled to him before I dropped to my knees "Like bloody he-." I said and passed out from the pressure on my chest.
OK well I think I can promise (I'm not sure...) that the slang will eventually get better. Well read and reveiw!