Um…wow. I have no opening comments. Or does saying that I don't really count as one? *gets dizzy thinking about it* @_@
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Chapter 4: Blade
It was night, a few hours after the accident. A man stepped out into the road, now devoid of traffic in the wee hours of the morning, and wandered over an apparently random point on the road. He squatted down and ran his hand slowly across the pavement, a thoughtful look upon his face. A face that Dante, had he been there, would have been surprised to recognize as that of Mr. Brenz, the director of the orphanage. Mr. Brenz stared at the spot of pavement that to the average observer was no different from any other…but he was no average observer. As he stood and wiped his hands on his coat, he pursed his lips, wondering if he should have a talk with Dante…and if the boy was old enough to understand.
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In the weeks following finding the pup, they had decided to name the dog Blade. While both boys played with him, he really was Dante's dog more than Rob's. Dante wondered if it was because Blade could sense he was half devil himself. One way or another, it was all both boys could do just to keep the pup out of sight of the orphanage workers. While the orphanage had nothing against pets (it even had a stray dog and cat that constantly wandered the grounds as kids fed it scraps) it probably would not take too well to a red eyed, glistening black scale-plated puppy. So the boys tried frantically to alternate between keeping it fed, entertained, and out of trouble, while meanwhile having to pretend nothing was unusual when they hurried off to their secret lair in the woods.
Today was it was Dante's turn to take care of Blade during lunch. He and Rob switched off times, and to be honest it was relief to be alone with the pup sometimes. This way the pup could actually nip him hard and Dante wouldn't have to cover up the fact that his bite marks disappeared unusually fast. Dante sighed. That brought him to another problem. Rob now knew that devils existed. He still referred them as 'monsters' and didn't know they came from hell, but he still KNEW they existed, which was more than most people. Dante worried that one day he might accidentally spill the beans about Blade and get them both in trouble. Blade
"Well there's something you don't see everyday," an adult voice said suddenly behind him.
Dante spun in surprise. He hadn't even heard anyone approach…and blinked. "Mr. Brenz…" he whispered, hit by stab of realization that Mr. Brenz was looking at Blade with interest.
He wasn't an imposing figure in any way. He was an attractive, fit, middle aged man with long wavy brown hair, a face that looked a bit like a softer Harrison Ford, and plain brown eyes that twinkled behind their glasses. He was usually dressed in a plain semi-formal dress suit and tie. And ratty sneakers, which he said he wore to throw people off.
Normally he didn't look intimating at all, but to Dante, crouched behind a bush with a very abnormal looking dog, it was like looking at fear itself. "I…I…uh," Dante managed to say, his mouth opening and closing as no words came out. How does one explain any unauthorized pet, especially one like Blade?
"It's not every day you see a domesticated Canis. That's their species name you know, same as a normal dog," Mr. Brenz continued conversationally, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. "They usually run wild in the Underworld."
Dante took a very loud swallow, then found some of his stubborn defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly, meeting Brenz's eyes unflinchingly.
Brenz sighed and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Very well, I didn't expect this to go smoothly. Dante, please join me in my office after dinner tonight. We need to have a talk."
Dante's suspicion and wariness must have been obvious, since Brenz added gently, "About Blade among other things. There are things you, as well as Rob, must be told. I would have preferred to wait, but now is a good opportunity for you both." He smiled pleasantly and walked off in the direction of the main building.
Dante immediately jumped up and ran off deeper into the woods, Blade at his heels. After he had gone quite a distance, he stopped and leaned panting against a tree. Blade wagged his tail and whined. Dante patted his head and sat down. What should he do? He could run away, he realized suddenly. He and Blade could take off and…and…and…he banged the back of fist against the tree leaving a large dent. And what? He was smarter than that. He'd probably be stealing food within a week. Mr. Brenz hadn't seemed surprised or upset by Blade…and what could he possibly have to tell Dante? Dante felt his curiosity getting the better of him. It couldn't hurt…Dante could always run away afterwards if it was something bad.
He fondled Blade's head then suddenly grinned and tackled the pup, who now a month after they had found him and grown quite a bit. Blade yipped in surprise before gleefully joining in the match. After a few minutes tussle, the two sat up happily disheveled. Dante looked up at the sunlight streaming through the branches above while a wisp of wind brushed through his silver hair. "Yeah," he said aloud, "Let's go see what he's got to say.
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Yay, an update! ^_^ I realize I'm not going much into Dante's powers being expressed as child, but I plan to do more in upcoming chapters as the plot thickens…*cackles evilly before being sacked*
Next chapter: Heirlooms
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Chapter 4: Blade
It was night, a few hours after the accident. A man stepped out into the road, now devoid of traffic in the wee hours of the morning, and wandered over an apparently random point on the road. He squatted down and ran his hand slowly across the pavement, a thoughtful look upon his face. A face that Dante, had he been there, would have been surprised to recognize as that of Mr. Brenz, the director of the orphanage. Mr. Brenz stared at the spot of pavement that to the average observer was no different from any other…but he was no average observer. As he stood and wiped his hands on his coat, he pursed his lips, wondering if he should have a talk with Dante…and if the boy was old enough to understand.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In the weeks following finding the pup, they had decided to name the dog Blade. While both boys played with him, he really was Dante's dog more than Rob's. Dante wondered if it was because Blade could sense he was half devil himself. One way or another, it was all both boys could do just to keep the pup out of sight of the orphanage workers. While the orphanage had nothing against pets (it even had a stray dog and cat that constantly wandered the grounds as kids fed it scraps) it probably would not take too well to a red eyed, glistening black scale-plated puppy. So the boys tried frantically to alternate between keeping it fed, entertained, and out of trouble, while meanwhile having to pretend nothing was unusual when they hurried off to their secret lair in the woods.
Today was it was Dante's turn to take care of Blade during lunch. He and Rob switched off times, and to be honest it was relief to be alone with the pup sometimes. This way the pup could actually nip him hard and Dante wouldn't have to cover up the fact that his bite marks disappeared unusually fast. Dante sighed. That brought him to another problem. Rob now knew that devils existed. He still referred them as 'monsters' and didn't know they came from hell, but he still KNEW they existed, which was more than most people. Dante worried that one day he might accidentally spill the beans about Blade and get them both in trouble. Blade
"Well there's something you don't see everyday," an adult voice said suddenly behind him.
Dante spun in surprise. He hadn't even heard anyone approach…and blinked. "Mr. Brenz…" he whispered, hit by stab of realization that Mr. Brenz was looking at Blade with interest.
He wasn't an imposing figure in any way. He was an attractive, fit, middle aged man with long wavy brown hair, a face that looked a bit like a softer Harrison Ford, and plain brown eyes that twinkled behind their glasses. He was usually dressed in a plain semi-formal dress suit and tie. And ratty sneakers, which he said he wore to throw people off.
Normally he didn't look intimating at all, but to Dante, crouched behind a bush with a very abnormal looking dog, it was like looking at fear itself. "I…I…uh," Dante managed to say, his mouth opening and closing as no words came out. How does one explain any unauthorized pet, especially one like Blade?
"It's not every day you see a domesticated Canis. That's their species name you know, same as a normal dog," Mr. Brenz continued conversationally, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary. "They usually run wild in the Underworld."
Dante took a very loud swallow, then found some of his stubborn defiance. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said stiffly, meeting Brenz's eyes unflinchingly.
Brenz sighed and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Very well, I didn't expect this to go smoothly. Dante, please join me in my office after dinner tonight. We need to have a talk."
Dante's suspicion and wariness must have been obvious, since Brenz added gently, "About Blade among other things. There are things you, as well as Rob, must be told. I would have preferred to wait, but now is a good opportunity for you both." He smiled pleasantly and walked off in the direction of the main building.
Dante immediately jumped up and ran off deeper into the woods, Blade at his heels. After he had gone quite a distance, he stopped and leaned panting against a tree. Blade wagged his tail and whined. Dante patted his head and sat down. What should he do? He could run away, he realized suddenly. He and Blade could take off and…and…and…he banged the back of fist against the tree leaving a large dent. And what? He was smarter than that. He'd probably be stealing food within a week. Mr. Brenz hadn't seemed surprised or upset by Blade…and what could he possibly have to tell Dante? Dante felt his curiosity getting the better of him. It couldn't hurt…Dante could always run away afterwards if it was something bad.
He fondled Blade's head then suddenly grinned and tackled the pup, who now a month after they had found him and grown quite a bit. Blade yipped in surprise before gleefully joining in the match. After a few minutes tussle, the two sat up happily disheveled. Dante looked up at the sunlight streaming through the branches above while a wisp of wind brushed through his silver hair. "Yeah," he said aloud, "Let's go see what he's got to say.
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Yay, an update! ^_^ I realize I'm not going much into Dante's powers being expressed as child, but I plan to do more in upcoming chapters as the plot thickens…*cackles evilly before being sacked*
Next chapter: Heirlooms