Remembering…A New Talent For Lyndsey?
Lyndsey had stopped a bit away from the people. They hadn't noticed her yet.
"What's the matter, Lyndsey?" Day asked, stepping beside her. "Why did you stop?"
"It's not them," Lyndsey said simply. "Those aren't my parents."
"We could ask them where your parents are," Night suggested. "Maybe they know."
"That's a good idea, flower stench!" Grundy said. Then he did a double take. "I mean, pretty odour," he looked confused. "Oh, never mind," he muttered.
"Um, I think I agree with Grundy," Lyndsey said slowly. "They could know where my parents are, so we should ask them." Then she started walking towards the trio. Shrugging, the others followed.
The people turned out to be a man of about 40, and a woman of the same age. They both had brown hair, that was slightly greying, and plain eyes, and were wearing ordinary clothing. Apparently they were unimportant characters.
That was the fact that made their son all the more strange. He was nothing ordinary. He was about 17, and had dirty blonde hair. It was pale in comparison to Day's bright golden hair, but light in comparison to Night's dark hair. It was similar to Lyndsey's, but had more blonde in it. He stood tall, about 6'4. His eyes were the oddest mixture of blue and green. They weren't teal- it was almost as if the blue was swimming around the green, and vice versa. He had the kind of eyes a person could get lost in. But there was just something about him…
"Hi, I'm Lyndsey," Lyndsey said, smiling at the people. "I was wondering if you could tell me where my parents are." A strange look came over her face, and she stopped talking. It was probably a memory, Day reasoned.
"Well hello!" said the woman, smiling back at Lyndsey. "My name is Seline, and this is my husband, Maximus." She grinned at her at husband. "And this is our son, Raven."
"Nice to meet you," Lyndsey said. Day, Night, and Grundy stood off to the side, letting the scene progress.
"What are your parents names?" Seline inquired kindly.
"Umm…" Lyndsey stalled. Her face crumbled a little. "I can't remember," she said sadly.
"There, dear, it's alright," Seline said motherly, moving to give Lyndsey a hug. Lyndsey put Guinever down, and let the woman embrace her. A few moments later, the woman backed off.
"Feeling a little better?" she asked. Lyndsey nodded. "Wonderful," she said, smiling kindly. "Now let's see what we can do about your parents. Do you live around here?" Seline had a soft voice, just lined with motherly concern.
"I…well, I used to," Lyndsey said. Her voice choked up a little, and Night came to her rescue.
"She lived here until she was three. After that, she was forced to live in a gourd. But we just got her out, and now she came back to see her parents."
Seline looked stricken. "Well, now that you mention it…dear, do you remember something about that little girl that used to live here? The one that disappeared?" She pointed the question towards her husband.
"Why…I believe I do," he said. "But I can't remember whose family she belongs to." He frowned.
"Do you remember, sweetheart?" she asked her son. He shook his head, looking uncomfortable. "I just can't seem to remember either, even with my talent."
That word awoke Day. "Your talent?" she asked. "What's your talent?"
"Why, it's remembering things," Seline answered. "But I suppose it's getting a bit rusty in my old age." She paused and smiled sadly. "I can't seem to remember certain things that happened a long time ago, just general events." She frowned, obviously sorry that her talent couldn't help.
Guinever, now on the ground, was jumping up and down. Lyndsey leaned down to him. "What is it?" she asked. Guinever squeaked a few times. Lyndsey looked at Grundy.
"Ha ha, smart bugger!" Grundy exclaimed. "He says that Seline should give her talent to you for a while, and then maybe you can remember your parents' names."
"Oh wow, that could work!" Lyndsey said happily. "Good thinking, Guinever!" She patted his head, and he smiled. Seline looked confused.
"If I may ask," she said. "What's this about you taking my talent?" She didn't sound angry, just curious.
"Oh!" Lyndsey said. "I'm sorry! You see, I'm a-" she stopped here, unsure of what to say. "Well, my talent is to take other people's talents. But, only if they're willing. And with the help of my friend Night," she said, gesturing at Night, "I can give back talents, too."
"That's wonderful!" Seline exclaimed. "Of course I'll lend you my talent, dear. What do I have to do?" She seemed very willing to help.
"Well, I'll just touch your arm," Lyndsey said, touching her arm, "and you think about giving me your talent."
"Easy as that?" Seline inquired.
"Easy as that," Lyndsey said, smiling. Seline smiled back. Lyndsey concentrated on taking her talent, and a few moments later, she had it. "How do you invoke your talent?" she asked Seline.
"Oh, you just think," she said. "Just try to remember whatever it is that you're forgetting." She smiled again at Lyndsey, and her smiled brightened her ordinary features.
Closing her eyes, Lyndsey thought. A flood of memories rushed through her head. "Wow!" she gasped. "That's amazing! I can remember everything!"
Seline blushed. "Well, I suppose it's a fair enough talent…" She was apparently very flattered.
"It's an amazing talent!" Lyndsey exclaimed. "I can remember everything that's ever happened to me!"
"Can you remember your parent's names?" Day asked.
"Yes! I can!" Lyndsey said. "Their names are-" she paused for half a moment, "Bhut-Khiss, and Seven."
"Butkiss?" Day burst out laughing. Night doubled over in laughter, too. Grundy eyed them strangely, as did Seline, Maximus, and Raven.
"Is there something funny about that name?" Seline inquired. "You are pronouncing it slightly wrong. It's B-h-ut K-h-iss, not B-ut K-iss," she explained kindly.
With an effort, Night and Day were able to stifle their laughter. "We apologize," they said. "It's a very fine name." But their eyes were brimming with tears from laughing. Lyndsey, too, was smiling, having a slight appreciation of Mundane humour from living in the Gourd with the nightmares. So really, it was just a twisted sense of humour, but that's basically the same as Mundane humour.
"Dear," Seline said, looking at Maximus, "I can't seem to remember those people. Do we know them?" Without her talent, she couldn't remember much anything.
"Yes, we do," he said. "They live in the same village as us, albeit slightly isolated. They have their twins, Soda and Fizz, remember?"
"Why, yes, I do remember!" Seline said happily. "I can see so much more clearly without my talent. Before I used to remember everything, now it's all wonderfully fresh!" She looked at Lyndsey. "Listen, dear," she said, "would you mind terribly keeping my talent? Losing it makes the whole world seem anew!"
Lyndsey looked shocked. "I have twin brothers?" she peeped. Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"No no, it's not twin brothers," Maximus interjected. "It's a boy and a girl." Lyndsey looked shocked. Her violet eyes went off into the distance.
"A brother and a sister," she murmured.
Sensing that this wasn't the best time to ask, Seline did not repeat her question. "Well, sweetheart, it just so happens that Bhut-Khiss and Seven are traveling right now. We tried to convince them to take Raven, for he is in terrible need of an adventure, but-" she paused, peering at them. "How old are you?" she asked.
"I'm sixteen," Lyndsey said.
"We're sixteen, too," Day and Night said. "Almost seventeen!"
"I'm not really sure how old Guinever is," Lyndsey said.
Grundy smirked. "And I am old enough to know why you need to know how old they are."
Seline smiled back. "Well, your parents went away on a little excursion to the moon. It's the year of the honey-moon, and they wanted to go explore. They should be back in a few days. In the meantime, will you accept our hospitality?"
"Yes!" Day said quickly, happy for any reason to stay longer. Everyone looked at her. "Um, that is, I mean, yes please?" she grinned hopefully. Everyone laughed.
"Come, we'll make our way back to the village for something to eat," Seline said. Then she turned, hand-in-hand with Maximus. Raven smiled at the girls, which sent chills down their spines, then turned and walked with his parents.
"He's cute!" Day whispered to Night.
"I haven't seen many guys, growing up in the gourd, but he looks pretty good to me!" Lyndsey whispered to them, similarly. They all smiled at each other, and then started after the three. They were on their way to finding Lyndsey's family!
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Lyndsey had stopped a bit away from the people. They hadn't noticed her yet.
"What's the matter, Lyndsey?" Day asked, stepping beside her. "Why did you stop?"
"It's not them," Lyndsey said simply. "Those aren't my parents."
"We could ask them where your parents are," Night suggested. "Maybe they know."
"That's a good idea, flower stench!" Grundy said. Then he did a double take. "I mean, pretty odour," he looked confused. "Oh, never mind," he muttered.
"Um, I think I agree with Grundy," Lyndsey said slowly. "They could know where my parents are, so we should ask them." Then she started walking towards the trio. Shrugging, the others followed.
The people turned out to be a man of about 40, and a woman of the same age. They both had brown hair, that was slightly greying, and plain eyes, and were wearing ordinary clothing. Apparently they were unimportant characters.
That was the fact that made their son all the more strange. He was nothing ordinary. He was about 17, and had dirty blonde hair. It was pale in comparison to Day's bright golden hair, but light in comparison to Night's dark hair. It was similar to Lyndsey's, but had more blonde in it. He stood tall, about 6'4. His eyes were the oddest mixture of blue and green. They weren't teal- it was almost as if the blue was swimming around the green, and vice versa. He had the kind of eyes a person could get lost in. But there was just something about him…
"Hi, I'm Lyndsey," Lyndsey said, smiling at the people. "I was wondering if you could tell me where my parents are." A strange look came over her face, and she stopped talking. It was probably a memory, Day reasoned.
"Well hello!" said the woman, smiling back at Lyndsey. "My name is Seline, and this is my husband, Maximus." She grinned at her at husband. "And this is our son, Raven."
"Nice to meet you," Lyndsey said. Day, Night, and Grundy stood off to the side, letting the scene progress.
"What are your parents names?" Seline inquired kindly.
"Umm…" Lyndsey stalled. Her face crumbled a little. "I can't remember," she said sadly.
"There, dear, it's alright," Seline said motherly, moving to give Lyndsey a hug. Lyndsey put Guinever down, and let the woman embrace her. A few moments later, the woman backed off.
"Feeling a little better?" she asked. Lyndsey nodded. "Wonderful," she said, smiling kindly. "Now let's see what we can do about your parents. Do you live around here?" Seline had a soft voice, just lined with motherly concern.
"I…well, I used to," Lyndsey said. Her voice choked up a little, and Night came to her rescue.
"She lived here until she was three. After that, she was forced to live in a gourd. But we just got her out, and now she came back to see her parents."
Seline looked stricken. "Well, now that you mention it…dear, do you remember something about that little girl that used to live here? The one that disappeared?" She pointed the question towards her husband.
"Why…I believe I do," he said. "But I can't remember whose family she belongs to." He frowned.
"Do you remember, sweetheart?" she asked her son. He shook his head, looking uncomfortable. "I just can't seem to remember either, even with my talent."
That word awoke Day. "Your talent?" she asked. "What's your talent?"
"Why, it's remembering things," Seline answered. "But I suppose it's getting a bit rusty in my old age." She paused and smiled sadly. "I can't seem to remember certain things that happened a long time ago, just general events." She frowned, obviously sorry that her talent couldn't help.
Guinever, now on the ground, was jumping up and down. Lyndsey leaned down to him. "What is it?" she asked. Guinever squeaked a few times. Lyndsey looked at Grundy.
"Ha ha, smart bugger!" Grundy exclaimed. "He says that Seline should give her talent to you for a while, and then maybe you can remember your parents' names."
"Oh wow, that could work!" Lyndsey said happily. "Good thinking, Guinever!" She patted his head, and he smiled. Seline looked confused.
"If I may ask," she said. "What's this about you taking my talent?" She didn't sound angry, just curious.
"Oh!" Lyndsey said. "I'm sorry! You see, I'm a-" she stopped here, unsure of what to say. "Well, my talent is to take other people's talents. But, only if they're willing. And with the help of my friend Night," she said, gesturing at Night, "I can give back talents, too."
"That's wonderful!" Seline exclaimed. "Of course I'll lend you my talent, dear. What do I have to do?" She seemed very willing to help.
"Well, I'll just touch your arm," Lyndsey said, touching her arm, "and you think about giving me your talent."
"Easy as that?" Seline inquired.
"Easy as that," Lyndsey said, smiling. Seline smiled back. Lyndsey concentrated on taking her talent, and a few moments later, she had it. "How do you invoke your talent?" she asked Seline.
"Oh, you just think," she said. "Just try to remember whatever it is that you're forgetting." She smiled again at Lyndsey, and her smiled brightened her ordinary features.
Closing her eyes, Lyndsey thought. A flood of memories rushed through her head. "Wow!" she gasped. "That's amazing! I can remember everything!"
Seline blushed. "Well, I suppose it's a fair enough talent…" She was apparently very flattered.
"It's an amazing talent!" Lyndsey exclaimed. "I can remember everything that's ever happened to me!"
"Can you remember your parent's names?" Day asked.
"Yes! I can!" Lyndsey said. "Their names are-" she paused for half a moment, "Bhut-Khiss, and Seven."
"Butkiss?" Day burst out laughing. Night doubled over in laughter, too. Grundy eyed them strangely, as did Seline, Maximus, and Raven.
"Is there something funny about that name?" Seline inquired. "You are pronouncing it slightly wrong. It's B-h-ut K-h-iss, not B-ut K-iss," she explained kindly.
With an effort, Night and Day were able to stifle their laughter. "We apologize," they said. "It's a very fine name." But their eyes were brimming with tears from laughing. Lyndsey, too, was smiling, having a slight appreciation of Mundane humour from living in the Gourd with the nightmares. So really, it was just a twisted sense of humour, but that's basically the same as Mundane humour.
"Dear," Seline said, looking at Maximus, "I can't seem to remember those people. Do we know them?" Without her talent, she couldn't remember much anything.
"Yes, we do," he said. "They live in the same village as us, albeit slightly isolated. They have their twins, Soda and Fizz, remember?"
"Why, yes, I do remember!" Seline said happily. "I can see so much more clearly without my talent. Before I used to remember everything, now it's all wonderfully fresh!" She looked at Lyndsey. "Listen, dear," she said, "would you mind terribly keeping my talent? Losing it makes the whole world seem anew!"
Lyndsey looked shocked. "I have twin brothers?" she peeped. Then she shook her head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
"No no, it's not twin brothers," Maximus interjected. "It's a boy and a girl." Lyndsey looked shocked. Her violet eyes went off into the distance.
"A brother and a sister," she murmured.
Sensing that this wasn't the best time to ask, Seline did not repeat her question. "Well, sweetheart, it just so happens that Bhut-Khiss and Seven are traveling right now. We tried to convince them to take Raven, for he is in terrible need of an adventure, but-" she paused, peering at them. "How old are you?" she asked.
"I'm sixteen," Lyndsey said.
"We're sixteen, too," Day and Night said. "Almost seventeen!"
"I'm not really sure how old Guinever is," Lyndsey said.
Grundy smirked. "And I am old enough to know why you need to know how old they are."
Seline smiled back. "Well, your parents went away on a little excursion to the moon. It's the year of the honey-moon, and they wanted to go explore. They should be back in a few days. In the meantime, will you accept our hospitality?"
"Yes!" Day said quickly, happy for any reason to stay longer. Everyone looked at her. "Um, that is, I mean, yes please?" she grinned hopefully. Everyone laughed.
"Come, we'll make our way back to the village for something to eat," Seline said. Then she turned, hand-in-hand with Maximus. Raven smiled at the girls, which sent chills down their spines, then turned and walked with his parents.
"He's cute!" Day whispered to Night.
"I haven't seen many guys, growing up in the gourd, but he looks pretty good to me!" Lyndsey whispered to them, similarly. They all smiled at each other, and then started after the three. They were on their way to finding Lyndsey's family!
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