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| Tweet Topic Started: May 17 2011, 08:44 PM (349 Views) | |
| Gwen MacKenzie | May 17 2011, 08:44 PM Post #1 |
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Operative
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Spring was in the air on the planet of Verbena or at least in the section of the world that she had called home so many years ago. It felt strange being back after having become so used to living in the Black with people she had grown to love as a second family. She had never told them about how she and her family had come to an ending of terms. Well, she and her father mostly. Both were to hard headed and ill tempered with the previous years experiences to think like proper adults. Gwen hadn't seen the new house that they had built a little further out from the city than the one she had been raised in was at. Even when they had picked up Hunter and Rosie there when the plant had been sabotaged, she hadn't even called them up. Sitting in the back of the wagon as it rocked down the unpaved road she looked to Cassidy who was sleeping snuggled up to her side with her head resting in her lap. The poor child was tuckered out from the move and having the last trek of the journey ending soon her mother had let her sleep. People were already amused that the redhead was back, curiosity mostly expecting trouble to have followed her in to town in the form of the crew she had there the last time. When no site of the transport ship had been found in dock or the gun toting crew following in her shadow they had simply allowed curiosity and whispered rumors to fill the air. Especially with the girl that held her hand looking wide-eyed at everything there was to see there. The sights, sounds, and smells were something the girl had never experienced before having grown up for the most part on a waterlocked world. This much green in one place was new and exciting, the anger towards her mother forgotten as they had worked their way around town looking for transport to the MacKenzie homestead. Thankfully that had been in the form of an old man taking his cart back to his own place after selling his goods in town. She had known him once, his grandson had served in the army at the same time as she had, and he was more than willing to give them a lift. Gwen was thankful for the kindness. When the cart took the last hill and curve she could make out the large white washed house in the distance. It was picturesque. The sort of thing you saw in the magazines in the Core talking about the traditional ways of a world ignoring the poverty or underprivileged that lived there. For half a second Gwen considered waking Cass up for her to see, but a few more minutes of rest would do her good. A large stone wall lined the road up and down for miles to see, the redhead having not even been aware of them coming in contact with the ranch some miles back. Horses grazed the front pastures while cattle roamed the back closer to the mountains that the house seemed to bring attention to. Looks like her Da got his wish after all on rebuilding the place. As the cart drew to a stop, the horse stomping his foot at the pause, Gwen gently slid off on to the dusty road gently picking Cassidy up as she did so. They had few bags now, everything having been shoved in to various packs for them to carry. With Cass on one shoulder, her bag slung across both shoulders, and Gwen with two she quietly thanked the man for the lift before he started off with a wave. It felt strange being back home after being gone over four years. Shifting the weight of the child against her hip she gently kissed her brow before taking the long walk of shame back to the front of the large house. And large it was- a covered porch ran the length of the front with all vivid assortment of flowers and ivy hanging off each post or between. Two large rocking chairs and swings were positioned perfectly for guests or the family to enjoy during the lazy summer months. Cresting the small hill leading up the drive she could make out the bunk houses for the ranch hands that were diligently working away unaware of the wayward children that were returning home. Gwen couldn't help but swallow hard remember the last time she had done this walk when she had returned home from the War. Cass yawned against her neck content to still be sleeping not seeming to care if she was still jostled about or not. Smoke rose from the larger of three fireplaces meaning the kitchen was busy as usual. She could hear children running and playing in the back where the top of a large oak tree rivaled the large brick chimney that was bellowing away. Whose were they? Ranch hands? Her brothers? Lord she had been gone to long. The large front door was open with the screen door closed and no doubt locked as she walked on to the soft green grass off the path leading around the back of the house. It was a center for activity the ranch was. All sorts of people coming and going. Even if it was as country as could be with chickens pecking for worms under a large maple tree they did have the necessary tech any business would need. Carefully taking the steps up on to the porch she sat the large back she had been carrying in her hand outside of the one on her opposite shoulder down on to worn wood. One deep breath- she could see shadows of people inside and hear various voices in a low drone in the background- and she could do this. She had to. There was no turning back now. So, raising her hand, she pressed the ringer listening to the gentle chimes telling the people inside there was a visitor. Now all she had to do was manage not to turn tail before whoever came to the door. |
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| Seraphina Grant | May 19 2011, 12:36 PM Post #2 |
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Pocket Sized Fatalities
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{NPC Annabelle 'Ann' MacKenzie} "Y'all, keep that racket to a reasonable level out there. I don't want the mountain falling down on the house," She hollered out of the kitchen, chuckling as children continued to run and bounce and shriek happily as the menfolk brought their noise levels down a few notches. That was her brood alright. The kids knew when she meant business in regards to them and tried their best to stay on her good side for the extra cookies she was known to keep hidden from the adults. Today was a celebration though so she wasn't really bothered by the noise. She just wanted them to not be complete barbarian's out there and Papa's voice tended to get a mite too loud as he reminisced about his boyhood antics. Besides, those children did not need more idea's on how to make their mama's hair go gray. She smiled again, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her waist. Long ago it had been a bright cheerful yellow, dotted with equally bright blue flowers. Not it was faded with age but the colors were still warm and made her smile, made her think of warm nights in the kitchen as her children were the young ones running around out back. Annabelle MacKenzie wasn't the type of woman that dwelled on the bad things, she didn't have the time to mope about. Not with a house and horde to run! The woman might have been average height and not quite as thin in the waist as she had been when she was younger (and really that was impressive for a 55 year old lady thank you very much) but there was nothing average about her personality or the strength of her spine. It was how she kept all those boys in line for so many years. Her husband included. Dark green eyes surveyed the platters of food for a moment before she nodded and let the other women take it out to the chaos out back. Pushing back her own dark red hair, she stepped into the doorway and leaned against the jam, surveying her brood with a fond eye. Half her kids still home and she was fine with that, especially with two of them married off and giving her more babies to spoil. Josiah, bless his heart, was busy turning beet red from the attention of three local girls near his age. It was that dark hair and those bright blue eyes of his, he was a heart breaker just like his papa. The woman shook her head in fond amusement, catching the eyes of her husband and smiling a bit more as he sent her a flirty wink. One of those girls would have to pull a page from her own book and explain to him in plain words why he wasn't going to be able to live without her. A knock coming from the front door distracted Ann from the rest of the festivities and she must have looked surprised because Abe looked concerned but she waved him off with a smile, heading back into the house. Who would come knocking during a celebration? You just needed to wander round back and say hello and be welcome. Everyone around these parts knew that. Ann glanced out the little glass planes on her front door and froze for a split second. Bright red hair, shades brighter than her own, and the same green eyes looked tiredly at her from the other side. She jerked the door open and smiled brightly. "Well look what the cat drug in." Her smile was a bit brittle as she looked at the sleeping face of the child in her oldest daughters arms. "What a little angel, she looks just like Jos did at that age." Children always melted her heart a bit, especially one that was so obviously related to her. Her own green eyes moved up to her daughters, an eyebrow raising expectantly as she opened the door even wider. "What are you waiting for, a written invitation? Get her in here and lay her down on the couch. Honestly, things haven't changed that much despite the amount of time you insist on spending away from your family without so much as a 'hello how are you, I'm still alive, miss you all' honestly, you and Papa are just the same. Hard headed idiots, the both of you," She left the door open and walked into the sitting room in front, moving pillows and grabbing blankets to make a bed for the little one. Edited by Seraphina Grant, May 19 2011, 12:37 PM.
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| Gwen MacKenzie | May 19 2011, 10:30 PM Post #3 |
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Operative
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Oh Gwen knew that smile. That was the 'you fraked up but I love you anyway' look that they had often gotten as children. She deserved every bit of what her mother was saying to her between the lines knowing that her father was more than likely going to do worse. Even that thought was enough to make Gwen hesitate as her mother opened the door to allow her entrance in to the house. It was to late to turn and run knowing quite well that the image she had to be giving making her the proverbial dog with its tail tucked between its legs. With a grunt she bent at her knees reaching for the bag she had set down in order to ring the bell nearly being taken to the ground between juggling Cass's weight, the bag on her back, and the one on her own. "Still swear she's got more of her Pa in her than me." Carefully she shifted through the door taking a left towards the living room that her mother kept spotless. Nothing about it was any different than she remembered the old house being except it was... brighter. Larger too- everything was larger. "And I know, Ma. I was wrong t' say the things I did, but I ain't sorry for goin' and doin' what I felt was right. Made me realize a lotta 'bout myself and exactly how you and Da raised us. I'm sorry." Cassidy shifted against her, yawning wide again before hugging the little rabbit Gwen had given to her when she was a baby. It was more repaired and worn than anything else she had ever owned. Honestly it was the oldest thing she ever had too. Toys weren't something easy to store on a ship along with other personal items. That was why everything they owned managed to fit in three rather heavy bags. Raising her head a little she looked around the room with sleepy baby blues before looking eyes with her Grandma. For a moment the girl tensed hugging herself a little closer to her momma as Gwen carefully deposited the two larger bags to the ground. "Shhh, baby girl, it's okay. Remember how I was tellin' you were goin' t' see your Grandma and Grandpa?" Quietly the little girl, her hair in ruffled pigtails, nodded her head before a bashful little smile started to form on her face. "You wanna nap a little more or you wanna go run around until you're to tired t' do anything else?" "I'm not sleepy no more." Of course as she said it the six-year-old yawned wide and started to rub the sleep from her eyes. Another hour would have done her good, but if she said she was fine then Gwen wasn't going to stop her from playing with her cousins or any of the ranch hands children. Rosie had been the only other girl remotely close to her own age on the boat. Having more kids around would be good enough to help her move on. The little girl's smile grew even more bashful as she leaned forward towards Gwen's ear, cupping her hands to whisper to her as she did so. Even if the smile was tired it was there as she nodded her head and looked back to her mother with Cass looking only a few seconds later. When the little girl didn't say anything, Gwen gave a little laugh. "You weren't so bashful in town, you silly thing!" Quickly she hid her face against her mother's hair suddenly finding herself the most bashful kid in the entire universe though she did giggle a little. "Cass wants to know if she can have something to drink." Gwen leaned forward enough to set Cass on the floor since the girl was awake only finding that she was not letting to of her neck. Another try only had the girl holding on to her tighter along with the stuffed rabbit. Well that wasn't going to work. She'd try again in a few minutes to see if she wanted to decide walking with her own two feet was going to be better. "I know I shoulda called first, town is pretty full an' weren't no room down at the Inn. Just need a place t' crash for a day or two before I find someone outta y'alls hair." Which meant that yes, they were there to stay. |
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