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Just a copy of my entry, so I can see what it'll look like in the PM (and better check it for typos)

Your name: Vashtya
The pair you are trying for: Carlos/Gaspar
The prompt you are responding to: #2
Your response/story:

Humming softly, Vashtya waited for Carlos and Gaspar to finish getting ready. A trip to the pet store might not sound like much, but it was to be the aduthule pair's first outing with their new guardian. It had taken awhile to earn the pair's trust, but in some ways, the pair's natural...inclinations, as well as their young ages, had made the transition easier. Carlos was so giving that he had done his best to please his new gaian guardian, and Gaspar had found that, in an effort to make the change easier on the children, Vashtya had been quite willing to accomodate Gaspar's acquisitive tendencies, at least for now.

However, not one to trust what he saw on the surface, Vashtya had struggled to find the line between expressing the attachment he was already feeling towards the young, beautifully colored aduthule and giving them the space he was sure they needed...the last thing he wanted was to make them feel that he was trying to replace their past guardians in their memories--they were old enough to potentially resent it, and that was one thing he didn't want causing a rift between them and himself.

A clattering erupted at the stop of the staircase, pulling Vashtya from his musings. Peering up the stairs, Vashtya couldn't help but giggle to see Gaspar trying to pull a tapestry off of the wall. It was one of the few such things that Vash kept on his walls, and this one only because it portrayed a detailed image of a unicorn in flight, tail streaming out behind it. It had gold thread stitched liberally throughout it, giving it an almost otherwordly appearance. "Gaspar...anything I own, you and your brother do as well--but do you really need to strip the walls bare?" he called out, a small grin playing at the corners of his mouth.

Gaspar almost lost his balance when Vash called out to him. He'd been on his tiptoes, trying to lift the tapestry off've the nail from which it hung. "I want it in my room." he said, a mutinous light shining in his eyes.

Carlos peeked his head out of their room, ready to go. "Maybe we can take it down later?" he asked, not quite sure what to expect at this "pet store" that Vashtya had promised to taket hem to.

Sighing, Vash shook his head slightly. Sometimes, he wondered how he was going to retain what little sanity he possessed, with this pair in the house. Throw in a pack of mischievious nieken, a hyperactive keon, and a shadowy gem that never left his shadow...and it seemed highly unlikely. Of course, said shadowy gem had already piqued Gaspar's attention--the first time that Vashtya had met the pair, in fact. Unfortunately for Gaspar, Hinote took his bond to Vashtya rather seriously, and had given the aduthule a set of singed fingers when the green youngster had tried to pick him up. "Your brother's right, Gaspar--I'll help the two of you take the tapestry down, and I'll even help you put it up in your room when we get back, ok? But, if we don't hurry, the pet store will have to wait til tomorroowww~" he finished on a singsong note, tapping his left foot in a playful gesture of impatience.

With one last, lingering glance at the shiny tapestry, Gaspar made his way down the stairs, stopping about halfway down to wait for his brother.

Practically skipping, Carlos picked his way cheerfully down the stairs until he stood beside his brother, his pale blue skin gleaming in the well-lit hallway. "I'm ready if you are!" he said, looking to his brother expectantly.

Nodding once, Gaspar walked the rest of the way down to where Vash stood, staring up at the gaian with slightly narrowed eyes. "I won't forget your promise." he said, eyes gleaming a bit eerily. "And I want a chameleon." he said cheerfully, perking up slightly at the thought of getting a pet all his own...at first mention of the proposed outing over a week ago, he'd flipped through the animal encyclopedia that Vash had kept on the bookshelf in his bedroom. Of course, the book in question now resided in Gaspar's closet, along with whatever shiny things he'd already lain claim too, or that Carlos had collected on his behalf. Although he wasn't very good at reading yet, Gaspar had looked at all of the pictures until he'd come across the chameleon, and then, with some help form Carlos, had sounded out the creature's name, memorizing it so that he knew what to demand.

Grinning, Vash made a mental wince. To provide the appropriate environment for something like a chameleon...would take work, and wasn't going to be cheap. Thank goodness I just got paid... he thought with a rueful grin, turning to Carlos. "And what kind of animal do you want for yourself?" he asked, knowing that he'd probably end up buying two pets for Carlos--one for Gaspar, and maybe one for the little tyke himself.

Carlos blinked, freezing where he stood on the bottom step. "I...I'm not quite sure." he said, staring up at Vashtya quizzically. After all, what was the fun in getting something for himself?

Crouching down in front of the pair, Vashtya met their gazes with his own. "A pet is a large responsibility--you both have to realize that it's not like when I give you one of my trinkets, or you get a new toy--a pet has to be given things from you...affection, food, water...even toys. But, in return, most pets will give you more attention and love than they will to anyone else..." he finished, not wanting to preach, but wanting the pair to realize the responsibility that taking care of a pet would entail.

Carlos' eyes widened. Something he could give things to all the time? How wonderful was that?! Suddenly, he was thinking at a mile a minute. But I can only choose one of the pets in the store to give things to? That's so unfair! What about all've the other ones there who want toys? he pondered, a pensive look on his small face as he followed Gaspar and Vashtya out towards the car.

Gaspar, on the other hand, was beginning to have second thoughts. So...it'll be mine, but I'll have to share other things with it?! he wondered, scrunching up his nose. But on the other hand, I wouldn't have to share it's attention... he thought, weighing the two options in his head. Of course, this meant that he'd have to see what kind of animals the pet store had...

Taking the hands of both Gaspar and Carlos, Vashtya looked from one to the other. "Ready?" he asked, smiling when his question was met with a "Yes!" spoken simultaneously from two separate mouths. Although it really wasn't a very long walk to the pet store, Gaspar collected at least five pebbles, a particularly nicely colored leaf, and a blue flower. Carlos picked a white rose for his brother as they passed a well-kept garden...an action that had Vashtya wincing and looking around to make sure that the action had gone unseen.

It was with great relief that they stood in front of the petstore, and Vashtya turned to the pair to give one last set of instructions. "OK...remember, no picking things up without asking--if you want to hold something, or pet something, look for someone in a blue shirt, and ask them, ok?" Vashtya said, although the words fell on near-deaf ears.

Carlos looked around with wide eyes. So...many...animals! it dawned on him that this was probably the most fascinating place that he'd ever been. Inside, there were people with dogs on leashes, and there was a bird fluttering from the rafters. He followed Vashtya's lead in a near-daze, feeling more than a little overwhelmed by all of the activity.

Gaspar's eyes narrowed as he tried to assimilate all of the different creatures from which to choose. Tugging at Vash's hand, he did his best to look cute--something that he usually had trouble with, what with his green skin, and narrow eyes. "Can I pick out two animals?" he asked, wondering if this would work.

"If you think you can take care of them both." Vash said, hoping that maybe a pet or two would help curb the youngster of his endless urge towards acquisition.

After they'd wandered through the whole store-something Vash had insisted on before letting the aduthule make their decisions-Carlos found himself drawn back towards the kennels at the front of the store. Apparently, today was adoption day, and there were all manner of dogs and cats from a local shelter trying to find new homes. In particular, Carlos found himself peering through the cage of one small beagle puppy who sat cowering at the back of her cage--she looked utterly terrified by the entire ordeal, and a bit skinny besides. Looking back at Vashtya, Carlos wasn't quite sure what to do. For the first time since he could remember, he...wanted something. He could almost see himself giving the tiny puppy food, and looking for toys for her to play with.

Eyes practically aglow, Gaspar headed back to look at the birds again--they were such pretty colors, and they could fly! When he got back there, he tugged none-too-gently on the pants leg of the nearest blue-shirted man (and luckily, it was an actual employee). When that got the man's attention, he asked if he could possibly have a closer look at the pair of macaws (a male Blue and Gold Macaw and a female Scarlet Macaw) that were on display. Their elegant plumage had caught his eye, and he had already decided that he wanted. When the man got them out, Gaspar practically demanded that he be allowed to hold them. While the man sputtered that he really couldn't do that, as they might give the adu a nasty n**, the slightly larger female macaw had already half-hopped, half fluttered down to roost on Gaspar's shoulder, screeching indignantly when the employee tried to remove her from her newfound perch.

With a small grin, Vashtya just nodded, understanding instantly what the youngster wanted. Carlos' eyes spoke volumes as they flickered nervously between Vash and the puppy. "I think that there puppy would really appreciate the attention and care that I know you'd give it." he said somberly, offering Carlos a hand as they went off to look for Gaspar, who was back by the bird cages. Inwardly, Vashtya groaned when he saw Gaspar holding a breathtakingly beautiful macaw. If there was one type of animal that terrified the ex-mercenary, it was parrots. Figures... he thought with a sigh, eyeing the birds warily.

Gaspar's smile was positively delighted. "I want this one." he said, rubbing two of his fingers along the top of the macaw's beak, prompting her to make a soft, churring noise of delight.

"She's a scarlet macaw, sir..." the employee said, putting the blue-and-gold back into its cage with virtually no fuss. "They can be a bit aggressive, and she's nowhere near full-grown...but, from the looks of things, she seems to have taken quite a liking to the youngster, here. She will also be able to learn how to talk, if you work with her..." went on, listing instructions to both Gaspar and Vashtya as to her care and training.

When the man was finally finished, Gaspar nodded, and took Vashtya's hand in his own. "Let's go buy stuff for Nakar!" he started, for once more focused on taking care of something he had than picking up everything of interest that he saw.

Shaking his head ruefully, Vashtya allowed himself to be led away, helping both of the youngsters pick out the necessary things that they'd need for the first few weeks. "We'll come back and get some more toys for them after you've had a chance to get to know them a bit better, ok?" he asked, feeling rather worn out by the entire outing. As they waited in line to pay for everything, Vashtya looked down at the twins, unable to prevent a small smile of satisfaction as he took in the glowing delight that practically radiated from them. Carlos was cuddling his puppy, who he'd named Shari, close to his chest, giggling as she licked his chin tentatively. And Gaspar...was running gentle fingers through Nakar's plumage, crooning over and over that she was a beautiful bird, and all his.

Once they got back to the house, Vashtya helped Gaspar set up Nakar's cage, as well as a good-sized roost beside it, although the gaian kept his distance from the bird as he did so. As soon as it was set up, and the promised tapestry had been hung in the boys' room, Gaspar insisted on being allowed to take the bird outside to show her the yard, and to try teaching her to talk. Carlos had already disappeared into the twins' room, and had taken Shari with him. All in all, Vashtya had to call the day a success, although it remained to be seen just how well the twins took to their new companions.

Why do you think you'd make a good Aduthule owner?:

To me, a good aduthule owner is one who, although they may not be posting journal entries every day, is going to truly care about the characters that they've been entrusted with--and who will watch those characters grow, through RP, into something different than what they started with. And, while I realize that I may not be the absolute best author out there, I really feel that, with all the time I've spent lurking around the thread...I'd really like to give it a shot. ^^;

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