Koi Pond

Alexander runs down the cliff trail, Damned Spot trailing behind him and attempting to lick his face! "Down, Damned Spot!" he squeals as the enthusiastic canine dampens part of the paper bag pulled over Alex's face.

Linora is sitting on the ground, her knees hugged tightly to her chest, staring at the koi. She's been there for hours. Staring at the koi. Part of her brain registers someone yelling, but she really doesn't pay any attention to it. Just stares.

Alexander splashes around in the pond to ward off the happy canine, splashing water everywhere, and onto his paper bag. "Ahhh! AHH! It's gonna kill me! AHH!"

Linora gets wet. This does attract her attention. Even if it hadn't, all the koi have been frightened to other parts of the pond, and now she's just staring at the water. Or would be, if she weren't staring at a kid with a bag on his head now. She just looks at him, dripping. Not even really wondering what he's doing there. Because it's probably Alex, and you can never tell with Alex. Oh, yeah, there's his canine. Definitely Alex.

Alexander flops over to Linora, sprawling over the beach. The canine launches himself at Alex, and Alex resigns himself to a flurry of lickings. The paper bag falls off, exposing Alex in all his pimpled/sunburned glory, and Alex pulls it back on quickly.

Linora stares into the pond again, wondering if the koi are too traumatized to come back where she can stare at them.

Alexander pokes Linora testily. "Hellooooo," he pleas as his canine snuggles up under Alex's shirt.

"What?" With a sigh, Linora turns to look at Alex. With a bag on his head and a canine up his shirt. And doesn't even scowl, or tell him not to poke her. Just hugging her knees. And dripping.

"What what?" Alex echoes, pointing to the slobbering canine. Up his shirt. "Hmm. Whassamatta witchoo?"

Linora drops her head on her knees, looking at him sideways. "Nothing." Nothing she can begin to explain. Not that she thinks Alex would understand... or care. What is he, 11? 12? Please. She can't even figure out why he likes to hang around her so much. Nobody else does.

Alexander leans his head against a rock and whistles. "Oooh, *girl*." He toys with a strand of hair under his paper bag and begins filing his nails. Where the heck did he get a nail file anyhow? "Guy trouble?" Too much Cosmo for him.

Damned Spot growls at Alex and nuzzles a snuffly nose against Alex's shirt. Alex is being catty again..

Linora blinks, and takes a good long look at the paper bag. Because she can't see Alexander's face. And tries to figure out why Alex is talking so funny. How can she seriously tell a paper bag with a nailfile that her whole life is a mess? "No." Who cares, anyway?

Alexander dies of angst. But knowing Alex, he couldn't understand angst if it stood up indignantly and smacked him on the face. "Well," he deduces brilliantly, "It's either guy trouble, or you're having menopause.. and you're too young to... hrmm.."

"What do you know?" Linora eyes the bag. She doesn't know what meno... whatever /is/, but she's pretty sure Alex doesn't either. "Why don't you leave me alone? What'd I ever do t'you?" She drops her head in her hands. Maybe if she doesn't look at him, he'll go away?

Alexander pulls off the paper bag so that Linora can see all his acne. "Hey, don't feel alone," he powerplays, thumping her on the back patronizingly. "I'm having hot flashes too..."

Alexander
Stormy grey eyes the color of germanium alloy glitter in a clear face, dented slightly by the dark smile that toys occasionally upon his non cupid bow lips. Tousled russet hair, heavy, coarse locks with their bronze highlights usually tumble into his eyes, except for now, when it's been meticulously washed and combed for the Gar Lu'au. Short for his age, lean figure is dark from endless days in the sun and dirt, skin burnished to warm olive with intermittant tan lines. His form is covered in various scrapes and bruises, testifying to all the banging his body's received in its few turns.
Alex is wearing his normal outfit, and a paper bag over his head with two circular eye holes. Alexander carries his Alex's Thwaping Stick by his side, in a leather sheath.
The double-corded knot of a Steward's Assistant is pinned to Alexander's shoulder in a single loop of forest green and royal blue. Amazingly, it manages to be relatively untangled.
Alexander is 12 Turns, 6 months, and 1 day old.

Linora hates being patronized, especially by a kid. She shrugs away from him and gives him a shove. In the direction of the koi pond. And stands up. "Maybe that'll cool you off," she mumbles, turning to go back to the Hall.

Alexander falls into the pool with a sploosh and is immediately pounced on by his canine. Again. "Augh!"