The Hosts

[realitymods]

Comments

also the Twins, or whoever he can get.

[seriousmarauder]

[There is a large (yet very skinny) black dog sniffing around the shop curiously, looking for people to pet him and/or give him treats!]

You do not get a Twins! You instead get Derogative!

[oldestchild]

Hey! Careful! Don't wanna break something there, buddy. I don't want to end up being blamed for it.

[He grins despite the warning, then launches off into mock scolding of himself, or what he imagines he'd get scolded with.]

"Derog, we can see those paw prints, okay, so they're smaller than yours, but you're the only canine that hangs around the shop, you keep breaking things and we're not going to get you that pony you wanted for your non-birthday."

Hee, even better!

[seriousmarauder]

[Sirius stops, sniffing Derogative curiously, before shifting back into human form, and giving the man an equally curious look]

Didn't expect to find another Animagus in here. Or on the Plane at all, for that matter.

[oldestchild]

An Aniwhatsits?

[seriousmarauder]

[blinks] Animagus. A wizard who's learned how to morph into an animal form...but you're not, are you? You're something different.

[oldestchild]

Nope, I have all the magical... oh wait, I know some magic now, so I'm not as magical as a rock, but anyway, nope, not one of those. Never ever. I'm a Corus, subtype Gahiji.

[seriousmarauder]

Can't say I've ever heard of a Corus or a Gahiji. Either way, looks like we've got a fair bit in common. [offers him a hand] Sirius Black, pleasure to meet you.

[oldestchild]

[He awkwardly shakes the man's hand.]

Derogative. But you can call me D, Dero, Derog, Grandpa, Old Man, Derobero, or anything else that so happens to strike your fancy, I answer to them all.

[seriousmarauder]

[amused] That's a lot of nicknames. You can call me Sirius...or Padfoot, I suppose.

[oldestchild]

I forgot Fatty, but anyway. [He rocks back onto his heels.] Serious, huh? Seems your mother was fond of word names as well.

[He does not know of the constellation, k.]

Though blahblah names, words, blahblah socialising, did you need something? If I don't ask now, I'm liable to forget and never ask. Everybody's out at the moment so I'm watching the shop until they get back, soooo... yeah.

[seriousmarauder]

[eyebrow] No, it's Sirius [he spells it out], like the dog star. Of course, she had no idea I'd actually turn out to be a dog. [he grins at that -- but the grin fades at Derogative's question]

I wanted to ask someone about my death. I figured the Twins might be the people to ask, since they brought me back, but since you're here... [he trails off, looking just as awkward as Dero did earlier]

[oldestchild]

[He can't spell.] Yeah. Serious.

Well, you can ask. Can't guarantee anything! But I'm the only one in the shop right now.

[seriousmarauder]

[laughs] Right, that's me. Completely serious.

Anyway...I was sort of wondering why they didn't stop it. The deaths from the rain, if that's what it was. They had to notice the bodies piling up.

[oldestchild]

[And the cheerfulness and excitability fades from him. All at once, he seems much older; his tone becomes sombre.]

They aren't God, you know. Sometimes... they can't do anything but watch and hope it ends sooner, rather than later.

[He sighs quietly, and gazes past Sirius, as if he's somewhere else entirely now.]

[seriousmarauder]

[takes a moment to think about that] Is there someone who could've stopped it? Someone who made it happen in the first place?

[oldestchild]

[His mood does not change.]

Possibly to both. But I couldn't tell you who. I know some of the ins and outs of this place... but I don't try to learn. I am here to do my duty as Guardian. I am not here to-

[He sighs.]

Child, all I can say is this: the easiest solution, the most convenient people to blame, are scarcely those at fault. Please, don't blame Lapis and Lazuli. They try to fix things when they can, but at times it is out of their control.