[re:] Prose of the Season #2~ Kindred Heart Variations

Welcome to the second new & improved Prose of the Season!
[deadline for entries: July 27th]

[re:] number two | K i n d r e d H e a r t
V a r i a t i o n s​

Rules:

You must create a story featuring at least three members of KH-Vids (yourself not included).
You can use real names, but every person must be identified by their member name at least once --
ex. "I met my friend Cassie today, though everyone calls her Misty."
Story must be at least 400 words.
There are no rules regarding setting, writing style, tone, etc.
You may post reserving a spot, but come the deadline, either your entry is in the post or you're out.
Have fun!​

~~~

And remember: the winner of all PotS contests will receive this wonderful pin (made by our graphics god, Llave).


I look forward to seeing how many times Claw dieswhat you do with the characters you choose.
Remember that this is a KHV contest though, so all site rules still apply. If you have any questions, feel free to peruse this thread or message me.​

 

Mmmm... Reserving. Don't have an idea yet but I think I can come up with one before deadline.

I SEE U PLUMS U WANNA GO

 

Just a reminder that you guys have a little over two weeks left to get your stories in.

If you need an extension or something comes up, please let me know asap so I can make it fair for everyone.
@Ars Nova @h y u g e @. : tale_wind

 

Mine's in the works, should be ready by then.

 

Friendly neighborhood reminder that there's one week left to get your stories in.

 

Ughhhh. I hate to do this, but I'm gonna have to withdraw. Story's not coming out right, and now my plate has filled with too many obligations to finish it in time. Really sorry Cat. :c

 

An extension has been requested, and as a result the due date will be pushed back to the 27th.

 

I warned you.

KHV Catastrophe ​

The day started out like every other day. Some of the members were leaned back in the awesome standard issued rolling chairs that recline back. Other members were looking at the ominous looking screens surrounding the walls of the circular room. In fact, the only surface that wasn't covered by screens was the door.

But I was not in the room yet. So after scanning my badge a small panel read my code name:

TheWorldThatNeverWas

I eyeballed it as I read it. “Soon...,” I whispered,” Soon...” Then I proceeded through the door to find that we were still missing some members.

“Heeeeeeey~! You! Get over here~!” It was Roxam (Stephen Colbert). Who was hiding under a table? Weird. “What ?” I wasn't everyday someone tried to ask me a question from under a table. But at least no one was hanging from the ceiling this time. There was a long pause before my question was finally answered. “Who's your target? Is it still Makaze?” I sighed. We all had to try and kill someone in our group but it was a very small group so Plums suggested we draw names from the top hat he bought at a garage sale. And me and Makaze got partnered up. Of course, he's already killed me 72 times. Gotta love being an alien. I turned back to Roxam who had already... fallen asleep? Really?

Sitting down in one of the chairs I could feel lasers burning through the back of my skull. Makaze was probably coming up with another plan to kill me. Now that I think about it every time I tried to killed him I failed. Totally not fair. And just as I was about to come up with the universes best assassination plan of 2014 Krowley walked into the room.

“Oh. My. GOD! Are you serious? You're supposed to be dead!” Yelled Nova from across the room. “Does no one is this Organization stay dead?!”

“Nova! You can't just ask someone why they're not dead.” Someone stated. I not going to say who is was but the person is closely related to the word “meow”

“You should now by now, Ars Nova, I WILL NEVER DIE!!” Krowley quickly fell into a fit of villainous laughter that had become the usual background noise in this small room of ours.

Contrary to what Nova said, people did indeed stay dead here. We used to have a bunch of members. Most of them were pretty cool. Ienzo, Hyuge, DigitalAtlas, and Misty were the first four to go. I actually liked them. Llave went next and following his death Amaury went crazy and now lives in the air vents. And somehow Trigger got it in his head that it was all a game and whoever killed the most people won. So, he strapped a c4 bomb to his chest and lured a lot of the members down into his secret lair in a pocket dimension and blew everyone up.

Sadly, the bomb killed himself, Plums, Jayn, Nate_ River, Tale, burnitup, Vagineer, and a bunch of other people that would take forever the rename. The easiest way to know who was still alive was to look at one of the screens on the wall that had all the not dead people on it.

• 
  
  
  • Ars Nova
  • Roxam
  • Fearless
  • jackdaniel0
  • TheWorldThatNeverWas
  • Plums
  • Cat~
  • Makaze
  • Krowley

There were only nine of us left. And Cat was the only one who had already killed their target. Krowley and I kinda never die so Nova and Makaze are out of luck. Plums doesn't want to kill jackdaniel0. And Fearless and Roxam would rather keep playing the video games they hoarded from all the dead members. Which meant nothing was really happening.

“Oh.” Plums finally said. “Since I'm the highest ranking member left alive I cancle this whole death thingy. I probably should have done that like a week ago when everyone else died in the bombing while we were out at the Funplex.”

“Now what do we do?” asked Cat~

“Space Adventure?”

“Awwwwwwww Yusssssssss! Space Adventure!” shouted everyone else in the room. Within the next twelve hours everyone was on board Serenity (yes we stole it, if your dead haha you can't come) and on the most pop flyin' space adventure in the world. But Makaze accidentally open the hatch and flew out into the unknown never to be seen again.

 

This is your friendly neighborhood reminder to @. : tale_wind @h y u g e @Jiku Neon and @TheWorldThatNeverWas that the deadline is in three days. If you need an extension, PLEASE tell me before the 27th.

 

Spoiler

For a time of year associated with pure white winter dreamscapes and laughing children it was oddly colorful and devoid of precipitation. Still, it was cold, one of the coldest years on record. The woman at the door was almost painfully aware of it around her ears and nose as she knocked. Thankfully, the door opened with a pleasant radiance of warmth almost immediately.

“Hey, Jiku.” He looks the same as before. Same dumb expression, same dumb hair, same dumb everything. She’s not sure whether to feel glad for him or to just be annoyed. It had been the better half of ten years since the last time they met face to face. It wasn’t a case of a big break up blowout and what to do, it was just normal friendship and they drifted apart normally. Like it had happened with everyone else. She adjusted her glasses and swept a lock of her long brown hair out of her face.

“Yes, me.” He didn’t bat an eyelash. It like he knew what to expect already; like she hadn’t changed a bit either. “So, how’s the missus?”

“She’s getting dressed, she’ll be out in a minute.” He paused to look over his shoulder. Jiku took the chance to steal a glance over it as well. The interior of the house was kitschy; very little boxes made of ticky tacky. Living the American Dream to the tee. “Are you sure you’re fine with looking after the kids?”

“You’re the one who only gets to go out and get rightly and belligerently twisted once a year. Are you sure you want to be giving me an out?” She was smirking at him. He was looking uncomfortably back.

“I’m not gonna be drinking. I have to drive back.” He finally said.
“Crash at the venue, come on. Live it up and get uproariously fucked up. I’m sure the missus will adore you for it.” She placed a finger to her lips. “You might even have to ask me over more often next year.”

“Please tell me you’re not going to use that kind of language in front of the children.” He said, completely ignoring her suggestion.

“I shall do my level best to restrain the urge.” Jiku sighed. People who know her usually learn to ignore the things that she most wants them to react to.

“Now like I said, I’m coming back late so once you put the kids to bed--”

“Whatever. Have fun your way. Oh, there she is.” And what a beautiful thing she is, too. Fine, straight, blonde hair; slender, graceful fingers; symmetrical face; tall even without heels on; a picture of the feminine ideal, perhaps. One would never imagine that she’d had two kids already. “So I guess that’s your cue.”

“Okay, so you know what you’re supposed to do with the--”

“You wrote it all out in the e-mail.” The brown haired woman said producing a slip of folder paper from her coat pocket. “And I printed it out for reference purposes. Come on, I’m not that unreliable.”
“They’re my kids, Jiku. I have to worry.” He said.

“Have fun your way. Now, you don’t want to be late to the party, do you?” Jiku walked into the house past him, shoved him outside and gave a small wave to the wife as she crossed the living room chasing the children away from their mess of toys in an attempt to retrieve her other shoe. She soon did. Good for her.

“Of course, yeah. Honey, we can go now!” He called out to her as she walked back into the foyer.

“Ooh, you’re honeying now?” Jiku could hardly contain her laughter. Neither of them seemed to share her interest in the joke.

“Come off it, it’s normal.”

“Oh, please tell me you ‘dear’ also.” Jiku was asking both of them now.

“Goodbye.” They said in unison as the door closed on their mutual friend.

The next moment Jiku was turned around and surveying the state of things and putting her coat and boots away.

“Hey kids.” She said with a flip of her long braid. The two children were eyeing her like sharks eyeing a bleeding fish. At ages three and five, respectively, they knew what to test against a new authority figure. It was going to be interesting.

“Hello, Auntie Jiku.” As polite as they try to be, children are always just a blatant and glaring reminder of the aging process, aren’t they?

“Yes, that is me.” She acknowledged with a certain hint of depression in her voice that was completely lost on her audience.

“So where did mom and dad go?” The elder of the two asked with a sharp expression on his pudgy, underdeveloped face.

“They went to meet with their old people friends for the only time this year they won’t be taking care of you little tykes.” The brown haired woman said taking a place in front of the children with the front hallway just to her back.

“Then what are you?” Good point.

“I’m the babysitter. That means if you make me mad I’m gonna sit on ya. Entiendes?” She laughed and ruffled his hair.

“What?” He exclaimed, trying to wrest her hand from his head to no avail. Children are so weak.

“No, that’s someone else.” She said vaguely, turning her view to the silent younger sister. She was less pudgy but still maintained that childish roundness in her features as she was clutching a stuffed toy. The temporary caretaker was fairly sure that a little blue box wasn’t an appropriate toy for a child.

“I don’t think I like you.” The elder child as he finally was freed from her light grip.

“Good thing I’m not here for you to like me. I’m here to make sure you don’t kill yourself and end up on the 9 o’clock news.” She motioned to the television and the little sister’s eyes widened like she understood. Wow, kids are smart. “I can see the headlines now. Local child cannibalizes younger sibling and then self.’ Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it?”

“I don’t know what cannibalize means.” The brother said flatly.

“It’s when you eat so much you die.” Jiku lied immediately without taking her eyes off of his sister and without changing the knowing smirk on her face.

“You can’t do that.” He protested.

Jiku finally turned to him and leaned in closely. “Wanna test that empirically?”

“No.” He backed away, scared. The parents were not gonna be happy if this was the most memorable part of the night.

“Then let’s not.” Jiku laughed.

“I don’t think I like you.” He said with that face children make when you feed them foods they don’t like.

“I don’t think I do either.”

“I’m gonna tell my parents that you don’t like me.” He threatened. Jiku smiled. This was going well.

“Go ahead. I’ll tell them that you don’t like me.”

“They like me better.”

“Are you sure? Maybe I’m actually their favorite and that’s why I’m in charge today.”

“You’re only in charge ‘cause you’re old.” Ouch.

“And why do I have to be old to be in charge?” Jiku crossed her arms and pouted at him.

“Because mom and dad are old and they only trust old people like them.” The boy said confidently. What Jiku did next, not even she was expecting and it was plainly obvious that both children were completely taken by surprise as well from their reactions.

“Hahahahahahahaha.” As she laughed the two children backed away slightly.

“D-Don’t laugh.” The brother stuttered.

“I’m sorry. I just thought it was awful funny in a really apt and Cosby Show shit kids say kinda way.” Jiku said, removing her glasses to wipe the tears from her eyes.
“You said a bad word.” The little sister finally piped up. Apparently, she was the one who liked following the rules and being good. Good to know.
“I get to say those ‘cause I’m old and degenerate.” Jiku muses to herself for a moment. How well do children remember what you tell them?

“That doesn’t sound good.” The younger sister pressed further. She probably helped keep her slightly more rambunctious sibling in check.

“It isn’t.”

“Don’t you feel bad about it?” The little girl just wouldn’t let up.

“I do.”

“Why don’t you do something about it?” Jeez. There is nothing for this kid.

“‘Cause I can’t. It’s too late for me, kiddo.”

“Too late?”

“You know how you’re supposed to be careful with that vase over there?” Jiku said, pointing at a very expensive looking Chinese vase that she’d spotted on a pedestal in the corner of the living room.

“Yeah. Mom said she’d be very upset if she saw it broken.” The children said together.

“You know why?”

“Because it’s expensive.” The brother said along.

“I’d say because it’s unique and you can’t fix it once it’s broken.”

“Yeah?” He already had an idea in mind. Yup, he was the troublemaker of the two.
“Uh huh. I think life is the same way. No two are exactly the same and once you’ve done something, you can’t undo it. So that’s why you have to be careful with your life before you knock it off that shelf.”

“Hmm. Do you think mom and dad would be upset if I knocked my life off the shelf?” The sister asked with a worried expression.

“Very.”

“Were your parents mad?” She asked.

“Very.”



With that, the children were done talking and asked to watch their daily episode of some cartoon. Jiku consulted with her mental copy of her instructions and decided it was allowable. So as the two watched their show Jiku took a look around the house. It was still pretty kitschy everywhere. They had those rooster things in the kitchen. They had too many extra pillows on their bed. They had it all down to a science. Jiku’s own apartment was still filled with figmas, circuit boards, comics, and textbooks like it had been for the last decade. She wasn’t sure who was being more pathetic at this point. It suddenly didn’t matter when the little sister came up to her and said the show was over.

“How was it?” The caretaker asked as they returned to the first floor together.

“I liked it.”

“Good. I like it when I like things.” The girl seemed to be trying to parse the tautology to no avail. “Don’t worry about it. You’ll get it later.”

“Will I?”
“Yes. When you’re older you’ll understand many things.”

“Will my brother?”

“He will understand many things as well.” Jiku said as they entered the room to find him walking towards the vase. “But he’s gonna understand a few things today if he keeps doing when it looks like.” His head whipped around immediately and his face dropped.

“You were supposed to take longer.” He said disappointedly.

“You can’t do that!” His sister exclaimed, as she rushed over to him and started scolding him. Which one was older again?

“It’s fine, kids. Nothing happened, right?” They both nodded. “And nothing will happen right?” They both nodded. “Then then there is nothing to worry about. So I hear that your parents expect me to be the one to feed you. Do you guys share that expectation?”

“Of course! You can’t starve us to death!” Shouted the brother.

“Haha. Don’t worry, it takes days to starve to death. But it sounds like you’re interested in food. So what do you want?” Jiku asked, making her way to the kitchen. Technically, she’d been told to heat some food up for them and without a car of her own it was one of the few viable options, but if there was something she did enjoy now that she didn’t before it was cooking. So any excuse to try her hand at it, was welcome.

“I want pizza!” The brother demanded.

“Mom and dad left food for us.” The little sister replied.

“They did.” Jiku was somewhat disappointed with her audience, but they’re just kids after all.

“I don’t like meatloaf!” The brother whined.

“What do you like?” As he opened his mouth to respond she amended. “Other than pizza.”

“Nothing.” He groused.

“Well, looks like you’re between a rock and a hard place. You can eat the meatloaf or let me choose what you get to eat.” Jiku’s smirk must have been a sight to behold. “So what’ll it be?”

The boy stared at her obstinately, sure he could come up with a solution to his problem. “I’ll let you decide.” He said carefully.

“Are you happy with this outcome little miss?” Jiku asked his sister.

“Mom and dad left food for us.” She insisted.

“You get meatloaf then.” Jiku said with a clap as if everything was sorted. The little girl tugged at her skirt as she turned though. “Yes?”
“Can I try what you make?” She asked without making direct eye contact. So adorable.

“Of course.”

Several hours later the children were in bed and Jiku was up waiting for her employers to make their way back from the New Year’s party. The kids had convinced her to let them stay up for the ball drop even though she didn’t like watching it. But they had gone to sleep promptly afterwards and were even asking when the next time they’d see her was. Probably never, if Jiku was being honest with herself. It’d gone well this time but there was little reason for her to come back again. The only reason she was even there was because the normal babysitter was busy with a family emergency at the last minute and there was very close to literally no one else who would do it.

Jiku looked at the stairs. Children are terrible little creatures, but these two were okay. She liked Makaze and Saxima.

 

Looks like we're going for a new record.

 

My sincerest apologies folks. Hectic schedules and unexpected illnesses have left myself and this round's guest judges struggling to get things back in order in our own lives.

I'll do what I can to get results up within the next week.

 

Can we just agree that I won :D