((Logged 6/2/00))

Outside The Orphanage: Front Yard
Contents:
Bishop_Stone
Primera
Renmazuo (Gear)

The sound of the Ethos motorboat roars to a halt below the beach. After a few 
moments--must always remember to tie off the boat, lest it float away--Bishop 
Stone makes his way up the well-trodden path to the Orphanage.

As always, Primera seems to sit a bit away from the other children which make 
their way about the orphanage- she sits off to a corner of her own, never 
unhappilly but simply away.  She casts smiles to the children which stop by, but 
seems all in all amsued with her own little game- she again sits with her legs 
folded beneath her, picking wildflowes with one hand; held carefully in her 
other arm sits a stuffed toy kitten.

Bishop_Stone stops to survey the Orphanage's yard. His hands are not in their 
customary sleeves--no, they are busy trying to keep his various packages from 
the gleeful interest of a few children as they spot him. "Uncle Stone! Uncle 
Stone! For me?" The Bishop dispenses a few pats on heads before shooing them 
back to their games. Such cheer has renewed his own--when he looks up again, the 
smile upon his face is more relaxed. Less concerned with muddle-headed dig 
raiders.

Primera glances up lightly at the chimes and cries of children greeting Bishop 
Stone- she grants a smile, and turns her gaze back down to the flowers at hand.  
Silently, simply all the while.

That smile, out of all the ones delivered to him, is the only one which provokes 
such a response. The Bishop's shoulders sag in a moment of well-earned 
relaxation. All his hard efforts, all his good intentions--perhaps this time 
will be destroyed again, forever, but he has this to remember. The packages 
shift in his arms, and he comes back to himself. Slowly, more alert to any sign 
of rejection or fear in the girl than he has ever been to an enemy, Stone begins 
to walk over.

Whatever happened to the days in which, at the very note of his name, Primera 
would look a shade uneasy?  When his entrance into the orphanage would send her 
edging carefully away?  She merely sits there, as if there were nothing to worry 
of in the world, shifting through the flowers at hand.  She blinks lightly, 
slowly, noting his approach, and glances up, a sort of curious, questioning 
glance on her face at the sight of the packages.  And she -smiles-.

Bishop_Stone lowers himself to his knees as he finally reaches the girl--not 
standing above her to loom for even a moment. "Hello, Primera," he says, almost 
shyly. "Have you been well?" Knowing, as he does, that he will recieve no answer 
to that query, he examines her for evidence that she has been kept healthy. "I 
found some things when I was out that I thought you might like." Unwrapping the 
first tissue-clad package--held carefully between finger and thumb--he reveals a 
perfect tiger-lilly. It is still fresh from its recent passage, with a few 
trails of dew upon its petals.

Primera merely grants a nod in response, although its a faint answer if nothing 
else.   She pauses a moment, that polite smile ever gracing her face, as she 
curiously watches him open the first package.  At the notice of the flower, her 
eyes widen brightly and she sets the wildflowers- somewhat dull looking in 
response- upon her lap and takes it carefully, smiling brightly at it all the 
while.

Bishop_Stone sits back upon his heels. It is a little matter that his robes are 
becoming dirtied at the hems. For these precious times, he will gladly risk the 
wrath of his tailors. "I found it at a specialty florist's in Bledavik. I shall 
have to ask him where he finds such treasures--that was only one of the exotic 
blooms that he keeps. Do you like it?"

Primera spins the flower about slowly, carefully, as if she feared that somehow 
any other sort of treatment would cause it to break away and lose all of its 
simple beauty.  She glances up, a bit surprised looking at the mention of 
Bledavik- he went half across the world to pick this up?  Its somewhat a 
surprising thought, even if not fully correct.  But at his final question, she 
nods enthusiasitcally.

Bishop_Stone nods in response to Primera's surprise. "Bledavik, I fear, has the 
widest range of such joys. The market is filled with things to be found nowhere 
else," He brushes a speck from his knee as he speaks--a firm brush of his thumb 
to keep a stray twig from adhering. "Their food, as well, and the sights to be 
seen. Perhaps you would like to go sometime?"

Primera blinks slowly.. Lightly.  Looking a but unsure at that question.   She 
doesn't like traveling much.. And away from the Orphanage?   From big Brother?  
If he was along too, it'd be fine.  But.. From the way he's been talking, she's 
not sure that it would happen.  With a frown gently hinting at the edge of her 
face, she gives no answer either way, and instead looks indecisive.

"Only a thought," The Bishop remonishes, smiling gently. "When you are older, 
perhaps? And we can bring Billy with us. It will be.. an -outing-." For a time 
he lets that word hang in the air. Summoning visions of the three of them among 
the crowds, no politics nor worries but a simple trip. Then he clears his 
throat, folding away the tissue that protected the tiger lilly and holding the 
other package instead. "Under all my power, I would allow nothing to bother you, 
Primera."

Primera blinks slowly.. Wondering over that image herself for a moment.  Its a 
cute one, a quaint one.  But somehow, it doesn't... seem very right.  She shakes 
that little paranoia away, away.. What use could it have but to cause her to be 
unnecessarily rude again.  She merely allows a pale smile to cross over those 
traces of a frown and worry at his words.

Bishop_Stone does not force the beam of a smile to soothe over his face with a 
false cheer that would be proper to any other. Such relentless benevolance is 
for those poor members of his flock--those who must always see him as strong. 
Instead, he looks quite seriously down to Primera--a stern edge to his shoulders 
which bodes ill for any who would cause his previous statement to be trespassed 
in some manner. Almost sheepishly then, he runs his hand over the tissues of the 
second package. "Here. I found this as well. Would you like to open it?"

Primera blinks lightly, faintly, at the box, drawing out for a moment of that 
little distress of thought and wonder and personal worry at the very thought of 
another gift.  Well.. She's a child. She -likes- presents.   With a flicker of 
curiosity drawing across her dark eyes, she nods, with that touch of joy to her 
actions, holding her hands out to take the present.

Bishop_Stone hands the box over. He is careful not to touch her hand--although 
he might wish to, a slight contact which is simple human affirmation--and sets 
the present into her hands. "This was also in Bledavik. I confess, I was there 
on business, and could not help myself to not stop to pick you up something 
while I was there." A rueful smile lines his face. "Brother Robin was with me--
he wanted to find you a stuffed duck."

Primera shortly, quietly, beneath her breath she grants the faintest of laughs- 
not as bright as the one she granted a few weeks past, in bell chime and wonder 
at bizzare images- but even though its a short sound, a faint sound, it somehow 
holds a meaning to itself.  Robin was that nice Etone who stopped by before, 
right?  She smiles at the very thought.  And with that turns her attention to 
the present- carefully opening it as if in fear to damage it or that within, yet 
with all the enthusiasm that links her with every other child her age.

Bishop_Stone settles back again into a relaxed kneel as he watches Primera 
unwrap the gift. Once opened, the little ballerina begins to spin, accompanied 
by the tinkling chimes of some sonata or the other. These moments. They are what 
keeps him from the worst inside, and he has fought for them so -hard-. With a 
similar enthusiasm, he watches Primera's reaction.

Primera 's eyes merely.. Widen in surpise and awe and so much more, those dark 
brown eyes held absolutely enchanted for a moment.  She watches the little 
ballerina within the box twirl to the chimes of some simple, unfamiliar song, 
and yet she -beams-...  Finally, she manages to glance away from the absolutely 
beautiful box, holding it tightly, happilly, as she glances up to him, her eyes 
alight and bright with as much joy as one can imagine across a little girl's 
face.

Bishop_Stone meets Primera's joy with a growing delight of his own. It is rare 
for the Bishop to smile so widely, and quite so off guard--the stern and calm 
have disappeared, leaving him so open that the merest frown could cut as deeply 
as a blade. "So.. you like it?" he asks--a rhetorical question, but one which he 
must pose out of a pleasure so complete that he must question it before 
accepting its grace. "I'd hoped you would."

Primera nods happilly, enthusiastically- as ever and always, she's unused to 
getting presents- most of her existance about this Orphanage has consisted of 
waiting for big brother to return from his job day by day and wondering where 
her father was off to.  And for all her previous paranoia, she rather wonders -
why-.. the Bishop is really nice, actually.. And of course the moment she begins 
to think so, her brother goes the other way.  Its so -confusing-.  Even so, not 
a worry of such clutters her mind as she hugs the jewlery box happilly, turning 
her joyous gaze back down to the little dancer, as if this were some sort of an 
enchanting, wonderful charm rather than a simple little music box.

Bishop_Stone is loathe to dispel this moment--so precious it is, and so rare. To 
compensate, he speaks quietly instead. "The Brothers and I were in Bledavik on 
our way to Dazil, Primera. I.. won't be around for a while--this was a short 
trip back to check on you." He stops, unwilling to destroy the girl's happiness 
as he knows his words can. "I have receieved information that the person who 
harmed Billy is in that area, and that there might be greater consequences to 
his health. Rest assured--we are doing everything we can to find this man--" his 
hands tighten on his knees. "And Billy will be safe."

The enthusiastic smile that was woven across Primera's face... pales at that.   
To a bit of a worried glance, a concerned glance.   She even goes as far as 
merely -frowning- at the mention of the one who hurt her brother...  Which is a 
bit of a swift and sudden change from her previous distress.  Even so, she nods 
simply, slightly.. She knows anyone who runs around in Ethos garb is off most 
commonly on their job- she has no reason to worry more now than when she does 
when Billy goes away.  At his final words, she manages a weak smile, although 
its touched in worry still.

Bishop_Stone nods in reassurance. "While I am gone, the Etone Erine will be 
about in my absence. Have you met her?" Better, now, that the Orphanage has not 
remained a ground for people to battle in, nor to dwell for lack of anywhere 
else to go. The children were distressed. And that is intolerable. "She is quite 
kind. I should hope that she will not bother you?"

Primera nods simply, shortly at his comment of the new Etone here.   She's only 
met her a few times- that smiling, beaming Etone, so happy its almost unnerving- 
but it hasn't been an unpleasant experience.  Erine -is- somewhat nice.  Merely, 
Primera has not had the chance to meet her....  She attempts to free her smile 
of that worry.  The only thing is.. It seems Erine would smile at -anything-.  
Its lightly unnerving.

For lack of anything better to do with his hands, the Bishop begins to wrap up 
the trash from the packages--for he will -not- reach out to touch Primera's 
shoulder in reassurance. Nor allow the normal affectionate pat on the head that 
he dispenses to the other children. He has worked so hard, and he will -not- 
frighten Primera again if he can help it, even by accident. "You will be well, 
then?" Regret tinges his voice that his schedule does not allow him to stay 
later. "I am afraid that I must get back to Dazil."

Primera grants a nod in response as he speaks his first question- how can she be 
not okay?  Nothing ill ever happens here, and with hope the random fights and 
furies wont resume here.   But, him leaving for Dazil?  That.. that's okay.  Big 
brother seems calmer when the Bishop is away, anyway.  She takes the music box 
tightly in both hands, nodding simply, shortly at his final comment.

Bishop_Stone stands up and back, then, in the same motion. He did not start the 
conversation by shadowing the girl, and shall not end it the same way. "Then... 
yes. I suppose... that is that." The customary phrase is delivered lamely, with 
the tone of a man who simply does not know what to do with himself--so caught 
between two worlds. With previous departures always at the behest of those 
attempting to drive him away or immediate summons from the Ethos, he is 
rather... at a loss. "Then, be safe, Primera." With a final, hesitant look, he 
turns away and begins to walk back to his boat.

Primera nods simply, lightly..  And waves, simply, without moving yet from where 
she sits about the flowers and the grass.  Despite the fact she does so to his 
back, its irrelevant.