[P] Family Reunion

Locke

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Mar 22, 2009
57
The sports field sat empty this morning, most of the students in their classes. Of course, there were half as many not in class, the invisibles and such. Fading white lines and peeling goals decorated the otherwise-unrecognizable field, grass just as long as the rest about it. Someone needed to take an interest in grounds care.

Anyone but Grayson, of course.

Little brown paws thudded in the singular path of semi-wet dirt on the right hand side of the field, the over sized ears and paws of a rottweiler pup. He was the latest in Locke's several dogs, getting a new one just as the last one dies. It bounced happily in the thick mud, pushing around a soccer ball in its attempts to bite the round, black speckled foe.

On the sidelines stood a figure whose appearance dated somewhere between old england and present times. Worn jeans, canvas slip-on shoes, blue-gray shirt, a black umbrella, a yellow-gray scarf, and a black sportscoat that seemed to be made of a material that felt like the child of felt and velvet. The body was youthful and toned, figure straight. The only thing about him that seemed old about him besides his clothes was the gray tipped hairs on his temples.

He thrust his umbrella into the air with a whooping laugh as the pup pushed the ball into the goal. The pup was startled, jumping and running towards the source of the racket with loving, hugging intent. Spotting this immediately, the youth placed a shoe between himself and the mud-sodden beast with adorable eyes and too-big ears.

“No you don't, buddy.” He laughed, bending down to scratch the pup behind the ears.
 

Dahlia Locke

Member
Inactive
Apr 29, 2009
6
Dahlia was new here. Not new as in, she'd been here for a couple of weeks or a few months or even a few days, new as in she just arrived about an hour ago and she had no clue where she was supposed to go. She'd wandered around the halls for a bit, somehow managing to not run into a single person while doing so, until she'd finally found her way outside.

At least it wasn't raining anymore, she thought to herself as she slowly made her way out to the soccer field. Her eyes were trained on the ground in front of her, keeping watch for puddles and heavy mud. She didn't care about getting dirty, mind you, she just didn't want to be too dirty when she finally figured out where she had to go. And besides, she was wearing her favorite jeans, the ones that had been washed so many times they were faded blue with rips in both knees. They weren't too tight, not like the ones that some girls liked, and they weren't so loose that she had to constantly pull them up. Nope, they were just right, nice and comfy. All of her clothes were like that, actually.

A particularly cold gust of wind blew past her and she stopped, shivering. She somehow managed to wrap the old, gray sweatshirt she was wearing more firmly around herself, trying to trap her body heat inside. Once that was accomplished to her satisfaction, she continued on.. Only to stop again when she heard a loud laugh and she looked up, her brown eyes wide in surprise.

There on the sidelines, some distance from her, stood a guy and a small creature. A closer look revealed the creature to be a puppy! The initial shyness that normally kept Dahlia from approaching strangers vanished beneath the prospect of playing with a puppy and so she headed over in their directions, a friendly smile lighting up her face.
 

Locke

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Inactive
Mar 22, 2009
57
Grayson planted the tip of his umbrella into the ground, blunt metal easily sticking in the moist earth. He crouched down, sitting on his heels, rubbing the dog with both hands, flicking off dirt from his black coat, seeming to gleam with a puppy's luster. Admiring him, Grayson didn't notice the girl approaching from behind. He wouldn't have seen her until she were at his back, if the dog hadn't noticed a new face and darted off after her, puppy drool and pointed teeth ready for gnawing.

Locke stood and turned, following the dog's path until his eyes rested on Dahlia. He took her in as he began approaching, noticing the color of her eyes, her short stature. Even her nose drew his attention. Her every feature intrigued him, looked so familiar. He looked over her face, trying to think of what it was.

In a moment he realized why she seemed so intriguing. She had an oddly identical appearance to someone he loved, the female version of his brother. This set him back on his heels for a moment as he stumbled for words.

“Grayson Locke. A pleasure. Haven't seen you around. New?” He grinned, extending an upturned hand.
 

Dahlia Locke

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Inactive
Apr 29, 2009
6
The man had kneeled down with his back to her, playing with the puppy and so he seemed oblivious to her approach. The puppy, however, appeared to spot her immediately. Dahlia let out a laugh, her delight clear on her face as the puppy darted off towards her. She knelt down on a section of ground that was mainly grass, getting only a minimial amount of water and mud on her. The dog added to that amount as it jumped up on her, it's paws leaving muddy streaks on her sweatshirt.

"Aren't you just the cutest!" Dahlia cooed, stroking and petting the puppy as he continued to jump on her. She didn't even seem bothered by his insistant chewing on her fingers though it left little red marks from were the sharp teeth scratched her skin.

She looked up whe the dog's owner approached and she smiled up at him, studying him even as she continued to play with the puppy. He looked vaguely familiar, she realized after only a few seconds. But she obviously hadn't met him before, this was her first time here after all. Maybe she'd met a relative of his?

Dahlia pushed the thought away when Locke introduced himself, offering a hand to her. She rose, much to the puppy's disappointment and shook the offered hand. "Only been here an hour," she replied to his question before something registered in her mind. "Wait, did you say Locke?" Dahlia blinked, starring at him in surprise. "Why, I don't think I've ever met someone with the same last name as me!... Oh, I'm Dahlia Locke," she added, almost as an afterthought.
 

Locke

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Inactive
Mar 22, 2009
57
Grayson paid little attention to her initial comment as he laughed softly. She was shaking his hand. His head tilted forward, he turned her hand and kissed it. “Sorry. I'm old-fashioned.” He chuckled again. Her name froze his tongue, however. The same last name. That was near impossible. No.

Another special Locke?

Just his luck. He'd managed to drop away from his family in all but name, coming to this place, where he could be himself without a second glance from the crowd. And sure enough, not long after he'd come, this girl turned up, finding him after an hour of being on grounds. His sanctum had been invaded.

But how bad could it be?

“Dahlia Locke... curious.” He said quietly, a twinkle in his eye. Below them, the pup sat down and whined. Reaching down, he curled a hand around its chest and pulled him into the crook of his arm, scratching his neck without taking his searching gaze off the girl. Funny, Cole never had any daughters. But Cole was dead, and if she were his she'd be full grown by now. He never did keep tabs on Aaron.

“Say, dear. Who was your grandfather?” He asked, brow furrowed a little.
 

Dahlia Locke

Member
Inactive
Apr 29, 2009
6
Dahlia looked at him oddly, wondering why he was laughing but she got it a moment later when he shifted his grip on her hand so that he could kiss it. Old Fashioned? She wondered, but he doesn't even look twenty! ...Well, he could still be old fashioned and not actually be old, she finally decided before pushing the thought away.

She glanced down and laughed when she heard the puppy whining. He felt left out and unloved, apparently. Grayson didn't waste a moment in picking up the puppy, tucking him into the crook of his arm. "Were you feeling left out?" Dahlia teased, reaching out and petting the puppy again.

"My grandfather?" She repeated in surprise, looking back up to him. Why would he want to know that, she wondered as she searched his face. And did he mean her grandfather on her mother's side or on her father's side? Probably on dad's side, now that she thought about it. After all, the whole last name thing was patriarchal. "My grandpa's name was Cole... Why?"
 

Locke

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Inactive
Mar 22, 2009
57
Locke blinked as she said Cole's name. Well then. This could turn out to be interesting. He grinned, doing the math. The age was about right. He held up a finger to her, thinking it over for a moment. Thinking if he should actually tell her. It would be fun, that much was certain. Having family in the school. And he couldn't think of any bad things about it. Immortality wasn't a big secret. Just nobody asked.

The pup gave an odd chuckling purr sound, snapping his train of thought and making him stare at the dog for a moment, mouth slightly open. “That's odd. Never heard that one before.” He commented to the black and brown rottweiler, who simply continued his pleased look from the petting.

Raising his eyebrows for a moment, he looked back up at Dahlia. “Well. If Cole was your Grandfather, that would make you...” He silently counted to two on his right hand.

“My Great Niece.”
 

Dahlia Locke

Member
Inactive
Apr 29, 2009
6
Dahlia's head tilted to the side as she watched him suddenly grin and she hesitantly smiled back. Apparently her answer had pleased him? Though she wasn't actually sure why. Maybe he had known Grandpa? Or maybe they were now somehow related? Cousins or something? She knew that Grandpa had a brother but he had never mentioned him so maybe the brother had children?

She was drawn from her own thoughts by an odd chuckling sound. She looked down, absently noting that she was still petting the puppy and she realized the puppy had made that noise. Well, it had been a happy sound so he must be enjoying her attention.

"Great Niece?" She repeated his words again, a bad habit of her when she was surprised. But that would mean that he... was Grandpa's brother?! Dahlia blinked, her mouth opening and closing though no words came out. It took her another few seconds before she finally managed to think of something to say. "Are you immortal or something then?"
 

Locke

Well-Known Member
Inactive
Mar 22, 2009
57
Grayson laughed a bit at her reaction. It was entirely what he'd expected. Of all the answers, that was likely one of the least likely. “I suppose that would be the most likely explanation for a 17-year old born in the 1930's.” He smiled at her. “Never did fight in the war. I think I was in school about the fourth time when I thought about it. Cole stopped me though. Had a good head on him. Never would've gotten into medical school, or dropped out of it.” He said, giving her an overload of information.

Petting the pup, he smiled when his tail started flailing, though he showed no signs of getting up. Grayson kissed him on the top of the head, setting him down as he started to move. In an instant the dog ran off to the soccer ball, pushing it out of the goal and across the field.

Slowly the dog made his way to their sides, setting his chin on the ball, looking up with wide, watery eyes. Sighing, Grayson shrugged off his jacket and unwrapped his scarf, setting them on the bleachers. He rested his umbrella against it.

Smiling at his niece, he nodded to the field.

“Shall we?”
 
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