issue thirteen of "familiar"
i know nobody cares, but... i want to put this up somewhere. i wrote some new issues. one day i'll draw them.
Olivia sits at an old-fashioned, black desk in her room. In front of her are a laptop, a deck of tarot cards, a vase full of complicated origami flowers made from white and silver paper, several small ceramic cats, each with a burgundy heart painted on its forehead, and a hardcover journal that Olivia is writing in, looking from the journal to the laptop screen.
"The planets are just where I want them!" she suddenly exclaims, causing Bob's eyes to open. Eve jumps down from his chest, and he sits up on the bed.
"Good fortune, today?" he asks, with a slight smile.
"You bet, bucko!" Olivia says, turning to Bob and Eve with bright eyes. "A girl couldn't ask for a better birthday!"
"Olivia!" Koneko calls from the kitchen door. "Special breakfast time!"
Olivia's smile widens into the radiant smile, and Eve chuckles. Olivia, Bob, and Eve get up and head downstairs.
As Olivia opens the kitchen door, Joseph pops a party streamer over her head.
"Our favourite girl is finally 18!" Joseph sings, and gives Olivia a big hug. She turns, so she can put her arms around him.
"Happy birthday, kitten!" says Joseph.
Olivia looks at him sideways.
"Isn't that Granma's name?" she says, shaking her finger at him.
"But don't forget your middle name, Sanura means kitten, too!" says Koneko, putting plates full of strawberry pancakes on the table.
"Oh, my! Pancakes! ... but I'd grown so accustomed to miso soup and rice." says Olivia.
"Oh, don't worry. I made miso shirou as well." says Koneko, with a smile. "You can't start the day right without a bowl."
Koneko starts to ladle soup into decorative little bowls.
"Yayyyy!" says Olivia, and she sits down at her usual place at the large table, next to an empty seat without a plate. Bob sits there, and rests his arm on the table. Joseph, who has been preparing coffee, brings the cups to the table.
"Thank you, Grampa Joseph, Granma Koneko." says Olivia, who then smiles with her eyes closed.
"You're very welcome, sweetheart." says Koneko, bringing the bowls to the table. She kisses the top of Olivia's head.
Olivia digs into the pancakes, and eats with relish for a few minutes.
"Oh! Bob!" she says suddenly, a forkful in midair. "We've never had a birthday for you!" She looks, concernedly, at Bob.
Bob blushes purple, and Eve jumps up on his lap.
"You don't have to worry about that, Olivia. I don't really have a birthday." says Bob, running his hand over Eve.
"Pish-tosh! You certainly do!" says Olivia.
Joseph and Koneko look at each other with raised brows.
Olivia looks at them.
"Oh... I know, guys, that was the day... Mom left. But there's no saying we can't have a celebration! To celebrate Mom's life, and Bob and Eve coming to us!" Olivia finally pokes her forkful in her mouth.
"Well, putting it that way, it does sound nice." says Joseph.
Bob lowers his head.
Eve reaches up and touches Bob's chin with her paw.
"There's no reason to be embarrassed, Bob. You've been quite the friend and helper to Olivia. She just wants to show her appreciation." she says.
"Th... thank you." says Bob quietly.
"Ohhh, Boooob." says Olivia, leaning over to give him a one-armed hug.
===
The bell rings, and students get up from their desks, some heading to the door, some forming little groups. Olivia stays at her desk, shuffling cards.
A lovely girl with auburn, shoulder-length hair and glasses walks over to her.
"What have those told you about today?" she asks Olivia.
"Oh! Chloe!" says Olivia. "They've told me all day that something great will happen! I can feel it, too!"
"Well, that's good for you, then." says Chloe, setting down her bag and taking a seat in front of Olivia. "I wish they could say the same for me."
"Silly Chloe, you've never put any faith in the cards. Believe in your planet alignment!"
Chloe simply rolls her eyes.
"So when should we get ready for your party?" Chloe says, with a hand over her mouth. She looks around the room to see if anyone heard her.
"Oh! Right now!" says Olivia, oblivious to any sideways glances from the rest of the students. "Geoff said he had a surprise for me at his coffee shop, and Alexis looked so excited he was about to pop!"
"And what about..." Chloe leans in and whispers, "Bob?"
"Oh, Bob's probably not doing much." says Olivia in her normal voice. "I don't know why you think you have to whisper about him. He's not a secret!"
Several students have turned to Olivia, then quickly turn back, and chatter quietly amongst themselves.
Chloe looks at them crossly, then turns back with her brows furrowed. Olivia is applying eyeliner.
"Just ignore them. They're idiots." says Olivia, taking out some eyeshadow. "You'd better get started, if you're going to put any warpaint on."
Chloe lets out a big puff of air, and gets her cosmetic case from her bag.
===
Olivia and Chloe walk along a street lined with old-fashioned looking buildings, with very modern-looking shops at street level. Flowers and plants drip down from cast-iron boxes on the second and third levels. Sleek-looking cars with no wheels buzz past.
Olivia grabs Chloe's hand.
"I'm so glad we became friends, Chloe." says Olivia. "After Sister May... disappeared, I got really lonely at school."
"I just saw a lonely, awesome girl, and though she could maybe understand me. A little." says Chloe. She squeezes Olivia's hand, and holds it up. "Right?"
"Yeah... but you still haven't told me everything..." says Olivia, looking down. "Maybe the cards are telling us that that time is coming."
Chloe blushes, and looks away,
"Maybe..." she says quietly.
Quickly, she looks behind her. Something moves behind a potted plant.
"I think there's someone following us." she says to Olivia.
"Well, good. They can share in my surprise when we get to Nectar!" Olivia says ebulliently.
They walk for a few more blocks, then come to the front of Nectar, Geoff's coffee shop.
Olivia stops at the door, and waits for a few minutes. Two boys and a girl, the boys with spiky hair, the girl with a pageboy-cut, and disarranged school uniforms, finally show themselves behind them.
Olivia turns to face them. Chloe hides behind her shoulder.
"It's about time you guys showed yourselves." says Olivia. "What might you want from us?"
The taller boy stands forward.
"We're just... curious about you. Your parents were both mysteriously killed, then you went missing for a couple weeks, and now, so many years later, you only have one friend, and rumor has it that you're going to be a fortune-teller like your mom. What's up with you?" The taller boy crosses his arms.
The other boy puts his hands in his pockets, and looks down, and the girl bites her lip and twirls a forelock.
Olivia's radiant smile returns.
"You should have just come up and asked me!" Olivia beams at the taller boy, His eyes widen a little with shock as she comes forward, extracts his hand from his crossed arms, and shakes it.
"I'm Olivia, and this pretty thing is Chloe. What are your names?" Her smile never fades.
"Um... I... I'm Scott, that's Chris, and this is Sofia."says the taller boy, pointing to each of them in turn.
"Well, my dears, I'm about to have a birthday party! Would yo like to come along?" Olivia's eyes sparkle.
"That would be cool!" says Chris, a crooked smile on his face, Sofia looks at him, and smiles, too.
"Okay! First, this is my friend Geoff's coffee shop, where he says he has a surprise for me. Let's go in, shall we?" Very amused, Olivia opens the door.
The three walk in slowly, followed by Olivia and Chloe.
"I didn't know she was friends with this guy! He's wicked keen!" Sofia says quietly to her friends.
"Olivia, my sweet!" says Alexis, behind the counter. "You're just in time! Geoff is out back, finishing up your gift. And you have brought friends, how marvelous!" Alexis looks over the four people Olivia has brought in.
"Of course, I know the lovely Miss Chloe, but these other three?" says Alexis.
"These are friends I just happened to make! Scott, Chris, and Sofia." Olivia says, pointing to them.
"Always wonderful to meet friends of Olivia's." says Alexis, stepping around the counter to shake their hands. They smile, and continue to look confused.
Geoff walks in from the back, wiping his hands on a cloth. Sofia's hands go to her mouth.
"Ah, Olivia! Just who I wanted to stop in! Your surprise awaits!" says Geoff, his curled lips making the widest smile they can.
Olivia runs into his arms.
"I can't imagine what it is!" she purrs.
"Well, let's go see!" says Geoff, looking down at her.
Geoff and Alexis head for the back door. Olivia beckons to Scott, Chris, and Sofia. Chloe puts her hands over Olivia's eyes, getting a "Hmph!" from her.
Everyone heads outside.
"Wowwwww." says Chloe, and she takes her hands from Olivia's eyes.
What Olivia sees: a small hoverbus, painted to the nines with a black forest, sugar skulls, tarot cards, black cats, owls, and a giant, shining moon. Inside, a small chandelier glows from the middle, and black lace curtains line the windows.
"Ohhhhh!! Geoff, is... this mine?!" Olivia cries, out of breath.
"You wanted to be a traveling fortune teller!" says Geoff, taking Olivia by the hand. "Let's check out the inside."
Chloe, Scott, Chris, and Sofia all stand with their mouths wide open. Alexis leans back with his arms crossed, like a proud papa.
Geoff leads Olivia on board. Inside, the bus is like Olivia's dream.
"See, there's a table and two chairs to do card and palm readings, there's a bookshelf for all the books you may need, and a sofa and coffee table for reading and relaxing. And, I didn't forget, an electric kettle and cupboard for tea. And here's a covered desk for all your cards and whatnots." Geoff leans his horns out of the way of the chandelier so Olivia can have a good look.
"And back heeeeere, if you can get around the sofa, we built a little bedroom." Geoff opens a tiny door and walks in. Olivia follows, and gasps at the queen-sized bed made up with black lace bedclothes, a small dresser in the corner, and a thin shower stall/ bathroom in the other corner.
"This way, you can park in an RV park and have a place to live." says Geoff.
"Oh, Geoff! It's so much more that I could have hoped for! And it's so beautiful! Oh, thank you, so much!" She throws herself into his arms. "Waiiit... how much did this cost?"
"Not much. And I'm tellin' ya, I know people. This was a party for them!" Geoff scoffs. "Plus, Alexis helped out, so you need to go show him some love."
"Oh!" cries Olivia, who flies out of the bus and into Alexis's arms. "Thank you guys so, so much! I don't know what to do, I'm so happy!"
"Can we have a look?" asks Chloe, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh! Yes! My first guests!" enthuses Olivia. "Come in, come in!"
Olivia leads them all inside. They look around in wonder at the spooky interior.
"This is *too* rad!" says Sofia, flopping down on the sofa. Chris does the same.
Scott sits at the table.
"So..." he says to Olivia. "read my palm."
Olivia blushes, anad Chloe pushes her forward.
"You've got to start somewhere!" she says to Olivia.
Olivia sits across from Scott, and takes his hand in both her own. Immediately, her brows furrow.
"What is it?" Scott says, leaning forward to look at his palm, too.
"Your lifeline... is nearly nonexistent." says Olivia solemnly. "You're going to die very soon."
Olivia sits at an old-fashioned, black desk in her room. In front of her are a laptop, a deck of tarot cards, a vase full of complicated origami flowers made from white and silver paper, several small ceramic cats, each with a burgundy heart painted on its forehead, and a hardcover journal that Olivia is writing in, looking from the journal to the laptop screen.
"The planets are just where I want them!" she suddenly exclaims, causing Bob's eyes to open. Eve jumps down from his chest, and he sits up on the bed.
"Good fortune, today?" he asks, with a slight smile.
"You bet, bucko!" Olivia says, turning to Bob and Eve with bright eyes. "A girl couldn't ask for a better birthday!"
"Olivia!" Koneko calls from the kitchen door. "Special breakfast time!"
Olivia's smile widens into the radiant smile, and Eve chuckles. Olivia, Bob, and Eve get up and head downstairs.
As Olivia opens the kitchen door, Joseph pops a party streamer over her head.
"Our favourite girl is finally 18!" Joseph sings, and gives Olivia a big hug. She turns, so she can put her arms around him.
"Happy birthday, kitten!" says Joseph.
Olivia looks at him sideways.
"Isn't that Granma's name?" she says, shaking her finger at him.
"But don't forget your middle name, Sanura means kitten, too!" says Koneko, putting plates full of strawberry pancakes on the table.
"Oh, my! Pancakes! ... but I'd grown so accustomed to miso soup and rice." says Olivia.
"Oh, don't worry. I made miso shirou as well." says Koneko, with a smile. "You can't start the day right without a bowl."
Koneko starts to ladle soup into decorative little bowls.
"Yayyyy!" says Olivia, and she sits down at her usual place at the large table, next to an empty seat without a plate. Bob sits there, and rests his arm on the table. Joseph, who has been preparing coffee, brings the cups to the table.
"Thank you, Grampa Joseph, Granma Koneko." says Olivia, who then smiles with her eyes closed.
"You're very welcome, sweetheart." says Koneko, bringing the bowls to the table. She kisses the top of Olivia's head.
Olivia digs into the pancakes, and eats with relish for a few minutes.
"Oh! Bob!" she says suddenly, a forkful in midair. "We've never had a birthday for you!" She looks, concernedly, at Bob.
Bob blushes purple, and Eve jumps up on his lap.
"You don't have to worry about that, Olivia. I don't really have a birthday." says Bob, running his hand over Eve.
"Pish-tosh! You certainly do!" says Olivia.
Joseph and Koneko look at each other with raised brows.
Olivia looks at them.
"Oh... I know, guys, that was the day... Mom left. But there's no saying we can't have a celebration! To celebrate Mom's life, and Bob and Eve coming to us!" Olivia finally pokes her forkful in her mouth.
"Well, putting it that way, it does sound nice." says Joseph.
Bob lowers his head.
Eve reaches up and touches Bob's chin with her paw.
"There's no reason to be embarrassed, Bob. You've been quite the friend and helper to Olivia. She just wants to show her appreciation." she says.
"Th... thank you." says Bob quietly.
"Ohhh, Boooob." says Olivia, leaning over to give him a one-armed hug.
===
The bell rings, and students get up from their desks, some heading to the door, some forming little groups. Olivia stays at her desk, shuffling cards.
A lovely girl with auburn, shoulder-length hair and glasses walks over to her.
"What have those told you about today?" she asks Olivia.
"Oh! Chloe!" says Olivia. "They've told me all day that something great will happen! I can feel it, too!"
"Well, that's good for you, then." says Chloe, setting down her bag and taking a seat in front of Olivia. "I wish they could say the same for me."
"Silly Chloe, you've never put any faith in the cards. Believe in your planet alignment!"
Chloe simply rolls her eyes.
"So when should we get ready for your party?" Chloe says, with a hand over her mouth. She looks around the room to see if anyone heard her.
"Oh! Right now!" says Olivia, oblivious to any sideways glances from the rest of the students. "Geoff said he had a surprise for me at his coffee shop, and Alexis looked so excited he was about to pop!"
"And what about..." Chloe leans in and whispers, "Bob?"
"Oh, Bob's probably not doing much." says Olivia in her normal voice. "I don't know why you think you have to whisper about him. He's not a secret!"
Several students have turned to Olivia, then quickly turn back, and chatter quietly amongst themselves.
Chloe looks at them crossly, then turns back with her brows furrowed. Olivia is applying eyeliner.
"Just ignore them. They're idiots." says Olivia, taking out some eyeshadow. "You'd better get started, if you're going to put any warpaint on."
Chloe lets out a big puff of air, and gets her cosmetic case from her bag.
===
Olivia and Chloe walk along a street lined with old-fashioned looking buildings, with very modern-looking shops at street level. Flowers and plants drip down from cast-iron boxes on the second and third levels. Sleek-looking cars with no wheels buzz past.
Olivia grabs Chloe's hand.
"I'm so glad we became friends, Chloe." says Olivia. "After Sister May... disappeared, I got really lonely at school."
"I just saw a lonely, awesome girl, and though she could maybe understand me. A little." says Chloe. She squeezes Olivia's hand, and holds it up. "Right?"
"Yeah... but you still haven't told me everything..." says Olivia, looking down. "Maybe the cards are telling us that that time is coming."
Chloe blushes, and looks away,
"Maybe..." she says quietly.
Quickly, she looks behind her. Something moves behind a potted plant.
"I think there's someone following us." she says to Olivia.
"Well, good. They can share in my surprise when we get to Nectar!" Olivia says ebulliently.
They walk for a few more blocks, then come to the front of Nectar, Geoff's coffee shop.
Olivia stops at the door, and waits for a few minutes. Two boys and a girl, the boys with spiky hair, the girl with a pageboy-cut, and disarranged school uniforms, finally show themselves behind them.
Olivia turns to face them. Chloe hides behind her shoulder.
"It's about time you guys showed yourselves." says Olivia. "What might you want from us?"
The taller boy stands forward.
"We're just... curious about you. Your parents were both mysteriously killed, then you went missing for a couple weeks, and now, so many years later, you only have one friend, and rumor has it that you're going to be a fortune-teller like your mom. What's up with you?" The taller boy crosses his arms.
The other boy puts his hands in his pockets, and looks down, and the girl bites her lip and twirls a forelock.
Olivia's radiant smile returns.
"You should have just come up and asked me!" Olivia beams at the taller boy, His eyes widen a little with shock as she comes forward, extracts his hand from his crossed arms, and shakes it.
"I'm Olivia, and this pretty thing is Chloe. What are your names?" Her smile never fades.
"Um... I... I'm Scott, that's Chris, and this is Sofia."says the taller boy, pointing to each of them in turn.
"Well, my dears, I'm about to have a birthday party! Would yo like to come along?" Olivia's eyes sparkle.
"That would be cool!" says Chris, a crooked smile on his face, Sofia looks at him, and smiles, too.
"Okay! First, this is my friend Geoff's coffee shop, where he says he has a surprise for me. Let's go in, shall we?" Very amused, Olivia opens the door.
The three walk in slowly, followed by Olivia and Chloe.
"I didn't know she was friends with this guy! He's wicked keen!" Sofia says quietly to her friends.
"Olivia, my sweet!" says Alexis, behind the counter. "You're just in time! Geoff is out back, finishing up your gift. And you have brought friends, how marvelous!" Alexis looks over the four people Olivia has brought in.
"Of course, I know the lovely Miss Chloe, but these other three?" says Alexis.
"These are friends I just happened to make! Scott, Chris, and Sofia." Olivia says, pointing to them.
"Always wonderful to meet friends of Olivia's." says Alexis, stepping around the counter to shake their hands. They smile, and continue to look confused.
Geoff walks in from the back, wiping his hands on a cloth. Sofia's hands go to her mouth.
"Ah, Olivia! Just who I wanted to stop in! Your surprise awaits!" says Geoff, his curled lips making the widest smile they can.
Olivia runs into his arms.
"I can't imagine what it is!" she purrs.
"Well, let's go see!" says Geoff, looking down at her.
Geoff and Alexis head for the back door. Olivia beckons to Scott, Chris, and Sofia. Chloe puts her hands over Olivia's eyes, getting a "Hmph!" from her.
Everyone heads outside.
"Wowwwww." says Chloe, and she takes her hands from Olivia's eyes.
What Olivia sees: a small hoverbus, painted to the nines with a black forest, sugar skulls, tarot cards, black cats, owls, and a giant, shining moon. Inside, a small chandelier glows from the middle, and black lace curtains line the windows.
"Ohhhhh!! Geoff, is... this mine?!" Olivia cries, out of breath.
"You wanted to be a traveling fortune teller!" says Geoff, taking Olivia by the hand. "Let's check out the inside."
Chloe, Scott, Chris, and Sofia all stand with their mouths wide open. Alexis leans back with his arms crossed, like a proud papa.
Geoff leads Olivia on board. Inside, the bus is like Olivia's dream.
"See, there's a table and two chairs to do card and palm readings, there's a bookshelf for all the books you may need, and a sofa and coffee table for reading and relaxing. And, I didn't forget, an electric kettle and cupboard for tea. And here's a covered desk for all your cards and whatnots." Geoff leans his horns out of the way of the chandelier so Olivia can have a good look.
"And back heeeeere, if you can get around the sofa, we built a little bedroom." Geoff opens a tiny door and walks in. Olivia follows, and gasps at the queen-sized bed made up with black lace bedclothes, a small dresser in the corner, and a thin shower stall/ bathroom in the other corner.
"This way, you can park in an RV park and have a place to live." says Geoff.
"Oh, Geoff! It's so much more that I could have hoped for! And it's so beautiful! Oh, thank you, so much!" She throws herself into his arms. "Waiiit... how much did this cost?"
"Not much. And I'm tellin' ya, I know people. This was a party for them!" Geoff scoffs. "Plus, Alexis helped out, so you need to go show him some love."
"Oh!" cries Olivia, who flies out of the bus and into Alexis's arms. "Thank you guys so, so much! I don't know what to do, I'm so happy!"
"Can we have a look?" asks Chloe, her eyes sparkling.
"Oh! Yes! My first guests!" enthuses Olivia. "Come in, come in!"
Olivia leads them all inside. They look around in wonder at the spooky interior.
"This is *too* rad!" says Sofia, flopping down on the sofa. Chris does the same.
Scott sits at the table.
"So..." he says to Olivia. "read my palm."
Olivia blushes, anad Chloe pushes her forward.
"You've got to start somewhere!" she says to Olivia.
Olivia sits across from Scott, and takes his hand in both her own. Immediately, her brows furrow.
"What is it?" Scott says, leaning forward to look at his palm, too.
"Your lifeline... is nearly nonexistent." says Olivia solemnly. "You're going to die very soon."