ZUBA: A New Acquaintance (short story draft, script)

I: *appears out of the pot of soup, a dark-blue haired, little, scruffy, horned man with a stubbly chin, pointed ears, keen black eyes, and shabby brown and gray clothes, a pair of small, clear wings on his back and his feet bare* Hm... this is a strange bath you're making for your ferret... *tastes it* ...Pretty easy on the taste buds, though...

C: Aaagh! *drops the spoon in her surprise, stumbling back from the stove as it clatters to the ground and sends droplets of broth everywhere* W...what the hell!? WHO or WHAT are you? And...and how do you know about Bandit!? *stares accusingly*

I: Oh! *quits his sampling of the soup after a bite of carrot* Hey there! I've been waiting for you to boil some water for a spell, but you don't do that much, do ya? ^^

C: ...w...well, no, I guess not... but that didn't answer my question... *steps closer warily, recovering from her initial shock, now more on her usual guard* Get to explaining. What are you... and why are you so bloody short?

I: I'mmmm your fairy godmother! *jazz hands*

C: ...what? *raises an eyebrow, slightly sneering, hand resting on her hip* ...You've got to be f*cking kidding me... I'm no Cinderella.

I: *chuckles* Just kiddin'! Yooou, Missus, can think of me as a sorta... guardian... *floats up and pinches her cheek* heree to heelp yooou...

C: *swats at his hand* Sod off!

I: Ohohoo, I haven't heard that one since I was in England! ^^ Such a dirty mouth on ya... we're gonna get along just dandy.

C: Yeah, well... wait, what? You said England. Not Rochester. You're not from here...?

I: Ohh nooo, of course not! ^^ *giggles* I'm from waaaay... far away. *pulls out some kind of homemade-looking roll-up and lights it*

C: Hey hey, don't smoke in here! I've got kids! And you're on the STOVE! That shit can't be safe... *bats at him*

I: Eee...! *floats out of the soup and flutters over out of reach* Stop that, stop that! It's not really affecting anything here anyway! I'm not real like that!

C: ...hold on, you're... not...? *pauses in her shooing and swatting* So what, you're like a fairy...? Or only I can see you or something? Because my husband already thinks I'm crazy enough as it is.

I: Oh, don't worry about thaat, I'm not imaginary... or a fairy, thank you very much. Vain little buggers. No, I'm more like... an Imp. And children and anyone who is magically sensitive enough will be able to see me. So that means you and your kids, and... I'm not sure about your hubby. It's possible. *puffs on his little cigar, purple smoke curling*

C: Huh. So you're... some kind of guardian. But you're not from my world. So that means... you've got to be from somewhere else I've been that has magic. But that's a pretty open-ended question... almost better to ask where HAVEN'T I been with magic? Not exactly like I know where does and doesn't for sure...

I: Oooh... a riddle. ^^ Sounds fun.

C: ...You're not going to tell me, are you?

I: I like you. You answer your own questions. ^^ Most humans I've met are dumb.

C: ...I'm not sure if that was sarcastic or not but I'm going to pretend for my sake that it wasn't. Thanks. So uh... what do I call you?

I: Oh, you get to choose! My charge chooses the one name I am to be known by during my entire stay with them. Anything you want. My reeeal name is Imp, but those who prefer more "human" sounding names have gone with, oh say, Ignacio, or Ivan or... *cringes* ...Iggy, for short.

C: *smirks a little* I see... and which of these do you prefer, again?

I: Oh Imp, easily! ^^

C: Iggy it is, then.

I: Oh tha--heeeey! ...I should have seen that coming. You're not nice...

C: Eh, I have my moments. Anyway, nice to meet ya, Iggy or Eggy or whatever. Keep quiet and stay out of the way and maybe you won't get trodden under foot or chewed on.

I: W-what...?

C: Have you met Avello? *jerks a thumb outside*

I: O-oh yes... *shivers* ...your dragon, yes... he tried to eat me when I tried appearing out of your hot tub.

C: *grins slightly and makes a mental note to herself* Give Avello the biggest damn porkchop he's ever seen later. *ahem* Oh that's too bad. He means well.

I: Of course... so, when's this bath ready...? *looks again at the soup hopefully, wafting the savory smell*

C: Firstly, it's soup. You know, broth, veggies, meat, noodles, sometimes rice. Food. And it'll be ready in two minutes if you quit distracting me and hoverin' around.

I: All right... *puts out his cigar and tucks the leftover behind his ear, rubbing his stubbly little chin* ...maaybe I'll go check out the digs. Seems like a nice house. Is that okay...?

C: Fine... just don't spook anyone or upset my kids. We're talkin' this guardian thing out more later, though. I want details. And there WILL be rules.

I: Deal, lady! ^^

C: Good... *groans when he leaves and goes back to her cooking, the soup seemingly unaffected at all by his earlier wading, bathing, and eating*


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Savirox Fanaren (8:22:27 PM): ( erm... an imp? )
superaikies (8:23:08 PM): (like a mischievious little fantastical creature)
From Wiki: "An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.

"Imps are often described as mischievous more than seriously threatening, and as lesser beings rather than more important supernatural beings. The attendants of the devil are sometimes described as imps. They are usually described as lively and having small stature.

"To this end it came to be believed that imps were the familiar spirit servants of witches and warlocks, where the little demons served as spies and informants. During the time of the witch hunts, supernatural creatures such as imps were sought out as proof of witchcraft, though often the so called 'imp' was typically a black cat, lizard, toad or some other form of uncommon pet."