OSAT: Chapter 2: The curious and the girly-boy
A small lop-eared lapin eyed the bustling streets carefully, her eyes darting to any, and all, sudden movements. She was looking for someone small, perhaps the size of a child, and upon her features was a look of worry. It was a beautiful fall day, the brightly colored leaves dancing among the spectators as their footsteps carried the fallen plants. The sun was high in the sky, with a few fluffy clouds telling their story of an incoming downpour. It was also the first christening of her husband's new luxury liner, La Colombe Blanche, and the amount of people standing around to watch was almost overwhelming. How exciting could the launching of a boat be? She would never understand, but it was her husband's pride and joy, and it was also the object of his obsessions for three years now. The woman began to pace, muttering to herself and shaking her head. "How could I lose him like that?" she asked herself softly, fanning herself with a small pink lace fan. "Where could he be?"
As she paced back and forth, taking small hopping steps, her ears twitched at the pattering of little footpaws on the concrete. Before she could turn around to see who it might have been, there was a soft tap on her rump that made her assume that it was her honey bunny. A soft blush colored her cheeks under her soft white fur, and she began to turn around, saying, "Okay, darling... I know you're happy about your ship, bu-" She stopped in mid-sentence at the sight of the small, frail boy before her eyes. She also noticed that the people around them began to mutter and back away, and she looked around to watch their reactions for a short while. Shaking her head, she gently dusted off the boy, picked him up and said, "Where are your parents, darling?" From the look on his small, dirty face, and after repeating the question a few more times, she realized that he did not understand her. His head turned to the ship and her gaze followed his movements. A soft gasp escaped her throat and she quickly said, "Oh, you poor, poor thing! Here, let me get you aboard."
At first, she set him down and then she grasped his small hand. With a small smile, she rushed over to the docking platform. "Honey bunny!" she exclaimed, "Don't let the ship leave yet! We've got another passenger!" When she stopped, she was right in front of a man. His stature was small, and he was just a few inches taller than the female rabbit, his pink ears folded in the most fascinating way. A perfectly groomed mustache was placed right under his nose, and a shiny silver chain that was attached to a monocle adorned his face. He looked like a jolly young cat, his looks portraying him a younger age than what he really was. His belly was plump and his shoes shined lightly with each flicker of the sun's light. "Ah, Eloise!" he said, greeting her with a kiss upon each cheek, "So good to see you, my sweet. Yes... So, what is this about another passenger?"
Her blue eyes lit up at the sight of her husband and her lips spread into a sweet smile. "Yes, Bernard," she said softly, "This small pup seems to be lost. But I do believe that his parents are on board and that's where I would like him to go. Is that alright with you, honey?" Bernard's green eyes sparkled and he laughed before nodding happily. "Of course, of course, my dear. As you wish." Eloise knelt down before the small boy and smiled. "It was nice meeting you, little one. But now I have to go search for my son." She patted the boy's head and scooted him onto the platform. "Now, now, go find your mother. Agreed?" With a joyful smile, he watched the platform rise after the boy ran into the cabin, and he cracked a bottle of champagne over the ship's bow, and sent it away with a wave.
"Maman! Maman!" a small girl cried, running over to Eloise. She stumbled and tripped over a part of the crooked sidewalk, landing flat on he small nose. "Oh dear..." Eloise said with a small laugh, walking over to the girl and picking her up. Taking a handkerchief, she wiped the girl's nose and kissed it gently, winking at her. "All better." The girl smiled and watched the boat pull away with the curiosity of a cat, her long tail swishing against her mother's arms. "Maman, has the boat already left? Why didn't it wait until I got here? It must have known that I was coming, so it left before I could see it. Oh, zut alors..." Eloise smiled and giggled at her small daughter. "Oh, Karu, don't be such a spoil sport. It's just a ship. Is it really that big of a deal?"
Her teal eyes glowed with a stubborn determination. "Of course it's a big deal! I wanted to see it! Papa said I could come since I'm older now, and I missed it!" She grumbled under her breath and crossed her arms over her chest, turning her nose to the sky and closing her eyes. She interrupted her own pout to say, "Hey, Maman... Where's Aeishe?" Her mother's worried look returned and she walked over to where the ship was just moments before. "I hope he didn't get on the ship..." she said softly, sighing under her breath.
Bernard then strolled over, a small girl attached to his right leg. He laughed and stopped next to his wife, tapping her shoulder and pointing to the child. "I think our son was attacked by a dress-up monster again," he said softly, and Karu looked down at her little brother with a mischievous grin. "Oh, Papa! That was me who did that!" she exclaimed and her mother set her down and laughed. Aeishe, released his father's leg and tugged at the edge of the white ruffled dress Karu had helped him put on. "Maman," he asked, his voice a squeak, "Do I look pretty like Karu?" Eloise scooped him up and kissed his forehead. "You're as pretty as Karu, yes, but darling... You're a boy..." Aeishe's face flushed and he howled. "I don't wanna be a boy! I don't wanna! I don't wanna have a pee-pee!" His howls continued and he struggled in his mother's arms as Karu giggled and snorted.
As the family made their way down the busy street, Bernard couldn't help but ponder. Where did that boy come from? Was he just a figment of my imagination? Oh well... I won't see him again.