radical_cowgirl | Just a little somethin' to break the monotony [Chessmaster Toly-man]

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Just a little somethin' to break the monotony [Chessmaster Toly-man]

Edward was bored already. The island had gone back to summertime-hot-like, and Ed had already gone splashing in the water, running along the beach and she'd put on and taken off each and every piece of her clothing that was normal again. And now she was bored. BORED-BORED-BORED-BORED-BORED. And lonely. Sure she had Ein and Faye-Faye, but the Spike-person was gone now. Ed liked the Spike-person, he was surly but he wasn't mean and he'd tried to look out for Ed when she first arrived.

She missed him. Ed didn't like missing people, it reminded her that she was always left behind unless she left first and here... here she would only be left behind. Someday Faye-Faye would go, too, maybe even Ein. And Hackerman and Chessmaster and... nope. Edward was not going to think about that.

Looking at the bookcase, she thought she saw something she could read on the top shelf and being Ed, getting a chair or a stool was just out of the question. Not when she could climb, so climb she did, scrambling up the bookcase like it was just another ladder and not even hearing the ominous creak beneath her feet.

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Anatoly had known it was coming but that did not make the transition from winter back into the normal summery weather any less sad. He had enjoyed the chill if not the location the island had turned into and now it would be a year before there would be snow again. There was nothing to be done for it but to go on and get used to the heat.

Still, the return to normal wasn't all bad. No separate buildings for places, no scandalized ghosts and most importantly, he could go back to his normal routine and have everything just the way he liked it.

Cup of tea and chess set in hand, he entered the rec room with every intention of heading over to his usual table. He caught sight of Ed climbing on the shelf and gasped. He dropped the set and tossed his cup on the nearest surface, heedless of the tea spilling out and ran over.

"Ed! Be careful! You will fall!"

Ed did what she always did when an adult shouted, she froze, one hand and one foot in the air, waiting to step onto the next shelf. Was this wrong? She just wanted a book, adults were usually happy when she had books and was reading, but apparently this was bad.

Edward really wished people would tell her these things before she did them.

"What should Edward do?"

Anatoly held his arms out, hoping the shelf would hold her weight long enough. "Jump and I will catch you," he answered. "And then once you are safe, you can tell me which book you wanted and I will be happy to get it for you."

Jump? Edward looked over her shoulder a little suspiciously. No one ever wanted her to jump on them, or at least they always got upset when she did. But the Chessmaster didn't have a jokey look on his face, just... serious. He couldn't get angry if she really did it, could he? It was his idea.

Finally, she decided to do it. She did love jumping on things and off things and over things so with a cry of joy and laughter, she launched herself at her Toly-man and wrapped herself around him.

The shelf held and Anatoly caught Ed as she flew towards him, holding her tightly for a bit then set her gently on the ground. He was reminded of the times he had down the same with his children and had to smile.

"Are you all right?"

"Pilot Edward has come in for a landing." She even gave him a little salute, something she'd seen in pictures in the books. She imagined people in her world still did that, but she didn't really think about it much.

Jumping had been fun though. Even Ed knew she was getting a little too big for such things, but it felt good all the same. She liked the little-kid things, adults were too serious all the time.

"Safe. And. Sound. How is Toly-man, over!" That was right, wasn't it? To say the over at the end?

"Good," Anatoly smiled at her as he returned her salute. If she wanted to be a pilot then he could certainly play along with her. It would be a good thing for them both especially now that the island was back to normal.

"Toly-man is doing very well, over. Shall we get a book or fly around some more, over?"

"Ehhhhh." Edward wasn't sure. "Ed was just looking for something to dooooo, and the book was something. But you're here now, you ca do something with Edward."

Anything, really, she wasn't picky. She just liked spending time with him, even if she couldn't explain it.

There was always chess, of course, but Anatoly thought that perhaps they ought to do something different, just for a little bit. He couldn't quite say why only that it seemed like a parental thing to do and he was fond enough to consider Ed another addition to his quasi-adopted daughter list.

"I would be very happy to do something with you," he said. "I am all yours for the afternoon. What shall we do?"

Edward had to think for a moment. What did she want to do? She thought for a moment and then, with an idea in her head, she offered, "Swimming?"

She even said it in Russian, because if she was going to use the language at all, it should be with the guy who was teaching her class, right? Even if she didn't always pay attention... or even show up. Or be awake even if she was in class.

"Edward is leaning how."

Anatoly would have been happy enough to do whatever Ed asked simply because he was fond of her. Being asked in Russian was just the cherry on top, so to speak and he answered her delightedly. "Swimming sounds wonderful. Shall we go to the waterfall or to the ocean?"

Okay, that was a little much and her head worked to try and translate the phrase. She recognized waterfall and ocean, because they used those in the classes to learn. The places on the island. She had to guess at the rest.

Why couldn't it be like learning new computer code? Edward was good at that learning.

"Ocean?" She guessed, she liked the waves and if she stayed close to the shore it was easy.

"The ocean it is," Anatoly answered in Russian then repeated himself in English for Ed's benefit, She was quick and so it was hard for him to tell sometimes whether he was speaking too fast.

"Yea-hay!" Edward did a little cartwheel right on the spot, excited to have something to do. Even more excited that it was with the Chess-master! The Master of Chess was taking her swimming.

"Edward needs to visit the box for swimming clothes." She abandoned the Russian entirely. "Does Toly-man need to?"

Her glee was infectious and Anatoly simply had to smile fondly at her. "I do," he answered. "I didn't plan for swimming at all so I shall have to hope the box behaves for me."

"C'mon, let's go then." Edward took his hand and started tugging him towards the hallway and the box. The box would be nice, it had to be. Swimming was too special. Too fun.

Spending more of his days this way would not be a terrible thing at all, Anatoly thought as he squeezed Ed's hand and let her lead the way. He lived and breathed chess, yes, but he was finding he was enjoying be a father just as much.

Reaching the box, Edward started plowing through it, looking for something to wear. She wasn't particular, so when she found an old-fashioned swim suit, like turn of the century, she pulled it out with a smile and a laugh.

"Edward likes this one. Your turn!"

Anatoly gingerly rooted around through the box and was rather pleasantly surprised to find a pair of red swim trunks that weren't too objectionable.

"And so we have swim suits without an epic adventure," he said in amusement. "Shall we go change, get some towels and head off?"

"Yes! Ed knows where!" And off she ran to the bathrooms to change and grab an armful of towels. It didn't take her long before she was out again, wearing the strange swimming suit and waiting for Anatoly.

Anatoly laughed softly at her enthusiasm and took the opportunity to go change into his own suit. When he came out of the restroom, he found Ed there with the towels. They both had their suits and their towels so there was only one thing left to do.

He grinned and held out his hand. "To the ocean we go!"

"To the ocean!" She took his hand with a smile. This was nice. It was normal-nice. Like the normal people did. She always saw people swimming, at the waterfall, in the ocean, and it always looks like fun. Like normal fun.

Edward hasn't had much normal in her life. She kinda likes that part of this place.

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Just a little somethin' to break the monotony [Chessmaster Toly-man]

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