This act turned out to be really long, and I'm sorry if it's a bit too much, but there's no real way to split it neatly, so I'm just going to run with it. Enjoy!

~Act One~

Diskette crept up the steps of a big blue house. There were lights on, and happy sounds came from the open windows around the door. Maybe these people will let me stay with them for a while... she thought.

She tapped softly at the door and waited, hoping they had heard her. After a minute she heard footsteps on the other side of the door and then it was opened by a woman with dark hair. She looked out into the dark for a moment before seeing Diskette. Suddenly Diskette was intimidated.

"Um... um... I'm... um," she stammered. Suddenly the woman knelt down to Diskette's level.

"Hi there," she said kindly. "What's your name?"

Diskette looked down for a second and mumbled, "Dis-Diskette..."

"What a pretty name! My name is Paprika. May I ask how old you are?"

"I'm seven... but I'm almost eight," Diskette said, gaining a little bit of confidence.

"Wow, what a big girl you are, then! Would you like to come in?"

Diskette looked up hopefully. "Is... is that okay?"

"Certainly. Come on in." Paprika gestured into the house to indicate that she should enter. As Diskette quietly stepped in, Paprika called into the house.

"Lux, Margette, Felia! We have a guest!" From the room up two flights of stairs came three people: a man, presumably Paprika's husband, and two girls that Diskette assumed were their daughters.

"This is Diskette. She's our visitor for tonight."

The younger -or at least shorter- of the two girls stepped forward. "Hi Diskette," she said. "I'm Felia. It's so nice to meet you." Diskette smiled shyly.

"And I'm Margette," said the older girl. "We were just about to sit down to eat. Would you like to join us?" Diskette looked up at Paprika unsurely.

"Is... is that okay?" Paprika smiled reassuringly and nodded. Diskette smiled a little wider. "Okay. Thank... Thank you very much."

She followed the group up the stairs into the kitchen, where the table was set with plates for four. Paprika quickly went to the cupboard and set another place at the long end of the L-shaped table.

The rest of the family started for their usual chairs, but Diskette hung back. Margette noticed her still standing by the stairs and beckoned her over. Diskette walked over to where the older girl stood, next to the table.

"You can sit here, next to me. Felia won't mind moving... right, Felia?"

Felia opened her mouth, but then, seeing the look on Margette's face, she nodded and went to sit on the long end of the table by the fish tank (which Diskette had just noticed). Diskette held back a giggle at the way Margette had convinced her. Sliding into the chair closest to the turn in the table, Diskette noticed the food on the table.

Diskette was sure she'd never seen that much food before. And all of it was made for just four people! She tried not to gasp.

Paprika put a little of each of the dishes on Diskette's plate for her, as she was doing for the rest of her family, and Diskette smiled gratefully. After everyone was ready to eat, Paprika spoke up.

"So Diskette, you said you were almost eight, right?"

Diskette nodded. "Yes... yes ma'am."

"Oh goodness, don't call me 'ma'am'. I'm not that old, not just yet." Paprika winked at Diskette before continuing. "When do you turn eight?"

Diskette thought for a second. "I think... I think it's in January..." she trailed off. Paprika didn't seem phased by the fact that Diskette didn't know for sure, even though, Diskette supposed, it was odd.

Diskette took a bite of the food on her plate. Her eyes widened. "This is very good," she said.

"I'm glad you like it."

Diskette quietly tucked into her food for a few minutes. Suddenly she felt something pressing at her leg. She discreetly looked under the table. "Oh!" she exclaimed, grinning. "Who is this?"

"That's Chessa, our miniature horse. Don't mind her," said Felia. "She probably thinks that you'll give her some of your food because you're new around here and don't know that she doesn't get scraps." Diskette giggled.

"Hey, Diskette?"

"Yes?" Diskette looked up at Felia again. Out of the corner of her eye, Diskette saw Paprika gesturing to her daughter, but she didn't make out the exact meaning.

"Where are your parents?" Paprika pressed a hand to her forehead, shaking her head.

"Well... um... see, I... uh," Diskette stammered. "...I don't actually know."

"Oh..." said Felia, realizing why her mom had tried to stop her. Diskette looked down at her plate. As awkward as she felt, she felt just a bit hungrier, so she continued to eat.

She heard Felia sigh in relief, apparently a reaction to her eating. Wow, she was actually worried about me, thought Diskette.

After everyone finished eating, Diskette politely helped clear the dishes away. Then she just stood there in the kitchen, watching the fish in the tank and wondering what she should do next. She didn't hear Margette coming up behind her and jumped when Margette laid a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, it's not a problem."

"Good. We're going to watch a movie, if you want to stick around and watch it with us."

"Alright. That sounds like fun." Diskette smiled and followed Margette into the living room, taking a seat next to her on one of the couches.

Part way through the movie, she started to feel tired. She thought it was probably because she hadn't eaten that well for a while and it was making her sleepy.

Before she knew it, she was leaning in the corner of the couch, fast asleep.

When the movie ended, Paprika ushered Felia off to bed. "But Mo-om, I'm not tired!" Paprika insisted, however, and in the end Felia complied. Soon after Margette also went to bed, and then Lux and Paprika were the only ones left, besides Diskette.

"So what do you make of her?" asked Lux.

"I think she's sweet... It's sad she doesn't have parents, isn't it?"

"Yeah." Lux was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at his wife and she looked back, and they both knew what they would do.

"We have the room. We never got rid of the extra beds in the kids’ room from when I was growing up here. And she's such a little thing. We can't let her just... go."

"You're right. Looks like we gained a third daughter tonight."

"We can tell her in the morning. For now, let's let her sleep." Paprika got up and pulled a blanket from the cabinet under the book shelf. She carefully laid it over Diskette and brushed aside a strand of the girl's red hair.

The two left the room, shutting off the light before going to bed themselves.

~Act Two~

Diskette muttered under her breath as she attempted to fit one final cardboard box into the back of her car. She was pushing on it with all her might when Paprika appeared beside her and helped her to press it into the small space remaining.

Diskette shook her head and laughed ruefully. “Why do I have so much stuff? I can’t imagine trying to fit all this into a dorm room.”

Paprika patted her adopted daughter’s shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t worry; I’m sure you’ll have plenty of room.”

Diskette pushed her bangs out of her eyes and smiled. “I hope you’re right. Is it weird that I’m so nervous?”

“Of course not, sweetie. Margette and Felia felt exactly the same way before they left, remember? Once you’ve been there for a while, you’ll settle right in.”

At eighteen, Diskette was preparing to leave to go to VFU for her college education. She was majoring in Ceramics and was really looking forward to getting started.

“Are you sure you and Dad are going to be okay without me around the house?” she asked for the umpteenth time.

Paprika laughed. “Of course! Just because I have a few more gray hairs than I did when you first showed up on the doorstep doesn’t mean I’m an old lady just yet.”

“Oh, that night!” Diskette exclaimed, referring to the night she first met her family. “You have no idea how scared I was to knock on that door. I felt so silly; I was basically begging for a family.”

“You see! You were scared and nervous then and everything turned out just fine! And how do you feel now? Exactly the same way. History has a way of repeating itself, so this adventure is sure to be just as rewarding.”

“What’s this? My Diskette is worried about college? Say it isn’t so!”

Diskette giggled as she turned to face her adoptive father. “Just butterflies, Dad!”

“That school won’t know what hit it when you get there. Watch out VFU, here she comes!”

“Dad, you said the same thing to Felia and Margette. I was here, remember? You can’t fool me with that!”

“Funny, Felia never said anything about me using the same line on Margette…” He grinned slyly.

“Oh, come on you two,” Paprika interrupted. “Now’s not the time to—”

“We’re just having some fun before I go, Mom. Don’t worry about it.” Paprika just shook her head.

Diskette checked her watch. “Well, I suppose I should get going. It’s a long drive. I’m going to miss you guys so much!”

“We’ll miss you just as much. Here, this is your going away present, from both of us.” Paprika pushed a thick photo album into Diskette’s hands. “It’s pictures from when you were growing up.”

Diskette looked down at the book and ran one hand over the smooth red cover. Then she threw her arms around both Paprika and Lux. “Thank you guys so much,” she said softly. “For everything. You’ve been… absolutely amazing and... so much more than I could have ever wished for.”

Diskette climbed into her car, setting the photo album on the passenger seat. She carefully adjusted her mirrors and began to back out of the driveway.

“Take care of yourself!” called Paprika.

“Knock ‘em dead, my girl! Show those collegiate kids who’s boss!”

Diskette laughed and waved as she drove away.

Act three already? Wow! lol Enjoy!

~Act Three~

A small blue car pulled into the driveway in front of the light blue house. A moment after parking, Diskette climbed out of the driver’s seat and just stood for a moment, looking at the house she hadn’t seen for over a year.

“I still can’t believe it,” she said, shaking her head. “Why did they choose me to take the house when they moved?”

Lux and Paprika had decided to move to a warmer clime and (being that the house just sort of needed people in it) they decided that one of the girls should live in it after they left. What Diskette didn’t understand was why they had chosen her. She was adopted; shouldn’t the house go to one of the biological daughters?

...Well, it did make sense if you thought about it long enough. After all, both Margette and Felia were married already; Margette with two children and Felia expecting in the fall. It wouldn’t be fair for either of them to have to pack up and move, even if it was for the chance to live in their childhood home.

Nodding resolutely to herself, Diskette walked up the familiar wood steps and let herself in the front door. She stepped in and wandered around for a few minutes, just taking time to remember, before going back out to her car to bring in her belongings.

After her boxes were piled in the front hall, Diskette started her unpacking by letting her cat, Aya, out of her carrier. The cat was immediately off and running to check out her new surroundings. Diskette smiled as she watched the cat disappear around a corner.

Turning to the large pile of moving boxes, Diskette blew out a breath and picked up the nearest one. She checked the label and carried it into the bathroom, setting it on the floor by the counter. She hesitated for a moment and then decided she would sort the boxes and unpack them when she finished that task.

It was late afternoon by the time she finished all her work. She heaved a sigh of relief and went into the kitchen to throw together a meal. After putting it in the oven and starting the timer, she made her way to the office to check her email.

She bit her lip hopefully as the email program logged on and checked for new messages. She was hoping to hear from Font, the man she had been corresponding with via an online dating service. To her delight, there was one new message in her inbox, and it was from Font. She clicked on it and started reading.

Font congratulated her on getting to live in such a nice house once more and mentioned how that meant they lived much closer than before, only an hour’s drive by car. Past that was small talk, the same kind of stuff they normally emailed to each other. Smiling at his sign off, Diskette quickly typed up a reply, telling him how she was now in the house and officially unpacked.

She heard the timer on the stove beeping at her, quickly sent the email and hurried off to take her dinner out of the over before it burned.

Later that evening, as she was washing the dishes, she heard what sounded like tires on the gravel driveway. Furrowing her brow, she dried her hands and started for the front of the house to check it out. Before she got to the office window, however, there was a knock at the door. Puzzled, she went to answer it.

To her great shock and amazement, on the other side was Font, holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand. Diskette’s eyes grew to amazing size.

“F-F-Font! What are you doing here?” she asked, taking the flowers when he held them out to her.

“Diskette, I know this is going to seem sudden,” Font began. “And for that I apologize, but there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

Diskette’s breath caught in her chest as Font knelt to one knee.

He pulled a box out of his pocket and took a deep breath. Opening the box and presenting the contents to her, he said “Diskette, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

For a moment Diskette could find no words to express her joy and delight. A few silent seconds passed before she finally regained her power of speech.

“Oh… oh my goodness, Font… Yes!” Diskette pulled him to his feet and threw her arms around him, almost knocking him off his feet. Font compensated for the change in balance by spinning her around before setting her back on her feet.

Diskette was grinning wider than she had previously thought possible as Font took her hand and slipped the ring onto her finger.

Fourth and final! I had a few doubts about this act, but I think it came off alright. Enjoy!

~Act Four~

One night, a few years later, Diskette placed the final dish on the table and then turned towards the hallway to call her children.

“Okay, kids, time for dinner!”

There was no response. Not a giggle, not a complaint, nothing but absolute silence; and as every mother knows, when the children are silent, then you start to worry. Shaking her head, Diskette walked down the steps to the level of the house with both bedrooms. She quietly walked over to the children’s bedroom door. She pushed it open slightly and looked in.

Now, at first glance, the room looked empty. Messy, yes, but they were kids, after all. Diskette’s sharp eyes roved over the room, and she spotted a small hand under one of the beds. She pushed the door open and took a step in and the hand was pulled back by the child attached to it.

Diskette walked over to the bed and leaned down to look under it. “Found you.”

Her son, Cosmo, giggled and crawled out from under the bed. Diskette shook her head and started brushing him off. “Look at you!” she exclaimed. “Covered in dust bunnies! There. Now go wash your hands and sit down for supper. And no nibbling!” Cosmo laughed harder and scurried out of the room.

Suddenly Diskette heard a small giggle from somewhere else in the room. Hmmm, she thought. I wonder who that could be…

A smile spread itself across the red head’s face as she walked towards the study desk in the corner. She waited a moment and then pulled back one of the benches as she leaned down. “Gotcha!”

Corona shrieked with laughter as Diskette pulled her out from under the desk and started tickling her. “Mama!!” she managed to say through her giggles. “That’s not fair!”

Diskette stopped tickling her daughter and looked her in the eye. “Not everything is fair, sweetie,” she said seriously. She kept a straight face for a moment but then tickled the little girl again. Corona laughed some more, and then Diskette pulled the little girl to her feet.

“Okay, come on. I found you and Cosmo, now where are your brothers?”

Corona shrugged her shoulders with a sound of equal bafflement and then ran out of the room. Diskette started to call her, but then stopped as she saw that the little one was headed for the bathroom, likely to wash her hands.

As the girl ran into the bathroom, Font came out, carrying Artozo over his shoulder. “Diskette, this little guy just popped out at me from the hamper.”

Artozo giggled from his position of nearly being upside down. “Ready, Dad?”

“Ready for what?” asked Diskette skeptically. She immediately found out what, when Font loosed his hold on the boy and Artozo neatly flipped over to his feet behind his father.

“It worked!” exclaimed Artozo, just before running off.

Diskette shook her head at Font. “You keep encouraging him and I just know one of the days he’s going to get hurt.” Font just grinned back at her.

“So, where’s Thing 2?” Font asked, referring to Artozo’s twin brother, Brunono, by his nickname. The two boys had earned the titles of Thing 1 and Thing 2 from the book The Cat in the Hat through their antics.

Diskette opened her mouth with the intent of telling him, but… “I have absolutely no idea,” she said, laughing and shaking her head. “There are several likely places, but with the weather as it is, I would say that the shed, the workshop and behind the chair are out of the question. One is too near the window and the others are just too near the rain.”

“So, the closets or the office desk,” said Font, completing the thought.

“Exactly. I’ll check the desk and the linen closet. Will you check our closet?”

“Sure.”

A moment later, Font’s triumphant voice sounded. “Found you, kiddo!”

Brunono had found himself an expert hiding place, standing in a pair of Font’s boots with a long coat wrapped around him.

“Go sit down, you little trouble maker!” Font instructed him, playfully swatting at him as the boy ran up the stairs.

As Diskette walked up the steps towards the kitchen, she suddenly got an odd feeling that there was someone on the steps outside. She turned quickly, and as she did so, a soft knock sounded on the door. Diskette slowly walked down to the lower level of the house and, with a somehow strange and yet familiar feeling in her throat, she opened the door.

~Owari~
~Deireadh~
~The End~