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 Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 9:14 pm
"Alright, pet," Jack Bierce announced as he brought both himself and his cargo to a stop outside the toy store. "This is what I reckon you were talkin' 'bout. Best toy shop around, I understand. Still not quite sure what you want it for, though."
The little girl sitting in the cup, safely cradled in his right hand, sent a huge, glowing smile up towards her "daddy." Then she pointed towards the door as if to indicate that he should enter immediately. "Brunswick told me about dolls and clothing," she explained. "He said that -he- didn't have to wear clothing because he was a," she hesitated over the word, forehead wrinkling, "feien."
Word said, Evie relaxed and rested her hands on the rim of the cup, chin on them as she contemplated the store in front of them. "But he said that I wasn't a feien so I should probably wear clothing." She twisted around again to look up at Jack. "If I'm not a feien, Daddy, what am I?"
Jack blinked, wishing he hadn't quit smoking (for the sixth time since acquiring Evie) that morning. He had no idea how to explain her genesis to the little girl. So, instead, he clutched at logic and hoped it would distract her. "But, pet, you sit in your liquid there," he pointed out. "Might wreck a dress, that." As he watched her process that, he looked around vaguely. Maybe something in the vicinity could help him run interference in the distraction game?
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Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 10:16 pm
It wasn't often that Linnea ventured out of the house, especially alone. The outside world was generally frightening and dangerous, with all sorts of unknowns. The weather, especially, was an important one. Fortunately the day was overcast, and not the brilliant sunshine that the faeling avoided at all costs. Still, as she neared her destination she took a sip from the canteen that dangled by her side, using her hands to moisten her face. Going out alone meant remembering a lot. Then again, she wasn't really alone.
"Are we there yet?" A small voice piped up, sitting calmly in the glass that Linnea was holding tightly in her other hand, and getting a good 360 degree view of the town. Ren was clinging to the rim of her cup in bubbling excitement, though she tried not to show it. This was one of her more energetic days, and she was eager to get to the toy store.
Another voice, this one softer and clearer, chuckled. "We're here. I'll wait outside for you, Lady Linnea, Lady Ren." The latest was chimed in by a large furry Tala, who paused under a brightly colored awning and waited for her charges to dismount. "I'll wait outside, if you like."
Having an escort was the condition for Linnea being allowed out on her own, but she didn't mind. In fact, the Tala was one of her family members she wasn't as afraid of. "Thanks Arisa," she said, barely above a whisper. "Is this good?"
Ren nodded so fast her head was nearly a blur. "Yes! Let's go in please!"
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Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 8:04 pm
Before the quiet, utterly inoffensive Linnea could sucessfully make her tentative way into the shop, though, a happy squeal interrupted. "Daddy! Look at the pretty, pretty girl!"
Jack sighed, smiling ruefully as the girl in question started. Then he noticed the cup cradled in her hands and the -second- girl inside the cup and he relaxed even more. Padding over, he held Evie out as if she were a token of invitation. "Hello, there," he began lowly. Something about the girl warned him to go carefully and he deliberately used his best accent - the one that he usually only dusted off when he was visiting his old dean at Oxford and begging permission to study the phi books of the Bodley. He shifted Evie to his left hand and politely offered his right. "My name is Jack Bierce. This little girl is..."
"Evie! My name is Evie. Isn't it a pretty name?" Smiling so hard that it looked like it hurt, the little blonde leaned dangerously on the edge of her glass. "What's your name?" Her brown eyes went from Ren to Linnea. "You're both so very pretty. Do you pretty names to match?"
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Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:47 pm
Ren perked up even more at the first hint of a compliment. Someone thought they were pretty! She looked around for the source, her bob of silvery hair flying out around her as she turned her head. "Look!"
At first Linnea was reluctant, but she did turn her head to see, keeping her eyes averted. Whoever was talking was surely speaking to Ren. Then she saw the man, and shied away even more. She wasn't supposed to talk to strangers, and this person looked kind of strange. Then she saw the cup he was holding, and her eyes widened. It was someone else, like Ren! The introduction nearly went over Linnea's head, but she did notice the proferred hand and shifted Ren's glass to accept it. She did not, however, look at the man, nor did she offer her own name.
These things did not escape Ren, who puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. Linnea was so quiet! It was up to her to talk for the both of them then. "I'm Ren, and this is Linnea! Do you really think we're pretty?" Ren spared a moment to look at Linnea pointedly, then spoke again. "You're pretty too! I like your hair!"
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Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:59 pm
"Thank you!" Evie bounced with excitement, one hand going up to flick her ponytail in response to the compliment. "I've never met someone like me. My brother isn't at all like me. He doesn't have a cup. Daddy says that's because he's too clumsy to have a cup." She tilted her head and considered Ren's cup. "Did your Miss Linnea get you when you were just a cup?"
Jack's mouth fought the impending smile and he merely shook his head slightly. The amusement was clear in his brown eyes, though. "Talkative little thing, isn't she?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:17 pm
"Brother?" Frowning, Ren shook her head. "I'm not sure what one of those is, but I don't think I have one. Is it like a different kind of person?" Linnea wasn't the most social person, so Ren hadn't met that many people herself. Not that she would complain about it, but she was rather curious, especiially if a brother was someone clumsy and silly.
Then she remember the other question, and grinned. "I think so! I mean, she was there from the beginning. What about you?"
Blushing a little, Linnea nodded. Yes, Ren was far more talkative than herself. Yes, she'd had Ren for a while. But it was difficult to tell what the girl was nodding at, since her hair had fallen in her face and she made no moves to remove it. It was better if no one paid attention to her.
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Posted: Tue Oct 03, 2006 9:09 pm
Jack stepped forward and, with his free hand, grabbed the door handle. He was careful to keep Evie pointed in the direction of her new friends as he pulled smoothly, opening the door to the shop for both Linnea and himself. "Ladies?" he prompted mildly.
Evie ignored him with panache and a smile. "Oh, yes. Daddy said I was a little cup of red liquid when he got me and then I grew one night," she answered. "I can't say I remember being liquid or just a cup. I guess I was a baby then. And a brother... Well, my brother is a man with wings about yaaaaay big," she spread her arms as wide as they would go but still fell decidedly short of Brunswick's proporitions, "I don't know if all brothers are like that. Brothers are... Brothers."
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Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:07 pm
Linnea hesitated for a moment at the open door. Of course she did want to go inside, that was the whole reason she had come out on such a day. But she wasn't used to people opening doors for her, and it made her nervous. Only when Evie started talking again did she decide it was safe, quickly stepping forward while trying her best to not trip over the hem of her kimono, or draw attention to herself.
That made it difficult for Ren to converse with her new friend, and she frowned. "I can't see!" she complained, keeping her face scrunched until Linnea had turned around. "There. So... that doesn't help!" The statement wasn't meant to hurt or blame, but there was still a tone in it that implied someone could have done better. "Doesn't anyone know what a brother is?"
Having so many siblings, Linnea of course knew what a brother was. Still, she had trouble trying to say it. The furthest she got was opening her mouth, but no sound came out. Quickly she closed it again, the fins on her head trembling. Maybe she shouldn't have come outside.
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:35 pm
"A brother is someone who looks out for you, lil bit," Jack answered smoothly as he noticed Evie's nose wrinkle in thought. He smiled at Ren, stepping into the store after Linnea and allowing the door to swing shut on them. "And who you look after, too. When you can. Evie here, she's a bit too wee t' keep Brunswick in line at the moment but don't you worry. She'll do it soon."
Glowing at the praise, Evie folded her arms on the rim of her cup and giggled. "Brunswick doesn't listen to me at -all-," she agreed cheerfully. "He makes faces at me."
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Posted: Mon Oct 09, 2006 9:13 pm
The explanation helped, but it also put Ren on the idea that anyone could be a brother. In that case, Linnea was probably a brother too! She was good at taking care of people, sometimes, but she also needed to be taken care of. "Does that mean Linnea's my brother?"
Linnea blushed at the idea, but didn't argue. Instead she started looking around, but didn't see what she had come for. One of the others might, but the thought of asking a near stranger was enough to make the faeling tremble all over. She looked up at Jack through her long bangs, but couldn't get the words out.
Oblivious to Linnea's discomfort, Ren chattered on. "That brother doesn't sound very nice. I guess any kind of person can be a brother. Or do all brothers tease like that?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:48 pm
"Brothers have t' be lads, lil bit," Jack clarified gently. "If it's a girl, then it's a sister. I've got a sister meself. She's..." He glanced at Linnea and considered her with a tilted head and warm brown gaze. "Maybe a handful o' years older than you. Her name is Alice."
"She's pretty. Doesn't look at all like Daddy, though."
Jack laughed. "That's why she's pretty, pet. She takes after Mum an' has been spared the worst of the family genes."
A splash seemed to signal Evie's disagreement with the words; she clearly thought the sun rose and set on her "Daddy." Jack looked down and raised an eyebrow. Evie pointed in the direction of a very pink aisle, mind already moving on to the next topic. "Do you think everything will be over there?" she asked. Before he could respond, she turned her glowing smile back to Ren and Linnea. "What are you shopping for? Do you want to come look for clothing with me?"
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Posted: Sun Oct 15, 2006 9:31 pm
Most of the exchange between Evie and Jack went completely over Ren's head, but she nodded just the same. Stuff about jeans and a sister (whatever that was) that was pretty... if she wasn't there, there wasn't any point in talking about her. It was a relief when Evie changed the topic, and Ren threw herself into it wholeheartedly. "We're here for a seeecret," she whispered, putting one finger to her lips. "But that sounds like fun. Maybe we can get something too. Can we? Please?"
Linnea froze, something that was barely noticable since she hadn't exactly been hopping around before. They were going to stay with these people more? The pair seemed nice enough, but still made Linnea nervous. Besides which, she only had so much gold. There might not be enough to buy something unexpected. Several moments later, she finally stammered out an answer. "M-maybe."
"YAY!" Ren splashed a few drops of liquid in her cup in her exuberance. "What are you getting? I think you'd look really pretty in red!"
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Posted: Tue Oct 17, 2006 8:32 pm
"Oh, I love red!" Evie splashed around in her cup again in excitement. "It's my favorite color."
"You told me blue was your favorite color," Jack interrupted mildly.
"Oh, blue is. And brown and yellow and green and..."
Jack laughed, sharing a conspiratorial wink with Ren and Linnea. "We're still working on some definitions," he explained. "Evie's got a big heart."
As if deadset on proving this fact, the little girl tilted her head suddenly and studied Linnea. Clever enough and quick as lightning, she still sometimes suffered from conversation lag and her feelers were tingling now from the earlier look on the girl's face. Twisting around in her cup, Evie smiled sweetly up at Jack and all but fluttered her eyelashes. "Daddy? Can we get Ren something pretty, too? Because she's my new best friend."
The British magician didn't even hesitate; after all, how pricey could a set of doll clothes or what-have-you be? "Of course, luv. Anything you like. We'll make a grand gesture o' it. Providin' Miss Linnea doesn't mind?"
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Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 10:02 pm
Ren thought about the color list for a moment. She didn't really have a favorite color, but Evie seemed to have lots! "I like those colors too," she commented, "but I haven't got a favorite. Do you need one?"
If they were alone Linnea would have replied that no, one didn't need a color. Instead she simply fidgeted uncomfortably. Her anxiety was heightened as she was adressed again, this time with the offer of a gift.
"Really?" Ren squealed excitedly. "I've never had a best friend before. But I think I like it a lot!" Then she settled down slightly, and looked at Linnea with wide eyes. "We can go, right? Pleeeease?"
Warning bells went off in Linnea's head. Ever since she was able to walk she'd had "don't talk to strangers" drilled into her head. And yet there she was, standing right next to one. And possibly even taking a gift from one. It went against everything she had been carefully taught. And yet there she was, nodding demurely. Ren seemed to like them, and if that was the case she wouldn't argue. Things would probably be okay.
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Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:49 pm
"Excellent." Jack grinned and inclined his head towards Linnea in a gentlemanly sort of bow. "I'll tell you this, Miss Linnea," he stage-whispered. "I'll be glad t' have a lady's opinion. Can't say I know a thing about fashion an' I'd probably choke on it if Evie asked my thoughts on pink versus blue."
"Daddy thinks shoes should be falling apart to be cool," Evie announced with a bright smile.
"... Did Bruns show you the fashion network or somethin', pet?"
"Uh huh." Evie spun in her cup to keep her focus on Ren and Linnea as Jack began the walk towards Barbie-Land, home of pink princesses. "It's really interesting," she explained to her new friends. "All of these ladies walk around wearing pretty clothing and something they complain because things don't fit or look silly. Which it does. Sometimes. One dress looked like a -bird-!"
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