Ten Children

A quiet town once known for it's homing pigeons, now naught but ruins and a group of orphaned children. (Final Fantasy VI) Current location: Mobliz

[childrenofmobliz]

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[flordorado-archive]

      It was as if she were watching someone roll a ball back and forth the way she continuously stared at one child before turning her gaze to another. Though half of her mouth did quirk to the side in a half pout by the responses given to the children.

     Someone her question hadn’t been properly answered - mere assumptions given.

     Trying to take control of the situation, Rapunzel walked over to the table and carefully placed the ribbons down to free up her hands as they went to her hips. “Okay, I think I’d rather not get in trouble for using the king’s ribbons. We can just find something else for now. That or we find the king and ask his permission first though I like the first option better if there’s something we can substitute for these.”

[childrenofmobliz]

"Eggy never gets mad at Mama!" Luca chimed, spraying a bit of cheesecake into the air. "And Mama will let us use the ribbons!"

Mary just shook her head, convinced that it was the opposite that was true. "Luca...remember when my hair was really long?"

"You mean before Margret cut that big chunk out of it and you had to cut it all short because you looked funny?"

Mary stared at Luca, tight lipped. She hadn't expected, or wanted, such a detailed answer. "...Yes."

"It used to touch your butt!"

"--I know."

"And--"

"The point is: Mama used to be able to do my hair without ribbons or clips or anything, because it was long enough to tie itself. She can probably do the same with Rapunzel's hair."

"But Eggy's ribbons are pretty!"

Mary leaned over the arm of her chair, and pointed to her face. "Read. My. Lips. Twerp. Mama will say no."

[flordorado-archive]

    Having never dealt with children before, despite being one herself at times even if she didn’t know it, Rapunzel watched the exchange with loosening limbs as the worry that she had caused unrest was waning. Everything was all right after all? She took a few steps forward to gather the haphazardly thrown ribbons before anyone stepped all over them.

    She really was out of her element on this one.

    "It’s not nice to call someone that," she scolded gently, reminded of the times Gothel would lovingly tease her as a way to put her down and then laugh it off as if it were no big deal. “So— should I put these away then..?”

    She also contemplated continuing on he way, unsure if the children still wished to braid her hair and hoping they wouldn’t use ribbons that didn’t belong to them.

[childrenofmobliz]

"She is one, though," Mary insisted. 

"Am not--"

"If she were really hurt, she wouldn't have stopped crying when I gave her that cheesecake."

Luca paused with her cheesecake-covered finger just inside her open mouth. "You're a poop head." She closed her lips around the finger.

Mary picked up her book and thumbed through the pages to find her place. "Right."

"Don't worry, Rapuzzel. Even though Cassie says we can't use Eggy's ribbons, I bet Mama will let us."

"Would you bet that cheesecake?" Mary asked without looking up from her page.

"Yep!" Luca dug another rut into said-cheesecake.

"Then be ready to hand it ov-er."

[flordorado-archive]

       "Wait—" she called, though her voice was drowned out by the others even as her feet moved her forward a few feet. Yet the other girl was gone, the little ones seemingly not hearing her voice as her arms dropped back down to her sides.

     She gave a small sigh, shoulders soon following suit and slumping down. “I’m sorry..I didn’t mean to cause trouble and upset her…” Guilt was heavy within her hazel eyes, turning toward the last one left in the room.

[childrenofmobliz]

Though Mary couldn't hear, she could see the guilt in Rapunzel's posture.

"Not your fault!" she assured her loudly. "Hey, midget! Oy!"

Of course, Luca neither responded nor quieted at all. Mary leaned back to reach over to the little table beyond the far arm of her chair. When her hand reappeared in Luca's sight, it bore a plate set with a half eaten slice of cheesecake.

All sound from Luca ceased. Her face untwisted and relaxed into an expression of awe, with one fat tear clinging to her cheek.

Mary passed her the plate when she reached for it. Using her index finger, Luca dug deep ruts into the cheesecake as she ate it, sniffling and hiccuping occasionally.

Mary leaned back in her chair. "Cassie says we shouldn't bribe her to her her to calm down, but I can't stand the noise. She's a right brat."

"Am not!"

[flordorado-archive]

      One hundred feet seemed a bit of an exaggeration to the blonde in question and her face showed it, one eyebrow raised higher than the other. She was quickly reminded of the more pressing matter, ironing out her features as she cast green eyes down to the trail behind her. “I think Luca wanted to try to braid my hair?” she took a guess, showing the ribbons she was currently holding.

     "It would be easier to walk around if you guys could help me..But do we have to use the king’s ribbons? I don’t want anyone to get in trouble..” The top of her teeth bit down on her lower lip, a bit worried he would demand her hair be cut off for wearing his ribbons. Even if Luca had said it was all right, it didn’t mean she couldn’t worry.

[childrenofmobliz]

Cassie nodded, agreeing with Rapunzel. "See, Luca? We can use our own ribbons."

"No!" Luca stomped her foot and pursed her lips so hard they puckered. "Eggy has more than all of us put togeder!"

"Give them here, Luca."

"No!"

Luca spun on her heel as she sidestepped Cassie's grab, but as she swung her foot forward to take a running stride, she hooked it around the opposite ankle. She fell forward, face first and ribbons scattering. The resulting wail reverberated off the high ceilings, the echo becoming so loud that Mary clapped her hands over her ears.

Cassie quickly stepped forward to Luca's aid. "Do you see why I tel you not to ru--"

Luca rolled over and swatted at Cassie. "I hate you! Mamaaaa!" She clutched her knee, the edges of a bright red rug burn peeking out from beneath her palms. "I--want--Ma--MAAAAAA!"

"Go get her, Cassie!" Mary shouted, hands still over her ears.

Cassie didn't need to be told twice. If Luca was going to be unreasonable until without Terra, then she would gladly leave and relieve her ears. She took off at a sprint.

[flordorado-archive]

     Watching the exchange, Rapunzel was unable to help the bubble of amusement that rose up within her like warm tea spreading throughout her body. Though the bubbly quickly burst as she realized that the small child had led her around the castle and nabbed the ribbons with her in tow all without them making proper introductions.

      With a lopsided grin, she took cautious steps forward, body arched to the side while her hands went behind her body.

       "Sorry to barge in..I’m Rapunzel."

[childrenofmobliz]

Luca turned back to the other girls. "Rapuzzle!"

Mary snorted.

"Rapunzel," Cassie corrected.

"Raaaaaapuzzle."

"Rapunzel."

"Forget it, Cassie." Mary set her book aside and stood while Cassie pouted. "She's gonna say it like she's gonna say it." She stood and walked around Rapunzel, tapping her chin lightly. "So we have, what, 40 ribbons and 100 feet of hair? What to do, what to do..."

[flordorado-archive]

     "Cassie?" Rapunzel inquired, lowering her voice with each syllable just as instructed. She even teetered forward on her foot so the child could hear her better though her eyes were already wandering around the library as her vision ate up each book along the shelves.

     How her fingers itched to touch each book, to dive into its pages and soak up the knowledge stored within. What hidden secrets did these books hold?

[childrenofmobliz]

Luca's collision with the library doors hadn't slowed her down. She hurried along the row of shelves that stood in front of the doorway, rounding them once she reached the end. Beyond the row was an open area with several desks as well as cushy freestanding chairs for reading in. 

In two of those chairs sat a pair of girls, more than several years older than Luca. The fairer haired didn't seem to notice the new arrivals, but the black haired girl looked up from her book and immediately dropped it. She held up her hands as if to ward off what she knew was coming.

"Cassie and Mary are here!" Luca squealed, waving Edgar's ribbons about. Mary started so violently that she tore the corner off the page she'd been turning. Cassie pressed a finger to her lips.

"Luca, shu--Where did you get those?" Cassie didn't notice Luca's guest--just the suspiciously abundant ribbons. Mary leaned around the back of her chair to watch.

"But--"

"Luca, put them back where you found them."

Luca pointed to the woman behind her. "But her hair--"

"Luca."

"Her hair!" Mary mimicked Luca, pointing at the woman.

Cassie's mouth dropped open. She may have been nearly 14, but she had not grown out of the ways of playing with children. She knew exactly want Luca meant to do with those ribbons, and she couldn't help but want to be part of it. However, she was not one to overlook the obvious question.

"But...Luca, who is this?"

All traces of emotion disappeared from Luca's face, and she turned to look up at the woman. After a moment, her grin returned. "No idea!"

[flordorado-archive]

       Just to be respectful, Rapunzel closed the cabinet doors with a soft click before bare feet padded along the stone and carpet in a quick haste to follow after the active child. She kept a firm grip on the ribbons to ensure she didn’t lose them as they didn’t belong to her, already suspecting what was to come once they reached the library.

    And frankly it sounded like fun.

    "You sure…have a lot of energy!" Rapunzel giggled, hoping guards wouldn’t be too troubled by the two running about the stone castle.

[childrenofmobliz]

In truth, the library was on the opposite side of the castle, and Luca had just taken them on one of the widest detours possible. Not that it mattered to Luca. She sprinted through the halls, footsteps and giggle echoing off the stone walls.

She ran until she reached a great set of doors atop a flight of stairs, crashing headlong into them and catching herself on the handles.

"We're here! We're here!" She laughed though her chest heaved with each breath. She pressed a finger to her lips. "But we have to be quiet in here. Cassie says so."

[flordorado-archive]

     Teetering over to the collection, Rapunzel was rather awestruck by the various shades and colors, even seeing different materials of cloth. In her time in the tower, Gothel would bring her available linens and wools to sew and make clothes so she was able to distinguish by looking at them.

"You hold these."

    Peering down at the small child, she carefully took the offered pieces and allowed her thumb to run over the material. “He won’t get upset that we’re using these, right? They belong to him.”

[childrenofmobliz]

Luca stayed her hand inches from the remaining ribbons and looked back over her shoulder. She hadn't really thought of that.

"Well, if he does, I'll just cry."

She filler each hand with ribbons again and hurried away from the cabinet, not bothering to close it.

"Now we can go find the books!"

[flordorado-archive]

        Rapunzel’s gasp rang out, rushing forward in an attempt to help the child and make sure she was okay. As she slowly assessed the situation and noticed that she hadn’t hurt herself on the floor, nerves melted away into a fit of giggles as her fingers helped to pry the curtains off her.

        "You need more practice if you’re gonna jump around like that," she chided again, mind recalling when she had been left alone in the tower as a child and had bruised herself many times jumping around the empty space. "But I guess you learn by doing."

[childrenofmobliz]

Once free, Luca scrambled to her feet and flexed both arms. "Children are invincible! Thanks for the help!" She twirled on her heel and hopped over to the cabinet beyond the bed. "This is where Eggy keeps his ribbons."

She could only just reach the handle, but she managed to give it a tug. The door swung open to reveal Edgar's collection, ranging from every color imaginable and arranged in neat rows. She reached inside and grabbed two fistfuls, lacking all the care that Edgar would have preferred they receive.

"You hold these." She offered the ribbons to the lady so that she could grab a few more.

[flordorado-archive]

     Bare feet softly padded along as they walked, one arm cradling bundles of her hair to keep most of it off the floor so others wouldn’t step on it. As the child asked her question, Rapunzel’s eyes instinctively turned toward the shade as light reflected off it. “Hmm, I’d say it’s more of a sun gold,” she answered, having never given it much thought before - though that was the first color that sprung forth within her mind. “—So you’re friends with the king? ‘Cause it sounds like he’s a very nice king if he goes around talking to his subjects.” Though her only experience with royalty was from reading about them.

[childrenofmobliz]

Luca waved to a passing guard, oblivious to the exasperated look he gave her and her new friend. "He's super nice! Mama was friends with him first, and then he sent his soldiers to come get us from our village 'cause Kefka's a big poop head and destroyed it."

She stopped before a door on a long corridor, wrapped both hands around the handle, and used the whole of her body to pull it down. The unnecessary force swung the door inward.

"EGGYYYYYY!"

When Luca's shout was met with neither a greeting nor the frantic sound of someone scrambling to hide, she stood properly and turned to the lady. "He's not here! Let's go!"

She charged into the room, making a beeline for the bed. She launched herself onto it and did a few log rolls to get across its vastness. Unfortunately, her aim was off, and she managed to roll straight into one of the long curtains that draped from the posts. She struggled to free herself, but only managed to get herself more tangled. "GAH! Help, lady! Eggy's bed is trying to eat me!"

[flordorado-archive]

      "Eggy?" Soft tone inquired, blinking owlishly at the child once again. She supposed ribbons and managing her hair wouldn’t hurt as long as the little one didn’t continue to ask specifics about it.

       Standing up carefully to not strain the tired muscles in her legs, she allowed the child to lead her.

[childrenofmobliz]

"Uh-huh!" She eagerly took hold of the woman's finger and gave it a tug. "He's the king! The maid ladies say his hair is the color of honey. His hair is long, so he keeps it tied in ribbons all the time. Mama's hair is blonde, too, but it's a different kind of blonde than yours and Eggy's. What kind of blonde is your hair?"

Well, the trip through the castle certainly wasn't going to be a silent one.

[flordorado-archive]

      Eyes of hazel widened at the energy of the child, Rapunzel’s first instinct to move back a little more so because the girl was giving attention towards her hair - for others to hear. Giggling with a crooked sort of smile, she whispered, “…It just— grew on its own. Yours can get that long if you let it grow.”

       "—So don’t worry. Uh, you wouldn’t happen to know of any bookstores around?"

[childrenofmobliz]

"Uh..." Luca was uncharacteristically quiet while she thought. "NOPE! Oh! But-but-but Eggy has a big room full of books! It's called a lie...something! Mama and Cassie and Mary go to read there all the time! Do you want me to take you there? I can take you there!"

Luca barely paused for an answer before changing the subject almost entirely. "Maybe Eggy will let you borrow ribbons for your hair! He has looooooots. We can get them on the way there!"

[flordorado-archive]

     Though she was still bursting with energy from within her person, curiosity tugging within her subconscious, Rapunzel gathered up her hair and sat down on the nearest stoop to rest her aching feet. Confined within her tower as she was, though she made sure to remain active and move about the small space, her body was still not used to so much walking - especially on hard stone.

      Movement out of the corner of her eyes caused them to roll in the direction, feeling a presence nearby - and meeting the shocked face before her. She giggled in nervous amusement, knowing without a doubt the cause for the others surprise. “You don’t want bugs to enter your mouth,” she chided softly, a slim digit pressing the girl’s chin upward to help her close it.

[childrenofmobliz]

The strange woman's words broke the spell holding Luca still. She flung her arms out haphazardly and danced on the spot, with only one thought running through her mind: Hair hair hair hair.

"Your hair is longer than Eggy's!" she finally shouted. "How'd you do that!? I want my hair to be that long!"

[childrenofmobliz]

flordorado wanders the halls

While on her daily hunt for Edgar, Luca marched her way through the throne room. The main doors were almost too big for her to open herself, but she managed to shove one open just enough for her to wriggle through.

However, halfway through her wriggle, she spied a stranger on the stairs below. She nearly made to pull herself back into the throne room, but froze when she got a second look at the stranger. Was that hair trialing on the floor behind her?

[reluctantxmonarch]

"…Luca!?"

—In which the poor man stumbles back in mild surprise, head tilted at the child.

"What is the need for this commotion?"

[childrenofmobliz]

"I found you!"

[reluctantxmonarch]

"…My ears burn."

[childrenofmobliz]

"EGG-GY-GY-GY-GY-GY-GY!"

[whizzes around a corner and dives for a leg]