Catching the other woman’s brief smile Forte nodded in acknowledgement. Were those tears though? She couldn’t quite tell, but it looked as though the young lady might be tearing up. Knowing she wasn’t the only adult in the room affected made her feel a little better. Still, even when the other’s voice faltered for the shortest moment, Forte was impressed by how she kept the attention of the children.
In the end, it was uplifting to hear the story had such a good ending. Though she hadn’t been adopted after arriving in the orphanage, she wouldn’t have wanted these children to lose hope. She was sure many of them had suffered circumstances far worse than her, and who, if not the children, deserved a happy life? Just like that teddy bear.
The group hug was unexpected, a wave of children toppling their way to the other end of the room. A small smile tugged at the corners of Forte’s mouth for a moment. She could blame the lack of sleep for making her so soft, but it was certainly heartwarming. And adorable. The pink-haired woman was a precious human, her compassion clear as day. A small comfort to know these orphans were being cared for by someone like that. In no rush, Forte let the group hug run its course. After a heart wrenching story like that, she was sure they needed it. One could argue she needed it, too, but no amount of sleep deprivation would allow her to so openly display her emotions like that. Not to mention that although she occupied these halls and bedrooms many years ago, she was now a stranger here.
It took several minutes for the group hug to conclude. Some kids held on a little longer and Popuri wasn’t one to cut short a hug. When everyone had their fill, she directed them to read a bit on their own. The room was meant to be a quiet reading place, sort of their own little library, so the children had plenty to choose from. All the books were second-hand with worn spines and frayed pages.
Sniffling and wiping at her eyes, Popuri approached the visitor with a watery smile. “Sorry, I didn’t want to cut story-time short.” Usually there were more employees around, but they had been short-staffed lately.
Worried that the woman had come in on the saddest parts of the story, and was perhaps feeling a bit emotional herself, Popuri leaned close. She did look rather sad.
“If you need a hug, it’s alright.” Then, without regard for any personal boundaries, she took one step closer and wrapped her arms around her. Everyone liked hugs!
The halls were quiet, at least for a moment. No one answered when Forte had quietly called out, but once the soft echo of her own voice settled she heard another. She couldn’t pick out what they were saying, but she felt drawn toward it. So, she followed the voice down the hall, and found a group of small children sitting around a pink-haired woman. Story-time, it looked like.
Shifting the bag full of blankets from her shoulder, Forte softly set it on the cold floor. It wouldn’t be right to interrupt story time for the young children, so she would wait. She didn’t want to distract the young woman reading the book either, so she remained at the entrance to the room leaning on the door frame, listening as intently as the children did. Standing there reminded her of all the times her caretakers asked for her assistance in wrangling the other small children for story or activity time. She was tough, and walled off with adults then, but gentle with the children. Treating many of them as she did her younger brother.
As the story continued Forte’s heart sank. Who knew a simple story about a toy could do this to her? When she was at the orphanage, nobody ever came to adopt her. Her name was fine, it was her age that people didn’t seem to like. She was too old, and too serious, the adults always adopted the younger kids. Though somehow, she was okay with that. Forte knew who her family was. She had long since convinced herself she never needed another, and would have rather seen the other children adopted.
Still, in some ways she felt like Wolstencroft. Poor little bear. She looked around at the children, glued to their caretaker’s voice, and wondered how many of them felt the same.
“In fact, all through that entire year, which felt very long indeed to Wolstencroft, nobody took him home to love and to hug him. And by this time he longed to be hugged so badly that sometimes he thought he just couldn't stand it any longer. Because, of course, no hug is too big for a teddy bear.“
Popuri turned the page and glanced upward, seeing not only the children hanging on her every word, but also the newcomer. Popuri’s eyes were starting to become watery, but she gave the woman a small smile in greeting, sniffled, then returned to the story.
“Soon it was almost Christmas time again. And the tinsel and the holly were decorating the drug store. And the shoppers were all very merry and wearing gaily colored scarves and mittens. But still no one bought Wolstencroft, who was feeling extra sad and lonely sitting there all by himself high above the Christmas cards and wrapping paper.”
“Then one frosty evening when the stars were sparkling in the night sky and snowflakes were dancing past the windows, a little boy and his daddy came into the store.”
The children pressed closer as the story took a turn. Several of them related with the theme on different levels, which is why she picked it. Some of the older children were trying to look as if they weren’t too invested, but even they didn’t cause a distraction.
"’Hey look at this,’ said the daddy when he noticed Wolstencroft's name tag. ,” Popuri’s voice changed to imitate an older man’s when she spoke his lines. “‘This teddy bear has the same name as you! Only you're called Sten for short and he's called Woolly.’”
“’What?’ The boy called out in surprise.” For the younger boy, Popuri spoke in a softer pitch. “’I didn't think anyone else in the whole great big world was called Wolstencroft.’ And just like Wolstencroft the bear, he was beginning to hate his name.
"’Why don't you two get to know each other?’ The daddy suggested as he lifted Wolstencroft down from the shelf. And the little boy wrapped his arms around his namesake, which means someone who has the same name as yourself, and stroked his soft fur. And they both loved each other from that moment on.”
There was one last page and Popuri turned to it now. She took a small breath to steady her voice before she continued the story.
“Wolstencroft the bear had never remembered feeling this happy before. Indeed, he felt so chock-full of joy that he thought he just might burst. He was going to a new home at last. And he knew that this little boy, who was called Sten, would be his very best friend forever. Then Sten gave him a hug so big that his tummy was squished. But, of course, Wolstencroft didn't care. Because no hug is too big for a teddy bear.”
Popuri closed the book softly and slid from her chair and down to her knees, seeing the book on the seat of her chair opening her arms. “Why don’t you all show me how big of a hug you can give?” A few of the younger children, sniffing back tears, hurried forward for a large group hug, and the others joined in soon after. There was no reason all of them shouldn’t be adopted and Popuri wanted them all to know that they were loved.
As the seasons turned, and the weather chilled, Forte’s thoughts settled on those less fortunate than her. Particularly, those youngsters caught up in unfortunate enough circumstances to have landed in an orphanage. She didn’t go back often, in fact, she hadn’t really been back since she moved to Arcadia, but she knew this time of year could be especially tough for some children. Having some time off she decided to head over to the orphanage on Leuda, also hoping doing something good for the children might ease the ache in her own heart.
Loading up some extra blankets into a large sack, she prepared for the brisk ferry ride to the other island. It was an uneventful trip, affording her time to reflect on her past at the children’s home. Her memories there weren’t great, though that had more to do with her stubbornness and age at the time. The caretakers there had always been kind and helpful, and she did meet some people at the orphanage that made her time there less awful.
Hesitation stopped her at the front door. It really had been a long time since she had been there. Thinking she would simply leave it behind, she hadn’t bothered to even check in on how anyone was doing. Though really, she tried to convince herself she was simply too busy. Not today though, today she had just enough time for this.
With a heavy sigh, an attempt to release some tension, she pushed through the front door and into the hallway, “Hello? Is anyone here?”
She suddenly found herself wondering if it was okay to just come in. Sure, prospective parents just came in, and she used to come and go as she pleased, much the chagrin of her caretakers, but things were different now.
Working at the orphanage was like stepping back in time. It was so easy for Popuri to get along with the children, laughing and playing their games with ease, understanding where they came from when they would tantrums, and easing their fears with soft words she remembered her own mother whispering. Some of the children just didn’t want to get along and those ones took longer for her to get close to, but she was here every day she could be, reading and playing and listening to them.
It was story time when she heard the tell tale sign of the door opening. She couldn’t step away immediately, not without ruining the story, and that simply wouldn’t do! Hopefully the person could hear her in here and would come see, that way they didn’t think she was ignoring them!
“’I bet someone will come along and buy you tomorrow,’ Rita predicted as she fetched a black felt pen from the stationary department and underneath Wolstencroft, wrote Woolly for short.”
It was a story of a lonesome bear that sat on a store shelf, never bought, and always hoping he would be. Several of the others toys had convinced him it was because his name was so long. Continuing into the saddest part of the story, and feeling for poor Wolstencroft, Popuri’s voice began to waver as she continued.
“But Rita was wrong. It was she, not Wolstencroft, who went to a new home the next day. Nobody bought Wolstencroft that day. Or the next day. Or the day after that.”
[ ⚔ ] — Now that Jake was guildmaster of the Leuda Guild, there had been several new aspects added to his regular job, and some that he would have to start taking much more seriously, now that anything that happened with the guild would be, ultimately, his responsibility.
And so his first order of business would be to straighten out a few kinks… most of them culminating in his accident prone, pink haired employee. A woman who, by some goddamned miracle, managed to head the Arcadian branch without running it straight into the ground. He couldn’t fathom how she was able to handle such an important position, when here she could barely make a move without screwing something up.
There had to be a reason for it, and he was going to find out what it was. Jake wasn’t about to have his guild pale in comparison to Arcadia’s because of shoddy work being done by the rival guildmaster herself! The whole thing just reeked of being a hit job, or sabotage operation, and he wasn’t having any of it.
So when approaches her desk and and she asks him what he wants, Jake is straight and to the point: “What’s your problem? You’ve been messing up a lot more than usual, and it’s been a real bad look for the guild. I’m gonna need you to explain yourself. Now.”
Popuri clasped her hands close to her chest while a pout pulled at her lips. “Oh, you’re so nice, Mr. Jake! No one’s asked me how I’ve been at all!” Demanding for her to explain herself was just another form of asking how she was! She placed her hands on her cheeks and took a deep breath.
“It’s just been really hard here all by myself, you know? I mean, I have my roommates, but I’ve never been so far away from my family.” She didn’t live on a pirate ship, which was good, but Popuri didn’t really want to tell him she’d been kidnapped. As far as the guild knew, she had simply been marooned on an island.
She sniffled and continued. “I really wanna do my best! But no one ever trusts me with anything!” Just thinking about it put her on the verge of tears that made her red eyes shine. “I’m really grateful you let me work here, Mr. Jake, and- and I’ll do better, I promise!”
Because we can’t all just put brains in jars to see how they tick.
♦ - HOARD - something that is precious to them
✿ - DECAY - an old memory, from childhood perhaps
⚔ - DUEL - a meeting or relationship that was important to them
♥ - STAKED - a jarring event, something that changed their life/outlook
∇ - TOMBSTONE - who they are versus who they appear to be
☼ - DAYSTAR - a secret they don’t want coming to light
☂ - THUNDERSTORM - a difficult or miserable time in their life
⚖ - SCALES - how well they balance their good and bad impulses
ϟ - LIGHTNING - something they thought they’d left in the past, returned
☢ - BIOHAZARD - the most dangerous thing about them to others
♬ - DIRGE - a habit, hobby, or obsession they can’t seem to shake
■ - LAIR - where they live, work, or spend most of their time
☠ - DEATH - the closest it’s come to touching their life
It was a lot scarier than she thought it would be on her own. At home, she dreamed of this moment, yearned for it with all her being, imagined every day playing out with her as a successful and respected adult. She would return home with medicine for her mom, be an ace chicken keeper, and all Rick would be able to do would be to apologize profusely and retract every mean thing he ever said, every doubt he had ever thrown at her. And somewhere along the way, maybe she’d cross paths with their dad and bring him home, too. In short, a savior to all.
Dreams rarely go as planned.
Popuri sat on her bed with her knees drawn up. She had meant to go to the store today and get herself a night light, but she had forgotten, and now slept with a door cracked open and hoped her roommates didn’t mind. Waking from nightmares was never pleasant, but Popuri didn’t even have her favorite stuffed animals to hold and comfort herself anymore.
All she wanted was for a few things to go right. Was that so much to ask for? And to see her family again, of course, though Popuri felt like she could never face them. Rick would be so mad at her! Her hands covered her face and she tried not to cry, but tears came so easy to her.
A twirly dress, beautiful boots, and a frilled umbrella. Popuri spun on the spot, umbrella open and resting on her shoulder, and came to a stop in front of the mirror with a wide smile.
“It’s supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!”
Popuri immediately began humming the rest of the song as she walked around the apartment pretending she was Mary Poppins.
Popuri’s cheer was positively infectious, her bubbly demeanor doing wonders to boost Lillie’s own mood. And because of it, the weather girl does a little bounce of her own towards the door, securing her purse on one arm while linking the other with Popuri’s. “Just follow me. ♡ ”
They head out of the apartment complex and down the street, thankfully not far, since the small and cozy ice cream parlor was just around the corner. But before they get there, Lillie decides to fill the silence with a little small talk.
“I come here a lot after work. A yummy bowl of ice cream is perfect for giving you that much needed pick-me-up, you know?” She giggles. “Do you have any favorite flavors? There are a lot that I like, but chocolate definitely has them all beat.”
Linking arms while walking was Popuri’s favorite. It instilled a closeness that she thrived off of. The area they lived in wasn’t so glamorous but it was a breezy, autumn day and all the leaves were changing into beautiful hues of red and orange.
“It is! It’s so delicious~ Strawberry is my favorite but I love mixing up the flavors too! Like that one where it’s strawberry and chocolate and vanilla all at the same time?? And then you can add sprinkles and chocolate syrup and whatever you want! Oh!” She turned to Lillie with an intensity blazing in her eyes. “Is this one of those ice cream places where you can add tons of toppings??” It was a question of utmost importance!
Popuri didn’t want to admit it, but the moment she entered the store a chill went down her spine. Part of her strongly considered turning right back around, but if she could spend a year with pirates she could surely handle a store, creepy or otherwise!
Of course, she stood out like a sore thumb with her vibrant pink hair, corset, and flouncy skirt. Like she might’ve mistaken this place for a toy store or candy shop and was too stubborn to admit her mistake and go back out.
There were lots of curious objects here and the especially shiny stuff caught her attention. Popuri flitted around the store, half wondering if there was anyone working here, but too enamored with the variety of treasures to look. If an employee came by, she would be happy to talk to them~
[🐎] — Georgia grins. Horse appreciation right off the bat? Trespassing shenanigans aside, she liked this girl already. It was like her dad always told her— a person who loved horses was a good person at heart. And from all the people she’s crossed paths with over the years, she’s seen nothing to tell her that wasn’t true.
“Aren’t they?” She laughs as she opens the door. “I’ll have to show you mine sometime. Especially my darlin’—”
When Popuri suddenly screams, Georgia nearly jumps out of her skin. She’s about to shift into alert mode when she notices Popuri picking up her mugs, and upon seeing the designs on them, realization dawns on her and she sighs. “Oh… yeah, I found them at a yard sale once. They were too darned adorable for me not to get ‘em, you know? I love those mugs a lot, so be careful in how you handle them.”
With a smile she closes the door behind her and heads over to the kitchen to start on the hot cocoa. “With that bein’ said, feel free to make yourself at home!”
As Georgia starts on making the drinks, she decides to start up a little small conversation, too. “So,” She says, a teasing lilt to her voice. “Have you got any other hobbies aside from sneakin’ onto ranches and dressin’ up poor, innocent chickens in cute sweaters?”
“Oh, I’ll be so super careful these chickens will feel like they’re swaddled in the softest, warmest, bestest blankets!” Popuri held the mug for a bit longer, knowing she was prone to accidents but it surely would not happen this time. Oh no, breaking a chicken mug would practically be sacrilegious.
It was so cute though, she just wanted to stare a bit longer.
Popuri followed Georgia as she spoke. “Yup! Lots of hobbies! I’m an adventurer! I go exploring and find treasure and— oh!” In her animated explanation, the mug slipped clean from her hands. Gravity snatched the mug and yanked it toward the ground. Acting on instinct, Popuri dived after it, hit the floor hard on her knees, but caught the mug before it shattered.
This mug would have likely been all over Georgia’s floor if not for all the training she did with the pirates. Things were always messing up around Popuri.
Suddenly self conscious, she placed the mug on the table and backed away from it like she wasn’t worthy.
Lately, it was one thing after another. Lost records, mis-calculations in change, the mess in the storeroom. It could all be traced back to one person: Popuri. Truthfully, she felt like crying. Just lock herself in the same storeroom she’d knocked over a shelf in and bawl her eyes out.
Instead, Popuri had been regulated to a more secluded section of the Leuda Guild to focus on a menial task: sorting mail. Popuri exhaled softly and continued her monotonous task, not realizing she had put a few pieces of mail in the wrong sorted piles.
Someone approached her desk and Popuri looked up. Even her curls seemed a little more limp than usual. “Oh, Jake.” He was always so grumpy she found it hard to believe he wanted anything from her but, “Is... there something you need?” Was there more for her to sort? Or was he firing her?
[ ☀ ] — Lillie knew the importance of eating healthy, as it was something her father always made sure to hammer into her as she was growing up. She recognized its importance, and had no problem with eating a good, substantial meal. But she also had a strong love of sweets, and often preferred eating them over anything else.
So when Popuri suggests that they get ice cream, Lillie is already 100% on board. Who says they couldn’t treat themselves after a long day of packing?
“Yes!!!!” She claps her hands together in delight, going over to grab her purse. “I am totally with you on that! I know the cuuutest little ice cream parlor, too. The flavors there are just to die for!”
“Ohh! Let’s go!!” Popuri gathered what she needed — a cute chicken print purse, shaped a little bit like a backpack, that practically disappeared beneath her hair — and hurried to the door with a bounce in her step, one mimicked by her pink curls.
[ ☀ ] — Since her finances were starting to take a real beating from her apartment’s rent, along with all of the other expenses she had to deal with throughout her day to day, Lillie had not only decided to take up a part time job at the local hotel, but she also started searching for a roommate.
And to her luck, someone in the same apartment complex had put out an ad for one, which Lillie jumped on the first chance she got.
The woman, Popuri, was a very friendly person, and incredibly pleasant to be around. The two of them shared interests, and from what Lillie could tell, even had a similar outlook on life. And the cherry on top? She was a woman, which meant the weather girl wouldn’t have to worry herself into a frenzy over the possibility of living alone with a man.
Popuri was the ideal roommate for her.
“Hey, Popuri?” After bringing the rest of her belongings into her room, still boxed up and waiting to be unpacked later, Lillie steps into the living room where the other girl sat. “How about we go out for a bite to eat after this? I could cook, but moving all this stuff in has me suuuuper beat, honestly.” She laughs.
It was so sad being without a roommate. Her last had left, moved away from the island, and it had been a very tearful goodbye. But after her mourning period, Popuri knew she didn’t — couldn’t — stay in the apartment alone. It wasn’t so much a money thing as Popuri would just get restless without someone else in the apartment with her.
Her first thought was Marlin, but that seemed like a step that they weren’t ready to take. Besides, she didn’t have plans to move to Arcadia and he had his farm that he couldn’t just leave.
Though she often wondered why she didn’t live on Arcadia. She was the Guildmaster there, it seemed kind of weird she didn’t, but oh well!
Thankfully, there was someone right in this very apartment complex that was also looking for a roommate and, after only spending a few moments with her, Popuri eagerly agreed to being roommates. Nothing bad ever came from hasty decisions!
“Ohh, yes, let’s do that!” In agreement, her stomach gave a grumble. Helping Lillie move the boxes up hadn’t been particularly hard work, not compared to everything she did on a regular basis, but it did work up an appetite.
“Mmmm, ice cream sounds really yummy right now~” Cold, refreshing, delicious, who wouldn’t want some!
It was too bad she didn’t feel like eating anything substantial.
titsay
jbbartram-illu
izzy806
2087
germansingergirl
baratheonpilled
yousharknotpass
