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Post by Miss Jack on May 22, 2008 22:27:22 GMT -5
A coil of rope rested against Jasper's shoulder as he weaved his way through Dreamland's glittering streets. Originally, Diaspro had asked James to run the errand, but upon witnessing James' responding expression, Jasper had volunteered. Besides, solitude is where he thrived best and he appreciated the opportunities where he got to be by himself.
Stalking through Dreamland, it was surprising no one took him for a Nightmare. Dust drifted from his shirt like sulphur in the warm breeze. A brace of pistols hung from a wide leather belt around his hips, one low on the right side and the other strapped across the front of him. A whisper of suspicion followed him, though he could admit most of it was his own paranoia.
He hated living like this. He took the long way through Dreamland, stopping by the streets that led to the lush villages. Where Joleen lived. It made him sick to think of the hate that had started to carve permanent residency in his heart. The kind of hate that had started this war. Not the Great War. The war they were living now, always in fear of our neighbors.
He kicked a rock with the toe of his boot. "I wish Jack had never got his hands on that damn throne," he grumbled.
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Post by Jules on May 22, 2008 22:46:13 GMT -5
Damn it all to hell.
She was in the middle of a perfectly enjoyable walk home when BAM! A powerful need hit her nearby. She could feel the involuntarily pull, and Camilla sometimes really wished people didn't want so very much.
Deciding to rebel just a little, Camilla took her own sweet time, walking instead of arriving in a puff of glitter. Besides, she had gotten a little self concious about just how much she sparkled after Gavin. She'd come to realize maybe everyone didn't really appreciate it.
So walked towards the pull. When she came upon Jasper, Cami scrutinized him. He looked the type to make the wish he had, and he was dream, he just looked slightly out of place among the soft villagery.
There was an introduction spiel she had in her head, that she'd rehearsed and repeated a few thousand times.
"Hello-my-name-is-Camilla-I'm-a-Fairy-Godmother-and-you've-made-a-wish. The-rules-are-no-changing-time-no-killing-no-inhibiting-free-will."
She gave a bored sigh and propped a hand on her hip. In her mind she was too pretty to be a Fairy Godmother. It was really only men who didn't see her as their Godmother that seemed to be able to take a fancy to her. Which was dissapointing, because they almost always made the mistake of wishing for something around her.
"What do you want, then?"
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Post by Miss Jack on May 22, 2008 23:12:29 GMT -5
He jumped in surprise as a woman approached him, spewing forth a jumble of words that Jasper didn't understand in the least. He narrowed his eyes, wondering if a response was wanted. When she asked what he wanted, he blinked in surprise. He glanced to the side, as if waiting for the candid camera, and then back to her.
"Nothing," he said finally. "Go away." He paused. A military gentlemen never forgot his manners around a lady. "Please."
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Post by Jules on May 22, 2008 23:21:37 GMT -5
The little please tacked onto that frank rejection didn't make it all better. Could someone, just for once, appreciate the fact that they completelt interrupt her day with their wants. How rude was it to just tell her to screw off when all she was trying to do was help.
"Well, wishing King Jack didn't have the throne is an impossibility because it'd be changing time. But you could wish that all his money away, or that his castle gets wrecked. Be creative."
She'd pretty much ignored him asking her to leave him. But she was sick and tired of being cast aside when it was their fault she'd come in the first place. It was as if no one could possibly bring themselves to appreciate her anymore. It was starting to get to her.
"Just, please make a wish."
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Post by Miss Jack on May 22, 2008 23:28:14 GMT -5
He raised his hands, taking a pointed step away from her. Women could get so hostile, and for seemingly no reason at all.
What was this, some kind of joke? Just make a wish and poof it happens? Yeah, right. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Okay, just relax." The irritation was evident in his voice. "I wish for a candy bar, okay? The ones with peanut butter inside."
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Post by Jules on May 22, 2008 23:33:08 GMT -5
Sometimes she felt as though she could cry. She lifted her hand and in his appeared a nicely sized peanut-butter filled chocolate bar.
She hoped he choked on it.
If people would just stop and think, they could see what a boon she could be. But instead she was constantly made to feel like an annoyance. As if she was somehow being aggravating by offering to grant people's wishes. Like she was a bad person for it. "And I'm perfectly relaxed." She informed him coldly. "I'm just sick and tired of people like you."
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Post by Miss Jack on May 22, 2008 23:40:47 GMT -5
He glanced down at his hand in surprise. Hey, she got his favorite. Though, judging by the look on her face, she wasn't feeling that warm fuzzy sensation that came from helping others.
"People like me?" he repeated tightly. "Well excuse me, I'm not the only one that didn't look happy to be here. Make a wish before I go full-out PMS on you? Some godmother."
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Post by Jules on May 22, 2008 23:49:19 GMT -5
"I would've been perfectly happy to be here. I love helping people. I love it more when those people aren't complete jackasses." Camilla tried taking a deep breath because fighting with him wasn't going to make anyting better.
But it was that last little comment, 'Some godmother', that got to her. Brought out all the doubt about just how crappy she was at her job back to the forefront of her mind. Why was it that no one seemed grateful for her? It couldn't possibly be everyone else, it had to be her. She was the common denominator, after all.
"Right then." She said, sounding a little defeated, but she couldn't help but sneer a little as she said her next words. "I realize what a burden my help places on you. How hard it is to be able to wish for almost anything."
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Post by Miss Jack on May 22, 2008 23:58:51 GMT -5
He sighed. Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut? Usually it was a challenge to get it open, he didn't know why he'd snapped like that. At the slightly crestfallen look to her face, he felt a stab of annoyance (or was it guilt?). Even if she was cranky, she was a girl, maybe even pretty if he thought about it, and even if he could think of million things he'd rather deal with at the moment, it wasn't an excuse.
"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I didn't try to call you, and then I didn't believe you. I didn't mean to be so rude." He held up the treasure in his hand half-heartedly. "And thank you for the candy bar. It's my favorite, and I haven't had one in a long time."
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Post by Jules on May 23, 2008 6:04:03 GMT -5
Camilla blinked. That wasn't really what she'd been expecting and the refreshment of an actual thank you and even an apology made the woman smile sincerely.
"Your welcome." And there was a certain relish in saying the words, like she hadn't in a long time. Even if she had almost forced him into it, even if it was fake and half-hearted. It was more then she'd gotten in a while.
"I didn't mean to be so pushy. It's just you'd think people would be happy to have their wishes granted. Instead most of you treat me like I'm some kind of pest."
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Post by Miss Jack on May 23, 2008 23:47:45 GMT -5
The corners of his mouth shifted just barely. Only to the truly observant would it be considered a smile, but the expression was rare enough as it was. He tipped his head in a small nod.
"Perhaps it's the embarrassment of having vocalized a wish they didn't really want to deal with and being forced to own to it," he suggested. He shifted the coil of rope against his shoulder, eyes glancing behind her shoulder and down the road he needed to take to get back to the Endless Wastes before dark.
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Post by Jules on May 24, 2008 0:05:11 GMT -5
Camilla hadn't actually ever thought of it that way. She blinked at him and a slow smile came to her face.
"That makes sense." But still, it wasn't like she could do anything about it. People had a wish, and she had to come. There was no voluntary action on her part, not really. "But it's not like I'm going to run around and tell anyone. I am bound by an oath." Her eyes follow his to the road behind her and she sighs.
It seems no one can bother to talk to her longer then absoulutely necessary to be polite. She stood aside so that he could pass.
"I just sometimes wish I could fulfill something a little more meaningful then a new set of armor or a candy bar."
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Post by Miss Jack on May 24, 2008 0:13:04 GMT -5
He noticed her sigh and inwardly grimaced. He was more out of practice then he thought with social graces. "Sorry," he muttered, the word a low growl of discomfort. "It's a long walk, and hard to find in the dark."
He took a few steps, pausing when he was beside her. Well, relatively beside her, he could have fit a quarreling Diaspro and James in the space between them. He put the candy bar in his pocket and offered his quiet little smile again. "I'm glad you won't be telling anyone about this," he added. Almost like a joke. Ha ha.
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Post by Jules on May 24, 2008 0:20:35 GMT -5
"Of course it is." Something had slid over Camilla's face, and her tone was icy. More like it should be. It was silly to be hurt so she wouldn't be anymore. Simple as that.
She offered him a small polite, but distant smile and nodded. No need to be nice to people who couldn't wait to get away from you. "I would never." Not that it'd betray his trust, not that if she thought anyone would actually care she wouldn't be telling them. But mostly because she had no one with which she could gossip. And besides, she was bound by an oath.
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Post by Miss Jack on May 24, 2008 0:28:31 GMT -5
He raised an eyebrow at her sudden frostiness. Women.
He nodded once more to her, this time in farewell. He left down the street, his long legs carrying him in an easy, swift stride that soon put the touchy fairy godmother behind him. He considered throwing the candy bar in the trash, just to prove to himself that he didn't care, but it stayed nestled in his pocket.
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