riverview | Video; un: ilikehorses

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Video; un: ilikehorses

[Laura's been trying to adjust. Part of her wonders if coming here wasn't a grave mistake — she'd come thinking there are more like her, people who would accept her more willingly, and in a way, that's true. However... There are a few... annoyances. Grievances. Her rather overworked case worker Linda has been making sure she goes to school. Today isn't the best day for school, though. She's quiet and 'weird' and the other children usually aren't fond of her and her quiet but present danger.

And for Laura, well. She doesn't do well with anyone 'teaching' her. She's had too much of 'teaching' the last eleven years of her... eleven years.

She may or may not have punched another kid in the eye.

She may or may not have ditched school.

And now she sits on the top of a rather tall and dangerous brick-ish wall in the city, her feet hanging precariously off the edge. Close by, the shadow of a tram wooshes by, and somewhere out there, Linda the Case Worker is having a heart attack. Laura, however, seems more puzzled and annoyed than anything. She sits with a potentially stolen bag of mini-donuts, her favorite glasses pressed up on her forehead and her lovely albeit mildly damaged unicorn shirt clear and vibrant.]

Why do children have to go to classes?

I can learn outside of school.

[There are mean children that exist. She's never ran into children who are so exclusionary; after all, mutants had to stick together.

And teachers aren't bad, but something about the set-up bothers her, in ways she's not sure how to explain.

Maybe it's harder to blend in than you'd think. Not that she had gone into this with any high hopes.]

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[What little he knows about her, she probably wouldn't be as bothered by the story but it still isn't one he'll share the full truth of.]

I do try to understand people. So I can certainly do my best.

It's hard, to understand people.

Only sometimes. You can get better at reading people the more you socialize. Some people have tics that give away their lies or will fiddle with their hands if they're nervous. Recognizing that will make it easier to understand them.

[... She supposes that's true. She looks for those... little tics. Figuring out what to do with them, well -- that's another matter. Use them to fight, maybe. Weaknesses to find, so she can make a clean escape--]

How long have you... 'read' people?

[He thinks a little. It had been a skill he'd forced himself to learn, and quickly. Luckily, he'd always been a quick learner.]

Around four years, I'd say. It helps when you run your own business.

[... Huh?]

What is a -- 'business'?

[He gives a faint smile and raises a hand, pointing into the video towards the bag of donuts.]

Where those came from, or your clothes, those are businesses. The owners and employees make their living by providing the masses with products they want or need.

I do the same but I sell toys and candy.

[Oh. So places she's stolen from. Oops.

She seems really interested in his business in particular, though.]

We didn't have very many, before. Toys.

[She might actually use money for once. Just for you.]

[Oops indeed but he doesn't know and probably wouldn't comment on it. He'd once told Joker: "There are those who steal and those who are stolen from."

The situation had been very different, he'd stolen Kelvin's life, Joker's life, not belongings are methods of income.]

None? [Even trying to act like an adult, he still doesn't think that's right.] Why don't you come by and see our toys. We're focused on dolls now, like Bitter Rabbit.

We weren't allowed to have toys. Sometimes we could hide them, though.

[The nurses were as kind to them as they could be. What they could get away with.

Laura was rather protective of her horse figure; the Reavers or scientists dare not come between her and it.]

... I'd like to see them.

No? What absolute rubbish. Children should always be allowed toys.

[In England, it's purely about making money. And it is here, partly, but he can afford to think about his customer base more here.]

Would you like me to come and meet you and show you or would you rather directions?

[They weren't really seen as children, but the thought's nice, thanks bud.]

I can come find you. Tell me where you are.

[Screw whoever said that.

He has a particular grudge about people who don't think of children as children.]

Very well. [And location sent. He'll just be sitting outside of Funtom, sipping at a cup of tea.]

[Excellente. She'll be there in no time -- wearing, of course, a mildly frayed shirt with what appears to be a unicorn on it, over a jacket. It's not even particularly cold out, but it feels protective, this shield of normalcy. This is how regular people dress; for a moment, it's like a game of playing pretend, like children like to do.

She spots him and walks leisurely, silent in her approach and eyes studious.

She has her cupcake-themed glasses sitting up on her hairline, unused at the moment.]

... Hola.

[Ciel is dressed as closely to Victorian fashion as it possible in Riverview, with heeled shoes and a plain black eyepatch.

As she approaches, he sets his tea down and stands, giving her a pleasant smile and taking in her appearance. It's... different, nothing he'd see in England, but it at least matched some of what he'd seen in Riverview.]

Bonjour. I'm pleased to meet you, my name's Ciel.

[She considers him, reading him up and down.]

Me llamo Laura.

This is yours?

[She glances to the shop in question, and really, she doesn't even question someone his age being an owner. It's not like she understands how a lot of normal society works, anyway. If children can be weapons, why can't they control stores?]

[He uses context clues to recognize the meaning behind her words and smiles.]

Pleased to make you acquaintance, Laura. [Ciel looks to the store and gestures for her to come inside with him.]

It is. Welcome to Funtom Toys and Candy.

[Her lips twitch into a momentary smile, because she certainly hasn't lost the desire to be a child that much, not enough to turn her away from candy or toys. It's not quite the same sort of expected glee a kid had at the sight of so many things they love, but rather a sort of awe, a patience; Laura slowly walks in, looking around with a wide gaze and exploring eyes.

It's nice. She's never been in a toy-themed shop before like this.]

[Ciel watches her, a little curious, and then moves over to a shelf and pulls a large stuffed rabbit from one shelf. He may not behave like a child himself but he knows what it's like being denied a full childhood. Ciel chose to abandon his childhood though, hers soudned as if it had been entirely stripped away.

No toys? Rubbish. He offers her the doll.]

Here. This is Bitter Rabbit. Consider it a gift. It won't make up for what you missed but it's a start.

[She holds it carefully, looking it over before crushing it in an embrace much like the ones Ciel does in testing his goods; she's not particularly ready to let up, either, enjoying the feeling of hugging something close for comfort like this; it's rare, and the last time she can think of holding something this close and kindly, it'd been her pillow on a particularly difficult day at Transigen.

Yes... that was the day they had tested her regeneration capabilities.

She sniffs the bunny, and finds it a pleasant scent.]

... He's cute.

[It is a candy store, he'd actually kind of hope some of the scents from the candy would seep into the dolls.]

I'm glad you like him. [She can, of course, squeeze the bunny all she likes. He was a gift after all and what she does with it isn't his business. It also has the added benefit for trying to right at least one wrong that had been done to her. Children aren't tools. Not to their parents. Not to anyone.]

[Perfecto, A+, you're her new toy drug dealer.

She has not stopped hugging the rabbit close, like someone may very well pry it from her hands.

Silently, she drifts along the shop's walls, eyes rounded owlishly with interest.

There's so much compared to her upbringing; she's not sure where to begin.]

[He's sure he can handle that. And hell, she might be a good pick for advertisements for Bitter Rabbit in the future.]

If you weren't allowed toys, you probably never got much candy either, did you?

[She shakes her head.]

Candy does not keep bodies in peak health. And it causes unwanted sporadic activity levels.

[It's really just parroted wording, but it's what she knows.]

[As a kid with a vicious sweet tooth, he feels so attacked right now.]

Yes but it's sweet and makes you feel good. [Where ever she'd been, Ciel has such an urge to spite them. In fact, he will, and grabs a caramel lollypop from a display on one of the counters and hands it to her.]