lackingbeauty | ♕ 001 // Action for Route 29

[The more they talk, the more he can feel himself calming down. She's not going anywhere- not yet anyway, and he can only pray not for a long while. It finally occurs to him to move. The sooner they find each other again, see each other in the flesh, the better. So he gets up, 'Gear still held in his hand as he starts to make his way out. Angel watches out for him. She always does. Now, right at his heels, she keeps the doors open for him and listens carefully to the conversation.]

It's a lil' town near a mountain and a forest called Azalea. New Bark is where yer at, and they ain't too far from each other.

[That's a lie, actually. They're quite a damn ways from each other. It's a week long travel from Cherrygrove to Violet alone, and those two towns are between him and Beast right now. That's fine, right now, not like when he had to go fetch Doll. He's already making plans as he heads to the Pokecenter. Ariel prefers to go her own pace when he's flying her and normally that's fine... But right now he needs someone who will fly fast like the bleedin' devil is on their tail.]

[Like with so many lies he's told, Joker does his best not to make it apparent it is one. He keeps working at his smile, keeps making it fake genuine, and has his tone stay steady and reassuring.]

[...Even if he's aware that if there's anyone who'd see past it, it'd be Beast.]

All the towns 'round here are named after flowers, seems like. Cherrygrove, Violet, Goldenrod, Mahogany, all things like that.

[Something mundane to hopefully help the whole situation seem so... bizarre.]

[It's not that close.

Beast realizes that when she notices his smile. (Hadn't she always noticed his smile?) it wasn't sincere- not that she'd necessarily seen a true smile out of him for years. - Had it been years? But she'd been watching, aching, until she could tell how much of a lie was concealed behind each one, if not what the lie might be.

But in this situation what else could it be? She hoped it was about the distance and not some other unknown, more terrifying truth of their capture or this place. She realizes from the video that he's moving, but she's standing still. Sitting, really, she'd collapsed once she put the town behind her, behind a tree just off the beaten path. The hiding place of someone who wasn't sure if they wanted to be found or not.]

... I'll wait.

[Is what she says though, not wanting to reveal the lie this time. She wanted to believe he was close. That any minute she'd see him again. It wasn't as if he'd been gone long, only two nights by her count.

But oh, what could happen in a night.

- if he would be a time, she'd need to make some sort of camp. Find food- her eyes dropped to the strange- what had that man called it? A pokeball?]

What's this, some sort a candy sweet land, then?

[Its an attempt at her normal more gruff, tough demeanor, turning up her nose at the names of the towns around them as childish, but she wasn't nearly as good an actor as Joker. Her tone fell flat.]

[Candy sweet land- ha. He gives a chuckle. It's not perfect- you don't get a shark flung at your head and think "this place has no problems ever". He's not that naive anyway. He's never been able to afford to be. But...]

[This place is better than a lot of other places he's seen. Too many kind people who haven't pulled the rug out from him yet. Too many ways to make sure you're just as protected as anyone.]

Would ya believe me if I said you've plopped right inta a fairytale land? [It's a tease, and it's comforting to make it.] We always said Doll was the Circus' princess, but I think ya would make a fair Snow White~!

No, I wouldn' believe that, Joker. 'ow old d'ye take me for?

[If Doll or Dagger were about she might have played along. A fairy tale land, like the children's stories. Something sweet and kind, where no one ever really seemed to die but of old age or wickedness, and things like magic and kisses solved all the problems?

No. Even for Joker she couldn't believe in that. Though it serves as a decent enough distraction to her present problems, griping about it.]

An' I wouldn' neither, seein' as I'd need-

[Beast stopped. Snow White was awoken by a kiss. True love's kiss.]

... T'sleep more'n I'd like.

[She hadn't wanted the unintentional reminder about the last thing she'd kissed. But even that, much as it pained her, served to keep her thoughts off the panic of a new world.]

[That protest just makes him laugh more.]

Ya would say that!

[That's Beast, of course. That's enough to tell him she's alright, although the pause is a bit odd. He figures it can't be anything too serious, however, right? Maybe that's what he'd like to believe.]

But that means ya can't be the sleepin' beauty either, if yer so worried about that. Cinderella, then? [There's a brief pause as he looks down at his feet to Angel and he murmurs "You know who ta get" before the little thing runs off so he can turn all his attention back to Beast.] I promise I'll pick ya up before midnight strikes.

Which am I, an animal tamer 'r a princess?

[Crossed her arms beneath her breasts and closed her eyes. Mainly because if she closed her eyes, she could pretend this was a conversation like any other. In the mess tent or Peter's tent after the show playing cards, riding the wagons carrying their show from one town to the next-

Any one of those moments would be good enough for her.

But she can't pretend long, because he says "by midnight", and her eyes open, cast to the sky above her past the light shade of the trees. Midnight.]

- don't exactly 'ave a flare on me, ye know.

[She can't fathom any method of arrival beyond foot, wheel, or steed. Of the four hoofed variety.]

It's a fairytale! We can do both, can't we?

[Just keep it light-hearted. Familiar. It's so easy to fall back into even after all this time.]

[The question earns a playful wink.]

I have my ways, don't worry! [By which he means he has a tiny clown that can read emotions, two strange cats, and a dragon. Cor, it actually all seems stranger when he looks back on it...] Just be patient, alright? I'll get ta ya like I have wings.

[Ha.]

Oh... [His eyebrows rise a bit as he remembers. Before he bolts for the skies, he should tell Jimmy...] I'll be comin' with someone, too. His name is Jimmy, lad's been helpin' me about. I know he's a strange face, but be kind ta him, alright? He'd probably still try ta make friends even if ya weren't, actually...

[No, we can't.

Is what she wants to say. They can't have it both ways, no matter how good he was at pretending and how Dagger and Doll seemed to believe in it. Maybe it was age, maybe personality- that she couldn't buy in to it no matter how much she wanted to.

She wants to snort at his joke, toss her hair and seem as if she didn't find it funny at all when she actually did. Instead her thoughts narrow to the last words.]

No.

[She's surprised herself, how fast and how cold seeming she sounds when she says it- the surprise shows on her face a second after.

No.

No to what part? For the lad to come along? To be nice to him? Or for Joker to trust him at all- when she was the one who'd woken the next morning to find Black and Smile both gone?

Coincidence? She thought not.]

[If it surprises Beast, then it certainly catches Joker off-guard. But after a moment, understanding lights up in his eyes and his expression softens.]

...He ain't like Smile.

Edited 2014-09-12 22:17 (UTC)

I said "no".

[For a second, Beast is too caught up in stubbornly sticking to her words to notice that as far as she knew... Joker didn't know Smile had betrayed them.

But once she does, her expression begins to look... confused. Wait- had Father known? All along? Is that how he knew-]

[He heaves out a sigh. Things are getting more and more complicated, just like before.]

I'll tell ya more when I get there, alright?

[... What does that even mean? What could there be to tell her? Selfishly, Beast didn't care how Father was doing, or what he said. She didn't want to know-

And if Father had known about Smile, then why hadn't he-]

Fine.

[It comes out in a distinctly not fine strangled sort of way, but she doesn't want to discuss it over these... things.]

[He doesn't either, even as he knows how it feels to wait and wait and wait. All he can really promise her is-]

I'll be there as quick as I can. S'part of why I want ya ta try talkin' ta folks- it'll keep yer mind off a things, alright? Keep busy and time just flies by.

Fine, I said!

[She didn't mean to snap at him- she rarely did, and regretted it the moment she spoke. Most of her fearsome and prickly reputation earned at the circus wasn't from how she behaved with the first-tier members, but with... well. Everyone else.

She didn't want to talk to these people- they were foreign to her, they said things that didn't make sense-

But if it made the time go faster, she'd do it.]

[No you aren't he wants to say and doesn't. He doesn't flinch at the snap, either. He earned that one, although he's starting to become unsure if they're on the same line.]

[Out of anyone, he certainly can't judge a person for lying. Especially Beast.]

...Just stay safe. Yeah?

[And really, he doesn't have to say it. She knows she isn't. Who is, anymore, anyway?]

I will.

[Is what she says. "You, too" isn't words- it's just on her face, like every other emotion she felt.]

[There really is one good thing about Torch: she is fast.]

[The bad thing... She has arms which aren't particularly meant for holding a full grown man.]

[After the first disastrous flight with her, he's been careful to keep her at the Circus where she's more happy to come up with new stunts than as a traveling companion. But right now, Joker doesn't much care about the risk. So he just makes her promise- twice- to not pull any death defying stunts before they take off with his good arm wrapped tight around her neck and Angel clinging to his shirt.]

[Normally, he tries to take the time to enjoy the views from way up high. It's nothing like anything he's experienced in England and just another reason to enjoy having a second chance at things again. But this time, he's too lost in his own thoughts to pay anything much mind. There's so much he's going to have to tell her, so much he's going to have to explain- where to start? It really is like stepping into some sort of fairytale dreamland... Fantastical creatures and devious villains all.]

[It's only when Torch snuffs at his hair does he snap out of it and look down far far below them. There it is, there's New Bark. He gives a sharp whistle and jerks his head down towards the professor's lap. They'll land near there- get a bit of coverage. He doesn't want to scare Beast with a giant dragon just yet, after all. Once they're on solid ground and Joker tries not to think about how many times he nearly fell off, he takes in a deep breath.]

[He wants to go running out. He wants to find her and grab her and make sure she's real and- apologize. He shouldn't have left them all on their own. He had to, he's not sure what else he could have done, but... They were his responsibility. Peter and Wendy and Doll and Jumbo... and Beast. Her especially, when she'd been worried so about his leaving.]

[But he can't just run off. He takes a moment to lay his hand on Torch's and Angel's heads, murmuring quietly.]

Stay here, alright? I'll introduce ya come the right time, but need ta steady her first, alright? Keep an eye out for Jims, imagine he'll be here any minute now.

[Two balls are pulled out next, and he releases Claw and Fang. It takes him a moment to decide which one would be less worrying and he settles on Claw. After all, save for the shiny jewel on his forehead, he just looks like a very overgrown housecat. Not purple. It takes a bit of convincing to separate the pair but fortunately it seems the two know when things are serious.]

[So after a good few hours flight and a few minutes chatter, Joker finally leaves the area and takes another breath.]

Alright, Claw, be good ta me, won't ya?

[The Persian immediately gets to work, tail slowly wagging back and forth as it looks for the scent that'd been offered to him on the thick scarf Joker keeps around his neck. It starts to lead him off towards the route and out of the small town. Joker gives a tentative call.]

Beast?

[It was getting late.

Normally, Beast would be asleep by now. But there's normally and there's now, which had very little in common with what she'd call normal. Normally she didn't wake up in a foreign town, with a foreign woman claiming to be her mother (she didn't remember the woman at all, but she knew it wasn't her), surrounded by foreign animals- it was too strange and too sudden to believe.

Joker's voice had been something to ground herself on, focus on, but he wasn't speaking anymore- he was on his way. She was waiting.

Just after they'd disconnected she'd tried to take his advice, because he often had decent advice much as she sometimes hated to admit it, and tried to talk to the people on her... Device. Tried to respond to them remotely civilly, ask questions. But her ability to be respectable in this sort of situation had worn too thin and the concepts shoved at her, (felt like shoved, no matter how gentle the turn of phrase), too befuddling. She'd stopped replying within the hour.

Nerves had worn thinner and thinner as time passed, and though she was too on edge to sleep, no matter how tired she was, she's drifted in to that haze between the two, knees, one real one false, pulled up and her cheek resting on folded arms. Waiting.

It might have been her imagination, just hopeful thinking, but- she thought she heard a voice.

His voice.]

- Joker?

[Got it out, half stood up, when a...

Was that a cat?!]

[If it does anything to help soothe her, once she gets up and is visible, the Persian in question does make a very definite cat like sound. It seems rather pleased with itself... Although considering it is a cat, perhaps that's nothing out of the ordinary.]

[Claw ducks out of the way as Joker rushes past, leaning down to wrap his arm tight around her waist and pull her close. He'd do closer still, if not for the one noticeable issue of him missing an arm on the other side, but he doesn't think much of it anymore.]

Found ya, thank goodness.

[Beast might have found the incongruencies if given a bit more time- the coin on its head, for example, but now, the Persian remains in her head simply a large beast of a feline.

Because Joker was holding her, and he was safe.

Try as she had to hide her worry, Beast's emotions always showed in the end, and she bit in to her lip, shoulders rose sharply, inhaled to try and stifle any weak sounding noise of relief to see him emerge unharmed, but then he was holding her and she didn't have to try not to show how worried she'd been because his shoulder did that for her. She buried her face there, arms wrapping around and squeezing with the same amount of desperation she had the night she'd begged him to leave Father behind-

- Had that only been a day past?

The shameful events between that memory and the current time are enough to make her squeeze even tighter, almost painfully so in an effort to forget. It was fine- even if... Even if Black was with the Yard like Peter said, it hadn't come to anything. Joker was here. He was safe. Except-

The realization was slow, because they'd lived years of their life lacking, he an arm and she a leg, and it almost didn't feel out of place within that embrace. After all, the last time he'd held her this tightly had been at the workhouse, before the distance and the wear and the children and the falseness in his smiles. It felt like this, the last time, but it shouldn't this time.]

Joker-

[Muffled in to his coat, fingers clutching desperately in the fabric at his back to keep her face hidden as she spoke, keep him from pulling away.]

Where's yer arm?

[No- something had happened. No. No. No.]

[It really has been a long time since he's held her like this, or any of their ragtag family. If only he'd known what would happen back home at Father's, if only he'd known he'd end up in a place like this where he'd end up nearly a year away from all his family... He wouldn't have held back from all of them, not nearly as much.]

[No one reflects like a dead man does.]

[Her muffled question pulls him out of all of it, however, but it's one he's been expecting. He presses his face against her hair and takes a deep breath.]

Ain't nothin' for ya ta worry about. Just seemed ta lost it when I got here myself.

[It's a practiced lie, the one he used with Doll. Something in the back of his mind, however, is worried it won't work. Beast has always been able to see through him, it seems.]

[No. If he'd just lost it... How could he be so casual about losing such a thing? Doc had made them all special for them, spent the time and effort to craft to each of their needs... Fittings, maintenance, design... Affording them the attention and care even a nobleman might envy.

Thanks to Father.

Just another thing in a long line of "thanks to Father"'s. She hadn't asked for it, none of them had. Sometimes she finds herself wishing to be back at that workhouse hobbling about on a crutch- she'd do the labor required, she'd live her life with one damn leg if it meant not having to have that man's seal stamped on her inner thigh burning a sick brand in to her fake skin.

But the other part of her knew that wasn't true. That on order to survive she needed that leg, and Joker his arm, and Dagger his foot, because without it they'd wind back right where they started- the gutter. Knew that now she'd had a taste of wholeness that she'd never be able to lie and say she wished she'd never had it in the first place.

No.

Knuckles were white in the back of his coat, unwilling to let go or raise her head even with the doubts she had about his answer.]

When was that?

[People said months, he'd been here months- but that was impossible. She knew that. She's seen him last night. (Last night-)]

[That's the hardest answer, harder than where his arm is. Faintly, he feels Claw pressing against their legs in concern. Cat's a thieving brat most of the time, but he's ended up as family in his own right.]

...Y'know that ol' tale about some ol' tosser who hears music comin' from a ways off and finds a bunch a faeries and trolls and the like all havin' a grand ol' party?

So he stays a while, he does... Only for a few hours, by his count. But he goes back home, ta his little town, and his wife's on old maid and his children all grown up because his two hours were fifty years for the rest a the world...

[Fairytales. Guess they had some truth after all. He takes a breath.]

It was winter when I got here, but it's headin inta fall now... Ten months or so. [She can probably feel him brace himself for the reaction.]

[She knows the story. Faerie rings, being spirited away to the Unseelie Court if unlucky, simply losing your time if you were blessed.

But they were fairy tales. For children. Things adults didn't right believe in- and most of their group with the exception of Dagger and Doll who they'd managed to keep somewhat sheltered, had been adults longer than they should have been. Beast slowly raised her face, though she didn't let go of him. For fear he'd leave her again or vanish she couldn't say.]

Thas' impossible.

[She was sure of that. Wasn't she?]

- I saw ye las' night.

[Wasn't she sure?]

[Just last night... Yeah, their lives are definitely off balance now. Years of growing up with her, side by side, and now all of a sudden...]

I know ya did. But... Impossible things tend ta happen here. Guess all those things they told us when we were little have a bit more truth than we thought, eh?

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