onepassingnight | oo2 ❄ I've got friends locked in boxes, that's no way to live

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oo2 ❄ I've got friends locked in boxes, that's no way to live

[ They were five-and-twenty artificial soldiers. One through twenty-four a perfect set, prized by their creator and the ruler they served, and he the last, the one built of spare and scrap left over from the rest.

Many a time, he had considered this an utterly unconscionable cruelty - that he should have been made, at all, of inferior metal and unfinished, as he was. With one whole leg missing, he would never be able to match his brethren in prowess or efficiency as a weapon, but somehow not even such a glaring deficiency had spared him this fate of inadequacy. So much as his inferiority had isolated and internally embittered him, though, over the years, it had also made him determined.

As all living things, even machines, were given to the will to survive, he had developed a fearsome dedication to proving himself useful to spite his innate failings. While the other soldiers marched off to fight, to pursue the grandest quests at the behest of their leader, he would stay behind - standing guard vigilantly at the gate of the great tower wherein their ruler resided, until the inevitable return of those (fewer and fewer than) twenty-four. It was from here that he would watch over what that he could, ever diligent, still close enough that should he be needed for any menial task, it would be no trouble at all to call on him, but neatly tucked out of the way, in the meantime, leaning on the long rifle at his side as a crutch only in the instances when his precarious balance failed him.

Ordinarily, that was. He would stand still and stalwart as a statue through rain and wind and drifting snow, unflinching (lest one look closely enough to discern the slightest shift), but on this perfectly pleasant Spring day, his post stood curiously vacant.

They wouldn't miss him, he'd thought, for one evening of absence. He would hurry back just as quick as he could, once he'd had done with his business in the city. (And on this point, he was very gravely serious with himself, for he'd heard the infrequent gossip among the passersby who oft visited his grand benefactor, always talk of putting him to better use by melting him down for spare parts. A fate anyone should wish to avoid.) But the draw of this particular sight had been impossible to resist.

Not three days had passed since the parade procession had marched past his well-worn divot in the stone of the tower courtyard, the traveling band of circus performers still every bit as bright and vividly colorful in his memory, now. On the whole, such a distraction would not usually have been enough drawn him away from his sworn duty - but among the rabble he had glimpsed one most elegant performer. A dancer, of some sort, he'd imagined, not so worldly as to know the proper term. A dancer who swept and spun so gracefully on tiptoe, one foot on the ground, it was almost like floating.

Since then, he'd become fixated on the brief memory, certain that if only he could learn to be so capable, as he was, then surely he'd be allowed to prove himself on the battlefield just like the others. And it was with this in mind that he set out on the city streets, moving as inconspicuously as a one-legged, mechanical soldier could. ]

[ ooc: All aboard the tl;dr express for a very special rendition of The Steadfast Tin Soldier (summary in case you're already tired of those deer), starring Mini Cloud as the eponymous soldier and... everybody else, as either the ballerina or the goblin or one of the other soldiers or literally anything else you can possibly imagine.

Of course, it's up to individual discretion whether or not this version ends up as horribly as the original. :3c ]

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I've never been that far away before. I want to see what's there. [Always curious, always questing, always destined for the ends of the very universe.]

Of course I'll go home to Mama afterward.

It's... Too dangerous.

[ Too vague, but he didn't have convincing in mind - it shouldn't take much to dissuade someone so young, the soldier supposed. With rust or merely the gravity in the gesture, he shook his head slowly. ]

You'd better stay here.

[She's still young enough to be kind, in this dream, and so her answer is obvious.]

If it's two of us, then, it's safer than one. Isn't it?

[ Maybe she had a point - or would've, had they been anything other than a little girl and a broken toy. As matters stand, he'd rather not drag anyone else into his own trouble. ]

I'll be better on my own.

[But... she wants to go with him. It's a selfish thought, really: she doesn't want to be alone.]

Is it because I'm little still?

[ The surprise is easy to read under the lip of his helmet, echoed in his body language as he shrugs back in one short, rigid motion. ]

Um, yeah. Kind of. You should stay here, where you'll be safe.

[It hurts to be shut out again, and she'd like to argue, to say she's big enough, to make it alright and make him accept her.

But she's never been good at that.]

I'm sorry. I hope you have a lot of adventures.

[She... supposes it's fine. She can read about adventures at home.]

[ ...It's another unfortunate trait of a soldier to be so malleable, in spite of his hard outer shell.

Perhaps he was a bit harsh. He doesn't really intend to go anywhere that should be so frightfully perilous. Not really. His round, tin shoulders sag just a fraction, and he frowns. ]

...I'm going to the other side of the city, where the circus is. If you're allowed to go that far, I guess you can tag along.

[ It might not be the worst possible thing to have someone around who should know the city a little better, anyway. Even if she is just a kid.

For good measure, though, he adds in afterthought: ] I'm not on any adventure, though.

[ He'll still have to be back before his absence is noticed, after all. ]

You're a wandering soldier. Wandering soldiers always have adventures in books and stories. [This is almost said coaxingly; he can tell her the truth about his grand deeds and feats of derring-do!]

If it's to the circus, I can go. Mama won't be home until late tonight anyway.

Not me. [ But perhaps he insists a little too much, on that point.

Though there certainly aren't any grand events of any sort, in his past, unless he's forgotten quite a bit of his own history. She'll just have to be sorely disappointed with the day entire.

Doing his rough approximation of an about-face, he swings another step forward, glancing back over his shoulder. ]

I don't have time to waste looking for adventures. I've got work to do.

I won't get in the way of your work. Maybe I can even help. [She doesn't boast of it, as she is now, but she's very good with school - and problem solving.]

[ He doesn't immediately rebuff the offer, thinking along the same lines, already, but doesn't offer much by way of a response, either. There isn't a lot of time to practice socializing, in his line of work - and most of the human contact he does get at isn't exactly positive.

Still, maybe it's answer enough when he starts off on his way, once more, hobbling determinedly without a word. Behind the shield of his helmet, he keeps an eye out for her as much as himself - watching is his one manageable skill, after all - as they make their way across the city.

Or - as far as the exceptionally crowded streets of the open air market. Here, the throng was an almost solid wall of people, thorough and chaotic enough to give him pause. ]

Maybe we should go around...

[ No, he wasn't the adventuring type at all. ]

[Ami looks through the crowd, which seems somewhat exciting to her. She doesn't really imagine herself ever wanting to be in the center of a crowd, but the atmosphere of bustle and chatter seems... friendly.

Still, for the time being, the little soldier is something of her chaperone so, reluctantly, Ami tears herself away from staring at a small knot of people gathered around some street performer.]

Alright. I'm coming now.

[ From his perspective, it's all crazed disorder, so many potential disasters waiting to happen. And, besides, all of that motion - he'd be fairly easy to topple over, should one of those carts stray too close or clip his crutch.

So it's a very distinct relief when the girl he's supposed to be looking out for (or who's supposed to be looking out for him) comes right back after her short jaunt through that mess. Whatever the fuss, over there, he doesn't have much interest in it, so he nods stiffly, again, and sets out to take a safer-looking side street. ]

Have you been to this side of the city, before?

[Ami shakes her head, and makes a small negative sound.] School and cram school [Yes, cram school already despite her age] are close to home. I don't usually come this far.

[Unless it's to go to the local amusement park- but they haven't done that in awhile.]

[ Well, that's no good.

He looks a little dubious beneath his helmet, at this revelation, but the expression's well-hidden. What had he really expected - for her to have some eidetic recall of an entire city's layout? No, not at all.

He stumps doggedly on, ignoring the calls of a few overzealous merchants on the fringes of the market proper. ]

Well, stick close to me. Okay?

[Hey; it doesn't mean she hasn't seen maps. She has a pretty good sense of direction that might still come in handy if they need it. Right now, she nods agreeably.]

Is it alright if I pick you up? We can go faster that way and it will be easier. You won't have to get tired.

[ The offer visibly startles him, but he shakes his head almost immediately.

No, no, no - his pride won't allow it. ]

I'm heavier than I look. You'd probably strain something.

[ Even excluding the extent of his ability to be embarrassed. ] Anyway, I don't get tired.

[There's a hint, just a hint, of stubbornness in the set of her mouth and her expression.]

I told you I won't get in the way. I can do it.

That's not it.

[ Stubborn? Well, two can play at that game - especially over the terribly important matter of his pride. ]

I'd rather walk on my own.

[Well that just means Ami adjusts her steps to go a bit slower out of consideration for the tin soldier's pace.]

Is this better?

I said- I don't get tired.

[ And, if only to be contrary, he hastens his own pace a good clip. It looks like a struggle, certainly, but there are years of practice behind the odd little hop and stagger dance he does just to get along - he's quicker than he looks.

Even whilst especially huffy. ]

[Ami finds herself having to walk quicker to keep pace with the soldier, and she does so until she's halfway between a walk and a run. It's not so different from trying to keep up with adults, really; but she hadn't imagined running along behind a toy like this before.]

I won't. But I don't want to be left behind either.

[She's slowing him down despite himself, isn't she? Maybe it was bad of her to want to come along.]

I'm not gonna leave you behind.

[ Of course, it's not her responsibility not to get lost - he's the one who's got to keep track. Slowing again, accordingly, he moderates his seemingly unsteady gait to something more middle of the road.

They've come around the smokescreen of the bustling market already, anyway, and the tops of tents and flagpoles bearing brightly colored banners rustling faintly in the light afternoon breeze are all visible over the last few rows of buildings. The circus. ]

(There it is.)

Won't be much longer, anyway.

I see it! [Her face brightens, and for a second it's very hard to remind herself to go slowly.] I can hear the music, too! It sounds really exciting!

[Wait. She'd been trying to show him she was a big girl and very mature.]

I mean. We can get there very soon. It looks sort of fun.

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