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

[anonfantry]

[ 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 ]

Comments

[anonfantry]

[ 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.

[waterfell]

[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.

[anonfantry]

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.

[waterfell]

[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?

[anonfantry]

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. ]

[waterfell]

[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.]

[anonfantry]

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.

[waterfell]

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.

[anonfantry]

[ Her sudden change of tune startles him - but not in any bad way, this time. It's kind of funny, actually.

Though, out of respect, he lifts a hand to cover his mouth and ducks behind the cover of his drab green scarf when a laugh nearly gets away from him. ]

Yeah. Let's hurry.

[waterfell]

[He's laughing at her. For a second, it makes her unsure of herself, tentative. She'd like to run away, really; for all that she tells herself she's getting used to it from the children at school, being laughed at bothers her.]

I just thought... It seemed... [She trails off, unsure of what to even say. In the end, she decides on nothing, and gives a quick nod before continuing on.]

[anonfantry]

Something wrong?

[ He'd know the feeling, were he half as perceptive as he'd need to be to pick up on it. But he might be equally as bewildered; he didn't mean to ridicule her, either.

Keeping pace as best he can, he (perhaps a little too hastily) attempts to change the subject. ]

Um. You never told me your name, y'know. I'm Cloud.

[waterfell]

No; it's nothing. [She doesn't hang her head for long, because she's forgotten her manners if she hasn't introduced herself, which means she hurries to remedy the fault.]

I'm Ami Mizuno.

[anonfantry]

[ He doesn't often, but for that he smiles. All vague pleasantries aside, it hasn't been such a bad afternoon. So far. ]

Okay, Ami. Let's keep going.

[waterfell]

[Ami brightens instantly as she dares to look the soldier Cloud right in the eye again.]

You mean I can still come after all? [She'd half expected to be told to go home, even after everything they've already said. Before he can change his mind, she nods quickly.]

Let's go! It'll be an adventure to tell everyone about once we're done!

[anonfantry]

Um, why not?

[ Again, he thinks, he's missed something - but it mustn't be too important, after all, if she's still happy to go along with him. With half a shrug, he picks up his gun and starts another long forward stride, at her insistence.

No time to waste; no time at all. ...Though her enthusiasm does give him pause, again, at that. Amending his gait with only a minor hitch, he shakes his head vehemently. ]

H-Hey, you can't tell everybody I was with you! I'm not really- Supposed to be out here.

[waterfell]

[She's just happy to be included, and so after just a moment of hesitation, she nods enthusiastically.]

I won't tell! Because, I'll still know we did it all together.

[anonfantry]

Okay. Thanks.

[ A little heartened by this accord, he nods in turn and hurries onward. With the destination in sight, the distance goes quickly, and the soldier hangs back a bit at the crowded and cluttered fairgrounds' entrance - the same way he hesitated before the market, uncertain trying for impassive.

He doesn't know where to start or if he'll even be able to go through with his potentially embarrassing request, let alone in front of his new acquaintance. But he still isn't the type to shy away from that potential, one way or another. ]

Uh... Where do you want to go first?

[waterfell]

Something fun. [A place like this is one of the few places she can let herself go and have fun.]

Are there games and rides? What about riding the animals?

[anonfantry]

I don't know.

[ Games and rides seem plausible - there are even a few stands in sight (through the thick of the crowds) that appear to host the former. About the rest, though, he hasn't the slightest clue. ]

We'll just have to look around. [ There! That's a pretty smooth segue into very casually getting a chance to do his own thing, too. He's almost a little proud of himself. ]

[waterfell]

[It might be quite as do-his-own-thing as Cloud thinks. This is because Ami is quite naturally assuming they'll go together.

He wouldn't leave the cute kid behind, would he?]

Let's go find out. And, thank you; for bringing me here, thank you.

[anonfantry]

[ No, of course not! He takes escort duty extremely seriously, and would never, ever leave a man (or tiny little girl) behind.

She's definitely safe.

Unless something goes horribly wrong.

But that almost probably might not happen. ]

It's not a big deal. I was going this direction, anyway.

[waterfell]

Oh! [Alright, she's late in thinking about it, but at least she is thinking about one very important thing.] I have money for the ticket counter.

[anonfantry]

Ticket counter? [ Wait, what. There's more to this? ] What's that for?

[waterfell]

[Maybe it works differently here. Ami has the decidedly unusual experience of glancing down at the person she's talking to instead of craning her head upward.]

Don't you have to pay to go in?

[anonfantry]

I don't know. It- Doesn't look like it.

[ At least not to his cursory (rather hasty) glance around. The multitude of carnival-goers seem to be passing through the gates of the fairground undeterred in both directions. He takes a few lumbering steps forward - then pauses to shrug (and shift his gun-shaped crutch into a more comfortable position). ]

Come on.