[closed] Moats and boats and waterfalls

[petitvoleur]

WHO: Big brother (yuukaihan) and little sister (petitvoleur).
WHAT: There's something in the air, and it's making them feel rather STRONG.
WHERE: Highcrest!
WHEN: April 8th



Neither of them seems to have noticed it, yet. They both heard the announcement from the Queen, but what exactly it meant is still unclear. This means that the two thieves are doing their daily business: scouting out things to steal, things that are left vulnerable. It's midday, meaning most people are out of their homes, going about their business. In a quiet residential part of Highcrest, Emanuelle and Kurama have zeroed in on a jewelry box, foolishly left out in the open, visible through a high window in the side of a house.

They've already made sure that nobody's in the immediate area, but they'll need to act quickly. Emanuelle points up at the narrow window.

"Give me a lift. I can wiggle through it."

Comments

[yuukaihan]

[He watches the process, his face blank. When she succeeds, he nods, but reaches out to take the rock from her hand.]

You're thinking about it backwards. This isn't the natural state of your body, obviously. You need to remember that. That way, you won't constantly need to think about controlling yourself, but only about occasionally being stronger when you want to be.

[He closes his hand, crushing the rock again, but then switches his attention to the pearls in his other hand and clenches his fist almost lazily, carelessly - but the pearls stay intact.]

[petitvoleur]

[She watches him with some alarm, because despite growing up in the lap of luxury, she's come to value the little trinkets they steal. She nods, slowly. She thinks she understands, but then she's always been a quick learner.]

I see. Give them to me.

[It's a demand that carries a lot of weight; she's adjusted remarkably well to the life of a common thief, but occasionally there are little mannerisms that, were one to look for them, would easily hint at a higher upbringing.]

[yuukaihan]

[He raises an eyebrow at that, but hands them over readily - most of the trinkets and baubles he steals are meant for her, anyway. What use does he have for them in a place where they cannot be sold off?]

As you wish, sweet sister.

[To anyone else, that phrase would sound innocuous enough - but to her, he means it as a warning.

Careful. Remember who you are now.]

[petitvoleur]

[She catches the warning, and her only indication of acknowledgment is a short exhale, a huff of air. She takes the pearls in her hand, gingerly, because they really are quite exquisite, and remembers what he told her. This time, she thinks of it as a reserve of strength, something present but not always necessary. She exhales, and it's a controlled measure so that as she closes her fingers around the pearls, they close easily and without the crushing pressure of before. They remain intact, and it elicits a smile.]

[yuukaihan]

[He nods, watching her. He's always appreciated how quickly she learns, how well she follows his lead. She's bright - very bright, in fact, probably a benefit of all those private court tutors - but more than that, she seems to like learning, even if the things she's learning are not, perhaps, what her family had planned for her.]

Good. With this...new development under our control, we may be able to find a way to use it to our advantage.

[petitvoleur]

[She huffs out a laugh, stashing the trinket back in the folds of her cloak with the rest.]

I should think so. I'm no weakling, but it will come in handy during our escapades, I'm sure.

[yuukaihan]

[He grins.]

Indeed. I'll try not to launch you through any more windows, though.

[petitvoleur]

[Her hand skims gingerly over the crown of her head, where there's a sizeable and rather painful lump developing, and she grimaces.]

I appreciate that more than you understand.

[yuukaihan]

[Suddenly, he realizes that in all the confusion, he hasn't taken the time to look over her injuries, and he does so now, his hands gentle as they explore the various lumps and bruises she's developed.]

Will you be all right?

[petitvoleur]

[She shrugs, wriggling a little bit to keep him from fussing over her.]

Nothing that won't heal. The furniture took more damage than I did, thankfully.

[yuukaihan]

[He thinks about telling her to stop squirming so he can get a better look, but if it were anything serious, he imagines she wouldn't be quite so feisty, so he gives in and steps back.]

Good. Should have figured that hard head of yours would come in handy someday.

[petitvoleur]

[She narrows her eyes just slightly at him, wanting to wrinkle her nose but not wanting to look like a child. She's not really mad, of course.]

Charming, aren't you.

[yuukaihan]

[He laughs and shrugs.]

I have never claimed to be anything but what I am.

[petitvoleur]

[Her expression softens at that.]

And I appreciate that.

[Despite the life she leads, she can't stand people who claim to be something they're not.]

[yuukaihan]

[He sketches her a little bow in response.]

[petitvoleur]

[She watches him with a wry smile, and then reaches out for his hand.]

Come on. Let's find something shiny to pocket.

[yuukaihan]

[He laughs a bit at her insatiable desire for shiny things, but takes her hand easily, lacing their fingers together.]

A fine plan, sister.

[With his free hand, he moves to tug his hood up over his hair, but a thought occurs to him, and he pauses, glancing over at Emmanuelle.]

We ought, perhaps, also find something to darken your hair again. It's beginning to grow back in at the top.

[petitvoleur]

[She hesitates just a moment too long, reaching up to finger a few stray locks near her face.]

Right.

[yuukaihan]

[She can't seriously expect him not to hear that hesitation, can she? A frown creases his brow as he asks:]

Do you wish to let it return to its natural color?

[petitvoleur]

[She makes a sound of uncertainty.]

I thought perhaps since we've nobody to hide from here, it wouldn't hurt.

[yuukaihan]

[He considers that for a moment, then shrugs. He supposes he understands a bit of vanity - after all, his own red hair is quite distinctive, and he could have dyed it dark on several occasions.]

I suppose you're right. Still, it will look...rather odd, growing back in, I should think. It may be difficult to keep people from asking questions.

[petitvoleur]

[She purses her lips, thinking.]

I could keep my hair covered. And once it grows enough, I could—I could cut it.

[There's just enough trepidation in her voice that she's glad she's with Kurama here. He's the only one she trusts to know that she has emotions, that there are silly little things she concerns herself with.]

[yuukaihan]

[His gaze goes rather fond as he looks at her, but only when he's relatively certain she's looking away, and can't see it.

He hums thoughtfully, then says:]

Perhaps there is another way. If we dye it again, but a slightly lighter color, it would not look so strange as it grows back in. Then, every time after that, we could do the same thing - use slightly less dye so it is just a little bit lighter. And as it grows out, we could cut it, but you wouldn't need to cut nearly as much. It would take a fair amount of time, certainly, but you would eventually get back to your natural color.

[petitvoleur]

[Slowly, her expression clears as he explains his idea, brows coming unfurrowed gradually. It is silly to worry about her hair so much, she knows, but it was the one part of her old life she actually liked. She pulls her hood over her hair, finally, smiling.]

My darling brother, you never fail me.

[yuukaihan]

[Internally, he breathes a small sigh of relief as he pulls his own hood up - he's sure he'll never admit this to her, but he's rather fond of her long hair, and the way it slides so easily through his fingers and drapes over her bare shoulders at night.]

Hopefully, I never will.