just tossing dimes in wishing wells

[a_gentle_boy]

[action 1, park]
[It's time for the Battle Memory to be put to good use. Morosely examining it didn't do much to improve his fighting technique; Lucas can be found in the park with the book open, projecting a psychic imprint of the Pig King's Statue. He's going by the theory that he'll improve faster facing off against the toughest enemy he's ever fought - apart from the Ultimate Chimera, anyway.

The last time he had attempted to practice fighting, he'd decimated both his training dummy and scrambled the minds of half the people who had wandered by.  Hopefully, an isolated corner of the park wouldn't draw as much attention.  And the trees would block the view if he let loose a PK Flash.  Lucas picks a stick up off the ground and hefts it a few times.]

Let's see... Mr. Statue, I don't have any New Year's Bombs with me.  Please take it easy, OK?

[The statue does not give a reply apart from swinging forth with its rocky scepter.  Lucas jumps out of the way... then flips in midair to jump again, releasing a PSI shockwave through his outstretched feet.  The fight was on. 

Join in?]

[action 2, school]
[It's hard to do well in school when you never went to one before Mayfield.  Over the course of two years, Lucas has successfully managed to grasp the basics of history, English, and some general biology.  Mathematics, though...  During his lunch hour, he generally retreats to the school library with a pile of books and a worried expression on his face.  Gosh, he must be studying hard.

Further examination will reveal Lucas holed up, hiding behind some shelves, staring intently at Advanced Concepts in Algebraic Formulations.  ...More focused examination will reveal The Hardy Boys or something rather similar not-so-cleverly hidden behind the spine of the much larger textbook.  Not so coincidentally, he happens to be sitting with his back to the entire series.  ...At one point, he yells out loud.]

Oh, no!   Don't leave him behind!

[...Oops.]

[voice]
Spring is almost here, isn't it?  ...The world always seems a lot more bearable when there's sunshine and singing birds everywhere.  It reminds me... well.  It reminds me of home, a little bit.  Things were always so much more... vibrant.  ...Imaginative.  Even in its last few years.  I've been thinking about it, and I don't really know much about anyone else's worlds; not even my closest friends'.  Things like... dinosaurs and Mr. Saturns and walking bushes were pretty normal in the Islands, but when I bring them up, everyone always seems surprised.  It would be nice to hear about interesting things from other people.  Things you might not find here.

[His tone, soft and capricious before, takes on a heavier note.]

Anyway...  I guess it reminds me of something else, too.  ...Miss Taiwan's gone, isn't she?  I couldn't find her camera the other day, and when I saw her next, she was droned. 

...I wish she had had a chance to start her restaurant.

Comments

[a_gentle_boy]

Augh!

[Lucas narrowly avoids shocking Harley as he whirls around in surprise.]

Miss Harley!? W-What... How long have you been there?

[crazyclownwoman]

A bit? I was mostly at the top of the tree though.

Whatch'a up to?

[a_gentle_boy]

Practice fight -- ing!

[Lucas barely dives out of the way as a stone fist comes flying his direction.]

[crazyclownwoman]

Oh wow! And I thought it was going to be one sided! How's it doing that!

[a_gentle_boy]

It's...

Well. Things in my world just like to move.

[Trees were particularly notable offenders. But the statue packs a much more powerful punch and Lucas scurries to the side before it can get much closer.]

[crazyclownwoman]

Jeeze. Do they like to attack too? Or is that just this guy?

[a_gentle_boy]

No. No, they Ack! a-all like to attack!

[Lucas runs some more while screaming his response to Harley. His stack swipes at the statue's leg briefly as he runs past.]

[crazyclownwoman]

So....everything in your world wants to kill you?

[a_gentle_boy]

Oh! ...Don't say it like that. Everything in my world, um. Can kill me.

[crazyclownwoman]

[Flips right-side up so she's sitting on the branch.]

What?

[a_gentle_boy]

Most things here can, too, right? If a tree falls on top of you, or... you trip on a rock into a hole.

[crazyclownwoman]

Well yeah....but they don't generally try ta' punch us.

[a_gentle_boy]

((Sorry for being so late. I went on hiatus for a few days that I should have expected I'd needed to take. Feel free to continue or not at your convenience!))

You just have to be careful! It's... sort of similar.

[Whoops, here it comes again. Lucas does another few rounds of running around frantically.]

[crazyclownwoman]

....careful is watching your step. Not running for your life because a plant wants you dead.

[Pause.]

Unless you annoy Red, then yeah, I guess they probably could try and kill you.

[a_gentle_boy]

[OK this was just getting stupid now. Lucas pauses for a moment or two, and despite not seeming to do anything, the monster fades along with the battlefield, leaving Lucas holding the Battle Memory in his hands again.]

Your friend, right? She can make plants move around?

[crazyclownwoman]

Nah. Some of her plants can.

[a_gentle_boy]

...I'll have to introduce her to my walking bushes sometime.

So what were you doing up there, Miss Harley?

[crazyclownwoman]

If she ever comes back. Yeah. I think she'd like that. As long as you're being nice to them.

Eh, just climbing. Kinda bored today, thought it'd be good to get out of the house.

[a_gentle_boy]

[Oh. ...Since Harley had brushed past it, he will sidestep the topic as well. He never had ended up meeting her.]

I guess you probably don't want to practice fighting any of the monsters.

[crazyclownwoman]

[Yup...sob.]

Maybe some other time.

Wanna get an icecream?