The Park, Saturday Morning

[crimson_sister]

Lucille had recently begun to take an interest in botany, specifically in certain kinds of plants. This island offered more of those than the countryside around Allerdale Hall, which she anyway wasn't allowed to visit. Or she suspected there were more to be found here if only she knew which ones would suit her needs and where to find them. Perhaps the preserve would be a better place to look, but the woods still made her uneasy, not that she would ever admit that.

She stopped to inspect a bush. It was quite unfamiliar. Perhaps she needed to find a book. She had already found one for Thomas, which she had promptly stolen from the library.

[Open! I will be around on and off during the day, but I would love to have people annoy wee Lucille.]

Comments

[sith_happened]

Anakin was on the island with his two usually small children, who both made a beeline for the playground equipment.

"Hello," he said to Lucille, crouching next to the bush. "What are you looking at?"

[snipsnspecks]

There. That was what Ahsoka was looking for. Someone who felt the same kind of right as Master Plo.

Congratulations, Anakin, you had a three-year-old Togruta in Jedi robes trying to attach herself to your leg.

[sith_happened]

Anakin glanced down and laughed. "Hello, little one."

Force, Ahsoka was cute as a little Togruta. "Can I help you?"

[snipsnspecks]

It was the stubby montrals and squished-up markings.

"The Temple got lost, Master." Because obviously if he felt like Master Plo and Master Yoda he was a Master and she could trust him.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille looked up, studying the man. "I'm not allowed to talk to strangers, sir."

That wasn't quite true. Her parents had never said such a thing, but perhaps that was because they didn't expect her to meet any strangers.

[sith_happened]

"Fair enough," Anakin said, nodding, "and very cautious and safe of you. Where is your adult, then?"

[crimson_sister]

"I'm not sure," Lucille confessed. "But I assure you, sir, I am not lost. I am just taking a stroll through the park."

And studying bushes.

[snipsnspecks]

Ahsoka had woken up somewhere that wasn't the Jedi Temple and she hadn't been able to find Master Plo or any of the other younglings from the creche. She had been able to reach out and find several bright spots at felt like Master Plo, so she'd headed towards them.

Which had taken a while, since there'd been a lot of stairs and her legs were very short.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille stared at the strange child from behind the bush. What was that on her head? Her? His? It was hard to tell.

[snipsnspecks]

Ahsoka eyed her back. Not because she was human, plenty of the other younglings were (besides it was rude), but after the scary woman she wasn't in a hurry to trust strangers who didn't feel like the others in the Temple.

[crimson_sister]

Lucille knew it was rude to stare. Eventually, as if ti make it more acceptable, she said: "Your hairstyle is quite unusual."

[dwarvenswagger]

Thorin had been on his way to find materials to create more for Blue's Etsy shop, but he could hardly keep going upon seeing a child so young unattended. "Hello?"

[crimson_sister]

Lucille looked up, studying him. Then she smiled, a smile that might be a little familiar to Thorin. "I'm afraid I'm not allowed to talk to strangers, sir. My parents tells me that and one should listen to one's parents."

She would rather see them dead than listen to them.

[dwarvenswagger]

It was distressingly familiar. Just, you know, smaller.

"My apologies," he replied dryly. "But I am concerned for I see them see them naught."

Where were your crazy ass parents, child?

[crimson_sister]

Lucille eyed him suspiciously. "How shall I know you are telling the truth? You might want to lure me away and sell me into slavery."

Lucille had no reason to think well of anyone, stranger to not.

[myownface]

Sparkle had slipped outside that morning after waking up without saying a word. He didn't really approach anybody once he was out, either, keeping his head down but his eyes alert, clutching to a black plush cat like it was a lifeline. Nobody would notice, he figured. People only noticed he was gone when they wanted somebody to yell at.

There were ducks, here. He liked the ducks. They were outspoken jerks, for birds, but there was nothing the matter with that. He kind of wished he was that way, himself. It didn't seem like a bad way to live, if you could get away with it.

He had a piece of bread in hand that he'd grabbed before sneaking outside, and he was alternating between eating bits of it himself, and throwing it toward the squabbling birds. If his siblings were around, he would probably share with them too, but at the moment, this was his bread and he was going to feed the ducks.

[crimson_sister]

From behind the bush, Lucille saw a boy feeding the ducks. Why would anyone feed the ducks? They were horrible creatures. Although Thomas would probably decide to do such a thing unless she stopped him. Lucille had to admit that to herself.

"Why are you feeding them?" she called to the boy.

[myownface]

Sparkle blinked up at the girl, and then kind of awkwardly shrugged one shoulder, pulling what was rest of his bread to his chest.

"They looked hungry," he explained, because... well, they had. But then, they were ducks. Maybe they all looked hungry. He scuffed his toe against the ground. "Now they... don't. As much."

[crimson_sister]

"If you feed them too much they get fat." She stepped out from around the bush and brushed leaves off her dress. "Do you know plants well? I suppose its not the right season anyway, unless you are looking for evergreens or pine trees."

[sharp_as_knives]

Sparkle might not be quite as distinctive as Lucille, but the cat was a dead giveaway.

Hannibal approached but stood carefully far enough away not to be a threat. "Good morning."

[myownface]

Sparkle looked up from the ducks he was keeping company with at the man, eyeing him speculatively. He appreciated the distance, but that didn't mean he was going to make any motion to close it. Or even really speak. He'd heard somewhere that he wasn't supposed to talk to strange adults, after all, and Lucille had said something about evil strangers...

So he just sort of nodded his head a little and waved a hand, not quite bashfully so much as carefully.

[sharp_as_knives]

Hannibal waved back. He could appreciate the caution. "You're Sparkle, aren't you?" he asked. "We've met before, although I doubt you would remember. I'm Hannibal."

[sharp_as_knives]

After speaking with Jono and finding out about the children (and being rather pleased it had passed him over for once), Hannibal set about finding those he might want to look out for.

It was difficult to miss the girl in old-fashioned dress peering at plants.

"Good morning, Miss." He gave her a little bow. "How are you this morning?"

[crimson_sister]

Lucille managed to curtsy while giving the man a suspicious look. "Good morning, sir. I am not suppose to talk to strangers.#

[sharp_as_knives]

"Would you prefer if I left?" Hannibal asked. "Or I could introduce myself. Doctor Hannibal Lecter, at your service. Now I'm not a stranger anymore."