Lukas
wishes
that the world of 'fantasy' weren't written off so easily.
*Alice
shares
this wish with every bit of her being.
Lukas
feels
as though he needs to take a population count of the trolls, since they appear to be diminishing.
would be happy to help you with this, but unfortunately has no idea who you are. At the moment, actually, she's working on releasing the _
pixies who had moved into her living room out into the wild - it's not safe for them in a city, far too much iron, so she's been looking _
for a good place where they might thrive. And not find their way back to her house. ...perhaps somewhere up north...
would also be happy to help you if he knew who you were; the pixies generally tend to be happy up in his area, since there's not quite as
much iron. There's also enough open space that they wouldn't have to resort to living in someone's living room.
*Alice
thinks
this is a brilliant idea, regardless of not knowing who she got it from, and is actually on her way up there now, with her auto insiliated _
*Alice
thinks
*insulated
against it's frame with a thick layer of foam all about the back so that they don't get too sick from being in it. She's planning to _
release them in the Breheimen national park, since it looks like a likely spot, -andisoneoftheonlyplacesshecouldspell- for them.
heads out to Breheimen himself, just to see if everything is in order for pixies to live there, and also so he can make sure no tourists bug
them.
pulls up into one of northermost lots and manages to get them out of the car with surprisingly little struggle, but only because they all _
burrow almost instantly into her hair, not used to the colder climate and unwilling to leave her. "Now, now, honestly... you know I love _
you but you simply can't live in my home, it's making you sick..." and their breaking her things even more regularly now "it's just not the_
place for you any more. and I will visit, I promise, but you have to get out of my hair first - look, imagine the fun you can have here, _
yeah? A whole new world for you guys to explore." Oh. Not working. Why does she ever bother trying to reason with them? Time to spell them _
off, then...
didn't have much trouble finding the one dropping off the pixies, since they were kind of easy to spot in her hair. He pulled up beside her,
studying the situation. It seemed as though they were rather attached to the woman. He switched his gaze to her. "Having some problems?" He
lifted a hand, gently taking one of the pixies from her hair, not able to help but smile as it nestled into the warmth of his gloved hands.
jolted slightly at the silent arrival of the other, then gave him a relieved little look. "They're not fond of the idea of leaving, really_
..." she said, rather unnecessarily, before giving them a quick reprimand in Latin that at least had twelve of them letting go. "I've a _
full two flutters of them, too, simply talking them into considering coming was hard enough. Ah... my names Alice, thanks for helping me _
with the relocation Mr...?"
nodded in understanding, watching as the little pixies scattered from the girl's hair at the Latin reprimand. "It's understandable, really.-
They're forced to relocate so often that, when they think they've finally settled, they're not too willing to let go." A few of the pixies
flew off, exploring, but the rest hovered uncertainly. He settled the one in his hands on his shoulder. "Lukas. May I ask why these pixies
chose your home to begin with, Miss Alice?"
sighed at the question - it wasn't exactly possible to tell him that her home was practically a breeding ground for the fair folk who'd _
decided not to fly off to Avalon, nor was it acceptable to tell him that they stayed because they'd known her for generations... "Ah... my _
family has always had a nest or two around the house, for as long as I can remember. They were there because they've been there their whole_
lives, and longer still. Since the house was first built...ah, I assume. I actually have some higher fae that make camp out in my garden as_
well, but these little blighters... Well they decided to move inside and I can't put them out. They just come right back in, so I'm afraid _
it's come time to take a more drastic measure, and I don't have the heart in my to get an augrey to chase them out." The idea of letting _
a doxie-eater into her home was just painful. Nothing she'd willingly consider for more than a second. "They might get hurt, or worse... so_
I thought it better to bring them here."
tilted his head to the side, intrigued. "Really? For generations? They must really like your family." There had been a few pixies living in
his house for as long as he could remember, but that was probably because he was the only one they had to deal with. Well, and Denmark on
occasion, but he was as annoying as they could be sometimes, so they usually got along. He shuddered at the idea of setting a doxie eater on
them, glad she hadn't resorted to such measures. "Well, I do hope they can find it in themselves to live happily here." With a curious hum,
he looked at the woman. "Did you say there are some higher fae in your garden? That must be incredible to see."
nodded, a truly happy look coming over her features for once. Nothing could make her happier then the fae, they were her first and oldest _
friends, after all. Her teachers and her companions and her family far more then her sisters ever had been. "Yes. They... they really are."_
she agreed with a nod. "If you're ever in England you're more than welcome to come see them, though I can't guarantee anyone other than _
Sytles will come out - they can be a bit skittish around strangers, really. Even with Sytles I think he only comes out for my sake, really._
.." she sighed there, in memory of the near-ancient hob. She'd not known they could live so long until he had, sticking by her through... _
everything, really, more a parent then Britannia had ever been for her. Without him she doubted she would know anything. "But you never _
with them, do you? They might take quite a liking to you - it's been a while since they've had anyone else who could see them at all, let _
alone speak with them... though, ah... Can you? Understand, them, I mean? Not many can understand the languages of today... That's the _
real reason they stay, I suppose. I've... my whole family" yes, that was her story, wasn't it? "still speaks the Olde Tongue, yeah? I think_
they miss being understood as much as anyone might. But, yes, you're more then welcome to come see them if you're in the area, ever, Mister_
Lukas."
couldn't help but smile as well, although his was much more subtle than Alice's. "Sometimes you feel as though they're the only ones who
can really understand you, right?" At her offer, he nodded, his smile softening. "I appreciate that, really, even if they don't choose to
appear to me." He understood the caution the fae exercised; they would be completely extinct if they didn't. At the questions, though, he
shifted awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. "I- Well, yes. I can." His discomfort when it came to talking about himself was beginning to show. "I
suppose you could say it's been a talent of my family's for a... long time." Or part of his family. He was sure, if they wanted to, the
Nordics could all speak to the fae, but so far he was the only one who did. It was one of the things his brother's didn't really understand.
"Oh, not just sometimes. I know they are." Alice said matter-of-factly. "They know me far better then anyone else I've ever met. Hell, one _
of them practically raised me." She confessed with a bemused little shrug and- he could. That was. Beyond bizarre, the last person she'd _
met who could do that had been- ...had been Arthur. Had been England-that-wasn't-her. And before that it had been Norway. Her Norway, of _
course, not the one she'd seen in the picture that even-more-annoying-then-her-Denmark-Denmark had showed her. Who. Was. Oh. Right. "Well_
I'll be damned." she couldn't help but murmur, looking over him with careful interest like she was finding something from before even her _
time. Yes. Yes, definitely a similar face. Shorter hair, of course, no chest as went without saying. But. Well. She couldn't exactly up and_
as him if he was who she was suspecting, could she...? Oh. Oh, simple solution! Right. Brilliant, she was. "Do you happen to know a chap by_
the name of Arthur Kirkland?" Yes, that should work.
(I may have just remembered that she's seen a picture of you before ._.')
muttered. "They're certainly easier to talk to than most." He couldn't help but blink warily at her sudden close study of him, and he
automatically looked away. Alice seemed to have come to a realization about something, and it actually worried him. At the name, though, he
glanced up, furrowing an eyebrow. "Arthur? Of course I know him, the question is how do you?" After all, Arthur was a nation, and how
had he even been brought up in the first place?
"Oh, brilliant!" That would make things quite a bit easier in general now wouldn't it? "No wonder you can see them then. You're Norway, yes_
? Er... Norway-two. Norway....the male version. Norway-the-one-I've-never-met" Well what a conveniently chance meeting this was. "I'm, well_
, I'm England. Not the one you've met, obviously. Alice Kirkland. No wonder that one-" she nodded to the pixie on his shoulder, "let you _
take it so easily." That didn't make her sound crazy. No, not at all
blinked in surprise. "Yes, I'm Norway." Well, that certainly answered a lot of questions, not the least of which was the one he and Lovina
had become so confused over. "You're the female England, right? Then it's no wonder they like you so much, too." He tilted his head to the
side again, careful not to knock off the pixie on his shoulder. "But how did you figure out I was Norway if the one you know is female?"
really figured that much, at least, should be obvious. Especially if he took that so in stride - so surely he had seen others from her end _
of things? "You have the same face, for one. The same eyes. You can speak to my friends when no human alive can any more, to my knowledge, _
and I've seen a picture of you before. Ah... your Denmark had it. Really, it was the being able to speak to them that did it, though. The _
last person I met who could do that had been Arthur and the only other living being I knew who could was... well the other you. From there _
it all just fell into place. Elementary, as I believe one of my people's characters is famous for saying."
probably should mention that, while he may be observant, but he didn't really know anyone well enough to do that. Except maybe Denmark. He
snorted, shaking his head. "Leave it to that guy to go around showing picture of everyone." He should probably talk to him about that, among
other things. Eventually, though, he nodded his acknowledgement. "Well, it is nice to meet you, I suppose. It's always nice to find another
who gets along with the fey."
"Oh quite," she agreed with a nod. "Makes me feel a bit less bent, too, you know? ...I did mean that, though. You're fully welcome to come _
and see if they'll have a word with you. We actually are having a bit of a kelpie problem in one of the gardens so some of them are still_
messing about, so you never know..."
made himself a mental reminder to scold Denmark later, instead turning his attention to the situation at hand. A slightly pained smile flit
across his expression before the blank gaze returned. "It's... nice, not being written off as a lunatic." Of course, not as many of the
nations knew of his interactions with the fey; he was a bit better about hiding it than either of the English. Still, the ones who did,
including the ones who were so close to him, never believed a word he said about it. Lukas gave a nod. "I would certainly be glad to see one
of the old fey; they've been gone for so long."
"Not... not gone," she shook her head. "Just... hidden. They've come out less and less, and... yes, many of them have gone on beyond the _
veil into Avalon but. They're still about, if you look hard enough." She sighed, a wistful sort of air settling over her. "I'm... lucky, I _
suppose. I've never been completely without them. My garden - not in the London house, up in Bootle, though - is extensive enough that it's_
become a sort of safe haven for them, you see. I... don't know what I'd do without them, so I made sure to make a place where they would be_
safe to stay, no matter how the world changed." Because without them... she was certain she'd loose herself, and quite possibly go insane _
in the process. They'd been her only true companions through so much of her life, she just couldn't imagine a world without them any more...
frowned slightly. "I wish they didn't have to hide, but if they're happy, then maybe it's for the better." It hurt his heart to admit that,
but he knew the fey were safer where the idiots of the world couldn't reach them. It was just becoming harder and harder to find a place
like that. He reached up to his shoulder, absent-mindedly patting the small pixie there. "As long as they don't disappear completely, I
don't think we have much to worry about. Their survival instinct is much stronger than our own."
"They're less self sacrificing, at any rate." she agreed with a nod. "Well, depending on what species you're talking about. I don't think _
we need to worry about that, though. There cannot be no magic in the world. It would fall apart. I don't think we could ever really lose _
them completely." And in any case, it was too unthinkable an option to consider. "...it would be so dull, as well. I can't tell you what I _
wouldn't give to see Elves again. Faeries and fairys and pixies and hobs and sprites and the like are brilliant little chatters but I do_
miss the higher members of the courts, these days..."
nodded slowly in agreement. "You're right. Even if they seem to be gone, they'll likely still be there. Functioning without magic is
utterly impossible." He sighed at the mention of the elves, shaking his head. "It certainly is unfortunate they're gone. They had so many
excellent ideas and plans. But the likelihood of seeing one is heart-breakingly low."
had to agree at that. "I honestly think that they might be completely gone at this point. They were always the most knowledgeable, and I _
can't say I blame them for making the choice, no matter how much I miss them." Really, such a shame. The world was a much colder place _
without the comfort and light voices they had once filled it with.
picked the pixie off his shoulder, gazing at it solemnly. "Hopefully we can keep these guys from having to make the same choice. They may
not be as knowledgeable, but we'd miss their cheer. Even if they tend to like hanging out in hair far too much." He glanced pointedly at
the pixies still hovering nervously by Alice's hair.
sighed there, nodding and taking a hunk of it to start shaking them out. "It's just their way of saying they don't want to leave me. It'd _
be touching if it wasn't so painful. Even with that I suppose it is. I think they'll learn to enjoy it here, though. Given time they won't _
even remember what they've left behind."
gently shooed away the ones that came out, sending them further into the park. They went reluctantly, and he frowned at Alice. "I don't
think that's true." He watched them flit about, eyes distant. "They'll always remember you and how you took care of them; I think they
remember a lot more than we do. Eventually, though, they'll come to accept this place as their new home."
"Do they? I've always found them to be rather forgetful, myself, but... perhaps your right. I hope you don't mind if I come back to see _
them now and again?" After all, she wasn't sure she could see them off for good.
"They just might not show it; they certainly hold grudges for quite awhile." He shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets to warm them up
a bit. "Sure, I don't mind. You can visit whenever you like." It would be slightly strange, having someone like a friend other than Denmark,
but he could probably adapt.
"Brilliant!" she said with a nod, still pulling the last few hangers-on free of her hair and blowing into their faces until they flew off. _
"Though at the moment I'm afraid I'm far too frozen to figure out the details of all that - shall I give you my number? I'm not at all used_
to being quite this cold, especially in autumn, so if I don't get inside I swear my nose will fall off."
shook his head slowly, digging through his own pocket. "No, that's alright. I'll give you mine so you can call whenever you plan on coming
up. That way you can also start warming up your hands." He managed to find a scrap of paper and a pen, scribbling his number on it before
holding it out to Alice. "Next time, though, I suggest you dress warmer." He smiled faintly, shrugging his shoulders. "I'm quite used to it,
but it's been pointed out to me that other people aren't." It was one of the reasons most people avoided his home the majority of the time.
nodded, rather eager to be back in the car in all honesty. "I hadn't expected it to be so bone-numbingly freezing - I thought it got cold _
back home, but clearly I was mistaken." she took the slip of paper with a nod and a smile. "I'll call you to get my number to you, yeah? So_
you can get back to me on coming to meet my friends, if you're up for it. I hope you won't be too terribly offended if I flee now."
nodded, adjusting the edge of the scarf he was wearing so it would keep him warmer. "Most people think that before they come here." He
smiled faintly, shaking his head. "I don't mind; you wouldn't be the first. have a safe trip, though; the road is sure to be icy by now."
*Alice
was
going to crash. Yup. Definitely going to crash. Brilliant. "Oh... that's... brilliant. Okay, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. If there's _
a massive traffic jam later my apologies, I'm probably the one holding it up."
raised an eyebrow. "Are you that worried? Because if you don't think you'll make it all the way back, I have a spare room you could use
until the roads thaw a bit."
"I'm a terrible driver, I almost never do it if I can help it, to be honest." Which was completely true. Especially since the worst weather_
conditions she ever really had to face came from road delays and excessive amounts of rain. What snow there was was rare, and when it fell _
she usually found herself a good excuse to stay inside. Dock in a rock-guarded cove? Check. Fly under German fire? Check. Drive in in bad _
weather? Oh good god no, that's what cabs were for. "So... that would be absolutely lovely, if it's not too much trouble.."
smiled slightly. "I tend to avoid driving as well, but I suppose I've gotten used to it." When your nation was consistently below freezing,
it was pretty easy to get used to ice-covered roads. He shrugged nonchalantly, his expression as impassive as ever. "believe me, I don't
mind. When you have someone like Denmark around, you learn to always have a room ready to spare." He paused for a moment. 'Not that he ever
actually uses it.' No, instead the other male insisted on using Lukas' bed and forced the poor man into cuddling with him. All. The. Time.
"Oh, god, I'm so sorry that has to be an utter pain..." Alice couldn't help but put out as an instant response. "I mean, nice to have _
company, but a pain in the arse at the same time, I'm sure. Ah... should I... follow you then?"
snorted. "The sad thing is that I don't know what I'd do without that pain." Glancing around to make sure the pixies were settling, he
nodded. He sslipped towards his car, grabbing his keys out of his pocket. "Luckily enough, it's not very far, so you can either drive your
car there, or I can bring you back for it later if you don't feel like risking it."
could understand that, oh, yes, she could completely understand that. After all, one of her closest. Okay. Really, her only close friend-_
and now not exactly that- was France. Who had somehow managed to get the key to her house. And then there was Allison, and her poor door _
hinges would never fully recover, she was sure. "Ah... depends, how bad do you think the roads to get there are?"
could only hope that Denmark wouldn't visit while Alice was there; from what he could tell, the two apparently didn't get along, and he
wasn't in the mood to get in the middle of a feud. With a glance at the roads, he shrugged. "Judging from the temperature and the time,
it's likely that the majority of the road is ice, especially if they haven't gotten some salt on it yet."
"Ah. I'll... definitely take you up on that offer and go with you then." Good god, how did he live up here? She would die having to live in_
conditions like this! Of course, her own situation wasn't idea - the constantly gloomy atmosphere led to some of the highest number of _
seasonal and environmental based depressions then any other country, after all. But this... so cold and so impossible to get around-! "And_
thank you, I don't think I'd be able to get anywhere with those sort of conditions..."
nodded, opening the passenger's side door for Alice. "Ladies first." And who said chivalry was dead? He shrugged off the thanks, glancing in
the opposite direction. "Don't worry about it. Like I said, it's not an inconvenience to me, and it's not like I could have you clogging the
highway, now could I?" He shook his head at the failed attempt at humor. "Just stay out of my room. Oh, and the kitchen." Even he had
witnessed the horrors of English cooking.
(whoa, it never told me you posted!)
nodded her thanks, slipping into the seat offered, the briefest hint of a smile flashing across her features as she did so. So nice, to see_
people who still acted like gentlemen, even when she knew for a fact that it was because they'd lived through those times. Still, when the _
kitchen comment came up she couldn't help but scowl slightly. "I can't for the life of me understand why everyone says that. You know, it's_
not like I kill any dish I set my mind to..."
shut the door behind her, going around to let himself in. The engine started easily enough, since it was still slightly warm from before,
and before long they were on their way. He drove carefully, eyes not straying from the slick road for a moment. "How do you know I was
warning you away from the kitchen because of what might be in there?" Although she had picked up on what he meant already.
sighed, shaking her head and leaning back in her seat. "Because it's the same reason everyone warns me away from theirs. If you were hiding_
something you wouldn't keep it in the kitchen, and you don't know me well enough to be hiding something from me anyway. We just met. Ergo _
you wee keeping me away for fear of what I might make. Which, coming from someone who's brother thinks rotten shark is a delicacy, is a bit_
rich, really."
*sister
(just remembered she doesn't know male Iceland, whoops)
snorted. "If I were hiding anything, anyways, it most certainly would not be in my house at all. It's not like I get a lot of privacy
there." He shrugged, turning onto a new road. "I apologize if I offended you, but that doesn't mean I want you in there still." Sister? He
didn't have a- oh. "Do you mean Iceland? Because he's my brother. Plus, have you ever tried rotten shark? Or are you merely judging?"
couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. "When you have a drink made specifically for getting the taste out of your mouth I don't think one_
*Alice
needs
to taste it to know that it's awful. ...but for the record, yes. Once. Unfortunately." she wrinkled her nose at the memory, shaking her _
head as if that might clear it. "And...oh. Oh, yes, right. I suppose she would be to you."
*needs
smiled faintly. "Ah, well, I suppose he just has different tastes than you. As do we all." Like... America's fondness for hamburgers on a
rather frightening level. A curious hum escaped him at the comment. "The Iceland you know is female, right? That must mean Denmark is too,
in which case I can't help but pity you."
almost laughed at that. Almost. Laughing wasn't really a big thing with her. "Quite. She's an utter pain. I've come to the conclusion that _
everyone you know I know in the opposite gender. You must have a male Russia. On the basis that you have a Russia at all I am terribly _
sorry. On the basis that yours is male I'm not sure if I should be sorry or envious, though... At least yours won't have the monthlies."
nodded slowly. "It would make sense that they're all the opposite gender, and not just a few of them. Which means that almost everyone is
female, and I don't quite know how to process that." He snorted, imagining Russia as a female. "Yes, Russia is a male. I try to avoid him at
all costs, but if he were female? Let's just say my pity for you just increased tenfold. Denmark and Russia are hard enough to handle
without the excuse of being a female to fluctuate their emotions even more."
couldn't help but feel a bit offended at that. "Excuse? And we don't fluctuate so regularly as men seem to assume, you know!" She put out, _
nearly snapping there but reigning herself back. "We're quite as level headed as men are, perhaps more. At least we don't always jump to _
using our fists, thank you very much. Stereotypes are just that, you now. They're not fact." Because living lifetimes in a world where _
women were considered the lesser, weaker gender tended to make one either completely docile or completely rebellious to the idea.
shook his head, careful to keep his eyes on the road; they were almost there. "Calm down, I meant no offense. Women are sometimes better at
controlling their emotions than men, I'll admit that." He hated stereotypes, and that wasn't what he had been getting at at all. "I was
just saying that, given Denmark already has so many different moods, he didn't need biological evidence as an excuse." Monthly hormonal
fluctuations did tend to tamper with a female's mood, after all. "And now you're using stereotypes. Do you believe all males are mindless
brutes that think with their muscles?" Lukas couldn't even remember the last time he had bothered trying to use violence to solve something.
"Well... no. But as long as I figured you were using them I wasn't going to stand and let my gender be run over!" Alice spluttered as _
she tried to backtrack. "I... I...." Would absolutely not admit that mistake. Ever. Ever. Admitting mistakes was just not something she _
did, no matter how much sense it made.
expression twitched slightly, almost becoming a smile. "Women deserve respect, but men do too." He was certainly amused by this point,
though. It was rather obvious that Alice was uncomfortable being wrong, and that just made it even more amusing. "Don't worry, Miss Alice, I
won't tell anyone about your small blunder." The phrase 'it's only human' almost slipped out until he realized that didn't really apply.
frowned and took a moment before nodding, still half sure of the action because that was half-admitting that she'd made one at all. "I _
didn't mean it that, way you know. It was just. Worded wrong. Honestly. That wasn't the thought behind it at all!" Really, really it wasn't_
because that would be admitting to error.
nodded. "If you say so." And what brilliant timing, he noted with a sigh of relief as he pulled up to the side of the house. With one last
rumble, the engine died and Lukas climbed out, walking around to the other side to open the door for Alice. "Watch your step for the ice."
couldn't help the amused half-smile he got at the almost-accident, and instead chose to pull his scarf up to hide it. "Don't worry about it;
I'm sure other nations would have an even harder time than you." With a shrug, he maneuvered his way up the walk, digging in his pocket for
the keys.
*Alice
shares
waited until Alice had caught up to him before unlocking the door, opening it to his much warmer home. "Well, I'm not terribly used to
having guests, but make yourself at home, I suppose."
nodded, carefully treading out the snow from her shoes before stepping inside. "Thank you, again, for your hospitality."
nodded politely before maneuvering over to the kitchen. "Would you like anything? Perhaps some hot chocolate?"
"Tea, if you have it." Alice requested, honestly quite predictably. "I'm dying for a cuppa."
nodded again before moving about the kitchen, preparing a cup of tea. He was perfectly content to be silent, but that would mean being a bad
host. He sighed, shuffling through the cupboard. "Would you like to tell me more about the nations you know?" He was also quite curious to
see just how different they were.