❄ 5 | action

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

[If you have a keen nose or happen to be passing by the spaceship, if might become apparent that someone's spent the better part of the day baking with maple syrup. (Adversely, if you happen to be inside the spaceship, chances are good you've already found the freshly baked stash of maple cookies big enough to feed the Royal Canadian Air Force (circa 1946, though) and are stuffing your American face.)

Should the maple not entice you, maybe the young nation in braided pigtails and an oversized sweatshirt repeatedly whipping a small rubber ball at the side of the spaceship will. With the stick in her hand, she catches the ball neatly no matter which way it bounces back to her, running back and forth to catch it, only to jerk the handle of the lacrosse stick, sending the ball soaring back to the outer wall of the spaceship once more.

It's obvious Canada is taking this as a serious bout of training, cursing those rare times she misses. It's been too long since hockey season ended for her and she's gotten slack at finding people to play lacrosse with her. She misses being able to pour herself into her national sports, letting herself get caught up in the fun and comraderie of the game, whatever it happens to be.

What probably isn't obvious is how sad, homesick, or absolutely tired of being forgotten she is.]

Comments

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

Hello, Zenobia.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Hello! I hope I'm not intruding. It's just that I've never seen a structure quite like this. Also, are you playing a game?

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

It's my sister's spaceship. This is lacrosse. It's a game my people invented, yes.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Space... ship. As in... a ship... that...? I don't get it.

Wow. Is it a game that can be played with more than one person?

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

A ship that flies through space, hypothetically. Like a plane, only it goes further.

And, yes. It's usually played with ten people or so.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

A ship... that flies through space. ... ... ... That's... possible? ...And I don't know what a "plane" is.

[Zenobia will be dumbstruck here for a moment.]

Huh, ten people... Can you play at all with just two?

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

It's a flying mechanism. A plane, I mean. Based on bird aerodynamics. It has wings. You can play a variation with two, yes.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Wow... so like the airships I've heard people talk about... I guess it was just a matter of time until they got something like that to work...

If it'd be more fun with two people, I'd like to play. ...If it's not a burden.

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

Yeah, an airship.



You can't play a full-on game with only two people, but just tossing the ball back and forth can be fun in its own way. ... Umm. Oh, how've you been settling in, anyway?

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Sounds like fun! So... from watching you, I'd guess... you have to keep the ball in the catcher-thing at the end of the stick, and use the stick to propel the ball towards the other person?

I'm doing pretty good. I've been keeping myself occupied exploring the gardens and meeting people. I found a place to live and everything, so things are looking up. How about you? How are you doing?

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

It's just a catch-and-toss thing, really. I find people catch on best if they figure out the physics of it for themselves, but I can give you pointers.

And I'm glad you're doing alright.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Either way. I usually learn decently by doing. So how far back should I stand? [She takes several steps back.]

Thanks. Are you okay, though? [Zenobia isn't sure if she senses sadness in Canada, but she figures it can't hurt to ask.]

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

I... Yeah, I'll be fine. Just a little sad today. But it's fine. I'll get over it. There's good.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

That's no good. I wanna cheer you up. Can you think of anything that would make you feel better?

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

N-not really. But thank you.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[Zenobia closes the distance between them, looking concerned. She hesitates for a fraction of a second, and then attempts to give Canada a hug]

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[Zenobia lets go and steps back.] Sorry. I guess that wasn't a good idea. You just looked sad...

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

No, it's fine. I'm sorry. I'm just not feeling much like being soft right now.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

[Zenobia has no idea what to do. After a pause...]

Do you still want to play this game? Or... I can leave you alone if you want.

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

I'd like it if you stayed, but I'm not going to be very good company, I don't think.

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

I'll stay. [Zenobia returns to where she was, holding the Lacrosse stick ready. She's determined to try to cheer her up, even though hugging her wasn't her greatest idea ever.]

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Zenobia. You make a good friend.

Alright, I'm going to toss it to you and you can try to get it to stick in your net, okay?

[restlessdevil.livejournal.com]

Really? I'm glad...

Okay. [She looks at the stick, rotating it a bit, and tries to imagine the ball landing in there. Then she looks to Canada.] Ready.

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]