[011].

[weepiperlad]

[There's a young boy hunting in the forest, cautiously creeping along from tree to tree while he tracks his prey. He's dressed in clothes which are far too large for him, and happen to look suspiciously like Jamie's kilt and a mock-neck pullover. The lad has taken the time to re-belt the kilt and adjust the pullover so things aren't in the way or falling off altogether, but he still looks a wee bit ridiculous.

The creature he's stalking may also be suspiciously familiar looking - at least to a few people. It's a cinnamon-colored ferret, who is bounding through the forest with a complete lack of concern over the lad following him. It, or, well, he, is wearing a collar with a name tag that reads 'Trouble'. He actually seems quite pleased with himself, since he's getting to roam around and play unsupervised.

The lad, though, appears to be very serious about this hunting. So much so that he seems remarkably blase about the place he finds himself in. Of course, it could just be possible he hasn't really noticed it yet...]

[In true wibbly wobbly timey-wimey fashion, Jamie's experiment has started. Feel free to assume the ferret wanders off somewhere if you don't want to deal with it.]

Comments

[weepiperlad]

[Unfortunately, that doesn't help matters any, and he turns towards her, his expression showing that he has no idea what she's talking about.]

W-what? What's a plane? I don't like this place. I want to go home.

[Unlike when she said it, though, he completely fails to actually do so. Instead, he stays right where he is, lower lip starting to quiver a little despite his best efforts not to show anything.]

[waterfield]

( of all the difficult things to ask, what's a plane. )

Um, well, it's... ( unfortunately, Victoria doesn't really know herself. glancing to him as he tells her that he wants to go home, she raises her brows and is shocked when he remains on the Plane. it's when he looks as though he's about to break down into tears that Victoria immediately moves to kneel before him and true to most any young girl's form, slides her arms around his shoulders and pulls him into her chest to hug him warmly, comfortingly.

this isn't Jamie. or rather, it's not the Jamie that she knows. )

Shh, there there now, it's okay. It's... just that we're both lost right now, you and I... ( she figures she might as well pretend that she doesn't get it either, not that it's all that hard to do. ) But I'm in the company of a perfectly brave, young Scottish lad and I am not scared at all because of it. You aren't frightened, are you?

( ego stroking attempt, anyone? )

[weepiperlad]

[Hey! He is not about to break down into tears. He's just...upset, that's all. Mind you, he's not complaining about the hug, because it's something he really could use right at the moment. And, strangely, it feels almost right somehow. Like it's something that's supposed to be, although he can't fathom how.]

N-no. [He takes a deep breath, and his voice steadies.] No. I'm not frightened of any stars. Don't worry, miss. I'll make sure ye stay safe here.

[Yup, that worked.]

Look, we'd best get inside somewhere, though. [Juuuust in case. He looks around for a moment like he's trying to figure out the best place to go, then points.] This way, I think.

[waterfield]

( even as a little boy, Jamie's so ridiculously chivalrous. it brings a smile to her lips though she tries to hide how terribly amused she is at how well stroking his little ego worked on him. she does give a light laugh though. )

Good, I don't feel scared at all with you here, Jamie. ( glancing off in the distance at the direction he points out, she gives a soft nod. on the bright side, the pub is that way, so if anything they can stop in there for a time. ) ... I'm Victoria, by the way.

( briefly she frowns at having to reintroduce herself to him, but shakes it off. ).

[weepiperlad]

[It's not terribly difficult for to manage that with him as an adult. Him being ten just makes things that much easier. And he puffs up a little with pride when she says she's not scared with him there. He's doing well!]

Victoria? [It's a pretty name, and, well, it suits her, because she's pretty too.]

Aye, well, I'm Jamie, but ye seem to know that already. If you're lost, though, how'd you know who I was?

[waterfield]

Um, well... ( crap. she's not so good with lying so it's going to get increasingly difficult to play pretend with the younger version of him if he keeps asking her things such as that. )

You remind me of this boy I know, who's also named Jamie, is all. ( a faint blush touches her cheeks, it's not a lie in the end and it's the best thing she can come up with. )

[weepiperlad]

Oh. [Jamie mulls that over for a minute or so, considering it. And, as it turns out, that accepting nature of his helps her out a lot in this case. He nods in a rather serious sort of way.]

All right, then. Here, I'll go first.

[And he does, although he doesn't seem to be heading toward the bar. Instead, his steps seem to be going towards those things called 'batting cages' he'd pointed out to her on when she'd first arrived.]

Hey, I wonder what these are?

[waterfield]

( relieved that he buys her story, considering it's hardly believable at all, Victoria nods to him as he offers to take the lead and shrugging off the fact that he doesn't move toward the bar she does her best to keep up with his pace. )

Ah, well, I'm not really... Certain.

( she honestly didn't know what they were, at least not confident enough to explain them to him. )

They seem important to you?

[weepiperlad]

[Well, luckily his pace is rather easier to keep up with currently - a benefit of being rather shorter than normal. That's an odd question, though, and gets her an odd look.] No. Should they?

[Really, they're not even registering as anything other on the level of 'hey, what's that'? And he wants to go find out.]

I'm going to go take a look. Are ye coming?

[waterfield]

I, ah—

( and with that, she just shrugs her shoulders a bit dumbfounded, shaking her head with the shrug. she nods and motions toward the cages. )

Certainly, ah... Lead the way.

[weepiperlad]

Aye! [And lead he does. They're not all that exciting, at first glance, just a bunch of netting and a base at one end. But then Jamie spots the equipment piled up one side, including the batting helmets.]

Hey, that's a funny looking hat. [He picks one up and goes to put it on, but it's too large for his head and slips to one side. His mouth also goes to one side in that vaguely vexed way of his.] Och.

[He pulls it off again and offers it out to Victoria.] Here, ye wear it.

[waterfield]

( she scrunches her nose at the offer of the helmet. taking it into her hands, she flips it over a few times and briefly wonders how many other people might have put it on their heads, when had it last been cleaned — ugh, too many thoughts at once. )

Ahh... No, that's okay. I don't think I need it. ( and with that she tosses it to the ground again. )

[weepiperlad]

[His lower lip juts out for a moment in something that's almost but not quite a pout. Then an idea comes to him, and he shrugs, almost absently.]

Aye, well, I suppose if you're too afraid to wear it, that's fine then.

[He picks up one of the bats - at the wrong end - and pretends to study it, instead glancing up at her from under the cover of his bangs.]

[waterfield]

( she raises her brows at his comment, and then narrows her eyes to him. well of all the nerve. afraid of a helmet! )

I'm not afraid. ( it comes out of her mouth before she can stop it, which in turn causes her jaw to stiffen and her lips to form a thin line both angry with herself for letting him get to her with such a simple little comment and because she is afraid to wear it. gerrrrmmmsss... ) It just might be dirty is all, which is not befitting of a lady.

( yes. that'll do for explanation.

and after a moment, she raises a brow to him. ) ...you know you're holding that the wrong way, Jamie.

( sportsfan she was not, but at least she knew how to hold a bat. )

[weepiperlad]

[Oh well. So much for his trying to talk her into putting the helmet on that way. It was worth a try, though. And maybe next time he'll do better. Also next time he might actually remember how to hold a bat. Victoria does get the satisfaction of seeing him startle for a split second and look down before he hurriedly turns the bat around.]

O-oh, aye. I knew that.

[He's slightly annoyed by that, though - mostly with himself - and he drops the thing a few seconds later.]

This is boring. Let's go somewhere else.

[waterfield]

( sure you did, Jamie.

she gives a roll of her eyes at his comment about the situation being so boring. shaking her head, she folds her arms. )

Fine, let's go get you a drink at the pub and then sort out how on earth to send you back home.