pentamerone <% /!UseJournal %>
02/04/2007 17:46:00
[info]mackrelmint
Hop-A-Long Pirate Day! [Open]
Yesterday was cleaning day. Tomorrow was laundry day. Which could only mean that the day after yesterday was Pirate Day! Or, in other words, a good excuse for Pippi to play and cause trouble. She could have gone to school like her next door neighbors, Tommy and Annika. They were such good little children. But Pippi didn't want to. School-shmool. All that reading, writing, and 'rithmetic business was just silly. The teacher was nice, but she didn't make any sense. And Pippi couldn't understand why they weren't allowed to stand on their heads like children in India. True story! In India, all kids stood on their heads in school. It was better to learn that way because all of the knowledge would go to the top of their brains! And it only took them five minutes. Then they were allowed to go outside and play tag. Or do anything else they wanted. Like eat cake! And candy!

Yum!

No, Pirate Day was much more exciting than school day. So after she watched Tommy and Annika walk off to the school building, somewhere in Ozland, Pippi went digging through her dress up clothes until she found her pirate hat (with a big white feather!), her eye patch, and her sword. Then she skipped off the steps of Villa Villekulla, Herr Nilsson following behind her.

Old Man, the polka dotted horse that lived on her porch, whinnied at their departure.

"Not today, Old Man!" Pippi cried. "You know you get sea sick! And if we find a ship, that's exactly what we're going to do! Go off to sea to find buried treasure!"

Old Man huffed and clip-clopped around to the opposite side of the porch. And Pippi skipped down the road, Herr Nilsson scurrying to leap up onto her shoulder. She was a crazy little girl. Her bright red braids sticking out from beneath the pirate hat, and her large black shoes stomping around the ground. She waved the sword around, pausing every now and again to pull up one of her long stockings, that were slipping down her leg.

"Hum de dum! Dum de hey! Wake on up, it's Pirate Day! Come on, Herr Nilsson! Sing along!"

The monkey just licked its paws and cackled.

Tags: pippi, hunter

 
Comments
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 09:58:58  

Hunter didn't trade as often in Ozland as he did in Camlann. Because, well, Ozland was just plain weird. He hadn't expected to make it to Ozland so fast, but he'd left Camlann, and as expected by the state of his ire, went wolf shortly outside. He traveled twice as fast as a wolf than as a human and found himself near Ozland in record time. He bided his time, off the road, until he finally shifted back, and with more skins and furs to sell headed into town.

It was about mid-day. Few people were about, busy with their work, children at school. Hunter didn't expect to find a host of people out and about in the streets, except those out for lunch. He most certainly didn't expect the loud raucous cheers and calls of a small redheaded girl, dressed rather ridiculously, who was so caught up in... whatever the hell game she was playing... she might not have noticed the large hunter blinking at her in something akin to surprise.

She was accompanied by a monkey, who sat on her pirate-decorated shoulder, in true piratical fashion. At first glance it seemed to be just as effervescent as she.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 14:04:10  


But Pippi noticed everything, and when she saw the man with the furs just standing around, she danced her way over to him. Well, he was paying attention to her, after all! And Pippi loved to be the center of attention.

"Arrr, matey! Be thee sea man or land lubber?!" She said in her best masculine growl. The monkey chattered in reply before the Hunter could say anything. "Hush, hush, Herr Nilsson!"

Pippi clapped her hands together and danced around the Hunter, circling him twice before stopping to stand directly in front of him, blocking his path. She placed her hands on hips and gave him a persistent stare.

She cleared her throat.

"My good sir! If you will bequeath some perti-nent-able information to me, I will purchase some of those furs for my hearty crew! Yarr!"

She lifted her eye patch to get a better look at the furs.

"Ah! An excellent tradesman you must be! Now tell me! Where might there be some pirates? We are off to steal their buried treasure!"

Herr Nilsson took off his own little pirate cap and bowed his head.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 15:38:18  

Hunter stared at the child in brief stunned silence. It was as though she took advantage of his wordlessness to continue talking and it took him amoment to realize she fully intended him to respond. Pirates. She wanted to know where there were priates? Hunter hadn't seen any, but best bet would be by the huge lake off to the southeast that took up a great deal of Pentamerone. At least Hunter thought it might. He hadn't traveled that far around it yet, and was not fond of the thought of sailing.

"Land lubber," he responded, this side of bewildered and scratched his head. "Don't reckon I've seen any pirates about. Too far inland, I'd say."

Were Hunter more accustomed to actual children, he might have understood a game of make-believe and atrriubted the child's behavior to that. As it was, he was trying to convince himself she wasn't just mad.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 18:39:16  


Herr Nilsson hopped off of Pippi's shoulder and onto Hunter's head, picking at his hair, eating any little flakes he found. Pippi resisted the urge to giggle, as children were wont to do when monkeys did funny things.

"Ah! I see my first mate approves of you! Come, come! No need to hold back, sir! Tells us of where there may be pirates and we shall let you go!"

And as if to emphasize that he was now her captive, Pippi waved her sword in front of him. Only the sword wasn't quite as make-believe as the routine. Very real, in fact. With a shiny gold handle.

"Arr! Tell us or we'll make you walk the plank!"

Her hat fell in front of her eyes.

"Ufdah!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 18:53:41  

There was a monkey on his head. There was a monkey on Hunter's head. He blinked stupidly up at it, and the back down at Pippi. "Er... maybe by the lake...?" He probably shouldn't have said that. he didn't want this girl traipsing off by herself - well, with a monkey - all the way over to Lake Raienia.

Wait. Was that a real sword she was brandishing? He blinked at her again, as her hat fell, feeling quite confused.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 19:02:27  


Herr Nilsson made a cackle-chattering noise and hopped back on Pippi's shoulder, fixing her hat for her. Pippi flipped up the eye patch so she could see better. Blink, blink!

"Ooh! The lake!"

She slipped the sword back into her sash. Probably to the ease of most people wandering by, who were starting to walk a considerable distance away from the crazy little redhead with the weapon.

"Your services will not go unnoticed! How much for one of your furs?"

She picked her nose.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 19:11:45  

Hunter seemed slightly relieved there was not longer a chittering primate on his person. "Listen, um, kid - what's your name anyways? - you don't need to buy a fur from me. It's all right." Some of them were kind of expensive. Maybe on of the smaller, cheaper ones... He'd feel a bit off though, selling one to her if she thought she had to for his so called services. Which, hell, he really hoped he wasn't sending her off into danger.

His conscience crept up on him, the urge to make sure where she went she arrived safely. It had been like that in the beginning with Red, but then, Red was older now, and this had changed... Hunter shook his head and spoke, "Are you going off to fight pirates, then?"
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 19:19:43  


"My name is Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Efraim's Daughter Longstocking, daughter of Captain Efraim Longstocking, formerly the Terror of the Sea, now a cannibal king. But you can call me Pippi."

She paused.

"And this is Herr Nilsson."

The monkey burped.

"And yes. We are off to fight pirates and find their treasure. We might get some candy on the way. See, we don't really want to steal their treasure because that's not nice. We just want to find it. Besides, we already have our own pirate treasure. That's what I was going to buy your furs with. See?"

She dug into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a handful of gold coins.

"But if you don't want to sell them, then we will just get some caramel candy."

Herr Nilsson made a noise.

"And a banana."
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 19:26:48  

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Hunter lost her after the window bit and stared at her with increasingly wide eyes. Grateful for the nickname he latched onto immediately. Pippi. That he could do.

"Um. Hunter," he introduced himself. And then added. "All right then, how about this? You don't need to buy a fur. But you can advertise this small one for me if you let me accompany you to fight the pirates." Not that he wanted to fight pirates. He just didn't want her running into any trouble based on his direction. And it was better to accompany her than sneak around following all shady-like.

"Save your money for the candy. And fruit."
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 19:38:21  


"You're going to join my crew?! Alright! You can be my lieutenant. First class, of course."

Herr Nilsson made a disgruntled noise.

"Yes, yes, Herr Nilsson. You are still first mate. He still answers to you."

Pippi dropped the gold coins back into her pocket and flipped the eyepatch back down over her eye. If they were going to run into pirates now, she had to be prepared. You had to look strong in front of those piratey-types. She wished she had a peg leg. That would be really intimidating!

Alas, she did not.

"Should we sing whilst we travel? I know lots of songs!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 19:46:08  

All right. Somehow he'd managed to become part of her crew, answering to a freaking monkey no less. Hunter sighed. Well. Perhaps she'd just get tired of the game soon, and it wouldn't really matter.

"Er, sure. I don't sing though. So that's all up to you." he resisted the urged to scratch his head again.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 19:50:22  


Pippi skipped along beside him. It took a long time for her to get tired of her games. So he best be prepared for a long walk. Or however long it took to get to the pirate lake. Herr Nilsson hopped onto Hunter's shoulder again, making that his temporary roost.

"LA LA LA LA LAAAAAAA! WE'RE OFF TO HUNT SOME PIRATES! GOING TO FIND SOME TREASURE!! WATCH ME! WATCH ME!"

Pippi did a cartwheel.

"TA-DA!!!"

Skip, skip, skip.

"I'm going to be a pirate when I grow up. I'm going to sail my ship through the most treacherous weather and be marrooned on an island where they'll make me their queen. What are you going to be when you grow up?"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 19:55:03  

What. In good hell. Was happening around him? The monkey was back, the kid was singing at the top of her lungs, and Hunter just followed, subdued, taken aback, and oddly amused. But only a little of the last one, of course.

"That's quite an interesting goal. I, er, I'm already grown up. And I'm a hunter. And fur and skin trader." Rather dull sounding when compared to a pirate in the mind of a child, no doubt.

Of course, that wasn't all Hunter was.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 20:02:51  


"Oh REALLY?"

Pippi was very interested in what people did for a living. A fur and skin trader didn't sound very exciting. But maybe one day she would play Fur Trader Day and learn that it was better than it sounded.

Although, Pirate Day seemed a little bit better. But maybe she was biased. Only being ten years old and all.

"Does that mean you hurt animals? Don't they get sad when you do that?"

Herr Nilsson made a frightened noise and hopped on Hunter's head again. This time for protection.

"Did you know that in Australia there are animals that hunt humans? They're really big and kind of ape-like. And the people don't talk. They just run around and eat fruits. And it's been like that for millions of years!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 20:11:43  

Hunter shrugged. "Maybe. I'm not sure. I try not to hurt them, but we need them for food and warm clothes. It's the way it is."

Hunter absently reach up to reassure the monkey. "I don't hurt monkey, Herr Nilsson." Oh dear god, he was talking to a monkey. Why was he talking to a monkey? "Animals that hunt humans doesn't seem so old. Only fair really if we hunt them."
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 20:16:38  


Herr Nilsson was still a little bit suspicious, he was a monkey after all, but he stuck around. He even climbed back down to Hunter's shoulder, licking his tail.

"Well, I have a horse, too. Old Man. And he's my friend. He lives on my porch and is covered in polka dots. I hope you don't hunt him. He's really fast and nice."

Pippi hummed a song. Crazy and carefree.

"Are you going to help me fight the pirates? We're swashbucklers now, you know!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 20:31:16  

"No, no horses either. Usually things like deer or bears. Whatever's good meat and good fur." Things like foxes, rabbits, minks, creatures the richer ladies of Camlann like to adorn themselves with as well, but hunter didn't think Pippi wanted to hear that.

Not at all aware there really were pirates about, Hnter responded, "Uh, yeah. If there are some pirates aorund, we'll fight 'em."
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 20:37:15  


"I fought a bear once! It was really big! But I picked it up and threw it over a fence and it went running away! I fought a bull once too. That was really fun! I almost wanted to be a matador. But there's much more excitement in being a pirate."

And Pippi wasn't sure if there really were any pirates about. It just seemed like there should be. So she said there were. But she was a little child. People often didn't believe her. That and she had the tendency to lie.

"We're going to have to find you a sword or something. I should have brought two, but Herr Nilsson couldn't carry one by himself. And I would look silly with two swords. Pirates only have one, you know."

Skip, skip.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 20:42:36  

Hunter took her story as an embellishment. Surely all chidren bragged and boasted about the things they could do, true or not. He didn't argue, and feigned suitable impression.

"It's all right; I have knives." Several. Long ones. Not that it mattered; he didn't expect a fight. "And some pirates have two swords. Ambidextrous ones. I don'think you'd look silly with two." Well. Not any more than she looked right now in that hat and those stockings. Silly, but kind of endearing.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 20:47:13  


Well, part of it was exaggerated. But she really did fight a bull! She had a red cape and everything. Tommy and Annika were there. They could verify the story for her.

But Tommy and Annika were at school. So sad.

"Ooh? Well, knives are good. But maybe next time I will bring two swords. Then we can match! You will need a hat too. No, no! A bandana! Yeah! And a shirt with puffy sleeves. Maybe some bigger boots. Hmm..."

She tugged on one of her stockings as it began to slip.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 20:52:41  

Hunter blinked down at her again. "I'll just stick with what I'm wearing, if that's all right. Hunters can't afford to stand out that much." Frightens off the animals. He paused as she slowed to tug at a stocking and kept moving when she did.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 22:07:24  


"Oh! Right! I suppose you have to be all camouflagy and incognitable and stuff. That makes sense. Wanna see me do another cartwheel?"

Pippi did one before he could answer, landing awkwardly in her big shoes. Herr Nilsson clapped his hands together and chattered in Hunter's ear. Applause for Pippi's acrobatic abilities.

"Have you ever been to sea, Lieutenant?"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 22:11:48  

Hunter mimicked the monkey, which was backwards, wasn't it? Monkey see, monkey do and all that? But he gave the girl accolades for her cartwheel and then answered her question. She had a lot of them didn't she?

"No, I haven't." The wolf in him didn't sit well on open water. And before there was a wolf in him, he'd just not had opportunity.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 22:16:19  


"Oh! The sea is a fine place! I think you will like it! Just think of the adventure! Storms! Shipwrecks! Men walking the plank! We can't let the pirates capture us because they will make us walk the plank. And that's no good because there are a lot of sharks in the ocean! And they looooove to eat people!"

Full of questions and full of spunk. Pippi found the world so fascinating. And especially the people in it. She didn't understand everything all of the time, but she was smarter than she looked.

Herr Nilsson was confused by Hunter's mimicry. If monkeys could raise their eyebrows, well, that's what he did.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 22:26:18  

Hunter couldn't bring himself to agree. All he said was, "Can't very easily hunt and trap on a boat though." Hunter eyed the monkey again, his own eyebrows raising, not necessarily in mimicry, but rather in curious intrigue. "Have you fought pirates before?" Hunter asked Pippi, still watching Herr Nilsson.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 22:29:09  


"Rats! Ships always have rats! You could hunt those!"

Big toothy grin. Sometimes grown-ups were silly. He should have known that. Oh well. That's why Pippi was there! To help out.

"Of course! When I went to visit my Papa in the South Seas! There are lots of pirates in the South Seas. All over the place! But don't worry. I lived to tell the tale."

Herr Nilsson chattered.

"Herr Nilsson lived too."
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 22:32:08  

Hunter grinned down at her. "I don't think I'd be able to sell many rats furs. And not much meat on the either. what do you think?"
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 22:36:03  


"I don't think I would like to eat rat. Especially ship rat. They're dirty. I like to eat pancakes and candy. You should come over to my house some time and I will make pancakes! Bring some friends! It'll be fun! Then we can play lava monster or don't touch the floor! That's the best game ever! You climb all over the furniture, but you're not allowed to touch the ground. If you touch the ground you lose."

Pancakes sounded really good to Pippi right then. A great big stack of flapjacks with lots of butter and whipped cream. Mmm, mmm! After she fought the pirates she was going to make some for Old Man and Herr Nilsson. Hunter, too, if he wanted to come over.

"Just not on cleaning day. Cause that's when I have to clean the house. Not on laundry day either."

She kicked a stone.

"But in some far regions of China there are people who worship rats! Maybe you could sell some to them!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 22:47:00  

"No, I wouldn't either. Pancakes, however, I like. With bacon. Thick cut bacon." Hmm. Getting hungry. "That's all right. I'll just stick with the skins I know I can sell. Besides, some places in Camlann have some orders waiting for me."
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/05/2007 22:50:22  


Blink, blink.

Someone who liked pancakes! Great! Then Pippi was totally going to stop by the market soon to pick up more eggs and flour. Just in case she got any unexpected but invited visitors for a pancake dinner.

"Camlann? Where is this place? I don't think I have ever been there. Who lives there? Pirates? Princesses? I am a cannibal princess!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/05/2007 22:58:36  

"Camlann's to the north.there's royalty there, yeah, but I haven't met them. It's... well honestly, not a stunningly fun place. Serious and grown-up, I guess." Dangerous too. Hunter realized he had a better shot of discouraging Pippi from wanting to go there if he made it sound dull.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/06/2007 11:08:08  


"Oh. That sounds boring. I wonder why people would want to live in such a boring place. Tra-la-la! Perhaps we should go there and teach them how to play games! Then maybe they will be happier! Ooooh. Then I could wear my princess crown! Don't worry. I will say you are my loyal servant."

Herr Nilsson jumped around on Hunter's shoulder.

"Oh, right! Pirates first! Where is this lake anyway?!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/06/2007 11:17:28  

"They are boring," Hunter responded immediately. "I don't think they'd like the games you play." Hunter silently cursed himself for having said anything. Instead he responded, "It's not too far. Is it all right, your going off like this, I mean. What about your parents?" A little late now to ask maybe. "Won't they mind?" He absently pet the monkey, not even realizing he was doing so.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/06/2007 12:44:47  


"My father was shipwrecked on Kurrekurredutt Island where they crowned him their king. He asked me to go live with him there but I have too many friends near my house in Villa Villekulla. And my mother is with the angels. But it is alright. I am strong and I can take care of myself. And sometimes I go to visit him in the South Seas. The natives there call me Princess Pippi since I am the daughter of the fat white king. Papa won't mind me going out to fight pirates. He does it all the time."

It was a tall tale. Oddly enough though, this one was true. Pippi liked living on her own. She had a freedom that other children couldn't even imagine. And it taught her responsibility. Well, some responsibility anyway.

And her Papa was just as crazy as she was. So it was probably for the best.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/06/2007 12:52:26  

All right so, maybe she was a little crazy. Hunter eyed Pippi against, taking in the gravity-defying braids, the jumble of clothes, slipping stockings, and the monkey, which seemed to have taken a fancy to him; it still bounced about his head and shoulders, and he nodded to himself. Maybe more than a little crazy.

"Well then. If it's all right." H sighed inwardly. All the more reason to keep an eye on her until she grew tired of this game.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/06/2007 16:25:26  


"I can't wait until we find the pirate ship! It's going to be so exciting! I bet they have lots of flags with skulls and cross bones. Oooh ... I wonder if they have any treasure on the ship too. We can even steal the captain's parrot! That would be fun! Don't you think so?"

Pippi continued to skip around. Herr Nilsson was getting a little tired and curled up on Hunter's shoulder, snoring in his ear. That was the way of the sleeping monkey. ZzZzZz.

Pippi found a stick and started drawing a line in the dirt near the road as they walked.

"So we don't get lost on our way back with all of our booty!"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/06/2007 18:29:10  

Right. Fun. "Er. Yeah. Tons of fun." Hunter was eyeing the monkey again, who seemed to find him far too comfortable and was falling asleep on his shoulder. Great. Monkey.

He looked down as Pippi drew a line and then just said, "Don't worry. I never get lost." Which was true. He could be blindfolded, spun around, stood on his head and still come out pointing due north.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/06/2007 21:22:40  


Herr Nilsson drooled on Hunter's shoulder. Little monkey drool. Fun for the whole family.

Pippi stopped to admire a ladybug sitting on a flower. She really wished they were closer to the pirate ship. She felt like they'd been walking forever. Not that she was tired! Just that she really wanted to fight some pirates and there weren't any to be seen.

Except for herself and her lieutenant that is. The most frightening swashbucklers on the seven seas! Or, at least, they would be. If they could ever find water.

Deep sigh.

"Are we there yet?"
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/07/2007 09:48:50  

Grat. Bird shit the other day, and now monkey drool. Wonderful. Hunter sighed in a kind of resigned, defeated way. Hunter waited again as Pippi stopped to do something else and fell back in step beside her. "Almost. The lake's just ahead. But I don't know if there really are any pirates there, ki- Pippi." Hunter hadn't actually expected her to still want to go. They had been walking for a while now.

Especially since he highly doubted there really were any pirates in Lake Raienia.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/07/2007 13:42:46  


Pippi had high hopes that there would be pirates. Indeed, there must be. Where else would the pirates go? Pirates needed water. And they were going to a lake. It made perfect sense in her mind. Very logical.

She performed a little karate chop on the stick and broke it in half. Hiii-yah! The sound startled Herr Nilsson who chattered in Hunter's ear.

"Oh goody! I hope there's a whole bunch of pirates! Then we can take them down, one by one!"

Apparently Pippi didn't consider consequences before doing anything. And if they did run into real pirates, well, she had a mouth that could get them both in trouble.
From: [info]whos_afraid Date: 02/07/2007 21:17:36  

Hunter winced at the sharp high sound in his ear and pet the monkey almost reassuringly. The lake wasn't much farther. Good. They could go, see nothing but crystal clear lake, turn around and go home. Pippi wouldn't have had the adventure she wanted, but maybe she would stop looking for pirates.

Hunter could smell the fresh water long before they reached the shores of the huge lake. He could hear the sounds of people ahead, but he never expected to see what he did there.
From: [info]mackrelmint Date: 02/07/2007 21:28:28  


When they came upon the lake, Pippi stopped to stand in momentary awe alongside Hunter. Even Herr Nilsson blinked a few times. Maybe he wasn't quite expecting to run into pirates either. But that's exactly what they were.

"PIRATES!!!" Pippi yelled, jumping into the air.

Pirates with a great big ship too.

Pippi pulled out her sword and waved it around in the air, trying to puff out her chest to make herself look bigger and stronger. It was an intimidation technique. All the great Terrors of the Sea knew how to do it. Then she stomped around in the dirt until she came upon the bank of the lake.

"AHOY, YE SCURVY BILGE RATS! I AM HERE TO TAKE YOU ON!! SURRENDER YOUR TREASURE OR WALK THE PLANK! ARRR!"
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