milliways_bar | (no subject)

When Matilda enters the bar, her face is white and her expression very solemn and determined for one her age. In her hands is the remains of what was a library book, but now all that remained was a book cover empty of pages.

What her father did wasn't just taunting..it was downright rude and the behavior of a jealous bully. To make matters even worse, he actually expected her to take responsibility for what he did to her.

This sort of attack required an even more devious counter attack, one that she was sure she had the perfect sceme for if Fred's parrot was as good a talker as he claimed. The only way to scare a bully after all, was to find something of his weakness and use it against him.

Unfortunately, that still left her with a damaged book. It was a heavy addition and she couldn't exactly replace it that fast with just her pocket money. Which was why she was much relieved with Milliways makes its appearence in her closet. Seeing that the specials board was otherwise blank, an idea quickly came to mind.

"Ms. Bar," She called out. "I've a large favor I need to ask..do you think I could run Happy hour for the evening?" She recieved a napkin. "Of course, no alcoholic drinks, I understand. Thank you."

An hour later and after studying a mixed drinks book, Matilda pulled over a chair to stand on as she studied the blank chalk board: if she could read, she could certainly write.

Dry Happy Hour Specials

Cola Floats
(rootbeer or coke)
egg-cream
orange julius
Sparkling Cranberry punch

Storytellers get 50% off
(story at discression of teller.)

Her writing was large and childlike, but it was clear enough to be read, which was the main thing.

That done, she jumped off the bar and started getting familar with the tools of the trade. She was pleasantly surprised to see a new copy of The Red Pony, right on the bar as well.

"Thank you for the book, Ms. Bar." She settled in her seat, using some old phonebooks to prop her up so she could be seen over the bar.

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Well, she's been reading a lot of stories. Both funny stories and parts where it wasn't so funny, so she'd like to think she knew what she liked and what she didn't.

She walks over back to the chair. "Matilda Wormwood. What's yours?"

"Tommy Gavin." He reaches across the bar, offering to shake her hand.

"It's real nice to meet'cha. I'm from New York City. How 'bout you, where're you from?"

She accepts the handshake.

"I'm from Berkshire, it's a small village a few hours away from London." Her family sometimes went there on holiday.

"Oh, cool. Yeah, I figured you'd be from around those parts."

He eyes her book, and while he isn't big on reading himself, he's got to admire the kid's smarts.

"So, what're you reading? Is it good? Better than my story?" He grins.

"I think it's the accent." She smiled on the joke. Hers was clearly British as his was American-not that she really knew of many American accents to really judge, but it wasn't British even as he spoke English.

"It's called the Red Pony." Matilda felt a strange bit of deja vu. "It's more sad than adventurous or silly, but I still like it."

"Oh, really? Well, sometimes you gotta have a few sad stories to balance out the silly ones, but as long as it's still good. What's it about?"

This was a conversation she would've liked to have with her father, but sadly he's already made his opinion on her reading pretty clear.

As the empty book cover underneath the bar clearly shown.

"It's about this boy named Jody who lives on a ranch. I haven't finished the book yet, but the first part is how his father gives him a red pony. He tries to take care of it, but when it gets left outside in the rain, it gets sick and eventually dies."

The story was sad in that sense, but it was interesting to read about how the boy responds to all of this and his encounters on the ranch.

"I'm on the part where his father has him take care of a pregnant mare, but after his experiences with the other horse he's too scared to do his task properly."

Not that Matilda could blame him, that would scare anybody.

And this is the kind of conversation Tommy's own daughters wish they could've had with him, if he could just spend a little more time with them and take a little more interest in their lives.

"Huh, that is kinda sad."

A thought strikes him.

"D'you like horses? You know there's a stable out here, right?"

"I don't know. I've only ever read stories with them, but never seen them in real life." She wasn't so sure her talk with Pinkie Pie counted.

Still..

"Do you think you could show me them, later? I still have to run Happy Hour."

It wasn't finished after all and she couldn't abandon it.

He hesitates for a second. Not because he doesn't want to, one of the factors being that he can't ever say no, but because Kate might be at the stables. She told him not to come around while she was there. But surely she meant not to come around by himself. Without a guest. Because Matilda would be a guest.

Right, okay, this will work. (And hey, Kate might not even be there at all.)

"Sure, sweetie, no problem," he finally replies. "It'll be fun."

She studied him a moment. She wasn't too good at reading grownups just yet, but she could tell when something was off.

"Is something wrong?"

"...What? No, no, of course not, no. I was just-- thinking about-- an issue or two, but everything's just fine. Really. Don't worry, I'll stick around until you're done here."

Sometimes Tommy is a bad liar.

He was. Children were more perspective of these things than grown-ups gave them credit for. That he was talking vaguely and hesitating a bit were enough give-a ways.

"It's alright. I can go by myself when my shift ends." It wasn't like she was used to grown ups watching over her. "If you could tell me which direction it's in, that would be helpful."

He sighs and shakes his head.

"No, really, sweetie, it's fine," he says levelly. "I'll take you. It's a bit of a walk and there's demon rabbits out there, and I wouldn't want you coming back when it's getting late. It's just that--" He sighs again, tilting his head from side to side. "Well, a friend of mine works there. 'Cept we ain't really friends anymore. But if she's there, she'll see that I'm with you, and it should be okay. Okay?"

She wondered what he did to make this friend, not be a friend anymore. It must've have been that bad otherwise it would take more than her showing up to divert things. "Okay."

She did a mental backtrack. "Wait...you said there are demon bunnies?" She read what demons were, but demon bunnies was something even she wasn't sure of.

Actually, they are still friends. Except that she doesn't want them to be seen together in public. It's...complicated.

"Yeah, demon bunnies. They live in the forest, and they don't usually come out in the open unless it's close to sunset, but there could be a few roaming around at any given time. In small numbers they're okay and easily scared away, but you don't wanna be confronted by a big group of 'em, 'cause they breathe fire."