When I first unlocked Mint, I saw him staring at a swingset while the portian kids were leaving school. It inspired me to draw him reminiscing his childhood days.
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Alice carefully poured red tea into the small cup and pushed it across the stone they were sat on to Jack, pulling the empty one closer to fill for herself. He hummed happily as he lifted it to his lips to start blowing, the small wisps of steam curling in the air around his face.
She loved nights like this. No school tomorrow for Jack to get up early for, and she had saved enough of a buffer that she could afford to open the shop an hour or two late. Meaning they had all the time in the world to sit up here by the Church of the Light and look at the stars and make their own patterns and stories.
Just like they did with their parents on their home’s roof all those years ago in Lucien.
She wrapped her hands around the cup and lifted it to her lips, sipping as Jack started to talk, pointing out stars and shapes and spinning a story she remembered being one of their father’s favourites.
She’d always hated how she couldn’t give him much in the way of things. But seeing how his face was lit up and he was talking with such excitement, she was incredibly glad that she could give him this at least.
Chapter 2 of Alice’s Tale (MTAP prompt, “Alice and Jack on their way to Portia”)
Part two, in which I have made up relationships which probably don’t exist in canon, but aren’t, I don’t think, directly contradicted either. (Sam says she has family in Portia at one point, but we don’t see who it is...but there’s only one person in Portia who really has any family resemblance to Sam and could conceivably be her family, so I ran with it.)
Finally, they made it through the gates, but it was a mile or so down the road before Remi spotted the Alliance flag. Thank Peach, they got too distracted with looting to pursue. Not that it did us a blessed bit of good, but at least there's a place we can regroup. He rode for the camp, and breathed out a great sigh of relief when he saw Captain Parker riding up and down, directing the flow of refugees and retreating Corps members with her usual firm hand. She was one of the few Corps leaders he trusted, and he was glad to see her in charge here.
“Remington!” she called out as he neared. “What's the situation?”
“Not good, Captain. We've got a rout on our hands, and they're rioting through the city.”
She shook her head. “Not good, not good at all. At least that'll keep 'em occupied a bit, maybe get them reckless and drunk. We've got reinforcements on their way from Atara. Too late for today, but if we can regroup before they do, and evacuate as many of the civilians as possible...”
Reinforcements. Finally, some good news. “Speaking of which. Found these two about to be taken to the slave markets in Duvos. Can we find 'em a place to go?”
“Parents?”
He shook his head. “Casualties.”
Her eyes softened. “Poor little mites. We've been directing refugees behind the lines, but...they're just kids. Here.” She tossed him a couple of ration bags. “There's a Church of the Light a few miles down the road. They find homes for orphans, don't they?”
“Might be a bit overwhelmed right now.”
“They might be. But it's the best we can hope for right now. I'm sorry, kids. There's not much I can do for you.”
Alice nodded, clearly trying to keep her chin up. Jack just stared at the horse's neck, unwilling or unable to move or talk.
“Be back by sunrise, Remington. As rested as you can be. We're going to need all the soldiers we can get.”
“Yes, ma'am.” He saluted, and spurred his horse further down the path, following the stream of refugees fleeing south.
They had ridden out of sight of the camp before Alice spoke up, hesitantly. “Thank you for doing all of this for us. We probably shouldn't be taking you from your duties...”
“Protecting civilians is my duty. I'm not going to leave two little kids to wander alone in this chaos if I can help it.”
“We don't even have anything to give you...”
“It's my job, I tell you.” He kept his voice even, but the anger came through nonetheless. “I don't ever want be the kind of Corps member who has to take bribes to do his job.”
“Pa said the Corps always took bribes.” Jack picked the worst moments to speak up, in Alice's opinion.
“Some do. I won't.” He took a breath, and smiled down at them. “But enough of that. Do you know where you'd like to go, given a chance? Have you ever seen places other than Lucien City?”
“Not really,” Alice bit her lip. “We never traveled much. Ma and Pa were too busy with the shop.”
“Where are you from?” Jack piped up. “You don't sound like you're from Lucien.”
“Good ear, kiddo. I'm not. I'm from Portia.”
“Where's Portia?”
“Far southeast of here, on the Eastern Sea, beyond Sandrock. The only real way to get there is by boat from Barnarock. But it's a lovely place, lots of countryside and forest, a clean fresh river full of tasty fish, even some mountains. Portia Town is pretty small, just a hundred or so people, but it's cozy and warm and everyone knows everyone else. It's spring, now, all the flowers will be blooming, and it's so peaceful and pretty...” He shook his head. “Sorry. I get homesick sometimes, especially in the middle of all of this.”
“It sounds so lovely...I understand why you miss it. I love flowers,” Alice said wistfully. “I wish we could go there someday. It'd be nice to be somewhere where there isn't any danger at all...”
“Well, it is on the Peripheries, and there is a Collapsed Wasteland nearby, with some odd monsters in it. But the Civil Corps there is dedicated and they keep the town pretty safe. “
“Wow, a real wasteland? Have you ever been in it?” Jack perked up, forgetting his troubles for a bit, and Alice's heart filled with gratitude.
He chuckled, a warm rich sound. “Yes, as a matter of fact. See, there were these two younger kids – Sam's about your age, Alice, and Arlo's two years older – and they snuck in once after school, a couple of years ago, on a dare. Sam's not one to turn down a dare, and she got Arlo to go with her by telling him it would be good training for the Flying Pigs – he's wanted to try out for them ever since he was old enough to know who they were.”
“What happened to them?” Alice asked.
“Well, they got pinned down behind a rock in the middle of a field full of Slurpees...”
“What's a Slurpee?” Jack interrupted.
“It's a great blue creature, kinda like a big fuzzy lizard with a round clowny face – they're not that dangerous, but they can get you with a stream of nasty freezing liquid...stuff...if you don't know how to predict and dodge it. Anyway, I hadn't wanted to snitch on the kids to Mr. Isaac, our teacher, so I snuck in myself, but I had the good sense to bring a couple of weapons with me. Gave Arlo one of the swords, and Sam a dartgun – she always was better with ranged weapons – and we fought our way out. Didn't even get caught, and I've never told anyone till now. So if you do get to Portia, don't tell Mr. Isaac or Mayor Gale on me, all right?”
“I won't. On my honor,” Jack said solemnly, and Alice stifled a giggle.
“Sam sounds like she gets in trouble a lot,” she commented, hoping to hear more about a girl her own age, living in a safe and happy place.
Remington laughed out loud. “That she does, especially the time she beat up the mayor's son. But she got off easy for that one.”
“How come?”
“She beat him up because he'd been picking on his little sister Ginger, and the mayor dotes on his daughter. Ginger's a sweet girl, but she's kinda fragile – her mother died when she was born, she'd never been strong either, and it seems like Ginger takes after her. But her brother Gust thought of her as the one who killed his Mama, and he was pretty awful to her. Sam kicked his butt into next Tuesday, and he left both of 'em alone after that. Last I heard, he'd taken himself off to Atara to study architecture or something. Sam always did hate a bully. She's got a heart of gold, she really does, and she'll always look out for anyone who needs her help. You ought to look her up, if you do get to Portia. Her family are refugees from Lucien too.”
“Really?” Alice asked. “How did they get there?”
“Her Pa is in the Civil Corps, in the front lines a bit further west of here, and her Ma got tired of always being in the danger zones. So she left before Sam was born, and headed down to the coast with Sam's older sister, Carol. Sam's Pa came to visit sometimes, when he was on leave, and Sam was born a few years later, just before her Ma decided to move into Portia Town. But her Ma got the sweating pox, and she died when Sam was only four, so she was mostly raised by her sister, and Carol wasn't much more than a girl herself. So Sam kinda grew up wild. But like I said, she's got a good heart, and she's done all right. And now Carol's gotten married, and had triplets, and Sam babysits for her pretty regularly, so it all comes full circle.”
Jack looked up at his sister. “Are you gonna raise me, now, Alice?”
“Hopefully she won't have to,” Remington said. “The Church will find you a nice family to take you in.”
“But I'll stay with you, I promise. No matter what, I won't let them split us up.” Alice wrapped her arms around her brother and hugged him hard.
“You keep to that. You two stick together and care for each other, and everything will be OK.” Remington hoped the kids couldn't hear the way the words had to fight past the sudden tightness in his throat. He'd never had siblings by blood, but Sam and Arlo were as close as made no difference, and he suddenly missed them both terribly.
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