Legacy
Helena watches Valentine explore his new passtime.
He's as happy as a clam, she thought, playing with those little balls. She watched as the crystal orbs slid effortlessly down Valentine's bare arm and onto his knuckles, only to catch on his fingernail and fall to the ground. It bounced once before he caught it with both of his hands, holding it like it was an egg threatening to crack.
"It won't break, you know," Helena mentioned. She wrapped Valentine's cloak around her more tightly.
"I know that," Valentine murmured, voice muffled in concentration. She could sense his eyes narrowing behind his mask, watching the crystal ball intently. "I just don't know if the ball knows that."
She laughed, rocking back on her heels to make her toes wake up. Valentine went back to practicing, the crystal ball floating effortlessly between his fingers. Although he couldn't roll it over his hands very well, he had gotten quite good at making it float, isolating it in the air. Helena herself almost believed that some unearthly force was making the ball float of its own free will.
But then it fell, dangerously close to Helena's foot. She jumped back in shock, falling over the hem of Valentine's coat. Valentine caught the ball again and stared at it in anger, lips forming a snarl. He shook his fist at the ball. "Dumb ball! The 'contact' in 'contact juggling' means you're supposed to stay in contact with me, not the ground!"
Helena laughed, clapping her hands at the ridiculous joke. Valentine sighed and put out his hand; Helena handed him a bag of six rubber balls, which he took with enthusiasm. "Ah, well. Why mess with what I've got goin', eh?"
Helena nodded and took a handful of balls and began juggling, occasionally tossing and catching a few with Valentine.
"I will admit, you're no Michael Moschen. But you're not bad at it."
Valentine shrugged, not an easy task when juggling. "I like normal juggling better anyway."
Helena cocked her head. "Why?"
Valentine responded by chucking a ball at her head. "I can't do that!"
Helena jumped to her feet, pelting Valentine with the balls still in her hand. Valentine scampered away and hid under his cloak, and they both laughed.
The sun began to set, and the bells in the distant city started to toll. Helena sighed sadly and handed the balls back to Valentine. "That's the alarm clock. Time to go."
"Already?" Valentine brushed the dirt off his cloak. "I really think you need to get more sleep, Helena. It can't be good for a person."
She laughed agreeingly. She held out her hand. Valentine took it, gripping it tightly.
"Good night, Helena."
"Good morning, Valentine."
She slowly faded away as her "real" self woke up, and Valentine stood alone in the field, already planning tomorrow's activities.
But first, supper.
Just a fanfiction test for my old computer. There really isn't enough Mirrormask fanfiction out here.