Thank you all for very lovely reviews! I'm terribly sorry that I made you lot wait for the next update, but it took me forever to fine-tune this scene just right. All ideas are welcome ;) Enjoy, and as always, please r&r!
Disclaimer: There's a teeny weeny something that's so small you almost can't see it on the speck, on the flea, on the tail, on the frog, on the bump, on the log, in the hole, in the bottom of the sea.
Enya sulked for hours afterwards, frequently picking up her knife and running her finger along the blade while casting evil looks at whoever was nearby. When people began avoiding her, she stashed her new toy in the folds of her dress and skipped off in search of mischief. Her first choice, surprisingly, was Henry Jekyll. "You've got someone living inside of you." She declared innocently, standing in his cabin's doorway.
The good doctor jerked his head up, fingers nervously splaying about his pocketwatch, "W-why, yes. I m-mean no. I mean–how did you know?" Edward Hyde chuckled menacingly from the back of his mind, making his leer felt even when he wasn't in physical form. Ah, the little brat has more brains than you gave her credit for. Go ahead, Henry, talk to the little devil. It might just be interesting.
Enya simply smiled, baring her teeth in an entirely too feral manner. "I know a lot of things about you, Doctor Jekyll. And you too...Mister Hyde. Why don't you let him out to play, Henry?" She asked, employing the air of innocence again. Adults, especially those without children of their own, were particularly susceptible to a child's coy deceptions.
Jekyll flinched, knuckling his forehead absently with a sweaty hand. "B-because, Edward is n-not a g-good man. N-nor am I when I let him out." His eyes darted fearfully over to the little container of vials on his dresser. He couldn't bring himself to destroy them, yet he resisted taking them as well. His horrible addiction had yet to be broken...no one was quite sure it would be possible after he'd been taking it for so long. Aww, come on, Henry. Sneered Hyde. You never know...It could be 'fun.' Your definition of fun frightens me, Edward. What if I promise to be a good little boy? Then I'd know you were lying and throw the potion overboard.
Edward gasped, and his tone became distinctly sullen. You wouldn't. I would. There came a long, sulky silence before Edward finally sighed in temporary defeat. Jekyll could almost see him grinning in the back of his mind...the nature of the grin sent shivers down his spine. Well, if you won't let me out, then at least tell her my idea... A few moments later, with Enya watching him patiently, Jekyll moaned in chagrin, "You want me to help her do WHAT?!" But it'll be fun, Henry! Whined his alter-ego, sounding amusingly childish. Come on...it won't hurt anybody...much. Jekyll crossed his arms and sat down in the desk's chair, looking adamant, "No, I won't do it."
"Doctor Jekyll," Interrupted Enya sweetly, "Why don't you tell me what Edward is saying? I'm sure that couldn't hurt. What harm could a little girl like me do?" She batted her eyelashes at him, much in the way she had before biting Tom Sawyer's leg. "Pretty pleeeeeease?" Enya was extremely capable of disguising her true intent when she felt like it; undoubtedly, she could've made a great politician.
Jekyll sighed in exasperation, studying her for a long moment before tossing his hands up in the air in defeat, "Oh, v-very well. Edward thinks...Edward thinks that we should lock Skinner and Corby in a room together until they get along." That's not what I said! Protested Hyde angrily, wishing that he was corporeal enough to strangle Jekyll Tell her what I really said, or I'll...I'll hide your pocket watch when you let me out again! Jekyll sat bolt upright in indignation. Hyde couldn't very well murder anyone while on the ship, or harm them, so he had been forced to resort to desperate measures. You keep your hands off my pocket watch. He 'said' hurriedly I'll tell her. "Actually, he thinks we should leave them in there until one of them kills the other." Henry was tempted to add something else on, but Hyde's sinister growl warned him against such an action.
Enya's emerald green eyes lit up with delight and she clapped her hands with glee, "Why, that's a splendid idea!" She exclaimed, impish features aglow with the idea of such a prank. "Oh, Doctor Henry, please help me do it!" She latched her arms around his legs, locking him effectively into the chair, gazing up at him adoringly. "They'll be friends in the end, I just know it!"
"Now, Enya," Jekyll began, wincing at the pressure she exerted on his calves, "They're adults. They have to work through their problems without our help."
Her shining green eyes hardened to the texture of stone briefly, before reverting to their gently imploring, little-girl look. "But this'll make it go faster," She simpered, sticking out her lower lip. "I can't do it without your help, Doctor Henry."
"Which is exactly the point," He said, attempting to stand up, "Now if you'd be so kind as to release my legs, I would like to go for a walk."
Enya clung to him stubbornly, sticking her lower lip out even farther. "B-but Doctor Henry!" Her eyes filled with tears and they leaked over the edges of her eyelashes. "I h-h-hate to see them fighting. If they knew each other better, I just know they'd be good friends! Don't you want them to be nice to each other?" Jekyll merely sighed and fell over when he tried to stand up again, unable to keep his balance with her clinging to both of his legs. He lay winded on the deck, trying to catch his breath and figure out how to get her to let him go. Henry had never known such a determined little girl.
Trying a different tact at his silence, Enya poked her head up and said slyly, "If you don't help me, I'll tell everyone on the ship about the gumdrops you stole from the corner store when you were twelve."
Jekyll lifted his head up a few inches to stare her openmouthed. How did she know about that? No matter. "I doubt they'd care about a few paltry gumdrops, Enya. Can you let me up now?" Hyde was roaring with laughter in the back of Jekyll's mind, extremely amused by Enya's determination and method.
Enya frowned for a moment, and Henry felt an odd pressure behind his eyes as she stared at him searchingly. "Aha!" She cried out, "If you don't help me, I'll tell Mina that Mr. Hyde dressed up like a little girl and had a tea party with a stuffed gorilla! And I'll tell her about that one time when you joined in on the chugging competition--"
Hyde stopped laughing.
There was a long silence after her first threat until...I was drunk, okay?! It wasn't my fault! The dress was just my size and I was DRUNK, YOU MANIPULATIVE LITTLE BRAT! Jekyll was similarly outraged, "You wouldn't dare!" He exclaimed with horror, "I was only seventeen and that barmaid was so pretty..." He shook his head violently, clearing his thoughts of that fragmented memory, "Anyways, you can't tell anyone about any of that. It would ruin our reputations!"
Enya released his legs and brushed her skirts off with a gloating look. "So you'll help me then?" Without waiting for an answer, she scampered over to the door, peeked out to be sure no one was watching, and began to plot with Dr. Jekyll (and Mr. Hyde) exactly how they were to pull this off...