Reaver's Servants

Accosted by the Cute and Frilly

Barry bit into the chocolate bar he bought for himself as he walked among the crowd of the Marketplace. He looked at his list of things to get, and frowned. It was supposed to be a pleasant afternoon of errand running, but instead turned into a chore. That would be the last time he asked anyone if they needed anything while he was out.

"Could you pick up some baking chocolate for me, Mr. Hatch?" asked Miss Sarah. Barry happily nodded with a goofy grin.

"I need some more powdered detergent." said Rosie. Barry shrugged and nodded.

"The garden has a horrible bug problem. Grab some bug repellent while you're out." said Gordon. Barry nodded.

"I could go for some cherry fizzy pop! We're out." smiled Beryl. Barry sighed and nodded.

"Reavie needs some tuna! I forgot to pick some up. Could you…?" chirped Willa, happily holding Reavie. Barry sighed.

"I need more pipe tobacco. Well? What are you waiting for? Chop-chop!" commanded Reaver. Barry grudgingly nodded and bowed.

He sighed softly and looked at his purchases. "Alright, I have just about everything…except the fizzy pop." He whispered to himself, as he shuffled things throughout the bag. He looked up to make sure he wasn't about to walk into anything.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he almost bumped into a small child holding a stuffed bunny. "Oh, so sorry, little one." He said, as he stopped. He looked at the little girl, who said nothing. "Alright then…" he said, somewhat confused as he walked around her. The little girl looked at him as he passed by. She smiled wide and followed him, holding her stuffed bunny tightly.

Barry bit into his chocolate bar again and looked around for the drink vendor. He couldn't help but hear small pitter-patter behind him, as if being followed by a puppy. Looking behind himself, he saw nothing, until he looked down. The little girl he almost bumped into.

By how she was dressed, the girl looked like a noble's child. Her dress was pink and frilly, and her stuffed bunny didn't look second-hand or anything Reaver probably made in his factories. She had a big cute bow on the back of her nicely kept blonde hair. Her blue eyes were big, and so was her smile. Her eyes glowed with a certain spark of adorable evil.

"Well, hello there, you cute little thing, how can Barry Hatch help you?" he asked, bending down. The girl smiled and pointed to his candy bar. "Oh? You want some chocolate? Well, would your parents mind it if I gave you some?" he asked, waving his chocolate bar in front of her.

The girl didn't answer. "Well, it's not healthy to eat after other people. I bought the chocolate at the candy store, so have your parents…" he didn't finish his sentence. The girl grabbed the candy bar and zoomed off. "Hey! You little brat!" he yelled as she ran away. "Damn noble kids…" he muttered as he stood up.

Shuffling around in the bag, Barry took out the baking chocolate. "Good thing I bought extra baking chocolate. I'm sure Miss Sarah won't mind." He assured himself, as he unwrapped a small piece. One nibble and he found himself running to a nearby trash can to spit it out. "Oh, by the gods, what the hell?" he said, in between spits. He stood up and found himself the spectacle of three middle-class children's amusement. He ignored them and continued his walk.

He walked across the bridge toward a drink vender, and couldn't help but notice his steps had an echo. He stopped and listened carefully. Nothing. He started walking again, and the sound returned. He looked behind himself and still found nothing. He walked in time with the swishing of his bag and as he took a big step, he turned around and found the little girl attempting to run and hide. "Ah-HA!" he yelled and pointed.

"I hope you've come to return my chocolate bar to me." He muttered, as he bent down to face the girl. The girl just stared at him with her big blue eyes. "No…that isn't it. You've probably already eaten it all by now anyway." Barry got up and started walking away, but heard her frilly dress swishing behind him.

Barry stopped again and looked behind him. "What do you want?" he asked sternly. The girl just stared at him, holding her bunny tightly. He didn't know why, but something about the little girl gave Barry a feeling of calm dread. "Look, I'm busy. Go find some kids your own age to play with."

Walking hastily away, he could hear the little girl's shoes going (or at least trying to) the same speed as him. When he figured he finally lost her after darting around a few corners, Barry wiped his brow of the sweat and leaned against a wall to catch his breath. He made a mental note to exercise more and found the drink vender.

"Hello, Mr. Hatch! The usual? I can't imagine what you all cook at that manor to go through so much cooking sherry." asked the drink vender. "No, Lorraine, not today. Do you have any cherry fizzy pop?" Barry asked, holding up his list. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sir. We just ran out. That little girl over there bought the last few bottles." The drink vender pointed to the little girl, holding the bunny doll. Barry sighed and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index finger.

Barry walked to the little girl, who had a bag full of full fizzy pop bottles. He watched as she guzzled down a bottle of the red bubbly pop. "You're a noble child, so I assume you have a large enough allowance to afford all that pop. But I'm sure a cute little girl like you doesn't need all that. May I have a few? I'll pay you..." Barry reached into his pocket and took out a two gold coins. The girl popped another bottle opened and guzzled it down.

His right eye twitching, Barry added one more gold coin to his hand. "Please?" Barry smiled, trying not to look angry. The little girl popped open another bottle and guzzled it down as well. "I really need that cherry fizzy pop, and I'd rather not go into Old Quarter or Industrial to get it, seeing as it's a long walk for me. Now, may I please...?" the little girl took the three gold he was holding and gave him a half empty bottle before running away. "You little con-artist!" he yelled as he threw the bottle down.

The drink vender stopped Barry before he could take off after her. "Mr. Hatch…she's a little girl. Is harassing her really worth getting in trouble with the guards?" she asked. Barry stopped and sighed. "Lorraine, some cooking sherry, please."

Barry, chugging the cooking sherry and gaining a few stares from passersby for doing so while walking, made his way toward the Old Quarter. He looked around and made sure a certain pink and frilly trouble-maker wasn't following him and threw the empty sherry bottle in a trash can. A sigh of relief, he walked toward the drink vender and bought the rest of their cherry fizzy pop.

Feeling he earned it, Barry popped one fizzy pop bottle open and placed the top to his lips. He glanced over and saw the little girl staring up at him again. He tried to ignore her and started drinking his pop. She got closer to him, like a puppy begging for a piece of food from its owner. "Leave me alone…" he muttered as he drank. Barry scooted away from her slowly, but she followed him.

An evil grin on his face, Barry quickly thought of a way to get rid of the little girl. "Hey, Little One…I've been too hard on you today. I bet you just want a playmate." He knelt down to the girl's level and looked her in the eyes. "How about we start again, ehh, Oobie-Loobie?" Barry reached into his bag and pulled out some (baking) chocolate. "Don't be afraid, little 'un. Barry Hatch won't hurt you. It's a peace offering."

The little girl gave him a skeptical look and apprehensively took the piece of (baking) chocolate. Barry watched with a disgusting sense of satisfaction as she bit into the chocolate and grimaced. He laughed loudly and walked away as the little girl made sputtering noises with her mouth. He then felt a rock hit him on the back of the head. Barry turned around, saw the little girl stick her tongue out at him, and zoom off. Just let it go, Hatch… he thought as he rubbed the back of his head.

Finally finished with his errands, Barry exhaustingly made his way back to the marketplace, but not before stopping for another snack. He waited in line for ice cream, trying not to think too hard about the day's events. "Thank the gods for these new-fangled mobile ice cream carts." He whispered as his turn came up. "A scoop of peach ice cream, please." Barry paid the man and took his ice cream cone happily. Nodding his thank you, Barry walked out of the way and sat under a nearby statue to enjoy his treat.

Before he could get one lick, he looked up and saw the little girl again. She pointed to his ice cream and smiled. "Oh? You want some of my ice cream? I'm sure the gold you stole from me is enough to buy your own." He licked his ice cream cone mockingly as the girl stared at him, holding her bunny tightly. "Mmm…yummy ice cream. Its peach flavored. My favorite flavor. Is it yours too, little one?" he asked as the girl cocked her head a bit.

The girl's expression didn't change. "You know, your expression reminds me of my friend, Rosie. She's a maid at the place I work at. Vacant, lack-luster, though quick-witted and dangerous. Of course, your height reminds me of one of the other maids." He laughed, as he licked his ice cream. "Congrats, Oobie-Loobie, you're probably the only person in Albion shorter than Willa." He laughed. The girl apparently didn't appreciate Barry's sense of humor.

The girl smiled wide and threw her bunny toy at him. In a panic, he dropped his ice cream. He shook the doll off of him to see the little girl running off again. He stopped panicking long enough to see his new treasure. Laughing maniacally, Barry shook the bunny in the air. "Joke's on you! I have your bunny now!" he laughed loudly, people stopping to look at him. He quieted down and sat, softly apologizing to everyone for bothering them.

The girl did notice her arms were empty, and turned around. Barry walked off, carrying her bunny doll under his arm. The little girl ran after him, a sad and worried look on her little face. Barry smiled evilly and stuffed the doll in his shopping bag.

Barry walked happily back to the Marketplace; in his bag, sat the girl's bunny doll. He knew the girl was following him again, he could hear her little shoes. "Teach you…I think bunny might want to go for a swim." He cackled evilly as he walked to the bridge in the marketplace. The girl whined softly, but said nothing.

He held the bunny over the edge of the bridge, the girl looking scared. "Now, apologize to me and Mr. Bunny here doesn't get hurt." He snickered. The girl looked on in horror as Barry shook her bunny doll over the edge. "No apologies, ehh? No apologies for stealing my chocolate, or taking my gold, or just making my day miserable?" Barry made it look like the bunny was walking along the ledge. "I hope Mr. Bunny can swim!"

Before he could throw the bunny, the little girl jumped on him and started wailing on him with her tiny fists. Barry ran around, trying to shake the little girl off, gaining the attention of the people in the market. Some laughed, some pointed in shock, while some went to notify a guard.

Barry ran across the bridge many times screaming bloody murder while trying to shake her off. The girl tugged at his hair, hit him with her tiny fists, and even bit him a few times.

He finally grabbed a hold of her and tossed her on the ground. Luckily, she landed softly on her bunny doll. Barry, finally reaching his breaking point, balled up his fists and slowly approached the girl. "Alright, you little brat…I am done playing this sick little game of yours. Someone needs to give you a spanking…" Before he could do anything, a group of guards surrounded him, guns pointed at his neck.

"Hands up!" one shouted. Barry put his hands up and watched the little girl get up, dust herself off, and skip away, happily dragging her bunny behind her. The guards handcuffed him and led him away.

"Officers! That little girl…" Barry tried to plead with the guards, but they forcefully led him to a holding cell.

"We'll notify your employer that you're here." said the one locking his cell, pointing to Barry's uniform jacket. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself; a grown man harassing a little girl like that. I don't know what that Reaver allows at his place, but we don't allow that kind of treatment here!"

"You don't understand! That child is evil!" he yelled, pointing to the little girl, as she made her way toward two adults, whom he assumed were her parents.

"Quiet down, in there!" yelled the guard, hitting the bars with the butt of his gun.

Barry sat in the small cell for a few hours, next to his shopping bag, which was recovered after the struggle and thrown in with him. Most of his purchases were damaged, but at this point, Barry could care less. "This way, Miss." said a guard, pointing to the cell.

Barry looked up and saw Miss Sarah, in her uniform, holding her blue coin curse. "Mr. Reaver sent me to pay your bail." She said softly, as the guard let Barry out. "He said you're lucky you're the only one who knows how he likes his tea." She added, as Barry picked up the bag and walked to her.

After paying the guard, Miss Sarah walked with Barry back to Millfields as he told her his story. Miss Sarah was probably the only one who remotely believed him. "You believe me?" he asked, with a blush.

Miss Sarah nodded. "You've never given me a reason not to." She answered.

Barry sighed and held up the bag. "Well, you might be the only one. I'm sorry to say, but our goods our damaged."

Miss Sarah looked into the bag and pulled out what wasn't damaged. "Well, so much for Beryl's fizzy pop and the tuna Willa asked for. But look at the bright side: my baking chocolate is fine, and the pipe tobacco Mr. Reaver wanted isn't too wet. Rosie's powered detergent looks like it hasn't gotten wet, but didn't Gordon ask for bug repellent?" she asked softly, putting the undamaged items in her handbag.

"Yeah, but the bottle was too big to carry in the bag, so I'm having it delivered to the manor. It should be there by now." Barry looked up at the sky, seeing the sun not yet setting.

"Mr. Hatch, don't be discouraged. I have some fish in the icebox I can chop up for Reavie, and Beryl won't mind not getting her fizzy pop, she figured you'd forget anyway." The walk through Millfields was a much welcome relief to Barry, who felt like he had just been through cute and frilly Hell. "You shouldn't be so hard on such a small child." said Miss Sarah, holding her handbag close. Barry blushed softly and looked at the lake, and how the sun's reflection bounced off Miss Sarah's blushing cheeks.

"I guess the whole experience has knocked the thought of having children out of your head." Miss Sarah giggled with a warm smile.

"Ahh, one bad apple doesn't spoil the bunch, they say, Miss Sarah. I can see myself having kids…just none like that little pink demon." He growled.

Barry noticed Miss Sarah wasn't beside him anymore. He looked over to the path going closer to the lake. Miss Sarah, bending over, cooed happily at something. "You are so sweet, but you don't want this chocolate, sweety…it's baking chocolate, it's not very good. Come by Lakeview Manor later, and I'll have some cookies ready. I always make extra, so Mr. Reaver won't mind…"

Barry's eyes widened when he saw the bunny doll poking its head from the side, almost mocking him. He felt his right eye twitching again as he dashed down the path toward them.

"Miss Sarah! NO!" Barry grabbed Miss Sarah and picked her up, wedding style, and ran as fast as his legs could carry them toward the manor and away from the little girl.

The little girl giggled softly to herself and hugged her bunny tightly. "Mr. Bunny…I think the orange haired man likes the lady that smells like cookies." The girl said finally, sitting next to the lake. "What's that?" she asked the stuffed bunny, holding it up. "No, I don't think he meant to be mean to us today. He's just a silly man working for the weird guy in the big hat with eyes."

The girl smiled softly and hugged the bunny again. "Yes…she likes him too…but he can figure that out on his own!"

"Mary-Ellen! Time for supper!" shouted a voice from down the path. The little girl ran happily toward the nice house, dragging her bunny doll behind her.

Reaver took a puff from his pipe while sitting outside in the garden, enjoying the summer weather. "Hmm…I wonder what brand Barry got, this tobacco tastes like cherries." He muttered as he took another puff. "It's rather nice…" he added, as he opened his journal and took out a pen.

"Hatch may be incompetent sometimes, but I must say, he sure can pick out delicious pipe tobacco. I had to send Miss Sarah up to Bowerstone with some gold to bail him out of jail. Apparently, he and some child were causing trouble in town today. I hate children, personally, so I'm inclined to believe Barry. He came back carrying Miss Sarah "over the threshold" style, screaming like a raving maniac. He can be such a basket case sometimes. Though, it was funny, I must say. I hope Miss Sarah finishes those cookies soon."

The wind blew softly in Reaver's direction as Rosie put out the laundry to dry. "Ahh, I love the smell of laundry drying on a clothesline. Odd, it kind of smells like cherry fizzy pop." He remarked, placing his pen down.

Reaver took another puff from his pipe and looked over to his side. There, stood a little girl holding a bunny doll. "What are you doing here, you little bother?"

The little girl's eyes sparkled in an evil fashion and she hugged her bunny tightly. Reaver's right eye twitched.

"What are you doing…get away from me!"

N'cha! Don't worry, she won't hurt Reaver. She's just about to make the next hour or so a living hell for him while he tries to get rid of her.

I got the idea for this insanity while listening to probably the cutest song I have ever heard; a cover of Green Day's "Basket Case" by seiyu Haruna Ikezawa. That's what I imagined the little girl's theme to be while she's chasing Barry all over Bowerstone. Why was she tormenting him all day? Who knows. Kids, right?

The next few chapters I am going to try and focus on the backstories of the servants. They have interesting stories to tell, and I think you guys will love it.

It's weird for me to use the word "pop" when referring to soda, as I am from the south, and usually just call it "soda" like a normal person (lol just kidding, pop/soda, it's all the same).

Little factoids: Baking chocolate is chocolate which is intended for use in baking. It is unpalatable in plain form, but when combined with other ingredients to make things like cakes, cookies, and brownies, it imparts a very intense chocolate flavor. So, sadly, until baked, it's very bitter.

Another factoid: accosted means to confront boldly.

I took some artistic liberties with the technology Albion has. I'm not familiar with the "Industrial border lining on steampunk" genres, so I just improvised. I mean, they have cameras in Fable II, so why not ice cream carts, right?

Okie, my lovelies, don't forget to review! I appreciate criticism, but I prefer positive, haha.

Tatty-bye, my friends!

Reaver and Barry Hatch belong to Lionhead.