ic contact

[watcheslanterns]

Ah...how do I...?

Oh! Hello! This is Rapunzel. Please leave me a message. I'll call back as soon as I can.

Is that all-?

Oh!

-BEEP!

Comments

[icy]

Well, he ... Yeah. He's basically made to sense fear. The belief of people who know he's there is what sustains him. And me. Kids are supposedly easier believers.

[watcheslanterns]

But that's...

Isn't there some way for people to believe in him without him frightening them?

[icy]

Rapunzel, it's the fear he needs.

[watcheslanterns]

[She's frowning a lot on her end.]

Then...then I want to help, too. Especially if he tries that on children.

[icy]

It's kind of my job, but alright.

[watcheslanterns]

Really? You'll let me?

[icy]

There's nothing to it, really. Uh. Keep a light on if Pitch gets angry, distract the kids by showing them there's nothing to be afraid of.

[watcheslanterns]

Light. I can do light.

And distracting kids...like playing games with them?

[icy]

Yeah. You can't be scared if you're having fun, most of the time.

[watcheslanterns]

Okay. I can do both of those things really well, then.

[icy]

There's one little boy called Markl, he drew Pitch a picture once. He still gets scared of him, but he knows that the Boogeyman isn't really going to hurt him. You'll like the kid.

[watcheslanterns]

I can't wait to meet him!

[icy]

Keep an eye out, you'll see him around. Oh, hey, is there anything you need for when you stay here?

[watcheslanterns]

Need? Well, I guess food?

But I still need to find a job so I can help pay for things...

[icy]

Pay? You don't need to pay for anything, it's not like Hiccup owes me rent. I'll get whatever you want, just tell me.

[watcheslanterns]

What? But how do you get it, then?

[icy]

Magic.

[watcheslanterns]

Magic?

[icy]

Magic.

[watcheslanterns]

What kind of magic?

[icy]

I can't tell you or it won't work.

[watcheslanterns]

...Right.

I think it would still be a good idea if I got a job. It might be fun.

[icy]

I had a job, I decided to quit it.

[watcheslanterns]

What were you doing?

[icy]

A while ago a spell hit the city and turned most of the people into kids. I got to know a lot of them, but I made friends with a pale, thin little boy called Severus. When the spell lifted and he turned back into himself, he couldn't see me. He didn't want to believe in someone like me, but he could still hear my voice. Eventually, we moved past that and things got better, so I started to work in his apothecary to keep an eye on him. He'd been really sad as a kid, nervous and wary like he had never had many friends, so I insisted on staying his for as long as it took for him to admit it back. I went there almost every day.

Then he disappeared, and there wasn't any point going to the shop any more. I quit.

[ Jack shakes his head minutely, though only small exasperated sigh transmits over the voice-call. ]

He was so happy when I gave him the best snowball, I'll never forget how wide his eyes got when I asked him to play. Sev never seemed to believe I wanted to be around him just for the sake of it, even when he was older. I guess none of that matters now, I'll never see him again.

Anyway, that's ... why I don't have a job.