There's Something About Mari(posa)

[Samuel Sykes]

Only when Samuel had set down his glass stirring rod did he allow himself a great sigh. The Australian Potion's Master was meticulous when brewing, but lately his thoughts had been wandering into the strange fairyland that existed within the French woodlands. He'd met a fae and he couldn't forget her, no matter how strange and unfamiliar her circumstances had been. He felt compelled to seek out the La Grande Tour Circa again, but for what purpose? He didn't have anything to share with her- especially nothing that would interest a woman who lived as exciting a life as she did, he was sure.
Two hours later and Samuel had had enough of his fretful melancholy. He'd mooned over girls before and never had the bollocks to chase after them. Mariposa had seemed genuinely regretful that he'd gone, and he'd only left for propriety's sake. Sam knew that he could get himself into real trouble following his natural curiosity to uncertain ends, but he was a big boy and he could tie his own laces and everything. If he wanted to see her again, he bloody well would.

Surprisingly, it didn't take long to locate La Grande again, although it took him nine apparations and a chunk of his savings to do so. The Circa had ended up in Spain. Sam's rudimentary French was not going to help him here, but his gentle manners and general air of bewilderment endeared the locals to him, and they helpfully pointed him to a more specific location. He'd only had the flyer to go by. Once standing in front of the bustling miniature city that was the sea of circus tents, Sam was immediately accosted by curious acrobats, including one particular 'gentleman' who got a bit handsy for his liking.
"Howdy-doo, cutie!" said Robin, who introduced himself to the sandy blonde with gusto. "You've come a long way to watch one of the finest shows in Europe and Oceania! Can I interest you in-"
"Please get your hand out of my pockets," interrupted Sam as politely as he could. The well-built acrobat had the gall to look sheepish, and let go of Sam's wallet.
"Aw, don't mind me, force of habit. Can I interest you in a drink?"
"No thank you," Sam replied. "I'm looking for someone called Mariposa. Do you know her?"
Robin's' crinkly, smiling eyes got a little sharp with a mixture of interest and warning.
"Sure do. She's my sister."
Sam stared. Robin was almost literally twice Mariposa's height and looked nothing like her.
"Where do you know her from?"
"Er, she um, introduced herself," began the nervous Australian- the gypsy loked entirely unsurprised.
"I'm sure she did ... What's your name?!" Robin burst out, startling Sam terribly. "Where do you live, where do you work, what's your favourite colour, what are your intentions?-" Poor Sam was getting the third degree, and it wasn't even lunch time yet.​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

"Come one come all! The circus is here! We're magical! We even have a fairy! That's me!" Mariposa's voice echoed through tents, the city, and her smile was bright and shining like her glitter covered outfit. The blonde did flips and tricks, her body bending in amazing ways that astounded most whom had never seen a contorting fairy. Her giggles and personality drew more in, and Ponciana watched her carefully as she drew in crowds. It was good sometimes to have than energy, but soon Pon was convinced she could handle no more or her head would explode, and thus she sent the fairy to find Robin - who was much more patient.

Ignorant to the fact she'd annoyed her fellow Circus member, Posie skipped through the tens and called out for her circus-brother's name. "Rooooobin~!" She exclaimed, others pointing her in the direction she needed to go. As the tents cleared a bit the flower-covered fairy saw an unfamiliar face near Robin, talking to him. Mariposa, ever curious slowed and tried to get a good look at the guy before approaching any closer. However the sound of the voice that carried in the wind to her was all too Familiar. It was the stranger whom had been led to her by the Fae in the woods. "Sammy!" She called out, rushing past Robin and jumping to hug the person. Though this was only their second meeting Mariposa knew nothing of personal space, and wrapped her arms and legs around the man, hanging from his midsection. "You came back!" She exclaimed. "I missed you!" It was odd to most on the outside, that she formed a bond with someone who didn't even know her last name. But Mariposa was quick to form bonds - and even faster to fall in love with whom she believed to be her soul mate.

 

[Samuel Sykes]

"Maripos-ah!" Samuel completely failed to catch the small woman, but it didn't matter in the end, anyway, because she was clinging like a limpet from his torso. With his arms spread out and his feet wide apart, the Australian looked helplessly at Robin who simply pursed his lips in an effort not to laugh.
"Hallo, buzzy-bee. So you know Flippers after all, huh?" chirruped the olive-skinned gypsy.
Flippers? thought Sam, and he looked down at his big hands and feet. Nice.
"Yes, I came upon the Circa one evening and someone was kind enough to invite me to the fireside. Mariposa came over and introduced herself. I thought I might ask if ..." Sam swallowed and looked down at the woman still hugging his chest, and it was uncomfortable that it wasn't uncomfortable. He should be directing the question to her.
"Mariposa, would you like to go to the markets with me?"
"What kind of a date is that?!" squawked Robin immediately. Sam went bright red.
"It's not a-". Well, he didn't want to hurt Mariposa's feelings in case she wanted it to be a date. Oh no, what if ...? "How old are you?" Sam asked Posie worriedly. He ignored Robin slapping his own forehead with his palm.​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

Mariposa had no issues holding herself around the man, she was strong while being petite from her practice with the ribbons - though Eman no longer allowed her to do that because she kept getting glitter on them. The petite girl lept off him the minute the word date was mentioned, and her face went red like the cherries she so often picked when they visited areas by farms. "A date?" She asked with a grin, oblivious to him nearly saying it was not a date. Mariposa had always been the more innocent of the Circa adults, perhaps that was why Robin in all his knowledge took her under his wing. Mariposa held onto her own hands behind her back, swinging back and fourth a little as she giggled. Though slightly childish she gave an answer that may have shocked her friend. "Twenty six and a quarter. Maybe it's a half now." She responded with pride.

The woman, whose hair was purple at the moment thanks to a friend with a wand changing it, looked back at Robin. "Oh can I go please! I'm not headlining tonight, please, please!" Her hands moved from behind her back to in front of her face, clasped in a begging position. "I've never been to the markets without one of you guys! It could be fun! And I've never been on a date!" She continued to plead, adding to her list of why she should be allowed to go.

 

[Samuel Sykes]

Samuel was much more comfortable without her clinging, though the absence of her warm, skinny body made his chest feel a bit tight. He was twice relieved to hear that she was almost the same age as him. It was perfect, really. She was perfect. Damnit, man, don't put her on a pedestal, he told himself.

Meanwhile, Robin was have a moral crisis as he weighed up the pros and cons of 'allowing' Mariposa to go with Sam. First all, he was not Posie's dad and he'd never pretended to be. He didn't feel right disallowing her anything, especially because she was a grown woman (subject to interpretation). On the other hand, the contortionist had as much sense a mouse picking a cat's teeth clean. Eventually he shrugged and waved at the couple, flouncing off to start his training without further care. She'd be fine. He decided he might send Emmanuel to spy on them later on, just in case 'Flippers' was a tall, handsome serial killer.

Sam was left a little perplexed, but he was pleased that Posie's 'big brother' had left them to their own devices. He was a good foot taller than the gypsy, but Robin had twice the muscle mass, and he'd gotten a very worrisome glint in his doe-brown eyes when he'd started on Sam.
"Shall we go?" asked Sam finally, looking down at Posie and giving her a gentle smile. "I thought I'd invite you because there's a little petting barn set up for the kids, and I thought you might want to see the lambs and piglets, since you told me story about you and the bear."​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

Posie wiggled her hips - wagging her tail as Oswald often called it - in anticipation before finally Robin allowed her with a wave of his hand. The fairy umped in the air, glitter raining from her as she did. Only Merlin knew where all the glitter came from. The girl turned to her soul mate (though of course she'd not mentioned it yet) and smiled. "A petting barn?" She asked, her blue eyes wide with wonder like a child. "Yes I'd love to I'd love to! "She spoke over and over, jumping a bit with excitement. Mariposa loved all creatures, from humans to bumble bees - and she had a way with them that seemed like magic in itself. The petite girl grabbed Sam's hand without asking, no one to reprimand her on personal space. "Let's go." She smiled up at him, biting her lip slightly. The blush on her cheeks hadn't faded, and in a way her school-girl crush should have been blatantly obvious to anyone.

 

[Samuel Sykes]

Samuel's smile grew as Mariposa slipped her hand into his own. Her swift familiarity was both touching and nerve-wracking for the Potion's Master, who hadn't dared a relationship for years. He worried that she was too attached too swiftly, and that he was sure to let her down by not being the sort of man she really needed. All he could do was be himself and try to enjoy their time together.

It was a short walk from the hills where the Circa had set up to the village below, and to curb her excitement he took her straight to the animal farm. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and Sam found he couldn't keep the smile off of his face as he took her into the little pen strewn with straw over the cobblestones. There were plain muggle animals like calves, kids and chicks, but there were also mooncalfs to hold, pygmy puffs, diricawls and knarls. Sam couldn't help but take out his sketchbook to draw Mariposa and the animals. His lap began to fill with chicks searching for warmth, and he petted them absently while he drew.​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

Mariposa was nearly skipping the whole way there, too happy to start conversation with the man she was now so attached to. Posie, upon entering, immediately threw herself into the hay adn straw, glitter mixing with animal fur and her own shedding hair. The animal most attracted to her was the pygmy puff, which crawled upon her decorating her in fuzz. Her giggles filled the air and some people even stopped to watch the girl with fairy wings roll around with the animals.

At least ten minutes passed before Posie took noticed that Sam's lap was filled with chicks and a sketch book. Curiously she crawled from her spot over to him to eye the drawing. "Wow." She whispered in awe, reaching a hand out to touch the paper, ignoring the pygmy settled in her purple locks. Under the bridge her body formed while looking diricawls ran, chasing each other in good fun, but Posie was staring between Sam and his artwork. Her large blue orbs traced his face for a moment, and then looked at the animals in his sketch book. The chicks in his lap moved about stirring, as if sensing the impending danger that Posie wasn't aware of. A goat, angered by her tulle or something else, bowed it's hornless head and gave a snort before ramming her in the rump knocking her forward into her friend's lap. Her head smacked loudly against his chest, and the goat snorted adn stamped it's hoof, as a warning to the green skirt that it needed to leave.

 

[Samuel Sykes]

Samuel was about to warn Mariposa about touching the paper before he could treat the graphite, but something much more dramatic happened, instead. The Australian looked up just in time to see a small goat take offense to Posie's tutu, and before he could shout a warning, the ornery little thing had butted his date right into his lap.
This, of course, was a great deal less romantic than it seemed. Sam let out a very unmanly, involuntary squeak when all the air left his lungs, and the chicks in his lap began to cheap feebly under the (not substantial, but still significant) weight of the woman on top of them. Sam was trying to comfort his date, scoop chicks out of the way and save his sketch all at once while he wheezed his discomfort.
"Are you alright, Mariposa?" Sam asked as he scooped her into his arms. He genuinely had to lift her up as he stood- the goat was still eyeing the fairy beadily. "We'd better move on- that goat's going to give it another go." Sam basically predicted it. He yelped as the goat backed up to take another run up, and the tall blonde stepped over the fence with his date in his arms and carried her to a nearby bench.
Sam knelt beside Posie and touched his palm to her forehead to feel the bump. "How's your noodle?" he asked kindly, trying to keep the growing hint of amusement out of his voice.​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

Mariposa didn't know how to react when everything had happened so quickly. One moment she was looking at a beautiful drawing. The next moment she was being scooped up into a giants arms and carried away from her fuzzy friends. Her rump hurt where she was butted, and her head where it smacked her date's sternum. Posie didn't more for a moment, feeling his hand on the small area that would probably be bruised. Though he seemed to try and hide his amusement she knew he was probably entertained. "Strange first date. Only date." She whispered before laughing a bit. "My noodle is okay. How is your chest? Or your drawing?" She inquired, looking for the notebook. "I'm sorry I made the goat angry, usually animals like me a lot more. I could introduce you to some nice Hippogriffs in western France, I really could." There was an earnest tone in Posie's voice as if she was trying to convince her date of her worthiness by using her friendship with animals as an example. Other than that and her circus tricks after all, Posie didn't think she was special.

 

[Samuel Sykes]

Now that he'd been assured Mariposa was fine, Samuel cracked a smile. "I know what you mean about the animals- I was surprised it went for you and not me! Livestock generally don't like me," he told her soothingly. "Here, I've got some bruise paste so that you won't get an egg."

The potions master listened with slight incredulity about the 'friendly' hippogryphs in France while he dabbed on the orange goop with his thumb. Friendly or not, Sam was never going anywhere near a hippogryph unless it was under duress. He hated to disappoint the contortionist, though, and smiled tremulously in encouragement.

"Er, well, perhaps next time," said Sam, tucking the jar of ointment into his satchel. "My chest and my drawing need to recover from this adventure. Are you hungry, though?" he queried, standing and offering his wide palm to his Posie. "I saw some markets a little further down as we walked. Maybe they have shwarma?"​

 

[Mariposa Toviniski]

Mariposa's smile was much like that of a child. Her large blue orbs glanced upwards at the man she was out with, framed thickly by her lashes. The fairy-spirited girl did not care that she looked with wonder at people when they spoke. She was so consistently fascinated that it didn't even cross her mind that she may put others off. The blonde sat patiently still, only a slight wiggle in her ever moving frame as the man helped her noggin to a dab or two of bruise paste.

The blonde thought for a moment, and before mentally she could decide her grumbling stomach did so for her. With a pink tinge of embarrassment on her freckled cheeks she giggled. "I suppose it is about time for some food!" She stood quickly, and looked at Samuel's hand. Her eyes seemed to move from his hand to his face for a moment. She wondered if he offered it in a friendly manner, or if he really meant a little more. Regardless and letting her heart do the thinking she took his hand, waiting for him to lead her forward. "What is it you'd like to eat?" She inquired, to make light of the situation.