Open While Mum Works

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline could admit some parts of the campaign trail were better than others. She was constantly having to go to places and sometimes it was really dull and other times there were waffles. She didn't like this time because there were no waffles and next to no fun, school kids were too old to play and unlikely to have others running around she could play with. Apolline Fontaine was at the park with her brother, being watched over by a hired child minder who was mostly monitoring the younger Henri. She was older and didn't need as much, so it was no surprise that she was pushing the swing she was on to go higher and higher. Maybe other kids would still come to the park.

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise on some level knew Ezra would be mad at her for wandering off but the park was one of her favorite places so he couldn't really blame her could he? She stood for a moment and spread her arms wide and enjoyed the feeling of sun on her skin. Her brother said she reminded him of a lizard when she did it but it felt nice and she wasn't about to stop. She like lizards. When she finally opened her eyes she noticed she wasn't alone. She smiled at the other girl and waved.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline noticed the girl in the park when she was high enough. She noticed the girl wave at her, so Apolline waved back. She gave a little smile too, but she knew that from the way she was swinging pretty high and doubted that the girl would see her. She slowed her swinging and let herself slowly get lower and lower. She was watching the girl slightly and she seemed to be just standing in the sun. "Hi," Apolline said loudly to the girl. She didn't know if the girl wanted to talk with anyone else but Apolline was bored and did want to, so she would at least say hi. ​

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise had closed her eyes to focus on just how the sun felt when she heard the other girl speak up. Slowly she opened her eyes again and looked at the other girl and noticed she had stopped swinging. "Hi." she said back and walked closer. "Can I join you?" she asked and pointed to the other swing. She didn't think she was saving the swing for anyone but maybe she had an imaginary friend and Elise didn't want to be rude.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline hadn't been sure if the girl would respond to her, but she did. She said hi back and then it appeared she wanted the other which she nodded for, since her brother was off doing something else, and she wasn't in control of the swing. "Sure," she then added, just in case the other girl hadn't seen her nod, she wanted it to be clear that she was content with this girl joining her. She outstretched her hand to the other girl. "I'm Apolline by the way," ​

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise held up her hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she waited for the other girl's answer. She smiled when the answer finally came and she nearly skipped over to the swing. With a delicate hop she sat down and noticed the other girl's outstretched hand. "Elise." she said excitedly and shook Apolline's hand. Elise leaned as far back as she could without falling over "So what are you doing out here? Are you all alone?" she asked curiously before slowly pulling herself back up.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline was glad the other girl took her outstretched hand, knowing it would be awkward if they didn't. The girl introduced herself as Elise, and Apolline nodded. "My mother is working," she pointed over in the direction that her mother was, "it was a little boring, so I came to the park," she answered. Her tone was neutral, though she was finding some of her mother's work fun, some of it wasn't. "My little brother is over there. What are you doing out here?" Apolline returned the question after motioning over to the little boy also in the park. Using the same phrasing as the girl had just used. ​

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise didn’t start swinging yet. She liked this conversation so far and didn’t want to get distracted. She turned where Apolline pointed when she mentioned her mother. She hadn’t really been paying attention but now she noticed the older blonde woman talking to people. “What does she do? Your mother.” she asked curiously before looking around when the other girl mentioned her brother as well.

A moment later she spotted the younger boy. “Oh.” she said and waved at him, not wanting him to feel left out. “I’m just here while my dad does some shopping.” Elise explained and slowly started to swing. “I have a brother too. But he’s older and helping my dad. I think he’s hoping dad might buy him something.” she said as she slowly got higher and higher. “Do you think anyone has managed to go all the way around on one of these?” she asked.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline knew in very broad strokes what her mother did. Not a whole lot of details but broad strokes of it and she knew what her mother was now trying to do. "She works for the ministry, she's running for Minister right now," Apolline told her. Her tone indicated that she didn't 100% understand what her words meant, but that she was at least certain of them being true.

Apolline wondered how much older Elise's brother was to want to go help with shopping. But she got going to get something nice. But Apolline much preferred the park, much preferred going outside to having to be stuck inside. "Definitely, with the help of magic," she replied, sure that if someone had it was because of magic. ​

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise turned to Apolline when she mentioned her mother was running for minister. She hadn't been paying attention to the race but she knew it was all her dad and older family members were talking about. It was almost annoying. "Oh wow. That must be a lot of work." she considered. Trying to run the country sounded like the opposite of easy but she figured someone had to do it. "What's her name?" she asked and tried to think of the different people she had heard mentioned over the past few months.

Despite her slight interest in who the other girl's mother was, she was more eager to talk about the swings. "You'd probably have to use that charm that sicks things when you sit down." she said with a giggle. "So you don't fall off."

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline gave a little shrug, it would be a lot of work, she was sure. "Victoire Fontaine," she knew that of course neither of them could vote, but this girl's parents could possibly still vote and any way to get the message out was important. She glanced at the swing and gave a little nod of agreement. "I bet you'd probably feel realllly sick afterwards," Spinning could be fun, but spinning upside down on a swing, though perhaps possible with magic would not be that fun. "Would you try it...if you could do the spell?" she asked. ​

 

[Elise Ito]

Elise simply shrugged when Apolline said her mom's name. She knew she had asked but she realized now she wasn't as familiar with the candidates as she thought she was. But from what she could see from the swings, she looked nice. Elise giggled when the other girl said going all the way around would make you sick. She was probably right but it seemed like an overly realistic way to think. "Maybe." she agreed. "But It would probably be worth it." She pumped her legs back and forth and got a bit higher. She felt the sinking and rising feeling in her stomach as she went back and forth as she considered Apolline's question. "I think so." she said finally. "Dare me to jump?" she asked playfully as she got higher still.

 

[Apolline Fontaine]

Apolline gave a little laugh and nodded. ”Me too,” it was dangerous and probably not the right thing to do, but it would be fun. It would probably feel weird but interesting, like flying and doing a loop on a broom. So maybe fun. She got the impression that this girl was perhaps a little adventurous, more so than Apolline was. She just tried to be a good daughter, tried to do right when given that her mother was trying to be the minister. Apolline looked at how high Elise was going and then glanced back towards where her mother way before looking back at her and nodded. ”Yes…. I dare you,” Apolline spoke a little quieter, as if a little nervous to agree to it. ​