Independents Day and a Doll
Ok, here it is, how did the Doll get injured? terimaru sent the question back, deadpoetwoffie promised Sushi's perspective on it, and I am a patriotic sort, so Independence Day must be recognized appropriately in my mind. So, in honor of that, my respect for patriotism, and the thought we should all try and remember what that costs each individual, here is her story (Man, that got real preachy sounding...oops, didn't mean it to be quite that tone. Huh.)
Timeline: Alley is around six, plus or minus?
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words.
Independents Day and a Doll…
“They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you may have success with appealing to his instincts. I ain’t much for public speaking, but Abel here implored upon me to say a few words.” Mal raised his glass to the shopkeeper, slight smile on his face.
“Out here on the Rim folk celebrate occasions with a drink and true memories…” Mal stood in front of a large group of Paraiso citizens. “Today is not a day recognized by the Alliance because it is the day the Independents formed as a dedicated front to resist Unification. The War was lost, but we all need to be remembering them that gave their lives to try and make a world where we could be free.” Mal bowed his head, eyes shining with unshed tears, tears he would only allow himself to shed later, as he did every Independents Day, in private.
“I only speak for me and mine, but this day is one I conjure means more than all them Core holidays put together.” He held his glass high, eyes roaming over the gathered crowd, solemn, posture indicating the seriousness of his feelings on the moment.
Everyone present bowed their heads after a few breaths, raised their glasses and murmured “To the Independents.” Drinks were quaffed thereafter and then three cheers were raised to those no longer present. The War had taken someone from everyone in Paraiso, just as it had taken from Mal.
Kaylee came over to Mal after the toast, “Them words was real shiny Cap’n and a shiny thing too we be remembering.” Her broad smile and perky tone helped Mal to return to the moment and leave the past behind him for the time being.
Alley was curled up asleep on Mal’s lap in her nightgown a few hours’ later, arms hanging limply from her sides. He carefully carried her from the celebration to set her to sleep in a sleeping bag at the campsite the crew was occupying for this occasion. The townsfolk had traditionally had a big camp set up for the day’s remembrances, bonfire going all night with singing and dancing and feasting. The celebration had grown to fill a whole two days as time passed. It was the middle of summer; the nights were light late into the midnight hour. It seemed the whole of Paraiso and much of the rest of Avery showed up for the party atmosphere.
Mal could hear laughter and singing from the people seated around the bonfire. Jayne’s voice carried over all of them as he played his guitar with practiced skill and sang a bawdy song heard in all the taverns in the ‘Verse.
Mal smiled a small smile looking at his sleeping daughter, placing her favorite doll in her arms. The doll’s shiny button eyes and sewn in red smile cheered him as he patted it absently, her handcrafted joy reminding him of Kaylee, who had given the doll to Alley when she was but an infant.
******************************************************
Morning found Alley running from tent to tent, looking for the crew and waking them with the exuberance of youth.
When she found Jayne wrapped in a blanket by the woodpile she leapt on him with a shriek of laughter.
Jayne roared awake, sitting up and grabbing at the cheerfully squealing child. He succeeded in grasping the doll she still carried in her child’s iron grip. There was a tearing sound as she pulled back from Jayne’s reach and he held on to the bit of flannel and stuffing he had caught.
“Gorramit Alley!” Jayne tried to sound scary and bluff, but only succeeded in making Alley giggle more. She let the doll loose and skipped away looking for her next victim. Jayne was left with a doll smiling up at him, arm flopping from the seams. He fingered the tear and groaned. He just knew this was going to come back to haunt him.
He turned back towards the woodpile to gather up his blanket and make his way to the ship. He started slightly at the sight of Sushi and Sashimi’s small bowl perched on the stacked logs. River had brought the fish to the festivities, saying that they would enjoy the singing and dancing. He shook his head. “Crazy moon brain,” he muttered as he peered at the gold and red pair swimming languidly in the round bowl. With a curse, he jumped back when a salamander made its unhurried way around the base of the bowl. The fish followed the small amphibian’s circuit on the other side of the glass. Jayne shook his head, still foggy with sleep and over-indulgence of wine and spirits the night before.
Jayne returned to the ship before the rest of the crew in order to sneak into Inara’s shuttle, looking for needle and thread to repair the wounded doll. He was still slightly groggy and was not paying close attention to where he put the doll as he searched for the repair equipment. He heard a splash and felt a drop of water hit his arm. Crouched by the side of the large, permanent home of Sushi and Sashimi, he saw the doll floating in the clear water, smiling face bobbing against the glass. The artfully placed rocks and plants in the bowl had been knocked haphazardly across the gravel on the bottom, chopsticks poking out of the water at crazily leaning angles.
Jayne grabbed the doll from her watery repose; holding her above the bowl, water streamed from her dress back into the bowl. He could hear the crew returning to the ship from the camp. With a curse, Jayne fled the shuttle, dripping doll grinning happily even as a red stain spread across her cheek from her red embroidered lips, giving her the appearance of blushing. Her life was being filled with adventures and excitement, and the occasional danger. Not a bad trade off for the price.
Timeline: Alley is around six, plus or minus?
Disclaimer: Firefly owns me, I own words.
Independents Day and a Doll…
“They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you may have success with appealing to his instincts. I ain’t much for public speaking, but Abel here implored upon me to say a few words.” Mal raised his glass to the shopkeeper, slight smile on his face.
“Out here on the Rim folk celebrate occasions with a drink and true memories…” Mal stood in front of a large group of Paraiso citizens. “Today is not a day recognized by the Alliance because it is the day the Independents formed as a dedicated front to resist Unification. The War was lost, but we all need to be remembering them that gave their lives to try and make a world where we could be free.” Mal bowed his head, eyes shining with unshed tears, tears he would only allow himself to shed later, as he did every Independents Day, in private.
“I only speak for me and mine, but this day is one I conjure means more than all them Core holidays put together.” He held his glass high, eyes roaming over the gathered crowd, solemn, posture indicating the seriousness of his feelings on the moment.
Everyone present bowed their heads after a few breaths, raised their glasses and murmured “To the Independents.” Drinks were quaffed thereafter and then three cheers were raised to those no longer present. The War had taken someone from everyone in Paraiso, just as it had taken from Mal.
Kaylee came over to Mal after the toast, “Them words was real shiny Cap’n and a shiny thing too we be remembering.” Her broad smile and perky tone helped Mal to return to the moment and leave the past behind him for the time being.
Alley was curled up asleep on Mal’s lap in her nightgown a few hours’ later, arms hanging limply from her sides. He carefully carried her from the celebration to set her to sleep in a sleeping bag at the campsite the crew was occupying for this occasion. The townsfolk had traditionally had a big camp set up for the day’s remembrances, bonfire going all night with singing and dancing and feasting. The celebration had grown to fill a whole two days as time passed. It was the middle of summer; the nights were light late into the midnight hour. It seemed the whole of Paraiso and much of the rest of Avery showed up for the party atmosphere.
Mal could hear laughter and singing from the people seated around the bonfire. Jayne’s voice carried over all of them as he played his guitar with practiced skill and sang a bawdy song heard in all the taverns in the ‘Verse.
Mal smiled a small smile looking at his sleeping daughter, placing her favorite doll in her arms. The doll’s shiny button eyes and sewn in red smile cheered him as he patted it absently, her handcrafted joy reminding him of Kaylee, who had given the doll to Alley when she was but an infant.
******************************************************
Morning found Alley running from tent to tent, looking for the crew and waking them with the exuberance of youth.
When she found Jayne wrapped in a blanket by the woodpile she leapt on him with a shriek of laughter.
Jayne roared awake, sitting up and grabbing at the cheerfully squealing child. He succeeded in grasping the doll she still carried in her child’s iron grip. There was a tearing sound as she pulled back from Jayne’s reach and he held on to the bit of flannel and stuffing he had caught.
“Gorramit Alley!” Jayne tried to sound scary and bluff, but only succeeded in making Alley giggle more. She let the doll loose and skipped away looking for her next victim. Jayne was left with a doll smiling up at him, arm flopping from the seams. He fingered the tear and groaned. He just knew this was going to come back to haunt him.
He turned back towards the woodpile to gather up his blanket and make his way to the ship. He started slightly at the sight of Sushi and Sashimi’s small bowl perched on the stacked logs. River had brought the fish to the festivities, saying that they would enjoy the singing and dancing. He shook his head. “Crazy moon brain,” he muttered as he peered at the gold and red pair swimming languidly in the round bowl. With a curse, he jumped back when a salamander made its unhurried way around the base of the bowl. The fish followed the small amphibian’s circuit on the other side of the glass. Jayne shook his head, still foggy with sleep and over-indulgence of wine and spirits the night before.
Jayne returned to the ship before the rest of the crew in order to sneak into Inara’s shuttle, looking for needle and thread to repair the wounded doll. He was still slightly groggy and was not paying close attention to where he put the doll as he searched for the repair equipment. He heard a splash and felt a drop of water hit his arm. Crouched by the side of the large, permanent home of Sushi and Sashimi, he saw the doll floating in the clear water, smiling face bobbing against the glass. The artfully placed rocks and plants in the bowl had been knocked haphazardly across the gravel on the bottom, chopsticks poking out of the water at crazily leaning angles.
Jayne grabbed the doll from her watery repose; holding her above the bowl, water streamed from her dress back into the bowl. He could hear the crew returning to the ship from the camp. With a curse, Jayne fled the shuttle, dripping doll grinning happily even as a red stain spread across her cheek from her red embroidered lips, giving her the appearance of blushing. Her life was being filled with adventures and excitement, and the occasional danger. Not a bad trade off for the price.