Edy might not have been a delicate flower of noble ladyhood, but from what he’d gathered of her earlier rambling she hadn’t come from the best place, and was still caught in the web of rebellion she’d spun to protect her sense of self and (questionable) sanity. Compliments were simple gifts to give, and Jigano meant both of his sincerely, if delivered with a teasing lilt that he hoped might make them easier to accept. He had failed at playing counsellor in his past, a world and a lifetime ago, and the scars those failures left still bled sometimes, so he was unwilling to try and step in for a girl he’d just met. But if he could bring a smile to her face, well… what was the harm?
Except to his poor biceps and shoulders, of course, as he did his best to make his chivalrous gesture look elegant and hide the strain. The shriveling of the gourd as its life force was lightly siphoned away was a decided relief, though, and watching it happen was an excellent distraction until she plucked her new paperweight from his blade and he let his arm drop to his side to let the blood flow resume its proper course. ”I suppose while we’re experimenting, just one or two. That one should do nicely,” he nodded at the remaining pumpkin as it yipped and bounced in fruity fury within its fiery fence, glaring at the two humans just beyond its reach.
”I’m not sure how much more seasonal cheer I can take,” he admitted with a wry grin, peering down at their captive and shaking his sword arm out as he calculated how hard he’d have to hit it to split it in twain. Perhaps he should have saved the acorn squash as well, but the cackling cucurbit had been such a perfect match to the cackling girl he was glad he’d gifted it instead. ”Hang on, I’ll just finish this one up and we can head back…”
Famous last words, spoken as he lifted the blade over the ring of fire and prepared to bring it down on their prey.
The ground shuddered beneath them, and Jigano had to shift his feet quickly to keep his balance, his stroke going wide. The small pumpkin’s chittering took on a gleeful pitch, eyes blazing bright as the stalks of grain didn’t so much part as flatten ahead of the rolling bulk of the diminutive gourd’s great grand-pumpkin. Orange and massive, with a gnashing mouth big enough to take off a leg and keep coming, the newcomer easily reached Edy’s ribs in height. It didn’t so much cackle as rumble a pitch more like thunder, low and deep and echoing in mortal chests as it lumbered towards the girl – and the small pumpkin she still held captive in her ring of fire.
Except to his poor biceps and shoulders, of course, as he did his best to make his chivalrous gesture look elegant and hide the strain. The shriveling of the gourd as its life force was lightly siphoned away was a decided relief, though, and watching it happen was an excellent distraction until she plucked her new paperweight from his blade and he let his arm drop to his side to let the blood flow resume its proper course. ”I suppose while we’re experimenting, just one or two. That one should do nicely,” he nodded at the remaining pumpkin as it yipped and bounced in fruity fury within its fiery fence, glaring at the two humans just beyond its reach.
”I’m not sure how much more seasonal cheer I can take,” he admitted with a wry grin, peering down at their captive and shaking his sword arm out as he calculated how hard he’d have to hit it to split it in twain. Perhaps he should have saved the acorn squash as well, but the cackling cucurbit had been such a perfect match to the cackling girl he was glad he’d gifted it instead. ”Hang on, I’ll just finish this one up and we can head back…”
Famous last words, spoken as he lifted the blade over the ring of fire and prepared to bring it down on their prey.
The ground shuddered beneath them, and Jigano had to shift his feet quickly to keep his balance, his stroke going wide. The small pumpkin’s chittering took on a gleeful pitch, eyes blazing bright as the stalks of grain didn’t so much part as flatten ahead of the rolling bulk of the diminutive gourd’s great grand-pumpkin. Orange and massive, with a gnashing mouth big enough to take off a leg and keep coming, the newcomer easily reached Edy’s ribs in height. It didn’t so much cackle as rumble a pitch more like thunder, low and deep and echoing in mortal chests as it lumbered towards the girl – and the small pumpkin she still held captive in her ring of fire.
