147 CH 147: Snow globes and potatoes.

"Why....am I even here?" a young teenager lamented to himself.

Amazing. Even in a stupid knitted party hat that more resembles a funny elf hat, Yuna makes the look work. What a good little budding model he makes.

"You're here because I'm awesome!" Lukas declares.

"You're here because you've been honored with babysitter duty," I answer him as well.

These are apparently not acceptable enough answers nor comforts. For Yuna continues to stare into space, confusedly at his surroundings. Which is practically nothing but snow, snow, and even more snow.

Okay, it's not that bad?

We have an igloo! Or well, an igloo under construction.

"And push it all the way, that way!" my grampa instructs.

He makes a very big and dramatic show of Lilyanne's epic push. A premade ice block far too large and heavy for her to really do anything with. Still, she pushed onwards, her face red with exertion.

With a casual lean of his hand, Grampa helps her move the oversized ice cube along. All the way into spiraling place.

"Yaaaaaay, I did it grampy!" my sister hops up and down. Sincerely taking all the credit.

Ah kids, so young and dumb.

"Almost pumpkinpants! Now we work on getting it up there" Grampa points up.

As the walls of the igloo get higher and higher, the blocks get smaller. But they're still intimidatingly hard to balance. Especially at this size. For a temporary igloo, complete with extra snow and ice whipped up just for this occasion, Grampa is making it a bit too big. I would say it's the size of a community center room.

Looking up to where Grampa trails his fingers, Amar balances precariously. A risky position no good and normally supervised children should be in. Even if there are piles of snow to catch one's fall. Mittens, smartly provided by Gable, keep his little hands warm as he packs the ice bricks into their actual place.

Like playing with some life-sized building blocks. How fun.

Lukas can make the frozen blocks, as he did a lot of these building supplies. He can bevel the ledges with some control. He can freeze them into place or add in little details according to Grampa's directions.

But creating a whole igloo is out of his skill range. Or more likely, his current knowledge.

After all this kid is only turning seven.

"Like this?" Amar calls down, setting another part of the wall into place.

"You got it kiddo~ Technically, the best way is to build it up in a spiral. Follow that path! Domes are one of the strongest structures in the world! But you dumplings are just a bit, or a lot, too short so...." Grampa helps the kid out by packing up more blocks for Amar to run over and pack.

It's quite reasonable for kids to enjoy these sorts of games and toys. Adults too. In fact, I can recall in another world a popular brand of colorful building bricks that were intensely painful when stepped on.

A basic! Fun for all ages. Make a baby tower, a too complicated spaceship set with over 7000 pieces, or even a giant Japanese robot monstrosity with all the sharp pointy bits.

Ow, ow, ow, my feet hurt in the memory. Damn it guys.

The point is these children are having a grand time building an igloo.

"Homewrecker! Rosa! Come pway!" a baby girl yells in joy.

My little sister fumbles and slides her way over to the one charcoal and magic fueled foreign brazier. A beautifully carved ornate box, with little waste despite the warmth radiated out. Our little heat grill, which we huddle around like hobos to a fancy trash fire.

"...No." Yuna barely looks down at her, refusing to budge from his blanket.

It's not his fault that he was suddenly popped over here while innocently with Amar. As if by strange overbearing magic. Very underdressed and unprepared for the sudden temperature drop between the troops and the middle of this already frost-laden forest.

Thus, he smartly refuses to move once under the covers and by a stable source of heat. At least until Gable rummages something fitting for him to wear.

What? I don't keep non-kiddy clothes in my purse.

"Warm up first Lilyanne." I pull at her to put her hands over the warm steam and fire.

Fat pods of giant string beans and different breeds of potatoes cook slowly over the heat with a partial grill. Sprinkled only with a bit of sea salt for now. Yet the smell and slight char are very appetizing.

A small bucket of butter keeps chilled nearby in a natural ice cooler. When they're done cooking, Grampa says we can snack on them.

Such a simple thing, and yet I feel tingles of excitement and hunger.

Must be the weather and atmosphere. A warm crackling fire in the middle of a faraway winter wonderland that is certainly not my home territory.

They say a generation or two ago, some things like potatoes weren't even known in our lands. It's a very strange concept to think about.

Local commoners already have a pretty limited diet. All based on what's available around the land. It's not like they have supermarkets to ship them stuff, nor would they be able to afford it. So it's hard to imagine their sad selection being even less than what it already is today. We have a hard enough time filling bellies as is!?

But I suppose Grampa is good for something. I'll give him that.

"Lilyboo is right! Get back up here pumpkin. Can't have you baking like a potato!" Grampa declares.

"Baking potato Rosa." Lily claps.

I am not a potato! How dare anyone think so?

"Fine. Yuna, watch my sister and don't let anything burn. Not that you're moving anytime soon." I get up to take my turn at igloo making.

"You got it Princess Potato. " Yuna pokes at the grill with a pair of wooden tongs.

"Excuse you!" I huff, making my way to where Grampa indicates for me to stand.

It's igloo building 101, Grampa edition. Since Lukas's snow blocks aren't up to standard, we have to cut or even pack them further. It takes snow of a certain denseness to be building worthy.

"Bevel the edges. By the sides! Angles. Careful with that. Don't break the snow but don't worry about it, work fluidly. " Grampa instructs, helping me with some very blunt tools.

"Why can't Lukas make better blocks?" I shaved and saw, making shaved snow dust.

"Hey!" calls the little freezer, defending himself.

From where he stomps, Lukas packs more ice and snow into the premade molds. Very helpful in making them smooth and workable instead of just...clumps.

You know what, that's fair. Can't expect too much from a child.

Magic or no, you can't just expect a kid to be a master ice engineer. Or much of anything. Too much fantasy.

When a block is ready, it goes up. With Grampa lifting it into place, and a kiddy pushing and filing it rightfully snug. Sometimes snow sprinkles down for that very reason, as the ice walls pile higher and higher up.

Since this is a larger than average igloo, a few foundation poles are set up into place. I guess it would be more accurate to call it a snowy clubhouse.

Earlier, we built a much smaller traditional igloo for practice. By smaller, I mean hardly enough for Grampa to stand and lay across. Fun personal prison size. But the practice and demonstration round is over. Now we suffer from making this!

Chilly chilly! After a while, my fingers feel cold even through these mittens.

Apparently, gloves don't even come in kiddy sizes. Which is fair, who's gonna make them? Also, I think snow somehow melted into my coat?

When Gable picked my sister and I up, we were really not expecting this.

I almost miss that ridiculous but warm cage. I mean- 'playpen'.

Which is why we have to run back and forth to the magic brazier to warm up at times. Much to the tutting grimace of Yuna.

"I did not sign up for this." the young teenager shivers.

Despite his complaint, he opens up his blanket when Amar huddles on over. The time limit for his igloo building cold resistance well and out. Under the sheets Amar disappears, only to shake his little head out under Yuna's. Warming up and cuddly in the grumpy teenager's lap.

My little sister gasps, for she did not realize that was even an option.

"Lily too!" she clamors with a need to be involved in...everything.

"No you feral little canine, no AHhh that's Cold!?!" Yuna yelps, unable to stop her in time from slipping under the edge of the blanket and wiggling her way through.

We need better snow clothes. Yuna especially.

Why can't we have jackets? What's wrong with jackets or coats? What the hell is with all these cloaks and capes?!

Is it for the aesthetics? Do people just want to look dramatic, with it flowing in the biting wind and rain? Or most reasonably, it's just much easier to sew.

I miss modern times and modern stores.

"Thank you for watching over the children, it's easier with another set of eyes" my blessed savior arrives back again.

Yuna gulps, silent with the nerves and politeness of any paid babysitter around the parents. With a silent breath, he nods shakily, quickly distracted with not one but two kiddies under the blanket. From a slightly annoyed Amar, who makes what looks to be a kicking motion, to my little sister squirming around and possibly getting kicked.

With Gable's beauty alone, that sweet tremble of his low mature voice, all is forgiven. Even the whole dropping me in SNOW thing.

That and he brought drinks! Hot piping.....

"Kinderpunch!!!" Lukas drops down from where he was scaling and packing igloo ice. Racing towards his blessed caretaker.

"...Kinderpunsch." Gable sighs.

"Punch!" Lukas repeats with exactly that motion, fist into the air.

".....We'll work on it." Gable pours out the mulled drink into small wooden cups. Perfect for little kids to blow on.

One for everyone. Even the freezing babysitter. Ok, especially the freezing babysitter. Just what we all need!

Ahhhhh, this cinnamon citrusy fruit tea punch is so Christmas like! Even if such a holiday doesn't even exist in this world. But all this sudden snow and dense forest sure make it feel like it. So warm and tasty, I feel it heating me from the inside out!

"Do I get the non-kinder version?" Grampa calls out from where he was working on the roofing.

Out of annoyance, Gable finally throws a log at the stupid fool who thought it was a good idea to build an igloo, for fun. A whole log!

Unfortunately, it does not knock my grampa down in the head.

"Thanks, Gabey cakes! You're the best!" Grampa catches the thing perfectly, unscrewing the top of the wood as if it were a steaming thermos.

Which would make a lot more sense than Gable just randomly throwing tree logs at someone, even if that someone is my crazy grampa.

"Try some of these on for size. I think these will do, for your size and growth. Haven't touched Butter's old things in years. Not since she….Surprisingly nostalgic....but they were just clean spelled. Take whatever you would like, or all of it. Thank you again for taking care of the children." Gable shines and sparkles like the perfect parent.

I wouldn't be surprised if everyone under and over the age of puberty fell in love with him right at this very moment.

But Yuna is not phased. More grateful for warm clothes than the beautiful godly elfen man who provides it. Pffft how professional.

Perhaps he too is just a child? A babysitter aged grumpy teenager, but a child nonetheless.

"I've been stuck watching these two for years anyway. Thank you." Yuna thumbs between the boys before he takes the piled lump Gable provides in a woolen sack.

Takes but then looks around between snow, snow, and more snow.

"You can change in the small igloo. I just set some furs and a lamp in there so it won't be absolutely freezing." Gable chuckles.

As if he were not a statue made of perfection. Oh god, even his laugh lines only serve to highlight the natural beauty of his pink lips and storm ridden grey eyes. The tufts of fur on the neck of his cloak simply showing off how long and elegant he is.

Dear gods and goddesses of this world, how can such a divine being walk among us mere mortals?

"What she saying now?" Lukas whisper shouts, his breath a bit visible.

"It's so cold that inside Rosa's head froze. She likes Gable's furs. " Amar sips his kiddy punch happily.

"Ooooohh." Lukas nods into his.

"Too hot, phew phew pheeeew." Lilyannbe blows greedily, trying to cool down her mug to gulp down.

Yuna chugs down the rest of his mug, takes a deep breath, and then bolts for the first igloo. Apparently now a changing room. Off he goes, determined to spend as little time in the frozen wasteland of Lukas's and Grampa's playground.

Wait, am I understanding correctly that those are my mother's old things? Butters? Buttercup? Isn't that what...yep. Have fun fitting in my mother's preteen dresses Yuna.

I joke. Everyone wears cloaks and tunics, some longer than others. Most can't afford to gender clothes so much. Especially when it comes to hand me downs.

After all, going to the store and buying new clothes isn't even an option for most people. Every household is responsible for their own sustenance and necessities, including clothing. It's not just out here but the same case for those who live in the cities.

People can buy fabric or frames or not weave their own, then rework them for their needs at home. There's little waste since this is not a society that can afford that.

So it doesn't surprise me that Gable has mysterious stocks of anything. Nor these very suspiciously grandmotherly hobbies. Not that Gable can do any wrong of course.

Knit and crochet those socks away!

A noble however has their own tailors or people to custom measure and create clothing for them. Thus while tailors have their work, there are little to no pre-cut options. Not that I know of at least?

It's why even as nobles, many women must learn how to sew and embroider. It's a necessary and very commonplace skill. More delicate and time bleeding needlework is then seen with more class and grace.

I, of course, failed at being a good and graceful woman.

Seriously, who cares if a noblewoman, a potential queen even, can embroider the alphabet in pretty flowers? 'Can she count expenses' or 'govern a territory effectively' should be the important questions.

"Rosa? Lily's butt is coldies." my perfect lady-like sister turns her soggy tush towards me.

"It's because you didn't wear your cloak properly. Or...any pants. " I pat at her bottom.

All hail queen Lilyanne a lifetime ago, I do not wonder how she did. In fact, spare me, I'd rather not know.

"Ish all wet and soggies. " she turns her head to look at. Pouting with her butt sticking out.

"Yes Lilyanne, that's what playing in the snow does." I help.

Sliding down the igloo does not help with that either. Someone invent more water and snow proof clothing in my size, please?

No one? Just me?

Well, poop.

Since I have no time for that, nor the resources here, we settle for Gable changing out and layering up Lilyanne in even more clothes he rummaged up.

"Are those mine?" Lukas gasps in a horrified accusation.

"Hmmm perhaps. Are you the one who added shrinking powder instead of the cleaning powder?" Gable tsks, drying off Lilyanne where need be before pulling on the strange but much warmer looking kiddy stockings and poofy diaper like shorts.

"Ummm....maaaaaaybe,...they didn't shrink enough to fit any of the chicken..." Lukas looks away suddenly, foot digging into the snow.

Children are so naughty. Guess they're Lilyanne's now.

Gasp.

This is...this is the first time Lilyanne has worn hand-me-downs. Ever! In any lifetime?!!

What kind of peasant mess is this?! Are we ruining her?

"Butt warmer now! Yaaaay!" she responds to being dried and roasted up in front of the brazier fire.

How very different from the teenaged Lilyanne in my memories. The one who was so good at everything....none at that useful.

You know what. Nevermind. There's already something very off with this strange little girl but it sure beats having a repeat of what we got before. Take some cold slushy butts and oddly shrunk Lukas hand me downs my little sister dear. Let's learn some strange but important life lessons!

"What are these made out of?" Amar kicks up his feet.

Also clad in what was presumably Lukas's stuff. Smaller but extra padded up for the cold.

"Seals and fish!" Lukas kicks up the matching patterned snow boots.

"And wool, Lukywookie poo. Hairy seals don't keep warm with underfur but their fat! Hunt and craft in combinations! Survival takes thinking!" Grampa yells from where he continues piling the snow-packed walls up higher and higher.

Well, that explains why my new but thin mittens still get cold despite their waterproofing.

And yes, they are mine now. Forget you, Lukas. You live with Gable.

Yeah, don't try to go vegan in this world. Got it?

It's just not feasible with all the beasts and monsters. Nor is wasting anything, like their leather and skins.

"Oh. Cool." Amar slurps his drink.

The kid quickly gets to the bottom of his cup and he looks all the sadder for it. A tiny face teary in layers of floof. He looks up, not hopefully, but with such eyes that you just can't bear to say no to.

Hey, wait, no fair. Gable, I want a refill too!

"Don't chug and rush. " Gable tuts, already handing Amar a cinnamon kiddy punch number two.

"Homewrecker?" Lily looks around for her new favorite babysitter.

Unlike Georgie, the other babysitter seems to treat Lilyanne as the "feral" little dog she sometimes....is. This includes playing flinging fetch and fearful belly rubs with his foot. When he drops food to the floor, she sometimes even catches it in her mouth. It is head-scratching how Lilyanne can like that, but I have long given up on trying to understand all small children.

"Oh, I'mma go check up on him?" Amar looks up again. Blinking those Gable's attention-stealing crocodile eyes of his. How dare he?!

Gable pours another hot mug for the boy to deliver, and pats him on his way.

Oh how practically evil!

"Wait up!" Lukas jumps to tag along, following to the first little igloo.

"Lily too!" monkey see monkey do.

"And I will stay and have Gable all to myself." I realize the implications.

Just Gable and I by the fire in a winter wonderland. How scenic! How romantic! How-

But unfortunately, Lukas has lifted me up and carried me along with the rest of the kids. Damn that minion's mochi strength! It ruins everything!

Oh, that gives me an idea. Can we use our risotto rice to try to make mochi again? Hmmm.

"Home wrecker~" my little sister runs ahead.

No need to crawl to enter the igloo, we're just that short.

"Yuna? Are you frozen? Oh, this is soft." Amar carefully balances the drinks close to his chest. Keeping them as warm as possible as he maneuvers through the fur-covered doorway that Gable must have set up.

Since that certainly wasn't there before.

"Homewrecker!" Lilyanne pounces, snuggling on the fur rugs and the layers that Yuna has seemed to bury himself under.

"It's like a marble in here.....but warmer...I am not...moving. " said homewrecker makes himself known.

"Finish getting dressed already, I wanna go back to Gable. " I point and order.

"Yeah, back to buildings and potatoes!" Lukas agrees, finally setting me down once we pass the fur and skin flaps.

The igloo is a lot bigger now that grampa isn't in here imposing up all the space. The floors are covered with various furs, a stool, an oil and fire-lit lamp, and Yuna's donation bag. Making the space a lot more comfortable to be in.

But it's the muffled white glow that takes my breath away.

It really does look like being in a marble in here. The snow is partially translucent, giving any outside light seeping in this unreal filter effect. The walls, thicker than they appear, quiet the outside world entirely.

No wind. No oldies yelling at one another over the strangest things. Nothing outside at all.

"More punch? Do you need help?" Amar offers up the precious cup of tasty warmth.

"...." Yuna seems to silently converse. Nothing but a grumpy face in a frazzle of fur carpet but Amar goes up to hand him the drink anyway.

"They're not cursed or spelled or anything right?" Yuna makes to remove the makeshift fur blankets. Revealing that he did select a new outfit and layered up.

He looks surprisingly normal.

Thicker tunics layers that go to his knees. A warm and fuzzy underlined vest died up with a surprisingly luxurious belt. Sturdy dark arm guards with a rough leather for good grips. He just needs to pick a cloak, hat, wiggle in some actual snow boots then he's good to go.

Wow, Gable sure packed a lot of clothes.

I think I misunderstood. There's no way this is my mother's old stuff from what? Her early to mid-teen years? Are those murder spikes?

I need to clean my ears. Maybe they have snow in them.

"This one feels good." Amar plays with the selection, pulling out a furry bucket hat that covers the ears, presenting it to Yuna for inspection.

Fur clothing is generally seen as something only savages who can't afford any better would wear. But that's only when you're not freezing your asses off in need.

In the near future, it becomes more socially fashionable among nobles. With the best materials sold to their tailors for trim and accessories. But it had not trickled down anywhere to even the highest servant yet. Definitely not among commoners trying to appear richer than they are.

Yuna however seems to not know or care about that. As do many troop members, foreign or not. Functionality and survivability above all.

"Yeah, give me that one." Yuna shrugs, or shivers to warm up. Same thing.

We plop it on his head and laugh as he figures out the boot like long stockings.

"This one!" I rummage through the pack, waving out the rural dress-up options.

"That one!" Lukas holds out one of the murder spikes items.

"Cheesies!" Lilyanne rolls out a light mustard yellow short cloak.

Each child picks and presents an item. One turns to two, then more and more.

"I look...like an idiot. " Yuna deadpans, staying relatively still for us to giggle and pile on the clothes. Maneuvering as we mix and match kirtles to funny trousers, smocks to cloaks, and more.

The teenage babysitter sits still enough to finish his punch, sneering as we pull and prod with our fun. Something we can all get into equally, unlike the igloo building.

It's a lot more amusing than dressing a snowman since Yuna reacts quite well. Even occasionally barking how he couldn't move or how he wasn't wearing something.

It's also a lot warmer and nicer inside here. Like playing inside a gray-blue marble, the floors soft in furs. Entirely cut off from the outside world, silent but for the childish laughter and panting, short of breath from running in circles throwing thick cloths. A space made magical with nothing but children and a bit of instruction and help.

It's a terribly odd concept, isn't it? That this was built without magic?

Sure Lukas helped out with the ice, practicing his own gifts, and Gable himself is magical. But all this? Stacking. Structure. Just the simple spin of honest to god innocent kids warming up the air in more than just the physical way?

A very mundanely strange thing indeed. In a world where magic does exist and takes up so much of a pedestal of importance despite its rareness.

It's stupid. How much it's celebrated.

Have magic. Get rich quick. Save everyone and everything ever. Live the rest of your life in heroic grandeur.

That's not how it works.

Nothing is that easy. Not even for the fairy tale heroes.

"Am I done?" groans the human boy underneath the pile of clothes we've messily created.

"Of course not. Everyone, fold back up what we're not using. Come on. Snap snap. Don't groan at me, you children. " I quite literally snap. Teaching every brat here responsibility and how to pick up for themselves.

If only it was that easy for the rest of the world.

When Yuna shakes off the extra weight and fabric, he does so with a greatly dramatic sigh. Blowing up the hair that fell into his face. Working to tie up the slightly longer than chin-length hair back into something neat. The darker roots of blond showing clear at the nape of his neck, looking almost dyed if I didn't know how it was natural.

Sometimes, some very intrusive questions want to make their way to the surface. From somewhere innocently curious, to the opening of my two lips.

Not everyone in the world has magic. But it certainly is easier. Makes things a hell of a lot easier to have any sort of edge, tools.

So how does a boy like Yuna, with his deceptively lean limbs, golden warm skin, and eyes like rebellion, make it all the way here? How did he first make it into the troops? How in the world can he fight?

My part-time babysitter isn't famous or anything. I don't know him nor do I know how I can use him in the future.

He just stuck around? Or more like he came with the package that was the minions.

"How did you become a babysitter?" I let that much escape.

Because he really does look, nor sound like that type? He's too grumpy. Too rough and crass. Even his snarky mouth isn't child-appropriate most of the time. In no way does he fit the qualifications. But yet here he is. All snarky on the outside but soft in letting us bury him in our dress ups and games. Like a hedgehog with a soft underbelly.

I can't say much about Lilyanne, with her tendency to trust every other strange boy under the sky. But Lukas and Amar? They stuck to this strange character since the beginning no?

As much as I doubt their mental facilities at times, they wouldn't just familiarize themselves to this extent around a useless person. They wouldn't trust him so much?

"What do you mean how? I got dragged here." Yuna dismisses. Sounding very much like he wants no part in this.

His eyes roll and he even swats my baby sister off with a single flap of fabric. Making her go "wheeeeee" by rolling off the unfolded mess of clothes.

A very bad babysitter indeed.

"Yuna's a nice one! He yells a lot and back then he helped me learn and practice all the weird funny words I didn't know when I was younger and dumbers. " Lukas declares, oddly understanding my original question.

"You were feral, I still think you sometimes are. " Yuna grumbles, taking his turn to push Lukas off his neck.

The snow-colored mochi however is a very tough grappler so thus Yuna is forced to compromise and move Lukas around. Like a human child scarf, balancing at a much more breathable position.

"No, I'm not, thaaaaat one is. I'm much better and I learned more words lots faster and I'm cooler and awesomer and I don't smell like moldy stinky cheese. " Lukas says in all seriousness.

To that, my graceful sister blows a big fat raspberry at the older insulting child. Her tongue slobbering wetly to both Lukas's and Yuna's "ew".

"He helped you with language lessons?" I translate the Lukas speak in my head.

"If by language, you mean people and not oinking, grunting, or howling." Yuna deadpans.

"Humans are funny!" Lukas declares as if he weren't one himself.

"You still howl at the moon don't you?" Yuna turns to the child.

"Nooooooooooooooooooooo~ That's silly, you only gotta howl back at the call of the mppppfmmmm-" Lukas gets muffled by the babysitter. Who quite plainly calls him bad and sits him down.

The mess that is beginning to get organized is still very much sloppy. Children not having the best hands nor hand-eye coordination skills. So even though I ordered the kids to be cleaning, Yuna has no choice but to reroll and refold some of their attempts.

"Ah, he bothered you to death and it couldn't be helped." I continue reasoning and translating.

How strange. Even though we all speak the same language around here, it feels like working with whole different ones when trying to communicate across with others. Very few people can really understand what you mean to say, versus what comes out. Even my own baby sister sounds to me a little like an alien creature. Though to be fair, all toddlers may be just that.

Humans are such messy creatures that way.

"Yep." Amar nods to my previous statement.

The one about being bothered to death by Lukas. I swear I'm working on that unconscious mumbling thing. I appear to only do it when my guard is down or I'm distracted with too many thoughts but still. It's just too dangerous! Especially as a villainess.

I can't become one of those comedic idiots who announces all their plans out loud at the last second, now can I?

"People are weird and lots of times make no sense. Even you guys. When you say one thing, the meaning is this. But what you really mean is another thing. It's even harder than learning languages or speaking. Gable does it lots, and other adults even more! It's like a game I don't know how to play." Lukas complains quite well, his frustrations honest and very straight to the heart.

It tickles. Or more like...he hit the nail very much on the head. Jackhammered it really.

It's only simple and naive people, or actual children, who can just say what they mean.

"That's why you need to read the entire situation you dumb brat. If someone says, 'I'm not gonna hurt you' but they're radiating bad shit and a weapon in hand, you smash their balls and brains. Yes in that order. " Yuna, the bad babysitter, schools the child.

"Balls?!" Lukas makes to motion. Curving his hands around his flat chest in....ah....he's misunderstanding very very very far off again.

"Not those balls!? How did you even get to that- Oh never mind, just punch their shit out. You're more a battering ram type anyway. Don't think too hard about it and just hit bad guys. " Yuna folds away the things.

Maybe even folding my own sister into a little burrito roll, much to her amusement. It sure keeps her occupied enough to stop climbing him.

"See! You and Rosa are the same. Gable too. " Lukas points out, making no sense.

"Yep. Just a little. " Amar nods again.

"...What?" Yuna deadpans, already back to wacking the child off his neck and around his shoulders. Something to which Lukas settles to clinging on his back.

"It means we're beautiful, " I preen from being in the same sentence comparison with my beloved. though I am not worthy. Gable oh Gable, is anyone worthy? I think not. But if there's anything I'm confident in it's my absolute beauty!

"Nope." Amar shakes his little head dully.

That cute thing is broken, leaking and empty anyway. So ignore him!

"You all yell lots. And nag too. But you still cut me fruit or feed me and play with me and if you didn't care you wouldn't do that. So what you say don't always match up. Same as the other way, when people say nice things but they're meaning mean stuff about you. And I don't always get it and I don't think I ever really will even when I'm older than Gable and Cap put in one. People are weird that way. But it's not always bad. Just confusing. I like people and everyone, even when they say or don't say funny things at all the wrong times. "

To say that was unexpected is an understatement.

Surely people are strange, all humans are. It might be easier to never have to deal with any of them at all. Run away, because the game of people and humanity may be too hard to take in so many times.

But we're lonely creatures, who can't really do without.

Even if we can run off and cut ourselves from society, we can't do without that need for connection. We can't shut off that instinct inside of us.

I don't know what to make of Lukas's babbling. Only that it makes me strangely uncomfortable, in the way something does when it gets too close to you.

But then again...who would take into consideration the words of a child?

It's nothing, I would like to say. Rambling nonsense, maybe on par with something blameworthy to grampa. The words of a small dumb child.

But aren't I one of those children now?

"Yeah yeah, don't think too hard about it. You know better. You'll get a headache again." Yuna rubs the birthday boy's little head in a dismissive but familiar action.

Something Lukas happily rubs his own head back at, much like an animal.

Though I must have known in the capacity of common sense, the same reason you take for granted, that this boy has known my minions for a good time longer than I have. Is far more familiar with them.

I think a part of me regressed with my age. Not just my physical body.

While I can think of myself as older, know so, I lack the position and ability to treat them as such. But I seem to have also lost some of the capability. I realize, quite belatedly, this grumpy cat-like boy is much kinder than I am.

Given his life, his history, he is far kinder and more patient than I would be. Harsh words, beyond scolding yes. But still taking the time to explain a spoiled little girl's wrongs.

A normal grown-up wouldn't even bother.

"Yeah like that!" Lukas says in delight, practically purring.

"...You can tell? That all people, especially grown-ups, don't mean what they say? Or when someone promises to be your friend, but they're not a very good one. Quite the opposite really." I speak up, a strangely sour taste in the back of my throat.

It tastes like every time I've seen or passed the original Lukas. That mob character beyond all. That lost boy from before, dirtied under someone else's cruel thumb.

It tastes a little like me. Because I'm not much better myself. I'm only good at using people.

But still....I'd like to hope for the best for these children. Silly and strange as they are. They deserve in if nothing but for the sake of being children. No one deserves the chaos of the world they're born into.

"Tell smell I don't know but cap says actions hurt way louder than words!" Lukas sounds quite sure of himself. No room for doubt or anxiety.

Ah to be so young and dumb.

"....speak Lukas. Speak. The phrase is, actions speak louder than words." I attempt to rectify his....misheard terminology. Again.

He does this quite often as well.

"Nooooo, sticks and stones and monster storms can smash all my bones but words don't do anything or hurt me. " the fair little boy looks up to recite another of those.

I facepalm into the fur rug on the floor.

"That's...that sure is something Lukas. Yeah sure, words will never hurt you. Just stay that way. " who knows, he might even turn out better for it. Honestly, I think the bar is already pretty low. Anything is better than what Philippe did to him.

Not that I'm much better myself, not with my intents. All I'm good for is using others. Snap them to do my bidding. Roll out either the payroll or the blackmail. Strictly business, merely paying for my overcompensation.

That's why when the stars aligned and the worst of times came, I was utterly alone. I died so....easily. Weak.

How laughable. I must have gone down as a laughing stock to those in the know and a wicked witch to the rest. How pathetic. My pride wouldn't be able to stand it if it didn't already happen.

I mean her? Her pride? Me? Her? I'm her, but not really? I hold her feelings and memory but...

"Don't think too hard about it. " Yuna shrugs, leaning back to look up at the marble ceiling.

I'm taken aback at him. But it's a false alarm, my mouth silent and still. In the inside of my lips still lingering in the slightly tart cinnamon punch.

The roof and walls are cold, tinged in oxygen blue, but you almost can't feel it.

"Never trusts words, in fact never trust anything ever. Children. Adults. Yourself. Doesn't matter. You fight to your surroundings. Different place, different methods, and weapons. Whether that's in the fields or in a be-...a room. Whether that's in a field or a... room. You can build walls thicker than this, or melt to escape. So don't think about it too hard, don't stay so set. " the eldest one says as if speaking to someone who is not me specifically in this little igloo.

I fall on my back with my limbs spread out, much like Yuna. It's not very much when I can't possibly take up much space. The soft fur rugs catch me easily, and I look up to where he does.

A snowball curves and packs us in it. The world quiet but for this little globe.

Lukas tips over into another child.

"You too, Amar." Lukas knocks the side of their heads together.

Thankfully not too hard, otherwise there would be more hollow empty sounds and more brain damage for the minions.

"???" Amar makes cute little noise, tilting his head in dumb confusion.

When my sister parrots that, it's somehow not nearly as adorable. Meh, you either got it or you don't. No worries, the heroine is still a main character in the end. Not like the rest of us lot.

"Your tricks! They come in lots of shapes and stuff. Milk, cream, butter, snow, or ice. But most of all what you don't say!" Lukas nuzzles and declares.

Yuna snorts to that but I feel an almost tingle of fear.

Just how much does this child understand? Fluidity. Between the clouds of empty air in his lovely little head, how much does he strike to the heart of things?

It's an oddly sobering gap between the Lukas of every day and the rare moments like this.

Children are strangely magical like that.

Or haunted. Like a creepy horror movie? Meh, same thing.

"You used to not talk to me at all! The others would and together they say lots of things, some nice some confusing and some really really really confusing. Because it smells weird or the meanings don't match up. But you're the nicest even when you're all quiet and look like you're ignoring me but you're not but others are so-" Lukas's little mouth goes.

"Lily's ears hurt from chicken cawcaw bruder." my sister comments, perhaps a bit in need of her daily nap.

That gets her a series of burrito kick from Lukas. Rolling her up in an even more muffled roll.

Thankfully, though Yuna does it with a great grump groan, he sits up to rescue the toddler from sure suffocation. Good babysitter, plus 5 points for preventing Lilyanne's death by carpeting.

"That one talks too much!" Lukas pouts, wiggling his way into Amar's side.

"...?" Amar tilts his head in confusion, but pats Lukas on the head anyway. Which is apparently just what the other boy wanted.

"See?! Just like always. You don't say anything but you're the nicest. You were the only one." Lukas smiles, looking dare I say it, cuddly and cute. Very much like an adorable little puppy dog, or even a small white bear.

"...pfft" Amar holds back a shaking laugh. As if finding putting up with this nonsense very amusing.

That's right. Those two knew each other long before me, despite the short years we've all lived on this earth. Sometimes there's bound to be an inside joke, a moment, that passes me right by.

"But not anymore!" Lukas cheers, rolling off Amar.

Rolling rolling, oh no.

I can't get away fast enough.

"Aaaaahhhhh!!!" I scream as the wrecking ball of a birthday boy crashes into me. Even louder when he dares put me in a wrestling hold!?

I am not meant to bend that way? Human spines are not!!!

"Ahhh you're warm and nice and bright and fun too, Rosa! Even when you're all yelly. Like a big cackle of firewood when they go snap snap in the hot fire. Snap snap crack! A real fireplace."

"That's my spine you fool!!!"

"So warm and toasty! Rosalia, you're really soft and you don't smell as stinky. Amar, you gotta eat more to be as fat as Rosa, ok?!"

"Excuse me?! Who did you call fat!?" I screech in response.

For the first time in this life, someone has called me fat to my face. For the first time?! How dare?! I am small, adorable, and growing!?

I don't need to count my calories yet. Nooooooooo. I don't wanna. Let my childish metabolism and innocent need for nutrients work in peace. I'm not fat!

"Fat fat fat!" Lukas plays the drums on my struggling belly.

Kill. I will offer this minion as a pork roast for Mother. I will stuff an apple in his mouth and serve him like a pig roast. Lukas has been moved up the kill list to the top. Even beating out Amar.

The other boy is currently losing that futile battle with self-control. His laughter spilling like snowflakes in an artificial globe. Amar laughs full force at the awful wrestling match in front of him.

"Ahhhhh meanie big fattie!" Lilyanne charges after catching her breath, rescued by the babysitter that is looking more and more like a disgruntled animal shelter employee.

"...I don't even get paid for this. " Yuna ties back up his hair, rolling his eyes at the counter-productivity of it when it goes loose again so soon dealing with children.

At least he's not shivering with cold anymore.

"Fat! Get fatter!" Lukas slaps again, and I actually cry at that one.

Oh, the shame! A young lady's little belly is sensitive!

"Rooooosa! Lily savies you! Hmmmpf'' my sister attempts to push off the human ice cube.

"Lilyanne!" I cry out, whimpering.

"Rooooosa!" She war cries into a new puppy pile.

"You're fat too! Like cheese!" Lukas squishies at the new opponent.

"Ooooh tank you~" Lilyanne's stupid little toddler brain takes it as a compliment.

I am still dying and crying down here.

"Alright you brat, knock it off. Your party ain't in here and I'm actually in more need of whatever this is." Yuna packs away things with Amar's snickering help, shaking his empty punch cup.

"You'll like Gable's cooking, it's simple but very warm. " Amar smiles cheekily. Flushed from all the exercise that was laughing at my expense.

"That's just because Lord Commander and his prized mage can afford actual stuff. I'd eat it even if it was crap. No way am I offending anyone and anything around here. " Yuna actually bemoans honestly.

Which is a fair reaction to somehow being poofed and stuck as the babysitter to the most powerful man and the most mysterious man behind the troops. Ah, this poor teenaged employee.

There there. We pay you in baked beans, potatoes, and some punch.

"I don't want to be paid in potatoes?! What the- this cheap princess?! " Yuna grumbles, snappily motioning for us to put our cloaks and fall accessories back on.

Then we're marched back out of the igloo as soon as we put things back in place. Yuna's biting scolding only softens when Amar pats him 'there there'. Dragging the loot bag of Yuna's new winter wardrobe with him.

I don't think it's very fair. He's only nice to Amar. But hey, what the hell do I know?

I'm just a fat cheap princess now!!!

"There there, don't be mad Rosa. We can have potatoes? " Amar tries, comforting.

"I don't want potatoes!" I stomp through the snow.

Perhaps it's my short little steps and angrily hurt pride, but my imagination seems to melt the snow as I trudge along.

"Yep! They're really alike." Lukas speaks his nonsense.

When we march our little distance, our jaws drop with surprise and awe.

The igloo? It's an ice castle!

One big fat snowglobe, that definitely wasn't made without magic. The oldies did it!

I mean, of course, Gable did. Once Gable arrives, everything is just so much better. How wonderful!

"Gaaaaable~" I cry making a running start.

"Whoooooo it's so cool!!!!" Lukas passes me quickly, hopping over and through the snow like a jackrabbit.

"Oi! Order!" Yuna barks, only successful in stopping Lilyanne. And that's just because she fell flat on her face through a snowbank.

Yeah, uh….babysitting that one is a full-time job.

"Come on! Hurry up you slow poke sidekicks!" Lukas U-turns back, somehow still bouncing as he drags Amar and I.

Eventually, it seems he gives up on waiting for us to move our own feet and carries me through the air as Amar is dragged along like a toy. It's a strange and reasonably humiliating position, yes. But that's Lukas alright.

It's not so bad to let it go today. It's definitely not bad, that this little fool laughs and smiles a lot more than what I remember of him,

Here's to another year older. Grow up well my silly minion in training.

Oh?! It looks wonderful in here?! A true ice castle! Even professionally made events in another world can't compare. As expected of Gable! All hail Gable, everything that is good and beautiful!

"Something smells sweet and... uh oh. " Amar remarks, dragging his feet. The motion slowing down even Lukas as he barrages through to the snow dome.

"Uh oh what?" I ask, turning over to him.

"Ummm….they're eating sweets without us that way." Amar points.

"What?! Gable was hiding sweets from me!?" Lukas cries in revolt, quickly turning.

"I think it's your birthday sweets," I deadpan, feeling my tummy rumble.

It's been slapped and exercised too much today. Especially in this cold.

Let's have some warm filling snacks. Snack beans with some olive oil and salt. Hot baked potatoes, steaming with a generous spread of decadent butter. Huh, funny, are we going the wrong way? I swore.,,

"Or is it that way? My nose is cold. " Amar wiggles said little nose in an even colder direction from that delicious fireplace scent.

"Waaaaaah, don't eat without me!" Lukas sharply turns again, taking us for a ride.

After what feels like getting run around the snowglobe thrice, we finally crash into the main room of this igloo. Lilyanne already puffing into her hot buttered potato with Yuna chomping down unfairly, steam blowing out both their mouths.

The potatoes are out. More food is baking and grilling away. Sparkling ice doesn't melt even as the warm fire roars. A center stand scatters little pistachio decorated cream-filled cakes, perfect for grabbing and snacking.

Gable smiles down at us so beautifully.

Too beamingly gorgeous, like nothing is wrong. I don't even notice Grampa on the floor! The cream cakes stuffed in his mouth as if choking him silent. Pitifully rubbing both his head and butt from some fresh painful injuries.

Meh, must be igloo related ones.

But how dare he eat dessert first!? I don't know how Gable lets him get away with anything? Oh and there goes Gable even hand feeding him more? Our sweets?!

"MMmmmmpf" my Grandpa cries.

"Behave. Understand me. Behave for the children." Gable not at all threatens.

It's a strange and oddly intimate kind of party, but I like it very much nonetheless. Not just for the magic.

Now, someone hand me a hot potato. And smother it with butter yes.

"I thought you said you didn't want a potato? I like mine crispier. Like those 'fries'?" Amar answers stupidly.

"Can I have mine with bacon and molasses?!" Lukas asks.

"Just feed me already!" I wave.

Eat and grow up strong and healthy everyone.