fandomhigh | Umbridge High School Building, Saturday Evening

Umbridge High School Building, Saturday Evening

There were some clouds hanging around the spires of Umbridge High School, but not enough; there was an overlaying sense that there shouldn't be as much sunlight shining down on it as there was.

It was quiet. Kind of. There was tension in the air, a wound-up strung-up thing that ensnared the school. Somehow it seemed as if even the birds didn't want to touch down on the building itself, and the gates seemed to fold into themselves, even if they weren't quite shut.

And all that on a weekend, too.

[[ ~~wait for the~~ ocd up! ]]

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Rapunzel had planned to help. In a fight like the one going on today, lots of people were going to be hurt, and she was going to be there to do something about that. She was good at that. She couldn't fight, but she could heal.

Or she could yesterday (http://fandomtownies.livejournal.com/6503847.html?thread=247148711#t247148711).

Today? She was curled up in the school hallway, hoping no one would find her. Everyone was busy elsewhere, so it was better if she just stayed out of the way. She couldn't help anymore.

She couldn't do anything.

The voice that called to her was probably the last one Rapunzel would want to hear.

"Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel didn't even recognize the voice at first. She looked up, opening her mouth to ask who it was.

Then she froze, eyes widening.

And then she scrabbled, feet sliding against the floor as she tried to get away. But she sitting against the wall, so she didn't get anywhere, despite her desperation.

"Wait, no, Rapunzel, stop!" Karla cried, hand out to stop her, though she didn't go near the other girl. "Please, stop! I'm sorry, darling, I'm so sorry about what I did to you! Mother Night--I wish I could take it back."

She didn't really hear any words, just that there were words.

And she didn't stop scrambling. Even if her desperation did ease ever so slightly when Karla stopped coming closer.

Karla drew in a long, quavery breath and took a slow step backwards. "Okay now?" she asked, holding up her hands where Rapunzel could see them. "That better?"

Rapunzel was shivering, pulling hugging her knees tightly to her chest, and just staring. Still terrified, and obviously so. But no longer scrabbling.

She couldn't get away.

Just like before.

Karla sank to her knees right where she'd been standing a moment before. "Rapunzel," she said, choking back her tears and guilt and regret so she could speak clearly. "Can you hear me?"

"I hear you," Rapunzel answered miserably, staring down at her arms. She'd learned her lesson. She wasn't going to even think about defying her for a while.

Well, that was progress anyway. Even if Rapunzel was doing a wonderful imitation of a wounded bird and it was rending Karla's heart.

"Can you understand me when I say, 'I'm sorry'?"

"Wh-what?" Rapunzel asked, starting to look up, but then pulling her head back down, hiding.

She heard the words. She even understood them. But she didn't understand them from Karla. Not after yesterday.

"I said I'm sorry," Karla said, inching a bit closer. "For what I did to you, yesterday. I was Imperio'd and..." she looked away, unable to meet Rapunzel's eyes. "You have no idea how horrible I feel about that. I'm so, so sorry, Rapunzel. Please believe me."

Rapunzel was shivering again as the memories came flooding back. "I-I don't understand."

She really didn't.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

poison-pretty.livejournal.com - 2012-07-29 15:09 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

leavingthenest.livejournal.com - 2012-07-29 16:57 (UTC) - Expand

After the breaking out with Sam, then getting into a fight with Kerrigan (http://fandomhigh.livejournal.com/3176427.html?thread=193450219#t193450219), Dinah had crawled, then limped away, trailing blood, then having to stop every dozen yards, dizzy and hurting. Sam. She'd promised they'd break out together. Where was he? "Sam..."

Rapunzel had hidden in the hall because she'd hoped that no one would come. And someone was there. She peeked through her knees, which she had pulled up against her chest, hoping that it wasn't someone who'd come to hurt her.

Only what she saw was worse.

Someone was injured. Badly injured. And she couldn't do anything about it.

Dinah slid down the wall, needing a break. Just a little break. She blinked when she caught sight of Rapunzel. New kids everywhere. "Hey. Hi. Uh. Don't freak out, okay?" What with the blood and the knife and looking straight out of Gotham. "Could use some help?"

Which made Rapunzel sniff, and swallow.

"I can't help," she said softly, sniffling again. "Not anymore."

"Why not?" Dinah asked, gritting her teeth as she tried to raise her leg. Ow, ow, ow, ow. "We busted Detention. You won't get in trouble. Swear."

"So... it worked?" That was something of a comfort.

But then she shook her head weakly. "I... can't help. M-my hair..." she reached up, touching the ragged ends of her hair, but she jerked her hand down as if it had been burned.

"Your hair...?" Dinah stared at her. Then said weakly, "It's really cute?"

"It's gone!" Rapunzel wailed.

Great. Some poor kid who'd completely lost their grip. And their hair. Dinah tried not to giggle hysterically, then choked on a grimace of pain. "That... sucks. It should grow back, you know that, right?" She closed her eyes. "Could you get me a bandage, or... I dunno. A doctor or something?"

That only made Rapunzel sob harder. "I-it won't! It can't!"

"...still cute," Dinah said, then took a breath. "Hey. I'll help with your hair, or buy you a wig, or --whatever you want. I'm sorry it happened. I really am. Just. Can you find my friend?" Her voice cracked. "Sam? Please?"

"Y-your friend?" Rapunzel didn't let go of her knees, but she did stop shivering a bit, her natural empathy coming forward.