Umbridge High School Building, Saturday Evening

[nomutineer.livejournal.com]

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! ]]

Comments

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

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.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

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?"

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

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.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

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?"

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"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.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

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'?"

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

"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.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[poison-pretty.livejournal.com]

"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."

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

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]

"Have you heard of Imperio?" Karla asked. "The magic spell that Umbridge uses to take over the minds of people; force them to do her bidding?"

Karla wasn't going to try to absolve herself of blame. Imperio or not, she had been the one to cut Rapunzel's hair. But the least she could do was try to explain.

Re: Hallway Full of Lockers

[leavingthenest.livejournal.com]

The nod Rapunzel managed was stiff and jerky, but it was still a nod.

"I-I know." She remembered.