A Sort of Third Apple Scene Re-Write
"Well... I don't know," Ulla said almost nervously. "Are y ou... are you anything like your cousin?"
Hippomenes seemed surprised. "Dell? You mean Dell? I have to say that we're a great deal alike. In fact - "
"No," she interrupted, "I mean... Do you hide like he does? Do you present this silly, rich-boy mask to the world and keep something more buried underneath?"
Hippomenes smiled sadly. "No. I'm afraid I don't. You see, I don't have an interesting personality to hide like Dell does. I'm rather more flamboyant, not nearly as subtle, and the focused intensity he can have just baffles me. I employ deception no more than the average person does. I'm afraid I can't even hide my flaws successfully."
Ulla sat beside him silently for a moment, digesting what she had been told. That was it, Hippomenes realized - he had lost her forever. "I'm sorry I disappointed you," he told her softly. "I know you were looking for some way to justify my actions, some way to justify any feelings that I may have succeeded in inspiring in you. I know that they're not... Well, it's obvious now that I'll never sway you. It's better that I realize now than to continue this futile chase. "I - " He stopped and looked away from her. Haltingly, he said, "I'll... leave. I'll leave you alone now... if... that's what you want."
Ulla continued to remain silent as he sat there dejectedly, waiting for a response. He raised his eyes back up to her and was surprised to find her glaring at him fiercely. "Is that it You're just going to give up? After all the time and money you've interested in me - you're going to throw that all away?"
"W-well," Hippomenes began, obviously confused, "I thought that - "
"No." Ulla shook her head, denouncing what he said. "Yes, you offered me your wealth and kindness, but that's not enough. That'll just soften a girl up - you gotta go in for the kill! You were talking about... apples earlier. Don't know why, but... Anyway! You said that there was one more." Her voice softened and she looked up at him with soft, shining eyes. "Aren't you going to give it to me?"
"Oh yes," Hippomenes said breathlessly, as though just realizing the truth of her words, just remembering the apple she spoke of. That would... Well, I gave you money to appeal to your material senses, then I gave you kindness and respect so you'd at least like me as a person. And now..." He slid a piece of her thick, straight auburn hair behind one small ear. "Now I give you reverence."
***
There's more - I'll post it later. Nyah.
8LB
***
Hippomenes seemed surprised. "Dell? You mean Dell? I have to say that we're a great deal alike. In fact - "
"No," she interrupted, "I mean... Do you hide like he does? Do you present this silly, rich-boy mask to the world and keep something more buried underneath?"
Hippomenes smiled sadly. "No. I'm afraid I don't. You see, I don't have an interesting personality to hide like Dell does. I'm rather more flamboyant, not nearly as subtle, and the focused intensity he can have just baffles me. I employ deception no more than the average person does. I'm afraid I can't even hide my flaws successfully."
Ulla sat beside him silently for a moment, digesting what she had been told. That was it, Hippomenes realized - he had lost her forever. "I'm sorry I disappointed you," he told her softly. "I know you were looking for some way to justify my actions, some way to justify any feelings that I may have succeeded in inspiring in you. I know that they're not... Well, it's obvious now that I'll never sway you. It's better that I realize now than to continue this futile chase. "I - " He stopped and looked away from her. Haltingly, he said, "I'll... leave. I'll leave you alone now... if... that's what you want."
Ulla continued to remain silent as he sat there dejectedly, waiting for a response. He raised his eyes back up to her and was surprised to find her glaring at him fiercely. "Is that it You're just going to give up? After all the time and money you've interested in me - you're going to throw that all away?"
"W-well," Hippomenes began, obviously confused, "I thought that - "
"No." Ulla shook her head, denouncing what he said. "Yes, you offered me your wealth and kindness, but that's not enough. That'll just soften a girl up - you gotta go in for the kill! You were talking about... apples earlier. Don't know why, but... Anyway! You said that there was one more." Her voice softened and she looked up at him with soft, shining eyes. "Aren't you going to give it to me?"
"Oh yes," Hippomenes said breathlessly, as though just realizing the truth of her words, just remembering the apple she spoke of. That would... Well, I gave you money to appeal to your material senses, then I gave you kindness and respect so you'd at least like me as a person. And now..." He slid a piece of her thick, straight auburn hair behind one small ear. "Now I give you reverence."
***
There's more - I'll post it later. Nyah.
8LB
***