Ficlet: Let's Pretend
One of those belated but not-forgotten crossover meme fics. This one for curuchamion, who wanted Liz Shaw to meet Ruth (Nancy) Blackett from Swallows and Amazons. I was going to get one of the books, but never got the chance, so I hope the characterisation works. (I think the time scheme is about right, though).
Let's Pretend
(576 words, Liz Shaw, Nancy Blackett - DW/Swallows & Amazons)
***
A young woman walking through the park paused to watch a group of children playing out in the sunshine. They were mostly boys, but she spied two girls in there somewhere. There was clearly a complicated imaginary game in progress and that brought a brief smile to Miss Ruth Blackett’s face.
One of the older boys was facing down a girl probably a couple of years younger than himself, and their clear voices carried easily: “Because girls can’t!”
The girl, a red-head with her hair tied back in a fat plait, faced him, undeterred. “Yes, they can. They can in real life, too.”
“Look,” said the dark-haired boy, not unkindly, but still impatient, “Liz, girls aren’t explorers or scientists. They just aren’t.”
Miss Blackett chuckled, unable to help it, and took the few steps needed to join them. “Golly, some grown up and very clever ladies would be surprised to hear that.”
“That’s what I said,” put in the girl, with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
A younger, mousy haired boy, short and stocky, was standing between them, looking glum at the argument. “Jim, why not let her be, if she wants? It doesn’t make any difference if she’s a scientist on the ‘sploration or something else.”
“It’s silly,” objected the first boy. “It was my idea, and she’s trying to spoil it. It isn’t what girls do.”
The girl in question had her hands on her hips now; battle joined. “Well, you couldn’t be, either!”
“I’m the leader - I don’t want to be one.”
“Just as well, because you’d be no use at all. I’m much cleverer than you!”
Miss Blackett took a hand before a fight broke out. “Young man, if you’re about to tell us what girls can’t do again, I’ll have to put you right, you know.”
They all looked at her.
“In my younger days,” she informed them (and she did feel a bit ancient, suddenly), “I was a sailor - a pirate, in fact - and one of the fiercest enemies I ever met, she was a girl, too.”
They were still all watching her, wary and wide-eyed.
“Maybe I could show you,” she returned with a smile. “Now, we’re a bit stuck for a boat this far ashore, but I bet you there’s treasure buried on this here island, if only you know where to look.”
The younger boy grinned widely. “Pirates!”
Liz frowned. “I wanted to be one of the explorers - a scientist.”
“And why shouldn’t you be?” Miss Blackett countered. “Shiver me timbers, I expect I captured the whole pack of you - and I’m sure I can use a clever scientist in my crew.”
The three of them exchanged a glance, but they weren’t about to argue with a grown up.
“What’s your name?” asked Liz.
Miss Ruth Blackett abandoned her adult self for her lunch hour at least, and said, “Nancy. That’s Captain Nancy, to you.”
“Will there really be treasure?” asked the younger boy.
Liz shook her head. “Silly, Pete, it’s only pretend.”
“Only?” said Nancy, with a sudden grin. “There’s nothing only about that, my girl, unless that’s the way you go round looking at things.”
Jim bit his lip. “And can I fight off a whole horde of pirates?”
“You might need some help with a whole horde,” she said, considering it seriously, although there was a twinkle lurking in her eyes. “How about we see about getting our hands on the treasure first?”
***
Let's Pretend
(576 words, Liz Shaw, Nancy Blackett - DW/Swallows & Amazons)
***
A young woman walking through the park paused to watch a group of children playing out in the sunshine. They were mostly boys, but she spied two girls in there somewhere. There was clearly a complicated imaginary game in progress and that brought a brief smile to Miss Ruth Blackett’s face.
One of the older boys was facing down a girl probably a couple of years younger than himself, and their clear voices carried easily: “Because girls can’t!”
The girl, a red-head with her hair tied back in a fat plait, faced him, undeterred. “Yes, they can. They can in real life, too.”
“Look,” said the dark-haired boy, not unkindly, but still impatient, “Liz, girls aren’t explorers or scientists. They just aren’t.”
Miss Blackett chuckled, unable to help it, and took the few steps needed to join them. “Golly, some grown up and very clever ladies would be surprised to hear that.”
“That’s what I said,” put in the girl, with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
A younger, mousy haired boy, short and stocky, was standing between them, looking glum at the argument. “Jim, why not let her be, if she wants? It doesn’t make any difference if she’s a scientist on the ‘sploration or something else.”
“It’s silly,” objected the first boy. “It was my idea, and she’s trying to spoil it. It isn’t what girls do.”
The girl in question had her hands on her hips now; battle joined. “Well, you couldn’t be, either!”
“I’m the leader - I don’t want to be one.”
“Just as well, because you’d be no use at all. I’m much cleverer than you!”
Miss Blackett took a hand before a fight broke out. “Young man, if you’re about to tell us what girls can’t do again, I’ll have to put you right, you know.”
They all looked at her.
“In my younger days,” she informed them (and she did feel a bit ancient, suddenly), “I was a sailor - a pirate, in fact - and one of the fiercest enemies I ever met, she was a girl, too.”
They were still all watching her, wary and wide-eyed.
“Maybe I could show you,” she returned with a smile. “Now, we’re a bit stuck for a boat this far ashore, but I bet you there’s treasure buried on this here island, if only you know where to look.”
The younger boy grinned widely. “Pirates!”
Liz frowned. “I wanted to be one of the explorers - a scientist.”
“And why shouldn’t you be?” Miss Blackett countered. “Shiver me timbers, I expect I captured the whole pack of you - and I’m sure I can use a clever scientist in my crew.”
The three of them exchanged a glance, but they weren’t about to argue with a grown up.
“What’s your name?” asked Liz.
Miss Ruth Blackett abandoned her adult self for her lunch hour at least, and said, “Nancy. That’s Captain Nancy, to you.”
“Will there really be treasure?” asked the younger boy.
Liz shook her head. “Silly, Pete, it’s only pretend.”
“Only?” said Nancy, with a sudden grin. “There’s nothing only about that, my girl, unless that’s the way you go round looking at things.”
Jim bit his lip. “And can I fight off a whole horde of pirates?”
“You might need some help with a whole horde,” she said, considering it seriously, although there was a twinkle lurking in her eyes. “How about we see about getting our hands on the treasure first?”
***