#brightwindsbarony

"Maybe I should meet her" A thought "Set her mind at ease . Not like she'll see my hooves"

Irene fidgets.

"Well, she's pretty busy."

"If you're worried I can leave it be" She says

"I don't want to make things harder for Mom."

"Would me saying hi do that you think?" treating the young one like an expert, which on her mom, she might be

"Well... I don't know? She's tired a lot."

"And she has to work, so she doesn't have time, always, to do things..."

"I've been there" Sympathy "I worked two jobs while my husband had his own and...well, times can be hard. I think she'll be glad to have a babysitter, no offense"

"I have been so good with school, and we're back in person now so she can get work done during the day!"

"We watched TV together last night." Foot scuff.

"What show?" She asks

"There's Muppets on Disney now."

"And we had popcorn and Mom laughed and laughed at Fozzie."

"Fozzie's funny, mostly when he doesnn't mean to be, but he's lovable"

"Yeah. It was really nice."

"Sounds like you and your mom have something you can share and enjoy"

"Yeah, it was nice."

Stew asks "Who's your favorite muppet?"

"OH! Oh... well, there's Kermit, he's nice and he's funny and he's kind. But then there's Gonzo and he's silly, and Fozzie just, like, he tries so hard..."

A smile "hard to pick a favorite ?"

"Can they all be my favorites?"

"I don't see why not" She says "Lot of room in a heart right?"

"True!"

"Do you like Muppets?"

"Oh, have you seen Fantasia? It has centaurs!"

"It DOES and I did" She nods "itt's been a long time, but yes, and I liked the muppets when i was your age. I guess I still do."

"I've never seen a piskie in a movie." Siiigh.

"I don't think any of us are SUPPOSed to be caught on film. It would be tricky to keep a secret" She leans down "But maybe.. just maybe, you have seen some nd they're in disguise?"

"Oh, maybe. Piskies can blend in anywhere, did you know that?"

"I've heard" she says "And met two more piskeys"

"Melwyn and Peter! I remember them from before!"

"Melwyn plays piano. She played at the restaurant downtown - it has a piano in it that most everybody ignores, but when she played everybody lit up!"

"That was before the Baron cut off her hand, though."

"HE was the one who..." She snorts "That son of.." A breath. Small ears, Rose. Small ears

Fidget, fidget.

"Sorry, Irene... bad people annoy me. But we have a GOOD Baroness now so much better." She says "Melwyn plays well, I heard some. She likes Billy Joel. He's his retired singer who had some really good hits when I was very young.. even before I was born actually.. long career"

"....piskies are thieves..." She admits in a quiet rush, ashamed.

Rose looks at her "And in stories, centaurs are brutes and savages, doing horrible things. But even we aren't defined by stories. And.. you're forgetting the other truth"

"But that's not stories..." Worried note.

"You borrow things.. and never out of greed. And here's that other truth. Sometimes thieves are the heroes. Robin Hood? A thief. That guy in the National treasure movie? Stole the Declaration of Independence to save it from those who were going to do it out of greed. Zorro? He was seen as a bandit, but the REAL thieves were the corrupt dictators. "

"You aren't mad?"

"I was when I didn't understand, just a bit, but then I learned it's part of who you are. And...that you don't take it o take away from me, but because you so admire, and because you share in your way. Are you mad because I once losst my cool in a crowd and nearly started a fight because I felt trapped?"

"No!"

"Well, I scared some folks. I'm not proud of that" she sighs "Mortifying really. Now, if you KEPT my broach I would have been cranky but it's back now and you are not a bad person... and remember what I said, thieves can be heroes"

Fidget. "Okay."

"And... if you ever get in trouble because you can't help it? you tell the Baroness, or me okay? Just like I needed my daughter to tell me it was okay when I had my.. incident"

"I don't think Lady Sparrow would cut off anybody's hands. She's even nice to that Lady Balor in the dungeon."

"Mmm we have a balor lady in the.. wow, shows I'm a Joanie come lately"

"Oh yeah, she tried to kill people."