A View from the Top (open)

Leaning on the iron railing of the Eiffel Tower on the very top floor Yvette gazed at the sight of Paris spread out at her feet. Ever since she had gotten her letter from Beauxbatons she had been coming to Paris more often than she was at home. She missed the hard work of ranching and the freedom from being on the range but in Paris she was more attached to the wizarding side of herself. Not that climbing all the stairs from the bottom of the Tower to the third floor wasn't hard work, but she had been doing it so often in the recent years it didn't bother her so much anymore.

A slight breeze jumped up and caught the hair coming out from underneath her black cowboy hat. Her appearance looked out of place in the city. She wore bootleg style black jeans with her tanned leather, heeled boots outside of the fabric. Underneath her plaid overshirt was a black tanktop and over it was a tanned buckskin jacket. What made her most out of place though was the kangaroo hide bullwhip that hung from a snap loop on her heavy, black leather belt.

Looking out over the city Yvette allowed herself to be transported into a world of imagination full of wonder. She started to whistle a tune and turned her thoughts to Beauxbaton. She missed the place even more than she missed the thrill of the ranch.

Christopher galloped around on the top of the tower, trying to work out his fidgetyness. He had been going stur crazy in his house.

So he did what he always did when he couldn't take being inside - or his sister - anymore, he went to the tower and made his way to the top. He couldn't remember a time when he wasn't facinated by the structure that definded his home town.

He loved it. As he walked about, he noticed a girl leaning over the railing. She looked out of place... but in a good way.

He walked over and leaned on the railing beside her, "Don't see people like you around here much... I mean- you look- I didn't mean..."

He blushed and shook his head trying to find a way of saying what he was thining without sounding like a total hack.

Finally he sighed and gave a helpless little grin.

"I like your hat."

She ascended the stairs like a ballerina each step was as graceful as the last, she was so happy to be able to spend her time on such a famous structure, her immaculate hair glided gently on the wind as did her long floral dress. She greeted each person she met on her way up with a smile and a "hello" as she reached the top floor she twisted elegantly and trotted over to the edge she took a deep breath of French air and looked over the whole floor, there was a girl who stood out from the crowd.

"How peculiar," she walked over slowly each step never out of place her posture never shifting from that of a princess. She hadn't noticed the boy until she had already said in her honey voice "A pleasure to meet you my name is Penelope, you look splendid today" she then greeted the boy 'Penelope, it's a pleasure to meet you" she curtsied and looked over the city. "Such a beautiful city, isn't it... One full of love and beauty" She took another deep breath of air and relaxed.

Yvette gave a small smile at the boy's bumbling nature as he joined her at the railing. He was kinda cute in a city-slicker kinda way. "Thanks," she said with a laugh. "I'll take that as the compliment you intend it as." At the sound of another person approaching she turned her head and looked at the new girl up and down, her brown eyes shielded from the sun by the down turned brim of her black hat.

"Well, well," she commented with a slight drawl in her voice. "Looks like we got us a princess in disguise. How in Merlin's name can you do anything in that dress?" Gazing at the girl and turning her body fully so her back was against the railing Yvette crossed her arms, fingers dangling close to the snap of her whip. "Tell me, how can you tell if it is a pleasure to meet someone if you've never spoken to them before? They could be the nastiest person in the history of existence; would it still be a pleasure to meet them then?"

Mock bowing in response to the Penelope girl's curtsy, Yvette's grin went from mocking to downright cocky. "Personally I believe Paris to be crammed, smelly, and too crowded. It has neither the beauty nor the natural love of the ranch I grew up on. True beauty is unable to be found in the city." Smirking at the boy playfully Yvette pushed off the rail and her deep brown eyes shimmered in excitement. "For instance," she undid the snap and grabbed the bullwhip handle, "where in this city would I be able to study how to turn a useful tool such as this bullwhip," she brought it out in front of her, "into a delicate, precise artform?"

With a loud crack Yvette had the crowd dispersed and gathered around her in a large ring with the boy on the railing and the Penelope person in the front row. The cowgirl's stance was relaxed as her wrists rotated to loosen them. Suddenly her arm snapped out and she cracked the bullwhip mere inches from the other girl's face. She snapped it into a Tasmanian cutback and the crack came behind her shoulder, then shifted into a Queensland cutback and then into a reverse figure eight. The air was filled with the sound of the whip cracking as it broke the soundbarrier again and again. With her final trick, a Singleton crack, Yvette finsished to thunderous applause and wrapped the whip around her body as she took a bow to her audience.

With a giggle Penelope lowered her head slightly saying "Why thank you," looking at the girl she continued "When you are brought up in dresses you learn to maneuver it" she smiled and even after her comment she smiled replying "Any opportunity to meet a new person is a pleasure, whether it be Hitler or Merlin himself. I also believe that through open eyes and an open heart any landscape can be loved" she raised her hand to her mouth and gasped as all women do when shocked, the girls bull whip inches from her face.

She watched in sheer awe as this girl she barely met bent and moved her whip to make loud cracks and into beautiful shapes. She clapped delicately and explained in her voice of honey "The way you move your whip is truly art, the way you move it is similar to how I move my dress. I could never do what you just did, you are a beautifully talented young woman" she smiled some more and adjusted her dress as it began to wrap around her legs her hair looked like a models in a fan as her dress now mimicked it.

Quinn walked up the Eiffel Tower too see 3 other people who go to her school. "Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt your conversation" Quinn apologized and went to turn and leave to let them talk.

Christopher smiled and gave a nod of thanks that she had managed to get what he meant out of his bumbling talk. He really did have a talent for putting his foot in his mouth more often than he really liked. It wasn't really his fault - or so he rationalized - words always managed to sound different once he has said them out loud than they had when they were just in his head.

The boy's eyes widened as another girl approached them. She some how managed to seem more out of place than the first one. She just seemed so-so-so...

Other worldly? Too fancy? He had to agree with the first girls statement. He never did understand girls clothes. Who could move in such things as dresses and skirts?

He let out a whistle at the first girls display.

"That," he said with a nod, "Was impressive. I'm sure I would have managed to whip myself."

He couldn't help but go back to look at the second girl as she spoke and acted, going right back to his first impression that she was... she was .. well unbelievable and he wasn't sure he meant that in a good way. She seemed like something he'd see on TV. He didn't think girls actually acted like that.

"So you are from the country?" he asked after a moment. "I've lived in the city my whole life... If you know where to look you can find places that are nice I guess... but I've always thought the country might be nice too you know... open and... things." He turned to the girl in the dress, "So where are you from?" 1815?

Before Quinn left she turned back around. She knew she wasn't crazy because when she first walked up she saw a girl in a long dress. "Your dress is pretty" Quinn said trying to be nice. "Do you usually wear dresses to the Eiffel tower" Quinn asked sort of confused but didn't let it show.

Yvette bowed once more as the crowd dispersed once again. Leaving the whip wrapped around her body she went back over the the rail and leaned on it, the drop behind her not fazing her in the slightest. Licking her lips she tilted her hat up a bit. "We got a name for people like you back home," she drawled. "We call 'em by a number of names. Usually stuff like ass-kisser, Mary-Sue, city trash, and the list goes on." The girl laughed. "It seems like everyday on the ranch we're comin' up with different names to call them."

"And yer could never do it cause you're too wrapped up in the whole picture perfect Barbie doll routine," Yvette gave a crooked grin as she tipped her hat at the new girl that had arrived. Turning to the boy she responded, "Yeah. I've lived on the family ranch my whole life. Started riding at six and learned to rope shortly there after. Went on my first muster at eight and started breaking horses at the same time." She gazed and finally realized that all these kids were younger than her. Nudging the boy Yvette said, "I could teach you some country skills if you want. Damn lot more useful than city slicker skills."

Quinn then suddenly got interested. "Your from the country side" Quinn asked. "My grandmother lives there and she has this amazing farm and I go there in the summer sometimes when I'm aloud" Quinn said. This is the first person Quinn met that was country like her grandmother. "Which part you from" Quinn asked.

She took in the whole scene and registering the insults the compliment and preparing her answer she placed her hands delicately in front of her.
She curtsied to the newest girl and said "Thank you ever so much for the compliment, I wear long dresses most places but when dueling or doing other such physical tasks I tend to wear shorter dresses."

Looking at the boy, the wind was coming from another angle so she swiftly adjusted both her dress and hair saying "I am from this beautiful city, Paris is the place of my birth and where I grew up"

She inclined her head to the cowgirl and replied "I commend your skill to find such interesting words to describe a person unknown to you," she smiled and continued "I find it interesting that you believe I am trying to be barbie, a sweet idea I must say, but I merely wish to be as pleasant as I possibly can"

She fixed her hair and dress a final time and intently watched the conversation.

Quinn was sort of confused on what this girl was talking about since she wasn't up here earlier. "Why the hell would you were dresses all the time, don't you own any pants or shorts or something" Quinn said a little rude. Quinn had to agree with the cowgirl. The girl looked like a barbie that kind of knew fashion. "Yeah are you sure your not a barbie considering you look like the barbie from the nutcracker" Quinn asked and then shrugged at the thought that, that movie was the worst movie she ever saw but got stuck watching it on a loop because of her cousin.

Christopher whistled again, "That's a lot to learn, but sure - I'd love to give it a try sometime."

He held out his hand, "Christopher by the way."

The boy gave the girl a long look for a moment.

"Wait, so you never wear anything but a dress? But... wasn't that like, the point of woman's movements or something?" Chris blushed slighlty realizing that might sound rude, but didn't bother correcting it. Knowing him he'd probably make it sound worse.

Yvette gave a snort at the Mary-Sue type girl. "Tisn't a skill," she cut, "People like you make it so easy to insult. And I'd like to see you remain pleasant when working eighteen hour days in rain or shine, cold or hot, sleet or snow. You'll never last anywhere outside this place, city-slicker."

Taking the boy's hand and giving it a firm shake she quipped, "Unlike young Chris here. Takes a lot of guts to give the bullwhip a try. 'Specially for someone that ain't never been outta the city." Clapping him on the back Yvette gave a crooked smile. "You ain't to bad, boyo. We might make a cowboy outta ya yet. Name's Montmoril. Ya can call me Yvette."

In response to his comment about the women's lib movement she said, "That was all about equality to men and getting the right to vote. Tell ya one thing, dresses and corsets make it awful hard to ride the ranges and rope steers. I wouldn't be caught dead in a dress." Yvette would sooner eat horse crap then where a dress. She saw absolutely no use in them.

As an afterthough she realized the other girl that had joined them later had asked a question. "I live in the southern part of France. 'Bout the middle o' Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. The family's got a massive ranch there that's been in the family for centuries."


(OOC- I fixed it and I was not addressing you, Quinn. The first paragraph is at Penny.)

Quinn sat there and listened to the conversation between the three people. Quinn just sat there like she wasn't there. When she was there she started to look at the view and was completely amazed. She'd lived here her whole life and not once had she been to the Eiffel tower, not once. Looking at the view for herself was amazing and she was glad she was finally here even if she was with other people.

(OOC: Oh now I feel stupid XD)

She blushed slightly at her own ignorance as the word 'corset' spiked her memories of her wardrobe.
"I apologise for not remembering, I do wear dresses everywhere with the exception of dueling, sport and other such things, on those occasions I wear corsets and tights and other close fitting clothes." She tried to answer the girls question as well "I have been called a barbie many times, but that is merely the fact that Barbie has been portrayed as a woman and I am trying my best to fit that mould"

Penelope frowned at Yvette as she tried to answer her question kindly "I am deeply sorry if you have been registering my replies as comparisons. For I simply want to share my side I mean no offence to you and I hope that I have not offended you. I also commend you Christopher for your courage, the bull whip is an interesting piece of equipment but I cannot fathom a use for it in this fine city, again no offence intended dearest" she curtsied as not to offend and show her respect.

This conversation had gone downhill and she hoped to heaven that it would improve, just be pleasant, just be pleasant is all she could think

Chris blushed slightly and tilted his head in response, "Well I always think a skill can be usefull to know. Its not like it can hurt knowing it - but it could not knowing."

"I'd be honoured not to make a fool of the name Cowboy," he told Yvette with a smile and a nod. He could really make a fool out of anything - especially himself.

He nodded along to what the girl said about the rights. Made sense to him.

"Well I always thought it was a wonder you could do anything in a dress. I figured it would get all tangles up around your legs. I'd definitly fall on my face."

Quinn started to laugh at the comment about him falling on his face if he ever wore a dress. "Sorry about that, but you probably would fall, because for a dress you need to wear the right shoes and you'd probably bust your ass" Quinn shrugged after that. "That is one of the reason's I hate wearing dresses, I only wear them when I really have to" Quinn then started to the about when she last wore a dress. She hadn't been in one since she was 8 and it was Easter. Quinn sighed, she really hated that god damn dress, it was to itchy and ugly she just wanted to burn it and die of boredom. Quinn looked at the girl in the dress.

"How the hell do you really walk around in that and not bust your ass" Quinn asked a serious question. "Figure of speech look it up, it's in the thing" Quinn really couldn't remember what it was in but she just shrugged it away.

Unwrapping the whip from around her body Yvette had taken one step forward and shoved the butt of the whip close to Penelope's nose, faster than anyone could blink. "Curtsey one more time and you'll be dangling from your ankles over the side of that railing," she hissed with fire in her eyes. "You say you mean not to offend me, but just by being the Mary-Sue you are, you're offending me. You act like you're so perfect and the way you bear yourself is like from the 18th century. News flash, kid, this is the 21st century and you are an embarrassment to womankind the way you carry on. Nobody's perfect. Nobody's pleasant all the time, so stop acting like the world is such a beautiful, wonderful place full of love." She stepped back and tossed the whip back around her. "All you have to do is go down the closest dark alley and you'll see how unpleasant people can make you."

Yvette leaned against the rail again, her black hat pulled low. Reaching up her hand she made to ruffle the younger boy's hair. "I'm sure once we train you up a bit you'll make a fine cowboy, Chris. I'll even take you to the ranch someday, if your parents permit it." She was completely calm again, like her blow up hadn't just happened. "In my opinion dresses are made to give weak women and girls something to parade around in. The strong are the ones showing the men that they are just as good as they are."

Quinn was still staring at the girl's dress when the girl with the hat swung her whip. Quinn was a little taken back by that, she always wanted to learn how to use a whip but know one would teach her how to though. Quinn then looked at the girl with the whip when she started talking. When she was finished Quinn looked at herself to see that she was wearing jeans with a loose shirt and chucks. Quinn then began to speak. "Yeah I have a question for the girl in the hat, can you teach me how to use one of those, know one would teach me because they thought I wasn't ready for one" Quinn asked.

Chris winced a bit for the other girl, and stood back as Yvette in a sense of the word - lost it on her.

He had to say he could see that her point were valid; however, he kept such thoughts to himself. After all, Yvette seemed to have done a solid job of it, they didn't need his garbled attempts to get words out to muddle up everything.

He grinned at her offer and nodded, "Well then thank you. I'm sure I could get my parents to see it my way... eventually. "

She stayed perfectly calm as the butt of the girls whip came close to her face she listened to her rant and sighed loudly,
"I choose to be kind and pleasant, I know not everyone is" she sighed again "I choose to curtsy because I feel it shows respect in an elegant way, I know not everyone does it and that it is outdated but I do it none the less" she pinched the skin between her eyes her manicured nails clicking lightly. "Dresses are obviously not for everyone, I know there not practical, but they are beautiful." She blatantly laughed in the cowgirls face "Being the 21st century I though you would know that women don't need to prove themselves to men, it's a reason why I don't because I know we are equal"

She took a step back and twirled in a full circle "We shouldn't be arguing in such a beautiful city, on such an amazing monument, on such a beautiful day" she took a deep breath and pushed the hair out of her face.

"You're a crackpot," Yvette finally grated out after battling down the temptation to throw the stupid Barbie doll girl off the side of the tower and seeing how well she bounced or if she just splatted on the pavement. Keeping her temper had never been easy for the girl, especially when people laughed at her.

She pushed off the railing and looked at the small group. "Y'all would be good to recall that you're just youngings. Once you've seen a bit of the world we'll have this conversation again and see where y'all stand. Cause what I see in front of me is a prima donna, a wanna be, and a diamond in the rough," she drawled winding up her whip and snapping it safely to her hip again.

"Chris, I'll come find you when school starts again," she said as she walked away. "Be careful of wanna be people and divas, boyo. Those type of people will do nothing put hold you back from a bigger destiny. Throw the barbie doll off the tower if you have to." She waved her hand in a final farewell and seemed to disappear like smoke into the crowd.

"Okay bye Yvette" she waved happily until she had vanished, she whispered under her breath "Stupid hillbilly" she smile up at the girl and boy waved at them and taking her final deep breath exited the platform, she had a hair appointment that she was going to be early for. She laughed and greeted everyone as she admired the monument.