exsiliumlogs | [open] You're lost, little girl

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[open] You're lost, little girl

Date & Time: January 19th-31st
Location: The housing complex, the Hold, some random alleyways, etc.
Characters: kid!Sheryl Nome and YOU
Summary: A little girl wanders around Exsilium and gets lost a lot. Spoilers: she turns into a pop star ten years later.
Warnings: SO MUCH SAD

OPTION A: January 19th, right outside the Hold and alleyways
[Sheryl Nome is no stranger to murky skies and dark buildings towering over her like creepy monsters from nightmares; in fact, she can describe what they look like even as she closes her eyes. Lifeless, dull, dreary, unsettling. This place may not be Galaxy, but the similarities are too apparent that she might as well be at the slums by now. Heck, it even rains just like back home. To a seven-year-old girl who lived through that, it's jarring.

Clutching a newspaper over her head, she toddles around, eyes shifting from one side to the next as she appears frightened, her jaw tightly clenched. Despite how hard she's shivering and how unhealthily skinny she looked, she keeps walking across the sidewalk, trying her best to fight back tears. Dark smudges are all over her cheeks and legs, and her dress looks ragged from constant wear. Under close inspection, bruises can be seen on her knees. As for her hair, it's no longer a vibrant shade of pink — like she's been trapped in ash.

To anyone who once met her as a teenage idol singer with a confident stride, they may be able to spot similarities in appearances, mainly from the face and hairstyle. Don't mind her as she eventually bumps into someone without looking, causing her to fall on her back and yelp out loud. Shielding herself with both arms, she squirms to back away.]

Ah! I-I'm sorry...! Please don't hurt me!

OPTION B: January 20th-beyond, inside the apartment and the Hold
[After finally becoming accustomed to indoors, little Sheryl takes her time to explore her surroundings. Eyes widened, she winds up sneaking inside various rooms unsupervised, curiosity getting the best of her. As she continues with the tour, she keeps her hand pressed against her stomach, looking worried that she may not find some food on time. She doesn't have any money on hand, and she feels bad asking the people she'd already met for snacks. Additionally, she's still painfully shy around other Transports in general, fearing that she'll stumble upon a dangerous kind.

This girl may be little, but she thinks she can fend for herself for a while. No big deal, right?

Sheryl can also be seen at the training room/makeshift daycare center either A) painting some pictures, B) playing with a huge teddy bear, or C) making a mess. Bother/play with her?]

OPTION C: January 21st-beyond, wherever
[Feel free to make up any scenario! She could be wherever your character is located.]

(OOC: Action or prose is fine by me!)

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_{( He's walking with his head down, trying not to be noticed, and so doesn't see her in time to get out of the way. His reflexes are good, though, and he reaches out immediately to grab her arm and try and stop her from falling. )}

Woah, calm down, fille-- no one's gonna hurt you.

[There's a tiny gasp out of her once she feels a hand grabbing her upright, both feet somehow still on the ground despite how ungainly she shifted. Her head shots up as she's about to scream for help, but the moment the man talks calmly to her, she blinks.]

Huh? You mean... you're not? I mean, no one is?

[It's right then when she recalls her conversation with Lelouch over the network; how there are actually nice adults. Perhaps this man is one of them? Either way, she looks unsure for a moment, brows knitted tightly.]

Edited 2013-01-23 21:17 (UTC)

'Course not.

_{( He nods, and tries to look as convincing as possible. He's let go of her, by this point, but he kneels down so he's at her level and offers her his most reassuring smile. Boyish as it is, it's a rather charming expression. )}

Why would they?

No no, it's ok. It was just an accident.

[The poor thing looks so scared right now. Adam will kneel down to her and smile to keep her from being sad.]

Where do you live? Maybe I can help you get there.

[She isn't the only seven year old running around, and little Isaac is literally running. He's in a panic, occasionally shouting "Mom! Dad!" in both English and Yurok. He doesn't care that he's wet from the rain, only that he's all alone, and so it's no surprise that when he careens into her, he's knocked down too.]

I'm sorry--

[Her own apology makes him stop and he stares for a moment.]

Why would I...? Are you lost too?

[When she realizes that Adam won't be attempting to pick her up or anything, Sheryl visibly relaxes once she sees the smile on his face. She seems to be getting better luck with bumping into nice adults during her stay.]

Where I live?

[And here is where she misinterprets his question to mean where she lived back home.]

Umm... I live in Galaxy. Over there.

[Looking downcast, she points over to an alleyway just a block away from the building she's close to.]

[It's not everyday that Sheryl bumps into someone around the same age as her, lost and upset just like she is; naturally the surprise is very apparent in her small expression, eyes widening at the boy in front of her. Her shoulders droop down as she brings her knees closer to her chest, shifting so she's seated on the ground.]

Yeah... everything looks so dark in here.

[There's a nod to go along with her statement. She pauses briefly, tilting her head as she peers over the boy.]

I didn't know you're lost just like me.

[As someone who had to deal with danger where she lived, Sheryl doesn't put herself out there easily, much less around strangers, which is why she takes a cautious step back and fidgets nervously. Her nose crinkles a little as she sniffs a few times. At least this person seems nice enough, but...]

Because they're dangerous. I've seen mean grown-ups before and it's scary outside.

[Things seven-year-old boys ought to do when their big sisters aren't around: remember to lock the front door.

List of seven-year-old boys due for a good chiding: Kazu, if he can survive this mysterious intruder in the apartment. Oh, they're very good at sneaking around, but he knows they're there.

(He can see your feet through the crack under his room's door, Sheryl. He's onto you.)

Grabbing a pillow for self-defence—don't judge him, there's nothing better in here—he eeeeeases the door open and peeks through the tiny sliver of space, hoping the dim evening light'll cover for him.

She'd better not be standing right there.]

[Tap, tap, tap. Those are faint sounds of Sheryl's sock-clad footsteps approaching, small as they can be. Why is she not wearing shoes? Because she lost them somewhere during her trek down to random rooms. She should really know better than to wander around without anyone to watch over her, but she's just adventurous like that.

Watch out, Kazu. She's coming for you.

The small opening catches Sheryl by surprise, causing her to emit an "eeep" sound. Wait, is the door open all along?

Knock, knock, knock.]

Hellooooo...!

[ A small blue-haired girl notices Sheryl painting some pictures nearby. Rika's a little younger, looking only about four-years-old. Curious, she's scoots a little closer to take a better look. ]

Mii. What are you painting?

_{( Remy just nods, at that, taking her very seriously. The smile shifts to something neutrally pleasant, and he keeps his hands out, palms up, as if to prove he means her no harm. )}

Y'could go inside. It's dry in there, too.

[Sheryl is already filled with colorful paint splotches, some smudges on her cheeks and fingertips, when she lifts one of the finished pictures to show it to Rika.]

Ehehe... these are flowers. Don't they look pretty?

[With a kiddy picture of roses and daisies, she's practically beaming right now.]

Edited 2013-01-24 04:52 (UTC)

[Well, it's certainly not staying open now. It's getting dark and he can't see well through a crack this small, so all he glimpses is her raggedy dress, her shaggy long hair, her skin greyed out by a trick of the fading light; and oh my god this is how people die in the movies. Help.

There's a matching squeak right as he starts fumbling the door shut, you door-knocking fiend—

Right on his toe.]

OW!

[Seems the door'll be staying open after all, swinging wide to expose some kid hopping around with a pillow.]

Edited (Thought better of making a canon-specific joke; sorry for the edit!) 2013-01-24 04:46 (UTC)

[She forms an "O" shape with her lips as though she understands his gesture, then turns her head to look around, still fidgeting but not as much as before.]

I can?

[She gathers her arms to hug herself, both hands rubbing against her forearms in an attempt to warm them up.]

Someone told me about a place I could go to. It's called, umm... [Think Sheryl, think!] a Transport place, I think.

C'est vrai--that's right. _{( He smiles at her, again, and then gestures back towards the Hold. )}

Could prob'ly even get something ta eat there, if you want. _{( He tilts his head, as though noticing that she's trying to warm up, and then sheds the coat he's wearing over his clothes and holds it out to her with one hand. )}

Ah shit.

[Lilith wonders why it is that all the children she's run into so far seem to have this crippling fear of everything around them. She isn't just going to ask them that, though. Even she has better manners than that.

Instead, she crouches down to put herself at eye-level with Sheryl. All these shenanigans were, at least, giving Lilith some experience in dealing with kids. She rests one arm on her knee, the other holding her umbrella over Sheryl. She looks at the girl with some mix of sympathy and exasperation. Her words are tired, having been spoken before, but there is no less meaning to them.]

I ain't gonna hurt you.

[Sheryl does look considerably worse than most of the other children she'd run into, though.]

You wanna get somewhere warm, kid?

( bumping into such a small child only makes ranka take a single step backwards, but the exclamation almost makes her jump. she opens her mouth to apologize herself, before the meaning of those words sink in and make her pause )

Hurt you?

I can't-- find anyone.

[This is a very upsetting thing, and he hiccups on the sob that wants to come out. He's a very sheltered boy, and just wants to find his family and curl up loved and safe and warm. After a moment he decides sitting down is a good idea too. His feet are bare, but he doesn't seem to mind the wet much.]

Nothing's right here. It all smells wrong.

( Sakura whirls around when Sheryl bumps into her, thinking for all the world someone may have just shoved another little girl around. She should do something about that, but the thought terrifies her -- her voice comes out as a high, thin, pitchy cry: )

Don't hurt her! I'll -- I'll tell Ino on you!

( She blinks in confusion as it appears there's no one looming over either of them. Glancing at Sheryl, she opens her mouth to ask where they went. )

Edited 2013-01-24 06:48 (UTC)

[Sheryl may be young, but she can sympathize wanting to find someone — anyone in a dark place, feeling lost with hardly any familiar people in sight. It's frightening that someone else is undergoing a similar scenario as her.]

I'm sorry...

[Distracted by the hiccups coming from him, she clenches one hand into a fist and presses it against her heart, feeling the urge to cry. She can't do it, though, or else it'd discourage him, even if she's sniffing.]

Um, I can help you find them! [A beat.] Your mom and dad — i-if you want.

[Oh no, oh no, why is the door suddenly wide open?! This is scary, oh no—]

Aaaah!

[There's a loud scream to go along with her frightened glance, and the abrupt surprise at seeing someone there behind the door causes her to fall on her bottom, her arms and feet flailing. Even her skin is starting to turn pale from the sudden fright, that poor girl. At least that'll show her not to wander into strangers' rooms.]

W-Who is that?!

[Oh, it's a boy with a pillow. Once she finally takes full notice of what he looks like, Sheryl clutches both hands to her chest with her eyes wide open.]

[A pair of blue eyes slowly flicker up at Lilith, noticing the umbrella over her head, and Sheryl subconsciously squirms closer with her hands propped behind her, after taking a moment to realize that she won't be in any danger. While she's not used to strangers helping her, it's a risk worth taking it if means obtaining a shelter from the rain. Or possibly some food.

Shoulders shivering from the cold, she brings up her hands to grasp them as though she's hugging herself. Even though she looks scared now, she manages to speak after a moment of silence, her voice hushed and pitchy.]

O-Okay... I'd like that.

[The sniffing makes him look up, and he frowns. He can tell he's making her sad and that doesn't feel very good. But what to do?

And then she makes that offer, and he brightens, even if part of him is worried they won't be able to.]

Yeah! 'cause everything will be better together. And then we can help you find your family too!

[From her crouched position at the ground, Sheryl immediately wipes the tears from her eyes in an attempt to hide them from Ranka. It'd be one thing if she bumped into an adult, but a teenager? She slowly tilts her head up to gaze upon the girl in front of her, nodding while she rubs her cheeks.]

Y-Yeah.

[This person doesn't seem intimidating somehow, and it's enough for Sheryl to droop her shoulders and relax.]

But... you don't look scary at all.

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[open] You're lost, little girl

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A! Poor bitty...

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B; apartments; let's say 28th if that's okay!

That's fine by me!

B- the daycare center

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