[action] | [video]

[intothelens]

 

[ACTION]

[A little while after parting with Takeru, Hikari found herself wandering the local park once more.  Lost and confused, but not yet frightened, she continued on with a hesitant determination.  Taking in everything around her.  The trees.  The paths.  The people walking by.]

[In her hands, she continued to carry a small egg.  Unable to recall where and when she found it any more than she could remember how she ended up in this place.  It didn't look like the park near her apartment.  Had she been sleepwalking?  The last thing she could remember, she'd gone to take a nap after failing to find anything good on television.  And she was still in her pajamas.  Wearing her house slippers--she hoped she wouldn't get in trouble for getting them dirty by walking around with them outside.]

[First thing's first, though...she needed to figure out exactly where she was.  So she could figure out how to get home.]

[VIDEO]

[Hikari hesitated for a long time, staring at the item in her hands, before wiling herself to turn it on.  Not because she was afraid.  Not because she didn't know how to use it.  But because she knew, no matter how carefully she phrased her question...she would inevitably cause some kind heart to worry about her.  And she didn't want to do that.]

Excuse me. 

[Starting off polite, just like her mama taught her.  The most important thing was to not look or sound scared.]

I was wondering if anybody could tell me...how to get back to Odaiba?  I think I walked a little too far and got lost along the way.  [Conveniently leaving out the memory lapse.  That would DEFINITELY cause people to worry.]  If there's anybody who could at least point me the way I need to go, I would be very appreciative.

[She ended her brief inquiry with a small nod of her head in preemptive gratitude.]

Thank you.

Comments

Action

[mother_of_monsters]

[Like Hikari, Dray doesn't know what happen and he doesn't remember what he was doing. He blinked and suddently his family was nowhere to be seen.

If Hikari is paying attention, she might spot a small golden coloured kitten wearing a necklace and mewling in distress.]

Action

[givesalittlewhistle]

[She stopped short when she caught sight of the little kitten. Kneeling down and putting on her best smile. For all she was lost right then, she couldn’t resist the urge to check on a precious creature even smaller than herself.]

Hello, little kitty-cat. Are you lost too?

Re: Action

[mother_of_monsters]

[Even if she looked and sounded nice, Dray was still startled. He tried to take a step back, only to trip on his own legs and fall on his ass. Little Edions didn't have the best balance. He shook his head, mewled softly and then looked up at the girl.]

I...I can't find Masha.

Action

[givesalittlewhistle]

[...did...that cat...just talk?]

[Hikari straightened as she continued to stare down at the kitten with slightly widened eyes. First, she woke up in a strange park that didn't look anything like home. Now, she was hearing animals talk. Did that mean she was dreaming?]

Who's Masha?

R Action

[mother_of_monsters]

[Yep, he sure did. The kitten blinks up at her, tilts his head as if he's trying to understand the question.]

Masha is...family. Home. Mom? [He knows other species use that word.]

Action

[givesalittlewhistle]

[...oh! That made a little more sense. You know, once one got passed the talking feline. She was just going to...go along with that part. For now.]

I'm guessing your mom looks like you? [She tilted her head upward for a moment, darting her head from side to side before turning back with a slightly defeated expression.] I don't see any other cats right now.

Maybe she's out looking for you too?

Action

[mother_of_monsters]

No, Masha is...[Dray waves a small paw up in the air, almost losing his balance again.] Taller. Taller than you too, with long fur. What's a cat?

Action

[givesalittlewhistle]

A cat... [She paused. Is...that not what the little creature called himself?] ...it something that looks a little like you.

But if you're not a cat...what are you?

Action

[mother_of_monsters]

Ah...I'm Dray. [He's an Eidion and since cats doesn't exist in his world, he doesn't know what Hikari means. It doesn't hep that he's just a baby too.] And you? Are you an elf?

[Masha told him about them, they're furless, he knows, but their skin is darker. Perhaps this elf in front of him is sick? That must be it.]

[Action]

[nevercuthishair]

(Taichi should consider himself lucky he hasn't yet found or touched an egg, but...images of long ago popped into his head the second he finally came across Hikari. He hadn't seen her when he woke up, figured she might be out and about but when Takeru wasn't even around that was cause for concern.

Until now.)

...Hikari?

[Action]

[givesalittlewhistle]

[Turning at the sound of her name, Hikari looked...up. Far higher up than she should have to find that familiar tuff of wild, brown hair. And a face that looked...familiar. But not. Older. More like a grown-up than preteen boy. Her eyes were wide in confusion, staring with her mouth slightly agape.]

...Oniichan?

[It couldn’t have been, and yet...the young man before her looked so much like Taichi, she couldn’t help the moniker passing through her lips. More of a question than greeting.]

[Action]

[nevercuthishair]

...Yeah.

(Taichi was used to Hikari being shorter than him, but...this was a bit much. It was like he'd gone back in time and overshot the distance.

He dropped down to a knee and pointed to his eyes, as if she could tell it was him just by sight. Then again, she might recognize him by his hair right off the bat.)

[Action]

[givesalittlewhistle]

[Her eyes never once left him as she watched him kneel down. Taking in every detail of his face. His eyes. His hair, of course—somehow also even bigger than she remembered.]

[There seemed to be little doubt in her mind this was her big brother. But she was still (understandably) confused.]

Oniichan...why are you so big?

Did...something happen to you at camp?

[Action]

[nevercuthishair]

(Camp. The day it all started, when it had started snowing on August 1st. Apparently Hikari was de-aged back to before he'd first returned.)

Quite a bit happened at camp. What about you? Everything okay?

[Action]

[givesalittlewhistle]

[She nodded. It was true...enough...to not be a lie. She wasn’t hurt and she wasn’t even scared.]

Don’t tell mom I left the apartment in my house slippers, please. [Glancing down at her feet, it would immediately become apparent she was not wearing her usual sneakers.] I didn’t mean to. I don’t even remember going outside.

[Action]

[nevercuthishair]

I promise.

(Taichi reached out to ruffle her hair, making sure not to touch the egg under any circumstances.) It'll just be between us.

[Action]

[givesalittlewhistle]

[She smiled in relief at first. Then scrunched her nose when he moved to ruffle her hair--something so Taichi that her smile brightened all the more when he pulled away. Her posture seemed to relax mostly, except for the part where she was still protectively cradling the egg in her hands.]

[Almost as if there was some memory buried deep within that involved protecting eggs from her brother....]

Does this mean we can go home now?

[She looked to him expectantly. If he was here, now, that means he was done with being at camp. At least long enough to bring her back to the apartment. Maybe he could even stay a little while after that.]

video;

[soulsforsale]

[Raine really had no idea what was going on, nor did she overly care. But it was a good time as any to figure people out regardless.]

From what I've been told going back home is not exactly something that will happen if you ask nicely.

video;

[givesalittlewhistle]

Why not?

[She wasn't yet close to crying, but there was a notable look of dismay on the young girl's face. Especially since she still believed she only needed directions. Why couldn't she be given at least that much?]

video;

[soulsforsale]

That I cannot answer. There is little to go on about our beloved kidnappers.

[She paused.]

We don't even know who they are as people to figure out that either.

video;

[givesalittlewhistle]

[Her eyes widened. Try as she might to keep from looking scared...the truth was, she was starting to feel a little scared. Enough for her lower lip to threaten to tremble.]

Kidnappers?

I was...kidnapped?

video;

[soulsforsale]

[And Raine is not one to beat around the bush and will answer honestly. Hey, gotta toughen up kids somehow.]

Probably. I mean kidnapping means being taken somewhere again your will, correct?

video;

[givesalittlewhistle]

I know what kidnapping means.

I just...I don't remember anybody taking me. I fell asleep at home, and I woke up here. Alone.

video;

[soulsforsale]

So whoever it was managed to get into your house and take you while you slept.

Rather bold of them honestly.

video;

[givesalittlewhistle]

Do...you know who could have done something like that?