(Untitled)

[onasmallscale]

[In the icy lake today, a naked ten year old boy abruptly bobs to the surface. He slowly swims to shore and clings to the bank, looking around in dazed confusion]

...What...? Where am I-?

Comments

[deaddys_here]

-- you'll freeze, get out of there.

[onasmallscale]

[...nods slowly] It's cold... [clambers out, still looking dazed, rubbing his eyes]

[deaddys_here]

[takes off his coat and drapes it over him]

Come on, I'll show you to the showers and find you some dry clothes.

[onasmallscale]

[looks up at him uncertainly] Um.

[deaddys_here]

[crouches down]

I'm Maes Hughes. [offers a hand]

[onasmallscale]

...That doesn't really make you less of a stranger. [shakes though, his hand icy] Tsukihiko.

[deaddys_here]

I'm one of the counselors here, also trapped.

[onasmallscale]

Counselor? [shivers again] ...That shower would be nice.

[deaddys_here]

[wraps that coat more tightly around the little boy]

Someone who works here. This way.

[onasmallscale]

[bleh smells like human. But it's warm -- he huddles into it]

Okay. What do you do here?

[deaddys_here]

[leads]

Damage control mostly, but my official job is to teach family values.

[onasmallscale]

[makes a sound halfway between a scoff and a hiss]

What are those?

[deaddys_here]

Family values?

[onasmallscale]

Or should I say, why is that needed...?

[deaddys_here]

Ah, there are too many kids here by themselves.

[showing him to the showers]

[onasmallscale]

So you'll teach them what it's like to have a family? I don't understand.

[heading inside, glancing back to see if Hughes is following]