Practice

[alittlebitofjoy]

[in the lobby on the first floor, a little girl plays. Her hair pulled back into a tiny pony tail, just enough for a little tuft to poke out from the back of her head (some loose strands falling over her face because she hasn't really mastered the art of ponytail tying). She dances around the room in her little bloomer pants and white middy blouse

Comments

[littlespaceship]

[Lev watches for a bit.]

What you doing?

[alittlebitofjoy]

Huh?

[Lilly's step falters, but she recovers quickly; tucking her arms behind her back and straightening. The handle of the knife poking against her back as she beams at the inquiring boy.]

I'm practicing.

[littlespaceship]

[Lev can't help but smile at her enthusiasm.]

Cool, what you practice for?

[alittlebitofjoy]

For fighting, silly. Lots of people here are soldiers and one day I'm gonna grow up to be one, so I should practice. Right?

[In her mind it made sense. All of her other mentors always said 'practice makes perfect'.]

[littlespaceship]

You are? Me too, but I don't know how to practice for fighting... will you show me?

[alittlebitofjoy]

Of course! Here...

[she hops in front of him and gets in a CQC stance. One she could barely remember from that room soooo long ago. Since it's her first time practicing this with someone else though, she gently places the kitchen knife on a table. She didn't want to hurt him (or herself for that matter).]

Just hold your arms up like this and...-there~. See?

[littlespaceship]

[He holds up his arms, following her instructions fairly well.]

This is not so hard!

[alittlebitofjoy]

That's the easy part. See, now you gotta do that hard part which is learnin' how to trip the other person and make them not balanced. Or grab 'em. Or something like that.

[She attempts to nab his hands, pull him past her, and pull him into a hold. It's a sloppy attempt.]

[littlespaceship]

Oh, I se-ah!

[Even if it is sloppy, Lev is just a kid with no experience, he looses his balance right away.]

[alittlebitofjoy]

hee~. You'll get better. I promise.

[She offers her hand to help him back up.]

I'm glad you're here. I haven't been able to practice with anyone else before.

[littlespaceship]

I will?

[He takes her hand.]

I am glad you here too, there are very little of kids my age here.

[alittlebitofjoy]

mmmmmm... [she hums thoughtfully while helping him to his feet. In the back of her mind, it seemed like he was familiar in a distant way. Like she kind of knew him already. But that was silly...she'd never met him before.]

There were more before. Lots of others our age, but I don't think they're here anymore.

[littlespaceship]

[He dusted himself off once he was back on his feet. He too had that feeling like he knew her, but he shoved those to the back of his mind.]

Were did they go?

[alittlebitofjoy]

[The girl shrugs and shakes her head. Some strands of hair escaping the loose ponytail she fashioned for herself.]

I dunno. I guess they got out. I mean, if they were still here I'd think I'd have seen them by now. I'm 125 percent sure!

[littlespaceship]

You think? I hope you are right.

[Because he would hope nothing bad happened to them.]

[alittlebitofjoy]

Me too, but I don't think we have to be worried. I mean, one of them is The Sorrow and I think if something bad happened, we'd know. He'd come back and tell us or something.

[Lilly's pretty confident about this fact. After all, she's died here too...twice and both times she was a ghost (even if she doesn't remember being a ghost the second time). Lilly taps her head and winks.]

We'd know because even if we can't see their ghosts, I'm sure a Sorrow around here can.