021-[action] Merry Christmas....?

[friendly_ghosts]

[Residents and neighbors of 502 Ricardo street can feel free to notice that a little girl has been waiting out on the lawn since yesterday. She's clutching a teddy bear and watching the snow fall sadly. What's she waiting for? Maybe you should ask her. But you might want to tell her to get inside before she freezes to death. Sometimes she talks to

Comments

[strike_you_out]

[Coming up along the sidewalk is a lone boy of about twelve. His cap has a dusting of snow on it and is pulled down to obscure his eyes. Slugger sometimes comes this way just to glare in the windows of this particular house. (He doesn't know which window is Pokey's so he has to glare in all of them.) Of course, he notices the little girl standing out front right away.

Judging by her size, she can't be very old. He wonders if this is the girl Pokey accused him of killing. If not then why would she be standing in the yard staring up at the house?

Slugger pauses to peer at the house, trying to see what she could be looking at. He'll stay on the sidewalk because if Pokey is in the house and happens to catch Slugger within ten feet of this girl, a war might break out.]

...

[friendly_ghosts]

[She notices him, and tries a shy half-smile.]

Hello..... Are you friends with Pokey too?

[strike_you_out]

[Not seeing anything peculiar going on with the house, Slugger's gaze settles on the girl. What? Friends?]

No.

[Pfha! What sort of question is that? Well, there's one thing he can gather from it: this must be the seven-year-old Pokey was flipping out over. Slugger peers up into the windows once more for good measure.]

You're looking for him?

[friendly_ghosts]

[She gives him a curious glance, not sure what to make of this boy..]

I'm waiting for him. We promised to spend Christmas together.

[godisachild]

[He's been watching you. All morning. He guesses you came to his house sometime after you resurrected, and he's been thinking about how to handle this. And he thinks he knows how he has to do it.

He has to push you away. You're one of the few nice people he knows, and you don't deserve to get hurt because of him. So he has to get rid of you.

After ignoring you for awhile doesn't work, he'll finally just walk outside, standing a little ways away from the front door when he finally speaks. He tries to make his voice seem as cold and hostile as he can.]

What are you doing here?

[friendly_ghosts]

[She gives him a relieved smile when he actually speaks to her. She's so happy that he can see her, that she misses the tone.]

Pokey! I came because we promised to spend Christmas together. I know real Christmas got ruined, so I thought we could just have a pretend Christmas instead.

[godisachild]

Pretend Christmas? Please. That's stupid.

I don't wanna do it.

[friendly_ghosts]

O-oh.... Umm...

[Her smile falters, but she tries again hopefully.]

Then maybe we could just have a normal day? We can still have cookies and hot chocolate and play in the snow.

[sveariket]

[Sweden is just wandering about, stopping when he sees someone to watch them for a few moments. Or longer. It is him, after all.

Right now, he is watching you.]

[friendly_ghosts]

[She gives him a shy smile.]

Hello...

[sveariket]

[It's too cold for her.]

G't inside.

[friendly_ghosts]

[She pouts.]

I can't. I'm waiting for someone...

[couldbeeeepthem]

[Big sister is right behind you, as always able to follow you without being noticed. She'll pat you on the head.]

[friendly_ghosts]

[She's used to this by now, and just looks up sadly.]

Saki.... why did Pokey run away like that? Was he mad at me?

[couldbeeeepthem]

The town is playing its tricks upon him.

[friendly_ghosts]

Oh....

Pokey and me promised to spend Christmas together.