~thirty-four~ [backdated to over the weekend!]

[glowing_science]

[A nine-year-old girl with stick-straight brown hair is wandering around the town, calling out occasionally for someone named 'Lana.' She's obviously scared, being somewhere completely unfamiliar and separated from the only family she has left, but she's trying to be brave. As time goes on, however, panic becomes more and more obvious in her

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[lined_circle]

[This little girl is only six. She'd been shy and scared and disoriented when she first woke up, but she's so far met a bunch of people that are actually pretty nice, so she doesn't mind approaching someone new. She even notes that the other girl is looking pretty upset, so she smiles kindly.]

Hi. Are you lost, too?

[glowing_science]

[Ema blinks at the younger blonde. Slowly, she returns the smile; if a girl that young seems to be pretty calm about things, she should be calmer, too.]

Yeah. I just woke up here, I don't know how it happened. I'm looking for my sister; she'll know what to do. She always does.

[A pause.]

What's your name? Are you looking for someone, too?

[lined_circle]

My name's Elizabeθ Buckley. What's yours?

[She fidgets nervously before continuing on.]

We all got stolen. We need to find a grown up.

[glowing_science]

I'm Ema Skye. Nice to meet you.

We were kidnapped?! Why would anyone just take us like this?

Don't worry, Elizabeθ. My sister's 22 and one of the smartest people I know, she's plenty grown up enough to get us out of here.

[She puts her hands on her hips and puffs out her chest to express her determination.]

[lined_circle]

[She wrinkles her nose.]

You shouldn't call people you don't know well by their first names, Miss Skye. I think we should ask the first grown up we find that isn't one of the scary ones.

[glowing_science]

[Ema wrinkles her nose right back.] I thought that rule only applied when you were speaking to adults. [Hooray for different definitions of "polite"!]

Ask them what? How to get home?

[lined_circle]

Nuh-uh. It's how polite people talk to each other.

How to get home or where our families are...something... Grown ups know everything.

[glowing_science]

Okay, fine. [Ema isn't going to argue with a six-year-old over this.] We should get going, then.

[She holds out a hand for Theta to take.]

[lined_circle]

[Theta takes her hand, not worried about following her around.]

Okay.

[glowing_science]

[Okay, good. As long as it's established that Ema's older and therefore in charge, they should be just fine.]

I guess we should just walk until we find somebody. [And they start walking!]

Do you have any family members who might be looking for you, Eli--Miss Buckley?

[lined_circle]

Just my daddy. My mummy's too sick to look for me. She stays home all the time.

[Theta's trying to be brave about it; trying hard to be brave about it, but yeah that topic hurts a little bit.]

......What about you, Miss Skye? Just your sister? Don't you have a daddy?

Maybe I should have looked for a PB; her icon is so inappropriate here, it hurts

[glowing_science]

....

[Ema stops walking abruptly, staring at the ground. It was two whole years ago, but it still really hurts to talk about.]

I... No, I don't. He and my mom... they died. Two years ago.

[She looks over at Theta, tears stinging in her eyes.]

I hope your mom gets better.

Eh, just call it ironic and be done with it? :P

[lined_circle]

[Theta looks up at her for a moment, then decides to throw propriety to the wind. She lets go of Ema's hand, and instead throws her arms around her waist and hugs tight.]

Works for me! Irony ftw!

[glowing_science]

[Ema's surprised by the hug, but she quickly reciprocates, sniffling as she cries a little.] Thanks.

[After a bit, she releases Theta so she can wipe her eyes. She gives the younger girl her best smile, which almost reaches her eyes. She promised Lana two years ago that she would be strong, so she's going to be strong.] I didn't mean to get upset like that. It's still hard not having them around, that's all.

That's why I want to find my sister. I know she's worried.

[lined_circle]

It's okay.

[Theta reaches into her pocket and pulls out a handkerchief, which she offers to Ema.]

We'll find her. I know we will.

[glowing_science]

[Ema accepts the handkerchief with a soft 'thank you,' using it to wipe her eyes further.] We will. And maybe we'll find your dad, too! They might even be together somehow, looking for us here.

[It's a theory with absolutely no basis, but the thought makes her feel better somehow.]