010 ~*~ The most anticlimactic return

[notsogreatwall]

[ Action : 340 Brady Lane : Sunday mid-day ]
[ It might be difficult for outsiders to tell that something was off about Meiling, at first. As a drone she was a touch more pleasant and carefree, a bit more diligent with her work, and much more subservient to her "husband". At school she was pleasant and diligent and a good, hard worker

Comments

Mayfield Elementary

[kinships]

[Cain is just about to head home for the day, homework in his backpack already done, when he notices the janitor and her rather dull expression.]

Are you alright, miss?

[notsogreatwall]

Huh? [ She snaps partway out of it, leaning comically forward and turning her head to look at the boy. ] Oh! I'm okay. [ A weak smile, not the distinct and creepy Stepford Smile she might have given any other day. ]

[kinships]

[She looks tired, his heart goes out to her.]

Would you like some help? We could get your work done twice as fast, working together.

[notsogreatwall]

[ Meiling straightens up. ] You might get in trouble if they see you helping me. It's my job, after all!

[kinships]

I can pretend to be walking by if anyone says anything, I promise we won't get in trouble.

[notsogreatwall]

Hehe, I'm not really worried about myself. I'll be okay. [ And she gets right back to it. ] Besides, I only have one mop. Hard to split up this kind of work!

[kinships]

Do you work here every day? I've never seen you before.

[notsogreatwall]

Maybe not in this hall, but I should be here on most days!

[kinships]

I'm Cain, by the way.

[He holds out a hand to her politely.]

It's nice to meet you, miss.

[notsogreatwall]

[ She bows her head at first and then reaches out to shake his hand easily. ] Meiling. Nice to meet you, too!

[kinships]

Wow, Meiling is a pretty name. Where are you from?

[notsogreatwall]

[ The smile comes a little easier, now. ] The Scarlet Devil Mansion, in Gensokyo. What about you?

[kinships]

I'm from Germany originally, I still think of Berlin as my home town.

[notsogreatwall]

Ahh, that's in Europe. I've never visited -- which isn't saying a lot, for someone like me, but even so! I've always wanted to travel the outside world and see where all the stories come from, even if it's dangerous.

[kinships]

Is Europe especially dangerous where you come from?

[notsogreatwall]

[ Headshake. ] Not any more dangerous than anywhere else, I guess.