26 • [video|action]

[endthem]

[the journal falls open to the sound of a gasp and a metallic clattering, and the camera might just pick up a glimpse of a boy with long blue hair falling to the ground and scrambling backwards, iron shackles on his wrists jangling like oversized bracelets

Comments

[notpunishingyet]

[Don't you just hate when you're trying to sneak and you run right into something anyway? Right after Legato leaves from his window-peeping, he may just find himself bumped into a small, blinking Wolfwood; his cross is back at the house...

He's pretty convinced his stay won't be long, anyway. Fuck it, it's a vacation.]

You lost and confused?

[endthem]

[--he nearly jumps out of his skin when he's spoken to, though the fact that it's just another kid helps a little.

...Not too much, but at least little.

As an answer, he quickly nods]

[notpunishingyet]

[... Looks pretty bad. Nicholas isn't too bad at reading the youngin's.]

Well, don't worry about it. You're safe here.

[He looks around, sighing.]

It's pretty weird around here right now, but I hear it's just a stupid... 'shift' thing.

You need something to eat? Some clothes?

[endthem]

[he's a complete ball of anxiety, and it doesn't look like any part of that made any sense to him at all]

...Wh-what?

[notpunishingyet]

[He crouches down a bit at a distance, looking smaller for the sake of easing the kid's weird anxiety.]

You're hungry, aren't ya? Or cold, at least. Or just scared.

One of those, right? Or all of 'em?

[endthem]

[...he doesn't know how to respond to this, and flounders for a minute. When he finally finds words, he more or less helplessly blurts them out]

--I don't know where I am!

[notpunishingyet]

[... So you're one of those kids.

He's met some like you before. Guess that means helping is a-go.]

That's a pretty good reaction to it, yeah.

But I dunno if you'd believe me if I told you where you are.

[endthem]

[he's seen a fairy, okay? He'll believe anything at this point]

Where?

[notpunishingyet]

Okay. You were taken out of your world and put in this one-it's called Luceti, and everyone here wasn't born here. They got brought here like you.

That make sense?

[endthem]

[he's so tempted to shake his head, because it doesn't make any sense, but he eventually nods, hoping taht the other boy will continue]

[notpunishingyet]

Mm. Well, there are awful people who make us stay in here, but they at least give us free places to live an' free food and everything. So you don't have ta' worry about any of that stuff. Or money.

It's not a bad place.

It's just... all weird, 'cause sometimes there are things called 'shifts' that mess with the place. But other than that...

[endthem]

[yeah, this can't be real. He lets one short set of chain jangle out of his hand, so he can nervously clutch the side of his head]

...I think I'm dreaming.

[or hallucination. same thing.]

[notpunishingyet]

Nah, you're not.

But is it really such a bad thing, this bein' real? [He tilts his head, examining the figure. He looks... like he wasn't fairing as well, in his world.] Even if it's crazy as hell.

[endthem]

[that makes him stop and think a little bit, though his face is still etched with anxiety as he takes another look around. All the people, families, not to mention the trees.]

...It can't be real.

[notpunishingyet]

Why not?

[He holds his arms, looking unfazed by the kid's anxious aura.]

[endthem]

It's impossible.