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

[old_papa_john]

[The old man was to wander on by but he ends up stopping dead in his tracks when he sees a child he hasn't seen before. Not to mention that, but she's practicing a fighting technique that's vaguely familiar.]

...

[He watches her for now, not wanting to interrupt her practice.]

[alittlebitofjoy]

[She takes a hold of his coat, taking a fistful of the cloth and rubbing her thumb over the material (clinging like a child normally would). He reminded her so much of daddy.]

I'm Lilly.

[old_papa_john]

Well, hello there, Lilly. How are you faring here in the Nexus?

[Watch out, kid. You might get adopted again...]

[alittlebitofjoy]

I'm okay. Alot has changed, even though everything looks the same.

[she wistfully replies.

:') ]

[old_papa_john]

You're a resilient little girl. I am glad that you made it through the last war in one piece.

[He's thinking about it...]

[alittlebitofjoy]

...war? What war?

[old_papa_john]

Never mind. [He's not going to explain it is she managed to miss all of it.]

Where's your home, Lilly? You shouldn't be out wandering all alone; it's not safe.

[alittlebitofjoy]

I don't know. There's some rooms I'll stay in sometimes and sometimes other people will let me sleepover, but since other John isn't here anymore...Once, I woke up in a different room and The Pain was there and so was a little girl and another guy with red hair...

[old_papa_john]

Ah.

So long as you have a place to stay...

[alittlebitofjoy]

[Lilly swings her arms while staring up at the much taller man. Sans eyepatch and beard, he'd sure looks an awful lot like like another frumpy old man that she's met before.]

Hey John? Do you know a Caterpillar?

[old_papa_john]

I'm sorry.

I don't understand...

[What is this child asking me?]

[alittlebitofjoy]

Well~... [she takes her hands and points to her eye, reflecting his eyepatch and then traces some fingers along her chin to mimic his beard.] He doesn't have these buuut [she places her pointer finger sideways just under her nose to imitate a mustache] He has a caterpillar growing on his face. Right here, just under the nose and it's gray and fuzzy just like a caterpillar too.

[old_papa_john]

Hm?

[He thinks for a moment.]

Oh, you mean David...the older one? Yes. Yes, I know him. He's my Son.

[alittlebitofjoy]

[She leans back, her mouth forming a little 'o' as the teeny tiny gears begin to work inside her head.]

But he's as old as you!

[old_papa_john]

But he's not. Just because he has silver hair doesn't mean that he and I are the same age. I am much older.

[alittlebitofjoy]

I don't get it but oooookaaay~.

[she sing-songs while twirling a blonde lock between her fingers. This place made her brain hurt when it came to how old people were because sometimes there'd be many of one person and some of them were older than others; so she just accepted what John said. In her mind, when John said, 'David ("the older one")' she automatically assumed that maybe David just looked older because he was the oldest of some other siblings (and because Lilly's never had any sisters or brothers so she wasn't really sure how that all worked anyways).]

David's a good name. It's good like John is good and easy to remember.