[open] that far, far away day

[entreats]

Who: Ange Ushiromiya and you?
Where: The stairs and the dining room
When: During the event from February 9th to February 11th
Rating: PG
Summary: Ange goes from being a sad adult to being a sad kid. Come do the impossible and cheer her up.
The Story:

[ a: the stairs ]

[ Of course Ange woke up in a panic. It's already distressing enough to wake up in a room you don't know when you're a kid, but it's even worse when you've lost your parents only a few days before then and are still busy trying to deal with that. After nobody answered her in the room, even after calling out for her aunt and then even her parents (almost instinctively before it just made her sadder), Ange ran out.. only to not recognize the hallway either. It sure wasn't her aunt Eva's house, nor the mansion on Rokkenjima.

And with the panic she was in, she didn't know better than to just start running. So if you just happen to be going up or down the stairs, it's pretty hard to avoid noticing the girl sitting on the floor on the landing between one floor and the next, her hair a little messy and a small scrape on her knee, as if she must have fallen a step or two while running on the stairs.

It's mostly hard to avoid noticing her though because she's rubbing her eyes and crying. Whoops. Might want to do something about that instead of just trying to walk around her? ]

[ b: the dining hall ]

[ Even once Ange understands a little bit more about the situation, she isn't exactly cheerful. Being gone from her aunt is a good thing, sure, but being in an entirely different world is.. well, pretty scary for a kid that's only six years old. Not to mention she's still too sad from what happened to her parents for her joy to be gone from her aunt to be stronger than that feeling somehow.

So even though she's sitting at a table with a big cake in front of her - something that ought to be enough to make any kid happy - she's just staring sadly at it. There's definitely another seat still free at the table though for anyone who feels inclined to ask a sad little kid what's wrong.. or anyone who recognizes her hairstyle, really, considering it's pretty much exactly the same as the older Ange, despite the huge age difference. ]

(ooc note: replies will come from happymeal for the icons!)

Comments

A

[jivitadana]

[Minato had been doing his own share of wandering around the mansion, especially traversing the stairs because that was the only real way to get anywhere.

When he saw and heard the girl crying though while on his way up, his chest ached. He bit his lip and he couldn't help kneeling down next to her on the landing, holding out a handkerchief he had had in his inner coat pocket.]

[happymeal]

[ Ange's so caught up in her own crying that she doesn't even notice the other kid there for a few moments. It's only when she moves her hands a little to wipe at her eyes that she suddenly catches a hint of color in front of her, and it's then that she looks up in surprise.

She doesn't back off or anything like that, but she does end up silently staring between Minato and the handkerchief he's holding out, like she isn't sure what to think for a moment or two. ]

I.. Is that for me..?

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded and kept his hand out for her. She could take the handkerchief if she wanted it. He didn't need it back if she wanted to keep it. That was okay with him.

But if she didn't want it, that was okay too. People didn't have to like gifts given to them. If they didn't want something, then they shouldn't have to keep it or have it.]

[happymeal]

[ She's been told to not just take things from strangers. And Ange is generally an obedient sort of girl who would listen to that when told. But Minato doesn't look older than she is right now, and it isn't that bad if she takes something from a fellow kid, right..?

So after a moment or two Ange takes the handkerchief with a small nod, wiping at her eyes with it a little first from how much she's been crying. ]

.. Thank you..

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded and was glad that she did take it. It would help her, he hoped.]

Is that better?

b

[naughty_nurse]

[Oblivious to the fact an event is going on, Mikan passes by the dining hall, but then stops. She doesn't see the kid right away.]

Wow! That's a big cake! Is it someone's birthday?

[happymeal]

[ For a moment Ange isn't too sure whether the question is directed at her. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice Mikan approaching until the girl spoke up, and that only made her shyly duck her head a little bit, like she's actually trying to go unnoticed.

But after a moment or two she feels too bad to not answer, so.. ]

N-No.. It's not..

[naughty_nurse]

Huh?

[Oh, is someone there? Mikan walks around to see the child... huh. She looks awfully familiar. That hairstyle and color... Who is it, who is it...

... Ah-ha!]

... Are you Ange's sister?

[happymeal]

[ That question actually does make her look up. But it's pretty obvious from her facial expression alone that it's from surprise more than anything. ]

Sister..? [ She blinks. She doesn't even have one.. ] M-My name is Ange..

[naughty_nurse]

... Eh?!

[AN EVENT ALREADY MIKAN HAS JUST BARELY RECOVERED FROM THE LAST ONE]

Huuuuh?! Ange?! You're Ange?! Oooh, this is weird... I don't want to become a child again, I wouldn't be useful at all!

A

[moraloutrage]

[Ishimaru just happened to be heading up the stairs back to his room after having a hearty breakfast. He hadn't seen any signs of what event was supposed to transpire his weekend just yet, though he was ready to keep his guard up.

...But as he makes his way up the stairs, he comes to a complete halt as he notices the sad girl sitting on the steps. His eyes widen in surprised concern.]

Ah...! [The girl looks very familiar. But she looks like she's been crying as well. Ishimaru quickly steps up to the stair below her and offers her a clean handkerchief as he leans over her.]

Excuse me, Miss! What... what happened? [He wants to help this girl as soon as possible!]

[happymeal]

[ Ange looks up at Ishimaru once he speaks up - almost startled, as if she didn't expect anyone to find her here like this. And because a stranger is talking to her, and she's not supposed to talk to strangers.. but what else should she do when she doesn't even have any idea where to find someone she knows?

So after a moment of hesitation she does speak up, tears still in her eyes. ]

I.. I fell...

[moraloutrage]

[He frowns in concern, with a slight gasp of air.]

You fell? I am sorry that you suffered in such a way, Young Miss! Where are you hurt? I promise to do what I can to help you! [She does seem really familiar... He's not sure what to make of it]

[happymeal]

[ If he's offering to help, then he must be a good person, right? Maybe he's some sort of doctor or something.. (Yes, Ange, that's clearly what Ishimaru is.)

So she just sniffs and points at the scrape on her knee. Nothing bad, but still enough for a little kid to cry over. ]

[moraloutrage]

[The doctor is in!! Ishimaru looks down towards the scrape with a mildly concerned look.]

Ah...! I see. It seems your knee was hurt. But do not worry. It will be alright in due time! Would you like a bandage to help it feel all better?

B

[worldtamer]

[Oh, it's another kid! ... Who looks a little like Miss Ange? Huh.]

Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?

[happymeal]

[ Ange doesn't really feel okay, but it also feels kind of hard to explain.. So she doesn't reply for a moment, even though she looks at Niko once the other speaks up. ]

Um.. It's just.. [ She's still looking for an explanation, yes. She doesn't want to be rude and just leave Niko with no answer when they politely asked! ] I kind of got lost.. I was home, but then I was suddenly in this place.. Um.. W-Wonderland, right?

[worldtamer]

Yeah, that's right! This is Wonderland.

[Niko offers out a sleeve-covered hand.]

I'm Niko! What's your name?

[happymeal]

It's Ange.

[ She has been told that she shouldn't trust strangers, but Niko doesn't seem that much older than she is. Surely the rule can bend a little bit when it comes to kids, right?

So Ange reaches out to shake the other's hand lightly. ]

Do you live here..?

[worldtamer]

Ange?

[...]

... Huh, you have the same name as someone else I've met here before!

[Niko--]

But um, I guess I live here? I mean, it's not my home, but I've been staying here for a little while until I can get back home.

A

[ofletters]

[ Sam doesn't know Ange that well, but he's spoken with her and keeps tabs on who's on the network. As a result, the little girl running through the halls looks... familiar.

At the very least, it's a kid in distress. He isn't great with kids, but he isn't about to leave her here alone, either. ]

Hey. [ Sam squats down so that he's not fifty thousand feet taller than her, offering what he hopes is a calming tone. ] ... You okay? Are you lost?

[ Obviously something's going on, but whether it's event-related or not-... well. He'd find out. ]

[happymeal]

[ Thankfully Ange is used to dealing with tall guys - her brother probably comes pretty close to Sam's height, so she doesn't seem too startled by having him suddenly appear like that. Instead she just slowly glances up at him, wiping at her eyes with a hand to make her vision a little less blurry. ]

I.. I think so.. [ Although this feels a little beyond just 'lost'. ] I don't know where I am..

[ofletters]

[ Of course she doesn't, because she's either a kid who's just arrived, or she's a resident who's aged down and lost her memory. Either way, he's sympathetic. ]

Maybe I can help. [ He offers gently. ] D'you want something to eat or drink while we figure this out?

[ Is that a sketchy thing for him to ask?? He hopes not. ]

[happymeal]

[ She seems to be trying to figure out the same thing. Ange knows she's not supposed to talk to strangers, let alone come along with them, but.. well, what else is she supposed to do in this situation where she's just utterly lost?

So after a moment or two she ends up nodding. ]

.. Okay. [ Ange sniffs, but at least it seems the tears have stopped for the moment. ] I'll come along.. I'm kind of hungry.

[ofletters]

Sure thing. [ Good. This kid looks... really young, and he's worried about her on her own in this place. Sam stands up again, trying not to look too imposing. ] I'm Sam. What's your name?

[ He'll start meandering to the kitchen in the meantime. ]