Mama Knows Best -- Joiner

the starting line of an adventure

it's a glimpse of light in a mine of gold

timekit arcanium-break.

silvery-white winged kitsune.

five moons. the sanctuary.

liquidgold x andras fekete.

...may bite you.

"speech"

Dead child approaches with eyes contrastly full of life. Curiously, they take in the stranger. A child of Chica? Rosie, for once, can understand the desire of this girl to return to her mother. They feel drawn themselves to the fiery woman despite their horribly mangled view of adults and even moreso of mothers. Still, they decide to press their luck, while only strangers and a child are present, with words that most adults believe to be too sharp for children's lips. "Oh, she's here! Did she trade you away, is that why? In my ex- expy-" A pause as they thoughtfully sound the word 'experience' out in their head, "-expyance, there's usually a no take-backs rule but maybe things are different here." The lizard grins, pink eyes dancing with mischief. Chicagocrimes was different, they knew, from detached mothers and hungry fathers who sold children for rations. There was something about the war-touched woman that was softer than the commanders with lust only for blood, something reminiscent of a figure that existed only in Rosie's dreams. Hazy and uncertain and intangible. Likely never really existed. All things considered, ghost of a child finds it hard to differentiate the ideals of their new home from those they were raised on. Why would a child be separated from their mother? The answer is simple: they were traded away.

"speech"

current body: grand cayman iguana

A mind lost in thought, Maeve's paws moved without the input of her brain so much as even bothering to direct the girl's legs to where they should next go, instead focusing on the thoughts of competitive games the girl wanted to try next. Football, sumo wrestling, competitive tag, were these kinds of games even recognised by any individual in Agrelos? It took just enough curiosity to break the girl out of her trance-like state, but at the sight and sound of a familiar individual, Maeve's reverie was well and truly a thought left in the past.

It had been a while since Maeve had seen any of her siblings, the only family Maeve really had nowadays being the company of her ma which for a while had just been enough. Which was not to say that Maeve hadn't missed her siblings, because of course she had, but it just wasn't something that the girl had been lamenting over every minute of every day. Even still though, at the sight of Delilah on The Sanctuary's border, a warmth began to grow in the girl's chest as Maeve delightedly bounded over to her sister. The Sancturian figured that her sister was less likely to recognise her face in the feline form that Maeve had become so attached to, so it was fitting that today the girl had remained in the odd-fitting caracal body that the apprentice had been born into. Alabaster, horned, winged, Maeve looked nothing quite like their only parent, but somehow she was vaguely similar in appearance to their sister. Genetics were funky. "And where the hell have been hiding from me, huh?" Feigning a stern visage accompanied by a tone in a similar vein, Maeve could only keep up the taunting for a few fleeting moments before the caracal girl broke out into a wide and toothy grin. "I missed cha' Delilah, I really did. Ma' will probably be here any minute, she'll be even happier to see ya' I bet."

Startled out of her train of thought by the troublesome words that escaped Rosie, Maeve turned to the lizard with a very concerned expression plastered to the caracal's face. "Ma' would never give us away, Delilah just got... Uh.. Lost? Ma' loves us! I know 'cause she told me so and she don't lie." Maeve's word's turned more tart as the apprentice lost herself in the hurried explanation the girl was trying to give Rosie, somehow feeling very defensive when having to preserve their mother's image. Though admittedly, Maeve held no ill-will against Rosie, just got a little grumpy today. 'Ma' was the only parent the girl and her siblings had to lean on, but that was all Maeve ever really wanted, so the apprentice was willing to go to the ends of the world to defend the one who had brought Maeve into this world.

◞➳ WORDS flow over head, the conversation curls into her ears all vapor and smoke but she can't quite make sense of it, in all truths crystalline and clear she's not trying to. she doesn't realize the tension reaping forth, doesn't note the confusion, the stutter in words or rising aggressions, her thoughts rotted and ruined turn toward one thing, a clasping string unraveling and coming loose enough her finger tips just barely brush it.

spring time warmth is curling into her bones like the blossoms that settle and much like the way dandelion seeds carry on through winds tiring and gentled, a swarm of familiar faces young and kindly and inviting enchant her. little bloom held so tenderly in paws, gaze wide eyed and doe-ish, her heart churns within ribcage, threatening to turn into mush and chicagocrimes inhales sharply, oh, oh, as the relief comes sweeping forward. "delilah," an utterance splayed past lips cracked ambrosia relieved and stunned, spoken moments before the mother moves forward with strides quick and fast and breaths stuttering as she aims to try and scoop the little child into cinnamon striped arms, engulfed and caged in sweetened embrace where her nose rests over her daughter's skull. "baby girl, where did you run off ta?"

Smirk appears as another youth - maybe slightly older - approaches and leaps into defending Chicagocrimes. Rosie notes the similarities between the caracal speaking and the caracal joining, comes to the conclusion they could be sisters. Daughters of Chica. Loving and kind and prepared to stand up for each other. Rosie doesn't fully understand why anyone would be so defensive for someone who isn't themselves - especially when not being required to with threat of death looming - but maybe a piece of them gets it after all, considering their own unspoken feelings towards Chica.

The ghosts are whispering louder and louder before Rosie even processes the words of the man, the stranger. He has no authority over me. Still, the ghosts cry out that they have taken it too far, too far, too far. They should have kept quiet because now the grown-ups will be upset. They note the slight movement of Dethronedking's paw, instinctively stiffening in preparation for a blow but forcing themselves not to flinch away. They aren't hit. Doesn't matter if they were or not, the harsh tone hits hard enough. "I never said it wasn't and I never said she wouldn't be, mister." The child's voice contorts into something between respectful and apprehensive. They redirect rosy gaze away from the Man down to the grass beneath and move away without much grace - the curse of inhabiting an oversized lizard - disappearing eventually as they retreat into shadows. They aren't needed anymore - never truly were needed - and they find it's often best if they just leave.

"speech"

current body: grand cayman iguana