004 - [Video]

[lostlegacy]

[Sophie has lived all her life in Luceti, so it isn't as though she's not used to weird happenings. At the same time, though, you have to admit that it's a little surprising to wake up wearing something you definitely didn't have on when you went to bed last night.

Now, normally Sophie would just ask one of her family in House 34 what the heck is going on, but it's still pretty early and she's been told a few times not to make a lot of noise before everyone is up. But hey, no problem: she left her journal on the floor beside her bed last night.

So she clambers out of bed, and dressed in the jacket and a pair of pyjama bottoms with little yellow duckies on them (it's the height of fashion), she opens up her journal.]

What's this?

Comments

[video]

[paladinlost]

...That would depend on what you mean by 'this'. Surely you've seen ducks before?

[Cecil might or might not be half asleep and not quite registering half of what she's wearing, by the way.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

Yeah. [There is a very large undercurrent of "obviously" in her voice right now.

She flaps her arms.] What's this?

[video]

[paladinlost]

That? It's a simple and plain but very nice jacket.

[Wait, she'd obviously know that too. Which would mean...]

Where did you find it?

[video]

[lostlegacy]

I dunno.

[That's the problem.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

...You don't know.

[That is a very big problem indeed.]

Were you wearing it when you woke up?

[video]

[lostlegacy]

Yeah.

[Finally CC gets it.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

[...Well. Option one is that someone in the house found a little Sophie-sized jacket and decided to bring it back, without even asking for her opinion or for a thank you. Option two is that Sophie somehow sleepwalked to the store during the night and came back without waking anyone up. Option three is that there's a Malnosso out there using Shifts to strip and dress little girls without their knowledge.

...Allow him to hope for number one.]

Does it have any marks, other than the wings? Be it inside or on the back?

[video]

[lostlegacy]

I don't think so?

[She starts twisting around, trying to see her own back.]

...Huh?

[What does that say on the back?]

[video]

[paladinlost]

Team Luceti VI? What the-

[Luckily, he stops himself from uttering a word unfit for young ears.]

...Is there a note nearby? Or perhaps a card?

[video]

[lostlegacy]

[Don't worry, Cecil, she's heard it before.

At his question, she scrambles away, out of view. After a while, he should be able to hear drifting back:] Nope.

[video]

[paladinlost]

[Goodness. What has the world become?]

Were your door and window closed?

[He doesn't think it could come from another villager, but just in case.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

[Careless, mostly.]

Yeah.

...I think.

[video]

[paladinlost]

...Perhaps you should trade rooms with an adult for a day or two.

[An armed adult, if at all possible.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

Why?

[Not that she'd object to doing so, but where did that come from?]

[video]

[paladinlost]

Because there is a small possibility that a bad person entered your room while you were asleep. If they try that again, whoever you trade with could beat them up.

[It wouldn't work if it was a Malnosso's Shift, but better safe than sorry.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

[...Oh.

She absorbs this.

Then:] I could beat them up.

[video]

[paladinlost]

Harder than any grownup in the house could?

[...She might possibly be right, but.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

[She wants to say yes--she really wants to say yes--but Sophie is essentially an honest little girl, and so she admits:] Probably Wally could do better.

[Probably.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

Trade with him, then. Surely he'd allow you a punch or two once he's done.

[What a completely appropriate way to bond with a little girl!]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

Okay.

[She looks alarmingly enthusiastic about this.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

And remember to wash your hands once you're done.

[There is absolutely nothing alarming about this.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

[SIGH.]

Okay.

[Why is everyone so insistent about this? Sheesh.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

It's very important, you know. You cannot know where a bad person might have been.

[And blood is easier to wash out if it's done quickly.]

[video]

[lostlegacy]

...Like outside?

[She's getting a little confused.]

[video]

[paladinlost]

Places that are dirtier than outside. Bad places.

[Disease-ridden lairs of evil and other such locations.]