View source for 304/Even Tiny Evil Girls Can Make Friends

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2023/08/26
|Location=Penguin Park - Penguin Playground
|Synopsis=Yochu runs into trouble in Penguin Park when a pair of young boys think she's just a toy robot due to the Veil. Norie intercedes on her behalf, and the two make formal introductions and decide to become friends.
|Cast of Characters=93,94
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's your average summer day in Penguin Park, with a few clouds in the sky slowly moving along without any that are currently blocking the sun. With school out there are a lot of families spending time together in the park, the museums and the zoo which means a fair amount of foot traffic.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Likewise the playground has a fair number of younger children at it, all playing and taking turns on the various playground equipment. For the most part everything is going as you'd expect. There is a bit of yelling and screaming but it's all the kind you'd expect from kids at play.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite the placidity of the playground the parents would probably be terrified to know that there's what for all intents and purposes is a predator hiding in plain sight. A being of dark energy that could, if it so choose, begin draining the exuberant life force of all those little kids and everyone watching them, taking it for themselves.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's the theory, at least. The reality of the situation is different. Maybe even exactly the opposite.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Wow, check it out! This is the coolest toy I've ever seen," says a boy in blue shorts and a yellow shirt.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I... I think it's a robot. Robots are so cool!" A second boy in jeans and a white shirt exclaims.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yochu looks worriedly between the two, holding her hands together near her chest in an instinctively defensive posture. "I'm not a robot..!" she tries to explain, but it's clear the boys don't believe her. Sometimes the way the Veil hides magic from the sight of humans is highly disadvantageous. Even transformed and thus appropriately sized, the doll girl can't pass for human. This might not be such an issue, except being constantly mistaken for a toy means constantly being mistaken for an object, not a person, and thus having no will, autonomy, personal space or many other things people tend to take for granted. Especially when around younger kids, who might not have a strong sense of not playing with a toy that doesn't belong to them.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One of them starts poking at her dress, "Wow, it feels real," while the other tries grabs at one of her wrists. "It'd be cooler if it had Kung Fu grip or a laser gun! A fancy dress is kind of lame. I want to take it apart and see how it works!"<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That kind of talking gets Yochu's eyes to widen and she shakes her head. She gets pulled forward a step, but then starts pulling her arm back. She could, and easily, break free if she was willing to use all her strength... but she's not. Even if she's upset and starting to get scared, she knows these are just kids, and she doesn't want to hurt them if she can help it. After all; she's a doll. Dolls are supposed to make children smile and laugh, not hurt them.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"N-no! Don't take me apart, you won't find how I work even if you do!" As the boy in the shorts gets more insistent about leading her away she gets more desperate and pulls back more-- enough that his grip slips and she gets away.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She wasn't actually ready for that, however, and as soon as she's free she loses her balance and falls backwards and lands on her butt. Rather than looking angry about this, both boys start laughing at the fallen toy, and her expression gets both sad and a little angry.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If she could make tears she'd probably be crying, but she can't. Because she's a doll.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana felt more like a predator in plain sight. Another dark energy construct hanging around the park, because her parents forced her out of her room to explore and make friends. That was also the general plan, but instead she was curled up on a bench, holding her legs to her chest and watching the passerbys and general going ons.<br><br>The playground is behind her somewhere, and the commotion of boys playing hits her ears and she ignores it. But there's another voice in there, and she turns around to see two boys hassling...<br><br>Wasn't that the girl that offered her tea? Who was dark energy too? She frowned a little. W...why was the girl just ... letting that happen to her? Wait. Didn't Takashi mention her recently too? If they we're the same girl at least, as he suspected.<br><br>She stopped what she was doing and stood up, walking over from behind and placing two hands against the boy. She had to concentrate as she did this. <br><br>"Leave." she said bluntly. "Before I hurt either of you." she said with a glint in her eyes, not red, but a little purple. She was skipping the theatrics.<br><br>"And I don't want to do that." she added. "So let's move along now and leave the girl alone.", not letting go of either boy's shoulders unless they make efforts to leave.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The girl does seem to be the same one that Norie saw before. White hair, red eyes, fancy dress. Dolljoints. It's really not hard at all to recognize her.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The boys both take a step towards Yochu, and she looks almost ready to escalate things herself when Norie's hands go on their shoulders. It's shocking enough to the pair that they both stop to look at her. Norie's a year or two older then they are, which at their age is a lot. Even without the dark energy and glint in her eyes she'd probably be able to scare them.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"What? Why?" one asks, while the other blinks in confusion, "Her?" The first boy, the one in the jeans pales a bit at the threat and the added insistence afterwards, "She really looks mad, Kenjiro, we should go!" He tries to pull away, backing off a little and then turning and running if Norie lets him go.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Meanwhile the boy in the shorts, Kenjiro apparently, gets an idea. "Oh, I get it! She's your toy, isn't she? I'm not trying to break her or anything, I just want to know how she works!" He turns a little more towards Norie, "Come on, what do you say? We wouldn't have to break her to take her apart! If you have a toy like that you have to want to know how it works, right?" Typical thinking, for a certain type of person. He'll probably grow up to be a mechanic or engineer some day, if he doesn't push his luck too far today.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You can't just take me apart," Yochu says, voice low enough for it to be a mumble. Afterwards she gets a little embarrassed and adds, "I-I think anyway. Maybe you can..." That thought makes her sigh a little.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana looks bored now. Like she's had enough, and not interested in talking. Instead. She just says a single word.<br><br>"Goodnight." there's a sharp dark energy crackle, and soon she's draining the toy boys at once. It's a sharp, unpleasant feeling when she does it, concentrating. She doesn't take more than she has to. Enough to send them into unconsciousness. She's done this countless times, on accident.<br><br>It's why she was removed from the Dance Club.<br><br>She'll let the boys just drop, because she isn't interested in being polite about it with boys that put themselves upon young girls like that- even if it was a mistaken case of her being a toy.<br><br>"Upset." she'll say to herself, with a sharp breath. One of the few feelings she could still feel. At least if she was angry she wasn't basking in self-loathing like Takashi warned her about.<br><br>She probably was doing that earlier though. She shifts a bit regardless.<br><br>"Are you. Okay?" she asks in a stilted manner to the girl. "Are you... erm. Is your name... Yochu?.." she asks of the girl.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The boys predictably gasp at the unpleasant feeling and then fall over like sacks of potatoes. Or, ironically, dolls that had their strings cut. Luckily the playground has a soft surface meant to keep kids from hurting themselves when they inevitably fall while playing, so they're not hurt. It might not be too long before parents start investigating the fallen boys, though.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;From her place on the ground, for Yochu had stayed down but moved into a seated position, the doll watches. She doesn't express any shock or surprise, nor any remorse at the draining of the boys. To her there isn't even a moral dilemma to have. It's a little odd, given she didn't want to hurt them herself and could have done very nearly the same thing, but she doesn't notice the incongruity herself either. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get anyone else involved. They didn't know any better, even if it was..." She trails off, biting her bottom lip a little.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then she nods, "That's right, yes! I'm Yochu." She fidgets, then shuffles. And finally she picks herself up off the ground and dusts her dress off, so she can primly grip her skirt and give a curtsy befitting her fairly elegant looks. "It's nice to see you again." An awkward pause, "Um... I don't know your name, sorry."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana gently looks around and sighs. "We should go somewhere else close, because someone's gonna investigate the sleepers and I'm not moving them in this state." she says, moving to hide in the giant penguin motioning for Yochu to come along.<br><br>"It's...it's... my name is.." she shifts a bit. "Norie Okana but. Also. La Crima. it is complicated." she says as she hides into the penguin and sits back down onto the ground, curling her legs back to her chest, but only before bowing back.<br><br>"I'm sorry. I was given your name by Riven-senpai. I work for him now. Kind of. I guess." she says, in an uncertain manner almost.<br><br>"We met. At the aquarium. You offered me tea. Do you remember?" she asks.<br><br>"Sorry those boys we're being... obnoxious to you." she says. "I don't like doing that. What I did. But. I don't appreciate people. Like that." she says quietly.<br><br>"And it's okay for me to be angry. I think." she says. "Maybe." in her stilted manner.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh." Yochu replies, looking briefly towards the boys before nodding, "Okay." She follows, getting inside the big penguin. The girl definitely notices the particular cadence that Norie speaks in, but either it doesn't bother her or she doesn't show any visible sign of it.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She nods at the note of the two names. "I understand. I'm Yochu, but I'm also Duskfly. Hotaru gave me both my names." Then when she notes how she got her name Yochu shakes her head, "I don't mind. I would have given it to you before if we had time. I remember." She still has the flier from that day, of the now vanquished 'Starfield Jellyfish'.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the apology she looks down, "It's okay. Everyone thinks I'm just a toy, if they don't understand magic." She looks back up at what Norie says, about not liking doing what she did. "Why not? It's normal for people like us to do that. Well... I... I guess I didn't really want to either. So... thank you."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She considers for a moment. "I think it's okay to be angry. If you did something you didn't want to do to protect someone else... I'm sure it's okay."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After a few moments she asks, a little lamely, "Would, um... Would you like some tea?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana looks out of the penguin. Hiding, but occasionally peeking as she looks around, making sure they're alone. "I should be more careful. I shouldn't drain in broad daylight like that." she says. "But. They we're wrong." she says. "I'm angry at them. Not you. For the record. It's...complicated. My feelings? In general." she says.<br><br>"Ah. I'm. Vampire. Cursed by a necklace I bought." she says....<br><br>"How are. You a doll?" she asks. "We're you. Always a doll?" she asks curiously.<br><br>"Oh, I would like some tea." she says deadpan. Before blinking. "I ub. Do mean that. Sorry." she says, rubbing the back of her head again...<br><br>"I don't have anything to offer in turn right now. Uhm. Donuts. Later. If you want?" she says. "Donuts. Are good." she says in her stilted, deadpan manner.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;No one else seems to be intent on getting in the penguin to play right now, though she'll notice a small crowd around the passed out boys, one of them in the process of being picked up and carried off by an adult.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh. That's true. Someone might see and get mad about it. 'Sparkly Skirt Girls' get mad about things like that, don't they?" Obviously she's spent some time around Riventon herself. She manages to smile as the direction of the anger is clarified. "I thought so, but I'm glad to hear it. I'd rather you not be mad because of something that happened to me at all... but I'm glad your not mad at me."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gives a little nod of acknowledgment as she explains what she is and about the necklace, and then she's asked about how she's a doll, and if she always was one. Now she looks sad again, and the smile slowly fades. She looks down.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"No, I was a regular girl. But then... some bad people took me to a lab for an experiment and..." She looks up then, seeming slightly confused, "They sent me to a really scary, bad place. The 'Dusk Zone'. I really don't like the Dusk Zone."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She looks like she might cry, but then shakes her head and sniffles. Not a hint of tears, though. "I... I think I died? I don't really know. But I had my doll with me, and when I woke up after... I was my doll."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yochu looks away, "I... I don't really feel like I'm that girl anymore. I was, but now I'm not. I'm someone else now. Something else..."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She might dwell on that in a less than healthy way, except a much more fun and enjoyable topic comes up. Tea! And sweets!<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Okay!" She's suddenly quite happy, legitimately enjoying the chance to serve tea. She holds out her hands and a teacup in a saucer appears in one, and a teapot in the other. She pours the tea from the pot into the cup-- and it really is just tea. Normal, good quality green tea. She offers the saucer with the teacup to Norie. "I'd like that. Donuts later, I mean."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once the teacup is handed over she asks, "Would you like a sugar cube?" A sugar cube appears in her empty hand, pinched between two fingers. Except... the granules are black. And made of pure Dark Energy. Norie might not want a dark energy infusion since she just drained two boys, but it seems to be a legitimate offer.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana shifts a bit. "I know what's that like. To die. and wake up different." she says quietly. "This is just a silly illusion of what I was like when I was a normal girl anyways and it costs me energy to keep it up." she says quietly.<br><br>"..and my emotions are all messed up... and I have strange dreams... and I talk to myself a lot." she says quietly.<br><br>She shakes out of it. As Tea is offered, she doesn't smile-- because she can't-- but does keep her neutral deadpan, as she mutters. "Thank you, I would like a sugar cube." she says, as she keeps the teacup extended so the sugar cube can be put in.<br><br>"The dusk zone. I called it 'The Inbetween' before Riven-senpai told me it's actual name." she says. "I'm sorry that happened to you." she says quietly. "I.. like that place. It's quiet. And I can pet things. Apparently. That's special." she says softly sounding a little less deadpan, but..not very much.<br><br>"S--sorry. I shouldn't talk about it if you dislike it so much." she says, holding the cup out still until she gets her sugar cubes. Then she'll draw it back.<br><br>"What kind of donuts..do you like?" she asks. "I like. Sprinkles. And cake donuts."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's hard not to compare the similarities and differences between them. As much as Yochu dislikes what happened to her she can't help thinking that Norie is even worse off than she was. Her emotions aren't that different from what she remembers, and her dreams that aren't nightmares aren't ''that'' strange.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The sugar cube is dropped into the tea. It dissolves immediately, and suffuses through it. The tea gets a little darker, but not a lot. It also does sweeten the tea, just like proper sugar would! The tea also now contains a fair amount of Yochu's energy. A scientist or someone with really good magical senses might be able to tell things about the doll based off of that. Like the fact that her dominant emotion is lonliness. It doesn't impart the emotion, or any other though. It doesn't even inhibit positive ones. In fact, for being an infusion of negative energy it seems to only create positive results! Well, if you're able to use negative energy yourself, anyway.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Norie drinks the tea she'll feel a surge of energy, like she could get up and run a marathon, or shoot off a particularly impressive energy blast.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Once Yochu has given Norie her tea, she'll pour a cup for herself, adding a sugar cube to her cup as well, before letting go of the teapot, which disappears.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Me too," she says quietly as Norie says she's sorry for what happened to her. "It's okay. I don't like it because I died there and it killed me. If it didn't, I'd probably like it too. If things like the Starfield Jellyfish live there and you can pet them, I can see why you'd like it."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The question about donuts has her fidgeting a little. "I, um... I haven't tried very many. The blueberry ones are okay..?" She tries not to look embarrassed. The truth is, Yochu's life before becoming a doll wasn't exactly exciting or full of wonder. She'd still rather be her old self, though.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana wants to smile, but she can't. Instead she gets a confused looking face that doesn't match the expression she's aiming for. "Yeah, things like that live there." she says as she blinks at the tea as she sips it. Wow. that's a kick. Is it the caffeine in the tea!? No, it's probably just the fact it's dark energy. And she's dark energy. And it's a nice big kick.<br><br>"Wow, that's good!" she says, in that deadpan still. "Er...s..sorry. I can't express. Happiness. Don't smile. But it is good." she offers, a little embarrassedly.<br><br> She sighs a little. "Blueberry ones." she says. "Alright. That's easy enough! I'll get chocolate, blueberry sprinkled cake donuts. Uhm... theres. Someone else?"<br><br>"Riven-senpai said her name was... Firefly? What kind of donuts might she like?" she asks.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yochu meanwhile does smile, and look happy, as she sees Norie's reaction to her tea. "I'm glad you like it. I really like tea parties," she explains. "Is that what you meant by your emotions were strange? You can't show that you're happy? That sounds hard, I'm sorry."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, as if showing just how wide some of the differences between them are, her eyes widen and shine, "Firefly! Yes, she's very nice. I've had tea parties with her before. Um..." Now it's her turn to look embarrassed. "Firefly, she... she doesn't really 'own' me like those boys thought you did, but in a way, I'm her doll now. If it wasn't for her, I'd just be some bad woman's experiment."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What kind of donuts would she like, though? "I, um... I think I remember her saying something about apple treats, before. Are there.. apple donuts?" She also looks away afterwards, "Oh, um... does it... upset you when I'm happy? I could understand if it was. Sometimes seeing someone doing something you can't but want makes it harder..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana makes a mental note. "I think there are apple donuts and if there is not there is apple fritters. Which are like donut adjacent." she says seriously, like she was talking an authority here about donuts. "Good donuts are fried." she says.<br><br>She head tilts. "Ah. I mean. If you're comfortable with that..." she shrugs. "...I didn't like the way those boys we're treating you." she admits.<br><br>She shakes her head. "It..it doesn't bother me. I mean. I'm jealous." she admits. "When I see people happy. It's just easy for me to go to bad places." she says. "Don't worry about your feelings. I have to. Worry about mine and... Riven-senpai said he's going to work to try to give me back my feelings. I don't have high hopes for that. But maybe he'll figure something out." she says quietly.<br><br>"But don't..worry about. What I feel. It isn't. Important." she says quietly.<br><br>"Um." she says. "Do you. Get upset when. Uhm. 'Sparkleskirts'...destroy a monster? That was just feeding, too...?" she asks. "I do. I hate it. I wish I could help these creatures."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yochu nods her head again, "Then... maybe Firefly would like those. Maybe I would too? I haven't tried any before." She makes a mental note about that. Fried donuts are the best donuts. This information will surely come in handy sometime.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She takes a sip of her tea, seeming to relax a little, becoming content. Now this talk has taken on a different mien; it's officially a Tea Party. It really isn't that different at all, but she likes it this way.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I... I didn't like it either. It was starting to make me mad, when I fell down. I think... I think if you hadn't been there, I would have done what you did. I was almost ready..." She looks at Norie then as she explains her feelings, watching carefully. Trying to understand, to empathize. It's actually fairly easy, when it's about something like this. "Oh... that's exactly what it's like. Easy to go to bad places. Sometimes I get like that too, when I see friends and families being happy together. It doesn't make me sad or mad or anything... unless I am. Then it does."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's convoluted and sounds contradictory, but somehow Yochu gets the feeling Norie will know exactly what she means. As much as they're different, they're also very similar. It's why the differences stand out so much.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I hope he can," she suddenly says with a bit more passion than she'd intended. "I hope Riventon can get you your emotions back!" She calms herself with an effort and then notes, "Hotaru says she's going to try to help me get a real body again. So I can be a real girl again. I... I don't think she can, but it makes me really happy that she wants to and is going to try."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Yochu's red eyes look directly into Nories and she shakes her head, "I don't think that's true. Norie-chan... I think what you feel is important. I think... it's important now... to me."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana is fine with it being a tea party. She has tea and she's sipping it. She wished she had donuts now. But Donuts can always come later. "Riven-senpai met me when we we're both out hunting for energy. He shared some with me. I appreciated it." she says softly.<br><br>She can understand a bunch of contradictory feelings right now. "It's the dark energy. I was warned against. Self loathing and stuff. But it's hard."<br><br>"Yeah it's..."<br><br>"There's nothing to go back to?" she says quietly. "If the body's gone and. I'm just a mass of dark energy with a mind of it's own..." she says as she sulks a bit. "Sorry. I tend to be. Analytical. When your emotions are this dull. It's. All monotone."<br><br>She looks back a little, well as much as she can and nods a little. "I mean. If you think so. I'm not going to. Make problems for you. Am I? I do like friends." she says softly.<br><br>"Just. I've lost a lot of my old ones." she sulks again. "Because I messed up. And did a lot of dumb things. When I started being this thing."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Is that how you met him? It's nice of him to share. He's the one that rescued me, from that lab. I wasn't awake though." Yochu watches Norie as she talks about feelings. "I need to try not to think too much about being lonely. If I do, I might lose myself. I don't want to. Even if I'm a new me... I don't want to be another new me. Not like that."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her head nods softly then, to the note of not having anything to go back to. "That's right. My body doesn't exist anymore. Even if it did, it'd be in the Dusk Zone." A little shiver runs through her, bringing up the place again.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But. Um... you're right in more ways, too. I don't mind you being analytical." Her response is a bit scattered, because she seems slightly reluctant to share something. Not sad about it, just reluctant. "I lived in an orphanage and I never knew my parents. It was... run by Obsidian. I... I think I'm the only one left. And I'm not even alive... So... nothing to go back to. That's exactly how it is."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her head suddenly and quickly nods, "Yes!! Friends! I... I'd like that. I'd like to be friends, if that's okay with you. I'm... sorry you lost your other friends. I think I might understand, at least a little. What it's like to be someone like you. I don't want to be alone either. But I think... even people like us, we can have friends. Firefly is a very good friend too. You should be her friend, too."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana closes her eyes and nods a little. "Alright. We should all meet then." she says. "I'll bring the donuts and you can handle the tea." she says. She head tilts. "Thank you for being patient with me." she says quietly. "Many n---" she bites her lip.<br><br>"Ah---n--ormal.. people. Find it hard to deal with me." she says, looking down a little.<br><br>"There's. Words I don't like saying. Or comparing myself to. Being called...a.mo--" she says.<br><br>"A monster or... not normal... hurt.. a lot." she says sort of tapping her fingers together.<br><br>"Yes, let's be friends." she says deadpan. But, with hints of enthusiasm, if you squint hard and tilt your head a lttle.<br><br>"I should meet her. I Riven-senpai said she was like a little sister. And I trust Riven-senpai. He at least tells me a lot of truths." she wilts.<br><br>"Unlike. Those.. those sparkleskirts. They wanna. Fix me too. but. If they can't, They'll just.... off me. like one of thos creatures..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Okay!" Yochu hopefully replies, trying not to get too excited at the prospect of having a tea party with more than just Hotaru. Those are very nice, of course, but having more people around will be just as good and even better! "Oh, um. It's okay. I have a lot of trouble with normal people to. Like you saw."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The doll nods in understanding, "I don't think your a monster, Norie-chan. You have to eat just like anyone else, right?" She bites her lip and looks down. "I don't like either but I... I know... that I'm not a real girl anymore. I'm not even the girl I used to be. I have her memories. I remember being her, but I'm not her. I'm a doll, now." She is, at least, a very good and beloved doll, which is why she even exists at all.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"She's very nice, and she knows what it's like to be different. I... think she might be like you, too. She knows that she has to do things like collecting energy, and fighting. But... she doesn't like it. She doesn't like hurting people. We don't like hurting people when we don't have to. She's like a big sister to me... but I'm also her doll." She knows it doesn't sound right, but in her heart she knows that it ''is'' right.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then, she circles back around to the most important thing Norie just said. "Yes, we're friends now!" She takes another drink of her tea. Her head tilts a little. Something... isn't right. There's something missing now. Not from the tea party, but from 'friends'. What is it? There's something friends do... oh, right!<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The teacup is set aside carefully, and Yochu shuffles closer to Norie. It's... not exactly elegant, since she doesn't want to stand, but she also doesn't want to get her dress too dirty. But still, she scoots closer, and then leans in and tries to give Norie a little hug. Because that's what friends do, right? They hug.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't want to destroy you, Norie. I don't want to 'fix' you either, because you're not broken, you're just different. But... I do want to help you."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana shifts a bit. "I don't like thinking of myself as not n-n-n-normal." she stutters. "I do my best. My family sends me to a...... uhm. Therapist. all they do is ask me to smile but I can't." she says. "It stinks."<br><br>She can see the hug coming, and she seems to squint a little and concentrate as she's hug. She hugs back. It isn't a strong hug. She then nods. "That's good. I just. Wish I had my good feelings back." she admits. "I could deal with all this... better then." a pause.<br><br>"I don't...mind hugs. But it's important you let me know it's coming. Either make sure I'm paying attention. Or ask first. I..." she shifts. "I drain without thinking. On contact. Someone hugged me from behind and I drained them without thinking. And now they're suspicious I think. Some girl with.. a ghost.. friend..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"They ask you to do something you can't? That sounds hard." Yochu shakes her head a little. She can't quite imagine it, but realizes it must be frustrating.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The hug is given, and afterwards Yochu pulls back. Maybe she'd have lingered a bit if it had been a strong hug, but this at least she can detect and understand. She also learns a valuable lesson, not just about Norie, but in general. "I'm sorry!" she immediately says upon being warned to ask. "You're right! I... I should have asked. I won't do that without asking you again, I promise."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She tries to look calm, but she's clearly a little flustered by making a mistake like that with a new friend. Once her apologies are made she starts thinking about the reasoning. "I wonder... I'm... not sure I'd mind, if you drained me? I give people my energy if they want it already," she notes, thinking of the sugar cubes. "I know you don't want to, but I don't think it would hurt me much. And I won't be mad at you if it ever happens on accident."<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;After saying this she backtracks a little, "It must be hard, being able to have bad or sad feelings, but not good or happy ones. But even if you don't feel happy, I hope having more friends and people you can talk with will help." She looks away for a moment, and then back. "It helps me a lot. It'd make me happy if it helped you, too."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:94|Norie Okana (94)}} has posed:'''<br>Norie Okana shakes her head. "I'm not upset. It's more. I don't want to try to drain you on accident." she says sheepishly.<br><br>She rubs the back of her head. "But if it happens, it happens I guess." she then blinks a little, as she Sulks a bit. "It sucks. Because I can't just tell my family that I turned into this thing and it's terrible and the first thing I did when I got home from the hospital and woke up like this is to drain my brother and I th..think he remembers. In some fashion. He flinches. Sometimes. Around me. Like. Subconsciously. Now."<br><br>"Friends might help." she nods. "I can't...promise it'll help, but we'll see." she says quietly. She sounds delightfully neutral though. Maybe that's good enough for now.<br><br>"I think the whole mess outside should be handled by now." she says, peeking out of the giant penguin.<br><br>"...wanna come look at donuts with me?" she asks. "Donuts are probably the closest I get to feeling anything like... I dunno if you'd call it happy. Like. 'Content'?" she says. "...yeah. content...like. Neutral." she says sheepishly. "I like it. When the sprinkles are multicolored." she admits, seeming embarrassed by this fact.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:93|Yochu (93)}} has posed:'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yochu listens to Norie. She tries to be a good listener, letting the older girl speak without interrupting her. "That sounds hard too," she agrees. "Having your family worried and not being able to stop it. Having people you care..." she trails off because she worries what she was going to say at first would make Norie sad, "Um... 'flinch'." She nods a little more.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The truth is though, she has to focus hard on how sad that must be for Norie. Because it'd be easy for her, too easy, to dwell on the fact she has no family to even be worried or scared of her. She never did in the first place. Luckily for her, focusing on someone else's problems is a good way to put off thinking about your own. And as Norie probably knows that's actually a smart and healthy thing to do when your body or soul or both is made of Dark Energy.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"It's okay. Even if it doesn't help, we can both say we tried, right? As long as it doesn't make you feel sad or hurt it should be better than nothing at all, right?" It might sound like she's trying to justify being friends so there's a reason for it, because she is. Even though Norie already said she would be.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Go look at donuts? ...okay! That sounds nice. Going and seeing what things my new friend likes... I like that." She looks at Norie, and gives her a little smile, to show her she actually means it. Not too bright of one, because that might make her feel guilty. But it's probably pretty obvious that making a new friend is more than just Neutral to Yochu.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she gives several quick nods in a row to Norie, "That's good. Content is good. I think... neutral is good. Anytime it isn't sad is good. That's what I think." In this case 'sad' means a wide variety of unhelpful negative emotions. She's not the most articulate, but she's trying.<br> <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Can you show me, Norie-chan? The donuts with multicolored sprinkles? I want to see them."<br> <br>
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