GLoG XXIII: With malice towards none

[AmberVael]

"I-"
Crimson stops, looking at her feet.
"Dad says I shouldn't talk about it."

[Reinholdt]

Irene gets to facepalm and is beginning to wonder if she took the Dad's side too early. Maybe Mom's got the right idea.

"How am I supposed to know what to do for you if you're not allowed to tell me?" She sighs. "Well, if you don't want to, I won't make you." Irene's not sure how to keep a conversation going with this girl if dad keeps getting in the way.

[AmberVael]

"Dad told me... I needed to learn normal things. He used to, anyways. Sometimes."
Crimson looks up at Irene.
"Could you show me something normal to do?"

[Reinholdt]

This girl was starting to exceed odd and move towards creepy.

Oh well. "Uhh... normal, normal..." Irene scratches her head. "Well... we could go for a walk. We could watch television. Or we could, I don't know, work on a puzzle?" She counts them off on her hands as she lists them. "What sounds interesting to you?"

[AmberVael]

A smile actually spreads across Crimson's face- a sort of relieved and natural smile that seems so much more suited to her than any other expression Irene has seen on her face so far.
"Dad always liked puzzles... he was clever."

[Reinholdt]

Irene smiles. Yay! Something!
"Alright. Let's do a puzzle." She'll take Crimson to whatever Closet where they keep the puzzles. Probably the same Closet where all the clothes are to choose from. She'll let Crimson pick out the one she wants to do. Choices are numerous.

[AmberVael]

Crimson looks over all the puzzles and finally picks out a jigsaw with a sun and moon motif. She'll open the box and find an open space, and begin putting the puzzle together, humming so softly under her breath that it is nearly impossible to hear the actual tune.

[Reinholdt]

Irene will sit nearby and watch mostly, though occasionally try to help. Puzzles aren't really her strong suit. She's average at them.

[AmberVael]

Crimson seems to have a fair bit of trouble, really. She realizes how the shapes interact, but the picture seems to constantly confuse her. Eventually, however, she starts getting the hang of it.
"What do you want to do?"
She asks Irene. Her tone makes it seem like she's asking Irene for more than what she would want to pass time doing.

[Reinholdt]

Irene shrugs. "Oh, I don't know. Puzzles are fine by me. Things can alternate around here between quite dull and extremely exciting. But to be honest, I'm not yet sure what I want to do." She may have missed Crimson's intention behind the question.

She takes a look over. "Your dad give you those?" She motions to the necklace and bracelet.

[AmberVael]

"My dad gave me this."
Crimson says, putting a hand to the necklace.
"My m-mom... gave me this."
She said, her voice catching a little as she raises the arm with the band on it.
Irene will notice now that it is clear and in the light, that there appears to be no way to actually remove it.

[Reinholdt]

Irene tilts her head. "Does that come off? How did she even get it on there?" Irene looks at it curiously.

[AmberVael]

Crimson shakes her head.
"She used her magic charms to do it."
She puts one hand tightly around the bracelet.

[Reinholdt]

Irene frowns, looking up at Crimson's face and asks the obvious questions. "Why? What does it do?"

[AmberVael]

"It's... it's..."
Crimson starts shaking, her eyes focused on the bracelet.
"I..."
Her eyes are a little distant as memories flicker through her mind.

[Reinholdt]

Irene reaches out to put her hand on Crimson's hand. "Hey. Are you ok?"

[AmberVael]

Crimson gives a tiny nod and takes a shuddering breath before speaking in a tiny, quavering voice.
"It's the soul of my old mother."

[Reinholdt]

Blink blink.
Silence.
A bit more blinking.
Shame those glasses get in the way of seeing that.

Yeah, Irene is pretty speechless right now, so... doesn't say anything.

[AmberVael]

Crimson doesn't say any more, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around herself, the steel bracelet shining dully on her wrist.

[Reinholdt]

"I'm sorry, I..." am really confused right now.

She'll move over, sitting next to Crimson and try to hug her again. "I didn't know."

[AmberVael]

"My... new mother told me that is the way life is. She gave me the bracelet to remind me."
Crimson says, finishing the explanation quietly as she leans into Irene.

[Reinholdt]

"I see." More comfort hugs.

This family situation was growing more complicated by the second.

[AmberVael]

Crimson sniffles a little and hugs Irene back, accepting the warmth of the hug. Irene will notice that she's a bit colder than someone might normally be- not that she's chill and clammy like undead, or even substantially lacking in body warmth... just that she feels a bit cool, perhaps as if she had been outside too long.

[Reinholdt]

Hmm... well, pretty much everything about this girl was odd, why not her body temperature too?

Irene pets Crimson's hair some. "Hey, are you cold? We could get you in bed or by a fire or something if you are."

[AmberVael]

"Fire would be nice."
Says Crimson, looking at Irene with hope in her eyes.

[Reinholdt]

"Alright." She'll lead Crimson back into the great room over by the fireplace and works on getting it going.

"That good Scarlet?"

[AmberVael]

Crimson nods and leans towards the fire, watching it as if she were enchanted by it, or perhaps hypnotized.
"We weren't allowed fire at home."

[Reinholdt]

Irene tries to put her hand on Crimson's back and rub it.

"Well, we can get a fire going here anytime you want. Usually a little late in the year for it, but sometimes it's still nice. You want hot chocolate or something?"

[AmberVael]

"Hot chocolate...?"
Crimson looks confused. Apparently she's unfamiliar with it.

[Reinholdt]

"It's a drink. Hold up, I'll get it for you and you can see for yourself." Irene heads into the kitchen to make some hot chocolate.