{001} Action || Inside 1331 Benny Street, and then the yard of said house

[cukoolanded]

[The bed Ashlin was snuggling into felt a bit different but that didn't immediately bother her. After five years of traveling she'd gotten used to waking up in places that didn't seem entirely familiar, but then someone moved beside her and it most certainly wasn't Bo-Bo. Ashlin's eyes shot open and she practically fell out of the bed in her attempts to get away from the stranger. The man just stared at her in confusion, asking her what was wrong, as if he knew her. She most certainly didn't know him. Ashlin expected Bo-Bo to wrap around her protectively, and growl at the stranger (no matter how futile that particular action would be) but nothing happened. 

Her eyes darted around the room, but there was no one here with her but the strange man-- who was getting closer, and no, no, no she didn't want him near her! Ashlin dashed from the room, looking around frantically for her Shadow. It was getting harder, and harder to ignore the sudden emptiness she felt as she reached out for her companion and found nothing.]

Bo-Bo! Bo-Bo where are you?! Bo-Bo, this isn't funny!

[She didn't care if she seemed crazy rushing around this strange house screaming. What did she care if that man thought her bizarre, she wanted Bo-Bo back now! Her voice was growing increasingly frantic, and she was on the verge of tears. As much as she wanted to deny it, pretend he was just hiding somewhere she knew Bo-Bo better than anything or anyone in this whole world. He might like to steal sweets or hide things when he was feeling mischievous but he would never, ever leave her alone when she needed him. Ashlin rushed outside, crying now.]

Bo-Bo! Bo-Bo!

[Her knees gave out on her once she was in the yard, the realization that she was alone too much to bear. Ashlin hadn't even noticed she was wearing a nightgown she'd never even seen before, and the fact that she had no idea where she was at all didn't even matter to her. All that mattered was Bo-Bo, and the terrible, aching the empty feeling in her chest that had her in tears.]

Comments

[splashpuppy]

[Wait a second, that doesn't sound like the drone lady...]

What's wrong?

[cukoolanded]

[She's still crying, and may sound borderline hysterical. Maybe a little more than borderline.]

He's gone! Bo-Bo is gone and-and I don't understand he's never been gone before!

[splashpuppy]

[That's... never been the first thing the new mom has said]

Who's Bo-Bo?

[cukoolanded]

H-he's my f-friend.

[It's the best explanation she can give, but it's so much more than that. He's a part of her, has been since the moment she was born, and was suppose to be till the day she died. He's the only constant thing she's ever had in her life, and now for the first time in her existence he's gone.]

[splashpuppy]

Oh... he's probably safe at home, then.

[cukoolanded]

[The idea that he's back at home is a very small comfort, but it's enough to remind Ashlin that there are other things happening to her besides Bo-Bo's disappearance (even if none of them could possibly be as important.) She wipes her eyes, voice shaky.]

Where am I?

[splashpuppy]

The town is called Mayfield. It's s'posed to be in America, but everything's really weird here so it probably isn't.

[cukoolanded]

Oh.

[The hows, and whys run through her mind, but the question she keeps coming back to was how they had separated her from Bo-Bo. She couldn't ask that though, she knew she wouldn't get an answer. She'd never even met anyone else who could see the Shadows so how was she suppose to ask why they were gone? Instead she asked the other question that plagued her mind as she chewed on her lip.]

Why are we here?

[splashpuppy]

We... don't really know. Sometimes we hear people on the phone, yelling at each other. Whatever they want us for, I don't think it's really working.

[cukoolanded]

[She's silent for a few moments, not really sure what to say or if there's anything even to say to that. Now that she's calmed down a bit though she realizes just how cold she is dressed like this, and wraps her arms around herself for warmth. Here eyes dart back to the house but she isn't sure she wants to go back inside with the strange man, cold or not.]

[splashpuppy]

There are warmer clothes inside. They might not be what you're used to wearing, but it's awfully cold out here.

[cukoolanded]

[Her desire to feel her fingers and toes finally wins out and she nods, teeth chattering.]

D-do you live h-here t-t-too?

[She stutters out the words, teeth still chattering together as she looks around cautiously for the man she woke up next to. She's feeling more vulnerable than usual and she doesn't want him surprising her again.]

[splashpuppy]

I'm supposed to. I mostly stay at Ms. Ukraine's, but I hafta come back sometimes. The drones say I do, but you can mostly just ignore them.

[cukoolanded]

[She blinked.]

Drones?

[Ashlin was getting more and more confused the longer she was here, but talking was helping. Talking was distracting and it meant she could pretend for a moment that the empty ache wasn't there.]

[splashpuppy]

The other people in the house, the man and the other boy. They used to be regular people like us, but now they're drones and act like this is all supposed to be this way.

[cukoolanded]

Oh.

[She chews on her lip, still hoping to avoid the man. That did explain at least why he'd attacked like she was behaving oddly when she'd woken up. Ashlin knew most people thought she was weird but even she knew waking up next to someone she didn't know wasn't something to act calmly about. Ashlin quickly paled, and then blushed bright red as something occurred to her.]

Does that mean he thinks I'm suppose to share a bed with him?! Am I?!

[Her voice turned into a squeak at the end. She couldn'-t-! She'd didn't even--! She wasn't--! Ashlin started shaking her head back and forth, eyes wide, before she burred her face in her hands. She didn't like this. She wanted Bo-Bo, and she wanted to go home, and she wanted her purple octopus sweater!]

[splashpuppy]

[Hajime makes a face. He hadn't thought about that]

He thinks that you're married. You can lock him out of the room though, or sleep somewhere else. He won't really notice.

[cukoolanded]

[Ashlin's hands are still covering her face but she spreads her fingers open to look at the child through them.]

Married?

[She squeaks out the word at a very high pitch, face flushed absolutely red. She just stares at him for a few moments contemplating her options. If it was warmer out she could just camp outside or set herself up in a tree. Napping in tress was nice after all. Oh, but Bo-Bo wasn't here to make sure she didn't fall out (she ignored the stab of pain that thought sent through her) so maybe that wouldn't work. She considered the situation for a few more moments before she closed her still spread fingers, nodded to herself and then let her hands drop.]

I'll sleep on the couch.

[For now at least. Maybe she could build herself a tree fort. If she got enough blankets or maybe a portable heater she'd be fine right?]

[splashpuppy]

You can have my bed, the nights I'm at Ms Ukraine's.

Oh, uh...

[He pauses, trying to figure out how to explain this one]

He also thinks you're my mom. Me and the other boy, even though that doesn't make sense.

[cukoolanded]

[Ash was going to have sit down soon, this was getting to be a bit much for her. Still she managed a quick smile for the boy's kind offer.]

Thanks.

[She wasn't sure how to handle this whole mom business. Obviously the boy she was talking to wouldn't expect anything from her, it sounded as if he wouldn't even be here most days really, but what about the drone child? If he was suppose to think all this was normal wouldn't he be expecting her to do mom things? Would she hurt his feelings if she didn't? It was a little staggering, the idea that she was now apparently responsible for taking care of a child and the aching emptiness was still pulsing in the back of her mind. Sitting down on the floor, she cringed holding her head between her hands. This was all giving her a head ache.]

Am I suppose to take care of him then? Do drones need to eat?

[splashpuppy]

He's older than me. They'll eat if there's food and maybe complain a bit if there isn't, but nothing seems to really bother them. Everyone mostly just ignores them after a while.

[cukoolanded]

[She sighed. Well that was a relief. Ash didn't think she was ready for that kind of responsibility, especially if it was just being forced on her.]

Oh, okay.

[She still wasn't feeling good about any of this, not in the least, but if nothing else she had an idea of what was going on now. Losing Bo-Bo (she wasn't going to cry again, she wasn't) was hard enough to deal with without having any idea where she was.]

Oh! I'm Ashlin by the way.

[She gave him a weak smile, but it looked pained at best.]

[splashpuppy]

[He smiles back]

It's scary at first, but it'll be okay. I'm Hajime.