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From the Tailor to the Lily

SUPEROOC: Right, so I've written some other stuff, yet it isn't all of the linear timeline. I have a story, and these are some bits of it from one character's thoughts. It may be before, after or during the main show.

OOC: Um, right right! This isn't that long, i don't think, and the end bit of the fight is a bit rushed. I just wanted to introduce two characters that I use a bit without feeling scared to death. Okay, here we go ♥

Fraulein Lilie

"Ashes, ashes, they all fall down~"

"Am I interrupting you, Miss Lily?" A woman in simple garb projected her voice across the valley of lilies. She began to walk down, her white dress brushing against the flowers, which rustled to its touch. Her eyes were fixed upon the singer, who seemed to have ignored her entirely. The rest of her features were mostly hidden, as long raiment covered her mouth and shoulders, and a bowler hat atop her head kept most of her chestnut hair hidden. Her arms, however, were bare, revealing her pale skin. It was certainly not a deathly white, but one could tell she didn't get much sun. Her boots traipsed downwards, crushing the flora in their wake. The cloth wrapped tighter, its flower print clinging to her. It almost looked lifelike, as if it had grown straight from the fabric. A few feet away, the rustling stopped, and her mouth opened again. "Or should I be calling you by your actual name, Katie?"

The singing stopped.

"..." The other girl had closed her mouth, recognizing the word. She got up from her spot, which had looked to be the only pace she had sat for a very long time. Under Miss Lilie was simply matted grass, nothing else. She stood a little shorter than this new woman, a few inches, give or take. Miss Lilie was similarly covered up, but in different places. She wore a blank shirt without sleeves, donned with a wilted, purple flower at its center. Underneath was a moss-coloured dress, and similar boots to the other woman. She actually did, however, wear sleeves; they simply were not attached to the shirt. They were purple in color, and completely covered her hands and the majority of her arms. Miss Lilie stared.

"You took the baby away." The words were forced, and her voiced cracked a bit as they came. She cleared her throat, and continued. "That is the valley's baby." Miss Lilie did not break her gaze with the woman.

"Wow, you still remember, Katie. I can't say I've come to return it to you," She gestured to her cloth, which uncoiled itself and ran down her arm, revealing her face. "It is mine. That, however, is not why I'm here. You see-"

"That is the valley's baby." Miss Lilie spoke again, more forcefully than before. She took a step towards this intruder, and her arm reached for the
other. The woman quickly retreated, and smiled a little, sadly, in a way.

"I've come to save you, Katie. Don't you remember me?" She finished her sentence, and kept her smile on. She slowly took a step closer to Miss Lilie, who remained tense, and hostility shined in her eyes. Her gaze wavered a second, and her arm faltered, as Miss Lilie wracked her head for any other memory. Her eyes snapped back into focus, and she glared at the stranger, who no longer seemed so strange.

"...Odette." It was all she remembered of the woman. It had been so long ago; it was surprising Miss Lilie could recall that much. She looked at Odette's cloth, and her eyes focused upon the violet flower decorated on it. "That is the valley's baby. You broke it." Her arm, yet again, reached for the other.

Odette took another step back; this was not going as well as she had hoped. However, she needed to help her friend, and had finally met the person who could maybe do something about it. She tried again. "Katie, why don't you come with me? There are a lot of places that are much more fun than this boring old field. There's somebody I want you to meet." She put the smile on her face one last time, and hoped Katie, not Miss Lilie, would hear her.

Miss Lilie was not swayed, and Katie was too far gone to hear her, either way. Instead, Miss Lilie grabbed the sleeve on her arm, and removed it, throwing it into the field. Her arm, revealed, was discolored, as if it had died. It showed it was working perfectly fine, however, as it drew towards
Odette in the manner of a fist. Odette's smile turned into a frown, and raised her arm to protect herself. Miss Lilie grinned, but it turned into a face of confusion as her arm met cloth, the very same from earlier, that had switched arms and swiftly flowed up to her to protect its owner from the blow. Miss Lilie grunted, and her confusion turned to shock as the cloth remained before her. Odette smiled.

"You can't hurt your babies, no matter how much you want to. That, Katie, is why I refuse to return it to you." The flower print on the cloth shimmered, and Miss Lilie retracted her arm, looking away. In her eyes, this Odette was now a monster. How dare she take her child, and more so, use it in...that! She would not be forgiven. Miss Lilie removed the other sleeve, revealing an arm identical to the other, and threw the cloth into the field. She stood there for a second, thinking. In looking through Katie, Miss Lilie recalled that Odette was ultimately defensive. It would not be easy to break her guard. With that in mind, Miss Lilie kicked at some flowers around her with a sweep of the leg, sending all sorts of nectar and pollen flying. It made an odd, murky haze when it came in contact with whatever the flower at her chest was spewing outwards. Miss Lilie leaned forward and blew on it, causing it to travel towards Odette.

Odette's eyes widened, and in response the garment traveled up her neck and wrapped tightly around her nose and mouth. She could still breathe, which was good and bad. Odette was aware that Katie's poison could be anything, from something that will induce pain upon inhaling, or it could be meant to mess up her vision. Luckily, it wasn't the latter, as it had seemed she had predicted the outcome correctly. In response, Odette plucked three needles hidden in the seams of her hat out. Burning, burning heat was its essence, and Odette deftly twirled them in her fingers before she threw the small, thin steel wires at her foe. Miss Lilie quickly sidestepped to the right, taking care not to step on her flowers. All the same, the needles managed to graze her hair, while one went through her dress, singing it and her hair as Miss Lilie felt the heat as they whizzed past. Putting a hand to her hand, she almost missed Odette running up at her. The taller, advancing woman held more thin metals between her fingers, curled up in a fist. Miss Lilie's eyes widened in shock as the needles plunged right into her stomach.

The freezing cold spread up and around the smaller girl's body, and it seemed as if frost formed at her fingertips. It didn't hurt, though it was terribly cold. Miss Lilie wondered where this murderer had travelled before ripping the needles out. Crimson formed around the wound, but was covered and wrapped tightly by two firm-looking vines that sprouted from the flower at her chest. Odette's teeth formed in the form of a tch. She should have expected it wouldn't be that easy, this was where the violet flower flourished most. It wouldn't be that implausible for it to have enough strength to rapidly grow in the poison fields it held its host under. Her cloth shifted around her mouth, as if it, too, was troubled. Miss Lilie stared. "Are we done fighting?" Odette ventured to say, continuing to coax her with words such as, "I'm sure you don't
want to get hurt." She wished desperately that she would not have to continue to destroy her friend. She needed to take her while still conscious; the parasite would not show mercy when it gained complete control. Miss Lilie's mouth twitched, as if to mock her for asking such a question. The flower's poisons drifted out, flowing to the girl's hand. It wrapped around, causing the skin to become bright red. Odette, however, wasn't prepared for the resounding smack across her arm. It stung a little, but then Odette leapt back, seeing that the crimson acidic substance eat right through her sleeve. Miss Lilie grinned, and with the realization that she held an advantage now, gave chase, both arms positively glowing with that blood red shade.

Odette may do best defensively, but she knew she couldn't do much when the enemy could literally burn it away. She briefly wondered what it was - her cloth can survive stabbing, ice, electricity. It even came out of fire unscathed! This, however, wasn't the pressing issue of the day. She was assigned to take Katie-no, Miss Lilie back. She couldn't start thinking of what she was now. Odette gritted her teeth, sidestepping a slap to the face. However unsafe it was, the most logical thing to do would be to knock her out, then subdue the parasite. She fingered her hat for the right needle, ducking from an outstretched arm, then rolling over some spider lilies to avoid a crushing blow. Plucking a thin one from her hat, she decided it would be best to stick it right at the parasitic flower, so it would possibly work, too. Her cloth unwrapped itself from her face, and Odette dodged an incoming punch and rolled behind Miss Lilie to avoid a retaliation in the form of a misty purple cloud. She delivered a resounding smack to Miss Lilie's head, deftly handling her cloth to pull the younger girl towards Odette so the flower was in clear view as she fell,
unconscious. She was still young; it hadn't taken much to knock her out. The pressing problem was made aware as the flower at Miss Lilie's chest seemed to bloom, and several odd plant-like tendrils burst from around her.

Odette was not one to stick around for this, however, and shoved the needle right in the flower's apex. It took a moment, and Odette was briefly
worried that she had simple enraged the flower as roots rose from underneath her feet and gripped her. That was not, however, the case, as they slackened and lazily fell to the ground. Odette allowed herself a sigh of relief. She knelt down to the sleeping girl's face, and brushed a stray hair out of her eyes. She reached under her, and quietly lifted her up. Katie wasn't that heavy; after five years, she still weighed exactly the same.

"I'm going to help you, Katie, I swear." With those last words, and a final look upon the field, Odette followed the setting sun. Maybe she could catch a train back. However it happened, she fiercely hoped Katie would not awaken; not for a while yet.

OOC: ...Oh dear, I knew this was too short! :<
 
Re: Fraulein Lilie (A short One-Shot ♥)

I said I'd post on this earlier >>

Onto subject, the story is a fantastic one! The one word best used to describe the scenery, characters and bloomin' everything is vibrant.
The whimsical (if that is the right word :>) character designs conjured instantly in my head, likewise for the scenery. Odette's abilities are very interesting, and I'll most definitely be following any more fictions/rp's with her in it.~
 
Oh dear, another short one. I'm getting myself back into writing again, so maybe it's better I keep to writing what feels natural, instead of pushing for numbers.

Campfire

Trust is mutual, and by that definition, Odette didn't trust her at all.

There they were, all sitting by the campfire, animatedly talking to her, listening to her exploits with wide-eyes. Sitting a bit away was Odette, sewing up the tattered and ripped clothing of her friends, a result of the battle they had fought earlier. She tried her best to remind herself that they won, but at the same time, Lilie had slipped away. The noise of fabric against fabric increased in sound, almost furiously so, as the needle made a sharp turn around the coat. The seamstress gritted her teeth. Lilie had gotten away. She had been so careful, so watchful during the whole journey! But now what?

...

Odette blamed her for it. That girl...she let them get away, run away with Katie. No, she couldn't think like that. She was the adult of the group, she had to be strong. She couldn't resent someone for that!

But she still didn't trust her. She didn't even want to say her name; if she did, she knew she would just end up spilling all her frustrations onto her. Did she deserve it? Odette wanted to say yes, but her heart told her no. It just...didn't make sense. She just smashed her way in, right through the bars, yelling how she had come to repay a favor? That was no favor. It was a disservice. She just dragged them all out, and Katie was left behind. She pursed her lips. She had an idea, but it wouldn't do to tell the others.

She was going to go back. She needed to. Katie wasn't safe there, not in that place. They would do all sorts of things that would just mess her up even more. They'd make her a monster, she knew it. Odette already had enough guilt the first time; she didn't want to feel the pain again. She'd just...go right on in and demand to have her back.

...Yeah, she needed a better plan. Her cloth only provided her so much protection, and she couldn't stand up to all of them. She would have to leave at night, but...Odette glanced over at the group. Ethan had already fallen asleep, leaning on Casey. The other one was still talking incessantly. She couldn't come back after that. There would be too many questions to answer, especially from him. He was standing watch. He was also another person Odette wasn't entirely sure of. Casey and Ethan had good intentions, but that one...Odette couldn't read him at all. It was clear he had come from far away, but he hasn't said anything more than that, and it worried her. She would have to hitch a boat ride and start traveling again. Back to square one.

But first, she had to get Katie back. She sighed, looking up at the moon.

"Hey there." Odette started, and turned to the speaker. Casey smiled back, that same innocent smile. Odette turned her head to the campfire - Ethan was on his bag now. The other one was making her way to the watch in the meantime.

"Casey," Odette smiled warmly. "I didn't see you there. Your coat's almost fixed." She motioned to the garment on her lap. It was looking better than before, but the burn marks were still there. "It took quite a beating. What happened?" Casey frowned, and her eyes filled with pain. Odette quickly regretted asking, but there was no way to change the subject now that it had gotten this way.

After what seemed like forever, Casey responded. "I...I tried to save her." Odette's eyes widened and she ventured to ask the question on her lips.

"You mean..."

"You know who I'm talking about. Lilie. Or Katie. Whatever." She was doing it again. Giving her that look. "I saw her while we were split up. She was...alone." Her eyes clouded with the sour memory. "She was just standing there, in this room, staring at the wall. I mean, I knew she was weird, but..." Her look returned. "Odette...what's wrong with her?" It was a simple question, but she bit her lip at the thought of trying to answer. How could she tell her that it was her fault that she was messed up? Because of her cowardice, Katie had been lost, and she still didn't know how to fix her. After a long silence, she tried to voice an answer.

"Katie is...sick." She couldn't meet Casey's eyes. "She's sick because of a...parasite. An invasive creature from far away." She tried to say more, but she couldn't. She couldn't say how the monster attacked them, attacked Katie, invaded her. And how she ran away. "She's not really herself at all, but I'm sure sometimes you've seen her as Katie, and not as Lilie." Casey nods. Odette smiled. "Good. Try to think of her as that girl, not...that monster. It has its own agenda, I just don't know what." Odette frowned as tears came to her eyes. She tried to blink the wetness away, but just trembled. An uncomfortable silence followed.

"Well then, we'll just have to get her back next time, won't we?" The seamstress looked up, and found Casey on her feet, smiling confidently. Odette smiled again.

"Y-yeah, I guess so." She tried to sound confident, but it came out with much less resolve than it should have. Odette mentally cursed herself out. She was supposed to be strong, damn it! Casey frowned, but perked up again.

"Well, at least get some sleep. Worrying won't get you any closer to finding her, and it looks like you reallllly need some shuteye." She smiled as her blue eyes twinkled and brown locks fell over her shoulder. She held out a hand. Odette shook her head.

"I think I'll stay awake but a little longer. You're not the only one with torn clothes, you know." She smiled, and Casey frowned again. She knew something was up, it was her thing. That girl had too much intuition for her own good. "Really, I'm fine. Why don't you talk to Ethan? I think he's waking up." She gestured towards the boy by the campfire, who was now sitting up, rubbing his eyes. Katie sighed.

"...Fine. But seriously, don't stay up too late."

"I promise. Here, take your coat." Odette tossed the piece of clothing to the other girl. She caught it one handedly, and headed back to the campfire. Once she was back, Odette grabbed the next piece of clothing from the slowly waning pile. It was hers. Katie's sleeves. She gripped them tightly, and held them close. What could they be doing to her right now? Tears slipped from the tailor's eyes. She had better be okay. Nothing had been going right recently, and Odette would not let her die.

She would not.

---

Okay, I'd really like some constructive comments on it, if that may be of help! Am I being too cluttered, too focused? Some aid in commentation can help a bunch for me!
 
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Whoop whoop, 90 views and one comment, yoink :'D

A Lovely Gift

The tranquility of the river’s water was made even more beautiful as falling autumn leaves descended from the treetops, onto the bridge above it. Today was a nice day. The water itself was clear and rapid, and peering over the edge, Odette could see the bottom, and the small fish dashing across its equally tiny currents. There weren’t any monsters to be seen yet, and everything was getting along swimmingly. They’d be at their destination in no time at all if they kept up the pace. That is to say, if a certain party member would stop being a hindrance.

“Are we there yet?”

“No.”

“…Are we there now?”

“Ethan…”

“What about now?”

“Ethan! We’re on a bridge! Do you think we’re there yet?”

“…No.”

“Hey Ethan, come over here.” Odette beckoned with a wave as Ethan turned around and backpedaled a bit to meet Odette’s steps. It would be best if he wasn’t annoying the other members of the group right now. Ethan’s enthusiasm often became a fault during these times of long walking and nothing but silence. Luckily, she had prepared something to occupy him with today. “I have a present for you.” The younger boy’s eyes widened.

“W-Wow, really, Miss Odette?” She nodded, a smile playing around the edges of her face. The boy’s disposition was contagious. “What is it?” He was trying his best to hide his excitement. It didn’t work too well, as he was now grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of this mysterious gift. Katie and the escort turned to glance at the two for a moment, but continued walking. At least they were focused.

“Something I made just for you.” If the boy’s excitement could grow larger, it just did. “It took me a while, as I normally fashion clothes, but…” She produced a small box from the folds of her clothes. It always baffled the others at how she had pockets in there. She wasn’t lying about how long it took, either. Working with stone is entirely different from cloth, but she made do with a little magic.

The boy took it out of her hands carefully, marveling at the item. He stared at it for a while, turning it over and over, scrutinizing the carefully tied ribbon holding the cover and the bottom together. It went on like this for a good five minutes; they had already crossed the bridge before he decided to pipe up again. “Um, Miss Odette?” He looked a little embarrassed. “…How do I open it? I don’t want to break it.” The tailor chuckled softly for a moment, and then gently received the box from his hands. She bent down for a moment, stopping her movement while the other two turned around, waiting for them.

“You just pull it right here, alright?” She smiled, giving one of the loose ends of the bow a small tug, demonstrating how the ribbon started to unravel. She gave it back to Ethan, who seemed to have a troubled look about him as his hands trembled and nearly dropped the box, as if it was a precious glass vase. “Is something wrong, dear?”

“I, um,” He looked down a moment, then back up, after finding the words. “I don’t want to break it!” Odette chuckled. His naiveté never ceased to amaze her.

“Dear, you’re supposed to break it; otherwise, you’ll never get to what’s inside!” He still looked a bit worried. “Besides, you’re not breaking it, just untying it. I can put it back in a bow if you really want me to.” Now he looked better.

“R-really? C-can you?” She nodded. “Alright…but do it right after I’m done!” He reached for the longer and gave it a sharp pull. He squeaked as the ribbon undid itself and fell to the floor. The older woman bent down to pick up the ribbon as he pulled open the box cover with care. Once again, his eyes grew wider as he pulled out the brooch, which he now caressed in his arms. “W-Wow…it’s so pretty! Thank you so much, Odette!” He turned and ran over to show it to Casey, who was still waiting. Their escort simply looked disinterested, but at least he wasn’t telling them to hurry up. The girl marveled at it as well, and then sent him back to her, likely as he had some question or the other about it.

It had taken Odette about a week to finish. She thought he deserved it; after all, he had been through so far, especially since he shouldn’t have been involved in the first place. The results showed, as Odette carried multiple bags underneath her eyes from nights secretively spent carving the magical stone to the right shape. It was a heart. It reflected the boy in many ways, she had thought, and her finishing touch involved putting a small charm on it. When she had finally finished, she settled on giving it to him the next time he was getting on somebody’s nerves. It wasn’t like he meant to annoy them, anyway; it was just him being immature.

“So, um, Miss Odette,” Ethan’s slightly higher pitched voice shook Odette from her thoughts, and she looked at him questioningly. “How do, I, um,” He was embarrassed. How cute. “…Wear it?” She gawked at him for a moment. Sometimes she was surprised he could tie his own shoes in the morning.

“Well, dear,” She removed the accessory from his hand, turning it around and pointing towards a small notch on the back, said, “See this right here?” He nodded. “You just tack it onto something, and it’ll stick. Just don’t try it with other stuff, okay? I made this one easy for you.” He pouted, but took it back anyway, probably thinking of where to put it. After a few moments, he decided to push it onto the button that connected his, er, cloak slash shawl thing. She wasn’t really sure what to call it. It was like he lopped a cloak off until it only reached his elbows, and then sort of tacked it together in the middle with a button. It didn’t show signs of tearing at its ends, though, so she supposed he must have gotten it like that. Ethan turned around once, as if trying the brooch on.

“Wow! I like it a lot! Thanks so much, Miss Odette!” He jumped a little, when looking down at it; the heart had changed colors, from a blank white to an energetic yellow. “W-whoa! What did it just do?” He looked shocked, which amused her a little. She always liked to give her clothing a twist; why not try it on a gem? She was rather pleased with herself, finding it worked just fine. Odette bent down to his level, and tapped the stone with her finger whilst looking into Ethan’s bright eyes.

“It’s magic, didn’t I tell you? This will change colors, according to how you feel.”

“Wow! Really? Wait, um, lemme try!” Ethan stood stock still for a few minutes. What was he doing? Casey and the other one walked over, noticing the now significant delay. They all stared at the younger boy, who was now closing his eyes shut really tightly. The tailor stared at him before noticing the change in the brooch, which was now flickering from the excited yellow to a darker black, which signaled nothingness. Her eyes flew up in realization as to what that idiot was doing. She gave Ethan a sharp slap across the head when he started turning purple, causing him to exhale and hold his head by reflex while he bent over. Casey stared at him incredulously, while the escort simply seemed to have a small smile tug at his features. Odette would love to call him by his name, but he seemed adamant about remaining anonymous, not that he wasn’t the exact opposite from his form of dress. “Owwwww! What was that for?” He looked at Odette, who had a miffed expression over her face.

“Falling unconscious isn’t an emotion!” Hearing this, Casey gave Ethan a whack of her own.

“Idiot! Don’t do stupid stuff like that!”

“Owww! Fine, fine!” The boy shouted, cradling his head in his arms. “Let’s just get going already!” He leapt up and grabbed the escort by his hand and started pulling him forwards, leaving Odette and Casey behind.

“Soooo…” Casey looked towards Odette expectantly before continuing. “Do you got something for me?”

The resounding smack of hand to cheek was heard all across the forest as a yelp followed shortly afterward.

---

So now we meet Ethan for real this time! This takes place before Fraulein Lilie. ♥ Still short though. I'm trying!
 
I usually write during schooltime, so this took a while with break! It's a bit longer, but it still feels somewhat rushed at the turning point. I have to learn to fix that.

Dolls

It was getting rather uncomfortable, sitting alone like this.

Truthfully, Odette wasn't really alone. The little girl on the other side of the table just wasn't very talkative. She seemed like a shy and reclusive girl, however, upon further examination of her room. Everything was a soft pink, minus the white bed in the corner. There were an endless amount of dolls, too. They lined the walls, and they all seemed to be staring. It was rather disconcerting. Maybe she should say something? Come to think of it, she hadn't even gotten her name. Odette quietly took the teacup into her hands and sipped at its contents. The tea was cold; it probably hadn't been touched in years. Had no one ever come to see this girl? Where was her family, her friends? All Odette saw were dolls.

"So dear, why don't you tell me your name?" As much as she wanted to hug the lonely looking girl, she had to make this quick. Her friends were waiting outside. All the girl did was stare, and her fingers clenched more tightly around the doll. She looked about ten, maybe? Her blonde hair had a ribbon in the back and she was wearing a pretty pink dress that met her knees before ending. Her eyes looked scared, but...she had invited her in in the first place! "Well, if you won't tell me yours," She would try a different approach. "What's her name?" She asked, pointing to the doll in her arms. Odette wasn't sure if she was sane or not, so she avoided the word doll. For all she knew, these were the only things keeping her sane. A tense silence followed.

"Dollie..." Odette started at the voice. She hadn't been expecting to get a word out of her. Her voice was soft, and quiet. She would have missed it if there had been any other noise in the room. The girl thought so too, and repeated, "Her name is Dollie." Her voice was still quiet, but less so than before. Odette's ultimate goal was to get her out of this house, and away from this town. It wasn't safe for her here, even if she had helped them escape from their unfortunate run in with those thugs without any bloodshed. It had just occurred to her that no ordinary little girl would know how to traverse sewers like that. Regardless, she had to stay focused. That girl needed to trust her, so she could bring her to her mother. The next step came naturally from the tailor.

"Can I hold her?" She stretched her arm outwards, an open hand motioning towards the stuffed object in question. Was it really stuffed? It looked much more lifelike than the other dolls in the room. She needed to hold it to be sure. The girl hesitated, but slowly took the doll in both her hands and reached out as far as she could, looking down. She must really care for it. Odette didn't have to reach very far to take it into her hands; it was a small doll. As she cradled it in her arms, Odette took note of this interesting fabrication. There didn't seem to be anything special about this doll at all! Mind, it was exquisitely made, and the stitches blended so well with the coloring that they were nearly impossible to see. She would love to open it up to see its material, but she was also quite certain that would traumatize the girl.

"Emma. M-My name is...Emma." Odette started again. The girl was quite flustered, she was looking down, and Odette would guess that her face was all red. The thought had crossed her mind, once again, that she simply hadn't had much interaction with anyone at all.

"There we go." A tender smile made its way onto Odette's face. This next part would require delicate words; she didn't want to come off as patronizing. "Well, my name is Odette. Odette Bisset." She was still looking down. It pained Odette to see how much Emma was struggling to find the right words. "Hey." That got her attention. "You don't have to try so hard. Tell me at your own pace. I can wait." She silently pushed Dollie back to Emma, who took the plush into her arms as she bit her lip.

"I...u-um..." It really tugged at her heart to see this girl. "Um...I..." Emma's face was reddening from embarrassment, she could tell. The best thing to do would be to continue prompting her for now. "I-I mean..."

"Did you make all of them?" The smaller girl looked up, confused. Odette smiled, and gestured to the dolls around the room. "Them. The rest of them." She shook her head, causing the older seamstress to frown. "How did you get them, then?" Her eyes twinkled in amusement. "They can't have walked in here all by themselves." Emma seemed to allow herself a small noise, which Odette took to be a laugh.

"No...I guess they didn't..." That was the first time Emma looked in someone's eyes for a long time. Odette could see them. They were a soft blue, and they told the story of someone who had witnessed something horrible. The small girl averted her gaze yet again before speaking once more, which disappointed Odette a little. She was getting there, but she was starting to think this girl would never be able to trust anyone. It was just outside her capacity. She could try, though. "Daddy found them for me," She said, her voice cracking from the pressure of conversation, "He...sometimes Daddy left for a long time...but he always came back..." Her eyes pierced straight into Odette now, and now it was she who found herself looking away. "D-Daddy...is Daddy coming back?"

The silence that ensued was crushing Odette. In truth, she didn't even believe Emma's father was still alive. The townspeople spoke of this place like it was a haunted place, filled with fear and terrible things. But in front of her was an innocent little girl, who just wanted her family. Something was up. Odette removed her grandmother's hat from her head and gingerly bit the rim. It was a way to deal with bad news, and she always hated giving out such terrible events. She was still staring. "...Emma. I don't think your Daddy is coming back."

"..." She was still staring. In a sudden flurry, she had pushed the table out of the way and was on her feet, staring at her. "Liar! You're...you're a liar!" Tears were springing from her eyes now, and her fists were clenched, trembling. "Daddy...D-Daddy will come back!" She grabbed the ends of Odette's dressed and pressed herself into them. The emotions were suffocating Odette. "He always does! Daddy always...always comes back!" Her tears were staining her at this point. "...Always..." It seemed as if, before her eyes, the scenery of the home was changing as Emma's sobs fell to silent heaving. "Daddy...Daddy's not...no..."

One by one, the dolls that lined the wall had faded away, leaving behind some sort of bright orb of a sort. After all the fabric ceased to exist, the orbs seemed to gravitate and home in upon Dollie, now lying on the floor; Emma had forgotten about her at the time. When Odette looked away from Emma, she could see the true state of decay that this home was in. The wallpaper was faded, and the flooring clearly had holes in it. The table was splintered, and the bed seemed to be filled with dust and mothballs. Even the chair Odette was upon was now creaking dangerously. Emma had stopped. She just pulled Odette's layers closer. "Emma..."Odette reached out towards her, hesitating a moment. Regaining her resolve, she lifted the smaller girl up and gave her a long embrace. She was even smaller than Odette realized, as if she was a fragile vase.

While she held her, Odette drew the conclusions in her head. Emma could utilize magic, although the seamstress wasn't certain as to what extent. She had been living in here under her own fantasy for...maybe a year or two now. The doll probably amplified her abilities in some manner so as to keep it going so long. Regardless...she couldn't leave her here. Certainly not now. "Emma..." She repeated. The girl looked up at her, eyes puffy and red. "Emma...would you like to come with me and my friends for a while?"

Needless to say, the smaller girl looked shocked. She squirmed out of Odette's grasp and backed away a little, towards the doll. She picked it up and held it in her embrace once more. "I, u-um..." She looked down. "But, I gotta...I gotta, um..."

"Nobody said you had to." Odette stood up. She hated to do this, but Emma had to make a choice. She began to walk to the door. "But I cannot wait. You can come with us now, or you can stay here." She paused. "But once I set foot outside, I will not come be coming back." The seamstress would refuse to turn around, but she could guess the girl was trembling, torn between staying in the safety of this old home or coming with her.

"I..." The floorboards creaked as Odette's shoes briskly stepped upon them.

"I...um..." Her hands touched the wooden door, feeling the moist decay.

"U-um..." Odette grabbed the handle, and pulled on the door.

And it was at that moment that she felt two small arms grasping her waist.

"U-um...let me get...my things...please!"
 
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This is really lovely, Ethan ^^
At first, Odette seemed to be a bit cold, perhaps even harsh. Of course, this could be due to Katie's point of view somewhat seeping in, so it's alright. As the stories go on, she displays a more... humanly(?), gentle nature, and more of her personality is revealed.

I can't wait until the next excerpt's posted.
 
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