[The Welcome Home] Lost in this World [Stitch]

[Linally]

Hand in hand, the pair walked ever slowly down the streets of Syliras. That's all they ever did, slowly walk, slowly. Linally wanted to run, she wanted to run everywhere she went. And why wouldn't she? She was a child, ready to run across the hall if it meant saving a few seconds, which was an interval of time that completely escaped the child at this point in life. Her crystal blue eyes slowly pulled up towards the elderly woman, the one holding her hand. The lady tried to hide what was going on, but with seeing her adoptive father become as sick as he was, she understood now. She couldn't keep Linally around, it was too much for an old woman to look after her husband of fifty years and her adopted child of ten years. Linally didn't, however, understand why she was being given away, and she was quite scared. She had occasionally seen the children of 'The Welcome Home', she had often asked 'Nana Tilly' if she could play with those children, since they seemed to be the few children she ever saw around town. Well, now she got to play with them whenever she wanted. That's what the older woman said, her Nana Tilly. It painful for the elderly lady, and even more so since Linally viewed this almost as a betrayal, more than looking out for her. Perhaps she would understand someday. After an unknown length of time passed, the two of them ended up outside of the doors to the Orphanage, and with great pain, the older woman knocked on the door, impressively strongly for somebody her age and appearing as frail as she was. Linally just stood there, blue eyes wandering here and there, watching as people passed by across the street. Nobody really looked at them. It was probably common for children to be taken to Stitch to be taken care of. Linally's expression almost looked passive, unstained by the events at hand, but with the ability to comprehend she was living somewhere else with strangers, yet not fully comprehend as to why or how Nana Tilly could do this to her, she was feeling her entire world shift. She wanted to cry, but she was stronger than that. All the human boys her age, they didn't cry, and sure she was a little smaller, aged a little slower, was shorter, weaker, but she was still their age. She was determined not to cry so easily. She was tough. She was a Konti, even though her adopted family didn't know it, she was Konti. "Nana, is Pawpaw going to be okay?" The old wrinkled face glanced down at the child, a warming smile hidden somewhere within the labyrinth of crevices caused the little girl to smile too. And her 'mother' up-until-now merely nodded. But she was lying. Linally just knew it. She smiled regardless. If there's anything she learned in her life, it was not to correct an adult. Apparently they were never wrong. Together there, in their last moments together, the couple stood, waiting for Linally's new 'mother' to arrive, Stitch.

[Stitch]

Stitch had been expecting the young girl and her elderly escort for some time now. The old woman had come to Stitch some time ago, and tearfully confided her intentions in the kind blind man. He had understood and tried to consol her, even though that was a hard task to accomplish. He understood the fact that the child could no longer be taken care of in the proper way, as it was more than likely that the elderly woman could no longer take care of herself and her husband in the proper way. He would have a word with the Knights about the two later, but for now, he had a child to take care of. He could only imagine the pain the woman must be in, but he tried not to think too deeply on it. If he did, the only way he would be able to relate was to imagine losing one of his own very dear children. That was something he never wanted to experience, even if it just was in a hypothetical world.

The knock on the door sounded, and Stitch was to it, having been waiting at his desk. The door swung open, and both the elderly woman and the little girl would be met with the sight of a tall, handsome man. Wavy locks of black hair fell over bandaged, blind eyes, a lightly tanned face framing the unique features. The eyes were a point of interest, after all, you could not see them. But oddly enough, before one could start to even to consider that the man was obviously blind, the man spoke as if he could see! "Ah, hello. This one is quite lucky to have two lovely ladies visiting him today. Who does this one owe the honor? You, milady Tilly?" With a beaming smile, one that literally radiated pure love and joy, Stitch leaned forward and gave the wrinkled cheek a soft kiss. Not even waiting for a reaction, Stitch quickly kissed her other cheek, then leaned back to give her a good mental look. Her Aura was quite tormented. Keeping up the conversation he had started, he spoke again. "Thank you, milady!"

The blind man had pieced together their positions, their gender, and apparently knew her adopted mother's name. It was both somewhat eerie, and amazing, all at the same time.

Stitch soon stooped down in a crouch, bringing himself to eye level with the girl, keeping a comfortable amount of distance between the two. He wasn't sure if she was a personal space kind of girl, but he didn't want to take his chances. Sticking out a hand as if to shake, he blessed her with that same loving grin, cocking his head to the side a little. "Hello, milady Linally. This one will spare you the kisses. Nice to have you with this one, at the Welcome Home." The way he extended his hand, it was different from most. Usually adults extended their hands to children in something of a manner that suggested they were trying to be cute. Their voices usually reflected that intention. Stitch however, was being genuinely polite, as if he felt the presence of the little girl actually demanded it.

Raising an eyebrow at her, he focused a bit, and concentrated on her Aura. There was a variety of somewhat hidden emotions in that Aura of hers. Sadness, betrayal, anger, confusion, a little bit of fear. Nodding a bit to himself, Stitch spoke, his voice soft. "How do you feel about all this, milady Linally?"

It appeared as if the blind man was blunt, and to the point; as well as being polite and happy-go-lucky.

[Linally]

Linally watched with a faint amusement, a small smile, as her soon-to-be keeper showed a kind sort of affection towards her soon-to-be abandoning-keeper. Linally actually almost giggled, simply because Tilly herself did so. It was a trying moment for Tilly and Linally (it's probably no surprise that Linally was named by her adopted parents when she was brought back to Syliras), yet Stitch's actions seemed to brighten the mood, even if only temporarily, of the older lady and younger child all the same. "Hello again Stitch. I'm so sorry to bother you again. I truly did not intend to ever really bring her here, but my daughter is too preoccupied with her own family to take in another child. Bless her heart, she would if only she could." Tilly sighed heavily, probably in grief or some other upset behavior. She felt both responsible for Linally, and upset that she and her husband could no longer do what was necessary. This was the last Necessary thing she could do. Tilly left, on the brink of bursting into tears that would likely drive Linally crazy with anguish, and quite suddenly, leaving Linally alone with Stitch there, at the doors of the Welcome Home. The little girl smiled faintly. "Why do you say 'this one' all the time?" She continued to smile as she reached out her hand and timidly shook with Stitch and nodding in similar fashion. Linally pondered at Stitch's question. How did she feel? Well, there was a myriad of words that could have been used, yet said myriad was pretty far from her vocabulary, so she offer a light shrug. "I think I'm scared." Scared for her own life, which was about to drastically change. Scared for her pawpaw, the man that raised her since she hit Syliras, scared for Nana Tilly, who even with her greatest efforts tried to be strong and not be emotional, was read like a book even by the child. Linally was scared, but she didn't show it quite so much, she was confused, maybe even a little intrigued, as well as betrayed. Her aura was probably sparking to life at that moment, shifting colors wildly. What she felt more than anything was a fear that it would all happen again if she attached herself to anybody. Tilly left her, would her next guardian, would Stitch (assuming they became friends). Linally didn't want to think about it. "Nana Tilly says you're magic. Are you?" Hesitantly, Linally reached up and pointed towards Stitch's covered eyes, not touching, but came close.

[Stitch]

Stitch let Tilly go without much of a fuss, simply grabbing her hand, and giving it a soft squeeze as she moved away. Moving closer and to Linally's side, he watched Lilly go, sending up a silent prayer to Priskil for her. Turning to the little girl, that is when he offered his handshake, and that was when he found it accepted. Smiling at her, he gave her hand a firm shake, or what he considered to be firm to a young girl. Cocking her head and letting out a bemused chuckle at the question she asked, he quickly answered, very used to having it asked. "This one isn't quite sure. This one remembers his old caretaker used to refer to himself that way, and this one picked up on it. This one supposes it is a form of respect. Never directly referring to this one, and making sure the focus stays on the others around him. Politeness and respect will get milady far in this world." The little piece of wisdom was quite casually thrown in, the smile on Stitch's face and the tone in his voice suggesting he was both being serious, and somewhat teasing, all at the same time. "This one hopes that answers your question, milady."

Turning from her, offering his hand if she wanted to hold it, but not pressing the issue, he led her into the first little room of the Welcome Home. "Being scared isn't a bad thing, milady. This one was fairly afraid as well, when he first came here." He paused in the doorway, glancing back at her. It was never really a glance, it was more of just a tilt of his head in whatever given direction his attention was on. The girl might have keen enough senses to pick up on the eerie sensation that his eyes were definitely on her, though. Even if they were not seeing. "This one was left here too, as a child. This one was very young, a few years younger than you. This one hopes he can understand what you are going through, if even just a little bit." Another smile stretched across his face, and he shrugged, turning back into the house and stepping inside. "This one will understand if he cannot, though."

The office to the Welcome Home was a cozy little place, blue walls that matched the outsides, with hand drawn childrens pictures covering the walls. Several little blue chairs sat around the area in no discernable pattern, and a single little desk sat in the corner. Stitch motioned to it, pointing out a small bowl of peppermint candies on the wooden surface. "Have a candy, if you wish."

Stepping into the room, he glanced around, then turned back to her to answer her last question. "Yes, milady." He spoke very openly about it, very casually, as if magic wasn't a big deal to him at all. "This one is magic. This one is not a wizard, or anything like that. This one was just blessed by an old friend, someone who gave this one a magical sight, when this one went blind so many moons ago." The next smile he offered (he seemed to have an endless supply of them), was a bit distant, a bit sad. "Any other questions you might like to ask of me, Linally? Before I give you the tour? You are welcome to bring up any topic you like." The next smile was patient, and Stitch still remained paused, in the middle of the room.

Linally would be able to hear the children further on in the house, the children she had played with so many times before. How would they react now that we was a part of their Home?

[Stitch]

The girl was quiet, merely giving a soft nod. Stitch grinned, wrapped her up in a hug, and yanked her off the ground. The next few hours would be spent showing her around the Home, and introducing her to all of the other children that lived here. It would be a good day, and the beginning of a completely new life for the young girl.

[Archon]

Illumination of Development Linally +1 Investigation Lores: Adults are always right, Being strong is not crying Care to see more? : A touch of Investigation experience for asking your questions. Stitch +1 Auristics +1 Rhetoric Lores: Sugarcoating sadness, Children deserve respect Care to see more? : Titches of Auristics and Rhetoric experience for seeing while blind, and polite conversation with a scared little girl. Notes:Cut down before it ever truly lived, this thread will at least live on in our memories... and the rewards... and in the forums...