[OPEN] june prompts and catch-all!

[keeneye]

WHO: Emma and Open!
WHERE: All Over
WHEN: June catch-all
WHAT: Open prompts and closed! Lots of animals??
WARNINGS: n/a at the moment

OTA - A survey;

[Could this more easily be done on the forum? Yes. But Emma is putting boots to the ground and putting faces to names. She can't associate people with their hexcodes forever!

So, it doesn't matter where you are in town or what you're doing. Emma appears, old notebook held diligently in hand, and a pencil at the ready.]

Excuse me, I would like to ask a question. [Were you going to refuse this solicitor? Too late.] What's your favorite type of animal?

[Yup. That's the very serious question. She's waiting.]

OTA - on the hunt(?);

[As the Month starts an explosion of color occurs around the forest's perimeter. So many animals that were once perfectly camouflaged within the gray underbrush have burst into startling color. The sheer novelty of the sight after months of gray has piqued Emma's interest. She's usually out and about but she's exploring even more trying to identify all the new critters.

Unfortunately, the majority of colorful animals are relatively small. You may find Emma stalking after bright orange lizards sunning on rocks, OR watching bunnies from a far, OR setting up little piles of seeds to lure out the purple mice. You get the picture. The sky is the limit as more and more animals are discovered.

If the animals are ever startled away (thanks) then Emma will sprint after them, attempting to jump and catch them.]

Comments

[inheritance]

[The silence, so different from her initial enthusiasm, immediately sets off alarms in Izuku's mind. He sets the puzzle piece he was just attempting to match with another back down to look at her.]

Emma-chan... [Izuku's voice is gentle, filled with concern.] What's bothering you? Is there anything Ochako-san and I can do to help?

[thriftea]

[Ochako doesn't like to see anyone look sad, but that expression on her tough little buddy's face is particularly heart-wrenching. Yeah, forget good manners and all that jazz; she very carefully leans right over the table, making sure not to disturb any of their hard work as she places a hand on Emma's arm.]

It's hard to be away from your friends. You worry about them a lot, don't you? [Which... well, there isn't much to be done about that, sadly, but Ochako offers Emma a small, genuine smile.] It isn't easy to talk about things like this, but... it's good to talk about them. If you want to try, then Deku-kun and I are here to listen!

[keeneye]

[They're both so sweet, it's amazing. She shouldn't leave them worried over something like this. It's not the first time she has talked about Norman to someone else, but it's still strange to think that they'll never really know how good he was. It's impossible to meet him again after all.

She scratches at her cheek, trying to buy time because just how does she word this?]

Mm... Yeah. I worry about them but I know they are good hands until I get back. [Ugh... This is so hard. She looks down at his picture rather than them.] With Norman it's a little different though. I'll never be able to return to him. He died a long time ago.

[There, like a bandaid ripped off she shared that one.]

[inheritance]

[That definitely explains it. Izuku immediately abandons the puzzle to scoot over to her, drawing her into a hug like he did when they were still in the middle of the quest. He holds her gently so she can pull away if she wants to.]

I'm sorry. It's not easy being reminded of someone you've lost.

[thriftea]

[Oof. While Ochako also wants to hug Emma, 1) Deku definitely has it under control and 2) she doesn't want to overwhelm her, so... hmm. She (reluctantly) stays where she is, all while making sure to keep a watchful eye on the other girl's face. If she sees a single tear she's absolutely coming in for a group hug, but for now—]

It's not easy. I'm so sorry, Emma-chan.

[Should she tack on some positive thoughts here? Mmmmmaybe, but she decides to wait and see if Emma is going to continue on.]

[keeneye]

[She tenses up for a second before relaxing again. She trusts Izuku, it's always the shock of realizing she's being comforted that makes her seize up. Muscling through struggles is her default and anything else is a conscious decision. Her response is equally as awkward. How does one thank someone for sympathizing with them?]

Thanks. [That's enough hug! Gently she pushes back away and looks down at the puzzle once again.] I haven't really talked about him since it happened... But he really was great. It was his plan that successfully lead to our escape.

[Her hand lands next to a little pile of black puzzle pieces Emma had casually collected up to this point. With a few quick movements the face of an adult woman with a serene smile appears. Her tall stately figure dressed all in black stands in complete contrast to the white uniforms of the children.]

He never got to see it in action. Mama shipped him first thinking it would deter us all. Just because I messed up.

[She didn't mean to say the last part but it's too late now. Hands balled tight into fists, teeth clenched, she stops talking before she says anything else. Logically she knows it's not really her fault. She's been told that by both Norman and Ray.

Doesn't make it any easier.]

[inheritance]

[As soon as he feels her shift away, Izuku lets go and scoots back as well to give her some space. Instead, he lets his attention turn back to the puzzle, too, brows furrowing as he listens.]

Escape? [There's something like dread slowly trickling down his spine now. Even with so many holes in the story she's telling, rather like the puzzle pieces missing from the picture, it's glaringly obvious that something had been amiss back in Emma's world.]

Escape from where, Emma-chan?

[thriftea]

[Ochako drops down into her seat, giving Deku an uneasy look before focusing back on Emma. Escaping from a place that apparently shipped children doesn't sound good at all? She thinks back to all the times she's been impressed by Emma's toughness, all the times she's wondered where in the world Emma learned so many valuable survival skills at such a young age... hmm.

But there isn't a lot for her to add here, because this is Emma's show now. She can say as much or as little as she wants; Ochako just wants to make sure that this isn't too much at once.]

Take your time, okay? Deku-kun and I want to hear everything you have to say, but there's no rush.

[keeneye]

[It doesn't fit at all, strained compared to what the two have heard before, but Emma laughs. She keeps forgetting that not everyone knows. It's not a simple fact of life for everyone else here.]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to be a secret. I guess I just never mentioned it. [She lets out a breath, composing herself, and taps at the tattoo on her neck.] I'm livestock and Mama was the farmer. All of us children at the plantation were raised to be eaten by demons. Or that's what we called them.

[Her hands fall back into her lap where she clasps them. She has to stop herself from fussing with the puzzle any further.]

It was my wish to escape with everyone, even the babies, no matter how hard that was. It meant a lot more planning, scoping out the exit. We had planned to scale the wall that day - just to see what was on the other side - but Mama cut us off. She wasn't even pretending to be nice anymore. [Not good, her story is getting fragmented again as she thinks on it. Composed. Stay composed. Is it even important to explain this part in detail? But she has to explain herself fully.] I went to tackle her so Norman could continue to the wall. She broke my leg.

[She's shaking now, the words pouring out now that floodgates have broken.]

We never thought she would hurt us. We were premium goods- Top quality! It was her goal to ship us just like that. But with my leg broken I could no longer run or even think of escaping for the following months. And then she sped up Norman's shipping date- Ray and I came up with countless plans for how he could escape- It was always supposed to be all of us! [Finally she looks up at them, frustrated tears in her eyes.] He chose to stay. Just so we could have a better chance. He wanted to live just as much as we did and yet-

It's not fair!

[That's the understatement of the century.]

[inheritance]

[Horror grips him as Emma's words sink in. Whatever he was expecting, it definitely wasn't this; the truth of Emma's world is so much worse than he could have imagined. To have children raised as livestock and eaten--Izuku's stomach turns just thinking about it. That was a fate that awaited Emma.

Is there even anything that he can say to lighten up the situation? Izuku doesn't know. But hearing Emma call herself and her friends premium goods finally allows him to unstick his throat.]

Emma-chan... that's--I'm so sorry you and your friends had to live in that place. [Tears well up in his eyes and spill down his cheeks.]

[thriftea]

[Ochako listens attentively, trying to remain as calm as possible, but this is so much to take in all at once. The things that happened to those children—to Emma—are... oh, man. She feels a familiar burning sensation in her eyes and instantly knows that she, too, is seconds away from crying.

Instead, though, she forces herself to her feet, blinking back her tears as she reaches for one of the clean napkins they'd set to the side after dinner. Hugging Emma would normally be her go-to approach here, but for now she simply walks over to the girl's side, crouches down beside her, and offers her the cloth. Just in case.]

No one deserves to be treated like that, Emma-chan. I can't imagine how terrible it was for you and everyone else. [Honestly, though! What an ordeal. She sucks in a shaky breath, still trying not to burst into tears.] Norman sounds like the best kind of friend to have. He must have loved you all so, so much, and... I'm sorry that he's gone.

[keeneye]

[There's catharsis at finally shouting out frustration that's been building up for too long. She might not be there anymore- The ones responsible might not be here- But she finally got to shout it out loud. In fact, there's a lot more she would like to say if they really were here. Everything she couldn't because she had to lay low, wallowing in a mixture of real and acted depression to distract Mama from the others. Continuing a prison break didn't leave much room for legitimate mourning.

And the sadness might have brewed into straight anger for the demons at a certain point.

There's a moment where she sniffs, trying to hold onto the hate instead, but there is no target directly in front of her and the genuine care showed by the pair perseveres. The tears finally overflow and she rubs at them with her sleeve before taking the napkin. Has she ever let herself just cry since that time?

The chance of Ochako leaving is next to zero but Emma reaches out to grab her hand as she covers her face with the napkin. She manages to speak between sobs.]

He was- He is- Everyday I try- to be more like him.

[Kind, selfless, cunning... All in the face of adversity. He's her ideal. No one could be just like him though. But that doesn't mean she doesn't see bits of him in the people she has met here. Like the kindness and Izuku and Ochako right now. It's why she so desperately wants them to succeed this time and survive.]

[inheritance]

[Considering what Emma's told them about Norman, Izuku can see why she would look up to him so much. There's so much about Emma's home that Izuku knows he'll have to think about and process on his own later, but one of the few things that he's certain of is that Norman had been an amazing friend to the kids in that plantation.]

I think you're more like him already than you might think, Emma-chan. You're kind and resourceful--you care about the kids on the plantation and want to help them escape from that horrible place, just like he did.

[Izuku stays close to her and Ochako, watching them through his still-watery eyes.]

It must have been awful to keep all of this to yourself. [Izuku pauses, sharing a look with Ochako before he turns his attention back to Emma.] I know we've only known each other a few months now, but Ochako-san and I, we're always here for you if there's anything you need to talk about.

[thriftea]

[Yeah, Ochako isn't going anywhere any time soon, especially not after Emma grabs her hand; she just settles in right where she is, giving the other girl's hand a reassuring squeeze as she waits patiently for the flow of tears to slow. Not that there's any sort of rush— it's good, she thinks, for Emma to let everything out like this. Sometimes a crying session can leave you feeling a bit lighter.]

Always, [she repeats, softly stressing the very important point Deku just made.] That's what friends are for, Emma-chan... and we care about you very much.

[It's safe to say that they've adopted her at this point? Emma: their honorary little sister.]