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Tonya Brooks:
It was suffocating, the bookshelf. A paperback book dared to raise her head to breathe again, when was the last time she did that? She couldn't remember.
The last real thing she remembered? Tearing of her pages by...by that thing. The previous One at least treated her pages well. Wait, was that It? Its shadow? Her head drops back down again, she regrets taking up valuable time to breathe by thinking. How dumb was she? She could have tasted that sweet air just a bit more if she had just thought about that a bit more instead of reminiscing.
Azuma Hiroko:
A creature about the size of a great dane ambled over to the bookshelf slowly. She was exhausted. It felt like she had played with It for hours and hours and hours. Could even have been days. She couldn't tell time in this place anymore. It would nap whenever It wished, so she couldn't even figure out time by It's schedule. Her maw opened wide in a looooong yawn. The ram dragon sat down and lifted her outermost hind leg to scratch at her most recently healed wounds. They were still tender and itchy.
But like a puppy, she wasn't entirely aware of her own bulk and the scratching jerked her body against the bookshelf quite violently...
Tonya Brooks:
The book held its breath, don't lose it, don't lost it. Keep that precious air-
THUMP.
The bookshelf was rocked, the books around her hardened up, holding onto the bookshelf. The paperback wasnt so lucky. She was suddenly in empty space.
Falling...
Falling...
Falling...was she going to die here? Was this finally over? Would she never see home again?
SMACK.
The lightweight book lands on the fluff below it, unfurling into a woman of paper and...terrifying symbols. The Child didn't make this. What was this? This book felt...evil and DIFFERENT than anything It made.
The air was knocked out of her when she landed, but she could breathe, she took in deep lungfuls. It wasn't her fault she was knocked loose. Right? Right? Who knows? But she would be in bliss until then.
Azuma Hiroko:
She stopped scratching herself as something landed on top of her. She turned her head to look at the paper woman curiously, giving her a very soft and quiet "Murr?" questioningly. Her multicolored coin slot eyes blinked, clearly surprised.
Tonya Brooks:
A few blissful breaths later, she froze at the noise, eyes scanning for It. She couldn't see It. Maybe it was too far? Maybe it was taking a nap? Maybe it was right on top of them and she was too panicked to notice. Her eyes were quite small and made of ink after all.
She shifts over towards this creature's head, hiding in the fluff. She whispered, a strange tone in it. Scary. A taste of...autumn leaves? What a strange thing for a book to have.
"Are you okay?"
Compassion? Here? That alone was strange, but the book was the one to just fall. But the book worried for the ran dragon first, if the ram was okay, she could figure everything out from there.
Azuma Hiroko:
The surprise of having a book fall on top of her faded and that hint of scary evil coming from it finally processed in her head. This was clearly another of It's toys. Perhaps a villainous book It experimented with? Her heart thudded faster, but she otherwise didn't really react. She simply sat still, staring at the book.
And then the book asks her if she was okay? What? Curiosity overtakes her command center once more and she snuffled at the paper to take in the musty scent. And then she does what any curious creature would: lick the paper woman. Hey, who knows? Maybe it was tasty!
Tonya Brooks:
The woman tastes...well of paper, and ink, and safety in fear. Fear could keep you safe, couldn't it?
She looks down at herself, a slight bit of panic as some ink dissapears. She shakes herself off.
"Can you...not speak? Okay, its okay." She looks down, the break between the ground and bookshelf.
"There, hide me there. Lay down so It can't see me and I'll talk to you." A pause. "Flick your ear once if yes, two if no."
Azuma Hiroko:
Her ear does indeed flick once and she laid down with a gentle grunt that almost seemed like a sigh. She laid her head on the ground and half closed her eyes, looking like she was getting very sleepy.
Tonya Brooks:
The book hides behind the ram. Under the bookshelf. She calls upon her Contract to the Wyrd, of missing items, of safety. Everyone has lost an object they were so sure was RIGHT THERE. How could it ever have dissapeared? She would be that object.
But she would still be here for the ram. She gently worked on untangling the Ram's fur after its long...day? Time? Playdate? It didn't have to make sense, the gesture just had to be there.
"Do you see It right now? My eyes are not very good."
Azuma Hiroko:
She started... Vibrating... What in Arcadia? There was no sound to it, just vibrations coursing through her body, through her fur and into the paper woman. The gentle brushing was so very pleasant... Something It never did. Her tail flicked at her question in the general direction of It's bedroom, then rested on top of her stretched out hind legs once more.
Tonya Brooks:
"Sleeping, okay." She continued to brush. Thin, paper hands through thick, woolen fur.
"Do you remember Home? The time before this? It is hard, I know, but think back. You are safe right now. Do you remember it?"
Azuma Hiroko:
The fur may be thick and wooly, but it was soft. As though it was conditioned daily. Almost like baby fluff or the sherpa fur on a plushie. She yawned and licked her chops in answer. What could that mean?
Tonya Brooks:
She kept brushing it. It was comforting, soft, fluffy like... well a sheep.
"I need you to answer me. Or I can't help. Do you want me to rephrase?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Her ear flicked up and down again. Sounds like a yes.
Tonya Brooks:
"You were... you before It took you. Do you remember... people that were not toys? Or a parent that loved you?"
Azuma Hiroko:
That ear flicked twice and she shifted her body slightly. The purring had stopped.
Tonya Brooks:
"Do you want me to stop?"
Azuma Hiroko:
She laid still for a brief split second, but then the ear flicked twice once more.
Tonya Brooks:
The Shrewd has worked her way deeper into the fluff, reaching a finger to touch the skin beneath.
"Can you trust me?"
Azuma Hiroko:
The skin shivered at the touch of the paper woman's finger. Trust? What was trust? Was that something you could eat? It certainly didn't make much sense in this world. Perhaps she trusted that It would wake soon and would call for her? Pretend It had a nightmare so that she could attempt to calm It? She didn't know how to answer, so her tail flicked again, this time against herself.
Tonya Brooks:
She searches around, trying to find something. "It is okay. I Promise I wish to help you."
And with that, she grabs...something within the fur, a small noise of gleeful surprise that sounds like paper rustling. Willing a memory to have been trapped there. Just a sound, something brief. The Wyrd has signed a deal with her to prove reality wrong, so that is what she will do.
Azuma Hiroko:
At first, there was silence. But then what the paper woman pulled out started glowing and a loud clamor echoed around them. It sounded as though a million children were talking all at once, voices raised to be heard over the others. The dragon's head jerked upward in alarm, ears perked and eyes scanning for It. Her wings unfurled to cover over her new friend, only slightly muffling the noise. Webs of scars and stitches could be seen over the membrane of the wings.
Tonya Brooks:
The loud noises causes the book woman to withdraw from the fur, hiding in the dark corners under the bookshelf. What was THAT?
She listened very carefully to every noise she could hear, taking deep, papery breaths before approaching once more.
"I am sorry, that was loud. Are you safe?" A pause for an answer. "Are you okay?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Being as large as she was, she couldn't hide like the book could. Instead, she cowered down, flattening herself against the floor. Maybe It'll think she was just a rug. Yes, that will work. She stayed still and silent. If she didn't move, didn't make a sound, she was a rug. People placed rugs in front of bookshelves, right? Right.
Tonya Brooks:
What has she done, she hurt the dragon. She could have been quieter. Why did she have to do that?
No...no no. The dragon needed her. She couldn't be selfish. She needed a friend to stand up to It...or to flee. To get home.
She gently pets the sheep-dragon-rug.
"You don't need to make noise. It is napping." More pets, calm. Be calm for the giant thing that could rip her in half without trying.
Azuma Hiroko:
It was awhile before she relaxed and lifted her head to peer at the paper woman behind her sadly. It wasn't that she didn't remember her life before this. It wasn't that she didn't know who she was. She remembered... But she also remembered feeling alone... And yet, crowded... She remembered feeling like she was suffocating... Here? At least here... She wasn't suffocated... She had a friend here... It was her friend... When It wanted to be... She was loved, needed, cared for... Much better than before... She had moments of peace too, which she never had before. It was better here. Yes, much much better. Might as well just... Not think of the past...
The ram dragon laid her head back down and sighed with a very soft and tiny whine.
Tonya Brooks:
The small paper woman looked sadly at the ram dragon, understanding the sadness.
"It is nice to feel wanted, isn't it?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Her ear flicked a confirmation. Then her tongue snaked out to lick at the book.
Tonya Brooks:
She doesn't recoil, but does angle herself so that it doesn't get any of her ink this time.
"I want you too. Is that okay? I want you to be here."
A small pause and symbols flash across her surface.
"Every time It is done playing with you, can you come back here? So I can have a friend? So I am wanted too? It doesn't want me. It left me. It said it was my fault so...I am alone."
Azuma Hiroko:
Her sad expression faded instantly and she perked up. She opened her mouth just a little to huff at her new friend, pleased to be asked a favor! Even her tail swooshed over the ground in excitement.
Tonya Brooks:
She pets the ram dragon.
"I think that's a good sign. We can be friends, I like you being my friend." She gives a paper thin smile.
Azuma Hiroko:
She started vibrating again as she leaned into the petting. Her tail swished the ground in quick swipes left and right and left and right. Contrasting the aura she gave off earlier, she was now very happy and joyful.
Tonya Brooks:
She pets more and more, a nice moment in a hellscape.
"Is there anyone else you know that would want to be friends? And stay quiet about it?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Her ear flicked once and she let out a very soft but content bleat.
Tonya Brooks:
"How many? Um... one flick per person."
12:14 PM]Azuma Hiroko: She blinked as she thought about it some, then flicked her ears rapidly. Almost looked like she was trying to imitate Dumbo and fly with her ears!
Tonya Brooks:
She blinks.
"Oh my...that's a lot of people. Do you think you can start with one or two?"
Azuma Hiroko:
Well yeah! She wanted everyone to be friends! But... One or two? Uh... She nudged the paper woman with her snout gently, licked her again and then her ear flicked once.
Tonya Brooks:
She shakes out her arm, now covered in ram slobber.
"We can help as many people as possible. There are people who are...hurt here. I know a safe place..but we need to be quiet and not let It know."
She scratches behind the Ram's ear.
"Do you want to help our friends be safe?"
Azuma Hiroko:
"Meerrrhh." she bleated in agreement, her head tilting to one side to lean into the ear scritches.
Tonya Brooks:
She smiles, continuing to scratch.
"You can be my eyes, and I'll be your voice. If you find people who are.. unhappy, bring them here. I'll help them. Do you like that?"
Azuma Hiroko:
The purring gets louder, now loud enough to hear the soft brrrr vibrations. The dragon was flopped flat out on the ground, legs in all 4 directions, exactly like a puppy laying splayed out. She seemed comfortable, but it was an odd position...
Tonya Brooks:
She smiles, petting the ears.
"Thank you. You have given me hope that I thought I'd have lost forever."
Azuma Hiroko:
Eyes brimming with joy and gladness, she stared up at her new friend with what could only be described as puppy love. Hope! That was what she wanted to instill in all her friends! It was a good feeling.
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