slayer_fray | [SANDBOX] The united states of Fray (for cantjossme primarily)

[SANDBOX] The united states of Fray (for cantjossme primarily)

She's gotten so used to coming and going through her window/the front door, that Mel pretty much takes it for granted now that she can come and go between Milliways and Haddyn as she pleases. So when she climbs through the window this time round, it takes her a few seconds to realise she's not in Kansas any more.

That's a twentieth century expression. She's been hanging around Mikey too long.

Her slouched posture doesn't change as she glances around this strange formless place, but she does slide her not'scythe out of the sheath on her back, taking the opportunity as she does so to glance at the switchblade inside her wrist. Not glowing, so she's not actually in danger yet.

She stands still, waiting for something new to happen.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

OK, shouting around the kids isn't exactly good. Hana stirs fretfully in the sling in front of her mother, and mutters for a second, whine beginning to creep in. Her sister, behind Mel's back, starts to imitate her.

Mel herself keeps one hand on Hana's head, looking at the other two.

"They're mine," she says, and it's almost a threat, the way she says it. Her spare hand isnt' far from the bandolier of stakes across her chest slung under the baby.

"You wanna start explaining what the rut's going on?"

Mel stops herself in the act of steeping towards the babies, and forces herself back into a slouch.

"We're supposed to know? Clueless as you, really. Like I said, alternate timelines, skitzed-ass reality hub thing. It's OK."

"I have kids?" Mel said again. Mostly to herself.

Yeah she'll get over that soon enough.

Mel shifts her weight awkwardly, kissing Hana's forehead quickly. "Ssssh, Princess, ssssh."

But it's too late - their rest has been disturbed and first Hana, then Loo start sobbing loudly.

Babies crying cancel out eveyr urge Mel had to hang back and avoid scaring the mother. She just steps forward quickly, holding out a hand to the head of the baby in front of her, all the time lookint to the mother-that-is-her for permission.

There's a jerk back, but she does in fact manage to lay a hand on the baby's head, sending a wave of soothing comfort that only just rivals a maternal instinct.

"Ruttin' hell," she mutters. "Kids."

"Sorry," Mel said softly as she watched... yeah the babies. "I didn't mean to wake them."

Mel's eyes, as she glances up at the two versions of herself, is distrustful and reluctant, but at least tolerant. Her hand is up to cup Loo's head, softly 'sssh'ing as that baby following her sister's lead and calms down.

"How can you both be me?"

Mel shrugs. "Just roll with it," she says. It's happened to Slayers before us, right?"

This more of a general question to both of them.

"I dunno," Mel said shyly approaching her other selves and the babies. "Maybe some mojo happened and... whoosh."

Mel peered at Loo with interest and offered her a finger. "I go to high school in the past at some dimensional nexus in time and space. She hangs out in a bar at the end of the universe. Universes. I'm not sure. Where are you from?"

Mel has drawn back at the mention of the word 'Slayer', an arm around Hana protectively as she pulls her away form the girl who had used it.

"Don't say that," she says bitterly. "I'm not one of those."

"Not a Slayer?"

Mel's head jerks upwards, studying her.

"You're kidding?"

"Whoa. Totally different," Mel said somewhat amazed. "Does that mean.. . Do you have a brother?"

Mel's eyes narrow suspiciously, and her right hand returns to one of her stakes.

"He's dead," she says firmly, and means it.

"But is he still walking aorund?" Mel suggests.

Mel says nothing, but just glares at them both, a nerve touched.

Mel knows that look. "We've all been there," she says gently. "And judging from those stakes you know something about what we're talking about."

"That's his word," Mel says bluntly. "I just wanna raise my girls."

Mel opens her mouth to say something, but find no reassurances, only bitter resentment.

So she shuts it again.

Mel just nodded. "Yeah. Okay. I get that," she says quietly as she tried to get better look at the kids without getting too close. "Um. What's their names?"

Mel glances at them both - at the older one wh osaid nothing and the oyunger one with the questions, and decides to answer the questions she's given. She even does so with a grin.

"Hana and Loo."

She has to smile at that. "Ruttin' hell, but we're sentimental."

Something must have gotten into Mel's eye. That's it. This formless space they are in must be triggering some allergic reaction for her.

"Yeah," she sniffed. "What she said."

"What?" Mel asks, a little confused, now. "What's so spun about namin' her after Loo?"

Because they can't be talking about Hana, right? That was Zuko's idea.

Mel shrugs, tugging the braid at the back of her idly.

"Just, y'know, after what happened."

She's not sure she'd give a child that name.

"I don't see anything wrong with it," Mel said. "Um. Not to sound silly but who's Hana?"

[SANDBOX] The united states of Fray (for cantjossme primarily)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject