shenevermisses | 9th throw

[It's an awful, awful feeling. Like there's something missing. Someone, actually.

She can't sleep. Because someone's supposed to be there.

Has he forgotten her? She can't really be upset or angry. She's forgotten him, after all.

But! The Journal. That's the way to go!

It's pretty straight-forward, after all, and she gets it working finally. Even has the video going.

She smiles.]

Um. Hi. My name's Clover.

Sorry. Not sure if I'm using this thing right. Hope so.

Anyway... Like... well... a lot of people. I can't remember much. Just got the little card to help me out. But...

It says I'm engaged. I'm supposed to get married.

But I... don't know who to. Which sounds really stupid, I know.

Anyway. I have this. [She holds up a chain around her neck, a single ring on the end of it. It's too big for her, definitely a man's ring. She figures it's got to be her engagement ring. Something about that -- having a man's -- seems right to her brain.] And... I think he gave it to me. So. Maybe this is a really stupid question, but I want to know.

Anyone recognize it?

I want to find him. Please? And thanks.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Do they?

[She wasn't raised on any kind of fairy tales, so there's no culture to pull from for the old stories, for the sweeping romances and such.]

Yep, they definitely do! It's a rule!

[ Ikki doesn't seem too worried that this isn't apparently common knowledge. She's sort of been just adding information to her probable life based on the wild guesses of a seven year old, and considering that she's been adding them onto a card that told her the pet starfish was once a fish, she's got a really weird life story worked out. There is a lot of fairy tale nonsense involved. ]

Soooo maybe you're his princess! Or maybe you're from his kingdom! I'm pretty sure I live there, when I don't live here!

Maybe I am. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

[Because there's something infectious about the child's optimism. It's better than the nagging sense of doom that is always just out of her reach. A sense that there is some unnamed danger at every turn ... something just out of her grasp to understand.

And this child's story is much more appealing than the darkness.]

A starfish, huh?

Yeah! I bet you are! Our kingdom - I mean, the one we're from! - is probably the best one.

[ She's just assuming anyone nice is from there. Why not? ]

Yep! I'm supposed to feed him once a day while he's like this, 'cause I guess he can't really feed himself, huh?

[It's easy to fall into a world of make-believe with a child when the world she's from is forgotten, when everything she's seen is shrouded.

Clove laughs a little. Not at all a sound of mocking, but a relieved laugh. Because this sounds like a good place to be from, and her imagination -- long stifled or turned toward darker pursuits -- runs free.]

You know. You must be someone important. If you were given the task of taking care of him.

Oh, maybe! [ She actually had never considered her place in the starfish kingdom before! Ikki was just working on the assumption Petunia was a dear friend and ruler, really. ] Welllll, I live with Prince Petunia, so maybe we're family! Or I'm a guard!

Since I'm supposed to change him back, that's probably it!

You might be his sister, you know. Sisters have to look out for their brothers. Especially when something like that happens.

Or, at least, I'd think so.

Oh! I never thought about that! If that's the case, maybe we're going to be sisters someday! If Petunia's the one who gave you the rings, at least! If not, we can still be sisters anyway, I guess?

I think you'd have to, too! My card didn't say anything about brothers or sisters, but that doesn't mean I don't have one!

We'll have to find a way to figure out if this prince is the man I'm supposed to marry, won't we?

Right!

...Well, I suppose it'd be easier if I managed to turn him back first. But even if he isn't, I'm sure you're part of our kingdom. Maybe he knows who you're supposed to marry!

He might!

...How do we turn him back?

Well, so far I've been trying to figure out who cursed him!

But! A lot of my research also says if we find a princess or his true love an' they kiss him, he might turn back! [ read: children's section of the library. ]

Which might be me.

...Well, you can try kissin' him if you want?

Oh! And I'm Ikki! It's nice to meetcha, Clover!

I could try.

It couldn't hurt, right?

I don't think it could! Although I don't think he has lips, really.

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