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Despite the early hour, the pumpkin sun was already bright and shining, warming the day up to something unbearable and dismal. Why couldn't they have more of that nice rain? Why did they have to have sunshine!? Had the witch not already been in an inwardly dismal mood, the presentation of a bright sunny day would have certainly put her there. Regretfully, it still only served to amplify her worries with a false sense that things were alright, so when she woke up that bright morning she was not at all happy.
Well, there was only one way to combat that: Visit friends.
And since there was one person in particular the witch had not seen in quite a while, she figured she would brave the terrible weather just for him. With a hum the witch donned her outfit so lovingly made by Sal and headed out across Amityville toward the Horseman's area, hidden under the protective shade of a very frilly parasol. It was the perfect ensemble to keep attention on herself at a minimum while visiting the reserve, even if her bright red hair was easily visible and certainly clashed with the browns and creams she almost never wore.
Oh well, she looked fabulous and that's what mattered!

"Good morning Papa Saaaalll!!!" The witch called as she skipped merrily toward the Famine alchemist, all wonder and excitement over his rock and whatever it was he was working on.
"It is lovely to see you up so early-- Oh! Oh, oh dear..." Once she wandered closer Belladonna realized she had misinterpreted the scene and he was not at all awake. But he looked so peaceful while asleep! So maybe she would just sit next to the rock and wait for him to wake up? Yes, that seemed absolutely perfect.
So humming softly in hopes not to wake him, the witch flopped down onto the ground, her parasol casting a dark circle of protection from the heat as she waited for her favorite Horseman to finish his nap.

The ground next to Sal's rock proved a most entertaining piece of the world and Belladonna contentedly swirled a finger in the mixture of sand and dirt, creating swirling patterns that branched off or went nowhere in particular while she waited. Much in the way of a young scareling she occupied herself with the activity before a voice above her spoke up. Wide eyed and curious she swiveled up to look at the no longer sleeping Famine horseman, a smile blooming quite vividly on her face.
"I am not at all lost! I was just waiting for you Papa!" She teased back with a grin, scrambling up onto her feet, a task made more difficult by the parasol she was sure to keep elevated properly so not one bit of sun might mar her porcelain skin. But eventually she was standing, rocking back and forth on her toes as she waited for Sal to awake more fully.

"It is so very bright out today and I was feeling horribly dismal, so I thought I might come visit you." The witch explained with a dramatic pout at the sun that turned into a smile for her favorite horseman. "I hadn't at all thought I would find you sleeping, much less basking in the sun! However do you keep such pretty pale hair when you lay out like a lizard? I would freckle terribly!" The curse of red hair, unfortunately. And it was testament to how much she hated the additional spots on her skin that there was not a one to be seen on her cheeks or arms. But she was a horrifically awake and energetic thing this early in the morning so she only continued to beam at him and bounce and be all the things a morning person is want to be.
"How have you been? It has been positively ages since I last saw you! I do so hope you are well!"

"Papa Sal, Papa Sal!" The witch sing-songed as she did a small dance much in the way scarelings do. But she smiled brightly for him, twirling the parasol contentedly between her hands as she listened to him. "Humid?! That would have made today an awful day indeed!" Ugh, humidity?! No thank you! Her hair would have frizzed to no end, especially given how intense her curls were naturally. That would have been an utter travesty of personal care, but thankfully she had been saved from such. Thankful for not being forced into an unfortunate scenario as all that, she rocked back onto her heels with a small smile.
"It must have been exceptionally warm and sunny in your homelands, then?" It was the most careful broach of the topic Belladonna could manage, not honestly wanting to poke but being awfully, awfully curious after the matter. After all, she'd never gotten a chance to visit the Islands and she'd not bothered to really ask anyone else about them. Hopefully it would not offend him in any manner, but one never knew. In the witch's experience, the Horsemen tended to be a testy lot...

"That is a rather wonderful way to think of freckles... But I do not think I need any more instances of looking more innocent. My actions speak well enough for that." She smiled as she leaned back to look up at him, letting him decide what she meant by that on his own.
"Little? Even if it is little, would you like to complain to me? Sometimes talking about matters, however small, makes them less unfortunate and annoying!" The witch offered with another twirl of her parasol. After all, if she could help her dearest Sal in any way that would be just fabulous! Even if it was small, even if it was something easily dealt with, it was still something and the witch did love to help.
"Oh! I am fine, just dandy. Going to my classes, doing my best to save the school every time something odd happens, which is quite often, mind you... The boils? They're fine! Alexander more so but only because I have not seen him as often. Mort is... Doing as well as can be expected."
Which was a bit of a lie. As well as expected meant he was handling the current bit of Insanity dealt him, which wasn't untrue... But Insanity is not the kind of disease to be handled with any sort of success. The witch did her best to turn a smile up at her favorite Horseman, a tiny expression of hope that this too would pass and that he should not worry. But try as she might, she could not get the little wrinkle between her brows to be worn smooth just yet.

A desert! Perhaps she had known that but only forgotten, for she looked particularly awed by that fact. Deserts were very warm, not at all conducive at all to the layers she so adored to wear. Not that she had been to any deserts, of course, but she had seen them in movies and that was just as good! Maybe one day she could find a desert to bring Sal to and they could wear pretty jewelry like all desert people did. Or even better yet, maybe the Famine Clan could rebuild their Island and one day she could visit! It might not be the original, but it would be better because they would appreciate it all the more! So many potentialities!
As for the compliment, the witch only smiled in a devious manner as she fluttered her eyelashes up at the horseman.
"A weapon? Goodness me that sounds most wicked." And that sounded as though she'd done such a thing before. The devious smile turned downright devilish as she momentarily preened. Oh Papa Sal, if only you knew how many years the witch had been using her innocent looks and manner of being to get exactly everything she wanted as well as extract the most delicious bits of information. If only he knew!

The idea of one's head above water was enough to put a small smile on her face, but 'alive and well enough' were actually not as good as they sounded and it dimmed. The smile was fully erased at his question, which made the ghoul heave a particularly large sigh. For a moment she stood there, eyes turned down toward the ground as she idly twirled the parasol in her hands to consider the question. Without looking up at him she chewed her lip a moment before she spoke.
"What all do you know? About them both? When was the last time you were caught up on events?" There had been quite a lot that had happened between... Well, everything and the witch did not want to rehash something he already knew. And he was just wily enough that he undoubtedly had stores of informants who might have already filled him in on certain events.

Thankful for the additional head pat, the witch smiled up at him for a moment longer. But the sweet gesture was nearly forgotten when Sal spoke next. That was all? That was what he knew of last? That they had come back?
"Good Hecate, I am a terrible daughter, real or not." Belladonna told him with a small, somewhat bitter, laugh. Oh the things he needed to be caught up on! Once again the witch had neglected her friends and now paid the price of not only having to meet their disappointed gaze from her being gone so long, but also had to bear the sad burden of reliving all those harsh memories once again in form of recitation. She was a sorry creature, indeed.
"Well!" This time she huffed as she looked up at him. "Perhaps we should sit and exchange stories. I fear mine is... Not very happy." Especially if Sal didn't know anything!

Unsure of exactly where he might want to go, the witch figured she would take the chance and invited herself up onto the rock. Well, she tried to do such a thing and instead found that scaling the rock was much harder than originally thought. Unwilling to sacrifice her nails to the harsh surface she was left to scrabble with her fingertips and those were not strong enough to lift herself wholly onto the thing. After a few moments of frustration Belladonna finally just gave up and shot Sal her biggest, saddest, most pitiful puppy dog eyes.

"I dare say neither of us are terrible, in that case." The witch pointed out with a small smile that dimmed when he began to rub his forehead. As for the mention of the zomboils she smiled again and laughed, her head and red curls bobbing happily in agreement. "It is rather all their fault!" Honestly that was unfair, for all the trouble both Alexander and Mort got themselves into was for the sake of others. So while Belladonna didn't actually blame them, sometimes it was easier to place her anger in wayward places just for a moment or two. Just to make things easier.
A kind smile broke the look of concentration she had fallen into to think of how very few risks she had taken in comparison to the heroic boils, and she turned such up to Sal.
"You have always been there for me when I have need of you. And it would be awful of me to withhold something from you, especially about Mort and Alexander, when you care for them so much. It is hard, but the burden has been placed on my shoulders long ago." It had become a mantle, something worn with equal parts pride and sorrow. An intangible weight with no visible means of removal, which only left the witch to carry on as best she could. Thankfully, there were a number of kind individuals who lent kind hands to lessen the weight, which was why she would always be indebted to Sal. It was not a debt to be ungrateful for, at least.

With a squeak Belladonna was hoisted into the air, not at all bothered by the action as she was rather familiar with her feet leaving the ground. The squeak was facilitated because she had not expected Sal to be in possession of strength enough to lift her, not with how thin his bones and how wide her curves appeared. But up she went and since she was not one to waste such an opportunity, the witch quickly sought out a foothold. Once her toes had been hastily shoved in it, she was up and scrambling across the harsh surface with more little noises until she had reached the top. The journey up was not made any easier with the addition of the parasol, even though it had been momentarily folded up to make the voyage up quicker, which it failed in that endeavor too. With a huff Belladonna made it to the top and situated herself with quite a lot of fussing and chirps on the rock, careful to spread her garment over her skin and raise the parasol back up to cast its shadow of protection.
"It is lucky you are so tall or else you might have a harder time getting on your own rock!" A laugh was given, but it was quick and over after only a moment.

"Now! If all you know is that they are among us once more... There is... Quite a lot to catch up on, I am afraid!" And goodness, didn't this just reek of deja vu? Not very long ago the witch had given the same story to Hel, who had also mentioned this particular Horseman. Perhaps the witch would have to ask about that as well!

Murmuring thanks for his assistance, the witch was finally settled, perched as daintily as one could on the top of a rock. Which, wasn't very dainty at all. It didn't much matter though, for there were far more interesting things to talk of! Namely catching dear Sal up on what he'd missed, which has been... Quite a lot. The witch huffed a sigh before she continued to twirl the parasol handle between her fingers, eyes unfocused out across the land that stretched before them.
She spoke of the zomboils return, how it had been bittersweet to have them back at the cost of Mort being infected with Insanity. Then it was the odd things around Chirstmastevel, the Furnance King and his strange red crown that had left shards in the witch's arm (which she was quick to show Sal she was free of) and the attack Medea had led on the Hunters. That had included more crowns, but no more nasty shards thankfully. Then it was the Seven Kingdoms dream, the one where Mort had been King and Alexander far too cheeky for his own good and the witch a faerie. For once things had ended happily there, which had been a bit of a surprise but still something good to hang onto nonetheless. After that came Scarentines and the lovely date Mort had taken Belladonna on, which was unfortunately quite quickly followed by the attack of the Shadowlings who had caused everybody on campus to feel rather... Testy and much like they had the very beginning stages of Insanity. The sensation lasted only a month, but it had been a long, somber month unfortunately.
"And that is it! Thankfully nothing much else has happened..." Belladonna chirped as she was hugged by the Horseman, letting herself fall over to rest against his chest. After having spoken to Hel about all this, it was easier to say it again, but the thought of it all still hurt. She still fretted quite intensely over Mort and his worsening condition, but at the moment there was still little she could do.

Instead, she'd much rather distract herself with other thoughts.
"This Ying sounds quite adorable. And it sounds to me as though she's taken quite a shine to you..." The witch smiled innocently up at him, though one corner of her mouth quirked into something more mischievous. With a toss of her head she looked back out over the land, idly pretending she wasn't more interested than she was.
"And I daresay it sounds as though you might possibly fancy her. Though I cannot be sure in your regard for anyone for I have never seen you in love." And as for that, she flashed him a pair of bright curious eyes that were a sign that he should definitely tell her a story. In case such wasn't obvious the witch let her head fall to one side.
"Surely you've been in love before?"