{ Maul } The Food Court ORP - CLOSURE: 21

[lizbot]

The real Boogeymen eventually did destroy the Gingerbread beast, and clear the Maul. It took several weeks for the repairs to finish, but for months afterward, the scent of peppermint would linger in the air. And every so often, in the empty, lonely spaces...wisps of fog would seem to trail across the air, only to disappear moments later. A trick of the eye?  

[Eight]

They ignored them! Junko felt insulted! She puffed her cheeks and raised a hand to yell at them for ignoring citizens, though she was glad to see they uncuffed Lattice.

...This seemed to easy. But Lattice...had cried about hunters. And they'd suppressed her fear.

Glowing green eyes narrowed and chased the two boogeymen around the corner. Where did...did they go into a room?! She checked every door, leaving them open as she walked away to check another door. Eh? A closet? That had to be where they were hiding! "Come out cowards--" She threw the door open and found nothing. Nothing but...mud?

No way. Lattice had really almost been..?! Damnit! Junko slammed a fist against the wall and closed the door. They'd been so close! Junko didn't want to think about what would have happened if she and the others hadn't...ugh!

Junko stalked back up the hall and stopped when she spotted boogeymen arriving to destroy the creatures from Christmas, frowning and returning to Lattice's side. "Hey, Lattice? It's Junko. Do you remember me? Come on..let's get you out of here."  

[Pales]

She crumpled to the floor when she was released. Lattice let out a choked sob as her emotions overtook her thanks to the fear she felt from being abducted. It had happened again - almost. She was weak so weak. Always weak. Why did it always have to happen this way? A day that was supposed to be spending time with a friend and having fun and then...that happened.

A voice invaded thoughts and she gave a small pathetic sounding hiccup as Junko talked to her, "I...I am a...alright. I...I remember..." she said with a soft quiet voice.

No. She wasn't alright.

"Yes. Please...Take me out of here...I..I want to go home." She said softly. By Home she meant the Manor. She wanted to go back there and never come back out. Lattice, as of right now, no longer liked school or all the freedom.  

[Eight]

"Shhh, shhh.." Junko's voice was soft as she pet the ghoul's hair and hugged her close, being wary of her needled arms. "It's okay. It'll be alright. I'm here now, okay? I won't let them touch you. I promise." She gently rocked the ghoul for a minute until she asked to be brought out of the mall, giving a nod. "I...I can't take you home but I can take you to the school, where it's safe in your dorm. Would that be okay? The ghost dorms are underground, after all..."

Junko moved to help the engraver to her feet, wincing as a few needles scraped her arms a little too hard. It's okay! It's okay...don't freak out. "We'll get you out of here. Don't worry. It'll be okay. I'll even stay with you until you feel better, okay? I promise. I won't let the hunters touch you." She kept her voice a gentle, comforting tone and volume as she said this, leading the ghoul out of the maul and toward the school that was conveniently safe and sound on the ground again.  

[Bittiface]

They left! They totally left because Siobhan was scary!

*U*

The banshee left then, without a word, because that's how cool people do it.  

[Pales]

The soft words and other gestures were calming, "Thank you," she said this not only to Junko but to those that were still around them that helped her out. Just right now she couldn't bring herself to look at them and even standing up felt like a chore. Everything felt like it was a million miles away and that she was no longer in control of herself.

Junko's promise was enough to keep her going as she let the other ghoul lead her out of the maul. Later she'd try to think of a way to repay her for the kindness - to repay all of them. Right now she just wanted to hide in her dorm room.

Her head bowed she lapsed into silence for the rest of the time.

((EXITING))

OnionGrump

Nothing Yet

Eight