Blake

[19:58] Lemuria rose her hand up and caught Blake's hand before it could even so much as poke a single hair on her head.

"No. Do not touch strangers without permission, and do not touch my hair with dirty hands."

She let the hand go, but was ready to grab it in case Blake went for it again.

"Wash your hand and I will allow you to feel it."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[19:59] The Ookami turns her attention back onto Blake and his next victim, pokerfacing for a moment. "Well, that's a weird thing to say, that last bit."
(Sylje)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:01] Xin didn't really know what was worse. Being surrounded by people that were basically children, or dealing with 'Tobbi'. Though his eyes flickered over to the literal fifteen year old carrying around a bottle of Sake on his person.

Another faint plume of smoke would escape the nostrils of the Kitsune before he turned his attention towards Lemuria. A brow would be raised to the last part of her comment. "Are you just. .used to people trying to mess with your hair?"
(Xin)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:02] Had their hand caught! They weren't a fast individual by any means. Their skinny little fingers immediately went limp at the touch, drooping as both of their eyes blinked twice. Staring at the grab. "Last time I tried to take a bath a person with metal on them pulled me out and said 'No fountain bathing!' So I stopped taking baths."

And they probably looked and smelled of it to. It was a wonder some of their poorly healed scabs hadn't looked as if they were infected. "You have a soft hand."
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:04] Agni leaned back on his stool with his legs kicked out on the table. It seems he was back to trying to look cool as his hands rested on the back of his head. His eyes fixed on the sky line.
(Agni Azar)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:05] A slight look of irritation was evident on her face, as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a clothespin, placing it on her nose so the smell wasn't so offensive.

"Thank you. I take good care of my skin." she said, in a feminine Squidward voice.

"If you want to bathe and don't mind being in the home of a stranger, I could take you to my own home. But until then, or until you find somewhere else to bathe, no touching."

"My name is Lemuria, by the way."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:06] The purple-haired Ookami went ahead and copied Agni's action, leaning the stool back so it's DANGEROUSLY standing on two legs. The girl tosses her boots on the table and pierces through the clouds with her eyes, even squinting them a little.
(Sylje)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:07] DeSean Juular whispers: uwu
[20:09] Whether or not others seemed to get the teen's attention, they seemed to be hyperfocused on staring at the hand of theirs that was stopped and touched. With a blink, the hand was raised to their nose. And given a sniff. "I don't think I smell that bad. But my head's itchy! And my head feels better after a bath. I guess I can take one at your house!" A smirk growing on their lips.

The hand finally dropping to their ow hip, giving it a gentle grip. Index and middle fingers seeming to fidget and tap frequently.
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:09] Xin says, "Well that couldn't be offputting or forbiding."
[20:09] Lemuria Augustus says, "It is indeed both offputting and foreboding and not the best sign that this kid would trust a stranger so easily."
[20:09] Lemuria Augustus says, "HOWEVER."
[20:09] Lemuria Augustus exclaims, "I assure you that I am trustworthy!"
[20:09] Agni leaned further back He wasn't going to be outdone.
(Agni Azar)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:10] Xin says, "Mhm. Sure."
[20:10] Xin says, "Don't really care either way, just commenting. Don't know the kid- nor do I really care."
[20:11] Agni Azar says, "You're sure talkative for a guy that doesn't care."
[20:12] Xin says, "I've got nothing better to do, Kid."
[20:12] Agni Azar says, "If you die we'll remember you Blake"
[20:12] Agni Azar says, "As a slower reader than me."
[20:12] Blake says, "...I am totally a faster reader."
[20:12] Agni Azar says, "Not under pressure.~"
[20:12] Blake says, "Just you wa-"
[20:12] Blake says, "He's a bully."
[20:13] Blake exclaims, "Huh, Woah!"
[20:14] Lemuria dragged the boy/girl/whatever into her home, pointing to either of the two fountains.

"Use those. Please ignore the shrine and eternally burning flames. It is an atmosphere thing."

It probably wasn't an atmosphere thing.

She pulled out some shampoo and soap, tossing it to Blake to use as desired. Hopefully there'd still be some left at the end of it all.
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:14] * You have been awarded 1 Roleplay Points! *
[20:17] Noticing the fountains, the teen immediately, without even a sign of hesitation, jumped into the water! A splash occurred. Just as mention of theshrine was made. The child likely wasn't going to occupy themselves with that for very long...

However the fountain's coloration quickly darkened with Blake's inserting of oneself within the pool. Their body covered in dried mud, dirt, and even a bit of blood. They also didn't seem to be interested in taking off their likely equally dirty garments. Instead; opting to curl up in the fetal positon in the water and rock side to side.

"Hmmm hmmm hmmm… Gettin' all clean. Water feels nice. Fresh Fresh! It's bath-time!"
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:20] Lemuria took a sip of tea from a cup, averting her gaze from the fountain on the off chance that the kid actually was naked. If nothing else, she was polite!

"Do you have a story to tell, child? Or are you not one for introductory small talk?"
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:22] The sound of splashing heralded a hand moving to grasp what seemed to be hair conditioner... or something. There was a lady playing with her hair on the bottle's label... So the child immediately paced it in their messy, tangly locks. Ruffling up the moist strands with soapy suds!

"Uh! My name's Blake. I kinda just... wondered into town one day. Looking for Ma and Pa. We went camping and it was my turn to go fetch water from the river. When I came back, the camp was all messed up and Ma and Pa was no where. I fixed my tent and stayed in it until I got hungry... Then I just been exploring since! Towns are nice. Plenty of people. And there's food. Though sometimes I get yelled at for taking it. So I learned to take it without being caught!"
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:37] Ooof... a dead parent story. Lemuria knew firsthand how difficult those were to deal with. While her mother had been dead for most of her life, the sting of lacking that mother figure lingered.

"Ah. I see. Well, like I said, I am Lemuria. I am a refugee from Moonfall. I moved here after I found out a friend of mine was okay, as I was concerned that I would get killed. As it turns out, they were rather accepting. So this is my home now, I suppose."

There was little, if any, regret in her voice, making her distaste for that place clear.

...not to say she left because she was a better person, but that was a mystery that was likely to unfold in due time.
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:44] The child blinked at the story. "Sounds like the books I used to read. But I haven't read any books since Ma and Pa disappeared. I hope they find me soon." Though their voice still stayed Cherry, the smile didn't fade from their face and soon... the dipped their head into the water, wiggling it about and running hadns through it, to get what they could of their hair clean; their hands in the process as well.

"I dunno what Moonfall is. It was just me, Ma and Pa. We lived alone. Sometimes I'd bring home snakes and spiders and bugs! A raccoon once. But ma never let me have a pet... and Pa was gone a lot. He liked to go hunting."
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:47] "Moonfall is a village with a lot of dark in mysterious things in it. Occultism, witches, druids... the last one is not as bad, but the other two are something else entirely."

Lemuria shivered slightly at her own words, although make no mistake, it was very much an act. The reasons for that act are-..

Well. Maybe that'll come in time, later.

"I believe your parents are gone, by the way. What you said implied that something bad happened to them."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:50] Dropping their handsinto the water. The smile on their face visibly disappeared. "No. They are around somewhere. They just haven't found me yet." The tone shifted. Though not to a sad one. But one that was rather dry. The smile then returned. And the soaking wet child--- now bathed to some level of effectiveness came out of the fountain and toward the table. Opting to flop into the other chair. Legs over one arm rest, and their upper back against the other.

"They gotta come back. You just gotta… gotta wish for it."
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[20:55] Lemuria put the cup of tea down, her demeanor becoming significantly more serious. She gazed directly at Blake, eye contact with her now possible if the youth didn't avert it.

"All the wishing in the world will not bring them back. They are gone, and you must live life as if they are."

She was looking for a certain something in Blake, scanning their responses, body language, and the like for any openings.

"It is just the harsh reality of such things."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:01] When eyecontact was attempted to be made, the youth turned away, a visible twitch in both eyes. The words spoken by Lemuria caused the smile upon Blake to twitch. Obviously, the expression was a perpetual fake. The mention of the teen's parents being gone was clearly unsettling. Enough that their delusion of their parents coming back was shaking.

"Ma said if youkeep your hope strong you'll... You get it. Eventually. What ou hoped for." With eyes facing the back of the chair, both hands moved against the child's tummy. index fingers becoming noticeably bouncy against their rags-for-clothing.
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:05] Lemuria was an illusionist. Creating and dispelling illusions and delusions was her job. Blake was no different. So it wasn't a matter of if, it was a matter of what'd happen when she did.

"Hopes are something that you make real on your own. They are not something you wait for. And you cannot hope for other people to come to you- you must move forward as if there were nothing left. Although, if you want someone to lead and guide you through this world..."

A slight smirk made itself visible on her face. She tried to hide it, but failed at it, and hoped that Blake would simply not know what it meant.

"...I could be that person for you."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:12] The eyes stayed flickered against the back of the seating. Infact, the teen moved to press a finger against the fabric. Touching it with just the tip before placing the entire hand and petting it; with the occasional clawing up of their fingers to drag at the fabric. As if wanting to tear at it.

"W-What if Ma and Pa come back? They gotta come back. We promised to stick together. They made a promise." Nails gripped the chair. Pulling. tugging at the reddish material. A shallow breath and then a deep one. "They'll be mad. Mad I left... Maybe they are back at the house! In the woods. Waiting for m to come how. But I forgot how... how to get home and when they disappeared. It was.So red and..." Eyes closed. The smile faded to a visage without expression. Poor Blake curled into a ball in the chair.
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:19] Lemuria stood up out of her chair and made her way next to Blake, placing her hand on his head to attempt to relax him. Her next words, however, were stated in a manner that sounded almost condescending; as if she knew that what she said was nothing more than a consolation prize.

"They will stick with you forever... in your heart~"

She drew a heart with her fingers on the back of Blake's head, and cackled once she was done. Perhaps it would've been more helpful for Lemuria to be warmer, calmer, and less cruel, but she found it rather difficult to project that motherly warmth. So instead, she defaulted to who she really was:

"But if you want someone who will stay with you in the real world...? That could be me~!"

A witch both literally, and metaphorically.
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:24] The child froze at the touch. The drawing on their head resulted in their body twitching. Yet it was slightly warming. And so s the hand had stopped it's dance across their scalp, before it could depart, a dainty, skinny little hand thrusted itself toward Lemuria's own. Trying to hold it in place.

"I don't... I don't wanna be alone. Teodor said he... he was gonna be my friend. Then ran off. They left me alone in the park. And..." Tears welled up in their closed eyes. Escaping through the clasped lids. "I dunno how to make friends. But I don't wanna be alone."
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:31] Aaaaaaaaaaaaand...

She got them.

Slowly and carefully, Lemuria pulled Blake up by their hands towards her chest, holding them close to her heart. Blake could hear the consistent soothing and calming beats of her heart, and was far enough removed from the deep darkness that existed within it that they'd likely assume the opposite was present within.

"Do not be afraid, child. Lemuria is here. You will not have to be alone as long as you have me."

She ran her fingers through Blake's hair, trying to comfort them even more.

"I will take care of you. I will protect you."
(Lemuria Augustus)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:35] When one had spent some indescribable amount of time alone. Stealing, hunting small wild animals, nd sleeping in what nooks and crannies could provide shelter from the harsher weathers, someone's embrace was welcomed and returned. With what might the malnourished child could manage a squeeze was applied.

They had only truly gotten close to their mother and father. Other people had kept themselves distant. "O-Okay. If you promise when you have to go away to do something. You'll tell me. And youll be back." The tone was still neutral. But there was a tangible shake both in it and the body.

"I-I'm so tired. Of sleeping in the cold."
(Blake)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[21:42] Lemuria reached into her pockets, pulling out a spare pair of keys.

"My home is your home now. It is a house you will share with another friend of mine, named Sibylle. As long as you do not bring anyone to my house, and do not mess with any of the decorations, you can live here."

She gave Blake the keys, hereby granting them access to her home at any time.

"I can promise you that I will inform you whenever you are close to me. But I will admit that I do not like standing around and waiting for other people, so I may go off on my own. I will always return, however."
(Lemuria Augustus)