Even if Gil hadn't proven it, by making her pinch her arm...she'd been here too long. She'd kept waiting, hoping that she'd wake, that this would all be over and she'd be back home, with her mother and her father. Even with her snooty sister Tiffany and her annoying little brother Jason. She'd never thought that she could miss them so much.
And now, everything had changed once again. But she still hadn't woken up. Instead, she'd gone from crying into the pillow of that room in that 'Workshop', to this strange, unfamiliar garden.
She yelps at the sudden change, stumbling for a moment before finding her feet. She sniffs, and tries to wipe the tears from her eyes.
She hopes no one sees her. She hates crying in public. It's too embarrassing.
A woman's voice is humming a wistful melody that seems to be coming further down the path she finds herself on. The sounds of birds chirping and water slowly lapping against a shore can also be heard, but this woman's voice seems to permeate the air a little more than the other sounds.
Richelle sniffs, and blinks. Is there a concert going on? Although for any kind of music she likes. Even if, she had to admit, the singer was very good.
She didn't want to go near the concert while she was still crying. But she also like, didn't want to just stand here in the middle of this garden, all alone. So she hurriedly tries to wipe the tears away from her eyes, straightens her back, and tries to walk towards the singing as if everything was perfectly fine, and she wasn't upset at all.
Turns out, though, that there's no concert. There's just a beautiful woman - a really, really beautiful woman - in a pagoda.
The final verse of her song is done by the time Richelle makes her way across the pond, and for a moment she sits staring out the window into her garden. That is when Richelle breaks the silence.
The woman's eyes glance over at her, before she answers in a smooth and melodious voice, "Hello, and welcome." She bows her head, a smile forming on her ruby-red lips. "It is an honor, lady Richelle. Would you like some tea, or something to eat?"
Richelle looks at her, for a moment. She tries to keep her composure, she really does. But then her bottom lip trembles dangerously, before she bursts into tears.
The woman suddenly looks very concerned, and more important than that, pained - as if Richelle's tears are physically affecting her. She quickly rises and moves elegantly to the young woman, putting her arms around the crying girl in a smooth and motherly motion.
"I know, my dear, I know. And I want to bring you home, to your family and friends. But I do not yet possess the power to send you back."
“Well why not? Richelle says, sniffling, and she clings back. She’s only just met this bedautiful and glamorous woman, and yet she doesn’t seem to have any problem with accepting this kind of attention from her. “I don’t see why I should have to stay here! Where it’s all weird and there’s all these mean people and I don’t even have any of my clothes! I’ve had to wear the same thing for days!“
And at that last statement, she sobs harder. That point as, it appears, been particularly difficult.
This glamorous woman seems to have no trouble giving this kind of attention, nor receiving clinging and crying from Richelle.
"Oh, Richelle... there there, darling... let it all out." She gently rubs soothing circles on Richelle's back, letting her sob for a few moments into her beautiful garment. It is only after Richelle's weeping has subsided a little that Empress tilts up Richelle's chin with a slender finger and brushes her tears away with the edge of her long silk sleeve.
"I promise I will get you home as soon as I'm able. The other Travelers will warm up to you soon, my love, just keep at it. You don't have to stay in your same clothes; you can learn to make whatever clothes you want with a thought. Maybe one day soon, you will be able to make other people outfits, as well. If you will it, this skill will come to you in time."
"It's not fair," Richelle sobs, still clinging to Mei. So many of the other people she's met have been mean, and annoying. But this woman's not like that. This woman understands. She can tell that Richelle's a sensitive soul.
Then she lifts her head, sniffs, and gives Mei a slightly dubious look through the tears. "You...want me to learn how to sew?" Richelle likes clothes, of course, but she's never really had the patience for making them. (Besides, she's seen how that goes with Liz. Liz might be her friend, but urgh, she absolutely doesn't understand fashion, and the awful clothes she makes for herself are proof of that.)
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no subject
Even if Gil hadn't proven it, by making her pinch her arm...she'd been here too long. She'd kept waiting, hoping that she'd wake, that this would all be over and she'd be back home, with her mother and her father. Even with her snooty sister Tiffany and her annoying little brother Jason. She'd never thought that she could miss them so much.
And now, everything had changed once again. But she still hadn't woken up. Instead, she'd gone from crying into the pillow of that room in that 'Workshop', to this strange, unfamiliar garden.
She yelps at the sudden change, stumbling for a moment before finding her feet. She sniffs, and tries to wipe the tears from her eyes.
She hopes no one sees her. She hates crying in public. It's too embarrassing.
no subject
A woman's voice is humming a wistful melody that seems to be coming further down the path she finds herself on. The sounds of birds chirping and water slowly lapping against a shore can also be heard, but this woman's voice seems to permeate the air a little more than the other sounds.
no subject
She didn't want to go near the concert while she was still crying. But she also like, didn't want to just stand here in the middle of this garden, all alone. So she hurriedly tries to wipe the tears away from her eyes, straightens her back, and tries to walk towards the singing as if everything was perfectly fine, and she wasn't upset at all.
Turns out, though, that there's no concert. There's just a beautiful woman - a really, really beautiful woman - in a pagoda.
"Um," she says. "Hello?"
no subject
The woman's eyes glance over at her, before she answers in a smooth and melodious voice, "Hello, and welcome." She bows her head, a smile forming on her ruby-red lips. "It is an honor, lady Richelle. Would you like some tea, or something to eat?"
no subject
"I want to go home," she sobs.
no subject
"I know, my dear, I know. And I want to bring you home, to your family and friends. But I do not yet possess the power to send you back."
no subject
And at that last statement, she sobs harder. That point as, it appears, been particularly difficult.
no subject
"Oh, Richelle... there there, darling... let it all out." She gently rubs soothing circles on Richelle's back, letting her sob for a few moments into her beautiful garment. It is only after Richelle's weeping has subsided a little that Empress tilts up Richelle's chin with a slender finger and brushes her tears away with the edge of her long silk sleeve.
"I promise I will get you home as soon as I'm able. The other Travelers will warm up to you soon, my love, just keep at it. You don't have to stay in your same clothes; you can learn to make whatever clothes you want with a thought. Maybe one day soon, you will be able to make other people outfits, as well. If you will it, this skill will come to you in time."
no subject
Then she lifts her head, sniffs, and gives Mei a slightly dubious look through the tears. "You...want me to learn how to sew?" Richelle likes clothes, of course, but she's never really had the patience for making them. (Besides, she's seen how that goes with Liz. Liz might be her friend, but urgh, she absolutely doesn't understand fashion, and the awful clothes she makes for herself are proof of that.)