[Accidental Voice -> Deliberate Voice]

[flickerflash]

[And this early evening, the journal will pick up the sound of one small British girl muttering to herself.]

Well, this is very rude. It didn't snow last autumn, you know. I think I ought to complain.

[Huff. Followed by a small ow, barely heard. And silence. Then finally:]

Oh!  [And the journal is picked up finally.  Because you, the townsfolk, should know the answer to this question.  Clearly.]  Did we get visited by aliens in the night? I think I've been experimented on. [Okay, that is totally the best thing ever.] I hope they looked like Elvis clones.

Has anyone seen my cat?

Comments

[flickerflash]

Does that mean it's not necessarily a good thing?

[herotypical]

I think that depends on you.

[flickerflash]

[Now she's confused.] I see.

[herotypical]

I mean...are you happy to be back?

[flickerflash]

Oh! [She brightens.] I don't understand after all. I mean... Luceti is a terrible place and I wish I'd never arrived.

...

I don't suppose Jack told you much about me? I'm a very truthful little girl.

[herotypical]

N-not a whole lot.

[ the most she had learned, really, had been on the day that katie had been announced as gone. ]

[flickerflash]

Oh. [Er. Hm. How to put this.]

Where I come from, little girls with curly hair aren't allowed to tell the truth. Ever.

[herotypical]

Huh. That sounds a lot like where I come from.

[flickerflash]

Really? That must be very confusing for you. What sort of little girls are they?

[herotypical]

Not too confusing. I don't run into th youngsters in my line of work. [ thank god. involving kids in the horrors of her life? not a pleasant thought. ]

But little and girlish, I guess.

[flickerflash]

Well. I suppose you're used to not taking everything they say for granted, then.

[herotypical]

I'm used to not taking what anyone says for granted, Katie.

Is Katie short for Katherine?

[flickerflash]

[ACK! Busted--] O-oh, I couldn't tell you. I mean it might be, but my dad told me never to ask what my full name was just in case it was heard by the wrong people. So it could be Katherine! But it could also be --um-- Katydid. Or Katisina. That's a pretty name.

[herotypical]

The wrong people.

[ not a question. ]

[flickerflash]

You know. Bugbears and bogeymen. And Rumpelstiltskin. And lawyers.

[herotypical]

Lawyers are walking, incarnated evil. I can't fault you there.

[flickerflash]

[Nodding seriously.] My dad says some lawyers are even vampires, only they suck all the money out of you instead.

[herotypical]

Hey. He's right. Only some lawyers are literal vampires and will go for both the blood and the money and...wow. I probably shouldn't be saying this. To you.

Have you talked to Jack yet? How did he react?

[ because he's been so weird about kids. she's investigating this. ]

[flickerflash]

[Oh. Hopefully Buffy realises, but she speaks cautiously.] He was very upset and said he never wanted to see me again. He also told me he wasn't a pirate anymore.

[herotypical]

[ honestly? given jack's recent behaviour around children -- a horrifying, cruel behaviour, she thought -- that first part wasn't so unbelievable.

even the second assertion smacked of some of jack's actual concerns.

she clears her throat. ] N-nice try.

[flickerflash]

I'll try harder next time. [Head tilt.] I think he missed having a cabin girl

[herotypical]

The day you left...

[ no. she shouldn't dump this on a kid. that's not fair. so buffy pushes through with a smile. ]

Ever have a peanut butter milkshake?

[flickerflash]

[Luckily Katie is easily distracted by subject changes. Especially when they touch on two of her favourite things.]

Hundreds of them. Why, what are they like?

[herotypical]

I was kinda thinking about making one -- but with bananas in it.

But I could just as easily make two?

[flickerflash]

O-oh, really? Well, that would only be a good idea if you had someone to drink them with. I could help.