[Wednesday, September 8, 2004.] [It's been quite the day, what with Pia catching on fire, Charlotte pulling out the cause, Veronica trying to help the wounded, and Krista watching all form of wickedness in melting metal.] * Rowyn is now known as Veronica [And now it's quite the night: rapidly cooling, with the sun just under the horizon. Charlotte's been in the hospital since the incident. Lucky for her, she did not go into shock, and her burned hand looked worse than it did - but it's still pretty bad. She got all matter of creams and instructions on how to care for it. In its current bandaged state, her right hand looks a lot like Jeremy's hand did only recently.] [She can move her fingers a little! Hooray? She has just been released and is probably going to check on either Camila or Pia.] [Minisession Start.] * Charlotte leaves the doctor's office, carrying all that junk in her good hand. Her bad hand is... well, GM described it best. It probably still hurts, but at least she's not crying anymore. She heads to Pia's room first. [Charlotte walks to Pia's room. The receptionist is very kind in directing her, just as she's been almost apologetic for Charlotte's hand getting all burned up.] ( "Almost"? >.> ) (It wasn't *her* fault.) ( How do we know? ) [In the room is Pia. She looks like she might be asleep. Sitting by her bed is a Latino woman with a few graying hairs, who's probably Pia's mother. There's a gold cross around her neck, and she's gently holding one of Pia's hands.] (The GM is to blame. That means all NPCs are to blame by association.) [The woman doesn't look up at Camila when she enters.] (Er. Charlotte.) (I blame Rowyn for that slip.) (Granted.) [Pia's head is covered with gauze, and there's an IV in her. IVs are awesome!] * Charlotte halts at the door. She isn't sure whether she should say anything or not, so she decides to wait until she's noticed. [The woman strokes Pia's hand a few times before looking up. She seems vaguely surprised. "Ah?"] * Charlotte fidgets nervously. "Um... Hello. I'm Charlotte. Is Pia doing alright?" ["Charlotte?" The woman still looks confused, and then she catches sight of Charlotte's wrapped hand. She lets go of Pia's own hand and jumps to her feet. "Your hand! You saved my little girl!"] * Charlotte looks a little bewildered, unsure of how to respond to that. So she doesn't, instead syaing, "I just wanted to check on Pia. Is she going to be okay?" ["She is..." The woman struggles with her words and just gestures to her daughter, then continues with her thick Mexican accent. "Hurt. The doctor says shock, but very lucky."] I'm sorry. [She nods, looking down at Pia for a moment before turning her attention back to Charlotte. "You? Your hand?"] * Charlotte looks down at it, wiggling her fingers a bit. "It's pretty bad, but the doctor said it should be okay if I take care of it." ["I hope he's right." The woman sits heavily on her chair, again; she's a little on the heavy side.] [Pia's mother gestures for Charlotte to take a seat, if she wants.] * Charlotte walks in and does so, silently adding that she hoped so, too. She looks at Pia again. * Khalil has joined #secondstring * Veronica has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer ) [The woman picks up Pia's hand again.] * Charlotte sits there silently. She's not sure of what to say. (As a reminder, people are welcome to come in when they'd visit Pia. If they visit Camila first, please tell me (because if two of you are there, I'm opening a channel for you).) [There's silence for a while longer, and then the woman finally says to Charlotte, "You are a brave girl. You can tell me something."] * Charlotte blinks, shaking her head. "I-I'm not! I didn't even know what I was doing until I had already done it. I was just scared." [She processes that, then looks down at Pia's hand. "Oh." And then the woman looks back at Charlotte. "But you did do it."] * Charlotte nods slowly. ["You removed the... the..." She gestures vaguely again.] Hairpin. ["Hairpin?" She blinks.] I think that was it? It looked like a hairpin. Maybe I'm wrong. ["Was it a hairpin? It was on fire?"] * Charlotte stares at Pia's mother, nodding slowly. I think so. It all happened so fast... [She looks down at her daughter. "Who would set a hairpin on fire?"] * Charlotte shakes her head. "I don't know." ["I am... I don't understand." She lets out a breath, then stands up. "Do you want anything to drink? Charlotte?" she asks, adding Charlotte's name almost as an afterthought.] * Charlotte shakes her head. "I'm fine, thank you." Technically, she's not fine, but... [She nods. "Pia's a good girl. She should have good friends like you." The woman smiles, then walks out to get herself a drink, because goodness knows how long she's been sitting there.] [She leaves her purse behind! So trusting.] * Charlotte totally doesn't go through it while she's gone. (And good reason to be trusting!) * Khalil is now known as Veronica (You can't pick anything up with your hand!) * Charlotte sits there in silence, because Pia's not offering any conversation. [Pia turns in place a little, then is still.] ( Well, she's a better conversational partner than Camila so far. ) (Yeah, Camila just lies there. She's so lazy.) (Okay, seriously, are other people going to come into this mini? ;P) ( Nobody wuvs me :( ) (I already told you where I was. :P) ( Even setting myself on fire doesn't get me attention D: ) (Okay, Rowyn, but nobody's there. @_@; I can run a channel for you by yourself, if you like.) (That works for me.) (Fine.) (Camila's room - #secondstring2) (Ha.) (Charlotte's room is empty. ;_;) * Charlotte finally speaks. "I'm sorry, Pia. I'm sorry I couldn't get there in time." * Charlotte idly wiggles her fingers again. Just making sure they still work. [Pia's eyes open a little. She blinks at Charlotte, blearily.] * Veronica has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer ) * Khalil has joined #secondstring * Krista knocks timidly on the door before peeking in. She's wearing a light blue and white dress. No more wet dress contest! * Charlotte offers Pia a smile before turning her head towards the door. "Krista?" * Khalil is now known as Veronica * Krista steps in a bit, nodding and looking to Pia a moment. "She looks bad..." * Charlotte shoots Krista a sharp glare and mouths, "She's awake." Then she turns back to Pia. [Pia smiles weakly. She turns to see Krista and blinks once, slowly, at her.] ["Hola?" Long pause. "Hello?"] Hi, Pia. How are you feeling? * Krista waves a little. "Ah... hi." [She tries to see Charlotte. "Okay," she says, a little slowly.] * Charlotte smiles. "That's good to hear." * Khalil has joined #secondstring (Meanwhile, Pia's mom gets lost. Finding vending machines in hospitals sucks.) ["How are you?" she asks, trying to see both Krista and Charlotte. She fails at it.] * Veronica has quit IRC (Ping timeout ) * Khalil is now known as Veronica I'm okay. * Krista glances to Charlotte, then back to Pia. "I was luckier than either of you... just wet." Beat. "Is there a prognosis...?" [Pia rolls her head to look at Krista blankly.] * Krista looks at her for a moment, then says, "I suppose not." ["Tired," Pia says by way of explanation.] * Charlotte nods absently. Pia, do you mind if I ask a question? (WHAT is your quest?) ( To change my name to Charredlots, apparently ) [Pia looks blearily at Charlotte. "Okay?"] * Charlotte moves to scratch her arm, but decides that might be bad for her hand, and doesn't. "Umm... Where did you get that hairpin you had on today?" [She looks confused for a moment, then says, "Dresser. Pretty, no?"] * Charlotte fidgets. "I mean... Who gave it to you?" [Pia furrows her brow.] * Charlotte frowns. "Pia..." [She thinks! And thinks. And... starts to drift off to sleep.] * Charlotte sighs, but doesn't try to keep the poor girl awake. [The poor girl doesn't stay awake, falling asleep. At least she didn't freak out about her hair. Or, uh. Lack thereof.] ( Wigs are fashionable! ) * Krista smiles a little, then looks over to Charlotte, and her hand. "And you... are well enough?" (There's a certain smoothness to being bald, but wigs can cover the scarring!) * Charlotte turns her attention to Krista. "It's better than I thought it would be," she motions at her arm. "For what that's worth." * Krista nods slightly before she smiles slightly and says, "You were very strong." * Charlotte shakes her head. "I wasn't. I wish people would stop saying that." When I smelled the smoke, my heart froze. I just got scared of the whole thing happening all over again. I wanted to stop it, even when I was already too late. I wasn't brave or strong. I wasn't thinking at all. * Krista smiles warmly at her. "And yet, you did it. A strength of soul is no less of a strength." * Charlotte shakes her head. "But if I had thought about it... I don't know if I could've..." She trails off, glancing at her hand. [Pia's mother comes walking up behind Krista. "Another one of Pia's friends?"] ( Fuh-riends? What is this strange foreign concept?) * Charlotte will let Krista answer that one on her own. * Krista looks to Charlotte's hand as she does, then jumps as Pia's mother comes up behind her. "A-ah! Hello. Y-yes, I'm from her school. Krista Larson." ( Larson, for her ancestors were all lar ) (She must have gotten the recessive gene.) [She smiles up at Krista. "Hello. I am Mrs. Izquierdo, Pia's mother." She shifts the cans she's carrying and holds her hand out to Krista for her to shake.] ( I didn't even get an introduction or a handshake D: ) (Instead, she told you that you were the best thing since sliced bread. ;P) ( Now I'm compared to sliced bread? D: ) (Do you not LIKE sliced bread?) ( Depends on the bread. ) * Krista reaches out to shake, her eyes scan over the cross on her neck, and says with a wider smile, "I hope your prayers are answered." ( They were. ) ( Mrs. Izquierdo really wanted a sandwich, and Charlotte showed up. ) [She smiles back. "I hope so, too." So saying, she lets go of Krista's hand and shuffles back into the room. "Charlotte, you said you didn't want anything, but I thought..." She holds out a can of Coke.] * Charlotte accepts it anyway. "Thank you." [She smiles and goes to sit down, moving her purse and opening her own can of Coke.] * Charlotte then comes to the realization that opening a can with one hand is pretty durn hard to do. ( Because all kids like Coke. Except...you're not one of those PEPSI drinkers are you? *hard stare*) * Charlotte holds it out towards Krist. "Could you open this for me?" * Krista blinks, then smiles and reaches out to take it. "Of course." She pops the top and hands it back. * Charlotte smiles greatfully and takes a sip. [Mrs. Izquierdo says, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize..." She looks embarrassed, yup.] It's okay. I didn't either. I guess I'll have to start getting used to this. ["It will heal. The doctor said so, yes?"] * Charlotte nods. * Krista stands there, looking a bit nervous. She adjusts her glasses and smooths out her dress, then says, "I... I just wanted to stop and check." Beat. "I have to get home, I am afraid, so..." * Charlotte nods. "I should, too." ["Oh." The woman nods. "You girls be careful, all right?"] [She pats Pia's hand and smiles at both Charlotte and Krista. "My daughter is lucky to have such good friends."] * Charlotte smiles. "We'll be back to visit again." * Krista smiles nevrously before she says, "I'll put her in my prayers." [She nods to you two, smiling, before looking at her daughter again.] * Charlotte doesn't wave, because her hands are full or burned. She just heads out. * Krista steps out of the room and licks her lips a moment, glancing in before saying quietly, "Of the five Ws, I cannot help but wish I knew why she came into posession of such an unholy object." * Charlotte nods. "I don't understand it. To tell the truth, I'm not sure I want to." * Krista chews her lip and then nods. "I can understand that." I'm going to visit Camila. Want to come? * Krista blushes slightly. "A-ah, of course." * Charlotte nods. "Okay." She takes another drink of her Coke (it was free!) and starts a-walkin'. [Lucky for the both of you, it's on the same floor! The door to Camila's room is ajar, and there's some light streaming out.] * Charlotte totally doesn't knock. Wonder why. [Charlotte and Krista enter Camila's room! Camila is as she always is, unconscious and bandaged from head to toe, with machines hooked up to her. There's a steady beeping from one.] [In addition, there's Veronica, who's wearing dry clothes and is sitting by Camila's bed. Her eyes are slightly pink, and she's talking to another girl your age, who happens to be standing by one of the filled vases with flowers in her hand.] [Said girl has extremely black, chin-length hair pulled back in a clip, heavy lidded eyes, and a slight frown on her freckled face. She's also wearing a t-shirt, a long black skirt made of something shiny, fishnet stockings, and tennis shoes. Charlotte recognizes her as Monica.] (And descrip is done for this!) ( Better than IN the filled vases :o ) * Veronica shakes her head and speaks to the other person. "Weird doesn't even begin to cover it. It didn't seem to go out easy either. I ruined one of my best jackets." She snickers. "Small price to pay though, I know. I'm not mad about it." * Charlotte blinks. "Monica! Hi." * Krista blinks at her too, but she doesn't seem cheery about it! ["You'd better not be, 'cause that's-" Monica starts at hearing the voice and whips her head to see Charlotte, then gives her a big smile. "Charlotte! They said you were out!"] * Veronica turns to look at Charlotte and blinks. "Yeah. What are you still doing here then?" * Charlotte answers! "I was visiting Pia." ( Poor Krista. They don't even see you :( ) (That's okay.) (She took the misfit defect. It's better than the alternative.) (Yeawh, really.) * Veronica pales just slightly at Pia's name and looks aside. "I-is she okay?" (What's the alternative?) She's... well.... * Charlotte pauses for a bit, then smiles. "She's well. I mean, she's doing well, all things considered." * Veronica sits down again, more slumps down, and is very quiet, looking away from Charlotte and Krista. * Krista stands there! She looks to Camila and Rica, since that doesn't involve looking at the harlot, but doesn't say anything. (Isn't Rica dressing like a man an offense in the Bible somewhere too?) (I don't think so.) [Even worse, Monica's a pudgy harlot.] (Ah, no, it's there.) (Deuteronomy (ugh), but it is.) (Pants, however, are easily not grouped in that.) (Now, if she was wearing a tux...) * Charlotte says stuff, since nobody else will. "How's Camila?" ["No better and no worse." Monica waves the flowers. "I got half of these for you."] [They're carnations! Hopefully Charlotte isn't allergic.] * Charlotte isn't! "Thanks. Um, I can't take them right now, though." She glances at her hands. * Veronica turns around. "I'll carry them for you. I mean, I got some too. See?" She holds up her own white flowers. ( Are they roses? ) * Krista starts to open her mouth, but then lets it fall shut. After a moment, she takes a half-step back and looks around the room. Maybe she's thinking of fleeing. Or not. (Yes.) ["Yeah, no big. I've still gotta visit Pia, anyway."] ( hawt ) Okay. Thanks. ( Krista didn't get me flowers :( ) [Monica's attention turns to Krista. OMG!] ["You're Krista Larson, aren't you?"] * Krista looks to her and she nods, silently. AFter a moment she adds, "Ye--yes, I am." [She smiles. "Okay, cool. I'm Monica Ashby. Just sort of saw you in the halls sometimes, but I don't think we ever talked."] * Krista smiles nervously and says, "Aah--no, no I don't think so." * Charlotte drinks Coke. [She focuses on Charlotte again. "So, how was the doctor?"] (I find that amusing for some reason. "Hi, you're Krista aren't you?!?!" "Uh. Y-yes." "Oh, okay! *ignores*") He gave me some stuff to put on my hand. There's a lot of creams and a lot of directions I have to follow. But he said it was better than it looked. What did you grab anyways? It looked pretty hot... * Charlotte frowns. "It happend pretty fast, so I'm not sure. But it looked like a hairpin." (It's basically what she did when she met Veronica. ;P) * Veronica blinks. "Hairpin?" * Charlotte nods. "Hairpin." ["What, like a straw hairpin?"] * Charlotte shakes her head. "I don't think so? It looked kind of fancy." ["Yeah, a fancy *bomb*. That's crazy."] * Charlotte nods. ["I mean, who'd do something like that? It's gotta be someone totally psycho."] ( There's a bomb in your hair! Oh noes! ) Did she say where she got it from? * Charlotte nods to Monica. Then to Veronica: "No, she was pretty out of it." * Veronica frowns slightly. "I wonder..." What? * Veronica snaps her head up a bit suddenly. "Did Camila have any jewelry at the time too?" Or anything that she doesn't usually wear? * Charlotte shrugs. "I didn't notice if she did." ["No idea. She always wore some stuff."] But...did you see her earlier that day? Was she bragging about something? It's too similar to be coincidental...right? ["No, you're right. But I don't really remember. Camila always kinda liked showing off, you know? Sort of flies under your radar after a while."] * Veronica frowns. "Try to remember. It may be important to preventing this from happening again..." * Charlotte nods. "I'd like to do that, too." She glances at her hand. ["Uh... I think she got a new necklace or something the day before."] What'd it look like? ["It was gold." She gestures. "With a little round pendant thing. I didn't get that good a look." She sighs. "Stupid, right?"] * Charlotte blinks. "Pia had a new necklace, too." It was the hairpin that went on fire, but I'm sure she had one. * Veronica shakes her head. "No. You don't think to look at those things except in hindsight. Actually, that's pretty good..." She thinks for a moment. "Did she mention where she got it from?" * Charlotte assumes Veronica is talking to Monica, and so sips her Coke again. [Monica shakes her head. "Nah."] * Krista bites her lip as she stands off from the girls. * Veronica shakes her head and sighs. "Great. Well..." She snickers slightly. "Maybe there's a site on eBay for gold devil necklaces or something." * Charlotte frowns. ["Dude, more than one." Monica reaches under her shirt and pulls out a little gold necklace with a pentagram. "See?" She tucks it back.] [But it's not like they're *real*.] (Add quotes.) * Charlotte blinks. "Are you sure? Monica..." * Veronica immediately stops laughing and stares. "Geez. You..." ["What? I got it last year!"] Oh. * Krista crosses herself in the background. Last year or not! * Charlotte exhales deeply. "Don't scare me like that. If it happened to you, I don't know what I'd do."] * Veronica frowns slightly but doesn't say anything. [Monica smiles at Charlotte. "I'm not going anywhere. Next time I buy jewelry, I'll check it for C4 and stuff."] Might want to avoid jewelry altogether for a while. [She shrugs. "Sounds like a good idea to me."] * Charlotte glances at her hand again. "I know I'm going to." * Veronica looks at her hands and notices her bracelets, taking them off. "Yeah..." * Veronica bites her lip as she looks at them. "It's just sickening, you know?" * Charlotte shudders. "Horrible." [Monica nods silently.] * Krista doesn't speak up. She also isn't wearing any jewelry! (Not even a cross?) * Charlotte isn't either! * Charlotte isn't much of a jewelry-wearer. (It's under her dress.) (So you can't see it. >_> <_<) (But it's still jewelry!) (It's also silver!) (Silver isn't evil!) (*sets Krista on fire*) (AAH, THE BURNING!) ["Too bad we can't swing, like, a school announcement or something."] * Charlotte nods. Would anyone believe it? * Krista manages a weak laugh and shakes her head. Yes, she's still here! Probably not. [Monica just snorts.] * Veronica looks over at Krista. As if just noticing she were here! Because she probably did. * Krista is there! Blue and white dress. She looks somewhat nervous. Sorta in limbo. * Charlotte sips Coke. * Veronica has quit IRC (Ping timeout ) I don't know what to do. * Krista manages to speak up, nervously, "M-maybe you can ask their parents." Beat. "They might know where they got them." * Charlotte chuckles. "But I can't keep this up. I only have one more hand." I don't think so. Pia's mother seemed confused. I don't think she had any idea where Pia got it from. * Veronica has joined #secondstring ["Well, you know," Monica says with a shrug. "It's not like anyone tells their mom about stuff."] * Charlotte frowns again. She's been doing that a lot, lately. * Krista opens her mouth a moment, then shuts it. Silence is the better part of not getting beaten. She has a point. Maybe we can get... I dunno. The teacher? Maybe he can make an announcement. I mean, it keeps happening in his class. And he seems weird enough to actually believe us. It doesn't really matter. If you think about it, he has to do something if he wants to keep his job. * Veronica runs her fingers through her hair and finally stands up slowly. "Honestly, I think he's from Mars or something." He is kinda creepy. * Krista smiles a little at that. ["I heard they took him just 'cause they couldn't find anybody else," Monica chips in.] * Veronica blinks. "Really? Do we scare off the teachers THAT much?" Well, he doesn't seem like he has any idea what he's doing. I know. I mean...he gave me a C- on the last test. Can you believe it? I completely BSed that whole thing. * Charlotte shrugs. "But anyway, this is the second time it's happened. The school will have to do something." * Krista replies, "What can they do? I-I doubt they have the money for better fire prevention, and that... is all they might think of." They could ban jewelry. Or they could fire the teacher. ["Maybe we'll get police in the building. Y'know? To watch for crazy bombers or something."] Like they ban everything else we like? ["It's not like Mr. Mendel set people on fire. I think."] * Veronica makes a face. "School uniforms? No thanks." * Charlotte frowns. "Yeah... cops won't be able to stop this, though." [Monica brushes unclipped hair from her face with her free hand, then shifts her weight. "Yeah, but they've gotta do something. Could check us for lighters and electronics and stuff."] * Charlotte glances at her hand again. "Dammit." * Veronica frowns again. "Someone's selling these things. That means someone's planning this. We've got to think." We don't know that they're being sold. So what, they're just being given out? Appearing on someone's doorstep? What? Maybe Camila and Pia got them at the same time. They're friends, after all. Maybe Pia just decided not to wear hers until that day. Yeah, but they got them from someone. * Charlotte nods. "No denying that." * Charlotte shudders again. "To tell the truth, I'm scared. I almost don't want to look into this at all." But we *have* to. I mean, it could be anyone next. And dammit, I don't want the hospital ward to fill up with classmates... [Monica nods. "It's all *really* weird."] * Veronica frowns deeply. "Or the morgue." ["But there's gotta be a reason. I'll ask around."] * Charlotte nods. "It's more horrible than you can imagine. What Pia and Camila went through."] * Charlotte nods. "Okay, but please be careful, Monica. It could be dangerous." ["Bah, it's just talking!" She grins. "Hasn't killed me yet."] Monica, I'm serious. ["Me too. I'm only gonna talk to people I know. I'm not taking candy or... or jewelry from strangers."] * Charlotte moves her right arm a bit. "Whoever's doing this is willing to hurt, even kill people. It could be dangerous, and.... oh. Okay."] ( Kill those brackets >.< ) * Charlotte sighs. "As long as you're careful." [Monica nods. "I'd be more worried about you. Fourth period English." She glances at her watch. "Shit. I've gotta go see Pia!"] [She starts to leave. "See you laaaaa oh. Flowres. Um." Monica hands half of her flowers to Veronica.] (flowers) * Charlotte nods. "Okay. Thanks for coming to visit." ["What're friends for, anyway?" Monica grins at Charlotte. "I'll see you in class tomorrow. Gotta hurry!" She rushes out the door.] * Veronica takes the flowers and looks at them for a moment, then to Charlotte. Monica's confusing. * Charlotte grins. But doesn't wave. 'Cause yeah * Krista wobbles out of the way. [Monica does *not* shove Krista!] (Yay!) * Krista pushes her glasses up and looks between the girls before saying cautiously, "I think Mr. Mendel... will likely know more about what happened tomorrow." Beat. "We... picked the jewelry out of the fire, after everyone had..." But he'll sound like a crackpot if he says the jewelry caused it. Even if it *is* true. * Krista replies, "I meant for..." she trails off and takes a deep breath, then continues, "For finding where it came from." You think he can find it? You put a lot of faith in him... * Krista smiles a little. "I think... he has a lot of knowledge." Beat, then more quietly, "A book on... well." She actually makes a 'fang' face. (With finger-fangs!) (RAWR.) (He's 'grr'.) (There's no cure for that, yo know.) * Veronica frowns. "But Pia..." She stops herself. * Veronica goes over to the wall and turns her back to it, thumping her fist against it and closing her eyes as she slumps slightly, softly saying, "I can't believe I couldn't do anything." * Krista bites her lip for a second before opening her mouth... and shutting it. She's got nothin'. (Also. I'm still trying to figure out how Veronica can find Monica confusing when she hangs out with Christy.) * Veronica has quit IRC (Ping timeout ) (Don't ask me.) * Veronica has joined #secondstring * Krista glances back and then to Rica before saying, "I... really do have to get going home." Beat. "I don't know if it matters to you, but she'll be in my prayers." * Veronica doesn't say anything. She's rather lost in thought. (Because, you know, Veronica's thoughts get lost rather easily.) (Snicker.) (Yeah, really.) * Krista waits a little... then without a response, she just backs away with one last glance to Camila. Then she's out the door! * Veronica mutters "Thanks" as Krista goes out the door. (I'll treasure it forever!) (Heheh.) ( Sorry about that ) ( Lot to catch up with @_@ just a bit ) * Charlotte blinks a few times at Krista's sudden departure. (It wasn't that sudden!) There wasn't much anyone could've done. Short of something stupid, like I did. * Veronica closes her eyes tighter and thumps the wall. "You don't understand. I--" She bites her lip slightly. "I think I knew it was going to happen." * Charlotte blinks. "What?" * Veronica sighs and opens her eyes. "You're gonna think I'm crazy. But it's no crazier than any of this other shit we've been going through." * Charlotte eyes Veronica. "What are you talking about?" I had...I had a dream about it last night. I never got to see the person's face. But someone was on fire. Just like Camila. Oh. * Veronica shakes her head. "I didn't think it'd be Pia though. I didn't--" Well, it was just a dream. You couldn't have known. * Veronica shakes a little. "Y-yeah. Of course..." ...Right? * Charlotte stares at Veronica. "Is there something you're not telling me?" * Veronica gets a little quiet and looks off to the side. She says softly. "It's... happened before too." * Charlotte nods. "Now I remember." * Veronica blinks. "Remember what?" This isn't the first time you've had a dream about something that came true, is it? * Veronica shakes her head. "N-no. But...remember? I don't remember telling you anything like that. Did I?" * Charlotte nods. She'd fold her arms, but one's full and the other might hurt. So she just sips her Coke. "You were complaining that you didn't see it coming." * Veronica opens her mouth slightly, then closes it and gets silent, letting out her breath. "Yeah..." * Charlotte nods. "Yeah." * Veronica folds her arms across her chest. "So what do you think it means?" * Charlotte sips her drink. She finally finishes it, and disposes of the can in the nearest wastebasket. "Dunno. Maybe you can dream the future. Or maybe it's just coincidence." * Veronica rubs her head slightly. "Yeah. Well, I don't believe much in coincidence. But the alternative's just bizarre." Yeah, well... bizarre burned my hand. * Veronica frowns. "And attacked you at work." * Charlotte nods. "Hard to believe, I'd forgotten about that until you reminded me, just now." * Veronica sighs. "I don't forget as much as you think. Sometimes I wish I would..." * Charlotte shudders again. "Yeah. Tell me about it." Remembering will keep us alive long enough to enjoy it though. *frowns* I hope. * Charlotte looks to her hand again. "Nothing to enjoy about this." * Veronica looks at Charlotte's hand for a minute. "It's not your face?" * Charlotte raises an eyebrow. "Uh... I dunno if that was meant to be comforting, but..." * Veronica sighs again. "I suck at that too. I know. But dammit, it helps me not to think about all...this." She gestures to Camila and frowns. "Monica said it was a fire that burnt her soul away. She was just joking too, but..." Well, in a way... * Veronica says softly, looking at the floor. "I know..." * Charlotte does, too. "I'm... I'm trying not to think about it much. If I do, I might cry again." * Veronica shakes her head and chuckles slightly, but it sounds a bit forced. "We've gotta stop that. I mean what'll people think?" * Charlotte smiles. "Okay. You owe me an ice cream." * Veronica blinks and looks up. "I do? For what? Since when?" * Charlotte pouts. "If you don't, I might cry again." I already got you flowers. I mean geez, what more do you want, girl? * Charlotte grins. "An ice cream." * Veronica sighs, defeated. "Chocolate or vanilla?" Chocolate. Figures. Triple, right? Sure. Alright. But just because you've got a hurt arm doesn't mean I'm gonna be wiping your mouth if you dribble. Deal? * Charlotte pouts. "But if you don't, I might cry." * Veronica snorts. "You're overdoing it." Aww. * Veronica waves her on. "Just come on." She starts to head out of the room, then stops, frowns and turns back around, walking to the bed. "Take care, Camila. You get better soon, you hear me?" She then passes Charlotte on the way out. * Charlotte stays behind for a bit, making her way to Camila's bedside. "Hi Camila. It's me, Charlotte. I dunno if you heard what we were talking about or not." [Camila doesn't respond.] (Are you there, God? It's me, Charlotte.) Krista Larson was here. I dunno if you heard her? She's kind of quiet. I can't stay too long today. Veronica's waiting for me. But I wanted to come see you again. * Charlotte smiles. "I'll come back and visit again later." * Charlotte leaves! [No subtext. Only text.] [Minisession End.]