>Ask Hiki about her.
[well, what is she really like?] You ask nervously.
[Why don't we ask her?] Hiki says. Before you can stop him he's called out. "Miss Satou?"
Lilly starts slightly, but quickly falls back into a relaxed state. "Mister Nozomu? I wasn't expecting you to be here."
"Neither did we expect to be here. And yet, here we are." He chuckles softly. "We were headed to the vets, and then perhaps to the Shanghai." Lilly looks slightly puzzled.
"We?"
"Me and my friend, Miss Daisy. I'm afraid she's mute, so she can only speak through sign, but I'll act as her translator."
[Wonderful.] You tell Hiki. There's not a good way to let the sarcasm through without expression, so you just leave it at that.
"If she's speaking by sign, how are you going to translate?" asks Lilly, still puzzled.
"She signs into my hand."
"Well, in any case, it's a grand event to meet you, Miss Daisy." She extends a hand, and you shake it. The only direct communication you can have with her. This is so awkward. Suddenly you have a much higher sense of empathy with Shizune. Lilly is still speaking. "I'm sorry I failed to notice you before.
[She doesn't have to feel bad. It's not her fault.] Hiki passes your message on.
"Thank you. Though I am still waiting on someone." Out of the corner of your eye you see a flicker. A flicker you recognize.
[It's the new kid, isn't it?] You ask through Hiki. But Lilly frowns slightly.
"Actually, it was supposed to be Hanako, why?" Something about that name hits you hard, but you don't have time. The new kid stops, surprise in his eyes, first looking at Lilly and then at you and Hiki. He makes a weird expression.
"What?"
You shake your head. He looks at you with utter confusion in his eyes. He strikes you as cow-like. You don't know why. Artists intuition. Hell, he even has a single sprig of hair standing on top of his head. [He looks like a... a cow. That is also a plant.] You sign to Hiki. He makes a weird face.
[A cow? Is he overweight?]
[No, his eyes. They look like cow eyes.]
[Oh, I'll take your word for it.] Hiki says. You have a feeling that if he had said it aloud it would have been dry and deadpan.
"Hisao?" asks Lilly, obviously at a loss for what exactly was going on.
"Oh, uh, Lilly, hey. Hanako isn't coming. She's engrossed in a book."
[Amazing how he can sound so stupid using the word Engrossed.]
[Don't be mean.] Admonishes Hiki. "Hello." He says aloud, obviously for Hisao's benifit. Hisao looks flustered.
"Hey. Nobody told me there would be a party."
You decide to break contact with Hiki so you can be as vicious and sarcastic as you want without anyone actually getting offended. A hundred times out of ten you have some scathing remark that you can't actually tell someone. Luckily, most people don't know sign. It's time to see if the New Kid is one of those people.
[That's because you weren't invited.] You sign. Hisao looks confused and slightly afraid.
"I'm sorry? I don't know sign language."
You smile as villainously as possible and steeple your fingers in the air, looking his directly in the eye. You can almost smell his fear, like a wolf stalking a tasty lamb. He can sense it, and shrinks behind Lilly's tall form. You note to some amusement she's almost taller than he is.
"Daisy, I can't translate for you if you don't have any contact with me."
[That's the point.] You tell him, sighing silently.
[Were you being mean again?] He asks.
[Maybe.]
[Please don't do that. How would you feel if someone asked you to speak up?] He has a point. You're being cruel to the new kid for nothing but your own amusement. You really ought to take his advice...
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Ruby Doll
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Topic: DAISY [Act 4: Voiceless] (Read 67876 times)