driftfleet | (no subject)

Who: Riley Matthews & Yooou
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Huntress...?!
When: Following the shuffle

[ACTION]

[HELLO, HUNTRESS. There's a not so tiny child trying to sneak onto your ship, which might not be so easy. Given that she's in a deep purple magical girl outfit and isn't very good at darting around sneakily at all. And she might be taking the time to decorate the ship with tiny handmade cut-outs of animals and little phrases about smiling and doing your best. And just smiley faces.

So the truth is she's really bad at this hiding thing, but she's definitely going to go hide in the room that says 'RILEY MATTHEWS' on the door and pops in and out from there.]

[VIDEO]

[A little while later and after more than a little bit of uncertainty, she decides to do broadcast.]

Hi. I arrived here a few weeks ago and I haven't really said anything yet. Sorry. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to help me. And to the Paisley, too, for being really nice to me. So, thank you.

I know there's a lot of other things going on, but I thought that was important.

It's nice to meet you. I'm Riley Matthews. [She pauses briefly to let out a breath.] Or I'm Rainbow Lark. Both names are important, so I don't mind either. Whatever name you call me, I want to help. Riley and Lark would like to. I don't have magic and I'm not really good at anything, but that's not important.

At least. That's what I've been told. So the only thing I can really do is be there for people. Which isn't that helpful against weird alien things, I know, but maybe a little bit of normal is okay to.

So. Hi. Again. I'm Riley. Or Lark. And I really look forward to being able to learn from everyone. I've learned a lot recently, and I want to learn more.

...And thanks.

[Again! But she seems very awkward and shy and not sure what she's wanting to say. Maybe what little she did say was too much, or maybe it wasn't. But it's enough for her so she smiles and waves and stops it there. Because she can't fight against anything out there and she knows that, but maybe that's okay here, too.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Cory doesn't find the child at first. But he finds some very unusual things left behind. These cut-outs... perhaps one of them is of a horse? And that message about smiling.

He holds both of them up with a look of deep scrutiny. He closes his eyes as if trying to tap into the Force and sniffs at the air. Then, his eyes open, and he mutters suspiciously.]

She's here.

[His Riley senses, they're tingling.]

[ The real question is: Can his Riley senses find her? Can they? Because she's gotten a lot better at darting from place-to-place and then hiding back in her room-- unintentionally or otherwise.

And despite taking the decision to transfer over to the Huntress she's still afraid to see dad in person and so she might not be actually trying to seek anybody out.

So it's definitely an elaborate game of hide-and-seek. ]

[The game is on. The hunt is afoot. But her new skillz may indeed be paying the billz.

Cory is looking around for places where he thinks she would normally pick, but there's no signs so far. But he keeps suspiciously glancing in random directions, hoping to smoke her out.]

[ Well, helpfully, the ship did just get more TARDIS like and another room's appeared. And i t's definitely got the words 'RILEY MATTHEWS' on it. Is it a coincidence? Is she in there?

Probably. And she's probably moving the desk back against the wall and rearranging blankets on top of it. Impromptu window seats are important. ]

[Huh. When did that get there. Now that's another important clue.

So he quietly opens the door while softly rapping at it.]

Miss Matthews, I presume?

[ ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE HER FATHER.

Her father is a barbarian who doesn't knock. Which is why she's sort of ??? when the door opens, help. And then folds her arms over her clothes. ]

Oh, hi. I didn't think you'd find me so soon.

[HE'S PRETTY SURE he was knocking as he was already opening the door, so. There's still some barbarian-ness there.]

Right, it usually takes me longer to find a door with my daughter's name on it. [He pats at it before he closes the door behind him.]

My little girl with her own office. They grow up so fast...

I just haven't gotten around to changing it yet.

[ It's said seriously like, MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE NOTICED THEN. Maybe. Except she does like her cute animal artwork. So.

She doesn't respond to that immediately, though. It's easy to make a quip of 'I don't think of it as an office'. Since it doesn't make sense for her to have one, but it's not her focus right now. It's been months since she'd Maya or her parents and it's been a really long time now. Not as long as some people, but it feels so much longer and she doesn't feel at all like Riley.

And she's afraid-- more afraid than she's ever been, she's sure, but she swallows it down. And instead of any verbal answer or snarky remark she does the first thing that comes to mind: Go to hug him for a very long time. ]

[He just gives a knowing dad smile, thinking he knows the extent of Riley's troubles. It must be scary and alone being in space like this. But now they have each other, so it can't be that bad?

He was waiting for the chance to hug, so he keeps his arms spread as she approaches.]

That's it. Bring it home! [He says that a little softly and he wraps his arms around her. Don't worry, dad's got your back here in outer space.]

[ Space was lonely, it's true, but not for the reasons it should be. It's lonely because she's gotten used to being around a group of people and while those on Paisley were nice it's not the same. It's not the same as groups that were her family or became her family. And it was scary only in the sense that it wasn't with them. She's faced scarier now, and that's probably the part that scares her most. It's the part that makes her worried that she'd see everyone again and they wouldn't like her because she's not Riley anymore. Not the one they know, anyway.

And she's not sure that Riley exists-- as much as she tries. It may have been a short time, truly, but... Well, being turned into a monster and knowing people you loved died isn't easy.

His words aren't comforting it seems to ring of a time far away and something she only just remembers enough of. But his arms are the comfort and knowing he's real. And maybe for now the scary things were all over. Maybe, maybe, maybe. That was her hope, and it wasn't something she'd given up on.

But she can't verbalize any of that, so for now she just hugs him forever. ]

[He'll keep holding onto her for as long as she needs. Something does seem different about the hug. Is it just from being in space for so long? Or maybe the gravity's different. Is this what a space hug is like?

Cory will worry, but he won't complain. He needs a hug, too, for less severe reasons. Being suddenly stuck in this strange and unfamiliar place, having someone familiar up close and in his arms is very reassuring. Eventually, he gives a little smile.]

Whoa, you've gotten better at this. My daughter, hugging like a pro! [Only a Matthews appraises hugging technique.]

Heeeey, I've always been good at hugging people.

[ It's the first time she's said anything in a few minutes and it's with it that she kind of takes a step or two back. He's real. That was important. And it didn't feel like a game. Even if part of her remembered back to the game about fears and everyone leaving. He was here, that's all that mattered right now. ]

You've just gotten worse at them.

[ It's... It's teasing at least???? ]

[Wow. He makes an offended face, but it's a sarcastic one.]

Hey... Them's fighting words, Missy.

That hug was definitely even better than usual. You know, if you've been cheating, they're gonna kick you out of the National Hugging Leagues.

I don't see how it is I'm supposed to be cheating.

...I'm not sure, either. You know how jokes get away from Daddy sometimes? Nevermind. It's good to have you on board.

(no subject)

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