T h e • O u t s i d e

Maryanne
I hold back a wince as long fingernails dig into my shoulder as I am practically dragged across the carpet back to Carter. Grimacing, we lock eyes. Uh oh.

PavoLights wrote:"Worship our greatness," they both say as Kore comes skipping out of the room. She curtsies to Ambrosia and smiles. "Hello, Ms. How are you this day?"

Ambrosia - I smile at her, "Perfect, and you?"

Kore: "Fair as a new spring day," she says, her voice a whisper as she beckons for one of the twins to hoist her onto her shoulders. "You are very fortunate to have Death with you this day."

Carter: I try not to cry out as Martanna and I are taken to the Devou's office, where belts of different sizes lay in wait for us.

Ambrosia - "And why is that?"

Maryanne
I could practically feel it already, and I bit back a wince, a scream, anything. Sir Oaks and the Monster would face this down as a challenge. Still, I couldn't keep the fear out of my eyes.

Got to go :'( maybe see you tomorrow

Kore: She picks a flower out of her crown and sniffs it before dropping it to the ground and watching as it burns up as soon as it hits the floor. "If I told you now, it wouldn't be a surprise. That's why I promised to keep hush-hush."

Carter: I try to make eye contact with Maryanne, but it's no use. I'm up first. She leads me to her desk, tells me to bend down and left up the back of my shirt. She selects a particularly heavy belt of the wall and a moment later brings it down hard across my back.

Ambrosia - I fake frown, "I don't like surprises, just ask the twins," I say.

Kore: "That is true," she murmurs. "But then I'd be intruding too much on what happens on this world. After all, it is not my domain. For everything I do here, there is an equal consequence."

Ambrosia - I nod, "I understand," I say.

Kore: "Good," she says softly, and then smiles. " I will tell you this though, ad only because this has something to do with my world. I didn't want to say this earlier, but perhaps Cassandra has revived something in the children other than their imaginations? But it's only a curious thought."

Ambrosia - "You think that they will be able to see you now?" I wonder.

Kore: "It is said that the Outside chooses those who will be able to see it from birth. I'm sure tha Cassandra would have affected many children similarly. But that girl did ask about her nickname, and only because the flowers had told her about this."

Kore: She suddenly feels eyes on her and turns around. One of the little girl's is staring at her, the blonde one with the stuffed animal. They turn around and look at eachother for a long moment, decided how they should react to one another.

Ambrosia - "She got here yesterday, " I tell Kore.

Kore: She closes her eyes and gestures for Khonsu to put her back down. The human child takes a few steps bavk as her pale feet touch the floor. "Ambrosia," she says as she takes in the girl. She suddenly snatches up the bunny and starts pulling at it's ears. "What is this?"

Ambrosia - I go over to her and take her in my arms, "A friend, a secret friend, that no one else can know about ok?"

(Oh, oops. Lore was asking that about the rabbit.)

Andrea: I blink as the girl continues to pull at the bunny's arm and ears. "Ah, please don't..." The girl looks up at me, taking me in with the holes that sat in place of her eyes. "Then tell me: what is this?" She continues to shake it as though she were trying to find the value in it.

Ambrosia - "Kore, it's a stuffed animal, not a real animal, but a fake one, a fake bunny," I comment.

Andrea: I frowns and then drops it on the ground as though it had burned her. "Hm," is all she says before she turns around and clasps her hands behind her back. She starts walking down the hall and I look up at Ambrosia. "I guess she doesn't really like bunnies, hm?" I say with a little frown. I pick up the stuffed animal as my eyes widen. "Ah, we're gonna be late! Oh no!"

Ambrosia - "Don't worry dear, you'll be ok," I tell her.

Andrea: I can't help but blink back tears at the thought of getting in trouble again. "No, we have to go! What if she sees that we're late?"

Ambrosia - I take her hand and we begin to walk down the stairs, "I'll take the punishment." I assure her.

Andrea: "I don't know if she'll like that," I murmur when I see three girls with their ears pressed against Mrs.Devou's door. I try not to stare as they giggle and put their fingers to their mouths, but I can't help it. Suddeny, a yell sounds from the door and I jump. Someone else is getting punished.

Ambrosia - I glare at the girls, "There is nothing funny about that," I reprimand them, "Now go downstairs to lunch."