FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)14:10 No. 580761 ID: c3ad33
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you are allowed to play in the swamp by yourself as long as you make uncle horace two promises.

1. i promise not to talk to foxes
2. i promise not to go into the woods

you have never broken those promises.

you should probably stay by the water and find something to play with. Maybe you can find a crawfish or something to poke with a stick.

Where's your uncle?

loretta, do you have any friends to play with?

That's good! You should listen to your uncle.
What do you usually do to pass the time? Do you have any friends?

you're such a good girl, listening to your uncle... but I've got to ask, where are your parents. Oh and is that your uncle's house over there?

>>580761
You should probably continue not breaking promises, then.

Where's your uncle at, anyway? What do you do around here?

no i think we should go into the woods, rules are made to be broken huh?

well, loretta! you appear to be in pretty good health, so i think its safe to assume that if you dont break the rules you will remain in good health!

that being said, do you have any toys to play with? or any friends?

FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)14:49 No. 580777 ID: c3ad33
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there are no rules against bothering fish, so you do.

you're not very close to your uncle. you're only living with him because your mother got eaten a few months ago. but he's okay and you guess rules exist for a reason. he's probably back at home. he doesn't do much. that house in the distance, though, is not your uncle's house - that's where the Bad Fox lives.

usually you like to explore with your best friend wilbur, but he hasn't come out yet today. sometimes he has to go do stuff to help his family. his family has like five bajillion kids but somehow they always have enough money and stuff to get by, but everyone has to help out, even the little kids.

your favorite thing to do is sing. usually you like to sing with wilbur, though. one day you and wilbur are going to move to the city and be a famous band and make so much money that you can pay for all the other rabbits to move to the city too, like his whole entire family and the millers and the rubicovs and your uncle too.

FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)14:49 No. 580778 ID: c3ad33
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if you had gotten famous sooner you could have moved out a long time ago and your mom wouldn't have been killed.

>>580778
Don't put the blame on yourself like that, there's only so much an eight-year-old can do.

Wait, what about your father?

(i already knew that gentleman was ulric. i kneeeew it!!)

you shouldn't blame yourself for bad things happening to your mom, even a little. it's too much pressure to expect children- or anybody, really- to become famous, especially for anyone else's sake.

still, maybe you should look into recording your singing, just as practice for the future!

No, it's not your fault! You couldn't have known it would happen, it wasn't on you to avoid that.
Is your uncle your only family? Do you have any siblings?

Don't blame yourself, Loretta, you're doing all you can, you're only 8 after all. What about the rest of your family?

what's wilbur like? is there any reason for wilbur to have not come out today? if he doesn't live too far away, maybe we should check on him to make sure he's okay?

you should sing to the fish. maybe you're a siren. use your songs to protect yourself from the thing that ate your mother.

maybe you could help Wilbur with whatever chores he has so that he can be done faster and you two can play?
also, be careful near the water- we don't know how deep it is!
in any case, it wasnt your fault, it was the bad fox lady's.
speaking of which, could you give us the skinny on her? is she married to a fox, or perhaps a wolf?

how did your mother get killed? why arent u staying with your father?

It's probably not best to dwell on things like that try finding your friend Wilbut

Wilbutt

what happened to your mother? why can't you talk to foxes?

Don't blame yourself for that! Hasn't your uncle or parents read you stories of girls who blame themselves and then you're like "But the girl didn't do anything wrong!" and then you know that your right and your uncle and parents agree with you? It's just like that, but the girl is you now!
Girl, if you want to go far, you need to know that no one is to blame, and that only you can get yourself to the stars if it's possible at all! You can't piece the heavens if you're false sense of guilt holds you back.

Go find Wilbur. Try and wrestle him to prepare for any fox attacks. Try and perfect your defense suplex girl, I heard that wrestling is also a great way to get rich too. Yes, you can be the pair of singers that are also wrestling rock stars who defeat all the villains and save all the bunnies everywhere. And it's super fun.

FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)21:22 No. 580913 ID: c3ad33
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you are the only kid. your dad left when you were little - you remember that you liked him but not a lot of other stuff. your mom said he was a ne'er-do-well but she kept a picture of him always and looked at it a lot so you think maybe she wasn't telling the truth when she said that.

uncle horace never got married and he never seems to talk to ladies. maybe he wants to marry a fish instead because he spends so much time catching them. you laugh at that idea.

besides that you guess maybe the entire warren is kind of your family. rabbits stick together.

FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)21:22 No. 580914 ID: c3ad33
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the Bad Fox who lives in the house over there is the one who ate your mom. she broke the rules. predators are supposed to get their food outside of the swamp - or else eat stuff like fish and birds, stuff that doesn't think. you heard that at the time she said it was an accident but uncle horace says to never ever trust what a fox says. you hate her.

FRACTAL 2014/06/24(Tue)21:22 No. 580915 ID: c3ad33
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you think about recording some songs, but to do that you need to find a tape recorder and wilbur. all of your songs are duets, so he's gotta be here.

wilbur is really really nice. probably the nicest person in the entire swamp and maybe the world. it's like the whole point of him being alive is being nice to people. you don't know what the whole point of you being alive is yet but it's good that wilbur seems to have his figured out.

but he also gets scared really easily so normally on adventures you have to be the brave one. that's okay, though. it's not like it's annoying.

wilbur might be at his house, which is pretty close. sometimes wilbur goes into the woods to help out his family, but you're not allowed in there. you don't know what he does there, but he doesn't seem to mind it.

Let's go see if Wilbur is home, maybe he's doing some chores we can help with.

^^^ agreed, just remember we can't go into the woods!
it seems as though there's not much to do with Wilbur here, after all. im glad he's nice, he seems good

are there any wolves in this swamp?

I agree, we should check on Wilbur. Why do we only ever sing duet? Do we not practice alone?

Are there any rivers out of this swamp?

If you can't go into the woods, what do your adventures consist of? Do you just explore the swamp? That sounds boring.
Also, are Wilbur and your uncle the only people you talk to?

do you have any other friends other than wilbur?

loretta, break the rules. go visit that fox and see if she'll make you a pimento cheese sandwich

FRACTAL 2014/06/28(Sat)18:30 No. 581802 ID: 6b7ea4
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there is no river out of the swamp. if there was, you would have left a long time ago.

as it is, the fastest and easiest way out is through the woods, but that way isn't safe.

there are other rabbit kids around, but you've never really made friends with them. they all have their own groups, and you and wilbur are your own group. you decide to go to his house to see if he's around.

wilbur's mom is outside. she talks to you the way you hate - making her voice go all squeaky and talking like you aren't smart. almost every grownup has been doing that ever since your mother was eaten.

"hi loretta! how are you today, sweetie? having fun?"

"yeah, i'm good. is wilbur home?"

her smile gets twitchy. "he's, uhm, helping out the family right now. in the woods." she turns back to the laundry and you feel like she wants you to go away. "he should be home by this afternoon, though."

>she talks to you the way you hate
Adults don't know how to handle children when bad things happen. They're afraid to bring up the bad stuff, or hurt you, so they end up overcompensating and talking down to you.

>he's, uhm, helping out the family right now. in the woods.
Hmm. Not sure if she hesitated because she didn't want to tell you he was doing something dangerous, or because she's lying to you.

>what do
...maybe ask if there's anything you could do to help? If she spends some more time around you, she might lose her nervous edge, and see you as normal again, and stop talking in that way you hate.

Plus, when you're done, Wilbur will be back.

>>581802
Hmm...sounds like she's lying. But there's not a whole lot you can do about it; you're just a kid. Scout around and see if you can see Wilbur somewhere in the village, but don't go running into the forest just yet. It's probably not very safe to go all by yourself.

It'd probably be good to look and see if you have anything on you, too, just in case you have something that could be helpful.

Is there a window that maybe you could look through to see if she's lying? If not, you could ask her to wait in his room for him.

between the squeaky voice and the hesitation when you asked her a question, wilbur's mom seems a little suspicious. ask her about it, but if she hasn't given you cause to suspect in the past, don't push it.

ask her what exactly wilbur is doing and if he will be home soon

she sounds like she's not telling the whole truth
help her with the laundry, and just comment that youre glad he'll be home soon, you were ~so~ worried and ~so~ glad you'll get to play soon
basically i suggest trying to guilt her into telling the truth, as mean as it may seem.

>>581895
I agree with this guy. Try to be helpful but don't call her out on the voice or your suspicions. The last thing you need is for your BFF's mom to hate you. If she says you can't help though, then go away.

>>581937
♥ and yeah!! What Coley said too!! Don't call out her tone and all, there could be some pretty bad consequences to all that too

FRACTAL 2014/07/05(Sat)21:24 No. 583029 ID: 6b7ea4
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maybe if i hang around a little longer she'll say something else. i can be like a detective. "want help with the laundry?"

it takes her a second. "sure." she gestures to the basket. "just go ahead and hand me the clothes - turn them right side out again if they've been turned about." i do what she tells me and soon we're almost halfway through.

"is wilbur gonna be home soon?" i ask. she looks down at me really fast and then up again.

"by this afternoon, i said." she's laughing a little but she sounds annoyed.

"can i wait in his room when we're done with this?"

"no, loretta, you may not." her voice comes out kind of mean and i flinch. she breathes out her nose really hard. "listen, it's - the time will go more quickly if you're playing. how about you look for things to do when wilbur comes back?"

go poke around in the forest. but do it cautiously so you won't get caught!

>how about you look for things to do when wilbur comes back?
*sigh* Okay. (Quietly).

Help her finish with the laundry, first, though. Like you said you would.

>>583034
Nope. No forest. We promised!

Maybe just explore the edge of the forest. You won't go in, but just the edge can't hurt.

Don't head near the forest, you promised and nothing good can happen if you break your promise, even if it doesn't seem like you broke it that much. There's got to be other, safer things you can play around.

FRACTAL 2014/07/06(Sun)15:46 No. 583116 ID: 6b7ea4
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"okay ..." you help her finish the laundry, and she thanks you and gives you a candy out of her apron when you're done.

you've started to think about the forest more. maybe you could just go look ... just a little ... you woudn't go in, you'd just look.

you don't have a boat so you walk all the way around the edge of the swamp. clockwise, though, so you don't have to pass the Bad Fox's house.

you see shoeprints. they're like wilbur's shoes, with a little round heel and the same size as your feet. so it looks like his mom was telling the truth about him being in the woods.

there's a scream that cuts over the sound of cicadas, high and thin. gasping breaths and you think you hear someone yell "stop." it keeps happening, in little bursts, carrying through the trees. you can't tell how far away it is. you can tell that it's a boy.

you are very, very frightened.

>>583116
Run away little rabbit, find an adult an tell them whats up. You won't be able to do anything because you are little.

>>583117

If Wilbur's Mom's behaviour is any clue, she might already realise something is wrong. Try to see what's going on but stay out of sight.

go and look, wilbur's mom and any other help is too far away. you need to go help wilbur.

You;re young and not very good at thinking ahead--run in after him. Wilbur is in trouble! Look for a rock or a stick on the way just in case it's something really bad.

You really shouldn't go in. Go the quickest way to get help from your uncle!

>>583116
Don't go in, run and tell and adult!

You need an adult! One that is not related to Wilbur.

... Oh my god. Why his mother was acting so strange, and now this...
Come to the horrifying realization Wilbur won't be coming home to play
I would say "Run rabbit run for the hills" but... We technically can't really kill you atm, since this is a flashback, and for the sake of moving along the plot you're gonna go in the fucking woods, fourth wall be damned, aren't you wee rabbit?
*sighs* be careful, look for help. Do not get help from Wilbur's family. They sacrificed him to the Big Bad Wolf ;n;

>>583116
Be quick little one, grab a rock or hefty stick and save him! *Deth*

You could go investigate and go in the woods only a little bit so you can still see the entrance it'll be safer? And maybe if something is happening it'll be easier to go get Wilbur's mom and try and get help from her

I CHANGE MY MIND RUN RABBIT RUN FOR THE HILLS RUN FAR FAR AWAY AND GET HELP QUICK LIKE A BUNNY IT'LL BE OKAY MAYBE TELL HIM YOURE GETTING HELP BUT DO NOT GO IN THE WOODS YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOUR UNCLE HE TOLD YOU THAT FOR A REASON
DO NOT GO INTO THE WOODS
DO NOT GO INTO THE WOODS
DO NOT GO INTO THE WOODS

fuck this shit, Run home and hide

>>583116
u gotta go investigate

it's against the rules but if you dont go see or try to help you'll feel guilty forever

>>583116
read woods
hug wilbur

Go in the forrest nothing will go wrong

hide. stay close though so you continue listening to what is happening. once you get less frightened or can think more clearly, go into the woods with precaution. on the other hand, you could always look around for something to defend yourself with if anything gets too bad. even if you find a stick, anything to help you would do great.

go call an adult! you're not old enough to deal with this!
(not his mother though, i'm suspicious of her)

Don't go into the woods! Remember, you promised. Besides... the woods don't sound safe right now. You're eight years old and you don't look very strong; you couldn't protect yourself, and you can't help whoever's screaming in there. Go back to bothering the fish. If you really want to know what happens in the woods, you can always ask Wilbur later, though I don't know if you should...

FRACTAL 2014/07/28(Mon)20:28 No. 586497 ID: 06eccb
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you want to get a grownup but all the grownups are far away and what if it's wilbur. what if he's dying.

but you aren't stupid. you know that you're small and you know that you're a kid and you know that there are things that hurt and kill small kids in the world.

so you go but you go slow and you pick up the first heavy stick that you find. the screaming gets louder pretty quickly - it must be shallow in the woods. you're scared but you tell yourself it's like stagefright, if you're going to be famous you'll be scared like this but you have to sing anyway.

FRACTAL 2014/07/28(Mon)20:28 No. 586498 ID: 06eccb
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there's a cottage, bigger and nicer than the swamp huts of the warren, with roses climbing trellises around the door and a little vegetable garden fenced in with glittering silver wire. there's a table with a pitcher of lemonade and a glass knocked over and some sandwiches, there are shovels by the garden and some windowboxes that haven't been hung yet. and on the ground in front of the cottage is a big black wolf and a small white rabbit.

"stoooooppp!!" you listen and the sobs and gasps are giggles, the hitches in breath are just from hiccups, nobody is being hurt but you're confused because the scene in front of you still looks so scary. the wolf throws his head back and his mouth opens and you see so many many many many many many teeth, and your knees feel weak.

FRACTAL 2014/07/28(Mon)20:29 No. 586499 ID: 06eccb
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"i told you not to touch the lemonade pitcher til we were done! your crime can only be atoned for through tickle torture!" the wolf roars. wilbur shrieks and manages to flip over, tries to crawl away, and the wolf grabs him around the middle with big clawed hands and lifts him into the air. "running just makes your punishment that much harsher!"

you look at wilbur. he doesn't look scared. you're scared, though. wolves are bad and the woods are bad and what if wilbur isn't scared because he's bad, too?

Hey, so, Loretta... could that be Wilbur's dad? The way he's treating him makes me think of a dad. Is that why his Mom was trying to hide this? Like, she was ashamed of being in love with a wolf?

This sounds like a fairy tale. Weird. I think we should just slowly back away since Wilbur clearly isn't in danger anymore.

We know Wilbur, and Wilbur isn't bad. We should stay kinda hidden though, just to be safe.

Sneak away. Don't let them see you.

is that ulric? or perhaps one of ulric's family, like his father?
anyways, approach the two, but slowly with the stick raised with caution. Call out to wilbur

Well, Wilbur isn't in danger. You should go back. You can ask him some questions later when you're both back in the swamp, where it's safe.

>>586499
Oh thank goodness, he isn't in danger.
We should leave them be. *deth*

>wolves are bad and the woods are bad and what if wilbur isn't scared because he's bad, too?
Well, that's one way it could work. What if he's not scared because the wolf isn't bad? Or what if the woods or wolves are only bad for certain people?

Wilbur's not in danger it looks like, though. And maybe now you know why his mother was being weird.

Sneak back out of the woods. Don't get noticed, don't get caught. Now that we know Wilbur's okay, we are going to be in SO MUCH TROUBLE you guys.

Hey if you're going to leave the woods remember to look out for sticks.
Wolve's have really good hearing if you step on one you'll probably will be noticed.

How close are you to the edge of the forest? It seems to good to be true and I suggest watching just for a minute. I would stay low and quiet, but I think he will see us anyway.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:24 No. 587013 ID: 6924a9
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you're glad wilbur is okay but now you're remembering that you aren't even supposed to be here. if anyone finds out you will be in so, so, so much trouble. now that you know wilbur is safe it's okay to go.

you start to sneak away on careful feet. you know about moving quietly and you know about hiding - it's something rabbits learn early.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:24 No. 587014 ID: 6924a9
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you get a little bit away but then you stop. there's another pair of careful feet, bigger thank yours and black black black.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:24 No. 587015 ID: 6924a9
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it's the Bad Fox and you want to scream but not because you're scared

she looks scared, though. "it's ... you..." she wets her lips. "i am so -"

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:24 No. 587016 ID: 6924a9
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your hands are tiny trembling fists

"- so, so ... terribly sorry -"

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:24 No. 587017 ID: 6924a9
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you hate her. you hate her. you HATE her

"i really ... never meant ... i'm so sorry"

hate hate hate HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:25 No. 587018 ID: 6924a9
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"if i could have stopped myself i -"

HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE! HATE!

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:25 No. 587019 ID: 6924a9
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there's a rustle behind you, a breath, a man's voice.

"... katherine?"

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:25 No. 587020 ID: 6924a9
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my head hurts. fuck that, my everything hurts.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)21:25 No. 587021 ID: 6924a9
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the situation doesn't get any better when the girl bursts in through the door, making a shitton of noise and letting a nice bright bream of fluorescent light fall right across my face, blinding me.

"i know him," she gasps, "i know him, i know who he is -"

"no SHIT," i hiss, "he's only been coming to fuck you for like two months straight -"

"no, no, no, no, no, i KNOW him," she insists breathlessly. something sounds really wrong so i prop myself up on my elbows to look at her, squinting painfully. she looks even more fucked up than normal. "i knew him all along, i ALWAYS knew -"

she continues to babble like this, repeating herself. if i let her go i feel like she'd just ramble until she runs out of breath.

>>587020
Jam a couple tylenol down your throat.

Loretta, stop. Sit down. Start from the beginning.

ask who he is

Just... get Loretta on the bed and calm her down. It's obvious you're not going to get rest tonight unless she calms down.
Your friend's got some serious shit going on in her brain, same as you. You do owe her a little help, considering all the shit she's tried to help you with. Just be a little calm and listen. Do the arm on back thing and stuff.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)22:17 No. 587038 ID: 6924a9
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i fumble distractedly around on the closest thing i can reach - the end table - on the off chance that there might be some aspirin or something, but i come up blank. why would anything good ever happen to me.

"loretta, loretta - come on, stop it, come here. sit down."

she does so, shaking, and sits on the edge of the bed. she's wringing her hands like she's trying to twist the skin off.

"calm down and start from the beginning," i demand. "this dude, your 'gentleman' - who is he?"

"he lived there, he lived in the woods, the woods by the swamp." every time she takes a breath it's like she's a fish gulping out of water. "wilbur worked for him - did chores for him - it was dangerous, nobody else knew, you aren't supposed to - you aren't - we leave them alone and they leave us alone! but they needed the money and -"

"loretta, come on, stick to stuff that i can understand. i don't know about any of this swamp shit."

she pauses, takes another few worryingly desperate breaths. "he lived there the whole time, he MET me, unless - unless he didn't recognize me ... i was little .... but that." her hands draw into fists, pulling the blankets into little pyramids. "that evil fucking BITCH!"

i jerk backwards, startled. i've heard her scream in fear but never in anger. "loretta, what the fuck -"

"HE WAS IN LOVE WITH HER!" i can only see her in profile but the light from the hallway cuts a sharp outline of the edge of her face. "they were together. him and that ffffFFFFUCKING murderer. i bet they were fucking. i bet he was FUCKING HER." she's still shaking but now it's different, and i find myself instinctively scooting away. what the actual FUCK happened out there?

What happened is she got another cold dose of reality in the face. She knows and hates the only positive thing in her recent life. It's either gonna make her stronger and smarter... or she's just gonna break down.

tell her you don't understand, what does she mean? what woman is she talking about?

Tell her to get a grip on herself and talk to you like a normal person.

Definitely do not try to calm her down by touching her-- she might lash out angrily at you. Ask her to elaborate if she can, perhaps with a little bit of exasperated tone to give her a hint shes being kinda vague. Ask her to keep her tone down, too, though, we don't want to attract the attention of the ladies of the building.

maybe try to calm loretta down? no matter what you have to convince her to stay away from that wolf. while you're listening to her you better start planning your next move.

I have no idea what to do here. Just vent a little more and try to calm down.

Not entirely a bad thing, Paris. Little baby bunny woke up, and sees things for how they are. She's not lying to herself that's he's good, anymore. Granted, you still need a way to calm her down and figure out what shes going though.

She confirmed the creep fucking her knew her as a little kid. That confirms your suspicions he was fucked up, as if you didn't know that already.

...the murderer bit, though? She lost someone. Only thing that makes sense.

>>587055
her mother had been murdered by the Bad Fox

>>587038
Well, seems pretty clear that she's realized she shouldn't be with this guy, at least. Maybe a gentle "told you he was bad news" is in order.

FRACTAL 2014/07/30(Wed)23:21 No. 587065 ID: 6924a9
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"loretta, you have to calm down and you have to be quiet." i almost reach for her arm, but think better of it at the last second. instead i kick off the blankets and lean closer. "you're babbling, i can't understand you. tell me - slowly, and with no extra shit - what you're talking about."

she spends a few seconds staring silently at the open doorway. when she seems to have collected herself, she speaks in a hoarse whisper. "my gentleman. the one who's waiting outside the clinic now. when i was little, he lived outside the swamp. and he .... he was with the fox who ate my mom."

my mouth sets in a hard line. i knew people who had been eaten - nobody as close as a parent, but friends - but .... i was guilty of it myself, too. still, is she surprised? predators tend to stick with their own kind.

"he wants us to come with him." her voice jerks me out of my guilty thoughts. "to his house in the woods. he says he can keep us safe there."

"what? no!" there is no WAY that's happening. "no, no. loretta, no." i want to berate her, to try to make her understand how stupid she's being, but i know instinctively that now is not the time. the best i can do is just try to convince her calmly. "loretta, he knew you when you were a KID and he still came back and - and fucked you. that's fucked up. HE'S fucked up."

"he might not have recognized me." her tone has gone from panicked to casual, almost disconnected.

"yeah, he might not have recognized you because of PUBERTY. which, by the way, you just finished like last year." i shake my head. "we're not going."

"then where do we go." this is the calmest i've ever heard her, but it's a sort of calm that makes me uneasy. it's .... fake isn't the right word, but it certainly isn't based in anything real. "he has money. he has a car. he can get us out of the city. can you think of any other ways for us to do that right now, paris? do you have any of those things?"

She has a point, he has resources. But he isn't safe, not at all. You can do better on your own, you'll figure it out, you're smart.

you may not have those things, but ulric is still pretty iffy. and there's no real way to get out of that situation quickly should things turn bad, seeing as neither of you have your own car and he lives in the middle of a swamp.

loretta talked about that friend of hers, though, wilbur? maybe she can call him, if that lady will let us have another phone call. or we can scavenge up some change for a payphone, though it may take some walking to find one since they've faded out with the popularity of cell phones

>>587065
You know, there is an option you two haven't considered yet. Go with him in his car, but don't stay with him. You know now that this dude actually does have a house in the woods. He wasn't lying about that, and probably does want to bring Loretta there. It WOULD be safe there, but to stay with him would not be healthy for Loretta.

Go live in the woods, but not with the wolf.

>do you have any of those things?
...no. All I had was someone who thought strait for me when I was in a bad way. And I get the feeling I don't even have that, right now.

>swamp, with him
If he's from your swamp, going with him means going home, Loretta. Is this really how you want to do that? Being what you are, to him?

>>587065
Well, she needs to assess the man a bit more. What has she heard about him from her time in the swamp? Anything else? People's he's eaten? Rumors? Beyond that whole having a relationship with her Mom's killer.
Relying on a John's dangerous. Just look at what happened to you tonight. A john did this. A john caused all of this.

>>587065
Ask her what she knows about him, what makes her think he won't kill us? No, we don't have those things, but what good is money and a car and a way out of the city if it ends in you both getting killed

If there's a reason she trusts him, or a bigger reason that she doesn't, you need to know about it

consider it for a while, you DON'T have those things, you could probably find a shelter some where. but maybe you could also hijack his car (maybe get rid of him in the process) or something, since he did say he wasn't a good fighter.

>>587065
Well shit, that isn't a terrible point. Do you have a better alternative? Because if not... maybe you should go with him.

If possible, though, see if you convince Lorretta just to go with him a little ways out, maybe just the next town over. Just because he has the means to get you out doesn't mean you have to stay with someone who's probably bad news.

Hell, if he's someone you CAN rust the best way for him to show it would be for him to help you out and let you go. If he's willing to do that then maybe he is even trustworthy enough to stick with for a while.

>>587069
Considering Ulric is a recurring character in the setting and his last appearance was intended to be a dangerously obsessed jilted lover, I don't think humoring him and then breaking it off is really a good idea. Either we go with him and stay with him or we sever for good. I don't think he represents a danger unless we lead him on, but he definitely represents a commitment we may not want to make.

Hmm, this is difficult to answer when we're not speaking directly to Loretta.

The question is, Loretta, can you forgive him? Yes, he undoubtedly fucked her. Yes, she murdered your mom, unintentionally, but she still did it. But do you have any right to judge him for who he's been involved with in the past? How many other men have you fucked that he's still willing to care about you? You're a stripper and prostitute and he loved a murderer. No one in this scenario is perfect, but all of you are trying to do the right thing. You helped Paris. Ulric helped you. Katherine tried to apologize. If you still love him, if you still think he's different, if you can find it in your heart not to judge him, you might as well accept his help. He's dangerous, but he means you no harm, and that's the best you can hope for in this situation.

>This is the calmest i've ever heard her, but it's a sort of calm that makes me uneasy. it's .... fake isn't the right word, but it certainly isn't based in anything real.

She's in shock. Take her hand and look her in the eyes. She need something real before she does something desperate.

Ask her about Wilbur, does she know how to contact him? Could he be any help?

FRACTAL 2014/08/06(Wed)12:24 No. 588373 ID: 88625f
File 140735308258.png - (74.42KB , 700x600 , 87.png )

i scrub my palms over my face, trying to get this all in order. "no, loretta, i don't have any of that stuff. but i don't have a reason to TRUST this guy, either." i shift so i'm sitting next to her. "i need to know more about this guy, loretta. what's his deal, what's he like? do you remember him doing anything shady when you lived in the swamp?"

"i didn't know much," she mumbles, still in that hollow, dazed voice. "he has money. a lot of money. i don't know where he got it or what he does. he didn't bother us, he kept to himself, he followed the rules - got all his food outside the area. the only person who ever talked to him was wilbur, who broke the rules to work for him, for the money - and wilbur liked him but we never talked about it."

"yeah, speaking of. who's this wilbur you keep talking about? could he help us? maybe that nurse will give us another call, we can get in touch with him ourselves -"

"there's no phones in the swamp."

i blink at her. "excuse me?"

"no electricity. we didn't have things like that. they didn't have phones when i was a kid, i don't think they'll have phones now. if we could get to the swamp, i could probably find him, though."

"jesus christ." i let myself fall back against the bed, jamming the heels of my hands against my eye sockets to try to massage my headache away. "jesus FUCKING christ. are you kidding me?"

FRACTAL 2014/08/06(Wed)12:24 No. 588374 ID: 88625f
File 140735309959.png - (64.08KB , 700x600 , 88.png )

that shitty lamb shows up in the doorway again. fuckin creep. "girls," she intones. "do you want me to send that man away? i can't have him just standing there all night."

No. We have a possible ally in the swamp, and the wolf is the means to get there. We take a ride, then ditch him at the swamp.

in your place i'd go with ulrich to the swamp. at least you'll be in familiar territory and if he does turn out sketchy on the way then you outnumber him and could have an opportunity to ditch him!!

but ultimately you girls need to listen to your guts. you're in a pretty awful situation but going with ulrich is not your only option, even if it seems like your best one.

No, go to the swamp. But make sure to keep him away from loretta

do NOT go with ulrich he is a fuckin creep no no no no send him away

>>588373
Okay, so, he's shady, but then again you've worked for shady people for a while now; and Lorretta might not be the best judge of character but she's apparantly not the only one in the swamp who was okay with this guy.

So, yeah, probably should go with him. it gets the two of you out of town and somewhere where your former employers won't find you, and maybe whatever shady dealings Ulrich is involved in are at least less unpleasant than the ones you're used to.

Even if you're against it, I think Lorretta's going to end up going anyway; and if this guy is going to hurt her or something she'll be helpless without you; and at the same time, if you leave her to her own devices YOU might run into a situation where having someone else around would save you but there isn't.

So, for now, just stick with power in numbers.

Let him help you but be on guard. He might be nice or he could be a creep but if you are careful you can avoid getting into a horrible situation.

Right now its get his help or try to go it alone with no resources at all.

im afraid to say go to the swamp b/c of what happened in katherine quest...

Tell him to come back in the morning, after you've had a chance to think and rest

I think we should go with him... but Loretta should take a weapon just in case.
Yes, he's a creep when it comes to sexuality, but this is about survival. He doesn't have a history of being a killer. Paris, you two have survived on the sex trade for a while a now, relying on it to get by. Ulfric is about like every other John except you know of his past. You've dealt with many john's in the past successfully. Every John is a creep, most men are creeps, even you are a creep because you've used sex for money. Most people are sons of bitches, and you know Loretta about as well as Ulfric so far, she's helped you so far but for how long? Will she betray you eventually? Will you betray her? You and the violent John were the only ones Paula was going to kill to cover it up if you never dragged Loretta with you. Face it, you, Loretta, and Ulfric are practically the same to each other.

If we reveal to him that Loretta is a friend of Wilburs, any chance that he was going to do something evil to us will be reduced by a significant margin, if he isn't a sociopath. Just tell Loretta to not mention that Ulfric's ex ate her mother unless it might seem like an extra useful detail, but I think that would just create EXTRA drama. It's harder to do bad things to people you know, especially if you associate a kids face with it. Unless he happened to bone Wilbur too while he was working for Ulfric.
Shit.
Paris, you were in that establishment longer than Loretta. Has he ever purchased any of your services, from a simple dance to the backdoor special? Have you ever talked to him? You need to think back too, this is important.

I still think you should go with the creepy Ulfric. You can deal with him if he's going to hurt you, just like before. Just get Loretta a backup weapon before you leave, if you can. You're smart and capable, and so is she. It'll be two vs. one. You have actual formal fighting training. You can fuck up any unprepared John. And Loretta has to big buck teeth, she can fuck shit up too. Ulfric only has wolf claws, which are shit compared to cat claws, and teeth that's more for breaking bone and arteries. He's a blue blood too, they don't know how to fight or kill, usually. Why kill when you can buy?

try and get his help in any way that involves you with him as little as possible. also, take advantage of the person at the shelter. the worst she could do is throw you out.

ask ulric to pay for a god damn taxi

'ask ulric to pay for a goddamn taxi' fuck. fucking hell. why the fuck didnt I think of that. mermaid u are the future

Paris, ask Lamb Nurse to first look up all Ulfric's on the Sexual Offender's list in the local area and the swamp area. There shouldn't be many, if at all. And even then we should be able to filter by wolves. If the list requires a specific address, have Loretta use her uncles. 5481 Swamp Ave. or whatever. You could also use Google Maps to locate her address if she has trouble remembering.

I'm assuming, of course, this place has internet, but who knows.
You should also ask if the Swamps have at least cell phone reception. [If this is present day] she was raised there in the 90's, before cell phones got popular. The hugest issue would actually be electricity. Not that she would know any numbers, but there ARE databases for cell phones and names attached on the internet, right? Wilbur and/or her uncle's names outta do.

>>588419
Doesn't really solve the problem if he insists on taking you with him. But we might as well ask.

wilbur liking ulric doesn't say shit abt his character though. bad people are frequently charismatic to those who aren't their victims and even to those who are in order to manipulate them. ulric's shady. do we even know how he found you? if he's really looking out for y'all, he'll give you cash for first two months' rent and utilities.

well...... in katherine's story, we know how loretta ends up. it's probably best that loretta avoids that outcome by avoiding ulric.

>>588607

If you are afraid of spoiling something, please use spoiler tags to obscure it, [ spoiler ] [ /spoiler ], rather than use the subject line.

FRACTAL 2014/08/07(Thu)21:03 No. 588639 ID: d3e5eb
File 140747058154.png - (91.58KB , 700x600 , 89.png )

i try to rack my brain to remember something about him, anything, but ... it's like loretta said earlier. the only notable thing about him was how quiet he was. he was polite. tipped well but not extravagantly. ordered a good amount of drinks but never got drunk. never catcalled, never grabbed at us, never hit on us. just watched quietly and then requested loretta at the end of the night.

"Uh ... no, don't send him away." i get up from the bed and grab the shirt from the dollar store, wincing as i stretched my wounds to pull it on. my underwear is by the foot of the bed and i grab that too, hopping towards the doorway as i yank it over my legs. "listen, do you have a computer here?"

"yes."

"can you ..." i straighten up and look her levelly in the eyes. "do a search of him. his name is ulric something - sorry, don't know the last name, but there can't be a whole mess of ulrics around here. you know what kinda search i mean."

she holds my gaze for a second longer, then turns to walk away. "just a minute."

i turn back to loretta and reach out my hand. "hey. c'mere."

she does, quietly. she doesn't take my hand so i let it drop to my side again.

"are we going with him?" her voice is thin and quiet.

"depends. and i think ... we should ask him to help us without us, you know. being trapped in a car with him."

she doesn't reply. for once i can't tell what she's thinking.

the nurse comes back a minute later. "he didn't come up in anything," she tells me. "just normal things, housing and census records. no crime records - at least nothing from the normal searches."

"alright. thanks. i'm gonna go talk to him, is that cool?"

"the intercom is by the door."

FRACTAL 2014/08/07(Thu)21:03 No. 588640 ID: d3e5eb
File 140747060091.png - (111.16KB , 700x600 , 90.png )

i walk back to the front and slam the side of my hand against the intercom button. "you there?"

"you must be paris."

"yeah. listen." i can't see him, obviously, but i direct a glare at the door anyway, as if he might be able to feel it on the other side. "give us money for a taxi, and enough cash to get ourselves clothes and shit."

there's a pause, then his voice comes through the speaker again, tinged with amusement. "very well. i can call you a taxi, just let me know w-"

"no." i don't like being laughed at and even if he's not doing it aloud i'm not stupid. "i don't want you to CALL a taxi for us. i want you to GIVE US MONEY. enough money to take a taxi anywhere we want. without knowing the address."

"you don't trust me." it's not a question and he doesn't sound offended.

"hell no, i don't trust you. so what, is this about helping us or not? do you really wanna help, or are you gonna bail if it doesn't involve us getting in a car with you?"

"of course it's about helping you." there's still a laugh curling in his voice and i've already decided i don't like this guy. "if i wanted to have sex with you, i could pay."

i let go of the intercom and punch the wall. loretta gives a yelp of alarm. i take a moment, breathing hard through my nose, then shove my palm against the intercom again. "not anymore, you can't," i hiss. "nobody's ever gonna pay to have sex with me again. so what the fuck is it, old man? you gonna help or not? because if you're not, i can get her out of here by myself."

another pause. then his voice leaks through the speaker again.

"well, open the door so i can give you the money."

>>588640
NNNNNNOPE nope nope N O P E NOPE NOPE.
tell him to slip it under the door, there's been enough attempts on our life for one day and we would rather not risk another.

DONT DO THAT DONT DO THAT TELL HIM TO SLIP IT UNDER THE DOOR OR PUT IT IN THE MAILBOX?? THAT LITTLE SLIP WHERE THE ENVELOPES GO THROUGH IDK WHAT IT'S CALLED

...There is a slot under the door, Ulric. Do you really need to see the face your giving money to?

Okay, Paris, calm down a little and try not to aggravate him. He sounds like he's helping you honestly and is complying with most of your commands. When you ask him to pass money under the door, just do it honestly, and without anger.
You're anger has made things a lot worse than it had to be in the past, you know. Don't fuck it up because you can't handle your tone, even if it's completely understandable and Ulric just mocked you. Just save some face. Say honest thanks for the help, and get the fuck outta dodge. Even if you think he doesn't deserve it.

We actually need to leave now, as soon as Ulric leaves. We can't take the chance that Paula has contacts at a taxi place, so we can't actually tell it to come here because they'll probably be notified of any requests for a taxi at any clinic, or even near a clinic. It's been too easy, Paris. Just too easy. I'm worried the lamb may have actually notified the police by now without our permission, so we can't actually stay here anyway, and dealing with the police is dangerous for us.

Shit, I'm worried about her eavesdropping on us right now. Even if she's a good person with good intentions with a creepy face, she can REALLY fuck shit up.

...Ask Ulric how he knew which clinic to go to.

on second thought why don't you tell him you know him. ask him about the swamp. ask him about wilbur . or ask loretta what the name of the woman he was with was and ask about her?

Tell him to slip you the money under the door or something and to leave his contact info.

Once you two are in a better position Loretta can give him a call but for now do everything you can to keep at arms reach. If he really is a nice guy he will understand.

Well, now we know that he will actually help us. Tell him to slip the money under the door or something so you know he's for real. After that I think we need to find out some more about him, to help solidify if we can trust him.

tell him to slip it under the door or have the lamb get it. don't let him see you he might have a weapon

don't open the door! and before you leave you gotta case the joint just in case he's still lurking out there. i would tell you to have the lamb do it but then again, even if she is creepy, i don't want her to become a casualty.

have him slip it under the door and ask where wilbur is.

honestly finding out where wilbur is and hanging out with him is not a Bad Option.

Obtain money and contact info through slot, don't forget to thank him if he complies.

Do Not open that door under any circumstances. tell him to slip the money under the door and if he refuses, tell him to shove it up his ass.

you are smart and capable. you and loretta can make it without him.

Open the door. There's only so much abuse someone helping you is gonna take.

It's not like he's gonna attack you in the clinic.

open the door!! if he tries anything funny, just slam it closed again, preferably on his hand or st!! @ least that way u can tell if hes actually planning on hurting u or not. if he just slips it under the door, u still dont have any real idea what his intentions r.

open the door but take loretta with you? i mean, ulric is bad, but wouldn't be spontaneously violent right? (i really hope not)

also, ulric probably would come in handy, but they already know where he lives. maybe his phone number would be useful?

>>588617 : Thanks! I'll use them from now on

FRACTAL 2014/08/08(Fri)00:11 No. 588697 ID: d3e5eb
File 140748188368.png - (54.36KB , 700x600 , 91.png )

"nah, buddy, you're gonna slide the money through the slot in the door." i pause for a moment, then spit out a reluctant "please."

i reach out and slide back the tiny door blocking the eye-level slot. through it i see burning golden eyes, surrounded by thick black fur. there's barely any hesitation beyond the rummaging he has to do in his coat - next there's a clawed hand pressing against the slot, shoving through a thick roll of bills.

i snatch it and count quickly, and nearly choke - it's almost $500.

loretta says it before me. "thank you." whispered, barely audible, but he heard it because he says "you're welcome." i glance down at loretta, her blank face, and grit my teeth before calling out "your contact info, too."

"of course." i hear more movement, then a card is pushed through. he didn't even have to write anything down - he carries around business cards, thick creamy stock, with his name and address and phone number in elegant grey print. under his name it says "purveyor of fine goods." there's no other information on the card.

"thank you." this time i say it, but the words are ashes in my mouth.

"don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."

"yeah." i hand the card to loretta and she presses it to her chest. "one more thing - that other rabbit kid, wilbur."

i can only see a sliver of his face, but i can almost feel his ear twitching in interest.

"where's he at nowadays?"

"he still lives in the swamp. still with his parents, even, i believe. that's how swamp people are, though, you know - especially rabbits. they stay in the warren."

"alright." i touch loretta's arm and she moves a little closer to me. "we're gonna leave now, so it would be cool if you were far away before this door opened."

"i'll be in touch," he replies softly. the fur on the back of my neck prickles. i close the sliding door, and i hear footsteps receding.

FRACTAL 2014/08/08(Fri)00:11 No. 588698 ID: d3e5eb
File 140748190285.png - (88.89KB , 700x600 , 92.png )

"loretta. hey. come on, we gotta go." the nurse has come up behind us upon hearing the conversation come to a close, and i mutter a quick thank-you to her as well.

"we're gonna go now. we're just gonna flag down a taxi instead of walking," i explain to her. she nods slowly.

"do you want pants first. we have some extra scrubs and you can have the bottoms."

i sputter for a moment - with everything else going on i'd forgotten that loretta and i were only in oversized shirts. i cast my eyes down and nod a bit, and she disappears in a side room before coming back with two pairs of teal pants.

"thanks," i mutter. loretta echoes me, and we pull them on before opening the door.

i glance back over my shoulder. "hey .... thank you for everything."

the nurse's voice is tight and flat. "god bless you."

FRACTAL 2014/08/08(Fri)00:11 No. 588699 ID: d3e5eb
File 140748191526.png - (94.17KB , 700x600 , 93.png )

i close my fingers around loretta's thin wrist, shove past the door, and we're out in the cold night air.

ask loretta where you guys are headed? And uh...maybe keep in mind if u are worried about ulric, maybe don't go to wilbur's just yet as you basically just told him that's your only plan thus far

See how loretta is doing tho and ask her where she thinks you guys should go

$500 is easily enough to get a cheap motel for the night, somewhere to rest until day, lay-low

get a really cheap motel for probably about 10-20 bucks and plan what youre gonna do next

Decide where you guys want to go, probably find a place for the night and discuss your options once you're somewhere relatively safe. MAke sure though that your cab doesn't drop you off right at the place you're going, get dropped off like a block or two away, you don't know who's looking for you right now and I'd imagine you'd like to throw them off as much as you can.

i dont know about cheap motels, guys. it seems like the first place people from the club will look. get some fuckin McDonalds or some shit and call a taxt. hell, flag one down and go through the drive-through if it feels safer. we should still keep our heads down and get out of the city- and Wilbur's the only other person that can help us. without, you know, the creepy bullshit.

do neither of you two have homes jesus christ. where have you been living. holy shit

uh are you sure ulric isn't lurking around

Just let him in.

>>588735
>all the girls live in the back of the club - rent gets taken out of our paychecks.

He seems like a decent guy. Only suspicious thing is why the fuck is he carrying around $500 cash on him?

>>588814
He's well-off (he tips well, wears expensive clothes...) so it's not weird he'd have quite a bit of cash on hand.

Though... he was walking around in his clearly expensive coat, with that sum on himself, but he wasn't really in the most respectable of places. Isn't he afraid of being mugged? He doesn't look like a fool, so he either has a weapon on himself or he lied about "not [being] a fighter".

>>588818
It probably helps that he's a large wolf in a world where people can literally eat eachother.

Reasons for going with Ulric:

1. mad stacks
2. why not?

Reasons against:

0.

The past is the past, Loretta. He's YOUR big bad wolf now.

Reasons against:
-pedophilia is likely

Be fair here dude

>>588869
Why are we even arguing over this like it wasn't something that was already decided with the last update?

Listen to your instincts, stay away from Ulric as long as you can.

I agree with asking Loretta what she wants to do. If nothing else, it's the right thing to do, though don't apply pressure. She's had a lot to take in recently. You both have.

However, finding a (cheap) place to lay low sounds like a good idea unless there's a reason not to. Maybe bring it up as an option. You have money, and you have choices. It's not a world's worth of power and agency, but it's maybe more than either of you have had in a while. Maybe that's worth something on its own.

FRACTAL 2014/09/09(Tue)14:22 No. 593450 ID: 2c322d
File 141029775429.png - (128.62KB , 700x600 , 94.png )

"loretta." she's leaning on me and her frame is thin but warm. i feel like she might be falling asleep and i jostle her a little. "do you wanna get a motel? we should rest and we can figure out what we wanna do tomorrow.

she shrugs listlessly. i lean down to look at her and her eyes are glazed, dull.

"loretta, are you listening?" i shake her a little harder, but her head just bobbles like a doll's. she lifts her chin slightly, staring right through me.

"yeah. i'm listening."

"you need sleep. i need sleep. let's go, okay?"

"mm. okay."

i'm not gonna get anything else out of her. maybe she's just tired, but i'm worried that it's more than that.

FRACTAL 2014/09/09(Tue)14:22 No. 593451 ID: 2c322d
File 141029776570.png - (135.58KB , 700x600 , 95.png )

after another exhausting half hour of running from one 24-hour place to another trying to find someone who'll lend us a cell phone, kicking myself for not calling from the clinic, i manage to call us a cab. there's an hour ride to a dingy motel outside the city limits, almost in the suburbs, with loretta limp but awake against my shoulder. there's a point during the ride where she turns, her mouth touches my neck disconcertingly, she whispers something i don't catch. i scoot away from her, disturbed.

when we reach the motel i'm dead on my feet. everything's a blur up to the point where i burst into the room, nearly falling against the door to open it. with fumbling, drowsy fingers i lock the door and check it, again, again, again, until even my exhausted mind can be sure it's secure.

FRACTAL 2014/09/09(Tue)14:22 No. 593452 ID: 2c322d
File 141029777994.png - (44.13KB , 700x600 , 96.png )

there's only one bed. i lift her into it and slump beside, too tired to set myself up in a chair or even on the floor.

she speaks for the first time since we left the clinic. "come into bed with me."

Alright but no funny stuff, young lady.

>>593452
Well, it's got to be more comfortable than leaning against the bed anyway.

>>593451
>neck kisses
>unintelligible whispers

Tread carefully, paris. You can't be 100% sure, but it wouldn't be surprising to find loretta has a crush onyou brought on by extenuating circumstances.
Dunno if you would be willing to consider reciprocating that or not, but regardless of your own thoughts loretta's may or may not be in a fragile state.

I repeat, tread carefully.

(that said, get in bed with her. No funny stuff, as mentioned though.)

>>593452
Loretta's been disconnected since she found out who Ulric was. She's in want of comfort, or maybe physical companionship makes her feel secure. Whatever the case, consider whether or not you're willing to engage her in that capacity.

If not, plant your ass at the side of the bed and just tell her you're right here and you're not going anywhere.

You aren't gonna stay up or sleep on the floor so crawl into bed. At the same time... Loretta is not well. She's had any kind of security or positivity crushed from her life within just a few hours. She might just want you close for comfort, or she might be trying to latch onto you in a more intimate way in an attempt to escape from her predicament.

Think about it from her perspective, she's narrowly avoided being killed, had her "home" taken from her, had the only person who gave her any positivity in life revealed to be someone she doesn't trust, and now she doesn't even know what's going to happen tomorrow. A life she already hates has collapsed on her and you are the only person she feels she can trust, and there's a good chance she's going to mistake that for something else.

Don't forget that she's showed you a lot of solidarity. She was there getting you clothes and patching you up, showing support when you were in pain. You at least owe it to her not to flip out on her even though she's acting strange.

Just crawl into bed, curl up, and sleep. Just being there is all she really needs from you right now.

>>593452

only join loretta if yr comfortable, if yr ok with it. if so, maybe stay close, maybe hold her hand. something thats small but could mean the world-- maybe itll help you too?

>i'm not gonna get anything else out of her. maybe she's just tired, but i'm worried that it's more than that.
The hard part is she was acting like the strong one, for a while there. She helped get you this far, then fell apart.

>come into bed with me.
...fine, kiddo. We'll share.

FRACTAL 2014/09/12(Fri)08:31 No. 593766 ID: 2c322d
File 141053586972.png - (102.19KB , 700x600 , 97.png )

"...alright." the fur on the back of my neck is prickling but i haul myself into the creaky bed, settling next to her. she turns to face me, but i keep my gaze trained on the ceiling. "let's just go to sleep now."

"okay."

then our voices give way to the buzzing of the fluorescent light outside our room, weak breathing, slight creaks whenever one of us shifts. suddenly, though - a louder creak, rustling sheets, and there are small, warm hands pressing on me, seeking, pulling back layers of fabric.

"no!" i jerk back, shocked out of my heavy fatigue. "wh- what the fuck are you doing?"

loretta's sitting up, her arms reaching out insistently. "come here. it's okay."

"it's not!" i reach for the light beside the bed and turn it on, throwing harsh yellow light over us. her eyes are glistening and i think she's shaking a little. "c....come on. what are you doing?" i repeat, a little desperately now.

"it's okay." she slinks forward on hands and knees, a movement i recognize from her dance routines, and i hurriedly leave the bed, pulling the hem of my shirt down further. "paris, it's okay. i like you."

the tone of her voice is .... wrong. it sends my tail prickling, the fur on the back of my shoulders bristling as if statically charged.

"i like you," she mumbles again, rising to grab the front of my shirt. "i like you. i like you."

"l-listen, even if you weren't half a decade younger than me - and you are," i remind her firmly, "this isn't - we're not doing this, okay? we're not."

FRACTAL 2014/09/12(Fri)08:31 No. 593767 ID: 2c322d
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she drops back, staring up at me blankly. her mouth starts twisting.

"you don't like me."

You don't like her, but you don't don't like her either. You have ambivalent feelings for her. You don't particularly like anybody.
Just say please don't touch you, you've been through too much today and the idea of being touched by anyone is just too much.
Don't play that "don't like me" card, it's a dumb man tactic to guilt trip women. And if it's anything more than a card, like she actually cares about you liking her, she shouldn't. You're grateful for her help, but you don't owe her what she apparently wants.
If she want to cuddle or hug, she's going to be the pillow. Loretta, not Paris. You have to hug her, not the other way around.

>>593767
Tell her you don't even know right now. You've only been acquaintances before today, and you've been too focused on staying safe and running to even think about anything like that.

You should at least reassure her that you care about her; I mean, if you didn't you've had ample opportunities to go off on your own instead of sticking around with her and trying to keep her safe as much as yourself.

It's probably for her own good too. Whatever was up between her and her gentleman was clearly pretty complicated, and you don't want her making any rash decisions because of what happened today regarding it.

You like her but liking doesn't mean fucking
You like her but the sway of her hips is the sway of a dancer and not a lover and she deserves to love the next person she fucks, love not just like
You like er and you will be tthere for her, but love is not sex

>>593767
"Loretta, this isn't the club. This isn't how you show someone that you like them."

>you don't like me.
I like you just fine, kid. I just don't want to fuck you, okay?

You don't have to do that anymore, okay? We left the club.

I think we have to be very simple in our arguments. She's not in a good place in her head. She feels alone, and desperate, and is reaching out the only way she can remember how, right now. Which means we need to rebuke her without driving her away.

FRACTAL 2014/09/12(Fri)11:02 No. 593794 ID: 2c322d
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i grasp her shoulders and hold them firmly. "don't ever try to guilt me like that," i say firmly, but then i soften a little. she's clearly really fucked up over everything that's happened, and i feel instinctively that i have to be careful with how i handle this.

"loretta, listen. i like you fine. that doesn't mean i wanna fuck you, though." i gently push her so she sits back down on the bed. "this isn't the club, alright? you don't have to do this shit anymore."

"then what do i do?"

the way her voice sounds makes my throat thicken, and i rub angrily at the corners of my eyes. "do you really think that's the only way to show people you like them? to thank them? to be nice to them?"

she shrugs limply and the lump in my throat grows painful.

"listen. listen." i give her another small push, guiding her down to lie down again. "we can hug, okay? i'll hug you if that's what you want. but just - don't move, okay?"

FRACTAL 2014/09/12(Fri)11:02 No. 593795 ID: 2c322d
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she whispers "okay," and i lie down behind her, looping my arm gently over her body. i can hear her shuddering, whispy breaths.

"i'm sorry." i barely hear it but it's there, and i tighten my arm a little to calm her. she cries herself to sleep and i follow soon after, too exhausted to do anything more to comfort her.

[end chapter 2]

shivers, yo