[action]

[cobbledtogether.livejournal.com]

[It's strange, this place—or, at least, the little blonde girl wandering through the Gardens thinks so. But, then again, she hasn't ever been allowed out of the laboratory where she was born—or grown, to put it more accurately, but it's not as though she knows the difference—and no one ever thought it necessary to teach her much of anything about what "outside" might be like. Of course she thinks it's strange, this much color and space and freedom.]

[It's a little scary to suddenly be somewhere new with no idea where she is, of course, but at the same time it's a lot more frightening to be where she was before. After being trapped in the lab for so long with no hope of escaping, finding herself where she is— It's confusing, but at the same time she feels relieved. She pays no attention to the direction she's moving in as she wanders through the trees, taking in her new surroundings with wide eyes.]

[She almost doesn't notice when the footsteps first draw close enough for her to hear. When she does, though, she freezes in place, holding her breath as she listens. They're definitely coming toward her— What if it's someone that's come to take her back?! She makes a panicked dive behind the nearest hiding spot she can find, which, in this case, happens to be the trunk of a particularly large tree. As the sound of the approaching person draws closer, she peeks out ever so slightly from behind the tree to find...]

[It's someone she has never seen before. Which, at least in her mind, probably means it's not someone coming to drag her away again. It's also the first person she has seen in this place so far, so curiosity wins out over fear and she shuffles out from her hiding place. She's a rather pitiful sight, to be honest, rail thin and barefoot and clothed in something that's closer to a smock than a dress.]

H— Hello...?


[ ooc: So, Lambda has been wildcarded into bitty!cyborg mode. Feel free to run into her just about anywhere! As a warning, her past deals heavily with human experimentation and abuse related to such, so those topics are likely to come up somewhere in this post. Replies will be coming from minimurakumo. ]

Comments

/cannot tag this fast enough

[highest_caliber.livejournal.com]

[ Subaru had been out jogging as she usually is, so her skates and other gear is nowhere to be seen. She's just in a simple pair of sweatpants with a matching top tied around her waist. Having not quite caught her breath, and is still panting a bit when she turns at the call. ] Huh?

[ A blink. The sight is a little unusual, but just because she's been around for a while now and thought she had, while running about, seen everyone. ] Oh, hi there!

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

[Akiha stops when the girl peeks out and greets her. Her first thought was 'not again' but she quickly figures out it's not Gal that has been made a child again. Relieved that she didn't have to deal with a member of her household being that way, she starts to walk again.

And then stops. And sighs.]

...are you lost?

:3c

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[Despite herself, Lambda shrinks back a little when Subaru responds, one hand still resting against the bark of the tree. Peering up at her through her curtain of overgrown, slightly matted blonde hair, she asks,] Do... Do you know where I am?

Now if LJ would just let me tag consistently...

[highest_caliber.livejournal.com]

[ The first thing she does is kneel down a little closer, and put her hands on her own knee for support. ] You're in the Gardens right now.

Did you just wake up here?

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[She cringes a little when she is ignored, but when the woman decides to stop and address her after all she straightens up. She isn't anyone she knows, but she seems severe like the scientists in the laboratory, so she decides she should be on her best behavior anyway. She takes a moment to think about the question, biting her lip as she does so.]

...I don't know where I am.

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

The... Gardens? [Obviously, that doesn't help her much. Then, when the question is asked, she nods.]

[highest_caliber.livejournal.com]

That's right. Kind of a generic name, but I don't think the world has any particular name... at least, I never got a designation.

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

What a surprise...

[Akiha offers her hand to the girl.]

Come along. My name's Akiha and I'll take you back to my home. We'll get you cleaned up, fed and then we'll try to figure out what's going on.

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[A lot of that flies right over Lambda's head. Maybe she will ask more about it later, but for now, she has her own set of priorities.]

Um... Is there a laboratory close to here?

[She shrinks back a little more as she says it, half-hiding behind the tree again.]

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[The offered hand is only met with Lambda darting behind the tree again. She peeks around the side of it, openly suspicious as she regards Akiha.]

You're not— You're not going to take me back to the laboratory, are you?

[The thought that Akiha might lie about her intentions doesn't seem to occur to Lambda. Maybe she has retained some of her childish naivety in spite of her circumstances, or maybe she is just used to the scientists being open about how they intend to treat her no matter how horrible that treatment actually is.]

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

[Siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh. Akiha frowns. She may own a pharmaceutical company, but she inherited it. She's never set foot inside a laboratory.]

Why would I do that? I care nothing for such places. You need to be dressed in something proper. Your attire is unbecoming for a lady.

[highest_caliber.livejournal.com]

A ... lab? [ The causes her brow to crease in mild concern. But it's gone in a flash when she shakes her head. ] No, I haven't seen anything like that. [ And, giving the girl the benefit of the doubt, ] Is that where your parents work?

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

Because, they— they probably already have people trying to find me, and...

[She trails off, hands balling where they're resting against the trunk. Akiha's next words catch her by surprise, though; the scientists hadn't ever shown any sign of thinking of her as human, much less a lady. It seems to set her at ease, at least a little.]

"A lady"?

[She shuffles out from behind the tree again and moves a few steps closer. She's not eying Akiha with the same open distrust now, though she is still noticeably staying out of reach, just in case she changes her mind and decides she needs to run away after all.]

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

[Akiha glances at her still outstretched hand and then lowers it.]

Yes. A lady. Those rags you are in are disgusting. You need a bath and real clothes.

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[She visibly relaxes when she hears that, wherever she is, it's not near where she was before. When Subaru asks that next question, she shakes her head.]

That's where the scientists are.

[For such an obvious statement, she sure manages to make is sound meaningful.]

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[Had she been raised any other way, she might find that harshness off-putting. As things are, though, it's more familiar than anything, and while that's not exactly comforting, she's used to dealing with it.]

O... Okay!

[She doesn't step any closer, though, waiting for Akiha to move first.]

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

[Akiha waits a few seconds before turning and continuing on her way back to the orchard.]

Come along now. If you dawdle, you'll get left behind. I will not wait.

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

Y— Yes, sir!

[She doesn't really know what "sir" means, but some of the younger scientists address some of the older ones that way, so she figures it's appropriate to say now. Obediently, she scampers along behind Akiha, though she she is still careful to keep some space between them.]

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

I am not a 'sir'. That is reserved for men. I am a woman, the Head of the Tohno family. You will address me as 'Akiha-sama'.

Understood?

[highest_caliber.livejournal.com]

Ah, well... [ Subaru has the sinking feeling of deja vu, for a number of reasons. ] You don't have to worry. I haven't even seen any scientists around here.

[ She extends her bare hand, carefully. ] I'm Subaru Nakajima. What's your name?

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

[She almost makes an excuse for herself, but then stops herself. She has learned that the best way to avoid getting hurt—or at least avoid getting hurt as badly as she could—is immediate and unquestioning compliance.]

Yes, Akiha-sama!

[ritsu-kouyou.livejournal.com]

Much better. What is your name?

[tookupthesword.livejournal.com]

[This kid reminds her of someone...]

Hello...

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

R-really...?

[She can't help but sound optimistic at that. But, even so, she doesn't do more than regard the hand dubiously when it is offered.]

...Lambda.

[minimurakumo.livejournal.com]

Lambda.