foolishwren | 84. FOURTH WALL video/action/whatever. GO NUTS. Backdated a little to the morning.

_{[Another day, another long shift at work. Heather doesn't really mind, though. It's one hell of a difference between the hectic stress of the job in the department store that she had last year. What a difference having SANE bosses can make, even if the job is more boring.]

[As the morning sun creeps higher behind the snowclouds and lights up the powder drifting down from the sky, Heather is seated at one of the stools behind the counter in the diner where she now works, and is making herself incredibly useful by balancing all the salt-shakers she can find on top of one another.]

[And then putting all those little sealed packets of sliced cheese she can find on top of THOSE.]

[It's a quiet morning, okay? Leave her alone!]

[Needless to say, one of the owners of the diner-- an old married couple-- spots his newest employee working on the Leaning Tower of Cheesa and just sort of shakes his head, sighing. Kids these days.]}

Miss Mason, as much as I hate to stifle the budding artist in you, the soda machines need cleaning.

_{[Heather heaves an enormously-dramatic mock sigh as she gets up.]}

Ugh, finnneeee. You're just jealous of my deeply creative spirit.

You got me. I'm turning green. Dish-soap should be in the back.

_{[Having chill bosses is AWESOME. Heather had decided she liked having bosses she could banter with almost as soon as she got the job. She sticks her tongue out at him as she passes, on her way to the back door. And then she has an idea!]

[Pulling out her 'Gear, she hits the network button.]}

HEY GUYS. Who wants to watch me CLEAN SHIT?

_{[Because clearly if she had to do boring things, it would improve everybody else's lives to watch her do them.]

[But behind her, the boss clears his throat meaningfully, and Heather rolls her eyes.]}

Oh, that's just Danny!

_{[OOC: COME AT ME BROS. Feel free to assume that Heather is elsewhere if you don't feel like dealing with Danny-- 4th Wall is like CRACK: THE EVENT, so I'm happy to stick her wherever.]}

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.....I'm sorry. Are you alright dear?

_{[At first, Heather might have thought it was some kind of joke. Someone claiming to be married to her father? ... But ... this woman... she remembers this woman. Not too WELL, admittedly-- there weren't many photos of her around back home. It had been too painful for the man who had lost her.]

[But ... she does remember...]}

...

You said... you said 'Harry Mason', right?

Yes. He's probably walking around looking for me now with Cheryl.

...

_{[Oh, god. Oh god.]

[Her knees are shaking slightly, but she's not sure if it's because of the COLD or because of... because of THIS...]}

I--

_{[No, she couldn't just come out with it. She... she wouldn't know who she WAS.]

[She swallows.]}

... They're okay.

_{[... That's not what she asked, Heather.]}

You know where they are?

_{[She swallows.]

[This is so similar to what she went through when her father had first come to Johto... and she can't make that mistake again.]}

... I-- ...

Mom, it's... it's me.

It's Cheryl.

.......

Cheryl..?

[Wait what....]

I...don't understand. Cheryl's barely two years old.

_{[... Two years old? Oh, god...]}

... I... it's hard to explain....

Does it have something to do with this ....strange place?

[She's taking it well so far. But then again. You kind of have to at this point.]

_{[Heather just wishes there was some sort of clever way she could ease into the topic.]

[But there really isn't.]}

I-- ... yeah.

I'm sorry, this must seem... really weird.

_{[She reaches up to rub her arms. The outfit isn't exactly meant for winter.]}

Just a little......

[Looking at her. Cheryl was small when she last saw her. But this girl does....]

Why don't we go inside. ....You can tell me what's going on.

_{[It's hard to imagine an outcome for Cheryl that's MORE different. She's not little, adorable, or black-haired anymore. It's hard to imagine that little toddler would grow up to be a lanky scruffball like this.]

[But Heather nods.]}

I'll... try, anyway...

_{[Awkwardly, she holds the door open.]}

[Nods and walks inside.]

_{[Heather directs her mother-- well, she's practically a stranger, who's she kidding-- to one of the booths. Then she's gone for a few minutes-- finding her manager and explaining that she needs to go on break. For... you know. Reasons.]

[Then she comes back after a moment, with a cup of coffee. She puts it down in front of Jodie before sitting down, herself.]

[<8I wellp]}

Thank you.

[Takes it with a nod and then looks over at her. Still trying to see some trace of her little Cheryl.]

_{[Sorry, Jodie... there's not much to see there.]

[The girl sitting across from her is clasping her hands-- much bigger hands-- on the table in front of her, brows peaked and mouth pressed into a thin, worried line.]

[.... Heather]

[Heather you're supposed to be explaining things]}

......Cheryl?

Huh?

... Oh.

Oh, yeah.

Um.

Sorry.

I was just... trying to figure out what to say...

[She nods.]

Well.... why don't you start with something simple? How old are you?

[This should be an easy question.]

_{[FUN FACT: the only time Heather gets this shy is when she is talking to dead people from her past who never actually met her in this life. True facts.]}

I'm, um... nineteen...

_{[Technically? Twenty-six, counting Cheryl's life.]}