1 x 1 with -TruBlue

[Boomer]

Alessa dipped her head in thanks as she continued to clean the dishes. When Ms. Robinson poked her head back in and told her about the others, Alessa looked to her and nodded. "T-thank you ma'am." she said quietly. Alessa resumed her job until every dish was spotless. Alessa dried off her paws carefully, making sure that her coat would cover the scars. She left the kitchen, collected Scarlett from the floor, then left the dining room. She knew she had a few hours before bed, but she didn't really know what to do. Alessa decided that she should perhaps find Margaret. She checked the playroom and saw the girl over by the bookshelf. Alessa made her way over to Margaret, then sat down next to her. "H-how are you?" she asked quietly.

[-Blufox]

"I-i'm p-pretty satisfied," Margaret replied. "That w-was the best m-meal I've ever eaten i-in my life." Her mind wandered a bit as she thought about what her meals were. Some days, she wouldn't even get her bread and she would just be hungry.

[Boomer]

"I agree..." said Alessa softly. She would usually get scraps from what her mother didn't eat. Alessa rarely got a full meal. When she was in the hospital, she was eventually given soft food like applesauce several times a day. But hospital food wasn't always the best. Alessa looked around the room before flicking her tail. "W-what do you want to do?" she asked softly, tilting her head a little.

[-Blufox]

"I don't k-know," Margaret replied. She quickly scanned the room to find something to do. A plastic dollhouse laid in the corner of the room caught her eye. "H-how about we p-play with that?" She asked, and pointed to it.

Margaret never really got toys growing up. She only had her bunny, but she didn't have much free time anyways. Most days, she would clean the house in the morning and chop firewood in the afternoon. When her father sat by the fireplace with the fire that she chopped, Margaret was forced to stay in her cold room.

[Boomer]

Alessa looked over to the dollhouse, then nodded. She stood up and offered her paw to Margaret to help her up. She wasn't sure what made her reach out to Margaret, but so far, she was the only one that Alessa trusted. The girl pushed some of her dark hair out of her eyes, then offered a small smile. Scarlett was loosely slung around the back of Alessa's neck. The girl was never far from Scarlett and when the fire broke out, she had used her telekinesis to fling Scarlett outside. Alessa didn't want her only friend to be burned.

[-Blufox]

Margaret felt a little apprehensive about touching Alessa's paw. After all, they had only met a few hours ago. Even though she seemed like a nice girl, Margaret wasn't sure if she could trust her yet. She took her paw anyways and got up. "Thanks." She smiled shyly, and walked over to the dollhouse. She bent down and opened it to find dolls and plastic furniture scattered throughout the rooms.

[Boomer]

Alessa followed behind Margaret and sat next to her. She hadn't played with a dollhouse before, so this was intriguing to her. Alessa studied each of the rooms and dolls closely. "There's no attic..." she whispered, sounding a bit relieved. Alessa picked up one of the smaller dolls and felt it in her paws. "D-do you think they're a happy family?" she asked quietly. Alessa set down the small doll to pick up the adult male doll. She sat back a little as she looked it over. "I think he's successful..." she murmured quietly, "Intelligent, good-hearted, not like her at all." Alessa practically spat the word "her"; she held hostile feelings towards her mother. She didn't know a thing about her absent father, not even his name or age. She had hoped and dreamed that he would one day return and rescue her from the abuse she endured. But that day never came and the girl had mixed feelings about him.

[-Blufox]

Her? Margaret thought, confused. A little deer girl caught her eye and she picked it up. "I-i think so." She stammered as she looked at the doll.

[Boomer]

Alessa set the doll down, then began to move some of the furniture around. "They have a lot of toys..." she commented, picking up a toy box in the deer girl's room. Alessa set it back down, then stiffened up as she noticed a fireplace in the living room. Alessa backed away from the dollhouse, now clinging onto Scarlett. She was shaking and quietly whimpering.

[-Blufox]

Margaret looked at Alessa with a confused look on her face, and then at the fireplace. "Okay..." she said, and slowly closed the dollhouse. "How a-about we play w-with something else?"