Hunger Pains [open!]

[Cammy!]

The light that had peeked from the crack in the overcast above made a small sliver of shining pavement as the tiny little girl skipped on by, her throat vibrating mercilessly as she hummed some melody that had been playing in a passing van. Her blonde tresses bounced easily with every measured leap she took. The cracks in the sidewalk never managed to fall under her feet as she wove through the imaginary townsfolk that she had individually placed on the deserted street. As the tiny child danced through her own little crowd, her ever-present guardian stayed within the shadows. His thoughts cursed at the sun’s rays that had somehow managed to slip through the gloomy setting, wishing that his favored time of day would soon come crashing down upon them as the sun died away like it always did around this time. Puppy’s scathing glances were not spared upon the tiny child as they continued traveling down the boulevard that had already started to fall apart from neglect. The mismagius glared at Cameron with a strong intent alight in his old yellow eyes. He had already tried dissuading her from leaving their tiny hovel he had picked from the night previous to this one. It was always dangerous to be out and about when humans needed no help in seeing what was clearly set before them. Darkness was always protection, it was Puppy’s security blanket even. But the girl had begged him to let her out “just this once“. He could not refuse her, especially when the girl pleaded for nourishment. Puppy couldn’t have his specimen die on his watch, and so this early evening hour was the excuse of the hunger pains that accompanied every human, even the one that Puppy had tied himself to.

“Cameron thinks its funny that Puppy always has to hide in the dark. Doesn’t Puppy want to come out and play in the warm sunny sun?”

The ghost scowled as Cameron acknowledged him. Cameron looked back with a smile, a chiming laugh rebounding off of the old and abandoned dwellings that were slowly deteriorating as well. Her grin did not rub off on her comrade, which only made her smile double in size. She pivoted back around so that she was facing the winding footpath that lead to an irrevocable and meaningless end only a few steps ahead. Her head bobbed up and down in a crazy pattern as she leaped gracefully over the canyon of dust that had once been sheathed by a big concrete block. Every broken piece of pavement was a large obstacle in the youth’s mind. Every crack, a deep abyss full of large man-eating serpents, eagerly waiting for a weak damsel to fall into their hungry jaws.

Hungry… another groan erupted from the pit of her stomach, causing her to stumble, once, twice, before she caught her self with her arms faced flat in the hard and solid walkway. Puppy immediately came up behind her, checking her to ensure she had not suffered a wound. Cameron giggled to herself before picking herself up, dusting herself off, and falling right back into her fantasy world. Puppy reluctantly drew back into the darkness, eyes illuminated by another small patch of sunlight that had managed to hit his body. He grumbled throatily as Cameron shot him a worried glance. Puppy nodded to her, giving her permission to continue as he bathed himself in the shadows the building had cast.

“Puppy, Cammy wants to tell you that she is very hungry. Can Puppy snatch a treat for Cam?”

-Cameron does not deserve a treat today. You forced me to come out at a dangerous hour. The most I will give you is a pilfered loaf of bread. Don’t think that I will reward you tonight Cameron. You failed to do what I wished.-

“Puppy… Cameron bets Cookie will get her something good!”

She retorted in a snotty manner as she stopped in front of the only active grocery store in a three mile radius. Cameron pressed her face to the window, glancing at all of the old (and most likely stale) products that lined the shelves. Puppy floated silently behind her, her remark only darkening his mood.

-Go on Cameron. Take only a loaf of bread, for that is all I will assist you in getting.-

Cameron sighed before pushing the door open, the muggy air hitting her face in a gush as she set off towards the predestinated aisle. She grabbed a hefty loaf of wheat bread, and sulked up to the counter. An old man looked at her questioningly, eyeing the good she was carrying. Before he could react though, the small figure of the ghost overtook him. He screamed a muffled scream before hypnosis put him to sleep. Puppy nodded to the child and she hugged her food for the night to her chest, and trotted over to the door. She looked back at the man who was quietly sleeping, a bruise becoming more prominent on his left cheek by the second.

“Thank you!”

She hollered before pushing open the door and reentering the gloomy scenery that she had grown so used to. Puppy soon joined her once more, this time staying a foot away from her shoulder. The sun had finally departed, leaving the row of grotesque buildings lacking in the minimal color they had once had. Cameron looked up to her friend once more, and he nodded his approval. The girl tore open the package and nibbled on her dinner as they still continued to walk, her game disappearing along with the sun.

[Cresselia]

A set of powder blue eyes glanced to either side of the street. A graceful woman with golden-blonde hair was shifting her glance to either side as she walked down the sidewalk. Her hair was pinned back in a decorative moon hairclip high on the back of her head, fastening the bright strands of her hair out of her eyes. Apart from the hairclip, the most decorative thing the woman wore was the soft opaque scarf neatly draped around her neck; otherwise she wore a tan pair of pants and a long-sleeved white shirt. At her side she held a simple spiral-bound notebook.

The effect was a subtle one; she looked like a normal, everyday person, not at all out of place abiet a few characteristics that might, at best, attract a bit of attention. Putting aside the fact that she actually looked friendly and even kind, despite the region's terrors.

Nada Citadel was a large area, an area that was part of Cresselia's domain during the night for her to banish the nightmares her counterpart brought or infuse more pleasant dreams to those in the dreamless clutches of sleep. However, being such a busy area, she preferred to wait after night had truly fallen before beginning her work, to avoid any excess possibility of unpleasant encounters. A small head start wouldn't hurt the lunar swan's work.

Cresselia was still waiting for the darkness to fall completely, and so she made her way calmly through the streets of the city, observing the people still out around their houses and the activities of the people she sensed within them. She was searching for somewhere peaceful, somewhere where she could relax for some time before returning to her normal form. A park bench would do nicely. Or some other more peaceful area.

But now she was walking down the street of a much more dusty, dismal row of architecture. It was a much quieter area of town. Cresselia considered starting her work from this area of Nada Citadel, as clearly people seemed more inclined to stay indoors. Or perhaps it was simply the area was less inhabited? She was inclined to think the latter of the two, though she could not sense her surroundings at the time.

Cresselia gazed up at some of the dirty, crusted windows of one of the houses that clearly lacked any sort of care or any remote attention whatsoever. The tall, seeding grass and lawn covered with nearly decaying leaves gave her the impression that if anyone did live in the building, they clearly did not wish to devote any amount of money toward its upkeep.

To be so gloomy even in the cities... Cresselia could only sorrowfully imagine the quality of life for those who continued in such conditions. She was brought out of her thoughts as when she heard the soft shuffling of someone's feet and the crunch of packaging being shifted from a distance away.

The young woman glanced to her left with a face free of apprehension, looking down the darkened street. She wondered vaguely who else she might meet at such this time of day...