“Excuse me... You’re in our way.”
The girl’s focused on a spot just past the young man’s head, eyes empty save for the ruby-red purpose that flickers beneath them. She thrusts a hand forward, and black mist pours from the space around her, coalescing into a dark-robed figure that howls with pain and loss. The newly-formed beast rushes forward, hand outstretched, expression hidden behind its mournful mask.
“Don’t... move.”
For a moment, the figure reaches the young man, cloth brushing against his cheek, before it slips right through him.
“I have it... I have it...!” cries the beast, clutching something in its hands. It returns to the girl’s side, clasping its newly-found prize close to its chest, not daring to reveal it until the time is right.
The girl smiles. “Thank you, Death... I don’t know what I would do without you...”
Nier reaches out for the beast’s hands and removes a snowflake from between its fingers. “Y-yes, this is it,” she says, tucking it into her pocket. “That makes four, doesn’t it? One more, and we can get a gift card! The Captain would be so happy to get one...”
It was worth it to brave the Mermaid Cove mall just for a chance to see the Captain smile, though the sooner Nier is able to leave, the better. The crowds here are simply too much for her. She looks up at the young man who had been unwittingly standing in front of the snowflake and bows her head.
“S-sorry about that... I-If I waited too long, it would’ve gotten away, so I couldn’t really warn you...” She bows her head again, eyes now focused on her feet. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too upset.
@endingpierce