Pearls was absolutely beaming as she put the finishing touches on her note for Enid! She picked out stationary specially for the occasion, wrote in her neatest hand-writing and with a heart sticker she sealed up her note for delivery! She wasn't sure if Enid ate (or drank tea for that matter) but she did know she wanted her to come to her tea party, and she was hoping Horse and Scarlet would come too if she asked nice!
She mulled over options for a plushie for Enid so long her head hurt, a deer? A fox maybe? It wasn't until she locked eyes on the pal that she knew what she would pick. With a neat bow tied around it, she got the new plushie put in Enid's chair, waiting for her new friend!
Picking out a tea set for Enid went easier! She knew exactly the ones she wanted to use when Enid was here!
She wasn't sure if Enid would want anything particular to eat, but Pearls wanted her to experience a real, fancy tea party, and decided on a classic! Strawberry cake! And just for fun a few small pieces of Kohakutou, since the candy reminded Pearls of Enid!
Pearls and Kay are no strangers to tea parties, for Pearls this means having her friend over to play and have fun! She gets out the white paper and the crayons and gets to work crafting up her invite!
Going through her toy bins she pulls out the one, the only, Spout! She smiles and puts him on Kay's chair for when she arrives!
She pick out her favorite purple tea set to play with Kay, the one with kitty faces! She's so excited to get to use these cups for tea. Pearls makes sure she puts out extra sugar and helps brew the tea for their playdate.
Pearls is an EXPERT at making the best tea snacks for Kay and herself, she starts with tea sandwiches, cut in triangles, ants on a log (made with mini chocolate chips instead of raisins), raspberry jam filled cookies, and a big bowl full of candies!
She's so excited for her friend to come over and play, hopefully her dads say yes! Pearls even got out her board games for the occasion!
Pearls is so excited to ask Selune for tea that she brings out the good stationary and asks Kravitz for help with writing the invitation!
She goes to the store to pick up a plushie for Selune's spot at the table, she really hopes she will like this one!
And of course she spends hours going through all of the fine tea cups to pick out the very perfect one to match the table settings!
With all that ready she starts in on her favorite part! The cookies! She decides since Miss Selune is so pretty and put together she needs something fancy! Lemon lavender biscuits, cut into stars, her cuts aren't perfect but Pearls hopes she'll enjoy them!
“There’s nothing wrong with being afraid." from Lydia :3
Pearls was anxious, her heart fluttered in her chest, rattling in her ribs and her hands knotted into fists, holding tightly onto her green jumpsuit. She stared briefly at the mirror ahead of her, awkwardly averting her own gaze, she couldn't bear to look at her warped reflection, she had shuffled quietly away from the party just moments ago and now she felt hopelessly lost.
Her small frame looked twisted and contorted in the dim lights of the maze, she turned on the ball of her foot, doubting herself, ready to rejoin the party. It had only been a few moments since she broke away, she was beckoned away by Lydia towards this section of the maze but her mind is filled with dread.
"This was a bad idea, I shouldn't have come this way... It must've been a trick of the mirrors", she mumbles under her breath. Her mind fogged with the guilt of sneaking around, making bad decisions in the hopes of regaining what was lost to her.
Slowly the fear rising in her creeps up again. She couldn't see any trace of her party in the tracks behind her, she wasn't sure which direction they went, she wondered if they'd even notice her go, her mind a frenzy. She listened intently but there was nothing but faint scraping, and creaking. "What if I die in here... What if they leave without me?...", her whispers as she thought aloud breaking the silence around her. Pearls mind raced back to the school, and the dark abandoned hallways filled with ghosts and monsters. She thought to scream, she thought to alert the party, but what if she called something else here, while she was all alone? The creeping feeling of being watched, hunted, and stalked washes over her.
Salty tears threatened to spill from her eyes, she crouched and held her knees and tucked her arms close to her body. Her small fingers gripping onto the raven feather adorning her from the Raven Queen as she silently begins a prayer. Pearls nearly leapt from her skin, when she heard the slow methodical steps approaching her. To her right a voice broke through the sound of her shallow breathing. "You know Pearls..." a silky murmur called out to her, "There's nothing wrong with being afraid".
When she snapped her head up she locked her eyes to the dark hallway of mirrors. At the end a faint vision of a woman, she couldn't be made out well in the light but Pearls knew this is who she came for. Despite all the warning signs, all the harrowing stories, the hair standing up on end when she heard the voice, Pearls knew, this was the woman who would help her, this is who could return her dads. As she stood back up she brushed the tears off her face and nodded, walking down the narrow corridor towards Lydia. The sounds of her footfalls on the dry, dingy wooden floors beneath her steps steady her breathing.
Pearls with every step feels an old saying of Antolio's ring in her ears alongside the thud of her heart, "Fear is there to let us know we're still alive, being scared means there's still something left to lose".
Her eyes finally meet Lydia's at the end of the path. Lydia stands before her, dressed smartly, a tidy little clown dress and appropriately fitting makeup, that begin to ease Pearls mind on the dangers that face her. Pearls looks at her longingly, reaching out for a hug, or any grip of confidence, any touch of kindness, and any sign she hasn't stepped into a trap that will lead to a swift death.
Pearls knows there's danger here, it weighs heavily in her gut, her intuition says run, but with a face like that, how could you not trust Lydia.... After all... There's nothing wrong with being a little scared....
Pearls tugs at the hem of her dress, and bunches it between her fingers. Dropping her face to the floor for a moment silently she stares at the ground. She usually likes when adults check in on her, she wants to feel loved and cared for, after all everyone deserves to be loved. These days the questions come frequently however, and even "did you eat?", turns in her ears to "your dad wanted me to take care of you".
When she finally lets the air out of her chest that she unknowingly held in, she looks back up. When she was first acquainted with the party her life shined in her eyes, her hair glossy and always well maintained, her posture was always upright and giddy; but now in the weight in an adventure and grief she's held onto quietly she looked flat. Her hair while still in buns would sometimes be lopsided, or burst out from the elastic holding it in, she insisted every morning only she could touch it today, she didn't like how anyone else did it, nobody else could be as gentle and perfect as Kravitz. Her usually painted nails were chipped, and despite the party's best attempts, and her best attempts to hide it, the despair she felt finally bubbles to the surface.
Her silence was met again with, "Did you eat today?"
Her eyes welling with tears, her stomach gnawing on itself tirelessly, she shakes her head no. She knows that Nimbra would help her if she only asked, she knows the whole party would. But how do you tell them you don't want to eat their grilled cheeses, or their tea and cookies because it doesn't taste like daddies anymore?
When the party sits to eat she picks through her food and eats, she thanks her friends extra today for making her food. She says a prayer under her breath at the table.
"Raven Queen.... Istus ... I miss you.... Please bless my friends, and this lunch"
'Salutations!’ Does your muse greet everyone or only just their friends? Or none at all? How friendly is your muse in general when they’re out and meet other people?
Pearls is too polite to ignore people usually, she's been known to greet even the people she dislikes the most. When she sees a friend it's all cuddles and warm wishes! She is a hugger and she loves a great big bear hug from her dads and godparents (Sophie's bear hugs are the best! 🐻 🐾)
If she dislikes you her greeting tends to be curt and cordial, nothing more than a nod and a "good afternoon".
She greets strangers like friends unless they prove to be bad! Everyone's a friend until proven guilty!
'this one made me laugh really hard. look at its face. it's kinda cute though, right? Love, Kay'
Pearls absolutely gleams with excitement when she realizes her best friend got her a Valentine's Day card! She giggles at the silly raccoon and slips it into her bag to have with her when she's sad! She hopes that Kay will like her card too, it's not quite as good as the raccoon, she thinks, but she smiles all the same hoping it'll find her well!
The inside reads:
Hay Kay! I hope we get to hang out soon, I miss horsing around with you! I wish you the most fun today! Love Pearls
(PS I hope you get lots of candy from your dads today, maybe you can save me a piece for when we see each other next..)
