Dossier Twenty-one

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[She appears in her fuzzy pink and white bathrobe and pajamas with a pattern of pandas on them. She's also wearing a pair of panda slippers, because really, who doesn't love panda slippers? A pair of safety goggles perch atop her head like a headband, and she's holding a pen and what looks like a clipboard with math homework attached to it. Unsurprisingly, her brother failed to make it home in time to take Henrietta to school; to make up for it, he promised she could stay with him at the lab over the weekend. It was well-meant. He wanted no harm to come to her.

But she was a curious child, and Heav & Hel Industries was far more than it seemed.]

Well, he tried, though.

Comments

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

...never mind. [He shakes his head. Better not try understanding it, it never works :|]

What's the voice been telling you, then?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Signore Crowley? [Blinks, pressing a finger to her lips. Where did that come from?]

Um... well, just that Hei got caught up in his research again.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[a raised eyebrow] Signore?

...ah, of course. Might've known. It's had you right from the start, hasn't it?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Had... [Blink. She reaches up and touches the goggles in surprise.] Ah... what's going on?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[a surprised pause] Henrietta?

How many siblings have you got?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Siblings? I don't have any siblings. That voice said that Chris was my brother, but...

[Pause. Blink.] Chris... he is my brother, isn't he?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley starts to grin] There's a—

[And it vanishes, just as quickly]

Right. Yeah.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

He... no... is he? [kdajs what]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Crowley realizes that she's trying to fight it] No, he isn't. You haven't any siblings, Henrietta. The...narrator, whatever it is, is affecting your mind.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Looks at the clipboard, then at her slippers.]

Ah, Hei too... It says he is. But they don't think it's real either, do they.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think they do either. How are you feeling?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Fine... Oh! I went to school. [Frowning slightly] What's going on, signore?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[Mimicking her frown] You went to school?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Yes... It was strange, now that I'm thinking about it. But I-- [She rubs her head.]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

[He nearly tells her to fight it, to try and keep her mind clear, but the hypocrisy of the thing causes him to choke on it. And anyway, he's already seen the effect this bloody thing can have. More than once. What was a little girl supposed to do against it?]

Henrietta, do me a favour? Keep close to Hei until this is all over, will you?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

Ah... okay. What about you? [She's starting to slip again. Of course she would stick close to Hei... why wouldn't she?]

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

You should probably stay away from me, just in case. No telling what this thing is planning. Steer clear of the angel as well.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[But despite this moment of heart, it was not to be; his bosses demanded what they demanded, and this girl was his key to freedom.]

What does that mean...?

Um. I'm sorry, sir, I didn't know I got so far from my brother.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

...it's nothing. Don't worry about it.

Right then, you'll be wanting to get back to him, I take it.

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

I suppose I should... [Still a little hazy on the whole thing. She hesitates, looking up at Crowley.]

...sir?

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

Yeah?

[fireintothesky.livejournal.com]

[Blink.] I'm sorry, I forgot what I was going to say.

[exserpens.livejournal.com]

It's all right. I'm sure it'll come back if it was important.