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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 13:38:39 GMT -5
It was on a dark and stormy night that the entrance hall of Le Rouge et L'Epine was to play host to Bonnie-Marie de Chagny, appearing in public for the first time in several months, and several unexpected guests. Tossing open the door with a melodrama she generally prefered to save for moments of greatest passion or horror, she flung back her sopping hair and produced two baskets, which she plopped unceremoniously on the ground before turning to close the door against the cold wind. These baskets each held two infants; three were perfectly acceptable boys. The fourth was a girl, and was decidedly more feline than her brothers.
"I'm looking for Brandi or Cry-Baby," Bonnie-Marie announced to no one in particular, sounding very unlike the Bonnie-Marie that anyone in Paris knew. "Are they here?"
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 13:45:51 GMT -5
*Brandi hurried downstairs. She'd changed quite a bit since the last time Bonnie-Marie had seen her. Her body was more toned, her hair crimson and her eyes tired. She approached the door, genuine surprise in her face to see who it was.*
"Oh! Mademoiselle de Chagny...please...come in...the weather is terrible..."
*Her heart skipped a few beats to see baskets. Maybe there was light at the end of this tunnel...*
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Lolcat
- Masterful Virgin -
Y HELLO THAR
Posts: 24
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Post by Lolcat on Aug 13, 2008 13:51:52 GMT -5
Lolcat sauntered down the stairs, his tail erect. There was a woman who smelled... well, familiar... with baskets.
"MOAR KITTEHS?"
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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 13:57:50 GMT -5
Bonnie-Marie had changed too. Her once-toned dancer's physique had softened considerably and her skin appeared almost to hang off her bones; her health seemed to have taken a major hit in recent months. There were dark circles under her eyes and the rest of her face was stark white.
She grimaced at Brandi in greeting, the closest she could manage to a smile in her current mood, and picked up the baskets as she stepped forward to meet the other woman next to a table. Setting them down so the babies inside them faced Brandi, she said "Well, there they are," and dropped into a chair.
Even as she watched Brandi, she noticed a familiar sort of smell in the air...
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 14:02:22 GMT -5
*Brandi did everything in her power not to grasp up the children immediately. Bonnie-Marie looked terrible and she suspected that at least part of that was her fault.*
"Please...can I get you something? Some tea? Something to eat? What can I do to help you?"
*In the bustle, she hardly noticed the kitty bonding. Or...whatever.*
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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 14:07:07 GMT -5
Bonnie-Marie ignored the questions entirely and gestured to one of the baskets.
"Did you notice the girl?" she asked with a note of challenge in her voice. After what she'd gone through to give this woman children, she was almost looking forward to the horrified reaction.
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 14:12:07 GMT -5
*To be honest, Brandi hadn't really taken the time to look that closely. But when she did, noting the girl's velvety tipped ears, she smiled to herself. Everything seemed to slow serenely as she traced her fingertip over the girl's soft cheek.*
"She's lovely..." *She breathed, mostly to herself.*
So exotic. I wonder what she will be like when she's grown.
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Lolcat
- Masterful Virgin -
Y HELLO THAR
Posts: 24
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Post by Lolcat on Aug 13, 2008 14:14:04 GMT -5
Lolcat bounded heavily onto a chair, then onto the table, to peer into the basket. It looked like his ship! And inside, smelling of new kitten, was the sweetest thing he'd ever seen.
"PRETTY KITTEN IS PRETTY," he announced. He beamed up at Brandi and Bonnie-Marie.
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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 14:15:40 GMT -5
Bonnie-Marie frowned. She knew her parents had never found her lovely at that age, with that problem.
"She won't always seem lovely. She'll have problems. She won't ever be able to lead a normal life or be really happy."
She frowned again as the happy cat announced his opinion. "Oh, what would you know?" she demanded immaturely.
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 14:18:05 GMT -5
Well, there was kinda never a chance of that to start with.
*Brandi straightened, turning back to Bonnie-Marie with soft eyes.*
"I am sorry. For all that you had to go through. But it really does mean a world to us. We are indebted to you. If there is anything that we can do..."
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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 14:20:54 GMT -5
"Yeah, well..." Bonnie-Marie mumbled to her lap, picking at a nick in the wooden tabletop. "Just take them. It's fine. I'll be fine."
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 14:22:37 GMT -5
*Brandi felt terrible, her being so unhappy because of something that filled her with excitement. But she nodded, not wanting to stress the poor thing more.*
"If there's anything in the future...we're always willing to help."
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Lolcat
- Masterful Virgin -
Y HELLO THAR
Posts: 24
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Post by Lolcat on Aug 13, 2008 14:24:19 GMT -5
Lolcat frowned (weirdly, for a cat) at the human shaped person who smelled of kitty.
"R U COCK OF THE WALK WHEN UR WALKIN ALONE?" he demanded arrogantly.
"BAD KITTEH. NO TUNA." He turned to Brandi. "I CAN HAS KITTEN?"
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Post by Bonnie-Marie on Aug 13, 2008 14:34:49 GMT -5
"I'll remember that," she said honestly, looking up at Brandi and succeeded in fixing a real smile on her face; it was small and short-lived, but it was there and she meant it. She didn't really blame Brandi for all of this, or Cry-Baby either. (Although she'd loudly blamed him quite a bit during the actual birth.) She just wanted it to be over.
Her attention was drawn, once again, to the fat grey cat on the table. "Yes, I am. And when I fall on my head, I land on my feet." She crossed her arms over her chest to stop herself from shoving the cat off the table.
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Post by Brandi on Aug 13, 2008 14:40:40 GMT -5
*Brandi glanced between the two, unsure of what to make of it. She licked her lips carefully.*
"Well, you're welcome to stay and wait out the storm, if you'd like. It's the least we can do. But..."
*She glanced to the baskets.*
"I probably should get them in some dry clothes and fed."
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