otherfathering | Reprise #1 [Voice

The sun's barely rising when he's ushered quite quickly out into the snow-layered town, no good-bye and a newly-acquired Chatot flying behind him. He had originally thought it would be positive to get going quickly, to head and find his family and friends and home... and then he felt the freezing early-morning cold. Oh holy chicken breast, the cold. Pumpkins are warm-season vegetables; apparently his body temperature is reflecting that, which is why he takes a moment to stand there shivering, his lack of a coat and gloves seriously being problematic right now.

They travel a small while to a tiny eating establishment that just seemed to be opening for the day.

[The feed switches on as voice at first, a bird's whistle filling the speakers with its simple repeat tune; it's amateur, but it's catchy.]

Hoo~... he~re we go!

[The still-partially shivering voice will be familiar to some, but the face that just clicked onto the feed's screen'll jog your mind if you can't quite place it. His inquisitive face breaks into a big, toothy grin as he realizes that- yes- it' broadcasting! Which means, people, and more importantly his family are on the other end.]

Wou~ld've said I was back earlier, but our mom sent me away pretty quick this time. o~hoo, think she remembers me?

[A single eyebrow raises with that playful little smirk that always comes out in situations like these.
The fact he turned up at the door of her house to collect his ill-as-fuck wife, who had considered burying this 'Mom' alive aswell... Well, I think there are reasons why she's going to want to get rid of him.]

'Didn't mean to leave in the first place, would've stayed in an instant if I could've. Still, that makes three times from the Otherworld, hm? Maybe it'll bring back some'a the others? It'd make my day to see my little Coraline again.

I'll try'n be home as so~on as I can, kiddos. 'Gonna need to make my way to the next town soon, too! I'm freezin' like a pumpkin out there.

[Hardy-har, Other Father.

As he goes to shut off the feed, he gives a wave to the screen and begins to whistle a much more complex tune that fits perfectly in with the Chatot's, though it does seem to be vibrating a bit. 8| stupid cold.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

If their parents aren't around to love them, Mr. Mason.

Edited 2013-01-10 00:14 (UTC)

You must have a lot of children in orphanages then.

[That catches him a bit off guard, but he nods. He doesn't know how to defend that, really... He could say he's just one child's Other Father looking after as many as he can whilst he's here... but that sort of goes against what else he's been saying to others.

If the Other Mother wants him to lie, she should be here to direct him really. Puppet-masters leaving their puppets dangling alone will only ever cause them to tangle and ruin their show.]

You said they have to have buttons put in their eyes if they want to stay.

Does that mean you'll send a child back to an abusive home or the streets if they refuse to have their faces mutilated?

[He doesn't know what to say to that at all, but he's pained by the idea. The Other Mother would, he wouldn't.

When he speaks again after a moment of silence, his voice is meek.]

'Haven't got a choice.

There's always a choice.

Anyone can call themselves someone's father, but it's not until you actually act like one that it means anything. And protecting a child, making choices that you don't like for that child, is part of it.

That's why being a parent is a responsibility. You're helping shape someones life, teaching them and protecting them. You have to put their needs ahead of your own.

[And he's less negative in his tone with this. This is something he cares very much about, and it shows.]

[He's listening. He's sad. He knows your right and he did all that... in the end anyway. He's doing that now.

Except he can't tell him, because that would ruin everything wouldn't it? But all Harry's going to do is come back and question him, isn't he?

but then there's the Other Mother- although, it's not so much about his fear of her anymore, than about the lies being found out, about the children losing trust in him. He's still scared of her, but she's been here, she was weak, she's probably dead. He went home and he was dead, all because in the end he gave his life to save his child.]

'Already know that.

[He responds in a lackluster voice; he's just not sure what to do about this anymore. He's used to this sort of feeling though, it's just that he hasn't since back home in the Otherworld.]

Then why?

[A simple question.]

Why?

Why do you say you have no choice?

Mother says they can't stay in the Otherworld without the buttons.

[He's not even sure if that's real anymore, but he's honestly telling the truth here. That's not his choice.]

[He's about to ask something then stops when he thinks of something.]

Can you leave the Otherworld? Normally, not including this place, I mean.

[He simply shakes his head, having nothing else to say in response.]

Why not?

'Just how it is.

You say that a lot.

[And all it does is just make him more suspicious.]

You're not human are you.

[... He can't keep this up.

He just shakes his head again.]

I'm an Other.

[He's not lying.]

What is an 'other' though?

[It sounds like something from Silent Hill.]

[How to explain without being too... tooish about it He is treading so many eggshells here and he's tired of doing so.]

We look like their parents so we can look after them, if their real parents can't. Just with the buttons- and better.

[Technically, when going into it, he's a pumpkin and she's a spider witch, but that's just details.]

Do you not have your own appearances then?

[Yup, questions.]

Also how exactly are you 'better' then their normal parents?

Not so much.

So you only have one child at a time then?

[He nods again.]

Mother says they need a perfect family; and children argue.

[He's kind of just given up.]

Do you do whatever, 'Mother' tells you, then?

[.....Oh god this is getting too Norman Bates-ish]

Mother knows best.

[He's just kind of... zombie-ish about all of this.]

[Video]

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haveyouseenalittlegirl - 2013-02-26 02:34 (UTC) - Expand

Reprise #1 [Voice > Video] Encore!

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