Badfic Manor

[Lenalee is swimming along with her newly acquired mermaid tail, arms folded stubbornly over her chest and ready to bolt at the sight of anyone else. She knows that this isn't really her body. She knows that there is nothing to really cover up, as her chest (and indeed most of her body) is covered in dark green scales. She knows that fish do not wear clothes, and she is probably lucky to still have opposable thumbs, given the Author's imagination.]

[But none of that knowledge makes her any less uncomfortable about her sudden nudity. Surely there are some special mermaid clothes to be found somewhere. The lack of legs would be bad enough to get used to without this on top of it!]

[Lenalee stands in front of a large mirror, frowning at it. There is an uncapped marker in one hand, but she hesitates to do anything with it yet.]

This is silly...

[Muttered to herself, as she is unaware that her blackberry is on. But she presses the marker's tip against the mirror's surface, and pauses only a moment before starting to write in a neat, but fairly large script.]

Mind your own business.

[Lenalee is not one to divulge secrets, and thought this latest plot is far less terrible than being imprisoned, she does not appreciate it one bit. Content with the message, she takes a step back, staring at the words expectantly. Seconds, and then minutes tick by with nothing changing. Lenalee glances around the room to see if a response has materialized anywhere else on the mirror, before sighing to herself and turning away.]

Please stop crying?

[Lenalee is looking a little worse for wear, hair a tangled mess and dark circles under her eyes. She can be seen cradling a wailing child with the same black hair as her, but brown eyes.]

Come on, use your words... are you hungry? Do you- ow! [The child stops crying long enough to gleefully yank at a lock of her hair. Lenalee covers his tiny fist with her hand, slowly prying off his fingers with a weary sigh.] No hair pulling.

[The toddler is placed on the ground once Lenalee gets her hair free, and she fixes him with a stern look.]

That isn't the way to get what you want. Use your words.

[There is a moment of silence as the child's lower lip wibbles, and then he is screaming again. Lenalee wavers for a moment before bending to pick him back up, bouncing him on her hip.]

Brother would know what to do with you. [He's the one with childcare experience. Although... the thought of him happening upon her holding a child at all resembling herself is worrying.] It's a good thing Brother isn't here, though...