The Ghost of Christmas Past leads its guest to an elevator, moving not through a building but suspended in a swirl of distorted space. Images - memories, rather - float past, and the sharp-eyed might be able to pick a few out before they're gone: A tiny Tio in the arms of her parents, although her eyes are a cool blue rather than the gold those who know her today would recognize. Rows of beds in some kind of laboratory, Tio only one of the many children restrained and hooked up to IVs and sensors. Tio unconscious in the arms of a concerned man wearing a jacket marked POLICE.
"Zemuria doesn't have Christmas," the Ghost explains. "But...ah, I think this is in the right spirit." The elevator slows, and they're in a hospital room. Tio, still maybe nine years old or so, is in the bed, still a bit pale and thin but not looking nearly as bad as the previous images. And the man in the police jacket is entering, grabbing a nearby chair and turning it backwards to straddle it next to her bed. Some people are too cool to sit normally, evidently.
"You're looking much better," the man says cheerfully. "No wonder I've got permission from the nurses."
Tio looks at him, her expression barely changing. "Does that mean..."
"Yeah. Few more days, and we'll have you on your way back to Remiferia. The chief talked to your parents, they sound pretty excited to have you coming back, too."
There's no excitement on Tio's end. Her gaze only drops to the bedsheets. "I see."
Awkward silence for a few moments. The man reaches over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. I know this is rough. It's not like everything just became okay the minute we got you out of there. But I'm not just shoving you on an airship and taking off. I'll be with you all the way back, and I'll be sticking around for a bit while you settle in again, too."
She looks up. "You will?"
"You bet. Hey, I got something for you, too." He lets go of her shoulder and goes to dig something out of his pocket. "Thought a good luck charm might be nice to have before we set out, you know?" He presses something into her hand and gently closes her fingers around it. "Mishy's kind of a big deal here in Crossbell."
"So maybe he can keep you company once I have to go home, right? Rest easy, give it some time. Maybe not tomorrow, or the next day, but I'm sure you'll become happy again...and if you don't, call on me. Anytime." He grins. "And we'll beat up whatever's making you sad. I promise."
PAST
"Zemuria doesn't have Christmas," the Ghost explains. "But...ah, I think this is in the right spirit." The elevator slows, and they're in a hospital room. Tio, still maybe nine years old or so, is in the bed, still a bit pale and thin but not looking nearly as bad as the previous images. And the man in the police jacket is entering, grabbing a nearby chair and turning it backwards to straddle it next to her bed. Some people are too cool to sit normally, evidently.
"You're looking much better," the man says cheerfully. "No wonder I've got permission from the nurses."
Tio looks at him, her expression barely changing. "Does that mean..."
"Yeah. Few more days, and we'll have you on your way back to Remiferia. The chief talked to your parents, they sound pretty excited to have you coming back, too."
There's no excitement on Tio's end. Her gaze only drops to the bedsheets. "I see."
Awkward silence for a few moments. The man reaches over to put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. I know this is rough. It's not like everything just became okay the minute we got you out of there. But I'm not just shoving you on an airship and taking off. I'll be with you all the way back, and I'll be sticking around for a bit while you settle in again, too."
She looks up. "You will?"
"You bet. Hey, I got something for you, too." He lets go of her shoulder and goes to dig something out of his pocket. "Thought a good luck charm might be nice to have before we set out, you know?" He presses something into her hand and gently closes her fingers around it. "Mishy's kind of a big deal here in Crossbell."
Tio holds it up to the light. A keychain, with a silly-looking cat character.
"So maybe he can keep you company once I have to go home, right? Rest easy, give it some time. Maybe not tomorrow, or the next day, but I'm sure you'll become happy again...and if you don't, call on me. Anytime." He grins. "And we'll beat up whatever's making you sad. I promise."