The Inspection

[acciomod]

On the whole, the weather had been temperamental lately. One minute, it was absolutely bucketing it down, and the next, it was bright sunshine. The amount of rain had turned the ground into a muddy mess, but at least the tents provided perfectly adequate shelter, and a gazebo had been erected over the community dining table to protect everyone from the elements.

Despite the temperamental weather, however, it had been fairly warm throughout the past two weeks, so the chill in the air during dinner that evening was particularly noticeable, even before the dark, hooded figure by the Ministry's representative's desk had been seen.

Nervously, the Ministry representative approached the table.

"I'm afraid we have a visitor," he said, addressing everyone at the table and hoping that anyone not there could hear him. "This is a Dementor, one of the Guards at Azkaban. It's a high security prison. He's just here to, well, ensure that a certain escaped criminal isn't hiding amongst you.

"I don't expect he'll be here for more than an half an hour, so do try not to worry too much. They can make people rather, well... uncomfortable."

Bowing his head slightly, he left the Outsiders to their meal.

[And so, a Dementor is lurking around the camp, just in case one of the Outsiders is secretly Sirius Black. They're known to sap the happiness out of the environment, and - in cases where there are true horrors in someone's past - cause traumatic memories to resurface.

The chilly, depressed feeling can be lifted by the deliciousness of chocolate, though the Outsiders will need to discover this on their own. Good thing there's dessert.]

Comments

[redcinemareel]

[While the feeling of helplessness sweeps over her, the scream from that boy knocks her back to reality. A good thing, too. Her vision had blurred for a moment. Being unable to see anything and feeling weighed down by the shackles of humanity...no, it's a good thing that boy screamed.

She looks down and picks up the boy by the collar of his shirt without effort. Being supernaturally strong feels pretty nice right now. Grell peers at him with narrowed green eyes.]

You'll have to cower somewhere else, dear.

[corruptedsouls]

[Gck.

Being suddenly hauls up causes his scream to catch in his throat, turning a look on Grell similar to a rabbit who's staring down the blade of the butcher holding it. He's gone unnaturally still, barely even breathing now.]

[redcinemareel]

[Grell stares back before sighing at the reaction.]

I'm not going to eat you. I just need you to not curl up on the ground. You'll ger stepped on, and then I'll say I told you thusly.

Can you understand that? [The boy looked pretty...out of it.]

[corruptedsouls]

...

[He doesn't seem entirely convinced, but the stillness gives way to trembling and almost violently shaky breaths.

He does, however, manage a slow, weak nod.]

[redcinemareel]

Good. [Grell places him back onto his feet, adjusting the shirt she grabbed.] Goodness, you're shaking worse than a leaf in a typhoon!

Do you have a name, dear?

[corruptedsouls]

[Meep. That's about the best sound he can make and despite the fact that his feet are back on solid ground, he can't get up the will to bolt.

Like a little bird in a cage.

Name? That makes him jump a little, blinking very slowly as if he almost can't understand it.]

...To...bi...as...

[redcinemareel]

Tobias, hmm~? Quite the charming name.

I'm Grell. Grell Sutcliff. [She'll smile to him, but her teeth...] Are you always so skittish?

[corruptedsouls]

[Yeah, he already thinks you're going to eat him, the teeth would not help.

At the question, he nods again, very slowly.]

[redcinemareel]

Well, at least you're honest. [The one redeeming trait right now...]

[corruptedsouls]

[Tobias turns his look to his feet, wrapping both arms around himself with a mumbled noise of nonsense.

Sorry, Grell, were you expecting something helpful? He can't really give you that.]

[redcinemareel]

[SIGHS. What has she gotten herself into.]

Have you eaten?

[corruptedsouls]

[What indeed?

He shakes his head no and fiddles with his shirt.]

[redcinemareel]

To the tables, then.

[That isn't a request.]

[corruptedsouls]

[He doesn't really understand orders, so he just sort of stares at her.]

[redcinemareel]

[MUST SHE DO EVERYTHING HERSELF?!

She goes behind him and guides him to the dining table, hands on his frail shoulders.]

We're going to do a thing called eating. You may have heard of it?

[corruptedsouls]

[He immediately locks up once more as Grell's hands fall on his far-too-boney-shoulders, barely able to draw in enough breath to whimper.

Just stand still and maybe the crazy lady won't touch him anymore...]

[redcinemareel]

[If he doesn't move, she's going to carry him.]

You're nothing but bones! You shouldn't be giving a skeleton a run for its money!

[corruptedsouls]

[G-Gwah, picked up! He's still as rigid as a statue, barely able to breathe now as he gives the woman a look of terror and sheer confusion.]

[redcinemareel]

[She easily carries him over to the table, which looks weird by everyone else. Gently, she plops him down and sits next to him. The food simply appears before them; a salad for herself, and sandwiches for Tobias. Good, it's a light meal.]

[corruptedsouls]

[He's a bit too dumbstruck to really do anything, but the sight of food has him almost cautiously poke it, as if he's afraid it's not real.

When it clearly is, he downs that thing so fast that even Grell might have a little trouble following it.]

1/2

[redcinemareel]

[Grell picks up her fork, but then gets startled when the boy sucks up his food. What even?!]

[redcinemareel]

SLOW DOWN! You'll make yourself sick!

[corruptedsouls]

[Aug yelling! Tobias immediately folds in on himself, guarding his head as if he expects Grell to break it open for the supposed "incident."

There's a choked whimper from him as well, crying all over again.]

[redcinemareel]

For the love of Fates, stop whimpering. The food won't go anywhere, and if you eat too fast you'll just waste it by being sick. [She pours him some juice.]

[corruptedsouls]

[...a little bit of blood trickles from his mouth. Did he bite his tongue?

He watches her pour the juice, though he seems way too hesitant to pick it up this time, looking between the glass and her.]