>To Reisen: You might want to brace yourself.
>"She's over there."
>Point
>Reisen quietly chuckles.
I heard. Bit of a shame she's not on the cheerleading squad, hm? she asks half-jokingly.
>The effervescent Cinnamon's head snaps in the direction of your finger. Taking your own advice, you brace yourself for the inevitable eruption of noise from the fairy.
>Except that it never comes. In fact, Cinnamon becomes very quiet when she sees Poppy. The look on her face changes from hyperactive excitment to confusion, then, and you never could have imagined this, to almost sad.
>Poppy gives the fairy with the red streak in her hair a moment to collect herself, then when Cinnamon still doesn't say anything, the rabbit finally says, "Hello, Cinnamon. I'm Poppy." she introduces herself, extending her hand out to her.
>With surprising gentleness, Cinnamon takes the rabbit's hand, and gasps faintly. "You're so cold." she breathes.
>In that moment, Reisen's smile fades, and her face, for just a fleeting fraction of a second, shines through with pain, the pain of her life that's followed her perhaps since she can remember. Then it is gone, and she smiles at Cinnamon, though even this smile is tinged with sadness. "I have been for a long time."
>Cinnamon's eyes shimmer with unshed tears, and with no invitation, she wraps her arms around Reisen's waist and embraces her. "I'm so sorry."
>Reisen does not resist. "I know..."
>You are as stunned as the rest of the girls at this exchange. Even the crass Sen is gobsmacked. Haruka gives you a look of utter bafflement.
