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[Rosetta]

Alexa Dissimulo:

Alexa clutched the leather bag close to her chest, as she stepped off the creaky elevator, to the suffocating mine. Hot stuffy air drew sweat from her pores, and dust coated her lungs as soon as she took a breath. The opening area of the mines was fairly large, but even so, Alexa's legs began to tremble.

Don't let anyone see your fear, she told herself, don't think about it. You're not more than 100 feet underground, you're nice, and warm, at home, not in this horrible place...right?

She took a forced step forward, already feeling lightheaded. Her father had forgotten his lunch again down here, and it was up to her to bring it to him. Taking a deep breath, she began walking down the light pathways of the mine. Sweaty men and woman grunted, or nodded to her, as she passed. Within minutes, her brown, leather boots, and her nicest, yellow school dress was coated in a fine layer of black coal dust.

At least my skin will be even, she thought, bitterly, of her skin disease, that caused her knees, elbows, neck and stomach to be lighter than her olive skin. She gave a false smile to a passing school group, taking a tour. The kids' eyes were wide with fear and fascination, and she tried to look as happy as possible to make them feel better, but inside, her stomach was churning.

The tunnel began to get narrower, and darker. She was breathing heavily, as she walked down a steep drop-off, to a different part of the mine. Her mom nodded to her as she passed, mining away at a slab, her brown hair tied up in the ponytail. Alexa nodded back, uneasily, and continued on her way.

Her father worked in a fairly new area, that had recently been dug, and the men stooped a little to get through. She found him, easily, his face completely blackened by the coal.

"Thanks, sweat pea." He said, taking the leather bag, and kissing her on the cheek, leaving a black mark.

"You're welcome." Alexa said, quickly, trying to keep vomit down. "See you at home." She hurried away, anxious to leave, and be once more above ground.

However, she had barely gone five steps, when she tripped over something, and landed, face first, in a mound of dirt.

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

Theo Fern:

Theo traveled through the mines. She was bored and had decided to go into the mines. The 6 year old girl almost tripped over something on the ground. She looked down and saw another girl. SHe then went over to her head and bent down, "Um girl, why are you on the ground?" she asked with her friendly smile. She wasn't sure why this girl was on the ground but she was going to find out.

[Rosetta]

((Hi, uhm your character is 6, right? Correct me if I'm wrong))

Alexa looked up. Standing over here was a little girl, cute, and smiling. She wanted to know why Alexa was on the ground.

Alexa grinned up at her, though inside she was humiliated. She pulled herself up, and said. "I fell, that's all."

She felt slighty at ease with this child, although the horrible feeling in her stomach was threatening to overwhelm her. "What are you doing all the way down here, anyway?" She asked, curiously.

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

<> Yehp ^.^

Theo Fern:

"Oh, I'm just waiting for my sister to finish her business, I got bored so I wanted to explore" Theo smiled. Her brown locks gracefully popping up when she did. She had bear feet but that didn't bother Theo. Jaybird has said that they would get some new clothes and shoes before winter. Her silver-gray eyes warm fully looking at the new girl. "By the way, my names Theo, what's yours?"

[Rosetta]

Alexa raised her eyebrows at the girl. Exploring, in a place like this? What a strange little thing she was. She seemed to be bursting with energy, and almost made Alexa's smile genuine.

"My name's Alexa." She told her, kneeling down to her level, not caring anymore that her nice yellow dress was almost completely black with coal dust. "Theo is a very pretty name." She smiled, widely. "Why would you want to explore a place like this, though?"

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

"Thank you, I like your name to Alexa" Theo smiled. She really did like that name. Maybe she would name her kid that one day.

"I'm not entirely sure" Theo said. Her real parents where killed down here. Then Jaybird took her in. But that was no real reason was it? Well not to a 6 year old. "What were you doing down here?" She asked. Just with curiosity, Theo was always curious. Maybe that's what had brought her down here.

[Rosetta]

Yes, this girl was certainly a wonder. What, was she coming down here for the fun of it?

"I had to deliver something. For my dad." Alexa told her, and then coughed, the coal dust suddenly coating her throat. As not to alarm the little girl, she quickly forced a smile, and stood up straight, wiping the dust from her dress, with a few pats. It flew up in a cloud, and Alexa batted it away with distaste.

"Not really the most appetizing place, this place is." She choked, chuckling a little.

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

Theo smiled, "No not that I really good look at it. Should we go outside?" She asked. Theo wasn't sure. She hoped that Alexa knew.

Then Theo herd Jaybird calling her name. She looked in the direction of it and called back to it. The dust covered Jaybird came running in her direction. "Theo! What ever are you doing down here?" Then she noticed the other girl. "Oh um hi I'm Jaybird Theo's older sister, nice to meet you. Theo did you make a new friend?"

Theo nodded, "Yeah her name's Alexa"

"Oh what a pretty name" Jaybird smiled.

[Rosetta]

Alexa smiled at this other girl, Jaybird. Jaybird, what an exotic, beautiful name. And they thought Alexa was a pretty name?

"Oh thank you," Alexa blushed, reaching out a hand to shake Jaybird's. "Jaybird is a beautiful name. But, I'm afraid I haven't seen you around here before...?"

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

"Oh I was doing some errands to get some money, so we can get some real winter clothes. I usually don't down here often, not since my dad died down here and same Theo's parents. But since we really needed the money, I came down here. And then little Theo ran off exploring. But anyways, we've been around just no out in the open before" Jaybird explained. It was natural for her to talk to others. Even though she kept her bow and arrow ready on her back at all times.

Theo nodded agreeing with the story. "Exploration's fun though" she said with her gentle smile.

[Rosetta]

Alexa smiled at them. She liked them a lot. They were so natural and comfortable talking to her.

"Oh, I really don't like it too much down here, so you wouldn't see me around." She had forgotten for a moment where they were, and the mine was closing in on her again. She swallowed down her fear and asked. "How old are you, anyway, Jaybird?"

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

"I'm 15, and Theo is 6" Jaybird said, Theo then tugged on her jeans. Jaybird leaned down. "Cane we go now, it's getting harder to breathe" Jaybird nodded. "Hey Alexa, do you wanna get out of here? Theo and I were going to get a bite to eat at the Hob you wanna come?" she asked.

Theo looked at Alexa with her big blue eyes and smiled. "Please Alexa"

[Rosetta]

Alexa beamed at them. Theo was so adorable, staring pleadingly at her, and Alexa bit her lip, and looked away. So what did it matter if her skin was uneven? What did it matter if she was always full of jealousy at others? What did any of it matter? She had just made two new friends, whom she found to like very much.

"I, uh..." She stuttered, then cleared her throat, smiling. "Of course, I'd love that, let's go."

[Jasmine ((AKA Jaybird))]

<> Should we make a new thread or just use this one?

"Yay, I'm so glad" Theo said jumping up and down clapping.

"Awesome, I'll pay." Jaybird said. She had gotten enough money for her kill, to last them all winter and a little treat here and there. This was great. Theo and Jaybird had made a new friend, and now they would be able to talk and have some fun together.

[Rosetta]

((New thread, I'm thinking...))

Alexa reached out a hand. "No, that's okay." She said, and pulled out the new brown leather wallet she had bought from money she'd gotten patching up wounds for miners at the Hob. "I've got it."

She was sure she had a lot more money than either of the two, unfortunately, as she stared at them. She showed them the wallet, and then put it away. "Let's go."