Two Dearest Friends

Cat and Mouse

Doctor Finklestein tries to speak with Sally. To ask why he found her gone and the window open. Her disappearance doesn't go unnoticed with him - he knows when his breakfast is missing or when his lunch isn't cooking in the kitchen. Instead of telling him, the ragdoll keeps quiet. She refuses to tell him anything, which results in another period of her being grounded. He locks her in her room and tells her that she can't come out for a week.

Little does he know that it won't stop her. She no longer needs to bat her eyes at him or slip deadly nightshade into his soups or tea to leave. She has other ways of escaping the tower. It's foolish he forgets to lock the window again. She may as well take the key from him - he isn't using it, after all.

She decides to slip out one day while grounded. He won't know she's gone; he rarely opens up when she is supposed to stay in her room. She jumps out of the window like last time, making sure no one is around to make a scene, and sews her limbs back together. She decides to take a trip into the market today with what little money she has saved. Maybe she can use it for something she can keep instead of buying for the Doctor. Something that'll remind her of the outside when she's inside.

As she strolls down the path, she breathes in her air of freedom. It feels clear as she breathes it in, and relaxing as it comes out. She's getting used to breathing like this instead of through her teeth at home. She sits near the fountain and carefully sets her basket on the floor next to her feet, brushing her hair behind her back and enjoying the sun on her clothed skin.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

She looks up at the sudden noise, finding her favorite little ghost dog appearing through the crowds. He's barking "hello" to everyone he passes and looks happy, tail wagging when anyone nearby calls him a good boy. She watches as a few children come and pet him, and Zero is all to happy to indulge in their rubs and scratches. It isn't long before his eye sockets find Sally, and as soon as they do, he's by her side yapping excitedly.

"Arf! Arf!"

She leans down to pet his head. He nudges it further in her hand and levitates to sit on the space beside her. She scratches behind his ear and watches as his tongue flickers out of his mouth. She stops petting him when her arm gets tired and lets it fall into her lap. He decides to take his leave now, but not before giving her one last lick and flying off. Zero lets people pet him as he's leaving, but disappears from her sight in only a minute.

She takes some thread from her pocket and the needle from behind her ear, sewing some places that need extra stitches, just to pass the time. She'll do anything to prolong her freedom - she could sit here all day and still be content! Anything to avoid her home, with her stubborn creator and lonely room...

She hears voices come from her left, and when she looks up, finds a group of monsters huddling around someone. Someone she knows all too well. The skeleton easily towers over everyone as he strolls along, laughing and smiling at the many people around him. He doesn't even see Sally as the group passes by the fountain. Her eyes stay locked on him as they travel further.  She places her thread back in her dress and returns the needle in its place. She picks up her basket and makes her way to the group. Her heart is pounding in her ears and her palms are growing sweaty as she advances on them. While she's walking, she hears the crowd erupt into whistles and "ooh"s, which makes her face grow even hotter. She can't believe she's doing this. Walking right up to them? To find her way to Jack? All she wants is a small 'hello', but she might interrupt them...

Once she's a foot away, Jack glances in her direction and stops when their gaze meets. The skeleton pushes his way through the crowd around him. The pounding sensation in her chest grows faster as he approaches her, and she has no time to react before he takes her hand into his and shakes it heartily. She holds her jaw from dropping and attempts to smile, melting once more under his grip.