[center][h1][color=darkgreen]Linkle[/color][/h1][/center]
[center][h3][color=red]Merge Rate: 33%[/color][/h3][/center]

[center]Word Count: 782 [/center]

[center][color=darkgreen]Level 10[/color] - (15/100) + 2[/center] 

[center]Location: Frozen Highlands ~ Snowdin - Treat's Doll House[/center]
[@Majoras End][@Lugubrious]
[hr]

Linkle rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet until they heard the sound of approaching footfalls and the click of the door unlocking. Slowly it opened up to reveal they're skittish quarry. "Hello!" Linkle greeted warmly, Frisk following her up with a punny explanation as they both presented their presents to her. 

All they accomplished was changing the expression on Treat's face from wariness to confusion, but as far as Linkle was concerned that was a step in the right direction. Still, it took a little doing to convince her that this wasn't some kind of wolf hunt and that the presents were safe to take. As she took them her face turned as red as her eyes and she buried he face in her hands, a posture that Linkle empathized with recognized. "No, no, it's  fine. They're not even really my ears, they were more like a parting gift from a friend. It's complicated. I'm not even offended."

Albedo affirmed that she didn't have anything to apologize for in his own logical way. He had a way of pointing out things that should be obvious, but somehow wasn't at the time. Frisk on the other hand laid a comforting hand on Treat, held up a stick, and just offered to bonk anybody that messed with her. Linkle found it hard to argue with that because it was the solution she would have gone with. It was the solution she [i]had[/i] gone with, when she was their age. Still, that would end really badly in this world. "I wouldn't go that far. They'll bonk back, trust me. That would cause a riot."

The inside of the house was dark, but not dark enough that what little light there wasn't didn't gleam eerily off the eyes of the dolls that littered the house. At least it was confirmed that Treat wasn't the one obsessed with dolls, given the portrait hanging in the parlor. The dark woman depicted in the frame was contrasted by the white garbed, putrid looking doll seated on her lap. Linkle got an inkling of a suspicion about this situation, one that was confirmed when they entered the living. True to its name, Treat was living in this room. She had her whole life set up here in front of a dingy little fireplace. She didn't live in this house because it wasn't hers, she just occupied it. Linkle guessed that the portrait must depict the mansions true owner, from before it was picked up and flung haphazardly into this world. 

The sight of her operating the [i]Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace[/i] and the short conversation about the relative coldness of this place and Albedo's outward camp inspired a few more questions in her. First of all what kind of magic ran that fireplace and where could she get one, because she found it just as enchanting as the shower back at the motel. If she had had one of those things back when she was a kid she wouldn't have been able to resist throwing all manner of item in there, especially if money popped out whenever you burned stuff. The other question, though, she quietly asked Albedo before settling down next to Treat and Frisk as close to the fireplace as she was able. 

"How cold is it in here?"

The answer she got was that it was basically the same temperature as it was outside. 

As she watched as the wolf girl start on opening the gifts Linkle offered, "I've got some real logs on my sled we could throw in there." That line of thought stopped as soon as Treat pulled out her first gift. Appropriate enough it was a treat, what looked like a set of candies in their own crisp packaging. From Linkle's she extracted a long black shawl, something that Linkle nodded approvingly at. Good choice, destiny. From Frisk's she pulled out a weird hat that Albedo identified as a drink dispenser and a pack of what looked like potions that glowed a bright blue. She had to resist asking to try one. 

Overwhelmed, Treat broke down in tears. Linkle didn't mind this time. There was a difference between good and bad crying, just like with good and bad stupid. This was a good cry. It was lucky Frisk was there to wrap the girl in the hug Linkle didn't feel like she could give her in her state. Instead she leaned in closer. "If I left someone as good as you worse off for having met me I wouldn't be any kind of hero at all. I really am sorry that I scared you, Treat. You want to be friends?"