"Little girl...We're not going to hurt you..." softly said Clarence as he was mere steps away from Poppy, picking up a syringe and pocketing it. [i]"I'd wrap that up if I were you, you don't want to get -stabbed- by that..."[/i] warned Poppy. There was a little bit of emphasis on the word stabbed, but she had a point - judging by the appearance of the splicer corpse, and the fact that the needle has been on the ground as well as in that thing's bloodstream...who knows what kinds of illnesses there were on it? But Poppy wasn't entirely worried about that. The last thing she wanted was for one of them to accidentally use a plasmid, because right now they were all not-angels, so Poppy didn't have to take non-existent ADAM from the stomachs of them all; a task which seemed to look increasingly difficult as time progressed.

Leroy took a step back and Poppy mimicked him, quivering blade of the box cutter outstretched to anyone and everyone in particular. Her back pressed against the metal wall of the alley-way, she felt the cold on the back of her arms as she clutched the syringe, hugging it close. No-one was going to take that from her. She'd like to see them try. But it wasn't the cold of the metal that was bothering her, it was the way these adults were looking at her - in fact, they looked more scared than she did. It was probably the box cutter - Poppy knew bringing out Stickie was a good idea! She might have a chance to escape and go to Daddy now.

"Daniel...back off."

"No. Not yet..."

Poppy locked gazes with Daniel. She watched as he sat cross-legged on the floor, staring levelly back at her with golden eyes. For a moment she wanted to say something but she shut her mouth again, waving the box cutter threateningly...it was becoming painfully obvious that she wasn't going to harm any of the Knights at all. On the other hand, however, it's very clear that she has the capabilities - that box cutter is covered in old blood. Daniel stared back at Poppy, and his gaze wasn't one of fear - Poppy could feel the regret, the sorrow and the pain flowing from his stare now as he opened his mouth, speaking with sincerity and true guilt.

"I'm [i]so[/i] sorry. I'm sorry that I scared you. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you when you needed me most. When the world seemed against you. I'm sorry that I wasn't a good big brother...I want you to know, that as long as I'm breathing. This big brother is here for you. I couldn't protect you then, but I can now."

Poppy stood there, stunned. Her arms fell to their sides and she coughed politely, trying her best to restrain herself as memories she never had struggled to reveal themselves to her. They couldn't make it past her fever-dream, not enough for her to truly understand what was going on. And all at once, she understood what needed to be done here.

First, she put away the box cutter. The Knights were scared enough, it seems, and she didn't like waving it around for all that time. It slipped back into her ankle sock, virtually unnoticeable in between the creases and folds of the cotton cloth, but also a constant reminder that Poppy is, indeed, armed at all times - even if she somehow was forced to part with her dear syringe. The second thing she did was move the syringe into her hand, her little white fingers clutching onto it very very tightly. She didn't want it on her back, but she just as equally didn't want it on the floor. Not when it's full like this.

Then she moved forward. Little, hesitant steps but a movement nonetheless, stepping onto and over the corpse like it wasn't there. Perhaps, in her mind, it wasn't. Her fingers stroked the massive rivet as she walked past it, some form of comfort that at least if things go wrong from this point onward, that splicer won't be the only one with a rivet in the chest.

She did the thing that Kennedy only wished to do moments before; she comforted Daniel in the only way she knew how. Poppy wrapped her little arms around his neck because his shoulders were too broad to do so, elbows resting on the aforementioned shoulders, on her tip-toes, hugging the crying man as gently as she possibly can. Despite the pallid appearance, she's actually quite warm and feels a bit fragile.

After a moment of silence that seemed to stretch on for an impossibly long time, Poppy let go of Daniel, smiling at him. The silence continued for a further few seconds, punctuated only by a very distant, loud [i]WHUMP[/i] noise, as if something just slammed into a metal grate. It was far away, though.

[i]"I'm-...I am no-...t...your...I..."[/i] Poppy struggled to bring out the words, her tongue restrained by fluttering emotions, quick reflections of days she's been forced to forget. Instead, Poppy gave up on trying to say what she wanted to say. [i]"Poppy Hartwell. I'm Poppy Hartwell, pleased to meet you."

WHUMP

"I'd ask what your names are, but time is running real short. Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt any of you, but...you're not...-from- here, are you?"[/i] Poppy inquired, then her eyes fell on Jonathan. [i]"Well, -he- is, I can tell a screamer from a mile off. Skinny, pale, kinda scary...you're form the research lab thingie, aren't you? I've still got to deliver ADAM there. It's really scary in there, but I bet everything's bright and pretty once you leave the reception at the front."[/i] Poppy idly conversed. She seemed so dreadfully unaware of the sick, twisted experiments forced upon the test subjects within that it's almost painful to listen to her talk about it so casually. However, the observant ones would've been able to pick up that she goes there. Regularly.

[i]"Don't worry, though, 'cause it wasn't that obvious. It's just...I saw you lot arrive. Where are your funny dress-up clothes? I liked them."[/i] Poppy looked around for the outfits, still standing beside Daniel. She briefly rests her head on his shoulder, whispering [i]"You might wanna stop crying now, 'cause it's making you look a bit silly."

WHUMP[/i]

Poppy glanced up, past Kennedy, past the knights, and down the neon-lit street. She looked immensely guilty, nibbling at her bottom lip and becoming restless. It might start to intrigue some people that they can hear that noise from so far away - its' as if the entire street was holding it's breath, the tension continuing long after Poppy had stopped threatening to call out on Rosie. There was danger fluctuating in the air still, and it looks like Poppy has a bit of an idea on what's about to happen next.

[i][b]GROOOAAAAARRGGGG....[/b][/i]

The noise sounded horrendous. A twisted, echoing, low wail of clear worry, and pain, and a bubbling anger. It reverberated through the street-[i]WHUMPWHUMPWHUMP[/i]-as the slamming became more frantic and even more powerful. Poppy made a little impatient noise, glancing over at Kennedy, putting a finger to her lips-[i]WHUMPWHUMPWHUMP[/i] and signalling for all of them to be very quiet, and very, very still.

[i][b]GRAAAAHHHNNNNNMMMMM....![/b][/i]

Heavy, metal-clad footsteps were the only sound present, slowly plodding away from the Knights. Poppy took a deep breath, smiling confidently at the rest of the Knights. [i]"Like I was saying, you all look really new here. Wouldn't survive two minutes out on your own, but now Daddy's looking for me...we don't have much time."[/i]