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[kidsmenu]

Bon soir. I am Claudia de Lioncourt.

[Small, blonde, extremely curly. A little more articulate and staid in her manner than your average twelve-year-old girl. She's wearing a flowery T-shirt and a backward, pink baseball cap.]

I am seeking information on how family relationships mature as a child grows up, in this world and time. In my old world, it would hinge on marriage, and childbirth, and separation from the ancestral home. But it seems that times have changed. Or perhaps they never were.

I'm given to understand that ImPorts don't tend to have children or anything, but I'm open to hearing stories gathered from the natives. Or your other cultures. Apparently, there is a saying, 'when in Rome.' And it would seem there are infinite versions of Romes to choose from.

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[killtime]

I'm older than I look. And I don't think I've done anything too special with my life, kiddo.

[ Wryly: ]

So do your best not to grow up to be like me.

[kidsmenu]

You remind me of someone, [she says, after a moment.] He didn't like himself very much. But other people loved him enough to make up the difference. Or at least, we tried.

[killtime]

It sounds like he was someone important to you.

[kidsmenu]

He was all I had, [Claudia answers, after a moment.] In some ways, he still is. But I suppose I've come to see that that's not how things must be, and perhaps not how they should.

[killtime]

That's a hard lesson to learn, when you're young. But you're not really like other children anyway, are you?

[ It's hard to know what she means by that. Maybe nothing more than the fact that Claudia seems more mature and well-spoken than other children. ]

[kidsmenu]

[She hasn't been very good at pretending, it's true.]

I grew up differently, [she admits with a little smile.] In part because of Louis. In part because of Lestat. I know it's not fair to blame your parents for everything, but I didn't have the opportunity to make many friends besides them.

[killtime]

I suppose you have the chance now, if that's what you want.

[kidsmenu]

Yes. I suppose that's true. And people are quite friendly, thanks especially to the Internet. There are so many people to talk to, about so many things.

[killtime]

Just be careful. Can't always trust people like that, you know? Strangers and candy, that sort of thing.

[kidsmenu]

[That's mostly funny because Claudia herself is a sentient superpredator who sells candy for a living. She smiles, though. In reality, she's yet to eat anybody who's come to the shop.]

Yes, that's true. In every world, I suppose.

[killtime]

[ Andy is oblivious to the irony. Not that she isn't perceptive — Claudia is certainly not like other children — but she has a soft spot for kids, especially girls, and the first instinct is protective, not suspicious. ]

Well. If anyone gives you trouble, you can tell me.

[kidsmenu]

I will, thank you.

[It's always nice to have some confirmation your bias for lovely ladies.]

But I'm being cautious. With any luck, I won't have much trouble.