tongueamok | XOqNI

Entry tags:

g[hadriel],
ic

XOqNI

Hello, this is Carlisle.

I mean, it's not Carlisle as in I'm actually answering you right now, so if you're trying to reply to me at the second, you should probably save your breath because I'm not really here. This is some kind of a recording of my voice, but this is my communicator. I'm going to assume these devices are as common here as they are in other places — not my world, but others, ones more technologically advanced than where I come from— so if you'd like to leave me a message, then you may do so here, or er...

Right. Here is fine. So just leave yo—

[beep]

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Well, you got one. [ And she is trying a touch too hard to sound casual there. Takes a touch too long before saying anything else. ] How'd you get on last week? [ since she hadn't seen him since the first night. ]

[If the bags under his eyes and the fact he's still hiding behind the door are any indication: poorly.]

I am alive. I suppose that is what matters.

[He cracks the door open a hair more and steps aside to let her come in, if she'd like. It must be laundry day, as his usual jacket and tabard are both missing -- what he's wearing is a dark, skintight undershirt that covers him from his neck all the way down his arms, his hands covered by gloves attached to the ends of the sleeves.

Or one glove is still attached, at least. The other sleeve is the one usually hidden under an ink-stained bandage, and it's barely held together, most of the fabric riddled with tears. The punctures have stretched over time, and there is hardly any material left by now.]

S'pose it is. [ she takes the invite, pushing her loose hair back out of her face. and it is probably a testament to the fact that she feels about as great as he looks that her hair is loose and she's not wearing a jacket or her weapons bag. really, kate isn't sure if there's any reason or need to be here, to talk to anyone right now - she wanted to know if he was okay, and he was at least alive - but the thought of being alone sounds worse than any other options.

she's tired of fighting, too exhausted to go the caves even if she wasn't, and her bruised ribs make running for too long hard.

so, trying to interact with others it was, then? ] Wouldn't have been very pleased if I saved your arse and you died. [ she's trying to make a joke, trying to get away from the increasingly heavy guilt pressing down on her.

it probably doesn't work when your voice sounds that leaden. ]

[Given her tone, her joke is entirely missed.]

I am grateful for your help. I don't know what would have happened if I'd been left to my own devices.

[He knows: he'd have died.]

You look exhausted. Would a drink help?

[ next time let's just avoid having guilt monsters turn up. she really doesn't enjoy fighting things that don't die to pointy things. kate takes a seat, stretching her arms above her head and resisting the urge to wince at the pain that aches in her ribs. ] Aye, actually. Just water.

[As a healer, Carlisle can't help but notice some stiffness in the way she moves. He doesn't question it for the time being, however; he heads to the kitchen and fetches a glass of water for Kate, handing it to her once he comes back. As for himself, he's got a flask sitting on the table for himself. It's a fancy one, too: it appears to be made of silver and stone, and is etched with a burly man cracking open a boulder with his bare hands, splitting it as one might an egg.]

You had a visitor while you were away. Short fellow, red and black. I thought him to be one of the Forest Folk from back home, for a moment.

[ oh.

oh. him. fuck.

the announcement causes a brief flash of emotion across her face, some meeting point between shock and pain. c r a p. after their conversations on the first night of the fog, she really doesn't want to know what he'll say if they run into each other again.

(there's some nagging dread in the pit of her stomach that she has a lot more to apologise for, but what it is seems out of her grasp.) ] What did he want? [ it's an exercise in being painfully neutral, trying to keep the way her heart aches with the guilt out of her voice. ]

[Carlisle raises an eyebrow to the look that crosses her face, but says nothing of it.]

He said he was looking for you. He had some dreadful burns on him. I assume he needed assistance at the clinic, and you weren't there, so he came looking at your home.

[That, or he was her friend and believed something had happened to her. He did know exactly where she lived, after all. It was easy enough to assume they were more than passing acquaintances.]

Burns?

[ That aching dread increases. It could just be a coincidence, but that thing was roaming the streets at some point and if it had her voice, it probably had her proclivities.

And burning was a big part of that. ] When was this?

A day or so before the fog dissipated, I believe. It's hard to keep track of the days when you're concerned with death at all hours.

[So thanks for that.]

Were you expecting him?

Shit [ the word slips out before she has a chance to bite her tongue on anything, because that means that everything she dreads was likely true.

there really was no part of her life this place didn't want torn free, was there? ]

... No. No, I wasn't.

I see.

[He's not sure what her reaction is about, but he assumes it's because some friend of hers was injured, and she wasn't there to aid him.]

The lad is fine now, if that's what concerns you.

Ah. Good. [ Kate - to - English translation: Thanks, Carlisle, you're a peach. ]

Was that- [ Yeah, time to change the topic. ] -Was that thing still around? [ It's pretty obvious what she's referring to, right? The monster that sent them fleeing from the spire in the first place. ]

It was. Chased the two of us, as well. I wasn't aware Forest Folk were capable of apparition, but your friend surprised me.

He calls himself the ultimate lifeform. [ and she's guessing being called forest folk didn't go over well. Not sure he's even seen a forest.

The... ultimate lifeform.

[Oh, he's laughing. Carlisle is genuinely laughing.]

[ it does sound ridiculous, honestly. she has the briefest smile before the memories of what she does know surface. yeah. maybe it's not so funny. ]

Just one more fucked up thing to add to this place.

[Still chuckling just a little. Sorry, Shadow.]

I suppose. I'd think 'the ultimate lifeform' would be a little more impressive, but this place has surprised me more than once.

Maybe it's for disguise purposes. [ Like. No one expects it therefore it is perfect? ]

Well, it's working. His disguise is flawless.

[Not that Carlisle believes Shadow is the ultimate lifeform for one second.]

[ the ultimate tiny grouchy fuzzy. although that would get really annoying really fast. "i can murder people!" "no u can't ur a three foot hedgehog wtf."

at least this entire conversation has amused her more than most things have in a while. ]

Not very subtle, though. Imagine he'd be pretty easy to pick out in a lineup.

Probably. The Guard would have no problem finding their culprit. Keeping him bound would be the far greater problem, given his skill in apparition.

That works here? [ It's slightly surprising, given that she's heard of people losing that ability entirely. ] Huh.

Should it not?

Talked to someone a while back who lost that ability. Or one like it. Can't quite remember.

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