♕ |[80]| I met a traveller from an antique land...

[had_not_lived]

[VOICE | Glass City (but not for long)]

I know this isn't the safest thing, and I'm sorry if it upsets anyone. But... well.

If you haven't heard, they've said that the price for going over to the Desert is this: every hour spent there means one more day you'll have to stay in the City.

[A long pause.]

Anyway, Todd and Justin and I are going to cross over. For a while, anyway. [Which means as long as they can get away with it, racking up time, but he doesn't feel like he needs to say it.] We'll bring over anything we can get that it seems like people might need-- bottles of water, and food, and things like that-- but if anyone there can hear this, if there's anything special that we wouldn't think of... Try to let us know, and we'll do what we can.

[Another long pause. Then, quietly:]

Good luck, everyone.


[ooc; this would've been posted earlier today, so all comments will be still from Glass as they prep to go over, unless otherwise noted. ♥]

Comments

voice;

[intheblanks]

[He's not at all focused right now, Neil and, in this incarnation, hasn't met you yet. The sound is buzzy and intermittent.]

-ilson?

voice;

[had_not_lived]

▓▒░don?

S░▒ry, I c▒░'▓ h░▓r y░▒...

voice;

[intheblanks]

[Oh this was a bad choice to make, on top of a headache.]

-u left?

-'s wrong with your voi-

voice;

[had_not_lived]

▒░▓tor ░▓▒se, is th▓▒ ░▒u?

voice;

[intheblanks]

-n't leave ho-

-tients with only House here?-

video;

[had_not_lived]

[Maybe lip-reading would help? Neil switches over to video to give it a try.]

I'▒ ▓░ving a ▓▒░d ti░▒ he▒░▓ng y▓░.

video;

[intheblanks]

[It certainly helps with something. And Chase is easy to lipread.]

...Wow.

video;

[had_not_lived]

Wh▓░ w▒▓░ y▓░ s░▒▓ng, Do░▒or?

video;

[intheblanks]

[No, he's not paying attention. Depending on how clear the image is, it might be obvious that the hair he pushes his hands through as he laughs is slick with sweat. But it's at least obvious that he's laughing.]

Wow. When- when did that happen?

video;

[had_not_lived]

What?

[He mouths, sound cutting out entirely for a moment. He's completely lost.]

action;

[othersdie]

[Justin is making a list of things they've collected to take with them. Why? Good question.]

We should take salt.

action;

[had_not_lived]

Salt?

[Neil's taking a moment from packing to look regretfully at all the books he's going to have to leave behind. Just as well, since half of them are glass, still, and he doesn't want to risk breaking shelves anyway.]

If you think they'll need it, sure.

action;

[othersdie]

There may be a slug problem there.

[Or maybe he's misinterpreting the fragmented posts coming in from the other side.]

action;

[had_not_lived]

[See, that's the first thing to give him pause.]

You mean-- like the ones before?

action;

[othersdie]

[He wasn't in the City then, but Justin has read of the previous slug incident.]

I don't know.

action;

[had_not_lived]

[Well, Neil hardly has the presence of mind-- least of all now-- to remember that detail.]

That... well, I'm sure we'll manage, somehow.

[But he sounds a bit doubtful.]

action;

[othersdie]

Slugs aren't that threatening.

[He won't even remind Neil that he has a gun that he can usually use with some success, because... slugs.]

action;

[had_not_lived]

You're right, though. Salt isn't a bad idea.

[He frowns a bit, glances back at his book. The gun isn't something he'd think of on his own, and certainly nothing he'd ask about.]

action; hi i'm just gonna butt in here

[mumbled_truth]

[Todd's still not sure about this. Of course he wants to stay in the City longer, but it still seems like a bad idea. They'll be in the way, they'll need protecting, use up resources...

But he's been placated by their idea to bring supplies, at least, providing their trip over with some purpose. So he's got a big bag that he drags out of the bedroom with him, full of his share of the supplies. He only catches the end of the slug conversation.]

Why do we need salt?

action; you're a very polite threadjacker

[othersdie]

Slugs.

[What, you expected a proper answer?]

action;

[had_not_lived]

The ones that came to the City, once... That took people over.

[He's frowning, ever so slightly. Todd's not big on this plan to begin with, and this would be an excellent reason to call it all off.]

I don't think it's as bad as it was, though.

action;

[mumbled_truth]

[He frowns, glancing from Justin to Neil. He'd been convinced, but just barely. Now he's wavering a bit.]

So... we're going to a desert full of mind-controlling slugs.

action;

[othersdie]

[And Justin looks to Neil as if to be sure he has the correct answer. Neil is the ringleader, after all.]

Yes. And we're taking supplies.

action;

[had_not_lived]

It's worth it. For the time.

[Hopefully Neil sounds more certain about that than he feels.]

The Deities put up a safe shelter, I'm sure it won't be so bad there. Besides, we'll have more than enough food and plenty of water-- we'll be able to help out.

action;

[mumbled_truth]

I know, but...

[He's torn. On one hand, they're willing to go and they can bring supplies over that are needed. On the other, they're probably a huge liability.]

I just-- I don't want to put anyone else in danger because of us, if we end up in trouble and need help.

action;

[othersdie]

I doubt that will happen.

action;

[had_not_lived]

[That bolsters his confidence just a bit, and he flashes a tight smile at Justin, then looks to Todd.]

See? It'll be fine. We can take care of ourselves.

action;

[mumbled_truth]

[Todd can't help but frown slightly, even as he gives a little tilt of his head as a shrug.]

I guess... I just-- I don't want us to be more trouble than we are help. I mean, we're choosing to be in a situation people have gotten stuck in.

action;

[othersdie]

We're also choosing to be prepared.

action;

[had_not_lived]

I think... we can be more help than harm. We will.

action;

[mumbled_truth]

[He lets out a breath bordering on a sigh as he nods slightly.]

Yeah. I guess.

I mean, at least we can bring them supplies.

[signatures]

That's a stupid idea.

[had_not_lived]

You're probably right.

[signatures]

A bit self-sacrificial when things aren't at their finest over here. Though I'm not where where you come from, depending - it may be a walk in the park for you.

[had_not_lived]

I heard the Deities made a safe place.

[signatures]

It's hardly safe. It provides shelter from the elements, but there's more to safety than that.

[had_not_lived]

I'm sure we'll manage, somehow.

[signatures]

Suppose it's all on you, then.

[had_not_lived]

I've got reasons.

[signatures]

Of course you do.

[had_not_lived]

We'll manage.

[Possibly trying to reassure himself? Who knows.]

[signatures]

Best of luck.

[had_not_lived]

Thank you.

voice;

[minigolfandsushi]

[What a surprise, Peter is drunk. And kind of gross-looking -- he hasn't left his room since discovering that Ed and Jerry are here. You could consider that an excuse, but Peter's brain-to-mouth filter is broken even when he's sober.]

Are you gay?

voice;

[had_not_lived]

What would that have to do with anything?

voice;

[minigolfandsushi]

Well, you know, City, Emerald City, friend of Dorothy... [realizing how ridiculous he sounds] it was just a question!


So what are you planning on doing out in the desert?

voice;

[had_not_lived]

This is the City, you know. That's what this place is called.

[He's just a little puzzled, because well it's not that obvious. Right?]

We're going to make for the Shelter and do what we can to help out.

voice;

[minigolfandsushi]

Well, how ALTRUISTIC of you.

[It makes him think of Charley - these stupid fucking teenagers doing stupid noble things. It makes him sick. Perhaps more fair to say, he makes himself sick.]

voice;

[had_not_lived]

I don't have to explain my reasons to you.

[He definitely doesn't want to talk about it after an opener like that.]