poly_chromatic | Entry 554; Day 1167

Current Location: Desert City; Portal Gate

Entry tags:

godchild - cain hargreaves

Entry 554; Day 1167

[Filtered from Known DELILAH Members || Unhackable]
At last. I thought they might never call my number. I might have been left in this desert forever. I'm nearly to the gate now. I can see the contraption even now. I'm sure I'll get through today--perhaps even in a few moments.

Riff, I've still not heard from you since the start of this whole ordeal. Where are you? Why haven't you found me yet? There's any number of people looking for you, but you've vanished.

I can't keep waiting for you. Not now, not since I've been called to go through. I'd wait for you, but I don't know that I'd ever get out. Riff, you must get out. Everyone will get out. They told me that any number of times and I did doubt it, more than once, but they do seem quite set on getting everyone out. For all I know, you're already through and the trouble is with the Network or your device. If that's so, then you must find me. I'll go back to the opera house--I don't care if it's glass or sand or copper or stone or anything else. You must find me, Riff.

Please, Riff--send me word, wherever you are. I'll wait for you on the other side. I always said I would.

And you said you'd always follow me. You must follow me now. Or you must find me.

They're calling my number now.

~C.
[//end filter]

[ooc: What it looks like. A last-minute, dashed-off message as Cain is being hustled along down to the gates and into the glass City. All of his replies will come from the glass City.]

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You're finally coming through?

[BRB RUNNING FOR THE GATE]

Yes, finally. I thought they'd never call me.

Rosella, I can't stay any lo--

[Couldn't write any more. Sent what he had.]

Well, I should say it's about time!

[And at least this is one situation where an abrupt cutoff might not automatically imply cause for worry. Besides, who knows? Maybe she'll get there in time to flag him down in person.]

[He'll get that message once he's on the other side... He's a little busy at the moment, contending with the crowds and hauling his trunk along...

Is Riff there? Is Rosella there too, perhaps...? He's looking without looking...]

[She's a little harder to spot today, if only because for once she's wearing white instead of red, but eventually she catches sight of him and (politely) shoves her way through the crowd to get nearby.]

There you are! Goodness, I've been worried. What could ever have taken them so long?

[He's tired, he's disheveled, he's a little sunburned, he's dusty, he's muddy (dried mud now), he looks a little green (that trip across was quick but also more than a little disorienting), he's a little bruised, he's carrying his pistol in the waistband of his trousers (yes, really), he's hauling his trunk... ... ...and to his eyes, seeing Rosella is at least as good as--if not better than--the first drink of cold water he had after finally making his way to the ersatz shelter in the desert.

And there she is in front of him. No, she isn't Riff (and that does cause him more than a little pain for it), but he's glad--immensely glad--to see her.

He very gently sets down the handle of his trunk and goes very still. And, for a moment, he almost can't think of anything to say...]

...I've no idea what took them so long.

[And really, she's so caught up in the businesslike aspect of it all--since, after all, the adventure isn't really over until everyone is safely home, and there's still that last leg of the journey to go, it's not quite through yet--that it takes her a minute before that slower, lingering significance really sets in.

Oh.

He looks a fright, and she's anxious and bustling and more than a little irritated at the gate wardens and quite frankly would rather like to give them a piece of her mind over it, but then she somehow goes from looking to looking and--oh, then it catches up with her.

She hadn't quite realized how worried she was until now, when it's contrasted with the abrupt rush of relief that he made it through at last.]

You're really not much for the desert, you know. I ought to have traded tickets with you.

[But she's smiling, even so.]

[And he manages to return her smile, though his is a little fainter, a little more tired.]

I told you that we don't have many deserts in London.

And I don't think I would have taken your ticket even if you'd offered it. I'm glad you got out as soon as you did.

Mm. Well, you always have been just as stubborn as I am. I suppose that's nothing to be surprised about.

Are you going to let me help you with your trunk, at least?

It hardly seems right to let a lady do such a thing.

I think you'll have to insist on it.

I do hope that isn't how they planned out who stayed and who went, though. They ought to have done it by who was best suited to stay, not whether one was a lady or not.

And I do insist. You must be exhausted as it is.

It seems as thought it was almost at random, I'm afraid. It would have been wiser to sort us out based on who could best endure it, but they never seem to do things with any sense.

Very well, then. I suppose I can allow it.

Is everything still standing? Despite being made of glass, of course.

Ugh, they would do something like that, wouldn't they. Well, in any case, I think most all of us are through now--the ones I've managed to keep track of, at least.

And it's the oddest thing, really! There are places where it's all still glass, but I've heard some people say that they've found parts where it isn't anymore. That the glass isn't glass anymore.

I'm glad to hear that. Have you heard of Riff at all yet? He's not answered me, not since this ordeal started. I know he's here somewhere. It must be his device that's gone wrong. He may be back at the opera house for all I know.

So perhaps I won't have to sleep on a glass bed tonight. That is rather comforting. Still, it is rather strange. It's almost as though everything went wrong and it's now setting itself to rights again.

No, I haven't seen a word out of him, I'm afraid. But my device has been acting horribly lately, so it's certainly possible that his might be, too. I'm sure he'll turn up soon.

[...She hopes.]

I do wonder what will come of the parts that were broken, though. I know some people have smashed things that were glass before. Do you suppose they'll mend themselves on their own, or will we just be left with a pile of rubble instead of shards?

I'm sure he will. I'll check the Hall if it comes to that. Everything's gone wrong in this ordeal. He'll find me, though. He always does.

[The briefest of pauses.]

I'm not at all certain. I suppose we'll have to see once everything turns to its proper stuff again.

[She looks away for just a moment.]

I hope it doesn't come to that, though.

[But then it's right back to optimism.]

Still, we ought to get out of this crowd, at least. I'll manage your trunk if you'd like to just walk awhile.

As do I, Rosella.

[..trunk? What? Oh. Yes.]

Oh. Yes. Yes, of course. I rather would prefer just to walk for the moment, if you're sure it's not too much for you to manage.

It's quite light, actually. I only brought a handful of things.

[And this is actually true: he packed his original clothes from London and the rarest of his poisons and one or two small and irreplaceable items (a jewel Megumi gave him, one of Merry's hair ribbons, one book) and filled the trunk up with supplies otherwise. The supplies have now been consumed, leaving...a very empty trunk...]

Don't worry, I'm sure it won't be any trouble.

[She does, after all, climb trees and outswim sharks and threaten hostile trees with axes. Even if it weren't a terribly light trunk, she could probably still manage it without complaint. Not that she'd ever complain anyway, of course.

She reaches for the handle, testing the weight a bit, and then proceeds to take up the duty of hauling, herself.]

You really do seem to have a knack for getting yourself into trouble lately, you know. If I didn't know better, I'd almost think you'd caught it from me.

[It has wheels on it. Isn't that convenient? Not that they were all that useful in the sand, but they're useful now...]

You're clearly a terribly influence on them, Rosella. I do think you ought to stop it at once. I'm not sure I can endure much more trouble than this.

[Just another modern marvel she'll probably miss terribly someday when it's gone.]

At least I know how to get back out of it again, though. Er, well...most of the time, at least.

Why didn't I catch that part of it too, I wonder?

Oh, I don't know. Because I'm already keeping it all for myself, I'd imagine.

It seems as though you must be. It would be terribly useful for me to have a little, you know.

[Bringing up the rear. Slung over one shoulder is small burlap bag doing irregular pulsations.]

[Not...gonna ask about the bag.]

I think you've had an easier time with all of this than I had, He-Who-Kills.

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Entry 554; Day 1167

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