halfbrokenwings | 013[open-video-journal /commentlog]Right after getting back-

013[open-video-journal /commentlog]Right after getting back-

[The bard is a little breathless when she comes onto the journal. She's had one of the frights of her life, appearing back where her and Tumnus had walked into the dark. She can't see very well still, her eyes not being used to the light or seeing at all. She's having to squint and shield them to make out shapes.

It hurts so bad, being able to see again, tears are running down her face.]

Is-Is everyone b-back?! Sollux? Is it ov-er?

[Though, she is not one to pray very often, there is a silent prayer on her lips that begs that it is.

She has to wait until her eyes adjust somewhat to the light to move at all from where she's at. When Isabella does move, it's as quick as she can manage without breaking something.

Weak from the lack of water and food she's still taking the stairs, two at a time. The bard is headed to her room to kill two birds with one stone. The stall with the water falling- as cold as it is, will both be welcome relief from the filth of the torturous stay in the dark room- and she could drink it as well. She's hungry, but that could wait, the thirst and that dirty feeling was stronger for the moment.

She'll emerge after a shower, and clean clothes to search for the people she knows, specifically one she went in after.]

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*Sollux noticed Isa's post after eating and while flipping through the journal on the way to her room. He doesn't bother to reply, though, because he's going to see her, damnit, so extending the effort to reply instead of keeping it on moving isn't worth it.
He's in such a hurry that he barely even notices, oh, hey, that's her coming out of her room right now as he rushes towards it. Sollux doesn't really have a chance to try and stop, instead he just goes barreling into her.*

Oh shit, oh shit, IB, I'm so sorry! Are you alright?

*It'll take him a moment to pick himself up, he's still not entirely coordinated.
And the weird sack with his name on it that he'd been pulling after him with his psionics has crashed to the floor. Hopefully nothing in it was breakable or might possibly wake up.*

[The bard was equally as anxious to find out if Sollux was hale and whole. She was not anticipating the sudden collision and lands on her rump.]

Sollux! Oh - ohmy-! Are you- are- okay?- Wait- you're-!

[If he's still on the ground, where she is- she'll be pulling him up in a big sisterly hug, and if he's managed to get standing again the girl is going to be on her feet as fast as she could make it to do the same.

Three different languages pour forth in a jumbled mess. The relief is palpable and so is the guilt.]

Wetriedbutitdidn'tworkandthenwewerestuckthereandsomehowthestringbrokebutweweren'taloneandI'msorryI'msosorry-

*He's still on the ground, so Sollux gets pulled into that hug. Mark this on your calender, Isabella, because despite being your moirail this is probably the only time Sollux will hug/cling back. It takes him a few moments to relax enough to let go and process what she's saying.*

...I wanted you to stay safe. I'm sorry. I didn't want you to have to go through that too.

*Yep. Pretty guilty here too.*

[If she's thinking about it later, she just might.

It takes her a moment more to process what he is saying and then she pulls back , but not completely. Hands still on his shoulders she's shaking her head vehemently in denial.]

Notyourfault! Not yours. No. I mean I wanted to – everyone to be safe. We thought- we tried. But no. No, Sollux. It's not your fault. Okay?

[She would not allow him to take responsibility for herself or the tunnels. She'll deny him his apologies for that burden is not his to bear.]

We tied string- we- we went willingly, at first! Thought- thinking that we could be lead back- and then, it was cut. Broke, something.

[She hugs him again.]

Edited 2011-12-29 21:04 (UTC)

*Too bad, he's taking responsibility for it and she can't stop him!*

I don't think there's any way you can trick those things into letting you out. IB, I'm so sorry, if I had been more careful maybe I wouldn't have gotten stuck and then you and Liz and whoever else wouldn't have come after me. The last thing I wanted was for you to have to be trapped there too.

*He just kind of relaxes into the hug this time.*

I know. I know, and you warned me and others and told us to stay where we were and there was nothing to be done. There's nothing- it makes no sense, the things that happen. We had no warning, and you were trapped.

[She speaks softly.]

I wasn't going to let what had happened before, happen again. If I could prevent, help- if we could- we had to try.

[You're not allowed to die on her again, mang!]

*Sollux is quiet for a couple moments. What she says makes sense, but it doesn't stop him feeling guilty. They should let the subject drop but...*

I appreciate what you tried to do, but it couldn't have been any worse a second time. Next time...next time something like this happens please stay safe. If you got hurt, if you wasted away in there like I did...I don't know what I would do.

*Though he knows full well if the situation was reversed he'd rush in to help her. Somehow that's okay.*

[With that stroke of the guilt-sword, the burden overwhelms Isabella and she bows her head under it. She can't voice her surrender, she can only nod.

Is it really a win, though?

After a moment she speaks again.]

We're back. Safe. For now. Have you eaten? Drank?

[She wants answers for different questions, and it's almost painful holding them back.]

*Damnit, he wasn't supposed to make her feel worse. Now he feels bad for that too! He desicdes its best to move on with the different topic, though, anything else he could say would probably just make it worse for both of them.*

Yeah, I did that right away. Did you? Oh, shit, I didn't think to bring you anything from the kitchen or anything. I just...I wasn't really thinking then.

[You're only supposed to bear your own load- shouldering the burden of others can break a person.]

Well- no! You did, I- I had to bathe first-

[Which means very wet feathers right now and it'll be hours before they're dry.]

Lets go eat then!

[Disarming, gentle smile is a go. She's starved, but five days isn't the worst without something to eat. Manners, will be the last thing she thinks about when she gets to the kitchen though.]

Oh, I didn't...

*Should he have stopped to shower? He did just spend six days without it, but he didn't do much to get dirty either.*

I just...I was hungry. I-I can do that later, I guess.

*He stands up and offers a hand to help her up (unless she already rose...)*

[She never noticed, Sollux.]

I don't think I can contain myself much longer, in truth.

I'm afraid my stomach is attempting to meet my spine-

[She takes the help offered her and stands. ]

join me?

[Food first. Horrible booby-trapped gifts, after?]

The barrack's kitchen is closer...but I don't know what's all in it.

*He starts for the stairs, anyway, cause they'll need them (or the lift) for either destination. He hasn't let go of her hand, and may be holding on to it somewhat tightly.*

[She hasn't let go of his either and squeezes back. His hand is her anchor to the present world, without it she would have a hard time keeping herself together.]

I wouldn't care much if it was pan drippings and stale bread-

[The smile that flashes is a few degrees toward 'wry'.]

As long as it goes in and stays there, I'll be good for it. Lets see what the kitchen here has!

I felt pretty much the same way.

*He snickers a bit.*

There's got to be something there, we can clean it out and then move on to the real kitchen.

It shall taste like a feast of kings, I am sure of it!

[If it was stale bread and moldy cheese, she'd tuck it in and ask for more.

(_{ooc: ~~~~~~~Tiiiiime skiiiiiip~~~~~~~~ So place them coming back from foodage/ sacks of STUFF?})

She points at the sack in front of her door.]

More presents?

*Food is had, and though Sollux just ate on his own he's still happy to eat with her. Not as much as last time, but much calmer also.

He kicks his bag after they get back.*

It dropped from the sky, I don't know why. Or what's in it.

*It does seem to have made a small noise when he kicked it, though.*

Isabella turns suddenly at the sound, "There's something inside."

It didn't sound quite like an animal, at least, no animal that she had ever encountered. Curiosity gets the better of her and she kneels to try and open the sack.

"What..?"

Sollux peers at the bag. There were noises coming from inside.

"Be careful."

After what happened the last few days, and this place in general, he figures no good can come out of that bag.

She shakes the bag instead of outright opening it. She's had enough surprises, really. It makes another noise- and then there comes a noise from the other bag.

Isabella squeaks and jumps back. She wasn't expecting that!

"EEK!" Where's a stick when you need one? "There's two of them!"

"!"

Sollux tenses and pushes his glasses up on his forehead. His eyes glow, just in case he needs to pew pew anything.

"...open it slowly. Lets see if it comes out."

Isabella looks up and nods. Screwing up her courage she starts undoing his sack. Nothing moves.

She's just about got it completely undone, when there's a noise from the sack and she drops it with a squeak. There's a bit of brightly colored fuzz peeking out but still no movement.

Isabella shakes herself like a bird shaking off water, "I wish I had a stick."

Who needs a stick when you have a friend who can move things with his mind? Sollux uses his psionics to yank the fuzzy thing out of the sack.
It babbles something not even the earworm can translate. And the other sack responds!

"What...what the fuck?"

That is the best!

Isabella takes a step back as the fuzzy-whats-it comes out of the sack. She doesn't say it, but Sollux eloquently put into words exactly how she's feeling at this point. The other one that they can't see yet, starts speaking and she moves towards it, but not ready to open it.

"-the Heavens is that?!" That's some wild and bright fur there. "How-what? Are they animals?"

"It looks like...I don't know. Some sort of fuzzy imp or something. You think there's another one in the other bag?" If so...and there were a lot of bags... "There are a ton of those things out there. Fuck."

Because its the keep so they're probably dangerous.

You went out looking for someone... Sollux, yes?

[Not that he wouldn't have done the same, if he'd known, or noticed something... Still. Jetfire frowns, but there won't be anything else in the way of disapproval.]

I hope you are reasonably well, nonetheless. What happened?

[This answer comes a while later. After she has done all the cleaning up and feeding herself and meeting with friends and her adopted sibling. She also both sounds and looks calmer than her earlier post.]

I- did. I am better, now. It was not so well, then.

[Something new to add to her nightmares now.]

Tumnus and myself, we went looking for Sollux. The dark and the tunnels- we've been trapped this whole time.

[Alright, now she's starting to lose the calm.]

We'd thought to tie a string, to keep us tied to the light and be able to find our way back- and- it broke. Or was cut. Tumnus and I, we were lost in the dark as well, in those tunnels. We had brought some food, but it wasn't enough-

[He can't really stop the brief motion of a hand down his faceplates. Of course that would happen. Usually he would not be willing to put any credit to such foolish ideas that the worst thing possible to happen would, but here..? That didn't seem as impossible as otherwise.

Even, apparently, with perfectly reasonable precautions in place, as she and her companion had taken.]

You weren't actually holding what light you were using?

[What else could have made them lose the light, unless it got put out, or broke? But he can see that oncoming upset in the tensing of her shoulders, expression... But what can he do about it?]

Isabella...

[But he doesn't get further, because Jetfire has really no idea what to say. Comfort isn't easy, and he's not sure what would be the correct thing to offer, here.]

[Her cheeks color seeing his hand rub his face. His questions only deepen the embarrassment.]

W-we didn't. We-. It was left. On the s-steps.

[She hears him say her name and she's looking directly at the journal, all worry and a touch of fear. She'd thought she had been so very very clever. When she got herself and Tumnus trapped, starving, in a place with no light.]

Imsorry. I'm sorry.

[... That explains how they could have been lost. Of course, he wasn't out after the girl practically falling apart, merely had wanted to understand how they'd gotten lost.]

Listen to me, Isabella. You couldn't have known. But next time... I do believe they said to not stray from any light. Please listen and do as told literally.

[A brief pause, and he'd rather be standing physically in front of her for this.]

There's no fault of yours for wanting to find your friend. I'm impressed you would brave what was an unknown situation for him, and what is done is done. Are you all reasonably all right, at least?

[Distraught young ones. How do you deal with them? The only thing Jetfire can... knows to do right now is to keep his voice low and even attempting to soúnd soothing instead of recriminating.]

[She nods. First it was her moirail. Now it's Jetfire. Isabella isn't going to be able to win this kind of argument. She might as well give in.]

I- will.

[A very brief blush colors her cheeks at being impressed with her. ]

I am alright, now. I fed, watered and cleaned up.

Though, I'll be sleeping with a candle burning for sometime.

[Freaked out? Just a bit.]

[Voices of reason, Isabella! If you're going to play hero, at least have every contigency planned, and know what you're doing... at least somewhat.]

Good. Perhaps a rest is in order, even if you cannot sleep?

[A pause.]

Or... How bad is the weather? I could... if it's not too bad and you are in need of a distraction, take you flying today, or soon.

[He had, after all, offered a while ago.]

[She's read and retold the stories of heroes, does that count?]

I've slept. A lot, really. It's nice to be out and around.

[Then she pauses. She feels greedy and guilty at the same time for wanting this from him. Something that she's desired for so long, just the want of it was a sinful pleasure.]

I- would like that. Though... though, not until I'm more able. It's cold, and I want to be sure my body recovers a bit until- I really want to. Please but- I do not wish to get sick and ruin it for both of us.

[Her better judgment wins out.]

Thank you, again.

[Honestly, that she's declining for now is something of a relief; he doesn't really want to test his frame of mind yet - even if the day chosen would be clear, the only snow being on the ground - with flying during this weather.

He has, barely, left the barracks on a few times. Jetfire shakes his helm a bit and smiles.]

If you know your own limits, that's good. You've been under a bit of strain, so accounting for becoming sick is a good idea. Later then.

Yes, later then. Thank you, Jetfire.

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013[open-video-journal /commentlog]Right after getting back-

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;_; sorry I was so slow D:

s'ok!

:3

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