Network: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

[faileas]

The Network: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

The Watches Everyone who arrives in an unorthodox way and eventually shows up at the Coven for 'orientation', will receive a strange, watch-like device compliments of the Coven and Parliament. Miss Nessie or one of the welcome wagon crew will give characters a run-down of how to use the various functions and they are encouraged to test them out for themselves. It would be good for them to get in touch with their fellow Mirrorbound, of course! Fourth wall characters will not be able to make their own posts in the communities, so they may use this post to make "network posts" of their own by top-leveling. The log post is right over here.

Comments

[sparkstrikes]

[She didn't think she needed any coffee until the smell wafts through the door and so Lightning lets herself in, careful to step around Ursula and the... cane? That's new... and her gaze wanders over it, wondering what that's all about.

Not really her business to ask, she thinks, but there is an air of curiosity about her as she peeks around the front entrance, subtle glances here and there for any sign of Fang.]

I think I could use some. Haven't had much of anything since I got here.

[A pause, and a smile passes over Lightning's expression.]

It's good to see a familiar face.

[beariot]

[ There were signs of Fang's presence, but the woman herself wasn't there. Bits of clothes, a general 'organized mess' feel to the space. There was plenty of shed fur about, too, but not all of it was Fang's...

Ursula used her magic to carry over the tray that held the sugar and creme for the coffee, but seemed to strain with it... something she definitely didn't seem to show before, before lightly setting it down on the table by the couch. ]

Well... okay. I'm sure you've got questions and I've plentiful answers. We might as well skip the small talk, right? [ A nervous laugh. ]

[sparkstrikes]

Right.

[She was never one for small talk anyway, so that's appreciated. No point in pleasantries when the two of them know exactly what Lightning wants out of this. She waits for the coffees to be set down and takes a cup for herself, bringing it up to her lips but not taking a sip just yet; she'll let it cool first, but the smell is at least soothing.

First things first...]

How long has it been? I'm guessing from the state of things, it's been more than a week.

[beariot]

When Fang and I noticed you were gone... It was about four months ago.

Has only a week passed by your own perspective?

[sparkstrikes]

[Etro's tits... four months.]

Yeah, about that... Give or take. Hard to keep track of the days when you're planning to take down a bunch of false gods.

[She takes her first sip of the coffee, and relaxes with a satisfied sigh.]

A lot can happen in four months. I miss anything important?

[Her eyes wander to the cane at Ursula's side, only briefly. It's rude to stare.]

[beariot]

[ ... She deserved to hear the truth. But it took Ursula a moment to find the words, her gaze locked on her coffee, just... watching bits of cream still lightly drift about. ]

There was... a situation. Fang and I were both captured by a group of xenophobic nobles. We were...

[ A deep breath, turning her eyes up towards the distance behind Lightning, brushing some of her hair aside. ]

We were... tortured. Both of us.

[sparkstrikes]

[Lightning's eyes snap up from her cup, and she lowers it onto her lap, some of the hot drink spilling over the rim, but she doesn't seem to notice or care that it slightly burns the exposed skin on her legs. That's... quite the info bomb to drop right away, but at least Ursula isn't mincing words, right? No point in sugar coating things.

But it certainly does nothing to curb Lightning's brewing hatred for this world.]

Shit... [is all she can say at first, under a breath.

What can she say? Not like she can apologize for not being here. That will do neither of them any good, as much as she wishes she could have been, if only to be here for the people who needed help – including them... among other reasons.

Silence falls between them while she tries to put together the right words she wants to say, but Lightning doesn't come up with much besides...]

How'd it happen...?

[beariot]

They started a riot. I don't know when Fang got taken... [ because they didn't really talk about it. ]

But I was taken while trying to put out a fire started at the refugee school. I'd literally just gotten it out, when they snatched me while the smoke and steam clouded my vision.