[network] @hsiaoke; video; Day 110; no shit there I was [open]

[heavensreader]

[Gather round, children, literal or otherwise, for Kesara has a tale to tell. What a tale it is. She's even telling it while sitting by a fireplace. Her eyes gleam in the flickering darkness as she begins, in a low-pitched, expert voice.]

It was that terrible first night after the creatures took on forms we knew. A day of alarm and a night of horrors. I'd wandered all day through the snowfall, pushing ahead of the shadow that pursued me. A mockery with my teacher's face. Oh, how I loathed it! But weaponless, weak from hunger, what could I do but hope the snow would hide my tracks? All day I defied it, picking my careful path, but night was coming. Exhaustion crept up. Soon, I knew, I will be overcome.

Just as the black worm of despair was gnawing through my guts, I spotted it - shelter, at last! A light in the distance. Though I made for it for all haste, the creature sensed my hope. Fast on my heels, it set upon me, and imagine my terror when I saw what awaited at salvation's door! For it had half a dozen fellows, lurking in wait, each one more hideous than the last. In my great need I called, help, help! thinking no man could truly be so brave as to come to my aid.

And yet, the door opened! Out came two brave men! First Kain, grim in his helmet, set to swift action; then Zell, all ablaze with righteous fury! Defying death and danger, they opened the door to my desperate flight. Though I stumbled, Kain came to my side, raising me up with his courage, while Zell faced the fiends all by his lonesome. Stop, they both cried, and stop the creatures did! A brief respite, before their vile claws were again upon us, but that moment's pause was all my rescuers needed. Through the snowfall, swift as eagles and bold and able as cavaliers, they bore me up and brought me to safety, so that I live to tell this tale today. Here only we can celebrate their courage, but surely their fine chests would not have shamed the Victoria Cross!

[Finished, she sits back, quite pleased with her own riveting delivery, giving the camera a nod of satisfaction.]

And no matter what different things you might have dreamed or remembered, that's exactly how it happened.

Comments

@jphawkins, voice; a bit later (HEARD YOU WERE TALKING SMACK)

[rattlingthestars]

I wasn't laughing at you! I was just... surprised. Zell didn't tell me about any of this.

[ Two of those things are even true. ]

Anyway, you don't have any stories about me.

...do you?

ALL SMACK ALL THE TIME

[heavensreader]

You're lying. [Flat as the layer of snow underfoot, and maybe almost as chilling.] And you'll regret your philistine mockery. I have stories about everyone, Jim Hawkins. I see all. I remember all.

[Or possibly she just enjoys winding people up.]

RUDEST SMOL EVEN INCLUDING VRISKA

[rattlingthestars]

I'm not mocking.

[ And she's sounding a little too close to the way she did that day the tablets went haywire a few weeks ago. It's a little creepy. ]

Anyway, I've got valiant Zell to defend me.

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED

[heavensreader]

[Well, jolly good, she appears to have put the Fear of Kesara into him. Clearly it is time to switch from chilly to smug.]

For valiant Zell's sake I'll hold my tongue. I'd never speak ill of my hero's chuckaboo!

[She means to tease him. Little does she know.]

[rattlingthestars]

Chuckaboo, huh?

[ Has he stumbled on someone that Zell hasn't told? Interesting.

But the teasing fails to puff him up anymore, if it was meant to; instead he just sounds equally smug. ]

You already found out he's protective of his friends. Seriously, I'm glad they saved you.

[heavensreader]

[Kesara may be mildly appalled that the teasing has fallen flat. Or perhaps just baffled. Well, there is one easy answer.] You know. Darling. Sweetheart. You do know what those mean, don't you?

[She thought boys were supposed to be much more educated on such things. Could she have been misled?]

But it really was very heroic of them. I'm perfectly serious about the story, even if no one here has the good sense to appreciate that.

[rattlingthestars]

Yep.

[ He pops the 'p' noise, because smugness is intensifying. Maybe he knows more about it than she thought? ...though still not very much, to be honest. 'Dating' is still a mystery he's solving. ]

Of course they were heroic, they're heroes back home, too. [ Well, by the sound of it SOLDIER's a little more complicated than that, but nobody needs to know. ] You should ask 'em for stories sometime.

[heavensreader]

[The bafflement continues to grow. He know that means, and still doesn't mind being called Zell's chuckaboo? Just what is going on here?]

Well, I do hope he doesn't mind you taking him to dance. You look like the toe-stepping type.

[Tease harder! Push until something gives!]

I know Kain is a soldier, but I didn't know Zell was one too... do you know any stories? Tell me!

[rattlingthestars]

He thought so.

[ Smugness is just going to keep increasing as long as she's confused. Yes, yes, important relationship step is wonderful, but: getting one over on Kesara. ]

Zell's a mercenary back home. He and his friends saved the world from a time-traveling witch.

[heavensreader]

He did?

[All right, enough. She concedes. Time-travelling witches may be quite a story, but first she has to understand just what by Shiva's flaming manhood is going on here.]

When did you dance? Why did you dance? Are you really his, his chuckaboo?

[rattlingthestars]

He did.

And I'm -

[ Sweetheart sounds silly. They aren't courting, exactly; they've gone way past what'd be proper there even if neither of them is a lady.

Fine, Kesara, you win this round. But he's not actually saying it. ] -Yeah, I am.

[ But she's not getting the story about the dancing and that's final. ]

[heavensreader]

But he's a man! [The answer, as Jim can hear, has done absolutely nothing to alleviate Kesara's bafflement.] And you're a ma - I mean, you're a boy! You can't - can you?

[There's always bazaar talk, of course, and she knows for a fact that two ladies can - Dame Ariel has such friends. But men... isn't there some law?]

so i lost this and if you want to drop it that's fine but if not here is a tag /o\

[rattlingthestars]

I don't know how it - [ Jim stops short of voicing his complete confusion over certain things to Kesara. Not important. What is important: ] And we are, so it doesn't matter. Nobody can stop us.

...And I'm not a boy.