[network] @hsiaoke; video; Day 123, night [open] [cw: death talk]

[heavensreader]

[It's dark. Very dark. In the white light of the tablet, the shadows on Kesara's face are an icy blue.]

I've found something.

[She does not sound nearly as triumphant about it as, knowing her, one might think. She is sitting on the floor of a small space, cross-legged, her tablet in her lap. Its light plays, overhead, on fabric, not a ceiling. Something is hissing outside, something that isn't the wind. Kesara is haggard and hungry-eyed, her dark skin grayish. Wrapped almost to vanishing in her coat and her hat and even her towel, she stares intensely at the people whom she hopes, she so hopes, are listening.]

I've been digging in the slope of snow at the eastern wall. Digging deep. The snow is good for it. It's not easy going, but it's going. I've found rubble, there used to be buildings here. There's more to dig. I don't know what I'll find tomorrow. If - if I'm - if I'm not dead.

[She shivers and coughs faintly, a sad little sound, ducks her head and raises it again.]

I found this tent a while ago and I think I won't freeze in it. My clothes are good make. The tunnel might not be safe, but - but I didn't want to waste time. So I'm staying the night here. But if I - if I die, you all need to know to keep going. The eastern wall. The slope. There's something under it. I'm sure.

[There had better be. Especially if she dies for it, there had better be.]

If I die - just - mark this place for me, please. I don't want it to be unmarked.

Comments

@standardissue; voice

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel freezes when he hears what Kesara just admitted. No. No, he couldn't have heard right.]

Kesara... [He breathes her name out, the battle with denial clear in his voice.] Tell me you didn't actually stay outside after curfew.

[heavensreader]

I'm not outside. I'm in the tunnel. I have the tent.

[It isn't what he wants to hear, but she won't lie. She pulls her free hand out from the bundling of her coat, and pokes upwards at the fabric over her head.]

It's not as cold here, really - I'm telling the truth, Kunsel. I thought hard about this.

[Always think first. She thought. And this is what she decided was best.]

@dreamsnhonor; audio

[heroproceeding]

[ In all the hustle of what his group's busied themselves with, Zack's not checked the network most of the night. In fact, he might have left it as it was except nothing they're doing seems to be working at the moment and it's frustrating.

That frustration dies the moment he hears the kid on the other end. More specifically the fact that she mentioned tent- which means she's not inside. Not inside and it's past-

He swallows hard. ]

Never mind what you- That could have waited until- Kid, what were you thinking? It's freezing out there! You're gonna-!

[heavensreader]

We don't have time. Everyone says so.

[She sounds both stubborn and resigned. She knows a lot of people are not going to be happy with her, but she is - other than the option of dying - happy enough with herself.

Other than the option of dying, of course.]

It's a good tent, really it is. I'm - I'm sure it won't be that much colder than the Karakum. As long as nothing comes for me I'll be fine, Zack, you'll see.

@ASolomons; video; private

[devoutish]

[Oh nooooooo.

He's even more impressed with her now. He's also even more worried.]

Don't you go and die before I have the honor of shaking your hand, Kesara. That wouldn't do.

I'm assuming you've got reasons to think the tent might be safe from more than just the cold, yeah? All I've heard, so far, is that it's indoors or die.

[But he's also been here for less than two weeks, so he's pretty willing to defer to her experience on the matter.]

private

[heavensreader]

I won't die, Mr. Solomons. I know about cold.

[Three weeks in the Karakum - she knows more about cold than she does about anything else she's faced in Norfinbury so far.]

That is - I don't know just how bad it gets, but, I know when a tent is good and I know that my clothes are good. I'm not afraid of freezing. I just hope - [she swallows. There are fear that are not shameful to admit, surely.] I hope no anomalies come. Or, or spiders.

@username; text

[advanced]

[This is the first time he has used his tablet since changing his username, so it should be as if a new person has come. A fresh start where Steve and the others can't find 'Bucky'.

He is anonymous again.

He watches her face carefully. She looks freezing but determined, and those are the eyes of someone who understands they might die in pursuit of the greater goal. Sad, especially considering how old she is, but he can respect that. He still doesn't trust her even a little, but he can respect her.]

I'll mark it. Investigate it too.

[He can do that small thing for her, and he's definitely interested in a possible way out.]

.... Bucky your username

[heavensreader]

[Under other circumstances, Kesara's suspicions - and she is a very suspicious creature - would have been roused. New faces arrive in Norbinfury on a fairly set schedule. And this is... an odd sort of username.

Now, though - now, here she is. Very cold despite her assertions, very tired, hungry, afraid. And near to snap with the excitement of a possible discovery, which balances out much of the rest. And this is the first person to give her the answer she wants.

She almost sobs with relief.]

Thank you. Thank you very much. It needs doing, it's important.

[She wants the discoverer's credit very much, but now, mostly, she wants to live.]

@Kid, [Video]

[equal_shots]

[Look, Death the Kid isn't so bothered by the whole dying thing. Except that he doesn't encourage deliberate attempts to get oneself killed--after all, he much prefers order and a human leaving themselves out in the cold to freeze to death is messing up all sorts of proper plans. Still, she's just a kid.

So Kesara will be met with a small frown, brows furrowed as golden eyes watched her in concern.] While it is encouraging that you seem to have made a discovery, that discovery is not worth your life.

[He's sincere in both comments. Swallowing, he leans closer to his tablet, as if scrutinizing the background.] My understanding is that there's nothing to do. All doors are locked until the morning. [His frown deepens. Not only can he do nothing to help remove the younger girl from the situation, he can't help her soul to the afterlife either. Bummer.]

...if you are not digging, I'd like to talk with you.

[heavensreader]

[For all her current miseries, Kesara bristles slightly. This boy doesn't look all that much older than her. She does not want his concern. It makes her feel foolish. She isn't trying to die, she doesn't want to die. But she knows that value of discovery.

And she knows what it means to keep moving. Keep moving or die. She knows.]

I won't freeze to death. [She says it with conviction born of defiance, returning his frown with a level gaze, as much as she can manage from her bruised, tired eyes.] I said if I die. I might not die. It's dangerous, but - you are new, aren't you? Everything is dangerous.

[She shivers a little, despite herself, and not of the cold.]

What do you want to talk about?

@determination, video

[despiteeverything]

[Others are yelling, scolding. Frisk isn't. They don't like what she's doing. They really, really don't. Nobody should have to die, nobody should be careless with their lives except them.

But they do get it. They get the willingness to die for the sake of everyone. Of taking a risk and not knowing the outcome but having faith that it'll be okay. Even if Kesara doesn't have Reset, they do get it.]

Hey, um... would you like me to read some more of those stories?

[heavensreader]

[However much they haven't always seen eye to eye, Kesara could reach into her tablet and hug Frisk, just now. Stories. That is absolutely what she needs. Someone to read to her. She is a little astonished that another child has thought of it, that another child understands. Her smile is radiant, for once free of any undertones.]

Yes. Yes, I would. that Would be the finest thing. Thank you, Frisk.

@kingdomkey ; voice

[seekthelight]

[Sora isn't familiar with this person, this person that sounds so much younger than him, but it doesn't matter. It's what she's admitted that has him responding, a worried note to his voice because this...this isn't...

Just another moment of him not being able to help people.]

You aren't going to die. You're going to be okay! You've just--do you have extra stuff to help keep you warm? Extra clothes or anything?

[heavensreader]

[Despite the encouragement, Kesara hesitates slightly. A new voice... no, she knows this one, Sora, they just haven't spoken before. Her instinct is still to ask, what does he want?]

This is all I have. It'll be enough, though. [She tries to be guarded, but is too weary and nervous to do it properly. So she only tries.]

@duster, audio - private;

[bywolves]

[ Against his better judgement, Royce responds. He hates the network, doesn't like using it, but there's something in him that compels him to make sure Kesara survives. ]

If you die, I'll come steal your discovery. [ Make he can motivate her. ] And make your story mine. Don't want that, do you?

@duster, audio - private;

[devoutish]

[From somewhere in the background, still via Royce's tablet, comes Alfie's voice:]

And I'll give him a good whack about the head with my cane, if he tries.

@totheark; text

[0thingsonmymind]

youshould share
show tell share
as much as youcan as you
k n o w

incase you donot
re turn

*Discovery is all well and good, but it doesn't help if the one to find it dies without a trace. She has to have found more than just 'snow and rubble,' right?*

[heavensreader]

[The man who still won't show his face, his voice... Kesara's lips tighten. But he isn't wrong. He's very, very right.]

This is all I know about the tunnel here, for now. I've said other things to people I'm sure I can trust. I don't keep anything only to myself.

@arachnidsGrip; video;

[fairygodtroll]

Oh my god you're not going to die, you fucking tool. Look at you! You are as snug as a grub in a snuggleplane. Plus it would be unbelievably chumpy of you to just go and die so ungloriously. Imagine the lame little corpse you would leave! People like us don't die sad and alone in small fabric hives. We go out with explosions and monsters and things on fire, and ideally we take out our enemies in the process. God.

[ Vriska brand reassurance: It's Pretty Fucked Up!™ ]

[heavensreader]

[The fucked-up-ness is irrelevant; Vriska has said people like us. There is very little us in Kesara's world. She will grab this one with both hands, and stick her horns in it for good measure if she had any.

This requires sitting up straighter. And nodding with the greatest solemnity.]

Yes. You're absolutely positively right. I, I wouldn't dare to sully our records with such an indignity. That would be unBritish and untrollish and a terrible waste of an opportunity for explosions. Which are still on our schedule.

[It's fucked up, but by golly, it works.]

@zachtastic; video

[majorlazer]

[There's something terribly angry in the way Zach clenches his jaw; looking down at the camera. This is not - he's so close, and she's fucking alone, and she's such a terrible brat and he hates her so much and he's so worried and -

fuck.] Fuck.

Fuck, Kes.

[He doesn't ask her what she's doing, he knows what she's doing. He's been doing the same in the vet's office. Trying to find answers, places to get to, passages, secrets.

He wants to rip the locked door in front of him out of its hinges, get to her, wrap her up - at least if it's the two of them they can share body warmth, she'd have more of a chance.

He's so close to where she is.

Zach runs a hand over his face, and when he speaks again, the fight has left him.]

Do you want me to tell you some more about Star Wars?

[heavensreader]

[Oh no. No. Not Zach. Anyone but Zach.

With anyone but Zach, she could hold. She could hold. With all of them she is the explorer, brave and clever, however young she is. Kunsel, Alfie, Duster - all of them worry, but all of them speak the grown-up language that she speaks best. But with Zach - that fool, that oaf, that overgrown boy who wouldn't survive a bare day in the Game - she is a child.]

Zach - Zach, I'm -

[If she says I'm sorry, that would be as good as making last peace. As if she were going to die.]

- I'm going to be all right. You'll see. You'll see what I can do. I can be just as badass as Princess Leia.

@hotstud_xxx; text; private

[rubikscomplex]

[Well, fuck. It takes a little while for House to respond, but he does.]

which side did you start tunneling from?
north or south?
was heading your way with a shovel
don't wanna waste time checking the wrong side

[heavensreader]

[However unsympathetic the display, Kesara doesn't mind. Appreciates it, even. He is doing what she asked. And a shovel is an object of desire at the moment.]

I came from the North, but I started right from the centre, to be sure I don't miss anything. I hope it's a good shovel.

@red, text

[backspacing]

[What a brave kid, to risk staying out overnight in a tent that might not even work. But she looks very haggard and thin, and Red can't help but speak up.]

That sounds like quite the discovery.
Do you want some help? I am heading East right now.
I could bring you some food, if you like.

[Thankfully she had come across a food restock point, so she can load up on food and head towards Kesara.]