[network] @ADMIN; Arrival

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@Spoiler; video

[spoileralert]

Kes. Oh my god, Kes.

[ Sorry can't be more coherent than that, suddenly in tears. ]

[heavensreader]

[A look of horror descends on Kesara's face at the sight of those tears. She makes a quick calculation. She'd been dead to Steph for over four months.

It's a calculation she's too small to really handle. It chases from her mind even the immediate thought of Zach.]

I'm, yes, I'm here, Steph, I'm back. They took me back.

[spoileralert]

[ Her smile is the shakiest ever, but it’s clear she’s happy at least. She starts rubbing at the tears with both arms, leaving the tablet propped in her lap. ]

God. How long has it even been? I’ve still got your doll. And- and Zach’s. [ Her smile falters even more, and she sniffles. ]

But you’re okay? Not missing any parts?

[heavensreader]

It's been months, but it's been weeks, I was in Serindia - I'm not missing anything, I still have my eyes - [Her hands wander up to touch her eyelids. The memory of being without them is sudden and sharp. That, too, had happened just moments ago...]

Zach - is Zach here? Where is he?

[spoileralert]

Extra memories? That happened to me, too.

[ She shakes her head. ]

I'm sorry. It was... not quite a month since you'd died.

[ He could still come back, though. Kes did. ]

[heavensreader]

[They're two large pieces of news to get at once. Zach, dead and not returned. But he might return. But he might not. But she has no more way to know than she has to know if anything was real. If Zach was real, or if the deaths in Serindia...

Her mind flashes back. The crack of the bullet and Dame Ariel's blood exploding onto the sand. Kesara whimpers and sticks her hands deep into her hair, twisting it in distress.]

No, no, I don't understand, I don't understand how this is real...

[spoileralert]

Kes? Kesara! [ She knows 'more panic' is not the best response to someone panicking, but it's impossible not to be concerned. She really wishes she was there, to help. ]

It's okay, you're okay... Just... just focus on where you are, right? Tell me what you see.

[heavensreader]

Noooo... [It's a quiet wail. All she sees is the desert. The ruins. The men with their jezails.] They're dead, they're dead and I don't understand...

[spoileralert]

[ At least after that first couple of seconds she has the presence of mind to shove her own panic down. She speaks a little louder. ]

Kesara. Listen to me, Kesara. Can you hear me?

[heavensreader]

[It's much harder than the times Lao Dian had talked her down from similar episodes, but she does have a frame of reference now. She understands listen to me. With another whimpering sound, this time of effort, Kesara raises her head again. She nods tremulously at the tablet.]

I - I - I see - the altar. The colours. The windows.

[spoileralert]

[ It's a step in the right direction, but she's not about to let up until she knows Kes is back in the present. ]

What colors do you see?

[heavensreader]

They're all sorts... there's red... [No, not red, please.] Blue. Gold. They're dark. There isn't a lot of lights. I know this place. I know... my pass is east of here. It isn't far.

[spoileralert]

Good, that's good. Do you have all your things? You're not missing anything?

[heavensreader]

I have my backpack. [Her voice stutters again.] Only - only the things I had before. Here, I mean. Not the other things. They are all gone.

[spoileralert]

Yeah, I think we ended up with the rest of your stuff. Sorry about that. It'd take me a day or two to get over there... is there anyone else you'd like to have around? Anyone who isn't already coming?

[heavensreader]

Zach. [It's a tiny whisper. Zach is perhaps the one person she thinks she could still trust as she had before. But Zach would have trusted Steph, she tells herself...]

I can wait a day or two, I know the landmarks around here, if they haven't changed... Samantha's house is a day or two away, maybe I ought to go there...

[spoileralert]

[ Steph kind of folds in on herself for a moment, giving herself this time to feel that grief that threatened to overwhelm her for so long. Has she let him down, letting herself lose hope for such a long time?

She rallies. ]

Actually, if you don't mind, there's a favor you might be able to do for me. There's a little girl in that part of town, and she doesn't understand what's happening.

[heavensreader]

[The brief silence feels to Kesara like a hand reaching out. Steph's grief and her own are different, but one. It's a tremendous feeling. She's almost afraid of the comfort it offers.

She rallies, too. She can't do any less.]

Oah... how little? Is she much younger than me? She must be very scared.

[spoileralert]

Maybe... five or six? I don't think she can read, and she doesn't pronounce all her words right. Actually, she doesn't seem to like talking much at all.

She likes Vanitas' weird dog monster, though. I'm sending him that way, but I don't trust him to actually look after her.

[heavensreader]

Him? [Kesara is appalled.] He'll feed her to his dog monster. She doesn't need him, not if she's so young and wouldn't know any better! I'll get her.

[spoileralert]

Not if I promise him something in return. But go ahead-- if she freaks out and refuses to follow you, I think she'll follow the dog-thing.

And if she doesn't, you can ditch him. He'd probably prefer it anyway.

[heavensreader]

That festering saddle-sore... [She growls under her breath, having clearly learned some interesting new language while gone.] Be careful what you promise him, Steph, be careful of exactly what you say!

[spoileralert]

[ That makes her smile. ]

I always am.



Plus I've got Al on my side, and it's hard to argue with a guy in a 7 foot suit of armor.

[heavensreader]

Is he? That is good. I'm very glad. [For all she's seen and learned, she hasn't completely lost the part of her that's glad to know Steph has a strong man with her.]

I know Mr. Alphonse is a gentle soul, but even he must make exceptions for Vanitas.

[spoileralert]

He makes exceptions when he has to.

[ He kicked her ass when she was being mind controlled. ]