snowblindrpg | [network] Day 387 | @beyonce

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[network] Day 387 | @beyonce | Naive [open] [audio]

[There was the usual panic, of course. The usual frantic escape from the bodybag into the cold air of the morgue. No new memories this time, no mistaking this waking life for a dream. No forgetting what had happened--what he had allowed to happen. Stephen isn't even out of the morgue before he gets on the network with a pressing question.]

This is Stephen Strange; I'm alive again. Has anyone seen David? Did he make it out?

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[ As much as he's always wished his more obstinate hero friends would just agree with him, having Stephen do so right now sounds absolutely wrong to his ears. He pauses for a second and then decides to test something. ]

Hey, Stephen, did you know your cloak is actually blue?

Is it?

[He sounds surprised and more than a little confused as he shifts to look at the cloak in question.]

I guess I just assumed it was red. What brings this up, though?

[ And that settles it. ]

The fact that you always get the mental death prices.

This one's pretty worrying, actually. You're believing everything people are telling you. Your cloak is very clearly red. -sorry if I bothered you, Levi, by the way. But you didn't even fight me on it.

...Oh.

[The full impact doesn't hit Stephen for a second, and then he's letting out a long, ragged breath.]

Yeah, that's...that's not great. I probably do need help.

[ Wow, that one came without prompting, even. Maybe Gabriel won't feel terrible by the end of this. ]

Yeah, you do. So I want you to check with me whenever anyone makes a statement towards you that could result in harm. Like if someone tells you that something can't hurt you, or that you should head in a certain direction. Check with me, and I'll be your own personal lie detector.

Everything else- it'll all sort itself out after the death price is over. And if we're lucky, no one will realize what you have and it'll pass without incident. But I want to be here for you if we're not so lucky.

Because that doesn't sound like calling you every two minutes. Or dying if I don't.

[If he believes what he's told, he thinks, won't he have a hard time picking out which things he should doubt enough to ask Gabriel?]

That's why David stayed with me, too. So I wouldn't get myself killed.

[It's depressing as hell.]

[ Yeah, it's a touchy thing, which is why Gabriel is less than confident that he's giving Stephen the right criteria. ]

It was good of him to. It's not like it's your fault you keep getting these damn 'prices'.

I can stay on the line with you, if you'd rather, and just keep listening to what's going on with you. I just figured you'd want some privacy some time in the next week. Is there anyone you trust to tell you the truth and not mess with you, right now?

[ Maybe if it's phrased as a question, they can determine who'd be safe to stick around with. ]

Where are you, anyway?

[Stephen sighs.]

No. No, this could last for days.

[That's a yes, he'd like at least a little privacy.]

Uh...you? Definitely not Nathan, but at least he probably wouldn't get me killed. Flynn's a good man. Peter....

[Sigh.]

Not Peter. I'm at the columbarium again.

[ He feels a surge of pride that Stephen trusts him, even while he wonders if that's part of this death price, at least a little. That's still a very small pool of people to choose from. ]

So not too far from the bunker, at least. If that's where you want to head. You have the option of sticking to yourself and not talking to anyone, which- I don't know if I could do that, personally. If you come to the bunker, we could- hang out together for awhile until this is over.

Whatever you decide to do, you should-- you can-

[ He grunts in frustration. ]

I'm not sure how to give you advice without it becoming the truth to you. You can contact Flynn and let him know what's going on, if you want?

[Stephen lets out a mirthless little huff of laughter.]

You're right, though. I don't do well alone and I don't have many other options. The bunker wouldn't be...it wouldn't be the worst place to put myself until this is over.

[Even if the thought of going back there, to where David died, makes him feel ill.]

Any idea where Flynn is?

No idea, unfortunately. I haven't talked to him in awhile, since the whole red lines thing.

[ That talk afterward hadn't exactly gone well. Gabriel figured Flynn didn't want to chat with someone who embodied his own horror so well. ]

How about this? Vanitas and I could use a restock of our food- we can head out and meet you at the school, if that works for you? It's close to the bunker but you can still keep contact with Flynn that way.

[Another babysitter. He needs one, though...and with David so suddenly gone after weeks together the fresh wound of it screams for him to find a friend with whom to travel. He can't be alone with this, not any of it, and being freed of the obligation to go back to the bunker so soon is a kindness he didn't expect.]

Yeah.

[Stephen can't help how relieved he sounds at the prospect.]

It shouldn't take me more than a couple of days to get there; the entrance to the tunnel isn't far from here. I'd...I would appreciate that.

Sure. You'd-- I'm willing to bet that you'd do the same for me, anyway.

[ If Gabriel asked, and he'd probably ask if Vanitas wasn't following his footsteps at the time. ]

I'm looking forward to seeing you again. Good luck getting through all the tunnels.

[It's good that he still has some friends in this place.]

Thanks. Be careful yourself; I know it's a long day's walk from the bunker to the school.

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[network] Day 387 | @beyonce | Naive [open] [audio]

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