Carmen Sandiego (
wheremst) wrote in
unknownseas2020-05-31 11:48 am
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There's always a lighthouse
And just like that, you wake up in the basement of a lighthouse in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There's a circle of 25 pods in the middle of the room, and two more in a room off to the side, and you can imagine who is in which.
An elevator to the side of the room leads up to the ground floor (or to the first sub-basement, if you want to check out the machine that brought you here), where you can for the first time in weeks look out a window and see the sky. Its a beautiful sunny day, with a strong breeze on the grassy ground of the island where the lighthouse stands. Have you ever been this happy to hear seagulls?
You're free. Whatever comes next, you're free and you won. Take some time to relish your victory, won't you? Reunite with friends you thought you had lost, go forth and just... well, enjoy this.
An elevator to the side of the room leads up to the ground floor (or to the first sub-basement, if you want to check out the machine that brought you here), where you can for the first time in weeks look out a window and see the sky. Its a beautiful sunny day, with a strong breeze on the grassy ground of the island where the lighthouse stands. Have you ever been this happy to hear seagulls?
You're free. Whatever comes next, you're free and you won. Take some time to relish your victory, won't you? Reunite with friends you thought you had lost, go forth and just... well, enjoy this.
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Yeah. [He lets out a short breath, a kinda-laugh.] Bar wasn't nearly the same without you.
[Sentimental fool. He missed her, too. Shit, change the subject, change the subject.]
You know they let me dust for prints?
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I mean, in fairness to them, you are my protege...unless, of course, you're saying our professional relationship's come to an end now that we're out of there?
[ She should probably sound a little more serious, but she can't help herself... ]
Wouldn't that be a shame? To lose my star pupil and my best patron...
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I. But.
[He stares at her, then shakes his head and lifts a hand.]
Aren't you going back home?
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[ A chance to show off her chops and throw herself back into the field... ]
But even when that's over and done with, there are those machines that should let you travel between worlds, right? I'm not gonna let this be goodbye. Not when we only just started catching back up...
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Once he recovers, he graces her with a whole actual smile.]
You're right. You still have to show me around that city of yours, you know. And I'm not not taking souvenirs.
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[ That smile of his...it seems so much brighter than the sly smirks that he would let slip through before. It's in his eyes, now; she sees it in the way they're shining like stars.
How many weeks was she prodding at him, to get to see that sort of smile? However much time it's been, to see him grin like that, it was worth every second.
She has to wipe at her eyes with the sleeve of her white coat, herself, before she has the chance to return it. ]
I'll show you around my City of Angels, and you can introduce me to Greengrass and the others. I'll tell them all about how good of a student you are. And I'll tell them about how you saved me, too. Do you think they'll be surprised?
[ She doesn't. ]
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Ugh, don't. I wasn't going to tell them any of this. And putting you and Alfyn within five feet of each other...
[Actually, he thinks about that for a moment.]
...Might not be too bad. You'd keep each other busy talking for hours. Bet you wouldn't even notice if I slipped away to ply my trade here and there.
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[ She pretends there isn't a frog in her throat and lets a hearty little laugh escape, not even bothering to hide it. ]
If you think I'm taking my eyes off you for a second, you've got another thing coming. It'll take a lot more than distracting me with good conversation to catch me off my game, Therion. I don't fall for the same tricks twice.
[ She didn't forget your little stunt with her horseradish! ]
I'm afraid you're stuck with me.
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Damn. Guess I'll just have to get used to it. Worth it for the drinks, though.
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[ She can't help herself; she makes a big show of pouting at him, as though she's really fooling anyone when her cheeks puff out like balloons-- ]
That does it. Next one I make for you, it's gonna knock you flat on your butt! It'll taste so good, it's gonna make your head spin!
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[Under his cloak, Therion holds on to his own elbows like he might come apart otherwise. He missed this so much. He missed her so much.]
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[ She has a hard time imagining he'll actually come crying. If anything, it'd be the other way around. But this is her story, and she's sticking to it.
She's tempted to ruffle that mangled mess of hair on his head, just to really stick it to him, but she settles for a nudge instead, a gentle little push while he huddles in on himself. Her hand doesn't pass right through him; they're both here. ]
...I knew you could do it, Therion.
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I... don't know how you did. [He says that quiet as a confession, then breathes out.] But I suppose an investigator has to have an eye for those things.
[Therion looks at her a moment, glances away, sighs, and drops his arms.]
If you want a... hug, or something. [-///-] I won't tell anyone if you don't.
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But she doesn't even have the words to crack wise, or poke fun. Like a barrier's just come crumbling down, the only thing keeping some level of distance between them crushed with those words, Ema's arms are moving before her lips can start.
She pulls him in and holds him tight. ]
My lips are sealed.
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...I'm glad you're back.
[It's probably not enough, not compared to everything he owes her. But he hopes, at the very least, she can hear some of what he wants her to know in there. How very, very much her acceptance, her teaching, her presence has meant to him all this time.]