[Video]

[flickerflash]

[She'd been waiting for hours to see if they'd turn up.

Just a little after dawn on the 25th a piece of smudged notepaper gets carefully tucked into Katie's journal, and then she tosses the whole thing into the hollow log she's sitting on out in the forest.

The video clearly picks up the message. It's not very long.]



   Gone fishing.
Everyones invited
   except Raine.
  No drowning.



[There won't be any replies. She's gone.]

Comments

[flickerflash]

All right, then. [She beams.] It's not too far, is it? I'm a good climber, but climbing in the dark is a bit difficult.

[wise_maiden]

I don't know how you'll find the climb, Katie. Do you want to go in front of me? That way I can catch you if you have trouble.

[flickerflash]

I'm an excellent climber.

[But nevertheless she'll take hold of the ladder and begin climbing up. She's sort of hoping to see interesting crowds of people at the top and if Raine goes first that might not happen.]

[wise_maiden]

All right, but be careful anyway. [Once Katie begins climbing and there's enough space without crowding her too much, Raine begins the climb herself.]

[flickerflash]

[Katie climbs with ease, though mindful of the idea of not very friendly people at the top, she slows as she ascends the ladder, waiting until it sounds quiet above before she climbs those last rungs.

It's only when her fingers reach past the ladder and out into sunlight that she pauses, absolutely still, feeling the warm prickle brush over her knuckles as if the air outside is liquid. It's a familiar sensation. It reminds her of skeletons and violins.

Brook...

She stops dead on the ladder. Blinks. She's done this before.

Oh.

This is going to be complicated. She climbs one more rung to peer over the edge, then clings as if she's about to fall. To Raine, it might just look like a child having a sudden fear of the height she's climbed. But Katie can see water, flooding across the ground and down through the trapdoor. But she can't hear it once it falls. It's these tunnels. Why is there water...]

Raine.

[wise_maiden]

Katie? Are you all right?

[It's the first time she's called her Raine since she found her in those tunnels. Raine, and not Professor. It's an odd, flitted away thought- her concern is with the girl's hesitance up above.]

[flickerflash]

[Katie's caught between reassurance and lying, not sure which way to fall, caught on the cusp. But there's one thing she remembers that is important-- and a hunger for the gold in the air that's all-encompassing.]

These tunnels are death, did you know? [She sounds whimsical for a moment, and then drops into dead seriousness.] I made you a promise. Please don't fall if you see it.

[And then she's practically jumping up the last few rungs to the outside world, to catch at the light.

Raine won't feel anything different at all. Not until she reaches the very top herself, and then the sudden appearance of golden light and water flooding into the tunnel system will be rather startling.]

[wise_maiden]

[A bit of uncertainty grabs her at that warning, but Raine steels herself, taking those last few rungs a little slower but steadily.

She hadn't been very far behind Katie, and the light of the sun is beckoning, very welcoming, after being in those suppressing tunnels.

Except that is fleeting, once she reaches the last rung and her head is able to peer up over the surface and her hands tighten on the ropes, eyes widening at first, wide and taking in everything as far as she could see - water pouring in, water all around - it was just like the boat had been, the world shimmering and wet, except this was Luceti, this was the plaza, and she forces herself to shut her eyes tightly and keep her hands clenched so she wouldn't fall.]

[flickerflash]

[Katie hates the water for other, more feline reasons, skipping over its surface and trying to shake her feet dry much like a cat does. The world has overturned for her in colour and memory. Much like the last time this happened, the glamour brought to life washes over everything in the near vicinity. Unlike last time, Katie doesn't give much of a damn if she manages to infect someone else, too caught up in seizing back what is hers by right. It's glorious, and the tunnels have no right to keep stealing it from her. Nor do the other residents of this rotten little place.

...if it weren't for the heavy, rigid lines of the vow she made, she might well have forgotten Raine was there. But once she can master the first surge of glamour, Katie's turning back for the ladder, reaching down to lay her hand over Raine's.]

It's all right. I promised, didn't I? Give me your hand.

[wise_maiden]

[She almost doesn't hear Katie over the sound of the water, rushing at her all around and yet not quite in, not quite touching. Being eye-level with it doesn't help that, either.

But then the words register, though convincing herself to loosen a hand to hand to the girl takes another few moments.]

I ... yes, of course you did. J-just a moment. [Eyes closed, breathing in quick deep breaths - though there's a mental block there too, just as long as she's not breathing in any water. Eventually one hand will unclench enough for Katie to grab.]

[flickerflash]

[Katie pulls Raine up toward her, and gives the magic just a push. Just to see if John is as good as Buffy says he is-- the briefest flicker of wayfare.

After the first tug on Raine's hand, they're flying. Might be a bit disconcerting, but Katie is careful not to go too far-- merely to the roof of the item shop nearby, touching down lightly, up and away from the water. The water will eventually catch up to Raine again, she knows, but somewhere high that it can fall from is perhaps a little better for the nerves than being trapped beneath it.

Literally, they're just a light jump away.]

It seems my magic is still broken.

[wise_maiden]

Whoa!

[As helpful as the sudden flight is, the suddenness of it does take her a little off guard, and it even takes a few moments for her to realize what happened and readjust to no longer being in the tunnel but up and away from the water. A few more deep breaths.] ... it's a shame that all this water can't help with the drought. Far too much to do any good.

[She's trying to go for light irony, mostly to herself to settle her nerves again.] ... Thank you.

[flickerflash]

You're welcome.

[...she hesitates, remembering other things that the tunnel has suppressed. Her journal is out in a log somewhere. And she really should go, she thinks.]

Will you be all right?

[wise_maiden]

I will be. [Later. Much later, she thinks. She hasn't forgotten the water lurking below, though she's trying to avoid looking directly at it, keeping her attention on Katie, as as she gives her a considering look.] You're still my main concern, you know.

[flickerflash]

Oh? [And she headtilts, a small smile on her face, one of her cat ears twitching back.] Are we playing opposites again today, Professor Sage?

[wise_maiden]

I just... didn't want you to feel that you had to worry for me, when I came here to support you. [A much more truthful answer.] I almost don't recognize the world, like this...

[flickerflash]

Don't try too hard. The world doesn't like to be recognised. [She hesitates-- but Raine did mention support, so Katie crouches by the edge of the roof and peers down, watching as the water begins to slow to a trickle.]

...thank you. I wasn't sure you'd get lost on the way.

[wise_maiden]

It's incredible, and... terrifying. [The roof is still thankfully dry, though she's trying to avoid the edge of it.]

You left the note. I was worried that you might have forgotten to.

[flickerflash]

I try not to forget things. My mum always said it was very impolite to forget. {Terrifying. The world is terrifying? She supposes to a human, it is.] Would you rather pretend none of this existed?

[wise_maiden]

Honestly, I think I'd be able to appreciate it a little better if it were drier. I suppose it's more that knowing that the things that I do find frightening are here because of me. And at the same time... It's like being a little inside your head, isn't it? I don't have the right to deny that.

[flickerflash]

[...that's a very good answer. Katie relaxes a little, even darting Raine a proper smile.] Do you think you'll ever not be afraid of water?

[It's a pity. If Raine's fears were more ... solid, more like a villain, she could at least try to do something about them. There's not much to be done about water.]

[wise_maiden]

... I was hardly any older than you when I first started being afraid. I've spent time since then mostly denying it, later on trying to accept it, and I even tried to learn how to swim last summer. Sometimes I think it's starting to get better, and then I'm reminded that it isn't, not really. ... Maybe it just needs more time. I suppose I do have a lot of that to spare.

[flickerflash]

Why are you afraid?

[wise_maiden]

I fell off a ship, and was swept away by the currants... [Her voice is soft, distant. The water pooling around the village turns dark, harsh with fresh rolling waves.] I thought I was going to die. I know that not all boats or bodies of water are the same, but those feelings just...

[flickerflash]

...

Feelings are hardly important. [Her accent is more rounded than usual, and Katie glances down at the dark currents below.] Water can hurt you at any time, after all, sneaking around after you, following you everywhere. You could slip off the roof here and now and this fear would be enough to make you drown. Are you afraid?