[Open Commentlog] - Old Persian - Found Prince 001
[Unfortunately, Dastan only reads that very first line written by Lord Deior before he snapped the journal closed, frowning before absent-mindedly tucking it into his belt. Sorry, Deior, but he believes he has a way to fix this, and if time isn't on his side he has to move now so it soon will be. First objective: find the dagger. He certainly can't
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Still, it’s and incredibly wonderful thing to be able to experience real snow as opposed to any kind of failed attempt at generated weather.
She kneels and pulls off her gloves, letting the white, powdery substance sift through her fingers again.
No, she could never tire of the sensation. Ever.
As she’s absorbed in this, a distinct noise from above catches her attention - she’s observant, she has to be from years of being chased and hunted - and she stumbles back and out of the way as someone tumbles down the side of the walls, smacking against it before stopping, dangling a few feet above the ground.
What in the name of the Gods.]
Are…you alright?
[Her voice is incredulous - what had he been doing? She scrambles to her feet and hurries over - hesitant at first, reaching to help start untangling the man from his confines.]
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Well that wasn't awkward at all.
[Then he hears a woman's voice--words completely indistinguishable, and Dastan turns his head incredulously, wondering why he did not understand her words.]
I'm fine, really. I do this all the time--make a fool of myself while performing dangerous stunts few can do. It's fun, really. And... you... can't understand a word I'm saying, can you?
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His voice, however, makes her freeze.
It’s not because he’s speaking a language that doesn’t compute, it’s because that voice is familiar. With shaking, trembling fingers, she carefully spins him to face her, and stares down into a painfully familiar face.]
Jack?!
[Any and all traces of weariness leave her face - she’s elated, joyous, even - she can’t believe it, he’s here, he’s actually here with her, right now! Granted, he’d just done something…incredibly stupid but…well. Jack was always reckless and rarely thought of consequences before taking action. This was…no surprise, really. Having him hanging upside down in front of her from a rope really…is not a big thing.
When she speaks again - it’s not in Common. It’s in a completely different and probably equally foreign language to a more than likely horribly confused Dastan.]
By the Gods, I’m so glad to see you.
[And this would be that horribly awkward moment where he’ll get a kiss if he doesn’t move fast enough.]
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Eh?
[He doesn't recognize the word, but a part of his mind notes it sounds a lot like a name. The intense look she gives him, coupled later with her complete elation has both of Dastan's brows shooting up in surprise. His surprise escalates as she switches to completely more complicated sounding language entirely.]
Ah...ehm...excuse me, but--
[Dastan drops to the ground, dusting his hands off and thinking of explaining, or getting answers, or perhaps learning some bit of information when his already flustered senses deplete altogether. She's kissing him. He wasn't even prepared for it, and his mind and body panic and freeze at the sensation, his mind no longer functioning enough for movement.]
Wha-wha-wha...
[This is where he leans away, pressed up against the wall as if wishing he could suddenly climb it, wide eyes staring at her with so much awkward panic and also a multitude of questions in their depths.]
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At his attire.
At his hair.
At the obvious, painful fact that while this could, in fact, be Jack’s identical twin, it is…not her partner.
Humiliated beyond belief, she straightens and rearranges her face into the blank mask that she’s worked so, so hard to perfect over the years and clears her throat, lips still burning from the briefest of torturous kisses.
She swaps back to Common. Not that that’s going to help.]
I…I am sorry. I thought…I thought that you…
[Her voice trailed off.
The Gods hate her. They must. Because this was entirely unfair in so, so many ways.]
I thought you were someone else.
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H-hi... um... I'm Dastan.
[He waits a moment, looking everywhere but at her, then finally sucks it up and meets her gaze. He brings both hands to his chest.]
Dastan.
[Then, he tilts his head, waiting for her reply.]
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Definitely, definitely not Jack.
Despite the intense pain in her heart Anna nods, and presses a palm to her chest, mimicking his action.]
Anna. [There was no reason to tell him a false name, as she had intended to do upon first arrival when things had been so chaotic and she hadn’t realized where she was, or known a soul. Alex had told her she’d somehow been here before and that nearly the entire Keep knew her secret and her name. If she lied, he’d find out sooner or later anyway. Little sense in that.]
Anna Dominguez. [She holds up a finger in a ‘one moment’ gesture, then fishes out her journal from inside of her coat.
Come on Dastan, tell her that you took yours with you from your room.]
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...
[When he sees the journal--one that looked like the very same one he found after he awoke here, Dastan reaches behind him and pulls his from his belt.]
This?
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Oui - yes. Anna. Anna Lynn Dominguez. [She offers him her full name, then gives him an incredibly pleased look when he pulls his out. Good, good. He’d brought it with him. She tapped her temple, near her eye - a clear indication - ‘watch’. She has an idea - and it's distracting her from the fact that she intimately kissed a stranger.
She flips the book open and holds it in her hands, then starts speaking again, despite knowing he won’t understand it. Unfortunately, she forgot her quill, so this will have to do.]
You speak, it translates into text that is able to be read. See?
[She holds it up. Now, the problem with this is that whatever they converse will be visible to everyone, but at least they’ll be able to understand each other.]
Try.
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This... is the craziest thing I've ever seen.
[And he had seen some crazy things.]
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Are you certain?
[Because she is fairly certain that showing up in a Keep and then being suddenly, rudely kissed by a woman that he has never seen before in his life might rank up there with a book that translates audio into text.]
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No...
No, I guess not.
[After all, this journal didn't turn back time now, did it?]
So what is this place? Why are we here?
...And who is Jack?
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You read this, yes? It explains some things, though in terms that make little sense. I...do not know how we came to be here, this power is greater than anything we have in my world, and... [She hesitates, then sighs.
Again, he'll find it all out anyway.]
And in my world, there are very powerful beings yes? Like me. [She taps her chest.]
Shapeshifter, hm? You...do know what a tiger is? [She wouldn't be surprised if he didn't - not all people came from places that had the same kind of animal.]
...
[Ah, he would ask that. Of course he would - it made sense for him to do so, after she'd acted in such a way.
She smooths her expression, and explains in as neutral a voice as she can manage.]
Jack...was my partner, yes? We led...a Resistance. Against the oppressive government. Five years we worked together. Recently, we became close.
...
You could be his twin. Almost identical.
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[His expression turns solemn at that, wondering what kind of powerful being she was. He had quite a few powerful foes, and hoped she was nothing like them. At the word shapeshifter his eyebrows shoot up.]
I know what a tiger is... [He says the words carefully--cautiously.] Shapeshifters are real in your world? [Okay. Now he was experiencing some of the craziest things he had ever experienced in his life. Clearly some God was laughing.]
Ah. [And it all made sense now. Mostly. Dastan makes a bit of an awkward expression and smooths a hand over his face.] I'm ah--I'm sorry I'm not...him. [Yep. Awkward Dastan is awkward.]
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I can understand. When I first arrived...I was...not inclined to read a book, either. [No, she'd wrecked her room and had to wait until she was more...personable to talk. She had not been in a good mood.]
Yes, very real. We are...called Misfits. There are many kinds of us, not just those like me.
[She shakes her head.]
No - it is not your fault. I am...very sorry for being so...ah, forward.
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Misfits? [He's grinning now, openly. He is not mocking you, Anna, though it may appear so. He is thinking that word greatly applies to him and his gang of--well--misfits.] You do not appear to be what I would call a misfit, no. Some of my friends on the other hand... [Okay. Himself included. He led them, after all.]
[Raising his eyebrows at her formal words, a hint of that smile returns to his lips.] It wasn't so bad. I--er--ah... [And his next witty comment goes right out the window as he remembers it. Just looking at her for a moment causes his brain to shut off. He shakes his head, and clears his throat, though he is also unable to look away.]
Wh-what I mean to say is, ah... it was an honest mistake.
[Yeah. That.]
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