[Audio] - after Deior's post

[sociopathicwolf]

[Sealed to Chloe]
Stay with me until we figure out whatever this is?

[It's a question, but only just barely. And only because he remembered to add a slightly questioning tone at the end there.]

[Sealed to Liz]
Where are you? Near light?

[Sealed to Alex, Toph, Sollux, Shepard, Kevas]
You good?

Comments

[bffpoltergeist]

[Who's uncertain about this whole mess? Why, it's LIZ!]

Umm, yeah...

[Technically. She has a candle in her hand, at any rate. That's what you mean, right Derek?]

I'm kinda... sorta... well, I'm like, in the halls. But I have a candle and it seems to be doing the job just fine so far.

[And a couple more in her pockets. However, there was always the chance the candle would slip right through her hand if she went ghosty and the light would go out.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[He considers that for a moment. Candle is good, halls not so much. Especially since - yeah, he's thinking about the ghost thing.]

You shouldn't be alone.

[bffpoltergeist]

[Liz's lips press together as she comes to a halt in the tunnel, blue eyes looking around. She'd ended up in the tunnels seemingly hours ago, but she really couldn't tell one way or the other in the darkness.]

Yeah, I know... but Sollux is down he somewhere and, like, he shouldn't have to be alone, either.

And... I might be, like, down in those damnable tunnels already anyway. I don't recognize anything..

[sociopathicwolf]

You're looking for Sollux?

[He's actually a bit relieved at that, though it doesn't show all that well.

We can join you.

[And by we he means him and Chloe, of course, since he's on his way to get her right now.]

[bffpoltergeist]

Yeah, I am...

[Seriously, he might not be everyone's pal, but she rather liked the troll. Then at the offer she brightens and her voice sounds far less stressed.]

I don't want you guys to, like, put yourselves in danger, you know? It's already bad enough I'm, like, out here traipsing around.

[Although that doesn't discount that she'd love to have them along with her! Too bad she's going to have her light go out and end up stranded in the dark with the very troll she was searching for.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[Derek likes him, too. Not that he'd admit that.]

Chloe's out there already, too.

[Which really is all he has to say. If Chloe's out there, Derek will be going out there.]

It'd be better if we're all together.

[...yeah Derek's not going to like that at all. Good thing he doesn't have a say in anything!]

[bffpoltergeist]

[He's a bit gruff at times, but he was okay in Liz's book, too. When Derek mentions Chloe, however, she pauses in her steps and looks back toward the barracks, brows knitting.]

She's wandering around??

[Because that wouldn't end well; it never did.]

Yeah... yeah, I think you-

[Derek might pick up on the brief gust of wind as Liz is walking. Unfortunately, that same gust of wind blew out the candle Liz was using. Liz, who hasn't quite gotten around to relighting her candle, freezes where she's standing.]

Well... ummm... that might be a bit harder than we thought... My, uh... candle just blew out. And, I might not be able to, like, see just yet, but, I'm definitely not outside anymore...

[sociopathicwolf]

Yeah.

[It's obvious from his tone of voice how unhappy he is with that. Not that he's holding it against her, but that doesn't stop him from being displeased.

Derek doesn't freeze where he is when he hears that gust, but it's close. There's definitely a growl as she confirms that her candle's out.]

Do you have anything you can use to light it again?

[bffpoltergeist]

[Liz can only do so much in the dark, but you'll hear her doing it, Derek.]

Yeah, I brought matches with me.

[Points to Liz for thinking ahead!!! She fumbles in the dark, but after a moment manages to strike a match and lights her candle again. Only after she's certain her flame is secure does she look around.

What she sees makes her silent for a few moments and then she speaks again.]

Ummm... Well, like good news is I won't, like, freeze to death. Buuuuut, the bad news is that I think I, like, found the tunnels...

[Because this hallway of blackness is something she'd definitely remember.]

[sociopathicwolf]

[There's a slight feeling of relief there. If she can get the candle lit again, it should be okay, right?

Except apparently not. Shit.]

What does it look like?

[Not that he's all that hopeful that she's just - found some other tunnels, ones that are a lot less filled with darkness and time eating.

Except, well, she's still talking to him, so that's something, at least.]