[Ring, ring, ring. God only knows how she got this number; it might very well just be directed to his Network ID. Nonetheless, it's a call, and here it is.]
[Sam's buried nose-deep in all the new information he's gathered from the Network and the call almost goes unnoticed. He picks it up just before the last ring without looking at the ID.]
Hello?
[ooc; Also: OMGI'MSOSORRY ;___; this weekend wasn't kind to my foot and I haven't hit any of my tags since Friday. I'm so sorry I dropped the ball on their research /weep]
Rosella! [There's the sound of some things falling - books, maybe? - in the background. He swears just a little before picking it back up and collecting his thoughts.] Sorry about that. But, yeah. I'm free. What's up?
[ooc; I sprained it two weeks ago and though the swelling's gone down, the pain's getting worse. I blame school and work. >__<"]
I, um...well, it's just that--oh, I'm sorry, this is such a strange thing to ask. It's just that...a friend and I went out past the edge of the barrier the other day, and now I keep thinking about going back, even though I know there's nothing to be missed out there, and I remember you said you'd been feeling on edge, as well, and I was just wondering...if...if perhaps you'd been thinking of going out there, too. If...I'm not the only one thinking like that.
[OOC: That's awful to hear! I hope things start looking up soon. :( ]
[Silence for a moment on Sam's end, for two reasons: one, it's a lot to take in so quickly, and two, the more prominent reason, Sam's not sure.]
...I'm--. I've been..trying not to think about it. 'cause while an..uncomfortably large part of me wants to at least try, I--. [Another beat.] I'm dead, Rosella. City-Dead aren't supposed to be able to leave the City. If I step outside, I don't know--.
[A sigh.] I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about it. But I am. It's not just you.
[In their own, messed up Winchester Way. He thinks about it for a second, and starts taking notes. Keep it together.]
For now, let's just. Let's use this to our advantage. We're people of knowledge, so there's. There's a lot to be learned from this. For one, the barrier's protecting us from harpies and storms, probably other things too. Um, our wanting to leave? Is..probably because our being here in the first place is unnatural. Maybe there's something pulling us back home.
[Mostly just musing, trying to keep things on track. Back to the keeping himself busy. Maybe it can help her too.]
Harpies are linked to storms, as well, or storm winds, at least.
[There's some shuffling here, as she settles in and starts thinking out loud.]
Adrastus's mother came from over the sea, too, and outside the barrier. The storms might be there to act as a barrier both ways, separating the City and wherever she is. I keep waiting for them to come back, thinking they're going to. But we haven't seen her in years, and Adrastus in almost a year, I think. But the first time he came was with a harpy, I've heard. Him, a cat, and a harpy--and the clock stopped then, too.
[She's speaking absently, without really giving much thought to what she's saying--or the fact that it's entirely possible that Sam might not be able to follow a word of it.]
[He understands most of it, from reading through journals and gathering information. He's writing it all down when a thought hits him.]
Wait. [Slowly] Every time the clock stops or the barrier falls or something in the City starts breaking, someone from outside has appeared. Every time that I know of, at least. But not this time. This time, not even the deities are stepping in. And the barrier falling, that was because of the citizens, not the City itself or any part of it.
They're..not exactly the average citizens, but. Yeah. They were taking advantage of the weakened state of the City to try and help people go home. They didn't mean--.
[Defensive a bit? He knows his friends feels bad. He sighs.]
You know, I honestly thought I was used to things being above my paygrade.
[ooc; bedtime for now. will reply in the am. Thanks for the well wishes! ♥]
[She pauses, then repeats it again. Something about that phrase...it doesn't show in the call, naturally, but she squeezes her eyes shut and forces herself to focus as she thinks. There's something nagging at her, but she keeps getting sidetracked from it. And then--]
Mean. Mean mean mean, he didn't mean it--! [Something rustles again, as she sits bolt upright.] ...When the tower fell, back on the Ides of March. I think...I think I know who brought it down.
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Hello?
[ooc; Also: OMGI'MSOSORRY ;___; this weekend wasn't kind to my foot and I haven't hit any of my tags since Friday. I'm so sorry I dropped the ball on their research /weep]
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[OOC: Don't worry about it! Is your foot okay? D:]
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[ooc; I sprained it two weeks ago and though the swelling's gone down, the pain's getting worse. I blame school and work. >__<"]
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[OOC: That's awful to hear! I hope things start looking up soon. :( ]
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...I'm--. I've been..trying not to think about it. 'cause while an..uncomfortably large part of me wants to at least try, I--. [Another beat.] I'm dead, Rosella. City-Dead aren't supposed to be able to leave the City. If I step outside, I don't know--.
[A sigh.] I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't think about it. But I am. It's not just you.
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[But then she's quiet too, as she dwells on this new and unfortunate tidbit of information.]
I'm...I'm sorry. I didn't know.
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[In their own, messed up Winchester Way. He thinks about it for a second, and starts taking notes. Keep it together.]
For now, let's just. Let's use this to our advantage. We're people of knowledge, so there's. There's a lot to be learned from this. For one, the barrier's protecting us from harpies and storms, probably other things too. Um, our wanting to leave? Is..probably because our being here in the first place is unnatural. Maybe there's something pulling us back home.
[Mostly just musing, trying to keep things on track. Back to the keeping himself busy. Maybe it can help her too.]
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[There's some shuffling here, as she settles in and starts thinking out loud.]
Adrastus's mother came from over the sea, too, and outside the barrier. The storms might be there to act as a barrier both ways, separating the City and wherever she is. I keep waiting for them to come back, thinking they're going to. But we haven't seen her in years, and Adrastus in almost a year, I think. But the first time he came was with a harpy, I've heard. Him, a cat, and a harpy--and the clock stopped then, too.
[She's speaking absently, without really giving much thought to what she's saying--or the fact that it's entirely possible that Sam might not be able to follow a word of it.]
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Wait. [Slowly] Every time the clock stops or the barrier falls or something in the City starts breaking, someone from outside has appeared. Every time that I know of, at least. But not this time. This time, not even the deities are stepping in. And the barrier falling, that was because of the citizens, not the City itself or any part of it.
[Thinking the thinky things.]
What's so different about this time?
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[That's news to her, but only because she missed that Network post.]
I've never heard of anyone managing that. And goodness knows plenty of people have tried before.
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[Defensive a bit? He knows his friends feels bad. He sighs.]
You know, I honestly thought I was used to things being above my paygrade.
[ooc; bedtime for now. will reply in the am. Thanks for the well wishes! ♥]
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[She pauses, then repeats it again. Something about that phrase...it doesn't show in the call, naturally, but she squeezes her eyes shut and forces herself to focus as she thinks. There's something nagging at her, but she keeps getting sidetracked from it. And then--]
Mean. Mean mean mean, he didn't mean it--! [Something rustles again, as she sits bolt upright.] ...When the tower fell, back on the Ides of March. I think...I think I know who brought it down.
[OOC: No prob! Sleep well! ♥]
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But now I think I might know how it came to be that way.
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How? Who can do something like that?
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