Video [1]

[madrassa]

[The image clicks on and Inara is holding the camera behind her as she flees. What appear to be a pack of six unbelievably floppy, adorable, blood-soaked wolpertingers in pursuit of a panting, gasping subject. She sounds more than a little distressed.]

Hello? Hello? Please -- anyone. I'm heading for the nearest sign of civilization, and I pray, ah

Comments

[aint_comin_back]

[Well, the gods are just blessing him, aren't they? Hadn't been all that long since Jayne showed up. Mal's already moving, gun shoved in his holster and putting on his coat as he's out the door.]

You want the explanations before or after the rescuin'?

[madrassa]

[There's silence as the pitter-patter of the genetically absurd wolpertingers pass her hiding spot with little awareness. She lets out a massive sigh, having held her breath for the excursion. She picks up the pad-camera from her lap so that her face is now in plain view. Inara still keeps her voice at a cautiously optimistic volume.]

Rescue. There's a dock nearby here -- I couldn't have possibly made it that fa...

[Apparently deciding volume is no longer an issue, she momentarily forgets herself.]

Mal? Mal Reynolds?

[aint_comin_back]

I'm alrea- [-dy headed that way. Mal cuts himself off and raises a brow at her tone. When he answers, his own voice is conversational. Sorta. There is an undercurrent of urgency.]

Ah, yeah. I got Wash right behind me and I'm sure Jayne'll jump at the chance to kill something adorable. Not exactly sure where River is, but she's prone to wandering off anyway.

[Pause.] Who else? Ain't like I got nothing else to do but hunt down wayward crew and murder somethin' kinda cute.

D'ya want me to start a log for the lot of us? :] Or unnecessary?

[madrassa]

...I suppose I should be thankful. [There's a hint of a smirk, which quickly disappears when she hears the pitter-patter of wolpertingers. Inara glances sidelong and back again before turning to look at the camera.]

What about Zoë? Simo-- did you say Wash?

[Video]

[yearrounder]

There's some...invasion, I guess. Do you need help?

[Video]

[madrassa]

[Her expression has improved exponentially. Inara seems infinitely more collected.]

Don't trouble yourself. I've garnered the attention of a few friends whom I trust will find me. While I wait like a sitting duck, I may as well introduce myself -- certainly don't know when it might be my last introduction. I'm Companion Inara Serra of House Madrassa. May I ask your name?

[Video]

[yearrounder]

Are you sure?

[Right, that other thing.]

I'm Annabeth Chase.

[Video]

[madrassa]

Absolutely. I have complete and utter confidence in the crew, but more than that, they're simply rabid animals with sharp teeth -- if you or I had a weapon, I'm sure we'd manage. Once they arrive, it ought to be -- I hope it will be -- overkill.

Annabeth. [Her smile is confident, but she's obviously shaken.] Where are you from? I need a distraction.

|| Video ||

[curseurbetrayal]

[At first he's just kind of smiley happy to see you, mixed in with a small side of disbelief.]

I-Inara?

[And then it registers with him that she's about to get eaten alive by horrifically adorable bunny-reindeer things. And maybe his voice jumps an octave in pitch.]

Wuo duh MA!* Inara! M-Mal's on his way, right? With the guns and the shooting and the whole hero gig? I'd offer a flashy airborne rescue but... bit difficult without the ship.

[Either way, he's on the move, running out the door behind Mal. Not sure what good he'll be once he gets there, but here comes brave space pilot Wash, on his way to assist with any demon-bunny punting that needs doing.]

[[*Mother-of-Jesus]]

|| Video ||

[madrassa]

[Inara hasn't spoken one word since Wash's face appeared on the screen -- she can only stare at the pad in disbelief. Her expressions remains even, but inside, she feels a torrential onslaught of emotion. Perhaps this is a vivid dream made more tangible by drugs; she certainly couldn't remember what she was doing before stepping off the boat.

Behind her eyes, Inara could feel the familiar sting of emotion. She takes a small breath in an attempt to recover her lost composure before speaking. The whole process is made easier on account of Wash being the goofy, familiar space ruffian she remembered.]

Ah. W-Wash. Wash? This. What is this? Ah-- er... thank you? Thank you, Wash, but...

[Very few things render Inara speechless, but the dead walking is definitely one of those things.]

|| Video ||

[curseurbetrayal]

[ Oh, Wash knows that tone. That's the 'but the last time I saw you you were a shish-ka-bob' tone. He'd thought maybe if Jayne had missed that part Inara might have too but nope, apparently not. Well, here we go with the awkward again.]

Right, about that, Inara... So, turns out the magic wheel of pan-religious fate slapped me in the Underworld with you all, post-mortem. Well, part of you all, at least. Though, minus the ship, so not sure why I’ve been hijacked on my trip to the afterlife just to run around and let everyone know when and how fast we ought to be running away from things. Maybe Hades needed some comic relief?

[ Eheh. Oh. So awkward. Gotta love these talks. Hope you like being stuck forever in Greek Hell, Inara, because thaaaaaat’s exactly what the bomb he's dropping here.]

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[madrassa]

[Her distress begins to turn to almost-amusement as he begins his diatribe.] It sounds as though you've had to do this several times. I've already gathered a ridiculous number of questions when we have a moment. [Though Inara lacks the emotion to laugh, she does smile confidently at the pad.] I hope you arrive safely. Please don't fall to any harm on my account -- I wouldn't be able to forgive myself...

[She pauses for a minute, recognizing the morbidity of her tone, and takes on something a bit lighter.]

...or you. Keep it together, Wash.

[loves_vera]

[Was the entire gorram ship gonna show up next? Jayne's arms and face are covered in bloody scratches and he's got Vera unslung and is firing wildly into the forest behind him. He turns and the camera dips low enough to show one of these wrapped around his calf, chewing a bloody hole through it. He's swearing furiously, but pauses long enough to answer.]

You see anything cute, rutting kill it. Whole gorram place has gone off it's nut.

[Yes, Inarra, he's coming. Because Mal will absolutely kill him if he doesn't.]

[madrassa]

[It's just not going to get any easier, is it? Inara's eyes widen in disbelief. She knows Jayne is tough; that he practically lives for the fight. This, however, is probably not his run-of-the-mill fight, she muses, as she catches a glimpse of the adorable attachment on his leg. Her amusement turns to worry as she assesses the damage through shaky camera angles.]

Jayne Cobb, you're losing quite a bit of blood. Will you be able to arrive safely in the company of your crew, or will we both be in need of rescuing?

[That's a smirk. She can't help it -- totally involuntary.]

[loves_vera]

[Jayne growls in annoyance as a small squirrel throws itself at his face. He flings it away and takes aim at something offscreen, throwing one of his grenades, taking cover behind a tree. There's a sharp explosion and some disturbingly adorable fluff begins to rain down around him.

[Jayne gives a satisfied and dangerous grin as he takes in the mayhem. He stops long enough to check his pad.]

Don't need no rescuing. Just sit tight, I ain't far.

I'm gonna start a log! I'll link you to it when it's up.

[madrassa]

[She inclines her head as a gesture of thanks and lays her head back on the rock wall with a large sigh of relief.]

I'll be waiting.

[;Video]

[tereteindahouse]

Uuuh. You're new in hell is my guess and you're being chased by an adorable freak of nature? Man, what the hell is that?

[;Video]

[madrassa]

[Inara is safely planted in her hiding spot behind a small cluster of rocks. Gathering her wits for a moment, she finally checks the pad and responds quietly.]

New? In hell? I-- my apologies, but I don't understand.

[;Video]

[tereteindahouse]

Uuuh. You know Hell? The underworld? The place where dead people go except we're really living?

[;Video]

[madrassa]

I'm not familiar, which seems to be an unfortunate deficit to have at this particular moment.