oo1. [voice] where they wander;

[mynightlywander]

[The voice is hesitant (what? She's talking to a plastic... thing), and a little high pitched with a lilt that belongs to someone much younger than the 19 year old it is coming from.]

H-hello?

[Expectant pause while she waits for something to answer.]

... Mama?

[A little more tentatively;]

... Papa?

[She huffs. You can almost hear her narrow

Comments

[unloved_nymph]

Um, are you alright, ma'am?

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[Reading the comment out loud from her phone;]

Aaare you okay... ma'am...

Ooooh!

Hello? Who are you?

[unloved_nymph]

I'm, um, Echo. Where are you, ma'am? Are you, um, safe?

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[Pause for thought.] Didn't Echo die?

I don't know, actually, but it's very bright...

And I think so?

[likesto_talk]

You alright girl?

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[The phone is really, really confusing her.]

What? There are more of you--How did you all get in there?

[Pause.]

I'm fine. Confused, and Echo says there are bad people around, but I'm fine.

...

Who're you?

[voice]

[likesto_talk]

[She sounds incredibly amused.]

A miracle of science? Have you tried using the computer, maybe?

[Some chuckles.]

Confusing is okay girl; Echo's a good girl, and we are all having our fair share of trauma at the moment. You just arrived, so I sincerely hope you remain okay. Are you with someone there?

Metis, ever heard about me? Not many people has, apparently. One would think that being Athena's mother carried some credit or something...

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[A moment of incredibly cofused silence. There is a VOICE coming from the PLASTIC THING.]

... What's one of those?

Mama said to wait for Echo, so I'm waiting for her to find me. Echo said not to go anywhere, so I'm doodling on the "Out of Order" sign with the pen that the Manager gave me. [Pause.] I don't think he actually meant to give it to me. I think he just forgot about it, maybe. But he hasn't come to get it, so I guess I'll never know.

Er, sort of? I've heard of you. And her. I don't really get out much. Except at night. And right now ... Except I don't know how I got out. I wasn't even being sneaky this time.

[filter: Persephone]

[unloved_nymph]

I'll, um, get her up to the safe room, ma'am. Promise. Please don't, um, worry.

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[Something of a satisfied squeak--one parent found (sort of)... Still confused about the phone.]

Mama... How'd you get in my phone? Is Echo in there? ... Am I supposed to get in there too?

[Pause.]

If Echo is coming to get me, how are you going to come and get me? And why is everyone acting so weird?

[unyeilding]

Of course it would be that one.

I do not know how to be a husband much less a father. There's not enough drinks to deal with this. [deleted;]

Mind what your mother tells you and do as she says.

[mynightlywander]

[Another satisfied squeak.]

Yes, Papa!

[A short pause, then, in all seriousness;]

Papa, home is all messy--everyone's stuck on the banks of the Styx because Charon isn't there... Except Styx isn't there either.

[unyeilding]

Good.

[have a little pause of discomfort..and possible RAGE]

Thank your great-grandfather for that mess. Blood pressure-

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

He needs to stop being so cranky about that prison. He was asking for it.

Will the doors open at night? I need to go back outside. I have things to do!

[voice]

[emeraldandgold]

[She takes pity; because she's always liked mothering lost little girls and irony is delicious] Who's your mama, dear?

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

[As if it's the most obvious thing in the world--clearly this question is not genuine;]

Persephone, grandma.

[voice]

[emeraldandgold]

[...Yes, her only response to that was the sound of choking on her coffee and then several moments of loud hacking. That really wasn't the expected news]

[voice]

[mynightlywander]

... Are you okay? What did I do?

[Pause.]

I swear I didn't even sneak up here, I just... appeared. Honestly!