22. [video]

[oopsiatehim]

[It's late afternoon and the snow is stained with blood. If you follow the trail of it - little red droplets on white - you'll see the figure of the girl. She's huddled against a rock, squeezing her knees to her chest

Comments

[lumenrelegandus]

[putting the "gently" back in "urgently"] Hey… do you need help? Where are you?

[oopsiatehim]

I'm... I'm fine.

[Not that she actually is. She's shaking, still. And she sounds quite... angry. And sniffley.]

[video]

[flamingun]

[Well what do you know, it's the girl from the auction. He looks at the screen for a long moment before speaking.]

Hey, you need some help? You look hurt...and bloody.

[video]

[oopsiatehim]

It's just my hand... God, guys are so helpful, you know? Always asking if you're okay.

[...that wasn't a compliment. She wipes her eyes and leaves a streak of blood and melted snow over her face. That just makes her sniffle more.]

[video]

[flamingun]

Hey I was just asking. No need to get upset about it. If you want I can at least offer you some bandages or something to stop the bleeding. I'm sort of an expert on patching up wounds and the like.

[Mostly his own, but you got to start somewhere.]

[girl_unlocking]

[Oh my god. Oh shit. Oh ...no.]

J-Jennifer!!

[Bloody handsbloodyhandsohshitohfuckdidsheclawherway---no. They just disappear here. Just poof with the mist. Poof. No coffins. And her head is attached. Just bloody hand. Oh god. Oh GOD. But she's alive?]

[oopsiatehim]

[She laughs in a way that's more like a sob.]

Hey Dawnie. Got a bandaid?

...that's your name, right?

[girl_unlocking]

[She audibly winces, laughs back out of reflex, but it's a sick sounding thing.]

N-no, but---

---I can come get you! Take you to the clinic! Or bring someone to help?!

[A beat and the sound of a door opening. Then closing.]

S-screw it, I'm coming to find you. Are you by any columns?

[ Video ]

[velvet_zealot]

I'll look after her. That's what family does.

[ Video ]

[velvet_zealot]

You stupid girl.

[ An exasperated sigh and a roll of his cat-like green eyes. ]

Where are you, hm...? You're... not alone?

[ Video ]

[oopsiatehim]

...Yazoo?

[Wait, that's his name, isn't it? For just a second there, a bit of panic passes over her face - something about the silver hair and those unnatural eyes.]

[It passes.]

What are you calling me stupid for? I'm not the one seeing things.

[Behind her, that figure turns, leaving the impression of darkness, the silhouette of wings. It disappears between the trees... though it's difficult to tell whether it's truly gone, or simply hidden by the shadows.]

[ Video ]

[velvet_zealot]

[ He snorts softly. ]

I'm not seeing...

[ A shake of his head, silver hair swaying with the motion, sweeping over his eyes and then falling back into place, framing the slender lines of his jaw. ]

Mm... never mind. [ Whatever it is, it's leaving. Or, it's distanced itself. ] What happened to your hand?

Is that why you're crying?

[ Video ]

[oopsiatehim]

Just some... rock or a-- I don't know. And ugh, does it ever stop snowing? It's really cold. And--

[Snow: Now on her list of shitty things, along with waterfalls and power ballads. She squeezes her knees.]

Guys suck, you know?

[Yeah, men go on that list, too. Most of them anyway.]

video;;

[elementally]

Jennifer? Hey, don't go anywhere, I'll bring some-- I'll bring a coat and stuff, we can get you patched up.

video;;

[oopsiatehim]

...who the hell are--

Oh, you're that kid. Um. The weird one.

[She laughs a little, but it sounds kind of like crying.]

Another guy to the rescue. Fuck my life.

video;;

[elementally]

... Right. Hope. [a... pause. oh god, what should he say?] I was uh, I was going to be your go-to guy for nail problems.

[you can hear, as well as see, his running slowing as he looks at the forge.] I can help, but if-- if you'd rather it was just Dawn, I can give the stuff to her. My healing spells are good, though.

video;;

[oopsiatehim]

Well, that depends.

You're not gonna stab me, are you? Cause, you know what? That kinda gets old.