001 [ voice ]

[zenthing]

[There's no fumbling with the Forge before the audio kicks in. The newcomer's tone is equal parts serene and curious; he would have wanted the former, and been unable to avoid the latter. He sounds American and on the older side, with a diluted West coast accent more indicative of education than birthplace.]

Greetings. Namaste.

You would not believe

Comments

Video.

[impossibly]

[ The video flickers to life simply so River can perform the pranamasana. ]

There's only the city.

[ voice ]

[zenthing]

[A little familiarity goes a long way. His smile might touch his voice, but he's sticking with audio.]

Nothing beyond that? No next town over?

[Which isn't to say that he'd want to head out there, if there were.]

[ video ]

[impossibly]

Unknown. It's dangerous to explore.

[ voice ]

[zenthing]

All right.

[It's a pretty conversational tone he's taking. He won't mind if she doesn't have - or doesn't want to provide - the answers.]

What about inside the city? Is that dangerous, too?

Video.

[impossibly]

[ holds up three fingers ]

The Mist outside the bubble leaks in.

[ one goes down. ]

There are monsters in the Mist.

[ a second. ]

There are people in the bubble.

[ lesson over ]

[ video ]

[zenthing]

[He switches formats and bows his head a little, just briefly, showing due gratitude to teacher. He hasn't left the room he started off in. Curiosity doesn't often override his common sense.]

I'll keep that in mind. Sounds like a nothing's-really-safe type deal.

How's the bubble treating you? [It's a fanciful way of asking how she's coping, though she may not interpret it as such.]

[ video ]

[impossibly]

[ River bites her lip, tilts her head. ]

Three milligrams of quetiapine, twice a day, with food.

[ video ]

[zenthing]

[He has the decency to look apologetic for his phrasing. All that time among beings who mostly only took him literally, and he never learned. He'd feel intrusive asking a follow-up question, although it does occur to him to wonder what the quetiapine's actually doing for her. He tries the first question again, more carefully.]

What has it been like for you, here?

[ video ]

[impossibly]

Unexpected.

[ Unpredictable would be more accurate, but that in and of itself is the unexpected thing. ]

I miss Serenity, but not for the right reasons.

[ She wants to say more, but she's struggling with the words. ]

Buildings crumble, everything turns to dust, there's still seeds in the rubble. I- I can walk around barefoot in the grass if I want to, and even when I'm afraid it's here with me, all for me, like it's- like a truth, a truth that won't be extinguished.