Fourteenth Adventure (In Storyland!)

[selfmadehero]

[ Video ]

[ A wild Robin appears! Hood and mask and everything. And also lots of mud. Pretty covered in mud, actually. Her hood's a little misshapen, there might be mud in there too. She holds her hands up as though in surrender. ]

Okay, before anyone else gets mad at me, it's story time!

[ Yup, that's her normal voice. She takes the mask off,

Comments

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

[And now Lirael feels kind of bad. She's been off-and-on worried about Stephanie-slash-Robin since she'd escaped from the hospital the other day, and off-and-on annoyed at her for escaping from the hospital the other day. Having Naoshi gone hasn't been helping matters, either, since that just made her mood that much lower anyway.

And now there's this big message on the network, and it sounds like Stephanie thought she'd been mad at her, or... something.]

I didn't mean to get mad at you. I was just very confused, and a little afraid something had been possessing you. Hiding who you are was something that never occurred to me. I'm sorry.

[And then, because she feels it needs addressed:]

I've never cut hair before, or I'd offer to help.

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

So does that mean you aren't mad at me anymore?

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

I wasn't ever that mad at you, to begin with. So I suppose that means I'm not mad at you anymore, yes. It seems like a very strange way to live, to me, though. I could never pretend to be two different people.

[Even stranger, considering she'd considered Robin a friend, and Stephanie an acquaintance. And now they're the same person? So confusing!]

Which name am I supposed to call you, now?

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

I guess Robin when I'm working? But you can just call me Steph if you want.

Back home it was a necessity. If only because my mom would murder me if she found out I was still doing this.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

If it's all the same. Steph. [It's impossible to see her smile, since this is text, but she is smiling.] Why would you mother be angry? You're helping, protecting people. You're walking a good path. [Her own mother, she was sure, would be proud-- so surely so would Stephanie's mother, right?]

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

She's worried I'm gonna get myself killed. And she's probably right, but it'll be an awesome way to go.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

Dying for what's right, doing something good, for a good purpose, is the only good way to go. Well, aside from not going, at all, but I doubt that will happen. I don't think an Abhorsen has died peacefully of age in centuries.

[Are these two alike or what?]

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

I know, right? But no, mom wants to pretend I'm still her little baby and I should leave the hero stuff to the certified and the old/grumpy.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

She'll let you grow up eventually, and be proud of you when she does. Though it's nice to have someone worried about you, too.

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

Yeah, if I ever get off this island alive.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

You will. If Naoshi can, of all people, you will. And even if you don't go home, you'll just be the island's hero, and probably be very good at it.

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

You're sweet. But if nothing else, I won't give up on trying to get out. I promise.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

[Oh, speaking of getting out....]

Has anyone made another attempt, or at least another plan, since that boat incident I heard about? All the ways I can think of would need more magic than I think the island will let me use at one time.

[She'd much rather talk about that than read any more "undeserved" compliments.]

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

Not yet. Things have been pretty disorganized since the first storm. Maybe once monsoon season is over we'll be able to think of something.

[Text]

[roadstotheriver]

Let me know if anyone gets together to think about it. I want to help, if I can.

[Text]

[selfmadehero]

Yeah, absolutely. You'll be the first to know.