(001)

[survivra]

Who: katsa & you
Broadcast: fleetwide
Action: marsiva hospitality deck
When: now

—think you can do this to me again after all this time, but you can take your blazing courts and shards and shove it up your—

[ There's an audible thud as Katsa kicks a cot in front of her, bumping the bed a few feet and skewing it sideways into one nearby. Her rather angry string of anger cuts through the faint tinkling of bland, simple music in the background.

She certainly doesn't look like someone who'd be suited for an adventure in space, dressed in ragtag leather and furs that look as though she's thrown them together herself from a variety of dead animals. She also doesn't seem to be aware that anyone might be watching her; or perhaps it's more than she doesn't particularly care, for she scrubs the back of her hand across her eyes and scowls through what is very obviously only a half-hearted attempt at holding back tears. ]

You don't need me here. You can dress this up all you like—I don't have to do this. Whatever's outside that window, I shouldn't be the only one who gets to see it.

Comments

video

[brainiest]

[ There's a long, long, long pause between when Hermione sees the video and when she actually replies, and the nervousness is obvious and it takes hold of her long before she can actually manage to speak and say anything aloud to Katsa. ]

You're not the only one. We're all seeing the same space that you are.

video

[survivra]

Well, that's a—

[ Katsa's sarcasm is cut short and abrupt. She nearly chokes on her own breath instead. ]

That's—you—

video

[brainiest]

[ Something softens in her expression and she tilts up, looking at Katsa before her cheeks go pink. ]

Me?

video

[survivra]

I—no. I don't believe—

[ Katsa's not even bothering to try closing her mouth, a look of utter surprise on her face. ]

Hermione. It is you.

[ ...and there's the heat behind her eyes, disbelieving, clouding her vision. It shouldn't be so surprising, considering where Katsa assumes she is, and yet—so many years. So long. Someone so dear to her heart. ]

video

[brainiest]

It's me.

[ Hermione blinks a little, trying not to let the moisture in her eyes fall down, but it's incredibly hard. It's hard for her to hold her emotions back - it's been months of loneliness and isolation and wondering, and now there's someone she loves, someone she knows, and they know her back...

She has to breathe out, sharply. ]

Are you okay? I mean, you're not - you're not hurt, right?

video

[lord_wizard]

[Very few people here ever look the part when it comes to the fleet, so he can't really hold that against her. In fact, it seems to be a particular favorite joke on Atroma's end. Felix isn't impressed.]

My my. Such language from a young lady.

[He doesn't hold that against her either, to be quite honest. He's all for bucking the rules. It just seems like a good way to distract her from her fate.]

video

[survivra]

[ Katsa is angry, and she's unimpressed. ]

Are you going to be helpful, or are you going to sit there spouting nonsense?

[ .....And then in the process of glaring back at him, she really manages to take note of his face. There's a small flicker of—recognition? Something in her own mismatched eyes.

Another question without hesitation. ]

Where are you from?

video

[lord_wizard]

Why not both?

[His air of playful mocking, however, falters at the second question like someone tripping on a rock. He stares back at her, tilting his head just slightly, unsure if he had somehow missed something. He finds no recognition of his own, either in her face or her accent, and wonders how safe it is to admit the truth.]

Mélusine, though originally from Troia. [He is confused and hesitant but he's grown increasingly weary of lying] Why do you ask?

video

[survivra]

[ That throws her for a loop, and again, it's obvious in her expression. ]

But you must be...

[ She frowns, brow furrowing. ]

Is that near Estill, on the other side of the mountain pass? Or across the sea from Nander? [ And what seems like a wholly nonsensical question: ] Have you creatures in your land, like—like rats with unnatural fur?

video

[lord_wizard]

Admittedly, my knowledge of geography isn't quite as complete as it could be, but I have heard of none of those places. Or of...such creatures.

[He hasn't entirely missed her unique eyes, not quite as unnaturally bright as his own yellow and blue, but hard to miss for too long.]

I'm not sure I am who you think I am.

[His tone betrays something like guilt that he isn't. Finding someone from home could always be a comfort in this strange place, but he doubts he can offer that to her]

[video]

[sonofgold]

Again...? Has something like this happened to you before?

[video]

[survivra]

And I was foolish enough to think I'd not be bothered after so many years, apparently.

[video]

[sonofgold]

Yeah... Atroma's not big on not bothering people, unfortunately. That's the people who took you.

[video]

[survivra]

Delightful. [ Katsa scowls. She certainly doesn't seem all that delighted. ] I'll show this Adova person bothered. Who is it this time? King? Queen? An uprising of imps?

[video]

[sonofgold]

Well, uh... we're not quite sure. Sorry, I know that's not much of an answer. Their representatives are human, but we don't know who they work for. They don't communicate with us a lot, you see- we're left to our own devices a lot.

video;

[noprophecies]

[it's the mention of "shards" and the girl's looks that catch Tempest's interests]

I am afraid there are no courts or shards to speak of, here.

video;

[survivra]

[ ....Now this is somewhat interesting, and Katsa hesitates in her tirade. ]

How can you be sure? Have they all fallen? Are there no more kings and queens at all, or have the kingdoms simply become something... else?

video;

[noprophecies]

Oh, I am certain there are queens and kings here. But those titles do not hold as much meaning as they may back in one's own world. As for the rest - I suppose that would depend upon the planet we stop at.

Have you looked out the window? We are in the middle of the stars.

video;

[survivra]

[ A long silence. It might appear for a moment that Katsa is ignoring the conversation completely, but she finally speaks. ]

I've seen it. And I can hardly believe it. It looks like the sky, but there's no sun nor clouds nor even earth.

But if the gem shattered, if the courts fell...

video;

[noprophecies]

Mm, it is just endless, night sky, no matter which direction you look.

[she tilts her head] I do not know what gem or courts you speak of.

voice

[castrationfist]

Hm... Well, you have quite a temper, don't you? But it's all right, there's plenty of people here.

voice

[survivra]

I didn't mean any people. I meant—oh, forget it.

I'm sure there are plenty, but I've yet to see a single person with my own eyes. Which is how it should work, but apparently this—this magic nonsense means no one acts like anyone should.

voice

[castrationfist]

Oh, this isn't magic. Take it from me. ♥

But, that's okay, you'll be moved to a new place full of people after a few days! Think of it as being moved to a new prison cell from solitary confinement.

[She's helping.]

voice

[survivra]

I see why they send you out to greet newcomers.

[ Katsa's just. Going to ignore that, mostly. ]

It must be magic. I've seen magic. How else do you explain being able to communicate with someone like this, voices and faces shown instantly no matter how far away? That's how it was before. Preposterous as it is to say magic, it must be.

voice

[castrationfist]

No one sent me, I sent myself!

[yeah, good call.]

It's just technology. Magic would be a lot more elegant about it, you know? This is just modern technology, like a phone.