driftfleet | [Open] No winter hibernation allowed.

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[Open] No winter hibernation allowed.

Who: Arthur and You
Broadcast: Video
Action: Wonderduck and visitors
When: Dec 1

[Action]
[It's been a month since Arthur woke up, not that he knew that as he came to with a groan. Lords, his head hurt. And his back. The next time they drifted over to a properly civilized planet, he was getting a better mattress. At his age, he couldn't just sleep anywhere like he used to, not without consequences.

Dragging himself from the bed, he grimaced and headed for the door and headed for the kitchen. Bedhead and all.]

Is it just me, or have the beds gotten harder? And please tell me you have tea.

[Video]
[Arthur's gotten his tea and (thankfully) found a comb. He's still in the kitchen, nursing a second cup.]

So I've been told that I've missed quite a bit last month. Which is... disturbing. But I suppose nothing to do about it now.

Maglor, I'm sorry I haven't visited like I said I would. I didn't mean to.

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Arthur...

The elves aren't on the ship anymore. They've all disappeared.

...

Sorry.

They- What?

[Shoulders slump.]

I see.

Yeah... it happened while we were being attacked by the Vieziri as everyone tried to land on the planet.

[Keith frowned a bit.]

You okay?

[Lifts his chin.]

Perfectly fine. Thank you.

[Right sure. That chin lift totally meant fine.

Keith raised an eyebrow.]

Ooookay. If you say so.

Lad, if I crumbled to pieces whenever someone left, I'd be in worse shape than my royal namesake's castle.

I'm not saying you have to crumble to pieces, but it's not terrible to need someone to lean on now and then, is it?

[Pauses. Still not used to that. Even a few centuries around Alfred and Matthew haven't broken over a thousand years of habit.]

If you're offering some company... well, I wouldn't say no.

What ship are you on now?

[Keith was still on the Huntress.]

The Wonderduck.

Suppose I've been too busy to talk much since my transfer.

That can happen.

I'll be over in a bit.

[Keith wasn't sure if he knew about the "special tea" that the seraphim and Sorey had hoarded away on the Huntress, but he was pretty sure Arthur didn't have anything beyond the standard fare on the Wonderduck. So, he took just enough, but not a lot, since this seemed like a pretty good reason for them to each have a cup, and headed over.

It was just a nice blend that was relaxing and better than the rations they got from Atroma. It was also fresher.]

[He'd had some decent tasting tea before, but Arthur was hardly going to turn it away! Arthur tried to quickly straighten up his cabin before going down to meet Keith when he arrived, offering a small smile.]

Thank you for coming.

Sure thing.

[He offered the tea he'd pilfered.]

Brought something. It's definitely the occasion for it, yeah?

[Arthur's face lit up and he held a hand out for the tea.]

Any day is a day for good tea, lad. Especially upsetting days. I'll get some water going for it.

[Keith smiled a bit, and handed Arthur the tea.]

Well... glad to help.

[He went with him.]

[Simple pleasures. He switched on an electric kettle he'd picked up someplace, making sure he still had two clean cups.]

How are you and the crew holding up?

For the most part, we were lucky. The ship wasn't shot down, didn't take super heavy damage, and we weren't boarded.

But, we lost the four elves, and then we also lost Dezel. [He quickly added-] Not to the fighting. [Keith felt he needed to make that clear.] Just... they disappeared. The elves seemed to go in pairs. It was weird. And then Dezel went on his own. We're pretty sparse as a crew now.

We did have Bulma show up for a few days, but she's gone again, too. Short stay. Lucky for her, I guess.

[Swallows, warming the cups with a bit of hot water.]

Hopefully they were all sent home. And better in pairs for the family than one by one. I'd hate to be the last after being used to company.

How many are there of you left?

Just me and the remaining seraph, I think. And Sorey. There seemed to be some jumbling around or something.

[Keith knew how that felt... getting left behind, whether by someone willingly leaving or not. It hurt like hell.]

We'll get by, for sure. I'm not too worried about that. Plus, people come and go around here often enough. I'm sure someone new'll get dumped on the ship soon enough.

Attached to the ship? I don't blame you, she's a fine one.

[Offers a small smile.]

I'm sure you'll help them adjust when they do.

Yeah... [He shrugged.] I guess it's a thing.

[He nodded at that.]

We'll try, at least... if they don't disappear right away like Bulma did. [Another shrug.]

But, hey... how you liking being over here?

She really wasn't around very long, was she? Lucky.

[Snorts softly, cradling his tea.]

It isn't bad. It's nice to have one of my people on board, cursed or otherwise. And the others are friendly.

Yeah. She was, I guess.

[Keith shrugged a bit with a small smile.]

That's good, right? Like... you mean like... someone from England?

[The concept of a personified country was still a weird thing for Keith.]

Well of course. They're all mine.

[Which is completely normal for him.]

[Of course, it is. Keith nodded.]

I can see how that would be nice, then.

The beds, sadly, have gotten harder -- well not that I notice honestly but. Er. Yes. Sort of yes.

[Blink blink.] OH you're awake Arthur! Good morning!

[The clock is going over his checklists, of course, with a cup of tea in front of him that he is not drinking.]

I didn't sleep in that long, did I? Though it looks like you've all been busy since last night.

[Focus goes to the tea cup.]

Is there still enough in the pot for another cup?

[Is an English gentleman. Not going to take tea from a fellow countryman, even if said fellow can't drink it. Not without it being offered.]

Uhm ... well.

[Cogsworth cleared his throat.] You rather ... slept through the battle, Arthur, I'm afraid.

[Ahem.]

Yes, plenty of. Please help yourself.

What?

[Blinks, disbelieving.]

The whole battle?

[Right, tea. Going to get a cup while he processes that.]

Ohyes, the entire battle. You weren't there at all, I'm afraid.

[A sympathetic pat pat from your friendly clock friend.]

We did all right though. Plenty for you to repair!

Bloody hell...

[Sighs, grumbling.]

Well, I'm glad there were no casualties aboard.

...Yes that would be the appropriate response to that.

[He gave him a wry smile.]

No, just our pride.

[Huffs.]

Did I miss anything else important?

Well ...

[Cogsworth thought about that. Hard.]

....the fellow who ended up helping us is one of the weird aliens that tried to eat us? So truly, a lesson in 'do not judge a book by it's cannibalistic' cover.

...Huh. Well, it's not the strangest thing I've heard of, I suppose. Events change foe to friend at times.

....that is true. My entire friendship with Lumiere, after all, is an example of that.

[Suddenly laughs.]

Or mine with some of those I work with.

[Namely, France, but good luck getting him to admit to being friends.]

[He chuckles himself.]

We are all friends to foes to friends again, sometimes. However, we are far and away from that planet, and thank goodness for that.

Even better. We're certainly due for a good break after that mess.

Oh, I most certainly agree to That.

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[Open] No winter hibernation allowed.

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