driftfleet | Winter

Who: Makie and you!
Broadcast: Not here. Try Manji's post.
Action: Yes! Many places.
When: Over the next week

[Marsiva]

[It's still strange how she completely forgot about this place. Between her health and Manji's on-edge paranoia ~~and mansplaining~~ she's exhausted, and can be found on her own curled up on a chair by a window, watching the starry dark outside. The first time she was here it was a little terrifying. Now, it's just peaceful.

Mostly until she starts coughing, anyway.]

[Blameless]

[And then she gets rudely dumped amidst a shower of confetti on the bridge of an unfamiliar ship, quite literally just sitting on the ground and trying to shield her face from all the coloured paper. Sup, guys. Here's a pale, thin lady in a kimono and shawl who glances up once it's safe, blinking in some confusion.]

...oh. I'd... forgotten.

[For all the confusion, though, she couldn't sound any less interested about being here. It's not personal; that's just Makie for you. She's eternally done with the world.

For anyone not on the bridge, she will at least explore the ship to reorient herself before she goes and takes a nap.]

[Twin Roses]

[Eventually, once she's recovered somewhat, she makes the trip here. She's never stepped into this cargo bay with such uncertainty. Where you guys at?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Cas pulls over a nearby chair closer to her side, settling down into it and pressing his hands together between his knees.] You can repay me by telling me anything you can remember about me being here before. [He doubts she can tell him much beyond what he's already read, but as much as he's resigned to having his memories screwed with, he'd still like to know. Namely if he did anything...weird.]

[You're in luck. Makie isn't privy to the extra knowledge that some other people are. She tilts her head, giving that short thought as she tries to get her own memories in order.]

There is little to tell. You were not here for long the last time you arrived, although you were... there were two of you. [It was weird af.] I'm not sure of the details, except you were still an angel and he was not.

[He also smoked and drank and was really easygoing and it was so frigging strange, man.] Sam could give you more detail. For myself, I only met you a few brief times before you left again. But...

...last time you remembered being in Adstringendum. I imagine you do not now.

[Yeah, he saw that 'other Castiel' in the comms. ~~And what he did with Sam, the fuck dude~~ He's not all that well versed in alternate dimensions since right now there's no way to pass between them, but still...what the hell happened to make him like that? Dang, man.]

I don't, sorry. [So they don't just know each other, there's some considerable history there too.] Did we know each other long...?

[Adstringendum is something she's only just remembered in the last day, so she takes a moment to calculate.]

A year. It was a place where... people and places fell through cracks in the universe. Many people knew you there. You spent most of your time finding a way to get the rest of us home, and succeeded in the end. For...most of us.

[She and Sam and a couple others ended up here instead. But she has faith if the Atroma didn't yank them off course, they'd have all gone where they were meant to.]

[This isn't the first time he's been reminded of what he's done in the past, but it is the first time it's something kind. It's the first time it's been something he's tried to do, something he succeeded in completing, something to help others.

Makie was waylaid, snatched on her way home to this place instead, perhaps a few others, but...is it selfish to wish that he could remember? To wish he was that same person?]

...I'm sorry you didn't make it home, [Cas murmurs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, bowing his head.] But...thank you for telling me.

I had never intended to leave. [Turning up here was a shock, but she was ready to settle in Adstring. She never used one of Cas's portals.]

You helped a great many people. I am sure those others that are here do not begrudge you for the Atroma's actions.

[Though they might begrudge him for Cas's actions, my other characters are assholes like that

She straightens, feeling a little lighter. In more ways than one; she's missed having such clear breathing.]

My name is Otono-Tachibana Makie. [Her smile is amused, in a wistful kind of way.] I would hope this is the last time I need re-introduce myself.

[Hm, well. Cas frowns for a moment before realizing something and digging his comm out of his pocket.] Wait. I've seen humans doing this to remember things. [Them and their lack of Rolodex brains, amirite

He holds it up for a second, takes a picture of Makie and writes himself a text. He leans over to show her.] Give me your number as well and I'll send it to you at the same time.

[...well that was unexpected. She just kind of blinks at him for a moment in confusion until she sees what he's done. Oh.

...oh, right. Numbers on this thing. She fishes her comm out from where it's tucked at her side, peering at it before she ...just kinda ends up handing it to him with a sheepish look.]

Here. [I have no idea what I'm doing, nobody asked me that before.]

[It's kind of novel, being the one to explain technology stuff to someone else. Well aside from a couple of his siblings, a few who'd had no idea how to turn on a computer back when they were organizing. Although a lot of them knew better than he did-

Anyway.

Castiel includes her in on the reminder text, making sure it's properly sent before handing her back her comm.]

I can't guarantee I won't forget, but if I do then you can show me this. It'll lend weight to your claims...just in case I'm disinclined to believe you.

You didn't seem disinclined to believe me this time. [But she appreciates it. So quick to call her friend, too.]

Thank you. Has life been... treating you well?

[l o l I'm sorry about your canon]

[l o o k it's just in case, ok, like he read stuff before but maybe next time he won't ok just]

Not especially. [BLUNT. Not that he sounds like he's complaining, just matter-of-fact.] Though that appears to be a common thread for people brought here.

[She commiserates there.]

For a great many of us, yes. Perhaps it's because those with miserable lives may put up less of a protest at finding themselves here.

It makes sense, [Castiel agrees, sighing and leaning back in his chair to look out over the stars as she had moments ago.] Why would a captive struggle for freedom when their prison is kinder than their reality?

The welfare of other captives, perhaps.

[She's happy to stay. Many others she likes are not.]

Maybe, [Cas agrees, because he'd do it too, but there are just as many people who wouldn't as those who would.] They could also be playing the 'long con.' Wearing their captives down over time like a river over a stone.

It works, I think. [She tips her head back to rest against the window.] The more time that goes past without any hope of return, the more people stop trying.

[There's nothing to say in response to that. She's right, after all; hope is as fragile as it is powerful. Sometimes even the simple act of giving up can be a relief.

The stars are beautiful like this though; collections of them even Castiel hasn't seen, the arrangement alien and incomprehensible. He listens to the silence between he and Makie, lets the distant roar of the galaxy's rotation fill it instead, and closes his eyes.]

Winter

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