bursts into tears

[oversea]

Comments

[transmit]

As long as we keep our options open and don't let ourselves get boxed in, I think it's safe to say they're related. What are the odds of people moving around at this hour? Pretty unlikely.

[ he focuses on something—and then unfocuses. a tap against the device in his ear, and then he leans closer to thorns, lowering his voice. they still have to be careful not to wake docybara… ]

They're trying to make sure nothing gets out of town when they start their process. [ … ] That includes sweeping the area to make sure no one stumbles across it, too. I think their success depends on how big of a unit Lungmen plans to send. It sounds like they're aware of them, now.

[oversea]

Mm. If we try to leave they'd notice us. They're settled around most of the paths we could take.

[ they could also stay where they are, although there's no guarantee they might not get found out... but it's the safer option over trying to head out.

there is, of course, the other option of actually trying to get involved. but elysium made it very clear he wants to avoid that, so thorns won't suggest it. ]

[transmit]

[ they can get involved, but only to the extent that it's to cut a path forward. but even then— ]

If we do, we'll have to take into consideration that they're persistent. It's easy for us to slip away, but travelling with the Doctor is a big giveaway.

[ how many people travel with a giant creature… ]

Worst-case scenario, I can work on counter interference while you take them out. That should keep them from spreading any identifying features.

[ at best, they'll have the doctor's footprints to work off of. but they can obfuscate that by placing something under his feet. ]

[oversea]

[ docybara snorts in his sleep... ]

The clearest spot is to go down that southwest path. It's the furthest away from the town, so it's not as highly guarded as the others.

[ not as highly is not the same as not at all, but it would be their best bet to not get swarmed as they go. ]

[transmit]

How long do you want to give it before we resort to it?

[ thorns has the tougher job here. the constant monitoring can't be easy for him, can it? ]

[oversea]

[ good question. hm... ]

Have you heard any indication of when they might start moving?

[transmit]

… I think we sped up their plans by alerting Lungmen. They seem to be figuring it out, still.

[ annoying!! ]

[oversea]

[ ugh...

well, that does have some pros, since they're likely going to be less organized if they're scrambling... it could ruin things enough for them. ]

Wake up the Doctor for now in case we need to move.

[transmit]

… Do you have any of the drug you used to use to make him more compliant? We'll need him to be quiet and not give us away.

[ animals are… unpredictable…

if it helps, elysium looks conflicted about it. ]

[oversea]

[ the drug that gave thorns a giant crisis... ]

... I can give him a lower dose.

[transmit]

[ where did you think the source of his conflict came from. ]

I'll administer it so it's on me.

[ ??? is that how it works? ]

[oversea]

It's still my product...

[ there's a pause, and he sighs. ]

We have to. I'd rather have to fix that later than the hassle it'll be without it.

[transmit]

[ is one dose enough for a relapse… wisely does not ask this. ]

We'll make it up to him. Especially now that we aren't working.

[ holds his hand out.

his drugs, please. ]

[oversea]

[


he hands him the drugs. this is such a dark moment in their relationship (ignores all the things they have done that were like ten times worse than this). ]

[transmit]

[ sometimes drugging is necessary

into the (mental) cage their child goes… he gives docybara a pat in his sleep and he purrs so peacefully? elysium almost feels bad until he doesn't (just kidding, he does a little…) being as gentle as possible as he presses down on the syringe.

there is a slight tensing and then docybara is back to normal… ]

Good boy. Can you wake up for us? We need to go.

[oversea]

[ their baby stretches... yawns... before getting up and sitting, waiting for more instructions. he still sleeps sneepy but that is to be expected...

thorns, meanwhile, went and packed up all their stuff that was still left out. ]

... How's it looking?

[transmit]

[ he gives docybara a few pets… he just leans into it and continues to demurely sit there, dazed. now that it's been so long since he's seen him like this, it goes to show how jarring it actually is…

elysium forces himself to stop thinking about it. ]

They haven't moved. This is probably the best chance we're going to get. … Ready?

[oversea]

Yeah, let's go.

[ he will nudge for docybara to start walking. thorns doesn't think they can get out of here without being completely unnoticed, but he'll consider it a win if they bump into someone when they are too far away from anyone else for others to try to jump them. ]

Let me know if you hear anything.

[transmit]

They might recognise me on the sole basis that I'm one of the few people who can do this… I wouldn't be surprised if they have a profile on me from my time at the station. But it's better than the alternatives.

[ he'll just have to lay low wherever they go, and he can just dye and style his hair differently, probably. can't believe the short, dark hair arc was only a precursor to this… but he doesn't sound nearly as beaten up about it as he used to, if at all. ]

I will.

[ clutches his emotional support flag for the nth time this psl. off they go, waoo. ]

[oversea]

[ that worries him. but despite how much they hated not being able to be around each other 24/7, thorns not working with him likely helped them in the long run; there was no real reason for them to watch him, since from their point of view he was just a regular townsperson.

he tries not to look in the direction of the town but he is kind of forced to just for security reasons. ]

... I think I saw a flare go up.

[transmit]

[ what difference can two people make? a lot, considering the person thorns is. a lot, considering their reliance on their communication channels. but elysium's doing his best not to actively think about it, quantifying it rather than qualifying. they're just two people. why can't they be?

and if they truly wanted to give the town the best chance they could give them, that ship sailed months ago, when they first arrived and when when elysium had first noticed irregularities. intervening now, at its most dangerous, is just foolish. ]

Let's hurry. If anything's going to distract them, it's that.

[oversea]

... Right.

[ they have done a lot of questionably moral things during their time together. but one constant they had was that they would always intervene to help others when the moment came. and yes, a lot of those times that decision had cost them, but it was always such an easy choice to make.

...

he keeps walking, only tearing his eyes away from what's ahead of them to make sure docybara is trucking along with them. ]

[transmit]

We'll make it out of here and be happy. I promise.

[ they can't save everyone. they can't even save themselves.

but his lips find thorns' temple—then his cheek. for a brief moment, he presses himself close before pulling away to step aside. docybara toddles along without much thought, content with one simple truth: he's with his two most favourite people in the world. elysium watches him and thinks it's been a long time coming for him to accept the same. ]

[oversea]

[ they can walk for some time without much interruption, except for distant noise that doesn't sound... great, considering what they know.

but after a certain point, there will be rustling near them that doesn't quite sound like an animal. ]

...

[transmit]

[ explosions, smoke, and fire. they travel further than feet could ever take them in a short amount of time. great.

but for this, elysium will follow thorns' cue. quietly: ]

Should I start jamming lines?