Plas, it's Max, the ground opened up again and I'm trapped in an underground prison. The last occupant died in here. I got in contact with Ripley, he said there's lava? You have to be careful, if you're up there I need you to look after Ripley, he's one of mine. He's new and he has powers, have him use them if you need them. Stay safe.
[later:]
I hope my message got through, if you've fallen into the earth and you're reading this I'd appreciate some assistance, I'm not sure how to get out.
[and again:]
What is the point of these devices if you don't answer them? Did you even have yours with you? If Ripley is injured I'll be holding you personally responsible.
[At some point, Rin helps her out of the enclosure and she has no need to bother Plas for a while, although she does grow increasingly worried without a response.]
Have you evacuated the city, or are you able to stop the lava? I'm not sure the extent of your abilities. I've located Rin, we seem to be in a large cavern, I'm not sure how we're going to get out.
[On Max's end, there's a considerable stretch of time before she texts again, and this time she's actually texting, doing the best she can in her understanding of the language because she doesn't want to speak aloud and alert Juniper to how worried she is. The screen being cracked really doesn't help.]
Found pink-horn-girl and dog ears, attacked by many sharp. Separated, only girl with me in the tunnel. I have worry. Do worry ? [The next few symbols are meaningless because she got frustrated and keysmashed.] If death is this for us, wanted you to be knowing. No secrets.
[So many people have disappeared. Maybe this is the same fate they met, but they didn't have a way to communicate.
Max hates admitting any kind of worry or defeat, but the longer they spend underground the worse she feels about their chances. The last message she sends is simple.]
[ Some time later, when the lava problem's been "dealt with" and all those texts finally show up...
Plas will send her a picture he took of himself, standing just beyond the lava's edge. It glows menacingly in the background, engulfing a house behind him. He looks melty, the outlines of his face and hands a little wobbly and sliding. ]
yeah i didn't get any of this until just now. had total faith in you, though
[ And that picture's not actually accurate to the situation of what happened to him once he finished melting and tried to put himself back together properly, or how deeply burned out (ha) it's left him in its wake. But there will be no photographic evidence of that. ]
damn ok. how far out do you think you are?
[ There's a long gap between one message and the next. All these messages, which are notably less verbose than his usual way of speaking, texting, rambling and full of jokes. ]
[Sarcasm aside, Max is well aware that it's likely Plas was solely responsible for stopping the lava and that it was probably a difficult thing to achieve. It's why she hasn't immediately asked for him to come get them. The time between texts has also given her the opportunity to get her new big gun, so despite everything else she's in good enough spirits.]
Quite far, on the North side of the mountain. But we're all relatively uninjured and well stocked with food and water, perhaps the hike will be good for Shuzo.
[By which she means he's probably complaining about it and she's enjoying his suffering.]
[ Plas hesitates, because...ever since their fight, he's been mindful of what he says to her, and how she might take it. Gentler about things that seem like criticism, insomuch as he's tactful, or respectful, which tends to be a mixed bag.
So he could say, you said a lot to it that was useful. But he won't. ]
It had to borrow words. Can't tell if it likes yours or you've just said the most where it could hear. Says it wants to understand us. Said a bunch of other spooky shit. Said it was, quote, like I am. Hard to know what it really means when it can't speak for itself.
[Max is glad that she's apart from the rest of them, she's not sure what her expression must look like in the moment she understands what he's saying. She has to let it stew for a while, just to know how to respond.]
[The optimist isn't a role that Max usually plays, at least not with people she's been more honest with. But Plas seems exhausted from dealing with the lava and now there's this creature on top of it all, something that she knows he feels is his responsiblity, his fault. The most Max has done today is keep Juniper alive, an important task, but nothing close to saving the entire city from destruction. She can work up the energy for some optimism, for Plas.]
We'll bring everyone together for a meeting once we've returned, to see if they've had any run ins with this thief.
God knows this troubles me, dear, but this may be a chance to learn more about this place. This creature, whatever it is, seems to want to learn from us. We just have to teach it well.
[ He appreciates the effort, he does. Normally it's his role, or one he'd try to fulfill. But he's charred and it disappeared in a crack right in front of him and spoke to him in his own voice. ]
[She wants to tell him not to blame himself, not to let too much guilt in, but Max isn't stupid. It's too late for any of those reassurances, regardless of whether they hold any truth.]
Take some time to rest, if you need it. I'll find you once we've returned.
[Goddammit, Plas, now she's even more worried about him. There's that traitorous voice that feels satisfied to know he isn't completely immune to everything, but she doesn't need that right now.]
I imagine there isn't much he could do anyway, is there?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
a series of "texts"
I got in contact with Ripley, he said there's lava? You have to be careful, if you're up there I need you to look after Ripley, he's one of mine. He's new and he has powers, have him use them if you need them. Stay safe.
[later:]
I hope my message got through, if you've fallen into the earth and you're reading this I'd appreciate some assistance, I'm not sure how to get out.
[and again:]
What is the point of these devices if you don't answer them? Did you even have yours with you? If Ripley is injured I'll be holding you personally responsible.
[At some point, Rin helps her out of the enclosure and she has no need to bother Plas for a while, although she does grow increasingly worried without a response.]
Have you evacuated the city, or are you able to stop the lava? I'm not sure the extent of your abilities. I've located Rin, we seem to be in a large cavern, I'm not sure how we're going to get out.
[On Max's end, there's a considerable stretch of time before she texts again, and this time she's actually texting, doing the best she can in her understanding of the language because she doesn't want to speak aloud and alert Juniper to how worried she is. The screen being cracked really doesn't help.]
Found pink-horn-girl and dog ears, attacked by many sharp. Separated, only girl with me in the tunnel. I have worry. Do worry ? [The next few symbols are meaningless because she got frustrated and keysmashed.] If death is this for us, wanted you to be knowing. No secrets.
[So many people have disappeared. Maybe this is the same fate they met, but they didn't have a way to communicate.
Max hates admitting any kind of worry or defeat, but the longer they spend underground the worse she feels about their chances. The last message she sends is simple.]
Be safe. Protect them.
no subject
Plas will send her a picture he took of himself, standing just beyond the lava's edge. It glows menacingly in the background, engulfing a house behind him. He looks melty, the outlines of his face and hands a little wobbly and sliding. ]
I lived bitch
no subject
Your concern for our well being is greatly appreciated.
[He'll probably get the sarcasm. She understands that the lava problem was far more serious than their little traipse below ground, but still.]
We've found a way out, by the way. We're almost halfway down the mountain and we've found something.
[Attached is a picture of the wreckage, taken from above.]
no subject
[ And that picture's not actually accurate to the situation of what happened to him once he finished melting and tried to put himself back together properly, or how deeply burned out (ha) it's left him in its wake. But there will be no photographic evidence of that. ]
damn ok. how far out do you think you are?
[ There's a long gap between one message and the next. All these messages, which are notably less verbose than his usual way of speaking, texting, rambling and full of jokes. ]
no subject
Quite far, on the North side of the mountain. But we're all relatively uninjured and well stocked with food and water, perhaps the hike will be good for Shuzo.
[By which she means he's probably complaining about it and she's enjoying his suffering.]
no subject
no subject
[Between that and the fact it crashed in the first place, there really isn't much to salvage. It's the last sentence that has her worried.]
Is the city that badly damaged?
no subject
The thief doesn't just walk. It talks too.
no subject
She struggles over how to respond for a long moment before finally setting on practicality.]
Did it say anything useful?
no subject
[ Plas hesitates, because...ever since their fight, he's been mindful of what he says to her, and how she might take it. Gentler about things that seem like criticism, insomuch as he's tactful, or respectful, which tends to be a mixed bag.
So he could say, you said a lot to it that was useful. But he won't. ]
It had to borrow words. Can't tell if it likes yours or you've just said the most where it could hear. Says it wants to understand us. Said a bunch of other spooky shit. Said it was, quote, like I am. Hard to know what it really means when it can't speak for itself.
no subject
I shouldn't have touched it. Did it hurt anyone?
Do you think we can make this right?
no subject
[ What else is there to say? ]
no subject
We'll bring everyone together for a meeting once we've returned, to see if they've had any run ins with this thief.
God knows this troubles me, dear, but this may be a chance to learn more about this place. This creature, whatever it is, seems to want to learn from us. We just have to teach it well.
no subject
Maybe. I think I've already taught it too well.
We'll work it out later.
no subject
Take some time to rest, if you need it. I'll find you once we've returned.
no subject
[ The next messages comes quick. ]
Don't tell Julian I told you that or he'll get how he gets. You know what I mean.
no subject
I imagine there isn't much he could do anyway, is there?
no subject
no subject
[She might have, if it was possible that he could help, but there's no point in stressing Julian out. He does that well enough just by existing.]
Get some rest, we'll be alright without you for a few hours