youmiscalculated | 🌈 in character contact

you're not sleeping are you??? this is important!!

Are you talking to me? You're talking about lack of sleep to me, when you're the one who NEVER sleeps!

Edited 2023-07-18 23:07 (UTC)

not the point!! there are pressing matters here!

[ Which he will...absolutely get to...probably. If he's not distracted. ]

If I was sleeping, I'm not now...I wonder why??

it's boring anyway! far more important things! like why there are vegetables in this cake
why
tell me
something's gone wrong

Nothing's wrong! Everything's fine. It's fine, all chill, as they say.

[ It...is not all chill. ]

Nothing you need to worry about, She-Ra can fix it. IF there's anything to fix, because there probably isn't.

[ Love that enthusiasm! ]

there is! She-Ra needs to eat all this dreadful cake for me, can you manage it? pity for it to be wasted
I warn you though it's awful

[ His...logic...? ]

Hmm...cake. I'm listening...

[ Lucky for him, she's still growing, and she can definitely pack away some cake. ]

How awful is it?

have you ever licked the bottoms of your shoes?

Why would I EVER do that?

I'm not really into the idea of helping you with that. But if you had any good cake...chocolate, even...

Oh I definitely have chocolate cake in my pocket. Is that what you're after?

Now you're talking. I didn't know how much I wanted chocolate cake.

Ready when you are, Doctor.

Adora. It's Istredd. I know what happened, and I'm just checking in on you. Is there anything you need?

[ Adora isn't sure how he knows. She hasn't left her room in the castle in days, not since Catra left. But maybe that prompted enough of a curiosity. She isn't sure, but this is the first time anyone's addressed her directly, and she swallows, rubbing at red, swollen eyes.

She needs Catra back, that's what she needs, and she stares at the wall in front of her, legs tucked up out of habit, leaving space for Catra even now. She has no idea what else she actually needs, or what that looks like. ]

𝐈 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝, 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧❜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞.

I know.

[ What else can be said but that? ]

Want to go on a walk with me? I know a good place to sit and talk outside of the castle..

[ Does she want to get up and try to act like a functioning human? Not really. But she also wants to be out of this room where Catra was, and so she sits up and swallows heavily, sniffling. ]

𝐎𝐤𝐚𝐲. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐞? 𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭.

[ Living in the castle reminds her of Glimmer and home, but as long as Catra was here, it was okay. Without her, it's not even a little close to feeling like home anymore. ]

I wouldn't. It's difficult to get money here, let alone enough for rent, and it will make them watch you closer.

I understand being here makes you think about her, but it's not the answer. You'll still feel this way somewhere else.

[ She frowns at her wall. Why does being alone make people watch? But then he has to bring logic into it and she literally turns away from the wall, pouting sadly before finally sitting up. ]

𝐈❜𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐈 𝐝𝐨𝐧❜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲.

[ A thought occurs to her and it goes through right after. ]

𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰?

Meet me at the Nott portal. Let's get out of the Castle for a while.

[ They did run all over the place during the rifts but she may not have had time to actually see the other cities outside of that, and Nott is what he prefers over Borrel, which feels too militaristic. Besides, he has a hunch this is the better choice. ]

I had promised to help her get rid of the bird she summoned, we were supposed to meet up. When she didn't appear, I went looking, and realized what happened. I'll see you there.

[ When she makes it to the portal, Istredd looks like his usual self. More solemn than usual, although his natural expression tends to be very serious and calm. It's not been a great month or so for him either, but it's not the same thing as losing what she did. He is in his subdued shades of blue with a light jacket. He has his bag of holding over his shoulder and he waits for her. ]

[ Adora hadn't realized Catra wanted to get rid of the bird, and she frowns for a few seconds before simply shaking her head and getting up. She dresses simply in trousers with a shirt that has the sigil for strength on the shoulder of one sleeve, her hair down instead of pulled back in her ponytail. She doesn't respond to Istredd's message, but she said she'd meet him, so she is.

When she makes it to the portal, she looks up to acknowledge him but doesn't smile. ]

I'm here. Where are we going?

[ She doesn't mean to sound put out, she isn't, and at least her expression reflects it. She's sad and upset, confused because she hadn't realized people could just disappear like that, in the middle of the night. ]

[ Istredd did have plans he was supposed to do today, but he canceled them when he put together Catra was gone. Sometimes priorities shift and Adora is too new to know what to do in this situation. They've bonded since she arrived and as someone who daily fears losing Lucifer to the same thing, he has a lot of sympathy and concern.]

We're going to Nott.

[ He gestures to the portal and steps through, waiting for her on the other side. Nott may have been one of the places that she ran around during the rifts, but it has recovered somewhat since that incident. The fishing docks are still being patched up and she can tell right away that this is a different situation than the castle.

This is a poor town, broken down, with a lot of fishermen and hard workers out and about. It's clear that once this was a grander place, with the buildings older in structure, but now it looks so drastically seedy compared to what they're used to in the castle or the city connected to the castle. This is the place where people are forgotten. There are beggars and wounded and they do give the two of them a look as they come from the castle, wary, but some of them recognize Istredd.]

Nott is anti-royalty which means it's very unlikely everything we say here will be overheard and reported back to the royals. There's a tavern nearby, we should talk.

I haven't been yet.

[ And she hasn't. There's been so much to explore just within the castle, and then the rifts happened—maybe she did go through Nott then, but she was fighting, not looking around. Now she is looking, realizing she's never seen anything like this. She has no baseline for poverty, and suddenly Catra's pushed to the back of her mind as she frowns deeply. ]

What happened here? Why are people living like this, why hasn't anyone helped them?

[ She doesn't have an allegiance one way or another, but this doesn't feel right. She's only seen things close to this during the war on Etheria, but only near the very end when things were the worst with Horde Prime. Adora has one more question that ends with a small crack in her voice. ]

Why would anyone care what I have to say about what happened?

Because they're not important enough to the crown and they aren't loyal, so they don't put much energy into helping them. They put their money into Hayle, into Borrel. Nott struggles.

[ That is the truth of what he's seen in Nott so far, and what they know about it. And the resentments they have toward the crown are absolutely legitimate. That being said, Istredd knows they don't have the power to help the Summoned, or do anything about the royalty themselves. They're too weak, something he and Lucifer have had to accept when talking about places to run to or support against the crown. Not helpful.

When they get into the Hare & Harrow he gestures for her to take a seat in a back corner with him. It's probably one of the nicer places in an otherwise seedy area, although he's not worried about trouble for either of them. Neither of them dress fancy or have much to steal on them.]

The royals are very suspicious, Adora. It wasn't that long ago they were interrogating Summoned in the castle. You can move out of the castle, there are actually places in the nearby city, if you don't mind looking for a job. But you could use people around you right now.

[ It's confusing because Thorne Castle is also a city, it's a castle and the nearby city is named the same thing. They all are within the walls. Istredd didn't want her to think there was literally no escape, but he also thinks that it might not be wise for her to pull away from the castle and everyone in it. She'd just be more alone than she is now, and he doesn't think that's for the best. She's told him enough about herself to think that way.]

I brought you here because you're someone who could use a distraction. Rhy and Kell have been trying to work on improving Nott and helping them. I wanted you to see it for yourself, so you can see why they need attention.

[ She knows she wants to help too, and while she hasn't met Kell yet, she makes a mental note to talk to Rhy. ]

This is what it was like when Horde Prime took over Etheria.

[ Adora breathes out the words and feels her chest tighten. She-Ra wouldn't give anyone hope here, and she realizes that even when she felt her worst back then, at least she could show up and let people assume she knew what she was doing to save them, even if she didn't feel confident in herself. In some ways that was harder, and in others, it gave her strength. ]

I'm glad you showed me. And thanks for explaining, all know a lot of this was probably explained. I didn't...Catra and I were just...[ Her cheeks pinken and she's glad they're ducking into the dim establishment. She'd been so wrapped up in Catra because she could be, that for the first time in her life, she hadn't paid attention to much in the beginning. Slipping into her seat, she looks around carefully, not attempting to draw attention to herself. Finally, once she's seen enough, she looks at Istredd.]

If I need to be around people, can I at least have a new room?

[ She's by herself, and she'd rather be alone or with others in a space that doesn't faintly hold Catra's scent. She wants to leave before it fades, if she can. Dimly, she's aware that maybe she sounds like she's whining, and she looks down at her hands awkwardly. ]

Edited 2023-10-14 21:05 (UTC)

You were focused on living a life finally, and I understand that. I'm sorry it was taken from you.

[ It's what they talked about, having a life, being able to take a beat. It's not that Istredd wants her to stop having one, it's more that he knows what will help distract her until this pain is less constant. Comfort can only do so much, but when the comfort has no answers like 'she'll definitely be back,' it's all cold at best. Sometimes he and Lucifer get wrapped up in each other too.]

Of course you can. You can move closer to us and come knock on my door any time.

[ Istredd's sad about the loss too, to a lesser extent. He liked Catra, he was looking forward to her experiencing the type of life she couldn't have too. He planned on nurturing that with her, since they had some things in common. And it's difficult to see a young happy couple split apart like this, especially Adora being such a positive youth usually. ]

We look out for each other, Adora. You're not alone, as much as it feels like you are.

[ It does make her feel better to know she's welcome closer to where Istredd is; his offer and his words both make her tear up, and she swipes her hand under her eyes. She's looking at Istredd like she wants him to tell her why, for there to be a good reason Catra was here and then snatched away before they had time to really try. ]

Thank you.

[ She was never going to tell anyone everything that happened between her and Catra because so much of it was only Catra's part to tell. But she isn't here anymore, and Adora needs someone to know she's breaking a promise. ]

I promised I would never leave her alone again, Istredd. I left her behind once, and she was almost gone forever. What if something happens, and I'm not there?

We look out for each other here.

[ He reassures her. Istredd may be the driving force of that much of the time, a choice he made when he decided to be more than someone hiding in the library, but he means it all the same. The Thorne Summoned have to connect or they'll all end up lost and alone in this tense situation. She's young and she needs people, he could tell that right away.

Istredd does know that she was hesitant to talk too much about her relationship. Catra's more secretive, he could tell that right away. Much like Lucifer. He shakes his head.]

No, there are people who have gone home and come back. They said they returned exactly to the moment they left and they forgot this place, until they came back. But that means she still has you, just not this you.

[ He'd consider that a comfort himself if he had people who really cared about him on the other end. Yennefer and Triss do, but he has far more people here who would be upset if he disappeared from Thorne. He does think it would be comforting though, to know somewhere a loved one is safe. Safer than they are here, really.]

I know it doesn't change how you feel, but you didn't leave her.

[ She left Adora, actually. Not by choice. But it's what happened.]

[ There's a lump in her throat when Istredd says that. We look out for each other here. It's like having a family which helps soothe the sting of being without the bonds she formed on Etheria. Swallowing hard, the gratitude might as well be radiating off of her. Being alone is one of her biggest fears now that she knows she doesn't have to be, that Shadow Weaver isolated her on purpose.

Then he keeps going, and her eyes dart around as she processes the information. Catra is home, still on that hill with her planning their immediate future. That's maybe as perfect of a moment she could be in. It doesn't change that she's sad, but it does alleviate her irrational guilt. Closing her eyes, she takes a deep breath and lets it out softly. ]

I didn't know that. It helps, I don't feel like she'd be mad I'm still here, anymore. It still isn't fair to let her be here just long enough to have a routine together and feel...normal.

[ As 'normal' as it gets, anyway. Adora brushes away a stray tear and then takes a more fortifying breath, one that has her straightening up a little in her seat. There were so many moments during the rifts when she thought Catra could be hurt, and hurt badly. Now that she knows Catra is gone, there's no more worrying about it. There's no more hesitating to jump head-first into deepening her connection with the Singularity. ]

So, what can I do here? I want to know and learn everything I can about my magic, and the Singularity. If it asked me for help once, maybe it will again. I want to be stronger, just in case I can do more than just send a message.

[ Istredd wasn't always a team player but this place changed him. Even when he was growing up, he kept apart from the other mages, and they weren't exactly trained to be a team so much as competition at times. Easy to fall into line when they had to fight, otherwise a power play. He isolated and then he was here and the situation forced him to change, and he's grateful that it did. It means he has the ability to soothe other people who come here with the message that made his life better.]

It is very unfair, this place can be difficult to adapt to. Knowing her, she'd probably be more worried to know you're some place alone, but you aren't alone.

[ Istredd knows that would be part of it, if he went back and some part of his brain knew that he was, it would be very worried for Lucifer being left behind. That's what happens when you love someone. But it's not something they can actually change or do anything about, that's the problem. They have no power on this issue, and it's a tough thing to swallow, but it's reality.]

I know various people have been trying to look into the spell that brought us here, either to anchor us to stay here, or to send us home, so it could be possible eventually.

[ He is one of those people, the anchor in particular his focus. There are a lot of people, himself included, who would like to stay. But he's willing to look into how to send people back too, they seem like two sides of the same coin. If one is figured out, the other one probably can be too.

She takes a turn toward problem-solving and he thought that's probably where this would end up, which is why he took her to Nott.]

You can ask Rhy what will be helpful in Nott, he and Kell have been working on ways to improve it, but there's no harm in getting to know the people here. We have a portal open and you just have to be back by sunset.

[ Istredd comes here sometimes to go to the book store, but not very frequently. Rhy has seemed more interested in doing lasting change here, and he assumes she already knows him.)

I can teach you the native magic but I've also trained people on their own magic. I have seventy-some years of experience so I'm pretty good at it. The Singularity may call on you again, it does that.

[ Rhy doesn't show up unannounced, having left a note for Adora asking if she's free at a certain time. He'll come over whenever she's all right with it, knocking on the door of her room.

He's brought a bottle of wine he begged off the kitchen staff, and a little box of various sweet biscuits. ]

Want to join me in the gardens? It's all right if you're not feeling up to going out, of course.

[ He just thought she could use some company. ]

[ Adora's mostly kept to herself and cried, but when Rhy left his note, she couldn't say no. She feels more than a little lost, but she's also trying to remember there are people here who care about her, and she's making friends. There are people who care, so she makes an effort.

Opening the door, she can't quite manage a smile, but she does have a soft expression on her face at least. She's lazy, so she's simply put on what takes the least amount of work: leggings and a tunic. ]

I probably need fresh air, and honestly, I'm ready to get out of this room.

Getting some outside air is always nice. Refreshes the senses. Perks you up.

We can take some tea out there if you're thirsty.

[ He's already asked some of the castle staff to set up a table, in fact, which Adora will find is waiting for them when they get to the nearest curated garden in the castle. It's technically enchanted to always be the perfect weather, but it counts as outside air enough even if it is slightly... adjusted. Considering Rhy grew up with magic all around him and similarly perfected, polished gardens and balconies, it's never struck him as odd.

He invites her to sit, and being a gentleman, pulls the chair out for her. ]

[ There's a small smile that tugs at the corner of her lips, and she thanks him quietly as she sits. She's never gone through this before, she doesn't know what to say or do first. Her eyes roam instead, appreciating the beauty of the space. ]

Outside of the Horizon, being in the gardens is my favorite place to be. Especially when I'm alone.

[ Her throat tightens and she looks down at the table as her vision blurs. ]

I guess that's going to be a lot more now.

I feel the same way. There's something calming about the greenery and the sunlight. [ Even if it's sometimes enchanted.

Rhy reaches over to put his hand atop hers, if she'll let him. ]

...I'm sorry, Adora.

I know how much it hurts, not knowing what happened to her. But we have to believe she's all right.

That you'll see her again.

I just—I don't understand. Why pull her here at all if she wasn't going to be here very long, what was the point?

[ She doesn't wish Catra had never come, she can't wish time away, but it still hurts. ]

I thought we'd finally have a chance to just be normal. Our first kiss, I was dead, Rhy. Our second kiss, I was barely alive. Then we were here, and I thought maybe, even though I was without everyone else, I had her and we could figure out us.

[ She has her burst of just-out-of-teenhood petulance, then looks slightly embarrassed. ]

Sorry, you're right, I know you are. Istredd told me she went back to the moment she left, and everything is okay.

🌈 in character contact

text; (up to you if this is a misfire lol or assumed cr)

of course i am u cupcake

😚

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Backdated a little bit to shortly after Catra left

thank you for this, she's big sad D:

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I'm back from mini-hiatus. yay

in person, early oct.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject