what in the longdark spitting-pit is that

[inourhead]

This was a bad idea this was a bad idea this was a bad idea.

Holly runs as fast as she can but the demon's faster. She has no idea where Lightning's gotten to; maybe he found a tree to climb. She on the other hand has been diverted into a treeless hill and she's careening down a slope, trying very hard not to trip.

And the demon's gaining on her.

She's never seen anything like it and neither has Crystal; maybe Book knows what it is but Book's asleep. It's mostly mouth - it looks like a cross between a floorlength mirror of a mouth and a snake to propel the mouth along.

And Holly's not fast enough.

The mouth catches her.





But it doesn't hurt.

Where are we?

----


with Minus (kappa)

with Mark (kappa)

with Max (Benedict)

in Terraria (kappa)

with Emma (Marri)

with Erin (Rockeye)

Comments

[unblinkered]

"We could... make up a measure of time, map it to... gah, no. Imprecise, on top of her guessing already. Never mind. High-schooler. Whatever."

Max sighs.

"Look, whatever we do with her... it's no use trying to keep the secret, especially if she's ever going to get home. Whoever we stick her with is going to need to keep her safe from the media circus, when it gets out."

[inourhead]

"And you think scientists will do that?" asks Gloria skeptically.

"What," says Pyay again.

[unblinkered]

"They'll be... possessive, if nothing else. They'll want to reap notoriety from the research, and wouldn't want anything bad to happen to their test subject, and they'll want her happy enough to cooperate. There might be better options, if you have ideas, but it's certainly not the worst thing that could happen, and probably the fastest way to get her home."

[inourhead]

"She needs some kind of advocate, in addition to if not instead of impersonal scientists swarming all over her because she's magic," insists Gloria.

[unblinkered]

"Oh, yes, the impersonal scientists, I bet they've all got pointy ears and go around repeating the word 'logic' every five seconds for no reason. I forgot that we replaced all our researchers with robots, my mistake."

He notices Pyay growing impatient, but he hardly knows how he can stop and explain the ongoing discussion to her.

[inourhead]

"You know what I mean! Or you ought to, anyway!" snaps Gloria. "Being good at science doesn't make them good with children."

[unblinkered]

"Good with- this isn't about- she has bigger problems than, what, not being in an emotionally supportive environment? Who else do you have in mind that has a snowball's chance in- in June, of getting her back home?"

[inourhead]

"What if she can't go home at all? What if it's one-way?"

[unblinkered]

"Well that's not the sort of thing you instantly assume, is it? If we find her someone capable, willing to help figure it out to the best of their ability, and they can't do it... then we can give up on that, and... worry about whatever what-if you're implying."

[inourhead]

"And of course the scientists will let us take away the only magic teenager in the world out of concern for her welfare!"

[unblinkered]

He stops and thinks, with that one.

"So... well, there are systems for that kind of thing, she could leave, she wouldn't be property... but what you said, with the advocate, a legal guardian... could use someone like that to handle her concerns... but who would we... where...?"

[inourhead]

"I don't know!"

"WHAT," says Pyay loudly.

[unblinkered]

"Gah! You- listen, it's complicated, we can't just..."

Max sighs, and tries to think.

"You... need... mom? Dad? Ugh, no, not the right concept... legal guardianship is... how do we... words, words, words, English words, Nloggy words, guardian means..."

He looks at them both helplessly.

[inourhead]

"We didn't get to any family words - I have other students, I couldn't just focus on her," sighs Gloria.

"Mouse?" says Pyay.

"Look," says Gloria, "why don't you take her to a pet store with feeder mice and I'll call social services and see if there's anything they can do?"

[unblinkered]

He sighs.

"Sure. I'll... yeah. My number's in the staff directory, if you need to call me, I'll... drive her down to Petco, see if they have... I mean, she doesn't need mice, no clowns to keep her from sleeping, but... it'll keep her happy, I guess."

[inourhead]

"If you're certain she doesn't need the mice for anything then you understand her a lot better than I can claim to," says Gloria tartly, heading for her phone.

[unblinkered]

"Mm. Yeah, they could... need them for something else, I guess. Whatever."

He goes to the door and motions for Pyay (...or Song?) to follow.

[inourhead]

Pyay or Sohng follows him. "Mouse?" she asks.

[unblinkered]

"Yes. Max and Pyay go get mouse." He points out the window, down to the parking lot- and then realizes, crap, she'll probably think he means there'll be mice in the car. Do they even have cars, where she's from?

Whatever. He holds open the door to the stairwell.

[inourhead]

She peers at the cars, then shrugs and goes down the stairs.

[unblinkered]

Max leads her outside to where his Volvo's parked, and opens the passenger-side door for her. He gestures for her to sit down.

[inourhead]

She peers at the car. She is suspicious of the car. Eventually she sits in it.

[unblinkered]

He goes around and gets into the driver's seat, and then starts the engine. The car begins to back out of the parking space.

[inourhead]

She is alarmed! But she calms down pretty quick, especially when she sees other cars moving on the road.

[unblinkered]

So she didn't know about cars, then. He gestures around at the vehicle and says "car".

They approach a large shopping plaza nearby. The Newark skyline is visible in the distance as they pull up in front of a large pet supply store.