4 Fathoms down ☠ [accidental audio] | [action]

[lists_to_port]

[Accidental Audio]

[There are the sounds of deep, measured breathing. Then a rusty voice engaging with some kind of guided meditation:]I am picturing my special place. I am safe in my special place. The sea. Birds. Coral

Comments

[Voice]

[mountain_sage]

Jack? The best way to feel the peace is to remain quiet and take in the sights and sounds that surround you.

[After all, you've seen him do it before, and he has mastered the art.]

[Voice]

[lists_to_port]

Well I'm tryin' to, aren't I? My Special Place! It's got beauteous sights and sounds! [He's been reading all the wrong books, sage.]

[Voice]

[mountain_sage]

[Then learn from the master.]

But you were yelling. That unnecessary noise will disturb the peace.

[Voice]

[lists_to_port]

The peace won't come, sage; not until I'm shut of this place.

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

That's not exactly how it goes.

[voice]

[lists_to_port]

[Oh, devil's bollocks it's the ninja come to gloat.]

And how does it go, beautiful Sheena?

[voice]

[corrinesbell]

[gloat? About what? She's not exactly a pillar of inner peace, either.]

...Okay I guess. At least things are quieter.

[voice]

[lists_to_port]

It's not quiet at all; it's terrible loud in here.

[action]

[slaying]

[ and if he happens to pass by the ice rink on his way out of the village, he might find a bundled figure executing small, warming-up jumps on the ice. ]

[action]

[lists_to_port]

[The rink is not on Jack's way out of the village, but he detours there anyway, hoping to find Cirno and tell her his news. For a moment he stands and watches Buffy skating there; then he drops his pack and slumps onto the wooden bench he'd carefully built for her.

It feels less like being on the edge of something this way.]

[action]

[slaying]

[ some of her execution is wobbly -- unsure, unfamiliar. too long gone. but in the long, even strokes across the ice she can find a kind of finesse. far too many of buffy's movements in the rest of the world are hard and efficient. masterful, but practical. by comparison, these moves are graceful and fluid. energy moves from her hips in a twist to turn backwards, scalloping the blades. arms are out at wide angles. balance.

the sound is perhaps what she likes best. that sweet crunch of metal on frozen water. the sound of friction when the blade twists or the pick catches when she aims to stop. ]

[action]

[lists_to_port]

[What are you doing here, Jacky? Up, lad! Away now, quicklike!

I am part of the beauty. I feel the peace.

You'll be feeling worse if you don't scurry, boyo.

Jack couldn't rationalize away that voice, so instead he bantered with it, misled it, fed it stories, and watched the beauty and the peace unfold before him. And it was calming, and good, and very likely short-lived.]

[Voice]

[chibiremlover]

[Well... that's weird.] Uh... are you okay, sir? [Adults don't tend to use the D-word where he can hear unless something has gone wrong.]

[Voice]

[lists_to_port]

NO! In fact......I'm downright starving, is what I am. Hungry.

[Voice]

[chibiremlover]

OH! Then you should get something to eat! [Helpful boy is so helpful.]

[Voice]

[lists_to_port]

And what do you recommend, tiny woman-haired boy?

[voice]

[andallaretrue]

Dere is little peace in yelling.

[voice]

[lists_to_port]

[Is that relief in Jack's voice?]

Tia, darling. I've just come up a bit lacking in this exercise, is all. I'll be burning this book in just a moment.

[voice]

[andallaretrue]

[If it is, Tia isn't commenting on it.]

An' de need to try in de firs' place?

[voice]

[lists_to_port]

[Even though Tia is the closest thing Jack has to home, he's not sure he wants to entirely trust her with sensitive information. Still--she's one who perhaps understands his madness better than anyone else in Luceti.]

The other Sparrows have been a bit active of late, love.