Episode 19 - A New Year

[Llyarden]

Sorin had just started channelling his Semblance to boost Fen's Aura control when the brothers made a break for it.

And, I mean, he could've maintained the effect - he'd been practicing using the boosting aspects of his Semblance at range over the past few months - but since Fen's brothers evidently weren't quite in a state of mind to be patient enough to communicate with her right now, he let it lapse, and followed Fen out. Because it was him, he did stop to check Chapi was okay after being bulled past by the Fable brothers...which also meant he was close enough to notice that she was acting a little...un-Chapi-like.

Since it didn't seem like she particularly wanted to talk about it right now, though, he returned his attention to the Fables. "Yeah, um, it doesn't work the way you're thinking, sorry. I mean, I learned time travel exists today, so I'm not going to say for sure that there aren't parallel universes or alternate realities or anything like that, but time travel doesn't let us access them.

"This is a timeline where Fen never saw her brothers again after you guys told her to run. You guys can't just go back and help her at the time we took you from, because it didn't happen. If it did, she wouldn't have come to save you. From what Professor Brown said, the best case scenario there is that you guys get erased from time - potentially very painfully. The worst case is that Fen and the rest of us suffer the same fate for having some part in the time travel that led to that interference."

He fell quiet for a few moments before continuing. "The fact that she never saw you again means one of three things could've happened. First, you could've been devoured completely by those Nevermores we killed and digested before anyone destroyed them. Second, you could've been rescued - or abducted, if you prefer - by time travellers. And yes, I know that this makes a paradox, but it seems paradoxes are fine so long as they don't actually change what the people travelling through time experienced. Third, you guys survived the Nevermore attack and then chose to never interact with your little sister again, never so much as letting her catch a glimpse of you.

"So, hypothetically, yes, you could go back to your time so long as you never let Fen see you. But there are two problems with that. First, no offence to you guys, but Fen is an amazing Huntress and there is no way you would avoid getting seen by her for years - short of emigrating to Atlas or something, but I'm guessing you were more thinking of protecting her. And second, she just got her big brothers back and I'm like 90% sure she would just knock you guys the heck out to stop you putting yourselves in more danger for her sake."

[Ridai]

Lapis, as he has been nearly every single day of the past four or so months, remains eternally grateful for Solstice being a bastion of sanity, so he is quite happy to start devising what soul comfort cake he will be serving in the near future.

On the topic of what to do with the vampire spawn, he is already gathering the lot up with thread, collecting them in a bunch, and starting to prepare them for shipping. "Oh, if it isn't too much of an inconvenience, I think we should deliver them directly to the police to make sure they aren't freed or able to escape," Lapis says as the hoodlums' hands are being tied behind their backs and their bodies rapidly encased in a tight (and, incidentally, artistically pleasing) net of Gravity Dust thread.

Ben thanking them draws a happy "Oh, please don't mentio-" (METTLE - It's merely a true Swordman's duty-) before Jack swears loudly, causing the tailor to jump. One of the vampire spawns is now in possession of a Gravity Dust wizard hat. Lapis stares at it for a moment, displeased by the haphazard make (read: Expertise 15 quality), and starts to unravel it as quickly as it appeared.

He freezes, however, at what Jack says. This sort of scorekeeping feels both shocking and deeply concerning (MIRTH - What? That's RACL/FLNS energy for you.), and the mention of Quora adds a rush of fear (ELEGANCE - Cease this nonsense at once, this is unbecoming of you.). Quora did not seem too enthused about him taking Lin Bane's place on Team RACL at first, but she is a terrifying social force. And he is ever dreading her powers in regards to the *sigh* "FACTS". Sorena is also not helping in that regard, acting as a power multiplier. But Tabby is now also part of RQNT. Lapis hopes she is getting along well with her team, but if she ends up cooperating with Quora about the RACL reputation and his own in particular...

Lapis completes the web-net with hollow eyes and expression as he feels his real self in the public eye slip further and further away. "i'll transport them to the police myself and meet you at the academy please scroll me your cake wishes see you there..." He picks up the bundle of fifteen or so vampire spawn, padded and packaged for transport, and begins his transport to the police, Scrolling them ahead of time about the delivery and context, using the usual RACL channels.

MIRTH - Oh crap, we're losing him.

METTLE - Fight! Cut through the falsehoods like the keenest of swords! They will know you as a true Swordsman yet-

ELEGANCE - *sigh*

Edited May 5 by Ridai (see edit history)

[Zelphas]

Fen's plan was to wait until some of her brothers arrived at King's Burgers, and then show up to talk with them. As she figured out what she wanted to say and how she wanted to say it, she realized that she would need more time. And more paper.

---

If/when the Fable brothers arrive, they would find Fen already there, seated on one of King's Burgers' outdoor tables and surrounded by crumpled paper (as well as a burger with a single infinitesimally small bite taken out of it, which was carefully re-wrapped and awaiting storage). Depending on when they arrive, they would either be handed loose paper or see several folded notes, each with a name written in sloppy handwriting on the front.

The Notes

Fred

Your room collapsed; I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I used some of the money for food and things, but the rest still paid my entrance fee, so it worked.

 

Francis

I’m sorry, the blacksmith moved away, and his daughter got married. She has two kids now. The new blacksmith, Sibusiso, is very nice. His wife taught me sign language.

 

Fabian

You were right; that Mistralan Huntress team won the Vytal Festival, though it was the year after you

I don’t know where they are now, I’m sorry.

 

Fadi

I’m sorry, I cleared out the pond of Grimm by myself. I couldn’t wait for you. I didn’t

I’m sorry.

 

Falk

I’m sorry, a storm broke the roof, and the pieces all rusted. I couldn’t keep them safe.

 

Fang

I overhunted the squirrels one year, even though you told me not to. There are still fewer squirrels than there should be in the forest. I’m sorry.

 

Farid

I’m sorry, I haven’t been to a service in sev eight years. I couldn’t I didn’t I don’t

Sorry.

 

Farly

I’m sorry, I should’ve paid more attention when you taught me. I still don’t know what a Lien is worth, not really. I just know people seem to like them.

 

Faust

I’m sorry, I beat up some friends of yours. They came by looking for money, said you owed something. I still can’t cook

I’m sorry.

 

Fedir

I’m sorry. I stole some food from the grocers, on the third winter. You told me not to steal. I tried to give money back, but I don’t know how much it was worth. I’m sorry.

 

Fievel

I’m sorry. I don’t think there’s any more “bandage grass” in the woods. I tried to cultivate some on the fourth summer, but it all died. I’m sorry.

 

Ferdinand

I’m sorry. I didn’t know what Fire Dust was, and I set your room on fire the first winter. I don’t think anything made it. Sorry.

At the table, Fen fidgets, looking everywhere except at her brothers. Her small frame is shaking slightly.

Edited May 6 by Zelphas (see edit history)

[Imtar]

Nicoale stared after Fen incredulously. Fen insisted, no, she'd practically forced them onto this rescue mission. Now that it was done she was bolting? Just abandoning her brothers? What? Nicoale felt a flash of irritation. Fen was fortunate enough to get a second chance with her family - something that Nicoale would never get. She shook her head, trying to shake it off. It was only somewhat successful.

Her Farsight made it trivial to get a look at the paper Fen had handed off. So Fen wanted time alone with them? Maybe. Or maybe she was still panicking. Either way...

"If that's all too complicated, let me make it simple."

"Time behaves according to a series of stupid and convoluted rules. Those rules mean there is no valid timeline where we show up, kill all those Nevermores, then disappear again. The only possibilities are a world where we don't show up and the Nevermores eat all of you, or a world where we kill the Nevermores and bring you back with us. End of the day, those are the options. I get that this whole situation is disorienting, but I hope you prefer this one."

She looked around the flock, making eye contact and trying to both reassure and read them. When she got to Sorin, she quickly signed. One of us should probably check on Chapi. That wasn't like her. Do you want to check on her while I keep an eye on Fen and make sure she doesn't do anything rash? Well, more rash?

OOC

Lets see what Insight Nicoale has
Also just to be clear, following Fen with Farsight

 

Edited May 6 by Imtar (see edit history)

[Llyarden]

"That is...probably a simpler way of describing it, yeah," Sorin nodded, with a small, embarrassed chuckle.

Agreed on checking on Chapi, he signed to Nicoale, but it might be better if I go with the Fables to catch up with Fen. I can use my Semblance to let them communicate without having to go through one of us as a translator. I mean, maybe they'd be fine with Fen just scribbling on pieces of paper, but if it was me I'd want to talk privately and directly. I figure I might as well offer.

...you know, if we can ever get them together without someone running off.  Fen's hastened signs were very practical and didn't leave an enormous amount of room for tone, so instead he gave a slight eye-roll. To the Fables it probably just seemed like he was rolling his eyes at the disparity between his and Nicoale's explanations.

[Phoenix1]

Team FLNS

Well that...explained it? The Fable brothers...didn't necessarily seem less confused and disoriented, as such, but on the other hand it's like...how could they really argue? After several moments during which several of them made aborted attempts to say something, before finally Farly said, "I mean...not gonna pretend it doesn't go over my head a bit, but yes, given those two options this one is definitely preferable. So...thank you. I apologize for our outburst, we thought...well, we didn't really know what to think, frankly."

"So then, that really was Fen?" Fadi asked, still kinda trying to wrap his head around it. "I mean...she grew up, and then came back to...wait, but, how did you even manage to time travel? I mean I get with the box thing," he gestured at where Delores, uh, had been, evidently, and then did a double-take, because she was totally gone now you guys.

"He mentioned Dr. Brown," Farid answered. "Must mean Haven's Science Professor, I've heard his Semblance is supposed to be time travel, although I didn't know it could actually do anything like this. ...But. Wait. It's been eight years? That doesn't add up. Fen would only be eighteen years old. You'd have to be second-year students. That was eight Nevermores!"

"Um," Falk said. "Given our baby sister evidently just traveled through freaking time to literally snatch us from the jaws of death, perhaps instead of standing here wasting her teammates' time boggling and asking an endless series of questions we should go see her?"

"Yeah," Fred agreed. "And again, you-"

"Beaks," Faust said.

"What?"

"Literally snatched us from the beaks of death. Not the jaws."

"Oh my gods really Faust are you-"

"And again," Fred said, more firmly this time, and his brothers shut up. "You have our thanks. We aren't Huntsmen, but if there's ever anything we can do to repay you, please tell us."

Nicoale

Your scroll buzzes. Remember how you had to leave for work soon? Well, now it's soon. You can make it on time if you head out now, but if you want to check on Chapi first you'll probably end up a few minutes late (unless of course you get a "ride" from her, in which case you've got plenty of time.)

Take another four Limit for your Working for Schnee Complication.

--

Fen had to wait for a fair bit, but not too terribly long; mostly the wait could be attributed to travel time. But then they arrived, all twelve. There wasn't much room around just the one table, so they pulled two others and several chairs over, and gathered around. Their Auras had recovered enough that they were more-or-less fully healed, by this point.

They...didn't really say anything at first. I mean, it was weird. They hadn't been separated from you for the past eight years. To their perspective, it hadn't even been an hour, but now you were eight years older. Your notes offered a distraction. They passed them out to who they were labeled for, read them.

...Several of them looked at you like you were wearing a clown suit or something. Although Faust said, "Was it Mores? I bet it was Mores. I hope you threw him off a cliff." Uh...he was possibly joking. Faust could be kinda a joker.

Finally, Fred said, "So um. ...I guess we kinda disappeared on you for a bit there, huh? We're sorry about that, Fen."

"In our defense, we got abducted by time travelers," Falk said.

"And evidently we weren't allowed to go back or let you know we were okay or anything," Fabian added.

"Seems kinda rude if you ask me, but evidently them's the rules," Fedir chimed in.

[Zelphas]

Fen stares back at her brothers, looking just as flabbergasted as they seemed to feel after reading her notes. She doesn't react to their speaking for too long, simply staring, and starting to shake again. Finally, she looks down, grabbing the pencil and a large piece of paper. The silence stretches as she scribbles something in large letters.

Throwing down the pencil, Fen holds up the paper in shaking hands, hiding her face.

I killed you.

I killed all of you for eight years.

I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry

[Imtar]

Ok, Nicoale signed her agreement. She'd assumed that Fen had changed locations in part because she wanted some semblance of privacy. Sorin showing up wouldn't help that, but he wasn't wrong about being able to help Fen communicate. Didn't matter. If Fen didn't want Sorin there she could say so.

Her scroll buzzed. Nicoale checked it and grimaced. That was my work alarm. I need to get going. I'll have to chase down Chapi after. If you cross paths with Chapi before then can you give me a heads up?

[Phoenix1]

Fen (and Sorin?)

Between the twelve of them, there was a pretty broad range of emotions crossing their faces, when they read that note. Sympathy and sadness, confusion and understanding, shame and anger.

"Fen...we're right here," Fedir said. "You didn't kill us. You in fact evidently tore through time itself to rescue us from a flock of Nevermores."

"Look, I understand what it must have been like," Fabian said, "what you must have thought, for the past eight years. And we're all so sorry you had to go through that, that we couldn't just..."

"But, first, according to your teammates, there wasn't some alternate timeline that you plucked us from. This just...always has been the way it happened, I guess?" Farid added. "I mean...not gonna say it doesn't go a bit over my head, but we never died in the first place."

"And even if we had," Fred noted firmly, "it would have been the Nevermores that killed us. Not you."

[Llyarden]

Sorin was indeed there, although Nicoale wasn't the only one who'd thought about the possibility that Fen and her brothers probably wouldn't want an eavesdropper on their conversation. So when he'd arrived, he'd simply signed to Fen Nudge me if you want something translated, sat at the table behind her so she could indeed nudge him if she felt like it - and then just got out his headphones and started listening to music on his Scroll. If any of the Fable brothers bothered to look past their sister to see what he was doing they might notice he was drawing a picture of Fen blasting a trio of Nevermores into oblivion. (Okay technically she'd only destroyed two of the three but artistic licence was a wonderful thing.)