Voice

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil's voice sounds tired; it's been a long week for him, especially with the mafia attack. And then there as the personal news he's announcing now.]

Okay, this is late about a week but I figured most people was occupied with mafia stuff I didn't want to bring it up.

I'm sorry to say that my cousin Killian is no longer among the Numbered. He's going to stay permanently in Vegas and he still knows about us but his actual echoes are gone.

If you're his friend I'm sure he won't mind a few people dropping by occasionally.

So...yeah....

Comments

[espigeonage]

[Julien may have known already.]

Is he living in the mountain still or did he move in with Hjalti?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[He expected people living in the mountain would know but he thought a more general notice on the network wouldn't be amiss.]

He moved in with Uncle Hjalti. I don't think he felt comfortable inside the mountain...you know...afterwards.

[espigeonage]

It's pretty different in there. Wired up right and all, but a little isolated. I always feel like I'm in a nuclear bunker when I come in. When I'm not hitting my head on everything, anyway.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Well, this WAS a dwarf kingdom. So everything's built for dwarves. I'm liking it only for this fact alone. But it is kind of a hassle having to go down the mountain if I want anything.

[espigeonage]

And not gangly-ass seven-foot things, I know.

Yeah. He's got his dad and his girlfriend, and even without pulses that's gotta be a pull. Especially for him. [sigh] Aaah, I'm going to miss him on the network. He got so much bolder here, compared to when we met.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

As long as he's happy that's all that matters.

But...bolder? really? I can't quite imagine him to be...shy or anything like that.

[espigeonage]

[A little sadly] It is.

He was. Or if not shy, well, really insecure. I knew him since last fall. He's changed a lot. Some might be pulses, some was probably just all the other stuff happening... but he's not just totally reverted, right?

It's hard to tell what people forget when they go off-network, man.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Huh. That's...interesting. You learn something new every day.

It's even more difficult when it's family...I'm trying to keep some things separated but it's hard some times.

[espigeonage]

So if you find he seems kind of off, that might be it. He's in a better place now than he was then, mostly, despite - things. [His mother.] He's got more people to rely on. I hope he'll be fine.

I know. [The whole thing with Julien's cousin didn't end well.] I wish I could help, but I'm not really sure what I could do.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Thanks. That does make sense. And I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm still his cousin and Uncle Thorir's still his uncle. We're still family.

[Fil makes a face.] Nah, don't worry about it. That's not on you.

[espigeonage]

Yeah...

[Julien had to smile.] He's my friend, I'm allowed to worry too. Good luck.

voice

[arrowpoint]

[He was living in the mountain so he probably knew.]

So... he doing okay?

voice

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[He expected that. Mostly.]

Yeah...seems to be okay moving in with Uncle Hjalti.

By the way...heard from Ariel recently?

[arrowpoint]

That's good, so he'll still be around.

[Liam hesitates.]

...Yeah. She's, um... she's okay. She's kind of not one of us anymore now, though. Like the pointy ears are gone and everything.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

We're still cousins and friends. That hasn't changed and won't change no matter what.

[That actually gives him pause.]

Oh. That explains why I haven't heard anything. I'm glad she's okay though.

[arrowpoint]

Yeah she's okay.

[Pause.]

It's still weird though... when I remember some of the old stuff and she doesn't.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Well, you were both elves...I'm sure there's plenty to 'remember' just on that alone. Were you from the same echo-place as well?

[arrowpoint]

Yeah, we worked together. She told me she was a "captain of the guard" or something, but I feel like we were more like... people who ran the jail? We arrested a lot of Dwarves.

[Pause.]

No offence, dude.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

None taken. I think I remember that part actually. Your...fellow jailers took a lot of my weapons that time.

[arrowpoint]

Oh were you there too? Ariel remembered Killian being there, so I guess it makes sense. So... how many weapons did you have?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I remember a red-haired female elf 'apprehending' us. Probably her isn't it?

Lots. Lots and lots.

[arrowpoint]

Probably, yeah. I still have no idea what you guys did.

[Pause.]

...Seriously that many?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

We were on our way to reclaim our homeland so...passing through maybe? Though that's a bit of a extreme reaction to just passing through.

[Totally serious.]

Seriously. Some people are a clothes horse. I was a weapons horse apparently.

[arrowpoint]

The mountain you mean?

[Thoughtful pause.]

...Well there was a dragon in it. Maybe we didn't want you poking around in there... Dude you have no idea how lucky we are to not have a dragon in the mountain that showed up here.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Where else?

[Fil winces at the idea of a live dragon right here, right now.]

This was our home okay? If a squatter takes over your home here, wouldn't you want to get it back?

[arrowpoint]

Well...yeah but a dragon? I mean you can't just get a dragon arrested and told to get off your property.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Still we had to do SOMETHING. I remember no one else was helping.

[arrowpoint]

If some people didn't want to mess with a dragon I really can't blame them.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

They could at least not...arrest or hinder the ones who want their home back!

[arrowpoint]

[...point.]

Well, I guess if you guys wanted to be dragon snacks that was your own business, but still.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Exactly. Our business alone if we get eaten or burned to a crisp.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[A small sigh.

Another person....?

[moreweaponsthanyou]

[Fil sighs as well.]

Yup. Seems to have lost quite a few people recently.

[charcoalfeather]

I kind of hope it changes. I've lost a lot of friends.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Yeah, me too. It's kind of like waiting for the other shoe to drop at this point.

[charcoalfeather]

Maybe something will happen soon? Like, a big change.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

I'm personally betting on new aliens, or alien-related.

[charcoalfeather]

Yeah, it could be aliens. I heard that they might be doing something.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

Oh really? What do the rumours say they're doing?

[charcoalfeather]

Well, there's not really any rumors right now... but a friend of mine said that they saw the alien guys at that weird building in Germany. They had a lot of happy meals for some reason.

[moreweaponsthanyou]

One of the two aliens...I think his name starts with B? Seems like the type to like happy meals. Especially the toys.