[Perhaps heโs noticed by now, but Sephiroth is not a man keen on oversharing. Or sharing at all. But he can offer a sweeping, generalized explanation, even if it comes delayed.]
The armyโs encouraged us to escort merchants who feel unsafe on the road.
However, how would this information be useful to you? I'm only familiar with the creatures that live in the desert, and passingly. I can direct you to someone more familiar with the subject if youโre interested.
[when the caravans arrive from their travels to drop off supplies from not-so-far-off lands, certain parcels get pulled away and taken to go through customs. they are not for businesses nor for sale, but for individuals. the fact that they are for summoned individuals raise an eyebrow.
and so, through customs it goes, opened, inspected, and thenโwhen none of the items are deemed as questionableโthey are repackaged and sent to their designated recipients.
sephiroth will find several bottles topped to the brim and a large wooden comb. the bottles, upon closer inspection, are an assortment of shampoos and conditioners, similar to those that wanda had given to him back at the summit. they've had more work on them, though, given that wanda has had the chance to ponder over these with her magic for a number of days instead of a moment's notice.
there will be no sender, and no letter explaining the parcel's content.]
We're being told to check for magical items that someone might be trying to slip through the gates. In my estimation? They're playing it extra cautious. They must be expecting some kind of threat.
The soldiers have been nothing but willing to follow orders. That includes the drills, though looking for "magical items" via traders passing through the gate might be more to keep up the public image of security than anything else.
I'm not that high rank. Any information of importance doesn't make its way all the way down to me. But I know armies don't become more active in general for no reason.
[ All she can do is wait. With Jaskier in the hospital, soldiers marching the streets and all the roads out of the city closed, Ciri has been forced to pace like a caged tiger, angry and frustrated. The first night was the worst; she'd almost tried to push her way back out anyway, to see Jaskier despite the curfew, but between Julie desperately trying to convince them otherwise and Geralt conceding, she'd stayed put as well.
The next day is only marginally better. She can go outside, but there's little to do but notice the hushed panic in the streets, citizens hiding, armed patrols swarming.
She finds out some parts of the army were deployed to Libertas via portal right away. Their pleasant evening cut short, Ciri's been worried about Sephiroth too, but with so much else to deal with, she waits until morning to reach out. Now, unsure if his regiment has gone or not, she concentrates on writing to him. ]
[They had been deployed shortly after the disaster struck, after fire had rained from the sky and left the city in a panic. Despite the quick mobilization, and the army's overall preparedness for the worst-case scenario, the sight of Libertas burning, so much of it already lost, jars even Sephiroth. He is not so military-hardenedโnor so stoicโthat the sights and sounds of people crying out (or the desperate dying in the streets, or families frantically searching for loved ones in collapsed rubble) cannot make his stomach sink like a stone. He knows war crimes when he sees them; he knows there is a line between a military victory, and senseless civilian deaths. It's been well crossed, at this point.
He is kept busy. Orders come down the pipeline to aid as many as they can, to free up those who might be stuck and suffocating under firey debris, and Sephiroth follows them without hesitation. Many soldiers in his regiment work franctically, almost panicked โ these are their homes and families and friends, and they have reason to lend their aid to the point of exhaustion. He helps them, too, when he can.
Sephirothโs barely had time to rest when Ciriโs message comes through, shining in his vision. A bright, shimmering contrast to the sight laid before him โ an old museum, reduced to nothing but stone and detritus, only a fragment of what this city has lost.]
[ So he has gone, after all. She's not sure whether to be relieved or worried -- he can help, he has eyes on what's happening and can give them information, and it's unlikely that Libertas will be hit again, but something about Sephiroth being in the proximity of what had just happened, so soon, makes her feel uneasy. ]
How much of the city?
[ Remains? Is gone? She's not sure which to ask. ]
[Funny how quickly alarm (and that harsh edge of fear) can twist itself up and turn into something far more practiced: cold, cold resolve. Writhing anger at those who would do this.
His heart is thudding hard in his chest as he replies. (No, no, no-)]
Ciri Where are you Give me something to help me FIND you
[Get in touch with the others? Holding out? He wants something to go on; he needs to know how to reach her-]
[Sharp and harried are the vibes of this reply. There is relief in the clarity of her message this time, but until she's there with him, Sephiroth's concern-turned-harsh-edges stick to him like a shadow.]
The mountains? Are you safe? Are you being pursued?
Safer than before, I think. But I expect we'll be pursued, and the mountains likely hold their own dangers. Ones I'm more familiar with, when it comes to beasts and monsters.
Better than being trapped in that cave.
I'll check in once we've safely bedded down for the night.
[ In quite a few hours, according to the sun. But Ciri doesn't want to split her focus, between her own exhaustion hampering it and knowing others less used to the wilderness are relying on her.
Eventually, she does check in again, catching him up on how many people escaped, the fact others are still trapped, reassuring him briefly that she's physically well enough to fend for herself and that Geralt is with her. She'll let him know also that Viktor and Jaskier have maps of their approximate location and that she knows search teams are being put together.
She doesn't ask, but Ciri sort of expects him to be in one of them, honestly. ]
[After more than a week of Ciri sitting around, sighing, drinking, and hogging all of Mog's attention, Jaskier is quite aware she needs more. More... anything. And while he can push her out himself (and he has insisted she get some fresh air,) Jaskier knows that a second partner in crime will help break through her stubbornness.
It is her own worst enemy sometimes.]
I insist you come by and get Ciri. Invite her to a date, the beach, even a bloody inn if you must. But she needs to do something other than mope.
[It feels unfair to say, but... that is undeniably what she's doing. And he understands, as far as he can. But Jaskier knows -- has proven to himself many times before -- staying inside and drinking heavily only makes one's mind worse.] I'm worried for her.
[It's a good thing that Sephiroth is more than willing to act as a second partner in crime, so to speak. He should hate to call his recent interactions with Ciri a bit like pulling teeth, but that's exactly what it feels like -- it's difficult when she's holed herself up, stubborn, difficult to speak with, while he tries to balance his own military-dictated schedule, making their intersections of free time perhaps less than ideal.]
Is she still keeping to herself?
[Which is perhaps a silly question, he thinks a little too late, given the nature of this message. But when Sephiroth, of all people, declares that someone is "keeping to themselves" a little too much, you know there's a problem afoot.
He follows up with-]
We visited the beach once. Maybe it's time for a second trip.
Well no shite, my boy, why do you think I'm messaging you?
[There's a huff involved somewhere in that message; he can probably feel it. They're bonded by their mutual pigeon hunting and the belief Jaskier has that he might be some sort of weird levitating witch, but if Ciri has to be interested in anyone, Jaskier certainly can't criticize her desires for handsome weird levitating witches.]
Good, yes! That's perfect. I know she enjoys Aquila's beaches. I'm giving her enough coin for the two of you to do whatever you wish. I only ask that you show her a good time.
[And maybe normal uncles would stop there.]
You know, perhaps the sort of good times neither I nor Geralt could provide her.
[the package is non-descript, but it's definitely big enough to pique the curiosity of the recipient as to open it as soon as possible. it's definitely been checked through, tied up back into its box after the fact. inside, an amount of homemade goods have been stacked atop each other: candles, soaps, and moisturizing lotions. this would already spell out who it is from, if a similar package has been received, in the past.
a neat box lies at the bottom, though, and once unwrapped, it'll reveal a glass encasing for a terrarium. unfortunately, it looks like the trip was a little rough, and the stones and dirt is all over the place, as are the uprooted plants that one can imagine were once neatly organized. something to keep busy with, at least?
after the eclipse / bad moon rising
๐ผ ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐ ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐๐'๐ ๐ธ๐ถ๐๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ ๐ท๐ถ๐น ๐๐พ๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐พ๐น๐๐๐๐น. ๐ด๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐ผ ๐ฝ๐๐ ๐?
๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐.
~ ๐ป๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐น๐ถ๐๐๐
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[Perhaps heโs noticed by now, but Sephiroth is not a man keen on oversharing. Or sharing at all. But he can offer a sweeping, generalized explanation, even if it comes delayed.]
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[Escorting, hm. This could be useful.]
๐ฏ๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ๐๐น ๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐...
๐ผ'๐ ๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐น ๐พ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ธ๐๐พ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ธ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐๐๐น.
๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐พ๐ธ๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐ ๐ป๐พ๐๐น ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ถ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐น ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐พ๐๐?
๐ผ'๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ถ๐๐๐!
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[And he doesnโt.]
However, how would this information be useful to you? I'm only familiar with the creatures that live in the desert, and passingly. I can direct you to someone more familiar with the subject if youโre interested.
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package, june 2
and so, through customs it goes, opened, inspected, and thenโwhen none of the items are deemed as questionableโthey are repackaged and sent to their designated recipients.
sephiroth will find several bottles topped to the brim and a large wooden comb. the bottles, upon closer inspection, are an assortment of shampoos and conditioners, similar to those that wanda had given to him back at the summit. they've had more work on them, though, given that wanda has had the chance to ponder over these with her magic for a number of days instead of a moment's notice.
there will be no sender, and no letter explaining the parcel's content.]
mid-july.
What is going on with the military, Sephiroth?
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I don't know more than that.
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Sounds like an excuse to just take things from traders without paying.
Are they as open sharing information with you as they are with native Free City soldiers of your rank, as far as you can tell?
The increased military drills are getting obvious even to the general public. Things like that make people uneasy.
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I'm not that high rank. Any information of importance doesn't make its way all the way down to me. But I know armies don't become more active in general for no reason.
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shortly after the bombing of libertas.
The next day is only marginally better. She can go outside, but there's little to do but notice the hushed panic in the streets, citizens hiding, armed patrols swarming.
She finds out some parts of the army were deployed to Libertas via portal right away. Their pleasant evening cut short, Ciri's been worried about Sephiroth too, but with so much else to deal with, she waits until morning to reach out. Now, unsure if his regiment has gone or not, she concentrates on writing to him. ]
Where are you?
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He is kept busy. Orders come down the pipeline to aid as many as they can, to free up those who might be stuck and suffocating under firey debris, and Sephiroth follows them without hesitation. Many soldiers in his regiment work franctically, almost panicked โ these are their homes and families and friends, and they have reason to lend their aid to the point of exhaustion. He helps them, too, when he can.
Sephirothโs barely had time to rest when Ciriโs message comes through, shining in his vision. A bright, shimmering contrast to the sight laid before him โ an old museum, reduced to nothing but stone and detritus, only a fragment of what this city has lost.]
Libertas. My regiment was one of many deployed.
Itโs terrible, Ciri.
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How much of the city?
[ Remains? Is gone? She's not sure which to ask. ]
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After the bombing.
๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐๐, ๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐๐๐น?
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[Dispensing of the pleasantries works well enough for Sephiroth, who has been kept very busy in the time that followed Libertas' destruction.]
The army was deployed to Libertas almost immediately. I'm there right now, trying to aid those I can.
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๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฝ๐พ๐๐๐๐ฝ...
[A pause before the writing starts once more.]
๐ผ ๐ถ๐๐น ๐ถ ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ ๐ท๐๐๐น๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐พ๐๐ป ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐. ๐ฏ๐พ๐๐ธ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐ป๐๐๐น, ๐ธ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐. ๐ฏ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐.
[And another.]
๐ผ ๐๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฝ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐พ๐๐ธ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ถ๐พ๐, ๐ท๐๐ ๐ผ ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฝ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ ๐ท๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐. ๐ฎ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐น ๐๐๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐ป๐๐ ๐ถ ๐๐ถ๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐ธ๐๐๐๐น ๐ท๐๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ท๐ถ๐ธ๐ ๐๐พ๐๐ฝ ๐๐.
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taken, feb 23.
I'm with ฬธฬฬthe ฬทฬอฬฬฑothersฬถฬอฬฬ
get ฬถฬฬฬฎฬฑiฬดฬอnฬถฬฬฬนฬฅ ฬถอฬอtฬทอฬฬณoฬทออฬฐuฬตฬฬอcฬทฬฬงฬขhฬตอฬซ ฬทอฬฬฬwฬธอฬฅiฬถฬอthฬดฬฟฬฬบ ฬทฬอฬคฬฎVฬตฬออiฬดฬฬฏฬฎktor ฬตออฬand Jayce
aฬตฬอ อฬฬออฬฬฒฬณออnฬธฬฬฬอฬอฬ ฬชฬญฬณdฬตออออฬอฬน Jasฬทฬฬฒkierฬธอฬฟฬช
Iฬทฬอออ 'ฬตฬออmฬดอฬอ ฬทอฬฬซaฬตฬฬฑฬฃlฬทฬฬฬซอlฬถฬฬขอ ฬถอฬฬญrฬธอฬฟฬชiฬธฬอฬจgฬถอฬคhฬทฬอtฬธฬฝฬผ. wฬตฬฬeฬดอฬอ ฬทฬฬณknowฬถฬอฬก ฬทฬอ อsฬทฬฬฒomeonฬทอออeฬดอฬฬซฬญ ฬถฬอ iฬทฬฝฬฬฑs ฬถฬพฬฎcฬดฬฬบฬผominฬดออgฬธฬฬอฬฌ.
wฬทออฬฬฬอออฬฬอeฬถฬ ฬอฬฬอฬฅฬฉ ฬดอฬอออฬญฬฆฬฆฬฆอฬฅออฬงฬฬผฬงฬฌwฬดฬฬฆฬงฬณฬอฬฆฬฏฬฬฬงฬiฬธฬฬฬพอฬฬอฬฬฬอฬพฬฬ ฬฃlฬตฬอฬฬฬฬฬอออฬฬฬฃฬฬฑฬปอฬงฬณอฬซอฬจฬชฬฎฬฐอฬฒฬฃlฬธฬฬ อฬฬออฬฬฬฬอฬฬฎฬฒฬค ฬดออฬฝอฬอฬฬอฬขฬบฬคฬผอฬฒฬคฬผอฬฑอhฬทฬฬฬอฬฬฬฟอฬฬฬฬฬออฬอฬฌฬฑฬปฬอฬอฬชoฬดอออฬอฬฬอ ฬฬพออฬฬฬฬฝฬฬอฬ ฬอlฬถออฬอออฬฉอdฬทออฬฬฬอออฬณฬฉฬฒฬฎอฬฉฬฉฬฒฬฒฬณฬฬขฬคฬบ ฬดฬอฬออฬฬฬชอฬชฬขอฬขอฬฬฎอฬฬฑอฬปฬฏฬญoฬทฬออฬออฬญฬฑฬฬฒฬฒฬฬฃอฬ ฬฑฬปฬฃฬฬฐฬฬฐอuฬธอฬฬอฬอฬฬtฬตออออออฬฝฬอฬฟฬฬฬฬฬฬอฬฆฬฬงอฬคฬงฬฌฬคฬฬฬญฬอ ฬบฬผฬบ
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His heart is thudding hard in his chest as he replies. (No, no, no-)]
Ciri
Where are you
Give me something to help me FIND you
[Get in touch with the others? Holding out? He wants something to go on; he needs to know how to reach her-]
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Maybe he hadn't been able to read hers? Ciri tries again. ]
TฬถฬฬฐALฬธฬฬผK ฬทฬอ TOฬดฬฬก ฬถฬอ VIKTOR
Iฬถอฬ'm fine
uฬตฬอndergroundฬถอฬ sฬถฬอ oฬถฬฬmฬธฬฬeฬธอฬ wฬทฬฬhฬถอฬปeฬธออrฬธออeฬดฬฬค
ฬถฬพฬฬดฬฬฌcavern,ฬถอฬป ฬธอฬlots of fungus and planฬดฬพฬtฬดอฬฉsฬถออ
Iฬทออ'ฬทฬฬmฬถฬอ ฬทฬฬฉwith Geraltฬธฬฬณ
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early March; week 3 post-escape.
We're somewhere in the mountains north of the Singularity.
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The mountains? Are you safe? Are you being pursued?
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Better than being trapped in that cave.
I'll check in once we've safely bedded down for the night.
[ In quite a few hours, according to the sun. But Ciri doesn't want to split her focus, between her own exhaustion hampering it and knowing others less used to the wilderness are relying on her.
Eventually, she does check in again, catching him up on how many people escaped, the fact others are still trapped, reassuring him briefly that she's physically well enough to fend for herself and that Geralt is with her. She'll let him know also that Viktor and Jaskier have maps of their approximate location and that she knows search teams are being put together.
She doesn't ask, but Ciri sort of expects him to be in one of them, honestly. ]
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beginning of june / post demon-dean
It is her own worst enemy sometimes.]
I insist you come by and get Ciri. Invite her to a date, the beach, even a bloody inn if you must. But she needs to do something other than mope.
[It feels unfair to say, but... that is undeniably what she's doing. And he understands, as far as he can. But Jaskier knows -- has proven to himself many times before -- staying inside and drinking heavily only makes one's mind worse.] I'm worried for her.
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Is she still keeping to herself?
[Which is perhaps a silly question, he thinks a little too late, given the nature of this message. But when Sephiroth, of all people, declares that someone is "keeping to themselves" a little too much, you know there's a problem afoot.
He follows up with-]
We visited the beach once. Maybe it's time for a second trip.
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[There's a huff involved somewhere in that message; he can probably feel it. They're bonded by their mutual pigeon hunting and the belief Jaskier has that he might be some sort of weird levitating witch, but if Ciri has to be interested in anyone, Jaskier certainly can't criticize her desires for handsome weird levitating witches.]
Good, yes! That's perfect. I know she enjoys Aquila's beaches. I'm giving her enough coin for the two of you to do whatever you wish. I only ask that you show her a good time.
[And maybe normal uncles would stop there.]
You know, perhaps the sort of good times neither I nor Geralt could provide her.
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mail delivery โข from solvunn
a neat box lies at the bottom, though, and once unwrapped, it'll reveal a glass encasing for a terrarium. unfortunately, it looks like the trip was a little rough, and the stones and dirt is all over the place, as are the uprooted plants that one can imagine were once neatly organized. something to keep busy with, at least?
a small note sits under the box.]