Portal Malfunction [Jauntside, shortly after Jaunt start]

[professorwolf]

Ah. Um. Lyall here, infiltrating as the biology professor here, but I'm also myself. If anyone has any questions about this place, as I am also a local, I can do my best to answer them. The biggest thing I suppose is that there's magic here, and the fae folk. Don't call them that, they get touchy.

Also, I need to ask, is anyone else having trouble opening a portal to liminal space? I, er, I can't seem to get in.

[If this were not text, it would be obvious just how alarmed and nervous he is by this.]

If anyone would be so kind as to stop by my classroom and see if I can use their portal, I would greatly appreciate it.

Comments

[restinglichface]

[That helps, but look. This is a lot. She's still learning.]

So first week we just lay low? Stick to the school and pretend to not know a damn thing? And then after we're all on the same page, we'll touch base and make our move? That sound right?

[acapriciousthing]

I'm not sure they know what leaving well enough alone looks like.

[thornsofmalkav]

Yeahhhhhhhhhh. And, uh, I'm a little off-balance myself. Vampires in this world aren't exactly like the ones back home. Same with... whatever I'm supposed to be now.

[And there's Other Things that are concerning her, but she's not sure if she should tell him, just because he's got a whole lot of shit on his own to deal with--and probably doesn't need her own shit on top of his.]

[breakaleginhalf]

...I think I'll be okay for now, but. Yeah. Might take you up on that later.

You remember all the stuff I told you before, yeah? In Jules's dungeon.

[Private]

[helborn]

[He's quiet for a few long moments.]

[It's not a good quiet.]

[Then, he locks the conversation.]

... Phillip's overlay already dragged me into a deal. Just an information exchange, and I think I got away with giving him as little as possible, but...

It was that or make one of Them very angry, because I fucked up.

[Private]

[breakaleginhalf]

[If Gil could sound unimpressed right now, he would. And also furious from worry.]

You peeked, didn't you. That's like, rule number one, don't fucking Look. Not even just for the Gentry, for like a billion other stories too.

Just be careful from now on, dude, alright? If you had to give him information that's not you getting off lightly.

[Private]

[helborn]

Of course I peeked, I'm an information sponge by nature and I have a serious lack of impulse control.

... Well, I bargained him down - actually fuck, I don't even know if his overlay is a 'him', I can't tell.

Anyway I made some conditions of my own, and also was holding the script for ransom, so it could have been worse. It... can always be worse.

I got a ring off of it, though. It's... weird. And I think his overlay wants me in the play, which. Probably won't end well...

[Private]

[breakaleginhalf]

I don't fucking care, Cas, learn to control your impulse. Because if they catch you again, and they fucking will, we know when you can fucking see us, they won't be fucking nice about it.

[There's a few moments of silence as Gil breathes deeply, rubbing his face with both hands.]

Don't-- don't fucking do the play, man. You know that shit won't end well.

[Private]

[helborn]

I'm trying, Gil. I didn't know the rules here, and now I do. I didn't even realize what I was dealing with at first.

... Yeah, I'm going to do my best to wiggle out of it. I never said explicitly that I would try out. He's trying out for Puck and is likely to get it, unless there's another one like him trying for it. And I have zero interest in getting involved with that.

[faerielights]

That depends very much on how they divide power - it might hold true here, but don't expect it to be the same on another world that hosts the Fae.

[set_your_watches_for_fun]

I am. I take it you're half and half?

[As he's sending the message through the network, he's turning his steps toward the science building, after a quick scan of his surroundings. Later he'll get a better lay of the land, but right now making contact with his lover seems the more important option.]

[set_your_watches_for_fun]

Fairies, is it? [It's probably good that tone of voice can't be conveyed over the network any more, because she would doubtless be disapproving of a note of hopeful and intrigued.]

[professorwolf]

I'll have to get some people to help keep me caged in.

[Sigh. Important questions, though, since he missed the two Harrogate Jaunts:]

So does this mean the Arcana put the Gentry here on the same level as eldritch horrors, if they're locking liminal space down again?

[professorwolf]

My classroom is fairly well protected, in part because it's meant to be another layer of containment on a werewolf. You're welcome to visit me here.

[professorwolf]

Rather. It may be a good thing for packmates and friends, but I'm not sure the containment my infiltration has will be enough to hold me as an undead type werewolf.

[His door is open, so if Nigel would like to follow the scent, he's easy to find.]

[professorwolf]

I'm not sure how much we "make our move" collectively. We're not particularly organized here, I'm afraid.

On the whole, pretend not to know a damn thing to anyone who isn't obviously a Traveler, who you can't contact over the network. The goal is to not give ourselves away and disrupt their lives here more than necessary.

[thornsofmalkav]

Possibly? Or that one or the other of them is bad enough to lock liminal down and the other's worse.

[set_your_watches_for_fun]

I'll have a scout about later for somewhere more secure. [He's never actually spent the full moon with Lyall, this should be interesting. And by following said familiar scent, he'll arrive at the blond's door, standing in it briefly with a warm smile.]

There you are. It's been a bit since we could be ourselves together, what.

[Private]

[breakaleginhalf]

I know.



Sorry. I'm just. Stressed out.

[breakaleginhalf]

I will definitely take you up on that. It'll be a nice break, what with Liminal Space being, like.

That.

[Private]

[helborn]

It's fine. You're under a lot of stress here.

[restinglichface]

Laying low is so not my thing. But I guess there's not much choice in the matter, huh?

[professorwolf]

Beautiful. We'll have to watch our steps, I suppose. And try not to give away too much, so they don't try to get into anything they shouldn't, whether or not they manage it.

[professorwolf]

What's it like?

[Since the whole reason he started this message was because he couldn't get into it.]

[professorwolf]

[Lyall looks relieved, himself, and comes over to drop his head onto Nigel's shoulder.]

I'm technically not myself, so don't go doing anything that will ruin this fellow's reputation.

[Says the man leaning on him just inside his classroom door, visible to all from the hallway.]