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

[breakaleginhalf]

[It's probably a very good thing it's text right now, because no one else has to feel the massive flood of panic from Gil.]

Fuck-- Shit.. That's what that... fucking hell.

[otomechapilot]

Yeah.

...if there's a Walkabout and you need to bug out, do it.

Okay?

- "Val Halle"

[breakaleginhalf]

Yeah. I'm okay, right now, it's just.

Fuck.

[professorwolf]

Oh dear. Are you familiar with this place?

[breakaleginhalf]

Not- not here specifically. But it's--

I'm Gil, I'm a Changeling, that probably means something very different here but I do not have good relations with the Gentry.

[professorwolf]

Oh dear. Like Jules is, right? I know the concept of a Changeling, at least from Earth mythology. Are you capable of touching iron, yourself? That would at least be one way to keep yourself safe.

[breakaleginhalf]

Yeah, same world. [Everything else is semantics, right now.] Normal iron's fine, I'll get some more of that.

At least that's one difference, these ones are affected by shitty quality iron. Back home it's cold steel or bust.

[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.

[breakaleginhalf]

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

That.

[professorwolf]

What's it like?

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

[breakaleginhalf]

It's not anything. All the rooms are gone, it's just pure white nothingness.

[professorwolf]

Oh. That must be what Thorne meant by locked down. That sounds horrible-- though better than being trapped here, I suppose. Do liminal skills still work?

[helborn]

Deep breaths, Gil. If you need to hide in a room, I can stand guard for a bit if you want some extra protection.

[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.

[Private]

[breakaleginhalf]

I know.



Sorry. I'm just. Stressed out.

[Private]

[helborn]

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