stone phone, mid afternoon on August 8th

[vagabone]

[He's far, far too tired to be his normal silly self, as he addresses all his fellow islanders via... rock. It would be inappropriate, anyway.]

Buenas tardes, everyone.

[Ha ha yeah right, is anyone having a good day? Anyone??]

We found a couple pages of another diary out on Umui. It's not a good idea for me to come all the way back, so I'm going to read it out loud. Ready?

[He pauses for a moment before he starts to read, slowly and carefully. At least he has a nice speaking voice?]

That's all I can make out. But, hey, while I'm here... what if this is a curse, not a disease? That could be why those doctors couldn't find a cure. They were going at it the wrong way.

Most of you have been around longer than me, and some of you are more, ah, magically inclined than I am. Maybe it's something you can look into.

Comments

[prettypurpleparlor]

Did you know that I used to be a dancer?

[It's a bit of a non sequitur, this odd little admission in an offhand tone.]

It was never more than a hobby, but I enjoyed it for quite some time, when I was young and still had the time to spare for it.

[Her voice firms.]

It's why I know what someone trying to walk on an injured leg looks like. If one of us is going to be traveling, it should be me.

[vagabone]

[She doesn't need to be a former dancer to have seen the crack in his leg going all the way through the bone, barely covered up by his duct tape bandaging.]

Ehh, the dead don't really feel p--[A strangled noise escapes him, cutting him off and proving that's a big fat lie. He can handle constant pain, it's just part of his existence. Unexpected sharp shooting pains, not so much.

It takes a moment before he trusts himself to speak again.]

I'll have to travel back either way, arañita.

[prettypurpleparlor]

[She'd wondered, at first, whether it was truly a wound or simply an odd quirk of his dead state. But the way he walked confirmed it soon enough.]

Meet me halfway, at least. There's no need to put yourself through any more pain than necessary.

[vagabone]

[Oh, now he gets it. Haha.]

I'm too tall for you to be carrying me around. It'll look dumb. More like a drag than a carry.

We can probably wrap this unless you want to do more with it.

[prettypurpleparlor]

You'd be surprised- I'm much stronger than I look.

she should see his flowers tho if you want to be cruel

[vagabone]

Yeah, and I'm lighter than I look.

My feet are still going to be dragging on the ground, admit it.

Well, she'll be seeing them in the other thread anyway...

[prettypurpleparlor]

I admit nothing of the sort- I'm certain you'd fold up quite neatly.

o7

[vagabone]

Ah, yeah, that's true. I had someone try to smuggle me across the bridge in a mini-fridge once.

[Pity it didn't work. Magic bridges can't be fooled as easily as people.]

[prettypurpleparlor]

...the bridge?

[That part's new to her.]

[vagabone]

Ahh... it's a complicated dead guy thing, don't worry about it.