[ there's a whole lot of starting and stopping, silence before eddie actually speaks. ] Hey. It's Eddie.
Sorry for the radio silence. I--- uh. I got lost. [ he lets out a laugh but it doesn't exactly sound jovial. the thing is, eddie's not too good with making it about himself and being sorry. ] Which sounds lame as fuck but I didn't run away if you were hoping we would get some more exploring in.
Not sure how long I was gone but have you been okay? Find that staircase? [ humor's good. humor's always good, right? ]
[ her heart is pounding — pointlessly, she thinks, because it's not like the adrenaline has any justification when he's calling and safe. it should be calming her down. instead, the panic of worry is clawing its way up her throat. ]
[ he's paranoid about possession by freaky dream wizards, alina. sorry to bring it up. but it's nice to be trusted so easily, like he's not someone people naturally distrust back home for too many stupid reasons. ] Thanks.
He did? [ that's... well, not surprising but it sort of is. ] Yeah, I think. It's kind of getting fuzzy now but I don't remember how I got there and then I wasn't sure where the fuck I was. It was like a bad acid trip.
Wait. [ stop rambling, backing up. ] You guys were looking?
Before I disappeared, right? I couldn't find you either. [ and there's some emotion, he sounds worried there.
he picks a pack of cigarettes up from beside him and there's the sound of ruffling and then him lighting up, a slow inhale. ] Yeah... I--- that was an accident. Me and Steve, I mean. A bit of Munson shit luck fucking him over.
[ but that's not as important. ] They're supposed to help us survive this place, you know. Soulmates. Assana said we need one.
[ speaking of being halfway there, here's some paranoia incoming: ]
You don't know anything about her and you're just trusting her?
[ how absurd. ]
Eddie, did you ever consider that maybe the reason you wound up accidentally picking up a soulmate is because you trust people too easily. [ a beat, a huff. ] Some people, at least.
She knows something about soulmates! I'm all for being wary of the characters we meet along our quest but why'd she lie about how shitty soulmates are? [ he's only hurt his so far!!! ]
Nah. That was Steve trusting me too easily and thinking I knew what the fuck I was doing. [ he sighs and then in a very dramatic, somewhat booming voice continues for a sentence as he waves his arms out in front of him. not that she can see. ] Oh mighty hubris! It lead us down to despair.
[ pause for smoke break. ]That guy always sees the good in people.
Becoming soulmates was an accident. [ he snaps that and then sighs, sounds more tired than anything. ] I'm supposed to know my shit through fantasy stuff.
I figured if this place had Sages and magic shit, it probably worked like Middle Earth or something. Maybe. So before finding soulmates to swear allegiance to them or whatever, I figured we'd try out the small stuff to see if that worked here but we needed an important object to test it with.
You can't blame yourself for not knowing everything, Eddie, that's stupid.
[ perhaps a more critical, harsh tone of voice than befits a reunion and all her relief that he's alive (well, "alive") and NOT secretly a manipulative asshole that she'd briefly worried he was, based on what he'd said. ]
I should know this stuff. I spent more time than most people probably find healthy reading about it. [ he's frustrated but it. he's not a fighter or anything and while the pre-spring break eddie wouldn't have given a damn, he wants to do more than run here. ]
You didn't. [ he can tell when he's being a dick, at least. ] Sorry. I just--- sorry. It's been a lot.
It's just a lot and I can't make sense of it. [ he really needs another cigarette. ] Back home, I spent a whole lot of time reading about monsters and magic. Probably would have finished school if I hadn't.
Reading about those things is a lot different than dealing with them. [ she settles down on her bed, rubs at her neck. ] No one expects you to have all of the answers just because you're a scholar. I've faced monsters before, fought for my life before, and I'm still out of my depth here. If you're stupid for being overwhelmed or wrong sometimes, what does that make me?
[ there's a laugh on his side of things and maybe this time there's a hint of delight. ] I wish I could record you calling me a scholar and send it back to my teachers.
[ hey now, eddie, back on track. ] Sorry, sorry.
If we're both out of our depths, I guess I can't be that hard on myself but shit. This sucks.
At least no one is trying to eat us? [ that would really suck. ]
Yeah, we aren't. [ and then he laughs, a little wry laugh like he's trying to find humor here somewhere as he shakes his head. ] You're at least stuck with me if we don't keep going missing.
[ and he sees what you're up to here, good lady, but he'll allow it. ] If you'd asked me like two, three days before I got here? I would have said he was a huge asshole but... yeah. Steve's-- [ actually? still an asshole but not the sort that eddie hates on a fundamental level. ] He's good guy.
[ and he genuinely believes that one. ] Definitely someone you want on your side if stuff goes down.
[ it seems obvious. anyone who's already latching onto a soulmate must have someone they already trust, right? even if it was an accident, like eddie's case. ]
[ a long pause. does she want to trust eddie with that? eddie might be too good of a person to leave aleksander here when they escape. there's no way he'd understand, and she doesn't really want him to pry into who exactly aleksander is to her. she's not even sure she has an answer. it's her shadow telling her to hide everything, telling her she can't trust anyone else, can't confide in them or rely upon them as she had tried to with aleksander himself. look where that went. ]
... Yes. I know someone else who's here. Just the two of us, from what I can tell.
[ that pause has eddie pausing too, taking a moment to let that sink in.
no name, no details. nothing like he shared with alina about steve but then again, alina doesn't owe him anything. sometimes eddie doesn't know where to stop but here, now, he can guess there's reason behind that hesitation. ] I'm sorry.
Let's hope we both stick to two-somes from our worlds, huh?
On my end, I don't know if I want my whole town here.
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audio| un; puppetmaster
Sorry for the radio silence. I--- uh. I got lost. [ he lets out a laugh but it doesn't exactly sound jovial. the thing is, eddie's not too good with making it about himself and being sorry. ] Which sounds lame as fuck but I didn't run away if you were hoping we would get some more exploring in.
Not sure how long I was gone but have you been okay? Find that staircase? [ humor's good. humor's always good, right? ]
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[ there's a sound of scrambling. ]
Saints. Is it really you?
[ her heart is pounding — pointlessly, she thinks, because it's not like the adrenaline has any justification when he's calling and safe. it should be calming her down. instead, the panic of worry is clawing its way up her throat. ]
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At least, I think so? You could give me a test or something? [ except what do they know about each other at this point? shit. ]
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[ is there even a chance that it wouldn't be? unsettling to consider. it hadn't honestly occurred to her before. ]
I'm just glad to hear your voice. When Steve said you were gone ... Were you in the Shadowlands? We were looking all over for you.
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He did? [ that's... well, not surprising but it sort of is. ] Yeah, I think. It's kind of getting fuzzy now but I don't remember how I got there and then I wasn't sure where the fuck I was. It was like a bad acid trip.
Wait. [ stop rambling, backing up. ] You guys were looking?
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[ she sighs. it feels like a waste for her to have realized what had happened to her, too late for it to help anyone.
more shifting as she gets up and starts pacing. ]
I didn't have a soulmate to notice what happened to me. I didn't know you did, either.
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he picks a pack of cigarettes up from beside him and there's the sound of ruffling and then him lighting up, a slow inhale. ] Yeah... I--- that was an accident. Me and Steve, I mean. A bit of Munson shit luck fucking him over.
[ but that's not as important. ] They're supposed to help us survive this place, you know. Soulmates. Assana said we need one.
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[ her voice is dry, a little disbelieving. ]
Who's Assana?
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Uh... She works for the Hierarchy maybe? I actually don't know. She just told me some stuff about soulmates.
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You don't know anything about her and you're just trusting her?
[ how absurd. ]
Eddie, did you ever consider that maybe the reason you wound up accidentally picking up a soulmate is because you trust people too easily. [ a beat, a huff. ] Some people, at least.
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Nah. That was Steve trusting me too easily and thinking I knew what the fuck I was doing. [ he sighs and then in a very dramatic, somewhat booming voice continues for a sentence as he waves his arms out in front of him. not that she can see. ] Oh mighty hubris! It lead us down to despair.
[ pause for smoke break. ] That guy always sees the good in people.
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[ cutting straight through all that bullshit to 'i knew what the fuck i was doing.' ]
I thought you said it was an accident.
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I figured if this place had Sages and magic shit, it probably worked like Middle Earth or something. Maybe. So before finding soulmates to swear allegiance to them or whatever, I figured we'd try out the small stuff to see if that worked here but we needed an important object to test it with.
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[ perhaps a more critical, harsh tone of voice than befits a reunion and all her relief that he's alive (well, "alive") and NOT secretly a manipulative asshole that she'd briefly worried he was, based on what he'd said. ]
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I am pretty stupid though.
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[ with the kind of annoyance that seems to suggest he's misrepresenting her on purpose. ]
What do you mean 'this stuff'? You'd already heard of Stygia and the Shadowlands before coming here?
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It's just a lot and I can't make sense of it. [ he really needs another cigarette. ] Back home, I spent a whole lot of time reading about monsters and magic. Probably would have finished school if I hadn't.
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[ hey now, eddie, back on track. ] Sorry, sorry.
If we're both out of our depths, I guess I can't be that hard on myself but shit. This sucks.
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[ a deep, world-weary sigh. ]
But at least we're not alone. [ idle, prying, ] Steve is ... nice.
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Yeah, we aren't. [ and then he laughs, a little wry laugh like he's trying to find humor here somewhere as he shakes his head. ] You're at least stuck with me if we don't keep going missing.
[ and he sees what you're up to here, good lady, but he'll allow it. ] If you'd asked me like two, three days before I got here? I would have said he was a huge asshole but... yeah. Steve's-- [ actually? still an asshole but not the sort that eddie hates on a fundamental level. ] He's good guy.
[ and he genuinely believes that one. ] Definitely someone you want on your side if stuff goes down.
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[ it seems obvious. anyone who's already latching onto a soulmate must have someone they already trust, right? even if it was an accident, like eddie's case. ]
Is he the only one here who you recognize?
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So far. I'm hoping I don't see anyone from home.
[ a pause. ] I was hoping I wouldn't see him either.
Is there anyone here from your home? [ it's not a great feeling to know the people you care about are dead, even if it means you're not alone. ]
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[ a long pause. does she want to trust eddie with that? eddie might be too good of a person to leave aleksander here when they escape. there's no way he'd understand, and she doesn't really want him to pry into who exactly aleksander is to her. she's not even sure she has an answer. it's her shadow telling her to hide everything, telling her she can't trust anyone else, can't confide in them or rely upon them as she had tried to with aleksander himself. look where that went. ]
... Yes. I know someone else who's here. Just the two of us, from what I can tell.
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no name, no details. nothing like he shared with alina about steve but then again, alina doesn't owe him anything. sometimes eddie doesn't know where to stop but here, now, he can guess there's reason behind that hesitation. ] I'm sorry.
Let's hope we both stick to two-somes from our worlds, huh?
On my end, I don't know if I want my whole town here.