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Chelsa has just finished the morning announcements. She loves doing the morning announcements; it's like piping hot coffee, the rise in the world's warmth. Most of it is for Aelise, of course, but Chelsa gets her own share, and of course she's not selfish, everyone loves their neighbors too. Everyone gets along so well.
She is on her way from the broadcasting studio where she does her announcements to the living quarters where she keeps her dearest friends. She makes sure to pay them plenty of attention. They watch the announcements - everyone does, unless they are doing some sort of emergency work right at that moment, and then they're caught up as soon as possible with the next installment - but they're kept closer and need more fine detail work to stay happy with her. It is terribly important that they be happy with her.
warmfeelings
A teenage boy wearing bright red pajama pants appears in midair about three feet off the ground and falls to the floor with a yelp, as though he just rolled out of a nonexistent bed.
warmfeelings
Chelsa blinks.
And then she reaches out with both hands, inspecting his temperature. Something's off about it. He's not completely cold, not like that one distressing child Aelise had killed for her all those years ago, but none of the warmth is aimed at her or Aelise.
That's incorrect, and confusing.
"Where did you come from?" she asks.
And then she reaches out with both hands, inspecting his temperature. Something's off about it. He's not completely cold, not like that one distressing child Aelise had killed for her all those years ago, but none of the warmth is aimed at her or Aelise.
That's incorrect, and confusing.
"Where did you come from?" she asks.
"What the fuck?" he says, turning over and blinking up at her. "I don't know, I—was just—"
Doesn't he know that face from somewhere?
Doesn't he know that face from somewhere?
warmfeelings
So he's clearly some kind of Gifted, even if he found it late. Hmm, he looks a little like her Corona, doesn't he. This is terribly curious.
"Why don't you come with me to see Aelise," suggests Chelsa, smiling at him and holding out a hand, "she'll know what to do."
"Why don't you come with me to see Aelise," suggests Chelsa, smiling at him and holding out a hand, "she'll know what to do."
"Where even am I?" he asks, squinting at her. He makes no move to take her hand.
warmfeelings
"Mont Blanc," says Chelsa patiently, still holding her hand out. "It looks like you've landed here accidentally, but Aelise will know what to do."
He shakes his head. "Who's that?"
warmfeelings
"Aelise is - Aelise," says Chelsa. "She's the Empress, but no one really calls her that. Wherever can you have come from if you don't know me or her? What's your name?"
"Harley," says Harley. "Who are you?"
He blinks.
He screams and runs away.
He screams and runs away.
warmfeelings
Well, that's hardly polite.
She was going to leave him untouched to report on his initial state to Aelise, but now she has little recourse but to reach out for his chilly self and strike matches.
She was going to leave him untouched to report on his initial state to Aelise, but now she has little recourse but to reach out for his chilly self and strike matches.
This does not seem to have an effect on the screaming and running away that he is doing.
warmfeelings
She runs after him. "Harley!" she calls. "Calm down! I only want to bring you to Aelise!"
Still running away!
Now too out of breath to scream.
(But, running away or no - he has properties in common with her Corona other than just his face.)
Now too out of breath to scream.
(But, running away or no - he has properties in common with her Corona other than just his face.)
warmfeelings
That's familiar. And lovely. She doesn't like the running away, but perhaps he can be calmed down eventually.
He's running in the direction of her friends' quarters.
She follows him, exasperated.
He's running in the direction of her friends' quarters.
She follows him, exasperated.
He runs through her friends' quarters, to the balcony at the end of the hall, and he does not stop running when he reaches it.
It's a beautiful view, and a long way down the side of the mountain from here.
It's a beautiful view, and a long way down the side of the mountain from here.
warmfeelings
"Anneia!" exclaims Chelsa. "Someone's just jumped off the balcony - come with me -" He's likely to land near where the south elevator lets out, and if he's alive at all he'll need healing.
lookingforwardtoit
Anneia dashes out of the room she shares with Sandre and follows Chelsa to the south elevator.
"What happened? Who is it?"
"What happened? Who is it?"
warmfeelings
"I'm not sure. He just appeared, in the hall. He looks a lot like Corona but he definitely wasn't, none of the right warmth until I kindled it; I was trying to bring him to Aelise when he took off running."
warmfeelings
"I suppose stranger things have happened," allows Chelsa. "But I think anyone Corona conjured up like that would have heard of me and Aelise. He didn't know who she was."
lookingforwardtoit
"I don't know, then. And Corona's still not home, right? I hope he's okay - the stranger I mean."
warmfeelings
"Corona's still off on his vacation, yes. The stranger said his name was Harley."
Here is the bottom of Mont Blanc! It's a fast elevator.
Here is the bottom of Mont Blanc! It's a fast elevator.
lookingforwardtoit
Anneia rushes out.
The stranger is lying on the path that leads down the mountain from this elevator. Well, most of him is. He hit a few trees on the way down, and it seems they kept some parts.
She heals him.
He lets out a very familiar moan.
"...Are you sure this isn't Corona? I mean, he's too young, but - look at him."
The stranger is lying on the path that leads down the mountain from this elevator. Well, most of him is. He hit a few trees on the way down, and it seems they kept some parts.
She heals him.
He lets out a very familiar moan.
"...Are you sure this isn't Corona? I mean, he's too young, but - look at him."