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The shaper known as Steel is flying down the right side of a road, shoring up the edges of the bluestream that lets her lift herself off the ground as she goes. Sure, she'll be a bit clumsy and weak when she gets to Opri, but she's not planning on doing much more stream-shaping today, so might as well.
She glances at the bluestream (the magical vision blinds her physical vision for a short moment, but not long enough to crash into anything) and determines that this next crossroads is where she needs to turn. She tilts to the right...
...And lands on a patch of orange grass in a forest clearing. This is not the town of Opri. She opens her eyes and ears to the bluestream, trying to figure out what the hell is going on.
The bluestream here isn't a nice, orderly, useful pattern like on the roads, or the formless fog that it usually decays to after a while. Instead it's a riot of random patterns swirling around, wispy and confused and obviously not designed to do anything useful.
Steel, deaf and blind for a few seconds thanks to her peek at the bluestream, stands very still and is very confused.
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sturdycoldsteel
sturdycoldsteel
I can't. These wings don't actually carry me - I'd need to use bluestream, and they'd see that.
sturdycoldsteel
I've tried that and it's terribly uncomfortable. I could do it if you really don't want to take a detour, though.
imeanforever
Just going over the options. How about I keep hiding as backup and you introduce yourself?
sturdycoldsteel
That'll work. If they get hostile, you use sorcery to disorient them and we both fly for the gate?
imeanforever
I'm not actually sure, but my best guess is do the same thing backwards.
sturdycoldsteel
Steel... Tries to reverse the invisibility. It turns out to be fairly easy - breaking things is generally easier than making them, after all.
She steps out from behind a tree and starts slowly walking towards the soldiers, hands out. Once within shouting distance, she stops walking and shouts, "Hail! I heard Teth is accepting refugees."
She steps out from behind a tree and starts slowly walking towards the soldiers, hands out. Once within shouting distance, she stops walking and shouts, "Hail! I heard Teth is accepting refugees."
sturdycoldsteel
A soldier emerges from the fortifications and approaches Steel. "We accept refugees fleeing from the evil practices of the old law, yes. Provided you work if work is available, and you promise not to interfere with the resistance."
He stops about ten feet from Steel. "Wait a minute. Are you... You're that activist! The one everyone said the government had kidnapped or killed! How did you escape the prison camps?"
He stops about ten feet from Steel. "Wait a minute. Are you... You're that activist! The one everyone said the government had kidnapped or killed! How did you escape the prison camps?"
sturdycoldsteel
"What? No, that's not what happened at all! I just went to the countryside for peace and quiet! Damn, did this whole thing start because I accidentally became a public figure and then disappeared?"
sturdycoldsteel
The soldier looks uncomfortable. "I mean, there are are plenty of reasons for the revolt, but that was the final straw. That the government had disappeared you for making too many waves. It's what sparked the revolution. And it was wrong. I'm sorry, Jean Colter."
Is Promise listening? That name clicks.
Is Promise listening? That name clicks.
sturdycoldsteel
As soon as he says her name, "Fuck! You ruined everything! War because of a stupid misunderstanding. This is - augh!"
Steel starts listening to the bluestream, so as to not hear anything. She flies back south down the road as fast as possible, back to the gate, leaving a trail of lights.
Steel starts listening to the bluestream, so as to not hear anything. She flies back south down the road as fast as possible, back to the gate, leaving a trail of lights.
sturdycoldsteel
When they're back through the gate, I can't hear anything right now. Talk to me in lights if you want to talk at all.
sturdycoldsteel
It's hardly your fault. He had no reason to hide my name. I hadn't thought the country was balanced on a needle. Perhaps I should have. I thought the gossip about me would fade in a week or two, like it always does. Apparently I should have waited before coming back.
I couldn't have predicted it, I know that, but I still can't do anything but feel guilty. I'm alternating pouring heat and cold into the rock below us by the way, let me know if that's going to cause anything terrible - but feeling nothing is better than the taste of guilt and fear. At least for now.
I couldn't have predicted it, I know that, but I still can't do anything but feel guilty. I'm alternating pouring heat and cold into the rock below us by the way, let me know if that's going to cause anything terrible - but feeling nothing is better than the taste of guilt and fear. At least for now.
imeanforever
The rock isn't particularly important for anything. Promise de-invisibles and shuts the gate.
sturdycoldsteel
People are difficult. I prefer the laws of physics. They're not as complicated. And there's no moral issue in exploiting them.
Can orders come through writing? Probably. She decides to start looking at the stream if whatever Promise is fairylighting looks like it might be an order. This will probably mean she misses something not-ordery once in a while, but so be it.
Can orders come through writing? Probably. She decides to start looking at the stream if whatever Promise is fairylighting looks like it might be an order. This will probably mean she misses something not-ordery once in a while, but so be it.
sturdycoldsteel
You to forget my name. Food from the other side, so I won't belong to you in the case that you ever manage it. I can get the second thing myself. In a little while.
imeanforever
It will take a very long time to forget even if I never actively think about you again.
sturdycoldsteel
I don't suppose I can change it. That would be too convenient. You have proven to be a decent person, but that means less to me when you have semi-absolute power over me and there's nothing I can do about it except be deaf.