allthesame2me | [Video]

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[Alex had been as surprised as the rest of his party to hear that they'd been in the tunnels for nearly a months' time when it had only felt like a few hours while they were walking around in them.

It really shouldn't have surprised him that such a thing was possible, all things considered.

As it is, sine the Keep seems to be currently without a chef, he's been keeping himself busy in the kitchen. He's got his laptop plugged into one of the only outlets in the Keep and though he can't get online at all, it gives him full access to his iTunes collection; which is currently playing in the background.]

So .. I would recommend not trampling around in the tunnels beneath the Keep unless you're ready for a whole time flux .. thing. We were gone for what we thought was just a few hours, and apparently, according to all of you and .. well .. reality .. We were gone for nearly an entire month.

We miss anything of interest?

[All the while talking, Alex looks to be preparing something in the kitchen. His hair is pulled back into an intricate braid and he's got on an old fashioned apron.]

Have the staff shown up again, or are they still missing? Joe, specifically ..

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Alex, you're okay?

[Someone sounds a bit panicked, even though she can see him clearly through the journal's video function.]

I haven't seen anyone from staff either. I've heard nothing of where they are or when they'll be back...

[Alex's smile is soft and comforting, his tone seeking to calm his panicked sounding pal.]

Bryn, yeah, I'm good .. we honestly had no idea that that much time had passed up here. We'd have posted to our journals or something if we'd known ..

[He shakes his head, drying his hands off on a towel. Then he frowns ..]

That means they've been gone for just about a month as well .. [His brows knit together.] What the hell is going on?

[Bryn's already gotten to the point that when things don't make sense, it's easier to shrug it off as a peculiarity of the world. It's easier for her peace of mind to not linger overmuch on matters of time.]

I don't know, I'm just glad to see at least one of my friends is back safe. What happened to all of you? Is everyone back alright?

You... you were down there too?

[Oh, Alex understands that all too well .. now, but then he's also going to do his best to avoid the tunnels. :|]

When they opened the tunnels during the dust storm, I took advantage and went poking around. I met up with Vie, Hawke and Jack down there and we went off together as a merry band of explorers. We found a flooded section of the halls with crocodiles ..

[He sounded rather amused until the crocodile part.]

They were stone come to life .. rather impressive in a we're going to die kind of way, but we managed to get away from them. Annnnd, I managed to nearly get myself run through by Vie, who seemed altogether unimpressed by my shifting, which I'd done on the off chance things got worse .. and because I'm faster that way.

[He shakes his head, frown knitting his brows.] Vie never said why she didn't trust me, only that she didn't and wouldn't .. forget that I did nothing to her or her's and that she was fine with me while I looked human.

[He gives a shrug, but it's pretty clear that it's bothering him that she was so upset by his appearance.]

There .. there was some weird stuff down there, Bryn. There was a hallway that seemed..[He trails off, looking uncomfortable and wary.] The hallway seemed alive .. we heard breathing and the walls and floor were definitely not stone. If you scratched of punctured either, they expelled a gas that left you kinda trippy and floaty feeling. A bit sick, really ..

We found a printing room, though .. and there were unfinished journals and books there. Gold leaf and other printing things .. Some good souvenir options, all things considered. [He wouldn't come right out and say he took a journal, but he does look at her rather meaningfully.]

[A familiar voice and even though Alex can't see Anders, the man's voice brings a soft smile to his lips as he nods. His own voice is softly teasing as he replies, leaning against the counter to look right at his journal, hence, right at Anders.]

You noticed, surely? No public lashings for a month .. no one declaring their loathing of everything I am. Must have been a quiet month, honestly..

[A brief quirk of his lips and half a shrug.]

Yeah .. me, Hawke, Vie and Jack the pirate. A merry troop if ever there was one, I assure you.

[His smile fades a bit and he looks solemn.]

We didn't have any idea so much time had passed above ground, Anders ..

:33 < *nepeta's ears purrk up at the sound coming through her journal*

:33 < is that mewsic?

[Alex smiles brightly at the text that appears, recognizing it instantly. After all, no one at the Keep wrote in the same manner as Nepeta.]

Sure is, Kitten .. pretty wide variety on ye old laptop and a blessed power source to keep 'er going. You got a request? My tastes are pretty eclectic, so I've got quite the variety.

[The whole thing sounds wretched and horrifying, all things considered. Walls that seemed alive? Expelling gas? Crocodiles and stone coming to life? Bryn can't help but wonder if the whole thing was just an elaborate hallucination from the trippy gas.]

The unfinished journals and such sound fascinating. I'd love to see these souvenirs when you're not busy, and I'm so glad that you're all back and alright, Alex.

Tunnels?

...an entire month?

[Well now Aara is slightly creeped out.]

:33 < do you have anything with cute and playful kitties in it?

[Yeah, it was really a whole lot of not fun, Bryn. :( Let's not put his words to the test, m'kay? Cause this boy ain't going near that tunnel again.

His smile never slips, though it does soften a bit as she mentions wanting to see the trinkets they picked up.]

Well .. I'm not exactly busy at all. Just finished my last batch of muffins, so I really do have all the time in the world.

[At the last there is a subtle shift in his expression and he makes a soft sound in the back of his throat.]

Thanks, Bryn .. I'm glad to be back. Wouldn't mind a bit of peace and quiet for a bit..

[Alex's nose wrinkles in bemusement and he turns slightly, his face in profile as he clicks through his iTunes folder. After a moment a new piece begins to play.

He glances back at Nepeta, grinning.]

I've got some other stuff, but it's mostly christmas jingles.

[Oh hi there new voice! Alex looks interested and curious, his blue green eyes settling onto the page of the book like he's looking right at Aara.]

Beneath the Keep .. the great Lord Deior opened them to us when the dust storm swept over the area so we'd have someplace to get away from it. A few of us met down there and went exploring .. what we thought was a few hours turned out to be nearly a month above ground.

There's a few people still missing..

[And he's really not happy about that, being as how he was certain they included Derek and Chloe. He sighs and shakes his head.]

Hopefully we'll hear from them soon, but until then there's not much we can do.

[He then refocuses on fact #1: new voice = new person.]

You new?

[And the video clicks on. It's just Anders. In his room, with a book or two. Nothing special here.]

It was concerning, honestly. First the elf vanishes, then Hawke, and... well, you. It was a disturbing trend.

[He makes a face.]

Oh, good. Another pirate. I look forward to the copious treatments for bed-borne disease.

[He shrugs, and drops his gaze.]

So I've heard.

[After a bit of fiddling, the video turns on, a confused expression on Aara's normally calm face.] Is it working? The reflection thing? I see your reflection but... are you able to see mine?

A dust storm? That sounds dangerous. Do these storms happen often?

I did not think it was possible--no. Maybe that makes more sense than it doesn't. [Here she is thinking about the Rift.] How many people are missing? Is there anything I can do to help find them?

[A soft, breathy and somewhat sheepish laugh at that.] I am that obvious? I have been asking quite a few questions.

[Bryn ducks her head in a nod, returning Alex's smile.]

I don't blame you. Hopefully it'll be a long time before something else comes up.

[She started gathering her things to head toward the kitchens. Muffins and mysterious items, and getting to see Alex is okay in person? Yep, she's not wasting any time.]

I'll be down in the kitchens in half a second if you don't mind waiting for me?

[Alex returns each smile with one of his own, inclining his head.]

I don't mind in the slightest .. I'll be here with my boots on.

[Ahh, and there he is. Alex won't deny that actually seeing Anders is better than just speaking with him, because it would be a flat out lie. He likes the man and things have been undeniably .. awkward .. since their evening together.]

I've seen no other sign of your friend since his disappearance, and I'm sorry for it. Perhaps he'll still turn up though, you know? I know positive notions are a bit hard to come by around here, but he still might ..

[And then a bemused snort and his lips quirk a bit at the bit added toward the end.]

I've read about much the same, but this one at least looks fairly clean .. mostly.

[He won't question if Anders knows this from more personal reasons than word of mouth. His past affairs have nothing to do with Alex and Alex would be the absolute last person to judge someone for the past. After a moment, learning what he had from Nieta and sealing the entry, he speaks again.]

How have you been, Anders? You're like a ghost around here ..

[Alex's eyes brighten as the fair haired young woman appears on his own journal page.]

Yes, you're doing just fine and I see you as clear as the day.

As to the storm .. it was the first time I'd seen anything like it since my arrival here and I've been here for months. The staff seemed well enough prepared for it, but I doubt the same will be happening again soon.

[He listens to her muse, his head tilted slightly to one side, his expression curious.]

I know of two, but I'm relatively certain there are a few more in their party. But we've no access to the tunnels any longer, as they've been sealed shut once again. I think the only thing we can do it wait, and I hate that.

[His brows knit and he looks unhappy. He'd much rather get back to where he'd caught a slight trace of Derek and Chloe's scents and actually do something to find them. He was kicking himself for letting that chance escape him.

Then his expression relaxes again, his smile wan as he nods.]

There's nothing wrong with asking questions. It's much better to do that than remain ignorant about something, in my own opinion.

[A slightly bigger smile then.]

But, yeah .. a bit. I'm Alex.

[A small, shy smile at that.] Oh, good.

...Was the storm awful? Were many hurt? It's a relief to hear it should not happen again any time soon.

Hmm. Waiting is hard when friends have gone missing, or may be in trouble. [Still, she lightly shuddered at the thought of dark tunnels underground--being trapped there. She would have to avoid them if at all possible.]

It is good to know. Allow me to ask something else, then. Is there anything I can do to help locate those missing? [A minuscule smile, head tilted slightly.]

Alex. [A light blush steals across her cheek bones at being obvious.] I am Aara.

[And soon enough, Bryn is there in the kitchen and looking for Alex.]

Hello? Alex?

[Alex has just finished cleaning up his mess, good about leaving the place better than he found it; a regular boy scout, this one is! He comes out from behind the shelf he was replacing the sugar to and smiles as his gaze settles on Bryn.]

Right here, Bryn.

[He lifts a hand halfway in greeting, his expression warm and welcoming. He halfway gestures to the basket on the counter, contents steaming still.]

Muffin?

[Bryn looks at Alex, and then the muffins, and then she completely ignores them in favor of heading to Alex and wrapping her arms around him.]

In a minute...and don't mind me it's just really good to see you.

[Yes, you are getting a hug because she was worried.]

[He gives a half shake of his head, his expression a mixture of resignation and concern.]

None were hurt that I know of .. the dust made it pretty much impossible to venture outside, though. If you tried breathing out there in it, well .. you really couldn't. People just kind of stayed holed up wherever it was that they were.

[A tight smile and a bit of a nod.]

It's hard, yeah .. worse part is the waiting for them to show again and being concerned that they won't. People don't vanish often, but it does happen on occasion .. Not sure if they return to their own worlds or what, but .. [He shakes his head, looking unhappy.]

So long as they come back in one piece I'll be happy ..

[He pauses as she asks her question, a smile warming his expression ever so slightly.]

I'm honestly uncertain .. I can't smell them anywhere that I've looked. [Yes, he said smell.] But .. If you happen to see or hear from either Chloe or Derek, I'd really appreciate it if you could let me know?

[The flush adds a touch of color to her light complexion and Alex himself smiles in response to it.]

It is a pleasure to meet you, Aara. Have you been long at the Keep?

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