voice (UN ????) | open to anon/misfire replies

[priorly]

What's that poem about how the world ends? Fire, or ice.

Funny, really, we've been at the sharp end of both in recent weeks and here we all are, still muddling along, impossible to destroy. Like cockroaches, or Twinkies. Well. Most of us, anyway.

But it seems to me that ice is more a paralytic than an ending. Perhaps a precursor to slow cessation. A numbing, which - left long enough - allows one not to even notice as all the more vital components gradually freeze. Stasis, an ending without closure. They're the worst kind, I think.

But don't mind maudlin old me. I haven't been sleeping well.

At any rate. If you knew Byerly or Dorian -

Well, lucky you. They're gone now. Stasis. I thought some people might like to know and it turns out to be torture to have to say it over and over.

And it's colder here than I anticipated.

That's all.

Comments

Text; UN: ??????????

[impavid]

[ John may make pretty average to poor detective but he can connect dots:

He remembers Prior saying I really do have to start telling people Byerly's gone, and this style has a certain dramatic flair to it that is distinct.

So he starts off, casually, with: ]

This sounds like a good time for you to cash in a drink.

[ Sends it, see's his username come out garbled, and sighs the sigh of a man tired of bullshit. Follows up with: ]

If I'd known I was going to be a mystery person too I'd have thought of something more interesting to say.

voice - to - text : un: ????

[priorly]

[Prior's voice is also largely undisguised - at least for most people tuning in. Who knows what havoc the machine might be wreaking at John's end. He may even sound gruff. But the response is text, so he switches appropriately, letting voice translation turn what he says into pixels to save him squinting at a screen.]

It's not too late. Tell me you despise cowherds and all their accoutrements and I'll be stumped all over again.

MYSTERY THREAD ALL ROUND

[impavid]

Never met a cow I liked, never met a cowboy I liked either.

Voice; UN: ????

[cassus]

[ It doesn't take a genius to guess that such an announcement stems from a place of suffering and loss. Whomever this person is, they were close to two people who are now 'gone', shuffled off into an endless sleep without any promise of reawakening. ]

In times like these a man's best friend is often a stiff drink.

[ He lost Odasaku twice. The first time, years ago and to a bloody end, had been agonizing enough. But losing him here? That had just been cruel.

He can empathize with this stranger's situation a little too much. ]

Speaking from experience- It helps to forget for a while.

[priorly]

I thought dogs were supposed to be man's best friends. More of a commitment, certainly, but less of a medically established depressant.

[He's been drinking, more than he should since reaching this city. It helps with the cold - and it doesn't. But never for long. Anyway, he's being facetious.]

I would, but there's nobody left to roll me home. And I'm a cat person.

[And, as he hasn't missed this part, and god knows misery loves company-]

Recent experience?

[cassus]

[ Oh, that makes him laugh, despite how any mention of man's best friend feels like a punch to the gut. Finding someone with a wry sense of humor makes up for that in spades. ]

Finally, someone with good taste. [ Fellow cat people unite. ] Dogs are far too needy.

[ If there's one thing he's good at, it's commiserating with others and sharing sorrows over several glasses of something strong. So the offer of his company hardly seems like a bad idea in these circumstances. ]

I've done my fair share of rolling in the past.

[ His smile is audible, unable to resist how much he likes this person's wit. ]

It's about time I switched things up, if you're interested in a drinking buddy.

[ He expected the question, but that doesn't make answering any easier. ]

Hm-mn. [ Said much quieter than his words before. ] Still feels that way, though.

[nineteenfortyfive]

And the world is colder without Byerly's... charm.

[priorly]

Well, maybe just to me.

Do you know what's worse? He was more charming when he gave up on charm entirely. He could be charmingly earnest. I don't think he even knew.

[nineteenfortyfive]

That's how it goes, isn't it?

text, un: ???

[sheriffing]

Prior?

[stasis. the end. rings about as true as stasis, an ending without closure. sue her, she's been taking notes.]

I miss living in a world where people could be woken up with a kiss.

[priorly]

[And that call back rings a few bells of its own.]

I'm not sure anyone's tried that, yet. All the glass and preserving matter does get in the way somewhat.

[sheriffing]

We can't try it. That doesn't mean I haven't thought about it.

voice | un: cooijaefrljk.saeljkflkjea

[shashka]

I'd figured about Byerly, but Dorian's new. Even if he had no idea how to dress, I guess I'll miss the guy.

[ Prior might be able to tell it's Ocelot. and he's really one to talk about dressing. ]

[priorly]

[Prior can't tell a thing, the voice is as fucked as the username.

The username which makes him oddly nostalgic, as the case may be. Though the lack of identity means he misses any humor.]

Well, I guess that's noble of you.

[shashka]

I try my best.

[ he's pretty sure he knows who it is, but the guessing is always fun... ]

In the year since I've been here, I've seen my fair share wake up and go back to sleep. Seems like it's just the way that the Natha like it.

voice;

[pullsheavendown]

They were your friends?

I'm sorry. It's awful to lose someone without even getting to say goodbye.

[priorly]

It's awful to lose someone.

[That sentence is finished there, with a long pause.] Though unavoidable, in the end.

voice; un: ????

[mollymocked]

[whelp. there goes his instincts.]

If you're not sleeping well, you ought to invest in some tea. It'll take the edge off the cold too.

'Course, I haven't seen an herbalist around here, and not for a lack of searching.

[priorly]

One might think they'd struggle, given that the prevalence of the snow means it's rarer to see any herbs.

[Not that he doesn't appreciate the suggestion but - he's a little weary.]

text. un: it's a mystery.

[dirthena]

Dorian... Dorian Pauvis?

( she woke up, and now he's back to stasis. it would figure, elera lavellan thinks. one friendly face gone when she could have needed the support. or at least the humor it would bring. )

I don't recognize the other name. I'm sorry.

[priorly]

That's him.

Although he usually went by one name, when I was with him. A latterday Madonna.

anon (and late and thus backdated to when this post was made)

[motivation]

great

[ that's it, that's the message. two more people in stasis. two more people dutch gave a damn about. gives. ]

[priorly]

I wish knowing Byerly made it easier to know if that was sarcasm or not.

voice ; un: k.jones

[assailed]

[ It's a bit much. Sounds like something Charming would say. A grand display of words to work up to saying someone is gone. Even if he's left tilting his head the pain that comes along with loss is very real.

He responds, but not in text because texting with a hook is damned tiring. He's very lucky he didn't just resort to video. Killian has never been very good with technology. There's a reason Emma once got him a simple flip phone. ]

It's always best to get a blanket statement out quicker. Indeed less repetitive pain, lad. Can't say I know the two, but I'm deeply sorry for your loss.

[priorly]

[Grand displays are... well, sort of Prior's thing, in most cases. However, by the time this message gets through the jumble of the network he's been drinking for a little while, and his reply is simpler, more to the point.]

Lad?