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[strictdiscipline]

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[strictdiscipline]

Are any of you badly hurt?

[adlantisag]

Not badly, no--at least no more than some ugly bruises and cuts. All's the better for that, because I do not think they would provide healing for us.

[strictdiscipline]

[That's one less thing to worry about, thankfully.]

Do they really consider even being seen with Order members as high treason? None of us were involved in whatever they might have done earlier.

[adlantisag]

I am not sure. There seemed in comparison to be little fuss when we broke into the castle directly.

The Order must be, to them--to him--a greater threat.

[strictdiscipline]

If they were able to make the sun disappear, I can see why.

Are all the members of the Order in there with you?

[adlantisag]

Only a few. Arthur escaped, as did Michel.

They take us in for questioning, one by one, then spit us out. They want to find out about ALASTAIR and the Order.

[ Luckily (?), none of them have much to say. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Good luck finding out anything useful about ALASTAIR, local police....

But that's somewhat concerning. "Questioning," she says, but that could mean a whole host of different things, several of which she would prefer not to think about unless absolutely necessary.]

How have they been questioning you?

[adlantisag]

Insistently.

[ Take that how you will. There's a long delay--twenty, thirty minutes before the next message. ]

They watch closely. I must be discreet. They have said they will allow us visitors, but.

[ It'll be monitored, tightly. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Ah. Both those messages, distanced though they are, paint a sufficient image of the situation as it is right now.]

Please be careful. [But speaking of visitors:] Is there anyone you would particularly like to see?

[For whatever reason, practical or otherwise.]

[adlantisag]

[ She considers the question. Names come to mind immediately, of people she wants to comfort: Pearl, Sieglinde, Sakura. ]

No one who would benefit from the sight of me, I am afraid.

[ In truth, if there's anyone she wants to see in person, it's Riza, but she's already left the other woman enough on her plate to add to it now. ]

Please speak to the others on our behalf, if you can.

[strictdiscipline]

Of course.

[Like she would leave any of them, even Gilgamesh, to a fate at the end of a noose, when there's a number of them still free and able-bodied.]

I'm sure Pearl will want to see you, if only to make sure you're alright.

[adlantisag]

[ Actually, about that-- ]

If I may ask a favour? Please be delicate with Pearl. I fear she will let her fear bind her into knots.

[ If there's anyone she trusts to get her out of deep shit like this, it's Riza and Pearl. ]

And Riza?

[strictdiscipline]

I'll do my best.

[As for the other thing:]

Yes?

[adlantisag]

I apologize. For being trapped like this--for letting you down.

I should have been more careful.

[ You just got the most shounen protag of disney princesses to say she should have been more careful, be proud of yourself. And it's not really out of any regret for her action or inaction, it's more out of a reflexive indignation at putting Riza in dire straits like this.

ALASTAIR will mobilize, she's sure of it. That won't make it easy, and she'd do anything to be on the other side of these cell bars. ]

[strictdiscipline]

[Of all the things Riza expects to hear Kida utter, an apology is at the very bottom of that list, so low it doesn't even cross her mind as a possibility. Her next message comes delayed, surprise momentarily clearing her mind of rational thought before anger comes creeping in. At Kida, for believing she'd needed to apologize in the first place. At ALASTAIR, for playing God with the lives of so many different people. At herself, for being unable to complete one of the few goals she'd set for herself.]

We're all to blame for this happening.

[And really, if anyone's been a letdown this entire time surely it must be ALASTAIR, but there's little to gained from petty finger-pointing and accusations.]

We'll find a way to get all of you out of there and we'll take what we've learned from this to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[adlantisag]

[ In Atlantis, her life was orderly. She knew where everything was, how everything worked, and where her place lied in the grand scheme of things.

She's never hit her limit quite as hard as she has now, not in eight thousand years.

She's learning there's so much she's simply never been exposed to, never learned about, couldn't even have fathomed, from the feeling of seeing a homeless orphan to the impossible vastness of the night sky. She's learning how tiny she is, and how great the powers of the world are.

Her teammates in ALASTAIR are counting on her. Her people are counting on her. She doesn't have the leisure for making costly mistakes. ]

I believe in you. You have my every confidence, Riza.

We will speak again soon.

[ It's the last message for today. Too much staring at her bracelet will surely cause suspicion. ]