[ For her part, Ciri can only catch about half of it, but it's enough. She tries to find somewhere quiet, tucking herself against one of the walls, between some of the fleshy pods closer to the bottom of the pit that occasionally spit people out. Concentrating hard on sending and receiving messages like this is a lot more necessary when she has to squint and struggle to make anything out. ]
W̷e̶'̷r̵e̴ ̴both fine.
̵A̵r̶e̵ ̵you all r̵ight? Y̴o̸u̴ ̸m̵a̷d̸e̵ ̵it̴ ̵b̷ack safely?
[ Considering he mentioned the signal, it means he's at least spoken with Viktor. ]
C̷onditions here a̷r̸e̵ ̷poor but they c̸o̸uld be worse. W̶a̷t̶e̵r̴ is scarce. T̶h̵a̴t̵ ̵w̶i̸l̵l̶ ̶b̵e̸ ̵t̸h̸e̸ ̷most urgent reason t̶o̷ ̸hurry, I̶ ̴thin̷k̸.̵
[ What does he mean they wouldn't take him? Ciri hadn't seen much when they'd grabbed her. She'd been worried when he wasn't around-- though it's probably for the best, after all. She can't exactly he sad he didn't get trapped also. Only one of them needed to be here. ]
̶J̸a̵s̴k̸i̷e̴r̶.̷ ̴I̵ ̷care about you.̴ ̸S̴o̸ ̴d̶o̶e̷s Geralt. Shut up.
[If only for a literal second, he can feel that there is some normalcy in it as he replies:]
Never.
[It is good he's alone. No one can hear the ragged bread that escapes as he answers her. He doesn't know where they are. They can't tell him. And the messages are messier and messier with each following word.
At least they found each other.
He holds his chest tightly so he doesn't burst. Why does it feel like he is always left behind?]
No. It was too fast, too sudden, I... I only got a glimpse of their masks. That's it. And then you were gone. And I heard a scream. Nothing like a human scream. Like a... a monster. Or the earth itself.
[ They must have knocked her out before that part. She doesn't remember anything between being attacked and waking up inside that disgusting plant-thing.
She can't make out everything that comes through from Jaskier's side, but it's enough. More than she expected. Ciri's tentatively hopeful they'll be able to communicate more reliably, if they can at least check in like this on occasion.
She's wrong, of course. It just gets worse from here. And by the second week, she won't be able to respond at all, whether it's to Jaskier or Viktor, as the tracker's signal becomes intermittent. But she doesn't know any of that yet.
Right now, she's feeling pretty all right. She reassures him confidently. ]
It's all right, Jaskier.
H̷elp Viktor a̷n̵d̶ ̸t̴h̴e̸ ̶o̸t̵h̴e̷r̵s̶.̸ ̸Geralt and I will be okay. B̸e̶e̵n̶ ̶through worse, y̵o̸u̵ ̸k̷n̸o̴w̵.̵ ̸W̷e̷'̸l̸l̴ ̵b̶e̴ ̵fine until y̶o̴u̴ ̷find us.
[There is something so unbelievably frustrating about Ciri and Geralt's confidence that comes through their messages, even as scattered as they are. He is not used to worrying about Geralt. Nor Ciri, really. Both of them are more than capable of killing.
But this world has surprised him. And they are not immortal.
For now, he can only trust their plan -- even half-cocked as it is -- will be a success. The device's signals are not consistent, but they're getting something. It's better than nothing.]
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cointosser) wrote2021-04-12 08:58 pm
feb 23, shortly after being abducted.
J̴̜͠a̸̙̦̳̣̔̑͊̒͗s̷̩̫̗̞̯̽̃̍̿͋͛̈́ͅk̵̖̠̍̒̀͊i̴͙̐̒̾́ẽ̸͇̭̐͑r̴̡̢̮̠̳͊̌̐̌̔ͅ
c̵͒͊ͅa̸̬͒͜n̴̢͎͝ ̵͕̄ỵ̴̽o̸̭͉͛͝ǘ̵̝̫ ̵̢̂see ̸̢̲̎̿t̶̻͆his̵̡̎̌
no subject
Ciri! Ciri, oh, thank fuck -- Melitele -- are you all right? Where are you? I tried to send you messages, but I couldn't get any --
What happened? We've gotten a bit of signal, but it's weak... you're not hurt, are you?
[Bombarding her with questions is probably not very helpful, but honestly, he's freaking the fuck out.]
no subject
W̷e̶'̷r̵e̴ ̴both fine.
̵A̵r̶e̵ ̵you all r̵ight? Y̴o̸u̴ ̸m̵a̷d̸e̵ ̵it̴ ̵b̷ack safely?
[ Considering he mentioned the signal, it means he's at least spoken with Viktor. ]
C̷onditions here a̷r̸e̵ ̷poor but they c̸o̸uld be worse. W̶a̷t̶e̵r̴ is scarce. T̶h̵a̴t̵ ̵w̶i̸l̵l̶ ̶b̵e̸ ̵t̸h̸e̸ ̷most urgent reason t̶o̷ ̸hurry, I̶ ̴thin̷k̸.̵
no subject
Both? Wait, both? You found Geralt? Please. Please tell me you found Geralt.
no subject
[ What does he mean they wouldn't take him? Ciri hadn't seen much when they'd grabbed her. She'd been worried when he wasn't around-- though it's probably for the best, after all. She can't exactly he sad he didn't get trapped also. Only one of them needed to be here. ]
̶J̸a̵s̴k̸i̷e̴r̶.̷ ̴I̵ ̷care about you.̴ ̸S̴o̸ ̴d̶o̶e̷s Geralt. Shut up.
Were you able to follow them at all?
no subject
Never.
[It is good he's alone. No one can hear the ragged bread that escapes as he answers her. He doesn't know where they are. They can't tell him. And the messages are messier and messier with each following word.
At least they found each other.
He holds his chest tightly so he doesn't burst. Why does it feel like he is always left behind?]
No. It was too fast, too sudden, I... I only got a glimpse of their masks. That's it. And then you were gone. And I heard a scream. Nothing like a human scream. Like a... a monster. Or the earth itself.
no subject
She can't make out everything that comes through from Jaskier's side, but it's enough. More than she expected. Ciri's tentatively hopeful they'll be able to communicate more reliably, if they can at least check in like this on occasion.
She's wrong, of course. It just gets worse from here. And by the second week, she won't be able to respond at all, whether it's to Jaskier or Viktor, as the tracker's signal becomes intermittent. But she doesn't know any of that yet.
Right now, she's feeling pretty all right. She reassures him confidently. ]
It's all right, Jaskier.
H̷elp Viktor a̷n̵d̶ ̸t̴h̴e̸ ̶o̸t̵h̴e̷r̵s̶.̸ ̸Geralt and I will be okay. B̸e̶e̵n̶ ̶through worse, y̵o̸u̵ ̸k̷n̸o̴w̵.̵ ̸W̷e̷'̸l̸l̴ ̵b̶e̴ ̵fine until y̶o̴u̴ ̷find us.
no subject
But this world has surprised him. And they are not immortal.
For now, he can only trust their plan -- even half-cocked as it is -- will be a success. The device's signals are not consistent, but they're getting something. It's better than nothing.]
Be safe, Ciri. That's all I ask.