[audio] un: nah (forward-dated to the 3rd)

[damnable]

So turns out the beacon can swallow you up and spit you right back out after several decades in your own world - in case everyone else is as unaware of that being a possibility as I was.

Name's Red for those of you who didn't know me before when I was teenage-shaped and brand spankin' new to life. For those who did, sorry for the awkward, weird social situation the beacon's just created for us. Now that I'm wiser-to-life, I feel it's better to be up front about some things. I can see people's souls, auras, whatever you wanna call 'em. So I know a lot about someone from the get-go, and I can't turn it on and off.

So there's some options:

A) I can tell you what I see when I meet you in full detail so you know what I know.

B) We both pretend like I don't see shit. Denial is not just a river in Egypt, it's a fun little coping mechanism.

C) My ability malfunctions - can't control this but it happens here.

D) I can make some colorful description up, and we roll with it, cause why not? Live your dreams.

If you got a preference, let me know or I'll assume B is it. I'll be at the bar, drinking about a thousand drinks, and grappling with sudden onslaught of memories and emotions and all that messy fun shit. Cheers, and Happy Train day.

( OOC: Open to network responses and/or action spam. If you want Red to see your chars' aura at some point, feel free to fill it permissions here - I assume her ability just doesn't work if there's nothing filled out so no worries regardless. :) If you already filled it out on her old journal, no need to fill it out again! )

Comments

[damnable]

( Red smiles, sensing Clara there before she sees her or feels the hug that she gives. She turns slowly so she can have a look at her too properly. )

Think that's the first time anyone's said they were gonna drown in my hair. Not a bad way to go honestly. Least I've heard worse ways.

( Her hand rests against her arm, and she meets her gaze. )

Thank you. Shit, it's good to see you.

[makemeasong]

You look older than me now, as in, I look like a tween compared to everyone else. Now you look like a proper adult, and I still look like I'm going through puberty.

[ She's exaggerating; it's so good to see Red, that Clara hugs her again before hopping onto a seat. She orders a vodka soda and for a little while, is going to forget there's obviously something shady going on with their sleep on this train, and enjoy hanging out with her friend. ]

What class did your ticket put you in? Because if it isn't first, we can take this party back to mine anytime. Dunno how I got a luxury suite all to myself, but it's been the best thing that's happened to me in this place.

[ Maybe it's compensation for all the shit from the siege and then Hell, she doesn't know. But she'll take it. ]

[damnable]

You do not look like a tween - promise. You're fuckin' beautiful and adult lookin yourself.

( Red smiles though, leaning into that second hug and settling back on to her seat once Clara joins her. It's still a bit of a mindfuck to see people that she knew so well so very long ago when she was someone else - and more herself.

She lifts her glass up to her mouth to take a sip even as she smirks. )

I was one of the last to get a ticket so I'm stuck sharing with others so that offer's appreciated. Maybe after we have a couple of drinks. ( There's a pause though as she looks at her. ) ...so how'd Alem end up shaking out for you?

( That place was truly Hell - worthy of existing above it. )

[makemeasong]

[ Red is, without a doubt, one of the best pep-talkers in the world. Being pulled here isn't necessarily the best, but the void left by Red would've been unfillable by anyone else.

Before she can ask Red about her adult self, Alem is brought up and Clara grimaces, draining about half her drink. ]

Alem made me miss Serthica, isn't that wild? Let's see, I was mistaken for a child by an ice monster, and thanks to someone else using magic to get the water out of my lungs, I didn't die by drowning, so that was something. And I'd never seen anyone die before, but that's also on the highlight reel.

[ She's been toying with asking the Doctor to take that one right out of her head. ]

Just little Alem things, I guess. Cheers to being on a weird train instead.

[damnable]

( Red stares at Clara as she explains what she went through, and her expression goes through a myriad of emotions from neutral to pissed off to aghast all at once. She does not drink her own glass but lifts her hand up, because that's not an easy thing to just fly pass.

The thought that Clara could have died-

It's.

Her heart clenches tightly, and she knows Clara's experience with death, experience with the timelines and the Doctor, and that's still- If they die here, do they just never get sent back in any way? She releases a shaky, caged breath. )

Wait, hold the fuck up- you almost drowned? Jesus H Christ, Clara. ( Her hand rests on her arm as she gives a little squeeze and eyes her with concern. )

[makemeasong]

[ Wow, so another person she can't slide that by? It's like she has people who care about her or something. Letting out a puff of air, Clara looks at her drink. She knows it's different; she isn't an echo, she's the original her. If she dies here, maybe she just dies. No other her waiting on the other side of a beacon.

Meeting Red's eyes, she gives a little half-smile. ]

I didn't go by myself at least, Anduin was waiting to help. I think it would've been okay too, just...I was underwater and I saw someone appear right beside me. It surprised me, and I guess I forgot you can't gasp without air.

[ Is it funny? No. But hard things get deflected by humor, that's how it goes and she's been doing it all her adult life. And now Anduin is gone, so she can't even thank him properly now that things are calm. ]

I'm okay now, promise. I'm more worried about you leaving and the changes that obviously happened.

[ The worry for Red is just as real—what happened to her; is she a teacher in the school for dead people? Clara has so many questions and it's hard not to pivot from herself to her friend. Her friend she had no time to register was gone before she was back. Clara wonders if it's wrong to be grateful to have her here again, if it's selfish, but she keeps the thought to herself for now. ]

[damnable]

( Red understands the need to deflect so even though she's not letting it slide, not taking it lightly, she rolls with Clara's need for humor to handle it. She does smirk lightly to reply with: )

Helluva thing to forget, Clara, but shit, glad you're in one piece. That you were saved. Still must be fucked - how close it was, how... scary.

( Her hand rests against her arm, squeezes tight like she's reassuring herself, and then swallows past a tightness in her throat. Strange to think this all happened so long ago and somehow not long ago at all at the same time. It's really fucked up, and mostly fucked up, she could have died. Permanently.

She doesn't think there's any coming back from that here - unless it's undead, and no. Not considering it. )

...oh, well, yeah. Forgot the part in my story to you that I... had made an escape attempt with Persephone and a couple others right before I got pulled into this place the first time. Turns out it worked so got to experience the mortal world for a change.

when you blink and time has gone by (aka sorry for my slowness!)

[makemeasong]

It wasn't dying for the Doctor.

[ Clara looks at Red after letting out a soft breath, finding it difficult not to reach out and hug her tightly again. She's never minded the idea of her life being over if it meant something, and drowning would have been for what? Instead of another bear hug, she's grateful for the squeeze that definitely feels like reassurance. She's here and alive. Solid, tangible, and breathing. Instead of dwelling, she's happy to turn her attention to Red's escape. ]

Holy escape, Batman. Wow, you and Persephone—I don't think it's still called an attempt when it's successful. And you've been free ever since?

[ Please? Hopefully? She's got a lot of hope for Red building up in those big eyes. ]