Video; un: starlingroad

[starlingroad]

[ America stares at the device for a split second after it comes on, like she's still trying to think of how to word herself. Once she starts, though, she just keeps going. ]

Anyone know a Clara? She's got some umbrella this brat wants back.

That's just a start, though. This kid, with a fox mask, told me some pretty weird things I'm still trying to put together. I feel like Five probably knows more about this than I do.

He said he's got a friend he's mad at. Someone who said there won't be people from here-here much longer. He told me some stuff to get back at him, I guess? But it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

The part that did make sense was him saying he, his friend who he didn't name, kind of leaves cast-offs of himself in places to prevent the water from getting him. Anyone know about that, the water chasing someone? Looking for them. The castoffs seem to be allowing him to get away from the water because it goes after them.

[ Look, she's still trying to make sense of a lot of the conversation. Maybe everyone else out there can help her. She's not even bothering to hide this, in her confused tone, and frustration. She also isn't entirely sure how to filter. One-on-one conversations, sure, but not filter. She's bad at filtering her mouth, too. ]

I'm guessing this means we can force his hand to make more cast-offs? I asked if we could stop him, but the kid said we can't. So he wasn't much help with that.

[OOC: PLEASE threadjack, threadjack away as far as I'm concerned, because America has very little insight to what she's been told and needs all the help. The original thread, for ooc purposes, is here since what she interprets might not be the whole of it.]

Comments

un: hide_and_seek | audio

[makemeasong]

Uh, yeah. I'm Clara, but I'm not sure about giving him the umbrella back.

[ She remembers that it made her feel better when she was covered by it, when she was sick, just after leaving the tower. That might come in handy later, who knows. ]

He didn't mention why he wanted it?

audio

[starlingroad]

He really wants it back, though. Guess it would help if I had something to bribe you with, but I don't.

Maybe he'll give better information if we return it?

[makemeasong]

You don't have to bribe me, it's him I don't trust.

That umbrella was given to me by him, so I think he should come and get it from me? Or I can give it to him. Not because I don't want us to have information, but like I said...I don't trust him. Or generally anyone from here.

[starlingroad]

I don't blame you for that. I don't think he can cause any trouble just because you give back an umbrella.

[ Wait. What if he can? Her voice sounds concerned. ] Can he? Is it a really special umbrella?

I can tell you where he expects it to be returned to.

[makemeasong]

I was sick, he put the umbrella over me, and I got better. I have no idea how that plays into why he wants it, but if it helps us?

[ She has a healthy dose of skepticism and wariness about what all of this means, what's happening. ]

It would be a helluva lot better if we knew what he wanted it for.

[ What if he needs it to help them? She wishes the Doctor were still here, to tell her what to do, or help her figure it out. She would gladly give the umbrella to him and let him deal with this if she could. Now she just has to do her best. ]

un: absterge

[downswing]

Clara. ( The most patient. ) He is a child.

[makemeasong]

You want me to give back the umbrella that stopped me being sick? What if we need it for someone else?

[downswing]

And if he too requires it to heal?

[makemeasong]

Watch. Watch, Wangji, I'll give it back, and then some sickness will hit and I could've saved us all with the umbrella. But instead, I gave it back to the kid.

[ If she could foist this on the Doctor, she would have. She doesn't know what the right answer is, and if she screws them all somehow because she did or didn't, she'll always be angry at herself. ]

You would give it back to him?

un: nah

[damnable]

He's not just a child. Maybe don't simplify a situation that's not so simple?

[downswing]

What is complicated?

[damnable]

Serthica complicates everything. Speaking as someone who looked like a teenager at one point but never actually was a teenager, it's a messy situation. He might have the mentality of a child, but he's got more power than that while not having the ability to process.

Plus, even if he was just a kid, you definitely shouldn't give kids anything that they want... especially if they want is potentially dangerous in any type of way.

un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ She raises a good point, so he'll raise another. ]

If you still have it, it's the only leverage we might be able to use on him.

[makemeasong]

Exactly.

[ Interestingly, she's seemed to mostly align with Five's suggestions the whole way, and this is no exception. ]

I don't think I'm walking up to him anytime soon and handing it over.

[somebadnews]

[ Why is that interesting? Just shows she's capable of being pragmatic and has a healthy amount of common sense. ]

Glad to hear that ended up with the right person. He's one of our only links to Matthias, we need whatever we can get.

[makemeasong]

When I meet with the child, do you want to be there?

[ He might have questions that Clara hasn't or won't think of on the spot. ]

I wasn't planning on going alone anyway, but if you're interested, we'll all go together.

un: mansbane

[bravelyrunsaway]

I wouldn't say you should hand it over, remember what it changed for you, but speak with the child?

... Not the best plan, but if you want four foot escort again, I can manage that much.

( unpleasant but perhaps not so deadly?

... no, deadly. but the way to cures in that fire with papers tossed in... )

[makemeasong]

I'm pretty sure this is where I'm coming down. The umbrella is hidden for now and only one other person knows where it is.

[ Her and Red. When the Doctor was still here he kept it for her, she trusted him with it, but now it's on her and she's trying to make the right call. ]

I don't think having my favorite wolf near by would be a bad idea. More than one person is interested in what this kid has to say, so we wouldn't be alone.

[bravelyrunsaway]

Then you've my claws and teeth at ready, love, and if I can't much speak in a way you hear, I can listen perfectly well. Or we can figure out a simple yes and no, some system of body language — I've done so before, but not here.

[makemeasong]

We're going to have backup. Red's a little protective.

[ There's a definite lightness to that last statement before her tone switches back to plotting mode. ]

It could easily be a trap, not putting anything past that kid. It might not be a bad idea to have three or four of us. You especially, since you were there at the start of this.

un: nah | audio

[damnable]

( It's hard to describe the pang of anxiety that hit her heart when she heard Clara's name in all of this. The umbrella, the kid, Serthica.

Red's starting to remember all of that. )

I don't trust this kid either so if you decide to meet with him, promise to take me?

What are you thinking about doing with it?

[makemeasong]

Promise. At this point, I don't think less than five of us are gonna be meeting with him. What I know is this umbrella made me well, and he left it with me. Why would he do that and ask for it back right now?

What's happening that means he needs an umbrella?

[ Obviously, it isn't just a tool to keep one dry. What else can it do? ]

[damnable]

Naturally. You're amazing enough to have your own entourage. ( And that eases Red's anxiety a bit. She doesn't want anything happening to Clara. ) Made you well? I didn't know you got sick in Serthica. Shit.

( She breathes out at the memory of that city, which seems so far removed from who she is now. That was a busy time, and she was so new to- well, to everything back then. )

You ever had anyone magically inclined look at the umbrella? Maybe they'd be able to get some kind of read off it.

un: life's a drip

[fiercechains]

[ The whole thing is something that Wen Ning was not partial too. It was possible, really, that his sister was but he hadn't been. ]

Who is this child that is being spoken of and what is special about an umbrella?

[starlingroad]

I don't really know who he is, but he really wants this umbrella. He can make people sick, though. Seems kinda risky.