video;

[werethatgood]

[ Arriving in her suite, Cassie just. Wandered about for a little bit. Then, because there wasn't anything much for her to do (she should go out and buy clothes, probably, but she's not up for that, right now), she sits at the console and starts flicking through the posts. She sees familiar faces. Hears familiar names, mentioned as having left, too. ]

[ ... and then she sees a face and stops, staring at the video feed, uncertain. Then her hands work to check the date, but it's been a while. And she. ]

[ It's not an accidental post, in that she does mean to start the video and speak. But it is in that she hasn't checked to see that there are private character 'voice mail' inboxes - so it goes public. At least she's stopped crying before she shows up on screen? ]

Daddy?

Comments

I'm so sorry I couldn't resist.

[skybluejeep]

...Who is your daddy and what does he do?

... STILES. (also. No mask, and after she's talked with her dad.)

[werethatgood]

[ The response is a little later, and Cassie looks far more composed. At least, until she catches his meaning and blushes deeply. ]

Um. Scott Lang. And, back home, he's an - electronics engineer.

he's a bad boy sorry

[skybluejeep]

Oh, you...took that seriously.

I'm sorry, I was just being a smart-ass. Um. I hope you find your dad?

Muahahah

[werethatgood]

... no, but I'm not up for coming up with the other kind of answer just yet.

[ Give her time. She can do playful! Even if it's been a while since she was teased that way. ]

And, yeah, he - it's okay. I was actually surprised that he's here, I hadn't seen him in a while until just before I showed up.

[backinakidflash]

[So many thoughts at once. Heynewgirl fighting with heyshe'supset to the front of his brain, and somewhere in the logjam are things like ohpretty and whereareallthesenewpeoplecomingfrom.

But first thing's first.]

Are you OK?

[werethatgood]

[A little bit less upset when she does answer.]

I... yeah, I think so. I mean, a bit - weak, but the people who drove me here said that should pass. Sorry if I worried you.

[backinakidflash]

[A little less upset is good! Bart shrugs off the apology with a tiny smile.]

Enh. Don't worry about it. I freaked too, when I first got here. You're new, right? [Which is the polite way to say that he would remember her.

There's no polite way to say that her dad isn't here, though, because people don't really get drug in together that way.]

I'm Bart. Why are you feeling weak? You normally got super strength? It comes back in a few hours. The kedan - that's the people that drove you to the city - they should've told you that bit.

[Video]

[alpha_squad_leader]

Umm...

[Vic frowns a moment.]

Are you alright?

[Video]

[werethatgood]

[Cassie's answer comes a bit later, and she's calmer. Not that she got good news - but at least her dad's here, so things are not too bad. For now. She'll think about later, well, later.]

Yeah, just a bit - faint, I guess, but the kedan said it'd pass. Thanks.

[She frowns slightly.]

Um... are you?

[She might have seen him, or information about him... maybe? But she's not sure, so - asking wouldn't hurt, right? And the question might be taken as not referring to the fact that he's green.]

[Video]

[alpha_squad_leader]

[He nods.] It thankfully does. I found that a nice warm drink helps it pass a little faster. Though that could have just been me.

[He arches a brow.]

Am I what? Really green? Yeah, I'm a mutant and this isn't the world's greatest Halloween costume. [Just teasing a little to try to lighten the mood.]

video. please forgive this tl;dr monster

[langsyne]

[It's been a week since Scott's bad life decision evening and Scott has since thrown himself fully into finishing up the last bits of the security system for SI he'd promised Tony, partly in an attempt to ignore the consequences of his bad life decisions and partly because he's a little overdue and it really should have been done by now. He hasn't really slept or eaten (or shaved or changed for that matter, but hygiene is overrated anyway).

In short, he's pretty much been dead to the world.

He hasn't even checked the network, too engrossed in work. But Scott is, and has always been, a social person by nature, and so on day six of his anti-social stint he finally flicks on his console, only half-paying attention as his bleary eyes listlessly scroll down the screen. He almost would've missed it, actually, if his ears catch what his eyes don't, latching onto that half-whispered word with frightening alacrity, and Scott almost falls out of his chair in shock.]

Cassie?

[It can't be. This is just--just some hallucination from lack of sleep and lack of food, some stupid and cold joke someone decided to pull because it's apparently Halloween and he's gonna find whoever thought this would be a good idea and make them regret it and oh god she looks so sad and nervous and whoever the hell made her feel that way better be saying their last prayers right now.

(The tiny rational part that's left of his brain wants to remind him of all the differing timelines on the turtle. The rest of him of him is too busy freaking the hell out to pay attention.)

This isn't be real. This can't be real. Doom killed her and effectively killed him as well by doing so and even though this turtle is crazy and magical and weird, it can't possibly bring someone back from the dead can it? This is just his brain playing tricks on him and someone's going to be laughing themselves silly at the end of the day.

Even so. The things he would do and give to even get to talk to a mimicry of Cassie right now are staggeringly high.

Slowly, he leans forward in an attempt to hit the reply button, fingers shaking.]

Cassie? [His voice is hoarse, barely more than a croak.] Cassie, is that really you?

video. it's beautiful also SCOTT WHAT DID YOU DO

[werethatgood]

[Cassie's eyes widen at the sight of him. Oh, God, it's true, isn't it. Just like Jonas had told her - her dad wouldn't want to live in a world without her. And that's what had happened.]

[Her tears start again, this time quietly. She's not going to sob, not if it means she can't talk to him.]

Yeah, it's... it's me.

[I just woke up here. I don't know why or how, but I did. In the palace. But those are not the words that come out, he looks horrible and she just can't let that lie, tears and death notwithstanding.]

What have you been doing to yourself?

video. .....uhhhhh NOTHING absolutely nothing, yep

[langsyne]

[Even as Scott finishes speaking, he's still convinced this is all a dream. But as he sits and stares and squeezes his eyes shut and opens them and stares some more - she's still here, how is she still here? - the tiny part of him that's been clutching at a tiny seed of hope and been sitting dormant for the past few months suddenly bursts out.

Cassie's here. His Cassie, his beautiful amazing flawless daughter, is here and she's alive and she's okay and that's about as much as Scott's exhausted brain can really take in right now.]

You're here. Really here. God, Cassie, I—

[But now she's crying and the sight of it almost kills him because nothing should ever be allowed to make his daughter cry. It kicks his dad instinct into overdrive and almost immediately he's straightening in response. His own feelings can wait until later.]

Hey, hey, no crying, okay? Nothing happened to me, I'm fine. You're fine. You're here. [(Okay, maybe he still needs a little extra convincing.)] Everything's fine.

[At least it will be now. It's hard to keep his voice from cracking but somehow he manages. He can't break down in front of Cassie, not yet. He has no idea where she's from or what she's sees or even if she's even real but now that he's seen her there's only one thing on his mind.]

Hey sweetheart, can you do your dad a favor and tell him where you are?

[iguanasolution]

[He'd been about to dismiss the message, thinking it was simply someone who'd misfired and sent the message to the entire network when it had meant to stay private. He doubts anyone would go telling the whole network daddy i it wasn't an accident, anyway.

But something on her voice makes him pause. She's not crying anymore, no- but it's not easy to hide the tone of voice of someone who's trying to hold back tears. Who's hoping, but is afraid to hope at the same time.]

Uhm, hi? I'm not your father but... are you alright?

[werethatgood]

[Her response is a little later, and she seems a bit calmer, but the smile she tries to give him is a little. Off.]

Thanks, I- he found me. I think I'm going to be alright.

[And, almost too quietly for the pick-up.]

So long as I stay here.

[iguanasolution]

[Almost, but it can still be heard.]

What do you mean? Are you in danger of some kind?

video;

[definingfuture]

[Oh. Well, this is personal. He hesitates a bit, because it really isn't his place to say anything. But the familiar face compels him to say something.]

Hey. You'll be okay. Just breathe.

video;

[werethatgood]

[... he doesn't know. You'll be okay means he doesn't know, and, what does that even mean? Her breathing does go faster and shallower for a moment, because Uncle Tony, but she - tries to follow his advice.]

Um... yeah, he found me. I'm... okay. Thanks!

Thanks, Uncle Tony. Do you think - do you think this place is okay?

[Things that she wants to know. All things considered.]

video;

[definingfuture]

[Is this place okay?] Sure. It's fine.

Your dad will explain everything, so just keep yourself together.

[That's reassuring, right? He knew that eventually they were bound to see more familiar faces, but it's hard to swallow. In this case, because he's happy to see her and somewhat mortified at the same time. For Scott's sake as well as her's.]

You've got some timing.

video;

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack leans forward towards the screen, worry written on his face. ]

Hey... you okay over there?

video;

[werethatgood]

[ The response is a little bit later, and Cassie looks... less on the verge of tears, if still sort of tired. And she frowns slightly at her screen, which shows nobody. But the voice is clear. ]

I... think I'm going to be, thanks.

[ Pause. ]

... are you invisible?

Re: video;

[wintershepherd]

[ He decides to just roll with it. ]

Yeah, a little bit. Is that going to be okay? I can type if that's better for you, it's just... slower.

[video]

[witchnotwarlock]

Cassie!? [It's been a few months since he's seen her, kind of, but god, she looks so upset. And she's asking about her dad, and while he's happy to see her, it just breaks his heart, too.]

He's here. Your dad is here, I think everyone told you that he really is here, he said hi back when I came here-- [Stop rambling!] I can't believe you're here!

[video]

[werethatgood]

[He gets a smile, too. Most definitely, by now, she's sort of up for smiling a little. Even if she gets the nagging suspicion that, like Uncle Tony, Billy doesn't know just how unbelievable it is for to be, well, anywhere. But that's okay, right? For now?]

Yeah, I saw him on the network. I - hadn't even thought far ahead enough to hope for something like this, showing up here. Anyone else, really. So - it's good. It's good, right?

[She's fluent in rambling!]

Hey, Billy. You been here long? How are you?

[video]

[witchnotwarlock]

It's pretty nuts, right? You kind of don't expect to find anyone you know on the back of a giant turtle! [He laughs, because he knows that's what happened when he showed up. And everyone else looked that way, too.]

I've only been here a few months. Um.. Tommy was here for a little bit, but he left a few weeks ago. But I'm doing okay. Where are you living, I'm in the fire sector. I can be wherever you are just like that!