Video I

[fliesonfour]

['The Emperor' was very odd title for a woman, indeed it was.

When Joly had awoken, a few thoughts had stabbed into his mind all at once. That was merely one of them. The first, vaguely and upon seeing a white mist, was that steam was a sterilizing agent. This memory floated past his dazed mind like the tune of a song stuck in one's head; a little incoherent, but familiar. The second was that he happened to be in a tub, which was a sensible enough place to be, if one hadn't just been upon a barricade.

Were he not so weak of limb (myasthenia? dystrophy?) and fatigued, he might have thought upon that harder. Were it not such a difficult thing to think upon in general; smoke, yelling, and that very distinct smell of-- ...well; he might have made a better effort to fish among the depth of those memories, nervous and worried and ailing as they were.

As it was, by the time the whole of the process were said and done, and he was standing, bemused, among a city he did not know, with a device so odd upon his palm that he quite nearly found it charming, he was ready to recount to any who might be hearing it:]

It's very curious, to lead a Republican life, then to close one's eyes for a nap, and awake in the bathtub of an Empress.

[Keeliai, have a young man in a bloodied shirt with a wince on the lines his face but a smile on his mouth. Despite the alarm he could feel roiling in the pit of his stomach, the anxiety clear in his stare, and his confusion as to the glare of the lights and the thrum of his healing body, he took in the new location with a tamed confusion, and idly went to rub some dust from his coat sleeve in an inborn gesture.]

I have a friend or two who'd be much amused by such a thing! Little ironies, et cetra. The oppression of bathtubs, in which the monarchs feed the people lyes. ...And more who'd be severely dispassionate about the whole matter.

[His voice pitched bit higher than usual, keyed up by concern over the fate of his friends, and his own. Despite it, he managed a good-natured look at the... thing in his hand... at his little joke, before relenting to those who might assist him.]

I might ask if anyone has seen such good friends? A fair place to begin. Decidedly.

My name is Joly; lately of Paris, more recently of Mam'selle Napoleon's receptacle.

[And he'd make a little bow, if he knew what at. Instead, he settles for a nervous smile and another idle rub at a part of his body that, worriedly, is still aching a bit. It's difficult to hold down the panic, but he's hinging; possibly literally!; on some news of a friendly face or two. Or all.]

Comments

[solo_patria]

[Enjolras had started out grinning as he spotted Joly on the network, then to out and out laughing at the lyes, more because, well, it was an excuse to let out some of the joy at seeing him perhaps. He's still grinning, yes, even he does that, though it's rare, as he hurriedly responds.]

Joly! Oh it is GOOD to see your face again.

[fliesonfour]

Ah!

[And the relief is palpable, brows raising a little, seeming to tug his mouth up along with them... even if this is a very strange way to communicate with... Enjolras' head.]

And I see only your face, friend! But all the same, I give it my compliments.

[solo_patria]

You do, yes. This new method of communication only allows for so much of a view. But I will come to you, of course, wherever on our island you are.

[Enjolras IS squinting at the room behind Joly a bit.]

You do not seem to be in the wood sector, where most of us are living though, so it might take a few minutes. Where ARE you then?

[fliesonfour]

The rest of you is in tact, then?

[He can't help but let his expression flicker at a question which would otherwise be quite expected of him.]

Kind of you! I am... well, I am told I was assigned to a Metal sector? Very queer name also, isn't it?

[video]

[poeticverses]

[Jehan is grinning when he sees Joly on the screen]

Joly! At last you have flown on your four ailes to us, mon ami.

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

Ahah, Prouvaire as well! But, what's this? At last?

[His brows knit a little, bemused.]

Am I late? Flying usually takes one faster than strolling.

[Video]

[poeticverses]

Oh, yes, you are quite late. Combeferre, Enjolras, and myself have been here since--well, February by their calendar, and it is now October. Courfeyrac joined us shortly after, as did Grantaire. Grantaire, sadly, has left us. Pontmercy is here as well.

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

One goes in an out, as if at their saloon?

[He's not sure he quite follows yet, but it strikes him that Jehan had left out more than one important name, and spoke that one was gone from here. Not to mention the oddity of the calendar month, but-- well, it was all strange!]

It sounds like a merry party at present indeed, and I have no idea where I've been vacationing since June, but-- left, did you say? Grantaire?

video

[knewtoomuch]

[So Balthazar is not sure how to reply right away. This certainly not the every day one guest that appears here. Certainly more polite than some. A welcome change of pace really.]

That is some vocabulary, Mr. Joly. Nothing wrong with a little sophistication as we live our lives on the back of one enormous turtle. Maybe somebody needed to come along and class it up.

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

Mister Joly! Well isn't that charming. Are you English?

[It's out before anything else; easy to fall into old habits, to try to gloss over how absolutely strange this was. Not to think too hard about it until he had a chair, and a hearth, and a friend.]

I am terribly pleased to hear that I've added some cosmopolitan attitude to the... somewhat startling turtle. And in this state of costume, at that, Monsieur--...?

[Video]

[knewtoomuch]

Something like that.

[The vessel certainly has a heritage similar to that. Balthazar finds himself rather curious of this one already. A good kind of curious.]

I am Balthazar. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. You hardly seem troubled by this little predicament we find ourselves in. It's a welcome change to the usual confusion. Do you often encounter large turtles?

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

Rois mages!

[He grins at the name, so familiar from the biblical texts!]

A heavy title, Sir, quite the namesake indeed. The pleasure of meeting is reciprocated!

[snorting softly at his question, Joly shook his head.]

Not often, no. I prefer wine to absinthe, but laudanum does have its charms, eh? Still, I've not half the imagination to conjure this up. And I've seen yet more troubling things! [He hasn't seen the turtle at all, quite frankly, and sees no evidence of one in the cityscape.]

Pox, cholera, the like. Nasty!

[ video ]

[jondrette]

You look familiar. [The way he speaks, and if he, too, is from Paris like she is, mentioning Napoleon...] You are from the barricades, too.

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

[A blink, and his brows raise, trying to recognize the woman in return... but while the image hits a chord, it does not quite ring a bell. An incomplete music!]

Not traditionally, or originally; but recently, yes.

[Which is not a place he remembers seeing any lady, their dear proprietress aside.]

[Video]

[jondrette]

[He has a sense of humor, she'll give him that, a flicker of a smile crossing her lips, though it does not meet her eyes.]

Outside of the Corinthe. Were you there with us, with your friends? Did you die with us, as well?

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

With my friends-? Certainly, but...

[And he stumbles over the next bit, partially because he recalls no woman within earshot that he was not familiarly acquainted with, and partially at the word 'die'.

'Die with us'.

He paled a little, and his expression fidgeted. Eventually, he repeated,]

With my friends; certainly.

[lecentre]

Joly! I fear I must be dreaming to see yet another of our friends join us again! It is a relief to see you here, my friend!

[He's so excited that he's nearly beside himself.]

Where are you? We must all meet immediately!

[fliesonfour]

Come, seeing friends is not too rare to you, Monsieur!

[He grins back, catching onto the upbeat tone and holding there.]</small. In a whimsical little box; very cleanly! Called the Metal Sector, I have been so told.

[lecentre]

It has been shockingly rare while we have been stuck here.

The metal sector? I am sorry to hear that you are not close to the rest of us, but no matter! We shall make the most of it.

video;

[dracobin]

Of Paris! [exclaims Temeraire as he reads, though the words go unheard to anyone but himself: he has not yet turned on the feed.

But it is very curious that yet another Frenchman should arrive, and one who refers to Republicanism, to boot: Temeraire is immediately predisposed to like the fellow on principle. And a friend of Enjolras and Jehan: that endears the newcomer--M. Joly, evidently--to him further.

Well, seeing as Temeraire himself is an honorary Ami, it is only polite to say hullo. And seeing as Jehan has already inoculated M. Joly to the notion of dragons, it is surely reasonable to switch the video feed on straightaway, is it not?

Have an excited dragon peering at you through the screen, large blue eyes bright with interest.]

It is very nice to meet you, M. Joly: pray, are you an Ami, as well?

[Video]

[fliesonfour]

[Prouvaire was not exaggerating. Indeed, he was not.

There was... very much the look of a dragon on the other end, and it spoke... very clearly, with admirable diction, even. Joly peered at the screen in some considerable muteness of feeling for a long moment, at its... somewhat alarming countenance.]

You are certainly. A dragon.

[Decided, brow puzzling.

Well, a polite dragon, nonetheless, so... er.]

Yes, that I am.

[A member of Les Amis, and more than willing to be the ami of a dragon, as opposed to the ennemi thereof.]

[Video]

[dracobin]

[He is staring. Why is he staring, when Jehan quite clearly said--unless it is because he still does not believe him? Or--oh, Temeraire has quite forgotten to introduce himself: perhaps that is it.]

I beg your pardon, I have the advantage of you; my name is Temeraire, previously of the Royal Aerial Corps at Dover, and more recently of London.

[philosophe]

[--And another who is beaming there, is Combeferre. Oh, fellow doctor, it is so very good to see your face again.]

Do not mention the oppression of bathtubs too loudly, please, mon ami, I have had enough arguments with Enjolras about his behavior here. Are you well, do you need me to come have a look at you?

[fliesonfour]

[And good to see his, as well! It is positive music to his ears to be asked after his health before his location, or his tardiness, or dragons. Suitable priorities, dear man!

Giving a 'hah!' of laughter at Combeferre's allusion to Enjolras' passionate desire to end bathroom tyranny, he supplied readily,]

Obliged if you did! I'm patched-up on the whole, but there's the risk of infection, or swelling, or blood poisoning to think of... better to have a second set of eyes! Well trusted, as yours are.

[philosophe]

Very well, I saw that Enjolras intends to drag me along with him. [And he's absently gathering up what he might need, not turning his attention from the screen.]

It shall not take long for him to arrive; he is only just next-door, some of the time.