tushanshu | [Console] video;

[Video;]

[The magical disguise Skulduggery uses generates different features every time he uses it, with the result that no one will recognise his face when he turns the console on. The skin's a little waxy and he doesn't seem to blink, but apart from those minor details, he looks normal. Only his voice, smooth and Irish, is the same as it usually is. A little jarring for those who know him best as a living skeleton.

Because of that, a brief introduction seems appropriate.]

My name is Skulduggery Pleasant. I'm a freelance detective.

[The 'freelance' part is important, since the whole point of using video is to make it clear he doesn't work for the Snakes - or anyone else.]

I'd appreciate any information anyone might have on attempted thefts of the soul jewelry. This is a request extended to everyone in the city; I don't think the kedan are organising an attack on Foreigners any more than I think Foreigners are organising an attack on them, and I don't much care about whether a witness can shapeshift or not. Or a victim, for that matter.

[There's always the possibility kedan have been mugged in the same strange conflicting style, but are too scared to come forward.]

The network isn't secure, so if you'd be more comfortable talking face to face, I'm happy to arrange that. You can leave a message for me with Anton Shudder at the Midnight Hotel - he'll make sure I'm the only one who hears it.

Thank you for your help.

[And the feed clicks off. Most, if not all, of his responses to this post will be audio, and will be made from consoles in cafes around the city - leaving the Hotel console free for anyone else to use.]

~~

[Audio;]

[Sent directly to Midii's inbox.]

Anton's now running an informal census at the Hotel. I can't guarantee it'll find everyone, but it should give us a much better idea of how many Foreigners we have, and hopefully how spread out we are.

[Sent directly to Wan's inbox.]

Some of the students at the university are talking about water levels being higher than they'd expect. Have you noticed anything like that?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You have a point. Young turtles, then.

[It's bittersweet, trying to imagine Quintus the size of Asti. Bittersweet because five of the turtles would never have a chance to grow that size, and further so because in a very strange way, Skulduggery misses Quintus. It feels like there's a small space at the back of his mind now perpetually empty.]

Maybe not even that anymore.

It's been a year, right? More than a year, now. If they ever come back...

[Who knows how big they'll be?]

They'll be the size of small islands.

[Assuming they grow at the same constant rate, but there's no reason to believe they wouldn't. At what age does it become impossible to kill a continent-turtle?

Without being Malicant, that is.]

We could even live on them.

[Now there was a thought.]

[A chuckle.] I wonder if continent-turtles ever travel in large groups? It would certainly make for a more flexible city.

We never had a chance to know before because Asti was the last one before the eggs hatched.

As close as they were on his back, though, I wouldn't be surprised if they all still swim together.

If we're approached by a floating fortress, we'll know precisely who to blame.

...is it wrong that I wish that would happen?

Not at all. I'm sure most of us do. [His voice softens.] They're going to come back eventually. A year from now, perhaps two, hopefully less. Their families are home and essentially trapped on the back of a turtle who may or may not be dead. We didn't raise them to ignore situations like that.

No, we didn't.

But are we absolutely sure they know we're back? I can barely sense her, and our physical bodies never actually left Keelai.

No, but our consciousnesses - our souls - did. They couldn't go under the shell. They couldn't have known our physical bodies were still here any more than the kedan did. If we can sense them now, however faintly, then they can sense us.

[Of course, there's always the possibility that they can't come back - that something is stopping them.]

[That was a distinct possibility as well. One she hadn't wanted to consider, because it meant even less of a chance of seeing them again.]

Maybe...

Maybe we could try calling out to them. Those of us left who still have the connection. More voices means louder, right?

It's certainly worth a try.

Do you know anyone else who's still here?

[The biggest challenge of them all; social networking wasn't exactly her strong suit.]

I know a few. Anton Shudder and Raine Sage had one between them. One of my fellow custodians is still here; his name is Akito.

[Skulduggery would need to take a look at that brand-new completed census to identify any others. It's been a while, and too much has happened in the interim.]

[Fortunately, they were all names she could place a face to.]

I'll be sure to keep them in mind.

Thank you.

You're welcome. Take care.

[Console] video;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;

audio;