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[littlesoul]

[She's perched on the highest spot she can find in the lobby, her journal clutched against her chest. This isn't anything like she's used to, nothing feels familiar. Her heart is beating hard in her chest and her hands want to start shaking.

Her mind is racing, filled with the thoughts of so many people around her. The night before, she had achieved some kind of calm, she remembered that, but now, with this new, strange turn of events, she's falling again, lost amidst the sea of thoughts around her.

She scribbles in her journal at a feverish pace, the words small and pushed together as she tries to hold back panic.]

Lost.

Lost, lost, lost, lost.

Fell into the black and landed here. Fell and fell and fell until I hit the ground. I can't remember how to get back, too lost to see clearly.

Can someone pick her up again? Can someone put her back where she belongs?

Too loud.

Can't go high enough, can't find a way out, can't find anything that I want.

Ship, she needs a ship again. She needs the sky.

Comments

[pompous_today]

Yes. That's you- River. My beautiful sister.

[littlesoul]

[She doesn't know what to say, what to scrawl out at that. Her brother wants to rise up in her mind but there's nothing there, nothing but sketches where there should be details. She feels queasy at the realization, unsure of what to do.]

No one's sister, no one here.

[pompous_today]

[There's a long pause at that. Simon can feel dread welling up in his heart.]

River. It's me, Simon. You're my sister. Don't... you don't remember me?

[littlesoul]

Simon. [She says the name as she writes it, feels the way it sounds and remembers it.] Once upon a time there was a brother and sister but the brother turned into a ghost and the sister disappeared.

[pompous_today]

You don't know who I am. You don't-

[He feels like ripping his journal apart, but doesn't know if that's even possible or if it will do anything, so he leaves it for a few minutes.]

The castle takes things when it brings people here. Turns them into ghosts. Obviously you know what yours is now.

[littlesoul]

Ghost of the man who used to be mine.

[She writes the next words carefully, calmly even because even though she's far, she can sense the anger, sense the breaking.]

Hello, brother.

[pompous_today]

But I may as well be a stranger to you now, River.

[littlesoul]

No one's a stranger when you get close enough, no one keeps secrets, no one tells lies.

You're not telling a lie, are you. [It's not a question.]

[pompous_today]

No. You know that I am not, in your heart.

[littlesoul]

I do not now anything in my heart. [She pauses for a moment before adding] Hears lack the capability for understanding.

[pompous_today]

[Of course. This is River, after all.]

Then somewhere inside your mind, you know.

[littlesoul]

had a brother, now he's gone. A ghost boy with a missing girl. They're lost and they need to find each other again.

I like talking to ghosts.

[pompous_today]

I imagine you do. I- I'll be along.

[Not immediately, because he's not sure he can handle this right now.]

[littlesoul]

Play hide and see? I can find you, if you want.

[She's not sure she can, the castle isn't the ship and she's not familiar with it but she can guess what she feels like, guess how his brain works.]

[pompous_today]

I live in the Ira tower. I'll be in my room- every room has a name plate on it.

[Because he knows he's not going to stop her if she's determined to find him, even though he's not sure he wants to see her yet.]

[littlesoul]

I'll find you soon.

[Not now, not while she knows he's still upset because she's going to be upset soon enough and having the both of them breaking isn't a good idea.

But soon.]

[pompous_today]

I know you will. Nothing keeps us apart for long.