page eighteen (backdated to 6/23)

[fantasies]

[ Arya and Robb ]

[His nose sounds stuffed, but he's at least past the point of sniffling. He did, at least, get to see her, however brief it was.]

Is there still [there's an uncertain moment where he decides whether or not to say 'my'] a room? Up there with you guys?

----

[In the wake of August's announcement (and his own evidence, plain as the nameplate by the door), Henry has kept to himself. He wants to talk, but not so much about how much he misses his mother. It's a strange position to be in.

Now, he does his best to sound upbeat, but it falls miles short of his usual pep and excitability. It has a slight rambling quality to it.]

You know, I always kind of thought that real dinosaurs would look kind of different from the pictures everybody always drew of them, but they weren't. Not really. My-- [he falters] I used to go to the museum, at home, and look at them. I kinda wish I'd gotten to see one of the bone-head ones. I forget what their name is.

I think I'll be okay with just looking at bones from now on, though.

It's, um. I mean, I still like them. Even after everything that happened. I'll still go to the museum, if I get back. [The 'if' came out before the 'when,' just on reflex. Henry swallows hard.] When, I mean. When I get back. Because everybody does eventually, right?

Comments

Filter forever

[wolfchild]

We left all the rooms as they were. [ Even Cat's. ]

[fantasies]

So if I brought the rest of my stuff back up, would that... be okay?

[wolfchild]

Robb is Head of our House. He's the one who can say. I--

I don't think he'd mind.

[fantasies]

[A pause.]

Do you mind?

[wolfchild]

I don't care.

[secondchances]

Eventually, yeah. It just takes a little longer for some people.

[fantasies]

How can you tell? If someone's going to stay here really long or if... the castle's going to let them go back soon?

[secondchances]

I don't think we can. But I do think everyone here will go home eventually. [She hopes. The castle has to get tired of them at some point.] It's just a matter of time before you're back to museums and stuff like that.

[fantasies]

Right. Right, yeah. That makes sense.

[He isn't sure how he feels about that. He wants to go home, yes, he has things to do, he wants to see his family, but.... There are people here he doesn't want to leave, either.]

Do you think the castle will ever be empty?

[secondchances]

[She thinks about some of the abandoned places they've seen on expeditions.]

Maybe one day. But I hope it's because someone finds a way for us to get back home--though ideally, the people who want to stay here could stick around.

filter forever

[wolfskin]

Aye there is, your room is how you left it. [ Yes, your room. ]

[fantasies]

[Henry smiles reflexively at the page.]

So it's okay? If I come back?

[wolfskin]

It is, Henry.

[fantasies]

Great! Um, thank you! I don't have a ton of stuff [since he's essentially been room-hopping for most of his stay] so I can bring it up soon.

[wolfskin]

Alright, the door shall be open for you.

dictated;

[minicaptain]

I didn't know what a dinosaur was until last week.

[ she can tell there's a difference in his tone, but she doesn't know what's wrong or how to ask yet. ]

[fantasies]

Really? You don't have them in your world at all?

[minicaptain]

Maybe Earth does. Did. I've never seen them.

[ and no other planet she's seen from voyager has, either. the woes of a star-born child. ]

[fantasies]

It does! Did. That's where I'm from.

You really didn't keep any of the stuff we have about them?

[minicaptain]

[ ... did they never have this conversation? ]

But I'm not from Earth. I don't really know much about it. I don't even know much about Ktaris.

[whichwayyoulean]

[He really isn't sure] Yeah. Everyone gets back eventually. Probably.

And it's good, that you're still curious enough to see their bones, learn about them and all that.

[fantasies]

[Pause.]

I guess it won't matter if I go home, though. I won't remember what happened anyway.

[whichwayyoulean]

[The Once-ler doesn't reply right away, This is always something of a tender subject for him]

But maybe you should see them anyway. Regardless, you know.

[fantasies]

Don't worry, I will. I always have time to go see dinosaur bones.

Have you ever been to a museum like that? With cool stuff, I mean, not just art and pots.

[whichwayyoulean]

I opened one, once. But I didn't have a lot of [any] money as a kid, so we never really took trips anywhere.