HURRY UP PLEASE IT'S TIME

[unstill_life]

[ you have been here long enough

how did you not realize it before? the way to the exit. . .

but it's okay, a guide's been sent. there's a cat, fluffy and white, that leads you from the disconnected metal platforms of the fourth level down to the maze-like second level. it mewls for you to follow it down the corridor, where a golden door bars you from the exit. you're almost there. ]

Comments

[havesomedecency]

[c-caaat]

[chasing after it geeze WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF IT FELL??]

Oi—wait up, you! Watch where you're going!

[unstill_life]

[ at his shouting turns its head around and meows, before once again hurrying on ahead. come on, come on, down to the door, which the cat paws at when it reaches and meows, once more, loudly ]

[havesomedecency]

[huff! stopping at the bottom of the steps, crouching down and reaching for the cat]

What do you think you're doing? What would you have done if you'd fallen?!

[unstill_life]

[ the cat goes to his hand, rubs her face on it, and winds around his legs with an aura of supreme feline unconcern. ]

[havesomedecency]

[i am going to pick you up, supreme unconcerned ruler]

Tch—it's a good thing you're safe.

[unstill_life]

[ the cat tolerates, but is now looking at the door. it meows, looks up at Elliot, and then back at the door. the cat apparently has things to do and places to see behind it ]

[havesomedecency]

[but you're such a cute kitty, petpets]

You're a regal sort, aren't you? Is there somewhere you were going?

[unstill_life]

[ the cat purrs at the petting, and meows after Elliot asks her if there was somewhere she was going. Like most cats, she doesn't appear to like being picked up for too long, and starting to wriggle in his grasp. ]

[havesomedecency]

Ah, through there? Well then, let's see . . .

[setting the cat down, moving to push the door open]

[unstill_life]

[ The door swings open to reveal . . . Shell's living room.

For some reason—the logic of dreams, perhaps—this doesn't seem very strange. How could it be? Kaoru's lounging on the couch using Teddie as a pillow, and the smell of roasting meat wafts from somewhere deeper in the dorm. Nothing looks amiss . . . so nothing is, right? Not with Kaoru perking up and waving cheerily at him like that. ]

[havesomedecency]

[oh no people '-']

[but there's no way I was interested in that cat just a second ago >.> stepping in and moving over to the couch]

So when did you get a cat?

[unstill_life]

[Kaoru's sitting up now, making room for him on the couch if he wants it.]

Tamaki's wanted one for a while, so we had to indulge him.

[havesomedecency]

[settling in next to him]

Tch, if he wants it that bad, he should take better care of the damn thing.

[unstill_life]

[Kaoru leans over to brush shoulders with him, warm and comfortable]

Are you mad he let it out? He'd probably cry if we kept the poor thing cooped inside.

[havesomedecency]

[leans against him easily]

It nearly jumped off the stairs on its own, the stupid thing.

[unstill_life]

Wouldn't it just land on its feet? Cats are amazing like that.

[havesomedecency]

Tch, it would have if there'd been a place for it to land.

[unstill_life]

. . . Ah. It's a good thing you were there in that case.

[havesomedecency]

It wanted to get back in so I brought it in.

[unstill_life]

Thank you.

[He's quiet for a minute, eying the ceiling in thought . . .]

Hey, Elliot?

[havesomedecency]

[watching him, curious]

What is it?

[unstill_life]

Do you ever think about what wish you'd make?

[havesomedecency]

Tch. I thought already told you I don't want any of their damn wishes.

[unstill_life]

[He looks down at his hands now—a little sad?]

But if you were . . . If you changed your mind.

[havesomedecency]

[glances at him once, then looks away]

I'd wish for everyone trapped in that portrait to go free.

[unstill_life]

You and everyone else. I was thinking wishing everyone home . . . but they probably won't let us do either of those things.

[havesomedecency]

That's why wishes from those stingy bastards are worthless.

[unstill_life]

I'd wish for—[It will be fuzzy when Elliot thinks back on this later. What Kaoru says is unclear, lost to the vague nature of dreams, but there's a strong impression that it's a good wish. Something that would be worth something; do some good.]

[He glances Elliot's way with a tired half smile.]

Would it really be worthless?

[havesomedecency]

[blinks, looking at him for a moment before his expression softens]

No, that wouldn't be.

[unstill_life]

[He brightens up, a rare look for him lately]

You've got to have something just as good. Maybe you still wouldn't ask it of the portraits, but—what if you had a magic lamp? If you didn't have to worry about getting us out?

[havesomedecency]

Ah, with something like that . . .

[unstill_life]

I'll have to guess if you're not going to tell me. Maybe you'd wish for an endless night with me?

[havesomedecency]

[asdflkj]

Kaoru!

[unstill_life]

[He smiles again, bright-eyed and thoroughly enjoying the look on Elliot's face]

No? Should I keep guessing?

[havesomedecency]

Stop that right this instant!

[unstill_life]

Answer me and I will.

[havesomedecency]

You—it'd be for Leo. I'd wish for Leo to get out of here so he could be somewhere that would make him happy, not back home but back at Aather or somewhere like that.

[unstill_life]

[Kaoru smiles warmly. Somewhere, there's the sound of a door creaking open.]

That sounds like you.

[He picks up something from his lap—was that always there?—and holds it out to him. A book . . . ? Is that the first of the Holy Knight series?!]

Here. For putting up with me.

[havesomedecency]

[what, takes the book, then bops Kaoru on the head with it]

Idiot. I don't just put up with you.

[unstill_life]

[The book glows in his hands, a pulse of energy. Kaoru doesn't seem to notice it though, having turned his head in anticipation of that bop.]

With the questioning!

[havesomedecency]

It's something you wanted to know so you asked.

[huuh, turning the book over in his hands now]

[unstill_life]

[Kaoru huffs in a put upon sort of way, but he looks fond while he watches Elliot with the book. There doesn't seem to be anything odd about it now . . . Maybe if you open it?]

[havesomedecency]

[let's open this book!!]

[unstill_life]

[As he flips through the pages, instead of the story that should be there . . . skills lost to the Library on arrival begin to filter out. It's not like the usual regain, the reliving and replay, but as if they'd been there all along, not overwhelming but slotting comfortably back into place. The wish is here too—Elliot can feel it—if he can just reach the end of the book . . . !]

[If he looks up from it he'll find Kaoru has vanished. All of Shell has, in fact. The golden door that the cat led him to is standing open behind him now, and he's in a dimly lit room. The vague shape of tables and chairs can be seen in the darkness, and just before him, in the center, is a pedestal lit with glowing golden lights. It looks just the right size for a book.]

[havesomedecency]

[looks around, not terribly alarmed because dream logic but]

Ah, Kaoru . . . ?

[unstill_life]

[There's no answer.]

[More importantly, as soon as he looks up Elliot will find the dream is slipping away from him, the room and book both fading quickly as he begins to wake. And . . . normally it might be easy to write the dream off as nothing special, but his fingers are smudged with ink, and he'll find all the skills he regained still firmly in place.

With the exception of Kaoru's wish, the memories of the dream are vivid—too real to be dismissed as a simple dream. And even though there's no cat to lead the way now . . . he does remember the way to that corridor and golden door.

The book with his wish in it is still in that room.]