[video]

[blastiafreak]

[The video's not very clear when it comes on; it's dark and gloomy, showing hints of thick dust and cobwebs--a glimpse of a window reveals deep fog--and then it shifts to Rita's wide-eyed face. When she speaks, she's trying very hard to pretend she's calm...and failing pretty horribly.]

I-is anyone else stuck in this weirdo place? I mean, it's not like I need help or anything, but-

[A loud creak and sudden clatter of footsteps interrupts her, the shutters to the window abruptly blowing open, and she jumps with a yelp.] Aah--! Uh--it's not sc--just where's the exit, already?!

[Maybe realizing that the video's still recording her little freak-out, she quickly shuts it off.]

[ooc: Tags slow forever. ._. Sorry!]

Comments

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He shakes his head. ] I don't know. There has to be a way to free you, though...

[ He just doesn't know how yet. As long as he's holding the rope, though, it's not moving quickly at least. ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[That's enough for her. She's not getting thrown off-balance so much, so she can grasp the loop around her ankle and inspect it...] What the hell...This thing's tied! [Scowling and anxious, she tries to undo the knot quickly.]

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

It is?

[ How did it get tied? That doesn't make sense. He continues to hold the rope, but even with his gloves on, the rope is being pulled on more incessantly than before. ]

Can you untie it?

[ Quickly? ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[Rita blames the curse. Everything is all the stupid curse's fault...She keeps at it, fumbling with the tightly-secured knot.] I'm trying! It's just-

[Wait, she's got it! Immediately, she throws the rope down and backs away from it.] It's off!

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

Finally-!

[ He does the same when she says it's off, scrambling back from it like it's a snake. He looks over to her after he does, thinking that it's good that she got out and that it wasn't constricting on her leg... ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[Tyr says what Rita's thinking, as she gets to her feet and brushes off her back--more than anything, she's irritated to realize that the ordeal's messed up her coat a bit: there's some tears in the fabric. Nothing she can't fix, but still...] Ooh, that...I am so gonna make whatever did this pay!

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He's sort of upset that her coat's torn, too (should he buy her a new one?), but he's more concerned that that she might have been cut. It wasn't like there was any glass there, but... ]

We can take it out on the deities later. [ He holds out his free hand for her to take, his other hand holding the device once more. ] Are you hurt?

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[She scowls, but takes his hand, furious about the coat.] I'm fine. But there's no way I'm letting them get away with messing around with my stuff! [Or, you know, the ones Tyr specifically gave her...]

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He never thought she was so materialistic. Her body should be more important than her coat! (But if she's not hurt, he guesses her clothes are the only thing that's damaged.) ]

I can buy you a new coat later... [ But that's probably not the point. ] But we'll get revenge on them, too.

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[She has minor scrapes at worst, and those aren't something she's easily bothered by. Instead, she snaps-] I don't want a new one!

[Almost as soon as it leaves her mouth, she looks up at him apologetically. That's not exactly what she meant, so she continues.] I mean...I like this one. I'll fix it later.

But they're so gonna pay!

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He was taken aback by her yelling at him, but when she apologises, he see how much that coat means to her. He sighs, relaxing again. ] ... All right. It shouldn't be too much, anyway...

[ And now he looks over to where she was being dragged. ] What do you want to do? It's your choice. [ To get payback. ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[A moment ago, she wouldn't have given any thought to what they should do next--revenge, of course! But now that he's actually asking her, she remembers the entire reason they started moving in the first place.]

...I'll blast this whole place to smithereens...after we find your staff. Come on.

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He couldn't help but smile a little when she said that. He gave her hand a little tug and began walking forward - more carefully this time. ]

Right. So let's just find the stairway up and grab it.

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[...It's kind of hard to even pretend to stay angry when he smiles at her like that...So she blushes and glances off to the side while she holds his hand and moves forward with him.]

Y-yeah...It can't be that much further, anyway.

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ Even in the dim light, he can see her blush, and at any other time, he'd be happy that he could make her do that. Instead, he pushes those thoughts aside to focus on the matter at hand. ]

You really think so?

[ Nothing new showing up in the light yet. ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[She'll totally try to pretend she's not blushing, anyway...]

We've been walking long enough. I'm getting tired of this dingy place.

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

Me too... It has to be close to midnight. [ He sighs. Over the little rumbling the gravel makes under their feet, there's some hollow snapping sounds coming from some unknown location. The sound just seems to bounce off the walls. ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[Rita can't help but look down--just to make sure they're not stepping into more traps or anything--and then she looks back at Tyr. Midnight can't come fast enough, she thinks, unless Tyr's staff ends up lost with the curse...] So let's pick up the pace, then!

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

We shouldn't rush; we could fall into another trap. [ If it does, Tyr will be really unhappy. He walks a little faster, moving the light to scan the room. Nothing new or strange yet, and definitely no stairway. ]

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

The traps will probably find us first, anyway. [Or so Rita thinks--they are because of the curse, after all. Either way, she hurries with him, scanning the room as they go, until-]

Hey--I think I saw something shining over there!

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

—Really? [ Tyr's suddenly optimistic again. He tries to find what she means, and his eyes actually do catch a glimpse of something. He fixes his light on that area and starts pulling Rita over towards it. ] Let's get it!

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

Yeah. [She follows along and fixes her eyes on the reflective glint that comes back to them. As they get closer, it's obviously not Tyr's staff...but it is a ladder, which leads to to what looks like some kind of trapdoor.] Finally! Let's get out of this basement.

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

It's about time... I guess you were right that it couldn't be much further...

[ He can't be too disappointed that it's not his staff considering a ladder could be even better. He glints the light up the ladder and to the trapdoor; it looks sturdy... He releases her hand and goes for the ladder. ]

Follow behind me.

action; ♥!

[blastiafreak]

[She had no idea if they would actually finy anything, but she is a bit relieved, and nods like she knew all along.] Go on.

action; ♥!

[stargathering]

[ He begins climbing up. It doesn't move or show any signs that it's weak as he climbs up, though it's a little worrisome with how high up the ceiling is... But he doesn't say anything about that. ]

How're you doing?