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[postictal]

. . .

( private action | private correspondence via stone of farspeech )

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[catpiper]

[Yet being the keyword in all of this. That's fine. Just stay mcheckin alive Tim&co.]

I'll listen for your voice in this rock. It's okay if it's very late or very early-I'll still hear you.

[There's a pause and then-]

You don't have to run away if it's a cat, but you can call me for that too.

[postictal]

You gonna hike all the way here for a cat?

[All told, it isn't surprising. He's also rather grateful for the fact that this is probably overwhelmingly unlikely as far as he's concerned; he hasn't seen a single living creature here besides those who have fanned out to venture across the island.]

[catpiper]

Yes.

[There's no hesitation in her voice. If there's a cat, the island's fine and she can roam to her heart's content-those are the rules. It'll be a beacon of feline hope in these dark, dark times.]

I'll run there and we can play with it.

[postictal]

I wouldn't hold your breath, but I'll...uh, I'll let you know.

[She knows what that saying means, right? He...sure hopes she does.]

[catpiper]

[No, she freaking doesn't Tim. There's a long pause on her end.]

I need air, so I won't do that. Don't hold your breath either-you need that stuff too.

[postictal]

It's an expression. It means, uh...you probably shouldn't wait for something that might not happen.

[TRYING TO LET HER DOWN GENTLY, the fact that there probably are not any felines here, because he hasn't seen anything living other than a fucking shitload of flowers.]

[catpiper]

[Joke's on him, she's always rooting for cats. They might not show themselves, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.]

The cats will come out when it's safe. It's okay if they want to hide until it's not scary anymore.

[It might be scary 2k4ever though. There's another pause, and then-]

I won't hold my breath.

[postictal]

I don't think there are any cats on this island, kiddo.

[Just to be frank here - he hasn't seen anything that's resembled so much as the remains of any kind of...prey or predator animal. It's not a dissonance he welcomes.]

[catpiper]

[Thinking isn't knowing and she heckin knows.]

There is, but they'll stay where it's safe. I think they're in a sewer or-

[That's a great place to hide and where your friendly neighborhood local cats'll be hanging out.]

By a dam. That's where they'll be. We have to find those things and they'll be there.

[postictal]

I don't think there's any of that around here either. Sewers or dams, I mean.

[He's seen nothing to suggest irrigation, or means of watering these plants, or...well, that's a thought, actually. How have they flourished without any care?]

[catpiper]

[The island could be huge enough to house one. She lowkey hopes no one explores far enough to find a gigantic dam, but if they do? They're in the kitty money or there could be a building with some cats around it. The possibilities are endless.]

You have to find the big round lid to get into the sewer. The flowers might cover that thing.

[postictal]

Wouldn't you hear running water or something?

[Maybe sewers are different where she comes from. Him? He's good. He's traversed enough cramped spaces, tunneled pipes, and underground networks to last him a lifetime, thanks.]

[catpiper]

You have to go down the ladder and then you can hear it.

[Stumbling on that place had been a stroke of good luck and kitty fortune. It's not like she knew there was water there, initially. The sewers are a weird, dangerous and shockingly safe place.]

The cats will be there to help.

[postictal]

I'll stick to the surface, I think.

[Traveling underground isn't his story, so much. It has been before, maybe, but not for some time.]

[Makes him think of abandoned schools. Of burned-out shells of empty hospitals. Of rasping breath and handprints in red, and knives in the throat.]

[catpiper]

[She won't push him on it, her assumption being that he's afraid to go down there. That's understandable. If she's unable to get confirmation that a kitty horde lives in these imaginary sewers, should they show up, she wouldn't take the plunge either.]

That's okay. You can stay there too. The cats will find you when they feel safe.

[postictal]

I haven't seen anything here other than flowers, but okay.

[Stop shitting on the small child's dreams, Tim :/ ]

[catpiper]

[That's fine. She accepts that answer with a happy little hum on her end because he said okay. She'll ignore the part where he implies there are no cats, just like she has this whole time.]

Do you want to count the stars with me? Until your eyes get tired.

[postictal]

You gonna get some sleep too if I do?

[It sounds almost teasing. Almost. But since no one can see his face at the moment, there's no one to say one way or the other.]

[catpiper]

[Teasing or not, she has some other gremlin activities to accomplish before bed pt2. She'll wind down in the next hour though.]

I have to say good night to Hanako-chan and Kumo-chan and the Tim in the sky. Then I'll sleep too.

[postictal]

To...who?

[Does he know those people? Are those people he knows???]

[catpiper]

They're in the sky. When you look at the stars, you can connect the dots and see those cats.

[These good, good sky cats and also-]

And you. You're there too.

[postictal]

You mean constellations?

[To his knowledge, he isn't a constellation. Get with the times, kid.]

[catpiper]

[Anything can be a constellation if you believe, ya punk!!! And boy does she believe.]

Yes, those things-the pretty pictures in the sky.

[postictal]

I'm pretty sure I'm not a constellation, but I...appreciate...the thought, I guess?

[Is that a compliment??????]

[catpiper]

The stars put you up there, so you're one now.

[Vague humanesque shapes all across the sky and she got to name them-incredible. It's always a good time to be a freeloading gremlin with no bedtime.]

I think everyone's a 'constellation'-I saw a lot of people.