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[brainsqueeze]

I know that there is a lot unknown and unexplained. There are a lot of questions that we'd like the answers to. I'd rather focus on what is known.

[ Who wouldn't? But she's information collecting. Maybe get enough questions together and take them all to a god. Maybe ]

I'd like to know what your experience was like arriving here. From the amount of people that have mentioned feeling sick after arriving it's clear that something has changed. Is there anything specific that you remember? Has anyone reported similar experiences before?

[ The sickness. Drowning. Seeing the sight of burning cities... people. She's felt it all, remembers it. And now she's hearing things - cries, feeling emotion that she knows she isn't feeling herself. What is it? ]

Has anything out of the ordinary happened recently? Anything that could cause the change?

[ Out of the ordinary for war, anyway. She's been going over the information but there is a lot there. Any filling in would definitely be appreciated ]

It doesn't matter what it is, anything could be important.

Comments

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[selfmadman]

You choose a place. I'll go first.

If you have cigarettes, bring them.

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[brainsqueeze]

The library in Odin.

[ It's public but it's big enough to find some privacy for discussion. Plus it's public. He's out of luck for the cigarettes though ]

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[selfmadman]

Is this where I tell you what book I'll be reading?

[ A few minutes later: ] See you at the entrance in half an hour.

action!

[selfmadman]

[ Half an hour isn't long enough to think himself out of this. It shouldn't be long enough to forget. Dick checks the time, spreads his map on the nightstand and writes 3:15 across the library. Hesitates and writes the date. The map's a mess now, looks vandalized by his handwriting.

In the bathroom he splashes water on his face. Three lines on the back of his hand but he doesn't remember drinking today. He scrubs his hands clean.

He makes it to the library with time to spare. The building's unfamiliar: maybe he's not a reader. Outside he burns through a cigarette. He blinks too often, watches faces too closely. He's dressed fastidiously but it only accentuates the exhaustion gathering on his features.

When he spots her he says what he's thinking: ] This is reckless. [ Then Dick smiles, momentarily shaking off the tiredness, and pulls the door open for her. ]

[brainsqueeze]

You came anyway.

[ Maria had put her notes together, and had them with her for two reasons - in case he had anything to add, and for after he'd left. She hadn't yet gotten everything down from her questioning, and even more had come in after she'd left to meet him, things that would need to be seen later.

His appearance is noted though, kept in mind for a possible question later. What's happening - is the tiredness related to everything else happening or something else?

Once they're inside Maria leads them further in, finding a table not too close to the door, not too hidden inside and not too near anyone else. It's her first time actually being inside, but she doesn't doubt it was the better option ]

You wanted to meet, so what are we doing?