[Video] S3-1 - First Dream

[gothelproof]

[Flynn's expression is livid as his video flicks on. He's halfway through a threat, too angry to realize his mistake of turning on the CAT a moment late.]

--hope I never get my hands on whoever is responsible, because they'll need a lot more than a magic flower when I'm done.

[He hesitates a moment, obviously warring with himself on whether it's worth it to say more. A beat later, disgusted, he ends the message.]

Comments

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie is quite as livid when she re-initiates the feed] Have they brought you back here as well? It's utter wickedness! And I certainly plan to get my hands on them, too!

[gothelproof]

[Flynn throws his free hand up in the air in exasperation.]

Finally! Someone else who thinks so, too!

[fortune_sought]

[unfortunately, Sophie isn't done with her tirade yet] My son is back there! He's only weeks old, and he's stuck as a kitten, and this place brings me back here!

[gothelproof]

[That brings Flynn up short.

Your son?

[And then:]

A... kitten?

Whoa, whoa, whoa -- back up. I was going to complain that I was in the middle of my wedding, but... Come again? A kitten? The small, fluffy kind?

[fortune_sought]

Your wedding!? [Sophie stares] Who does Filippo Resarci think he is!? He's as wicked as the Witch of the Waste!

[on the bright side, she does add:] Yes, I was under a cat spell, though apparently it's been broken, but it hasn't been for him, and now he's in the mountains all alone!

[don't mind the irony that she was trying to calm Flynn down with assurances that time won't pass when he arrived the last time. she's too upset to think about that right now]

[gothelproof]

A dead man, obviously. [He's 100% genuine on that count, even if he's acting flippant about it with a casual lift of his shoulders.

On the other side of things, he's really put out finding out that Sophie was recently a cat. More so that her son is still under a spell and left out alone because of all this. The idea of a loved one left behind hits him hard and, unfortunately for both of them, he doesn't remember Sophie's past assurances about time's passage.]

Let's get out of here, then! I don't even want to think about what Rapunzel is going through -- we all made it out of here before, right? How hard can it be to walk right back out?

[fortune_sought]

[admittedly, her son is with two strange men who don't know he's actually human, and from her perspective? that pretty well counts as alone]

Oh, don't say things like that! [she winces. you'll give them bad luck, Flynn!] But we should certainly try. Where are you right now? The exit is through the Mayor's house--or, at least, it always has been before.

[gothelproof]

[Flynn should probably be a more superstitious man after some of the things he's seen, but he's still got a little too much of that everything-proof way of thinking for that.

At Sophie's questions, he sweeps his CAT out in a nauseatingly quick display of his location before adding more helpfully:]

Just left the eastern houses. Thought I'd see what exactly the mayor left out for us.

[He picks up his pace, jostling the image more.]

The Mayor's house, huh? Well! Seems like a good first stop when I get over that way. Can I expect to see you not far behind?

[fortune_sought]

Yes, of course! [and Sophie starts forward just as she is--sheet and all. unfortunately, she immediately stumbles and has to grab for a wall to steady herself]

Oh, confound it! It's so odd without a tail!

[she might need a minute]

[gothelproof]

[It's about then that Flynn actually notices what Sophie is wearing -- or not wearing, as it were. He's not sure how he missed it, but he immediately throws a hand over his eyes, stumbling to a stop.]

You... ah... you might have forgotten something. Just so you're aware.

[fortune_sought]

[she gives him a look at that rather theatrical display--and then realises what he means]

Oh! Oh dear. [she grabs the CAT, shutting it down for a few minutes as she finds a dress in one of the drawers and throws it on. her hair is still a mess, but at least she's presentable now. she turns the CAT back on] Mr Rider? Are you there? I'm on my way to the Mayor's House now. [she means it; she's already headed out the door, though she's still tottering a bit]

[gothelproof]

[Come to think of it, he likely should have changed as well, but he's been in just as much of a hurry as Sophie was and he's already too far on his way to consider it now -- maybe later when things slow down, he'll see about foraging for clothes.

For now, Flynn offers Sophie a little half wave to welcome her back.]

Still here. [With an unspoken "unfortunately".]

I'll wait for you outside -- I should be about there.

[fortune_sought]

Good. I'll be there soon!

[and, true to her word, she meets him outside the Mayor's house very shortly thereafter. she's panting from her run, but she seems to have worked out her balance issues, at least]

Have you...gone in? Or...seen anything?

[gothelproof]

[Flynn shakes his head, but lifts his CAT slightly to indicate it. ]

Not yet. I've been trying to work out a way to get Red free.

[Read: Tormenting Ichijou under the half-guise of working out a way to get him free from the labs. ]

[fortune_sought]

[Sophie doesn't pick up on the nickname, but she's immediately concerned] "Red"? Where exactly is this person trapped?

[gothelproof]

[Flynn gestures none too helpfully at the mayor's house. He's not exactly certain of where Ichijou is exactly. The labs are a fairly big mystery to him still.]

Ichijou? Red hair, Red? Anyway.

[He's going to give up on that one and move on to being a little more serious.]

In the labs... somewhere. Apparently everything locked down?

[fortune_sought]

The labs are locked down!? [Sophie is livid] Oh, confound it! Why didn't you say so sooner!? The labs are the way out. If there's no way into them, we won't be able to get anywhere from here!

[gothelproof]

[Flynn holds up both hands in defense while simultaneously shrugging.] Wait, hold on. If Red is in there, maybe we've got a better shot at getting in.

[Relaxing again, Flynn props one hand on his hip and turns his attention back to the mayor's house, looking for anything on the outside that might be helpful before trying to head in.]

After all... one man on the inside is worth ten out here...

[fortune_sought]

[she snaps] Only if he can get out!

[but then she takes a deep breath, taking a moment to think about this--and try to calm down] No, you're right. We certainly have to try. So let's see if we can find a way to him. [and she steps up to the Mayor's House, pulling on the door--and finding that it opens without any resistance. she gives Flynn a startled look before she heads inside]

[gothelproof]

[Flynn is just as surprised as Sophie -- he didn't expect getting in to be this easy. And that... puts him on his guard. If there's one thing he's learned through his former life as a thief, it's that if something goes your way, nine times out of ten it's a trap.

Regardless of his feelings on that, he steps up after Sophie, pausing only long enough to see if the door was forced open somehow before they got there.

Everything checks out, though, and he continues inside.]

Well, that was anticlimactic. Which way now?

[fortune_sought]

This way. [Sophie gestures] Follow me.

[and she heads through the Mayor's House--completely uneventfully, as it turns out. when they reach the entrance to the space station, however, it's sealed. Sophie marches right up to it and says, firmly:]

Now, door, this just won't do! You're meant to be an entrance, after all. It's time you let us through.

[she eyes it for a moment, but nothing happens]

[gothelproof]

[Flynn shoots Sophie another sideways glances, waiting to see if bullying the door, against all odds, might have some effect.

When it becomes clear that it hasn't, Flynn breathes in, preparing.]

Well... let's see how solid it is...

[He takes a few steps back, pulls a face in preparation, and takes a running start to throw his shoulder into the door.

And still. Nothing.

Flynn stays against the door for a moment, putting off the wince as long as he can to spare his pride.]

...ow.

[fortune_sought]

Oh goodness, be careful! [Sophie runs over to him, ready to help support him if he needs it] Are you all right, Mr Flynn?

[gothelproof]

[He waves her off, only nursing his should a little. Just a little. And eyeing the door.]

No, yeah. Everything fine here. Just a small bump. It mostly hit my pride.

[Flynn rallies, giving the door a more appreciative look.]

Oh, mama. That is one well-built door. For Red's sake, I sure hope there's another way in...

[fortune_sought]

Yes... [Sophie frowns, wishing she'd sounded more confident at least. after a moment's thought, she decides:] We should search the house--perhaps we can find one.