EMERGENCY BROADCAST (text)

[justribbing]

(All active cellphones sound an alarm briefly during the delivery of this message.)

To: All Users
From: sans.
Subject: (SUBJECT HERE)
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URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT: The following is an automated message.

Nature of Emergency: cagey queen left us hanging


PRESS 1 if outside the vicinity of: home If it is safe to do so, follow the prompts to take and send an image of your surroundings to the administrator.

Users in the vicinity of: home are requested to congregate in the: mess hall immediately for: probably a good idea to come save us


Additional Notes:

* sup.
* not much, not much, just hangin' with about 3 new and old friends in this cage dangling precariously above the water.
* can't say i like the conditions either, but the cold and damp doesn't get under my skin. i think i see other cages, tho and, uh, i can't say much for them yet.
* six other occupied cages, with about three in each. hey, it's like those math problems you used to get in school.
* startin' to get a real sinking feeling so if there's anybody out there who ain't locked up, it'd mean a lot to me and over 20 other people if you bailed us out.
* see ya. sans.

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Comments

[ishotyouuu]

aww but it was so cute on u!

very flattering too

> action

[heritrix]

[And somehow, three cages away and over the rumble and howl of the storm surrounding them, a tinny shriek can be heard.]

Your face would be flattering against my fist!

> action

[daughterofursa]

[Some of us are not, in fact, three cages away. Ow.]

Who are you yelling at? Just hang up on them.

> action

[heritrix]

[Can you hang up on a text? She never knew that! Rin backs away from Zuko, guarding her phone like she's afraid the other girl will hang up for her.]

A traitor, that's who!

[Button mash, button mash, she can't let this stand ok!!!]

N-Not that it has anything to do with you! Aren't you supposed to be taking pictures?

> action

[daughterofursa]

["Hang up" is the phrase you use for ending phone conversations, right...? Look Zuko doesn't know.]

I did that.

What are you talking about, a traitor? [That seems serious?? She could probably just look for the conversation on her own phone but she forgets she can do that right now and tries to lean in to look at Rin's screen.]

> action

[heritrix]

[asdfgh no don't!! Rin turns a bit in a circle, keeping her back to Zuko and holding a hand over her phone to obscure the screen. As if there were actual incriminating evidence there, and not just a mention of her pajamas.]

A personal betrayal! Something but slightly worse than shirt ruiners.

> action

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko immediately backs off. Rin just likened Zuko burning her to a personal betrayal. (She keeps talking about the shirt but clearly she means the burn, because who cares about shirts.)]

Oh, sorry.

[Does Rin want to punch her in the face too?]

[heritrix]

[...She should have know Zuko is way too straightforward to get that she was joking, whoops. Rin waits until she's finished saying everything she needs to to Wade — she'd initially contacted him to warn him about the rebound effect — before palming her phone and scooting back over by Zuko.

Like, right over. A friendly smile on her face, but at the bare minimum needed not to be accused of breeching her personal space bubble.]

Say, Zuko. You'll take responsibility and help me later, right?

[daughterofursa]

With punching someone in the face?

[She's. not following.

Why is Rin acting nice all of a sudden, wasn't she mad?]

[heritrix]

[HA. There's a twinkle in her eye, like she's trying not to laugh but really does find that prospect entertaining.]

Ooh, if you're offering, another time perhaps. But no. I meant getting me another shirt!

[With a smirk, she points at Zuko's own clothes.]

That's a time-honored custom in my culture. If it were just a stain, I'd have you foot the laundry bill or wash it for me. I suppose I could have you mend it, buuuut.... [She strokes her chin, giving Zuko a sly look.] I have another shirt just like it, so that won't be necessary. And this seems like a great opportunity for new clothes.

[Her hands drop to her hips.] What do you say? You have good taste, as far as colors go. I bet you could pick out something nice.

> back to text

[heritrix]

[BUTTON MASHING UNTIL SHE CAN GET AN ACTUAL RESPONSE OUT. It takes several seconds because she has to start over four times.]

You weren't supposed to bring that up! We had a pact!

[ishotyouuu]

hey no need to stop being a lady, sweetheart

i dont recall any pinkies being sworn over this

but ur probably right

getting punched would probably be an improvement on this ugly mug of mine ;)

[heritrix]

[That kind of comment might have been really funny if they hadn't been bonded the way they were, and Rin realized how that self-deprecating humor is a front for how much his appearance really bothers him.

Stupid jerk. How is she supposed to keep mad after that?

The next reply takes much longer, not for any technical reasons, but because she decides not to send her initial response.]

Mark my words, Wade Wilson, I'll find a BETTER way to pay you back. You better sleep with three eyes open. : - P

[That's her first one of those smiley face things (lessons learned, they're not runes). She doesn't think it came out right...]

[ishotyouuu]

ur lucky im such a gentleman or i could say something about that third eye comment you just walked into

but i wont

because im better than that

[Who are you even fucking kidding, Wade.]

[justribbing]

* you've been hiding a third eye this whole time?
* it's like i don't even know you.

[heritrix]

Oh.
So those are your preferences.

[justribbing]

* carve it on my statue in a suitably goofy font, pal.

[heritrix]

[Rin is CACKLING but no, that's wonderful. Please. No one tell him.]

[ishotyouuu]

i havent been hiding it, its always been there

u just werent looking in the right place

[justribbing]

* i know that kinda "tone" anywhere.
* this is some gross human joke, ain't it?

[ishotyouuu]

well i mean u know me better than anyone else here bro

am i the kind of person to do something like that

[justribbing]

* oh boy, i'm gonna have to give that some serious consid

* yes

[heritrix]

[Damn, boi. You running for president?]

As a refined and elegant lady, I'm sure I don't know what you mean.

[Which is why that person who responds to Sans definitely can't be her, no matter what the name says.]

Has anyone in your cage tried getting out?

[ishotyouuu]

not yet

though im pretty sure the big guy is gonna try tossing the contents of his stomach against the bars soon if u get my meaning

really hoping there wont be any blowback

[heritrix]

Gross? Tell him downwind is his friend.

Also tell him and anyone else with you not to pull anything funny.
There's magic applied to these cages.

[He'd know from being bonded to her last month that she has a very good sense for things like that.]

It's designed to reject any escape attempts, if I'm understanding its nature right. Any attack made against the cages will rebound back to everyone inside.
I wanted to warn you.