longestnight_old | Better Late Than Never

The yetis and elves had been extremely welcoming when they arrived back at the Pole. As soon as they shook themselves out of their shock at how battered they'd looked, they'd immediately brought out the blankets, spare clothes, first aid kits, food and drinks. Cocoa was pressed into people's hands whether they wanted it or not.

"Blughbloghughblug?"

"Out of nowhere. In broad daylight, no less," Katherine said to one of the yetis, holding her half-finished cup of hot cocoa in her hands. "It goes without saying that this is very, very bad."

"Ooghughaugh. Blughooghablorgblurgh?"

"Oh, well, that may be because they're still tethered to their worlds to a degree." She looked to the others. "He said someone named Wonder Woman, a Mr. Stark, and some undead fellow that had stayed behind at the Pole disappeared while you were meeting with me. I suppose that supports my hypothesis about the trans-dimensional tethering."

It had been a little while now since they'd returned and there was still no sign of Jack and Bunny. It was obviously bothering Katherine. In between her idle chatter with the yetis, who seemed to regard with her great fondness, she was pacing back and forth through the area that had been made into a "common area" while they'd been away. It was comfortable, full of plush red couches and cushions and tables for them to sit at to eat. Board games in many varieties had been stacked around.

The yetis were on standby, ready to get anything they needed, or show those who hadn't seen the Pole yet around.

"They should be back by now. I don't know why they're not back by now. Maybe the lindworms gave them trouble. Perhaps they had to take shelter in the Warren."

She chugged down her cocoa like someone else might nervously down a shot of whisky and then went for a refill.

[ooc: This is just for a few minutes of post-fight mingling and then the return of Jack and Bunny, then it'll be free-threading after this.]

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Now they're getting somewhere, she hopes. Mami smiles and glances over her shoulder at the yetis. "Why don't we get you a proper ball? We could play, if you want to."

"I was being sarcastic." Howard's voice is flat, deadpan - a little too much so. He's trying too hard. "Do I look like an athlete?"

"Well...maybe not, but you could be," Mami shrugs, gently turning the telescope over in her hand. She'd really like to use this, but she can't just leave Howard be when he doesn't seem able to relax.

"So...have you been looking out there?" She points up.

"No." He feels a bit abashed at that; he should be keeping an eye out for danger. Then again, the worst danger is snapping back to his own reality, which apparently could come without warning. "And no, I'm too short to ever be an athlete. Duh."

"No you're not," Mami shakes her head. "Size isn't everything. You'd be a good jockey!"

Not that she gets to see too many horses in her time, but it looks like fun.

"Isn't that a kind of shirt?" Howard doesn't know the first thing about horses, and the word sounds similar enough to 'jersey' and 'jockstrap' that he assumes it has to be clothing. He continues to rebuff her attempts to befriend him, but does seem to be calming down a little; the tremor in his hands is fading.

"It's a person who races horses," Mami clarifies, glad that everything seems to be calming. She's still worried for their leaders, but she knows panic won't help their situation any.

Howard looks even more nervous. "You realize that horses can kick someone and bash their heads in? You guys are lucky I even got near that reindeer."

"Yes, but it's not likely to happen if you're careful," Mami answers. She seems puzzled.

"Were you kicked by a horse before?"

"What? No. Never even seen one." Howard's eyes shift to the side, just slightly abashed.

"Then how do you know it'll kick you?" Mami challenges, looking skeptical.

Howard flushes a little harder. "I seen it on TV."

"Really?"

Mami laughs and nods, twirling one of her curls around her finger. "That's all right. I haven't seen too many either. They're not usually around in major cities."

"But you seem worried about more than just horse kicks."

"What're you talking about?" Howard glares slightly. It doesn't matter that it's obvious he's nervous in his stance or the lightness of his breath or the tension in his brow; he doesn't like it pointed out. To him, she might as well have just said he's got a target on his face.

"The telescope. May I use it?"

There she goes, switching the subject. She does want to know why he's scared, but she really needs a look.

He shrugs, nudging it with his foot. "No one's stopping you."

"Got it."

And with a smooth crouch, Mami scoops up the telescope and quickly begins her sweep of the sky. She's looking and searching all across, but soon enough she bites her lip and looks back down.

"There's nothing yet. All that danger and our leaders might be really hurt."

"Oh, and that would be tragic," Howard says, all snideness and derision. "Heaven forbid our leaders take a few hits in this magic fantasyland where no one seems to die for real."

"Even if a body is almost immortal, it can still be dangerous. There might be a way to really kill them."

And Mami would know a fair bit about that. She glances anxiously down at her ring, clenching her fist.

Better Late Than Never

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