westwhere | saying goodbye

Well, the problem is making sure that you don't get bounced back to your world, right?

[There's a pause, and then she looks down at Goose again. Her head tips to the side, as she says.]

You know, we once evacuated an entire space station by having a family of flerken eat them.

I wouldn't mind being the test subject. [ So Ben tells Five. ]

[ Then he turns to Allison and points at her. ] But that. It's already been done before.

Carol said the evacuated an entire space station using...those cats.

Edited 2024-04-15 23:58 (UTC)

[ This time, Ben looks up at Carol, stops petting Goose, then abandons his new friend entirely to step back up. ]

What is a flerken? And when you say eat...? I mean, I assume these people were somehow safe?

That is a flerken.

[She points down to Goose, who is sitting at his feet, squinting up with mild annoyance, because she's not being pet anymore. Her eyes then catch sight of a mouse and rather than chasing it like a normal cat would, Ben is treated to a flurry of tentacles reaching forward to snatch up the mouse and pull it back into Goose's mouth.

Carol's lips purse briefly.]

It is much safer than that demonstration implies, at least physically. But there were hundreds of people and not enough escape pods. I'm not saying that the process is incredibly pleasant? But I figure the beacon can't shuffle you to your world by pulling you out of Goose.

[ Ben just stares as he watches. At least, the process doesn't seem to hurt Goose - and noted. This is a flerken. His mouth remains open, then he, slowly, goes back down to kneeling on Goose's level. ]

We're similar, you and I. [ He tilts his head. ] But you're better if you can transport people. I can't do that.

[ He puts out his hand again, to see if Goose will let him go back to petting, then looks up at Carol. ]

I'm fine with some discomfort if it means we have a way of transporting.

[ His eyes narrow. Five, for one, is not happy about Ben being anyone's test subject. He'll get back to that later. ]

...Okay. So cats once swallowed a space station and kept them safely in some other dimension, where you think we could hide until we travel to yet another one.

[ If he could have only figured out the math before they take this very weird detour. Trouble is, once they're gone, they're left with wondering what might have saved them from living in this nightmare. ]

It won't be a real test until we go through a beacon. That's a lot of faith to put into an insane story from someone we barely know.

Kamala worships Carol, which I know is maybe not a ringing endorsement considering it's Kamala but from what I've experienced with Carol, I think we can trust her judgement that Carol is on the side of good.

[Meaning she's trying to help, not trying to play fast and loose with her tentacle cat.]

And at least we know what we're going back to if we're wrong. But trying to go anywhere that's not here is going to have risk regardless of what we do, so that's the wager. We either stay here and keep everything we have and figure this place out on our own, or we take the risk and go with Carol and Kamala.

[She nods, before giving a shrug.]

I don't know a lot about this magic stuff. We'd have to ask Dr. Strange or someone else who knows more. But it's worked for us in the past.

Let me run it by my siblings. You just gave us a real way out of here.

[ Ben shakes his head, trying to dispel shock over that. Is it really so surprising? After everything he's been through and seen. Even if it doesn't work, this is one chance he has to take. ]

[ Ben looks at Five to clarify. ] The people of a space station. Either way, I get it, we don't know Carol. But we do know Kamala [ he nods to Allison ] and while she's sweet and trusting, I get the feeling she's a good judge of character. She seems to figure a person out quickly, even if she just sees the good in them.

If she trusts Carol? I'm willing to take that chance. And I trust Goose. I know, [ Ben puts up a hand ] I technically just met the cat, but really [ he nods his head ] we connected.

[ He knows it sounds crazy, but it's true! ] I'm willing to go with them and give it a chance. But if you two stay here, I'll stay with you.

[ Five could go on, explaining what his siblings only barely touched on about the challenges each of these options create. The truth is, he did this to them. The second he screwed with time he put them on this path, and no matter what Ben or Allison says, he's got a responsibility to set it right.

He takes another swig from the bottle and considers. ]

I'm not saying they're good ones, but having options is better than not having any. [ That's about as optimistic as he's able to stomach. ] I need... I don't know how much longer to figure out how to get the others back. Maybe we can buy some if we can manage to avoid ending the world for more than a few months at a time.

[ His confidence in his abilities have shrunk considerably over the past three years, but he's nothing if not stubborn. Just maybe it shouldn't be his choice. He looks between the two of them. ]

We could put it to a vote.

[Allison sits with it, considering for a moment. Does she want to get swallowed by a cat? No, not really. Does she also want to spend the rest of eternity wondering about what could have been and living in a land without technology and just magic? Also no.

She glances to Ben.]

You're the one who has the most to lose. If you're willing to risk it, then I will too.

Happy to help. How many of you are there?

[Just so she knows how much indigestion they may have to deal with.]

Three. That's not too much, is it?

[ To Goose. ] One day I'll show you my tentacles, too.

[ After Klaus, Ben didn't really consider himself optimistic. Of course, Klaus' level of optimism is steeped in denial, while Ben still considers reality and doesn't avoid. As much. He might not consider he is realistically optimistic. ]

[ He gives Allison a smile, comforted by her words. ]

I'm willing to risk the cat stomach. [ He trusts Goose. ]

[ He turns to Five. ] And it sounds like Carol and Kamala's world has a lot of heroes. Hopefully, they can make sure we don't cause the end of the world. Help, for a change, would be nice.

[ Five hums, and if he's surprised that they're willing to get swallowed by a cat, he doesn't show it. If it was just Five alone, he's not sure what he would have chosen. Maybe he would have given up hope, or taken a risk of an imperfect equation that broke everything out of desperation to see his family again.

Having Allison and Ben here simplifies his priorities. Kamala's world seems a hell of a lot better than this one. Even if it is taking a chance on something they don't understand, they'd be together.

He clears his throat and silences the nagging voice that reminds him of all the reasons this might not work. He'd like to believe it could. ]

Alright. Sounds like we've got a decision. [ It's insane. But the majority wins, and he's with Allison on this one. If Ben is willing to take that jump, so will he. ] Who wants to tell her?

I've got Kamala if one of you wants to get Carol?

[Though she's sure that Kamala's delight will make sure everyone in a five block radius know before the day is done.]

[She shakes her head.]

No, that should be fine. She's swallowed worse.

[Goose purrs because it's true. She has swallowed many a bad guy who's causing problems and rarely gets a hint of indigestion.]

Good. [ Ben smiles to the purring. He's totally taken with Goose. Carol's pretty cute, too. ]

I'll get with my siblings and let you know what they say.

I can get with Carol, since I told her I would get back to her. Five, you can join me.

She should get to meet at least one of you. [ And if video chats aren't for multiple people? What are they good for? ]

Sounds good.

[She glances down, before smiling.]

I gotta go track down Kamala, so I'll leave you two to hang out.

[Goose will find her when she's done mooning over her new best friend.]

[ Five looks between the two of them, and only a small part of him is imagining the way Kamala will take the news. It's going to crush her if this doesn't work.

But he nods. Of course, he should go with Ben, and maybe convince them to do a proper demonstration before they try to hop dimensions inside a magical-alien-cat. ]

Sure. I can probably think of a few important follow-up questions for her.

[Allison nods, before stepping off to the side, and calling Kamala. She also has a few questions about Goose and the plan here, but she'll do it out of earshot where her brothers aren't listening.

She holds up the video and smiles when the other girl picks up.]

Hey. I've got some good news.

[ While Allison gets a hold of Kamala, Ben cants his head to the side indicating Five follow him. ]

You with me, then. You can ask all the questions you like.

[ He pulls up Carol and grins. ] Hi there! This is one of my siblings, my brother Five. He knows one of your friends, Kamala.

[Carol's face pops into view and when her eyes settle on Five, she smirks.]

Oh. This is your brother.

[Funny how it works both ways in terms of talking to either of them.]

saying goodbye

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action -> video

action --> video;

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