[voice/telepathy, private to chosen 12 + the four mentioned in the post]

[rebells]

[The voice that comes over the signets is a young boy's voice, carefully calm, speaking in a slow, deliberate manner. He's trying to be comforting, but he's not great at it.]

Hello. This is Jay, one of the people working on the plan to get you all out of that building. We're working as quickly as we can, and we're going to get you all out safely. Please know that.

If you're feeling up to it, I have a few questions that might help us establish whether there's a pattern between any of you. This information will be shared with Percival, Dirk Strider, Roy Mustang, and 9S. I don't intend on sharing it with anyone else, and neither do they. Regardless, if you're not comfortable answering a question, you don't have to. I am going to ask, however, that you not lie.

What is your name? Age? Gender? Species?
Are you trained as a fighter, and if so, have you practiced your abilities in Shehui?
What power did Qri give you, and have you practiced that in Shehui?
What did you say to the monitors or government, to the best of your recollection?
Is there anything else you think might have made you of interest to the monitors?
How have the monitors behaved towards you so far?

[He repeats the questions again, slowly, two or three times.]

If you could also keep me updated on your physical condition, that would be helpful.

Again, we're coming for you. Take care of yourselves and each other, stay strong, and try not to provoke the monitors, Jade.

((OOC NOTE: Assume this is backdated some, to the first few days of testing.))

Comments

[rebells]

They had their fair share of legends, yes. About explorers, mostly.

[rootandbranch]

Oh! No wonder you went treasure hunting, then!

[rebells]

That wasn't the reason. But I enjoy exploring.

[rootandbranch]

[there's a lot Geir could say here, but in the end, he'd have to assume something to go with any of the things he thinks about. he'd rather not, so he might as well ask.]

. . . hey. . .

Why'd you tell me this now?

[rebells]

Which part? The story? Or about the Oresoren?

[rootandbranch]

Yes.

[rebells]

[There's a pause before he responds.]

. . . I simply thought you could use the company.

[rootandbranch]

Thank you.

I like your stories a lot, you know. You're an apprentice skald for sure.

[rebells]

I don't know about that, but I do try.

[An apprentice skald is a better thing to be than a lot of what he's been over his short life, anyway.]

[rootandbranch]

You like information, but you don't ask a lot of questions, sometimes. Is there anything you want me to talk about...?

[rebells]

There's a lot I don't know about you, I suppose.

. . . were you awake before Vern summoned you?

[rootandbranch]

Not for long, and not for a very long time.

[pauses, not really a hesitation, just trying to get it straight in his head...]

I was born in Jotunheim, of Angrboda the giantess. When the gods realized me and my brother and sister were alive, they took us from Mother's hall and brought us to Odin's in Asgard. Dad would visit us there sometimes. When I was a little bigger, Odin threw me in the sea to wait for the end of the world, and I swam around down there till I saw a hook. Thor was fishing. I was still so small, he pulled me right up.

[still kind of glum at the memory tbh!!!!!! ugh, he'd felt like a goldfish, and when he'd tried to bite Thor out of pique, Thor had just laughed. Geir wasn't so much bigger than a man that a man couldn't hold his jaws open. Thor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

I wasn't very old then. Anyway, Dad got really angry after Hymir threw me back. He said I couldn't be trusted to the sea till I was big enough not to make more of a fool of myself than I already was, and he buried me. Then I fell asleep. Then Vern called me, and I woke up. It was too early.

[...sigh. it's not a very long or exciting story, and Geir knows it. the exciting part of his story was supposed to be the end.]

[rebells]

[It's strange, to hear this myth-like story retold as something that actually happened to a--well, surely Geir counts as a person. To think about how it did happen to a person.]

He buried you? Literally?

[rootandbranch]

[DOES GEIR? DOES GEIR THOUGH??? great question, Jay.]

Under a hill. He raised a cairn of stones on top, but I don't believe most of the gods were sure quite where I was. Maybe he thought Thor would try to fight me or talk to me again if he knew.

[rebells]

[Gee, this dad of Geir's sure sounds like an asshole.]

And he didn't want that to happen.

[rootandbranch]

It's a guess. I don't know. Nobody really knows why Loki does things except maybe Loki.

[contemplatively:]

I'm not positive he knows why he does things either, but he acts like he does. Oh, well...

[presumably when he buried his son alive for thousands of years there was some kind of plan or purpose behind that, sure.]

[rebells]

[Yeah, Jay is skeptical of this.]

. . . was it much like this? Being buried?

[rootandbranch]

Oh, it was exactly like this. Just fewer things poking at you, and no lights going on and off. That's why I said I was used to it. They won't really talk to me or look at me, and there's no sun, so I might as well be asleep.

--not that I'm going to go back to sleep!

[even if it's easy to lose track, he can't, because he needs to reassure Vern and make sure everyone down here with him is also okay. he's very clear about that.]

[rebells]

That's good.

We're coming for you, as quickly as we can.

[rootandbranch]

I know! That's why we're waiting to try to escape till you do your thing, too. I trust you!

[and, anxious to reassure (people DO tend to react to the buried thing for some reason?):]

It's probably not as bad as it sounds.

[rebells]

[He doesn't know what to think, really. It sounds bad, but Geir might not process things the way a human--a mortal--would.]

When you say 'probably,' that isn't very reassuring, you know.

[rootandbranch]

[candid:]

I don't have many comparisons. It was just life, you know? I was alive.

Everything I know about anything but all that, I've learned here or with Vern.

[rebells]

Have you enjoyed it? Your time . . . outside the darkness.

[rootandbranch]

O-of course. Vern's there. And lots of people...

I've learned a lot.

[rebells]

[He's silent for a while. In a way, he knows that feeling. How much better it is to live than not.]

People are interesting creatures, it's true.

[Geir doesn't sound very much like someone meant to end the world, he thinks, not for the first time.]

. . . I remember about your role. But what would you do if you had a choice?