hadriel | (no subject)

[Ty has a scowl on his face when he makes this video, rocking back and forth again in that self-soothing manner as he pointedly does not look at the screen. He's hugging his arm to his chest tightly, knuckles white, and his free hand is held uselessly in the air, at least a dozen small bleeding cuts all over it as he makes squeezing motions with his fingers. He cringes as he does it, looking tense and distressed, but he doesn't stop the movement.]

The library here is pointless. You can't read any of the books. I wanted to find the Sherlock Holmes stories, but it doesn't have them. It doesn't even have a cookbook. I need a cookbook. I don't know how to cook, and I don't want to eat toast anymore, and the stove didn't make the macaroni right. The microwave only makes things explode.

I went looking for animals, and there aren't any I can find in the city. All the animals in the tunnels are big and mean. There aren't any nice animals. All the tunnels lead you right back here. Whoever made the tunnels like that, it isn't funny or nice.

[Ty takes in a deep, trembling breath and lets it out once he's gotten that little tirade over with, then goes back to why he's making this video in the first place.] I need a cookbook. And instructions for the stove.

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[But it won't taste the same as Julian makes them if it's a boxed version, he wants to say, but he doesn't know how Julian makes pancakes in the first place - or anything else, for that matter - so it's a pointless thing to say.]

I'll look for boxed versions. [He doesn't sound happy about it, but at least it'd be something besides toast. Dumping pasta in water and putting cheese on top of it didn't work very well so hopefully a box would have instructions on it.]

By getting my hands on the ingredients, you mean finding them, right? [He thinks that's what he means instead of making it seem like the ingredients would be hard to hold for some reason, but it's probably a good idea just to clarify to make sure.]

But it won't compare to the real thing? [The boy's dissatisfaction is obvious- and frankly, Fingon doesn't blame him. Food has so much meaning that these substitutes can't provide.]

[He nods.] That's correct. Most ingredients can be hard to find in Hadriel. The orchard supplies fresh fruits and vegetables, but most of our food comes from what's available in the shops.

Most pancakes are made from flour, milk, eggs, and something to make it rise. You can do without some of those, if you have substitutes- oat flour might work instead of wheat, for example. But first you should find out what you have to work with.

Would you like some help looking around the stores?

[His expression picks up a bit at the mention of fruits and vegetables. He can gather that up, at least. You don't need to cook fruits or vegetables.

He gives a nod of agreement in response to that last question.] Yes. I need instructions for the stove too.

[Now that he's gotten a chance to see who this other person is, he notices something that makes him ask in curiosity:] Are you a faerie? You have pointed ears.

If you're free now, I can meet you at the shops.

I'm not entirely sure whether my stove is the same as yours- two of my housemates like to tinker with the appliances- but between us I think we should be able to figure out how yours works.

[He tilts his head a bit in confusion, inadvertently giving Ty a better look at the ears in question.]

I've never heard that term applied to my folk, no. Though who knows? My people gather names to ourselves, and it would be difficult to learn all of them.

Okay. [He remembers that you're supposed to thank people who help you out so he adds on a:] Thank you. Where are the shops?

I've been talking to someone else who says he is an elf. He has pointed ears too. Is that what you are?

You're welcome.

Have you seen the buildings with the stained-glass walls, not far from most of the housing? Those are the shops.

It's a mortal term, but yes. That's my cousin Maglor you're speaking to. We've been lucky, more than a few of our kin are here.

I remember them. Do you want me to go there now?

... Is it more common for people to not have anyone else they know here? [That has him looking distressed again.]

You can, but it's not necessary. I'm free all day, and tomorrow as well. Choose a time, and I'll be glad to meet you.

[Shaking his head.] There are a few other groups from the same worlds, I think. But many of us come alone, as well.

I'll go now. [He really wants something else besides toast.]

Does it stay that way? If you don't show up with someone from your own world, will you never see them again?

Then I will see you soon.

[And he'll be bringing a snack for the poor kid. Now what do the elves have in their cupboards, at the moment....]

Not at all. I can say from experience that none of my family came through the Door at the same time. And most of us, I think, hope to return home eventually. If it is within our power, we will make sure you do as well.

[That gets him to relax a bit.] Good. I want to see my brothers and sisters again. Mark just got back and Helen might be coming back too soon.

I would like the same thing, in truth. I have not seen my siblings for a very long time, and sometimes when I see my cousins together I miss them a great deal.

[Huh, that seems a bit odd, unless perhaps his sister has been injured.] Are they coming back from the same place?

No. Mark was captured and was trapped in Faerie. Helen was exiled to a remote island. They're my half-siblings, their mother was a faerie. There was a war five years ago, and the faeries helped the enemy, so when we won the war, Helen was exiled and they didn't try to rescue Mark because the Council didn't care because they were half-faerie. [The more he talks about it, the deeper his frown gets.]

It's not fair - they didn't do anything wrong. They can't help who their mother was. But the faeries let Mark go and we made a deal with them that would allow Helen to come back home with her wife. There was going to be a Council meeting about it... but I was taken here before it started so I don't know what happened.

It would be good if Helen and Aline got to come back home. She's the oldest. Julian wouldn't have to do so much anymore. Mark's older than him but... [And here he looks like he's trying to understand something he just doesn't understand.] Mark can't.