[ The news isn't particularly surprising, but it's not what she expected to hear. She was waiting for a lecture. Now she feels a bit guilty over that, grimacing for a moment while glancing down.
He'd looked weak; like the sort with a sickly constitution. She might have seen this coming, except he'd kept pointing out ways to use it to help others and she'd let the distraction work. Vi can guess why he 'isn't well', and there's a bitter edge to her melancholy. She should have spotted how bad it was right away. ]
Must be pretty bad if he needs to turn to the gemstones for a cure.
[A sideways glance seems to confirm that Vi isn't happy. Whether it's sorrow for Viktor's illness or frustration at the implication that he ought to have the gemstones, Caitlyn isn't entirely certain. She suspects it's likely a mix of both.]
I doubt he'd resort to using the gemstones if there were any other way.
[She trusts that, despite Vi's feelings, Vi understands that Viktor's need for the gemstones is greater.
She glances quickly again at Vi, before her gaze returns to the elevator doors and her brow furrows, unsure of how to address her own frustration.]
It's possible the two of you may be able to share them. He mentioned coming to an arrangement.
[ She doesn't answer right away, with her silence on the matter only drawn out when the doors ding open and a squat, yawning man wanders in. Fortunately it's time to exit, so she'll reach for Caitlyn's wrist to gently pull her along. If anything, her gentle touch should reveal that she isn't resistant to what Caitlyn's suggesting. ]
This way.
[ It's a bit of a walk through the stacks, but behind a collection of monolithic book cases and leather chairs in a forgotten section of the library is a door with stairwell access leading to the roof. Several books keep the door propped open, courtesy of yours truly. ]
[Caitlyn follows along after Vi, her head turning periodically to glance at the book titles out of curiosity. There's probably a lot of useful and interesting information here, they could really--
Her thought gets cut off as they enter the stairwell.]
Is this... Are we going up to the roof? [She probably should have known that the roof would be Vi's preferred destination, but she's still rather surprised that access is this easy.]
[ It was easy for Vi to locate the staff member and steal the key for the door, but it probably wouldn't have been easy for Cait. The key had been returned before anyone was the wiser, and that back door just isn't used often enough for anyone to have noticed the books Vi wedged there. It had only been a few minutes, after all.
She hops up ahead of Cait steps several steps at a time, using the banister for a boost, but always stopping on the next landing so she doesn't leave her too far behind. They pass a few locked doors for records, something that just says 'staff only', but Vi keeps going until they reach the roof access, where—you got it—the door is wedged open again.
She wonders if Cait's ever been this high up, but even to Vi it's breathtaking every time she touches the sky like this once they're on the roof. To be honest, Vi isn't sure which city has the higher skyscrapers. It's a pretty close competition. ]
[Caitlyn hurries after Vi, though she takes the stairs one at a time. Each time they pass by a door to a records room, she pauses, wondering what's inside and how fascinating and informative its contents must be - but Vi's easily keeping ahead of her, and she doesn't want to lag too far behind.
She finds herself blinking in the light when they finally step out into the roof, but once her eyes adjust, she has to pause to take in the sight. It's not unlike the view from the highest floors of the Academy or the Council building, but the fact that Caitlyn's seen such a view before doesn't make it any less stunning. And this is an entirely new city laid out before her. New sights she's never seen, new people, new buildings, a new world.
She catches sight of a dragon swooping around a tower and beams, throwing a glance to Vi to see whether she finds this as thrilling as Caitlyn does.]
Vi, this is beautiful.
[How high up are they, exactly? She decides to lean over the edge of the roof to look, but grabs hold of Vi's jacket with one hand and clings on for dear life while she does so.
Very high, is the answer. She jolts back, stepping away from the edge, still clinging to Vi's jacket. She'll enjoy the view from the safety of a few feet back.]
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He'd looked weak; like the sort with a sickly constitution. She might have seen this coming, except he'd kept pointing out ways to use it to help others and she'd let the distraction work. Vi can guess why he 'isn't well', and there's a bitter edge to her melancholy. She should have spotted how bad it was right away. ]
Must be pretty bad if he needs to turn to the gemstones for a cure.
no subject
I doubt he'd resort to using the gemstones if there were any other way.
[She trusts that, despite Vi's feelings, Vi understands that Viktor's need for the gemstones is greater.
She glances quickly again at Vi, before her gaze returns to the elevator doors and her brow furrows, unsure of how to address her own frustration.]
It's possible the two of you may be able to share them. He mentioned coming to an arrangement.
no subject
This way.
[ It's a bit of a walk through the stacks, but behind a collection of monolithic book cases and leather chairs in a forgotten section of the library is a door with stairwell access leading to the roof. Several books keep the door propped open, courtesy of yours truly. ]
no subject
Her thought gets cut off as they enter the stairwell.]
Is this... Are we going up to the roof? [She probably should have known that the roof would be Vi's preferred destination, but she's still rather surprised that access is this easy.]
no subject
[ It was easy for Vi to locate the staff member and steal the key for the door, but it probably wouldn't have been easy for Cait. The key had been returned before anyone was the wiser, and that back door just isn't used often enough for anyone to have noticed the books Vi wedged there. It had only been a few minutes, after all.
She hops up ahead of Cait steps several steps at a time, using the banister for a boost, but always stopping on the next landing so she doesn't leave her too far behind. They pass a few locked doors for records, something that just says 'staff only', but Vi keeps going until they reach the roof access, where—you got it—the door is wedged open again.
She wonders if Cait's ever been this high up, but even to Vi it's breathtaking every time she touches the sky like this once they're on the roof. To be honest, Vi isn't sure which city has the higher skyscrapers. It's a pretty close competition. ]
no subject
She finds herself blinking in the light when they finally step out into the roof, but once her eyes adjust, she has to pause to take in the sight. It's not unlike the view from the highest floors of the Academy or the Council building, but the fact that Caitlyn's seen such a view before doesn't make it any less stunning. And this is an entirely new city laid out before her. New sights she's never seen, new people, new buildings, a new world.
She catches sight of a dragon swooping around a tower and beams, throwing a glance to Vi to see whether she finds this as thrilling as Caitlyn does.]
Vi, this is beautiful.
[How high up are they, exactly? She decides to lean over the edge of the roof to look, but grabs hold of Vi's jacket with one hand and clings on for dear life while she does so.
Very high, is the answer. She jolts back, stepping away from the edge, still clinging to Vi's jacket. She'll enjoy the view from the safety of a few feet back.]