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ways_back_room2005-05-01 05:42 am
lastgunslinger) wrote in ways_back_room2005-05-01 05:42 am
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Summary of OMG ROLAND GOES WITH ASTARAEL INTO DEATH threads:
Roland has Issues. We knew this. Specifically, though, he's grieving a fair amount, and there's only so much hiding a man can do. Susan catches him and tries to call him on it; Roland deflects. They exchange idle pleasantries and conversation, and then Alain joins them. Roland's attention is drawn to the door, where Astarael has just entered...and held out a hand to him, with the promise of temporary relief.
Roland takes her hand, and the door shuts behind them.
Cue angst from River, Susan, and Alain, and interest from Yrael. Yrael and Svava talk about what just happened. Yrael isn't that concerned; his thoughts are elsewhere. They order drinks and catch up; they discuss Tim and Kassandra's returns to the bar. Warm-fuzziness about Kassandra seems to make Yrael snappish. Svava backs off. Then Yrael gets a mint julep for Great Drunken Not'Catness, and goes out to the lake, passing by Alain and Susan as he does.
Susan and Alain try to convince themselves that Roland isn't dead, and after a suitable period of angst, Yrael wanders by after his talk with Svava and is singularly unhelpful, because he is on his way to get drunk and doesn't want to be bothered.
Raph notices that River is curled up in a ball and angsting, because, um, Astarael's shifty kind of reality makes River crazier. Raph, bless him, tries to help but is pretty much ineffectual. Then Ted Brautigan, our resident psychic and River-soother, steps in and sees what goes on in River's head when she's especially crazy. It is not pleasant. He sends her an antithesis image that makes her feel better, for great yay.
Meanwhile, Roland and Astarael are holding palaver in her realm. Roland hears the song of Death, out in the Ninth Precinct, but ignores it. She answers a few of his questions -- who she is, where they are, why she can speak now. She asks him to tell her who he grieves, and why, and Roland is typically reticent, as he keeps his eyes closed. And then when they speak of Death, whom they both serve...Roland is moved to speak. A litany of grief, then; and Astarael understands, and helps. She holds him while he grieves, and she sings. There are memories and catharsis. They compare stories, in their way; they've things in common. Both of them are pleased as she shows him the door back to Milliways. Farewells are said, and he returns.
Alain and Susan are waiting. Alain reproves him in his very Alain way. Roland apologizes. Susan makes her exit -- it's been rather traumatic for her -- and Roland and Alain sit on the couch in companionable silence. They're good at that.
Roland has Issues. We knew this. Specifically, though, he's grieving a fair amount, and there's only so much hiding a man can do. Susan catches him and tries to call him on it; Roland deflects. They exchange idle pleasantries and conversation, and then Alain joins them. Roland's attention is drawn to the door, where Astarael has just entered...and held out a hand to him, with the promise of temporary relief.
Roland takes her hand, and the door shuts behind them.
Cue angst from River, Susan, and Alain, and interest from Yrael. Yrael and Svava talk about what just happened. Yrael isn't that concerned; his thoughts are elsewhere. They order drinks and catch up; they discuss Tim and Kassandra's returns to the bar. Warm-fuzziness about Kassandra seems to make Yrael snappish. Svava backs off. Then Yrael gets a mint julep for Great Drunken Not'Catness, and goes out to the lake, passing by Alain and Susan as he does.
Susan and Alain try to convince themselves that Roland isn't dead, and after a suitable period of angst, Yrael wanders by after his talk with Svava and is singularly unhelpful, because he is on his way to get drunk and doesn't want to be bothered.
Raph notices that River is curled up in a ball and angsting, because, um, Astarael's shifty kind of reality makes River crazier. Raph, bless him, tries to help but is pretty much ineffectual. Then Ted Brautigan, our resident psychic and River-soother, steps in and sees what goes on in River's head when she's especially crazy. It is not pleasant. He sends her an antithesis image that makes her feel better, for great yay.
Meanwhile, Roland and Astarael are holding palaver in her realm. Roland hears the song of Death, out in the Ninth Precinct, but ignores it. She answers a few of his questions -- who she is, where they are, why she can speak now. She asks him to tell her who he grieves, and why, and Roland is typically reticent, as he keeps his eyes closed. And then when they speak of Death, whom they both serve...Roland is moved to speak. A litany of grief, then; and Astarael understands, and helps. She holds him while he grieves, and she sings. There are memories and catharsis. They compare stories, in their way; they've things in common. Both of them are pleased as she shows him the door back to Milliways. Farewells are said, and he returns.
Alain and Susan are waiting. Alain reproves him in his very Alain way. Roland apologizes. Susan makes her exit -- it's been rather traumatic for her -- and Roland and Alain sit on the couch in companionable silence. They're good at that.