028 - 4th wall

[tapestodiane]

[Suddenly, on a video feed near you for no reason whatsoever, a llama.]

[A llama with a crush on our special agent.]



[OTP.]

[Also, talk about deja vu.]


(As per usual, action absolutely anywhere, with or without llamas! GO WILD. I want all of you!)

Comments

[likediamond]

[Suddenly, reedy background music playing, and then a disembodied voice — someone's here, but you can't see him.]

Dale Cooper, friend to the animals. Which merit badge are you earning for this one, Coopy?

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[... Windom.]

[He'd recognise the voice anywhere, even if the manner of speech didn't give his identity away. It's a voice he's listened to for years, one that reassured him as often as it guided him, and lately one that sometimes finds its way into his nightmares.]

[The feeling of slow, cold dread starts settling in immediately, but he makes a good job of not showing it as he slowly turns around, surveying his surroundings.]</sub>

I already earned my badges, Windom. You know that.

_{[Casual. Testing.]}

[likediamond]

[He's nowhere to be seen. Nothing around but you, Cooper — and your llama.

Or is there?]

Oh, you've earned a lot of things. Shelves and shelves full of personal accomplishments for the golden boy. But that always comes with a drawback, doesn't it? The more pretty things you keep around, the more things you have that might get broken, don't you?

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[He's not sure if he prefers it like that or not. It's been years since he saw his ex partner, but he's torn between wanting to try to reason to his face and not wanting to see what he's become.]

[Because the man from the last handful of years, he's not the man Coop once knew.]

[He keeps watch, moves a bit away from the llama, stays carefully even.]</sub>

Is that what you're here for, Windom? To finish the game you started?

[likediamond]

To finish it? Why, my boy, this is just the next round!

[A quick laugh.]

Just look at all the new pieces we've put on the board.

[forconquest]

[ 'Sup, hope Coop doesn't mind a teenage girl with a Pidove on her shoulder. ]

That llama looks rather out of place in the vast world of Pokémon. What's it doing in a place like this, sir?

[tapestodiane]

If I find out, I'll be sure to let you know.

_{[He doesn't mind terribly, nope! Will keep an eye on that Pidove because bird thing, but all in all he looks a little more preoccupied with the llama, who now turns curiously towards the girl.]}

[forconquest]

Uwaaah, he looks so fluffy! [ And delicious... What would the taste of llama meat be like? ] Do llamas really spit on you or is that just a thing that everybirdie believes to be true but actually isn't? Sort of like thinking that ostriches bury their head in the sand.

[tapestodiane]

They do spit on occasion but very rarely at people and generally not to show aggression.

<sub>[So yes and no. He reaches out to touch the halter and thus attempt to lead the llama to ... somewhere, that isn't indoors and isn't in either of their faces.]

[Cause curiously, no one else seems to have any idea whose llama this is.]

[The llama in question is still watching the girl, but then gives a snort after a while and obediently turns towards the door, where Coop's leading it to.]</sub>

Could you hold that open for me, please?

[1:2]

[francia]

[France appears. Simply appears. There's not really an explanation for his appearance. Simply that he appears.]

Cooper!

[He doesn't seem to find anything odd about this. Nothing at all. In fact, he looks completely at peace with his sudden appearance. He looks, actually, happier than Cooper has probably seen him in a very long time.]

[2:2]

[francia]

[He pauses, though, once he assesses the situation a bit further than just Cooper.]

...Is that a llama?

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[And Coop is startled by the random act of appearance, but given the circumstances, not as much as he normally might have been. Either way, he still looks up quickly, then his eyes soften when he recognises France and opens his mouth to say something in greeting, but-]

[yeah, there's the llama.]

[He glances to it. The llama in question is curiously observing this new stranger, so Cooper looks back to him as well with the simple confirmation.]</sub>

Yes. It is.

[francia]

[France stares at the llama. It seems to stare back. France stares a bit longer, head turning slightly but not breaking eye contact with it. Something tells him he shouldn't. He doesn't know why.]

I didn't know there were llamas in...

[France trails off, still not taking his eyes off the llama but obviously attempting to gauge more of their surroundings at the same time. It makes him look kind of psychotic.]

Where are we exactly?

[happygeneration]

Difficult as I find it to believe I am actually saying this, it appears I'm going to have to retract one of my previous statements: this is by far the most backwater burg I have ever had the utter misfortune of setting foot in. I'm sure Twin Peaks will be ecstatic to learn it has now been relegated to second place.

Cooper, where the hell are we and why is this mutt following me?

[tapestodiane]

_{[The sound of that voice nearly makes him melt with relief. It's a voice he can trust. And he's so goddamn happy for it. He breathes in deep, doesn't quite manage to do it without it being shaky, before he turns to face his friend. He knows the smile won't fool him, but it's most part genuine.]}

That's a long story, Albert. But I'm very happy you're here.

[happygeneration]

[Albert Rosenfield has known Dale Cooper a long time. They go way back, back to when Coop was still a rookie on the force and would whisper uncertain comments to his secretary about that agent in the autopsy theater and why he was so angry all the time. Their acquaintance stretches back a decade or more, and in that time they have been through murders and drug busts, cases and conundrums, heartache and heartbreak and Pittsburgh.

And that is why it takes Albert all of about two seconds to spot the little things: the tremor in his breath, the fervent relief flooding through his stance, the eager hope in his eyes — and figure out that something is very the hell wrong.]

So start at the beginning.

[Two steps bring him into Coop's proximity, a Poochyena trailing along not far behind, and his hand comes up to clasp his shoulder.]

What is it, Coop?

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[He relaxes a bit into the touch because it's just another thing that means .. well, not safety, but comfort and reassurance. And he could really use that right now.]

[He also knows that there's absolutely no reason to lie to Albert, nor any way he could pull it off.]</sub>

Windom Earle was here.

_{[Recently. It can't have been more than an hour or two and he's still understandably shaken.]}

[action]

[quickattackjack]

<sub>[Jack had spotted his pal and made a B-line for him, but stopped once he saw the....

the thing.]

[What....what the hell was that.]

[Jack has never seen a llama before and isn't sure what to do think about it.]</sub>

Who's your friend?

[action]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[Coop accepts the presence of the skeleton easily, having met him in this form before, and - well, honestly, stranger things have happened. Besides, Jack's a friend.]

[He only looks over fleetingly at first, staring down the llama as he takes half a step back from it, then turns to face the other.]</sub>

Friend might be pushing it.

_{[There's a bit of humour there, though! He looks the llama over again, considering.]}

I don't know who he belongs to.

_{[Which might not answer the question really, but hey.]}

[action]

[quickattackjack]

_{[He's still looking at that llama because it's...kind of...creepy. In a way Jack hasn't encountered before. He's not sure if he's supposed to be impressed or unnerved.]}

I...see. It's good to see you, anyhow!

[tapestodiane]

You too, Jack!

_{[With that he turns more fully towards the skeleton, smiling. The llama keeps staring at Jack from over his shoulder, though.]}

I see that once again you have your true form back.

[no llama]

[isthelittlegirl]

[There is a little girl looking at you.]

Do you know where my daddy is?

o/!

[tapestodiane]

_{[And she'll be getting a look back, concerned from the very nature of her question.]}

I'm not sure, but I can try to help you find him.

What's your name?

[isthelittlegirl]

Cheryl Mason.

[She's very concerned as well. Her daddy is lost.]

[tapestodiane]

<sub>[.. he knows this girl. Or at least, he knows who she'll become. He takes a moment to just look at her, and yes, he can see it now when he knows it.]

[He tries not to let it show, though, instead just nods.]</sub>

Your father's name is Harry?

_{[He's expecting a yes, but he asks anyway. It's a way of letting her know that he knows him, at least by name.]}