Colin's posts

Again, Samuel laughed out loud.

"Oh, it's all in good fun!" he said.

"Anyway!" Vincent then chimed in.

"Are we all ready to go?" he asked.

"I am!" Samuel declared.

"Once we're all set, we can start the drive." Vincent commented.

"All that matters is that everyone arrives at the dig site by a certain time, not arriving together." he reasoned.

Vincent merely chuckled.

"Yes, that's true, but Madison is a special case." he responded.

"After all, such an application is rare. I would never have forgiven myself to have turned it down because she's a few years younger than the norm." he reasoned.

Samuel laughed as well.

"Age is but a number, my dear Dr. Kenzey!" he told her.

"What matters is a thirst for knowledge, and a drive to learn!" he declared.

"Isn't that right, young Madison!?" he asked her enthusiastically.

Samuel just laughed heartily.

"Indeed." he said.

"He raved about it, saying his faith in the future had been restored!" he declared.

"Samuel, please." Vincent replied.

"Oh, come off it, old boy!" the man responded. "You cannot deny it!" he said further.

"...I cannot." Vincent admitted.

"It's why I took the time to give a personal response as well, to it." he said to Madison.

Vincent just smiled. It was soft and reassuring.

"Madison." he said.

"Don't be nervous about messing up or screwing up your future." he told her.

"Everyone's been nervous before, and everyone's messed up before." he continued.

"This is a very understanding group. You'll see." he finished.

The two of them then left, with Vincent leading the way, and they made their way to where a small group of people were, and specifically towards an older-looking man that appeared to be in his early 60's, and a younger-looking woman in her mid-20's.

"Vincent!" the man greeted Vincent, a jolly tone to his voice.

"And Madison Kiczys, yes?" he then asked Madison, his tone kind and almost whimsical.

Aly and Ryker each took a bite of cake... and both smile afterwards.

"Mmmmmmm..." Aly murmured dreamily.

"It's so good...!" she said, taking another bite.

"Oh yeah." Ryker agreed.

"It's pretty damn ace." he agreed, giving a thumbs-up.

"This is the best birthday EVER, Eke!" Aly exclaimed to Eke.

Vincent nodded in response.

"I understand." he said.

"And I apologise for any inconvenience." he continued.

"We DO have translators on hand if need be, though." he went on. "Which is to say, a few members of our party are quite multilingual... including myself." he clarified.

"Regardless, if you are ready, let us head to the meeting spot." he suggested.

"The sooner everyone is there, the sooner we head out." he went on.

"Are you excited?" he then asked, a smile on his face.

"Nervous?" he asked further.

Vincent just laughed.

"Fair enough." he said.

"And for the most part, we'll all be speaking English." he told her.

"A fair few of us know French and Spanish as well, but English is the common one for us all." he continued.

"So if you aren't sure of a language someone speaks, default to English." he explained.

"And a long time since you needed to?" he asked.

"I never would have guessed French wasn't your primary." he told her.

"You speak it so well." he went on.

"Shows how much the LeBlanc's have taught you." he then chuckled.

Vincent was silent once more, before sighing.

"All right." he replied.

"You will be in the vehicle with myself." he told her. "As well as Doctors Rossen and Kenzey." he said further.

"Doctor Rossen is an old friend of mine, and Doctor Kenzey is a newcomer to the scene, but she's already made quite the name for herself in the world of archaeology." he explained.

"Have you heard of them?" he asked.

"They're Michelle Kenzey and Samuel Rossen." he clarified.

"I did." Vincent replied.

"I hope you did as well." he told her.

"Because we have a journey ahead of us." he said further.

"At least a 3-hour drive." he continued.

"If you haven't eaten breakfast yet, I suggest you do so quickly, or grab some things to snack on along the way." he then suggested.

"Because we head out in a half-hour."

Aly just giggled.

"Of course I have, silly." she replied.

"I just wasn't expecting it. After all, the meal, the book, it's so perfect. And yet you've made it even MORE so." she told him.

"And that sounds DIVINE." she went on, before looking at the cake.

She closed her eyes, was silent for a moment, before nodding.

"...yes." she said quietly.

She then opened her eyes, and puffed out a breath of air, extinguishing the candle.

Vincent paused when he heard her thoughts.

'....what...?' he thought.

'What on earth is she...?' he started to ask himself mentally, before shaking his head.

"Calm... calm." he said to himself.

"Just be on the lookout for anything or anyone suspicious or out of the ordinary." he said further.

He didn't want to scare the poor girl. Odds are she knew of mana, but didn't know of telepaths.

"Ahem!" he then cleared his throat.

"Madison!" he called to the girl.

"Oh, I see." Vincent replied.

"Well, that's too bad." he said.

"Truly, it's a shame." he went on.

There was something about this that made him feel like something was still off... but he decided not to dig into it.

There was no real reason to, at this point.

"Anyway, feel free to order room service." he told her.

"It's on my dime, and money is no object for this trip." he chuckled.

"...I see." Vincent replied.

He was surprised that Madison had volunteered this information so readily. It was as though she had just trusted him with deepest secrets, and for that, he felt immense honour. That she would trust him with this information was incredible.

But there was still one question left.

"....what was it?" he asked.

"What... was stolen from you?" he asked her.

Vincent chuckled lightly.

"Yes, they ARE a wonderful tr-" he started to say, before pausing.

"...excuse me?" he asked.

"The past few years? Given up?" he asked further.

"Might I inquire as to what you are talking about?" he then asked her.

"Because that sounds deeply troubling and ominous."