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WHO: Cobb Vanth & Others
WHERE: The newspaper offices
WHAT: General work day activities and banter.
WHEN: One day.
WARNINGS: Possible swears.

Every day, almost without fail, Cobb made it to the office at 8:30 am.

"Morning Charlie," he said to the security guard as he walked through the lobby, the sound of his cane echoing off the marble floors and slate ceilings. There were a few others around, judging by the echoing footsteps. The building was never quiet but it wasn't a madhouse just yet.

He could smell some fresh flowers and a vanilla chia latte with two shots of expresso as he passed the reception desk which told him who was manning the phones this early. "Morning Jo."

"Morning Mr. Vanth," answered the young African-American woman. He couldn't see her. He couldn't see anything but she had told him once when he commented on how it sounded like she had beads in her hair. She wore her hair in dreadlocks with beads. Cobb 'saw' the world through sound and sense most of the time.

"You're gonna call me Cobb one of these days," he teased playfully on his way to the elevators.

"Of course I will, Mr. Vanth," she replied dryly without looking his way.

He chuckled, cane still leading the way. When it bumped the wall for the elevator bank he reached his hand forward, running his fingers along it until it went from wood paneling to metal. A little swipe of his fingers and he found the buttons to call the elevator. Luckily, those buttons never changed. And this early there was no one offering to get the buttons for him either.

They meant well but he was perfectly capable of handling elevator buttons by himself.

The elevator pinged and he stepped in. Another search with his fingers reading the braille off to the side of the buttons he found the right floor, pushed, and then waited for the familiar sensation of the elevator moving. He went over a few story ideas in his head while the elevator went up. When it stopped and the door opened he stepped off.

He walked into the office, enveloped in familiar scents and sensations. He could walk around the desks here without needing his cane. The layout was imprinted into his mind. It blazed in his senses as well but he didn't rely on that when he was in a familiar place. He could go to his desk but he went to the little breakroom and made coffee first.

With his heightened sense of smell he could brew it without burning the grounds. Unlike some of the people in this newsroom who always, always burned it without fail whenever they made a pot.

With fresh coffee he made his way to his desk and settled in. Time to start the work day.

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Luckily, Cobb thought to grab her purse for her. He grabbed it as he tucked her arm against his. "Boss, Lark's not feelin' well. I'm going to get her home!"

He could hear her heart racing a little but she wasn't lying about this. She seemed scared for some reason which wasn't like Lark at all. Something was definitely wrong.

"Do you want to call someone?" he asked as he led her towards the elevators. "Just to keep an eye on you while you're home?"

Because he felt like she shouldn't be alone right now.

True, her heart does race. Fear. This place cut to the heart of her with fear. To be so caught in the spell of another, no matter how she might buffet it, was too much. And already she knew she did not have what she would need for a working of any sort. No fibers around but those she wore. How could there be no thread to call to, no spindle to reverse?

Lark was one of the Great Mages of her world and yet this place was so great a mystery it drove fear to her heart.

With his help in standing she walked forward, only to find herself unstable in her shoes. Why could she not be in practical sandals?

“I think the one I would call cannot answer.”

Rosethorn, if only you were here.

“I do not believe I have someone to ask. But I am unsure.”

Man, she was talking weird. Cobb had never heard her talk like this. Usually, Lark was aware of modern slang and used it often. She sounded like she had escaped out of a university or acting troop or something with how formal she sounded.

"You don't have anyone in your phone?" He patted her purse with his free hand. He didn't want to search through it without her permission but maybe he would since something seemed real wrong. "Your parents? Siblings?"

Cobb didn't actually know that much about Lark outside the office. She really might not have anyone. Maybe he should stay with her?

“Phone?”

The word was a strange one indeed. She didn’t know the meaning. Was it perhaps the device young Billy had shown her by the fountain? Did she possess one?

Well at least she could answer the other things.

“My parents are long past and I had no siblings. So unfortunately I could not reach any party such as those.”

But his concern is lovely.

“Are there perhaps healers I could see?”

"Yeah, we're gonna go see a doctor." Cobb was very concerned because it seemed like Lark might be having a break with reality. He hadn't thought she was that stressed out. Had he not been paying attention?

He stopped outside the elevators and really listened to her, her heart, and her breathing and his senses all turned to her. It told him quite a lot and for a second he could almost see her face but even his strange way of seeing the world couldn't put that much detail in.

She sounded healthy enough, just scared. Really scared.

"Hey, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, okay? I won't leave you alone until you feel safe."

Perhaps she should resist the questions, given the strange man's level of concern. His words were strange, though. Not let anything happen to her? What a strange offer. And safety, what an illusory thing to expect.

"I fear something already has happened," she answered. "Something I cannot define."

She sighed. Sighed and let herself be guided by the blind man. Perhaps he might not see easily, but she had known plenty of blind beggars who were better with their surroundings than a stranger might be. And she was the strangest one could be here.

"Do you ever feel you are not in the right place?"

"You're asking a blind man if he ever feels lost?" Cobb raised an eyebrow and looked in her general direction. He didn't actually feel lost all that often thanks to his abilities but it was the answer people expected of him.

"Yeah, I do. Usually in big crowds when it gets loud." That did actually get confusing to a certain extent. It was a lot for his senses. "But it sounds like you mean something else. Something in your head?"

Because that whole 'fear something already has happened' sounded a lot like some paranoia. Was Lark having a breakdown? He gently guided her onto the elevator.

"I did not ask if you ever felt lost. I asked if you ever felt to be in the wrong place," she corrected. There was value in the specificity of the word choice.

Strangely enough she stepped onto the elevator and had no problem with the doors having opened or closed, nor would she with it rising or falling. They were things that were used in the Tower, just usually far smaller than this. It was pleasing to know the concept could be safely scaled up for movement of things other than hay or the like.

She'd be less comfortable if she knew it wasn't pulled by magic or just by animals.

"No, I do not think it is in my head. I think it is everywhere else."

"... that isn't lost?" Because that's what it sounded like to Cobb and his hearing was pretty good.

And the next words don't help any. It really sounded like Lark was suffering some sort of break with reality. How had none of them noticed Lark was under this much stress? They really had to look out for each other better.

"You know, you just don't worry about that right now okay? I'm gonna get you to a doctor and they'll help you out." He probably should go with her, though that didn't start as the plan it seemed like the plan was changing.

“To be lost implies a level of not knowing where you are. But it could be a place you belong. Here? I do not belong.”

She knows because she can feel it pick at her magic.

“A doctor may be for the best.”

Though if only because then she could affirm for herself that she was fine.

Oh, boy that was a lot to try and untangle. The part that nagged at Cobb and made him worry was that she wasn't lying. She was afraid so her heart beat fast but she absolutely believed what she said. She meant every word.

Once in the lobby he paused to ask the receptionist to call upstairs and let folks know he was taking Lark to a doctor since she wasn't feeling well. He'd be back when he was certain she was safe and looked after.

Then it was outside to signal a cab. At least she didn't need an ambulance. "Look, why don't you tell me the last thing you remember?"

The last thing she remembered. Would he even believe her?

"A city in ruins," she answered.

"Huh."

That sounded more like war reporting than the gossip stuff she did. It didn't sound like she was really thinking clearly. Something had scrambled her mind and thoughts.

He got her into a cab and asked the guy to drive them to the hospital. "No, nothing's wrong. Just got an appointment there," he lied smoothly so the cabby wouldn't panic while driving.

"You didn't accept any drinks from strangers did you?"

Was it war reporting? She wouldn't know. The concern of the driver of the strange conveyance they are in seemed concerned as well, and Lark definitely didn't know what to do with that.

But she was starting to grow agitated and that was clearly a bad thing.

"The last thing I drank was water from the fountain."

"Alright, alright, just checking. I guess I should leave it to the medical professionals." He held up his hands before Lark could get mad at him. He could hear the little uptick in her voice.

"I'm worried about ya, Lark." His tone softened a little, hoping it would help her calm down. "A lot of people care about you and just wanna make sure you're alright."

It just... wasn't like her to get all turned around like this.

Care about her and want to ensure she's alright? Not here. Not here at all.

"And if I were to suggest that I do not know your name?"

What then? Will he have her locked up with a healer? What a question to think of.

"I'd say it's a good thing we're going to see a doctor."

Because this sounded like a major break with reality. Maybe they should've been keeping a closer eye on Lark. Could they have seen this coming and helped?

He really didn't like the idea that she might have been struggling and none of them noticed. They were supposed to be friends, not just coworkers.

If only it was. Lark found herself looking at Cobb, her attention on him very intense. What if she wasn't the one something was wrong with? What if it was him?

Very slowly she pushed some of her magic into the fabric and threads she could feel around her. Just in case she needed to defend herself or escape quickly.

"You believe me not in possession of my facilities?"

"I think something is wrong," he kept his tone gentle because he didn't want her to start freaking out at him when he wasn't agreeing with her instantly. Calm is probably better for her right now.

They were almost to the hospital so hopefully she would stay settled while they're driving the last few blocks.

"Something is wrong, right?" Maybe keeping her talking would keep her calm. Cobb was hopeful some part of Lark remembered him as a friend.

"Very wrong, including the way that I fear you intend to have me treated," she answered, voice level. Her heart was racing less, the fear fading. She would let it have its time later. For now, she had to be ready.

She needed answers, not being confined as was often done to those whose minds were not well.

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. Even doctors." Cobb knew the state of mental health treatment wasn't the best but they were past the ways of electroshock therapy and lobotomies.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt Lark. "For a blind man, I can hit real hard with this cane."

Really, he's just here to help her find herself again. Whatever that took.

“I am capable of defending myself,” she assured him, perhaps to let him know she was safe from even him.

The utter confidence in her voice was unavoidable and undeniable.

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