oathkept | IC COMMUNICATIONS

[ He's already learned previously about leaving a voicemail message, so Sam isn't quite so lost on how to leave messages anymore. ]

I... quite hope I'm correct in thinkin' that I've just heared Sora then.

If I have, then this is Samwise Gamgee speakin'. I'd quite appreciate hearin' back sometime soon.

[ ... the shire doesn't have voicemail, what else does he say. ] ... that's... about all I've called on you for, if you'll pardon me botherin' you like this. Take care.

[ it's actually been a few weeks since sora's used his private mail last! he hadn't expected any messages, so it might take him until nightfall to actually reply. sora is a busy hero uou he does sound rather embarrassed about the tardiness of his message, though. ]

Hey, Sam! Sorry I wasn't around to pick up. What's up?

[ Not only does Sam pick up pretty quickly, he holds it correctly and replies quickly. He's slowly getting the hang of these. ]

Weren't nothin' to worry over, lad.

I only call to say that I have a birthday present I might give to you, if I know where it is I should bring it. It's mine; my birthday, is my meaning. An' back home, we give gifts out rather then takin' them.

[ --? That's... definitely different! Not that he doesn't mind getting presents, but if it's Sam's birthday, he'd really like to give him one... Huh. Maybe on his birthday, he can give Sam one in return! ]

R-Really? I... gee, that's great, happy birthday! Is it really ok? [ nice things are hard to come by here, after all... ]

Thank you, Sora, an' quite kindly! [ Birthday wishes are really all the gifts Hobbits find themselves wanting to receive on their own birthdays! ]

Well, it's hardly anythin' terrible big or fancy, mind... [ Birthday gifts in the Shire were never extravagant or all that special, so under the scarce amount of supplies available in Adstringendum, Sam's presents are especially quaint. ] Where might I come to bring it to you?

Nah, I'm sure it's really great! [ :D are u kiddin' me this is a present direct from a friend omg sora is going to love the heck out of it no matter what it is ] Thanks a lot! You wanna meet me here? [[x,y], coordinates for the cross church in the northeast quarter lalala ] There's a church there, I think.

[ Sam's learned from the last time; he briefly takes the PCD away from his head when he suspects that Sora is about to send his coordinates. He doesn't like the way it vibrates, but it's considerably more tolerable when it isn't directly pressed to his ear.

He brings it back to his ear and hears Sora mention a church. He isn't sure quite what that might be, but he assumes 'recognizable building' is a safe bet. ] I should try to get there as well as I can, then. I'll hope not to keep you waiting all that long.

[ Sam hangs up the call and sets to work on using the coordinates Sora's granted him with the PCD's map; after the traveling he's done today, he's at least able to figure out using coordinates with it well enough.

He gets his directions after only a moment of trifling, and is on his way in a fairly short amount of time.

Sam quickly sees that his original assumption is quite correct; there is a rather large, ruined building as he draws nearer. He's seen it before on walks with Frodo, and has marked it as one of the few consistent landmarks in the city. He wanders closer, hopping over the rusted little enclosing fence with a little stumble, and wanders. The church's stone walls are in clear disrepair, crumbling and ancient. There is a cemetery - something that strikes Sam as sadly ironic, with what he knows of death in Adstringendum - but the graves are worn blank.

For now, he roams the area in the quiet, and waits. ]

See ya soon!

[ sora is still working on his pathfinding skills through the area, so it takes him a couple of passes until he recognizes the landmarks he had earmarked for this particular trip and calibrates his mental map. if his traveling has done anything for him, beating a good sense of direction into him is definitely near the top of the list.

He touches down at the sight of the ruined church, suddenly remembering this is the first time he's met his hobbit friend in person... communicating through the pcd is fine, but there's nothing like getting to visit a friend face to face. He vaults the fence easily, walking towards the main building. He cups his hand around his mouth as he gets closer. ]

Sam! Are you here?

[ his tone is loud and friendly, cutting through the gloominess of the nearby graveyard. if anything, his voice is very noticeable, even from a ways off. ]

[ There is a heavy gloom hanging in the graveyard, almost palatable in its weight. Sam finds himself quickly growing uncomfortable as he waits, standing in the soft grass of the church's cemetery; the soft silence of everything makes him uneasy, and toeing at dislodged shingles only pacifies him for so long. Samwise is quickly driven to pad away from the graves and find another waiting place.

Eventually, he circles around and finds another door to sit at, and quietly perches on the steps. He doesn't wait much longer; soon enough, Sam hears Sora yell from somewhere nearby. He heaves himself up, as carefully as he can, and manages to maintain his balance. ]

Aye, that I am! [ With that, Sam hops back down the stairs and starts off towards the youth; Sora's voice is even clearer in-person, and it isn't hard for him to pick a direction at all.

He sees the boy soon -- bounding towards him with all excitement. His steps gain just a bit of purpose as he draws nearer, shucking his bag more solidly onto his shoulders. ]

[ by contrast, sora is a little more at ease in a cemetery than one would think he'd be - sure, it's spooky, but a friend of his delighted in chills and frights so much that he's developed a general good humor about the scary parts in life. plus, he hung out in graveyards a lot. it just came with the territory of being friends.

as soon as he spots sam coming, his smile widens as he slows down to make sure his enthusiasm doesn't bowl them both over. he suddenly realizes that he doesn't have any idea where sam lives... he hopes that he didn't make his friend go too far out of his way.

... huh. it's a pretty rare day when he can say that he can look a friend of his eye to eye. ]

Hey! Hope I didn't make you go too far. Happy birthday, uh, again!

[ He can see that the boy's certainly a lot more sunny then the graveyard around them; while he can't be sure why, it isn't unwelcome at all.

He pads towards the young man, over dried ground and grass, slowing as he does, and stops a small way away from Sora. The hobbit smiles to his words, ] I'll thank you quite kindly for the well-wishin' and the concerns, but it weren't much trouble. [ The only thing that's given him all that much trouble today is the PCD, and that's hardly unusual.

Briefly, the hobbit looks around; it would be more polite to hold off on digging through his pack until they were both seated and comfortable, Sam realizes. It isn't all that long an ordeal, but if he was going to take any part fo the boy's day, he'd prefer that he at least be comfortable. ] I shan't think to keep you standin' whilst I rummage about, lad... p'raps we ought find a seat somewheres about.

Oh! Yeah, sure! [ Sora's just fine standing around, but that's quite the knapsack on Sam! He doesn't want to keep him on his feet. He casts around and... yep, the only real place to sit besides the gravestones is the church steps, where Sam had just come from. He gestures that way, moving already as he speaks. ]

Man, this is a little new for me! I've never gotten a present on someone else's birthday, you know?

[ Sam follows, quietly and as quickly as he can manage. He looks to Sora when he speaks, nodding. Few people follow or give much heed to Halfling traditions in general, Sam's noticed - not even at home did many others pay any attention to the customs of the Shire. But this especially seemed to strike most others as strange. ]

I come to realize the Shire's where most Shire traditions stay, lad, if you'll follow me. [ He slings his bag down when they reach the church's steps, climbing up and sitting down just above it, and tugs the pack a little closer. ]

[ Sora inclines his head in mild thoughtfulness as he sits down near Sam, and doesn't bother hiding the stretch of his neck as he tries for a peek into it. What kinds of things does Sam carry in that huge thing, anyway....? ]

Huh... So, the Shire's where you're from. Does... that mean that there aren't many other people from there here?

[ Supplies, mostly, though today it's heavier today with other things. He begins to rummage, putting aside a variety of things; bundles of wadded clothing, largely, and other bulky things.

He tries to remain cordial when Sora asks about others from the Shire, but he thinks on his answer as briefly as he can; he knows that he should be careful when speaking of Frodo, and he knows that Sora is likely trustworthy, but it doesn't take long to remember his last recording on the network: Sora, at the very least, is vaguely aware of Frodo's presence. ]

Just one. [ His nose wrinkles as he shifts his personal effects and tools about, ] Mister Frodo were Shire-folk as well.

[ That really is a lot of stuff. Almost as though he had been packed for a long hike then just a simple trip to meet a friend... Wonder why? ]

Man... I'm sorry. I guess that must get a little lonely... You and Frodo seem like pretty good friends, though. I mean, you were looking for him so hard and all.

Mostly taxin', more then anything else. [ Less lonely then that, surely; there were many big people who had a lot of questions, and even though Sam had grown to understand such inqusitiveness, he could only answer questions about his feet and his small stature so many times before ultimately growing tired of it. Taxing described most of his feelings towards being one of only two Hobbits in all of Adstringendum. There was concern for his family and his home, and longing to return, but not anything that he would describe as lonely; Frodo was with him, and the strange hollow that the worry left him with quickly dissipated when he recalled that Frodo had been back to Middle-Earth already. ]

Indeed we are, [ He looks up and smiles at Sora, before turning back to his pack and hunting a little longer, ] I known Mister Frodo since I was just small.

[ Sora nods at that silently. It doesn't seem as though Sam wants to talk about being one of only a few of his kind here... Frodo seems to be a much more approachable topic. ]

Yeah, that's not surprising. What with how worried you were, I thought you two were related for a little while.

IC COMMUNICATIONS

voicemail - left sometime this morning

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