[color=silver][center][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjExNi44YWJhYzIuUTJGd2NtbGpZMmx2LjI/great-vibes.regular.webp[/img][/center] What awaited outside was chaos. People running and shouting, some grabbing or holding onto weapons, clambering up - or down - ladders. Bows being drawn, commands given. But most notably, there was— [h3]"[color=f49ac2][b]A parasitic plant is controlling that Auroch![/b][/color]"[/h3] [i]... That.[/i] [i]Well,[/i] at least he'd found Pepper alive, with enough air in her lungs to topple a house. That was a good sign. ... The shouting that followed immediately after was [i]not[/i]. One thing after another, could the universe not give her — and [i]him [/i]— a break?! At least it wasn't difficult to spot her, even amongst the chaos. Most everyone who'd taken up arms seemed to have their attention glued to the auroch and the immediate threat it possessed, so Capriccio had little trouble deciding their own focus. Trouble was, Pepper was all the way [i]over there[/i], while he was all the way[i] up here.[/i] [color=8bb9c3]"I don't suppose there's any quick way down?" [/color]he asked from the trio besides him, urgency cracking his usual tone. [color=8bb9c3]"[i]Apart [/i]from the obvious." [/color] He gave the katari and simiah a glance over. They were probably nimble enough to get down without a hassle, but likely not strong enough to take him with. But trying to cast from his distance... not to mention, unlike Pepper, he had no way to amplify his voice, so even any words of encouragement he might've wanted to give, no one of note would've heard. [i]... Unless—[/i] Panic and alcohol sloshed around Capri's head as he focused his sights on the big-but-made-small-by-the-distance hat down below. He tried to imagine what Pepper might be thinking now, tried to feel her fear as if it were his own — and then, to spur hope in its place. [color=8bb9c3][i]"Pepper! ... Yes, hello, it's me! I know, not [b]quite [/b]the happy reunion I would've imagined either, but, well,"[/i][/color] Right, hope, [i]hope—[/i] They did the mental equivalent of clearing their throat and dropping their usual, dramatically high pitch down for a more natural, serious tone. [color=8bb9c3][i]"My promise from back then still stands; you're not alone. Help is on the way."[/i][/color] Hopefully, just knowing that, she would feel rallied to push through. Meanwhile, Capriccio dashed towards the nearest ladder, ready to begin his painstaking journey down, and probably break one of his knees while at it. [hider=ooc]Capriccio spends 1 Hope to open a telepathic connection with Pepper via [b]Telepathy[/b], then [b]Rally [/b]her with a Rally Die of D6. Neither apparently requires a roll.[/hider] [/color]