but what I want to say shouldn't be said over the phone

[rehashing]

[ The smallest of pauses after the beep ] "You've - reached Elena. Gilbert. [ Maybe there are multiple in this cave. ] I'm sorry I missed your call, but if you'd leave - [ And their names will already be attached, built in caller id. She hates this message already But she's going to damn well finish it. ] a message, I'll return the call as soon as I can. [ And that's about all she needs and all she can muster. Oh, she can't forget... ] Thank you." [ "But, why am I thanking them, they called me." "Because it's the polite thing to do. Did they have to call you?" "They wanted to." But, no argument wins. Miranda Gilbert has a way of always being right. ]

call .. text .. video

Comments

[rehashing]

the gods can bring us anything, and they bring us mopeds.

it's funny, when I first woke up here, I thought maybe Elijah had taken me somewhere. I thought maybe Europe. Italy, even. A cave in Italy.

Mopeds.

Are they free?

[overarching]

the one that did this must have a sense of humor? or a sense of fun??

really? do you think there's anywhere in Europe this depressing???

um. let me...look

[ And five minutes later. ]

yes. someone came by and answered that question for us. anyone can use them.

we should take one. what color? [ Is she going to drive the moped to you, Elena? And as per the game's lovely descriptions and Caroline's photo, all of the options are on display: magenta, sunny yellow, sky blue, and peach orange. ]

[rehashing]

[ Elena never saw herself as a moped girl, maybe if she had ever made it to Italy. ironic, now. ]

You pick.

[ Caroline's there already, she's finding what fun there is here. Elena's still stewing in everything happening back home. But, now she's also rereading the first message everyone gets. And getting up. She doesn't mope over some guy. Or, becoming a vampire. She's not a vampire. Not here. Stefan is really a non-issue. She hadn't settled anything with either one of them. There were more important, more dangerous things. She can rest easy that Tyler broke his sire bond and that Caroline has lived for eight years. She's not dead. Some vampires die, especially vampires around her, being the doppelgänger, but she survived. ]

I think that there are depressing places everywhere. Maybe an underground cave in Europe would be. Being taken against my will isn't encouraging.

[ But, hopefully, Caroline knows she won't sit back and mope. Not her style. Not today. Were she a vampire, that would be another story. These feelings she does feel might overwhelm her. Another reason she's grateful not to be. ]

[overarching]

[ Caroline labors over this choice for a couple of minutes. The city isn't huge, and she imagines that Elena might use it more often than she does. When she's out on her own, anyway. Otherwise, they'll be going around town together on a -- ]

OK. Yellow it is. That way, there's at least one thing we can see outside that's actually sunny. :)

[ And you thought she was going to pick magenta, didn't you?! This isn't Barbie Dreamhouse building. Besides, they can always pick a different one later. The moped borrowing seems pretty lax. ]

Fair. Also, that would've been...better. Probably. At least we could've gotten out and gone home. But, no moping from me. [ She doesn't think that Elena's intention is to mope, either. Not at all. Elena's stronger than that.

She considers, on the regular, how grateful she is that Elena isn't a vampire, too. How wild that could have gone, since this place likes to pick vastly different times to take people from the same place (world?) from. It could have taken either of them from when their humanities were turned off. Ugh. ]

I'll bring this back over in a jiffy, then we should go see if there's anywhere halfway decent to eat around here. Or, if that ridiculous stove is our only option. [ Don't bring up the microwave. Small appliance nemeses should be ignored at all costs! ]

[rehashing]

We're not talking about the stove. Or, the microwave. But, maybe we should invite someone we meet today over, so they can show us how to work them.

[overarching]

[ What a great idea, Elena! ] Plus, we do need a network. Someone will have mercy on us. Or pity. I don't really care which. Just as long as we get them working. At least ONE of them...

[ Cause they need to be able to cook, ya'll. ]

[rehashing]

We should focus on the oven if we can. We can do more with it.

[ We meaning 'You.' ]

I'll meet you by the front door.

[ There are a lot of steps, okay? ]

[overarching]

Exactly. We'll get it working. I believe in us! Or, the person who knows way more than us about it.

[ She knows. Plus, she loves to cook. ]

Perfect. On my way over.

[ Caroline driving around on a moped: this cave's sure something, isn't it? ]