[he smiles, and pulls a folded piece of paper out of his jacket pocket. it has the worn look of something that has been folded and unfolded and folded again just a few too many times.]

I am sorry it took so long for me to figure out the last name! I wanted to make sure everyone listed got a chance; they all must have been equally important.

[he places Stephanie's final note gingerly on Hiro's desk.]

[he watches him read with an uncharacteristic amount of attention. at the nod, he lets out a light laugh, glancing out the windows for a moment.]

I have no idea what I'm doing! [said cheerfully enough, but he has a moment where he seems surprised that he's said it.] There must be something that made her do what she did; she is... zealous, maybe, but she is not a fool. A clue, or a rumor... But, none of "us" [does air quotes] seem to know anything!

[or won't tell him. he's not sure. why is he even saying this to someone.]

It is very difficult to believe you can save the day when the days turn into months. But, what else can you do? [maybe he just misses skutla.]

[he is absolutely not as good at charades as Steph give him a minute or two of staring blankly and wondering why he wants a calculator.]

... Oh! [he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out - well, he doesn't see it as his, really, but. he just hands it right over.]

[sheepish laugh] Ah, sorry! I don't really...

[lives in a sentient airship. does not understand a cell phone.

he unlocks it, then hands it back.]

[his eyes widen.]

... Thank you. [because it's one thing to tell everyone that he's sure she's alive. it's another thing entirely to actually be sure.]

Then this place hides her... somewhere. A place that I can't see. [sighs] It's much easier when villains keep their captives in cages outside! This place has no style at all.

[like amirite or amirite]

Oh, no, that doesn't count; it doesn't have a roof! It wouldn't be a very good cage if you could just jump right out, yes? [he is an expert in being trapped inside cages young man trust him on this one.]

[honestly he could probably just standing jump it he's cleared higher. he is a freak.]

That would make it very difficult... [for hiro, he means, but that's rude so he'll keep it to himself.] But, even if that counts for a cage, it's not the one she's in. Whoever controls this land is much less sporting than I am used to!

[like say what you will about robbie but he's never kept a hostage past bedtime that is very unfair to everyone.]

She has been gone for... [counts] Almost two months. Maybe it is a very, very slow fight?

[also she is very small and tiny and he knows that she is fully convinced she could punch a monster to death and that worries him a lot???

sighs] I've never regretted not paying attention to magic more... [like maybe if he hadn't spent those five hours playing soccer as a child stephanie wouldn't be dead??? why did he not consider the consequences 50+ years ago???]

That is a terrifying power indeed! [i wish he was sarcastic.]

It is a plan, though, which is more than I had before now. My only other one is to start tearing everything apart until someone comes to stop me. [beat] I am not very good at plans! Stephanie usually made them for me.

[he's more like "I will figure out what I will do after landing this flip while still in the air."]

[grins] If they didn't at least try, I would not be doing it right!

[still... he pauses for a moment, definitely looking like he is giving the idea some serious thought.]

... Ah, no. It would be fun, and I would enjoy doing it. But, protecting people must always come first. I cannot do something if I'm ever unsure about that.

[speaking of which...]

How are your studies going? [pause] Finals are very soon.

Hm. [pause] Have you made your decision? About which test you will take?

[he doesn't want to say "you are clearly a wimp and you would be murdered immediately in the practicum" but he will if he's even slightly leaning that way.]

If you need any help preparing for it...

[because steph would gut him like a trout if he let one of her favorites come to harm. so really they're both in thrall here.]

... It is not looking so good for... more than a few of your classmates. [he glances at the desks around them.] Is it always like that? I have been trying to understand the point of it, but it just seems... [what's the word...] cruel?

Canceling... [frowns] If she had not canceled it, would things have been much worse?

[because there's failing a contact. and then there's failing a Contract.]