ϡ - Chapter ThirtyThree; An Unusual Return [Action|Voice] (backdated to early afternoon)

[folklorist]

[Action: Locked to Robert and Helios]

[ It’s a normal day and everyone has gone back to their own worlds. The cacophony of unknown voices over the journals has ceased and there is simply silence. But it’s not as if either of these two would have remembered. They were both taken by the droids just before such events took place, and were replaced with ones that looked and acted just like them. No one knew they were gone and no one would have to.

Except…except things weren’t exactly right upon their return. They usually never were, to be fair. But this, this was something beyond anything Helios thought the Malnosso were capable of.

He was… he was warm...and the pain... The pain was gone; that constant dull pain that had been a part of his life for as long as he could remember...for as long as Elise has been gone. It wasn’t right.

Something is so very wrong right now, and he doesn’t know what to do.

Helios looks over at the scientist lying off to the side and he finally realizes that they’re in some random, empty, unclaimed house. Robert is sprawled on his side, wings twitching a little under his lab coat, but he otherwise looks normal.

It's only when Helios stoops close to shake him gently awake that he realizes something is wrong with him, too. Robert's hands are deathly cold against his palms...just like his usually are.

...They're going to have to talk.]

[Later action: Open to all]

[Eventually, Robert and Helios walk out of the building together, composed (enough) and ready to face all the inevitable accusations...though they will be very careful and recalcitrant about any major questions. And also a little reluctant to leave each other alone...especially not in their current conditions. Feel free to run into either of them on their meandering way back to House 55...they'd love the company.]

[Eventually, however, they'll get inside and be able to fish out Robert's journal...and then Helios fetches the journal to say a few words.]

Where is it? Oh! Yes it's on. [ He's always a bit more absentminded when there's a lot on his mind, forgive him. ]

It's b-been two days? N-No…around three, I believe. Ah, well, we’re both back. We’re both f-fine and, and there’s nothing to worry about! [ Oh yes. Nothing at all. ] W-We meaning Robert and I. H-He’s fine and-and if you want to speak with him you can. The Malnosso left us in better shape than usual. Ha...perhaps they are learning how to be compassionate. [ A light chuckle. ]

Yes, well, d-did anything happen? Is everyone…is everyone alright? [ A lot can happen in two days in Luceti after all. ]

[ OOC: Robert and Helios return from their mallynap! Feel free to specify in the subject line of your reply where your character is and who you want your character to talk to – either will talk if asked, though most action replies will probably be three-way threads.]

Comments

[Action] Both please!

[lostinmyway]

[Somehow, Grune had lost a couple of days--or so her housemates have been telling her. Truthfully, it doesn't bother her in the slightest, but then again, very little does. Even waking up alone in the mountains resulted in nothing more than a "Huh" moment.

Missing the kidnapping of two of her friends, however, is at least slightly more distressing--or will be, if she ever finds out. At the moment, she's still blissfully unaware.

Out on a ramble somewhere between House 34 and House 55, it takes her a little while, but eventually she spots the pair. As soon as she does, she beams and calls out:] Oh, hello there, Helios and Robert!

[Time to go have a little chat!]

[Action] For you, anything. :D

[folklorist]

[ Worse for wear, internally and mentally speaking, Helios can do his damnedest to make it seem like nothing it wrong. He's perfected this for several years and so the smile on his face is wavering but it still looks genuine. ]

Oh! G-Grune! I-I didn't see you there. [ A sheepish laugh from him. ]

[Action] Derp derp, I totally saw this... AND YES. Anything for you. <3

[semper_cogitans]

[Meanwhile, Robert is not good at hiding his feelings. And so, while he smiles, it's forced; it might betray he's not quite feeling up to snuff.]

... H-Hello, Grune...

... Are you doing well...? [Because he can remember their last few encounters.]

[Action] | Locked to Helios~ o/`

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert's eyelids flutter a little as he is jolted out of the blank void of deep, drug-induced sleep.

He isn't awake enough yet to realize much, to realize the strange new forces in him, but he does notice the dull, throbbing pain.

And how cold he feels. And how hot Helios' hands feel against his own.]

H-H... Helios...?

[Action]

[folklorist]

[ Helios has been jolted awake from the forces gone from him. His hand shakily moves Robert's shoulder, so as to try to stir the other out of his sleep. He'll pull away when he hears Robert's reply scooting up against the wall of what appears to be an abandoned house.

Why. Was it always this cold before? No. He's just...he's too warm. It's foreign and it's incredibly off putting. Helios' voice is barely above a whisper. ] Robert...

[Action]

[semper_cogitans]

[And Robert is too cold. Far, far too cold. It's like the surface of his skin is freezing.

Blinking almost owlishly up at Helios through his glasses, he tries to articulate this.]

... Wh-why am... I so cold...?

[Give his addled mind a moment to piece things together.]

[Action for everyone!]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don locates Robert and Helios sometime after their return to House 55. He's more coherent than he was a week ago, though still not all there, and completely unaware that either of these men had been kidnapped.]

Hey, Helios. Are you guys working on something?

[Action party!]

[semper_cogitans]

[It's Robert who replies first, forcing a flickering smile across his features. Don, especially, will be one of those people who will probably find out, but he wants to delay that inevitability.]

Ah... well, we simply... d-decided to walk home together...

... Though, I suppose we could... [It'd distract Robert from the constant pain. How does Helios live with this?]

[Action party cat says party!]

[folklorist]

[ Helios practically jumps when Don comes into the room. Oh, god. This is not what he wanted right now. He manages a wavering smile. ] Ah. Y-Yes we were both close so-so I offered t-to walk Robert home.

[ His expression turns thoughtful for a second. Thinking along the same lines as Robert. It would help, Helios realizes, with the pain. He often took on tasks as well...when it first happened. The Mirage Ring, the castle in general, all of it took the pain away some small amount. But it was always there regardless. ] W-We could, yes.

[Action for all?] Hope this works. XD

[fearless_leader]

[Missing two days is a little alarming to anyone, especially Leo. As somebody who likes to be aware, loosing whole two days is worrying. His worry only increased when Robert wasn't in the house. He was going to see if he could get a hold of him on the journals, when Robert walks in the door...with Helios.]

Robert? Everything alright?

[Action~] | Totally works for me o/`

[semper_cogitans]

[... Yep, this probably doesn't look good at all.

Awkward.

Robert's smile is even more forced than usual, at this.]

Ah... h-hello, Leonardo...

... Yes. We, er, merely had... a setback. Of... of sorts.

[Can Leonardo see there is something wrong...?

Robert hopes not.]

[Action~] | It doesn't work for me. GET OUT! >:[ /shot

[folklorist]

[ No it probably doesn't, at all. Helios all but pauses where he stands when Leonardo enters the room. He'll swallow thickly. ] Ah. Leonardo. Good afternoon.

[ He sounds as sincere as possible. He can do this. ] Y-Yes we just...ah, g-got back. But, but everything is alright. S-Sorry if-if we worried you. [ He looks down at the floor as he mumbles the next statement, more to himself than the other two in the room. ] Never know where those insufferable things will drop you. I-I was just...walking Robert home. I-I'll go now. It's-it's probably better if I check in with G-Giles, and Adele and Ginia.

[ He doesn't quite know that Leonardo can sense chi. That information is sadly lacking and so he might be making to turn and leave out the door now, yep. ]

[Voice--Open to all]

[redjacketthief]

[Lupin sure as hell didn't know these two men, but he wasn't drunk enough or tired enough to believe them for a second. He audibly sighs and, though not necessarily feeling charitable, decided to offer a tip.

Don't worry. He's a nice man.]

...You know, it's common knowledge that somebody insisting that 'there's nothing to worry about' [mimicking the speaker's accent there] is a sign that something is very, very wrong.

[Voice]

[folklorist]

[ This is where Helios winces and is grateful the video function isn't on. He manages a sheepish laugh. The mimicked Romanian accent isn't helping. ]

N-not at all. I-I just wanted to reassure everyone. In case...in case anyone was worried. [ Because he knows a good few who would be and probably should be if they were ever to find out the truth about what the Malnosso did to them. ] There's really nothing to worry about.

[Voice]

[redjacketthief]

[Riiiiiiight. He'll believe that when he believes in Father Christmas and cute little elves that make shoes. If this is awkward, be glad that Lupin didn't see fit to mimic the man's voice.]

A valiant goal, no doubt. ...You want a tip? You never, ever tell someone that there's nothing to worry about. People will do the opposite, and your objective is shot.

Also? Talk on the journals is that no one remembers this passed weekend. Count yourself lucky, if you want.

[Voice]

[semper_cogitans]

[It takes Robert some time to respond to this, but eventually he does - mostly out of habit.

...

You thought Helios was bad? This guy is even worse.]

Ah, w-well... ... I s-suppose the... alternative is... l-less honest. And, er, honesty is... th-the most effective m-methodology...

... ... Is there... a b-better way to... phrase such a s-statement...?

[... He's actually asking. Robert doesn't know social cues well, so for all he knows Lupin is totally right.]

[Voice]

[redjacketthief]

[Bluntly.]

You don't say that nothing is wrong.

[Now, with smiles!]

You act like there's nothing wrong. Or, just be honest. Cause, as you said, 'honesty is the most effective methodology.' [He won't mimic the stutter.]

[Voice]

[consultmybooks]

[WHAM!

This is the sound of a fist being driven very hard into a wall. Someone still feels a bit like crap after getting killed - a fact that's probably audible in his voice - and this is not helping.]

Stop. Doing. That.

[Voice] do you want robert and helios both to respond? :c

[folklorist]

[ Helios visibly winces on his end as he hears this reply over the journal. Giles what... ]

G-Giles? Wh-what's wrong? [ Because, no, you sound very bad at the moment. ] A-Are you alright?

Re: [Voice] Separate threads might be best, given my slow, but yes!d? :c

[consultmybooks]

Y-You both. Both of you, I, I mean. You... [No. Stop that. He shakes himself.]

Y-You're, you're always... [Not their fault. Giles sighs in frustration and pages rustling might be heard as he almost throws the journal at the wall.

He's fine. Adele and Grune have probably had to keep a very close eye on him, but he's fine.]

E-Everyone just keeps...vanishing. S-Stop that.

[Voice] | Separate thread is a go! <3

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert, meanwhile, just flinches and it's awhile before he responds.]

S-Stop... stop doing wh-what...?

I... I am s-sorry, I... [And trailing off uselessly, now. Mostly because Robert doesn't know what else to say.]

Re: [Voice] - Apologies for Giles, he just woke up from being dead.

[consultmybooks]

[Sigh. Head in hands. Count to ten. Try to remember how to communicate without screaming, try to remember that these are two people that will actually hear him, try to remember just what the hell is wrong with him...]

Don't apologize, Robert.

Action - What the heck, both.

[fleurdesel]

[Adele's spent the better part of the morning walking off her hangover and irritation at being unable to suitably assist Giles, to notice that something was fundamentally wrong with not remembering the past few days- all of it needed to be burned off somehow and she lacked a sofa to hack at with an axe. Well she had an axe and a sofa but it didn't earn it this time so Adele stalks around the plaza instead, pacing out the entire village in time to the throbbing pain in her head.

She catches sight of Helios. She strides over, rubbing at her face and looking him over. She'd paused now and then in her walk to listen to the journals and what he'd said hadn't sat right with her at all. Ignoring her usual tendency to let Helios and his need for distance be she grabs at his sleeve to tug to get his attention.] Forgive me if I call Bullshit on you being fine. What happened?

Action - her and Remy man. All the touching!

[folklorist]

[ Helios gasps before he has an actual chance to reply because oh gods he did not see you there Adele. He sort of...jumps a little, perhaps a bit more on edge what with their predicament. ] Ah! A-Adele?! N-Nothing! Nothing h-happened! W-We just got a bit t-turned around!

Action - And now Robert gets to be hideously awkward. 8'D All the awkward...!

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert, on the other hand, doesn't even recognize this woman. He shrinks away from her, standing at a safe distance, and stares with anxious fearfulness until Helios mentions her name.

... Okay, so he knows her. But that won't stop him from being on edge.]