ϡ - Chapter TwentyFour; Hello again [action/accidental voice]

[folklorist]

[ The journal might pick up rustling and a brief intake of air before turning off.

He was alive and that was the cool ground beneath him, wasn’t it? It wasn’t saturated with his blood nor was it amidst the rain forest. Instead he was staring up at that beautiful cherry blossom tree at the top of the hill. It was a startling awareness that overtook him in that brief period of time from when he opened his green eyes to sitting up. His clothes were no longer marred with the blood he had lost and looking at them, despite the lack of blood and the shock it would have brought being missing, everything still came rushing back along with the shock. He didn’t want to remember it, those teeth and those claws tearing into him. God he never wanted to remember it and yet here he was remembering like it was only yesterday. His last dying breath was while he was looking into the faces of his two best friends as he lay dying at their feet. He looked at his arms, legs, and back, hands shaking slightly before steadying. His wings were fine as well all in one piece even and he moved them just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming…

He was fine and there was no more pain besides being alive in this place again. No he can’t think like that; he had people here he had to protect and people here he cared about. It was all so…disorienting. Like countless others Helios had been brought back from the dead, like necromancy or...immortality. It was a dream many men in his world would love having. Albeit what they make you give for such a life here…was it all truly worth it?

This was Luceti. This was the town, the same town, with those same individuals that entrusted him to put up barriers to keep away their fears and add a slightly deeper sense of protection. The barriers. Green eyes widened as he realized what his death had meant. ]

Oh no.

[ He had to go…he had to go and check on them. In his attempt at getting up he’ll turn on the voice function once more on the journal. There’s more sound of movement as Helios gets up the voice function still on as he mumbles something under his breath but he doesn't turn off the feed, absentminded as usual. He’ll be stumbling down from the hill making his way towards the appropriate buildings. He had to make sure everything was in place and functioning. He didn’t know what complications his death might have caused and it was best he make sure. He shouldn’t be wandering around like this but he doesn’t care. He does care about who sees him though, so he’ll try as much as possible to steer clear of people’s view. It obviously isn’t so easy for him since he is a derp coupled with the post-return imbalance and therefore he is stumbling and not paying much attention while he’s walking. He doesn’t know about his friend’s announcement, of course, but Helios knows one of them, Frederic or Giles, would have told people by now. God he hates that he had to force that on one of them at all. He didn’t want to see them…not yet. He put them both through so much…it-it wasn’t right. And yet he was so tired and just wanted to go home. Home, home, he didn’t even know what that meant anymore, really. Was this place a home when sent into battle and never told a single thing? Was it a home when friends were made to watch those they cared about die? It wasn’t and yet he was stuck here…they all were stuck here. And he just…had to cope that’s all they could ever do.

If anyone is nearby House 7, House 55 or the Playground or just in the vicinity walking between those places you might just find that blonde haired man with green eyes stumbling and using the trees to right himself each time he does trip. He’s not…paying much attention to anything as he’s still very much out of it. Too much thinking and he obviously needs people to snap him out of it. Or not. Just another day in Luceti though and Helios is finally back. ]

((ooc; Sorry for the tl;dr, derp. Also timeline doesn't really matter since Helios will be wandering aimlessly for a few hours. Probably until nighttime. ))

Comments

[folklorist]

Your world doesn't seem to get much of a break, does it.

Mm it makes me what to try even harder to get you to visit mine. If only for a vacation. [ It's a soft laugh that escapes him. But a genuine one that he truly means what he says. ]

Ah, no, that'd be selfish of me, wouldn't it? Do you think anyone else would want to come and visit?

[consultmybooks]

Willow would. Possibly Dawn. Buffy might, just for the, um, inherent novelty value.

[Giles can't quite keep the sad edge off of his smile.]

...if I had the choice, Helios, I'd quite like to live in your world.

[folklorist]

If there was only a way to replicate it. [ A sigh escapes him as he leans back up against the fountain's edge eyes closing for a few moments. ]

It's almost the same, really. Just a little less...hostile. I-I mean there are still problems...many problems. Nothing is truly perfect after all.

[consultmybooks]

Supernatural beings aren't inclined by instinct to maim, murder, and devour.

And it's definitely still there, which is something I still doubt about my world.

...still, perhaps there's another version of me in your world already, Helios?

[folklorist]

Well being through everything you have...I'm not surprised you have your doubts.

Interesting...I never considered it a possibility. But there might be! And there might be a version of me in yours. I wonder what I would be doing in your world...how different would we be.

[ He's very curious about this now. So many possibilities! ]

[consultmybooks]

I don't know.

I think it would depend on the...sorts of people we had around us. Whether our friends and family from home also existed in these different realities.

If I didn't know Buffy, for example...I'd be a very different person.

[He finds that the thought is...almost comforting, either way.] I might even still be working for either Council.

[folklorist]

True. I-I would hope our families would be with us too. I-I mean they might be different as well, correct? [ Said a little hesitantly. ]

I suppose I would be too if I didn't know Varron. [ A pause. ] I don't think I would have ever met Elise without him...pushing me.

[ More like leaving him to die in front of her dorm room door and oh god the memories. His horrible poem and everything just...so bad. But Helios is smiling at the memory. ]

[consultmybooks]

Yes, they might. We might have been born to different families, or our families might have survived in a different form. [Said...without much hesitation. Or emotion. Giles could seriously take or leave his family...or could, back when it existed. The Scoobies are his family. Or were. It's complicated.

Hm? A happy memory with regards to Elise? Giles doesn't usually pry, but...hey, happy memories. Worth a try. He passes over a cupcake.]

When was this?

[folklorist]

[ Helios nods taking that cupcake and peeling back the wrapper but pausing before he takes a small bite. ]

Senior year of college. It-it was supposed be serious, but he made it into a joke! The nerve. [ Not said in the least bit serious. ]

I, I didn't know until I laid eyes on her that she was my...soulmate. I just...you just feel something resonant within you. Like nothing you've ever felt or thought you could feel before. It's not like...love at first sight or something silly like that. [ He'll make a slight brushing off motion as he explains. ]

More profound, more...real and natural. It feels like...another part of you is there with them. I think she knew as well. I...I think she playing hard to get with me too. [ Helios just laughs. ] But that's just how she was, teasing, I mean. [ Helios looks embarrassed at this next bit. ]

I wrote her a poem, Giles. Ah, gods it was horrible. I don't even think she cared much for poetry.

[ But it didn't matter at the time, really. It was so sappy but he was so content, even with her laughing at him, that he honestly could never take offense looking back on it even now. ] But I did anyway.

[consultmybooks]

[Giles tries not to laugh at the mention of the poem - genuine, honest effort, dammit, covering his mouth with one hand and averting his gaze. But his shaking shoulders give him away - it's a second or two before he replies.] Sometimes it, um, really is the thought that counts. Well, that and how amusing and pitiable the attempt behind the thought is. [God help him, the first time he tried asking Jenny on a date remains one of his dearest and most embarrassing memories ever.]

Writing a poem for someone traditionally requires a great deal of enthusiasm.

It, It meant you had noticed her. If she felt the same, that's, um, probably what she appreciated the most, in the end.

[Giles takes a quick look in the bags and...good Lord, did they really eat all those sweet so quickly? Helios' sampling options are definitely getting low.]

[folklorist]

[ Giles why are you laughing? You're almost as bad as Varron. No but Helios is too because the whole thing was ridiculous. ] Oh yes. I did put a lot of thought into it. Several days worth. She never asked me to write another one again, though.

[ Just laughing now. Poet Helios is not. ]

Badly written poetry aside she did appreciate it, very much so. [ Just rubbing his eyes. ] But what a first impression to make on someone who you share such a bond with.

[consultmybooks]

[He's laughing because you're his best friend, Helios, and this is showing him more than anything that you're going to be okay.]

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Badly written poetry aside, you certainly made a better first impression than I did with Jenny.

Perhaps she just didn't like poetry.

[folklorist]

It couldn't have been that bad Giles. It's rather hard to out compete bad poetry nowadays.

[ Or could it? Can you really out beat bad poetry? ]

Flowers usually did it. Flowers and chocolates I think are the standard issued items of choice. Varron forgot to mention that, let alone stay there when I went to her door.

[ A huff. ] Just left me there.

[consultmybooks]

Yes, well. Call me an overachiever, then.

[At least with bad poetry, you're successfully managing to string three words together. All that practicing to the chair hadn't done a lick of good, at the crucial moment.]

I'm sure he had only the best intentions, Helios.

[...which doesn't preclude the idea that Varron did so as an especially cruel prank, of course.]

[folklorist]

I'm sure she was understanding whatever is that happened. It's a nerve wracking situation!

[ Helios shakes his head. ]

Oh yes. Best intentions indeed. But I forgave him. After all without those intentions who knows if I'd ever work up the nerve to see her.

[consultmybooks]

Understanding enough to spare me the agony of actually forming a coherent sentence, yes.

I like to think that I managed to convey the right ideas, at least.

[Taking a cupcake for himself, now.]

You might. Or you might not have.

There's probably another universe where you met her without Varron's devious intentions, and...one where you never did.

[folklorist]

Ah so it was one of those. [ Don't mind the big, stupid, derpy smile on his face Giles. ]

I can't imagine not ever meeting her. Then again in those cases there might be someone else who fills in the gap. It might even be an entirely different person altogether.

[ It's honestly hard to think about. The only other version of him also met Elise so he can't say he knows what type of a man he'd be without her. Or what kind of person he'd be with a different true light no less. ]

[consultmybooks]

It was one of those, yes. [Ignoring the derpy smile, Helios. Or trying to. Giles is glad you can laugh at his pain, bro.]

Well, fortunately, you don't have to. [Passing over the last donut.] Those people who didn't aren't you, Helios. They're just...who you could have been.


There, um, there is a difference.

[folklorist]

[ It's not laughing. It's sharing mutual pain! He loses the expression nodding at what Giles says. ]

Oh of course. It just...gives one something to think about. [ Munching on that donut. ] I've think I filled my sugar quota for the next few weeks.

[ Not really, but he's joking. Did they really eat all of that? Good lord. ]

[consultmybooks]

[Giles clutches at his stomach, grimacing. Because yes, yes they did.]

Good Lord, so have I.

...we should still stop by Seventh Heaven.

[folklorist]

I didn't even notice... [ Good thing his metabolism is fast. Magic it helps keep you thin! ]

We definately should. Sweets aside I would like to have a meal not entirely comprised of sugar. [ He'll blink. ] Oh...that doesn't sound like me at, does it?

[consultmybooks]

[Giles doesn't have the magic. Giles just has the daily training with a broadsword. The effect is the same.

He chuckles, at that.]

It sounds like you when we consider that you haven't had any proper food for a week. Come on. [He gets up off the fountain.]

[folklorist]

It only feels like a week when I start listening to my stomach. [ It's true. If it wasn't so obvious Helios would have thought it only a few hours at best. He'll get up then and follow Giles, brushing off the few crumbs that fell into his lap. ]

[consultmybooks]

I would advise listening to your stomach, then. Because it has been a week.

[A frown steals over Giles' face. There are less happy topics to discuss.]

The situation with Grell was, um, resolved, in your absence.

[folklorist]

[ Helios looks at Giles eyes widening a little. His gaze will return to the ground though as he follows Giles to the restaurant. ]

Resolved how, exactly? [ Meaning was anyone hurt. ]