[ open ] you wake up, this is not a dream

[sortileges]

Who: sortileges & you!
When: IC: 08/16 - 08/17 / OOC: 08/02 - 08/03
Where: Multiple places (ViViD, in town etc)
What: The Worst Time to come back from a canon update... aka event stuff + return stuff
Rating/Warning: None, will change if anything comes up!

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( ViViD: The worst train ride home, ever | IC: 08/16 )

[ If it weren't for the fact that coming back meant that there was a mix of memories in his head trying to sort themselves into place he might have noticed the warning signs sooner. The signs for Low Energy Levels that kept flashing up were mostly ignored as he just stands in the middle of nothing, hand against his head with his eyes shut tight because it's been a long while, so much has happened and it's weird to figure out that yes, everything is real.

Even this place where he had to get used to technology and a new way of life. His hair is shorter, he's older (though only a little more in age, but in wisdom and life much much more) as too much has happened.

It's a good, long ten or so minutes before he pays attention to the setting. The command prompt and so called "safe mode" mean very little to him so he presumes it's just part of the setting for ViViD this time. At least he knows enough about coming back after one of these trips to know where he probably is, otherwise this would have been even more disorientating. ]

...Hello?

[ Well, it's ViViD but usually there's someone hanging around. Instead it just... feels silent. Like there's nothing else there.

That is, of course, when the signs for low energy levels start going a bit crazier when he starts to walk--his throat starts to feel tight.

And he can't find the exit. ]

Of course the exit wouldn't be that easy to see here, because nothing could ever be easy.

[ Are you someone who was glitched here, or were you stupid brave enough to log in? Too bad, they aren't getting out of this unscathed apparently... ]

( 01: Energy Levels 93% | IC: 08/17 Morning )

[ He'd spent enough time staring at the change on his wrist to know that it probably shouldn't be there, but considering he didn't understand the majority of what was on the ViViD level the day before anyway he just brushes it off for now. He just assumes he should ask someone like Hiro who actually understands the technology here. Of course, that's until he's ran into the problem of Shigeru melting half the flat, his bed trying to eat him and a number of other things technology related.

Is this the real life or is it just fantasy-- it's hard to tell anymore. But. There are people he needs to see knowing that he's probably been missing for days now.

He makes sure he's dressed properly before he grabs his card and key and runs out the door. It's possible you'll catch him at the door if you've noticed he's back by now, if not, he's calling on doors or going to people's places of work or where he assumes they might be by now to check how they are.

By the time he gets there though, his wrist is probably glowing with 76% Weird. But he does force a smile and pretend like nothing has happened to some people. ]

Hello! Didn't expect to see you here. [ Nevermind????? That he came??????? to you??????? ]

( 02: Glitching 100 years into the future | IC: 08/17 Late Afternoon )

[ While the network might say he's back, if you haven't ran into him during the morning, there are some major differences now. For one thing, he doesn't really look like his younger self at all, nor is he acting quite as polite as he might normally be.

A poor alien might walk in front of him and he yells out: Are y'r eyes in the back of your head?! Watch where you're going! along with a sneer. One thing is for sure though... he seems to be enjoying himself??????

The next time though it might be you doing something that doesn't quite pass his idea of acting well, whether it's you pushing in front of him in a queue, accidentally walking in front of him, or just being there and him wanting to be a pain in the butt. Whatever you're doing might give him reason to decide to call you out on it.

What a rude old man. ]

Comments

[psycholawgy]

[ she doesn't get it, but she'll let it drop. better not to argue?? over something like this, anyway. ]

Have you eaten? I-- I didn't bring any food... sorry.

[sortileges]

It's fine, I didn't really feel like much anyway. I had something a bit earlier.

[ It's better they just do that, as he's still trying to relax. ]

[psycholawgy]

Okay.

[ that's good. at least he's eaten something. better than her, anyway. it's why she looks down at her pillow, then back up at him, then back down. this is awkward. ]

The sky's kind of empty today.

[sortileges]

[ She better start eating soon?!?!?! Jesus, lady.

He glances up when she mentions the sky, having not really noticed. ]

Does that mean anything here?

[psycholawgy]

[ she shrugs her shoulders before relaxing a little bit more. her shoulders slump and she rests her elbow on the pillow, and her cheek on her palm. ]

I don't think so. I was just hoping we could look for constellations.

[sortileges]

[ Unlike her, he doesn't really move, though he does look at her out of the corner of his eyes. ]

Well... [ That's when he finally moves to lay back on the floor, looking up at the sky. ] ...it's still really pretty, right?

[psycholawgy]

[ she moves to the side just so he can get more comfortable on the blankets. she doesn't follow, though. ]

I like it better when there's a lot of stars.

[sortileges]

[ He just flops his arms over his tummy once he's laid out there, looking up at the sky. ]

It's quieter. [ ?? What does that even mean...???

It means Gwaine isn't talking their ears off, that's what--wait ]

[psycholawgy]

[ she hesitates a bit, but she eventually pokes his arm with a finger. it's a gentle touch at least, not like how she used to poke him. ]

It is. [ nobody's even driving any cars down the steeet. there really isn't much noise tonight. ] It's not peaceful, though.

[sortileges]

[ His arm twitches at first, before he twists his hand to hold onto hers. His eyes shut. ]

It's more peaceful than war.

[ ??? That's probably alarming to hear, all things considered, but at least this is something he's willing to tell her about. (ah) ]

[psycholawgy]

[ it's only then that she lays down too, not letting go of his hand. she doesn't stay too close to him though, just in case he doesn't want her to be close. unlike him though, her eyes stay open, just staring blankly at the sky. ]

Is the war over?

[sortileges]

[ It's easier to talk with his eyes shut though. ]

This one is. [ There's a beat, before he adds: ] But Morgana will come back and try again.

[ She isn't mishearing that either, though there's no movement to say this is a surprise anymore. ]

[psycholawgy]

[ she probably should have asked sooner how much time has passed... ]

Why her? I thought she was your friend? [ she tries to remember the letter he wrote, though. the burnt part now was about morgana. ] Was it about what the dragon said?

[sortileges]

Was. [ But probably... it's been a While. Some things haven't changed much but others... others Really Have. ]

She found out... Uther is her real father, that he lied to her all these years. Now she's after the throne. Her magic is getting stronger now, but... so is mine. We won, but she won't let it go, I know that.

[psycholawgy]

[ looks like uther is still the worst king of all time... but athena keeps that to herself. still, it must have been painful to have a friend suddenly turn like that. would this mean that he'd have to end her life eventually?

... that's just too much. ]

I'm sorry. [ it's all she can offer, as well as a gentle hand squeeze. if she said anything more, she might say something wrong and now he's actually talking and she doesn't want him to withdraw. ]

[sortileges]

[ oh definitely, but there were reasons for it that he can somewhat understand. He's saved Uther's life enough times for Arthur's sanity now, but even he knows at some point it'll have to stop. The question is just when. When she apologises though, he shakes his head a little. ]

I betrayed her first, didn't I? You remember what I wrote, don't you?

[ That he led her to the druids and then got the entire clan killed. It's hard to not think that was the start of it all. ]

Not only that, either.

[ And then his hand goes limp, not pulling away, but there's a certain feeling of numbness... of duty having more meaning than emotion in a sense. ]

[psycholawgy]

But you only did what you thought was right, didn't you?

[ at least, that's how she saw things anyway. she can't really imagine merlin antagonising someone on purpose. ]

[sortileges]

I didn't want her to suffer alone, no.

[ So it was what he thought was right but later... Would it have been different if he hadn't poisoned her? Would Morgana have changed her mind, after seeing the destruction that came from her choice? It's hard to say. ]

[psycholawgy]

You tried to help.

[ she wishes she could bring more comfort now, but she really doesn't know what to tell him, either. this is hard. ]

What else happened?

[sortileges]

[ He did then, but now... He swallows, because he could open up entirely but he doesn't know how she'll react.

He finally opens his eyes to peek at her, before he glances away. ]

Morgana was working with her half-sister, Morgause. The first time Morgause used her as the centre of a spell, I had to... [ He pauses, because while Athena would know he had no choice, it still isn't pleasant. ] ...poison her, to get Morgause to stop the attack.

[psycholawgy]

[ that really isn't very pleasant to hear. he told her that his future would be like this, but knowing in detail doesn't really make things less difficult to understand. to comprehend. she wishes he didn't have to do these things, but he has to, doesn't he? he has a role to fulfill.

but he said morgana will be back though, so- ] The poison didn't work?

[ she isn't asking it because she wanted it to work. she just wants the facts. ]

[sortileges]

[ Of course it isn't. It's... cruel, isn't it? It's partly why his hand went limp against hers, so now it's just her holding on if she wants to. ]

Oh, it worked. But I used it as leverage. I gave Morgause the poison, so long as she stopped the attack on Camelot and left. Morgana lived. She was missing for months, we didn't hear anything from her for a long time but when she came back...

[ This time, he visibly winces. ]

But everyone else was blind to the truth.

[psycholawgy]

[ well, he'll probably notice that she isn't going to let go. not unless he actually pulls his hand away. ]

Why did she come back?

[ wasn't camelot her enemy then? ]

[sortileges]

[ He's half aware of it, but he isn't going to pull it away. ]

It's easier to backstab people if they believe in you. No one would believe me anyway. Not until it was too late. I've been fighting her in the shadows for months now while she gives everyone fake smiles and fake words of love.

[psycholawgy]

[ now it's her turn to close her eyes. she takes a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts. she doesn't feel the silence surrounding them to be as awkward anymore, which is why she's more comfortable with talking again. ]

At least people know now. You don't have to do things alone.