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Post by pallas on Jul 17, 2024 16:50:14 GMT
Lucien didn’t know what to make of any of this, but after Irene came out of her room he dutifully followed Echo and the other leaders, a twisting, writhing snake-knot of nerves in his stomach telling him something big was happening. He didn’t know if it was good-big or bad-big yet, but he could only hope from Echo’s demeanour that it was good.
He followed the group into the portal room, and his jaw dropped open as he laid eyes on who was waiting there. He moved around to stand beside Dillon at the edge of the group so he could get a better view, but there they were. Real as fucking anything. Real as him, real as the asshole golden boy in his head. Theo sat on the floor, Chiara next to him, and there was Jason who seemed to have brought Cleo. For the record, yes, his joy at seeing Jason alive and well did outweigh the annoyance of having to deal with Cleo this late at night.
For once, Lucien had nothing to say. The twin waves of shock and relief drowned out any words. But the way his expression of surprise morphed into a smile - and rare for Lucien, a big smile - said it all. Irene was hugging Jason, but Lucien suspected River would want to be next in line to greet him. Theo also didn’t seem to want to engage with anyone for the moment, so for that reason Lucien hung back from both boys for the moment
”Oh my god, I can’t believe-” Dillon seemed to be struggling for words too, since the end of that sentence seemed to vanish into that void where speech lost in emotion goes. ”I’m so glad you’re both okay.” Cleo had asked the important question, how they’d got there, so Dillon seemed to settle just for expressing his joy that they’d gotten back safely.
Lucien, however, found himself glancing towards the portal. If Theo and Jason were back, did that mean Luka was also returning?
But he returned his focus to the conversation and the boys who were actually back, giving Jason a quick hug of greeting. Again, not usual for him, but if there was a time a person deserved a hug it was after returning from the exiled. He was gentle, because after the state Echo and Daniel had come back in he was well aware that there might be more injuries than just ones he could see. ”Welcome home,” the boy said, because he was too stunned to know what else to say. And he was so grateful to Jason, who had made the move he did for the rest of the group, and because he’d spoken up about how the younger ascendants were underestimated.
He stepped back, only deviating from his route to quickly place a hand on Theo’s shoulder to greet him, before returning to his original spot beside Dillon. As the conversation continued, though, he was scanning both of the returned boys trying to get a sense for how injured they were. He wouldn’t insist on any treatment they didn’t ask for, but if they did ask he needed to know what he was dealing with, and if Pascal asked about their condition later he needed to give a satisfactory answer.
Chiara spoke up at this point, looking a little uncertain as she addressed Jason. ”I know you said you wanted to speak to the leaders,” the blonde said to the boy, ”Are you alright for me to stick around or would you rather I go make some food for you and Theo or something?” She cast a glance then at Theo, because she felt unsure about leaving him like this. She’d never go if he didn’t want her to. But if Jason didn’t want her to stay and if Theo would be alright, she could take Echo to go do something and they could leave the boys with the leaders. Ideally she wanted to stay so she could make sure Theo was okay and learn about what had happened while the boys were in the base, but she didn’t want to intrude.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Leo/ Clundy on Jul 25, 2024 18:07:42 GMT
River's breath caught in his throat as he saw Jason in the meeting room with Cleo and Theo. He let Irene rush forward and wrap the boy in a hug as he smiled at him.
Jason froze for a moment at the new person holding him and let the voice process before he tightly bound his arms around Irene and laughed softly in disbelief. Irene was home. She was safe back in the pantheon with him and the others.
How did she get back? When did she get back? All questions to be asked after he got through his spiel.
Someone gave him a quick hug after Irene and he returned it eagerly. Human connection. He missed this.
"I don't think either of us are hungry," he said in a disheartened tone towards Chiara. Even if he wanted to eat, he wasn't sure he could keep it down. He still felt sick and weak. But, he crossed his arms over his chest and got to the point.
"Look, sorry for whatever time it is but I needed you to listen to what I have to say before the trauma and exhaustion sets in," he began curtly. Fishing out the drawing Luka had given him, he held it out to whoever wanted to take it from him. "I couldn't see much of the base while I was zip tied to a wall and constantly getting my flies killed, but Luka managed to get this crude drawing for us. I'll make it neater when I can see.
"Atticus is still out of commission since his trip to kill you, Irene. Ripley and Gwen have been running the place while he's recovering. The latter is not exactly who she says she is. I saw a locket with a different inital for her last name. Might be worth looking into. The former has been visiting Atticus a lot more, ignoring Laurie except when he brought him in the torture us, and attempting to text someone before just deleting the message all together. The name in the phone is 'Weepy'. There weren't any previous messages for me to guess who they might be," he informed quickly and hardly taking a breath between sentences. He wanted to get as much useful information in their heads before they started asking questions for details.
"Penny has a broken arm and seems less hostile to Laurie and Luka than the other exiles. She's still pretty hostile though," he huffed and rolled his eyes at the mere thought of her attitude. "Nathan thinks Ripley is insane and blames himself for Alice dying on his watch. He never wants someone to die on him like that again," There was a hint of sympathy in Jason's voice at those words. From all he had heard, wave 0 was entirely... brutal.
"And then the dog. Fenrir has been talking to someone."
The words that just came out of his mouth felt wrong. As if a 13ft ancient wolf that speaks wasn't odd in the first place. But, this was a new level of strange and wrong. That meant there was another player against them that they didn't know.
"Like we talk to our Gods. I could never get close enough to hear without losing control of my fly but he was not talking to his food. Either their invisbile to a mortal fly's eyes or... this are going to get more complicated."
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Jul 26, 2024 20:47:54 GMT
Echo had a smile on her face, but a worried look was in her eyes. It was obvious Jason and Theo had been tortured too, they both looked so ill. Her heart was hurting for them, and she glanced at River, standing right by his side still.
The information Jason was sharing was concerning, for lack of better terms. She took the drawing from Jason, glancing at it. The artistic part of her was a bit disheartened by the messy and overly thick lines and crude doodles of the Exiled member's (each sported a odd, crude caricature of their person over their rooms). She wouldn't mind fixing it, but she didn't know the base like Jason probably did. Still, she nodded at him, as if to say 'I'll help where I can'.
Ripley and Atticus had...something going on, Fenrir was talking to some kind of invisible foe? And Nathan blamed himself for the death of some Alice person?
"Thank you for sharing that information Jason," Cleo said softly, and then glanced at Theo, face becoming a bit sympathetic as they looked between the two, "But you two need to be examined. We can figure out what to do with what you learned later."
They had questions, but they knew the others probably had more. They needed to step back to be a better leader, because what they had done before had only driven everyone apart.
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Jul 26, 2024 21:07:48 GMT
Atticus Fell had awaken in the morning with a headache, feeling only slightly better as compared to the days before. Ripley had been visiting him often, bringing with him food and drinks galore. Gwen had come and read with him for a bit. But that was it on visitors. Penny was likely still going through that phase of hers or was busy with her new friend, Nathan kept to his own quite a bit, Styx only ever wanted to hang out around Fenrir if anyone. Laurie was forbidden from Atticus' room. Luka was as well, though Atticus was more okay with her entering than the little boyfriend-stealing bitch.
Not that he was jealous or petty or anything like that!
He groaned, slamming his hands onto his bedside table to grab a bottle of pain pills he knew was there, he swallowed them, dry, and pulled his phone up to check the time.
He was woken from his grogginess at the notification on the screen. Messages from Gwen, later last night? During her watch? He quickly unlocked his phone and clicked onto it, reading through the message quickly.
Atticus, I've stuck with you through everything. Through the fire, through the tragedies, I've followed you. But I can no longer stand by and let you act like a monster. I never wanted to become this, and you've made me into it. I'm done being silent about that. I'm done following your cruelty.
He stopped breathing, thinking he surely read it wrong, and reread it again and again and again.
"Gwen," he breathed out, voice shaky and uneven and betrayed, "What have you done?"
His head spun. Throughout everything, Gwen had been there and stuck by him. She even stated so herself. But every word was a sword to her heart. The fire? The tragedies? Why would she mention them? Why had she never mentioned any of this? Since when had she, of them all, seen him as a monster?
How was he the monster? How did he make her do anything? All he'd ever done was be there for her and protect her.
Cruelty? She thought he was cruel?
With every reread, every word repeated as he read them, his anger grew, and he stormed out of his room, throwing his jacket over his sweats and tee shirt.
He first slammed at her door, but she wasn't there. He worried she'd run away after what she'd done. He checked the prisoners room next. Only to find that when he unlocked the room, it was empty. The zip ties laid discarded on the ground, and no prisoners in sight.
Gwen had released them. He bit his tongue to keep from lashing out, but it was to little avail. He turned on his foot quickly, slamming that door closed, ramming his other fist into the wall as he passed. His anger was a boil, and as he stalked back down the halls, entering the meeting room just to call that little traitor there and handle it he spotted her, in the room with some little crown in her hands.
He paid no attention to the blood, or it was perhaps that he didn't care, and instead he glowered at her.
"So now I'm the monster, you perra de dos caras!" He shouted, charging closer and towering over her, glowering down at her and crossing his arms, "I made you into this? What's this Gwen? A fucking traitor?!"
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Post by pallas on Jul 26, 2024 22:10:39 GMT
Gwen had known Atticus would be angry when he found out the prisoners escaped on her watch. But when he stormed up to her, she felt a rush of fear and shame she hadn’t felt in a long time. She wasn’t afraid of much when it came to other people, because she didn’t give a shit about what they thought.
But this was Atticus.
Atticus who had held her when she cried after her first transformation, scared, confused and in pain. Telling her she wasn’t a monster. This was Atticus, and the idea of disappointing or hurting him terrified her. The idea of betraying him had been so abhorrent to her she’d given up everything to follow him. And here he was, furious at her.
And he was looking at her like a stranger.
But as he spoke, she realised he thought she’d done something more than neglect her duties and let the prisoners escape on her watch. He was calling her a traitor, a two-faced bitch… She felt hurt, bewildered, terrified at the one person she trusted the most in the world, her last vestige of anything she could call family, suddenly hating her.
And that hurt translated, as it often did for Gwen, into anger. His cutting insults raised her defences. ”My name is Gudrun, Atticus.” Gwen replied heatedly, and she was surprised at her defence of a name she had long outgrown. But it wasn’t even that he called her Gwen that made her angry, because she liked the new identity. It was the fact that he’d looked so confused when the ascendants had called her it, as if he’d forgotten it had ever been her name at all. As if he’d never paid attention. ”I learned your damn language for you and you can’t even remember my name.”
She had no clue what he was talking about. The prisoners had escaped on her watch, yes, but that didn’t make her a traitor. Bad at her job, maybe. A traitor, no. ”And I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” the Dane responded, tilting up her chin and looking at Atticus with a confidence she didn’t have. She’d seen Atticus kill people for thinking they were traitors.
And she’d watched it happen and done nothing about it. Maybe for all she had done, if he killed her now, she’d deserve it. For all the harm she’d caused, for every time she’d stood by and watched. Like Esme. And maybe if she’d been a better friend, she’d have never let Atticus get like this. She would have stopped him, not enabled him.
”The prisoners escaped on my watch and I’m sorry but I never slacked, you know me,” her voice was as calm as it was before but she wasn’t breathing, she felt like the child she’d been when she met him again, ”I was watching the whole time and I have no idea how they got out. I’m sorry. But my failure doesn’t make me a traitor.”
Fuck this and fuck Atticus, she’d never wanted the prisoners around anyway. She felt shitty about letting him down but did their friendship mean so little that this mistake had her branded a traitor? It was a big mistake but it wasn’t deliberate. How little must he think of her? She must have misjudged their friendship terribly.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by pallas on Aug 7, 2024 20:29:48 GMT
Lucien watched as Chiara just nodded in response to Jason’s statement that he didn’t think either boy was hungry. She glanced to Theo for confirmation, but took it that she could stay. She’d offered to excuse herself but Jason didn’t seem to want to dismiss her. It soon became clear why; the information that followed was important, and as many people as possible witnessing it could not be a bad thing.
First, his information about the exiled leaders. Gwen was not who she said she was. This didn’t surprise Lucien at all; this was a young woman who was going by another name even with the people she claimed to be closest with. Chiara spoke up. ”I can do what I do best and do some research. I’ll bet there’s a record somewhere that’ll shed some light on things.”
Then there was the information about Ripley. His relationship with Atticus, whatever the fuck he had with Laurie, the strange text Jason referred to. But Dillon frowned at the mention of Laurie being brought in by Ripley to torture the boys. ”Torture you? What exactly happened? And Ripley’s conversations with Atticus - how did they seem to you?” These were both important questions. They’d just voted not to exile Laurie when he returned but they still needed to know about this. It was important they knew what they were getting themselves into if he ever came back. This didn’t sound like he wasn’t really with the exiled. The latter question was vital, too, at least as far as Dillon was concerned. It might not seem like it, but it was. If Ripley and Atticus might have something going on, beyond the open flirtation Dillon had witnessed at the meeting, that might be something they could use.
Lucien scoffed at the mention of Nathan not wanting anyone else to die on him that way. Sure, as a healer himself he understood it and could sympathise, especially since the ascendants had lost Haleema. But Lucien couldn’t have that much sympathy for it given what the exiled were doing, and he resented the thought that Nathan might be using not wanting anyone else to die on him as an excuse to hurt other people and support the other exiled in doing what they were doing. He would not pity Nathan for that when Lucien would no longer excuse himself making stupid decisions, - not cruel decisions, just stupid ones - out of a similar kind of fear.
Or maybe he just reacted against the thought because it was too close to home, because he could imagine the feeling too well, could understand the weight of responsibility he felt and Lucien was afraid of seeing any similarity between him and Nathan. He didn’t want to think that he could be like him. Because surely Lucien would never do anything like what Nathan and the exiled did, no matter how many people he might feel responsible for losing. Right?
The information about Fenrir was, in Lucien’s opinion, probably the most concerning. What did it mean? Who could Fenrir be talking to, and why? Chiara looked nervous too at the idea, some of the colour draining from her cheeks. Something to do with the Ragnarok mess the Norse guides constantly went on about, maybe? It could be, or maybe not. Fenrir could be up to something just as terrifying without it being anything to do with that.
But there was only one thing Lucien wanted to ask, before the boys went to rest. He’d offer for either of them to stop by Medbay too, if they wanted or needed that. But not yet. This, he needed to know.
”And Luka?”
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Leo/ Clundy on Aug 28, 2024 21:59:27 GMT
Jason shook his head and stepped back away from everyone at the suggestion of being looked over again. He didn't need to be fused over. He already had been by the wrong people. He just wanted to sit somewhere quiet and warm.
The question of Laurie and Luka brought him to a quiet stillness though and he seemed to incline his head in a way that indicated he was looking for permission despite his blindness.
River's breath had caught in his throat when Laurie was mentioned in the same sentence as torture. He couldn't have been doing those things willingly. That wasn't Laurie. He wouldn't hurt his friends and family like that.
"Say it," he said in a rather unintentional curt tone.
"That bastard brought Laurie in to help torture us. Help take notes, pick which food to give us, and to keep us in check and do as Ripley said. Or he'd threaten to use his powers on us and make us comply," Jason said once he got the go ahead. He sounded annoyed teetering toward the edges of anger. He felt betrayed by someone he called friend.
"Luka got us out and got us our keys. She went back for Laurie and said she'd follow after but..." Jason turned toward where he had walked out of the portal, where he imagined Theo was probably still.
Everything was quiet for a moment before River moved himself from his eerie stillness and placed a gentle hand on Jason's arm to get his attention.
"Will you at least go to med bay and rest?" The Ares champion whispered gently to his student. He let out a quiet breath and dropped his hand when Jason nodded.
Jason also dropped his voice to just above a whisper. "Just look after Theo. Ripley took a liking to him."
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Post by Nari on Aug 30, 2024 16:56:52 GMT
As Jason continued to share what he learned about the exiled, Theo kept his silent vigil as he stared at the room wall. Any moment and the rest of them would appear through that portal. Things would be okay again. Luka… Laurie… She said it would only take a little bit. He had to trust she could pull through… Right?
“And Luka?”
He passed Gwen’s phone between his palms. Fidgeting. The discussions around him turned into white noise. As each second passed he could feel the sickness in his stomach churn. The nausea he’d already felt from the poison mixed with a simmering feeling. A burning in his chest as his breathing quickened.
Something must have happened.
Here he was back at the pantheon sitting on his ass with nothing to show for it, while his sworn sister and friend remain trapped in that hell? What was wrong with him.
When there was a lull in the conversation, Theo stood to his feet. His balance was shaky, and he continued to not look at anyone.
“We have to go back,” his voice came out pained, “they…. They could be in danger. I have to…” Already he pulled his key out, and stared at the portal console. Readying himself to march right back into hell after them.
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Post by pallas on Aug 30, 2024 17:29:27 GMT
Lucien listened to Theo’s account of what had happened with Laurie and Luka, but he felt worse than before he’d heard it. Laurie… that wasn’t like him. But worse, this was more than just him standing by while the exiled hurt their friends. This was him being willing to actively partake in it. It seemed that Laurie might be further gone than they’d thought when they agreed not to exile him.
And Luka… well, he felt terrified for her, despite the fact that he was not exactly pleased with her. She’d gone back for Laurie, said she was following, and she hadn’t arrived yet. Had something gone wrong? Had Laurie turned her in? He was close to Luka, surely he wouldn’t do that, right? He didn’t know. But he was frightened for her.
Before much more could be said, Theo seemed to become agitated, gradually becoming more anxious. He rose to his feet, and no sooner had he done so than Chiara had followed suit beside him. She reached out a hand to gently - so as not to frighten or agitate him further given the state he was in and what he had been through - took hold of his upper arm with her good hand. She could keep him back if he tried to go.
”Theo,” she said gently, catching his attention to try and draw him a little out of the state he was in. ”Theo, breathe. Nice and slow.” She tried her best to help calm him.
”I know this is hard to hear, but going back would not help, it’d only put you at risk and add in another variable Luka hadn’t accounted for. She took a huge risk to make sure you and Jason got back here safely. If you went back, you would only be jeopardising that.” Chiara explained.
Lucien had leaned against the wall, stepping back a little, taking a position that indicated he wasn’t going anyway.
”Theo, I’ll stay right here and wait for any sign of them. I promise.” Lucien responded reassuringly. In the hope that at least if somebody else was waiting there for them, Theo might feel more comfortable getting the rest he needed.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Aug 31, 2024 20:25:04 GMT
Cleo's gaze screwed up at the reveal that Laurie was threatening to use his powers to make both Theo and Jason comply. That was worrisome. Laurie's abilities were unpredictable, dangerous.
They didn't press any questions for then, sticking to their earlier statement. But then more was happening, Theodore was obviously in the midst of panic.
Cleo looked almost annoyed by Theo's insistence on going back, but they kept themselves from saying anything. Cleo was attached to Luka, that much was obvious. Luka had also went batshit insane when Theo traded himself over. Apparently that went both ways. How fun.
Still, they felt some pity for Theodore. But Chiara was quick to insist it would only put Luka in more danger. As much as they didn't like Luka, they looked over at River, a somewhat worried expression on their face. The last time someone betrayed the Exiled (if it could even be considered betrayal) Atticus had left her for Fenrir to eat alive and had made an example of her. What would they do to someone who'd not only betrayed them but released back to prisoners?
Echo herself pushed forward, putting herself on Theo's other side, unoccupied by Chiara, and laid a comforting hand on his arm. She was worried for Laurie and Luka too. Luka may have done something dangerous, but she knew Laurie was hurt too. Ripley was cruel, and she knew Laurie didn't want any part of what he was being made to do.
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Post by 𝕄𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕣𝕪 on Aug 31, 2024 20:33:40 GMT
"Well you know what?" Atticus fired back to Gwen's comment about not even knowing her real name. He knew it! It was just hard to say correctly! But that sounded assholey too, because she was right, she did learn his language. "You-I-Shut up!"
Names weren't the point!
Gwen had no right to be angry at him. Not after he trusted her with everything! He stuck by her and held onto her when Nemesis abandoned her and Ceto chose her, he stuck with her the first time she transformed, he told her all of his thoughts and plans. The ways he wanted to make Nemesis and every other God pay for what they did to them. And to make the people who followed them blindly, who fought on the sides of their enemies pay.
And what had she done? She released them!
As she claimed not to know what he was talking about, he pulled out his phone, opening his chat with her and forcing the object towards her.
"Don't play stupid!" He spat, "I don't know if you thought you didn't hit send or what you're getting at, but the proof is right here."
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Post by pallas on Aug 31, 2024 20:54:28 GMT
Gwen frowned when Atticus said she was playing stupid, held out his phone and started talking about some message she’d sent.
She didn’t understand. But she felt like she was about to, and she didn’t know if she would like what she was about to find out.
”What?” Gwen questioned, reaching out to take a phone and get a closer look at the message.
What was written there…well, it wasn’t a million miles away from real thoughts and feelings she’d had. But the message wasn’t real at all, though the fake message provided some kind of answer for what had happened to her missing phone.
But who had sent it?
”I didn’t send this!” Gwen exclaimed indignantly, offended that Atticus would believe she’d ever send him such a thing. ”My phone has been missing since last night. Atticus, how could you believe I would ever send you something like this? How could you believe I would ever release the prisoners?” The anger was growing now. Didn’t he know her at all? Yes, she might have felt some of the things in that message, but she would never betray him. ”All this time and you don’t even know me!”
But who would ever do such a thing? It was someone who wanted to sow chaos and discord, that much was obvious. It was also someone who knew about the fire, about what she’d been through before becoming an exiled.
Her blood chilled.
Who did she know who thrived on chaos, who had recently learned about the fire, and who she’d always thought was a potential double agent?
”Where is Luka? Is she gone too?”
Would he even believe her story that she hadn’t sent the message? Would he think she was trying to deflect the blame onto Luka? She didn’t know. But it didn’t matter because she knew it was right. Who else could have done this but that annoying little Australian? That sneak who thought she was so much smarter than everyone else - and granted, in this instance, may have been proven right.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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Post by Leo/ Clundy on Sept 1, 2024 2:23:01 GMT
River looked upset but it was unclear at which bit of information it was at. His arms were now crossed over his chest as Chiara and Echo ran to stop Theo from opening a portal back into the portal. He twitched to move toward them but stopped himself. Theo was crowded enough; they didn't need to overwhelm him more.
"I should have never let her go," River sighed wearily. Which caught the attention of Jason who turned his blind surprised eyes toward his teacher.
"You knew?" He hissed out angrily. River had known the plan to "kidnap" him and bring him to the exiles? And he didn't think to give him a heads up about it either?
River stiffened slightly at Jason's tone and rubbed at his face to conceal his unease. "Later. It's late, go rest," he ordered sharply.
It was a conversation for cooler heads and working hours. Jason just got back from hell and unloaded a lot of information on them. Now he needed rest and a doctor. But rest would come first.
Jason scoffed and turned on heel to head out the door. He paused in the doorway and attempted to look back at where Theo was, desperately trying to get his key to go back for Luka.
He too worried for her. It had been too long. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Did Laurie rat on her? Did she get caught by someone else? She had sent someone a message on Gwen's phone was that a mistake? His mind rattled with questions as he turned to corner and counted his steps towards the medical wing.
River was gesturing for everyone else to also step out of the room. The less temptation for Theo the better. "Chiara and Echo stay with him. Get one of us or Pascal if you need help," he instructed pointing to each of them then looking at the rest of the leaders he hushed his voice. "We have two options. Rest or talk about this now."
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Post by Nari on Sept 3, 2024 19:25:25 GMT
Irene had a lot on her mind as she took in the information given. Some pride in how Atticus was still out of commission, intrigue at the small personal details of the exiled, and pieces that held more significance. That angry fire-brand Penny somehow has a broken arm, and has less hostility to the new members. The elusive member Nathan expressing some guilt about a past event, and an unknown contact in Ripley’s phone. Not to mention the unknown person Fenrir is talking to…
Frankly it answered very little and only gave her more questions about what the status was. She’d hoped that others would have more insight, but the one person who’d been with Jason didn’t seem keen on talking. Instead, he seemed on the brink of panic as he tried to get the portal working. Chiara and Echo by his side trying to ease him.
He did not get very far in his endeavor as something seemed to overcome him. He lightly shoved the two girls away and rushed over to a nearby garbage bin. In a moment she could hear the sounds of him vomiting up his insides.
“I think they’ll need Pascal regardless,” Irene replied, pulling her gaze away from the distressed man, “We can talk about our next course of action when we’re all more rested. In the meantime, I can go get-”
“That won't be necessary.”
The champion of Thor nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden voice behind her. She spun around to face the gloomy man.
“Scare me to death, why don’tcha,” she grumbled, though not overly aggressively.
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Post by pallas on Sept 3, 2024 22:12:00 GMT
Lucien’s gaze snapped to River when he caught his quiet comment about how he should not have let Luka go. He was not the only one who noted it, for Jason spoke up, though he was brushed off by River.
Lucien would not be brushed off. If there was one thing he was good at, it was being fucking stubborn and refusing to listen.
”What the fuck do you mean?” the blond asked heatedly. River had known? Had apparently ‘let her go’? And he hadn’t said anything to anyone? He had listened to them talk about exiling Luka…
He had voted for exiling her, for gods’ sake.
An interruption to proceedings (perhaps for the better, really) came in the form of Theo pausing in his wild attempt to escape to vomit. Chiara did not look thrilled about the whole situation, but Lucien supposed at least that if Theo was preoccupied with vomiting he would not be trying to escape. Silver linings.
Irene was trying to suggest that they all come back to this when they were better rested, which did seem a good idea. Jason and Theo needed medical attention, and everyone was exhausted. Dillon had just been about to speak up for the idea before the sudden appearance of Pascal gave most everyone a fair shock. Lucien, who had worked with Pascal a fair amount, was not extremely affected. Pascal just appearing that way was something he’d gotten somewhat used to. Though he did think they needed to get that man some kind of bell. Like a cat.
”It’s poison,” Lucien addressed Pascal, shooting River a look that said this wasn’t over before he went straight into business mode with his mentor as he indicated Theo with a nod of his head, ”and god knows what else the exiled did. Poison is beyond my powers, but I can support you however you need. But I did say to Theo that I’d wait here a while for any sign of Luka, I don’t know if he’ll leave here if the portal is unattended.”
He was deferring to Pascal here; this was one of those occasions where Lucien’s powers only came in so useful and Pascal’s expertise made him more suited to taking the lead. He was getting better at admitting that there were times he could not help all that much and might need to rely on other people a little. And he trusted his mentor in all things medical. It also meant Lucien might get a chance to use what he had learned from Pascal by dealing with something without using his powers, and by watching Pascal lead on this it would be a learning opportunity.
It gave Pascal the choice to take his help, in which case somebody else could take over watch of the portal if Theo would refuse to leave it without someone on watch, or to refuse it and let Lucien stand guard while Pascal worked on Theo and Jason.
”You need rest, Lucien, if we’re going to talk about all of this tomorrow like River said.” Dillon pointed out. ”If Pascal doesn’t need you, you can’t sit by the portal all night. And waiting won’t make her come through that thing any faster. If she comes back, we’ll know.” He was saying the last part as much to Theo as to anyone else.
Lucien met the Champion of Hera’s gaze, at first looking like he might want to argue, but he nodded. Dillon was right on that front. They didn’t need to watch it all night, and if somebody was going to, it shouldn’t be one of the leaders.
”I’ll be up, I’ll be the first to check it out if there’s any signs here.” Chiara assured them. It was settled, then.
Lucien looked to Pascal at that point, letting him decide how much support he wanted. If he was alright alone, Lucien had no qualms with going back to sleep. But if he could do with some help, Lucien wouldn’t throw away the opportunity to learn how to deal with something his powers couldn’t.
He didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to talk about this - especially the new revelation that River had known about Luka - but if he had to then he would.
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CHARACTER PROFILE IMAGE CREDIT: ElenaA via Picrew
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