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Event Nine.
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Heareth the marinere Voices sweet, from far and near, Ever singing in his ear, “Here is rest and peace for thee!” | |
Welcome to Awash's ninth event log, everyone! Further information on this event can be found here at the OOC post. | |
Entry tags:
t's a dark night, and the sounds of feet in the darkness are further dampened and hidden by even more magic, as they are lured away by the soft sounds of dreams that are too good to be true, leaving the Town much, much emptier than when it began.
AGH GOD MY HTML
[ they most likely do not know... but that's fine. He's sure they'll figure it out eventually. Lupin's arms are about ready to fall off, too, by this point, but fortunately, Cairn's house appears on the horizon, and he hurries towards it. ]
Almost there. Let's hope the rest of you made it back before I did.
[ if he has to do this again carrying their legs he'll probably pull something!! For now, though, the only thing he's pulling is the front door open. ]
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When he swings open the door, other than Cairngorm's neat and humble abode, he'll see that there are indeed crystal limbs out and about. On the table near the couch, the saturated black of their limbs sticks out from the monochrome of everything else. Their left arm is placed on the table such that the hand dangles off the edge limply, and the rest of both their legs broken into two pieces each: two pieces that run from the upper-mid thigh to right above the knee, and two pieces from their knee to the bottom of their tall heel. He might notice that their other arm is a slightly off-shade of black from their other limbs; black quartz, definitely, but different somehow from the rest of them, like it had been carved from a different stone entirely.
Seeing it all, they let out an audible sigh of relief, grateful both that their plan worked and that nothing looks particularly damaged, at least not from afar... ]
I thought they might have sunk.... [ Is all they can say in response to his musing, putting their hand on his shoulder so they can sit up a little in his arms to take stock of the room. Thankfully all their stuff was set right near the couch so he won't have to move them very far, he's already done a ton for arm day afterall. ] I guess whoever I asked did what they were told.
[ When they remember, they'll have to pay them back somehow... ]
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But it's fine. There are more important things to do than try and charm his favorite rock at the moment - namely, putting all said rock's limbs back together. Once he's taken a moment to catch his breath, he rests his hands on his hips, looking at the pieces of them laying about. It's a sort of surreal scene - one that would probably be more alarming if he wasn't tentatively used to it already. ]
I'm glad they did. [ Lupin doesn't know who it was, either. ] So... Same as before?
[ he has a snappy memory, so he basically remembers the process they used to put the pieces of their face back on... unless they can do it themselves. Maybe they can. ]
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[ Unsurprisingly, they're momentarily confused by the question, not recalling what he's referring to in the slightest. It definitely takes a few moments for them to jump through the hoops of oh, he's saying he's helped do this before and this is probably why I set things up this way before cutting all my limbs off. ]
I don't remember before, but we'll have to repair the legs first before I put them on. That arm will likely be an issue, too... but maybe you already know that.
[ They'll have to see if it'll reattach correctly with their... admittedly not top-tier glue they made. They've never tried gluing back on pieces this big with it, so they look thoughtful for a brief moment, looking between the pieces on the table and their alleged friend, who looks way more tired than they were expecting. ]
There should be resin and brushes in my room— unless you are too tired to carry it.
[ yes this is an appropriate time for the dry comedy shtick ]
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not so tired, however, that he can't help them with this! When Cairngorm makes that comment, he reaches over and gives them a solid poke to the forehead. ]
See? Worrywart. I can handle myself just fine.
[ Lupin then turns from them, heading towards their room to pick up the tools they need, as instructed. It doesn't take him long to come back with the same items Cairngorm had brought out last time they did this - the brushes, the resin, the powder. At this point, he's also wondering if the glue will really be enough for entire limbs, but... they did use it to stick their leg back on before, right? It has to be pretty strong. He sets the tray on the table, then moves over to that discolored arm. ]
How about the arm first? Then you might be able to help me out some more.
[ it does look a little strange - clearly a different stone, if not a different gem, to his practiced eye - and although he's curious, he's not going to ask. For now, he's focused on making sure they're going to be all right. ]
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Ugh... okay.
[ They sit up at his suggestion (extremely reluctantly), pressing the inner corner of their eye before rolling up the short black sleeve of their uniform, the open face of their wound a diagonal cut from slightly above their elbow on one side to past their bicep on the other. ]
Be careful when you pick it up. And use— [ They lean over to the table to pluck a flat brush from the ones sitting there, holding it out to him. ] This one. Just put the resin on the cut side first.
[ Don't mind them while they hunch over to hold up their head with their only hand and watch him like a hawk to make sure he doesn't accidentally break anything. ]
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... Do you really have so little faith in me? [ he comments ruefully, noting their cautious posture as he begins applying the resin. ] I know you don't really remember, but we've already come this far, haven't we? I'm not gonna break you.
[ normally, he'd make some cheesy comment about how the famous Arsène Lupin knows full well how to handle priceless treasures, but there's not really any point when A) Cairngorm doesn't even know his name and B) they always take his posturing as proof he's full of hot air, anyway. ]
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[ There's firm denial in their voice, their head shaking as they leer at him. Maybe their lack of memory of their interactions and general dynamic with Lupin is letting them be a bit more truthful than they would normally— generally at a comment like this they might roll their eyes and say something equivalent to yeah, right, instead of grumpily huffing out their true feelings. ]
It's just that I'm not used to letting anyone else do this other than myself or Rutile... of course I'm going to watch carefully. Besides— it's not like you would feel too great leaving yourself in my care, either.
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Fair enough. Then I guess I'll just have to prove myself. Are you ready?
[ there's definitely something a little off about this arm, and Cairngorm mentioned that it could be a problem earlier. As far as he can tell, though, all he can do is stick it on and hope for the best. Once he's painted a generous coat of resin on, he hefts it up with a slight bit of effort, fitting the broken end against their shoulder as best he can. It takes two hands to lift it, for a human; he tries to use one to put some pressure on their disembodied upper arm, too, to help it stick, but he's hoping that they'll help him out with the limb they have left. ]
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After two or three seconds of both of them keeping the stiff limb steady, they slowly start to move the fingers of their newly attached arm, flexing their hand to test its movement. They’re being extremely gentle with the whole limb, though, as if any sudden movement of their shoulder could cause it to fall right off again— so they don’t pull out of his hold, just averting their eyes to the other pieces on the table so they don’t have to make eye contact. At least it’s not their face (now that they’re recalling that fun time), but its still... embarrassing, doubly so because he’s not even here out of obligation or because its his job. ]
There... [ They take away their right hand from where it was supporting their left arm, as if to prove to him that it doesn’t need to be held up anymore. ] It can move now, so— I can handle most of the rest.
[ They’ve already relied on him a lot, today. ]
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... Guh. That looked less than comfortable. [ a pause. ] I didn't hurt you somehow, did I?
[ he's pretty sure he didn't, because he's Lupin, but even Lupin knows this isn't his area of expertise. Their embarrassment doesn't go unnoticed; for the moment, he's simply more worried about their wellbeing than whatever self-consciousness they might be feeling over this, and he stays put where he is. ]
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[ They shake their head— explaining will take their mind off of their momentary vulnerability, at least. ]
I told you before that when we break, we can feel it, but nothing lingers, right? [ Bit by bit, their memory is becoming a little bit clearer. While they pause to make sure they're recalling correctly, they swap the pieces on the table such that the two left pieces are lined up and likewise for the right. ] It's like that for reattachment too. Getting a big piece back on is always uncomfortable, but it goes away.
[ They let out a little sigh, stealing a glance at his concerned expression before darting away. ]
It really isn't something to look so worried over. You're supposed to be proving to me you can handle this, anyway...
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[ even the great Lupin worries about things sometimes...! He's glad he didn't screw anything up, though. While they rearrange the broken parts, he looks on, seeming to contemplate what to do next. (In reality, he's thinking about the propriety of helping reattach the next pieces... Sure, they're disembodied, but manhandling their thighs still feels a little... invasive. Then again, gems probably don't care about things like that. Do they?! Maybe he's overthinking this.) ]
But in that case, we should try and get this over with quickly.
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That guy cut these pieces cleanly, so this won't take long. [ Yeah, "that guy", who's name is escaping them for the moment. ] It's still something I can fix myself. If a time comes in this place where I'm shattered into lots of pieces or to the point of unconsciousness, that would be the time to worry about it.
[ They trail off, sitting the chunk of crystal on what's left of their lap while they apply the resin to the cut side, focusing on their work instead of looking at him. ]
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You take your health pretty lightly. [ and memories, but. ] What was going on on that island, anyway? You remember any of it yet?
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Here, hold onto that end. [ It's just their shoe and their ankle, so that's not as bad as letting him do any of the hard work. And doing this first gives them time to try and recall any information they remember... ] It was weird. Most of the people there were starving and worrying about getting eaten.
[ Neither of which were their concerns, at least not personally. ]
So most of what was "going on" was fighting those things, or catching fish.
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Most of the monsters around here are biting off more than they can chew when they come after you, aren't they? Lucky you.
[ on the downside, they can only get back home if someone chops them up into 6 pieces, so Lupin thinks he's okay with being a tasty human. ]
I can't imagine you were out there catching fish. Were you fighting, then?
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I was doing both. [ Huff!! ] It's not like standing in the water to fish was dangerous for me or anything.
[ Not like it was for all their human companions... so they'd lent a hand out of practicality. When they're done applying more resin, they gingerly take the leg from him and fit it against their wound, flinching as they do so— but any discomfort they show only lasts for a fleeting moment. ]
Makes me wonder why they even bothered dragging me there in the first place.
[ They mumble. As far as they're concerned, they were a complete waste of a capture. Ever so carefully, they bend their leg so it's not stiffly straight anymore, setting the heel gently down on the wooded floor with a soft clink. ]
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[ hmmmm. he smiles a little bit. It makes him happy that they're helping take care of the others, too; he can't pinpoint why, exactly, but it does. Maybe it's just nice to hear about them branching out rather than withdrawing further into themselves, despite the vast differences between them and the rest of the people living here. He wants Cairngorm to have friends. ]
They probably just took you with the rest without thinking. Or maybe they liked how shiny you were. [ Lupin retracts his hands once they've reattached the entire leg, leaning over to pick up the bottom portion of the remaining one, albeit rather tiredly. ] Almost done.
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[ They're of course talking about Lunarians being drawn to them and all their sparkly friends!!
After saying that though, they seem to want to work in silence, going about the routine of repairing themself with deft hands. It only takes a little over a minute to get to the task of setting their second leg on, which they do quickly and without hesitation around the discomfort.
There's a beat, and then, they lean back all the way on the couch, letting their head hang over the backside with their eyes closed shut, their right hand going to cradle where they'd been mended on their left arm. There's a long, almost dramatic, drawn out sigh, while they try to sort through their thoughts properly. ]
There. Good as new... [ Everything is totally fine now, of course. ] I can't believe this place forced me to resort to something like that.
[ It's over, so now they shouldn't be stressed anymore, but they're practically allergic to taking risks of the scale this plan required. So there is residual stress. What's worse is that the issue of thanking him or acknowledging that he went to quite a great length to help them is much more burdensome now that they can remember every interaction they've had, how worried he had seemed for their well-being... maybe, if they just sit here calmly (avoidably), he'll agree that everything is fine now and they can both move on from this. ]
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When that last piece finally clicks together and they lean back, Lupin does, too, sinking back into the sofa a little bit with a sigh of his own that quickly turns into a cough. With their memories back, they can probably see that he's looking a little paler than usual, too. All week, he's felt awful - but not awful enough to keep him from doing these things. Lupin isn't a fan of staying in. ]
I can't believe it, either... What a mess.
[ he lifts his head up a bit, looking at them again. Back to normal, save for the unpowdered skin. Normal on the outside, at least. He meets their eyes, rather searchingly. ]
You remember me now, right? [ a beat; he sighs another, smaller sigh. ] I was worried sick when you disappeared, Cairn. Literally.
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You got sick from it? [ They say, almost disbelieving. They're not yet aware of the health complications that the people staying in Chroma had fallen victim to, so they're taking what he says at face value. And as far as they're concerned, they're not someone worth worrying over to that extent, both in the logical sense (immortal crystal person), and in the metaphorical sense (they're just "Cairngorm" to him, not even a convenient substitute for someone he considers meaningful— at least not to their knowledge). It makes it hard for them to understand why he would care so much about their disappearance. ]
Even without fighting anything, you get hurt somehow. [ They sigh, though their tone completely lacks it's usual bite. ] Nothing happened other than my powder getting washed off, so...
[ There was no reason for you to worry, goes left unsaid. They seem almost a bit shy, by the way they try to casually brush off his care; its a behavior deeply ingrained in them for centuries— that is, to shirk away from care and to assume that anything meaningful said to them... isn't exactly meant for them. ]
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[ And he was one of those worse off. He doesn't include the information to downplay it - just to keep Cairngorm off his back for being "weak" again, since they're already heading down that road. Judging by the way they won't keep eye contact with him, he knows they'd use it as an easy way out of expressing any kind of positive feelings. Or embarrassment over said feelings.
They're cute, as usual. ]
And I'm glad that nothing happened to you, but it's not like I knew that until I saw you again. For all I knew, you could have vanished from the town like some of the others. [ ryoji, yusuke... he leans his head back, too, closing his eyes tiredly. ] I even went in the woods to look for you. You really gave me the runaround.
[ he'd been looking for the others, too, but they'd definitely been one of the friends at the forefront of his mind. ]
... It wasn't your fault, of course. Still... All that, and then having to break you into pieces afterwards...? For a gem, you're a real handful.
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Why would you—
[ They don't know how to finish that question, though the sentiment is obvious, based on their confused tone alone. It takes restraint to cut themself off, but they do, letting out a sigh and continuing in a voice softer and more hushed than their typical assertive ways. ]
...You know you didn't have to do all that. I don't want to be responsible for bad things happening to you. [ It's different from the other times they've said that, more honest. ] This was my fault in the end.
[ They hug their mended arm closer to themself, sitting up more to start cleaning up the tools he'd brought, mostly to hide their guilty expression. Now that they think about it, yes, Ghost would certainly agree that this is all Cairngorm's fault, both the getting kidnapped + needing to get broken up into 6 pieces and the causing Lupin to run around everywhere + him getting sick. Product of living with someone who blamed them for everything or not, the end result is that they do feel liable the more that he goes on. ]
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How? Because you were tricked? [ his eyes open halfway to peer at Cairngorm briefly. ] That doesn't count.
[ hell, he's gotten tricked here, before, too. That's just how the town works. This burden of responsibility seems to weigh on them constantly - for him, for the other gems, for themself - and he wonders how someone who wasn't even responsible for their own body most of their life can feel so blameworthy. Then again, maybe that's just it. He already knows they don't think much of themself. After a few seconds, he appears resolved, and sits up again, looking Cairngorm square in the face. ]
Listen, Cairngorm. You're not responsible for me or whatever happens to me. A gentleman thief values his freedom above most everything else - everything I do, I do because I want to, no more, no less. That's the way I've always been. [ a pause. His tone softens, then, and he offers a rueful smile. ] I did "all that" because I care about you. You're my friend. Is it that hard to believe?
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