Vacation's Over

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Normally when a kid gets back to whatever they were doing after a vacation its usually just piles of homework... griping about school and having to deal with the curriculum once more. Some kids however...]

...

[Have to deal with being hospitalized. Both Volya and Interitus were left badly injured when they battled the Guardian of the Last Seal. Not long after fishing the Russian kid from her, Interitus had somehow shapeshifted into her smaller form. A reflex or something else it was hard to say. Either way both of them are in the infirmary being tended to and it might be a while before they wake up.]

[1]


"T... they're going to be okay right? They have to be... right?!"

[And who's close by but David, looking on the verge of freaking out due to the fact that this... or worse would have happened had the knights had their way. And being up close to this made everything worse for him.]

"Volya...?"

[2]
[There's a weak groan from one of the pair. A whimper of pain as an attempt to sit up was made and red eyes rushed around the room fearfully. Dark. Silent. Partner. Where. Pain. Cold. Lonely. Notagain.]

[Making a late night visit to Volya and Interitus would lead to the sound of several somethings clattering to the floor. Opening it to quickly check on them, you would find Volya had struggled out of his cot and into Interitus' and had knocked several things over in the process due to being pretty hurt himself. He was crying pretty hard as he clung to his still unconscious partner like a drowning man clings to a life preserver.]

Comments

1

[star_of_sad]

I hope so.

Many people were through worse and they recovered. Volya is strong, I'm sure he can make it.

[Setsuko does not sound too sure herself though.]

Wish him good luck.

[mistaken_for_monster]

"Please be okay... please..."

[David's voice was a guilt filled whisper, head hung low.]

"I... how can anyone get better from worse than this?"

[He hasn't seen that many hospitalizations before.]

[star_of_sad]

I know a girl who has been through something horrible. And she wasn't super strong or had special powers, she was just a normal person. And she... suffered.

But she lived. And she recovered. We have modern medicine to thank for that, but also - she wasn't alone. She had people who were there for her and who supported her.

1

[actuallyselfish]

"They will be okay," Dido tries to reassure David. "Let the doctors do their work; these guys are top notch..."

She tries to guide David away.

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Except he doesn't want to leave, shaking his head rapidly.]

"No...No! I have to be here! I... I messed up Volya's life enough already... I can't just run off again!"

[actuallyselfish]

"David!" Dido says more firmly. "You're not running away! You're stepping back and letting the doctors concentrate on their work!"

She meets David's eyes. "Are you going to do what's best for Volya...or just what makes you feel better?"

[mistaken_for_monster]

"That's-"

That was actually a very very good question to ask Dido, because now David was trying to parse it and honestly try to figure it out. Was he really being a distraction? Was just trying to be here something to help ease his own guilt?

"... Okay... okay I'll go..."

[actuallyselfish]

Dido nods and guides Davi to a waiting room. She draws out a chair and lets him sit.

A few minutes pass in uncomfortable, nauseating silence. Eventually, Dido clears her throat.

"You're wondering whether they're gonna recover," she says. "Don't. This is Volya and Enteritis's fight. As bad as it sounds, their fate's out of our hands." She sighs. "Ask yourself this, David: what will you do when they recover?"

[mistaken_for_monster]

"I... I want to be able to help them! After everything I did..."

David wipes away his tears and tries to look determined.

"I know Volya thinks I want to join the Unity Group just so I can think I can be a hero like I did when I was with the knights. But that's not it... I want to help the Unity Group because I want to make up for my mistakes."

"And... and because that way I can keep Volya from getting hurt like this again if I can."

2

[brought_it_back]

[Quietly, another presence slips into their room. It lingers, watching the both of them.]

[mistaken_for_monster]

[For a moment it looked like Volya wouldn't notice... but kids hopped up on fear can see a lot of things that aren't there, and some that are.]

W... who's there?

[His voice was hoarse and scratchy as his eyes searched the gloom of the room for whoever entered. It was hard to tell where...]

[brought_it_back]

It's me.

[Eva slips closer towards Volya, placing a hand on his shoulder.]

I wanted to see how you were.

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Well Eva, the loud yelp he let out from still feeling the phantom burns and your brief look into his rather shaky emotional state didn't exactly say anything good.]

Pleasedon'ttouchme...

[The flinch was a pretty good indicator too.]

[brought_it_back]

[She takes her hand off his shoulder at that yelp.]

...I'm sorry.

[She sits there quietly, not saying anything for a while.]

...Is there any part of you that isn't burnt? I think I can help.

[mistaken_for_monster]

... I don't know... it feels like almost everything hurts...

[Volya shuts his eyes a moment.]

Why did you...?

[Help the two do what they did. He didn't sound accusing though.]

[brought_it_back]

[A small sigh from Eva.]

...I felt that Loni was already beyond the reach of my words...or anyone else's. That, whether we were there to escalate or not, he would kill his uncle.

In that situation...it was more important to Rani and Brye to trust us again.

[She tries touching Volya's head, running her hand through his hair. The feeling she projects is calm, if tinged with regret.]

I didn't know they were working with Loni. I didn't think they were still trying that stupid plan...

[mistaken_for_monster]

...Even if it meant people would get killed?

[Volya sounded... well it wasn't anger, but Eva could feel disappointment, sadness, worry... several things really.]

I don't think it would've been worth it... even if they weren't working with him...

[brought_it_back]

I didn't think we could save those people if we tried. If we rushed in and provoked Loni, Brye and Rani would probably never come back. If we stayed back and he murdered them anyways, they'd see what kind of person he was.

...Though things turned out to be completely different.

[mistaken_for_monster]

Should've still tried... if it really was like that, I don't think they would have cared if people died or not...

[After all, if they were so willing to give Loni their own seal...]

We can't just sacrifice people like that just so....

[Volya shakes his head before looking at Eva imploringly.]

Is it that important to you that they had to come back?

1/2

[brought_it_back]

It's not if people died; it's if "people died because you didn't listen to us" or "people died because Loni is a ball of rage." I wanted them to see the last one.

...That is a cold game with people's lives, that I played. But if I thought I had any chance at saving those hypothetical people, I would not have done what I did. And even then, I planned to let Purple heart slip past me.

[Eva takes her hand off Volya. Somehow this comforting session turned into an interrogation; she can't keep projecting calm into him like this.]

And...it is. I've killed so many people, Volya. People who did nothing more than be between me and my objective...

2/2

[brought_it_back]

Brye and Rani, they came back to help us. They have to still be good people to do that...So there's a chance. I want to spend every effort on that chance, and make this all end happily...



...I just might not have that option anymore.

[mistaken_for_monster]

...

[There were many things another person would have said. That Brye and Rani possibly just came back to ease their on consciences that they were doing the right thing, that just because they came back to help once doesn't forgive what they did. Eva's reasoning for playing with lives... that would have had some people raging at her.]

We both know someone who would've been sad that you did that Eva...

[brought_it_back]

...Don't...

[mistaken_for_monster]

But...

[Volya's going to reach out and hold her hand. The truth was even if he didn't understand those two very much or like them a lot... it didn't mean other people felt the same way.]



I know they'd be sad if you gave up on those two as well. If you believe that those two have some good in them, I know Ren would want you to keep trying no matter what... just... not in a way like that alright?

1

[empress_without_a_throne]

[Mizuki's been watching, brooding over Volya's bedside too, frustrated to say the least. Letting Brye and Rani leave with the Grungust and Huckebein before was a mistake... and now they were paying the cost for it. But for the here and now...]

Volya's strong. Interitus is too.

They'll get through this...

[mistaken_for_monster]

"Y... Yeah... They've been through worse..."

[David winces a little.]

"Nobody told me anything though... what happened out there?"

[empress_without_a_throne]

In a way... events finally coming to a head. Stupid people doing stupid things... and Volya being the same, kindhearted person who is more a hero than Loni ever has been, or will be.

This happened... because he was moving to protect others.

[abugslife]

Volya. Do you have trouble falling asleep?

[Heph approaches, holding a cup of something hot.]