chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

[eldritchweaver]

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.  

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there.  Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.  

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.  

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown.  Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

Comments

[witchwoman]

[Myri has Shayla's diaper bag slung over her shoulder as she leaves the Light wing. Don't worry about it, everyone else. When she spots Buffy in the hall, she slows to a stop and nods.]

There hasn't really been time. But thank you. [She didn't get many visitors, but everything has happened very quickly.] How are you?

[slay]

Managing.

[ she tightens her smile and nods like this is a familiar lie to her now. no one wants to hear about her grief. everyone has their own. ]

Did, uh. Did they tell you what happened? What she did?

[witchwoman]

Very little. No one really wants to talk about it. I know they had to bring in someone who isn't a cleric. Topher? He was... excitable.

[slay]

A psion?

[ she doesn't know topher, obviously. ]

[witchwoman]

I don't think so, but maybe. I don't remember meeting him before all of this. But Finnick says some of my memories might be lost, so I'm not sure.

[slay]

Wait, memories lost — [ that's. bad. ] She took them?

[witchwoman]

I'm not sure if it's part of what she did or part of my recovery. It seems fairly mild. But it's hard to tell what things I don't remember anymore.

[slay]

I'm sorry, Myri. [ she steps forward, envelops her in a hug. ] I'm sorry. I know how hard it can be. I wish you didn't have to try to piece through it.

[ i wish i'd been able to protect you. that's what she wants to say, but she doesn't. myri has heard enough of that for one lifetime. ]

[witchwoman]

[As Buffy's arms wrap around her, Myri lets go of most of the tension she's been holding all day. She doesn't pull back from the embrace right away, taking one moment more of that comfort before she continues.]

There isn't really time to worry about it. There hasn't been time for anything. [Things have been moving nonstop. She's barely had a chance to breathe. And because of that, there's been one thing on her mind this whole time.]

I could leave. With Finnick and Shayla. And part of me wants to close my eyes and leap. Because other than caring so much for all of you, I can't remember why I've been so wrapped up in this in the first place.

[slay]

I understand. It's hard to keep putting yourself into these positions. I can't imagine how much harder when you have Shayla.

[ she strokes the side of Myri's face, sighing. ]

But you want a world that will take care of her. If Blade wins, that doesn't happen. [ then after a moment, ] If you decide to go, though ... I wouldn't blame you. We'd manage.

[witchwoman]

[Her eyes close briefly, head ducking down.]

It's not really that simple. [It never is. She glances up and over her shoulder, then back at Buffy.] Can we go somewhere? Just... sit and talk?

[slay]

[ she hesitates, glances around. ]

Why don't you come to my room?

[witchwoman]

[She nods, glancing over her shoulder to see if anyone is watching them (spot 31) before heading in the direction of Buffy's room.]

[slay]

[ they move stealthy-like. buffy keeps them mostly out of sight (hide 28) until they're safely behind the closed door. ]

Tell me what's going on. [ it's pushy, but not demanding. more concerned. empathetic. ]

[witchwoman]

[It's a lot. She could tell Buffy amy number of things. She could start with how strange it is to feel this urge to leave, but there are logical reasons to explain that beyond strange dreams. No, what she wants to talk about now is less prophetic or supernatural and more personal.]

Everything has just been happening so fast. And there are more important things going on- lives at stake, not that I need to remind you... [She's struck by guilt, but pushes forward.] It's Finnick. He's staying and I'm... im happy, but...

[She shakes her head.] I don't know what's wrong with me. I love him more than anything, and I so desperately want him to be better, but he's not. He told me that he still has to fight against what she did to him. And it isn't like a spell, or it certainly would have worn off by now. So this is forever, I think. He could wake up tomorrow and find it all too much and just...leave. He says he wouldn't, but he never thought he would in the first place. And it's not just me that I need to think about. Shayla is old enough to remember. Every day, she's learning and growing, and if he left, what would I tell her? How do I tell my child that her father is gone and that I have no idea if he's coming back?

[It has only been a handful of days since Myri was shocked with Finnick's return. And for a good portion of one of those days, she was incapacitated. There really hasn't been enough time to decide what is best for her or Shayla.]

I feel like I'm being selfish. I know I am. Vi would leap at any opportunity to have Luthir back. You'd do the same to confirm Rafael's safety. So why can't I just accept the gift I've been given? Why am I so afraid?

[slay]

I think you're being the opposite of selfish.

[ and it's with some reluctance that buffy puts it this way. in so many ways, she understands how selfish her handling of rafael has been. a smarter person, a better team player, would have prioritized other things, other parts of the mission. buffy can't. she doesn't have it in her. ]

You're thinking about Shay. About what this means for her, not just you. It's a lot. A-and I wish that I could tell you what the right thing to do was, but I don't think there's a right answer.

[witchwoman]

[In her heart, Myri knows that no one will have the answer. She's going to have to make up her mind about all of this on her own. But talking to Buffy reminds her of when things felt simpler. Buffy always looked out for her, took care of her.]

I feel like no matter what I decide, it'll be the wrong choice. The hours are counting down and I have no idea what I'm going to do. I told Rose that I'd... [She drops her voice, even though they're in private.] ... go as far as wherever we're going. But after that, I'm still not sure.

[slay]

We've all made wrong choices. We're all just figuring it out as we go.

[ this isn't exactly reassuring, but it's all she has to offer. ]

Maybe it's not about right and wrong. Maybe it's about making the choice you want to make and accepting the consequences when they come, 'cause they'll come either way.

[witchwoman]

[She takes a moment to let Buffy's words sink in and nods. The consequences on either side of this aren't great. And she doesn't need to decide anything right at this moment, but if she chooses to leave the group and travel East, she knows that Finnick will want to go with her. And she can't let him travel with her without at least telling him that she has some doubts about the best choice for their future.

But she has like... a day before she has to worry about that.]

I miss when things felt easy. I was terrified of this strange place, but at least I felt like I knew where I should go next and who I should stand with.

[slay]

[ Buffy steps closer and wraps Myri up in a big ol' hug. ]

Things keep getting more complicated. Every choice feels like the wrong one. Even ... Even having Finnick back feels like a gift with strings attached. But we're still standing. We'll make it through.

[witchwoman]

[She doesn't realize how much she needs that hug until she's getting it.]

We will. We always do. [Even as broken and battered they may be at any given point.]

[slay]

And those jerks in the round table meeting tried to say we haven't accomplished anything.

[witchwoman]

Let them think whatever they want. No one could ever understand what we've been through.

[slay]

I'm not sure I'd ever want them to.

[witchwoman]

[She nods, quiet for a moment.]

No, this life wasn't meant for them. And when we put an end to all of this, they can have the glory if they want it. So long as we come out alive, I'll be happy.