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

[klep]

[Crap. What to say, what to say, what to say ... ]

Can it wait?

[behindcloseddoors]

I'm afraid not. We have some... concerns, and it's important to diagnose you properly before you are released.

[klep]

What kind of concerns?

[STALLS. STALLS FOR DAYS.]

[behindcloseddoors]

You seem to be exhibiting signs of memory loss. We think it's possible there's been some damage.

[klep]

You think?

[A beat.]

I'm sorry. That was snappish and you don't deserve that. It's just ... this has been a lot? And I think I'd really like an hour or two to just ... breathe a little. I don't really think shoving me in an enclosed space is the best idea right now.

[behindcloseddoors]

Then we recommend you rest here. You can visit with your family if you feel up to it - or watch some television. But we'd like to keep you under observation.

I know your twin is particularly worried.

[klep]

[ ... Oh God.

There were a lot of worst case scenarios she ran through when she found out this body had a family, but "twin" wasn't one of them. Distant siblings, she might be able to manage to fool with the amnesiac act, but it'd be harder with someone who knows Julia that well.

She doesn't know what to do, and honestly she would love to put the decision off on someone else, but even then, she would have to know what options to give them.

She's quiet for a moment, before she looks up at the nurse.]

Is he still here?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the nurse nods ]

He told the rest of the family he intends to wait here.

[klep]

[She nods for a moment. She pauses for a moment, before starting to slowly shift to her feet.]

Can you help me back to the bed?

[A beat.]

And then tell him he can come in?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the nurse nods, putting an arm under felicity's and guiding her back towards the bed ] Just wait a moment and I'll send him right in. [ she gives her a reassuring smile and a pat on the arm and heads out the door ]

[klep]

[She nods a bit, before leaning back against the bed and closing her eyes. She's dreading this, probably more than she's ever dreaded anything in her life, but it needs to be done.

At least she's not telling the whole family at once.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ the door opens slowly finally, and in steps the man, who closes it quietly behind him. he approaches with a warm smile, but caution in his eyes. ]

You really scared me, sis.

[klep]

Yeah. We need to talk.

[She takes a deep breath as she shifts up to look at him more, and she knows this is going to be hard, but hey, the truth will set her free.]

I'm not your sister. I mean, physically yes, this is her body, but soul-wise, I guess, I'm not her.

[She doesn't give him a chance to ask her what the hell she's talking about she just rambles into the next part like a boulder gaining momentum.]

My name is Felicity Braddock and according to what I've been told I died yesterday. They were trying to resurrect me and I got reincarnated instead, into your sister's body.

sorry! I lost this ;;

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he stares at her as she speaks, the blank expression on his face making it clear that this isn't sinking in ] What are you talking about?

no worries <3

[klep]

[She takes a deep breath, because yeah, that story sounds crazy, no matter what way she slices it, but she's hoping if she sticks to the truth, then it will eventually sink in (diplomacy 18).]

I died yesterday. And I was reincarnated into your sister's body which I think ... I hope means that she ... she passed away.

[And this is the worst news she can give him and she knows that, but she manages to keep it together (will save 23) and not burst into tears, but it doesn't stop her from apologizing.]

I'm so sorry.

[Not that any of this is her fault, and he still may not even believe her but she's going to apologize anyway. Someone should apologize for putting him in this situation.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he stands up, shaking his head, in disbelief ] This isn't possible. Whatever you're trying to do, whatever is causing you to want to ... to invent this story, we can get you help.

[klep]

[Her face crumples for a moment, because she's trying to do this the right way. She doesn't want to lie to these people because they don't deserve it. They deserve to be able to grieve Julia and say goodbye to her the right way, but unfortunately that isn't how this is going to work.]

Do you really think I would make something like this up?

[The words burst from her with a bit of frustration because she would make up an entire life for herself, but she wouldn't do it to push family away from her. She's never had an actual family to push away before.]

Do you think she would make something like this up?

[behindcloseddoors]

You're not thinking straight... there... there might have been damage, they said, in the accident. I know this is confusing for you, but we need to let them run their tests, and then... then we can get you the help you need.

[klep]

[She sighs as she tips her head back against the bed.]

They're not going to have time to run the tests. A cleric friend of mine is coming to heal me and then I need to leave. I can't stay here. I have a job to do.

[She looks back at him, firmly.]

I don't expect you to understand completely what happened. But you need to realize that you're not getting your sister back. She's gone. I don't even know your name.

[It's cold, so much colder than she wanted to be, but she didn't really have much of a choice at this point. Maybe she should have listened to Thoster and just told them whatever they wanted to hear, but it's too late now.]

I'm ... I'm trying to do this the right way.

[Especially when lying would have been so much easier.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he looks around when she makes a claim about a friend coming before seeming to realize that sounds insane. ]

John. My name is John. [ he says it passionately, as if he believes that perhaps that will be the piece of information that will bring her back to her senses ] Julia, I'm not psychologist, but... but maybe there was something you were trying to run away from. Something that would cause you to convince yourself of this... that your life wasn't your own.

[klep]

[And that idea makes her laugh, bitterly for a moment. Because she just died. Her life isn't a life that someone would run away into.]

Trust me, no one would see my life as an escape from their problems. Did you miss the part where I said I just died?

[She wants to make sure he doesn't miss that. It's very important.]

[behindcloseddoors]

[ he grits his teeth ]

I don't know why your psychosis would ... manifest that way but we need to get you diagnosed. Maybe you really believe this... I'm sure you do. But it's not true.

[klep]

[Psychosis. Great. Okay. She slumps back in the bed for a moment, running a hand through her hair, before she tries to think of skills that she has that his sister might conceivably not have.

Her mouth draws to the side for a moment, before she tries another tactic. In Slovchenian:]

No chance your sister is fluent in Slovchenian, is she?

[behindcloseddoors]

[ his eyebrows lift, surprise and understanding clear on his face. he responds in the same language: ]

How is that possible?

[klep]

[She gives a small shrug and switches back to English again, and she'll respond, complete with jazz hands.]

Magic.

[But she'll drop the glib nature of it as she leans back in the bed.]

I didn't ask for this. A regular resurrection sure, but I would never want to put someone else's family through this - put your family through this. I don't think the person who cast the spell knew this is what would happen either.