saveourearth | We shall rebuild [mingle]

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We shall rebuild [mingle]

Date: 2/1/19
Characters: Open

With the festive season well and truly over, and most wallets smarting from the festivities, Mossgate has, as usual, been extremely quiet through January. The last of the sales are still lingering in the stores, hoping to entice any shoppers who aren't desperately holding out for that first January pay day at the end of the month, and the seafront is empty of all but the hardiest dog walkers, wrapped up against the cold winter winds. At least the evenings are finally starting to ever so slowly get a little bit lighter, but that's small compensation for the otherwise grey and dull month.

It seems as though it will drag on this way all the way through to February, but on the afternoon of the 20th Mossgate is shaken awake. Literally. A 4.5 magnitude earthquake hits the town just after 3:15PM, with the epicentre located at the mouth of the Moss River. The shaking lasts for a couple of seconds, and sends a couple of chimney stacks flying, but there's very little real damage done around town. As earthquakes are extremely rare in the UK, most people are unsure what is happening, and most report it to the media as assuming that a bomb had gone off, or a lorry gone past, or something similar.

Almost immediately the internet lights up with the usual British response to such events, and it's headline news on the local papers and TV for the next few days. Initially they cover the event and the clean up, and then the social media response to it.

However, those who have numbers will not just be subjected to the initial scare and then the following ridicule. As the shaking fades, an unsettled feeling starts to rise; subtly at first, but increasing as the days go by. They are left feeling anxious and uneasy, but also curious and excited. In particular, they will find themselves drawn to the earthquake and the information about it, perhaps checking the news or social media about it more than they usually would, or easier to draw into conversations about it. Whatever they can find just doesn't seem to be enough, and they're drawn to discuss it and the other unusual events (such as the appearance of the poppies in November, or the strange gifts over Christmas) of late more, and to find out more about them. It can be ignored, but as any niggling annoyance it won't disappear if it is.

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Sadie continues to focus on her breathing to try and fight back the nausea.

"She called Q'uila 'Bringer of Light'. And Q'uila seemed to think of it like some sort of god...'All made one' was what it said."

Not that that was the most concerning thing about the Echo. Considering that Echoes were almost always related to something going on in Mossgate, some of Hydaelyn's words stuck out to Sadie more.

"'For Darkness doth begin to spread.' She mentioned Darkness more than once, that and the threat of it. So, why would that be my Echo?"

Loops around the length of his forearm thickening, Benjiro wraps along under his humerus as well to accommodate the full length of the main line. When he does retrieve the end, he wraps it around the coils to secure them and links it directly to the anchor. Rather than walk it back the full distance, he takes the bundle in one hand to toss back towards where he parked his motorcycle. It falls short of the location, but near enough he can load it up once he fetches everything else.

Oh joy; worlds with actual gods. If these Echoes of other worlds weren't confusing enough...

"Because whatever you found in the river is similar to that being?"

Which raised the thought: was it somehow tied to Sadie having Q'uila's memories, or was it just a parallel? Or was it entirely random?

Sadie groans, and not because of the persistent nausea.

"Fucking hell I hope not." Sadie is quite alright being atheist, she doesn't need the existence of some sort of deity smacking around her head on top of Echoes.

Main line taken up, Benjiro turns his attention to the lateral line. He picks up the end closest and winds it in a similar fashion to the main line, and this time uses the harness still attached to secure it. Rope secured in the bundle, he tosses it to land by the main line, though it goes slightly further.

Resisting a shiver, he walks along the bank to the spot where he carried Sadie out of the cold water.

"That makes two of us."

And quite probably three; Walter makes a note to ask Benjiro once he's returned to them.

"Hope has a lot of mileage to make up for, with us."

The rubbing continues, though Walter eases off a little as Sadie manages larger sentences.

The rubbing had helped a lot and Sadie was feeling a little less disorientated and chances cracking an eye open. Nope. Too much. Eyes shut again and skin a little paler Sadie sighs.

"Are you and Ben alright?"

Benjiro paces a couple times at the river bank slowly as he tries to search for the metal pieces, and finding an angle that minds the morning sun, he locates where they settled. Steeling himself for the second cold plunge with a deep breath, he wades back out until he stands waist deep. Shivering as he looks at the rather large pair, he delays only long enough to decide how to grab them when he won’t be able to see and has to avoid the sharp edges.

One at a time.

He crouches under rather than bending forward while holding his nose to go down quick, and fumbles for the first. Hands finding the cold, smooth surface where he expected, he wraps his hands around the wrist portion of the armor and lifts. Pulling it from the mud with a hard yank and out of the current, he stands with the gauntlet lifts into both arms and feels the weight. It is manageable certainly, but his choice to be the one to retrieve them was necessary. Benjiro walks the first to the edge of the water to set down, then repeats the process.

"I'm fine."

Though that answer is definitely rushed.

"Ben is... retrieving the equipment. I think he will be okay."

But also, this was Ben; if he was injured, he wouldn't let on about it until it could be safely treated.

Sadie's brows furrow as Walter rushes past his wellbeing and starts wishing that she could open her eyes so she could assertain the truth of that herself.

"Did you get an Echo?"

"Yeah. Only memories, this time."

Which... weren't as terrifying as the one where Webmind had almost drowned his consciousness into nonexistence, but still disturbing in their own ways.

"Do you feel okay, was it like the Halloween one?"

Sadie shifts slightly and finally opens one eye a tiny sliver letting her make out Walter, blurred and out of focus as his closeness makes him.

"Did Ben get an Echo too?"

"Not quite. I- it might be easier to explain when we're inside somewhere. And when you don't have a headache." Though part of that is reluctance to admit certain happenings out loud just yet...

As for Sadie's other question:

"I strongly suspect so."

It might even explain that odd thunk, though part of Walter complained about jumping to that conclusion first. Ah, logic.

She huffs, impatient and wanting to know how they're both managing, "Fine. I'll wait. I think the dizziness is getting a little better, though not by much."

Giving her legs a stretch, Sadie can feel her legs tremble and feel all loose like she had been sleeping on them and they weren't responding properly, "I think I'm going to have to be carried if we want to leave here any time soon."

Edited 2019-03-03 22:35 (UTC)

Gauntlets retrieved from the river, he stows them at his bike along with the lines. He needs to do more to be ready to leave, but he’s too cold from holding the metal to try to tie them on. For now, he simply removes his heavily soaked coat to wring out and lay over them for cover.

Finally returning to where he left Walter and Sadie to rest and warm, he is shivering as he walks up with his mild limp less noticeable for the tremors. The two are speaking quietly as he approaches, arms crossed at his chest, so he only catches the last words from Sadie. Keeping his voice down, he interjects as he bends down to gather his dry clothes in his numb hands and the first aid kit tucked between them, “I think I’m going to need a few minutes myself.”

With her eyes closed, Sadie won’t see what Walter can. Benjiro’s outer pant leg is stained red from an inch below his knee and down.

"We'll help, Sadie."

Though that might take more than a few minutes to arrange - looking back at Ben, Walter's eyes go wide.

"Ben, what-"

He quickly lowers his volume again, for Sadie's sake.

"Ben, what happened? Can I help?"

At the very least, the teen might need a hand bandaging the source of the blood.

"Thanks, Walter..." Sadie whispers quietly before startling at Walter's exclamation, "Ben?! Walter is he okay?!"
sadie wriggles and moves towards the sound of Ben's voice, hissing when opening her other eye doesn't go well.

The teenager cringes as his friend spots the blood. So much for not worrying them. Trying to calm Sadie after that hiss, he admits to the injury, “Sadie, I’m fine. It’s only a small cut on my leg. I’m sure it looks worse than it is.”

Separating the first aid kit from his clothing, he offers the box to Walter, “Probably better if you cover it… I can’t feel my fingers. Just let me get changed most of the way.” He may also need to rinse it out with some of the bottled water they brought to clean it of the river water bacteria.

Benjiro stands, casting a cautious glance around the area as he begins to strip. Layers of shirt removed as he confirms that no one has come around even after the wave passed up the river, he hurries out of everything else to get down to his boxers. Pulling on the spare dry sweater, he pauses long enough to glance at his leg and sees the damage done by the gauntlet blade.

That’s... Hm.

Bare from the knees down, he steps around to grab a water bottle with his remaining dry clothes in one arm and sits down on the edge of the blanket on Walter’s side to unscrew the top of the bottle. Hands still shaking, he snaps it off accidentally, but sets to pour part of the contents over the inches long gash that wraps around the side of his calf with his leg stretched out over the dirt. The skin itself is split wide enough to fit a finger width in the center, but the muscle tissue beneath shows only superficial fraying.

"Stay put for now, okay, Sadie?"

As much as he hates to say it, she really doesn't look like she can help much right now.

That box is accepted with a nod, and he waits for Ben to get undressed.
When Ben reveals the cut, both of Walter's eyebrows rise.

"It doesn't look small, but it's not horrible either."

Still, cleansing alcohol ("Hold my hand, all right?"), lotion, and dry bandaging are applied with deft motions and fingers.

At the comment regarding the cut not being small, Benjiro shoots a silent but irritated look at Walter. Now may not be the best time to contradict his downplaying of the minor injury with Sadie already upset and in a far worse state.

The water poured over his leg did the job of washing most of the clotted blood and all of the visible particles of dirt away. Able to see it more clearly, he can’t help but wince as the pain becomes sharper for that attention. Looking away briefly, his focus turns back to Walter as his friend sets to pour on the alcohol. He shakes his head at the offer to hold his hand, “Thank you, but I’d rather not compound everything by fracturing your hand accidentally.” Instead, he settles for squeezing the blanket under him with both hands when the burning sensation sears at his nerves and he keeps a yelp strangled down to a pained noise in his throat. Staying a good patient by not allowing himself to move, he waits for Walter to wrap it and give him clearance to stand back up and pull on his spare pants and socks.

Once clothed, he looks to Walter with sincere gratitude, “Thanks for helping with that.” He feels fortunate Walter is not the squeamish type. Now with the area clean of any real evidence and all of them dry enough even with his hair still wet, he looks to Sadie as he sits back on the side of the blanket, “Sadie? It’s all bandaged. Just rest, okay?” While he could move under with her, he doesn’t want to bring the chill with him when she needs to stay warm.

He had whispered it, but Ben's got a point; Walter winces at that irritated look.

"As long as you hold something, it's fine."

As much as he appreciates Ben's restraint, it still worries at him. Once the bandage is on and covered he can ease his shoulders a little in relief.

"Anytime."

He follows Ben back to Sadie, taking up a closer position to try and offer warmth.

"Let us know when we can try carrying you back home, okay?"

Walter had indeed whispered quietly enough for Sadie not to hear it. However, unfortunately for Ben, Sadie has known Ben for a year and likes to think that she knows him very well at this point in their relationship.

"Benjiro Thorne," Sadie scowls as he mentions the wound being bandaged, "You are going to call Doctor Tilly and you are going to let her examine it."

Sadie considers how she's feeling; she can kind of keep her eyes cracked open without wanting to chunder so that was an improvement, and the spinning sensation has lessened slightly too.

"I don't think I'll be able to stand but I think you could probably move me sooner rather than later."

Edited 2019-03-13 18:55 (UTC)

With Walter returning next to Sadie, he takes comfort that she is in good care. Yet, she seems to be recovering faster than he realized when she uses a specific tone in her voice in conjunction with his name that plucks at a chord that makes him instantly shrink down where he sits with guilt. He responds weakly, “I…okay. I’ll call her before we leave.” His hands are still too cold to dial, so he tucks them into the opposite sleeves against his forearms with a little shiver. If he gives himself a few minutes to rest and recover some warmth, he can make the call and ready his bike at the same time since his phone is with his backpack there.

Benjiro listens as Sadie answers Walter, and he reluctantly points out, “…and what about riding on the bike?” Granted he will try to take it slowly, but turns remain part of the route and traffic may be a factor by the time they get back to the road.

Sadie's got the right idea this round; Walter simply nods from his position on the ground.

While he'll wait for Sadie to answer Ben's question first, he does have one more thing to offer:

"You can sit closer, Ben. It's no problem."

You are no problem, Walter adds internally.

"...Maybe not the bike just yet...The world is still spinning a little bit." Sadie could really do without throwing up on Ben, and considering how ropey she had been feeling the movement of the bike would likely prove too much for her.

She does shift slightly and reach out for Ben, echoing Walter's sentiment, "I'm a lot warmer now and you'll warm up quicker if you sit closer to us."

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They're just guessing, alas, because these are PLOT Echoes! XD

/cackles

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Ben can come back next round!

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CW: Blood and Wound

Re: CW: Blood and Wound

CW: Blood and Wound

Sadie can go next, now. =P

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