[EP/GP] Today is Check-In Day

[st_illunsmeared]

When the fifteenth of the month came and went without any new arrivals, most people logically supposed that there would be no new arrivals that week, or that the pattern they believed they'd found was false after all.

Kitty Pryde, Caroline Forbes, and Phryne Fisher were decidedly not most people.

Between them, they agreed it would be best to keep a watch for a few days following the fifteenth, on the grounds that, often enough, holidays interrupted regular schedules, which would reassert themselves again at the next instance. If "keeping a watch" had required them to do anything out of the ordinary, they might have been somewhat less sanguine about it. Might have, as they were not, after all, most people. Yet since their routines, almost invariably, had them in public places, working and people-watching, it required no special effort on their part to be alert for new arrivals.

So it was that Phryne had taken up a table in the lobby cafe to read and hold court, while Kitty took an extra shift tending bar, and Caroline tidied up and labeled the boxes of decorations from Valentine's day "for next year's residents" on the morning of the sixteenth and again on the seventeenth--and not one of them were surprised when, in early afternoon, newcomers began to arrive.

Comments

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin did manage to register when he spoke again that he was spoking Cruinthe, which was odd, but not something that he cared terribly much about at the moment.

He gasped a little when his shirt was ripped open, once his hands were gone and he felt the flow of blood again. "Just take me," he said in accented Cruinthe this time. "Take me to Elua." He could not bring himself to look at the wound. It would not matter soon.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Most people didn't understand how it worked, being Champion of the Raven Queen - Vax had struggled with it enough himself, and didn't pretend to know that he saw all of it for what it was. But he understood more of it than he spoke of to anyone. More than Vox Machina or even his sister knew. They mentioned it at times as if he in his service had some control over who lived and died, or as if he could just summon up the goddess whenever he felt like to learn from her insight as you would call upon a scholar in a library.

She was intelligent, but she was primal. You did not ask favors of or seek to impose your will upon death itself. It was more than useless. It was wrong to be so small, so selfish. And he'd bargained away his own life to her already. He was her agent among mortals, no more, no less.

Vax'ildan couldn't have begged for this one's life from her, if it was time for her to take it. But as the young man spoke words such as he could finally understand, calling for his angel, his devil, his whatever, Vax could feel his readiness to die. And the boy's answer came to him from Her, preordained and absolute, the will of the Raven Queen that would be done because she'd set her Champion there to make it so.

"You're not going to die today," Vax explained, the cold iron certainty told gentle as a whisper. He placed both hands over the gaping wound, closing his eyes, focusing on channeling Her power into the prone body. Where Pike's abilities came from Serenrae, healer of sunlight and flame, the glow of Vax'ildan's healing was iridescent shadow shifting under his gloves. He couldn't restore all vitality and good health, no, that would still take time. But the wound came together, smoothing over, patching the body whole.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin wasn't certain exactly what he felt, less a warm light and more like a shudder. And then, as if breath were coming back to his body, gasped and grabbed the arm of the figure leaning over him.

"I am not going to die today," he repeated breathlessly, as if convincing himself - or perhaps assuring the other of his obedience.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Vax let him grab and grasp unfazed, able to see the need for tactile confirmation of the gasped fact. His serious expression warmed with a thin, earnest smile. "Your Elua will have to wait."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin a hand to where the wound had been. Though he was still covered in blood, there was no more. And he knew this was not how wounds worked. When Bouvarre had stabbed him, a chiurgeon had stitched him up and it had taken weeks to heal.

His eyes went slightly wide as he looked up at the handsome face smiling at him. "You are an angel. Which are you?" He was so... dark. "Kushiel?"

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"I'm as mortal as you," Vax'ildan insisted, but kindly. He was suddenly all-over grateful he didn't have his wings extended, or he might never hear the end of it. "I bleed as easily, and I've made more mistakes than most."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin decided that, regardless of the truth of the matter, it was best not to argue with him.

He tried to sit up. "I... I have to..." Suddenly, the truth of the everything that had happened to him overwhelmed him. "I have to find Phedre, I have to warn her..." This was most important, not to mention easier than thinking about the fact that Anafiel Delaunay was dead.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Vax helped the boy ease upright to sit back against the counter carefully, knowing full well he'd be weak and tired despite the hole in him having mended. Vox Machina did this sort of thing with unsettling regularity.

"Easy. Wherever it is you've come from, you're here for now - a long way from your home, I imagine." It was as gently as he could think to break the news to someone who had so narrowly avoided death but moments before, and he made an expansive gesture to the wider cafe around them to prove his point. "You'll need your rest before anything else."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

A long way from your home. Alcuin tried to settle more comfortably, wincing. "I am not in Terre d'Ange?"

Though before the man could answer he said, "I... I am so sorry, my lord. I have not even thanked you. It's only - I'm so confused..."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"I've not heard that name," Vax offered, sympathetic to the disorientation. "You're within a hotel they call the Madonna Inn. They say this realm is known as California, though that means little to me. Most of the residents here seem to have come from another land."

"And I'm no lord," he added, a hint of distaste around the title. That was his father's way, to be concerned with pomp and rank and form, but never his own. "My name is Vax'ildan. I'll explain whatever I can, but this whole bloody place is something of a mystery."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin also would not argue with him about address, though even if he were not among the peerage (or an angel, as Alcuin had assumed), it was still typical for Servants of Naamah to address most with respect.

After listening to him, Alcuin realized that, if what he said was true, then the explanation that made the most sense was that he had died. This is not what he had imagined of the afterlife, but it was the only thing he could wrap his head around as making any sort of sense. He did not say that, however, considering how insistent his rescuer had been that he was alive.

"My name is Alcuin," he said quietly. "And whatever explanation there might be, you have helped me and I am grateful. Thank you, Vax'ildan. I... perhaps I could impose upon you to help me know what I should do next."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"You could," Vax agreed sincerely, thinking of how fair Stephanie had done similar for him, bloodstains and all.

He stood, moving to where the sword had been discarded, to pick it up and give it an eye. "Is this blade even yours, Alcuin?"

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin looked at the sword, then. It was Anafiel's. Sweet Elua, had they wrestled his sword from him, killed him with his own blade? Was this the one that had run through Alcuin as well? It had all happened so fast... but he did know that the last layer of blood on it was the man that he'd killed.

"I... suppose it is now," was the answer he finally managed, as grief threatened to overwhelm him. "It was..." He couldn't quite bring himself to say it. "He's dead. We were attacked."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"I don't think your attackers would have the means to follow you here." Vax rested a hand on the young man's shoulder, offering some small gesture of support - he could do no better, when it seemed this Alcuin had lost much in such short order. "If you want the sword, it's yours. But for now, I'd like to see if we can't get you into a room where you can clean up and lie down a while. Do you think you can walk?"

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin had not had the time to think much yet about his attackers. Who sent them, what the motives were. He had guesses, based on the various intrigues Anafiel was involved in, but without more information it would only be speculation.

He also had no intention of giving up the sword, but it seemed as if Vax did not intend to take it from him.

He nodded. "Yes. I think I can. I think a rest would be good." He doubted he could sleep, but some time for his thoughts to settle was necessary, he thought. He offered Vax his hand, hoping he could help him to his feet.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Sword secured in his far hand, Vax set his feet wide and bent to lift with his opposite grip just under the lad's shoulder. That would give him some leverage to steer the slender frame where they needed to go. Vax'ildan wasn't a large man, very lean and a bit on the short side, but he pulled Alcuin onto his feet with a fair measure of strength and a keen sense of balance.

"Don't be a hero," Vax suggested, as he started them out of the cafe area towards the registration desk at the front of the building. There was a wide expanse of groomed greenery and quaint fixtures beyond the windows, and more pink buildings with ornamental white trim. "You've one less hole in you, but you've been through an awful lot. We can rest as you may need."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin's time for heroics that day was over. As ineffectual as they may have been. He had killed a man, and what good had it done? He had not saved Anafiel, and apparently had not even saved himself.

"It will not be nearly so bad as the last time," he said. He did not know if Vax had noticed the other scar he bore or not, but it was fairly close to the new wound. "It took me weeks to recover. I could hardly move. Whatever you did to help... it's remarkable, this is nothing like that."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Vax was perceptive enough to have noticed - but he'd also seen it was an old scar, which didn't seem so relevant as the new.

"I could've done a cleaner job of it." Pike would have, he knew, having given him a whole new toe and all. They all had to make due here, didn't they? "But you'll feel better still with a soak and some fresh clothes." And some time to begin to think on all this. "I'll see what they've got in your size around here after you're settled in."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin was not convinced he would feel better. It was hard to imagine feeling better ever again, right at this moment. He was also somewhat concerned that the moment he was left to his own thoughts his grief would overwhelm him. But perhaps that needed to happen. Right now, he felt numb.

"Thank you," he said. "You've been so kind." And he should show his gratitude... but not right now. Not covered in blood, and barely beyond half dead.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"We have to help one another when it's needed, don't we?"

It was the sort of question that didn't expect answering. And the trip to the registration desk wasn't so long that the resulting silence would feel a burden - not when there was so much that needed attention, perhaps better left unsaid for now.

"Darryl," Vax greeted the aggressively nondescript, though assuredly male figure that manned the front desk. Later, if one tried to list his specific features, they'd be at something of a loss without quite knowing why. But someone had gone to the trouble of hand-writing him a nametag at the least. "Another for check-in."

The entirely bland innkeep checked something on a boxed-in scrying glass of some sort, then slid a rectangle sheathed in paper bearing the inn's sigil and a room number across the desk to Alcuin. He was not the least bit concerned about the bloodied state of the guests. "Alcuin no Delaunay - Building Three, Room 155. Enjoy your stay."

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin was increasingly convinced that this was some extremely unexpected version of the afterlife. He took the item from the innkeeper (looking at it oddly, as he was expecting a key), and then looked up at him. "Is... there anyone else here by the name of Deluanay?"

The innkeeper shook his head. "There are no other guests checked in by that name."

Alcuin nodded again, not sure if he had expected something different. Then he looked back to Vax. "Can you lead me here?"

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

"Sure," Vax'ildan agreed, marking the name. "Turns out you'll be just down the hallway from mine."

"Are you looking for a sibling? Or a parent?" Vax asked more quietly, leading Alcuin outside to traverse the quaint little footpaths that would meander them to the far building where they needed to be.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

Alcuin's relationship to Anafiel Delaunay was, Alcuin thought, too complicated to attempt to explain in the answer to what should be a simple question.

So he only said, "As far as I know, my entire family was killed. I thought... well, I thought they might be here, too." Anafiel, or Phedre.

He was also relieved to hear that he would be near Vax. Right now the only soul he knew here.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_abby]

Vax had almost got to where every thought in his head wasn't about Scanlan, or Grog, or Pike, or Percy, or Keyleth... Though he couldn't stop thinking about Vex, not ever really. But the boy's honesty about his own hopes reminded him of them with a pang of sharp longing.

He'd be tempted to tear his own wings out, if he thought for a moment that it would give him any one of them.

Not that anyone had asked for such yet.

"The Inn is full of mysteries - but some of them are kind enough to be called surprises. There's no way of knowing exactly who will arrive here and when, and it goes both ways. We may very well never see our loved ones again," he admitted. "But truthfully, some kin and loved ones have been reunited here already. I will keep an ear perked for you," Vax promised.

Re: for Vax (Greeting)

[st_unning]

"Thank you," said Alcuin, less for the offer and more for that bit of comfort. "After all, what do we have if not hope?"