Sixtieth Theory [Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Luceti is a cruel and perverted world. That's the only possible explanation for why Don revives from his death-by-drowning at the bottom of the lake. He thrashes for the surface with none of his usual graceful movement, and crawls ashore, panting and trying to figure out what happened.

He knows he died.

He remembers there is a price for being restored to the living world.

He lies in the rain, wondering if it will ever end.

When he has enough breath back to sit up, he does so, and carefully checks himself over for what the Malnosso took. Limbs, senses, memories… all seem in order. He stands and walks, and his legs work. He speaks a few words, and his voice is still there.

It doesn't seem possible that the Malnosso brought him back for free, and he's scared for what hidden deficit might reveal itself later.

He has his mask, belt, and pads. All his other gear is absent, hopefully still at home where he left it.

He starts walking.

He knows it will take some time to travel from the western lake to the village, but he knows the way and he's not in a hurry. It will be good to get his thoughts together before he sees his housemates.]


((Don's death penalty is a language disorder called aphasia. Reference post is here, and linked from the index post at the top of his journal. Meet him anywhere on his way back to House 55.

Plotting note: In the near future, Don will want to go to the clinic to find out what's wrong with him. If your character works there, and especially if they would recognize aphasia, please hit me up via PM.))

Comments

[After any other threads probably]

[semper_cogitans]

[After the initial few days of Don being missing, Robert gave up.

He didn't just give up on the possibility that Don wasn't dead - merely just, perhaps, missing; or perhaps taken on an impromptu mission. The evidence seemed to point, however esoterically or oddly, at Don's having expired - but he gave up on almost everything else, too. He's been drifting, quiet and withdrawn in a way that probably hasn't happened since he witnessed Giles' death first-hand.

And something happened to Helios too. And others. He still remembers the deaths he saw during the draft in pristine detail. They all have served to press down on him like a weight, keeping even his normally-obsessive motivations from pushing him to do much more than repetitively organize the house.

All of this is ignoring the practical repository of empty alcohol bottles. Luckily Leo intervened before that got too horrendous, but Robert has gotten drunk more than once this week, and it shows - more than anything, he looks empty and tired.

He probably doesn't immediately notice Don's approach. After all, it's been longer than the usual time spent away - long enough that, if it weren't for Don's belongings remaining, he would've thought perhaps that he went home.]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don enters the house in an almost dream-like state. It's obvious by now that something is wrong with him, but he still doesn't know exactly what.]

[Everything feels slightly surreal, and he follows his entering-the-house routine with exacting care, as though the familiar objects might dissolve and vanish at any moment. He closes the door quietly, washes his feet in the bucket, and calls out:]

I'm home.

[semper_cogitans]

[Don's voice. Don's voice.

Robert's brain snaps to attention as though a live wire had been run through it. He startles, looking up from the kitchen table with suddenly-wide eyes.]

D-Don...?! [He's on his feet in moments, like he expects Don to disappear if he doesn't go to get him first. There's an air of almost-panic, a need to be certain what Don has lost.]

[i_speak_softly]

Ronald.

[His tone is almost plaintive - he's happy to be home and relieved to see his partner, but deeply worried and far more tired than he should be. He moves forward, needing to be close to Robert, but he's looking around for his brother too. If Leo doesn't show up in about ten seconds, Don will have to hunt him down.]

[Action]

[inheavenslight]

[Luce was trying to get used to the town, having dumped the book off in the woods once more and was on his way back home. When he sees the turtle, he lets out an audible gasp, not one of wondering 'Why is there a giant walking turtle?' but one of fear.

Perhaps, in this land, this- beast emerges in the rain much like earthworms and snails do? What could this thing be? He doesn't know what Don is, thusly he assumes the worse.]

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Don knows that gasp, and he is not going to put up with it right now. He gives the stranger a wide berth and just keeps walking.]

[ action ]

[herotypical]

[ someone else is travelling the same path. the western lake is the location of a hidden little treehouse of certain significance to the slayer and -- now that she is herself able to walk around and not be in pain -- she's eager to visit all of her old haunts.

on the way back? she keeps a slow pace. she's barely been on the path for a few minutes when she sees the turtle's shell in the distance.

she squints. is it...?

buffy speeds up. ]

Hi, Don.

[ action ]

[i_speak_softly]

April. [Is he ever relieved to see you.]

[ action ]

[herotypical]

[ she quirks an unsure look in the turtle's direction. perhaps she'd best assume the name confusion to be a joke. right? ]

Hah. Good one. What are you doing way out here?

[ action ]

[i_speak_softly]

[... Nope. He gestures back in the direction they came from.]

I was the cat and I just reservated in the lick. [He runs a hand down his face, seeming irritated by all of this.] What dude is that?

[cop_an_attitude]

[When Sally sees Don heading through the village, she immediately perks up. She hasn't seen him in over a week; not too long, but slightly unusual all the same, so she heads over to meet him.]

Hi; where've you been? Around?

[i_speak_softly]

[He's almost home now, and wants to see his housemates, but he'll still slow down for his friend.]

You could say that.

[cop_an_attitude]

[Sorry for interrupting, man. She was concerned!]

Well, I hadn't seen you in awhile, which is a bit strange considering the population of this place. And what with everything that's gone on recently...

[i_speak_softly]

[Nod.]

It gone on me all right.

[Action] Sorry I'm late but work screwed me this week.

[averybadfeeling]

[Obi-Wan had kept his word to Leonardo- he had kept an eye out for turtles.

In fairness, they're hard to miss.

But he still saw no sign of Donatello- the turtle he'd spoken with less, of the two- until he was out on his run, over a week after his return from the Draft. The turtle was making his way wearily back toward the village, and Obi-Wan wasted little time in approaching him.]

"Donatello, yes?"

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Some day Don will go running with Obi-Wan. Why should Leo get all the fun? Today, though, he'll just stick to walking.]

Hi. Star Wars.

[Action]

[averybadfeeling]

[... What- Oh, yes, the films.

... What an odd thing to say.]

"Are you alright? Leonardo was worried about you."

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

Leo? Where's he?

[Action] Even later than Yon because of snail-tagging

[tailasoldastime]

[Ever since he realised that Don is nowhere in the village, Beast has been searching for his turtle friend every day in all places he can think of, even the woods that he likes to not travel too far into. But today another search in that forest has paid off - he at first can't even believe it's him, after picturing him in his sight for so many hours... but it's really him, so he doesn't hesitate to hurry over.]

Don!

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[Well, this is going to be awkward. Don waves cautiously, not trusting himself to say anything.]

[Action]

[tailasoldastime]

[He doesn't notice Don's lack of talking yet, because at the moment he doesn't care - he was worried about him!] Where were you? Are you alright? What happened?

[Action]

[i_speak_softly]

[A vague gesture, and a simple:] No.

[Action...?] /does the latest of all dance.

[fearless_leader]

It's been a rough week or so. Come back whole to a trashed house and a missing brother. But despite the forewarning from the Don, the fact that his brother died still hit him hard. Since then he's been checking daily for his return. When he wasn't keeping Robert from drinking him self into oblivion anyway.

He's returning from one of his scoutings.]

Robert? I'm back.

[Action] /assumes this is shortly after the Robert thread

[i_speak_softly]

[Don wakes with a snort, and almost falls off the couch. Carbon leaps away, irritated.]

Leo?!

[Action] Works for me \o/ Even better now that Leo has all his icons again. xD

[fearless_leader]

Don?!

[He starts. The last thing he expected was to come home to said missing brother. Sorry Carbon, you're getting ignored for the moment as he hurries to where Don is.]