#rp25

Father send his regards

The peace and good natured Marcus hasn’t lasted long after his breakdown with fleur. After the small altercation with Winnie on the hillside, he reverted back to being the grumpy and rude older brother he’d always been. Maybe not completely though. He was very much taking the grumpy part seriously, but his snippy retorts and glares where very few now.

He found a local apartment to rent on a short lease basis, month to month. He knew he was staying local for some time. Watching Neros back, helping fleur and wanting to keep an eye on Abis recovery were all things he could only do locally. Even if it was like nobody wanted him around, he was use to it.

Fleur kept trying to get him talking again, and he found that on a few occasions it was actually nice. To release a tiny guilty though, or let her in on a thought he wasn’t sure was mean or not. He was slowly starting to let her past the walls he’d built so high, and she rewarded him with the trust he so desperately craved from someone, anyone!!

It was just past dusk when he was pulling on his new sneakers. A small little treat he let himself have, on fleurs guidance. A tiny grin etched on his face as he pulled the laces taught and tucked them in his ankle socks. “You ready girl?” He whispered to his companion. Artemis was standing by their bedroom door, tail waggling impatiently. She had indeed been ready for some time to get out for their morning run.

The fields were ripening with wheat, early morning sunshine gleaming from the tips as they picked up the pace towards town. Morning time would always be their favourite time of day. Not a soul about to interfere as the world slowly woke from its slumber. Except this morning there was.

The pair took the same route almost every morning, so a plan was easily created. Hiding behind a great oak tree was Marta. Clad from head to toe in black, her large scarf concealing her face, on orders from helena. Just incase Marcus tried to get an ID. She’d been waiting over an hour, to excited to sleep and wearing a thin line all along the hallway off their crappy apartment. The moment lia perked up from her shoulder, she knew Marcus was getting closer. The wind was coming down road, meaning the black mamba on her shoulder had the perfect position to scent the air.

It happened fast. Blink and you’d miss it fast. One moment Marcus was breaking in his new sneakers, Artemis running at his side. The next it was like the sun had burst over the horizon in one swoop. Light and heat engulfing them to the point that Marcus raised both forearms to shield his face from the blazing inferno. Falling to his knees as he tripped on a large rock he fell face first to the ground, grazing his legs and arms against the gravel.

Confused and stunned he mentally kicked himself to get back into the moment, to figure out what the hell had just happened.

He could smell burning. Burning flesh? Burning wood? He was hot, his arms felt like they were still burning. He spun around as he tried to find Artemis, which was when he realised it wasn’t a rock he tripped over.

Artemis hasn’t had time to swerve. And she hasn’t smelt the fire elemntal on the air until it was to late. Until there was fire already streaming towards them both. Everything went bright and hot- then it just went black.

Marcus didn’t breath for almost a full minute, staring at his familiar in sheer shock. He did was singed all over and her eyes shut as she panted heavily. They’d been hit by a literal fireball! But that’s not important right now. Artemis was struggling and she was struggling badly. He breath was short and ragged and the burns over body already looked like they were blistering.

In seconds Marcus has scooped up the limp coyote in his arms and turned towards town, running at a full sprint. His legs were searing with pain at the speed mixed with the pain of injury, his arms struggling to keep hold of Artemis as he bolted down the towns main road. If he could just get to the clinic!

Brine was on his lunchbreak.

He'd decided to take it outside, as being inside the work building only kept him thinking about-- well, work, and he actually enjoyed seeing the bustle of the city streets. The chatter of background noise helped him sort out his thoughts.

One thing he hadn't had time to think about recently was whatever happened back at Finn and Molly's hatchday party. The whole event had been pretty normal, except for that one guy he'd spoken to ... the inkling in Octoling armour; the one that'd run off and left his hoodie.

Brine still had the hoodie back home. He didn't want to get rid of it, it belonged to someone! But... would he ever see that 'someone' again? 'Marvin’ had been in quite a hurry last time, having caught himself up in his own lies. Because of that, Brine didn’t even know where to find him! He didn’t blame the guy, of course, 'Marvin’ seemed kinda awkward, but the young lawyer had to wonder what he was doing there in the first place. Again, especially in Octoling armour. Speaking of which…

…by some miracle, he saw someone in the crowd pass by wearing the exact same gear – and upon closer inspection, there was no mistaking it, that was the guy! Brine quickly packed up his lunch and called out to him, hurrying over.