it's the ⓔⓒⓣ<3 (コスプレ) Back with a vengers!

[A Solid Nope]

*Slowly starts to melt, calming, taking large gulps of air, then steadying breaths. Tries to make sense of her jumbled mind. Puts her bare hand on Geordie's. Blinks away the tears and sits very, very still. She glances at her friend, and then frowns.* I remember being underwater.

[Leonid Hugaev]

*shakes his head slowly*
They're at war. But there's nothing I c-can do to help.

*looks at the stump of his arm where it ends just above where a wrist should be. It's healing pretty well, and just a little faster than he expected. But it still happened because he's doing a s**t job as a medium*

[A Thorn Beneath the Bloom]

*exhales softly at her touch. Has noticed that she doesn't seem to feel his usual effect. But doesn't intend to bring that up; she's got plenty to think about*

Under water? *has a hazy memory of a wet Molly holding a sword, telling him her canoe turned over*
When?

[A Solid Nope]

Over the summer. Before the semester started. We spent it in Europe. *Shivers, like she's cold.* ...the canoe tipped?

*It's not so much it isn't working so much as her brain is too full to process the additional stimuli, but it'll get there.*

[Last Knight Standing]

*Pulls out her phone, and starts scrolling through pictures, biting her lip, and chewing on it.* There's always something you can do when war comes.

*Glances at him again. Doesn't know when he is.* ...remember things you know didn't happen? *Speaks very quietly.*

[Leonid Hugaev]

*Smiles. Thin, a little cold, but genuine* I thought you were supposed to know me.

*smile disappears; forehead wrinkles* I... I was there when you d-died. Not just once.
*eyes widen, the blue light burning bright. Can feel that riptide pulling at him and presses his back hard against the tree, dropping his cup of cocoa. Feels one of the rocks beneath his foot and looks down*
And there was a friend... I... I t-took her across. Over and over. Except when I d-didn't?

*licks his lips. Can hear something like a heartbeat. No, like a clock ticking. Like time running out*

[A Thorn Beneath the Bloom]

But you're fine, draga mea.
*racks his brain, trying to remember. From his perspective, that was only a few months before he left the Scholomance, ten years ago, now.*

What happened to that sword?

[Last Knight Standing]

*Points a finger at Lenny, giving him a wry smirk.* I do, most days. But not so much anymore. Even so. There's always something we can do. No matter how little.

*Looks down and laughs a little. Quiets. Leans and picks up one of the stones, holding it to her cheek. They're still warm.* You were. *Watches him drop the mug, wincing.* You helped her, too. Took her across when it was time. None of us came from the same place.

*Is struck by memory. Hawk and Harry Dresden. Clamps it down. Doesn't want to relive that. Never wanted it to happen. But she remembers something important. Deflates some. Scrubs at her eyes.* ...you were always there when I needed you to be. Up until you forgot me.

[A Solid Nope]

What sword? *Looks at Geordie blankly, not recalling any of that.* I had a sword? Were you there?

*Looks at him, suddenly excited * What do you remember?

[Leonid Hugaev]

*swallows hard. She's talking like those things were real, and the pull gets stronger, a maelstrom of memories. Digs his fingers into the bark of the tree, trying desperately to just be here and now.*

N-no. Those are the things that didn't happen. Or... maybe they d-did, but not to me. Or they're just possibilities? I didn't forget anything. The problem is remembering. There are so many...

[A Thorn Beneath the Bloom]

A Solid Nope

What sword? *Looks at Geordie blankly, not recalling any of that.* I had a sword? Were you there?

*Looks at him, suddenly excited * What do you remember?

*Oh, hot damn. Can do something immediately useful, after all. Sits up a little straighter, bringing himself closer to her*

It... You know time is strange, here. It wasn't last summer, it was... I suppose about ten years ago. Before. I don't know how well I can recall the details. You said someone was chasing you, I remember that. You had a sword. Very, very old. And before you went into the water, you heard singing.

[A Solid Nope]

A...sword? *Struggles to remember, grasping at threads as they slip away. Coughs. Shuts her eyes, and suddenly feels like she's underneath the waves again. Can hear the song. Shudders.* It's an important sword.

[Last Knight Standing]

H-Hey, I'm sorry, we can stop talking about this. I don't know what to do? *Panics. Has no idea what to do. Feels a strangle hold on her heart.* I don't want you to hurt yourself.

*Scoots closer, but then stops short.* Can I help, somehow?

[A Thorn Beneath the Bloom]

A Solid Nope

A...sword? *Struggles to remember, grasping at threads as they slip away. Coughs. Shuts her eyes, and suddenly feels like she's underneath the waves again. Can hear the song. Shudders.* It's an important sword.

*nods* I got that impression. You couldn't bear to let go of it.
*watches her face carefully, reluctant to intervene, even though the memory seems distressing. Brushes her hair back carefully*

[Leonid Hugaev]

Knightly Failure

H-Hey, I'm sorry, we can stop talking about this. I don't know what to do? *Panics. Has no idea what to do. Feels a strangle hold on her heart.* I don't want you to hurt yourself.

*Scoots closer, but then stops short.* Can I help, somehow?

I can't stop thinking about them all.

*Slides down to sit, touching one of the rocks with his fingertips. That was a job well done, even though he didn't do it. Except he did. Frowns and shakes his head*

I don't know what's happening. What if it gets in the way? It's almost t-time. Kate's waiting.