that one time travel psl

[eyediot]

sad bad end s5 jon and tim on a monster road trip



[Algric had given the trio a fair warning of what was happening. Not the specific details of what he was coming from, but he was from a little further along Algric's timeline, and came through Hilltop Road. Never pleasant, but he's here now. IT took a few days of settling, readjusting, and putting some firm self-imposed boundaries on himself before Jon felt comfortable enough to see the others.

After a few minutes of surprise and staring, Jon ends up sitting alone with Tim for a few minutes; the others having some things to take care of themselves. He sits there, fiddling a bit with his fingers, trying not to be self conscious. He can't do anything about the myriad of different, newer scars, nor about his black sclera or so many other things about himself now.

But god... Tim. Alive and not shouting at him right this second. How novel.]

Tim... I.. [Where does he even start.]

Comments

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh.

[ Algric's voice is wavery, not entirely there. But his grip is solid, still. ]

I think that's - well. Me projecting a bit. I lived off the stuff when I disappeared for two weeks, remember?

[eyediot]

Oh.

[OH.

The tinned peaches... Right. He swallows thickly and keeps moving with him.]

...Will we really be all right like this?

[curriculum_fictae]

It'll - it'll be fine. Probably. Safer than coming in through the door.

[ He keeps walking through the winding halls; they shift as they go. Algric's old apartment hallways. The nursing home. School hallways where no one notices them, nor wants to be friends with them. ]

[eyediot]

[He notes each change, deciding not to comment for now. Taking it all in. This is more than just that little patch of Lonely that he saw before... This is something else.]

I'll trust your word for it.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Yes. Some mix of the Lonely and the Eye - something that's all Martin. Algric. Whichever.

At least it's less oppressive than the Lonely, and they move quickly through it. At last ... something in the halls change, and they're in the reading room of the Archive. ]

[eyediot]

[It's easy enough to feel the change, but seeing it too. He feels... Better, being in the Archive, even through this lens of Algric's teleport domain. He feels some measure of strength here.]

We made it?

[curriculum_fictae]

Yes. We're here. I'm - ah, keeping Elias from seeing us, so. Still stay close.

[ Algric himself is rather seethrough, all mist and outline and hardly any physical form. He seems all right, though, just ... tired. ]

[eyediot]

[God. Right. Elias. He nods, squeezing his hand again with no intention of letting go.]

Right. So... Statements.

[It occurs to him now that while he personally hasn't read that many, Jonah... has probably read the majority of the Archives. Are there any even left?]

I-i don't fully know what I'm looking for.

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh. Um - hang on, I think I know where some good ones are.

[ He leads Jon down towards one of the lesser used rooms. ]

[eyediot]

[It's easy to follow like this. No one to interrupt them, just their own voices.]

Did we have statements in here?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Indeed, it's very quiet. Unnaturally so, but. It's also getting on in the evening. ]

Mm, we did. Ones that Gertrude already went through.

[eyediot]

Oh. I...Guess that would be why I didn't know.

[The Eye already ate them, why bother knowing they're here? Once in there, he looks at his hand, then starts carefully picking through, grabbing any files he can with his free hand.]

How many should I take?

[curriculum_fictae]

Just - just fill a bag with them. And I'll get a banker's box.

[ He's already moving to do that. ]

[eyediot]

Got it.

[Even if Algric's cloak is still there, it feels just one level thinner with the loss of contact. But. Focus. Help Jonah. He grabs a tote - leftover from someone else, who even knows at this point - and starts stuffing files into it. Some his hand reaches for easy, others he trembles, has trouble grasping.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric just shoves everything he can as quickly as possible, returning to Jon soon enough. The fog deepens, gently, as he approaches. ]

You all right?

[eyediot]

Yes, just-

[How can he even explain this?]

I don't, um. Think some of these want to go with us?

[curriculum_fictae]

What - what do you mean?

[eyediot]

[It's clear he struggles with one in particular, reaching for it, fumbling, dropping it. He finally lets it fall to the table - some story of a man who blinded himself at the end, surely.]

I, um. I guess nevermind that one. [And moves on to grab some others.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric ... stares at that particular statement for a moment. Feeling that same tug. Knowing the Eye doesn't want it to be seen.

But - well. His domain is the unseen, isn't it. He pulls the wayward statement out and drops it in the top of his box. ]

Right. I'm ready.

[eyediot]

[He slings the bag over his shoulder and looks around the room again - it may be one of the last times he gets to see a room of Gertrude's work. He reaches for Algric's hand again.]

Let's go.

[curriculum_fictae]

Hold on again.

[ As he takes Jon's hand, the Archives fade once again. Back into that dreary, unseen place. The loneliness plucks harder at the two of them on the way back, trying to seep in. Leave Algric behind, it whispers. Forget him. He's happier with Jonah anyway. ]

[eyediot]

[All things he knows. He knows Algric is happier with Jonah (they're engaged, aren't they?), but he won't just... leave him behind here. Jonah might rightfully kill him. It doesn't help the words sinking into his muscles. He tightens his grip on Algric's hand.]

Will these really help?

[Not that he doubts, but. Will he be the one who has to read them?]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric's voice drifts over to him, faint and wobbly. ]

Yes. I - I think so. They have to, or. Or else I guess we're both going to split Tobias Fisher.

[eyediot]

[He knows he can still feel Algric's hand in his, his voice is still close, but it's starting to shake his nerves a bit. He feels ...cut off somehow. After all, Tim has Algric and Jonah. Elias hasn't come calling for him to return to work after giving that statement. He's going to blind himself soon, and then what use will he be to anyone?

No... Being of use. He can at least help with this before he's tossed aside]

Split... Tobias Fisher... I'm sorry, what?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ But after that? What then? Martin will be stuck caring for him just like he was forced to care for his mother. And eventually resentment will blot out any love he might have felt.

Algric ... pauses at that. Going quiet. ]

That's. That's the man we've been hurting.