selfhelp | [action / voice] backdated to the 16th

[Billy wakes up for the first time since the portal drama feeling nauseous, exhausted, and heartsick: sort of like waking from a long nightmare, only he can't recall dreaming at all. Instead of being at home in his own world and his own bed, he's still in Luceti, and what's worse is that he's alone. His magic doesn't seem to be working, either. Panic sets in, and... well...

After a bit of trouble-at-home, and a resolution that leaves him feeling even more weary, the reality of his (or rather, their) situation really sinks in: the portal didn't work. And while none of the people involved in the execution of said plan are in any great state of being today, he seems to be the only one who's up and talking and available to explain the situation to the general public (at least, to those who didn't witness what a spectacular disaster it was), and that leaves announcing it up to him.

Unfortunately.

He delays it as much as he feels that he can, perusing the journal in the desperate hope that someone else has done it for him, then wondering if it would be better to wait for someone more in-the-know to do it, until finally he steps up to the plate. Now or never.]

...Hey everyone. I'm sure a lot of you already heard, but for those that haven't, Tony and Jane's big escape portal didn't work. It kind of backfired yesterday, and...

[His voice trails off in the beginnings of a more distraught tone, so he pauses to compose himself.]

Nobody died? I mean, we've got that going for us. For what it's worth. But no one went home, either. The whole thing was a bust. No point in even keeping it a secret anymore.

One last thank you to everybody who gave up their mission points to get parts for it, though. I don't think it was a waste or anything - I mean, trying's better than sitting around and doing nothing, and something definitely happened, so we at least pushed a few of their buttons - but...

[Ugh, why did he think this was a good idea?]

...sorry it wasn't what we thought it would be. That's all.

[After that he really just wants to curl up in bed and pretend to be unconscious for the next several days, but that's not particularly responsible, so he'll have to settle for making it a few hours instead. It's the little things in life.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Good. If you want to, you can tell him you have doctor's orders to be pampered until you feel better. [As usual, Mia has no idea whether her teasing comes across well, but hopefully the affection she used will help this time.] Also, I would be happy to keep a message or two for you, in case when they wake up, you aren't available to talk to them.

Ah... I don't want to bother them. I mean, I'll try to be in to visit them as soon as I can, I just can't go yet.

[He pauses for thought, then adds,]

I'm sure they've got enough to worry about, but if they ask about me, just let them know that I'm okay.

I definitely will. And I'm sure they will ask - you were there with them too. Neither one will be ready for many visitors for at least a few days, though. [They had a snowball's chance in the desert of budging Pepper or that lightning man.] I can tell you when they are, but I have a feeling someone else will get to you first.

[One hand covers a polite yawn.]

Edited 2013-03-26 04:37 (UTC)

[Well, that doesn't go entirely unnoticed.]

Ha... looks like I'm not the only tired one. You must've been kept busy looking after everyone.

It is still busy, I'm afraid. [Not busy in the same urgent way as it was, but enough that she didn't feel she could stop yet.] I almost...want it to be. For now.

[Thinking about what happened does her no good either.]

...Well, it's better than the alternative. In the extreme way, I mean.

[They wouldn't be so busy if everyone had died or something. But that's such an unpleasant theory that he won't put it into actual words.]

Yes it is. Every time. ...Thank you, I think I needed to hear that.

Really? [Well, apparently it isn't such a bad sentiment after all.] I'm glad, then. You guys are doing great.

We're doing what we are supposed to do. It is all of you who did something great.

Failing miserably counts as doing something great now?

I don't think it was a miserable failure. [And she lacks the words, still, to explain why.]

...Pretty sure you'd be the only one to think that.

It didn't work once. In a measurably awful way, I grant that. But does anything...work right the first time?

[Yeah, no. The right description just isn't coming.]

Sometimes it does, if you do it right. And we were all hoping for so much out of this...

So much could still happen, Billy. Look at what you have now - an entire machine that could work, next time. If you fix it a little.

I'm pretty sure I'll have nothing to do with it if it does work. Um.

[Okay, he's just being a jerk at this point.]

...I get what you're saying, though. And I'll try to think about it. ...Sorry.

Why are you sorry?

[A careful, gentle question.]

Everyone's feeling down enough already, they don't need my cynicism to help.

I think they would worry more if you weren't acting much like yourself.

...Ouch, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that.

[Oh dear.]

I'm sorry. [Because she may not know what she said to upset him but it was something.]

No, it's okay. I know what you meant- and I know I'm not the most cheerful guy ever.

[Even if it did kind of sound like "acting like yourself" means being a cynical bastard, the way she phrased it.]

[Still. She doesn't like to hear people say those things about themselves, and this time she started it.]

You're wonderful, Billy. If necessary I will ask Teddy for his agreement.

[...ff... fffff. W-well then.]

Oh, uh.

[God, that totally spun the conversation on its head, didn't it?]

No, that's okay. I know what he'd say, um... thanks?

How is he doing? [Aside from, presumably, worried.]

[voiced; filtered]

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