Multi-Sock and Open RP: The Gang's All Here! ... Minus One

[heymrcrowley.livejournal.com]

((Backdated to the day before the annullments. This is the conclusion of this plot which you may or may not remember. I'm officially back now, yay!))

Nearly a full month after they'd left Hogwarts, the weary refugees (seven in all, counting the wolf and the wolf-boy) clambored up the road from Hogsmeade, exhausted but grateful to be back. How the rescue plane had finally found them, no one was quite sure -- whether Crowley's powers had finally done some good besides the free housing, or whether Fraser's signal fire had actually paid off, or if it was just a total coincidence -- but no one was exactly going to question. Some of them had actually enjoyed their little tropical paradise, but not a one of them wasn't happy to be rid of it.

After all, what was life without soap operas, fancy cigarettes, Jell-O, tea packets, curling, steak, donuts, and the Ritz? (And just go ahead and guess which of those belonged to whom.)

They were all looking toned and tanned after their long ordeal, with two notable exceptions: Crowley was as pale as ever and looked, in fact, entirely unchanged, while Francis was sporting both a shiner and a sunburn that made his pink face clash distressingly with his mop of red hair. The both of them were wearing black and were neatly-shaven; the other three were scruffy and unkempt. The dogs (well, dog, or rather half-wolf, and Robb) were shedding and panting with the heat as they loped along.

"Thank God," someone groaned as the castle loomed into sight, and everyone murmured their own version of agreement. Finally, after all this time, it seemed like it was finally over.

Little did they know that one more Tragedy was yet to strike.

The moment they passed through the gate there was a 'whoosh' and then a little pop!, and suddenly there were only six. An empty space had opened up next to Francis. At his feet sat a single kernel of popcorn, pale yellow and smelling faintly of butter. The group all stopped and stared in horror. There was a crowded pause.

"Oh, dear," Fraser murmured.

More silence.

"I, ah..." Mohinder folded his hands and closed his eyes. "He will be missed."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, it's not as though he were dead," Francis snapped, rolling his eyes. "Come on. I want to take a shower. My fleas have fleas." The others looked at him expectantly. He took a step back. "What?"

Fraser, Cox, Mohinder and Jim all somehow exchanged a four-way look. "Do you want to...?" Jim asked uncertainly. "I mean, uh, you guys were kinda close." Despite the fact that Francis and Crowley had shacked up together almost immediately, they all knew this wasn't particularly true, but it still seemed like the appropriate question to ask. Francis gave Jim a long, sardonic look, then turned and headed up the hill for the main entrance. Jim let out a low whistle and shrugged. "Guess not." He picked Crowley up and held him out. "Anyone?"

"I'll take him," Fraser volunteered, like they all knew he would. Jim handed the ex-demon over, but Cox intercepted.

"Nah, don't worry about it. I gotta swing by the Popcorn Room on my way back to the Wing, anyway."

Mohinder blinked. "You're... going back to work? Right now?"

Cox snorted and grinned. "Well, other than catching up on La Lohan and the VMAs, there's not exactly a whole lot else to do in this dump. I'll see you fellas around." Tossing Crowley back and forth like a juggling ball, Cox hefted his bag over his shoulder and followed Francis up towards the castle. Or, rather, absolutely did not follow him, but just happened to walk in the same direction.

After a moment of hesitation, the others moved along after him. After all, what else were they going to do?

"Do you think we should have a-- a funeral of some sorts?" Fraser asked uncertainly. "I'm not sure of the protocol in this situation."

"I'm not sure either," Mohinder admitted, looking around. "But in the meantime, do you know what all these tents are for?"

"Huh," said Jim.

((Okay, so as you've probably figured out now, Crowley has sadly gone the way of the popcorn. But check his journal to see the first part of the island adventure! As for right now, all of my characters minus Geoffrey -- Dr. Cox, Francis, Fraser, Mohinder, Jim, and Robb (and Diefenbaker!) -- are currently around the front lawn/entrance area and are free for RP in this post. Have at them!))

Comments

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Not that it was a specific answer, but Robb managed to make it clear that he hadn't been around the school. Yes, that explained it. "You're looking good." As good as he could look.

[awoooo.livejournal.com]

Robb suspected that wasn't really true, but he was grateful anyway. He gave what he hoped was an appreciative-sounding noise and nibbled on the jerky. Gods, but that did taste good. He whined again and moved a little closer, holding a hand out to Arya reaching out to touch her shoulder.

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

Arya smiled a little. She'd been doing it enough lately that it wasn't as strange-feeling as it had once been to do so. She held still and let him touch her, and reached out to--she wasn't sure, scratch behind his ears? Dogs and wolves seemed to like it. Maybe Robb would, too.

[awoooo.livejournal.com]

He did, actually -- he had discovered this only recently, but there was this little spot right behind his ear... Er, but, that had been on the island, when he was more wolf than boy. Here, it wasn't appropriate for him to be getting head-scratchies. Especially not from his little sister. He had been King of the North.

He gave her shoulder a quick pat and then pulled back reluctantly, drawing himself up to his full height. He was -- had to be -- Robb, now.

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

She didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed at him not getting head-skritches from her. On the one hand, he was her brother. On the other, if she didn't really like people touching her now and she had been alive all this time, maybe it was worse for him, having been murdered?

"Have you seen Mother or Father or anyone else yet?"

[awoooo.livejournal.com]

Robb was glad to hear that the rest of his family was still there, or at least his mother and father. He shook his head, then gave a questioning bark. In theory, it was supposed to be 'Jon?'

[runaway-stark.livejournal.com]

"If you're asking about Jon and Sansa, they're around somewhere. Busy, I think. No one else has arrived since the last time I saw you." Which was good, really. If Bran and Rickon showed up in the same condition that Robb had (or more accurately in the same condition as their father had, from the stories she had heard) she didn't think she could handle it.