(Untitled)

[resident_extras]

About forty miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, there's a piece of land that's hard to tell if it's part of this earth or if it's a Martian landscape. The rocks are sandstone, dyed bright red with iron, twisted over the eons by rains and erosion

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[h_hollister]

Her throat is immediately dry. She's used to foggy London town. This is way too arid for her liking.

But she ignores her dry throat and the stunning landscape...to focus her attention entirely on Ramon. The others are focused on defense and everything. She knows what her job is. It's to keep Ramon balanced, focused, and unaware of what's really happening here.

[8th_castellan]

His hand was holding her tightly when they PINpointed out. Once they came to their destination here in this desolate, arid place, his grip only became tighter and what little color he has to his face drains.

This was it. This was finally it. He couldn't feel them at all, thanks to his collar, but he was in a world with people like him again. He was standing in the same world that held his former master.

He was going to go confront him.

It could easily be blamed on the vertigo and displaced balance from PINpoint teleportation, but it's probably not entirely the reason why he grows weak in the knees and stumbles a little, still clutching Hips' hand.

[h_hollister]

She holds tightly onto that hand, supports him, keeps him from stumbling too much.

"Gotcha, mi amor. It's okay."

[8th_castellan]

His kneejerk reaction is to tell her, no, it's not. But he bites that comment back and just leans into her, letting her support his weight for now until he gets his balance back.

"Wh-When do we-...?" He fingers a bit at his cravat, feeling the contours of the collar underneath it.

[h_hollister]

"Sshh. Soon. Don't worry. Just relax."

She runs a hand over his head, then pulls his hand away from his cravat. And, leaning into him, she finally glances around at the desert, and the others along on this insane plan.

[8th_castellan]

He sags a bit more, as though the mental gravity of the situation is enough to weigh him down.

"C-Can we sit down, Hippolyta? Is it all right if we just sit? Just for now? Por favor?"

Nearly all of his weight is hanging off her now, so it may or may not be a good idea to.

[h_hollister]

Glancing at their feet, making sure nothing pointy and cactus-like was nearby, she lowers him onto the dusty, rocky ground. The sand is a peculiar salmon-pink color, and will most certainly stain clothes.

She squats next to him when he's finally seated, trying to catch his eyes.

"Ramon. Ramon. Look at me."

[8th_castellan]

Ramon flops down into a seated position rather quickly, seeming relieved to be off of his feet. His eyes are downcast, staring at the ground, but not for the fact he's taking in the unusual color of it. His gaze is too distant for that.

But he does eventually look up at her, the yellow in his eyes already taking on that dull, tarnished look when he's getting tired. Or overwhelmed.

[h_hollister]

She holds that look. Then pitches her voice very, very low, so that only he can hear it. Or, at least, only he can hear it and others could if they were deliberately listening in with their heightened senses.

But to hell with it. These are her friends and teammates. They understand.

"Ramon, I need you to stay with me. Stay focused. We're just going to talk. That's all. You can do this, mi amor. I believe in you. I love you."

I'm sorry I'm lying to you...

[8th_castellan]

He winces just a little, probably at some inward thought or anxiety.

Then he leans against her again, taking a deep, shaky breath, trying to indeed get himself focused and calm.

"...All right. Okay. I'm okay. I just-...I just want this over with. Now. I just want to go home..."

His own voice is low and quiet, hopefully for only Hips to hear. The other team members don't need to hear how insecure he is right now. Even though his body language probably betrays that enough as is.

[h_hollister]

"Me too. And we will. We'll go home really, really soon. It's gonna be okay, you'll see. It always is."

This sort of clueless optimism grates even on her ears. But hopefully he'd take it in the spirit intended, and hold onto it to, ah, buck up as it were.

Then she shuts up and holds him.

...Good goddamn it's hot.

[spinsaweb]

Spidey keeps a polite distance, but tilts his head and shrugs a little. Lemme know when you're ready to go, he seems to be saying.