wade in the water

[bbharry]

Harry Potter woke up believing that he was at Hogwarts in his first year of schooling. It was shortly after the incident with the troll in the bathroom where he, Hermione, and Ron first made the team that they did and took down the troll together. When he woke up in an entirely unfamiliar bed, he was confused. He was more than confused really. No

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[askthemoon]

Remus is still geniefied, but today he's wandering around the Kashtta. Somebody found his lamp and then ran away before they found out what was in it, so he's free to wander until somebody else picks him up.

He wanders into the cafeteria, and he stops short in the doorway when he recognizes Harry sitting there.

(It takes him a minute to actually figure out it is Harry, and not a very young James that wandered through the Rift.)

He takes the seat across from him carefully, trying not to stare openly, at least until he has some idea what's going on. "Harry?"

[bbharry]

Harry is eating a cracker when he hears the voice that he doesn't recognize yet. He looks up, wondering who it is that knows him and recognizes him. He is supposed to be somewhere entirely different after all, and he didn't think he was famous here like he was back home.

However, he doesn't recognize the man.

"Yes, sir?"

He adjusts the glasses, and Hedwig takes flight around the cafeteria.

"How do you know me?"

[askthemoon]

He watches Hedwig fly for a few moments, weighing his options, before finally settling on, "I -- know you when you're older. I don't know how much people have told you about how it works here, but that happens sometimes. How long have you been here?"

[bbharry]

"Only since I woke up," Harry says with a nod as he looks at him. "I saw Hermione earlier and she told me there were a lot of people who knew me here, and she explained them all to me so I wouldn't be too surprised. Who are you?"

[nowgoandgether]

Lena Austen knows not what is happening.

All she knows is it is mildly disturbing, going to bed your twenty-four-year-old (going on twenty-five) self and waking up as if you are six again instead.

Six.

She has retained enough of her adult memories to recognize people from said adult life, but for the most part, she is stuck in six-year-old mentality, mannerisms, and headspace, even if she is aware enough to know this is not on.

Which is why, when she sees Lucky, she nudges one of the kids away in her relief and clings to his pant leg with both arms. "Luckyyyyy," she whines while looking up at him with sad, big, shiny green eyes. As if that alone explains everything, as if that alone says he needs to fix it.

[theacheisleft]

Lucky Spencer has no idea that his fiance has turned into her six year old self. He actually didn't see her this morning before he left which was strange but it happens sometimes. It's why he has no idea who it is that's clinging to his leg like she is and saying his name like they've met before.

The only kid in Chicago that knows him is Max.

This is not Max at all. This is a little girl.

"...yes?"

He stares down at her in confusion before he reaches down to try to lift her up in his arms if she'll let him. Hey, he doesn't have to know who a little kid is to pick them up with no issues at all.

The face, the green eyes especially are familiar to him, but he just-- it doesn't even occur to him as a possibility.

"How do you know me?"

[nowgoandgether]

Gnnn. She does not feel like explaining, and there is almost a part of her that wants to flat out pretend that it is a fluke she knows his name, so that no one has to know it is her, but if someone can help her figure out what is going on, it would be Lucky.

She sighs, exasperated.

There is no reason for this exasperation. It would stand to reason no one would recognize her like this.

She lets herself be picked up, smug that she is getting the attention while the rest scatter around.

"Luckyyyy," she insists again, tiny hand curling on the collar of his shirt as she tugs at it. "It's Lena. And before you say anything, just. Remember to choose your words carefully."

And there's a small pout and her green eyes are big and sad, because she doesn't know what's going on!

It's kind of creepy.

[theacheisleft]

Lucky would probably recognize you eventually Lena. That coupled with the fact that he would have no idea where Lena was, it is best that she tell him.

He is glad that she is telling him. Lucky will try to figure out how to help even if it's just keeping her company and keeping her occupied through the time while she is the younger version of herself.

The other kids are less smug about this, Lena. They are pulling at his shirt and poking him and pulling the string on his back. There's a snake in my boots comes out of Lucky. Not from his mouth but like an audio recording from his back.

"Yes-y," Lucky says as he looks at her, uncertain about why she is so insisting and how she knows him and then--

Then she answers him, and he's hit with... shock, complete surprise, because that is the last thing that he could possibly think. "Lena-"

Her eyes do look big and sad, and he winces, because she's small and he is not about to let his own confusion and shock get in the way of taking care of her. And she's really an adorable little girl

[sitherequietly]

At this point, Castiel has sat through all three Toy Story films, and is a bit more understanding of who he is now. He is unsure as to why the Rift chose this form of all things for him, but it hasn't seemed to have impeded any of his other abilities, so for now he is not to concerned.

However, when he recognizes the man walking down the street surrounded by children as one of the other characters from the movie, he responds the only logical way.

He appears right in front of him, studying him for a moment, before speaking. "I believe we have the same ... affliction."

He doesn't know any other way to put it. He doesn't want to be a cartoon toy.

[theacheisleft]

That is the only logical way to respond, Castiel. The children see and notice him immediately, and they all let out squeals of BUZZ LIGHTYEAR at the tops of their lungs as they approach him this time.

Lucky looks over at him, surprised and then... smiling a little as he slips a hand behind his neck and nods.

"Looks like it," he says and the small smile because something of a smirk. "So you didn't dress up on purpose either?"

One of the kids is trying to press the 'laser light' on "Buzz"'s suit while cheering.

[sitherequietly]

Castiel hears the question. He does. But he's a little busy at the moment -- the children have captivated all his attention.

Castiel may be fond of children, but he certainly isn't good with them if they are not Cassie Riddle.

"What are you doing?" He's talking to the children directly, trying to look down and see where they all are. "No -- please don't -- I do not believe you are supposed to be touching that."

When he does finally manage to look up at Lucky again, the look on his normally unexpressive face is quite clear -- Help me.

[theacheisleft]

Lucky understands completely. The kids can be very overwhelming especially with someone not used to dealing with so many all at once. He may have a moment of Hey, kids, what about me?

But that is completely lost as he tries not to be too amused by the reaction... and then he is quick to spring into help.

"Hey, kids, lets all play a game," he says, which appears to be the magic word as they all turn their attention back to him. Oooh. "Sit over there away from Buzz and Woody in the grass so we... can tell you about an adventure that Buzz and I had."

It's story time with Buzz and Woody aka story time with Castiel and Lucky! The children cheer and run into place, sitting down. He has no idea of Buzz can tell a story, but the kids will be happy with just about anything they say right now.

[and_dontgetcute]

You'd think that after a year plus in this city, things like this would surprise him less and less, but when it comes to the Rift, apparently there can never be too much. This week, the Rift is taking the white knight aspect of Flack's personality rather literally and well, let's put it this way:

He has armor. And a horse.

He wants neither.

But the armor won't come off -- not even to let him sleep for Christ's sake -- and the horse won't leave him alone. So he's trying to make the best of it. Add to the fact that he's compelled to help every single person he comes across who seems like they're in need of it, no matter how minor, and he's winding up with some pretty long days.

When he comes across a girl in a ball gown stuck in the grass, however, he's just grateful to find someone who actually needs the help. That way, when his feet start carrying him closer, he can actually sound relatively sincere.

He pushes the visor up, and sighs. "You alright, miss?"

[brokehisthrone]

Zoe has had a lot of people walk by her today and many have been dressed in strange fairy tale like outfits. They have been compelled to do different things. The people that aren't too busy with their own Rift-afflictions have moved away because in Chicago, one can never be too certain of anyone.

It's why she's ended up stuck here for so long, but she can say with certainty that she has never seen anyone dressed up as a legit knight. She might be staring from where she sits as he walks over to her.

"...the Rift got you too, didn't it?"

She grimaces in commiseration.

"Yeah, I'm okay mostly. A witch cursed me, and my legs... don't work," she says. "You wouldn't happen to be giving rides, would you? ...on your horse."

[and_dontgetcute]

"Yeah, it got me too."

But at least this time didn't involve blabbing secrets or seeing the horrors of your own mind. Then again, the suit of armor of a little inconvenient.

He glances back at the horse when she asks, before shrugging. "Shouldn't be a problem. Where do you need her to take you?"

[brokehisthrone]

"It's mean that way."

However, Zoe has to admit that it was much nicer this time than it was the last time that the Rift did something for a whole week.

"Thank you. I've been asking people for help for awhile, but people don't seem to trust anyone in this city, not that I can blame them," Zoe says with a small smile. "The Crowbar, it's a... bar and my home. I'm not a lush, not that a drink doesn't sound good right about now."

[burkethejerk]

Peter is not actually looking for damsels in distress, though he keeps seeming to find someone who needs help along those lines (of both genders). Even with the rift's influence distracting him, he finds this kind of unusual, but that doesn't keep him from stopping whenever he finds someone.

So he stops when he notices Zoe in the grass, pulling up on his horse and looking down at her. "Are you all right, miss?"

[brokehisthrone]

Zoe does not like being a damsel in distress. In fact, she hates it very much, and she used to get very angry about needing help. However, it's something she has been working on and if she doesn't ask for help, she'll be stuck.

She looks up, smiling a little.

"Mostly. A witch cursed me so... I can't walk."

[burkethejerk]

Normally he'd be a little bit skeptical about the a witch cursed me bit, or at least take a moment to be facepalming at Chicago, but at the moment, it doesn't sound at all strange.

"Do you want a ride?" he offers, already hopping down to give her a lift onto the horse.

[brokehisthrone]

This is Chicago. They've all heard much worse than a witch cursed me. It hardly seems like anything out of the ordinary anymore.

"I... would love one, yes," Zoe admits, wincing just slightly. It is hard for her to accept help, harder for her to ask for help.