7th gem unearthed

[breaks_ground]

They're alright...
That's all I ever wished to know.

At least, if something happens to me, I know that.

[OOC: No, he's not explaining here what's going on. In fact he won't check his journal until the morning...maybe. If you are worried, you may come by and check on him. He kind of doesn't need to be alone right now.]

Comments

[boxingmidget]

[Well, Mac cares very much.]

Mr. Giovanni, is everythin' alright?

[He...didn't like what he heard.]

not here

[breaks_ground]

[He's not answering his journal...at all. You'll have to come by the room. Pst, it's TD-33.]

Re: not here

[boxingmidget]

[After a while he realized that. Now even more concerned, a visit to his room would be best. He hurried there and knocked on the door.]

[breaks_ground]

[The door opened, and Nida looked out. Seeing Mac, the Nidoqueen gestured him in, and lead him to where her trainer was. The bedroom was a deep evergreen, with several maps and pictures on the wall. What caught Mac's eye was the man on the bed on the wall opposite the door. He was laying on the rust covers, breathing slightly, facing the wall. At first, it appeared he might be asleep, then...]

"What is it, girl?"
The voice was hoarse, strained from crying and quite possibly screaming. He didn't move a muscle, except for those slight breaths. Though Mac couldn't see them, in front of Giovanni lay his pocket watch and locket, silver on both bright, and both were open.

[boxingmidget]

He gave Nidoqueen a nod, "Thanks." Well, Giovanni had some tastes, didn't he? Green walls with maps he couldn't read or understand and pictures of things he had no clue about. Then his attention was directed at the poor man on the bed. An uneasy feeling went into Mac's gut. One would maybe think that he was just sleeping or sick but after reading his depressed entry and thinking through after seeing the man in such condition made him feel otherwise. Something was seriously wrong. Something really bad happened. He was here to figure out why and he wasn't going to leave Giovanni alone in his time of distress.

"Sir, it's me. Mac," he said as he walked further inside; to the middle of the room.

[breaks_ground]

He made no effort to rise and greet the younger man as he would have normally. It didn't seem worth it anymore. Nothing did.
There was silence as Giovanni's brain slowly processed Mac's voice. He fingered the chain on the pocket watch, before quietly replying, the words flat and weary. "Hello, Mac...is there something you needed?"

[boxingmidget]

"Well yeah," Mac said. He just walked next to the bed and sat on the floor. "I wanted to talk to you. You've been so out of sorts lately." Giovanni might not see it yet but Mac's face was of pure concern and worry. The more Giovanni talked the way he did, the more worried he got. "I've been gettin' worried..."

[breaks_ground]

His fingers stop playing with the chain as Mac's words gave him pause. He was worried? Of course, others had expressed some worry with the attack and such, but for some reason this stood out, like Voile's actions had. Why? His head wasn't sure how to parse this, but even though it became a convulted mess with the introduction of this foreign idea, a convulted mess was better than feeling nothing but misery.

He rolled over to face Mac, holding onto the objects tight. His face was as tired and weary as his words. After a moment, he spoke. "...you are worried?"

[boxingmidget]

Was Giovanni really shocked to hear such a thing? But this was serious, Mac wanted to explain himself.

"Of course I am," he said with a calm but firm tone. "Why wouldn't I be? You...look real depressed 'bout somethin'."

[breaks_ground]

Depressed didn't begin to describe what he felt. Or what he had felt? He wasn't sure anymore, his head was swimming so badly.

"...you're maybe the second person to tell me such that I actually believed in quite awhile." Refering to 'being worried about', of course.

[boxingmidget]

He was really only the second person? That...didn't seem right.

"What do you mean?"

[breaks_ground]

"...Let's say I have never made friends easily. Anyway," He knew he didn't want to touch much on that right now, "you are worried for me? Whatever for?"

[boxingmidget]

"But," he replied, "You're so nice, Mr. Giovanni!" Mac was now confused himself. Did...Giovanni understand Mac was his friend? "'Cause I care 'bout you, sir! We're pals, right?"

[breaks_ground]

Giovanni mentally sighed. He liked Mac. He really did. He really didn't want to break him of this idea of him being 'nice'. So he put it...gently. "Many people have pasts they are not proud of...I am one of those."

Pals? Like friends? "..." He trusted Mac like he trusted Voile. It wasn't a trust easily gained... They both showed that they were loyal in different ways... "But yes. I believe we are."
That sounded much more awkward in retrospect. Sounded clinical and flat. But this was neither the time nor the place to question such awkward phrases. "...I do count you as a friend."

[boxingmidget]

That made Mac feel even more confused. And awkward. A whole mess of emotions. He tried to not show this too. "Well, I'm glad we're friends." He didn't know whether to question anything or not. He was still very worried about him, though.

"I understand that, sir. Things happened to me that I ain't real proud of." He at least tried to create that form of understanding.

[breaks_ground]

Giovanni blinked for a moment, and finally sighed. "Do you want to know my past? Because I cannot promise you will like what you hear. Even as I struggle against it, my past is still there." It didn't come out like he wanted it to, meaning it to be more like "It is still a part of me", but he had just gotten out of the 'autopilot' mode... even so, he clenched his stomach, dreading this next part coming up.