26th Spark || [Video/Action] 4th Wall

[tiercelet]

It's just like any other day in the Breeding Centre: Merlin wakes with the dawn, putters about in the kitchen with tea to wake himself up, then starts checking up on the pokemon. Just like usual--or so he thinks.

As he's passing through the front hall, there's a woosh of something in the air that makes the picture frames he'd so carefully put up

Comments

[warthur]

Woah-- what?-- woah!

( ( Honestly, he has no idea what just happened but that doesn't stop him from fumbling around and trying to catch the frames. He finds that it isn't really necessary though and he looks back up at Merlin. At first, he looks completely and utterly confused but he manages an awkward smile as he grabs one of the pictures, ) )

Do you need help?

omg LOL

[tiercelet]

That---erm. [Wait, where did this boy come from? And who is he?] Yeah, that'd be great, actually.

[He's just plucked a frame out of the air when he finally looks over.] You're new, right? I don't think I've seen you 'round the Centre before.

WOW, RUDE, DON'T LAUGH

[warthur]

( ( Then he's going to begin picking frames like he's picking apples or something now, YEAH. This is totally normal. . . actually, it really kind of is. ) )

Hm? Oh, yes sir. I'm not quite sure how I got here but at least I'm still a boy this time. ( ( Because if he was a fish, squirrel, or bird, he might get mistaken for a pokemon in this world ) ) Are you from here?

/keeps

[tiercelet]

"Still a boy this time"? [Quirking a brow here.] What do you mean?

And, yeah, I've been living here for months now.

[ohi there]

[ttlyahero]

[As soon as the pictures start toppling down, Alfred tries to make a grab for them, though as they stop in mid-air... he kind of falls forward onto his face. It would have been fine, had he not been caught off guard by them just. You know. Stopping mid-air.

The ony frame he did grab ends up broken anyway, if only because his grip was a lot stronger than expected - sorry Merlin!]

Woah-! D-did you do that?!

[o hai]

[tiercelet]

[Merlin looks between the picture frames and Alfred and...sighs.]

Yeah...sort of. Yeah. Didn't mean to, though.

[magical stuff there, Merlin]

[ttlyahero]

[Well, he's going to stand up now and then... cringe at the one he tried to save.]

Sorry about this one.

[Just wait until he accidentally crushes a door handle or something. He ends up looking back at the ...floating pictures and stares though.

It's not quite sinking in, yet. Magic isn't supposed to be real, okay?]

[why thank you]

[tiercelet]

That's all right. [Making a face, all the same.] Thought I was going to lose all of them anyway.

[He hesitates, looking over at Alfred, then sends the pictures back to their proper places on the wall. Oh well. No point pretending when people have already seen.]

It's not supposed to be working here.

[teenysuke]

[Running up to Merlin. Significantly less terrified this time.] Onii-san, onii-san!! I'm here again!!

[tiercelet]

Whoa! [oh boy, where did he come...from. Wait, he recognises this kid, doesn't he?]

I've...seen you before. [Except he's sure he hasn't. Right?]

[teenysuke]

Uh-huh, don't you remember? [Looking up, eager. Come on, Merlinbro.] You helped me last time! Or, you tried to, but it was still a lot of fun!

[tiercelet]

[The memories flood back into him as he kneels and ruffles the kid's hair.]

Yosuke. How do you keep ending up here like this?

[hairruffler]

Now that's the Merlin I know. [err-- have heard of at least!!!]

[tiercelet]

[Oh wow, he hasn't heard that voice in ages.] ...James. That's you, right?

[hairruffler]

The one and only! How have you been?

[tiercelet]

Great. I've been...great. [Yeah, still surprised.] When did you--get back to Johto? I thought you'd gone home.

[tiercelet]

[Only some quick thinking saves the picture frames from going crashing to the ground. A hasty wave of the hand, and the pictures stack themselves neatly on a table in the next room, safely out of harm. The sight of her in such a state only throws him into more panic.]

Arturia. [He reaches out for her, not at all minding the armour or the power crackling off her.] What happened?! You were fine this morning--I don't--

[tiercelet]

[She's disappearing. Though Merlin still doesn't completely understand how a heroic spirit works, this much he knows. Her expression, her words, the way her image is fading tells him what he needs to know.]

Intended state--you mean-- [She couldn't mean death--no, even the dormant state she'd spoken of before is a horrifying enough thought. Asleep until the world needs her again...what sort of rest is that?]

Y-you can't... [Mindful as he usually is about her personal space, he's going to disregard it this time and draw her into a tight embrace, shaking. Is this how the others before have disappeared? He can't decide which is worse: waking up in the morning to find another friend gone without a trace or watching them disappear in front of him, unable to do anything.] There must be some way to stop this!