I would break the laws of gravity

[hypoxic]

Who: Leo Fitz and OPEN (log is for all, some closed starters in comments)
Where: Checkerboard Hills
When: August 9th, just past midnight
Rating: PG+
Summary: Man returns to Wonderland after two months at home under heavy stress. Man throws toddler-level tantrum in public space. As adults are wont to do.
The Story:

[Apparently, the stories are true. When one leaves Wonderland, one is thrust back home without memory. There's nothing to prevent the mistakes he should know to avoid, no way to apply the emotional developments he's earned. It's just the harsh progression of time, doing what time wishes. And there's no way to stop it from bringing them back before they're ready to come back.

When Fitz arrives, it's facedown into a patch of eternally-manicured grass. The memories hit all at once, but they're not memories he wants. He doesn't need to know about a ridiculous fantasy dimension holding people hostage. He was kind of in the middle of something a little life-or-death...!

It's too much to hold, and far more than he can process. Instead of wandering back to the mansion and settling back into his personal space, he stays where he is, pulling himself up to his hands and knees and tearing at the grass in open distress, shouting out at nothing and everything all at once.]

Not now! There's no time for this!

[Some people hit pillows. Right now, he's technically landscaping. And he's definitely not tearing up. That's probably all the dirt he's dislodging.]

Comments

[hypoxic]

[He lifts his head, but stares at her blankly for a long moment. What is she talking about...? A bro-- oh, right. The one they'd thought might be Lincoln.]

Oh -- did you? How did it go?

[endingpoint]

[ Jane takes a deep breath, letting it out through her nose. ]

Not great. But at least I know now. And I never did thank you for doing what you did to help me figure out what was the truth and what wasn't before I went home.

[hypoxic]

You don't have to thank me for inconclusive testing. But I'm sorry to hear that things didn't work out with you two.

[It seems like things working out are in short supply on every world.]

[endingpoint]

Even if it was inconclusive, you didn't have to agree to help.

[ Once the water is boiling, Jane pours and lets their tea steep, bringing both mugs over and sliding one to him as she sits across from him. ]

He and I were raised by a woman who wanted to wipe out the country and start fresh. New leaders, new policies. He believed in her more than he believed in me.

[ That hurts. It actually cuts deep, but her problems are not Fitz's, and she can't dump everything on him like this. She won't. ]

You'll either be happy or stressed to know everything's pretty much business as usual around here.

[hypoxic]

[He'll accept his with a small nod in thanks.]

It's not uncommon for some people to see no other way out. It's unfortunate.

[He reaches for sugar and stirs entirely too much into the cup before tasting it.]

I like to think there are ways that things can improve through the systems we have in place. It might take some creativity, but we can always improve. We don't have to destroy.

[He avoids her eyes when she mentions the state of things here. It means nothing's changed. Everything is still just this.]

[endingpoint]

[ Roman drinks his coffee with so much sugar she'd been sure it'd kill him, and for a second she just watches Fitz stir it all in, taking in what he has to say and then adding just a couple teaspoons of sugar to her tea. Not quite so much as Fitz.

Wrapping her hands around the mug for warmth, Jane takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, nodding. ]

I'd want to help if it ever came to it. People seem to start initiatives and either they disappear or...I never hear about it again. I'm not good at figuring out the whys and science of this place, but I'm strong. I can protect people, and I'm willing to try and keep what we have in tact.

[hypoxic]

[ he grimaces openly at the mention of "initiatives". ]

It's part of the human condition, I think. Plenty of people like to think they have ideas for ways to keep us safe or organized, but there's rarely enough drive to follow through with their ideas.

[ he sips briefly, then sets the cup back down. Too hot still. ]

I've a few acquaintances from home who take great pride in volunteering me in the service of their scheming here. The lack of dialogue can be a problem at times.

[endingpoint]

That doesn't seem very fair.

[ But then, what is 'fair' in Wonderland? ]

People should talk to each other, especially if it means building something better for the community. I always wonder about what we'd do if someone who liked hurting people ever came to Wonderland. I know it's happened, but I wasn't here for it.

[ She's worried about her mother showing up. Or even Roman. She has no idea what they'd try to control or what they even could, but that doesn't mean Shepherd wouldn't try. ]

[hypoxic]

You've been here for it.

[ His his eyes darken, narrowed with a gut-deep loathing. ]

It's not the sort of thing we wanted to trouble the community with. I'm told the danger's passed.

[endingpoint]

[ At that, Jane's jaw clenches a little and she looks down, forehead furrowing a bit before she looks back up at Fitz. ]

I want to help. All I really know for sure that I've been trained to do, that I've always been good at, memories or not, is fighting. I know every kind of martial arts you can wrap your head around to subdue. I know it doesn't matter now because it's over, but if it happens again...

[ She knows he probably doesn't need this right now, and she lowers her head again, shaking it. ]

Sorry. Helping people, protecting them. It's...what I do.