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[john_ofdarkness]

It startles him, when he realizes that Buzz is gone. There's the basic, expected level of startlement; he'd always been certain (somehow, subconsciously) that Buzz would be a permanent fixture of his life, and so the absence is like discovering that a part of himself is missing ... but there's also a deeper, troubling level, and he's trying to sort that out at the lakeshore.

Buzz has apparently been gone for a while, and John hadn't noticed. (A stone, thrown into the water.) At least a few weeks--long enough that it can't be a vacation or a trip out to fetch medication. (Another stone, this one skipping across the surface of the lake.) Of course, saying that they had been friendly would be an overstatement (and the next stone skips six times before it sinks), but there had been a day when he could play the opening notes to 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' and expect to hear someone jump in with an Ethel Merman impression--

--but all of that is a kind of subtext, really. His head is aching, his chest is tight, and he's humming 'The Carousel Waltz' as he searches out smooth stones for skipping.

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[dragon_dealer]

Cimorene, herself a large proponent of throwing rocks in times of emotional confusion or distress, is walking by. After a moment of indecision, she says, "Would you like an apple?" She's carrying a few in a sack, now resting on her hip.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

His brows go up. "Normally I'd treat that as a fairly innocuous request, but given where we are--"

[dragon_dealer]

A small laugh. "I promise, they're just plain apples." She pulls one out at random and takes a bite to show him. "Picked most of them myself, and my husband did what I didn't."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"It's down to faith in humanity, then." He takes an apple, and takes a great bite from it. Unsurprisingly, nothing happens, except for perhaps some swallowing and digestion.

[dragon_dealer]

"Well, that is a perilous thing for it to be down to. But I hope you like the apple."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"Could be worse," he allows, and takes another bite. "Haven't seen much return on your investment in people?"

[dragon_dealer]

She shrugs. "A few. I'd describe my marriage as reasonably happy, so there's that, if nothing else. But most people I've met here are some degree of crazy." She smiles, a bit wryly.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"Well. It seems I've met a kindred spirit--although I'd warn you against thinking that the crazy people are all in here. We all got here from somewhere else, after all." Considering her, "What's your husband like?"

[dragon_dealer]

"Percy? Simple, but not stupid. Sees the good in everyone, somehow or other, but doesn't deny there's bad too. He used to be a knight, but decided farming was better."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

The name is familiar to him; he has to think a moment, but then he remembers where he's heard it. "He wouldn't be the Percy who's helping my boyfriend build a church?"

[dragon_dealer]

"Yeah, that'd be him. Tall and gangly, red hair."

[tomboy-22.livejournal.com]

He might come across Anita, who was out as well, taking a breather - she's been remarkably zen recently, which is very uncharacteristic of her. Perhaps it's Nik rubbing on her, or perhaps it's because she needs a break that she's forcing herself to calm.

Either way, there's going to be a small, black-haired woman trudging around the pond who'll look up upon hearing the humming.

"Nice singing voice."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

Amused, "Hardly--weak lungs."

[tomboy-22.livejournal.com]

"Smoker, huh?" The question is asked with quiet amusement. "If it's any consolation, I got the lungs but not the voice."

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

Melou, for his own part, is sitting some way away, impossible not to trip over at some point, holding Melehan's sword in his arms and looking bitterly unhappy.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

... well, that looks like bad news. Fortunately, John does not actually, physically trip over him, but rather encounters him and says from a safe distance, "Aren't you a study in melancholy."

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

"He shamed me again."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"... he shamed you." Absolute incomprehension.

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

"My lord's enemy. He called me coward and took my sword."

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

"Were you doing something careless with it?"

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

"I meant to kill him!" So, yes.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

A bit irate, "As though we didn't have enough trouble without clumsy teenage boys attempting murder."

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

He flinches, and hunches over the sword.

[john-ofdarkness.livejournal.com]

John stoops down, holding out his hand. "Give me that. I at least won't be killing anyone with it, tempted as I might be."

[lesser-son.livejournal.com]

"It is my brother's. I will return it to him."