EVENT: Suddenly Standing At The Beginning With You

[Dimitri]

For what felt like a very long moment Arthur just stared down at him, surprisingly unreadable. Dimitri was sure there was some confusion there, some hurt. Was there anger? He couldn't tell. He was supposed to be good at reading people, supposed to be able to figure out what they were feeling, thinking, and prey on that. Not this time.

When Arthur approached, he almost scuttled back away, expecting a fight. He was in the perfect position for a well placed boot to the face, and he had dove through the portal hoping to avoid that, but... maybe he deserved this one. Even four years later he could see it all so clearly, Arthur collapsing to the floor, the moment realisation dawned that he'd been poisoned, that look of pure and utter betrayal. Many nights that look still haunted him, the knowledge that he hadn't just lost Arthur then but also the one person who had always believed in him, who had refused to accept that he'd turned coat. Gwen.

Clenching his jaw and closing his eyes tightly he braced for the attack... but it didn't come. Cracking one eye open, Dimitri peered up to find Arthur's outstretched hand. An offer of help? This... this didn't make any sense. Was it a trick? Set him at ease before tearing him apart? Or, could it possibly be that the understood? That somehow he had figured out the true plan all along.

Whatever the reason there wasn't much choice here. Dimitri accepted the help.

Back on his feet, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and slouched, trying to pay at least some iota of attention to what was going on around him. Merlin was talking about splitting up, searching for shelter, other students, and clues, which all sounded like a logical first step. Some guy Dimitri didn't recognize was going on about lovers or enemies, and making insinuations that caused Dimitri to glare at him. Yeah, he and Arthur had shit to work out, but not in the way he was suggesting. “Right, who's this guy?” He pointed a thumb in his general direction.

[Panic]

Several things happened before Panic received an answer. First of all he was horrifically jostled, insulted, and hit on all by the same man. If his heartrate hadn’t already been sky high, it would have rocketed the second this stranger came close. Don’t touch Panic, just don’t do it. He had hoped his aversion to touching the person he clearly had deep feelings for would have conveyed this message, but the Prince didn’t seem into reading body language….or even hearing plain spoken english if it wasn’t about him. The nudge made him flinch and twitch away although the insult meant practically nothing. Panic was well aware that if he even had parents, they would hate him. Alas he didn’t even have that, he had his creator: Hades. As far as the bit referring to him and Della, his ears turned pink and his eyes grew wide. Still, his simple gripped his hands behind his back and took and slow and shaking breath. He wasn’t allowed to lose it.

The next thing to happen involved a few new faces, still. They had been around before, not like the loud stranger. Panic recognised their voices. He was grateful for each new arrival because he felt it brought any lingering attention away from him again. He even hoped Della might turn her gaze for a moment to address them. There was a moment when someone nearby appeared to be shoeless and on the verge of a nervous breakdown, this was an area of expertise for Panic. He wasn’t good at anything else, but he could recognise when someone was spiraling from a mile away. This made Panic (surprise) nervous. He knew perfectly well what people living in fear were capable of and he knew at least two people here had weapons. He watched the spot on the ground near the man’s bare feet in the minutes given to him by some other tension besides his own. He kept Della in the corner of his vision, her being the main source of his current agony, while watching the potential threat of a shoeless lunatic.

Finally, he received an answer. This was not the answer he was hoping for. He needed to return right now. He didn’t know this was where his master meant when he’d been making his plans. He didn’t know Della would be here. He needed to leave and, above all, he needed to get as far away from Della as possible.

He winced again when Naveen commented on them again, insisting on keeping Panic in the loop despite his deepest desires. He took another shaky breath. His arm beginning to burn again slightly, as if it could sense his desire to part with it. He needed to focus. Jobs. Groups. The Wizard wanted them to disperse which was on the very top of Panic’s “how not to die” to-do list. However, he know Della would want him to come along with her. She, naturally, spoke up immediately. However, it wasn’t about him. He noticed the gap between them hadn’t lessened and she wasn’t staring at him anymore. Panic felt...confused. Della didn’t give up. Despite his best efforts to get her to do so. Still, it had been ten years. A lot had changed. Trying not to dwell on his aching heart, he realized this could be good.

Quickly Panic scanned the area without letting his eyes land on anyone particular. There was another woman there and he felt as though she was the least threatening in the area. Also, she seemed to have some control over animals. Panic liked animals. It was in this moment that Panic realized someone was missing and with a start, he glanced around near Della. Rook. It had been ten years. Oh.

Feeling desperately sad for himself and Della his determination to stay away deepened and solidified. He had felt a slight tug when that girl had called the crows. This was his best option. His only option. Without causing a scene, Panic tried to slowly shrink down into a blue jay. He flitted over to the redhead he was not in love with and landed at her feet, twitching his head from side to side, hoping she would catch the hint that he wanted to go with her if teams were the way they were going.

[Cazaril]

Cazaril at first had a double take when his old student greeted him. His face first one of confusion, then understanding. Arthur. No, King Arthur, was the man who greeted him.

That by association, meant the other man with the beard was Merlin. He caught himself glancing around hopefully, for another face he so longed to see, but nothing. Instead, other ex students and teachers, others whom had been lost to his memory once were being reunited here, some how by the school. It made the thirty year old frown harder.

"It's good to see you--" He began to reply to Arthur when the once prince was distracted by Dmitri, a face he was still trying to work out from his memory. One thing was certain, they really did have a good point about trying to find others. Perhaps the portals weren't intending to have them all just land in the courtyard.

Cazaril tugged at his shirt tunic, wishing he was better prepared but at least he wasn't in his pajamas. He considered his feet for a moment, then decided he had worn less and gone into battle before, as his feet were hard after many years of his slavery to be able to help him. He slipped off his boots and he passed them towards the man in his pajamas.

"Will these do?"

He now barefoot, and not looking foolish, cleared his throat announced to the crowd.

"I'm happy to take a team to have a look around." He was after all, still wearing the sword he had taken everywhere with him in Chalion. "With, or without company."

[Mumble]

Mumble had spent a lot of time in the past five years talking to himself, primarily because no one else would listen to most of his ramblings. Having so many people surrounding him, so many things happening all at once, so many people catching up...it was too much, his head was spinning. Arthur was a king. Panic and Della were having a moment of some kind. Someone had a gun. But none of them were the person he was looking for. And suddenly, Cazaril was handing him his own shoes, and Mumble froze. He stood there, staring at the taller man for a lengthy moment, utterly at a loss for words.

Then he burst into tears. He put his hands over his face, but there was no holding it back, not once the floodgates had opened, and he couldn't choke back the little sob that broke past his lips.

"I can't take your shoes," he managed, "thank you, but...I can't take your shoes, then you wouldn't have shoes. I don't know what I'm doing. I need to find..." He was afraid to say her name, like if he did, it would break whatever spell had been cast to bring him back to this place just when he had been on the very brink of shattering into a thousand irreparable pieces. "I'll come with you, though."

He couldn't remember the man's name. He knew he'd been a teacher. He couldn't remember what classes he'd taught, though, he just knew that he hadn't personally been in any of them. "I'm Mumble. You teach something, right? Or...you did?" He hiccuped, then wiped his eyes hastily. "I'm sorry. I'm such a mess, I've been...it's been awful. Everything has been awful."

[Arthur]

His eyes had not left Dimitri since he helped him to his feet.

Everything else had been blocked out, he was aware that someone was talking to them, or was it talking about them? But he did not really hear what they were saying. Right now it was not important, whatever it was could wait, because right now Arthur wanted to break away from everything else, sit the man in front of him down and ask that question.

There was a niggling sensation that he really ought to be listening to what was going on, because Merlin was talking. They were planning something, looking for shelter or something or other. Explore the area at bit more. He forced himself to tune back in to what was happening, pulling his gaze away from where Dimitri was to focus back in on Merlin and the rest of them.

He could see the concerned look in Merlin’s face and tried to beam back to him ‘I’m fine’ as the others continued to talk about what to do next.

“It might be a good idea to scout the surrounding area for anything hostile,” said Arthur, “after all, the last time most of us were here a war was going on, and even if the invaders were pulled back to their own lands when we were there is a possibility that the portals might have brought back some of them as well.”

He was back in familiar territory now, he had focus, King mode was activated.

He turned to his old friend and said, “Gaston, if you feel like a bit of hunting why don’t you head north and sweep round to the east through the forest with one of these guys and see if you can find any big game. I’ll head south and sweep west across the shoreline with Dimitri. If there’s any danger, we’ll root it out.”

He had no idea if Gaston would take his suggestion or not, trying to pass it off more as an idea than an order, but he looked at Dimitri daring him to argue against it. Gaston could do what he wanted, one way or another, he was getting Dimitri, alone.

[Naveen]

Things were moving, so there was that. And the new person was acknowledging Naveen! "I am Prince Naveen of--" but there was more conversation, which bothered Naveen slightly, enough that he waited until there was a pause between all the shoe exchanging and figuring out who was going with whom. The moment there was a moment of quiet, however; "Maldonia!" shot out of Naveen's mouth, and soon he grinned.

They seemed to be splitting up, which seemed to make some sense, Naveen supposed. After all, there were probably other people who had been sent here by magical singing men who didn't know everyone and they would just be completely lost by everything that was unfolding. Not Naveen, of course.

"Right so the mumbling pajama man will go with the shoeless teacher person, the panicked one who is now a bird..." Naveen paused, but, well, everyone else seemed to go with it, so he shrugged, 'Is with the very perky redhead, and the two that have great sexual tension are together...' Naveen paused, doing math. "So does that mean i am with the man as large as a barge who looks very competent?" He turned to the bearded one and the not-as-perky redhead. "Unless one of you is starving for the company of Prince Naveen!" He waggled his eyebrows in a manner that really could only be suggestive.

[Merlin Emrys]

Arthur's telepathy might not have developed, but his expression managed to convey the "I'm fine" message well enough, and while Merlin wasn't totally sure it was a good idea to leave him alone with Dimitri, he also knew better than to question his king during a tense situation. There was no gentle or tactful way to suggest an alternative, so he'd just tell him off later if it went horribly wrong.

Nobody seemed particularly averse to the splitting up plan, and a few good splits had already been suggested, so Merlin nodded slightly, considering everything that had been suggested and then finally spoke.

"How about this, if it is agreeable to everyone," he began "Giselle and I will stay here and begin the process of tidying and seeking shelter. Della and Panic, do you want to explore the rest of the school and see what you can find? You could check the portal room and see if returning is an option for those who want to? Arthur and Dimitri will explore as Arthur suggested, but Caz and Mumble do you maybe want to also go south and into the city to look around? If Giselle's friends can bring you some shoes,of course, and Gaston since we interrupted your hunt why don't you check the forests out? We'll all need food and you're the most skilled hunter here," he didn't like to compliment the oaf, but a bit of flattery usually got the job done with him "and Naveen if you like to hunt you can accompany him? Or perhaps you'd like to explore the city with Caz and Mumble? Whatever you prefer. Any objections?"

(ooc I figure people can take this to separate threads unless they want to suggest alternative combinations/stay here for whatever reason. Those alternate threads can, if you want, involve other characters arriving as well, and generally kick start things off and we can start to expand into other threads and really get playing)

[Della Miller]

…you know, she wasn’t terribly surprised that her very serious offer was followed by a comment like Naveen’s. That just…seemed like par for the course in this place, especially since this guy seemed very self-obsessed and also very sex obsessed. And not only was he PROBABLY going to give Panic a heart attack, but even though she couldn’t be ENTIRELY sure what was up with Merlin and Arthur these days, she had some ideas, and for her old friend’s sake she was NOT a fan of the insinuation…and oh no he did NOT just put his hands on Panic. If SHE was supposed to hold back, so the hell was he. If this prince didn’t back off she was going to VERY gladly cause an international incident…

But instead she offered a sympathetic wince towards the guy she was going to have to ask Merlin about. “Prince Naveen. Just met him, and I’m already sick of the innuendo.”

…and then…Panic turned into a bird and flew over to Giselle…he probably thought she wouldn’t notice, but she did…and she couldn’t help but feel sad for a reason she couldn’t quite name.

Unlike her fiancé, she hadn’t been paying much attention to the guy she had agreed with on Merlin’s beard…until he burst into tears over being offered shoes. Her head whipped around, and she instinctively glanced at the blue jay that somehow was breaking her heart, before she stepped forward, holstering her gun and holding her hands up. “Whoa, hey…we’ve all had an emotional day…you’re not alone in this, and I’m sure whatever’s wrong, we can figure something out.” At least…gods, she hoped so…

In a way, she was just grateful that there were things to focus on other than Panic, because if her entire concentration was on him, she wouldn’t be able to hold back on everything that needed to be said or from trying to catch the damn bird that he had become, and just how PATHETIC would that have looked…besides, Arthur was proving that he definitely had an idea of how to handle these kinds of matters, and considering where they were five minutes ago, she was impressed, and made a note to let Merlin know she got it now. You know, if they survived the day. It was occurring to her this was starting to look like the beginnings of a horror movie, and knowing this school AND the fact it was October, that could very well be the case.

…or at the very least it would be horrible to be paired with Naveen at this point. She might MAKE it a horror movie if she was. So with her most deadpan expression she answered his suggestion that either she or Merlin would want to be dragged along with him with a flat “No.”

…and then Merlin suggested…well gods only knew she REALLY wanted to have some time with him, especially after all of this time, and investigating the portals seemed like a good idea…she was honestly grateful for the suggestion, but…

She glanced over towards Giselle and Panic.

“I mean…if Panic isn’t uncomfortable with that idea…” Just saying the words hurt. “I’d…” She held back on saying I’d love that, and corrected herself before she could make the situation even more uncomfortable.

“I’d be more than fine with that but I don’t want to…” What? What didn’t she want to do? She didn’t even know what she was doing or what was going on, which just lent credence to the idea that Merlin was doing her a big favor… “I don’t want to make him more uncomfortable than he already is…”

Her voice cracked against her will, and she just about wanted to kick herself, no, you are NOT about to cry, Della Miller. Do NOT make a scene out of you two.

“Whichever you’d prefer, Panic. I’m sure Giselle would take good care of you, she seems to be good at that."

And now you're guilt tripping, for gods sakes, Della! It was here she decided to press her mouth closed.

[Giselle]

Giselle was quite cheerful now that she had said her piece. She was really itching to get to all the cleaning and tidying that she could get to. This place had aged and not very well with no one around to help keep it in tip top shape. If only Cinderella were here too. She would have been quite useful for things of this nature. But she would have to make do with what she had on hand. And the people that were on hand.

She saw Panic turn into a bird and settle into the flock. She nodded at him, smiling. He must feel more comfortable that way and she could understand that. And then she turned around and Mumble was crying the poor man. And just at that moment, a pair of crows returned with a pair of shoes. Giselle turned to Mumble with the shoes after thanking her friends. "Will these do?" she asked, offering them to Mumble. "The crows fetched them for you. Now everyone who wants shoes has them." She gave him a kind smile.

A caw in the distance sent a few crows from the flock rising into the air and flying away. She knew that they would be back soon. She was sure they must have found drinkable water. Now they needed to find a way to bring it back.

Giselle turned to Arthur when he started speaking. She should send some of the crows along with anyone who was going to go scouting. Then they could communicate, or at least be lookouts. She would have to remember that. Giselle nodded at Merlin. "Oh, I would like to go with you and get to some cleaning done. This place could certainly use all the help it can get."

[Panic]

Things weren't going as Panic had planned, but he wasn't sure why he had ever thought they would. Nothing ever quite went Panic's way. He hopped and tweeted quietly with the much larger birds, they didn't seem to mind him at all. In fact, they mostly seemed keen to hear if Giselle had something more to say. Panic glanced up at her. She didn't dismiss him, but gave him him an approving nod, which made his chest feel strange. It must be the very uncommon presence of hope that glowed inside him. If he could just stay a safe distance away from Della and get to the portals, everyone would be safe. He hadn't yet heard anything directly from his master, so perhaps he still had time.

It was Merlin who first sent hope from his heart in the form of a pairing he had obviously been avoiding. Panic had enough gull to tweet in mild protest. It was much easier for him to emote as something other than himself. He didn't look at Della, but kept his focus on Merlin. Although, a tiny tweet wasn't likely to make him change his mind. That is, if he heard him at all. Panic was beginning to feel like the crazy man beside him had the right idea in bursting into tears. The blue jay twitched his head to the side to look up at him and then braved a look at his love. Just so long as she doesn't get paired with him, He thought.

Panic went back to hiding among the crows, his new plan to remain hidden until everyone gave up and left. If you ignored your problems long enough they usually went away, right? Panic knew this to be very untrue, but tried it nonetheless. Going with Della would mean possibly hurting her. He couldn't let that happen. Then she started speaking about him as though he wasn't there and his feathers puffed up in shock. She wasn't happy. But it was more than that. She wasn't just sad, but frustrated. After all these years of never ending patience he'd push her to the edge. Panic, unfortunately, knew how that felt since his last time at school. Panic twitched his head in her direction, his feather's settling as she continued. He felt a shock of something strange, something he'd never felt toward Della before...anger? His heart was breaking with each word she spoke and with each new break he resented his weakness and her for exploiting it. Could that be right? He let the feeling pass as quickly as it came, guilty for having felt it in the first place.

A few moments passed. Giselle had already accepted to stay with Merlin, so his choices where getting thinner. Not to mention, he'd have to be the most idiotic being alive to not realize Della wanted him to go with her. Why, Panic would never be convinced. He'd proposed to this woman. He'd loved her now for well over a decade.She left the decision up to him. This was a defining moment. Going with someone else could keep her physically safe, but in doing so did he have the power to break her heart? Panic never would have fully thought so, but...but she kept the ring. She kept it all this time.

He hopped about a few times, delaying his selfish decision. Could he really convince himself that it was all for her? He was simply a slave to her happiness. Yet, he knew in his heart he wanted to go with her too. He gave a low whistle and twitched about in defeat. With a grand effort he shifted into a Coyote and walked slowly to her side, his head low and his tail between his legs. The metal brace remained on his right, front foot. It tingled in warning when he grew near, but did nothing more to make him turn away.

[Cazaril]

Cazaril hadn’t expected the man to cry, still, he found himself patting his shoulder with sympathy. "Not to worry, Mumble, I used to teach English here...a long time ago. It's okay to be upset--"

It was the sound of the crow made him stop and flinch. Crows were not the nicest birds --- back in Chalion they were sacred to one of their gods, the god of death so it was easy to be uneasy about them, but they were some of the smartest creatures the world had to offer.

Still, bringing a man a pair of shoes so he could keep his own was not something he’d expected, but this wasn’t Chalion, and he had to remember that even now as tensions were high, and people were strange --- stranger things lay ahead.

He quickly slid his shoes back on as he watched everything about him. His eyes fixed on Arthur and the unsteadiness of being zapped back. Was it the same amount of time for everyone? He saw age in these faces that he didn’t remember being there, and then.

“War -- there was a war?” He can’t remember a war, perhaps his memory was still playing tricks on him, not fully returned, those last few months here at Tintagel were hazy at best.

Still Merlin and Arthur took the reigns, Caz now fully dressed patted Mumble’s shoulder again, “Let's have a look around together then Mumble, I could use a good set of eyes. Naveen, you’re more than welcome to join us, but I do suggest caution, this isn’t the safest place in the world to be brought to for a first visit.”

And Cazaril turned towards the exit of the courtyard, hoping his memory wasn’t lacking when it came to his geography of the place too.

[Gaston]

Things were getting busy, and confusing, and Gaston really didn't care about what was going on with anyone else here, except for Arthur. He opened his mouth to shoot a retort about his bow back to Arthur, but then more people continued to arrive, and Arthur's attention was distracted to other people. Crossing his arms and frowning, Gaston sulked at the edge of the group.

He did not like not being the centre of attention, and he'd forgotten how often that had been the case here. He looked around, taking the place in while everyone else panicked and freaked out, and an idea began to form in his mind. If they were really back... and the school was deserted, which it certainly looked to be... then he wouldn't be surprised if someone, probably Merlin the do-gooding loser, suggested getting the school up and running again.

And if that was the case, it would need a headmaster. Gaston had always fancied himself an educator, moulding young minds... He stayed quiet, listening and watching, which was very unlike him.

Of course it was hard to ignore the comments and clear adoration radiating towards Gaston from the new guy. Gaston smirked, puffing out his chest and hoping Arthur was listening to this - although he did seem a little preoccupied with Russia, who'd just arrived - had Gaston missed something there? There was definite chill issuing from those two... Gaston would have to do some digging there.

And then they were being issued jobs. Arthur was taking charge, and Gaston rolled his eyes as he was given his instructions, reinforced by Merlin.

"Well, obviously I'm the best hunter here, between the shoe-less wonder over there and you, servant-boy, there's not much contest is there." He rolled his eyes, slightly put out that Arthur didn't want to pair with him, but he'd take that up with him later.

Plus, if it was just him and his new fan, he might be able to find the headmaster's office before anyone else got there and lay his claim.

[Naveen]

Did they have themselves all situated? Naveen still couldn't quite figure it out. He did like that there appeared to be two different groups of people who seemed to want his company, so that definitely worked to his advantage. He wasn't sure if going with the armed man with the broad chest or going with the forgetful teacherly fellow and the pajama man was the better choice right now though.

"I am slightly confused. Am I going with the pajama mumbling person or the broad man who is the best hunter?" asked Naveen. "Because I would feel much more comfortable with the large man, but I am fine going with whomever wants my wonderful presence," he smiled broadly, but took a slight step toward Gaston, figuring that to be his safest bet. The man seemed to have a handle on things, plus he seemed like the type who'd do most of the work, which suited Naveen both ways, really.

[Dimitri]

There was a lot going on with shapeshifters and princesses who could control animals, and people randomly bursting into tears. Things that had once up on a time become commonplace to Dimitri, but alien again over the past four years. Well, except for the crying bit. God, it felt so much longer ago than that, though; he felt much older now, or maybe it was just weariness. Either way, this would take some getting used to again.

Wait, that was a strange thought. Was he just assuming they were all stuck here? Or... if given the choice... would he stay? Well, it wasn't like he had anything to go back to, was it? St. Petersburg had never been his home, just a place he had once lived and returned to for want of any other. If he was completely honest with himself, something he wasn't often, he would admit that this place, Tintagel nee Avalon, was the closest thing to a home he had ever had.

Shaking his head before he could get too sentimental, he focused on the conversation again. He should have expected it, probably, but when Arthur started making the teams, conveniently pairing off the two of them, Dimitri's head shot around quickly to look at the prince. The shoreline? Aw crap, Arthur was going to try to drown him, wasn't he?