Memory and Music

Charlie squeaked as the massive ice monster came rumbling towards her, before howling in pain at being neutered very abruptly by Catalina. Charlie might have found this situation hilarious if she was not backed up into an aisle with several shelves. Carefully she drew her arm back, the movement very familiar to her body and not to her mind. Then she threw it, were the dagger arced  end over end buried itself in the hollow on the Jotun’s throat.     He shrieked and fell over, not on purpose, and knocked all of the shelves over. Burying Charlie as it happened; there was a snap, as well as a sickening silence that filled the store….


Charlie ached all over, her back especially throbbed with pain… there was something on her spine… she couldn’t move from her shoulders down. What had happened? 

(Mehh post is meehhh. Time to demonstrate Charlie's weird healing powers, no?))

Reggie was just starting to run over towards the girls when Lena did a move that stopped him in his tracks. He had to gsther himself before heading towards Lena. She... ow. Reggie made a mental note to self: Do not aggravate Lena when she has a knife. He was just close enough to see Charlie throw a knife almost perfectly into the Jotun's throat. It was an excellent throw. And then the thing fell on her and poofed. There was a large cracking noise, but it couldn't have come from the Jotun. It must have been... "NO!" Was all Reggie managed to yell before barrelling over to where Charlie was. Reggie may have been heavyset, but when he thought someone was hurt, he was unstoppably quick. He slid down to his knees next to Charlie, and lifted- no, threw- the shelf off of her. What followe was pure shock and confusion and sadness. It... wasn't fair. He'd just met her, and now her spine was terribly smashed, twisted, and altogether pulverised. There was no way anyone could survive that.

Lena was filled with adrenaline, a sense of victory coursing through her veins. She did it. She did it. And Charlie planted that dagger right smack into the Jotun's jugular. Suddenly the are was coated in blue dusts, and Lena was ready to jump ten feet in the air out of delight, but there was another crash and immediately she knew something had gone horribly, horribly wrong. The dust cleared slowly and Lena could just make out Reggie shouting, chucking a shelf out of the way to reveal a mangled form... no.

"CHARLIE!" the name erupted from her throat; she couldn't process what had happened. No. No, Charlie couldn't die now, not after, wait. Thank the gods. Thank the gods, her powers.

"Damn it Charlotte, I swear to the gods if you scare me like that again I'm going to have a full-on heart attack," Lena spoke, the relief and worry in her tone fading to concern and sympathy as she remembered the girl's miraculous powers and realized what she was probably going through right now. She quickly moved and knelt beside her friend, hesitating before reaching for her hand, which seemed relatively uninjured. 

"She's going to be alright," Lena spoke to Reggie coolly, clasping her hand very gently around Charlie's. "Her powers don't allow her to be hurt accidentally, and so since the monster didn't mean to crash into the shelves and crush her, she's going to heal pretty quickly. I can't imagine what she's feeling right now, though," Lena said grimly.

Lena winced as Reggie screamed at the sky, a weak smile making its way onto her lips as she processed what he'd said; she shook her head, wiping away her own tears. She hadn't meant to cry, but seeing Reggie do so had set her over the edge. Charlie had amazing powers, but she'd nearly died again, and Lena needed her. 

"You know, Reggie, you're not the only bane of the Jotun," Lena spoke, chuckling lightly. "Charlie was pretty badass back there, taking that thing out for you."

The daughter of Prometheus looked to her friend. Sirens sounded; the desolate air had become filled with shouts for help and anxious phone calls. As much as it pained her, Lena needed to grab her stuff and get out of there. 

"I'll be right back," she promised, and she was. She'd tugged along her purse- from which she'd pulled a flask of nectar- and a couple of filled shopping bags. They couldn't leave without fulfilling their purpose, after all. She jogged back over to them, kneeling next to Charlie and holding out the flask in her field of vision. 

"Do you think you'll be okay to move, or do you need to go to the hospital? Lena asked, meeting Charlie's eyes. It all depended on the situation. This injury was severe, and Lena would have been shocked if she was able to get up and walk, although it wasn't impossible.

When Reggue was done being helpful by yelling at the sky, his face when from anger to worry. He thiught that Charlie's powers meant a bit of pain and she'd be all healed, but this was different. She was still hurting and Reggie didntwknow what to do. As was their custom in times like these, Huginn and Muninn were quiet. Reggie had heard the speech before; some things were left to fate or Fate and others they could speak on. He went back to Charlie and kneeled down beside her. He looked her over, trying to focus on whether she had any disfigurements or injuries, but found himself simultaneously... what was the word? Checking in? No, that was hotels. This was checking out. He quickly refocused on Charlie's eyes and asked, "Are you all healed, except for the pain?" He looked over to Lena. "What should I do?" He asjed her. She seemed to be smart, and was especially wise when it came to dealing with Charlie.

Lena had known she was asking for a lot. She could see the look that flashed in Charlie's eyes; it was a look that she understood completely. With her illness she'd known pain, and it wasn't something that she'd wish upon her worst enemy.  She also knew the fear that gathered in the pit of her stomach at the thought of going to the hospital, at the thought of lying in that hospital bed eternally, wondering what in Hades you had even done to warrant being there. Trying her best to come up with a plan, she took her flask back from Charlie, releasing her hand and touching her shoulder, wincing in sympathy as her friend tried to sit up.

"Shh, Charlie, lie back down; it's okay. You're going to heal, so we don't have to go there, but I thought I would ask you anyway. Reggie, can you do me a favor?" she asked, meeting the boy's eyes and rummaging in the pocket of her jeans jacket. Pulling out a set of electronic keys, she tossed them to him. "Take this stuff to my car," she said, gesturing to their bags. "This button will unlock the trunk; go there and then come right back here if you can. If not, we'll find a way to meet you over then once Charlie is able to get herself up."

She shot him a look of desperation before looking to Charlie. "Don't worry too much about how long this is taking; I'm going to handle it if any paramedics come over. I'll deal with the mist; it'll be alright. Just focus on getting healed, and keep talking to me, because we don't want you to pass out," Lena spoke, putting up a brave face. Thankfully, the adrenaline in her veins was working wonders on her body, and she was alert and ready to face the sky if it were to come crashing down on her. "You did great back there, by the way. That was a total badass move; you're better than you think you are," she said, her weak smile returning to light up her face.

Reggie nodded at Lena. He grabbed the keys and the bags. He called for Huginn and Muninn, and they landed on his shoulders as he started walking. Once they helped him figure out where to go, he started jogging. He saw many frightened mortals running around looking idiotic. Didn't they kniw they should just leave, not sit somewhere and look scared? The thought didn't seem to occur to them. Reggie started pointing at the exits, hoping they would understand. It didn't seem very likely, so he gave up. He ran out the building and hopped over yellow string that was put around the outside, near the door, pushing past the mortal... please. Yes. No. Police. What a strange word.

Reggie found the car and pushed the button Lena had indicated. He wondered how she made this magic kittle button that could make the car breaj apart and open hidden storage. He understood normal keys that you put into locks, but this wasn't a key at all. Modern things... Reggie put the key in his new little pocket in the shorts and stuffed the bags into the car and closed the trunk. He turned to go back inside and noticed that the mortals were all crowded around the entrance, and the please and watermen- the ones who put water on the fires- were not letting people back in. This was a problem. What if another Jotun attacked Lena while Charlie was hurt? What if Charlie couldn't walk? Would Lena be able to carry her? Reggie didn't know. For the moment, he paced along the yellow string, glancing inside. If it took the girls too long, he would find a way inside.

"You can't fall asleep; if you do I'm going to lose you," Lena said, pleading with Charlie in her gaze. If Charlie were to fall asleep and walk up, Lena knew what would happen. It'd be a complete disaster. It had happened before, and when Charlie woke up, confused and in pain, it had not been a pretty sight. Charlie spoke again, pointing out the fact that she'd just had their most useful asset leave them, and Lena had to stop herself from swearing. An additional pang of guilt ran through her as Charlie started to wonder all that she'd missed out on. Some days were like this, and they always made Lena sad. She would do anything to get Charlie her memories bad; it was heartbreaking to watch her realize that what she thought about her life was false every day. "A lot," Lena admitted sympathetically, always honest, squeezing Charlie's hand gently. Her eyes raked the horizon a couple times before resorting to desperate measures. She wasn't about to leave Charlie alone, and since she wouldn't be able to lift the other girl it seemed she had no other choice. 

"REGGIE!" Lena called, as loudly as she could muster. She continued a few times, her voice raw, praying to the gods that he'd hear her somehow. Lena hated feeling this weak, mostly because weakness was most likely going to be the thing that killed her.

Reggie continued pacing along the string, but eventually he grew tired of it. While one of the men was getting out of his red truck, Reggie pulled him aside and gave him a nice, heartwarming roundhouse kick to the head. The guy went unconscious, and Reggie took his uniform's coat and put it on. He walked towards the building like he was important and no one questioned him. Once he got inside, he thought he heard his name. A few seconds later, he heard it again. It was Lena's voice, and she sounded... desperate?

Reggie started running now, heading striaght for where he'd left the girls. He wasnt sure if there would be an enemy wsiting for him, but he summoned his axe just in case. He rounded a corner and saw that, thankfully, Lena and Charlie were in the same place and were not being attacked. He let his axe disappear and ran up to them. He looked at Lena. "Why did you call for me?" He asked. It looked to Reggie like Charlie was about to pass out, which he figured would be a bad thing. She might have her memory erased and forget Reggie entirely. [/color]

Lena stopped yelling as she realized that Charlie had fallen into a dazed state, her eyes glazing over as she slowly fluttered from consciousness. 

"Charlie!" Lena shouted, tempted to shake her awake but deciding against it; the last thing Charlie needed was to be jostled more. She prayed silently that Reggie was coming, and half of her hoped that Charlie would remain unconscious, as she might be more helpful then. After what seemed like an eternity (but was really only about a minute and a half) Reggie came bounding over to them in a fireman's jacket, axe in hand, and Lena had to admit that the whole situation would have been comical if not for the dire circumstances. She wasn't about to ask him where he'd gotten the jacket from. 

"Reggie, thank the gods. Charlie passed out, and I sure as hell can't carry her out of here. Would you mind doing it? Just be warned, if she wakes-"

"Catalina?" Charlie croaked, and Lena's attention was drawn away from Reggie. 

"I'm right here, Charlie. You got hurt in a battle and we need to move you to a safer place, okay? You don't know him, but our friend Reggie is here and he's going to carry you back; I promise I'll explain later; you have to trust me on this one." Lena met her eyes before looking to Reggie. "Memories," she said, praying he'd understand.

Reggie frowned. He was hoping this wouldn't happen. He looked to Huginn and Muninn, but they did not seem to want to offer any help. He soghed and nodded. "I'll carry her." He said, and got down on one knee next to Charlie, leaning over her a little to look into her eyes. He was very careful to only put his arms where they needed to go, so as to not stray. He knew that she had no memory of him, and he remembered how she had treated him previously; she had seemed to be wary of him and not trust him. He assumed this was how she would be now.

Reggie picked Charlie up off the ground and stood, looking towards Lena for guidance. She would probably be the first to walk, so Reggie just waited for her to go. He thought that Charlie would trust him more if she could see Lena as well.

"Charlotte, don't worry; it'll be okay," Lena spoke, her voice desperate. She felt guilty, but she knew there wasn't much she could do for her friend. She was definitely too tired to carry her; her fatigue had finally hit her and she needed to get to her car and sit down before she passed out, since her whole body ached and yearned for water. "You know Reggie, even though you don't realize it. I'll explain everything in a minute when we get to my car," Lena told Charlie tiredly. 

It seemed like an eternity before they finally reached her car, and immediately Lena went for the trunk, grabbing a water bottle from her emergency stash before sitting down and popping the pair of pills that she'd completely forgotten to take this morning, godsdamnit. She gulped down the water, trying to get as much in her system as possible without her exploding, before turning to the backseat, pulling Charlie's notebook from the seat pocket and handing it to her. 

"Here," she said softly. "Read this, and you'll understand. There's nothing about Reggie in there yet, but we met him today and he's a really nice guy, you can trust him," Lena said.

Reggie hated this. Every time Charlie squirmed he felt like a terrible person. He knew he had to get her to the car, and there was no way she was going to get there herself. He didn't have to fight against her struggling too kuch, as she was still qjite weak, but it felt like he was holding her in a vice grip, squeezing out her oxygen. He didn't want her to keep this memory of him. The fear and the lack of trust was written all over her face. When he got to the car, he set her downin the back seat and took a few steps back. He wanted to let them have space to talk without feeling like he was looming over them. He was curious about why Lena looked so weak. She hadn't done that much fighting, had she?

Lena's cheeks flushed as Charlie realized what'd happened. "Yes," is all she said in response, meeting the girl's eyes in the rearview mirror. She waited patiently for Reggie to get into the car before she pulled out of her spot, carefully navigating through the traffic and making her way back out onto the highway. 

"How are you feeling, Charlie?" Lena asked about halfway through the ride. "You were hurt, and we couldn't move you, and that's why we had to employ Reggie to lift you. Reggie, you want to introduce yourself to her again?" Lena asked, a small smile flitting across her face. She knew the look on Charlotte's face; however, and it wasn't a good one. It was that shell-shocked, worried face that always appeared on her face when she came back to reality. Lena had gotten used to the guilt and pity she felt whenever this happened, but it never ceased to strike her, like a punch in the gut. There were so many experiences that she and Charlie had had together that Charlie would never remember. Some of these memories Lena was glad she'd forgotten, but for the most part Lena would have wanted her to remember every detail of every day.

"You want to go back to camp, right?" she asked, turning to Reggie.

Reggie was trying to make himself as small and unthreatening as possible. It didn't seem to be working very well, though. He had a feeling Charlie was rather afraid of his presence. He turned to her when Reggie suggested that he introduce himself, and smiled a little bit. "My name is Reginmundr, son of Odin. I go by Reggie." He said, and turned away. He didn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. She'd already been so scared of him earlier, when she'd been getting to know him.

When Lena asked him another question, about going back to camp, he nodded. "That sounds fine." He said simply, and proceeded to look down at his new shoes. He wasn't planning on playing tennis or sneaking in them, but they had been referred to as "sneakers" and "tennis shoes". They became very interesting whenever he wanted to avoid eye contact.

"Yes, again," Lena said, smiling slightly as she pulled her car into the secluded driveway beside camp, which led to a lot where the driving campers parked their vehicles. She cut the engine, turning back to look to Charlie. 

"How are you feeling; do you feel any pain?" Lena asked concernedly. Charlie had sustained a major injury, and Lena wouldn't have been surprised if she was still recovering. Her powers worked in strange ways. Upon Charlie's response Lena opened her door, standing up and not expecting the sense of vertigo she experienced as she did so. She gripped onto the door's edge, shutting her eyes for just a few seconds and steadying herself as her head spun. 

"I think I need lunch," is all she said afterwards, even though eating was the last thing she wanted to do at that time. Even so, she moved to open the back door for Charlie.

Reggie got out of the car. He looked at Lena and frowned. It seemed like she was about to fall over. She recovered quickly, but it did not pass by without Reggie's notice. He moved to open Charlie's door right as Lena did, and they opened the doors onbeither side of her at the same time. He quietly closed the door, assuming that Charlie would go towards Lena. He then moved towards the back of the car. "Should I get the clothes?" He asked. Food did sound good, but he didn't think they should leave these things out here. He wasn't sure on that, though. Maybe it was customary to keep things in the car when you buy them. Reggie didn't know.