Everything Falls | Viper + Abel + Vinzent + ... | Library Car

Roadie 🪶Jack

(cw hand trauma)

A bad day? That explained absolutely none of this.

Abel Lazarus “… It doesn’t matter. Don’t worry about that.”

Easier said than done, but Mathias had enough on his plate right now, anyway. He would simply not be entertaining the possibility that his son had devolved into some kind of violent feral being in his absence.

Abel Lazarus He looks back at Ibah’s book- reading more of the time following his parent’s death’s to see if his personality is more in line with Mathias’s version of him or the version Abel knows.

Well—a little of both. Really no sign of violent tendencies at first, unless you counted continuing to constantly chafe his palms raw making rope (naturally Ibah was forbidden from helping out while she still had a fever, though she’d tricked him into sleeping and secretly contributed more than once). Only months later, after Ibah’s short-lived recovery spurred them to pack up and find the right doctor, did his personality start to shift from “overprotective big brother” to “paranoid big brother (with a knife)”. Apparently, despite few mentions of any sorts of firearms in the area, the roads and alleys of Azgiran weren’t particularly safe for a couple of stray orphans. There’s even a detailed account of Jagal’s first kill(s), meaning Ibah was right there to witness it all, at the age of 12. Fantastic.

Viper “Ever struggle with any kind’a… visions…?

Like from God??

Viper Hallucinations? General paranoia outside of the chronic shyness?”

…Okay that made more sense. Mathias just frowned further. Were there any less concerning remarks they had in regards to his son? “No, nothing of the sort. No family history that I know of, either.”

Abel Lazarus “I’m sorry, sir… It seems she did die around when you did. I’m very sorry.”

Of course she did. Around the same time, even? G-dd-mmit. He kneaded his forehead, as if it would remotely do anything to help him. At least he was good at keeping up a public face.

Abel Lazarus “… Her book is here too if you’d like to see her.”

“…….” Hard to say if that was a good decision or not. Might need to mourn a bit before jumping to the ghost conversations.

Vinzent Mayer

Vinzent once again is content to observe.

Abel interrupts Viper. Normal Conversation. Nothing wrong here. Some corrections there and here.

Viper She’s doing her best.

She is! Vinzent is. Lowkey glad he is not the one asking questions, who knows how people would react to him. He just… Exists. His One (1) contribution is right there.

The bits and traces of information he could get were there, but really. Did he have anything else helpful to do? To say? Hardly.

Really… He will wait. For anything, even just a gesture to close the book aimed at him would be enough.

Poor Mathias, having to deal… With all of this.

Viper

Hmm… Interesting, interesting… Viper seems satisfied with the answers to her questions and nods slowly. Seemingly her conscience suddenly catches up with her, because she looks at Mathias and frowns- not to him, but to herself.

“I’m sure this is… a lot to take in! But… We’re trying our best to understand Jagal so we can help him.” Kind of true? She wasn’t just being nosey, but it was a big part of it. “I’m assuming he learned his survival skills… from yourselves? Or was it something he just picked up himself?” She’s running out of questions to ask, really…

Roadie 🪶Jack

Viper “I’m sure this is… a lot to take in!

Sheee wasn’t wrong! But Mathias was doing his best here. Not like he’d ever had bad news in his life. Just… nothing like this.

Viper “I’m assuming he learned his survival skills… from yourselves? Or was it something he just picked up himself?”

Survival… At least one of them had managed it? Hah. Mathias rubbed his forehead. “Some normal things, I suppose. A… Amira was adamant about self-defense lessons, but it was fairly basic. He was still only a child.” He shook his head. “I imagine most of it he would’ve had to pick up himself.”

Vinzent Mayer

Viper We’re trying our best to understand Jagal so we can help him.” Kind of true?

Technically not wrong! Vinzent would agree with it… To a degree.

Some self defense lessons, then mostly picking it up himself… Vinzent wasn’t surprised, really. It does make sense.

Abel Lazarus “… Sir…” To be polite. “… Your son has been through a lot. You probably don’t need me to tell you what to do exactly but- I think it’d be pretty important to him if… You tell him you’re proud of him. When he wakes.”

Well, he has a point! Maybe Vinzent should let the book open? Close it again for Jack to open later? What to do, he sure as heck doesn’t want to be spotted snooping around in Jack’s private life! Maybe he should close it soon but. He’ll wait for the moment to do so. Vinzent is sure it will comes up soon.

He’ll still say goodbye to Mathias to be polite and not rude but jeez. Vinzent just did not talk for the entirety of this digging around to understand Jack more.

~~Mainly because Viper was around~~. Otherwise, he’d have asked a few questions himself.

…

What a coward he is.

Abel Lazarus

Roadie 🪶Jack “I imagine most of it he would’ve had to pick up himself.”

Well- if anything Abel has heard about Jack made sense about him this would definitely be among that. Jack seemed resourceful.

Begrudgingly he admits that.

Perhaps he’s a bit too overt on his cons but perhaps Abel is just perceptive enough to avoid his hands in his pockets when he doesn’t want them there. That or Jack realizes that beyond the money Abel has- most of his belongings would be so nerdy they wouldn’t really interest him beyond… the emotional turmoil them missing might Cause.

Though Melvin did perhaps have a point about Jack potentially stealing his gold- however the more important pieces of his are harder to take without his noticing. Evens all the concerns right out.

But he had to be resourceful, right? He’s been on this train this long. His number is that high- it slots in perfectly.

“… Sir…” To be polite. “… Your son has been through a lot. You probably don’t need me to tell you what to do exactly but- I think it’d be pretty important to him if… You tell him you’re proud of him. When he wakes.”

Well what’s all that, Abel? Perhaps he’s thinking about the fact he’d like to hear that Marius is proud of him- especially if he’d lived a life this… Desperate to survive.

And perhaps he knows Viper would approve of him saying it- and he’s sort of trying out this being a better person thing (or whatever.) Perhaps it’s pointless but he owes Jack for the information that might take him home. Maybe this is good for him.

Or maybe he’ll be distressed by it! Out of his hands now!

Roadie 🪶Jack

Abel Lazarus “… Sir…” To be polite. “… Your son has been through a lot.

Apparently!! Mathias couldn’t imagine what could’ve happened at the shop to necessitate… any of that. Or imagine Jagal doing anything but continuing to run it dutifully despite marked reluctance. And then Ibah’s passing… At some point he didn’t even want to know anymore. Just how badly things had fallen apart because he hadn’t had the decency to recover.

Abel Lazarus You probably don’t need me to tell you what to do exactly but- I think it’d be pretty important to him if… You tell him you’re proud of him. When he wakes.”

His lips twitched into something a little too genuine to count as a smirk. “Why wouldn’t I?” Maybe the issue of stabbing and biting people, but Mathias wasn’t dealing with that anyway! He’d certainly put his trust in his son’s integrity over supposedly decent motives from complete strangers.

Vinzent Mayer He’ll still say goodbye to Mathias to be polite and not rude but jeez. Vinzent just did not talk for the entirety of this digging around to understand Jack more.

The silent did at least get a brief look from Mathias, but eh. Not like his daughter liked to talk much, either. No sense calling anyone out for perfectly reasonable behavior.

“…Thank you for your time.” Or concern, maybe, but this phrasing came easier.

Vinzent Mayer

Roadie 🪶Jack “…Thank you for your time.” Or concern, maybe, but this phrasing came easier.

I Am Writing Again-

Vinzent gave a little nod of acknowledgement to Mathias, before muttering a polite goodbye and closing the book, seeing as neither Abel nor Viper have more questions to ask.

…

…..

Aaaaaaaaaaaand he’s off before Jack wakes up any time now.

Thanks f*ck he’s a speedy runner.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Vinzent Mayer Vinzent gave a little nod of acknowledgement to Mathias, before muttering a polite goodbye and closing the book,

As usual, the spectre vanished upon the book’s closing. See you space cowboy.

Vinzent Mayer Aaaaaaaaaaaand he’s off before Jack wakes up any time now.

Huge nyoom! Though it didn’t seem like there was a lot to be worried about, since Jack had yet to show even the smallest twitch of the eyelids. But better safe than sorry.

Viper Once the other ghosts were successfully back in their books and not at risk of fighting with the woman who had scared their other little friend, she opens Elucia’s book.

“…Heyyyy, sorry ’bout randomly shutting ya back in earlier.” She greets, “That was like, real rude of us.”

Elucia rematerialized, still with green hair and still 41-ish. She didn’t seem to be taken as off-guard as before, though.

Wow, an actual apology! Maybe she’d have been impressed if she was someone else entirely. Instead she scoffed. “Guess I’ve seen ruder.” She gave Jack’s body a pointed glance before folding her arms. “Fishing for a discount or something?”

Viper

Viper was relatively quiet up until Vinzent skittered away. Huh. Jack was still sleeping, so… they still had time. She glances over at Abel, before reaching toward one of the books that she had closed again earlier. She reaches for Elucia’s book, with the kind of look that a cat gives you when they’re doing something bad, directed right at Abel.

Once the other ghosts were successfully back in their books and not at risk of fighting with the woman who had scared their other little friend, she opens Elucia’s book.

“…Heyyyy, sorry ’bout randomly shutting ya back in earlier.” She greets, “That was like, real rude of us.”

Abel Lazarus

Viper the kind of look that a cat gives you when they’re doing something bad, directed right at Abel.

More than anything he wishes to spray her with a water bottle right now but he can’t say he isn’t curious.

“Just be mindful of what you say this time.” He looks annoyed but it’s fine.

She opens the book and he just looks at the woman. His turn to be a quiet observer for a little. He nods in agreement with her apology but stays silent for now.

Viper

“Discount? Nah.” Viper waved her hand dismissively. “I got ’nuff ta pay ya well.” She hoped that maybe, just maybe, she’d be more inclined to talk if she didn’t think Viper was trying to get a discount out of her.

“I jus’ wanna know more about Jagal, about ya home… I ain’t been there ‘fore an’ from what I hear, sounds like there’s, like, some appealin’ things there ta go see.” Shes at least trying her best to not completely shoot herself in the foot this time.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Viper “Discount? Nah.” Viper waved her hand dismissively. “I got ’nuff ta pay ya well.”

Elucia just huffed, like it was a joke. Well, considering she was dead… Yeah. Pretty much a joke.

Viper “I jus’ wanna know more about Jagal, about ya home… I ain’t been there ‘fore an’ from what I hear, sounds like there’s, like, some appealin’ things there ta go see.”

Jagal, huh. Hadn’t heard that one in a while. “What’s there to know about him that you can’t figure out at a glance?” She peered over at his lifeless form. “Worthless lackadaisy, can’t follow directions, and what is that hair stripe about? Ya look like one of them email boys, or whatever.”

She waved him off—as if he’d remotely responded in any way—and squinted back at Viper.

“I sure hope ya haven’t been to my home. Look like you’d rob the place.” Especially if she thought there were things to see.

Abel Lazarus

Roadie 🪶Jack “Worthless lackadaisy, can’t follow directions, and what is that hair stripe about? Ya look like one of them email boys, or whatever.”

Email boys. He looks at Jack very intently for a moment. He’s got…. NO Clue what that might mean but it… Doesn’t matter.

He does eye her hair for a moment after. Is it the same shade of green as Jack’s stripe? Are these related to each other? He could get that- if his hair hadn’t been ginger naturally he probably would have been dying it. Not only because Lazari don’t have other hair colors- but also just… To look more like Marius.

So, he’s making an assumption about Jack- even if he can’t confidently say he gets it with how she’s acting.

Roadie 🪶Jack “I sure hope ya haven’t been to my home. Look like you’d rob the place.” Especially if she thought there were things to see.

He snorts before reaching for Elucia’s book. “Can I see that, Viper?” If he’s committing to staying nosy….

Viper

“Email boys…?” Viper parrots, brows raised. “Ya mean like… e-boys…?” It’s hard to not start snickering. The idea of Jack of all people being an eboy was… cursed. Sure, he had the affinity for wanting money for doing nothing, but… he was far too masc and macho to be a delicate little e-boy.

Roadie 🪶Jack “I sure hope ya haven’t been to my home. Look like you’d rob the place.” Especially if she thought there were things to see.

“Wha- like, rude!” Viper replies, absolutely bewildered that someone had read her so well. She absolutely would have stolen something if she were there.

“Look, ’nuff ‘bout like… me…an’ all…but…” She waves her hand, passing the book over to Abel in the process. “I jus’ wanna know more. What’s it like there? ’S it like… super peaceful? Th’opposite?” Maybe if she focused questions less on Jagal, she could truly perceive just how different his life would have been after his parents’ deaths.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Viper “Email boys…?” Viper parrots, brows raised. “Ya mean like… e-boys…?”

Elucia squinted, then shrugged. “Iunno. You people change whatcha call everybody every coupla months, anyway.”

Viper “Wha- like, rude!”

She just laughed. I Calls Em Likes I Sees Em.

Abel Lazarus He does eye her hair for a moment after. Is it the same shade of green as Jack’s stripe?

It was hard to be sure given the see-through-ness of the spectre, but it was at least close.

She idly watched the book pass to Abel’s hands, but better his than the email girl’s. Probably.

Viper “I jus’ wanna know more. What’s it like there? ’S it like… super peaceful? Th’opposite?”

Her brow furrowed. “Wait, which home are we talking about, here? You mean the old country, heck if I know what they’re up to these days. Otherwise, eh. Been gone a while from there, too, I guess. Visit it yourself, make some tourist trappers happy.”

Viper

Viper’s pretty easy to call, in some respects… her affinity for picking things up that weren’t hers… one of the easiest things to identify about her. But hey, she’ll take being called an ‘email girl’… even if only mentally by Elucia.

“Uhhh… both?” She fishes, before looking back over at Jagal and after a brief pause she pipes up with-

“Ya don’t really seem ta like him too much. Any particular reason? ‘s it what he does, or jus’ his… self.” She wants to know… so bad. “An’… how old is Jagal anyway? Kinda hard ta tell. He’s gotta be thirty at least, he’s, like, def older than me.”

Roadie 🪶Jack

Viper “Uhhh… both?”

Elucia continued to squint. What was she, a tourist brochure? Be a pretty hefty volume for one of those. And not a whole lot of popular points.

Viper “Ya don’t really seem ta like him too much. Any particular reason? ‘s it what he does, or jus’ his… self.”

A bitter laugh. “Well he did kill me. Kinda puts a little damper on things, don’tcha think?” She tossed her braid over her shoulder. “Not that I’d call his ‘self’ pleasant, either, but it’s a little hard to compare.”

Viper An’… how old is Jagal anyway? Kinda hard ta tell. He’s gotta be thirty at least, he’s, like, def older than me.”

She cast another look at him, more neutrally, but that wasn’t exactly the best way to estimate. “Couldn’t guess. What year is it now?”

Assuming someone answered truthfully, she just laughed. “Thirty, huh? Not even close. Or do numbers work different these days, too?”

Abel Lazarus

Roadie 🪶Jack “Well he did kill me. Kinda puts a little damper on things, don’tcha think?” She tossed her braid over her shoulder. “Not that I’d call his ‘self’ pleasant, either, but it’s a little hard to compare.”

Abel’s eyebrows shoot up and he buries his nose in her book for a moment. He tries to find information on her death- how long ago it was and how it happened. He could like. Ask her directly or whatever but that would require talking to her and. He’s good just reading about her instead. Much better use of his time he thinks.

Roadie 🪶Jack “Couldn’t guess. What year is it now?”

Abel would know this info but I wouldn’t! He offers the info but he figures they probably won’t get a very straight answer after his attempt to get it from Ibah went so sideways.

Roadie 🪶Jack

Abel Lazarus Abel’s eyebrows shoot up and he buries his nose in her book for a moment. He tries to find information on her death- how long ago it was and how it happened.

Well, pretty easy to find the end of the book! …Maybe slightly less easy with it changing languages and directions partway through, but he’s good at books, it’s fine.

Looked like she died… about five years ago? Hmm. Apparently in the absolute dead of night, if the worthless dark final picture of her is to be believed. Took an arrow straight through the head in her own backyard and had just a little time to try to figure out what happened before slipping away. Whether or not she’d been aware her nephew had come to her side at the end wasn’t entirely clear, but that’s what was written. Didn’t look like they exchanged any words or anything. Just paralyzed silence.

Abel Lazarus

Roadie 🪶Jack he’s good at books, it’s fine.

If he knew you thought this about him he’d be so happy. It’s true and he likes to have his positives acknowledged for once.

Roadie 🪶Jack five years ago?

….. maybe I’m just not remembering things so well, but hasn’t Jack been on the train for 7 years? Had he lied? Mixed time up?

Roadie 🪶Jack Whether or not she’d been aware her nephew had come to her side at the end wasn’t entirely clear, but that’s what was written.

… he makes sure said nephew is Jack. Like double checks all over again. Maybe he’s assuming! Unless… we’ll. He searches for more details to clarify things about her death before flipping back towards Ibah’s death time. Does Jack seem to disappear? Or is he still around until Elucia’s death?

Is this some horrifying train stuff? Did he get off the train just to kill her and return? Perhaps he is thinking about this a bit too much but he (and I) are not sure.

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