Rhys feels Mandy's hand grab onto him, seeming like she needed the support. Her free hand came up and went through her hair as if a nervous habit. He offered her a comforting squeeze.
Justin's ethereal form was still there, but...the stranger by the door raised a hand and it seemed that Justin's spirit was sucked into a ring on his hand. Rhys glared back at the man, noticing for the first time the diner's doorframe was rusted and ancient looking...not like it was a few minutes before when they walked through it.
"Josh...!" Rhys called, seeing Josh seeming to power up, the table he and his brother were sitting at rapidly aging. A bolt shot from Josh towards the stranger. "His ring...!"
Rhys feels Mandy's hand grab onto him, seeming like she needed the support. Her free hand came up and went through her hair as if a nervous habit. He offered her a comforting squeeze.
Justin's ethereal form was still there, but...the stranger by the door raised a hand and it seemed that Justin's spirit was sucked into a ring on his hand. Rhys glared back at the man, noticing for the first time the diner's doorframe was rusted and ancient looking...not like it was a few minutes before when they walked through it.
"Josh...!" Rhys called, seeing Josh seeming to power up, the table he and his brother were sitting at rapidly aging. A bolt shot from Josh towards the stranger. "His ring...!"
Though now looking at Rhys, the stranger holds up a hand towards the blast that Joshua sent at him. It doesn't fizzle, per se, but appears to be absorbed.
"You saw him?" He addresses Rhys, "His arcana-no that's not the word. His spirit. Glad I came when I did."
He looks at Josh and shakes his head, "Your brother was dead before I separated his body from his spirit. We can talk more later if you'd like to follow me? You may want to hurry, though. One of those children over there have called the cops, and I'm fairly sure the other one is recording us."
With that he gives the rusted door a shove to leave the diner.
Though now looking at Rhys, the stranger holds up a hand towards the blast that Joshua sent at him. It doesn't fizzle, per se, but appears to be absorbed.
"You saw him?" He addresses Rhys, "His arcana-no that's not the word. His spirit. Glad I came when I did."
He looks at Josh and shakes his head, "Your brother was dead before I separated his body from his spirit. We can talk more later if you'd like to follow me? You may want to hurry, though. One of those children over there have called the cops, and I'm fairly sure the other one is recording us."
With that he gives the rusted door a shove to leave the diner.
As his blast was absorbed, Joshua sagged against the table which could barely hold his weight anymore. It sagged a bit and little dusty bits flaked off. He must have put some of his own energy into the blast too. But now that he'd done it, he felt like he could do it again. Though he still wasn't sure exactly what it was.
"Your brother was dead before..."
Justin had already been dead? How was that possible? They'd been sitting here, talking. Sure, he looked a bit rough, (okay, a lot rough,) but he couldn't have actually been dead.
"...I'm fairly sure the other one is recording us." Joshua's head reflexively swiveled toward the teens, then he quickly looked away again as he caught sight of a phone. Stupid, he thought to himself. Now they have a clear shot of my face.
The stranger was already heading out the door, but he had invited them along... hadn't he? "What do you guys think? Should we go?" he asked Rhys and Mandy. He started towards the rusty door. There wasn't much time for discussion. He was pretty much set on going whether the other two did or not. He had to know what was going on.
He wanted to ask Rhys what the man had meant about seeing Justin's "spirit," but there wasn't time.
As his blast was absorbed, Joshua sagged against the table which could barely hold his weight anymore. It sagged a bit and little dusty bits flaked off. He must have put some of his own energy into the blast too. But now that he'd done it, he felt like he could do it again. Though he still wasn't sure exactly what it was.
"Your brother was dead before..."
Justin had already been dead? How was that possible? They'd been sitting here, talking. Sure, he looked a bit rough, (okay, a lot rough,) but he couldn't have actually been dead.
"...I'm fairly sure the other one is recording us." Joshua's head reflexively swiveled toward the teens, then he quickly looked away again as he caught sight of a phone. Stupid, he thought to himself. Now they have a clear shot of my face.
The stranger was already heading out the door, but he had invited them along... hadn't he? "What do you guys think? Should we go?" he asked Rhys and Mandy. He started towards the rusty door. There wasn't much time for discussion. He was pretty much set on going whether the other two did or not. He had to know what was going on.
He wanted to ask Rhys what the man had meant about seeing Justin's "spirit," but there wasn't time.
((Sorry it's a bit late, brain wasn't on the mark last night. Had to get rescued at work because my truck didn't start... :P ))
"Dead?" Justin was dead? Then what did they just see? Who was Josh talking to? Rhys did not trust this person one bit. And he seemed a bit surprised at Rhys' declaration about the ring. It was like the man knew of what Rhys saw and what happened.
"Go with him...or not..." Rhys replied. "Leaving for us now would be good either way!"
((Sorry it's a bit late, brain wasn't on the mark last night. Had to get rescued at work because my truck didn't start... :P ))
"Dead?" Justin was dead? Then what did they just see? Who was Josh talking to? Rhys did not trust this person one bit. And he seemed a bit surprised at Rhys' declaration about the ring. It was like the man knew of what Rhys saw and what happened.
"Go with him...or not..." Rhys replied. "Leaving for us now would be good either way!"
Mandy gives a shrug, finally letting go of Rhys.
"I--I heard Justin's voice," He eyes flick to Joshua, "He said he was sorry for being such a pain, and--"
She shook her head, "I'll follow what you guys think."
From outside a car horn honks impatiently.
Mandy gives a shrug, finally letting go of Rhys.
"I--I heard Justin's voice," He eyes flick to Joshua, "He said he was sorry for being such a pain, and--"
She shook her head, "I'll follow what you guys think."
From outside a car horn honks impatiently.
((Glad you made it home!))
Joshua hesitated just a moment, not sure of what to make of Mandy's statement.
"I gotta know what's going on," he said. "I'm going with him." He pushed the rusty door open and stepped out into the night air. A quick glance showed him only one car with its lights on and he assumed that must be the stranger's car. He could just make out the silhouette of a fedora on the head of the driver.
He strode over and hesitated only a moment before opening the front passenger door. It crossed his mind that he was about to get in a car with a man who had mysterious powers and probably just killed his brother. For all he knew, he'd meet the same fate. But curiosity won out and he sat down in the front seat.
"Don't think this means I trust you," he growled at the stranger.
((Glad you made it home!))
Joshua hesitated just a moment, not sure of what to make of Mandy's statement.
"I gotta know what's going on," he said. "I'm going with him." He pushed the rusty door open and stepped out into the night air. A quick glance showed him only one car with its lights on and he assumed that must be the stranger's car. He could just make out the silhouette of a fedora on the head of the driver.
He strode over and hesitated only a moment before opening the front passenger door. It crossed his mind that he was about to get in a car with a man who had mysterious powers and probably just killed his brother. For all he knew, he'd meet the same fate. But curiosity won out and he sat down in the front seat.
"Don't think this means I trust you," he growled at the stranger.
((Yeah...my dad and brother were unable to jump it, it just wasn't taking the charge. That was probably due to the cold. They took me home, got some tools, and went back to remove the battery. We charged the battery at home using one of these portable marine chargers, and my dad put it back in earlier today, so I got my truck back. Once I started my truck, I realized what caused the dead battery...when I was trying to kick off that slush-turned-ice buildup that happens in wheel wells, I accidentally pressed the liftgate button on my keyfob. So, it was like I didn't close a door all the way.))
Rhys looked down on Mandy with a blink. Ok...he was seeing Justin, and she heard him...well, no time to worry about that now. The man left, followed by Josh.
He shrugged. Something inside was telling him not to follow, to just go home, but how? Josh picked them up, and Rhys didn't relish walking home alone at this time of night. If the cops were coming, he would get picked up right quick, and he didn't want to be involved in that. At this point, he hadn't done anything, but he would be guilty by association. He still might have that issue the next day if things were investigated. Besides, he was just as curious as Josh was, especially since it seems there was something more to himself than he realized. He followed Josh.
"I don't trust you either..." Rhys grumbled. "I like this less and less!"
((Yeah...my dad and brother were unable to jump it, it just wasn't taking the charge. That was probably due to the cold. They took me home, got some tools, and went back to remove the battery. We charged the battery at home using one of these portable marine chargers, and my dad put it back in earlier today, so I got my truck back. Once I started my truck, I realized what caused the dead battery...when I was trying to kick off that slush-turned-ice buildup that happens in wheel wells, I accidentally pressed the liftgate button on my keyfob. So, it was like I didn't close a door all the way.))
Rhys looked down on Mandy with a blink. Ok...he was seeing Justin, and she heard him...well, no time to worry about that now. The man left, followed by Josh.
He shrugged. Something inside was telling him not to follow, to just go home, but how? Josh picked them up, and Rhys didn't relish walking home alone at this time of night. If the cops were coming, he would get picked up right quick, and he didn't want to be involved in that. At this point, he hadn't done anything, but he would be guilty by association. He still might have that issue the next day if things were investigated. Besides, he was just as curious as Josh was, especially since it seems there was something more to himself than he realized. He followed Josh.
"I don't trust you either..." Rhys grumbled. "I like this less and less!"
((Piri, you need to move to warmer climate XD I couldn't take the cold your in. Sorry to hear about your car, but glad you got home safely!))
Mandy followed, and indeed the only vehicle with it's lights on was an old looking four door. Nothing really stood out on the car, and as the passengers got in (Josh in the passenger side, Rhys and Mandy in the back), the stranger gave a sarcastic laugh.
"I wouldn't expect you to trust me," it was a response to both Rhys and Josh as he shifted into gear, "I was serious either way. Justin was already dead,physically. None of you touched him, did you?" His voice has some urgency in it as he asks.
He pulls out of the parking lot quickly and takes the first turn off the main stretch of road that he can.
((Piri, you need to move to warmer climate XD I couldn't take the cold your in. Sorry to hear about your car, but glad you got home safely!))
Mandy followed, and indeed the only vehicle with it's lights on was an old looking four door. Nothing really stood out on the car, and as the passengers got in (Josh in the passenger side, Rhys and Mandy in the back), the stranger gave a sarcastic laugh.
"I wouldn't expect you to trust me," it was a response to both Rhys and Josh as he shifted into gear, "I was serious either way. Justin was already dead,physically. None of you touched him, did you?" His voice has some urgency in it as he asks.
He pulls out of the parking lot quickly and takes the first turn off the main stretch of road that he can.
((Whew, glad you got it working again!))
Joshua was glad he'd buckled. He grabbed the door handled as the stranger sped out of the parking lot. "Um... no, I don't think so," he answered, thinking back. He'd been sitting down when Justin got there. He'd looked so rough, Joshua wouldn't have really wanted to touch him. The others had barely seen him before this guy had vaporized him.
"Why?" he added suspiciously. Pretty much nothing this guy had said had made any sense.
((Whew, glad you got it working again!))
Joshua was glad he'd buckled. He grabbed the door handled as the stranger sped out of the parking lot. "Um... no, I don't think so," he answered, thinking back. He'd been sitting down when Justin got there. He'd looked so rough, Joshua wouldn't have really wanted to touch him. The others had barely seen him before this guy had vaporized him.
"Why?" he added suspiciously. Pretty much nothing this guy had said had made any sense.
((Actually, the temps weren't too bad, unless that's just me feeling acclimated. XD But, all the snow we've gotten since Friday allowed me to get at least one Snowy Castform. Tomorrow, it'll be warmer with rain, so hopefully I could get the last Castform element I need, Rainy. :3 ))
Rhys had barely buckled when this stranger took off out of the parking lot like a teenage hotshot showing off for a girl. His hand came up to brace himself on the car's frame. "We'd like to be alive at the end of this night, please." Rhys grumbled.
He was like this even less. But, he was here now. "No, Mandy and I never even got close."
((Actually, the temps weren't too bad, unless that's just me feeling acclimated. XD But, all the snow we've gotten since Friday allowed me to get at least one Snowy Castform. Tomorrow, it'll be warmer with rain, so hopefully I could get the last Castform element I need, Rainy. :3 ))
Rhys had barely buckled when this stranger took off out of the parking lot like a teenage hotshot showing off for a girl. His hand came up to brace himself on the car's frame. "We'd like to be alive at the end of this night, please." Rhys grumbled.
He was like this even less. But, he was here now. "No, Mandy and I never even got close."
