Utopia

"It might be bit difficult, alright. Whether you'll freak out again or not might swing it," Russell replied sitting on the arm of his couch and looking Heidi in the eye, having obviously guessed what she was getting at. He knew he could get her into the hospital, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea. "You wouldn't happen to have an old friend there, would you?"

"You mean one that's not in comatose?" Heidi laughed weakly, before shaking her head. What had happened to all her friends, anyway? It seemed like everything was falling apart. Ade went crazy, Erika was dead, Tom was in comatose, Neo, Paul, and Eithne...she had no idea where they'd gotten off to. "No, I...I don't think so."

Clue laughed a little when he laughed, made happy solely by the sound. She was about to ask about the book when-

"Oh god!"
The girl nearly bolted, eyes wide. An image of Luke burned to a crisp flashed through her memory, which was especially vivid. Autumn eyes met his directly, the first time she'd actually made any sort of eye contact, a small frown on her face.

"Are you okay? Well, of course you're okay, but...you are okay, right? You don't have to make the air all warm if you...awww...that sounds like it hurt...of course you're okay...does that happen with all Flows?..."

Clue's image flickered away and then back, her clothes turning see-thru and her body following suit soon enough. Five seconds passed and the girl solidified. The air got warmer; only then was it apparent that it had grown colder. Her eyes slid away to gaze over his shoulder. She shifted her feet. Unaware, as usual.

Blushing and seemingly too embarrassed to speak up again, Clue ran a hand through her hair, muttering some form of apology. Her feet shuffled again. Either she was about to run, curl up, sink through the ground, or all three in nine different orders.

"Do de lalalalalala," Neo hummed as he walked through the streets. Course, nothing much exciting was happening. Like usual. Nothing entertaining EVER happened anymore. Well...there was that time when Jimmy almost fell through a well.

Oh wait.

That was a few years ago....No, that was just after the storm? God, he couldn't be bothered to remember anymore.

Charmaine moved from her spot from under the tree, her dark brown eyes letting off a blue glow. She pulled herself onto a park bench, and the fat spirit followed and joined her. She brought her knees up to her chest and quietly spoke to him, knowing that normal people wouldn't be able to see him. She noticed a white-haired man in the corner of her eye and a certain name popped into her head, but then she laughed, shook her head and sighed. Nah, Joey's long gone.

"I can get you in to visit him, if you really want. It might not be easy, but I can make it happen if you think it's important," Russell offered, taking pity on her, the look of genuine disarray and upset on her face plucking a sentimental chord within him. He wasn't good at comforting people. He knew breakdowns intimately, but the thought of dealing with one still scared him. "You want a drink or something?"

-------

"Hey, don't freak out, don't freak out," Luke tried to placate her alarmedly. A moment before his cool blue eyes had been looking into the sky, but now they were scrutinising her, her shocked reaction. He found it odd that she cared so much. Would he, given their positions reversed? Would Kira have? Yeah, she would, she was a good person.

"I didn't want to scare you, I'm really sorry. I guess that wasn't the best of conversation topic, huh," he laughed weakly, trying to cheer her up. She looked ready to flee. Her orangey-browney-reddy eyes were filled with fear. Odd colour they were, too. He idly wondered if that was natural as a side note, having never seen the like before.

"You alright?"

Heidi paused, nearly taking Russell up on his offer about the drink, before shaking her head. "Nah, I'm fine," she answered, not really sure whether he meant alcoholic or water, but she could deal without liquid for the moment, especially after so much of it had just come out of her eyes.

"But, yeah, that would be nice... I mean, I guess he doesn't really care since he's unconscious, but I think I'd get kind of...lonely if I was stuck in a hospital bed for three years. Of course, Tombo was always really good at sitting still, but no one's that good," she rambled on a bit, scratching the back of her head.

"Then I'll take you. One thing, though, if you could refrain from spouting anything too anti-government while in the hospital. The hospital he's been moved to is pretty inner-city, and the people there would take notice of someone freaking out in the hospital. I know people, but I'd get in trouble for causing a commotion like that," Russell explained, not looking too bothered either way.

He was trying to recall if he'd ever seen Counsellor O'Connor's file. He definitely knew about the man's career on the council of the city, but he didn't remember ever seeing the man's bio like he had with most of the other Acer Contestants, bar those in the Flow Response Unit. He made a mental note to check up on that.

"...Right," Heidi nodded, though it did agitate her a bit. She wasn't quite sure how everyone else had adapted to city life, but she was pretty sure it was going to drive her mad. With her luck, she'd get arrested again for trying to solve her problems with her fists. "I've had three years to deal with it, I'm not gonna freak out again. Plus, I don't even have my Flow anymore."

"You were one of those poor saps whose Flows messed with their mind?Shit one. At least your Flow was combative, I guess," Russell mused, fetching his hat and making sure he had his glasses and his phone. He was curious to see how Heidi reacted to meeting her old 'family' and visiting Tom. It would be interesting to see what made her tick, and it might help get her to work. "You're going to need to tell me when you want to visit who, I ain't making an agenda."

Heidi shrugged. "It wasn't too bad... Just got a pretty strong temper, though that might not've even been from Flow, 'cuz I didn't exactly to away. I guess there was the bloodlust after I turned 18, but Tom helped me get that under control pretty quick," she responded, not really wanting Russell to feel pity for her. "I was just angry," she sighed. Scared, too, but she wouldn't say it out loud. She still was kind of scared. She'd adapted for life in the wasteland, and now she was stuck in a city. She couldn't exactly solve her problems through beating them up anymore, and Tom wasn't around to help her think things through.

Russell's statement broke her out of her reverie. "I suppose I'll see Simon and Mary now, or soon, anyway, and Tom when ever you can get me in. No rush, I suppose..."

"I'll drive you to their place now, I guess. If we're a bit early, I'll leave you there and I'll go to the police station. Sound alright with you?" Russell explained, looking to gauge Heidi's reaction. He knew that a lot of criminals would make a break, but he didn't think Heidi would risk letting down Simon and Mary by running after promising to meet them for the first time in what must have been a couple of years.

He had been assured by the tears that had fallen when she was talking to him on the phone. Add that to the tracking bracelet on her wrist, and Russell was confident he'd made the right call. He began walking over to the door of his warehouse-like abode.

Heidi nodded, following after Russell. "Alrighty then," she smiled, looking quite cheery. She had dearly missed Simon and Mary. It was almost a little odd to think that she'd be able to see them without being constantly monitored.

Russell didn't seem to give any more of a crap now that her mood had changed, but continued on his way, a cold blast of air leaping through the large door to his warehouse-like abode after he opened it. He donned his hat, pulling on his coat for a bit of extra heat. He slid into his car relaxedly, his shoulder-holstered gun momentarily visible due to the wind. He looked back towards Heidi patiently.

Clue opened her mouth to speak but ended up simply nodding a yes in reply to his question, shuddering lightly under her sweater. She'd probably scared him with her outburst. Why did she have to be so awkward? She just hoped he was okay, was all. The girl had forever had the tendency to concern herself with all living things, seeing as she loved them all and found them all so important in the scheme of things.

A cold breeze whipped around the sidewalk, though by the time it passed by Luke and Clue it was a bit warmer.

She hated to leave really, but she felt she was bothering him, and that was the last thing she wanted. This had been such a nice conversation. It wasn't often she got to socialize quite so much.

Clue tilted her gaze up in the general direction of his face now, hiding her hands in her sleeves and looking very much like a kicked puppy.
She didn't exactly have anything to do, but he might.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to what's it you were doing, I guess".
She stammered slightly, feet shuffling.

Heidi scowled slightly at the sight of the gun, but it quickly disappeared. Getting shot at tended to give one a dislike of guns, but she had sort of figured he'd had one. She quickly slipped outside, pulling the hood of her jacket over her ears. "Fuckin' winter."

Simon walked over to the fountain at a brisk pace, looking at soem decorations that had already been put up. I don't really remember Christmas decorations until I started to live here... was he an Athiest or something?

The black haired man shook his head of thoughts of the past, going back to looking for Elena.

---

Mary swung a little as they walked. Percy's hand was nice and warm, and it ungulfed her smaller one almost completely. It wasn't scary though, all the people she lived with had bigger hands then her, which meant they were older.

This slightly nonsensical thought process continued until they reached the park, where the girl took off for the swings.

Elena waved at Simon once she spotted him, put into a rather good mood by the decorations. Christmas was definitely her favorite time of the year, and while she didn't like the cold, the snow was wonderful. She stopped next to him, chuckling. "See? I'm fine."

Zackary followed after Mary and Percival, acting like a shadow, not really saying much. He didn't have much to say...After all, he wasn't too sure about why he was staying around. It was already awkward enough for him. Really, extremely awkward.

If more words could describe the awkwardness, then they would.

Simon smiled. "Guess I'm just a worrier. But there's something else that I want to talk to you about."

The man looked very excited, like for him Christmas had come early. "Heidi is out of jail."

Elena stared at Simon for a few seconds, in shock. Heidi was out of jail? Already? When had that happened? A grin slowly broke out on her face as the information registered, and she tackled Simon in a hug. "That's great!"

Simon embraced Elena back, picking her and and spinning a little bit. "I know. She just called Percival's phone and called. I'm just... I'm so happy."

Elena laughed happily when Simon spun her around. This was great! While she had never been particularly close to Heidi, she knew Simon and Mary would be overjoyed, and that was enough for her. "When is she coming home?" she asked, though knowing Heidi, it would be soon.

"Today. A few hours." Simon replied, setting Elena back down on the ground. "i was thinking we could make a big celebration dinner... or something like that. Prison food I'm guessing isn't all that good."

OOC: Have to go now, bye.

"I'm guessing your right," Elena agreed, her stomach growling. "I'm hungry just thinking about dinner," she laughed, though it was more likely because she hasn't eaten all day. One had to feel sorry for Heidi, getting her Flow nulled and then getting locked up. Elena knew her well enough to know that she probably drove herself insane.