[Open] Some Rats Don't Go Into Mazes

[work_wife]

WHO: Robin, Open
WHERE: Warrens Common Areas
WHAT: Anxiously Waiting For Results, Learning To Own A Dog
WHEN: November
WARNINGS: None

1. Back In The Same Maze

The Warrens. The last time they had ended up here Robin had still been new on Agra-10. Now here she is in the underground, looking worn around the edges, bruises around her throat existing as the faintest ghost of a memory, and hoenstly, looking annoyed. This time she doesn't have her things. She doesn't have all of her friends because some of them went and disappeared into the depths to explore (seriously, Eddie, why?).

Still doesn't make her feel any less worried. People are scattered and separated again. There's still a threat out there. In here. With them. Probably.

To say that Robin's jumpy is a serious understatement. While she's coming out of the shower area she jumps almost half a foot when she hears someone approaching. Well, more like when she hears Little Bear's excited boof over hearing someone approaching. At least the dog serves as an early warning system.

"Who's there?"

2. Exploring The Side Passages

At least there were ways to distract herself without her friends around. Sure, going off on her own had already made trouble for her in the past. In the recent past at that. But staying still in a single place had never been her style. Sure she hadn't been popular in Hawkins, but she had been used to wandering around town and biking places she wanted to go.

Being cooped up was never her style.

Thankfully she wasn't wandering completely alone. She had Little Bear on a makeshift leash at her side, the dog's tail wagging excitedly as Robin stopped them at an intersection off of the main Warren's area. She pauses, runs her fingers over a scratched in name on the wall. Something Billy Hargrove left here last time, when he named corridors based on streets he remembered from California. It made her feel closer to her absent friend.

"So, what do you say, Little Bear, left or right? I mean, we should probably double back, but you're clearly still excited to stretch your legs."

The dog just does a tappy little dance of excitement.

"Such a conversationalist," she sighs. "If only we could teach you english."

She needed someone to talk to before she went crazy.

Comments

[work_wife]

'Took a lot' makes Robin frown.

"Listen, this is probably an invasive question or something. I'm sorry if it is. I'm not always the best at social things. But... by 'took a lot' do you mean... do you mean lives?"

[crystalmaster]

Radley sighed but nodded. “Yeah … I do,” he admitted quietly. “Everything was a real mess for ages.”

[work_wife]

Robin shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. Which of course got Little Bear whimpering and moving to sit closer to her. To be a rock to lean against.

"That's horrible. I'm so sorry."

[crystalmaster]

He nods somberly. He still thinks about it every day, wondering if it was right to handle it the way he did or if he only made it worse. People told him he held off Malcolm’s takeover for years and that the town fell apart in one day once he did get it, but Radley still worries. Still wonders.

“It’s over now, at least,” he says. “The town is rebuilding.”

It doesn’t take away what happened or make up for it, but at least Malcolm can’t do any further damage.

[work_wife]

"That's got to be a hard step. But maybe rewarding. Good for you guys."

Though she wonders what he'll have to go back to when they're done with this.

[crystalmaster]

Radley wonders that every day.

"Yeah, everybody's pretty determined to get it back on its feet. They started putting it back up hours after Lawton blew it up."

[work_wife]

"Blew it... holy shit," Robin whispers. That's pretty extreme.

[crystalmaster]

“Yeah. That guy … he’s the worst sore loser I’ve ever seen,” Radley says grimly. “Once he knew he’d lost, he blew up Main Street as a cover to get away. And he must have already planned on doing that since the explosives were all already set.”

[work_wife]

Robin's mouth drops open in horror. Like, that's Vecna bad. What the hell?

"That's horrible. Oh god. I'm so sorry."

[crystalmaster]

"Thanks. Yeah, it was a real bad scene."

One he hadn't even personally witnessed from his prison in the mines, but he had heard plenty later.

"The town was just lucky it had people able to stop him. Not me, but others."

[work_wife]

Not him? Damn, that had to hurt too. She reaches out to awkwardly pat his arm.

"Bu when you get back you'll help them. It'll be fine."

[crystalmaster]

Radley smiles sadly a bit. It definitely does hurt. But he appreciates the attempt at comfort.

"Yeah. There'll probably still be a lot to do putting it all back together."

[work_wife]

"That means you've still got something to look forward to?" she suggests. "Building it better. Stronger."

[crystalmaster]

He nods. "Maybe I'll even be better at helping after putting this place back together," he muses. Even if he loses his memories of being here, will he retain whatever skill knowledge he may have picked up?

[work_wife]

Now that would be cool, wouldn't it? Having some echo of this place? Knowing, if even briefly, Eddie and Chrissy and Billy were happy.

But no, Robin doesn't hold out enough hope for that.

"For you, I hope so."

[crystalmaster]

Radley rather doubts it as well, but he still hopes. "Yeah.... Well, someday we'll find out, I guess."

If they ever get to where they can go home....

[work_wife]

Someday. God what a horrible thing to think of. Robin sighs and pats her hip, getting Little Bear to jump back up to his feet.

"I think I could stand to stroll back now. Do you remember the way?"

[crystalmaster]

It sure is.

“Sure,” Radley says with a wan smile. He starts back the way they came.

[work_wife]

"Thanks," she says with a smile, following after him. "Mazes are SO not my skill set."

[crystalmaster]

"I got kinda used to them exploring the mines back home," Radley says. "Getting lost in there is not fun."

[work_wife]

"Oh yeah, I can imagine how it wouldn't be. I had enough trouble not getting lost in marching band practice."

Though that was a whole other sort of maze from her experience.

[crystalmaster]

Radley laughs a bit at that. "You mean trying to find your place with all the marching people?"

[work_wife]

"Oh yeah. And the weird patterns on the field. Just because we COULD look like a Ticonderoga wagon doesn't mean we SHOULD, you know?"

BEcause who wants to be a wagon?

[crystalmaster]

Radley laughs. “I’ve wondered how they come up with some of those ideas. They seem pretty random.”

[work_wife]

"No clue. It's insanity! Torture even!"

Robin rants and emotes widely with her hands and she must be a spectical to behold.