Don't You Forget About Me

Summer 2021, Week 4

Saturday morning

Riverview Hospital Center

Storyteller

The hospital had an eventful last week, with many people coming and going through the doors. Some were very popular and well-known, others the nameless victims of tragedies that struck during and after the battle of Henry. The staff were tired from working long hours throughout the week, but remain helpful and patient with people they come across.  

Sorin Fionn

He lay in his hospital bed, staring blankly with a slight and confused smile on his face. Where.. am I? They called me Sorin. Is that my name? I can't remember.. The back of his head aches like there was a patch of fire stuck to it, the rest of his head foggy and.. empty. The rest of his body aches, like the muscles burned with a fire while his nerves were alight with electricity. The sensation seems familiar, somehow, and his body felt like it was ready to move on its own.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

Ughhh, my fucking head...Focus this is your fault. You just gotta make sure Sorin and Tobias are okay and you can guilt trip yourself then.   Aloysius had honestly spent the hours since the event.....asleep, it's hard to stack awake when you're in that much pain. The corvette with the barely scrambling engine pulled into the parking lot, he'd dressed somewhat nice for once, a white button up shirt with slacks and a black tie. He'd bought some flowers on the way over and had asked Tobias if Sorin needed extra clothes and if needed brought them. He would be lucky if Sorin was awake, let alone alive........however he never saw what was actually coming.   "Hey I'm here for uh Sorin Fionn, I'm a close friend of his can I get his room number?" He slowly figured out his way to Sorin's room and knocked on the doorframe.   "Hey Sorin, mind if I come in? How are you uhm doing?"  

Sorin Fionn

He still appears dazed as he smiles, a large patch present on the back of his head and dressed in a hospital gown. "Sure! I love myself a bit o' company. What's yer name, friend?" His voice came out in a rapid sequence of words, almost unintelligible to people like an auctioneer that never emphasized specific words.

[Enh.| Enhanced Speed, Basic x1, -0EP (25/25)]

  Something about the boy told him that he could trust him. He was unsure of why, but it felt like more than a gut feeling.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

My name? But Sorin........ NO NO NO DON'T PUNISH ME LIKE THIS. Aloy slowly handed the flowers to Sorin and some spare clothes. His movements were slow and cautious a complete 180 from Sorin's almost unintelligible speed.   "Uh I brought you some clothes might be a bit big since I'm a big teen b--but uh......I'm sorry you spoke really fast did you just ask me w---what m.....my uh name is?" Aloy handed the T-shirt and tracksuit pants over to Sorin slowly before quickly retorting.   "I know Tobias raised you so please don't get changed here! I've already seen him not decent once.........I'd rather not experience it." Please tell me he's joking....Please. Please. Please.  

Sorin Fionn

He blinks a couple of times, the boy seeming.. very, very slow to him. He takes a deep breath and tries to slow himself down so that the newcomer can understand him better. As he starts to speak, he nods and immediately regrets it as it sends splitting pain across his head. He clutches it as the pain runs through his brain in a white-hot flash. "Gah! Fuck, tha' hurts.."   He opens his eyes when the pain subsides and smiles, saying veeery sloooowly (which is probably normal speed for someone) "Aye, I asked ye fer yer name, m'friend. I appreciate th' clothes, they look a comfy alternative fer a hospital gown."   He slowly tilts his head to the side like a confused dog at the mention of Tobias raising him, then laughing. "Naw, m'friend. I'm already almost scandalous wit' jus' th' gown an' blanket on! I'll get changed as soon as I'm alone again."  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"Are you okay?" Aloy leaned forward and reached out almost in a reaction, his hand was still covered in slowly healing cuts from the shattering of that armour, however this made him remember the night before, where Sorin made no sound. He just hit the floor. That feeling of anger and confusion filling him again just to be let out in a sigh of relief.   Hearing that Aloy's thoughts, his inner monologue all screamed at the same time. FUCK I DID THIS I CAUSED THIS. but his mouth only slipped out a single mumbled "Fuck." before he shook it off and continued chuckling weakly at the laughing.   "Uhm, Well I'm Aloysius Fumi. You knew me before what happened last night.....uhm everyone calls me Aloy though. it's quicker and I don't like the old man name....Uh Tobias is an older gentleman, he might've been here early, kinda got an accent like you do?"  

Sorin Fionn

"Aye, I'll be all right. Jus' gotta keep me head still. It's a real treat ta meet ya, Aloy." He blinks and his eyebrows knit together, looking up as if trying hard to recall the man Aloy describes before sadly and slowly shaking his head. "Not ringin' any bells.. I woke up jus' a few hours ago. Th' doctors told me I was very lucky to have stayed alive. Said somethin' about fixin' me up with a small bone fusion, I'm guessin' in th' back o' me head."  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

“Well. It’s nice to see you again…..o-or Uhm meet you again! I-I dunno……I’ll let him know your awake though, you mean a lot to him. Even….e-….even though you don’t remember him….I hope you don’t mind me asking is there anything you remember? Don’t push yourself or anything just let me know alright? I’m gonna close the door because of reasons involving stuff. I’ll explain once it’s yeah.”   Oh god I did this. Tobias is…..he is gonna be…….oh god why?   I SHOULD HAVE KILLED BOTH OF THEM   No Aloy calm down just one step. The teenagers breathing was noticeably erratic as he got up to close the door shaking his head.  

Sorin Fionn

He smiles once more, replying "I think he'd appreciate that, if what ye say is right. I don't mind tryin', I should prob'ly do that anyway."   As Aloy's breathing became irregular, Sorin's expression shifts to one of worry, very similar to the one before the BANG made him fall to the ground. "It's all right, lad. I'll remember in time, don't ya worry."   Thinking hard, he faintly remembers his apartment, what it looks like. A library, full of books. A casino, with card faces tickling his memory. Almost instinctively his hands make weird motions, his body remembering how to cut and fan a deck perfectly, combine the cards in a faro fan, and shuffle the cards with a single hand. He stares, bewildered as his hands move on their own, his nerves tingling and muscles slightly burning as the motions are made.

[Enh.| PKR, Basic x1, -0EP (25/25)]

 

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"I--I know don't worry about me.....just.......don't...." It's my fault why did I do this? I shouldn't have crashed, I shouldn't have let Sorin know. I should have pushed him away.   Aloy watched the movements happen and gave a weak smile to Sorin. "Maybe try to keep still, the doc's told me you're still gonna be in some pain."  

Sorin Fionn

He blinks, still a little confused that his hand seemed to move on its own with dexterous skill. But if it helps me remember more, like seeing images of a casino, maybe I should try to explore them. His hand stops moving on its own and he lays back in the hospital bed. "I- can't explain it well, but when my hand was doin' that.. on its own, strangely.. I remembered seein' a casino. I.. don't know what that means, but maybe.. if I try other things later I can remember more?" He looks up hopefully towards the boy, his smile warm and reassuring.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"Maybe but you shouldn't push yourself too hard now, just in case given your whole body is recovering......Excuse me Sorin do you remember what an Evo is? Just wanting to know if I should inform you or not." Aloy gave a weak smile and nodded at the mentioning of a casino, Aloy was never sure what Sorin did for work however he could come to the conclusion through this fact that he worked at a casino.   "Have you eaten or Drank as well today?"  

Sorin Fionn

He tilts his head once more like a heckin' confused doggo at the mention of Evos. "What's that? I'd love ta hear all about it." He continues to keep his speech very, very slow in fear Aloy not being able to understand him, and maintains a warm smile.   Almost in response to Aloy even mentioning eating, Sorin's stomach growls. He laughs at the near comedic timing and answers "I've not had somethin' ta eat yet, but I've been gettin' plenty of water ta drink."  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"Alright, so....Evo's are people, y'know humans but they're...evolved, like some are stronger, some are faster. Example there's a guy called Victory he can fly and is super strong. Some can heal themselves or others, some can summon animals or make people feel things." Aloysius made sure the door and window was closed and locked before he continued.   "From what I know you're an evo, this conversation probably feels really slow right, and you are slowing yourself down so I can actually hear you right?"  

Sorin Fionn

Is that what this is? I'm one of 'em? That must mean.. His thoughts race as images of pages flip across his mind, their knowledge obscured and blurry to him. To Aloy, he must clearly be thinking of something as his eyes dart rapidly, seeming to try carrying and sorting information as he is trying to connect the dots. And FAST.   "So that's.. that's what that means. That explains a few things. I'm a super speedy guy, aye? D'ya know what else I can do?" He looks up expectantly, a gentle smile on his lips.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"Well, I uh don't really know. It isn't something people really talk about. Evo's aren't really liked for a few reasons but..........I mean, I'm guessing that being able to do those moves earlier prob's relate to it or somthin'. oh and also I'm one of them, but don't tell people about that okay?" Another weak smile was given while Aloy crossed his arms Sorin seemed more naïve then before.   Well, I mean.......par for the course right?  

Sorin Fionn

He slowly nods in understanding, in both the fact that evos aren't well recieved by the public and that he shouldn't dare tell a soul about Aloy. "Ah, I see. So if I'm ta use my.. talents, we'll call 'em.. it needs ta be discreet." He smiles with a newfound determination. "So once I get better, I'll need ta don th' costume and be faster than th' bullets comin' my way. Got it." He finishes with a playful smile and a wink.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

“Yeah you need to be discreet. Like don’t use em unless you have to type stuff.” The teenager awkwardly smiled but the moment Sorin being shot comes up Aloy goes stone cold on his expression his hands felt wet and clammy but no matter how hard he tried to avoid doing it his hands would run together and crack the bones in his hands.  

Sorin Fionn

His face once more scrunches with worry, his lips pursing and brow furrowing. "Hey, ya goin' ta be all right, lad? I can tell somethin's eatin' away at ye, but beatin' yerself up over it ain't goin' ta do anyone any good, y'know?" He shifts so he is sitting up in the hospital bed. "I'm sure that whatever it is that's buggin' ye, it's somethin' that can be fixed, aye? So.. focus on fixin' it instead of dwellin' on it." He feels like he's heard these words before, repeating them as if quoting some other person that hangs just beyond his memory.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

I need to get stronger. I need to fly better. I can't break. Aloy's face was still that absent stone cold as he spaced out each thought rushing through his head like a race car hopped up on Nitrous. The cracking of his hands losing its methodology and becoming more random with each second.   "Oh I uh. I dunno if it's something I can fix....or if there's really anything to do. I'm just a kid Sorin. Sure, I was training in MMA and stuff before well this happened." Aloysius gestured to himself. The unnatural height for someone his age. The strong imposing figure that has been trying to save the day every single day.   "Sure I can like knock someone out with a single punch, and fly but, I dunno if this is an issue I can fix with that. I wouldn't even know what to do or who to blame."  

Sorin Fionn

"Lad.. Was it something someone else did ta ye or someone close to ye? If it is, an' they hurt ye, I'll make 'em pay." Something about the sternness of the last phrase and the wording sounds familiar, like Aloy heard it before from someone else. Then it softens with his next few words. "But if it's somethin' that ye need ta take a step back an' look at from a different angle, I might be able ta talk about it. Preferably when I'm outta this bed an' in some real clothes."  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

“I’m fine. J-just uh don’t worry about it. Okay? It’s my responsibility to fix this I just uh dunno how to do that yet. You sound just like Tobias talkin’ about making them pay but I don’t want either of you to worry. I can’t promise anything but I can fix it. Though lunch would be good once you’re free to walk around and stuff.”  

Sorin Fionn

"Lunch would be fantastic. An' don't sweat it too much, jus' make sure it's not at th' cost of yer health, aye? I should be out before ya know it." He winks and smiles warmly in an attempt to be reassuring. The mention of going out to get food made a memory flash before his eyes. A panda bush. A retro-styled diner. A glorious heap of pancakes. The feeling of.. melancholy.  

Aloysius ‘Aloy’ Fumi

"Heh, yeah. I'll try Sorin, no promises. I've got the will so I'm sure there'll be a way. Well I'll leave ya be. So you can get dressed and shit." Aloy awkwardly smiled and got up. I should kill them, but what will that make me? A hero saving people? or just another asshole who thinks he's better? Too many of those now. God I feel sick. My stomach begging for another bite and my head begging for anything to hydrate me or just a proper nights rest.  

Storyteller

And so, Aloy made his departure as he and Sorin bid each other farewell, leaving Sorin to collect his thoughts and look through pictures on his phone to gain some more context of who he was.