unpocoloco: (Shocked)
Héctor ([personal profile] unpocoloco) wrote in [community profile] daybreakacademy2020-07-16 07:31 am

But it's too late to come on home. Can the city forgive? I hear its sad song

Who: You and... hm. Do you know that guy?
What: An enchantment takes hold
When: July
Where: Daybreak Academy
Warning: Death discussion, memoryloss things
Notes: For information regarding Héctor's plot see here. As discussed, around this time, he'll be little more than a fuzzy memory when not around.

A - Lost Things

"Why does this keep happening?"

The irate voice comes from the lost and found. In it, there's a scuffling noise. This is followed by the dumping out of things, a skeleton popping out from the mess of items, with a manner of things draping over him like weeds of a swamp. He's tugging at something, each word punctuated by another yank.

"I! Still! Live here! AAH!" The guitar comes free and nearly topples him.


B - Flicker

"Ah, Rivera, was it? Would you like to demonstrate?"

The other faculty, the ones that aren't his friends and are merely his co-workers, take in his "new" status with some struggle. They're kind, but awkward, unsure, in the way of dealing with one who is neither doing well or easy to help. At least, that's how they were before they started forgetting he worked and learned there. Now it's all the awkwardness on top of acting like he's a stranger.

"A simple spell," He says. "Even for those with blight. It's just a matter of rerouting your power..."

Magic is just willpower... He'd been so stupid. He could do magic but he couldn't use his brain to realize anything really going on before it was too late. He couldn't stop himself from dying again.

"Focus in. You want to move your hands like so."

He couldn't stop himself from disappearing.

"And see, I've drawn up a bit of light."

Fading.

"Sir? You're shaking... and... flickering?"

Being forgotten.

All at once, the flickering goes out of control. It sputters out and leaves him drained. He braces on a desk, nearly toppling. His empty jaw works while the class stares at him and he meets none of their eyes.

"Forgive me. I think I ought to head to the infirmary," He says, and he excuses himself out the door before there's any chance of comment. He heads in the entirely opposite direction.


C - Last Call

He dials up a number for... he's lost count now how many times the call has failed to go through. He listens to the ring of it, like it's a cigarette he's smoking, a lifeline and a killer at once. He waits for it to hit voice mail like it so often does now. But there's a click and sound.

"Hello?"

He gasps and just about slams the phone to his skull.

"Coco? Hello?" He feels like he's grasping the edge of a cliff as he clings to this phone.

"Who's this?" And that feels like a stomp on his grappling fingers.

"Papá! It's your Papá, Coco...!"

"...Oh... Oh! Papá! Hola, Papá!" A happy note finally breaks through the confusion. He makes a noise between a sob and a laugh.

"Hola, Mija. It's so good to hear you," He says.

"You too! Are- are you okay? You sound upset."

"I'm not. I'm fine," He lies. "I've just really missed hearing from you. How is everyone? Your Mamá and you..."

"Ummm, they're okay, I think. It's been un poco loco here-- oh! That reminds me! I got an invitation? It's really weird, kind of nowhere... but I was invited to an Ernesto De La Cruz concert--" There's a rough sound on the other end. "Oh! Oh no! I'm sorry, I have to go! I'll talk to you soon, Papá--"

"Mija? Mija! Wait--"

The line goes dead. He stands there and he feels oddly cold. The world feels like it's tilting off balance.

Ernesto invited Coco to his concert...?

His murderer invited his daughter...

Oh god. Oh god.

He starts to run. He doesn't know where exactly he's going, only that he's got to do something find something... He bumps into someone, falling back and sending pieces clattering.

"Perdóname!" He says, quickly summoning back the loosened pieces.


D - One-Way Ticket

He'd heard about it, of course. Those kids who went and helped with Ernesto's movie, some of them were rewarded. Fancy tickets, accommodation and transportation afforded for them already in some cases. He just needed to find one, and, eventually, he does. He takes it from the kid's room while they're out, feeling a little scuzzy for this level of sneaking, but knowing he's doing the kid a favor, as well as saving his daughter's life, he pushes on.

In no time, he's called up the number. He'll get in and let whatever vehicle it is take him. The hunters will catch up to him eventually but, by that time, he'll have found Coco and she'll be safe. What happens after doesn't matter.

He'll need a disguise for the trip, something that appears mostly living. Gloves, long sleeves, plenty of cover-- he can pass it off as a rich people thing. What to do about his head, his face... A veil? A hat with a veil? And then some of the scarves he was given... He's going to look stupid but he doesn't care.

He glances up at the school, lit by moonlight and stars that make it seems even more than usual like some beautiful palace from a fairytale. He's surprised, really, how attached he's grown to this place, even while trying to flee it. He wonders, for a wrenching moment, if he'll see it again.

Should he say goodbye? Is there any point, when no one remembers him? Maybe it's for the best... maybe, this way, he won't leave pain like he did all those other times he walked from people he cared about. He'll fade from mind, from their hearts, and he won't leave a scar this time when he also fades. Yes, probably for the best. But he can't help himself from wandering up to the nearest roaming soul.

"Hola," He says, smiling like nothing's wrong. "A nice night, right? Going for a walk?"
improbablenotimpossible: (The vaunted one)

D

[personal profile] improbablenotimpossible 2020-07-16 03:54 pm (UTC)(link)
There is one person that's certain to be out at night, thanks to his particular physiology, the strings of the violin singing in the night air, which suddenly screeched as Hector speaks, a jolt going through Sherlock's whole frame.

His brows knitted, unsure why he was so startled - he wasn't that absorbed in his playing, and he - he knows his friend, right? Why that reaction...?

"It's a good night... I've been staying in cities for so long I've forgotten how the stars can look on a summer's night." Sherlock started, lowering the bow.
improbablenotimpossible: (Let me ponder the matter further)

[personal profile] improbablenotimpossible 2020-07-19 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
And that wince was soon mirrored by one of his own. What was going on...? "I never thought myself as much for the rural areas... there's a certain kind of -" He gestures vaguely, and then lets it drop. "They are, I can see how James would look to them for his thesis." He rests the bow against the violin.

"It does make for a good backdrop to play music against, doesn't it?"
improbablenotimpossible: (The vaunted one)

[personal profile] improbablenotimpossible 2020-07-20 07:58 pm (UTC)(link)
"I think deep down I like being around people," Even if he doesn't get close. He does seem to mull over the last part, about leaving pieces, green eyes flickering as he smiles faintly.

"I don't mind, do you have anything particular in mind?"
improbablenotimpossible: (The vaunted one)

[personal profile] improbablenotimpossible 2020-07-21 05:04 pm (UTC)(link)
He tilts his head back, eyes closing for a moment. "Soft... I think I might have a piece in mind," The former detective places the violin against his shoulder, bow laying upon the strings as he plays Something soft, and contemplative, a little bittersweet, with his eyes half-lidded.
hawkwardness: (proud)

D

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-07-28 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
There's a hawk and a cat on a bench, after dark. And the kitty is tolerating the hawk 'preening' her fur, strangely enough. He's bigger than the sort of birds a cat would usually go after, and he's persistent, not acting like prey. Determined friendliness, good cat manners, until the kitty just accepts her new cross-species friend.

Daybreak. Always full of surprises.

< Uh, hey. > No recognition in his nonverbal voice. Much less open than he would have been a month ago. < I know, I know, this looks weird. >
hawkwardness: (majestic)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-07-29 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
Weird, that fondness on the skeledude. Not that he has room to talk for being strange.

< Yeah. Maybe one of these days I'll get her to purr. I bet that would be a first for hawk-kind. >
hawkwardness: (Default)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-07-29 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
One thing hasn't changed--it's still much easier to drop hints, let everyone assume. One less human kid they need to feel guilty for throwing into danger. (Only one person knew, anyway.)

It doesn't stop him from enjoying human things. Like petting cats. < I believe it. I've seen some sweet cats. Anyway, I've made progress. Maybe we'll share a mouse too eventually. > Deja vu. Has he made that joke before?
hawkwardness: (cannot smile)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-07-31 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
At least the guy isn't weirded out!! That would be awkward, telling a joke too morbid for a literal walking skeleton to handle.

< Hey, it's the thought that counts. Anyway, I've definitely gotten more than one mouse in my life. >
hawkwardness: (Default)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-07-31 07:46 am (UTC)(link)
< There's plenty of cat food sitting out, she's not living just off mice. > The cat looks well-fed. One can only hope he wouldn't hang around a kitty hungrier than this one!

< Yeah. It's nice. I wasn't sure she would, I didn't think I'd get this close. > Not without being smacked upside the head or bitten... he really can do anything a human could, apparently.
hawkwardness: (cannot smile)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-08-01 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
He tilts his head in his usual appropriate birdlike fashion, but decides not to comment. Whatever, be weird.

< Maybe. That'd explain a lot. You'd think there would be someone out there who'd tried to use magic to talk to animals and find out for sure. >

There probably is, but on the other hand... he wouldn't want his secrets revealed by a pet cat, of all things.
hawkwardness: (cannot smile)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-08-01 03:38 am (UTC)(link)
Rhetorical question, he assumes. And an opportunity to brag...?

< That only makes me an expert on birds of prey. Them, I can talk to without magic. The tricky part is getting them to care about the weirder questions. >
hawkwardness: (cannot smile)

[personal profile] hawkwardness 2020-08-02 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Almost.

He nibbles at the cat's ears idly... < Been there, done that. Learned a lot of handy thing over the last year, as much magic as I can. Also, helped kill Dracula not too long ago. >

That he drops so casually, with a bit of smugness, because he can and because it's funny. Hard to top that!