Colin's posts

Ash just nodded in response.

"Ah, yeah..." he said.

"Yeah, I'll... I'll do that." he told her.

With that, he left, and made sure to keep himself open, and keep his ear to the phone.

-About 7 hours later-

Jaden sighed as he looked at his phone, and dialled his mother's number.

"Hey." he said when she answered.

"She's stable and will make a full recovery." he told her.

"According to Rene, she should be ready for visitors in about an hour or so."

Ryker just chortled to himself, and stifled a laugh.

"Heh." he then chuckled.

"All right then." he said.

He then got up and gently lifted Aly in his arms, making sure he didn't wake her up.

"Let's go." he told Eke.

"You both need some sleep."

Ash was completed dumbfounded when he heard that.

"A... again!?" he exclaimed.

"I... but..." he stammered, before shaking his head and sighing.

"Right." he said. "Yes. Yes, I would." he told her.

"I want to know more about this." he confirmed.

"....I really wanna hope this isn't related to the resurgence of the past... but it probably is." he then added with a heavy sigh.

"....yeah, sure." Ash replied.

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes." he told her.

And, sure enough, he was. He arrived at the Triad after about a minute, and it took him another minute to make his way to the office that Sydney used.

Once there, he knocked on the door, entering when he was beckoned.

"...yes?" he asked, poking his head in.

"Got it." Rene replied, as Jaden opened a portal.

Rene then hung up the phone, and looked over towards Anna, who, conveniently, had been standing near him.

"Come on." he told her.

"Ashley's in bad shape, and needs help STAT." he said.

At that point, Jaden got Ashley through the portal, and into the receiving area of OLA, where people were immediately rushing to help her.

"Dr. Calder has been called, and he will personally help her." Jaden told them as they brought a gurney near Ashley to load her onto.

Jaden just nodded.

"Of course." he replied.

"Make sure someone's there to receive her." he said. "Call Rene or something." he went on.

"I'm honestly not sure how long she'll last..." he then said quietly.

"Ashley, I'm going to use my portals." he told Ashley.

"Brace for the inevitable discomfort."

"....what...?" Jaden muttered.

"Shot down?" he asked.

"...didn't that happen once already?" he asked her.

She merely nodded in response.

"....." Jaden was silent as she nodded, before sighing heavily.

"Oh dear..." he said quietly.

He then lifted his head up and looked around, to see if help was coming for her.

Mere moments after she met the floor, she heard voices calling about in concern and confusion... but, there was one voice that stood out as familiar, and it was getting closer.

"Ashley!" Jaden exclaimed as he got to her.

"Holy crap, Ashley, what happened!?" he asked her as he saw her wounds.

"...oh, geez..." he muttered.

"Someone get Mom!" he called out.

"Ashley's injured and needs medical attention! NOW!"

".....indeed." Vincent replied, after a pause.

"I hate to do it, but for now, it's for the greater good." he said.

"....but this will only work until one of two things happen, Hollie..." he then muttered.

"We either find Victoria, or we have to come clean." he went on.

"...and I shudder to think what will happen if the latter comes to pass."

"Yeah, jeans are uncomfortable to sleep in." Ryker agreed.

He was then silent, and smirked.

"Heh." he chuckled.

"I'm sure Aly would like to bed down somewhere comfortable as well." he said.

"Care for a female companion in bed?" he asked Eke.

"That... IS a fair point." Vincent admitted.

"...." he was then silent, and sighed.

"All we can do is wait." he said.

"Wait and see." he said further.

"And I hate that. And I hate the fact that keeping this a secret from Rowena is wrong, but at the same time, might be necessary." he went on.

"If she reacts poorly, the whole world may be in danger." he continued. "...which might be a tad dramatic, but not by much." he muttered.

"But she has a right to know."

"...this bracelet..." Vincent said.

"It... well, it basically put a cap on her power." he told her.

"Alice didn't seem to have the same problem, but Victoria always had issues controlling her mana when she matured. The bracelet was meant to be a slow-release of it, so she could get used to it." he went on.

"...without it, it'll all just come flooding in."

The colour on Vincent's face drained when he saw the bracelet.

"This..." he stammered.

"No..." he said quietly.

"Oh, no... no, this does not bode well..." he said.

He then leaned forward, and place his palm on his forehead.

"Damn it." he cursed.

"....damn it all..." he cursed further, this time more quietly, and sounding like he was ready to cry.

Ash was silent for a moment, and nodded.

"Right." he said.

With that, he quickly left the room to check up on Alice, wherever she had gone to.

"...damn it all." Vincent cursed.

"Why this? Why now?" he growled.

"Why does this have to be happening? Why!?" he wondered further, growing frustrated.

"....and where is Victoria...?" he then asked quietly.