Colin's posts

"..." Salem was just silent as she said that.

"Right." he muttered.

He then started to follow her, looking around as he did so.

"...so..." he mumbled.

"You brought me back." he said.

"...didn't think Ember Mice still existed, to be honest." he then admitted.

"Cool." Salem replied.

"Thanks." he said, getting up from where he was, and making his way to the door,. He paused at it, though, and thought for a moment.

"...right, I don't know where I'm going." he mumbled, opening the door.

"I'll need someone to take me to the boss here." he continued.

"This place may as well be a maze to me."

Salem was still and silent as Alicja checked him over, and as far as she could tell, he was fine. Mackenzie had told her what to expect, and, with that in mind, she found no abnormalities. Nothing beyond what was expected from him, anyway.

He then sighed, and shook his head.

"...really glad I was brought back." he said.

"Tensions are rising between the two factions." he told her.

"As it stands, Mackenzie and I are the dam holding back the flood."

Salem looked at the water and the packet, before shrugging.

He grabbed both and consumed the contents, before setting the empty containers off to the side.

"Well, then." he said.

"I just need to calibrate my presence factor..." he mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment. That was when Alicja noticed that his 'aura' was MUCH more faint now. It had been strong when he was dead, unbearable when he woke up, much better when he was conscious, and now it was on the same level at Mackenzie's. Which was still strong, but now much more bearable.

"Looks like you made it in the nick of time too." he said.

"Good. I like this place."

"I feel fine." Salem responded.

"A little out of sorts, and I think I have the details surrounding my death mixed up." he went on.

"I don't remember the bus..." he admitted.

"But I know that I was blindsided. Pretty sure I was, anyway." he said further.

"Also, have a massive headache."

"...." he was silent for a moment, before watching her go, and looking at Alicja.

"Yeah." he said.

"This time around, it's Salem." he told her.

"Yeah, name's Salem." he repeated, thinking about it and nodding.

"Looks like you and the people here saved the world."

He shook his head.

"No! I wasn't." he insisted.

"I was rammed into by... uh..." he stammered. "Well, that went by so fast..." he admitted.

"But I remember sirens... and I remember police shouting at someone... saying they were getting away." he continued.

"I think a criminal was escaping and blindsided us at top speed."

"...I like it, too." he admitted.

"The greenery and animals here are really nice." he went on, showing his softer side.

Mackenzie might have hated him, and he hated her in response, but they understood each other. And they were able to tolerate each other when they were worried about the planet they called home.

He then sighed, shook his head, and slowly got to his feet.

"I suppose we should be going." he said.

"Though I suppose someone's going to be coming to check on me?" he asked.

He narrowed his eyes at her as she said that.

"Well excuse me for not knowing how to control idiot humans and them being in control of mobile battering rams." he growled, before cracking his neck and getting used to his body again.

"...this still feels new." he mumbled.

"Not really used to coming back in the body I just had." he muttered further, before pausing.

"...but it WAS stopped, right?" he asked.

"Like, there's no chance of them deciding to mosey on into this nice little place, yeah?" he asked further, merely seeking clarification now.

The revival took closer to the full hour than she might have expected. 55 minutes, to be precise. However, at that minute, his fingers twitched, and he sat up abruptly, letting out a shriek of ungodly and otherworldly... everything.

His presence rippled outwards for a split second, before it immediately withdrew back into him as he looked around.

"Huh!? Wha!?" he exclaimed, before seeing where he was.

And feeling Mackenzie's presence.

"...all right, where am I...?" he muttered to himself, brushing the short brown hair away from his pale blue eyes.

"R-right." Ilias responded.

"I'll just... get back to the lab." he told her.

"See you later." he finished. She then responded in kind, and he left.

Meanwhile, the mice were on high alert now.

Not scared. But they were definitely looking around.

Ilias was silent for a moment, leaning against the wall.

"Air feels a little... heavier." he said.

"What the hell...?" he asked.

"There HE is?" he asked her.

"Your partner? Isn't he dead?" he inquired further.

"Oh God, this is is BODY'S presence!?" he then exclaimed.

"...wow." Ilias mumbled.

"That's just... wow." he said.

Then, before either of them could say anything more, she felt it.

Clear as day.

Her partner might have been dead, but she wasn't kidding when she said even his body had a presence.

Because it was in the building right now, and she was perfectly and clearly aware of it.

Ilias froze for a moment, before shaking his head.

"Th-that wasn't my intention." he assured her.

"I was just wondering how things were for you." he said.

"It has to be strange coming back again and again and having to start a new life." he continued.

"Or stressful, or something."