The Disaster Aftermath Finished

The fall ball had been amazing! Colin looked around at the swath of destruction that Real Girl --- the hag doll --- had left in her wake. Blood everywhere. Torn clothing. Smashed decorations. A few scared kids lingering on the edges of desolation. Closer to the heart of it all lay the ruins of the hag doll. Colin had strangled and bitten it. Taizu had comforted it. Valentin Schnell and Co. had demolished and at last killed the wretched thing.

Colin looked down at himself. His cloak was gone and shirt was all torn to shreds. His chest and arms and body were all bloodied. His blood. Real Girl's blood. Lily's blood.

Lily.

The girl this whole battle centered around!

Colin's cousin.

He'd known her for years, of course. She was one of the many cousins who came and went at McCoire House. Sometimes they'd played together when she visited; other times they bickered. Colin narrowed his eyes at the fallen doll. Magic or no, there are three things you don't mess with: you don't mess a lad's girl; you don't mess with a lad's friends; and you don't mess with a lad's kin. There were some things missing from the scene as Colin thought these event over. Clair was gone. Well, she was here with the other Lily, who was also gone. He couldn't see Gem, AngelFyre or Simon either. Maybe they were off helping other kids who'd been hurt or scared. And it seemed the Hunt of the Hag Doll was not the only cause of mayhem at the ball! Colin saw that the refreshments area was a mess, what with kids walking around with pumpkin heads or talking to walls or wrestling with huge spiders!

Colin decided that he had to look for Lily. She was nowhere to be seen. Hadn't Simon taken her to hospital? Colin fished around in his pocket for his wand. There was no way he was going to run through the corridors without it! Not if there was any chance of being attacked by some other random hag something! Lily's wand was there too. He remembered that he snagged it from the Real Girl. No way was that monster going to use his cousin's wand against him!

Wait! What about AngelFyre!? Colin couldn't forget his best friend! The whole ball had been so chaotic, especially towards the end when the battle against the Real Girl was being fought. He knew his blonde haired seer had fallen somewhere, and though it pained him to admit it, in that moment he had left her behind to pursue the wretched monster. After wrapping a relatively clean table cloth around his waist in place of his tattered and bloodied kilt, he found AngelFyre. She was still unconscious. There was only one thing left to do! Colin carefully took his friend into his arms and took off at a full paced run! Through the mostly empty corridors he sped. He reckoned that most kids were probably still having fun in other parts of the ball. He had to admit that the hunt had excited him greatly. It was scary, of course, but he had felt no fear. There was a big difference, he knew. He had to save Lily, no matter what. That's all that mattered.

And now it was done.

He came into the hospital quietly. It was fairly active inside. Injured, hexed and potioned kids filled many of the cots. His immediate duty was to find a place for AngelFyre. She hadn't even stirred as he ran up all the stairs of the castle! Finally someone indicated a place he could lay his friend down so she could be taken care of. Then he had to go find the cot that had Lily in it. Simon was at her side. Colin was glad for that, and he gave the older boy a quick smile as Lily asked if he were okay. "I'm okay! Ileen healed quite a few cuts and scrapes!" he said brightly. Though he felt it, he was sure he didn't look it! There was too much blood and too many injuries on him. "The real question is how you're feeling Lils? I was ---. I mean, that monster tried to rip you apart!"

@Lily Isobel McCoire | @Simon Kincaid

Colin smiled as Lily looked up at Simon. Crouching down on the floor next to Lily's bed, he said: "I'm glad you were able to get her here, Simon! Thank you! You must have run like the wind! Fyre Angel will be very proud!" He knew very well that Simon, who was still largely a mystery to him, was AngelFyre's everything and everyone. If they were in the same house, he would tease her mercilessly about Simon!

He turned back towards Lily. She asked him if he were okay. "I'm okay cuz! Just a little blood!" He didn't have the heart to tell Lily how much of it was hers. In reality, Colin realised he should probably be lying in the next cot himself! "it took a lot of us, but the thing is dead, Lily. I---I think that was as much your doing as ours. I mean, we broke it and crushed it; but I'm not sure the Real Girl could ever truly be alive unless you died. And you didn't! So she couldn't!"

He brushed back Lily's hair as they talked about the magic. "She did use your wand a couple times, but I don't think it liked it much. Just a couple basic spells. I'm sure it much prefers being in your hand! And --- oh!" Colin straightened up, then rummaged around in his kilt pockets. "I've got it with me! Here!" he said, holding up her wand. "That's a right long one! Almost as tall as you!" Colin smirked.

Colin stood up and tucked Lily's wand back into her hand where it belonged. "Well Lils, I reckon I ought to go off and get meself check out too!" He ruffled her dark red hair affectionately. "Maybe they have an extra shirt here too? Mine seems to have gotten all shredded to bits!" He let out a puff of air. "Welp. That's not the first time, and I reckon it won't be the last time either. And Simon! Don't stand there making crack with Lily all night! Your AngelFyre is here too ye know?"

As Colin went off to find the healer, he heard Lily talking to Simon again. His brows knit briefly. I wonder what 'just imbibers' are?

Edit to include AngelFyre, who I totally forgot about!!
Colin leaves the thread.

@Lily Isobel McCoire | @Simon Kincaid | Mentions: @AngelFyre McCubbin