Anatoly Sergievsky is a doctor not a chess player (haventwonatall) wrote in wariscoming, @ 2013-07-07 23:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | anatoly sergievsky, elena gilbert |
Who: Elena and Anatoly
What: An arrival and subsequent demon run-in. And Elena being Elena.
When: Right around now
Where: An alleyway in Lawrence, then the medbay at the complex (SURPRISE HAVE A DOCTOR BACK GUYS!)
Warnings: Violence for fighting with a demon, otherwise not much
Things were incredibly tense, but Anatoly had come to his senses and little by little, the year that followed his World Championship win in Bangkok, he started to regain himself, the man he’d been before Molokov had gotten his claws into him. He’d made subtle yet profound choices along the way. Subtle enough that Molokov wouldn’t notice Anatoly was changing, his priorities were changing, but profound enough for Svetlana to know he was changing. And he had a plan. He was going to get out of being under Molokov’s thumb, but do it in a way that wouldn’t bring Hell down upon his family. When he made the decision to go to the World Championship in Athens, that was when he’d decided to make his move. When he came to the final match that would decide who the champion would be, Anatoly deliberately threw the match. Though he did it in a subtle way that Molokov would never figure out had been done intentionally.
After losing, Anatoly went back home, knowing Svetlana had watched the match and would know what he did. From that point on, they worked together on a plan to sever ties to Molokov as much as they could, and also rebuild their marriage and be a family. With Anatoly no longer being the “favorite son” in Molokov’s eyes, Svetlana and Anatoly were able to make headway into rebuilding their lives without the pressure of the chess world. At least until Molokov turned his sights to Fayina, which didn’t sit well with Anatoly. But he and Svetlana would approach it together and handle it together. Svetlana had gone to meet with Molokov to discuss traveling the junior circuit with Molokov and Fayina. And that was when Anatoly found his surroundings change.
For a moment, he was disoriented as he looked around at the buildings. He was on a street near an alley he didn’t recognize. At least not for the first couple seconds. Soon enough memories started flowing back of this place. He was back in Lawrence. Glancing around, he noticed he was alone. Or at least that’s what he’d thought until he turned and glanced behind him and saw someone come out of the alley.
“Well, if it isn’t a precious little sitting duck,” the man said as his eyes turned all black. Well. That was just Anatoly’s luck, wasn’t it? He arrived back in Lawrence, not having an amulet on him, and a demon meets him right away. If he died here or got possessed, Svetlana would find a way to make his life, or afterlife, a living hell for getting himself killed.
Elena was... well, she had been trying to put herself back together. Between everything once again piling up, the conversation with Stefan.... well, she wasn’t doing so well. She’d been trying meditation techniques. Being there for others. And having Aunt Jenna helped, it did. But at the same time, she knew that if she got sent back, she would die. Klaus talking up Scott and hinting at a way to not be bound to the moon... well, she was on edge and it wasn’t getting any better. And while the arrival of Matt and Caroline should have helped, Anna, Vicki... it was a constant yo yoing of emotions and not being able to make sense of anything. Not to mention Caroline and her weird flirtation with Klaus, or Matt and Rebekah, the fact that Stefan still seemed to hate her... Yet having her best friends here. How was one supposed to make sense of anything? How was she supposed to remain grounded in that situation?
Having been in need of fresh air, Elena was out walking. It helped to clear her mind, which was definitely something she needed.. Because she was still reeling from the news that Jeremy would die and not come back. That she would be a vampire. That she would lose herself. The fact Caroline worried about being like Katherine, the weird dance with Klaus. The last thing on her mind was the state of her relationship back in Mystic Falls. Of course she felt bad that she hurt Stefan, but he had said she had chosen Damon because he made her happy while Stefan didn’t. But there was something else he had mentioned. That she’d been right. That she’d been a project for her, getting her humanity back so she could be ‘right’ again. It struck a chord once the statement had finally registered after she had seen his comments to Caroline, on top of Caroline’s own comments in her drunk post, and really just that night in general. It had been a few days that it had sunk in. How it had related to how she had seen his actions. How she had seen herself. But the fact that someone else voiced it, even if he hadn’t meant it in such a way...
Elena Gilbert was nothing more than a possession for people to fight over. They placed her on the pedestal of good and humanity. They fought over what was right for her, what she ‘needed’ while never listening to her. They wanted to protect her when she never wanted it because she knew so much better. Her blood a commodity to Klaus. She tried so hard to be what people wanted, needed... or did. And now that she wasn’t what they wanted, she became their project.
Or that was how it seemed from what little she’d gotten from Stefan and Caroline even if that at least wasn’t what her best friend had meant. Little and so much all at once. But the realization was there. The verification of her own self worth. She was a prize to them, a possession. One who people died to ‘protect’. Her own brother. Her last living family there.
It wasn’t a major snap. The thoughts weren’t even uncommon. But it was enough, the realization that she would always be that.
She wasn’t out right looking for danger. She knew better than that. And she wasn’t actively out to end her life. But when she heard a taunt while passing an alleyway? Instinct took over, instinct and recklessness. The brunette didn’t even notice who it was that was being taunted. She didn’t realize it was Anatoly. All she knew was they needed to get out of the way. And fast. Which was why she rushed in and shoved the man out of the way.
“Get out of here!”
Because clearly she could take on the demon by herself. But she wasn’t just a doll to be maneuvered to the design of Klaus. She wasn’t made of porcelain and just on display. There were cracks and scars and those were her story. This was her life. Her decision. She knew that the body was innocent and she knew the body would be harmed. But she knew the exorcism. She knew how to fight and she had the added agility and strength from her bauble wish. She’d be fine.
Anatoly had been attempting to remember the exorcism. He had, of course, learned it when he had been there before. But the fact of the matter was he’d never had to use it. He wasn’t a fighter, he was a doctor, always staying out of the fighting to help the injured and ill to the best of his ability. Even when the demons had attacked the complex, he hadn’t fought, not actively. Or at least nothing beyond the simple “christo” that may have been needed before one of the fighters stepped in.
And truthfully, the memories returning were clogging his mind and causing him to freeze. It was a rush, so-to-speak, of gaining more than a year’s worth of memories upon returning here. So it was difficult for him to pinpoint the exorcism so he could recite it. This is no doubt how others who returned here and remembered being here before felt like upon first arrival. The rush of memories of a life they never knew they’d lived until being back here.
Or Anatoly could be pushed out of the way by someone. Before his brain had a chance to catch up with what he wanted to do, he found himself on the ground. For a moment, he was disoriented, not only by the rush of memories, but also by the sudden change in his equilibrium. Shaking his head, he looked up to see Elena there. Or he hoped it was Elena and not the vampire that looked like her. Blinking a couple times as his brain finally started to catch up with himself, he shook his head.
The demon eyed Elena, surprised by the interference, but not fearful of it. “Unexpected, but then you people are sheep and like trying to save people, don’t you? So very noble.”
“Christo!” Anatoly spoke up as he’d anticipated an attack from the demon. It gave Elena that brief opening to start in on the exorcism as the demon recoiled. Even though he’d been told to run, Anatoly wasn’t running, especially not with Elena being there and there being danger. He well knew how she could get, and he wasn’t about to leave her alone and in danger.
Elena wasn’t expecting the person she had shoved to the side to know to say Christo. Because unless it was a new arrival/old arrival, most people didn’t go out without the amulet. So was it the former or was it just... and then the voice resonated within Elena, pulling her more to the situation and not simply going on autopilot. Anatoly.
Seriously, was the Seal having a field day with throwing people at her after taking them away? Logically she knew that the Seal didn’t pinpoint people to pick on. And most people wouldn’t think that bringing support back was a bad thing. But for Elena? It was. Because nothing went well in her life. And people ended up hurt because of her. Just look at everything that would happen because she didn’t stay dead. With Klaus here, even if he was behaving now, how long until those she cared about ended up in the crossfire, people not from Mystic Falls?
Still, she couldn’t exactly let that throw her from what she was doing, which was trying to state the exorcism and expel the demon with as little damage to the person being possessed as possible. The demon would already be upset at being Christo’d, which meant she needed to act fast. Or at least divert the attention from Anatoly back to herself. She didn’t bother responding to the comment on how all humans were the same.
This was going to hurt but if it meant ensuring that Anatoly didn’t get hurt, then it was worth it. She wasn’t docile. She wasn’t fragile. And screw anyone who said otherwise. Which was why she started with the first stanza of the exorcism.
The words of the exorcism caused the demon to cry out and squirm within its host. It most certainly didn’t approve of this course of action, but given the fact that it wasn’t bound with restraints and there was a distinct lack of a Devil’s Trap keeping it in place, the demon lashed out, using telekinesis to throw Elena into the wall of one of the buildings lining the alley.
Anatoly, on the other hand, had managed to get back up in the time that had elapsed. And while he was more than aware that Elena was capable of fighting and defending herself, he did realize she wasn’t some prized glass antique in need of being protected. That didn’t stop him from worrying about her, of course, but he also wasn’t the type to simply coddle her and treat her as though she needed protection. She was her own person and she could make her own decisions. Granted those decisions did tend to end badly, but at least this time he was there with her and could help her as much as he could and ensure this would have the best outcome possible.
Or Elena could be tossed into the wall. Well she was certainly going straight to the medbay once this demon was disposed of. He didn’t care if she wasn’t injured, he still wanted to at least get her checked over. That could’ve caused a concussion. So, not one to simply stand about, Anatoly was going to take action. He quickly took note of what was available in the alley that could potentially be used as a weapon. Not that he intended to hurt the person whose body the demon was using, but who was to say what was going to come out of this.
While he did that, he quickly picked up in the exorcism where Elena had left off, trying to keep the demon distracted and at bay as much as possible. Though he’d only gotten another line of the exorcism out before a trashcan came flying at him, but Anatoly managed to duck out of the way.
Okay, getting flung into a wall at that speed and intensity hurt, but Elena had been prepared for that. And good, Anatoly seemed to remember the exorcism. True she already had known he remembered, he’d used Christo after all. But that didn’t mean much in terms of knowing the entire exorcism and knowing where to pick up. Which was good. Because her head hurt. And her back. And her shoulder. She was most certainly going to be bruised.
And that was why people shouldn’t run into battles without thinking. But given Elena presently didn’t see the worth of her life when it simply would lead to others being harmed, she wasn’t exactly thinking things through. So it was time to put those wishes to use of agility and endurance, racing towards the demon to take them down, even as her vision went white and black from the head trauma. But that didn’t matter. Normal people might have tried to keep their distance, but given there weren’t many things in this particular alley that could be used, going for the unexpected seemed the best course of action. And thanks to Anatoly getting the second part in, Elena went into the next part, moving to dodge any attempts on her life and ignoring the blows that did land as she finished it.
Stumbling back as the demon was expelled from the body, which fell limp, Elena struggled to catch her breath, shooting a look to Anatoly.
“Welcome back...”
As Elena sprung into action, Anatoly noticed the body language. Clearly things had happened while he’d been gone. Which went to the question of how much time had passed in his absence? But that wasn’t something he should think about at the current moment. He was too busy doing the exorcism and keeping an eye on Elena.
The demon was being weakened by the exorcism, black smoke starting to come out of the man’s nose and mouth as the demon was being forced out. But when Elena attacked, the demon defended itself as best as it could. It managed to get in one more round of telekinesis, bringing the garbage can back to ram into Elena. All further action was physical hand-to-hand combat before the exorcism was complete. The black smoke spewed out of the man’s nose and mouth and went straight into the ground, being cast back down into the pit whence it came. The man collapsed, unconscious but still alive.
Anatoly looked over at Elena, clearly knowing he’d missed something happening to her while he’d been gone. But what worried him the most in the current moment was the extent of her injuries.
“Thank you. It is good to see you again.” He said, managing a smile. And he was glad to see Elena again. He was very glad that someone had happened by, otherwise Anatoly would be the one injured currently.
A lot could happen in a month. Though to be fair, it had been building ever since Rose and Dick had been injured on their hunt. That didn’t make it any easier. Friends being injured, everyone being more or less switched out, the arrival of the Originals. Finding out what had happened. The constant yo yoing of emotions with departures and arrivals, the realizing she wasn’t the only one who saw herself as nothing more than an object. Because if one was a project, then they were not an actual person.
Between going hand to hand to hand with the demon on top of the attack by trash can, Elena was definitely going to be needing a trip to the medbay. Not that she wanted to deal with the questions of Anakin or Jenna or Jeremy. Elphie would just sigh at her. The others though? Too many things that could be said or go wrong. This sucked.
The comment on it being good to see her again was met with a faint smile, shrugging which also led to pain. Summer meant tank tops and even looking at her shoulder showed that it was severely bruised.
“Well, clearly the Seal loves me. Or hates me. One of the two to keep me around.”
Which really was saying something. Elena had no idea on what to make with the comings and goings of her loved ones. Nor did she want to tell Anatoly that Svetlana and their daughters had also been sent back. True there was always the chance that they’d come back, or would. But what was to say they would remember if they did come back?
Even without knowing how long he’d been gone according to Lawrence time, it was plain to see things had happened during his absence. He could read it in Elena’s body language, and even in her words about the Seal. Before he’d been sent back to his world, Elena had been making some tracks to working through everything that had fallen on her in her time here. But now? Now he could see she’d been set back in the progress she’d been making.
Looking at her shoulder, he could see the bruising forming there, which wasn’t a good thing. He started wondering if it was just a simple contusion or if it had been dislocated at all. Even though her shoulder wasn’t hanging at an odd angle, that didn’t mean it hadn’t dislocated, it could’ve simply come out, then popped right back in. But it was certainly clear she needed to be taken to the medbay.
“Clearly the Seal has a lot to answer for. Though we should not stand around here. You should pay a visit to the medbay. And I need a new amulet.” Anatoly certainly wasn’t going to be standing out here in the open for longer than necessary without an amulet. He really didn’t need to get possessed.
The Seal always had a lot to answer for. And no one could make it do that, regardless of what they tried, regardless of who they were. It was a fact of life and while the Originals were all about how high and mighty they were and they weren’t the types to just sit back and accept it, well, they’d have to be eventually. Because there was nothing they could do in this regard. So Elena let is go and just quirked a brow before shaking her head some at the comment on her needing to go the medbay and that being said before Anatoly mentioned getting a new amulet.
“Good plan.”
And into shorter phrases, but it wasn’t as if there was much to say right now. She didn’t know what to say. She knew he would need to be told about his family soon enough. Probably before they got to the complex lest someone say something in the medbay.
“They’ll be happy to see you again... the medbay.”
Even though he had managed to miss all of the Jerry idiocy but that was a good thing. If Jerry had gone after a kid, what was to say Fayina or Jelena couldn’t have gotten caught in those crossfires? Either way, Elena started back to the complex, ignoring her body’s protests of the movement.
Anatoly ignored the brow quirk. It was a look he was used to getting from time to time from Svetlana. Besides, he understood the meaning behind it. When she started heading for the complex, Anatoly walked along with her, of course keeping an eye on her movement. He would carry her if it was too painful, but for now he’d just walk beside her and let her move under her own power.
“That leads me to believe I missed a crisis.” Well, he also was aware there had been few doctors anyway before he’d been sent back home. But it also stood to reason that he’d obviously missed some type of crisis. “How long have I been gone?” Which was a question that tied directly to that. From the way Elena looked, he doubted it was any longer than a couple months.
But then the golden question came to mind. “What about Svetlana, Fayina and Jelena? Are they still here?” Despite the fact he’d just seen them all shortly before finding himself here again, he was extremely worried about what Svetlana would be like here. She’d gone into her ice queen mode again before the Seal had sent him home. His absence would’ve undoubtedly caused Svetlana to retreat further into that. Even with Helena being there, there was no doubt in his mind Svetlana would still be extremely closed off.
Elena wasn’t surprised that Anatoly didn’t respond to the brow quirk. He’d told her he was fluent in the language of ‘I’m fine’ when she’d been kidnapped for a night of mini-Russian psychotherapy. Which meant that he was used to it from Svetlana. Which... didn’t surprise the nineteen year old at all. Though if he tried to carry her, she’d fight it. Her legs were fine. Head woozy, arm and shoulder definitely bruising to an ugly color, but her legs were fine.
“Jerry. Psychopathic vampire, turned a few people, which led to people being attacked and left for dead.”
Because it was never something easy. But it had been a crisis. Not as bad as December or Pestilence or the ghosts but still, bad enough.
“It’s been about a month.”
Which wasn’t much in the long term, but it had been a very trying month for Elena with everything and everyone who had shown up. She kept claiming to be fine, and she was distracting herself with other things, but the truth of home, what would happen, they continued to weigh on her. The fact that those who cared for her also saw her as wrong when a vampire, like a broken toy. That she was nothing more than that. But Elena knew that eventually, Anatoly would ask about his family.
“They were sent back the same time you were.”
Which was potentially a good thing. It was good as they didn’t get caught up in the Jerry mess. But for Anatoly to return to this place without them? Well, Elena didn’t know.
Nodding a bit, Anatoly was a bit glad he'd missed the events with Jerry. As a doctor, he knew he could've been helpful in the medbay during that, but having Svetlana and their daughters there, it would've been entirely nerve-wracking to him. He was a worrier by nature, and while he obviously knew Svetlana wouldn't let the girls go outside the complex during such a thing like that, he still would have worried for them. And when Elena revealed that he had been gone for about a month, he barely even batted an eye at that. From the people that were sent back home then brought back later, a small amount of time could pass here while an extended amount of time passed in their own worlds.
"Only a month? That is good." Which it was, it meant that not much would have changed by way of the world or the people that were there.
When Elena told him Svetlana and their daughters had been sent home the same time he had, he was both relieved and worried. Relieved in the fact that Svetlana didn't have to stay here without him, she didn't have to deal with the fact that their daughters would no doubt ask about him despite knowing how this place worked. But he was also worried for them because he knew the world they had gone back to. He'd just lived through an entire year of being back in the Soviet Union after winning in Bangkok. He brushed a hand through his hair and drew in a slow breath.
"That is better, perhaps, that they were sent home when I was." But now that did leave him being here alone. After everything, he was back in this place without his family. But he wouldn't let that hold him back. He had others here that he cared about, such as Elena.