Spiral of Ants

The Not-Scientist

For this one we're going back in time a bit to Aseil and Apollos first time meeting each other. AKA, the rescue mission.

Apollo had been stuck for... well, he didn't actually know how long. Ezra answered some of his questions but often ignored most of them. As if the scientist didn't think it was worth his time to explain anything to the god.

Last time Apollo had tried to inquire about how long it had been, Ezra went on a tangent about how time didn't even matter to something to Apollo, and Apollo probably couldn't even tell the difference between a few days to a few years.

Apollo disagreed. He had been here for far more than a few days, he knew that much. And it did matter to him. But he didn't say anything. He knew it wasn't in his best interest to antagonize the scientist.

He felt weak. He was fairly sure he had never felt weak before. He had never needed rest, food, etc. (how did he never realize he wasn't human? Noticing it all felt like waking up from a dream). He still didn't. However, he found himself desperately wanting those things. Something about the summoning circle drained him greatly. It didn't help that he couldn't have his microphone. Ezra wasn't using it anymore. It had tried to hurt Ezra on it's own accord.

However, Ezra didn't give it back to him. It sat in the corner of the room, out of reach. Apollo had tried to get to it once or twice, but he quickly found the pain of trying to cross the barrier of his holding circle wasn't worth it.

Ezra could walk in and out of the holding circle just fine, with zero effect to him. Apollo didn't think that was fair. If something was going to be keeping him in the least, it could do was keep other things out.

The room was silent at the moment. As it often was. Ezra was running some tests on another vial of Apollo's blood. He had lost track of how much blood Ezra had taken from him.

Apollo was lying in the middle of the summoning circle, using his tentacles as a makeshift pillow. He couldn't sleep, though. He never could when Ezra was there.

And then suddenly it wasn't silent anymore. Sirens filled the building. Red lights began to flash.

Apollo jolted upright, startled by the sound. Was it a test? His head snapped over to Ezra, who, to his surprise, also seemed startled. So it wasn't his doing?

Ezra quickly set down the vial of blood and headed over to the door, beginning to secure it, but someone on the other side shoved it open before he could. The force caused Ezra to stumble and fall.

Apollo had never seen the person on the other side before. He wasn't a scientist, Apollo was sure. No lab coat. He seemed frantic, but something akin to relief filled his eyes when they met with Apollos.

Apollo could have gotten lost in those eyes. The stranger was beautiful.

He didn't have a whole lot of time to process that thought before the not-scientist ran over to Apollo's microphone and tossed it to him. Apollo caught it with a tentacle, catching on. This was a rescue mission. This not-scientist was his knight in shining armor.

He wanted to thank his knight, ask him who he was. He wanted to just pass out and sleep for years. He wanted it all to be over. He wanted to talk to this new stranger for hours. Then his eyes fell on Ezra, who was scrambling to his feet, and Apollo realized he didn't have the time for any of that.

The Not-Scientist ran up to Apollo, quickly scuffing up the lines of the summoning circle with his shoe and wrapping one of Apollo's arms around his neck, helping him up. "Let's get you out of here," he said quickly.

The microphone, Apollo remembered. He finally had the microphone back. He could get himself and his knight and shining armor out of there. He quickly spoke into it, "get us to safety," he pleaded.

In a blink, the loud, blaring sirens and blinding lights of the lab were gone, and Apollo felt the cool night air on his skin for the first time in a very long time. He felt like he could cry. His knees buckled, but he didn't hit the ground. No, instead he was caught by the not-scientist "H-here. I think I know where we are, I parked my car not too far away. We need to get you as far away from that place as possible," He said quickly, once again wrapping Apollo's arm around his shoulder to support Apollo, and he started to walk. The stranger didn't relax. It seemed he felt they weren't in the clear yet.

The god leaned on the not-scientist. He thought leaving the summoning circle would instantly restore him. But he was on the verge of passing out still.

Apollo didn't know how long they walked, minutes or hours, but eventually they arrived to a car, and the not-scientist helped Apollo in, before climbing into the driver's seat and starting to drive. Quickly.

His Rescuer took a shaky breath, obviously trying to calm himself as he drove.

"I... thank you," Apollo finally said. "I was beginning to worry I'd never leave."

"I'm sorry it took so long..." the man said, sounding nervous.

"I'm just thankful to be out now," the god responded, rubbing his eyes "Oh, um... what's your name?" He asked, realizing he should probably try to learn a little about his rescuer. Unless, had he met this man before? Apollo wouldn't be surprised, after all, he now understood how awful his memory was. Plus, why would a random stranger rescue him? "Or have we already met..? I'm sorry I can't remember much."

"N-no we haven't met before. My name is Asei.l"

The not-scientist, Aseil, seemed nervous. Though Apollo supposed that made sense, after everything that had just happened.

"That's a nice name," Apollo said, rubbing his eyes once again. Staying awake was becoming more of a struggle. "Mine is Apollo."

"I know," Aseil said, pulling onto a main road.

"If you don't mind me asking, how do you know?" Apollo asked curiously, "I don't mean just my name, but yknow... enough about me to want to save me?" He asked.

Aseil hesitated, seeming almost confused as if that was an odd question. Was it an odd question? Apollo wouldn't know.

"I'm part of your religion," Aseil finally said.

Apollo's eyebrows furrowed, confused for a moment before suddenly remembering, "Oh! Right... I think Ezra told me a little about that," He said. He was struggling to remember much more. He had never wanted sleep so badly in his life. That he remembered, at least.

Aseil was quiet for another long moment before saying, "I'm sure you're exhausted. We're almost to my place, and you can get some rest," he said. His tone sounded worried. Should he be worried? Apollo was unsure.

—

Surely it was just the effects of being stuck in a summoning circle for so long, Aseil thought after he finally had a moment to breath.

He had known the whole ordeal would be overwhelming. Breaking back into that lab. Having to see Ezra again. Meeting his god. But to top it all off, his god wasn't even aware of them? His own church? The god had seemed out of it, though. Loopy and exhausted. His time in the lab must have drained him.

Aseil felt a pang in his chest, remembering it was all probably his fault. He hadn't thought the information he gave the lab would actually be useful. He owed it to Apollo to rescue him and help him get back to full health. Even if Apollo didn't know that Aseil was to blame.

Apollo had passed out shortly after they had gotten through the door, and Aseil didn't blame him. He wanted to sleep too. But he didn't. He sat by the window and kept watch. Just in case. So sleep wasn't on the table that night.