An Unnamed Department Store in an Unnamed City, Thursday Afternoon

[apocalypsehow]

Five felt that his time spent in the past without interference from The Commission meant that he was safe to go try checking on things. At least in this year.

Which, of course, meant checking in on Dolores.

"You look... you look good," he said with a deep sigh as he looked up at the mannequin where she was demonstrating the latest fashions.

Look. Look. He was just straight up not the sane one in the family sometimes.

[for the stalker!]

Comments

[notfinishedyet]

Excuse you, OOC narrative. Enola was most definitely not a stalker. No. She was merely curious about Five's evidence board tracking down a specific store in a specific time period.

And followed after him because curiousity.

Shut up. Still not stalking.

Still what was rather disturbing to her was the look of affection and the conversation he was currently having with an inanimate object.

"... Are you talking to a mannequin?" she asked stepping out from behind a clothes rack.

[apocalypsehow]

WELL, THAT WAS A STALKER.

Five turned, clearly about to reach for something to bludgeon the intruder with. "What the hell are you doing here?"

[notfinishedyet]

FIVE WAS BEING VERY SUSPICIOUS! It's not stalking if... oh, shut up.

Enola shifted her weight slightly so she was more in a defensive stance and eyed Five warily. "I-"

Nope. No good excuse was there. So she grabbed a dress off the rack and held it up.

"-am looking for clothing. Now. May I ask what you are doing with... that?"

[apocalypsehow]

"You're looking for clothing."

Look, what he and Dolores had was private and special. So you better believe he was avoiding the question.

[notfinishedyet]

"Yes. In a clothing store," Enola replied icily, her eyes narrowing. "I find that wearing Victorian clothing attracts attention in the modern world. And you didn't answer me. What were you doing with the mannequin?"

Between living with her mother and living with Five, Enola had learned very well when someone was avoiding the question.

[apocalypsehow]

"It's none of your business." Except how Dolores was coming to live with them. And she valued her privacy.

[notfinishedyet]

This is why you get stalked Five.

“You put a lot of effort trying to get to this store just to talk to a mannequin,” Enola said crossing her arms. “May I ask your intentions? Or should I contact the store owner?”

[apocalypsehow]

"My intentions are to see an old friend," he said primly, calculating how quickly he could grab Dolores and run if she went and did that.

[notfinishedyet]

“And who is this old friend?” Enola probed. “What’s their name? Where do they live? What do they have to do with this store that you’ve been obsessed with finding?”

[apocalypsehow]

"Her name is Dolores," he said, picking and choosing just what he was going to give her here. Because some things would be unavoidable.

Unless he killed her. Which, you know? Tempting.

[notfinishedyet]

Yes, that would put a damper on the whole thread wouldn’t it?

Enola just stood there. Her eyes squinting a little more at Five. “And you were talking to the mannequin because...”

[apocalypsehow]

Look, he couldn't help his impulses! Also, it would probably get him in trouble. And Diego would get all weird about it.

"Because she's Dolores," Five said like that should have been abundantly clear and not absolutely fucking crazy.

[notfinishedyet]

Enola had to take a moment here. There were many things she had to adjust to since coming to fandom but a relationship with a mannequin was definitely something new and different.

“I’m sorry but could you repeat that?”

[apocalypsehow]

No, he was busy looking at Dolores like he was so very relived to see her in the 'flesh' again. "I'm getting her out of here."

[notfinishedyet]

“You do know how mad that sounds?” She said slowly taking a step back. “Unless this is a world where the inanimate walk and talk.”

Enola gave the mannequin a skeptical glance. “Though I’m pretty sure she would have said something by this point.”

[apocalypsehow]

Five sighed and rolled his eyes at her. "I didn't ask you to come along, you know."

[notfinishedyet]

“Well I’m pretty sure no one asked you to steal a mannequin,” Enola retorted a little on the loud side that one might get nervous about being heard.

[apocalypsehow]

Five would shamelessly leave her to take the blame if she kept that up. "No one needs to."

[notfinishedyet]

“Then why take it away?” Enola countered.

[apocalypsehow]

"Because she doesn't belong here." Also he needed a reasonable voice in his life that he actually listened to.

And that was a mannequin.

[notfinishedyet]

“That’s not true. Most mannequins stay in a shop,” Enola said calmly. “What I want to know is why you don’t want her here. Tell me that and this can be done without additional fuss.”

She might regret saying that later.

[apocalypsehow]

"You can either help me or not because I'm doing this either way," Five informed her. Lack of communication was in his blood.

[notfinishedyet]

And Enola had two of the most stubborn brothers in literary history. Or cinematic history. Look, Sherlock and Myceoft were just royal pains, okay?

“I will help you,” Enola replied firmly. “But you must supply an explanation. You will tell me why. If not here then back on the island. Especially if that thing is going to be in our room.”

[apocalypsehow]

"I don't need to--" He made a face, turning back toward Dolores to address her instead. "--I'm being polite. I'm perfectly polite!"

[notfinishedyet]

Oh. Oh no. This was taking a turn.

But was it good that Del... the mannequin was taking her side? Or was there some deep part of Five's brain that knew he was being rude or-

This was a rabbit hole Enola did not wish to dive into at the moment. Needless to say, it was rather troubling.

"Five? I can help you," Enola interjected, politely but with a bit of concern in her voice. "You don't have to do this alone. I'm sure Delores wouldn't mind."

And taking a chance and also feeling a bit like an idiot for doing so, she turned to the mannequin.

"Would you mind Delores? And I apologize for being rude and not introducing myself. I'm Enola Holmes. I'm Five's roommate. It's very nice to meet you."

She was not patronizing in her tone. In fact she was talking to the mannequin as if she were an actual person. Was this bordering on madness? Yes. But perhaps this was the best way to avoid any current unpleasantness with Five.

[apocalypsehow]

It was a perfectly normal, reasonable thing. Yes.

Five gave her a deeply annoyed look for that, looking from Dolores, to Enola and back. "Fine. If we get caught, I'm leaving you here."

That was the most teamwork he'd exhibited in ages!

[notfinishedyet]

Enola rolled her eyes. "I am quite capable of handling myself," she replied before taking a few steps to the back of the store and away from Five and the mannequin.

"Excuse me!" she called out to some of the store employees. "I'm looking for a specific frock. It would be lined with-"

And then as she moved forward she hooked her foot into the clothes rack and with a small yelp fell forward taking the clothes rack with her. Which then hit the next clothes rack starting quite the domino effect around the store.

And of course the store employees started freaking out.

See Five? Enola has always been able to do very well on her own.

[apocalypsehow]

Five did make a face that said 'not bad' before snagging Dolores off her pedestal to teleport out of the place.

Amazing how much easier it was without people shooting at him!

[notfinishedyet]

Enola of course did not see Five leave as she was being helped and also getting dirty looks from the store employees. After apologizing profusely for "clumsiness", Enola made a purchase (it only seemed right after making a mess) and headed out into the street. She began to look around just to see if Five had bothered even waiting about the store or had gone directly back to school.

Honestly, it wouldn't surprise her if he had.

[apocalypsehow]

He was in a very convenient alley way with a much too large for this body duffle bag over his shoulder.

Mostly because Dolores felt it was rude to leave right away.

[notfinishedyet]

Seeing Five in the alleyway, she approached him slowly. "I trust that was helpful enough?" she asked.

[apocalypsehow]

"It was acceptable," Five said with an imperious sniff.

[notfinishedyet]

"You're welcome."

Because that's probably as close to a 'thank you' that five could manage.

"I don't suppose you can tell me why Delores is so important to you?" she asked. "After all we will be all sharing our living space."

[apocalypsehow]

"Dolores was my companion,for several decades." Which was perfectly reasonable and normal.

[notfinishedyet]

Perfectly reasonable and normal for a Hargreeves, perhaps.

For Enola there was a few moments where eyes went back and forth between Five and the duffel bag.

Oh, my.

"Well. I guess I've seen stranger things since coming to school," she said trying not to think about just what a companion might mean in this circumstance.

[apocalypsehow]

"Time travel is involved," he replied dryly. In case that helped. Did it help? It should help.

[notfinishedyet]

Strangely enough, no. The disturbing part was definitely not the time travel.

"Of course it was," Enola replied doing her best not to roll her eyes. "I assume our same rules of privacy are still in effect for our room?"

Please. Those really need to be in place now.

[apocalypsehow]

"Of course." It saved him from having to make Diego house her at least.

[notfinishedyet]

YOU ARE SO WELCOME DIEGO!

"I thought as much," Enola said trying to hold back a sigh. "I have a portal booked but I'm assuming you can just-"

She made a hand gesture and a whooshing sound that was probably no way in close to Five's teleportation sound.

[apocalypsehow]

But Diego's plant could use the company!

"Was that supposed to be the sound of me teleporting?"

[notfinishedyet]

"Yes. It was incredibly accurate, I know," she deadpanned in respone.

[apocalypsehow]

"Could use some work," he agreed readily.

[notfinishedyet]

"Right."

Awkward.

"Let's just go."

Because her mouth sound effects are the least of her problems right now.

[apocalypsehow]

Five gave her another once over before nodding and taking a step away to demonstrate the sound again as he teleported away.

He needed to set up a little area for Dolores. In their room.

Enola. Enola, you should try talking to the moose again.

[notfinishedyet]

The moose had already received many polite letters which were about to reach the level of stern requests.

But for now, Enola just let out a sigh and headed in the direction of her portal.

This was going to be an interesting summer.