(Past) Remake, Rebuild (Lili & Ludwig)

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

[Inventor's District, morning]

The building had been in disuse for a long time, and the condition had reflected that: dust had settled on every available surface, the windows were stained with soot and grime, and any exposed metal had rusted badly. But that had been part of why Ludwig had been able to buy the place for so cheap, and when it came to cleaning and fixing things up, he was second to none. It had taken him over a week to get every last inch in clean, working order, and Ludwig had done every last bit of it himself, from replacing broken panes of glass to refitting pipes to repainting the small front room that served as an office. But the end result had been worth it: what had once been a dank warehouse had been transformed into a bright, airy workshop, and now the actual fun could begin.

Now no longer obsessed with getting the place spotless, Ludwig had arrived before dawn that morning to start setting up his projects and tools, which had remained, neglected, in crates until that moment. To him, it was almost like Christmas: prying open the boxes, rediscovering what precious item had been concealed inside, and finding the perfect place for it to go. He'd already set up some welding equipment, a variety of wrenches and screwdrivers, and some larger containers of chemicals. Sitting down on an unopened crate, Ludwig set his crowbar down and wiped some sweat from his forehead.

It seemed kind of hard to believe that this was real. It had been his dream for a while to set up a workshop of his own, especially directly in the inventors' district, where none of the noises or smells or occasional small explosions would bother anyone. But his relatives and friends had been more than supportive, even if Ludwig himself had thought the idea seemed stupid at first. Maybe he'd build them each something small, as a token of his appreciation. Yes, that was a good idea. And now that the building was functional, he couldn't wait to show it off to them. But first, he had to finish getting everything unboxed. Standing up with a stretch, Ludwig retrieved his crowbar and, with a heavy thud, set about prying apart the crate that had moments before been his chair.

[Lili Walser]

"Hallo?" The call was accompanied by a knock against the doorframe. The couple that stood there would, especially this early, seem far out of place in the inventor's district. Both were fair haired, like Ludwig, but where the woman's eyes were the same blue, the man's eyes were a deep green. They were dressed like nobles, though, and that was where they looked out of place. The fabric on the woman's walking coat alone would have cost the equivalent of food for four for a month in the lower districts.

As they waited for Ludwig to acknowledge their presence, the man glanced down at his wife. "Schatzi, the hospital staff will wonder what has kept us..." But the woman would not be persuaded. "James, they can wait. Family is far more important right now. And Lili will ask how his workshop is coming along."

The couple, James and Lenora Walser, had given a large sum of money to the hospital here a few years ago for an expansion to be built. Today, they were to go tour this expansion - and had meant to do so as a family. Unfortunately, Lili had gotten ill the night before, and neither she nor they thought it wise to allow her to come along. She'd asked if they would stop to see cousin Luddy, though, and Lenora couldn't refuse Lili something so small. Besides, she wanted to see his workshop for herself.

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

Amidst the banging and clattering he made taking apart the crates and setting his supplies up, Ludwig detected a knocking that didn't quite fit, and as he paused, he caught the echo of a voice. Setting down his tools, Ludwig straightened his shirt and hurried to the front of the building, hoping that he wouldn't have to turn away any potential customers just because he hadn't managed to get organized. Who he found instead came as a pleasant surprise, and his expression brightened instantly.

"Tante! Onkle!" he greeted, hurrying over. "It's good to see you!" Ludwig couldn't honestly say what had brought his relatives here, but he liked this side of his family very much, and their presence was always welcome. Aware of how sloppy he must have looked, covered with the dust and sweat of working, Ludwig straightened himself up even more. Glancing around just a little more, he realized that his cousin hadn't accompanied his aunt and uncle. Was Lili alright? Or was she just busy with one of her many lessons?

"I, uh, apologize for the mess," Ludwig said, glancing around at the half-finished clean-up and the multitude of boxes that he still had sitting around. "It's only me working, so it's taking some time getting things set up. What brings you here today?" If they had a request, or something that needed fixing, Ludwig would happily take the job on, even if he hadn't quite completed setting up his new shop. Since his own parents had passed away, his aunt and uncle had become the voices of wisdom in his life, and he was always happy to give them the time of day.

[Lili Walser]

While they waited, James glanced at his watch again. "Schatzi, we'll only have a moment or two to visit..." And with this, Lenora would have to be content. They couldn't keep the staff waiting for too long... They did work at a hospital, after all, and those were meant to take care of others, not allow them to languish in pain.

But as Ludwig came to the front of the building, Lenora's lips curved in a bright smile. There he was, her darling nephew... grown so tall and muscular. It never ceased to amaze the blonde woman, each and every time she saw him. "Hallo, Neffe." She returned the greeting. "It's wonderful to see you as well. And don't worry about the mess... setting up always seems like more of a chore than packing away"

Noting him casting about, James's own usually stoic expression twitched into a smile. "Lili wanted us to give you her best. She's home, resting in bed with a slight fever." Lenora nodded. "We just had to come see your workshop - Lili insisted. She also demand we give you this..." at which point Lenora pulled a lovely embroidered "open for business" hanging from her wristlet. "And she insists that you must have it hung in the window when she is able to come see the shop."

"We apologize that we can't stay much longer, Ludwig... We're expected at the hospital in the South Residential district shortly. Perhaps this evening, however, we can come back and you'll give us a tour?" James interrupted smoothly, before Lenora could request a tour now. They'd already be late as it was, and a tour of the remarkably well-suited-to-his-nephew- building would only serve to delay them further.

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

The warm smile and gentle reassurance about the mess that Ludwig received from his aunt put Ludwig more at ease, and his own smile widened a little. "Thank you for being so understanding," he offered. "I'm not sure what I would have done if you'd been customers..." Probably apologized for the clutter regardless. The thought brought a slightly rueful smile to Ludwig's face. As his uncle answered his unspoken question regarding his cousin, Ludwig nodded. So Lili was ill, poor girl. "I'll stop by later, then, and give her my best, seeing as she couldn't come here," he announced. When the real reason for his aunt and uncle's visit became clear, Ludwig couldn't help blushing. That his cousin had made something so thoughtful for him was a little bit overwhelming. He resolved to bring Lili some kind of present (maybe sweets?) in return for her kindness.

"Thank you very much," he murmured quietly, accepting the hanging from his aunt and looking it over. It had been stitched meticulously, and he'd certainly be proud to hang it in his shop window, once he'd finished getting everything in place. Not wanting for the delicate piece to get dirty amidst the dust and debris, Ludwig quickly found a clean handkerchief in his pocket and, with a little maneuvering, wrapped the gift up, before speaking, "I'll be sure to have this hanging in my window, then, by the time she's well again." That his aunt and uncle couldn't linger didn't surprise him at all; they were busy people, after all, and Ludwig could certainly respect that.

"I won't keep you," he assured them, "but if you're free later, I'd love to have you back!" There wasn't much of a tour he could give his relatives, but just that they showed so much interest in his new shop was flattering enough. Besides, in Ludwig's mind, any excuse to spend time with family was a good excuse. "Good luck at the hospital today, then, and if you see Lili, tell her to get well soon."

[Lili Walser]

"You would have handled it admirably, Ludwig." Lenora nodded. "Don't doubt yourself - you're your own worst critic, because the three of us-" (and she meant Lili, as well as herself and her husband) "-believe you can do anything you set your mind to doing." Those words spoken, she smiled softly. "Yes, we do have to go, but we shall see you again this afternoon for a full tour." She leaned to kiss his cheek again, then took James's arm. James merely clapped the boy on the back, and escorted his wife out to the streets and down toward the hospital.

For a few hours, all was quiet. And then, all at once and far too close, came the sounds of a violent explosion. The ground would tremble even through portions of the Inventor's District. And a fireball turned into a column of black, oily smoke visible through the majority of Granor. Alarms were sounded, but there was nothing anyone could do... save attempt to keep the fire from spreading. Word travels fast, and faster still when it's bad news.

The hospital... gone. All the doctors, the nurses, the patients and visitors... dead, except for a handful of very, very lucky survivors. What would they do for a hospital now?

And back in the Noble District, a young girl waiting patiently for her parents to return, embroidering or reading in bed because she was obedient, and had been told to rest quietly through the day. That was the fastest way to eradicate her illness, after all. But really, she felt much better. She just wanted Mutti and Vati to come home, so that they could tell her whether Cousin Luddy liked his present or not.

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

That his relatives had such unwavering confidence in him when he himself struggled to believe in his own abilities brought a wide rare smile to Ludwig's face. The gratitude he felt for that reassurance was so large he was honestly at a loss for words for a moment; when he found his voice, his aunt and uncle were making their preparations to leave. Nodding quickly, he escorted the two of them to the door, careful not to disturb too much of the dust. "It means a lot to me, thank you," he blurted out quickly, before gaining back his composure. "I look forward to seeing you this afternoon! Take care!" He stood in the open door, waving, until his aunt and uncle had disappeared round the corner. Sighing contentedly, Ludwig locked the door and got back to work.

Nothing at all disturbed him until the middle of the afternoon, when a violent noise shattered the silence of Ludwig's workshop. The inventor dropped the hammer he'd been holding in surprise, and a moment later the entire earth seemed to move; the building gave an ominous creak but swayed back into place and remained standing. Concerned, Ludwig hurried outside: explosions weren't altogether uncommon in the inventor's district, but that one had seemed especially large. To his shock, however, the cloud of smoke now hanging over the city hadn't come from the volatile Inventor's Quarter but further inland, towards the center of the metropolis. Confused and curious, Ludwig grabbed his things and locked up his workshop before setting a course for downtown.

It didn't take long for him to find the source of the explosion; everyone seemed to be heading the same way. The building that had been affected was a skeletal ruin, and hardly anything remained. It took Ludwig a few moments to overhear people muttering anxiously about the hospital, and a check of the surrounding buildings chilled his blood in horror. The hospital was gone. Had… had anyone gotten out? What on earth had happened to destroy the place so thoroughly? His aunt and uncle had surely left by now-- right?

Ludwig took off running, tearing through the streets as quickly as he could until he reached the noble residential district and the house of his relatives. Gasping for breath at their front gate as the doorman unlocked it, Ludwig recognized a household servant of theirs coming up the dark streets towards him. Without thinking, Ludwig charged the man, nearly crashing into him.

"Tante Lenora--" he rasped, panicked, "a-and Onkle James--" But the man drew a deep breath, then shook his head, gaze sorrowful and downcast.

"I was on my way to deliver a message to them at the hospital," he explained quietly. "They did not survive."

For a moment, everything in the world seemed to go quiet. Ludwig felt numb. He'd just seen his aunt and uncle this morning, and they'd been in good spirits. How could they be dead? It just didn't seem possible. And Lili--

Lili.

Taking a deep shuddering breath, Ludwig struggled to compose himself. "Please… please let me inside. I'll talk to Lili." The man nodded, and led the way into the house; Ludwig followed, casting his gaze around at a place very familiar to him and one that now felt unhappily quiet and vacant. The news still hadn't sunk in, it seemed, and as a last hope, he called out, "Are you sure that--"

"I'm very sorry, sir," the man interrupted, in the same sorrowful quiet voice. "There's no mistaking what happened." Nodding, Ludwig climbed the stairs and made his way to Lili's room; if the girl were sleeping, he wouldn't rouse her with such painful news. Quietly, he knocked on the door, before calling out, "Lili?"

[Lili Walser]

Lili had heard the dull thud that signified the explosion... her music box didn't play loudly enough to disguise it. However, she just assumed someone had knocked a chair over downstairs, and had thought nothing more of it. If it were anything important, someone would tell her - or Mutti and Vati would, when they came home. She did wonder what on earth was taking them so long, however... weren't they meant to be home by now?

"Sarah?" The girl called, her voice quieter than normal. She was supposed to be restful today, after all. And her maid was never far away. "Ja, Miss Lili?" "M-may I have more mint tea?" Her teapot was empty, and she was thirsty - and Mutti always said that mint tea would cure nearly any ailment, and what mint couldn't, chamomile could. Vati disagreed, but Vati liked stronger drinks that she couldn't have yet.

The next space of time was again peaceful for the girl. She continued working on her embroidery project - something small with bright and cheerful birds to hang in the hospital's nursery... the babies and young children needed something pretty to look at. Sarah had brought her her tea, then settled in for mending.

And then there was a soft knock on the door. "Lili?" The blonde perked up immediately, and made to get out of bed, but Sarah frowned lightly, stood, fetched Lili's robe and offered it to the girl, before going to open the door. "Herr Beilschmidt." She stepped aside and let him enter.

Lili couldn't help a small, delighted smile. "Cousin Luddy! D-did Mutti give you my gift?"

[Ludwig Beilschmidt]

Ludwig almost wished he hadn't heard voices behind the closed door. If Lili had been sleeping, he could have brought the news to her in the morning, after she'd had some rest. Having lost his own parents, Ludwig knew how difficult it could be to recover from grief - and his parents had been ill. Death had always been a hazard. Whatever had happened to destroy the hospital, however, had been sudden and violent. And Lili had a gentle heart. As Ludwig waited for the door to open, he composed himself carefully, smoothing back his hair and straightening his clothes and taking several deep breaths. He'd break the news to her as gently as he could.

Nodding his thanks to the girl Sarah as she let him inside, Ludwig quickly spotted his cousin wrapped up in her robe, looking cheerful as ever. "Hallo, Lili," he greeted, before the girl asked about her gift. Of course - the sign. The image of his aunt passing the gift over burned brightly in his memory, and Ludwig shut his eyes for a moment. "Yes, she did," he answered. "It's lovely, Lili, thank you for making it for me. I'm going to hang it in the window once everything's been set up." He tried to smile, but the expression didn't catch. Ludwig had never even had to deal with this kind of situation before: would smiling have helped dull the pain to follow? He didn't know. It shocked him to realize that with his aunt and uncle gone, the closest older authority figure he now had was his brother. And where his brother was right now, he didn't know.

"Lili," he spoke up again. "I came here because I need to talk to you about something. Is there somewhere warm we could sit for a while?" Anxiety was urging him to knit his fingers together, but Ludwig refused to give in. He had to be the stronger one here. Outside the room, the mansion seemed to have gotten eerily quiet; he supposed the knowledge of what had happened was being passed to the household staff somewhere out of earshot.

[Lili Walser]

Lili tilted her head as Ludwig spoke. Something... wasn't entirely right. She didn't know what it was, but the fact remained that it was there. It was in her cousin's expression as he closed his eyes before responding, it was there as he tried to smile and almost succeeded, it was there as he asked her whether there was somewhere warm they could sit. And it was starting to make her nervous.

"J-ja... of course. I-I'm glad you liked the picture... I... I thought it might be nice to catch people's attention..." Her voice was hesitant. "A-and... we can... w-we can sit by the fireplace, or... or perhaps downstairs, i-in the sitting room?" She wasn't properly dressed for it, but she hadn't been expecting visitors today. The fireplace here would be better suited for just the two of them, though... there were two chairs facing each other, with a small table between and the fireplace to one side. There was a small fire crackling away merrily (perhaps too merrily for the suddenly unsure mood Lili found herself in. She was determined to be a good hostess, though. Mutti would insist that all courtesies be offered to family - and especially Cousin Luddy and Cousin Gilbert). "Sh-shall I have Sarah bring tea and... and refreshments?" She had no idea what they had in the kitchen. She'd eaten soup... Vati's orders.

"I-I'm sorry Mutti and Vati aren't here, Luddy... I... I thought they'd be back by now..." Her voice was soft, earnest. After all, if he came to talk about something... that meant he would want them to hear too, right? Of course he would. Mutti and Vati always said that Luddy and Gil were almost like sons, even though they were her cousins. She didn't mind sharing her parents, not with her Luddy and Gil. It just made everyone that much closer. Tante Agnes didn't like it, though... Tante Agnes didn't really like much, come to think.

But, truly... what was keeping Mutti and Vati? Their tour of the hospital couldn't have taken that long, could it...?