Fandom Into the fire (1x1 MzHyde/Gallifrog)

[_gallifrog_]

As soon as Kay mentioned the word 'yesterday' John knew something had happened yesterday. There had been a reason for why she had been so spaced out whne they got back to the apartment. "Yesterday?" He raised an eyebrow seeking an explanation, which Kay proceeded to give him. He listened as she explained what had happened in the arena yesterday. John knew what she meant about weird visions, he'd been privvy to ones himself with some similar side effects. But when she mentioned that it had triggered something with Chas, his eyes widened, "Well bugger me." John was beginning to think they'd never get anything out him. He knew that just like with the hex Zatara put on him, certain knowledge would be triggered by time and events. But others needed phrases, words, the context somebody else had in order to let the knowledge out.

"That does sound like an ancestral memory or a repressed ancestral memory. The sight of Fia triggered the memories of pheonixes in armour, obviously not the same, but it was armour enough to do the trick." He was both thinking out loud and repeating Kay's words with a spin on them in order to get them into his head. "And the words, your description triggered Chas, like he suspected they could. And he got the audio, or at the very least an audio of some sort, but given how this works it was related somehow. The runes could be the written version of the language. And how does he know this other stuff is unrelated? Considering how little he knows, any of us know, how can he be sure?"

 

[MzHyde]

The way he asked for clarification and said the word 'yesterday', she got a hunch that he knew her just spacing out and being in deep thought whilst he read and the others did what they wanted wasn't just a casual thing. Just like how Fia was at one point trying to pry from her. She let him repeat anything he felt he had to so he could get his head around the events she was explaining. She was still figuring it out properly herself.

She listened to every word he said, finding he was coming to the same concussion that both Chas and herself came to after it happened. "he said it was like something more in the future than the past. That it didn't feel the related but he got major bad vibes from it. He was overcome with a sense of dread" she explained, hoping she was remembering this correctly. "But you might have to ask him to make sure im remembering that right." She added. "I would have said something last night but both of us agreed you deserved to keep your good mood for the rest of the night..I'm sorry for keeping it from you John" she told him, feeling she needed to explain why she kept it from him. She did feel bad and she hated having it bottled up, but she cared about his wellbeing more than her own. Which considering her current state was probably a stupid thing.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"Huh" John remarked to her elaboration on why Chas thought it was unrelated. "That's a pretty damn solid basis for calling it unrelated." It was as close to fact that the Paradise flashbacks were in the past and not sometime else, though one could never truly be sure with everything that was going on. "I'll ask him alright, but I trust his judgement on this." John trusted Chas' judgement on everything, and whne it was opposing John's it would at least make him question his own stance on the matter. "Though I can't help but wonder dread for what? Or who?" He mused aloud, before falling silent as Kay spoke again.

"That was a good call" John knew that if he'd been told yesterday his mood would have gone down like a lead balloon. He knew good moods of genuine happiness that lasted as long as they had yesterday were a relatively rare occurence in his life. "On both of your parts. I would have asked why you were spaced out yesterday, but in front of the whole group wasn't exactly wise. And talking with Chas and Jay took far longer than I'd imagined and you were passed out by the time I actually got here."

 

[MzHyde]

Kay agreed with him when it came to the feeling of dread that Chas felt from the blinding light he witnessed. "I've been wondering the same thing but he said it was just a blinding light so he couldn't say what that bad feeling was tied to" she replied to him. She knew John always trusted Chas' judgement and opinions on things, which she was actually glad of in a way.

When he said he thought their choice to leave it until today to tell him was a good call, she nodded before laying against him properly again. She also appreciated that he knew asking her last night in front of everyone wasnt a good idea as she would have brushed it off and told him to stop prying if he had. "it's okay, after seeing that ancestral memory I just felt so tired, so I'm not surprised you found me fast asleep by the time you got to bed" she replied to him. "If only I could have slept properly and been talking in an ancient language so I could have woken up refreshed" she half chuckled.

"I feel like I owe Chas big time to be honest..he listened to me a lot yesterday and not just helped me at the arena. I can really see why he's been your best friend for all these years." She commented.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John made a mental note to ask Chas about what he'd seen, see if he could gleam anything more, but he somehow doubted it. If there was more to it then Chas would have said it. Unless..... there was something in there he wanted to conceal from Kay. But what? John shrugged himself out of those thoughts, he'd ask Chas, then make a decision of some sort from there. "I'll ask him and see, and if its as vague a glimpse as you say, then it's guaranteed to be naggin' at him too." He rolled his eyes at her remark "It's better than trying to set the apartment on fire, or sleepwalking through a spaceship and terrifying the teenager."

At Kay's next remark he nodded vigorously. "I think we all owe Chas big time for just existing and dealing with our shit. Everybody in this apartment owes him in some way or another." He knew that Jay did, she'd mentioned it that day in the house, Rinaa owed him lunch, and more than likely more than that, Fia had to it was just what happened when you knew Chas. Kay had just admitted it, and as for John himself? Well he never stop owing Chas. "I owe him a hell of a lot, definetly more than he knows me. He's a good man that one, and be rights should not be assosciating himself with this delightful piece of gutter scum." John gestured at himself before continuing. "We've seen a lot of shit, and it helps that we are utter opposites of each other. It balences the whole thing out, and besides, that man can shoot, fight drive and look damn good doing it." He finished with a smirk.

 

[MzHyde]

The very idea of Chas possibly knowing what it was he saw and was keeping it from her on purpose didn't even cross her mind. If she had, then she would have put it down to Chas protecting her in a round about way. She didn't doubt that if it was as vague as she remembered him saying, she knew it'd bag it at Chas just as much. From what she knew of him, she knew he liked having the answers and not being left in the dark. As for her sleep comment and making John roll his eyes yet again at her, she realised he had a valid point. "Shit..yeah.. okay you got me there" she replied chuckling. Anything was better than those two options.

She listened to his opinions on Chas which made her smile as she remained in her comfortable position. Though when he gestured at himself calling himself gutter scum she frowned. She hated hearing him say such things about himself and she knew she'd never just get passed it. "He is one hell of a guy that's for sure, and to me you're not gutter scum. Even if you think that, I don't. A pain in the arse? Yes, smartass? Definitely. But not gutter scum." She told him truthfully. "And I'm never gonna stop telling you that every time you put yourself down" she said stubbornly. She had to bite her tongue though to stop herself telling him she loves him.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John knew he didn't praise Chas enough to his face, but when he did he always meant it. And at least half the time when he did let out praise Chas would smirk and pretend he hadn't heard John the first time, forcing him to say it again, just for the kicks. John dramatically rolled his eyes at the 'list of attributes of John Constantine according to Kay Hale'. It certainly wasn't flattering , but it was the damn truth. He knew that Kay took an issue with the self insulting, but a lot of the time it was just an off hand comment, not something he truly meant or one hundred percent believed. When John meant and believed what he said, it was an utterly different situation. The things he'd call himself were deeply cutting and personal.

But seeing as it was causing Kay distress and with emotional surges often ending in vomiting, John figured he'd best give some context. "It's an inside joke of sorts." He explained. "Two people, two separate people who haven't ever met. At least to the best of my knowledge they haven't, nicknamed me that, for different reasons. One was my sister, as a joke for a stage name back when the band was a thing. The other is one of the few people who'd actually be on the list of friends. And that involved an actual sewer." His eyes widened in realisation, with a hint of slight panic. "Shit! What bloody date is it?"

 

[MzHyde]

Seeing him dramatically roll his eyes just made her smirk even more. Of course those two things weren't the only things she thought of him. She actually thought higher of him than just those two things, and she couldn't deny she could be described as those things as well. She listened to his explanation as to why he picked the description he did for himself, and hearing some context, it made her feel less sad for him. Yet she wasn't expecting the sudden outburst from him asking what the date was.

"Err...good question, I've lost track" She replied actually not knowing herself, so she leaned across and grabbed her phone to check the date, then showed him. "From your outburst I'm guessing it's one of those people's birthdays or something?" She took a stab in the dark with her guess but it seemed to be the logical reason in her eyes, especially if it brought a hint of panic to him. She wondered if it would be his sister's or not.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John himself had lost track too. "Yeah, I've lost track too, which isn't a good thing, dammit!" His phone had a date, but whether it was the right date for Earth was another matter whatsoever. Jay had made them change their watches and phone clocks to Attili time, and again once she knew what timezone they were heading to, but the day had never really made an appearance or seemingly mattered in her calculations. He took out his phone and compared the date with Kay's, it was different, his was one day ahead. "Well there's your problem, its either this date" he gestured at his phone. "That date" He gestured at Kay's phone. "Or some other date entirely."

At her next question he nodded. "Yep, not Sheryl's though, that's months away, the other friend." He sighed, falling backwards into the bed again after bolting vertically upright with the realisation. "Well, that's me dead. When we get back to Earth I'm dead." He didn't mean literally dead, he meant it in a metaphorical sense,bit with John it was sometimes hard to tell. "Better hope either Jay or Rinaa can boost the phone to send a message to Earth. As a general rule neither of us actually do anything for birthdays, but it's a sort of tradition to send some kind of message proving we're still alive."

 

[MzHyde]

She didn't even think about the whole possibility that the dates could even be wrong or not of Earth. Them not remembering what the date was wasn't a good thing at all for many reasons. She looked at his phone and just like he said, both their phones had a different date as he showed her his. "Well...shit" she commented. She then saw him relax back after bolting up right, which allowed her to relax back again.

This was one instance when she could tell he didn't mean literally dead as nearly everyone she knew, including herself said the same thing if she knew she was going to be in serious trouble with someone close to her. She then continued to listen to what he said about birthdays which made her nod. "Good to know for when it's mine next month, not that I do anything for it anyway" she commented, running her fingers through his hair but making sure to not ruin his general style. She just wanted to calm him a little. Though she wasn't expecting much for her birthday anyway, after spending the last two particularly with no one, she was used to it going by not acknowledged.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John put the phone away on the table again, slightly frustrated that he'd managed to forget the birthday,even though he knew that was in a way typical of him. He remembered the dates sure, the problem was figuring out what date it was that day. Back in the apartment there was a calendar on the inside of one of the cupboard doors (the one he and Chas had stuck corkboard to in order to make a makeshift pinboard). On it were various important dates, as well as sticky notes, torn pieces of paper cinema stubs, receipts and anything else they'd chosen to write out when they couldn't find a clean piece of paper.

"When exactly, like what date?" He asked, not that he was planning on actually doing anything, but because he genuinely wanted to know. It seemed like the kind of thing he should know, being her....whatever he was. Birthdays weren't his thing, and by the sounds of it, not her either. "Yeah, I don't do my own birthday either, when I was younger it was an excuse to get drunk and subject everybody to some obscenely drunken acts of debauchery. And there was that time I spent my birthday in a Mexican prison possessed by a demon. Basically, I don't do birthdays, so I wouldn't expect much from me, I'm not that kinda guy."

 

[MzHyde]

Like John, she could always remember dates of people's birthdays, as long as they meant something to her. She would never ever forget Sam's birthday because hers was always Halloween. Which meant, in typical American style, the parties she held were utterly insane and over the top. She looked at him when he asked what the exact date was for her birthday and she could tell he was genuinely curious to know. She listened to what he said about why he didn't make a big deal out of birthday's before telling him hers, "April 21st. I used to do something for my birthday, but haven't a long time. Especially the last two and the times between being in Seattle and moving to London. Those just came and went by like any other day. It was easier to do something when well..Sam was around. She was one who refused to let a birthday go ignored. I fully blame the fact hers in Halloween. For me? Just never felt right to celebrate it somehow. Though there was this one time, I really refused to do anything for certain reasons and she refused to do nothing, so she bought me this single cupcake, stuck a candle in it and just sat on the couch with me. Crazily enough I think that was the best one I ever had" she told him reminiscing.

"So basically, don't think I'd expect you to do anything. I wouldn't ever expect you to do something you normally wouldn't." She reassured him, kissing his cheek and still entwining her fingers in his hair.

 

[_gallifrog_]

He made a note of that date- April 21st-knowing instinctively that now he knew, the bond wouldn't let him forget it. John raised an eyebrow when Kay mentioned that her friend's birthday had been Halloween. He by now knew enough about Sam to know that she took full advantage of that fact, which admittedly he would have done had that been his birthday. "I know the type, to each their own I guess." John had nothing against other people's birthdays. His own had always been a non-event usually just cake of some sort with Chas when he was younger, underground gigs as a teen and far too much alcohol as an adult. "May tenth for me, so a while longer away." He told her, figuring fair was fair, she might as well know his.

"Yeah, that's probably a good thing, I have no idea what I'd even do, which probably isn't a good thing, but I'm me so don't expect anything." He shrugged,knwoing that he'd try think of something, and at the end of it probably just end up with nothing mór exciting than binge watching something and taking a day off from demons and Downworlders. He leaned over and kissed her cheek back.

(I checked that day, and it's comic canon accurate)

 

[MzHyde]

"mm" she agreed at his statement of each to their own, and he certainly wasn't far off with any assumptions he would have made about Sam. He did see the photos after all of that one Halloween party/her birthday where Sam got her in that caution tape dress. She also made a mental note to never forget his birthday back, knowing that the bond wouldn't let either of them forget. Kay was also one of these people who would only go as far out on people's birthdays as people were comfortable with.

If they were never one for going all out to celebrate, then she'd not go all out and vise versa. It's just how she was and knew it was the right way to be. "It's fine, I really do mean it when I like quiet ways of celebrating, if I celebrate it at all. I'm even used to having to bake my own damn cake, which is quite pathetic" she smirked, which turned into a softer smile when he kissed her cheek back. There was always something about when he shows her affection that just made her feel all that more complete.

 

[_gallifrog_]

It was a relief to know that he didn't have to do anything. It wasn't his style at all. Chas or Elliott would be more likely to make some kind of fuss, but even then, they'd respect Kay (or anyone else's) wishes for a quiet birthday. They'd done it for John many times, and Elliott had been uncomfortable with his birthday whne he was younger as it brought back memories of Attil and his life there. But like with everything else, he'd managed to get over it, and always made sure he was back in John's flat at some point that was to watch some awful 70s or 80s movie, eat cake, drink some alcohol and complain about life. That was usually how John's birthday went, with some group demon smashing if he felt like it.

John had to smile at the cake comment, in his eyes it wasn't pathetic, he knew Kay could bake and bake excellently. "It'd be more pathetic if you couldn't bake and ended up burning down wherever you were at the time. And besides proper baked cake is miles better than store bought shite."

 

[MzHyde]

Truth was, the only thing that Kay would truly want this year for her birthday was to not to be alone. The last two she's had on the streets and it felt so lonely for her, even if she did try and act like it was just another day. She just didn't want to fully express that at this moment, but if it was ever asked, or someone said about making a fuss, she'd tell them. If the bond didn't give John that hint itself, she still didn't know how it fully workers but emotions were tied to it. That much she knew.

She had to chuckle at his reply about baking her own cake, making her look at him in the eyes. "You're just saying that because you like my baking" she teased. She knew he wouldn't have just said it for that sole reason but she couldn't resist the little tease and dig. "But you got a point, so I'll let you off" she smiled, feeling like all of a sudden that conversation about her talking a dead language in her sleep was forever ago. She knew there were more to tell him, but she didn't want to ruin the lighter mood again and it just didn't feel like the right time. She was just constantly fighting the urge to tell him she loved him, be side she knew it'd throw him off guard, so instead she stole a kiss from him which ended up conveying that love.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John rolled his eyes in response. They were still a glacial icy blue, but instead of being the colour of the ice, they were more like the colour of the sparkling meltwater. Being on Attil was both a positive and a highly negative experience for him, with each day bringing all kinds of craziness with them. There were now two time travelling relatives with them, and there was a whole bunch of things they'd left unexplained and unaccounted for. That was true moreso in Rinaa's case than in Fia's. There was the sight seeing yesterday, which gave him a vast insight into just how different Elliott's life had been. It had been far more normal than he'd thought. His family house looked like any old Earth house, as did his school. Cal showed them the lock-up where she lived, she still used it and there was still a hammock in the corner, but now it was for storage of overflow from Dan's as opposed to her life's possessions.

"Ya, ya, ya, thinking with my stomach and all that." He replied. Food was a sure fire way to get anyone to like you, there had been times he'd declared his undying live for whatever sod had brought the takeaway, and there had been some very interesting reactions. But this was different, it was just messing around, it was something real and something he shouldn't fuck up. "Any idea what we'll be doing, if anything today? As much as this is turning into a holiday, there is another reason to be here. But if it's going to be just another day of hanging around this apartment then I'm getting out and doing something."

 

[MzHyde]

Kay was pretty sure by this point the eye roll was his default reaction to anything she said or did. She didn't mind though as she rolled her eyes at him enough times so in her mind it all evened out. Attil wasnt just affecting him mentally, it had its moments on her as well. It was here she found out she was pregnant, here she met her future child that scarily was a blend of herself and John, where she saw so much to life than just what was around her back on Earth, along with so much more. She also could be called crazy but she felt like with the trip to get there and whilst being there, it was weirdly bringing her and John closer in some ways.

She smiled at his reply, and listened to his question, thinking it was a damn good one. "I have no idea to be honest, but I know I don't want to stay cooped up indoors all day again. Like you say, there is more to be here than a holiday." She agreed. "So if there's no plan, maybe we could do something together?" She suggested. "There's only so much drawing and baking brownies a girl can do" she smirked.

 

[_gallifrog_]

To hear that he wasn't the only one beginning to suffer from cabin fever was a relief. Cal and Cliff had never explicitly said not to leave the apartment, except for whne it had been Kay, Chas, Rinaa and Fia as they knew only Rinaa spoke the language and that combination wasn't the best and would lump Chas as peacemaker if anything did go wrong. John knew he spoke and read the language with sufficient ease that he could be pegged as one of the many off-world visitors. He'd been testing out his skills with reading books and menus as well as butting in occasionally whan Cal and Elliott were reminiscing. And with the accent that only confirmed his story.

"I'm beginning to get cabin fever too, plus this place is actually damn cool, despite the stuff that happened here. It's not all that bad." John knew that him admitting that was a damn big deal. He'd voiced those thoughts yesterday and earned a look of utter surprise and wide eye from Elliott. "I'm up for doing something, I speak the language after all, and have a rough idea of layout, but helpfully these two bought an apartment block on a hill that can be seen from a good while away. There's some interesting stuff here."

 

[MzHyde]

Kay didn't hold it against anyone for not liking the idea of her, Chas and Fia going out alone when they didn't know the language or where they were going. She understood why but it was in her blood to roam around and be outdoors. She was also pretty sure that although rest was important in her current state, so was a bit of exercise and fresh air. She also was pretty sure if she was with John, no one would be worried about her being outside.

When he said about how cool this place actually was, she was surprised to hear, knowing what a big deal it was. She didn't even need to say anything to show how surprised she was. "From what little I've seen I have to agree, it's an amazing place and I'd like to see more of it. Also I'm pretty sure Cliff and the others won't be as anti me leaving the apartment in my state if I'm with you" she smirked as she was certain people knew she'd be safe with John after all this time and knew he wouldn't let harm come to her.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"There's a lot worth seeing, it's crazy scenic here, and Cal and Cliff made sure to drive home the point that not all of the planet is like here, this is just one of exceptions. It was picked for its altitude an dthe fact that its challenging to land here as an invasion force. Attil has their share of polluted and congested metropolises too." Cliff had added that in the good season her home world looked like a beach resort, but in the storm or rain season it looked just as bad as every other rain soaked beach. "Cal showed some of the sites yesterday, not the tourist stuff, the local knowledge stuff, the kind of facts Chas shows about London.....he's gonna be so pissed that he missed out on that." John finished with a chuckle.

At her next comment he nodded. "Oh yep, and if you plead fresh air and exercise the doc will shove you out that door immediately." He could easily see it happening, Cliff was that kind of person and when it came to medicine he got the sense that nobody was able to defy her or get out of it. " Funny we've known her less than a week, yet somehow we'd all trust her with our lives, or at least that's how it seems to me." John mused this aloud before lapsing into his own thoughts. He found himself hoping he would get an opportunity to see their driadic bond in action. He'd heard stories of course and read texts, but they were nothing compared to seeing it in the flesh. There was also the matter of the first time they met, and the fact that she'd never explained who she was. The clues had been there, the matching rings with Cal, the fact that she saw Elliott in Rinaa (and presumably Cal too), her willingness to help them. But she'd also said it wasn't her place to ask questions.

 

[MzHyde]

Kay listened to what he described of the place and what he saw yesterday on the family group grip down Elliott's and Cal's memory lane. When he said about it was the kind of things that Chas would do on his cab drives, she could easily imagine how much Chas would hate to know he missed out on such a little trip. She smiled hearing him chuckle about it all, "I can easily imagine that'd being the case" she replied.

When he agreed with her assumption about Cliff letting her out if she said she needed air and exercise. Like him, it was something she could easily Cliff doing if she pleaded her reasons in a medical way. At his loud musing she smirked and nodded, "I agree. It does come across as that, I certainly do. She just has that aura about her that makes her trustworthy." She replied. She too was interested in Cliff's and Cal's bond, especially as it was different to hers and John's. The closest she witnessed was when she was with Cal in the forge and Cal said it told her that they were back from that time travelling trip to save future her. "I guess we should think about getting out of this comfortable bed and positions and do something." She said.

 

[_gallifrog_]

"Like I said, he'll be pissed about it, but he'll get over it, and attempt to weasel every bit of knowledge possible out of those two, then move on to Dan and probably Rinaa, she did grow up here after all." Another thing that had never been properly explained, it was obvious she was close to Cal and Cliff and the future, but was that reason enough for Jay to bring her daughter to Attil. When Kay joined in on his musings he nodded in agreement, idly scratching the side of his neck. "I agree, and I don't do trusting people as a general rule. She also gives off an aura of 'don't fuck around with me', that's a more low key though. And she can wield a bow and do cryokinetic stuff at the same time, which is multitasking to an extreme."

John nodded, then stretched himself out fully again. Sleeping on his front always left him with strange tensions in his muscles, particularly in his shoulders and back. So he'd learned to sleep on his back, or side to avoid this. But last night he'd just fallen on the bed and been out like a light within a few seconds. "Yeah, probably a good idea, knowing everybody they've been up for six hours, run a marathon and managed to build a JARVIS like AI while solving the times crossword." John looked at his watch, which he'd slept in as usual. "Though it is a lot earlier than we'd usually be up, so who knows really."

 

[MzHyde]

Kay didn't doubt what he said about Chas drilling the others for information for a second. She didn't think about the whole Rinaa growing up on Attil, having always just taken it at face value of what they did know, but now he brought it up, she began to think about it again, and the more thought was put it onto it, the more it was obvious there were gaps in her story. Yet she also knew she wouldn't ever pry as she wasn't exactly Rinaa's favourite person. As he said about Cliff having that other side to her she smirked and nodded. "From what I've seen, I can easily believe that as only really you and Fia have seen that side to her" she commented back.

As he stretched out, she pushed herself into a sitting up position. She was impressed that so far she hasn't had to run to the bathroom, but didn't put it past her body to make that happen when she began to eat. It's how it happened yesterday so that's what she was expecting, though she did hope this day would be a rare day where she didn't have morning sickness. She laughed at his little retort about everyone else, noting the Marvel reference in his spiel. "True, I guess we'll find out." She replied, pushing herself to the edge of the bed, dropping her bare legs off the side, looking down at her ever changing body. She could tell it wasnt going to be long before she couldn't see her own feet and be asking John to pick up stuff off the floor for her, but luckily, she wasn't quite that bad just yet.

She picked up her oversized shirt and leggings deciding comfort was best and even if they went out, she was going to stick with the garments. She was sure she'd be able to pull it off as an outdoors outfit somehow.

 

[_gallifrog_]

John noticed there had been no one hundred metre bathroom dash, but he wasn't going to comment on the fact and risk jinxing it. He knew it was something that could go away as the pregnancy progressed, but with like every pregnancy ever each was different and there was no 'set way' it was going to go and no set of rules it had to follow. "And Jay, whose terrifyingly deadly." He added. He'd never had any intention to get on her wrong side after the fighting demonstration and the brutal hook punch she'd given Elliott when he touched an old wound. There was also prison and warrior assassin training in her past. So it was safe to say that John had no intention of pissing off any of the powerful females he and Chas had seemed to have found themselves surrounded by.

"Guess we will." Though the more likely answer John knew was that they'd been drinking coffee, as they all knew what an averse side effect it had on Kay. Staying on the balcony would remove the smell and mugs could be easily washed. John got himself dressed and attempted to put some sort of order onto his hair, it was somehow worse than usual despite being washed just a few hours earlier. It was becoming very close to defying the laws of gravity and physics, but after years of experience John had figured out how to get back to its regular state of unkepmtness.