distressedude | 001 ~ [Voice]

Entry tags:

001 ~ [Voice]

[Raindrops falling from the sky and splashing down into the nearby river can be heard over the journal network. Someone talking very softly to himself can vaguely be heard over the sound of the rain.]

Where is this place...? Ah, there's buildings over there, I wonder if I should go there first...

[There is a pause as the boy in question stops and opens the journal. The the sound of pages turning mixes in with the rain alongside the quiet voice of someone who doesn't seem to realize the audio is turned on.]

Maybe... there's some information about this place in here...?

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[His voice cracks a little. The rain dripping down his face mixes with tears, but his expression stays strong.] ...but I'm here now, see? I'm okay. So.. p-please don't cry, Anise.

[She's trembling a little, and it's hitting her how much she's missed him, how much it hurt to lose him like that, how she feels like nothing will make up for what she'd done... She's never really had the chance to mourn him properly, has she?]

Ion... Ion... [She sniffs, trying not to cry because he asked so nicely, but...]

[It seemed as though the more Anise cried, or tried not to, the more Ion did. He hadn't even cried during his own death. But as painful as that was, seeing Anise in pain now was far worse.] Anise...

[He wraps his arms around her again and hugs her tightly, unable to hold back a small sob of his own.]

[It takes a moment or two, but Anise eventually calms down enough to stop. She pulls back hesitantly; if it were up to her, she'd never let go. He might disappear again.]

S-sorry. It's just - I missed you, Ion. [She manages a tiny smile.] I guess I shouldn't be crying since you're actually here, now.

[He sniffs and wipes his face with his sleeve, which is wet, so it really doesn't do much except mess up his hair a little.]

I missed you too... [Laughs weakly.] I guess it hasn't been long since I saw you before, but... it feels like it's been forever.

[She laughs along with him, but mostly because they're both kind of soaked from the rain.]

Come on, we're gonna get real sick if we stay out here! [And we can't have that, oh no.] We need to find somewhere to dry off.

[Ion only just now seems to become aware of the fact that, oh hey, it's raining.] ...ah! You're right!

[He looked down and spotted the discarded umbrella, grabbing it and then holding it over himself and Anise.] I was staying in the welcome center, so we could dry off there, or... is it too far to go back to your place?

[There wasn't much point drying off if they were just going to get wet again when Anise returned home, after all.]

[She automatically takes the umbrella from him, though. Because Ion, you're not supposed to be holding umbrellas when you're about to catch a cold.]

Oh, right, the Welcome Center! Yeah, that would be nearer; the house is all the way on the other side of the village... I live with the Colonel, by the way! And Emperor Peony, and Nephry! ♥

We have a spare room, too! You can stay there. [It's not even a question.]

[Jade, Nephry, and Emperor Peony? So many people they knew were here...! It felt unreal, like a dream... one Ion hoped to never wake up from.]

Really? I can stay with you? [His expression brightened at the thought.] Oh, thank you!

[He reached down and grabbed Anise by the hand, pointing back towards the welcome center.] Come on, let's get inside.

[She just nods, and holds onto his hand nice and tight as they head back.]

Of course you are! Luke, Guy and Asch live pretty near us, too! It'll be okay. ♥

[Smiling as they walk back to towards the building.] It really seems like everyone is here. [His voice lowers a little, more to himself than to Anise.] It's almost like a dream...

[And since Anise is holding the umbrella, Ion is going to act gentlemanly and open the door for her whether she likes it or not.]

Almost everyone, anyway. Tear and Natalia were here, too. But they were sent home. Natalia went back just recently, too. [She sighs a bit. It was always sad to think about that.]

[And entering the center!] I've never been in here, before! When I came to Luceti last year, this place wasn't around, yet! [It's hard to think about how long she's been stuck here.]

Have you really been here that long? [He frowns. Ion really doesn't know much about Luceti at this point. The mention of people being "sent home" is just as confusing to him as well.]

It just seems so unreal. This place, these wings... I don't know what to think about all this.

Ah - hasn't anyone explained things to you yet, Ion? Like, why we're even stuck in this place, and how we can't go home on our own and stuff? [Let's not even get started on the experiments.]

[He slowly shakes his head.] The most I've heard is that we've been kidnapped by people called the Malnosso, and... not much else.

Oh. [Looks like there's a lot of explaining to be done! Good thing she isn't the Colonel.] Well, the Malnosso are some crazy scientists. They kidnapped us and brought us into Luceti, and they're the only ones who can send us back to our worlds.

While we're stuck here, they like to conduct these crazy experiments on us. Sometimes they kidnap us for further experimenting, too! Usually those hurt a lot more than the monthly ones. Um. I'm really not the best person to explain all this, boo... Oh, but I know there's a Guide in the journal, somewhere! It's really long, though. But really helpful!

[The more Anise explained, Ion's face changed from a look of shock into a frown, his eyes downcast. Experiments, painful ones, with even more kidnappings...!?]

That's... [And the fact that all his friends had likely been experiencing this for so long finally sunk in. His voice was soft when he finally spoke.] Why would anyone do such things...?

[She shakes her head.] They say it's so they can figure out how people can get home at all, or something. So we're really just test subjects to them. Buuuut I'm not really sure; it's gotten so complicated. [She doesn't pay as much attention as she should, really.]

It... sounds complicated. [Ion kept his eyes low for a few more minutes before looking back up at Anise. And he had been so happy that they were all here...! How could he have been so naive?]

I didn't realize this place was... I'm so sorry, Anise.

It's not the best place to be in, but there are a few perks, I guess? Everything in the stores is free, for one; that's good, right? Even if there isn't any gald around here, boo...

[A pause.] ... Besides, being here means I get to see you, again.

[It didn't seem like there could be a "perk" to being experimented, at least, until Anise got to her last point. His expression softened into a smile.] Anise...

[Grabs Anise by the hand and squeezes it, giving the girl a bright smile.] I'm so happy for the chance to be with you again.

[Squeezing it right back, laughing a little.] Anyway, there are a lot of really nice people, around here! It's not all bad; I've even made a lot of new friends! I'll introduce you to them, Ion. ♥

I would really like that. [Smiles.]

[Pauses and glances around.] ...hm, I don't know if there's anything here we can use to dry off with. I haven't looked around very much. [Laughs lightly.] Standing around in the rain probably wasn't a good idea, huh?

Oh, I'm sure there are some towels around here somewhere! A lot of New Feathers turn up outside even if it's raining or snowing or something; I think the people here would be ready for that kinda thing.

[Brb while she bounds right up to one of the people helping out at the Center today, asking for "a set of towels for me and my New Feather friend, pretty please~ ♥"]

That makes sense. [Nods, then just stands and watches as Anise goes, a small smile on his face.

He went ahead and pulled off his ~~fabulous headdress~~ hat and shook out his hair, shivering slightly. With his luck he probably would end up with a cold.]

001 ~ [Voice]

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