01 ⚡ Reunion?

[maddening_gale]

Who: Jade and you! Aren't you lucky!
Where: Along the game trail in the Blessenwood Forest
When: A few days after Asbel's arrival
Why: Jade isn't lost, just... misplaced. And apparently he's been here before.
Open/Closed: Open!

Comments

*invades*

[arisenfromashes]

While making his way toward the tree, Asch had been forced to stop. Even before he spotted the two figures stopped along the trail, he had heard voices. The first one he heard, that of a young girl, didn't faze him. Last he saw her, she had been around Blessenwood doing weird things for the festival and his birthday. The response he heard, however, made him scowl, mostly because he anticipated some stupid remark as soon as he showed up. Shifting the sack hanging from his shoulder, he proceeded. The two looked like they were wrapped up in a conversation, but Asch couldn't have cared less. As soon as he caught sight of the two, he spoke up.

"Don't you ever go back to your guild?" he nagged during a convenient pause in Anise and Jade's chat.

The senior member hadn't heard anything beyond the sounds of their voices while making his trek in the forest. Apparently a lot of new people had shown up recently, so Genis and Ruca needed backup for trial quests and everything. Must have been to get Jade back to the chapter he was supposed to be leading. Little did he know that Jade would be of even less help than usual this time around.

[maddening_gale]

"I did. Why, has it happened before?" Jade asked her, a bit more serious than usual. It was a cause for concern when Anise didn't follow along with his banter.

If he had been skeptical before, he had passed through suspicion and headed straight into cynicism as Asch came to view (it had to be him; not even Luke could scowl like that). Jade had not seen Asch since before the fall of Eldrant, largely because the latter had been dead for about two years.

How unusual.

"You're awfully active for a dead man, aren't you, Asch?" Jade retorted. He would have to ask Anise about this supposed guild later. Getting information out of Asch could be like pulling teeth, and it wasn't half as fun as teasing him.

[puppet_guardian]

Well...As nice as it was to see Asch again, his timing was quite horrible. In fact he probably made the situation a bit worse for her when trying to explain because she would now have to explain to him it wasn't the man who was here before.

"Asch...Colonel woke up at the foot of the tree..." Hopefully that would be hint enough to the swordsman...but just in case he needed a little extra special help. "He wasn't taking a nap there for fun either."

She finally got around to answering Jade, a more than obvious mask was on her face as she smiled.

"And yes, it has happened before. It's happened to all of us who has been summoned here by Martel to help this world."

[arisenfromashes]

Dead man--that bastard! Asch scowled more deeply at that comment, and his grip on his item pack tightened. Whenever he had run into Jade, he was given trouble for being one of the God-Generals. He didn't even know about Akzeriuth, so there was no way he could know about Eldrant. It was Luke, he knew it, and he was ready to use that connection to call him on it as soon as Jade confirmed it. That stupid bastard! Would it kill him to--

"Who--" He quieted down when Anise started to explain. He had originally planned to talk over her, more interested (or rather, pissed) about whatever Jade had to say. Luckily, he caught the word 'woke' and stopped. After an awkward pause, his anger waned until it was only mild annoyance.

"...Oh," Asch finished lamely. Great. That meant Jade didn't know anything about Atlas.

He ignored the red-eyed freak for a while to take a look at Anise. She was always in cahoots with him, right? She was smiling, but even he could tell she had to force it. With an annoyed grumble, he shifted his weight instead of moving on past the two, all the while wondering what kind of stupid idea convinced him to stay with those two, of all people.

[maddening_gale]

Anise was just fast enough to cut Jade off from antangonising Asch further, but the look on the young man's face had more than made up for that morning's less-than-stellar start. It was almost a pity that she had more bad news to break.

"Anise, explain," he said, one eyebrow raised. There were several other questions he could have asked instead, such as how did this Martel manage to bring us across the void of space unharmed?, how is Asch still alive?, and the slightly more vague but nevertheless helpful, what is going on here? And yet, he managed to fit in all three questions and then some with two words and a Look.

[puppet_guardian]

Isn't that look usually reserved for Guy?

Anise let out a soft sigh, gathering up all the things she learned since arriving her so she could help out the man.

"I don't quite understand how Martel was able to bring us here, but she was able to pick us from different times to come here to help. I mentioned before that she brought us here to help this world, the reason being that it's dying. I have yet to find out what's causing it's death...But if the world dies, we do too."

Anise then looked over to Asch.

"You've been here longer, do you know the answer to any lingering questions."

[arisenfromashes]

Asch grunted in annoyance as the young guardian dumped the responsibility in his lap. The Necromancer wasn't someone he wanted to deal with unless he had to, which didn't inspire him to be very helpful. He gestured with his head to the trail behind him, which led back to Blessenwood. He made Jade the target of his irked gaze as he explained.

"Not all the people of Atlas will help you, so you're better off joining the guild Ad Libitum. We do stuff for the townspeople for money, and we're trying to find a way to save the tree. Yuan acted like it was the only way we could go back."

Jade could find out what types of jobs on his own, for all the sour-faced swordsman cared. Asch wasn't obligated to explain everything, so he took what was going to be a step. He wound up staying in place, though, as one other thought came to mind.

"People are sometimes sent back by Martel as well. We don't know why either," he added with a more sobered look on his face. He remembered how confusing it was for him the first time someone he knew had disappeared without a trace. Better they find out in advance, right? He didn't care, but not everyone was in the mood to talk about it after it happened.

[maddening_gale]

It was all a bit much to take in, but Jade's expression did not betray this thought. Knowing Asch and his willingness to share information, it was also likely that there was some important piece of the entire 'Dying World' puzzle that was not so much missing as it was spitefully hidden away. And as much as he trusted Anise, even she had admitted that her intelligence on this new world was incomplete.

But there was one other person Jade knew he could trust: himself. If he had indeed been to this world before, it was likely that his other self had kept some sort of journal. Paying a visit to Ouin might be the best place to start.

"I see," he said, a plan beginning to form in his mind. "Anise, is there a town nearby where I might be able to restock my supplies? Oh, and if you have something more important to do, Asch, you are dismissed."

[puppet_guardian]

Ouch, hearing Jade say those words to Asch almost made her flinch. Anise was sure that just by association the swordsman was going to be angry at her too. Hopefully all her friendship making wouldn't be for nothing.

"Blessenwood is nearby, I'll help you find a shop if you like and maybe even a place to stay the night?"

She wasn't too sure if there was a spare room in the guild, perhaps she could ask Ruca if there was one? Regardless she would make sure Jade would get the best deal possible.

[arisenfromashes]

Asch had considered continuing along the road after sharing what that obnoxious colonel wanted. He had even started to move along when he heard that comment and froze in place. It went without saying that during most of his encounters with Jade (among several other people) he looked displeased--that asshole rubbed him the wrong way every chance he had. The younger man locked eyes with him for a few seconds.

"I don't need you telling me what to do," he growled in retort. After a second, he added with an edge, "Hey, Anise, it's just this guy, right?"

He was heading to retrieve any new people when he had run into those two. The idea was to keep people from wandering off lost and getting eaten by monsters, but right now, he really didn't want to be the one to put up with Jade on the way back to town. Anise knew him better anyway. Besides, someone had mentioned checking the Tree for any signs of change. He could do that too. Maybe it would look a little more lively this time. Damn it, he'd find something so that he wouldn't wind up going back to town with those two.

[maddening_gale]

In life, Asch had been a valuable ally, but his attitude often left something to be desired. But as it was, Jade still thought of him as being dead, interdimensional travel and varying timelines notwithstanding. On some highly muted emotional level, it was upsetting to see him alive again. Perhaps he had even been a bit too cold with that last remark, but it was certainly better than acting shocked and appalled.

He shrugged, as if that answered Asch's complaint. "I believe that I am the only new arrival. No one else was there at the time, and the tracks along the trail are at least a few days old." Quickly, he added, "I am also aware that I am not Anise, but I'm afraid that we didn't meet exactly at the base of the tree." With any luck, he could keep Asch's aggression focused on him, and away from Anise.

With that said, he turned his head to answer the girl. "I would appreciate it if you did, Anise." With her absence in Grand Chokmah during the past two years, Jade had almost forgotten how useful a loyal minion was. Not even the soldiers of the Third Division could quite compare.

[puppet_guardian]

Well Anise does pride herself at the goals she could accomplish quickly and effectively. She had been chosen for certain positions based on that fact. You know Colonel, she'd come and visit more often if you actually returned her letters.

"We should probably start heading that way then before it gets too late, did you want to travel with us Asch or did you have something you need to do out here?" Anise was trying to be polite but she could tell the red head would probably rather choke down carrot and octopus soup than spend any more time around Jade.

AAAAAH NOTIFS I HATE YOU. >8{

[arisenfromashes]

Asch gave Jade an especially dirty look for answering. He hadn't asked him, yet he always had to get the last damn word in. Unfortunately, if Anise didn't know, that was the best answer he could get. Not willing to admit this, however, he continued to glare at him until he was done talking.

As a matter of fact, during his time in Atlas, Asch had had the misfortune of trying carrot and octopus soup (with lavender-honey tobasco sauce) and as much as he hated that day, it sounded pretty damn good right now. A split second after Anise had finished speaking, he cut in, "I'm busy. He can find it on his own for all I care."

He would patrol again, just in case. There had been that monster outbreak when he was away, maybe he could do that instead...or see if the Tree showed any signs of change. Really, he hadn't gotten past being busy doing stuff. That was enough reason for him to take his leave already. So, he flew away on that large frown of his borderlined on stalking off in the opposite direction of the town.