003 ♪ video ♪ in which luke loses his dignity

[chosenfake]

[Luke really needs advance warning for this stuff. He's taking shelter against a brick wall and looking completely disturbed. The camera moves to show a throng of strange people. So many of them, and they're clogging the street with their confusion. This is insane. Of note is the 'Hymns of Lorelei' sign behind them. He was trying to get to the

Comments

[youidiots]

... Luke? Where did you disappear to?

1/2

[chosenfake]

[... Holy. Shit.]

[chosenfake]

Tear? What are you doing here?!

[That's a dumb question.]

Wait, that's not what I-

[OKAY DEEP BREATH MAN, YOU GOT THIS]

It's... really you, isn't it?

[youidiots]

Of course. Are you feeling all right?

[chosenfake]

[Thaaaat's Tear all right.]

I-- I'm fine.

This is going to sound weird, but... this isn't Auldrant.

[youidiots]

What do you mean? We were just getting ready to leave Grand Chokmah...

[chosenfake]

[Whoa, she doesn't... He hesitates.]

This is a place that no one on Auldrant knows about, a place where people end up from all sorts of worlds. It's really weird. It's like something out of Natalia's old books.

You don't remember Natalia or Asch suddenly disappearing, right?

[youidiots]

[True, it doesn't really LOOK like Grand Chokmah, but...]

Not on Auldrant? Are you sure you're feeling all right, Luke?

No... you just had a confrontation with Asch not that long ago. Natalia is with the others.

[chosenfake]

[He frowns, but he knows it's hard to believe all the same. Also, he thinks she might be before they went to Eldrant. Man, that's so crazy...]

I'm fine! I'm telling you the truth. It's the only explanation for so many things. Asch and Natalia are here in the City with m- with us, and they have been. For months. Florian is here, too.

[He pauses, trying to muster the words. In the end he can't mince them at all.]

And so is Ion.

[youidiots]

... Ion? But how...

... really..?

[chosenfake]

[He tugs at the little fasteners of his gloves.]

Yeah.

Everyone's acting like all these people visiting at once is a temporary thing. I might not see you and the others for a long time. But...

[When he looks up again, he's smiling. It's a little painful.]

I know I'll get back somehow, so it's okay.

[youidiots]

You were just there. I saw you only a moment ago. How could you have been gone for months?

[chosenfake]

I don't know. I think it's the way this place works. Some people known as 'deities' run it, but even they don't have complete control over everything.

[quietly, avoiding her eyes again]

You don't remember going to Eldrant... do you.

[youidiots]

In the blink of an eye... it's hard to believe...

We haven't left for Eldrant yet. We were just about to leave for Chesedonia to rendezvous with the allied forces.

[chosenfake]

Yeah, it is. I've been here for a week and I still don't understand it.

[So she doesn't remember the night before, either.]

Ah.

[AWKWARD. He runs a hand through his hair, and then he's earnest-- just wanting to spend time with her while he can.]

Want to see the City while you're here?

[youidiots]

[It still doesn't make sense, but he doesn't have the same sense of urgency as he just did, an Auldrant moment ago. It's almost reassuring in its absence.]

... sure. I--I'd like that.