Day 39: Music Room

[lady_general]

Lunch had been fruitful. Celes had chosen not to eat, but that was fine enough for her; she’d eaten plenty at breakfast and it was not very good manners to eat while discussing war (for Celes, it’d always given her a bit of a stomachache), or plotting. Especially if one was in mixed company. Her nurse escorted her to the Music room, citing that her

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[thyapocalypse]

Finding the replica in this place did seem to offer some answers, but none of the ones he had wished to hear. Even though it did give him an explanation for why he was here and some assurance that he hadn't completely gone mad, everything that was said about Auldrant had made him...uneasy. Not that he believed a single word of it, of course, but even if there was a slight possibility that he was wrong...

Van shook his head. There was no point in thinking of that things that simply wasn't true. His time would be better spent trying to learn everything he could of this place so that he could escape later. And, perhaps, maybe allow himself to relax if only for this one shift.

There was already a woman at the fontech keyboard, playing a song that he had never heard before. Van paused for a moment to listen before moving to look at the other available instruments, hoping to find one that he could play for himself.

[for Asch]

[thyapocalypse]

Van glanced over the instruments provided, frowning deeply. Of course it shouldn't come as any great surprise that they had such a poor selection, but it was still disappointing. There didn't seem to be anything of interest-

Then he stopped, catching sight of bright red hair. Bright, long red hair, clearly not from the replica.

So Asch was here as well, and seemingly prepared to leave. Immediately, Van crossed the room to catch him before he could go anywhere. Once there, he greeted him with a small smile. "Asch. It's a pleasure to see you again."

[thyapocalypse]

Van chuckled softly, as though Asch's mood didn't bother him. He's grown used enough to the other's mood that it would have bothered him more had Asch shown more enthusiasm in seeing him. Still, it truly was a pleasure, of sorts, to see him. From what Luke had said, he had expected to be surrounded by enemies.

Course, Asch wasn't quite the best ally at the moment but that would change once he saw reason again.

"Are you still angry with me, Asch?" Van shook his head. "Even in these circumstances?"

[thyapocalypse]

Asch was holding himself back. That likely meant that was attempting to hide something from him. It would be difficult to push for it without ruining Asch's mood any further so it seems he would have to attempt to coax it out of him. Difficult to do, if he couldn't be sure of the right method.

"I remember Eldrant," Van lied. "I fought the replica there. That was the last thing I remembered. Does that fit your memories?"

[thyapocalypse]

It seemed as though he was missing something. From what he had been told, he had assumed that Asch and Luke defeated him together. However, that didn't seem to be quite the case. There had to be something important that he had forgotten when he was brought here, but asking for it was out of the question.

It was difficult to play the part with limited knowledge, but he'd manage somehow. "You have good reason to be angry with me, Asch, but now isn't the time for it. If we want to be free of this place, we'd have to cooperate." Van paused, considering. "Or do you believe that to be impossible?"

[thyapocalypse]

This was frustrating. It seemed that nothing he could say would change Asch's mind, even after all he had done for him. Even if he had given him bad memories, surely Asch had to understand that it was for his own good. If only he could make him see that...

"Very well," Van replied, feigning vague hurt. "However, do know that whether or not you trust me, matters haven't changed. I wanted to allow you to be free from the Score, and I'll find a way to free you from this place as well."

[thyapocalypse]

"I know that we were brought here against our will and at least forty five people have left before us." Admittedly, that wasn't much especially since he didn't know the circumstances of those departures. However, what Luke said earlier had to be true. If there was a way in, then surely there had to be a way out.

"If it was possible for them to leave, then it should be possible for us to do the same as well."

[thyapocalypse]

Ah, now Asch was offering some useful information to him. He was still willing to aid him, even if just in a small way. That was more than good enough, there was still a chance that Asch would finally see reason and return to his side. Finding himself in this place may ultimately work in his favor.

"They found a way to make weapons here? I assume that they do so without the supervision of the faculty here, correct?"