[Accidental Video: Week 21, day 1 | Around 11 PM]

[purgingthree]

[What shows up on the screen is perhaps not an entirely shocking thing, if you know Cross Marian. It's quite obvious he's sitting in a sake shop, perhaps some might recognise it as one of Yomisato's fancier ones, and he has a glass between his hands

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[Private Video]

[nec_metu]

[... Of all the people she had never expected to find moping on the network. It's a little disheartening, to see even General Cross feeling off. Isn't he the one that is never affected, always in charge of everything? He always managed to give off that feeling, whether in the midst of battle or laughing off Central's rules to enjoy a too-expensive bottle of wine with questionable company rather than attend a meeting.]

[Lenalee isn't entirely sure that it is appropriate of her to respond to this. She is fairly certain that it is not, in fact. But General Cross was never one to pay much attention to what was or wasn't appropriate.]

General Cross?

[She doesn't know what to say. "Are you okay" seems horribly... patronizing. Anything alluding to what she saw might come off that way, but what else is she supposed to do? Act as if she is simply contacting him late at night out of the blue? And she has already addressed him now, she has to say something--]

Would you like some company?

[... Lenalee is fairly certain that that is not what she had meant to say.]

[Reaction -> Private Video]

[purgingthree]

[Cross straightens up immediately at the sound of a voice coming from his Hitomi, and it takes him a moment to gather just what the hell Lenalee is talking about after he realises it's her. That damn thing... Recording him now, of all times?

Guh--

He takes a deep breath and rubs his forehead, before he grabs the Hitomi to respond.]

Lenalee. [Silent snort.] Here? This isn't the place for someone like you.

[Private Video]

[nec_metu]

[Lenalee frowns at her Hitomi. Whether he is referring to the sake shop itself or Yomisato in general, she wouldn't call the words untrue. But be that as it may--]

The same could be said for anywhere here. [Her voice is clipped, and she can't help adding:] It doesn't seem like you to drink alone.

[Not that Lenalee considers herself any match for the description of the General's usual company, but... the time to himself doesn't seem to be doing him much good. Any more than staying cooped up in this house is doing her.]

[Private Video]

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Hn, I guess it's not particularly like me.

[At least not outside of whatever resident he's occupying at the moment. That is, his home, here, since he does have one; always a good idea. And he chuckles silently as he props his chin on his hand, sparing Lenalee a smile.]

Suppose I can't stop you if you really insist. I admit I forgot for a moment that you're very capable of taking care of yourself.

[Since, you know, he kind of ends up unknowingly thinking of you as still that little girl who used to cling to her brother.

...

Thinking like that kind of makes him feel old.]

[Private Video]

[nec_metu]

[That's because you are old.]

[Lenalee isn't quite sure if she should be offended by that or not. Any more than she's sure that going down to Yomisato to be in the company of the drunken General is something she should actually do. But she did offer, and he hasn't said no.]

I'll be there soon then.

[Someone should at least be present to make sure that he makes it back to his room. And really, any excuse to stop moping around her own room is welcome. Maybe the change of scenery will do her some good.]

[Private Video]

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[Am so not.

He shrugs and drags his finger absently along the glass's rim. Perhaps speaking some with Lenalee might turn out to be good, who knows. She's probably not holding up all that well so maybe he can help with cheering her up a little or something.

Doesn't hurt to try.]

Alright.

[Action/Video]

[nec_metu]

[It feels distinctly strange to be tip-toeing out of the house in the dead of night, but more so because of the thought of where she's going. Lenalee hasn't been to Yomisato in quite a while, let alone to a sake bar. The prospect doesn't worry her so much as make her wonder at just what possessed her to do it, though not enough to consider canceling the meeting. With any luck, Cross will still be conscious by the times she gets there.]

[... Or not. That would at least make the outing simple and brief.]

[Lenalee is alert as she makes her way out of the compound and through mostly-deserted streets, but not worried. The natives had seemed to calm down during the past few days; for the most part, at least. It didn't make her trust them again, but it was a small reassurance. The walk was uneventful until she made it to Yomisato itself, which had a considerably more active night life. And it was then that she realized there was more than one sake shop in Yomisato.]

General Cross? I'm in Yomisato. Which building are you in?

[Video]

[purgingthree]

[By the time Lenalee has reached Yomisato, Cross has gotten treated to a rather strong drink and so he's... just a little more affected than he was at first. Perhaps just slightly drunk. But that's not anything he's not used to or can't deal with, now (it was another question when he was young), so it's nothing to worry about.

He just might seem a little odd.]

The place's called Manas.

[action]

[nec_metu]

[Lenalee pauses, replaying the message to make sure that she heard it right. Manas? She is tempted to ask if he's being serious, but after a couple attempts at asking directions she discovers that it is in fact a real place. How... odd. Lenalee isn't sure what to think of it beyond an odd, seemingly meaningless coincidence. But she makes her way there without putting much more thought into it.]

[For as hard as General Cross can be to find when on the run, he certainly sticks out in a room. Lenalee pays the other patrons no mind, cautiously approaching the figure with long, red hair.]

General.

[She isn't sure what else to say, and falls back on looking around the building more closely. It really is quite nice, if not the sort of place that she would usually visit.]

Do you come here often?

[Never hurt to know a few places of frequent visitation, though the Hitomi did make keeping track of Cross fairly easy.]

[action]

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[Cross gives a light shrug, glancing absently at Lenalee while pondering to call for another glass of that... thing Fai made. Whatever it was. Edonis drink. Tasty enough, pretty good effect, ladada.]

Occasionally.

[action]

[nec_metu]

[Lenalee nods, sending one last glance around the room before awkwardly taking a seat next to him. A look at the various alcoholic drinks around makes her wonder just how many Cross has had.]

You seemed a little... off, in the video.

[She tries not to wince at how it sounds. But there would be little point to coming all the way here just to sit silently next to him. Even if it really is not her place to ask the question she is hedging around, and she isn't sure that she wants to know the answer.]

[action]

[purgingthree]

[Enough to have an effect on his tolerance, at least. But it could be worse. He's kind of just still here because Lenalee was coming.]

Did I?

[Seems like it, since several people have acted like that towards him.]

[action]

[nec_metu]

[Lenalee doesn't bother with confirmation. She wonders vaguely if they have any non-alcoholic drinks here; perhaps it's just being surrounded by glasses, but she feels a little thirsty. Even a place like this should have water, right?]

A lot has happened recently. I think that most people are acting a little different.

[She wouldn't really know, with how closed off she's been lately. But Lenalee gets the feeling all the same.]

[action]

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Likely.

[Pause.]

With everything that has "happened", are you holding up alright, Lenalee?

[action]

[nec_metu]

[Ah, turning it back on her? Perhaps she should have expected that.]

I'm alright.

[She doesn't look at him as she says it, but... it's almost true? No, it is true. Lenalee is alright. Maybe not well, certainly not happy, but- alright. There is still far more that she stands to lose.]

It was just so sudden.

[action]

[purgingthree]

[Oh yes. He's not highly fond of talking of himself when it comes to these sort of things.]

Mm, as it always is.