✙ XIII ✙ [Video]

[neutralbyforce]

[The feed clicks on to reveal Switzerland’s face, carefully arranged in a expression of complete and utter neutrality. It’s one that will be much more familiar to the other countries than the smile that has recently been making repeat appearances. When he speaks it is without inflection of any sort.]This is important. If you can hear me, please

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[video - locked]

[sf_girl_friday]

[Janice's expression is almost as neutral as Vash's, a strange calm settling over her just like it had whenever the Enterprise was in the middle of battle.]

May I come by and visit? This subject isn't one to be trusted over the network.

[Video - Locked]

[neutralbyforce]

Sure. Come ahead. I'm upstairs in my... what will be my house. The room facing the street.

[Even talking to a real person, he sounds listless and... tired. Very tired.]

[video - locked/Action]

[sf_girl_friday]

Thank you, Vash. I'll be there in a few minutes.

[Jan is true to her word, grabbing her usual weapons and shrugging into her long coat as she heads out the door. When she arrives at the house, she knocks on the door, calling out that she's there.]

[Perma-Action]

[neutralbyforce]

[Vash tilts his head slightly upon hearing her voice, calling out in response.]

The door is open, Janice.

[sf_girl_friday]

[Jan heads inside, scanning each room as she heads upstairs, though she knows it should be safe. If Vash hadn't mentioned Vale then she wouldn't be this edgy.

She hesitates at the doorway of the room he'd mentioned, suddenly worried.] Vash? Are you alright?

[neutralbyforce]

[Vash glances up at Jan wearily, attempting a slight smile that comes out looking more like a wince than anything.]

...Physically I am in once piece, yes. Come in, take a seat, Janice. Sorry I can't offer better seating.

[sf_girl_friday]

[That worry doesn't lessen as she sits down. It sounds too much like what she would have said after her 'vacation' with Vale. She sits down, giving him a wry smile.] It's alright. I've been in much worse places than this. Even before I arrived here.

A "vacation" with Temper? Holy hell. Poor Jan.

[neutralbyforce]

On a space ship? Is there such a thing as a bad place on a space ship?

[Avoiding the subject at hand? No, never.]

I went to comic con she went on 'vacation'

[sf_girl_friday]

Not on the ship, but we'd visit different planets and that didn't always go well.

[Pfft...like Jan hasn't gotten used to avoiding the issue of Vale and their other 'hosts'.]

...I repeat, poor Jan! Do I want to know? Also, Comic Con, I'm jealous!

[neutralbyforce]

Visiting other planets? That sounds... amazing. Being stuck here must be extra hard for you.

[Vash brings his knees up to his chest, crosses his arms across them, and rests his chin there. The motion makes him seem... childlike, rather than the centuries old nation that he is. He's had a long few days.]

Wasn't SDCC but it was awesome. Um...Jan got three days of mental torture

[sf_girl_friday]

I don't miss going to other planets so much, but I do miss my family. Until Jim arrived a few days ago, it'd been a year since I knew if they were alright.

[Tipping her head to one side, she watches him thoughtfully. There were only so many ways that someone could learn about their 'hosts.'] They got to you too.

A con is a con, man. And, again, poor Jan. If it's any help, Vash really wants to shoot him.

[neutralbyforce]

Jim? ...I'm afraid I haven't met him yet, but if he's a friend of yours, he must be quite the man.

[Vash shakes his head.] Not "got me" so much as... I sought them out. Like a moron. And they ended up telling me more than they meant to, I think. They aren't as organized as they could be. Seven is a big number to keep tightly knit and without gaps. That'll be a weakness we need to exploit.

...But they obviously did get you, Jan. If it's not prying... may I ask what you mean by that?

Strangely, Jan doesn't want to kill Vale. She sort of trusts him in a freaky way

[sf_girl_friday]

Jim is the captain of the ship I'm assigned to. And a good friend.

[Seven of them? She'd known of two, maybe three other than the Watcher and the Interloper. She hadn't anticipated more players than that.] Our hosts have a tendency to tell too much, especially if you keep them off balance. Do things they don't expect.

[She'd already told Jim and John. Telling someone else, someone who might at least understand some of it, might help make it easier. And the information was necessary if they were going to keep everyone safe.] When the Heartless attacked the clinic, Mr. Vale decided that I needed a vacation. He took me away and kept me...somewhere...for three days.

...That is freaky. O_o

[neutralbyforce]

...Hell.

[It's the most he can manage. Vash stares at her for a long moment.]

...Forgive me, Jan. Here I am acting like a child for no reason other than my own selfish emotions.

[He straightens his spine, takes a few deep cleansing breaths, and regains some life in his eyes.]

So. He took you away somewhere-- Was it within the city, or do you know?

The devil you know...

[sf_girl_friday]

There's nothing to forgive. [She gives him a faint smile.] Dealing with our hosts can be a trying experience.

I honestly don't know where it was. It wasn't someplace I'd been before. He visited me. We argued. He decided I needed to be taught my true place in the events here and I felt an overwhelming compulsion to follow him.

Exactly.

[neutralbyforce]

I know what you mean. Dil, the only young woman I've met in person, made sure that conversation was especially frustrating.

...Compulsion? What do you mean, exactly?