[001] Voice/Action

[oldest7yearold]

 [It appeared that bridge whose name Luke had been fretting over had just become the least of his worries.

So yeah, he'd found that music box, and yeah, the music had been kind of pretty and he might have zoned out a bit while listening to it, but... he couldn't  have like... fallen apart and died that quickly, could he? Without even noticing? But

Comments

[Action]

[claim_my_place]

[Someone familiar has definitely heard the transmission over the Seals. It takes Asch a while to actually accept it, but after he has, it's only a matter of minutes before he manages to tap back into the fonic link. He hasn't been able to get it to work in months, and now that the replica's here, Asch isn't sure how he feels about it.]

[Actually scratch that, mostly he's just irritated because it means someone will have to explain everything. Luke may or may not have his wanderings interrupted by the telltale headache that means someone's listening in.]

[Action]

[oldest7yearold]

[ajiofsjfgaowe DAMMIT OW.

The unexpectedness of the headache causes Luke to stumble onto one knee, groaning and grasping the sides of his head as his skull felt like it was about to split open. However, his emotional reaction is very different, because this kind of headache could only mean one of two things - Lorelei or Asch. And Lorelei was currently trapped inside Van, so... ]

Asch?

[Action]

[claim_my_place]

[As if it could be anyone else. Asch mentally rolls his eyes, but he doesn't respond right away. There are about a million things he could say (none of them exactly pleasant), but a certain incident comes to mind. It's not guilt so much as his own pride that prevents Asch from immediately berating his replica. He's not happy, but at least he's not flying off the handle.]

Humph. It's about time you showed up.

[Action]

[oldest7yearold]

[As much venom as the reply shows, Luke is still extremely relieved (or not, if he really had died) that you're here, Asch. It means that... well he's not all by himself in this city. However it does mean he's about to ask you some of those pesky questions that annoy you so much]

Sh-showed up? What's going on?

[Action]

[claim_my_place]

[Answering those pesky questions is even more irritating than being asked in the first place. He's trying to figure out shortcuts so he isn't stuck talking to Luke any longer than absolutely necessary, but considering the chances of the replica not believing him...]

[Well, at least his reaction will quickly answer Asch's questions. Believe it or not, he has a few.]

This place is called Splendor City. The music box brought you.

[Action]

[oldest7yearold]

[Luke... has no idea what to say to that. Just... none at all. And so he's going to go to the old standby - get angry at the original to cover up confusion!]

What are you talking about?! This isn't funny, Asch!

[And as soon as he says it, he regrets it. Because Asch wouldn't joke. Not about something that sounded that ridiculous. In fact, Asch didn't really joke at all, or come up with wild stories to make fun of people - that was more Jade's department. But it was too late - Luke had already said it. All that was really left was to brace himself - and his head - for the impending explosion he was about to get.]

[Action; 1/2] Oh whoops I forgot the italics. Assume it's all headspace-action.

[claim_my_place]

[What.]

[W H A T.]

['This isn't funny'? Did Luke honestly believe he was joking around? That he was making things up?!]

[It feels like someone's pressing in on his ears as his face grows hot with anger, but that doesn't stop him from being able to 'hear' via fonic link. If anything, his rising temper only punctuates the silence that follows Luke's outburst.]

[Action; 2/2]

[claim_my_place]

You're damn right it isn't funny!!

First you ask what's going on and then you accuse me of cracking some kind of sick joke? ...Ha! I should have known better. Just how many times can someone make the same stupid mistake?

[What kind of an idiot was he to think his replica would be able to understand?! If this is what he has to put up with, Asch doesn't see the point in telling him anything. Let Luke figure things out on his own -- no. Natalia, Anise, Ion...they'd eagerly fill him in. Must be nice to let others solve everything for you.]

[action] It's okay, I did too.

[oldest7yearold]

[Luke winces - with Asch inside his head like this, he can practically feel the anger coming off his original in droves. And to an extend he can feel it, the pain redoubling in his head until the point where he's glad he's already on the ground on one knee - he might not have been able to remain standing anyway if he hadn't.

Still, if Luke can actually feel Asch's anger, then Asch will be able to feel the wave of guilt, regret, and frustration - aimed at himself - coming from Luke, from almost the moment he finished his little outburst. He knew as soon as he'd said it it was the wrong thing to say. His voice is quiet.]

I know... I'm sorry... Dammit...

[Whether Asch will care is another matter entirely. But really, Luke hadn't meant to let it go that way. He'd just... he was so confused, and to a certain extent, still scared. And he just didn't know how to deal with it, especially when he had difficulty enough acknowledging his feelings at times like this. And if it had been someone else... but no, it had been Asch the person who

[action]

[claim_my_place]

[Asch's rage gradually lessens to a simmer, but it still hasn't gone away. Almost as if it's waiting to flare up again.]

[He figures Luke would be more cooperative if he wasn't so clueless confused, and given how disoriented he is, it's safe to assume he was on Auldrant before this. No Thor. No world-traveling. What a pain.]

...Natalia, Anise, Ion, and some of the God-Generals are already accounted for. Go ask them your questions.

[Conveniently leaves out details - like there's two Ions or that not everyone comes from the same timeline. Luke can figure that out by himself.]

And don't lose your key.

[action]

[oldest7yearold]

[Luke's fingers loosen from around his head as the battering ram of emotion abates somewhat, and he feels slightly amazed. He hadn't actually expected Asch to actually... well, he'd expected his apologies to make Asch even angrier. They usually did. He can tell Asch is still angry though - if not through their connection than merely by habit.

And because of that... he's not going to argue, much as he'd like to. Not right now. He also feels a jolt at one of the things Asch says.]

I-Ion's alive? [Dammit Asch probably wouldn't tell him anything] ...Where are they? Natalia and Anise and... I-Ion. [Not the God-generals. He doesn't want to be anywhere near them until he figures out what's going on.]

My key...? [What the hell was... Oh, did he mean Luke's part of the Key of Lorelei?] You mean my part of it? How could I lose it?! I- Oh... [What with being on his knees almost, the key that Asch was probably actually referring to currently was swinging in front of his nose. As to what he originally thought Asch was referring to, well...

[action]

[claim_my_place]

Probably the clinic.

[Asch's attention is quickly drawn to the way the thought "Ion" seems to waver. At this rate he won't be left with many questions at all; Luke's unknowingly answering them for him.]

[Thinking back, Asch slowly narrows down the possibilities. After Ion's death obviously, otherwise his name wouldn't have caused a reaction. Luke hadn't seemed unusually surprised to see him, so sometime before Eldrant. Mentioning the God-Generals hadn't warranted much of a response either, so then... when?]

[What? There's a flicker of confusion on Asch's end which lasts for a surprisingly long moment. Part of his...? No. The Jewel!]

Wait. The Jewel is with you?

[Convenient. ...Except Asch doesn't have the Sword anymore.]

[action]

[oldest7yearold]

[Asch, it might have been helpful to give a little more detail on why they might be at the clinic, especially with Ion in the picture.]

What?! Are they okay?! What happened?!

[He's already pushing himself to his feet, ignoring the pain in his head as best he could, all while looking around for the exit to the Golden Entranceway, ready to go tearing out looking for them. If something was wrong, he wanted - no he needed to be there. Dammit, Asch, why do you have to keep asking him questions when his friends could be in trouble?]

Of course it is! Do you think I'd just leave it lying around?

[It could have gotten lost, or someone could have seen it -like the God-generals. Not that there was any point in the latter after Van had revealed that he'd had it when they'd faced him at the entrance of the Absorption Gate. But it'd still seemed foolish to just put it in the item bag, so Jade had shown him how to use the contamination effect to store the Jewel inside himself. Luke had taken to it incredibly naturally, though it probably

[action]

[claim_my_place]

Use your head! Nothing happened.

[Nothing pressing or worth the mention, at least. Feel that? It's irritation bubbling to the surface again. If Asch was there with him, he'd be tempted to give his replica a good shake. Luke's nerves aren't helping at all, and Asch feels he's as good as useless when he's this worked up over something.]

How should I know what you would or wouldn't do with it?

[After all the searching Asch had gone through to try to find it, the revelation that the item had been fused within Luke the whole time had been embarrassingly anticlimactic. Still, at least it was here now.]

[action]

[oldest7yearold]

[Oh he does feel it. Enough that he's going to stop stumbling forward at around the doorway of the City Hall and lean over slightly to brace himself a little on the doorway and wait this out. He probably wasn't going to get anywhere until Asch was done talking to him.]

I've been keeping it inside myself the way Jade keeps his spear. We all thought it was safer than just... putting it in the item bag or something.

[Really, he's kind of disappointed Asch seems to think he's that much of an idiot. But back to what Asch'd said earlier... So wait, nothing was wrong? But why-

Well... Natalia it actually kind of made sense. That would be the kind of place she'd go to help out, or something like that... It was that Ion and Anise were (or at least might be, though that hasn't occurred to him) there that was worrying him - Ion especially. Or- maybe Ion was there helping Natalia... and Anise of course stayed with Ion... Rgh... this was so frustrating. Dammit, he didn't know. And the one person he could act was likely as not to tell him.]

[action]

[claim_my_place]

Fine! As long as you have the Jewel. I don't need an explanation.

[The contamination effect. Not something Asch wants to hear about, but at least it seems like Luke might actually manage to keep track of it on his own. He is dropping the topic.]

Didn't I just say so? It's in the Alpha District.

[Grumpgrumpgrump. Well he did! In his own unique, logic-twisting way. And if Luke honestly thinks he'd stand around and let those people get hurt - Natalia especially (the brat and Ion are understandably less of a concern to him) - then he's wrong. He can't afford to lose track of any of them, no matter how little desire he might have to associate with them.]