023 ♪ video ♪ i will now rise from the ashes

[chosenfake]

[Backdated to September 4th]

[Luke is sunny-faced and beaming, though those close to him might recognize just how hard he's smiling to cover up how scared he is. He appears to be talking to someone off-camera.]

-- Just a minute!

[He takes a deep breath and looks at the screen, the smile fading to something more serious, more appropriate.]It's

Comments

[Action]

[servidude]

[Waiting by the door with their things. Yep, always the servant.]

You ready?

[He's giving Luke that calm, measured look. Luke looks freaked out, but determined over it.]

[action forever!]

[chosenfake]

[Luke should have expected that, but he still blinks at Guy for a moment before returning the look with a gentle smile of his own.]

Yeah.

[He moves to grab his backpack. He can carry his own stuff now, thank you very much.]

[servidude]

[Guy doesn't fight him for it, opening the door to let Luke out first.]

That was a pretty good speech.

[chosenfake]

[He starts down the stairs. He has a lot of mixed feelings right now, and even with Guy around, he can't help but let his worry slip through. There are a lot of lives depending on him. After the nasty reminder a month or so earlier, his doubts have resurfaced with a vengeance.

The compliment draws Luke out of his thoughts. Distracted. Guy will probably pick up on it. He always does.]

Nah... I never really know what to say.

[video]

[blessed_ninja]

I'll see you when you get back with the clinic set up.

Where are you planning to return? The beach?

[ She really has no clue and she doesn't want to set up a clinic on the other side of town or something.

It'd be so embarrassing. ]

[video]

[chosenfake]

We'll be coming back the same place we left, northwest of the City.

[He'd still appreciate it even if it was all the way across the island.]

Thanks, Sakura.

[video]

[blessed_ninja]

Noted. Mind telling me when you're returning? Just so I can be sure.

[ She'll shrug at his thanks. ]

Don't mention it. Someone needs to make sure you guys are safe when you come back. Do you want me to get the assistance of any other medics? Or will I do?

[video]

[chosenfake]

Yeah. I think we should be back around the sixteenth, but who knows what we'll find out there. I'll let you know when we're close.

[He ponders this.]

The group is about ten people... Can you handle that?

[action]

[notflynn]

[Screw the network! Yuri wants to see Luke personally where it's less easy for the other to get all...fake cheery, where it's easier for him to slap his back and tell him it's going to be okay.

He walks through the door like he owns the place, backpack slung over his shoulder! Or like he's very used to walking to this establishment at least once a week.]

Luke!

[Are you heeeeere yet?]

[action]

[chosenfake]

[Yeah, he's here. Just running around frantically trying to handle one of the usual morning kitchen disasters.]

We have some on order. If it's that much of a problem, go to the store and buy some. I have the money--

[He glances over his shoulder as one of the part time cooks hurries away. A grin appears!]

Yuri!

[action]

[notflynn]

Hey- you look like a chicken with its head cut off.

[Very comforting words, he's sure, as he walks up to the other.]

Everything all right?

[action]

[chosenfake]

Ahahah... it's fine. Just a last minute concern in the kitchen.

[He's nervous, but he tries to smile over it.]

Do you have everything?

action;

[stargathering]

[ Well, if Luke is going to be coming by anyway, Tyr doesn't bother responding over the network and instead just waits for him. This is actually convenient for him anyway; it saves him the trouble of going all the way to Xanadu to see him off. There's no forced happiness on his part, and he just waits close to the door with a bag hanging from his wrist. ]

Are you sure you have everything?

action;

[chosenfake]

[Luke tries to smile, but Tyr's complete lack of fake happy makes that awkward. He runs a hand through his hair, then lets his arms drop to his sides.]

Yeah. Can you handle everything while we're gone?

action;

[stargathering]

[ Well, Tyr can smile too, a little, just be be encouraging. ]

I'll have to, won't I? [ He's never managed a restaurant before, but he thinks he'll be okay. It's not like anything too bad could happen.

He pauses, then finally just holds out the bag to Luke. ] Anyway, I had these and figured you'd need them more than I would... They're pretty small, so you can just keep them in your pocket and take them when you need them.

[ "Them" just being about a half dozen fruity, medicine gels. ]

action;

[chosenfake]

You won't be the only person there. You can ask other people to help, too. That's the only way I managed to last this long...

[Luke blinks at the gift. He's not expecting anything, honestly, but it's a nice surprise.] O-oh. You didn't have to.

[He peeks inside, blinks, then smiles.]

Wow, gels! I hope we don't need them. But thanks.

Action

[dude_imbatman]

[Dean arrives with a huge army duffel bag full of weapons. He's got a smaller bag for clothes, a cassette player with earphones for music and a bag of ammo for all the weapons.]

Hey. We ready to go?

Action

[chosenfake]

[Dude, you're loaded.]

Almost. We're still waiting on some people...

... What's in those bags?

[HE CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT IT COULD BE. Hello, only a few people have guns on his world and they look like tubas.

Not even kidding.]

Re: Action

[dude_imbatman]

[He likes to be prepared.]

Weapons and ammo. I've got guns, a machete, a flame thrower, couple of stakes, some knives and an axe.

Action

[chosenfake]

... Wow. [He doesn't even know what some of those are.] You can carry all of that?