1 ❀ Accidental Voice

[pigtailed_loli]

[Hello, Luceti! On this fine day, you'll be greeted with a close-up look at a certain pigtailed loli as she shoves her face close to the camera while examining her journal. When she leans back slightly, you'll be able to see that she's wearing the white cotton sundress of a New Feather.]

What's this thing?

[The camera shakes violently as Anise

Comments

[soreplaceable]

[Of all the things Ion was expecting to see upon opening his journal today, a close of up Anise's face was certainly not one of them. He stares for a moment or two in disbelief, wondering for a moment if he was only dreaming. The shaking coupled with her voice snaps him out of it.]

Anise...? Anise, can you hear me?

[pigtailed_loli]

[dsufhsudf WHOA! Anise fumbles and drops the journal. Hope you enjoy the view of her feet!]

Ion...? Ion, where are you?

[soreplaceable]

[...way to go, Anise. Perhaps it's because he's just so happy to hear her voice again that he doesn't even stop to think about how she's reacting, or rather, how she isn't reacting to hearing his voice right now.]

My voice is coming from the journal you just dropped. Pick it up and you should be able to see me.

[pigtailed_loli]

[That makes no sense whatsoever but Ion isn't one to play games, so Anise does as she's told, giving the journal a hesitant shake.]

This is so weird. Do you know what's going on? Did we get kidnapped?

[But Mohs is arrested, the God Generals are dead and Asch isn't the type to pull pranks...Maybe this is the work of someone dissatisfied with the Order refusing the read the Score? But Ion didn't sound hurt...]

[soreplaceable]

...something like that. [Probably best to work on getting her safely out of the forest first.]

Where are you right now? Can you hear a river? It should be able to help lead you to the village.

[pigtailed_loli]

Yeah, I can hear a river, but I don't recognize this place! And why do I have wings? How come I can hear you with this journal anyway?

[Relentless barrage of questions, you can have it.]

[soreplaceable]

If you follow the flow of the river, it should lead you here. And the journal you're holding is a kind of communication device. I'm talking to you through one as well. [Patience is a virtue, Anise! ...but okay, he can explain while she's walking.]

This place we're in is called Luceti. The reason is doesn't look familiar is because we aren't on Auldrant anymore.

[Even after a year here, it doesn't sound any less unbelievable.]

[pigtailed_loli]

[If you weren't Ion, she'd have thrown down the journal and accused you of trying to fool her. As it is, she simply looks confused and starts trudging slowly towards the river.]

Not in Auldrant any more...? Ion, are you sure? Why do you know all this stuff?

[Yeah, uh-huh, 'unbelievable' doesn't even begin to cover it...Anise's seen some pretty weird shit lately, but this takes the cake.]

[soreplaceable]

People can be brought here from different worlds as well as different times. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to it. I've actually been here for almost a year now. [Over a year, really, by Luceti's calender.] Some of the others have been here even longer than that.

[pigtailed_loli]

Over a year?! [Kinda surprised you aren't dead without her to protect you.] Wait, you mean there are even more worlds aside from this one? And what do you mean by different times? Just how many people are here?

[She's reached the river by now and starts walking a bit faster. Maybe this would make more sense if Ion was here in person to explain it to her. It was rather unsettling, talking to a journal like this.]

[soreplaceable]

[Ion feels the same way, though for a slightly different reason. After Anise's rather abrupt departure from Luceti before, he's rather anxious to see her again. Especially after everything that's happened recently...]

There's a fair number of people living here and many of them come from worlds entirely different from Auldrant... but also quite a few people we know. Luke, Tear, Jade, Asch... Jade's sister, Nephry, His Majesty Emperor Peony, Professor Nebilim, Dist...

[And with a bit of hesitance:] ...Van is here as well.

[pigtailed_loli]

[Okay, okay. She could accept all that. But then- ]

The Commandant?! But he's dead!

[Things could seriously take a turn for the worse if he's still alive. Especially if he's stuck here with them. All of a sudden, the woods didn't feel as safe any more. She didn't have Tokunaga. It would be child's play for the Commandant to pick her off while she's wandering around, lost.]

//Filtered from Van Grants - 85%

[soreplaceable]

[Sorry Anise, you'll have to forgive Ion for not answering right away. They are still talking over the journals, after all, and he'd rather not risk Van hearing them talk about him just in case he happens upon this entry. Hopefully he managed to filter it in time.]

...though I haven't heard from him myself, Asch has informed us he's from before the outer lands were lowered. He said he wasn't a threat, but... [But it's Van.]

...he isn't someone you need to worry about right now. We should focus on getting you here to the village first.

[pigtailed_loli]

[She's growing a bit nervous about the pause, but keeps on walking, glancing warily around every once in awhile. This is a lot to take in. Maybe Ion's searching for something to help her?]

[Okay. It's been decided. Asch is a big, fat liar.] There's no way the Commandant isn't a threat![Is that a note of relief in her voice? NO OF COURSE IT ISN'T you're imagining things. It's not like she's a bit spooked by her surroundings and is glad to hear your voice again.]

I think I see some buildings! I should be at the village soon.

[soreplaceable]

[Well, he said not an immediate threat, but we'll get back to that later. Anise was almost in the village--]

[Anise was almost in the village. She was really here.]

The buildings should be numbered. Let me know when you can see them more clearly and I'll be able to come find you.

[Hopefully she's not too far. Technically, Ion wasn't supposed to be going out and walking around just yet, but... this was Anise. He couldn't just sit around and wait for her to find the right place!]

[pigtailed_loli]

Okay! No problem! [Her spirits soared at the thought of being reunited with Ion soon...but quickly plummeted. What if this isn't Ion? If Van is here, this might be a trap. Maybe he's planning to use Ion as bait and catch them together. But there isn't much she could do. She couldn't survive in the forest on her own.]

[By that time, Anise had arrived at the outskirts of the village.] Hey, Ion? Can you hear me? I think I see number 15.