[ voice ]

[pandamaiden]

I left and returned, and nothing had changed. Everyone I knew, or most of them, were still here. Zack and Angeal. Kenpachi and Cloud, too. Lenalee. Sakura...

[ She trails off, quiet. She wasn't here the whole time, but she remembers them. All of them. And more, too.

And now they're gone. Anatole seems kind of lonely, compared to what it was. She's

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[voice]

[trickster_treat]

How did you leave and come back?

[voice]

[pandamaiden]

I don't remember.

[ She sounds maybe a little thoughtful, but not too concerned. ]

[voice]

[trickster_treat]

People just disappear, huh?

[voice]

[pandamaiden]

Yes, I guess so... I don't remember leaving, but everyone told me I had been gone.

I can't explain it, even though I've been over it many times.

[video | private]

[inpiecesofcloud]

[She smiles. It's getting easier to do that again.]

That would be fun, Mei-Mei!

[video | private]

[pandamaiden]

[ She likes that smile. She wants to keep seeing that smile. ]

Where should we go?

[video | private]

[inpiecesofcloud]

Let's go to the place where I got my shoes for the masquerade. There's a hat shop next door we can go to, too. They let you try on all the funny hats there!

[video | private]

[pandamaiden]

Really? They don't mind?

[ voice ]

[lonestray]

I'm sure they are.

[It's not something he knows he believes, himself. But he's not about to let Mei know that. That's another thing Anatole has change about him--before, he would not have given or accepted empty reassurances. But there was a period where "hope" was all that kept him moving, so he understands, now. The need for it.]

...One of mine did, in a sense. But not the way I had wanted [As for the other one...well, as long as he is here, it will have come true.]

[ voice ]

[pandamaiden]

Yes... I am sure you are right.

[ And she really hopes he is. ]

What happened?

[ voice ]

[lonestray]

[...Crap, he should've seen that question coming.]

...I'd rather not talk about it. Suffice it to say, it was a trick of the mist...and nothing more. [Nothing more, he's told himself, over and over. It's the only way he can make peace with having watched his brother die, again.]

[ voice ]

[pandamaiden]

[ Luckily for you, Scar, Mei knows when not to press. You'll tell her eventually. She's quiet for a bit. ]

... My wishes came true. [ Focus change! ] But I think I have a new wish.

Do you have any new ones?

[atonementsucks]

You celebrate Tanabata here?

[...well as far as ice breakers go that's... something.]

Sounds like there's a lot of disappearances lately. That normal?

[pandamaiden]

We haven't this year, but it was celebrated last year. You know about it?

[ Perfect. Now, can he keep it going? ]

Yes. [ A little somber. It's not as fun to talk about as Tanabata is. ] It isn't uncommon for people to come and go in small groups.

[atonementsucks]

Kind of. ...I used to travel a lot. You run into all kinds of cultures that way.

[And eat them. He can totally keep it going!]

I wonder why. That makes it sound like someone's choosing them.

[pandamaiden]

Really? Where have you gone? What sort of cultures did you learn about?

[ No eating the cultures, Angel. ]

It's possible. It seems to favor some worlds over others, but I do not know why. The worlds it favors appear to have many strong people. Maybe it is attracted to power?

[ She's thinking now. See what you did? ]

[voice]

[ignite_the_sky]

...Tanabata?

[voice]

[pandamaiden]

It is a festival!

The Ramen Shop owner hosted one last year. We made wishes and hung them.

[voice]

[ignite_the_sky]

Sounds as though it was enjoyed.

[Hanging wishes, huh? Talk about weird cultural observances.]

What did you wish for?

[voice]

[pandamaiden]

It was! Very much.

[ Maybe a little weird for someone else, but perfectly normal for her. ]

I wished to restore status to my clan.

[ A long pause. Does it matter, since it's already happened? is it really okay to talk about it? ]

I wished... for him to smile. [ Him. Scar. And he smiled for her. She's content with those few times. ]