[Voice / Action]

[dissonates]

I need to speak with one of the Malnosso.


[Today, Asch is all over the place. First to the plaza, to check the item bazaar for a few things; next, to the north edge of the village, above the houses, his favourite spot to blow shit up practice his fonic artes; finally, to the opposite edge, sword practice against the targets inside the barracks. He's gotten so restless since Luke's disappearance and he needs to stay on the move to avoid going crazy.

Feel free to bother him at any of those locations or even en route; he could use some socializing.]

Comments

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[His head jerks up.]

Your question...?

[Action]

[dissonates]

What you were doing.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I... I don't know.

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Hm.

....Fair enough. But knowing Emil, he can make a wild guess-]

Hiding and sulking isn't going to get you anywhere.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

... I wasn't hiding.

[Not consciously, at least. It's just sort of in his nature to retreat from situations he doesn't want to deal with.]

[Action]

[dissonates]

[You see this look, Emil? This look says "I call you on your bullshit."]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I just... I just wanted to be alone.

[Action]

[dissonates]

Aren't you upset because people left?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[He nods, looking away.]

[Action]

[dissonates]

So you think that wandering off to be alone is what's best?

[A little hypocritical of him, since that used to be the first thing he did, but he's learned to at least seek out Guy first these days. Maybe someday he'll learn to branch out.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Why wouldn't it be?

[He's clearly cursed; H moved in with him and then was sent home, and now two of his best friends are gone too.]

[Action]

[dissonates]

I thought you were supposed to rely on your friends.

[Or so he's heard.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Not anymore.

[Action]

[dissonates]

Why?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Because they... they're just going to leave, like everyone else did.

[Action]

[dissonates]

And pushing away the people still here is your solution.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Why does it matter if they're just going to be sent home too?

[Action]

[dissonates]

You don't know that. You're just making assumptions because you're scared.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I do know that. Why else would people like Richter and Tenebrae and Horatio and Luke all get sent home?

[Action]

[dissonates]

...Emil, I want you to do something for me.

[Stop being retarded for one- wait he can't say that, damn. It's strange; despite how frustrating Emil is being, Asch feels oddly calm. Maybe it's because he understands- he's been there.]

List all the people who you either consider friends or who you know care about you.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[He thinks for a moment. What counts as a friend? Just talking to someone? He talks to a lot of people, but he's not sure he would consider all of them friends, more like acquaintances.]

Um... you, Doctor McCoy, Yuri, Raven, Judith, Colette, Sheena, Zelos, Genis, Regal, Raine, Buffy, Fina, Minato, Vyse, Stahn...

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Asch just leans back and crosses his arms, giving Emil a look. Are you paying attention to what you're saying, Emil?]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

But they could all be sent home too, and I might never see them again.

[Action]

[dissonates]

And they might stay here for a year, two, more than that. Just how long are you going to push them away?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I... I don't know.