dissonates | [Action / Accidental Voice]

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[Action / Accidental Voice]

[There isn't much less pleasant than waking up cold and alone, is there? Which is exactly how Asch finds himself this morning- on his own in a tent behind the battle dome, no longer an adult but rather regressed to the tender age of about 11. In his haste to get up and figure out what's going on, he knocks over the journal, and it catches his alarmed call as he opens the tent flap to find a lot of snow and not much else.]

...Master Van...?

[This isn't the cozy, temperate region of Daath, which is puzzling, because he knows he'd been in Daath the night before. Where, then...?]

Master Van!

[Had he been abandoned? No... Van had said he needed him! There must be a reason for this.

Not noticing the journal, Asch tucks the blanket around himself and starts shuffling out through the snow, wandering into the village in search of something - anything - familiar.]

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[Asch stares at his hand for a long moment, his expression growing even more wary. If he goes with Guy... he'll end up going home. Van won't allow that. However he ended up here, it can't be what his master wants.

He takes another step back, then another. And then, hastily, he pulls the blanket off and throws it at Guy, turning away and taking off through the snow.]

Wha- Hey!

[Guy sputters and tosses the blanket aside, running after Asch. Thankfully his long legs are a great advantage, but...wow, Luke is moving very well. He's running with a lot more coordination than usual. And now that he's looking, isn't his hair a little darker? What's he wearing, anyway?

It hits him. Oh.

Guy stops short and cups his hands around his mouth.]

ASCH!

[Asch staggers at that, tripping and landing heavily in the snow. He pushes himself upright, glancing over his shoulder with widened eyes. Guy... he'd just called him Asch. Even he still wasn't used to that name! So how... how did he even know it? Did Van tell him? Why would he, when it was so important?]

[Guy jogs over and sinks into a crouch to help Asch out of the snow, brushing him off.]

I didn't think that'd startle you so much. Are you okay? Still in one piece?

[Asch's eyes dart from side to side, as if Van might appear out of nowhere and whisk him away, back to Daath. Away from Guy and the strange things that were going on.]

You... you're not supposed to know me. You shouldn't know that name...

What are you talking about?

[Er. Maybe he should treat this with more delicacy. Asch is probably in a very delicate time of his life- Guy realizes with a sinking feeling that he doesn't know anything about Asch's life in Daath. Not how he felt, what he did...only what Guy could infer, and what was common knowledge.

That would have to change, when Asch was back to normal.]

I know you. I was your servant for three years. I know I look a lot older than I should be, but that's...complicated. [The "storybook" explanation isn't going to get very far with this one. Guy decides to go straight for the jugular. He's not sure how well this will work, but...it's still something he feels he has to say. And it's not really a lie, either.]

I've been looking for you. I've been worried sick.

[Asch's eyes narrow at that, sidling away from Guy.]

You weren't looking! No one was looking for me! You have the replica!

[His replacement... why would anyone look for him when that lookalike was enough?]

He's not you.

[Asch stiffens, just staring at Guy. He knows that- he's known it all along. But... everyone else accepted the replica! How can Guy say that...?]

[Guy sighs and scratches the back of his head. Too much.]

Look, why don't you come with me? I give you my word I'm not taking you back to Baticul, but if you stay out in the snow in that outfit you're going to kill yourself.

...Where, then? [Where else could Guy take him? He's wary of agreeing, but Guy does have a point. Without the blanket he's already shivering, and even when he'd had it, it hadn't made much of a difference.]

[Geez, so serious.]

It's a house in this village. [He should probably drop this bombshell now, though it might make Asch run off again. If worse came to worst he could drag him there kicking and screaming, but Guy would like to avoid that if at all possible.] ...your replica is there, too.

[Bombshell, indeed. Asch's expression darkens again at once, and he looks like he's deciding whether or not to bolt.]

I can't go there. Master Van... he says I can't ever meet him.

Van isn't here. I'm looking after the both of you, now.

[...Um. What.]

I don't understand... where is he...?

[ASCH WHY CAN'T YOU BE AS GULLIBLE AS LUKE.]

It's about as hard to explain as it is to explain why I'm bigger. [Mrrrph. Looks like he's not going to get out of this without lying, either. Oh well.]

Asch...Van told me what was going on. About how he was the one who kidnapped you, and about your Score. He told me to take care of the both of you until he gets back, but I need you to trust me.

[BECAUSE, OKAY. ...JUST. BECAUSE.

That explanation seems slightly more plausible than before, but... it's still questionable. If Van wanted him to be looked after, he'd have left Asch with the Oracle Knights, in the underground base like always. Handing him over to Guy to be with the replica didn't make sense at all.

Still... he's shaking even harder before, so maybe he should let Guy take him inside. He can always run away later if he has to. Reluctantly, he stands up at last, rubbing his arms.]

[FINALLY. Asch's lips are nearly turning blue though, so Guy hurriedly shrugs out of his jacket and holds it out for Asch to slip his arms into.]

Here, put this on.

[Asch cooperates again, slipping on the coat and huddling slightly in the warm and somewhat overwhelming material; it's far too big for him, but the way it shelters his bare skin and the remnants of Guy's body heat is enough of a comfort for him to ignore everything else. His eyes remain fixed on the ground though, still trying to grasp the situation. There's so many questions he needs to ask, and he intends to drill Guy for all the answers until he's satisfied.

One thing that worries him, though... can he trust Guy?]

[Asch looks about Luke's age -physical age, anyway- so Guy assumes he's past the age of holding hands as you walk. So instead he starts for home, waiting for Asch to walk alongside of him, and occasionally a puts a hand to his back when they have to turn or change direction.]

[Asch is tense under Guy's hand every time he's touched, hands clenching into fists in the long sleeves of Guy's jacket. Whatever happens, he's going to be strong. He will be strong. And surely Van will come back for him, right? Van needs him...]

[Once they reach the house, Guy shows Asch over to the couch and checks on Luke.

...dead asleep. Oh well, that meeting will have to be later.

Guy returns to Asch and jerks his thumb in the direction of the kitchen.]

You need something warm in you. Join me in the kitchen?

[Asch had been peering around the house in confusion while Guy was gone, still huddled in the coat. This is nothing like the manor, or Daath. And he's never seen know like this. At Guy's invitation, he slips off the couch and shuffles after him, looking warily about as if someone's going to jump out at him or something.]

...Are we in Keterburg?

Not quite. It's a village called Luceti. [Guy ushers Asch to the table and gets started on something warm for him.]

Tea or hot chocolate?

Never heard of it. [Asch's brows furrow again, puzzling over it. He knew all the cities and towns of Kimlasca, and most of Malkuth, so his lack of recognition didn't make sense. Unless it had been developed while he was in Daath... but that still didn't explain why he, Guy, and the replica were all here.

Belatedly he remembers Guy had asked a question, and adds,] Chocolate.

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