[Action / Accidental Voice]

[dissonates]

[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.]

Comments

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[There's something strangely familiar about that kid, enough so that it catches Emil's attention as he's taking Sial for a walk. Sial recognizes that scent right away, however, and races over to run in a happy circle in front of Asch in the hopes of being petted.]

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Asch jumps back, more startled than afraid, though he remains wary. Auldrant has some small monsters, but even they can be dangerous when you have nothing to fight them with.]

Stay back...!

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Sial stops bouncing and chirps, tilting his head curiously. See? He isn't going to bite or anything. Now will you pet him?]

[Action]

[dissonates]

[He... is definitely going to hesitate and wait a bit, but he does crouch down, brows furrowing. What is with all these friendly animals?]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Once he does that, Sial is going to roll over onto his back for belly rubs.

And it's about then that Emil reaches the pair, looking apologetic.]

I'm sorry... I can tell him to stop if he's bothering you.

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Asch had been in mid-reach for Sial when Emil spoke up, and at the voice, he hastily withdraws, eyes averted.] No... it's fine! I don't care what it does.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

He's not going to bite you if that's what you're worried about.

[... this kid looks really, REALLY familiar to him. And that attitude...]

... Asch?

[Action]

[dissonates]

[His gaze snaps back to Emil at that, because what.] H-how do you know my name? Are you with the Order?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

No, I don't even know what the Order is. You and I, um... you know me when you're older, if that makes any sense at all.

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Skeptical look here.] That doesn't make any sense at all.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I know it sounds strange, but I'm not lying, I swear.

[Action]

[dissonates]

...How much older? [Still suspicious, obviously, but less wary in a "this guy is crazy but in that case I can probably take him" sort of way. Ah, the ambitions of a child.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[And Emil blinks because... he realizes he doesn't know exactly how old Asch usually is.]

Um... I think the you I know is eighteen or nineteen.

[Action]

[dissonates]

[.....]

That's not right. I'm not going to live that long.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

Why would you think that?

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Abruptly Asch shuts his mouth, looking away. This isn't something he's going to talk about with a stranger.]

Forget it. I don't believe you.

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

I'm sorry... but I really am telling the truth.

[He's not sure how to convince this Asch that he ISN'T a stranger.]

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Still doubtful here. Asch himself isn't even sure of how he could be convinced. He's not sure he wants to be.]

What do you want with me?

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

What do you mean? I don't want anything with you-- I just want to be your friend, that's all.

[Action]

[dissonates]

...You can't just walk up to someone and become their friend. It doesn't work like that.

[Because you're such an expert at making friends, Asch.]

[Action]

[knightofratatosk]

... why not?

[That's how Emil has ended up making most of his friends.]