[Voice / Action]

[dissonates]

Natalia's gone back.

[And he's... not sure how he even feels about that, especially since it's the second time now. He's not the sort to broadcast his feelings on the matter anyway, so he'll leave it at that.]

[Locked to Dist - 75% Unhackable]

If you've prepared everything you need, it's about time we meet.


[Asch won't be around the house much today; he'll probably be home late. His main haunts today will be the Battle Dome, the library, (maybe a quick bite to eat in the plaza |D) and finally Good Spirits to sulk read a book in a tucked-away corner of the bar. ...Though the amount of reading may decrease depending on what he's drinking over the course of the evening...

Oddly enough, Star the cheagle will be tagging along with him over the course of the day.]

Comments

[dissonates]

[Asch scowls, reaching down and grabbing Star by the scruff of the neck, ignoring the cheagle's startled squeak as he lifts him up.]

Dammit, why did you have to do that!? I was trying to- [And then he hastily turns the cheagle to the side, getting slightly singed (and even more annoyed) as Star puffs out a flame burst.]

[fabrecation]

[Normally, that would make Luke snicker to himself and maybe give Star a high-five (well, more like a pointer-finger-and-paw-five) later, but... he just sighs, shakes his head and walks closer to them.]

What're you two doing here? Is Star sick?

[dissonates]

[DAMMIT and he'd been so hopeful. He turns back as he hears her, eyes narrowed.]

What do you want?

[...His chances of looking even vaguely menacing (pathetic as they may be) are kind of undermined by the fact that he has a cheagle clinging to his shoulder.]

[dissonates]

[Asch scowls, dropping the cheagle and glancing away.]

It's none of your business. [Star opens his mouth to give a real answer, but shuts it as Asch gives him a nudge with his foot.] Star's fine.

[voiced; filtered]

[count-gardios.livejournal.com]

Nope.

I'll see you later.

[fabrecation]

Then...

["Are you okay?" But that seems kind of like a moot question right now. Besides, isn't he supposed to be pissed off at Asch?

Luke scowls lightly and glances away.]

Fine. Look, I'm going to train a little.

[dissonates]

[....Rrgh, fine, you stupid man. He'll wander off to grouch for a while before he heads into the bar to have a good drink + reading time.]

[dissonates]

[Asch pauses for a moment, hesitating, curiously enough. But Luke's not looking, so he can afford that.

He looks back briefly to the medical center, then back at Luke, stepping forward to brush past him and look at the computer panel, punching in a few buttons.]

You call this a training program?

[fabrecation]

[Once Asch walks past him, Luke lifts his head to follow his movements with confusion. What was he- Oi.]

I was working on it, okay?

[Action]

[count-gardios.livejournal.com]

[Guy will bring a drink over when Asch holes himself away in this booth over here.]

You don't look a day over nineteen.

[dissonates]

[TOO LATE, your hard work is erased. Sorry Luke, he's got one preprogrammed by now.]

Forget it, it was garbage. We're sparring, now. [Not... leaving much room for argument here |D]

[Action]

[dissonates]

[Asch doesn't even look up, flipping the page. The book he's perusing is surprisingly thick for someone like him. Star is curled up on Asch's tabard, which is neatly folded and resting on the table.]

So you're telling me you'd knowingly serve a minor?

[fabrecation]

[Well, this was a sudden hostile takeover. Luke can't help leaning back just a bit - What was with Asch all of the sudden?]

What the- Now? But I thought...

[dissonates]

You thought what? You're the one who stopped talking to me, remember?

[You have now entered the Twilight Zone.]

[fabrecation]

[Luke's pretty sure Asch didn't want him to keep talking to him, anyway. He gapes just slightly, shuts his mouth, glances away... Then lets out a groan. Maybe this'll be better than hacking away at holograms, anyway.]

Fine, I'll spar with you. [And with a glance at Star and a tilt of his head:] Wait for us out here, okay Star?

[dissonates]

[Star just nods, then scampers upstairs to the viewing area. Asch doesn't even give either of them a second glance, finishing the set-up and stepping inside the training area.

Inside probably doesn't look familiar, though Luke will probably recognize that it's a fonic glyph in the center of the floor.]

[fabrecation]

[Luke looks around the area, slightly impressed by what Asch decided to choose... but indeed, he does recognize that glyph on the floor. Wait... Was this somewhere in their world?]

Where are we?

[dissonates]

[Asch pauses briefly, focusing on unsheathing his sword and examining it. An Oracle Knight sword... not quite the same as the one he took from the soldiers before he died, but close enough. Though it's true that when he fought Luke here originally, he was using the Key...

...ah, whatever. He can't waste something like that on a spar, it would look suspicious. Belatedly, he finally answers Luke.]

It's a cathedral in Hod.

[...Close enough.]

[fabrecation]

... Hod? That Hod?

[Upon seeing Asch unsheathe his sword, Luke did so, too. He holds it at his side, ready just in case Asch decides to start the spar right then and there. Still, Luke can't help but glance around. This... This is a part of Hod? Guy's home? It looks like it must've been grand...]

[dissonates]

[Asch scoffs faintly, adjusting his grip, though he doesn't attack just yet. With Luke surprised like that, the spar would be over too quickly. Though he really should get that sample to Dist before he wanders off...]

What other Hod could I possibly mean?

[fabrecation]

But... How did it know about Hod?

[A whole, not destroyed Hod, for that matter.]

[dissonates]

How am I supposed to know? It was in the options so I picked it. [...Well, sort of. If Luke were to look for it again, "Hod" would probably show up as "Eldrant"... but oh well.] How does this place ever know anything about Auldrant?

[fabrecation]

I guess... [It still doesn't really make sense to Luke, but then again, when does anything in Luceti make sense?

After another moment of looking, Luke shakes his head, adjusts his grip on his sword and holds it out slightly behind him as he gets into his battle stance.]

Okay, I'm ready.

[dissonates]

[Good enough for Asch. With a quick nod, he wastes no time, dashing forward with a lunging jab. This is more than just for Dist's request, now- the setting cemented that. This is about victory, now.]

[Action]

[count-gardios.livejournal.com]

If I knew that minor was actually of age, yes I would.

[Guy folds his arms, but he doesn't sit.] It's not like you to come to a bar for the company. Especially with a book.