[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

[Voice]

[dissonates]

[It occurs to Asch that this is the first time someone close to him has been sent home. ...Hm. Well it's not like he's going to be gentle about it, but sending him to Guy at some point would probably make life easier for all of them.]

You should get used to it.

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

[Talk about insensitive, man.]

What, does that mean you are?

[Voice]

[dissonates]

I've been here for more than a year. How many people do you think I've seen leave already?

[And yeah, maybe it still affects him. But he knows how to avoid showing it by now... mostly.]

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

That doesn't mean it just- gets easier!

[Luke doesn't even know why he's shouting- he's just so... hurt, sad and angry, and not even at Asch. But Asch is there, and he can take Luke yelling, even if it means he might yell back.]

[Voice]

[dissonates]

[And yell he does.]

You can believe whatever you want, you stupid dreck! You think I care!?

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

[He sure wishes you did sometimes. Those insults - again - just makes him feel like he got physically shoved down, again.]

... Damn it, just- Shut up and leave me alone!

[JOURNAL SHUT. And right after he does that, he feels like he should open up the journal again and try to talk, but... No. Both of them aren't in the mood for that.

Instead, he'll just... clench his hands together, then get up and head out of his room. He can't stay in the house anymore.]

[dissonates]

[He starts the conversation, and then he ragequits? Ugh, stupid dreck, seriously.

But they can't seem to avoid each other forever; Asch is just heading out of the medical center as Luke conveeeeniently might just be showing up at the battle dome later on in the day...]

[fabrecation]

[Asch is the one who didn't want to talk to him in the first place, jeez. 8|

Indeed, that's where Luke is. He'd been wandering the village for a while, just trying to get his mind off of the fact that Natalia is gone... But nothing had been working. So, what better way to focus on something else than battling with holograms?

Luke doesn't really notice Asch yet - he's busy trying to figure out the coordinates. He can do the simpler battles, but he wants more of a challenge now.]

[dissonates]

[.....Crap. It's the replica. Asch stands still for a moment, debating if he can back away into the medical area just long enough for Luke to go inside the room- and the pause is just long enough for Star to stop moping about his talk with Dist and notice Luke there, piping up with an excited, "mieu!"]

[fabrecation]

[That's enough to make Luke's attention snap to the medical bay, and- oh. It's Asch. But the fact that he's even here makes Luke lift his hand away from the coordinates; what was Asch doing here? And in the medical bay, at that? And with Star?]

Asch? Star?

[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]

[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.

[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]

[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?

[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]

[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?