dissonates | [Action /Voice]

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[So it's been almost a month. A lot has happened in that time, most of which Asch would much rather have avoided. But there's little helping that; it's common knowledge that life will kick you around even when you're already down, and he's used to it by now. Luceti has made him complacent over time, and this past month has been a very rude awakening. It's time to move on and stop pretending he's someone else.

So with the mask of dismissal very carefully reconstructed and back on his face where it belongs, as soon as the village starts to quiet down and the effects of the experiment fading, Asch returns from the mountain at last. His first trip is to the shop to leave his camping gear there, not wanting to carry it all the way back to the house. Instead he finds a crate and takes it to Good Spirits, raiding the back room (whether the bartender of the night likes it or not) and grabs a few bottles of the very strongest liquor. It probably looks like he's going on a drinking binge, and after all that's happened, who could blame him?

But no. Next stop is House 5, to come home for what he's decided will be the last time. He heads inside, calling out as he deposits the alcohol on the kitchen table-]

Hey, replica! We're leaving, let's go.

[After that it's time for packing. Then moving to a community building- the closest one, a safe distance but not too far, either. There's very little that he wants to keep, after all. Finally, a comment left in the journal this evening, to avoid a crowd-]

House 5 will be gone tonight. Don't interfere.

[And true to his word, thanks to well-placed tinder, matches, and a crate of hard liquor, House 5 will be a raging inferno around sunset this evening, with Asch, Luke, and Star the cheagle watching it burn to the ground.

Feel free to bother him at any time during all of this, if it tickles your fancy!]

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[Oh, she feels it. Though it's definitely putting her off a tiny bit, Miyabi has missed seeing Asch around, and speaking to him. But, she also knows these things take very long to heal. How long did it take for her to actually start being social after Issun ran away the first time? Ah, she couldn't remember... But it's with that understanding that her voice takes on a gentler tone, an honest one.]

I really would like to see you...but if you need time to move, I'm in no rush. It is nice to hear from you again, though.

[It's either out of instinct or the need to look around and assure anyone who might've seen the fire that everything is okay, but Luke lowers his hands a little to look over his shoulder - and that's when he sees that they do have an audience.]

H... Hey, Nephry! [Don't mind the raging inferno going on in front of them, really.]

Edited 2011-04-04 04:57 (UTC)

Luke...what happened?

[she can pretend it's an accident. A careless mistake.]

[Luke sets the sword on the counter before he leans beside it and looks over the list, recalling where the community houses are in Luceti. At first, Building 1 seems like a nice place, though his reasons are a tad selfish. It was a little further away from Xion, but what was another block or two? They were still close.

There were a lot of people there, though... It'd be weird enough moving into such a small place - at least, compared to House 5. The decision makes him a little annoyed at himself, but he thinks about other areas. He had Asch to think about too, after all. Which location would suit the both of them?

He thinks about Building 2 then. Not only was it still fairly close to Xion, but it was also near the Battle Dome, a place he knew Asch liked to visit regularly. That seemed to be a good choice. Now, as for rooms...

That decision doesn't take nearly as long, and he leans over to point out the apartment he thinks would be best.]

How about this one? Room five.

[Luke glances at Asch before he moves to get by Nephry, just so that Asch won't get annoyed at him if he says anything out of line.]

We're, uh... moving out.

...Well now you are, for certain.

Do you mean to tell me this fire is intentional?

We've already moved. Do whatever you like. [He pauses, and then adds as an afterthought-] Just don't expect much of a welcome.

[At least not from him.]

I told you, it doesn't matter. [Asch takes the notepad back, tucking it away and lifting a box off the table. This would be a hell of a lot faster if they could teleport or something, but moving the boxes from the house to the new apartment would at least give him some time to think.

Because he needed more of that, obviously.]

[Sigh, just as blunt and snippish as she remembers. Perhaps for the better, too. It at least puts a tiny hint of a smile on her face.]

I won't stay for too long. Which room is yours?

[Yuri glances over at Luke for a moment, raising an eyebrow slightly. ... Considering that he looks kinda exasperated ... yeah, Luke probably didn't realize this was going to happen.

... Which would make the person who did this probably Asch. ... In which case, yeah, he probably doesn't want to ask any further.

So, he shrugs.]

Kinda hard not to, but ... whatever. Not gonna break my heart either way.

Asch was the one who started it. [So don't look at him, man. Normally, he'd be so worried about Asch's behavior, but he just looks irritated right now. Asch was taking all these steps to push Guy out of their lives, and this... This was an extreme one.]

[Luke frowns at the dismissal, but he just shakes his head to himself and, once he sees that Asch is ready to head out, he takes the sword and heads back to his room to grab one of his own boxes (and to deposit the blanket he swiped into it). Once he comes back downstairs, he's carrying a fairly large box with his clothing inside, and the Jewel balances on top of it.]

Are we heading out now?

[Asch shoots Luke a brief look.] Of course we're going now, do you think I was just going to stand around holding this here? Idiot.[Let the abuse begin! But for the moment that's all Asch has to say, turning away and heading for the door.]

...Fifth room, on the first floor. [He's not sure whether or not he can take her at her word about the length of the visit, but maybe he can get her to distract Luke or something. That would at least give him time to sort his belongings and make it vaguely resemble some sort of home. Not that he'll call it that.]

[Luke glances at Yuri, then at Asch... Then, he moves to take Yuri's arm and lead him a few feet away, where he'll lean in to whisper:]

You know that... Guy went back, right?

Okay, okay! I'm sorry!

[Jeez. Here Luke thought he'd mostly escape the abuse since their contact in the mountains, at least for today. He shoots Asch a look in return, then shifts the box to a more comfortable position before he follows after him. Stupid Asch. At least he was feeling better enough to snap at him.]

[ it's only, purely by chance that Xion glances out one of the windows in her home and spots the light coming from down the road. she hadn't been looking at her journal, hadn't seen Asch's comment -- she'd been having a quiet night, really. after all that had happened, she wasn't up to being terribly social, even with people turning into bizarre creatures here and there.

but the chance glimpse makes her pause ... and actually step outside. as soon as she processes what she's seeing, she bolts down the road, alarmed and quite a bit worried.

once she sees the two boys and the cheagle, though, she slows, then comes to a stop ten feet aware from them... and from the raging bonfire that was once their house. she looks from it, to them, back to it again...

... she'd liked it there.

not sure which of the two she actually wants to get the attention of, she simply takes a few steps closer and calls out, to be heard over the roar of flame ]

Hey.

[Luke's horrified expression possibly grew even more when he heard that voice. Ooooh no, no no no, not Xion of all people! Luke was already freaked out enough by this, and now his girlfriend has to see it?

He turns, hands still in his hair, to look at her with wide eyes. Asch himself turns his head to look at her for only a second before he turns his gaze to the fire again, obviously not in the mood to speak, but at least acknowledging her presence. Instead, Luke will do the talking for him.]

Xi-Xion!

[It's not until the fire starts winding down that Nami makes an appearance on the road from the plaza, walking more and more slowly as she takes in more detail.

Hardly as if she needs more confirmation than house five burning down. She wonders vaguely whether she should put the fire out, or maybe just yell at someone for being so ~~symbolic~~ dramatic (Asch? She assumes it's Asch who did this).

But in the end, she doesn't say anything at all, stopping a few feet behind them and just... staring at the burning house with an utterly blank expression.]

[Since the fire's mostly died down already, Asch isn't watching it as carefully anymore- the majority of the structure is gone, leaving only a pile of quietly crackling timbers, so hyperresonance isn't needed to stop the spread. Asch's focus shifts to his surroundings more, and when Nami approaches, he glances over his shoulder, watching her warily. It figures; one of Guy's friends had to show up eventually. He doesn't speak, though, since he's not even sure of what to say to her. "Sorry he's gone"? "Deal with it"? "Get the hell away"? ...Or all of the above.]

[Said leading away throws Yuri off a little (heck, if Luke didn't end up saying something right afterward, he might've gotten an earful about it), but hearing what he had to say ...]

... Yeah. I heard about it. [While he doesn't always speak up, he certainly does go through the journal network fairly often.]

[She doesn't have any words for Asch, either. Not straight away. It takes time to sink in. Nami's half expecting Guy to surface at her shoulder and make dry comments about his house burning down, honestly.

Minutes stretch and nothing changes, and Nami's gaze shifts to stare at the road.]

...I didn't know.

[The walk to the community building is quiet; Asch intends to remain silent, so any conversations would be started on Luke's part- though he'd only get a vaguely gruff respond even if he tried. Upon reaching their new apartment, he swiftly claims a room, dumping his stuff inside and heading out again to get more. This'll continue until all of their stuff has been moved.

He has one last mission at the house to accomplish, though, before he can really move in.]

[Asch looks back at Nami again, only briefly, then lowers his eyes instead of focusing on the fire. This is one hell of a way to find out a friend is gone.]

...He's fine. Probably happy to get out of here.

[Luke glances down at the floor, his expression sobering into something that's just... sad and depressed. He's not as bad as when he first found out, at least, but still... That was his best friend.]

Guy and Asch were... [Uh. How does he...? Considering their relationship still weirded him out, despite how much he vouched for it. Luke can't help reaching to rub the back of his neck as he tries to spit it out, though quietly; he's sure Asch doesn't want Luke telling everyone about this.] Uh... really close.

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/sacrifices Frank to see if her third attempt works

it's super effective!

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8Db ...Sadly I am now out of goats to sacrifice.

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...there's always Meme

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