dissonates | [Video]

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[It's early afternoon. The journal flies open and turns on abruptly in mid-air, a blast of resonating energy having blown it away from where it had been placed. As it flies, a few flashes of red, white, and black are visible, and when it lands, Asch and Luke are in the distance, swords clashing, the rec center just beyond where they're fighting. Occasionally they'll exchange commentary, but none of it seems to filter in.

The resonating noise continues, though, and as their swords clash one more time, it seems to grow even louder than before, until finally one shout rings clear-]

Pull back you dre-

[And before he can even finish, an explosion of light flares between them, and two identical cries of alarm are the only sound that filters through that eerie resonance. The light spreads, flaring outwards and sending the journal flying backwards, cutting off the feed.

The light is probably visible to most of the village as a single beam of light flying up towards the barrier and disappearing from sight. And there is a nice big crater in the forest just south of the rec center, where pretty much anything in that location - trees, bushes, grass, whatever - has... pretty much been decimated. A journal bearing Asch's name on the cover is sitting in the grass just outside of the crater, looking pretty ripped up and charred. The scene overall probably looks pretty dooming, especially since neither of the redheads are anywhere to be found.

[ooc: most responses will come from Luke, though Asch will chime in as well when he can!]

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Wh- shut up, both of you! That's disgusting!

[Asch is very much aware of the awkwardness of the atmosphere, he just. Doesn't particularly care. Stupid jittery replicas. He steps forward to retrieve a towel and his journal from the bag, setting the latter down to start drying himself off. The other two are free to deal with their problems as much as they like in the meantime, because unless something really stupid catches his attention, he probably won't care much.]

Wh- No! That's sick! I'm going back inside!

[And he's gone.]

[CANNOT STOP LAUGHING.]

[JOURNAL SLAM. GOD, YOU PEOPLE, WHAT EVEN.]

[God Asch, not all replicas are stupid. Luke just happens to be one of them.

That hesitation of Xion's just makes Luke's fears rise more, and he lowers his head and glances away. He knew it. He was stupid. He's a stupid boyfriend, and now Xion doubts him and can't trust him and why didn't Asch leave him out there -

No, no. His thoughts can't spiral down like that... Xion stayed by his side even when he told her how he killed thousands upon thousands of people. Surely she won't leave just because of this?

He glances up at her before he darts his gaze away again.]

... I'm sorry.

[ Xion ... watches Asch for a moment, brow furrowed, because -- really? He's so casual about it...

Of course, then Luke speaks, and she looks back to him. Her brow ... remains furrowed, and she frowns. But it's not an angry frown.

Deciding that if Asch SO OBVIOUSLY does not care then she doesn't either, she closes the distance between her and Luke, ducking her head, trying to get him to look at her. She lifts a hand -- as if to reach up to his face -- but the motion stops halfway. ]

... it's okay. [ ... even though it's obviously not. ]

[Luke is pretty used to Asch acting like that, so he doesn't even look at him. In fact, fortunately for him, he's not looking at Xion either, so he can't see that frown on her face. He does notice her hand - and he lifts his own, though it hangs in the air for a second... before he takes her hand in his.]

No, it's not okay. I told myself I was going to be honest with you, and... [He shuts his eyes.] I just... I don't like to talk about that.

[ .... that's no real excuse. He knows it, and she knows it, and everyone knows it, and she keeps frowning, though she doesn't remove her hand from his or anything. Softly ]

I know you don't. But from the first second I saw that light, Luke ... it was pretty obvious what must have happened.

[ There is a hint of reproach in her tone. Just a hint, nothing more. ]

I just ... please, tell me the truth next time, okay? [ She assumes there will be a next time, yes. And she glances at their hands, and .... her frown fades into something more ... worried, more concerned. Almost ... upset. ]

Edited 2011-05-21 05:15 (UTC)

[But it is the truth. Luke will avoid and avoid and avoid if the topic approaches something he keeps locked up inside - he'd do it to Guy, he'd do it even to Tear. It's a hard habit to kick himself out of, even for Xion. Even now, Luke's shoulders are tense. What if they had killed someone, or blown up a building? Yuri had assured him that no one was there and that the place would fix itself... but what if? What if their power destroyed more? Asch was right; it really wasn't right to dwell on the "what if"s. Luke already feels sick.]

Mm... All right. [He'll do his best. For her, at least. He finally glances up at her - and sees that look on her face.]

... Did I screw up?

[ ... she looks up at his face.

Abruptly it all comes rushing back to her -- everything she'd felt in those few black minutes before Mewtwo's arrival, before she heard his voice...

The endless, aching fear that maybe he'd....

Her expression collapses, and abruptly her eyes well up. Overwhelmed, she quickly shakes her head. ]

I just... [ her voice is high, and soft, and a little thick. ] ... I was so scared. All I found was this crater, and you were just gone and... [ Her shoulders jump. Oh, not again... ]

[... Oh. Yeah, to... anyone who might not know what all hyperresonance can do, that it can warp people away...

He tightens his grip on her hand as he steps forward and pulls her into a one-armed embrace, his head leaning against hers.]

... We're all right. Really. [Yeaaah best not to bring up that he nearly drowned.]

[ To her credit, she does not cry. She threads her fingers through his, tightly, and wraps her other arm around his waist. She stays there for a moment, forehead to forehead, then shifts positions slightly, burying her face in his neck so she can press closer to him. He's warm -- and still soaking wet -- he smells like the ocean -- and he's alive. Holding her. Thank goodness... ]

[Luke lets go of her hand to hold her with both arms, and he rests his chin on her shoulder, shuts his eyes and smiles a little. It was... okay. He didn't screw up - not too badly, at least. Not as bad as he was thinking. And Xion was here, and she's not afraid for him - them anymore.

... Oh, jeez, he's still wet, isn't he? And now she's all wet, too... Still, he'll hold her until she pulls away.]

[He nods. No need to be apologizing.]

There is nothing wrong with that.

[ponder...]

...I do have a question.

[That...actually makes him pause for a moment. Dist would just love to say that yes, he'd like these two blemishes eradicated from the face of the earth forever, but he'd also rather not deal with the consequences of saying so on an open network.

Of course, he can never be nice, so have a backhanded confession.]

Not necessarily...you and Asch are invaluable research subjects. To lose two perfect isofons would be counterproductive to what I hope to learn from observing you. If you die, I'd hope you do so once my research is complete.

...What will you do? It's quite a long walk back.

[ It was perplexing to hear the clanging of swords coming from her journal. The quality of the sound was so good that it was almost as if she was listening to it in person. It was then she realized she was near the sparring match when a blast of light came from the forest not so far from her.

Without another thought she immediately ran into the forestry ready to heal anyone injured. She finally stopped at the decimated clearing and her heart nearly stopped when there was no sign of human life. ]

H-hello! Is anyone here?!

You aren't hurt, are you?

[Because, uh. That did not sound very good, nor did it look good either.]

I'm trying to make it work! [And by the metallic THUNK that Nephry just heard, Luke plans to do it by beating it into submission. He gives a frustrated sigh when that yields nothing.] ... But Asch is contacting Xion. She's got portals, so...

[And that makes Luke stay silent for a good minute. It's one thing to know someone would like you dead. It's another to actually hear someone say it to your face. And here he had a grudging respect for Dist... Still does, really. But...

If Luke could throw the journal away, he would. But he can't afford to do that right now, not when there are still people worried about him. So they're just test subjects to him... Nothing but experiments.

Luke knows that he's nothing more than that, really. But Asch? Asch, who's a human? Asch, who he cares so much for?]

... That's sick. I don't even want to understand how your head works.

[But where did Dist ever say he wanted anyone dead? His words of mockery merely imply, never state, unless it's intended. In reality - as much as he'd deny it - Dist would definitely feel something if news came of either Asch or the replica's death. Whether negative or positive, that's another story. He's neither bad nor good, but he's certainly not evil.

He wouldn't be doing research on how to save your miserable lives if he was.]

I doubt you could understand even if you did want to, boy! And do not judge what you do not know! ...I never stated what I was researching, after all.

[A few minutes later, Martel might hear some sounds coming from the charred journal off to the side. It sounds like waves and two voices muttering to each other, and finally one rises a little louder than the other.]

Are you trying to drown me or something?!

Edited 2011-05-24 04:44 (UTC)

[ Her anxiety got even worse after hearing the word "drown." Is she witnessing a murder here? She raised her voice a little higher. ]

Hello?! Who's out there?! Is someone trying to drown you?! Please tell me where you are!

[ She does, eventually, pull away, now with a calm little smile on her face. She obviously feels much better.

The front of her dress is damp now from where she was pressed against him, and she smooths her hands over it a little self-consciously, but she doesn't really care that much. ]

Come on. I should get you two home.

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