dissonates | [Voice]

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[Voice]

[Silence.

There's too much of it. It burns into his mind, the echo of emptiness in the corner of it, that ache he can't seem to brush aside no matter how he tries to distract himself. He's tried going outside, he's tried burying himself in that braille stuff Xion gave him, he's tried striking up conversations with his housemates (even the animals), but he runs out of things to say far too quickly and in the back of his mind it's always there. The silence, the echo. The fact that something is missing.

Dead.

And then he's had enough.

The journal's camera is partially obscured when the feed flickers on, and what it does show is his face - eyes, a flash of red hair, his bangs down - just enough to make it seem like he's not quite himself. His voice, too, is softened; it's not as open and friendly as Luke would have been when greeting the village, but it lacks the usual anger or pent-up frustrations of the socially-awkward soldier. If anything it sounds... hushed, weary, tinged with a bit of desperation. He needs this. Whether or not he wants to do it is irrelevant.

It hurts. The silence hurts, more than last time when Luke had been sent home, and he honestly hadn't thought it would.]

Tell me about your day. Tell me a story. Talk about anything. Today I'm listening.

[He might not care. He might not be nice about it. He might not even remember it later. But he'll listen.

He just needs to hear something, so he can forget about the nothing in his head for a while.]

((Asch is blind, so all tags must be voice/action or he cannot respond to them!))

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[Molly's just getting used to things here, and she doesn't mean to reply. She's just flipping through the book, telling herself to breathe and that it's really okay if the pages talk. Kind of like a kid's book and a computer all wrapped in one. Nothing strange about that.

But she stops when she hears a voice, one that sounds so tired and sad. And though she doesn't know this person, she can't just ignore him. Not when he sounds this way.

All he wants is someone to talk. Molly can do that.]

I--I have a cat? [That sounds like she's asking. Molly shakes her head and tries again.] No, I mean. I do have a cat. His name's Toby. He's really clever, though sometimes he acts a little...well. Strange.

[It was the offer of an ear via the journals rather than a voice that caught Lupin's attention as he lay sprawled out on the floor of his apartment to fight off another bout of the spins. It was sunny and hot, a refreshing change from the storm a few weeks back, but one that left Lupin wondering why he just felt bad that day. There was rain a couple of days ago. It must have been that.

Opening every single window in his apartment and propping the door open wide provided no relief, but only let the heat enter along with the cross breeze. He would get up to fix that problem, but for now...]

Have you ever had a goal that was utterly wrecked by everything else happening in life?

[Luce, hears this and frowns a little. The man sounded like he needed something... If Luce had more social graces he would tell a story that hasn't been repeated by him a thousand times over, but he doesn't know anything besides the stories of his faith and the tales Abel had told him. But Abel could tell his stories better. So, he just starts off with the same story he knows at the same place.]

A long, long time ago, the Deity laid down, and em's body became the Earth. One day, feeling alone, the Deity focused and created life. Thus came the Lady. The Lady picked up the sword and went off to learn more about the world, and one day grew lonely. The Deity could sense it and thus created The Sire, the sire decided to pick up the pen and went off to learn more about the world.

They both started to learn, the Lady learned the animals of the land could be eaten and were made in similar methods, the Sire learned that there was similar traits among similar species. They both learned in their different ways. One day, they met up and did not like each other.

They both thought their method of learning was the right and the best, instead of seeing they both learned the same things...

[Tap, tap. That's the sound of someone's knuckle against the door frame. Ginji pokes his head into the room, still at least attempting a smile after yet another day of trials and housekeeping misadventures.]

Mr. Asch? It's Ginji. Arietta and I were just trying to figure out what would be good for dinner tonight.

[It's more-or-less the truth, but Asch's behavior hasn't gone completely unnoticed, either. Dinner just seemed like a reasonable excuse to check in on him.]

[Oh, Asch. Her heart is aching for Luke, too, but seeing him like this...it makes her heart ache even more. They'd been through so much the last couple of months. So much, both of them. She still doesn't understand it, but she does understand a heart in pain, and this is how it goes.]

Asch... [She promises herself she will keep her voice steady. She needs to be there for him right now, and she's not going to let her own sadness sell that short.] Can I tell you a story?

[Well this is an interesting way to meet someone like Asch. John, still more or less a hermit and currently sprawled on his bed in his community housing room looking through his journal, tilts his head at the feed for a long time before he shrugs.]

...Uh, there was this one time I think I sort of destroyed the planet on accident, I could tell you about it.

[....A... cat. That was the best she could do.

Well.

It's all he can do to avoid tossing back a snide remark. She's talking, and he said he'd listen- so let's try holding true to his word.]

All cats are strange. I assume it's a genetic factor.

[He sounds so hurt. Surely there's no trouble at all in giving him something to listen to.

Of course, the best story she knows is the one she's a part of. But that might not be the best story for him now - she heard about Luke, and she remembers what happened when Asch died. So perhaps something else. Every story she can think of to do with their journey and their world is about life, or death, or fighting. ...Except.]

In a town far to the south of where I live, there is a legend about a baby girl who is said to have fallen from the moon. The people of that town named her a child of the gods, and were amazed as she grew, for though she was a girl of few words, the wind and the storms bent to her will with a thought. Her adoptive parents tried to protect her and raise her in safety, but she had an adventurous and curious heart that wanted to know everything it could stand to know.

[There's a question that was unexpected, particularly since it feels like a dig at his own life more than anything. Which is impossible, of course, because he doesn't even know this man. He'll just attempt to bury whatever anger the comment stirs up and answer vaguely, then.]

I doubt you'd find a person alive who hasn't had that happen to them.

[It's the cat or Glee, Asch. And Molly doesn't know if you have Glee on your planet.]

Oh, you think so? Toby's my first, so I wouldn't know about all of them. Do you not like cats?

Once upon a time in Tokyo there was a girl who lived in a mansion. Her name was Monaka, and she was a successor to a large mansion as well as a family run flower-arranging company. Her parents were dead, and because she was so young Monaka's uncle ran the business. Over the years Monaka's body grew weak, and her uncle treated her very harshly. He would yell, and sometimes even slap Monaka. Her uncle would also pretend to love her. Pretend he was doing those things for Monaka's own good.

However on the year Monaka was about to turn sixteen a strange man arrived at the mansion. He claimed to be an exorcist of first class rank, and told the residents of the mansion that Monaka was posses by a demon. He came with a warrant, so even if the uncle wanted to throw him out he could not. The strange man seemed very nice, and he circled Monaka's bed with holy water. He told her, "If you value your life, do not leave your bed." The man then sprinkled some holy water on Monaka, which had a sleeping solution to help her sleep.

It was hard to fall asleep for Monaka with the man right there, so she asked him to tell her as story. He told her about a small demon who was weak and had no name. The small demon was an underling of Pazuzu. The bigger, stronger, named demon would abuse the small one. He would call him names, and break his body. But one day he met a human girl. At first demon tried biting her, and she ran away... But the girl came back. She came back with a small jar and a few flowers arranged inside. She said, "Let me share what I like with you." He thought it was beautiful.

The girl then bandaged his catlike body, cleaned his fur, and gave him a name. "Night, I'll call you. Because you're as black as the midnight sky." The demon's life changed completely. She shared with him her hopes and dreams, fed him, and gave him somewhere comfortable to sleep. The demon then wished he was human. He wished he was human because then he could express how he felt about the girl who changed his life.

The happiness for the little demon did not last. His overlord, Pazuzu, noticed the girl. "We should torment her," he said. And so he did. Pazuzu found a man with a twisted heart, possessed him, and then used him to take away the girl's parents. Slowly he tainted the girl, and finally stole her freedom from her. She grew weaker and weaker, and Night was powerless to stop it.
"Night," the girl spoke to him one evening, "I almost drowned in the river today. My parents died trying to help me. It's my fault they're dead. Night, please never leave me!"

"Did you know," Pazuzu whispered to Night, "virgin girls are ripest to demons at the age of sixteen. It's customary to eat them on their day of birth. She doesn't even have ten years left."

Night couldn't take it anymore. He stood up to Pazuzu, and the larger demon struck him down. Left him for dead. "We demons are worthless beings," Night coughed, "But I will not let Monaka be killed." Night left the girl and Pazuzu to learn from Exorcists how to kill other demons.
The story ended, Monaka was asleep, and the strange man - Night - whispered softly to Monaka, "Just be patient a little longer." But then someone burst into the room. Employees had begun to foam at the mouth. Night woke Monaka. He told her not to answer anyone calling her name, and that a demon can take control of one's mind if they answer the call. He also said that if she got into trouble she should jump in the pond. Night planted crosses in the water, and that it should be holy water by now.

"I can't," she cried, "I can't go in the water, not after my parents died." But Night told her to be strong. He was there for her. It would be okay. With that Night left her. Monaka was in the room alone.
Not long after Night left Monaka's uncle came. He spewed mean words, and then leaped forward to eat her. Thankfully the holy water barrier distracted Pazuzu long enough for Monaka to escape to the pond.

That's when she began to have flashbacks. Thoughts of her parents blaming her for their death. Monaka covered her ears and cried, feeling horrible. Pazuzu took this chance to make her fears worse. To make her hallucinate them clinging to her, blaming her. -But Night stepped in. He attacked Pazuzu, and yelled at Monaka.

"Never forget that which you love."
Monaka had real flashbacks this time. Of her parents loving and caring for her. While Pazuzu and Night fought she came to a realization. As Night took Pazuzu down, he tried to get help from Monaka by saying things about how he loved her and took care of her. But Monaka rejected Pazuzu, and Night delivered the final blow. The demon left her uncle's body.

"Take care of yourself," Night told her.
"Thank you," she replied.
Night then left. Monaka never truly realized it was him, but she had a feeling. They may not have stayed together, but Night repaid Monaka for the kindness she once showed him. The end.

[For an easier/more comprehensive view of the story go here. Only read Volume One - Chapter One.]

Edited 2012-07-09 03:50 (UTC)

[He doesn't even care enough about the man on the other end right now to bother looking at the name, although he will at a later point. The melancholy inherent to the tone bugs him enough to incite curiosity.]

Figured as much. It doesn't normally happen to me is the thing...and it was supposed to be a fun plan, if you catch my drift.

[Asch listens carefully for a moment, brows furrowing. Religious tales rarely interest him - growing up in a church with a religion proven false by one's very existence kind of does that to a person - but the story raises some interesting questions.]

Are those terms literal, or just symbolic? It's unusual for a woman to take up the sword, traditionally.

Literal. [To Luce they are of course.] And why would it be unusual for a woman to take up a sword? She has hands to hold it, arms to swing it and legs to drive her forward.

It's not that. I actually have one of my own.

What's your name? I'm Ikki!

[ tell him about her day. hmm. ] Today I woke up and used the prayer beads my grandpa gave to me. At home, I live on an island that's mostly a temple - Air Temple Island. There are lots of monks and nuns there, people we call Air Acolytes. They live there and help us, bringing back our culture. I like meditating in the mornings and stuff, even if sometimes it can be a little boring. I think it's a little peaceful, too.

After that I went and made breakfast for myself, only Grandpa helped, and then I cleaned up. And then there was airbending practice, 'cause I have to do that every day, but it's really fun so I don't mind. And then I met Chien and Soren for lunch at the bakery. And I talked to new people, on the journals and around town, and it was a good day. At dinner, we always eat together - everyone in my house. That's one of our house rules. I like it, though, 'cause you get to see everyone and talk to them, and I think that the more people you eat with, the better food tastes, y'know?

Do you? [Then there's delight in Molly's voice, because a fellow cat lover! How fun.] What's his name? Or hers. Shouldn't assume it's a boy.

[Fun? And here he thought it was something important.]

Some goals are worth seeking out regardless of what life throws at you. If it's just for something as indulgent as "fun", though, shouldn't that be easy to put off?

I have no issues with it, personally. It's just not common where I come from.

That is very, very odd. I...can not imagine that.

[Ah... Rapunzel. He should've figured she would respond. Her question almost makes him smile a little, bitter as it may be.]

I just said you could, you know.

Not really. Fun can be important too.

[He pauses, wondering about how much he could explain over the journals.]

Imagine a world where nothing can be relied upon, including memories and even time. A culture, a people, can try to live and thrive there...but, in the end, it becomes a matter of only surviving. But just because a culture has survived doesn't mean that it has lived.

Without dreams, without hope, there isn't much that the people can look forward to. What keeps them going?

It's a he. His name is Tsuae. [Pronounced "zay" ftr.]

[....wh...

...what...]

Excuse me?

[IS HE SERIOUS]

Tsuae? Tsuae. [Molly repeats it a couple of times, trying to get a feel for how it sounds.] I've never heard a name like that, I don't think. Where's it come from? Toby's just a popular name where I'm from, but he has that sort of face.

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