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[Since a certain someone's arrival, Asch has been kind of cranky and not particularly social, which has suited him just fine, besides having to endure appearing more pathetically lonely than usual. It's not like he really cares what other people think of him anyway (usually). Apparently there's some kind of party going on today, which makes him want to go out even less, so he's content to stay inside and keep out of the way. Parties? Not his thing.

But apparently some people have other ideas.

Eventually he will escape the party (greatly relieved to be away from it, whether he enjoyed himself at all or not), and will instead hang around outside the building trying to gather what's left of his dignity before he heads home. He just wants an uneventful walk in the dark (because it's always dark for him) and a long night's rest.

And apparently he's not allowed to do that, either.

Only when he makes it home does he finally take steps towards contacting a certain scientist who can get his body back to normal. Four months is long enough to be fumbling around in the dark without his replica nearby.]

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[Guy's been talking a lot of walks around Luceti lately. Living by himself is quiet, but it gives him plenty of time to think and readjust. He's usually out all day visiting friends, poking around the library, working at the bar; really, his apartment is only used for the occasional refuel and his nightly rest. The walks, they give him time to soak up what he missed in Luceti, what he missed of Luceti.

Strange. At one point he'd hated Luceti so much he'd almost rather be dead than in it. Now, he quails at the idea of going back home.

This late at night, the Battle Dome is usually empty, but there's a party going on so it's comfortably crowded. The perfect place to people-watch without being noticed, so Guy hangs around as long as he dares before pushing off of his tree to leave.

He catches a flash of red hair and goes still.

A decade ago, something like that would've made his blood boil, his vision cloud red. When he was a teenager, with hormones charging through his body and the wound caused by loss of his family still fresh enough to sting, just the sight of Duke Fabre walking through the halls of his manor could set him on edge. Pere had to do a lot of covering for him. Thank goodness for Luke, who kept him so busy and so exhausted that he didn't have any time to dwell on things. He might've gotten himself killed, trying to attack the Duke in broad daylight.

It's not Duke Fabre, though, and Guy remembers saying how the Duke doesn't have a patent on red hair as he pulled locks of it through his fingers.

Asch.

In that split second between catching a flash of red and turning his head to find it again, Guy does something monumentally stupid.

He decides to follow Asch into the dark.]

[Rapunzel just KNOWS this masquerade ball is going to be a blast. she's one-hundred percent convinced. She is also one-hundred percent convinced that a certain good friend of hers would not go on his own volition. Maybe Luke was already dragging him, but Rapunzel is determined to help Asch have some fun. It's her prerogative.

She will be stopping by his house on her way to the ball, already done up in her dress and her hair is braided up, but she hasn't donned her mask quite yet.]

[ It's having planned to walk into the party with Luke that made Xion think of it.

She'd excused herself sneakily, claiming a "last-minute errand," hoping it might actually make the love of her life happy, to know Asch was actually doing something for once besides being all by himself.

Though, truly? It's more for Asch's sake than anything else. She does like him, after all.

So she's on the same trajectory as Rapunzel, and indeed nearly runs into her. She, too, is all dressed up, though similarly lacking her mask. ]

Oh! Sorry... [ Blinking at her. She recognizes the other girl, though they've not much spoken. What was her name....? ] ... Rapunzel?

[One of the benefits of being blind - the select few and far apart benefits - is that he's gotten used to utilizing his other senses, more attuned to the sounds and scents around him: the rustle of a bush, the sweet grass in the wind, the feel of stone-to-grass when he strays off the path by mistake. His walk has become more and more steady over the months as he adjusted to following directions rather than forging his own path, and as Star got better at guiding him. He might not admit it openly, but the cheagle has been irreplaceable, and far more intelligent and tolerable than the replica's pet, for certain. He hates depending on anyone, but Star? Star understands him, to an extent.

Because of this, you know what else he notices more easily? When someone is following him.

He tolerates it for a while, though, only tensing a little, trying not to let it affect his walking, since it's already difficult enough to track his own footfalls with a cheagle whispering directions in his ear. It's not like the path he's on leads only to his house- his home is near the plaza, after all, so the person behind him could merely be headed home themselves, and he's content to be unbothered.

...Still. He's better at walking blind, but that doesn't mean he's good at walking normally. He stumbles over nothing sometimes, he stops or pauses to realign himself on the path, and he moves at a pace that could be easily overtaken by someone not in his particular state. And still, he can tell he's being followed. To call it suspicious is an understatement.

He'll bide his time for now, though- see what happens. Maybe they're just an asshole enjoying his struggles.]

[Rapunzel recognizes her as well, but it takes her a moment to recall her name, likewise. She does recall, however, she's Luke's girlfriend, and she wonders what's brought her towards Asch's door tonight.]

Yes! And you're...Xion, right? [She takes in her dress, and grins.] You look absolutely beautiful! You're going to the ball, too, then?

[Guy frowns. Asch isn't walking with the grace he usually has. It's almost as if it's too dark outside, but Guy can see well enough to walk without much trouble. Is he drunk?

...no, Guy knows what a drunk walk looks like. It's not that. And he's walking too slowly.

Guy follows without a word.]

[The further they go, the more suspicious - and therefore irritating - it gets. Asch tolerates it for most of the way home, and it isn't until he reaches the path leading up to his house that he stops, standing still for a long moment, longer than any of the pauses he'd taken before.

The footfalls stop.

Tch... of course this would happen on the day I left my sword here.]

I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but it isn't stealth.

[Come out and play, fail-ninja. He can still take you down, with or without a blade in hand.]

[ Xion goes from surprise to beaming within the space of two blinks. ]

Thank you! You do, too. And yeah, I am! But ... [ She ends up blinking again, curiosity reentering her expression. ] Why are you out here?

[Why did Asch wait so long to call him out on it? Guy doesn't move, still at good distance behind Asch, but it's so quiet this far away from the Battle Dome and this late at night that he doesn't have to speak very loudly.]

I was wondering when you'd say something.

[She glances towards Asch's door, a slightly sheepish smile on her face.]

Well, I was going to see if I could get Asch to come to the party. Do you know him?

[ .... a grin splits her face. ]

Uh huh! You know... I was doing the same thing. Think he'll listen to us?

[Asch goes still at the voice, his body more tense than it had been in months. He knows that voice- he'd know that voice anywhere, even if it had been weeks, months, years since hearing it. His hands are clenching into fists at his sides, though it's hard to tell whether he's looking to attack or just going on the defensive. Even he himself can't tell.

But. It's Guy. The last time he remembers speaking with that voice (because it had just been a voice, all anger and confusion and something he couldn't quite name), they'd been in a hospital room and it had been an exchange between two men who may as well have been strangers. Or enemies, even. Biting words, tense postures, fiery tempers. There'd been hatred in that room, and pain. Too much pain.

The time before that, he'd nearly been cleaved in two.

But that was a long time ago for any of them, it seemed. If this was even the same Guy. The impressions that he'd gotten so far told him otherwise. And that meant...

...he didn't know what it meant. But he's been running away from it for weeks now, and maybe it's about time that he stops. He reaches up to lift Star off his shoulder, setting the cheagle down and shooing him away until he scampers off to the house's front door to wait. Only then does he turn to face Guy- pointlessly, on his part, but at least to show that he's not afraid. Not to die again. And not to hear what the other man wants to say, either.]

Between the two of us, you expected me to say anything first?

[Do you even know me?]

Really? [Well, that's it. He must be meant to go. They'll just have to persuade him.] I'm sure the two of us can convince him. No matter how stubborn he might be feeling tonight.

Hehe. Yeah! Come on, let's go get him. This might take some work! [ She'll lead the way to the door. ]

[Rapunzel nods eagerly before following along behind Xion towards the door.]

[Asch had expected the majority of the village to be kept occupied by the New Feather celebration, so when he hears a knock on the door, he's obviously surprised. Even more surprising is finding two elegantly dressed ladies at his door.

...Well, okay, he'd be surprised if he could see them, but as it is he just stands in the doorway, staring blankly at a whole lot of nothing.]

Who's there?

It's me! ... and Rapunzel. [ She grins at her companion. ] We came to get you!

[Rapunzel peaks around Xion and grins at Asch--even if he can't see them, 50% of smiles are in the voice! And she wants him to know just how excited she is about this.]

Hello, Asch! We've come to bring you to the party.

[There, now he knows what he's in store for!]

Hah...well, I was kind of hoping you'd get angry and shout at me.

[It'd be a familiar ice-breaker. Guy rubs the back of his neck, grinning sheepishly until he notices Asch isn't meeting his eyes. He takes a couple footsteps closer. It's dark, so maybe it's just the shadows playing tricks on him, but something looks off.]

[Oh, Xion and Rapunzel.

....

Wait, party?]

I'm not going, so you may as well just give up now.

But we can help you! It'll be fun, promise.

[Oh, Asch. Like not going is even an option for you now.]

There's going to be dancing--! And if you don't know how to dance, I'll teach you! Do you have something to wear?

[There's something casual about Guy's tone that is completely unlike the angry, hateful person he'd been the last time. it's confusing, and startling, and- and a little frightening, not that he'd ever admit it. Why is he talking like- like he knows Asch, like he cares? Like he's someone that deserves a casual tone or a familiar gesture. Like... he's Luke. Or a friend.

When Guy moves forward, it takes an immense force of will not to step backwards to match the distance. He won't run away. He doesn't even want to let that weakness show. But he doesn't want to be too close, either. It bothers him more than ever before that he can't see what Guy's doing beyond the sound of his footsteps.]

Nice to hear that you missed fighting with me enough to stalk me.

[Does free will mean nothing to you people.]

I don't- that isn't- I said I didn't want to go!

[Why does no one listen to him?]

Come on, please? Just give it a try! You can leave if you don't like it.

[ BECAUSE YOU'RE BORING, ASCH. And you need pretty, spunky ladies to help you live your life. Clearly. ]

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