not_meatbuns | Rebel 1 [Action / Voice]

Entry tags:

Rebel 1 [Action / Voice]

[Around sundown, somewhere out in the forest, one Litchi Faye-Ling is waking up in a bath tub.

The first thing she notices is that the Boundary is much more quiet than it was the last she knew. The strain is still there, and everything hurts, but the buzz of memories is quieter. At least, it is until she cracks one eye open and sees that she's in a tub. In the middle of a forest. Then the wave of memories from clashing timelines and realities is a roar, and it's all she can do to curl into a ball and wait for it to stop.]

N-no... please, not now...

[This isn't Kagutsuchi. This place, she's been here before, and nearly every time it's had something to do with a tub, and--

--Luceti. This is Luceti. She thinks. Or something along those lines. People were always appearing in tubs... or at least in her tub... although she woke up in one once too, didn't she? No, that can't be...

It isn't until Lao Jiu crawls back up onto her head that the roar starts to die down. And then the memories start to unfold a little less chaotically, and she peers over the edge of the tub to see the inevitable journal, lying open on the ground. She gives a weak laugh.]

My goodness, this is all so familiar... Hello? Is anyone-- [Luceti Valley. Mu. Raining trees. She stammers to a stop for a moment before trying again.] --Is anyone there? I think...

[This is the headache of the century. Litchi stops again, leaning her forehead against the cool side of the tub until the Boundary quiets down again. That doesn't seem right. It wasn't this loud before, was it? ...Wait, it was, wasn't it...]

I think I may need some help. This is... Luceti, yes...? I'm afraid I woke up in the forest and I... seem to be missing a few things. [Her usual clothes. Memories. Mantenbou. A ring. Although the last one she has an itching suspicion was both very important and has a very low chance of being here.

And there's one other thing...]

Also, could anyone tell me if Tsubaki Yayoi or Kazuma Kval are still here? It would be a tremendous help.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Of course I haven't forgotten you. [The problem is she's remembering too many of you. But that doesn't really need to be explained, right? More important things at hand.]

A bunch of kids moved in...? It was just Tsubaki, Kazuma, and Tao before I was sent back. I wonder how long ago that was... How many were there?

Three guys. Didn't know a one of them.

[Except okay, that one kind of looked like the bastard that killed him.]

...Oh. I wonder what happened. [Or if Tao and Tsubaki were sent home. If she's remembering right - which she's not entirely confident she is - Goroh hadn't met Kazuma at all, so he could still be here, but the girls...]

I suppose I'll just have to take a look once I make it back. All the shops are still the same, right?

[Because this New Feather dress leaves even less to the imagination than her usual getup.]

Seems to be the case. You need someone to come look for you?

I... think so, yes. [She hates to trouble anyone, but she really can't remember the way back from here right now. Mental maps are not quite working quite yet. She gives a weak laugh.]

It shouldn't be too hard to find me. Our friends the Malnosso don't seem to have forgotten their penchant for bathtubs.

[A long pause on this end. He'd somehow forgotten about that.]

... damn, they're still doing that?

[It feels good to laugh like this. Really. Even if it's at her own expense.]

Apparently so. I'm sorry, Mr. Goroh, it seems we haven't quite escaped the tub curse yet.

Maybe you haven't. I had a repeat of last time. At least this time there's no snow.

I'd have to agree with you. This is much better than waking up in the snow. [Although now that the Boundary is finally quieting down a little bit, she has one hell of a wing cramp. Ow.

She pauses, and then laughs again.]

This is just like before, isn't it? You came to lead me back out of the forest then, too.

Is it? [Huh. He's having a hard time remembering that. Then again, lots of things seem pretty fuzzy.] Guess some things never change. Got any landmarks you can give me?

Ah-- yes, it looks like there's a river to the west that seems to curve northward slightly. I can't quite see far enough to tell what direction the village might be in. [She. Really hopes that helps.]

[Goroh's memory of the village is still sketchy, but he has a map. It doesn't take long to work out a general direction from that.]

South, then. Hold tight. Time to relive history.

[Soft laugh.] Don't keep me waiting too long, hm~?

[By the time he does arrive, she'll have gotten out of the tub and will have Lao Jiu perched on her shoulder rather than holding up her hair. Talk about reliving history.]

[It's not even a half hour, probably less, before he's marching down the river. He has a long coat and some ladies boots handy. It may not be snowing, but it's still chilly weather out there. He's got his senses about him still, at least.]

Well doc, I'd say it's been awhile, but I don't think much time's passed for me at all.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure how much time it's been for me, either.

[Still, she's smiling warmly, especially since he had the presence of mind to bring boots and a coat. And it's getting increasingly difficult to fight down the urge to give him a hug in greeting.]

In any case, it's wonderful to see you again.

[Well he's no hugger, so she's in that battle alone. But he's setting the boots down and holding the jacket out so he can drape it behind her.]

I'd say the same, but can't say I'm too thrilled to be back here again. Any clue how long I've been gone?

I suppose I can't blame you for that. [Not everyone is dying/going back to a crapsack world, after all.

And she will accept that jacket gladly. Goroh, you are a lifesaver. ♥]

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure. You were gone for a little over a year before I was sent back. It's been... quite some time.

Damn. So it really has been a year. [He'd gathered that as an estimate from poking around. But now there it was. Hard to believe that much time really passed. It's like he was in stasis or something.]

You didn't ask for Dave before. He gone too?

Yes, it-- [GOROH used MENTION THIRTEEN! It's super effective!

For being such a good poker player, Litchi is horrible at hiding her emotions in situations like this. There's a very visible flicker of pain in her eyes for a moment before she thinks to duck her head and try to hide it, turning to fumble with the boots instead.]

Y-yes, he... he went back not too long before I did.

[Oh. So that's how it is. He doesn't guess how close Litchi and Dave were, but he knows what that meant for the pilot. He was dead now. And it had crushed Litchi. Goroh could only barely remember the man, but he could still feel that twinge of sadness creeping on him.]

Sorry to hear that. Dave was a good guy.

[No, no, don't talk in the past tense, Goroh, that'll only make it worse. Litchi tries to fight down the steadily rising tears, but it's not working all too well. Her shoulders and hands are trembling a little as she keeps on fumbling with the boots ineffectively.]

Y-yes... I... I suppose we can only hope he'll be back as well.

[Boots why you gotta be so difficult.]

[Hoo boy. He usually doesn't have to be the one offering comfort or anything like that. But he rests a hand on her shoulder anyway. Reassuringly.]

Looks like I should have got bigger boots.

[That'll draw a weak laugh out of her. It still hurts, but having a good friend here for support helps. That, and she really doesn't want to weigh down Goroh with her troubles.]

N-no, I think they're just about the right size. It's just... taking a moment.

[There. Got 'em. Achievement unlocked!]

[Seeing her success, he pats her shoulder before pulling his hand back.]

Good. I figured you wouldn't want me carrying you back to the village. [Not that most men would mind.]

[A weak smile twitches onto her lips. Goroh, she's grateful for this attitude of yours more than ever.]

No, I suppose not. [This skirt is too short as it is. She doesn't need anyone carrying her anywhere in this New Feather dress.] We're not too far from the village, are we?

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[voice]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]