not_meatbuns | Rebel 1 [Action / Voice]

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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.

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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?

[He turns back towards the path he came on and works out about how long he was walking.

We're about three kilometers south of the village. Won't take too long to get back.

Ah, good. [Lao Jiu takes the silent signal and climbs up to hold up her hair so she can at least walk without tripping.]

Shall we get going, then?

[Goroh eyes the panda, unhappy memories associated with the thing. It also makes him remember that... it means something important. What is it? But he starts walking at her prompt.]

So, I miss anything important?

Well... quite a lot has happened since we last spoke, I think. [And she thinks because the order of events is getting all mixed up. In some realities, it hasn't even been that long. She really, really wishes the Boundary would keep quiet for a moment while she gets this sorted out.]

There were several experiments, of course. And... a rather major attack on the village. [Poor Noel.] ...Thankfully there weren't any more earthquakes.

An attack on the village? By who? [Enemies? Yeah... they had enemies. They were those guys with the wings.] TeePees?

[Small, shaky smile.] TeePees? You mean the Third Party? No, it wasn't them. It was... something else entirely.

So, someone else then. Just what Luceti needed, another maniac out for our blood.

N-no, she... she couldn't help it. Really. The Malnosso just... pushed her over the edge.

[She hates to tell Goroh all about this without asking Noel's permission first, but it's probably for the best.] I'm not sure if you remember Noel Vermillion, but... it was her. In a way. At the same time, it wasn't quite her.

[Noel. The name is familiar, but he can't quite place a face. Not yet.]

I remember the Malnosso had a way of playing with our minds. How'd it end up for her?

I never saw. David and I both were injured. [Just that memory is enough to make her wince. Still, she shakes her head.] I suppose someone stopped her, though. She... blamed herself, I know, but the village was surprisingly understanding after she apologized.

I do remember that about this town. People aren't too quick to hold grudges. Not when you can blame the Malnosso for something.

I suppose that's true. It's something to be grateful for, at least, in cases like this.

Grateful's not the word I'd use to describe this place.

Not all of us look on it in such a negative light, Mr. Goroh.

That's right. You always did like this place better than home. [Vague on the why. But something like 'shitty world' seems right.]

[Small nod.] It may sound a little selfish, but things were... terrible back in Kagutsuchi. Everything was always so much easier here.

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