Rebel 21 [Action | Accidental Voice]

[not_meatbuns]

[After a couple days of absence, Litchi is back from her short trip home. And, as always with her, it's a bath tub that she's landed in. One Yellow Thirteen's bath tub, to be precise. And she's not in the best shape.

Resounding not only through the apartment, but over the journals, is the sound of the tub cracking as if under a tremendous amount of pressure. Litchi lets out a pained whimper, curling into a ball as best she can despite one arm being tangled in the shower curtain.

The Boundary has cut loose. And Litchi is absolutely terrified.

The journal picks up another quiet groan before she falls silent.]

[[ooc: Backdated to a couple hours before the earthquake! Also, sorry for unannounced disappearance for the update ;;]]

Comments

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[Thirteen is still in his apartment at this point, and the sudden loud noises coming from his bathroom.]

...What the hell is that?!

[He gets up from his chair and carefully, cautiously looks inside. Something's definitely wrong the moment he hears that pained cry, and he edges closer to the bathtub...]

...Litchi?!

[not_meatbuns]

[Litchi winces when she hears his voice. Or, more accurately, his overlapping another with a similar, but still different sentiment. Even her wings are curled close against her back as she shivers slightly.

No, no, no, this is all wrong. Lao Jiu... the limiter... this isn't supposed to keep happening...!

After a moment of trying to pull her memories into a straight line, she peers up over the edge of the tub. Her voice, weak and trembling slightly, is a dead giveaway of just how confused she is.]

Da...vid...? I-is that you...?

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[...Something is so very wrong here. He kneels down next to the tub, trying to get a look at her. He'll keep his voice comforting and level.]

Yes, it is.

[He doesn't know what else to say right now. All he does is offer his hand to her. To hold, to help her up, whatever she needs.]

[not_meatbuns]

[For a moment, Litchi looks as if she might take a hold of his hand, but another sharp jab of pain shoots through her head. Wincing a second time and holding her head in her hands, she curls into a ball again.]

I... How did I...

[Oh god, it hurts. Lao Jiu... please...

The crack the tub suffered earlier lets out a creak and a snap, growing wider.]

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[...When Litchi grasps at her head, Thirteen considers going to grab painkillers from his cabinet, but when he sees the tub crack open wider... his eyes widen a bit. What the hell is this?

...He has no idea how to help her, but he has to somehow. Something beyond his comprehension is going on... All he can do is talk.]

Litchi, relax. Just... focus. Focus on my voice if you can.

[not_meatbuns]

[Small nod. She's trying. Panicking isn't going to help this at all, but this is just so out of control that she's not sure what to do. The echoing voices are at least quieter now, but the power...]

P-please, just stay back! I... I can't...

[And, suddenly, the strain is gone. The migraine is still throbbing, and she's not sure the words coming out of her mouth are what she remembers saying, but she can feel that Lao Jiu has regained control. Still terrified but relieved that at least the imminent danger is gone, she slumps against the edge of the tub.]

...I-I'm so sorry about this.

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[When she slumps down, Thirteen simply sits down next to the tub next to her.]

...Don't apologize. You haven't done anything wrong. What happened? And more importantly, are you going to be okay?

[not_meatbuns]

I... don't know.

[It's the solid truth. She really doesn't know if she'll be okay. Up until now, the Boundary has been so quiet; but she knows full well what will happen in the end once it's spiraled out of control. The question is: how much longer until then?

She swallows against a lump of fear, avoiding his eyes as she speaks. Of all people, oddly, she feels she can trust the full story to Thirteen... but it's still going to be hard as anything to open up about it.]

As for what happened... it's... quite a long story.

[yellowthirteen.livejournal.com]

[The uncertainty sends something of a chill up his spine. Litchi normally avoids making people worry, especially unnecessarily. Of course, most of the time, she doesn't show up in a bathtub and have it crack with no visible forces in play...]

Take your time. Can I do anything for you, though?

[Voice because what else could it be it's Tao]

[catus_carnival]

Is that...

Boobie Lady!

[Voice]

[not_meatbuns]

[Once Litchi's had enough time to calm down, she sees the message and can't help a small smile. Even though she called her "boobie lady" yet again.]

Yes, Tao, it's me. I'm back.

[Voice]

[catus_carnival]

[/WHEEZE]

Tao thought you were gone forever!

[Voice]

[not_meatbuns]

[Just hearing this is breaking her heart.]

No, no. It's alright, Tao, I promise.

[...] Hopefully it'll be a very, very long time before I'm sent home again.

[Voice]

[catus_carnival]

Okay...

Did anything bad happen at home?

[Voice]

[not_meatbuns]

[It takes her a moment to find the right words for this. Tao could never understand what's going on with the Boundary... and even if she could, Litchi's not sure she has the heart to tell her about it. If just two days of being away caused this, she's not sure she wants to know just how upset Tao will be over her condition.

Terrible liar that she is, she's still making an effort by mixing in truth. Even though lying to Tao hurts, she has to do it.]

...N-no, nothing major. The kittens and the village elder were doing just fine. And Orient Town was as lively and noisy as always; you know how it is around the new year.

[Voice]

[catus_carnival]

That's good. All of the Kakas are fine, meow.

[Voice]

[not_meatbuns]

[There we go. Successful distraction.]

Yes, everyone is doing well. I even saw Torakaka when I visited. It's been a while since you saw her, hasn't it?

[Late late late]

[hageshii]

[Litchi's arrival went completely unnoticed by Goroh and is far and away from his mind as he sits in the barracks. He's been mostly stitched up, thanks to McCoy's medical know how and the friendly staff of super funtime healer people. He's still looking in rough shape, though and isn't in top shape, since healing magic isn't so great at fixing blood loss.

Or a complete lack of cigarettes.]

[*Fail beacon twinkle*]

[not_meatbuns]

[Litchi, once she got wind of where the "clinic" had been moved to, has been amongst the group of funtime healer people for only a small fraction of the day. Taking a small break in helping to get things under control to check in on a friend, she finds her way to Goroh late that evening.

She's completely covered in plaster dust still, and still dressed in some spare clothes of Thirteen's, she gives him a worried look.]

How are you feeling, Mr. Goroh?

[*goes blind*]

[hageshii]

[Litchi won't get a straight answer from him, startled such that he is that she's even there. Of course, with Goroh, his startled expression is mostly an eyebrow being raised.]

Didn't you go home? [So why are you back?]

[Just as planned.]

[not_meatbuns]

[She answers with a weak laugh, crossing the room to stand closer to him. Her exhaustion is clear -- she's drooping all over from tiredness.]

I did. But I suppose the Malnosso decided to bring me right back.

How are your wounds? There's not too much pain, is there?

[You're a horrible doctor]

[hageshii]

[He can tell, but dammit, he's the injured one here. Not you. And yet...]

I'm fine. McCoy's had a look at me and I've had my magic healing session too. Just gotta take it easy on this here arm. [He moves his left arm a bit. The bone has been set and healed, but it's still sore and could break again easily.]

[It's cool, now you'll match Tsubaki.]

[not_meatbuns]

[Small sigh of relief. At least the damage wasn't as bad as she was expecting.]

I'll have to thank him later.

[And her words are echoing again. She gently pinches the bridge of her nose below her glasses, trying to keep her focus.]

I'm just glad to hear you're alright. With how much damage the building suffered, I was so worried...

[They won't match until Tsubaki dies too]

[hageshii]

Of course you were. [He gets to his feet and stands.]

But what about you? Fine day for you to come back. Did you get here before the theatrics or after?

[Does it have to be while protecting Goroh?]

[not_meatbuns]

Hmm. Just a couple hours before. In a bath tub, of course.

[Wry smile.] It's nice to know some things never change.