fabrecation | 016 [Action/Video]

Entry tags:

016 [Action/Video]

[It had happened that morning. Luke, in this time period, had a much easier time of sleeping and waking early, and so he was in the weapon's shop when it hit him.

All those memories that had been buried thanks to the Malnosso. Traveling with Tear, meeting Jade and Anise, killing his first human being, Guy, Master Van...

Akzeriuth... Cutting his hair. Trying to save the world he screwed up. Killing his own master. And the long month afterward... He can even feel the link he has with Asch flaring to life again.

Luke freezes in his spot, holding a fancy sword in his hand. How... How could he have forgotten all of that? How could he have acted like such a jerk to everyone? Such an ignorant, thoughtless... He was so nasty to everyone whom he considered his friends, and now... they... who knows what they thought of him now? This boy who had to relive who he used to be, the person he's ashamed of.

The sword in his hands trembles, and without thinking it through at all, Luke suddenly brings the sword back to slice through his hair, cutting the back of his neck and leaving only a small piece of the long hair behind. The rest is clenched in his hand, his knuckles almost white from the strain. All those terrible things he said to everyone, to Xion and Asch and Ion and...

Noel.

"You're a criminal?"

His face pales, and the sword in his hand clatters to the ground. Thankfully for the staff of the weapons store, he doesn't drop the mass amount of hair.

But he does abruptly leave, and he runs back to Community Housing Building 2, head lowered the whole time so that no one can look at him. He doesn't want anyone to see him, the leftovers of a massacre that he created. Ashes of the sacred flame...

... Asch.

It's that thought which makes him pause just outside of the door to his apartment. He barely even realizes that he made it there until now. Would Asch accept him back? He hadn't tried contacting him since the link came to life again... What if he just ruined whatever progress he made in their already strained relationship?

But... this was still his home. So, he keeps his head low again as he knocks on the door, hair still unknowingly clenched in his other hand.]

[A few hours later, the video option of the journal is activated, and Luke's face appears on the other side. He's not looking at the journal, and he keeps brushing his hand through his now short hair, so very similar to how it used to be. He looks... tired, depressed and stressed, as if a whole ton of weight was just added to his shoulders.]

Everyone, I... [How does he even start? He didn't have to do anything like this after Yulia City.] I guess I don't really know what to say. Heh... pretty pathetic, right?

[No, that's not good enough. It sounds like an excuse to not talk to anyone. He shuts his eyes and takes in a deep breath.] ... I'm sorry. A lot of you saw me with long hair, and... I probably treated you badly. That...

That person was who I once was. The Malnosso did something to me to make me forget everything that happened back in my world. I... [Killed hundreds. Thousands. I was manipulated and betrayed by the only person I trusted at the time, and I was tossed away like a piece of trash, and I was abandoned...] ... went through a lot to make me who I am today. I'm still not a good person. But I learned in my world... I guess you could say it made me open my eyes to who I was.

I'm not going to be that person anymore. I promise all of you that. And... [I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry -] I know I can't apologize enough for everything I said or did, even though I want to. But I want to do anything I can to let everyone know that I won't ever be like that again. I'm not that person anymore. [I'm not even the real Luke.] So... If anyone wants me to do something for them, anything, or... has any questions, just... talk to me.

[He finally looks at the little camera.]

... I'm sorry.

[After another hour or two to himself, Luke walks out of the apartment building and tries to find whoever he met when he still had long hair. Whoever he was particularly nasty to... to apologize to their faces. To own up to what he did and take responsibility, not from hiding behind a book, but face to face.

He especially looks for Noel. After what he said to her... He needs to see her now.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[When Luke enters the apartment, he'll find Asch dozing on the couch, with Star curled up into a bundle on his lap. It's strange for him to still be asleep at this time in the morning, but what's probably even more strange is that he doesn't stir as Luke comes in.]

[Luke had honestly figured that Asch wasn't home when he didn't answer the door. He still didn't have a good grasp of their link, after all; only enough to realize it was there, or when he was close, or to talk if he tried hard enough. He... feels close, but...

So, Luke unlocks the door and lets himself inside, locking the door behind him. Once he looks out and into the apartment... he is pretty surprised to see Asch there. Immediately, there's the strong urge to get out and run away, or at least retreat to his room and not come out for a while.

Instead, he frowns and purses his lips to fight it, and the fist holding the remains of his hair shakes as he lowers his head once more, and he reaches out within the link in an attempt to rouse him as well as speaking out loud.]

Asch?

[Star moves first, perking up and launching himself at Luke with a chipper, welcoming "mieu!" in hopes of some cuddles. After a moment with no sign of reaction, Asch's eyes snap open to zero in on Luke, holding his breath and remaining still for just long enough to probably make his reaction somewhat alarming. Once that's over, however, he exhales and sits up, brushing his hair out of his face.]

What are you doing here?

[Luke might not like Star very much, but he can't help smiling a little and scritching the top of his head with his free hand. Asch's reaction, however, makes Luke flinch, still keeping his head low. It makes the still long bangs cover his face, which he doesn't particularly mind.]

I... [What was he doing here? Luke wasn't really thinking when he fled the weapons shop. He stays silent for a few seconds, then tries again.] I wanted to stay here again.

[Nephry hears this, but doesn't have anything useful to say at the time. Or anything she wants to say in such an impersonal manner.

It's pure coincidence that she passes him later, as he searches for people.]

Good afternoon, Luke.

[Coincidentally, Nephry was one of those people he was looking for. Once she greets him, Luke looks at her with wide eyes, then looks away. He's never sure what to say to these people... the ones he was so rude to just a week ago.]

Nephry...

[Selphie's journal is neatly tucked into her backpack that's resting against her thigh as she's plopped herself under a tree to avoid the worst of the summer heat. It's still hot and bright out, but it's a bit cooler under the trees.

It doesn't make the fact that the two had snarked at each other in the worst way humanly possible as she starts to fan herself with that big, floppy hat of hers. The shorts and loose clothing weren't helping her to cool off but she'll be there for a little having a rest and downing about half of the contents of a water bottle being pulled out of her bag.

She doesn't even notice Luke wandering around.]

There's no need to look like I'm going to shout at you.

[Luke does notice her, though, after spending some time looking. He remembers how they argued with and called each other names... He can't help wincing a little when he remembers it. He'd definitely have to apologize to her.

So, he heads over to her, calling out her name once he's close enough to be heard, at least to let her know that she's there.]

Selphie?

... [He chances a glance at her.] You're not going to?

I might. For apologizing so severely for something over which you had no control.

Maybe you were like that once. That doesn't put you at fault for being forced to act like that again.

[Asch blinks at Luke a few times, eyes narrowing. He takes in the expression, the posture, the hair. It clicks.]

...You're back to normal, then.

But Nephry... [And again, he can't meet her eyes.] I used to be just like that, and not that long ago, either. If I was brought here months ago instead of right then, I...

What I'm trying to say is that that was still me. I still said all those things...

[For the first time in weeks, Noel isn't outside on a mission or anything; she's outside to just be outside. A step in recovery? Most definitely. The lingering fear of what could happen while she's out there alone is still there, but that's why she decides not to stray too far from home.

Luke might be able to catch Noel at the bridge near the plaza. She's... kind of keeping to herself, watching as the fish swim through the river stream below, but he's more than welcome to approach. ~~unless he's trying to get a better look at dat ass B|~~]

And it likely didn't hurt any less, for others to hear you say them even while they knew you had just been kidnapped.

[But. She isn't having this conversation with him to make him feel worse. Time to change direction.]

What would you have to do, in order to be a good person?

[Selphie looks up at the sound of her name being called and while part of her really wants to scowl darkly at the Replica, she doesn't. She doesn't smile or wave but she keeps her expression neutral. She remembers that argument they had all too well.]

Hey Luke.

... Yeah. Asch, I... I'm sorry for saying all that stuff to you. And for pushing you like I did. [He gives a half smile, though it's very bitter.] I don't see how you put up with me for even that long.

[Luke finds her there by the bridge, and for a moment, he wants to just... turn and run, assured that she never saw him. But that would be cowardly. Luke went outside to face up to everything, not run from it.

So, slowly, he approaches her, though he stops at the end of the bridge, suddenly feeling very afraid, and... very sorry, too. He still remembers what he said to her...]

Noel?

[

this is some delicious schadenfreude. never change luceti.]

[Given that Yuri didn't really give Luke his best attitude either, all he does is listen to what Luke has to say, then closes his journal, deciding to come back to it later. It doesn't help that he's never sure how to respond to things like that, especially when he doesn't feel it was directed at him at all. Maybe it'd be best if he spoke to Luke a little later and just acted as if nothing was wrong ...? ... Eh. He'll figure something out.

Since his injury is still keeping him from being able to fight at his best, he's been taking a lot of walks around the village to make up for it. Luke might catch him sitting near any of the bridges during this time.]

[This is all very interesting, except more this bit:]

You really never went outside before?

Edited 2011-07-14 22:41 (UTC)

[... He fists one of his hands, and he's silent for a few seconds. He isn't really sure, but...]

I guess... the only thing I can do is keep doing good things. Like what I'm doing right now... It's a start, right? [He asks as if he's genuinely curious. He's doing the right thing, isn't he? Or is it too forward...]

You didn't seem so bad! [ it was sort of nice having someone else who clearly understood the pains of being an aristocrat in a dumb society. ]

[His own expression is... less than happy, and her own reaction makes him lose eye contact with her. This was... hard. Really hard... but he still had to get it done. So, he keeps walking, until he can sit not far from her.]

I'm sorry for arguing with you like that.

Does it feel right? If you forget about the fear that everyone is going to hate you for who you were, because they might think that's who you still are?

[hate you 'again' goes unsaid. But she does know.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 9

016 [Action/Video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[Action] Because they kinda mouthed off at each other...

no subject

[Action] Oh yes. ):

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

[totally action]

no subject

[Action] =C

no subject

[totally action]

nothing;

[Action]

[Voice]

no subject

[ voice ]

[Action]

no subject