027 [Video/Action]

[fabrecation]

[It starts with a hum.

It isn't enough to be discernible. It may just sound like a buzz from an insect flying nearby ready to be swallowed. Swatting at it would yield no results, though, seeing how the hum is coming from his head.

It turns into a whisper.

They aren't really words. They're snatches of letters, snippets of thought that pass through his unconscious mind. A wind, of sorts, as threads of the link begin to tie together and come alive once again.

It ends with words.

Weak, scattered and quiet, it seems to be a stream that passes through, from replica to original, words that pour from a sleeping mind to the newly formed link. It comes from the north side of the village, the complete opposite direction from where the link first faded into nothingness.

But it's there. It's there like a beacon, pulling, asking for him to be there.]

"here.

i'm here.

i'mherei'mhereaschaschaschcan'tmovecan'twhereareyou

help me"

He's alive.

And he's calling for him.]



[It's about two hours after the sun sets that the journal comes on, showing a familiar redhead looking away and rubbing the back of his neck. The area is somewhat lit, and it looks something like the front of Good Spirits. He just needed light, that's all.

The reason he can't look at the camera? Asch had told him that his death was announced over the journals. He had a right to know, after all. Here Luke had been hoping to just announce he was back like he went on vacation or something, sickness gone, health returned. But now everyone knows that he died.

There's probably a lot of people out there who are mad at him.

But he does finally look at the journal after a few seconds, and he gives a nervous little smile.]

Uh... hey. I'm back?

[He hopes to hear from at least two people. And if he doesn't, and soon, then he'll find them himself.]

((And a belated NSFW alert for the thread with Xion 8|b))

Comments

[action]

[dissonates]

[He'd been expecting it, and he has more experience with this; perhaps this is why, when the humming noise in the back of his mind became more evident, Asch knows what's happening before the hum becomes a voice. Quietly he sits up in his bed, shifting aside the covers and giving the fonic link a slight, experimental tug. It's more difficult for Luke to open the link, after all, and if he's coming back from the dead, well. It's hard to be focused when one is so disoriented.

He waits until the words reach his mind, a jumble of incoherency that Asch doesn't need to make sense of. The emotion behind those words are more than clear, and it's what pulls Asch out of his room, out of the house, wandering blindly through the woods. He can't see, but in order to find Luke, he doesn't have to. His presence is enough of a guide right now.]

"I'm here. Just wait. I can't get there as fast as you, you know."

[Still... he's on his way.]

[action]

[fabrecation]

[It's hot. He isn't quite aware of it yet, but there's heat against his skin, seeing how he's shown up in a New Feather outfit on a hot summer day. Luke stays on his back, eyes shut and unconscious to everything else. Everything except for the link between the two of them, connected once again, stronger than ever.]

"you're

here? here. here...

can'twakeupcan't

where"

[Voice/MENTOR GLARE]

[averybadfeeling]

[HAVE A SLIGHTLY DISAPPROVING LOOK.]

"I am glad to see that you've returned, Luke."

[Voice/STUDENT COWER]

[fabrecation]

[HAVE A SLIGHTLY GUILTY LOOK.]

Y-Yeah... thanks. Glad to be back.

[mikangirl]

Welcome back.

[Short and simple and to the point.]

[fabrecation]

Thanks.

[What else does he even say? This is so so so awkward.]

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

You're okay... I'm so glad...

[Even though he's been through this before, he can't shake that fear that sometime, someone WON'T come back from the dead here.]

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

Whoa, hey... I'm okay. You don't have to worry or anything.

[Luke isn't even sure what his penalty is.]

[action]

[fourteen]

[ She's home.

She's lost track of the days. She's been very derelict on her responsibilities, since he died. She had bursts of productivity, but for the most part her mind and heart were so far elsewhere that she just couldn't really manage. Not competently. Go home.

So she did.

And here she waits. She sleeps a lot. Sometimes she reads. Mostly she just tries to make the pain go away, and waits.

She does not, however, check her journal. At least, not at the moment he sends out a missive about his return. So she misses it completely. ]

[action]

[fabrecation]

[After enough time has passed, Luke's decided to get up and go find Xion. It worries him that she's not there, especially since she had to watch him disappear. What's happened to her since then? Is she all right? Does she know he's back?

The very first place he checks is House 14. It takes him a little time to actually get inside, seeing how it wasn't Xion who answered the door. But soon enough, he edges into her room, and he quietly shuts the door behind him while he leans back against it.

Just seeing her right now, he can tell she's been through so much. It's as if years of hardship have been piled on her shoulders rather than a week of being without him. It makes his heart ache, and he'd rather work on fixing that as soon as possible.

It's why he smiles and lifts his shoulders slightly as he speaks up.]

This isn't fair at all. I can't teleport everywhere like you do.

[action]

[relinquishing]

[Luke's note had never left Guy's pocket.

The week had been a hazy mess - a mix of dawn and dusk, night and day that seemed to never have a clear-cut end. It was disorienting. But he knew Luke would be back at the end of it. Where or when or how didn't really matter.

He just would.

Some days, Guy managed to trudge along as fine as ever. Granted, the chipper quality in his demeanor was washed out. He seemed distracted. Perhaps a little tired, if one talked to him long enough. But he still managed to get up and about - grab a shift or two at the bar, to let work drown out the garbled mess in his mind, or to try and pick up the casual conversation that would easily distract him. It was these days where he'd actively sought out a handful of different people for a quick checkup - people he knew would be taking this whole situation badly.

Other days, however, saw him unusually quiet. Not in a cold or bitter fashion... just distant and secluded. He'd avoid his journal for the most part. Work would happen when he could, often departing early and leaving himself in the apartment. Simply to have time to think, to tinker, or to try and rest away the fatigue that sat over him like a storm cloud. He'd do what errands and chores he could muster, taking his time with cleaning. Drifting into Luke's room more than once, simply to make the bed... regardless of the state it had been in previously.

Today had been one of those days.

The journal had stayed tucked away at his desk, only glanced at briefly in the morning and right after he'd returned from the bar. The broadcast from Luke? Missed completely. More than likely it had slipped his mind to check it this late in the evening. Not that it was horribly late, but... Guy had already drifted off more than once today. That fatigue, as well as a slight aura of impatience, had taken over, making him tense and a little haphazard in focus.

He knew Luke would be back soon. But just "soon". That was all.

So he waited. Waited and worked.

The lights will still be on whenever Luke enters the apartment, be it late in the evening or early the next morning. His best friend, however? Seems he had sat down over in the kitchen for a moment's peace earlier... and had just plain fallen asleep against the tabletop, head resting in crossed arms.]

[action]

[fabrecation]

[It's early in the morning when realizes that one person he's looking for hasn't answered his broadcast. He'd stayed with Xion at that time, to assure that he's real, alive, healthy and strong. But now the second person still hasn't answered him. Considering what Guy watched, what he went through? It's a little worrying to not hear from him. It's early, earlier than Luke had woken up in a long while, but... well. He feels good, for once.

So once he's sure he can go, he heads to the apartment. Guy wasn't at Good Spirits; he already glanced inside. It's the only other place Luke can think of.

Sure enough, when he gets there, he sees the lights on outside of the building. He almost heads right in there, until he happens to glance at the kitchen as he passes by.

There he is. Sleeping against the table, looking tired and stressed despite the rest he's getting. Guy usually didn't fall asleep anywhere outside his bed unless he stayed up too late tinkering with something, and Luke was sure he didn't see anything like that anywhere. So...

He looks a little crestfallen as he makes his way into the kitchen and tries to figure out the best way to wake him up. Any other time and Luke would be happy to let him sleep, maybe go grab a blanket for him. But he just came back from being dead, an event that Guy had to watch just a week ago. The last thing he wants to do is to just leave him there.

So, he rests his hand on his shoulder instead, fingers pressing in slightly.]

Guy? Hey...

[ video ]

[breezing]

[ She doesn't recognize the face, but Ikki does remember the voice. ]

Welcome back!

[ video ]

[fabrecation]

[... Oh, he recognizes her! Luke felt awkward with everyone else, but he can't help lighting up a little at this one.]

Hey, thanks! Ikki, right?

[Action]

[inkdrops]

[Maybe it's chance that Miyabi was heading towards the bar to drown her sorrows in alcohol get a drink or two, or maybe it was just dumb luck. Who knows? But she stops in her tracks the moment she sees that short scruff of red hair, and her eyes widen with surprise. Has it really already been a week since he passed away? A week now...]

Luke? ...Luke?

[Action]

[fabrecation]

[Luke had just finished with his awkward broadcast when he hears a voice calling to him. Thus, his hand still stays on the back of his neck when he looks up, though it slowly lowers upon seeing who it is.]

Miyabi?

[voice]

[trueknight]

[Yuri had been wondering why - during the week he'd been in Luceti so far - he couldn't seem to find any trace of Luke anywhere. And asking someone just seemed awkward, especially since he didn't want to appear worried or anything. He's too manly or something to worry about things, okay. So, when he hears this, he figures Luke went off on one of those mission things, since it didn't seem like a kidnapping return.

So hey, Luke. Have someone who actually doesn't know what happened to you.]

Huh. Well, that explains why I couldn't find you anywhere.

[voice]

[fabrecation]

Yeah... Sorry. I...

[And he trails off when he realizes that that voice is familiar. And when he looks at the journal...]

... Yuri? Yuri! [Can you tell by the grin on his face that he's missed you?]

voice;

[trashed]

It's about time. Maybe everyone'll stop freaking out so much. It's been really annoying around here lately.

voice;

[fabrecation]

[o m g haven't you tormented him enough, Sync?]

Do you care about anyone?

[Voice]

[distressedude]

[Ion knew Luke would be coming back soon. It would be just like Asch... he'd come back in a week, missing something important to him. And yet somehow, even after spending the past week thinking about it, now that Luke is back, he doesn't know what to say. What do you say to someone who's just died and come back? You'd think Ion would know firsthand what someone might say... though the circumstances aren't exactly the same.]

[He opens his mouth to speak, to echo the same sentiment shared by nearly everyone on this entry so far, but he stops himself. He doesn't want to do this over the journal... that was how it was the last time he spoke with Luke, a nearly anonymous exchange with neither truly acknowledging one another. He wants to see him in person -- almost as if that's the only way he'll know for certain that Luke is back and alive again.]

...where are you right now?

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

[Ion...

Luke can't help feeling guilty. He meant to tell him what was happening... But when he wanted to, he could barely get out of the apartment without sliding down the wall. They'd promised to tell each other things like this... Look how great that turned out.

So, it's after a pause that Luke gives his reply. He's sure that Ion's going to be mad at him... as mad as Ion can be, anyway.]

In... front of Good Spirits. I just needed a little light to see.

video;

[gleamed]

[She feels her heart lurch and tears prick at her eyes with this announcement. Luke is back. Luke is back. He's alive, he's here, and worrying about what he paid to return hasn't even entered her mind yet.]

Luke!

video;

[fabrecation]

Oh, Rapunzel! Hey!

[He can't help smiling, despite how awkward all of this is. It's good to hear from her, after all. And all that goes into his mind is how they can hang out without him dozing off or losing his focus.]

[voice]

[wildlittlegirl]

[ Okay, you know what? It's not fair. Mommy didn't get to come back to life, so why do you?! ]

You should have stayed dead, murderer.

[ Welp. ]

[voice]

[fabrecation]

[The first time he and Arietta really talk, and she tells him that.

Welp. He can't say he's surprised, even though it stings quite a lot. She'd always come after them, calling them such things, despite all she and her companions have done. Not that he doesn't deserve it, even though he was the one who didn't want to kill the mother liger and her children. He still feels bad about it.

But still.]

I'm sorry. But I have too much to live for now.

[voice]

[silversnowfall]

[For the most part they knew it was coming. That doesn't make it any less of a relief.]

Welcome back, Luke.

[voice]

[fabrecation]

Thanks.

[He still feels utterly awkward. What else is there to say? Especially those from Auldrant.]

... I'm sorry.

[voice] /late forever i'm sorry i somehow missed this lmao

[failguardian]

Luke!

[She's at a loss for words. There's happiness and relief, of course, that he's actually back - but of course he would be, people come back from the dead here, right? She had tried to tell herself there was nothing to worry about, but at his message the nagging anxiety finally dispersed.]

[There's frustration too, because Luke had felt the need to keep everything to himself and she didn't have any way of helping.]

[But expressing those thoughts can wait. For now:]

Are you okay?

[voice] /also late forever HAAAY

[fabrecation]

Anise! Yeah, I'm okay, don't worry.

[There's a smile in his voice - he really is happy to hear from her. But what he says next is softer, more sorrowful than anything.]

... I'm sorry. I know I didn't tell a lot of people...