fabrecation | 027 [Video/Action]

[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))

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[Asch scoffs quietly, one hand shifting awkwardly behind himself to try and find something to lean on for support while he waits for Luke to sort himself out. He finds a small tree that seems stable enough about a foot away, so he carefully slides them along the dirt until his back hits it, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Not that it made a difference, but it's more for the sensation than anything else.]

"You think I do? But it's out of our hands. At least he kept his memory, so we don't have to repeat that truce nonsense."

[Luke shifts too, though just that movement alone seems to make his world spin again despite him knowing it isn't really happening. He sways on his knees, one hand gripping Asch's shoulder to at least keep himself upright. With that as his guide, he scoots a few inches forward until he can rest his head on Asch's free shoulder again, feeling more than seeing the bark just behind it, weight more against his chest and shoulder than anything. At the moment, going without contact is unthinkable. It's like he wants to stay as close the source of the link, his one guiding source for the moment, as he possibly can.]

"Have to tell Xion. And the others - Auldrant - do they know?"

[Sigh, replica. You're so high-maintenance sometimes. Asch lets his shoulder drop a little, letting Luke do what he wants. As long as he genuinely needs the rest and isn't just milking this, then whatever.]

"Some of them knew already, or met him themselves. I passed the news around to anyone who was left."

"... Good."

[Oh you like it, Asch. Regardless, he's mostly leaning because he needs it. Because he'd rather do this against something warm and soft than cold and rough, like a tree or the ground. Because that link seems to be the only thing he can focus on right now.

It's slow, but things are starting to right itself thanks to this.]

"... I'm glad you're here." [He punctuates that with light squeeze of the shoulder. There's a sense of gratefulness in the link as well; he isn't just glad that Asch is here, but that Asch answered his call. That he found him, just as he did for Asch.]

"...Heh, why does that not surprise me?"

[His tone is a little mocking, but it's mild compared to how he might normally say something like that. The squeeze on his shoulder makes him quirk his brow upwards, but he doesn't pull away. The replica's always been more touchy than him, but this is... definitely familiar, that's for sure.]

"Consider us even, now."

"Heh."

[For a while, that's all he says while he recovers. Thus it takes him a few minutes to get together enough to lean back, though he keeps his hand on Asch's shoulder, and - a thought occurs to him then.]

Asch, do you... [He swallows and clears his throat.] Do you have that pendant? The one I...

[Oh, he's talking again? Asch lifts a brow at the question, then scowls, leaning away from the tree just enough to reach a hand to unclasp something around his neck before withdrawing, offering his hand out to Luke. Dangling from his fingers are both of the necklaces, intact and just as they'd been when Luke had handed them over.]

I'm insulted you'd even ask.

[He just stares at the necklace for a moment - both of them. So Asch kept it... Luke didn't expect any different, but a part of him just had to ask. In a way, it was as if Asch just accepted him all over again. Not just as a slow realization, but a real symbol of it, right now at this very moment.

Luke slowly reaches out to gently take the gold pendant from Asch's fingers, and then ducks his head, wavering slightly on his knees, to bring it over his head and around his neck. If anyone told him that he'd miss the feeling of cool metal against his chest, then he probably wouldn't believe it. But he did, and feeling it there now is something of a relief.

It's only a simple little thing, yet it means so much to the both of them. Luke rests his hand against it for a moment, then lifts his head to smile at Asch, though knowing that he can't see it.]

Thank you, Asch.

[Excessively dramatic as always. Asch shrugs aside his thanks, withdrawing his hand to replace the silver pendant around his neck. Losing it now would just cause his replica more grief, and he's not in the mood for that. Not now, or...

....

Tch.]

Can you walk yet?

... I think so.

[Luke sounds a little unsure about that. But he'll try anyway. He places his palms against the ground and pushes, enough to get his feet under him and straighten out his knees, then his body.

And he sways and stumbles, and he has to hold onto the trunk of a nearby tree to get his balance again. But he's up, at least.]

Just... give a second and I'll be able to.

Don't push yourself, that won't help either of us.

[He might be blind, but he's strong, so he remains close in case Luke needs the support to stay upright. If Luke can be his eyes, he can do that much, and they'll make it back to the village somehow.]

... Right.

[He gives himself a minute, at least enough to gather his wits and prepare himself for the walk. He'd rather be a help to Asch as well; Luke can be his eyes, and if he's out of sorts and pushing himself, then his gaze might just keep wavering.

So, after that moment, he moves away from the tree and goes to Asch instead, where he sets a hand on his shoulder. He wouldn't normally be so touchy, but he feels like he needs a more physical link. Something to keep him standing.]

Okay... [As he sets his eyes on the path ahead of them.] Let's go.

[Asch glances briefly - and pointlessly, since it gets him nowhere now that he can only see what's ahead - at Luke, wishing he could study his replica's expression. He knows the feeling of being revived (repeatedly now) and it's unpleasant and disorienting every time.

He's dealing with it, and... that's what matters for the moment. If there are any lingering issues they can be tackled later.

With a quiet exhale, he nods, and starts walking. They have a ways to go before they're safe.]

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