vatheon | But who do you ask, when no one really knows

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But who do you ask, when no one really knows

Who: Luke and whoever would like to find him
Where: The Plaza
When: Midday
Style: Whichever you prefer!
Status: Wide open

[It wasn't the fact that Luke was soaking wet that set off alarm bells in his head. That was expected, seeing how he was set to show up in the middle of a spring.

What made him go rigid and stare ahead of himself with wide eyes were his surroundings. There wasn't water around him like he expected, and this certainly wasn't some little grove. There were buildings, an entire city of them, and the water was above him, held back by some kind of dome.

He scrambles up to his knees with an arm in front of his face, as if he were expecting the water to just cave in right then and there.]

Uh... Tear, are you sure this is the right...

[He trails off when he looks to the side and sees no one. Well, not the person he's looking for. He slowly lowers his arm as he looks further back, then twists to look to his other side, and - still, there was no sign of Tear. At that point, Luke stands and takes a few steps back, as if hoping that will help him in his search.]

Tear? Tear! Mieu, are you around here?!

[Nothing. Not even an annoying "mieu". He runs his hand over the back of his hair and swallows to combat that nervous wad rising in his chest, and he takes another step back -

And he steps on something that's clearly raised a little higher than the ground. He turns with a frown on his face and lifts his foot, giving the starfish-shaped device a quick glance.]

What's this thing... A piece of fontech? Weird...

[And he nudges it away as he moves to the side, trying to find some help. Tear has to be around here somewhere; the Yulia Path couldn't have just flung him somewhere else entirely... right?]

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[Luke's sure he heard Guy's voice through that... thing. When Zelda turns to catch him in the video, Luke just looks bewildered, staring at the device with wide eyes. Wait, was that Guy in the picture?

There's that urge to grab the device from her hands and talk to Guy from there. Pushing that away makes him want to just demand it. Pushing that further away, and he just bites his lip and stares, feeling crassness turn to curiosity instead. What was that thing, and how was Guy talking and looking out from inside it? Can he see him?]

[Yeah, he caught that head of red hair immediately.

It's still cut short.

Seconds later he's scrambling from his desk, grabbing at the jacket that lay against the back of his chair and shrugging it on before picking the communicator back up in a flustered rush.]

Take him to the Center - get him dried off, something to eat. Talk to him.[See if he remembers anything...]

I'll be right there, alright?

[The slamming of the apartment door can be heard as Guy cuts off the feed, dashing down the stairs of Pendilum Apartments as fast as he could manage.]

[She lowers her SFC, offering Luke a smile. The coral was still acting up, Zelos and Lloyd weren't up just yet, but she was genuinely glad that Guy's friend had returned.]

Come along, then. He'll be here shortly. The Welcome Center is right this way, we'll get you clean and dry.

[Zelda attempts to herd Luke towards the Welcome Center, glad that she'd put a pot of tea on inside not too long before.]

... Huh? Oh... okay, but...

[He still has someone to find; if Tear's in a different spot, he has to find her and be on their way. He does follow her lead, though he really, really can't help glancing at her ears.]

I have to find Tear as soon as Guy gets here. If we don't hurry...

Edited 2012-05-31 04:29 (UTC)

It will be alright. Time won't pass where you're from while you are in Vatheon, there is no rush.

[Zelda tries to look reassuring for him. The inside of the Welcome Center smells of a chamomile tea blend, chosen specifically since it tends to calm people down a bit.]

We have a shower right over here that you can use to rinse off the salt. If you leave your clothing out, I can handle it while you get cleaned up.

... Vatheon?

[He frowns, just barely glancing at the shower when she points them out. There's something else on his mind instead.]

W-Wait, I don't understand. This... is Aramis Springs, right?

[Oh, she REALLY prefers to get people dry and clean and filled with a little tea before giving this explanation, especially ones acting like they're on some urgent mission.]

No, I'm afraid that we are not on your world at all. This one is located outside the normal flow of time. No harm will come to your world while you are here, so please do not be too alarmed.

[There's something hiding behind that smile of hers, now. With the coral in the state it is, she's not sure she can promise Luke that his absence back home won't be noticed... but she's positive that Guy wouldn't want her to alarm him.]

[Oh, this

This is not what Luke wanted to hear. Not at all. His eyes go wide, and he even takes a step back from shock.]

Not... What do you mean "not on your world"? Or the normal flow of - St. Binah is going to fall if we don't get back!

[Realizing that he yelled, he starts, then straightens his back as a light wince comes over his face.]

... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. But... I'm not really getting what you're saying. [And he hates to admit that. But waving it off would just make him fall further back into his old self.]

[And it's about this time that Guy yanks the Welcome Center door open, stepping inside. He's a bit breathless from sprinting the last few blocks, hair incredibly messy and outfit quite different than what Luke might remember. Still the same boots and a similar button-up shirt. But everything else is very foreign - certainly not the style from around Auldrant, let alone Kimlasca.

And yep, he only needs to glance around the lobby for a second before he spots them... or, rather, him. He's still soaked from head to toe and his hair is a mess, that duckbutt sticking up oddly against his neck, but that's--]

Luke!

[--that's one of the most relieved smiles Guy has ever pulled in his entire time in Vatheon.]

[Zelda looks up to see Guy enter, quite relieved herself since Luke was starting to get agitated. Somehow, it was more difficult to explain all of this while she'd felt that she was standing in Guy's stead. The expression on his face makes her smile genuinely.]

I'll get the tea, alright?

[With that, the princess heads back to the small stove.]

[It isn't the sound of the door being opened, but Guy's voice that makes Luke turn suddenly. The towel is dropped, and he barely seems to notice Zelda leaving them alone.

It's like he saw while he was with Asch. Guy waited for...

But if Zelda's right, then... What was he doing here? And when did he get new clothes?

... But that didn't matter. There's such relief and happiness welling up alongside the panic and confusion that he just focuses on the fact that Guy's here.]

Guy!

[And he takes a few steps towards him, one arm lifting up...]

[...But then stops, and he lets his arm lower to his side.

That's right. Luke's a replica. He's not... the real thing. He couldn't really call himself "Guy's best friend", could he? Not to mention everything he's done, to Guy and to everyone else...

So, he doesn't move beyond that, and he can't even meet Guy's eyes anymore.]

Huh?

[The sudden hesitation catches Guy by surprise. It wasn't that Luke didn't recognize him - hell, he'd looked just as relieved as Guy felt when he had turned around... so why the sudden change?

He stands his ground for the moment, hands slowly moving to rest on his hips.]

Hey, what is it? Something wrong?

Edited 2012-05-31 15:49 (UTC)

[Luke still doesn't look up. He doesn't want to see Guy's reaction, he doesn't even want to admit this. But... Guy's been his best friend this long. It's a title Luke shouldn't use anymore, because...]

I... I'm not Luke.

[I'm not even your real friend, Guy.]

[She looks over her shoulder at that, frowning slightly. Her preparations are nearly silent. What does he mean, he "isn't Luke"?]

[Yep, THIS was different. And with what Guy had just learned only a week before... well, he can take a stab at what exactly Luke means.

His voice dips a little softer, although the lighthearted edge is still present.]

What are you talking about? Of course you're Luke.

But I'm...

[He trails off as he glances to the side, somewhat behind him, then down at the floor. Luke knows that Zelda's still here, and... this is a rather sensitive topic, and she's a stranger. He doesn't want to just blurt out that he's not even a real person in front of her.]

[That look on his face, something about it is so terribly lost. Not just confused, but like he's lost everything that makes him who he is. It's like Sola when he'd finally accepted the fact that he wasn't "Link". He couldn't...

She pours the tea into two thermoses and heads over to them with a bright smile.]

You two should probably get back to your place, don't you think Guy? Luke needs a change of clothes and everything. It was good to meet you, Luke. I'm sure we'll speak again sometime soon.

[Guy catches that uncomfortable look from the redhead almost immediately - one showing that he clearly wasn't wanting to talk. Possibly because of the subject matter (which, right now, Guy could only guess at) ... and possibly because Zelda was within earshot.

Hmm.

Blue eyes soften. Seeing Luke this quiet, this... lost...? It was kind of painful, in a sense. Still so very different than the Luke from his time... and the fact he hadn't called Guy himself already showed that the redhead probably didn't remember a thing about Vatheon.

One step at a time, then. And the first was to get Luke comfortable enough to talk.

But before he's able to say anything, Zelda pipes up, walking toward the men with the thermoses and suggesting they head home...

Thank. You. Zelda. That smile is returned, more than a little gratitude behind it.]

I don't know, it's Luke's decision! Hah, I'm honestly fine with staying here for a little, if wandering around in wet clothes is gonna be too much of a hassle.

[And there's that soft, chipper grin, directed back at Luke.] But yeah, she's got a point. If you're up for it, we can walk over to where I'm staying right now. It's not too far - just a few blocks down. I'll explain a little more on the way, alright?

[Again, Luke looks a little bewildered. It's a bit like being pulled around into things he doesn't know about, especially considering how he still has no idea where he is or what's going on. "Guy's place"? But - His place was back in Baticul, not in this Vatheon place - And Zelda's ushering them along and Guy's making this Luke's decision and -

After some silence, Luke realizes that it's his turn to speak.]

Ah... [He glances at them both, then looks down at the thermos in his hands and idly passes it from hand to hand.] Yeah... that's fine.

[God, he's still so distracted and... well, lost. But after some thought and some more staring at the thermos, Luke blinks and looks at Zelda with a faint smile.] Thanks, Zelda. I'll... see you later, I guess? [He still has to get out of here and get to St. Binah, but...]

Yes, I'll see you both later.

[Zelda dips her head to them in a clear dismissal. When someone is as lost as Luke is, it's best to just take the decision right out of their hands.]

[Guy gives a brisk nod in return as he puts a hand around Luke's shoulder, guiding them right back out the front door and onto the cobblestone streets. Yeah, the welcome center was good for a quick explaination and a complicated pamphlet of everything that was happening. But with how Luke was acting right now... Guy knew he needed more than just a simple slip of paper.

He seem distracted. Confused. Words on paper wouldn't snap him out of that. And if he was caught up in what Guy thinks he might be caught up in... then they'd have to work through it before anything else could be accomplished.

Their walking starts to lead them down one of the paths away from the plaza, shops giving way to the simpler styles of residential buildings. Guy finally slips his hand from Luke's shoulder, his expression turning just a little sheepish.]

Sorry for the hustle. I just figured we should have somewhere a little more private to talk, you know?

[Luke lets himself be led, though even then, he's very distracted. He looks at all of the buildings as they pass them, watching as they pass the shops and walking into what seems to be more residential areas.

Was this really a different world from Auldrant? He knows for sure he's never seen a woman with ears like Zelda before, and he's never heard of a place under water like this before...

Then again, Luke hasn't heard of a lot of things. Heh.

But - He can't be here. How does he get out? He has to get out. St. Binah is falling, and - even if what Zelda said was true, something about timestreams, then... what was going on there? What can he do? How is he supposed to...

Then Guy speaks, and Luke blinks before he looks up at him and realizes Guy took his hand off of him; there was a cold space on his shoulder, after all.]

Right... yeah. [He lowers his head. What should he say? Luke had been ready to tell Guy what he was, something Guy ought to know already. But now he feels himself clamming up, now that he's had time to think and let things settle a little. He doesn't want to talk about this, he doesn't...

...

It's more that slowly warming spot on his shoulder that makes him keep talking. The knowledge that Guy did that, and the feeling that he had to let him know that he wasn't really Luke. He's...]

I'm... I'm not who you thought I was all this time. [His eyes narrow slightly in a light wince.] I'm not who I thought I was.

Hah, please don't tell me we're talking about that haircut of yours - clean-cut as it is and all, just chopping off your hair doesn't make you a new person.

[He's only partially kidding, of course.]

Besides. Haircut or not... last I checked, you were still Luke.

[Luke subconsciously raises his hand to touch the back of his hair at that, shifting his fingers through the shorter locks. It's still a little hard to get used to, feeling nothing weighing his hand down like this.

And he presses his lips together before he stops and turns, hand leaving his hair to fist at his side.]

But I'm a replica!

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