wildsaber | 01 ♪ video/action ♪ wake up sleepyhead!

[The feed shows a nice view of absolutely nothing. There is, however, the sound of someone spitting. Very lovely. He just woke up with a mouthful of dead rotting leaves. His day is off to a great freaking start, that's what.]

Ugh, nasty! Ow--... ow... ow. [Don't let the nonchalance fool you. He's realizing he's alive. Taking in a deep breath, and letting it out.

He's alive.

... And also FREEZING COLD. But wait until he finds a way home! This is impossible, but maybe-- just maybe--]

Hahah... jeez, it's c-c-cold. Am I in K-Keterburg or something?

-- Hey, what's...

[And here's when he brushes the journal off. Hello, there's a half-naked redhead getting up close and personal, and turning it upside down, and then shaking it out a bit. What is this strange and mystifying technology? It sure as hell isn't his journal.]

Weird.

[Feeling something tickle his shoulder, he reaches over to brush it off. And then he notices the wings, red with gold tips just like his hair. He has wings. This is not a drill. Luke drops the journal in favor of screaming like the grown man he isn't.]

W-what the hell is going on!?

[NO LUKE DON'T PULL ON THOSE--] —OW! [Yeah, that hurt more than anything else in his life. Now he's curled up over his knees again, trying not to cry. He almost blacked out there.]

G-guess they're real...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why would I? [After all the things they had gone through together, how could she even think to leave him now or deem their promise done? It was an absurd notion, and the melodist shakes her head with the faintest trace of a smile on her lips again.

Idiot.] I'll be here, for as long as I can be, and once we return to Auldrant—

[She falters, for only a split-second.] ... I'll still be watching for you.

[His breath escapes him. It sounds like the prelude to a sob. He looks away for a moment, smiling and sad, and hurting.]

Tear...

[She's so sweet. He almost says something really stupid, but he keeps it in. No matter how close he gets to saying it, he just can't. He can't put the pressure on her like that.]

... I'm going to keep my promise. I haven't forgotten.

['I'm going to keep my promise.' She knows he means to do so, but the sound he made before tells her there's so much more he means to say. There were now several promises between them, though she felt none more important than the other. That was why she felt he could be talking about any of them.

Yet there is one in particular that comes to mind, so she continues forward with it.] I'm really glad to hear that... You said you wouldn't hide things anymore. So I want to hear from you about our last time together.

It's been a while, I want to know that I still remember it, too.

[It's been a while? But it's only been a couple minutes for Luke, or that's what it felt like. He's not actually sure anymore. This place has turned everything he knew for a fact on its head. Dead people coming back to life, time passing when no time has passed...]

... You made me promise to come home, [he says finally, not looking at the journal. She might've said something else, but the wind was loud up there and blood rushed in his ears and he didn't catch it.]

Unless you're talking about the night before, when we were on the Albiore.

[Except Tear remembers making no such promise, and suddenly she is grateful that he's not yet right next to her. Otherwise, he would have noticed the way she shivered just now as a chill settled over her, and since he wasn't looking to the journal he wouldn't see the way her eyes widened momentarily.

Luke had always been the one left in the dark, the last time he was here, and she always from their future. To have those positions reversed was... How else would he have the memory of such a promise? She remembers each and every one of them, holds them dear to her heart even now. Steadying herself, she can only nod as her thoughts raced on.

Just because she hasn't lived it doesn't mean she has an idea of what happened. Jade had told her before what would be waiting when she at last returns to Auldrant, and she had pieced together enough on her own.] I was talking about the night before... Because that is the last thing I remember before here.

[That was a weird silence. He's about to ask if she's okay, but then she says she doesn't remember the promise at all. Somehow, Luke didn't consider what might happen if he was the furthest one along, if he made a promise that the other half doesn't remember. It's always been the other way around. He was always chasing the ghost of a promise as a child, which he later found out was Asch's all along. Is it the same here?

... No. No, it's not.]

I-- ['I might have just fucked myself over.']

I'm sorry. [That stammered apology is really all she needs to know about what happens.]

Don't apologize. [Her tone is firm, because even knowing the future she still wants to believe in those words they shared. And even if it would turn out a different future, or it plays out exactly as she's been told, he has to come home. He has to.]

You said you would keep it, didn't you? So don't apologize. Wherever home is, what's important is that you are with... [A breath.] with us. The people who care about you.

[He's going to come home, even if that means staying here with his friends.

He notices her hesitation, but he's not totally sure he understands it. He closes his eyes and nods.]

... Yeah. You're right.

[He still feels bad for letting that slip, but he doesn't elaborate on the details. She can imagine what happened, and that's more than he wants her to know.]

[And again Tear nods, though she also tries for a smile again. The past moments were heavy enough for the both of them, and there was still so much more to say.

But for now they had time, even with this awkward air between them. How to ease it...?] If you drop by the house most of us have taken residence in... you'll be able to meet Colonel.

01 ♪ video/action ♪ wake up sleepyhead!

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]

[video]