abyssdressing

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characters: ashen_knight

- 001

[He's been here for too long. No, he's been stuck here too long with no way of getting home. None that he knew of, at least. And he'd tried looking for information in too many places. Nothing helped.

Asch was exhausted. He had kept himself in top form with some sword, fonic arte, and even hyperresonance training. He didn't want to fall behind in case he sudden;y did return home somehow. There was no room for error now. He'd been leaving for Eldrant before ending up here, so Asch couldn't afford to be weak.

The sun was setting over a large field outside the village where he had been training. Large scorch marks littered some parts where he used Explosion and Thunder Blade, and there were some definite holes punched into the boulders around, but Asch himself was watching the sun set over the horizon peacefully. The wind swept as his face gently, making his hair and bangs sway. He liked places like this - big, wide, open, quiet. A place where he could really think.

And relax.

His sword was right beside him, dug into the ground, but Asch's eyes were on the rolling clouds painted in beautiful colors across the sky. Most of them were reds, yellow, and oranges, but some purple and blue tinted the darker parts. It was...really nice. He hadn't ever had time to really just sit and relax like this before.

People are welcome to come across the stoic redhead on their way out of or back towards the village. Hell, he might not even glare at you that much. ~~Unless you're Luke.~~]

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[Oh, it's just the replica. Asch lowers his sword with a dry look and sighs. Lorelei, he's really beginning to think what he said about replica brains being defective wasn't just an insult.]

[You'd think he would've watched himself, but noooo. Luke sat up, rubbing his head and trying to get the grass and dirt off his face and shirt. Ew, dammit. Ptooie. Luke just gave a sheepish smile up at Asch, though it ended up more at the ground than anything. Great, he probably just blew any chances to talk to him...] Uh... Hey, Asch.

[Yes, this is YOUR replica, Asch. :|b]

[DEM FABRE GENES AGAIN. And yeah...Asch is giving you the most unimpressed look he's ever given you, Luke. Seriously, way to fail. But he's not yelling ~~yet~~, so you still have a minuscule chance of getting to talk to your original.]

What do you want, reject?

[ALWAYS DEM FABRE GENES. I wanted to see Asch fall through that hole in the floor. ... Yeah, Luke's not feeling too bright right now. Ugh, great. Luke will still try.]

I just wanted to know if you'd found any way home, yet. I haven't come up with anything so far. Because... well, you know. [Because we have stuff to do and Asch needs to be there.]

[ALWAYS. ...Oh god, me too. I bet he spent the first twenty minutes cursing and maybe three kicking the door. Asch frowns, closing his eyes tightly and setting his jaw. He still hated to admit that there really wasn't any way to get back. Or none he found.]

...I didn't find anything. I've checked libraries and everything, but there was no information on just what and where this place actually is. I've also scouted perhaps every corner of this place that I could. Nothing. [He opens his eyes and looks sharply and expectantly at Luke.] What about you, replica, did you even look?

Edited 2010-09-21 01:03 (UTC)

[... Twenty? Holy shit, Asch. Luke just kind of avoids Asch's gaze, frowning and thoughtful. If there was no way back, then how... how would they ever stop Van? Would he just succeed? Would Guy and Tear and the others... No! There had to be a way back!]

Hey, I looked, too! I checked the same places you did, and I asked a few people. Everyone says there's no way back except maybe when this place feels like sending you home.

We can't just stay here...! [PUNCH. to the ground. He was really worried about his friends, about everyone. Was there just no way to save anyone...?] Dammit!

[Yes, twenty. Asch is a BOSS. Asch watches Luke for a bit, and...maybe it's a trait they share, maybe it's because they're replica and original, but Asch just feels he knows what's on Luke's mind, and looks away himself, a deep crease forming between his brows as he glares at the darkening sky.]

...I know that. I've heard the same thing from the people here. They seem awfully laid-back about it, too. [Asch looks back at Luke and stares impassively. He was feeling the same way - needing to hit something - but he already did plenty of that earlier.] Tch. Stop it, throwing around curses and acting like a child won't solve anything! I want to return and stop Van just as much as you do, replica!! [He sighed, sticking his sword hard into the ground beside him again.] ...I'm going to look for more information tomorrow. There's something we;re missing. No one would remain so calm if they were just dragged away with no means of escape. They'd find a way out, or die trying. We don't know everything.

[Like a boss. And if only the two of them knew just how similar they were, perhaps they wouldn't get into so many fights. Or maybe they already knew it and just don't show it.]

[Asch was much better at information-gathering than he was. He wasn't really good for much, was he...?] ... Sorry. You're right. [He looked up with a determined look in his eyes.] There has to be a way back home other than just waiting for it. I'll look, too. [Because he couldn't just let Auldrant down like that. He'd find a way home, like he did with Tear and the others.]

[Sigh. But for now, he's just going to sit on the ground and admire the fading sunlight. It was getting dark, now. He glanced up at Asch, then back to the horizon.] It's funny, I've never seen you relaxed, before. You're always really tense.

[So similar, yet so different as well. Two hearts, two people. If only Asch saw that. He's still trying so hard to understand who he is now.

Asch remained stoic, looking out to the sky as Luke spoke. There was a definite calm he felt, not necessarily with Luke, but right now. He was concerned, yes, but not as tense as he normally would be about these situations. Maybe it was because he actually had Luke here with him. Suffice it to say, the dreck was probably Asch's least and first choice of person to be stuck in this place with.] ...Stop apologizing! You don't have to apologize for every wrong thing you do, just don't do it again!!

[Asch glanced back at Luke, spotting the determination and will in his eyes. He'd never seen that before. ...Good, he'd need that will in the end.

And then you just had to roil Asch up again. The scowl is back before Asch turns away, huffing.]

Sh-Shut up! I'm only tense because I have to constantly pick up after your messes, replica!!

[Just like twins, really. They look alike and have some similar mannerisms, but they're still two completely different people. Luke's already accepted that he's not any part of Asch, now Asch just needs to do the same. Maybe some "forced" time together will do them some good.]

[First and least? How the hell does that work, Asch? You're so WEIRD. Luke just cringes at the yelling. He should've expected that, really.] Would you rather me not say I'm sorry at all? Because I can do that, too. [SNARKSNARKSNARK.]

[And that's too bad, because Luke's had that determination several times before. Maybe it's not quite as common as him wanting to just curl up in a hole and die, but it's there all the same. He's got a strong will to live, as he discovered after the Tower of Rem.]

Of course, everything's my fault... [SIGH. Flop. At least he got to say what he wanted to say. ... Hey, what were those? Flying lights? He blinked and reached up to try to touch one of the little lights flying around his head.] What the hell...?

[First because you're his replica and thus know and understand him best, and least because you're his replica thus and know and understand him best. 8|b And you're not winning his approval here, Luke, seriously. Asch huffs and goes to sit farther away from the dreck and watch the sky turn night blue. A few of the brighter stars were already in sight, too.] Shut up, dreck!

Most of it is. [Asch didn't look back at Luke for some time, just trying to drown out his presence and concentrate on the sky, the stars, and the colors of the clouds. Basically everything but Luke. But seeing as how this is Asch, it doesn't last long before he's glancing at the replica again. What's he swatting at?] ...Fireflies. They usually come out at this hour.

[He hadn't seem many in his lifetime, but Asch did know what they were. ...They were kind of pretty.]

Edited 2010-09-21 03:16 (UTC)

[... What. That makes no sense and Luke's brain hurts now. HEY, HE'S TRYING.] It was just a little apology, anyway!

... [Dejected sigh. Yeah, it usually was... Huh? Those are FLIES?] No way. Bugs don't light up like that.

[And so he gets up slowly and stares down one of the little things. They really were pretty... Hey, it's getting away! Come back here!]

[Swipe! ... Swipe, swipe! SNATCH!]

[Gotcha, you little pest!]

[He opened his hands to look at it, eyes brightening.] ... It... really is a bug. Whoa... [And he caught it. He's rather proud of himself.]

Look, Asch! It's even prettier close up. [And so he'll take his prize back to his original and open up his hands a little to show him. The firefly's just sitting on his glove and lighting up the space inside Luke's hands. He's beaming and seeming rather carefree at the moment.] I've never seen one of these before! They're so cool!

Edited 2010-09-21 03:33 (UTC)

[Asch was just opening his mouth to gripe at his replica that yes, some bugs do in fact glow, and why, but he paused to just watch Luke try his hardest to catch one of the little bugs. It zigged, it zagged, and Luke was right behind it.

It was quite comedic in fact, and Asch normally would have disregarded the act as stupid and childish, but...he wasn't willing to gripe at Luke right now. Maybe because he really was relaxed, or he was watching his replica act so whimsical and carefree, but who knows? Regardless, Asch's shoulders sagged and he chuckled under his breath at the dreck.]

[But then he got up in his face with a damn bug shoved under his nose like he expected him to swallow it or something - DON'T YOU EVEN START.

Asch startled, and reflexively leaned back a little, but did look at the tiny glowing bug confined in Luke's hands out of pure curiosity. He never did see on up close, after all. Never cared for them as much as Luke did. To Asch, they were just bugs.]

Don't squish it.

[...Why. Did he just say that? It was the first words to slip out of his mouth and cvjkxhr DRECK, IT'S YOUR FAULT, GO AWAY, I WAS FINE BEFORE YOU SHOWED UP.]

[No, don't swallow it! This isn't your dinner, Asch! D8]

[Luke didn't see the smile or hear him chuckling, but smiled at him when he looked.] I wasn't going to.

[~~BECAUSE HE WANTS IT LATER FOR A SNACK.~~ He just grinned and let it go on Asch's head, where it rested on his hair for a few moments before flying off. Luke just snickered and flopped down in the grass, staring up at the darkening sky and fireflies.] It feels like you're in the middle of a bunch of stars. This is where Lorelei should be... [He closed his eyes. This was really relaxing, if not a bit melancholy -- at least to him.]

Edited 2010-09-21 18:06 (UTC)

[/KICKS. B|

Asch huffs, going a little cross-eyed when the little bug landed on a strand of his bangs that drooped down in front of his face. He swatted at it with a frown, but didn't intend to actually hurt or kill it. Just to get the damn thing off his hair.]

Don't put that thing on me!! [Frown. God damnit, dreck, you're not allowed to say things like that when he's scolding you! Dx Asch watched Luke again, flopped right by his side, and looked back up at the real stars. Lorelei, huh? Would he be joining Lorelei in the fon belt soon? Asch wondered... Just how much time did he have left? Should he tell the replica? Did the fonon separation carry on to this place? There were so many unanswered questions...

Excuse him while he thinks, Luke, your original is in a rather thoughtful mood right now.]

[Luke just laughed at the bug.] But it brightened up your face, Asch. [Bad puns galore!]

[He looked over to Asch in surprise when he... just lay right next to him. This was kind of nice, not fighting for once... This place wasn't so bad, really. ~~It had cool light-up bugs!~~]

[And unfortunately, that left Luke to think, too. It's a dangerous thing, really.] ... Hey... Asch? Have you ever... [This was stupid.] --thought of what it might be like to be up there that high? Where the stars are?

[So he was king of thinking along the same lines as Asch. Same wavelengths, literally.]

[You're getting a rather dirty look for that bad pun, dreck. Asch does not appreciate that bit of humor - especially at his expense - thank you very much.

Sh-Shut up! Asch isn't exactly enjoying this, just so you know!! ...Okay, so maybe he was. A little. It was calming outside the cities, without people, without boundaries, without walls. Much like you, replica, Asch has a large appreciation for the world around him, especially large, open spaces. Being confined to Daath's cathedral for years on end has that kind of effect on some people.

The question startles Asch, and it takes him a moment to just glance at the replica, and twice as long to reply.]

Don't be stupid, replica. [His voice lowered as he looked up to the starry sky wistfully.] ...You can't live up there.

[Take that however you like.]

[Poor Asch. ... Too bad. \:|/]

[Luke's definitely at peace right now. This was such a pretty field and it reminded him of Tataroo Valley when he first went with Tear. He had been confined to the manor, too... Seeing the world was quite the shock for him at first, but he soon grew to love the freedom of travel.]

[Luke feels a bit dumb for asking the question, but... hey. And of course he took it literally.] I-I know that...! But... Lorelei and the rest of the fonons are up there, right? It's just... Seeing Auldrant from the Albiore is already amazing, but what about from even higher...? [He might be up there soon, himself.] ... Hey, that one kinda looks like a rappig. [Pointing to a constellation, now.]

[Oddly, Asch was really relaxing here as well. The presence beside him, even if it was the replica's, was...nice. He was always so guarded with everything; having a moment of tranquility to himself really was a rarity for Asch. And the night was becoming rather nice.

Asch looks over to Luke right beside him, regarding him for quite some time. He'd call it just mulling over the question, but in actuality, he was trying to understand just what Luke was actually thinking. He was hiding something; it was so obvious, and he wanted to know, want to probe his thoughts and tug out the truth, but...didn't. Huh.]

They were building machines in Sheridan, remember? Auldrant's technology is always advancing. Soon enough, you'll have you answers. Just how the world looks from up there. [He paused, then snorted as he looked back at the constellation. ...It kind of did look like a rappig.] ...Idiot.

[Luke's warm, too. And cuddly. 8Da?;;; It wasn't hot out, either. It was cool with a gentle breeze. Luke closed his eyes again.]

[Asch certainly picked up on that rather easily, huh? Luke wasn't the most subtle person ever, but Asch was right. Luke didn't really want to ruin the moment, even if he was sure Asch would be happy about him dying. Maybe another time, or... not at all. Part of him didn't want to see his reaction.]

Yeah, I know. [He smiled slightly.] Maybe all of us can see someday. ... H-Hey, it does...! See, there's the curly tail, there's the snout... [Good job, Luke. You pass Swine Anatomy.]

Edited 2010-09-24 03:48 (UTC)

[Nice try, replica. 8| And stop that smiling, Asch already feels awkward enough laying here together with you. They had promised to settle their score in a duel in Eldrant and now they were being buddy-buddy?! Unacceptable! ...Right?]

Hmph, like I'd travel anywhere with you, replica. ...And your group's not any better.

[Asch looked away again and back to the stars, looking where Luke was indicating. He could see it, and maybe kindasortajustalittlebit smiled, but then started looking at the stars for real. He scoured the skies, and frowned.] Shut up. The stars here are different. There are no constellations I recognize...

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x> Just for you, bb.

/chuuu~

/CHUUUU~ ... and asch and luke should do the same. c'mon, boys~ XD

HA good luck with the sour grape over here. 8|b

Yeah, Luke's still pretty scared of Asch, himself. :|b

Asch is just a big pussycat, Luke. A big, angry, ferocious pussycat who will pop your head off. <<

... That really reassures him.

|D But he loooves you, dreck~

... He does? /finds that hard to believe.

Loves to hate you. :|b

1/??? -- ... I figured there was a catch. ._.;;;

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I KNOW, I LOVE IT SO. *w*

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