ADR's Grand Opening Mingle Post!

[solerika]

Welcome, inhabitants and visitors! Whether you are familiar with this land or just getting acquainted, your friendly neighborhood nexus might give off the impression of having shifted recently. Fallen limbs here, a few tipped chairs there. Nothing to worry about!

And why should you fret when there's a party going on? The sudden appearance of streamers and balloons and buffet tables loaded down with delectable goodies might be a touch disconcerting for some, but there they are! Just waiting for you to dig in and have a good time! There can't be any harm in kicking back to relax for a while, right?

Right...?

Comments

[replicamagica]

It certainly seems that way. [A-Aww, Luke, don't make that face. He almost reaches out to set a hand on Luke's shoulder, but stops himself. No. This Luke didn't know what he was. What he had become. He shouldn't...]

I hope you don't find it strange for me to say so, but I'm actually used to you being male as well... [Then, quickly he adds:] But I don't think that matters. You're still you, after all. Even if our worlds are a little different.

[hairofginger]

... Heh. Yeah.

[Now she feels kind of... dejected. Like when they expected Asch, only to see Luke. They expect a boy, but they have a girl instead.

You're still you... They'd say that about Asch and her, too. It never really worked very well.

But Luke is all too used to hiding things away, even if she's not good at it. So she tries again, and she smiles to help.]

So... What's the male me like? He looks pretty strong. [He has a SIX PACK what the hell. One look at her abs shows the beginnings of one, but definitely not as obvious as his.]

[replicamagica]

He is. He's... [His voice catches in his throat and he suddenly looks away. This was stupid. It was just a question! A question Ion shouldn't be having trouble answering. Luke was his friend... his friend...!]

[His friend who betrayed him-- no!]

[His friend who left him alone to-- no!!]

[His friend who he always and truly--]

[Ion's been too quiet for too long. He looks up suddenly, with a smile that is far from genuine. Ion is usually fairly good at hiding away his emotions... why was this suddenly so difficult?]

...someone very important to me. [A short, forced chuckle.] I... guess I'm not very good at describing people.

[hairofginger]

[Luke looks at him, her own eyebrows raising at the silence and his forced smile. She can tell by now, thanks to spending more time with him back on Auldrant.

But she won't push it. She just presses her lips together, then looks out at the crowd again.]

It's okay. I'm not really good at describing people either...

[replicamagica]

[Ion doesn't say anything to that, suddenly feeling more than just a little awkward. Thinking such terrible things while standing right next to her... did Luke notice? How could she not? Her world might be the same... but if that's true, then did that mean the Luke back home knew how he felt as well--?]

[He needed to stop thinking about this. And it's only now that that he remembers that he's still transformed. Right, right... he shouldn't be wasting his magic. He might need it later.] Ah... sorry, just a moment...

[He takes a few steps back and raises a hand into the air, the dress disappearing in a shimmer of light and revealing his usual robes instead. He sways a little, but manages to shake it off.] There.

[hairofginger]

[... WHAT]

What the - Since when were you able to do that?

[...]

Actually, why were you wearing a dress in the first place?

[replicamagica]

What? [Did he never make a contract in this Luke's world? Maybe... maybe that means that's a world where things are actually okay!]

[Oh, how wrong he is...]

I... made a contract with Mieubey to become a Magi. Though not even he seems to know why my uniform looks more like the girls' uniform than the boys'. I don't really mind it, but...

Did that never happen on your Auldrant?

[hairofginger]

... No, I've never heard of any of it. [By the look on her face, it all sounds kind of weird. And dumb. Why would they give Ion a dress?]

Do you mean Mieu? That annoying little thing?

[replicamagica]

No, I mean Mieubey...

[There's a look of confusion on his face for a moment, but then it slowly starts to turn into a smile.] That must mean... does your world not have Puella Magi or Contractors at all?

[...it shouldn't make him so happy to hear such a thing, and yet it does. What does this mean? If he's been brought to this world where there's no witches and no cheagles to make contracts with, does that mean he's free?]

[hairofginger]

No... I don't even know what those things are. [She's not sure if she can even pronounce "Puella" if she had to.]

[replicamagica]

That's... that's good. I'm glad. [This -- this was silly. Luke never even made a contract back home and he was safe from Mieubey. And with the world at relative peace, there was no need for him to make a contract in the future, right?]

[But even so, just knowing that somewhere out there, there was a world free from the contractors and the Magi system... why, it was enough to almost bring tears to his eyes.]

[hairofginger]

... Are they bad? [It sure seems like it. And she can't help frowning with concern over it, especially since Ion made a contract with them...]