Week 19.

[azumods]

WEEK 19 Despite the setback early Sunday morning, the physical trip to Solaceon Town is an easy one; it isn't a large distance from Hearthome City, though the town itself is so small it's a little blink-and-you'll-miss it. It's nice and temperate, though, with the ruins off to the east of the city and the houses of the townspeople nestled among the trees and fields; it's somewhat similar to Floaroma Town in feeling, and that's only amplified by the flowers near the daycare. The townspeople don't seem to know how they got there; they simply bloomed one day, bright patches of bright pink Gracideas along the fence. It's a reminder, perhaps, that you aren't alone, and your work isn't in vain. It seems the world is slowly starting to get back on its feet, too; it's a slow process, but there are changes you can see here and there, however slight. You have a lot of work ahead of you, but there's a lot that's behind you now, too; maybe it's just a matter of continuing to try. CURRENT LOCATION: SOLACEON TOWN POKEMON AVAILABLE: WITHIN CITIES SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY | FRIDAY [OOC: Welcome to week nineteen of Azume; feel free to make as many top levels as you'd like and tag out to other characters! This post is for all of your interactions this week... at least until the weekend.]

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SUNDAY

[azumods]

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

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WEDNESDAY

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THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

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...

[azumods]

[Before you leave for Solaceon Town, there's something noticeable among your group - a pair of people who aren't as spirited as the rest of you, who are far quieter than usual and generally more withdrawn than they have been in weeks.

With the quietness comes a sense of unease, and with the morning comes an unpleasant realization - you're two people short, their belongings and Pokémon having vanished along with them, and the locals around you insisting that they were never there if questioned.

Aya Maruyama and Noctis Lucis Calem are gone. But as much as the world tries to insist that they weren't, you know they were with you.]

[discutio]

[He'd always known in the back of his mind that it was possible. How many of their group had vanished, after all? Even so he'd sensed the change and stayed even closer to Noctis' side, hoping that it wasn't the same trend over again. But morning came, and with it the inevitable conclusion.]

[One would be forgiven for thinking Ignis disappeared as well, for how he'd made himself scarce shortly before dawn. And if someone that happened to be awake heard distant sounds not unlike frustrated shouting and punching the nearest solid object just outside of town...that was probably nothing.]

[When he did return well into the morning it was hard to tell whether Ignis or the silver Eevee often in his arms had less spirit. Hemera at least seemed to have sense enough to be worried, sticking close at his side in the rare moments one could even see Ignis around. Most of his time was spent in the ruins, running a light hand over the walls to get a better idea of the writing there. They had work to do, after all.]

[...You're all probably on your own for cooking today.]

ruins

[niceoppai]

...Hey, Ignis. You, uh... you find something?

[Chelsea hesitates, not really knowing how to approach this.]

[discutio]

I'm not sure. [All business, zero bullshit. Actually confronting one's feelings? Not fucking today, Satan Ifrit.] Can you make anything of these inscriptions?

[niceoppai]

It kinda looks like they're using the Pokémon in here in place of letters. And they all kinda look like letters themselves, hmm... That one's kinda like a T, the one your hand's on. Then O... P? Top, I think. Top of what?

Outside of Town

[anythingforyou]

[Somehow, Camilla feels she should have expected this. Finding Aya and Noctis gone was bad enough--Aya didn't deserve any of the shit that was happening, but knowing that she was gone was heartbreaking. It was just the same with Noctis, even though she knew damn well that someone else was going to be a lot worse off than she was.

...Really, she had thought Ignis had disappeared too, and that was something that got her pretty close to flying off the deep end as it stood--it's what sees her outside of town today, and seeing Ignis is both a relief and a curse. Even so, there's...no doubt in her mind that he is not okay, and she's not about to leave this alone as she walks over slowly.]

Ignis. [It's more or less just to not freak him out or anything.] You're going to break your hand if you keep doing that.

[discutio]

I don't care. [The answer was sharp and strained, Ignis dropping his hand from the poor undeserving tree he'd struck out of frustration.]

[discutio]

Hm... [He frowned, bringing a hand to his mouth in thought.] A description of something, or directions? I can get the vague shape of letters as well, but I'm not certain I understand why they're here.

[anythingforyou]

[...Yeah, this is about what she expected.]

...I know. [It's softly said, at the very least, and she doesn't try to walk any closer to him--simply shifting a bit from one foot to the other.] I simply wanted to offer an alternative to you, in order to ensure you don't do such a thing to yourself.

[...]

Regardless, if you wish to continue, then I will see to whatever injuries you sustain.

[She's not leaving, basically, is what she's saying.]

[discutio]

...

[He took a slow breath, left hand curling into a tight fist and uncurling restlessly. His right pushed his visor back into place, and it was a long moment's silence before he spoke again.]

I don't want help, Camilla.

[anythingforyou]

...I'm not leaving you here to destroy yourself then, Ignis.

[She'll rescind most of the offer, at the very least, but that much is very calmly stated.]

[discutio]

I've been destroying myself since I was six, what's the difference?

[His voice shook from a mixture of rage and bitterness, Ignis not even bothering to put up the attempt of looking in Camilla's direction.]

Whether I do or not makes no difference in the result.

[anythingforyou]

[...The result of Noctis leaving.

It's something Camilla knows better than to say, at this point, because it's tactless. Ignis is someone who'd just begun questioning how he could tell someone else they was worth something when he saw no worth within himself. It's not something that can easily be taken care of, and Noctis's departure is likely just...making matters worse.

Camilla's breathing is surprisingly even, at the very least, though Ignis will definitely be able to hear Camilla taking a seat on the ground nearby.]

...I know. And I'm sorry, Ignis. You've given so much of yourself for him, only for this to be the result. It's cruel and unfair.

[She's not budging, but she's. Trying.]

[discutio]

[It was more than just leaving--more than not knowing where he or any of the others had really gone. It was this being a lone flickering light of hope in turning around a painfully bittersweet ending. One single second chance, if he could just get them through this then he'd be able to take Noctis back to Lucis--back home, back to Gladio and Prompto and the Kingsglaive and everyone-]

Why does this keep happening, why is it that no matter what I do I still end up losing him--

[Crack went the shreds of composure and propriety in his head, and he pulled his leg back to kick the tree as hard as he could. Ah, that would bruise at best later and yet he couldn't feel it at all past the burning in his head as though he'd lit himself aflame again.]

I have to go home and tell the Shield of the King that I couldn't bring His Majesty back with me. I have to tell Prompto Argentum that his best friend is never coming home because I failed again. And then I have to rebuild a world in which I have no reason to exist.

Outside of Town

[eudaimonikos]

[As long as we're talking about things he isn't qualified for...

Michael stops some distance away, first, when he figures out where the sounds are coming from. He could still just walk back to the Center and pretend he never saw this. Ignis may not have heard his approach yet, and even if he did, he wouldn't say anything. It isn't what a good person would do. But Michael doesn't think he's quite capable of doing what a real good person would, and it doesn't seem exactly wrong either.

Well. Not on a grand-scale, ethical philosophy sort of level.

Okay. Okay. Strong as the temptation to go get Emmeryn or Camilla or literally any other person is, Michael comes closer, mulling over what to say for the few seconds it takes him to close that distance.]

None of us are going to be able to fix your hand up if you break it, you know.

[Fuckin. Swing and a miss.]

[discutio]

I could not possibly care less.

[...but at least he's not actively punching the tree now, so that's a plus.]

[eudaimonikos]

You remember that whole talk we had, when I said I was the sensible choice to take a Pokemon God attack to the face?

[Don't do anything stupid, Michael, or I will concuss you, etc?]

[discutio]

...

[how dare you be the voice of reason]

What do you want, Michael?

[eudaimonikos]

...ah...

[What a strange thing to ask. What could he possibly stand to gain from this?]

I don't think there's anything very productive I can do. But I don't want you to be alone out here.