dappledleaves | CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

[ There's singing. Laughter. Was it English? Japanese? Why wasn't he sure anymore? Did it matter if it was either? They didn't need to speak aloud to communicate. The room was so loud. Reality was louder. His skin felt like it was on fire, the shocks of electricity still arcing through his every nerve.

Zap zap zap.

Punishment for a criminal. Punishment for his sins. It's okay. It's not okay. He hates this. He hates them.

He wants to remember their faces, rip out their throats let them feel like what it's--

No. That's bad. Those are the thoughts of a bad child, and he's been misbehaving too much so.

Why are they here where is he--

Oh.

It's dark. They turned off the lights again. And now, he's.

What is that message flashing? Can he reach for the room there? He's a P3 user. Not as good as Aria has been. Or Oria.

you could be better. We just need to cut into your brain a little more.

No. He doesn't want that. He wants...

He reaches for the room and accepts the invitation. ]

Edited 2024-07-08 03:14 (UTC)

[ Once Sinclair accepts the invitation, he will see himself surrounded by the warm bathhouse setting. There are the occasional person here, but you know who's here sometimes? Oria. Oria Severine. He's sucking on some candy while sitting in Sinclair's usual corner. His corner now. ]

Hey.

[ The way he holds the lollipop makes him seem like he's from a cigarette advertisement when he takes it out of his mouth to greet him. After spinning it between his fingers, the candy goes back inside his mouth. ]

Did you manage to calm down? That last mission was quite something.

[ And then being repeatedly yelled at by their superior that their kette needed a third person replacement like usual. For Oria, it was just in one ear and out the other. He's so tired of it. ]

[ It takes Sinclair a moment. But he is a p3 user and he quickly pulls himself together with a familiar sheepish laugh, even as his body in this world gives a little...jolt]

Um. I'm calm. Was it bad after I left?

[Like Sinclair had been taken away willingly and not flipped out the moment a soldier out their hands on him.

He looks at the candy. Oria ??]

[ Luckily, Oria's avatar is the same as his real appearance so nothing has changed. He takes the candy out of his mouth for a bit, pondering. ]

I dunno. It looked like you wanted to bite someone despite willingly going with those soldiers.

[ Punctuated by a huff of a laugh before shoving his candy in Sinclair's mouth. He's still a bit down in the dumps because of Aria's death. Supposedly. Who knows what he's actually doing in reality at the moment. ]

Mmph--[Sinclair accepts the candy, even though he can't actually taste it. He frowns]

I mean...biting people is bad. And causes more trouble. And if they have germs, that'd be gross.

[He says, as if he's learned this off by heart. He misses Aria, but for Oria...that was worse right? Because they were siblings.

Siblings...]

...they'll bring me back tomorrow. I've got a bit of a break now.

Yeah? Where did you even go anyway? You sure get escorted a lot.

[ Oria looks off into the distance with a neutral expression and leans back on the wall. Still his corner. ]

A re---[Sppzzt! Flit! Sinclair seems to blip out for a moment before he returns, looking uneasy]

A re-education camp, I guess. For criminals like me.

[He bites his lip and looks down. He moves a little closer, even though this is all...

In their heads. Quite literally]

[ Oria blinks with wide eyes for a split second when Sinclair seemingly glitches out. ]

Your signal always sucks for reason.

[ Don't startle him like that?? Oria huffs. ]

Well, you're a reformed criminal that's working as a soldier.

[ He say, not knowing Sinclair's crime. Only that he's supposedly a criminal. ]

Ahaha...sorry. I've been trying to get it fi--[There goes his body, changing colours again. Not that anyone else notices until it settles. He suddenly reforms again, panting and reaches out to hold Oria's hand. He's not sure if it's for Oria or himself. Maybe both]

...Maybe they'll decide I served my time if I keep going long enough.

[ Oria frowns and looks at Sinclair, taking his hand immediately. Sure, he's been a little aloof nowadays and he sometimes clashes with Sinclair over small things, but he's still his partner in their once-trio kette. They have been like that for a while. He has no idea what to say to that statement, but... ]

Maybe you should get some rest. The multitasking can't be good for your brain if you're feeling tired.

But---are you okay?

[It doesn't matter he's tired. It doesn't matter it hurts, and they're literally cutting his head open again. A thousand sins and one good deed, they promised. They'll make it work.

But Sinclair doesn't care about their grandiose schemes. What he cares about is--

One of them is dead.

He had to do what he can for this last piece or he really will lose it.]

I'm fine.

[ He says this automatically regardless of his own feelings. ]

We should probably be a lot more subtle in sabotaging the mission next time so that we don't kill one another, or something.

[ Something something order of the public bath. Aria looked forward to such an Order for a long time, and now that she's dead, he figures that this is what he could do for her, in a way.

He'd also talk about the missions rather than his feelings. ]

[ Sinclair glances around the bath house, frowning. It's not "fine" but Sinclair doesn't know where he stands here, with...]

...we just need to hold out a little longer. Until they can get that truce organised.

[ He bites his lip and squeezes Oria's hand a little more]

We're in this together right?

[ Oria's hand remains still for a while, but there is eventually a short squeeze. ]

Yeah, we are... whether we like it or not, with or without Aria.

[ His voice goes especially soft when he says her name. ]

That said, who knows how long the truce will take? They could be delaying it for all we know.

They said they were trying to get negotiations settled with all parties. They're nearly at the end, but...

[It's exhausting on all of them. His expression softens further at Oria's voice when he mentions Aria's name]

...I'm not good at this but...whatever you decide I'll support you.

Edited 2024-07-08 06:49 (UTC)

Yeah? And it's not because of your puppy crush on Aria, right?

[ A joke? Maybe. Oria looks aloof with whatever he's looking at into the distance. ]

These libraries have nothing good about P3 levels. Political propaganda is so annoying to deal with, because I can't find jack shit.

[ So Oria is probably in a library in reality, looking through so many books. He hates doing this in this world too, for the record.

Aria was killed during evasion training when practicing with the other two. Everything was going so smoothly until the rejection shield disappeared from Aria when it was still at full energy. The look of horror Oria saw on Aria's face before she blew up from the missile is something that he still can't shake off to this day.

Faulty equipment, they said despite doing a thorough check before training like they always do. When Oria dug in deeper, he found evidence of Aria's P3 levels plummet to 0. They say it was because she was getting old (she just reached 20 years of age back then), so it's expected.

It makes no sense to Oria despite everything, so of course he's looking into it. However, no dice. ]

[That gets a light punch to Oria's shoulder, half hearted]

Because we're friends. And you're important to me too.

['You jerk' goes implied. Sincere, even now.

He flinches a little as if reacting to some unseen stimuli, biting on the lollipop]

... children's brains are malleable, which means when it comes to p3 levels, only children have the potential to even develop it, let alone increase it. But once our p3 levels are fully developed, short of a traumatic injury...they don't plummet like that naturally.

[Sinclair's voice goes a little distant, strained]

That's why—

[ Oria stops and looks at Sinclair. ]

... Hey, what's wrong?

Nothing. Don't--[His voice changes and he snarls at someone unseen] Don't touch me.

[...there's a moment of silence and Sinclair's eyes go very wide. Ah. Oh no.]

I mean. I was just thinking...if our p3 levels fall suddenly...it'd have to be one of two things.

[ ... ]

First of all, nothing happened to Aria before the missiles collided. And second, turn on your location. What the hell is going on?

[ Sinclair looks down. His location is turned on, but his gps location seems to be odd. Very odd. As if he's in the middle of no where. Or no where at all.]

...nothing. Just a check up.

And you just hissed at a doctor to not touch you? That's kinda what they're supposed to do. You're literally in the middle of nowhere.

[ Oria squints at this. What the fuck. ]

... Do you need me?

I guess I never got used to them...[Sinclair mutters, fingers flexing against the sofa. It felt so real and smooth beneath his fingers. It was really impressive work. Not many people could build a room and make it feel this realistic]

I...[Yes. No. Yes. Is he allowed to ask for help? He pushes himself a little more, willing himself to stay logged in. No. no. no.] A little longer. Please.

You know it's not just one or the other for me, right?

[ The only thing holding Oria back is Sinclair's permission. He won't go unless Sinclair wants him there. Something about privacy. He could just go there without logging out. He can do both things at the same time. ]

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