dappledleaves | CICONIA: WHEN THEY CRY

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. ]

[He doesn't want Oria to see this; what must be his body, strapped to a table as they hook up all these machines to him as they open up his head again, flesh and bone split open. What were they looking for? What were they trying to create? He doesn't know]

Mm. They wont let you go far. But it'd be nice if...[He could see a friendly face when he woke up in reality too.

And then Sinclair logs out. In. Out. Out out out. Error. Error. Reboot again.

He's offline now.]

Edited 2024-07-09 01:56 (UTC)

[ Welp. Oria is already on his way despite lounging in the bathhouse. But really, there's nothing to do here, so he eventually logs off as well as he's still going to the last location he saw on Sinclair. Will he get cockblocked? Is there really nothing as the map says? ]

[when Oria gets there, it's nothing but a lone building in the middle of no where, but the drones buzzing in the background and the heavily armed guards at the the entrance signal that it's a military compound. The machine gun turrets lock on automatically but don't fire as the soldiers bark at Oria.

"Identification and your clearance code!"]

[ There's a reason why gauntlets are locked away unless needed. Oria looks at the turrets and gets out his identification. Clearance code? He doesn't have any of that, but he'll bullshit one. ]

GL-017.

[ He's already bracing to get scolded. ]

["ID: Oria Severine. Confirming now." The guard motions for Oria to connect to the scanner. "Clearance level..N4". A pause. Then...

"Sir, your clearance level isn't high enough to enter. We need your clearance code."]

[ Oria sighs exaggeratedly and withdraws his identification after scanning it. ]

They really couldn't be bothered to put that with my identification, huh?

[ Oria is already debating whether he should push or not. It doesn't take long, but it seems as if he gives up. It would have been easy if it was just guards here, but the turrets and drones already make it difficult to sneak around. ]

Okay, well. Can you deliver a message then?

[The soldiers share a look. But after a moment, one nods.

"If it's to a member of this facility, we'll report it."]

[ "Member of the facility". He's pretty sure Sinclair isn't one, so he just... sighs. Him being here is already obvious enough, but he doesn't want to make it too obvious. ]

Never mind.

[ And he'll just leave the premises without a fight. It would be one thing for the turret to kill him and then the kette would be down to one, but this isn't worth dying over. He can just ask Sinclair the next time they meet.

...

Hopefully. ]

[Bright side, Sinclair gets returned the next day. Bad side...

Sinclair isn't leaving his room today. If Oria wants to let himself into Sinclair's dorm room, he'll find him curled up beneath the duvet, unmoving, even for training]

[ Since Sinclair didn't show up for training, Oria is tasked to look for him while their hopeful new recruit for the third member practices alone. Oria is pretty sure this will get Sinclair riled up again. Anyway, he will allow himself in whether it's locked or not. ]

Hey, it's practice time... you're still sleeping in?

[...Sinclair doesn't stir from his blanket mess]

...I'm not. And my door was locked. [Oria, please]

Just like how you're not sleeping, your door is also [ whips a keyring around with a key in it ] not locked.

[ The keyring is pocketed. ]

Is this about what happened yesterday? You should have given some sort of lousy excuse for not showing up instead of ghosting us. By the way, coach brought in a potential third again.

[Sinclair is quiet for a moment, but after a moment, he sticks his head from out under the blankets. He's paler than usual]

...I wasn't ghosting on purpose. I'm just...tired.

[He sits up, obligation compelling him to get ready, even when his expression twists a little]

They really want us to be a 'kette', huh.

... Yeah. Government assigned or something.

[ Oria studies Sinclair's expression for a moment and puts a hand on his shoulder to push him back on the duvet? Bed? Futon... thing idk ]

I'll make up an excuse, so you just stay here and rest. Sorry for waking you.

[Sinclair curls up a little and he reaches up to grab Oria's hand]

...no, it's fine.

[He draws out a shaky breath and pulls his sleeves down to hide the needle marks along his arm, the still healing scars]

I'm not sick. I should go so we don't...[Get into more trouble? Could they get into more trouble?]

You look like you could be casted into Twilight with how pale you are.

[ But if Sinclair wants to go, he probably won't stop him. Maybe. ]

Gross. You're lying.

[ He does take a nervous look at himself in the mirror as he slides out of bed though. Aaah]

100% free of falsehoods. Here.

[ It's a protein drink. Drink it. Oria had a feeling this would happen from what he managed to uncover yesterday, which was not a whole lot, but it's easy to piece it together. ]

At least drink that for training.

[ Sinclair pulls a face but quickly drinks it. It seems like he had attempted to get ready at least. He's in his training clothes, but after a moment...he hadn't wanted to leave his bed]

Thanks. [ He'll try to organise his fluffy hair ] Okay. Ready.

Your clothes are so messed up.

[ Wrinkles... Oria tries to straighten some out, but it doesn't really work. ]

Let's go.

Ah...

[ Urk. Sinclair tries to fix it as they walk to the training room but it really doesn't work.]

How mad was Coach...?

Very. I could practically see steam coming out of his ears.

[ Exaggeration, but not totally invalid. ]

... maybe I should start wearing a helmet.

[ Not that he would get hit directly but he's seen those fists cave in a couple of skulls (metaphorically)]

[ Oria laughs a little. ]

Well! He's probably extra pissed today because he brought the third member but you weren't there to greet nor practice with them. They looked so hopeful too.

[ He sighs in a dramatic way while shrugging his arms outward. ]

It's like working up to deliver the rejection allll over again.

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