tomodachi | 001 [video/action]

001 [video/action]

[Hello Luceti, you are greeted today with...an upside-down view for this person's entry. At first it might seem like the person holding the book is holding it wrong, but it'll become quickly apparent that he is holding it the right way, it's him that's upside down, possibly hanging from a tree as he examines the journal.]

So this thing actually works, and you guys can see and hear me, right? [A slight shake of the book, as if to confirm it.] Geez, this makes some of the books at home seem lame by comparison...

But I gotta say, I wasn't expecting to suddenly find myself here, and to think that there's actually people here too. Heh...I guess this is where everyone's been hiding out this whole time, huh? Not like it really matters anymore, this place already seems somewhat better than the last place I was at...

[There's a slight pause before he speaks again.] Actually, there is something I want to know. Have any of you seen a guy? About this tall [makes a gesture to try indicating the height, albeit somewhat inaccurate from where he's hanging upside-down], wears a locket, and kind of cries a lot? Named "Seto"? It's important that I know if he's here or not. If he is, great, tell me where he is, and if not, then don't bother worrying about it.

[And without much further preamble, he ends it there to wait for replies. But it's also entirely possible to spot him while you're out and about as well...]

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Alright! [Considering how eager Seto is right now to go and meet up with his best friend, it isn't very likely at all that he'll take too long. He couldn't if he tried. In fact, he's already out the door and running by the time he shuts the journal.

After a few minutes, he gets to the spot that matches the video feed Crow showed him and looks around. He can't tell where exactly he would have been at so he starts calling out]

Crow!! Where are you?

[Well, we did what you asked and managed to stay in the same location--though, he very nearly did take off but other people on the journal were a little distracting so good news is, it kept him in one place.

However, it doesn't seem inherently obvious where he is until Seto gets closer to the tree he had been sitting in...and then all of a sudden with a rustle of leaves there he is, hanging from a tree branch. (thankfully, right-side up this time and hanging by his hands)]

Hey, about time you got here! What took you so long?

[He nearly jumps when something--or rather someone--suddenly pops out of the tree but he relaxes and just... stares at the boy who's hanging from the branch for a moment.

...Crow looks exactly like how he remembers him.

Not that Seto expected him to look drastically different or anything, it's just... it feels so good to see to see the same goofy smile he had seen what seemed like ages ago, to see those piercing green, cat like eyes, to see that same messy black hair and to be teased by in that same tone again.

It's all perfect. It's exactly how he remembers his best friend.

He starts to walk over to the tree, smiling] I'm sorry. I don't exactly live around the corner you know... [He tries to sound teasing but it doesn't come out like that. It comes out more softly spoken.]

Or you're just too slow--you really gotta work on that more, you know... [But his tone is a little fond under the teasing as he gets a good look at his best friend. Seto seems to have gotten just a little taller since the last time we've seen him...just how much time has passed since the last time they saw each other?

Crow lets go of the tree branch he was holding onto, but he lands well enough on his feet in front of his friend. Even if the circumstances of what happened last time hadn't been great, at least he can make sure that this time will be better.]

Still, it's good to see you again!

[His voice fails him and instead of responding with a simple 'yeah' he only chuckles a bit in response. Of course of course. He'll add that on to his list of things to work on in training.

When Crow comes down from the tree, Seto takes one last second to take in his friend's image before wrapping his arms around him tightly and buries his face into the other's neck. His eyes begin to water again. So this is really real? This isn't just another dream, right?

He can feel this precious person in his arms right now after all. Doesn't matter if he isn't warm like another human, he can feel him there, he's holding him. And he won't let the Malnosso take him out of his grasp again.]

I'm so happy....

[Crow isn't surprised by his friend's reaction--it's still a little awkward, as it's pretty much the second hug he can ever remember receiving in his life, but he is fine with letting Seto hug him if that's what he wants.

It helps cement the reality of it too. He is, in fact, awake and operational again and that he's not just somehow imagining it. His best friend really is here in the same place as us again, that someone actually missed us while we were "dead" and gone...

We might not be able to cry, but he does feel just a little sentimental.]

...Heh, yeah, same here. I'm glad...really glad to see you too, Seto.

[He lets out a small 'mm' sound to acknowledge what he said as the tears start to overflow and roll down his cheeks. He does his best to hold back the sniffles and hiccups for the other's sake. Crow didn't like it when he cried. But he can't keep his body from simply trembling and his hands from gripping onto his shirt.]

I was scared that I... I wouldn't ever get to see you again. [His voice is even shaking a little but he's trying to hold it steady]

[He frowns a little for a second. Seto was crying again, wasn't he...but Crow is quick to grin again. As your best friend, obviously it is our duty to help you feel better and get you to cheer up again.]

Hey, come on now, didn't I tell you this before? [He then pulls away just a little, just enough so that he can reach out with a finger to give Seto a slight poke against the other's forehead.] Friends will always see each other again, remember?

[He loosens his hold on the other so he can be pushed away and blinks through his tears when Crow pokes him.]

Yeah... I remember. [There's a faint smile] You're right. [And he's going to pour all of his hope and everything into that. Considering how this place works, it might be the one sentence that can keep him afloat in the end]

Of course I'm right--I've never been wrong about these kind of things.

[Actually you've been wrong about a lot of things before Crow but at least you are right about something this time. ^^;;]

I guess you haven't been wrong about that. [Well, in this particular matter, Crow has yet to be wrong. "Friends always see each other again." And he's proven that to be true. Crow is now here again, for the second time, when Seto had almost lost hope that he'd never get to see his best friend again.

He lets go of Crow, almost reluctantly and still afraid that he might just disappear but seeing that the other remains put, he tries to smile a bit more and wipes his eyes with his sleeves.] So... have you been told about this place yet?

Yeah, sort of... [Some of your friends are extremely unhelpful, Seto. But at least you're here now and can maybe be a little more helpful. >_>] Apparently we're in some place called "Luceti" or something, right?

[Most of them are just looking out for Seto shhh shhhh]

Yeah. This world is called 'Luceti'. It's... obviously a different world than our own. [Saying 'obviously' because there are people here and none back home. And this place isn't in ruins] There's a barrier that surrounds the village that we're in and the Malnosso are on the outside. They're a group of people who watch over us and... experiment on us.

Yeah, I think someone mentioned that too... [Even though he was originally not entirely sure what exactly everyone means about "experiments", he's figured out that it doesn't sound necessarily pleasant.] Any idea why they want us here to "experiment" on?

[Shaking his head] I don't really know... people have said they do it to send us home but it doesn't feel that way.

... [He squints a little at his friend, giving him a once-over. Seto looks like he's alright, mostly. He doesn't look like he's been having terrible experiments done on him, but...]

And what about you? Haven't been getting yourself into trouble, right? [He pokes the other's shoulder, a bit teasingly.] Then again, you're too much of a "goody-goody type" for that, haha...

[Seto. actually hesitates before answering on this one and bites his lip.

It isn't that Seto has caused trouble himself, at least not in the way that Crow would cause trouble and mischief. More in the way that he just got himself into bad and troubling situations that caused himself pain and later placed burdens on others.

Running off alone, getting ambushed, getting one of his wings torn off as a result, getting deathly ill, fighting alone, dying, losing his vision for what seemed like so long...

So yes. In a way, he's gotten himself into plenty of trouble. He doesn't really want to tell Crow about it either. His best friend just got here and he doesn't want to just come out and say all of that. But he doesn't want to lie to Crow either.

Lying is something he dislikes. If a person is to trust him, believe in him and he places his own trust in them, then he must be honest. He can't lie and vise versa. But... maybe just waiting until later to tell him would be okay. Stall a little] I've... gotten into some trouble. But I'll tell you about it when you're all settled in. It's kind of a long story.

[Crow headtilts a little at that, frowning slightly. What kind of trouble could Seto have possibly gotten into...? That's actually kind of worrying if there's something that Seto wouldn't want to tell us about yet...

...Then again, it's probably not that bad. As far as he knows, Seto's definition of "trouble" could be accidentally tripping somebody on your way to the park rather than pushing them off a ferris wheel or something. That shoulder-poke before turns into a more reassuring pat on the shoulder.]

Well, it's not like I'll be goin' anywhere anytime soon, so you'll have to be sure to tell us all about it sometime, got it?

[And that right there is the main reason why he didn't want to just blurt it all out right now--or at all really. Because he'd make him worry. He doesn't want his best friend to worry about all of what happened in the past. Even if he will eventually...

But he can't lie. He won't lie. Just stall.

He smiles at the pat though and nods] Don't worry, I'll definitely tell you about it. [A pause] C'mon, I'll show you where I live. We have some extra bedrooms so you're staying with us. [YEAH HE ISN'T TAKING NO FOR AN ANSWER ON THIS ONE]

[He catches the use of "we" and "us"...guess Seto's got friends that he lives with now. He doesn't quite object, just seems curious.]

Oh yeah? Who else is with you? [A slight pause--oh, he almost forgot to ask...] Oh, did you ever find that girl you were looking for? The one with the silver hair?

Three other people. I'll introduce you to them all when we get back to the house. [And he blinks at the second question and slowly shakes his head]

No... I never found her. At least, I hadn't found her yet before I was brought here. Before I came here I was with you and... [Hesitating again. Does Crow know what happens to him?] What do you remember last? Before coming here.

[He frowns at the question--it's not that he doesn't remember, thank god for once he does remember something of the "past", but it's the memory of what happened in particular...]

...Talking to you, when my batteries were running out. [awk...ward.........]

[Dammit. So he does know. His expression looks more hurt now.]

That's the last thing I remember too. Except you had just... [died. He bites his tongue though and doesn't say that last word. Instead, he shakes his head, grabs Crow's hand and starts to pull him in the direction he came from earlier.]

That doesn't matter anymore. The Malnosso gave you a new battery and everything will be all right now. You'll live along with me.

[He almost asks "just what", but then he's being pulled on, Seto trying to get him to walk with him somewhere.

...Well, it doesn't take a genius to figure out what Seto might have been about to say.]

Yeah, I noticed--at least that's one good thing about this place, plus catching up with you again. [And the wings, can't forget the cool-looking wings. He looks almost surprised though when Seto mentions him living with the other...and then he laughs, a little.]

Heh, you say that as if I don't get any choice in the matter. [Which he does 'cause he is Crow and he can go wherever he wants. (...But let's face it, where else was he going to stay that wasn't closer to where his best friend lives anyway...)]

[He smiles a bit at that. Yeah, those are definitely two of the best things about Luceti. The wings are pretty cool too ~~just don't suggest jumping off a building and to try and fly with them like last time you were here~~]

If I gave you the choice, what would you choose? [He doesn't want to force Crow to live with him if he truly doesn't want to but he doesn't want to be apart from his best friend. Not again.]

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