001;

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[There's a new face tonight. Richter steps onto the plane without stumbling, looking for all intents and purposes like he had been doing this forever. He reaches up, probably to brush hair out of his eyes, but stops and lets his hand drop to his side]

This place is... No, the Temples have a different atmosphere.

[Richter looks around some more before shaking his head in amusement at the sight of the kiosk]

There's a place to start.

Comments

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[Emil is currently occupied with animals-- there's a white kitten and a black kitten fighting in his arms and a hungry dog thing (http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r117/Airship_Canon/ToS2%20Monster%20Book/Wolf.png) following him as he stumbles his way to the kitchen.]

Stop! Aaah!

[The wolf catches Richter's scent and immediately stops in its tracks, giving a low growl and facing the redhead. They're still some distance away so it takes Emil a moment to find the source of Wolf's discomfort.

And nearly drops the kittens.]

R—Richter?! [And in a moment of utterly forgetting where he is:] What are you doing here?

[He's more surprised than offended, honest.]

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[the growl doesn't go unnoticed and Richter unconsciously reaches for his weapons-

Only to stop when he hears a familiar voice. He lowers his arm and turns around to face Emil]

... Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question?

[and he still comes off as intimidating despite his clear confusion. How did Emil get here? Perhaps this wasn't a phenomenon exclusive to the Ginnungagap after all...]

SORRY FOR THE LAAAATE fjkflsdff

[pactum.livejournal.com]

Um...

[Richter has a point, actually. The monster growls again. Emil frowns.] Wolf, it's fine! It's just Richter. He won't hurt anyone. [Or at least, that's what he hoped. Emil is still somewhat tense. First Lloyd, and then Richter... but thankfully, Lloyd seems to be younger and doesn't know what the Cores are.

But Richter...

No. No! Richter would never... Even if he says he's an enemy, Emil knows that Richter doesn't really want to fight them. There's only sadness when he looks at Emil, he thinks. Kindness and sadness, and those aren't things that make a killer.]

I—I've actually been coming here for a long time. But whenever I told someone, they either forgot or they didn't believe me. Even you.

NAH, IT'S COOL

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[he spares the monster a brief glance before turning his attention back to Emil]

... Have you? [Richter frowns. Emil has mentioned this to him? Richter was sure that something like this wouldn't escape his memory that easily. Though he couldn't deny the fact that he would probably have brushed this off the same way he had brushed the dreams (memories) when they'd run into each other just outside Triet. Perhaps that was what happened...

He still can't recall ever hearing Emil talk about any world other than Niflheim]

Hm. Perhaps I should have paid closer attention to your claims then.

[pactum.livejournal.com]

[He fidgets, then catches himself and straightens. The fact that Richter is apologizing in his own way makes him shake his head quickly, fiercely. He knows Richter doesn't need to feel bad for that...]

It's... just the way this place works. That's why you don't remember. I told Marta, too, but she thought I was playing a joke on her or something. Only Tenebrae ever believed me, but he always forgot in a few hours.

But now...

[He looks up again.] We might not even be from the same world. Like-- Lloyd, he's here, too! But he doesn't remember anything... [Which brings him to the next awkward topic.] But if he did, I'd ask him the same thing I have to ask you, Richter.

[He steels himself somewhat, or tries. He's grown up quite a bit recently. From the kid who got pushed down into the mud.]

Are you still trying to hurt Marta?

1/2

[ainsophaured.livejournal.com]

[It's not rare to find Aster out and about on the plane. In between huge study sessions at the library, he likes to come out and explore. Where sleep fits into this equation, no one knows, but once more he's wandering. It doesn't take him a second to spot out the red haired man and immediately recognize him as his colleague.

Though he takes a step forward, Aster hesitates to call his name. He has no idea what happened to Richter after that moment. Did he get hurt? Was he okay? Was he even from his world? The guilt from that day wells up for the first time in a long while and he tries to force it back with an uneasy smile.]

[ainsophaured.livejournal.com]

[Get it together. Richter is his best friend. Aster is always willing to help new arrivals and of course, he's going to help him too.

He walks forward, the smile on his face happier. Even if he's a little nervous, it's still Richter. He can't deny the excitement and joy he feels at seeing him again.]

You're correct, as usual. This isn't a temple.

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[Richter was examining his surroundings when he heard Aster's voice-

The half-elf spins around, eyes wide in disbelief. It takes him a couple of tries before he can find his voice, but it still comes out more a whisper than his normal tone]

... Aster?

[he would have liked to turn around and return to his own reality but shock has him rooted to the spot. What did he do for the world to hate him this much?]

[ainsophaured.livejournal.com]

Richter!

[His shock isn't unexpected and Aster holds his ground with that same smile just a few feet away from him. It used to be easy for him to read this man's expressions and even now, he watches for any visual cues. Was he angry? Upset? Hurt? Feeling the same guilt he held? Not that anything was his fault to begin with.]

While this place seems to bring people at random, I wasn't sure if you would be among them.

[A little pause.]

I'm happy to see you.

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

You're...

[His shocked expression fades into one of confusion (but first there was concern and sadness and-) as Aster's words sunk it. (he just wanted to retreat back and not have to face this yet)

Though he's still left at a loss for words-] What do you mean this place pulls people in at random?


[a long pause... Then a couple of false starts before he murmurs softly;] I missed you.

[clinical]

[At the kiosk, Richter will find a Malkuth Imperial Forces colonel in a lab coat and goggles carefully burning off some metal from the structure with controlled fonic glyphs and an augmented fontech knife (not all-purpose) and brushing it into a small tube. There is a set of similar tubes nearby, carefully labelled. He has been getting samples.]

[As a soldier who has survived for more than five years, Jade hasn't missed Richter's approach. As a scientist who is devoted enough to experiment on himself, he has decided to treat Richter as a non-threat until he gets this sample done. The worst that could happen is he dies again.]

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[while he's surprised by the appearance of another individual the lab coat serves as enough of a hint for Richter to not interrupt whatever it was the person was doing. He'd dealt with enough researchers in his lifetime to know that interfering in another person's experiment was probably a Bad Idea]

[... Still, he can't help that his curiosity has been piqued by those strange and foreign glyphs-]

And the purpose behind all of this is...?

[clinical]

[Jade answers without looking at Richter. He does not feel the need to look at him if he is going to be off-handed in his response.] Oh, the King of Kimlasca wants to battle evil in a giant robot. I thought the metal of the Plane would be ideal.

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[ . . . ]

Seriously?

[nevermind the fact that Richter doesn't recognize the name 'Kimlasca' there are more pressing matters at hand(?)]

[clinical]

[Jade smiles.] Not at all. King Ingobert isn't the sort.

But the Emperor of Malkuth enjoys superhero shows. [So why does Jade have samples of wood from the library? Don't ask silly questions.]

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

[There's messy red hair in the corner of his vision, and Botta almost drops off the Plane on instinct, because he really doesn't want to deal with Kratos today. Or ever, in fact.

He stops just before flickering out, though, because a sense other than sight is telling him that not only is that not Kratos, it's a half-elf. That's certainly interesting enough for him to turn and take a good look, then approach.]

...I haven't seen you before. Are you new to the Plane?

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[he reaches for his weapon as he turns on instinct. But the same sense that alerted Botta to Richter's lineage also stills his hand. Richter hadn't expected to run into people other than those people he'd run into at the store, least of all a half-elf]

Doesn't that answer your own question? [/default jerk response]

... I take it you've been here a while, then. [slightly more polite response(?)]

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

[Botta shrugs, unfazed by the defensive response. It's not exactly an uncommon thing among half-elves, especially young ones, and he gets worse from Yuan on a weekly basis, depending on how demanding Yggdrasill is being lately.]

I come and go. It's a good place to get away to. [A measuring look at Richter.] ...There are people here from other worlds, and other times.

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[a small thoughtful noise]

What does 'other times' entail? I thought that time travel was something beyond mortal capacity.

[but it sounds interesting and... And he really shouldn't consider it]

[unto-death.livejournal.com]

[Botta smirks slightly.] There is no proof that the Plane is run by mortal forces - rather the contrary, in fact.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Marta's just relaxing on the Plane minding her own business, probably looking for Emil or something... and then, she spots the new arrival. Redhead. Familiar. Oh, it's Richter.

... Richter.

... Oh, goddess...! Richter is on the Plane. Marta gasps, and very nearly screams, but she manages to stifle as quickly as she can.]

You...!

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[he turns to look at her and...

And doesn't immediately go for his weapons. But he does look as surprised as Marta is though. Seriously, what are the chances?]

Marta?

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Richter may not draw his weapons, but Marta's holding her hand up like she intends to pull out her circular blade. Meanwhile, she's taking a few steps backward. She manages not to look too frightened, it's pretty obvious that she is.]

How-... What are you doing here?!

[Maybe she should leave. Drop from the Plane. Not come back. Hmm...]

[enduringwinter.livejournal.com]

[his reply is measured, careful]

The same as you; taking time away from Aselia.

[formervanguard.livejournal.com]

[Yeah, and this was kind of like a safe haven until you gained access...]

Just... just taking a break? [She watches him carefully, incredibly suspicious.]