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tales of the abyss (d2) asch

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[When Asch appears on the Plane, he's surprised. He loses his balance and staggers, then manages to catch himself. It takes him a moment but then he looks around and realizes he's still in the Machine.

His face pales.]

No. Not this place again. Damn it, I thought I was free!

[But no one ever escapes the Machine. He reaches up to his forearm, where he's still carrying a scarlet favor from a princess he couldn't remember.

Oh, but he remembers now. And he's pissed. He stalks over to the welcome kiosk. He doesn't need a welcome. Instead, he kicks it hard enough that it almost tips over.]

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[Jacqli sees that, stares for a moment... and remains absolutely, completely neutral.]

Did that help?

[You probably don't need someone like Jacqli around for your grand re-entrance, Asch, but here she is anyway. ~~sry not sry~~]

Does it matter?

[Asch glares in her direction, then he turns and kicks the kiosk again. And again. And again.]

Why couldn't it just leave me alone?!

[Glare all you want. She remains unfazed.]

If it doesn't matter, then why bother at all?

[Shrug. She's not expecting an answer, clearly, 'cause she rolls right along~]

I wasn't aware it was capable of leaving any of us alone at all. [pause.] What happened? How did you think you were free?

[Because she would really like to know if there is any hope of actually circumventing particular aspects of Plane Things, and this might be very vital information!]

[Whatever. He stops, hunches his shoulders a bit. He is not friendly, but he tolerates company because he must.]

I forgot about this place-- and I'm not a forgetful person. I lived on the Plane for months, and I was in the middle of an investigation when it happened.

[She's not all that friendly either. Especially with humans. But she's curious, so she's hanging around. Clearly this is perfect.]

I see. And now you're back.

[That's... troublesome. But the same thing happened to York... Her eyes narrow, because now there's something she needs to bring up with him - loss of memories. But she leaves that alone for the time being. Her attention returns fully to Asch.]

And now you remember everything about this place, I assume.

As far as I can tell, yes. [He crosses his arms.] The Plane seems no different than when I left. Still full of unwilling experiments and rude hosts, I suppose.

You're not wrong. [a short pause.] Well then. Welcome back.

[You can tell from her tone and the look on her face that she's just so very thrilled with this place, except not.]

[He scoffs and shifts his weight to the other foot.]

Have you met anyone named Oliver? I need to find him.

I haven't.

[For about a fraction of a second, she considers telling him about her access to the Plane's records - she could maybe at least see if he's still able to come here. Probably.

But she discards that, because she still isn't quite sure she trusts the Plane enough to access the databank regularly - let alone for someone else.]

If I happen across him, I'll tell him you're looking for him. Do you want to give me your name?

[Hilarious, considering Asch was the first to 'hack' the Plane in any way.]

Asch. He knows me-- he was my contact here for some time. [He got married and dropped off the face of the planet. The universe. Whatever.]

And you are?

[the continued Tales of If People Would Just Open Their Mouths And Talk About Things, With Guest Star, Jacqli... ]

Call me Jacqli. I'll tell you if I find anything.

[ wow. okay. so he might still be getting to know people here, but random acts of violence against the welcome kiosk is still going to come as a bit of a surprise to him. because why take your aggression out on an inanimate object? what good is that going to do?

zack approaches the redhead with some level of caution, a sheepish sort of smile curving the line of his mouth upward as he raises a hand in greeting. ]

Lemme guess … not where you expected to be?

[ you may not need this idiot in your life right now, but … sorry, you've got him. preemptive apologies all around if this makes your re-entry to the plane less tolerable than it otherwise would be. ]

[Asch has kicked the thing enough times by now that he knows it won't help. He gives it one last punch, then pulls away from it, huffing. Someone dressed like a soldier really shouldn't be out of breath from the effort, but he is.

He tries to keep it together regardless, facing Zack with a sullen expression.]

I've been here before. [As if that explains everything.] ... You don't look familiar.

[ far be it from him to step in on therapeutic methods, even if they do seem a bit unconventional. but that sullen expression? it earns asch a bit of a sympathetic one in return as zack gives a tiny shrug. he's only met a few people here, so the other's statement doesn't sound that far off-base for him. ]

No? [ well! excellent excuse to introduce himself! ] Soldier Second Class Zack Fair, at your service.

[ like he's the official plane welcome wagon, or something. zack ... please. ]

Asch. [Rank doesn't matter-- he's defected anyway.] What's second class? A lieutenant?

[He leans against the kiosk as nonchalantly as possible. The pain will pass, but it's getting more frequent-- and he's not very happy about that.]

You seem friendly for the military.

It's ... a rank below First? [ he keeps forgetting that no one else here seems to know anything about SOLDIER. or about gaia at all.

hm. ] You're not the first person to think that. [ he waves a hand dismissively. ] It's just how I am. If I can be helpful, you bet I'm gonna be.

[ case in point, he notices that the other seems to be in some pain, and tilts his head to the side. ] You okay?

[Asch is about to tell the kid he's not going to last long like that, but then he seems to pick up on his difficulty and that just -- well, it makes him crankier.]

I'm fine!

[GRRRRRRGGHGHH]

[ just wait. he won't be this optimistic forever. ~~this place kind of does that to people.~~

he backs off a tiny bit at the outburst, holding his hands up. ]

Okay! I just thought ... you looked ... [ um. better not finish that statement. ] Never mind.

[Good Zack. Don't finish that sentence if you want to live.

Asch takes a moment to really size him up. This man is a soldier, and Asch is forever a commander. Maybe he can be of use.]

Has anything big happened on the Plane recently?

[ he really would like to live. no death wishes here. not in the slightest. ]

Dragon eggs started showing up all over the place a while ago. [ does that count as big in this place? ]

Dragon eggs?

[That sounds... hilarious and horrifying.]

Let me guess: they hatched and ate everyone.

Yep. All different colors, shapes and sizes. [ it was actually the opposite of horrifying. more hilarious than anything, because you missed the part where he was playing catch with his using fireballs. ]

Actually, they hatched and like. Imprinted on whoever touched the egg and made it hatch. I - [ and now it's like he's suddenly remembered that he hasn't seen his in a while. he looks around, squinting, hmming. ] A lot of them disappeared, but I've still got mine around here ... somewhere.

[ where'd you go, you little bugger. ]

[Asch gives Zack the eyebrow.]

So you were face to face with a possible man-eating monster and you decided to adopt it?

( don't you give him the eyebrow. don't you judge him. )

I really don't think it was gonna eat me with as small as it was. Is.

( oh. and look who has decided to stop playing hide-and-seek with our resident soldier, here.

have a nadder skittering up to you, asch. )

... There you are!

Maybe, but in large groups-- ugh!

[Asch takes a step back as the thing scurries up to him. He gives it a very disdainful look.]

-- Don't touch me.

( slow your roll, bro. she's harmless!

zack just scoops her up, and she promptly curls up against his chest in his arms. )

Not scared, are you?

( oh honey no you're just going to make it worse. don't do that. )

I'm not scared! [TSUN HARDER, ASCH.] Maybe I don't like animals crawling all over me.

( yyyyeah okay. tsun harder. that seems to be your bag.

at least zack just shakes his head and gives another small smile. )

She just wanted to sniff you out, I think. This is Lily.

( yes, his dragon is named after a flower. ~~you can totally accredit maggie for that suggestion.~~ )

[Menzies watches Asch's entrance with interest, frowning slightly at his outburst. but then he starts taking his emotions out on the kiosk, and she decides it's probably time to at least address him--before he does himself a damage]

Not where you expected to be, I take it?

[she approaches casually, arms crossed over her chest. but she wonders what he means by thinking he was free--whether this is like Agent K or York's disappearance and reappearance or something else entirely]

[He kicks it one last time before answering. It makes him feel better. Sort of. Even if he really doesn't have the energy for it.]

No. [Short and to the point -- some things never change.] I was here before, for a long time. And then one day I forgot it all.

[He plants a fist into the side of the machine.]

I am not some scientist's toy!

[she winces as he continues his assault on the kiosk, but he hasn't reached a level where she feels a need to restrain him for his own safety, so she just asks dryly:] Is that helping at all?

And I think you're taking that problem to the wrong source.

[she leaves it at that for now, letting him get his anger out before she tries to find out more]

No. Maybe. I don't know, just-- s-shut up!

[Haha, he's getting embarrassed now, rosy cheeks and all.]

When has going directly to them ever accomplished anything? Meredith only talks in circles.

[she snorts, ignoring Asch's irritation] Mm, and breaking something that one of us brought to the Plane is definitely more effective.

[but, unable to help her curiosity, she asks:] So you've met Meredith?

I don't think this thing can break, [he grumps, but there are more important things.]

Yes. Twice, I think. Maybe three times. She only told me the bare minimum of what I wanted to know.

You know, I can't say I've ever tried to find out!

Yeah? [she leans forward a bit, most definitely interested now, especially since he was already willing to answer one question] I dunno the last time anyone's 'eard from 'er. What was she like?

[Asch stands his ground, though his eyes are elsewhere.]

Meredith was... frustrating. I'm pretty sure she was amused by our suffering. She gave me one piece of useful advice, and that was it.

[she makes a face, though she finds that statement far less shocking than she might have when she'd first arrived] You know, somehow that's not surprising.

So what was this great advice, then?

Don't appeal to the Machine, she said. It's not a god, and you have as much a chance of getting what you want as being completely erased from existence.

[He shrugs.]

But it does have something built in against paradoxes. So there's that, I suppose.

Edited 2014-10-14 03:51 (UTC)

[Menzies considers that advice. truth be told, it doesn't strike her as that sage, if only because she's never considered attempting to appeal to the Machine itself--only the people who run it. but if anything, it's interesting to learn that the Machine might have independent abilities of its own]

All right, I can see where that might come in useful. Too bad some of the people who run things 'round 'ere don't seem much better.

[but that next comment catches her attention. in fact, she actually looks surprised. intently, she asks:] Wait, you mean paradoxes can't 'appen here? You're sure about that?

[He shrugs. He doesn't disagree, but it was good info, for his purposes.]

That's what she said. Specifically, it was in a conversation about possibly erasing myself from existence by messing with my own past. It probably has limitations.

[with the example he just gave, Menzies can't imagine what sort of limitations he could even mean. she frowns, thinking through the unexpected information] Wait, let me get this straight. You actually changed your own past because of this place? And...the universe didn't end, or anything else earth-shattering?

[it's a very comforting thought for her, really--though it does make her wonder why she'd gone to so much trouble with so many Doctors to try to hide the fact that she already knew them. but at least this means that if she continues to meet Doctors here, she's unlikely to cause any universe-ending paradoxes because of it]

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