--85

[earthen_hope]

[There's a pause. She tries to write steadily, but it gets progressively shakier.]

I don't know how many people knew him, but Lix is gone.

He was from the same place as me.

I

Comments

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

I knew him, and it grieves me to hear this.

Do you need company?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Yes please

I'm at the farm. In the sheep pasture.

[quicklog?]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

I'll be right there.

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Okay.

[She knows she should have gone home. But she can't go. If she leaves the farm and starts the long walk back to the Access Point, she would be alone for a long stretch of that. She just can't bear the thought of being apart from other living, breathing things.

The sheep aren't the best company, maybe. But it's better than nobody at all, and they don't seem to mind her leaning on them while she waits for Paladin to arrive. They liked Lix too.]

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't respond further, but instead makes his way down to the farms quickly.]

[Paladin hadn't known that Lix had been from Krile's world, only that she had been very fond of him. Now that he knew that, though--he had wondered, briefly, what it must have felt like. For a moment, he imagined if any of the people he had seen in his memories had been here with him, and just vanished--only for a moment, though, before he had to push the thought away.]

[Despite her size, the color of her clothes make her stand out amongst the sheep with their white wool. He lets out a breath he hadn't been aware he had been holding, and walks over to where she is.] There you are.

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[There was something about Lix that just made Krile feel okay. Even though he'd still been new to Edensphere, hanging around him made it very hard for her to worry about all the things that tended to bother her at any given moment. Even the fact that he couldn't hear her name or Exdeath's, which meant that she couldn't risk telling him much of anything about their world.

And then he was just... not there anymore.

Leaving her alone. The only one who would remember the submarine, Grandpa, the two women, the sky without a moon, Exdeath....

When she catches sight of Paladin she scrambles to her feet and runs to him, hugging him tightly. She doesn't care if she seems childish or that she's starting to cry again, only that she's not alone anymore.]

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[For his part, he doesn't do anything but let her hug him and begin to cry. He doesn't say "Don't cry"--he cannot (or, perhaps selfishly, does not) imagine what that loss would feel like, he has no place telling her not to cry should she want to. Paladin rests his hands on her shoulders, then gently hugs back...he hesitates for a moment, biting his lip, before he decides to speak:] It will be all right. Not now, but it will be. [The emphasis is not on the 'all right', but rather the 'will be.']

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[It takes a bit longer before she can answer. She knows Paladin's words are true; she knows it quite well from her time here. The hurt will fade, and she'll keep going, and feel more herself again. But as with every time before, that barely seems possible at this moment.]

I know. [The words are almost a croak.] I just--he was from home. I remember him. Even if he didn't remember, he knew....

[It's hard to put into words.]

And I'm tired. I'm tired of losing friends.

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[He sighs when she continues speaking. He can speak of will-be's and shall-be's and a rising anger...but it won't serve him here. Not right now.] He understood? [Paladin prompted gently. He doesn't know whether talk like this will make her feel better or worse, but he has to try something.]

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[She nods, her head still resting against him.]

...Yeah. I couldn't tell him much that he could hear. Not my name or Exdeath's... Grandpa's, though.

[It's a little difficult to string her words together coherently. She tries to pull herself together a bit more.]

He was a warrior with us. I remember fighting by his side.

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[Paladin nods.] That was something, though. [He's...not sure what to say here. It is one thing to comfort loss in the tree, but with this kind of loss...he doesn't know what to do, precisely.] More than a friend--an ally, a comrade, then. [At least this line of questioning hasn't hurt, so far.] Against Exdeath?

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[It's somehow different to lose someone she knew from before. It's like a piece of her past has gone with him--or a sense of assurance that she isn't the only one who'd ever remember her home. Lix being here made her memories seem more real.

And there was just something to him--it was like an aura of complete unworry. Even when they were barricading a barn against zombies and he'd barely just arrived, he made her feel like everything, inevitably, would turn out okay.]

Yeah. It was hard to fret around him. [She lets out a small sigh, remembering that she did tell Paladin a little about Exdeath. Only his name and how he appeared, though.] I don't know a lot about Exdeath, just that he was evil and we had to stop him. Lix couldn't hear his name either, but it still happened.

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[He nods again.] I believe you. And--yes, [A little smile touches his lips as he speaks,] Lix was remarkable at putting people at their ease. [Even people stuck in ridiculous dresses.]

[He doesn't speak for a while, but then asks,] Do you want to go home, now? [The sheep aren't bothering him, but it's never fun to weep in public.] I'll walk with you.

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Yeah. [And oddly, that still holds true now. Not that it isn't painful. She's still very much worried about where he is now, if he's caught in that ether-space she imagines the people who disappear are sent to... but... that he might be dead or erased from existence? No.

She still wishes it hadn't happened, though. Not like it did. When Paladin speaks again, she finally draws away.]

Yes... thanks. [She blots at her face with the cuff of her sleeve. She's stopped crying, anyway. And there's no point in trying to hide her feelings around Paladin.] I... I should've just gone by myself, but I didn't want to be alone.

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[Paladin nods, smiles reassuringly--then stops for a moment, an idea hitting him.] If you don't wish to be alone, you can stay with myself and Reed awhiles. I can take the couch for a few days. [Maybe she doesn't need it--but offering can do no harm at all.]

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[It's a very kind offer, and one that Krile appreciates greatly... even without Lix and despite her hurt right now, she's not as alone as she feels. Though she fears that Paladin and Reed will disappear themselves--they're still here and with her now.]

It's all right. I still live with Chibiusa. [And she can't leave her sister to be alone.] But... thank you.

[She pauses a moment. She should go to the shop today. But....]

If you don't have anything to do right now... and until she gets home, could we go to your house?

[quicklog]

[mythgravenblade.livejournal.com]

[He's not especially surprised by the response, and just pats her shoulder.] If you change your mind, know that you have but to ask.

[Paladin nods and offers a smile.] Certainly. You can stay for dinner, too, if she's late coming home. Shall we? [He makes an inviting gesture towards the direction of the bridges leading back to the Access Point.]

[quicklog]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[It's a small smile she gives him in return, but not a false one. She nods.]

Thanks....

[She takes his hand for a moment and gives it a squeeze and turns to head that way. Her footsteps drag a little--she's both hesitant and eager to leave the place that Lix disappeared from.

If only there was some rhyme or reason to the disappearances... she'll find out what happened to him. She will.]

[letmefollow.livejournal.com]

Krile, will you be alright?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[This comes sometime later.]

Yes, I will be.

[longnosedliar.livejournal.com]

[He really does hate this place. He's not going to write anything here, but he is going to cut work to go sit outside her house. Sorry, Bridge.]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[She'll appreciate that. Just don't go poof while you're there, Sniper.]

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry.

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

Come by the shop when you're feeling up to it, ne?

[clearly free candy is the way to soothe souls]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Okay. I will.

[It certainly helps!]

[coughcoughshank.livejournal.com]

I'll be waiting, then ♥

[Candy and commiseration XD]

[lingeringlegacy]

[Not writing, but when she goes to the Weapons Tree to get practice rounds, there will be some cookies.]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[Aww. Stellaris is so nice.]

[crowsloveapples.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry Krile.

Do you want some company?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Yes--I'd love company. Thanks, Apple.

[azhdarchidae.livejournal.com]

[Above doesn't write anything here because she can't think of anything that's not clumsy.]

[But Krile might get a quetzhug next time she sees her. ...Which is also clumsy, but it's at least not trite or a platitude.]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[Aww. Clumsy or no, she will very much appreciate quetzhug.]

[live_ringer]

[Wasn't that kid she had talked to him about months before? Damn. This was quite likely the last thing Krile needed.

He figures she'll have her share of visitors, so he'll cut his shift early and manage to swing by her shop just before it closes.]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[She's only going to be there at that time anyway to pick up the ledger, so that is perfect timing.]

[crimson-seeker.livejournal.com]

[No comment, because. But she'll have a tiny dragon with a burden of oranges knocking on her window tonight. Because oranges are as close to a comfort food as Hawk knows.]

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

[Awww. She will appreciate them and give Fuu a cuddle.

...and laugh at his pink vest and hat, sorry Fuu.]

[desertshadows.livejournal.com]

[He stares at the second sentence for a while before writing.]

I'm sorry to hear that, Krile. Is there anything I can do?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

Are you busy tomorrow? We can take a walk together.

[desertshadows.livejournal.com]

No, not at all. That sounds good- where do you have in mind?

[spandexisyouth]

Oh Krile. I am sorry. Would you like anything?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

I'd like to see you.

[spandexisyouth]

Then you shall. Would you like to come over, or shall I come visit you?

[feathered-earth.livejournal.com]

You can come over.

Thanks.

[spandexisyouth]

I am on my way. And I bring cookies too!