[action]

[thebloodyoriginal]

[The welcoming committee building's door flies open, hitting the wall with a thud, and Asch storms out. He's got a small assortment of pamphlets in one hand, although with the fist he's making, they're crumpled almost beyond recognition. He's stalked about halfway across the plaza before he slows down a little -- it's not like he's actually got anywhere to go, after all.]

[Anyone nearby may hear him muttering to himself.] Dammit... I don't have time for this! [He hurls the remains of the pamphlets into a nearby trash can as he walks by.]

[It takes about ten minutes for Asch to calm down enough to stop pacing, at which point he opts for leaning against the nearest building and glaring alternately at the ground or his hands. He's still fairly soaked, aside from his hair, which he dried earlier. He doesn't seem to care much, though.]

Comments

[chosen_gigolo]

[Well well Asch, it seems like you've deposited yourself right against the exterior wall of the host club Golden Victory. It's early enough that the club has just barely opened for the day and there's no guests yet, which leaves Zelos with little to do, hence his being located in the doorway and at a perfect vantage point to see the pissed off arrival plant his brood cloud against the wall.]

New here?

[Have a knowing grin.]

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Asch starts just a bit, but does his best to hide it as he redirects his glare to Zelos.] So what if I am? [Seriously, does he look like he wants people bothering him?]

[chosen_gigolo]

[Deal with it~ Besides, you're the one that came and leaned on his building.]

So nothing, you've just got that...

[The sentence dies on his lips. Now there's something interesting. It was a little harder to tell in profile with the long hair, but straight on like this, the new guy looks pretty much exactly like Luke barring a lot more frown lines.]

You must be from Auldrant.

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Asch narrows his eyes. Whatever this stranger is thinking about, he already doesn't like it.]

[...that was not what he expected, in any case.] How do you know that?

[zelda_hylia]

[Her voice is a bit chastising when she addresses Asch, but for the most part she understands his frustration.]

You know, if you were to read that, it would answer quite a few questions. I take it you just arrived...?

[She trails off as she finally gets a good look at the person she's speaking to.]

Luke?

[No, not Luke. Like Luke, but... in that way that Link is like Sola...]

1/2

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Best way to make friends: snap at people who approach you.] I already did. There's nothing useful. [By which he means no way out.]

[Then he notices her staring.] What?

2/2

[thebloodyoriginal]

... [What.] What did you call me?

[zelda_hylia]

[She may not understand why, but Zelda can tell that she's hit a sensitive spot. She raises a hand to her mouth, looking mildly embarrassed.]

My apologies, I mistook you for someone else.

[Zelda gestures to the brochure.]

Time does not flow back on our homeworlds while we are here in Vatheon, so there's no need to be so tense.

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Asch ignores the apology in favor of another question.] You mean... he's here. [Not that he's explaining anything to some stranger, but...] Someone who looks exactly like me. Is that right?

[He exhales in frustration.] I know, I read it.

[coolerthansora]

[Roxas recognizes the face. But sharing his own face with three other people means he knows very well that's not the only thing you have to pay attention to. The clothes, the hair, the temper--they're all different.

This must be who Luke meant when he talked about a 'weird connection to someone who's bad news.'

Roxas watches him for a few moments before approaching.]

I don't think you can glare your way home.

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Thankfully, Asch doesn't notice Roxas's staring. He looks up when he walks toward him, giving an irritated huff at the joke. He's really not in the mood.]

Do you want something?

[coolerthansora]

[Roxas shrugs.]

Just- thought maybe you could use a hand.

[It's mostly curiosity, really, about people he might have something in common with.]

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Everyone here is so helpful. When it comes to telling him to stay in the fishbowl like a good boy, anyway.] Can you help me get out of here? [He's hoping more for the kid to apologize and leave him alone than to say yes; after all, he's pretty certain at this point that there is no way out.]

/comes to ruin your life

[relinquishing]

[If he thought about it too much, Guy would wonder why he wasn't resting. He felt awful, both physically and mentally. He'd only arrived back into the city a few hours ago, and it had been a bit of a whirlwind. The conversation he'd had with Luke when he had finally woken up had been shaky at best, and despite how it felt to still have his best friend around... right now, he couldn't help but feel a little pained about things.

So, he'd just done the sensible thing and dismissed himself from the apartment for some air. At the very most, it would give the redhead some time to think as well... hopefully nothing too disastrous.

He didn't make it a trip to stop and talk to people, but the young man leaning against Golden Victory? Yeah, pardon if he does a double-take. There were only so many redheads in the city. Well. At least the last time he'd been here, there had been only a few. Very few with long hair. So to see that familiar tint of red was definitely an eye-catcher. Pity his stomach knotted seeing who exactly it was.

Great. Time to keep his expression carefully neutral, then.]

...You're going to catch something if you stay dripping wet like that, you know.

/throws a life ruination party

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Asch doesn't notice Guy until he speaks. He recognizes the voice even before he looks over at him. For a moment, his expression is neutral, if a little wary; then his eyes narrow.]

I can take care of myself. [And that is all the conversation is going to be about unless Guy wants to try and make it more. Asch didn't know Guy was here, but he isn't particularly interested in talking to him unless he has to.]

The best kind of party.

[relinquishing]

I wouldn't call standing off and brooding "taking care of yourself."

[Well... okay. His hair was dry. At least Guy could give him credit for caring a little. But still. Being stubborn in a land you're not familiar with? Not a smart move. Not like he puts it past you at all right now.

Try again, Asch.]

[thebloodyoriginal]

I don't need your help. [Hearing that tone? It says, 'get lost'! Besides...] Maybe you should take your own advice.

[He turns back to face opposite the wall. Take a hint, Guy.]

[redcladidealist]

[Okay, so Asche is soaking wet. Okay, he's glaring with enough heat to light a forge. Lloyd somehow manages to miss the mood he's in when he spots the redhead leaning against the wall. Oh, hey, there's Luke!

Face lighting up, Lloyd approaches with a smile.

Then he notices how wet Asche is.]

Hey, what happened to you?

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Who is this kid and why is he talking to me.] What do you care? [So what if he's obviously a newcomer, he doesn't need to tell everyone who asks.]

[redcladidealist]

[The brusque attitude takes Lloyd aback. Wow, bad day much?]

Hey, I was just asking. Want me to get you a towel?

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Bad day. Bad year. Bad life.]

I'm fine. [Is everyone who arrives here hopeless or something? He doesn't need to be coddled.]

/FLIES AT

[fabrecation]

[There was something about today that made Luke feel... he wasn't really sure. Not as lost? A little more together? He wasn't really sure why, though. It just... happened all of the sudden. It makes him frown, before he decides he actually wants to go out today.

So he goes, and he heads for the welcome center. Again, he isn't sure why. Something just started to pull him there... a familiar feeling.

And just as he's thinking on that, he notices someone leaning against the wall and looking at anyone who's around. Someone that makes him pause and stare with wide eyes, then make his way closer, a sense of hesitancy in his steps.]

Asch?

/RUNS TOWARD IN SLOW MOTION

[thebloodyoriginal]

[Asch looks up when he hears footsteps, and-- no. Oh no. Of course he would run into the replica here, and after he'd been prepared to face him in Eldrant too...]

[He turns just slightly to look at Luke, face not quite a picture of friendliness.] What are you doing here?

/RUNS TOWARD THROUGH A FIELD OF FLOWERS

[fabrecation]

[Luke stops in his tracks, and hand moving as if to reach out yet stopping before it can do that. Instead, he curls his hand into a loose fist and lowers it to his side, finally tearing his gaze from his original's to look at the cobblestone ground instead.]

I got pulled here by that thing [He makes a vague gesture towards the coral - ], just like you did. It's not like I want to be here.

[imaginarytides]

[Why is it that whenever new arrivals week rolls around Xion is right in the plaza? You'd think she were timing this or something.

This time she seems to have run into a very irate looking Luke. At least, he looks like Luke, only a lot angrier. She's pretty sure his name never disappeared off the contact list, and having the experience she does facetwins is actually a reasonable jump of logic for her.]

I'd say welcome to Vatheon but I guess you already go that in the Welcoming Committee building?