[Hymn #47] [Movement] ~One Who Would Seize Glory~

[nightcrossed]

[For all technical purposes, Tear has made herself scarce. She is taking the rest of the week off from work and has informed no one about it save the manager. That doesn't mean she's impossible to find, however. Rather predictably she is sitting near her flower garden at the Hakurei Shrine, rolling an apple between her palms that she snagged from breakfast this morning and hasn't taken the first bite of. There's a lot for her to mull over, and she can't do that unless she has some time to herself. Auldrant has never seemed so far away, but she has no idea where to go from here, and she still has so very many unanswered questions.]

Van...

[OOC: Cherry's mean, but I need to get some of this heavy crap out of the way at some point. 1% on Absorption Gate, mainly concerned with dialogue; the battle itself; and Van, like all good Disney villains, falling to his "demise". AND THAT VAN SRSLY PLAYS HIS OWN BGM ON THE ORGAN. We'll worry about the other cast members and all the technical Sephiroth (not that Sephiroth) stuff at another time, so assume she doesn't know anything about lowering the land or where the heck all this drama is taking place. That makes 12% with 2% left. She'll go back to work next Monday.]

Comments

[fluorite-flux.livejournal.com]

*hasn't been coming in nearly as early recently, still recovering from the festival and just some in-general other heaviness, but he does still come, dresses in robes even though it isn't really necessary, and heads out to sweep the walk. it isn't long before he comes across her among the flowers*

Does that apple have any answers? ^.^

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

[After checking every other place in town, Luke finally gets over his aversion to the Hakurei Shrine and swings by to check. Sure enough, she's here.]

So, is this where you've been?

[deusexblastia.livejournal.com]

...no one seems to be remembering happy things these days.

[Raven still possessed his ability to sneak up on people, but he was easier to hear coming for now. He sat down on a different edge of the shrine with his back to Tear. If she didn't want to deal with him today, silence fit him just fine.

Sharing a drink they call loneliness is still better than drinking alone.]

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

How do you figure all of that just by my sitting here?

[But she didn't deny it, nor did she complain at having company. Besides, from what she could gather, it seemed like Raven was having his own troubles. That he wasn't avoiding others was probably a good thing.]

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

[Tear's movements stopped and she looked down at the unblemished apple for a long moment, as if at the suggestion she had only just realized that the apple even existed in the first place. ]

Not one. But then, I didn't really expect it to.
And even if it did, I doubt that I'd be able to fully comprehend its meaning.

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

[Somehow Luke was both the first and the last person she wanted to see. What had Van called him? A "replica"? Luke sure seemed real enough standing there... More real than a lot of the people she had met since showing up on this island. What was that even supposed to mean in the first place? Some irrational part of the woman's mind refused to believe it, but then, even Luke had acknowledged it at some point during the past. He hadn't seemed happy about it, though, and Tear didn't plan on telling him about it now. Or ever.]

Yes. I help out at the shrine every now and then.
I... was thinking I should take some time off from work, so I did.

[Tear forced a smile. It was one of those types she was supposed to use at the cafe when dealing with customers - polite, approachable, but obviously disconnected from any emotions she might be feeling. Well, it wasn't as if Tear was about to cry, either. Tear didn't let herself cry often.

[Then she became aware that maybe there was a problem.] Is something wrong?

[deusexblastia.livejournal.com]

You learn a lot when you get older.

[He had been looking for a place to be quiet by himself, but maybe this was better. Maybe by helping her - if she wanted the help - he'd feel better himself.]

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

Just that it's not like you to skip out on work. I dropped by the cafe at lunch and you weren't there.

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

[Tear was silent for a moment. Then she tried skirting around the topic.]

Well, everyone deserves a vacation once in a while, don't they?

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

I suppose that's true...

[Tear fell silent for a moment, setting the apple down beside her.]

But you know, I take back what I said. This island's a lot less complicated than my own world is. You don't have to wonder about who or what other people are, there aren't any impossible decisions to make, and the worst that can happen is having your friends disappear...

At least no one dies.

[deusexblastia.livejournal.com]

It's all a question of perspective. I wouldn't be surprised if all this confusion about who people are or decisions are just because we don't have all the information. It certainly seems to me that any question arisen gets answered at some point in time.

...don't say that.

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

That may be, but it's not as simple as you're trying to make it sound. Even after I have all of the answers I want, I'm not sure what I'll choose to do with my life.

But it's true.

Van was the only family I had, and he's gone now. I always knew it would come down to that, and now that I know...

I don't regret it. It was something that had to be done, but it still isn't easy to accept.

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

You call this a vacation?

Does Luke not approve of gardening?

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

I'm taking the week off from work. That is technically a vacation.

And besides, I needed some time alone to think about things.

[Such a dangerous past time, I know.]

Too much work.

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

Think about things? Like what?

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

[She was hoping he wouldn't ask that, but she had been expecting it to come to this. Either way, she hadn't had time to form a response, so she stuck with the bare minimum of the truth.]

I remembered something else last night. It's... something that requires lots of thinking.

[Attempts one more time to dodge the topic.] You didn't skip lunch, did you?

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

*gives up on pressing the issue, at least for now*

No, I ate. What about you?

[angel-crow.livejournal.com]

*Cooro wanders over, being curious about that funny building over there and all. Also possibly about that apple in Tear's hands and whether or not she was going to actually eat it. Though, on the other hand, she seems a little... upset? Maybe asking for an apple wouldn't be such a good idea after all...*

Tear? Are you ok?

[deusexblastia.livejournal.com]

What can I say. I'd like to keep things simple, even as everything grows more complicated. Even when I really know it's something of an impossible task to do that.

Sorry to hear that. The loss of life is never something easy to deal with.

*Resists urge to feed the +Anima*

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

Eh?

[Tear looks up slowly, as if just coming out of a trance. No need to worry a cute thing. That won't do at all.]

Yes, I'm fine. I was just resting for a little bit. Things have been rather hectic lately...

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

I suppose no one can stop you from trying. It's a good thought, even if nearly impossible to put into practice. I wish I could keep things simple, but at this point, it'd be a losing battle.

I guess it wouldn't be easy, but then, death itself is a part of life. In order for things to reach a sort of closure, for wars to end, for kingdoms to expand, for technological progress to be made... there are always sacrifices.

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

[Tear glanced down at the apple in her palm, then looked back up at Luke.]

Not yet. I wasn't hungry this morning, so I haven't eaten anything.

[deusexblastia.livejournal.com]

...I truly wish that were the case.

[apurposetolive.livejournal.com]

Geez, try practicing what you preach. Go eat something.

[a-severed-fate.livejournal.com]

Right...
You're right. Perhaps I should do that.

[Tear didn't make it clear as to which point she was agreeing with. In either case, she didn't budge.]