healedbythelight | Eighth Page - [Voice / Action for house #28]

[For the longest time, Cheria didn't want to believe that it was true. That Asbel's disappearance from the house was just a temporary thing. His belongings were gone, but that didn't mean anything. He could've just been sent home for a brief while and would return soon enough. If it could happen to both herself and Richard, then why not Asbel? Though, now that four days have passed, she has to face the possibility that Asbel has followed the same route as Sophie, Hubert, Pascal and the Captain. That he may not return any time soon, and if he does, he may not remember what had transpired on Luceti.

People will have to know. Asbel had made so many friends here who would miss him... She can't leave this responsibility to King Richard- he's already been through so much. As much as he tries to hide it, Cheria can tell that Asbel's absence is hurting him as much as it's hurting her. No, possibly even more.

With a heavy feeling in her chest, she picks up her journal from the nightstand. She'd been hiding in her room for quite a few hours now, but she's getting restless. As she flips the book open, she starts to pace through the house.]

Ah... I'm sorry, everyone. This announcement will only take a moment. That is... To everyone who's met Asbel Lhant... [She chokes back a sob as she enters the living room. Having to announce it to the world only makes it that much more real.]

T-To everyone who may miss him... I'm afraid he's been s-sent home. I'm... I'm sure it's for the best, so please don't-

[Her voice cuts off abruptly as she takes a seat on the couch, only to realize she sat down on something. Or... someone. She tilts her head to the left curiously and breathes a sharp gasp when she realizes she's sitting in the lap of a boy who's lying sprawled out across the couch. Not just any boy, either.]

A-ASBEL!

[The journal slips from her hands in shock, though not before recording a bit of Asbel's response:] ... Huh? Cheria, what are- [There's a loud thud and the recording cuts off completely.]

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[Cheria's scream was a true wake up call for Asbel. After all, he'd been sleeping peacefully on the couch. Except he didn't go to sleep on the couch. Sure, he remembered going to sleep, but it was in his own bed in the manor. But that wasn't something he was too concerned with. He was more concerned with why Cheria was trying to sit on him.]

... Huh? Cheria, what are you doing?

[Cheria can't even process the question. She barely notices her journal fell to the ground. All she knows is that Asbel is right here. He's shirtless and she's sitting in his lap, but he's here.]

A-Asbel... You're...!

[He's just staring at her like she's grown a second head.]

I'm... What?

[Why is he just staring at her like she's done something strange? Doesn't he get how worried she's been? Doesn't he get how relieved she is to see him?]

You... You idiot! [Without so much as a second's notice, she flings herself forward to pull him into an embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck so he can't see just how flushed and upset she is.]

[He sits there dumbfounded for a moment, still confused by her behavior, but once the shock wears, slowly, he lifts his arms to place them on her back.]

Cheria... What's with you today?

[Nope, she's not breaking away. Not until she's sure she's not about to break down into tears.]

What's with me?! What's w-with you?! ...Where were you?

[He has no idea he's in Luceti right now.]

Did you hit your head or something? We went back to Lhant together, remember? ...I haven't been asleep that long, have I?

B-but that was.... [It couldn't be... Asbel didn't lose his memories of Luceti, did he?]

Cheria... [You're acting so weird...] Are you going to explain what's going on?

I-It's... Luceti. [Though, with the way her face is still pressed up against Asbel's shoulder, it may end up sounding more like "Looshtee"]

Huh? Did you say "Loosh Tea"? Cheria, don't tell you're acting weird over some new flavor of tea. [Yeah, he didn't catch that.]

N-no! [She can't blame him for misunderstanding if he forgot, though. If he really doesn't remember what Luceti means, then...]

[Well, now he's just confused.]

Then what did you say?

[She sniffs loudly, before trying again.] Luceti. It's... It's a village.

[There's a moment as he takes that name in.]

Oh... Luceti? Yeah, of course it's a--

[And then it hits him.]

..Lu-Luceti?!

[She doesn't say anything. She just waits. Though, by now, she's starting to become faintly aware that she's still sitting in Asbel's lap. And she's pressing herself up against his shirtless chest. ... Oh dear.]

[Surely, she can feel the beat of his heart, which seems to be beating faster now.]

Cheria... Is this... really Luceti?

[She feels it, alright. She's trying to ignore it, but it's a little difficult when she's feeling so flustered herself.]

Yes...

[While it's true that Richard has been trying to keep up a brave face for Cheria's sake, he's also been stoic for another reason as well. When he discovered that Asbel's belongings were gone and realized with a sinking heart what that had to mean... he didn't feel anything. It was like all of his emotions had been wrung dry until there was nothing left but an unsettling emptiness. He just couldn't bring himself to care - either about this or about anything else - anymore.

But that doesn't mean he's blind to how this is affecting Cheria, who obviously IS feeling something about this if the way she's been acting is any indication. So he's going to go check on her to make sure she's all right... that's the least he can do, after all.]

Cheria?

Edited 2012-05-23 02:23 (UTC)

...How long?

[Then... He remembers? ...He remembers!]

It's been... about four days.

[Cheria's hidden away in her room, as she has been for the past few days. Mostly, she's just been lying on her bed, flipping through the journal or staring out the window. She isn't certain where Tiger Festival's gone- She might've left the house to hunt down mice, or perhaps she's curled up in the laundry basket again. ... Sigh. Laundry. Cheria will need to get to that today, too.

She looks up at the sound of Richard's voice.]

Ah... Yes?

[At first, Naoki feels an unpleasant lurching sensation, but when the girl cuts off... And when he hears Asbel, he can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Sure, he feels a teeny bit bad for being relieved he hasn't gone yet but not enough to say.]

...false alarm?

[It takes a while for Cheria to get back to the journal entry. First she had to spend five to ten minutes dealing with Asbel. Then, at last, she picks up the journal from the ground again.]

Ah, yes. I'm sorry. It seems the Malnosso have a very ironic sense of timing. [... It is the Malnosso who schedule these arrivals, isn't it?]

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Eighth Page - [Voice / Action for house #28]

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[Action] Ehhhh let's just make this pre-Asbel

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