mikangirl | [Action/Voice] Forward dated to the 19th

[Nami comes back to Luceti with a bang.

...literally. Because the first indication of her arrival on the networks is her journal hitting a tree at high velocity. The journal window won't pick up more than a whole bunch of dizzily swirling forest scenery and then a bare, reddened foot as she kicks it afterwards for good measure. Then she just abandons it in the grass and stalks off. Incredibly useful contribution to the journals, isn't it? Sorry about that.

She's not really in any hurry to go home, and in no hurry to go announcing herself through town, but she is cold. So after some indecision, she heads for the Avatar house instead, knocking hesitantly on the door in her New Feather dress in search of warmth and other things.

A little while later, having borrowed a coat and some shoes and feeling a little more herself, she heads for home, letting herself in quietly and... sort of standing there and listening for voices, noise, anything. Then she'll come say hi. Sort of.

Whether she stays there or not after that, who knows? But she does eventually make a journal entry in the evening, borrowing someone else's. She's not cruel enough to pretend she's not here when there are friends in town.]

[Voice]

Shirahoshi, are you still here? I remember you, now. Just thought I’d let you know.

For everyone else... hi. I'm back. Again. All that. Business as usual, I guess.

[She sounds cheerful enough. Just tired.]

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So noted. [She could have done without the welcomes. Seriously.] How've you been, Richard?

Better than I was a week ago, that much is for certain. Things finally seem to be getting back to normal around here.

As normal as they ever get, huh.

That's putting it mildly.

Well, I'll just have to deal with it, I guess.

[Don't mind him putting up a filter here, just for some privacy.]

Are you feeling better now?

[...how to answer that.]

I suppose a week's vacation was better than none.

I feel better.

[In a comparative sort of sense. She no longer wants to set the village on fire.]

"Better" is also a somewhat subjective term. Perhaps I should have used more specific wording.

[But his voice has its usual playful tone to indicate that he isn't actually scolding her at all.]

Then again, I suppose it's only fair when I'd just said I was feeling better too.

[Oh, Richard. That earns him a genuine grin, small though it is.] So we're as bad as each other, huh?

I think I could agree to that much.

[He's glad that she's smiling; how small it is doesn't really matter.]

I guess we'll just have to see what happens from here.

I assume you've already spoken to your housemates?

Some of them. [Her expression changes subtly-- and rapidly-- from warmth to a flat sort of anger and then to worry.] Sanji-- Sanji-kun left just before I came back on a mission. Some of them aren't home yet... and some of them haven't checked in even now.

[And some of them met with her, and talked with her, and she's not going to be talking to them again any time soon.]

...my sister's in Luceti now. You should meet her. She's nice.

[... yeah, he's getting the feeling that he shouldn't press any further on the issue of the housemates, even though he isn't sure exactly what's going on with that situation.

It's a little distressing to hear that about Sanji, though, considering this is the first he's heard of it.]

I wasn't aware you had a sister, Nami. Older or younger?

[She gives a short laugh, which is genuinely amused, even if she hates the reasons behind why it's funny.] You know, it's sort of hard to tell these days. Back home she'd be two years older than me. Here, she's not. Or...well, I suppose seeing as I just went home and I'm two years ahead of her, I kind of reset and we're the same age, now. Confusing, right?

Not as confusing as you might think. In our world, Asbel is only a year younger than me, but thanks to Luceti, we're now two years apart. And Pascal and I are the same age here, despite the three-year difference back at home.

Yeah, I guess a lot of people go through that. Kind of weird, losing my little sister status, though.

Because you can't get away with pretending to be the innocent one anymore?

[That gets a small snort of laughter.] I don't think I've ever been able to lay claim to that particular label.

[Now it's his turn to laugh.]

Somehow I can't say I'm surprised to hear that.

[She grins a little at that, though it fades soon after.]

She used to be a really good big sister.

[...that sounds wrong.] She still is. Or would be. But she-- I have to--

...

I know this place.

[She's worried.]

And you're worried about what might happen to her here.

[He lets out a soft sigh.]

I can't blame you-- this place has a way of hitting our most vulnerable points at times. That much isn't something I see changing anytime soon.

No. You're right. I guess the most I can do is really... stand by and wait.

Wait and hope... that's all any of us can do here.

Yep. Hope we get lucky. Pick up the pieces when we aren't.

[Voice/Filter]

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