I Will Go My Way

[acceptedlife]

Who: [AU] Repliku and you~
When: August 1st -> the whole month
Where: Dream Width (Aug 1st only), Arito library
What: Takeshi finds a thing and gets to work.
Warnings/Notes: None yet.

I. An Innocent Item Retrieval... (Dream Width, 8/1) (locked to Futaba Sakura and Takashi Shirogane)

[Takeshi didn't get notifications that they found something of his. It just didn't happen after the blade that now is always strapped to his forearm, hidden under his sleeve. He went nearly three full months without so much as a peep of something showing up.

He couldn't help but wonder what did. It's not that he owned much in his life. The houses he'd lived in were loans to lodge the displaced that were free of chargedue to what they as Heroes were supposed to do. The bed, the furnishings, even the appliances weren't really his. He had maybe four different items that he deemed worth missing: a red crystalline heart that he'd received his first Starlight there, two snowmen dolls, and a good luck charm his mother had given him. He couldn't think of anything else off the top of his head.]

Wonder what it could be. [He mutters to the two he asked to come with him. Mostly because he knows his tendencies to go down memory lane. One already had a small taste of the shit he'd been through, and the other was aware there was some he carried on his shoulders.] Didn't exactly have much.

II. Back to the Books (Curti Center; 8/2, onward)
[It isn't long after they land again that Takeshi books it to the libraries with the intel he received, leaving a brief message on the network after closing the room to the private study room in the far back.]

Of all the things to get back...

[He mutters, going through the pages again and again. If he closes his eyes, he can still see the faces of those mentioned within. But, he's no artist. He doesn't stand a chance of getting them more accurate than these stupid bunny sketches.

Time to get to work. He has some time before the airship he'll be taking to Arito arrives. May as well use it.

If anyone pokes in, they might catch a glimpse of him going to check a few shelves with a handful of pages and a notebook, heading back to the same study room with a book or two.]

III. What's Taking Breaks? (Arito; 8/3, onward)

[There was one problem that he inherited from the creator he barely remembers beyond a few glimpses, it was his inability to put down a project until it was done. As it is, it's likely very obvious that he's lost in the papers he's writing on, glimpsing at the pages next to him and the childish sketches once in a while as he worked.

An hour passes, and soon, two. He barely moves save to flick a wrist when it starts to get stiff and the scratches on the paper. Three hours...

Someone remind him that he needs to eat.]

IV. Work Called... (Yun'Ashia; 8/12, onward)

[The absolute worst thing (in Takeshi's mind) is standing still in one place. He never was good at it, especially when his mind is elsewhere. When the owners called, saying he'd been given enough time to "visit with the newcomers at the Center", he went back.

Which is also probably why the owner of this particular items and weapons shop is likely left surprised one morning to see each and every weapon polished to the point where metal cast a fine reflection, wooden staves and rods shone slightly with their new polish. Perhaps one was simply interested in looking at what this small shop has to offer, and you catch him polishing a particular blade. Or, maybe he's staring out the window, not really seeming to see anything until approached.]

Can I help you with something?

[He'd apologize, but his mind might just be elsewhere. Not only on the papers he left in his pack by his feet behind the counter, but needing to find a place to stay. The new recruits would be fine if he transferred elsewhere, he's sure of it.]

V. Wildcard
[ooc: Need to poke Takeshi, the Replica formerly known as Ira for something other than what's listed? Feel free!]

Comments

[spaceforged]

We'll get some idea based on the size of the nebula. [Shiro says from where he stands with his helmet under one arm. Clad in his Voltron armor, he keeps watch with a neutral expression on his face. He's gone back into the dream width repeatedly and it never stops making him worry.

Answers and memories lie out there.]

Whatever it is, we'll get it.

[acceptedlife]

[Takeshi nods, leaning against the wall as he glances to Futaba. He caught that grimace, and smiles faintly. A small effort to reassure her that he didn't mean it in a bad way. He just didn't really own much because he knew that, like all "Heroes" back then, there was a chance he could simply crystallize and never wake up.

Okay that probably wouldn't help her calm down any, so he keeps that tidbit to himself.]

Right, [He sighs.] Problem is, most of the items I had were things you could hold onto with one hand. ...Save clothes that probably don't fit me anymore.

Stupid sudden growth spurts in stasis.

[promiselisting]

[ That... was probably wise, Takeshi. Although her point kind of still stands. If you knew you could lose everything at a moment's notice, the stuff you kept would still be... well. Yeah.

Moving on. ]

So they'll probably be tricky to find. [ Reason number fifty-something wishes she had Necronomicon back ] Does the size of the nebula change based on the object you get?

[ She's only gotten a couple items from here, and neither were very big... both around the same size actually, though very different otherwise. ]

[spaceforged]

[Stasis? He resolves to ask about that later. His eyebrow raises and lowers without his expression changing.]

I believe it does. When Hunk and I retrieved his Lion, the nebula was massive. I believe they said the same thing about the Black Lion. The speeder was...also in the larger range.

[He can't remember what the size of the Pj one was. Only that Hunk was pretty sour about it.]

[acceptedlife]

[He has his brief moments of clarity where he doesn't just barrel in full-throttle, yeah.]

Meanwhile when I got this- [Takeshi lifts the sleeve on his left arm, showing the bracer that held the hidden blade to them.] It was relatively small.

[So there's a precedence for it already. He smooths out the sleeve over it again, shrugging.]

[promiselisting]

The Nebulas that my clothes and laptop came in weren't too big either.

[ Not compared to the ones with people in them at least, which were the only other frame of reference she personally had. ]

So it looks like it's mainly a size thing so far. [ hm ] ... should I be keeping notes about this too?

[ How many topics of notes does she have running concurrently now. Actually she's kind of fallen behind on working on those. Too busy trying to convert the aforementioned laptop. ]

[spaceforged]

We go out to the Dream width so much...it should be part of the standard warnings. [The more they know about the place the more he feels they should be adding to the standard procedures. But that's talk for another time.

Shiro notes the bracer and nods.]

At least it seems straightforward. [For now.]

[acceptedlife]

Seems to be a trend at least. [So, yeah. Probably. At the very lease he could help with those notes? Futaba only needs to ask.] Just watch some small object appear in a large nebula sometime. Throw us all for a loop.

[promiselisting]

[ Gaaaaah Futaba lifts her hands to cover her ears - or rather where her earphones are already covering her ears, shaking her head. And also dislodging the carbuncle puppet that had been curled up next to her until that moment. ]

Ugh, don't say that, you'll make it happen!

[ Futaba that is something really superstitious to say for a scientist's daughter. ]

[spaceforged]

[Shiro laughs softly and shakes his head.]

Relax, we're still studying and learning. If it happens, it happens.

[He smiles a little bit.] It gives us more to work with and we could narrow it down into a predictable formula. But, let's see what we get first.

[acceptedlife]

[He was doing so well in keeping himself from laughing. Then Shiro did. He can't help it; laughter's contagious.

...And then holds up his wooden white mage rod and knocks on it.]

Better? [Yeah, he's teasing. Speaking of, though-] Should be close to where they picked up the signal by now.

[promiselisting]

Better.

[ She's pretty sure at least, though the laughter and teasing makes her want to stick her tongue out in retaliation. And she very nearly does too, until Takeshi points out they're probably close to their destination. ]

Huh. Guess we better get ready to get moving, then.

[spaceforged]

[He turns slightly and slips his helmet on, twisting it and locking it in place. He takes a second to swap to dragoon via his iMog. Whether he needs the speed or not, at least he'll have it.]

Alright, I'll go get the tethers. [He walks back to snag three of them. Might as well get ready now.]

[acceptedlife]

Alright. [He nods, silently preparing himself to focus on literally anything other than the past.

Takeshi switches to ninja with his. He'll feel better with the speed he usually has, after all. He looks to Futaba when Shiro wanders off to get the tethers.]

Thanks for coming, by the way.

[He thought he'd scared her off, when he mentioned he was an Assassin in confidence. He's glad it doesn't seem to be the case.]

[promiselisting]

No problem.

[ It'd be a lie to say that it hadn't bothered her a little, because that was... that was the one line the Phantom Thieves never crossed. Was determined never to cross. They didn't kill people. Especially given how right now (for her at least) the Phantom Thieves themselves are being framed for every mental shutdown and death resulting from them for the past two years.

They'd probably need to have a proper talk about it all, but now's really not the time.

That being said, she's staying on Astrologian for now. She'd recently figured out how to keep her puppet animated even without her being on that asterisk, so carbuncle is coming too. She gives it a pat and pushes herself to her feet. ]

Sorry I've been kinda incommunicado. It's been busy.

[spaceforged]

[Shiro returns, moving with the practiced ease of a man used to space exploration. He ties his own tether in quick, precise motions. It makes him miss the way things used to be.

He pushes that away, and breathes in.] Alright, everyone here remembers how this goes?

[He holds out the two tethers as the calm settles over him and his mind focuses like a lens on the task ahead.]

[acceptedlife]

No worries. [He knows how the busy thing goes, and he was at least glad to see she was alright when they fought the sea goddess.

Takeshi pushes the thought aside for now when Shiro returns, nodding once. Kind of hard to forget after the last time he was here.]

Yeah. [He takes one of the two tethers, tying his in measured movements that bespoke of a muscle memory than anything else. He glances briefly at Futaba before moving to wait for the door to open.]

[promiselisting]

Unfortunately.

[ Futaba isn't... quite as sure what to do with the tether initially but copying Takeshi and Shiro seems like a safe bet, though hers involves a lot more fumbling. She's moved through space before (well, cognitive space at least) but only ever in a straight line, from one airlock to another.

She probably shouldn't be using Metaverse space as a frame of reference anyway.

Okay. Okay. She gives a short nod once she's done, gripping part of the tether still in her hands tightly. Ready as she'll ever be. ]

[spaceforged]

[He checks the readouts. Everything is good for their retrieval. Shiro nods once and heads for the door. He's the airship pilot here and takes the lead without a second thought.

As far as he can tell...it's a smaller nebula. He looks back at them,] I'm opening the door in three, two, [On one he opens it and braces himself. He leaps out without any trace of fear.]

[acceptedlife]

[Something inside the replica grows cold, distant, as the door opens. Freezes over at the sight of the small cloud of blue and violet dust. Violet was never a color he liked, but he pushes the thought aside and follows suit, glad the default mask hides his expression.

Futaba likely realizes the color association rather quickly.

When he makes contact with it, though, he pauses.]

Just as I thought. Something you can hold in one hand.

[But a manila envelope? He raises an eyebrow, looking at the other two.]

[promiselisting]

[ If she could tell what he was thinking, yeah. She'd pick it up pretty quick. For now she's just. Trying to keep any anxiety in check. Thankfully it all seems... pretty uneventful. ]

Huh. You don't remember anything like this?

[ If his nonplussed expression is anything to go by. ]

[spaceforged]

[His eyebrows raise, and he turns his body to face the ship.]

We can have a look inside the ship. Let's not delay out here.

[And for the first time since their last in-person talk, Shiro's eyes are vaguely haunted. He can practically hear the sounds of the arena.] You don't want to see what's in my memories.

[His expression is immediately schooled back to calm as he uses the tether to make his way back. He pauses to wait for them to start back themselves.]

[acceptedlife]

Right. Pretty sure neither of you want to see mine, either.

[Takeshi takes a hold of the envelope and sticks it under his arm, before pulling himself back in as well. The moment his feet touch the cool surface of metal again, he can't help but run his left hand over the side of his neck.

At least it means the nebula dissipates.]

[promiselisting]

[ Yeah let's. Not stick around. Futaba takes a moment to watch what the other two are doing then, again, copies. ]

Sounds like its true for all of us, honestly.

[ In their own ways at least. Hers probably wouldn't match up to theirs, from what she knows about them. But this ain't exactly an Olympics or anything.

She catches that motion though, once they're back inside, and that she definitely remembers the context of. Still bad at the comfort thing, but she does give him a sympathetic grimace. ]

[spaceforged]

[Despite being the first to start moving, he's the last inside. He shuts the door behind him and leans to the right of it. His metal right-hand makes a soft whirring noise and he sighs.

Later, he'll have Hunk look at it.]

I'll signal to the bridge we're ready to depart. [He unties his tether and moves over to do just that. Giving Takeshi and Futaba whatever time they need. He returns moments later, the ship starting to move.]

Okay, we're under way.