♛accidential video;

[meritocracy]

[the feed blurs in, shaky and uncertain. there's grass, sky, and there's blood. there's golden curls and a familiar brown headband and there's blood.

the video screen is smeared with red fingerprints and there is suddenly white skin, spasming fingers reaching for the screen but there is not a single word. not a single sound.

it moves, slowly, the fingers twitching as if in agony before it moves to a face, blood smeared at the top of the chin, dirt speckled across the cheeks and eyes barely open. for a minute there's the flash of a horrible red, gaping wound beneath the chin but then it's back to a pale face, lips parting but no sigh coming out. then the video spirals upwards, once, twice, red fingerprints and all.

and the fallen woman hasn't uttered a single word. ]

Comments

[vi...deo?]

[silversnowfall]

[What is this image, Nephry was looking through her journal for-

Oh.

Oh no.]

Natalia?

[This is not good.] Natalia, where are you?

[video sob]

[meritocracy]

[silence.

it's silence and birds and earth.

there's no sounds.

it's frustrating, but that's how it is.
i'm sorry nephryimsorry--]

[video sob]

[silversnowfall]

[She is three centimeters from dropping everything she is doing and going to look for her. But she needs some direction.]

Can you show me what you see?

[voice]

[dissonates]

[That? Does not look good. And he can hear the rage and threats of revenge already formulating in his mind, even knowing after four years of experience how futile it is. Asch is already out the door, speaking to the journal even as he drags on a cloak to fend off the cold - and to have something to give her when he finds her. Because he is going to find her, one way or another. He'll tear the entire damned village apart if he has to.

First things first, though-]

Natalia- I'm coming. Try to stay awake.

[He's angry. He's livid. But he is going to stay as calm as humanly possible until she's safe.

The violence can come later, if need be.]

[voice]

[meritocracy]

[she can hear asch's voice. that's good. he's still here--..selfish but so much relief. her lips twitch even as her head lolls into the grass. my friend, it's thought wistfully even as her eyelids flicker open once, then close.

asch is asking something of her but it's not even something she can give and she's sorry. it's just silence and birds chirping on her end. and blood, always blood.]

[action]

[dissonates]

[Damn. Damn, damn, damn. Lack of response means she's either too weak or too wounded to do so.

He refuses to accept the possibility of the alternative.

Sheer force of will is probably what gets him there, stumbling upon her in the dark; his foot hits the journal before he sees her, and he's on his knees at once. He brushes her hair back, cursing quietly under his breath, barely, just barely keeping his rage restrained. He could hyperresonate this entire goddamn clearing with barely a thought.

He presses two fingers against the side of her neck, gently, above where the blood is. ...Still beating.

Okay, so destroying the village is out. Good to know.]

Natalia, I'm here. Are you awake?

[Careful, careful. He needs to do something about that wound.]

[video]

[seleniahymn]

[Asch has already answered by the time Tear is ready to voice a response of her own, leading her to simply grind her teeth in what is inevitably frustration. It was just like when she had last been with the Malnosso, and to think that just days ago she was helping them –

No, her thoughts of disgust had no place here, all that mattered was that she keep her mind clear as much as possible as she readies herself for what would likely be Asch calling her for help, already stepping out the door to watch for the pair with her journal open in hand. She had to keep Natalia awake, she just had to...] Natalia? Are you still there?

[Please answer, just please let this be something she can fix. If she had made the wrong decision just now to wait for them rather than risk just missing them in the village, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.]

[video]

[meritocracy]

[Tear. It's Tear. Natalia's eyes flicker open again, blurrily. It feels like a few days ago she had been crying on her shoulder--how long was that?

Is she alright? She can do little else but blink into the screen and muster the same strained, white smile. It looks as much as a sorry as it is a quiet, weak hello. There's blood caked to her hair and her face but that smile is what stands out.

Tear I look absolutely horrible, don't I..a bloody Princess--how humiliating. Didn't I say once we'd go shopping----..too pretty to wear soldier clothes all the time--

[video]

[seleniahymn]

[That sight frightens her, and it nearly breaks her resolve to stay put because those scientists had no right to do this to her, not to her best friend. Despite all that she attempts a smile for her, able to tell just what it was that Natalia meant with it. Why was she apologizing for her appearance, when no matter what she was beautiful?]

It's all right... Asch is already on his way, isn't he? If you're worried we can clean you up afterward.

[action]

[silversnowfall]

[Soon enough, there's someone joining her at the door.]

What can I do to help you get ready for this, Tear?

[action]

[seleniahymn]

Nephry? [Of course, she wouldn't sit back and stand to do nothing in these situations either. Rather reluctantly she looks away from the journal, but in nearly the same instant her gaze half-returns to it.]

I'll need the area cleared, our bedroom will be preferable but the couch will also work if it is needed. Clean sheets and towels as well, and some fresh water in order to clean the wound. Any bandages you can find. [For all they knew, it could be more than her throat injured.]

[action]

[fabrecation]

[It isn't long until there's knocking on the door. Not from Asch and Natalia, but from Luke, desperate to help and do what he can for his childhood friend. He doesn't even wait to try calling out:]

Tear? Are you in there?

[action]

[seleniahymn]

Luke? [She's already in the sitting room, having briefly abandoned her watch at the door to direct Nephry how to best arrange the supplies so that she could work as fast as she could once Asch arrives with Natalia. Therefore she opens the door almost as soon as she hears him knocking.]

Are they...? [Had he preceded them to let her know of her condition? Though Luke would come regardless, wouldn't he.]

[voice]

[relinquishing]

[Never mind that he's at the apartment recovering from his own Malnosso-inflicted wounds. Never mind that he's already bandaged from elbow to shoulder and should probably not be moving.

When that video pops up on his journal, Guy's last thoughts are on his own set of injuries.]

Natalia...??

[Where was she, what--

...a quick glance showed Asch had already left a response, as well as Tear. So at least people who were able to get her some immediate care were aware and on the move. Still, Guy can't help but lift himself to his feet as he keeps talking, making his way to the apartment door.]

Natalia, can you hear me? Is someone there with you?

[If not, he wasn't about to hesitate wandering out to look for her himself, even if Asch was bound to beat him to it.

Ghhk. Damn these scientists.]

[voice]

[meritocracy]

[Natalia doesn't speak. She can hear Guy and there's a stab of guilt. Guy sounds worried too--

Before I started that journey--I would have demanded him to come like a servant--I was cruel..--wasn't I..why am I thinking about this now?

Her chest feels warm even if it's cold, the blood, the grass--it all feels cold. Despite all her mistakes her friends were still here--she could still be here--even for a while.

Sadly she can't say these things. Instead it's only silence. ]

[voice]

[relinquishing]

[Guy waits for a long, drawn out moment, his jaw tightening at the sounds of nothing but the wind, the grass... everything, it seemed, but her voice, or the voice of someone nearby....]

Natalia...

Natalia, if you can answer, please - let me know that you can hear me. Say something, do something. Anything.

[Voice]

[fleurdesel]

Where are you?

[Curt. To the point. She cannot find her on her own- but she can send someone out after. The woman needs treatment- especially with a cut like that.]

[Voice]

[meritocracy]

[Natalia has no voice to speak. Instead she simply stares vacantly into the screen with apologies in her head that won't be able to leave her mouth.]

[Voice]

[fleurdesel]

Write it if you are able- or move your journal so I might see your surroundings. [A beat, then in a gentler voice.] Please.

[video/FONIC LINK~]

[fabrecation]

[Luke had come home from his usual routine, only to find Guy against the doorway and looking extremely uncomfortable, and not just because of his wounds. He'd gotten up when he shouldn't have, and Luke knows that Guy wouldn't just do that for no reason, especially when he should be resting. He asks what's wrong and looks at the journal before Guy can say anything - and he sees what's going on just as Guy explains to him.

Asch and Tear are on their way, maybe? Luke tightens his jaw and turns away, stalking towards the window and putting his fingers to his temple, his eyes frowning into a squint as he tries to reach out through the fonic link. He can only really contact Asch if his original is open to receiving it; he isn't strong enough to just make his voice be heard whether Asch likes it or not.]

"Asch? Asch!"

[FONIC LINK~]

[dissonates]

[Asch pauses mid-way to the house, scowling a little and leaning up against a tree. He can feel the poking at the fonic link, inwardly wishing for a moment that Luke hadn't learned to do that. It's convenient sometimes, but dammit, he's busy.

...Might be useful, though, actually.]

"I've got her, don't prod. I'm taking her to Tear."

[FONIC LINK~]

[fabrecation]

[Now that Asch has opened it fully, Luke lets himself relax and rest his hands against the windowsill, eyes shut to focus fully. Still, there's quite a bit of tension in his shoulders; it's hard to relax when he knows Natalia's injured.]

"How is she? Do you need any more help?"

[Voice]

[cladinthedark]

Lady Natalia!

[Though his first reaction is an outburst of temper, Golbez reigns it in quickly and his stoic nature takes over. He might not have known her long enough to consider her a real friend yet, but the young lady is quite pleasant company and certainly does not deserve-

Stop. None of them deserve this. Thoughts along that line help no one.]

Can you speak?

[Voice]

[meritocracy]

[Natalia cannot speak the words of hello, or how are you, to Golbez. She would like to, she thought fondly of him, but there's blood in her mouth and her throat and it makes speaking hard.

And there's a deep wound inside of her that has stolen her words.

With someone who is surely a knight of some sort, to be a royal who cannot greet one of such service--is shameful. Forgive her..]

voice;

[trashed]

[This must be his lucky week or something. ^_^ This was nice.]

Looks like someone's finally giving what's coming to you all.

[Not that he expects an answer, really. But he'll just throw his two cents in here.]