You Find Yourselves Stirred By A Voice....

[strangerpeople]

[You feel as you are on a fluffy cloud of warmth and the urge to not want to move is great. However, the voice speaks again as if it is urgent...and maybe angry?]

Damn brats! Get off the merchandise before I call security on you!

[Oh. Well.

When you come to, the familiar scenes of your bedrooms fill your sight. However, the barriers are gone and strangest of all, there are people around. They can SEE you and for sure, they are gawking at the weirdos that are somehow sleeping in department store beds. But on the hands of Croix and Chariot, there's something on their hands...a phone number and a message saying 'Call me! :D' from some weird girl with an A name. But when you finally move and get away from any nosy customers, you have to wonder 'What just happened?' 'Is everyone ok?'

And why do you have the urge to go visit Cafe MYJL?]

Comments

[cyclicalconcept]

...probably.

[Sorry, Yotsuyu.]

[bendwiththewind]

[SIGH.]

...that was a message from the Higher Plane. They are temporarily closing the Game. A hiatus of sorts.

[cyclicalconcept]

They're suspending the--

[WOAH]

Did they say why!?

[bendwiththewind]

Nay, there was not any reasoning on my end nor any words exchanged other than to 'expand one's horizons'.

Can they stop being cryptic and just tell me?

[cyclicalconcept]

........oh.


...........!

Oooooh!

I think I get it! Boss!

You can go with everyone!

[bendwiththewind]

....


Why?

[cyclicalconcept]

Weihihi~! Why not?

Everyone here has expanded their horizons, so why not you as well, Boss?

[bendwiththewind]

You do understand that I am the least qualified for these missions. And kami help me if I have to stay within the same distance as those who would sooner hug me than hate me.

[Just...ew. Shuddering because what is emotions not anger?]

[cyclicalconcept]

Maybe so, but anyone can learn, right?

[bendwiththewind]

You are saying that I still have hope? After my life has crushed it all into dust?

[cyclicalconcept]

That's right. And if your hope is dust, we'll collect it all and sculpt it into something stronger than before.

I believe in you, you know. And I'll keep believing in you, Boss.

[bendwiththewind]

[She could feel something sting within, the neutral face she kept up making a twitch in the foundation.]

...hmph. I could have used that when I needed it the most.

[cyclicalconcept]

I know. If I could have come to you then, I would have in a heartbeat.

[She offers her hand.]

But I'm here now, if you still need me.

STORMBLOOD SPOILERS

[bendwiththewind]

[It's such a simple gesture, a hand reaching for another. Yotsuyu remembers the last time when someone did that for her: she slapped him hard enough to crash to the ground. She did not need sympathy from anyone who just saw her as a stepping stone, let alone after dealing with Zenos. She's only known misery and hatred from her childhood, only finding joy when someone else suffers. Was it due to the pain she herself has been dealt?

"Again, they come to make you kneel. To make your grovel and suffer. But you have endured their worst and survived. You know their tricks. They will not find a flower simply waiting to be plucked."

It was something she had said before the invasion of Doma Castle before she ordered the soldiers to give it their all. Otherwise they would either die at the hand of Zenos or of Hien and the rebels. She was ready to do whatever was needed...including willing to make the castle keep crumble around them. If she were to die, then so be it. She cast the die and she would live with it. Let them see her as evil.

"The precious lordling beloved by all come to confront the wicked witch."

A hand starts to reach for Kana's outstretched one but it shakes. Her fingers constantly curling themselves inward and out as if she's afraid that it will bite her. Her thoughts consuming her as she cannot help but recall the horrors she's experienced.

"My parents were no better. They worked me from dawn until dusk, like an ox or an ass or some other beast of burden."

She received no kindness from her flesh and blood and to this way, Yotsuyu knows not why. She never truly was able to make her own choices, not even whom she was supposed to love.

"And so I was married to a vicious old drunk who beat me as he pleased, and when I pleaded for help, I was told to grin and bear it. For the family. For him. For everyone's sake. They pretended not to notice, but they knew. They knew."

There's still so much anger within her, still hesitating taking the child-like being's hand.

"What did it matter? I was nothing to them--less than nothing! I wasn't of their flesh, I wasn't a fellow Doman, I wasn't even a person. I might just as well have been dead!"

So much suffering stuffed into a mortal form...it was only natural for her to have seen a Garlean soldier as her salvation. And for the first time, made her choice. Let her so-called people condemn her for she can break them as hard as they broke her. Ensure no one could escape this despair. She was content with this.

She was alright with this.

Being Composer helped her, made her feeling better about herself even if her mean streak and sadistic nature meant anything. But then this round and everyone wanting to strangely friendship her. Why? She's not worth their salt and kami help her that those speeches about friendship and fighting together truly want to make her scream into a pillow. But they had good points. And so did Kana. If Yotusyu didn't learn anything, why did she leave a lily on Helena's podium? Why did she start to care about Seven taking care of himself after a trial?

Why did she have them fight her to prove their worth and not kill them?

She questioned it herself but it's hard to admit it out loud. Perhaps, she is.]

...you better know what you are doing.

[Her hand steadies and finally grasps Kana's hand in her own.]