[ With a need for fresh air, Dokja is moving through the halls in direction of the solar, with Jin trotting right at his heels. Though the arctic fox daemon is of course limping as she does, holding her right paw up in the air in reflection of Dokja's own that's in a sling.
He's just about reached the room when he spies a familiar twin. Curious, he calls out to her. ] Ah, Alisaie Leveilleur. Didn't expect to see you around here. Looking for something?
[Space, really--everything about the past few days has been too much. But when she hears her name used, she turns around, her brain taking a moment to pick up who's speaking. He looks a little bit different than the last time she saw him...]
Kim Dokja.
I'm surprised to see you still in one piece after Friday.
[ All his injuries have been professionally bandaged up, taken care of to keep clean, and if anything stands out it's mostly the sling now with his clothes mostly stitched up from the tears. His free hand curls before his lips that's lifted in a smile. ]
Despite Yoo Joonghyuk's behavior, he wouldn't see any point in beating up someone already down. [ Of course, he's assuming that's what she meant, he's quite aware of his companion's tendency to express his distaste in what Dokja does. ]
How are you? [ No, not "how's Alphinaud", he still checks up on the group he had such an adventure with when he can, but it's Alisaie he's asking directly right now. ]
I've dealt with much worse than this, and I'm still alive so I'm well enough.
[ His free hand raises to gesture to her. ] You've gone through just as much as we have. Sure, not like the injuries that we have from our expedition but.
[ Well.. you know. He tilts his head as if prompting her with his earlier question. How are you, Alisaie? ]
I don't suppose you'll let me get away with saying that I'm perfectly fine.
[As much as she'd like to. She's pretty sure everybody knows that this week shook her, and she's cursing herself for that now. Emotions are bad and she wants to pretend she doesn't have any :(
Alisaie has to take a moment to consider her answer, looking back out the window as she sifts through her thoughts. Finally though, she speaks, her voice soft.]
I was frantic when I couldn't find Alphinaud on Thursday. Not only is this city a personal nightmare for him, but... [She glances to him, presses her lips together a moment.] Well. I doubt he mentioned it himself, but he's gone missing on us before. The last time this happened he was missing for weeks, and when he came back to us it was in a slumber from which he could not be roused.
If you'd rather not say, I won't pressure you any further.
[ However, it could also help to talk about it. Even just airing one's frustrations and stress out loud. It's okay Alisaie, when it involves one's own family? It's to be expected.
Jin watches her curiously, the fox curling around Dokja's legs with a soft purr-like rumble. Dokja remains patient through and through, not ushering her to hurry with her thoughts. Merely tilts his head as she meets his gaze. ]
I see.. "What if it happens again? What if this time he comes back and it's a worse fate than that?" Those are terrifying thoughts to be left alone with for a few hours, more so a day. [ Kim Dokja has a habit of disappearing as well but that is not the point. ] Our escape from the fishmen could've certainly gone a lot worse but both Power and Suigetsu covered our backs.
[ And Dokja, well... he took the brunt of the claws aiming for Alphinaud, but he won't mention that. Not an important detail to bring up. ]
[There's a sharp laugh that escapes her--one quickly bitten off, but it escapes nonetheless. Taf, who'd been nestled against her on the windowsill in his black-footed cat form, jumps down to the floor, becoming the red chocobo instead and nudging at her with his beak.]
If only it were that simple. [And since they're all of them aware that they're from different worlds, she'll explain it, one hand resting in the plumage on Taf's back:] Alphinaud and I have been called like this before. Our physical forms remained in the Source--our home--while our souls were brought to another world. We were in the process of returning home when we woke up here.
If something were to happen to him here, his body would still live in the Source. And were I to return home after that... Not only would I have to explain to our fellows what had happened, I would have to watch him die again as his body failed without his soul and aether to fill it.
[Which is certainly a worse fate than Gaius bringing him back to them trapped in slumber, so it's not like Dokja is wrong, but... she had more than enough time for that situation to fully hit her. And that's without even touching the fact that it would feel like a part of her own self was ripped away if Alphinaud were to die.]
What happened to the four of you? Alphinaud seemed too shaken to tell me anything more than the most basic facts.
I've jumped timelines before, and the cost of that alone is very high... but I've never heard of a situation where your soul can be taken without the physical body. Normally when that happens it's with someone's death and the soul is sent elsewhere.
[ It's interesting? But maybe the power used was that unstable? As for the soul talk... well he had two instances of it. He focuses instead on the teen's worries. ] ..I think I better understand why he was so shaken when he woke. [ A contemplating look. ] I cannot explain why we were taken away, but my theory is it's one of the upper management in charge that did it. We each received some sign of them, a feather. A feather that does not match any of the Watchers.
[ As for the inquiry, he decides to take a moment to lean, considering his words. ] Well, when we realized we were somewhere else entirely, we learned we were on the very same sunken ship he and the others explored a few days prior. Of course, this was in a time before its eventual wreckage. We were caught up in a storm so I had Suigetsu and Power help the deckmen prepare for it while Alphinaud and I went trailing a group of kids. A sea dragon seemed to not just attack the city we were drawing close to but collided with the ship as well.
[ Which explains why the group of them were suffering from hypothermia and all bruised up. ]
When we woke up though, we were in a cave, which is where we dealt with those fishmen.
Your theory is likely correct. When I realized he was gone, I asked one of the Watchers what had happened. They could tell you were still alive, but not where you were. Had they known, they would have told me. I'm sure of it.
[She listens to the rundown with her hand still in Taf's plumage, frowning slightly as he explains.] But why would you trail a pack of children during a storm? [It's almost a trick question; of course they would have. It's Alphinaud, after all.]
Did you actually see the beast that attacked the city? Alphinaud told me that the ship sank and the city fell, but the way he told it... [A pause.] Normally he's quite scrupulous with his facts. That his story was so fragmented was not like him at all.
Given how worried one was when I got to speaking with them... I'm sure you're right, it's not information they would've kept to themselves.
[ Unless they were forced to. As for the question, he tilts his head with an observing gaze. ] I felt it better to split up, and the children were being ushered below deck away from the storm... which made me wonder, why were children on this boat to begin with? Turns out one was the daughter of the merchant of the cargo ship and the other two were her niece and nephew.
[ Though when he speaks of the children, he may have momentarily seemed a bit fond. It's gone in a blink of an eye and he crosses his arms. ] We remained below the deck, we were helping the merchant's niece find her parents. But Power alerted us the sighting of the sea dragon before we went any further into the boat. If you want to know what exactly they saw you'd need to get Suigetsu and Power's side of the story. They both remained above deck the whole time right up until that point.
[ He seems quiet for a moment. ] ..We likely jumped times when the wreckage happened, which is how we ended up in the caves. Not without receiving quite the beating from our time on the boat, of course.
[She notices the fondness, and it softens her own expression for a moment.]
Was that when his leg was broken? Or was that due to your fight with the fishmen?
[For a second it seems she's going to leave it at that, but then she can't help herself:] Was there aught that happened in the caves, or was that simply your means of returning to Krankaz? When he reached that part of his tale, Alphinaud said naught of it.
The biting and clawing were because of the fishmen. [ The next part he says sounds off-handedly, as though not necessarily wanting to point too much attention to it. ] I was helping Alphinaud along so he shouldn't have suffered many if any injuries from that. Power and Sugietsu did a good job covering our backs for the most part.
As for his leg, it must have been when we were thrown around from the ship wreckage. Same as my arm. [ A gesture to his right arm in a sling. ]
..The caves? Mmm, when we woke up in the caves, we mostly focused on escaping, when the same time jump seemed to have happened and we found ourselves north of Krankaz. We were a bit disorientated during it but other than the fishmen's cries and their attacks on us, nothing else happened there.
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w1, late sunday
He's just about reached the room when he spies a familiar twin. Curious, he calls out to her. ] Ah, Alisaie Leveilleur. Didn't expect to see you around here. Looking for something?
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Kim Dokja.
I'm surprised to see you still in one piece after Friday.
no subject
Despite Yoo Joonghyuk's behavior, he wouldn't see any point in beating up someone already down. [ Of course, he's assuming that's what she meant, he's quite aware of his companion's tendency to express his distaste in what Dokja does. ]
How are you? [ No, not "how's Alphinaud", he still checks up on the group he had such an adventure with when he can, but it's Alisaie he's asking directly right now. ]
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Me? Shouldn't I be the one asking that question?
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[ His free hand raises to gesture to her. ] You've gone through just as much as we have. Sure, not like the injuries that we have from our expedition but.
[ Well.. you know. He tilts his head as if prompting her with his earlier question. How are you, Alisaie? ]
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[As much as she'd like to. She's pretty sure everybody knows that this week shook her, and she's cursing herself for that now. Emotions are bad and she wants to pretend she doesn't have any :(
Alisaie has to take a moment to consider her answer, looking back out the window as she sifts through her thoughts. Finally though, she speaks, her voice soft.]
I was frantic when I couldn't find Alphinaud on Thursday. Not only is this city a personal nightmare for him, but... [She glances to him, presses her lips together a moment.] Well. I doubt he mentioned it himself, but he's gone missing on us before. The last time this happened he was missing for weeks, and when he came back to us it was in a slumber from which he could not be roused.
[He can probably connect the dots.]
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[ However, it could also help to talk about it. Even just airing one's frustrations and stress out loud. It's okay Alisaie, when it involves one's own family? It's to be expected.
Jin watches her curiously, the fox curling around Dokja's legs with a soft purr-like rumble. Dokja remains patient through and through, not ushering her to hurry with her thoughts. Merely tilts his head as she meets his gaze. ]
I see.. "What if it happens again? What if this time he comes back and it's a worse fate than that?" Those are terrifying thoughts to be left alone with for a few hours, more so a day. [ Kim Dokja has a habit of disappearing as well but that is not the point. ] Our escape from the fishmen could've certainly gone a lot worse but both Power and Suigetsu covered our backs.
[ And Dokja, well... he took the brunt of the claws aiming for Alphinaud, but he won't mention that. Not an important detail to bring up. ]
no subject
If only it were that simple. [And since they're all of them aware that they're from different worlds, she'll explain it, one hand resting in the plumage on Taf's back:] Alphinaud and I have been called like this before. Our physical forms remained in the Source--our home--while our souls were brought to another world. We were in the process of returning home when we woke up here.
If something were to happen to him here, his body would still live in the Source. And were I to return home after that... Not only would I have to explain to our fellows what had happened, I would have to watch him die again as his body failed without his soul and aether to fill it.
[Which is certainly a worse fate than Gaius bringing him back to them trapped in slumber, so it's not like Dokja is wrong, but... she had more than enough time for that situation to fully hit her. And that's without even touching the fact that it would feel like a part of her own self was ripped away if Alphinaud were to die.]
What happened to the four of you? Alphinaud seemed too shaken to tell me anything more than the most basic facts.
no subject
[ It's interesting? But maybe the power used was that unstable? As for the soul talk... well he had two instances of it. He focuses instead on the teen's worries. ] ..I think I better understand why he was so shaken when he woke. [ A contemplating look. ] I cannot explain why we were taken away, but my theory is it's one of the upper management in charge that did it. We each received some sign of them, a feather. A feather that does not match any of the Watchers.
[ As for the inquiry, he decides to take a moment to lean, considering his words. ] Well, when we realized we were somewhere else entirely, we learned we were on the very same sunken ship he and the others explored a few days prior. Of course, this was in a time before its eventual wreckage. We were caught up in a storm so I had Suigetsu and Power help the deckmen prepare for it while Alphinaud and I went trailing a group of kids. A sea dragon seemed to not just attack the city we were drawing close to but collided with the ship as well.
[ Which explains why the group of them were suffering from hypothermia and all bruised up. ]
When we woke up though, we were in a cave, which is where we dealt with those fishmen.
no subject
[She listens to the rundown with her hand still in Taf's plumage, frowning slightly as he explains.] But why would you trail a pack of children during a storm? [It's almost a trick question; of course they would have. It's Alphinaud, after all.]
Did you actually see the beast that attacked the city? Alphinaud told me that the ship sank and the city fell, but the way he told it... [A pause.] Normally he's quite scrupulous with his facts. That his story was so fragmented was not like him at all.
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[ Unless they were forced to. As for the question, he tilts his head with an observing gaze. ] I felt it better to split up, and the children were being ushered below deck away from the storm... which made me wonder, why were children on this boat to begin with? Turns out one was the daughter of the merchant of the cargo ship and the other two were her niece and nephew.
[ Though when he speaks of the children, he may have momentarily seemed a bit fond. It's gone in a blink of an eye and he crosses his arms. ] We remained below the deck, we were helping the merchant's niece find her parents. But Power alerted us the sighting of the sea dragon before we went any further into the boat. If you want to know what exactly they saw you'd need to get Suigetsu and Power's side of the story. They both remained above deck the whole time right up until that point.
[ He seems quiet for a moment. ] ..We likely jumped times when the wreckage happened, which is how we ended up in the caves. Not without receiving quite the beating from our time on the boat, of course.
no subject
Was that when his leg was broken? Or was that due to your fight with the fishmen?
[For a second it seems she's going to leave it at that, but then she can't help herself:] Was there aught that happened in the caves, or was that simply your means of returning to Krankaz? When he reached that part of his tale, Alphinaud said naught of it.
no subject
As for his leg, it must have been when we were thrown around from the ship wreckage. Same as my arm. [ A gesture to his right arm in a sling. ]
..The caves? Mmm, when we woke up in the caves, we mostly focused on escaping, when the same time jump seemed to have happened and we found ourselves north of Krankaz. We were a bit disorientated during it but other than the fishmen's cries and their attacks on us, nothing else happened there.