♩ one.

[adarable]

[ There is a girl in the middle of Mac Anu's square who looks a little bit confused. Every so often, her large hat begins to slide off her head, and she has to adjust it again. She has her Relic in hand, and although she's learned to use it properly, she still. Really doesn't understand anything that's going on. Periodically, she looks in different directions before glancing away, as if she wants to ask someone what's going on but is too nervous to.


Help her? ]

Comments

[ladyofruinmode]

Are you lost, young lady? [A young woman, apparently a fellow Harvest Cleric, walks over to Ada with a concerned expression.]

[adarable]

[ She's -- actually a little surprised that someone else has the same kind of Harvest Cleric hat, although she hasn't grasped that it's a normal thing yet. ].

Ah.. !

[ Ada smiles brightly, adjusting at the hat as she nods. She looks a little too(?!) happy to talk to you. ]

Yes.. ! Could you please tell me where Latwidge Academy is?

[ladyofruinmode]

Latwidge Academy...? I'm sorry, miss, but I'm afraid I don't know where that is.

[adarable]

Oh, I see.

Well, then, could you tell me where this place is? I've never seen it before, and.. ah..

[ Glancing down at her clothes. ]

I've never seen such peculiar clothing, either.. This isn't Pandora, is it?

[ladyofruinmode]

As far as I know, this place is called The World, and it is similar to a game, of sorts.

Oh, where are my manners? My name is Raine Sage. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss.

[shininghero]

[...has that girl been looking over at him for a while now? Well, she glanced at him once but he could tell that she looked lost. Well, it wouldn't hurt to lend some help.]

Do you need something?

[adarable]

[ Eek!! She looks a bit surprised that you approached her, and shyly speaks. ]

Ahh.. I think I'm lost.. ?

[shininghero]

Where are you heading to?

[adarable]

I'm not sure yet.. I suppose I'd like to know where these "guilds" are.. ?

[shininghero]

Guilds... I think they were by the item and spell shops, but you can't enter the building unless you're part of a guild.

[greatcleavage]

Wow, that's the most impressive hat I've seen around here yet.

[adarable]

[ blink ]

Oh.. --

[ She nods, and it slips down, so she adjusts it again. ]

It's very big .. !

[greatcleavage]

Is it yours, or did it appear when you showed up here?

[adarable]

Oh, no - it's not mine. I was dressed in this when I found myself here..

[ kind of puzzled by that, too. Why would they even do that.. ]

[isolates]

[Good thing he's not one to leave a girl in distress alone!]

Hey nee-san, are you okay?

[adarable]

[ smiles ]

Yes.. ! I'm all right. I am just a bit lost, though.. !

[isolates]

Oh, where are you trying to get to? I'll help if I can!

[adarable]

A guild, I think.. ?

[ It's. Still kind of confusing, and she's trying to wrap her head around it all. ]

COMBO~!

[noisyclockhands]

[ It's not that you can't catch a rabbit, it's that you shouldn't. And this isn't a tangent because she story hasn't even begun yet.

Rather than this being left-field and random this is just an explanation in a random and unexpected place, right at the beginning where you cannot avoid falling over it.

The actual story, it's nothing but a tale about a boy who is - if not good, then okay. Oz is okay in this place because he's forever able to adjust, because he's a trickster by nature, a liar by training and things have been happening fast enough that he had no time to brood over them.

If he keeps on being pushed his head will stay clean, he knows that

because, beside being okay he's also a friend without a friend, a master without a servant and a brother whose sister is not at his side. That's a thought fit to make his ears ring and he's been trying to outwalk it since he woke up.

The problem is, that damn thing is fast --]

2/3

[noisyclockhands]

[ --but, certainly, Oz just had to be even faster. That's what he had decided on because it seemed the easiest.

Find a way to get back, ignore everything until then, make up for failing the people he loved as soon as he could. Try not to work himself to death while attempting all of that as soon as possible- but that was only optional.

The same as usual to be honest - and maybe that's why someone grew fed up with it and decided to throw Oz' plans to the fire

because, beside being really unlucky he's also a person with enough life left in him to change things. That's a thought just as terrifying as everything else

it's also a fact and one that has him turn his head at just the right moment to spy Ada ]

finis~

[noisyclockhands]

[ Now this, this is unexpected.

Oz remembers the Abyss and being alone until he met Alice again, he remembers leaving his sister behind when it was dangerous he remembers--

anything but this, but a world where his sister is actually at his side in places far too dangerous for the peace of Oz' mind.

He's -- many things right now. Unbelieving for one, scared for the other. For a moment he doubts that this is really Ada but {common sense has never been his strong suit} he'd recognise his sister anywhere.

He takes a few steps back, almost considering waiting until he's calmed down, until he's cool enough to impress his little sister but

Oz is lucky and unlucky at once. He'll run into another player, causing quite the ruckus.

Ada will just have to turn to the right to see Oz now - say, how good are her instincts? ]

COMBOX2 COMBO

[adarable]

[ It's the sound that makes her turn around, and she's not sure what she's looking for when she hears it -- what is going on, is what she thought. ]

[adarable]

[ At first, when she sees the sight, she simply wonders what had caused the ruckus. Why were there players bickering?

She considers intervening, but it's impolite for strangers to intervene. Perhaps it's something like the other player had wronged that player, so that's why they argue -- but when she eyes for the first time the blonde in full consideration, the argument becomes unimportant.

Everything becomes unimportant. Everything except this moment.

It is this moment here, now, that becomes the second most important moment in Ada's life. The second time she has met her brother again. No, this is not the Abyss, even though it is, in her mind, like it. But it is not the Abyss, because this time, Oz is not alone, and this time, Ada is here. With him. ]

finished!

[adarable]

[ But -- she has to snap out of it, because her magnificent brother .. is in trouble! And.. it's up to her to save him!

That thought is what moves her stone-cold feet, which dropped temperatures when she set her eyes on Oz. They do not lose their clumsiness, however, and she must not run -- not on heels -- but speedwalk quickly, dodging passerbys. All the while, she gives a great battle cry, for her brother who is in need of her help. ]

Onii-sama...!!

[noisyclockhands]

[ have we recently mentioned that Oz' sense of self {and, therefore, self-preservation} is a bit off? If not, it is a bit off and then some, that's actually a PSA. He isn't worried at all about that giant he has walked into, isn't even considering him really, Oz' main focus is on Ada

but that's not surprising. Ada and Gil, with the two of them around Oz had always found convenient ways to ignore himself. The same happened with Alice and--

he can't think of all that now. He has to take care of her and look after her and

-because Oz is the useful brother that he is, he'll remain rooted to the spot. The giant is still standing behind him and glowering for all he's worth ]