neverplaysfair | Game 041 [Written/Action]

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Game 041 [Written/Action] - Empty Room

[ Joshua was used to empty space. For more years than he'd cared to count, it had been all he'd ever spent most of his time in. He didn't need friends. He didn't need companions.

Without his city, maybe he'd grown too attached to his Producer. That had to be what it was. The one bit of it all that stuck with him, even here. Even through all of it, Sanae was his one connection to what he was. To Neku, he was a friend. To Shiki, he was a bother. But to Hanekoma, he was the Composer, even here with no Shibuya to watch over. He'd said that if he ever found a way home, he'd be sure to bring Joshua with him. So was this an accident, or was that a lie?

Early Tuesday morning, a written message goes out over the journals. Joshua doesn't trust his voice right now. ]

Kat's Kradle is closed until further notice.

[ After that, he heads down the stairs, doesn't bother locking the front door, makes himself a cup of coffee, pulls a stool up to the bar, and sits. He doesn't drink the beverage. He just holds the cup in his hands and stares off into space blankly over the counter top. Not moving. Not thinking.

But there were a few things left behind, and at least one of them should be dealt with. So if the intended recipient doesn't show up at the formerly-a-cafe before the early evening, he's finally going to move and make his way to house 44, a note in his hand. ]

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[Sorry man, you're getting a voice reply.]

What? Why?

[ Well, if Neku wants a response before evening, too bad. Josh has left his journal up in his room. ]

[Huff. Okay, if he's not getting an answer then Neku is going over there. He'd prefer to go over there and see what was going on anyway.

It doesn't take him that long to run over to House 38, especially since he was kind of hurrying. He stops out front first, checking to make sure that the place is still in one piece, then hurries inside.]

Edited 2011-03-22 08:14 (UTC)

[ Well, if he's paying attention, he might notice that the CAT mural previously occupying one wall of the building is now gone. At least downstairs, the inside doesn't look much different. Maybe an appliance or two missing, but nothing obvious. Joshua sits motionless, nursing the cup of coffee that's still warm. ]

[Sadly, Neku didn't even notice. He'll definitely notice next time he goes back out there however.

He's just confused once he steps inside. Nothing... seems to be wrong? He doesn't see Mr. H but that probably just means he's out or up in his room or something. After a moment Neku walks over to Joshua once he sees him there.]

What'd you mean by it was closed. Place still looks okay, so what's wrong?

Sanae is gone. [ The words come out level. Flat. Monotone. Joshua doesn't even so much as acknowledge Neku's presence beyond the statement. ]

[...no, that can't be what he means. That tone alone says it, and Neku knows just what Joshua means, but he's not going to acknowledge it just yet.]

But he'll be back later.

He said he'd bring me back, if it were the last thing he could do.

[ But the words don't hold any hope to them. Any anger. Any regret.

Anything. ]

He's not gone.

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[That message sticks out to her like a sore thumb and it strikes her as weird. Never one to sit still with that sort of feeling in her gut, she'll make her way from House 44 to House 38.

When she gets inside, well.]

...?

[ ~~because I don't care about time paradoxes~~ Joshua doesn't really move, doesn't react to her walking in. But he's not quite motionless, he's slowly rotating the coffee cup in his hands as he stares off into space. ]

[~~I appreciate that because I apparently read the post too fast~~ Blinking, she sees him, the very minimal movements and only him.

The pit in her stomach feels like a bowling ball. She doesn't like it.]

Joshua.

[A wisecrack would be natural for her right now. But in any of her encounters with him she'd never seen him so despondent and coupling it with his message. Her throat feels too tight.]

[ ~~time paradoxes make things annoying, anyway~~ At the sound of his name coming from the voice which he's heard enough for it to be familiar, he turns. His face is completely blank. No emotions. ]

There was a letter for you.

[ Joshua leaves the coffee on the counter and stands up. Without making any indication of whether she should stay or follow, he turns and heads straight for the stairs. ]

[That look sends a tiny shiver down her spine. And then the realization of what he said sinks in and her insides twist up and clench.

There's a letter. People only leave letters here for one reason.

She decides to follow behind him silently, not really caring whatever he planned on.]

[ He makes his way up the stairs and down the hallway. The first bedroom they pass is his own, still full of easels, paintings, papers and the like scattered about.

The second bedroom he walks into, and it's almost as empty as if no one had ever moved in. Almost, except for a couple of sparse piles of paper neatly organized on the desk. Joshua walks over and picks up a piece of paper sitting on its own, then hands it over to her without a word. ]

[She follows, tail fidgeting behind her and then they're in his room and it's so plain and empty and he's not here. Not, not anymore and she stops abruptly, staring at this strange room she's never been in before - not like this - and takes the paper from him wordlessly when he suddenly turns.

She stares, red eyes just staring at the sheet labeled M and she's all over this paper. Sketches of her profile, yet she's goddamn glowing and she sees the willow and he drew these...?

She sees the little note, just a few lines. And all of a sudden she's torn. Between ripping it to pieces. To screaming. To slamming her foot into the floor and hoping she breaks her own toes. All that manages to come out is a dry:]

You invited the wrong devil woman for that now, Sanae.

[Coffee. He wanted to get coffee.]

[ Joshua stays quiet. He doesn't do comfort well, not without empathy, not without sympathy and he can't allow himself either of those right now. His hand unconsciously drifts to one of the piles, the top paper of which is a drawing of his own Noise form he drew a few months ago. On the backside, hidden from view, words that he's already memorized replay in his head once more.

'Meanwhile, the Composer's situation has remained safe and stable. He remains in my company willingly'

He moves his hand away and starts to head back downstairs. ]

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...what do you mean it's closed? You can't just decide that, that's up to Mr. H.

[ Journal still abandoned until evening. Sorry Shiki, please hold. Or to speak with an operator, you can visit House 38. ]

[UGH JOSHUA YOU JERK. Shiki's like the least patient person ever, you should know this. And because of this? Well, she's going to get up and leave to go investigate. Operator, you better be ready to deal with a suspicious Shiki.]

[ Oh dear, he's never dealt with one of those before.

Joshua is sitting at the counter, back to rotating the coffee cup. Staring of into space. ]

[As she enters, she looks around briefly before she approaches the counter, staring down at Joshua.]

...what the heck was that about?

[ Joshua doesn't even give a proper response, just a soft noise, and nothing more. ]

...hey. Anybody home? [She waves a hand in front of his face. A sound isn't going to cut it bro.]

Just me. [ His tone is even. Empty. ]

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/breaks hiatus

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[Written] KIM IM SO SORRY THIS IS LATE /clings

[Nothing] PSH I DON'T MIND

[Nothing ->Action] <3 So understanding, Kim is

[Action] <3 hey, life happens

[Action] <3 life's stupid sometimes =\

[Action] <3

[Action] <3

[Action] <3