event!

[loadsavepoint.livejournal.com]

SUDDENLY, YOU'RE STUCK IN A DARK CLOSET WITH...

Yeah, we went there. Blame Endy. You know the dealio: you're stuck in a closet - literally - with someone. A stranger, a person you hate, love, love but won't ever admit it-/shot

ANYWAY where the closet opens up to or how you even get out of there is all up to you. Maybe it's a ~*magical*~ closet, maybe it's an average ol' room. Just get creative!

Comments

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[Startled at such a strong reaction himself, Hope jumps a little.]

Epi...sode?

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't answer - he just steadies himself against the wall, running fingers over his face. It doesn't seem right, though - if this was another withdrawal... Where're the symptoms?

Jayden opens his eyes, taking a deep breath. There's gotta be an explanation for this.]

...It's nothin', kid. Let's get movin'.

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

...Are you sure? You're acting kind of funny.

[It's like he wants to press, but knows that he shouldn't - skittish. Likely, he's just going to be told, "I'm all right!" anyway.]

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm...

[He pushes off the wall, pausing and staring at Hope for a moment, making a face. Half of his face is darkened by the shadow of the dark hallway.]

You're real, right?

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

I'm...pretty sure I am.

[...What. That was not an 'I'm all right.' Quite the opposite, really, but Jayden had no obvious wounds on him, and physically, he looked perfectly fine. Afflictions of the mind were trickier, and Hope doubted there was even a skill for that. Hope pats himself down, as if to convince Jayden that he's solid.]

Are you...not used to seeing magic?

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[Jayden laughs. It's oddly bitter sounding; almost disbelieving. (Perhaps he's resigned to the idea that this is a dream.)]

Nah, there ain't magic where I come from.

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

Well, that's normal, I guess. Only l'cie can really use it just like that. We need it to fight.

[And then, like an afterthought, Hope glances at Jayden, with a small smile.]

I won't hurt you, though. In case you're worried about that.

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[Jayden shakes his head. It's reassuring, but he didn't have many doubts about the kid.]

I'm not. But if you can use it to get us out of here, even better.

INSERT SMILING ICON HERE

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[Hope made a sound of amusement, taking the initial first steps into the darkness.]

I'll try my best. Besides, I bet Lightning and Fang and the others are looking for us already. And whoever you're with is probably looking for you too.

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

Blake?

[This time the laugh sounds more meaningful, trailing a little behind Hope.]

I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who got me into this mess.

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[Hope does not comprehend having allies that would stick you in a situation like this on purpose.]

Why would he do something like that?

[Occasionally, he sends another fireball into the distance, to light their way, but it's not long before the darkness engulfs them almost completely, and the light of the closet they left behind is far away. Somewhat blindly, Hope reaches behind him, latching on to what is probably Jayden's sleeve.]

Umm. So that we don't get lost.

[He sounds pretty sheepish about it though.]

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

He's a pain in the...

[Wait, should he say that in front of a kid?]

Well, likes giving me a hard time. I work with him.

[Jayden looks down at his sleeve when he feels the tug, even if he can't see anything. It's not like he's used to kids, but he doesn't have anything against it.]

Sure. That's fine.

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

Because I- oof!

[Whatever Hope was going to say gets cut off as he underestimates the distance they had travelled, and slams right into the end of the hallway, an invisible doorknob jamming into his stomach. He stumbles back.]

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[Jayden halts quick enough to avoid slamming into the wall, but he does bump his shoulder into it.]

Ack- you all right?

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

Yeah, just...surprised.

[He sounds a little winded too, but he recovers soon enough, pressing his gloved palm into the doorknob and turning it.]

It's not locked.

[Taking a breath, he pushes it open, other hand tightening on Jayden's sleeve.]

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[The agent isn't very good at the whole comfort thing, just offering a pat on the shoulder.]

Don't worry, kid. I'm stickin' by ya'.

[Jayden nudges it open the rest of the way with his foot. Light spills in from the other side, revealing...

A department store floor full of TVs, a catchy theme song playing from the speakers overhead.]

do you like my funny face

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[In a bright, cheery voice - Every day's great at...]

W-what is this?

[Department stores - not all that common in Cocoon, and less so in Gran Pulse. Hope lets go to wander into the aisle, staring at all the bright-colored screens.]

whoops WHY YES I DO

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

...Looks like an average store. Hey, don't go too far-

[Except everything is rather distracting, and though he trails behind Hope, he's looking around, scanning the area for anything. There's a lot of signs in... Japanese, is it? That's odd.]

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[Hope stops part-way into the rice-cooker section, looking awfully lost.]

...This isn't what stores look like at home.

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

It ain't that different.

[But... Oh, right, he's not from here. (Not that Jayden is from this particular place either.)

Jayden browses the labels, raising an eyebrow. Only a few words are in English.]

...Maybe it's just me, but it seems like we're somehow in Japan.

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[No recognition on his face whatsoever. Aww, c'mon Hope, it's the country of your creation!]

Is that on Cocoon or Grand Pulse?

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

...Uh. Earth.

[Somewhere deep, deep deep inside, he must know it. Bet they'll find figurines of him sitting around-

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

[Maybe it's just one of those things that you learn when you're older...? Hope refrains from asking any more, in fear of looking like a complete idiot, and just nods like he understands. All right. Earth. Sure.]

Maybe the others are all in here, too.

[He cups a hand over his mouth and call their 'random' names again - Lightning, Vanille, Fang, Sahz, Snow - in that order.]

[aridiction.livejournal.com]

[While Hope calls their names, it does catch the attending of a few passerbys - who end up trotting off muttering about cosplay. Jayden just disregards it, since he doesn't understand the language anyway.]

So what do your friends look like, Hope?

[It's probably the first time Jayden has actually used his name.]

[fleeorflight.livejournal.com]

...Uh.

[He trails off a bit. Forget cosplay - they really are an odd-looking bunch of traveling companions, even by Cocoon standards.]

Lightning is about this tall, she has a cape, she's kind of pretty, but she always looks really serious - and Vanille's the opposite, she's always smiling. Snow has this hat, and this huge coat, he has blond hair, and he-

[He only gestures with his hand to show relative height (but for Snow and Sahz, he has to jump), but he's otherwise subdued. He describes them more by personality than by appearance, unfortunately, probably because that's what he notices. After a while, he glances back up at Jayden.]

How about yours? What does your partner look like? Maybe we can split up and look.