[Action] 011

[fallenambitions]

[So, Bellemere was sent home. He didn't need anyone to tell him that though. He found out when he discovered a photo that wasn't originally on his desk. There was a message behind it and that basically told him that she had gone.

"You need to keep living or else!"

Alexei continued reading her message...how much she believed that he could still turn things around and find happiness here. Although it was through the Malnosso's influence that brought them together last month, he was able to learn more about her, properly, not what the Malnosso had implanted in his head during the last spring. And if he were to be honest...that week was the happiest he has ever felt in a very long time. Even after, they continued to spend some time together, though without the romantic flare and as friends. It was...the strangest experience. He never exactly had the time to make friends after all, nor cared to have them. It was a welcoming change.

...But now she was gone, reminding him of the instability people often forget about Luceti. Loss was something he was already familiar with. He was sure he had grown numb of that feeling by this point, but Bellemere's leave proved him wrong. He knew what was waiting for her back home as well. He held the photo against his forehead, closed his eyes for a moment and muttered quietly under his breath.

"Thank you, for everything"]


---

[Sometime during the morning, Alexei can be seen around the plaza area. He's just there to visit one shop in particular and that was the flower shop.

Once his business was finished at the store, he'll be making his way over to the mikan orchard and spending the rest of his afternoon there. He had a small bouquet of flowers with him, planning to leave it at the very center of the orchard. There, if he wasn't wandering around looking over the the blossoming trees, he can be found meditating underneath the tree he placed his flowers. Although Bellemere was gone, Alexei would continue to look after this place. He always had before, but now there was more of a purpose behind it.

By the evening, Alexei will have returned to the village and settled inside Good Spirits. Vaguely he recalls that night when he lost a bet with Bellemere as he ordered himself a drink. Heh. Why did he agree to that challenge again...?]

Comments

[crisisrain]

What's wrong with that? We never get ta talk like normal people!

[fallenambitions]

Because that is the last thing I expect you to want from me. [He's seems rather skeptical of it to be honest.]

[crisisrain]

Huh? I don't remember sayin' I wanted anything from you, I'm just chattin' to ya cause I don't see you in here often and I was curious what got ya down!

[fallenambitions]

Oh, but you did want something, information. People always need something when they decide to take action. Otherwise, there's no point in bothering. [A pause]

And I believe you had something in return for that information.

[crisisrain]

Not information about you, information about what's happened. Can't say I've been payin' much attention to this village lately.

And yeah, I guess I do. But I'm sure yer smart enough to have figured it all out already, do ya really need me to explain it to ya?

[fallenambitions]

Well, hardly anything changes in this village. Experiments continue, people arrive and leave, and there's a still a war out there.

And I'm simply curious to hear what you have to say.

[crisisrain]

[For a brief moment when you mentioned the war, Raven felt like you were addressing him as Schwann.]

All right then, lets see if you can figure it out fer yerself instead. When do people usually arrive in Luceti?

[fallenambitions]

Near the beginning of every other month. As we've been experiencing new feathers this month, we'll be seeing more in May. When people leave is another case though...

[crisisrain]

See, you haven't been payin' attention enough! Haven't ya noticed that in the month before the New Feather's show up again, a load of people get sent home? Sometimes they leave stuff behind, sometimes they don't. But what's really weird is that ya can't seem to remember who was sent back, they tend ta stop puttin' stuff out over the journals and just disappear. Like they want to be forgotten about!

Ya really notice it livin' opposite a community building. One day several of the lights just go out for weeks and they don't come back on until someone new moves in.

[fallenambitions]

...There is indeed a noticeable increase of people disappearing during those months now that you've mentioned it. Evenso, people disappearing continues to happen even during the months New feathers appear, though not as many in numbers.

And we're not exactly sure how long it takes for someone to be taken. People can easily lack the time to notify others.

[crisisrain]

Unless they happen ta be close to the person, or they live together, then most of the people who just disappear go without any notice. It's kind of unfortunate really.

[fallenambitions]

How is that unfortunate? It's not like they would remember this place nor affect anyone here with their departure if that were the case.

[crisisrain]

Don't ya think it's unfortunate ta not have anyone notice yer gone? To not have a single person miss you?

[fallenambitions]

Why should it matter if you don't even remember? And if there was someone, it would only cause them grief.

[crisisrain]

You're not very good at this whole sentimental thing. Makes me wonder why yer even grieving someone in the first place.

[fallenambitions]

...Because I enjoyed the time we spent together when she was here. She may have forgotten, but I haven't. [...And there's the fact, she just went back to her death.]

Knowing what I've learned about her...she doesn't have much time back home as well.

[crisisrain]

What makes you so certain that she's forgotten? Some people come back with memories in tact.

[fallenambitions]

Some. That's the key word.

[crisisrain]

Pessimism, that's the key word yer lookin' for.

[fallenambitions]

Pardon me, if not one of those people who constantly hope for something that may not even happen.

[crisisrain]

So you'd rather spend the rest of yer days here in despair? That doesn't sound like a good idea ta me. It's not a sin to be happy.

[fallenambitions]

I'm not living in despair. I'm merely saying I don't want the idea to take over my life.

[crisisrain]

I never said it had ta take over yer life! There's nothin' wrong with having a little hope! And it took me a long time ta realize that myself.

[fallenambitions]

Hope. [Heh. He just shakes his head at that.] Yes, I was once familiar with that word, but now...

[His glass makes a sound as he puts his empty glass on the table] We're getting off the subject.

[crisisrain]

[Nope, not dropping it just yet.] I'm not the best at maths but I'm sure that ya can't have any sort of future without hope. Even if it's the hope that you'll wake up tomorrow, or the hope that you'll get sent home, or the hope that something will change, I think yer more familiar with it than ya might be aware of.