bewrightback | IC Inbox [Cerealia]

[Phoenix had been worried the day before when he was unable to reach Kashuu. Could he have perished where the rest of them survived? He was starting to feel guilty about it.

So getting this call and just a day after the incident is just what Phoenix needed. His voice sounds very hopeful as he responds.]

Kashuu! Is that you? I'm back... Don't worry, all three of us made it back! We're back in town, alive and well!

[Pause.]

What about you, Kashuu? Are you alright?

[FORTUNATELY HE LIVED!! Everyone was lucky except Chuya, who will hopefully never steal again.]

Yeah, it's me! I'm glad... I was really worried about you guys, y'know? Geez! Dave told me you made it back through the orb thingy, too?

[A definite good thing, that benevolently distant orb...]

I'm okay, yeah. I woke up in the park but I couldn't get outta my vessel again so I had to wait for someone to find me.

[Maybe now, he'll only steal hearts!!]

Hey, I was worried sick about you, too! We weren't sure if you made it... especially when we couldn't contact you. But that's right. We made it out through that thing, too.

...Right, the vessel thing. Hiro explained it to me. [So he's a living sword. Odds are he'll end up on the witness stand to be cross examined someday.] And I guess that explains why you were out of contact. I'm glad you're alright! ...And I hope that wasn't very uncomfortable.

I'd have gone right back to let you know the orb was okay if I could've!

[Except knowing their luck he'd have probably triggered another bomb on the way in and got everyone else in trouble all over again, somehow...

But there's a little sigh of relief at that, since he's glad everyone made it through with seemingly minimal damage. Considering the rocky start Chuya provided them with, he had been pretty unsure.]

Oh - yeah, I forgot to mention it earlier. [JUST SLIPPED HIS MIND.] That's why I wanted one of you to hold my sword that one time. Even if my human body's destroyed, it's not my real one, so... [So he's basically a very efficient meat shield.]

It was pretty stupid, but I got off easy compared to a lot of people, I think.

I know you would have, Kashuu! It's a shame we didn't have any way of keeping in touch... but at least things worked out in the end!

[Yep. No more deaths, no snuff scenes... All was well, except for that poor touchbot.]

Oh! But that still would've hurt, wouldn't it? [He frowns.] You're right, though. I guess we did get it easy. There's... there's a bunch of people I haven't been able to get in touch with.

[At least things worked out in the end, indeed! Even Chuya will come back sparkling new! And maybe someone will build that sad bot another head so it isn't just... dead forever or something.

...Hopefully it didn't just have to pick its head back up and reattach it or something because oops they sure probably made the situation worse, then.]

Yeah, probably, so I'm glad nothing did happen. But - yeah, same here. I've been looking through the phone since I got back and a lo of these numbers are still coming up blocked. That's not a good sign.

Right. They might be trapped somewhere too, like we were. Or... ['Or worse', but he trails off without finishing that thought. He doesn't want to face that, and he just shakes his head.]

Who knows how long it could take them to find a way out?

[PHOENIX YOU GOTTA ADMIT PEOPLE ARE DEAD. Dead like Chuya. Maybe even deader than Chuya.]

Yeah... Looks like communication's been totally cut off from this end, too. That's no good.

[When will people just get tracker chips for easy tracking!!]

[That's the worst sort of dead to admit to!!]

Right. And I doubt any of us can find our way to... to wherever people were taken, even if we tried.

Is waiting really all that we can do?

[TOO DEAD, FAR TOO DEAD.

Kashuu will give that question some genuine thought, at least. As much as he hates waiting, he's also sort of gotten used to the fact that it is the only option here at times.]

...For now, I think so. Even if we tore the city apart looking for that stuff we'd probably be more of a problem than any sorta help.

Y-yeah. [Never mind that I run into enough trouble taking apart paper bags...!] And we don't want to provoke CERES. That could easily backfire on us.

Definitely... Especially since I get the feeling that they don't actually know what's going on yet. Not if that robot was involved, anyway.

[As long as it's not lying about being separate from CERES, which... WELL. IT COULD STILL BE LYING. But he'd rather hope for a best case scenario.]

That's a good point. Things definitely felt very... off-the-books. Especially considering the last time that robot spoke to us... [Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto.]

...I guess we'll have more to discuss at our next, um, pizza party.

[A little snicker... He loves that term so dearly.]

Yeah, looks like it. Considering how soon this all happened after that guy talked to us the first time, I doubt it's a coincidence.

[Phoenix nods.]

I don't believe in coincidences. ...Well, I mean, I do think there are such things as coincidences. ...But this isn't one of them!

I wonder if any of the others were able to find out more about him.

Yeah, this is too fishy to be one.

[It'd also be ridiculously good luck if someone actually did manage to find that puzzle piece, but he doesn't bother saying that part aloud since it's a bit gloomy.]

We'll find out soon enough, anyway.

[Your face is gloomy

Right now, Phoenix will settle for any puzzle piece, even if it's a minor one.]

Right. I guess we'll see. And for now, there's the remaining missing people to worry about.

[HONESTLY NOT UNTRUE but stop gloomy isn't cute, he's gotta hide it.]

There're a lot of 'em. I think I'm gonna look around the city with someone in a little bit, just to like, make sure... But I don't expect to find anyone.

...Well, we can't know for sure until we try. I think that I'll head out on a search as well.

Just be careful, okay? The last thing we need is people falling back into trouble 'cause we tried to save the other people who fell into trouble.

I know. I'm not about to stick my nose somewhere it doesn't belong. [That explosion is still so vivid in his memory.]

...And you know to be careful, too.

[Chuya lives on as a warning to them all...]

I will be, pro-mise! Check back in if you find anything, okay? I'll do the same.

[Or dies on.]

Right! [Nod.] Well, um... see ya!

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