contempsi: ({sorrow})
Hope Estheim ([personal profile] contempsi) wrote2011-01-23 12:12 pm

001 || {Audio / Action}

[Groggy and disoriented, Hope awakens in the middle of the forest—just as he'd left it.

Or maybe not so much. The air is cold against his skin, and that's the first thing he notices as he lifts a hand to rub at his eyes. His clothes are gone entirely; there's nothing on his person but a simple pair of white pants, and in the chill of winter, they aren't much help.

Never mind the fact that Pulse wasn't this cold in the first place, by a long shot.

There's also a stiffness in his back, and when he folds his bare arms around himself for warmth, feeling the bumps raise on his skin—the ache in his shoulderblades is almost excruciating. Wincing in pain, the boy automatically lifts a hand to touch the afflicted area as his eyes dart around in search of his tiny companion, who had accompanied him on his food-gathering expedition.
]

...Chocobo...?

[The confused question immediately catches on a gasp of surprise as his fingers brush against something decidedly feathery on his back. Hope immediately twists his head back to see just what the heck is wrong with him, finding a pair of wings there, of all things—wings with silken feathers the same pale silver as his hair.]

What—

[His heart begins to race in fear and uncertainty, though he attempts to will it down. If he allows himself to become too stressed, after all... Hope lifts his arm, staring at the marking on his wrist. The crimson eye, slowly on the edges of awakening, stares back—and he immediately squeezes his eyes shut, turning his face away. As he lowers his hand again, it brushes against something. He snatches the object up: it's a book.

It doesn't take Hope long at all to figure out the thing—he's a smart kid. Clearly, with the marked buttons and everything, it can be used to communicate with others. But where did it come from? This doesn't look like anything they have on Cocoon, even with its advanced technology... and Gran Pulse is so primitive in comparison. It doesn't make sense.

No matter. Finding the others is of the utmost importance, before it's too late. Pressing the button that would enable him to broadcast his voice, Hope attempts to send out a message to the other l'Cie, in hopes that maybe they were able to locate a similar device, or that perhaps it would transmit to some kind of central beacon.
]

...um... guys...?

[His voice is thick from sleep, slightly slurred. He clears his throat.] Can anyone hear me? I... I think I got lost, and I can't find Chocobo either. Someone... or something... robbed me, too. As... as weird as that sounds. So... it doesn't look like we're alone here after all.

Um... I'm going to try to find my way back, but... [He trails off, biting his lip, feeling a little silly.] ...if I don't make it back... just... go on without me.

[action] no problem! ^^

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-01-26 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Nice to meet you too, Ven.

[Hope follows him, arms wrapped tightly around himself to stave off the cold, the strange book-with-machinery-attached tucked beneath one of them somewhere.]

So I guess you've lived here a long time...

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-01-27 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
Not too long. It's only been two months, but some people've been here for years.

[He doesn't sound particularly upset by this; Luceti might not be home, but it's nice, experiments aside.]

[action]

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-01-27 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Years...?

[Biting his lip, Hope stares down at his feet for a moment as they walk.]

That's... I can't stay here for years. I... I have to get home... I have to do something important.

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-01-28 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
A lot of us do, but I heard that when you do get out, it's like you never left. I guess time passes differently in this world.

[That doesn't make the situation much better; they're still confined in Luceti, after all, but at least Ven can offer some words of encouragement.]

[action]

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-01-28 05:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[If that's true, it'd be reassuring. But Hope finds himself rather skeptical.]

How can anyone really know that, though...? [Half-to-himself.]

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-01-29 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
Some people've been here more than once, and I know some of 'em come from different times.

[It's still pretty confusing, actually. Then again, a lot of things in Luceti are.]

[action]

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-01-31 03:59 am (UTC)(link)
More than once...? [So even if he escapes... he could be brought back? This doesn't bode well at all. Hope sighs again. He doesn't even know what to make of the "different times" bit, so he lets that alone for now until he can figure the rest of this place out.]

None of this makes any sense.

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-01-31 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
It takes a lot of getting used to. Sometimes this place gets really confusing, but I think if you read the guide, it might answer a few questions.

[He rubs at the back of his neck.]

It's kinda long, though.

[action]

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-02-01 02:33 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah... I guess I'll read it when I get a chance to settle, or something. [Another sigh.]

Did you wake up in this forest too? When you were brought here...

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-02-01 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
[He nods.]

Yeah, but it wasn't as cold then. I think most people show up in the woods, but with all this snow, you'd think the Malnosso would drop people closer to the village.

[action]

[identity profile] contempsi.livejournal.com 2011-02-01 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Y-yeah... [Hope gives a wry little laugh at that, squeezing himself further against the sharp chill in the air.] I mean, how good are prisoners if they're frozen to death?

[action]

[identity profile] risingwinds.livejournal.com 2011-02-02 05:13 am (UTC)(link)
Well, I heard that if people die, they come back a week later.

[But that's beside the point.]

It might just be because they wanna see how we handle it ourselves or because there's a lot of people in the village who'd help out. At least there's a ton of free clothing in the shops, though; it makes things a lot easier.