IC Inbox: Empatheias

[young_oldman]

[Your birds might get a little plump on bird seeds. Just saying.]

Comments

[shanghaiworld]

[Actually the bird flees the moment it drops off the note. It literally air drops it. Alice... may not be the best at using birds and angered it.

The note reads: "I have no idea why you wanted an actual physical note when we can just talk with our minds, but whatever.

You wanted to know what I knew of the suspected person, yes? Now that I am done with my task, I believe I am ready to speak about that.

Are you sure you don't want to do this with the crystals, or in person? I mean, I can fly, it isn't much of an issue for me to get around."

Voice

[young_oldman]

[And there's an instant reply back to Alice almost as soon as Lu Meng gets the note.]

Apologies. I merely wished to initiate contact with you in a polite manner. But some courtesy can be discarded as time runs short for us.

If you are not opposed, let us meet in person then. I shall await you at the clocktower.

[In fact, he's actually on the way there right now even as he's speaking to Alice. He'll be there before she is, and when he finally sees who this Alice is, he's mildly surprised, but he'll have to spare the pleasantries. No boxes or runaway cats this time, but a despair-deranged Arehtei breathing down their necks. He cuts straight to business almost immediately.]

Miss Margatroid. My thanks for agreeing to this meeting on such short notice, but the Priestess has informed me that you may know something of this person who is inflicting deep amounts of despair onto Peromei.

[ telepathy ] | [ shortly after the maze thing ]

[opportunitycosts]

Hey, Lu Meng! Are you here where Peromei landed? Just wanted to check in and see how you were doing since it sounds like this one was rough.

Telepathy right back

[young_oldman]

I'm on the way back. I needed to speak with someone, but he had left the area.

Relative to everyone else I'm fine. Was the city alright?

For Bobby and Edea, backdated to July 15

[young_oldman]

[Lu Meng's at the Otherworlder Enforcer base early, around twenty to thirty minutes before the agreed time for this discussion. Always one to be an early bird he'll be waiting at the meeting room for Bobby and Edea to arrive, seemingly lost in thought while staring at a small, colourful object that's grasped in his hand.]

[edealistical]

[Edea arrives in short order after traveling back through time through the Pillar of Light again finishing up her current business.]

Lu Meng. Have you been waiting long?

image

[miraculo]

[ She hasn't heard from him in over two weeks, and she hasn't seen him at all at the tournament, which is something she would have thought he'd be interested in.

...She hopes that this isn't a case of him avoiding her for what happened at the masquerade. But no, it couldn't be that, because she's sure they cleared things between them, passing their behavior off as due to enchanted treats.

Which means that his absence must be due to something else. Perhaps he is ill? Or maybe he's bothered by another issue. Either way, she wants to check up on him. Through the amulet: ] H...hello? Lu Meng?

Voice

[young_oldman]

[There's no reply. In fact, she doesn't get a response until late at night, and even then it's more of a tentative, hesitant and weary ping in her mind.]

Sanae.

[He certainly sounds exhausted, and despite his best efforts at maintaining some semblance of normalcy, a heavy fog drapes around their connection, spreading the emotional drain he's feeling from him to her.]

Sorry, I was busy with some work. What...what can I do for you?

[It seems like it's taking him some effort to even form thoughts. He must be really, really tired!!]

[13/09] cw: mention of death?

[gottacatch]

[ Out in the quiet away from cities, towns and villages, all worlds almost sound alike.

Yet Red didn't come out so far to enjoy the silence, the farther he tried to be from other people, the more noise he expected to be made. At least right then, things were calm, he with the pokémon whose eyes showed nothing at the best of times, hate on the worst. It was just him, Mewtwo, and Charizard for now, surrounded by trees to cover them, with a strict need of little to no disturbance.

That left his other pokémon on guard duty, which also doubled as time for them to amuse themselves, to stretch their limbs and enjoy the fresh air. A small pleasantry during an almost delicate time.

Fresh air, however, meant little for Gengar. No; what the ghost type enjoyed was tricks and mischief, fear and turmoil--all the good stuff in life. It was something that no silence could cover up, that attracted her like flowers do bees -- and the almost reminiscent odourless miasma that the man gave off was just that more inviting to her when she picked up the scent.

She hadn't even seen him yet but she knew he was there, already knew what he would look like before she faded away her body and tracked him in her own silence, the flashes of memories left behind by the bodies still with her.

The face of the man they saw, before bludgeoned in by his weapon.

For now she only wants to inspect, to see what it is he'll do and where he'll go (got to be a good girl for her trainer, after all), but Lu Meng may soon feel a slight chill in the air.... if it wasn't already. ]

[young_oldman]

[ The counsellors advised him to stay but he needed to get out, get away from people, find some place where the storm that is his emotions wouldn't hurt anyone. Heaven knows he's blown up enough windows and doors, sent cupboards and all their contents crashing to the floor. The last straw had been the new nurse, that clumsy but good hearted young man who had seen him crouched down in the corner and had made the mistake of reaching for his shoulder in what was likely supposed to be a comforting touch.

The counsellors said it wasn't his fault, but at the end of the day that boy was nursing a dislocated shoulder, three broken figures and a broken jaw. Trapped in his mind and his memories, he hadn't even realised that he'd slammed the poor man on the wall until the group of orderlies were restraining him. Every surface he had touched turned black before crumbling into dust, which was how he's been feeling for the past few days since he returned; crumbling at the slightest brush of contact.

His emotions are out of control. He is out of control.

At least when he's out here alone, he has the small comfort that no one else would need to suffer because of him. But while he can run from society, he can't run from the fear, the grief, the anger and hate. And that's why when Gengar's presence appears, it's a fear that's easily swallowed up by his own emotions, blinding him from the Pokemon's presence....for now. ]

backdated to the 4th

[miraculo]

The days after Sanae captures and brings in Sachiko are not days of rest or resolution. Instead they are filled with trepidation and self blame: the former for how she must soon find Lu Meng when he returns, how he might react, and how she may comfort him, and the latter for how she has failed him. Perhaps she will continue to fail him, if she cannot figure out how to help him. Truly, this case serves no unaccounted for sense of anxiety and pain.

Every day she's reminded of him, of how she last saw him alone and completely broken within that cabin. Every day she's reminded of how she's failed him as both a friend and a priestess. Oh, she's been trying to fight the negativity of her emotions with more distractions, with keeping herself busy and helping others in the meantime-- as well as dealing with all the case work and interviews for the upcoming trial-- but it doesn't help as much as it should. Towards the night, her mind always comes back to those same thoughts. The bleak emotions that accompany them are pins and needles all over her body, and the only respite from that pain comes in soaking in hot water. Of course she tries to fight through her despair. To some degree, she's learned how to deal with it since Peromei, but eedless to say, it remains difficult to do so for this situation. After all, it is her duty to exterminate youkai and protect humans.

And the fact of the matter is that she failed. She failed him.

She hasn't spoken with any of her friends to help her through this yet. She's simply been too stressed about this entire ordeal, simply waiting for him to return alive. It's that promise that he will which makes her cope better. Not all hope is lost. She'll see him again-- she'll get to apologize. She'll do her damnedest to ensure that Ayumi does not harm anyone again, and that Lu Meng gets the help he needs.

In preparation for his return, she has started working on a home-made care kit, comprised of a simple quilt, some of her jellyfish candy, and canned tarts. There is also a hand-knitted scarf-- not the best looking thing-- but it's one she's hastily made herself. Taking a pen to paper, she also wrote him a letter, detailing just how she's sorry for failing him, how he's such a strong, wise person, how she looks up to him, how she knows that what he may have to endure with the trial may not be the best, yet how she only wishes the best for him, and how she cares him dearly. There is no criticism as to why he decided to not contact her or other Enforcers for help, and no blame for him not using a holy arrow she gave him. There are only words of comfort and acceptance, with the promise that she will always be there for him in the future. She promises to not fail him again.



Every day she sends a ping out to the amulet network, calling his name quietly. This day is no different. "Lu Meng...? This is Sanae. If you are there, please respond..."

[young_oldman]

Today there is finally a response, but it’s not one that will help assuage Sanae’s fears.

Because she will find herself engulfed in a wave of negativity, drowning in an ocean of anger, hatred, helplessness and grief. She’ll hear laughter, high and shrill and unstable, screams of despair and pain.

The moment is short, barely lasting a few seconds. But the emotions linger like the wave on the shore, before they drag themselves back to their owner. And it is undoubtedly him.

cw ...exploiting trauma? | Image | at some point in September

[sobored]

[This is one of those times where having a contradictory nature totally pays off. See, Junko's very impulsive, but she's also a very careful planner. So the second she found out that things happened, she wanted to do something. How could she not? After all, she...wasn't responsible at all (for once), but sort of helped move things along. But the timing has to be perfect, so she's managed to hold back from doing whatever terrible ideas have popped into her head between then and now.

But it's okay, because she's got a great idea. No, it's more like a terrible idea. Or maybe more like a despair inducing idea? Or a terrible, awful, despairingly horrible idea even.

See, what she's going to do is contact Lu Meng. But she's not going to do it during the day, or anything like that. She's going to wait until night. Until it's sort of late, but not late enough that she thinks he'll be asleep or anything like that (not that she thinks he's sleeping soundly anymore anyway). Because the way she sees it, answering the crystal is almost second nature? And if somebody's not really awake or alert enough to pay attention, they might do it without thinking, right? And if there's nobody talking or texting, is there any way to tell that it's really someone on the other end? It could totally be one of those the call is coming from inside the house type things, but it's all in your head instead. Or not...even she thinks that's sort of a stupid comparison.

Anyways, when she does contact him, there's really nothing there. No audio, no images, no text. There's just this feeling of...dread. A special kind of dread. The kind of dread that's typically felt when someone's all alone and they hear a strange noise from outside the house or in another room. The kind of dread when someone's sure there's someone watching them but there's nobody around. And you know what? She's so glad that thanks to that stupid drug, she can share this feeling with him! Because before that, she wouldn't be able to call up feelings of dread or fear anywhere near as well because that wasn't really an emotion she was familiar with!

It's not like sheer terror or anything like that, but as it continues, there's a small hint of despair. The hopelessness that ties in so beautifully with that feeling, that feeling that things are going to get worse and there's absolutely nothing that can be done to stop it. To go back to the horror movie example that occurred to her earlier, it's like surviving the first movie and knowing the slasher's gonna come after you in the sequel, but not being able to do anything about it.

Then suddenly there's an image. Given the way images work here, it's a little odd since it's quick and if there were a camera, the angle would be all wrong. There's no background here either. In fact, the easiest way to explain it is that it's more like seeing something out of the corner of your eye. There's a very familiar red dress in the image and that dark hair could really only belong to one person, if you can really call something like that a person, and then just like that...it's gone.]

[young_oldman]

[At first it seems like Junko's just sent all those emotions out to a void. He's become well-acquainted with dread and fear, and yes, despair, because it's hard to hope for the best when there doesn't seem to be any easy way out.

But then Junko sends that image.

It's an explosion, a hideous explosion of every negative emotion on the spectrum bar for Aiada because there's hardly any need to be jealous of anyone not being tortured. Self-hatred and absolute loathing is the key emotion, and it'll slam into her with a force that's akin to a mental sledgehammer. But then there comes the fear, that knee-locking fear that sends him crashing down to the ground in his room, unable to stand at all.

And anger. So much anger. Enough anger and rage to throw cupboards down and toss furniture around the room, as if an angry poltergeist is rampaging around.

And behind all these emotions is grief. Sorrow for all he's done. A lack of faith and trust in himself, because who knows when he'll lash out again? There's a brief memory shared between the two; of Sanae, lying on the ground with her jaw broken, pitifully reaching for him before she faints.

And the cherry to top up this cocktail of negativity? Is the one emotion that Junko craves for.

Despair.

Despair over his emotions, over how much he's hurt people, over what he's done, over what he could do if he ever lost control again.]

cw: blood, torture, gore | Image | September, some point after that last one

[sobored]

[Ever since the first attack, Junko's been occasionally sending things his way. Nothing anybody wants, of course, or well, nothing anyone normal should want. Feelings of terror, dread, anxiety, panic, hopelessness, sorrow, regret, anger, and so on. It's a different approach from what she did with Fulbright. That had been one blast of overwhelming despair after another, but that won't work here. No, what works here is just slowly chipping away at any sort of progress he's made, while occasionally risking doing something more.

Today is unfortunately one of those days. But it's really unfortunate all around since she can't really do what she wants to do. She isn't really privy to any of the truly amazing details about what happened to him. She also...as far as she knows, can't really transmit pain across this thing. And even if she could, it'd be sort of a mess, right? Because without the details she can't really do that. Plus, she might not even know how to feel that sort of pain. It's like the pain of being hit with a baseball bat is totally unlike that of being hit with the actual ball, right? So she wouldn't be any good at it. But that just forces her to get creative.

So once he picks up, there's just this feeling of shock. Like all the air has been forced out of someone's lungs and they just can't breathe or process anything. The kind that usually accompanies some sort of horrible traumatic thing, but she hasn't sent any specifics his way...yet. But there's also fear, anger, despair, and most importantly panic. Most of the emotions he sent her way before marked return to sender. All in the...well, there's no real way to put it besides, hopes of triggering some sort of panic attack.

But hey, if that's not enough, she's more than happy enough to send along some less than pleasant imagery to go with it. Once again, she doesn't have specifics, but she has seen her fair share of truly unpleasant sights. And been the cause of most of them. So accompanying those wonderful terrible feelings are a number of unpleasant sights and sounds. She's being careful here. Everything's sort of zoomed in, so she thinks it'd be hard to tell if it's a memory of things happening to him or something that happened to someone else. Really, she should get some sort of award for mental film editing, but there's the sickening crack of bones breaking, the sound of a sharp object cutting and stabbing its way through the skin, and of course the sound and sights of blood spilling. Oh boy, is there a lot of blood. There's a few other things going on, but what it boils down to would be something akin to generic torture imagery, if such a thing can ever really be called generic. And the whole time this is going on, she'll just ramp up those feelings, while including that one he sent at her. What was it? Anger? Anger at this happening, right? Because while it's truly horrible and awful and oh so despair inducing, it just shouldn't be happening at all, right? Not to him, not to anyone.

But guess what? It totally did! And it could totally happen again, which she sure does want him to think about.]

CW: blood, torture, eye-gore, blinding

[young_oldman]

[He'd been up, actually. Cleaning the house, because at least that's something to do versus staying in his room counting the seconds until dawn. The lights are all switched on, and he's on his knees scrubbing the floor when he feels something prodding him in his mind. At first he ignores it, and he just scrubs and scrubs until he's nearly stripped the colour of the tiles because his hands are tightening around the brush and he's really punishing the floor, but it would be better that way because he knows what this is, and maybe if he could keep his mind on something else, something mundane like counting the plates or, or sterilizing the floor then maybe it'd go away.

But because he hasn't figured out that it's the crystal, it's only a matter of time before something else reminds him of the past. Tonight, it's the sudden flicker of the lights above him. It's just a small flicker from one of the smaller lights, but it's enough to send his mind jumping straight back into paranoia...and straight into Junko's plan.

He knocks over the bucket, sending water and soapy suds all over the floor. Scrambling up to press his back against the wall, he grabs at his arms again, as if he's checking that he still has them again. Breath turned ragged, eyes turned wild, he's transported back, back there, and it's illogical and it can't be real and yet it feels so real. The pain. The screams. The blood.

He can't escape.

He'd tried to rid himself of that false dogma. He's actually been seriously participating in his counselling sessions (not that he wasn't before, but he'd been stubborn, resistant to some of the counselors gentle discussions and advice), learning to slowly open up to people again. It's hard work, it's frustrating, but he's determined not to fall back into old habits, even if his mind constantly rehashes the same old but still very convincing arguments that what he's doing is wrong, that he needs to stop being around people, that for all his efforts he's still going to hurt someone again.

This is so much more different than proving himself past his youthful follies. Back then he had been confident, sure of his character if not his capabilities. But now it is his very character that he doubts and fears, and if he cannot have faith in the man he is now than how is he to succeed?

Junko's attack is far more vicious this time, accompanied by imagery and sounds similar enough to tear into his mind and memories. So it's not any surprise then that this time she'll not only get that blast of negativity over their amulets, but also more fuel for further fire.

Honestly there are parts of his memories that are missing. He's told that that's normal, that during times of extreme stress the brain shuts down because it can't handle what's happening. But there's enough fragments here and there to piece together a rough outline of what happened. For people out of the modern age like Junko, it'll be akin to watching a badly pirated movie, or a damaged movie reel. Jumps in the sequences, holes in the scenes. The one constant in all these fragments though is the blood, and the howls of the dying and the tortured.

Then suddenly she's in darkness, with all the red and noise abruptly sucked away. Or rather it's he, because it's his memory. But since she wants to be so nosy about things, she'll get to experience it herself.

Snip snip. Snip snip. A childish, excited giggle.

And then a sharp, stabbing pain, so much pain in her left eye and all her vision's stained red. That giggle explodes into a frenzied, maniacal cackling, and briefly she can see with her blurry right eye the glint of a pair of scissors, raised up high with blood dripping off it, before it comes barreling down and pain, more pain, her mocking laughter as she stabs him again and again and again.

In the throes of a panic attack, he accidentally knocks his amulet away and that ends the connection between them abruptly. But this attack has not ended, and it's likely that he's alerted Shun to what's happening with how the apartment shakes as if a tremor has struck, cracks spreading everywhere from him and destroying the floor, wrecking the walls and sending dust and plaster raining on him. Drawers are rattled, and then yanked out of their slots to send their contents falling to the ground.

So much for cleaning the house.]

[ voice ] | SUPER BACKDATED TO SOSYNE'S EVENT

[opportunitycosts]

[PINGING LU MENG. PINGING THE DUMB SAMURAI WARRIOR WHO HURT A CERTAIN SOMEONE'S NOT!SON.

Okay, no, Alvin isn't... Well yes he's not happy with Lu Meng, but he's giving the guy the benefit of the doubt. It's one thing to strike a kid with full awareness and knowledge of the consequences. It's another if you're possessed by an angry whale. So he's not going to outright yell at him, but he does need to figure out what's going on... And more importantly, what Lu Meng is doing as a result.]

Hey, Lu Meng, it's Alvin. Come on, I know you're there.

[young_oldman]

[Oh he doesn't like the implied accusation there, that he's still going to avoid talking to people. It is hard work to win people's trust again though, and it's...fair for Alvin to be that cautious. Just as it's fair for the kids to be furious at him.

But there's a really good reason why he's been avoiding the crystal network, and even reluctant to answer any attempts to communicate with him. With all that's happened today his control over his emotions has completely gone out the window, and without any work to busy him with he's just been left alone with his thoughts.

Thankfully he's also emotionally fatigued right now, otherwise what Alvin would've got would've been far more intense. But there'll be a noticeable, unpleasant buzz at the back of Alvin's mind when Lu Meng responds to the ping; thick, sinking feelings of guilt, frustration and despair, shared through the link.]

Is there something I can do for you, Alvin?

For Sanae, sometime in the first half of November

[young_oldman]

[It's late. By right, he shouldn't be contacting anyone for any favours at this time of the night.

But well. He promised her.

By now, his mental signature may have become familiar to Sanae. He reaches out through the crystals, a ripple of weariness and deep sadness resonating from him to her.]

Sanae. Are you awake?

[miraculo]

[ The call comes to her during her sleep. So sharp a contest it is between the pleasant, light dream she has been having and the brooding, sorrowful signature that is his call, that she wakes up immediately. ] Lu Meng...? [ She inquires groggily, rubbing her eyes as she sits up in her bed. Out of habit, she also begins to comb her fingers through her acquired bed head; it's just something that she tends to do when on a "phone". Even if the other person cannot see her, she feels more apt for conversation when she is presentable.

She looks out her window to see the stars still overcast, but she knows it's still far from dawn. ] What's going on...? Can I help you?

05/12

[gottacatch]

[ All things considered, it was a pretty normal day. Red was content, even.

Because he had things to do, objectives to keep him busy with White's talk the day before about giving presents in an exchange that hadn't crossed his mind at all before. He had never really picked out gifts by himself, usually having his mother to help in that department or to give him suggestions when they both went out into the city. Without her there, it was just a case of window shopping with a bag already in his hand and keeping in mind the names who would be nice to give something.

It wasn't anything that he saw that did it, nor did it come entirely sudden. There was a moment when he stopped in his tracks to focus on the familiar hum from what felt like an open discussion from a person he knew. Listening, it was a fairly regular message. There was nothing offensive about it.

Except for when a certain name emerged, and the handles of his paper bag rotted into nothing, the contents and the rest clattering loud enough to turn some heads, but barely Red's own. His mind still listens to the voice between his ears, before then he can't recognise what a single one of those words mean.

But it's not then that it gets bad. Red picks the bag back up and the tin half poking out, pulling it close to him and shutting off the communication. For some steps then, everything felt blank inside his head. It was fine. It didn't mean anything, and he already knew it was Ludger who he fought that night, of course Silver knew too, and--

and in reality, his mind didn't stay blank. It was as if a creature was there, living inside his head, pulling him towards thoughts he didn't want when a white canvas would be so much better. It's the reason for the chill that finds his body, running underneath his skin, and for the fluctuating state of his breathing; becoming heavier, shorter, harder. With those thoughts, of why Silver hadn't said anything to him for so long, why Alvin really knew what happened to him, why--

(--why wouldn't he say anything? Why didn't he just tell him, why--)

His footsteps leave patches drier bigger than his feet until he stops, the crinkling of the bag and everything inside it pulling him from his head to in front of himself, the goods rotting into pieces that leave his hold before his can catch them. His pokéballs rattle from around his waist, and the air becomes heavier in the area surrounding him, the thin layer of snow fading and a post nearby beginning to deteriorate as if too close to an open fire, paint flicking away and metal charring at the surface.

And Red, he can't move at all, can't calm the increasing emotion that's darkening the path he stands on, both underfoot and surrounding him like an early night with a mist developing from the opposing temperatures, only able to hum long, deep notes in a shaking voice with lips sealed tight to try and do something that isn't working.

He wants to get away, stop, disappear, but he can't, he doesn't know how to, he doesn't know what to do-- ]

[young_oldman]

Red?

[Footsteps crunch against the snow, halt, and then quickly pick up to a brisk pace. He hasn't seen the boy in around two months. Lu Meng had considered contacting Red every now and then, but decided against it every time.

If he couldn't straighten out his own problems, then he had no state to try and help Red with his. His own emotions were a terrible mess back then, his mind his worse enemy. And his own blunt manner, while appreciated among soldiers, is hardly conducive when dealing with children. Frankly, he was and probably still is the wrong person to be running up to Red's side right now.

Lu Meng worriedly calls out to the boy again slightly louder this time now that he's within arm's reach.] Red, can you hear me? Do you want me to get someone for you?

[If Red doesn't answer, then he'll have to give the boy a light shake, maybe. But don't worry Red, no pointy stuff. There's just good ol' empty gloved hands.

[ voice ]; 12/14

[opportunitycosts]

[He would have graced Lu Meng with his charming and handsome visage, but he keeps it voice for now.]

Hey, Lu Meng. Didn't see you at the meeting. You doing okay?

[There is another reason why he wants to talk with his friend, but his priorities have shifted to making sure he was all right. It...has been a while since they last spoke, all for a variety of reasons.]

voice

[young_oldman]

Hello Alvin. I'm-

[If it answers that question, there's a loud sneeze interrupting the link. But Alvin may notice something else that's particularly too, even as Lu Meng apologizes.]

Sorry. I'm fine, just a little sick at the moment.

[There's no unwilling leakage of emotions from Lu Meng this time.]

[miraculo]

Lu Meng...! Lu Meng, this is really important!

[ No ping this time before she immediately sends her message. Sanae's voice is bubbly and excited. ] We have to set up a date between Elios and Peromei!

[young_oldman]

What? What is it? [It must be something serious!!

...only not. He might be transmitting a voice reply, but his blank stare is so painfully obvious in his unamused tone.]

That's not important at all! Don't be such a busybody in other peoples' love lives.

23/12; messenger bird

[gottacatch]

[ Hello there, Lu Meng. Should nothing go splendidly downhill in the last thread, there will be a visitor coming to you in the form of a fairly large bird, the kind used to send parcels than the smaller, letter-carrying avians.

And what a parcel they will have, kept in a simple bag to hold it all together. It hits the surface with a small thump, and the bird certainly moves with easier ease with the weight gone (and will definitely accept any treats, just saying).

Inside this bag Lu Meng will find a pile of brown-papered gifts, with a piece of paper stuck on the very top one that has his name on it. ...Or 'Lomonge/Lumonge', anyway, in a language similar in style to this (but readable, thanks to the powers of Empatheias). The paper will be easy to pull off, if with a piece of brown wrapping along in it, so that he may read the note inside.

Mr. Lomong

I know we don't really know each other but I wanted to give you something to say thanks for helping me. I hope you like something here. I've never bought gifts for an older man before.

If you ever meet a man with that name I said here in Verens, please don't think anything about him. I don't really think you will because you know what he went through that day, but I wanted to say it.

Thank you.

Red

Now, for the rest of the contents:

- A steel camping flask made from fire cores for extra endurance, cup lid included
- A basic traveller's pack of first aid for those going on the long treks; includes sterile gauze swabs, wound dressings, fabric and waterproof plasters, anti-septic wipes, blister cream and paracetamol
- A collection box of shortbread biscuits (cookies) in the flavours of: butter, chocolate chunks, toasted coconut, and praline pecan. As so.
- A tea collection with a variety of flavours

Very wow. Flavours and names may differ due to the fantasy land island they are on. ]

[seasaltkeys]

[The paper is pretty much a mess when Lu Meng gets it. There are splotches of ink and words are crossed out and re-written. It's certainly not the first version, but it's the one Roxas finally managed to get down and send before he changed his mind again. Its tone is blunt.]

Thank you for the Christmas present.

Does this mean you still like me?

[young_oldman]

[ Oh... Lu Meng has to sit down when he gets the letter, a huge swirl of conflicting emotions rising within him. He's...he's glad that Roxas wants to talk to him, but there's still so much sorrow aand guilt over what transpired, and he honestly would not have blamed Roxas for cutting off all ties with him.

He responds almost immediately by carrier bird. ]

Always. You're one of the people that I care about deeply here and that will never change.

[ voice ] 2/04ish night after the festival

[opportunitycosts]

[This will come in later that night, possibly even later than would be respectable. In fact he thought about putting this off to, oh, never, but he had told Lu Meng he would explain. So explain he will.

But first, a proper greeting.]

Hey, Lu Meng! Still alive after all those festivities?

[young_oldman]

Yes, I am. [In fact, Lu Meng still sounds quite cheerful, if a little tired. Their connection is practically vibrating with joy.] It was fun while it lasted.

Anyway, what can I do for you, Alvin?

08/02 ( cw; talk of trauma )

[gottacatch]

[ It's a little after the fiasco out on the street and Red now sits with a drink in his hands, some of the contents sipped for the soreness of his throat, but acting more as something for his hands to hold onto than anything else.

The anxiety had never left him, with some part of him trying to remember the exercises with Lu Meng just for some way to control the uneasiness in him and how it might display around him, but his mind returns far too easily to the scene of Emizel with the other boy, the smell of burning and the too real nagging inside him that he was at the centre of it.

Somehow. Somehow. And that was what shook him the most, that blank passage of time; and it scared him too to try, making his body feel colder and his eyes squeeze shut to try and shake off the feeling inside him. He hated it-- that uncontrollable fear, losing a grip of himself.

He had to get control of it. He had to. ]

[young_oldman]

[Lu Meng had given Red some time to calm down while he cleared up the mess and dealt with the native Enforcers who had arrived upon hearing about the commotion. Lu Meng had cast it as a misunderstanding between the boys, and confirmed that no one had been hurt, and no he didn't intend to press any charges against them...all while ignoring the sting of the burns on his arm, when Red had set the lanterns alight above and he'd had to shield his face from some of the sparks.

It's only then that he returns to be at the boy's side. He's not angry at the two, because he knows Red's nature and Red would never have willingly wanted to hurt Emizel. And Emizel wouldn't have wanted to hurt Red either, there was no reason for either of them to have gotten into that fight. But Red's reaction --screaming vulgarities and threatening everyone to stay away, causing rot and fires as his fear and anger grew, and then suddenly snapping back into the more familiar Red that abhorred killing and was friendly to all--, that told him enough about the situation to know what had gone down between the two.

So he's mindful when he approaches Red. Not too close, because he doesn't know how Red is feeling about personal space at the moment, but not too far that Red might feel the deliberate gap between them. It's a balancing act, but Lu Meng has this down on a lock.] Do you mind if I take a sit next to you? [He asks, his voice serious and firm, yet carrying a hint of gentleness and care behind it.]

backdated to 2/22

[miraculo]

[ At the hospital, Sanae helps with the comfort and healing process of those who have been made victims of Pride's plot. It has only been two days since she had sealed the homunculus, but even dealing with his arrogance (hah) proved challenging. She doesn't quite understand everything behind the plot, Pride's goals, and what has happened to the victims-- and most are too traumatized to even discuss and retell their horrors-- but she tries to help them as much as she can.

It's on one afternoon that she's eating lunch at the hospital cafeteria, stirring her soup she's brought from home. It's threatening to grow colder with each passing moment, so she keeps some of her stars heating it up along its sides. Alone at the table, she seems preoccupied with her thoughts of the day and with whom she has spoken and helped thus far. That, or that sour expression means her soup tastes awful today. ]

[young_oldman]

[Today's session proved downright difficult. His counselor, the gods be kind to him, had tried to help him but this month had just proved to be outright brutal in ripping off the stitching and pouring salt all over his past wounds. He won't drag his feet, but his shadows certainly leave drag marks behind him. Lu Meng leaves the room without feeling any better, and for all his control over dunamis his footsteps leave black smudges on the floor, reflecting exactly how much he's plunged into melancholy.

He stops by the cafeteria to grab a bite before he heads home. It's there that he sees Sanae sitting by herself at the table, uncharacteristically morose. He's heard that the victims of Pride's brutal kidnapping are being treated in this hospital, and that a green haired Otherworlder had been working hard to heal and comfort them as best as she could. "Poor dear is taking it hard", he hears one of the nurses mutter to another as they pass him.

For a moment he hesitates. He's already proven himself incapable of comforting people. What if he messes things up between him and Sanae further? He should just leave and spare her any unnecessary heart ache.

...and that's when he squares his jaw and walks determinedly towards the food stall. He plunks down money for a sandwich and two cups of tea (this hospital loves its tea, and there's an incredible selection so he picks caramel vanilla tea for her and mint tea for him). Steeling his nerves because like heck he's going to let his insecurities win when Sanae's sitting there all down and depressed, he approaches her with all the mannerisms of a warrior going to war.]

Sanae. Can I sit with you?

Backdated to the end of the CNY festival

[gochuugoku]

[It was very late and most people had gone home by now, but Yao wanted to stay at the plaza for a few more minutes to just bask in the afterglow of a successful festival. Sure there were a few dangerous people that appeared, or so he heard from security, but other than that things went okay for him. He had grabbed himself a beer bottle before the stand that was selling it packed up and left and was about to open it when his nose picked up a scent, as though something was burning.

He perked up in alarm, but he couldn't see any smoke, so he just followed his nose until his eyes landed on a large pile of ash and the smoldering remains of whatever it was that had burned. The next thing he noticed was Lu Meng, who was attempting to clean up the mess.]

Would you like some help with that, Lu Meng? [He approached him slowly.]

[young_oldman]

[He's sweeping up the remnants of burned lanterns; that seemed the easiest thing to do right now, and sweeping is a mindless activity and he's thankful for that.

Too much has happened tonight, and he doesn't want to think about it. Not just yet.

As one of the last few people milling about, he's OK with being left alone. In fact he'd actually prefer to be on his own. But then he hears Wang Yao, and he looks up sharply from the task at hand.]

Master Wang Yao. [And he immediately gives the man a respectful bow.] My thanks for the offer, but this is partially my mess. I will clean it up myself.

[There's nothing off about his words or his statement...but it's in his eyes. Grief, despair, frustration and sorrow. But like China himself, he know better than to bring up his emotions. He's gone through and learned enough about how healthy it is to vent out his emotions rather than bottle it up, so he might share this grief with some of the Otherworlders here, especially those he trusts.

But Wang Yao comes from his land, and he knows the man would not appreciate such a gesture. They're good acquaintances, fellow country men, perhaps even friends, but feelings and emotions are meant to be hidden away and borne individually. That is a mark of strength to their people, and he will not disrespect Wang Yao or himself by spilling his heart out like some maiden.]

3/14 White day!!

[miraculo]

[ It's usually the boy to returns the "white day" gift to the girl for what she gave on Valentine's day. But in this case, Sanae will be giving a gift in return to Lu Meng, for it was he who gave her chocolates for Valentine's. It seems only appropriate.

After their heart-to-heart conversation on Chinese New Year's, the events with Pride that followed, and the whole immortal elixir fiasco (as well as her own embarrassing, fluttering feelings for him at the time), Sanae decides that she must make these chocolates extra special. Of course, she is extra careful to not have any emotion infused into them, and it's not as if this were a romantic gesture. His chocolates weren't a romantic gesture, so she must make this gift as platonic as possible!

Sanae approaches him painting on the welcome center, stopping just two meters away. ] Hello, Lu Meng. It really looks like it's coming along.

[young_oldman]

Oh, hello Sanae.

[His hair is tied up neatly (for once!), so thankfully he won't be going around with a streak of white in it. But with bits of paint flecked on his hands, a bit of a splatter on his face, and some drops here and there on what seems to be old clothes, it seems he's done quite a bit of painting already.

The brush goes into the tin of paint; he can afford to take a break for a bit to chat with her. He'll always have time for her, really.]

Yes. We're nearly done. [Lu Meng tells her happily and proudly; they had all worked really hard to get this centre up and running, and it's great to see everything going according to schedule.] We should be able to start asking for volunteers and workers soon. If all goes according to plan, we'll be ready to receive next month's newcomers.

3/17 visit

[letteropener]

[At his behest, the pony princess extends an invitation to Lu Meng to drop by her shop. If the chat requires greater time or privacy, they can move.]

[So at the appointed time, she opens the door as she flips the sign to 'Closed', peering out.]

[young_oldman]

[Since he is calling on her, the customs of his lands state that he must bring a gift, especially since Celestia is the closest they have to some kind of leader among hteir community. But then again...what does one get a horse as a gift? Lu Meng had been about to check out the carrots when he realised that he might be thinking of her as a horse horse, and quickly abandoned that idea. But do ponies drink coffee or tea? Do they enjoy chocolate?

In the end he settle for something non-food related and hopefully inoffensive. A table cloth with a stitched on flower motive seems innocuous enough!

A carriage rumbles down the road, and once it's gone she'll be able to see him, looking left and right before he crosses over and greets her with a deep, polite bow.]

Your Highness. I hope I did not keep you waiting for long.

15/03

[gottacatch]

[ Running around to deal with his own tasks, Red made sure to have an open space also available when it came to Lu Meng's grand task of opening up a Welcome Centre to the future new arrivals to the island, sparing some money to help with construction and/or accessories for the interior (he insists; monster jobs are nice paying work), and also distributing the leaflets that announced the coming of the centre.

And during all that, Red found the time to slow down and to relax. Somewhat. Despite the hassle of the month before and the hassle that was Sosyne, Red was plenty chipper when he sat the bags of ingredients onto the counter, as well as another that was tightly wrapped up and thick, hitting the side with a thunk. ]

A kitchen isn't a kitchen until you cook in it! [ Someone said that, surely, and Red is nicking it right now for his own use. ] So let's make sure this kitchen is in working order! I have a cooking lesson of my own I need to teach myself. You can be my judge, Lu Meng!

[young_oldman]

[Such sayings, so wise.

Lu Meng joins Red at the counter, eyebrows raised at the bags that Red had brought in.]

I'll try your food, but I'll be upfront with you; I can't tell the difference between pub food and gourmet cooking.

[It's all just food to him!]

voice ; 05/07

[hundredspells]

Lu Meng, would you be available for some advice? If you're busy then I don't mind asking some other time. But, I would like your help.

[ Don't Presa sending a random message.

She has a good reason, promise! ]

[young_oldman]

[Oh, it's Alvin's not!wife. The book-keeping can wait a moment; Lu Meng looks up from the records, pen set to the side as he turns his full attention to the conversation. His eyes need a break from the numbers anyway.]

Good day, Presa. What can I do for you?

04/05; amulet

[gottacatch]

[ Brrng brrng, it's a humming in the back of your head from Caller ID Red, Lu Meng. Should you choose to accept- ]

Lu Meng! Are you free? I have a question.

[young_oldman]

[ --are you trying to blow up his head IS THIS KARMA FOR THE DRAGON rest in peace Lu Meng.

Anyway, Red's caught him in the rare moment when he's actually not doing anything for a change; it's been a busy day at the Welcome Centre, and sleep and rest are going to be crucial since the newcomers are likely to be pouring in soon. Lu Meng had just been sitting down to read the news when his head makes like a watermelon and goes squish Red's message reaches him.]

Ask away, Red. I'm not doing anything in particular at the moment.

27/06; action

[gottacatch]

[ When Red arrives outside the front door of Lu Meng's residence, the letter that he had written to him two days ago sits plopped on the mat, kept safe from the warm temperatures but no less a curious thing to see. Or, perhaps, a reason to be worried.

Because the man hadn't been seen at the Welcome Centre in the past couple of days, and he had thrown himself into his work diligently since opening it. He didn't seem either the character to just disappear without warning, so...

Admittedly, the plan in making a house call had at no point involved "break down Lu Meng's door". Sometimes, however, rash-seeming actions were necessary at times, and when you add a missing Lu Meng and the faint sounds of what come off as whining inside, well--

The door didn't want to open, so Charizard made the door open.

In a much less graceful way than Charizard or Red had intended, the fire-flying type giving a swift punch to it and knocking it off its hinges, and uh, nothing to be done about that other than Red walking over it, Charizard following just in case he was needed, but not as hurried or as loud as the boy. ]

Lu Meng?! Hey! You in here? Xiong? Xing? Tong!

[ TONG AND XING YOU BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING WHILE LU MENG WAS COOKING BREAKFAST OR SOMETHING, WE DO NOT WANT TO EXPLAIN WHY WE JUST BROKE THAT DOOR-- ]

[young_oldman]

[HEY LEAVE THEM OUT OF IT.

For a moment there's only a couple of frantic, frightened squeals coming from somewhere in the apartment. The curtains are drawn, and the room hot, stuffy and cast in shadows. The layer of dust is thin but telling; no one has stepped on this floor or touched any of the furniture in a couple of weeks. That fact is further supported by the faint smell of food gone ripe, assaulting Red's nose from the small kitchen area.

There's no reply from the old man, but the panicking squeaks of Lu Meng's porrings seems to have died down. There's no response to Red's call; only silence.]