Twelfth Link

[colorbymemory]

Who: Namine, Aeleus, Even, probably Emizel later
What: Looking for Ienzo, who has woken up
Where: Starts in Traverse Town
When: The usual time in the place origin
Warnings: Sads and angst, most probably



Namine had developed a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when Ienzo hadn't been in the apartment above the tea shop in the morning. She and Aeleus had looked all over the apartment with no luck in finding him. Waiting for some time to see if he came back from an early morning walk or errand hadn't brought any further sign of him.

Finally, when a private message didn't get a prompt response, they'd decided to look beyond the apartment. They'd also called Even (to see if Ienzo was there), and were now waiting for him to join them before starting their search.

They might find him. Namine just couldn't get rid of the nagging thought that they might not.

Comments

[earthshatter]

Even given some of the habits Ienzo had once had, Aeleus had to admit that it was quite entirely unlike him to not be in the apartment. Still, it was at least better to look than to simply write him of as being vanished. There was danger enough in the worlds as things stood, and he would never have been able to forgive himself if it turned out that Ienzo had been in some manner of danger after all.

But for, he waits. It's only right that Even be involved in the search, and he can only hope that won't make them too late for anything.

[defrostedpride]

Even shows up as quickly as he possibly can, after a swift check of his own apartment in case Ienzo has concealed himself there for some reason known only to himself. He hasn't.

"Well?" he says, hastening up. "Have you heard from him?"

Moving on with Emi-mun's permission.

[colorbymemory]

Namine wouldn't have felt right without doing a proper search either. Yes, so many signs and the persistent nagging feeling she had would indicate Ienzo was no longer in the Realm of Sleep. That didn't mean they should check thoroughly to see if those suspicions were correct, or if was some other trouble that had kept Ienzo from responding.

Fortunately, Even wasn't long in arriving at the apartment. Namine shook her head in response to his question. "No, not yet."

[earthshatter]

It would have been a little strange for Ienzo to try and hide himself in Even's apartment, of all places, but it was clear enough that the normal haunts were most likely not where he was - if indeed, he was anywhere at all. Not that Aeleus had entirely resigned himself to that outcome just yet, but it was more than a little possible.

"I haven't seen him since last night."

[defrostedpride]

"He has to be somewhere," Even said, knowing as he said it that it wasn't true. People had vanished before; wishful thinking said they woke up, but how to know?

"Are you sure you looked everywhere?"

[colorbymemory]

Waking up did, in a way, count as being somewhere; it just wasn't somewhere in the Realm of Sleep. So many of them had been waking up lately, to...

"Everywhere in the apartment. We were going to look in town and the other worlds, next."

[earthshatter]

Somewhere, yes, but not a somewhere that they could actually be reached. Not without waking up as well, and that was something that still lurked just out of conscious reach. Nor could Aeleus really say it was going to be better for Ienzo to be awake, even if it probably would help with the ongoing work of returning Radiant Garden back to what it should be.

"Yes, he does," Aeleus answered with a nod. "We simply have to find out where."

[defrostedpride]

"Very well, then. Let's go." The trouble with negative proof, Even thought privately, was that it was never a sure thing. If they couldn't find Ienzo anywhere, possibly he was awake and thus at least in no more danger than before, but possibly...he wasn't.

[colorbymemory]

Namine nodded and motioned Batty over. Her other Spirits had already been dismissed, ready to call if she needed them. Preparations finished, she looked to the others. Batty simply chittered, sounding impatient. The Persons needed to hurry!

(Negative proof wasn't a sure thing, no, but in this case it might be the best they would get. If Ienzo truly wasn't anywhere in the Realm of Sleep, they could only hope.)