13th Combo - [Video]

[redcladidealist]

[A letter. That's what Lloyd had come home to. A letter. A letter and a suddenly empty apartment, all of Zelos's things just... gone. Lloyd stands there, still numbly holding the letter. Things had been strained between them ever since he'd found out. Found out that Zelos was dead. And how. Why. But he hadn't seen this coming.

Moved out.

Gone.

His thoughts feel broken and stilted. Zelos was gone.

Squeezing his eyes shut, the teen drops heavily into a chair.]

Dammit...

[For a long time all he does is just sit there, too many emotions lodged in his throat and his head to manage anything else. Finally, he pulls his Dreamberry out. He probably looks as bad as he feels - guilty, miserable. Angry. - but he honestly doesn't care. He needs to say something, even if it's stupid and childish.]

Somebody hit Zelos when you see him.

Comments

[redcladidealist]

[Dammit, Zack. Lloyd is a horrible liar, and he's knows it - especially because he usually tries not to lie at all. Pressing him on it just makes it that much harder to hide that, no, he's not okay.]

I'm...

[He looks away.]

...it's complicated.

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[Zack isn't much better in the lying department, and he's definitely no better in keeping the concern off his face. Complicated? He can relate.]

Well, I'll listen if you wanna talk about it. [But his tone has no pressuring in it; if Lloyd doesn't want to talk, there won't be anymore pressing.]

[redcladidealist]

I'm not sure I even understand it all myself.

[But he needs to talk about it. Whether he realizes it or not, he's at his limit. If he doesn't talk, he'll break.]

There's something weird about this place. It makes people forget things, or... or something about time being different. My friends remember things I don't. Does that make any sense?

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[Do any of them understand it? Zack's not at all sure of that, but he just listens, nodding when he's asked that question.]

Makes plenty of sense. My mentor's from five years after the last thing I did back home, and a friend of mine's from seven years after. [Wry little smile.] That and I've apparently been here before but don't remember a thing about it.

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd blinks, looking up.]

So it's not just me? I'm not the only one?

[He actually should have known that, but he hasn't really thought about it or paid attention to it before whenever it came up.]

Someone here remembered me, too, and two of my friends from my world remember things I don't. Zelos is... I'm not sure, but it's later. Emil says it's been two years. I didn't even know who he was, but he...

Remembered me. [His expression dissolves again. Like Zelos's death, this one's also been preying on his mind.]

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[There's that wry little smile, still perched on Zack's face as he shakes his head. Course it's not just him or just Lloyd. Do things ever work that way?]

Nah, man. Think there's a lot of us like that.

[Zack had thought about it, but...not that much. Tried to put it all behind him and all that.]

Yeah, I know what you mean. They've got all these memories of things you did together, but you don't remember a thing. [He sighs now; he's tried to stop thinking about it, but it's hard.]

[redcladidealist]

[He's not sure if that's worrying, or a relief, but he nods, at least glad to have someone who understands.]

What if you decide you want to change things from what they know? Is that... possible?

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[For Zack, it's a bit of a relief and maybe a hint of guilt about that. No one else had really gotten that bit, so...for someone to know what he means, it does mean a lot.]

I dunno. I hope it is, but....I don't think there's a way to find out for sure. Not while we can't come and go when we want.

[redcladidealist]

If there is a way, I'll find it. [He meets Zack's eyes, serious and determined.] We'll find it. I refuse to believe there has to be a future like... like that.

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[A future like that, huh? It's a...fitting description, for what Zack knows of his own future. So when he looks up, his expression is almost a mirror of what's in Lloyd's eyes. They're going to find a way. They have to.]

Right. Even if there isn't a way, we'll never know until we try everything to find it. And if we can't find a way...we'll make one.

[redcladidealist]

[Lloyd nods decisively, a small smile starting to spread.]

Exactly. Dwarven vow number sixteen: You can do anything if you try!

I'll let you know if I figure anything out and...

[The smile fades back into something serious again.]

Thanks, Zack.

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

And if you don't get it right the first time, just keep on trying. [Maybe not a dwarven vow, but...Zack feels it's close enough.]

Anytime. What are friends for, right? [Though the look in his eyes is still kind of serious, Zack smiles.]

I'll call you if I find anything out, or if I find Zelos. Guy like that couldn't have gotten far without someone seeing him.

[redcladidealist]

[Close enough that it counts as far as Lloyd is concerned. Man, how cool is it that he's found a friend who already lives by some of the Dwarven Vows?

He smiles again, offering Zack a thumbs up, and nothing more needs to be said. They both understand.]

You're right. He likes to talk to girls a lot. I don't think he'll hide long without talking to at least someone

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[Zack returns that thumbs up with the seriousness fading from his eyes as his grin gets wider; finding a friend with the same kinds of values is always cause for being happy, as far as Zack is concerned.]

Then we just have to find that someone and go from there. You'll probably be knocking him upside the head by the end of the month, too.

[redcladidealist]

Good. He deserves it.

[He's feeling marginally better now. Still upset, but it's not as bad.]

You don't have to wait for me to hit him first, though. I already did once, so if you find him, go ahead.

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[Having just a little trouble not laughing at the moment, Zack is.]

I'll remember you said that. Want me to drag him home if I find him?

[redcladidealist]

Hmm... [TEMPTING.] Nah, just tell me where he is. He might get the wrong idea if someone he doesn't know tries to drag him away.

[couldnotfly.livejournal.com]

[Blink. Blink.]

Yeah, and it would probably be a bad idea to give him the wrong idea. [Nod. Determined pup is determined!] I'll call you soon as I find him, then.

[redcladidealist]

Thanks, Zack. I appreciate it.