007 ☀ action/voice;

[sablemeister]

[ Crona stands motionless in front of the Rainbow Fountain, staring down at a coin-- that's right, a real coin, this little speck of at least some shade of home, previously acquired from Claire and currently laid in the center of his palm. there's been a lot on his mind lately. a lot about things that have happened during his stay at Splendor, and

Comments

[voice]

[patchworkdoctor]

No, I don't think I would. Not yet.

[voice]

[sablemeister]

[ Stein. he starts to think about the last time he'd spoken to the teacher... ]

Really? W-why? I thought there was important stuff happening f-from where you're...[ 'from'? what's the right term... ] -- at Shibusen?

[voice]

[patchworkdoctor]

There is - we're about to embark on one of the most important battles in the history of Shibusen.

[he takes a moment to light a cigarette; Crona can probably hear the clink of his lighter snapping shut.]

From what I understand, time stands still in our worlds when we arrive in the city, so I'm not missing anything and no one will notice my disappearance. I have enough time to learn everything as I can about Splendor. The city itself is fascinating, and I'd like to know as much as possible before going back.

[voice]

[sablemeister]

[ if time stands still...hm. he can't decide if that's good or bad, honestly. on one hand, if Stein is here (and he can only hope Maria might appear, too), perhaps they could have avoided the outcome of Crona's mistakes. on the other...what if years and years passed, back at Shibusen? that...doesn't seem good, either.

still, Stein has a very valid point. ]

I-I see... I'm not sure what that is, b-but. If time doesn't pass, I suppose it's for the better, huh? With how many students are here: Kid, Soul, M-Maka...and you, too.

[ a beat-- Crona tries (albeit pathetically) to lighten the mood. ]

That means m-maybe I can get really strong before we go back, too...!

voice;

[derped]

No.

[This is surprisingly forceful from Rion!]

voice;

[sablemeister]

[ --wh-- Crona can't help but lean back from the Seal a little, as if the words were being said to him in person. ]

Wh-

[ he starts to simply ask "why", but...that's a little rude, isn't it? ]

I-I'm sorry. Splendor is...really nice, huh?

voice;

[derped]

[... maybe he shouldn't have said that like that.]

It's a lot nicer than home ever was.

voice;

[sablemeister]

[ ...oh. so...that's how it is for this guy, huh? he can understand, he thinks, if just a little. ]

...I see. There were some nice people, where I came from-- b-but...most of them are here now, so...

[ a beat-- it's a little weird, no, scratch that, a lot weird for him to even begin to force himself to talk about this with a stranger, but...he resolutely continues: ]

I don't miss the bad things.

action

[valhallicity]

[ he was small and timid but Crona always really stood out to Izaya, dressed in his all black tunic, making a sharp contrast between himself and the area around him. not that he was one to talk about dressing in all black but regardless, that was why he had particularly caught sight of him.

listening from the seal as he approaches, he responds into it even as he's reached the space of only a few feet and clearly visible to Crona. ]

I wouldn't go back. And you wouldn't either, right?

action;

[sablemeister]

[ if it were anything like the district (which it sadly isn't) to have such a thing, a tumbleweed might have symbolically rolled through the space separating them, the tension surrounding Crona is suddenly so great.

he glances up from the seal with a jolt at the sound doubling in volume, denying the urge to step back and giving the other a glance which could only be translated as "you". ]

No...I wouldn't.

[ Izaya is perhaps the last person he wants to be talking about this with but-- there's no use lying. he's learned that, by now. quietly, teeth clenched as his eyes scatter away from the informant: ]

I'm not surprised to hear that, coming from you.

action;

[valhallicity]

It doesn't? Why's that?

[ Izaya chuckles a little and comes to stand beside him at the fountain, looking down into the water. ]

Is something back home troubling you? Or have you just come to like this place too much to leave?

[ he puts his own seal back into his pocket, eyes the smattering of coins. making a wish in a place like this was so much different from dropping a coin in a well somewhere else. making a wish of any kind was so much different. like wishing after blowing out the candles on your birthday cake-- would that kind of thing come true, too? ]

Never mind. I don't need to know any of it and you don't want to tell me. As for me, I want to return home. Just not quite yet. I have to see something through at the very least.

action;

[sablemeister]

[ ever-wary of where Izaya is, what he says, Crona stands and listens to his words quietly, lips dragging into a grim line.

it's very true, that a "wish" is something so very, very different here. but...maybe that's why he did it-- threw a coin, this rarity of an item to find here, into a fountain to make a wish, rather than any he could simply make by wanting them.

but...maybe that's appropriate, considering the wish. ]

You're right-- I don't. [ a beat, he turns slightly towards the other, arms crossed over himself as he watches the other put his Seal away. ] As long as you get back, t-this is all entertainment in the meantime, huh? L-like what you said to Kid.

voice.

[heartnotation]

[ new guy will say: ] Yeah, I guess I would. But, I'd stay if someone from home couldn't come along with me.

voice.

[sablemeister]

Oh, so that means-- t-they came with you?

voice.

[heartnotation]

I actually got lucky and met up with her after I arrived minutes later!

voice.

[sablemeister]

[ --! minutes...! ]

--R-really...!? That's...amazing!

[ ... he remembers how happy it made him when Maka appeared in Splendor. ]

I think...I'm s-similar. I know I wouldn't want to go back if this..."someone" didn't come with me.

[voice]

[demonicbookworm]

...I'm... not sure if I would.

[voice]

[sablemeister]

I guess...there's a lot of people who would rather stay in Splendor, h-huh? Even if the reasons may be v-very different.

For me, um, I...didn't like a lot of it, back home.

[voice]

[demonicbookworm]

Um, w-well, it's not like I'd rather stay here... T-to tell the truth, I really miss my parents and my... my friends and there's still something I have to do, but... I don't think I could just wish to go back home. I-I mean, not right away. Because I met a lot of... wonderful people here.

...I see. There's a lot things I didn't like back home either, but... I want to do my best, because I know there's something I can do to change it.

[voice]

[sablemeister]

[ --huh. this guy is...surprisingly upbeat about it, in a way. Crona can't exactly muster the same attitude towards returning someday, but perhaps that makes him even more impressed. ]

I miss a few p-people. My friends...m-my teacher. F-for now, I wonder if it's selfish to wish that they show up here...? But-- I don't know. Thinking about going back makes me sad because everyone here will be out of reach. I've heard of people showing up again after awhile, but I don't think it's very common...

Um. E-even so, I would like to do my best, as well!