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[wise_maiden]

[Voice]Hello, everyone

Comments

action;

[fruitblocked]

[It's hard to miss a kid in red silhouetted against the snow. Predictably, he's staring at the outside of the smithy, trying to get ideas. He shakes some stray flakes out of his hair-- his small blue-green wings echoing the gesture-- and stifles a yawn.

It's almost like he belongs here.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[And there's a sight she hadn't seen in a number of years -- that of Lloyd Irving standing in front of the Smithy that he once had worked in, himself.

It stops her in her tracks for a moment, but Noishe -- Noishe is the one who runs forward.]

[action]

[fruitblocked]

[Lloyd doesn't hear the characteristic panting until Noishe is upon him. It's been a long time since Noishe had that scent, but still-- he's not expecting to be bowled over.]

Wha-- it's good to see you, too!

[He laughs and picks himself up, and it's only while scritching Noishe's fluffy ears that he sees someone /else/.]

Professor! [Lloyd's surprise quickly turns to a huge grin.] Hey!!

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[Seeing Lloyd and Noishe like that brings back so many memories. She can't help but smile back, herself, as she walks the rest of the way foward to join the pair.]

Hello, Lloyd. [How many years had it been since she last saw him? Long enough.] ... I have missed you.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

[Hearing those words makes him realize just how long it's been since he last saw the Professor. His grin turns sunny in spite of the lingering snow; happiness and cold color his cheeks as he rubs at his nose.]

I-- I missed you, too!

[He lets go of his... dog... and goes to meet Raine. He's a little taller than he was when they first left Sylvarant, but still not as tall as Zelos or Kratos. Damn it.]

I didn't know you were taking care of Noishe. He hasn't been getting into anything, right?

[action]

[wise_maiden]

He's been getting along pretty well. [Aside from missing Lloyd and Kratos, perhaps, but that's a different matter.] And he's certainly been very helpful to me.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

Yeah, he's good at cleaning up leftovers.

[Lloyd rocks back on his heels a bit. Raine looks all right, and that's comforting to him, but at the same time... something bothers him. It's hard to put a name to it.]

What about you? [... hurp.] I mean, have things been okay?

[action]

[wise_maiden]

[It's not really an easy question to answer, given all aspects of the situation. She maintains the small smile, though it starts to fade.]

Mmm. I've been well enough, all things considered.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

[Seeing her so grave really does make him concerned.]

Professor... Just how long has everyone been here?

[Her included.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

... Sheena's been here for over four years. In a few months, it will be four years for Yuan, and then myself as well. The others... have been brought and been sent away from here on several occasions throughout that time, yourself included.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

Years?! Then-- then we're really...

[Yeah, no one told him that part. He looks like he's just been slapped in the face with the reality of the situation. He ducks his head, teeth clenched. Noishe shoves his wet nose underneath Lloyd's arm as if begging for attention.]

If I really was here before, I don't remember it. [He shakes his head.] I should have been able to do something...! [Did he even try?]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

... it's all right Lloyd.

If there was anything that any of us could do... I know we would have done it already. This situation is... large. Larger than what we've faced at home. We don't have the means, or all of the information necessary to do much under our own power.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

[Lloyd finally relents and scritches the bridge of Noishe's nose, but he's still frowning and looking terribly sad. He feels awful about this whole thing, and helpless, and he hates feeling that way.

He wants to do something, but he doesn't even know where to start. The Professor is right. They don't have all the information.

So they need to find someone who does, or find a way to see it for themselves. Preferably the latter.]

Just because we might have failed before doesn't mean we should give up. [He looks at her.] We don't need to know everything to look in new places. We could be missing something!

[action]

[wise_maiden]

Who said anything about "giving up"? [He gets a frown for those words. Did he even read her -- well no. Of course not.]

The situation is... an evolving one, as is our understanding of it. We have to take what information we can, and hold on to it, as the time goes by -- but we just aren't in a position for action. Not at this time.

[action]

[fruitblocked]

[He asked Yuan for the Cliff Notes version when it was handed to him. So uh, no. Raine's subtle frown gets him to back off a little, at least.]

Hold onto it? But we've been waiting for years! There's no guarantees that we'll get the answers if we wait. People are being hurt right now.

[He is such a bleeding heart.]

[action]

[wise_maiden]

We've been here long enough to know that certain things will not work. Sometimes waiting is the only thing we have.