towerofanimus | Glamour Failure

[Yotsuba wasn't taking any of this well. The amplified chip noises had kept her up, so she was wandering the dorm corridors, holding Juralumin and wearing her sling sash, in case she came across any bad people. She didn't understand the announcements she heard, but when the lights went out, she panicked and gripped Juralumin harder.]

What's going on, Juralumin?! Do you know? Yotsuba doesn't..

[And that's when the glamor system failed and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she saw was she and her teddy bear really looked like..and would have cried if she could. She was tired and scared out of her wits, so she yelled before calling out for her friends and makeshift family members.]

Help! Rabbit! Spine! Diarmuid..Edgeworth! Enoch! What's going on?! I don't look like this..

[If she could have cried, she would have.]

[Not long ago, Diarmuid had finally separated from his brother. While they had found Waver, Ayaka was still missing and they figured two people looking would likely have a better chance of finding her than one. Diarmuid is distracted from his search, though, by someone calling his name.

A voice he recognizes. Yotsuba. How were they ever going to explain this to her?

It doesn't take him long to find her. A small scared figure in the hallway holding onto what he guesses would actually be her teddy bear if the systems were will working. He approaches slowly, so not to scare her and kneels in front of her.]

Little One. it's me. Diarmuid. I'm here.

[He wants to add, 'You're safe" and "It will be all right," but he can't promise either of those things right now. Is this what all their hard work placing those chips had accomplished? Hurting and confusing everyone?

If so, he regretted ever helping place them...]

[Yotsuba was very scared..in fact, if her body was 'normal', she would have been crying right about now, but the fact that she couldn't even do that frightened her even more. When someone knelt down in front of her, she was about to ask if they were a good person..but when she found that it was Diarmuid, she smiled..or, at least, tried to.]

Diarmuid! What's going on?! Did the bad people do this? And..how can we turn back to normal?!

I wish I had answers for you, but I am sorry, I do not.

[He holds his 'arms' out to her offering one thing he does have.]

For now, will a hug do? And perhaps we can try to figure things out together afterward?

[Because, in the end, while he might suspect that the microchips caused this, Diarmuid has no way of knowing for sure. Perhaps Ruana just decided to start her games early. this month...]

[Hugs were always good, even if they didn't provide answers. Yotsuba nodded before going to hug Diarmuid, one hand circling so that her 'teddy bear was on his back and not squashed in the hug.]

Okay..maybe someone else knows how to turn things back!

[Diarmuid nods, hugging her close. He had learned something important not long after all this had started. Even if they looked different now, their actions still felt the same. Touching someone's arm still felt like touching someone's arm and hugging them was still just as comforting as always.

If she doesn't stop him, after hugging her for a few moments, Diarmuid will lift her up into his arms.]

Yes, they might! You will be brave and help me look, right?

[Yotsuba liked being picked up and carried around by the people she liked, so she wouldn't stop him. She would almost drop Juralumin, but she managed to recover the bear before it fell to the ground. At the question, Yotsuba nodded, doing her best to smile and be brave.]

Yotsuba will! Where should we start?

[Diarmuid looks around the hallway as he tries to think of a good way to answer her. Most people they run into aren't going to have any idea what is going on. However, maybe that shouldn't really be the goal anyway. Instead, he smiles, thinking of a slightly different one instead.]

Well, why don't we try to find the people who you care about? You trust them, right? They are all strong and smart. Maybe one of them will know what we don't?

Edited 2013-06-04 05:59 (UTC)

[As Diarmuid spoke, Yotsuba looked around to see anyone that was like that. Yotsuba saw someone she actually was familiar with and pointed at, smiling.]

Oh! Cecil! Maybe she knows something! Hello! Did the bad people get you?

[ Cecil, though horrified by this revelation herself, feels she is more in shock than anything else at the moment. It doesn't seem to be much of a question that the microchips Diarmuid told her about caused this. She just isn't sure if this is a good thing or not.

The paladin, surprisingly, is not actually looking for anyone in particular when she hears her name called. Instead, she's been trying to calm others down as they scream or yell. A few times, she has had to stop people from hurting others or themselves. Cecil is a knight and she is used to pushing her own feelings aside for the sake of accomplishing the task ahead, so she welcomes the numbness if it can help her help others. ]

Yotsuba?

[ She recognizes the voice and when she looks up to see what appears to be a small child being carried by an adult, she raises a hand to her mouth.

Children. She nearly forgot there are children experiencing this. ]

I-I'm all right, Yotsuba.

Cecil...

[Even before she speaks, Diarmuid doesn't question the figure's identity because he feels one of those tugs at his soul like he has felt with so many of those he is close to. That this tug is harder than some of the others doesn't surprise him. He honestly wants to run to her and give her a hug, but at the moment, he is doing the same thing that she is--pushing the emotions away for the sake of those who need them to be strong.

For people like Yotsuba who are just too young to understand what is going on.

He carries Yotsuba over to Cecil. Since his face shows no expression, neither of them can see that he is smiling, but perhaps it will be clear enough in his voice. Or maybe, in the hand that isn't around Yotsuba reaching out to brush Cecil's own.]

Good find, Yotsuba! Cecil knows everything. She will surely be able to help us!

That's good! I'm glad to hear that!

[While Yotsuba's question was about whether or not Cecil managed to escape from the duo that killed her, this answer proved satisfactory, as the child didn't know that the knight had misconstrued her words. While Yotsuba could understand this situation-as well as any child the age of five could-it was still nice to have others around to help. That was always nice.

Yotsuba heard that smile and smiled in return as she spoke, both because of Diarmuid and because of who they had found.]

She will! Cecil's smart, so she might know! Do you know how we can re..return to normal?

Edited 2013-06-04 08:36 (UTC)

[ The paladin is relieved to hear Diarmuid's voice and even more so when she feels his fingers brush hers, because although she can't recognize him on sight alone anymore, the touch feels exactly like his hand always has and she takes it without hesitation, lacing their fingers together and holding on tightly. The comfort that brings her is nearly enough to make her cry and she feels the wave of strong emotion ripple through her violently.

She's grateful for the lack of defined features suddenly; she doesn't want Yotsuba or Diarmuid to see her so close to tears. ]

I... am not sure. I have never played this game before. But... perhaps it is like hide-and-seek. Have you played that game before, Yotsuba?

[Diarmuid smiles when she takes his hand even if no one else can see it with their forms like this. He had wanted to do that himself, but had worried it might be too forward. He squeezes her hand back and then lets his mind drift to her words.

A game. Why had he not thought of calling it that? While he detests the idea of calling life or death matters games, the battle between the administrators and the resistance really is something like that. Just a game with the highest stakes imaginable.]

See? We were right to think she would have the answers! We are looking for people who are 'hiding' from us aren't we?

[He bounces Yotsuba in his arm.]

It is just like hide-and-seek.

[In a terrible, tower-warped sort of way...]

[Yotsuba, unaware of how close Cecil was to breaking down or of Diarmuid's attempt to comfort her, laughed a little when Diarmuid bounced her and as she tried to speak.]

We are! But..how long do we have to count?

[ Cecil lifts her free hand to rub Yotsuba's back, still holding Diarmuid's hand in hers. ]

Well, we don't have to count. Everyone is already hidden, right? So we just have to find our friends and eventually the game will be over.

[ Or so she hopes. Cecil isn't concerned with explaining what's happening to such a small child. She doesn't want to frighten her further or distress her too much. Instead, she's focused on making this experience less terrifying for her and providing what stability for her that she can. Cecil knows that is important and that's now her first priority. ]

[Diarmuid gives Cecil's hand another squeeze as she answers the girl's question. It is almost exactly what he had wanted to say and it is good to know they are on the same wavelength when it comes to handling this.]

Indeed, it seems we should again bow to Cecil's wisdom, don't you think?

[While not visible, Diarmuid is smiling as he carefully bows to Cecil. Once he stands again, he turns his head toward Yotsuba.]

Would you like to ride on my shoulders like you have before? You will be able to see better that way!

Oh! You're right!

[At Diarmuid's question, Yotsuba turned to him and nodded.]

Yeah! Let's look for everyone, since they're already hiding! And Yotsuba would like to be tall again!

[While it was always wonderful when she could ride on Jumbo's or Daddy's shoulders back home, Diarmuid's shoulders made a comfortable seat..and she was quite a few feet 'taller'.]

[ Cecil smiles, but she knows they can't see her expression. Once more, Yotsuba proves to ease her troubled mind without even trying. She moves to stand closer to Diarmuid's side, both for the sake of being nearer to him and so that she can speak to Yotsuba clearly. ]

All right, shall we start here or do you want to look for certain people?

Well then, tall you shall be!

[Without waiting any longer, Diarmuid puts Yotsuba up on his shoulders careful to make sure she is securely settled before they start walking.]

Yotsuba is the seeker, I think she should decide that, don't you? Which do you prefer, Little One?

Yay!~

[Yotsuba couldn't stop herself from crying out when Diarmuid put her on his shoulders. As they walked, she kept both hands on his shoulders so that she didn't fall off.]

Let's start here! That way, we won't miss anyone!

[ Cecil followed beside them quietly. Although she had told Yotsuba this was just a game, in a sense, she was really playing seriously. Everyone looked more or less the same, so it was harder to tell who was who. So far, Diarmuid and the little girl are the only two friends she had come across. What if this "Glamor Failure" never was fixed? ]

[Cecil's silence worries Diarmuid and he squeezes her hand to to try and comfort her. He hopes that this state won't last long, but he has no way of knowing if this will be their new reality. It is why he can't help but wonder if helping the Resistance was really the right thing. So many people are scared and hurting now all for what?

He pushes his doubts away for the moment, though, and instead forces himself to focus on helping those he can. He can ponder 'what ifs' later. It's not like what has been done can be undone anyway.]

Do you have a name or two you want to call out for Yotsuba? It might make it easier to find them. Everyone looks the same so we have to be tricky to find the people we want to find!

[That was a good idea, and Yotsuba thought about a few names. She had met Rabbit already..but not Edgeworth, Enoch, or Kyoko.]

I do! Do you have any names, Diarmuid?

[After all, if they were all going searching, it was best that they all call out, even if she was the leader who would call the shots.]

Have you found Lancer already?

[ She directs her question to Diarmuid, coaxed out of her silence by the squeeze of his hand to hers. Right; it's time to focus on the task at hand. She does want to know that the other Servant is all right and Kain probably isn't take this too well... ]

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oathshackledbird - 2013-06-09 17:39 (UTC) - Expand

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sunflowerfairy - 2013-06-09 21:10 (UTC) - Expand

Glamour Failure

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This ship is now game-canon and you shan't be able to convince me otherwise. :3

asjkdjsjsk

They don't get a choice in this, do they? X.x

..Not much, really. ><;

~u~

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