vii. voice

[firstroar]

–omeone...

[a beat, a breath heavily drawn and shakily exhaled. sentences are punctuated with overlong breaks.]

Help me understand. Not one person I have spoken to recalls this mission...But she is still gone. [breath.] Physis is. Others, perhaps? I don't know. No one has any recollection...

Comments

[firstroar]

[just a couple breaths, considering.]

I can't be sure of that. But I have to be certain of this. Of where she is.

[maddeninghatter]

[ All this heavy breathing... Hm. He'd assumed this fellow was simply upset, but the more he listens to it.... ]

I say - are you all right? You sound unwell.

[firstroar]

Again. [grim.] If, perhaps, you learn something I have not...

[firstroar]

[breath.]

It may be too soon to connect these things, but...

[firstroar]

That's not important right now. [biting on the next breath.] But I need help finding her.

[heartsink]

This sort of thing used to happen, from time to time. So, if their patterns are ones I recognize, I'll find it.

Does their Porter have hiccups very often, do you know?

[ "Their" rather than "the" — even after half a year in this world, she still speaks like she belongs in the other. ]

[quisling]

If it's something small like that then there's no reason for the Initiative to deny having sent people off on the mission in the first place. Even if it was all a front to cover up what they really wanted people to do for them they would have stuck to the story about it being a data collection mission.

[firstroar]

I don't know. How much is tied to that machine and how much has changed since the end of that world...

[firstroar]

The hearts of those I spoke to wavered with uncertainty. None of them knew of what I asked. Not one.

[heartsink]

Hmm...

Let me see what else has been said. Two might be coincidence, but if it's more than that...

[firstroar]

I'll count on you for this. [breath.] In the meantime...

[quisling]

[ He's not entirely sure what that means, but he's not entirely sure how Physis' abilities work either. Maybe it's something similar to that?

This isn't boding well though. It's what he expected, but he's still going to ask... ]

Could it be something only people higher up in the organization are aware of?

[maddeninghatter]

[ Subtle. ]

I see. So you are--

[ He breaks off, feeling the same twinge of suspicion he'd sensed when speaking to Rosette. Someone has disappeared, under mysterious circumstances. And now someone else is asking for people to come look for her, potentially putting the searchers at risk.... ]

Ah. It might help if we had more information, as I understand she has a four-day head start, or something like that, and could be anywhere. Could you perhaps be more specific about Miss Physis' abilities, do you think? Knowing the "tides and turns of hearts" is a bit vague, wouldn't you say?

[heartsink]

Before you leave this world, you'll see her again. I'm sure of it.

[hornedomen]

[Blue was not going to rest until Physis was found, was he? Ico understood. He would have done the same for Toto when he ran away from home, if only his father had let him.]

I'll ask them. I'll be quick.

[firstroar]

[after a breath, there's a faint sound, but nothing more.

thank you.]

[firstroar]

I don't know. [there's too much he doesn't know. it's frustrating.] What she's told me, what is...typical or not of this place...And now, hearing murmurs of others absent...

[firstroar]

I'll count on you. [he doesn't anticipate a good result, but there is always a chance.]

[firstroar]

[a faint sound comes with his next exhale. he's impatient, balking at having to slow down to explain things. it's easier to search alone...except that it isn't when your body won't endure what needs to be done.]

It is the truth. She is Mu, and our kind all can sense the thoughts and feelings of those around us. It is what she sees, though she can't see with her eyes. [breath, kind of a huff. he has to slow down again.]

Her presence is...distinct. Something understood better when she is there.

Golden hair, reaching the floor. A gentle voice. [Physis.] She is frail, as Mu are. She could be hurt. [he feels as though every second explaining is one spent failing her.]

[andagain]

If I do, I'll be sure to let you as soon as possible.

[quisling]

[ Suzaku frowns to himself... Could Euphie's disappearance be connected to this then...? ]

She seemed last time I saw her, but... was she acting off when she told you about the mission?

[hornedomen]

[Some time later, Ico replied. He was sweating because he had run and did not stop running until he reached the Hold and had asked everyone working on the transporter.]

No one knows what happened to her. How long was she gone?

[chittybang]

Do you know where and when that mission was supposed to take place? I mean, there's not a whole lot we can do from here.

[Is she insinuating a SEARCH PARTY? Perhaps.]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Without a trace of irony: ]

You let a fragile blind girl go off on a mission by herself? What were you thinking?

[aequivoci]

[ hm, time to do some snoopin'. ]

I will let you know if I hear anything in regards to her, but you might as well prepare yourself in the case that the United Earth has her.