paradisa

Entry tags:

lenalee li

01

[ Hastily written, but still legible. ]

Hello?

[ ... ]

I apparently spent four or five days here already, but I can't remember much of it. I thought I was dreaming.

I'm Lenalee, if that rings any bells for anyone I've talked to. [ Five or six people, maybe more. ] If not, it's nice to meet you for the first time. Can anyone give me a quick explanation about this castle?

[ And not knowing how filtering works, she simply write the last part smaller. ]

General Cross? Allen? Are you here...?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[!!!!]

[He recognizes that voice. So he DIDN'T imagine that part of the week]

Lenalee?

[ His voice is what lets her know things hadn't been a dream.

Apparently they had been related.

Her heartbeat flutters; so Allen really was here, strange as it was to meet here. She hadn't thought such was possible. ] It's m-- [ She chokes on her words, and forces it into a sort of laugh. ] It's me, Allen. [ Softly. ] How've you been?

[Lenalee. Lenalee was really here. It had been so long, he had been sure it was a dream. But here she was-]

I'm- I'm fine.

Can you...can you tell me where you are?

[ Three months and counting to her. Had to be harder for him... ]

That's...good. [ Her own voice sounds so distant. She gives out her location the best she can. ]

Allen, have you been here long? [ He sounds well, if not normal. But it really was so good to hear him again... ]

Ah...you could say that, yes.

[Five and a half years. But he thinks he can get to that later. ]

Hold on, I'll be there soon.

[And he's on his way!]

I see... [ She has time to be shocked later.

'Hold on, I'll be there soon.'

It's almost hard to believe. ] Mm. I'll be waiting. [ She grips the journal very, very tightly, knuckles whitening. ]

[It takes him about ten minutes to get there, to run all the way there from the city. There's little thinking that's going on in his head as he runs, only that Lenalee is here. Only once he reaches her door, hand on the knob, does he hesitate slightly. ]

[It's been so long...]

[But Allen is no coward. If anything he might need to learn more about fear. He pushes some of the white strands of his hair out of his face and knocks. He's always a gentleman, after all. Then tentatively, so he knows it's her, he'll speak]

Lenalee..?

[ Ten minutes were nothing compared to how long they've waited before.

She sits, staring down at her hands, until she hears the knock--

And then his voice. Still unchanged. It was him. ]

A minute-- [ She rises to walk over--or rather, half-trip--towards the door and flings it open. ]

[ There he stands, looking pretty much what he remembers.

Her hands curl up, and...well, her eyes are quickly filling up with tears. ] Allen, you--

[ Hits him in the shoulder instead of his face (She would aim for his cheek, but by this time her eyesight is so blurry she would be afraid of hitting him in the nose), and then she is wrapping her arms around him before he falls. ]

You're all right. [ All of the relief is in her voice, soft as it was. ]

[Oh right Lenalee is violent. He yelps a bit as he gets punched and stumbles back]

[But then he gets caught in her arms, stopping him from falling. It's a surreal feeling. The tears in her eyes, the hitting, the hugging....]

[Just what is happening back home?]

Ah...yes, I am.

[He'll slowly move one of his arms to return the hug. To give her support. Not that she probably needs it, but...it feels important to do it anyway.]

[ Too many things things are happening and have happened.

She doesn't speak for a few minutes, just to be sure his presence wasn't her imagination. ] It's been awhile. I didn't know I'd find you here.

[He pauses at that, thinking of what to say. ]

How long...?

[ Leans back so she can look at him without being cross-eyed. ] Three months? Kanda was looking for you, actually.

You?

Three months...

[he sounds surprised, his voice quiet. He's been gone three months at home? Where did he go? Did he escape the Order? Did Central get him? The Noah? Was he dead and no one told them...?]

[So many questions. But...they can come later. He pauses before he answers. Might as well say it]

Five and a half years...time works strangely here.

Yeah. [ And she would answer everything she could if he asked.

And then surprise on her own face. ] You don't look near twenty. Is there no aging here?

Twenty-one, actually. [And he nods; with a slight resigned look] And no there isn't...it can be a little annoying at times. [he makes a huff noise that blows his bangs from his face]

Older than me. [ A hint of a smile tugging at her lips. ] How has it been here? You're still Allen. [ As he always would be. ]

Mm! I'm older than Lavi and Kanda too! [THATS THE IMPORTANT PART!!]

It's been...fine. I mean, this castle isn't very good, but I've met a lot of good people here.

[ She finally laughs a little. ] It's hard to believe. [ Even if it's right before her. ]

Not very good in what ways?

Ah...I hear that a lot.

[he frowns at the question] The castle can be...sadistic, dangerous. It does bad things to people sometimes....such as bringing in monsters or changing people temporarily. Though a lot of the time these sorts of things are more...strange than anything.

It isn't every day something like this occurs.

[ She tilts her head. ] Strange...in ways like what happened right as we were moving the old Headquarters? [ Bookman sprouting ears, Allen's hair growing--that sort of thing. ]

Mm, only in place like this.

[He chuckles] That's...a good way to put it.

[ Faintly. ] I'll get used to it...

[ At least she knows what to expect now. ] What's the craziest thing to have happened, do you know?

I'll help, okay?

[He makes a thoughtful noise] ....Definitely that week we got sent to this cloud place full of shallow lump creatures that could turn you into one of them with a bite.

I know you will.

[ Shadow lump creatures...how interesting. ] Did they do anything else except bite?

Um...they talked a lot about shopping.

[ She will just look at you with the most perplexed expression. ] Shopping.

Yes...for clothing.

...Even though I don't recall them wearing much at all.

[Ah, she was a new arrival too. How awkward for the poor dear. Galadriel will write back in a rather elegant script]

We spoke, but I will introduce myself once more. I am called Galadriel.

I would first ask what you know already of this place, for I would not waste my breath explaining unnecessary details.

I think I remember your name. [ Definitely elegance. Someone to respect. ]

Only a little; that I'm probably going to be here for a while in this castle, with people from different worlds.

Then I must first warn you of what many here term "losses," both permanent and temporary.

Something of value is taken from each of us upon our arrival. It may be an item, a skill, a memory- anything that is dear to you. None of yet found a means to retrieve them. This is what most here call a "permanent loss."

At other times, the castle is wont to manipulate us according to its whims. Some change in form, others in mind, but regardless, these changes do not typically last more than a week. They are often unpleasant, but there is little to be done for it.

I think I still have all my memories, at least. [ Thankfully. ]

Change in form or mind as in...becoming someone else? Like what I had just previously experience which made me think I was related to people?

Something akin to that yes. It is also quite common to become an animal or revisit a certain time in your past.

Why does the castle do this to people?

I cannot say for certain. But we have reason to believe that this place gains its power from our souls and emotions. Put simply- it becomes more powerful through our misfortune.

So that's why we're here? [ She doesn't like it. Not the least bit. ] What does it do with the power it gains?

I cannot say for certain. Abducting and containing us must require a great deal of power, as must the world changes and the wishes. Perhaps that is all. Perhaps it requires it to survive. I know not.

I don't exactly like the idea of being stuck here though. I'm-- [ well. ] I'm sure what I'd do here, actually.

There are few who do. For myself, I have chosen to dedicate my time to seeking a way out and to offering those here protection and aid as best I may

[ ......

Oh, so the castle was not playing tricks on him and having her be there as an illusion. ]

You rang, Lenalee?

I--did, in fact. [ More than surprised, but...he's not dead or missing as he usually seemed to be. ] How are you?

I am well, and yourself?

The surprise is mostly gone. I think...it's not so bad here so far.

Yes, and you even experienced your first loss right out of the gate. This place is so generous. [ sarcasm is dripping from the journal rn ]

I'm sure my Idiot Apprentice gave you The Talk already about this place.

...oh right, that. [ She clears her throat. ] Somehow I had been related to you in some way.

He did. Is there anything else I ought to know though?

Yes. At least nothing horrendous exploded at us during that loss.

As of right now, no.

[ filter; lenalee ]

If you ever need to speak with me in person, my room is 2003 in the Terrere Tower.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

01

Dictated

Dictated

Dictated

Dictated

Dictated

Dictated

Action!

Action! 1/4 I'm sorry

2/4

3/4

4/4 done

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

dictated;

dictated;

dictated foreverrr

o7

no subject

no subject

no subject