presumablyalone | Fourteenth Firefly

[Seto knew something was wrong when he woke up. Baldr had even been acting weird. So he tried to contact Lightning over the journals. She should've come home from her mission by now. Baldr was no doubt just anxious to get back to her. But when he tried to set up a filter, it instantly broke.

He knows just as much as anyone what a broken filter means, and even when someone's on a mission, something like this doesn't happen. But despite knowing he went to her house with Baldr and found that all trace of her was gone. The dog had gone around the house and sniffed about for his owner but there was nothing. Not even the clothes in her closet were there.

It was just so bare. What he feared was true.

When he returned home, he took a minute to sit down with the dog and hug him, burying his face into his black fur as the tears threaten to ove. It hurt, knowing that yet another one of his friends was now gone. Nagisa, Terra, Kazuma and now her. Lightning being another one of those who was very important to him. Especially considering what had happened between them not too long ago. He wanted to fix them. To fix what he had broken.

It takes him a few minutes before he finally grabs his journal and opens it up to make the annoucement. It’s been a while since he’s done something like this so for a good few seconds, there’s nothing but silence as he tries to bring himself to say those words.]

…Lightning has been sent home. [Said gently and sadly. He pets Baldr's head as he lays down beside him.]

I… don’t know if she left anything behind for anyone. I went to her house but nothing’s there. [Granted he didn’t snoop around but he felt it was wrong to do so, even though she isn’t here anymore.

He still feels like he has to be careful where he steps when it comes to her. He wanted to gain her trust back, he was slowly getting there but now… no, come now Seto, maybe she’ll come back one day. And he can try again, even start from scratch if he has to.

“Friends always see each other again.”

Right…

He isn't sure what else to say so there's a long pause before he speaks up again.] Does anyone want to go on a walk with Baldr and I? I know it’s cold but I think he’s sad… [Seto’s no expert on dogs by any means, he’s more of a cat whisperer, but still. Maybe a walk will do him some kind of good. Seto too.

Whether anyone has decided to join him or not, a little bit after his entry goes up, Seto will be walking around the village bundled up with a big black dog at his side. He’ll be seen just about anywhere around the village so feel free to bug him!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's a pleasure to meet you, Seto. I'm Tear. [She pauses her petting Baldr in order to extend her hand toward Seto, offering it as a handshake. Still, in such a short amount of time he seemed to have cheered up a little...]

It's a pleasure to meet you too, Tear. [He reaches out and takes her hand with a brighter smile. Baldr walks up between them and sniffs their hands] I think he's happy to meet you too.

I'm glad to hear that, he's a beautiful dog. [Oh can she pet him? She wants to pet him so terribly...]

How much longer will you both be walking? If you don't mind, I would like to keep you company.

He really is, huh? [Pet him Tear, do it. He likes the attention..!!]

Oh! [Now he's excited] Well I hadn't really though about how much longer I'd be walking but I definitely wouldn't mind your company on our walk! We'd both really like it.

Yes, and well-behaved as well. [Okay so she will pet him, dear Lorelei he truly is fluffy and beautiful...!]

Then shall we be going? I'll stay with you for as long as you'd like.

Yeah... Lightning trained him really well. [Said with a sad smile but he tries to wipe the sad look off his face]

Mm, let's go! [And he shall start to walk in stride with her now] Thank you, I really appreciate it.

She must be a strong person, to have raised him like this. And it's nothing, I'm glad you're allowing me. [She walks alongside him with her hands folded behind her back, gaze lingering back and forth between him and the dog. While she had noticed the brief sadness to him, she wasn't sure exactly how to address it or even if she should.]

Have you been outside most of the day?

She was very strong! Lightning was amazing. [It's safe to say that in a way, Seto looked up to her quite a bit. She was much stronger and braver than he was.]

Not really. I actually started walking not too long ago!

[The way of speaks of his friend doesn't go unnoticed either, and she's starting to become a little concerned that there was more to the situation than he let on. But again, what right did she have to pry yet?]

Is that so? You seemed awfully subdued if you haven't been out that long.

Ah--really? [He smiles sheepishly]

I guess I've just had a lot on my mind.

... If you don't wish to share them, that's fine. But if you want to, I would be willing to at least listen.

[The smile fades and Seto stares down at Baldr as the continue to walk. In all honesty, he isn't sure if he wants to talk about it. Not that this nice woman isn't someone he feels he can't talk to, but rather he doesn't want his problems to dampen the mood or burden her in any way.

Not to mention that this walk was meant for Baldr, to get his mind off of his owner. Seto's too.]

Maybe later, if you're all right with that. I don't want Baldr to hear. [And so he'll go with that.]

Anytime you would like to. [Her attention returns to Baldr walking alongside them, wondering if he was also as solemn as Seto seemed to be.]

It doesn't have to be today either, if you would rather not.

[He smiles a bit] Thank you, Tear. I really wouldn't mind talking about it today. Maybe it'd help make me feel better if I did talk about it. I just don't want Baldr to be sad anymore right now.

That's fine. [She pauses for a moment, expression suddenly thoughtful.]

Is there a particular activity both of you like to do?

[Seto blinks then looks down at Baldr while the dog returns the glance up at him]

I've played that game "fetch" before with him and it was fun. Firo told me about it.

Fetch? I've heard about it. [Even if she knew she could never have a pet growing up, she read plenty about them.]

Animals weren't common where I lived, and in other areas they were often monsters.

Really? [There were a lot of animals (CATS SPECIFICALLY) around the observatory and pretty much anywhere you went. Since there were no people they could occupy anyplace they wanted, even the sewers. The most frightening animals were the dogs though since all of them were vicious creatures. They always attacked him when he was passing through a town or just anywhere.

And there were just an equal amount of evil entities floating around all over the place.] What kind of monsters?

[~~cute ones~~ She pauses briefly, even slowing her stride a little as she thinks about the way to describe the creatures she had encountered during her travels. Some were more memorable than others, but in the end they had to be struck down in order to protect herself and her companions.]

Many were just common everyday creatures who happen to be more aggressive than some of their counterparts. Birds, boars. Others were... unusual, and deliberately went to attack passerby. We try to avoid encountering them, but sometimes it can't be done.

[He's read about boars before--never seen one of course but after reading about them he's glad they're not animals he encountered back home. They didn't exactly sound nice]

Have you ever been attacked by them before? [He's worried]

It's common when you travel extensively, especially on foot. [Even though the smallest smile was on her face, she couldn't help wanting to apologize for it to Seto. But survival was survival, and she could only be better prepared so she didn't have to do it as often.]

I guess I can understand. [Well, he can understand. Once his grandfather died he traveled on foot and was always attacked by either entities or wild dogs.]

I'm you're okay, though. You must be strong.

Thank you, but there's always more to learn. There are many types of strength out there. [And they didn't all have to do with actual battle – surely Seto had some strengths of his own.]

That is true. [His strength would have to be the strength to be able to carry on despite all the bad things that he's been through]

Fourteenth Firefly - [voice/action]

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