Fuda #33 . reaching out [video]

[idealism]

I don't suppose anyone here is good at chopping wood? And heaving lifting.

[If anyone thinks that's a loaded question: it definitely is. For a couple of days now he's been working on a campsite, and it's a lot more work - and a lot less fun - than he expected. It's great at keeping his mind off of less pleasant thoughts, however. Working out usually is.]

[Later in the day, he makes a post that he hasn't looked forward to. His little Luceti family has shrunk so much lately. Tsuzuki knows that it's for the best - that going home is good for them - but he still can't help missing them.]

Link's gone home. He's left letters for some people.

I just felt like some people ought to know.

Comments

[Action]

[cynicism]

[In the late afternoon, Hisoka ventures out to Tsuzuki's campsite.]

I made tea. Come have some. [And by tea he means conversation.]

[Action]

[idealism]

Tea? Yay!

[He's so grateful for the break that he sees no reason to hide it.]

Did you bring two cups?

[Action]

[cynicism]

Don't be stupid. Of course I did. Go wash your hands. [Sob why does he still have to tell you these things, partner.]

[Action]

[idealism]

I'm glad you did. Today's been so cold, for some reason, so tea sounds great.

[It's better to listen to direction than to dwell on his thoughts, so he hurries over to clean up.]

What kind of tea did you get?

[Action]

[cynicism]

Oolong's ready. There's some green and black blends in the cupboard if you want something else.

[Voice]

[hisdarkmark]

I suppose you're building to serve as a distraction?

[Voice]

[idealism]

Not just. I'm building so we'll have someplace to tell ghost stories in the summer.

[Voice]

[hisdarkmark]

Ghost stories? For what?

[Voice]

[idealism]

You've never told ghost stories?

[Voice]

[hisdarkmark]

Tsuzuki, I live with ghosts at school.

[thelittlemacthatcould]

He's gone? [Mac blinks blankly, slow to process the news.] But... [He'd only just seen him at his joint birthday party with Pao-lin.]

[idealism]

Yeah. [It's sad that it is so abrupt. There's never any time for real goodbyes.]

...But?

[thelittlemacthatcould]

I was jus' at his birthday party... [He knits his brows, absently chewing on his lip. People can slip away so quickly; Mr. Anthony, Mr. Kim, and now Link, all in the span of two weeks.]

[idealism]

[If anything, it shows how precious their time together is, since it's so easy to lose people. Tsuzuki's voice softens, not wanting to make losses worse.]

How did you know Link?

[thelittlemacthatcould]

[He purses lips a moment, his gaze darkening in thought.]

He was one a' the first guys t'show me 'round this place... an' that means a lot t'me. Know we didn't talk everyday or nothin', but he was a good guy. Pretty laid back an' all.

Voice

[hero_in_training]

[...they're both gone? So...he's the only Link left. Possibly the only one left from their world.

He doesn't reply for awhile, just. Processing this. He should go and see what Link left behind, maybe get the letters out to people...

Eventually he replies though, a little quiet] It's going to be really empty now. [Maybe he should get his things together and leave...ask Foot about it and all. But he doesn't really want to...]

Voice

[idealism]

[He nods, too scatterbrained to realize that little Link can't see it. He hasn't been able to properly react to the loss. It's too fresh.]

I can't imagine how quiet the house must be now.

Are you okay?

Voice

[hero_in_training]

[The quiet is going to be so strange...even in the temples it was noisy, with the monsters. Quiet is...odd]

Y-yeah, I'm okay. I think. [...]

[Voice]

[idealism]

That's good. I am going to miss him.

[Voice]

[hero_in_training]

Yeah...me too. [Quiet] It's strange...I'd just gotten used to being one of the Links. And now I'm suddenly the only one. [Laughs a little, the sound kind of off]

[lostinmyway]

[Grune had been doing a little bit of weeding in the Memory Garden and had left her journal open for company. She likes listening to all the chatter of what she thinks of as everyone being friendly with one another, and so it's something she does fairly often.

She almost misses Tsuzuki's post. It's quieter than the rest and not so attention-getting. But she does hear it, and her hands freeze in the dirt.

No. No, that can't be right. He must have made a little mistake.]

Link's on a mission. He'll be back soon.

[She can't have him making people feel bad by accident with his mistake. Then everyone would be sad.]

[idealism]

[For a second his heart leaps up in his chest, hope making him think that -despite all the evidence- that he was completely wrong and that Link's on his way home any second.]

[It's not easier the second time. Getting used to that new hole in his life will take some time.]

[He doesn't want to be the one to give her bad news, twice. Looking away from the journal, he shakes his head.]

No, I... I went to 49 and all his things were gone.

[lostinmyway]

[Tsuzuki would be forgiven for thinking Grune had closed the journal entirely. In the garden, she goes completely quiet and still, and she stares blankly at the half-weeded bed in front of her. Link...wasn't here anymore. Her little brother had gone away.

Finally, she asks:] Are you one of his friends?

[idealism]

Yes. He was dear to me. [Living in the same house for that long, dealing with everything from personal enemies to holidays together... Tsuzuki shakes his head, trying to get those thoughts out of his head.]
You?

[lostinmyway]

He's my little brother, and I'm his big sister. I love him very much.

[Grune never uses past tense in these cases. After all, she always believes her friends will come back soon as they can.]