[voicemail]

[chokmahemperor]

Thi~s is Peony~ Leave your name and a message, and I'll get back to you A.S.A.P.. Maybe sooner for pretty girls~

Comments

[Voice]

[relinquishing]

Your Majesty?

Your Majesty--- if you're there, please pick up---

[Guy sounds out of breath, as if he's running while talking. Because, well, he is. He'll be on Peony's doorstep in only a couple minutes... and hopefully Peony will be there.]

[Voice]

[chokmahemperor]

Guy?

[Have a curious emperor.]

Hey, where's the fire?

[Voice]

[relinquishing]

[Oh thank Yulia you're not dead. D|]

If I knew, I'd tell you.

When did you last see Jade?

[Voice]

[chokmahemperor]

[Of course he's not dead, Guy. |D Why would he be dead? Although that? That first bit is a little concerning. And hooked into the second...]

He's been pretty to himself, lately, but the last time I saw the back of his head was probably a couple days ago.

[Voice]

[relinquishing]

[So Jade wasn't kidding, then. If he'd made that original call outside his apartment walls... He really didn't want Peony to know.

Stubborn old coot--]

Damn... he hasn't been home since then, I guess.

Listen, I'm going to be over there in just a sec. I know it's kind of sudden--

[Voice]

[chokmahemperor]

What's he done, now?

[He's pretty sure this all amounts to "Jade's in trouble" or "Jade's off doing something utterly stupid", and it started the day Jade left to go out for "a bit". Man, that guy...]

[Voice]

[relinquishing]

[There's a moment of hesitation. He promised Jade he wouldn't get the Emperor involved, but--]

I'm not sure. He asked a favor of me a couple days back, but he's been acting strangely since then. I assumed he was still with you.

Your Majesty, I'm pretty sure he's in trouble.

[Voice]

[chokmahemperor]

[There's what sounds like a sharp breath, but it's almost too soft to really be heard.]

What kind of strangely?

[Jade is always strange. But it's the mention of trouble that has him ask. Jade's obsessed to the point of doing himself harm before, and... Damnit.]

Tell me everything.

[Voice] sob, so weird to be doing these threads out of order

[relinquishing]

[Guy sighs heavily, but nods. He wasn't going to get anywhere without more information.

Sorry, Jade.]

A couple days ago, he apparently lost his glasses and came to talk to me about making a replacement. He didn't give me many details outside the bare minimum. I know he was on edge and distracted while we were speaking, but he seemed alright otherwise.

I tried to talk to him earlier today, and-- well, it's almost like he's not even the same person anymore. Everything he said was bizarre, like he wasn't entirely sure of where he was or what he was talking about. I tried to ask about you, and he got pretty aggressive. He wouldn't say where he was or answer much at all. That's why I called.

[Voice] it issss a little bit ahaha, oh well!

[chokmahemperor]

His glasses, huh?

[Explains things a lot, really.]

He wouldn't want to say much about that, so I'm not surprised. Jade isn't the type to confess to weakness. It usually takes a certain kind of reminder that he's only human. Haah...

[It's not evident, but Peony shakes his head on the other end of the line, sigh mixing with a low chuckle.]

Man, he's just got to make trouble everywhere he goes.

[He doesn't know what the lack of a limiter truly entails, but overload of any kind doesn't usually end well.]

I don't know what all I can do, unfortunately. Other than make suggestions how to handle him if you run into him, but I've never seen him like that.

[And that's why there's that hint of worry in his tone he tries to cover up.]

[Voice >> Action] Then Guy proceeds to not follow the Emperor's suggestions and get his butt kicked!

[relinquishing]

Anything at all would be a help. You know him a lot better than I do. Ahh, well... hold on--

[The feed clicks off with a start, and Peony will hear a knock on his door only moments later. Hi, have an out-of-breath count.]

[Voice] Sunday the 6th,

[relinquishing]

Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I hope Jade's doing well.

[...]

When you have some spare time, could I have a word with you?

[Voice >> Action] gdi guy! /also still out of order everything L-LOL;;;

[chokmahemperor]

[Peony chuckles, keeping the usual lightness to it as best he can. And then the feed cuts, cue the knock, and Peony's up and taking hasty steps to the door. Even then, composure's back in place when he opens it.]

Well that didn't take long.

[Voice] Sunday the 6th

[chokmahemperor]

As well as someone like him can be.

[Well, this seems awfully formal.]

I don't see why you couldn't.

[Voice]

[relinquishing]

Thanks. Could I meet you over at The Crow's Nest? It's right down the street from the plaza. The sign's not hard to miss.

[It's hardly as busy now that the owner has vanished, but that's kind of the atmosphere Guy would prefer.]

[Voice]

[chokmahemperor]

I'll be there. Anything else before I leave?

[Why Guy wants to meet somewhere that quiet is beyond Peony, but he's got no real reason to question it. But with how things have been going lately, it'll be good to keep an open mind.]

[Voice >>> Action]

[relinquishing]

...Nah. I'll explain what I can later. Thanks.

[Because this is really a conversation he'd like to have face-to-face. With Jade present, too, if he wasn't already mentally exhausted. But at the very least, he could trust Peony to stay on topic if it was important.

Off to the bar he goes, then. He'll be seated at the counter, a glass already in his hand, one thumb idly tracing against the rim as he thinks. No need to worry about how this talk would end up, really. Not right now.]

[Action]

[relinquishing]

Hey, when I say I'm almost there, I usually mean it. [He manages a smirk.] I'm glad to see you're alright, though, Your Majesty.

Can I come in?

[Voice >>> Action]

[chokmahemperor]

Alright. See you then~

[Considering the last time they went from SFC to face-to-face all Hell had basically broken loose within the next couple days, Peony meets this with a little personal sarcasm that doesn't make it through his concept of filters. Not that Peony has many of those, but every now and again...

He makes it there in good time, claiming the perch next to Guy with a dramatic flourish--or dramatically plopping down onto it, anyway. He leans in a bit with an elbow on the counter, peering up at Guy.]

So, what's on your mind?

[Action]

[chokmahemperor]

[Peony grins at that. And there's something on the tip of his tongue he might say, but he hasn't forgotten the disparity in their origin times. Pity~]

I dunno, can you?

[He settles for that, instead, grin turning sly for a moment. Now really isn't the time for that, though, so immediately after that comes a small laugh and he beckons Guy in.]

Grab a seat wherever you want.

[The mess is, as it normally is, contained to Peony's room alone.]

[Action]

[relinquishing]

[Guy glances over at the Emperor briefly, an unreadable smile on his lips before he stares back down at his glass.]

Your Majesty... if I were to ask you questions about the Auldrant you remember, would you be able to answer them honestly?

[Action]

[relinquishing]

[He is doing so, gratefully! He plops into the nearest chair, taking a glance over at the disaster that is Peony's room with a raised eyebrow before turning his attention back to the Emperor himself.]

Sorry again for the suddenness of all this. So, did Jade ever talk to you about his fonic sight?

[Action]

[chokmahemperor]

[Peony's lips stay in their customary upward curve, and he hums as he tilts his head, chin resting on his upturned palm.]

Absolutely.

[Which doesn't actually mean he'd be sure to tell the truth or lie, but he would certainly be able to answer honestly. That being said, he isn't inclined to lie.]

[Action]

[relinquishing]

Great. I'll try to be as brief as I can, then.

[He sits up straighter, an odd determination in his expression as he turns to face Peony.]

First: Van. Is he still alive?

[Action]

[chokmahemperor]

[He's not surprised he's being asked a question like this, and that expression is befitting the nature of it. He doesn't straighten up, though, still at ease but toeing the edge of flippancy.]

No.