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[Hey Tranquility. This is a face that's been kind of missing for a while, and boy does he look tired. Tired and worn and just kind of like a kid who's seen way too much shit in way too short a time.]

Hey, um. [Well, that's eloquent. And kind of scratchy, like he hasn't actually spoken in a few days. He clears his throat, shifts around a bit, and tries again.] I'm back, sorry... for disappearing, I guess. We got stuck in a weird part of the ship when lockdown hit.

[There's a long bit of silence where James just kind of looks off to the side of his communicator, spacing out. And it's more than obvious that he's pale, with dark circles under his eyes. A bit gaunt from not really being able to find much food from his little getting lost thing.]

Libby's... gone. And I found... if I can just- if a Miles and a Jesse who knew her can get in touch, that'd be... she told me to tell you.

[For now, he's saying nothing about the latest addition to his room.]

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[ Azari looks relatively apathetic, except for maybe some underlying frustration, considering how freaked he was over James being missing, but only if you don't know what to look for. If you don't know that he tends to scold his siblings when they scare him, out of relief, and if you can't recognize the slope of his shoulders when he's at ease instead of tense and worried. ]

You haven't eaten since you got back, have you? I'm coming by with food so I don't have to drag your butt to medical when you collapse from malnutrition.

[He sees it. Other people might not, but James is... he's good at noticing these things. He has to be, to have helped lead the team back home. He has to be able to pick up on the little signs that teammates aren't one hundred percent. To see if they're angry, tired, nervous, and act and plan accordingly.

It's an annoying skill, and he hates it more often than not. But right now, it's something that comes in handy. Something that has a small smile pulling at his lips, tired as everything else about him. Tired, and more than a little apologetic.]

I won't collapse. It's just been a few days. [He shrugs a shoulder, trying to play it off, even if he knows Azari's coming whether he wants him to or not.] I'm fine. I'm not hungry.

Edited 2012-11-02 09:35 (UTC)

Yeah, because you not being hungry makes me feel so much better.

[ Azari's already on the move, James, even as he talks to you. There's no hope. ]

Anyway, that's what happens if you don't eat for a while, probably. Stress reaction or to deal with the fact that you've had no relief from hunger or something. [ Yeah, he knows it's grief. Hell, Azari's pretty proud of himself for remembering to eat at least once a day, even if he's not eating as much as he knows he should. ] I'll bring you something, and you're going to eat it whether you like it or not.

[Okay. It happens. He knew it would happen eventually. It's going to happen to all of them. He just... focuses on keeping it together for the camera.]

I'm Jesse.

Shit, really?

[ Gone where, he wonders? But he's not brave enough to ask it aloud. Perhaps it's better to think she'd gone home, but then, maybe home hadn't treated her any better than this place ever did. Certainly he'd seen too much of himself in the girl's darkness to imagine she'd had a happy life, but then, who does? ]

[ A moment's more silence and he rubs his jaw. ]

Not that I much knew her. Thanks for, erm. Lettin' people know.

[ Maybe once he would have been sadder, but lately it feels like his interest in human connection has gone down the drain. Which is maybe why he doesn't ask if the guy is okay (about her disappearing, about time in a strange part of the ship.) ]

[Oh.

...Oh.

He wonders if gone means dead, and...Well. Of course it does. That's simply logical; as per all his hypotheses, the people who disappear do die, because to presume that they simply disappear is absurd. It takes him an hour before he responds, and then it's by text.]

I am Miles Edgeworth.

[Francis is quiet at first, giving James that moment to mourn. he didn't like Libby all that much, sure, but he's lost enough people in his life to know how it feels, to need that moment where you just turn in on yourself

he also knows you can't let someone think on it forever, so when he speaks, his voice is brusque, matter-of-fact, and even a little bit teasing because it's James and if he didn't treat him like a bro he wouldn't respect him]

Do you have any idea how long I looked for you, dude?

[ Steve, at first focusing on James and the relief he feels at seeing him in one piece, eventually lets his gaze wander until he catches a glimpse at the mask, which makes him frown. Still, there are more pressing concerns. ]

Glad to see you're still with us, kid, you had a lot of people worried. [ He sounds more worried the longer he looks at him, and his voice lowers a lot, going much softer. ] You okay?

[ They've never met, but he's just a kid. She has to say something. ]

Would you like something to eat?

[Keeping it together has become James' default as of late. Tucking away just about everything other than a quiet, tired acceptance of the shit that happens.

It does make it easier, though, that Jesse's managing to hold it together as well.]

The one that knew her?

[He just wants to be sure.]

[If he did ask, James wouldn't hesitate. He'd call her dead. Say it out loud, let it just be said. He's optimistic about some things, sure. About the people who were healthier, who disappeared in less obvious ways. About their futures here, on this crazed ship.

But with this? With the situation they'd been in, the way it had happened? Even he couldn't coax that optimism into a full flame.]

It's a big ship. [He shrugs] Kinda impossible to know everyone, just- people shouldn't be left wondering. It's better to get it out there.

[The Tranquility; killing off basic human compassion since 2011.]

[By now, James is just numb. Numb and tired and sick of dealing with this, with Libby leaving, with the ship in general... but this response has him steeling himself, taking a few moments to respond because he has to follow the directions on Libby's computer, has to transfer a file and send it.

He never was good with computers... but Libby knew that well enough to make the instructions something he could understand.]

i'm sending you something. she wanted you to see it.

[The first file is simple, a video message of Libby, sitting and making a self eulogy, leaving messages for the people she might - and had - end up leaving behind:

Hey, Miles. I know you don't do the whole emotional thing. That's chill with me, it's one of the things I like about you. So--I'm missing and or dead, whatev, these things happen--

No. [Libby stops herself, squeezing her eyes shut.] No. I'm sorry. Just--listen. I'm sorry. Whatever happened to me I swear I fucking tried. I didn't leave you on purpose. I'd never--you know I'd never. And if I can make it back to you, I swear, I'm going to come back. Until then, just...hold on. 'Cause I believe in you. And if that doesn't mean something, then I don't know what to say, because I don't trust people. But you earned it. And I want my fucking twenty-first birthday party, so you better expect me back. And while I'm gone, could you look after this stupid redhead for me? I'll make it up to you, I swear.

Love you.

But as that message finishes, it triggers a transfer of another, one James isn't actually aware of.]

Edited (herp derp coding) 2012-11-07 10:29 (UTC)

[Honestly? He appreciates the distraction, the lack of sympathy, the way his teammates aren't letting him mope and wallow. He needs it. Needs the edge, the action, something to do that isn't just sit and sulk and drown in misery.

He needs Azari fussing over him, scolding him. Just as he needs Francis not actually giving him a break.]

Longer than a day, hopefully. [His lips twitch, amused, before he steels his expression, goes into working mode.] What's been happening?

[The mask... is weird, James'll give him that. But he's pretty determined to just... ignore it. Leave it alone. Pretend like it doesn't exist and maybe, just maybe it'll go away.]

Didn't mean to worry anyone, we just got stuck behind a door when the power went out. [He hesitates, though, glancing up at the image of Steve on his communicator, weighing his options and...] ... I'll get there. I'm not hurt, at least.

[Kind of never met. But without a name, and even though without knowing that this Betty knew the Hulk, too, James won't be able to tie her to the old woman they'd met while trying to save the world.]

My brother's... [-bringing him something, but the sentence dies in his throat. He shouldn't shut himself away right now, he knows that. And while James isn't the best at branching out and talking to people...]

Sure. ... Thanks.

Yeah.

She wanted me to tell you something. She- [He breaks, a little, closing his eyes, taking a breath, and finding himself smiling. A small, tired expression.]

She wanted you to know that these have been the best months of her life. That you helped her believe in something again. That not everyone was... "fucked up".

[Little does he know that the very fact that he's talking to Jesse right now is triggering something, deep down in the layers of code, through the connection his communicator has to Libby's laptop.

Because, even as they speak, a little message is being sent Jesse's way.]

Edited 2012-11-07 10:57 (UTC)

[He listens attentively to James's words, even if he isn't looking directly at the camera. The second message goes unnoticed for now, but he'll see it and open it later, likely play it over and over and watch it anytime he misses her in the weeks to come. For now, though, he reacts only to James. And those words are enough to bring tears to his eyes. Jesse doesn't say anything, but he nods.]

[He practically gave up hope the second Azari responded. He's just bracing for the mom lecture impact, now.]

I'm fine, Azari. Just... not hungry. [He sighs, though, and flops back in his bed, leaving his communicator on the bedside table as he just... stares at the ceiling, trying to reign his thoughts back in.] She was sick, before. She never told me how bad it was, didn't want me to worry. But I could tell she was sick.

[It's almost like they're cursed to lose everyone they care about.]

[He watches Jesse for a moment, letting the words sink in, swallowing against the almost painful feeling of fondness rising in him as he repeats them.

Finally, though, he clears his throat and... does his level best not to seem too awkward about this.]

She... [A short roll of his eyes] She said to tell you to look out for me, too. And that's- I can do fine on my own. But...

I'm James. Rogers. Libby and I were... we were together. [These people, Jesse... Miles. They were important to Libby. He owes it to her memory, their shared love of a girl gone, but never forgotten, to at least try to get to know them.]

[Jesse clears his throat, too, trying to find his voice again.]

Yeah? That's great. I'm glad she had somebody.

It's, um, nice to meet you, James. Sucks it had to be like this, but yeah. And she's right, you know. You need anything, you can ask me.

Yeah, no, you're right.

[ He sighs. ]

Big ship, though, you haven't seen someone in a while, you kind of hope they've just gone for a walk.

[ Obviously there's evidence that going for a really long walk isn't exactly fun, but the alternative is — no. No, better to imagine people go home. That one day, he will too. ]

A lot happened in the chaos, just glad you're safe and the worst you had was a locked door. [ He means it, but as light as he tries to deliver it, it falls short.

He nods, listening, eyes flickering to the mask. ] You see something you'd rather forget?

More like twenty whole minutes. And I want them back.

[and the momentary banter is set aside because business always comes first, and the two of them? they're born leaders, collaborators. they're the type who learn to work in sync after only knowing each other hours, and that hasn't changed here]

I figure you noticed the power going out. Some of the team helped round people up. [a beat, because he doesn't really want to mention it, but] The ship's doing weird things again. Left stuff on the doors. [and someone hasn't been back to his room since seeing his mask]

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