[023] - action

[herotypical]

[Buffy sits, quite quietly, on the riverbank near the bridge where she had been taken. Returned now, she looks to be unharmed. No bruises, no cuts, no blood. In a lot of ways she looks as though she hasn't even left.

She hugs her knees to her chest and leans her head back, drinking in the crisp autumnal air. The Slayer looks rather approachable this evening. One might even go so far as to say Buffy looks peaceful.]

(ooc; Back from hiatus and back to my regular scheduled posting. Except a minor dip in tagging over the weekend, though. Going on a small excursion during the days.)

Comments

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[And since I was planning to return her today anyway, Aerith is making her way through the village after her own kidnapping. Nothing majorly wrong on the surface; she's a bit shaken up, but happy to be back. And when she sees Buffy, she smiles and makes her way over. She's not even aware Buffy was kidnapped, since she disappeared on the fifteenth.]

Buffy! Hi! [WAVING.]

[herotypical]

[Buffy isn't even aware that she's been kidnapped. Plus a few other things, as a bonus surprise at the bottom of the cereal box. So she waves enthusiastically and smiles to see her friend approach.]

Up to mischief? [She asks contentedly. Awfully contentedly, in fact.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[Aerith shakes her head.] Maybe later, but right now I'm just glad to be back. [She pauses, tilting her head slightly to the side. Frowns a little. And then she focuses on Buffy again, touching her arm lightly.] Do you know what day it is today?

[herotypical]

[Back? Everyone's talking about being back. But at least it wasn't someone else's back that was being, and not hers. Still, Buffy frowns.]

Actually? No. Sunday, maybe? At least it feels like a Sunday. One of those nice lazy, comfy Sundays. In fact...it's sorta felt like one of those for a while now, hasn't it?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...I feel a little more like a Friday. When all you want to do is hurry up and go home, but there's still work to be done.

[herotypical]

Work? [She looks a tad lost. As if things like work or duty were too far away to really comprehend at the moment.] Work like what? All the work you gotta do is right here, enjoying and clinging like mad to the last little scraps of good weather.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Work like...I don't know. Something important. [But she doesn't know what it is yet.]

Besides, just sitting around to enjoy fall would be boring.

[herotypical]

[With a little too much bliss, she shakes her head and leans backwards on her palms.]

No way--what about taking the time to watch the leaves change? The absolute opposite of boring.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Every once in a while it can be nice. I didn't really think you were the type to enjoy that. [Not as a hobby, anyway.]

[herotypical]

Maybe I'm turning a new leaf--[She laughs because ha ha, get it, Aerith?]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[She laughs with, though it sounds a little...uncertain. Short. Hand goes up to touch a strand of Buffy's hair lightly, apologies for the touchy-feeliness.] But is that really what you want to do?

[herotypical]

[The touch seems to jolt her into a quiet shake of her head.] I'm--I'm not really positive on that one, to be honest.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[The shake makes Aerith retract her hand a couple inches; her expression is now going to "troubled".] Did something happen?

[herotypical]

N-no. At least, I don't think it did. I've just been...chilling, you know? That's it.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

You don't think...? [...combined with Buffy not knowing the day and how she's acting, that doesn't sound so reassuring.]

[herotypical]

Why the face, Aerith? [Now it's her turn to look a little concerned.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Mm... [A small shake of her head.] Are you sure you've been getting enough sleep?

[l-lol. Since she has no idea what's actually wrong. :|b]

[herotypical]

I've...been sleeping better than usual, really. Really good dreams, lots of sleeping in and the pillows all seem sort of extra comfy. Like they've been replaced with really top quality pillows.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Huh. [Thinking about this. Thinking, thinking...and then getting completely distracted, lifting her head and looking in one direction. Almost like someone just called her name. ...But there's no one to call her name.]

[herotypical]

[Both young women are acting so...odd. And Buffy does notice it in Aerith, tilting her head and frowning.]

Are you alright?

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[It is a little like the blind leading the blind. Aerith takes a second before looking back at Buffy, smiling a bit sheepishly at the woman's frown.]

I'm okay. It's just been a while since--[checks around them; she's okay with telling Buffy, since Buffy has her experiences being different from everyone else, but it's just not something you shout in the street. ...even though Aerith is acting weird enough to draw attention in the street.]

I've been hearing it again. The Planet. I couldn't before, but sometime while I was there...it started talking to me. [She starts smiling a little more.] Or maybe it was talking to me all along, and I just needed to clear my head.

[herotypical]

The planet...is talking to you? This planet? [She taps her (bare) feet on the ground.]

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

Mhm! I know it sounds strange. [But it's perfectly normal for her. s-sob. ...hold the phone a sec, wha--] Where're your shoes?

[herotypical]

Strange? Yes. Still--strange is sort of what this place does best, right? Sort of it's raison d'etre, if you'll pardon my French and--[she looks down at her feet, wiggling her toes]--I'm not quite sure, to be truthful.

[gardenerofgaia.livejournal.com]

[The French reference kinda goes over her head, so she focuses on the looking down and toe-wriggling.]

More strangeness.