D539 (before the battle) | Voice

[tonsofpun]

... ugh.

[Ellie sounds... out of it. Not herself. Distracted, like she's been hit a few too many times in the head, or is somehow drugged up. She's finding her way but she's slow, like she's having to think about every word before she says it.]

So. Question -- how many of you guys have been in two places at once?

I think I was back in my... my world. For a while.

But I was here, too.

Anybody?

Comments

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[tonsofpun]

[Ellie's smile only grows as he talks. It's nice to listen to him, to live through the stories, to imagine it all. But he smile turns pensive, thoughtful when the conversation turns to her family.]

I- uh. I don't really know. They've been gone a long, long time.

[She doesn't say it with that much sadness. Just a fact. It is what it is, right? How can she miss what she's never had. Ellie brightens a moment later, getting an idea.]

I could tell you about Joel. He's the closest thing I've got to a family.

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[freecssgonwild]

[ For a moment, Gon goes silent when she mentions that her parents are gone. He isn't sure what the proper response is-- it's such a normallcy for him and his friends both that their parents are gone, or they don't care to talk about them. But, Ellie seemed really sad about it-- ]

Okay. [ He nods. ] I'd like to hear about him.

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[tonsofpun]

[Even this isn't completely without doubt and pain, but Ellie smiles.]

He's a grumpy old fart, he doesn't talk much, and he can kill just about anything. ... and he'd do just about anything for me.

We keep each other safe.

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[freecssgonwild]

[ Gon offers a smile back. ]

It really does sound like you two are close.

He's here too, right? I'd like to meet him!

[ Really, it sounds like how friends treat other friends, too. ]

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[tonsofpun]

Yeah, he's here.

He's, uh. Fair warning, he's not so friendly with strangers. He takes a little while to warm up.

[Then again, it's hard not to like Gon. Even Joel might take a shine to him, given the chance.]

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[freecssgonwild]

[ Actually, the details reminded him of someone he knew from home. Which makes him say what he says next. ]

It's alright, I don't really mind people like that.

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[tonsofpun]

You hang around a lot of angry old guys, or what?

[Ellie. No.]

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[freecssgonwild]

[ Well, it's not completely wrong, anyways...

He laughs, scratching his cheek. ]

I have a friend kind of like that at home. He was a little distant at first, but I know he'd do a lot to protect the people around him. That's why I know I wouldn't mind.

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[tonsofpun]

Well, who knows. You never know until you try, right? Besides, one of the first things I ever did was try to stab him, and he thinks I'm all right.

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[freecssgonwild]

You tried to stab him? Why? Did you mistake him for something?

[ He's seen things now... ]

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[tonsofpun]

I- haha, sort of. More like I thought he was hurting somebody I knew. Turns out he was helping her, 'cause she was already hurt and about to fall.

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[freecssgonwild]

[ A beat ] I'm sorry that happened to your friend.

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[tonsofpun]

[Ellie's response is atypical. She hesitates, as if she wants to say something, but then either decides better of it, or doesn't know what to say at all. There is no smile, no relief -- but also no grief, no sadness, no anger. Just distant, strange confusion.]

Thanks.