03 [action/written] backdated to MONDAY 1/27

[wipesfaith]

[When Jean wakes up on Monday, it is with the heavy sense that something is missing. (Isn't it strange, how lacking can weigh more than having?) The skipped days - going to bed on Friday night and waking up to Monday morning - aren't what hits him first; these, he won't notice until he open his journal to send a message that won't be read by its intended recipient for a while.

The bed on the other side of the room is empty.

He's the only one in their apartment. This doesn't fall too far outside the normal rhythm of the day, but it drags him back to a few months ago when things were knocked off balance and disappearing was Marco's favorite hobby. So he sends that message, raises an eyebrow at the date, and gets ready for the day while he waits for a response.

It doesn't come.]

[Action]

[In the morning, he scours the village, walking the length of every road and checking inside every public building. He tries not to think about the last time he'd walked through still streets unable to remember with any certainty when he'd last seen his friend.]

Marco? [Cupping a hand around his mouth.] Marco!

[At some point, he dimly realizes that school started a while ago, but that doesn't mean shit to him right now. Two options have long since sunk into his brain: Marco has either been kidnapped for experimentation, or he has gone home to hit a dead end. Still, through wanting to prolong the inevitable, through wanting to feel effective in some way, he doesn't drop his search. He takes it out of the village, winding through the woods on horseback.

When he finally returns, with nothing to show for his efforts but exhaustion, a tightened knot of anxiety in his stomach, and questions, evening has settled in. He opens his journal - still no response - and starts asking.]

[Written]

Does anybody know of any missing persons cases that happened over the weekend?

Is there anyone who can remember anything that happened between Friday night and this morning?

[Then, because he doesn't know how to lock messages to specific individuals, he adds:]

Commander Smith, Captain Levi. I need to speak with you. If you're in your quarters, I can come up shortly.

Comments

action

[hero_of_smiles]

[And Cross was actually walking to school when he hears a voice screaming the name, "Marco". He never sees the person yelling it but he does hear it.

A thought runs through his mind.

Clearly there is only one reason why someone would be shouting that name.

So, placing a hand to his mouth, he yells:]

POLO!

action

[wipesfaith]

[He turns his head in the direction of the responding yell, unsure of what exactly was being yelled back. Pole-o? The fuck does that mean? Still, he heads off in that direction, because it's more of a lead than anything else he's got.]

...Marco?

action

[hero_of_smiles]

[The name of the game was to try and get away from the guy calling Marco, right?

So, Cross moves further to hide wherever he is (probably near some bushes and calls again:]

POLO!

written;

[reviling]

Get up here. Now.

[not here?]

[corps]

[ Geez. That could have been put a little more considerately, Levi. Jean is probably VERY DISTRESSED RIGHT NOW. (Not that the rest of them aren't. Who likes not being able to remember an entire weekend of their life? No one.)

...But yeah, get up here, Jean. ]

[Tuesday] [Written | Unhackable]

[whiskytraitorfirefight]

[Back from a mission, Ginia settles down to see what's happened over the last few days. Not too much it seems, but Jean's message catches her attention.

Missing persons cases? Remembering what happened?]

I've been out of the village, just got back. What's going on?

[Tuesday] [Written | Unhackable]

[wipesfaith]

[A day removed from the initial panic of Marco's disappearance, and exhausted besides, Jean is a little more subdued when he responds.]

Nobody can remember anything from Saturday or Sunday, and there doesn't seem to be any explanation for it.

Marco disappeared during that time. Most likely, he was kidnapped for further experimentation. [A pause, and he forces himself to write the words:] I haven't ruled out the possibility that he's left the enclosure permanently, though.

[ action ]

[soundcarrier]

[Sasame was sitting beside a near by tree when he hears someone shouting, he doesn't even need his powers to know when someone is bothered. So closing his book, he stands up and appears next to Jean who he sees stopped for a brief moment after running by where he was sitting.]

Need some help, friend?

[ action ]

[wipesfaith]

[His shoulder jump in surprise when this guy suddenly appears beside him - he hadn't heard any footsteps or seen anyone around. His expression shifts into something annoyed but aware of the potential for answers.]

...I'm looking for someone. About my height. Dark hair, freckles...uniform like mine. [Gesturing to himself, although he has the green cloak of the Survey Corps around his shoulders, which Marco lacks.]

[Action]

[mischiefbreeder]

[Gold was walking off in the direction of the Battle Dome, when he hears someone cry out "Marco!". He glances around, looking for the origin of it. They weren't in the water, so why was someone shouting "Marco"?

...Oh, well, don't question it, just play along.

Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouts back:]

Polo!

[Action]

[wipesfaith]

[Not this shit again... He whips around, trying to pinpoint the source of the returned yell, and his answer is more than a little aggravated.]

Shut the hell up, I'm not playing some damn game! [Jean, that's not how you play.]

[Written]

[rashness]

someone went missing?

[ with bad penmanship ]

[Written]

[wipesfaith]

Friend of mine. I haven't seen him all day, and he hasn't answered back.

[Halfway decent penmanship. Sucks to suck.]

[Action]

[rutagraveolens]

[Rue's out sitting high up in a tree when she hears someone calling out. She remains still as the voice grows closer, when she can see the rider on horseback.]

Who's Marco?

[Action]

[wipesfaith]

[He has his horse trotting at a slow pace so as not to exhaust him too quickly, and so as not to miss anything in his survey of the passing forest. When he thinks he hears a voice, from up above, he pulls at the reigns to come to a stop.]

Is someone there? [His eyes circle around the branches hanging overhead.]

[Written]

[complicatedliar]

Check the lakes. There are some rather hostile frogs about.

[Written]

[wipesfaith]

Look asshole, I'm not in the mood for stupid jokes. If you don't have anything that's actually worth saying, I don't want to hear it. [Or something. Burn...?]

[Action]

[sharknado_swimmer]

[Rin is out running today, a poor substitute for swimming in his opinion, but it's better than sitting around the empty apartment wondering why he can't remember anything from the weekend. Hearing yelling, he slows, a curious expression crossing his face. Wasn't that game supposed to be played in water?]

[Turning toward the sound, he soon realizes that someone is actually calling out a name, not playing a children's game. He recognizes that voice, too, from his first day here and the responses on his journal.]

Hey, Jean, right?

[Action]

[wipesfaith]

[It's so stupid. Even though he knows that's not Marco's voice, he half expects to see him as he turns to its source. When he sees Rin, it takes him a moment to remember why he recognizes him. Right.]

...Yeah. Rin, wasn't it?

[Action]

[feistytrader]

[Wait. Wait, Gold's told him about this before.]

Polo?

[Is that what Jean's yelling about?]

[Action]

[wipesfaith]

[He swears to fucking Maria-- Oh, hey, it's Silver. He approaches with an exasperated sigh.]

Not you too... I'd like to find whoever made up that game and give them a taste of my fist.

[action]

[revolutionarygirl]

[Utena's actually on her way to school when she hears Jean calling out Marco's name. Fortunately, she knows who Marco is so there will not be any bad jokes on her end. Instead, she'll call out to Jean in a different way:]

Jean? Jean, did something happen? [Despite the awkwardness between them, they're still friends. And he seems really distressed, too. Could it be related to the two days that just... passed by for no reason? Come to think of it, that happened last year, too...]

[action]

[wipesfaith]

[Seeing her, he strides over. If any awkwardness hangs between them (and it does), he's ignoring it; heavier issues press at the forefront of his mind.]

I don't know where Marco is. I already checked all the obvious places-- [meaning the vicinity of their building's second floor and the Battle Dome, mostly] and he hasn't answered the message I sent him earlier.

[And so he's scouring the village like an idiot, but he doesn't know what else to do, honestly, and he can't just sit still and wait for the news to fall into his lap.]

action

[aqueousliving]

[Marco actually falls under the short list of people Haruka isn't actively irritated by the majority of the time, so when he sees Jean on horseback shouting for Marco, Haruka actually raises his arm to flag Jean down.]

What happened?

action

[wipesfaith]

[He hadn't expected to see Haruka here - but he hasn't gotten far out of the village yet. Pulling on the reigns, he comes to a stop a short distance past.]

I don't know where Marco is. Can't find him anywhere. [Circling around to face Haruka.]