voice | un: miraclemoon

[feisticuffs]

[It's not often that Jade makes use of the network herself, preferring to respond to others, and she's been as preoccupied by the trials as many others have this past week. Even so, something troubling has come to her attention, and she would rather not sit and wonder and worry needlessly, if it indeed ends up being needless.]

I realize there's a great deal going on right now, and so I'll make this brief.

[Her tone is careful and refined, but there's certainly worry beneath all of that, thinly-veiled.]

Has anyone seen or heard from Dimitri recently? Even amidst the trials and current situation with Celliwig, it's unlike him to miss training or go silent.

[At least in her experience. She knows enough about his previous ghosting act to know that this doesn't feel right. If something has gone wrong, he can certainly take care of himself, but that doesn't keep concern from mounting.]

I know he has acquaintances here. If you hear anything, I would greatly appreciate if you would let me know.

Comments

voice; un: stargazer

[leicesters]

Which Dimitri are you talking about? The big guy? Wears an eyepatch?

[Might as well ask, who knows if there's more than one running around.]

[feisticuffs]

That's the one.

[Fair, there may certainly be others, but the description is certainly spot-on. He does rather stand out.]

Rarely seen without a lance?

[leicesters]

Right, sounds like we're talking about the same guy.

I hate to say it, but it's actually not unusual for him to pull disappearing acts. Sometimes for a really long time. I couldn't tell you what could be gong on his head to have caused it this time, though.

I'd suggest sending him a message, but he's... also not that great at using these things. Sorry I'm not much help.

[feisticuffs]

He did tell me about that— having vanished before.

[Well, perhaps not so much told her as certain events following the masquerade awhile back suddenly left her with a wealth of information of what was going on in Fodlan, but close enough.]

I've been trying to get in touch with him with these, as well, but to no avail. He's never not answered me before.

[And perhaps she hasn't known him as long as some others have, but she would still like to think she knows him well.]

As things stand now, I don't think he would disappear unless something were terribly wrong. He's been— adamant, about not wanting to repeat past mistakes.

voice; un: homeros

[leitstern]

How does your search fare?

[Not the best person to be getting in touch. Only, the sad thing is he understands the emotions involved when one's close companion leaves without a word of warning.]

[leicesters]

That does sound like something he'd say.

[Claude doesn't really understand Dimitri, but he'd made the effort when Claude had reached out to him, so he's not the man he remembers from back home. Or at least, he was trying not to be. Now, though...]

If something happened to make him go missing regardless, maybe someone has some kind of magic that can help you track him down.

voice | un: animalfriend

[sereneadherent]

[Marianne doesn't know this woman, but the message catches her attention all the same. She knows that the Dimitri she knows is here--or rather, a version of him that isn't doomed to a tragic end--but has yet to actually see or talk to him.]

Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd? That Dimitri?

I haven't seen him, but it isn't like him not to keep a schedule.

[feisticuffs]

Do you know one another well, then?

[She has some understanding of how things are among the many who hail from Fodlan; they're all connected, but perhaps not as close as they might have been were circumstances different.

She exhales; the idea is a good one, especially if nobody else has much in the way of helpful information, either.]

There's an idea. It's difficult to imagine him being in a situation he could not fight his way out of if he needed to, but that makes me worry all the more.

[feisticuffs]

[She recognizes Jasper's voice immediately, of course, but it seems foreign to her now, somehow lacking in the usual vitriol.]

I've heard nothing so far.

[She doesn't bother to veil her disappointment, at least; there's no point in doing so.]

Hopefully, that won't last much longer.

[feisticuffs]

[Heavens above, the full name.]

That's him— are you a friend from home?

[She seems to speak of his habits with some confidence, at least.]

It isn't like him, no. I've known him only a few months, but he's always been like clockwork, especially when it comes to meeting to spar.

[sereneadherent]

I am, although it's been some time since I've seen him.

[Technically this isn't true, but as far she's concerned who she saw at Gronder wasn't really him, but a shadow of the man he once was.]

I can help you look for him, if you'd like?

[leitstern]

[Hopefully? Honestly, after recent events he is too tired to sound venomous. But it is enough that he is blunt.]

Waiting hopefully is a sad state of afffairs.

He is gone. I would say it is best you accept that unpleasant fact.

[feisticuffs]

Perhaps so, but I will do no such thing until I know for certain.

[One way or the other. If the answer is that he truly has vanished, she can and will accept it— but not until she has some sort of confirmation.]

There are still efforts to be made. If, afterwards, he is still nowhere to be found... then is the time for acceptance.

[leicesters]

We're old friends and classmates.

[He'll let her fill in the blanks on the rest, depending on how much she knows about Fodlan's affairs.]

I'll help you look. If he really has wandered into something dangerous, it'd be risky for you to go off searching on your own.

[feisticuffs]

It's kind of you to offer. I would appreciate that.

[Given that she's yet to receive any positive responses regarding sightings, however, her heart has steadily begun to sink.]

I'm Jade. We're— very good friends.

[feisticuffs]

From the Officers' Academy.

[Said with a certain degree of confidence; she'd seen a great deal thanks to the vernal pools. The blanks fill themselves in well enough.]

I know that his relationships with many people from home are a bit... stilted, given the circumstances, but I appreciate the offer. While I can certainly take care of myself, I'm not one to turn away help when it presents itself.

[She pauses, briefly.]

Regardless of what happened in Fodlan, I know he wants things to be different here.

[sereneadherent]

I'm Marianne.

I wish these were better circumstances, but it's nice to meet you. I'm glad Dimitri has made friends here. [He needs them.]

Where shall I meet you?

[leitstern]

And how many months must pass before you realize he is gone?

[A slight noise.

Let her be optimistic. It's not his shoulder she'll be crying on.]

It sounds like a futile waste of time.

[feisticuffs]

[Ah, there's the acidity she's come to expect.]

You must think me an absolute fool. It has yet to be a matter of days. I am not as unrealistic as you would paint me.

[She is neither the type to pine nor to stubbornly deny the truth, but to say that he's absolutely gone with any kind of certainty seems hasty at this point.]

It is not a waste to seek out confirmation in either case.

[feisticuffs]

A pleasure, though I, too, wish it were under different circumstances.

[She's not one to turn away an offer of aid, in any case, and with the way Marianne speaks of Dimitri, she looks forward to meeting someone with whom his relationship wasn't quite so strained.]

There's a café not far from the hotel new arrivals are shown to called Sound and Fog. Difficult to miss. We could meet there?

[sereneadherent]

That will work. I'm still at the hotel, and I think I know that café. I'll see you soon.

[A friend of Dimitri's is a friend of hers, and Marianne is more than happy to help. Look at how brave she is, meeting a stranger on her own like this!

It doesn't take her long to put herself together and head out to the Sound and Fog. Marianne arrives first if only by virtue of proximity, so she waits outside the front door.]

[leitstern]

[There's a slight pause. Two ways to response - positive and negative - lie before him. He finds security in the familiarity of the latter.]

I suppose not. It is your time to waste, after all.

[What are these damned feelings?]

[leicesters]

Yup, the Academy. I don't know if he's ever named names to you, but I'm Claude. I was a house leader like he was.

[As for his wish for things to be different...]

Believe me, the feeling's mutual. Last time I met him, it was to gain an audience with Arthur together. Both of us are keen to work together and move on from all that madness back home. [All of them are, really. Though that does make Dimitri's disappearance more concerning, all things considered.]

Anyway... I can tell you really care about him. If I find him, you'll be the first to know.

voice; un: hello

[luminatus]

Dimitri.... he was your mate, yeah?

[feisticuffs]

We're close, yes.

[Certainly more than friends, although Jade has never had occasion to give it a name when speaking to anyone else. They were both private people; their involvement had certainly been genuine, but largely kept between them.]

I've never known him to miss a training session— not once, and certainly not without saying something beforehand.