Network | Voice

[only_an_echo]

[Between rapid breaths, a low, almost gravely voice breaks through the network silence.]

Where am I? This isn't-

...How-

[A heavy pause hangs in the air as his breathing slows, suddenly quiet, slowly picking through the pieces before everything comes together.]


Wait. I know this place...




[OOC: Echo's been UPDOOT3d doot doot doot]

Comments

[ziedrich_bearer]

Welcome back, man. Guess you weren't lucky to get home for good. There was a little kid looking for you I think.

[only_an_echo]

Gladio. [A beat. He's still adjusting, but it'll be fine.] ...Thanks, I guess.

[However. The second he mentions a kid, it clicks.]

-Omega? Where is she?

[ziedrich_bearer]

[Yep, it's sure Echo. Dude's been gone a while. Gladio was worried something ate him. Or worse, that Beck dude went after more people.]

Don't know where she lives, sorry. I can try helping you look.

[only_an_echo]

[He has certainly missed a lot! That just adds to how tired he sounds.]

I have a few ideas of where she could be, but I wouldn't mind having another set of eyes looking out for her.

...How long was I gone?

[ziedrich_bearer]

[Yeah, a bit of a lot. But he's also lucky he did in some ways.]

A while, man. You missed the attempted murder and everything.

Tell me some of the places she might go and I'll check.

[text]

[mutedsuspicions]

_{[That voice sounds familiar to him, so Lerith picks up his device.]}

is that you echo?

[voice]

[only_an_echo]

Lerith?

[The name rings a bell, but he frowns as he continues to place it.]

Yes, that's me. Unless you were expecting someone else?

[text]

[mutedsuspicions]

no jsut surprised. you sound diferent. and yes, i am lerith.

_{[He frown as the device. It was like Echo didn't…remember him?]}

do you…remeber me?

[voice]

[only_an_echo]

[He takes a breath. It sounds like a laugh, dry and fleeting, lacking energy until it settles back into its lower tone.]

I guess I do sound different. Everything's different.

[Another pause.]

...I think it's coming back to me. We've talked before. At the mural, and at...the beach?

[text]

[mutedsuspicions]

mural and there was a small robot?

i taight you your sign name. you had a squad? you showed me on strange device and i told you about the chantry. we talked at a bonfire. i think we're friends?

yes, we are friends.

[text]

[in_extremis]

[That might have been Echo's name, but he didn't exactly sound right.]

...do you?

[voice]

[only_an_echo]

[He frowns. Two texts. Texting back is hard when he has one working hand to operate the device, but he deals with it.]

It's coming back to me. Agra 10. This is...Temba? And there's the other city, Sh'Ka...

Has it always looked like this?

[still text]

[in_extremis]

How long ago were you here?

[voice 5ever?]

[only_an_echo]

...I don't remember. I can't remember.

-Wait. There was a storm. That felt like it lasted a while.

[this actually makes him switch, gj, voice]

[in_extremis]

No, how long has it been since you were here.

Was it that long ago? Need to dust it off?

CUT TO: THE OUTPOST!

[only_an_echo]

[The longer he stays on the worn path, the more he remembers where it leads. Everything looks the same- or it mostly does, given the fact that the city has been picked at, repaired, and damaged. And if he turns here, the lake will be in view. And by the lake will be the tower, and then-

The outpost is still standing, but it looks abandoned from the outside. It's always looked that way, Echo thinks, but he pushes himself to run faster, almost as if he's afraid it will start to crumble before he reaches its base.

But he doesn't need to worry about that. It's still there, silent and lonely the second he hits the wall with the palm of his left hand, breathing hard as he wastes no time heading inside.

His legs feel nothing as they climb the stairs, ignoring the pain in his lungs until he's able to catch his breath at the top of the flight. The last few steps stagger into the living area, chest heaving as his head turns to look about the room.]

-Omega!

[small_compromise]

[The faint sounds roused her from a nap, hurried and purposeful footsteps, not the languid step of her metal nextdoor neighbor. She rubs at her eyes as she sits up from where she'd dozed, unsure of how long it had been since she'd come back from the patrol she'd made herself go out on, just down to the southeastern quadrant's edge and back.

The footsteps were inside now, mounting the stairs, and Omega's breath caught in her throat as she gathered up Lula to her chest, staring at the doorway. Dare she hope? She slowly gets to her feet, and in that moment a ghost bursts into the room.]

..!

[The girl gasps, and for a moment all she can do is stare. It's Echo, not the one she knew here, but the one she knows, and it's so very confusing, so jarring to see him here in this place.]

Echo..?

[only_an_echo]

[When she looks, the 'ghost' doesn't leave. Doesn't disappear. He instead stares back, faceless until he lifts a hand to remove his helmet, revealing the familiar pallor and sharp features the girl remembers well.

A flood of relief slowly fills his worn body as he sees she's still here, tension dissipating as he exhales a held breath.

The clone crosses the floor, each step cautious as if one wrong move will suddenly reset them back into a different reality.]

Omega-

[small_compromise]

[There's no such hesitation from Omega as she sees his face as she sucks in a sob and all but dashes over towards him.

She flings an arm around him, Lula sandwiched between them and serving as an unintentional padding.]

I-I thought... [She shakes her head.] I didn't know what to think.

[only_an_echo]

[Despite his surprise, Echo steadies himself after the initial impact of Omega's hug, back hunched, rocking heel to toe to maintain his balance. His hand immediately rests upon her upper back, his mouth forming a thin line at the sound of her voice.

A soft sigh is exhaled.]

...I'm sorry. Disappearing from Temba wasn't planned. [Concern still colors his expression as he brows draws together, lines creasing around them.] How long was I gone?

am i too late? 🥺 (voice)

[noch]

You have returned.

You are fine! <3

[only_an_echo]

I did. Although I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it...

[noch]

You didn't miss this place?

[ That's sarcasm, for the record, though it might be difficult to tell. ]

[only_an_echo]

[He totally gets it now. Most of it, anyway.]

That depends on how long I'm in for now that I'm back. Merrin, right?

[noch]

[ Fair enough. She gives him a slight nod in response. ]

You must have spent a long time back home. It hasn't been so long here.