video; forward dated to 12/25

[missleadingquestions]

[It's Christmas, sure, but Maya's not really one to celebrate it.

Neither's Edgeworth. Bad things have always happened in December. Bad memories. Bad fights.

That's probably why today was just really not the day for them to be in the same room. After Maya had dared to suggest using some of Mia Fey's tactics for his investigation, Edgeworth had snapped and insulted the elder Fey, unaware of her demise.

Now, Maya sits under a streetlight in Heropa on a curb, surrounded by the quiet of the dark. It's hard to see her face with the lack of light and all, but she's not smiling quite the way she usually does.]

Hey, so... is everything closed on Christmas?

I thought stuff'd be open.

[...It probably doesn't help that she just took off in any which direction instead of going somewhere specific, but she hadn't been thinking. She hadn't known what to do. Phoenix wasn't there, Mia wasn't there... What could she do?]

Sooo. What's everybody doing tonight? For, you know. Celebrations.

[She just wants something to talk about-- something to take her mind off the argument-- and is doing her best to keep a smile on. Too bad it doesn't look like a real one.]

Comments

audio;

[lasthugs]

... The café is closed, but I'm at home. Did you need somewhere to go?

audio;

[missleadingquestions]

N-no, no, I'm okay! I just. Need someone to talk to, y'know?

[Maya's glad that this one's audio. Cass sounds so gentle, so warm, and it reminds her so much of Mia. And that's who she's missing most.]

I just. I'm sorry.

[She laughs a little, but it's a sad, tired laugh.]

[resipiscent]

Winding down now.

[He looks really tired. When he considers the look on her face, though, he frowns. Riku can see in the dark, so deciphering her expression isn't that hard for him as it might be for somebody else.

After a moment, he flicks the setting to private -- it's just easier that way.]

... Where are you?

permaprivate WOO

[missleadingquestions]

Hey, Riku--

[...Oh. There's already a question.]

Um. I'm. See, that's kind of a good question.

[She starts looking around, as though trying to find the street sign.]

text

[maime]

shouldn't be out alone this late
why

[He can tell something is wrong. This is uncharacteristically low energy for Maya.]

text

[missleadingquestions]

[oh man

she doesn't think she can lie face to face with Maine... So she responds in kind.]

I just needed to go for a walk! I'll be okay.

video;

[rassera]

[You know, had Kaneda not been bored out of his mind watching just how much eggnog Bull could drink and still remain standing (he'd yet to even get tipsy, holy shit), he wouldn't have checked the feed, eyebrows perking at who would be posting on Christmas.

He wasn't doing anything in particular, dog lying by his feet, Dalish in his lap. Ken actually with a smile worth showing to the world, going out on a date with Dipper.

A small family, but still good.

But there it was, a post from Maya, and...cue him sitting up a little straighter.]

Oi, the cow's just trying to make himself sick--That shit looks nasty, Jiji!!

[In the background, Bull's laughter can be heard, followed by a rather...disgusted look from the biker. Yes, he is chugging that stuff just to spite him.]

Why are you going out, anyway?

[And that's when he notices something off about here, brows furrowing. This wasn't...Maya's usual tone.]

video;

[missleadingquestions]

[For what it's worth, the shenanigans in the background... actually get a quiet laugh out of her. But it's quiet, from someone who usually laughs with her whole heart.

...And then he asks WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP ASKING she's not really this obvious, is she?!]

I'm--

[And then she realises she doesn't have a lie prepared. She stammers for a second, looking around--]

I didn't make any plans. You know. Last minute.

video;

[rideme]

[And while Bull's voice can be heard in Kaneda's post, the opposite is true of Bull's. You can hear Kaneda's "That shit looks nasty, Jiji!!" as Bull clicks on the camera, still laughing.]

Pissing off Canada.

You okay kid?

video;

[missleadingquestions]

[Bull, you guys are too funny to keep Maya from having at least a little smile.]

I'm okay! I just... you know. Holidays, family, people...

[Yeah, those sure are words that aren't making an excuse.]

[maglevflash]

[She's having her own quiet night, now that the day's parties and stuff were settling. Gogo normally wouldn't have done more than skim the network and leave it alone but something about the girl's face seems wrong.]

Not everything, but anywhere you might want to be at is. What are you looking for?

[missleadingquestions]

Um-- anything. Maybe food?

[You know. Anywhere she can hide and sulk and eat.]

video

[rathercommon]

[ Yeah, that smile looks really fake, doesn't it. ]

Movie theatres are open. A lot of them.

video

[missleadingquestions]

Oh-- I didn't think of that!

[Maya looks genuinely surprised. Maybe... Maybe that was a good way out of this mess.]

I should... Go to one! Um, what movies are out, d'ya know?

[khajidont]

If you just need someplace to go for a while, you could crash here for a bit. I'm pretty sure none of my roomies would mind... And we're festive, and everything.

[He tilts the camera, showing off their slightly pathetic looking tree. He doesn't buy Maya's act for a second but there's no harm in pretending.]

So long as you're okay with some noise. Manolo hasn't shut up for a few hours now.

[missleadingquestions]

[Maya's not been lying when she says she needs to talk. And when Jaime goes on about Manolo and shows off that tree, while the camera's turned around, he might hear her laughing.]

Is he singing? You have to record it!

[She's trying really, really hard not to laugh enough to start crying.]

Thanks, Jaime.

video;

[daimeinashi]

[Ah, fake smiles, his former specialty. He's not quite skilled with comprehending others' emotions yet when they're not completely overt, but something seems off, and he's curious.]

Not everything, most likely. What kind of place are you looking for?

video; omg my childhood

[missleadingquestions]

Um-- like.. I dunno.

Somewhere to eat, or sit, I guess.

[She shrugs, smiling just a little, trying to stay pleasant.]

It's okay, though, I'll figure something out.

private audio;

[bassriff]

[yeah she knows what that is. she's been the other end of this often enough.

the worst thing she could do in this situation is call it out, she knows she'd hate it if it was her.]

I've been taking it chill. The Chinese places should be open, right? [She doesn't really eat much, but she's heard people mention it in the lead-up to the holiday.]

permaprivateaudio les do this

[missleadingquestions]

[Marcy, are you sure you're a vampire and not a saint?]

--Oh! I didn't even think of that... I guess I kinda just went walking without looking.

VOICE

[htespagheti]

HMM...

MAYA, IS SOMETHING TROUBLING YOU? DO YOU NEED COMPANY? NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BE ALONE ON A HOLIDAY!!!!

VOICE

[missleadingquestions]

Aw, Pap!

[oh no she's gonna cry don't do this]

It's okay! I-i don't really celebrate it, anyway.

audio/

[debauchewy]

You could go get Chinese? Theaters are often open too.

WHOO BOY, HISOKA HELLO

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah, somebody mentioned that, too!

I heard there's not a lot of good stuff out lately, though.

[acclimatized]

There are a couple of fast food places open for a bit. That and cinemas.

[missleadingquestions]

Yeah... I wasn't really looking too much where I was headed, though.

Um, but, thanks! I'll keep a lookout for somewhere...