a new arrival

[tinico]

i. december

Nicholas was out for errands, a shopping bag slung over his shoulder with things that he'd been sent to buy, and he was almost back to the orphanage, smile already on his face to be returning to the shade. Then there was an odd shake of the ground, making him stumble, and when he looked up, everything was very different. Where buildings had been standing, now there was much damage, his familiarity the only reason he could recognize them anymore. Where people had been wandering around, laughing or yelling or just going about their business, there was... nobody. Only silence. And there was a strange smell in the air, like something wet had been spilled a while ago.

Nicholas's smile faded, eyes going very wide, and he ran towards his home, only to find the worst of the damage to be around it. He was calling out names - Miss Malanie's, everyone's - but there was only silence. Soon, he could see that there were signs that someone had been holed up in the basement, and then upstairs also but those were more recent.

And nobody was answering. Nobody.

ii.desert walking

Everyone had left. So he had to go somewhere else. He had no idea where, but. He'd managed to find a wide brimmed hat, and had added to his shopping bag whatever supplies he had. And he was walking to the next town he had seen on the maps. Which he'd also taken. There would be someone somewhere, right?

iii. octovern

Luckily for him, before walking in the desert could become too much for him, there had been another earthquake - and then he was among people again. After many, many hours mostly alone, other than some random encounters, he kind of needed a moment to lean in the shade and close his eyes in relief. He had not been to this city, but at least it was alive. He would take that.

Then he squared his shoulders, and went exploring. Even if he knew nobody, he should be able to find people who needed help that he could earn a living with, right?

iv. wildcard

ooc: have another idea? he'll pop up there! brackets and prose all good, will match.

Comments

[louboutinjudas]

Wolfwood nods, the picture of seriousness. Idiots. Got it.

"There's some people I need to check up on first, but they're on the way." They aren't, not as the worm flies, but he's got to go make sure that Rem and the kids are all right before he heads back to December. But he said he'd go back, and he meant it.

Is it too soon after the last one to have another cigarette? Is that even a serious question? "And hey, speakin' of idiots," he mumbles, sticking a fresh butt between his teeth and fishing through his pockets for the lighter, "if you hadn't heard about the ships then maybe you haven't about the guy who's responsible for all this mess."

Wearing that name and that face, the kid's going to run into him sooner or later. Might as well do what he can now to ensure that the kid survived meeting the Humanoid Typhoon.

"You know who Vash the Stampede is?"

wheeze. he appreciates it. (unsure)

[tinico]

Well, where would Melanie take the kids? To a museum? Sightseeing? Out in nature?

Yeah.

"Oh... that. Yeah." He did have to come to December at one point. He's mostly not thought about that since, but when Livio points it out...

"I can tell you stories, if you'd like." If... he's not too upset with the other kids over what made him run away, of course.

[tinico]

Nicholas nods. That makes sense, people are important. Whether someone will pop up in December at all is uncertain, or when.

He tilts his head up, frowning slightly, given that Roberto is speaking of the guy who's responsible for all this mess, and that can't be good. But the 'speaking of idiots' doesn't sound... afraid, as such? Or even particularly angry?

Then his eyebrows shoot up.

"Heard 'bout him, but always thought he wasn't real."

Look.

Can you blame him.

he'll be fiiiine!

[graveresemblance]

"Yeah? You'd want to? I'd like to hear em."

He remembers some of the ones he'd heard, listening just on the outskirts of the groups of kids seated in a circle around Nick, or around Melanie.

i mean, yes, probably. he's durable. ... not yet physically, that is.

[tinico]

"Yeah! Stories are a good way to pass the time!"

Oh but there are also stories about the kids themselves. And this time, Nicholas will be all for Livio.

emotional...kinda

[graveresemblance]

"Gotta agree. It'll be nice, telling stories on the road."

His smile softens.

he's doing his best and he hasn't got suppressing down to a horrible art... yet.

[tinico]

"Yeah!"

Nicholas is getting to appreciate this softening in the man's expression, though it worries him, how hard crybaby Livio has had to become. What he must have been through, to drop down on his knees at the sight of him.

"Hey... you been runnin' alone for a long time, huh?"

not yet... ;~;

[graveresemblance]

Livio also hasn't really righted himself to his feet yet, either, and he's not staring at the boy, quite memorizing his features but he's still down here.

"Uh, kind of. Why d'you ask?"

listen.... would YOU show weakness with the eye of michael....

[tinico]

"Dunno. You took off on yer own, and keep lookin' at me like a parched man who's seen a water canteen. Plus, you didn't even think of tellin' stories to pass the time.

"'s alright if you have been, I mean. Well, not alright-alright, just... I was curious."

None of it is, actually judgmental. Back then, he berated them on account of the smaller kids, the ones that also had it bad. Now? It's just the two of them. He just wants to know him, to know about him, rather than try to get him to be in a different way than he is.

[louboutinjudas]

Just one more little difference between their worlds, Wolfwood thinks, turning them down a side street to try and get out of the crush of the crowd. He'd never heard the name himself, not until he'd been with the Eye awhile. The guy had seemed like a ghost, just a made-up story... and really, now that he'd seen Stampede in action, it wasn't hard to understand why.

"He's definitely real." He points out above the crowd, above the buildings that surround them, to a patch of cliff face that shows signs of a fresh landslide. "There was a big fight here just a couple weeks back, and he was in the middle of it." He doesn't actually know that the damage to the cliff was Stampede's fault, but visual aids always make a story sink in better, right?

"He might be around still, is what I'm hearing. Blond hair, red coat... you can't miss him." Another turn, another side street, as they near the downtown. The buildings here are even more jam-packed with people, showing signs of wear from overuse rather than from fighting like some of the city did at the edges. At least one city made it through without being destroyed!

"And look, he's a good guy. Means well, heart's in the right place, he'll show up with a smile and an open hand, but let me warn you right now, kid. Disaster follows this guy." Even without his brother tracking him down and ruining his life town by town, Stampede's chaotic way of dealing with problems isn't anything a kid needs to get sucked into. He'll do better staying away. "You see him, you run the other way and you don't stop running until you're in the next town. They don't call him the Humanoid Typhoon for no reason."

[tinico]

Children who don't come to the orphanage very young sometimes tell stories. Vash the Stampede has showed up in a couple of those, which made Nicholas pay attention.

He looks at the mountain, unimpressed, then back up to Roberto. He is paying attention. Though the words make him think a lot.

He opens his mouth to question, ask that if he's a good guy, shouldn't he help him instead of running? Then he thinks of how December looks, an embodiment of a disaster, and he realizes that he would not want to put his fa-- to put the little ones through that again.

"Right." He doesn't sound happy about it, but he certainly isn't arguing. Other than. "Unless he's headed for the others. Then I won't run. Not unless I'm drawin' him away from 'em."

Priorities.

[louboutinjudas]

Damn right. Even for a little brat, protecting others should still be his priority, especially when those others are just little kids themselves.

"He won't hurt 'em on purpose, not ever." Wolfwood blows a cloud of smoke into the sky, and tries really hard not to think about a light, bright as neon, falling out of the night sky. "He just can't help it. Some people attract trouble."

He should know. He's one of 'em.

i wouldnt even show my butt with them

[graveresemblance]

He flinches just the slightest bit. Livio did take off on his own, this Nick never knew-- doesn't know what became of him. Maybe let him think things turned out fine--

Welp, nevermind.

"We didn't tell stories around the campfire where I ended up, no..."

and so he got into the habit.

[tinico]

Nick doesn't know yet, no. Nor has he even heard about them.

But that doesn't make him blind to the effects.

He reaches up, and presses lightly at Livio's forehead.

"I'll stop pryin'," for now, his curiosity might get the better of him later, "but it's okay to not try to act like everythin's alright. And now you don't gotta be alone."

If...

If time has passed, then he is also not part of the orphanage anymore, either. So if he knows they are all right, he can probably hang out with Livio some of the time, too. Right?

of his tits out, true

[graveresemblance]

The gentle touch has him going crosseyed, before he's back right-eyed, gaze fixed on the boy before him who, as always, knows too much.

"Okay. If you say so," his smile is wistful. Livio knows he's...he has to be alright. He's the grownup.

it's a sTATEMENT

[tinico]

It's been job to notice and take care of people for a while. He's good at it. Plus, he's the one less damaged right now, even if he doesn't realize by how much, not yet. They'll figure out a balance somehow.

Hands on his hips, firm nod.

"I do."

;0

[graveresemblance]

The smile widens into something fond.

"You got it, boss. Should we see if there's anything left, and then head out?"

[tinico]

Nicholas chews on that in his mind for a little bit.

"So, keep him away from anywhere that disaster may strike." Beat. "But if there's a chance, help him out."

That's not the running away he committed to right now. But he can't decide if Roberto likes or dislikes him, but if he wouldn't hurt the kids on purpose, then perhaps some assistance - from afar - might not be a bad thing?

>.>

[tinico]

... he likes that. It's good, to see Livio smile like this. Even more so to smile like this at him. And he grins back.

Then the words see if there's anything left sink in, and he makes a face, but nods.

"I guess we'd better. Staying here won't help anything or anyone, right?"

[graveresemblance]

"I'm thinking they cleaned out all the food when things started going to shit, but they might have missed something," he adds, as if that's reassuring. Somehow it is to Livio.

He places a hand on Nick's shoulder.

"No...but we could leave a note, actually. Want to?"

[louboutinjudas]

"No!" Dammit, isn't this kid listening? "Don't lead him anywhere, and don't try to help him, for god's sake!"

They've got to be closer to downtown now, right? Sure, Octovern's a big city, but it's no Julai, and they've been walking for awhile now. They're almost at the cliff face -- where the hell's the street that'll take them up to the buildings at the base of the plant bulb? That's where they need to go, right? Given the weaponry he can see at the top of that one building there, that's got to be city hall or the equivalent. How do they get up there?

"If you see him, run. I don't know how much clearer I can say that!"

[tinico]

Nicholas watches him fume for a moment, then grins, wide.

"All right, all right. It just makes it hard to keep an eye on him in case he does head towards the orphanage, but I'll do my best."

[tinico]

At this age, it's the only home Nicholas has known, as before that he was far less. Settled. And he cares about it. Seeing it like this, even the thought to seek through it for necessities for the two of them, is not fun. But he'll do it.

A corner of his mouth tugs back up in a smile.. "Yeah. A note will be great." It's not nearly as amusing and noticeable a graffiti but very practical. "It'd be less scar-- worrying for anyone else showing up like I did. Thanks, Livio."

[louboutinjudas]

Wolfwood just grunts at that, but the kid's got a point.

He wants to say that's not a risk, that there's nobody at the orphanage right now, but there will be eventually, won't there? Eventually everyone will go back to their homes -- everyone who was born on this world anyway -- and so long as there's orphans in December, Wolfwood's sure there will be Vash the Stampedes looking for trouble in that direction.

He chews over the idea for almost a full minute, thinking. He doesn't want to actually have the kid hurt Blondie, but... but they have to stay away from innocents like the orphans. He's just seen too much of what follows in their path, and he can't let that happen to these kids.

"Call him by name." He's making good progress through that pack of cigarettes -- if he's got any left by the time they find Luida it'll be a minor miracle. "If you're sure it's him, get everyone's attention and call him Vash the Stampede just as loud as you can." Sorry Spikey. "That'll chase him off."

[graveresemblance]

"Of course-- I woulda left one, probably, even if you hadn't been with me."

At least a signature of his name to let Melanie know. "This'll be just fine."