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

III: Because Nick is a bit preoccupied rn and Ghostwoo would be very careful to avoid being noticed

[celestialcrybaby]

Finding his way back from the little cabin Knives had holed up in, after he'd been so unceremoniously pulled there from across reality, had taken more time than he'd liked. He'd barely been able to make it back before the room rental he'd paid for for a few days had been up and he'd lost all of his belongings, and honestly, that had been scarier than the fact that he'd been thrown across the world to who knew where. He didn't own much, never had. But the things he did own were his, and after so long, and living with so little, he had become rather attached to them.

Still, it meant that he hadn't had time to really look around the city properly, to try and get in to where the Plants were being held and try and talk with them, and he was out of money for the room.

It wasn't an uncommon occurrence; truth be told, he probably spent more nights sleeping under the stars than actually in hotel beds, anyway, which didn't exactly help his back aches. But when you lived your entire life on the road, traveling from town to town without any real job to speak of, money was tight, and modern conveniences were even tighter.

So he'd been wandering around town, his coat stuffed in his duffel bag and his hair styled down, looking for odd jobs that he could do that would get him some money for food. It was easier to get lost in a large crowd, and Octovern was if nothing else, for the past year, one giant sea of people. Still, he didn't want to take any chances.

For the past few hours, he'd been helping to wait a tiny cafe, and by midday, the morning rush had died down and the owner was talking about closing up for the evening. He was listening quietly as she counted out the tips when he saw, through the front windows, a small form taking shelter under the awning. They had to have been very young, dark haired and clothes that looked like they'd seen no small amount of wear and tear, and he couldn't help but watch with growing concern.

Where were their parents? Were they one of the refugees? What were they doing wandering the crowded streets like that?

He was so worried that when the owner called back out to him again, he didn't immediately respond, and gave a start when he felt her tugging at his arm.

"What? Oh, Sorry! You said something?"

"I said here's your wages, Val. Are you ok?" He gave an embarrassed sort of laugh and scratched the back of his head, turning to glance at the child by the window again before looking back at the cafe's owner.

"Oh, yeah, sorry! I just...have you seen that kid around here before?"

There was a soft hum as she glanced over, and then shook her head.

"Not that I can remember. Why?" He shrugged, his gaze lingering on the tiny form. "Well, maybe he's one of the refugees. It's hard to keep track of everyone, these days. Here you go, sweetie, and go ahead and take one of the leftover sandwiches out of the cooler display when you head out. Will we see you again tomorrow?"

He turned, blinked at her a little owlishly before smiling and taking the small handful of bills she held out to him, and shrugged again.

"Sure, if you could still use the help. I think I'm gonna be here for a while."

"Honey, we're always in need of a helpin' hand. Just come on back in the mornin' around 7, and we'll get started."

He waved at her as he walked towards the front of the store, chirping out a friendly "Sure thing, see you tomorrow!" before he paused to glance down at the sandwiches that hadn't sold for the day, selecting a simple ham and cheese with lettuce and tomatoes and tiny nuts and seeds in the bread. And then he turned back to the door, happy to see that the kid was still leaning under the shade of the awning, and walked outside the door to join him.

"Hey. You hungry? I had a lunch earlier, so I'm not really hungry, and it seems a shame to let it go to waste." He slid down to sit on the sidewalk against the front of the cafe and, with the sandwich held out in his hand, turned to look up at the kid, now that he was close enough to see him properly. Strangely, something in the back of his mind twitched, some tiny bell of familiarity ringing out. Had he met him before? Had he seen him wandering through town? Or had he been in one of the refugee ships he'd seen sailing in back home? It was an unusual sensation, and he was usually pretty good at remembering everyone's faces.

awww but fair.

[tinico]

Nicholas startled at being addressed, shoulders going up defensively, but then he glares.

"Have you spiked it or somethin'?"

He'd heard enough about strangers offering kids food.

[celestialcrybaby]

He looked a little shocked at the question, blinking owlishly with his big, sad eyes, and oh, his accent was familiar. Someone from the December area, and...puzzle pieces seemed to shift in his head in an uncomfortable way; he had about the right eye and hair and skin color, the face shape was pretty close. He shunted the thought off before it could get planted too firmly in his mind, though. He couldn't think about that, not right now.

"No, it was made this morning. If it makes you feel better, I'll take a bite first. You can even choose the piece."

Such a sad assumption for someone his age to already be accustomed to worrying about. What had his life been like, where that seemed like the thing he needed to expect from a simple sandwich?

[tinico]

Nicholas glared, because those big blue sad eyes were simply unfair and he had no idea why they were so sad and it wasn't his business anyway. Except there was far too much sadness around and he huffed.

"... might help." He rubbed the back of his head, looking away. Thanks. There's a lot of refugees and I'm still looking for a job." And looking for people.

[celestialcrybaby]

The sad look in his eyes settled just a bit when a bit of the suspicion went away, and his smile began to creep back up as he held the sandwich halves out a little longer, waiting to see if he would choose one. When instead, he seemed to open up just a bit more, he used the time he was talking to take a bite of one of the wedges, chewing on it while gesturing over at him with the other.

So. The kid was trying to find a job? He was a bit young to have to be worrying about that, but...it wasn't unheard of for kids to help out around the house, in smaller communities, and if he'd come here with the rest of the refugees, it would make sense that he, and anyone he'd come with, would be in need of some kind of income to make ends meet while everything was sorted.

"Things are a bit tough right now, yeah. There are so many adults who'll be looking for jobs, it'll be harder for someone your age to find one. What about your parents? Family? Or...are you by yourself?"

That little thought crept back up into his head despite him trying to push it down. December hadn't been one of the places as heavily hit by the time the survivors had been taken to Octovern. Maybe he was mishearing the cadence in his voice, but it sounded so familiar.

And he'd already met people from vastly different points in time than himself. Maybe-...

No. He really needed to stop looking for the people he was missing in the faces of people he met. It wasn't healthy, or helpful.

[tinico]

Nicholas did reach for the other half of the sandwich, nibbling on it slowly. He had been rationing the groceries he'd been out to get, and it hadn't been that long yet, but he did appreciate it, all the same.

He blinked at the man, then snorted slightly at the mention of parents, his look only softening when that was amended to family.

"I went for groceries and then somethin' happened and the entire city was empty. 'm looking for my family. Getting at least odd jobs'll mean when I find them," his voice didn't waver at when....


.... much.

"Miss Melanie will be less worried. She knows I can take care of myself, but better to prove'er right again, right?"

[celestialcrybaby]

The look that crossed his face when he heard the name Miss Melanie was...complicated, and refused to settle on one for long. Shock, hope, sadness, relief, it all warred in his expressions until he finally managed to make himself settle into something a little more neutral, though the smile he gave was still edged with something that was hard to place.

"Is that the Miss Melanie that runs the orphanage in December? I saw her and the kids on a refugee ship...not too long ago. If that's who you're looking for, I know she'll be happy to see you again."

He had completely forgotten about the sandwich half in his hands as he tried to smile a bit more brightly, hating it but unable to stop the horrible, painful little stab of hope that ached in his chest as he tried to work up the courage to ask the question that was on his mind.

"What's your name, by the way? I'm-..." His voice stuttered, and he glanced around only briefly before glancing back at him, and then turned back to give him a shy sort of look as he held out his hand, offering it for a handshake as his voice dropped to almost a whisper amongst the hubbub of the crowd. "My name is Vash. But people know me as Val around here. The guys that came in on the spaceships are looking for a guy named Vash, and they've got me a little spooked, so I'm going by a nickname for now, until I can figure out if they're nice people or not. But if we both know the same Miss Melanie, she'll know me by my real name when we find her. Do you think you can keep it a secret until we do? I know she's with nice people."

Octovern

[louboutinjudas]

Melanie and the kids are in Octovern, the sad bastard had told him. Wolfwood wasn't entirely sure he could trust a word that came out of the man's mouth, Vash or no -- he's never met somebody with as much of a self-sacrificing death wish as that guy. But even if it turns out Needles was wrong and Melanie and them aren't here, a populated town is still a populated town. There'll be work, if he decides he wants it, food that isn't entirely worm-based, maybe even a chance to connect with the Eye again, to get an idea how many of them are left and get himself invited to their hideout. It'll be much easier to kill them all in their hideout.

But Melanie and the kids from the orphanage are his first priority, which means Wolfwood is skulking around the edges of the city, looking for any kids who seem lost. It's not the best way to go about his search -- in fact, he's starting to feel a bit like a creep -- but it's not like he can just march into downtown and start calling her name. He's keeping a low profile here! Or at least he's trying to.

So when he spots the dark-haired kid taking a nap in the shade, he figures it's worth the ask. The closer he gets, however, the more familiar the kid seems, until Wolfwood lurches to a halt, standing over his younger self.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!"

Re: Octovern

[tinico]

His nap is light enough that the words startle him awake, and he does his best to stay still and only open his eyes a little to see what the fuss is about.

His best, unfortunately, at this age, isn't very good. So he's squinting at the man in the shades who exclaimed. Who is also staring at him, which makes his skin crawl a little but, for some reason, he's not scared, not right now.

He sits up and glares. "What's your problem."

He's hot, he's unhappy because he has been walking for a while and he hasn't found his family yet. And the fear that they were killed in whatever happened at that time (somebody put a grave with a heavy slab and a big cross and it could have been one for a number of people) is far too real for him to be. Nice.

[louboutinjudas]

There's no question -- it's definitely him. Young him, before the Eye got their hands on him. Wolfwood doesn't know whether to start swearing or fall to his knees in thanks

"Kid, we don't have the kind of time it'd take to explain what my problem is." His words are snide, but he can't hide the relief in his voice... or on his face, for that matter. For all his habitual surliness, Wolfwood really does have one lousy poker face. "Do you know where you are?"

[tinico]

Nicholas just stares. This guy is confusing, but he doesn't seem to be trying to attack him, so the glare gets downgraded to a suspicious stare.

"Octovern. They say it's the only place where there's still a lot of people. Sure there aren't any in December." He grits his teeth and looks away. "Dunno about any other places."

[louboutinjudas]

Yeah, that makes sense. Of course he'd have checked December already. Seems like every version of him ends up there sooner or later, huh?

"They're right about that." If he hunkers down here in a squat, is he gonna get kicked? Or ditched? Play nice, kiddo, okay? Creepy big brother here doesn't mean any harm. "Pretty much the whole world's emptied out, and everyone's come here. That's why I'm here, anyway."

Has the kid guessed who he is yet, or does he need to be more obvious? Damn, he can talk a kid out of tears from a toma bite or bribe them into doing chores, but he doesn't have the faintest clue how to explain this whole mess. "I heard that Miss Melanie and the rest of the brats ended up out this way. Don't suppose you've seen 'em?"

[tinico]

Nope, though he might get kicked if he comes much closer, within an easy arm's reach. And he didn't choose to go to December, he was already there and then it was different.

However, as he hasn't yet gotten around to finding out about time shenanigans, he doesn't even begin to suspect who the guy is. So when he drops the name, Nicholas stiffens, fist clenching at his sides. But, of course, bad poker face. There is a glimmer of hope that was missing before.

"If I'd seen them, I wouldn't be here on my own." He chews on his lip for a moment. "Whoever told you would know? That they didn't-- it looked real bad, back there."

sighs..........gimmie i

[graveresemblance]

He'll come around this spot every once in a while, just to make sure things are as they should be. Lately Melanie had been trying to decide what to do, to return, or to find elsewhere in the more populated areas where reconstruction was on the rise.

So Livio had volunteered to come check it out, self-proclaimed repentance, isolation, whathaveyou. It still looked the same--

--At least until the world had once again been upended into chaos, and now with the added flavor of more confusing things than plants talking.

And a little voice calling. A real one, not just the echoes of the children who had come through here.

"....Hello?" He calls back, cautious.

oh pls, he was panicking here

[tinico]

There is a voice. There is someone who is alive out here, and for a moment Nicholas just pauses and tries to catch his breath. It doesn't sound like any of the adults he knows, but it's someone.

It's also an adult and Nicholas is keenly aware that a can of beans can only do so much as self-defense, so he kind of crouches behind a broken wall. If it's a looter, he might well decide a kid is expendable. He might as well make ready to run.

"... who's there?"

poor baby boy

[graveresemblance]

"It's uh-- it's me-- I mean..."

That doesn't help, the kids aren't all that familiar with him. Sure, some of them don't scuttle and hide when they see him, but the others are still reasonably wary. And not so much as to be that familiar with him. Sculking in the corner.

"Is Miss Melanie here with you? She ain't supposed to be, but things are weird."

he's terrified which means he's angery

[tinico]

Nicholas scowls, because that sounded like he's supposed to maybe know the man, but he has to look to figure out if that's the case. But then the question comes and he kind of curls in on himself a bit more, fists clenching.

"Nobody's here. I was just out to run an errand and then suddenly the whole city was empty!"

Beat.

"... you know Miss Melanie?"

i dont blame him, i would be too!

[graveresemblance]

Ah. So this kid had just left right at the wrong time.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I was kinda on an errand too, when this started."

Slowly, slowly, he's walking around the rubble, trying to pinpoint the voice and that location, but cautiously.

"I do, yeah. I spent some time here."

... i mean, you have a point there

[tinico]

The responses are confusing. It still could be a looter, just someone who does know the orphanage, and the slow circling is setting his nerves on edge.

"Yeah? What's your name?"

Not like he's likely to know it, he only knows the ones who have been there while he's been there, but still.

II

[rejuvenation]

The rumble was weird, but it wasn't the first time the strange teleporting had brought her out into the desert like this. The sisters must want something, like the time she was brought out and checking on the red brother that was face down in the sand.

Tessla hurries to find a higher sand dune and climbs up, looking around to see if she can spot any red brothers... but what she sees instead is an unfamiliar boy. A child, just like her - but she can't sense him.

Human.

Fear grabs her heart and she panics, almost losing her footing as she tries to scamper away before the boy sees her. Of course that makes a lot of noise, including a terrified squeak, so it most likely does the opposite instead.

[tinico]

Nicholas has been walking for far too long. Most of the day, really. There has been little shade, too, and even with the hat he's scavenged he's not sure he'll manage without having gotten sunburn in the process.

So he doesn't actually notice her until the noise and the squeak, and then his eyes widen and he stumbles across the sand to get closer, eyes wide with worry more than ...noticing the feathers.

"Hey, hey, easy! Didja hurt yourself?" He skids to a halt close enough, but on his knees, the sand too soft to support him easily while upright.

[rejuvenation]

He saw her! He's coming for her, what if there's sharp things in the bag, what if he'll make her stop feeling her body?

Tessla cries out in horror, more wings sprouting out to cover her up into a much, much smaller version of her ball of terror from when she first arrived in this place.

"Don't hurt me, don't hurt me, please! I don't want to, please, please, no more!" She cries out, begging, pleading even though she knows humans don't listen.

[tinico]

The explosion of feathers makes him blink, and try to see better, because what. Did he get a sunstroke?

But the terror in her voice makes him scramble back - a little. It's the kind of cry that he's heard before... So he gives a bit of space, without hesitation, and tries to make himself a little smaller.

"I won't! I won't! I won't even touch you if I'm scary."

He's a little breathless, but his voice is ... Well. As calm as he can make it while staring. What he saw before the feathers exploded, she seemed older than the littlest ones, but she doesn't sound that old.

[rejuvenation]

The ball of feathers, just a little bigger than the girl, is trembling horribly, the breathing underneath quick and panicked and accented with sobs. She's going into the vat again, they're gonna cut her apart and she can't breathe, she's so scared.

...but the human backs off a little. He doesn't grab her, doesn't stick her with any needles. Part of Tessla understands that he's a child and probably not a scientist about to vivisect her, but the trauma response doesn't exactly do logic.

"Help me, help me, please. I want my brothers, I don't want to be hurt any more. Pl-eaahse-!" She sobs, and to even more horror the sand gets wet underneath her.

[tinico]

"'COURSE I'll help." He is not going any closer, and his heart is aching for her, the way it always does for those who've been hurt, not only dealing with the loss of whatever they've known before.

"But I just wanna make sure. It wasn't your brothers that hurtcha, right?"

One boy wanted to go back to his dad who'd been hurting him. He's not making promises that he'll end up preferring not to fulfil.