nomans_land | Near July, before all the chaos

Nai's missing, the smashed-up city that Rem had put her house next to keeps changing, there's people nearby, human people, more and more of them all the time, gathering... it's been an eventful few days for a tiny plant!

It's not healthy to sit inside all day, hunched over the radio, waiting desperately for any sign of his brother, and so Vash is out wandering the dunes and cliffs near the station, a small two-way radio clipped to his belt that lets him keep listening to the radio inside, just in case Nai is able to call again. Some of his day is taken up training, working on focusing his plant powers to summon feathers that sprout in tiny downy tufts all along both his arms. Some of his day is just walking, exploring and re-exploring the space around the station, finding holes, bugs, interesting rocks. Some of his day is lying flat on a cliff, watching the human refugees below as they gather around the ever-changing city of July. Sometimes he finds a quiet space where nobody can see him, and cries for awhile. Sometimes, when Rem's been out late working hard, he's inside the station, cleaning and cooking and helping out as best he can. And, late at night when he can't sleep, he climbs up on the nearby ledge and watches the stars.

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He does squint, and he does see the station out there. Just barely, the shape of it. Livio thinks it might be somewhere he's been not too long ago, so that Rem must have been his? There are so many...odd things. But you have to roll with the punches, and take the good times when they happen.

"I'm glad you found her. And Rem, too." His smile widens, and he shrugs. "Somewhat. I wanted to see what I could see, basically."

That city out there is sure an odd thing. That one in particular -- the white city, the one made out of big blocks of what looks to him like stone? That one's just a city, and the rubble version of that city's just a destroyed city. It's strange that it shows up sometimes, but it's not odd. Even the pit, when everything disappears and it's just a big hole in the ground, that's strange, but it doesn't put his teeth on edge like the city with the big tower in the middle does.

He doesn't like looking at it, to be perfectly honest. It doesn't feel right.

"You can feel it, when it's gonna change." Or at least he can feel it. Maybe it's different for humans? "The air gets weird and my ears hurt, then poof! It turns into a new city."

This entire thing has his hackles on end. All of it is strange-- doesn't feel entirely bad, just. Odd.

But there are wonderful moments like this.

"Yeah, I feel it too. The air tastes weird...but you wanted to come see it, even if it hurts?"

Vash glances up at Mr Livio, jaw tight. He's being brave, but brave is hard!

"Nuh-uh." See? He's got a little radio clipped to his belt, like a walkie-talkie. "I have t'stay close by so I can hear if he calls." And also so Rem can find him if there's a problem, but... but it's mostly for Nai. "My brother. He disappeared."

His--

That means Knives, then. Knives is missing. Livio tries not to let anything show on his face, besides the sad smile.

"How long ago? And you really think he's out here?"

He's not Knives yet! He's still Nai. He won't ever have to be Knives, because they're here now, and not on the ships.

Vash scowls up at Mr Livio, briefly furious at the idea that Nai might not be all right.

"He's out there! He called me, from..." He looks away, just for a moment. That palce is secret, and he can't talk about it, not with humans. "He called me, and he said he was coming back! He's gonna come back!"

And he'll fight anyone who says otherwise!

He sighs, lifting his hands in a calm down-- a surrender, gesture. this Knives-- Nai-- is still little. still sinless. a child.

Livio has to remember that.

"Okay, okay...so he told you he's nearby?"

Vash shakes his head, fiddling with the radio. The speaker hisses as he adjusts the volume and band, making sure that it's still set to the right channel. Waiting is hard. He already knew he wasn't very patient, but after this he's discovering that he actually hates it.

"He was a long ways away, but he called on the radio and said he was okay, and he was coming home as soon as he could." There's a lot more to it than that, but it's family business. Mr Livio is a good kind man, but, sorry, he's not family. He's not a plant. "But then the, um. The person he was with said he disappeared again, and I don't know where he is."

Vash rubs at his chest, over his heart, his gaze drawn again to the city in the distance. "I know he's okay, but..." But who knows where he's gone to now. Who knows when he can return.

He reads between the lines-- there's got to be more. It's Vash-- there's always more. But Livio doesn't push it. He'll either tell him one day, or won't. Either way, he's gonna do what he can to help.

"But he'll probably get in contact with you again," he says, hoping his voice is reassuring. "He'll be back."

Near July, before all the chaos

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