Early in the morning

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Just before dawn, anyone monitoring the low-band station that Rem's transmitter is usually set to might hear the following short message from a child who is clearly trying not to panic. ]

Blades, this is Feathers-home, Feathers-home calling Blades, what's your twenty? Where are you!?

[ There's a pause of about a minute, then the message repeats three more times, and finally the transmission ends with: ]

If anyone out there knows who this is and you see my brother, tell me right away!

Comments

[tallredridinghood]

[ it takes Vash a long moment to figure out the code names, though with the information about and from the other Vash...

His eyes go wide, and he scrambles to the radio. ]

Wait, he's missing [ again ] ...?

What happened? Are you hurt? Is -- [ code names

... Nope, too worried to come up with one for Rem. ] -- anyone else there hurt?

[cowgoesmoo]

[ The voice is familiar -- that's the Vash who lives here sometimes, isn't it? It sure sounds like him. ]

Nobody's hurt! I mean, I'm not hurt, and... [ Ugh, codenames! ] ...and Mom is okay too. It's just us here. I woke up and he was gone! He wouldn't just leave!

[tallredridinghood]

Oh. I'm glad of that, at least, please stay safe.

I know it's happened to him a couple of times before - it's how he showed up where you are, as far as I know. He is probably all right, and might reply to you soon, even, but I'll keep an eye out for him. He kind of could be anywhere, but if these relocations are done by the ... plants that brought us here, they should not be harmful.

[ He hopes. ]

[cowgoesmoo]

[ "I don't know where he is but I'm sure he's fine!" is absolutely not what he wanted to hear! ]

It's not safe for him to be on his own! What if somebody recognizes him?

[tallredridinghood]

[ He knows but it's the most he can give. ]

He is so young, people won't be considering a child. But no, I'll look for him and let you know if I find him. All right?

Please stay where you are, because if he returns there and doesn't find you, it'll be just as bad for him.

[cowgoesmoo]

I know, I know! I'm not going anywhere, that why I'm on the radio looking for him!

[ There are people who absolutely would recognize Nai for who he is, or rather, who he might have become. If there's a bunch of Vashes running around, even the humans will eventually notice!

Every minute Nai's alone he's in danger. Vash has never been this scared. ]

Where are you?

[ornamentals]

[ it took him some time, but he manages to find a radio beneath dark roots, following the muffled sounds of his brother calling for him over the waves. ]

Feathers? This is, um- this is Blades. I'm okay, are you okay?

[tallredridinghood]

Thank you.

I'm near Octovern. Another... one of us who knows Blades is heading towards where you are, I'll let him know to look, too.

[ Hopefully, he can still reach the other Vash mentally. This would be something he'd want to know.

... and yes, he'll be meeting Wolfwood when he wakes up with the news that they are looking for Nai... again. ]

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Octovern. That’s so far away! There’s two of them there, though, so that’s good. They can look in more places than one Vash alone could.

There’s a map of the world, on the wall next to the radio. With a pencil, Vash makes two little Xs next to Octovern, and nods. They’re going to find Nai. Wherever he is, together they’ll find him. ]

Okay. Good. Report back in two hours.

[ Yes, he’s giving the orders now. What? Somebody has to! ]

[cowgoesmoo]

[ It took too much time! He's been waiting and waiting, for hours! ]

Where the hell are you?

[ Sorry Rem, but serious situations call for serious language! ]

[ornamentals]

[ there's a huff on nai's end, wow rude! ]

I... don't know - yet.

[ some shuffling... ]

It's hard to tell...

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Disappearing in the middle of the night is ruder! Also, "I'm okay but I don't know where I am" sounds like he's maybe in trouble? If he's got a radio he can't be out in the sands, but if he doesn't know where he is... ]

Why? Is it dark? Are you trapped? ...Is there somebody else there?

[ When he's back safe they're going to talk about code words and phrases, ways to communicate when they can't talk clearly, and ways to find each other if one goes missing! For now, he'll just have to be direct. ]

[ornamentals]

I'm not trapped! I'm sure I can leave, if I wanted to, but... um-

[ they really need code words to get through this conversation. he knows well and good that it'd be a bad idea to talk openly over a public radio wave exactly what was happening right now. ]

But, I'm not alone either.

[ a pause ]

... I'm sorry, Feathers. I didn't want to leave you.

[cowgoesmoo]

[ What? Why wouldn't he want to leave? Why would he want to stay wherever he is? Who could possibly be there that would make him want to stay?! It's another Vash, probably, but there's lots of those! Why would he...?

Oh, and then an awful thought occurs to him. Is it Nai's brother? Is his real brother here, is that why...?

He doesn't want to ask, not over the radio. But who else could it be?

His voice is a lot quieter when he finally replies. ]

Okay. So long as you're okay. I'll be here.

[ornamentals]

[ if only. then nai wouldn't hesitate in leaving, but he wouldn't be alone either. if only...

he doesn't like hearing vash sound like this. even as far apart as they are now, he knows what vash might be feeling right now. his voice is quieter, too. he doesn't want to wake vash in the other room. ]

I miss you. I promise I'm going to come back as soon as I can, okay? As soon as I can find a map...

[ vash travelled the desert for over a hundred years, right? so could he! ]

There's so much I need to tell you, but I can't until I can see you again.

[cowgoesmoo]

I have a map!

[ But as soon as he says it, he understands why that won't help. They can't just say on an open band where they are and how to get to the station, huh. And Nai said he doesn't know where he is anyway, so it's not like Vash can direct him to the nearest town. ]

I mean... crap.

[ He hates this, for the record! All of this! ]

How can I help? What can I do?

[tallredridinghood]

[ ... no chuckling on the radio, at least. ]

Fair enough. Or sooner, if there is news.

[dontdeserve]

[ Well. That sure is a burst of sadness from the radio room, on the heels of relief, after the panic.

He's stayed out of the way of his little self after their conversation, strongly suspecting that his presence is unwelcome, but this kind of sadness, loss even. He knows it far too well to not ... try to help.

So he sets down the bag he'd been holding ready in order to follow in the 'steps' of the ghost and go looking, waits until the words trail off, and comes to knock on the door of the radio room. ]

Vash? Is it all right for me to come in?

[ Soft voice, so soft, and slight soothing energy, just so that the little him is not hurting so much. ]

[cowgoesmoo]

[ He knows which older him it is without even having to open the door. It's the one he'd yelled at the other day about Knives, the one who walks around feeling niceness and good things at people. It doesn't seem right, having somebody he yelled at come and make sure he's okay, but it seems even more not already to tell him to go away, so...

The door is opened by a little Vash still in his sleep clothes, hair mussed and eyes bloodshot. ]

Sorry. Was I too loud?

[ It is still pretty early. ]

[dontdeserve]

[ Vash shakes his head, managing a small, soft smile, though his eyes are concerned. ]

Not your voice, and I was already awake. You have nothing to apologize for.

[ He crouches down, so that he's not making Vash stare up at him. Or look at his legs or something. ]

I know I'm probably the last person you want to try to help, but it's ... easier to not be completely alone. Even if you don't say anything at all.

[cowgoesmoo]

[ Completely alone gets another big sniff, and Vash's eyes are definitely getting teary. He was able to be strong for Nai, but Nai's not here. ]

It's okay. [ His feelings were too loud? Crap. That's one more thing to work on! Vash rubs the tears out of his eyes with the back of his hand, and tries to look -- and feel -- like he's fine. ] I found Nai! He's okay.

[ If everything was okay then his chin wouldn't be trembling like that, probably. ]

He'll be home soon! I think.

[dontdeserve]

It's good that he's okay. And I'm sure he will come back to you, as soon as he can.

[ And Vash still opens his arms in invitation. ]

[cowgoesmoo]

[ He wants Nai here... but he also really does want to be held, yeah. So okay, this Vash will do. Snuffling, Vash shuffles forward and just leans into the other him, not hugging him, just... leaning.

Only when he's got his face hidden in other Vash's shoulder does he dare say what he's thinking. ]

What if he doesn't want to come back? [ His chest hurts, and his stomach hurts. Everything hurts. ] What if... what if he finds his real brother, and doesn't need me anymore?

[aplantandherboy]

[One of the responses is!! Someone completely unfamiliar with any Vash. He sounds like he's not entirely sure what's going on, based on the bits of static and occasional clanks from his end.]

Hello? Feathers? I was told by Delphi to say, if you are looking ... hang on, let me ask again.

....

Looking for your brother, he might have popped up in the Innnnnnnnnnnnnn..... around. Near Alba Scutum but not actually here. She says you are too far away to tell you herself and it would only come out as a lot of beep boops.

[dontdeserve]

[ Vash wraps him all up in his arms, cupping the back of his head with his right hand, and rubbing slow circles into his back with the left. ]

It's so easy to think the worst thing when something goes wrong, or even something unexpected happens. But I think even with the whole from different worlds thing, he loves you, specifically, too. And I also think he would tell you, if that is the case. Or even bring him here. Would that be all right with you?

Don't get me wrong, it's all right to be unhappy or sad or worried. So long as you remember that it's possible for things to get better again. That the worst thing that you think of won't necessarily be true.

[ It could be worse, the thinks, sadly, but this is only for the silence of his own mind. ]