[Day 157] MEANWHILE, IN THE BASTION...

[bastionpc]

Who: Everyone who didn't go to the Observatory
Open: Open
When: Early on Day 157
Where: The apartment building, specifically Nathaniel's place
What: Plot Things for the non-exploration type
Format: action
Warnings: none

[So. A bunch of people left the Bastion on Day 156 to go to the Observatory, get some things, and possibly kill a giant plant. But not everyone went. In fact, there are a lot of people still in the Bastion, for various reasons.

And on the night of Day 156, when most people were sleeping, someone broke into Nathaniel's room and tore the place apart.

They were quiet about it, so as to keep people from stumbling upon them while they work, but they did not even try to hide the mess. They left Nathaniel's door and window open, and anyone who goes in will find everything in shambles. Things on the floor, tables overturned, dishes broken, and so forth. Whoever did this, they did a thorough job of looking through every nook and cranny in the apartment.

Nathaniel is off at the Observatory, so he can't react to the mess, and whoever did this is long gone by morning. However, other people can come across this mess and try to figure out what the hell happened. Especially if they live in the Apartments, as anyone who lives in there has to walk by the open door to leave the building.]

Comments

[evacuate]

Yeah. Of course. I'll meet you there.

[And she goes right back to scurrying—back to the apartment this time. Carefully weaving around everyone else who's shown up, she makes a beeline towards Rin.]

Hey. Find anything?

[hellpyre]

[Rin has barely noticed the growing crowd out in the hall. She's still staring at the bookshelf, trying to convince herself what she's thinking of can't be true.

It just can't be.

She's too dumb to figure this shit out... right?]

... the bookshelf.

[evacuate]

[Zia glances over towards it. It's a wreck, of course, like everything else—but apparently an important wreck, so she takes a step forward and crouches down to get a better look.]

Someone really wanted to destroy this place... [Every last book's been torn off the shelf, and they're all opened up...

Oh.]

Someone was...looking for a book. [She stares at the mess instead of at Rin as she says it, but there is a very clear oh crap in the tone of her quiet voice.]

[hellpyre]

[Yeah.

That's the same oh crap that Rin has been trying to deny for the past fifteen minutes.

Her gaze shifts, eyes wide and a little wild, towards the door and the people gather there. This could get ugly, fast. Rin sure as shit isn't going to start accusing anyone, but if it's what she thinks it is.

Her hand snags Zia's arm, probably a little rougher than she should have, but there's an uttered apology as she tugs the girl around to the near by bedroom door, keeping her voice as low as possible. Hushed whispers, harsh tones, clear panic beneath all of it.]

It's hidden, right?

[evacuate]

[Zia squeaks when she's grabbed, and after years of being pulled and shoved she's grown an instinct to go limp, but she makes herself walk and stumbles along behind Rin with a returned "it's fine."

She glances desperately between Rin, the doorway, and the room. As if the situation didn't have her anxious enough, Rin's panic makes her heart pound so hard she fears it might pop. Her throat is too dry for her to speak right away, so she nods.]

But—but whoever it was went through everything...

[hellpyre]

[Things had been peaceful, up until that goddamn journal made its way in to their lives. She doesn't blame Zia for it at all. Hell she doesn't even blame Venn for it. She blames whoever the fuck is still holding on to a grudge this bad that they would trash Nathaniel's room and send such a violent message to everyone.

"I don't want to start another war, Rin!"

Well, some one does, Zulf. Some one does.

She lets go of Zia's arm when she realizes just how rough she's being. She's freaked out, to be honest. Scared that this is going to turn in to another incident, an incident that might lead to a divide between people just trying so hard to survive.]

Sorry...

[But the journal is still hidden. That's something. They have to keep it between them, that the journal left Nathaniel's hands a while ago and was taken by the person it rightfully belonged to.

The only other one who knew was Colin, and it's not like he was about to cause trouble for it. He wasn't even there. Neither was Zulf.

That left a lot of unanswered and frankly unnerving questions.]

They really want it. You can't tell anyone. Not Zulf, Not Raile, no one. You don't need a target on your back, too.

[evacuate]

[Once her arm's released, Zia nods and folds her arms over her chest, drawing into herself as close as she can.]

It's fine. But—

[She glances away, bites her lip. Rin's done a lot for her; she doesn't want to ask for more, doesn't want to fight her on this. But...]

I've got to tell the boys. Please. You—you know that they're involved already. And if anything does, this'll finally convince them to stay in the tower with me. I'd be safer.

[But she's going to spend all her time looking over her shoulder until they get back. It isn't like it's a secret that she's Venn's daughter. Anyone could assume...]

And just us four, that's it. I-I can't keep secrets from them.

[hellpyre]

No.

[It's firm. Not angry or upset, just stern and demanding. A little bit of Yuki slipping through, all those years of being a twin to some one so different rubbing off on her.

But there's a fear in her eyes. Fear for Zia, for Zulf, for Raile.

Any resemblance to her sister fades pretty quickly, though. No, that's not the right plan. Acting like nothing is going on won't help them in this case.]

I mean-- yes, but not right away. Okay? We know they're gone. We know it's not one of them, but the person who did this doesn't know who has it right now. I know you trust them, I trust them, too, but we gotta... we gotta be smart about this.

I don't wanna risk them gettin' hurt. Or you.

[She lets out a nervous, tense breath, putting both hands on Zia's shoulders.]

There's extra room in the apartment Ryuuji and I moved in to. We know they're gonna be gone a few more days. Come stay with us, so I can make sure nothin' happens to you when we've got our guard down, okay? I'll tell Ryuuji what's goin' on, he can watch their tents and make sure no one goes creepin' around there, either.

As soon as they're back, we're goin' to Nathaniel with all of this.

We'll tell them then. Together. With no one else around. Nathaniel can figure out what to do next...

[evacuate]

[At the back of her mind, there's a but, but, but when Rin says no, and she doesn't say a thing; defiance doesn't come easily to Zia, especially not against words spoken so severely.

But some of that tenseness in her muscles relaxes when Rin says yes instead, and she nods along as she goes on.]

Okay. Yeah, yeah. It's okay if I stay? [Soft wonder creeps into her voice, knowing that Rin would do this for her—it's different, being protected, being cared for. She hasn't met Ryuuji, but if Rin trusts him, then Zia's sure she'll be safe.]

All right. Together—as soon as they get back.

[hellpyre]

[Rin nods, to both of those things.]

He'd probably be worried, too, if he already knew. But I'll fill him in. Hopefully you won't have to stay there too long...

[Because even if a guest room was nice, it still wasn't home, and being out of her own space was already going to be difficult enough without having to feel paranoid and worried on top of it for Zia.]

Head out and meet me at the apartment doors. If anyone asks you anythin' just tell 'em what we already know - nothin' was taken but this was a break in for sure.

[evacuate]

Hopefully. Just as soon as they get back...

[She nods, takes a look over her shoulder, and takes a step back towards the door.]

Okay, I'll meet you there. Thank you, Rin.

[And she's off, carefully weaving her way through the crowd and scurrying away again.]

[hellpyre]

Yeah...

[She can't really say "you're welcome" because, well... look at the situation.

But she lets Zia go, and exits a good ten minutes later.]