thebastion | [Day 282] I'm covering my ears like kid... [OPEN]

Who: Rin, Oshawott, Kintaro (the Tepig)
Open: Open
When: Day 282, evening
Where: The Monument
What: The loss of a brother
Format: Will match!
Warnings: Rin's temper. :|

[Speaking to Otoha had taken up a decent chunk of Rin's afternoon. Not that she minded, it had been a nice conversation about the things he had planted via shards among other things, and the company was enjoyable. But she did have other things to do, like bringing dinner to the hospital once evening rolled around. After all, it wasn't like Yukio was going to drag himself away from his work to get food on his own.

With a happy hum and a tail wag, Rin headed to the hospital with Kintaro at her heels. She had no idea anything was even remotely off until she stepped through the entrance doors.

And that's when she saw Oshawott sitting on the floor in the lobby area, making distressed noises that almost sounded like crying. Rin entering got his attention, causing him to run over to her. He was chattering so fast she could barely catch what he was trying to tel her, but soon enough he had her hand in his tiny paw and was tugging her to Yukio's office.

... which was frighteningly empty.

His books, files, notepads were all still there, but her brother was nonexistent.

Feeling a tightness in her chest that she didn't want to feel, she tried to justify his absence, saying aloud that maybe he was with a patient, or had stepped out for a moment.

But Oshawott shook his head, and a word was understood that made her heart sink completely to her feet.

"Skyway."

Grabbing both Oshawott and Kintaro up she bolted from the hospital, calling Yukio's name frantically as tears burned painfully in the corners of her eyes. He couldn't, he wouldn't--

There was no reply. No chastising voice telling her calm down, keep her voice down. Not even a distant glint of light off familiar glasses.

As night came across the Bastion that evening, Rin wouldn't return to the kitchen nor to her apartment. Curled up with a still-crying Oshawott in her lap and Kintaro at her side, she sat in front of the Monument, face blotched red but tears no longer falling.

Just a blank stare out to the space far beyond the edge of the floating land that was their current home.]

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[She wasn't even sure why she stopped there. It wasn't like she could feed the monument shards and get her brother back. She was just... there, after searching high and low for any remote impossible chance that he was still in the Bastion somewhere.

She looks up at Zuko with clearly bloodshot eyes, Oshawott burying his face in to her chest. It was really hard to tell who was more upset here.]

... Yukio's gone.

[Zuko glances around as though hoping to spot someone better qualified to provide comfort. On finding no one else nearby, she crouches down to get on Rin's level.]

How long has he been missing?

[Sorry, Zuko. You're alone in this one.]

Oshawott said... said he left this mornin' and didn't come back. He woulda been back by now. He wouldn't leave for that long and not say anythin' to us.

So maybe he got a little lost. We can go out first thing tomorrow and look for him.

[It could be the case, but the words feel empty. She said the same thing to herself, about Toph.]

[Rin knows that, and as much as she wants to believe in those empty words she can't even begin to dredge up hope.]

... you know what happens to them out there.

We don't know. Not for certain.

Do you really want to give up without even looking?

No, I just--...

[Her gaze flickered back to the sky beyond the land, now darkened in the night cycle of the Bastion.]

He... he would come back, he wouldn't--...

[He wouldn't die out there like Night did...]

[Zuko remembers the day Rin came back with Night. That was what cemented the dangers of the Skyway for her, what makes her tell every newcomer not to go out alone and avoid it herself.

She can't tell Rin that it couldn't have happened again, because that possibility is out there, too. But as pessimistic as she is, she'd rather focus on the scenarios where people are alive.]

Something happened. It could just mean he needs help getting back. There's no reason to assume otherwise.

[Oshawott continues to make those distressed, upset noises, muffled as they were in Rin's shirt. She doesn't know why she can't convince herself that what Zuko is saying holds some truth, she just can't.

Maybe deep down she believes she simply didn't deserve to keep a hold of anyone she might have considered family.

She hugged Oshawott tighter, burying her face in the soft fur at the top of his head.]

If he's not there...

[I don't think I can handle it.]

[What she's saying doesn't seem to be helping. She doesn't know what Rin needs.]

We'll keep looking. I'll keep looking.

[Rin doesn't even know what Rin needs.

But she does move, rubbing a shaking hand over her damp face.]

... I don't think they're old enough to go out there yet.

[Meaning the Pokemon.]

Kizuna isn't either. I'm sure we can find someone to look after them.

[Paarthurnax would make a great babysitter, right?]

I can... I can ask Ryuuji...

[So long as Bon knows Rin isn't going alone, he's not likely to freak out at her for wanting to leave.]

[Zuko isn't completely sure about entrusting her dragon to him, but he must know the pokemon pretty well.]

Right.

[...now that she thinks about it, wouldn't he be better at this?]

Maybe you should see him now?

[You got to her first, Zuko. Sorry, it's on your shoulders this time.]

Yeah...

[She's still not looking forward to this. A part of her just knows. Something about that unexplained connection with twins, even twins from different versions of their own world, still manages to exist between her and Yukio.]

[What would Uncle do?

Zuko leans forward to place a strong hand on Rin's shoulder.]

I won't tell you everything's going to be all right... But even if we don't find your brother tomorrow, you haven't lost everything. You still have Ryuuji. You still have your friends. And the respect and support of everyone in the Bastion.

...

[Hearing "respect" and herself spoken of in the same breath was strange, but surprisingly more uplifting than Zuko might have expected. She couldn't smile, not with what was happening right now, but she did brighten significantly. Even Kintaro nodded to what Zuko had said.]

Thank you...

[Wow, it actually worked? Maybe she's getting better at words.]

I'm just reminding you of what you should already know.

[Before Zuko can pull her hand back, Kizuna seems to decide that it's a bridge and crawls across to Rin so she can sniff her face.]

H-hey...

[It was startling, having Kizuna come over to her like that, but Rin wasn't upset by it. In fact she manages a smile, petting the dragon gently.]

Mn... doesn't hurt to be reminded, though.

[Kizuna nuzzles into Rin's hand. She's not sure why you smell salty but you seem sad, auntie.]

No. It doesn't.

[Very sad...

A part of her still doesn't want to go out, knowing that all they were going to find was an empty skyway. Lingering where she was, doing nothing to set her mind and heart at ease was an even worse idea, though.]

We should head for the apartment if we're gonna get out before dark...

You sure you're up for it?

Sittin' here cryin' ain't doin' anyone any good...

No, not really.

[Welp.

Zuko gently pulls Kizuna back, gets to her feet, and offers Rin a hand up.]

Thanks...

[Not just for the hand, but the encouragement to do something instead of mourning a loss she wasn't completely sure of yet.

Skirt dusted off, Rin lets Oshawott back down on the ground. Kintaro gives him a hopeful nudge. Maybe they'll find him out there?]

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