Video

[lazyinlove]

['Sup fellow moon people. Here's a face you've never seen on the network before, though some of you have seen the kid around by now.

Stanley is a teenager, about 16, with blond hair hanging in his face because he hasn't had it cut since at least June. In spite of that, a bit of his startled eyes still show through. His voice catches a little, and he's out of breath. There's an unusual urgency to his tone, for those who are familiar with him.

And while he's kept his mouth shut through the mutiny, now he seems to have something to say. In spite of how insignificant the question seems when he poses it, there's a barely restrained edge of panic to his entire being. Something is most likely up here.]

I-uh. I'm looking for the lost and found. But it's not-it's not on the map. Little help?

(OoC: That recently announced world change came with a few significant other changes. Namely, to the former Exsiles. Including smuggled children. For those that knew about Peace this will be an easy puzzle to solve. She's gone, guys. Never existed at all, officially.)

Comments

I got one for that tag at least!!

[reassures]

[She doesn't even really need to ask what Stan means. The answer is kind of obvious. Her wings droop slightly, folding in closer to her back. He wouldn't say that if he wasn't certain, but...]

Do you want to look for her with me?

sweet

[lazyinlove]

Yeah.

[Its the only honest answer. He wants to tear the place apart until he finds her. But no matter how hard they look, they won't be finding her again. So he doesn't move from his cupboard. He just curls up a little more tightly where he's crouched.]

[reassures]

[Since he doesn't make any move to get up, Nill doesn't either. It's not easy to deal with the kind of hopelessness he's feeling.

She shifts, just so that she's sitting on the ground, and then types up a new message.]

You did everything you could for her. She felt safest with you. I don't think many people here would have done better than you did.

[lazyinlove]

[Reading that is painful. He flinches. What he'd told Nill once before is still true. He shouldn't have taken her. He'd thought he was saving her, but he hadn't. He'd just put her through three extra months of misery. The thought sits in his stomach like a rock. He shakes his head. ]

I fucked it up. Ask anyone.

[It would be nice, to pretend he'd done something heroic. That he'd done something good. But it's a lie. And even nice lies are useless. You always know the truth.]

[reassures]

[She shakes her head as well. Everything here was fucked up - literally everything - but there was nothing most of them could do about that. There was even less that you could do for a little girl in a situation like this.]

It's not true just because they think it is.

[lazyinlove]

That's nice of you to say.

[But it's a hollow response. He'd love to believe her, but he can't. She's the only one who's ever thought he did anything good for Peace at all, and they can't all be wrong. Not to mention, this kind of proves it. Wanting to do a good thing and doing a good thing aren't always the same thing.]

[reassures]

You gave her time. That's not meaningless.

[There's not much else she can say. In a situation like this, there aren't really words to help. Especially not given the circumstances.

Because in the long run, Stanley was right. It probably would have been kinder to leave that girl with her family. But that didn't mean he should have left her there. That girl probably wanted to live just as much as any of the Exiles - just as much as the Transports, too.]

[lazyinlove]

I hope not.

[reassures]

[Okay. That's about as much as she can do right now, she supposes.]

Would you like me to get you anything?

[lazyinlove]

Like what?

[He can't think of a single thing that would be useful in this situation. Nothing at all.]

[reassures]

[At first, all Nill can really offer in reply is a shrug. Even after having asked, she's not really sure.]

Anything. I'd be willing to help if you want it. Just let me know.

[lazyinlove]

Thanks.

[reassures]

[She nods, more acknowledgement than anything.]

Do you want me to close the cabinet door?

[lazyinlove]

[That does make hiding from the world easier.

He should get out, shouldn't he? At least for a few minutes. Pretend to be alright.

It's hard, though. Harder than it should be. Outside of the cupboard, things are harsh and cold and real. But if he stays where he is, it'll be dark and quiet and untouchable.

So he nods. Yes, please. Lock the artificial daylight away again. He doesn't want to see it right now.]

[reassures]

[It's a sentiment that she can understand well enough. She does pause long enough to type up another message, though.]

You can message me if you want to.

[For whatever. The way she figures, it might be a little nicer in his cabinet if he got to talk to someone too. But she'd understand if that wasn't terribly appealing to him at the moment. She pulls the tablet back then, and offers a brief wave, before climbing to her feet. She takes a step back, and then closes the door again.]