[Video]

[welcome_home]

From: Nanshe
Date: October 5th

[ She'd known something was wrong the moment she'd woken up this morning, that empty feeling that told her she was missing a connection. Homura. Heart clenching, she'd launched herself out of her own temple, where she'd slept over after her party the day before, and headed for Souji's. There's momentary confusion, because her temple seems to have moved somehow in the course of the night, but she knows the layout of the heavens well enough from the sky to figure out where she is after a moment.

Only the place where Souji's temple should be was now just an empty plot and no matter how she searched, she couldn't find a place where it could have moved to. She's been here long enough now that she knows what this means, even if it takes her a while to admit it to herself and give up looking.

Which is why it's some time before she shows up on the network, her eyes very red from having been crying for a while. ]

S-souji-oniichan's temple isn't here anymore and I can't... I can't feel Homura. I don't think either one of them are here anymore. I thought... I thought you should know.

[ And she closes down the video feed before she bursts into tears once more. It might be a while before she responds to anyone. ]

Comments

Action

[toremainbehind]

[Izumo doesn’t know Souji or Homura, but it doesn’t matter. Nanako is hurting and it’s always hard losing the people you care about.

And right after her birthday, too.

So he instead teleports himself to Nanako’s temple, looking for the young goddess.]

Nanako?

[welcome_home]

[ She'd come back here to send the message and is currently sitting out on the docks, knees tucked against her chest and her arms wrapped around them as she stares out over the lake. Although she doesn't look up when she hears her name, sniffling a little as she lifts a fist to rub at her eyes, trying to hide her tears. ]

I'm over here.

[toremainbehind]

[Once he hears her, he goes over to where she's sitting on the docks. He's quiet, simply sitting down beside her while wrapping an arm around her in a side hug. Izumo doesn't say anything, simply letting her compose herself or finish rubbing her eyes.]

[welcome_home]

[ She curls in against Izumo's side, resting her cheek against his chest as she curls close. She's not sure what to say, and a little worried if she tries, she'll just burst into tears again. ]

[toremainbehind]

[He's patient. There are no real words to say, nothing that can really make the pain go away. So he continues to hold her, a little tighter when she curls close. It's a bit before he begins to hum a song, something that Totsuka used to sing in the past on Anna's request.]

Action!

[redstray]

[ Eric ran over, Shibau in tow to Nanako's temple. It had recently popped up closer to his temple, so it wasn't too long after he saw that post he was at her door. ]

Nanako? You here?

[ He unhooks Shibau from his leash and nods his head as the dog sniffs around, going to find the little girl first if Eric couldn't. ]

[welcome_home]

[ Nanako's out at the edge of the docks, curled up in a ball, right where she'd been when she made the message. She hears Eric call her name, but she doesn't get up just yet, although after a moment of hesitation, she reluctantly calls out to him, ]

I'm out here...

[redstray]

[ Shibau found her shortly after she called Eric. He trotted over to her, his tail wagging slowly as he put his face to her, happy to see her.

Eric found her not long after that, walking onto the docks and kneeling beside her on the side Shibau wasn't. He wasn't sure what to do, but he lightly put his hand on her shoulder. It must be hard, to lose two people so close in time. ]

Hey...

[welcome_home]

[ She hadn't been expecting the puppy, but when Shibau wanders up to her, she wraps her arms around him, burying her face against his fur and letting him give her the puppy kisses he often did. When Eric joins them, she lifts her head to glance up at him, rubbing at her eyes. ]

Hi, Eric.

[redstray]

[ Shibau wags his tail as Nanako hugs him, not minding the hug and even leaning on her to giver all the puppy kisses. He's gentle cause he feels Nanako isn't doing so well but he will help as best as he can.

When Nanako looks up, he gives her a small smile before moving his head to her head. Lots of people did that to him and it made him feel better, so...here's hoping. ]

...I'm sorry.

[Voice]--->Action?

[light_of_willpower]

Where are you Nanako?

[His tone of voice is gentle; she's not being interrogated or anything, he's just concerned. While he didn't know the others, he is sad for the loss--but more concerned for her. Which means also going to try and look for her--first at her temple, then around the heavens if he can.]

[welcome_home]

[ She doesn't answer the phone, because she'd turned it off to have a cry, although the tears have faded out again by the time Trunks arrives at her temple. She's curled up out by the docks, her baby deer curled up beside her and nuzzling against her hip. ]

[light_of_willpower]

[The lack of answer is worrying, but not surprising. It just means he is not going to stop until he finds her. Which, fortunately, isn't too hard as she's back at her temple, and out by the docks.]

Nanako...

[Audible, but soft--enough to let her know he's there, without startling her. Especially since he's just coming straight over. Trunks wouldn't say, necessarily, that they were the closest--he knew Nanako had lots of big brother and sister-type friends. Of which he was one.

But he also did feel some responsibility, if only on behalf of his role as shinki to the Goddess of Children. Besides that they were friends. So he's moving to come sit by the younger girl. Reaching an arm out and around her, in clear offer of a hug and to hide against him if she wants, or to stay where she is. Just so she's not alone.]

[welcome_home]

[ There's a moment of hesitation before Nanako turns and curls into that warmth he offers, burying her face against his side. Fingers curl in his shirt and there comes the quiet sound of a sniffle as she tries not to start crying again. ]

[light_of_willpower]

[Oh no no nono, she can cry if she wants to. Especially since he somewhat knows it's 'okay' now, Trunks is just going to shift her. Picking her up and curling her more against him, letting her hide. Holding her, head bowed.]

You cry if you want to, Nanako. I'm not leaving until you want me to.

[Soft voiced, trying to be reassuring.]

[Action]

[skygaze]

[Suou remains quiet after Nanako ends the Network call. He stands a few feet behind her unsure of what to do especially when she bursts into tears after ending the feed.

There's nothing he can say that can cheer her up or fix that Souji and Homura have vanished. After a message like that, more of her friends are probably going to be arriving to care for her. She isn't alone. But that doesn't make up for those she's loss either. Suou knows she needs to cry and he can only be as a support for her.

As shinki and friend. He wishes he could do more.

Narrowing his eyes a bit at himself, Suou moves closer before he kneels down next to her. Reaching out, he gently places his hand atop her head.]

[welcome_home]

[ At the warmth of his hand, Nanako turns, flinging herself at him as she buries her face against his stomach, hiding her tears as her shoulders shake with them, letting herself cry against him for a moment. Fingers curl in the fabric of his shirt, clinging to him tightly. ]

[skygaze]

[The fling catches him more off guard then it should but he manages not to topple over this time. He blinks slowly, feeling her cling to him and seeing her shoulders shake.]

Nanako...

[He frowns, looking down at her unsure what to do. What could he do? He didn't know how to bring Souji or Homura back. His eyes soften as he wraps his arms around her and hugs her. He's careful not to hurt her but it is a strong hug.]

Sorry.

[welcome_home]

[ She just clings to him, crying for a few moments, although it's quiet, muffled against his shirt as he hugs her.

After a few moments, she sniffs again and nods. ]

Me, too. I didn't mean to...

[Voice]

[sonofson]

Souji's gone? Are you sure? Nanako are you okay? C'mon don't be sad, I can look around with you for them. M-Maybe him and Homura will reappear like Izumo did!

[welcome_home]

[ She'd been looking for quite some time herself, but for now, there's no answer from Nanako's phone, having turned it off after letting the rest of the heavens know that they're gone. She's not sure she'll be very good at talking right now... ]

action

[revolutionfalcon]

[It's only after Shun focuses on Nanako's temple to teleport there that he realises the lay of the land around it is completely different - not only have her brother and his shinki both disappeared almost at once, but her own temple had moved as well. Making a slight sound of frustration under his breath, Shun starts to comb the nearby areas of the grounds for her.]

Are you still here, Nanako? [She might have stayed at the former location of her brother's temple, but it's worth checking here first.]

[welcome_home]

[ There's a long moment of silence before she calls back reluctantly, ]

I'm here, Shun-oniichan.

[ He'll find her out on the edge of the docks, arms wrapped around Sora, her deer, her eyes still red from crying as the fawn nibbles at her hair. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

[That's good, at least. Shun follows the call around to the dock area, frowning a little at the deer but putting that aside for the moment to focus on the bigger problem. He crouches down beside her, looking at her face - it's a bit of a waste to ask if she's alright when she clearly isn't really, but he can at least be here.]

If there's anything I can do to help, just say it.

[welcome_home]

[ She lifts a hand, fingers curled into a fist as she rubs at her eyes. She gives a little hiccup, blinking back more tears. ]

Shun-oniichan, I think... I think it's my fault.