[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

[welcome_home]

[ The kindness proves to be her undoing anyway, as he picks her up and holds her against his chest. Shoulders shake for a moment in one last effort to subdue the inevitable, but after a moment, she starts crying again. ]

I already... already miss them.

[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...

[welcome_home]

But... [ Another tears breaks its way free despite her efforts to try and rub them away. ] But my wish, Shun-oniichan. I wished really hard. What if someone heard it after all and this... and this was how it was answered.

[light_of_willpower]

[He's good for hiding against.]

It's hard, I know.

[Not much he can really say. He sadly, did not know the people she mourned. But he knows his friend is in pain, and a little girl is sad. So he'll do what he can to offer comfort.]

[skygaze]

[Suou just remains still. It's only after a few minutes that he shifts so he can sit down and lt her sit in his lap if she wants. He doesn't try to pull apart from her, he'd rather Nanako just do what she feels is best. If crying and holding onto his shirt gives her any kind of comfort he's fine with that.]

...I don't know this place that well but I've heard of people leaving before. You have no control over that.

[revolutionfalcon]

[There's one immediate answer Shun has to that, but he shoves it down almost immediately. Telling a kid Nanako's age that wishes don't really come true isn't going to end well for anyone.

It's hard to know what to say without knowing what the wish was, though, so that's the course he takes for now, holding her a little closer.] What was it you wished for, if you're thinking it caused this?

[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.]

[redstray]

[ Eric wraps his arm around Nanako to give her a hug as Shibau lays down beside the girl on her free side. Eric gives her a light squeeze. ]

Nothing for you to be sorry for.

...you did that just to hurt me didn't you

[welcome_home]

[ She might cry a little, but if Izumo notices, he doesn't say anything, and the melody he hums is a pretty one and eventually she gets the worst of her tears under control, rubbing at her eyes as she gives a little hiccup. ]

Izumo? Do... do you think they're okay?

[welcome_home]

[ She's not sure about that, but she just sniffs and nods, because of course he would say that. ]

I didn't... I didn't want to cry in front of everyone... [ She finally confesses softly. ]

[welcome_home]

[ After a few moments, she manages to get her tears under control again, rubbing at her eyes with a quiet hiccup. ]

S-sorry. I didn't mean to cry on you.

[welcome_home]

[ When he sits down, she does curl up into his lap, fingers still curled in his shirt, although she sniffs and tries to rub the rest of the tears away from her eyes. ]

I know. People have gone away before. But Souji-oniichan and Homura... They were here before me. I've never been here without them. And I... [ There was something else, but she bit it off before she confessed it, looking down and fidgetting in her lap. ]

[welcome_home]

[ She gives a quiet sniff, looking down. ]

I... It was my birthday and my dad wasn't here. I really wanted to see him, but I thought it would be bad if I wished for him to come here, so I didn't. But I was worried about him being sad because he missed my birthday. He never did that before, even when he was real busy. So I used my wish to hope that he wouldn't be sad and lonely back home by himself. And then [ the tears are coming back ] and then today Souji-oniichan and Homura aren't here anymore. So maybe someone sent them back home, like I wished, but I...

[ Yeah, that's all she's getting out right now. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Well, that at least explains why she thinks it's her fault. Shun holds her a little tighter.] Do you think someone who listens to wishes like that would be that cruel? Lots of children wish for things that could be bad if someone thought of them that way, but if they were really listening, they would have known that wasn't what you wanted when you made that wish. It's not your fault for wanting someone not to be alone.

[light_of_willpower]

[Trunks shook his head, moving to rub one hand up and down her back in comfort.]

I don't mind. If you need to, then you can cry on me all you want. I just don't like that you're hurting, so I want to help.

[skygaze]

They could return...though I have heard it's not often that happens.

[Suou is still limited on the information he has on this place. In contrast to Nanako's usual bubbly and friendly nature, he is by no means a social butterfly. He's fine keeping close to the temple and limiting his interactions with others.]

You're not alone here and I doubt Souji wouldn't want you dwelling on it too long either.

[redstray]

[ He nods, rubbing her arm as a way of some small comfort. ]

You don't have to cry in front of everyone but...you don't have to keep yourself from crying either.

...of course not. why would you accuse me of such a thing

[toremainbehind]

[When she calms down, he strokes his fingers through her hair comfortingly.]

I do. [The chances are that the two of them had been able to return home, even if Homura was a shinki.]

because I know you :|

[welcome_home]

[ She relaxes a little at his words, laying her head back down against his side, staring out over the water. ]

I hope so. I hope... I hope he could take her home. So maybe I can see her again.

[welcome_home]

I don't think gods are supposed to cry. [ Rubbing at her eyes, she huffs a quiet sigh and rests her chin on her knees again. ]

[welcome_home]

[ She leans in against him, taking a shuddering breath. ]

I don't know... know what will help.

[welcome_home]

I know. Sometimes it does. Noct and Prompto came back, for a little bit. But... [ There's so many others who hadn't. ] No. He wouldn't want me to be sad. I just miss him already. And Homura, too.

[welcome_home]

so it... might have happened even if I didn't make my wish?

[ She rubs at her eyes, hoping that was true. Souji and Homura were still gone and she already missed them, but the thought that she might have been the reason they were suddenly missing had made everything feel worse. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

I think it would have. I've never seen anything control how people come and go here. [Shun loosens the hug a bit, mostly so Nanako can see the somewhat morose look on his face as he goes on.] It was the same with Yuto, and with Joker, my friend and my shinki, when they disappeared. There was no warning, nothing to prompt it...they were just there one day, and gone the next.

[skygaze]

If there is any way to bring them back to you...

[He'd do it. In a heartbeat. It's just, he doesn't know how. He keeps her close, one hand raising to place atop her head fondly.]

I'm sorry I can't be more help to you, Nanako.