[video]

[pinkmin]

The last several jolts of Vianca's consciousness had not been what anyone could call pleasant. The last thing she had remembered about Havenwell was the warmth of morning sunshine. Then that sunshine had lost its warmth, its departure bringing weak stutters of breath and the crumbled remains of a place that had once been her whole world. The sunlight was still there, filtering in through the broken ceilings and crushed walls. Oh, she had thought as she laid there, a dream. A very nice one. It was a shame she couldn't hold on to it in the end.

Then there was nothing.

So when she opened her eyes in a sunlit temple a second time, she was not sure what to do. She stayed right there for a very long time, until one of the kind priests helped her to her feet so she could find her way. It... had been cold, the last time she had been outside? She thought so anyway, but the more she thought about it, the more she wasn't sure. Maybe it had been warm the whole time?

She had only gotten so far through the temple before she had to crouch down in a corner, because things were a little too overwhelming. Thinking about what the season meant was too much. Starting over was too much. What if it was just her all over again? That, more than anything, was far too much.

It took a very long time, but eventually Vianca slowly picked up the tablet that had been handed to her. Whether it was the same one she'd had or a new one, she didn't have the courage to check. The focus was simply on opening the network and keeping her breath steady.

---


[It was a little bit dark there in the corner of Ohma's temple, but it was still possible to see the pink little girl on the screen. Her mouth was pressed in a thin, worried line, and for a moment it might have seemed like the video frame was actually frozen.

Then she took a breath, and spoke in a spectacularly tiny voice into the screen.]


... Hello?

Comments

[pinkmin]

It wasn't his fault. The tears were somewhat inevitable at this point, despite Vianca's thoughts about it. There were just too many emotions happening in that tiny body, there wasn't room for all of them.

She lifted a hand to scrub at her eyes, sniffing as she nodded. "Thank you." Despite how often she had waited to be the one that welcomed someone back, she hadn't known just how nice it really was to have someone say it. Was this what coming home was supposed to feel like?

With her face a little bit dryer, Vianca tucked back in against his chest for a little longer of a hug. "I'm glad you're still here."

[carbungle]

He can't help setting free a brief laugh at that, going right back to hugging her and petting her hair. Poor kid, it has to be really hard on her...

"Yeah... me too." More than he could ever admit. "Did you just get here? How'd I miss you?"

He hopes it hasn't been too long. He's been a little off-kilter lately (what else is new) so he's not always on the ball when it comes to the network, or the population either.

[pinkmin]

A huge sigh slipped out of her tiny frame as his fingers swept over her hair, and with it went much of the tension that was still lingering. There you go, Noctis. A pink puddle in your arms.

“I don’t think it’s been long…” What time was it. What day was it. Vianca wasn’t sure. “I have just been here. I… um…” She tilted her head to peek up at him, a quiet admission incoming. “I wasn’t sure what would happen if I left.”

[carbungle]

He loves this pink puddle, okay. And that's a fair fear, admittedly. If he'd gone home to meet a terrible fate and then reappeared here, he might not be sure about how safe it is to leave the god's temple, either.

He considers for a moment. "Um... if you want, we can walk out together? I won't let anything happen to you."

An absurd promise, perhaps - he'd not managed to do anything to prevent her from vanishing the first time - but he won't consider not offering. She deserves some security.

[pinkmin]

There was a pause as Vianca considered it. On one hand, this was an already comfortable and safe way to try and make up some of that time with him. On the other hand, Noctis was going to have to leave at some point. Logically she'd probably have to, too, so if she could do so in the safest way she could...

Vianca gave him a tiny nod. She knew it wasn't the best promise to make if they were talking about mystery god powers, but it still felt really, really nice.

"I'd like to go with you."

[carbungle]

"Okay... okay. Up we go." Gently he tugs her back and sets her down, pushing himself to his feet. He takes her hand instead, giving her an encouraging squeeze and a smile. "Just one step at a time, yeah?"

Those first baby steps are important, or that's the impression he's gotten during his time here.

[pinkmin]

Upsie daisy. Vianca gladly wrapped her fingers around his once he took her hand, looking up at him. It was really nice to see that smile again. She wanted to hope that he kept finding reasons to smile. "Right."

It wasn't the first time she'd faced such a bold unknown, but it had never been with such strong encouragement by her side. How easy it was to believe it would be just fine.

"I'm ready, Noct." Time to contend with the greatest hurdle of the day: The Entrance.

[carbungle]

He keeps that smile on for her the whole while as he walks her to the exit, focusing on a straight path to avoid delaying and making her dread it longer. As they approach the doors, he doesn't even slow down, fully confident that she'll be fine; his only pause is to push open the door for them, stepping beyond and giving her hand another squeeze for courage. Step forward, kiddo! He's not letting go.

[pinkmin]

Here they go. They were going! Her grip on Noct's hand was steady as they slipped through the temple, and it was only when he pushed open the door that she had to draw in a big, steadying breath. The confidence he could inspire was certainly a doozy. There was just one moment where she gathered the rest of it so she could move forward not with a single step, but one whole leap forward.

[carbungle]

Noctis looks entirely too pleased with himself at the success, standing there just outside the temple doors with her and relishing in it for a long moment, their hands idly swinging. One big hurdle done… let's see, what next.

Ah. "Okay, up we go!" He reaches down and lifts her up - light as a flower for him, this one - and sits her down right on his shoulders, hands at her ankles to hold her steady and let her acclimate to her newfound height. "Well, we made it outside. Where to next? Want to go to my place? Or see P&P?"

[pinkmin]

Oh... freedom. It had been right there the whole time. How easy it had been with just the right boost. How very silly.

Before she could start to feel too silly about it though, it was time for another surprise. Vianca had glanced up when he announced his attentions, but whoa! There was another soft squeak of surprise, but this one was delighted. Up she was! On his shoulders! Way different from a piggy back ride! Vianca's head swiveled around to see how things looked, hands finding a gentle home atop his head.

"Oh! Um..." She peered down at him. "I want to go to your place."

[carbungle]

"You got it, boss." He starts forward, walking at a steady but leisurely pace through the streets so that she can get a look at the changes and decor they pass by without having to strain herself. It's decked out in the seasonal colours, so a little different than when she left, but much of the city seems unchanged.

[pinkmin]

It was a bit jarring to know that she had been gone for a while when everything seemed so comfortingly the same. Barring the abrupt change in temperature and the secrets the colors told, she might have just thought that going home had been the bad dream. That was maybe still the case, just... a very long dream over in a blink of an eye.

"Has anything big happened...?"

[carbungle]

"Uh... nothing too huge, I think. The barrier expanded recently, but the walls didn't move, so careful about going beyond them. It's still pretty dangerous out there." The last thing they'd want to have happen is for her to stumble unknowingly into the wild and get hurt.

[pinkmin]

That seemed a little bit like a big thing. "The walls didn't move...?" It had seemed like the two were pretty well connected, so that was surprising to hear. "I do not think I will go that far on my own." She might have been expanding her comfort zone, but going on wild nature adventures still wasn't quite on the list of sought after activities.

[carbungle]

"Probably safer that way, yeah. But within the city's still pretty much the same as ever. Monthly weirdness, get your touchy-feely-hugs on to fix problems and make the world better, you know how it goes." He shrugs his shoulders, lifting her up briefly with the gesture. "Bet everyone'll be glad to have you back, though."

[pinkmin]

Vianca was relieved to hear that for the most part she hadn't seemed to have missed much. It seemed like it wouldn't be too jarring going from the Havenwell she'd known just before and the one she was in now. Hopefully!

She blinked at the gesture, looking down at the fluffy top of his head. "People have been... very, very nice," she said in a quiet sort of wonder.

[carbungle]

"One day I hope that'll happen and you won't be so surprised." He tries to keep his tone light and airy, but it's a sad thing to acknowledge. She's had a difficult time, and she absolutely deserves better, so everyone here ought to treat her very well, or else.

[pinkmin]

That toed the dangerous line of expecting everyone to treat her extra nice. That was too much, probably. Let's tone it down to a baseline of 'treat like a regular person.'

"It is a good surprise though." And that was good! "They still had things from my birthday?" How far back even was that! That was too extra nice!! "And you... you helped my shop."

[carbungle]

"Ah... yeah. A lot of people volunteered to help with it, actually. You probably won't find it too different than it was when you left." He pauses, then adds, "Well, there's one thing different. But you'll see when we get to my place."

[pinkmin]

A lot of people? A... lot of people. That was baffling on its own, but equally baffling was that something from the shop was different... at his place. Those dots were thoroughly disconnected as Vianca blinked in confusion. "Okay."

[carbungle]

At least several! Definitely more than two! It was a while back, okay. Now eager to show her, he picks up the pace, jogging steadily towards the house. It isn't far, now- and sure enough, he turns a corner and there it is. Conveniently, Umbra is sitting on the front porch watching for them, wagging his tail. Almost like he knew exactly who was coming, gosh.

[pinkmin]

There it was! And there, not that surprisingly, was the other very best boy. Vianca leaned over Noct's head a little bit, waving at Umbra.

"Umbra, hello. Thank you for taking care of Noct."

[carbungle]

Umbra whuffs softly, standing up to greet them as Noctis halts and crouches down, gently lifting Vianca up and off his shoulders so she can walk on her own (and so he doesn't try to step inside and bonk her head on the frame).

"I'm guessing that's a 'you're welcome'. He's been doing it so long, he must be an expert by now."

[pinkmin]

Whup. Down she went, and Vianca took this opportunity to give the best boy the ear scratches that were very overdue by this point.

"It is very good to have an expert on hand."