[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

[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."

[carbungle]

Umbra's tongue gives a happy loll as he tilts into it. Love those good pets.

"This house definitely needs it. And we've got a furball for each person, at this point."

He waits for a handful of seconds as the two reunite, then goes to open the door for them all and invite her in.

[pinkmin]

Very good pets were had, and many more would be had in the future. There were many to catch up on, after all.

For now, Vianca was going to take this invitation to wander right on in with Umbra. She was already trying to do the mental math about that furball comment, wondering if there were new pets? New People? Or maybe it was all just the same. Asking was... she wasn't quite sure how to, afraid of who (how many?) may have left when she was gone.

"That is many," she chose to say instead, peering around the room to see what else might have changed.

[carbungle]

"Yeah. ...Oh, that's right! You wouldn't know- want to meet Captain?"

He'd forgotten that Vianca was already gone when the chocobo arrived. He stops by in the kitchen to flick the kettle on in case she wants a drink after, then gestures towards the side door to the garage.

[pinkmin]

There was a moment here as she processed this information presented to her. Did she want to meet Captain?

Vianca stared at him, and then she glanced at the door, and then it seemed to dawn on her with a gasp. "...Captain!" There she went, buzzin' off towards the door. Yes, please.

[carbungle]

Aww, yeah. Everyone loves the chocobo. He opens the door for her, and immediately the scent makes itself known- pungent and unique, an odd mixture of farm animal and fresh hay. All is quiet for a moment, and then a blue head peers around the frame of a stable, peering over at them expectantly. She kwehs at them.

"Hey, girl. You have to say hello before you get dinner."

[pinkmin]

Achievement unlocked: What does a barn smell like.

Her nose wrinkled a little with this brand new experience, but it wasn't a bad scent by any means. Just new, and quickly overshadowed by that feathery presence. A for real kweh! Wow.

Vianca gave the majestic creature a little wave before she looked up at Noct with a frown, reaching up to tug on his sleeve. "Don't make her wait for dinner."

[carbungle]

"It's okay, it's still too early for her to eat. If we don't time it right she'll be cranky at bedtime." He gives her back a gentle pat, urging her towards the stall.

[pinkmin]

"Oh, I see," Vianca murmured quietly. Captain was a cat, apparently.

Off she went with that gentle coercion, gingerly making her way over. She was a lot taller than Vianca imagined. Vianca had been around plenty of creatures Capatain's size before, but it had been quite a while since then. This almost felt new. It wasn't until Vianca was right there standing up on her tip toes that she even wondered if maybe she would smell like a before-dinner snack. Oh. Well...!

"Hello. It is nice to meet you, Captain."

[carbungle]

Captain ducks her head politely over the door of the stall, setting free a gentle "kweh" again and standing very still to allow any pets should she so wish. That farm scent is even stronger up close, but it's more or less the type of smell one could get used to over time easily enough. Noctis seems unbothered, leaning against the wall of her pen with a grin.

[pinkmin]

It was starting to feel like a cozy smell in its own way, even though Vianca did not hold any nostalgia for it. It is pet time. Vianca boldly reached up, brushing tiny hands across soft feathers. She blinked a few times as she did so, gently exclaiming, "Oh. That is softer than I thought. I have not pet feathers before."

[carbungle]

"Yeah, they're great pillows at night. Just the right amount of poof, and they curl up so nice you just can't help but flop on 'em." His grin broadens as Captain fluffs up her feathers a little, like she's proud of it. "The babies are even softer. And they're so round, they look like stuffed featherballs with beaks."