Twelfth Breeze

[salvagedlight]

[Cambot turns at the sound of running footsteps, barely catching a glimpse of Ven as he races past as the camera turns to follow him and starts floating in his wake. He either doesn't notice or doesn't care about the fuzzy ears and tail of a golden retriever dog that have sprouted from his body, because he's obviously looking for someone.]

Aqua! Aqua, where are you?

[Normally, the best place to find Aqua would be the library. Today, this doesn't seen to be the case, as she turns a corner only to almost be run down by Ven. If she's noticed her own set of fuzzy ears and a tail (those of a Russian Blue cat), she's paying them no real attention in favor of somewhat more important facts.

I'm here, Ven.

[He pulls to a stop in front of her, breathing a little harder, but definitely looking distressed now that he's in one place for the camera to focus on his face.] I can't find him anywhere - have you?

[Aqua shakes her head at the question, and with the camera focusing on them, it's easy to see that her tail is swishing gently in irritation.] He's not anywhere he'd usually be. Is there anywhere we didn't look?

I don't think so - I went all the way down to the engine deck, I even got the Servos to help me look. [Ven's newfound puppy ears are drooping; clearly, something very unhappy has happened for both of them.] He's not on the weapons deck or the sports deck or anywhere.

I was afraid that might be the case. He's not in his room either. [She sighs, and while her own ears don't droop, she doesn't look at all happy either.]

Then... is he... really gone?

...Yeah. He's... gone.

[Ven's ears and tail drop all the way, every inch of him looking defeated and sad as he just stands in front of Aqua.] ...What are we going to do?

[There's a moment of crestfallen silence from Aqua as she gathers her thoughts.] I guess... we just have to hope he's alright?

We... We'll find him when we get home, right? [And then he catches himself, rephasing:] You'll find him.

...Yeah. I'll find him.

Comments

[sailorgenerous]

[That takes a moment to even process. This is Terra they're talking about, right? Big and not too sharp and utterly devoted to his friends? Certainly Aqua isn't losing faith in him. It's just the sadness talking. It must be.]

Of course he'll be alright. He'll be back here, or you'll see him again when you go home.

[wavesinherheart]

[It's not so much losing faith as it is a big mass of uncertainty. Honestly, seeing him here was the first indicator of any sort that he'd be alright, and after leaving Ven to sleep she's not sure she's ready for that. Not now.]

He's... I'll have to find him first.

[sailorgenerous]

But...he went home, didn't he? You would think someone like him would be easy to find.

[wavesinherheart]

That's just the thing though. I don't know how long it'll take.

[sailorgenerous]

I'm afraid I don't understand. Why would it take you very long to find him? Surely you know the sort of places he'd go once he returned home.

[Then again, it's not very difficult to find somepony in Ponyville. Her worldview is just a bit smaller than Aqua's.]

[wavesinherheart]

It's... it's not like just finding the places he'd stay. He could be on any world by now, if he's still alright.

[There's a moment of silence, and then she seems to realize that maybe a bit more information would help.]

Ah... there was a battle, before we ended up here. One we almost didn't win. Coming here was the first time I'd seen him again, afterwards.

[sailorgenerous]

[There's that "if he's alright" bit again. Rarity opens her mouth to ask for more information, and then lets it hang open in quiet shock as that is exactly what she gets. There's a saying about being careful what one wishes for...]

[There's a few moments where she searches for something to say - she knows just how painful uncertainty can be, but she can't imagine that uncertainty coming from a loved one being in some sort of danger. There really isn't anything she can say to make this better.]

[She bolts instead, running down the halls until she finds her friends, pulling Aqua into a hug. Ven will be next - they both need hugs, but it's Aqua she's been talking with for the past few minutes.]

He'll be alright. He will be.

[salvagedlight]

[Oh hey, random pony. And hey, random pony hugs. Umm, how does that work, exactly? However it does, Ven isn't really in any state to ...hug back. Also it feels too much like treating her as a pet to bring a hand up to stroke her mane or anything, and he respects the ponies too much to do that. But he does let Rarity hug him, although it doesn't really seem to cheer him up too much.]

I... I don't know.

[wavesinherheart]

[Odd though it might seem on the surface, Aqua is very glad for the pony hug. Like Ven, she's not in much of a state to hug back, but it is much appreciated all the same.]

Mmm. He was fighting Xehanort, wasn't he?