XXVIII

[rashness]

[ Rin woke up late today, no surprise. It's also not (generally) a surprise when Shiemi out and at them before him. Because she got up earlier and tended to go out and train before he was really out the door, especially now that school is less of a factor fight now. He feels a little bad to be shelving that onto Aleos, particularly when he should probably be trying to find more people willing to work at Seventh Heaven... they have a good crowd now, but Prim hasn't shown up in a long while and-

Really, the unusual thing ends up being that Skarmy is still there. This confuses him, and he's not sure if Shiemi's kidnapped (again, but--) or not. But when he goes to look in her room- No. Many of her plants are still in the main hall, perhaps as a joke. But now her room itself, her bedroom. That's empty.

He's alone.

There's no one who knows- but... He's not sure how to respond. In the end, he ends up hugging Skarmy, looking for some sort of solidarity with the bird who has just lost her partner. Skarmy, ever an arrogant sort, and not one who ever liked Rin all that much, visibly, initially seems to recoil... but seeing how pathetic the boy was being, leans dow towards him a little and rest her head on top of his. Rin doesn't go into work that day, instead sort of looking around for something, anything, she might have left behind. Notes. There isn't really anything. And so... ]

[ Voice ]

Shiemi went home. [ It's much later in the day when he says this ] ...'N she's gonna be okay there so... so it's fine, but 'm sorry for all her friends. [ He swallows. He's okay. No one should be here. No one deserves to be here ] I don't know the names of all've her plants as well as I oughta, or how you care for all've 'em... but uh. If anyone wants to have one of her plants here, I can tell you what it's named and what I know about lookin' after them.

[ If you want something to remember her by. That's... that's okay, right? ]

'N... the house is too big for me. It was kinda too big for just me 'n Shiemi too, and we was always looking for a roommate. Does anyone wanna come here? [ I don't want to be alone-- but he wouldn't be alone, Skarmy and Midori are here at least. Is it right for him to have Skarmy with him though? He's not that trainer thing... ] Like. Friends of mine, I guess... or hers?

[ A beat. And he snarls, even if he said he wouldn't lose his temper here ] Nevermind. That's all I got.

[ He's going to go back to seeing if reading manga can be good now. But even that reminds him of someone else from his home who went home. Someone who is important to both him and Shiemi, but- ... but at least she isn't that much older than him anymore. Unlike him. ]

Comments

[dickmoves]

... that's rough, man.

[ He knows that voice, but not well enough to offer anything beyond.. that. ] Sorry.

[rashness]

[ Any sort of protest he'd give about how he's glad she's gone is pretty moot. Because, yeah. It is rough to be without the last of your classmates like that. And so . . . ]

Yeah. Well, I guess that happens.

[dickmoves]

Yeah, it sure does. [ Which is about as much as he has to offer on. Anything. Tommy Shepherd has all the emotional capacity of a kumquat. ] Wanna blow stuff up?

[rashness]

[ ...... Maaaaaybe ]

What kinda stuff?

[wildbluevagner]

[Ouch. He had come to see Shiemi as a close friend - even in a place where a majority of the populace didn't hate him for who he was, she had stood out in terms of acceptance and kindness. He doubts Rin can be taking this easily, by putting himself in his shoes. It had hurt enough when Kitty went home so abruptly after coming, and even he still had the benefit of having other people from home still around with him.]

I'm sorry to hear that, Rin. [If he wasn't living in a big house already, he wouldn't mind moving in. Of course, they live close enough that Kurt could just having out there a lot.]

It really stinks. I'm sure we could use a few more plants around the house, though. [Just more leaves to feed on top of the garden Ororo left behind.]

[rashness]

Y'won't even need to take them that far. [ So... he could just come over. But yeah, it sucks. ]

[wildbluevagner]

You're right about that. I can come over anytime. Now, later, anytime in between... [He'll leave the options open just in case Rin wants some alone time.]

[rashness]

You can come over now if you can come over now.

[ It's no skin off his back ]

[accepted]

I can come over now. [Not to move in, but just to be there with Rin so he isn't alone. It sucks when people go home, even if Rin seems to be taking it pretty well.] ... And you can come over to my place whenever you like too, if you want.

[Obviously not now given whats happened, but he wants Rin to know he can come over at any time if he feels like it.]

[rashness]

[ Go over... there? He frowns. And then - ] Yeah, come on over. I can't find Skarmy's ball thing.

[accepted]

Pokeball? It shouldn't be too hard to find. [He imagines anyway, Red's pokeballs stood out pretty well when he found those for him.] I'll be over soon.

[And true to his word, after a jog and a few minutes he's there. Knock knock.]

[rashness]

[ Yeah, that.

Which is why when Rin opens the door, behind him, there's a sevenish foot tall metal bird there looming over his shoulder to glare down at Caius, to judge his legitness. ]

Hey.

[video.]

[gunkonmyboot]

You can always move to a smaller place.

[Sorry bro, he doesn't get it. Besides, having a big place to yourself sounds nice.]

[video.]

[rashness]

Yeah, I know. I'd have to move all the plants then I guess...

[video.]

[gunkonmyboot]

Honestly though, I don't get what's the big deal. You got more room, and the only thing you have to worry about are plants.

[video.]

[rashness]

[ Okay you know what- ] You got any siblings?

[feistytrader]

[...Shiemi's gone.

He can process the words, but any emotions attached don't really sink in. She's so much better at home, isn't she? This place is terrible.

But he's probably never going to see her again. If he does, she might not remember him. She left her partner behind, too. Skarmy might never get the chance to see her trainer again.

That's just the nature of Luceti, isn't it?

...It might be better to worry about Rin right now.

Silver doesn't bother with the journals; instead, there's a small knock on Rin's door a little after Silver sees his post. Come on, buddy. Open up.]

[rashness]

[ He opens the door with dirty hands. Like... literally covered in dirt. He been moving around a lot of Shiemi's plants and getting them into new jars so that they could be given away. He's not sure if that's what she would have wanted but... he logistically can't care for them all. He also looks more than a little tired. And when he opens the do for Silver, before he can even say anything, he's squawked over by Skarmy, to ask who it is as she in all of her seven or so foot glory makes to look over his shoulder ]

[feistytrader]

[He stares at Rin's hands, opens his mouth, aaaand Skarmy is squaking at him.]

Hey, take it easy. It's just me. [Hey buddy. Sorry about the whole losing your trainer thing. Silver reaches into his pocket and pulls out a Cheri berry to carefully offer to her.]

[Voice]

[lostinmyway]

[Grune's voice is a little softer than usual when she answers.]

I can look after her plants, Rin.

...Are you feeling okay?

[Voice]

[rashness]

I ain't gonna put all of them on you. [ But how is he...? No, of course he's not okay. But who would be, really? He grunts a little, not really sure how to articulate that before he just decides, well, she won't notice a not-answer anyway ]

[Voice]

[lostinmyway]

[Hmm.]

Oh, I don't mind at all. I'd be happy to take care of them.

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Don't worry about her plants too much, chief. I can either give you a hand and show you how or take a couple of them for you.

[Not that he considers himself an expert, but he can probably direct Rin to someone who would know if it was a planet he wouldn't know how to deal with. The important thing is to take away some of that weight off of Rin at the moment.]

[Voice]

[rashness]

You like plants, Vash?

[Voice]

[goldenglasses]

Yeah, I really do. They're really important and rare in the world I'm from. So I've spent a lot of time in the flower shop learning how to best take care of them.