soul_campaign | [ 13 | May 11th, Afternoon

Entry tags:

[ 13 | May 11th, Afternoon | Video ]

[Filtered to: SEES]

['Keep calm'... that's what the video said. But he's anything -but- calm. With a fist slamming down on the counter, he finally lets it sink in. His jaw's tight and his eyes are steely.]

Some son of a bitch took Naoto!

[Then he turns his head away.]

And whoever did it must've taken Yako-san and Cupid, too. Damn it...! How did-!?

[He's at a loss. He's searched every part of Death City that he knew, but nothing turned up. He seems to have forgotten he was recording then, as his fists are balled his knuckles are turning a little white.]

Why the hell didn't I offer to walk with her to work...!?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yesterday morning. A flash of something she couldn't quite nail down shot through her, latching onto how she'd assumed that not hearing from Naoto had just meant she was busy.

Which was reasonable, right?

But this wasn't new. That much was clear. And so, even as she knew she had to text Dave to let him know of this new development, even as she knew there were other things that needed her attention, she couldn't quite let this go.]

So how come I'm only finding out about this now? How come you didn't call me when you knew she was missing so we could look for her?

Because I found out just now! I thought she was busy, but when she wasn't turnin' up anywhere I looked I...

I didn't wanna admit that BREW sent her home or somethin'. Not until I was sure. Someone else filed a missing persons report, probably somebody at the Agency.

[He clenched his jaw.] I was just with her yesterday, Rise! I didn't offer to walk her to work and I told her to look forward to dinner that night.

[Then he slammed a fist into the doorframe.]

Again! First Inaba, now this! Why the hell didn't I think after the Agency attack to keep a better eye on her!?

[Even as he spoke, Rise still couldn't entirely shake the observation that he'd been trying to find Naoto alone. That if she hadn't turned up when she did, who knew when she'd have found out something was wrong.

She was in the process of swallowing those feelings down so she could respond when he hit the doorframe.

Her immediate response, more reflex than anything, was to skitter back just a little; startled as she was by the sudden action, she couldn't quite stop herself.

But then he spoke again and the mounting frustration and concern over not just Naoto but everyone affected by more recent events collided into determination. Even if she wanted to freak out at this third, biggest shock of those who'd gone missing, she couldn't. She wouldn't.

But she could let those feelings add weight to a voice that had been on the brink of weariness]

Kanji, stop it! Don't you dare start blaming yourself for this. Weren't you the one who told us that sitting around beating ourselves up for what we could have done wasn't going to get us anywhere? This isn't any different. We can't change that she's gone but we can find her and we can make sure the people who took her and the others pay for what they've done.

[And she was pretty sure even between Dave and Kanji, if anything had happened to the hostages, there wouldn't be anything left of the people responsible]

['Weary' was the name of the game all around, wasn't it? But with a sigh and the lowering of that fist against the doorframe, he did recall saying that. He could sit around and bitch about what he could have done all night, but that didn't change the fact that she was out there somewhere and needed help.]

You're... you're right. I'm just tired of all this shit goin' on in the city right now. I'm so sick of being openly hated 'cause of shit I had no choice but to roll with! And now our friends are gone because of shit that's outta their control, too! And they're somewhere getting pushed around and locked up somewhere...

I gotta get back out there and look. If I can go back to where I last saw her, then I can work out how the bastards who did it pulled it off.

Then their dental records won't mean shit.

Kanji, no!

[On the one hand, knowing that this was his temper speaking made it a little easier to swallow than Dave's colder insistence of what would happen to the kidnappers if John was hurt. On the other hand, at least that coldness had indicated better clarity of thought than Kanji was displaying now.

Either way, Rise wasn't really going to be able to stop either of them if they followed through with those threats. But she could try. She had to.]

The important thing is to find them and make sure they're okay. And when we do find them and if anything has happened to them, they're going to need us to look after them. I get that you're upset and I get that you want to make the kidnappers hurt like you're hurting right now but tearing them apart like you want to isn't going to help anyone.

[She sighed, already fishing out her communicator. She needed to fill Dave in on the latest absence if nothing else]

What we need to do is get everyone together and figure out if there's any logic to who's gone missing or if we can get a better idea of when everyone was last seen. And no more running around trying to find them by yourself, okay? The last thing we need is for you to end up missing too.

[Or worse her expression couldn't quite hide, even as she ducked her gaze to send a quick update.]

[And it did sound like a better idea, as much as he didn't like sitting around trying to come up with some kind of plan. Still, he wasn't going to be rude and have her standing out in the hall, so he stepped aside to let her in for a little bit to communicate with whoever it was she was getting in touch with. Instinctively, he stooped and scooped up the gray and white furball that'd been rubbing against his ankle in response to his agitation. Cat always seemed to know when he was bothered...]

Tch...

[No guarantees on his holding back when they DO find out something, however.]

[She looked up as he stepped aside, nodding and smiling in gratitude briefly as she finished up sending what she needed to send. She hadn't been planning on staying long but perhaps it was for the better that she did at least for now.

Still, she felt an explanation wouldn't hurt]

Sorry. I told Dave-kun I'd let him know if I found out anyone else was gone. Actually I was going to find him after I checked in on you guys but, well...if you need me here then I won't go. Or I can come back when we're done.

[Since she's not entirely sure she wants to let Dave down, even as she's not sure how much use her own abilities will be. If all he needs is her resonance then she doesn't want to go back on her word]

[He immediately shook his head.]

Don't worry about me. Go meet up with Dave.

[He took a moment to adjust the position of his arm as the purring cat started 'making biscuits' in the air with her paws. He wouldn't have another shirt ruined by claws.]

I'll... I'll sit tight n' watch the Network, see if any'a those search parties come up with anything. 'Bout half the damn city's tellin' me to sit tight, anyway.

[She frowned a little at that]

Are you sure? I can come back as soon as we're done, that's not a problem. It's just, well, his partner's gone too and he needs a Weapon to use his ability, which he needs to deal with the riots. So I said I'd try to help, maybe see if I can make my own ability do something useful.

[Assuming she could nail the resonance, it was something of use she could do instead of sitting and fretting. Either way, she couldn't help but feel a need to explain why she couldn't stay where every other instinct told her she should.]

But that half the city's got a point. Until we know more, sitting tight's the best we can do.

Dealing with the stupid riots that let the kidnapping go unseen in the first place is way more important than whether or not I need some kinda company, damn it!

Seriously... go to Dave. I'll seeya 'round, a'right? If I gotta sit tight, then... I gotta sit tight, even if I don't like it.

All right. You're right.

[Even if she's reluctant to admit it, she knows she has to go]

But if you need anything, call me. And if you find anything new out, also call me.

Yeah. ...Thanks, Rise.

[But all ready his communicator was almost pinging off the walls with notifications and private messages.]

You'll be the first one I buzz.

I'm holding you to that.

[And with that, she's on her way again]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only