[Fa'e PRP] Seeking the Lost (Riven & Nozomi)

[Sosiqui]

Studying the Fa'e HQ itself was getting Riven absolutely nowhere. A good hour spent pacing around it and studying it hadn't revealed anything at all. It was consumed by Absence, and that was that - and the Absence had no visible entry point into this plane.

Nothing visible from the outside of the building, anyway.

It was possible that he could learn more by throwing spirits at it, throwing lives away... but he wasn't willing to do that. Not yet. Not now, when the structure seemed inert.

The spirit Fa'e turned away from the building at last, sighing as he floated down the path that led away from HQ. That had done nothing to alleviate his frustration. If it hadn't been for his meeting with Deidra and William, he would have given up the entire visit as a lost cause.

But there were others he needed to visit, others he had to hear from now. Riven turned left instead of right at the next corner, heading for Youko and Omi's house. He had to make sure she too was okay, if only to calm his own worries.

[Youkochylde]

The house looked as it had before... there were electronic candles in the windows that lent a 'homey' feel to the place. Normally, however, there was noise from within. Laughter had been common... but there was none now. The girl that came out of the house was wielding large trash bags and hauling them down to the curb. They didn't appear heavy, but her posture after she dropped them and stared led to the impression that their weight was hardly physical.

When Raven turned, she blinked, seeing Riven approaching. He looked familiar, somehow. "Are... are you one of the Fa'e?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

[Sosiqui]

"Yes, I am - my name is Riven. I'm Omi's friend," he confirmed, tilting his head to one side. She looked vaguely familiar, and yet... the way she looked at him, weighed down and perhaps a little haunted, did nothing to put him at ease. "Is... is everything all right?" he added, quietly, and found himself dreading the answer. But the feel around the house was so different than usual, he couldn't help but feel something was badly wrong...

[Youkochylde]

Raven looked towards the house, shaking her head softly. "Omi's inside... in her room," she murmured. "But I think she'd do well to see you. Sei was here. He and I arrived last night." She tried to compose herself then, as the events flooded back. "My father... he passed away two nights ago," Raven began. "Sei said something about 'Chaos'. He said it had something to do with the bond he had with Omi. She's miserable... she's been blaming herself ever since."

[Sosiqui]

Passed away-

Riven stared for a moment, as if thunderstruck, not knowing what to think or how to react. A dozen thoughts tore through his mind- no, no, no, the Guardian bond, she'll fade without a bond, so you must be Omi's sister, I've heard about you, I'm sorry-

So sorry-

"I'd... I'd like to see her too, if I may," he found himself murmuring. "I'm... I'm so sorry..."

[Youkochylde]

Smiling a bit, Raven nodded. "We're managing," she said, motioning towards the house. "Come in! I'm sorry, I must seem rude." As they moved up the walk, she slid her gaze to him. While she knew the Fa'e to be unusual, this one really did take the cake. He looked and moved like a ghost... but he seemed nice. He also seemed to be older than Omi and Sei both. "Maybe I could ask you," she said, finally turning to face him as they entered the house. "Sei told me that I needed to bond with Omi. That she would fade. I don't really know what he meant, and he was upset... he couldn't quite explain clearly. I've been spending as much time as I can with her, but we don't really feel any different. Can you help? Or at least give me some advice as to what I should do?"

[Sosiqui]

"No, no, not rude at all," Riven protested, then fell quiet when she continued speaking. He remained silent for a long moment after Raven finished talking, then let out a long, slow breath. "Sei's right - Omi needs a Guardian bond to stay in this world. That's what caused this. A malevolent force - Chaos - attacked the bond between Guardian and Fa'e. My Guardian was wounded. Our bond didn't break, but it did recoil and snap. It injured her neck..."

His voice trailed off for a moment. It could have been so easy... if the bond had snapped... "That may have been what... what..." He looked at Raven mutely, unwilling to say the words aloud.

[Youkochylde]

Swallowing hard, Raven nodded, looking to the floor in discomfort. "His neck.. was bruised. It appeared broken or crushed. Whatever happened to him, it happened quickly. When I... when we found him, he was in bed. He didn't get a chance to move more than to bring his hand to his throat." Closing her eyes then, she shook her head, trying to clear away the image of her father laying there. "It sounds like what happened to your guardian. He just wasn't lucky enough to survive it."

Raven led him up the stairs to the second floor. Kaeru's room was still closed. Raven had finally reached him, he had been gone with friends for the weekend and was due home later. Youko's room was brightly lit, and it was apparent that the bedclothes had been stripped and removed... likely the bags she'd taken out. She stopped in front of the attic door, pushing it open and looking up into the softly lit upper floor. "She's up here," Raven said to Riven. "She may be sleeping, but I doubt it. She hasn't slept much since it happened."

[Sosiqui]

Riven bowed his head silently for a moment; he'd only met Nozomi's Guardian a few times, but the kitsune had always been kind. Rei... Shina... I hope you can find his soul and guide it well...

When he raised his head, he nodded slowly at Raven. "Before I go... Omi does need a Guardian bond with someone - someone not Fa'e - to survive. Without that bond, she'll fade away. Literally - she'll start turning transparent, and..." He sighed. "It may be that you can bond with her. From what my own Guardian says, she had many dreams before I came. Dreaming of the Fa'e is a signal that the bond is forming, I think? But I'm not sure how to make it form." He shrugged, helplessly.

[Youkochylde]

The foxcoon seemed to be lost in thought then and nodded softly in understanding. "I... had a dream about her last night?" she offered, crossing her arms over her chest before bringing up a clawed finger to chew on it thoughtfully. "It was like... I knew she was there and I was calling for her. But I couldn't find her. I thought maybe it was just because of what happened, that it was some part of me that was looking for everyone I care about."

[Sosiqui]

"It might be... or it might be a sign." Riven gave her a soft, encouraging smile. "I guess wait and see if they keep happening." If only Airi was accessible to ask questions - but to the best of Riven's knowledge, the dream Fa'e was either far away or in the Absence-cage Chaos had made out of HQ. He was betting on the latter.

He glanced up at the stairs to the attic. "I'll do what I can to help you both."

[Youkochylde]

"Thanks." Raven smiled then, nodding towards the stairs. "Go on up. I think she'll be glad to see another Fa'e. She and I are close, but there's some things I just don't understand about Fa'e at all."

[Sosiqui]

Riven nodded, then turned to ascend the stairs. He paused at the door, raising one hand to knock. "Omi? Omi, it's Riven - can I come in?"

[Youkochylde]

"Riven?" Omi yawned tiredly, even though she'd barely slept. Sitting up in bed, she moved to make sure she at least looked presentable. Clothing... check. That's all that was needed. The rest, she didn't care about. "Come in."

When Riven entered, she was sitting with the blanket across her lap, a loose t-shirt covering the rest of her. Her hair was pulled up in a loose knot, and seemed tangled from sleep. If she'd still had the markings on her face, they may have hidden the dark circles under her eyes... but those were gone now. She didn't try to smile... that would have just been a failed effort. Instead, she held up her hand, opening it to reveal a strip of paper that she'd shown to Raven before. Riven had always been the one she'd gone to when she needed advice... she hoped that maybe now he could provide some semblance of reason in all of this mess.

[Sosiqui]

"Omi..." Riven moved past her outstretched hand to embrace her. "It's been a long time," he said, quietly.