[Action/Voice]

[goldenglasses]

[You may have noticed a small child running around Luceti the past couple days. Vash has discovered the best way to cope with missing Rem and Knives is to run around all of Luceti and watching all the people. He climbed the fountain, tried out every sitting place he could find, and built a snowman or two around the plaza. He’ll be visiting the clothing store when his winter gear gets too wet. He’ll grow rather starry-eyed as he visit’s the item stop and sees all the fun things in there. The bakery he’s found is full of yummy food!

He’ll even visit Good Spirits at some point today. A lot of people seem to like going in there for some reason. Of course, it doesn’t look too exciting once he gets in there, but he’ll stay for a bit. Not even some of the community buildings are safe. When he needs to warm up for a bit he pops right in. So maybe there’s an unfamiliar child standing in your shared kitchen.

Later he’ll also go running around in the forest. He loves all the trees. And no, he still hasn’t learned his lesson about not climbing them. He just HAD to see if there were any eggs in that nest above his head! Of course there weren’t any, but maybe your character will hear a child crying about being stuck in a tree. Again.

Of course all this running around will leave a child tired. When he’s finally too tired to move and thoughts of Rem and Knives come flooding back he tries to distract himself by talking into that book he was given.]

So… um… time really stands still back home? So, I won’t miss anything? I can bring things back with me, right? [He reaches into his coat pocket and feels the package of seeds Miyabi gave him, but while he thinks of that another idea strikes him.] What would you give someone for their birthday?

(OOC: Last chance to run into tiny!Vash as he’s growing up later tonight!)

Comments

[deathsdoctor]

... aa. But nests are fragile things and winter isn't the time for chicks.

[Shaking his head in exasperated amusement, because it seems to be his fate to find you stuck in trees.]

Now... this time I think you better come down by yourself. Because if you insist on climbing them, then eventually you're going to have to learn to get down again on your own.

[chibiremlover]

Okay... [He just hugs that trunk tighter. He's quiet happy up here! ...kinda... only... not really.]

[deathsdoctor]

[Quiet.]

... it's scary isn't it? Both to be up there and wondering 'Can I really do this?' 'Am I going to fall? Fail?'. I would find it scary at your age. Am I right?

As we grow older, we come face to face with lots of scary things. Like that tree. Sometimes through our own choices. Sometimes unwittingly. We don't have a choice in that, young man.

Do you know what we do have a choice in?

[chibiremlover]

[He nods, not afraid or ashamed in the least to admit that he's scared.]

What? What is it?

[deathsdoctor]

How we decide to face those things. There's no shame in being scared. Being scared can be a good thing. But letting fear rule us is not. It stops us from doing what is right. It stops us from going for what we want. And it stops us from protecting what and whom we care for.

Things can be very scary. And facing them can be very hard. But for the important things you have to do it. Because they don't go away otherwise.

Like that tree.

[chibiremlover]

Oh... [He should have known it would come back to this tree!] It's hard to get down. I'll fall!

[deathsdoctor]

If you fall, I'll catch you.

...

... hard, yes. But necessary. Are you going to let fear stop you, young man? People may depend on you one day, and do you want fear to stop you then?

[chibiremlover]

Will you promise to catch me? [He thinks he can do it, if he has a safety neat at least.]

[deathsdoctor]

You have my word. I will catch you if you fall.

[Caught you before, he did.]

... but, I don't think you will. You have what it takes to get down yourself, even if you may not believe it yourself.

[chibiremlover]

Okay. [He trusts you.

He shows this trust by grabbing onto the trunk and slowly trying to work his way down. His first problem though is he can't get a good foot hold. He's just a bare inch away of touching his foot down on one, but he can't find it with his groping toes and he's too scared to look down and look.

After a few attempt to find a foothold and safely get down, he freezes up and clings to the tree.] I can't! I'm too high!

[deathsdoctor]

You can. [The tone is quiet but firm, cutting through fear and indecision like a hot blade through butter. Compelling. This is the Captain's voice; the voice his crew hear when the shit strikes the fan and panic sets in. The one that restores resolve.

The butt of his scabbard pushes up that branch to brush at the boy's toes. See? Not as far as you thought.]

Remember. If you fall, I'll catch you.

[There's nothing here to fear, young man. You have that safety net.

He promised didn't he?]

[chibiremlover]

Okay. [You seem so sure and he trusts you to catch him so he tries again. OH! There's that branch! He slowly puts more and more of his weight on it to be sure it will hold his weight. It gets easier from there, he didn't have to try to jump to reach any of the other holds he had used on his way up the tree.

After a bit of careful feeling for foot holds, and one near-miss later, the boy finally jumps down onto solid ground.] I did it! [Did you see that!? Did you?! Did you!? He did it ALL by himself! Well... as far as he knows he did.]

[deathsdoctor]

Yes, you did. You should be proud. [Yes. He saw. All by yourself. Ignore that little nudge at the beginning.]

[chibiremlover]

[And he IS proud, but he also knows to give credit where it's due.] Thank you for helping me again.

[deathsdoctor]

Not a problem, young man.

... come to think about it, I don't know your name, do I? I can't just keep calling you young man, now, can I?

[chibiremlover]

My name's Vash! What's your name?

[deathsdoctor]

Trafalgar Law. Pleasure to meet you.

[chibiremlover]

It's a pleasure to meet you too! And it's a good thing too!

[deathsdoctor]

I guess it is. [Chuckle] Alright, Mister Vash, what have we learned about trees?

[chibiremlover]

[He ducks his head in embarrasement.] That I shouldn't climb them. Even if there's something interesting in them.

[deathsdoctor]

[Firm nod.] That's right. And what should we do if curiousity seizes us anyway, and we find otherselves treeward?

[chibiremlover]

Um. Find help first?