revivalproject | Fear to See the World to Be

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Fear to See the World to Be

WHO: Omeeega, mothcat squad and anyone in Sh'Ka
WHERE: Sh'Ka
WHAT: Seeing things and trying not to be alone
WHEN: Mid-October/During the Storm
WARNINGS: N/A

I. Shoot the Breeze
While she's aware that Sh'Ka isn't exempt from those storms, it still feels like so long ago that she had last experienced one. Then again, for her it has been.

Omega only vaguely becomes aware of the possibility when she realizes the train hasn't been running normally. Or perhaps it was something about the air... Little things that she just can't put her finger on, but it's made her more wary.

"Stick close, Launch. You too, Dart," she informs her squad. The two mothcats glance back from where they've fluttered off ahead of her, inevitably turning forward again to resume their wandering. Omega sighs, rolling her eyes, but she can't help for a faint smile. Some things at least never changed. She reaches up to pat the mothcat perched on her shoulder before letting her hand fall over the bulging bag slung at her side where the tail of another mothcat sticks out. If he'd weighed as much as the space he occupied, she's certain her bag would have split at its seams by now.

"Come on. Back to the shelter," she says, head nodding towards the hotel building.

II. Wish You Were Here
Thunder rumbles above, but that's hardly Omega's concern as she hurries down the streets. For all that things had been quiet the past few days, nothing had actually happened. Today's caught her off guard, and she can only hope the rest of her squad is taking cover at the hotel.

Somehow she's gotten herself turned around though, and only now the girl realizes it. "It's okay, we just... We just need to go back," she says, glancing down at her bag and the fuzzy mothcat head sticking out from it.

Movement from somewhere ahead of them has her stop, and even though she knows her weapon's useless at the moment, she still pulls her energy bow from behind her, its solidness in her hand giving some mild comfort.

"Wh-who's there..?"

Her eyes widen as she sees them, a man in gray armor with a khaki kama about his waist, and in place of his right hand he has a scomp-link. "Echo?"

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Billy sighs, wishing he had an answer beside the obvious- to make us hurt.

"...I'm not sure," he says, "But...it does give us a way to see our loved ones again. As long as we know not to chase after them and...you know-" Get themselves lost or killed.

"You must miss him a lot..."

Omega hugs her bag and Tumble within it, close.

"I...think I remember it happening the first time I was here. Well, in Temba, anyway. I thought I saw Hunter. But it wasn't."

She sighs, looking after Echo, Tumble nuzzling her face as she watches the helmeted clone trooper glance back at her as if to ask 'you coming?'

"...I do. He left our squad just before I came back to this place. A different mission. But it just doesn't feel the same without him. I thought since I was back here, I'd be able to see him again but I found out he wasn't here anymore..."

Hesitating a moment, Billy touches her shoulder with a comforting smile. "I know the feeling," he offers, "It's hard anytime we lose someone, but this place makes it harder. I didn't know him super well, but we uh-...we got into some trouble once. He seemed like a good guy."

She wipes at her eyes, breathing a laugh at that.

"The squad gets into a lot of trouble, but...that's how we get out of trouble too." She smiles a little as she looks back at Billy. "He's been through a lot. But still, he never gives up."

Face twisting with sympathy, Billy returns the smile and nods. "Seems like a pretty determined guy. I'm sure you'll see him again once you go home for good."

Maybe it's not right to make those kind of promises, but they need that kind of hope to hold onto in this place.

Omega certainly clings to it. "Yeah..." Echo and the rest of her brothers, her family.

The mothcat in her arms finally seems to relax a little, but she still hugs him close.

"Maybe we should go inside somewhere... I hope everyone in Temba is okay."

Inside's a good idea, and Billy nods with a guilty look at the mention of Temba. "...We've been through this before. They'll be all right. Little shaken up, but all right," he assures, testing the door and scanning the interior before waving Omega inside.

"...What's the cat's name?" he asks, trying to distract from...well...everything.

She may not remember it very well, the time spent here before she'd been sent back and then returned, but Omega recalls enough. People here are resilient, and even though terrible things happen, they still prove stronger for it. At least she thinks they do.

"Oh, this is Tumble." She smiles a little, petting the mothcat's head. "He's usually calmer, napping is his favorite pastime. I don't think he likes the storm either. ...I hope the rest of the squad are okay."

"Tumble, huh?" Billy smiles, and tentatively reaching to pet the mothcat. He's never had a pet, and he's always a little unsure around them. "You have a whole squad worth? I guess these guys breed pretty fast, don't they. They're pretty cute. I'm sure they're all fine, animals usually handle this stuff better than we do."

The mothcat sniffs at Billy's hand before pushing his nose into it with a tiny lick. Omega laughs.

"Well, there's three others- Dart, Trapper and Launch. They usually join me on patrols. I know they can take care of themselves but I still can't help but worry."

Oh. That's cute. Billy laughs softly and scritches the mothcat.

"They have each other at least. And Tumble's got you. Hell, maybe they'll sleep through the whole storm and never know?"

"Maybe!" Omega smiles, not putting it past them. They certainly find ways to occupy themselves well enough, anyway.

"Did you come with anyone?" she asks then, pausing before holding Tumble out to Billy. Who doesn't want mothcat snuggles? If he can help get Omega's mind off of worse things, he can help Billy keep his mind off such too!

That's better, the smile gets mirrored by Billy, and he relaxes a little, taking the offered Tumble with a laugh.

"I came with Soldier. Tall guy. With the arm," he adds, not sure if the two have met or not. "Are you with anyone, or just Tumble here?"

The girl frowns thoughtfully at that before shaking her head. "I don't think I've met him." But there's probably quite a few people she's never met. She smiles again as Tumble immediately tries to make himself comfortable in Billy's arms, definitely more pudgy than most mothcats.

"Tumble and the rest of my mothcat squad," Omega replies. "I didn't think we'd be cut off from Temba though."

It's not a great description. But Soldier keeps to himself, so Billy's not surprised. He does his best to hold the cat comfortably, shifting his weight uncertainly and smiling.

"The storm can't last too long. I'm sure once it clears up we'll be able to go back. And Sh'ka's not that bad in the meantime."

At least Tumble is still lighter than a normal cat his size. He purrs and stuffs his face against Billy's chest.

Omega nods. "Yeah..." They just seem really long. And ignoring the people that shouldn't be here is... Well, a little easier at least. Definitely easier with someone else there with you.

Damn that's cute. Billy kind of sees the appeal of having a pet. He strokes him as he nods towards a spot for them to take a seat, carefully lowering himself so he doesn't disturb Tumble.

"Have you eaten? Do you need any supplies?" he asks, prepared for once to help without his magic.

Edited 2023-10-28 18:40 (UTC)

Omega settles down beside them, giggling a little at Tumble. "He likes you."

She thinks on the question, shaking her head. "Not yet. But I have...well, I have some supplies anyway, but I don't know if there's enough if we're here for very long."

"I dunno why. Maybe I smell like food," Billy offers, glad at least that it's helping Omega smile and laugh.

"We've got extra. And Soldier's been helping me learn survival skills, so we've got you covered," he promises, trying to shrug his bag off without disturbing the mothcat.

"There should be snacks in there, you can help yourself."

"Or you're just comfortable. You obviously don't mind holding him, so I think that's a plus."

Omega looks at the bag, tugging it between them so she can look through it. She picks out something to nibble on, settling to do so, her feet kicking back and forth.

"I'm still working on survival skills too. Maybe we can practice together!"

"I never had a pet before, but he seems nice." Billy wonders how you get anything done with one though. He's trapped being a bed for this thing.

"Yeah? What have you learned so far?" he asks with a grin.

The fuzziest limpet.

Omega tilts her head in thought. "Well, there's keeping alert and aware of your surroundings, and if you need to shelter, find somewhere defensible. I guess keeping track of and maintaining contact with your squad can't apply too well here." Especially when her squad is made up of mothcats and they don't have comlinks.

Billy nods, and considers for a moment. "There's ways to communicate when the network's down. Just...not in the same way. And maybe not so easily with mothcats," he adds with a laugh. "But there's...smoke signals, even if you don't know how to signal different meanings, if you can start a big smoky fire, someone can find you if there's trouble."

"Definitely not with mothcats," Omega agrees, laughing. "Smoke signals... That sounds like a good idea. Although you probably need to make sure it's still controlled, right? I wouldn't want to set a whole forest or a building on fire."

At least she knows how to make a firebreak. But that would require a shovel.

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Fear to See the World to Be

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