To be or not to be

[brandedfirst]

Brando has been busier than ever. There is always some crisis or another that needs taken care of either here or in other places, but he realizes that there are people who probably need to talk to him in the basement

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[swingsetheart]

Lavendar, when entering the basement, might not seem quite as happy as she normally is. She's just come from her park, after playing with a few of her children before slipping back into the Hotel.

Upon seeing Brando, though, she smiles, because she hasn't seen him around in a long while. So no matter that she's a bit upset, she still approaches him with a light heart.

"Hello, stranger." She giggles a little, looking up at him with eyes bright.

[brandedfirst]

Brando smiles, warmly, at her. He is able to tell rather quickly that something is wrong. It's difficult to hide things from a First Angel.

"Lavendar." He nods and gestures for her to sit next to him. "I'm sorry I haven't been around. How have you been settling in here?"

[swingsetheart]

"No, it's okay. I hear you have big important stuff to do." Lavendar smiles at him even brighter as she settles in beside him. She's always happy to see people she's met again.

"I like it here, lots." She nods, "All sorts of people here, yep. I met an angel like me, too." There might be a giggle or two here, because no matter the worries she has, this place is still very exciting to her.

She leans over and presses her cheek to his arm, looking up at him for a moment, "But how are you?"

[brandedfirst]

"Good. Yes, I met him, too. He's a nice guy."

If nothing else, he's glad that those down here could be there for each other even though he's not around to do so.

Brando smiles. "I'm all right. Busy, but it's just how it goes."

[swingsetheart]

"Running this big place? I bet you're busybusy."

Lavendar smiles brightly, sitting up to look at his wings briefly. Wincing, she lets her own out (they're much smaller than they should be, and cream colored, too!) to brush one of his.

"Are you going to leave soon again?" It's just an innocent question, because she rarely sees him about. "'Cause when you come back, we should play Go Fish again. It will be a Go Fish war." A giggle.

[brandedfirst]

"Very busy. Yes. Unfortunately. I hate being busy."

Brando can't keep from smiling when her smile is as bright as it is.

"I hope not." He nods. "A Go Fish tournament. But you're too good. You'll just beat me again."

Brando laughs a little and then grows rather silent. He places a strong hand on her back just beneath her wings. "Are you all right?"

[swingsetheart]

Lavendar laughs, "No, I bet you'll beat me this time. I think you're better than you let on."

She waggles a finger at him, grinning, but it fades when he falls silent and that hand finds her back.

Looking down, she bites her bottom lip, knowing she wouldn't be able to hide it from Brando.

"One of my children went away today," she says quietly, still not meeting his eyes. As if that statement summed up everything she felt.

[brandedfirst]

Brando nods. It does explain everything to him. If he wanted to he probably could have looked into her mind and seen it, it still weighs heavily on her heart.

He pulls her to his chest and hugs her. "I'm sorry. You did all you could for them and you did it perfectly, but I know it still hurts."

[swingsetheart]

Lavendar is thankful for the hug, as soon her arms wrap about him to return it, pressing close. Her eyes burn, because she hasn't let herself mourn yet, not completely.

"Fewer and fewer of them come to the park each day, their parents stop bringing them...it's not safe outside anymore." She holds a little tighter to him, "What do I do when they're all gone? When I have no one left?"

The burning in her eyes has produced tears and she looks up at him, helplessly.

[brandedfirst]

"You will always have us here. And I think if it ever reaches that point, we will all be focused on fixing that, making it safe. We won't have to be angels in secret anymore, because there will be too much to do." A frightening thought.

One that caused an incredible uproar the last time the First Angels met. Never had such an idea been considered as a possibility.

[swingsetheart]

Lavendar calms down a little bit, still hugging him tightly. She doesn't like the strife the city seems to hold, the tension and the danger.

"...We won't have to be secret? But..." She knew that couldn't be a good thing, if they had so much to do they had to reveal themselves.

[brandedfirst]

"I know. Never happened before." his voice is very quiet, but still manages to retain that booming quality. "It's more that the creatures that pour through the Rift will not be able to be hidden for very long. They'll come out where we can't control them, where humans don't have the power to stop them, and create havoc. And then the humans won't be able to remain oblivious."

[swingsetheart]

Lavendar nods slowly, taking it all in. "And there's no way to slow the Rift activity, is there?"

She vaguely knows the answer, but it doesn't hurt to have a little hope. Some things will take a considerable amount of time, and perhaps, just perhaps, that was one of them.

"And... and if I can help with anything..."