(Untitled)

[deadfreesia]

Who: secret_sword, junebugfuji, and deadfreesia
Where: Route 29
When: Monday, April 11, late evening.
Summary: A long overdue sibling reunion
Rating: G, PG at most
Log:

Comments

[junebugfuji]

Even with the rest she was pretty exhausted by the time they finally came into sight of Mamoru and Ratty. It had been almost non-stop from early that morning, she really didn't have anything left in her at the moment. The thing that kept her going was simply the fact that help was on the way, her brother was one of the two coming to meet her.

Her limbs were trembling from the strain of pushing herself so hard, but she was just as much in a hurry to reach them as they were to get to her.

Just when her eyes started to feel too heavy to stay open, when she thought she couldn't move another step and was so tired that THE GROUND was starting to look like a king size bed with fresh sheets-- there they were. She was almost so tired that she could have missed their silhouettes in the distance, but Aya noticed and got one more burst of energy in her legs, rushing forward towards them.

"Onii-chan!"

He really came!

[secret_sword]

His Eevee was keeping pace with him easily. Not surprising since he seemed to sense his trainer's need to get to his sister. Focused, he pushed forward with his eyes only searching for her. It amazed him that Cu could handle anything like this but he seemed to be managing.

But then he saw her. Pushing forward at an even faster pace, he ran straight to her. "Aya!"

His body ached from the pace but he didn't care. His sister needed him and not even the blood that covered his body was going to stop him from getting to her and protecting her from harm.

That was all it took for him to pull her into his arms, protecting her and comforting her all at once.

[deadfreesia]

As soon as they were within sight of her, and Aya had sprinted those final few steps, Mamoru stopped. And held back.

Togepi chirped in a bit of confusion and looked up from his post in Mamoru's arm. His trainer was as scuffed and cut as he was, but why weren't they running anymore?

"Shh," Mamoru said to him. Mamoru didn't regret coming along to help Aya fight his way through to his sister, but now that the bulk of the fighting was done, his place was more removed. He wouldn't impose on their first time together in years any more than could be helped.

He instead kept his attention on their surroundings just in case some of the bug Pokémon were still looking to cause trouble.

[junebugfuji]

She felt tears coming to her eyes then as she sank into Ran and returned the hold easily, unable to help them anymore. She'd forced herself to come to terms with the likelihood she wouldn't see Ran again, at best for a long time, and at worst... well, she HADN'T come to terms with that.

"Onii-chan! You came! I missed you so much...!"

It wasn't exactly the first thing she'd planned to say to him, but a combination of exhaustion and distress had finally caught up to her, she really couldn't help it even if she wanted to at that point. Her big brother was finally in front of her again, even if he was from about five years into the future she really just didn't care about that detail right then. Her big brother was back.

[secret_sword]

For a time, Ran...that was who he was now, to her...just held his sister. Though a part of him was still aware of his surroundings, he let most of it go in favor of letting Mamoru watch over them. He trusted him to let him know if they needed to move. Or to protect them. All of that.

Because of that, his focus became being the big brother. Comforting the girl in his arms.

"I missed you too, Aya. I'm here now."

Closing his eyes, he held her close. It amazed him how good it felt just to hold her like this. To feel her so warm against him. It made it all real and for just a moment he was able to forget all about his guilt in favor of the relief that he had her and she was safe with him now.

He would protect her no matter what.

[junebugfuji]

She shut her eyes too, she'd already been squinting them almost shut against the burning sensation of fresh tears but now she let herself relax, but then she noticed something a little bit wet against her hand. She opened her eyes and drew her hand around to look, then looked up at him with nothing but concern.

"Ran-niichan...? You're hurt?!"

Not that she was really one to talk, but she wasn't bleeding anywhere, after all. Her first concern was now Ran's well being, now that they had reached one another. And if Ran was hurt then Mamoru probably was too-- just that her thoughts were understandably on her kin just then.

[secret_sword]

"I'm not hurt. We need to get you away from here though."

Somewhere safe where they could actually have time for a proper reunion. Looking her over, he frowned at the state she was in. However, he doubted she'd really be up for more walking. It didn't matter if they used a Pokemon or they walked, he was carrying her. She could barely stand.

"Do you want to get on my back?" He smiled a little. "I'll carry you."

[junebugfuji]

For a moment she didn't look wholly convinced, but his smile, however small, managed to put her at ease again at least for the moment (That's not even going into how long she thought it must have been since she'd ridden on her brother's back.). She'd managed to completely forget about her exhaustion in the excitement of the moment, but his asking brought it all back rather fresh. She smiled softly back ("Sorry to trouble you," it said), a little bit flustered, but happy. "If I'm not too heavy."

She was glad that no one had come out worst for ware. She'd have felt pretty guilty if Ken's Pokemon had been hurt, or Mamoru, and especially Ran. The sooner Sneasel was healed the better, too. She'd fought so hard to try protecting her trainer, Aya was going to make it up to her ten fold, she didn't think she'd done enough to protect Sneasel in return.

[secret_sword]

Ran gave her a look. "You've never been too heavy." Letting go over her, he turned around and got down on one knee so it would be easier for her to get up. As he did so, he looked over at Mamoru. Now was the point where he needed his help again. Honestly, he was grateful to have his former teammate there with him.

"Mamoru, you've been here longer. What's going to be the easiest way to get back?" Walking, running, Pokemon...he trusted him to come up with the best method. In the meantime, Cu jumped up on his shoulder to say hello to Aya while she was there. Probably to make her feel better too with a little trill and a nuzzle.

"Aya, that's Cu."

[deadfreesia]

Mamoru understood the look. He nodded once and quietly rejoined Ran, this time With Sister. He greeted her with a small but warm smile and a nod as well

[junebugfuji]

Aya kept the smile, then moved to get onto Ran's back as he stooped down and turned to offer it to her. Slender arms came to wrap around his neck over his shoulders carefully. She couldn't help giggling a little at his Pokemon's greeting, freeing a hand long enough to pet it like she would a kitten. Cu

[secret_sword]

"Let's find a place to set up camp then. We all need the rest." And by 'we' he meant that Aya needed the rest. They were trained for things like this, even trained for going without sleep. His sister wasn't.

"I'll take first watch when we get there."

He couldn't have slept even if he wanted to. There was too much on his mind now. Aya, whom he had to protect. But what would she think of him when she found out that he was a murderer? Someone who had killed for money? Had killed using her name? So many had died by his hands. They haunted him to this very day.

What if she hated him for all of this? Never wanted to see him again? That would be her right really. He couldn't blame her.

And yet, keeping her close was the best way to protect her in this strange world.

Of course, he voiced none of this as he rose up to his feet, Cu staying with Aya by balancing on his shoulder.

[deadfreesia]

And making it difficult for her to stay upset at him was exactly the point. That would make for better relations and an easier time all around. Although ultimately a move of practicality, it also wasn't unwarranted. Mamoru may not have been able to help the necessity of ending the call between the topic turning to one best kept between the siblings and the genuine need for her to save her breath for running, but that didn't excuse his rudeness. Intention and necessity didn't matter in a slight

[junebugfuji]

She already had a good idea that whatever he was doing was dangerous enough to warrant his desire to keep his distance from her, for her safety's sake. Even being told that was all she could be told, one's imagination tended to start mulling over the various possibilities from there. It was only impossible for her to draw any definite conclusions, but from that information she had decided to trust her brother and hope she'd get to see him again soon. It didn't matter what he'd done, he was still her brother, they were still family, she still cared about him, loved him, and wanted him to be safe and happy

[secret_sword]

Setting Aya down, Ran went to take the offered First Aid kit so he could tend to his sister. Sitting down in front of her, he reached up to push some of the hair from her face with a gentle little smile.

"Are your hurt anywhere? I can take care of things now."

Any excuse to really make sure she was alright.

[deadfreesia]

With Ran tending to Aya and the Pokémon eating, Mamoru spent the next few minutes setting up his tent. It would offer Aya a little more shelter during their rest.