(no subject)

[dino_zarf]

[The broadcast starts with just wordless crying. But eventually some words make it through in the screaming as well. Or more specifically... one word.]

MAMAAAAAAAA!

[Even for those who can't perceive tone over the network, it should be pretty clear that this can only be little Rose. Eventually an adult voice joins in.]

Sorry... Zoe... we can't find her. I don't think she's still... I thought it was just my overlay but now neither of us can find her on the network. I don't want to cut Rose off when it's her only way to talk to me.

Comments

[howexciting]

I cannot sense her through our Bond, Hoban. Perhaps she has merely gone away to a dungeon, but even so... I am sorry. I am so sorry, Rose.

... do you need me to visit, my friend? I can attempt to comfort her, but I know I am no substitute for her mother.

[dino_zarf]

A visit's worth a shot. I'm open to just about any suggestion right now, she's so upset...

[He doesn't like that Zoe's gone. He likes that Rose is upset even less.]

[mytearsaremine]

Oh no, her mom's gone?

[Jolie only vaguely remembers the baby's mom, the tall black woman, but she clearly remembers Wash and Rose.]

Is there... um. Is there anything we can do? Or I can do, I guess? I've baby sat my little brother before, though it's been a long time since he was that little, I still probably remember how....

[Not that a short blonde girl would fool Rose, of course. But... she has to offer something.]

[dino_zarf]

Must have happened just before the Jaunt started.

[Whatever happened. No one really understands these things.]

So far I've just been holding her and telling her I'm still here. Maybe if you have some stories or songs, that might help distract her. We have a bunch of books...

[mytearsaremine]

I can tell a story, if she's got the patience to listen to one. And I have shadow-tentacles to play with. If she isn't scared of them, anyway.

[She'd let a little kid play with her tentacles, no problem. It's only when gross old men do it that she gets pissy.]

[rustyhonesty]

How... would you feel about letting her ride on a pegasus? I can make it completely safe with my skills and it would likely be very fun for her. Anastasia is very gentle.

[dino_zarf]

I've actually wished I could take her flying, when we've been Travelling.

[He was thinking in a spaceship, but a pegasus will work]

If you can make it safe, that might be different enough to distract her for a bit.

[goestoextremes]

[ That scream goes easily to one of the most heartbreaking things, that Korra has ever heard anywhere. ]

I'm so sorry for Zoe... Um, would you like an extremely friendly giant dog to distract Rose?

[dino_zarf]

I suspect she would enjoy a giant dog. She's still sad my giant Pogemon partner didn't come back with us.

[whydoyoushine]

Yeah, I can't...the bond thing, it's not...

[Just going to trail off a little there because what are feelings and how did he get them and what is having friends and...]

Oi, you want me to come by and visit the kiddo? I got a couple new tricks I could show her.

Or let her squeeze Mr. Sparkles. He's enough like a stuffed animal, he could take one for the team.

[dino_zarf]

Please. I think some familiar faces will help.

[Or at least not hurt]

We have to figure something out if she's not in the bond thing any more.

[lunchleader]

Zed? You okay?

[Yes, that's genuine concern coming from your ex-rival.]

[lunchleader]

Ehh? She's gone? Like, gone gone?

[dino_zarf]

No one can find her using... anything. So it seems so.

[Which is... not ideal obviously]

[naturaltwohands]

Zoe is--

[Drizzt stops himself, realizing it won't help, realizing that it's true.]

M-My condolences. If there is anything I can do for you or Rose....

[dino_zarf]

We're still working on how we're going to manage it.

[He's working on it. Rose is clinging. Which is understandable.]

That's the trouble with the way people can disappear with no explanation.

[bite_the_hand]

It's alright. Just let her scream it out. It doesn't really help, but it's better than trying to make her stop.

[There's a slight pause before he continues.]

I'll help keep an eye out for her Mom's dungeon portal.

[dino_zarf]

I hope it's one of those times one appears quickly.

[The wordless sobbing continues]

But I'll have to figure out things in case it isn't.

[vrepit_no]

....Is that a baby?

[dino_zarf]

Yeah, she's about fourteen months. She was born on a Jaunt.

And currently not understanding why her mom just vanished.

[Not that he actually understands it either]

[thornsofmalkav]

Oh shit. Do you need any help? I promise I'm better than Selene with mortal kids.

[dino_zarf]

I probably will with it just being me and her. You mentioned little cousins, right?

[finalizes]

[It's a human cub so he shouldn't care, but this place makes it hard to see humans as the soulless creatures that they are.]

She will cry herself to sleep faster if you're around and make her feel safe by assuring her that she won't lose you too.

[Others have suggested distractions, but he doubts that that will work in the long run. If human cubs work anything like those of others, they probably aren't that easily fooled to forget about the absence of a parent.

Not that he has that much experience with either, but that was his impression.]

[dino_zarf]

I'm definitely not getting very far from her right now.

[She's used to having at least one parent right nearby. He's not disrupting that.]

[neverfeltthatway]

...I'm so sorry. Do you need anything? [He knows it's hard when a friend or a lover disappears. He's lost Sansa several times. But the mother of your child? He can't even imagine.]

If you need help distracting Rose, I can always take her flying - like when I got you out of the claw. You too, if you want. [Depending on whether Wash needed a break from the child, probably. But Armin's not so insensitive to suggest it, one way or the other.] Or swimming, if she kept her mermaid form. And I have a direwolf who would probably enjoy her attentions, if she likes animals.