[Video]

[flowing_kinetics]

[For once, Akira doesn't sound angry, irritated, or aggressive. His tone is fairly neutral, but anyone with any ability to read into expressions and words can see that's because he's desperately fighting down worry and unease.]

Any of you seen a little girl? 13 years old. She's got brown hair in pigtails.

[There's a... fairly lengthy pause here.]

Probably... coughing a lot and having trouble walking on her own. Real sickly looking.

[Another pause.]

...Just. Let me know if you see her, alright? It's important.

Comments

[madwinner]

Is... everything okay?

[flowing_kinetics]

I'm fine.

[It's not him he's worried about.]

[madwinner]

Have you lost someone?

[flowing_kinetics]

I dunno yet. I don't know if she's even here.

[madwinner]

Who is she?

I... don't think I've seen anyone like that. But I haven't been here very long.

[flowing_kinetics]

My sister.

[madwinner]

Oh. I'm sorry. I hope you find her.

[flowing_kinetics]

Yeah. Me too.

[madwinner]

It took me a few days to find the person I was looking for when i arrived. Do you need any help looking or anything?

/saw nothing

[flowing_kinetics]

[A pause. He's... really not used to accepting help from people. So the first thing he'll say...]

I wanna see you, first.

[Because he's not going to accept help from someone who might hurt her.]

[madwinner]

[Ermmm...]

Okay... On here or in person?

[flowing_kinetics]

In person.

Just swing by a little outside the city.

[madwinner]

Okay.

I can go now?

[video --> action]

[flowing_kinetics]

Yeah.

[His side of the feed clicks off.]

[Action]

[madwinner]

[Annie arrives a few minutes later, having made quick progress from the inlet. Finnick will probably be annoyed that she's wandered off, but Annie has a weakness when it comes to wanting to help people. And she can hardly leave the boy to search on his own, can she?

Annie looks around for him. He'd looked quite distinctive on the network, after all..]

[Perma-action]

[flowing_kinetics]

[It's not at all difficult to find him, especially since he's making no attempt at hiding his presence -- he's just sitting on a rock, waiting for her.

When she comes into view, he looks at her, but doesn't say anything. Instead, his eyes fade out into blankness, glowing as he fixes her with a stare that almost seems to go through her.

He is, as he does, scanning her mind -- her thoughts. What kind of person she is and what she's thinking... that's the most important thing for him to know.]

[Perma-action] - sorry for repost!

[madwinner]

[Annie flinches at that stare, feeling as if he's looking straight into her fractured mind. Annie's better here than she has been in a long while, but her grip on the present is more precarious than most. Every so often she falls back into the terrors of her past and gets lost there. But right now, she's here and lucid, and she shifts a little uncomfortably.

She wants to help him, because he knows what it's like to be the sick, frightened girl on your own in a strange place. Like his sister. Wasn't that her a few days ago? Annie doesn't have a bad bone in her body, so he frowns in his direction before speaking quietly.]

Are you okay?

S'alright! XD It happens.

[flowing_kinetics]

[Her mind is admittedly a bit more chaotic -- unbalanced -- than any Akira's really felt, but it's not enough that he doesn't sense how she is. His eyes fade back to normal and he blinks once or twice, his posture suddenly a lot more relaxed and friendly.]

Yeah, I'm fine.

[Still, he's not used to asking for help from strangers.]

...I'd appreciate it... if you could help me find Kaori. I ain't 'xactly the best when it comes to pinnin' down people.

[madwinner]

[Annie relaxes as he does, her mood easily changed by those around her. She beams at him.]

It's okay. This place is...

[She trails off before saying anything rude.]

Do you know if she's definitely here, or...?

[flowing_kinetics]

No, I don't. I wouldn't worry 'bout it so much if she wasn't so sick she's not supposed to be outta bed.

Even if she ain't here, if she does come, 'least everyone knows her now.

[madwinner]

[Annie lets out a quick peal of unprovoked laughter, drawn out of her not by the conversation but by some broken half-thought that's not quite lining up normally. She slaps a hand over her mouth, eyes widening apologetically.]

Sorry.

If she does turn up, I'm sure someone will look after her until you can get to her. They did for me.

[She looks around]

If she is here, do you know where she might have headed?

[flowing_kinetics]

[He gives her a bit of an odd look, but apparently doesn't seem to mind all that much. Her mind had been.... odd.]

...Hope so.

[He shakes his head a little.]

Not that I can think of. She woulda tried to head for town, but I didn't see her anywhere there.

[knightoflight]

[Have a worried look.]

Where have you looked. Would she have been able to get far?

[flowing_kinetics]

I've looked around the ship and the city. If she's here, she ain't gonna get far, but she can't survive on her own.

[Okay, that mask is starting to slip. Akira is worried, very worried, and it's showing.]

[knightoflight]

I can do an aerial sweep. The problem is...would she try to hide from me?

[flowing_kinetics]

Don't think so. You ain't Buriki Daioh, but you're still a robot. Just don't yell at her or nothin' and she should be fine.

[femshep]

What's she sick with? [Is it a temporary thing, or does she have some sort of condition? She's not gonna bother tacking on an 'if you don't mind me asking'.]

[flowing_kinetics]

Dunno. Some kinda disease, none of the doctors knew what the fuck it was. Just that...

[The hesitation makes it clear. "That it's not curable."]

...Anyway. She ain't in any condition to push herself.

[femshep]

I'll keep an eye out.

[A pause, and then:]

You find food and shelter alright?

[flowing_kinetics]

Yeah, 'm fine.

[There's the subtext of "I don't know why you care" there, but he's at least trying to be polite.]

[femshep]

Good.

[She's not sure why she cares, either, so questioning it isn't much use.]

Video

[thecricketer]

Thirteen? Oh, dear. I haven't, but I'll certainly keep a look out.

Do you know - why she's sickly, precisely? Perhaps I can help, if I find her.

Video

[flowing_kinetics]

Doubt it. She's got some kinda disease even I can't heal outta her. Doctors can't do shit either.

...Thanks.