Doing the big sister thing. NBD

[charring]

When; During the Sand Event, late february
Rating; PG-13 for character death
Characters; Ken, Evil Ed and Charlie
Summary; Ken didn't listen when Charlie told him to stay in the Glass City and now she and Evil are going to rescue him, only for it to end badly for someone.
Log;

Charlie had been content in the safe zone for the most part. She was sunburned to hell, ached everywhere and her sleep schedule was shot, but she'd made it. It was a silent decision between Ed and Charlie to grab temporary quarters together, never mind the reasoning behind it. It just happened. Charlie didn't question it.

She'd been sitting on the floor in front of the bed, her device in her hands, when she saw Ken on the device. He was out of the Glass City and Charlie was in a panic. Why didn't he listen? She told him to stay where he was and now she had to find him and get him to the Safe zone.

She tried leaving before Ed woke up but it took her so long to get things organized that he caught her packing and after an argument, she decided to just take him with her. He needed to eat, anyway.

She was now back in the van, driving towards where she hoped Ken still was, stopping long enough to let Ed catch a few things but still feeling panicked that they were taking too long. She kept her eyes skyward, watching for Ba'ul as she leaned against the white machine, arms crossed and the sword she'd made stuck in the sand nearby.

Comments

[socoolbrewster]

"Do you want to carry around a statue? You know your mythology, right? That's pretty much it. There's nothing we can do. She wanted to be a dumb shit and go after it without a plan other than to burn the fuck out of it, that's her mistake."

He didn't care. He didn't. It just meant there wouldn't be any answering thumps through the floor when he got too loud for her taste. It was fine. He just kept looking ahead, put the van into drive and continued on towards the safe zone.

[oceantrauma]

Not that he had much say in the matter once the van was moving. Ken looked out the back, and absently, voice hollow, answered, "I didn't learn much Western mythology, but yes, I remember this one."

A pause, then he muttered, "She's going to come back. But I don't know where or when she will." Should he go back? Or would that only cause her more trouble? It was his fault she was like this, after all. Even if Ed did have a point - she chose to go after it - Ken still saw his blame in it.

Maybe it was best they do what she wanted, for now.

[socoolbrewster]

"You know that for a fact, do you?"

His tone was sharp, sardonic. He'd told Jerry they didn't matter, that they'd only been allies and temporary ones at that, and he reminded himself of this fact again. It hadn't been a lie, not exactly, but even so. It beared reminding. It had been habit that got him accustomed, that was all, and everyone always left in the end anyway, one way or another.

He washed his hands of all this. The minute they were somewhere safe he was taking off on his own, heading...somewhere. Ferry to the other city, maybe, if he could manage it. ...Which was doubtful, given the state of his wallet, but hey. At least it was something. A goal.

Safe zone first though. In one piece.

[oceantrauma]

To that, Ken actually turned around to respond. Something about focusing on facts he had learned, or what he knew versus what he didn't know, seemed to help him focus off the numbness he felt. And maybe it was a little of Ed's tone as well, Ken's not as polite as usual, though still at a calm and soft level.

"Yes, I do. Another of my friends died by a monster attack, and recently she came back and explained how that works to me. I didn't know this place allowed for that," Ken said, before turned back to face out the window, Charlie's statue no longer visible.

It was for the best - Ken would easily find other friends heading out on his own, and get to safety so when Charlie did come back she wouldn't have to worry about him. And he'd be able to say Ed did his part, just as she wanted. He would, too.

Why was it, though, knowing she would return didn't make things hurt any less?

[socoolbrewster]

"And how does it work?"

Professional curiosity, of a sort; it helped to know, if only for his own sake. In case anybody managed to off him.

He fiddled with the radio, but all it gave was static. Either the damn thing was as encrusted with sand as everything else or there wasn't anything to pick up, but really it shouldn't have been a surprise either way. Stupid thing.

[oceantrauma]

"I don't know. Something about this place," Ken admitted with a shrug. "All I know is that she did come back."

Hearing the static come from the radio, he sighed, sad, and finally turned back around in his seat proper, leaning his head against the window.

"I'm sorry I was thrust on you like this," said the guilt-filled child from the back. "But it's not that much further to the safe zone, is it?"