7/13 Instance: No Words

[Starfish]

Timeline just after 'Welcome to the Jungle' game

-

<Ankka> Ankka was pacing in the front entrance, waiting for the team to get back. They hadn't let him go, hadn't wanted to risk anything happening if it...if something...though the words hadn't been said after the other team had mobilised, the fact it was an automated beacon wasn't exactly good.

<@Clarice> Clarice stumbled out of the lift, clad only in the vest and shorts she wore under her uniform, a bandage wrapped around her leg. Bed .. sleep, good plan ... no, better plan, find Remy or Jean Paul and cling to them for a bit ... then bed.

<Ankka> Ankka saw Clarice, quickly going to her and a hand catching her to steady her. "Clarice?" He said gently, seeing the state she was in. A tightness he wasn't sure about settled in his chest. "Are you okay, Clarice? Odin's eye, you look like you got into a fight - do you need anything?"

<@Clarice> She froze as she heard Ankka's voice ... oh no. Oh no. Why him? Why right here and right now? What had she done recently to make the universe hate her so much ... she couldn't even meet his eyes.

<Ankka> "Clarice?" The tightness got worse as his voice dropped. "Clarice, vhat's wrong?" He wasn't going to ask, not yet. Chances were Noriko was down in medical or something. Or grounding herself. Or unconcious. A million and one other things. But Clarice didn't look good, so he was going to concentrate on that first...Noriko was fine, had to be. Had to be.

<@Clarice> There was a lump in her throat, her whole face felt drawn and tight, "A-Ankka ... I ... I ..." oh no, she couldn't say it.

<Ankka> Ankka swallowed as he took in Clarice's face. She was fine, there weren't any injuries that he could feel, she just looked tired and...and like...she'd been crying... "...It's...it's about Noriko, isn't it?" He couldn't get his voice above a croak. "She's got herself injured. She's...she's down in medbay, right? Unconscious again...I'm going to have to put myself into a coma for her, yes? S-stupid girl, I told her I should have gone with her..."

<@Clarice> "N-no," Clarice's voice cracked as she said that and she shook her head, "Still unable to look him in the eye, keeping her head down, "She ... we ... were ... to late ..."

<Ankka> Ankka was silent, the tightness suddenly constricting, making it a struggle to breathe. "Too...too late...?" He echoed. "Too late for vhat? How bad is she? I-I can make pretty much anything better, you know, I healed my mother, I can heal her...doesn't matter how bad..."

<@Clarice> "It's ... you can't ..." Clarice could feel the tears starting again, "She's ... she's gone ..."

<Ankka> "...Gone?" He felt stupid, echoing everything Clarice was saying, his hands still on her, still steadying her. "...Gone. She can't be gone, Clarice." He was barely whispering now. "She can't. Sh-she's Noriko, she doesn't...she can't..." Something was choking him.

<@Clarice> "I'm ... I'm sorry ...." it was the lamest thing to say in the world but it was all she could think of. She was just so tired ...

<Ankka> "No...no, don't...don't apologise, not your fault..." Gone. Noriko was... "She can't be dead. Please, Clarice...she's just...just missing or...she might still be out there. How could she be dead? There's no vay...nothing she can't...can't handle. Did you find a b- her? Are you...sure?"

<@Clarice> Clarice just nodded her head, "... Jet crashed, no-... no survivors ..."

<Ankka> Ankka was silent. He gently pulled her into a hug, recognising the blank look he'd seen in soldiers who'd just seen their friends killed. His mind had shut down, barely able to breathe, and when he did manage it it came in a half-choked sob. "No..."

<@Clarice> Clarice felt herself stiffen, part of her thinking that she didn't deserve comfort. She'd let everyone down out there but ... that was just stupid. She wrapped her arms around Ankka and started to cry properly, "I'm sorry ... I'm so sorry," was all she could manage to say.

<Ankka> "Not...don't...oh god, don't apologise, is...is not your fault." His voice shook as he tried to hold back on the tears, swallowing back the sobs. No. Later. Not now. Not here, Clarice needed him. "Th-thank...you for...telling me..." His voice cracked then, entire body shaking as he half-clung to the smaller pink girl. "I-I can't..."

<@Clarice> "I-I-" Clarice hiccuped, there wasn't anything else she could think of to say, "I just ... it's ..."

<Ankka> Ankka swallowed, tears escaping no matter how hard he tried. "I-is...is there...is she here? I-I have to...to call her family...explain...I...gods, vhat do I say...?"

<@Clarice> "Down ... morge there's ... not much ... in a bad way ..." Oh goodness, he couldn't go down and see her! For one thing they weren't even sure which body she was.

<Ankka> "I...I need to see her, Clarice, I need to." Or he wasn't going to believe she was dead. She couldn't be dead. Not his little Spark, not Noriko... "I...I...I'm sorry, Clarice, I'm so sorry, I should have been there, I should have helped." He didn't want to, but he forced himself to let her go, wiping his face.

<@Clarice> "You ..." she gulped down air, forcing herself to breath, "The ... the bodies were ... burned. Badly, we're ... we're still trying t-to ID them ..."

<Ankka> Oh gods. It was too much...Ankka sank to his knees then, hands over his face, shoulders shaking as he broke down in utter silence. He was like that for a few minutes. "My Noriko..." His voice was barely above a whisper, uneven and hoarse. "My Noriko...I vould have married that girl...I love her..."

<@Clarice> "I wish ...." she bit her lip, tears still trickling down her cheek, "I could .... that I had something better to say ..."

<Ankka> Ankka wiped his face, breath hitching, before he looked up at her helplessly. "Vhat is there to say? There is nothing to say. No vay to make this better. No vay to say it nicely. I'm just sorry I vas not there, that I could not help, that you had to see it yourself..." He stood with difficulty - his legs didn't want to support him. "I...I need to go. I need to be alone. I need...go and see Remy, yes? Go and make sure you have someone with you. I need..."

<@Clarice> "Y-you ... you know where you can find me i-if you need me, yeah?" Clarice straightened up.

<Ankka> "Yes...I do...and...and call me if...if you need me, please..." He shook his head. "Thank...thank you...I..." He looked down, breath hitching again. "Keep safe, yes?" With that, he turned away, heading for the doors. "Don't vant to lose you too." With that, he kicked up into the air, disappearing out of the school.

[PsychoKez056]

*bawls*

[Starfish]

Damn, right in the feels.