if the sky comes falling down, for you [ OPEN ]

[cryptologic]

Who: Dipper & YOU
When: IC 3/21
Where: ALIEN JUNGLE
What: Dipper realizes Mabel has disappeared. He takes it Poorly.
Rating/Warning: None besides SADNESS.


[ one of the first things dipper had done with mabel in the jungle was set up precautions in case one of them ever got lost. tree markings. home base. bird calls. generally, not wandering too far away from each other and telling the other where they were going. after all, they were practical enough to not want to get lost in an alien jungle, even if it was an alien jungle. dipper tempered his curiosity to explore too much, because he didn't want to leave mabel alone for too long. lest she try to befriend one of those tall, colorful birds, or something.

his measures had all worked well enough, and by the time they've been in the jungle for almost a week, dipper started to think of himself as a survivalist. he had a plan, and it was working. everything was good.

until it wasn't.

dipper had left mabel at their base camp, going off to find more edible plants and sure, maybe jot down some notes about the fauna around here in his journal. he wouldn't be gone long. a half-hour, maybe. but ever the investigator, his excursion ends up taking him longer than planned, and by the time he gets back to the camp, mabel is gone.

at first, he didn't really think that much of it, even if she hadn't mentioned she was planning to go anywhere. she probably just got distracted, or one of her friends had come along. she'd promised to mark the trees at his request, too, and no markings did he see - but she'd probably just forgotten. he didn't need to panic. he shouldn't worry.

except that ever-present kernel of doubt in his mind doesn't make that so easy. he can't just sit idly by while his sister is unaccounted for in a dangerous, wild jungle. so he starts to look for her, initially at a brisk pace, but as soon as it becomes clear that she's not nearby their camp, he starts to run. ]

Mabel? Mabel! Where are you?

[ he calls out her name as he runs, panic-fueled adrenaline sending him sprinting (though it's hard to breathe) throughout other camps, the abandoned village, along the river...pretty much everywhere. because until he's found her, no place can be ruled out.

unless, unless...

he will stop to implore anyone he comes across for help. ]

Have you seen my sister? Mabel? Oh no - She's wearing a sweater, and a ribbon in her hair - please, I have to find her.

[ please, please, please, don't let her be -

- why didn't he keep her safe, this is all his fault -

he has to find her. ]

Comments

[braavado]

[The first time Dipper leaves camp to scavenge for food, Korra doesn't think much of it. They've gathered together before, after all, and she knows he can recognize the edible fruits and plants on his own by now.

The second time, though, something is visibly wrong, even from a distance. Korra drops some of the nuts she was shelling and follows him. She catches up to him easily despite his sprint, just in time to hear him call out for someone.]

Dipper, wait up! [She puts a hand on his shoulder.] I'll go with you. Who're you looking for?

[cryptologic]

[ he glances up at her, panic-stricken and already at a loss for breath. no, no, no, mabel - this can't be happening. ]

Korra! It's - it's my sister, Mabel - s-she was at camp when I left earlier, and now I can't find her anywhere! What if she's - she could be -

[ any number of terrible possibilities, each worse than the last. ]

[braavado]

[She cuts in almost immediately, not wanting to give Dipper time to panic some more.]

Don't worry, if she's around here, we'll find her.

[Without thinking about it, Korra reaches for the CereVice in her pocket. Once it's in her hand does she belatedly remember it's already out of batteries.]

If this stupid thing still worked, this would be so much easier. Alright, let's just start searching around here.

[cryptologic]

[ that's one of the worst things about this - that without the cerevices working, dipper has no way to contact mabel. no walkie talkies, no cups attached by a string. nothing. his only way to get in touch with her is to find her, and if he can't do that...

no. he can't think like that. ]

I-I wasn't gone that much longer than I said I would. She can't have gone too far. [ he says this as much for his own benefit as korra's. ] But she might have come looking for me.

[ this is his fault. he left camp for too long, and mabel probably got worried... ]

[braavado]

Hey. [Sensing his worry, Korra leans down toward him and puts a hand on his shoulder.] It's not your fault. We'll figure out what happened.

[After pausing a second to smile at him reassuringly, Korra straightens up, all business.] Alright, which way did you come back to the camp? If she was looking for you there, you would have run into her on the way back.

[cryptologic]

[ feeling a little bolstered by her pep talk, dipper straightens and swallows the dread building in the back of his throat. ]

I was coming back from the direction of the river, so I think it's safe to say she isn't up that way. [ unless he missed her somehow, but mabel wasn't exactly an easy person to miss. ]

[braavado]

Let's try the opposite direction and circle around the camp to cover all our bases.

[Meanwhile, Korra's expression lightens with recognition when she finally realizes why Mabel's name is so familiar.]

Besides, I've only talked to your sister once, but she seems like a pretty smart girl. I don't think she'd go wandering out too far from the camp on her own, right?

[cryptologic]

She wouldn't. [ which was reassuring in one way, and completely terrifying in another.

mabel could get a little distracted an flighty, sure, but she was too smart to put herself in such an obviously dangerous situation. which could mean... ]

But maybe it wasn't really up to her to go far away from the camp in the first place.

[braavado]

What do you mean?

[Korra eyes him curiously. Whatever Dipper's thinking, Korra only hopes that it isn't true. At least he seems to be calming down a little.]

[cryptologic]

[ when he answers, his voice is soft, brimming with worry. ]

...What if one of the monsters got her?

[braavado]

[Ah. That's a fair enough worry, honestly. Korra bites her bottom lip in thought.]

I'm pretty sure the people at the camp would've heard something if she got attacked. I'm even more positive that they wouldn't have let a monster carry her off...you know?

[cryptologic]

[ This kind of logical answer is what most appeals to Dipper's thoughts, and she's got a very reasonable point. ]

Those monsters aren't exactly subtle, are they?

[braavado]

The big ones are pretty hard to miss. [She gives him a grin now, seeing him warm up to her answer.] And some of them travel in packs, too.

So... let's just assume the monsters taking her isn't very likely. Yeah?

[cryptologic]

[ he breathes a little easier. you know, as much as he can, considering how thin the air seemed out here. ]

Okay, so, we can reasonably rule out monsters, and she probably didn't go wandering off looking for me...so either she got lost another way, or...or...

[ he glances up at korra bleakly. ] Do you think someone could...you know, disappear out here?

[braavado]

[It takes Korra a second to puzzle out what he means, and her eyes widen when she does.]

I don't know. We've never been out of the colony before... [Korra says slowly, thinking this out.] We can't rule it out, but let's wait until we've checked around the camp before we jump to any conclusions.

[cryptologic]

[ If they'd never been outside the colony, then who knew what Mabel disappearing out here could mean? The unknown threatens to swallow him again, but he keeps it together, if only because Korra reminds him of the plan. ]

R-right. [ And a moment later: ] ...Thanks, Korra.

[braavado]

You don't need to thank me. You'd help out a friend if they were dealing with the same thing, right?

[She flicks the brim of his hat lightly.]

C'mon, this jungle isn't going to search itself. Let's go find your sister.