He dug through the rubble. The strong arms of a construct pounded it into dirt and tossed it aside with ruthless effficiency. Pound, lift, turn, toss, pound, lift, turn, toss. It was a solid rhythm, one he could get behind.

Claire called out every now and then... "MOM! DAD! MR. ROLANDER! MRS. ROLANDER!"

It was- It was nice of her, so very nice of her. She was holding out hope, and- And Reggie, he needed that. The remnants of the... Storm crystal, they were still here. Still- Still somewhere? And maybe if they found it, it'd be a clue to where their parents were. Maybe, just maybe. (He hadn't checked by the airbus yet. He, he couldn't. He just couldn't.)

Pound, lift, turn, toss. Pound, lift, turn, toss.

Claire tapped on his shoulder. She looked- Ragged, her fur was matted, she had cuts and bruises all over. He did too. She spoke, her voice hoarse from... gods know how long just screaming for their parents. "I- They, they aren't here. The, the- Thethethe crystal, tornado rock- That's, that's gotta be it! It's got them, it knows- It- ititit-"

He held Claire. Just- Scooped her up, because Constructs are in fact pretty tall, and gave her a solid squeeze. "I- Reggie, this, isn't the time, we need to keep looking!"

He looked at her. Really looked. They were battered, bruised, tired beyond all belief- Missing most of their very blood. "Alright." He said. Anything else would be unbearable, he thinks.

Pound, lift, turn, toss. Pound, lift, turn, toss.

It's, close to sun-up. He's not slept. His joints ache, and creak, and Claire is just staring now, at the slowly reducing pile of rubble. Others have come to help by now, work was speeding up. They were making progress, even. Not many of them seemed to know just what they were digging up. Eventually someone spoke.

"Didn't someone stop the storm, somehow?"

"I turned into a taotie and bit the thing causing it in half. It landed here. This is why I am digging through the rubble."

"What- Turned into a Taotie? Kid-"

He just slammed the originator down and took a snap at the guy. It was- He was only looking now, some tengu guy? He almost bit the guys hand off. He missed, thankfully, he realized a second too late that wouldn't have been nice. He changed back, and got back to work.

Pound, lift, turn, toss. Pound, lift, turn, toss.

"Mr. Rolander?" A small voice said behind Reggie. He turned to the Imp.

"Yes?"

"Ah- You are Mr. Rolander, yes? With the, originator, I don't know what your... Forms, look like." Reggie nodded. "I- Right! You, you haven't slept. And I can tell Claire hasn't either. The library is still standing, it's being converted to a shelter while help arrives. You can sleep there while we discuss..."

"The search. For our parents." He said it robotically, continuing his work. Pound, lift, turn, toss.

"... This isn't a healthy coping mechanism, Reggie."

"It's what I have. It's what Claire has. We need to find them. They can't be gone." It was, just a fact. Immutable.

Kobbsley nodded. "I... Thank you, for being honest at least. But you need to rest." He hesitated a bit. "If your parents, are out there- Would they want you wearing yourself down like this? Would Claire's family enjoy seeing her this way?"

He paused. Pound, lift, turn, toss. Pound, lift, turn, toss. "... No, probably... Probably not." He lifted up Claire, dead on her feet as she was, and just... Followed Kobbsley down the destroyed streets. Rubble, water, electrical hazards, not really... A problem. They went firmly around the airbus, slowly entering the Library. There were... So many people in there. Reggie set Claire down, and hit the Originator. The device seemed relieved at ending the strain, and Reggie almost collapsed to the ground from the sudden fatigue.

Everyone stared at him. Eventually, one had the courage to ask. "Were you... The one that stopped the storm?"

Reggie nodded. "Yes, but. Crowds and too much, noise- They aren't fun okay? Just let me get myself and my friend to, some place to sleep, we'll get back to work after."

He had so much to do, after all. A hero's work is never done.


"Did you see the news?"

"Yes, yes I did. The... Rolander kid, he did that?"

"Indeed he did. Impressive, hm?"

"Oh, assuredly. The world's going mad it seems, and I intend to be on the winning side. See you soon, 18."


Reggie slept. It was, it was a deep, deep slumber. He was clinging to Claire like a vice grip the whole time, and he was pretty sure he would wake up with scratches from her doing the same. He dreamt. And it was suffering.

His parents were- Were- Were- Missing! They were missing, it had to be that. And they would be found.

He dreamt of crying hands. Of shattered glass like bullets.

Claire would be fine. They were somewhere in the city, somewhere. They'd find them.

He dreamt of reaching rubble. Of fuzzy little misery.

And- And it made, sense, didn't it, for his sleep to be this troubled. He should be out there helping people. This was just, necessary for that.

He dreamt of a sweeping edge. Did he lose his friend?

He startled awake at the same time as Claire. No, no, no. Claire was still here. Battered, bruised, but here. He still had her at least. "Reggie?" She asked, looking at him. "Are- Are you awake now?" She asked.

Reggie nodded. "Yeah, yeah I am."

Claire nodded. "Should we start looking again?"

"Breakfast first. Fuel up for it."

Claire nodded. It was automatic at this point.

And so, down for breakfast they went.

And that just was their lives for about a week. They woke up, ate breakfast in the library, helped with search and rescue, helped with cleanup, and searched for their parents until they were about to give out, before they returned to the library to rest up and do it again. The only real change was towards the end of the week. Undead had started to move in, kinda in droves. They were... Tough.

Arrows occasionally whizzed by him. One landed by him, and he threw it right back at the skeleton trying it. Another got stuck in his clothes and he just snapped that in two. He charged in. He was a construct for now, it was a comfortably familiar form with all the work he was doing. Rot-blighted skulls shattered like sand, as he tore through the undead horde. They were weakened and weathered by the rain, made things easier. But the creepers were annoying, still, none of them ever got close. He was getting good at fighting, honestly.

One of the tougher zombies hopped onto his back, biting away. He yelped and just stabbed it in the top of the head with an arrow, until it let go. He kicked it away, before turning and doing the same to a creeper, and- Boom. Ow, but boom. That... Was that crowd taken care of. Help outside the city was coming, slowly, but the main bulk was gonna be here soon. He smiled, just a bit. Just a bit.

Claire came out from behind some rubble. "Great job Reggie! You did great!"

He really was, wasn't he? He was, doing great. So why didn't it feel that way?