"Ah. These tunnels are quite nice, what with the lights and all." Oci gave Marco another small smile, though it faded quickly. "Uh… do you still want me to come along?" As soon as the question left his lips, Oci cursed himself. Now it sounded like he wanted to leave Marco all alone. "I mean, what with it being a family thing and me being a stranger you probably don't like… nevermind." He turned away from Marco and stared at the wall instead. Why was he being so weird all of a sudden?
Marco hummed softly at his question, "Y-You don't have to if you don't want to.." he said softly, stopping in his tracks as he waited for an answer, uncertainty in his voice.
So, Marco didn't explicitly say that he wanted Oci to leave. "No, I'm coming. I don't want you to be alone. Just in case something bad happens, you know?" Oci added quickly. Gods, he had to get himself together. Marco probably thought he was some… someone weird. Or something.
Marco nodded, not actually thinking too much about Oci's strange behaviour as he took a deep breath and continued into the tunnel, walking for several minutes before coming out into the old catacombs.
Oci stayed quiet in the tunnel, but when they entered the catacombs, he couldn't help himself. "Oh, this is so creepy, but pretty at the same time…" He gasped, looking around with something like wonder in his eyes. A few seconds later, he remembered what they were doing. "Sorry." Oci muttered, not sure if Marco would appreciate him being all excited when they were looking for his family.
Marco wasn't even paying attention to him, crouching next to a small corner, biting back tears and old memories. Standing, he brushed off a small bracelet, made of old, now fragile cord and some pretty beads. The tunnels were still lit by the markings on the walls, floor and ceiling, old coffins visible through generations of dust and grime and cobwebs.
"Uh… is that a good or bad sign? Or is it not a sign at all?" Oci asked, his voice just over a whisper. He kept a fair distance from Marco, still feeling like he was intruding on something. But he wasn't about to leave Marco alone down here.
"They…. they were here." he said softly, pocketing the bracelet and inspecting the area for any more clues, needing to see if there was any chance he could track his parents and sister.
(I'm making this up as I go, and the bracelet belongs to Marco's little sister.)
"Okay, good sign it is." Oci nodded slowly, still keeping away from Marco. As he watched Marco search for something– maybe more clues leading to his family– Oci casually ran his hands through the air. A small smile appeared on his lips as he drew shadows from the corners and cracks of the walls. He didn't need to do it, but it gave him something to do other than just standing there awkwardly.
(Ah, I see. You're doing a pretty good job!)
Marco searched a little longer, before finally spotting something, an old footprint at the edge of the cavern, leading off into a narrow tunnel, one that wasn't marked by the glowing markings that lit the cavern, thus hiding it from the view of anyone who did not know where to look.
Oci twisted his fingers in the air, making shapes in the air with the shadows. He watched Marco search for clues out of the corner of his eye, silently hoping he found something. "Ah, did you find something?" Oci asked, dropping his hands and looking over at Marco expectantly.
Marco nodded, creeping over to the narrow, shadow encrusted tunnel. "Here… I think they went this way.."
"That's good news, right?" Oci walked over to Marco and peeked down the tunnel. "That doesn't look like it's lit up, does it?" He looked at Marco. "Do you think we need some light now?"
"I don't know" said Marco in answer to the first question. "And yes, that would be helpful." He said softly.
"Alright. Ignis." A small ball of fire appeared in Oci's hand, lighting up the tunnel with a warm, flickering light. "Well, into the creepy, dark, side tunnel we go."
Marco nodded nervously, leading the way into the tunnel, searching for any signs of his family as they went.
Oci stayed quiet, not wanting to distract Marco from finding anything that might help find his family. Instead, he held the ball of fire up high to light up the tunnel even more.
Marco kept going, feeling the hopelessness from earlier set in again as he continued to find nothing as they went further and further into the tunnel.
Oci kept glancing over his shoulder as they went. He didn't want anyone sneaking up behind them– they might distract Marco and he might miss something. Oh, gods, here he was again, thinking about Marco. It really had to stop. Oci looked forward again and made the fireball grow a bit larger. "Any luck?"
(Sorry!! I didn't mean to abandon you!)
Maro sighed softly, "No I haven't yet.." he said softly, an air of hopelessness about him as he kept looking.
(You're good!)
"Oh. Well… I'm sure you'll find something soon," Oci said, his voice soft and comforting. "They can't have just disappeared into thin air, right?"
"Y-You're right.. but what if…." he trailed off, crouching near the wall. "Shine the light here please…" he whispered.
"No 'what if', okay? You'll drive yourself crazy, thinking like that." Oci knelt down next to Marco and moved the fire towards where Marco indicated.
Marco nodded,studying the disturbance in the dust,running his fingers over it, before pressing down in a hidden switch and stepping back as a new passage opened up.
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