Babble - Beyond Dimensions

Chapter 42: The one where they search

Their search already took a day and so at last splitting up to search for their missing comrade in more places only made sense, but still Warriors would have hoped to land in a group with one of the actual locals here...but no, of course he didn't get that luxury. Instead he was stuck with Twilight, Wild and Wind.
On top of that they had to take the deathtrap called "bus" to different places, fumbling with the maps the exasperated local allies had printed them out because this phone thing really wasn't working out. 
And now they were at last at this big white building that had air that stung in people's noses and was just as white on the inside as on the outside. It was quite frankly annoying.
Also, it remembered Warriors of the war. Of the white lazarette tents where the wounded and dying were brought to heal or rest forever. Traitors and brothers in arms alike because in the end both wear the same uniform.
It weren't happy memories and therefore it's understandable that Warriors preferred to be gone from this place as quickly as possible again. At least this "hospital" seemed to be somewhat organized compared to the middle of a battlefield, as far as there is a front desk.
The woman that greeted them had dark hair and eyes and a kind smile and an accent that told Warriors that she wasn't a native Hylian – no wait, no one here spoke Hylian, it's called English - speaker. Yet she tried her best to help them find their missing comrade with even as little info she had been given by the group.
She is skinny and all long limbs and honestly didn't seem dangerous at all so the battlefield hero allowed himself to wonder why once hearing of their cause she seemed to be ready to get all up in arms for them. But when he pointed that out the woman merely smiled, giving a sigh.

"God, I know the feeling to miss someone I consider family. I know I'd move heaven and earth to find my little Rainbow again were he to go missing" she said, her fingers leaping over the "keyboard". 
"Little Rainbow?" Wind questioned, now curious in the helpful woman's life. "Who's he?"
"Someone I consider my little brother" she answered softly, stopping her frantic typing to gaze wistfully into the distance, a hand coming to rest on the counter between her and the group. "Someone I'd do anything for."
Silence and then Twilight stepped for and put a hand on her much smaller one. "I know that feeling" he assured, and his eyes wandered to Wild who was talking animatedly to one of the elderly patients present in the lobby of the hospital.
The nurse only gave him a helpless smile and determined nod before quickly pulling her hand out beneath his and returning to her typing, searching the hospital's database for the still missing Four.

"...why, he gave me quite the scare sometimes..." she muses out loud suddenly. "Only yesterday he came with a bleeding arm home...I nearly had a heart attack."
Twilight nods at that admission: "Again, relatable. But it's better than if they don't come home at all."
Warriors notes that Wind sports a small frown as the nurse speaks with Twilight but for once their little sailor kept thoughtfully quiet.
"Indeed, especially since your little friend sounds so similar to him" the helpful nurse agrees. "Have you heard about the drama with the zoo outbreak by the funfair? That was scary..."
The heroes share awkward glances. Heard? Less than that, more than been there before reality decided to write the magic out the equation. 
"Yes" Warriors finally says smoothly, figuring the rancher's reply would be awkward. "We have heard about it."
"It's terrible, isn't it? So many people and animals dead or wounded" she mutters and Warriors inwardly bites a 'better the monsters than us' back. The people here on earth didn't know any better. They didn't know that the animals didn't deserve pity for in truth they were monsters send to murder by the shadow.
"...it's always terrible when any innocent life is lost" good on the rancher and his never-ending empathy for anything on four legs. This statement is still true regardless of the truth about the so called "zoo outbreak". 

The nurse nods, at last her search over with a sad sigh and shake of her head. 
Nothing. Great, just great.
"I'll keep my eyes and ears wide open for any patient without any data in the system that might match the description of your little brother. If you give me your number I'll gladly shoot you a call then" she promises, voice earnestly and eyes flashing with a need to help.
Warriors and Twilight exchange helpless glances for neither have a number. Wind is still suspiciously quiet, probably beating himself up over having let the probably mindwashed Four get away.
Warriors would need to have a talk with the sailor about that soon.
It's then that Wild, finished with talking to random people, comes to their rescue. "This is the number of a friend. They're more often reachable than any of us are" he assures with a small smile as he recites the number that had been jotted by probably either Babble or the Zelda here onto his wrist.
The nurse nods, noting the number down. 

After a goodbye, the nurse handing Wind a small square sheet of paper with her own number on it and some other stuff, they leave the hospital and Twilight went to inquire Wild about this number. Meanwhile Warriors allows himself to fall back to talk to the youngest hero as he fiddles with the card. 
"...Sailor...you know it's not your fault Four is gone, right?"
The teen tenses before glancing up just as stubbornly as he had been when he had been placed in Warriors' era to aid in the war. "But it is. Had I followed him fast enough, he wouldn't be gone now" he scrunches the card a bit up. 
Warriors sighs and shakes his head: "You didn't know this would happen. You didn't know this could happen. It's not your fault."
"But that old man we talked to told us earth brainwashes people! It literally gives them new pasts and memories that cannot be questioned" Wind glances back at the card before nodding grimly.
Warriors watches him, giving a sigh: "Getting angry and beating yourself up about this won't help us find Four."

The young pirate squares his shoulders at that. "Actually it might."
"What do you mean?" Warriors frowns, placing a comforting hand on Wind's small shoulders, meant to comfort and calm.
"...I remembered as she spoke. Four had a nasty gash on his arm from where a bear got him. What if he was given an entirely new past and thus family here, too, just like the old man and the others that came through?"
"...you mean...?"
"Who else could be casually colorful enough to be called 'little rainbow' of all things?" Wind glances up determined. "It's the only lead we have even if it might be a bit of a leap."

"...it's not that big of a leap. She did say he sounds similar" Warriors remembers. "I suppose Wild and Twilight can continue with the next hospital we were told to check out while we try to follow your idea."
Wind momentarily looks up at him before a wide smile forms and he hugs Warriors tightly. "Thank you for believing in me, Captain..."
Warriors hugs the youngest hero back just as tightly. "Always, sailor."