Pirate Age: The Golden Era

[SilentxChaos]

​

Landry showed no expression throughout the fight, neither did he make any attempts to join in; he and Val were here to support and support he would if things got out of hand. Val was the emotional foil he needed, but she choose to remain a passive observer. They cared little for the 'what's, 'why's and 'how's; their concerns laid with the effects of each and every attack, including the apparition Zilia summoned. It was a feat that earned her a soft "hrrrmph" from Landry and sidelong glance from Val.

Without dropping a beat, Valerie set up her own watery shields around their group, allowing the swirling streams to cool to frigid temperatures without freezing. "Do something," she mouthed to Landry.

Her concern was two-fold: first, Jack slipping through the barrier, and second, Zilia's exhausted state. She doubted the woman noticed she never bothered plying the phoenix feathers despite Madame Doctor's frenzy - she and Landry knew that it was too late. Cedric's heart stopped long before he hit the ground; his insides were damaged beyond repair.

Icy breath kissed Landry's face as he sighed, hating every second of emotional outburst he was anticipating. He leaned forward and gripped Z by her shoulders, restraining her from further action. "Doctor, can't you see your patient is dead? You've tried to revive him long enough and he isn't responding. Please don't strain yourself unnecessarily with a battle raging on. The rest need you!"

"Well … " Valerie trailed off. She hated how callous Landry sounded, but in this situation it was for the best. Mincing words wouldn't spare either Zilia or Jack from the bleak reality. Slowly, she shifted her focus to Jack, watching him like a hawk.

Powdered snow filled in the disturbed spaces from Zilia's earlier attempts, forming a tight shroud over Cedric. Not even the bitter winds elicited shivering from him, emphasising how gone he was. Silenced to pain, cold - it was the permanence of death that reigned. A fact that never occured to Jackie who kept nuzzling his face; her mews pathetic in the northern howl. Chaos, older and wiser, slipped onto her master's chest and curled into a tight ball, wishing she could feel his warmth and the steady thumping of his heart. Eyes filled with pained confusion greeted Jack's golden ones as she cried piteously, darting to the remaining brother for comfort. Ignoring, unintentionally, her baby sister who failed to wake their slumbering summoner.

Slipping through Valerie's barrier had a profound effect on Jack's vision. His focus tunneled onto one fatal point while pushing everything else into the darkness of his awareness. Not ignored, but drifting. Like sailors lost at sea. Or was he?

Jack cupped Chaos in cold hands and placed the cat on his shoulder. A gesture that was familiar, automatic. He didn't register what he was doing.

And there was Cedric. All their years together and Jack never saw him look so peaceful, not even in slumber. Jack stumbled down onto his knees. He dared touch Cedric in fear of disrupting whatever Zilia was attempting. Eyes frozen on that still face. No, no, no. Please. Please don't be dead!

I promised to protect you.

You failed

Why did it have to be you?

You fucking monster

Don't leave me…

It's all your fault

When Landry tried to shake the doctor, a hand clamped down on his wrist. It was black, smoldering, and looked barely human with pieces of what remained of the elemental glove sticking out from the skin. It bruised Landry as Jack stood and pried him off Zilia.

"Don't. Touch." The words spat through his teeth. Jack shoved Landry back. "It's you who killed him. And I wish I could summon Davy Jones himself to reap your soul, but I can't. I can't kill you but I can take pieces of you with me. I'd like to see you become a Grand Summoner when you're missing body parts. Now both of you tell me: Can you save him?"

It was clear that the only thing saving the three of them was Jack's last hope that Valerie's hesitant meant something. Some way to his brother. The last desperate thrash of a drowning man.

It was clear his threat was real. Scarred cheeks burned with tears yet a steady stance supported his purpose. Help or burn.

"Don't say a word, Landry," Val snapped, no longer caring about formalities. In front of them was a desperate man and one wielding armament - the one threat summoners dread beyond Trovalian waters.

She knew that neutralising Jack was easy, she knew his weaknesses well, but his crew was a different story. Alicia and Zilia, for instance, she wasn't keen to mess around with those women. Val threw an arm between Jack and Landry to divert his attention towards her. While the free attempted to break Landry's grip around Z.

"Jack, I'm sorry but there is little we can do. He died before Landry caught him. I wished Landry didn't kill Cedric. I really do. But, please, for the sake of your crew, don't start this fight. Alicia is fighting T'Raiz alone."

Her hands found Jack's black wrists and she gripped them softly as she followed his eyes. "Jack … ? If you want, we can give you time alone. I'll take care of Madame Doctor. See if she's hurt."

You ask the impossible, his blood sang, like mercury burning in his veins, hot and poisonous and threatening to take over everything that he was. Jack looked back Cedric's face. If he glimpsed Landry again, he'd kill the man. The threat to his crew rooted him; kept him from following through on rage-born deeds. Valerie felt his shaking when she touched him.

"Go," he spat. "You will help Alicia. Save them."

He wrenched free of Valerie with a violent motion, and turned his back to her. "I'll stay with Zilia." That last sentence fractured at its end.

Ignoring the templars, Jack bent over Zilia to see her condition. He whispered into her ear and gave her a kiss on top of her hood. Then he moved to Cedric's side. He collapsed to his knees, took his brother into his arms, and held him close.

Cedric's head lulled into the crook of Jack's arm the way it did when he was small. Always insisting he could stay up till dawn only to fall asleep in the kitchen midway through breakfast preparation. But, absent was the gentle rise and fall of his chest or sleepy murmurs at the sudden jostling; Sid had always been a light sleeper, snapping back to consciousness, barely, when his big brother carried him back to the room.

Long arm and elegant hand slipped to the ground, as Jack rocked back and forth. Tears slipping down Sid's icy cheek. Glassy eyes turning dewy as Jack's tears wetted his own, making it seem like the younger was crying along with his big brother. A shared bitterness at a goodbye denied.

"Promise you'll be there when the time comes." Cedric last whispered the night before Lady docked. His body curled closer to Jack's as the two of them huddled under thick blankets in the kitchen bed. Unvoiced, but understood by Jack, was Cedric's fear of the final moment. To stop breathing, he once said, was like being suffocated. Struggling with no release. It was like being choked by his drunk uncle all over again. Just gasping and flailing --- begging to live. "Dying from my illness makes it worse, doesn't it? Suffocating to the last second as my lungs fill with blood."

I've failed you… for the last time…

Warm fur brushed Jack's cheeks, inviting him back to reality. Chaos and Jackie perched on opposite shoulders as the two nuzzled Jack, sharing his distress at the situation. Mewing softly, they began licking away the tears, hoping that Jack would tell them what to do.

Valerie sent Landry away before lingering a respectful distance away. Head bowed as she accepted the loss of the embers of their relationship. Jack's trust had already frayed severely when he realised she planned to kidnap his kid brother years ago. Cedric's death - and by Landry's hand - was probably the last straw. She would forever be a reminder of the council that eclipsed Jack's precious brother's existence.

"I'm sorry, Jack." She whispered to the winds as she slipped through her own shields to take stock of the situation.

Sitting in the snow, underneath the protection of Valerie's power, Jack was defeated. Emptiness replaced everything; there was no more strength to fight it. Under his stillness, he was barely keeping the pieces of himself together. It'd be so easy to let himself shatter…

The deer-faced deity hovered close by, smiling in contemplation, knowing that his plan had come into fruition and Cedric was where he needed to be. The journey had been tedious, but he wouldn't have it any other way. Jack had been his greatest obstacle and for that had his grudging respect. Er'is rested his hands on the living brother's shoulders.

"Jack-jack, you've done well. I know you're in pain, but there's more to be done. A goddess to seal if you will and you have the key Alicia Amaiya needs. Do you know what it is?"

One heartbeat. Two. Three… Jack reached to the small of his back. Out came a shimi butterfly sword. He handed it hilt-up to Chaos. "Go with the cats, Er'is. Tell Alicia what she has to do." At this, Jack turned to lock the demon with an icy stare. "No riddles. No arrogant lead-ons. You help, or I will find a way to end you. Your kind isn't as vulnerable as you think."

Despite falling into the throes of grief, he was quite confident in his threats. He'd burn the world if one person he loves got hurt. He might anyways.

​

 

[Winter]

Alicia blinked from existence to avoid being blindsided by T'Raiz, reappearing just in time for the goddess to close the gap with the intention of taking her polearm. Perhaps unexpectedly she released her hold of Shusui, slamming her foot against the demonic visage to create distance between them once more.

The polearm would disintegrate into particles of moonlight in the goddesses hands, reappearing back into Alicia's hand a moment later, the Feian narrowing her eyes slightly towards the deity who seemed to be quickly losing her composure. She readied herself to engage her again before the ground beneath her exploded violently, twisting the battlefield into a melted hellscape as chunks of rock descended like meteor's towards the innocent civilians.

At once Alicia threw her arm to her side, the glowing wing blades floating at her back shifting to aim their tips below before they began to slice and gundown the meteors in quick succession, exploding them into small stones with finer narrowed beams of blue moonlight.

Focused on the meteors she almost missed the flames sent towards Cedric, the ascended swordswoman once again blinking from her position to appear in front of them, bladed wings folding in front of her like a shield to block them from finding her injured friend. "Pathetic!" Her words echoed from her ascended voice as the blades unfurled from around her to once again float at her back, spreading majestically as she ascended higher in the air to face the pagan goddess.

"Everything falls apart so you attack the weak in desperation. You're no deity… " Alicia narrowed her eyes once more. "You're just another villainous criminal that doesn't like to be told no." she again brought her polearm to rest diagonally across her back with the black blade pointed downward, the standard stance she took within this form.

When T'Raiz asked what she'd do Alicia didn't respond right away, casting her gaze briefly down to the battlefield below before returning her silver eyes upon the demon, her hand clenching tighter around her weapon. "You took my friends… hurt them, they're suffering all because of you." she took her free hand, raising her index finger to point up towards the eclipsed moon.

"For you, misery will be all I have to offer to your loathsome existence.'' The clouds rolled back rapidly, allowing the moon to stand visibly in the sky glowering in its majesty. Alicia's basked under the soveriegn of the moon, her form undertaking a swift transition which caused her white porcelain armour to begin darkening as the white faded into black, the gold embedded accessories in her body turning to silver as her eyes began to glowe like the moon itself.

"You asked what I'm going to do, T'Raiz... "

"... I'm going to make sure you lose, everything."​

Her voice came edged with maliciousness laced with hate, the moon itself appearing to release a single dull pulse akin to a heartbeat eradicating light for but a single moment over Bonifas. A moment later Alicia blinked soundlessly from her position in front of T'Raiz, appearing behind and above her before a charged first of moonlight slammed into her head to propel her towards the ground at a staggering speed.

Alicia chased the descending goddess towards the earth, bladed wings spread back behind her to create a 'V' shape as they accelerated her movements. The moment T'Raiz hit the ground she'd be greeted with Alicia's foot slamming onto her head to collapse her into the earth a second time causing the floor to shudder before exploding upwards around them. Alicia's bladed wings erupted a moment later with furious blue light which bloomed up into the sky, pushing more power and thrust behind her foot as she attempted to shove the goddesses head deeper into the ground.

Laughter floated from the demoness encased in stone. Glowing lines of fire chased around her skin, erasing all insults inflicted upon her person. Etched upon her lips was a smile that bode ill. Roiling warmth intensified, raising the arctic temperatures to volcanic levels. T'Raiz exploded skywards in a fury of flaming feathers, whipping up winds that shattered the buildings closest to the area.

"Fool," the massive phoenix boomed from where she hovered blotting out the night sky. "Self-righteous, vain … egotistical. How dare you judge me when you've never lost a child? Everything I did, I did for him!"

Screeching in anger, she clapped her wings forward. Jets of flame exploded the ground beneath the Feian and she was knocked into the air. T'Raiz dove towards Alicia with speeds faster than the mortal mind could comprehend. By the time the crew realised what happened, a massive crater laid in the center of the square. It punctured so deep that the sea water spouted from the ground, slowly drowning the melting island. Steam clouds hung closest to the meeting of water and lava, dropping vision to a minimum. Its suffocating presence lending the impression of dampening sound.

As the strange wind began dispelling the fog, T'Raiz reappeared in her demon form, cherry blossom hair in disarray and a sadistic smile gracing her face. She was confident Alicia would take awhile to break free from the prison of stone and icy waters. That left her plenty of time to toy with the rest of the Stardusk. Stepping slowly towards Jack's group, she opened up her fisted her hand to reveal a faint soul orb.

"I'm the ferrier of the dead, Jack Kunal. A job not unlike Jones. So, I can see the souls leaving this plane." As she enunciated each word slowly, her grin widened as she saw understanding flash in those weary eyes. "You have his body in your arms, but his soul is mine for keeps."

Arcing her free arm through the air, she knocked away those attacking her. Among them was Landry, who skidded dangerously close to the crater's edge. Laughing deliriously, she stopped long enough to swallow Cedric's soul. With her senses heightened in anticipation, she whirled around and searched the molten area for signs of the Feian champion.

"You shouldn't have taunted them," Er'is sighed dramatically as he hovered near the fallen Landry. "Humans are the only creation capable of upsetting fate."

"Fate? No, dearest brother. This is me winning." T'Raiz declared as she changed into her phoenix form and spread her wings. "I shall destroy this continent and all of humanity with it. Maybe then I would have avenged my son."

"It's Jones whom you should attack. Not the humans …" Er'is pointed out half-heartedly. He knew she was still lost in that pain. Emotions they were never meant to feel, and totally powerless to stop. These were, strangely enough, the same emotions that humans were so adept at controlling.

Now is your chance, Stardusk! Er'is communicated the second his sister took flight. Do not let her fly out of reach if you wish for victory's blessing!

Knowing that time was short, the deer-faced god channeled his own magic to aid the crew. Glowing vines rose thick and fast, weaving together to form a huge domed cage. It was his will against hers, but T'Raiz was faster. Cricking his head to the side, he peered towards the ground. "Where are you, my queen?" he called to the swordswoman. "The time has come!"

Moonlight permeated the ice and rock before solid columns of light erupted out of the crater meant to serve as her prison. Like long blades they sliced and cut through the earth, her excision complete before her ascended body blurred upward from the depths to then land beside the group on one knee. The hovering accompaniment of blades summoned to her back narrowed from their spread position as if to continue emulating wings as Alicia stood.

She was far from ok, the armour which coated her form cracked in various places allowing red liquid to weep onto black porcelain. Despite the fury in her expression she seemed tired and far from her usual sense of calm composure. *Cough* blood spattered onto stone at her feet before she pulled the back of her hand against her lips to rid her from it's stain. "Get on with it then!" she growled back without looking in Er'is' direction, her eyes trained on the fleeing goddess.

Reaching into his sleeve, Er'is pulled out one of Jack's shimi blades. "This is needed for the final blow, but you have to catch her first," he explained with a fanged smile. "The blade is far from ready."

His bony hand rested on Alicia's shoulder and a faint green aura washed over the weary maiden. "Complete healing would take longer," he said with a click of his tongue. "The best I can do is to invigorate your soul. And, of course, offer you another gift." Pressing a finger to his lips, he winked. "You'll find out what it is soon enough."

Unearthly song floated from above. Words in a forgotten ancient tongue - a curse - mesmerised the humans, rooting them in place. Soon they were brought to their knees, panting heavily, as strength was sapped from their bodies. Er'is nodded sagely as he eyed the phoenix soaring well past his futile dome.

"And so, it begins. This little bet between Davy Jones and I."

His whispering was clearly meant for Alicia's ears alone. It was in the same breath that the same green aura leaped to the surface of Alicia's skin, shielding her from the deadly requiem. Once fully shrouded, no sound reached her ears.

I sacrificed healing for a more practical spell. He added telepathically. There was a hint of amused anticipation in his voice as if he was sure of the outcome of this battle.

Alicia took the offered blade in her left hand, summoning Shusui to her right before with a flick the naginata returned to it's katana form. She tossed the black blade towards Zilia without a word, knowing the doctor would take care of it well in her absence. Another flick of her wrist and Jack's shimi blade became it's replacement, extending to form a polearm much like a spear with the unique blade cresting it's tip.

Once the spell served to save her from the siren's song which appeared to be weighing upon the others she tightened her grip upon the spear and stepped forwards to gain herself more space. "... Then it's all or nothing." she spoke, raising the palm of her free hand up towards the sky in T'Raiz' direction. Three circles of patterned light manifested in front of her, each overlapping and descending in size while her other arm brought the spear up over her right shoulder.

Her fist clenched around the polearm, her arm pulling back as she took her aim seeming to have the intention to throw it like a javelin. The circles extended apart from one another, the spear enveloping with a black vicious aura as she channeled her power through the weapon gradually till it began to sing at a high note. Alicia then slid her left foot forward, twisting her midsection as she heaved the spear with every ounce of power she could press into her throw.

BOOM​

Air collapsed and ruptured around the spears trajectory as it blinked from Alicia's hand, it's speed enhanced further by the rings of patterned light for which the weapon passed through before accelerating towards the goddess. Chunks of debris closest to it's path disintegrated, buildings bending backwards as the air pressure shoved them aside violently.

A moment later the spear tore through the goddesses back, breaching out through her chest causing a cloud of silver blood to explode outwards around her body. Alicia reached forward as a tether of light manifested in her palm connected to the spears hilt allowing the Feian to wrench T'Raiz back towards her with a strong pull. "YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE!!" she shouted angrily.

The speared goddess came crashing back towards the earth at speed, hitting the ground in front of them all with a dull thump causing her song to end and cease it's assault upon the group. Alicia breathed heavily, the amount of power she'd used over the course of the entire fight having pushed her way beyond anything she'd ever done before. Even despite Er'is' help, she doubted she had enough power and strength to maintain this level for much longer. Already she was putting too much of a strain on her body and soul, this really was all or nothing.

 

[Capt. Blu]

In the not so physical world...

Spoiler

Runali's Rattling Brain

She woke up.

And then when she looked around, she realized she wasn't actually awake. There was nothing but long stretches of desert around her. Based on the sky, it was night, but there was no moon in sight.

Her hand closed around sand and it sent a shock of memory through her. Runali jolted up and to her feet as the memories began to flood in. The last thing she remembered was T'Raiz talking about a gift and Cedric needing her help. Her crew needed her and she didn't know where she was or how she got there.

When she opened her mouth to speak, silence followed. She tried again and again until she should have felt her throat grow sore, but no sound came out. So with nothing else she could do, Runali did what she could: Started going forward and looking for a way out.

"It… seems like you've gotten yourself into a… messy situation."

The captain whipped around when she heard the strange voice. Her instincts were on high alert as she prepared to fight her way out, but familiarity followed the voice and her shoulders sagged ever so slightly. Suspicion replaced the bewilderment in her eyes.

"You know I'm not your foe. Keep that ire on your true enemy." That familiar black cat that had haunted her mind since she died (the first time) formed in thin air in front of her. It stretched and walked over, but the moment it touched her shoulder it disappeared in a puff of smoke only to reappear on the opposite side as a hawk perched on her. "Fitting your style more, you know?" When Runali continued giving the ghost suspicious stares, it carried on. "I thought it was obvious. I'm not really a player of this… gods and devils game that's going on." It ruffled its shadowy feathers. "Jones put me in your mind as a… physical manifestation of your contract." It tilted its head towards her. "I'm simply an escort for when you die. Have to make sure you get on the right ship and all. Though, when he finds out about all of this he probably won't be happy about- hey!"

It fluttered into the air when Runali shooed it away and continued trudging through the sand. "If you listen- No, I can't stop T'raiz. My power is miniscule in comparison. That goddess is a…" The bird said a word Runali couldn't understand, but it was easy to catch that it was some form of insult. "But my power can help you. Jones doesn't play all that fair. He's a pirate after all." The bird flew overhead, though its voice still sounded close. "I'll be your guide. And you can do the rest."

Runali stopped to finally pay attention to the bird. Patience had long since left her gaze.

"Aye, aye captain." The bird circled around her until black smoke engulfed her form. The moment it cleared, she was suddenly standing near the clock tower again. Back in the real world… Except… much to her surprise and absolute horror, she was watching herself fight Alicia.

This… no, this wasn't right. Runali would never do something like this. She had told her crew time and time again that she would never hurt them. During spars, training, whatever it may be, she always held back, whether they knew it or not.
Runali knew her crew's strength. But Runali also knew her own and it was the reason she swore not to hurt them. So every hit, every stab… every injury brought her a new found dread as this out of body experience became a nightmare.

Runali's breath quickened as she watched herself fight- no toy with Alicia. She remembered T'raiz mention something about being Pirate Lord and being strong, so this wasn't just her strength… this was some part of whatever possession she was under.
She wanted to scream and desperately cry out but she only felt suffocated every time she tried.

One particular strike made Runali rush forward to put herself in front of Alicia to try to defend her, or at least try to stop herself. There was the briefest pause but the attack went right through her incorporeal form. Runali's heart sank even further. Wounds could be healed. Zilia could fix those… but she couldn't… there was no way she could fix what felt like something shattering inside of her. And then the scene shifted, albeit more jarring than before. She stumbled backwards and was watching herself fight Jack and Luro. She saw Jack's tears and felt some of her own. She couldn't hear what Luro was saying but her eyes could only widen by the sudden change. Again, she tried to stop herself as she witnessed each attack get deadlier than the last. But nothing worked. Frustration made those tears well up again. Instead of trying to reach for herself, she turned and tried to reach for Luro instead, except when he moved, she passed right through him.

"Sadness will do you no good here. This domain the redhead created… you won't be able to see past a certain point. Time is short… You cannot hear them, but your friends. They are calling out to you." The bird cocked its head towards where T'raiz and the others were, showing she could see both places at once. Runali saw Zilia near Cedric… Alicia fighting T'raiz… And then Jack and Luro trying to keep her at bay.
"Anger… no, rage. That fire burning inside you," Those shadows drifted around her. "Use it." Its voice became lighter, more amused. "Who knows? Maybe it'll be enough to kill a god."

T'raiz's presence loomed and the bird brushed its wing against Runali's cheek. It quickly dissipated into nothing more than wisps, leaving an echo of, "I'd prefer she continue not knowing I'm around."

And then, Runali was alone. She was left alone to watch a hollow version of herself fight, first her sister in arms… then her brother and her fiancé. All of them fighting with all they had just to stop her. No matter how much she tried to scream or stop herself, that hollow version would still fight. She couldn't hear what was being said, but she watched until whatever Luro did severed her vision from them. Panic rose and all she could hear was her own rapid heartbeat pounding in her ears.

"This isn't your fault-"

Runali snapped to attention, whirling around in the darkness as she first heard Jack's voice and then the sounds of everyone else becoming more clear. Tears burned the corners of her eyes. Runali was supposed to be helping her crew. Cedric was in trouble. She promised she would get him help, but she was trapped in some personal hellscape.

Tears fell. Every wound, every grave injury, every death that her crew went through weighed down on her until she fell to her knees watching everything crumble in front of her. Slowly, the world began to fade back to the clocktower again. She didn't know what happened, but there was a sudden stinging sensation that made her flinch when she saw herself on the ground.

She had to snap out of it.
She couldn't let Cedric die.
Not like this.
Not by some monster's hands.
Not by her own hands.

Despair flickered into a shaking rage. Her hands did nothing to the ground under her as she dug into it, but her glare on T'raiz was piercing.

Runali was supposed to be saving her friend. She was supposed to be leaving this icescape with her crew. But T'raiz was the one to blame. She grit her teeth as that fire inside her boiled over into rage. It was more than someone stopping her from doing what she came to do, it was also the audacity that anyone thought they could control her.

The sounds of battle began to fill the space and slowly she stood back to her feet, walking over to her unconscious body.

This would not stand.
Runali faced Davy Jones himself and survived. Runali Lev was no one's toy. No one's puppet. And certainly not some deranged demon's champion.

She was once again on her feet standing in front of her physical form. With both hands out towards herself, and with a voice barely audible, Runali spoke in the language that reminded her of home.

"<Enough.>"

~Physical World~

Runali woke up with a choking gasp. She curled into herself, her head pressed against the ground as the dull ache there became more prominent. Her senses quickly flooded in after. Amongst the flood of emotions that crashed into her, dizziness and pain mixed with it. She yelled in a frantic gasp of breath. It was the sound she was trying to make as she desperately tried to stop herself from attacking her family. It was an indecipherable cry and plea to herself until it rasped into a coughing fit. Her eyes were shut tight and one hand dragged across the ground, gripping something that felt like glass. She raised it as if to stab herself, but eventually dropped it after gripping it hard enough to draw blood. Runali held her breath, ignoring the pain that pulled her back into reality. Whatever autonomy she lost over herself, the sudden pain she felt was clear that it had come back.

The real testament to the possession being broken was the sudden transformation. She was back in those princess clothes she got kidnapped in, although now torn and worse for wear, and her hair had fallen out of the ponytail it was in, obscuring her face from everyone. She was trembling, whether it was due to the cold air or being brought back to her senses was hard to say but she sat like that for a moment, feeling the backlash from all the fighting. It was starting to feel much worse than the sting she originally felt.

Somewhere in her rough awakening, she felt someone else near her, someone too close.
She didn't have to look at him fully to recognize the clothes. Nor did she have to get a full look to see the injuries either. In an almost reactionary fear, not of him but herself, she stumbled away to keep him at arms reach. "You-" She had to find her voice again after not having it for so long. "Luro, I didn't- I wouldn't-" She stopped and looked down at her hands, not quite able to meet his eyes after what she did.

Luro sat near Runali, his eyes watching as she came back. He remained still at first watching her reaction but the moment he was able to see her eyes he realized she was truly back, that and her being in the dress once more but he rewrapped the bandage around his arm after he fully confirmed it. He reached a hand out to rub her back but hesitated not sure if he should touch her in her current state, his hand twitched as she picked up the shard, in a normal situation he would have grabbed her hand immediately but he saw the Captain struggling and she released it just as quick.

Luro started digging in his sleeve only stopping when Runali noticed him, his brows arching as their eyes met and she moved away. His expression more one of confusion than concern before he scooted back into arms reach again with a small 'hup', pulling out the object he was digging for. Grabbing Runali's wrist he started applying a green salve to where she'd cut herself, the same simple smile on his face, and the same gentleness in his eyes he always had near her.
"You're falling behind Captain," Luro said, pulling out the bandage. "You're not gonna catch up to my record like that. I of all people aren't going to judge you for attacking me, I've done it way more times to you."
Wrapping the bandage around her hand Luro's eyelids lowered slightly.
"I'm not really good at flowery words, and I'm sure there's a better way to put this...but I'll leave that for Jack and Alicia. I'll just tell ya."

Once the bandage was tied Luro reached forward and pulled Runali into a gentle embrace.
"It's fine," Luro said simply. "I'm not mad and no one is upset at you Captain. Well except Z but she's always upset, she'll probably give you an earful later. We know you'd never purposefully hurt us, we're just glad you're back."
Luro grinned a bit at this and closed his eyes.
"If you need a moment not to be the Captain then go ahead, but I need ya to put your face back on eventually cause we're not done here. We need to finish what we started...besides."
Luro opened his eyes and looked down at Runali.
"I expect to take a few hits here and there, I'm ya fiance remember. I'm going to need your smile back too, I like you best when you're smiling. I mean I like you however you are but especially smiling."

She didn't look at him until he grabbed her wrist and she didn't relax until he hugged her. Runali leaned into him and wiped her face with her gloved hand, trying and failing to keep it together. But after a few moments, she sighed. There was no time not to be a captain right now they were still in the middle of danger.
"I… didn't see everything that happened…" Runali pushed herself up again, moving her hair out of her face to see the chaos still going. "But.... I'm really surprised all that lightning didn't kill me." She was far from being okay, but it was at least obvious that Luro helped.

"I'll… make sure I'm not the one you're taking hits from next time." Runali looked down at her gloved hand and tested out her haki. A small flame ignited and disappeared as quick as it came but she seemed satisfied with the result. "Alright," The captain heaved another sigh and wiped her face once more. "I'll cry later!" Although a ridiculous exclamation, she seemed serious enough about it as she put up a brave face. Runali spotted one of her chakram nearby and grabbed it but before she got up, she leaned over and hugged Luro again, a little tighter. "I- ...thanks, Luro." She gave him a half hearted smile before staggering to her feet. "I don't think I've ever been this angry before either… but I'm going to go try and kill a god now."

Runali took one step, grimacing at the dress she was still in. "...No." And in one quick motion, her chakram cut through the bottom of the dress to give her more freedom to move. The only thing saving her from the cold at that point was adrenaline and the single fiery glove she had on.

"Don't think she's gonna go down easy…" Runali looked at her glove and then looked back at Luro. "Fire hasn't worked on her..." She furrowed her brow, the gears slowly turning in her head again. "Remember when I made that ice wall? It's cold enough… Think it's time to try freezing her in one place."

Luro wasn't sure that explaining how that world worked was important right now, seeing Runali wasn't as tense was what mattered. Luro made sure the dome was fully lowered and rubbed the side of his head knowing he was going to feel all this later, ultimately worth it though.
"Ah they were love taps, no big deal but okay," Luro said only to look up as Runali yelled.
With a chuckle he gave a small nod, that was the Captain he knew.
He started to get up but stopped as he felt the familiar warmth return, he instinctively returned the hug confusion slowly replaced with a small smile at Runali's words.
"Anytime Captain."
He offered a bright grin in return for her smile and forced himself to his own feet once she was up.
"It's not as hard as you think to kill one, you got it Captain," Luro said brushing off his pants.
At the mention of an ice wall a laugh escaped from the man before he punched forward.
"That's a great idea Captain! Show her why we follow ya...uh minus the obvious reasons. Then explain to me what exactly is going on."

Runali took her glove off and handed it to Luro. "My love, there's no amount of explaining or time in the world that would even help me understand most of this. Like you said, that's what Jack and Alicia are for." She traded gloves with him and rolled out her shoulder. "Just keep it cold. Try to freeze her in one spot." As she said that, a crater erupted from the battle between T'raiz and Alicia. She scrambled backwards, pulling Luro down to her height to avoid flying debris that sailed past. "Sorry. Force of habit, you got this."

Runali rocked on her feet, testing her footing before running forward past her crew and straight for T'raiz. When she felt the temperature drop, courtesy of Luro, she took a deep breath and adjusted her gloves. The moment dust and light began to fade from Alicia's attack, Runali clasped her gloved hands together creating an icy barrier between Alicia and T'raiz before the demoness could make another move and before Alicia could push herself any further. Ice began to form on the ground until she was sliding more than running, and continued to snake its way towards T'raiz until it began to surround her. There was a brief moment, as a captain she wanted to speak, to tell Alicia and the rest of the crew that she would take care of it, or at least for them to take a step back. But when she looked at them and their injuries guilt rippled through her chest and forced her silent. Instead, she carried on opting to just pick up where the rest of them left off.

"Alright… time to end this." The ice wall expanded until it was surrounding T'raiz with her on top of it. "You've got something of mine," Runali's chakram froze over as she spoke down at T'raiz, loud enough for the demonness to hear. Her voice was as cold as the ice she was standing on. "You will give it back or you can die trying to keep it. Either way, this ends now."

 

[Mizos]

​

Ironically the only thing that saved Landry was Jack as the doctor had remained still even as she was touched, on instinct she almost severed the man's arm. There was a silent rage at those around her within Zilia as she stared down at Cedric's body, but she did not speak, she did not move, she only stared in silence. If she heard words from either it didn't register, her gaze didn't leave the unmoving Cedric, her patient, her friend. The only sign she was even aware people were still around was the fact she didn't flinch at Jack's approach, and his presence caused some of the tension to leave her shoulders. She slowly withdrew her hands when Jack took a place nearby, her actions were almost mechanical, her form stiff and her movements almost coordinated as she dug into her pocket pulling out her notebook.
She spared neither a sound or a look as the two left and slowly turned the pages in her notebook, Zilia had opened this book thousands of times, she knew what was on every page yet she took her time flipping to the page she needed.

"...I dislike the excuse of 'I could have done more' immensely."
Her words came in a whisper, whether she was talking to Jack or nothingness was left unspoken, but her voice was as soulless as her words, a dull grey as she spoke them aloud. Her gaze moved over to the unused feathers, left abandoned, unused.

"Every aspect...every possibility should be attempted without question....without hesitation."
Her first mistake was trusting them in the first place, was thinking they would act. Even if the feathers didn't work it was better than doing nothing and just accepting things as they were. Regrets were inevitable in her profession…but you limited them as much you could, you did everything for your patients until the end…everything.
"I dislike excuses..." Zilia said stopping on a page.
She turned the notebook over and set it in her lap, removing her gloves she took the hand that had fallen to the ground into both of hers, feeling the coldness of his skin she raised it and rested her forehead against his now icy hand. She took in a deep breath and bit her lip, hard enough to draw blood that ran down her chin, falling onto the back of the book in her lap.

She didn't allow one sound to leave her, no gasp, no cry, not even a breath or sob. She held every part of it in, to a point her body trembled violently. A few of the pebbles around them floated in response to the feelings trying to pour out of the doctor. She knew if she so much as gasped she'd erase a quarter of this city, the torrent of emotions flowing through her wanted release, wished to be free from their secure prison.
She wanted to scream.
She swore to do something for him, she was so close, the answer was right in front of her, all she needed was time, just a little more time but that didn't matter. Words and thoughts like that were no more than excuses, before her was proof of her failure. She was unable to save one life in front of her, one of her crewmates, of her friend and that reality compelled her to yell out, but she couldn't, she wanted to but she couldn't. If she showed the smallest bit of emotions it would only make things worse so this was all she could do for the person she had failed, she couldn't even cry for him, she wouldn't be able to hold it in if she did.

Zilia's body slowly stopped trembling and she gently set his hand back down, picking her book back up as she wiped the blood off her chin with her sleeve. She looked up at the sky for a moment before lowering her gaze back to her pen, she wrote the name 'Cedric Langley' in her book along with a time, amidst a small collection of other names, the top one reading 'Dr. Vilimar' before she shut the book.
"..may the All Mother guide you to a place better than this," Zilia said quietly.

Zilia's hand raised to catch the blade from Alicia, it was hard to keep up with what was going on, and she was too tired to care. The only thing keeping her conscious was sheer force of will so she intended on leaving the matters behind her to everywhere else. Mainly as she intended on ripping the goddesses wings off her back herself and wanted just enough strength to do so if need be.
Alicia had to stop the second attack on them before, as she used up everything on the first.
She'd make sure she had enough to stop a third.

​

Luro's eyes moved to the chaotic scene in front of him as bits of land and fire landed around him, he calmly cracked his knuckles as Alicia and T'raiz went at it blow for blow above. The redhead hummed a tune to himself and started stretching after Alicia was knocked into the ground, he tapped his boots on the ground and hopped from foot to foot making sure his body felt okay. If he had to tag in he had to make sure he stretched first, fighting a goddess meant he might pull something.

As T'raiz rose up in the air he took his rifle off his back and loaded a shot into it as he began whistling the tune in his head only to stop at the sudden song, he noticed Zilia had stumbled a bit at its beginning but was managing to stay on her feet albeit barely, he arched a brow at this and looked at his hand noticing it was trembling. He closed his hand into a fist to stop it.
"…it's not affecting me?"
"Because you have me...kinda, try and fake it, add a few groans in too."
While Luro had a feeling that was the answer he decided not to say anything.
"That being said…this seems bad for you. I can help out."
"Just wait a sec," Luro said readying the shot.
Immediately after Alicia burst out of the ground and Luro motioned in the swordswoman's direction with his hand, his attention still focused on his gun.
"See."
"Fine…but I'm just saying. I'm right here."
"Noted, pretty sure we won't need you though." Luro said before Alicia flung the weapon in one clean movement, he whistled as the attack hit its target and the goddess fell to the ground.
He leaned his head away avoiding the extra debris and with a shrug made his way over towards the swordswoman as Imposter clicked his tongue in his head.

 

[SilentxChaos]

Collab bet'w Ryver and Silent​

​

"No... no, don't!"

Jack reached for T'Raiz but he couldn't let Cedric go. A useless hand and frightened tears begging a goddess to abstain her wrath. He clutched his brother's body tighter, watching the soul disappear, vanish, and drift farther away as his crew engaged in battle.

What do I do?

His haki was nearly used up. One glove destroyed, melted into his arm, and the other barely working. Nothing but the remaining shimi blade as a weapon. What could he do against a goddess? Why couldn't he just stay here and mourn for Sid? It'd be so much easier to lie down in the snow… hold him close like when they were kids, and Jack promised to protect him… let the snow cover them both.

T'Raiz's battle captured his attention. Stardusk versus a god. A god who had Cedric's soul.

Sobbing and wretched, Jack dredged up the remnants of his will. He forced his arms to move Cedric off his lap. The younger brother was laid upon the ground as Jack pressed his lips against Cedric's forehead. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…"

I can't seem to stop leaving you.

One foot under, then push up. On your feet.

There.

Now, MOVE.

One step, then two, three and four… Jack broke into a run. He sprinted hard, as if he could flee the knowledge that his brother was dead. Little Cedric, the boy he met all those years ago with Hoshi North. The one he protected, raised, loved, sacrificed for. So much of Jack was wrapped into his brother -- the person he loved more than anything else in life. Gone. Gone. Gone, gone, gone.

Snatched away in the blink of an eye while he was off, trying to save everyone else. Never there when Sid needed him the most.

He could save Sid's soul. Couldn't he? Couldn't he do just that one thing for the brother he'd let die?

Black feathers floated lazily from above, disintegrating slowly in mid-air, marking the presence of a much detested Gris. Gemini crooned while landing on Adenin's shoulder. His summoner barely acknowledged his presence, because those hate-filled eyes were locked on Cedric's face.

THUNK!

Ashen boot punted that pathetic face sideways, stamping down rough enough to jostle the neck. He stamped one last time, pressing Cedric head into the ground, and stared at Jack's stiffened back. Whistling to the man like he would a dog, Adenin tossed a dagger in the air, catching it by the handle and tossing it again, implying his intention of mutilating the body under his foot. He pretended to ignore Jack as he turned his attention to Zilia.

"Pardon, Mademoiselle. This mongrel," he spoke with emphasis, scrubbing Sid's scuffed up cheek against the ground. "And I have a bit of a history. I doubt you'd consider Cedric a friend much less human if you know the kind of trash he is."

Throwing out a hand preemptively, Adenin set off his first spell. A massive shadowy arm shot ahead with fist balled tight, knocking Jack back twice the distance the Norjan crossed to reach him. Adenin removed his foot long enough to bow to the Stardusk doctor before blinking behind Jack as the man staggered. There was a brief flash of light before Adenin launched forward and threw an empowered punch at Jack in the one spot he didn't see haki.

"Is that all the anger you have? Surely, you must love that piece of shit more than that."

Adenin's voice reached Jack's ears and his heart stopped. No, no, why now? Why did that inhuman have to show up was fillinnow? Jack's eyes trained on T'Raiz in the distance. His family needed him… but it was Adenin's words that consumed his ears, his mind, his reason.

His head turned first before his body followed. Pupils constricted. Nostrils flared. Teeth bared. A predator enraged; pushed over the edge. Fury incarnate.

In the brief moment Zilia caught sight of him, she couldn't recognize him anymore.

The first spell hit Jack's haki'd arms. He tumbled over the ground, shoving a pulse of power into his remaining glove. The thing sputtered to life, frosting over his arm, but Jack didn't feel it. As he landed on his feet, he created a staff of ice and Armament in time to shove Adenin's punch to the side. He headbutted Adenin and swung his staff wildy. It hit the ground, the stone and sent up a geyser of snow that covered the two fighters.

Jack appeared behind Adenin; the staff morphed into a terrifying glaive. He struck hard and with practiced precision, the attacks more powerful than his condition let on. Rage fueled his Armament anew.

Adenin clutched his bleeding nose as he skated back to avoid the wild swing. The snow-blast might have dampened his physical vision but, with Gemini high in the sky, he was able to foresee Jack's next moves. Sacrificing several cards in preparation, Adenin melted into the snow, leaving a decoy.

A black tar substance burst out when the glaive pierced through the dummy's body, splashing all over Jack face, and seeping into his body where weaknesses were overlooked. The rest of the decoy collapsed with a loud squelch, forming a sticky pool around the blinded man's feet. This was swiftly pulled under Jack as Adenin hastened the shadows back to himself, creating a circling ring of black blades.

Calling forth his own haki, Adenin coated his shadow creations and sent them flying to Jack. Two shadowy serpents shot past Jack, causing alarm from Jackie as she poofed onto the Other Master's head. Her cries were soon drowned as the twin snakes scissored around Jack; their bodies further strengthened by a layer of haki. The two snake heads sharpened into thick blades as they honed in for the kill.

Fire burned from inside the quacking kitten as fear turned to courage, one born from an instinct to protect. Jackie's body shone bright as she grew heavier on the Norjan's head. Flames licked the very skies as rings of fire swirled around her blistering fur. Smashing into the neck of the nearest snake, Jackie knocked it away, leaving one less threat for Jack to handle.

"Rrrrrr," she hissed.

Adenin's eyes widened in shock as he turned to Cedric's body. "How?"

With a summoner dead, a familiar shouldn't be fading away, not growing stronger. They were merely servants that responded to their summoner's emotions. Clicking with annoyance as Jackie kept distracting his snakes, Adenin ordered Gemini to attack. The Gris wasted no time absorbing all the light around him, strengthening his natural element, as he swooped in for a fatal blow.

However, his darkness was rebuffed by the lash of a shadowy tail. Demonic green eyes and low growl announced that Chaos had joined the fray. Angered that Gemini dared attack her sister, the shadowy cat crashed the bird out of the skies. Their bodies melted into a blanket of shadows as they struggled for dominance. Free from worry about Gemini, Jackie crouched low and gathered more flames about her.

Orange light bathed the arena, weakening the shadows Adenin so carefully created. This forced the summoner into a tactical retreat which gave Jack time to switch pace. Rumbling low as she prowled the area in case Gemini escaped Chaos's grasp, Jackie paused long enough to see whether Jack was okay.

Interesting. Cedric's familiar is manifesting her native element. It certainly begs the question if that would be his own alignment in the future. Er'is mused. Or is this a testimony of his love for you? It runs so deep that his familiars continue protecting you long after he died.

Intent on his prey, Jack didn't stop to marvel at Jackie, or acknowledge his apparent tag-along.

A wide scutum shield had replaced the glaive, warding off Adenin's flying weapons. Its rectangular shape crumbled into a round buckler. Jack threw it at his enemy's head.

The action covered Jack's quick sprint forward and then, summoning an ice pillar from the ground, vaulted high into the air. The meager sunlight breaking through clouds obscured Jack and blinded the eyes that tracked him. From that, several black ice chains rain down, targeting Adenin.

But only one was attached to Jack. Like on the canal bank when facing off the cannibal, Jack used the chain to pull him toward Adenin at a frightening speed. His Armament fist impacted the ground -- and it crumbled. A hundred-foot crater exploded around the combatants and created unstable footing. It didn't slow Jack. Unwilling to let Adenin create distance between, Jack went for him, using a haki fist of chains and a summoned knife in his offhand.

Jack's movements were hard to track with a naked eye; rapid and hell-bent. His face wore the mask of a killer.

The shield was dodged by a blink to the side. Adenin panted lightly when he reappeared. Scuffing his mouth with the back of his hand, he allowed himself to be caught by the chains and launched into the air when the shards of earth flew into the air. He twisted lightly, changing into flying wisp, but Jack anticipated where he landed! Chains tightened around him as the rabid Jackal bore down with a knife in hand.

Shadow mirrors flew to Adenin's defence, slowing Jack down with each successive smash, but that wasn't their only purpose. As light was slowly consumed with the thin walls connecting, the air thinned to dangerous levels, a condition Adenin was confident Jack had little experience with. Inhaling, the summoner sacrificed a poison rune and waited for the shadows that penetrated Jack's skin earlier to spread the paralysis and pain throughout that vital body. With a thick final wall separating them, the sneak attack would take effect long before the blade reaches him.

Jack's blade descended for Adenin's throat. The steel made its cold kiss… and then Jack's body seized. His eyes widened as his muscles locked up, unable to move, and veins protrude in his neck and temple from the strain. A small gasp forced through closed lips as agony bloomed out from his chest to every part of him in a slow, terrible spread. If he could move, he'd be on the ground screaming.

His Armament haki faded from the ice chains, though the chains themselves remained intact, freezing onto Adenin's clothes and exposed skin.

Charlotte's nephew sneered as a thin line of blood seeped into his coat collar. He felt the sting of the wound yet never feared death as his opponent failed to foresee his plans. Typical Jack, the spymaster wannabe. Shallow and emotional to the extreme.

Whistling as he shoved the bastard off him, Adenin spat into Jack's face and delivered a swift kick to the groin once the man crumbled before him. "Spymaster, huh? You couldn't even figure out the end of a recipe with that head of yours. You truly are no better than a simple cook."

Melting through the defence and re-emerging from the shadows, Adenin kicked Jack in the small of his back when enough of the haki peeled away. By now, breathing should get even more difficult thanks to the poison lysing cells within Jack's bloodstream. Adenin decided a little mercy would be nice. After all, he wanted to see the despair in Jack's face as the man died.

Light and air poked through the fissures in the mirrors, making the world nothing more than a hollow shell. Something no different than the realm created by Landry, hinting just how Adenin benefited from his allegiance with the templars. Kicking Jack onto his back, Adenin pressed a foot into the man's struggling chest.

"I never understood what you saw in that little brother of yours. His worth was solely determined by the coin his uncle could fetch from his pain. Oh," Adenin stopped suddenly as a sadistic thought crossed his mind. "Was that why you kept him? You taking the pleasure without spending the coin."

Jack put a hand on Adenin's boot in a desperate attempt to shove him off. It was worthless; the mere action scripted pure pain on Jack's face. Every movement felt like his muscles would rip themselves apart, the poison eating at him from the inside.

Yet as Adenin spoke, Jack bared his teeth and managed in a torturous voice, "He was… more… than you'll ever be. Even after all you did to him. Pretended to be his friend only to hurt him over and over… I should have… killed you years ago."

"He'll never be anything but dirt beneath my feet. You should have let him learn his place, Jack. Now you'll just regret ever humiliating me in front of the other spies in training." Adenin drilled on as he recalled the event as clear as day.

Jack's haki-laced fists raining blow after blow after he had been slammed into the wall of locker --- all that unnecessary rage because they had spiked Sid's drink at the ball. Nothing bad would have happened save Sid waking up confused and extremely hung over. That he tried to explain before Jack knocked out several teeth.

"I told Aunt Charlotte to punish Sid to make you pay for what you did. But, she did nothing. Nothing! I was her own flesh and blood. Her heir. All because you poisoned her into loving that piece of shit!" Adenin carried on as he hammered Jack with kick after kick.

A particularly nasty kick, launched Jack forward and a single red feather tumbled out of nowhere. The one hail mary that reeked of Er'is's presence throughout his fight. Better explained by the soft mew and low burning heat in the form of Jackie.

Heaving, coughing, Jack struggled with the shadows creeping along his vision. Or were they Adenin's surrounding them? One particular shadow-over-shadow looked humanoid… familiar… striking Jack with bitter loathing. Hallucinations? The thought crossed his mind but he didn't know for sure. The human shadow lifted one long, lanky arm. Pointed. He followed and saw the feather; feel Jackie's glow. He fisted it, hiding it from view.

Then he began to laugh, raw and breaking, whipped at Adenin. "You're...so… pathetic."

One foot under, then push up. On your feet.

Good.

Bit by painful bit, Jack forced his body up. He stood wobbly and hunched, but moving despite the poison. He turned to face Adenin. His eyes shifted but couldn't identify the human-like shadow he saw early.

A feral grin taunted Adenin. "Cedric was… more powerful… than you. Smarter. Wiser. Stronger. I know… what you did. When I was gone, working for Charlotte, you found him in Norja. Decide to get your revenge. You nearly killed him. And yet… even broken… he came back. Kept going. He's the strongest person I've ever met…"

Every painful word brought Jack a step closer to Adenin. It was futile, foolish, while fighting the poison. Barely a threat to the summoner, surely? He was only fighting his own inevitable death.

"You're weak. Never amount to… anything. Charlotte saw that… that's why… Cedric would've become the Royal Spymaster instead of you. Because you're nothing but… a brat who likes hurting other people. You're not even a Vontiago anymore."

Adenin's balled fist nearly flew to Jack's face when a thought crossed his mind. This was a fellow spy, albeit poisoned, so he shouldn't let his guard down. Sneering because of the bitterness from those words, the Vontiago lowered his fists. "Say what you wish, Jackal. The lesser man lies dead. Submissive to the end, never fighting for his own worthless life."

A line of shadow blades streaked in Jack's direction, cresting at the end and spearing the unprotected man. His haki seemingly vanished after the poison took hold. Adenin's sneer turned to sadistic pleasure as he watched Jack fall further against the blades and remained suspended in the air. A perfect height to be beheaded.

Adenin flared out a hand, snatching up the handle emerging from the shadows and pulled up a massive axe. "Say hi to Jones!" he taunted, flash stepping behind the Norjan.

The axe came down… and met Jack's hand. It was black with his haki. He'd been faking it.

Sneering, Jack twisted in midair and drove a stake of ice through Adenin's chest. He felt the shadow blades tear in his muscles, against bone, keeping them floating in the summoner's dying breath. He welcomed the pain. It felt sweet -- along with Adenin's face, twisted up in shock. He gripped the summoner's neck and pulled them close together to whisper something in his ear.

Shock turned to rage as Adenin's eyes burned holes into that annoying face. Fisting the air, shadow spikes tore from the ground, impaling both men through the chest. Landing what Adenin hoped to be an equally fatal blow. He watched blood burst from Jack's lips and he gurgled his last earthly breaths. Relishing how their blood mixed against their skin. This was their bond of hate.

"Neither of us ….. none …. shall walk a-way. Three … in hell," he rasped in Trovalian as his haki clad hand dug deep into Jack's eye socket. He tossed the squelchy mess aside and reached for the other one.

Thick spikes erupted out of the ice stake, ripping through Adenin's body from the inside. Blood spattered onto Jack's face. Releasing the summoner, the shadow blades disappeared and both men dropped to the ground.

Jack must've blacked out. One moment he'd felt his stomach drop and the next, he woke up gasping in the snow. Harsh, ragged gasps clawed up his throat as he turned onto his back, slowly corrupting the pristine white snow with his own blood. From here he saw Adenin lying a few meters away. It's over… Jack thought with a dull emptiness, his life draining away. Nothing remained of his visceral hatred for Adenin.

The parasite that tortured Cedric for years, dead. By his hand. It was too late… but no one would suffer by Adenin's hand again. Jack took one last look at his mangled corpse, then turned, and forgot him. He wasn't worth remembering.

Above Jack, and upside down, the battle against T'Raiz raged on.

"Won't you and Ru make a matching pair. She sees from the eye you are blind in and you the one she is blind in." Er'is joked as a bony hand showed Jack his plucked out eye. "Hold steady while I return this seed into the bloody soil. There may be use for your eye yet."

There was a flash of pain as the nerve and vessels reattached. Vision came in blurry patches, mostly greys and whites with spurts of colour. But, the deity of dreams wasn't done. Vines sprouted from the ground, wrapping around the tanned limbs, the torso and gaping chest, flowering to cover the worst of the openings, as healing energies poured into the wounded man, inching him further away from death's precipice.

"Cedric wanted you to have a long life. Guess this qualifies as helping you to that end."

The deer-face would have been happy to continue playing the cheery nurse if he hadn't noticed the change in atmosphere. Energy pulsed in the air like the lightning claps heralding a storm. Tensing, he uttered a single word. "K'lirin."

Sizing Jack up and deciding to take the risk, Er'is rested his bony face against Jack, melting into the man as telepathy became shared thought. Do not let K'lirin know I'm here. It's vitally important. There is much I have yet to tell you.

The air rippled outwards forming a dragon's mien. It was but a brief flash, short enough to make those who saw it doubt their eyes. Their skin, though, noted the strange movement of the air. Almost the way a mouse feels while scurrying around a sleeping lion. Deep, breathy and dangerous. Underscoring Er'is's earlier message. Pebbles flew as a cloud of dust rose from the earth as an invisible claw unfurled. Stepping daintily off her unseen perch was Parisa la Marché, the current Grand Summoner of Trovale.

Dressed in a billowing, high-collared gown, every inch glittering white, the masked lady of Eastern blood seemed out of place among the destruction. Her heeled feet clacked forward with purpose much like Charlotte's would. Their poise uncanny in the extreme. Parisa didn't even flinch when T'Raiz flung the shimi spear in her direction; she side-stepped it with the slightest twist of her body, watching the weapon heading towards a pool of lava.

"Shimi steel, hm?" She remarked as her gloved hand raised the earth swift enough to catch it. "I'm glad they have a plan. It's not as you feared," she addressed her unseen familiar. "Neither do your siblings appear to be colluding."

Although her voice never carried across the arena, Er'is made sure Jack heard every word. Adding at the end, his own commentary. I can't tell how much K'lirin knows. We must proceed cautiously.

"Mew?" Chaos asked after reappearing as her normal self. Her head tilting lightly towards the shimi spear and waiting for Other Master's instruction. From what she could see, he was in no shape to move and she should be light enough to cross the pool without difficulty. Jabbing a paw at an unbroken rib, she mewed a little more insistently.

Parisa! The name struck panic into Jack's broken heart. He'd never met the Grand Summoner, however, he had learned much about her during his time under Charlotte du Vontiago. Not even the Royal Spymaster held a candle to the Grand Summoner's strength. His eyes cast about for that humanoid shadow but it was long gone.

Groaning and coughing blood, Jack rolled onto his hands and knees. "I have to — stop them. They can't fight her. They can't… they'll die…"

He reached up, desperate, needing to get to his family. He could get in the middle, tell Runali to stop fighting, they'd needed to go home. He could stop this…

Jack struggled, and then collapsed, the world falling away into darkness. Er'is could only sigh when it was lights out, kinda. He had so patiently explained that the man needed to rest, but Jack was excitable like most humans he saw, especially when doom lurked on the horizons. It was highly amusing.

Puppeting Jack discreetly, the skeletal deer had the Norjan flip over to prevent suffocation, as his vines latched onto the injured limbs anew. Soon flowers began sprouting where they once were, including over the injured eye. This would be so much easier if Jack-jack had chlorophyll …

Er'is considered powering down alongside Jack had a black kitten not demanded Jack's attention. Forcing those heavy eyelids to part, Er'is twisted Jack's neck and slowly bobbed it. Get it to Runali! Er'is mimicked in Jack's voice. We will need her alive to eat the spicy food I make later.

And, Er'is couldn't be happier. He was positive he nailed Jack's personality to a T. The man was - after all - a cook first and an overly emotional, angsty man second. This was too easy!

 

[Fox of Hearts]

T'Raiz laughed at the bold declaration. "Belong to you? Not even Jones owns these souls. Let's see you try and fail to supersede a God."

Gripping the spear tip with a clawed foot, the phoenix ripped it through her body, lobbing the silver-coated weapon over the icy wall. Already a taunting gleam sparking in her eyes. More fiery lines criss crossed her skin, centering around the spear wound, as her healing factor went into overdrive, illuminating her in hellcast. Kicking off from the ground and spreading her wings back, T'Raiz drew plumes of flames from the heart of the earth. Geysers of liquid orange fenced the Stardusk captain into the narrowest margins, melting away whatever ice Ru created in anticipation of the fight. T'Raiz's blaze turned blue as she swooped in. There was the subtlest shift in light, but the temperatures shot beyond what was mortally felt. They burned cold.

Circles of flame burst outwards with melting debris flying in all directions. Extremes of heat and cold pummelled everyone, confusing their bodies. Landry and Val wasted no time shielding those closest to them from the blast. Those they missed were covered by a sheen of silvery white. The person behind it was a feminine presence so assertive that she drew attention to herself without uttering a single word.

The Grand Summoner's crimson smile gazed upon a hastily bowing Landry. Val, slower to follow, could only gape when she realised Lady Parisa arrived way ahead of schedule. Lady Summoner gave her two templars the briefest acknowledgement before her masked face turned to the armor-clad Feian. As she looked over Alicia, she casually stretched out her manicured hand and pushed back the flames into the smallest ring around the rising T'Raiz. Walls of the same gentle substance filtered from above, separating the destroyed parts of town from the rest of Bonifaas.

"Daughter of Sakura, I can see a similar spirit in you," came the detached observation. "It brings back memories though this isn't the time to reminisce." Turning to her templar capitaine, the elegant woman issued a swift order. "Seal off the area and nullify all powers within. We need to lessen T'Raiz's strength."

"Grand Summoner …" Landry began, eyes flicking towards Alicia and Ru in the distance, somehow miraculously out of the burning zone. "What about the Stardusk?"

Glancing at Runali, she opened communication with the one whose abilities she most desired to see. Capitaine Lev, how confident are you of taking down the phoenix without haki, devil fruit or the power of destruction? This will remain your fight. I'm merely the arbiter to ensure no further destruction happens to Bonifaas.

Runali exhaled and nodded. She didn't plan on holding a conversation with the demoness, nor did she want to. She examined as T'raiz created fires to combat the cold and noted how quickly the ice walls were melted away. Her own icy perch remained by her own doing. Unmoved by it, she used her teeth to tug off one of the ice gloves and replaced it with a fire one. It wasn't often that she used two elements at a time, but now was more a reason than ever to do it.

The flames that T'raiz casted outward began to change direction and roil inward back towards T'raiz as Runali began to manipulate them with one hand. Her other hand rose directly towards her target, and several needle pointed ice shards shot out aiming right where the spear had been stabbed into T'raiz just moments before. When she realized someone else was keeping the flames at bay, she focused all of her attention on the demoness in front of her before she could escape. The icy plinth she was on began to melt away as she planned her next move, however the new voice in her head stopped her in her tracks. She didn't know who it was, but there was little time to turn her attention away from T'raiz. So with gritted teeth, she responded out loud- unsure how this weird communication worked. "I s'pose if you're itching for me to get hurt faster, sure, make it harder for me. I only have one of those things anyway."

Runali stored enough haki in the gloves to last her a bit, but whatever the mysterious voice was talking about made her hyper aware that she'd have to use this reserve wisely. Or simply be rid of T'raiz as fast as possible.

Icy platforms appeared and disappeared in the sky as Runali made her way closer and closer. Each time she landed on a platform, she'd shoot shards of ice in T'raiz's direction, only to disappear to another platform just as quickly as she came. Fire that lashed out near her, she carefully redirected away from her and towards emptier spaces. She manipulated the elements in tandem, first clearing a path from the fire obscuring the demoness and then following it with an onslaught of knife-like ice shards to keep her focus and to keep her in one spot.

Is it that hard? Parisa mused as a massive clawed hand appeared behind her. The woman, barely reaching the length of the tiniest digit, lowered herself onto the outstretched one, settling herself as she would on a throne. Make me believe in your strength.

Landry nodded, retrieving his tome from Maximus, throwing it open, he focused on the incantation in his mind. Winds whipped around crazily, barely cooling the molten surfaces of the lava streams, as storm clouds gathered overhead. Then, with the slightest exhale, time ceased. Nothing in the physical world responded to any action taken. Any rock thrown in the air simply hovered there, and injuries stopped bleeding. Pain, fatigue, it all faded to temporary numbness. Runali's haki and Alicia's form remained unaffected as per Parisa's promise. Madame Summoner merely grinned as she rested an elbow against her knee to prop up her chin.

"Try to not get too hurt, Amaiya." She warned lightly. "Injuries incurred will come back many fold once this realm collapses."

T'Raiz danced in the sky, using her flames to turn ice into steam, occasionally, Ru's platforms would crumble in the off spill. The goddess noticed the strange flame glove faltering with each attempt to beat back her flames. Retching her feathers to icy blue, she aimed for that hand in a wave of continuous assault. Rolling backwards to summon a greater inferno, T'Raiz unfurled suddenly, feeling constricted. Screeching in fury as she blasted flames - now merely orange and gold - the phoenix protested at the insult. Shooting fire everywhere but nothing as strong as before. She couldn't even switch forms to target Runali with more precision. Breathing angrily, she fanned her wings and panned the area, planning her next attack.

Er'is's voice juxtaposed against Parisa's, as the two conveyed the same message to Runali and Alicia. Colder than ice! But, in the end, the summoner prevailed. Ice won't hurt her. You need to a substance much colder to thaw her healing powers and slow her flames.

Glinting from the rock holding it from the lava's grasp was the shimi spear. Chaos mewed softly, tongue peeking out from the corner, as she jumped from rock to rock towards it. Scrambling up the sides, she clawed at the surface until her mouth touched the blade and she hung from it. For a moment, she turned to Jack. Gaining approval, she blinked away, reappearing close to Alicia with the spear on the ground.

"Mew?" she called.

Relieved of his cat watch duty, Er'is floated invisible beside Jack. "Jack-jack, do not let them know I'm hiding with you. K'lirin is here and she's out to get T'Raiz."

Jackie hovered closer to Zilia as she remained as close to Sid as possible. She felt adrift currently with no Jack and no Sid to guide her. Somehow, this woman meant comfort and she in turn hoped to offer the same. Meowing, the kitten popped onto Z's shoulder and began nuzzling the doctor's face.

Runali ignored the voice, feeling no different as she focused on not losing her footing or getting burned. Though despite her best efforts, there were a few times the platforms were taken before she could make her landing, causing her to fall a few feet from the sky until she could create another platform. Her left hand, the one that wore the fire glove, was beginning to feel the sting of heat from trying to manipulate fire hotter than she had ever attempted before. And when T'raiz directed her attention on that glove, she could feel the heat go through as it began to melt it off her hand. Quickly, she covered her hand in armament to avoid having a worse burn than she already did.

The air grew even colder around Runali as T'raiz began to lash out more wildly. She snapped at the voice that kept invading her head. "Sorry, I forgot my demon-killing ice at home. By all means, I'll happily take whatever you have lying around." With a deep sigh, ignoring the clouds forming as she did, this time Runali held one of her chakrams in her -now- free hand, iced it over and launched herself directly at T'raiz. If her chakram didn't make purchase, Runali was prepared to barrel herself into the demoness, aiming her gloved hand right over the injury the spear had created prior.

Ru's chakrams sliced through the airless sky. Without resistance and momentum reaching infinity, the orbs flashed to life, humming with promised power waiting for release. T'Raiz, scoffing at the thinness of Runali's weapons, sped headlong towards her woman. Speed for speed, they gained, colours bleeding to white, one end cherry flames and the other yellow. They met with a cataclysmic bang!

Flames spanning a full range of reds painted the skies like slow-motion fireworks with Ru shooting skywards above the bloom, riding on the shockwaves from her chakram orbs. Slabs of earth wrenched the skies as T'Raiz ploughed in deep. Every vibration stored until time flowed again. Ear-bleeding anger rend the vacuum as phoenix fire rained the skies, T'Raiz streaking in pursuit. Hope for the Stardust gleamed gold. Numerous threads sprung from the demonness's body as if working overtime to heal the damage inflicted, hinting at her fatiguing greatly with her powers sealed away. T'Raiz was finally levelled with Runali. The gaping hole in her chest almost fully sealed, and with it the last glimpses of Cedric's soul. "You don't play fair, human," she sneered. "Tell your friend to end this spell or I shall end you."

Alicia cast her gaze back over her shoulder towards the new arrival, narrowing her eyes slightly. She didn't respond, returning her attention to what was happening above as Ru took her turn to go toe to toe against the goddess. Although she wanted to give chase she knew the smarter option was to hang back and catch her breath for a moment even despite her enraged fury.

Then the sound of a familiar cat drew her attention down, noticing the spear. Perhaps the smallest smile graced her ascended features before she reached and reclaimed the weapon into her hand, listening as the new arrival gave hints of how to defeat their enemy… something she found to be greatly irritating. The woman's demeanor felt condescending, like they were children being nudged towards an answer which begged her to wonder why this person wasn't fighting with them and why she hadn't been here earlier if that was the case

Hovering blades spread behind the Feian as she bent her knees, kicking from the ground to rejoin the battle once again as she made her way towards the captain and the goddess. Upon closing in she gripped the spear tight before tossing it in Ru's direction. "Freeze it!" she called moments before her foot would kick T'Raiz with as much momentum as her form could muster to create some distance. "When it's done I'll bring her to you!" and with that Alicia was once again back to exchanging blows, albeit with her focus more on avoiding more damage as the woman below recommended.

T'Raiz dodged Alicia's attack fluidly, breaking rhythm for opportunistic swipes of her clawed feet. Each time her talons would scrape metal and send sparks flying, causing the feathers of her nares tipped yellow as her frustration mounted. Such a tight defence was slowly tipping victory in their favour --- NO! She refused to lose. Not when she was so close to breaking her seal.

Kicking off Alicia's blade hard enough to send Feian sliding back, T'Raiz whooshed upwards and puffed her chest. "Fool, do you not care about your friend?" She challenged the women. "Cedric's soul is within me. Kill me and you'll destroy him as well."

Pluck her right eye and there you'll find his soul. came Er'is's hurried whisper. Alicia Amaiya, do not be deceived by her words. Piercing her heart will not harm Cedric.

Tensed anticipation flooded the arena as eyes tracked the aerial fight. Rumbling - hidden mirth - rattle deep within mortal bones. The source was omnipresent. Thrumming with even more power than was felt from the phoenix. Er'is made himself even smaller from where he remained hidden within Jack's person as impressed on the Norjan earlier.

K'lirin isn't like T'Raiz or I. The two of us weak shadows of our true selves. Our bodies sealed away. A mental nudge indicated that Jack should glance discreetly towards the Grand Summoner. The hand she sits upon is a manifestation of her presence. She is the embodiment of truth, reality.

Lady Parisa turned to Jack and appraised him coolly. Her expression hidden behind her mask, making it harder to guess her thoughts. Er'is tremble told him little about what to expect. Without moving her lips, Parisa's voice reached him. Er'is is here, isn't he?

There was no pressure on him to answer. Although there was something afoot behind that serene facade. A plot perhaps, that he needed to tease out. Parisa broke eye contact before he could figure out how to reply. Her fingers fanned lazily as she secretly aided Alicia and Ru. The spell's effect has yet to come into fruition. In the interim, a yellow glow coated Ru's hand, healing it while preventing damage from the stinging cold.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, a vinegary scent filled the air as old fingers peeled a pickled egg somewhere behind Luro. Lazarus whistled softly, marveling at the strangeness within this cloistered world. He could see shifting on the outside of the bubble showing the actual march of time. "Luro, right? Fancy tricks you pulled earlier though what I should be seeing --- I can't say nuthin'." He grinned his usual yellowed grin as more energy was stored from the crushing attacks overhead. "Feels like we're pushing a spring here. Be prepared for whatever comes."

Humming as he offered Luro rum to go with the egg, the old man hopped from one foot to the other, not totally fazed by his possible demise, maybe. "Don't feel bad a'bargaining after this. Brass cape wow-who, coin, rum enough to pickle your liver. Just saying. They're rich enough anyways and they already owe you for having your financée play princess. Plus, they do serve good edibles for Yulemas."

He stopped talking when the stalemate ended. T'Raiz broke through Alicia's defence and streaked for Ru. Her claws aimed to yank the spear from the captain's hand. Lazarus blinked slowly, whistling low notes of approval as he stepped away. "Now let me find my grandsons and see …"

Runali caught the spear without a second glance. Her attention turned to her hand as it glowed, making sure it wasn't another trick from T'raiz. But seeing it heal, she could only huff and replace fire with ice as the former glove reached its limit. One coat of ice had fully covered the spear as T'raiz raced past Alicia and towards her. She twirled the spear in a taunt, before letting the icy platform she stood on disappear and send her plummeting towards the ground. A second then a third coat of ice covered the spear, this time colder and more reinforced with an extra boost of haki. Steam began to rise from it and the metal itself began to change color with how cold it had become. With bare hands, she was sure it'd freeze someone's skin near instantly.

Runali waited for T'raiz to get close enough to be within arms reach before launching the spear, pretending to aim and miss her, but really sending it back to Alicia. Runali was quick, not letting T'raiz turn to see where the spear went as she yanked the demoness' wrists closer so she could begin freezing her hands solid. "Not so talkative when you realize you're at the end of your life, huh?" Runali kept one hand holding onto T'raiz in a vice grip to keep her still and focused on her. With one hand free, she fashioned claws out of ice in order to rip and reopen the hole in her chest.

Alicia's armour had deteriorated even more as new cracks appeared across her cheek and along her arms. She wasn't too sure what would happen if her body shattered but she dared not think on it further, lest she allow doubt to affect her judgment mid conflict.

Giving chase once more she kept close on the goddesses tail, slowing herself slightly upon noticing Ru's cunning as she expertly pulled a feint to allow the spear to once more return to her hands before restraining her as best she could.

"Cedric's… soul?" she said aloud in response to Er'is' voice in her mind, confused on how the goddess came to possess it in the first place before her brow furrowed further. She didn't have time to question things given how dangerous their opponent appeared to be.

Once more she accelerated towards the goddess locked in against Ru, picking her approach more carefully considering a single mistake could quite easily mean her attack could hit the captain on accident. She would close the gap, arriving behind the goddess to brace her knees against her spine.

The Fein reached her free hand to grab hold of T'Raiz hair, pulling her head back to bend her backwards before twirling the spear to invert it in her hand. 'schlick' she sank the blade down into her chest a second time to aim for her heart, the cold blade plunging deep as Alicia pushed and pushed to sink it deeper. "Get her eye!" she called over towards Ru, the captain having a better position to steal back their friend's soul. They had trusted the deer spirit thus far, they might as well extend it a little further.

Right eye, please and thank you. Er'is elaborated in case Runali was in doubt which one to take.

T'Raiz exhausted beyond what she had ever experienced in aeons begun shifting. Her form rested between phoenix and angel, essentially a red and auburn woman with phoenix wings. It was in this form that she found her hands, now devoid of claws, held firmly in Runali's grasp. Hair burning with anger at the audacious mortal's words, T'Raiz hissed and folded her legs towards her chest. Her feet contacted Ru squarely in the chest seconds before searing pain registered from her own.

Lost in so much pain, delirium and confusion, she lingered too long in front of Ru, clutching her chest. That was when Alicia bore down on her, spearing her through her chest and locking her in place by her hair. Feathers sprayed the skies as T'Raiz made a last bid to throw the Feian off. The feathers swarm Alicia and Runali, nicking or chinking away whatever was within reach with the sharpness of a thousand razors. Relentless in their attack and gaining more traction, neither ice nor flame could retard these feathered furies.

Silver ropes snapped into place out of nowhere, binding T'Raiz's wings and arms, and shocking her into halting her assault. She shrieked again, this time cursing summoners and their magicks. Spitting angrily, she struggled against her bindings as more energy drained from her, turning her feathery hair an ashen grey. She writhe and twisted to prevent Runali from taking her eye. "I'm the only one who can stop K'lirin. Fools, don't you fear your own salvation? My sister is beyond what you mortals can ever tame."

Concern for Sakura's daughter made Parisa relent slightly in her earlier neutrality as she kept tabs on T'Raiz. Discreetly, Madame Summoner surrounded Runali and Alicia with healing aura to close up more of their wounds. Enough, she hoped, to help them stay safe when this artificial space collapsed. As it was, there would be mere seconds to avert an even greater disaster --- a thought that K'lirin, her familiar, was quick to brush aside before replacing it with something more intriguing. The Stardusk were as the rumours say, a pirate crew with the might to clash with Charlotte's Sirens and live to tell the tale. It made her almost regret what she planned to do. Perhaps it was this guilt that made her extend the same healing to the rest of the Stardusk - Jack, Luro and Zilia.

"Madame Summoner?" A confused Val voiced suddenly when she noticed her superior aiding the Stardusk on whim. She had expressed deep resentment reservations about the telepathed plans and giving the others a fighting chance would just make things more difficult.

"Non, Lady Limorges. We will proceed as planned."

That iced claw sharpened just a little more. Her eyepatch had long since been lost to the fiasco and her blind eye seemed to glow ever so slightly as she held tight to T'raiz despite her efforts. But that didn't obscure her from seeing the spear go through her chest. In any other situation, she would have cracked a smile, cheering on her own, but there was no time for that. T'raiz still thrashed and still fought back. Runali ignored most of the sharp cuts that bypassed spaces her haki had not protected her from. When she was satisfied that T'raiz was stuck in place, the hand that held her wrist went up to the woman's throat, instantly frosting over more. "Like I said earlier," Runali leaned forward as she tightened her grip. "You have something that's mine."

First ice pierced around T'raiz's right eye, each of Runali's five claws dug deep and precise to ensure she could grab it in one tug. "Brace yourself." Armament haki replaced ice as she carefully closed her fingers around the eye and with a fast yanking motion, she tore it out. Knowing this free ride wasn't going to last much longer, Runali armamented her foot to shove the spear deeper into T'raiz and followed it with a second kick to send her crashing back into the earth.

Alicia didn't flinch as her captain pulled the eye from the woman's face, simply applying more pressure upon the spear to maintain it's slow push into her heart. She kept herself in place a moment after Ru broke from their position, holding the spear steady for Ru to kick it deeper before breaking away to allow the second kick to send the goddess down towards the earth unhindered.

With a flare of the hovering blades levitating behind her she swept in a downwards arch to intercept Runali, gripping her wrist before manipulating the captain onto her back to prevent her from falling. "I have you." she said in a cold tone before descending after the falling deity. She moved at a controlled speed, slowing her descent closer to the ground for Ru to hop off safely before she'd set herself down upon her own feet.

She cast a glance towards the captain, nodding towards her before she began to approach T'Raiz. "Did I not tell you that I would make you lose everything?" she'd approach to bring her heel down upon the goddesses body, gripping the hilt of the spear before swiftly pulling it out of her body causing a lick of silver blood to lick against dirt and stone. "I was wrong." she twirled the spear to her side as her eyes narrowed. "We will make sure you lose everything."

Firefly wisps peeled from the cracks in T'Raiz's once flawless face. Half-blind, bleeding and now pinned by a wretched human creation, she laughed hysterically as silver blood ran down the sides of her mouth. "Lose? I fear not the destruction of my current self. Existence like mine is not what your mortal mind can comprehend. What about you, Feian? Don't you have a loss greater than mine?"

Mirth marked up her face as T'Raiz gripped Alicia's ankle and pressed it down further. Her other hand beckoned to Alicia to lean in closer. "Ah, I guess you must have felt no loss when Summoner Landry killed your friend." As their eyes locked, memories of Sid's last moments flashed across Alicia's mind. Of the thunder spear lancing through his frail chest before he crashed earthwards. "What do you mortals say --- Boom?" T'Raiz sputtered before shrieking with more laughter.

Pulling Alicia's sideways with surprising strength, T'Raiz reversed their position in a flash. Silver blood stained the dark amour as the battered goddess clung to her fading power. More wisps peeled from her with each jerky motion. "Now, don't you think you've unleashed your wrath on the wrong person? It was my powers alone that could reverse his death."

Alicia grit her teeth as she suddenly found their positions reversed. She wrapped a hand around the goddesses ankle tightly, readying to remove herself from the position when she heard the words from the woman which gave her pause. Memories invaded her mind showing her the horrific moment Cedric was struck down causing her eyes to widen despite her anger.

"No.. he… " she felt a mix of emotions rush her ascended body before once again her eyes narrowed as she growled, raising her arm with the spear before tossing it towards Runali quickly in one smooth motion. The sooner they finished this the sooner she could set her sights on the next clear target and conductor for her anger. Landry… she'd make him hurt, already she could feel her soul burning with dark causing cracks in her armored body to recover slightly.

Now free of the weapon both her hand wrapped T'Raiz' ankle, twisting it to throw off her balance before rolling back onto her feet. Before the deity could make an attempt to move she flexed her fingers to manipulate the hovering blades from her back, sending them forth to plunge deep into her body one after another, the blades sinking into her arms, legs and torso before Alicia used their insertion points as anchors to hold her still for the captain to deliver the ending blow.

Runali had to stumble back a little to not get swept into T'raiz's last ditch efforts for survival but it took less than a heartbeat to get up close again. "That's enough from you." She ignored everything else T'raiz had to say, blocking it out of her mind completely. There was only one thing that had to happen in this moment. "You have done enough here." The venom in her voice matched the glare she gave T'Raiz as she shoved the spear deeper into her until she was sure it pierced the ground below. The remaining chakram she had was slammed into her right wrist, severing it off her, without much thought. A shard of ice manifested in her free hand and Runali pierced it into the demoness' opposite hand, deep enough for it to bury itself in the ground beneath her. And with one last blade of ice, mimicking Alicia's Shusui, she levelled it at T'raiz's throat.

For a moment, it looked as if Runali wanted to say something, to let T'raiz feel just how outraged she was. There was a moment of necessary triumph, but with it came more guilt and regret. But the moment passed with a sigh and in a motion far too quick to see, the ice sword first sliced then stabbed the demoness in the throat.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

T'Raiz burst into a flock of ghostly fireflies that faded as they descended into the sky. Left in her earthen coffin was but a single red feather. Enough energy coursed through the feather to grant one last healing miracle in this emptier world. With no goddess left to restrain, Landry began to relax his grip on the threads of reality he so carefully manipulated to create this world. Dispelling as much energy as he dared while absorbing what he could into his own person.

Carefully overseeing the release was Parisa as her mind reeled with possibilities of disaster should the smallest distraction occur. K'lirin, naturally, rumbled with utmost confidence that nothing like that would come to pass not when they have what they came for. Leaping off the clawed hand, Parisa smoothed the skirt of her gown and stepped away from Landry. She needed to act as calmly as possible to lull the crew into reassurance. "It was a battle well fought, Capitaine Lev. Now I know how you managed to dethrone Lady Du Vontiago from her spider's web." She offered a steadying hand to Runali, blocking her view of the rest of the crew, and theirs of Ru. "Can I offer you more healing as we wait for time to return to this part of Bonifaas?"

Landry motioned to Val to cover him as he barely contained all the stored energy within this eggshell world. Too quick a release and this entire continent would be nothing more than scorched ground drowned by sea waters. A forgotten land in the pages of history, not one he wished to have a hand in writing. Clamped down at the back of his mind was a sense of emptiness - the loss of his last living sister confirmed and the loss of a baby brother he barely knew. Cedric … he didn't want to think too much about his hand in the young man's death or even acknowledge his existence. Being truly alone was enough already more than he could endure.

Foreboding chilled Valerie to the bone as her eyes tracked Alicia's determined steps towards Landry. There was so much rage coming from the Ascended that Val felt nauseous. She staggered forward to try and dissuade Alicia from setting off an unimaginable disaster. "Lady Tashigi, shouldn't you be resting? I saw you took quite a beating in your fight earlier."

Exhaustion, pain, upset… these words paled next to the thundering anger rolling within the depths of her core. She was far beyond her limit, her soul stressed and aching for rest and yet it swelled defiantly to keep her moving till she remained to be sustained entirely by her ascended body. "LANDRY!!" his name was screamed by the swordswoman.

She hadn't even stopped to watch the goddess dissolve, her mind pushed into the irrationality that came with the onset of post fight tiredness born from the wounds she'd sustained. Val approached her before she could step closer, remaining a short distance from him now as she glowered at the man with hatred beyond her silver eyes.

"Step aside or I'll kill you too." her words were as cold as the steel used to dispatch the goddess, delivered without so much as looking towards her. The dark which manifested inside her to create this form cast her emotion out into her immediate proximity, an aura that conveyed her fury to those who would be unfortunate enough to feel upon it.

"I won't ask again. He killed my friend." she raised her left arm, palm opening, before she summoned back Shusui from Zilia's care, the sword immediately manifesting into it's naginata form the moment it made contact with her armoured exterior.

Fear nipped the back of Val's mind but she dug her feet firmly into the ground. Landry, the jerk that he was, was still her capitaine and she would protect him to the best of her ability. Blue enveloped her hands as a massive tidal wave slammed towards Alicia and washing everything in its path towards the other side of the dome. Blinking towards the end, Val waited for the waters to clear so she could spot the armored woman. Already in her mind, she alerted Madame Summoner and Landry about Alicia's intent.

Parisa pressed her lips together slightly to hide her urgency. Right now, she needed to keep Runali here to prevent the crew from banding together too quickly when her plan comes to light. She lay a gentle hand on Ru. "Don't worry. Landry can take a beating while letting Alicia work out her grief." There was so much sincerity in that voice that she didn't sound like she was lying.

The moment she sensed an impending attack her brows knitted together as her jaw firmed. "So be it then." she muttered before she took the hilt of Shusui to slam it against the ground causing a circulating torrent of wind to surround her. She swept a foot back to support her against the impending wave, using the wind to shield herself against the water pressure causing it to cut around her while her body leaned to prevent it from pushing her back.

Once the wave passed she raised her free hand into the air with her palm pressed forwards, twelve disks of patterned light manifesting into the air around her before columns of moonlight began to discharge towards Val. "You would defend a murderer?! That makes you just as bad as he is!" she shouted, the columns turning the dirt and debris to glass as they began to scorch the world just as they had done back when she'd attempted to use the same attack against T'Raiz.

Twelve beams cut and sliced their way towards the Templar, aiming to burn her away if not cut her to pieces. Alicia's armour continued to regenerate slowly thanks to the presence of the eclipsed moon, albeit not as fast as she'd have liked due to the moon being partially obscured. Her regeneration however would only fix wounds, it could not repair her exhaustion nor would it refill the power spent which required her to descend and rest.

Val winced on Landry's behalf when Alicia went berserk. Dodging would be easy, but that wouldn't dampen the assault. Biting on her thumb, Valerie made a snap decision. Summoning layers upon layers of ice mirrors, she watched as the beams melted them away, giving her even less time to react. Swearing slightly, the templar decided to drop a decoy first. Pulling up a smooth veil of water at the last second, she blinked away towards an emptier part of the arena, as far away from Landry as she dared be.

For a second, she waited for the beams to vibrate the barriers keeping them time locked from the rest of the world only to be surprised by something unexpected. Her water wall deflected the beams and sent them back to Alicia. Not willing to chance the Feian stepping aside and having Landry hit, Val summoned several more water walls behind Alicia, angling ever so slightly. If Alicia didn't stop the attack, then she would have to watch her crew sans Capitaine Lev taking a hit.

Rolling an empty hilt from inside her sleeve into her dominant hand, Val felt a nip of biting cold as ice shaped into a katana. She could have opted for something better suited against a naginata, but a blade she was more adept at handling. Exhaling deeply, Val watched as a thick fog began building up within the area. Visibility was but an arm's length away for everyone trapped inside with her. Aside from the damp slicking off skin or armour, there was this strange sapping cold that gnawed at exposed skin and eyes.

The beams ceased their fire leaving behind burnt lines where the moonlight had turned the surface to glass. Alicia stepped forward, walking through one of the walls of water to emerge from the other side. She eyed Val from her new position before turning and making her way back in Landry's direction, strangely not making use of her usual show of exceptional speed to get to him faster… at least not yet. This forced Val to make a choice to either engage her up close or to make more ranged attempts and risk Alicia avoiding them while getting closer to her target.

Val crouched low. This wasn't exactly a dilemma as her captain could easily defend himself. All she needed to do was to keep Alicia distracted, or so she planned. The water-wielder broke into a run, faltering to a halt when Landry arrested her gaze. She quirked an eyebrow which prompted him to shake his head again.

Non. He communicated. The walls have weakened too much to contain anymore power. If you keep fighting, the blast may destroy most of the civilized world.

What!? Val replied with a start. Painfully aware all of a sudden just how intense the earlier fight was. You were suppose to half their powers to preserve the city.

Landry's weary voice disagreed. Capitaine Lev needed her powers and Madame Summoner wouldn't let me nullify Lady Tashigi's. I compensated by halving the phoenix's power instead. An action I'm sure to regret for days after this.

You are in no shape to take a beating, Landry. Don't be foolish!

This is … what I deserve. I failed to protect him, Valerie. My little brother. Landry sighed deeply, forced to face his sins, as the avenging angel stepped ever closer. "Does your honor allow you to harm a person who refuses to fight back?"

There was a stubbornness in his voice that dared her to reconsider. Yet, the rational part of his mind braced itself for incoming pain. This Alicia before him wasn't the serene swordswoman but a bloody-thirsty demon. One as depraved as Bonifaas' tormented phoenix.

Holding out both hands to show he wasn't armed, Landry tried reasoning with Alicia again. "I never intended for him to die. He's my only brother." There was much to explain but precious few seconds to do so. Most of his attention remained on avoiding disaster.

"Could Cedric fight back?!" she spat back at him as she stepped closer towards him step by step. "Don't presume to lecture me about honor when you killed a wounded man while we all fought and gave our blood to protect him!"

Alicia's fury was at an all time high, licking from her aura in such a way that it twisted the air around her body as negative emotion expelled from the depths of her soul which could no longer contain it. She did however pause for a moment when he appeared to show signs of regret.

"Your words don't match your actions… " she pressed forward again, walking up to Landry before reaching to grasp him by the collar of his clothing, lifting him up to the tips of his toes. Of course while ascended Alicia was about as tall as Luro enabling her to raise him as such.

"Tell me why Landry, give me answers lest I purge you from this world!" her right hand brought Shusui behind her, angling the tip of the black blade poised to run him through at a moment's notice. Behind the consuming anger in her eyes was pain and upset, something he'd only now notice being this close to her.

Amaiya … a faint whisper reached out desperately inside Alicia's head.

Cedric's voice faded after a while. And, in that lull, Landry willed himself to keep drinking in the violent emotions swirling in Alicia's eyes. There was so much he would accept from her, but he drew the line at evisceration. In a weird way, he valued his life much more given that Cedric was practically a stranger to him after such a long separation.

"T'Raiz grows stronger with each successive transformation, so I had to try and stop her while she was in her weakest form," he stated in a flat voice. "I thought I could catch her off guard as she watched Capitaine Lev attack you. T'Raiz saw me and threw Cedric into the spear's path."

He allowed enough of his emotions to colour his eyes, reflecting his own pain and weariness back at Alicia as he allowed her to process his side of the story. "I teleported down, caught him before he hit the ground …. you can ask Doctor Vilimar. I teleported her to us. Had her examine him. We …. we were too late. His heart stopped the moment the thunder lanced his heart."

Even as he spoke, Landry balled his hands to shield the sparks he had ready should Alicia attack. Already he reached out to Parisa to warn her about the catastrophe waiting to happen should he be forced to lose concentration entirely. A fact he decided to share in case Alicia had any rationality left.

"We can settle this fight later, Lady Tashigi. I'm the one person holding back the power stored in this realm. Should I lose focus and the seal breaks, half the world will be blown away in a blink of an eye."

Alicia listened despite her anger, absorbing in each word as he spoke before a long pause existed between them as if she were judging him, processing the events in her mind as if she were searching for a lie. After a tense moment of silence her form faded from black to white, the aura of negativity dissipating away as she lowered him back to his feet.

"Then it would appear the vision I was given did not convey the whole story.. '' she replied, her tone less rigid and more to it's usual soft gentleness. With her body reverted back to it's lighter form, her armoured body was now more obviously stained with patches of red from where she'd bled during the fight… a detail much more easily concealed within a black colour palette.

She said nothing more as she turned and walked away, heading towards Zilia. She'd need to explain to the doctor about what will happen when she descends her form, the result more than likely being her complete collapse. Alicia had pushed herself far beyond her limit and now it was only this form which kept her conscious and moving.

Concern registered in her mind as Cedric made his presence known again. He hovered like a warm spot close by following her on her trek towards Zilia. Amaiya, why? He seemed to whisper as his ghostly hand caught her wrist. And, his arm tried steadying her. Should she look down, she would be able to see him with Er'is gift of true sight.

The deer-god watched from the summoner fighting to breach the divide between him and Alicia; knowing that this would soon be no more than a passing dream after Cedric agreed to leave. "Jones is waiting for you, Cedric. But, I guess a goodbye wouldn't hurt." He clicked with amusement.

Warm, green energy enveloped Cedric and passed to Alicia. Rather than letting go, Sid held tighter until there was actual pressure where he touched. His arm finally supported her as he intended to do from the start. But, his voice remained no louder than a whisper. "Please let me help."

She didn't fight it or try to move away once the hand was upon her, warm in it's touch. "I failed you." she replied simply. "I couldn't save you, I couldn't even save Chester." she was angry at herself, though without the energy to show it she just looked upset.

"All of this destruction and pain, we won but it hardly feels like a victory." she looked away to somewhere off in the destroyed distance. "Ru trusted me to look after everyone when she couldn't and now… " she sighed. "Now I'm standing beside the ghost of a friend and all I feel is shame. You deserved better."

Tears thickened Cedric's voice when he replied. "Jack told me that we can never be sure what tomorrow brings. For that - no, what I want to say, Amaiya …. thank you." There was no hint of malice, only sadness. Bitterness that this was the end. "Genuinely from my heart. You were my friend first and a wise teacher second. I've been truly blessed to have lived, struggled and laughed beside you. These were some of my happiest days."

Reaching Zilia and his body, Cedric allowed Alicia to dictate the pace at which she wished to settle before the doctor. "Zilia," he uttered for the second time in his life, feeling somewhat disrespectful at not formally calling the diminutive woman Doctor. It had always been his way of expressing his gratitude and admiration even if he never said it out loud. "You took care of us selflessly many times. Thank you."

He could have described how comforting it was to wake up from fitful slumber and find Zilia at his bedside, her face cast by dim candle light, as she brought him his medicine. Too many opportunities had slipped by in which he never told her how wonderful she truly was. Maybe through his unfinished art the two women could see how much they meant to him.

Sighing deeply, he leaned forward and hugged them tightly for the very first time. "If there is someone who has to apologise, it's me." He continued in the same teary voice. "I joined the crew without opening my heart to you. Yet, all of you have treated me like family, like a friend. The two things that mean the world to me. I - I'm sorry, my dearest friends, I only said this to you at the end."

 

[Mizos]

​

Zilia didn't have much time to register the event's around her as Adenin had reared his face again, the doctor held a calm expression as he spoke to her, even as he harmed Cedric's body the woman's eyes remained fixated on him, cold and unfeeling. The only sign of her bother was her gripping Shusui in her hand a bit tighter. Thanks to T'raiz magic she already felt weak but that was fine, she was merely being patient, he could talk all he want. She held his own gaze as the invisible words around them were slowly drifting towards Adenin. She could tell his guard was still up, the moment it dropped, or rather when he went to hit Cedric again she'd sever his head and legs before he had time to blink. The opportunity didn't present itself however as Jack attacked him causing him to move past the words. Her eyes narrowed a bit at this and she started to follow after him when a giant stood in her path.
"Luro....move."
"Afraid not Z," Luro said smiling at her. "You're not exactly in a state to fight right now."
Zilia looked at Luro, he clearly wasn't either but unlike her he was standing on his own two feet far easier than she was, though the more concerning part was he didn't have any kind of presence, if she wasn't looking at him it'd be hard to believe he was even here.
"If you try to help you won't be fast enough to dodge what's his names attacks, and Jack is going to prioritize your safety over his own...and I know ya hate that."
Zilia's eyes narrowed as her gaze moved back over to the two unable to disagree with him
"Let him have this," Luro said simply. "Besides..."
He trailed off glancing at the body of Cedric, Zilia flinched a bit realizing Luro probably didn't know. She expected some response but the redhead didn't spend too much time on him looking back at Zilia.
"You need to protect his body, he deserves to be mourned properly."
Zilia's eyes widened a little at Luro's words, spoken in his usual tone, there wasn't the smallest change in Luro's expression, the same smile, the same look in his eyes, no shift in his body at all, if he hadn't looked directly at the body she would have doubted he was even aware of it. She wanted to say something anything, but her voice caught in her throat, a part of her understood why and that was enough for her to silently nod her head in response

The appearance of the white clad woman drew both of their attention but Zilia's ended up more focused on the cat on her shoulder, reaching up she gently pet the kitten, offering a small smile to her as Luro continued walking, paying no mind to their new visitor. While walking away she noticed him reach up and adjust the scarf around his neck, his gift from Cedric. She understood the silent gesture, the small act he could offer in this time as she continued moving forward.
"Imposter."
The words echoed in her skull and a small almost invisible blue glow surrounded her, and she found the pressure wasn't as harsh as it was before confirming her suspicion about Luro. Even if her own was just an imitation of an imitation, the fact it had this much effect only proved her hypothesis. The new stranger didn't appear to be on the enemy's side but she kept an eye on her as well as the fight, when she looked over at Jack he seemed unconscious but fine, she only realized then Luro had stood in her way to keep her from seeing the fight. She put a small barrier around him as he lay on the ground to keep him from getting scorched but even that act made her vision blurry.
She hated it but she needed a few minutes or she'd pass out overexerting herself.

​

"Hahahahahahaha! How does it feel Luro?! To look at the body of one you called Brother! I told you didn't I? The end result and yet you clung so stubbornly to your humanity! This is the result of your trust in your friends! Hahahaha!"
Luro walked through the battlefield as the voice echoed loudly in his mind, forcing him to stare at the image of body he had passed mere moments ago.
"All that effort for nothing...it's truly sad. It was fun to watch though! Look at you, barely able to walk, barely conscious, only moving by your own stubbornness because your relied on my power...and when I offered you more you declined! Half your humanity Luro. Half and he'd still be breathing!"
Luro offered no response he merely moved forward returning his rifle to his back as the fighting raged above.
"Now Jack will become just like you."
This was enough for Luro to stop walking for a second only to continue.
"You already saw him walking the same path, coated in such raw anger, raw emotion. He'll be a different person afterwards...another 'Luro' will be born. So dead inside you can't even mourn someone you considered family."
"Jack's stronger than that," The first response he bared to give only caused Imposter's laugh to echo in his head.
"No he's not and the proof's right there! A step away Luro. He's a step away from that dangerous line now. We both know to someone who's coated in guilt. Anger will consume him, guilt will cloud his thoughts and just like that it'll be over, your friends are the same. One little push, that's all it takes Makachi...you know that all too well."
"He's stronger than I am. He lived for his sibling as well but didn't lose himself...he didn't fall as I did...I believe in him."
"Sure sure...look what came of your belief. Another dead sibling yet you still cling to it. You humans sure like holding onto such fragile things."

Doing his utmost to ignore the voice in his head he looked up at the fight raging above bringing a hand to his chin as the battle echoed all around him.
He had tried shooting T'raiz but his bullet's disintegrated due to the heat before they even got close, ice bullet's didn't work either and since the Captain's ice wouldn't work his reduced ice didn't have much chance, he had tested it as well to no success. Lighting was an option but it was too volatile in it's current state, it could hit Alicia or Runali and that would end badly. The earth was out too, she was too high in the air, she'd see the attack coming a mile away and once again, Runali and Alicia were nearby.
On top of that the gloves he did have were basically out of power from stopping Runali earlier and he didn't have time to ask her or Jack to refill it before they left, and now it wasn't an option
Luro dug for a solution any kind of one, but his thoughts were clouded, he could tell he wasn't thinking straight, he wasn't sure if it was exhaustion, Imposter or the grief buried deep down in his person. There was a solution that didn't rely on 'him' he just had to figure it out.
Nothing came though.
No matter how much he thought, no matter what options he ran through nothing seemed to fit this situation, there were failsafe's he had yet to acquire, 'just in cases' that remained untested and on the ship, nothing he had could help here. Stopping the attacks from hitting him was an option but stopping or even slowing T'raiz was another matter, if not for Imposter's 'interference' he'd be on his knee's from her influence. Even though he was standing trying to help, everything he attempted didn't work.
"I need to do what I can...but what can I do..." Luro mumbled staring up at the fight.

It was during this time he picked up the presence of someone nearby, recognizing the scent of eggs however he didn't reach of his weapon, happily taking the snack and rum from the man with a small smile. He looked back up at the fight and offered a small chuckle to him.
"I intend on getting all of the above and more, also a new throne chair," Luro said in response. "We saved lives too after all...I also got no idea what you're talking about with the earlier stuff, Jack did most of the work there."
He offered a wave to the man as he left and opened and closed his hand, as he did something shifted in the air around him and Luro eyes twitched, turning rainbow for a brief moment before returning to normal, he stumbled a little but ultimately stayed on his feet long enough to bear witness to the end of the fight, which he applauded for a moment, before he continued forward again.

​

A bandaged hand reached down picking up the Calamus of the glowing feather, Luro eyed the feather before holding his hand over it, a slight glow enveloped his hand before he gently moved the feather into his sleeve as the glow fading. The redhead rotated his shoulders and started moving knowing he couldn't stand still with all that was happening, perhaps the one good thing watching from the 'outside' is he got to see a little more than those within the chaos leading him to take Runali's hand into his own, giving her a small gentle tug.
"Captain Cedric's not with us anymore. Crew's gotta gather and give him a proper send off, or at least carry the body elsewhere. Come on, Captain duties aren't over yet, I'll carry you on my back if you pass out."
He raised a hand to the grand summoner.
"Thanks for the heal glowing lady but we got crew stuff to do. We can talk later, maybe over drinks."
Luro didn't really wait for a response instead gently pushing Runali where Alicia was heading, towards Zilia who still stood near Cedric's body.
"I'll drag Jack over if slapping him doesn't wake him up," Luro said raising a hand and moving over to Jack's body.

Zilia wasn't sure how to explain what she had just seen, what had happened above her was hard to put into words. She dug for something to explain what she had witnessed, the clash of blades, teamwork of first mate and Captain, the fall of the god. It was all something she wouldn't have believed if she hadn't bear witnessed to it. She had a feeling what had aided in the situation however, the power of her devil fruit had all but vanished in the middle of the fight, as if someone had negated it. The feeling wasn't foreign her but she realized summoning more power wasn't an option, the barriers around her and Jack remained standing however, something she ensured when she felt the power start to fade, she had a feeling that same power did something to the god above.
Even still the battle was hard won and she wasn't sure how she was going to include this in the chronicle, in any normal situation she would be pleased, but the body behind her stopped any such emotion from coming forth. This fight didn't come without a cost, a heavy one so it was hard to be completely happy at the outcome, but she was at least relieved Runali and Alicia were okay.
"A woman sitting on a floating hand, a flying woman fighting a Phoenix like god as another woman leaped from one platforms of ice to another in the air at her...it all happened but even I would have trouble believing that if I read it in a book," Zilia thought with a sigh.

She thought for a moment they could catch her breath but Alicia's rage remove that idea almost immediately, it almost felt like it was chocking her how much was flowing out of the woman. If it had been directed at anyone other than Landry she might have moved faster. Something in her however did make start to move but she froze feeling a gaze on her, she noticed Luro staring at her and watched as he raised a hand to her as if to stop her. Their eyes communicated something quietly, and it was enough for the doctor to stop in her footsteps, sure enough Alicia didn't cut the man clean in two, instead making her way over toward her, something Luro had basically shared with her.
What followed almost broke the doctor.

It took all her willpower not to let her emotions flare staring at Cedric, or rather a visage of him. Just hearing her name with his voice again almost knocked her off her feet.
This wasn't fair, this isn't how it's supposed to go, why did this happen?
Countless question with no answers and all she could do was stare at Cedric in silence, she offered a nod and not without flinching held up a piece of paper, there was no way she could speak now, not in her current state.
"If I had done more-"
Zilia stopped and crumbled up the paper holding up another.
"Thank you Cedric. It's not much I suppose but I always enjoyed our time together."
She wanted to say more, to tell him she never disliked treating him, that even as he ignored her warnings at times she considered each moment precious, as she did the rest of the crew but she didn't know how much time they had, she wanted him to know she appreciated him and she couldn't say it, she wasn't sure if her power was back or not even if it wasn't it was too risky, not like this.
The hug was unexpected and forced her to bite her lip, she couldn't let it out, she couldn't cry, couldn't gasp. Tears ran down the side of her face and all she could do was return the hug in silence.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Runali heaved a sigh as T'raiz disappeared from view. When Parisa rested a hand on her, instinctively, Runali gripped it with her own. There was an obvious look of distrust in her eyes as she moved the woman away from her. Had Luro not have come over, it would have been a look and a set of choice words. But she bit her tongue and allowed herself to be moved by Luro instead. His words echoed in her head, and even though she didn't say anything, her hand tightened around his just a little more before she was pushed off towards where Alicia and Zil had been.

Runali didn't react to Alicia's intent to kill Landry. If it was what the first mate saw fit to do, the captain wasn't going to stop her. Runali had long since considered doing the same. She had no more words for the strangers that occupied her time, no more energy for a kingdom that did nothing but cause her crew pain, and no more patience for standing in the freezing cold. Though neutral in her expression, Runali was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to leave a place that had become nothing more than a curse.

When she finally saw the spectral form of Cedric, her shoulders tensed and her jaw set. She kept her gaze lowered, only able to listen as he said his goodbyes to Alicia and Zilia. This was… different from the others she lost. It was odd being able to say goodbye this time. And unfortunately, not as comforting as any would have hoped. For a moment, Runali could only watch with a somber expression, unsure of what to say or how to say it.

Cedric smiled sadly after Zilia's last note became ingrained in his memory. If he could start crying again, he would have. This he allowed to be shared from his mind to hers as he pressed their foreheads together. And, in this moment of vulnerability, he answered all the questions she asked and he evaded. Who was he? What did the crew mean to him? Everything.

Fading last was that glimmer of hope she gave him with whispered promises of a cure. He couldn't find words to fully explain how that had been the light at the end of the tunnel. A warmth so deep that it shattered the weight he held inside, the morose thoughts that death was forever waiting in the wings. Sad and ironic considering the fortune cards he drew in Bonifaas. "I'm sorry I never got to celebrate Yulemas with you. There was so much I would have liked to share …" He lingered on, trying not to amass regrets, for he had too many. Most of which centered on his broken promises to Jack. No, Jack, the Mas and the Stardusk. "You shall be the greatest doctor yet. There are others who suffer from this same illness. Please find them and give them the same hope you've given me."

Hugging her one last time, he took Alicia's hand and pressed his forehead against it. A gesture symbolizing the depth of his admiration for her. "I'm sorry, Alicia. I never got to show you how far I've come. In many ways, I let you down. But, if there was a way for me to make you proud, some way or some how, I will never shy from it." Reaching from where he assumed the flower pendant he gifted her was, he allowed his hand to draw close enough to make it glow. "Legend has it that this flower glows whenever a fading spirit passes by. I gifted it to you because … I was afraid one day you would push too far. And, this light will help us find you before you fade. I never imagined …" He shook his head. "I really didn't think it would help me say goodbye. I shall wait to hear about you, a legend to surpass legends. And, I'll forever be proud to have once been your student."

Sid lingered longer by her side, worried about Alicia being so beaten up, worse than he had ever seen her. There was also concern how she would react to his goodbye. It wasn't elegantly phrased as words sincerely spoken tended to be rough. Finally, pulling away, he drifted to his brothers and his meowing familiars. All four deserved their own private moment, but he could feel the tug deep in his soul. Time was almost up.

After whispering to Jack in Trovalian and sacrificing part of his remaining strength to hasten Er'is's healing, Cedric stood before Luro. Their eyes met and in a flash emotions worth a thousand words passed between them. Leaning forward, with much trepidation, Sid embraced the giant. "Take care of yourself and Jack. I can't do more than watch you from afar."

Then, there was Ru.

As Cedric's footsteps crunched the crumbling ash, Er'is reached out to the captain. If you hold his hands, the two of you could share more than a brief goodbye. The stubborn fool gave too much of himself for the older brother he loved with all of his heart.

With time lengthened by anticipation, Runali's tailor stood before her. Waiting for her to speak, for he had never seen such an expression on her face before. He had hoped to see her usual relaxed grin or reassuring smile; strange how much more expressive she seemed in their absence. "Capitaine …?" he began as his form turned translucent. Desperately, he reached out for her hand. Thinking that if there was a chance he could convey all he wished to say to her before it was too late - he hoped -----

Runali's eyes shut for a moment, taking the moment to listen as Cedric passed from one member of the crew to the next. When she heard her name, her eyes opened and she looked down at the hand in front of her. Runali knew that there wasn't much time for him left, it was easy to see, so she reached out and gently took his hand. And with each moment she could feel the weight of his death on her heart, but she remained strong- if not for herself then for her crew. "I… couldn't keep the promise I made to you. And as your captain… I'm so sorry." She held just a little tighter to his hand. "And as your friend," She paused, sighing away the well of emotion behind her words. "I never should have-.. I should have been more careful."

Warmth passed through Ru's hand to Sid's, injecting a calming blue into all that green that surrounded him. Sid's desperation turned into one of relief as he felt himself tethered to this plane of existence, and he found himself smiling easily. Emotion flowed between the two of them, erasing away any doubt, any hesitancy they had between them. It was a great gift that Er'is had given them. Clarity.

"Why should you say sorry, capitaine, when this moment is ours to create? I - I'd prefer it to be about us. Crew, and friends," a little awkwardness crept into his voice when he finally called her "mon amie" (my friend). The one term he had guarded so selfishly all his life, bestowing it only one his familiars, Celestine and Victoire. Casually, he leaned in and their bodies met. His arms winding tightly around her. "Runali - if I may call you that," he drifted until nudged. "You've grown far beyond what I ever dreamed. You faced down challenges that would bring so many to their knees with courage. And, resilience, and much more. All of us would gladly fight under your banner, and it spurred us to grow. Look at us! We wouldn't be who we are without you."

His mind added easily. It really isn't about the time we spent together. Like two of the wisest people once said: "If I die here, I could only make it this far", so, he stopped before partially quoting the other. I hope … My life was like a pencil that ran out and I wished I left some beautiful writing behind, something so you will remember me by. For I would have truly died if I'm forgotten.

Rain seemed to pour overhead in spite of the sub zero chill; Sid could feel warm waters running down his cheeks and joining the streams passing through his semi-solid body, dotting the black ground around them. His mind slowly registering that they stood on. Whose tears, he didn't want to say for fear of marring this memory. Gentle hand tilted Ru's face up and thumb swiped away the tears - his, hers, it didn't matter anymore - as he tried to sound encouraging despite himself. "Smile for me? I want that to be my last memory of us. It has always been your smile and your hand clasping mine that chased away the shadows of my mind," he confessed. "Here the biggest shadow looms over us as we say the final goodbye."

"We've been friends since you stepped on my ship. No matter how stubborn you were." She couldn't help the soft laugh. It faded out as she sighed, mumbling a soft, "You'd also be alive with more of a chance at that growth…" But she didn't finish that sentence. She didn't regret 'stealing' Cedric away when she did. Runali couldn't control everything, she knew this, so she owned up to her mistakes, no matter how painful they were. She embraced him, hugging Cedric one final time- even if it may have been the only time.

With a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless, she straightened up. "I'm not too flowery with words but, trust me, you'd be impossible to forget. And I certainly don't plan on trying."

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Their tears, save Alicia's, meant nothing to Parisa. She was about to make her move, departing from Bonifaas with Cedric in hand. Here was her chance to claim him as hers, finally. The one orphan child who was stolen from her by his wily mother and kept further separated by Charlotte's spite. Her red smile glowed triumphant, although, deep down her heart cried for the hurt she was about to inflict on Sakura's daughter. No, she, the person martyred and made a villain by Trovale, had lost so much already. Losing one more precious person was a small price to pay for humanity's future.

Cedric will not go free! Her mental shout shocked Landry and Val into attention. And, the horrified templar capitaine saying nothing to quail her bloody desire. "Landry, now!"

Madame Summoner!

Trust me.

Skepticism darkened Landry's chiseled face, but he took one last inhale and obeyed, shattering his nullifying seal. The very earth screamed, dampening any sound the Stardusk made. Energy vibrated so tangible that foreboding thickened. Next came searing heat outstripping the cooling volcanic temperatures in the arena. White, blistering light beamed into the skies, knocking the thick cloud cover into thinning rings. The light expanded so far that the entire archipelago was covered and the entire world shook to its very foundations. Heat burst even further, wicking away the permafrost for miles around, raising the sea temperatures at an alarming rate, flash-cooking the more fragile sea dwellers. Within the light, a low rumbling reigned. It was as if life itself was waiting with bated breath as the existence of half the world was down to the last zeroth of a second.

Cedric deepened his hug as the rush of heat battered him, a lone rock in the tides of doom, clinging as if to draw courage from her. I'll protect you, Capitaine. With their bodies separated, Ru's fingers were ripped free from Cedric's. He placed a hand where his heart beat while he breathed, and flashed her a familiar smile. Hers, the one that often gave him courage to fight past the nights of fever and pain. Capitaine …

Purple plumed from his body, staining the overwhelming white, as Cedric dug deep into himself. It was this unique talent of his that caught Charlotte's eye during his sparring matches with Adenin. An ability, she claimed, that gave him an easy edge over others. Never had he ever thought of using it before this. Not since he knew how much it would harm him. Now it was different! Freed from an ailing body and his limit being the integrity of his very soul, he pushed ever forward.

Glowing runes circled his feet, expanding outwards, as gate after gate opened. Light screeched inwards, funneling into that slim frame. Purple slowly faded to grey as Cedric's soul began ripping apart, white cracks forming along his translucent skin, framing him for all eyes to see. Briefly, he heard Jack's screams tearing between the howls that deafened him. Was that Alicia … Ru? He couldn't tell anymore. If it was Alicia, he had one last promise to fulfil before he could face her again …

"How did you funnel all that chaos back in Trovale?" he asked her while they meditated at the brink of dawn months ago. Her answer he filed away, realising it didn't make sense at the time. Maybe now it did. Imperfect as it would be, he had to try. If he stopped, he would explode, taking everyone with him. Reaching out to his mentor for courage, he opened his mind to listen for any advice she could give him. Let me make you proud … was the last thing he said.

Alicia's lessons flashed through his mind. Everything leading him down his chosen path - his mind working on the fly to combine the techniques with summoning. The core of his soul blazed brightly, eating away the white light cracking his soul, and healing began. With the last of the light vanishing, darkness spread from corner to corner. A few blinks revealed weak winter light dancing upon the uneven ground surrounding a massive crater.

Sid slumped to his knees in the center of the crater. His blazing aura completely snuffed out, and was replaced by glowing white fissures along his skin. Hidden beneath a curtain of hair, he smiled, proud for the first time at what he achieved. He - even at the cost of his very soul - had protected the crew that always protected him. It was an honour he didn't regret.

Feeling his soul flake into nothingness as he had no physical body to stabilise all that energy, Cedric cusped his hands into his lap. There was one final thing he wished to do for everyone. Swirling, purple light concentrated in the cradle of his palms as the sound of someone sliding down the steep walls caused him to jerk his gaze towards the uncaring skies. Framed in by the grey light was one of his nearest and dearest. "Capitaine?" he asked as his smile faded into a mask of calm.

Runali wasn't sure what happened, as everything happened far too fast. Hearing the summoners off to the side made her eye flicker towards them, but the explosion that came next was blinding and too quick to prepare for. Runali could only grimace at the very thought of the summoners causing more trouble. She would have preferred them gone or dead, either way- just to give them one moment of peace from the hell that they endured. But Cedric's voice snapped her out of her own darkening thoughts as she faced him again. There was confusion and questioning on her face as she made her way back to Cedric, crouching down in front of him. "Cedric... what are you doing?" Her brow furrowed in concern towards his calm expression. She reached out, hesitant to touch the spirit with these new found fissures of light.

"Adding a jewel to your crown that I'll never make," he replied with a soft chuckle as more of him broke away. "I had it all designed - one for you, one for Luro. I thought of surprising you the day you become Pirate Lord," he spoke with hopeful confidence as he watched the emotions on her face. "I wished I could be there that day."

As he spoke, the ruins morphed into the gleaming deck of Lady Luck. A throne sat behind Ru as she stood before him swathed in finery they often jokingly designed. Flowers, banners festooned every inch of the ship as cannon fire filled the air. Sid wasn't sure what would happen, honestly, but he could create one last dream for them to share. Figures of the crew waivered should the real person approach. All of them slowly inducted into his dream. "I'm sure the real day would be even more amazing, but for now let's pretend this is reality and I'm bowing to the greatest capitaine."

Raising his hands, he held out to her a clear crystal orb with a purple constellation swirling inside. Pulses of power flared like diamonds, making it a gem of undiscovered beauty. "I wondered what gem should sit on your head. This is my answer, Runali." He explained. "It's a gem without a name for it never existed. Stored inside is enough power to light up cities bigger than Bonifaas for millennia. Or, if you choose, bring about the disaster we avoided. Please accept my humble gift," he finished, slipping the gem into her hands. "One I created from all the energy I absorbed."

Runali watched the world around them change into an illusion of Cedric's making. She wanted to make a comment about how much energy he was using- about how his last moments should have been him resting and at peace. But looking at him, it was clear he was happy with this. It was something he wanted to do, and who was she to deny a dying man his last moments.

The illusion itself put her in a sense of awe as she watched the celebration to be, a potential future she'd have. She looked back at the crew, mostly in surprise wondering if they could see it too. But when she looked back at Cedric her smile faltered into a more somber one. Once more, she crouched in front of Cedric, steeling herself as she spoke. As she kneeled there, between the two of them, a sad look crossed her expression and her shoulders sagged. "No celebration will be as good with you not here with us."

Runali wiped the corner of her eye before a tear could fall and she looked down at the gem in her hand. With a laugh, she smiled. "Dangerous. But pretty… I'll take good care of it. Thank you."

They embraced for the second time in their friendship. Sid silent as he let their deepened hug - warm with the ambers of energy swirling within - allayed his fears in ways he couldn't describe. Death had been his nightmare since he was a sick child, but today he had gone beyond. He would stop existing. Forever. "Promise me you'll wear it proudly even though it isn't Stardusk blue."

Letting her help him to his feet, Cedric took an unsteady step forward as he turned to wave farewell to the people he lived with for so many months. Years? Time seemed endless as they went from one adventure to the next. Memories he knew Z would remember on his behalf. Refusing to let tears glisten down his cheeks, he let his eyes lingered on Alicia last of all. His mind done replying to everyone else.

"Did I make you proud?" he whispered to the swordswoman as worry made more of him crumble away. "I'm sorry if I angered you. Disappointed you," he smiled sadly as tears finally fell. "Your next student will surely surpass me."

Energy rumbled deep within and his remaining body trembled in agony. It must have shown on his face, but Cedric never stopped smiling as he waved again. Exploding before their eyes into fine particles, his remnants drifted into the grey heaven as a light snowfall began. His last words were swept away by the biting wind.

Thank you!

 

[Mizos]

​

How many times have the two of them had to say goodbye?
The answer had been lost at this point, farewell's neither desired were slowly growing with time and that reality enveloped the both of them as they each met with Cedric. Zilia did her best to put on a proper face for Cedric, she didn't want to send him off with tears, she knew that wouldn't make it any easier but once again what she wanted didn't come true as something undesired slid down both her cheeks, tears stinging the edges of her eyes as she hit her limit, questions that had lingered in her thoughts now answered.
"I will ensure it doesn't take anyone else Cedric...I will create a proper cure."
She quickly wiped her face with her sleeve and offered him a smile as he moved to speak to the others.

Luro at this point had moved Jack's unconscious body next to Cedric, and ultimately near Zilia. His eyes moved over to what he could only assume was a spirit Cedric at his approach and Luro's brows arched his head tilting to the side slightly. The redhead as always wore the same expression he always did, only offering a smile to Cedric upon seeing him again. The 'conversation' they had carried plenty with it, Jack was his brother, Cedric was his brother it was as simple as that. For a moment the emotions that Luro couldn't show met with Cedric's, the words Luro were unable to speak, spoken unheard between them. With a grin he returned the hug as best he could.
"You can count on me. I'll keep an eye on Jack," Luro said before backing away so he could move to another. "Sorry I didn't get you your return gift in time."
He watched Cedric in silence adjusting the scarf around his neck.
"That…is why I don't regret calling him family."
"Cling to whatever things you wish Makachi, they'll vanish eventually he just went before the others. Besides…this is far from over."


What followed caused Luro's brows to lower slightly, his gaze moving over to the three nearby. There wasn't much time to respond as the explosion of energy soon followed, Zilia quickly raised her arms preparing a barrier but hesitated as a sudden dizziness hit her. The energy somehow was less harsh then she expected, the heat was there but something was filtering it, she slowly lowered her hands at this and looked ahead. Luro stood in front of her hands in his sleeves, the energy pushing against some invisible force conjured by some unseen hand, Luro's hair and clothing fluttering as something akin to a spring breeze surrounded the small group as the bright light raged around them.
"Actually surprised that worked, though at this point it's just going to kill me first," Luro said grinning back at the others. "So hopefully someone has a plan cause I'm losing my grip pretty quickly here."
Zilia looked down at Luro's feet which were slowly sliding back and the heat was slowly growing more intense, she could see part of his clothing starting to tear as it seeped through, burn marks forming in the spots that had been unaffected from earlier.
She bit her lip and started to open her mouth to do something…anything even knowing she barely had the power to stand, but it wasn't necessary, a flash consumed the intense explosion of power causing Luro to pull his hands from his sleeves, blood staining his bandages even further, dripping on the ground as he lowered his arms to to his sides, he grinned watching Cedric as the purple started over taking the white.
"Choosing the last moment to show off...hahahaha going out flashy just like a proper Stardusk!"
"Luro!"
Zilia seemed to find her voice and Luro stared at the scene in front of them.
"That's-"
"Unless you know how to stop it Z ingrain it in your memory. It's how ya show respect."
Luro's smile shrunk a little.
"Not going out quietly…resisting till the end. Hahaha that's a proper pirate for ya."
Zilia was sure there was a little less energy in that comment but she could only offer a nod.

Soon everything faded and Luro and Zilia stared at the sky, watching as Cedric fully faded from this world.
Luro offered a wave to Cedric at his last words Zilia only watching the scene in silence, her hands closing into fists.
The moment of silence didn't last long, Luro eventually clapped his hands together, as he did black lines ran up his body, fangs took over his canines and his bandages unwrapped revealing the clawed hands underneath. All the blood along the ground was suddenly pulled towards the redhead, pooling at his feet and bubbling forming a mini marsh under him. The snowfall around him seem to freeze in mid-air the pure white snow flakes dyed a dark red as his gaze moved over to the three.
Flowers made of crystal started growing up around his boots, blooming as more blood flowed into them, rising out of the red pool.

"Okay so I can kill them now right? I'm taking that act earlier as an attempt on our lives so it's allowed."
It took Zilia a moment to actually move, her gaze had been focused on the rest of the crew, she wanted to get them somewhere safe and treat them, Jack was unconscious and Alicia was clearly barely standing...yet her hair still looked better than hers even now...actually was that even hair? She wasn't sure but now wasn't the time to contemplate it.
"Luro stop. I know you're mad but-"
"I'm not mad Z," Luro said keeping his attention on the three. "This would be easier if I was angry."
Zilia stared at Luro for a moment and the smile resting on his face, she couldn't deny he didn't seem angry, he was clearly content with this, a bit too content. That look in his eyes...was too close to the one on the beach for her liking though.
"I understand at the very least wanting to respond...but now isn't the time."
"I can kill at least two of them before they have a chance to move, the glowing lady will take some effort."
"That's not comforting."
"I was unable to move after helping Jack...and I don't have to worry about Alicia or Captain in the line of fire right now so there's no reason to stop Z. They attacked us so I need to kill them and that's it, fair is fair."
That place he used to weaken Runali belonged to Imposter, and admittedly didn't come without a cost, especially since he stole it without paying the full price, that wasn't going to happen again, Imposter was paying close attention and he wasn't even sure how he did it in the first place, still he had enough around to at least kill Val and Landry quickly.
"Right now 25% isn't a terrible offer."
Luro's hands twitched slightly causing some of the frozen snowflakes around him to move way from him slightly.
"I don't really care what their weird fancy plans are, Landry attacked Cedric, that glowing lady clearly took action there and Val, who actually I'm kinda sad I have to rip open, did nothing to stop it from happening. They attacked Cedric much less in his last moments, so I'll kill all of them, same as I'd do anyone else. Accident, purpose, none of that matters to me. I am a little sad though...we coulda been friends."
"Luro...please...

Luro's gaze moved over to Zilia for the first time since their conversation and their eyes met, in that brief moment a hidden conversation fell between the two of them. Whatever Zilia said with her gaze caused Luro to glance at his living crew mates, at Runali, the unconscious Jack, the exhausted Zilia and his gaze lingered a bit longer on Alicia and the many cracks in her skin along with the long one along her back he noticed earlier, his eyelids lowering slightly now that he took a closer look at her.
"All rigggghttt," Luro said straightening his body. "You're right that's kinda selfish."
The marks on his body left as he returned to normal once again, though the flowers at his feet still remained, his hands returned to normal and the bandages wrapped back around them as if they had a life of their own. The strange flow of energy still surrounded Luro almost as a silent warning as he waited for the order.
Luro scratched the size of his head with his hand and shifted his footing slightly as his stance relaxed once again.
"Apparently I'm just a beast or something right? I should act accordingly here Z, don't wanna disappoint and all."
"I know Luro."
"If Captain gives the order..."
"I know Luro," Zilia said adjusting her gloves. "I'm beside you if that happens...but."
Luro nodded and drew the rifle on his back clicking a switch causing the L.A.S.S. and L.A.D. to roar the life.

"I get it…" Luro said. "I'm not going to start a fight while Alicia looks like she got into bar brawl, one of the fun one's especially...and Jack's unconscious too."
"Luro you're also bleeding in several places," Zilia added.
"Eight Z, hard to tell with all the blood stains. Still standing though so that's all that matters. You know they're going to do the thing."
"...the pedestal thing yes probably."
"They're going to Z, they always do the thing."

 

[SilentxChaos]

Collab between @Fox of Hearts and @SilentxChaos

​

​

Crystal skies filled with stars reached for the top of the Bloody Aurora's masts. A perfect night saved the lonely silence that filled every nook and cranny. Hanging in the air were faint purple orbs, they hovered like low hanging fruit ripe for the plucking. Each bearing snapshots of Jack's memories. He was - as he slumbered - on a ship sailing on ghostly waters with the bow set in the direction of oblivion.

"Fére?" Greeting the tired yellow eyes was scruffy teddy bear's face. Behind it was nine-year-old Cedric, whose eyes shone with innocent worry. Puffing those naturally blushing cheeks, the child reached down and patted Jack's. "Wake up, fére!"

Jack awoke with a start. "Wha… where?" He struggled to get his bearings, but there was pain everywhere. He felt like he'd been stabbed a hundred times all over. Hadn't he? Flashes of the battle in Bonifaas crowded in his mind's eye. He desperately tried to stand up, but oh, he was so weak. One hand clasped young Cedric's shoulder as he looked around.

"Where's Stardusk? What-- what is this?" He turned back to Sid, and was surprised to find his brother was just a child. This was… their past? That meant they were on Hoshi North's ship. Which means…

"Oh." This was all an illusion. A dream.

Tears filmed his eyes with realization as he gently touched Cedric's cheek. "I'm so sorry."

Soft warmness patted Jack's cheek as tiny fingers gathered away his tears. Cedric needed to tip-toe to do so given their huge height difference, Jack being fully grown and he a child. "Don't cry, fére. I created this place so we can be together. Laugh, play, remember…"

This Sid must have absorbed some of his creator's feelings, because the illusion child began tearing up. "You know it makes me sad to see you cry … " Swiping his tears with teddy crushed under the same arm, he continued relaying the message. "There's nothing for you to be sorry about. You're the best big brother a boy could ask for. Always!"

Jack choked on a chuckled sob. "Not good enough to protect you. I should have been able to save you. Here, and before. So many times I've failed you."

Jack had to look away from Sid, if just briefly. To look at him, knowing that he'd wake up to Sid's cold and broken body, shattered little pieces of his soul. He wiped away the tears and tried to shake himself. He wouldn't ruin these last moments.

Somewhere in the bowels of the ship, Hoshi's powerful drunken slur rose like the waves. Her words were indistinguishable, but it caused the brothers to glance at each other and grin. Back in their days, that meant someone was getting in trouble, but it wasn't them.

"Of all the places to pick, it had to be here." Jack tweaked his brother's nose. It was clear, despite his words, there was nowhere he'd rather be. "If only we could stay here."

Cedric waited for Jack to settle on the deck floor before climbing into his lap. Resting his head against the sturdy chest, he absorbed the warmth and the strong heartbeat. Signs that he was safe from all the fears in the world. "Yeah. Life got all funny when we went to Trovale. You stopped smiling. You cried, yelled and punched the walls." Snuggling teddy closer, the boy sighed. "I must have made you sad."

Pointing to the orb hovering closest to them, Sid watched Jack grab it. A scene of the two of them yelling at each other flashed across the surface. Teen Sid, still healing from his injuries with the Wolf, was screaming at Jack. The latter's hand was fisted, black with haki. The two of them didn't need to hear the words to know what they said. Regret was bitterest at the end. Cedric stopped Jack from throwing the orb back into the sky.

"That was the first time I was ever jealous of you. You were healthy, strong, smart. Madame Charlotte gladly replaced you with me. I - I was afraid. Being a summoner was all I wanted. I - sorry, Jack. I wished I could take it back." Wisdom not of a child's peeked through the illusion, telling Jack why Cedric chose to appear as his more vulnerable self to his big brother. He was keeping his side of the promise - no more secrets between them.

In one hand, Jack took the orb as similar emotions played beneath his pained face. Three more orbs gravitated nearby. "You were never the source of my sadness. Never. It was the people who hurt us, used us, and my inability to stop them. It was… all about me."

The scenes on all four orbs changed and Cedric recognized none of them. They all centered around Jack. Charlotte du Vontiago giving Jack his first mission. Him kidnapping a nobleman, dragging the man out of his office. Interrogating someone -- multiple someones -- inflicting pain when needed. Escaping shoot outs, eliminating targets, pretending to be the bad guy. Adelaide appeared in many of them and one in which Jack lingered on the most: The two of them, lying side by side in sand, looking dead to the world.

"Charlotte's wish for an acceptable successor would have destroyed you. This would've been your life… it never should have been mine. I thought I was protecting you but in the end, I lost you and myself. We should have never gotten involved."

A tired wave of the hand dismissed the memories. One orb remained, floating gently above their heads. Its contents swirled before revealing him and Cedric in a farmhouse. They were young, with Cedric clearly in the worst throes of his sickness, but at peace in the moment. Jack was making stew as Sid read from a book, wrapped in blankets on a straw cot, and Chester purring on his lap.

Jack brimmed with bittersweet nostalgia. "I'll never go back to Trovale. But they weren't all bad memories. I miss that brief reprieve with the farmer family. It was peaceful."

Sid bit his lower lip, feeling unsure if he wished to be led down happier roads. Too many secrets remained between them, and he worried that they would continue to haunt Jack for years to come. His time with Adenin, for instance. Or, his undying admiration for Charlotte. Ironically, he had told Runali seconds ago not to be sad when they could make this moment a happy one.

Blinking tears down his own cheeks, illusion Sid pressed his head closer to Jack's chest. Wrapping his arms around the warm girth, he listened contently to the steady heartbeat that reassured him that Jack's alive. A single memory orb materialized in front of Jack, inviting him to grab it and examine the memory within.

Cedric's memory was a jumble of moments from his time with the crew - sorting herbs with Zilia, sketching Coral Pearl while listening to Runali, meditating and training with Alicia, cooking with Jack and refilling Luro's rum bottle while the man snored softly. The last was the crew celebrating Jack's birthday on Isla Ballena. The birthday man had a big, hearty smile plastered on his face, a smile to trump all smiles. And, he was sure seeing it would surprise Jack as much as he was that day.

"Do you remember Petit Peli? In the story, he thought he could spread happiness throughout the world by writing down his happiest days and putting the message into a bottle to be thrown into the sea. Can you do that for me, fére? Write down your happiest days and your saddest days, and cast them into the sea. I promise I'll be the one who will find them and keep your secrets."

Don't live a life filled with regrets. You have family back in Norja and at sea. Climb ever higher, fére, and I'll catch you the day you fall. Death's sad but not scary like I thought it would be. Sid's voice echoed in their little world.

Both arms wrapped around Cedric. Jack enveloped him, pulled him close, even as he felt this fictitious world coming to its end. Don't leave me… don't leave… don't leave…, floated Jack's thoughts between them as whispers of tremendous desperation. Cedric felt it through his bruising embrace.

How can I go on without you?

A shuddering breath brushed Cedric's cheek. "I will. I promise. We'll meet again, I swear, when it's my turn to cross the horizon."

The Bloody Aurora began to fade around them. Jack's grip tightened, wanting to cling to every last moment. So many things still left to say; no time to do so. In a way, Jack found he didn't care. He just wanted to hang onto his brother for as long as possible. Until the masts dispersed into breezes, and the deck vanished into morning mists, and the ocean turned to fog.
And then they did too. Jack's last thoughts echoed in the empty space.

I love you.

*******

Cedric's outline sharpened against the dimming skies. The world held a collective sigh as the ethereal summoner staggered to his feet with Runali's help. He stood swathed in a shroud of winter light and snow, letting tears slip as he spoke to Alicia. Sliding his gaze back to Luro, Sid inhaled upon seeing Jack awake before time. Too far, too slow, for them to share a final hug.

Je t'aime aussi, fére. (brother, I love you too)

His form held up not a second more. Sid couldn't hear Jack pulling off one last miracle of love, couldn't see those tears, couldn't feel those fingers clawing his ashes from the sky. It was Ru who stood beside the surviving brother as he crumbled to his knees, gazing at the sparse ashes powdering his skin.

It was Sid's turn to leave Jack behind.

A helpless hand hung in midair. The ashes drifted through Jack's fingertips, and with them, what remained of his brother. He collapsed against Runali. The dying wail of his heart tore through his veins, and the only show of it were tears freezing to his face.

Mewing warmth landed softly on Jack's heaving shoulders. A paw brushed against tear-soaked skin, a papery tongue. Chaos slipped into the empty arms, filling them in Cedric's place. As Chaos cried piteously, Jackie moped at Jack's feet with his retrieved shimi butterfly sword laid close by. She quickly joined her sister in Other Master's arms after his hand reached for the blade.

From across the field, Landry choked back the warm blood filling his mouth. He kept a firm eye on Jack as he contemplated comforting the grieving man. They were in a sense Cedric's big brother, and he hoped the knowledge would make Jack feel less alone. His foot barely left the ground when Val jerked him back. Shaking her head, she whispered.

"He won't appreciate it. Cedric was possibly dearer to him than the Lady of the East." While they traded whispers, an unnatural chill slipped past her collar. Valerie tilted her head to the skies, wondering if Adelaide was here. Meaning the former Siren had also tracked Charlotte Du Vontiago till the northernmost continent. "She's gone," Val announced to the rushing winds. "Scorpiox was spotted near the mountains three days ago."

Of course, there was a possibility that he was trying to throw them off Charlotte's trail.

Cedric's familiars brought Jack back from the brink. His fingers curled around the shimi blade's hilt. It became sheathed once more but he didn't recall doing it. Pulling the cats close, and by that action holding the pieces of himself together, he finally tore his gaze from the spot he saw his brother for the last time to look at Runali.

"Let's go home, Runali." Back to Lady Luck.

 

[Fox of Hearts]

Collab between Capt. Blu and Fox of Hearts

Slow clapping shattered the emptiness Cedric left behind. Parisa's blood red smile was made more intense by the thickening white snow as she towered over Runali. Suppressed rage smouldered in her eyes when she realised what Cedric had done. In a calm voice meant only for the pirate captain's ears, the Grand Summoner spoke. "Touching, no? Landry's lucky Cedric doesn't appear to have survived or he might have a dark horse chasing his tail to be the next Grand Summoner." Her masked face turned briefly to the man hacking up blood as he was supported by Val. "Rejected child of Beauregard descent. Child of two descendant bloodlines from Grand Summoner Giraud it seems. Sadly, with no nobility as his mother was a throwaway descendant of a common whore. No wonder he's Charlotte's most valuable slum rat."

Parisa opened her hand expectantly as her raven eyes dug into Ru's. "Your move, dear Capitaine Lev. Give me Cedric's body or I'll take it by force."

Runali gave a proper captain's salute to Cedric as she watched him fade off into whatever was next for him. For a brief moment, she wondered if Jones was watching, hoping he'd nab Cedric before anyone- anything else did. But the moment faded and she grew tense again when her eyes met Parisa. Her hands fell at her side, fists clenched. She took a breath and straightened up. She flexed her hand, debating if she had enough energy or haki left. The latter, she could siphon a bit, but the former she had lost. Lost energy, lost time, and lost patience. She didn't grace Parisa with words or her attention. Instead she took a step forward, standing in front of Cedric and in front of her crew. With the rest of her haki she could siphon, she raised a short wall of fire in between them and the summoners, sending it outward to hit the three of them at once.

------------------ Time-Skip ------------------​

Kadi's silhouette stood firm. The sole unbroken Stardusk after the adventure in Bonifaas, and the best person to promise his crew mates warmer weather in a few days. Stoicism dogged his movement, but the look in his eye, that glance over the state of everyone, told Runali he understood and didn't want to pry. Jem had a similar expression as she ordered Little Star back below deck after the crew tumbled in without Sid. Standing over Luro and Jack, the fierce doctor pointed to the bedrolls she laid out on deck that served as holding bay until Zilia could tend to them.

Lazarus hovered like an excitable lizard, staring as Salem and Emerens drove away in a borrowed wagon. "Seems like the royal household and the guild pitched in to bring you safely to harbour. Still the van Vries owe you a big 'un. So's when do you plan to send in the bill, Luro?" Despite the upbeat demeanour, only his family could hear the upset in that upbeat titter at the loss of one of his grandchildren.

Soft tunes from a lone violin drifted in from crashing waves, causing Jem to scan the horizon for the source. In the distance, Monet perched on a foamy rock while playing his thanks to the crew for reuniting him with Sybil. His love stood beside him waving cheerfully as Lady Luck slipped into the mist. Warm winds, courtesy of the spectral summoner, hastened their retreat from this desolate land.

Remaining in her chosen corner, watched by Kadi, was a beat up Runali cocooned in Sara's old quilt. She was a paragon of silence, lost in the darkness of her own thoughts. Hidden under the warm folds, Jaipuran vines gave off a soothing perfume - almost minty in scent - as they wrapped around Runali's injuries. Er'is leaned against the railing behind her, shielding her from the worst of the winds with his billowing robes. Smiling as he thought it was more encouraging when he noticed her becoming aware of his presence.

"That was a good fight, Captain Lev." He finally addressed her by her title since she deserved it. "A little slower and I wouldn't have been able to dampen Limorges's counter attack. It's unfair, isn't it? The two templars held back and let you and Amaiya Alicia take on T'Raiz."

Blowing a warming, herbal scent Jack-wards, and towards Luro as well, the deer deity allowed Ru to stew over his words. Or, whatever she was feeling at the moment. He couldn't really tell her true feelings underneath this mask she wore. Letting Monet and Sybil disappear from sight, Er'is watched for the next listless shift before he began again. "I didn't think Parisa would come with K'lirin or that she would take Cedric. For that, I'm sorry."

Runali's eyes remained closed as she listened to the shuffle of feet on her ship. She counted them and then recounted, adding the extra, subtracting the one. She made no effort to address Er'is as she sat there. When he apologized, her mouth formed into a thin line and she opened her eyes. "You're sorry?" It was hard to tell whether it was the chill in the air or the fact that the others were around that calmed her back into leaning against a barrel. Spirits and the rest of the undead were a confusing and irritating lot that she didn't want to continue indulging in- not that she had a choice most of the time. "Why are you still here anyway?" She pressed on. "Have you not had enough fun toying us along like the rest?"

"I'm waiting," he explained without showing any reaction to Ru's anger. "A plan had been set in motion from the day Cedric woke me in Trovale. T'Raiz complicated things, unfortunately. Aided by Adenin du Vontiago aaaaand you, captain. You did some of the worse damage to your crew."

The last comment drew Kadi's eyes their way, but the navigator looked away again. His body language screamed protectiveness yet there was grudging respect for Ru's privacy. Er'is chuckled, having confirmed his suspicions about the man. Though, his mirth didn't last long. How much should he tell her?

"Rest assured that all I did was for Cedric's well-being. I take care of him the way I continue to for Amaiya Alicia, my beloved queen piece. You, Captain Lev, I shall remain honest with. Everything laid clear the way True Sight reveals the unseen." He gestured bony palm up under Ru's eyes. "You ask and I shall answer. Leaving, though, will not be an option. Not yet."

Runali scoffed and looked out towards the sea. "And yet now he's dead. So what good are you really?" It wasn't meant to be answered. Instead, she hoisted herself to her feet, giving a nod to Kadi in some fashion of reassurance before walking closer to the side of the ship to get a better look at the ocean. "I don't trust you. Nor do I like you." She had long since found an eyepatch to replace her destroyed one, but her single eye still flickered over where Er'is was. "And since you're so loyal to my first mate and since I can only imagine you'll be hovering around my chef, know that any harm that comes to them that you could so easily stop, I will make it my own personal goal to be rid of you." Despite the threat, there was no malice in her tone. She continued leaning on the side of the ship and turned back to the calm sea. "I have no problem trading you to Davy Jones for a favor. I want nothing from you besides your silence, really. And preferably your absence. But since I will not get that, I suppose I'll entertain your cryptic nature before I hope for your continued silence." She sat up just a little. "What plan and why do you need to be here for it?" Her brow furrowed for a moment. "True Sight? What are you talking about?"

A red celandine, flower of her hometown, was presented to Runali in cusp of bony palm. Er'is hummed his acknowledgement as he noted if Ru got the significance of the flower he presented her. "No harm has come to your crew. I would say none came to Cedric but that won't make sense at present," he observed as he tapped the red petals with a free finger. "Meaning, well, you don't have to say it out loud. I saw your eye light up."

As the flower changed hands, he checked on the vines healing her wounds. Satisfied with their progress, he made fruits appear, again resembling some of her childhood favourites, facts he niggled from her subconscious mind. "I believe Mama Lev prescribed this to heal the hurts." He reassured her as he held out a particularly fleshy one. There was something in his demeanour that emphasised that his care was also extended to her even if she wasn't accepting it. "As for True Sight - do you remember me helping you see the deceased? Their souls to be more specific. I thought it served you well and it will continue serving you well as you search for your friend."

Tapping the top of her eyepatch gently, he grinned toothily. "The power is concentrated in your Reaper Eye. What spawns from it shall be a fun surprise." Chuckling because he knew the answer, the deer god waved in front of her seeing eye. "This eye here shall see only one spirit, me. Sounds like a good compromise?"

Runali stared at Er'is for a long quiet moment. Her gaze went to the flower and then to the fruit eventually, but usually just ended back on the creature in front of her. Whatever emotion she felt, she kept it to herself, opting for a neutral gaze. She opened her mouth to say something, but gave up and opted to sigh and push herself off the side of the ship to a proper stand. "Whatever you say, Er'is… I've got a crew to take care of. A bird, specifically." She turned to walk away. "If you're going to hover around, stay out of the way. And give everyone their space. We would like the time to mourn."

Watching her walk away, the deer demon roped the ever stoic navigator into an odd conversation. "Mourning, huh? M - are you keeping to Arcadius? Ah, let's go with that for convenience sake. Yes, M. Arcadius, please enlighten me why they need to mourn and what it entails."

The conversations between immortals - sans or inclusive of the third on board - remained as such while Njord sent them back whence they came. Back to Isla Ballena where someone in the shadows waited for them to dock. Their identity Er'is decided to keep to himself. After all, he preferred being a spectator of destiny…

FIN​

 

[Winter]

Alicia had to steady herself when the world turned to white, gritting her teeth as she fought against the overwhelming force just to prevent herself being knocked out of her ascended form due to the fragility of her situation. What came next was the sight of their deceased friend imparting his last words to them before his form began to destabilize, the Feian managing herself back onto her feet as he spoke to her with what remained of his final moments.

"I've always been proud of you, never would I be disappointed… nor will you ever be replaced." her words softly given came with a somberness to them. She watched as what remained of him went with the exhale of passing wind leaving them alone once more. She then allowed herself to sink back against the ground, unable to offer much to the conversation passed between Luro and Zilia as she dismissed her weapon away to conserve as much strength as she could.

"Zilia." She attempted to get the doctor's attention as she felt her form twist between the pain of losing a friend and the critical state she was in. "I'm afraid I'll need your help. Once I descend I will almost certainly fall unconscious." she didn't look at Zilia right away, focusing more on keeping her breathing consistent. "I fear I might have pushed myself too hard and taken one too many hits more than I can handle."

Zilia was already at Alicia's side when her name was called, the swordswoman without a doubt looked the worst for wear and if not for the three possible enemies hovering nearby would have sat her down and started treating her first. Normally she would have said something about being careful but given her own state wasn't the best and everyone was barely standing or at least close to it she forced those words down, and now didn't seem the time.

"I understand. I'll ensure you wake up safely and I'll treat what I can before you wake up...well if we're not being attacked. Is there anything else you need to tell me or need my aid with?"
She turned to speak to Luro only for him to raise a hand before she could say anything, apparently they had the same objective if Alicia were to fall unconscious.
Zilia looked over at Alicia again and pat the bag at her waist.
"We'll talk more about limits later, but I'm here."

Alicia offered a small reassuring smile despite the hurt that came at the departure of their friend. "I have a number of wounds, though I've… lost track of where they are save for the laceration at my lower back." she recalled Ru's Chakram sinking into her back cracking her armour.

"Once I fall unconscious I will be unlikely to awaken for quite some time until my soul has had time to recover, I… do not know if there is a way to fix this or quicken the process, this has never happened to me before. But I appear to be running out of time, I will lose this form any minute now." she confessed.

"However the more pressing issue is that my form is presently keeping me together, barely." she grimaced. "Once I descesend my wounds will be uncontained by the armoured flesh, It's possible I might bleed out." she could already feel her form begin to falter, forcing herself to remain ascended a little longer to give Zilia as much information as she could. "My life will be in your hands I'm afraid, for this I'm very sorry." she reached and gripped Zilia's wrist reassuringly. "But know I have complete faith in you, there is no one else I'd trust more to see me through to the other side. So when you're ready, I'll descend and place myself in your care."

No one looked good in this situation, so the fact Alicia had become a pressing issue wasn't a good sign, in a way Zilia appreciated that Alicia understood the severity of her wounds, and at her apology offered a small shake of her head.
"It's part of my duty, you wouldn't apologize for being first mate after all. Once you're healed and better, then I'll berate you, for now I'll make sure to respond to that faith properly."
Zilia reached over and touched the hand on her wrist, offering the swordswoman a firm nod.

Alicia gave her plenty to work with, she'd have to act quickly and she had an idea what Runali was already going to do as she watched her movements. The fact Luro's stance had relaxed further was another sign. She wanted to mourn, to allow her body to tremble in silent anger at what had occured, but now wasn't the time.
"I'll ensure your wounds are taken care of, and we'll all be here when you awaken...I refuse to lose anyone else today. I swear it. Thank you for trusting me Alicia."

Alicia returned with a soft laugh when Zilia mentioned berating her after, her laugh ending quickly as she winced before holding her free hand against her torso. "It's a deal." she replied before withdrawing her other hand from the doctor as she got herself into a better position. She felt anxious for all the wrong reasons, worried for what might happen once she fell into the realm of unconsciousness despite knowing if anything did happen she'd be unlikely to be able to assist anyone.

And so with a sigh she settled herself down after casting a glance towards Luro, laying herself flat to avoid hitting her head against the floor. "I'll be right back." she spoke, though it was unclear if she was speaking to Zilia or convincing herself that it would be ok. The swordswoman closed her eyes, taking another deep breath before descending herself back to her normal form.

A bright flash consumed her body for only a moment before blood spattered from the corner of her mouth, more crimson striking the stone around her as uncontained wounds became unobstructed by her armour. As expected she immediately fell into an unconscious state, her vision blurring as darkness clouded her sight while sound faded away leaving her mind to withdraw into a void.

Her outfit, the one which Cedric himself had made for her appeared perfectly intact thanks to its absence upon her during the fight. Unfortunately however the black and red palette of the clothing made wounds more difficult to spot, though darker patches would soon stain to allow a perceptive eye at least a chance to seek them out. Alicia was officially down.

Zilia offered a smile to Alicia offering a nod to her as she stood by her side.
"We'll be here when you return."
Zilia's eyes twitched slightly as Alicia changed and she saw the myriad of wounds that found their way to her as she returned to normal. Zilia whispered something enveloping Alicia in a barrier, raising her hand afterward something lifted Alicia off the stone floor as a makeshift table formed under her. Zilia looked over at the Captain then at Luro just before the flames flew up.

Zilia didn't have time to be grateful for the ship's return, only offering a nod as thanks for the assistance more focused on moving the unconscious Alicia with Luro's help, though the moment they were on the ship, she offered a smile to Jemima for directing, seeming to understand the situation.
Luro was sturdy and had enough scars and Jack was the same, if she could help it she wanted to get to Alicia quickly and if possible avoid any scarring. She didn't want her to carry a reminder of this day out in the open if it could be avoided.

Once she had changed her gloves and ensured she wasn't just as much of a risk to the swordswoman she removed the barrier, placing the seastone ring on her finger after to avoid any interruptions from her own emotions. She immediately began examining Alicia's body once she was in her office and the door was shut.
"Multiple bruising in various areas across her body…" Zilia said her eyes narrowing slightly.
She reached up and moved Alicia's head slightly observing a black eye, over the one that generally lit up.
"Should be able to deal with those…"
Her eyes moved over the First Mate's form and she gently squeezed different places her mouth twitching as she confirmed what her eyes were telling her.
"Swelling too...clearly fractures...but they seem light shouldn't have to resort to surgery if I'm careful…"
The mark along her back was already known to her but now she at least understood how to address everything.
Cedric's face flashed in her ind for a moment and she shut her eyes pushing it down along with the rising emotions that almost came with it.
"Focus on the person in front of you...regrets won't save the patient in your hands...harsh but true Mentor."

Zilia had lost track of how much time had passed, she now sat in Alicia's room having moved the swordswoman there after finishing her treatment, after changing her clothes she placed Alicia in her bed and pulled the cover over her. She sat at her side, having changed out of her own bloody clothes, with her gloves gently folded to the side. She rested a hand over Alicia's patiently waiting for her to awaken. It wasn't much but hopefully having someone nearby was a comfort.

She had wrapped up half of her body only where the wounds were especially awful, over her bruised eye was a necessity but she expected she'd be able to remove them fairly soon. Due to the fractures she had to create a makeshift cast, thankfully Alicia was reasonably active, so long as she lived as she generally did, with some moderation, she'd be back to normal relatively quickly.
She mentally sighed glad to have someone who took care of themselves consistently.

By now she had already finished taking care of Luro and Jack, and looked over the Captain as well, dealing with whatever patient came her way quickly and efficiently. She treated her own wounds to a degree, enough to avoid infection but went to Alicia's side afterwards.
Since Alicia was especially worse off so she wanted to keep an eye on her. Zilia also wasn't sure what the power of destruction much less her strange form did to her body minus protect her for a time from her grievous wounds.
If they provided extra stress on the body she had to be prepared for that, it was part of the process in dealing with people who possessed powers.
"That being said...she's stable and all….but how is her hair still perfect! I'm sure the secret is in this room...but I can't move from here. Mentor did this for me to ensure I had good dreams, I have to do the same….I wonder if I'll solve it's mystery if I touch it?"
Zilia raised her hand only to quickly lower it.
"Professional Zilia...be professional…"

~~~~~~~~~~~​

It'd be a few days before Alicia began showing signs of returning, the first night spent in silence while the second was more active as she twitched and stirred between bouts of feverish sweating. Only on the third day did the Feian sleep peacefully before her eyes would slowly open, silver irises adjusting within a confused expression that slowly began to ease off as her mind recalled, connected and filled in the gaps for her.

It was the second time she'd been in trouble now, the first being when she'd saved Jack from drowning at the cost of suffering through the initial stages of hypothermia. Had it not been for Jack and Zilia her journey might have ended back in Bonifaas and she'd now be among friends and family in the infinite after.

Cedric came to her mind quickly to remind her of what happened, her eyes closing again as her chest filled with a mix of different emotions threatening to present themselves as tears before her feelings transitioned into a dull unpleasant grey that brought about a somber expression to features. She would mourn for him, but right now she needed to find out what happened after she'd fallen, how long it'd been and probably rest to ensure Zilia's work wasn't wasted.

Alicia took in a deep breath to steady herself before wincing as the light fractures and wounds made themselves known, a hand raising to her forehead to feel the bandage over her eye for a moment before she attempted to sit herself up slowly to shake away the sluggish feeling suppressing her mind and body.

Doing this reminded her of Cedric.
She had lost track of how many nights spent at his bedside doing the same thing, gently dabbing away the sweat brough by his fever, grabbing Jack if it got especially bad. Each night spent in one way or another clasping his hand waiting for him to wake up.
It had never been a bother, each time he woke up feeling better it was considered somewhat of a success, thus when Alicia finally awoken she withdrew her hand and waited for her to fully regain her senses

She patiently waited hands folded in lap as Alicia took a moment, she watched the change of expression on her face, her own features tensing for a moment only to relax seeing her work through the emotions within her. Zilia reached over and helped Alicia sit up with a smile before pulling her hands back resting them back in her lap.
"Good morning Alicia, you slept like the dead the first night so I was a bit worried," Zilia said. "Three days have passed since you fell unconscious and...since I know you're going to ask I'll explain what has happened so take that moment to stretch and loosen up a bit."

Zilia went into a full blown explanation of the last three days, she had organized the information to avoid confusion the best she could. Part of what she explained was that they were out to sea, everyone was taken care of and thankfully safe. Luro was being Luro, Jack clearly wasn't fine but was pretending to be as he usually did. There was a chance there was a familiar ghost on the ship, something Zilia said to speak with Runali about if Alicia felt the need to pursue it.
They had enough supplies until they made it to the next town, apparently Luro had basically robbed the royals to their faces. They had plenty to work with for a while, she had checked it herself, and made a list which was on Alicia's table.
Apparently they could 'contact' them if something else was needed, even though Luro had taken all he could get minus the clothes off their backs.
Zila paused and corrected herself since he had apparently taken the clothes off Salem's back, or at least that was the story, he did have clothes similar to the butler's so it was hard to ignore, and his new shiny throne chair also added credibility.

Runali was managing but checking up on her wouldn't honestly hurt again, Zilia had been doing so here and there but wouldn't be able to do so soon as she'd be taken temporary leave herself, she already had a doctor at her skill level who would be on the ship should any problems arise, such as wounds opening back up from everyone pushing themselves.

Zilia delivered the last statement with a bit more gravitas then the rest before grabbing a bowl of hot soup nearby, it was periodically brought to the room by Luro who surprisingly made it, when he explained it was a recipe for Lina when she got sick she didn't pry further.
Thankfully his visit had been relatively recent so it was still hot.
"That's the rough gist of the last few days," Zilia said before holding the soup out to her. "Even if you're not hungry get some of it down at least, put something in your body. I checked it, it's safe to consume."

Alicia listened patiently as she tested herself slowly to see how much movement she was permitted by her mending wounds. Truly she hadn't been aware of how bad a state she'd been in after her collapse, the armour and form she took upon ascension affording her the luxury of feeling less pain among being unable to see the full extent of the damage. Three days was… acceptable, not that anyone could have done anything about it but realistically it could have been longer.

"Thank you." she replied before reaching out with both hands carefully to accept the soup, inclining her head respectfully upon taking it towards her lap. "Sorry to put you through all of that, I really don't know what any of us would do without you." she added before doing as she was told by raising the first spoonful to her lips. In truth she didn't feel hungry but she knew better than to question Zilia's knowledge on what her body needed to survive.
She meant every word of what she said however, in fact she'd said before on more than one occasion that Z was likely the most vital member of the crew and she truly believed that to be the case. "With your permission I'd like to check up on each of the crew myself." She wanted to ask if anyone had been looking out for the doctor while she was tending to their wounds but she didn't doubt Luro would have taken that upon himself. While he seemed to almost pretend otherwise she liked to think he had a big heart when it mattered.

Despite that she wanted to do something for the doctor, feeling a need to… offer something as compensation for looking after her over these last few days. Though Alicia didn't really have anything, at least nothing that wouldn't likely offend her since she rather doubted Zilia would appreciate being offered coin for helping friends. "I may be speaking out of guilt for all you've done for me … but is there anything I can do for you to return?" she asked. "As long as I'm able, I'd like to offer you something to show my gratitude." she spoke, reaching up to remove the bandage from her eye to have it adjust to the light. Of course it was still tender, but it seemed to open fine and the swelling had receded to leave only the darker bruising.

It took effort to keep from crying as Alicia listened and took her advice, the doctor closed her eyes happy to have such a nice patient. She didn't want Alicia to get hurt anymore but it was hard to deny how nice it was to take care of such an accepting person, if everyone was as courteous as Alicia her job would be significantly easier. She was pulled from her reverie however as Alicia spoke to her, offering a small smile she gave a small shake of her head.
"It's no trouble at all, seeing you all safe and healthy is worth any effort. Since I wouldn't have a Chronicle without all we can consider what contribution I provide 'even' so to say."

At Alicia's request on checking the others Zilia brought a hand to her mouth, her eyelids lowering as her gaze moved away from her. She seemed to take a moment before looking back at Alicia then at her wrapped wounds, lowering her hand she turned back to Alicia.
"Well you need to move around anyway, permission granted just don't push yourself. Listen to your body. If you have significant trouble I'm sure they wouldn't mind coming to you, being First Mate after all."
Zilia offered a smile at this before she started to leave.

She stopped climbing to her feet as Alicia posed something on her once more, sitting back on her knees she folded her hands back in her lap making sure to hear Alicia out. She had been nothing but a courteous patient, it'd be rude not to return the favor in some way. Her face tensed a bit at Alicia's suggestion, her shoulders lowering a bit at the offer.
"It's my duty so I don't really need a reward…" Zilia said but trailed off.
Her eyebrows lowered and she messed with one of her bangs, she didn't really need a reward but she understood the sentiment, she fought with the idea for a moment but with a small sigh came to a conclusion.
"It really wasn't a problem...but if it provides some comfort to pay me back," Zilia said before motioning to Alicia. "Let me play with your hair."
The request was said unashamedly at first then realizing what she had blurted out cleared her throat resting her hands back in her lap.
"Partially for my Devil Fruit of course, the more I understand about Stardusk the more refined the words."

Alicia simply inclined her head respectfully in thanks when Zilia gave her blessing to move about the ship freely before continuing to spoon small serving of the soup up to her lips to feed herself as much as possible at the doctor's recommendation allowing her to listen for her response to her question. Of course she noticed the subtle change in Zilia's expression prompting the swordswoman to correct her previous question. "Not a reward, a gesture of gratitude." she reiterated with a small smile and a nod.

The request however was the least of what she might have expected, having thought her response might be to take up some of her chores once Alicia was back to her full strength again. "My hair?" she blinked before listening as she explained it had something to do with her devil fruit, admittedly a subject she knew little about.

The Feian hummed for a moment in thought before gesturing her hand forwards. "Well I'll likely need to wash my hair given it's been a few days with me laying here. If it would fulfil what you need, I could also use your help since my movements may be limited for a little while." she replied. "You'll be able to handle it as long as you need, though I have to say it's quite the peculiar request." she gave a small soft chuckle. "I truly do not understand those strange fruits."

Zilia's body tensed slightly wondering if the request may have been too much, she admitted it was a strange thing to ask for, even as a gesture of gratitude but chances had to be taken in life. When Alicia agreed Zilia had to hold in the grin that threatened to consume her entire being, she offered a small bow in thanks managing to maintain her professionalism.
"Of course, leave everything to me," Zilia said before standing up and promptly moving behind her into a better position. "Let me just see what I'm dealing with first…"
Setting her gloves to the side the doctor grinned from ear to ear as she reached forward combing through Alicia's hair with her fingers.
"It's even more than I imagined! This...this is before it's washed! Amazing...ah...I think I'm crying...so...so beautiful..."
"Mine is especially strange I'm afraid, still thank you," Zilia said as she dug in her pocket for one of her best combs. "....let's do our best from here on as well Alicia."
Now for the 28 step process she had planned in advance.

 

[Winter]

Collab between Winter and Fox of Hearts

Bony fingers dangled Cedric's tattered choker before Alicia's eyes. Jingling it so that Chester's aeter to glint in the light. "Amaiya Alicia? I stole this from Jack while he slept." Er'is crooned.

Tranquility in her personal haven currently teemed with life as any corner did when the dream deity lingered. Fragrant flowers bearing smells of the far east littered the ground, forming a soft green and white carpet underfoot. A mess Er'is was quick to reassure would disappear once he leaves. For now, in his words. "It's a comfortable spot for the cats to play."

The use of the plural was strange given that Jackie was the only cat present. The little flame kitty rolled, twisted and batted at the blue ribbon Alicia gave her earlier. Stopping for a few ear flicks to acknowledge the deer in the room. But, she had gotten so used to his presence in Bonifaas that he was no more intimidating than any of the crew. Er'is said little else as he made himself comfortable on the grass. That choker remained held out for Alicia to take. "I'm sure Cedric would like you to take care of this. He trusts you as much as he does his brother." The demon coaxed again.

His welcome onboard the ship had been ambiguous at best. With Jack unwillingly allowing him to stay in his cupboard. Unwilling being the operative word. In a way it made sense and in another it didn't. He had done his best by Cedric and the summoner was indeed much better than he was when they first met. Er'is, in his opinion, had done a good deed. He wondered if the swordswoman agreed, because she was the only person whose opinion he hadn't heard.

"My queen, wouldn't you like to see your friend again?" he finally decided to be more forthwith, assuming that she knew exactly which friend he was referring to, given his grammatical clue earlier.

Alicia felt the urge to reprimand the spirit for stealing something so personal from Jack, though in her state of mind she lacked the energy to the words necessary to do so. A simple furrowing of her brow was the only indication of her disapproval, though as he continued to speak she ended in a soft sigh as she watched the growing flora comfort for the feline spirit. "Yes, I would." she replied simply, if not to at the very least apologise for her failures to the spirit that'd put his faith in her.

"I thought it would cheer you up," Er'is observed. "The same way Jack could have been when I made ripe mangoes appear over his bed when he was asleep."

Clasping the cold stone between bony hands, the deity funneled some of Cedric's energy into Chester's stone. Er'is hadn't mentioned to Jack, or Amaiya, that he had enough within him to keep the familiars around for as long as the two humans lived; he simply didn't need it anymore as he absorbed T'Raiz's dispersing energy after she was defeated. Given the intensity of Alicia's frown, the deer concluded that this might be the best time to explain.

"Seeing Chester bleeding on the ground must have been traumatic. Well, it would be as traumatic for Cedric if he wasn't far away, because he would have felt the pain viscerally." Cracking his hands apart to check on the recharging stone, Er'is smiled as he sealed the tiny gap. "Usually, reuniting the summoner with their stone is enough to heal the injured familiar. A fact easily forgotten since Cedric had been kidnapped by T'Raiz."

"What do you mean by kidnapped?" Chester's groggy voice came from the velvety ground between Er'is and Alicia. The Maine Coon shook his head listlessly as his wound and aches have not fully healed.

"Ask Amaiya Alicia for the full story, my little one. Just know that for now I shall be the one healing and supplying you and your siblings."

Confusion scarred the furry face as the cat rolled to his other side gingerly. Tapping Alicia's knee, he purred his questions to her. There was something off about what Er'is had said, and that made his summoner's absence even more marked. Nuzzling her hand, he rumbled softly and sadly, hoping, however faintly, that Cedric was okay.

Alicia didn't look much better than he did, her face lightly bruised along with the rest of her body due to the many strong hits she'd taken during the fight against T'Raiz and Runali. She even wore a black eye ironically where there would usually be an aura ablaze with her power. The outfit Cedric had made for her lay neatly folded, a lighter more comfortable kimono dressing her form so that she might rest more comfortably.

"Chester." She spoke his name as her hand moved to caress into the fur atop his head, a mixed smile filled with happiness and sadness conveyed from her tired features. It faded as tears built up around the lower edges of her silver eyes, threatening to spill were they not held back by the women's resolve.

"I am.. I was…" she trailed off unsure what to say before she brought her free hand up to clear away her eyes. "I failed to save Cedric. I failed you… and Jack, when I was counted on the most." guilt swelled within her chest amidst the sadness. She wanted to tell him she tried her best and that she did all she could, but looking at the result it was hard to convince herself that nevermind convince another. "I'm so sorry."

Scholars in Trovale speculated that familiars lack the capacity to feel emotions as deeply as their summoners. Because of this, many tended to treat theirs as mere servants, never fully bonding with their companions. Cedric - untainted by the prejudices that abound in his home country - showered his familiars with unconditional love, treating them like friends and later family. Chester had only met one other summoner with such kindness in his entire existence, Lavelle, Cedric's father.

Emotions overwhelmed those wise eyes, making them overly bright, as pain filled his furry chest and made it harder to breath. The ginger cat laid there, accepting Alicia's strokes, not quite sure how to act. He could never blame this wonderful woman for what happened; he was sure she tried her best. Though, it didn't dampen the hollowness seeping throughout his body. Indeed, if there was one thing he regretted - as emotional complex as familiars were, they cannot shed tears.

The Feian art of silent communication felt applicable to the current situation. So, Chester flashed into the woman's lap and picked his perch among the least sore parts of her folded legs and stood up. It wasn't easy given the pain shooting up his side, but he stabilised himself with his paws. Purring affection and forgiveness, the way his sisters had done days before, Chester nuzzled Alicia before twisting to lick her jaw. When he felt sure she got the message, the cat curled up in her lap.

"Nothing I say can dampen the sting, Amaiya. Your disappointment and anger at your own failure are your worst demons. This pain goes beyond the hurt littering your body." came the muffled feline voice. "Let me be here for you, supporting you, in Cedric's place. Neither he - as I remembered him - nor I will ever blame you. You're the light of courage for the crew. A strong second-in-command to one of the wisest women I've ever met."

Alicia didn't respond as she merely held her arms around the spirit, holding him close while choosing to push aside the knowledge that this would only be temporary. "As always you seem to know just how to comfort me, Chester." she sighed softly after a minute of silence. "The ship will never be the same without you, or Cedric. It'll be… difficult to walk these halls without it feeling less like home." she added.

Chester's ear flicked as he nuzzled her arm, purring lovingly. Usually he would guard his deceased summoner's body, calling for someone to come over and perform the last rites. Today it was Amaiya who kept him company, and for that he was forever grateful. Opening his eyes, he rolled onto his back. "Summoners I had dozens, but I don't think I'll ever forget you. The way I will not forget Cedric or his father. Compassion, love, these are the true priceless gems and the three of you are blessed with an infinite supply."

"Cedric?" Er'is breathed in amusement.

The familiar quashed his annoyance at being questioned. However, he guessed few would have known that side of his newly deceased summoner as the man kept his heart buried. "Oui, Adenin made him afraid of ever trusting people, but I could see him trying with the crew. He expressed it through small gestures - giving gifts or spending time in close proximity." Chester yawned as he went back to nuzzling Alicia. "He tried harder after what Alicia did for him back in Trovale."

Bony hands turned back and forth in Er'is's robed lap. "Then you can stay by her side and thank her on his behalf, small one. I have more than enough of Cedric's vital energies within me to share among you and your siblings." Tilting his head with the strangest smile, the deer pressed a finger against Chester's lips. "Tut tut, I wish to talk to Amaiya Alicia first."

Chester seethed silently before settling into a sphinx pose. His eyes glaring at the annoying dream deity who was always fickle with information. Slowly, he allowed himself to be soothed as he tried contemplating his renewed existence. Living without a summoner was a concept so alien that he began shuddering in fear. Can we talk in private once Er'is leaves? The Maine Coon inquired politely.

The meddling deer ignored Chester's panicked thoughts and focused on Alicia. "Now daughter of Sakura, tell me what would you like to do about the gifts I bestowed upon you in Bonifaas. Hearing familiars, seeing spirits …" He paused dramatically.

Alicia didn't much care for the way Er'is behaved towards Chester either, but she said nothing on the subject as she listened after tilting her head towards Chester at his request. "Well, If they pose no threat then I would keep them since they proved to be useful. But as for Chester remaining corporeal, that choice is his and his alone. I would not begrudge him the choice to return to Cedric or pass himself on to… wherever he might go next." it was clear she didn't really have an understanding for how it worked with summoned spirits.

Of course she wouldn't mind keeping Chester with her, he was of course someone who she'd become close with even before knowing he could fully understand and speak like humans do.

"I'm glad they shall continue to serve you well, my queen. As always, my aid will be freely given should you ever wish for my assistance. And now, where's Jack-jack?" Er'is brightened at the thought of disturbing the crew's cook. Bobbing his head in farewell, the spirit left Alicia alone with Chester.

Amaiya, I've never been without a summoner since I was first awakened. What are we to each other? Chester queried as soon as Er'is left. He twisted painfully onto his back and exposed his white belly to her. Again, the fear, sadness and worry tumbled across his face. It was the same expression a prisoner would have after being freed. "I - well, I don't intend to leave until you and Jack are ready to cross to the spirit realm. I just - well, I don't know what I am to you and how I can assist you or Jack."

Alicia hand waved Er'is despite him allowing Chester to retain a corporeal existence. She found herself irritated by his carefree nature in light of everything that's happened and the way he seemed so removed from the emotions of others. Instead she held the cat close, rubbing his belly while being careful not to apply too much pressure that would disturb his injuries. "How about a friend?" she asked with a small smile.

"I wouldn't have you be in service to me, you never were. But you must first be sure that this is what you want." she exhaled a small breath. "I would welcome you at my side only if that is where you wish to be and not where you think I'd like you to be." she stated clearly. "As a free'd individual you must be ready to make your own decisions, live for yourself and not for others. You will be your own master now."

Chester closed his eyes and allowed Amaiya's words to knead into his consciousness. Penetrating deeply like her fingers sinking into his fur and combing away the misgivings he had about this newfound freedom. His ears flicked as he curved his head back and opened his eyes. "Amaiya, it'll be an honor to be your friend and stand by you in joy and tribulation. But for me to be the best friend I can be, I need you to teach me how to embrace identity, in which I am more than a house cat or a familiar."

Alicia simply nodded in response. "I can try, though it may be difficult and it'll take time. You have already started with making a decision for your future, the rest will be a journey of learning through experience for what life has to offer to you." she spoke with a small smile. "One day at a time Chester, it is all any of us can ask for."

 

[Winter]

It'd only been a couple days since the events in Boniffas. Alicia had collapsed from exhaustion and injury the moment she'd descended her form and only recently had she recovered to rejoin the lands of the living once more. A part of her wish she'd remained in her state of ignorant subconscious slumber, then maybe she wouldn't have awoken to the memories of what was lost that day.

'Thump, thump, thump'

The Feian girl had made her way down the hall to a door which brought her uncertainty mixed with emotions of sadness and regret, knocking upon it three times before awaiting the reply of the room's owner, Jack. She felt a twisting in her chest, the feeling you would feel when you're unsure whether or not you're doing the right thing or being respectful to the emotions of a friend. "Sorry to disturb you, may I come in?" she spoke, softly as was her usual tone albeit with a slight rasp to it which indicated she hadn't quite recovered yet.

She hadn't come dressed in the attire Cedric had made for her but rather a simpler long sleeved kimono that was more comfortable to rest in. Her face was bruised lightly and she carried with her a slight limp from where her body had taken a tremendous amount of strain from the power coursed through it combined with the punishing attacks delivered by Runali and the now defeated T'Raiz. It was probably the most hurt anyone had ever seen her truth be told and she didn't care to hide it.

"Mew?"

Chaos -- warm, fuzzy and forlorn -- wound her way between Alicia's ankles. A more desperate call came from Jackie, down the hall. Chaos trotted toward her sister and stopped, glancing back to Alicia. They wanted her to follow them.

Side by side, Chaos supporting her little sister, the cats led the swordswoman to Jack's kitchen. The door opened with a single paw-push. Alicia smelled a wash of rum overriding the normal comforting fragrance of spices and cooking. It was dim; a fire in the stone cooking pit provided the only light source. It flickered and bounced off the rum bottles rolling on the floor. More cluttered Jack's workspace.

At first, they hid away the slumbering cook. Until Alicia crossed the threshold and the floorboard placed at the foot of the door creaked.

Jack shot up with a chopping knife in hand, scattering more bottles to the ground, as he looked ready to throw it at his crewmate. He blinked and slowly lowered it. "Alicia?"

From their final battle, Jack developed a new scar over his left eye from when Adenin had ripped it out and Er'is healed it back in. It was blinding red against the old burn scars. His clothes bulked where several bandages covered his body. He scratched at one, then cast a gaze about his space. Evidently he hadn't left it in quite some time. A shaky hand passed over his hair before he finally waved her in. "Please. Come… sit."

Hastily, he drew up his stool reserved for visitors and offered it to her. In minutes, his knack of hospitality led to a tea kettle heating over renewed flames and the rum bottles cleared away from the island. The ones on the floor remained. They made occasional clinking sounds as they rolled around with the waves.

Jack settled again and poured them two cups of tea. "It's a brew I noticed you buying a couple months ago… I hope you still like it," his eyes shifted over her person. "How are you doing?"

The cats jumped up on the workspace and settled between them. Jack scratched Chaos's belly as he listened to Alicia.

Her lips parted in surprise at the sight before her, bottles uncountable reminiscent of what she'd normally expect to see anywhere Luro frequented the most. She didn't comment on it nor did she speak about it as she recomposed before making her way towards the offered seat before setting herself down with an uncomfortable wince.

Her body ceased it's complaints as she exhaled softly, remaining quiet and offering a nod to his mention about her choice in tea. "Wounds will heal given enough time." she replied, observing his own wounds which she hadn't been present to witness at the time for when he'd sustained them. "Though some wounds are not so visible, nor as easily healed."

"I thought I would come to see how you're… " she trailed off not knowing the right words which could sooth something so painful. Of course she more than most had lost family and knew all too well that words didn't exist that could aid in such times. "I just didn't want you to face this alone." she added soon after.

A pause lingered for a moment as she allowed her colourless eyes to watch the flames of the kiln flicker before shifting her gaze back towards the cook. "I realise we haven't been all that close since you came to us. Opportunities lost amidst the chaos that seems to follow us around so persistently. I.. I'm sorry for that, but I'm here for you now for whatever good it'll do."

Thoughts, half-formed and ugly in their intent, clustered in Jack's foggy brain. He fixated on his tea until they simmered down, grateful that he'd slept off at least some of the rum from the last two days. The worst thing he could do was allow his grief to hurt his family. Belatedly, he realized this caused an uncomfortable silence to come between them. He sipped the searing brew and swallowed painfully.

When he smiled, it hurt in more ways than one. "I am too."

Another pause. Jack found talking harder than anticipated; he barely spoke after they left Bonifaas (not that the crew saw much of him). There was an expectation behind every word -- that any moment, Sid would wander in, complaining about the spices in the day's meals. Or Chester would appear when it was time for Jack to make his medicinal tea. Jack once caught himself wondering if he should get his brother to repair a hole in one of his pants, only to remember the impossibility of that. His grief hung off of him like a blanket.

"I…" Jack stopped, started, and stopped again. Eventually he deflated and gave her a wane look. "I'm not usually lost for words. Cedric… he was everything to me. If it wasn't for you, I think…"

His gaze drifted to a porthole as weak sunlight trickled in. The cats ventured over so they could sleep in its ray. Jack watched them as he asked Alicia, "Do you dream about them? The people you've lost."

But she hadn't done enough, at least that's how she felt. If only she'd been stronger or a better leader than maybe, maybe Cedric would still be here and she wouldn't have to see one friend hurting while having lost another.

She cupped her tea between both hands, holding it to her lap as she stared down into the heated liquid. She thought about his question for what soon felt like another long silence before she exhaled. "Not nearly as much as I'd like to." she confessed.

"I see their faces in between crowds at times, feel them invading thoughts when I'm alone. Nostalgia can be a double edged sword bringing smiles along with the heartache." she took her turn to lift the smallest of smiles, forced that it was before it faded again.

"There comes a point when you start to wonder why you're still here and they're not, why fate allows you to beat the odds time and time again while others fall in your shadow. It's… unhealthy to think that way, but we all like torture ourselves the most with questions we may never know the answers to."

She placed her tea to the side and reached inside her kimono, pulling out a small ornate tanto before offering it over to Jack. "I gave this to him back when he asked me to be his teacher. I still remember how he smiled and how excited he was to have it." she swallowed back her emotions. "I think he'd have liked you to have it. I like to think of it a symbol of his willingness to aspire to something greater… and his resolve to press on defiantly to the very end."

With a shaky hand, Jack picked up the tanto. His thumb traced over the grain as tears came again. "Charlotte du Vontiago wanted him to aspire to something greater… I just wanted him to exist how he was. He never felt like that was enough and I…"

He took a shuddering breath, and reached out to touch Alicia's hand. "I'm sorry. This gift, thank you for bringing it to me. Cedric admired you more than anyone else on the crew. I think given enough time you could have connected with him. Been a honest friend."

Jack smiled at her. It was a second before he looked down and noticed them touching. He immediately retracted. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to offend."

He put his head to the table, pulling the tanto to his chest like it was a piece of his brother. The sobs were coming -- muffled, low, barely constrained. Jack fought them back. "I couldn't protect him, Alicia. I never could… how do I do this? How do I live with this?"

"He thought well of me, for which I'm both honored and grateful." she replied softly, a sympathetic somber smile upon her bruised features. His touch upon her hand didn't cause her discomfort, perhaps due to how often certain members of the crew ignored her peculiar custom purposefully and frequently.

"It's alright, I didn't mind." she replied honestly with a small smile before cupping her hands together neatly onto her lap as she listened to his question. She paused at first unsure how to answer it before she exhaled in a moment of contemplation. "You don't." she answered simply.

"With their loss we inherit the responsibility to live with renewed purpose, to carry them with us wherever we may go. Their memory is honored so long as we remember them, so we must survive and take them upon our shoulders and live because they can not."

She paused once again as she looked down at her hands, fingers interlocking with one another. "So you see we can not afford to give up, our loved ones will be watching us. So let us make them proud." her silver eyes rested gently on the cook as she continued to smile, her expression retaining it's somberness despite her words meant to uplift him.

Jack took a moment to let those words sink in and get himself under control. Alicia could see his grief being neatly packed away behind a mask, but which one he wore, it was hard to tell. He sat up and reached for the nearest bottle with liquids sloshing inside.

"That's a lot to put on the living. Don't ya think?" He slipped her a half-hearted smile. It looked painful.

Raising the bottle, he didn't sit back down until it was empty. In that brief time something must have occurred to him. His head tilted as he considered the bottle, something over than torment working across his face.

"But… you might be onto something. Perhaps I could stand to learn more from the Feian mindset. Did you know I'm half-Feian? On my father's side." Jack got up abruptly. He began moving around, nuding bottles aside with a foot, as he made his way around the kitchen. What spurred him into action was impossible to say, but he seemed ready to put the subject of his lost brother aside. For now.

Within minutes, he had the hearth lit, and cleared the way for preparations. It'd be the first time since they left Bonifaas that he cooked a proper meal for the crew.

"So," Jack continued as he leaned next to Alicia, wiping his hands clean with a rag. "Tell me a meal you miss from home, Amaiya. I think I can whip up something close to it." Cedric always liked a few of the dishes I made from Yula Fei. The intrusive thought struck his heart, but he mentally shoved it to the side.

"You are?" Alicia appeared surprised as her eyebrow raised high, looking at Jack as he finished another bottle. "I had no idea, but now that you mention it I can see some resemblance of home in your features." she added with another small smile.

"Don't tell me you've been able to speak it all this time and are only telling me now?" she lightly jested before observing the resolve filling it's way into Jack, something she hoped he wasn't forcing upon himself despite choosing not to question it for the most obvious reason. She gave a more meaningful smile when he used her propper Feian name, picking herself up from her seat carefully before she began to roll back the sleeves of her kimono.

"Let's cook together, I may have a recipe in mind. Though I'll follow your lead on how to prepare it." she replied, pulling a small band from a pocket and biting it between her lips as she began to tie her hair up into a neat ponytail. Once ready she made her way around the counter to join him. "Tempura Udon, a personal favourite. I hope you like spice."

Jack wound up his dreadlocks and tied them off into a knot. The opening of a porthole allowed the sea breeze in, wafting away the rum stench. Jack made a small smile at her words.

"Tempura Udon is a staple of my mother's home," Jack replied in near-perfect Feian. Only his natural accent and lack of use ruined the effect. Switching back to Common, he continued, "Ma Zhi Ruo, I mean. I don't know if you two spoke when she was aboard the Lady Luck. I know she misses her homeland."

Taking out the necessary utensils, Jack did a fancy flourish with the chef's knife and handed it hilt-first to Alicia.

"My skill is at your command. So, where do we start?"

Alicia wore a bright smile at hearing his Feian, her mouth partly open as she heard him deliver it almost perfectly. "Your mother has wonderful taste" she replied fluently in Feian, the variant which she used being the feminine version whereas she noticed he was speaking the masculine, the difference between them being in how the words and syllables were pronounced.

"You speak so well! I could almost imagine being back home." she smiled as she took the offered knife to place it down next to a chopping board. She then made her way to pick up a pot and fill it with water before filling up another. They would need to make the soup and boil the noodles separately, though between them they would be able to prepare the dish simply enough. "Ok, first we need to heat up some Dashi with a little soy sauce and a small amount of mirin."

It felt good to smile again, but it felt better to see a smile return to Jack once more. They say misery loves company and honestly Alicia didn't much mind the irony.

 

[Winter]

Hesitantly Alicia made her way up towards the captains quarters after having visited Jack, her movements slower than usual due to the various wounds she'd sustained during the previous battle. The Feian woman came dressed in a simple long sleeved kimono to rest in, her face showing light bruising with a black eye being the most noticeable among her visible injuries. Just as she had done before in her pursuit of Jack she raised her hand to knock upon the door three times, clearing her throat before announcing herself. "Cap-... Ru, it's Alicia. May I come in?" she asked politely before awaiting a response.

There was a moment of silence after the knock, but the sounds of shuffling soon followed. And not long after, the door was opened. There was no use trying to save face and put on a smile. It was more than obvious that every last one of them was tired in their own right. So, Runali simply offered Alicia a nod and gestured her inside. As she did, she adjusted the swaddled feathers she was carrying her arms while she went back to sit on her hammock. And on closer inspection, buried in a blanket, Coral was nestled and asleep. While the hawk was on the road to recovery, her wing still hadn't fully healed so she was resigned to the captain's care.

It was silent for another moment. Usually Runali would ask if everything was okay or if something was wrong but… those were questions she could answer. And none of the answers were very good. So, instead she offered, "Did you need me for something?"

"In a sense." Alicia replied as she found herself a place to sit herself down, standing for long periods of time still not something she could do for very long. She exhaled through the aches and pains, placing her hands together onto her lap before she turned her gaze towards the captain.

She didn't continue right away, contemplating her choice in words before eventually landing upon what it was she wanted to say to press the conversation forward. "I don't think asking how you're faring would do either of us any good. We're all still recovering and not just physically… " she paused once again, adjusting herself a little in her seat.

She wanted to ask what happened, why Ru fought against them at such a critical moment despite having a good idea about the reasons. She wanted to apologise for failing to do her duty when it was needed most, but the words escaped her as soon as they formed, unable to pass from between her lips. "I'm here for you." she eventually managed.

"If you need to talk about it, go somewhere or just reminisce over the past over a drink or two… whatever you need. Though I can't pretend I'll be able to keep up." she offered a small smile which faded slightly. "I can tell you're hurting, but you needn't hurt alone. After all I'm also to blame, perhaps more so. "

Runali stopped petting Coral, her gaze still down on the hawk as she listened to Alicia. Her fingers idly messed with a loose feather as she sat in thought for a moment. Contemplation eventually turned into a mild confusion when she finally looked at Alicia. "There's nothing you could have done that would've made what happened any different." She didn't mean for it to sound as harsh as it did, so a sigh followed. "There's no reason for you to try to push most of the blame on yourself. You're not the captain. You're not the one that made the calls to do what we did." Runali looked back down at Coral. "You did what you could. And nearly died in the process. Blaming yourself is… silly."

Coral shifted a little in her mini cocoon and Runali stopped bothering her, leaving her hands idle to fidget with nothing. Which meant she had to give her full attention to Alicia. "I'm hurt. Yes." There was another pause as Runali gathered her words. "...But the amount of anger I have in me overshadows that. And I plan to keep that anger stored away until I see those summoners again." It was an odd irony hearing those words and it not matching Runali's outwardly calm expression. "If you feel the need to blame anyone, and it's not your captain, then it's best to direct it towards someone else that'd deserve it. Ones that were a part of that whole scheme to begin with."

"Maybe. I just can't help thinking that a better plan might have ended differently, If I hadn't made the decision to split our forces… " she stopped herself. She knew agonising over the details of what couldn't be changed wasn't healthy or helpful so she just sighed, looking down at her hands for a moment before returning her attention to Ru when she mentioned her anger and where she'd focus it.

"I see." she replied at first, unsure how to absorb this demeanor, something she'd only seen maybe once in the whole time they had travelled together… or at least, something close to it.

"You need to know I don't blame you, Ru. I did at first, back in Bonifaas… " she exhaled a small sigh. "But I wasn't angry because you hurt me or that you attacked us under the manipulations of a god, we knew what was happening and knew you would never willingly fight us if you could help it."

"I was... angry because you weren't there when I needed you the most. I'm no leader, I can't… I couldn't… I'm not you." she closed her eyes, balling her hands at how pathetic it sounded. "You always have a plan, know what steps we need to take to survive. After almost losing Zilia, after that talk we had… I felt alone and betrayed." her hands slowly unclenched as she felt a mix of emotions ease away to leave her with a lingering sadness.

"But it wasn't your fault and I felt ashamed for blaming you the moment we saw what T'Raiz was capable of. My emotions were misplaced and perhaps it is the summoners who deserve to answer for what happened back there." Alicia furrowed her brow a little before returning her gaze towards the captain.

"Revenge is not a path I would encourage anyone to pursue. But if that is your decision, you already know I'll be right behind you and I very much doubt we'd be alone."

Runali's shoulders slumped a little more as she watched Alicia. "You know… I would never ask you to be me. Or anything like me for that matter. That's not why I wanted you to join this crew." She offered a half hearted smile. "If you were anything like me, this ship would have sunk a lot faster and a long time ago." It was probably a poor choice of words considering they had lost a ship once, but Runali moved past that thought. "I can assure you, just because I always have a plan, doesn't mean it's always a good one. And I don't always understand everything that's going on. I work off… instinct really."

She shook her head. "You don't. You're practical. You're… calculating. You know the best way to keep everyone afloat when I make those wild calls. You know how to protect the crew… And you did that as best as you could." Her voice softened a bit more. "Yes, being a pirate is hard and unpredictable but… how were we s'pose to know how to fight demons with impossible magic? That's not something normal pirates probably prepare for. I wouldn't expect you to know how to stop that. I didn't even know how to stop it." A sigh followed as she let the hammock swing a little more. "None of us are perfect… We won't always have victories. And while we can mourn... we can't… dwell in that because that's not what Cedric would've wanted." She leaned forward slightly, quirking a brow a little. "Revenge… makes it sound like what the summoners did had… cause or purpose. I s'pose I seek revenge, but really… I think retribution is really what I'm after." She gave a firm nod.

"There will be a time for that later. For now, we focus on the present. On what we can pick up to rebuild." She offered a gentler smile. "For what it's worth, you trust me with every decision I make and the same is extended to you. You're my first mate for a reason… and it's not just because you like to triple check we have inventory and funds during trips." She gave a short laugh. "It's because whether you know it or not, you know what you're doing. You know what needs to be done if I can't be there to help. This- even if I hadn't been taken by T'raiz, I wouldn't have known what to do in that situation. You made a call that even I would have followed."

Alicia felt more mixed emotions as she listened, first feeling an awkwardness fill her chest due to her difficulty handling compliments then a tinge of sadness before ending in gratitude. The cycle through them was fast and Alicia's eyes became a little shiny in the light as she held back tears before returning a nod. "Thank you. Your confidence in me means a lot more than I can easily explain." she replied before giving a deep exhale.

"But if not revenge, retribution is something I can definitely stand for. I- we want his body back and I'll certainly be there to punish them for taking it." she found her resolve with those words, her brow furrowing slightly before her features eased up again gradually. "But as you said that time will come." she paused to think a little more on the conversation before returning her attention back to Runali. "About now is where I would normally ask where we'll be heading next, though I think it would do us all well to hold something of a ceremony in Cedric's honor. A final goodbye perhaps… maybe something to provide a little closure for all of us."

The captain smiled a little wider. "My confidence in you and the rest of my crew is unshakeable if you haven't noticed." She chuckled. "We've quite literally gone to hell and back for each other. Literally and you know, symbolically. If there is a day I suddenly don't trust you to make a decision without me, then something's wrong." She nodded in reply towards Alicia's comment about retribution, before rocking the hammock until she could shift herself on her feet.

"Well our destination is currently 'far from Bonifaas'." She scooped Coral back into her arms and looked at Alicia, holding a hand out to help her up. "So, I think a proper ceremony is a great idea." Her smile softened. "He deserves it after all."

Alicia chuckled softly herself before nodding, taking the offered hand before easing herself up slowly. "You're right, I don't think any of us can question your confidence in us at this point." she replied as she stood and eased herself slowly to avoid agitating her wounds. She smiled when Ru seemed to be on board with a ceremony, considering what they could do before turning partially towards the door. "Agreed. Maybe we should gather everyone and discuss how best to send him off, perhaps Jack may know of some traditions from their homeland that'll respect his memory." she started for the door when she paused and turned back towards Ru. "Thank you, by the way... " she offered another smile. "For everything." she didn't elaborate on what she meant specifically, deciding to leave that for Ru to interpret on her own.

 

[Mizos]

Luro's hands tightened against the arm rests of the throne chair he sat in, his gaze resting on the person in front of him, a familiar one that had wasted little time appearing. This was a battle he needed to win, if he didn't there would be nothing left at the end of it all. It was a long shot but it was better than rolling over, so he decided to take his chance.
"We need to talk...Imposter."

​

Post Bonifaas

There was something about returning to the void that offered a strange comfort to Luro.
His footsteps echoed in the wide open space as he moved toward his appointment.
To any other that may wander this place 'direction' didn't exist as there was nothing as far as the eye could see but Luro knew that was a lie, he could 'feel' which way was right and thus went that way. Also calling it a 'void' wasn't exactly right, it was a white space with nothing in it but many things filled in the emptiness when necessary, a table, chairs, forest, whatever the denizens of that realm may need.
Ultimately it was Imposter who decided what manifested here but that was another matter.

After a few minutes of walking he noticed two throne chairs ahead of him, one was clearly older and the cushion was torn in a few places. In front of it was a polished seat adorned in gold, a mix of red and black lining the edges of it.
He knew which seat was his and took a seat in the older one, it was just as uncomfortable as to be expected.
"For you to actually call me Luro...how rare."
A voice he knew but also didn't know was the first sign of it, his eyes raised to the once 'empty' chair in front of him seeing the form of the person he had contacted.
Luro felt a chill run through his body freezing his voice.
The person in front of him wasn't the Imposter he knew, the one he knew took either his visage or that of his sister as some twisted joke but this one betrayed that steadfast rule.
This Imposter's appearance was a new one, he could see inspirations from both him and his sister but they were their own person, even the inspiration wasn't enough to classify them as one or the other, it was no longer a simple mimicry.
This Imposter took the visage of a human.
"I know my appearance is new to you but perhaps undressing me with your eyes is a bit much Luro."
The voice that came from it tried to caress his heart with its gentle tone, but he could also feel a sense of control within the welcoming resonance.
"That's not why I'm staring at you Impos-"
"Ashia."
Luro was cut off by Imposter speaking up, her soft voice growing stern enough to make him unwillingly pause.
"Call me Ashia."
Luro closed his hands into fists to avoid shaking in his seat, for a moment his vision blurred as it seemed the creature's hands had wrapped around his neck with that small comment alone.
"Ashia." Luro managed to get out.
He was coming into this fight wounded.

Imposter gave herself a name, that was the first problem.
Names weren't given to things like her, even the concept of 'her' was wrong but that was what happened. Names were reserved for specific things, for people. This thing in front of him was not a person, it was not a human, it was a monster just pretending to be one, that's why he didn't like it had a name.
All it took was a name to start viewing it as a human and Imposter knew that.
A name and a face, simple things to perceive something as human or 'living'; even fighting the urge there was an instinct to classify her as this 'person', maybe because it made her easier to understand, maybe because it was a habit.
Either way the woman in front of him, the Thing in front of him, knew the power of a name and even if he resisted it, even if he reminded himself constantly this person was a monster, he would view her as a human or something akin to it.
A name and a face and she was already less of a monster.

"Do you like my new throne?"
Luro was pulled back at Ashia's question, watching as it ran a slender finger along the armchair, long black nails trailing along the cloth.
"I figured it was time for a change."
The woman reached up with her other hand running fingers through its long red locks.
Luro swallowed and leaned back in his chair slightly, she seemed like an exotic animal, not meant to be a part of this world.
Luro closed his eyes forcing himself to focus, this wasn't a human being, it wasn't a her if he saw it as a human he would lose this fight, don't be manipulated, don't let natural instinct allow it control.
"Really...no opinion Luro."

The way it spoke his name bothered him as well with sultry lips that invited with their slight parting. Thankfully they seemed artificial, too perfect for a person and that helped bring him back a bit. The light gloss along them wasn't realistic...but he felt that was its intention, this could also be a trap, his mind told him 'makeup' but he knew that wasn't right.
"I didn't come here to talk about a throne," Luro said finally managing to speak.
The smile from Ashia revealed her pure white teeth, and the sharpened canines that were hidden away as the smile faded once more.
He met Ashia's eyes, one of the few things 'inhuman' about it. They glittered like yellow sapphires and he could feel it's gaze peering through him as if it had all it needed.
Raising one leg and crossing it over the other Ashia rested it's fist on it's cheek and offered a smile.
"Really? Then why are you here?"

The act was enough to distract him and Ashia offered a smile at him before speaking up seeing he was trying to say something.
"You know Luro you have such interesting opinions about me I noticed. Shall we discuss three of them since we're here?"
Ashia didn't give Luro a chance to speak and continued the conversation without much pause, just enough to pretend an acknowledgment of his consent as she raised a finger.

"First is that by throwing away your name you allowed me to manifest...because you and I share a name. I was able to manifest thanks to you taking the name 'Luro' and tossing the other into the ether. However since you can't 'throw away' a name I'm still bound to you. That's why you won't speak your real name right? You fear what might happen."
With a chuckle Ashia waved a hand at him before speaking again.
"However your memory is fragmented, who knows what's real, what else is there?"

Ashia held up a second finger.
"Second is that when you went into the Locker I enveloped the soul that took place within you...which allowed me a physical form finally."
Ashia said this allowing a coin to run along the top of its fingers with a chuckle before continuing.
"Hiding like this is handy, if Jones knew what I really was I assure you he wouldn't have let you leave."

With a small flourish the coin vanished and Ashia spoke once again holding up a third finger.
"The Third...is that I'm really the one known as Luro Makachi. At the end of it all there are many Luro's, all who have a different 'place' in the hearts of those he meets. Still Imposter is the Luro that only Luro can see. The real one seen when one peers into the mirror. Every other one is an imitation…Still Imposter feelings for Stardusk caused him to take over Luro's spot when Luro's existence weakened as a way to protect them."

Luro eyebrows lowered slightly and he opened his mouth only for Ashia to raise a finger to him.
"I know why you're here Luro, but indulge me for a moment. I mean there are many possibilities that lie between us, far more than three."
Ashia offered a smile to Luro and leaned forward causing a lightly floral scent mixed with the sea to hit him as she spoke a bit more softly, it was a calming scent that almost made him drop his guard.
"I mean of course that's under the assumption that I'm real and actually here…."
Ashia offered a small shrug at this leaning back once again.
"Though really does it matter, whether I'm real or not; with you humans and your perceptions.
Can you believe there are people out there who don't believe Jones is real, just because they haven't seen him? There are people out there who can look the man in his eyes and yet deny his existence. That's one of the fun things about you humans….you can look a god in the eye and deny they're one."

"You just don't want to answer the question don't you?" Luro said arching a brow at Ashia.
"Quite the contrary," Ashia said pointing at him. "Even if I told you the answer there would be those who deny it, even you would Luro. There will be no absolute to my existence...thus why waste time telling you about it. There's no way for everyone to 'believe' the same thing, I'll never be truly 'real' in a sense, but also never a 'fake' either. It's why Mr. Deer, Jones, the Undersea King and all those others with 'sight' will never see 'this' me, because only 'Imposter' exists thus that's the one everyone meets."
Luro's eyes moved over Imposter as if he wanted to deny its words, he wanted to prove this thing in front of him was 'real' but something in him told him that wasn't right, that it was wrong but he didn't know why. Up until now 'Ashia' didn't exist, was that because she truly didn't or because Imposter chose not to reveal it to him, the thoughts made his head spin.

He found himself taking the rest of Ashia in to calm the raging storm building in his head, almost as a way to deny the thoughts that threatened him.
Her outfit matched the rest of her being, unnatural and pristine in all the right places, and imperfect where it needed to be. It wasn't common clothing, it was clearly exotic, a long dress that ran down the front of it's form, opened at the sides past it's waist, pants that seemed familiar to his own poked out of the slits, and though Luro should have no knowledge of the clothing, something in it pulled at his memory, as if he knew this outfit or something similar to it.

​

Luro wasn't sure what pushed Ashia, he believed Imposter was a chaotic being who merely lived for chaos. That's what it told him countless times, there was no doubt it could be lying but there was nothing to dispute it. This however was different, this monster gave itself a name. Imposter disliked names, names were binding, Imposter disliked that restriction, that was why it went by Imposter to his knowledge. However this thing gave itself a name, it willingly bound itself and that's what worried Luro, this creature in front of him without a doubt had a purpose now, enough to give itself something it normally wouldn't.

"You always say 'you humans' when it comes to this stuff Ashia, yet claim you're not a demon or something," Luro said trying to distract himself from his thoughts.
"I just like using terms like that. I find it funny. I mean imagine making a title for something you don't understand and then creating a personality, powers, existence...whatever for them...for the things you made a name for. Isn't that hilarious? I mean I could be human myself after all."
"...that's hard to believe."
Ashia grinned and leaned forward at this, tracing her finger along the table in front of her, one that Luro was now fully aware of.
"Is it though? There are different kinds of 'demons', different 'gods' and different 'humans'. I could be as 'human' as you are and you wouldn't know...because you see 'human's' a certain way. That creates a lack of understanding...and I love that so I like to use that title for you all. Whether it's true or not you never know. My 'humans' could be different from your 'humans' as I mentioned before in Bonifass...remember?"

Luro didn't bother responding to a question he knew Ashia already knew the answer too but she was right human's did such things and that's why she knew how to manipulate their thoughts in such a way, whether they wanted to or not, Imposter liked to joke that some people thought they could take Davy Jones because they viewed him as a 'human'. It wasn't that they didn't understand who he was, it's that he looked human and had a human name so the mind naturally made him into something, and it was easy to ignore what lay beyond that.
Jones was different though, even if it was a rumor it was believed he was human once, this…'entity' was different. He wasn't sure if Imposter was ever human but if so there wasn't a trace in her now...so the fact it pretended to be one was almost sickening. Jones showed humanity, Imposter just imitated it, and the problem was it worked. No one saw her as the monster she truly was, even the ones who stared her straight in her eyes, that was how detailed the emulation was.

"...I don't believe you. Your perception could be wrong as well," Luro said. "We've met a few gods and they seem to match what little we do know or at least not betray expectations."
Ashia eyed Luro for a moment before laughter escaped from her. The woman reached up, wiping tears from its eyes.
"How adorably ignorant," Ashia said with a content sigh. "Firstly Luro the gods you all revere and speak so well or ill of…expect you to follow rules they've made up, the very same rules they don't follow themselves."
Ashia poured herself a glass of water from the jug in front of her at this.
"I mean how many people do you think haven't been picked up by Jones, have been removed from the cycle of Rebirth. They're just as bad as you lot! Barely any different honestly! Look at T'raiz! You think she's an exception, she's not, there's plenty like her just roaming about, well not exactly like her by human standards but all the gods are basically the same to me. In fact some are worse than her! I can't count on my hands how many want to 'erase humanity'. It really is that damn common. You sit and have tea and there's just this comment of 'oh man Humanity right, I want to erase them'. It's like talking about the weather. Hahahaha!"

Ashia pushed the glass towards Luro who bit his lip and held his hand out, the table vanished however causing the glass to fall shatter at his feet.
"You all aren't done dealing with gods. Like it or not you'll be their playthings again at some point. I guarantee that, I see the ones that already have an eye on you. Won't be long before you're thrown back into the void again besides…."
Ashia sat up straight in her seat, and motioned to itself.
"Who said your perception was ever right in the first place Luro?"
Luro felt Imposter's finger press against his chest, hot breath tickling his ear as the woman leaned over his throne whispering the harsh words into his ear. His grip tightened in his seat as it traced her finger over the Stardusk tattoo his eyes focused on the empty throne in front of him.
"You only see what I want you to see, believe what I want you to believe. How much is an illusion...how much is real...can you tell me Luro?"
"...Er'is spoke with you so I know you're real."
"Did he speak with this me?"
The question caused Luro to flinch as hands traced up his torso
"No he didn't...and what conversation? One where only you were a witness?"
"Zilia mentioned you...everyone did."
"Because you told her about me. In fact...you told everyone of me. Have I uttered my name to anyone Luro...no you did it for me...and I thank you for it."
He felt something bite his ear and reaching up felt his hand grab at nothing Ashia sitting in front of him once again. He stared at his trembling hand still feeling the tingle of her heat with a strange coldness mixed in.

The world around them had grown dark before he had time to even realize it, a single lantern provided the only illumination for the two of them, one that swung back and forth by an invisible chain. Ashia's face came into view each time it passed the center, and the wooden table that rested between them. Her visage twisted during one 'cycle' of the lantern causing him to twitch slightly.
"I won't listen to you Imposter! I know-"
"No you don't! You don't know who you are! I know it and you know!"
"I am me! I'll always be me!"
"What is 'me' what do you think you are?"
"I'm what I need to be."
"I'm what I choose to be."
"I'm not you! I'm me!"



"Who believes that, that you are who you are. A killer without a name!"
"I have a name!"
"Prove it! Speak your name coward! You can't because you're afraid of what it means!"
"I'm not afraid."
"You are afraid!"
"We're afraid!"
"Believe in me, believe in nothing else!"



"No...no I won't listen. I won't lose to you! I'm me Ashia!"
"I'm me!"
"My name is Ashia."
"My name is Luro."
"You talk like you understand anything, trapped in this void, lost to the world, forever bound to sin! Isn't that funny Luro!"
"I'm not you!"
"You are me! We're everything, we're who we need to be, what we need to be. I will protect Stardusk!"



"Believe in me and all of this can end, that's all it takes. Believe in what I want for them, what I need for them. Our futures are aligned together now, everything is already in place."
"I'm not bound to them."
"You are bound to them, just as I'm bound to you Imposter."
"What's real Luro! Perhaps you never trusted them, never trusted me, or anything. Accept that's what you are! Accept what I've made you!"



"Quiet! That's enough!"
Luro slammed his fist onto the table in front of him, as he did the darkness left them and the white void returned, red grass had grown at the two's feet. The void was replaced by a field of vermillion stalks that rose to the arm chairs of the throne.
The sky above them a bright orange as twin suns, one yellow and one a bright blue hung above their heads, yet evening had enveloped them.
The scent of burning wheat penetrated his nostrils though there were no flames around him, and the spring breeze clawed at his exposed flesh with invisible hands.
Luro brought a hand to his face and tried to regain himself, he no longer knew where he was, and for a moment what he was.



"Geez calm down. I was just having some fun."
Luro raised his head to find the field of grass gone and once again back to where it all began, that empty void with nothing in it save two chairs and two people who chose to lie for their own reasons. Slowly lowering his hand from his head he took a few deep breaths trying to stop the trembling of his body.
Ashia crossed her arms under her chest as her eyelids lowered slightly.
"...though I already know...what did you want to talk about?"
Luro took a long deep breath and seeing Ashia was listening to him folded his hands together, deciding to at least pretend he was all there.
"...Ashia...we need to end this. Whatever this thing is between us. We both know I won't last forever like this and I know you intend on using Stardusk for...something though I don't know what….but let's just...stop this."
Ashia gave a small shake of her head.
"I knew what it was but it's still weird hearing you actually say it. You're asking me to throw away my autonomy because you're tired of 'this' that's a bit of a request Luro."
Ashia said this waving her hand in the air as if to shoo away the absurdity of it.
"Luro you know that whether you live or die means nothing to me, in fact you dying benefits me. I'll no longer be bound to you and I'll still get what I want."
"...I know that Ashia, but there's a reason you haven't done anything yet. I'm just making a gamble that it's not just random whimsy."
"...and if it is?"
"...then I'll have a firm answer right now."
Ashia stared at him, her eyes narrowing causing Luro to bring his boots back slightly, without his weapons a straight on fight meant death but he'd resist as long as he need be if it came to that. Though ultimately Ashia only broke into laughter causing him to relax slightly.
"Hahahahahahaha….how interesting. I do dislike being predictable…."
Ashia folded her hands in his lap and relaxed slightly in her chair.
"I'll consider your proposal then...but until then our deal is still active right?"
"Of course," Luro said.
"Good. Then this conversation is over."

Luro's eyes opened as he found himself back in his room, still seated in his chair.
He raised his bandaged hand and opened and closed it.
"My name is Luro Makachi."
He spoke the words and they felt like his own, with a content sigh he leaned back in his chair.
He was still him, at least for now.
"...for some reason I can't speak the name I was told," Luro mumbled. "Guess Imposter really is planning something."

 

[Mizos]

Post Bonifaas

​

Zilia admitted it was a strange tradition when entering the Circle to speak with Sor but she understood the ramifications of not doing so as well. Thankfully she sent a message ahead of time and he came to meet with her, even offering passage to her destination, he informed that the others save for one had arrived not long ago. After thanking him she accepted his hospitality and within the hour was stepping foot on land again, making her way to her destination.
A part of her was a little nervous as she walked across the sand, her eyes raising to the tall castle in the distance, this was the spot where they had dashed across that field to reach Isari the first time they set foot here. Though the castle had crumbled Isari ended up building another one courtesy of Sor, his reasoning for it was it looked nice; she felt there was another reason but he cut the conversation off there.

The state of the circle was surprisingly peaceful, thanks to Noram there was a ceasefire between Relias' group and the rest in the circle, Sor was working on brokering a full agreement but that was a long way coming, at the very least she didn't have much to worry about them for the time being, the Circle was a dangerous place but this would probably be as safe as it was going to be for awhile.
She admittedly was worried about Stardusk, having asked Runali for a bit of time away but Kara was as good a doctor as she was, and she was under contract. Even if the woman wanted to slit her throat she still felt bad leaving her to Stardusk and their antics.

She had asked the Captain for a bit of leave to mourn and to attend to personal matters, this trip had been a long time coming, she just decided to take it sooner rather than later after recent events. With a sigh Zilia drew closer to the castle, as she did two figures appeared in the distance and upon seeing her one waved, the other had already closed the distance by time Zilia had time to blink.
"Zil!"
Isari threw her arms around Zilia and the doctor tried to brace herself but ended up falling at Isari's sudden embrace.
"Zil! I missed you!"
Zilia smiled and wrapped her arms around Isari.
"I missed you too Isa."
"So Isari get's special treatment as always huh," Mari said walking up to the two.
Zilia pat Isari a few times and the young woman released her before both stood up, Zilia walked over and hugged Mari, the act causing the young woman to jump slightly as her eyes widened, clearly not expecting the gesture.
"It's good to see you too Mari."
The former hunter smiled and returned the hug.
"We're sorry for your loss," Mari said as Zilia stepped away and Isari nodded in agreement.
"I didn't know Cedric very well...but he tried to help save me so I believe he was a good person," Isari added.
Zilia offered a smile to the two and a nod as thanks.
"The life we live is fraught with danger, we don't have time to linger on every life lost at sea."
Zilia turned as a woman's voice reached them, her eyes met Seliria's as she approached the group, Isari instinctively stepping behind Zilia at the woman's foreboding presence, she carried herself with no less command than usual, Mari found her hand almost move to her blade nearly forgetting the woman was a friend.
"Still it's a sad day to lose a crew member, my condolences Zilia," Seliria said stopping in front of them.
"Thank you Seliria."
Seliria's gaze moved over to the two women before she dug in her pocket, pulling out a piece of candy she held it out towards Isari causing her to step from behind Zilia, taking it from her with a smile.
Mari's body straightened and her shoulders relaxed at the gesture, this was the woman who Zilia considered part of her family, same as them and she felt a twinge of guilt at her natural reaction.

Once everyone had gathered including the 'one' who had yet to arrive Zilia addressed the three.
"Thank you all for coming, I'm sorry for calling you on such short notice."
"It's not as if I've gone anywhere…" Mari said with a small shrug. "Yet anyway."
"I was in the area," Seliria said crossing her arms.
"Wait didn't Sor say-"
Mari cut herself off at the woman's sideways glare before Isari stepped forward.
"I'll come wherever you are Zil, anytime so it's no problem."
Zilia smiled at Isari before the smiling woman handed her a note.
"Big sis Kara seemed a little upset and told me to give you this note."
"It's just Kara," Zilia said before taking and opening the note. "I thought she said all she needed to say on the ship."
Zilia read through the note.
Dear Future Corpse, if it wasn't clear from before on the ship, I'm beyond pissed that you have pulled me away from my lil Sari. I'll admit the imprinting you've done to her is strong but one day she'll love me more than you and I'll revel in your despair as she speaks my name in fondness over yours. Enjoy this moment, you sorry excuse for a human being. Sincerely, your future killer Kara.

Zilia eyed the note and sighed as that was basically what the woman said on the ship.
"Isari you're a Prophet now right?"
"Yep."
"...I'll be visiting you every now and then, and keep sending me letters,"
"Really?! That'd be great Zil!"
Zilia smiled as energy consumed the letter, destroying it.
"Okay now to why I've gathered you all here," Zilia said. "I would like your help in making me stronger."
The three women looked at each other then back at Zilia, her eyes lowering and she gripped the hem of her garment tightly.
"I've been trying to improve lately...worried about what we would face in the future...knowing we'd face something that may take one us...I wanted to be prepared for it...but it wasn't enough."
Zilia shut her eyes, her body trembling slightly, Isari reached a hand out but pulled it back as Zilia let out a shaky breath and raised her gaze back to the three.
"What happened in Bonifass just served as another reminder that I have to be better, so I need your help. I want all three of you to attack me, with the intent to harm if not kill."
Two of the three women reeled a bit at Zilia's suggestion, the third's eyes narrowed slightly before Isari spoke up.
"I can't do something like that Zil...I can't see you as an enemy…"
"Yeah you're asking a lot of us here, neither Isa or I want too-"
"Okay."
The two women looked over at the third as Seliria agreed.
"I'll come at you with the intent to harm, if your guard's not up it will become kill."
"Thank you Seliria," Zilia nodding to her.
Seliria glanced over at her two 'cohorts'.
"This isn't something she'd approach us over lightly. Whatever reason she has for asking is probably serious. Not responding properly would be an insult. She could have just punched some random person in the street, the fact she approached us means she trusts us."
Mari and Isari looked at each other before the former sighed and looked at Zilia.
"...I'm not coming at you with the intent to kill."
Isari offered a hesitant nod and Zilia smiled at the two.
"Thank you...I know I'm asking a lot of you, I appreciate you humoring me. Let's get started immediately."

Mari stared out at the wide field, her eyes narrowing a bit seeing Zilia on the other end of it. To her knowledge this was the field Stardusk had to run across to reach Isari, it was easily over a hundred yards. It would feel like more to Zilia considering the exercise Seliria had suggested.
The premise was simple, Zilia just had to make it to them, once she crossed the line Seliria had drawn in the sand in front of them she won.

Using her Ash-Ash Fruit Mari would cover the entire area between them and Zilia. While Isari could do so her Crystal attacked without discrimination once set free and that would end badly. If she landed in the ash she'd be unable to escape thus this would force Zilia to use her Devil Fruit to cross the area, which would make her consistently use it. Isari would handle attacking her while she was trying to cross above the ash with Mari throwing attacks out as well from different angles. This way Zilia constantly had to move and pay attention to attacks from all angles, Isari could also control her attacks better limiting the amount of harm.
The Crys-Crys fruit was perfect for this as well as it developed and grew stronger when broken, meaning Zilia would have to adjust her strength through the fight, something needed for her Chat-Chat-Fruit.
Seliria had managed to find a way to address the weaknesses of her devil fruit and improve on the strengths, it was a shame this woman was a pirate, she could have used another strategist...especially since the mercenaries still had Noram.

With that being said Mari felt bad for Isari as she cried at the idea of using her creatures against Zilia, but Seliria didn't even flinch at reprimanding her, telling Isari to go into the castle if she was going to be useless.
"Woman's made of stone…" Mari mumbled looking over at the 'stone woman'.
Seliria stood with her arms crossed as Zilia prepared to run, she didn't explain her role in all this, and thinking about it Seliria was the one that asked them to meet here. Mari started to wonder if she had planned this when the woman's gaze moved over to her, with a miniscule movement of her head she indicated the start.

With a sigh Mari held her arms out and her arms turned to ash before flying forwards quickly filling the area between them, a sea of black soon enveloped the field and Mari's hands and arms returned to normal.
Zilia realizing that was the sign to start immediately rushed forward, blue energy exploded from her before square platforms started to form in front of her, she jumped onto one before another manifested, she continued this motion moving to close the distance above the ash.
"Interesting…" Mari said.
"Be fascinated later," Seliria said. "Attack."
Mari sighed and nodded, Isari seemed to hesitate but raised her hand causing a golem to rise up next to her, the creature held it's round hands out and shards of crystal flew at Zilia. Mari forced her ash to rise up threatening Zilia's platforms on occasion, and sent out chunks of ash at Zilia to knock her off from straight ahead.

Zilia kept up her approach, hopping to another platform as the shards came, she raised a barrier against one crystal barrage, and with a swipe of her hand destroyed any ash that flew at her with her 'Cutting' words.
Mari's eyes widened a bit as Zilia weaved between her ash, even creating new platforms mid jump when she took out another, leaping off them just to continue forward.
She easily knocked away Isari's crystal barrage with her barrier, dodging them on occasion to keep their strength at a reasonable level.
"When did Zil...get this skilled with her Devil Fruit?" Mari questioned.
"She's almost a quarter of the way there," Isari said smiling and pointing ahead.
"Miss Seliria wha-"
Mari glanced over only to see Seliria was gone, she looked back at Zilia and saw the woman appear out of what appeared to be nowhere near Zilia, her fist raised. Zilia barely had time to register Seliria was next to her before the blow connected.
Her body plummeted to the earth, the wind fluttering the irritable woman's hair and clothing.
Zilia slammed against the ground blowing away all the ash around her causing Mari and Isari to flinch at the huge crater that now held their friend as the wind blew past their bodies.
The platforms faded and the two quickly ran up to Seliria.
"What was that?!" Mari questioned running up to the crater. "Are you trying to kill her?"
"I'm responding to her request. She wants to get stronger, being soft isn't going to help her," Seliria said glancing sideways at the woman. "I didn't use my armament against her as you clearly saw so I held back."

Blowing away all her ash and forming a mini hole in the earth is holding back for this woman, that was a reality Mari had to accept. She realized why some in the WG didn't push the Nova's, from the rumors the Captain's were considered the strongest in the crew, if this was 'weaker' she didn't want to get on their bad sides either.
"Zil!" Isari tried to run into the hole but Seliria's held out her arm stopping her.
She started to say something when Zilia gasped, her eyes opening as she regained consciousness. She flinched before rolling onto her stomach and slowly climbing back to her feet.
"Again."
That was all Zilia said as she climbed back to her feet again, staring up at the three.
Mari stared down into her friend's eyes, for the first time she took a good look into them. There was a fire behind them...but she could tell Zilia was struggling, reaching out for something she couldn't quite grasp, a look akin to when she first asked to learn about her power.
She glanced over at Isari seeing her brows lower a bit, perhaps she saw the same thing.
"Okay Zil...again," Isari said as Seliria lowered her arm. "Mari let's coordinate our attacks a bit better."
"Okay," Mari responded nodding.
"Thank you," Zilia said.
A hand reached out and Zilia's eyes widened seeing Seliria extending it out to her, she smiled and took it climbing out of the hole.
"Okay let's get back-"
Seliria cut herself off seeing Zilia was still holding her hand with both of hers, she pulled her hand free before pointing to the other side.
"Get going."
"Right!"

Mari realized what Seliria was as they took their spots again, Seliria was the variable.
In a fight an opponent could pull out any kind of trick, or perhaps draw upon power they kept hidden. It required one to constantly be on their toes looking out for such things, Seliria represented that, if Zilia let her guard down she'd be taken down quickly.
Zilia was being forcefully put on the defensive, she could try to attack but due to this range it wouldn't do any good. From this distance they could see any attacks coming at them from yards away and the Devil Fruit manifested before it attacked, meaning Zilia either had to throw it or detonate it when it was close to them. The latter was impossible due to the distance, and even if that worked they were prepared for it meaning it would be harder to hit.

"She really has touched all the weaknesses of her Devil Fruit...and she even attacks before Zilia can get in the range to try any tricks with distant detonation forcing her attention on her, as if she knows the range…"
Mari opened and closed her hands as she filled the area between them with Ash again.
"Mari."
Mari looked over at Isari as she summoned two golems.
"...let's do our best for Zil."
Mari's eyes widened a little but she smiled at her before nodding and holding her arms out
"Agreed. We've grown too."
Zilia set forth again and a wave of ash immediately shot up, Zilia's eyes widened but she quickly raised a barrier and jumped through it, as she did a fist of ash crashed into her side sending her flying. Gritting her teeth she spun her body in the area landing on a platform, she went to move when crystal suddenly rained from the sky. She stepped back as they stabbed into her platform, seeing their glow her eyes widened before the crystals exploded and she plummeted into the ash sea, a crystal bird flying above.
"Again!" Zilia exclaimed.
Mari grinned and using her Ash set Zilia back on her side of the field again, she looked over at Isari who smiled back at her as her golems lowered their bodies. Mari looked over at Seliria and saw the woman turn her head away from them.
"Was that...a smile...no must've been my imagination."

The sky had shifted into a bright orange as the group kept up their training, Mari and Isari pulled every trick in their arsenal out to stop Zilia and succeeded a fair amount of times. Seliria's random interference served as the greatest deterrence however as the woman would appear at random never attacking her at the same threshold twice, at one point she put her in the ground the moment she started forcing Zilia to remain constantly aware even at the beginning.

She had tried hurling her words but due to the distance the three had no trouble dodging the attacks, or putting up a wall to mitigate the damage, as expected normal attacks wouldn't work to slow the assault coming at her, she had no choice but to get closer
Zilia set off once again, at this point she was keeping a consistent walkway, switching the platforms when she had too. By doing so she kept herself rooted to respond to any attacks better, winding the path to any attacks that came. She understood that the closer she got the harder it got to respond, but she had yet to reach halfway and she intended on fixing that.

She kept moving, keeping her attention all around her. She moved away from the wave of ash from the front, and hurled an orb towards the sky missing the crystal bird, but followed up with a slice cleaving the bird in two. She extended both her arms out, a blue wall rising to block the two ash fists that tried to hit her from both sides.
Purple energy manifested in her hand as she hurled it forward, detonating it to blow away the crystal's spears from the golems, keeping her rapid pace as her eyes lingered on Seliria.
Seeing her actually attack was a long shot but she had at least a second to respond once she noticed her body vanish, that would have to suffice.
"She's keeping a good pace," Mari said. "Let's push it a bit more."
"Right!" Isari responded as a dragon rose up and manifested next to her.
Zilia's brought her hand up near her face and spoke into it, Mari's eyes narrowed a bit at this.
"She's going to try and throw something, at this distance it won't-"
Mari's eyes widened and she quickly raised a wall of ash, Isari's dragon held its wing out blocking her seeing the attack the young woman didn't.
"...wha-"
Isari lowered her wall to look only for green energy to fly at her again, forcing her to raise the wall as they continued to crash into them.
"Fast! How are her words reaching us from that distance, they're like bullets."
"Arrows."
The words left Zilia's mouth and thin green lines formed before shooting forward at blinding speeds, Isari's dragon was able to attack while protecting her forcing her to keep moving, and Mari had recovered and was attacking again as well. That opening however gave her breathing room.
"Piercing words...I'm surprised they worked here. They're much faster than the other words...even if they are lacking in power. I should reach the halfway point soon-"
Zilia was pulled from her thoughts seeing Seliria's form was gone, she raised her head to see the woman already descending on her.
For a moment the world seemed to slow, she could hear her heartbeat and she knew what would follow.
No barrier could stop her attacks she had tried, dodging at this range wasn't an option and she had no room to dodge anyway, she'd break through any response she knew that all too well. There was no way to stop her at this range.
"No...no! I'm so close! Why can't I find it! Why can't I capture this feeling!"
It was right there, slipping through her fingers again, just like back then.
A woman's face appeared in her mind for a moment and Zilia's hands twitched.
"Chat-Chat-Fruit…"
Black Haki exploded off the doctor and Seliria's eyes widened slightly, though they immediately narrowed as she brought her fist forward.
Though it failed to connect to Zilia.
Her blow was blocked by a woman in a long white coat, a pair of glasses resting on her face and a piece of wheat hanging out of her mouth, the familiar visage called Seliria's eyes to widen, as she stared at the face of Dr. Vilimar.
"Guardian!"
Zilia didn't waste time and immediately moved forward as Seliria recovered landing on the platform, Dr. Vilimar raising her fists to stop her.
"Look at what you can do when you try…" Seliria said cracking her knuckles.

Mari and Isari managed to get a clean view of the scene, Mari's eyes widened at the sight.
"Is that?"
"Isn't that Zil's mentor…" Isari whispered
"Looks like her...at least from what she told us...and 'Guardian'. I've never heard of the Devil Fruit used like that."
The two didn't have time to contemplate what they saw as they continued their assault, though Zilia still moved forward a bright grin resting on the woman's face as she placed her foot down on another makeshift platform.
"I did it! I made it half-"
Zilia's celebration was cut off as Seliria's fist crashed into her skull sending her once again into the earth, blowing away all the ash once more as the platforms made of words also vanished.
Mari's jaw dropped at the sight and Isari flinched covering her hand with her mouth at the force of the blow, the crater was much larger this time.

"That's a nice trick and all...but anyone with a brain is just going to go around your puppet. Make them realize that's a mistake," Seliria said, brushing ash off her.
"Who hurt you...seriously," Mari said walking up to the woman. "Do you know what restraint means?"
"She's still alive," Seliria said shrugging at her.
"She's twitching!" Mari said pointing at the unconscious Zilia who was in fact twitching.
Isari was already sliding down into the crater leading the two to follow after her.
Once again Zilia woke up with a gasp though she didn't sit up like before, Seliria stared down at her, resting her hands on her hips.
"Can you move?"
"...yeah," Zilia said sitting up a bit with Isari's help. "What did...I do?"
"You summoned a living creature to fight for you...I've poured through the reports and have never seen that used before," Mari said.
"That was amazing Zil! Was that your Mentor?"
"Yeah...yeah that was her...I just…" Zilia trailed off staring at her hand. "Thought of her and...poof."
"Well I think that's good for today, you learned something new,"
Zilia looked up at Seliria at her comment
"Let's head back inside."
The three women nodded and went to move out of the crater.
"Wait."
Zilia stood up drawing the three's attention, she held up a finger.
"One more time."
Mari looked over at Isari noticing the worried expression on her face, she wasn't exactly partial to doing it again either. While she couldn't read Seliria's expression she wasn't exactly jumping to continue.
"I don't want to forget this feeling. I feel like there's more...please."
Seliria let out a heavy sigh and continued climbing out of the hole.
"Fine one more...but I'm getting hungry so this is all you get."
Isari clapped her hands together and grabbed Mari's arm.
"We can go another, Zil really wants to."
Mari chuckled a bit and offered a small shrug moving to leave the crater herself.
"I'm outvoted anyway, let's keep going then."
The smile that found its way onto the doctor's face matched the cheerful redead himself.
"Thank you...I really appreciate it."

Zilia wasted no time closing the distance once they started again, with a mix of her piercing and using her weighted words to give her an extra push she closed the distance quickly. Mari and Isari had to move between defending themselves and attacking, each side trying to look for an opening in the others. Seliria stood arms closed watching Zilia's approach, she paid little mind to the words swatting any away that close with an Armament coated hand.
She waited for the doctor to let her guard down, and found it as she neared the halfway point, she let her pass it offering a small nod when she didn't stop to celebrate.

Zilia noticed Seliria's body vanished and the blow that followed collided with Seliria's own fist as she slipped past the Nova, the woman landed on the makeshift walkway and slid back as her own foot collided with her raised arm.
"This one's a bit more solidified…" Seliria said shaking off her wrists. "...not sure how I feel about this opinion of me."
Seliria tried to slip past but Dr. Vilimar fist narrowly missed her face causing her to lean back, only to raise her hand to stop the attack from herself, her foot raising to stop the kick that came from her other side blocking both strikes, the pressure enough to blow apart the ash directly under them.
"Two of them," Seliria said pushing the two back. "She's already figuring it out."
She eyed the two 'Guardian's' before the platform beneath her went out, she immediately leaped as Mari created a walkway of Ash for her, the guardian's managed to follow, forcing Mari to adjust her focus trying to make them fall into the trap below.
Mari started to create more ash but froze when she saw Zilia staring at her face to face, Isari's crystal creation went to move but stopped as the girl raised her hand, Zilia stood on the other side of the line, something all three of them had to look down at to confirm.
"Zil you did it!"
Isari was the first to yell and laughing hugged Zilia, Mari chuckled herself, her ash flowing back into her body as Seliria walked back over to the two as the guardians faded.
"You did it! You did it!"
Zilia laughed as she and Isari hopped in a circle, celebrating the doctor's success.
"...it's been awhile since I've seen Zilia this happy," Mari said as Seliria walked over to her. "It's nice."
"Go celebrate with them," Seliria said.
"I'm not-"
Seliria pushed Mari forward with a bit too much force and the two women pulled her into the hug. Seliria watched the scene from a distance, her eyelids lowering slightly.
"Even if we were holding back...she managed to hold her own against two Devil Fruit Users and myself...no Armament or Observation either."
Seliria would give credit where credit was due, she was stronger than that young lady who stood on her ship back then.
Just as she was about to walk away Zilia and Isari grabbed her arms and pulled her over to the group.
"Wha-"
"Thank you too Seliria! I wouldn't have gotten this far without your help as well."
Seliria raised her arms as Isari and Zilia hugged her, eyes twitching as she looked up at Mari who offered her a shrug and smile.
"May as well celebrate right?"
Seliria sighed and reaching down gently moved the two away.
"Nice as this all is, this is only the start. Tomorrow we'll try something else. I'm not sending you back to Stardusk a 'little' bit stronger. Your Captain will never let it go."
Zilia looked at Mari and Isari, the former putting her arm around Zilia's shoulder.
"Agreed, if I have to explain why I let a pirate go who was near me, I need you to show why I couldn't risk apprehending you."
"...I just want to help Zil," Isari said looking at the other two.
"We all do Isa."
"Speak for yourself."
Mari smiled at Seliria doing her utmost to ignore the glare that followed before motioning to the castle.
"That will do for now though, you're barely standing."
Zilia started to open her mouth to attest but when Isari had to catch her from falling forward, she let out a weak chuckle and just made her way to the castle.

Night fell quickly and the group turned in for the night, save one woman who stared out at the sea near the castle, eyes drifting to the reflection of the full moon in it, along with her own reflection. One that formed an almost permanent scowl. The tall castle stood behind her, glittering in the moonlight, a sight the woman would call beautiful under different circumstances, and if she was a different person.
Footsteps pulled her back to reality though she didn't turn to the other nightly visitor, aware who it was when the girl stood behind her, her hand opening back up realizing it was someone familiar, though she was a bit too close for her liking.
"I thought I informed you standing behind me was a good way to get yourself killed.
"...sorry, I wasn't thinking."
The woman sighed deciding to leave the matter alone and spoke again.
"Can't sleep."
The question was rhetorical but it was the bare minimum she could offer.
"Isa's clinging made it a bit hot so I just wanted some fresh air," Zilia said taking a small step closer.
"I see."
Silence fell between the two of them, Seliria didn't like needless small talk and Zilia apparently didn't have much to say, the Nova chef was considering walking away when she felt a warmth against her back.
She stood still as Zilia leaned against her, gripping the back of her outfit tightly.
"...I won't let the disease take you."
Her voice came in a whisper and Seliria didn't say anything at first, she could feel Zilia trembling behind her, and was hoping she wasn't crying into the back of her shirt. Something kept her from moving away though, though aware of what it was she chose not to outwardly think about it.
"You don't get to decide th-"
"I won't let it….I won't lose someone else to another disease….not again."
She felt Zilia lean more into her and the woman sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"...do your best."
"Of course….thank you Seliria."

The time passed almost too quickly and Zilia was on the boat heading back to Stardusk, Sor had apparently kept an eye on them for her and grabbed a ship for her. She waved goodbye to the three as she left, Isari and Mari waving back as Seliria stood with her arms crossed watching her leave.
"I'll miss you guys! I'll see you again soon!"
Zilia yelled back at the others, continuing to wave.
"I'll come see you one day Zil!" Mari yelled.
"Come visit soon Zil!" Isari yelled jumping and waving both arms.
Zilia looked over at Seliria whose eyelids lowered slightly, the woman shook her head before raising one hand slightly towards her, the doctor beaming as she faded off into the distance.
"I suppose this is where we separate as well," Mari said. "It's been fun you two."
"You're still stuck here Mari?" Isari questioned.
"For now Isa," Mari responded. "I've been doing a fair amount of good though and thanks to Stardusks help alongside Sor's my reputation has only improved further. That annoying mongrel Simon won't be able to make up excuses for why I need to remain here for much longer."
"I'm sure they'll keep you here, the ambitious ones full of 'justice' are the ones they like to keep away from everything," Seliria said.
"Oh I don't doubt it but that's fine, if my base is here and I can leave willingly I'm fine with that. I expect as much with the contract, either way I'll claw my way out of here bit by bit."
Isari looked between the two women and watched as Seliria walked away not offering another response to Mari, though the woman didn't seem too bothered by it.
Seliria stopped a few feet away and glanced back.
"The hell are you doing kid hurry up," Seliria said.
"Huh?" Isari said turning towards her.
"I'll escort you back to the Prophet's, I got business with them anyway."
"O-oh, thank you Miss Seliria!" Isari exclaimed following after her.
She waved back to Mari before the two made their way to the other side of the island where their boat waited.
Mari watched the two go and smiled before turning and head back to her base.

Seliria stood on the ship staring at the glasses case in her hand, her eyes narrowing slightly she opened it staring at the ones within, the memory replaying in her head as she traced a glove flinger over the edges.
"I want to wear your glasses Mentor!"
"...the hell you want do that for?"
"So I can be smart like you!"
"....ya gotta earn the right to wear these brat. Comes with being a grown up."
"Boo...so I gotta become big then just to wear them!"
"Agh stop yelling. Look if you manage to grow up a little bit, I'll get you your own pair."
Zilia stared at the glasses, a birthday gift she found before she left the Circle, hidden away in her Mentor's desk.
With a smile she took them out and placed them on her face.
"All right...one step at a time. Right Mentor?"

"Corsair" Zilia Vilimar

 

[Mizos]

Pre-Bonifaas

​

While Stradusk was taking a bit of a shore leave Luro had run off into town, Zilia ended up going with him to ensure at least half the town would remain afterwards. She had decided to handle some of the shopping so she asked Alicia to check for anything they may be missing while they were gone. Thanks to the First Mate's attention to detail some shopping could already be done but Luro was a person on the ship, and did break, lose and 'borrow' things so sometimes they came up short randomly, especially when it came to the kitchen and the Captain's eyepatches for some reason.

Zilia mentioned that once she got Luro to the tavern, got him his rum and sat him down with other drunks singing shanty's, he should avoid trouble for at least half-an-hour, which was enough time to head back, get the new list and get back to him before the tavern was set ablaze to finish shopping.
How long the doctor would take leading Luro to such a place was up in the air but more than likely not terribly long, depending who he came across in the meantime.
The morning itself was sunny but there were dark clouds in the distance threatening to overtake the blue above, so there was a chance a storm wasn't terribly far away, while it would be nice to set sail before the storm hit, there was a chance they'd be on shore for a bit longer depending how long it actually took to bring everyone back to the ship.

The swordswoman herself had taken to sitting upon a large flat rock not too far away from the ship, her sword laying across her lap upon a piece of cloth as she applied various oils onto the black metal. Shusui wasn't a sword that needed sharpening, the blade possessing innate qualities that prevented the blade from dulling. The application of the oils was more of a habit, a routine that Alicia cycled through to keep herself busy while also letting herself take a more relaxed approach to the hour.

A gentle breeze passed by, shaking the leaves of a nearby tree.
In that small moment an intense and clearly volatile presence was directed at the swordswoman as something in the air shifted, within that same moment two daggers were flung towards Alicia as a presence manifested near her a few feet away, just outside of her sword's swinging range, something gathered nearby as if concentrated energy was flowing into one spot, a visage of a person appeared for a brief moment but the only traces of them now was the pull in the air, as if the wind itself was rushing towards them as their form remained moving causing the air to be pulled in one direction then another.

'FWOOSH'

Within a moment Alicia's sword arched a hundred and eighty degrees to intercept the daggers, deflecting them aside as she stood with an intense blue aura bleeding from her left eye. She tilted the blade towards her gaze, noting the oils hadn't completely dried meaning they would need to be reapplied properly again later. She turned in the direction of the moving wind, sword held out to her side as she readied herself for a fight.
She didn't speak or try to convince her attacker to expose themselves, guessing they wouldn't be willing to comply… at least not right away. She also guessed that the first attack was likely a test to check her guard, not a common strategy if this were an assassination attempt. Alicia flicked the black blade, nimbly twirling it in her grasp before sheathing it back into her Saya. With her hand resting upon the hilt, she merely waited.

The pulled air suddenly dispersed once Alicia was up, a flash of orchid passed over the area like wave and in that moment a person garbed in a brown cloak stepped forward as if out of nothing, the glow of energy surrounded their gloved hand as they stepped fully out into the open, facing Alicia and staring at them from the darkness of their hood. The culminating energy seemed to reach it's apex, the sand next to the stranger breaking apart as they raised their glowing hand to Alicia, before closing their fist. Instead of flying forward however, the glow faded away and the shift in the air vanished as they lowered their hand.
"Your reflexes are sharper."

The voice that came was an old but familiar one, the attacker reached up and removed their hood, revealing their face though the voice had given them away even before silver locks fell out of the hood. The Prophet Tari stood in front of Alicia, the slight scowl that adorned her face whenever she was near her former charge present as always. The same gaze filled with a strangely focused hatred remained as her eyes narrowed. For a moment it seemed she was prepared to attack once more as her body remained tensed, prepared to move forward at the slightest push.
However her body relaxed and her gaze softened, even if the irritation was still there.
"I came to talk," Tari said straightening her body fully as if to show her intent.
She held a hand out and with a flick of her fingers the thrown daggers flew back at her and swiping them out of the air she let them fall back into her sleeve.
"Just making sure you haven't lost your edge…and I wanted to slightly inconvenience you," she said motioning to the sword and unapplied oils.
"I won't be long, gone before your friends return."

Alicia's eyes narrowed when the figure emerged into the open, the power in their hand radiating danger signals to the swordswoman who tightened her grip upon the hilt of her sword in preparation. But then the energy dispersed leaving her confused for a moment, wondering whether it was some kind of feint meant to catch her off guard a second time. Then the voice of the cloaked figure spoke and Alicia tensed slightly.

A wave of exhaustion flooded through her body as Tari revealed herself, the girl being the last person Alicia wanted to see given it'd mean a lengthy fight which the Feian didn't much care for. She'd made her feelings clear the first time and had been clear that she'd not spare her a second time. "To talk?" Alicia repeated, her own stance relaxing slightly as she stood straighter with a small frown upon her features.


This was unexpected, Alicia had been told by Tari's friends repeatedly just how loathed she was by the girl in front of her and because of this expected a second meeting to be anything but a simple conversation. The swordswoman watched the knives return to Tari, folding her arms as she continued to speak while choosing to ignore her comments on inconveniencing her day. Alicia sighed softly before the aura in her eye dissipated, "Very well... say whatever it is you need to say."

"Not here."
Tari turned and walked towards Lady Luck.
"I'm already debasing myself, I'd rather limit the witnesses," the woman said adjusting her gloves. "I've already got permission to come aboard in case you have any complaints."
The woman didn't waste any particular time walking onto the ship, opening the door and making her way below deck, the way she navigated the ship, even hopping over a stray object on the ground revealed how long she had been around, even straightening a lantern on the wall as she passed it.

Walking over to the wall she felt around for a moment before pushing in an indent within the mood, a 'click' resonated before she pushed the wall open, revealing a small room within, a single rectangular table with wooden chairs resting against the wall, the place was a closed off room cut off from everything else, judging by the few bottles around clearly belonging to Luro, though from the stack of books it appeared Zilia had taken residence there as well.

Tari slid a chair over to Alicia before setting hers down on the opposite end of the table, taking a seat herself before motioning to the open seat.
She seemed to be making a conscious effort to 'contain' herself, she didn't look at Alicia longer than necessary, knowing the urge would come if she stared at her for too long. She closed her eyes taking a deep breath to calm herself and force her emotions down before looking over at Alicia.
"Before I get into the topic, I've heard you're a bit bothered at a possible confrontation with your sister, the disowned one anyway, to a point you believe you'll lose," Tari said folding her hands on the table. "Is that correct Tashigi?"

Alicia's hopes of this being a short interaction vanished when Tari made for the Lady Luck. Her eyebrow of course raised at the mention of permission, wondering how and why Ru would permit that without at least consulting with her first. "Just make it quick. I don't wish to suffer your presence either, the feeling is mutual." she replied, her tone colder in contrast to her usual soft and gentle approach.

While navigating through the ship she remained silent, knowing her own way through it fairly well given the amount of times she'd made her checks or tracked down Luro whenever he'd attempt to circumvent his chores. The secret room however wasn't something she knew about and her eyebrows raised slightly, curious and slightly surprised there were still things about the ship she didn't know.

The swordswoman once again gave a small exhale as Tari offered her a seat, placing herself down into it before laying her silver eyes upon the other woman. When she spoke Alicia became tense, a subtle reaction akin to a flinch returning her words before she frowned slightly. She didn't reply right away, taking a moment of pause before she replied. "She is my equal in almost every way, which I suppose is fitting given we're twins. My defeat isn't certain, but I know her and she has an affinity for strategy. It's likely she's developed several ways to kill me should the need arise."

Alicia adjusted herself in her seat, she didn't seem too bothered about giving these details to her enemy since it betrayed nothing about her or the rest of the crew. "So yes, I suppose it is correct. Irukia will likely kill me when we eventually confront each other. But I don't see why that has anything to do with you ...this news should bring you joy."

Tari remained still and quiet as Alicia answered her question, her finger tapped against her knuckle at the response to her question but that was the most she gave. She shifted forward bit and spoke about the two's future confrontation and what it would mean, eventually drumming her fingers on the table before closing her eyes as Alicia finished her explanation and provided the answer to her question, her facial muscles loosened and her body grew a little less tense, she let out a sigh.
"I see…" Tari said. "You're right it does have nothing to do with me."
Tari offered a nod before slamming her fist on the table, cracking the wood as her eyes narrowed back at Alicia's the woman's anger returning almost immediately. Something kept the woman from hopping over the table at the moment, part of it probably her other hand which had gripped the table.
"Did you really think I'd come all this way to see you of all people if it had nothing to do with me!
How do you manage to be irritating in the worst way! Dying to her would bring me joy? What kind of sick joke is that?!"

Tari's clenched fist tightened as her body leaned forward, the venom lacing her tone not even partially concealed anymore.
"I can tolerate losing to a warrior who will rise up to be even greater than those who came before her. I will not tolerate losing to a warrior who falls to their own kin because of old wounds. I hated every part of you but I considered you a fellow fighter at the bare minimum. I told you until I brough you to your knees, that you were not to die…and you acknowledged it. For that one moment I found you tolerable."
Tari rose up from her seat unclenching her first and rested both hands on the table, leaning forward slightly as her eyes narrowed further as if she was peering into the woman's very being.
I have never felt such disgust towards another person Tashigi, much less myself for actually thinking you had something redeemable. The moment I realized the words came from your mouth I was prepared to come here and end your life my damn self, save her the trouble. Where the hell was the woman who stood over me spouting that nonsense about how its 'ultimately it's the choices we make that define the people we become'. Would you like to tell me the exact moment you decided to be a coward."

Alicia didn't flinch a second time as Tari suddenly let her temper get the better of her, instead she stood up to lay her own fist against the table with her other hand pointing an accusatory finger. "Since when did I become answerable to the likes of you!" she replied, her own tone conveying her dislike for the woman. "You talk as if you understand everything when you understand nothing and then stand in front of me like you're the gatekeeper of my future? If you were as strong as you were arrogant you would have killed me the last time we fought!"

The table strained as the wood around them began to peel away, Alicia's temper causing the environment to deteriorate similar to how the flora had begun to wilt when Tari had provoked her the first time. "And why shouldn't I have thought this would be good news for you?! All you do is insult me and make out like I'm this detestable villain without giving me any concrete reason for why!" Alicia took a step back, waving a hand in her direction dismissively. "Either you think being cryptic suits you like a choice in fashion or you have no real reason above needing a lightning rod to conduct your bad attitude."

Her hands went to her hips as she took a pause to calm herself, exhaling sharply. "I have no intention of lying to myself and pretending this situation isn't what it is. On that day one of us will die and it is the two of us that pose the biggest threat upon the other, coward?" Alicia took her turn to step forward to place her hands on the table, leaning forward to peer back at Tari. "I don't recall telling anyone I was going to run. That is the 'choice' I've made, if you're concerned about resolving our issue before I expire you're welcome to step outside and we'll finish it here and now."

Tari's grit her teeth as Alicia stood, the wood around them creaking as her own power clashed with Alicia, the wood starting to deteriorate as if it was ash as a the culmination of energy started to mingle together, prices of wood breaking off and disintegrating into nothing, Tari's power flaring at each insult thrown at her, especially concerning their former exchange.
Every word out of that woman only pushed the her further over the edge, each word, every utterance only flared the fires of her fury.

"You barely understand anything yourself, you annoying pissant bitch!"
The table, the only barrier between between them lifted and slammed against the wall, thankfully not breaking apart but no longer stopping Tari from approaching Alicia.
The woman seemed to calm herself enough during her steps to stop her own power from spilling out.
"Don't stand there like you haven't been running all this time…ain't that right…'Amaiya'."
She stopped in front of Alicia leaning forward till her face was inches from the swordwoman's, her words soft but full of rage, her eyes clear and focused on the woman's own.
"If I'm wrong correct me like you're so used to doing. Only an idiot like you would think not running equates to being brave."
Tari stayed near the woman for a moment but shut her eyes and took a few steps back, twitching her fingers as the glow surrounded it, the table raised back up and slammed down in the spot between them once more, twitching her fingers she set Alicia's chair upright again, doing the same to her own.
"My original intention was to come here and do just that. Not because of concern but disgust…but I'm here to talk and I got sidetracked."
Tari closed her eyes and took a long deep breath clearly realizing her anger got the better of her.

"You know I like that precocious redhead of yours. You're Captain too.
The two of them face plenty of enemies that are their betters, that could beat them, but they don't even allow the possibility of defeat to enter their minds, it's not that they don't acknowledge it, they understand the difference in power, for the redhead especially, but he understands what it means to fall, what it means to fail, so he doesn't allow it to even be a possibility. For all the strength you have you're weak in all the wrong places Tashigi. If you want to know one of the many things I hate about you it's that. I'm a realist myself so I understand acknowledging a situation…but there's a difference between acceptance and cowardice, and you crossed that line the moment you acknowledged your own death outwardly."

Tari shook her head.
"I'll win," Tari said. "I said that to Nikos before I fought you, even knowing I could lose, even understanding the difference in our power. I lost but I could stand with pride afterwards, I did all I could, I didn't doubt myself, what about you, where's your damn pride Tashigi. What is this…this person in front of me. Every opponent can be your end, a sword from an average swordsman will kill you as easily as an experienced one but you don't stand down to them, yet this one causes you to hesitate…answer me…what the hell is wrong with you. Is this who you, is this the real you, the woman I tried to acknowledge as tolerable…answer me.'
There was something desperate in the woman's eyes, the woman she stood in front of before, was she just an illusion? Was she truly a fake? A fabrication of the times or was she still there, buried under whoever this was. There was no sense of familiarity in Tari's eyes, to her she was looking at a stranger.

Alicia didn't even watch to see the table hit the wall, her gaze focused on the woman in front of her as her eye erupted violently with a red iris glowering from the dark auras epicenter. Her fist was balled tight into a fist, her jaw clenched tightly as Tari returned with more words which served to only rile her up further. She remained silent through the barrage of insults filtered between the constant pushing for more information, a swelling building within Alicia's chest before it exploded outward. "I LOVE HER!!" the words screamed caused the room to twist and fracture, fissures in the wood tearing causing a symphony of loud bangs to follow in the wake.

Her features portrayed a mix of anger and emotional anguish, her eyes shone slightly but not from power. After a short pause her power dissipated once more as her tone calmed, the anger in her expression relented to sorrow born of melancholy revealing that perhaps she had been pretending, just not in the way Tari might have imagined. "I love her… and when the time comes that love will cause me to hesitate. THAT is why It is likely I will lose… " she sat herself back into her chair, leaning back as she placed a hand on her forehead, closing her eyes briefly. After another short pause she sat herself up properly again, frowning.

"Confronting the situation of killing your own sibling isn't something I'd wish upon my most despised enemies, not even you." she exhaled, silver eyes moving back onto the other woman. "You made mention of pride, so you tell me ...am I supposed to take pride in this? Is my own sister just another opponent to cut down? It's your turn to answer." Alicia thought back to the last time they spoke back home when Irukia had tried to convince her to join her cause. 'Don't hesitate' the words that would bear more meaning than she'd realise at the time, a warning that she'd only come to understand much later after everything she'd been through up till now.

Tari's mouth twitched as she felt the push of Alicia's presence against her own but ultimately she took a seat, her features softening at Alicia's words, her eyes averting from her as she pulled her chair forward. Whether she couldn't stand to see Alicia like this or something else bothered her she made an effort to kept silent about, but she made herself look back at her.
Silencing her voice, hands folded and her body straight, she shut her eyes and removed the scowl from her expression as she listened to Alicia, taking in every word and taking that moment to calm her own nerves, her own body slowly relaxing, she opened her eyes again and let out a long sigh.

The pleading look in her eyes had left, returned to her own steely gaze, though something else lied within the pools of emotions circling through her as she watched Alicia.
"I'm not you Alicia…something I'm very grateful for so what you take pride in and don't means little to me…and in an annoyingly weird way I understand your feelings, something I'm not proud of."
Her eyes moved to the wood and the damage the two of them had done, as she contemplated how much she'd have to give to help pay for it, she spoke again not looking back at Alicia.
"If it was me…no I would not take pride in it…but I would not hesitate," Tari said looking back at her. "Because I love my family, dysfunctional as they are, even Kaim."

Tari fully turned back to Alicia, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Of course you love your sister…and of course your love would make you hesitate…but is your 'debt' to Stardusk less than the 'debt' to your sister. If what I know is correct…she will come with a great force and she will slaughter those in her way…if you fall…there will no victory even if Stardusk wins the war. I believe you understand that…and that hesitation…that's what aggravates me. I understand your heart can't be completely in it, not against someone you love but…"

Tari paused for a moment but sighed and motioned to Alicia, her voice was calmer, less filled venom almost completely lacking in hatred, she seemed to choose her words rather just throw out what first came out.
"Have you ever spoken to Luro about this…the one person in this crew who understand what it means to have a sister's blood on their hands. He had to make the same choice you did, to him even in his twisted mind Lina was a threat to Stardusk…did you sit down and speak with him, let these feelings be known…or did you just bottle them up and keep them to yourself? Let yourself believe you could handle it, made the decision to sacrifice yourself if it ends up that way? I know it's a rhetorical question as I speak with the man often but…you understand what I mean right, even if not him have you spoken like this to any of them? You fought me for your friends…I know you won't run from her…but there's duality. It's not an easy choice but…are your feeling towards them so shallow that when it comes to face such a threat that your hands would tremble, that their love, that your time together isn't enough to steel your heart, your very being against something that would normally break you. That weakness…I don't believe that's you, you're Amaiya Tashigi. The woman who beat me, the woman who stood against an army, who stood against Odin, against a 'god' and didn't back down, yet your hand can't grip your sword against your own sister who can and more than likely will threatens your friends…those who consider you family…do you understand how painful that is hear?"

The swordswoman once again fell silent, listening as Tari gave her answer. To her surprise she made a fair amount of sense, even going so far as to ask if she'd brought this up with any of the others to which she shook her head. "They only know she's a threat, they don't know much else other than my expectation to fall short at the critical moment."

"I know the potential consequences for failure, but… " she gave a frustrated sigh, not towards Tari but aimed at the situation. "... I'm just so tired of losing people. My childhood friends, my parents and now I'm asked to part with a sister… how much more has to be taken before this world will be satisfied?" It was her turn to cast a rhetorical question.

"I'd have kept my silence to ignore the issue till I was forced to deal with it. I guess I was running after all." she looked into a cracked piece of the ceiling as she spoke, not focusing on anything specific as she spoke before looking back towards the other woman. "I think I do understand, now at least… and you're right. I hadn't considered what I'd lose… what I'd be giving up if I allowed myself to falter at the last hurdle."

"I can't sit here and naively pretend one conversation between enemies will cure me of this affliction. But you've at least given me more to consider before that day comes." she couldn't help but realise all of a sudden that those who seemed to dislike her presence also appeared to be the ones to give her peace of mind. Seliria and Tari in the same room was definitely an unpleasant thought at that.

Her brows furrowed once again as her mind adjusted to take in these newly revealed truths, melding them with her preconceived understanding of the future. She'd have to find that resolve before confronting Irukia. If she remained upon her path then Alicia would have to find the strength to overcome not only her sister, but also herself.

Returning her attention towards the other woman, she hadn't missed the detail Tari mentioned for having regular contact with Luro. It was admittedly another surprising and unexpected detail, one which she'd choose not to question given the unlikeliness of a straight answer combined with a modicum of trust in Luro to not endanger them needlessly.



"Of course not you're weak. You'll need at least eight more people to coddle you before you finally do something," Tari said with a shrug.
Perhaps sensing or rather understanding that her words probably carried a bit of weight she spoke again.
"You needn't worry about Luro. What I know didn't come from him, I can assure that. I'm sure you all don't know what happened and it's not my business to speak it, I'm just on good terms with him and the doctor."
Tari closed her eyes at this a long sigh escaping from her.

"…Affliction though huh…."
Removing her gloves Tari rubbed her blistered hands, still red from her training she spoke, her voice growing a bit softer as she stared at her aching fingers.
"Calling you a coward is fair…since I'm one myself…for calling people fools for putting you on a pedestal…I went and did the same damn thing. Do you understand how hurt I felt when I found out what you had said Alicia. Even if I pretend for one moment that we're proper rivals, that our battle will only end with one of us left standing…the hell does that matter when their's five more in line for you."
Tari's opened and closed her trembling hand, having to grip it to stop the shaking.
"Against me you did the same thing….accepted that your end may come that day…I personally hate that part of you. I acknowledged returning your sword to Satia but I wanted you to be greedier. To do more than repay a debt. Do you understand how deep that cut me to hear you speak similar words to another. It felt as if I was just some stepping stone on your path…and she was an actual wall."

Tari closed her eyes before slamming her fist on the table, her whole body tensing.
"Do you understand what I had to face in myself to acknowledge how much that hurt?! The fact that I cared?! That I wanted to be special?! I hated it! Every bit of it! I can't stand that part of me!"
Tari clenched her fists enough to draw blood, the pain being the only thing to stop her as red dripped onto the table. She slowly opened her hands realizing what she was doing and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"Of course not…what am I after all? I'm the only one holding onto this. You've already moved on. Day in and day out I've practiced, honed my power for our future fight, over and over again, from dawn to dusk until my body couldn't move, even in the dead of winter, face first in the snow filled with this burning that even the frost couldn't smother…and at the end of it all…someone else just stepped in line, another person in your path. What the hell have I've been doing?"
Tari asked the question to no one staring at her own hands.
"All this effort for someone I can't stand….pathetic."

Tari let out a long shaky breath and dug in her pocket, rubbing a red liquid on her hands, apparently accustomed to the affliction.
"…but what does that matter…why would I care right? You can't even fathom why I would…and that…that irritates me even further. It's infuriating watching you be you..but it's also painful knowing I'm just as bad."
She started wrapping her hands in bandages, her eyelids lowered slightly as a distant look found its way into her gaze.
"In the end though you won, and a single conversation with you isn't going to throw away these burning feelings, of course a single talk with an enemy isn't going to solve problems, if that was the case we could stand to be in a room with each other, and not cause…this-"
Tari motioned to the bent up room before continuing.
….but it's words I needed to hear to make progress, I felt you needed to hear them too because I had to confront a part of me I'm not proud of."
Her eyes raised to Alicia at this.
"Be better so you don't insult me further than you already have. If you die to that woman I will drag you back from Jones himself and kill you myself."

There was a brief moment when Alicia saw her hands that she felt genuine concern for Tari, but it passed quickly and the swordswoman certainly didn't make any gesture to mention it. In light of everything Tari had been saying, to care would just be something else to be taken in as an insult and nothing more. Even so Alicia couldn't help who she was at her core and that was a woman who valued life no matter where it came from.

"You're not going to like what I have to say. But while we're both seeming to be getting everything out in the open, I'll say it regardless." she straightened in her seat, her silver eyes moving from Tari's hands to look at her directly. "I don't know you." she paused as if it was simply that before she elaborated further.

"I know my sister. I know how strong she was, how strong she might be… how cunning she is and the talent she has for strategy. I know her, what drives her ambitions and goals." she exhaled softly. "Even those I've fought along the way, I knew why they were fighting and to what ends their motivations drove them to such feats of strength and power."

"I can… determine a portion of a person's strength through their motivations and I'm sure you can too, as 'warriors' we can learn their resolve and the reasons for why they chose to draw their weapon. But with you, I have nothing… barely a thing to help me understand what made you hate me so deeply." Alicia replied.

"I wanted to learn more about what brought you to me as an enemy. But you work for an organisation that works in the shadows of shadows and you refuse to give me straight answers to my questions. So for all I know, you could very well want to kill me because of the way I wear my hair day to day."

Alicia shook her head indicating she only half jested the last part. "If I had to take a wild guess. I must have killed someone important to you a long time ago, perhaps I was involved in something being destroyed which mattered to you back when I wasn't as careful and was far more naive." she shrugged lightly. "You could very well be my greatest enemy. But so long as you choose to keep the truths to yourself, to me you'll just be another person trying to kill me."

She frowned slightly. "I.. am unsure what to make of your training though. It's confusing to know what to really feel about it given my lack of knowledge behind what's pushing you to such lengths." Alicia leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment to settle her thoughts before she looked back towards Tari. "This will be the last and final time I ask. The rest is up to you." she was aware she didn't actually ask the questions, but she assumed it to be enough for Tari to make a decision on what she wanted to do.

Tari had finished wrapping her hands by the time Alicia had finished and she was correct that she didn't like what she had to say. She made no effort to agree with her but also didn't disagree. She slipped her gloves back onto her hands looking over at Alicia at her question, one posed onto her many times before.
Tari grimaced and raised her fist feeling that sensation start to fill her again.
"You think I don't know-"
Tari stopped herself and slowly lowered her fist back to the table, taking a moment to control her emotions, this woman brought the worst out of her.

"Maybe I wanted that," Tari said folding her hands and looking at Alicia. "Maybe I wanted to be a person whose motivations you didn't know, that would force you to question their intentions, their being, why they stood in front of you the way they did."
Tari held a hand up.
"I'm wholly aware of the hypocrisy of wanting to be recognized as well without that knowledge. It's why I'm disgusted with myself. I know you know nothing about me."
Tari said this before leaning and resting her cheek on her fist, tapping the table with her finger.
"I hate that you require such things to acknowledge an enemy, that part of you is also something I dislike. There's someone in front of you who wants your life, there's no room for favoritism in this world, if someone points a weapon at you, draw your blade as you would any other….but you're too softhearted for that, having to search for meaning in everything, even if it means insulting the person in front of you."

Tari sighed and raised her cheek from her fist.
"While I can determine a person's strength through their motivations, I'm more concerned about their conviction. I don't need to know why they draw their weapons or why they fight. While I appreciate understanding why I'm fighting the person in front of me, I know why I draw my weapon, that's enough."
Tari closed her eyes at this.
"Again I understand the hypocrisy of expecting such a thing from you when I don't pursue such things often myself."
Tari raised her body straightening it again, tapping the side of her head.
"If someone told me they had trained to kill me I wouldn't ask anything further, I'd acknowledged their conviction, draw my weapon and would meet them with as much respect as I could because that was their belief, I don't need to know if it was for good or ill. I don't need all the answers, what drives them, why the want to kill me. Whatever drove them led them to me, and it was enough for them to put their life on the line, that's enough for me. They made that decision themselves, they're their own person."

Tari leaned back in her chair crossing one leg over the other, folding her hands together, her eyes narrowing slightly as she looked back at Alicia.
"That's what brought me here. My original intention. I find myself at a crossroads with you. On one hand I want to kill you, but to do so I'd have to put my all into the fight, my life on the line. While my crew understands that they don't wish it of me understandably," Tari said before raising a hand and motioning to the right.
"The other path…is to not pursue it, one I wouldn't have even considered if not for recent changes in my own life."
Bringing her hands back together she leaned forward resting her hands back on the table.
"I do have a motivation for wanting to kill you, but I don't want to tell you. Not 'this' Alicia. The one I can't stand, the one that has shamed me in more ways than one, even if you don't understand how you did so, and yes I understand that's selfish but that's what it means to deal with people."

Tari unfolded her hands and tapped the table.
"I believe I know you…prove me wrong and I'll tell you why I can't stand you. Win against Irukia, don't hesitate when the time comes. If you come out the other side…I'll tell you everything, from beginning to end. Then you can have the answer you 'apparently' need…but this you isn't worth the breath or time."
Tari said this leaning back again.
"…I can't come at you without putting my own life on the line. I won't lose…but there are now things I can't let go of…and…"
Tari trailed off her eyes moving over to the rum and books.
"…you have a good family. Ones who care about you even more than you know…they got on their hands and knees for you without hesitation."
She glanced over at Alicia.
"Don't insult them either by doing something stupid."
Turning towards her she held a hand out towards her.
"Sound fair. Survive and I'll answer your stupid needless questions. I'll have no problem talking to 'that' Alicia."

Alicia raised her brow. "I never said I required it." she let that hang in the air for a moment. "I 'like' to know, because it'll enable me to understand my enemy better. I don't like taking lives without at the very least knowing they fought for a cause worthy of losing it. I'm Feian, our culture demands we know why we're taking a life. But you knew that already."

"There seems to be a lot about me you dislike personally which you misunderstand for culture. I'd recommend staying away from my home if that's the case." she took a deep inhale before releasing it as she stood up, extending her own hand to meet the woman she'd one day be fighting to the death a second time. "As I said, I will not ask you again. Should we meet again, it'll be up to you whether or not you decide to answer."

She withdrew her hand, glancing at the damage before wincing slightly already imagining the displeasure on Luro's face consequently resulting in him carrying out an array of petty pranks to punish her for it, or something like that… who knew with Luro. "Be ready for me Tari, you put me on the pedestal… make sure you're able to remove me from it." It was perhaps the kindest thing she could have said to her, a clear expectation that advocated for her acknowledgement of Tari should she prove herself able to compete, a few words that would indicate that Alicia would watch for it.

"Same thing Tashigi, having to know your enemy and all that nonsense and I'll tell you one thing since you misunderstand. I have nothing against your culture. That annoying Feian who was banished is the one who hates your culture and the way you do thing. I'm fine with Satia and Hanako, hell my subordinate is making sure Renegades don't pull anything on them. I have nothing against your mother nor your father or their ways…it's you specifically I don't like."

The agreement at the end of the day had been made, and glancing to her right Tari's eyes narrowed a bit. Digging into her pocket she dropped a hefty pouch onto the table, the jingle from the collision revealing what it was.
"Pass my apologies to Luro along with that…and I'll take you off that pedestal myself. Just make sure you standing at the end of all this, I dislike wasting my time…and don't wish to consider this one of those moments at your grave."
Even if it wasn't in so many words she expected Alicia to succeed, for whatever reason she left without an answer.
Tari clapped her gloves hand together, and a flash filled the room before Tari's presence had completely faded, no sign of the woman remaining, not even the blood that had fallen upon the table, nor a hair from her head, though the mess remained.
Shortly after the sounds of footsteps echoed above, revealing Tari kept her word.

Alicia closed her eyes to anticipate the light, opening them once it faded away allowing her to finally relax a little more. 'They're almost identical... ' she thought to herself as she scooped up the bag of coins which she'd hand over to Luro later. The similarity between Tari and Satia was uncanny, with the exception of insults… but their tempers and even in appearances they shared a lot of ground.

 

[Mizos]

Pre-Bonifaas

​

"I need Alicia for something."
The Nova cook stared at Runali having paid the Captain a visit, she had sent a letter ahead of time, or rather Caleb did warning that Seliria wanted something, and that though everyone else had enjoyed her meal he did not and requested she tell her so when she appeared.
She stared at Runali waiting for the call to take the swordswoman with her, the only thing that stopped her from just grabbing and pulling her along was a request from her Captain's, also outlined in Caleb's letter. Due to Serliria's general….Serilianess she was reminded to be kind to the Captain, thus why Alicia hadn't been stolen in the night with a note.

Runali sat, fiddling through an old newspaper as Seliria spoke. She didn't look like she was paying much attention, but by the way Runali raised a brow showed she was. "You want to take my first mate?" She folded one of the pages and looked at the woman. "No can do. We're already such a small crew, y'know? Getting into trouble isn't the same if the first mate isn't there to try and stop us." A moment passed and Runali crossed her arms. "What's the 'something'? You're not trying to steal her away and throw her into danger are you?"

Selira closed her eyes for a moment wondering how much the young Captain would be missed but was reminded the Nova's said to be nice, she put the notion aside and sighed crossing her arms under her chest.
"You lot can't stay out of trouble for three days," Seliria said before squeezing the bridge of her nose. "Well we are pirates that is asking a lot."
The woman knew well enough how easy it was to bring forth trouble, though at the Captain's continued question she offered a shake of her head.
"Nothing she can't handle. The Lass needs a little bit extra, Imma give it to her. To do that I need her for exactly three days. There's an island nearby, and I can easily have her back here at a moment's notice should a sea monster attack your boat or some ship fires on you."
Seliria waved her hand at the very notion.
"Just a little one-on-one time. She'll be back in one piece and stronger."

"It's luck really." The captain replied in response to their trouble making. She really didn't know how they did it, but she couldn't deny it was fun. The answer Seliria gave wouldn't have been satisfying had Runali not known her. But, the Nova chef was full of life lessons and teaching so she couldn't deny Alicia her time. "Well…" Runali hummed in thought and sighed. "Yeah, I s'pose." She grinned. "Only because you care about us so much of course. Wouldn't put so much effort in otherwise." She sat up and nodded. "Bring her back in one piece and stronger. Three days. Gotcha. And if you drop by again, you can stay for lunch." She snapped her fingers. "Speaking of, Caleb left a note saying he enjoyed the meal and is very glad you're the chef.... Or something along those lines." She mumbled the last part under her breath. "But sure, you have my blessing."


"Is it good or bad…who knows anymore," Seliria said with a small shrug.
She didn't speak for a moment watching as the Captain considered her offer, personally the woman didn't like asking permission for things, the only exception being her own Captains but the Nova's liked Runali and even Seliria admitted they were the more tolerable ones of the Worst Generation…but only by a little.
When the Captain agreed Seliria offered a small nod, the closest things to 'thanks' she was going to offer, though her face twisted into a scowl at the notion of 'caring' about the crew but it returned to it's normal irritable state as the conversation continued.
"…I will consider that next time," was her response to lunch.

Though at the mention of Caleb Seliria sighed waiting for the man's complaint, though at the Captains words the woman's eyes actually widened every so slightly, the smallest bit of surprise on her face, but it faded quickly her eyebrows narrowing.
"…when'd that bastard get taste buds…the hell did he do while I was gone. He probably broke something. I'm going to beat him within an inch of his life when I get back," the woman said gritting her teeth, just imagining him standing over one of her broken possessions.
"We'll depart immediately then. I promise her safety, should you have need of her…"
Seliria held up a small communicative device from her belt, one she knew the Captain's had on the ship as a way of communication.
"It's a portable one courtesy of the soon to be half-dead shipwright, I'll leave my information with you. It works so long as I'm within certain range of a ship."
Seliria went to walk away pausing to wave at Zilia who offered a bright smile and a wide wave in return, though Seliria turned and returned to the Captain holding a notebook out to her.
"Mind putting that in writing."

Selira stood in front of the swordswoman holding up the written note of the Captain.
She had been given a very rough explanation, essentially training, you, need, a couple of day's nearby, Captain's blessing.
"You're with me for three days Tashigi, grab the bare minimum of what you need," Seliria said lowering the note. "I'll be near the dinghy."

Alicia held the note in her hand, reading it fairly quickly before looking up towards Seliria with a semi suspicious expression. "You want to… train me?" she repeated, re-reading the note again before folding it away. Ru had given the ok and since her own work on board the ship had already been taken care of there was nothing which really demanded her time. The Nova cook wasn't exactly someone she wanted to spend an extended time with, not through her own fault it was more a personality conflict than anything else.

Seliria was tough and rough around the edges, not unlike Sara at the best of times although the chef definitely seemed to have a shorter fuse. She'd made a comment during their last conversation which had bothered her, though she hadn't brought it up or pressed her to elaborate more on what she meant by it. "Alright, I'll be along shortly." she replied, tipping her head respectfully before turning to make her way towards her room to gather a few items, the long black coat of the outfit Sid had fashioned for her lifting in the wake of the breeze.

She'd arrive at the dingy a few minutes later, tossing a sizable bag of necessities into the small boat before stepping onto it herself. The swordswoman detached the mooring rope and wove it around her shoulder into a coil before neatly packing it beneath one of the seats where it'd be out of the way. "Should I ask what it is you mean to teach me or shall I wait till we arrive at wherever it is you intend on taking me?" she asked curiously as she took a seat, lifting one of the oars as she intended to share in the work as opposed to letting Seliria do it all herself.

The woman waited at the dinghy in response to her training question, she wasn't really in the mood to repeat herself after dealing with Runali. When Alicia joined her she looked over at the Swordswoman's bag, back at Alicia then back at the bag.
"The hell did you bring? Your room?"
Her mouth twitched to the side but the woman decided not to make judgements until she saw what was in the bag.
When the boat lowered and the Alicia took the oars Seliria looked at her before opening a book and flipping it open, putting her feet up since the Alicia seen keen on being helpful.
"Island's about an hour away from here," she said. "I expected a tad more resistance so I see no reason not explain some of it, the rest it'll just be easier for you to see rather than me give a long winded response. I'll answer what I can on the way should you have any additional questions."

Seliria motioned in a direction to go ensuring they were going the right way.
"Once we get there we're going to set up camp, and live off the land, hunt for food, medicinal supplies. Live in the wild for a bit. During that time I'm going to teach you a forbidden technique that doesn't rely on the Power of Destruction. I imagine three days will be enough for you if you don't quit halfway."
The woman turned a page in her book her brows arching at what was on the page.
"It'll be easier if I just show you 'what' exactly it is but I'd rather not blow up Lady Luck so we should be away from civilization."

"Well I thought I'd bring enough scented candles to help me cope with your particular brand of attitude." Alicia replied jokingly with a small smile. It'd seem that the swordswoman had developed a sense of humour since their last interaction, the others having rubbed off on her just a little given the time they had all spent together. In all honesty if she hadn't developed one by now either Luro would be dead or she'd have taken her own life as a mercy.

When her hands placed both oars into the water, her left eye lit up in the familiar blue aura… seeming to be able to harness her power though items other than her sword to offset some of the exertion a normal person might suffer through. Of course Alicia herself was quite fragile and petite in appearance, unable to lift anything above a certain weight without struggle. However when channeling her power through an item, it became possible to use that item to command greater strength.

She nodded as Seliria gave a small explanation about what it was they would do, perking her brows at the idea of living off the land and hunting their own food. The last time she'd done anything like that was with her father back when she was very little, camping out for a few days while her mother remained home looking after a Satia whom was only just about learning how to walk. "If it's forbidden are you sure it's alright for me to learn it?" she asked as she began to push them in the direction of the island. She shook her head a little, "Forget I asked, I doubt you would be here if it wasn't."

She was quiet for a time, deciding not to throw question after question at the easily irritable woman and merely remained with her own thoughts before she eventually looked up again. "I am curious though." she began before tilting her head slightly. "Is this something you yourself wanted to share with me, or is this fulfilling a favour asked by my late mother?" Serilia never mentioned being friends with Sakura, but there was something in their last interaction that caught her and gave her an inclination that they might have known each other. The question was likely a gamble and Alicia wasn't a betting person ordinarily, but this time she just had a hunch.

"Humor. Never thought I'd see the day. Though crude it's better than your usual mannerisms, maybe I can actually tolerate you," Seliria said continuing to stare at her book.
Her eyes raised to Alicia seeing the familiar flow from the woman, her gaze seemed to linger on her for a moment but she lowered it back to the book. She didn't respond for a long moment even when she brought up the forbidden technique, there was a decent chance she wasn't paying attention to her, though after she finished her questioning she allowed a few minutes to pass before speaking again.
"The reason isn't important," she said in response to why she was doing it. "Feel free to pick either or both for all my concern."

With a small sigh she closed her book and set it to the side, resting an elbow on the side of the boat she rested her cheek on her fist staring back at the swordswoman.
"You're not wrong, I shouldn't be teaching it to you. It's not something any Feian would know, even if they went looking, that's why it's good for you to learn," Seliria said with a small shrug.
With that said the irritable woman closed her eyes.
"That's enough questions, we'll talk more when we get there."

Halfway there Seliria took hold of the oars to aid in moving to the island, the boat speeding up considerably once she was involved.
When they were ashore and the boat was put somewhere safe Seliria led the way to their destination, they walked through what seemed like miles of forest, the barrage of green almost blocking out the blue sky above until they made it to a small opening in the wood. The woman moved her hands to her hips taking a look around, it wasn't much but it'd be enough for now.
"We'll make camp here, we'll need firewood, to clean the area…."
Seliria listed off the many things they would need to make this place their temporary home for the time being, once done she turned to Alicia.
"We'll do your full training after having a camp, we'll need it. Speaking of-"
Seliria cut herself before holding up a finger.
"There are two important things to keep in mind for this training. The first one is no Power of Destruction," Seliria before holding up a second finger. "The second is no items I haven't approved of, and Shusui is on that list."
She lowered her hand at this motioning to the blade.
"If I sense even the smallest bit of your power come out...in any form or your hand so much as twitches towards your blade you can consider the session failed. For anyone else I'd say this would take a few weeks...a month for others but you're disciplined I'm sure you can resist the urge."

The woman spoke in her usual harsh tone so it was hard to tell if she truly believed in the Alicia but she continued.
"If however you feel the temptation is difficult I'll hold your sword. I'm not going anywhere and I am unfortunately aware how precious it is to you. I won't so much as draw it should you feel the urge."
Seliria motioned towards the forest.
"Our session will consist of small and large tests. The large ones will be where I actually teach you the steps of the art, the small ones are for my own observation. Your first step is getting lunch, there's a boar in this forest, deal with it and bring it here, again without your blade or power."
Seliria's gaze moved to the forest for a moment before she looked back at Alicia.
"Any questions?"

The swordswoman stopped when Seliria picked out a spot to camp, crouching to place the palm of her hand to the ground before taking a deep breath. She could feel the ebb and flow of the island, it's life essence converging around this place. A moment of curiosity crept into her mind wondering if Seliria knew this or perhaps had some kind of subconscious inclination, either way she didn't question it as she stood up again.

Alicia merely smiled when the Nova chef dodged a straight answer, deciding not to pry further about it. However her eyebrows did raise when she moved on to mention the various different tasks and the conditions on which she'd complete them, simply nodding in understanding. "I see, no crutches then." she replied, perhaps surprising that she'd mention her power being something of a crutch. But truth be told she knew within herself that she relied on it to overcome and overpower her opponents, it was a single detail about the nature of her strength she disliked the most.

How could a victory… any victory feel as such when in every situation she came up against she'd apply a tremendous amount of power in hopes of bullying the laws of physics and the law of fate into working to her favour. She remembered a time before her power when she had nought but her experience and skill as a swordswoman. At times she wished that would be enough and in some cases it could be… but every opponent they faced since those days just seemed to get harder, her opponents more powerful. Without having it to lean on, she'd probably have died a long time ago.

Untying the sword from her waist she gripped the saya of her sword and held it out horizontally towards the chef. "Not because I distrust myself, but I fully intend to see these challenges through and I'll do it without any suspicion that I've cheated. Besides, if my mother trusted you then I have little reason not to." it seemed she'd settled and chosen to believe her previous suspicions, especially given Seliria refused a straight answer upon her previous questioning about it.

After handing over the weapon she turned in the direction of the forest before tilting her head back towards the woman. "I'll make a friend out of you yet." her features suddenly broadened into a brighter smile and for a moment both her words and expression would echo the visage of her mother who had spoken those very words back in their earlier days when both had probably been around Alicia's age.

She waved a hand before taking a few steps off towards the nearby thicket. "I have no questions. I'd like to track the boar while we still have daylight." she added, soon disappearing beyond a bush as she moved out of sight. 'Firewood and dinner… no sword, no power… alright Amaiya, let's get to work.'

Seliria offered a nod to her comment on not using her crutch, she offered nothing else seeing nothing wrong with the swordswoman's clearly stated fact. Normally the distrusting woman would have a few words to say to someone being so accepting but she put such thoughts aside for the time being, this was Alicia after all, allowing her mind to fill with such doubts was only going to slow the both of them down.

Seliria looked down at the sword actually a little surprised she was willing to hand it over to her, her eyes remained on Alicia however as she listened to her reasoning, genuinely curious herself.
Her eyebrows seem to lower slightly at the mention of Sakura but she merely took the blade with both hands and a sigh.
"There are an abundance of ways to cheat but the sentiment is acknowledged," Seliria said tying the blade to her waist, making sure the tie was proper so there was no chance of losing the blade.
For her irritated attitude she kept her word on treating the sword as well as possible.

Seliria crossed her arms as Alicia walked away, her brows arching as Alicia turned to face her. She wondered if she was going to complain about something, her eyelids lowering into a narrowed glare though as Alicia spoke Seliria's mouth twitched the side and her eyebrows lowered.
"Gah just hurry up and get the food," she said not trying to hide the venom in her voice.
"Return here with or without food, and don't get gutted by its tusks, it is an adult after all."

Once the swordsman was gone Sakura's visage appeared in her mind for a moment, her grip tightened slightly on her own arms and she shut her eyes.
"I wonder…when I stopped hating that smile."
Seliria clicked her tongue and turning moved to focus on fixing what she could of the camp, and preparing for the actual test when Alicia returned.

The Boar itself was just as Seliria said an adult one, judging by the few scars decorating it and the one over its eye it had suffered it's fair share of battles. It was larger than most boars, easily twice the size of a normal one, it's Tusks were longer, clearly grown to deal with any animal that threatened it.

The first hour after leaving Seliria's company was spent seeking and gathering rocks, leaves and sticks. At first she'd considered digging out a pit and sharpening punji sticks to set a trap but unfortunately there just wasn't enough time to get it done before the sun would set beyond the horizon. Instead she'd sought out water in hopes of finding bamboo shoots, eventually stumbling onto some after following a river upwards towards a clearing beneath a small waterfall.

She gathered three in total, taking a seat on a large boulder before taking one of the sharper rocks she'd collected to repeatedly drag against the tip till it resembled a fine point. Without rope she hadn't the ability to make a bow or a rock-tipped javelin and she was certainly no Luro when it came to aiming projectile weapons, far from it in fact. Of course back home she'd been made to practice archery when she was just a little girl, but she was never any good at it. Instead she settled for fashioning a bamboo spear with a spare.

The third shoot was cut shorter than the other two and extra work had gone into fashioning it into a makeshift sword, albeit not one she'd be able to cut with. It'd make for a thrusting short sword, not unlike the kind of sword Sara would use when she really thought about it.

Tracking the boar down had taken some extra time too, though thanks to the observation haki she'd managed to eventually locate it's tracks before setting about stalking it through the thicket. She had no idea about her haki or how it even worked, she knew she had a higher awareness for noticing details but she assumed it to be a natural consequence of the work she'd put into her training and the experiences she'd gathered along her journey as part of the crew.

Seeing the boar made her tense a little. It was a whole different world to confront something like this without the safety net of her abilities to ensure she'd survive the fight and to say she wasn't anxious about it would be a false statement. 'Alright… let's see what you do with this…' she thought to herself as her hand wrapped around a stone before flinging it into the bush behind the boar, intending to spook it towards her direction as she began to launch a few more from her position crouched behind a bush, dull thumps hitting the ground as she tried to force it closer.

The Boar pawed at the ground huffing a few times, at the sudden rock through he quickly raised his head and looked over at the spot, it lowered it's body a bit clearly bothered by the noise, at the second one it took a single step back observing the brush for any danger, it's body ready to move forward at the first sign of trouble, but it continued to put a little distance slowly getting closer to Alicia.

Suddenly the bush Alicia was at rustled causing the boar to turn in her direction, a fox stepped out of the brush and shook the leaves off it's body, it blinked a few times looking up at Alicia then back at the boar who was already preparing to charge. The fox yipped at Alicia before quickly running off as the boar rushed towards Alicia's hiding spot.

The swordswoman looked at the fox as it blew her cover, releasing a small sigh before smiling towards the animal shortly before turning her attention towards the boar. It couldn't be helped and she certainly couldn't be upset with the fox, this was their home after all and she was merely a guest here.

Standing up she took a few quick steps back as the boar charged, leveling the first throwing spear before throwing it towards the boar with as much strength as her arm would allow. It sliced along the creature's side, creating a deep wound as she threw the second one which landed a little better as it thumped wetly into the boar's chest.

Still the animal continued its charge, prompting Alicia to firm her stance as she withdrew the makeshift sword. Those tusks were a real danger and the slightest mistake here could very well mean a life threatening situation if not immediate death. She steadied her breath, waiting for the pivotal moment before stepping to the side at the last moment, inverting her grip onto the bamboo sword before nimbly twisting back to sink it straight into the boar's eye.

The bamboo shoot sank deep, pushing into the animals brain before she'd release her hold on the weapon to prevent it's momentum from dragging her along with it. The boar collapsed and slid along the ground before coming to a stop and Alicia placed her hands on her legs for a moment as she bent forward and recomposed from the adrenaline coursing through her body.

She'd walk over towards it, gripping the weapon once more before pushing it deeper to double check the boar was killed and not suffering. "Thank you for your sacrifice." she commented softly, leaving the weapon embedded for the time being as it'd be important to ensure the animal kept as much blood in its body to preserve it till she could figure out how to get it back.

It was certainly going to be too heavy for her to lift alone and dragging it would more than likely spoil the carcass. She gave it a good amount of thought before coming upon an idea, one which would help to fulfil her second objective despite the rather tedious method involved.

The Feian would begin searching the area for various sticks, collecting a good amount before setting them into a pile. She began to place them in a compact row in front of the carcass before grabbing hold of a tusk to heave the body onto them. With the body on top of the sticks, she'd have an easier time with less friction between the carcass and the ground allowing her to slide the body back towards their camp while feeding more sticks under the body every so often before collecting them up again only to repeat the process. It took her a long time but eventually she'd manage to bring both the boar and the wood back to where she'd guessed Seliria was waiting.

By time Alicia had returned the clearing actually resemble somewhat of a campsite, there was even a small cleared spot for their fire. Seliria stared at the boar then Alicia, her eyes drifting to the makeshift weapons. She stood and approached the boar eyeing the animal before offering a small nod.
"Good hunting."
The woman reached over and with a small 'hup' lifted the boar off the ground placing him in a designated area she had prepared the beast.
"Have a seat over there, you have a visitor."

Seliria kept her back to Alicia as she walked over and grabbing a few of the sticks proceeded to prepare the fire, Alicia's visitor was familiar as the fox from earlier hopped onto one of the logs, it dropped a pile of acorns near Alicia before yipping at her once again.
The fox turned towards Seliria as she sat a wooden cup of water near Alicia before walking away again.
"Some believe that Foxes serve as a messenger for the deities, they're smart creatures at the very least. She came this way just before you and sat in that spot, almost as if waiting for your return. I could tell you were close as she perked up suddenly."
Seliria leaned down and dug into her boot pulling out a small knife, spinning it she held it out towards Alicia.
"I'll handle the cooking, go ahead and clean him up. Don't waste any part. If you need assistance just shout. Your test will start soon so best we start preparing him."
Seliria handed the knife to Alicia before turning back to her original task.
"How did the hunt feel without your powers and blade?"

Alicia recognised the fox almost immediately and returned another warm smile as she took the offered seat. "We met before the fight against the boar. We seem to have similar tastes in hiding spots." she replied with a small soft chuckle as she reached slowly to stroke the Fox briefly beneath the chin in thanks. She'd pause and turn her attention back to the chef as she handed her the knife before asking her to take care of the kill, her brows once again furrowing a little before she looked up from the knife towards Seliria.
"I'm sorry, but I wouldn't even know where to begin." she admitted with all honesty. "A bird sure, a rabbit certainly but never an animal of this size." she gave a sheepish smile as she stood up and approached the caress regardless. "Fighting without my powers… it was definitely more difficult and I was certainly more aware of the danger." she paused as she gave it some more thought. "But it was actually kind of nice. I'd forgotten what it felt like to rely on the basics, my experiences and instincts as opposed to taking what many would arguably call the easier path... it's become difficult to tell if this power is making me complacent against everything I'd learned before gaining it."

The fox leaned into Alicia's hand a bit as she explained their relationship, Seliria only offered a small nod and almost returned to what she was doing but stopped at Alicia's admittance. She stared at her for a moment before a small sigh escaped from her as Alicia approached.
"I'll show you, it's not too different from that, just a few extra steps," she said turning back around.

Seliria ran her fingers over the boar, stopping in a few spots before pushing only pulling her hand away as Alicia described her experience in the jungle. A 'hmm' was the only thing the woman offered at first before motioning for Alicia to draw closer.
"That's not a bad feeling," Seliria said. "Your natural senses response...and the idea of complacence...hmm. It's a pain to admit but this could work."
Seliria motioned towards the boar giving Alicia instructions on what to do, where to cut, how to cut and how to save what was important. For a moment as she instructed the harshness in her tone left her, the fox at this point had crawled onto her shoulder.
In the midst of their cleaning Serilia wiped a bit of blood off her hands.
"Okay we're getting there. Now Alicia since you're relying on your instincts I'm sure you feel that."

The two were being watched from numerous angles within the forest, upon closer observation there were a fair amount of predatory animals eyeing the two, slowly inching closer to them, stalking them from the brush. It was a strange sight but there were Leopards, a few Tigers, two bears, a pack of wolves, what looked like wolverines and a honey badger, at least that showed there were plenty behind them.
They were surrounded by extremely volatile animals and covered in the blood of what they considered their meal.
"Keeping a long story short...all the carnivores of this island want to eat this guy and for another variety of reasons, mainly due to habitat shifts there are an abundance of them."
She motioned to the next part Alicia had to cut as the predators drew closer, the fox lowered it's body slightly but seemed to understand running off wasn't the best option.
"All right time for the actual test, so long as we have this guy they're not going to leave and the only thing stopping them from attacking us is their own instincts. Which means they can leap on us at anytime."
She reached over and smeared a bit more blood on Alicia's clothes and skin.
"There we go."
One of the Tiger's roared at this and Seliria pointed back at the boar.
"Finish up, we'll cook and eat him. For the time being we just have to hope they don't come at us. I'll keep the fox safe but you're on your own, don't forget the rules."

Seliria walked past Alicia and sat on her log, the predators were aware of the woman but their clear intent was on the succulent fresh boar.
"No sharing either. That's our meal."
The fox yipped and Seliria glanced at her.
"Those who don't work don't eat."
Another yip.
"Don't argue with me."

The swordwoman paid close attention to the instructions, guiding the blade to cut the parts Seilira mentioned while she listened to her explanation. She opened her mouth to ask some questions before closing it again as she decided not to bother, deciding to instead focus on finishing up on the boar. The Nova cook seemed to be reluctant to answer the vast majority of her questions so she decided to simply wait and see if the answers came naturally instead.

She'd look up towards the cook as she smeared some of the blood on her, grimacing at first before giving the cook a half lidded look of slight irritation. "... thanks." she replied in a tone that best conveyed her displeasure to having blood put onto her. Nevertheless she had felt the presence of the other animals, though it was only partly instinct that alerted her.

While she had agreed not to engage with her power, there were certain aspects of it that were outside of her control and the connection between her and the natural world was one of them. The ebb and flow of forces that constantly moved within and without everything living, a current that could be touched and felt upon by a power user which in turn heightened senses and developed a deeper understanding of the world around them.

She unlocked the same connection in Sara back when she took her to an island just like this one, although different in many ways. To awaken the connection almost felt as if taking a first breath of cool air, colours brightening as senses refined perspective. "I'll do what I can." she replied as the cook took her position on the log, guiding the blade forward to finish the boar.

Eventually she'd manage to separate the pelt from the meat, laying it over a nearby log as it could probably be sold for a good price to the right tailor or smith. She then separated the meat from the organs before finally setting the blade down again.

"I see."
Seliria spoke to herself as the swordswoman continued her task, whatever Seliria had noticed she kept to herself but for a moment she seemed a tad more irritated. Ultimately she didn't move even as the predators broke from the wood a few still remaining hidden, bodies lowered ready to pounce. The moment Alicia put the knife down Seliria stood up one hand in her pocket.
"....suppose I can't fault you for that….fine you pass...barely," Seliria said before glancing towards the forest.
In the next moment a feeling would more than likely crash into Alicia, a brief one, like the brush a passing breeze. In the next moment the predators all turned and sprinted back into the woods, Seliria staring in their direction as they left.
The feeling was a familiar one in all living things, whether Alicia recognized it or not would depend on her but it was clear Seliria had made it clear who the 'apex' predator was in this area.
"All right on to cooking," Seliria said moving over to the ingredients. "Soon as you finish eating we should rest, tomorrow's training is simple but...well...depending on what happens it could take all day."
Seliria said this grabbing a few nearby sticks, she tossed a wet rag over her shoulder to Alicia before speaking again.
"Also Alicia, so long as your questions aren't annoying and needless like the annoying persistent ones about me and your mother I'll 'probably' answer them. Worst that happens is I choose not too."
She glanced over her shoulder.
"If you don't know something ask, if you're in doubt ask. For three days that's my job. Observation is all well and good but don't let that lead you to assumptions that will only hurt you….well you already know this. Feel free to ignore that."
She focused back on the task at hand and sighed a bit as the fox hopped off her shoulder staring at the cooking meat.
"....why'd you make friends with a fox, she's never going to leave," Seliria mumbled sighing.

Alicia's response to whatever it was Seliria did resulted in a tenseness in her stomach, her hand raising to press against it as the air around her became lighter yet incredibly dense. It passed quickly enough, though she couldn't say she really understood what it was she did.

She nodded in response, catching the rag out of the air before using it to clean up her hands as well as the remnants of blood she could see on her clothing. Of course a rag wasn't going to clean the blood out of fabric but it would at least dry it for the time being. "I've only asked you one question regarding you and my mother, that's hardly persistent. If you don't want to talk about it that's fine with me." she replied.

"She knew many people and had many relationships on her travels. I can't help but be curious about the life she led which I was never able to see for myself. She must have meant something to you though... I don't need power to see that much, it was written on your face when I brought it up." she added, returning her attention to the fox as she spoke.




The swordswoman would leave the cooking for the Nova chef to take care of. Alicia could cook but this meat and the preparations required were outside of her knowledge and skill set. For the time being she set herself down onto a nearby log before resting the rag down beside her to dry off a little. "I'd like to know more about you though. If we're spending the next two days together I'd rather not do it as strangers… granted you know plenty about me, so it's probably more one sided in that respect." she tilted her head a little before giving a light shrug. "It's up to you of course. I can't make you share after all."

"Once is enough of a bother but I suppose it isn't fair expecting the same response from you, I have to remind myself of the differences between you two and not just the similarities," Seliria said. "The Tashigi sisters have their own ways after all."
At her extra comment on her facial expression Seliria sighed.
"You're going to make a lot of people mad and not understand why. Curiosity is fine but there are better people to ask, she touched a lot of lives...positively and negatively."

Seliria left the matter alone instead focusing on her food, she did it in front of Alicia in case the time came she would ever need the process, or had further questions. The woman was skillful in her work clearly accustomed to living in the wild and the preparations required of it.
It took her little time to get through it.
She glanced at Alicia at her questions, her brows arching for a moment before lowering back into their normal shape.
"...how is everything you do annoying," she said running a hand through her hair.
She left it tangled in her locks for a moment before closing her eyes, she seemed to fight something briefly before lowering her arm and returning to her work.
"...I don't promise to answer everything but you're free to ask whatever. Only fair considering what I know," Seliria said.

After placing the food on the fire Seliria sat down on the opposing log, she looked down at her outfit and the blood coating it before crossing her arms.
"...we'll wash our clothes in the morning...well if you feel a need. There's a stream nearby," Seliria said. "For now eat and get some kind of sleep eventually."

The swordswoman couldn't help but wear an amused expression. "You say I'm annoying but If you asked me I'd think you were just trying too hard to dislike me." once again the humour of her mother began to show but the moment passed as soon as it'd come.

She gave a little extra thought about how the presence of her mother might affect her in certain parts of the world, admittedly having not considered it given she didn't make that kind of connection. Sure she looked up to her mother and aspired to walk the world as she did helping where she could, but she never once considered the two of them synonymous in anything other than a blood relative.


Alicia eventually looked up again before tilting her head slightly as she looked towards Seliria curiously. "I suppose I'll keep my first question open, that way you can be as detailed or as vague as you'd like without revealing more crease lines every time I start talking." she smiled warmly. "I'd like to know your story… where things began and how you ended where you are now." she kept the question short but broad, deciding it to be the best way to learn about her without prying into specifics which would undoubtedly irritate the older woman. "I do have another question, but it can wait till you're finished with this one." she finished, reaching to scritch the Fox behind the ears while awaiting Seliria's reply.

The woman shook a fist at the swordswoman knowing she was going to exhaust herself with a long conversation, it was not that difficult to find things she disliked about her. She put the notion and flashbacks forcing themselves in her mind back and remained silent as he posed her question. Her eyelids seemed to narrow as she explained what she was going to do, her eyes moving over to the fox who happily accepted Alicia's touch.
Her eyes moved to Shusui at her waist and with a heavy sigh she squeezed the bridge of her nose before responding.

"I was an assassin, did a lot of bad things, killed a lot of people some who probably didn't deserve it. Attacked the Nova's, didn't work out, they recruited me instead of killing me, killed the one who employed me to kill them, the end."
The woman gave the summary of her life as she had done so only a few times before, annoying as it was to recall such things, she was told to repay trust by the Nova's, if Alicia could trust her to hold Shusui she could talk a little about her past.
"What else did you want to know?"

Alicia blinked before a small slightly amused smile graced her features. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a great storyteller? You should write a book." she reached a hand up to smooth through her white hair before nodding. It was enough to give her some insight into who Seliria was, there was no judgement following the short explanation or even a question to follow up about it. The swordswoman seemed to just accept it as it was and moved on without hesitation. It did make sense though and it explained why Seliria was the way she was, Assassins were essentially solitary hunters of exceptional skill after all… not so good with people.

There would be something of a short pause before she'd ask the other question she'd mentioned before, considering for a moment not to ask it before deciding to go along with it anyway. "Why haven't you called me by my real name?" she asked without looking up towards the cook, continuing her affections with the fox for a moment more before eventually looking up with a raised eyebrow. "It's not really that important. I am just curious as to whether you have a reason for it or not." the question was simple enough. Alicia assumed Seliria knew it given the information she had on her, doubly so if she'd been an assassin before joining with the Novas given information was among the assassins most valuable weapons.


"I should have left you to the animals."
The fox yipped at the woman's cold response and she waved her hand at the tiny creature, she reached for one of her cooked meats contemplating her recent choices, stopping mid consumption seeing Alicia stumble a little, or at the very least stay silent. She stared at her awaiting the next question, mentally preparing for another annoying one about her person, though the one she actually asked caused her to lower her food, mouth still slightly agape.

It was Seliria's turn for contemplation, she shut her eyes allowing the question to hang between them. Since it wasn't so important there was no real obligation to answer, but it was apparently important enough to bring up, even if for the sake of curiosity. She seriously considered not responding but with a small sigh bit into her food. Quickly finishing one of the skewers she motioned to Alicia with the stick.
"You didn't say anything so I didn't."
Seliria's angry expression softened a bit and twirled the stick between her fingers as she continued
"You got your reasons for not sharing it, saw no point in blatantly putting it out there. I don't like people talking about my affairs, seems only right I not mess up yours. Tempting at times admittedly, but resisted the urge."
Seliria waved her hand at the very notion.
"Nothing prominent. If you're done I'm going to sleep."

Alicia didn't give a response but simply nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. She took a skewer for herself, pulling a piece from it to give to the fox when she was sure Seliria wasn't looking. "Go ahead and rest, I'll be up a little while longer." she replied.

Eventually the swordswoman would rest herself down, looking up into the sky where the stars reflected against the pale silver of her irises. She'd watch the lights in the sky while listening to the crackles of the fire, allowing them to beckon her to sleep as her eyes soon closed as she slipped into a soft and comfortable slumber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~"Do you desire power?"~​

Her eyes opened, a blur fading to reveal the back of a woman with white hair looking ahead of her into a white void surrounded by dark. She turned to cast a glance over her shoulder back in Alicia's direction before her lips parted to speak. "I'll save this world… end all suffering." the woman spoke before smiling, her eyes hidden within the shadow cast by the fringe of her own hair. Her smile began to widen across the woman's features as she turned a little more till she stood with only her side facing towards her.

"It didn't have to be this way you know, we could have ended it all together. You and me just like when we were children." her smile faded away, her head tilting up a little to reveal purple eyes peering coldly from the cast shadow, albeit with a modicum of sadness within them. "But in the end, you were always going to be you… and I was going to be me." her hand moved to rest onto a sword not unlike Alicia's although vastly different in colour and the pattern adorning the saya.

Alicia wanted to speak, to reach out, to move or do anything over than watch the woman reaching for her sword with such an expression of coldness shifting towards deepened sadness. "Forgive me." she spoke before her blade released from it's saya with frightening speed, a silver arch closing towards Alicia's face before a white flash blinded her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

The swordswoman would sit up with a gasp, clutching a hand to her chest as beads of sweat collected on her skin. Her left eye was ablaze with the aura of her power, though unlike the usual controlled wisp that trailed away from her eye… it was instead consumed in a violent torrent. It dissipated a few moments later upon her realising it before she looked out into the dark between the trees surrounding their camp.

"Almost a whole day."
Seliria walked out of the shadows of the trees, wiping something off her hands as she stepped into the light. Her eyes remained narrowed at the swordswoman though her face relaxed a bit as she stuffed the cloth into her pocket.
"We'll consider that progress."

For a moment there was a glow to the woman's eyes but a single blink caused it to fade, leaving the possibility of it being an illusion of the night. Her eyes moved to the fox sleeping at the woman's side before she leaned against a nearby tree crossing her arms under her chest.
"Nightmare? Thought those were reserved for those with guilty consciences."
There was a strange edge to the woman's words, not exactly aggressive but it was clear she was avoiding letting her normal emotions interfere with her words.

"A memory." the swordswoman replied before seeming to cast her gaze off into the distance as if she were searching for something or someone. "At least half of one, the other a future that might come to pass." she added before lifting a hand to smooth down the side of her hair. She didn't give a response to Seliria's initial comment, feeling in no mood to begin contesting the point she was making. Instead she looked down at her hand for a moment, flexing her fingers a little before wrapping her arms around her legs to support herself a little.

"In all your years as an assassin. Did you ever have to kill someone who was close to you? Or have someone close to you try to kill you?" she asked. The expression on Alicia's face expressed this to be beyond negligible curiosity. Something was bothering the Fein girl and it'd undoubtedly be easier read by the older more experienced woman.

Seliria fought a lot of things in her lifetime, she's fought against all walks of life, she's fought man, 'monster' and everything in-between. She would spit in the face of Jones himself and not bat an eye when her time came, as she would fight against the gods themselves with the same fervor she fought everything else. Yet there was one thing that the swordswoman had trouble confronting even at her current skill level, this great obstacle now lied in her path.
Feelings.

She kept her normal expression on the outside, her cold unmoving stare but internally she was screaming at this situation. It was abundantly clear this was something affecting Alicia, she shut her eyes for a moment at the question and dug into her experiences, not so much her assassin one she already had an answer for that, but with people. She knew how to do this, she practiced this, it all came down to one thing, think before speaking. Don't be 'Seliria levels of harsh', her mental state was important for numerous reasons, the training being part of that. She'd normally blow off any questions pertaining to her life but that wasn't the case now, focus and respond.
"...more than I care to admit on both fronts."
Success! She even managed to say it without her usual level of irritation, after this came the follow-up just like in training.
"If there's something on your mind I'll listen. Can't sleep anyway so maybe this'll help."
Perfection! Now the last step was a touch of comfort to show consideration.
Seliria didn't budge from her spot, that hurdle was too high but her attention remained on Alicia.

Alicia had paid close attention to the older woman as she replied before casting her gaze upward towards the night sky. She closed her eyes for a moment, releasing a long breath before opening them again as she returned her attention back towards Seliria. "Irukia." she replied simply, assuming that the Nova chef would know the name given how much she knew about her past. "Sooner or later the time will come when we'll measure our moralities against one another through our swords." she thought back to that day once again, her brows furrowing. "She's as strong as I am, perhaps maybe more so. I'm expecting to lose."

She paused for a moment on that. "Though the thought of losing isn't what bothers me. It's that I didn't do enough. I have… regrets, that I didn't do enough to prevent what will come or prevent what she would become."

Seliria's eyes seem to narrow a bit at the woman's name, a sign that it was at least familiar to her. She didn't respond for a long moment only listening to Alicia as she had said she would, her eyebrows narrowing at little at her comment on expecting to lose but she remained silent her eyebrows arching a little bit at the mention of regrets.
She looked away from Alicia when she finished, a small sigh escaping from her. That's what woke her up in the middle of the night.
"My memory's fuzzy on that one for some reason," Seliria said. "I think she was disowned or something. If I forget someone it's generally for a reason."
Seliria said this with a small shrug.
"If you'd like I can give you a bit of advice from a woman who's had to slit the throat of a few too many people close to her, I'd appreciate you refreshing my memory of that one though. That way we're on the same page."
Seliria brought a hand to her head trying to remember this 'Irukia', but only bits and pieces came back to her causing her mouth to twitch to her side.
"Irukia...damn it why am I blanking on her."

Alicia considered ending the conversation there, it was a difficult subject to speak openly about at least for her with everything that had happened between her and Irukia. Nevertheless she'd take a deep breath before responding. "My other sister." she replied, exhaling deeply. "We're the same age, although she was born a little after me making me a little older than she is."

"After the first invasion, she began to pursue power as a means to become stronger so she could overcome anything and everything that would try to replicate what happened to our home. Her obsession of this pursuit bore fruit in her achieving grand feats of strength and ability at a young age, though her motivations changed and soon after she'd set her sights on attempting to reach a level that would allow her dominance over the free world. She believes absolute rule to be the key to preventing war and open conflict… of course you know where I stand already."

"Before Kane'Artem she visited me and implored me to join her. She said it was our duty, that our possession of power awarded us the right to rule… to lead the weak and oppress the strong that would attempt to take advantage of those who couldn't fight for themselves. She's not a malicious person, I believe that she truly has faith in her ambitions. But we both know the world isn't so easily pushed around."

"As my own ambitions push me to aspire to walk the world as my mother did, a day will come when we'll be forced to confront each other. If neither of us can be moved by words one of us will die when the day comes for us to draw swords against the other." there was more to it than she was telling, but it'd take all night for her to really get into the smaller details between her and Irukia.

"So you see, my regret is failing her as a sister. I should have tried harder to prevent her from walking this path, to find a way to make her see what she would have to become in order to achieve her goals. On some level I think she knows, it was written on her face when we looked over the charred remains of Hurasai. But anyway... now you know."

Had it been anyone else telling this story it might have seemed ridiculous. But Sakura's daughters withheld the potential to stand at her level one day… perhaps even surpass her and if even one of them let alone two or three decided to try to bully the world into submission, it'd be a very real problem that would ultimately affect everyone in the end.



Selira's hands moved to her hips as she listened, her eyelids narrowing ever so slightly as Alicia refreshed her memory and filled in a few blanks the woman had herself.Her eyes narrowed a bit and for a moment her mind flashed back to the young Tashigi children but she shut her eyes pushing that memory aside, now wasn't the time for that, she opened her eyes focusing on Alicia as she explained where her regrets came from.
It didn't take long for Seliria to realized why she had forgotten Irukia.

She shut her eyes as she spoke a bit of their relationship, it didn't take a genius to know there was more but all she wanted as a refresher, and that was more than enough.
She didn't speak for a long moment, mainly since she wasn't sure if Alicia even wanted the words in the first place.
"Well I see why I forgot her," Seliria said leaning off the tree. "You get a few of those every few generations. This cycle it's the WG next who knows. Easily forgettable."
Seliria said this sitting down with a small sigh.
"Not that I doubt it's an impossibility, sure there were a few who didn't think much of the WG when it first started. Enough time, sweat and sacrifices and anything can happen."
The woman seemed surprisingly casual considering the information she had been given, but she raised her eyes back to Alicia.

"Her response shouldn't be that surprising to you though Alicia. You Tashigi's are a stubborn bunch. Once you fixate on something you don't let go easily, I'm not surprised you couldn't talk her out of it. Consider all the conversations you've had with those questioning your way of life, you're just as bad. Satia's no different, give Hanako some time and she'll be the same."
The woman clearly didn't mean it was as an insult, more a fact of life.
"Battle changes us...especially war. I've killed and almost been killed by people who pursue the same path as Irukia, 'control' as it were. I'd be lying if I said I didn't know someone now with similar pursuits. Violence has a way of shifting our perspectives, for better or worse."

The swordswoman opened her mouth to say more but something caused her to stop, maybe she thought it was a waste of time trying to teach a lesson to someone who may not want to hear it, maybe she didn't want to say it for some other reason, but something caused her to stop. She grit her teeth and rubbed the side of her head, she wasn't her mother, she wasn't her sister, she was barely a teacher, and she didn't ask for the advice, why was she trying to help her?

Seliria's eyes narrowed at this face and she closed her eyes and laid down.
"At the end of the day people will be people. Trying to force them into our way of things is no different than controlling them...but eh I'll leave the nagging to your doctor. More than likely you'll find the answer when her blood coats your sword or yours coats hers. That's how it usually goes in these cases."



"I see." she replied without returning her eyes to the older woman. She released a small exhale, "What will be… will be." she gave a small shrug. "But that doesn't stop it keeping me awake some nights." she looked back towards Seliria and offered a small smile. "Thank you for listening, or at least trying to care." likewise her words weren't meant as an insult, but rather a way of letting the Nova chef keep her desired length away from getting too close and personal.

Her eyes seemed to narrow a bit at her comment of 'what will be' but she just sighed leaving it be.
"....get some sleep, we have a long day tomorrow."
Seliria decided to just end their conversation there, there was much the woman wanted to say but it wasn't her place, she was here to teach Alicia a technique, nothing more.
Seliria didn't waste much time once they were awake and had breakfast, the fox rode on her shoulder as they walked. She had tossed the creature off multiple times but she always found her back onto the irritated woman.
"...ya fed it and now it won't leave us alone," Seliria mumbled to herself as they made their way through the forest."
Their destination wasn't too far from the campsite, Seliria stopped in front a large boulder, just a few feet taller than the both of them and relatively wide, it was clearly a sturdy piece of rock though it's placement in the middle of the forest almost seemed off, considering all the greenery surrounding them.
Seliria knelt down and grabbed a random twig off the ground before tossing it to Alicia.
Reaching over she touched the rock, something flashing over it before fading.
"All right, cut the rock clean in half with that stick," Seliria said sitting down on a nearby stump. "I coated it with a bit of armament to make it fair. No power, go."

The swordswoman caught the twig, plucking it from the air as her eyes focused onto it, a small indication of the observation haki she used without really knowing anything about it. She blinked when the instructions were given, looking towards the rock before casting her gaze down towards the twig nestled between her fingers. "I think you give me too much credit." she mumbled, just barely audible to the older woman.




Alicia had never attempted to cut anything without a sword in her hand, let alone something as small and fragile as a twig. Shusui was heavier than most swords and difficult to wield because of it, not to mention it's other details that made the sword a unique weapon to adjust to. A normal sword with a different weight would probably be uncomfortable for her, nevermind this being an entirely different object altogether. "Well, I suppose standing and staring won't cut it any sooner." she eventually spoke before turning to face towards the rock.

Her fingers held the twig delicately, almost as if it were a wand considering it lacked the length and size for her to hold it like she would a sword. Her footing took stance before she threw her arm in an elegant upward curve, the tip of the twig passing its aim across the rock before a blade of wind licked from it to glide against it. A red line burned against the rock from the blade of air, scaring it but otherwise leaving the rock intact. Alicia however had flinched, having not expected… well, anything at all other than to look a little silly flailing her hand towards a rock.

"That… I.. I'm pretty sure I didn't use my power. At least I didn't try to anyway." she looked down at the twig with a furrowed brow. "Strange... "

Seliria didn't offer a response, only arching a brow as Alicia caught the twig and turning towards the rock waiting for her to cut the object. She could see the uncomfortableness in the woman next to her and gave a silent nod, that was good. This technique meant a little uncomfortableness, things feeling a little unnatural, this was a good kind of progress but she kept that to herself watching as Alicia took a stance.

Though was followed caused Seliria's eyebrow to arch slightly, any doubts Seliria had of Alicia learning the technique faded then. She walked over to the mark and ran her fingers down it before rubbing her fingers together.
"I was admittedly zoning out a bit...but I didn't feel the presence of the Power of Destruction come from you," Seliria. "Well this is a good thing."
The woman walked back over to Alicia and gave her a stern pat on the back.
"This training is to help you hone a technique...but if you happen to learn something new about yourself all the better. The more tools you have the less terrible you'll be in the future."

For a moment the coldness in Seliria's eyes was a little less, her gaze moving back to the scarred rock, the moment passed quickly however and her normal chillyness returned as she motioned towards the rock.
"Still intact though so go again. I'm not giving you too much credit. I know you can cut that with just a stick, I could so I know you can where you are now."
Seliria motioned to the stick.
"Being a teacher yourself….well I'm not really a teacher but you get the point. I'm sure you know this but without technique a blade is basically just a pointy metal stick you're swinging around. If your technique is polished enough, you can cut with basically anything, a blade just makes the cleanest cut. Now, don't think of that stick as just a stick, take a stance, focus, and do what you've always done, if need be visualize Shushui as you do so….if you're lucky maybe you can also do what you did a moment ago as well."
Seliria took a step away from her.
"Again, you can do it Alicia. Also we're working on your Observation Haki later."

It was Alicia's turn to raise her eyebrow. "Observation haki?" she repeated in a questioning tone, indicating she didn't even know what it was. "I've never used Haki before, though I've seen Ru and Jack use it in the past." she added which was telling she hadn't even been aware she'd been using it, likely meaning whenever it had been activated it'd came more subconsciously when needed as opposed to being used willfully as a skill.

Her mother had been exceptional with its use, able to employ it in order to finesse her cuts with staggering accuracy. Like Alicia it was also the reason why the average marksman found difficulty landing their shots upon her as the bullets were merely batted away or deflected back towards the shooter. To Alicia she assumed it to be nothing more than honed reflexes that enabled her to have an answer against ranged attackers, but for Sakura it was an important skill that enabled her to fight even within the most chaotic battles where a bullet or a sword could come from anywhere at any time.

Alicia turned back towards the rock and took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment as she attempted to concentrate on feeling the weight of Shusui in her hand where her fingers pinched the stem of the slender twig. It was difficult and conveyed on her expression which contorted when she realised she'd gotten so used to her sword that she hadn't stopped to consider the sword's weight for quite some time. Not to mention her hand position and grip upon the twig wasn't nearly the same as holding a sword which complicated it further.

Instead she abandoned the idea, opening her eyes as her brows furrowed upon deciding to focus on the basics of technique learned at an early age. All the extensive lessons she'd gotten primarily from her father pushed to the forefront of her mind as she once again took a stance before reducing her thoughts gradually to allow a modicum of muscle-memory to take hold.

Muscles in her arms relaxed as her breathing steadied itself into a rhythmic gentle pace, brows knitting together as willpower pushed from her core towards the tips of her fingers as she swept a second upward arch toward the boulder. Like before a blade of air whipped from the tip of the twig as a circle of wind blossomed out along the ground from where she stood, it cut an inch deeper as yet again a burning red line flashed across the rocky surface.

For a moment it would seem that would be all before Alicia's other hand met to clasp upon the twig as if holding a sword with both hands. And as if holding a sword she swept a foot forwards before bringing the twig across the boulder again in a following downward swing which caused a red flash to momentarily light the immediate space around her as a red blade of air maliciously and violently tore through the rock, scarring the ground in front and behind where the cut entered and left from the boulder.

"O-Oh! It worked!" she hadn't expected anything and in her surprise she hadn't noticed the twig in her hand was now on fire, her attention to it coming slightly late causing her to fling it from her hand with a small "Gah!" before stepping onto it to put out the flame before it spread onto anything around it. The cut through the rock was anything but clean, the partition jagged and slightly bent meaning her control hadn't been absolute during the execution, if anything it was the self doubt that allowed it to happen and might even be responsible for the dark undertone that'd carried in the visual display of the air blade.

Seliria wanted to have a fair amount of words towards their doctor who was supposed to have explained the basic concepts to the crew, but as she took a moment to think about it. Expecting Alicia to already know about Observation considering her ability wasn't that for off. The only reason she knew the swordswoman was using it was years of Observation herself, Zilia barely knew about it.
That was something to discuss later however, for now she was more focused on what was happening in front of her.

The scene would probably look silly to anyone observing from the outside, even Alicia herself seemed to have reservations, but to Seliria who was watching the ebb and flow of her energy it was a sign of the swordswoman's skill. When she cut rock Seliria's eyes lowered ever so slightly before offering a small nod. It was different from how she had done it, but the goal was control not imitation, and in a way it was good she had done it differently.
Alicia should solve problems as Alicia.
She had paid close attention from the stance to the execution and Alicia had just cut a rock in half without the power of destruction. It wasn't a clean cut but now that there was no doubt there, she figured the next would be more refined.
Admittedly she also had to stifle a smile watching her throw away the flaming stick.

"Of course it worked. I told you that you could do it," Seliria said standing up. "Not the way I expected but it got done and you learned something new about yourself."
Seliria walked over to the rock giving it a small tap with her knuckle.
"I may not have put a lot into it but this was still coated in Armament as well, you can be a little proud of what you did."
Seliria looked back towards the rock and the remnants of the strike, if Alicia had this much control then that saved a surprising amount of time.
"We'll have your final test tomorrow. If you're able to handle this much you're pretty much ready for the technique," Seliria said before turning towards her. "That feeling you had when you brought your 'blade' down, that culmination of power...don't forget that feeling. We're going to have you practice that today alongside Observation Haki...which I suppose I will explain to you...as you've been using it after all."

Seliria made a motion to follow her, the fox hopping onto Alicia's shoulder as the woman moved deeper into the woods. A bit of time passed and Seliria gave Alicia a basic lesson in Observation Haki, while having her focus on that 'feeling' from earlier, after wrapping a Blindfold around her eyes.
"Observation Haki is the ability to sense the presence, strength and emotions of others," Seliria stated as she paced around Alicia. "Those who master Observation can even perceive people outside of their visual range, able to see their form like silhouettes. This is of course very high level so it's different from person to person. Basically you can see their aura. Even if you can't reach that level at the bare minimum you'll sense a presence nearby."
Seliria gave a small shrug.
"For comparison's sake I can't see aura's too terribly far but I can sense someone nearby with ease and I've used it for years. Caleb on the other hand can sense every living person on the ship without much effort….thus he's the best scout. I can maybe catch someone in or outside my kitchen at best. Maybe a little further with concentration."

Seliria still wasn't sure why she was explaining this but Sakura's skill with Observation was on a whole other level, if Alicia could harness even half of that she'd be able to hold her own against even more opponents.
"When you sense a bullet about to hit you and you move to intercept it, that's Observation Haki essentially. Needless to say it was a handy skill for Sakura and is for any fighter. Long or short range."

She went onto explain that it's possible to sense the strength and emotions of others as well but for the latter it's possible for a person to hide their true emotions as well, the skill is not flawless. It's meant to gather information.
"Be wary of this however, if you use it unconsciously...you'll sense the negative emotions of a person and that can affect you greatly...you don't want to naturally empathize with pain, fear and hate without consent. It's broken less people."
Seliria went silent at this for a brief moment before continuing pushing aside whatever else she wanted to say there.
"The part that especially matters to you however is the ability to sense 'intent', if you properly harness it, this skill will allow you to see an attack coming before it's unleashed, and so long as you're fast enough move out of the way of it. It's like seeing the attack right before it comes at you, the more bloodlust or killing intent the person has...the easier it is to predict."

Seliria said this before looking back at Alicia.
"Honestly you do this already, just unconsciously. What I want is for you to do it naturally. That being said…."
Seliria trailed off bending down and picking something up.
"You won't be able to sense attacks without intent such as random or unconscious ones. The power isn't perfect after all...but you do use it Alicia. You just do it without realizing it, most users of Observation use it without even knowing it. A few in your crew are no exceptions."
Seliria paused in her steps and let out a small sigh.
"Observation exists outside the natural senses. Even if you're robbed of every single one in some manner. Observation will always show you the way, it's not bound by your bodily limitations so it's important you learn to use it consciously. Now skilled as you are you're not going to master it in one day and I don't have time to train you extensively in it. I have to keep my promise and honestly you're not completely hopeless you'll figure it out. I've given you the basics and knowledge the rest is up to you, so practice by fighting living things blindfolded. Animals are good practice as they attack on instinct, easy to predict, work your way up to people, preferably ones who don't want you dead first, and soon you'll recognize how to use it. You'll get the feeling for it and know how it feels."
Seliria immediately threw a rock at the back of Alicia's skull after saying this, with the intent to nail her in the back of the head.

Although the swordswoman was fairly adept at various forms of training, even she began to struggle to contend with the amount of information the older woman was passing onto her. There was only so much her mind could take in at once and the concept of Observation Haki was difficult to wrap her head around all at once, despite the sense it made when she thought back to previous fights where similar 'feelings' of intent had opened in her mind. "I just… thought it was fast reflexes." she replied with a gentle shrug of her shoulders, lifting one side of the blindfold with her finger while Seliria explained everything.

Truthfully she didn't even know where she'd begin to train such a sense despite her apparent use of it. Fighting animals didn't seem all that pleasant and blindfolding herself against opponents sounded like a recipe for disaster. In fact she briefly imagined asking Luro to shoot at her while blindfolded before grimacing and reconsidering it almost immediately. After taking her hand away from the blindfold she'd been so lost in her thoughts about it, she'd been distracted when Seliria threw the rock until her eyes widened. Her hand instinctively swung upward to pluck it from the air, her fingers wrapping around it as she clutched it into her palm at the last moment.

"I cheated there… '' she spoke while dropping the stone to the floor, lifting the blindfold once again. "I heard it coming, the air-" she began to explain how her affinity with the air element allowed her to detect shifts in the current to her immediate vicinity, essentially hearing the stones friction catch against the air during its momentous shift along its trajectory path. She paused her explanation however, deciding to keep it shorter so as to not burden Seliria's shallow pool of patience. "-I can feel the air moving. It's… complicated." she decided to settle with those few words. "You could try again? Or something else?" she smiled sheepishly.

"Most do," Seliria said. "You do got good reflexes but some of it was Observation. That stick catch back there was one such, I felt it from you."
Seliria eyed Alicia for a long moment before a small sigh escaped from her, it was clear this was a lot to take in, she couldn't blame Alicia. Learning something new wasn't easy, she learned Observation the hard way after all and Caleb said she wasn't the best at explaining things, but swinging at Alicia until she 'naturally' picked up on it wasn't going to work either.

Watching Alicia catch the rock her brow arched though as she mentioned cheating her eyes lowered a bit, she didn't speak immediately however letting Alicia explain the situation. She didn't feel the pull of the Power of Destruction so it was something else, at her hesitation her mouth twitched a bit but as she rested her hands on her hips her brows arched a bit.
"Oh your wind thing...right." Seliria said closing her eyes. "You have a certain affinity for the wind or something like that I believe. It's come up before."
Seliria leaned down and picked up a twig.
"Hold your breath Tashigi."
Seliria tapped it on her hand for a while before raising it and making a quick swiping motion with it, as she did something passed over the two women shoving all the wind away from them entrapping the two in a dome devoid of its presence, the wind struggling to push past some invisible wall the woman had created around them even pushing out the air around them, robbing the area around them of all air.
With a small twist of the stick she let it return, the held gust quickly brushing past them before releasing the breath she herself was holding.
"That's why I can't try something else," Seliria said nodding at her. "Robbing the area of all air would be bad for you as well, I've seen Devil Fruit Users do some nasty stuff with power like that."

She lightly tapped Alicia on the head with her stick.
"You said it yourself right. You're relying on the Power of Destruction. Your affinity for the air is no different so no cheating….though it seemed unintentional so I won't fault you for it. Still you felt it earlier right, when you 'turn off' what you're used to, step into that realm of uncomfortableness, do what feels 'wrong' or 'silly' you learn new things about yourself. I know it ain't easy to grasp, but trust me that trick with the blindfold is the easiest and most efficient. Just do it, you'll pick up on it. That idiot redhead of yours does that all the time, that's why he's able to discover new things, same with the bookworm, your Captain and the rest of them. You're all still fledglings growing and learning new things, that potential is extremely powerful. A swordswoman who only swings their blade in one direction is predictable."

Seliria blinked a few times after speaking, feeling herself that her expression had softened before bringing a hand to her face, she turned her attention to the sky and seemed to take a moment to recover before clearing her throat. The iritiation on her face returned and she seemed a little tenser than usual, waving her hand she turned her back to Alicia.
"Whatever you're not a child and you know which way of that blade is sharp. Take my advice or don't take it, maybe you'll figure out how to harness it another way. If you encounter someone who can beat what you know and you got nothing left you're screwed and got no one but yourself to blame so s' got nothing to do with me what you learn aside from the technique...the hell is wrong with me."
The last part was muttered to herself but she motioned for Alicia to lower the blindfold again.
"We'll go until nightfall, if you rely on that cheat too much I might make the wind lie to ya the next time I throw a rock...with Armament attached to it."

Seliria kept her word as their training did go until the sun had long set, the currently only somewhat irritable woman had taken care of the fire and food for that night as she had forced Alicia to do more than the previous day, and apparently wasn't heartless enough to make her go hunting at the same time, especially after making her climb a mountain the old fashioned way, hand over foot.
Though she did make her prepare the fish and animals she caught, lingering nearby to help if the Alicia needed it.
Seliria's eyes moved to the fire as she held her cup of what she called 'water', swirling it in her grip, the woman's eyes narrowing a bit as she watched it crackle bathing the area with it's warm light, her hand opening and closing as she fought some internal battle with herself.
"Tomorrow you'll formally learn the technique. If you got questions now's the time to ask them, I imagine you'll pick up on it easily enough though. You got the basics down."

As the older woman mentioned the stick her mind clicked as she recalled simply pulling it from the air. She hadn't even thought about it, once again chalking it up to fast reflexes before now considering it in a bit more depth. She couldn't rightly say she felt anything herself, though perhaps she should try to consciously think about her… no, this was supposed to be a subconscious thing… but how can she consciously train for something that was supposed to be natural and therefore subconscious. Trying to get her head around that detail alone made her head hurt.

When instructed she held her breath, observing as Seliria pushed the air away without much effort. Alicia was reminded again just how far out of her depth she was compared to the older woman, more sure now than ever before that her own abilities paled in comparison. When the air returned again she exhaled, blinking for a moment through Seliria's explanation as she wondered for a moment if the woman could read minds, easing a little when she went on to include the rest of the crew along with Luro's name.

"I see." she replied at first before nodding with a soft smile. "I'll try not to disappoint you." she added before the soft smile grew slightly upon the older woman's sudden change in attitude. Of course she knew better than to draw attention to it so decided to instead nod her response. "I won't squander your lessons Seiliria. That you've even offered your time for me is plenty enough of a reason for that." briefly her words would mirror something similar to a previous conversation the older woman would've had with her mother, who once had also claimed to appreciate the cook's time and company… albeit with a smile that the woman probably found irritating much to Sakura's amusement.

By the time nightfall came Alicia was exhausted, a few new bruises here and there from where she hadn't managed to intercept the rock in time or missed it entirely. Body parts ached and her silvery white hair had been tied into a temporary arrangement that somehow still managed to look presentable, something only Zilia appeared to find baffling if not curious. When the offer for questions came the swordswoman had to restrain herself from offloading a mental scrolls-worth that would likely only lead to a verbal reprimand. So instead she picked her questions carefully and within the subject, given the older woman seemed reluctant on certain subjects involving her late family.

"This technique… what exactly will it ask of me?" she asked after considering her wording carefully. Despite the unusual things the older woman had asked of her since coming to the island she was still no closer to understanding what it would all amount too. Being sure Seliria was unwilling to simply explain it all here and now, she thought to at least ask about what it'd ask from her that made it so potentially devastating

Seliria's kept her gaze on the fire even after the question was asked, the woman taking a small sip from her cup as she took a moment, letting the question linger in the silence between them for a moment. She looked back at Alicia and reaching up poked her own chest.
"It'll ask you to both betray and listen to your instincts."
Seliria lowered her hand and downing the rest of her drink set the cup down before tapping the side of her head.
"I mentioned it before right. No Feian would know this technique. That's cause it asks you to do something no Feian...and to a degree most wouldn't do. It asks you to throw everything away."
Seliria said before folding her hands under her chest and pacing.

"Your hopes, your dreams, your beliefs, your love, and everything in between. Tossed into a pile and burned at your own hands, that's the catalyst to learn this technique."
She held a hand up to Alicia realizing what she had said was literally impossible to ask of her.
"You don't have to do that because I'm teaching it to you and I know how to teach it without that step but do you understand why no Feian, Sakura included would know it now? If I asked you to throw away your technique, your teaching, this blade, your love for your parents, Hanako, Satia and Omoiyari, everything your parents taught you would you? Most wouldn't."
Seliria waved a hand at this.
"Even that Irukia fights for something, absolute rule to prevent war and open conflict right? No exceptions. Every Feian...hell most fighters holds their weapon in their hands for something. This technique is only for those that throw that reason away, no honorable swordsman...hell even the scummy ones will know this technique. Even dishonorable one's fight to put money in their pocket. It's because of this only three people exist myself included that can use this power and thus why it asks so much of you. Though that'll become only two soon enough."
Seliria said this stopping her pacing.
"This technique will test the you that you don't know," Seliria said. "The you that you're discovering right now. The Alicia without the Power of Destruction and without her affinity for wind. This technique will test that Alicia. It's honestly quite the dark technique with a dark history, thus why it's forbidden. Of course it won't ask anything of you that you'd consider impossible, just something that won't make sense to the Alicia who wields the Power of Destruction. I can say with certainty that even if someone somehow learned of this technique...they wouldn't expect you of all people to wield it."

Alicia almost immediately opened her mouth to express her concern and to explain how she couldn't possibly comply with such things before the older woman continued with her explanation. Instead the swordswoman frowned in thought, more questions raising while Seliria went on to indicate details that only deepened Alicia's concerns, placing them elsewhere from where they had originally sprouted.

"Only three know the technique… soon to become two..." her brow perked in suspicion towards the cook for a moment before her expression moved to a small frown. "That seems fairly ominous. If by learning this technique some form of harm befalls you in the process, I'll be clear now that I'd be less than interested in continuing with this training." her arms folded, eyes closing for a moment while the frown remained. "And before you tell me I'm entirely wrong, it can stand as an ultimatum. Besides… " he eyes opened as a small familiar smile stretched across her features, an amused grin of sorts tempered by tiredness from the day's training. "We're friends now, whether you like it or not."

As if feeling left out the fox that'd been following them around hopped up onto Alicia's lap, prompting the younger woman to bestow affections with her fingers which delicately kneaded into the animal's soft fur. "With that said and done. I'm slightly confused about something you just said." he expression shifted once more as she resumed her curiosity. "My mother didn't know the technique, but asked you to train me with it to fulfill a promise. That doesn't seem to add up, why would she ask you to show me something she herself hadn't managed to learn?" she tilted her head slightly to the side.

Seliria wasn't a fan of the myriad of emotions playing across Alicia's face, though she expected a bit of resistance at adding the idea. Though her eyes seemed to narrow at the notion of stopping her training, in her mind the swordswoman's strength was more important than some notion of camradire. Today's friend could easily become tomorrow's enemy after all, that kind of thinking led to short lives.
However as she took a moment to really take in what Alicia said her eyes shut as she realized she may have created an understanding, something that prompted her to run a hand through her hair.
Caleb and on occasion the Nova's often reminded her she was bad at extended conversation because she omitted things, she argued back that conversations should last no more than three minutes anyway, and they were way past that, she was never going to tell him he was to a degree correct.

While contemplating her communication skills she seemed to twitch a bit as Alicia posed another question, her eyes moved away from the swordswoman, her body turning slightly at the comment about Sakura. She was reminded Alicia, unnerving as she could be, paid attention to the things around her. While it was a politeness, decent trait and made her a good learner to listen to the words of others it also meant she remembered those same words.
She had this odd feeling the fox was also silently snickering at her.
"Putting the technique's holder's aside for a moment I don't recall accepting any friendships," the woman said with a sigh turning back to face her. "...you always remember the damn annoying details."
Seliria brought a hand to her face and squeezed the bridge of her nose.
"I said the reason wasn't important...and I never said she asked me to pass it along," Seliria said. "Hah...well you'd just ask a bunch of annoying questions or end up thinking about it anyway. I never showed Sakura this technique, partially because it doesn't mesh well with the Power of Destruction. Sakura who was a master of it...and probably one of the only people who understood it fully, or at least to a great capacity…."
Seliria trailed off for a moment looking at Shusui, her hands seemed to shiver for a moment as something leapt forward in her mind, she gripped her pants and let out a shaking breath, forcing her suddenly tense body to relax.
"Well long story short it doesn't fit well with it so I didn't use it around her," Seliria said regaining her voice. "At worst they'd cancel each other out. Thankfully you're still learning to control yours, so it's not so entwined in you that you can't learn this skill."

Seliria poured herself another glass after her answer to Alicia's question deciding to clear up her original mention.
"I didn't mean I'd end up harmed, I'm told I'm not good at communicating certain things. If I had to put it into words this technique has always ended with the student killing the teacher. Not because the technique forces it but it's a 'tradition' I guess you could say. The original holder passed it to their student, due to her overwhelming strength she was poisoned by her student, and that student taught another who killed him, so on and so forth. It's only ever taught to one person, and this technique was passed to the scum of the earth...it goes without saying they'd kill the original owner to keep it from getting out."
Seliria said before realizing she was doing it again and held up three fingers.
"The person who taught me it broke that tradition. He taught it to two children, me and another. I'm going to kill both of them leaving just you and me as the holders, thus two. Well unless I die to one of em' but either way only two will exist."
Seliria offered a small shrug at this and continued.
"Those other two aren't going to pass it along and though I was fine with it dying with me, I figured it'd be interesting to see what someone that's not part of the underworld could do with it."
Lowering her fingers Seliria moved her hands to her hips.
"Anything else? It's out in the open now anyway…..against my wishes of course."
The cook added that last part with a clearly irritated mutter.

The more she learned about the details of this technique the more concerned she began to feel. Despite that feeling the younger swordswoman still managed to maintain a modicum of amusement upon her features as Seliria made a comment about friendship, her amusement fading upon her further explanation about the details why she'd never revealed it to her mother. When the older woman let slip of her stoic demeanor, Alicia followed her glance towards Shusui before looking down towards the fox.

She knew better than to pry into those details, especially in the company of someone who appeared to be often unwilling to share. "I see." she replied softly before remaining quiet as the Nova cook continued to explain about the transition of the technique, more details that Alicia dared not to pry into as they appeared seated beyond a door she suspected shouldn't be opened and with good reason. Then the question finally came with an offer for Alicia to ask more questions which was met with a small shake of the head.

"I think I've stretched your patience for questions thinly enough already, so I'll withhold the rest for now." she said with a small smile, patting the fox on the side to prompt him from her lap before standing up. "But thank you for answering me and… for trusting me." she knew Seliria hadn't said it, but she got the impression there was at least some trust involved for the older woman to pass down something which seemed so dangerous. "I think I'll turn in for the night and rest for the day tomorrow." she bowed her head respectfully to the older woman before turning towards the direction of the tent.

She took a few steps before stopping, turning halfway back towards Seliria. "Oh and friendship tends to be unconditional, at least the purest kind does." she spoke with an expression which indicated she was half prodding the older woman jokingly. She turned back to continue towards the tent without a word after that.

Seliria seemed more than fine to end their conversation there, lowering her arms to her side relaxing a bit as she turned back towards the fire. Alicia's comment on trust however drew her attention again, and she waved a hand at her to basically shoo, denying both her comments wordlessly, though the sternness in her face had softened slightly.
After taking a seat in front of the fire she raised a hand as Alicia left.
"Tomorrow's the last day, be prepared for one of the hardest parts of the training," Seliria said.
Setting Shusui on the log directly next to her she raised her eyes to Alicia seeing she had stopped for some reason, arching a brow as the First Mate spoke to her, Seliria eyes twitched at her extremely annoying comment.
Glaring at Alicia she just pointed towards the tent waiting until she was out of sight before hanging her head letting out a long tired sigh.
This kind of mental exhaustion reminded of her Sakura too much.

Seliria moved away from the Camp a little bit into the night, taking a seat on a log in front of a small stream, the moonlight filtered through the tree's illuminating the area around her that the fireflies couldn't provide any light towards. Half shrouded in darkness the woman held Shusui in with both her hands palms up, staring down at the blade in silence her eyes distant as she gripped the handle of the blade and drew it slightly.
Water surrounded Shusui circling it continuously before Seliria could even fully draw it, images filtered through her skull causing her to quickly sheath it again. The water fell apart at this splashing against the water staining the soil at her feet. Seliria breathed heavily sweat suddenly pouring down her body as if something had attacked her.
The blade Sakura wielded, seeing it's visage forced those memories to return, the ones she kept locked away deep inside. Her hands trembled as she gripped the sheath and she grit her teeth shoving the rising emotions in her back down.
"...I never got to ask…damn it…."

When morning came Seliria made sure Alicia had something to eat before they began their trek through the woods, she had her take a moment to search for her feelings from the other day, and to ensure her natural instincts and experience from their first day were still fresh, climbing without any support the day before was meant to remind her of that as well. Serilia seemed to be taking them to a certain part of the island as the final part would apparently cause a fair bit of damage to the area.
For most of their travel, Seliria had merely been walking ahead with the fox riding on her shoulder, the animal being oddly affectionate towards the antagonizing woman today.
"Oi what's your problem, go bother her," Seliria said looking at the fox.
When she rubbed her face against Seliria, the woman groaned leaning away a bit.
"Keep that up and you're our next meal."
The fox yipped happily and Seliria sigh and looked back at Alicia.
"If you're not knocked out I'll have you back to your crew by evening, just in time for dinner. Already sent word to your Captain. If all goes well and you can harness it you'll be able to use the technique soon. I'll explain the last parts of it then."
Seliria turned her attention forward again at this.
"By the way it should be obvious from our talk yesterday but you won't be able to use this technique and the Power of Destruction at the same time...if you accidentally rely on it...if the 'original' Alicia responds to the manifestation. The energy will dissipate immediately and worst case backfire on you attacking the Power of Destruction itself."
After delivering her warning Seliria glanced back at Alicia.
"I know you can show restraint but felt it necessary to warn you due to my promise. So shove any doubt you have to the side and focus on the task in front of you. I wouldn't have you do something scummy….that woman would return from the beyond to attack me if I forced that on you."
She turned forward again.
"Listen carefully to my instructions one last time so you can learn it as Alicia Tashigi."

The swordswoman didn't mind their journey much, finding that there was always something to be seen and observed if one paid enough attention. From the colours of the local flora down to the stray insect flickering in the morning light between the trees, nature had much to offer in terms of entertainment and it seemed the little fox was no exception. "Like I said, unconditional." she grinned towards the older woman before turning her attention back towards their surroundings as they walked.

When Seliria began to explain more about the conflict between the technique and her innate power her eyebrows raised a little. "Ah, that explains a lot." she replied before deciding to elaborate. "I see now why you asked me not to use my power under threat of ending the training. If I'd been unable to resist using it, the time requirement for me to learn your technique would likely have been longer and that would take more time than you can afford to spend here… I assume."





At the mention of her mother coming back to seek vengeance on Seliria the younger woman could only respond with a small soft chuckle. "Honestly that would be quite the spectacular fight… and a little terrifying." she added the last part with an honest truth. She knew the stories of her mother and the spectacular feats of power and strength she'd achieved during her lifetime, not to mention her mastery over forms of power Alicia was only touching upon. But then Seliria, while more mysterious, had given the impression of her own strength over the last few days and the swordswoman wasn't so naive to imagine she wasn't just as formidable in her own way.

When the Nova cook mentioned about following her instructions she simply nodded. "I'll do my best." she replied simply. She had to admit she was curious to see where and what this was all leading towards, though of course she still carried her concerns. After all if this technique conflicted directly with her power, it could be assumed to represent the opposite concepts of manifestation. And if that were true then she would need to somehow allow herself to become numb to everything she stood for, which wasn't too different from the very explanation Seliria herself had offered yesterday.

The woman tried to glare at Alicia for her comment on friendship again, with the fox no less but the animal's affection forced her attention forward in an attempt to avoid it. At her response to the usage of the Power of Destruction Seliria gave a small nod.
"That's part of it, there are various other reasons but they're not important."
Seliria said this raising a hand and waving as if to shoo away what she considered useless information, for the time being the why didn't matter.

"Hah, this area at the bare minimum would lose a few islands if we went against each other properly."
There seemed to be more energy in Seliria's voice and her body straightened a bit as she spoke of the possibility but perhaps catching herself she cleared her throat and rotated her shoulder shaking off some invisible feeling. The fox leaned over to look at her face causing her to turn it slightly, hiding it from both Alicia and the curious animal.
"I expect as much," Seliria responded simply to Alicia's experts.

The woman went silent shortly afterwards, but as they hopped over a small stream she started speaking again.
"In the underground there are things called 'Happy Domes', they're little arena's, if it helps to visualize them you can think of them like the arean's in Tilea, just less ornate and smaller," Seliria said this with a shrug before continuing.
"Groups like the Blue Kings will take kids off the streets, unwanted or lost and will bring them to these places. They'll make sure they're starving of course and will show them a loaf of stale bread, it's always stale and set it on a little mini platform above the arena. They'll then toss in pointed sticks."
Seliria knelt down and picked up a twig at this and waved it slightly.
"They'll sharpen them not too properly but enough to penetrate skin, it takes a few good stabs though. It's no fun for them if they can get it in with one good stab and defeats the purpose of the exercise."
Seliria lowered the stick to her side ducking under a low branch before continuing.
"They'll then tell the children that 'only one person can have the bread' and then they'll wait. Sometimes days if need be, most of the time the kids will pick up what they mean, children are smart after all. If they don't they'll reword it to make sure they understand the last person 'alive' gets to have it. Eventually someone succumbs and attacks another, after that the place is filled with screaming and crying, that stretches on for what seems like days, until eventually everything falls painfully silent. Then the last one standing gets the bread and is recruited into the organization."

Seliria glanced back at Alicia at this.
"If the kids resist or try to wait it out they'll bring actual food and hiding it fan the aroma into the arena so that stale bread smells like a feast. Long story short eventually someone's will falter."
Seliria turned forward again.
"All they have to do is find the one willing to snap, the rest falls into place naturally."
Seliria rotated her shoulders at this and the Fox looked at her perhaps sensing something from the woman.
"This world has a twisted way of weeding out the weak sometimes. It'll force you to peer into the depths of your own soul, to face yourself, to confront things about your being you'd never thought you see or even knew. So it's important to know that other part of yourself."
Seliria glanced back at Alicia once more at this.
"Just as the Alicia that stands before Omoiyari is different from the Alicia that stands before Jack, Luro or even the clingy one. Just as the Seliria that wanders the seas is different from the one that stands with the Nova's, there's another part to those who choose to fight. For the times you have to face the darkness of this world, it's important not to forget those base instincts of yours. They'll speak the truth that will help guide you in the right direction."

Seliria turned her attention forward again.
"We fear, we hate, we love, we suffer and all of it changes us. Though a pain those emotions help us resonate with others. If you can't understand those emotions naturally there will always be a piece missing when you draw your blade, a force will always be missing from your strikes.
Your mother held Water, your Sister holds Fire and you Wind….and judging by what you did back there it's not impossible you'll learn other affinities as time passes. You'll have to face that foreign side of yourself to do so however, the Alicia that grew as you wielded the Power of Destruction and borrowed the Wind, and with that said…"

Seliria tossed Shusui back to Alicia.
"You're going to need that. If you bind yourself only to what's familiar you'll fail and won't grow...and I'll have wasted two days….you said you'd do your best though so I expect you to control the technique. Now remember what you did the first day, those feelings that ran through your body, then the second day that strange feeling that manifested, take those things and meld them together into one, if the Power of Destruction tries to rise gently set it to the side, if you feel the wind call to you kindly ask it to remain quiet, the voice that calls to you in that moment, that strange feeling unknown to you yet so familiar…when it speaks to you...that is when I'll administer the final part. Now find that Alicia Tashigi. I hate speeches so don't make me having wasted my breath by failing now."

Once again Alicia reached a hand and plucked her sword out of the air with the same precision she'd shown upon catching the twig, only this time she'd been more conscious of it. The feeling of it within her grasp was welcome, comforting like a favourite blanket or a squeezed embraced from a parent. She felt more at ease with it close to her, more… herself, as if it'd long since become part of her which in truth wasn't too far from the truth.

Seiliria's story about the children had bothered her, though she'd remained quiet through the explanation as she listened. As the fox shifted as if feeling something strange so too did Alicia which caused her brows to furrow a little before the feeling was pushed aside. When the older woman laid out her instructions and asked that she recall the feelings felt upon the previous tests she appeared a little confused at first, readable on her features before they softened upon her decision to simply do as was asked of her.

She exhaled a short breath, controlling her breathing as she closed her eyes to think back over the last few days. The killing of the boar which brought guilt and pity among gratitude and acceptance, the feeling of the animals watching her from the periphery of the thicket and how she could feel their hunger. The cut of the rock and the strange awkwardness of the twig, uncomfortable before the eventual surprise upon finally severing the boulder into two pieces.

Everything over the last few days was individually pulled from memory, combined and layered upon one another as if filling a cup. Immediately her power attempted to respond to these free emotions, her left eye flickering to life as the burning aura lit to consume it, the air around them beginning to pick up gradually seemingly from nowhere. But then it faded, the aura extinguishing as the swordswoman gently suppressed it while the wind calmed and reduced to nothingness.

Then it found her, deep within the core of her conscious thoughts. A ball of something, pure and untempered… raw in its metaphysical form that reached for her like a creeping warmth. It was… her, at least what she would have been without the ideologies and self imposed moralities. Her without her power, without her experiences and without anything. It was her and only her, mind body and soul in concept tempered with nothing more than instinct and the basics of what made her who she was.

Just like looking in a mirror her visage manifested from the dark, stepping towards her with a soft tired smile before she brought her forehead against her own. They coalesced and the swordswoman let out a gasp as if taking the first breath after an eternity submerged in water.

Seliria watched Alicia in silence though she grabbed the fox and gently sent it away, at least outside the range of what was about to happen. She observed the power of destruction attempt to form, the wind try to pull towards her but Alicia managed to keep them apart from the growing power within her, the moment she saw that Seliria pointed the stick at Alicia before a burst of energy surrounded the other swordswoman.
Violent Winds suddenly circled Alicia, dyed the color of the evening sky trapping Alicia within the eye of the raging storm, Seliria slowly rotated the wind faster and faster as Alicia peered deep into her being.
The technique had to be passed on naturally, it didn't come from effort, it came from feeling, while Alicia met the other within her, Seliria could only hope those feelings would help finish this final test. This was a power that was harnessed from the unconscious and made conscious, Seliria's hand closed into a fist as she watched the storm raged, coated in her own power in front of her.

Seliria realized quickly her worry was needless, the winds lapped at the focused Alicia scratching the ground leaving sharp indents around her as it whipped around violently, seeking the intruder within its midst, but in the next moment the wind immediately dispersed, the dyed winds suddenly rotating around Shusui, coating it in a gentle warmth and bottled unrelenting force.
All this before the swordswoman took that first breath.
For a moment an unfamiliar curve had formed on the woman's face, but it faded before the other's eyes could open.
Her eyes moved to the energy circling the blade, and Seliria gave a small nod.
"Congratulations Alicia. You've harnessed it...in three days you managed to learn a forbidden technique that would take others years."

Seliria raised her hands and offered light applause, the area around them showed the amount of power that had collided there in that small moment. They had moved away from the forest and it became abundantly clear why.
Multiple ripples had been created into the earth, intense heat mixed with the ferocity of the wind had thrown up the sand around them, turning it to glass mid arc creating a cage of reflectivity all around them, as multiple crags born from their collided power surrounded them, almost blocking out the sun itself with their height, a mini forest of mirrors born from the collide.
"I will commend you for that, you can feel the flow of that energy right, foreign to your own yet familiar, now coated with your own energy and a mix of something else. A technique with countless names, changed for each person that has wielded it to keep it secret. The Nameless Technique….well give it a name, the ability to steal the power of another and make it your own."

It took Alicia a moment to adjust to the scene as her silver irises peered once more into the light. The glass which surrounded them framing the destruction of an intense force she hadn't even witnessed let alone heard. She raised her arm to the side to peer down towards her sword, noting the dangerous albeit warm aura clinging to its surface. She took a few steadying breaths, the feeling wasn't… unpleasant but neither was it a kind thing to experience. "I don't understand." she spoke in a soft barely audible tone.

"The ability to steal power?" it wasn't so much she didn't understand what that meant more so than she wasn't entirely sure how she could begin to apply it. She did feel different, not like how she'd often feel when channeling her power. This was something else entirely and it put her slightly on edge, a fair reaction considering this was the first time being exposed to something other than what she'd experienced before.

She looked towards the broken ground, her expression indicative of a young woman looking for the right question as she explored the new feeling a little more deeply. "I have so many questions. How to even apply it, how I'd even control someone else's power without knowing how it manifests. The limitations of such a thing and the consequences of… " she brought a hand to her head which began to throb slightly. "This is all a lot to take in."

A small nod came from Seliria at Alicia's confusion, the look in her eyes was probably the same she had when she first manifested it. She remained silent watching Alicia come to terms with it, remembering when she had first brought it forth, the person who taught it to her and what he had done to make her used to that feeling. Her eyes narrowed at the memory, that wasn't what she was going to do with Alicia, it would speed up the process but it wasn't the right, at least to her.

Seliria reached forward and gently flicked Alicia's forehead.
"Have you learned nothing the last few days," Seliria said with a small sigh. "You're thinking too much."
Seliria rested her hands on Alicia's shoulders.
"Did you find that other half of yours by thinking about it, did you find your instincts by sitting on a log and contemplating them...do you need to consider which way to swing your sword before you do anything? Don't think about it, don't think about the what if's, how you'll use it. Just listen to the flow of the energy...that 'you' took hold of. I didn't do it for you. By feeling it you grabbed that power. Listen to it, it'll seem foreign, but somewhere in there it'll feel familiar….take hold of that and turn it off...the wind will vanish with it."
Seliria removed her hands from her shoulders.
"You don't gotta understand everything, the energy is waiting for you, it's asking what you want it to do. Just tell it you don't need it right now, and it'll leave your blade. This is someone new you just met, respond to them as you would any other, politely and with respect, it'll do the same to you."
Seliria nodded and took a step back.
"I'm nearby if you screw up so don't worry. Not that you will, if you can grab it, you can make it go away."

"Gah!" Alicia rubbed the spot on her forehead after the older woman flicked her, a small expression of unamusement on her features as she listened to what she was being told. Trying to not think about it was admittedly quite difficult. Alicia was a naturally observant person, hence why she'd been noticing a lot of the finer smaller details tucked away within Seliria's words. Nevertheless she responded with a nod before waiting for the Nova cook to make some distance while she attempted to defuse what felt like a potential bomb of energy.

Her brows knitted together a little as she placed her left hand upon the sword just beneath the Tsuba (Japanese: guard). The energy of it called for her, as if it wished to be used but unmistakingly she knew that it was not the energy but herself who felt the allure of its strength. With a deep inhale she focused her resolve before gently dispersing it away similar in how she'd focused away her power and the wind during the ritual of her inner discovery.

The aura upon Shusui faded and dissipated into the wind, reducing to particles of light which flitted away from her before fading to nothingness. Once she could no longer feel its presence she nodded towards the older woman. "It'll take some getting used to and most definitely some practice. But.. well, it certainly is something." she didn't rightly know what to say about it. Such a technique was invaluable for a number of different reasons and possessed the potential to give her an answer against situations that'd put her in a bind.

Bringing her arms to her sides she bent herself forwards politely towards Seliria. "Thank you for this lesson. You've taught me something incredible and allowed me to learn more about myself than I likely would have on my own." she straightened herself with a small smile. "And like I said before, I'll try not to disappoint you."

Seliria crossed her arms as the energy faded away, her brows arching as the volatile energy faded thanks to Alicia's will, for a moment she wondered if it'd resist her but it listened without fault. She closed her eyes holding in a chuckle. If that was the case then she'd be fine using it, her eyes opening when Alicia spoke again and she offered a small nod to her. Just as she was about to speak however Alicia's sudden bow took her off guard causing her to jump a little, blinking she rubbed the back of her neck, averting her eyes at her smile as a small sigh escaped from her.
"Until the end with this one."
Reaching over she touched the glass, a wave of energy passing through it before it shattered around them, falling to the ground and dissipating into black smoke until only the former sights around them remained.

The Fox leapt onto Alicia's shoulder yipping happily causing Seliria to shake her head.
"Well anyway it's no big deal. I just gave you a push in the right direction. You did most of it yourself. I am pleased you found something else within this session as well, means my time wasn't wasted at least."
Seliria gave a small shrug at this though the woman didn't exude her usual harsh demeanor, her stance even seemed what one could consider relaxed, or at least what it could be considering the woman.
"That technique will grow with you, so long as you practice with it occasionally it'll remain useful. First learn to manifest it without thought, the rest will fall into place. You already know how to call it forth after all."
Seliria waved her stick at this as the winds surrounded the stick again.
"Within all power is a certain flow of energy, to unlock the sense to feel that you must tune yourself to your base instincts, then become familiar with them, and finally recognize the flow in another."
Seliria offered a small nod at this.
"When your opponent throws an attack at you, now you have another option beside dodge and reflect. When the attack nears you…"
Seliria took a few steps forward and raised the stick near Alicia, the flow of energy from it pulling at her.
"You'll now see it's flow if you concentrate. Within that time frame when the attack nears you, you'll recognize the flow, change it into your own and steal it for yourself. The attack's potency will increase temporarily at this allowing you to unleash it back at your opponent with even more power. It's a risky move though but it's considered the ultimate defense...well one of them."
Seliria let the energy fade.
"Good news is you get good enough, you'll be able to stop the flow of their energy naturally without effort causing all their fancy magical attacks to become meaningless….but you'll have to reach that point, which I don't doubt you will with time. It'll become familiar to you eventually….just watch out for those that can alter their flow...eh you'll learn it with time."

Seliria tossed the stick to the side and reached forward petting the fox causing it to lean into her hand.
"Well anyway. You'll feel all this out yourself, I can tell you what it actually does now that you can feel it, if I told ya before you'd just focus on the process. Perhaps you'll even be the one who manages to combine this Technique with the Power of Destruction, make the impossible possible. Either way I'll look forward to your growth. Get a bit stronger and I'll show you something else one day."
Seliria moved away from the fox and arched her brows at Alicia.
"Still you are tenacious aren't you. When I first used this ability I couldn't move my body at all due to the extreme amount of energy it took. Granted I was child at the time but I thought at least your legs would give out. Figured I'd be carrying you on my back for this last part, saved me a bit of work though so no complaints here."
Seliria shrugged and walked past Alicia.
"Well let's head back, we should get back by evening."

Alicia eyed the stick curiously, noting that she could perceive the flow which was certainly not something she could do before. With the power of destruction the flow of power wasn't something you could see, save for the igniting aura of her eye which was unique to her due to her past with the death spirit Anduin. It's flow was vastly different and something you could feel in order to tap into it, this was something that appeared to require a good amount of notice and timing based on how Seliria explained it.

"Ahh." she let out a soft exhale as her smile remained. "I had wondered whether we'd be meeting again, it's nice to know there will be a next time." She expected this comment might be irritating but she wished to make her feelings known regardless. Alicia wondered about combining the technique with her power, of course she'd certainly try given she'd probably enjoy attempting to push and break such boundaries. But before that she imagined it'd be better to practice and become more familiar with it first.

Remembering what the older woman had said before, combining them would just cancel the other out or much worse. So even if this new technique was less of something to be understood than taken at an instinctual level, she would eventually seek to find a way to bring them together in order to expand her horizons further. Alicia was pulled from her thoughts when Seliria commented on her tenacity, her cheeks reddening slightly which made it her turn to avert her gaze as she became slightly bashful.

"Well I think that's probably thanks to what happened when I first learned to ascend my form. The power I felt was tremendous and afterwards I had to lean on Runali for support. Maybe it toughened me up a little for something like this." she lightly shrugged her shoulders, not truly knowing if that was why as she only guessed it to be the reason. She nodded at the mention of heading back, stepping in line with the older woman to make their way back before a thought occurred to her. "You know I could always fly us back, using my ascended form." she offered.

Alicia hadn't attempted full flight before, mostly using it to remain airborne like the first time she'd used it and again shortly before they thought Zilia had died. Still she was confident she could do it, in fact she'd felt the capacity for it but hadn't needed to in the past, not to mention there was also the trade off for becoming a more obvious target while in flight . "And if it makes you feel better about it, I wouldn't even have to carry you physically."

Seliria's eyes lowered slightly and a wordless grunt escaped from her at the mention of meeting again but she made no further comment on it. Seliria seemed to lean to the side slightly as Alicia turned her head but straightened back as she spoke to her, getting to see the mask drop apparently entertained her for a moment, but she paid attention to what Alicia told her.
That was certainly something interesting and would make a lot of sense.

Seliria's pace didn't slow at the offer, her gaze moving over to Alicia as the Fox hopped back onto her shoulder against her wishes, her brow arched at her but she turned her attention forward again.
"Well if you can fly then don't let me stop you," Seliria said stopping at one of the tree's. "If you can manage it yourself then you don't need an escort, go on back to your crew. Also don't forget to give the technique a name. Every holder must do so, even I had too. That's the one tradition that can't be broken."
Seliria said this moving her hands to her hips.
"You got a lot of potential Alicia, you, Satia and even Hanako. I could see the pride in Sakura's gaze when she looked at you two. I'm sure she'd feel the same even now….I'd probably never hear the end of it.
Seliria sighed at the very idea and continued.
"The flow of the Power of Destruction within you is different then the way she wielded it….but I don't think that's a bad thing. You're still growing, harnessing its power and learning more and more about it, you can only get better with it. That technique will accompany you now as well, you'll learn to see the flow of others energy naturally one day, and your Observation is already improving. One day I'll appear before you again when you're stronger and if you still need a push in the right direction I'll give it to you, otherwise I'll just test to make sure you're not rusty."
Seliria waved a hand.
"Go on before I say something else stupid and out of character, I swear being near any of you makes me soft. Go keep safe what's dearest to you."

Alicia brought a hand to her chin, looking down to the side in thought for a moment before her hand fell back to her side. "Khijin 'Ce Rin. It roughly translates to 'return to sender' which seems appropriate. Khi for short I suppose." she nodded, seemingly satisfied with her choice of name. When the older woman mentioned that her mother would have been proud she felt her chest tighten a little, an emotion surfacing which was soon suppressed as she returned it with a smile. "Thank you, that means a lot." she replied.

After Seliria spoke of her power and the future Alicia seemed to steel her resolve with an expression of determination. "Then I should make sure I'm still here to greet you when the time comes. I can already envision the path ahead, long though it might be… I'll work hard to become stronger. For my sake." she added the last part as a subtle change to her usual demeanor of altruism. Perhaps it was just the smallest amount of visible growth which indicated an opening path where the swordswoman was finally looking inward instead of constantly outward.

She stepped away from the older woman after she told her to go. "I suppose it's time. Any longer and I might decide to start calling you aunt Selly." she flashed a small amused smile indicating she wasn't serious, though unbeknownst to Alicia the only person to have ever given the assassin such a name had been her late mother. Sakura had opted to call her by that name at times during her younger years, insisting upon it as a term of endearment and fondness, almost always delivered with a knowing grin to accompany it.

A sudden burst of light erupted from the young swordswoman as her form ascended, the golden ribbons that rooted to the ornate choker embedded to her porcelain body suspended in the air behind her. "Take care, Seliria." she spoke before lowering herself to a crouch. She'd thrust herself into the air a moment later causing the ground beneath her to crack into a pattern similar to a cobweb, two crescent moons manifesting behind her which began to release a burning winged light which propelled her forwards at speed. Within a moment she was long gone, finally leaving Seliria alone with her thoughts.
"Well that's better than the name those two gave it," Seliria said.
She decided not to comment on the name she gave it as well not wanting to let that enter the conversation, the woman's mouth seem to twitch a bit as she watched Alicia and her eyes averted at Alicia's thanks. She didn't need it for stating facts but her body relaxing a little showed what her face refused too.
Her eyes moved back to Alicia and she offered a small nod glad she was thinking of herself, she'd grow stronger herself and that strength would protect the people around her.

Seliria's whole body twitched however at the 'name' she gave her and the woman narrowed her eyes as Alicia took off, she shaked a fist at Alicia as she soared through the air. Once she had turned around however Seliria's first opened into a small wave before her arm fell back to her side.
Shutting her eyes Seliria crossed her arms under her chest, Sakura's face flashing in her mind for a moment, that annoying name spoken with her voice echoing through her thoughts.
"...I told you to stop calling me that," Seliria mumbled opening her eyes.
Her gaze moved in the direction Alicia had gone, her grip tightening around the stick in her hand.
"...she'll surpass the both of us one day Sakura...well if that trouble they constantly get in doesn't kill her." Seliria said with a small shrug. "Though she's durable, sides a little trouble's good for ya. Still...it seems a part of me can't help but-"
Fire crashed into Seliria, the flames quickly enveloping the swordswoman before she had time to register the attack, her eyes widening as the flames covered her.

Three men emerged from the shadows stepping fully into the light, fire circling around the hand of one of them as they tentatively took a step forward, blades resting on their backs as they stared at the flames that had consumed the woman.
"...did we get her?" one of the men asked.
"....I hit her dead on," the flame wielder said. "I believe so...still she didn't so much as scream...our employer was right."
"Check the body," the third man said. "Can't be too careful."
"You lot couldn't show up a few minutes earlier?"

A tenseness filled the men's bodies as a voice spoke through the flames, their eyes glued to the fire they watched as the flaring red dissipated revealing Seliria, completely unharmed with black fire circling around her stick.
"I could have given Alicia a proper demonstration."
The men swallowed, forcing their fear down and two drew their blades causing Seliria's eyebrows to arch slightly.
"Professionals...you're already ready to strike again. Did Silva hire you?"
"Like we'd tell-"
Just as the men raised their foots to take a step black flames consumed them, the fire rushing over their bodies, the men's mouth's opened in silent screams as they were burned to nothing in seconds, the flames consuming every part of them in one motion.
The fire wielder's eyes widened before his gaze moved to the dark flames surrounding the stick, he recognized immediately that was no longer his fire, his flames couldn't do that.
"They...couldn't even scream…"
"I'm not a patient woman and I don't like asking twice," Seliria said walking forward. "Doesn't matter none to me if you don't answer. When you don't come back my message is delivered either way."
"Draw your blade then," the man said drawing his own as flames surrounded it. "I will not speak their name either."
"This stick will suffice."

"Fine," the man said swinging his sword, flames exploded from the blade towards Seliria, her eyes narrowed slightly as she kept forward towards the approaching fire.
"Dark Apotheosis," she mumbled.
The fire that barreled towards her quickly changed direction moving past her, splitting apart to avoid touching her, purposefully moving past the approaching swordswoman as she walked towards the assassin, the man's eyes widened and he continued to swing his sword towards her, the flames continuing to flow past the woman no matter how many he flung at her. Seliria raised her stick causing the fire to crash into it, turning pitch black as it surrounded it, before she brought her 'weapon' back.
"How-"
The shadowed flames crashed into the man cutting him off, his eyes widening as the lower half of his body was completely burned away, turned to ash before the top half of his body could even crash to the ground.
"Know that you were probably used as a message, so your 'pride' and death wasn't worth anything."
Seliria kept her pace tossing the stick onto him which burned the rest of his body away as she continued back towards her boat.
"....Khi huh...that's so much better than mine," Seliria said bringing a hand to her face. "Not that I can tell her that…."
While she lamented about her younger self's naming convention the fox stood in her path causing her to stop.
"....did she send you to watch over us?"
The fox seemed offer a cheerful yip and quickly ran back into the forest Seliria sighing.
"....for some reason I'm in the mood for Feian tonight. That's what we'll have."