|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2018 8:59 pm
  sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ “...ey! ...H...y! ...HEY!” A resounding sound echoes through the chambers of the man’s eyes, begging to draw his attention. Yet he remains still, enraptured by the darkness surrounding. Despite everything he had been through, all the training and battles hes experienced over the course of his life, he’s still but a man. With his injuries from just before, and now with these new ones, it’s a surprise he’s even still in the land of the living. As Astraea fights for his focus, his body jerks, and he coughs out blood and spit, barely coming back to his senses. His golden eyes faintly stare up through a hole in the ceiling as the gears of his mind slowly but surely starts to turn again, until finally he snaps back to and he recalls the reason why he’s presently lying atop ruble. “Astraea, look out! I’ll-” he starts, attempting to sit himself up. However, the sheer pain and strain of both his new and old wounds force him back down with enough shock to arch his back as he grips as his torso.
Once he calms down, through grit teeth he desperately looks about until the figure of Astraea can be made out, and he realizes she’s been right here the entire time. His breathing is ragged, and he pants in labored patterns. After he’s wrapped up with the woman’s jacket, he’s swiftly fed an earful. Something he’s rather used to, as unfortunate as it is. The two used to go through this song and dance quite a lot back in the day. She never liked for Galand to get injured, not even a tiny bit. So him being the reckless gung-ho fool that he is, when he inevitably did get hurt, she’d yell at him for quite a while. Hours at a time depending on how back his foolishness got. But never once did the man find it to be annoying or obnoxious. Each and every time he got yelled at, it only made him realize how much Astraea cares for him. A thought that both brings him joy, and sadness at the fact that he caused her this level of grief. And so, once again the process continues.
Galand, having learned his lesson from the past, doesn’t even bother trying to defend himself. He knows full well she understands WHY he did what he did, however, it won’t change her stance. For, she is supposed to be the shield, and he the sword. So instead of fruitlessly replying, he lays there silently, accepting her words in full, letting her finish everything she needs to say without reserve. In the end, the fishwoman finds herself wrapping arms around his body, pressing her face onto his neck. A tinge of pain shoots up his body, but he declares to accept it all. It’s the least he can do, and it’s nothing compared to what Raea must be feeling presently. Instead, he raises up a hand, and places it atop her head. Slowly stroking it to try and comfort his crying love. “Sorry, Angelfish. I won't do it again. I just... No, you're right. I should have trusted you like always.” he says. They’d remain like this for a bit until Astraea has taken the time to get it all out, and slowly collect herself. And once she does she, the clacking of heels can be heard approaching the pair from a distance, growing ever closer, until finally a figure stands in the shadows of the balcony, looking down at the pair.
After pushing up what appears to be glasses, the individual slaps a baton onto the free hand a few times as if growing impatient with the display below. “Are you quite done? With how much you cried, a feared you would flood the place. The ruble alone is enough to deal with. And you, young man. Returning here in such a pitiable state, being taken care of by your partner! Have you no shame?! I had thought your comeback with be triumphant and radiant, but you’re as pathetic as when you left.” After saying her piece, the woman steps out of the shadows, revealing herself to be their attendant from all that time ago. The final member of the Doves who functioned in the self defense of the base, and organizing their missions. The one who systematically held everything in place along a fine thread, never missing a beat. Galand’s good eye widens slowly after seeing her figure up above. “...No way.” he says in a hushed whisper, completely left in disbelief. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 1:05 am
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX For all the years she'd known him, Astraea understood well the reactions Galand had; from his reckless style of fighting to protect his allies to him bolting up and looking around for her. Just once she wished he would let himself relax, let his wounds recuperate before he tried to run into danger, and just listen to her, but at the same time she could sympathize with his actions. They were similar in the way they fought tooth and nail for those they loved no matter how much pain they suffered or how much damage they took. It wasn't uncommon for the two to spat over wounds received in battle, but really any of their "anger" was just masking their concern. After all, it was terrifying to watch someone you cared for get injured time and time again. "I'm okay.." The woman wrapped her arms around Galand tighter, loosening her grasp when she felt him jolt and wince beneath her. "You're okay, too.." Whether he really was or not, she wasn't quite sure. She'd dressed his wounds to the best of her abilities, but the statement was more of a comforting measure than it was an accurate statement.
"But you're not going to continue to be okay if you keep getting yourself hurt! You have to give yourself time to heal!" Closing her eyes, Raea shifted her head to hide her crying face against his shoulder, sniffling as she continued to berate him. "I know you just want to help.. To protect.. But I don't want to see you die, Galand.." Again she tightened her hold on him as if afraid that her slackened grip would cause him to slip away from her. It wasn't until she felt his hand rest on top of her head that she truly started to calm down, her muscles relaxing as she breathed a quiet sigh of relief. It was such a familiar feeling, having him pet her head like this, and it brought her back to better times when things had been calmer and the future had seemed brighter. Slowly her crying tapered off and her breathing grew slower and deeper until it was clear she'd dozed off against him, exhausted from the events of the day. Her own wounds from the battle she'd had with Galand had yet to heal, and she hadn't gotten much rest as she'd sailed them to their old home. Now though, wrapped in her fiance's embrace, it was all too easy to succumb to the sleep she so desperately needed.
That was, of course, until a new voice pulled her from her brief slumber, sending the woman bolting up. Immediately one hand moved to her ClimaTact, the other bracing her abdomen as she winced at the sudden movement. The sharp glare of her eyes and curled lip did well to mask the fact that she was still dazed from what was almost a nap as she remained crouched protectively over Galand. It took a couple of moments before her blurred vision refocused for Astraea to realize the woman speaking to them was not an enemy - at least she hadn't been one five years prior. Just as dumbstruck as her partner, the woman could only blink at the familiar chastising, looking down to Galand to confirm that he was seeing the same thing she was. Judging by his expression and words, it was easy to see he was just as awestruck by the new revelation. "You.." Before she could go on much more, their former attendant cut her off. "Yes, I'm sure you have many questions, all of which will be answered after you two are patched up. It does nobody any good to have you bleed out on the floor there. Come along."
The sound of the cracking baton is all Raea needs to get back into gear, scrambling back to her feet quickly, wincing all the while. Holding her hand down to Galand, she'd do her best to support him in standing back up, grunting with the effort needed to actually help lift him, especially after being so wounded herself. Panting, and a little wobbly, she'd do her best to follow after the former Dove member, one arm around her partner's waist to try to drag him along as well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 18, 2018 8:50 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ It all happened so fast. One moment, Galand is laying there in Astraea’s concerned embrace. Unmoving, and silent. The next, he’s being scolded by someone whom he thought long dead. Though she never went on direct missions with the other Doves unless it was necessary, she served as their resident tactician. The brain of their operations, and the head of their base’s self defense force. Noella Tesla, high commander of the military, and valued member of Eden’s Dove. After giving the two injured members a verbal what for, she watches them clumsily move towards her location. She leads to them a room further in the facility where her personal infirmary rests. Despite everything that happened, this one room in particular seems to be in quite the immaculate shape. As if it were spared from the chaos of that fateful day. Her hair whips around as she stops in the center of the pristine room, turning to look at her old friends and allies.
Her cold glare from just minutes ago is replaced with a more passive look, fitted nicely with a warm smile. “Well, dear, what are you waiting for? Lay the oaf down there. And I’ll have to take to the bed next to him. Here…” She offers her assistance in moving Galand onto a bed, to which he grunts at being moved again. But after lying down he’s able to breathe a bit more comfortably. Maybe due to the fact that he’s atop a gentle medical bed now instead of rocks and jagged debris. Once she’s able to convince Astraea to lay down as well, assuming the woman listens, she’d pull up a chair and sit back between the pair. One legs cross over the other, and she slaps her baton onto her free hand once more. “...Noel. It’s good to see you again. I thought that you-” Before Galand can continue, Noella raises up a finger, silencing him. She relocated the same hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, pushing up her glasses a bit as she does so.
Her eyes remain tightly shut while a rough breath escapes her lips, and her body faintly trembles. Soon enough, Galand comes to understand what’s going on. Faint tears begin to form in the corners of the tough woman’s eyes as she fights to keep her composure. “Fool. I was the head of Elysium’s Self Defense forces. As if a platoon or three of those rank-and-file children could bring down me or my fortress…” She goes silent for a moment before laying her baton across her lap, and grabbing hold of Galand and Astraea’s hands. Her head lowers a bit further and she tilts her body. “Now be silent. Let me selfishly indulge for a moment. My dear family is...still alive.” Galand’s eye widens once more upon hearing this, and he chooses to sit back and let it happen. She must have been lonely all of this time, remaining in these ruins all on her own. She protected it, for these years they’ve been away. She alone kept Elysium standing tall…
After some time passes, she exhales again before grabbing her baton and standing back up. She fixes her hair, pats down her garb, and looks to two in the eyes silently. “I suppose you’ve waited long enough. Since you’ve taken the time to come back here, despite everything that happened, I’ll have to make use of you two properly. But first, your treatment.” The woman raises her hand like a conductor before a band, and slowly begins moving them about. In moments, the familiar of her unique ability is manifested above like a phantom. Its fingers take the shape of various medical tools as it elaborately works on the pair with both precision and efficiency. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your Nightingale, Noel. I can’t even remember how many times we’ve seen this sight, right, Raea?” he asks, recalling all the times he and the others had been fixed by this phantom of health. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:59 am
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX Following after Noella as she did her best to drag Galand along with her, Astraea still seemed dazed and somewhat apprehensive of the woman in front of her. While she was more than overjoyed to see her old friend alive and well, meeting her again under such circumstances felt more like a dream might play out than anything else. Still, the stabbing pains that coursed through her with every step she took reminded her that this was indeed reality. Slowly, a tired smile broke past her weary expression, some of the tension fading from her muscles. At her comrade's request, she managed a short chuckle and did her best to assist with moving Galand onto one of the medical beds, stopping and looking around the room after the arduous task was completed. The space around them absolutely fit the image of Noella: perfect and pristine. It looked nothing like the dusty ruins of a forgotten battlefield, and seemed all the more like the familiar place she had walked through years before. Absentmindedly, Raea began to run her finger's through Galand's hair again, petting his head similarly to what he had been doing earlier as she took in the new environment and spoke to their old teammate.
Asked to lay down herself, Astraea nodded but seemed hesitant to leave Galand's side for a moment, as if shying away from his proximity would cause him to disappear again. Slowly, she made her way over to the other bed, grunting and wincing as she pulled herself onto it, sighing in relief at the feeling as her body sunk into the plush mattress. While she'd gotten some sleep over her days of sailing, it hadn't been very comfortable, and being able to enjoy something as simple as this was practically divine. In fact, the woman could feel her eyelids growing heavier as sleep beckoned for her, but she did her best to blink it away to focus on Noella. When she realized that the typically stoic woman was near tears, she clumsily reached her hand out to comfort her, smiling when she felt the warmth of her returned grasp. Opening her mouth, she was about to try to offer some words of comfort, but resorted to remaining silent per Noella's request. Instead, Astraea closed her eyes, giving her former tactician's hand a squeeze, stroking the back of her palm with her thumb. After some time, it appeared that Raea dozed off again, at peace in the comfort of a safe haven among close friends.
As Noella stood, Astraea shifted slightly in her bed, opening her eyes a sliver to properly direct her attention. "I'm sorry you were alone.. 'm glad you're safe.." She mumbled her words quietly, a soft smile gracing her lips as she mused over Galand's question. "Ha.. It's too familiar, huh? It probably shouldn't be but.. it's nostalgic.. It's kind of nice.." In fact, she could slowly feel the pain from her injuries fading the longer Noella's ability was working on her. Sighing in relief, she only perked back up at the woman's statement. "Make use..?" With her phantom taking care of the pair, Noella nodded and addressed the question. "Eden's Dove still has work to do, after all." Blinking a couple of times, Raea's eyes widened slightly, her heart skipping a beat in anticipation. "Wait, do you know what happened to the others? Do you know where Roma and Cartel are?" Perhaps it was foolish, but she couldn't help but hope. More than anything now, she wanted them all back together, to see her family whole again.
Sighing, Noella brought the baton to her hand once more. "Do you want the good news or the bad news first?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 3:06 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ It was so reassuring seeing that Astraea and Noella seemed to remember the past, and all their adventures of recuperation in the medical ward. Noella herself even made her usual glare and look away gesture she does when you’ve said something she much rather you hadn’t. Though nostalgic, she wasn’t very pleased to see her subordinates always coming back injured, but deep down it made her feel at if she has direct involvement in their missions. Keeping them up to snuff, and ready to go at any given time was her bit of gold, and hers alone. But she’d never say this to the others. Only when asked that powerful question by Astraea does she go back into her serious mode. Galand turns his head to her, giving a rather stern stare. Judging by what she just asked the pair, something must seriously be wrong. Normally she’d be blunt, and get right to the point. But this time, she’s giving them the option of evading the information altogether. Good or bad first, eh.
The injured man exhales through his nostrils and lays his head back down onto his pillow. In this moment, he doesn’t want to see what kind of face Astraea is making. Because she is quite possibly as concerned about the “bad” bits as much as he. But, they’ve come this far, and they have to set things right. That’s why they made this journey. That’s why they left everything else behind. “Start with the good. I just...want to know. No, I have to know. So, please…” He asks plainly, still staring upwards. Noella glances over to him through her peripheral and sighs before pushing up her glasses. She paces lightly about the room and stops before a mirror, looking herself over before speaking again. “Everyone, still lives, save our Queen of Spears; Leona de Lada. She alone was cut down by Galand here.” As she speaks the last sentence, she glances over her shoulder to gauge their reactions. To see if they’ve managed to cope with it or not.
After a brief pause, she’d continue. “Of course, he wasn’t given much choice considering both his and Leona’s predicament. Moving along, Cartel is well. He presently lives in a far off island comfortably. I went to visit him myself some time back, but it’s safe to say he won’t be returning for the time being. He...well, I’ll let you see for yourself.” Once more she begins pacing the room, and stops after tapping her baton in her hand. This time she remains standing by Astraea, looming down at her from the corner of her eye. “Randis is alive and well too, but much like you two, he seems to have had his previous strengths sapped from him through unnatural means. He is in recovery, and is traveling about. Celtisilia is… Well, her situation is quite the unique one. But at the very least, she does not seem to be in trouble any further. It’s best we leave her be, for now.” Noella then moves back to the chair she placed between their beds, and sits, sliding one leg over the other once again.
“Then we have Roma. Her whereabouts are...well, I have an idea, but nothing concrete. I do however have intel on who does know. And while you won’t like, there is naught I could do. The bearer of that information lies with Dist, who is apparently keeping her prisoner somewhere.” Immediately, Galand’s body tenses, and an almost foul aura leaks from his body as he hears that man’s name. Even more so that he may have Roma prisoner. Knowing him, he’d be giving her the absolute worst treatment. Rather, it’d be more surprising if the woman is still alive under his care. “Tell me where-” Again, Galand is cut off. This time by Noella pointing her baton at his face. Her usual stern glare goes cold and dangerous, as if she’s looking at scum, or worse. “Just so you are aware, that last bit was the bad news. However, I will not permit either of you to leave this premises as you are. You are both injured, and mentally unstable. I’d be a fool to send you out there on a fruitless mission to your deaths. Therefore, that is all you will get on the subject.”
Galand can do nothing but grit his teeth on the matter, and lay back down, letting the Nightingale finish its treatment on them. His right hand covers his face as he’s left trembling in anger. With every fiber of his being does he wants to go out and see his friends, but he can’t. He knows there’s nothing he can do right now. He KNOWS, but still… Noella sighs, realizing how harsh her truth must be, and given the circumstances, he can’t let the two escalate any further down. So, she looks them both over and clears her throat. “Well then, I suppose it’s your turns. Starting with you, Tethys, tell me exactly how events on that time transpired for you, and you alone. From start to finish. Do not leave out even the tiniest detail. There is something...something I wish to test out. So, if you’d please.” she’s say, crossing her arms while pointing her baton to Astraea, as if passing the mic to her, handing over center stage.
Galand slowly calms himself down, sliding his hand from his face. At first he sticks to looking away, but as Astraea starts to speak, he’d glance over to her from his peripheral. He too is curious about what happened then. Since, he never did get to run to her side. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:03 pm
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX Hearing Noella's question, Astraea's stomach seemed to churn, her expression scrunched up with worry as she waited for the woman to continue. It was nice to know that there was good news, but.. Well, between her and Galand, things had been bad. So to know that there was still worse to come made her already exhausted mind feel numb. Upon hearing that the rest of her friends were still alive though, Raea let out the breath she'd been holding, tears of relief welling up in her eyes and trickling down her cheeks. It was bittersweet knowledge considering the woman knew Leona would never be counted among the living again, but at the very least the rest of Eden's Dove was still here. "I'm glad.." Her voice was soft and the words seemed tight, as if she was fighting to hold back more tears. Sniffling, she wiped her face and drew in a deep breath to steady herself, remembering that Noella had not finished giving them the full story. She couldn't lose herself to her emotions quite yet. In silence, she listened to the tactician give her report about her comrades, feeling comforted by the fact that Cartel was safe and happy and Ran was well enough to be traveling. Though she desperately wished for them to be here, too - to be home - she could be patient a while longer as long as they were okay.
Again, the name Celtisilia was brought up, and it was one Astraea did not recognize. Still, just as before, there was a wave of guilt that washed over her upon hearing the name, though there was no explanation for it. If she was a Dove though, then Raea was happy she was in no present danger and was fine on her own as well. That left Roma. The woman's eyes focused intently on Noella as she continued, looking crestfallen to hear that she didn't know her friend's exact location. Still though, it seemed that there was hope in finding her until... Dist. There was the bad news, and it was a heavy blow indeed. Though her memory of the event was still fuzzy, Astraea knew that he'd been the one to hurt Roma in the first place, and to cause such discordance among them that they felt the need to separate. Knowing that the woman was being kept prisoner by him made her blood boil, a hot flash of anger coursing through her that brought upon a ringing in her ears and made her tense her muscles. Like her partner, she seemed just as ready to get the coordinates for a location and throw herself back to work. After all, their precious companion was in danger, and just laying in bed being taking care of made her feel helpless.
Fortunately, Noella wasn't having it. As she scolded Galand, Astraea slowly forced herself to try to calm as well, closing her eyes and exhaling as she sunk back into the bed. Only now did she realize that she'd clawed at the mattress beneath her, leaving deep scratches in the material. "..Sorry." She wanted to say something to her fiance too, to try to comfort him in some way, but she knew that they felt the same and that words were meaningless for the moment. They'd feel better only when they were actively involved in retrieving Roma. "We will get her back, Galand." That was the best she could offer for now, because Noella was right. If they ran out to fight Dist as they were currently, he'd slaughter them. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she rolled over onto her side, nodding to show that she'd comply with the woman's request. "I.. I'll try, but something's wrong with my memory, Noella. I don't even know who Celtisilia is, but you two keep mentioning her.." Shaking her head, Astraea closed her eyes and did her best to recall what had happened after Roma had gotten injured.
"For the past couple of years I've thought that Galand betrayed us all, and that he killed everyone and turned his back on me. But that's not.." Biting her lip, she remembered an earlier conversation she'd had with her partner about leaving Roma behind. "Ran.. I took Ran with me.. I was going to head back home with him. But we didn't make it because.." Suddenly sitting up, the woman looked as if a light bulb had lit up above her head. "Because we were intercepted by Marines.. We were on.. On an island somewhere, and Ran transformed and tossed me behind a gate so that I could escape.. So that I could go help.. Help.." Help who? She shook her head and sighed to indicate that she didn't know the exact details of that situation. "I think.. For some reason I was on Skypiea for a time.. And then I.. Evelyn needed me.. I had to protect her, so I went back.. Back to the Marines and they.." The woman cut off for a moment, wincing as she recalled what they'd done to her next. For a moment she considered cutting it there, but Noella had asked for it. For the next minute or so, she explained the years of torture she underwent, or at least, what she remembered.
"After some time, it seemed my memory was skewed to make me think Galand was the one who put me in that place.. I was accepted back into the Marines again, as if they had been the ones who rescued me. So that's what I did.. Until I found Galand again.." From there she'd explain her time among the Marines again, describing how she'd worked with a boy named Shinra and that Evelyn was still there, detailing the missions she had gone on and the people she had talked to. Truly, she did her best to paint the full picture of her past few years to Noella, though it was clear there were some details missing. With that story settled, the stern woman turned her baton to Galand, extending it toward him this time. "And you, Drace."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2018 7:00 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ After his attempted outburst, and being so swiftly shut down by Noella, Galand was left with nothing but his anger and resentment. That same foolish darkness he harvested and relied on prior to reconnecting with Astraea. Upon hearing her words...her voice, he’s able to steady himself back down. “Yeah. No matter what. She...She alone does not deserve to suffer.” he says in response before silencing himself, and allowing for Astraea’s story to begin uninterrupted. The more she went on, the more he begins to regret not having been there for her. For everyone. And from the sounds of it, it was only due to Ran sacrificing himself that the fishwoman was able to escape for as long as she did. The only thing that felt off was her hesitation on who she went off to help. Who was it? That bit of missing information gives him chills. The possibility that his own memories could have been ruined as well. Did he possibly forget someone? Or was it simply someone else who they stole from Astraea?
Fear wells up in him, but he tries to stave it off for now. In the end, she ended up being captured in order to protect Evelyn, but… Did they already have the girl by then? So many questions and concerns well up in him as he thinks over everything he just heard. How was he to respond to this? Only when Noella snatches his attention with her demand does he snap back to reality. His head lifts in surprise, and he looks around the room to the two woman, completely thrown off. “A-Ah… Right. Yeah, my point of view, huh…” he says, quickly averting his eyes from Astraea’s before turning to look in the opposite direction. Noella takes note of this, and faintly glares as if thinking up something. Galand lets out a sigh and rests his head back against the pillow with a rather somber stare. “You all were there when we made that mistake. Selfishly leaving Roma behind to take some time off and heal from Dist’s betrayal, even though she was the one most hurt. We left her alone… Myself and Y’shtola started to head back to our home in Cactus Island. We just wanted to see mother and father again. To see their faces, and let them know that we were still around and kicking. But really… I think we were the ones who actually wanted to be comforted.”
Galand once more covers his face, specifically his eyes this time clearly being choked up. He grits his teeth, fighting back the anger and sadness welling up in his heart. It’s all he can do to maintain his composure and finish his side of the tale. “When we arrived, it was as if the Marines anticipated it. As if they knew we were returning. Because when we got there, both mother and father were being crucified by the Marines for being so called ‘heretics’, and the townspeople, KNOWING it was a lie, did nothing but play it off as if there had no affiliation. They...those monsters HELPED the Marines burn them at the stake to save their own hides!” He starts to yell towards the end, progressively escalating his voice, resulting in sparks of his power spilling out and shaking the room. Noella squints once more, noticing this change in Galand. She first glances over to Astraea before standing up and sitting on the edge of Galand’s bed. She tilts his head against his side and pets him like a sorrowful child.
Her eyes return to the fishwoman lying on the other bed, and she mouths ‘sorry’ to her as if asking for permission to calm him a bit since she cannot presently. “Continue, if you are able. Take it slowly. One step at a time. We can figure this out, so, continue.” she says, soothing him with peaceful words, with slyly seeking further information. After Galand breathes, and apologizes, not wanting to lose his cool any further than this. Embarrassed now, or rather ashamed, he slides his hand from his face revealing a frustrated man with tears running down his cheeks. Though tempered by his lovers presence, he is still in fact broken. “I...tried to run and save them, but Y’shtola stopped me. That’s when we got the alert of an attack. She made me go back and save the others. I promised her. So I left our parents in her care. That was the last I heard of her… So… I first returned to Elysium. I got here in time to assist you with fighting off the soldiers alongside Roma and Cartel--but you know that. Then, after making sure they got out safely, I headed to help Celtisilia, who had gone home.” He pauses here for some time, knowing well what comes next. As would the other two, most likely.
Galand sternly looks up, his eyes seemingly empty, but resolute. A sort of hollow strength. “The moment I docked, I was confronted by some soldiers...and Leona. She was forced to fight me, but I don’t know why. Whatever they did or said to her, it was enough to make her fight me with full intentions to kill. But the longer it went off, the more pained she seemed to be. Leona and I fought many times before, but that was the first time… the first time I ever saw her make a face sad. On the final exchange, she lowered her weapon. Even though she had the upper hand, she lowered her spear, and I cut her down. Leona...she...apologized. She begged for me to forgive her. Those were her last words, ‘I’m sorry’.” He continues on to explain how from there he went on a rampage, losing all semblance of restraint left to him, and fought to kill the surrounding soldiers. After having finally been pinned down by their numbers, he was captured, tortured, and forced to watch them execute everyone one by one. He went through so much torture afterwards as an attempt to break him, and he thought he didn’t...but…
“I was tortured daily, and after thrown in a cell pit with all of the people I was ordered to falsely accuse back then. It was painful, but I had no other choice but to survive. If only to receive the grief and rage of those whose lives I ruined. That was what kept me going… It was all I had left… But one day, they didn’t come in to torture me. Instead, they decided I was no longer necessary, and set the entire facility ablaze. I thought I would die there, but I was saved by Y’shtola. The same Y’shtola whom I saw them kill with my very eyes. That is when. That’s when I began to doubt my sanity, and in order to find out the truth, I had no choice but to seek out others I could rely on.” He then explains how he met all of the members of his crew, the ground zero incident in south blue, and his revenge on Cactus Island. Even how he was found by those in Minion Island and tended to for those years of recover. Everything. He only stops when he winds up to how Astraea found and took him away.
Noella stares with widened eyes, looking back and forth slowly between both Galand and Astraea. In her minds, these two must be insane to survive what they did. She pinches the bridge of her nose and exhales. Finally, she stands herself back up and turns away. The Nightingale gives off a strange humming sound as if satisfied before fading away like a phantom. The tactician relocates herself to the door and looks over her shoulder to the pair. “You two. For the time being, I can surmise this much. Your memories were ruined. Both of your are telling the truth, however, there are holes in your tales. As if you’re conveniently forgetting very specific things. However, you are both wrong about something.” She points her baton to Astraea. “Galand clearly did not kill the others, nor did he harm you. I assume you can tell that much on your own by now.” Then she points her baton to Galand.
“And clearly the others were not executed. And I would love to believe that neither of you are lying to me. If such is the case, then we have an issue. We’re dealing with someone capable of manipulating or altering memories. The most difficult problem is whether said memories can be recovered or not. Thus, I will look into it. You two, spend some time together. Rest, relax, and do not strain yourselves until my follow-up check. That means no sex.” he says, glaring before turning her head away and leaving the room. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2018 8:33 am
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX Furrowing her brow slightly, Astraea seemed confused when Galand suddenly turned away from the pair of women as he began to tell his side of the story. Though it was one she'd heard before, that didn't absolve her of the guilt she felt upon hearing it again. She'd thought everyone would be fine going their separate ways, taking time for themselves to heal and relax. Besides, Y'shtola had been with Galand, so she had been so sure that they would be fine as long as they were together. Now, she paid for her mistake in the bloodshed and misery of her closest companions. Even when they did retrieve Roma again, the woman was sure there were no amount of good deeds done that could absolve her of the sin she'd committed. Astraea was pulled from her selfish thoughts when she heard the telltale signs of Galand fighting back tears, the familiar tightness in his voice let her know even without seeing his face that he was crying. His anguish crescendoed into the physical realm, and the woman looked distraught upon seeing the man she loved in so much pain. In the past, she'd never considered Galand to be one who was so quick to anger or so emotional that his powers spilled over unknowingly. That wasn't to say it had never happened, but it was clearly far more frequent in the recent times she'd encountered him.
Shifting and throwing her legs over the side of the bed with a quietly whined wince, Astraea shrugged off Nightingale's pestering, alarmed hums, fully intending to rush to Galand's side to comfort him. Instead, Noella sat by his side, leaving the woman with nothing more to do than watch the pair with forlorn eyes. What a useless Shield she was. Nevertheless, Raea nodded to her friend, mouthing 'thank you' as she forced herself to lay back down, frustrated tears welling in her own eyes. Now that she was hearing everything again, it occurred to her how difficult it must be for Galand to tell the tale again and again, his mistakes and agony laid out for those listening to dissect. When she'd first heard his explanation of the past on his ship, the man had seemed half-dead and nearly emotionless, as if he were reading from a script he'd grown tired of rehearsing. Now, though she was grateful to see life imbued back into him, she found it hard to listen to his remorse. There were times where she wished to interject, to explain that he had not done anything so wrong that would warrant the cruel treatment he'd received, but she remained quiet just as he had for her.
Despite herself, the woman couldn't help but scowl slightly as he spoke of the crew he'd gathered, remembering the wake of devastation they had left as they combed through Paradise. Though she was bitter about the situation and couldn't agree with his choices, she understood them wholeheartedly, which made her even more frustrated. If she'd been in Galand's shoes, if she'd thought the World Government had murdered her closest friends, wouldn't she have fallen low enough to consider herself a Pirate, too? The idea made her uncomfortable and angry, though she wasn't quite sure at who or what. Hearing Nightingale chirp though, Astraea gasped quietly and sat up again, poking and prodding at her body to see that while she was still a bit sore, she was no longer filled with holes. Breathing a sigh of relief, she forced herself to smile to her friend. "Thank you, Noella.." As the baton was pointed her way, she tensed up for a moment, then nodded. It was the same conclusion she'd come to, after all. Her friends were alive, and Galand had never turned on her, no matter how vivid her memory of the events were. The analysis on what was plaguing them was certainly not an optimistic one, but she'd nod just the same, thankful that someone as brilliant as Noella was going to look into it.
It was only with the woman's last words to them before she departed that some of the tension on the room was lifted. Gaping and flustered by the sudden tone shift, Astraea felt her face grow warm, protesting loudly even though Noella had already left. "N-Neither of us were even thinking about that!" Well. Not until now. Huffing an embarrassed sigh, Raea was quick to hop out of bed now that Nightingale was no longer hovering over her, though she would have chastised Galand for doing the same. Grabbing her pillow and the blanket from the medical bed, she walked over to her fiance, gently laying her hand against his back. "Hey.. Scoot over a little." She waited a moment for him to comply before hopping into the bed beside him, draping the blanket over the two of them, and laying her head beside his. Slowly, she wrapped one arm around his waist, intertwining her fingers with his as she found his hand. The other arm she rested over his head, gently caressing his hair as she pressed her forehead against his back. For a bit she stayed like this, silent for a time, and content just to hold Galand like this. Finally though, she spoke once more.
"I'm sorry, Starlight.. I know I wasn't there to protect you then, but I am now.." Shifting her position slightly, she trailed her touch instead along the scars on his back, pausing to pepper feather light kisses against his exposed skin every so often. "I won't leave your side again, as long as you wish for me to be next to you." Sliding her arm under him, she did her best to pull him closer to her, closing her eyes. "You've suffered through more pain than any one person could take in a lifetime, so I promise, nobody will ever hurt you like this again." There'd be hell to pay if they tried. "And I know you're resilient and strong, but you don't have to hide from me. After all..." Once more she pressed her lips gently against him, this time closer to his neck.
"I love you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 6:36 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ There it came, that familiar satisfied humming from the Nightingale. That strange almost alien tune of delight, and just like that, the being faded. Upon being provided clarity by Noella, Galand exhales softly before looking out the window. It was a breath of relief. Not only has his suspicions been confirmed by the smartest person he knows, but it seems Astraea’s doubts were cleared as well. He can’t very well take back the cruel things he’s done up until now, but he can and will certainly spend the rest of his days making up for it. This time by Astraea’s side, and soon, the others. He nearly chokes when he’s told not to have any exhausting physical activities with Astraea. His face goes into a full blush, to which he can only hide by keeping his view turned away.
After the teasing woman leaves the room, he watches Astraea walk about, collecting some things and returning to his side. “Eh?” he questions, but after looking at the expression on her face, he silences himself and scoots over without any further hesitation. While moving, he notices numbness in the previously most worse off injuries, now riddled with a strange pulsing feeling instead. In the next few moments, he’s bombarded with affection and gentle words he’s wanted to hear for so long. Words he thought he’d never get to hear again. Words he could only dream of as a possible. A what if he knew would never come true. Yet here he is being held by Astraea once more, being fed her honeyed words. The mental fortitude and emotional walls he built up over the years slowly but surely crumble, and he’s exposed. A feeling he hasn’t experienced since that day years ago. After losing everything and everyone. Hope, love, companionship… All lost.
But in this moment, in this single moment of time, Galand comes to realize that he has gotten it all back. His whole world, everything he fought for, is right here by his side. Tears stream down his face as turns himself to Astraea’ pressing his forehead against her while pulling her body close to his own. “Please… Don’t go. I can’t… Not without you, Raea. I was so lost. My heart was broken...and I didn’t… I didn’t know what to do. All I had was my rage. So please…! I’ll do better! I swear it! I won’t let that happen again! So just…” he further presses his head onto her, deeply feeling the dread and sorrow of having lost his love once before. “...don’t leave me behind.” he begs, never wanting to depart with her in such a horrible way ever again. He’s been given a second chance. Years between to think about what he did wrong, and what he could have done different. He won’t make the same mistakes he did back then.
He was a fool, and his foolishness lost his everything. But not again. On the outside of the door, Noella stands there with her back pressed against the wall. Her head is tilted back while one hand covers her eyes as tears stream from beneath her palm. For she too was hurt by the loss of all her loved ones. Finally seeing them back together, back home like this, it forced her to cry from sheer relief. Normally the stoic cold and calculating woman, even she’s human. After her moment, she starts heading off into another direction, preparing to keep her end of the bargain. Galand, after finally collecting himself, would keep himself cuddled with Astraea unless separated by the woman. He lifts his free hand up and creates an epicenter. Those black spheres of horrible power. His eyes stare at it intently, longingly, as he recalls how it used to look. White, clear, and free of corruption.
“I gave into the darkness of my emotions once, and this is the result. I was losing myself. Becoming something inhuman… Sometimes, like in Cactus Island, I’d just snap and lose control. I’d rampage, and become something no better than the type of devils we used to hunt down back then. Just like that Doctor said… ‘Less than the human seed. Nothing more than a demon. Before you, there is only chaos’.” Galand shifts himself, clenching his hand into a fist, nearly drawing blood. His body shakes at the prospect of what he could have become, and the fear overcomes him. What if he never stopped? What if he never found Astraea like this? What would he have become without any restraints? “It made me realize that I was nothing more than a walking husk of calamity. My power isn’t good for anything but destruction, and everywhere or anyone I came across would wind up ruined… But I… I don’t want that. I wanted to HELP people. I just want to change things. So no one else has to endure what I did. But maybe I was being naive…” he says in a hushed voice, almost in a whisper, but surely loud enough for Astraea to hear. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2018 10:48 pm
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX As heavy as her heart felt, Astraea couldn't help but be relieved. Knowing at least some of the truth of the events that had torn apart her family brought her a bit of comfort, and the familiar warmth of Galand's skin only further lulled her into a calming state. It was far from perfect, but this at least felt right. Feeling the man shifting, Raea loosened her hold on him so that he could turn over and bury his face against her while she continued running her fingers slowly through his hair. Closing her eyes she listened to her fiance's pleas not to disappear again, tightening her embrace around him as he snuggled closer to her. "There.. Let it all out, it's okay.." It had been rather rare for Galand to lose himself to despair or concern so deeply that she had to comfort him like this, and she'd always been grateful that he felt safe enough with her to drop his guard and appear vulnerable. It seemed that was another thing that hadn't changed. "I know, love. You were in pain and all alone.. But never again. I'll ensure you won't ever suffer like that again.. I'll stay by your side forever, if that's your wish. I promise."
Smiling faintly, she continued petting his head, quiet for some time as they remained cuddled together. Just as before, it felt nice to hold her lover, and to be held in return. His breath tickled her neck, and the familiar sensation of his heartbeat reminded her of days she'd been lulled to sleep by his side. In fact, the woman began to doze off once more, her hand settled on Galand's head instead of petting it after a bit. It was only once he moved again that she snapped back into consciousness, blinking a few times and yawning silently as she turned her gaze upward to where Galand was creating an epicenter. Whereas before the sight would have startled her, Raea remained silent, seemingly unphased as she absentmindedly traced along the scars of the man's arm. "Easy.." Frowning slightly, she shifted her hand to the one he had stretched upward, fearlessly pushing past the hypocenter to wiggle her fingers between his tightly clenched fist. "Don't hurt yourself.." She lowered her arm along with his, her concerned gaze shifting down to his face as he trembled.
"If I had been in your position.. I think I would have done the same thing. You were in pain. Angry. Scared. And you had nothing and nobody else to turn to. I can't.. agree with your actions, but I do understand them." It broke her heart to know that the same man who wanted to be a beacon of hope now had his name associated with chaos and calamity. "I know that's not who you are. You're Galand Drace, a bright, shining star in a world of darkness in despair. Someone who wants to protect the common people from corruption and pain. You're still you, and I'm not going to let you lose yourself." For some time she had been afraid that the task was impossible. When she'd seen Galand on Cactus Island, he seemed to have no remorse for the people he'd killed, and even now he referred to them as monsters. Even if she understood where his anger came from, it was a surprising thing to see. In years past, the man worked himself to exhaustion trying to come up with ways to save more people, pushing himself until he could no longer move so that he could be strong enough to protect those who were innocent. Though Astraea would not excuse the actions of what the villagers had done to Galand's parents, she understood that they were likely afraid for their own lives and too scared to defy the terrifying might of the Military. Such was a point she'd decided to keep to herself for the time being, as the wounds were still raw and she didn't wish to harm her partner any further.
"Hey, now. That's not true at all." Frowning, Astraea shifted her position until she was face to face with her fiance, her eyes meeting his own. "You aren't some harbinger of destruction, Galand. You don't realize the impact you've had on people. You've saved countless lives - you've saved my life! And you always used to use your abilities to protect people. You kept us safe. You brought peace to the people we served. I know.. I know.." Tears welled up in her eyes as she brought her hands up to grasp both sides of his face. ".. that you've had horrible things happen to you. That.. That you lost people you loved in Wano, and on battlefields, and that Eden's Dove is broken but these things are not your fault! They're not." It was an agonizing feeling to know that the man she loved had seen so much hardship that he felt he was the cause of it all. "People look up to you. They rely on you and love you just as I do. You've only improved my life since I met you, Galand, and nobody could possibly blame you for what happened to us. You're not being naive.. Your dream is my dream too, and we can change things. We can continue helping people, just as we did before. Together."
Blinking the tears from her eyes, she smiled lightly at him, dipping her head forward to press her forehead against his. "I know why you feel the way you do, but I hope you can see your own light as well." Dropping her hands from his face, she once more intertwined her fingers with his, closing her eyes and snuggling closer to him once more. "I wish you could see yourself through my eyes.. Because you're wonderful.."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2018 6:25 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ It is strange. For all the time Galand has known Astraea, from the moment they met, until now where her fingers slide up the length of his arm and intertwine with his own. She words were like an elixir, ever stilling the twister of chaos churning within the man’s heart. Her voice and touch, her sincerity, and the hope constantly radiating from her person. All of it acts to heal a broken ugly thing. To Galand, Astraea was more than his lover, or best friend. She is his the light that keeps the darkness from overtaking him. Though there were so many attempts to compromise his alignment, and fixate him onto an unjust path, each one was firmly shut down by the fishwoman’s hands. The more she goes on, the more his heart calms and his doubts tremble. “You always did know what to say…” he remarks, lightly smiling as he realizes how vital the woman is to him. And there he was, daring to fight someone like Astraea. But in the end, there was no way he could have won, even if he was at his best.
She calls Galand stubborn, but she is just as much so. Even more than he when it comes to protecting and saving those whom she cares for the most. When those thoughts come to mind, he can’t help but chuckle a bit. “You really put me on a pedestal, Angelfish. But the truth is, I only became what I did because I had you there to put me on the right path. You can say people look up to me, but in the end, I’m the one looking up to you.” He sits himself up and looks down to his hands. His arms are covered in scars, and his hands are rough from ever gripping the blade. But this ruined body of his saved countless lives, with Astraea by his side the whole way. Inseparable, no matter how grim the situation got, somehow fate brought them back together yet again. As if death itself was of no consequence.
His eyes shut, his head tilts back, and but for a brief moment he was see that woman standing along the shoreline of that island. Everything is bathed in a beautiful warm light, and the woman has a gentle smile on her face. As the visage fades, the woman speaks lightly. ‘It’s okay to hope again.’ As Galand’s eyes slowly open back up, he exhales and stands himself up alongside the bed. After a brief moment of steadying himself, he walks before Astraea and drops down onto a knee, grabbing hold of one of her hands, kissing the top of it. “It’s okay. I think...it’s okay for us to hope again. We’re not alone anymore. This time, we’re here. Together. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Because…” Afterwhich, he’d stand himself up, placing a hand gently along side side of her face before moving it back to slide through her hair a bit. “...I love you too. And, I’ll never let go of this light again. This feeling, I want to remember forever.” he whispers, feeling the same calming warmth from Astraea as that place within his mind.
After some time more staying together, simply enjoying being in each other’s company, Galand would reach into his bag, and pull out a shell before walking back over to Astraea. He holds it out with a smile. “Take it. I found it inside my house back on Minion Island. I think...well, maybe it’ll help you remember some things.” As he hands it over, Noella enters the room quietly, choosing not to interrupt the two. She instead moves over to her desk, taking a seat to look at the footage from afar, assuming Raea decides to play it. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 2:23 pm
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX It was comforting to Astraea to know that her words had helped Galand feel better, if only a little. With her eyes still closed, she smiled a bit, only opening her eyes a crack when she heard him chuckle. The noise was immensely welcoming, and almost immediately made her heart flutter; his smile and laugh had been how her crush on him had started, after all. His words brought a flush to her face, and as much as she wished to protest, she wouldn't brush off his sincere admiration. As the man sat up her expression changed to a light pout, though her pleasant mood remained. It was just like him to just never sit still. In the past, it hadn't been uncommon for her to lounge on top of him just for the sake of trying to get him to stop moving around all the damn time. As preoccupied as his mind was on his goals, it seemed his body followed suit. Though she remain laying down, she rose her arm to gently trace and caress the scars along his back, humming quietly as she did so until he stood up. At this, Astraea chuckled softly, amused by the familiarity of the man's rapid transitions. Now that he was alert and feeling better, she had no doubt he was ready to run around even more so than before.
Sitting up, the woman stretched and yawned, swinging her legs of the side of the bed as well. If her partner was up and rearing to go, then there was no way she could remain slacking in the bed. It seemed as if she'd barely placed her feet on the ground when Galand was suddenly before her, kneeling in front of her and taking her hand to kiss it. At this, she couldn't help but laugh, grabbing his face between her hands and squishing his cheeks lightly. "You know, you really do move too fast for your own good." Though she teased him, his actions reminded her of the night he'd proposed to her back on that wonderful night that now seemed as if it had been so long ago. To his words she'd nod, her expression softening as he brought his hand to her cheek, closing her eyes and sighing contently at the familiar sensation of the rough, calloused skin brought on from years of swordplay. She'd always been fond of the feeling, and found it soothing even more so now that she'd been missing it for so long. No matter how many times Astraea had heard the man express his love for her, it never ceased to make her feel warm. Opening her eyes again, she smiled gently, running her thumb over one of the scars on Galand's face as she shifted closer to him, tilting her face up toward his. Though she was more than near enough to kiss him, she waited to meet his gaze, to see the man give his indication of approval before she pressed her lips to his.
When she was presented with a familiar looking shell, Astraea's expression shifted momentarily to seem surprised, and she smiled at Galand as she removed the one she had received from the pocket for her now tattered jacket. "I got one, too." Exchanging hers for his, the woman sat back on the bed, criss crossing her legs, leaning forward to perch her elbows on the bed, holding her head in her hands as she watched the old memories Galand had received. Upon hearing Roma's voice, she smiled, but couldn't fight the nagging feeling of guilt that came whenever she thought of her friend. Many years ago, she'd confessed to Raea that at one point she'd been in love with Galand as well, but that she'd wanted the pair to be happy together so she hadn't pursued anything. Instead, she'd been quite the persistent force in trying to drive the two together when she could, as this was one of those times. Despite the lingering melancholy, the woman couldn't help but feel happy, too, as she recalled the time the group had spent together on vacation. For once enjoying some time off without the concerns and stressors of the battlefield.
Upon hearing Leona's voice, Astraea felt her heart skip a beat, tears gathering in her eyes even before she recognized what she was watching. It didn't take long for her to realize that the two were creating old gifts she'd received from a birthday many years ago. The dazzling display of photos Leona had given her had always been displayed proudly in her room, but she'd kept her compass - Galand's gift - with her always. Hearing the story of how he'd stayed up all night to make it made the woman laugh quietly as she brushed away her tears. "That's just like you to sacrifice rest for work.. Even for just a birthday present." Reaching into her other pocket, she retrieved the same bejeweled compass the memory had displayed, looking at it fondly. "I've always loved this, you know.. It's beautiful, and every time I run my fingers over the shells I feel at peace because it reminds me of home.. And you." Smiling at her partner, she slipped her beloved compass back into her pocket, falling silent to let him inspect the contents of the shell she'd been given originally. It was only after this that Noella spoke to the pair again, surprising Astraea enough to make the woman jolt. "It seems that you two are feeling better, though I maintain my analysis that neither of you are fit for combat yet. Though I know your priority is getting to Roma, the only reasonable course of action I can suggest at the moment is offering you a chance to visit Cartel."
Sighing, Astraea nodded slowly, her gaze cast down at the bed sheets. It was true that she wanted to rescue her friend as soon as possible, but as difficult as it was, she had to trust Noella's judgement. If she didn't think they could take on Dist as they were currently, then it would be a suicide mission to try. As frustrated as she was at the helplessness of the situation, the chance to see Cartel again wasn't something she would pass up. "If we can't do anything else.. Then yeah.. I'd like to see Cartel again." She managed a small smile, turning her gaze to Galand to get his opinion on what they were doing next.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2018 8:49 pm
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ Galand couldn't really help it, moving around all the time that is. He’s a busy body, constantly moving himself to stay active, never one to sit around for long. To be honest, he’s been told on several occasions that he should take it easy for once. Slow up and enjoy the scenery. But, how can he?! There is just so much to do! Is what he’d normally respond with, but as his face is squished between Astraea’s hands, he can’t help but forced out a warped chuckle. “R-Ribby? Ah gwesh ah cood twake eat eshy…” he says, or rather, tries to say. After exchanging their love with one another, the two swap dials. An act that surprises Galand. He had thought it was luck that he found the one he did, but from the looks of it, Astraea received one too. He holds her in his hand, staring at the foreign device with a calm face. “I wonder where these…” he thinks to himself, trying to figure out where they came from. In the end, he places that aside in favor of viewing Astraea’s expression regarding his own dial.
He takes a seat next to her in order to view it all for himself once more, since he had only ever saw it once in the first place. See it with his love by his side gives him a decisively different feeling from last time. See her emotions from the scene fills his chest with both joy and longing. He too flinching at Leona’s voice, cherishing the fact that he can hear it whenever he’d like. Almost as if she’s still there with them. The sound of the waves in the background, and the group parading about their usual antics calms down the man’s restless heart. He tilts his head back with closed eyes, and a big grin plastered on his face. It’s like he can feel it. As if he’s there, back in those years ago, tinkering with crafting a gift for his most precious partner. Only when he hears Astraea’s response to the video does he lower his head, and gently look down to the woman’s own shell with a passive gaze.
“I wanted to make something you’d definitely love. I...didn’t know what to make, so I tried my best, and everyone helped… I kept hoping that you’d like it. That’d it’d make you smile, even if just a little bit. Just to see you happy.” His eyes close once more, but only briefly, as he exhales and turns to her with a bright smile of clear relief. “So hearing that you cherish it that much… Guess it makes me happy, ha ha!” he laughs it off, feeling a bit embarrassed now.
His his confidence renewed, Galand holds the second shell up in the air like a prize and smirks. After lowering it back down, he taps the button, initiating the scene. He silently watched the first one, his heart feeling warm from the sight. It was him training with Evelyn, or rather, it was Evelyn being the little genius she was and inventing dangerous techniques on her own. An act that only amused Galand to no end, but not so much his lover. Where he laughed and praised the young girl, Astraea scolded the both of them and kept them grounded with care and rules. Almost matching his video self, Galand bursts out into laughter, having a grand old time recalling that day. “Evelyn must be super strong by now. She was already so strong back then. It won’t take long for her to pass us up, you know.” he says teasingly to Astraea, basically saying she’d outgrow their rules and concerns at the rate she’s going. But after turning away, the room would be able to notice a tinge of sadness in the man’s gaze. After all, he missed so many of Evelyn’s precious years. All of that time is gone now. Stolen from him forever...but at the very least, the girl is still alive and kicking.
Luckily the video continues on to another memory. One of the day the pair was practically forced to dance, despite it ending as horribly as they imagined it would. But in the end, they had fun. More fun than ever before. Galand got to do something new, and with his partner no less. Astraea may not know it, but he desperately wanted to dance with her. He was just too nervous to admit it back then. After the feed ends, he looks down to the shell satisfied. “Thank you.” so he says, to no one in particular. Maybe it was to Astraea, or maybe it was to his past. Regardless, he’s thankful for this moment. After a moment of silence, he returns the shell to Astraea, and turns his focus over to Noella as she chimes up finally. An act that has Galand think in the back of his mind, ‘since when has she been so patient’. But as usual, her words are deathly accurate, yet sting just as much.
He looks at his hands and frowns for only just a moment as he’s told of his lack in combat ability presently. Though, as much as he doesn’t like it, even he can tell how off he is right now. There’s no way he can efficiently fight, and Morgana’s curse- ...Morgana’s Curse? Galand tries to move his body, and is slowly realizing that while the weight is definitely still there, it isn’t as bad as it was before. At least now, he can functionally move himself about. Was he adjusting finally? It took weeks this time, but for now, he can function. “Cartel, huh.” Galand thinks back to the last time he saw the man, as he desperately fought soldier after soldier to get the injured Roma out of harm’s way. The two fought so scarily well together, and fended off wave after wave even before Galand had gotten back to the base back then. Between them, and Noella’s commands, they were able to escape from Elysium. But they were separated from their leader, and contact was lost.
If Cartel is out and about, does that mean he at the very least managed to escape? These thoughts, and the fact that he’d get to see his good buddy again, sparks an instant response from the man. A confident smile branded on his face, he looks up to Noella and nods. “Then that’s what we’ll do. And besides, I’ve been wanting to see him for a while now. I… still have something to say to him.” With that, Noella rearranges her legs. Dropping one now, only to replace it with the other. She holds up a card between her fingers and flicks it to Galand, who expertly holds up two fingers to catch it, only to have the card smack him on the forehead. After a second or two of silence, he picks up the card, acting as if nothing happened. “He’s pretending it didn’t happen…” Galand holds the card up a bit in a way so Raea can view it too. It’s an address of an island, and light directions on where to go.
“If you’re going to go, be calm. It’s a rural area with very little violence and trouble. Everyone there lives together in peace, aiding on another like a large family. So when you find him...just, don’t cause any trouble. That goes double for you, Drace. No picking fights.” she says sternly, clearly concerned, but wanting the pair to understand the gravity of her words. After nodding, Galand lays back on the bed with his arms spread out to his sides. Using this chance, Noella sends a thread from her Nightingale to Astraea’s hand, communicating with her through the link. “Tethys. The Marines have no knowlede of this island. It’s that far off the beaten path. So please, I ask you this as a comrade. You must not relay any information of this place to the Government, and, you must keep Drace in line. No matter what happens, retain your cool.” Her eyes sternly look to the blonde before the link is cut, and she sighs. With that, she heads back for the door. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2018 8:30 pm
sᴛʀ: 005 | sᴘᴅ: 020 | ᴅᴇғ: 050 | ᴘʀᴡ: 090 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 090
XXX As Galand took a seat next to her to watch the memories on both of the shells play out, Astraea smiled and shifted to lean her head against the man's shoulder. Even though it was a simple display of affection, it was something she'd considered impossible just a couple days prior. In fact, the circumstances had changed so dramatically from the nightmare she'd been in before, that there was still part of her concerned this might all just be a dream. That if she let Galand drift too far from her or if she stopped clinging to him in some way, he'd vanish once again and things would return to how they'd been the past few years. Feeling her partner move beside her, Astraea turned her head to see him grinning, and couldn't help the smile that overtook her own expression. It didn't matter how many times she'd seen him smile, she wasn't going to take it for granted."Well, I would have loved anything you got me! Honestly, just receiving anything at all from you all always made me so happy. Now though.." She grinned at him, a teasing smirk on her lips. "You've set the bar pretty high with this and a wedding ring.. I don't know that you can compete with yourself anymore." She was joking of course, and laughed to show that she was being completely sarcastic. Her fiance could present her with a damn blade of grass and she'd be ecstatic.
Seeing the old scene of Evelyn and Galand training again brought an entirely different emotion to Raea than it had the first time she'd seen it. Before it had only reminded her of what she had lost. What she was missing. But now.. Well, things were still broken, but now she had her love back, and she felt nothing but warmth and pride as she watched. "Oh, she is. She has a mean kick. Still.. sets herself on fire, of course.. I'll never get used to that." Chuckling and shaking her head, she elbowed the man gently in the side after he'd turned away for a moment, trying to do her best to cheer him up. "Of course! That's what any great parents would want for their children: for them to be even better than us!" Shifting onto this topic reminded Raea that their legal status as Evelyn's guardians was almost official now. "Speaking of, I finally filled out the official adoption papers for her. I should have done it a long time ago, but.. Well, hopefully she doesn't hold it against me for taking so long. She seemed really happy about it, too, when I gave them to her. I put your name on them as well, so all you need to do is sign them when you see her next."
Smiling softly at him, she only turned away again when the next memory captured her attention, returning to her position of contently lounging against the man even after everything had ended and Noella began addressing them once more. His reaction to the woman telling them they weren't fit for combat yet was markedly better than it had been just a few hours ago. It seemed that his fury came more in waves compared to the malevolent aura he'd been leaking when she'd last seen him on Cactus Island. Knowing that he was getting better, even if it was slow going, was immensely relieving. The events they'd been through, and particularly the events he'd been through were enough to shatter a person to their core. But here he was, still being his goofy, lovable self. Even though it was so silly, seeing Galand pretend that the card their tactician had expertly thrown at him hadn't just smacked him in the face brought happy tears to Raea's eyes as she laughed. Looking over the card with him, she nodded to confirm that this was indeed a location she could navigate the pair to. Though she'd never been there, she recognized some of the landmarks Noella had pointed out, and knew she'd be able to locate the island from there. "That sounds like a nice place.. I'm glad Cartel ended up somewhere like that." A simple, serene life after all they'd been through.
The only indication Raea gave on the outside that she'd received Noella's message was the slightest tilt of her head as the woman spoke to her in secret. "You have my promise. I swear I won't pass this information along to anyone outside of us. I don't even think I can consider myself a Marine anymore anyway.. I did abandon my post and take a pirate for a joyride, after all. Besides.. After what they did to us.." She didn't have a lot of time to linger before she was issued another order. Given her fiance's more volatile state as of late, it didn't surprise her that she was being tasked with keeping him under control. "I'll keep him in line. This is Cartel's home now, I won't let anything happen to it." As Noella left, Astraea flopped down beside Galand, turning over on her side to smile at him as if nothing had happened. "We should go get our belongings from the ship. And then.." Though she needed another night of rest before she'd be ready to sail, Raea knew the man beside her was going to want something to do. "You didn't eat when you woke up.. And you've been out for a few days.. Do you want to have dinner? Or.. Well.. What do you want to do?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2018 12:57 am
sᴛʀ: 000 | sᴘᴅ: 250 | ᴅᴇғ: 000 | ᴘʀᴡ: 345 || ʜᴘ: 990 | ᴛsᴛᴀ: 600 | sᴘɪ: 178 [ It was just like Astraea to say something like that. That, she’d be satisfied with whatever it is she decided to get him. He knew she’d say something like that, but still, he didn’t want to give her anything he himself didn’t put his heart into. It needed to be special. It had to be. That said, her following teasing did nothing more than ignite his competitive curiosity. Could he outdo himself? He thought about those words before grinning in confidence. “Fine! Challenge accepted! All I have to do is outdo the me from the past, right?! Leave it to me! I’ll get you something so wonderful, you'll cry tears of joy!” he declares before trailing off in thought a bit, his face covered by a somber smile. “Besides. I...have a few years to catch up on.” In the end, they two made way to the video feed, taking in the memories of days long past, all the way to the finish. His words invoked a rather fun response from Astraea, as she details the Evelyn he has yet to know in the present day.
Hearing how strong she’s gotten fills him to unspeakable pride. She had worked hard for her strength, and no one could doubt that! He recalls that one fateful day during training. Galand told Evelyn to come at him with everything he had, and by the gods the girl did just that. In his time, Galand had fought plenty of big baddies, and in turn endured plenty of insufferable blows to his person. But on that day, the power backing Evelyn’s kick to his mid section blew the wind clear out of him, and managed to bring the man to his knees. It was astounding. And that was years ago! The only thing flowing through his head is what pinnacle of power could she have possibly reached by now? And with Alma’s guidance, she’ll only get even more terrifying! Galand’s body nearly trembles in excitement. One could imagine he’s a bit TOO happy about the girl’s progress. It’s only when Astraea gives word on the adoption papers that he nearly drops the video feed, turning to the look at the woman in sheer surprise.
“Wait. Y-You mean you decided to make it official? As in...we’d be her...you know…?” At a loss for words, Galand can only grasp the cloth about his knees in joy. So many happy thoughts flow through his head, it’s all he can do to maintain control. Yet, when he thinks on it clearly, Evelyn probably despises him right now. Especially after Cactus Island. It’s a right miracle that Astraea has been as tolerate of him as she has been. At least, that’s how he feels. His head lowers a bit as his smile weakens bit by bit. “I wonder...if she’d accept someone like me as a father anymore. After all, I’m not… I’m not the man she looked up to anymore. I’ve done terrible things. Things I can’t take back. And she SAW… With her own eyes, she saw what I had become. I can’t take that back.” he says in a softer tone. Ultimately they are able to switch over to their conversation and decision with Noella before she leaves once more. With his mind a jumbled mess right now, Galand can barely focus when asked what he’d like to do for the time being.
He gets up and starts moving for the door, likely looking a tad sluggish. “Actually, you and Noella go on and eat. I’m going to watch the waves for a bit, I think.” he responds, looking over his shoulder with a clearly forced smile. Assuming he’s let out of the room unimpeded, he’d head down the hallway, passing by Noella, who is standing along the wall. She remains silent until he’s a few feet past her. “Don’t be reckless, Galand. You finally have her back. No matter what strange things you may be thinking, do not make the same mistake you did before. Talk to her. Let her work through it with you. Do not try and bear it all alone. Recall what happened the last time you did.” she says before turning and heading the opposite direction of Galand. The man pauses there, frozen in place for a bit as he’s forced to recall his mistake those years ago.
Leaving Roma alone, and selfishly wanting to bear his emotions on his own despite all the people he had around him. Fully aware of his incompetence, he grits his teeth and slams the side of a fist on the wall in frustration before exhaling. “I...I know, dammit all. I just…” He shakes his head from side to side, and heads off to go back down the stairwell to the beachside docks. ]
Traits: Primary Weapon: Sword x Rokushiki x Life Return | Perk: Master | Alliance: Pirate | Fruit: Quake
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
