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 Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 3:41 pm
In an effort to keep from feeling like a complete lump of a person, Neryn reached out to Aeleas, who they hadn't seen since they'd gotten stranded here. Living in the communal housing was nice, and it helped they didn't have to try to room with humans or find a job, but Neryn didn't really have any friends there. One or two, but to be honest, they felt a little outsider-ish. In the time it had taken them to go through a few semesters of human college at DCU, some of their number had been promoted twice and they were feeling... bad about that.
Not that the ones that had put in the work didn't deserve it! They did, absolutely. That said, it still stung that some of the Vanguard didn't fall into the trap of acting human. Neryn hadn't been strong enough - or decisive enough - when it counted and had taken to trying to fight in human society since they were stuck here.
They still patrolled and did what they could to gather energy for the Vanguard, but there wasn't much drive behind them. It was just part of it.
Being outside the house helped their mood though, and Neryn - disguised as Arryn, for now - came up to where Aeleas - Leah - was currently trying to cut a tree. With a knife.
"Hi Leah," they said, a little uplifted that they used the correct name, "Long time no see!"
Awkward, but getting people's chosen identities was very important to Neryn, so they strived to make it work. Plus, they didn't know if Aeleas wanted any one to know that she was, well, an alien or not. Neryn wasn't about to out the poor girl accidentally!
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:10 pm
Aeleas honestly hadn’t ever thought she was going to go out as…her former self again, but here she was, practicing with her vibro dagger. Well, practicing was a loose term, it was more like she was carving her name into the tree as she had seen in one of the movies her and Caius had watched.
Leaa <3’s Earth might sound silly, but she liked the way it looked, and she knew that…even if it was hurting the tree…it would heal from this, and that thought alone made the guilt a lot less overwhelming. Besides. Living here…she wanted to make some kind of a mark…and if this was the best she could do…so be it.
She was Aeleas now, so when she heard someone calling her false name…but…her chosen name…she stiffened, and spun, half expecting to see Caius or someone but…it hadn’t sounded like anyone that she knew…and it wasn’t. It was someone that she couldn't place.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
Perhaps…perhaps they had simply seen what she had carved? But. That had…they had.
“I do not believe that I know you.” Her dagger was held out, and she was fighting the urge to tremble.
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Posted: Wed Mar 22, 2023 4:21 pm
Neryn jolted backwards, glamour dropping almost immediately. They put their hands up in surrender, eyeing the knife. Okay, maybe they should have approached their fellow Vanguardian without a glamour. Perhaps they should have foreseen this outcome. It had been a long time since the two had seen each other.
The last time had been that absolutely terrible pumpkin incident.
"Ah, my apologies! I just thought you'd want your preferred name over your Vanguard one, ah..." said Neryn, eying the dagger. Maybe... maybe they should have just left Aeleas alone? Maybe that's what she wanted, to be left alone by anyone who was part of the Vanguard.
They took a step back, hands still up, trying to be as nonthreatening as possible. "Again, my apologies. I just didn't want... you to be uncomfortable," they said, trailing off and hoping that Aeleas would now recognize them and perhaps, put down the knife? "I understand if you would like to fight me off and chase me away...."
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Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 7:25 pm
The moment that the civilian boy turned into a member of the Vanguard, Aeleas reacted before she looked any further than the uniform.
Panic set in and she lunged at the fellow member…one of her fellow…former teammates, and her small dagger grazed their arm before she finally saw finally realized who it was.
“Neryn!”
The name was spoken with equal amounts surprise and…some…delight. This…had been her friend. This was one who also went to the Moon…this…
“I apologize! I did not mean to strike you…you. You truly frightened me. How did you find my chosen human name? Why did you call me that? I do not understand I…”
Swallowing, Aeleas took a step back and stowed her small dagger away. “I…I have not seen…anyone since…that last mission I…I have been in hiding…I…thought that you had found me, and were going to bring me in for leaving…I was frightened…”
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Posted: Thu Mar 23, 2023 8:14 pm
Neryn hissed through their teeth, wincing at the sudden slash to their arm and the radiating numbness taking over their forearm. They rubbed the area as Aeleas finally noticed them for who they were. They just smiled at her and shook their head.
"No, no, you're correct. I frightened you, a slash to the arm and some numbness is penance enough," they said, before glancing past their fellow Vanguardian and looking at the tree. "I figured you'd want the name you carved into the tree, since otherwise... you would have carved your Vanguardian name, yes?"
Neryn regarded Aeleas for a moment, and then frowned. "Why... would I bring you in for... leaving?" they asked, wondering if they'd missed something in all their studies and generally keeping to themself. As far as they knew, there wasn't any sort of warrant out for lost Vanguardians or missing members...
"I just was passing by on my energy gathering route and saw you, that is all. I swear." They wanted to understand why Aeleas would think the Vanguard would come after her just for... living her life, but wasn't sure if asking that was appropriate or not. But clearly... something had spooked her enough to go into hiding...
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 6:47 pm
Aeleas swallowed and shrugged. “I…” Her eyes darted to the tree and she moved slightly so that her body covered the mark she had made. “Still, that is not an excuse for me having hurt you. I…do not know. I am a traitor, am I not? I have disobeyed orders from the Vanguard…I have turned my back on our people and our home…I…I truly love the Earth…I have found a family here…I…”
She was saying too much, but it seemed as though now that she had started. Now that she had one of her own people to talk to for the first time in….well over a year…it all just came tumbling out.
“I have not seen anyone since the Moon. I have been living here, living as a human, and I love it. I have a family once again, you know that my parents are both gone, it…is nice to have them again, different parents, but just as loving. The home I have is wonderful. I have a brother that makes my heart so glad...but. I am a traitor even so, is this not the case, Neryn?”
Tears began to pool in her eyes and slowly dripped down her cheeks, and Aeleas roughly brushed them away. “How can this be something other than the case?”
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:06 pm
"If that makes you a traitor, then so am I, Aeleas," they said softly. The numbness slowly went away and they stepped closer to their friend. "Do you know I go to human college here? I study their sciences, I study their history. I do not necessarily like being 'human' - they have too many issues with gender and identity here - but this is our home now."
Neryn glanced at the tree and the area around them, idly playing with their skirt. "I chose to follow the Prince because I couldn't bear to leave the people of this planet to Metallia. I... understand why the Commodore did what he did. I understand what those that followed him did what they did. But..." they said, a little wistful. The logical part of their brain always knew it was the right choice. That this wasn't their home, this wasn't saving their prince or their commodore from death. They knew that this was only temporary.
But.
"If I am honest... I adore this world. Humans may be backwards sometimes, and squabble, and never learn from history... but they're vibrant. They're alive. They get excited about baby animals, they cheer for other humans in sports. They are capable of so much. I do what I can for the Vanguard, and I willl answer the call if it's placed, but I think I will still be here, even if the rest of us go back to Velencia. Even if we save our homeworld, I think I will stay here.
"This place is more my home now. Even if I'd rather not run around in a glamour all the time," they said with a smile. It was very odd to actually... express that. They'd felt it since talking with Lyndin months ago, but Neryn didn't feel much of a tie to a dead world or the dying satilight that orbited it. They'd done so much to Caedus to try to awaken him, and when that failed, they'd made a contract with Metallia of all things. And then to sacrifices the senshi and knights of this world?
That wasn't the Vanguard they wanted to be a part of.
"So no, I don't think you are a traitor. I don't think the Commanders think you are a traitor. I think they hope you are alright, and safe, but I don't think they think you are a traitor. I'm glad you've found where you belong, Aeleas. That you have a family again."
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:18 pm
Aeleas listened and after a long moment, she gave a sniff, scrubbing her eyes again. “...I…Neryn…would you like to be my friend…would you like to get to know me as Leah? I have missed the company of other Velencians…I…I would like to at least have you back in my life…especially since you seem that you understand…”
She agreed with what he said. Humans were backwards a lot of the time, but they were so unique. They were funny…they could be rude but they could love so fiercely.
“The only request that I have is that you do not tell anyone that you have gotten in contact with me…I…I am still afraid that…I am just afraid. And…I do not wish to eviscerate any more pumpkins, though it is early in the year for that, but as we get closer to Autumn again, I will reinstate this request.
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:28 pm
Neryn smiled so wide, it lit up their eyes. They took back on their glamour of Arryn Thane, and held out a hand. "I would love to get to know you as Leah and be your friend, so long as you don't mind me being a little awkward like this. Perhaps, you can help me get more used to this form," they said in reply.
Arryn let out a laugh, nodding in agreement. "Oh, no, I am never carving a pumpkin again. We can try trick or treating or dressing up in costumes instead. Never the pumpkins again."
"I will tell no one I've come into contact with you again. I swear on my honor." They were serious and would not betray that trust. Just as it matter to them that Leah was comfortable in her skin, it mattered that her trust was not broken. As long as she felt safe, that's all that mattered.
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:33 pm
Slipping back into the glamour of Leah was as easy as anything. It was how she looked most of the time now, her hair bouncy and blonde rather than straight and purple…and she liked it that way…though…if she could, she might get at least her streaks into it if she could figure the best way to modify her glamour rather than changing it completely.
“It is nice to meet you like this. You look…I will get used to it, I am sure. I was able to get used to myself after all!” Grasping their hand, Leah smiled in return. “Would you like to visit me at my workplace? And may I tell my family about you? They know about me, obviously. But. I would like you to at least meet my brother. He is wonderful and so very creative! We work together at a bakery, the whole family does, it…it is a lot of fun.”
Reaching into the small purse at her side, Leah drew out a slightly crumpled business card complete with a cute, stylized cartoon bunny on it. “Here! This has the address!”
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 7:55 pm
She was so much more animated and excited as Leah. Ryn made a note of it, and the warm feelings that sprung up seeing her so happy and excited. They'd look into that later; right now they were being given an address. They moved a piece of teal wavey hair form their face, tucking it behind an ear to read the card.
Oh, the bunny was adorable.
"Please call me Arryn or Ryn, it's the name I've adopted in this form," they said with a smile. "Of course you can tell your family about me! It would make me happy to meet the family you found! And a bakery? That sounds like a lovely place to work in. I will have to come around and buy some of your pastries!"
Ryn did have a soft spot for pastries after all...
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Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2023 8:10 pm
“I will be sure to make you some special ones, Ryn! I enjoy that name, it suits you!” Leah felt lighter than she had in…well, quite a long time, and that was…something worth thinking about…later though. “Come the day after tomorrow and I will see that I have made something wonderful, okay?”
Hesitating for just a moment, Leah bounded over closer to Arryn and pressed a kiss to his cheek before grinning widely. “I’ll see you then, Ryn! I am so very, very happy that we met like this again…this…yes.”
With a laugh, Leah waved and sprinted away, towards the bakery. Towards home.
Towards Caius to gush at him about all that had happened.
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