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 Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 1:16 pm
Odette held her breath, drumming up the energy to reveal her secrets. It amazed her how this was something that had never come up before. There had been no recruiting, no revelations to close friends. Everyone she knew had their own previous attachments to the cause. Aerona was a first. "I need you to be very serious about this," Odette whispered. She reached out, grabbing hold of Aerona's hand. "I'm about to tell you something that puts a lot of lives in danger. My own life in danger." She squeezed Aerona's hand, locking eyes with her. "I'm trusting you, Aerona," She said, pausing to watch her reaction. She held the pause, waiting to gather her own courage. "The Phoenix Initiative... Is a rebel campaign against the hemospectrum," Odette explained, eyes still trained on Aerona. "They fight for a world where status is determined by skill, not by blood," She continued. "Obviously, against the will of the crown." She fell silent, leaning in closer to Aerona. This was a dangerous and serious matter, and though she believed in Aerona, she couldn't help but worry. She bit her lip and blinked, chest beating fast in the nervous anticipation of her final reveal. "I am one of their members," She said, leaving her reveal at that. Her rank was dangerous information to give out, and Aerona would find out soon enough, should she choose to join. Odette withdrew her hand, taking hold of her mug again. "I think you should join us," She suggested, holding her breath for Aerona's response.
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 10:38 pm
Aerona felt the air around her tighten, as though Odette was using her abilities to tense the atmosphere without her knowledge. She swallowed a lump in her throat. As Odette held her hand, Aerona took in a breath. Her demeanor had changed and she hardened into stone. Whatever features she had boasted as a child were stronger and sharper now. Lips pursed, Aerona gave Odette a quick nod. She trusted her completely. “Oh…” Was all she could manage. Her eyes grew wide, her body numb. This was more than anything. Where before she would feel chills, now she had no words. Odette had slipped right under her sniffnode. She was a harbinger into a world that she only dreamed of. The very thought paralyzed her. “Against the will of the crown.”She felt her pulse return, jolted back. Aerona leaned with Odette and grasped her hand. What she was telling her was life or death by culling or worse. She was entrusting her to a brave new world. But why? Odette must have had knowledge of this group from the inside, and… "I am one of their members,"The biting lump came back to Aerona’s throat. She clutched at her arm with her free hand. She found herself nodding rapidly. “Y-yes… Yes…” Aerona whispered. Her nervous excitement had become unrestrained. “Absolutely, Odette. Oh my gog, I can’t… I can’t believe you…” Everything made sense. Her idolization of Odette had come full circle. She clutched her hand with both of hers and pulled it toward her, looking into her eyes. “I—how did you become a member? How long? I want to know –“ The door opened, and Aerona released Odette’s hands reflexively. She smoothed out the seat they were on and swiveled quickly as the silhouette of her lusus hobbled into the frame. “Oh, no need to stand! Ooh, it smells like the casserole is about done~” The crustacean purred. She gave Aerona a quick pat as she walked past and tapped her on the arm with her claw. She placed a bag on the counter and deposited the items in a cupboard. “What have you ladies been up to? Hope I didn’t interrupt. I picked up some fresh cream in town with the sugar! Is Odette staying for dinner?” The redblood shuffled over to her mother. She hadn’t even realized the warm, soothing smell wafting from the nutritionblock. “Oh, umm…! We were just catching up. But we can finish up after dinner… Odette, do you want to…?” Sophitia was already setting the nutrition plane for three. Asking was merely a formality. She grinned in her unmoving, toothy way at Odette and popped back behind the nutritionblock counter to put on some lacey red oven mitts. She mumbled all the while. “Ooh! It’s getting light outside; she’s come such a long way. I’ll set up the guest recuperacoon. Ask Odette if she’d like to stay. Oh, how about I set up in your block? It’ll be like your little sleepovers, oh my goodness. Does Odette need sleepwear? Ask Odette if she has a change of clothes. Ooh! The hive is a mess…” No sooner than she had pulled the casserole out of the oven and onto the counter did Sophitia scuttled into the vertical snuggle storage unit and had begun to extract the hefty recuperacoon from within. Aerona looked at Odette helplessly. “Mom seems to insist that you spend the day…” She toyed with her hair sheepishly. “We could, um… Finish up after dinner? If you didn’t have any plans…” Aerona gave her a meaningful look. Her blood pusher had calmed. It was a strange feeling – seeing Odette in a new light, her opening up. It felt like she was no longer a wiggler, but here she was on the cusp of a light-hearted sleepover. The weight of the choice was undeniable. She bit her lip and waited for Odette’s response.
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Posted: Sun Nov 01, 2015 2:26 pm
Odette watched Aerona's reaction with glee. She did it! She had actually recruited another able troll to their cause, and things weren't ending in a massive, dangerous failure. She had done good for her cause, and hopefully Aerona, too. With the abrupt swinging of the door, Odette started forward, nearly spilling her hot drink all over her lap. Upon realizing that it was just Sophitia, she fell back into the seat again, eyes wide and trying to recover a stable beat for her blood-pusher. Her face heated up considerably, hands holding her mug tight. Watching the little crustacean bob to and fro about the kitchen soothed Odette slightly. Domesticity always seemed to soothe the tiny redblood, it was always something she longed for in her childhood. As soon as she was comfortable, she rose from her seat, approaching Aerona. "That works out wonderfully," She smiled, taking Aerona's hands in hers again, "We'll have plenty of time to finish talking, don't you worry." With little thought, she pressed her lips to Aerona's cheek in a quick kiss, in her own manner of thanking the girl. In a quick moment, her hands dropped away, and Odette floated off to the nutrition block. "It smells wonderful!" Odette praised Sophitia, taking careful measures to not step into the lusus' path. "Is there any way I can help?" She asked, watching her scuttle about. It was the least she could do considering how generous Aerona and Sophitia were to her.
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Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:28 pm
Aerona flushed. Thank gog…. Everything worked out okay. She wasn’t able to process everything all at once, but Odette’s words were soothing nonetheless. She settled into helping Sophitia prepare. “Umm! If you want, you can set the table! The silverware is in the top drawer closest to the thermal hull.” Sophitia chirped something from under the guest recuperacoon. “Oh, uh… Mom wants us to use the nice silverware. Here, I’ll get it. You can, uh… Go ahead and help her fill up the ‘coon for today. Sorry.” She laughed bashfully. Aerona retreated to a bottom cupboard and dug around for their nice silverware. Most of their fine products were grateful trades from neighbors – a silversmith and her lusus that used to live in the village was as fond of Sophitia’s cooking as Aerona. She smiled at the thought and memory of the utensils. Simpler times. Popping back up, Aerona set the table and brought over dinner. What a bizarre evening. She craned her neck to see if Odette needed and help, and satisfied, set up the last of the dining ware for the group.
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 8:23 pm
"Certainly," Odette walked past Aerona smoothly, touching her arm lightly as she passed by. Helping Sophitia with the recuperacoon would be easy enough; it had been a long time since she had used one herself, but after so many sweeps of living in a temporary recuperacoon, well Odette was used to it enough. In the meanwhile, Odette enjoyed Sophia's chitters, despite being unable to understand her mannerisms. Naturally, she only felt a kinship with featherbeasts, but she couldn't help but develop a fondness for the scuttling, cheerful crustacean. A part of her felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that she had in part started a separation between the lusus and Aerona. She hoped that nothing would come of it. She only wanted what was best for both of them. With two sets of hands (or claws) the job could be finished quickly, and Odette returned to Aerona at the table. She was certainly excited to have a nice, homemade meal, but she was considerably more excited about the prospect of working with Aerona. Helping her learn and grow, letting her be part of something important, allowing her to change the world. It was simply an amazing feeling. "I can't thank you enough, Aerona," She said, looking at the younger girl with a humble sort of pride.
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Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2016 9:37 pm
Aerona couldn’t stop flushing. As her lusus hummed and whirred around the hive, setting up the table and preparing for their guest, the redblood’s mind was equally busy. This was unbelievable. Being part of something more, something her own – something special. She’d surpass everyone and make a difference! The world as they knew it could be changed. The prospect was blowing her thinkpan. She wanted to excuse herself before dinner even began – take a walk in the cold with Odette and rattle on about this newfound cause. The older troll had so much knowledge, wisdom, power… Everything! She wanted in, and now – only, now wasn’t the best time. What with Odette’s foot… And the oncoming sunlight, and Busthind’s slick mountaintops. Aerona settled down upon this wry realization and finished making the table. Dinner was ready. This would be the most memorable meal that she would have in a long time. Aerona’s chin wobbled a bit as she looked at her mentor, beaming. “I should be thanking you…! Odette…” She exclaimed softly. Sophitia passed Odette a fresh plate of casserole.
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