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 Posted: Sun Nov 03, 2013 10:41 pm
Once they were clear away from the sirens and the lights and the pursuit of the police, Avalon stopped running. Not because she was tired (though she was that) but because she recognized their environs and knew them to be fairly safe. "No one patrols here," she said, "I mean, I used to. That's how I know no one else patrols here." She tried to smile, but failed--she knew that she would be in trouble when she smashed the violet crystal, but she... no one had ever predicted that she'd go so far as to do that and then freeze like an untrained child. Which--okay, she was closer to an untrained child than she was to a fighter like those two! But still. She was in for a lecture, she thought. "I can put your arm back into its socket," she offered. "If you leave it too long, the nerves will get messed up." Only once she had permission did she reach over and with a sharp shove, put the unknown Captain's arm back where it belonged. "Sorry," she said, "Sorry! It had to be done." Avalon eased away, hands up in the air-- nothing in my hands, I don't mean any harm. "Thanks for coming to help me," she said. "I know you didn't have to."
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:28 am
When they did stop Xenotime drew in a long, tight breath. Freezing in place as the movement pulled at burnt skin. When she did exhale it was in a slow hiss, and the captain fought not whimper, not to writhe in agony. The one small reprieve came in the form of the autumn breeze slipping lazily through the city. It touched ruined skin, made the girl shiver, but it cooled that burning heat, even if only in tiny bits. For a moment everything had narrowed down nothing beyond taking slow, shallow breaths, and listening to her pulse in her own ears. Then the other girl spoke, and suddenly the rest of the city poured in around her. Lights and sounds and smells reminding the soldier where she was, and what she was doing. It took a moment for Avalon's words to sink in, and when they did Xenotime glanced down at her right shoulder, grimacing. Seemingly more annoyed by the odd jutting of bone and offset alignment then actually concerned. "Yeah, go ahead." She could have done it herself, but if she were honest she wasn't really a huge fan of causing herself pain. At least not directly. There was another pop as the joint was shoved back into place, and paint lips parted around a cry before she snapped her teeth around the sound and turned it into inward, fingers squeezing into fist, eyes slammed shut. If there had been anything around beside the other captain she might have hit it, but they stood in the middle of the street. After a couple of seconds she blinked, then shook her head. "Don't apologize, I know." It wasn't the first time something had been dislocated, it wouldn't be the last. She eyed the other agent's empty, harmless hands, and the flicker of a smile passed over bruised and bleeding lips. "No, I did." She chuckled, lifting her hand to rub over her brow before pushing tousled bangs out of her face. "I'm captain Xenotime."
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 10:40 am
"I'm Captain Avalon," she said, more than a little embarrassed to be telling Xenotime about--well, they're at the same rank and all. It was just embarrassing. But then, she'd switched sides because she had no way to get better--right? Half of her desire to switch seems weirdly foggy and strange… she remembers mostly that she didn't want to die. In that respect, this most recent encounter was too damn close. "I'm still sorry," she said. "There aren't many training opportunities on the side of Order, and I'm… I'm still pretty new to this Negaverse thing." Avalon smiled uncertainly, and--you know, it was pretty hard to not feel like s**t right now. She tried, but it was really freaking hard!"That was so cool, though," she said, "I think maybe I've seen General-King Howlite do better but she's pretty much it, you know?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 1:46 pm
"Avalon?" Xe blinked. That didn't sound like a mineral name, at least not one the teen had ever heard of. That sounded an awful lot like a knight title.. So it was true then, they were corruptible. Interesting. As far as Xenotime had been aware, there had only been one successful case, and her situation had been quite exceptional. Xenotime made a face at the revelation that Order was significantly lacking in the training department. She was well aware. It was a constant source of frustration when ever the captain went up against a lackluster challenger from the other side. And then came the praise, and despite the burn, despite the on setting exhaustion, Xenotime smiled. Pride lighting up bruised and bloody features. Avalon had compared her to a general-king, She, Xenotime, a lowly captain, on par with a general-king. "That's high-praise, thank you." Of course grinning made her mouth hurt, and she winced, running her tongue over the busted skin and tasting fresh blood. "Let's keep moving," she prompted after a few quiet seconds, nodding her head towards the end of the street. The idea of slipping between some cool sheets and pestering Alois until he applied burn spray to her back sounded like a wonderful plan. "You can tell me about yourself." Granted, she was very curious about her new friend.
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 5:47 pm
Avalon flushed a dull red and nodded. "Yes," she said. "I was a knight, once." And as far as she knew, she was the only one to have seen the light (or rather, the dark) and swapped sides. She followed Xenotime, her boots clicking neatly along the concrete of the sidewalk. "I, um… I didn't want to die, so I asked… I asked General-King Howlite to change me. I think that's what happened, I don't really remember much of that… whole ordeal…" Generally, the whole thing aroused a vague feeling of embarrassment. It made her face go all hot and then it got hard to keep eye contact with people. "I don't really know much about myself," she said honestly. "I forgot everything about who I was before except when I was Avalon, I… I suppose it's a punishment, for… for my sins? Maybe." She shrugged, wondered if her upset showed on her face. Was it worth being scared someone would, like Valhalla, tell her something she didn't want to hear? "I… maybe you could show me how to fight," she said. "I'd like to learn."
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:09 pm
It was a real challenge trying to keep the pain from showing too obviously on taunt features. Walking wasn't half as bad as running, but every step still pulled and jarred at the burns. It hurt to breath, and she continued taking short, shallow breaths as she concentrated on schooling her face. There was a vague flinching, but for the most part she managed to hide just how terribly hurt she was. The poor girl already felt guilty. Intrigued, the battle trained agent regarded her comrade with a thoughtful look as she absently tongued at the split in her lip. It hurt too, but it was a different sort of pain, sharper, more acute. A wonderful distraction from the grinding agony that spread across her back. "You made the right choice," she offered confidently, in response to the reasons that'd fueled her decision. "If you're not with us, then you are against us, and there will be no mercy for those that stand against the Negaverse." Her tone was matter of fact, almost cold, but the corners of her lips twitched up in a smile. "A desire to live is a wonderful motivator." There was a flash of something in silver eyes following Avalon's request, and despite the uncomfortable pull that stretched damaged lips she grinned. "Gladly. Nothing would make me happier." It was one of her fondest ambitions to see the Negaverse as a whole skilled in combat. "It son't be easy," she warned. "There's a chance you could get hurt, but that's the price we pay to become stronger. Strength requires sacrifice." Xe turned a pointed stare on the other girl. "Are you alright with that?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 6:48 pm
Avalon nodded, without hesitation. She trusted that Xenotime wouldn't let anything permanent happen to Avalon in a purely-training situation--not after she'd gone so far to keep Avalon from dying an early death in an actual combat situation. "Yes ma'am," said Avalon obediently, trying to keep the smile off her face. "I trust you." The Negaverse meant never being alone--that's what they'd taught her. And the events of the past half hour had proven it. Xenotime's pain did not go unnoticed, for all she was trying to hide it. Avalon wanted to hide her face, and she did pull her hood up over her hair, but--the whole thing was her fault. If she'd just been stronger, she could have saved her comrade-in-arms this pain. And of course, Xenotime had thrown herself into the line of actual wildfire to protect Avalon. "Would it help you if you had some energy," she asked. "I was told we could consume it, and it could help us heal if we were badly hurt. Is that true?"
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Posted: Tue Nov 05, 2013 4:56 pm
Permanent was likely a matter of perspective. Scars were permanent, but somehow they didn't count. Obvious by her willingness to throw herself in the way of a swirling vortex of wild fire to keep one of her comrades safe. Avalon's use of 'ma'am' earned the other woman a questioning blinking, but a smile blossomed seconds after. Self-satisfied and smug. It wouldn't be the first time she'd stepped into a mentoring role, nor would it be the last, but Avalon was quite a bit more forthcoming with her respect then Natrolite was. "Good." Mention of energy inspired a rather thoughtful expression, and after a second she nodded. "Yes, that's true." Pale eyes narrowed slightly, bruised lips twitching. "Are you offering to get me some energy?" Apparently Xenotime had managed to make an impression. Interesting.
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Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 6:53 pm
"If you need it," said Avalon. "I don't want to waste a human life if you don't want me to do that. But if you ask me to, then… then you need it, and it's my fault that you do, so… it's my responsibility." She considered the injuries, and said, "I might have some energy on me, but…" It occurred to Avalon that she was being a little presumptuous. Xenotime might not even want energy. She decided to change the subject, just in case. "Is there somewhere I can walk with you to," she asked. "So that you get home safe?"
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Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2013 1:14 pm
Xenotime considered it, and it was easy to admit that the idea of a quicker recovery was extremely appealing, but the girl had always been a tough one, stubborn, so after a moment she shook her head, smiling. "It's just a burn." A really big burn, granted, but she'd seen worse. "It'll heal on it's own." It would take longer, and it might leave a scar, but she had a rare opportunity to step into her general's shoes a little more fully. It still wasn't the same, not by half, but it was closer. Another surprised blink followed the offer to escort her home, and the captain chuckled, lips stretching in a strained grin. It seemed as though she'd made a friend, or an admirer. Either way, Xenotime was both touched and not entirely sure what to do about it. "Sure, my apartments not far, though we should probably drop the uniforms so we don't attract any unwanted attention." Hurt didn't mean she wouldn't still face off against someone if she had to, but she would have preferred, in that moment, not to have to.
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