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 Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:18 pm
Visiting the Resistance camps was always a weird thing for Newgrange; he was so used to the city limits that it was sometimes strange to see so many powered people gathered in one area. It was a relief that they weren't Negaversers gathered, though; he had long since grown tired of the powered agents that had free reign to roam through the streets and do as they pleased.
But here…just felt as dangerous as it did safe. When he was back in the city, he was just Arias. Harmless, under the radar, Arias.
Here, he was he same as these people.
And sometimes these people didn't always do things he agreed with.
But many of them were his friends, still—people who he trusted with his life and who he trusted to do what they thought was best. He might not have been able to do all the things they could do, but he still took efforts to help however he could.
So, today he was visiting to catch up on what was going on—because for as hands-off on the fighting, he didn't want to be out of the loop—and to drop off a few boxes of cupcakes. They weren't anything special—just something that he could still do. He'd dropped them off already but hadn't quite been in the mood to leave; he had seen a few familiar faces but it felt like every time he came here, someone else was missing.
He just wanted reassurance that they were still all right—the everything was still going to work out for the better.
Or just to know how bad things really were.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 3:22 pm
Camelot spotted Newgrange from not too far off, tilting his head in wonder at the young knight. He moved closer, to say hello. He was not sure if he was familiar with this face, and wanted to check in if it was a new arrival at the camp, or if it was just someone passing through. They did get what help they could from the city, and he was always thankful for the visits those that lived within the borders of the city dared to take. It was not easy for any of them, each, regardless of where they were lived, dealing with terrible risks.
No one was safe, not really, but Camelot would continue to fight for the chance to be safe again.
"Hello there," he said, with an easy, warm smile. Some days it was easier to smile than others. He knew that many felt the same, and could see that this knight had already suffered a great deal. It put his own losses, as many as there were and as intense as they felt, into sharp perspective.
It could always be worse. And chances were, the way things were going, they would.
"My name is Camelot. Welcome to our little Headquarters. Unless you've been here before. I try to keep up with everyone, but... ah..." things changed a lot. Some never came back, some came out of no where. One could never really tell, though Camelot did his best to keep track.
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 4:28 pm
Newgrange blinked; it took a few seconds for him to register the fact, but the name he knew. "Camelot," he said, nodding. "It's nice to meet you. I've dropped by a few times, but I usually stick to the city. I was hoping I'd get to run into you some time, I've heard you're a good man to have around. Most of the people I run into have had some pretty good things to say about you. Though, I think we met, once before."
He paused; the memory was incredibly vague, but he remembered that armor. "But I suppose that's all in the past. I hadn't awakened yet. You were," his lips pursed a bit as he tried to remember. "By the library, I think?"
It was probably a small detail; Newgrange wasn't sure why he remembered it. "But that was a long time ago." Holding out his hand, he offered a friendly smile. There might have been a war going on, but it didn't mean he didn't still see the importance of manners. "I'm Newgrange. How are you guys holding up out here?"
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Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 5:22 pm
"We met before?" Camelot looked surprised and embarrassed, searching his memory for where he had failed to recognize the knight. He was relieved to hear that the other had not been awakened when they met, which meant he did not have to feel as guilty about not knowing who the other was.
That was what Glamour did for someone.
"Ah, yes. I was always by the library," he chuckled, and felt a bit wistful. The library was torn down years ago, when they put up a new 'information center' in its place. He knew it was because they suspected him for who he was, connecting the numerous sightings of Camelot and the frequent senshi and knight activity around the library.
He took the other's hand and gave it a firm shake, smiling welcomingly. There was always a paternal, warm air about him, and he honestly cared about all the White Moon under his care, or living around him in the camps.
"We're doing the best we can. We've built a nice place here, and we are gaining a little more ground inside the city, though with the crackdowns it will be harder and harder for us to maintain any sort of presence there. We need to start thinking about making sure our stores are well supplied, with things that will last, just in case. I store a lot of things at my Wonder, and it's also a nice place to go to just feel safe for a little while. In any case, how are you? What brings you here?
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Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:00 pm
After a quick shake, Newgrange dropped his hand and shrugged. "I suppose I was getting restless. I wasn't the best knight," he said, though there was no self loathing in his voice; there were others who were just better. He knew this, he accepted it, and he still did what he could. "But I missed powering up. Feeling like I was doing something. Usually I stay inside the city, pick up information. Pass it on to those I know who can get it to someone better fit to use it. But, I don't know. The city is smothering. I hate what it's turned into."
Destiny City had been a beautiful place five years ago. It had its issues, but no city was perfect.
Now…While the Negaverse had done its expansions, it just wasn't the same. No matter how they dressed it up, it was just a fancy prison.
"I keep thinking about leaving," he mused, but admitted, "But I guess I just can't. It's home. Leaving feels…like giving up. There might not be much I can do, but I don't know. I don't want to just abandon it. So I guess I just needed to see some friendly faces and remind myself that there's still a lot of good people sticking around, still trying to make things right again. Oh—and to drop off some cupcakes. I," he laughed, perhaps at himself or just because it was a nervous response, "Made a bit too many back at the bakery and figured maybe somebody could help me take care of them here."
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Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2014 8:45 pm
Camelot arched an eyebrow at that, shaking his head slowly. He was not sure he believed in this idea of being a good or bad knight. As long as they were doing their best, or at least trying to do their best, he thought they could get away with calling themselves good. He smiled and offered a chuckle.
"I don't think anyone can claim to be the best, anyway. I would think it's pretty overrated."
He was glad to hear that he was still trying, though. He knew all too well that some knights and senshi had lost their way, and spent their time hiding just to stay alive. Hiding completely, living the lives the Negaverse had created for them and not powering up at all. To stay safe, to keep their families safe. It was not something he could hold bitterness for, though he had chosen to fight. His own choice had cost him more than he could say, but it was one he was sticking with, just like everyone else in the war. Everyone made their own choices, and survived their own way.
Camelot was just not capable of judging them for it, even when he wanted to. In this case, he was glad to see Newgrange at least making an effort, even if he did not know what he could do.
"I know what you mean. How you feel. Despite everything that's happened, I can't leave this place. Sometimes it feels like it would just be easier to take my family to Camelot and never return, but this is the life I've chosen. I will fight for this city and for everyone in it, until they finally manage to take me out. Did you say cupcakes? It's hard to focus on war and noble causes when someone mentions cupcakes."
He looked thoughtful for a moment, then a smile broke across his face. He laughed, and it was an honest, surprised laugh. He was so used to gloomy or serious conversations, it was nice to just be able to relax or a moment.
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 3:06 pm
Newgrange blinked when the older male mentioned cupcakes, and despite himself he couldn’t help but laugh. "Yes, that is very true." And maybe that was why he was always surrounding himself with baked goods. How could you focus on fighting, on loss and death, when you were surrounded by a hundred pastel cupcakes?
It was a cheap illusion of normality, but Newgrange was holding fast to it. Baking cupcakes was fulfilling, insofar as that he could still do something to bring a small ounce of happiness, but in the long run he knew it wasn't enough, and he envied Camelot's ability to dedicate so much to the cause.
He did not resent the male, nor himself, but he aspired to be better. Rumors of Camelot had met his ears more times than he could count, and for all that it meant, Newgrange looked up to him. "I left them in that general direction," he said, gesturing behind him; he did not know the layout of the place well enough to give a specific location, but he was certain they wouldn’t be too hard to find.
Unless someone had already gotten into them.
But there was a question lingering in the air—one that he did not want to ask, and yet which he felt compelled to. "…Do you really think there will come a time when they finally manage to," he repeated Camelot's phrase, despite how odd it felt on his tongue, "Take you out?"
Camelot.
Who had been around for longer than Newgrange knew, and who was always spoken of when he asked what the Resistance was up to. Who Newgrange had always seen as a symbol for what the Knights should aspire to be.
…And if the Negaverse could take him out…what did that mean for the rest of them?
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2014 9:03 pm
"That general direction, hm?" Camelot looked in that general direction, humming thoughtfully. He would have to and investigate that sooner rather than later. He was a fighter, a hardened warrior with a terrible purpose and so much loss and pain in his life, but he was also just a guy that liked to have a cupcake now and then.
He spent a lot of time being the warrior, he forgot how silly and gentle he used to be. He was still capable of being awkward and goofy. The librarian rather than the knight.
At the question, though, his light thoughts were chased away and he offered the other a gentle, quiet smile. It was reassuring in its way, knowing and quiet as it was. He understood the concern, and he was putting his answer together as carefully as he could.
"There's always a chance," he said, after a moment. He let out a slow breath of air, shaking his head. "There is always that chance. I'm just as susceptible to it as anyone else. We are all fighting for the same chance at survival, and though some of us play different roles, we're all important in this effort. If one falls, another takes their place. Everyone rises up when they are needed, and when the danger calls them into action .That's how we were all awakened to our power, as knights, wasn't it? Our potential was realized, and in a time of need, our powers came to us. In greater need, we reach deeper, we accomplish more. Everyone has the potential to change this war, if the need arises. If I do fall, I do not doubt that someone will rise up stronger than I was, and my death will not be in vain."
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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:08 am
While Camelot certainly had a point, it was not really one Newgrange cared to think of. "It doesn't mean that you won't be missed," Newgrange pointed out though, sliding his hand into his pocket and pursing his lips a bit. "There might be others to rise as a result, but…I don't know, it just wouldn't be the same without you. But you're very optimistic about all of this, it's…"
He paused, and then smiled again. "Optimistic. I wish everyone around here had that way of thinking. Of course, the whole concept of dying and needing someone to fill the shoes was depressing, but whereas war could bring out the worst in people, it could bring out the best.
"Fingers crossed that the day doesn't come when Camelot falls, though. How many other Knights out there as strong as you?" he inquired; he knew there had been some fluctuation in the ranks, but he had been out of touch enough that he wasn't sure who was a Prince or Princess or Royal Knight these days. Not that Newgrange didn't think those of his own rank or lower weren't important, but when it came to single combat, when one of the General Kings or Queens were around?
Yeah, he had no hope that he'd have done much against one of them. But Camelot—or others? It was reassuring to have them around, to know that Order still had a few Aces to play.
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Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2014 10:59 pm
Camelot smiled gently, nodding his head. He knew that if he did die, it would leave a lot of people upset. In a way, it was a comfort to know that so many would at least feel the weight of his loss, but it also made it that much more important to him to keep fighting. He could not afford to leave them all in a bigger lurch than they were in now.
He was fighting for far more than himself and his family. He wanted to defend more than just his friends. He was even fighting for something more realized than the idea of the planet itself. This was his home, and his life. This was the world he lived in, and it had been destroyed. They were fighting for everything, for a chance to simply survive again. To find a normalcy that was not tied to hiding in the woods.
Camelot wanted to be there when they found their way back from the woods.
"I'm sure there are plenty of knights around that are much stronger than I am. In different ways. I know that sounds like the diplomatic 'teacher' answer, but I think it's more true than just trying to placate. I might have made myself stick out, and I'm important for some specific reasons, but there are many others out there doing the same thing. In any case, I'm going to stick around as much as I can. I don't really plan on being killed, if I can avoid it, so hopefully we won't have to deal with these what ifs any time soon."
A shudder moved down his spine, just thinking about it. Though he had been at this a long time, and his experience helped him be confident, he did still fear death, and what it would mean for his family and the knights and senshi he had sworn to protect. He just did not want them to suffer for it.
It was a very gloomy conversation, and he couldn't help but think about all the people he had lost so far, or those he had been told were lost. They were all paying very heavy prices.
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Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2014 11:54 pm
Newgrange watched Camelot's face as he spoke, though when he saw the male shudder, he suddenly looked away. The seriousness of the conversation was enough to send a shudder down his spine, and a desire to redirect the conversation to something else surged through him. They didn't need to dwell on that for any longer than absolutely necessary. "I am sure everyone appreciates your presence," Newgrange said, "And I'm glad you've got a plan to stick out. I worry," he confessed after a second. "A lot. So usually my mind drifts to the worst case scenario and I try to prepare for it, but I learned a long time ago that if you expect the worst, you never have time to enjoy things as they come. You're too busy looking at the dark side of things. It's been a New Years' Resolution to work on that for a few years, but I guess I just kept getting distracted with other things."
Like the Negaverse.
"So—around here, are you guys doing all right? Every now and then I get a senshi or knight in the city who is looking to help but doesn't know where to start. The most I've really been able to do is pass on information, but I know there are people in the city who are eager to volunteer their help somehow. Do you have any requests or needs I could pass on for when they stop by?"
Cupcakes probably weren't exactly on the list of needs but Newgrange hadn't known what else to bring.
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Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:44 am
"Well, in a war like this, it's not unusual to worry about the worst case. And it's not a bad idea, either, as we do need to be prepared for the worst, even if we're struggling to avoid it and fighting as hard as we can to make things better. But dwelling on things that far beyond our control can drag someone down a very dark road. There is a balance, though it's difficult to find, between the extreme sides of pessimism and optimism." He sighed, shaking his head.
He sighed and shook his head.
Darkness was not unfamiliar to him. The war had taken its toll on him, as well, and he knew that it was difficult to see through it sometimes. Even now, he had moments of just wanting to go and destroy the Negaverse soldiers that had done him so much damage. In the end, though, he knew that he carried an equal amount of blame. Losing Lina had been his fault. Losing Chaonis, as well, had been partly his fault. He had not stopped it from happening. He was not there when Harmony was killed, but even that was blame enough.
"We're doing the best we can here. We are keeping up with supplies, and I store what I can in Camelot, when anyone wants to go there. It's a nice place to get away from the stress, even if it is just for a moment or two. We can always do with more supplies that last, things we can store in case things go really wrong. But more than that, things that keep the people living here happy. Distracted, even. Games, books, supplies for recreational activities. Those help make life seem a little less... unlike life, if you understand."
He knew that just being able to do normal things helped relieve stress and pain.
"Just keeping positive and encouraging talk of what small victories we do have helps as well. We are doing alright, considering, and I think we'll keep forging our way forward."
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2014 11:01 pm
Camelot was right, as Newgrange often figured he was. Newgrange had been too close to travelling down a dark road that the Royal Knight's words reverberated deeply within him. He was still trying to find the balance, but it was a steady process, and each day paved the way for new revelations. He was still on the right path, he just needed to stay there.
Keeping up with the necessities sounded good to Newgrange, though what Camelot thought they really needed surprised him. It wasn't something he had expected, but it was something that immediately made sense.
"Sounds reasonable. I'll let them know and try to pick up some things for my next trip over."
Which…hopefully he could manage soon. Seeing Camelot, knowing that through the man had been through so much already and was still here made him want to do better.
But…it was getting late enough that he knew if he wanted to remain inconspicuous when getting back to Destiny City, he was going to have to leave soon. The Negaverse was already giving him a hard enough time without him drawing extra attention to himself.
"Ah, it's getting late," he sighed, hating the nagging feeling that he should be somewhere else. Reluctantly, he added, "I should head back. But! It was good talking with you." And, at least that much was true; it was a relief to see Camelot, and for as long as he was around, Newgrange knew that he'd be grateful for him. "I'll bring more cupcakes next time. If you'd like anything specific, let me know, won't you?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2014 10:39 pm
Kyuseisha no Hikari FIN from me I think. Thanks! If you want to do another RP with any of my folks I am game to plot.
He did have a reputation to keep.
He looked at the other knight and his expression softened, warmed, and he put his hand lightly on Newgrande's shoulder. He always had a fatherly air about him, Camelot did, but ever since his son was corrupted he tended to be a bit more open with his worry and care for others.
He was like a mother hen whose chicks had all been taken from her. Slowly replacing them, in small ways, and giving what affection and care he could to anyone that was open to it. If he could, he would protect them all, and sacrifice all he was to make sure they each had a better chance at life. Some things were impossible, of course, but for Camelot, they were still goals.
"Be careful out there, alright? Take care in the city, and with the Negaverse. If anything makes you nervous, if anything seems off, you'll let me know, right? If you need help, just call."
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:08 am
Newgrange watched Camelot for a second and then smiled. "I appreciate the offer. Really." He seemed entirely genuine, entirely sincere.
But he didn't know if he'd be able to take the Royal Knight up on that offer.
It had very little to do with Camelot and was almost exclusively because Newgrange had an issue accepting help. Realistically, he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t carry the weight of the world on his shoulders and try to do everything on his own. But, damn if he didn't try.
"I'll make sure to let you know if anything feels off. And if I need help..." he paused, hoping he never would, "I'll feel better knowing I've got you for backup, thanks. You take care, now—I'll catch you around!"
Newgrange offered one last wave to Camelot before he then turned and left.Lithiasaur That sounds good to me! 8D
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