Welcome to Gaia! ::

It was probably a blessing that she couldn't smell herself. Christa didn't realize how hungry she was until the smell of delicious food. The gray-haired young woman had subsisted on what little food she could scavenge and bathed with rain water falling from rooftops when above ground, and runoff when below. It was a solitary (and very smelly) existence, but Christa believed in the work she was trying to do.

The war needed chaplains and the flock needed as much support as it could get.

When Sabina had found her, Christa was in her civilian form, hiding from the latest Negaverse raid. They had not suspected her, at least, not yet. Not that she was aware of. Best to keep moving, she told herself, and forbade herself from becoming too comfortable in one place for too long. Sabina's invitation was met with trepidation, wariness, but at last she had relented and a quick series of raps on Sabina's door indicated Christa was outside. Once let in, she ducked her head and profusely apologized.

"...I'm afraid I am not worthy of this kindness." she started, gesturing to her filthy clothing that had not been properly washed in a long time. "But I thank you for it nonetheless. What is it I may do for you in return, Sabina...?" The senshi-in-disguise had kept her voice low due to years of paranoia. How long had she been gone since her brother's death? Time was a fickle mistress.

In the years since the war started, Christa had hoped it would never come to this. But here they were, hiding in plain sight for those that were lucky, hiding in the shadows for those that weren't. Christa wasn't adapted well to civilian life anymore with her family dead and gone. She found herself drawn back to the battles time and time again without so much regard for her own personal safety, food and shelter. She had to provide for others before providing for herself.

Once food had been placed before her -- good, real food -- all thoughts of the war had flown out the window. She went to the counter and scooped up everything she could because this could be her only good meal for a week or more, she had to keep up her strength. "Thank you, Sabina." came a murmur. "It's things like this that remind me there is still good in the hearts of people. They're just misled."

If only they had known the truth. Perhaps there was still hope for that.

Once she had devoured the oatmeal she had gathered, Christa took a moment to breath again. "Sabina... what do you think of all this? Honestly, do you think we would be where we are now?"

Christa couldn't help but chuckle quietly to herself. Not at Sabina, but with her. The gray-haired senshi-in-hiding kept an eye on the doors and windows as they were discussing these very private, and very dangerous, subjects, but there was an air about Sabina, and unbreakable will. Christa admired that about her. "I absolutely agree with you. Unflinching. We should be unflinching." she started, telling her stomach that it needed to make room for the additions that would come its way. She had to stock up as much as possible before returning to the field, for Sabina was right - one could not tend to the weary or fight a war on an empty stomach.

"That is why I continue. I have to do it, because the people of Earth have been deceived. Because they took my brother from me, and he would never have given up. Even if the only way I can continue to fight is by hiding in the sewers, I do what I must. We won against them once, back thousands of years ago. We can do it again."

She said it with much conviction, as if Christa herself had been alive for the sealing of Queen Metallia by Queen Serenity. She could only imagine what a melancholy yet glorious victory it would have been. "It will just take some time, some concentrated efforts. Ida is already on the frontlines with her hospital. Lord knows how many she's saved just by that act alone. So long as some hope remains, the rebellion will never be crushed. We simply have to keep going, and it is efforts like yours, Sabina, that allow us to do so."

She took a few more bites from the seconds of oatmeal before clearing her throat in embarrassment. "Sorry, I... didn't mean to go on a tangent like that."

The gray haired one nodded, slowly, to Sabina. "Yes. Unflinching. Whatever dangers we may face, we must not falter. It's a difficult task and it would be unfair to hold everyone to that standard. I only hold myself to it."

Christa had found that holding others to her standards, at first, led to nothing but disappointment. However, as she grew in her powers, she understood that people are individuals and not everyone was equipped to complete the same tasks as everyone else. Their tasks must be suited to their abilities so they could not only excel, but raise morale for others in their success. It was a difficult balancing act, one that Christa felt she'd always be learning and never quite master.

With a sigh, Christa bowed her head to Sabina and made to put the dishes in the sink. "Thank you. I... can't imagine I smell too pleasant right now. I'll try not to take too long. I don't know what the water situation is like these days." Her house had long been abandoned and, for fear of losing her vigilance in the war, never went back to see it. She was afraid of the memories it might bring up more than anything else, more than being attacked by Chaos itself. If she went back, she may never return to the battlefield ever again.

It was then that she retreated into the shower, peeling off old clothes thick and sticky with sweat and heat and old, dingy water. Even something as simple as that was refreshing, but the shower water, though lukewarm, was divine. She didn't even bother to wait for it to heat up, for it was warmer already than the runoff of rain. Soon, she smelled better than she had in ages, shaving hair she didn't like from places that made moving uncomfortable. Christa hoped she didn't take too long and waste too much water but it was difficult to get out of the shower once everything had been washed. Maybe a half hour later, the young woman emerged from the shower sporting clothing a little too small in places, but she was nevertheless eternall grateful.

"...thank you. So much. I wish I could repay you for this kindness, Sabina. Tell me what I can do."