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 Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:13 am
Destiny City at night was possibly one of Fritz's favorite times, not only because it was quiet and shadowed, but because he felt he could move freely about, the chill night air giving him a certain sense of comfort and relaxation. Slipping into Celsus was easy, reassuring, even, because it was so much easier to focus on things when powered up, rather than the confusing mess of his civilian life.
He felt confident as Celsus, Knight of Chronos. He felt stronger, better, somehow, less trapped by the confines of his own skin, less like he was incapable of solving the problems that were laid out in front of him. His promise to Valhalla had been evident enough of that - not that he was some sort of savior meant to sweep in and have solutions to all the world's problems, but he at least had felt capable of offering his assistance and loyalty to someone else, and it had meant something.
Cape billowing out behind him, Celsus leapt nimbly from rooftop to rooftop, wondering if there would be anyone else out this particular night. He hadn't seen much over the past few days, only a few scattered power signatures here and there, but they'd been too vague and too distant to follow up on. Not that he minded this, because even just being out and about made him feel liberated - but it was generally more interesting when things did happen.
Now, he stood on the edge of an old sugar factory. It was still in use, but only on weekends, the company in danger of going bankrupt over a serious lack of funds. Celsus had one leg propped up on the low slung wall that ran around the perimeter of the building, booted foot on the edge, arm resting across his knee as he peered over the side. It wasn't that tall, but at least from this vantage point he'd be able to see anyone coming.
Celsus blew out a breath, hair fluttering around his face, and waited.
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2015 1:25 pm
Night was perhaps Ganymede's least favorite time of day. Monsters and men-like-monsters prowled the streets at nighttime, creeping through the shadows and the darkness as they preyed on innocent civilians. They drained energy; they took starseeds; they killed with an abandon that was no longer human. All under the cover of night, when half the city slept and the rest was too ignorant of the dangers they faced.
Ganymede much preferred daytime and sunlight—those times of day when the war seemed like such a far away thing. Yet duty, as it always did, compelled her to leave the comfort of her home for the darkened streets of Destiny City, hunting youma and officers up to their nefarious schemes.
It was boredom that led her toward the sugar factory that evening, for no youma presented itself and what Chaotic energy signatures she felt were far away and solitary. Instead, her senses locked upon an aura she knew felt similar to her own—bright and pure in the darkness. She followed its source on a whim, expecting to find Ida or Megrez.
Instead, she jumped up onto the roof from her place on the ground and caught sight of a young man who seemed quite familiar to her. It did not take long for her to determine where she'd seen him before, for though she was not always the best with names, she could place a familiar face with a situation. In this case she remembered the torments of New Years, and a meeting with other Senshi and Knights who glowed like her.
Ganymede struggled for a few moments to remember his name. Soon, she said, “Celsus, isn't it?”
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 12:18 am
He felt the power signature stir gently around him before it grew in strength, and Celsus remained where he was, watching and waiting. It was not a Chaos aura, after all; instead, it was something much lighter, cleaner, most assuredly White Moon, and he found he was pleased at this. Even if it was not a Negaverse agent or a youma he could take his frustrations out on - not that he even did this normally - it was, hopefully an ally.
It took a few minutes, but when the aura finally flared the strongest, he knew they were here, and Celsus slid his foot free of the wall and turned around, arms at his sides. He recognized her, rather quickly - she was the one who had been in the cell with him on that disastrous night on New Year's, as well as in the room in which they had met - and she was Valhalla's wife, he knew that much, from the man himself.
Celsus swept into a bow easily and deeply, one hand tucked at his waist, the other pressing against the small of his back.
"My lady," he said respectfully, and then straightened, a smile on his face as he paced towards her. "It is indeed Celsus. You are Ganymede, are you not? I seem to remember that we have been thrown together in the past in various situations, but I have not had the pleasure of meeting you officially, I do not think."
His hand was extended out towards her, Celsus positively beaming.
"I am delighted to finally make your acquaintance."
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Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2015 7:19 am
Ganymede was momentarily taken aback by his formal greeting, but she soon smiled in return. Sometimes it was nice to be treated like a proper lady.
“I am Ganymede, yes,” she replied.
She took the hand that was offered to her and shook it firmly.
“Pleased to meet you,” she said. “Although I guess technically we've already met, but I don't think a prison cell counts for much, and we didn't have a lot of time to become acquainted during the meeting with the others.”
She was pleased that her tone of voice did not change at the mention of New Years. Often she found it a difficult subject to talk about; it was not her favorite topic of conversation by any means, but it had become somewhat easier to discuss it over the months that had passed since then. A brief mention of her time in captivity was easily accomplished.
“I hope you've been well,” she said.
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Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:38 pm
He appreciated the firm handshake and afterwards tucked both of his against the small of his back, rocking back on his heels - which, thankfully, after having powered up for so long, now were not actual heels and were just the heels of his booted feet. Having to walk in his old uniform had been a pain.
"Ah, yes," said Celsus, and winced, just a little, more out of habit than anything else. "Our lovely accommodations in the prison cell were not exactly ideal for making new friends, alas. I should have liked to meet you then, if I could have, but one of the new Lieutenants in the Negaverse decided he was most eager to make me his new chew toy."
He could still remember the snap of fingers and the yank of chains against his wrists and neck, Fritz inwardly shuddering. But he would meet that Lieutenant again, surely, and it would be quite the reckoning. He wasn't one for revenge, normally, but...
A smile touched Celsus' lips. "I have been well, yes, much better than that horrid time. It's been rather quiet since then, I'll admit."
There was no place really to sit, otherwise he would have offered her a chair of some sort. As it was, Celsus merely stood there respectfully with her, cape blowing in the mild wind, ruffling around his sides. "How about you, milady? Doing well yourself? I had the pleasure of speaking to your husband not long ago."
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 8:22 am
Ganymede shifted on her feet a bit uncomfortably at continued talk of New Years. A passing mention of it she could manage, but a full blown conversation about it was still beyond her. Perhaps one day it would be easier, and she could look back on her time in captivity without feeling so horrified, but it would be a while yet before she could manage that.
She kept a strained smile on her face, happy at least that Celsus had been doing well since then.
“That's the way it always seems to work,” she observed. “Something big happens and then things get quiet. I figure something will happen soon enough and we'll regret jinxing it.
“I've been well, yes,” she replied. “Or well enough. Had a run-in with a General-Queen a few months ago, but other than that there hasn't been anything too concerning.”
Ganymede paused, momentarily confused that Celsus seemed to know her husband. She couldn't remember Valhalla mentioning it before.
“Oh,” she said, mildly concerned. It wasn't like Valhalla not to share that sort of information with her. They usually told one another everything. “He never said anything about it.”
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Posted: Mon Sep 07, 2015 4:02 pm
The only reason Celsus did not have any issues talking about New Years in general was because he handled it the same way he did everything else - as though it was something he could easily tuck away and hide beneath smiles and relaxed words. And with the exception of a few notable things, it was a process that, while not entirely healthy, still sort of worked.
If by worked, one meant one day the dam would break.
He'd taken a step towards Ganymede on instinct when she'd mentioned General-Queen, a look of concern on his face. "I am glad to see that the encounter did not hinder you as much as it could have," said Celsus, and then caught the frown on her face, and it was similar to the one of concern on his own.
"Oh," he said, hands falling back to his sides, cape swaying slightly around his ankles. "My apologies. We met rather unintentionally a few days ago, I was glad to be able to see him - and you now - again, I have always rather wished I would be able to at some point."
Celsus' smile was a little rueful, though tentative. "He...he mentioned that he'd been having some trouble as of late."
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Posted: Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:40 pm
Ganymede shook her head minutely, still rather confused as to why Valhalla had not mentioned anything about running into Celsus. She supposed it wasn't too big of a deal. They ran into different people all the time. There were bound to be encounters Valhalla forgot to mention to her, and vice versa.
Yet she couldn't help but be concerned. Especially when Celsus mentioned that Valhalla had been having trouble, worry was quick to blossom.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
She assumed, perhaps rightly, that this so called trouble had to do with Laurelite. Perhaps that was all he meant. After all, Valhalla would have told her if there was more to it than that, wouldn't he?
“He was there when I ran into the General Queen,” she tried to explain. “He was almost corrupted. I... it was almost too late to save him, but... well, obviously he's fine now, isn't it?”
Her eyes widened earnestly as she watched Celsus for any sign that her concern did not go unwarranted.
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Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2015 6:53 am
The smile Celsus offered Ganymede was still a little bit of a rueful one, though there was concern in it as well, because in spite of the fact that he tended to keep everyone at arm's length, a careful distance away (getting too close to people was dangerous), Celsus found a strange, rather pleasant friendship with Valhalla. The thought of him being in trouble was worrying, even if he didn't want it to be that way.
"Ah, yes, he did mention that...the almost corruption part," said Celsus, his mind flickering back to the memories of that night. "He said that you intervened, and that you were able to pull him free, but that...he lost a lot of memories of being a civilian."
There was a distinct note of sorrow in his voice at that, the look on Celsus' face almost apologetic. "He seemed very concerned that in his weakened state now, he is much more highly susceptible to not only corruption, but to hurting you in the process; something he deems much worse than anything else, for obvious reasons."
A breath escaped, Celsus shaking his head. "I just wish you to know, milady, I hold the utmost respect for you and your husband, and I promise I am not trying to intrude upon anything, he is a good man and a good friend. I told him if there was anything I could do - if he was led down the path of corruption, I would do what I could to spare you any pain."
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Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:28 am
Ganymede flinched just slightly at the mention of Chris's lack of memories. She still could not determine whether it was her fault or not that he had lost them, and until she knew the truth one way or the other, she would continue to go on blaming herself for it.
“I don't understand how he could hurt me,” she said. “He's fine now. I mean, aside from the memories. He hasn't mentioned anything else...”
Yet the more she and Celsus spoke to one another, the more Ganymede felt as if she was missing something.
“I'm sorry, I don't understand,” she admitted. She felt stupid for it, and she hated that. She shook her head again, her hands clenching loosely by her sides in mild frustration—not at Celsus, but at herself.
And at Valhalla, for talking to someone else about things he'd obviously not thought to talk to her about.
“What exactly did the two of you talk about?” she asked. “'Hurt me,' 'spare me pain.' How and from what? He wasn't corrupted. He's not going to be corrupted. And even if he was, I... I could save him...”
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 9:03 am
He felt as though he was going about this entirely wrong, Celsus wincing internally at the flinch he saw pass briefly across Ganymede's face. He hadn't wanted to do anything except make sure that Valhalla and his loved ones were taken care of. But it was clear from the princess's bemused state that he was doing - or perhaps saying - something that wasn't clear.
Celsus eased out a breath, feeling the tension in his shoulders as sharp as a knife.
"Please forgive me, milady, I never meant to intrude upon business that wasn't mine," he said, lifting his hands, palms facing out towards her, in a gesture of submission. "When I met with Valhalla, he was distraught about you in particular. He felt as though he was in danger of corrupting still, or worse, and..."
Celsus drew in a breath. "He asked me that, if anything should happen to him, if he was no longer in the right state of mind, if he was lost to the Chaos that I should...take care of it."
A pause. "Of him, rather."
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 9:32 am
Under different circumstances Ganymede would have reassured Celsus that she bore him no ill will. Indeed, she didn't, she was simply distraught by what he was telling her, more so when he finally revealed what it was Valhalla had asked of him.
“Take care of it...” she said numbly.
Of course she knew what that meant. She wasn't that stupid. She could figure it out for herself based on what Celsus said to her.
So Valhalla was still concerned about being corrupted. Ganymede couldn't say she blamed him. She'd probably have the same fear if she was in his position. He was especially vulnerable now, weakened from the last attempt. He'd come so close to being consumed by Chaos. She could only imagine what that was like.
But to make a request like that of Celsus... it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair to Celsus who must feel obligated to abide by it. It wasn't fair to Chris's family who would only suffer if corruption should come to pass. It wasn't fair to her, not when they both knew what she'd become, not when they were both aware of the extent of her powers.
“He asked you to kill him, didn't he?” she said, still with that same numb tone of voice. She couldn't believe Valhalla would request something like that of someone, yet Celsus had no reason to lie about it so it must be true. “What was he thinking? Why would he ask you that? He knows I can save him. He's not going to be corrupted. I won't let that happen.”
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Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2015 12:54 pm
He stood there, wondering, not for the first time, if he was doing the right thing. But this was Ganymede; Celsus had no business in their affairs except a pure and genuine desire to help and support them in any way that he could. He couldn't pretend to be close to anyone, except for maybe Tolliver, but...
Celsus eased out a breath.
"He did," he said quietly, seeing little point in denying it. "It was out of desperation, I believe. He didn't wish to make you be the one to do it, should it come to that, hoping to spare you pain. I know you have little intention of ever letting it get that far; and I realize that I'm just an outsider..."
He felt strangely vulnerable, Celsus tamping down on the emotions he deemed unnecessary, trying to focus on the matter at hand.
"But I find your husband to be a good man, and one of my only friends at present," he said finally. "And please, milady, I just want you to know that I would never do anything to cause either of you pain. His asking me to commit this act was done simply so that you wouldn't have to suffer, if it came to it."
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2015 9:07 am
“He's not going to be corrupted,” Ganymede repeated.
She didn't know what would happen in the future—indeed, she did her best not to think too much about it, when her dreams and her memories were plagued by images of death and destruction—but she was sure at least of that one thing. Valhalla would not be corrupted. She would not allow it.
Ganymede tried to push the hurt down. She didn't want to grow emotional in front of Celsus. He shouldn't have to deal with that, stuck between her and Valhalla. Yet she didn't want to believe that he would have agreed to something like that. There were other ways; death wasn't the only option.
“I'm sorry,” she apologized, though she wasn't quite sure what she was apologizing for. For her reaction, perhaps? Or for Valhalla? That he would ask this of someone, knowing how conflicted it might make them feel.
“I'm sorry, you shouldn't feel obligated to follow through with something like that,” she said. “He's fine. Everything's going to be fine...” She had to believe that. “If it ever comes down to that... please... I can save him. Help me save him.”
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