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 Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:54 am
Elpis was looking. Not for the enemy - no, the respite from the havok of hunting Negaverse agents was break enough, but now she wasn't so tired, her cuts stitched and injuries wrapped, henshined and moving now, she was looking for Caedus. Cosmos' caution was weighing on her mind, but it easn't enough to sway the super senshi from her persistance of Caedus' innocence. After all - why look out for someone if you didn't mean well? Unless you owned them, and for as megalomaniacal as Elpis could be, she didn't think Caedus had the bone in his body to do such. Still, she hadn't seen him since the Portal, and if nothing else, she wanted to ensure he knew she lived. That many lived - and many died. And even still, Caedus, to her, was a friend, and as she moved, she listened, before finally looking concerned. She clutched a new bag of gems from a new age store, hoping he liked these as she didn't know if he liked the last ones, and she finally called out, fidgeting worriedly. "Caedus? Are you there?"
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:39 am
Caedus was not where he had once been—in the simple clearing he'd set up his home. He had taken only the necessities; the gifts of comfort had been left in the little nest he had made for himself weeks ago. Pollux had destroyed his cloak—the only thing he'd had to keep himself hidden from the world. Now, Caedus roamed the forested area with caution, never staying in the same place for long. He had fastened one of the blankets he'd receieved as a makeshift cloak; it was enough to keep himself warm, but hidden. He was quiet, as always, and cautions—more now than ever. But he replied, from just off to her side, "Yes. I am here." He was seated, back pressed against a tree trunk. He sat with his arms crossed, resting atop his knees, and his chin, concealed, planted atop them.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 11:49 am
Elpis beamed, moving towards his voice as her step increased with relief, the senshi smiling as she crept close, bag in hand. "Hey, it's Elpis." She said, tone cheery. "Wanted to check in. After, well, that whole Negaverse thing. How are you? Are you alright? I brought presents!"
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:37 pm
Caedus shrugged; he did not look up to greet her, and he did not seem like he was in a very good mood. But he seemed relieved that it was Elpis and breathed a sigh of relief. He did not speak of himself and instead said, "I am happy to see you in one piece. I was worried when the portal closed. You made it out—did all of your friends?" He sounded hopeful; she did not sound upset with him, but he couldn’t be too careful. Already he seemed like he was ready to bolt, even if he trusted her as a friend, he could not help that his paranoia had worsened. He had been shaken for weeks now. He didn't know what to expect anymore.
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Posted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:45 pm
"Most did. We were lucky." Elpis admitted. The senshi sat, sighing a bit. "They tried to massacre us all. I know some people on our side had to kill. One or two of the team I got going on the other side to work." Lacrimosa, Ferris, Cybele... She hoped only Ferris knew that blood on her hands. "But they killed ours too." The senshi sniffed. She knew this was war, this was a battle - death happened and she was prepared to kill if needed, but those who didn't want to - who couldn't - she didn't want to see them so withdrawn. Ferris' reaction of shock scared her. The senshi sighed, then offered him a smile. "Thank you for trying your best Caedus. I genuinely appreciate it. Oh, I took on a General! That's a positive, and I have stitches to prove it, if you want to see? I'm still bandaged up, but why not?" Because she trusted him. She worried about him. She couldn't believe him to be anything but a friend... He just didn't seem the sort.
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:17 pm
Caedus was quiet, fumbling with one of many loose threads on his outfit. His head lowered a bit when she mentioned that they had lost some. He seemed slightly relieved by her thanks, but he shrugged a bit. He did not feel as though he had tried his best, and there were certainly those that would argue that he had failed them all. He lifted his head when she mentioned that she took on a General, but made a slight noise of disgruntlement. "…No, if you are injured you should be at home resting. Please do not tell me you came all the way out here while injured? I am glad to see you, but you should be recovering. I am impressed that you fought a General and survived, but do not let this victory go to your head. I wish for you to be happy and healthy."
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Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2016 9:28 pm
"It's nothing bd... And Iwant you happy and healthy too. You are my friend, Caedus. A bit of discomfort is worth checking on a friend." The senshi shrugged. "And it's not a vital region. At most I might have scars. I can blame those on a 'work accident'." Another shrug, the senshi smiling. "I was worried we'd scared you, and I wanted to let you know most made it back. Some dorks even rescued starseeds!" Was she proud of them? Maybe a little bit. She'd done aught more than attack the castle, though.
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Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2016 11:20 pm
"Starseeds?" Caedus asked after a moment, glancing up. Realization hit him and he let out a surprised, "Oh. That is quite an impressive feat. I hope the battle was not too hard on all of you. The Negaverse…It sounds like you were very successful." He seemed relieved, but not at peace. He did not like to admit that he was scared, but he curled into himself just a bit more all the same. "I am glad to hear that most of you made it back. I am glad that it was not a total waste. I was worried. I heard that you were rescued, pulled somewhere else? But my portal closed. Not that I wanted it to!" he insisted quickly. "I tried to open it again, but I could not. I heard that something pulled you out of their realm? May I ask what happened?"
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Posted: Fri Apr 01, 2016 10:29 am
Elpis nodded, smiling understandingly at how worried he looked. "I know you did. Yoiu're a good person - if you weren't I don't think you'd talk to any of us, let alone helped us collect energy safely." The super senshi smiled warmly, and she nodded, offering a hand fondly. "Some other senshi pulled some... weirdly obscene amount of power trick or something to pull us to the Moon, though, I didn't catch her name." Elpis rolled her eyes. "Just that she was paranoid. Unreasonably so if you ask me." Elpis sighed, and rubbed her temple, snorting. "Unreasonable if you ask me about being paranoid. Wouldn't listen. Nothing new, but not... Uncommon?" She had allies after all. One she hoped was still Caedus. She liked him. "That might be some bitterness talking though. I've yet to find cause to like many in my own groups. Kind of a clique-thing." She shrugged. "Little organization... You saw the mess."
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Posted: Sat Apr 02, 2016 11:25 pm
Caedus hesitated before taking her hand; he had always seemed wary when dealing with anyone—more so, now that he had been attacked. But he trusted Elpis, so he accepted hers with his bandaged hand. "She was paranoid?" he prompted somewhat warily. "What was she paranoid about?" He seemed interested—but uncomfortably now, to hear that a single senshi had enough power to do what he could not. "—How did she manage to move than many people? She must be incredibly strong. Even I needed your help. The crystals—" He faltered and then sighed, drawing his hand back so he could bury his face in both of them. "…I am glad she was there. If she was not, you all might not have come out. I hope you thanked her. I wish I could. I am sorry for my mistake."
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Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:10 am
Elpis offered a soft smile, breifly rubbing his hand before he pulled it away. "She asked how we got there, so, well, you came up. She's paranoid about you, but I really don't think she needs to be. She didn't meet or talk to you to make her own decisions, so... I might've given her a bit of a dirty look for being so paranoid as to not listen to positive testimony." Elpis blinked, and very slowly the senshi moved. She was cautious, very cautious in making sure Caedus knew she wasn't attacking as she did so and wrapped her arms around him, rubbing his back warmly before making gentle shushing noises as she did so, trying to be soothing and hoping he understood; that she wasn't breaking some cultural norm for his planet. "Hey... Hey, most of us are okay.... It's okay.. I know you did your best. I know you did, and I can't be the only one to think so. Things just pulled the unexpected card, okay? Sometimes the unexpected happens. Plans go awry. If it helps, I think one of their top dogs got killed?" She offered, mind recalling glimpses of the Apatite fiasco. "Breathe Caedus... We're here. We're safge. I'm not angry, okay? It was an accident, and it happens, and what's important is we're all safe...." Elpis continud to rub, very gently to allow him to pull away if he so wished, and she continued to try soothing him. But she hated seeing him so upset. He was a friend, and by that regard, one of 'her' people.
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Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2016 3:08 pm
Caedus remained rigid as Elpis rubbed his back. He did not speak of the gesture, but it seemed as though it were difficult for him to relax. He held his breath but did not draw away, keeping his reservations and discomfort to himself. In a way, it was reassuring, but he had not been touched in such a manner for so long that he was already wary of it. Coupled with the fact that he seemed to fear constant attack, he paid more attention to subtly observing Elpis, trying to decide if she meant harm and was trying to sneak in attack. But she wasn't, and he should have known better, and either out of stubbornness or a desire not to disrespect her, he did not draw away. He nodded, to ensure that she knew he had heard her. "I am grateful. For your reassurance, and for your lives. And I hope that I have not lost the trust of everyone. Perhaps there is a bit of selfishness, but I fear that my miscalculation has landed me here. It is not that Earth is unpleasant, but," he swallowed, "I do not wish to stay, permanently. I can conceive no plan that takes me home if I do not have the aid of your kind. If I do not have the energy."
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2016 8:25 am
"Don't know about the others, truthfully." Elpis said, letting go and leaning back. She placed her hands on her lap, but seemed thoughtful, bobbing her head. "Well, if need be we can check my homeworld for anything of help. See if anyone else at all is willing to do so as well." Elpis noted. She understood being homesick - who wouldn't? And he'd tried to help - and she had faith in him. To that end, she wanted to do all in her power to help - even if it meant recruiting people she knew. "I promise, I'll try to find a way to help."
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 12:01 am
For a few long seconds, Caedus watched her. Hesitantly, almost, he asked, "Do you mean that?" It must have been a rhetoric question; he sighed and shook his head. "…I know what I need. But I know also that I may have ruined my chances to get it." He reached into his robes and tiredly fished around for one of the familiar bags. He withdrew the same bag his energy draining crystals had been in and extracted a small number of them. "They are useful, you know. But only in the right hands. They have very little energy left. Not enough to get me home. I was trying to think of a way to fill them without drawing attention. I was trying to siphon energy from the earth plants, but that is likely to take me another thousand years to get home." He held them in his open palm and watched them intently. "But I am afraid to ask for assistance. There are those that do not trust me, or that would think I was scheming. I do not blame them, but I wish now more than ever that I was home. I have felt unwelcome, and I do not wish to trouble anyone. You, though." He glanced up at her. "You are one of the few that brings me peace. I wish to thank you for your company. You have always left me in a good mood. I cannot repay you for what you have done for me."
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 8:13 am
"They forget errors happen." Elpis admitted. Her hand moved out neatly, simply touching one of the crystals - a donation, even if from one person. "I do mean it. You're my friend. And if I can't forgive mistakes, I'm a really bad friend. But I'm still happy to help any way I can." She sighed, mind roaming to feeling helpless in her worst nightmares. To watching her beloved father get killed protecting her. It seared in her mind still, even as a senshi - and drove her to fight, but she didn't forget to be human. It felt like a lot of people tried. A pity, really. "There has to be others, I just wish I knew how to weed out friendlies from asses of hats. If I could, I would. And... You don't owe me anything. You're my friend. It's kind of what friends do. We look out for each other."
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