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 Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:19 pm
Kat knew that something was wrong when she let herself into Chase's house only to be greeted by Momewrath. The silver tabby with the sea foam eyes never came out to greet anyone with the exception of the master of the house, and even then she'd heard that it was only when Chase was alone and there were no traces of anyone else lingering close behind him. "I take it you haven't seen him in a while either, then?" she murmured, concern creasing her brow as she stooped down to hold her hand out to the cat. Mome scampered away at her offer, leaving her to head to the kitchen first to refill both of the cat's dishes with fresh food and water before taking a quick look around for signs of anything. Normally Katrina would have granted her superior officer his privacy, but it had been days since they'd last spoken-- Longer than that, it seemed. How long had it been since their spar in the black space of the Negaverse? Even when they were both busy she tried to touch base at least once a week to turn in energy and reports on knight or senshi movement that she'd picked up on during her various patrols through town. To not hear from him... To not get any responses back? It didn't make her feel any more at ease that James was being distant as well. As a matter of fact, things had gone dark on both ends around the same time and... With a frustrated puff of air passing her lips Katrina powered up to Captain Tourmaline, drawing her communication crystal to send a message to Captain Aluminite. We need to talk. If I need to find a superior officer to summon you just so you can't keep avoiding me I swear to the stars I'll do it. Her voice came across sternly; hurt, more than angry. It softened slightly as she continued on. I'm worried about you, Wonderboy. Please check in. Just tell me where to go and I'll meet you there.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:34 pm
James had been avoiding everyone after the debacle that'd been the music festival. Too much guilt weighted down his shoulders, wormed into his heart and blossomed there. He could picture everything clearly;
Lara's lifeless eyes, mouth open with the half formed please.
Chase's pleading, the look of hatred in his eyes as he looked upon their queen.
The way he resisted Aluminite's forceful fingers and how he burned.
He'd left his apartment, the space feeling crowded and suffocating, had dared to power up because if he was going to be restless and jittery, then he wanted to pretend it was because of the weight of the duties he didn't want for a cause he didn't believe in.
Tourmaline's voice wafted through his crystal and he felt his heart sink. Of course she was upset with him, he'd done nothing but push her away lately.
Laurelite's words were ringing in his ears.
Imagine, if I were cruel enough to punish your team, as well? If their General has behaved so poorly, who knows what bad habits you have taught them?
You will let your team know what has transpired. You will let them know of his insubordination and explain his absence. You will let them know that his life, and his redemption, are in his hands. If he falls, it is because he chose to.
Aluminite wouldn't though, because he knew what lesson the general had pressed so fiercely into all of his wolves. Loyalty. Chase had wanted her to believe that he had impressed loyalty to Metallia, to the Negaverse. But he knew the truth.
Labyrinthite had impressed loyalty among his wolves and they all were fiercely loyal to the head of the pack. To the Alpha.
He wouldn't tell them, because to do so could cost them their lives. Aluminite had always been the good, obedient soldier boy, but this would be his first rebellion. It'd keep them safe, safer, and part of him felt like he owed Labyrinthite and the pack that.
Heaving a sigh, he responded. Sorry Kit. Meet me where we had our first pseudo-date.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:46 pm
I'll be there. She kept her response short, not trusting herself with any other words over the communication crystals. If she gave him too much to think about or seemed too angry there was a chance he'd back out and the last thing she wanted to do was try to explain to a general that wasn't her own why she needed them to summon another officer. With Labyrinthite not responding she didn't even know who else to go to. Alkaid, maybe, if she could find the Ascendant General, but... Shaking her head, Tourmaline closed her eyes and focused her energy on the place that Aluminite had made mention of. It wasn't difficult to call to mind and teleporting had become easier the more practice she got with it. If she was lucky she wouldn't have to wait for him long. Tourmaline wasn't entirely sure how much weight she was willing to put on lucky anymore, though, if she was being honest with herself. Too many things felt wrong for her to feel lucky about anything.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 2:52 pm
He was waiting for her when she arrived, having dispersed almost the second he'd finish speaking. He sat, cross-legged, looking far more solemn than he had since they started dating. Playing with the decorative starseed ornaments on his uniform he looked up at her with a weary, half-hearted smile.
Aluminite looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, because he hadn't. His face was a little more hollow and gaunt than usual and he couldn't be bothered with keeping the weak grin on his mouth despite how happy he was to see Tourmaline.
Because seeing her reminded him of what he'd done and what it'd cost them all.
There it was again, guilt wracking his body. His hand dropped, pressed against his thigh and dug into the fabric and flesh of it. "Hey, Kit," he said quietly, looking at the space around her rather than at her. "I guess I'm a s**t boyfriend, huh?"
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2016 3:04 pm
Tourmaline wanted to deny what he was saying. The bright, bubbly young woman inside of her wanted to flash him a bright smile and reassure him that everything would be alright. She wanted to let him know that he wasn't a 's**t boyfriend' and that everyone had rough patches while pointing out that on more than one occasion she'd been a 's**t girlfriend' so maybe they just made a good pair together simply because of that. Only... He didn't look like everything was going to be alright and that worried her even more. "You look like s**t, Wonderboy," she murmured softly as she closed the space between them, crouching down beside him to properly examine him. She didn't know whether or not she should demand answers or demand that he let her take him home and tuck him into bed. Something had happened, something big by the look of things, and he hadn't trusted her enough to come to her for help. He-- Tourmaline sucked in a deep breath, releasing it slowly in an attempt to keep her anger from rising. She could feel the darkness swirling in the pit of her stomach; worry, anger, fear, uncertainty. "What happened to you?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 8:38 am
"I suppose I probably do," he replied, not bothering to pretend like he could deny what she said. When he looked up at her, there was a self-deprecating grin on his mouth. It slipped, like everything else, and he looked away. He chose to look at his hands, which were gripped tightly around each other, in his lap. Teeth pulled his lip between them and he worried down on it without too much thought.
"It's - " he stopped, brow furrowing as flashes of everything flicked through his mind. "Nothing," Aluminite told her quietly. "Been busy. Lots of responsibilities." A half-truth, because he was still navigating his duties as a captain and his workload from the school.
Taking on two separate classes probably hadn't been wise, not to mention all of his confusion about his memories and space. And that didn't even begin to touch what had happened at the Black house. "I haven't been sleeping much."
He couldn't, not with the nightmares. "But I shouldn't have shut you out."
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 8:47 am
As he spoke she brought a hand up, vanishing her gloves back into the void so that when she brushed his bangs away from his face it was with her fingertips and not metal claws on leather. Her demeanor had softened only to tighten up again at his brief responses without any real explanations. Tourmaline's hand dropped back down to her side, brow furrowing as she tried to mentally pick through what was true and what wasn't. Generally she was the one putting up defenses and he was trying to bring them down. She wanted to believe him-- That it was nothing. That he'd just been busy. But what if...? Maybe his old girlfriend came back. Maybe he doesn't need you around anymore. The Captain closed her eyes, holding her breath for a moment only to release it slowly as she rocked back on her heels before standing. If he didn't want to talk she couldn't force him, wouldn't force him. If he trusted her he would tell her... There were more important things right now; questions that she needed to ask. "I can't get in touch with General Labyrinthite. He won't answer my calls, or texts. I went by the estate... Mome hadn't been fed. Have you been able to check in to follow up on any of your responsibilities?"
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Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 8:53 am
For a brief moment, when her fingertips brushed his forehead, his eyes closed and he felt like he could breath again. The feeling diminished almost as quickly as it came because here Tourmaline was, asking questions he didn't want to answer. He couldn't answer, least he break a damn and let hell's wolves loose.
Aluminite felt like his throat was constricting and his fingers tightened around each other until his dry knuckles looked like they might split, crack open.
"No." It was said with more forcefulness than Aluminite seemed capable of. "I don't - " he stopped, jaw clenching as he swallowed. "I wouldn't expect to see him for a long while."
If ever he thought bitterly.
"I can't - I'm not...Just trust me."
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 6:26 pm
Her hands trembled, bright green eyes narrowing as she stared at him. Just trust me. Everything had been of lately. Nothing was right. Everything was strange and here he was expecting her to just trust him when it came to their General-- Her General. How could she trust him? How... " Wonderboy," her voice broke with a soft plea. She wanted him to come clean with her but she didn't trust him to. Tourmaline reached out with both hands, palms pressing against his chest to give him a rough shove. "Captain Aluminite you will tell me what happened to General Labyrinthite or so help me... What happened to him? Why can't I get in touch with him? Why isn't he answering?"
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 7:45 pm
He didn't know what to say to her and for the first time in a long time that looking at Tourmaline hurt. Shame welled in his chest and his heart was in this throat. "Kit," he countered, soft and pleading as he reached for her hands.
"I need you to trust me when I say," he sucked in a breath, chewing on his lip, "it's better if you don't know. I don't - please, please trust me." He was begging now but he didn't know what else to say. "He's going to be gone for a long time and -" he shook his head. "Don't look for him, don't ask questions. Please."
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:13 pm
He caught her hands when she went to shove him again and she let him hold them for all of a moment before she was yanking herself away from his grasp. Her cheeks were red with frustration, eyes standing out all the brighter against them. "Trust you? How can I trust you when you're not telling me everything? He's not gone. He can't be gone. He wouldn't--" Tears of rage had started to well in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, clenching her jaw and gritting her teeth at she spat out her next sentence, "General Labyrinthite wouldn't just leave us without good reason." She held him so highly, thought so much better of him than that... Was that why James wouldn't tell her what had happened? Had their General abandoned them? Was he just trying to keep from letting her down? No, Aluminite had no love for their General. He wouldn't keep something like that from her to help him save face. "If you won't tell me I'll just find someone who will."
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Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:19 pm
"Kit, please." Aluminite tried again, reaching for her as the tears began to form. "I'm trying to protect you! Like he'd wanted, like he would!" He couldn't forget the panic that the general had displayed when Laurelite had threatened his wolves.
He tried to pull her against him because he was afraid if he didn't hold on to her then she would leave and he wasn't ready for that.
"Trust that he's gone because he had to and know that he would never leave if he didn't have to. Please."
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 8:54 pm
"I don't need--- I don't want you to protect me. Don't you understand, Wonderboy? I'm not helpless. I'm not defenseless. I don't want you to protect me. I want you to help me. I want you to stand beside me. I..." Captain Tourmaline swallowed hard, unable to clear the lump from her throat as her voice crackled. Her eyes closed tightly as her fists pounded against his chest when he drew her close and she tried to pull away without too much effort. Everyone always left. With as distant as James had been, and the way he was acting as Aluminite now, how long would it be before he left her too? "We're supposed to be in this together... And you won't-- Please, please, just tell me. If he's not coming back I need to know why." She needed an outlet; someone to blame so that maybe she could stop feeling like this was all somehow his fault for not warning her sooner.
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Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 9:21 pm
"Kit - " he hated that she was upset. That she was angry at him and that his own personal beliefs kept hm from telling her the truth. He knew what would happen if he did, he would rather her hate him than act recklessly and get herself killed. "I know that you're capable of taking care of yourself. That's not the point!"
He was starting to sound desperate, letting her beat on his chest because it meant she was still there and he could still try to hold her.
"I worry because you're fierce and reckless and you don't always take care of yourself!" His fingers were digging into her coat. "I can't tell you. I'm sorry - I can't. I promised. I promised him."
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2016 2:16 pm
"Stop calling me that. Stop it!" She hissed at him, forcefully shoving him away from her. She couldn't take the closeness anymore. She couldn't take the kindness. Her stomach was churning and if he kept trying to coddle her, if he kept trying to protect her she was going to be sick... And if he was going to keep calling her pet names in public someone was bound to overhear and he was going to endanger her while trying to protect her. "I can't do this." Her voice dropped low as she backed away from him. "I'm sorry, Aluminite... I can't..."
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