Welcome to Gaia! ::

Thanks to one of the Captains she had recently run into, Lavendulan was able to visit Destiny City for a few hours. The trip did cost her a bit of her quota for the brief taxi but in the end, it was worth it.

The specific area, however, was about an hour due north of downtown where the wooded areas became thick on one side of the freeway. Over the last few months, she had become quite familiar with the terrain and no longer needed a map to find her way through the thick foliage and downed trees.

Perhaps it was because she was now part youma that Laven had developed some sort of an animalistic intuition to where rivers tore through the hillside, or maybe it was because she was so attuned with water that she always seemed to find her way towards lakes or streams. Unlikely to be the case but it was a nice, if not fun, thought to consider. Either way, she had a personal mission that evening and now held the fruits of her labor in a velvet bag.

Eight smooth egg-shaped river stones roughly about the size of the palm of her hand. Most were of a greyish hue but there was at least one that was almost white. Not one hundred percent quartz but she was at least certain there was some mixed in it.

Being as she was stuck in the Dark Kingdom for so many hours of the day, Lavendulan needed something to keep both her hands and mind busy until Lopezite came around to rescue her from this dark place. What she needed was the sun, to feel the light bouncing off her skin as she swam beneath the waves, allowing the tide to pull and push her as it deemed fit. But with this new body, those days were few and far between and the chances of getting out during the day again were growing ever so slim with the arrival of Fall just on the horizon.

“Someday I’ll get my life back-” Laven reached for the door handle to re-enter the barracks so she could add the stones to her stash. Unfortunately, she had been too absorbed in her own mindset to have noticed the power signature belonging to one of the other residents when she stepped over the threshold and stood nearly toe-to-toe with someone as equally purple as she was blue.

Eyes the color of the arctic sea met those of pupil-less soft yellowish gold and for a long moment, she seemed utterly confused. “I-uh-uh” Lavendulan fumbled over the apology “I’m sorry…” she spoke quietly. Lopezite had said that there were others like her but the officer she had nearly hit with the door seemed to exhibit more youma traits then even she did.

“Are you ok?” Though hesitant, her concern seemed genuine.

An embarrassed blush rose high on her cheeks tinting her abnormally porcelain colored skin a light pink hue.

“Ah- mmm” She lifted one of her webbed frostbitten-bluish hands to scratch a non-existent scratch on the back of her head. “Kinda?” She grimaced at her own uncertain reply. Time was kind of a relative thing especially when it seemed that seasons didn’t really affect Negaspace, the temperature here was pretty constant for the most part. Without being taxied to Destiny City it was easy to lose track of what day, or even month in her case, it was if it wasn’t for the calendar or computer she kept in her room.

“I guess you could say I ’moved in’ last February.” Involuntary relocation more like it but at least she wasn’t homeless or still stuck up at the lake where civilians would be sending in reports of a monstrous creature swimming in the water because she’d have nowhere else to be.

“This is all still pretty new to me,” Lavendulan admitted, casting her gaze off to the side to some arbitrary spot on the floor. “Usually I just stick to my room unless my Captain comes to take me out on a patrol, today being an exception since he was busy this evening.”

“What about you?” She asked, looking up at him noting the fluffy ears atop his head and surprisingly large claw tipped hands, or paws…, hanging at his side. “How long have you been here?”

Eight years? Laven’s eyebrows would have nearly disappeared into her hairline had he not of added that his current appearance was a newer development. Otherwise she would have just given up hope on ever finding a way to turn back into a civilian permanently.

It took a moment to compose herself“I do,” she replied. Lavendulan pointed down the hallway behind him. “Eighth door on the left.”

Unlike when college students move into a dorm, there really wasn’t a big move in date when she had arrived. They only brought with them what could reasonably be carried in one, maybe two, teleport trips while the rest of her belongings, including furniture, had been stowed away at an offsite storage building close to where she had been living.

“I guess you can say I’m less of a water dragonish-thing and more of a hermit crab.” While in the barracks she tended to keep to herself and did her best to not disturb her neighbors by being too noisy. Which was kind of a harder task when she needed to use the dremel tool to carve away at the rocks once a pattern had been decided. “I tend to just bring my meals back here rather than eat in the cafeteria.” Her appearance quite clearly affected her confidence when placed in a situation that put her around too many unfamiliar faces.

“I had plans to watch the tournament earlier this year, but something kind of happened to prevent me from attending.” Being unfamiliar with her own abilities had proved to have consequenced when put against a senshi who knew what they were doing, even if they were just a child.

“Anyway, my name is Marissa, I-uh.” She drew in a deep breath and sighed. Old habits.. “Lavendulan, sorry. My new name is Lavendulan.” Six months later and she still wasn't’t use to it.

Lavendulan let out a light laugh at his instrument comment, going as far as allowing the tension in her shoulders to relax a bit. At least visibly the sharp ridge that ran along the back of her neck appeared to be less rigid compared to when she had nearly smacked him in the head with the door.

Wolframite she mentally repeated, half wondering if it was given to him before or after his changed. A question best saved for later perhaps.

“I do,” Laven admitted albeit hesitantly as she placed her partially webbed hand atop his surprisingly warm yet soft paw.

A small smile tugged the corners of her lips. Despite his more feral appearance he was far more considerate, if not gentle, than she would have expected at least at first glance. Despite her own inner struggles, it was good to be reminded that initial perceptions could, in fact, be wrong.

“Unfortunately,” the smile disappeared from her face as Lavendulan continued. “What I can’t seem to remember is who did this to me or why.” She glanced away then sighed. “One moment I was standing at the end of the dock with a hot cup of coffee just watching the stars. The next thing I remember was a deep ache in my chest, as if I was having some sort of a heart attack. I blacked out after hitting the water.”

“It could have been a few hours, or days even, but when I came to I was laying at the bottom of the lake looking up through an almost solidified sheet of ice.” A harrowing experience to say the least.

“Lopezite. He’s a Captain with black hair and an almost Arabian Knight style uniform.” She glanced back up at Wolframite to see if the name or description rang any bell.

“I was a bloody mess when he found me.” Lavendulan seemed to wince as she withdrew her hand from his and lifted it so he could see the almost hairline scars from where she had ripped the webbing between several fingers with her pointed claws. While she didn’t point them out, at a closer inspection he could easily noticed additional areas where her arms were also married but without explanation it could just as easily been assumed to be the result of an angry cat just the same.

“Imagine waking up and being terrified of your own reflection. I thought someone was playing a cruel joke on me; painting my arms this bluish color and gluing fake prosthetics on me.” Absently she reached up to touch her horns and grimace. Yes, she had even tried to removed those as well; had they not of been fused to her skull, or grown from it, she may have actually succeeded in breaking them off at the time. “He’s been kind to me though.”

In truth, Lopezite was probably the only saving grace in light of the light altering events that had happened. “I’m still kind of feeling my way through things but he’s been patient with me.” He often encouraged her to go on patrols but not in a pushy way and although he was her Captain he didn’t throw that weight around and order to do deminial tasks for the sake of keeping busy.

Lavendulan shifted where she stood, still in the open doorway. Perhaps it was because he was a half-youma, such as herself, that she felt comfortable enough sharing this with him since it was a very vulnerable moment. “I’m sorry,” she reached up to scratch the back of her neck only to, yet again, forget that there were scales there. Someday she may get use to the changes… someday.

In the seconds of silence that followed the apology, it seemed that there was more on her mind or something that she wants to ask in return but erred on the side of not wanting to pester him with too many probing questions.

“If you have time,” she began hesitantly “would you mind sharing with me your story, how you ended up as a half- youma, please?”

The invitation to join him in the cafeteria came as a bit of a surprise and so, rather than ask if she could drop her the stones off first, Laven followed after him without debate or protest. On one hand, despite Wolframite’s current ranking, he had knowledge of things that not even Lopezite might be privy to which was kind of exciting in a way. On the other hand she felt oddly more at ease beside someone with an aura similar to her own.

His mention of purification had, in part, piqued her interest. However, the immediate comment that followed about realizing it was a mistake kept her from inquiring anything related to that topic, for now at least.

“I’m not sure I could stomach seeing someone executed.” Lavendulan admitted quietly. Despite being wronged on so many levels she was still alive, mostly anyway. Her life as Marissa was indeed changed but she still held onto hope that this was not permanent and she could someday return to her old life.

“But what I don’t understand,” Lavendulans’ brows furrowed in confusion. “Why sacrifice your humanity? Surely there were other options...” Were the loss of his title and rank not enough?

Five months after the incident at the lake and she still struggled to see the silver lining around what it means to be a half-youma. If anything she felt more like a prisoner of this Dark Kingdom with purple crystals jutting out of several rocks and crevices. Having to ask higher ranking officer be let out like she was nothing more than a pet. There was no benefit to this way of life, at least not one she could find but perhaps his views were different.

The moment their eyes met, Laven faltered in her footsteps. Stumbling over something that wasn’t even there she paused in her following.

Taken aback by the honesty of his response she really didn’t have much time to process, let alone react to his admission. However, the last thing he had said struck a chord within her that caused a look of fear to briefly flash across her face. Worry of or for him, it was unclear but the expression was unmistakably there.

“I-” her mouth opened and shut like a dying fish that was stranded out of water.

Although she had spent many days, weeks even, contemplating those very questions; when asked directly she had no idea what to say or how to put those thoughts to words. To her, the reasons made sense, but to someone like him, absolutely loyal to the Negaverse and other officers with years under his belt, they may seem childish, selfish even.

Finding it difficult to hold his gaze overlong, Lavendulan worried her lower lip and glanced down at her feet. “I hate it…” she admitted so quietly not even she was sure a word had been spoken. “If I had been given the choice, I wouldn’t be here.”

Up until now, she was used to being sort of an enigma, keeping her thoughts and feelings to herself, even from Lopezite to a degree. But somehow Wolframite had managed to break down that wall without even batting an eye and she had let him do it too. It was worrying to realize just how close to the edge she had been standing to fall apart so easily.

“I used to be just a simple girl that loved to play in the water. Scuba diving... rafting… kayaking even; you name it and I’ve probably done it long enough that I could teach you if you ever wanted to learn.” When she glanced back up at Wolframite there was an almost helpless look in her eyes. “I was studying to be an oceanographer - am studying” she quickly amended since Lopezite had helped move her classes to online courses with minimal lab time. “It’s one thing I haven’t given up on yet.”

“I - I understand that if we work hard and do … something. That we can maybe earn a promotion which will allow us to leave this place more freely. But I’m not a fighter, and I don’t want to hurt anyone." Not even the one responsible for turning her into a half-youma. "I know that you said that if I won’t kill, you will; but you shouldn’t have to pick up on my shortcomings, that’s not your responsibility.” That was one thing she felt very strongly about. “So I’ll have to find some other way to be useful.”

“As for why I stay in my room, it’s because I’m embarrassed, I don’t want to hear the comments or see the looks on peoples faces when I walk into a room.” There was one officer that kept calling her ‘Fish Bait’ and while it didn’t hurt her feelings in any way it was very annoying especially when a few others chimed in with laughter. That was one nickname she did not want to catch on. “I never had a chance to go on a date and now that I look like this…” Unwilling, or unable, to finish the last thought Lavendulan fell silent and closed her eyes.

She sighed heavily and seemed to withdraw back into herself. “I’m sorry. That’s probably not the answer you wanted to hear.”