You wake up to the smell of scorched flesh and smoke... Hacking a storm as you steady yourself upright. Around you, you find the corpses of your unit strung along the Ever Lakes' many ponds. The forests once beautiful are tarnished, seared dark and deep into the earth by the horde's fire. Your comrade's armor the same, blackened as everything the horde left.
Dragons. You and yours are here because of dragons.
You remember now. Your unit was sent to the Ever Lakes to investigate a dragon sighting, but now you're here looking at the aftermath. Every time you close your eyes, you can vividly picture your comrades reaching for their weapons, but the fire breath immobilize them first... No voice reaches you, only a the whistle of a gale.
With a shaky breath, you pick yourself up onto you feet and start listing your priorities. You need to quickly scour for any survivors. You must return to Ishgard. You need to inform the dead's families of the grave news. You need to write a report. Even if your heart aches, you must march forward.
You, Aymeric de Borel, may be the sole survivor.
And for a moment you wonder why you're spared... Of all of the people in your unit, you of rumored and dirty heritage would survive. It's laughable, but you can't find it in you... You want to fall back onto your knees. You don't. You must press forward.
Quietly, you search through the corpses of your fellow countrymen. Some are unidentifiable, some lucky to to have their features unscathed, some half as lucky, but then you stumble upon someone breathing.
... You recognize him and you remember before you collapsed he was still fighting. Carefully, you move him to a rocky outcrop and call out to him in a commanding voice.
"Wake up! You weren't among the fallen as I recall!"
For blessing or curse, you and this other man survive this encounter... You must not waste this life.
...Oof. ]
My apologies. Of all things, you need not see that.
[Well, Yasusada doesn't know a single thing about dragons--certainly not beyond legend, anyway. But he does know about loss, and especially about being the last one left behind, and so his expression is open, sympathetic.
We did when we were both Temple Knights. 'Tis different when we became Lord Commander and Azure Dragoon. I would find myself behind the desk reading through reports, though... Truth be told, I'd rather be by his side and charge into the fray once more.
[ Sometimes you're REESES PUFFS REESES PUFFS at heart. ]
... My stations have need for me to attend conferences and councils, so I don't oft step onto the battlefield anymore. I do when 'tis needed, of course.
[One of the hardest missions he's ever had to face, but... it's over, now. He can take comfort in their success, if nothing else.]
I understand why we can't change the past. I don't want to erase his legacy. [...] But... I think, a part of my heart still wishes he could be saved. That he could die in battle instead, like he was meant to.
'Tis natural to wish for a better end, especially for those you love.
[ Of course Aymeric wants the same... ]
You've spoken of him briefly at my request before... Would it be too much to ask of your fondest memory with him? An event better than what we witnessed here.
[It's a kind request, and there's gratitude in Yasusada's smile as he thinks it over.]
It's hard to choose one, but... one night, Okita-kun was sitting with Kondou-san--ah, he was our Commander. The Shinsengumi--during their time, they weren't well-liked, especially at first. For a while they were called "the wolves of Mibu". Okita-kun was really upset about it at first. But Kondou-san pointed up at the sky and told him, "look, Souji, do you see? That's Sirius, the dog star. It's the brightest star in the sky. Isn't that perfect for us, the wolves of Mibu? We'll be wolves that shine brightly in the darkness." And he laughed so happily, the way he always did--it really cheered Okita-kun up.
After that, Okita-kun was really fond of looking up at the stars at night. Especially Sirius.
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W3 : MONDAY
By the Fury, what is this?
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ANYWAY. Yasusada, too, is very confused--he whips his head around, as if that will give them any answers.]
What are we... supposed to do?
no subject
A bubble of some sort.
[ Naegling is placed back on his hip as he touches the bubble's surface. A burst of color comes and a vision or an illusion with it.
(from Through Fire and Blood)
You wake up to the smell of scorched flesh and smoke... Hacking a storm as you steady yourself upright. Around you, you find the corpses of your unit strung along the Ever Lakes' many ponds. The forests once beautiful are tarnished, seared dark and deep into the earth by the horde's fire. Your comrade's armor the same, blackened as everything the horde left.
Dragons. You and yours are here because of dragons.
You remember now. Your unit was sent to the Ever Lakes to investigate a dragon sighting, but now you're here looking at the aftermath. Every time you close your eyes, you can vividly picture your comrades reaching for their weapons, but the fire breath immobilize them first... No voice reaches you, only a the whistle of a gale.
With a shaky breath, you pick yourself up onto you feet and start listing your priorities. You need to quickly scour for any survivors. You must return to Ishgard. You need to inform the dead's families of the grave news. You need to write a report. Even if your heart aches, you must march forward.
You, Aymeric de Borel, may be the sole survivor.
And for a moment you wonder why you're spared... Of all of the people in your unit, you of rumored and dirty heritage would survive. It's laughable, but you can't find it in you... You want to fall back onto your knees. You don't. You must press forward.
Quietly, you search through the corpses of your fellow countrymen. Some are unidentifiable, some lucky to to have their features unscathed, some half as lucky, but then you stumble upon someone breathing.
... You recognize him and you remember before you collapsed he was still fighting. Carefully, you move him to a rocky outcrop and call out to him in a commanding voice.
"Wake up! You weren't among the fallen as I recall!"
...Oof. ]
My apologies. Of all things, you need not see that.
no subject
He shakes his head.]
I'm sorry too.
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... 'Twas ten years ago, but I full appreciate the sentiment, Ser Yamatonokami. I was fortunate to not shoulder our dead alone.
[ The other survivor would be familiar. It's Estinien. And Aymeric smiles fondly when he says that. ]
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Mm. It's a heavy burden. [For any survivors, let alone one or two. He understands that.] Do you fight together?
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We did when we were both Temple Knights. 'Tis different when we became Lord Commander and Azure Dragoon. I would find myself behind the desk reading through reports, though... Truth be told, I'd rather be by his side and charge into the fray once more.
[ Sometimes you're REESES PUFFS REESES PUFFS at heart. ]
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Eh, but... he kept fighting, didn't he? Why couldn't you go with him?
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[ But. You know. You become a politician. ]
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Do you miss it?
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Aye, I do... I would fight alongside my men every battle if I could afford, but I cannot.
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You're a good commander, Aymeric-san. I'm sure they know that.
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[ Unfortunately, the bubble is still here. ]
'Twould seem the bubble is not satisfied.
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It's only fair.
[In return, Aymeric gets to have this memory.]
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... This is Okita Souji.
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Yasusada nods, looking down.]
That was... one of our missions. To go back and protect history, as Touken Danshi.
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[ So it's even sadder to see that light go out. ]
You carried out your duty, nevertheless. 'Tis admirable, but... [ Sad. ]
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[One of the hardest missions he's ever had to face, but... it's over, now. He can take comfort in their success, if nothing else.]
I understand why we can't change the past. I don't want to erase his legacy. [...] But... I think, a part of my heart still wishes he could be saved. That he could die in battle instead, like he was meant to.
no subject
[ Of course Aymeric wants the same... ]
You've spoken of him briefly at my request before... Would it be too much to ask of your fondest memory with him? An event better than what we witnessed here.
no subject
It's hard to choose one, but... one night, Okita-kun was sitting with Kondou-san--ah, he was our Commander. The Shinsengumi--during their time, they weren't well-liked, especially at first. For a while they were called "the wolves of Mibu". Okita-kun was really upset about it at first. But Kondou-san pointed up at the sky and told him, "look, Souji, do you see? That's Sirius, the dog star. It's the brightest star in the sky. Isn't that perfect for us, the wolves of Mibu? We'll be wolves that shine brightly in the darkness." And he laughed so happily, the way he always did--it really cheered Okita-kun up.
After that, Okita-kun was really fond of looking up at the stars at night. Especially Sirius.