estoria | [Open] I find myself tryna stay by the phone...

Entry tags:

[Open] I find myself tryna stay by the phone...

Who:

faithfulflame & You
When: 6/19-6/23 (Including Robot Event)
Where: Rei's Apartment, TEXT, and various places around Cerealia
What: Minako Aino vanishes and Rei Hino copes.
Rating/Warning: PG 13, for language/mentions of violence and blood

6/19: Introspection/Action Closed to Usagi Tsukino

[It'd been some time since Rei had woken up alone, not since before her birthday. Minako had been a steady, warm presence by her side as they'd slept these past months, right up until the previous night. Opening up had come more naturally, as she'd expected it might, with as comfortable as she'd become with the affairs of the heart. It still confused her a tad, but that seemed the sort of thing that was also natural. She loved her partner, loved everything about her, despite how the blonde vexed her so at times. That was just them, and she was so, so grateful for that soft, radiant presence beside her.

A presence that was, as of this morning, gone. At first when Rei woke up, untangling herself from the sheets she figured Minako had just gotten up early but that didn't track. Today was her day off, she'd said she was going to sleep in and if there was one thing Rei could be assured of it was that when it came to sleep Minako was not going to miss a wink. Rising quickly, she cast out her senses, feeling for the bond they shared.

And came up empty.

With a choked cry, she hopped up and looked around desperately for her CEREVice, or any sign that Minako Aino was still there. And again, she came up with nothing. Grabbing her own device, she ripped it open and searched contacts and a certain app, the bottom dropping out of her stomach. She had departed. The CEREVice tumbled to the floor with a clatter as Rei dropped to her knees, heart hammering in her chest as she clutched the fabric of her clothing.

She was gone. Just...just like that, the person she'd finally begun to really and truly let herself be totally open with was gone. Thoughts grew in her head like a wildfire, her entire body shaking as emotions welled up. She closed her eyes, slamming a fist down onto the carpet, a white-hot flash of anger shredding every single ounce of calm she had. Tears fell as she staggered to her feet, shambling over towards a nightstand and coming perilously close to pitching forward into the mirror in her distress. Her whole body creaked and wobbled while she mopped at her face with a handkerchief, the shock of seeing her face enough to trigger a reflexive attempt at maintaining her appearance.

Trembling, unsure of how to even process anything else, she heads out of the room and into the living area. Moments later, unsure of how she even got there, she wilted onto the couch with a mug of tea and sat there, quietly waiting for whoever might wander in. She had to break the news, she absolutely had to, but how to even begin. First Ami...and now...now Minako. Gone, when it'd been just hours before that she'd just fallen asleep next to Rei. Not even a full day ago they were planning to go out, Rei relenting and agreeing to go to a karaoke bar. And now?

Now, she was sitting on the couch in stunned silence. Completely and utterly unable to even sip at her tea.]

6/19: Text Network Post/Open Action

[The CEREVice broadcast is brief, and anyone who knows her will forgive that, she hopes.]

Minako Aino has returned to the Nexus Code. I will be unavailable to meet my social obligations for the next twenty four hours. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. If you need me for something desperately, I will be at home.

[After that, the message ends. Rei will NOT be answering her CEREVice at all, but visitors are welcome.]

6/21-6/23, Action around Cerealia

[After that 24 hours was over, Rei was again visible within the colony. She avoided any of Minako's haunts, places that might remind her of her partner, and instead stuck to places that were more her space. The trouble was that she had an abomination of a robot following her around, and while Rei bore this indignantly silently, she was clearly put out by the machine. A frown, an uncomfortably straight back, and occasional furious glances at the CERES Headquarters were telling pointers to her discomfort.

Each and every day Rei began with a trip to the gym for a strenuous workout, specifically the sections dedicated to kendo and martial arts. Her wooden shinai slapped against a practice dummy, or her robot's clumsily attempted blocks as she forced a spar. There was little pity in her voice the machine, devoid of a soul as it was, and if it was going to be “familiarizing” itself with her then it should get used to this side of her. The martial arts section of the gym would similarly be filled by the sounds of fists slapping against a punching bag, or the indignant squawks of a robotic Rei hitting the mat hard.

Once noon arrived, and Rei'd worn her knuckles almost to the point of bloodying them, she departed and made straight for the park to meditate. Disturb her at your own risk as she sits out beneath one of the safer trees under Phobos and Deimos's watchful gaze.

And after somewhere between three and six hours of meditation, Rei simply disappeared from the city. But friends that know where to look...or just people who frequently look up or hang out on rooftops. She and her servantbot both are darting from rooftop to rooftop in a head to head parkour style race. Long legs carry her easily, a path she'd run a thousand times. Calling out to her is the best bet, though stepping in her way will get her to stop as well and earn an annoyed glare. Yes, she's pushing herself, and yes she's doing something dangerous, but focus. Getting her mind off of it. That's what's got to happen, and she knows it.]

Wildcard

[As always, wildcard me bro!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Rei is largely unaware of his presence, a sign as much as anything of how badly this has affected her, and she gives a small start when she feels hands against hers. Her eyes shoot open and she opens her mouth to shout...

and then stops when she realizes it's him, and doubly so when she feels the magic take hold. A chill that shifts into something warm, a spark of energy against her skin, and the fading of the blisters...]

...Merlin...

[It's all she's able to get out, completely poleaxed by what's just happened.]

[ At least it's warm, rather than cold. His hands don't leave hers in the meanwhile, waiting until the only blood left is what has dried there earlier. His thumbs check the skin gently, before he lets out a soft sigh of relief. It's taking a lot of practice for any of the healing spells to take hold, but at least this one has. It's a start, even if it probably only covers cuts like this.

He just watches her hands for a moment, before he lets his eyes flicker up to her face. ]

What happened? [ He's asking about her hands primarily (because he definitely saw the text from before) but it's also an opener if she wants to talk about everything else as well. ]

[She takes his question to be exactly that. A breath in, a breath out, and her head dips in a tired sort of way. It’s hard to admit just how much this hurts, when she knows he’s never had anyone from home here. But all the same…]

I was training. Boxing, trying to keep my mind off…

[She trails off, looking sadder somehow, more diminished than usual.]

[ He doesn't move his hands away in the slightest, and instead gives hers a gentle squeeze. ]

Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want me to just try and distract you instead?

What's there to talk about? My girlfriend is gone. And I can't exactly get her back.

[Rei's voice is flat, dull, and a little lifeless. Sorry Merlin, she's in a mood.]

[ This was probably not the best time to learn that information. Thankfully he's been told about Yu's relationship so it isn't as much of a shock to the system as it could have been, but his entire body freezes up. ]

Y-your...? [ Well. That explains a lot actually. It means he has to rapidly try and forget how different it is for him to understand the whole same sex relationship thing but-- ]

...Nevermind. But if you want to let it out in a way that doesn't involve cutting open your hands, I'm here.

[It’s probably the best time, in some ways, because she’s too unfocused to pick up on his confusion and surprise about the relationship. It wasn’t that she thought he’d care who she chose to love, but more time-differences. She does, however, opt to clarify.]

My girlfriend. [That word is firm at least.] and I wasn’t cutting my hands. I was training, and when you work hard, sometimes these things happen. I just don’t know any other way to cope. I’ve tried working on projects but they remind me of her, I’ve tried running, but that only helps for so long, and I’ve worn myself out practicing a new spell and need to regain focus.

[Her lip trembles just a bit, and her voice comes out a whisper.]

I…really don’t know what else to do.

[ Well that is also true. It's all due to time-differences for sure, because people were expected to marry. It's entirely different to now.

Though his head definitely ducks a little when she repeats it, firmly, too. He needs a minute to work out what to say, though really. It's understanding this though, that he can see why she'd be in the state she's in. He definitely hasn't gone anywhere yet, but Athena's already cried on him over the fear of it, because people do just go missing here and this is like a smack to the face for it.

But. This is about Rei, about trying to support her. ]

Why do you have to do anything?

[ He asks it quietly, smooths his hands to hold both of hers gently. ]

[Well...it's not like Rei wouldn't marry her partner, but that's a debate it's best not to have.

Rei looks up, barely able to meet his eyes. She has to breathe, she has to just...let other people support her or she'll go insane. She knows that. she absolutely knows that. And it burns to think about, in a way. Not being able to be completely self reliant is just not her way.]

Because otherwise...I think I'd just stay in my room all day and cry. I've never been in love before her. I'd never even considered it, and never found anyone who could keep up with me and my desires without burning up.

Edited 2016-04-15 03:46 (UTC)

[ Different times, different laws though. Divorce wasn't even a Thing when he was from so... But definitely not. Honestly though, the more he gets over the initial shock, he'd be all for it because he's a believer in true love.

He can understand where she's coming from though, but it's more because he hasn't really had anyone but his mother or Gaius to rely on. He can't do it either for that reason. ]

If you loved, love, her it won't be easy to let yourself heal. You can't expect it to happen overnight, and you can't expect to do this on your own either.

[ Hyprocrite ]

I may not have known you as long as others here, but I'm here if you need me.

[Rei sighs and nods slowly. she does understand that, which is why she's not beating herself up. Honestly, there aren't many people she's come to accept so quickly, and some advice would be nice.]

I do love her. And...I will continue to do so. She's just away, and we'll see one another when I get home. Even if that means I have to tear apart CERES brick by brick.

[There's no heat to the declaration, more a matter of factness, a certain inexorable certainty.]

What would you do, in my place?

[ He chews on the corner of his lip when she nods, a little relieved that she's starting to speak a little more now. ]

Of course you will. Though... [ Really, even if he doesn't say it he'd be ready to help her if they can find a way. He is not a fan of CERES or their so-called opponents. He simply sits in the Pro-Merlin boat.

At her question his mouth twists, and he actually answers honestly. ] I think I might have ripped apart the sky and caused a storm by this point honestly, so in comparison you're holding up quite well.

[ Ah. ]

[He'll end up helping or being one of the bricks, in her mind. She's figuring he'll be on her side regardless of what has to happen. He has a home to go back to, after all.

She sucks in a breath and frowns at that.]

You'd have caused a storm. [And then, for the first time in days, she chuffs a laugh.] Of course you would. Honestly, I don't know how I haven't started an inferno yet. But I don't know if I have it in me, not right now.

[ Very true, though sometimes this place has ended up being more comfortable--best not think about pros and cons of everything.

But... He definitely raises both eyebrows when she laughs. It's a relief, for one thing, but it's... honestly very true. ] Well, a lightning bolt or two never hurt anyone, right?

[ Except she's seen everything he's done already so that's a bit of a lie, but he's trying to cheer her up. ] I wonder if I could make it snow instead...? Though I have to say I definitely appreciate there being no inferno. [ A beat, then: ] It's hot enough here already.

[She'll not say anything about Sailor Jupiter, then...]

Can you even make weather here? I thought the whole thing was artificial.

[Look, you've given her a distraction!]

[ Maybe not the best idea... though he does look up at that. ]

Is it? [ Though looking at it... that way. ] Then I'd probably just break it, I suppose.

[ You know, from trying to send an electric current up there and all. ]

[She looks up, a curious light in her eyes.]

Why don't you try it? I'd like to see snow in summertime...

[ He blinks back at her then, before looking back up. ]

Right now?

[ Maybe now is the time to do it, you never know! ]

[She shrugs, but there's a gleam to her smile. She would like to see this, really. A lot.]

Why not?

[ Well, if it's going to get her to smile like that he'll give it a go. He shifts his position first though and tilts his head up. Snow, she said. It isn't as though he's made that before and really he could just make it pour down rain on them both as water is the actual element here.

But if he combines it with cold wind, it should be okay. ]

If this goes wrong, I hope you know that I'm not going to be willing to take all the blame.

[ His hands finally pull away from hers, both reaching up towards the sky as he concentrates entirely on that. The actual upper sky doesn't change, but almost like they're in their own little bubble the air around them starts to change. The tree Rei had taken shelter under rustles more, and he can feel his skin cool over under his shirt as his eyes flash. His control is a little iffy, and the tree starts to move like it's being whacked hard a few times. A few droplets of rain might splash onto both of them. Combining multiple elements into one and so closely as he can't seem to further his reach means that it's probably more than a little dangerous.

After a few minutes of him struggling against letting rain fall and freezing it over before he can, a few snowdrops finally start to fall. ]

If it goes wrong, I'll take the blame.

[Rei watches, eyes focused more on Merlin than on the sky. She trusts he'll be able to do it, but she's curious about the spell itself, and how it works. She feels the power coursing through him, trying to see the flows of energy, but she's utterly baffled by how alien they are. Not like hers at all, or the magecraft she's been learning here. It's fascinating, and by the time the snow falls she's staring in rapt fascination.

When the first flake hits her nose, it wrinkles up, and she giggles.]

...You did it.

[ It's kind of like using the fabric of the planet as himself. Like it's just an extension of himself more than anything else. Really though, he's breathing harder by the time he manages it and his hands flop once he's done. It just lingers in the air, snow slowly starting to fall more and more now that the spell is in place.

Then a laugh bubbles up as he smiles up at his own work. ]

I actually did it?

[ Amazing....... ]

You didn't think you could?

[She gives him the first really, truly, completely genuine smile she's had in days, squeezing his shoulder.]

This...this is draining for you isn't it?

I wasn't sure either way, honestly. I've made a storm, tornadoes but... gentle isn't really... [ He isn't good at gentle.

But it's really nice that she's smiling now, like this. Thankfully, his magic doesn't actually work like that. ]

All I have to do is activate it, once it's up I don't really have to keep it going, if that makes sense?

It does. It's a lingering enchantment, something you power once and keep going until the spell is released.

[She's been studying a little bit of magical theory. Well, more than a little bit. Kael'thas Sunstrider, Prince of the Elves, had shown her a few tricks and Archer another. She had talent, why let it atrophy?]

It's different from what Mars does, but then...what I do without her is another story. I don't think the weather would heed my call though.

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