Readjusting my position, I flex my shoulders to ward off some of this oncoming stiffness and look around. The boys are quietly talking to each other about something, showing some things off. Seigunfrei's making a habit of using small spells so I want to assume he's offering casting advice in as helpful but unrestrictive manner as possible. Liada, on the other side, is seemingly bored and looking out the window.
Inerish gets up and heads into the next section of the airship, I just barely catch a glimpse of her going down some stairs. Slowly, I get up onto my feet and pop some joints with an eager shiver. Going after her, the sliding doors hiss apart and I look back quickly. Liada suddenly shifts her gaze this way and I catch what seems to be some hurt as her body depresses.
I just need to talk to her- It's not like this... Gods dammit.
Frowning my concerns away, I hop down the stairs and find Inerish messing with what seems to be an equipment locker. Spotting a crate a short distance away, I pop my bottom onto it, catching her attention with a bang. She offers a smile and then gets back to it. I cross my arms, my thoughts setting themselves into place.
"So, about this mission, what are we expecting to find?" I ask as surely there is more to this than she is letting on? Doesn't seem right that someone with her degree of access has so little workable information.
"I already told you, I do not know." she repeats, briefly looking over some guns before she hums in thought at some devices near the back. They seem to be a little too big to bring back up the stairs so there must be another ramp here or the walls are hiding doors.
"And why is that, exactly? We're heading towards what could be a city-destroying weapon." I question, shrugging at the end with the first dramatic description I could think of. Tobaballe's ruins flash through my head, the unending infernos across the land boil my blood.
"Because, Nin, a lot of this stuff was done way before my time. Though Thrurstradtur-Suhurlodst likes to pretence itself on being this forward-thinking, modern state. One that seeks to advance itself further and further technologically. Truly magical or something mundane. Despite all this, it is an ancient body, one that still carries many of the trappings of its former, long-gone monarchy." she explains, shutting up the locker before then turning to cross her arms at me. Hip jutted just slightly out.
"Surely that just means you need to spend a lot of your time reading up on your history?" I point out and her glare settles in, the unspoken truth instantly clear to me. Right, of course, can't focus on much else when you have someone like Smiling Jhurack constantly causing issues. She's probably just glad to be out of the city, quite frankly. Much as her love for bloodshed disturbs me, she seemed to be genuinely happy to be free of the hustle and bustle.
Just her, me, and a whole lot of people you can vent all the most sinister kinds of stress on.
She sighs, "I have a lot to catch up on, Nin. Many problems of which will be given to me so that I may perform reps with each ton of blame I get. It's any wonder why my back hasn't broken at this point."
I try to laugh, "You put up with me for five years, I'm sure you can handle it."
"I've handled far worse for more." she fails to even huff out.
"Yeah, I guess you have." I barely laugh, a claw rubbing the back of my head as my mind slows down and my eyes go off elsewhere.
"Enough about me, though, I want to talk about you, Nin." Inerish tells me with a stern expression that seems to stay even as she gets back to work. More lockers and boxes open and she takes some of them out to play around with. Familiar pieces of tech and stuff I've never even seen before. She's definitely trying to consider Liada a bit as well with how she's testing grips and handling.
"What do you want to talk about?" I ask.
"I want to speak to you about your insistence on bringing those three along." she answers and I start to shrug. An action she notices even without looking back my way. The item in hand strikes down particularly hard and her head turns.
"Don't look at me like that, you're the one who started dragging me along on these missions to mess with Liada." I say and she takes a few steps closer, her hands on her hips and a slight angle to her expression.
"She is precisely what I am concerned about, Nin. I take joy in this sort of behaviour, I happily admit to that. I like to get on people's nerves like this and to throw my personal power about, not just physical, political. But, in bringing her along you have loaded our mission with a powder keg it should not have to suffer." she points out and one of my brows rise. Is she serious? She's admitting to provocative behaviour and she's worried about the consequences of it.
"Then don't." I state, pointing out what really should be quite obvious.
"No." she replies, taking some steps closer until she's within range for a lazy kick. Not that I can really be asked to give her shin a little beating.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
"You are your own worse enemy." I say and she suddenly clamours up onto me. Arms wrapped around my neck, thighs exposed and spread along my legs. She moves her lips about, hovering close to the bottom of my mask before then threatening to mess up my lens again.
"All it would take is for her to walk through those doors, curious as to what we're up to and for her to see this and get angry. The mere act of me showing you how much I want the man who's done more than just save my career and reputation. She knows full well that if I want to wrestle you away from her, I can, she knows she's not strong enough to keep your attention physically. And, if she can't get her body to do the job, you're all mine."
"Or I can just ignore you..." I mutter, pointing out the flaw in her logic.
"But that's the thing, Nin. You won't. Don't forget, I have my means and do use them. So many little secrets come through my ears and right back out on the tip of my tongue." she warns and my hands settle on the best spot to grab. My grip tightens and she flexes a little, her front smushing up against my chest.
"Careful now." I warn half-heartedly and yet also entirely serious at the same time.
"I know of the promise you have made, to gather up all these girls. Each one of which you seemed to have had at least some kind of budding romance with. Though, one of them in particular I am a little lost on. Then again, a Valkinvar returning to their ancient bastion of Suhurlodst is an oddity in and of itself. Especially when they're fighting a losing war." she explains and I frown, the promise going through my ears although no one has actually repeated it.
I made that promise on Lari's deathbed, I told the woman I loved that I would move on because she did not feel the same. Yet, I am struggling to do so, I cannot. Several have said that they love me, more have shown it through actions and not once have I ever said the words back. Actions speak louder but words will always hold more meaning, they're easier to cling to.
Still, I am failing my promise, I am failing her. Lari would be so disappointed in me if she was still alive. Then again, if she was, I don't think I'd be listening still. She could kiss all the men in the world in front of me and somehow I'd still love her.
I'm only alive because of her, how could I not keep on trying? I wanted to die, not by the hands of anyone else, but by my own. She kept me going and helped me through so much. I failed her and now I have to keep to some shitty lie because it's what she wanted!
"Ow-ow-ow!" Inerish squeals, the noise reminding me that my hands are on someone's cheeks and not an inanimate object.
"Sorry..." I tell her, shifting my arms into a hug so I can at least feel some comfort. She returns the motion and settles in briefly, slipping out when the important stuff comes back to mind. Almost exhausted-looking, I watch her get back to work and quickly look to the door. No Liada walking in and getting angry or upset...
Good, good...
"While I myself have feelings for you, Nin. Liadanann has them too, whatever it is about you, you have a habit of attracting attention and then not properly reciprocating it." Inerish points out and I look down to my left arm. I fiddle with Motrtha's gift and the same question comes back to me like it always does in times like this. Should I get rid of it? It's not fair I have people affected by divine power and at the same time, I'm scared that the world will only see me as an Osibindah.
It's not as bad as it used to be, but, I don't think I will ever get over what I became after I died.
"I know, I know..." I mutter.
"And to get us off of this topic, I also know a fair bit about your choices in assistance. Not just Liadanann. I've had their files sent to me and I've given them as much of a look over as I can in the time that I have." Inerish explains and I look up at her as she finishes putting some items into a harness of some kind. One final one locks into place and she skirts back towards me, arms resting on a double-stacked crate.
"I told you that I will keep them safe and handle what it is you want of me." I remind her and she nods, the top of her head bobbing from behind the height.
"I know, I just want to remind you that I do not approve. Liadanann barely has any training of any sort, her time in Suhurlodst might as well have been squatting and Baltanthan is a Ravineer-born Traditional. While I have little care for the history the Jhermonikra have regarding the Time of Liquid Mountains, there is precedent to other issues between Mountain-State populations and them. One is notably more adept with their magic due to how the stuff concentrates around populations." she explains with a brief aside into some history that I find a little hard to comprehend.
"And Seigunfrei, you've got nothing on him?" I ask, noting how she stopped talking without a word about him.
"I took my time in defeating him in that arena but his credentials are impressive. His involvement with you and the Worm Rider aside, he's an exceptional Exceptional." she answers casually at first before I hear that humour sneak in. I huff at her wordplay and get back onto my feet.
"Hm, he once seemed insurmountable to me but I guess a lot of focus can solve that problem."
"Yes, I do recall the attention put on the fight you two had in the Inter-House Talent Display that occurred before you got knotted into a certain problem."
"I only won that because we were in some magic-suppressing room." I point out and she steps out into the open to make her nod clear.
"I know, but you won anyway so who cares about the finer specifics." she shrugs and I blink a bit at that remark. I feel like it's playing down the details a little too much.
"Well, if it's any consolation, he'll be able to handle himself and my attention can be on perhaps even just Baltanthan. Liada's shields haven't been broken yet to my knowledge." I say.
"No, but they're not impossible to bypass." she rightly points out and I nod along to that without end. I guess it depends on the situation but I feel like Liada will either be able to handle herself or I'll need to keep a close eye on her.
"Grandguard Inerish, we're approaching the drop point." a man from the cabin informs us via speaker. I look up at the closest one and then to Inerish as she takes what seems to be a bit of armour from one of the racks. She straps it on and gets to applying some more before then smiling.
"I can already tell you have something planned." I tut out, shaking my head as I walk away. She happens to rise at just the right time and her back end makes me stumble back. But, like Rose had to re-learn again and again, my tool ain't coming out because I see a curvy shape. Not anymore, the days of hu-manhood are gone.
"Believe it or not, this is not what I have planned." she points out, a sinister grin coming to her features while I gently fight off her attempts to try and get a response from me. I start to smack the shape away and she's more than happy to back off.
"I believe you." I groan, stretching just a little more. One claw reaches for the handrail and I take the first step back up.