[ Yuri shakily breathes out, flinching when her sword is knocked out of her hand.
But it's a simulation room and her mind feels calm yet not. She manifests a weapon in her other hand and swings it at Blade's side. It will feel like a blunt weapon if the attack connects. ]
[ Blade definitely is...not prepared for that as his current state is beginning to slow him down now. Anyway, it hits like a blunt weapon into his side.
He doesn't even make a sound, but will definitely need to add an extra hour onto the pod he was going to following trial (which I can say now that trial is over) because internal wounds and bones are...yeah.
Anyway, he reaches out with his non-dominant hand and tries to grab her wrist so he can twist it behind her back (including whatever movements are necessary to attempt to make her drop the weapon.) ]
[ Oof. Blade is successful with that, twisting her arm behind her back. The weapon drops, disappearing after it's no longer held and there's not much Yuri can do in this state but struggle. ]
[ Blade holds her still. Yuri would never normally struggle like this.
With the battle having ended, his own battle fervor has dispersed, even if his mind is still swimming.
There is still something crystal clear that breaks through the surface, even if those previous events in that place still try to drag him under, and suffocate him. He refuses to let it. ]
[ Ugh. The flesh mask peels off and has faded away upon touching the ground. Before it disappears fully, Blade might have caught a glimpse of it twisting into the far right face here.
Yuri's face seems... frustrated and exhausted. Nothing as twisted as the mask. ]
[ Irrespective of his condition, that is true. Blade does not speak empty words. Seeing the disgusting little thing peel off, he feels something like triumph. Damn, he never wants to see that ever again.
Or perhaps, there is relief, but like hell he'd admit to feeling anything like that. ]
[ She knows that Blade doesn't say things just for the sake of saying them. It makes her shoulders visibly relax and she no longer struggles in his hold. The decrepit former laboratory disappears and now they're in this blank, white room. The sword is gone, the mask is gone, Yuri's stressor seems... gone? ]
...
[ She doesn't say anything though. Her eye is fine. No rust pain sharing because she has gloves and everything. ]
[ Good. Only upon the setting changing back to its blank state does he finally relax.
He doubts the stressor has dispersed in its entirety since emotions can't be easily swept away, even with a powerful and destructive tide, but the motivation seems to have at least died down.
Blade finally lets her go, and, keeping an eye on her, puts away his sword. ]
When did you start to feel the urge to lash out, Yuri?
I remember you mentioning about wishing to cultivate your strength before. When you had sent out that invitation out for a fight, weeks ago.
[ Blade folds his arms. He is not one to say it means nothing to try to gather up that much more, considering the circumstances. But, honestly, something about it seemed different; intuition, which he doesn't ignore even if his mind isn't exactly a pleasant place. ]
Though, this seemed different than before. [ ... ] Your desire to overcome your opponent did appear to be far stronger.
If I can win against you... I would definitely be stronger.
[ Blade, someone with so many years of experience, and far more combat-full years than year, is like a distant roadmark that she can't reach--not allowed to reach. But she wants to, so, so badly right now. ]
I am a goal post far beyond your reach at the moment.
[ Blade doesn't mince words, as usual seeing no need to.
It is clear as day; if she defeats him, she will have achieved quite an accomplishment. All things considered, it could just be a natural borne desire to achieve that. Though, he thinks there is still a subtle difference. ]
Blade watches her expression carefully with consideration. ]
...You're referring to when you fought Dion.
[ The kind of helplessness she felt during that time...he doesn't think of the words 'unable to imagine it'. But, regardless of there being a difference in her attitude from last time they faced out, or an unusual difference, this emotion must exist sincerely beneath. ]
[ Which is obvious, right? Yuri should have made it out of the corporation burial attempt that Blade experienced. ]
But Gregor and Rodya are from a further point in time than I am, and they have most likely experienced my death. I saw it myself from Gregor's point of view in his memories on that week on the ship.
[ Quite so. Blade remembers them discussing that this was her 'second chance' at some point...among other things that felt like so long ago that he wouldn't be surprised if his terrible memory recall forgot some things.
Even so... ]
And it has something to do with an 'apple' of some sort?
There was an Abnormality... a monster. It took the form of a golden apple. It...
[ Her hand trembles a little. ]
... devoured me in one bite inside its maggot-infested body and played with my head, taunting the others oh how they couldn't save me... I had to watch in Gregor's point of view. It was wretched.
[ Blade sees the way her hand trembles and he reaches out just this once to lightly...tap? Her shoulder. Perhaps a reminder:
This is reality. You are not there — you are not experiencing that moment.
Even if hardly knows how give much support, he doesn't think it a reason not to try. Yuri has, so, so many times over for him — and Aeon knows who else. She deserves the same consideration, even from someone like him. As it is, the description of it is...
Blade can stomach many things without blinking an eye. But he is learning how much even the thought of those few he cares about can end up in such a wretched position causes a something like internal recoil. Or, rather... ]
There are plenty of Abnormalities back in The City and they never truly die... this just happened to be one of them. Everyone can die at any time even without the Abnormalities. That's why... I have to get stronger.
[ But it's obvious that Yuri cannot fight any longer. :( Sad. ]
They're formed from an egg. Whenever they are beat into submission, they revert to their egg forms. They never really die. Moreover... they were used to harvest energy. In regards to the creation of the eggs, I... don't know. It was a top corporation secrete that I wasn't privy to.
[ Yeah that's why two wolves inside her were like "yeet the egg" or "help it hatch properly". Now she will only yeet. ]
... The energy that was used to harvest them fueled the entire electric grid for The City. It was so important that there was a war because of how gouged the energy prices were at some point.
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But it's a simulation room and her mind feels calm yet not. She manifests a weapon in her other hand and swings it at Blade's side. It will feel like a blunt weapon if the attack connects. ]
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He doesn't even make a sound, but will definitely need to add an extra hour onto the pod he was going to following trial (which I can say now that trial is over) because internal wounds and bones are...yeah.
Anyway, he reaches out with his non-dominant hand and tries to grab her wrist so he can twist it behind her back (including whatever movements are necessary to attempt to make her drop the weapon.) ]
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[ Blade holds her still. Yuri would never normally struggle like this.
With the battle having ended, his own battle fervor has dispersed, even if his mind is still swimming.
There is still something crystal clear that breaks through the surface, even if those previous events in that place still try to drag him under, and suffocate him. He refuses to let it. ]
This battle is over. This isn't like you.
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[ Ugh. The flesh mask peels off and has faded away upon touching the ground. Before it disappears fully, Blade might have caught a glimpse of it twisting into the far right face here.
Yuri's face seems... frustrated and exhausted. Nothing as twisted as the mask. ]
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You fought hard.
[ Irrespective of his condition, that is true. Blade does not speak empty words. Seeing the disgusting little thing peel off, he feels something like triumph. Damn, he never wants to see that ever again.
Or perhaps, there is relief, but like hell he'd admit to feeling anything like that. ]
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...
[ She doesn't say anything though. Her eye is fine. No rust pain sharing because she has gloves and everything. ]
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He doubts the stressor has dispersed in its entirety since emotions can't be easily swept away, even with a powerful and destructive tide, but the motivation seems to have at least died down.
Blade finally lets her go, and, keeping an eye on her, puts away his sword. ]
When did you start to feel the urge to lash out, Yuri?
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[ She shakily breathes out. ]
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[ Blade folds his arms. He is not one to say it means nothing to try to gather up that much more, considering the circumstances. But, honestly, something about it seemed different; intuition, which he doesn't ignore even if his mind isn't exactly a pleasant place. ]
Though, this seemed different than before. [ ... ] Your desire to overcome your opponent did appear to be far stronger.
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[ Blade, someone with so many years of experience, and far more combat-full years than year, is like a distant roadmark that she can't reach--not allowed to reach. But she wants to, so, so badly right now. ]
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I am a goal post far beyond your reach at the moment.
[ Blade doesn't mince words, as usual seeing no need to.
It is clear as day; if she defeats him, she will have achieved quite an accomplishment. All things considered, it could just be a natural borne desire to achieve that. Though, he thinks there is still a subtle difference. ]
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[ Yuri loses her strength to resist with her gaze cast downward. ]
I wouldn't... die in front of everyone...
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Blade watches her expression carefully with consideration. ]
...You're referring to when you fought Dion.
[ The kind of helplessness she felt during that time...he doesn't think of the words 'unable to imagine it'. But, regardless of there being a difference in her attitude from last time they faced out, or an unusual difference, this emotion must exist sincerely beneath. ]
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... All I have are excuses when I died while fighting Dion. For me, if I was stronger, then... I wouldn't have died. To the apple.
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...What do you mean? To the apple?
[ Blade has definitely context for Dion, but not whatever this apple is. Is he going to regret asking...oh well, he is unafraid in doing so. ]
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[ Which is obvious, right? Yuri should have made it out of the corporation burial attempt that Blade experienced. ]
But Gregor and Rodya are from a further point in time than I am, and they have most likely experienced my death. I saw it myself from Gregor's point of view in his memories on that week on the ship.
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[ Quite so. Blade remembers them discussing that this was her 'second chance' at some point...among other things that felt like so long ago that he wouldn't be surprised if his terrible memory recall forgot some things.
Even so... ]
And it has something to do with an 'apple' of some sort?
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There was an Abnormality... a monster. It took the form of a golden apple. It...
[ Her hand trembles a little. ]
... devoured me in one bite inside its maggot-infested body and played with my head, taunting the others oh how they couldn't save me... I had to watch in Gregor's point of view. It was wretched.
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This is reality. You are not there — you are not experiencing that moment.
Even if hardly knows how give much support, he doesn't think it a reason not to try. Yuri has, so, so many times over for him — and Aeon knows who else. She deserves the same consideration, even from someone like him. As it is, the description of it is...
Blade can stomach many things without blinking an eye. But he is learning how much even the thought of those few he cares about can end up in such a wretched position causes a something like internal recoil. Or, rather... ]
...Disgusting.
Such a thing should cease to exist.
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[ But it's obvious that Yuri cannot fight any longer. :( Sad. ]
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[ One can say the future is potentially open with new possibilities.
Whatever those look like. ]
...Why is it that these Abnormalities exist in the first place? And how exactly do they even begin to come into being?
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As for Blade, he's listening intently. ]
Unfortunate. I could only wonder if someone actually tried to research getting rid of the nuisances once and for all.
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... The energy that was used to harvest them fueled the entire electric grid for The City. It was so important that there was a war because of how gouged the energy prices were at some point.
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