pc w/ blade

[applebough]

source.

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W6 friday

[applebough]

[ Sometimes you want to chill with dogs, but Yuri is tired when she makes her way to the dog park with the practice sword in her hand.

She doesn't pay attention to the dogs, but she pays attention to Blade. What is he doing? ]

[baebladie]

[ Blade is more or less sitting down, some puppies accosting him potentially being the reason for his position at the moment.

Yuri might not say a single word, but he turns his attention towards her, keen on the presence of others, particularly a day like this. ]

...Hm?

[ As usual, not exactly a greeting, but an acknowledgment of sorts. Whatever strangeness that may be upon them...he does not seem concerned of it at the moment. ]

[applebough]

[ Yuri knows the practice sword really can't do much, but she still has it at all times. When Blade looks over her way, she is quiet for a while. ]

... Blade...?

[baebladie]

[ ...Is it his position that invites inquiry? Or the fact that nothing occurred against anyone else, he wonders?

Or... ]

...What is it?

[applebough]

Did you... make friends with the dogs here?

[ Yuri is cautious and is starting to walk towards him. Dogs, please save her if she's wrong. ]

[baebladie]

No. I don't go around making friends with animals.

They simply kept bothering me and circumstances ended up like this.

[ Blade simply outlines (whether or not it's true), but the puppies perk up at her as she comes closer. ]

...It appears odd, doesn't it?

[ Or is it something else? She seems to be acting a bit cautious. ]

[applebough]

No, these dogs just seem innately friendly.

[ Yuri hesitantly reaches out to try and touch Blade's arm. ]

[baebladie]

[ Yuri successfully touches Blade's arm, and he looks at her, with a sense of mild confusion, because something about it seems odd. ]

...What are you doing?

[applebough]

[ Yuri breathes out of relief and withdraws her hand. ]

I've been... seeing things today. They're not very pleasant.

[baebladie]

...The visions of certain events that have not come to pass, you mean.

[ Like a vision of a supposed future, or futures, that could have been written into being, but were not.

Hallucinations; illusions...delusions. ]

I've seen a few myself. One case myself even being a perpetrator in ending the life of another, one where you turned the tables on an attacker, and other unremarkable or variety of miscellaneous life or death scenarios.

[applebough]

"Unremarkable", huh? I suppose you can see it that way if these don't bother you much...

[ But she remembers how Blade reacted after his CYOA adventure, so really, do these not affect him at all? Yuri wonders. ]

[baebladie]

So far.

...The less I see, the better. But, I'm certain you'll agree.

[ It has been, honestly, extremely jarring seeing him 'kill' someone because it is just about as brutal as one imagined and he thought for a moment that he did. As for the one with Yuri, well. That is another can of worms.

The others...? Well, mostly unremarkable. ]

[applebough]

[ Yuri nods. ]

... Are you comfortable with telling me who my attacker was?

[ She'll do an exchange. ]

I saw Callisto slitting someone's throat. I didn't get to see who they were because their body was hidden behind the couch in the lounge. Then I saw a vision of me fighting with Charles with swords. Rodya killed me in another. Then Throne with Temenos...

[baebladie]

Your attacker was Ichiban.

[ So Blade doesn't know how it was possible the tables were turned, but it happened.

Yuri's desire to live is rather powerful, from his perspective. ]

For the others, I witnessed Mizuki killed Shoma. Then, Baiken putting an end to Guy's life. Followed by Arthur killing Amalthea. Lastly, Shu shooting at Todomatsu. [ ... ] I'd imagine it was as jarring and as unpleasant moreso whenever you saw yourself appear; to say the least when it involved Rodya.

I suspect it's a last-ditch attempt to place us into a state of frenzy of some sort.

[applebough]

Mm. That sounds about right. I'm just not sure... when someone is real or not right now.

[ She touches Blade's arm again to reassure herself. ]

[baebladie]

[ Blade will allow her to do that as much as she pleases; it doesn't really trouble him any. ]

I see. So that is why you keep reaching out?

[ He might have assumed she witnessed his death, though the fact that it is more a matter of being uncertain of his presence is also understandable. ]

[applebough]

... Yes. Real or not, I think it would be very troubling if I ran into someone who wants to kill me.

[ So she trusts Blade by staying here, grounding herself with his presence.

Then off in the distance of the dog park, there's a vision of another Yuri running away from someone but turning a corner to stab someone with her sword. There's another Blade, who blocks it effortlessly with his shard sword. It seems like they're fighting for real. ]

[baebladie]

Then, stay as long as you like.

[ Blade's sharp eyes then catch these new phantasms, wondering about the irony of it all. The dance of fierce fighting is beautiful, but unsettles him.

They always chose the simulation room for their spars, so he knows what this vision means. Trying to obscure the sight seems foolish, so he is resigned to it playing out. ]

Another illusion is upon us. Unless you wish to shake that peace of mind...you have the choice to avert your eyes.

[applebough]

... You could also not look.

[ So Yuri reaches up and covers Blade's eyes with her hands. She thinks Blade has suffered enough mental things lately. ]

[baebladie]

[ Blade is caught off-guard, so he just tenses; but that doesn't last long. He reaches with his hands to lightly pull them away just a bit, looking at her.

But, her words seem to have had an effect. Even with the sound of their weapons meeting one another's in the distance, and the urge to look. To suffer. To desire that suffering to end.

To feel that pain bloom in his heart, to fuel the monster that lies within him...to let him sink into the madness of the red haze of mara, stoked by painful memories. Painful events. To lose himself. But, he doesn't want to indulge it now. No, he wants...to be at peace. ]

...You're correct that I don't have to. But, it's unnecessary...to shield me so. As long as I don't bring my gaze in that direction, I will be fine.

Let us both wait it out until it ends. Then, maybe attempt to reclaim whatever little peace we have.

[applebough]

I feel that your eyes would occasionally glance there regardless.

[ They can wait it out. The other Yuri seems to have lost the fight and the other Blade says something about how Yuri's resolve to live is strong, but not strong enough to match his strength.

Yuri keeps her hands over his eyes again. ]

[baebladie]

[ Blade hates that she is right, because those words, from his other self make him want to.

For a moment, it makes him furious (mostly at himself, for being so wretched in this scenario, even if it is unreal.) What does anyone know about him? Doesn't she know how easy it is for him to kill most people here? That he's a threat? He wouldn't even hesitate? That he wouldn't feel a single thing if he raised his sword against even some of the younger ones? ]

...How would you know?

[ Blade simply asks, though this time he doesn't bother removing his hands, feeling the stab of anger leave as soon as it comes. ]

[applebough]

Because you always want to see.

[ Despite the occasional teasing that Yuri does to Blade, she's still aware of how Blade is as a person. He can be a threat. He could easily kill anyone here, even the younger members of the crew. Yuri always knew this. ]

... Even if it hurts you.

[ Yet she stays with him anyway. She says things that could make Blade draw his sword for any reason. However, there's some sort of trust in Blade that Yuri has that he wouldn't draw his sword on her under normal circumstances. Blade may be dangerous and he may be the furthest thing from sanity, but she's still here, as a friend. ]

[baebladie]

[ She must know, and still she sticks close. Is he fortunate? He thought that, once upon a time, not too long ago, when she dared to embrace him. Even when no one else would. He knows he will never be stable, but it is clear that does not matter to her. ]

...You are correct. Though, there is no need for you to expend such an effort, even if slight.

[ But, Blade does not begrudge Yuri for it, not completely, even if it isn't so simple either. The day which they all part draws ever nearer, where he will pursue his goals and never look back, where he will forget them all sooner than later. Yet, for now...that isn't so.

Yuri continues to support him, and in some ways, however long they have, Blade will unequivocally support her in return.

Eventually, the final blow is struck. The sound of a body falling is familiar enough that he can't mistake it, and he raises his hands to gently pull them from where Yuri has them. ]

[applebough]

[ She may not have to expend such an effort, but she does, for him. She frowns when his hands try to move hers away again, but she lets it happen this time. The other Yuri is dead on the grass from however the other Blade finished her off.

Blade was right. A powerful will to live only works if that will can affect actions. If the body is dead, then it can no longer influence anything. A willpower like this stops short in face of reality. ]