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Post by redox-kun on Oct 15, 2013 20:23:09 GMT -8
stefan had worked with rosenburg in the years before her court martial. she moves well for a woman who was decommissioned for a year, stefan thinks. he’s not as dependent on his maneuver gear as the other soldiers, but his eyes make up half his worth as a soldier. thalia is naturally talented with the 3d maneuver gear, but sophia’s movements are honed like the edge of a blade, a planned sequence of jumps that are calculated to the final landing. he wonders how many titans she had to survive in order to get to this point.
sitting in an office for twelve months doesn’t do any favors for a legionary, however. she only had three days of training before an emergency rescue was requested.
her broken ribs were her own bad luck, transferring in at a time like this. he looks down at the sickbed. stefan hated offering excuses for anyone, but there wasn’t much other explanation when she had outperformed their fresh recruits, up until an aberrant had caught her unawares.
the doctor had told them that it was only broken ribs, but that still put her out of action for at least six weeks. six weeks to be a civilian, six weeks too much for the state that the legion is in right now.
he turns to thalia, knowing that sophia was in a sedated sleep. “what did you write in the mission log?” LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 15, 2013 20:54:29 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"]  THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | There are no pictures of Thalia as a child, and none now to remember the stubborn set of her jaw as that child, her face streaked with dirt, as implacable in her rage at eight and eighteen alike, but not much has changed. Her hair is chopped at an angle with scissors now, instead of left to grow matted in a snarl to her waist but she wears the same frown. Her eyes are the same hooded steel. She still tastes blood in the back of her mouth whenever she swallows.
Right now, sitting cross-legged on the cot across the way from Sophia's, staring at the sleeping woman with narrowed eyes and her hair in her face, she could be ten. She could be fifteen. She could be thirty. Her wrists are still bird-boned, even if she moves now with the polished coil of practiced grace and adult strength. You can take the kid out of the streets, and yet.
She doesn't stir at Stefan's words. "I wrote the outcome of the mission," she says. "It seems Sophia Rosenburg has earned yet another delay on her punishment. She has a remarkable talent in that regard." She drums her fingers against her leg. The door to the medical bay slams open, and she doesn't miss a beat. Her gaze flickers from Sophia to the intrusion for a moment, registering him, before returning. Tall, dark-haired. His stare lights on the woman in the bed and he takes a step toward her before shaking his head and turning toward her.
"You were leading this mission," he says. His voice is rough. There's sweat on his forehead. Thalia files the information away. "How did this happen. Why did you let this happen? I told her the Corps couldn't be trusted." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 15, 2013 21:13:27 GMT -8
stefan nods, but he does have his own reservations. and like any reservations of stefan’s, thalia is the one person that he’s used to voicing them to. “that doesn’t sound like something that you would have written for a different soldier of the same calibre and tenacity. especially when recruits hit an all time low this year”
he’s heard her story, but stefan doesn’t care about anything of hers that doesn’t make a difference on the battlefield. as long as she is willing to carve into the necks of their enemies, that is good enough.
stefan had been expecting a hurried messenger when he had heard the footsteps. judging from the quality of his garments, probably not. perhaps he had bribed his way past the personnel in the medical wing?
they’re going to regret that.
“letting her break a few ribs?” he can’t quite keep the disdain out of his voice. “tell that to the soldiers who rot in titan bellies”
his voice is free of attachment. rather, he’s rather startled on the man’s lack of perspective. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 15, 2013 21:21:22 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | "Sophia Rosenburg forfeited her right to be considered a normal soldier when she proved her own personal whims were more important than innocent lives," Thalia says flatly. "All she is now is a tool, albeit a very useful one. And all she is at this moment is a broken tool. The report reflects that."
The man's words wash over her and Thalia finally turns to face him, shifting on the bed.
"You're not of the Survey Corps," she says icily. "If you're military, state your branch, rank and name. If you're not, leave."
If anything, his expression only darkens. She notes his fists at his sides, the way he rolls his shoulders.
"I'm not military," he says. "The military obviously can't be trusted. I'm--the caretaker of her case, you could say. I received word that she was injured in the field. There's nothing to be done for the dead--" he glances briefly at Stefan, "--but the living, at least, I can do something for." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 15, 2013 21:58:51 GMT -8
stefan smirks. "innocent lives...i hardly think that our job involves ethical expertise, unless you want to absolve a few titans, i suppose" working for the legion meant trusting that everyone would be able to do their jobs, nothing more, nothing less. "you would allow that to color your constructive report to the commander?" even after all these years, he still can't say that he fully understands thalia's model of priority. maybe she would have been better suited for the garrison. already, it was a running joke among the junior squads.
he's a little more concerned about thalia since their new recruit joined the legion, if only because she was the leader of what could potentially be his squad next week. she didn't need weaknesses.
he gives a quick glance to thalia. the man had access to the scouting legion's reports. not a commoner, then. he can only hope that thalia can exercise the caution that she was obviously not born with.
nevertheless, he allows thalia to handle herself. it could almost be a test of sorts in an environment where nobody was inclined to be eaten by hungry titans. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 15, 2013 22:10:13 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | Thalia looked at Stefan intently.
"Have I done wrong by Sophia Rosenburg?" she asked. "Is she not lying a mere foot away from me with all the medical resources of the Survey Corps at her disposal? Have I denied her anything, except for my respect, which is of no importance? My report covered what happened during the mission, nothing more and nothing less. She worked ably, but she did only what is expected of all of us: to perform to the best of our ability. I reported that. I will not report and tell the lie she is fit for the restoration of her old position, that her choices have been unmade by one excursion into the field where she outperformed a handful of new recruits. She is still untrustworthy. She is still the same woman she was when she chose to give everything up."
She seemed, momentarily, to have forgotten that the man was there.
"You are dismissed," she tossed over her shoulder. "Sophia Rosenburg is fine, and will remain fine with a few weeks of rest. If you wish to leave a name, I can tell her you visited when she wakes up." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 15, 2013 22:28:43 GMT -8
it's a little disappointing, how quickly thalia confirms his doubts. trustworthy or not, none of them have a choice when they are so outnumbered by the threat that looms outside of the walls. does she think that he trusts any of them? does she think that he trusts the superiors whose orders he follows with almost blind devotion?
(does she think that he trusts her?)
nevertheless, he knows that there's not really any point to saying anything after she climbs up that particular pedestal. he almost misses their trainee days, back when she was little more than a bag full of questions with insignificant answers. almost. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 15, 2013 22:41:34 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | Thalia may have forgotten he was there, but that didn't mean he wasn't listening. He walks over to her, towering over her from her perch on the cot, and reaches for her shoulder roughly.
"Don't speak of her like that," he says. "She gave up everything to come back to this pit and fight for your godforsaken idiotic cause. She had a life. She--"
His hand never makes contact with Thalia. She grips his wrist and squeezes. She can't actually hear his bones grinding into dust, but he does let loose a hiss of pain before he can bite down on it and that's satisfying in a way she doesn't think about.
"I asked you to leave," she says. "I'm not going to ask you again." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 15, 2013 23:11:50 GMT -8
stefan figures that he's gotten what he needed from this conversation, and he would much rather let thalia handle the messes that she creates herself. "have fun" he nods to thalia before he walks past zahir for the door. as a small token of his regard, stefan makes sure to close the door as he heads out.
* * *
slowly, sophia was starting to regain consciousness on the bed. she bites down on her lip hard enough to draw blood when she is suddenly hit by the pain in her chest. narcotics were usually in short supply - that was how things usually were when the legion was weathering difficult times. she didn't expect things to be any different right now, but the pain still wasn't a very enjoyable surprise to wake up to. it hurts to even breathe, but it was not much different from the days following daniel's funeral. her eyes finally stop blurring, and she wishes that the voices in the room would go away. except they are familiar in ways that sophia doesn't like to think about. not in the same room, not here -- she turns her head and doesn't like what she sees. sophia's first thought is to help him, but her combat instincts cause her to raise her upper body a little too quickly, and the pain is enough to make her hiss. maybe it will be enough to distract them, at the very least. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 16, 2013 0:17:00 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | The man jerks toward Sophia but Thalia is hardly feeling kind enough to let him go to her; her grip on him doesn't loosen and the unfathomably stupid face of shock he makes when he realizes he can't break it makes it all almost worth it.
"Sophia," Thalia says. "You shouldn't exert yourself so. You broke your ribs. Two months out, at most. In the meantime, you've been graced with a visitor who won't tell me his name or give anything other than the most obscurely poetic reasons for being here."
He shoots her a glare, but seems to have resigned himself to his fate of being chained at her side for the time being. He looks at Sophia like she's the only light in the room.
"I got a message in Sina that you were injured," he says. "So I came." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 16, 2013 0:38:27 GMT -8
his voice is more effective than any painkiller, but thalia's voice manages to bring reality back into full force. sophia's eyes settle on the stalemate between them, and she manages to forget the pain again.
"let go of him." sophia knows that thalia was unlikely to cause serious damage to a civilian, but that wasn't important. the important thing is that the fingers of the ace of the scouting legion are still digging into zahir's flesh, and she wants nothing more than to pry them loose herself. only some semblance of reason remains. "do not make me get up from this bed, do not test me"
her voice is low and dangerous, and the eyes that she gives thalia are colder than what she's given any titan, any killer of her brethren. sophia isn't interested in discourse, she is interested in results.
LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 16, 2013 0:47:57 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | "You're a criminal and he's a stranger. I'm not letting anyone go until I get some answers, no matter how passionately you threaten me from your sickbed."
To his credit, the man finally seems to realize he should actually be saying something useful.
"I'm Zahir Brand," he says. "I work in the judicial system in the capital. I have the papers on me to prove it. As I said, I've been assigned to Sophia's case regarding her re-integration into the Survey Corps, and I was informed of her injury in light of how it might affect the revision of her punishment. I came here from Sina to check up on her."
With his free hand, he digs his documentation out of his pocket and tosses it on the bed besides Thalia. She picks it up and leafs through, releasing him. He snapshots to Sophia's bed like a magnet, like there's anything he can do. Thalia stares at the scrawled signature that authorizes his access and custody over Sophia's case but it sadly doesn't seem to be forged. A true pity.
"I'm not sure what there is to address here, Mr. Brand," she says. "Sophia will recover and return to the field. Except for the fact that she won't be on active service for some time, nothing about her assignment has changed."
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 16, 2013 1:15:52 GMT -8
sophia finally remembers to breathe again, and she wishes that she didn't have to. another wave of pain reverberates from her chest and sophia struggles to fight the nausea -- zahir didn't need to see her like this.
she doesn't find as much hope in his words as she does in his presence. she watched zahir closely enough at her murder trial to realize when he was stretching the optimism, and nothing less could have gotten her free from that ordeal. she's seen fresh recruits return to the battlefield after losing an eye -- a few broken ribs were inconsequential in the scouting legion. sophia does not have zahir's talent for finding hope where none is there to be found.
she fumbles for the same hand that he had given her back at the district. wondering if he was real, as absurd as it was to suspect otherwise.
"i...didn't think that you were serious about leaving sina." sophia bites her still-bleeding lip in shame -- hadn't he proved himself devoted, again and again? "i'm sorry for the scare"
she starts to breathe evenly again as she looks at him with what can only be love. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Post by darth vader on Oct 20, 2013 1:34:30 GMT -8
[attr="class","l2l"] THERE'S GONNA BE A PARTY WHEN THE WOLF COMES HOME | Thalia legitimately feels her stomach turn as she watches the two of them. She's seen battlefields that were less nauseating than this. She watches as the man murmurs something sickeningly devoted to Sophia about how it wasn't her fault and blah blah blah--Thalia stops listening until he turns toward her and it becomes apparent that he's now speaking to her instead of crooning embarrassing platitudes.
"I was wondering, Captain de Luca," he says, picking his words with obvious care. Thalia represses a laugh. She's captain now apparently, now that he obviously wants something. She wonders where that respect was a moment ago when he looked like he planned on jostling her like a doll until her brains fell out. "If it would be possible for Ms. Rosenburg to return to within Wall Sina for the duration of her bedrest. She would be able to recuperate in peace, there, and be placed under the care of the best medical doctors available. It might even speed up the process of returning her to the front lines."
Okay, this time Thalia definitely can't stop herself from laughing.
"Yes, I'm sure that's what exactly would happen. No, Sophia can stay here for as long as she needs to get better. The Survey Corps has more experience with titan related injury than any Sina doctor, and she'll be in good hands. Don't worry. Focus on trying to get yourself permission to stay here much longer, not getting Sophia out. That's the battle you might win." |
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Post by redox-kun on Oct 24, 2013 23:24:10 GMT -8
sophia attempts to settle back into her bed before she accidentally prolongs her sick leave. she wouldn't be surprised if the legion decided to charge her with injuring herself on purpose. it's not entirely uncommon in such a high-risk occupation. sophia had hoped that a decade of service to the corps meant something to upper command, but she doesn't expect anything in times of war. they're under constant martial law, and everyone knows it.
well. almost everyone.
"mr brand." sophia wishes that she was capable of sounding a little more gentle with him, but it's a little more difficult when they're in the heart of a group welded together by ash and blood. "this isn't the capital, where your gifts are the most potent. this isn't your fight to win"
she's not sure if it's her chest that hurts or her ribs, but it has to be said. "last year, you told me that you fight for the living. we are not the living, and i'm sorry if i gave you any less of an impression"
sophia knows it's not true, of course. she's alive for as long as she can be used to further humanity's cause, up to the seconds before a death, a soldier can be used as a diversion. but that's not what he needs to hear. it's almost the truth, but not quite.
she wishes that she could promise to return alive, but that's a dishonesty that not even sophia is willing to touch. LAIKA OF GS! |
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Five years ago, the Pokemon League formed Lux to create a new world order of peace and harmony. A rebellion formed, under the name of Nox, cries tyranny at Lux's new microcosmic control. Their civil war now tears the Pokemon world apart. The world hangs in the balance of predormitum. Which side will you choose?
is a high stakes RP set in a dystopian Russian society recovering from an apocalyptic war between the armies of Heaven and Hell. Greater Russia now stands free from the influence of God and the Devil, and all non-humans run the risk of execution. Outside the safe zones lies the contained wasteland of Moscow, where demons and mutated shadowbeasts continue to terrorize the remaining human survivors who have been penned in with them. As of late, increasing evangelic disturbances threaten the peace that has ruthlessly maintained by the secret police.
