MAEA
She had meant to reclaim Harper's hand more than the bottle. When that failed, Maea sighed and took a swig of the burning liquid instead. Prepared this time, it seared its way down her throat and set fire to her blood, leaving behind an aftertaste of wood barrels and smoke, and something salty sweet that did not belong in the Grounds. Torchline, maybe, or Stormbreak... places she had no connection to, once the faint aroma disippated on her tongue.
"I would go back in time," she replied, voice made husky by alcohol and bitterness, "and nail my feet to Halo's Citadel so I never go hunting for Ghost Whales. I would dedicate myself to the region I actually loved, attend the Academy and forget all about rotten people and their rotten promises." Another, longer pull from the flask and Maea offered it back to Harper.
"I'm sorry you can't go home. I know what that's like - a little bit. But is there something that's keeping you from doing the circus thing here? Well not here here," she corrected, waving a hand to the establishment at large - they were doing a good job of entertaining themselves - "but maybe... With a mask and a stage name, you could become anyone. Until you feel like being yourself."
Slumping back against the richly dyed upholstery, Maea's gaze lingered on her guest. Returned his smile just because it was him - she could smile for a friend - and if her jaw ached with some emotion and if her eyes shone too damp for that smile to be anything but painful and raw... at least she didn't have to hide it.
"I know what I might ask Dygra for," she added, when a thought struck her. "Removing any trace of the Voice and her workings from my body - taking them out and letting me start over. Properly. Like the time between my dying and waking up in this body never even happened." Maybe it wouldn't make any difference. But what if it did? At the very least she would have made some kind of decision and followed through with it.
It would be the first time since the hospital fire. All she'd done since was drift aimlessly, no goal or end in sight.
"I would go back in time," she replied, voice made husky by alcohol and bitterness, "and nail my feet to Halo's Citadel so I never go hunting for Ghost Whales. I would dedicate myself to the region I actually loved, attend the Academy and forget all about rotten people and their rotten promises." Another, longer pull from the flask and Maea offered it back to Harper.
"I'm sorry you can't go home. I know what that's like - a little bit. But is there something that's keeping you from doing the circus thing here? Well not here here," she corrected, waving a hand to the establishment at large - they were doing a good job of entertaining themselves - "but maybe... With a mask and a stage name, you could become anyone. Until you feel like being yourself."
Slumping back against the richly dyed upholstery, Maea's gaze lingered on her guest. Returned his smile just because it was him - she could smile for a friend - and if her jaw ached with some emotion and if her eyes shone too damp for that smile to be anything but painful and raw... at least she didn't have to hide it.
"I know what I might ask Dygra for," she added, when a thought struck her. "Removing any trace of the Voice and her workings from my body - taking them out and letting me start over. Properly. Like the time between my dying and waking up in this body never even happened." Maybe it wouldn't make any difference. But what if it did? At the very least she would have made some kind of decision and followed through with it.
It would be the first time since the hospital fire. All she'd done since was drift aimlessly, no goal or end in sight.
I'm bleeding out for you
BASE INSPIRED BY ODD <3
