may i introduce

LENA

look at me I am weightless

Something was off; Lena couldn’t quite pinpoint whether it was in her own rampant insecurities, information thrust here and there, or the sudden pressure she felt building. Even Everest was giving strange mirrors of apprehension she couldn’t quite fathom or understand, nor why Anju agreed so readily –

She could feel her fingers trembling again, a shake she couldn’t remove from them, as if her body were trying to fight away the need to appease and be good and kind and just and not to run and flee from every pore in her body.

The lack of answers, the vague ferocities – for once, Lena wasn’t going to bow her head. “I don’t think I’ll be a correct fit for your council at this time. I’m sure those remaining will do wonders for you.”

With that, the Caretaker figured her moments adjourned, and aimed to depart, a respectable nod following suit to those contained within. Perhaps they were simply braver than she.

freedom; petrichor and flower petals

Everest

'That's disappointing to hear. She has very good ideas.' Everest says on the heels of a sigh as he watches Lena leave the room. The click of the door behind her sounds very final indeed, or perhaps the aviator was simply reading into things too much, though from everything he thought and felt about the Reaper, Dahlia wasn't the sort of woman you simply turned down and walked away from.

But..just now that didn't seem so important.

"Well, I think we'll do just fine on our own. Anju is brilliant when it comes to strategy and defence and she's an accomplished warrior in her own right." Folding his notebook closed, the aviator stood. "I am glad that Stormbreak stands as a friend to the Family, rather than an enemy."

Smiling widely and bolstered by purple confidence, Everest nodded to Dahlia and Anju in turn, before departing as well.

~FIN

even if i had to lose you to know you,
i'd still be that temporary phase that you grow through