Calista no more

[17:34] Rindou Sakamoto says, "We need to talk to your mother, too."
[17:36] Lea Elisheva says, "Yeah..."
[17:36] Lea Elisheva says, "I hope nothing makes her leave, too."
[17:40] Rindou Sakamoto says, "... She decided not to tell either of us about it."
[17:40] Rindou Sakamoto says, "To stay silent."
[17:40] Lea Elisheva says, "Eshmun had a good point, though..."
[17:43] Lea Elisheva says, "I just really don't want to lose her."
[17:45] Rindou Sakamoto asks, "... Are you going to make sacrifices for that?"
[17:45] Lea Elisheva asks, "Sacrifices for what?"
[17:45] Rindou Sakamoto says, "To keep her."
[17:46] Lea Elisheva says, "It depends on what, but I'd sacrifice almost anything."
[17:47] Rindou Sakamoto asks, "Even me?"
[17:48] Lea Elisheva says, "I'd rather not be put in a situation where I'd have to."
[17:49] Rindou Sakamoto asks, "Would you, though?"
[17:51] Lea Elisheva says, "I can't say for sure. It'd be a spur of the moment thing."
[17:52] Lea Elisheva says, "I really don't like being asked that question, though."
[17:53] Rindou Sakamoto says, "......"
[17:57] When Lea said that it was rather obvious that Rindou was hurt. A lot. Thoughts quickly began flooding in - the idea of betrayal being so easy made her... afraid. Afraid of what she wanted, what she enjoyed, what she needed. The expression on her face shifted to shock, then sadness. She breathed in, then breathed out, shaking her head after it all.

The young woman stood up from her seat, moving away from Lea's grasp before taking a few steps southwards. It's only about half a minute that she spoke.

"I need some time."

And with that, she was moving eastwards.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[18:00] Lea sighed, stood up, and aimed to grab Rindou's hand, stopping her from moving any further.

"I promised my mom that I wouldn't let you get between me and her, and I'd much rather not let her get between us, either."

With that, anxiety began to set in. The fear of loss began to well up within her chest, staining the clear mind she'd normally use to speak about such things.

"...I really can't break promises, Rindou. I can't do that to her, to you, or to anyone. Can you please understand that...?"
(Lea Elisheva)
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[18:04] The hand that came for her was rejected. Pushed away, leaving Lea to hear what Rindou had on her heart with no luck at changing it through physical actions.

"You never made that promise for me. But that's fine. I understand. I wasn't born in the right family, I wasn't born good enough."

The sound of the girl's heart cracking and slowly shattering could be heard in her voice as she tried to hurry - to move away from this town. From Lea.

"I knew I didn't deserve something like that in the end— I knew it was too good to be true! I just... didn't expect it to happen so fast."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[18:05] Lea Elisheva says, "...wait."
[18:05] Lea Elisheva asks, "Can I make the promise to you, too?"
[18:05] Rindou didn't wait. She didn't respond to that, either.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[18:09] Lea slowly lowered her hand, that crippling, agonizing fear of loss beginning to override everything else. Adrian leaving really did a number on her.

"...f-fine..."

A really, really big number, to the point where she spoke out of a panic response rather than with any actual clarity.

"...I'd not sacrifice you. I... swear it."
(Lea Elisheva)
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[18:12] Those words definitely reached her. It stopped her in her tracks, leaving the both of them feeling like a mess and probably looking like one, too. Rindou remained silent, thinking. Could she believe that? Did she want to believe that? Lea wasn't the type to lie, but... It would hurt. It would hurt, so, so much if she ended up being too kind to her mother.

... She couldn't let them speak without being there. That much was for sure.

A hand reached out towards the angel-winged one, demanding she approach. No longer would Lea leave her gaze - no longer could she let anyone poison her mind.

"Let's..."

She didn't finish that sentence.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[18:17] Lea reached towards Rindou with her right hand and slowly began to approach. But as she reached up that hand, she saw something wavering around it, the faint sounds of crying echoing throughout her mind. That... was never a good omen. She didn't hear it come directly from Rindou, but the fact that she heard it at all in this situation did not give her any peace of mind.

It didn't take her long to notice the other people who just showed up, though, as she looked over at them, frozen in place.

It probably came from Calista. Right...?

"...uh... hey."

Hopefully this situation wouldn't go south.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[18:29] Magdalen explodes into being casually, that mass of gilded sparks forming into one whole Magdalen!
(Magdalen Elisheva)
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[18:32] Her curse from the Belialite had been broken, her conversation with the masked man still rolling through her mind. Though as she approached she saw both people she needed to see, she could handle both at once.

It would be apparent something was clutched in the Kitsune's hand, but it could only be wondered for now what it was. A faint silvery chain link seen emerging from between pale fingers.

Glancing to Lea first,

"Apologies for... what happened the other day. I wasn't in my right senses. I am better now."

She had pondered on what had been asked of her, the 'price' mentioned to be taught.

Something with meaning. Someone you love, or hate. An idea you want destroyed. Some... act that you can put your whole self into.

While she was giving her cousin the well deserved apology, her hand began to heat whatever was inside.

It was a simple mythril amulet, one made for someone who would become so so special to her. One she was prepared to fight her own father for...

One who had broken her heart.

The night she had given it to the woman it had been carried home by her, and kept ever since...

One hand clutches that necklace as the metal turns a cherry-red then white-hot even managing to burn her own hand in the process.

Destroy something you love.

Or in her case, an object that represented it.

Tears grace the sides of the Fallen Demi's face, even if her expression didn't convey such an emotion it was apparent as the smell of cooking flesh fills the air.

She casts out a that hand, the melting mythril spraying across the stones as only part of the pendant's face remained. Stopping near the foot of Rindou.

She would know what it was...

Even if it meant nothing to the other woman, which Calista always had... she had simply been a means to an end for Rindou.

She had given up her first love.
(Calista Shimasu)
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[18:42] Rindou was expecting for this rollercoaster of emotions she felt to slow down and take a break for a moment, but that wasn't the case. The presence she felt was frightening in its own way, and lead Rindou to fully turning to face Calista who approached with... Weight. A lot of weight on her heart.

Eyes caught a glimpse of something shiny - of something that she recognized nigh instantly. Cautious steps were made to approach the kitsune - words exiting her lips soon after she apologized. Words that only showcased Rindou's own lack of self-esteem and a aching, emotional void that needed to be filled came forth.

"I deserved it. I should've... I shouldn't have let you run away. It wasn't right. I—"

If the metal had been heated up enough to be destroyed by that point she'd reach down to catch it. If not, she approached. In either case heartfelt words followed.

"I hurt myself, too, that day."

This wasall too complicated. Far too complicated for Rindou to make sense of. Between this and Lea's words earlier she could barely find some sort of balance. Heat. Pressure. Exhaustion. When was the last time she slept? When was the last time she had a night without nightmares?

Rindou was a tormented person, though mainly due to her own hand.

Legs felt weak and her face turned white a bit before she collapsed, unexpectedly.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[18:48] The cries from Lea's right hand began to echo even louder, screeching in a tone that only Lea could hear; nobody else. To everyone else present, it'd just look like Lea was staring at her right hand for no reason. A very Lea thing to do, given how often she spaced out, but it might still be a bit weird to some. She backed away from the situation, too focused on the thing her hand was doing to pay any more mind.

Lea didn't know what this was trying to tell her, but it was something she felt she really did not want to hear.

"I uh... need to tend to something... Alone."

With that, she ran off, although anyone who wasn't too engrossed in the situation would probably be able to follow her.

And truth be told, she really didn't want to be alone. She just wanted quiet.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[18:52] Soft grass bending ever so slightly underneath those boots, and there's a way just the faintest of hums escape past, ocean gaze wandering over the settlement which was ever so critical throughout his upbringing-- and then, there was the Academy. No words in particular escape, however, and when the Chieftain comes to a brief halt, he'd merely opt to walk over and lean against the statue of Pendragon, head lightly resting upon that stone hilt of Excalibur.

Even before Calista starts, a single hand is allowed to lift along, in a bit of wave towards Lea before it drops yet once again. Ever so lighthearted, despite whatever tension which surmounted the atmosphere, until--

--those eyes drift over, catching a glimpse of tear stained features, only to notice that faint scent of burning flesh afterward, and he couldn't particularly help but find a single eyebrow quirked upward-- that smile fading away, but his expressions remain blank nonetheless. Steps are slowand small, hands now tucked into those pockets of his coat as he'd make his way over to the Shimasu's side.

Amidst every side of the Fallen Demi, be it the twisted one, or that which remains surprisingly soft; this was still new. Even so, no voice of his own finds its way out just yet, and the Hirai only listens, briefly glancing back and forth between the two all the while.

Concerned? Hard to tell.
(Elyon Hirai)
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[18:54] The Angel-blooded mother doesn't intervene in the estranged meeting. She just watches from the side-lines, not getting the meaning of that amulet at all. She doesn't exactly know what's going on here, not at all, but hearing that apology given to Rindou, a little letting go, has Magdalen look to Rindou.

Her apology is accepted, and that seems the end of it. It's interesting - seeing a side of Rindou that isn't all 'I want the sword' or 'I don't trust you' or scowling. Being genuine - probably the only time Magdalen actually saw her as being such.

Regardless, Lea is, as always, focused on afterwards, seeing her response... Divorced from what is occurring here. That's strange, considering how close she is to Rindou - whether Magdalen likes that or not.

Furthermore, the words that are spoken - that she wants to be alone are just as weird. Lea was never someone who would actively shun the company of others so as to be alone, though she usually was comfortable with just herself!

And so, Magdalen will follow her daughter, so see what's ailing her -

This visit to Levengard was, as it always is, to see her, after all!
(Magdalen Elisheva)
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[19:12] Even if Lea hadn't directly accepted her apology, it didn't matter. She'd given it, not even out of remorse... but to hopefully curb whatever may have arisen politically had she not.

Though as her cousin spoke and left the black-winged wouldn't offer her a glance, those rubies focused on one person.

Rindou's words nothing but swords to her insides, though nothing she said would ever repair the damage. What she had just done would only prove that. Sima had promised her, promised her... that it was worth it to feel.

The moment she had finally done just that, opened herself to someone... her heart had been all but kept intact.

All that had remained of what she felt had just been burned away by her own hand, the pain remaining from the scorching nothing compared to what she had felt then.

All that remained in its place was a void, one darker than it had ever been before. Eyes drift to that now utterly destroyed pendant, most of it in cooling drops of mythril on the cobbled road.

She began to realize as that woman took that first step forward towards her, people were weak. They allowed such things to guide them, love, regret... This was something she should have realized long ago, even before she was the only one with the strength to not pity the Demon who killed all of those people.

Were these the chains she had been told of..? Those things that bind people into an endless predictable cycle of emotion and action?

She wouldn't allow herself to be bound any longer.

Those ruby eyes glowing a sharp red that same hand as before is raised, igniting into an inferno as a swirling of flames forms in her palm.

"No. I got to see you for what you truly were. A snake.."

She was seething, her next words spoken with nothing but a sneer.

"Good, I hope it fucking hurt. If you take another step towards me I will finish what I tried the other day, and I'm not cursed this time."

If Rindou came closer it would likely be bad for everyone involved, if she stayed in place or backed away... she would continue to hold her flame.
(Calista Shimasu)
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[19:13] Lea Elisheva whispers something.
[19:29] The roaring flames and the obvious anger that came from Calista wasn't something Rindou wanted to approach too much. She kept her distance for now - instead replying to her words while Lea made a discrete escape.

"I would never have betrayed you, Calista." She began, reaching for the piece of metal that had been destroyed on the cobblestone. It looked like Rindou could barely handle herself as it was, from the strength of her words to the speed at which she reached for that destroyed memento. She held it, tightly so.

A frown appeared on her features as she thought about what had to be said next. It was... calling for vulnerability, though at this point who didn't see her as weak? Her lips parted, head shaking a bit.

"I thought you would be able to understand why it wasn't what drove me. I thought you of all people would accept me for something like that. And I think you can understand why..."

She took a deep breath, trying to hold emotions steady, to explain her thoughts and feelings.

".. I think you understand why I was afraid, now. Why I didn't want something like that to hurt again. But it did. I think it did worse. Even if... Even if I held back. Because I held back.

Because I finally had something I wanted— all the things that I said aside, you... still gave me something that I wanted in the end. And I was the one who threw it away."

More thoughts. More revelations. If she didn't fall to regret, jealousy, and desires, then who was she?

"I wish I hadn't.
I don't think I was lying when I screamed those three words at you, either."

It was odd, definitely. She doing her best not to lose her mind, to scream, to plead, to approach, to cry. Her words were loaded with emotions, yet, she managed to keep her composure - as if masked the obvious pain in her words.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[19:32] She appeared, out of no where seemingly as she smiled happily. The young girl wasn't entirely sure what was going on - but...

"Hello!" She exclaimed.
(Juniper Elisheva)
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[19:46] The other woman making the wise choice to not come closer that hand remained raised, those flames slowly turning from red, to white.

"There is nothing you can say to me any longer. Nothing will fix it, ALL OF IT IS GONE!"

Her hand points upwards that swirling mass coiling into a white-hot serpent of flame above their heads. Ether lurking within forming rubies for eyes to glare down at Rindou from above.

It was a far cry from the snake that had swallowed her before.

"The next time you lay broken, I won't be there to save you."

Nothing but cold apathy met Rindou from those rubies, her words, her demeanor. She was nothing anymore. Nothing but what she had always been for the other powers of Agartha.

A Pawn.

Her back turns, she begins to stride away with her usual gait. The massive fiery serpent above coiling through the skies to follow, it's own ruby eyes always seeming to find Rindou once more.

She was leaving, Spirits forbid she was stopped.
(Calista Shimasu)
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[19:51] In the middle of Levengard's street, with enforcers on and about, and the Shimasu more than prepared to outright assault, ah...

...for just a moment there, a single step is almost taken forward, almost as if he intended to step into, and absorb whatever roar of fire that might follow suit, yet-- it never really came. Likely because of how the Sakamoto didn't advance any further.

Regardless, bits and pieces aside, the context wasn't most clear to him--- even so, despite himself, the Chieftain couldn't help but briefly still when Calista's own exclamation escaped past.

Gaze finally shifts and settles itself on her, ignoring the serpent which hovered about. It isn't until she'd turn around and aim to stride away did he offer just the quietest, nearly inaudible hum outward.

No mind is paid to Rindou, or anything else that might linger as he lightly takes off in that same general direction, features still blank, and no voice escapes-- not until they were out, or so.
(Elyon Hirai)
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[19:51] Juniper Elisheva says, "....."
[19:52] Juniper Elisheva says, "Um."
[19:58] Hearing those screams and watching the coalescing ball of fire above Calista's head was nothing too pleasant. It shook Rindou right out of that mask - to idea that she wasn't too affected, that she could handle herself without breaking down and crying. This... was real, wasn't it? She had shattered a heart worse than Caira had. She had destroyed everything - cast away an ally she wanted to keep.

All for desires. For needs. For wants. For things she would've had if she took the time to trust the other.

... to trust a monster.
Perhaps Rindou was the one who made her a monster in the end. Perhaps that gaze she gave her was warranted, earned. She felt like nothing. Nothing more than an object before Calista's eyes. A convenience. A piece to be sacrificed for the advancement of something bigger.

It was... terrifying.

He had claimed her destiny was of such, that it was the future that awaited her. He couldn't be right. He couldn't see through all of that - no. No, no, no. There was no way. He knew nothing of Agartha. He had been away for so, so long.

Why?
Why?

Rindou was freaking out in her own measure. The moment Calista turned, the Sakamoto practically sprinted eastwards. She...

.. she needed help.
(Rindou Sakamoto)