Ironclad Beetle

1/7

>Since the school week was always plain busy weekends were highly valued time. With this in mind Sasha and Marcy agreed to meet up early on the weekend and chat over a drink. Then surprise Anne with other plans later that day. So After Sasha was only a little late for once, they met up and went for some coco. Another joy of winter was all the excuses for coco, and the marshmallow that often accompany it.

>Before they found a place to settle and chat, they hit a speed bump. It's not like Marcy was being oblivious about her surroundings the whole time. She was in fact rather on edge and carful in the crowd, however still at times she gets distracted. Unfortunately When she got distracted in the crowd it was at the wrong time and place.

>Sasha and Marcy were getting their hot drinks at the front of the line. Right before they left though Marcy turned her back to some stranger as they moved an arm, an elbow swung right into Marcy's back. Ultimately it was bad timing and not being mindful of her surroundings. So it was Marcy's fault and she accepted it pretty instantly. Sasha had a very different reaction however.

>"Did he just?" Sasha whispered as she whipped her head around in surprise.

>Marcy's face turned from her jovial smile to blank, no sound left her but the coco she held slipped from her hand to be caught by Sasha.

>Raising her voice Sasha started. "No man you don't get to-" She was cut off. Marcy grabbed her wrist and squeezed it. The random person continued on his way none the wiser.

>"Sasha please don't make this a battle." Marcy's face reflected little more than pain, her voice did not however. "I wasn't being carful and there is no way he even knew."

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2/7

>Sasha remained quiet for a moment before turning away and slightly moving her arm side to side till Marcy let go. The second Marcy let go Sasha started to walk away.

>"Fine." Her rage was clear, and people in the line looked annoyed at the two girls making a scene. So her just leaving wasn't all bad.

>"Sorry!" Marcy apologized to the other customers then trailed behind Sasha. "Hey wait for me Sasha!"

>Sasha was legitimately trying to control her anger. What Marcy said was just plain facts. That stranger had no clue what he did and yelling at them over it was pointless. But she was still angry all the same, logic be damned at this point.

>Sasha sat down on a bench ahead of Marcy and sipped her coco as she held Marcy's cup up, presenting it for when Marcy caught up. "That's frustrating." She mumbled to herself.

>"Sasha..." Marcy sounded worried now but rebounded. "Thanks." She took the cup held for her and sat down swiftly taking a drink. Marcy cleared her throat and placed her hand over Sasha's hand that tapped the bench in annoyance.

>"What?" Sasha leered at first before consciously relaxing her sharp expression. 'It's just Marcy you can't lash out at her because your mad. She did nothing to even make you mad, just stop it.'

>"How about we do something to help you relax?"

>"I pick what we do then." Sasha sipped.

>"Absolutely!" Jovial tone aside Marcy was curious as to what exactly Sasha would want to do.

>The two chatted and drank coco though a bit of it was arguably Sasha just jabbing at the failures of warlords with a smirk on her face. When they finished Sasha amused herself by tossing the cups to the trashcan. Then turned around and held her hands behind her back and approached Marcy with a façade of excitement to cover her doubts.

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3/7

>"So...now could we do that fun thing?" The grin on her face was almost devious. 'Here goes...something.'

>"uh?" Marcy nervously smiled. "Sure."

>Sasha stepped closer and kneeled on one knee and started to feel her face heat up. Willing herself to meet Marcy with her eyes she slowly looked up. 'This is so fucking corny what the hell am I doing?'

>Marcy was more surprised by Sasha's sudden switch to a timid demeanor than her stance that mirrored a proposal.

>"Om...could I?" Her eyes darted away and then back to Marcy. "May I carry you?" 'Kill me now for Frog's sake!'

>Marcy's eyes went wide. "What?!"

>Sasha stood up swiftly without saying anything, then just thumped down on the bench next to Marcy. She tossed one hand over the back of the bench and casually looked at her nails on the other. "You don't have to agree if you don't want to, that's why I asked after all." No fooling Marcy though since Sasha has only gotten red at this point. 'This is like a nightmare, please just end.'

>"No you can...but why do you want to?" Marcy tilted her head.

>Sasha just looked away and said something inaudibly quiet.

>"Sasha?" Marcy put her hand on Sasha's shoulder and waited.

>"I want to feel like I'm strong, that I could protect you." Sasha sighed loudly and looked to the sky. "Like, I want to be your knight in shinning armor." She facepalms and groans in embarrassment. "Why am I such a nerd!?"

>"Well I'll be nerdy with you!" Marcy grabs Sasha's hand off the bench. "Thank you so much for telling me Sasha!"

>Sasha was like a deer in headlights for a second. "So your fine with it?"

>"Yep!" The goofy girl had a glowing smile, the kind that wasn't so common anymore.

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4/7

>"Awesome." Sasha sprung up and dawned a joyful grin. "We can go to that place you found the ironclad beetle. Should be quiet there."

>"Wait you remember that?" Marcy raised an eyebrow.

>"Mmhm" Sasha swiftly turned to face Marcy and reached out her right hand to her surprised bestie with a slight bow. She hid her left hand behind her as it made a tight fist out of anxiety.

>Marcy felt uneasy as she reached out and took Sasha's hand. 'That beetle thing was so long ago.'

>Sasha brought Marcy to her feet then gently held her right arm around her back. A flash of what seemed to be a saddened smile turned into a smirk and an air of bravado. In one smooth motion she swept Marcy up into her arms, carful to not put any pressure on her weak point of course. Then turned around and started to carry Marcy to the old yet familiar destination.

>Marcy closed her eyes and rested her head against Sasha. Leaving her none the wiser to Sasha glancing down at her watery eyed.

>The little quiet spot wasn't far away. It was just a very small forested part of a park next to where the two girls got their drinks. But Sasha took her time and the smoothest path. Priority one was making the trip comfortable. Judging by how relaxed Marcy was now she achieved that too. Marcy looked nearly like she was asleep, if it wasn't for her blissful smile. Sasha took every chance to see it as she walked to the little clearing.

>It wasn't long till they reached the destination. The already degraded trees and splotchy grass only looked worse after winter set in. But it was the same place from before. It always looked nice in summer somehow, but winter as all things has its drawbacks. After all nothing is perfect.

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5/7

>Sasha slowed and looked for the old mossy stone. The stone did blend into the sullen location which seemed to reflect what was deep inside Sasha. Dying bent saplings scattered on the edges of the clearing as if exiled from the others. Old sharply twisted but dauntless trees all around, bereft of leaves yet still making a wall.

>'Well at least it's quiet even if it looks like shit.' She looked down again at the light weight girl she carried. 'That smile I just can't get enough of it.' Sasha could feel her eyes starting to well up with tears and quickly looked back up. 'Where is that stupid stone?!' Sasha squinted and darted her eyes looking for the spot.

>After locating the stone Sasha picked up pace and crossed the small clearing of dormant grass. "Well the beetles sure aren't here now but this is the place." Her voice was just a touch off sounding.

>Marcy broke from her blissful happy place and looked around slowly.

>Sasha sat down on a large rock with Marcy in her lap and hugged her before either could say anything. There was a quiet moment as Marcy tried to figure out what was causing Sasha to act way more cuddly then before.

>"You were so adorable fawning over that little beetle." Sasha paused. "You went full on rant mode on how it was cool." Sasha was nearing her limit and she knew it. She just didn't care anymore, she was alone with only Marcy after all.

>Marcy was pretty embarrassed recalling it, after all she was even more of a nerdy spaz back then. But she was more concerned then embarrassed now. 'Sasha said some odd things earlier too.' This wasn't a good sign and even Marcy could pick up on it.

>"You said I was strong like that beetle, that nothing could break me. Like how nothing could break it's ironclad shell." Sasha's hold closed around Marcy even more.

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6/7

>"Sasha?" Marcy put her hands on Sasha's arms that held tight around her.

>"But something did break me..." Her voice was so quiet.

>Marcy had a sinking feeling, a theory of what was to come next. She was right too, drops cooled by the winter air hit her hands. Sasha was indeed crying pretty hard.

>"I didn't protect you at all, I wasn't strong enough to do anything." Her voice shook. "I couldn't even keep your back from getting hit in that crowd." Sasha's whole being seemed to rattle like an ill fitting suit of armor.

>"And-and...why does it matter if I don't break when everything around me breaks?" Sasha's arms went limp and fell to her sides.

>Marcy was not sure what to say. Seeing Sasha fall apart like this rarely if ever happened. She repositioned herself to look at her knight turned sobbing mess.

>But before Marcy could speak Sasha continued. "I keep failing and now you-"

>"Sasha!" Marcy practically tackled Sasha and hugged her with a frantic energy. "You didn't fail at all, you saved me! I'm okay now because of you!" Marcy ended up crying at this point, not surprising since she tends to cry a lot anyways. However it was a rather quiet round of tears this time.

>"I was the one who got us in that situation. Even then you saved me, after everything I did. You did more than enough Sasha." Marcy felt the absence of Sasha's steel will as her friend remained limp in her arms. "You have to stop blaming yourself! Its not your fault..."

>Sasha weakly raised her hand and placed it on Marcy's back. 'It's not even just the scar, what they did was hellish.' "Marcy...your never going to be the same."

>Marcy released the hug and took Sasha's face in both hands locking eyes with her. "Neither of us are the same and that's fine." Marcy smiled with tears burning her cheeks.

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7/7

>"If anything it's better this way because you can talk to me like this now...and I will listen." She kissed the scar on Sasha's cheek.

>"Marmar..." Sasha put her hand to Marcy's and held it to her cheek. Then closed her eyes relinquishing her steel shell.

>Marcy responded with a hope in her words. "Someday soon, you will even talk to Anne about things bothering you."

>Sasha's hand dropped from Marcy's as she opened her eyes. "I'm not so sure about that."

>"Yeah I know you're scared of talking to her since she's so soft hearted by nature." Marcy rested her hands on Sasha's shoulders. "But you know full well she is really strong too. Anne really wants you to open up a bit, she said you haven't been talking much lately."

>"At least you can tell her things... You better hold up to that promise, tell me if not Anne." Sasha's voice was melancholy at best.

>"I will, but can you do me a favor?" Marcy gave Sasha's shoulders a gentle squeeze as she tried to keep a positive tone.

>The now armor-less knight Sasha raised an eyebrow and questioned. "Uh...what's the favor?"

>"Never forget you're stronger than ever Sash." She put emphasis to her words by giving Sasha a little shake. Her friend's body was rather relaxed as it swayed free of the harsh metallic like weight, if only for a while.

>"Nerd." Sasha retorted, her smugness was returning.

>Marcy smirked. "Any time I'm with you."

>They stayed there for a bit and hugged each other, it was a nice quiet place to relax after all.