Caira's anger

[04:00] Rindou brought the blindfold back up where it belonged, tightening it up a bit before she let out a small huff, facing the ground out of habit as she spoke.

"He... tried to reach deep into me. To erase and destroy the good within. I've lost a lot. There were two things that wouldn't let him mark me, though. Her light and... I.."

She shook her head a bit, hands finding their way up to hold onto her head.

".. I can't bring it out anymore, Caira."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[04:00] Miyo Yuumi says, "Goodness.. I could ask Mutt, or Alice, if she knows anything more about it."
[04:00] Caira Vindict says, "..."
[04:00] Caira Vindict says, "... You didn't."
[04:00] Caira Vindict says, "You didn't lose your valor magic."
[04:00] Caira Vindict says, "Don't lie to me."
[04:00] Caira reaches down to grab Masamune and draws the blade on Rindou inside of that clinic. It was as if snap aggression hit her like a ton of bricks.
(Caira Vindict)
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[04:00] Rindou Sakamoto says, "..."
[04:01] Adar sort of winced throughout her explanation, in sympathy. Then he'd finally snap upon seeing the Medic brashly draw the sword. "M-Miss Vindict, what...!?"
(Adar Gutt)
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[04:02] Caira Vindict says, "You didn't bend your knee. "
[04:02] Caira Vindict says, "Don't. Lie. To. Me."
[04:02] Masamune is drawn, and although his fingers twitch ever so slightly, there's no movements which follow suit just yet. Instead, the Chieftain merely tilts head over to the side, allowing a single eyebrow to lift upward as he'd watch.

Silent and still, for now, or-- at least until an actual attempt to assault would be made, or something.
(Elyon Hirai)
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[04:03] Warmth permeates at a rapid pace couple with the intentions of protection for Rindou as the sword chimes when brandished.

"Wait!" Though, fires don't conjure just yet as the forces of gravity create a repelling barrier between the two women. "Please, give her time to explain. She's gone through a lot; Rindou may just need rest to clear her head for better narrations of what's happened!"

Will protects her as magics are current, rippling around the forces of gravity in a manner that's soothing, opting to alleviate the aggression within Ciara!
(Miyo Yuumi)
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[04:04] Caira has an explosion of holy light armor her form in the same motion of her reveal of Masamune. She was already cloaked in the wonderfous feelings of exorcism, so what gives?!
(Caira Vindict)
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[04:07] Adar tensed up his facial muscles, then seemed to make a massive effort to swalow. His then already fragile stomach was being put to the test. Gagging once or twice, the navigator swallowed back down what would've been just bile. The grand veil of holy energy that had covered up the atmosphere of the place generated stimuli of pure unpleasantry.
(Adar Gutt)
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[04:12] Rindou shook her head more, rising it up to face Caira and finding her cheek meeting with a cold, icy steel. She stopped right there, though her words were sent forth and pain...

Pain was far more potent than any other time before. It had been four years ever since they last seriously spoke, perhaps the Gehennan would realize there was a lot that changed in that time.

"He was taking lives by the hundreds! Destroying the place that I was meant to protect! I couldn't even properly stand up to him, I couldn't stop anything. He wanted me to watch, to serve him and watch as innocents were having their souls torn apart by Nethradin!"

The noblewoman's hand jutted upwards, catching onto the blade that threatened her and gripping, hard, hard enough to draw blood, even. It clear that her emotions were all in shambles but her loud response was spoken from the heart.

"I was alone. I'm not as strong as you, Caira! I'm not the one who's life only got better— the one who's got a family and love! I'm not the one who matters to their settlement, either. I was caretaker, tossed in that place with the promise of purification that never came. I was left to defend myself against that monster. To feel his... horrible, empty, vile influence hit right against everything I believed in.

I couldn't feel my legs anymore and people were still dying. Before I even noticed... It-

... it was gone. He took it from me."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[04:14] Eshmun casually takes a spot by the door, after hearing about a certain report, saying nothing but looking at the situation at hand.
(Eshmun Hirai)
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[04:17] The Kitsune retracts her magics when Rindou rises to face against Ciara with words and some actions. For now, the girl reels back at Elyon's side to allow them their time of speaking.
(Miyo Yuumi)
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[04:29] The icy claws of Masamune stay lashing out at Rindou as if she were the enemy. When the valorborn Caira narrows her eyes, it is with the ultimate judgement that could've been a verdict handed by the angels themselves. She was glowering at the Sakamoto. Caira had always been a by the books person, blunt and to the point with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

".. When the war raged and Briar slaughtered my parents, when Dawn slaughtered tribesmen - Do you think I lowered myself down and sobbed? Do you think someone who dares call themselves my rival is allowed to bend their knee?!" Caira roars outwards now. When Rindou grabs onto the blade, she could feel the holy energy lashing - Eating - Attacking her.

"Never. Bend. The. Knee. Not in the face of the harshest storm, the more powerful enemy. You could've been stronger than me. You could've been everything I am and more - You had every card in your hand. You had the ability to stride forward and become grand. So why did you think it was okay to feign weakness?"

Masamune is tugged out of Rindou's grip as if Caira decided that the Sakamoto was unworthy to even touch or be bled by the sword itself. Her hand and fingers are sliced right open if she didn't let go that instant.

"He didn't take it from you, Rindou. You purged it from yourself. No one is able to pull from valor but the user itself. The only one with that key is you."

Caira turns for the door with an ugly, almost hateful expression. Elyon saw how Caira reacted when she saw Tih Noctem scurry out of Gehenna in a weak-willed manner. If there was anything that pissed her off more than the tides of the enemies?

It was weakness.

"Come find me when you understand that, if you even care to see yourself shrouded in that light again. If not? Then you were never meant to be valorborn in the first place."
(Caira Vindict)
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[04:45] She felt that tug moving away from her. She felt those energies crashing right against her body. It was as if she knew that Caira was about to leave. To turn around. To face away from her and never look back. It... hurt.

So why did you think it was okay to feign weakness?

"What would you know about being weak?! What would you know about having nowhere to go - about people almost killing you for saving a life?! You're wrong if you think I had a choice in the matter - if you think it was within my hands!"

She stood up. She was screaming at a wall, but the words would surely reach Caira.

"He took it from me by striking when I was all alone, when I couldn't stop him. He took it from me like you took away any hope I had to have a real friend— you knew how I felt about friendship right away but you just... shoved it aside. You made me believe I was worthy of being your rival, that I was strong enough, that I could keep up with you, but the moment you took that victory in the tournament? It was over. You never cared for me - you just wanted someone to cross swords with and give you a challenge!"

Her fists clenched up. If she could see she probably would've swung at something by now.

"Not one time. Four years. Not a single time did you even drop by to visit. The only words I got from you in four years were to leave a room - that's it. What kinda rival are you trying to pretend I am?! What kind of friend are you pretending to be?!"

It hurt to open up like that, but she was at her wit's end. She couldn't communicate it any other way.

"You called yourself Gehenna's Bulwark. You said you'd be the greatest, the immovable. I never-...

... I never claimed any of that. You heard what I said back then when I was talking to Reito, when you were spying on us. There's only one thing I ever needed from you, Caira. You made me want more, that's all there is to it."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[04:53] "I don't know what to tell you, Sakamoto. It's all downhill from here and you know it is. I don't care that he fought you when you were alone. You're supposed to grit your teeth until you can't anymore. If you believed in yourself, you wouldn't have lost it. Valor isn't purged from losses, from defeat. It's purged from weakness." She narrows her eyes for a time and stares at the wall. She's tightening her fists harder than ever.

"You're right about one thing, though. I've never known what it meant to be weak. I care endless amounts for every breathing soul here in Gehenna, I love my friends to the ends of the earth. But my people come first. Do you think I spent those four years lollygagging with Adrian and dashing it all away?" She takes in a deep breath, knowing that Rindou couldn't see the disgust apparent on her face.

"..I -loved- you Rindou. You were.. One of my best friends." She pauses for a time and a sniffle can be heard, though it's not from the Sakamoto. "I may be a shitty friend, but you're weak. You're.. Weak."

Caira's head falls down now as she went to kick open the door - And it flies right off of those hinges. ".. I'm nothing but a stupid sword and shield. I'm not good with people, never was. You want to hear my thoughts on it all?

I'm sorry, Rindou. I'm sorry for pretending I have any idea what I'm doing when I'm not fighting for my life or helping my people."

Eyes close and she walks right out of that clinic once more. Whatever had transpired shot through her system like a bullet. "This is why I can't be anything more than a soldier. This is what happens."
(Caira Vindict)
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[04:58] Anger is more than evident when Caira's voice booms past, Masamune's influence remains practically palpable, so much that he could feel the frosted presence despite not being the focus of its lashings. Despite all, the Chieftain remains quiet, listen to the words being spoke-- the retorts to follow, and...

...it wasn't his place to interject here, to say the least. The Hirai didn't know about Rindou, yet he was more than familiar with the rivalry between the two-- or, well, aware of it. Be it the initial skirmish following the murder of regency, or the tournament which came drifting couple years later. Neither did he know much about her light.

All in all, one thing did strike him so-- the prospect of being forgotten. Even if it was true... even if it wasn't; to be left behind by ones you cared for-- to be captured, left to defend yourself with no aid, with no one to save you afterward. A situation all too familiar... a painful, agonizing situation.

...though not enough to garner any sort of emotions, or reaction out of the Nullstorm in the moment.

"Mm..."

Even then, a brief glance is spared over his shoulder, ocean hues now drifted towards Caira-- the mention of being a soldier. Yet, no voice of his own escapes, still. He'd merely listen, features blank.
(Elyon Hirai)
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[05:02] Miyo Yuumi says, "..Sors has seemed to cause terrible commotions so much that it strains friendships."
[05:03] I -loved- you Rindou.
loved

This one hit her harder than anything else. It wasn't something that she really expected or thought would ever come to light, either. Whether it was meant in the way she dreamed of when her first friend turned into a first crush or if it merely was as friends mattered little.

All that mattered was that there was... something. That there was a lot left in the Gehennan's heart. That could only fill Rindou with regret - as if she had destroyed something she held dear. As if she had tossed away something that mattered far, far more than she let on.

As the door flew off its hinges the young woman knew she wouldn't have much else to say, she knew that this was her last chance to get through to Caira before it'd be too late.

"If I'm too weak to be your friend, then... Then I'll be the person you need me to be!"

Whatever that even meant; it showed that despite all of that jealousy, all of that blame, that anger, that sadness, Rindou still wanted to do better. To be the right person for Caira.
To be the right person for anyone she cared about.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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