Open | The past is never where you think you left it

[getting_better]

Who: Bishop + You
When: Aguril (August)
Where: Aefenglom + Dorchacht
What: Quests + Other Stuff
Warnings: (CW: Violence, mentions of war, blood, death)

Comments

[needsteaplz]

As soon as he dropped the katana, Saori's tail swatted it away to get it further away from Bishop. She pries the gun out of the other hand and also tosses it away. Once he's disarmed, she can breathe a bit easier.

"Even after all this, will you still stay bonded with him?"

For a moment, there was nothing but her heavy breathing as the gears in her mind began to turn. On one hand, he could be a handful, but on the other, he was fun to be around and it was nice to have a friendly rivalry in the kitchen.

"Yes or as long as he'll have me as his partner. I never expected a bond to be smooth sailing so I'm ready to for whatever it throws at me. Even if that might require me knocking sense into my partner."

[getting_better]

The ghost floated in place, seemingly placated by her honesty though the subject of the gesture wasn't listening or couldn't listen.

He's too deep into his anxiety and panic to do much else outside of forcing his throat to open to breathe, mostly with unsuccessful results. His attempts just made him shove Saori away and move a few paces then quickly falling to his knees.

"I-...I-!! Hurkk!!" He's unable to keep himself together from the stress and vomited bile and sick before him, turning a little paler because of it.

[needsteaplz]

"Bishop," Saori rushed over to his side, despite the second rejection. Her hand on his back is much more gentler now. "Hang in there. This will pass. We should go. Can you stand?" Of course she probably could carry him with her chimera strength, but she wanted to give him the option first.

"So you stay out of compassion. Is this why you declined reincarnation and became a goddess?"

Saori doesn't look at the ghost. "For years I listened to gods and beasts alike constantly talk down on humanity. Sure, we've done our share of terrible and unforgivable things, but there's still something about it worth fighting for. I swore to give humanity a fighting chance until the end of my days because I am Saori Nakagawa first before Inari."

[getting_better]

Saori's voice was muffled at best and his vision wasn't any better. Tears rolled down his face, large droplets of pain given form.

The ghost nodded in response to her answer and he stretched her hand to the lake, the fog and water clearing until a pearl shone near the shore. "You may take one pearl as proof of your honesty. The assassin cannot, not unless he faces the truth."

At the mention of his truth Bishop turned to the ghost, anger now turned to spite but mixed with fear. "Tell me, assassin. Will you kill another innocent?" His emotions spiked again, more panic, more fear, and this time he covered his ears as horrid voices started to play in his head. "I....I....don't want...to..."

[needsteaplz]

Quietly, she stood up and politely bowed to the ghost. Perhaps when things quiet down, she would leave an offering of flowers. It may not appease the lady's soul to leaving the lake, but the dead shouldn't be forgotten.

"You have my thanks." She went to the water's edge and fished out the pearl. With the quest's objective secured, she returned back to her partner, sat next to him to rub his back. With all this rage, panic, fear and regret that was bottled up, she knew it was only a matter of time until it all crashed down on him.

"Bishop?" Carefully, she pulled one hand away from his ear, so he could listen. Or at least, she hoped her voice could reach him. "You won't have to while you're here. I'll do what I can to help you with that."

[getting_better]

The ghost came closer when he answered, just hovering behind the two as Bishop wallowed in his darkness.

"You didn't want to, but that didn't stop you from killing them did it?"

The darkness swelled again, visions of violent red racing through his mind.

"...No."

This was....torture. His soul, already broken, was being ripped apart even further. His sobbing stopped but the tears didn't, but the grim truth that he's fought so hard to deny was swallowing him whole. The truth about his nature.