#reaperepithet

          YEARS WITHIN THIS CITY HAS seemed to pay off in regards to the learning of celebrations. some which she had never heard of before until now, finding slight amusement in it all. among them was a day involving breaded sweets, a box of it in her hand as she trots along. ❝ My, my... if it isn’t Mister Eizen. Quite a coincidence for us to bump into each other indeed, ❞ she coos, talking as if she hadn’t specifically been searching him out. despite it all does she tote a cheerful tone to her voice, lifting her hand with a gentle shake of the package to catch his attention.

      only with a prick upon her neck does barely wince, one hand lifting itself to press against where the stretch of skin stings before partially colliding with another in the wake of her distraction. Teeth bare themselves slightly at the stranger as golden eyes lift, ready to bark an insult at the unfortunate soul without hesitation. Words halt themselves, however, before anything can be spat out. Oh... were those her cheeks heating up for some reason?

          HOW FRAGILE, THE THOUGHT ALONE of how easily a mind can twist through mere images implanted into their respect heads over and over again enough to churn the stomachs of those strong-willed. to experience so many moments once endured, sped through like a collage of failures and mishaps. it is all the woman can do to not simply shatter at the seems, fingers clasped taut upon the carmine cloak which drapes over her figure, back pressed heavily against the seat which she sits without motion. after all, witnessing that tragedy every second, drilled into her mind that had she done something about that man sooner --- thrown him out, refused him completely, or even killed him then and there --- perhaps it would all have been averted. even for a second, it would have been worth maintaining those peaceful days. no blood to stain these hands without a means to cleanse them, nor endless searches for her master to fix the crumbling world.

          a small intake of breath, as if being reminded to breath, as the sound of another enter. even so, her gaze remains listlessly forward, sparing no glance despite knowing well who it was by sound alone. what traumatizing scenes ceased, even momentarily, upon his sudden arrival. ah, but that did not stop the whirling doubts; it did not stop her lips from parting to utter a pointed question without warning.

                         ( POETRY SENTENCE STARTERS )

          SHE HAD HEARD SOMETHING LIKE this once, during a time of chaos and the nigh ending of their world. the jurors, they were claimed as. guilty as charged in creating their lives into naught but a story to be observed; every path had been different, branching into the possibilities of what their current life could have been. worlds where their happiness was abundant, nothing to curse their peaceful days as they drifted along in the river of time. perhaps were she still naive, yearning for those peaceful days beside her beloved master and that man she once called friend, she might wish to partake in something so enticingly sweet. that, once more, she might be able to smile beneath a golden afternoon with those she had lost on their journeys to the end.

          only a gentle hah escapes her upon the smile that graces her lips, one hand resting upon her hip as she takes a moment to enjoy the fleeting thought of who she once was. ❝ Is that so? ❞ her voice coos softly, though laced with something of understanding to his very beliefs. how soothing, to feel the sense of relief that she no longer clung to the past that once chained her so, to accept all that has come to pass despite what was lost. like a dream which she had waited so long to awaken from, those troubles fading despite all she has been through to reach this very moment.

It had only been a few minutes, but Aika felt as though she’d already been trapped for hours. Everything about this place felt alien, wrong somehow. Normally the young pirate was all for exploration, but it was hard to be excited when you were brought there against your will, and there wasn’t even so much as a piece of an island visible when she could catch a clear glimpse at the sky.

In fact...everything felt too solid, un-moving. Aika’s steps stopped ever now and then, just to confirm that fact. No gentle rocking of the currents, barely even a breeze through the buildings...nothing.

When she looked up again, her eyes snapped to an imposing figure further down the sidewalk. Maybe she should have been afraid, but there was something about his clothes, perhaps...something about him, that seemed well-traveled. Maybe he would know what was wrong with this place.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but she was running up to him before she could start to humor that thought.

          GLASS CLINKS GENTLY AGAINST THE side of his foot, the soft lap of water hitting the creek shore having carried it to his very person as he strolled along the edge. glancing downward was easy enough, instinctively reaching to pick up what appears a small bottle, that of a cork crammed into the opening in order to keep dry a peculiar sheet of parchment rolled inside. curiosity nags within the deepest parts of his mind, blinking once or twice as gloved fingers move to twist the seal with a gentle pop thereafter. tilting it over does the paper slip out, setting aside the bottle with little mind before unraveling it to peer at the contents.

          words elude the page, only printed in cursive partially faded names with dotted lines that lead to a messily scribbled x in an unmarked territory. easily enough can he deduce the meaning behind it, though whether it was truly genuine to lead to the promise of riches and any value was uncertain. after all, anybody could have created something so easy as this.