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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 2, 2023 14:55:18 GMT -5
As the couple descend into their meditative states, C'Leena casts the spell as they fall into an artificial dreaming state. Despite neither of them seeing it, what others would see is two women kneeling on a bed, both with their own golden halo and C'Leenas arms lightly pulsing and rippling with a golden glow. It is almost upsetting that neither of them will see this.
As the dreamscape forms, C'Leena is unsure on what to expect. Her own dreamscape is a simple white, foggy void, so perhaps Nephele's might be similar? A blank slate in which to craft the dream? Her thoughts are cut short by sound forming first, before the landscape is crafted around them.
The sound is a strange mix of distant song coming from everywhere, as well as a distinct whispering. A recognizable whispering. Almost immediately, C'Leena is on guard, looking around trying to identify where it's coming from. Which is an exercise in futility as it comes from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It's a massive mindfuck, so after a solid 20 seconds of listening, C'Leena opts to shove the voice away. She's not getting rid of it, but merely putting the volume dial at 0.
With that issue taken care of for now, C'Leenas attention returns to the scenery around them. She finds herself in an unfamiliar land; a large lake of crystal clear water. Surrounding the lake is an almost never ending field of poppies, the red and black colors covering the ground as far as the eye can see. The sky is clear and the gentle winds ripple the water and cause the poppies to sway in ripples, not unlike the lake nearby.
To say that C'Leena is awestruck wouldn't be an inaccurate description. She hadn't expected this, least of all the poppies. Did she already like poppies before C'Leena met her, or has she had that much of an impact on her? The questions are.. endless, to say the least.
In C'Leena's awe, she has failed to notice her own appearance having changed. This happened the first time around, and is apparently not at all uncommon. It's normal for the dream to use the form of what you consider to be your 'prime'. Older people appear younger, and those with physical disabilities such as C'Leena no longer have them.
Standing there, facing the countless poppies is C'Leena, but seemingly younger - perhaps early 20's. She still has her partially-shaven hair cut, but she's wearing a short sleeve shirt and her jeans. On her left ring finger is still the ring, and around her neck the pendant remains. Her prosthetics illusory skin emulates both the skin, and the rough musculature that would make sense for her body type. It appears, however, that they were rather inaccurate. She's not ripped, but she's definitely far above average when it comes to female bodybuilding.
Around her eyes, her scars aren't visible, and her eyes are their grey counterparts. It takes C'Leena a moment to partially break out of her reverie as she reaches for Nepheles hand. Upon grazing it, she sharply flinches back, before looking at her hand, down at Nepheles own, then back at her hand. A wide grin forms on her face as she instead opts to wrap Nephele in a hug, having almost forgotten about the whole 'no more prosthetics' portion of this.
And indeed, her arms feel.. human. Her embrace is even warmer than before, even more so when C'Leena starts giggling. She pulls back and cups Nepheles cheeks with both her hands, truly feeling the chill of her body for the first time. "Ho-holy shit I forgot this part of the dreamwalker spell, oh my god," She says excitedly, kissing Nephele before wrapping her up in yet another hug.
"When were the poppies here? Wait why would you know that? Do you know that? I have nothing to go on - my own headspace is just a blank void I'm fairly sure because of my ADHD and stuff. Oh my god and the lake? The lake is so pretty! Do you know where this is from? I don't recognize anything like this from our trips, and generally these are at least based partially on memories.. Did you like poppies before you met me or was this because of me? You're completely full of shit if you say it's 'cause of me - oh fuck I'm rambling, whoops."
She speaks incredibly quickly as her brain runs at a million miles a minute. She's almost completely forgotten why they're here in the first place, just so excited, overjoyed and frankly overstimulated by everything. And Oh so deeply in love it's not even funny. She just might explode if she keeps this up any longer.
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Post by Nephele on Jul 2, 2023 17:12:06 GMT -5
Nephele doesn't expect what happens throughout any of this experience. When C’Leena told her that they would have to go into a meditative state, she had fully expected the landscape that she was met by. Whenever she would meditate by herself, Nephele was transferred back to the lake that she grew up around and in while she was in the Land of Wonder, never quite able to escape it. A small part of her knew that this was in part to her finding it a safe place, despite who she spent that time with. It was always so welcoming and clear, so reflective that at night the stars would shine on the like surface like a mirror. Nephele remembered staring up at the skies from there many a night when her mother had to rest.
Nephele doesn't react to any of the sounds until the sound of her mother's whispering was suddenly quieter, it's then that she realizes that she is in this space, and not alone. C’Leena is in front of her, and she looks… different. Not too different that it was frightening, but different enough that she noticed it. When Nephele brought her eyes to look at C’Leena, her heart skipped a beat. For Nephele herself, she looked exactly how C’Leena had met her; shoulder length hair, shorter nails and the same cream colored bodice and pants, no shoes. There's that same confused, doe eyed stare in her eye, but above all there was recognition.
The next thing that Nephele notices is when C’Leena hugs her. Her eyes go round and wide and she realizes that... C’Leena is warm. Her hug is warmer than anything, soothing her skin and nearly winding her by the sheer amount of softness to her built body. Nephele can't even hug her back as she well and fully sinks into shock.
Hearing her laugh is the only thing that stops Nephele from completely losing herself, feeling the warmth of her palms on her cheeks and then feeling her kiss her. Nephele laughs as well, a soft sound that betrays the absolute surprise in her face. She was dreaming, they were dreaming, but it felt so real.
And she knew that C’Leena was there, because she immediately launched into an energetic rave about where she was. Nephele didn't even have time to process it, half of it with falling on muddy ears as she concentrated on her fiancé's face, hands, everything. The nymph eventually raised a hand to one of C’Leena’s, and she almost sobbed when she felt it.
“Y-You're warm.” Nephele finally manages to utter, her voice fragile like sea glass. It's like for a moment she can't even speak, taking a shuddering breath inward as she feels the skin. She knows it's an illusion, but it feels perfect. It feels for goodness sakes. Nephele holds her hand, and presses a kiss into the palm, laughing whimsically. “You feel beautiful.”
Nephele is 90% sure that she's going to cry, but she shakes her head, trying to recall what C’Leena was saying. “A-Ah, I barely knew what poppies were when I met you. I can honestly say that I don't think I've ever known anything about flowers before you. The water, it's where I was born and raised in the Land of Wonder. I lived in these waters with my mother for years… angel, you’re beautiful. How long have you been able to do this?? I have so many questions.”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 2, 2023 20:40:54 GMT -5
As the momentary stun on Nephele wears off, and it dawns on her that C'Leena is without prosthetics, she is now fighting tooth and nail not to cry. She nods before speaking. "And you're cold as fuck." She says, laughing. Alas, the moment that C'Leena noticed that Nephele was on the verge of crying, she was a lost cause. The tears that had welled up finally fall, rolling down her cheeks silently.
She wipes them away with a free hand, before softly clicking her tongue. "Look at what you've done. Gone and made me cry now." She says with a smile. She then notices that her arm is distinctly lacking a sleeve tattoo that should be there. She furrows her brow in mild confusion before willing it to appear. It fades in, her entire left arm filled with various floral patterns and spider webs, stretching from her shoulder to her fingertips. "Guess it ain't perfect. Much better, I fucken missed this damn thing." She laughs again.
Looking back to Nephele, she listens to what her fiancé is saying. The implications of her headspace being like this despite her not knowing much about flowers at all may or may not have caused more tears to fall, but that's okay. Just this once, she's okay with crying. "I uh, learnt it off Cyran. This is the first time actually using the spell so.. blame me if something goes wrong." She laughs before wrapping her arms around Nepheles waist and resting her forehead against hers.
"When Cyran used this initially, I was caught by surprise by the change. I think I started crying on the spot when I realized that my limbs were real - well, as real as can be. I showed him a little bit of my world, but I want to show you as much as possible, as well as the place outside of it." She pulls away from the embrace, looking upset at the fact that she did just that. "You ready?" She asks. "We can return here at any time, just say the word."
At Nepheles agreement, the scene fades and morphs. The colors of life and wonder turn into the urban greys and blacks that she remembers all too well. Deciding to get the sheer vastness of Melbourne into visuals, she opts for the top of the skyscraper again. The city stretches on, trying to reach and curve over the horizon. The sounds of the city reach them even up here and somewhat heavy winds blow by, seemingly intent on felling the tower.
The wealth of each area is practically visible - the slums look run down and on fire, but with more wealth and attention from the government, visual improvements can be noticed, until large holograms of senators and the Prime Minister are seen near the base of the tower. C'Leena is standing near the edge, looking over the city that she once considered home. Her appearance remains mostly the same, except that she has hair longer than Nepheles. Almost sensing that attention, she speaks up.
"I don't know why I keep looking different. I'm not exactly trying to look different each time," She says before looking back at Nephele. "Welcome to Eureka Tower, Neph. Exactly 301 meters tall from the base, all the way up to there." She points at the spire just behind them, strobing a red light consistently every few seconds. "This is the Skydeck, so we're about two hundred and ninety.. Seven? Meters high right now. Bigass tower, but there are far bigger, even in Melbourne. This is the only one I actually went up, though."
She turns back toward the city below, and the situation of the city as she remembers it is far worse than she seemed to believe. At this moment, her belief that she belongs in Charon solidifies. After a moment, she turns back toward Nephele. "I'm giving you a choice here. Option One: I continue to show you cool shit from earth and the City, including the Aurora Borealis-slash-Australis, OR I can show you hella music. Your call, dal." C'Leena offers with a smile on her face. She's beyond stoked at being able to show this off to her finally, seeing as she's been hunting down ways to since.. Hell since a few days after they got together, honestly. She really needs to get into contact with Cyran again at some point to truly thank him and update him on her and Nepheles relationship.
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Post by Nephele on Jul 3, 2023 0:08:15 GMT -5
Nephele thought that she was strong enough to deflect, but seeing C’Leena cry, even in dream form, was one of the most world shattering things for her. She has to cover her eyes to hide her tears as soon as she sees C’Leena's, her heart hammering in her chest. She honest to goodness couldn't speak for a few seconds, taking a moment to wipe her face and sniffle. It was close enough for her.
“Y-You started it!” She protested, trying not to fully devolve into sobs. She was beyond happy, even if the two had barely done anything yet. All they were doing was standing there, holding each other and laughing, and it felt like the most incredible thing that Nephele had ever witnessed. She wants to say so much, but she knew it was better to not. Between the two of them, they were more than likely going to start crying enough for the lake to overflow for the next three hours if they continued speaking like this. Later, Nephele forced herself to be disciplined, even as her soul was alight with happiness. Later.
“Cyran… I must meet him someday. I… genuinely hope that I can meet him and thank him. He's done so much for you.” Nephele was mostly saying this to the air, making a metaphysical mental note. If it were the last thing that she did, Nephele was going to give Cyran the biggest hug she possibly could, squishing cheeks together and all. For now though she shook the thought away, Nephele refocused on C’Leena as she told her what she would be doing. It was strange to believe it was finally happening, yet the nymph was too high on adrenaline and excitement to feel apprehension. She took one short breath before nodding. “Alright, I'm ready.”
The world around them warped and warbled into a place different. Very different. Alarmingly different. It was strange, as it seemed like they were somewhere high up, atop a building. Out of instinct Nephele clung to her fiancé, unused to the height and naturally afraid of it. However, her curiosity was an even curiouser thing, as she held on to C’Leena's arm and still peered down to look, wide eyed.
Geometric, it's the best way to describe it. It's weird and loud and wholly unfamiliar. There isn't the sound of birds or the smell of the land, but rather something very foreign. The best way to describe what Nephele was feeling was if someone were to jump into an ice bath and told to read something in a different language, all in fine print in ten seconds. In short, the nymph didn't know what to say nor feel. It wasn't quite bad, but it wasn't good either. It was… quite literally otherworldly. She never would have been able to conjure this up from her wildest dreams.
Nephele nearly forgets that C’Leena is there, only recalling because she was quite literally hanging on to her for dear life as if she would fall at any second. When she spoke, Nephele's ears flicked up in surprise, but she couldn't look away for more than 5 seconds. Mentioning her appearance certainly caught her attention long enough look away from the strange gray landscape before them, staring at her appearance while she spoke about how she couldn't control it. This was unsurprising to Nephele, the predictabilities of magic were only so understandable.
“Skydeck…” she repeated, slow and sounding entirely overwhelmed, like a deer in headlights verbalized. The number of meters was even more frightening, and she could only mumble out a soft “ahh” in response. Right now she was staring at down at what appeared to be several fast, metallic looking vehicles zipping across the blackened roads below, looking oddly inhuman. She didn't know how much she liked that.
When C’Leena gives her a choice, Nephele has to take a moment to respond. The idea of music nearly brought her out of it, but then she took a minute to think, staring down at her bare feet that contrasted so harshly against the cold and gray. Music was one of the main reasons that she wanted to do this, Nephele knew that if they were to get down now, you would hate to try to get back up again. She could barely get used to C’Leena flying, but something about the foreign land made her antsy. Still, she mustered up a response. “I want to see everything… you could show me music after, could you? I don't want to miss anything?”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 3, 2023 6:34:10 GMT -5
With Nephele clinging onto C'Leena for dear life, it was difficult not to chuckle at least a little bit at her wide eyed stare and her wings seemingly trying to generate lift with how far out they're reaching. Despite that, C'Leena keeps a solid hold on Nephele to help ease her concerns. She notes her interest on the many, many cars driving around on the streets below and has an idea. A really mean idea, but an idea nonetheless. She wants to see more of the world? C'Leena can easily show her.
"Nephele, darling, dearest, love of my life." She starts, not shying away from the suspicious nature of the ideas running through her mind. "You want to see more of what this world has to offer? Let me introduce you to the technology of the world. Except of course.." She gestures to a doorway that would lead into the tower. The door opens up, revealing solid wall behind it. "Door appears to be out of order. Welp, only one way down!" With a sinister smile, C'Leena wraps Nephele up in her arms and falls backwards off the edge of the tower.
The chaotic grin and the gleam in her eye last all but a second before, as quick as a scene change in a movie, the couple are on the ground, Nephele still wrapped in her arms mainly to steady her. The grin doesn't vanish off her face as she begins laughing to herself, relishing the look on Nepheles face. "I'm both am and am not sorry for that. We're here, though! Come, come, lets walk." Taking Nepheles hand, she begins leading her down the sidewalk.
The noises of urban life ring out around them. Cars speeding by, sirens in the distance, conversation and chatter despite there being nobody around. A part of her truly does miss this, but not enough to warrant her staying here. The towering monoliths that are scattered around that we take for granted provide a surreal feeling after not being here for months. She very briefly saw this when she showed Cyran, but not at this perspective.
"The things racing by us are what we call 'Cars'. Think of a carriage, minus the horses and metal. They contain what is called an 'Engine' which powers the vehicle via electricity, but used to be powered by small, contained explosions thousands of times a minute. I used to help build these things with my dad when I still lived with him, so I know all the nitty gritty stuff. I could go on a spiel about it all, but that confuses people from here with how complex it is. Remember: No magic, so we had to get creative."
The roar of an old-school engine will always sing to C'Leena. That thought promptly causes what sounds awfully like a Mustang engine to roar past, a sound that will very easily bring giddy excitement to her. Old combustion engines have been mostly replaced with electric vehicles with artificial engine sounds, but those don't sing the same song if that makes sense. There is a distinct feeling when it comes to a true combustion engine, and a speaker playing a sound file.
"When I told you that I had never seen a forest before the one you found me in all that time ago, this is why. This is the sort of thing I grew up around. The skyscrapers, the concrete and asphalt - this was my world. Both in a literal and metaphorical sense." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a set of three keys, one of them being a car fob. Ahead of them in a parallel parking spot is an incredibly old vehicle, despite it looking almost pristine. Sitting in the parking spot is her old 1969 Mustang Boss that she paid a surprisingly low amount for since it was an inch short of being a pile of scrap. After a good amount of time working on her and fixing the car up, she has never been happier with a vehicle in her life.
Now, she did add a handful of upgrades to the engine and various amenities like the radio, GPS, an engine that didn't puke out pollution like it was trying to kill the planet all by itself. As well as central locking and a key fob that she uses to unlock the doors. The vehicle beeps, its indicators flash signaling the unlock and C'Leena almost runs toward the thing. "God I missed this thing. This was my car that I pretty much built singlehandedly. Bought her for dirt cheap and fixed her up. Come on, hop in, lets go for a drive, yeah? Got a bunch to show you and I just want to drive again." She chuckles, opening the door for Nephele to step inside. "That is unless you'd rather not. In that case we will continue walking and doing weird teleport bullcrap. Your choice." She pauses for a moment, not trying to coerce her into doing something she doesn't want to, but perhaps she can at least add a little sugar to to her offer. "There is a way to play music inside. I'll be more than happy to put on some bangers if you're keen for it."
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Post by Nephele on Jul 3, 2023 10:41:30 GMT -5
Nephele immediately suspected something when C’Leena paused for a half second too long, before talking again in a sweet, sugary tone that she only used when she was plotting something. The nymph snapped her gaze to her fiancé, frowning as she followed C’Leena’s gaze to where the door would be, claiming it wasn’t working…
“No. No no no, C’LeenaAAAAAAHHH!!”
Nephele shrieked in pure terror as she and C’Leena started falling, backwards from the skyscraper, hanging onto her. She shut her eyes and clung to C’Leena in a vice grip, shrieking basically the entire way down. The rush of gravity pulling them down, the wind rushing through her hair, Nephele slowly opened an eye looking directly up. It was the single worst thing she possibly could’ve done, and she shrieked into C’Leena’s shoulder, feeling dizzy and cursing her fiancé in Greek.
They were on the ground before she knew it, flinching as her feet touched the ground, her heart pounding in her chest. She didn’t let go of C’Leena for several seconds, trying to breathe. As soon as she caught her breath however, she hit C’Leena in the shoulder, her voice high and moderately terrified.
“C’Leena!! You complete f--!” Nephele has to stop herself from getting too worked up, her voice high with nerves and her face dark blue. There was a spark of fury in her eyes, no malice, but Nephele looked equal parts embarrassed and irate. She only took C’Leena’s hand because she wanted to, and not because she was too dizzy to let her go and drawn in by the world around her. Of course not.
Nephele began to calm down, walking with C’Leena and directing her eyes to any and everything. Everything was entirely too large and too…specific. The buildings were all one of three shades of grey, not a drop of vegetation in sight. It was all so precise, purposeful. How many people lived here? How did they even live? None of her thoughts were cruel nor critical in nature, but rather full of complete and pure confusion. There was no magic here, the metal vehicles that C’Leena described as “cars” that zipped by feeling strangely empty. Energy ran through them, but it was all electricity? It was equal parts fascinating and alien. The loud sound of an engine startles her, watching the car go by.
“Such a loud roar…and yet no creature belies it.” Nephele mumbles to herself, shocked and unable to even fathom it.
Hearing the jingle of keys (ever so in tune to the sound of things that sound vaguely shiny), Nephele looked at the strange set of keys that C’Leena had. Those…were keys? Even stranger still was her fiance pressing a button and something nearby responding, a car, apparently. The closer they got, the more confused Nephele became. She let go of C’Leena’s hand as they approached, letting herself get carried away in her curiosity and confusion. She ran a finger over its warped windows, tapping the glass and metal, walking to the front of the car while C’Leena spoke. She inspected it curiously, crouching down and poking her finger at the spherical “eyes” that lay deep-set in its interior. This entire thing was a construct; no part of it was alive until C’Leena interacted with it. How odd.
Nephele went back to C’Leena when she opened the door, hesitating. She wanted to hear music, even if it made zero sense in her mind how this would work. “I’ll um…I’ll try.”
In the beginning of them being together, Nephele was openly claustrophobic. She only stayed indoors because C’Leena needed to be inside to sleep. Being in this car wasn’t helping that fact, but being in smaller spaces wasn’t too bad now that she had mostly grown used to it. She also trusted C’Leena to not put her through something she’d hate. With that thought, Nephele climbed into the car, being hit with the foreign scent of it and its meticulous construction of seating. Once in the car, she was already looking around, poking and prodding and looking behind her like a child who couldn't sit still.
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 3, 2023 11:23:53 GMT -5
C'Leena took the punch like a champ. It didn't hurt, but there was the ever so slight sting that she still hasn't grown used to. C'Leena's laughter only grows as Nephele damn near cusses C'Leena out. She's only a little disappointed that Nephele managed to stop herself. She kisses the back of Nepheles hand before leading her down the road, not sorry in the slightest.
The curious eyes that Nephele has when looking at everything was nice to see. It's a similar look to what C'Leena had when she had first arrived to Charon, but instead of foliage, forestry and life as far as the eye can see, it's buildings, artificial materials and hundreds of cars.
C'Leena knows that Nephele isn't the most comfortable with enclosed spaces, so before C'Leena shuts the door for her, she kneels down to be eye level with her. "Now, I'm gonna quickly run you through some stuff, mkay? First, this handle here will open the door. Do not pull it while we're moving, please. This here will lock the door. That little red strip there means it's unlocked. If you can't see the strip, it's currently locked. Finally, this little switch here will control the window. Push down to lower the window," C'Leena pushes down on the switch as an example. The window doesn't actually move because the car isn't on, but it'll be fine for demonstration purposes. "And pull up to roll it up. Please ask before you touch something, because there are a number of things that can cause a lot of issues if used incorrectly. You're good to touch if I give you the all clear, otherwise only eyes."
After the rundown, C'Leena smiles and closes the door before quickly walking to the opposite side, opening the door and getting into the seat. Her muscle memory says to put the seatbelt on, but this is a damn dream. If she does crash, it'll be fine. Her hands find the steering wheel as she settles into the seat, a smile on her face as she remembers the drives around the city with no destination in mind. Driving has always been therapeutic for her, so being behind the wheel again is glorious.
After her moment of reverie, she looks over the center console, before putting the key into the ignition, and turns the key. The engine turns over for a moment before the beast itself awakens, roaring proudly. The faint rumble of the idling engine, the slight vibrations throughout the car are all nostalgic for her (despite it being a matter of months since she last drove). Before she starts moving, however, she opens the center console and pulls out a small storage drive and plugs it into the radio. It remains quiet as C'Leena turns various dials, watching the names of songs flick by.
She gets to the section of her countless Sabaton songs loaded onto the drive, and she smiles. click click click.. She slowly sifts through the playlist before coming to a conclusion, smiling ear to ear. It's the song she was lightly humming to herself back in the poppy field. C'Leena doesn't expect Nephele to recognize it, but the memory is surprisingly vivid for something so long ago.
With a push of the dial, the radio comes to life, the voices of her single most loved band heard after so long. It only takes a moment for it to get into the song proper. During the moment of quiet, C'Leena points to the volume dial. "That's the volume, turn it left if you want it quieter or right if you want it louder. You're in control of that, dal." She says with a wide smile. Right on cue, the song blasts into life. It's not too loud to cause Nephele discomfort, but it's still somewhat loud.
As the song plays, C'Leena shifts the car into first and pulls out of the parking space. Suddenly, the roads are completely clear, the only vehicle being theirs. The roar of the engine grows louder as they gain speed, and just like riding a bike, C'Leena knows exactly when to shift judging by sound alone. Her speed right now is the legal limit, but she'd be lying if she wasn't keen on racing through these streets at some point. Not yet, however. Best to give Nephele some time to acclimate to the car at this speed before doing some crazy shit that she's learnt over the years.
As they drive, C'Leena is drumming against the wheel, mouthing the lyrics. She is in heaven right now; showing Nephele, her fiancé the place she once called home, listening to her favorite song from her favorite band and driving her favorite car of all time. It really couldn't get better than this, she thinks to herself.
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Post by Nephele on Jul 3, 2023 13:03:21 GMT -5
Nephele listened to C’Leena’s instructions, retracting her hands from touching anything else as she nodded along to her words of caution and helping her. She sat still as C’Leena got in, keeping her hands in her lap despite the lights and buttons of the car tempting her. She was entirely too overwhelmed, but excitement bubbled in her chest.
She instead kept her eyes on C’Leena, finding her something good and familiar. Nephele smiled at her, eyes twinkling as she saw her sink and find comfort. She knew that face: nostalgia. Familiarity and returning to an old place you once called home. She watched what she did, pressing buttons and fiddling with something she couldn’t understand. Suddenly, a soft sound started playing from…somewhere. The nymph’s ear quirked in the direction of the sound, watching C’Leena turn the little wheel.
Nephele blinked, bewildered. Was the car an instrument?
The song that was playing was so foreign, at first sounding like a lot of distorted, chaotic sound. Hearing C’Leena’s instruction on making the sound louder, Nephele turned the little wheel and increased the sound. Her mind was racing as she tried to wrap her mind around how it worked, but suddenly she was all too distracted. Because the car was…singing? It was different, sounding more like shouting coupled with what sounded like drums and something else. Whatever the loudest instrument was, it reminded her of cicadas if they were slightly louder and could be considered an instrument? Acoustic, almost…wait.
As the song continued playing, Nephele leaned down to where the sound was coming from, almost dangerously close to the speaker on the door, her angle awkward. She ignored the sound of the machinery whirring in favor of placing her palm on the speaker, her ear lifting as she listened through her palm to not bust her ear drum. She listened to the entire song, listening to every instrument, voice, everything. Her fingers twitched, mimicking the beats and experimenting with different holds. String, woodwind, copper, leather… When it had stopped, petering out slowly, Nephele rose up again. Her face was screwed in concentration.
“Was that…a string instrument?” Nephele asked slowly, her voice sounding shocked and bewildered as she referred to what she didn’t realize was an electric guitar. She looked at C’Leena. “There’s a sound, I can’t put my finger on it. It couldn’t be made by anything else. It sounds…ah, how do you say in Common?” Nephele didn’t have time to find the word she was looking for, as another song. Softer, sweeter. Sadder? Or perhaps that was because she could actually hear what they were saying. Acoustic. This one certainly was a string instrument, and Nephele smiled softly at the realization. She dipped back down again, listening intently. Two women this time, in a tone she was somewhat accustomed to. She had stopped trying to understand how it worked, eyes wide as she listened. They sounded like sirens, their voices echoing and enhanced by something she couldn't comprehend. It was beautiful. Nephele hummed along, trying to match their voices, her fingers tapping the surface in front of her, matching the strumming of the lute (or whatever it was).
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 3, 2023 14:12:56 GMT -5
As C'Leena drives, she adjusts the rear view mirror to reflect Nepheles face, seeing as she won't be needing it to look behind her. Every once in a while, C'Leena will glance up to watch the awestruck, confused and completely bewildered look on her fiancé's face. You could almost see the cogs turn in her head as she very barely begins to grasp the radio.
C'Leena has a perpetual smile on her face as the song starts and finishes. C'Leena nods in confirmation at Nepheles question. "Electric Guitar." She says simply. As Nephele tries to puzzle out what the word she's looking for is, C'Leena is moments away from offering a few options before the next song starts up. Yeah, she recognizes this one. A cover of an old, old game from quite some time ago.
The song does sound sad, in an incredibly beautiful way that C'Leena can totally get behind as she gently sways her head to the music. It's no secret that music affects her quite a lot - she's fairly sure that comes with the ADHD territory, but she's not 100% certain on that. Although she's still enjoying the look on Nepheles face as she listens. As the song slowly fades out, C'Leena makes a turn heading down the freeway. She's got an idea on where she's going and it's some distance out of the city.
She accelerates the vehicle, going well over a hundred down the freeway seeing as it's very much devoid of life. It's a strange sight to see a completely empty freeway. It's almost like those liminal spaces that she used to see online all the time. Places of familiarity but ever so slightly off. A dark street, a completely empty school hallway, a freeway with no cars on it. It's mildly eerie to C'Leena, but she shrugs it off easily enough.
The next song comes on, and C'Leena immediately recognizes the opening and starts cackling. The shuffle is picking chaos today She thinks to herself as the iconic "Lucky Lucky Girl" comes and goes. Unironically, the song is an absolute banger and C'Leena loves it to death, but the last time this song was even remotely referenced, Nephele blushed so hard that C'Leena was worried she might get frostbite. To say she's looking forward to her reaction would be an understatement.
C'Leena keeps up with Nepheles reactions throughout the song through the rear view mirror as they race down the road, the purr of the engine a sorely missed sound. C'Leena sings along to the music, not caring about the implications of the lyrics all with a wide smile on her face. Frankly, she's having a blast and would love to do this again with her some time in the future. Perhaps Nephele can show C'Leena her home - or at least what once was home for her.
A sudden memory crops up just as the song finishes, so C'Leena pulls down the sun visor and takes out a small photograph. Looking at it for but a moment, she hands it over to Nephele to look at.
In the photo are two women, one clearly C'Leena, and another who bears a striking resemblance to her. The pair seem much younger - perhaps mid-late teens and both have smiles on their faces. The second woman who can assumedly Rose has long, braided hair in the exact same style as C'Leena tied Nepheles hair in some time ago, as well as what seems to be a black shirt. C'Leena is in a short sleeve as well, her hair much shorter but not shaven like she usually has it.
"That was.. Nine, ten years ago now? Mum wanted to take a photo of us cause she was making a collage or something with a bunch of the family and I remember asking for that photo to be printed twice so I could keep one. If I had the choice to bring one thing with me when I was yanked to Charon, it would have been that."
Talking about this would have been hard once upon a time. Hell, five months ago, if she was asked about Rose, she would have broken down right there and then. The fact that she isn't, and the fact that she has a smile on her face as she talks is evidence of her slow but steady recovery.
Out of sheer curiosity, she slides a small panel off of a mirror embedded in the sun visor and takes a look at herself. "Oh Jesus. It's like that visceral cringe you get from looking at a younger image of yourself except.. it's just you. God okay, enough of that one. To think I would grow attached to the aquamarine." She says to herself, covering the mirror and flipping the visor back up, refocusing on the road.
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Post by Nephele on Jul 4, 2023 1:14:45 GMT -5
Nephele was barely able to articulate any of her thoughts into coherent sentences, too preoccupied trying to identify the foreign sounds coming from the car. And to think, C’Leena used to live like this, with this all the time… how absolutely wonderful. Different realms we're bound to appear differently and behave differently, but somehow this experience, whether it just be because of who she's with and her age now, was something more magical then the places that she's ever lived. She wondered if C’Leena felt that way when she first arrived in Charon. The concept of an electric guitar alone was throwing Nephele for a loop, and that was because she was forcing herself to hyper-focus on that specific aspect so that she didn't end up overwhelming her fiancé with questions.
Nephele listens to the song to its entirety, catching C’Leena swaying her head along with it in her peripheral. It was adorable and charming, even if she wasn't even looking at Nephele. She had placed together at this point that the car had the ability to trap records of people's voices as well as instruments, and could play them back-to-back. The next song, however, catches her short. She recognized this song… didn't she?
The nymph listened to the strange echo-y, haunting quality of what appeared to be another two women singing, and it was at that moment that she did recognize it. A soft gasp escaped her as she sat upright, looking at C’Leena in moderate alarm and morphing accusation. It was mostly due to her being so overwhelmed with the experience, but a lot of her expressions were wearing her today. Or, rather tonight. Her cheeks went from cyan to cerulean first, then her hands clamped over her mouth to stop herself from letting out a noise of… indignance? She was hoping it was indignance. (It, by all means, was not.)
Then all at once Nephele clamped her hands down over her ears, completely forgetting that there was an option to dial the wheel down. She was so blue in the face from embarrassment that she looked like she would explode. She didn't even say anything, still able to hear every single lyric as she forgot to turn the sound down. Goodness, it really was like a satyr’s song. She thought that she completely avoided those once she left the fey realm, but this... It was so suggestive. At least when a satyr sang about their raunchy exploits, they just tore the bandage off and laid themselves bare (literally), but everything here was so heavily implied that it made Nephele feel guilty for making an association.
Eventually it ended, but the damage was already done. Nephele had her legs hiked up to her chest and her ears clamped down by her hands, eyes wide and her jaw slack in embarrassment. She wanted to curl up even further, but she knew that C’Leena was probably relishing in her flustered reactions already. Her hand shot out to the tiny little wheel, turning it very far down, so far down that she couldn't even hear the next song playing.
“…That was vulgar.” She murmured at last, her voice sounding small. She shook her head, clearing her throat as she glared at C’Leena through the mirror. “You seem to be in quite high spirits after all that happened today… or was that a ruse, I wonder?” Most of these things were muttered under her breath, as if she was cursing C’Leena for tainting her (not at all) pure mind, but didn't want to do so directly.
She calms down relatively quickly when she looks at the photo that C’Leena had plucked from a compartment in the car. All of her attention was arrested by it, uncurling a little bit to look a little closer. She had never seen a photograph before, but decided to not burden her mind with her millions of questions.
“You look happy… you both do.” Nephele mumbles, very gentle and soft as if she doesn't want to trod on the topic too heavily. Rose was pretty, and the saddening thought that she'd never meet her sunk in a little. “I would have loved to meet her… she looks just like you.”
Nephele mentally cringed a bit at that. She supposed that she was different, as she didn't have the exact same relationship with her mother that C’Leena had with her sister, but oftentimes reminding people of their dead wasn't always the best idea. She quickly amended that. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't have said that.”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 4, 2023 2:28:50 GMT -5
"Vulgar? Oh absolutely. Still a good song." She says, very much enjoying the flustered look on her face. "Why wouldn't I be in high spirits? I get to show my fiancé the place that I came from, that in of itself is great. Are you not in a good mood?" C'Leena asks, a mildly concerned look on her face as she looks over to the curled up form of her fiancé. "I'm sorry, petal."Passing over the photo, it was good to see Nephele uncurl slightly to see it. "Honestly, it was hard to see Rose unhappy. She was an overwhelming optimist when it came to.. well everything. It was a bit contagious, honestly." She pauses, waiting for Nephele to finish speaking before nodding. "She would have loved to meet you, too. And she really does, doesn't she? Most of the time, the ways to differ myself from here were height and hair. She was like, half my height so that was a pretty obvious tell."C'Leena grew confused as Nephele apologized, looking at her through the mirror. "You didn't say anything wrong, petal. No need to apologize. If you did, I would've told you. No, I love talking about her. I'm making some actual progress to moving on, thanks to you." She paused, trying to recall an example. "Back in Dragons Cradle after I met Cyran, you were fast asleep and I was still awake for whatever reason - can't remember. Anyway, Rose had come up in memory and the fact that she had past sunk in all over again. Instead of crying for hours on end, I smiled. I'm really glad that she's somewhere better now. As cool as this place is, it was a shithole and not a place I'd wish for anyone to willingly live if they aren't in the top 1%."Even now as she talks, there is a faint smile on her lips. It's clear that what she says is true, and she really doesn't mind having Rose brought up as the subject. It does relate to the location they're headed, and C'Leena has an idea. A less nefarious idea than throwing both herself and Nephele off the roof of a skyscraper (which was still funny), but an idea nonetheless.
The drive didn't take too much longer. C'Leena turned the volume back on and for the rest of the car ride, various songs of Sabaton, Barns Courtney and many song covers played, a wide variety of high tempo upbeat with chill, almost sad songs thrown in for flavor. Soon, after pulling off the freeway and pulling over at a fenced off area, C'Leena shuts the car off and steps out.
She hasn't been here since she got yanked which is pretty obvious. She opens the door for Nephele to step out before closing the door behind her, taking her hand and walking to the gate. Past the gate are rows upon rows of tombstones, the engravings blurry and unclear due to the memory having nothing to draw from for them. C'Leena pushes open the gate and begins walking down the path. Twelve rows down, sixteen graves across. Sorry for the wait, flower.
She follows her own instructions to a T, walking twelve rows down, then sixteen graves across. Sitting there is the only grave with clear writing:Here LiesRose ThomasBeloved Sister And A Life Forever MissedAnd A Life Taken Too EarlySeeing the grave after all this time is a nice experience, but her plan doesn't end here, and it's a plan she won't be here for. Sadly, it does involve lying to Nephele a little to get there. Nephele wanted to meet Rose properly? Well, that can happen. Just not with C'Leena near. "I need to grab something from the car. Stay here, I'll be back." She plants a kiss on Nepheles cheek before walking back down the rows, back toward the car.
The graveyard is quiet, save for the occasional bird call. The silence is broken by an unfamiliar voice - at least to Nephele. "Jeez, really couldn't pick a better place for this? Right on top of my own grave? Morbid, Cece." Standing next to Nephele is Rose. Older than in the photo, but her hair is still braided in the same way. Her fashion sense closely resembles C'Leena's, with the black hoodie and jeans. "C'Leena wanted you to meet me. But uh, last time she saw me, it didn't do her too much good. Hurt more than it healed so she won't be here for this. She did do a little bit of a fib to excuse herself. She'll just be at the car, though."
Rose extends a hand to Nephele, before furrowing her brow, shrugging and offering a hug instead. "I think C'Leena picked a bloody good place to propose. I told her that you'd be out of your mind not to say yes, and it seems I was right yet again." She laughs, seemingly in a very good mood. There is something.. off about her in the sense of assuming she's a fabrication of a memory. It's strange and difficult to put a finger on, but it's there.. A similar feeling when Nephele would touch C'Leena in the dreamscape. It's all a memory, but there are hints of reality. The same thing can be had with Rose, strangely enough. Very, very strange. "So, how're you lovebirds doing?"
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Post by Nephele on Jul 4, 2023 7:31:11 GMT -5
“What? C’Leena, no. I’m not in a bad mood at all.” Nephele amended quickly, managing an incredibly embarrassed smile. “I was jesting. I’m just very overwhelmed; probably in shock. I’ve never even witnessed buildings like this before, everything is new. I could’ve never conjured a fraction of this place, it’s just a lot. Don’t worry, dearest.”
Hearing C’Leena talk about Rose was refreshing, as it usually was whenever C’Leena talked about her. It was like discussing an old friend that she hadn't seen in years, overwhelmingly fond. Nephele herself had no siblings that she knew of, so it was natural that she didn't completely recognize how else to explain it. She is relieved though, that C’Leena is open to speak about her, and made a mental note to let herself ask about Rose a little longer. A fond, soft smile graced her features and she remained mostly quiet for the rest of the ride. It was a strange thing, riding in a car. Perhaps it was because they were in a dreamscape, but there was nary a bump or clatter as they moved; just smooth, easy movement down a blackened road.
Nephele spent most of the ride listening to C’Leena’s music, asking her questions every now and again about the instruments and how they were composed. When they arrived at their destination, it didn't take much time for Nephele to register where they were, and she immediately went quiet. It wasn't a bad silence, simply out of respect for the rest of the dead. Dream or otherwise, Nephele never spoke in a cemetery until she had made it to her destination. It was just a silly superstition, but anything was possible.
When they arrived at the gravesite for Rose, Nephele read the markings and engravings with somber eyes. C’Leena told her that she had to go get something from the car, which confused Nephele a little bit considering she hadn't seen anything in it, unless she had constructed what she wanted to get beforehand? She wasn't exactly sure how this brand of magic worked, space domain, if she was correct.
The voice startled her though. Nephele whirled around to find the source, and stopped in her tracks when she saw the apparition of the very person she was visiting. Her eyes went wide and she gasped softly, taking a step away from her. At first she thought that she was hallucinating, but then Nephele realized that if she was it wouldn't be that far-fetched. Still, it was jarring all the same.
Rose was talking to her, and it took her a moment to process. She could see the open invitation for a hug, and before she even had the chance to finish her last sentence, Nephele had quicken a large step forward, pulling Rose into an overwhelming, big hug. It felt weird touching her in this space, but Nephele quickly decided that she didn't care, and she hugged Rose silently for what felt like hours, But was in reality around 20 seconds.
Nephele pulled back, hands on Rose’s shoulders and she regarded her, tears stopping up her eyes. She couldn't speak for several seconds, still trying to process what was happening as her voice was stuck in her throat. Finally though, she managed: “I’m finally meeting you. I've been wanting to for months now, but…goodness. Look at you.” It was odd, the way that Nephele immediately regarded Rose as if she were a friend. She had heard so much about her, and didn't even entertain the budding thought in the back of her mind that C’Leena had likely planned this.
Then Nephele withdrew her hands, stepping back. “A-Ah, my apologies. I don't mean to be so… you know. This is just really, really 'blowing my mind' right now, as one would say.”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 4, 2023 8:09:46 GMT -5
Rose was rather startled by the hug, her muscles tightening up as a response to the sheer chill of Nepheles body temperature. "Ho-oly fuck you're cold," she says before laughing, wrapping her arms around Nephele. Now, Rose is 5'5, so she is a bit shorter than Nephele, and once Nephele disengages from the hug and takes a step back, Rose needs to incline her head ever so slightly to look her in the eye.
"I've been looking forward to meeting you properly, too. I know that C'Leena tells you this a lot, but she really does love you more than anything - hell, it wouldn't surprise me to learn that she loves you more than she does me," She laughs, seemingly happy with this theory. "You really do mean a lot to her, though. And you've helped her so, so much. She used to cry every time she visited, but she's over by the car, sitting on the hood smiling."
"Blowing your mind, you say? Hunny, I can make that so much worse for you." Her smile fades slightly as she moves on to a point she's been wanting to tell somebody, but not C'Leena. She doesn't particularly like not telling C'Leena something, but it's for the best. "Look, generally speaking, 'memories' made by this place wouldn't know things that the creator wouldn't expect them to know if that makes sense. Every bit of what is crafted here is pulled from memory, hence why these other tombstones are illegible - C'Leena doesn't remember what they say, but knows they say something."
"The fact I know this goes against that very rule, doesn't it? Unbeknownst to C'Leena, I haven't moved on to a better place. Well, technically I did but not in the way she thinks. I've stuck with her, like how your mother has stuck with you, just in a less.. manipulative way? Sorry if that's rude or something."
Rose pauses, and sits down in mid air, with nothing actually supporting her weight. She gestures and a chair appears for Nephele to sit on as well if she so wishes. "I tell you this because.. Honestly cause I just want to tell somebody. No more reason other than that. I'm not a memory here, Nephele. Just like how you're a subject of the Dreamwalker spell, I am too. Just in a less physical way. A ghost, if you will. I've been around since C'Leena got here and been around almost always, exploring and learning as C'Leena is." She pauses again, a small smirk forming on her face. "No, I wasn't there for those private moments. Those stay between you and her." She chuckles before looking Nephele in the eye.
"..Don't tell her this. At all. She would go crazy trying to figure out some magic crap to talk with me or bring me back from the dead - apparently Necromancy is a thing so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that she gives that one a go. So for C'Leena's best interest, don't tell her I haven't moved on from her, please? I know it's a big ask to keep this from your fiancé, but she would be.. inconsolable if she learnt I'm still around."
She knows it's a monumental ask, and it would have been so much better if Rose had kept this to herself, but it's been irritating her to no end. She changes the subject away from that and a smile breaks across her face. "On another note, holy shit, seeing your eyes properly is absolutely stunning. I see why my ADHD-addled sister gets lost in them so easily."
"SO, I haven't been around forever and I am missing some details. I noticed that she got herself hurt again today. How exactly did that one happen?" She asks, leaning forward. She doesn't seem at all annoyed, instead more amused and lightly concerned, but still incredibly interested on the goings on.
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Post by Nephele on Jul 4, 2023 9:17:43 GMT -5
With every single word that Rose says, it only solidifies Nephele’s brimming pride and glee for everything that had happened so far. It also helped her anchor down into the reality of the situation, everything that had been building up starting to hit her. She knew that C’Leena loved her and cared for her immensely and vice versa, but to hear it be said by another person, especially by someone so close to her? It was incredible.
The fact that Rose could also tell what C’Leena was doing and where made Nephele laugh a little, letting out that extra amount of energy that she was slowly building up. So she was correct in assuming that this was purposeful. She truly was full of surprises, was she?
For the most part Nephele stayed quiet, responding with energetic hums or nods, but then Rose mentions why she had such specific memories, and the nymph had to pause. So she hadn't moved on, and somehow she manifested within the spell. It was very similar to her mother sticking with her, as Rose said. Nephele sighed through her nose. “Nothing is crueler than omitting the truth, there's nothing wrong with what you said. I hope she isn't causing you any problems, though it seems that she hasn't been bothering either of us. I was wondering why it was so quiet…” She mumbled that last part to herself. Evidently, C’Leena had something to do with it, but she wouldn't harp on that for now. Still, what a strange set of coincidences between the two; they were so similar, even if they were from two completely different worlds.
Nephele pointedly chose to ignore the comment about C’Leena and Nephele’s… other happenstances, blushing a bit, and in a heartbeat she said: “I won't tell her if that is your wish, I promise. That was exactly where my line of thinking was going as well; C’Leena is impulsive, and even when she thinks that she's doing the right thing she always pushes herself a little too far. I don't like withholding information from her, but I'm glad you told me in confidence.”
“And thank you for the compliment. I still don't know what sky they reflect, if you can believe me. I used to think it was the sky of Charon, but there are some constellations that do not perfectly align. I'm also told that but there are often a lot of nebulae in my eyes when I meditate… I wonder if that has something to do with...” Nephele shakes her head, not feeling that it was the time theorize on her father. Instead, she took a seat beside Rose, holding a knee to her chest as she talked. “We stopped a small scale charlatan operation in the town today. She and I knocked the people and goods overboard and I sunk it in a vortex. We're both awfully clumsy, and came out with many more scars and we walked in with. I sincerely wish I was able to do healing magic to help her. Unfortunately I'm inept, but I can help her with first aid.”
Nephele shrugged. “It's strange, she always throws herself in front of me or risks her life helping me, even though I've told her nothing I'm unused to and shown her the scars that I accumulated. You can't see the worst of them in this form, but I have a few now. Some days I wish she weren't so reckless. Especially after the incident on Mount Drakolt, she's been extra attentive to me, but entirely too careless about her own state. In a way it's frustrating but… I suppose this isn't news to you?”
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Post by C'Leena Thomas on Jul 4, 2023 11:13:35 GMT -5
Rose listened on, shaking her head when Nepheles mother was brought up. "Haven't encountered her, don't particularly want to. I can only pray that doesn't change." She is about to explain why her mothers voice isn't audible, but decides against it, deeming it unnecessary to explain and might just end up confusing Nephele. Rose isn't that good at explaining things, even less so to people who don't understand technology. Best leave that to the doctor who had to describe complex prosthetics to the average layman.
Rose did chuckle when the blush formed on Nephele. That was a commonality between Rose and C'Leena; they both absolutely enjoyed flustering others. More often than not, Rose was a simple bystander as C'Leena was far better at it, but the few times she managed it were priceless. This also makes that list.
"Impulsive is definitely a way to describe her," Rose says, laughing lightly. She leans back on the invisible seat she's on, a soft smile on her face. "She's a stubborn woman who will sooner bash her head into a wall until either she or the wall breaks than go and find a sledgehammer. While that has proven to be a rather self-destructive habit, it's gotten her incredibly far. You know she used to make all her prosthetics back on earth? From the ground up, she wrote the software - the uh.. commands? Essentially a list of things for it to do, how to do it and what to expect when it's being ordered to do it, to the actual structure of the prosthetic. She's fucking brilliant but never acknowledges that.
"Hell, because of her initial upbringing, she went into school late, skipped like, 3 or 4 year levels and graduated at like, 20 when the industry standard is 23-25. We have schooling for.. more than a quarter of our lives, Nephele and she skipped a lot of that. Her determination and stubbornness to get shit done is what makes Cece, Cece.
"But yeah, thank you for agreeing to not tell her this. It's better for her to think that I'm elsewhere, as much as that hurts. You know, when I first turned up, she tackled me into a hug and cried into my shoulder and I wanted nothing more than to do the same. I couldn't because it would've tipped her off but.. I miss her, despite seeing her all the time if that makes sense." Rose clears her throat before moving on.
As she listened to the tale of what happened earlier in the day, she couldn't help but chuckle. Nice one, Cece, you fucken' moron. She thinks to herself. Hearing Nephele not quite understand C'Leena's actions doesn't quite surprise her. C'Leena isn't exactly one to explain herself if it's something like this. She's a more hands on person, and despite being pretty good around people, she prefers her hands over her words.
"Let me propose something to you. Say that, for whatever reason in the future, Cece is in a situation that endangers her. You know for certain that, in the end, she'll be okay since you two have done this sort of thing plenty of times. Would you not intervene and try to reduce possible injury?" She says, turning her body toward Nephele.
"Same case for her, plus her Hippocratic Oath, plus the fact that she's a doctor in general. Her whole deal is to help the injured or sick, and when you are at risk of injury, not only is she oathbound to help you, she will go to any extent to ensure your safety even if that means barging into a fucking volcano like a psychopath and painting the walls red with blood."
While Rose never recalled any situations that pushed C'Leena to that extent, it's not surprising to Rose that she did such a thing. She stands up for those she cares about; always has, always will. "Perhaps you would be far more careful with how you'd help her in such a situation, but had the roles been reversed, you would have done something similar. Possibly not with the fury of a dying star, but you would've done it nonetheless.
"You know C'Leenas scars better than anybody. You know the shit she's endured - hell, she's missing limbs and organs. She's familiar with scarring and irreparable damage just like you are, yet I can guarantee that if your roles had been reversed, you would've helped her just in the same way she helped you. The both of you are painfully similar yet so different, I can almost read you just like I can read Cece."
Rose places a hand on Nepheles raised knee, looking her in the eyes. "She will sooner fight a god than not fuss over you. Think about a situation where C'Leena had fussed over you and you thought it was unnecessary. Then ask yourself "What would I do if the roles were reversed?" I can almost guarantee you, 9 situations out of 10 that you'd do what C'Leena does."
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