happilyeverbeginning | Love On An Adventure - Apocalypse

Entry tags:

closed psl,
libra

Love On An Adventure - Apocalypse - Libra & Yuma

It is during the darkest times that faith becomes harder to hold. But despite the endless Risen ravaging the country and the many lives lost, Libra still took time after a difficult battle to murmur soft words for those that couldn't be saved. Perhaps he would have fallen into despair if he was alone, but thankfully he had another soul traveling with him on this hard road.

After having been separated from the other Shepherds, Libra had tried to find his friends but instead had found a most unusual companion. There were many mysteries around his new friend, but he knew it wasn't his business. Besides, Libra had his own share of secrets as well. He was just grateful for the aide in battle, and the company in passing talk. Truly, he was happy that Yuma was there - he just didn't mention it too often.

It was getting closer to nightfall. Libra sighed heavily, his prayers finished.

"... My apologies if I took too long." he finally spoke out loud. "I trust you aren't injured?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'm fine."

Yuma was sure he looked odd. Dressed in all black, thick gloves that he was adjusting back on his hands, and a shroud covering his head and most of his face. Around him laid Risen in various forms of torn to shreds, which was certainly odd from an outsider's perspective, given that Yuma had no weapons to speak of on his person. But he supposed what he looked like didn't really matter, so long as he could hold his own.

When he'd come to this land after his defeat back home, he'd hoped for a life of peace... But he was never that lucky.

"And you?"

Yuma's head was tilted toward Libra, and there was perhaps the distinct feeling that he was staring, despite his eyes not being visible through the shroud. Libra was the one companion he'd found here that was willing to travel with a 'misshapen human', so of course he would worry.

It was an odd outfit to be sure, but Libra was rarely one to judge anyone based on such trivial matters. He could feel Yuma's eyes on him, and offered him a kind smile in turn, hoping it could ease him.

"A few aches in my muscles, but nothing a good night's rest won't cure." Granted, peaceful and restful sleep itself was also a rarity, but he might as well be optimistic. Plus he always had a healing staff at the ready, though its power was weakening day by day. He'd have to buy another one soon enough, but who knew if any shops even still existed, much less held what he needed?

None the less, he began to put away his axe and take out the staff. "If you're hurt anywhere, let me know. I still have enough power to take care of it."

"Right."

A good night's rest... Yuma didn't know what that meant, really. He'd been in the military since he was created and the most sleep he ever got was around six hours. Usually less. A habit he hadn't shaken ever since arriving here.

"No. I'm fine. No injuries, I promise."

Even if he had been scratched up, there was no need to waste power on healing such minor injuries.

"We should find a safe place to rest."

One nod, and Libra began to walk. Since Risen attacks could come at any moment, where one slept was important. They couldn't just lay down on a flat piece of ground, that would be easy picking. It was important to be surrounded by plants or derbies that would make noise when "company" was coming.

"We should also consider taking shifts. I can take the first one. I'm feeling quite awake. A hard fight tends to make the adrenaline run."

Yuma followed along when Libra began to walk, falling in line a little behind him, keeping an eye on their surroundings. Considering no where was safe, his guard was constantly up and he was constantly tense. Every sound, even though it was just the wind making leaves rustle, had him turning his head.

"No, I'll take the first one."

He was more dragon than he was human, after all. A human needed more rest than he did. Probably.

"As soon as you lie down, I'm sure you'll feel tired."

As it was, Yuma felt more concern for Libra than he did for himself. Why that was, he had no idea, but... He wouldn't really question it.

Libra was also keeping an active eye and ear on his surroundings, a hand on the hilt of his axe, ready to pull it out at any second. But it was hard to tell that he was battle-ready, due to the peaceful expression he was wearing.

"I could say the same for you. Hmmm. We may be too alike, you and I." A faint chuckle. "I don't suppose you'd like to rock-paper-scissors for it."

"No. I insist."

And he wouldn't change his mind. Yuma was a stubborn sort of person, always had been, and probably always would be, until the day where he drew his last breath.

"You probably need more rest than I do. I've been conditioned to go days without rest if I need to."

ISDF had created him to be the perfect weapon, after all. And what use was a perfect weapon if it needed to sleep regularly.

"Ah, but then how many days without rest have you gone through already?" Libra wasn't usually so stubborn, but light banter was helping him through another depressing day. It was always interesting to 'learn' more about his partner, little by little.

"You won't win this battle so easily, my friend."

"Three, I think. I'll be fine for a few more days."

Really. The dragon part of him was making him stronger too. Able to hold out without sleep longer. The dragons of his world rarely slept, and their DNA merged with his own had given him more dragon-like qualities than anything else.

"Friend..."

He hadn't really had that word used around him before. He wasn't sure he really knew what it meant. He knew his own feelings for Libra were heavily on the positive side, but...

"Libra. What does it mean? Being 'friends' with someone?"

Libra paused, genuinely surprised. Instead of learning new things about his companion, those small questions raised a dozen more inquiries. What kind of awful life had Yuma been subjected to, so that the mere concept of friendship was foreign?

He breathed deeply through his nostrils, trying to think of the best way to describe it. "What does it mean to be a friend? You might get a different response depending on who you ask, but... for me, it means enjoying someone's company. And even preferring it over the company of others."

He placed a hand on his heart. "I am happy that we've met."

"I see. So me feeling at peace with you... Is that friendship?"

His hand moved to grip the front of the coat he was wearing, over where his heart resided. Honestly, he was so far removed from humanity. Even before he'd become a draconic humanoid abomination, he had been far removed from humanity. Perhaps it was fitting that Akutsu had never once seen him as a person.

Yuma sure didn't feel like one a lot of the time.

"I'm... Happy, too. I think. Most of my life, I've been so obsessed with... Being the strongest. Being the best. But now..."

He sighed.

"Honestly, I'm more of a monster than the Risen are."

"No." Libra interrupted Yuma, his voice unusually sharp and harsh for half a moment. He wouldn't allow Yuma to feel that way about himself, not if he could help it.

"A desire for strength is normal. Every life has pride and greed. As long as we don't let those desires hurt another, we shouldn't ashamed of it. Many have used these longings for power for noble purposes."

Such as Prince Chrom, or other members of the lost Shepherds. "If you are stronger, if you are better, you can protect those around you. Moments ago, you wished for me to rest, despite your own weariness. No Risen would care in the way that you do."

Yuma flinches under his shroud, having never heard his companion's voice quite so sharp before. It was a little surprising.

"It wasn't a desire." He said, quietly, "It was a deep, burning obsession. I had to be the strongest, the quickest, the best. I... I did hurt people. I regret it now, but that doesn't change a thing."

He sighed deeply, "I suppose."

He fell into a bit of silence after this. Moments passed, before he spoke again; "Libra. Aren't you curious about what's under this shroud?"

But to Libra, it did change things. But he had to wonder if Yuma was willing to listen. While they were equally stubborn on a few things here and there, Yuma seemed to be determined to keep up a certain frame of himself. It only made Libra pity him all the more.

"Of course I am." His voice returns to its calm, peaceful tone. "But you have your reasons why you stay in the shadows. It's not my business to intrude where you aren't comfortable."

"It's not my discomfort I'm worried about."

It was everyone else's. Including Libra's. After all, how would he feel, knowing that his friend was more of a freak of nature than anything. Because of the friendly feelings Yuma had toward him, he... Didn't want Libra to leave him. Entirely selfish, he knew. Libra, kind as he was, should be with people who were good for him.

"Would you believe me if I said I wasn't born but instead man-made?"

He felt the need to talk about himself. The same need to talk about himself he'd felt around his teammate and rival back home. Libra was his friend, so surely discussing these things with him... Well. This world wasn't quite there yet, but maybe... Maybe Libra would believe him.

"Man-made?" Libra repeated, initially confused. Weren't all humans, by definition, "man-made"? Clearly this meant something else. He kept his eyes on Yuma, unsure of what to expect but willing to listen. This was clearly important to Yuma, and as such he would get all of Libra's respect and attention.

"I'd have an easier time believing you if I understood what you mean by that."

"I wasn't born, but came into this life a fully grown man, made in a laboratory. An artificial life-form, created to be the world's strongest human."

It probably sounded far-fetched. After all, as far as Yuma was aware, this world had nothing resembling his world's technology. Certainly the ability to create a living, breathing, thinking artificial life-form was far off in the future.

"It... Sounds absurd, I know..."

And indeed, it did sound bizarre. Had it not been Yuma himself telling this tale, Libra might not have believed it. But Yuma also had no reason to lie about such an oddity. Miriel would have found it fascinating - and Libra's heart stung, remembering his fallen comrade.

"Ah...Hm." He shook his head, trying to focus. "It is unusual. I've never heard of any sorcery like that. But it does explain a few things about you, I must admit."

"Science, not sorcery."

He felt the need to correct him on that. Sorcery probably wouldn't have messed up as badly as science did. But then, he couldn't blame the entirety of the train wreck that was his life on just his creation.

"Can we stop for a moment?"

"Of course." Shch a serious conversation would perhaps be better if they stayed in one place. By now they had reached rocky terrain, and Libra sat across a flat rock, hands folded in his lap.

"I will hear all you wish to say."

"It's something I wish to show you, rather than something I wish to say."

Yuma observed Libra for a moment, before deciding to take a chance on a friendship without secrets. One where they were on equal footing. He knew that it was a huge risk. Libra might scream or run or attack him. Like the humans back when he first arrived in this world had.

He pulled his gloves off first, to revealed clawed hands, before reaching to undo the shroud that covered his head and face.

Horns, including one that grew right out of his eye socket, pointed ears, deep cracks in the cheek on the side where the horn grew out of his eye. The color of the one eye he did have was also not natural.

He felt... Exposed.

He hadn't felt like this back home, but the situations were different of course. Yuma was a different man now than what he was then.

"... I'm sorry."

He wasn't even sure what he was apologizing for.

"By the Gods!" It came without thought. Libra had seen Taguels and Manaketes, those who were both beast and human, but they had equal parts of each. This was near deformity, a haphazard mesh of two things that shouldn't have been.

"Yuma..." He breathed slowly, trying to understand how such an existence was possible. "Are you... in pain?" It sure looked as if it would hurt another normal man, but Yuma was clearly not normal.

A better reaction than he'd expected. No screaming or looks of fear, or attacking. Simply surprise, then curiosity and concern. Truly, Libra was too kind.

"No. Not physically."

Emotionally was a whole other thing, that Yuma wasn't completely prepared to plunge into. Having the memories and feelings of dragons came with its share of unique problems too, though he suppressed it well.

Libra slowly stood up, his eyes carefully going over every little detail. He felt as if he had questions yet at the same time didn't know what to say.

"... I'm sorry that you've had to carry such a burden within you for so long." Libra tried to frame each word carefully. "I wish I could do more than say mediocre words."

"No- It's fine. Your words are enough. At least you're not throwing rocks at me to chase me away."

Like what had happened when he first arrived. The amount of distressed screaming he'd done after that had left his throat hurting for days.

"I do understand if you don't want to travel with me any more though."

Though the thought of that did distress him quite a bit.

That made him blink rapidly - did Yuma trust him so little, or had Yuma lowered his expectations so much that he could only see that Libra would "obviously" leave him?

"What I've seen and what I've learned... It gives me no reason to leave your side. How you were made and how you look says nothing about who you are. You are a good man, Yuma. I shall walk alongside you until you wish otherwise."

A small smile. "If you want to get rid of me, you'll have to try a lot harder."

The latter, really. Before meeting Libra, Yuma had assumed no one in this world would be by his side in any way, shape, or form. That he was doomed to walk alone the second he revealed his draconic humanoid form. His expectation of regular humans were basically them trying to straight up murder him. He'd contemplating letting them at one point.

He felt something now, now that Libra wasn't abandoning him, something aching inside his chest. Sadness? No... Perhaps it was hope.

"... Thank you."

Since Yuma had revealed so much of himself, Libra felt it was only fair to offer up his own history. It felt insignificant in comparison.

"I have my own scars, both on my skin and in my heart."

He turned around, and lifted up his hair to show the deep scars on the back of his neck. "My parents believed I was a cursed child, and abandoned me. I held onto my mother as hard as my fingers could, and she yanked me away...these are from her nails. For a long time, I felt they were right about my darkness."

"What? They weren't-" Yuma immediately started to argue, before shutting his mouth and taking a deep breath. "No. I shouldn't disregard your feelings on the matter."

His one eye was fixed on his companion, "They were wrong, but the actions of parents or relatives shape a person. They can make you believe things about yourself that aren't true. Children are especially impressionable, and experiencing something like that at a young age is extremely damaging."

If it sounded like he was speaking from experience, it was because he was. Since he first drew breath, he had been informed that he was replaceable, that more Yuma units could be make, should he fail. His life, to ISDF, was worth nothing at all. He was less valuable than dirt to the higher command chain.

"... How do you feel now? I would like to know."

Despite the coldness of his own story, Libra smiled at the obvious care Yuma spoke with. He had long since moved on since his parents cruelty, so telling this tale hardly bothered him anymore.

"Heh...I thank you. Your outrage means a lot to me." Gentle teasing, but he still meant it. "But I know now they were only human. They could have made worse choices, such as taking my life. Ultimately, I can't change my past, so I've come to accept it."

He reached up, touching the scar on his neck. Had it faded any in his time? Did it look worse or better now? "As for my darkness...We are all capable of good and evil, and justifying it to ourselves. I am but one man. I believe my actions to be good. And I believe yours are the same."

"I suppose that's all that we can do. Accept and try to move on, and become better people through our hardships."

He certainly wanted to improve himself. He wanted to protect those who needed it, and not focus any more on things like being the strongest. His strength certainly helped here, but it wasn't all that mattered, and strength alone didn't make a man. His desire to atone for the sins of his past was also strong.

"I certainly hope mine are good. I have things I need to make up for. Things I'll never forgive myself for, but... I hope my feelings will lead me down a path that is good."

"Ah, but don't you see? You give yourself away with your very words." Libra says with clear amusement and happiness. "Those with true darkness in their hearts wouldn't care about what sins they've committed, or already forgive themselves."

He gently walked over to lay a kind hand on Yuma's shoulder. "You don't need to be so hard on yourself. It's easy to be cruel. It's difficult to be good."

"I suppose." Yuma replied, a little bit unsure. He had plenty of darkness in his heart. Some of it his own, some of it not. Still, he did his best to keep it in check and work toward something that was ultimately good.

Libra's hand on his shoulder felt comforting in a way, so it was easier to be optimistic.

"We should get going. You must be very tired by now, so we need to find somewhere to rest."

That said, he put his gloves back on and then the shroud. Libra might accept him for what he was, but that didn't mean that everyone else they might come across would too.

Libra hoped one day Yuma could walk freely without his "disguise", but it was not his issue to push. The day that would come, if it came, would be a long time ahead in the future. He pulled his hand back and resumed the walk with his friend.

"Hm... you're still confident that I'm the one that will sleep first." A small chuckle. ""Nothing's decided yet, until we've found safe ground for our slumber."

"Oh but it is decided." Yuma responded, a hint of amusement in his voice. They were both equally stubborn, but Yuma was determined to win. If his humanity could win out over the voices of the dragons that were part of him, then he could certainly best Libra in a game of 'who sleeps first'.

"As you've seen, I'm not human, so obviously, I need less rest than you do."

Well. He was part human, but... That didn't really matter. He was 100% more concerned about Libra than he would ever be about himself. Yuma cared intensely for his companion, perhaps because he'd been an ass to his allies back home, but... No. It was 99.9% actual love and concern for Libra, who had been so kind to him.

"Don't argue with me on this."

"Less rest still implies you do need sleep." Libra calmly argued back. Sure, he could have easily given up the fight in seconds. But this was a welcome distraction from thinking about the horrors of their world, of the never ending nightmare that came day after day.

"You've also shared much of your past with me. That itself must have been tiring. Therefore, I still say you should be the one to sleep first. At the very least, this argument will wear you out... whereas I am a monk, and therefore quite patient."

Yuma couldn't help but laugh, genuinely, though it sounded as though he wasn't quite used to that. And he wasn't. Genuine laughter had been rare even before, but after he came here... Well, he hadn't had much reason to laugh. So it was the genuine laughter of a man who probably hadn't genuinely laughed in about six years.

"Stubborn. But I like that about you. It's cute."

... Was it normal to call anything about a man cute? Yuma did not know. Hopefully Libra wouldn't take it as an insult.

"I can still go several days without sleep though. I'm fine."

Far from insulted, Libra was flattered, but not just from the compliment. He had never heard Yuma laughed before, so he had stopped walking for half a second as it had surprised him so much. It was a beautiful sound, and Libra was proud to make it happen. Now he felt as if he could never stop smiling.

A few chuckles escaped him as well. "You'd be amazed what the average human body can survive. I too can withhold from sleep for days... although I admit I've never tried it before."

"... I know. Humans are surprisingly sturdy. Doesn't mean they don't need rest though."

He had seen soldiers who hadn't rested properly in weeks. They were often paranoid wrecks until they did rest. A regular human could start to hallucinate after only three days awake. Brains were... Well. Strange.

He fell quiet for a moment, and scanned the area. Relaxed by the conversation he might be, but he still had his guard up.

"We could always sleep in a tree or something if we find one big and sturdy enough... There is the risk of falling out if we move during our sleep though."

"You are slimmer than I am." Libra pointed out, using his hands to lightly gesture between the two of them. "If we did take to the trees, you'd probably have an easier time of it. Unfortunately, I would probably break several branches. The woes of muscles, you could say."

He wasn't bragging - he rarely did - it was just another simple fact.

"Then we're back to the beginning... You sleep first."

Yuma wasn't going to budge on that. He'd always been extremely stubborn and wasn't going to change his ways now.

"And that's final."

Alas, for now it seemed Libra was out of arguments. He frowned, trying to think it over, but Yuma had won fair and square.

"... Very well." He admitted, with a shake of his head. "But I won't go down so easily next time."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Love On An Adventure - Apocalypse - Libra & Yuma

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject