Remnants of the Earth

Sucking on her tongue an unpleasant noise emanated from Sparrow’s mouth. It was hard to decide whether another glass would be in order or if she should just call it a night. From the moment she punched out she had been there, in that exact spot debating after every glass whether to just go home or stay for just one more. It was a vicious cycle of debate and self-discipline that Sparrow was failing at with each turn. Drinking at home was always an option but these days even her apartment just seemed too quiet. Except for Pixie’s gnawing on a spranger bone to count as background noise but even that faded into the lull of silence. There was always the option of hanging out with her squadmates after a long day to help curb the silence and from time to time Sparrow did just that. Today though was a minor change in scenery. Alone, but at one of the few hole in the wall places you would have to know Adstreia to know it existed is where Sparrow found herself tonight. And tonight, she planned to wholeheartedly drink until that silence at home was no longer going to bother her.

This wasn’t a pity party, or a woe is me drinking festival with only Sparrow as the sole attendee. This was her toast to being exactly who she was in and out. Sparrow lifted her almost empty glass as she clinked the air in front of her.

“I don’t give a fuck”, muttered under her breathe as another sip burned her throat. With lips pursed and transformed into a tense smile Sparrow lifted her glass once more, but only to signal a refill was due. Pixie who was always with her at every step, including in a bar, shifted under the table (that he barely fit under) to find a new place of comfort for his continued evening nap.

Once again, her glass was filled, and Sparrow went back to staring off into space as she mulled over the thoughts dragging and dancing along in the back of her mind. ” Breaking up with someone is supposed to make you cry, isn’t it? Am I supposed to cry or feel bad right now?” There was no denying the minor pain in her chest that still remained even after the amount of time that had passed. But it was a pain that was manageable, even more so by the lovely drink in her hand night after night. If anything she saw all of this as just one big lesson. There was no sense in beating yourself up over mistakes, only working towards never making them again. That was exactly what it was, just one huge mistake that she would never make again. It was a stupid impulse that put her job at risk and her own mental well-being in line to being messed with. Yep, he was the last mistake she would ever make in that department again.

The thought process was interrupted by Pilot Noble Broin approaching her table with his own glass of whiskey in hand. Pixie again shifted under the table to see the incoming potential threat only to lay back down after getting a whiff of the man he had seen several times at the flight bay. Sparrow looked him over and deducted he looked exactly how she had seen him many times before. Tall with hair the polar opposite of her own dark auburn mess. Even his suit made her look like something that had crawled from the sewers. Sparrow was sporting a black Hellion’s tank top and a pair of jeans with her less than tamed hair knotted into a bun or potential tumbleweed on the top of her head.

With a simple nod, Sparrow gestured towards the chair at the other side of her table. “Don’t step on Pixie’s tail or you might lose your leg.” She took another sip of her drink and then propped her elbow up to keep the glass near her face. “Or he may lick it like a lollipop. Who knows?”

In truth, Sparrow knew Pixie would never unless commanded to do so. Or unless he did something that made her feel threatened and Pixie acted on instinct. “So… why are you all dressed up like that for? Wedding? Funeral? Party? Creepy obsession with being perfect all the time? Or are you one of those people who dress according to their moon phase or whatever?” Her humor was dry and something she and her squadmates could usually banter back and forth with. Could Emrys handle it? Regardless Sparrow was determined to get laughs out of this. Whether he joined in or became the butt of her next joke was completely up to him.

It had all happened so fast. Even with the sensory probes giving them just seconds of warning it still felt as if in the blink of an eye everything was falling apart. Following suit Mia snapped on her own helmet, the information pad in her other hand dropped the minute the ground began ripping apart. Step for step Mia stayed beside Yavul as orders were given for everyone to get clear. The cries of fear that echoed from where the barn once stood catching her attention just as quickly as it had his. The very sight already causing Mia’s wheels to turn and sync with the next orders she was given.

”Save the civvies, save the civvies, save the civvies….” her personal thoughts stuck on repeat as she stepped off from their position.

She didn’t have time to see if he was following or to look around and make sure trapdoors weren’t coming up as everything else was sinking down. Mia had been given her orders and so she would follow them… or so she thought.

Yavul’s voice was clear for only a second as Mia picked up the order for everyone else to form up. However, she never picked up on where their eyes were supposed to be. Stopping for just a moment to look back Mia saw where Yavul had once stood and the sinkhole that was in his place. Every hair on her body was then standing on end, and this time not from playful static. From the opposite direction were the screams from the civilians and military personnel that hadn’t made it out of the barn before it was devoured like Yavul.

“Yavvy!” screams left unanswered as she stared at the hole hoping he would climb out. “Yavvy are you okay!?” Another cry left empty as Mia stood unsure of what to do next.

Despite the chaos ensuing Mia found herself standing in complete silence for what felt like ages. Yavul was not okay and she could feel his absence in her chest the longer she stared at the hole closing in above where he once was. ”How did you manage to become a pilot?” a mocking memory surfacing in the silence’s place. ”You can’t even follow orders to protect your squadmates. You put everyone in danger.” More screams echoed out from the barn ahead as Mia slowly turned back towards it. ”Follow orders, listen, pay attention.” Yavul had wanted her to save the civilians and deep down she knew he would want her to choose them over himself.

“Watch for the trapdoors.” Mia took off again, heading towards the barn to complete the orders she had been given. “These holes didn’t create themselves. They're here somewhere.” Her tone stoic as she gave the orders to remaining military over her helmet’s radio system.

“Shoot to kill.” Her last communication before jumping over a stone slab to slide down towards the barn.

Push and Pull. The very essence of what separated her from those she was about to save. The barn in its entirety was mainly held together by the steel beams and siding that Mia would be using to her advantage. She had never tried to pull something this large and honestly wasn’t quite sure if she could even do it. Mia also knew you never know if you don’t try.

With each passing second, the barn sank lower and lower into the hole. Mia knew she had to act fast or it would be more than just her Commander she would be losing that day. It took a moment for her to find good footing, constantly having to shift her weight as the very ground beneath her threatened to split open at any moment. Placing the magnetic hold wasn’t the hard part but keeping herself from being pulled inward was going to pose the largest threat. Just as if she were holding an invisible rope Mia pulled, her boots skidding against the rock and sand as the structure of the barn creaked and groaned.

“Everyone get out now! Climb! I can’t hold it for long!”

At her orders the two farmers and one military came climbing out, using whatever they could grab ahold of as leverage. As they climbed the barn continued to sink, slowly dragging Mia down as she pulled with everything she had to keep it up. She knew if she let go and that barn sank that the hole would close before they could climb to safety. Beads of sweat began to form on her brow as Mia exhausted every ounce of energy she had to pull at the barn as parts of it began crushing beneath the stone’s pressure. Her focus shifting from the barn to those who were still climbing. The moment those she set out to rescue were up Mia released her hold and fell back as the barn disappeared.

She watched as everyone made their final strides to safety and noticed the sinkholes had ceased forming. In seconds she was rushing back to where Yavul once stood, the only sign a hole had even formed there being the uneven cracks left on the surface. Again, her boots were skidding as Mia slid to a stop on her knees and she immediately began ripping at the sand and stone with her hands.

“Yavul I’m here now!” Empty cries as she continued digging, pushing what little sand away that she could with traces of magnetite. “Just hold on a little longer and I’ll save you too!” Still digging Mia switched the signal in her helmet to inform the rest of her squad only to hear another member of the military sending a general distress call. “Assistance needed in rural sector 22 spranger ranch number 13. Several military personnel M.I.A. Commander Hyakinthos also M.I.A. Medical assistance required.”

Mia chimed in “Yavvy fell down the hole!” The sounds of her digging audible over her signal. “I can’t find him!” More digging sounds as Mia’s signal cut out as she ripped her helmet off. She didn’t need to hear their disappointment in her now anyway. She didn’t want to think of how her actions to follow orders caused pain to so many others already. She didn’t want to think about how she had just cost Grisham a fiance’ or Nishi’s babies a grandfather or her squad a captain.

“I’m gonna get you out Yavvy and we are going to go get you a burger and some beer. And then you are going to go to Amristah this weekend and have a great time.” Exhausted whsipers as Mia chanted to herself with each stroke of her hands. “And while you are gone we are all gonna be great and happy and safe and no one is going to be gone again.” Mia paused to wipe the sweat from her brow, smearing dirt and traces of crimson from her fingertips across her face. “And then next week we are gonna take care of the silly spiders and make everything safe again.”

“You can’t be gone. We can’t have that again.” Of course, Mia was referring to the recent loss of one of their squadmates Addie. “Don’t do that to Alpaca.” Still digging despite the screaming from her fingers Mia continued to ramble random ambitions. “Harley is going to smack you for this. Mama Blu is gonna smack you for this.” A deep breath as Mia tried to recharge a bit. “Hell, I might smack you for this Yavvy.”

Chains clattering against broken and cold stone floors accompanied by the staccato of water droplets from the irrigation pipes above. The screams and cries of her friends and comrades blurred and reverberating off the walls in every direction. Hands grabbing and pulling at flesh that burned with every second of contact while others dug into stone trying to escape. Every sight, sound, and feel coming back in an instant the moment her hand touched the pad to open her door.

Her hair was down, not because she preferred it, but to hide the brand made visible when it was pulled back into her usual style. The last thing she wanted was people noticing her brand and looking at her with curious eyes with questions of how the Fluerivale 10 survived. She couldn't stand another 'What were you feeling?' or 'Were you afraid?' from curious minds. Even worse the constant feeling of eyes as they watched in curiosity as she passed by. Aspen didn't want to be a spectacle or a symbol of survival. If anything all she wanted was to forget it had ever happened. Yet every time she stepped out of her door she was reminded of how 'open' it was beyond her walls.

Going out at night alone was still something out of her comfort zone, but at least during the day, she could see down most dark alleys. From the elevator to the lobby of her complex Aspen fidgeted with the elastic band around her wrist, pulling and snapping it unknowingly before walking out the main door. Deep down she wanted nothing more than to get past all of this, and unlike before, she was genuinely trying to get through it the best she could. Today she was determined to get some much-needed shopping done and to do it all alone. Aspen knew she couldn't always rely on her friends to hold her hand and guide her through every personal obstacle she had created for herself. Yet she also knew that if she truly did need them, they would be there in a heartbeat.

The first few minutes of her walk were full of anxieties and by the time Aspen had reached the end of the road her wrist was already starting to welt from the number of times she had snapped her bracelet. However, it slowly began to ease as she rounded the second turn in her venture. Everything started to come into focus as she inhaled the sweet Margad air and set her sites on an adorable food stand resting between herself and the store she was originally headed for. The mere sight of it caused her stomach to turn in hunger. Even better was the fact there was only one person in line.

”It's only one person Aspen, you can do this.” A mantra she repeated in her head over and over again as she approached the stand.

Everything was going so well as she stood in the line, looking up above at the banner of menu options. As usual, Aspen was conflicted between a basket of cheesy fries or chicken strips. When not eating pizza, those two were usually her go to at a restaurant. And then it was her turn to order as the person in front stepped away...

“What would you like?” A woman asked, smiling as she waited for Aspen's answer.

Suddenly Aspen felt her chest tighten as she had not yet figured out what it was she wanted between the two. Her thoughts then jumped to how long she was taking to order and how the woman was probably just smiling because she had to. Again she was snapping at her wrist as her eyes shot back and forth between the two menu items. Until a much larger picture caught her eye on the menu. Bottled water! Buy one get one free!

“Can I get two waters please?” The words alone choked out and followed with immediate short-term relief.

Aspen held out her wrist to scan and was, in turn, handed the two bottles of water. As she stepped away, stuffing one of the bottles in her bag, Aspen heard the person behind her order the cheese fries and felt her heart sink.

Regardless, Aspen pushed on to the store. Even if she panicked last minute she was patting herself on the back for at least going up to the stand in the first place.

”Small victories” she told herself as she took a swig of her newly acquired beverage and strolled into the store.

Five minutes spent in the store and Aspen had already managed to put a bag of random candies in her cart and a snack pack of pepperonis for the walk home. Going into the health and beauty isle Aspen had her eyes set on the bottles of shampoo and conditioner ahead, until another patron walked up and stood in front of them, clearly weighing the options of which kind to get. Aspen stopped and decided to wait until they were done. Having stopped just shy of the lotions she decided just to look at a few bottles until they moved along. Standing and reading bottle slogans and directions worked for the whole of maybe one minute before Aspen felt herself getting flush again.

Yet another person had turned down the aisle and was pulling their cart right up beside hers to look at the lotions as well. In a panic, Aspen grabbed a random bottle, one she hadn't even read yet and threw it in her cart. Relief overcame her though as the other patron had moved on from the shampoo she had initially set her sights on. A large smile setting in as she grabbed her usual products and moved on to check out. Again she made her purchase, scanning her chip and throwing everything in her bag with the water from earlier.

By now Aspen was feeling quite proud of herself and was actually enjoying being out of the apartment for once. So much in fact that she decided to take a longer way home and to stop at a bench to sit and enjoy her pepperonis in the fresh air (and yes it was an actual bench and not a human eating plant bench monster).

While sitting on the bench, having cracked open her snack, Aspen decided to pull the bottle of lotion she purchased out of her bag to look it over. At first, she popped open the top and took a whiff. ”Mmm... Strawberry” she thought as she turned the bottle in her hand. Slowly her face turned red as she read the slogan on the bottle. It wasn't even lotion, but instead, Aspen had just purchased herself a value-sized bottle of strawberry scented massage oil. If it were possible to die of humiliation, Aspen would have died in that moment.

She couldn't get the bottle back in her bag fast enough as she continued to sit on the bench dreading what that cashier was probably thinking when they rang her up.

”Don't panic... you can just give it to Heather or Matt. They would understand... or think you are a secret freak.”

With her head in her hands, Aspen tilted to look at her bag in shame, only to turn an even deeper shade of red as she saw a wet spot on her bag begin to grow rapidly. ”IDIOT YOU DIDN'T CLOSE THE BOTTLE!” And again she was rummaging through her bag trying to get the bottle out as fast as possible. By the time it was all said and done Aspen's bag had the lovely aroma of strawberries while her hands and wrists shone from the lovely oil treatment they had just received. 

“Great job Aspen. Looks like you're all lubed up and ready to screw yourself in the ass some more you idiot.” A mumble as she crossed her arms over her knees, letting her head fall in complete shame from her failure to function.

To say she was taken off guard was an understatement. There was no battle of excuses of why and why not like usual. Sid was rendered speechless as Blu came around to stand beside her as if going out to dinner was something they did on the regular.

“Uh... yeah”. Sid jumped out of the chair, stuffing her Com in the front pocket of her jacket in the process.

“So what are you in the mood for? We can go anywhere you want, I'm just starving. I'll even pay.” Deep down Sid was hoping Blu would take into account her vegan diet. She had nothing against going somewhere that served meat, as long as they had a scrumptious salad or more savory vegan options available. However, even if they ended up at a 24-hour barbeque Sid would go, just knowing that Blu had finally said yes.

Ever since the incident, all she could do was worry. It was eerie what kind of bad vibe the whole thing had cast on the Angel's. It was like Blu losing that child took a piece from all of them, and all of them had to adjust to a new kind of normal in the days after. It was expected it took a piece of Blu too, a piece Sid wasn't sure would ever come back. She couldn't imagine the kind of pain Blu had gone through and didn't blame her in the slightest for however she dealt with it. All Sid wanted was for Blu to smile again... a real smile.

Sidney stepped out of the office, checking over her shoulder that Blu was actually following her from time to time. It was taking everything in her not to ask how Blu was feeling today, but in the end, she knew that would only bring the bad vibe back full force.

“So I've started seeing Schuyler a bit more seriously. I don't know if you remember him or not, he's from the Hellions. He came with the group that raided your kitchen and tried to burn it down.” A light chuckle vibrated through her as she recounted the night. “We really hit it off and so far.” In an attempt to make a joke Sidney looked over her shoulder at Blu again. “And he really admires the flexibility it takes for yoga.”

For the briefest of moments, Havanah believed that she had managed to divert the conversation completely. It was no surprise to hear that Alec was just as obsessed with food as a child as he was now. The same unanswered question also remained within Havanah. Where exactly did he put it all?

Everything was starting to get on track. The talk of children and marriage averted for the time being. That, of course, was until Nadine made the slightest of hints that their precious ferrets were a step. Thankfully, Alec stepped in again, diverting the attention back to the delicious food in front of them.

With Alec's suggestion, Havanah grabbed a set of chopsticks and picked up a piece of the sushi. It was definitely different than the supermarket special she had grown accustomed to. The salmon was pinker and the piece in entirety seemed softer. Even the presentation was much different than the usual roll stuffed into a plastic container. After careful examination she plopped the piece in her mouth, letting it all melt together on her tongue while her face warped into an expression of nothing less than complete pleasure. She took a moment to savor it, completely surprised that Sushi could ever even taste this good.

"It is amazing...", she paused, still overwhelmed with how amazing it tasted. "... completely different from what I thought sushi was supposed to taste like."

Havanah then turned her attention back to Nadine. "You know Alec talks about you all the time. It's one of the many reasons I thought he was so amazing. Any guy who talks about their mother the way he does has clearly had an amazing upbringing. It shows a sense of values and respect that most people don't have these days." She then reached for another piece of the sushi, setting it on the small plate in front of her to be devoured at a later time.

The rail to Travica seemed to take longer than it actually had. The entire ride Sparrow sat with her fingers twisting and pulling at one another. The usually proud Hellion was anything but confidence as the rail pushed forwards. She could have flown in much less time, but even she knew her head just wasn't in the right place for that kind of concentration. Today was the day that the truth would be revealed. Weeks ago she had sent out the sample for testing and now the results were sitting and waiting at some office in Travica.

It always seemed as if the moment things started to go right another obstacle would fall in her path. In the blink of an eye it all changed again, her whole world turned upside down as she watched the closest thing she had ever had to a true father disappear into the dark void of space. Even then she managed it, pushing as hard as she could to turn everything right side up again.

And then Gregor happened.

Another bomb dropped, another crack appearing in the picture of herself she was already struggling to keep together. Yet still, she stood, pushing back with everything she had in hopes that maybe one day there would be some normalcy in her life. Some may have even seen the peices falling into place when Gregor announced the possibility of paternity the moment Grisham went missing. However, all Sparrow could feel was a form of guilt that all of this had to happen now. Grisham was enough for her, he had stepped up to a place others had failed. Would he feel replaced by Gregor? Should she feel this guilty for just wanting to know?

Over the last few weeks just like all other obstacles Sparrow had somehow made even all of this seem okay. Less stress than before with the announcement of Grisham's return safely back on the ground only a few days ago. The chance to actually see him had not come up yet. Every Hellion got a message stating he was back and alive and taking an overdue vacation with 'The Stepmother'. All of it completely understandable and deserved but creating even more time before Sparrow could tell him what was going on. Of course, she could message him back or even call to tell him the issue, but Sparrow was determined to give him the space he needed to get over the hand he had also been dealt.

Pulling at her fingers more, Sparrow shifted in her seat as the railcar began to slow. Pixie who was comfortably on the floor began sitting up, leaning against Sparrow's leg as if to reassure her she wasn't completely alone in all of this. In a way it helped, grounding her back in the moment rather than stuck in the mess of her own mind. When the railcar came to a complete hault Sparrow stood, Pixie rising to all fours beside her as they both started making their way off of the train. By now she had already grown acustomed to the stares from civilians towards the massive dog. By the wagging of Pixie's tail, she could also tell how much he loved all of the attention.

They were both clearly out of their element among the civilians of this dome. Sparrow dressed in her usual black Hellion sweater and Pixie adorning his black service dog vest with an official Hellion's logo on the side. She dared someone to question its validity just so she could jump down their throat with bilaws and ordinances. In time they reached the lab where the results would be read. It seemed as she pulled open the door she had managed to beat Gregor there. After signing in at the information window Sparrow found a seat in the lobby, Pixie by her side the entire time. Sparrow caught another man a few chairs down looking at Pixie differently, only to have Pixie respond by tilting his head and letting part of his tongue fall out of his mouth in the process.

"You're supposed to be a visioucly trained military dog, Pixie." Sparrow whispered, scruffing the top of his head as he continued to look at the strange man. Pixie's only response by tiltiing his head the other direction, tongue flopping with it. Funny how in an instant Pixie had completely calmed her just by being the big goofy fluffball everyone loved.

The way he spoke caused Mia's stomach to twist in an unfamiliar way. He had such a funny way of saying things. At first, she found it intriguing but now it was more like she was just waiting for the next phrase of something strange to dribble out from his lips. Her eagerness to hear another line momentarily abrupted by the delivery of their food.

And then there it was again. Evan's accent and strange way of speaking asking where she was from. "I'm from Margad!" Mia's reply just as full of enthusiasm as any other time she had the opportunity to talk about home. Even the thought of her beautiful home caused her demeanor to perk up another level. "My dad is still there. He works on the military base."

"Have you ever been during Fluerivale? It's my favorite holiday of all of the holidays! They line the streets and shops with the most beautiful flowers." Closing her eyes Mia drew in a deep breath, imagining the sweet smell of all the flowers from home. Except, all she could smell was the barbeque sauce emanating from the chicken on her salad. In an instant, her enthusiasm faded while she was reminded of where she was now. In no way did Mia hate Solarta. It was only the fact of missing her father and all the people she had grown to love back home that brought her down. Homesickness was surely a bitch and even the bright and cheery Mia had troubles fighting it off from time to time.

"Does it ever bother you traveling so much? Do you miss home a lot?"

__________________QUICK STATS
Name: Seriah Weiss aka: Sari
Age: 29
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Ethnicity: Aedolian
Height: 5ft 9in
Occupation: Pilot Echo in Ryun Ravens
Residence:Ryun

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

The Reflection:


Arts by Meee! <3

Hailing from a long line of Aedolian blood Sari's appearance carries all of the typical attributes of her ancestors before her. Piercing peridot eyes sit above her soft cheekbones and nose. Long strands of her sable hair usually pulled up exposing her copper-toned neck and shoulders. Sari bears a scar on her left cheekbone that runs clear to the tip of her ear, splitting is just slightly. Due to the physical demands required of most pilots, Sari has a lean build from head to toe. In her downtime, Sari prefers the typical attire that any other civilian can be found in.

It Gets Better, Doesn't It?:

Years ago Sari was known for being the cold one. Usually keeping to herself and focusing only on whatever task she was about to take on. However, in time all wounds begin to heal and Sari is always trying. Now she can be found in the middle of any conversation if invited with a smile on her lips. She has learned to live with the hand she was dealt in life and to this day is still trying to make the best of it all. Most would say she is relatively easy to get along with for the simple fact she does not hold ill feelings for very long. Sari has lived her life trying to let go of the bad in her past in order to create a brighter future. Though she may not have found every answer to life or learned every lesson to be offered, she is always trying.

Even with her optimistic mentality, not every pain inflicted in Sari's life has completely disappeared. Sari holds herself to a certain standard when it comes to her duties and will tear herself down if she feels she didn't give satisfactory results. Sari is her own biggest critic, failure NEVER being an option. Almost like another person Sari is all about the assignment until it is completed. While some may see this as a disadvantage, Aedolis has profited off of Sari's turmoil. She is the ideal teammate, always running through scenarios and outcomes that would be most favorable to her squad. Sari is also always open to criticism, taking every tactical suggestion and critique with grace. She understands the importance of ability and would happily allow a squad-mate to take the point if they are simply a better fit. Everything is about a successful result... everything.

Likes and Dislikes:
WIP

Psionics:

Adrenokinesis – Sari holds the unique ability to directly control the adrenaline output in her system. Through years of vigorous training, she has honed her skill to be able to increase her reaction times and speed to almost unheard of rates. While in effect Sari's pain threshold is at least tripled and she becomes much more sensitive to everything transpiring around her. This, however, does not come without serious consequences. The longer Sari uses this ability the more strain it puts on her cardiovascular system and muscles from micro-tears. To help counteract some of these drawbacks Sari always carries the proper tranquilizers to slow her heart rate if needed not only from her increased heart rate but also the onslaught of pain to follow from acquired injuries.

Relationships:

WIP

Dragon:
Name - Zarien
Description- WIP

History:

The Weiss family goes back as far as some other Aedolian families. While not known for their wealth or power they are known for their ruthless tradition of bloodline standards. Every generation is subjected to a constant competition, always pitting family against family in an attempt to see who is worthy of the family name. With each generation, there is only one who earns their families support.

Seriah was no different, subjected to years of competitions and tests set in place by her family beginning at the age of 5. If you failed, you were shamed. It all came to a peak just before Seriah's first year of candidacy at 13. It had come down to herself and her cousin, both due to leave for the ATC within a week. Only one would enter with her families support and recognition. The other to be disgraced and doomed to live a life of serving the will of not only Aedolis but the Weiss family as well. Unfortunately, Seriah did not prevail.

After her last 'test' Seriah 'earned' her mark, a scar stretching from her left cheekbone up to her ear. She did not subject herself to extraordinary measures to treat the scar, nor does she try to cover it up. It is her mark, the mark of failure that she chooses to bare for the rest of her life.

At the start of her candidacy, Sari was a cold and shut off child. Even though disgraced she still put all of her energy into getting through candidacy with high marks. It wasn't until friends wedged their way in that Sari began to realize life wasn't always about who was the best. She even managed to have a relationship with a fellow candidate but unfortunately after their families caught wind the two were forced apart. Who wants their child with another disgraced by their own family anyway? It took some time but Seriah moved on, replacing the feelings she felt with friendship down the road.

After graduation Seriah was pulled into the Ryun Ravens where she has lived ever since.

After this Mia was pretty sure she would never eat salt on anything again. Tears cried, dried, and then cried again left a residue on her cheeks and lips that was growing more unpleasant by the day. How many days had it been anyway? After a while everything seemed to mesh together, leaving Mia alone with her own thoughts. It was something she had already convinced herself that she should get used to anyway.

For all she knew Evan was dead; she knew it the moment he didn’t get off the rail yet couldn’t bring herself to act on it or to truly believe it. She had hope, the hope that any minute now he would be stepping off the train having missed it, and that all of this was just a big mess. Even after being here for a few hours she hoped he would come and that everyone would see she was right. If Yavul had just given her a little more time…
 
”Yavul…” a single thought that brought the salty waves of disappointment back.
 
He said she was fired, said he was getting her out of his city the first chance he got. It was his city, wasn’t it? She wasn’t a Valkyrie anymore; this wasn’t her home anymore. Evan was dead, Yavul hated her, she wasn’t a Valkyrie… almost everything most precious to Mia was gone in a matter of minutes. Pain and loss used to be something foreign to her. She had never known her mother to mourn her passing after all. Other than that Mia had it lucky, never losing anything that precious up until Violet. Even then, that pain was nothing compared to the emptiness she was feeling now. She wanted to say it hurt, but that would require feeling everything again. Maybe if she just turned it off like everyone else, maybe then she could go on? Was that even possible for her?
 
”Evan…” his name surfaced in the back of her mind at the thought of feeling nothing. Evan wouldn’t want that for her, but it would just be so much easier. It would be easier to feel nothing at all than to feel what was fighting just below the surface. It was a feeling that had coursed through her over and over, striking harder and harder with each new wave.
 
She couldn’t lie to herself like she had at the rail station anymore.
 
She just needed to know, she needed facts, data, something on paper putting everything together that was scattered all over the place in that moment. It had always helped before to write it all out with even the most miniscule tasks. Things like making cards: something for an occasion that referred to a date or event, or a gift: usually with a nickname just so she could remember the person attached to it, all of it had to be bright, colorful, sparkling so that it would stand out in her mind. Only once all the details were laid out in front of her, could she truly see the big picture.
 
Her eyes shifted to the package of crayons by the farthest wall. This is what she needed, pictures, something to get everything out of her head and in front of her to analyze. With the back of her hand Mia wiped away what she could from her cheeks before getting up, grabbing the package, and ripping it open. She had a medium and the canvas of the vast and empty walls of her prison. As she drew, everything came out; all the feelings and memories that had been violently assaulting her were repeatedly pouring out the tip of her crayon. She couldn’t say how long exactly she had been drawing and laying it all out. All Mia knew was that once she had started, she couldn’t stop until it was done, and, in the end, she was face to face with her innermost thoughts. There were memories, fond ones of Mia with her squad that were now just that… memories. After all of this there would be no more, Yavul said so himself. She was done. No more hide and seek. No more day to day activities at Valhalla. No more Valkyries.
 
She took a moment to reflect on what memories she did have and on all the fun things they had done together. From the very first day when Addie rescued her from the dog, before they even knew they were teammates, they were working together. Another was of when everyone came over to help put her table together. Raz had found her screwdriver and Alpaca had agreed that the table was better crooked. Or the day they all came over and one by one were victims of the glue-glitter apocalypse. Yet, despite that at the end of the day when they all were stuck, every single one of them had been laughing about it.
 
Mia felt another wave coming as she continued to reminisce. Her hair used to be so long, but she had cut it to throw off the scent for Nishi during hide and seek. Harley had had her Com, pretending to be her, though they all knew better after just a few minutes. She still felt so smart using the greenhouse to hide, the smell of flowers masking where she really was for the longest time. Even if they were nothing in comparison to the ones in Margad, it was still a great day. Every day was a great day for a while…
 
Another drawing of Mia’s memories was in Margad. Talbot, her Uncle Soba, used to play a similar game with her. In this game he always found her, not hard when she got distracted and always chose the same spots. She was much younger but even then, it was clear her love of flowers and the creatures that found solace within them were rooted deeply. She remembered how sweet the flower crates being sent out smelt. All those flowers packed together so that when you opened the lid even a smidge, you would get the most amazing assault on your senses.  Or the soil crates coming in, samples from all of the domes for more exotic floral experiments. Often there was a strange bug or two as a stowaway she could add to her collection, a poor creature pulled away from home that Mia had to save.
 
Then there were the sounds, the sensations just from walking through. The sprinklers kicking on and off, the subtle disturbance of a butterfly taking off or landing on a petal. The sound of the locusts in the late afternoon, calling out just before the dark. If only she could’ve had the chance to show Evan the flowers and creatures of Margad. She never even got a chance to introduce him to her dad. In fact, there was so much she never got to do with him, so much lost forever now.
 
Razzle, Evan… The Valkyries. All lost, gone forever in a day.
 
Taking a step back Mia looked at her creation as a whole, lips set in a firm line as she took it all in. Figures and flowers, all of them crossed out with a large red X. This was everything taken from her, the losses she would never reclaim. Then, set far away from all of the other drawings was a stick figure with short red hair. Mia knew what being fired meant. She knew she failed to follow orders, which was unacceptable for a Pilot.  It wouldn’t be long now before they shipped her off to The Citadel to be detained for even longer. Who knew, they would probably even poke and prod her like a candidate who just wasn’t cut out for the program. Who would save her? Yavul wouldn’t… he hated her now. Blu? Soba? No, it wasn’t worth the risk. She wouldn’t want them to anyway. All Mia wanted was to be a Valkyrie with her family and if she couldn’t have that then, well she didn’t want anything.
 
She took another step towards the wall, drawing another large red X between her own figure and the Valkyries, the connection that was gone forever now. This was going to be where her road ended and at least in this moment she had come to accept it. If it all ended, if everything just went away then she wouldn’t have to feel this way anymore. No more pain, no more regrets. Everything would just be… done.
 
“I’m sorry.” Mia dropped the crayon, letting it slip through her fingertips until there was nothing to hold onto at all. Another step forward as she lifted her hand, fingers extending to one of the stick figures with darker hair and white stripes (and people say the white crayon is useless! HA!). She truly was sorry for not listening. Mia knew all Yavul wanted was her to be safe and that she had directly put herself in harm's way for misplaced hope. She had betrayed him, ignored him, and made him focus on her rather than the fact that Razzle had also just gone missing. Not only that, but Mia also had become someone unrecognizable in those moments. She was no longer acting as part of a squad or a pilot but instead was being selfish. Mia was putting herself and everyone coming to her side in danger of sharing the same fate as Razzle and Evan.
 
Turning away, Mia closed her eyes, and slid down the wall until the space between herself and the floor was nonexistent. Another wave was coming, she could feel it as her stomach started to twist again. Her muscles tensed, preparing for the onslaught of emotion that was about to slam into her. The floodgates began to open and before she knew it Mia was grabbing at her knees trying to fight it. Evan was dead, Raz was dead… everyone was dead. Yavul hated her, Blu was mad at her, the Valkyries were ashamed of her. Who would want a Pilot like her around anyway?
 
“I don’t want to be dumb anymore,” she squeaked. “I don’t want to not understand anymore. I don’t want to annoy people anymore.” Her cries escalated as Mia began tearing herself down over and over again.
 
All of those other pilots were right for calling her out before. It was a shock she even made it through Candidacy and placed into a squad to begin with. They were right for calling her stupid, slow, and idiotic. She didn’t deserve to be in a squad, or to be a Pilot for that matter, because when it really mattered all she did was let them all down. How could someone trust a Pilot as stupid as her anyway? How could someone love a person like her?
 
Love… the word shot Mia in the chest, a through and through bullet-hole, that forced the convulsions to stop. Her body was so frozen, that she couldn’t even draw a breath while hanging onto the word. “Evan,” her lips barely parting with the name. That’s when the stabbing started all over again, piercing Mia’s heart time and time again until she was sure there was none left to destroy. After that everything came rushing in again and Mia found herself pulling at her knees once more.
 
“Awoooooooo….” One of the most pitiful, pathetic, and weak howls for help to ever be sang. Even more pathetic because she knew no one would answer. You have to be a Valkyrie for it to work…

So much had happened, so many things that led Aspen to where she was now. At first, it was just grunt work, filing papers and doing whatever the higher ups needed. But now, the majority were in Adstreia dealing with whatever it was going on over there. Aspen still wasn't sure on the details, just knowing that something big had happened which required them to call in everyone.
"I bet Soleas and Matt are super busy", she thought as she scrolled past their names on her Com. "I wonder how Viktor is feeling today..." Why she was looking at her contacts she still wasn't sure, but being out following up on some leads for the first time was already nerve-wracking enough. Maybe just seeing their names, the names of those who had helped get her here would help ground her in a way.

To Viktor: Hey! How are you feeling today? I sent you some more medical books I found here!Something about plants and health, of course, Margad would have them lol. Hopefully, you get them soon! Maybe after all this crazy stuff in Adstreia is over I can come to visit! I'll bring flashcards and help you catch up on your medical stuff if you want. Or we can just talk... it's up to you. Anywho just let me know!

-Aspen Brookes"

 
-Sent-
None of it was helping with the headache that was pressing on every nerve in her head as it progressed. Maybe it wasn't nerves, maybe it was something else causing her to feel so shitty. In a last-ditch effort, she pulled up the browser on her com, typing into Floogle her symptoms while slipping her heel in and out of her one size too big flats.

Headache, Pressure, Fatigue...
Searching...
Searching....
Searching.....
Results: Pregnancy, Low Blood Sugar, Low Blood Pressure, Anemia, Arrhythmia, Vestibular Neuronitis, Dehydration.

Just as she had finished reading her results Aspen thought she felt Heather trying to say something but the dizziness caused by her headache muffled it all. She had been in front of her this entire time but was now turning and Aspen wasn't sure whether to follow or hang back. Now was not the time to be Floogling her death and so she tucked her Com back into her pocket.

"Want me to follow?" Immediately Aspen felt the emptiness on the other side of the message and even worse her headache was quickly becoming unbearable. Something wasn't right... something was happening and Aspen felt every muscle in her body growing weaker by the second.

"Heather?" she whispered as she turned into the alley trying to pinpoint her friend's location.

"Here kitty kitty..." a soft voice called from deeper in, cloaked by the shadows. The voice alone was enough to send a chill down her spine, enough so that she stepped back, momentarily afraid to go in any further. The old Aspen probably would have run, turned on her heel and bolted while crying about how unfair all of this was. The old Aspen would not have gone back, the old Aspen would not be pressing forwards because her partner and friend was somewhere in that darkness with whatever it was taunting her at the end.

"Yes, that's right... Here kitty kitty..." the soft voice beckoned again, calling Aspen in further.

She wanted to run so badly, every muscle in her legs shaking and screaming at her to turn around... yet she did not. She continued to press forwards, her eyes burning as she fought back the tears of fear to try and just see where Heather was.

And then she saw it...

Heather's beanie, laying on the ground without the girl it belonged to in sight. The sight of the beanie was enough to stop Aspen right in her tracks, her legs refusing to move forwards anymore as her knees quivered barely able to even hold her weight. She tried to take another step, only to lose one of her flats as she misstepped and fell to her knees.

There was no more time to react, no energy left to scream, nothing even as she tried to reach out to Thaen. At first, Aspen thought it was fear that kept her from going, but it was far from it. All she could comprehend was how quickly the figure got to her, how quickly and effortlessly he picked her up simply by grabbing her arm, and how hard it was becoming to even breathe. The young Pilot was now sharing the same fate as her partner: held at the mercy of the figure dragging her lifeless body deeper into the alley until there was nothing left to be seen.