come_sailaway | I’ve Been Reading Books of Old

Entry tags:

original: valdis

I’ve Been Reading Books of Old

Who: Valdis and Open
What: Catch All
When: Month of June
Where: All over
Warnings: In starters

The Testaments they told | Open | CW: none

Sketches are all over the floor of the Sandollar and all over the tables. Images of passengers, people, scenery, animals and flowers. Some are cartoonish, others extremely detailed, and some look almost like photographs. The stress of the previous month has faded, she’s had to pull herself together for the sake of those she cares about, but there’s still a desire to express herself.

She’s working on another sketch, almost in a trance, so she likely won’t notice anyone who approaches.

Xena: Warrior Princess is playing on one of the TVs.

The Moon and it’s Eclipse | Open | CW: None

Valdis had told Erin that angels didn’t have wings and yet the pair that appeared when she confronted Erik couldn’t be written off as an illusion. They had weight and power behind them, but they had vanished, meaning unlike Erin and Peter’s they could likely be summoned. She leans against the railing of the Eterna, the stress clearly showing in the stiffness of her form. Other powers had flowed naturally, the memories of how to use them quickly appearing after items from Sundries. But not this one.

Max had mentioned the tattoo that appeared on her back after she received the golden feather, but she didn’t know what it had meant. She pulls off her shirt, one hand reaching up to the place between her shoulders where the small wings had been imprinted on her skin.

I Want Something Just Like This | Max | CW: None

Tbd

Wildcard | PM to Discuss or just go for it>/b>

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Yeah, it's the Xena that lures Erin in, but Valdis being there is why she stays. Her regal love seems occupied, and Erin doesn't want to interrupt; she settles into a table next to Valdis and just watches her work, listening in a vague and happy trance.

This feels...right.

She's deep in thought and her fingers are covered in graphite as she smudges and darkens certain areas to creates shadows and angles of light. Erin's presence feels distant, yet steady, but she doesn't acknowledge her when she sits nearby for several minutes.

"It's a silly show," she says, not looking over. "But I can see why people like it."

"Several of those reasons are Lucy Lawless."

"I can't say I disagree."

She sketches a few more lines.

"The armor is ridiculous though."

"So is the chakram but it's weird, isn't it? They let the lasses move like they're actually moving, for all the everything else about it." Erin sighs wistfully. "What'cha up to, Valdis?"

"It's pure fanservice. And back then, it was mostly for the male gaze."

There's amusement in her voice, as if she isn't truly offended by that. She's used it to her advantage often enough.

"Dreams. It feels like something needs to get out. Been going on for a few days. I'd put it all together in my room, but I have a new, fairly disagreeable roommate whose input is unneeded."

Erin reaches over to lay a hand on Valdis's back; it's a rough ride. "Wanna talk about it?"

Erin can't see the drawings, but another visitor would have been able to. But...

She also understands that it might be hard to talk about.

"It's not bad. It's more...people I've never met. Places I don't remember having gone. Nothing solid. Just images, feelings."

It's frustrating, but better to be distracted now, instead of later.

"I'm sure it has something to do with memories continuing to come back."

She sighs, "In between I'm drawing other things too. With Yato gone...I don't have anyone to spar with anymore."

"You know I'll spar with you," Erin offers softly. "If nothing else I can keep your fundamentals sharp, love."

"I know. I just miss him."

The only god she ever liked.

"Are you capable of holding back?"

Yato had life experience that Erin doesn't. Age, skill, ability. It was nice to meet someone on her level who could hold back and push just enough to keep things even and fair. The point wasn't to win, but to enjoy the skills they both had.

Erin nods. She knows Valdis is grieving, but...there's not a lot Erin can do about that, so she's helping how she can. "We've got practice swords, handwraps, and the works. Besides, I'm holdin' back well enough to be training Max, oughta be able to hold back for you. Only obstacle I can see is training bruises and that's just awkward conversations, that's nothin'."

Hell, Ylva and Cass probably won't even ask about 'em, they know the score. Max on the other hand might need forewarning, if Valdis can stay bruised long enough to cause a problem.

"Yeah."

She drops the pencil, watching it roll across the paper and over several drawings before resting on top of one in particular. A face that's been bothering her since Erik vanished.

"It's easy to hold back against someone weaker than you, but when you aim to push the limits...it gets harder."

Damnit Erin, get those prosthetic eyes installed so you can see the symbolism.

As it is she gets up to hold Valdis from behind, light and gentle; nothing her lover can't shake off with the barest of effort. "What I have to offer is yours, Valdis. And if you find someone who can push you harder I won't take it personally."

Valdis gently grips one of Erin's arms, just holding onto her and breathing.

"I know."

She does. And she knows Erin isn't a pushover. The woman knows how to use a sword, and likely many other weapons. Erin is stronger and faster than a mortal, and she might be the closest to matching Yato that might be willing to cross weapons in a friendly spar with her. But even so.

"We're gonna need something better than those unbalanced practice swords."

She and Yato had managed, but it wasn't as fun.

"Yeah, probably," Erin says with a rueful smile. "If I find something I'll let you know. I don't wanna pull Bifrost for anything less than an actual combat. She might be magic glass, but...she's still glass." And the sword is precious to Erin, her only token of her crush back at home. "But for right now, is there something I can go get for you so you don't have to stop drawing?"

"Considering the last person I injured with Revelations ended up banished from the mortal plane, it's probably wise if I don't turn it on a loved one."

Though, it had been a demon and Erin wasn't one. Though Nobunaga was still convinced he would be destroyed by it. She hums at the offer.

"Stay with me?" she asks. "Maybe we can pause Xena and you can tell me a story. I recall you had one in mind many moons ago."

Darn plot cockblocking poor Erin for months.

She's got storytelling balls like a fucking Smurf here.

"Mmm...I'd like that. I was gonna tell the story of Vasilia the Beautiful..."

Erin scoots her chair closer and works on settling in. This story's...not short.

Valdis shuffles through the drawings, looking for the remote she knows is here somewhere. It takes her a minute, but it is underneath a couple sketches and in danger of falling off the table as she's been shoving things around. She grabs it right as it reaches the tipping point and points it at the TV to turn it off.

"I'm ready when you are."

Well now. Sand Dollars has become something of a habitual haunt, anymore, but. While Jade has seen quite a few instances of people (like Fio) haunting this little café to work on various art pursuits...

Using practically the whole place as a canvas is a first, you know?

Jade pauses in the doorway, peering around at the scene before him. The unfamiliar imagery on the television, the impressively varied imagery scrawled all over the tables...ah, but it's the person clearly responsible for the sprawling art that draws his full attention in the end. This is a familiar face, one that's been around and about the ship for a fair amount of time...although, the most recent memory has it attached to a wall in that stone waiting room of several weeks past, the Captain's hatpin in her mouth.

Rather morbid, all things considered. But.

"My, is this a bad time? I suppose I could always fetch some coffee from here at another hour, instead." Mildly polite, with perhaps a touch of wry humor around the edges. She seems quite thoroughly absorbed in her work, after all.

Edited 2023-06-15 04:09 (UTC)

Her green eyes lift from the sketch and onto Jade. As long as she has known about him and seen him around, they have never really found reason to interact. A mistake on her part to be sure, as he also carries an aura of death. Similar to Palamedes, but also to herself in a twisted way. Yet another passenger steeped in death, but he always seemed pleasant enough. Her fingers are covered in graphite and she smudges a shadow on the paper she is working on before pushing it away.

"Jade," she inclines her head. "It's not a bad time, no. Just trying to get the images out of my head and this seemed like the best way."

Then she smiles, "And yes, I do recognize that makes me sound a little insane."

"Oh, I daresay just a little insanity here and there couldn't hurt on occasion," Jade replies, tone warm enough with the faint amusement attached to it, returning her smile with one of his own. "Recognition is also always the first step to recovery! Or however that saying goes. That besides...I daresay you're one of the most entitled here, to a bit of public art at the least. After your deeds in that waiting room dream realm..."

The way her head's appearance had ended up being the first crack in Sparkles' intent plan of torturous destruction for them all, and all that. Really, in the grand scheme of things, drawing on tables is truly a benign sort of recovery...and it's not as if she's even restricting the venue, either. Invited inside as he is, Jade's stepping in with a polite nod of his own, before drifting his way over to the counter. There's no longer any phantom running things behind it, but it's not exactly as if manning the coffee pot is a difficult task. Which is what Jade's going on to do, as he continues.

"Valdis, yes? Palamedes spoke of you, a time or two, as you were his cabinmate." ...The past-tense sits a little heavily upon the tongue, try as Jade might to speak it aloud without any particular gravity. He plucks a mug from a cabinet, the better to ride out the quiet and resigned flicker of unhappiness that comes and goes along with the thought. "I've really been rather remiss in not making your acquaintance sooner, I think. You have my apologies for the mere nods of greeting I've probably only given you across the way before, in passing..."

Right. That hellish experience of a collective trauma Sparkles forced upon them. She's actually glad it was her in a twisted way. At least she didn't have to feel the aftermath with them. She pauses when he mentions Palamedes, going so still that she might not even be breathing. As much as Clarke misses him...Valdis loved him too. A friend who was now gone into the Nothing, or had been destroyed when Dimitri and company decided to "free" the ghosts.

"Yes. I can't say he mentioned you much...But we mostly spoke of mysteries and necromancy."

While Jade goes to make his coffee, her fingers smudge another drawing, this one of Palamedes leaning over his books, she slides a drawing of Yato over on top of one of Bash and Jeff. At least Bash and Jeff were together again.

"But as for finally making your acquaintance, it is nice to formally meet you."

"Not bad," Nobuanga tilts his head slightly, looking at the tattoo. "What does it symbolize?"

Nobunaga is trying not to be weird and moody. He's done cleaning the deck for now, but losing Yato and trying to replace the ghosts for fuel has him questioning what he's doing, what now, how, where are they going? And in a way that's harder than not to answer. It's still too early for morning kata, but it seems Valdis is racing against the others to be the first to greet Erik in the morning. Everyone has different methods for dealing with things.

Valdis startles, jerking the shirt back over her head and taking a few steps away from him. She must be more out of it than she thought since she didn't even hear him coming. He's not even sneaky. But it could also be that she's just so used to him being around that she didn't think to notice him being there.

"I don't know. It's been there for awhile. It...is more than it looks though."

"Is it? How do you know?" an arched eyebrow, and he waves a hand. "I didn't mean to make you nervous. Did you intend to be alone?"

"Because when I spoke with Erik it turned into actual wings."

She doesn't remember the angels of her world having wings, but that doesn't mean they don't.

"And you are fine, little brother."

"How many times had you killed him up to that point?"

He does think it's related, yes.

The instant she calls him that, she can probably feel how happy and giddy and reassured he gets. "Hai hai~" grinning like a little kid.

"None. No matter how much I hate him, it's not worth hurting Max."

Even if his compliments felt disgusting and he had tried to manipulate Max's emotions. She still couldn't kill him, not unless he actually harmed someone.

Nobunaga just nods instantly. He totally gets it. There's no one in the multiverse Nobunaga would kill repeatedly if it hurt Klaus each time to do it. So on the list of things he'll do for Klaus, NOT killing is very much included.

"I wonder who's been doing so much of it then." Klaus didn't wake up early enough to do it the most. Siffleur then? But who else?

"Erin. She's been very theatrical about it."

No matter how much Valdis disapproves of it, she understands why Erin felt the need.

"Oh?" an amused arched eyebrow. "I missed the show, damn. What was the best kill?"

"I'm not quite sure, you'd have to ask her. I know there was a woodchipper involved at one point. A poster at another."

"Woodchipper... nice." He has no idea what a woodchipper is, but he assumes it is like an axe combined with a morningstar and he's not too off. He knows weapons after all. "A poster??? A post or the flat art???" a headtilt, because truly he doesn't know.

"As in the flat art."

She arches a brow, "Just go ask her yourself, Oda. She won't bite."

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I’ve Been Reading Books of Old

The Testaments they told | Open | CW: none

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