Sparklepires? In my SkyTides? IT'S MORE LIKELY THAN YOU THINK [open]

[tidesnpc]

Characters: The Convoy volunteers
Content: Let's talk out Lydia's return, okay?
Where: The circle meadow of perfect flowers
Time: The appointed morning to meet the .+.sparkling demihumans.+.
Notes: First thread is for negotiations. After that, feel free to mingle amongst yourselves, waiting for the signal to move in.

Comments

[coyotealpha]

Leaning against a nearby tree, Pip sighed as he straightened out his jacket, somewhat wishing he had brought his cigarettes with him tonight - but alas, he had forgotten to take them with him, so here he was stuck now at the forefront of the backup team(s) with nothing to do but watch the others in the distance from where he was (while keeping an eye on Bumblebee in case anything did arise) and hoping that nothing bad would happen. As far as the man was concerned, far too many weird things had been happening already. The sooner they wrapped this up, the better.

Of all the things that could happen... the man thought in exasperation as he fiddled with his eyepatch. This trip to Garettstown had been nothing but somewhat depressing, to put it mildly - for one this was the first time he had come back ever since that incident, and for another... those sparkling demihumans sure knew how to cause quite the ruckus. It had only been a few months since he left, but somehow now it felt like a lifetime ago. So much had happened since then... Pip

[armorgal]

Erza spotted him leaning up against a tree, and made for him across the field. She had something to say, and hopefully he would be willing to hear her out.

"Mister Bernadette," she said as she strode up, her gaze almost as steely as her armor. "May I have a word with you?"

[coyotealpha]

Oh, bugger. It was Erza. Pip had hoped it would be later that he would see her, bit it seemed that fate had decided otherwise. Well, he would have to deal with her eventually... he supposed he might as well get into it before things could get any more worse than it already was.

Glancing towards her, the mercenary gave her a look that was somewhere between neutrality and the slightest tinge of something else that couldn't be put into words as he replied. "Yeah, what is it?"

[armorgal]

Erza steeled herself, armored fists tightening.

"I wanted...to apologize."

[coyotealpha]

The brunette could do nothing else but blink rapidly in surprise at what he had just heard. Did he just--no, he knew he wasn't imagining this. But even then, this was... sudden. And pretty much out of the blue as well.

Still, regardless... "Apologize?" Pip echoed, one hand coming up to scratch his cheek idly. "For what? I don't recall you doin' anything wrong, Erza." Well, anything wholly wrong anyway, he supposed.

dere dere

[armorgal]

"Yes," Erza said, looking away from him. "I've been extremely hard on you, especially recently, and upon further reflection I haven't been entirely fair to you. I suppose I just let myself get carried away with being angry at you after that first thing, and never let it die. So, I apologize."

a-awkward

[coyotealpha]

...well.

Uh.

That was... certainly not what he had been expecting.

The hand that had been on his cheek moved to the back of his neck, and Pip looked somewhere between embarrassed and sheepish as he replied. "A-Ah, its nothing really. I mean..." he paused to glance sideways, debating for a moment on what to say. "Well, I mean, its not like you didn't have a reason for it or anything - I was in the wrong in the first place. Besides, its not that bad, considering everything, ahaha..." He laughed sheepishly at the last bit, doing his best to look fine as rubbed his neck somewhat embarrassedly.

TRY NOT TO FUCK THIS UP, PIP

[armorgal]

"You don't need to hide it," she said, tucking a strand of hair beneath her ear in a nervous gesture. "I have been perfectly horrible to you, for no...well, out of proportion to the reasons provided."

HE WILL TRY HIS BEST.

[coyotealpha]

"Its alright, really," the man responded it turn, a small smile crossing his face there and then as he took off his hat and idly ruffled up his hair. "Its... its not the worse I've been through." Compared to his childhood and recent events... really, Erza wasn't all that bad. And besides, it really had been more of his fault than hers - she was just concerned and worried about the Fiertia back then, so it was pretty understandable.

[armorgal]

"Very well, then," Erza said, and then extended her hand to him. "I think it best that we start over, don't you? Erza Scarlet, Boatswain of the Convoy."

[coyotealpha]

There was a pause as Pip looked at the hand in a mix of surprise and confusion, but eventually a grin crossed his face as the man reached out with his own hand to grab hers in a well-meaning handshake. "Heh. Sure, why not? Pip Bernadette, first mate of the Convoy. Nice to meet you, madame."

[armorgal]

Erza shook his hand firmly. Then, without warning, reached up with her other hand and clapped it on his shoulder, then pulled him in to clutch him to her (iron-clad) chest.

"There, I'm glad we worked that out."

[coyotealpha]

With the abruptness of the action, there was no way for Pip to avoid it, so he could do little else besides trying not to let his pain show as his head collided hard against the woman's plated armour.

It took a few moments for the man to gather himself back together and respond to her. "A-Ah, yeah... I'm glad too." So long as... this wasn't going to be a frequent thing.

[armorgal]

Erza released him, entirely oblivious to his pain. She smiled at him. "When this is over, I believe I shall buy you a drink," she said.

[coyotealpha]

Pip immediately reached up to rub the sore side of his head once Erza let go (did she even realize just how insanely strong she was?!), doing his best not to wince too obviously as he looked back and smiled in turn as well. "Sounds like a plan," came the chipper response.

...and he would possibly be murdered if he said it, but Erza did have a nice smile too. She really should smile more these days.