046 [Action (For Draftees)/Voice (Later)]

[vulcanblazer]

[Action]

[The date is the first of March.  Adell is out in the field fighting as usual.  But there's something very different about how he's acting.  Normally, Adell's attacks are big on flair, and he moves through the battlefield with an odd sort of grace.  Not today.  Today his movements are highly deliberate.  His attacks are calculated and

Comments

[Action]

[amber_arcangel]

[Finding Flandre also means finding Kohaku, since she has been making it a point to watch over the vampire.]

...Adell?

[First time seeing you around here is a bit odd since she's been keeping track of who is where.]

[Action]

[vulcanblazer]

[...Oh no. Oh God no. During the chaos of the day, he had utterly forgotten Kohaku had been brought along in the draft. She... of all people. No. He can't.

But... he must.]

K-Kohaku?

[Of course, Adell must look a sight. Exhausted, dirty, covered in a mix of mostly dried and some fresh blood.]

[Action]

[amber_arcangel]

[She looks pretty exhausted herself, even if she does hide it pretty well. She's hardly glowing at all now, since she's using most of her magic to just stay big at the moment.]

Are you hurt?

[She sees that blood...and she's gotten into the habit of asking that to every single person she sees lately.]

[Action]

[vulcanblazer]

Huh? [A quick look over himself reveals why she asked.] N-no. I'm fine. Sorry.

[Filtered]

[hazelrink]

[...Well.]

What do you have to be sorry for, Adell?

[Filtered]

[vulcanblazer]

...Having to deliver the bad news to everyone about it.

[Because if she hadn't died.... he wouldn't have had to. He's not strictly blaming himself for her death. He knows it's not his fault, at least.]

[Filtered]

[hazelrink]

[This is a delicate... ...well she doesn't do delicate that well] Actually, I think that's more something to thank you for, isn't it?

[Filtered]

[vulcanblazer]

Most people... aren't exactly happy to get news like that. The expression "don't shoot the messenger" comes to mind.

[...Which he's really glad Remilia didn't do. ...Not that she could, but.]

[heavenslament]

[Toward nightfall is when Terra finally decides they need to have a talk, a real one. They've been busy all day, too busy for much in the way of a conversation, and she hasn't been able to be there for all of it. Still, his behavior has been noticed and she's too worried to let it go.]

...Adell?

[vulcanblazer]

[He turns his head when he hears his name called by Terra. It had been a very long day. And it still wasn't over yet. By now he sounds tired, but somewhat still distracted.]

Yeah? What is it?

[heavenslament]

[She catches up to Adell, looking him over.]

How are you doing?

[She can guess, but if he needs to vent more than just in combat...well, now's the time.]

[vulcanblazer]

[...]

...I'd be lying if I said I was completely fine right now.

[Filtered]

[lotusgatekeeper]

... What do you mean 'she didn't make it?'

[Filtered]

[vulcanblazer]

[There's a lengthy, rather heavy pause.]

...She died from it, Meiling.

[Filtered]

[lotusgatekeeper]

So where were you when all of this happened?

[Filtered]

[vulcanblazer]

[...He was prepared for this question.]

On a different front. Patchouli was assigned to the Clearing Group while I was in Offensive Group. I was in the middle of a fight with the Third Party elsewhere on the battlefield.

[vivi_aislinn]

[...There aren't any words yet. Vivi... Vivi can't bring herself to believe what Adell's saying. If only she had been there... maybe she could have helped her mother.]

[The only sign that Vivi is broadcasting anything is some heavy breathing, and the beginning of some sobs.]