Semi-Open

[belligerentwarrior]

WHO: Freya, Pen, Luna, Felicia; others added as needed
WHERE: Campground, outskirts of Recolle, beginning of the road to Magatus
WHEN: May 20th
WHAT: Freya turns into Ragnarok, and Ragnarok is not friendly.
WARNINGS: Violence


[[Important! If you would like an encounter with Ragnarok, please contact me by PM or at gsdragono and we'll work something out!]]


One arrow. Another. The next.

They came slower once Freya had sorted out her feelings about the cursed mark, but they still came. Every week, more of that reddening eye stared back at her in the mirror. It was thoughts of Ryoji, both of his monstrous side and his return from death that kept Freya sane.

But those thoughts didn't dismiss the fear of the creature that awaited her, or her other self's despise and heart-wrenching pity for the soulless things. She could put on a brave face all she wanted, but with each passing day, the hope that this time would be different from her other self's world--that the Brand wouldn't work how it should--became harder and harder to muster.

When a spasm rippled through her shoulder and the Brand burned, Freya knew her time was up, and the fear packed beneath the surface burst through to seize her. That was all the invitation the Brand needed. Ragnarok had come.


[Penelope - Morning]

The paint can clattered to dirt as Freya clutched her right shoulder, fingers clutching at the skin through the fabric as though she could suppress the Brand's blazing light if she just pressed hard enough.

"No," was out of her mouth before she could stop it, somewhere between forceful and quiet, and several more desperately murmured no followed as Freya fell to a knee. Not here. Not now, not where Pen could see, their little pact about Freya's curse be damned. She was lucky, probably, for this to happen at the camp grounds, away from the city, but...

A little more time. Just a little more time.

Comments

[imaginex]

"-- Um, yes! And you're Freya-san?"

She didn't know why she posed the question. Obviously this was Freya, and Sakura clearly remembered the older woman from their time in the forest. Fighting back a fidget, Sakura instead smoothed some of her hair back and finally pointed down the hall.

"Penelope-san invited me in -- uh, well, it was kind of necessary?"

She was so bad at explaining things.

"I found her when she wasn't feeling well, so I came to help her get settled in bed."

[belligerentwarrior]

Freya's posture settled into something subtly firmer, more serious at the mention of Pen not feeling well. Penelope had... found her (though Freya couldn't really recall where), hadn't she? When was that?

Was she hurt?

The taller woman was still slow to respond, despite attempts to force focus through her exhaustion. "What day is it?" And, parched throat be damned, turned and started making her way towards Pen's door. She had to verify this with her own eyes.

[imaginex]

Sakura didn't stop her. If their positions were reversed, she'd be just as eager to see her partner. Instead she followed behind with eyes tracking Freya, hoping the woman was feeling well enough for this.

"It's Monday night -- well, probably Tuesday by now."

No, she hadn't planned on spending the night, it just seemed a terrible idea when Pen was knocked out and her girlfriend wasn't faring much better.

"She said something about using a lot of magic, so she just needed rest."

[belligerentwarrior]

She pushed the door open. Pen was there, like Sakura had said. Freya remained there in the doorway, observing, and leaned against the frame after a moment.

Pen didn't... look injured, but it was hard to tell with someone under a blanket. The other woman would've said something if that was the case, right? That was the logical conclusion, anyway. Freya had to stamp down at a gnawing in the back of her mind; she'd feel a lot better knowing what happened. She didn't remember anything from the incident.

"Tuesday, huh," she says quietly, to not wake Pen--even if she wanted to. Freya turned to face Sakura again, still leaning lightly against the door frame. Two days. A faint humor crept into her rough voice. "Guess this means we're even. You been here long?"

[imaginex]

"A couple of hours, yes."

Which probably made it sound like Sakura has only been hanging around for a little bit, when in fact she'd been here since mid-afternoon. Not a short amount of time.

But she hadn't minded. Someone needed her, and selfish as it was, Sakura had been more than happy to make herself useful, pleased to stick around and look after a girl who probably just needed bedrest.

"She fell, so she got a bit scrapped up, but otherwise she has no injuries."

Just... putting that out there in case Freya might worry.

[belligerentwarrior]

Freya nodded. It did ease her, some, a little of the tension draining out of her shoulders. She'd seen Penelope using magic all the time; Freya had to wonder how hard she'd needed to push herself for this to happen.

But fretting about it wouldn't change anything.

"Thanks. For lookin' out for her when I couldn't."

Carefully, Freya pushed herself off the doorframe, shuffling slowly toward the kitchen. Sakura had said it was 'probably Tuesday by now', so it must be pretty late.

"Stay the night, if you want. Sounds like you've been up a while."