Catch-all: Lucretia

[ercnerd]

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[ambiography]

I have a feeling there's going to be a lot of that, no matter what it is.

[she exhales a slight sigh, shaking her head.]

But-- we're nearly there.

[ercnerd]

[He flashes her a wider smile before dropping his attention to his sword. With his left hand, he grabs the secondary handle and pulls the smaller half of the sword free in a reverse grip. He spins it around into a standard grip, examining the blade.]

Keep your chin up, Lucretia. The final straight is always the hardest, but we've got everyone on our side this time.

[ambiography]

I know. Don't worry about that, I'm hardly about to wear out now.

[but she's just observing, still. the only other time she's seen this was... well, after his death.]

[ercnerd]

[He'll take her word for it. There's no reason to doubt her—tragic though it may be, she's endured by herself for so long.

It takes a second before he notices her lingering watch.]

Hm? Are you curious?

[ambiography]

I've seen it separated before, just not--

[a short pause.]

Well, not when you were alive.

[ercnerd]

Ah, that's because I dropped it when Kainé broke my arm. I didn't have time to put them back together, so I abandoned Luna and just took Sol with me.

[ambiography]

...understandable enough.

[she's- quiet, there, for a few moments, not quite looking at him.]

Were you already dead when she used it herself?

[ercnerd]

. . . None of my wounds before that was fatal. I lost my grip, because of that week's compulsion.

[ambiography]

Then she did kill you with--

[fuck. she just-- stops, taking in a slow breath, exhaling it.]

[ercnerd]

[Did he say something wrong?]

Lucretia?

[ambiography]

-I'm fine, it's-- it really just doesn't bother you much, does it.

[ercnerd]

Well . . .

[It did bother him a lot, at the time. He choked on his fear as much as his blood after Sol made its plunge.]

My soul didn't disappear. I'm here now. What's there to be bothered about?

[ambiography]

[after thought-doxxing week-- yeah, the first part of his response makes her question the rest of it. she just glances down, hands in her lap.]

You are. I know. But it was... it looked like it must have been brutal, when I looked you over.

[ercnerd]

[He pauses. Lucretia was the one to check his body, was she?

While their eye contact is broken, he rejoins the two pieces of Soluna.]

It wasn't a big deal. I just didn't stay still long enough for her to get a good hit in.

[ambiography]

I don't know about not a big deal.

[she impaled him with his own sword, that should be one.]

[ercnerd]

What difference does it make what weapon she used?

. . . If anything, it proved this dimension's power. Soluna doesn't yield to just anyone's command.

[ambiography]

...I suppose so.

[and he's right, he's here now. he's back, like the rest of them. it shouldn't make a difference.

but she's died before, herself, seen so many other deaths, and she knows some really are worse than others.]

[ercnerd]

[He watches her for a quiet moment.]

Was it that bad?

[ambiography]

...it was pretty rough, Sieghart.

[she won't lie about that.]

[ercnerd]

. . . Sorry. I wasn't thinking about how you felt.

[ambiography]

Well, it's not the first time I've seen something like it.

[she's kind of quiet, though. thinking back on it is--

it's not something she cares to do.]

[ercnerd]

I understand.

[She doesn't have to dwell on it.]

Next time, I won't lose my grip.

[ambiography]

...I'll take your word for that, then.

[she's put her trust in him before, after all.]

[ercnerd]

I'll show you, too. I'm not a legend for nothing!