Catch-all: Lucretia

[ercnerd]

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Week 7: Monday

[ercnerd]

[That evening, he sits on the couch with his sword laid across his lap and his right hand wrapped around its primary hilt. The fingers of his left hand glide over the flat of the blade, no longer marred by the razer edge of a chainsaw.

His expression is neutral—pensive.]

[ambiography]

[she takes a seat next to him when she comes back to the room, not saying anything right away; just-- watching, for a few moments.]

... are you prepared enough for tomorrow?

[ercnerd]

[He lifts his head, smiling, when addressed.]

I'm always prepared. Are you?

[ambiography]

Well, as much as it's possible to be, I think.

[they don't know exactly what they'll have to do, after all.]

[ercnerd]

We've come this far.

If it's a fight, I won't lose.

[ambiography]

And if it's not a fight, Sieghart?

[ercnerd]

Then I'll figure it out in real time.

[He may as well be shrugging.]

[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?