avalononline | video | un: crimsonflame | cw: blood, mention of fighting/murder/kidnapping, etc

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video | un: crimsonflame | cw: blood, mention of fighting/murder/kidnapping, etc

[A day or so had passed since Caster’s little...incident, and some might be wondering where both of them were. Well, at least Homura had shown her face through video. She debated about doing text or voice, but after all of this, all of the lying and such, honesty seemed best here. People could also see the number of cuts, burns, and other wounds on her body from the battles and traveling she endured. And her face just looked very, very tired. One might even tell she had been crying given the redness in her eyes, though her voice at least is normal; water helps out a few things.]

Haven’t used this thing properly since getting here, so to anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Homura. I’m usually at the training grounds or going on quests, so chances are you barely know me.

[Barring certain...incidents with people offline. She took a deep breath, knowing the hardest part had to be gotten out of the way. And the fact she was doing this publicly made things harder. But it all needed to be done, for her sake, as well as her own.]

I...am Caster’s daughter; adopted of course. Stuff happened in that dream thing a few months back, and reopened some wounds with an axe, ones I had thought were long-healed. One thing led to another, and we started to help each other out. We used to get along...but you already know where this is leading to. Hard to miss, what with the likely trauma that Darin guy is going through, the burned out forest that has hopefully died by now, and the shitstorm this network became earlier.

I may be protecting and trying to help Caster, but in no way do I condone her actions. Hell, all the shit I still haven’t healed from? From our….aggressive negotiations. [Aka fighting.] I still haven’t forgiven her. Not sure I can at this point. But I’m not going to let people kill her when the fight with Archer is hopefully done, along with any other mage bullshit. If they wanna continue their war, they can do it back home.

Some of those that know me are probably thinking “why in the flying fuck would you ever help someone who was involved with kidnapping, murder, possible actual murder back in her world, and loads of other details Archer went over?” If your answer was that I’m just an idiot, you’re about a third of the way there.

[She paused yet again, taking another deep breath. It was hard enough to explain this to just one person who clearly didn’t gel with her line of work. Still, already made enough enemies by declaring herself as Caster’s daughter. What else could go wrong?]

See, my world involves training shinobi, separated into academies for good and evil. Before you hero kids chime in that it’s kinda like your world, it really ain’t. Those are words just to group us all to fight each other, each side containing clans who want to dominate the other. Both sides deal with shady stuff too. As an example, a girl from Gessen Academy, the Good Shinobi, was ordered to wipe out the homeless in a section of the city for some corporation. I forget why, maybe they wanted a mini-mall or some shit. Now technically, there is a point to doing it like this, but that’s a whole other topic not relevant to this. Ask later if you want.

My point is that I’m technically a shinobi and engaged with such things. Well, used to anyway, for the evil shinobi. I killed and kidnapped people, including former comrades. And there’s likely a list of shit I allowed because I wanted to repay a debt after my parents disowned me. I would do anything for Hebijo, but...well...

Hate to go with the cliche of “the power of friendship” but...well, that’s kinda what happened. We fought against each other, and Haruka convinced me how alone I was, how I needed balance and to stop controlling their lives just because of my pain. Everyone kept taking chances with me, and I needed to repay it. So I’m doing the same thing with Caster. That and….if I’m being honest, being a different person in that dream, chances are I would have helped her. Makes me sick of course, but that’s the other reason. I would, and possibly at some point, could have helped with this bullshit. I hate it, a lot. Makes judging her even harder, and you can clearly see how well that’s going for me mentally as I’m still figuring out all this bullshit. I'm actually considering therapy for once.

That said, uh...

[She scratched the back of her head, just now realizing some rather dangerous truths she just admitted.]

The problematic elements with the….stuff from my world, and how I basically just admitted to a bunch of crimes. Look, to make a very long story super short, I’m only interested in working on these quests, doing jobs that aren't all about the murder, except assholes who deserve it, slaying Yoma, and killing a super big Yoma named Shin. If I wanted people dead here, there’d likely be more stuff on fire by now. I just wanna get back home and be done with this bullshit so I can continue my real training and be with my friends again. And I only plan on ever killing any shithead who wants to try taking people away from me again, or some asshole who clearly needs to die. That’s all, hardly different from any other person here who can fight or has something to protect. [Except maybe the blood-rage issues.]

For anyone who wants to deal with Caster...just try to talk to her first before anything. Only letting you see her if she approves. And given what I just spilled about my life, I don’t think I need to add any more warnings. You know why, and I think after the trials and this goddamn mess, no one wants anymore threats on the network. Except maybe for that one murderous asshole. I dunno if he’s still running around, but I’m assuming he is because oh right, someone fucking kidnapped a dude and burned a forest while turning into a heavy metal cover monster!

[Both hands rub her face, Homura clearly tired, agitated, yet with a large sigh, clearly relieved to just be done, even if more problems are likely to arise.]

As for stuff mostly not related to her, I’ll be disappearing for a while till I’m sure she won’t just do something crazy, again. Won’t be at the training grounds, and I’ll be missing a few things. [Like Ken’s birthday, for starters.] And I know I usually enjoy a good fight, but...not right now. On top of Caster helping to kill my love for it right now, I also got--[She raises up her hands...bandaged hands with a lot of blood, mostly around her knuckles..] Some anger issues. Claws keep popping up if I throw any punch, so back to meditating and making sure I don’t cause anymore accidents, because I want a break.

Really hoping this world can shut the hell up for once, and let us wind down. Then again, it’s not like this shit can get any worse--

“Come, my noble steed!”

[Homura’s eyes widened at the voice, and she froze in place. Viewers would likely know what was going on in the background, as a doll of Saber rode on the head of Homura’s familiar, even fashioning a harness and little handle to ride as if the serpent was a horse. The doll frantically kicked and raised her sword, which was mostly a toothpick.]

“The crying troll with twin mountains is distracted! There is no better time to secure the chicken, and claim it for the good of Camelot!”

[...Well, she’s gonna get an earful...when Caster finally returns to normal, which...just thinking about it depressed and angered Homura all over again. And the anger was showing as she rose up from seat.]

“The King of Nights doesn’t flee from a challenge!”

[Fire suddenly erupted from Homura’s hand, making the doll pause.]

“...Except for this. Flee, Snakelstilskin!”

Don’t you rename my damn snake!

[Enjoy the brief Benny Hill-style chase before something knocks the phone away, causing it to turn off.]

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...you're going to paint an even bigger target on your back at this rate.

[She was awake at least- if exhausted and drained from it all, and that much was clear in her voice.

But she knew she'd hurt Homura a lot in all of this. And she desperately, desperately didn't want to be the awful mother the legends made her out to be- even if deep down? She knew she was.

Bad as she was at the role of 'Mum', she wanted to try and make things right by Homura, at least.]

I...

Homura? I'm... I didn't mean to drag you into my madness. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

[Apologising wasn't something she made a habit of- what was she even supposed to say, now?]

Get some rest. You don't need to pick any more fights for my sake, or forgive anything I've done. I wouldn't ask that of you.

[She'll probably end the call there- leaving it up to Homura if she came to find her or called her back. She knew better than to push the matter. It looked like she was busy with the tiny Saber, in any case.]

[She hears the message just as she puts the Saber doll somewhere else, away from causing any more chaos in this. There is a long wait before she even attempts to send something back. For as angry as she was at her mother...she still acknowledged her. At least knowing she was still safe was a good thing.]

Already used to having one. Haven't been chased down in a while, should be fun with this handicap.

[A half-joke, more sarcasm. She still didn't know how to properly act around her. Even acknowledging Medea as her mom was a revelation she struggled with. Just...so many things.]

...You at least finally learned the private setting. Good. You get some rest too and just leave a list of what you want from your house. [That she broke into quietly.] I doubt you want the blabbermouth doll along for the ride though.

[Both for noise and likely not wanting to see Saber either.]

[Medea'd almost reached the point where she suspected Homura wouldn't return her call at all, curling back up on the bed before she finally called back.]

...just be careful.

Don't worry about the doll, she can take care of herself.

There's- a notebook and sketchbook under my bed. The...oddly shaped pillow and the Golden Fleece- it's hidden under the sofa cushions, that's- if you can just make sure they're safe, that's enough.

[She won't ask Homura to bring them to her, that would be asking too much. And evidently, in her current state, sensible things like clothes and toiletries hadn't come to mind just yet.

If Homura cared to cared to look at the items in question- the notebook was a bound leather journal detailing her potion brewing studies and the rituals and magic she'd encountered in Avalon so far; the sketchbook only had one picture, a half finished pencil sketch of a man with stern, yet kind eyes; and the pillow she meant was...well, a pillow shaped like a chest and an arm. That was a fairly recent addition to her collection of items.]

Ngh...

[That was something of an incoherent sleepy mumble.]

[Hearing the mumble, she cut off the call. Best to leave her to sleep. Fortunately find everything had been easy. Curiosity though made Homura flip through the journal, spotting the sketch as she skimmed through. There was never enough info she knew about Souichirou. Even in the dream world he had been more focused and hardened than herself. But after all this, after he died in a fight he could have just ran from...

She shut the book and shook her head. No. Even if she didn't feel any anger or sadness, this wasn't a topic she wanted to address anytime soon. But she couldn't just leave things like this, even if she decided they needed distance for now.

It would take a few hours per Morgan's plan, but she would drop off the bag of stuff at his dojo, swiftly making her exit moments later. The only extra things Caster would receive were a box of candy, and a note on it reading:

"Get well soon. We'll meet again when we're both ready. I don't know what the future holds, but I won't abandon you.

-- Homura"

And on it had been a crude drawing of their faces in a chibi form. At the end of the note. Homura wasn't great at art, but one could at least tell them apart.]

[Once Caster finally woke up, she was rather frustrated with herself that she'd fallen asleep on the phone to Homura- after she'd called to apologise to begin with! She really...really was making a terrible showing to her, wasn't she? Especially after everything she'd said during the fight, whilst grief was consuming her.

She really was an awful mother, wasn't she? Well- at least Homura was alive. She was relieved of that, if nothing else.

Once she'd found the bag of stuff and taken it back to her room- she'd really taken the things she'd asked and brought them here for her?- that was when she saw the sweets, and the note tucked in with them.

What was that...?

Oh- oh that was-

Everything blurred as fresh tears came into her eyes- and she was careful to tuck the note safely away in her journal before she could ruin it. And then, she held the book close to her chest and started to cry.

That picture, and- 'I won't abandon you.'

...Even after everything, Homura didn't hate her? A woman like her really didn't deserve such a thing.]

[ ledo sits through all of this and listens, growing increasingly irritated as it runs on. he's at least not going to hide behind voice or text either, but less as a matter of transparency. It's that he's used to talking to people that way, even if he's only just recently getting used to doing it regularly on a smartphone. ]

Who here requires this much explanation? Eliminating your enemy does not necessitate a reason if that was your mission. It is very simple. Nothing would ever get accomplished if everyone in space wasted as much time justifying every course of action to one another as you all do here. No one will ever return home at any rate because everything here is so disorganised and inefficient.

[ ... which is one way to say that he doesn't think anyone needs to tell the world their life story to explain anything they've done, but his approach could use a little work. maybe? ]

We're not all robots. Hell, I bet the one robot I did see probably has feelings too.

[Even Haruka's robot had them...maybe....still up in the air.]

Plus I needed to vent out my frustration since fighting isn't exactly an option right now. Unless someone is dumb enough to come at me right now.

I am human, not a robot. Anyone can see how this is irrelevant. Are you on trial? Is it not more frustrating that you feel the need to explain instead of others simply accepting your decisions because you have made them?

....Good god, you're the type to take everything literally, aren't you? I was talking about emotions. [Weird sense of deja-vu. Probably nothing.]

Anyway, no--[For now.] And also no. Because bottling stuff up is what I had to do all my life, and it didn't exactly lead to good things.

That is the only way I know to take things? I do not understand what you mean.

[ layers of meaning and metaphor are inefficient too, of course. no fun allowed in space. ]

And it is nothing to do with emotions anyway. It is just altogether... unneeded.

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