The things that make up life

[not_most_days]

Who: Mary Read and OPEN
Where: Aqures Ixen, Aerilon
When: February, but backdating to January in the third prompt is fine
Summary: Mary helps others with training, faces her shadow and finds time for love
Warnings: Possible combat in one prompt, sappiness in another, and seriousness in the third, and a Secret of Mana Reference


February 15th - House A-05 - Locked to Saori

Peace and Quiet. Such a rare and fickle thing in this world. Mary and Saori knew that they wouldn't have the chance to be left alone on the 14th. Not with the letters that had arrived and not with Saori's own plan to play host. They had talked it out as things wound up and solutions were found, not the least of which was to just carve out some time for themselves the following day.

Mary had managed to get up first, sneaking out of the bed bright and early. It always amused her to find more mundane uses for the Job powers they were granted. Of course they could only go so far to help her and before long the smells of breakfast being made wafted back into the bedroom. Shortly thereafter the pirate returned, with a tray fixed with eggs, bacon and toast for herself and Saori to share. The food wasn't cooked as delicately as Saori might do, but Mary still knew her way around a fire.

"Rise and shine. We have nothing to do today and I suggest we make a fine effort of it."



Throughout January and Feburary - Aqures Ixen and Aerilon - Assassin Guild Members primarily but others welcome too.

Mary stood ready on the rooftop, stretching and flexing as she looked out at the view cast by the light and shadow of the rising sun and the city beneath it. She smiled as she glanced at her companion. "Figured this the best time to see to training. Not as many folk out to see what we're doing and cause a scene." Whether for roof running or combat drills, Mary was ready for what her trainee was up for. And of course, if there were any crimes to stop while they were at it then a live drill would do nicely.



February 25th - Shadow Encounter

Mary let Bonnie know she was ready, and letters went out accordingly. She wasn't going to make a big scene about facing her Shadow, nor was she going to post an open invitation, but she knew better than to hide what she was planning. This was something she debated for a while, but when it came down to it she wanted to make sure that her own stubbornness wouldn't remove her from the upcoming battles. That this plan was a part of what Kalki had put on the table did not cease to trouble her however.

The evening of the 25th came and the group had been gathered in the lab. Mary was struck with an odd sense of connection as her Crystal was placed in the machine, a clearish cube that was a frosty white thanks to Kalki's actions, yet the cut of it cast a prismatic illusion of a red dot in the middle like a blot of blood. So similar to the ancient artifacts that were being found in her Caribbean save for the fact that hers was intact. She had no way of knowing that Bartholomew Roberts used the real thing and a crystal skull within the fabled Observatory to spy on her through Jack Rackham's own eyes.

"Right. Let's see what this does." She'd pondered her jobs, and she knew this process could take one from her given the chance. There was no way to face this as an empowered Assassin, but it couldn't stop her from being one. And a Pirate besides.

The Shadow shimmered into view, but while Mary had her hair down her Shadow had hers up, wearing the guise of James Kidd. It sighed as it looked around the room with its golden eyes, lazily taking everything in. Finally it settled on what it was looking for and wrenched its face into a frown of resolve. It stepped forward, walking right past Mary as if she wasn't there, and up to Saori, reaching out to take her hands.

'I can't go with you. I need to go home. There's too much I need to see to.'

Comments

[umslay]

Ales sank into the shadows cast by the concrete corner of the room. He admired Mary for her true heroism - one that was not idealistic and understood the benefits of underhanded work - but he always worried about her opinion of him, especially after learning his misdeeds from his Shadow. Still, the assassin was one of the Heroes he always admired, and he had to make sure that she escaped her ordeal in one piece. And that one piece should not be controlled by Narayana.

Nothing was said at first, allowing Saori to speak first. She always knew Mary best. Closure....

"Closure isn't real. You never feel like you're fully satisfied, no matter what else you think you have to do. Really, when's a good time to stop? When you kill another tyrant?" And would Ales have been satisfied with Polokus overthrown? There was so much more he had to fix in his own world. When would enough be enough?

"You have friends that can pick up where you left off..." He muttered, barely audible as he wasn't sure if what he spoke was the truth.

Sorry for taking so long, was waiting for others to tag and then it slipped as endgame hit

[not_most_days]

Mary was stunned into silence as her Shadow made its declaration, and as the others began to speak she felt more and more self conscious. She'd grown used to working more in the light than most Assassins did, though she still felt she did uphold the purpose of her role. But for someone trained at blending in she certainly felt exposed in this moment. Her hand raised in a self conscious motion, tugging at her hair in a way she hadn't done for a long long while. Not since she first set out on the seas.

The talk of the child made her wince. It was something she couldn't say she'd put behind her, but it was a matter she'd accepted. If she'd remained in her world she was going to die. Whatever became of her child she couldn't hope for much. It was just as like that sickness claimed it as well. Or else they'd be raised to serve the Crown in some fashion, not as an act of revenge against a Pirate but simply because the child was another pair of hands to use. She didn't blame them for it, as much as she disliked it. Her choices had consequences, and not simply for her. Being arrested and dying in a prison left her little choice in how the world went on without her.

But the others. She had her time with them, and with the way her part on the stage was closing she couldn't help but worry if she'd done enough. She was happy with Saori, and the life of a Hero of Light was a grand new adventure, but she couldn't help but feel like there was more she could have done. She had no way to know if Edward ever changed course.

"Aye, you're right." She doesn't aim her remarks at anyone in particular, but the Shadow takes notice of it. "I keep speaking of what we need to do for this world, and what I'd like to do in the future...but I can't help but look back. Even if I can't go back and take part again I'd still like to know." She took a long breath through her nose. "At least I know that Kenway has a grandson. He must have done something right after I passed."

The Shadow shimmered, but it did not fade away completely, "Then why not set sail? Run away from all o' this. Live your life like the pirate you know you are. Take Saori here and find your own happiness in what little time you have left? Or perhaps find that hole in the rift and escape back to her world, or what's left of it?"

[acceptedoblivion]

He had snuck in like a shadow so as to not distract from the confrontation at hand. Much of what was said, he didn't have anything to add. Yet this, this he could very much.

"I know what you mean. Sometimes, I wonder the same." He never really mentioned it, what fate awaited him were his world restored and he returned. Nor did he care to here. This was Mary's show, and he would do his part in seeing this ship safely ashore. Thus he gently pushed himself from the wall, uncrossing his arms as his fists moved to rest on his hips. "Would you find fulfillment in that, putting all this behind you and knowing what you could still do?"

[umslay]

"That's the easy thing to do, hm." Ales could sympathize, though it pushed him away from Mary towards the wall. He agreed with Ira; it would be easy to go to a world he knew was safe and ignore all the problems. If the Glade would welcome him back, he could give up and leave the job to the others. "But I couldn't rest easy knowing that I abandoned my mission, no matter how relaxing it would be." He did not have faith in the majority of the other Heroes.

He eventually backed away enough to allow the others in the room to approach Mary. However, he did not walk towards the door.

"Sometimes I feel like I need to fix everything, and sometimes I wish I could catch a break. It's up to me to decide how to compromise."

[needsteaplz]

"Except this isn't like running away from any government ships. We can't outrun the Calamity. The Assassin in you knows this is a threat to all living beings across multiple worlds. To let it continue to have it's way means everything we've done here and back home is for nothing. There's no way in hell the Mary Read I know would let that slip by."

She took a long breath to calm herself.

"A legacy is something never meant to be seen by the person leaving it. You planted the seeds for that with the bonds you've built with others. It'll be up to them to decide how they'll let it grow. And I'll tell you what, when we do win, and we have a choice of where to go, we can see how things went back home for you before we go to mine. What do you say?"

[not_most_days]

Mary closed her eyes. She was happy for the company she had here. She knew it was more than just those in this room with her who depended on her and trusted in her. As much as she wanted to flee all of this and seek out a new life and happiness with Saori she couldn't turn her backs on them. She couldn't let them down.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel like running. I've always put my life on the line, but it never really felt like it had as much weight before." Not just her own life and those she cared for but the world, worlds hung in the balance. It was intimidating.

A small fluffy body collided with her shoulder and she glanced back to smile at her moogle. Her eyes then came back to Saori's. She stepped forward and gently pushed the Shadow out of the way, taking her hands herself now as her inner self stepped back. "I once told him that no honest man has an easy life, and it's the wanting for one that causes the most pain. Thank you for being that pain." She leaned in and kissed Saori, brief but still lingering in her presence when it broke. "I couldn't ask for a better first mate to keep me on track when my resolve wavers."

The Shadow, satisfied, finally shimmered and faded away.

YOU'LL NEVER SEE IT COMING! YOU SEE THAT MY MIND IS TOO FAST FOR EYES!

[not_most_days]

Mary has found the resolve to keep her course and sail ahead on stormy seas! Mary has awakened to the power of Persona!

Mary has gained the Persona, Captain Kidd!