[22:26] {Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "<div class='mImg' style='background:url(e_transceiver.png)'></div> <span class='transceiver'>{Maliland02das} <b>Maria Malibu</b> transmits: "Hey Venza? You there? It's been a while since i've heard from you. Just checking on you."</span>
[22:26] [TRANSCEIVER]
{Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "Hey Venza? You there? It's been a while since i've heard from you. Just checking on you."
[22:28] {Item} You picked up Rowboat..
[22:31] [TRANSCEIVER]
{Maliland02das} Majora Malibu transmits: "Hey, pumpkin."
[22:32] [TRANSCEIVER]
{Maliland02das} Majora Malibu transmits: "Meet at the house?"
[22:32] {Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "<div class='mImg' style='background:url(e_transceiver.png)'></div> <span class='transceiver'>{Maliland02das} <b>Maria Malibu</b> transmits: "Oh? Sure. I'll be there soon. I gotta finish my training"</span>
[22:32] [TRANSCEIVER]
{Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "Oh? Sure. I'll be there soon. I gotta finish my training"
[22:32] {Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "<div class='mImg' style='background:url(e_transceiver.png)'></div> <span class='transceiver'>{Maliland02das} <b>Maria Malibu</b> transmits: "(gonna deal with something irl first)"</span>
[22:32] [TRANSCEIVER]
{Maliland02das} Maria Malibu transmits: "(gonna deal with something irl first)"
[22:33] Maria Malibu exclaims, "!!!"
[22:34] Majora Malibu says, "Hey, Pumkpin."
[22:34] Majora Malibu snatches the little goober up and brings her inside.
(Majora Malibu)


[22:50] BANG

BANG

BANG

BANG

Majora would hear the echoes of gunshots in the distance. Maria would have been target practicing, using old military rifles and becoming accustomed to their make and feel. The shots echo as they impact a multitude of trees dead on target. The little outlaw having done more than enough training to become a crack shot, at even so young.

Her eyes tilt as Majora approaches. A smile approaches the girl's face. A grin that would widen, upon seeing his partner as well in tow. She puts down her gun, running toward her brother and hugging him tight.

"..."

Her sign of affection, she even shows the same to Zaahira. Hugging her tight in return. The smile was clear on her features. Hopeful and content, and yet.

"...?"

The look her brother gave. Perhaps it was the tiniest of advances. The subtlest of movements. But it brought distress into her heart. Was something wrong? She wondered. What had happened?

"..."

Her face turns into concern. Anxiety, as she looks upon her brother's features, a hand placed on her chest as she ponders. She is snatched, taken inside and plopped onto the couch to where she'd hear her brother.

That look. That gaze. It was a similar one to when Levius had died. Maria had barely had recovered from that news. As much melancholy that eroded her heart, she made the conviction to live his legacy.

To never forget who he was.

She tilts her head, sitting on the couch and flicking her hues between Majora and Zaahira. She places a hand on her chest, a concerned look given between the two of them.

She felt as if something was wrong.

And yet again, she couldn't tell what it was.

"..."
(Maria Malibu)


[22:54] Of course when Zaahira had been hugged, she gave a big squeeze back. Despite everything she was excited to see Maria again. But the tone quickly shifted, and so did hers.

Once she sat down, Zaahira was holding onto Majora's hand. She certainly had a gloom to her face as well. She didn't want to hide her emotions from Maria. She gently let go of Majora's hand and perhaps to Maria's surprise, signed to her. She had been learning for over a year now, she felt quite fluent by now.

Perhaps not the least foreboding words she could have used, and certainly unfortunate that this was their first time conversing properly in sign language but she knew Maria was not stupid, and could see that something was wrong. So she'd at least say that, and let Majora announce her the news, as he had asked her.
(Zaahira Khalas)


[22:56] "...?"

'What...what happened?" she asks, signing too Zaahira. Her face turns into concern. The girl finds her heart beating at a rapid pace...

'Is everything okay?' she signs again, looking toward both herself and Majora. Her breathes grow weary, as she looks toward the duo.

She looks toward her brother.

Already, did the air grow silent.

A loss of another, echoing in the silence.

Maria would know, soon.

"..."
(Maria Malibu)


[23:12] It was always rough, wasn't it?

The older Malibu tried to keep his usual stoicism, but no matter how straight, or emotionless most of his features remained.. Maria could see it in the teen's eyes. Sorrow.

As he's hugged, Majora hugs his sister tight- likely tighter than she was expecting. Probably tighter than he ever had without shattering her bones in the process. And from there does he lift the little goober and direct her inside their home- setting her down and resting himself atop the couch adjacent.

For as long as it lasted, Majora's hold on Zaahira's hand remained tight. This wasn't something that the boy expected he'd have to do. Not.. with Maria. There were parts of him that hope this time would never come. A part of him that never even looked at the transceiver when he did..

But.. this was something that had to happen.

Unfortunately.

Majora's gaze centers on Maria as she and Zaahira sign back and forth. He wouldn't join in, and at first as he opened his mouth to speak- the words get stuck in his throat. It's difficult to say what he wanted. The thought of having to tell his younger sister was worse than Bonbon, Nubia, and even his mother.

That wasn't-

The blueberry takes a deep breath.

"Maria. You're a smart girl, so.. I'm sure you can tell already."

He starts, opting to get up and walk over to the couch beside her instead.. she would need more comfort than him. A hand rests on his sibling's shoulder as his lips part once again- forcing the words out.

"Lavenza.. is no longer with us, Pumpkin."

He spoke such as clearly as he could manage- his voice shaky as if he was on the verge of breaking down again, but he continues.

"They.. were in a medic class in Arcadia and revealed that they were a necromancer. From there, Lavenza was taken back into Dal'Thalan custody and volunteered to undergo the purification ritual. In which case.. they were judged guilty."
(Majora Malibu)


[23:26] "..."

"....."

Lavenza is gone?

"..."

They are gone?

They are...

"..."

They were naught but words. But even something so simple, can break her heart in two.

She felt the air, the gentle echo of the solemn aura that would surround the island of Nilharra. It was always rough. Especially in the world they lived in.

It was terrible. It was dark, and filled with naught but injustice and strife. Why Lavenza? Why Levius?

Especially so unfairly?

Maria knew, what this world was. And yet for the gods to be so cruel to take away two of her siblings. One was enough? But her very twin?

"..I..-..wh..I..I..."

Her thoughts envelop her mind, like a swirling whirlwind. Levius was enough melancholy. Enough grief. But her very twin? Someone she loved? Who she warned. Who she tried her hardest to protect and warn of the dangers of their methods?

It was all for naught.

All because you were mute...

"..."

Majora hugs their sister. The tender feeling of a shiver escaping their body, the gentle thrum of their throat. As if wanting to scream and cry and beg for redemption.

Sorrow.

'Lavenza is no longer with us...'

"..."

There is naught but silence, as those words are uttered. The tears flow, once again. Maria's heart breaks in two. She clutches her chest, bellowing a grunt.

"Agh...agh...'...AGH!"

She screams, her tears echo from her heart, as she clutches her chest. A plethora of memories and thoughts. Most frequent of all?

Why?

She warned Lavenza.

She told them, the dangers, as much as she can.

But yet not even she was able to protect them.

"...Agh-...agh....AGGGH!"

She clutches her heart, her mind grows weary, as the very thought of her twin being dead sends her into a flurry of sorrow.

"AAAAGGGGHHHHH!!"

She screams, the very echo of grief radiating through the walls of this house, perhaps the entire island.

It wasn't fair.

None of it was.

None of it..

Maria's tears echo, as she stumbles from the couch. She clutches her heart, crying a great many tears of sorrow. She weeps, once again. Her tears imbued with naught but anger, vengeance, and sorrow.

Once again, did she have to grieve.

Once again, did she tell herself how useless she was.

Unable to protect her dear sibling. Twice, did she fail. The pain allowing her heart to break in two.

She stumbles once again, clutching her heart, bellowing another set of tears into the gentle wood below.

Once again, would she meet Death.

How painful, it was.

How terrible the sorrow.

Naught but that pain, fills her mind.

A step toward her path. Even if she didn't know it quite yet.

Her lonely, gentle path.

One only she can walk.
(Maria Malibu)


[23:36] Zaahira hadn't come here just for show. She knew it would be painful to witness, but she also knew that moments like these are moments that darkness and despair tries to take a hold of one's soul.

How could someone see love in life, when love keeps withering? How can someone see the positivity in life when they drown in grief? How can someone see hope in the future when so many stories are cut short?

The cruelty of death. Its totality. Death is universal. It does not pick and choose who deserves it and who does not. It is simply a passing that all must undergo, and sadly some much, much sooner than others.

But Zaahira knew one thing: That despite that fact, the world was worth living. That love was worth having. Being a priestess of Caius has had Zaahira be quite close to both life and death.

To love someone, is to accept that one day, they will be gone. That one day, those moments will end. That one day, you will be left without them. But Zaahira knew what was important.

As Maria stumbled, Zaahira did not hesitate. She swept in, arms hooking under each of Maria's armpits and her palms locking at her back, pushing her in a tight embrace. And she'd hold on. Even if she trashed, screamed... even if she'd punch kick or bite. She wouldn't let go. She held her, in a tight hug. She closed her eyes and offered a calm, weathered support for her. She centered her own emotions and endured. So that Majora wouldn't have to, when he himself was already hurt. So that Maria's screams wouldn't go to the void. So that she could be a sponge for it all, and live through it with her.

For now, she didn't speak. There were no words that could sooth this. No statement that could do those emotions justice. She simply had to hold her, for now. Until she would calm down enough. Until the overwhelming pain would at least calm down enough for her to register words.

Because she knew that right now, there was only pain. And Zaahira would be damned before she'd let her feel that alone.

Gently, her hands tapped Maria's back. A rhythmic, repeated motion. Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap tap. Something that was grounding, steady. Stable. At the same time, Zaahira softly exuded an aura. A gentle calming energy that certainly wouldn't heal all wounds, but might at least steady the poor girl's sorrow.

Such a wound would take a long time to heal, and it would leave a scar. But this Wolken at least would try to shepherd her, so that she does not get lost too deep into despair.

(Zaahira Khalas)

[00:08] Why did the world take away the ones she loved the most?

Was it her fault? Was it because she wasn't strong enough to prevent these things? Was is it because she was so weak?

The word echoes in her psyche.

'Weak'

'Weak'

'Weak'

A word she never wanted to hear again.

Something she never wanted to feel again.

Darkness and despair take ahold of her soul. It felt natural, to her. The echo of this pain and strife. The desire for vengeance and retribution. To murder. To kill the ones who had given this pain for her. It was natural. It was half of her existence, after all. To feel this pull to the dark. To allow herself to succumb to the pain and the sorrow. To want nothing more than to cause chaos and strife based on her own pain.

But no.

That was not who she was, was it?

Maybe somewhere out there in the Lifestream, the being that birthed her was that selfsame person. But not Maria. Not her.

She clutches her heart, realizing who was still around her. Friends. Family. What was left, at the very lest.

A furrow of her brow, a retribution. Justice. For those who have caused her naught but pain.

That cowboy told her this was her path to take. And that it would be filled with strife and pain.

She wouldn't let it envelop her.

For now, she weeps. But this pain, this melancholy? It would be the very reason for her path.

Her justice.

She holds tight to her brother. How could one see the light when the world only made them suffer? How could one see love when it kept withering before them?

Or did it?

Her brother held on to her. Zaalhira, held onto her. They wrapped themselves against her, holding her tight admist the pain and sorrow that they all shared. Maria would drown in grief. Yet...

Was this what life was about?

Or was it something more?

Love was worth living. Love was worth giving.

It was worth receiving.

To love, it was to accept. To accept that one day, they would be gone. To cherish the many memories you had with that person. To remember who they were, and their legacy.

Even if they did not remember?

She would.

Maria would remember.

Maria is locked in the embrace between the duo. Maria thrashed, she screamed and cried. She thrashed and tried to pull away, enveloped in naught but the sorrow in her heart.

But they both held on.

Levius and Lavenza's stories were cut short. But Maria's?

Her's would only begin.

The thrashing and the biting. The screams for salvation. Her palms grabbing tight to her brother and his partner. It was only the beginning.

For sorrow would come, it would radiate. It would echo, upon one's very soul.

Come as you are, the cowboy said. The stories told her.

Believe that you can live. For others, and for yourself.

Maria eventually clutches onto Zaahira. She holds both her and her brother tight. The tears and screaming echoing across the abode. Eventually, after a long while, does she stop crying.

She felt as if she were to faint. The pain in her heart unimaginable. The anger in this mute girl's heart. To avenge her family...

She'd have plenty of time to weep, but for now?

No words can help her. Nothing, could aleve the pain in her heart.

She is held in this embrace between her brother and his partner. Her weeps and yelps halt, eventually. She holds them both, weeping silently in their arms.

They hold her tight, as does she.

Only pain and sorrow, forming into conviction. A gentle, rhythmic tap against their back. A repeated motion, grounding her in reality. Who knows how long the duo would her, until eventually she wipes her tears.

Her sorrow steadies, as she finally exits the embrace. How long had it been? Hours? Minutes.

It did not matter.

"..."

She nods. Watered eyes given to to the duo. Her despair was deep, but the embrace was more than enough to remind her that not all was lost.

She still had a family. People to protect and love. Despair would not take her.

Not tonight.

Not ever.

She escapes, wiping her tears and pointing to the doorway toward her room. Time to herself was needed. To cope with these feelings. To grieve and understand the whims of the world that took her siblings.

But for now?

She'd remember the love that still existed, the family still had.

The hope still lurking in her heart.

"..."

A reminder of who she was.

Justice was an illusion.

But Maria's sense of justice?

It was what made her heart beat, it was the voice to her heart.

A hero, Lavenza called her.

She'd wonder how true that was, holding tight to the duo that shared her grief.

That loved her as much as she loved her siblings.
(Maria Malibu)


[00:19] Zaahira understood what Maria was feeling. More than she would ever know. She did not lose her mother, that was true. But she came close. Very close. And not just once by now. An entire war had been waged only to murder her. And she felt very much of the same. That desire for vengeance, that feeling like the world was wrong, and had to be righted.

But in the end, all that circling, all that negativity... she felt it did nothing but pull her into a darker place. And it hasn't been easy, to let go. To make peace with it all. It wasn't like she could snap her fingers and magically wipe away all those emotions. But every day she made a conscious decision.

A mantra had been born in Zaahira's life. Something she repeated herself. To remind herself of the only emotion she would ever let herself follow. The only thing that should take a hold of her life. And she hoped that perhaps, with those simple words, maybe Maria would be able to understand. At least until she was ready to talk, and until Zaahira would be able to tell her more clearly what she meant.

Slowly, she let go of her. Then she signed.

First, two fingers open, index and middle finger, as if counting for 'two'. Pointed to Maria, then towards her own eyes.

'Look at me.'

She exchanged a lengthy look. A deep one. A smile, softly creeping onto her lips. She grounded her in a moment, where she would only see Zaahira's smile. Something that didn't look so bleak right now.

And once her attention was fully grabbed, she signed again.

Arms in a cross on her chest, firsts balled up towards herself.

'Love'

Then parting from there, left hand and right hand in front of herself. Flatly in front of her chest and fingers bent ninety degrees. Lifting her right hand quickly atop the left one.

'Above'

Then that same right hand circled around that now open left hand, onlyto complete a full circle and land at the back of it.

'All.'

And once that was done, she leaned in, to give a gentle kiss onto her forehead and gently waved at her. She understood she would need space.

(Zaahira Khalas)

[00:33] The desire for vengeance, the hatred in her heart? She felt as if the feelings resonating from Zaahira would prevent her from going down that path. Maria felt nothing but anger from her emotions. A desire to murder and kill those that had hurt her. Avenge her siblings and their legacies that they had deserved.

The world was wrong. This was a fact. It needed to be righted. Yet...

All of the negativety and hatred in her heart? What would it bring? It would continue the cycle. Continue the killing of siblings. Alas...

She realizes her purpose. She was not one to make these decisions, to be judge, jury and executioner.

But she can fight.

For her own justice, at the very least.

The justice in her heart.

For her. For her family. For her siblings.

For everyone...

"..."

She looks at Zaahira, the tears flowing across her crimson eyes. Her lips a delicate whimper.

"..."

Simple words, as Zaahira signed to her. Canary hues look deep into the Wolken's. Full of sorrow and anger. Full of denial and strife.

A mere word, signaled to her.

'Love.

"..."

"..L-..lo..." she tries to speak, unable to express the words in her heart. Her hand clutches her chest...

That deepened gaze, canary looking tenderly into the Wolken's own. A smile. A simple gesture of love.

Of calm.

"..."

Of hope.

Maria clutches her chest, a deepened hues gazing, as Zaahira signs.

The hues of this Wolken tell their own story of sorrow and strife. Perhaps it was because of this, that Maria disavows the anger in her heart.

'Love, above all.'

"..."

She nods. still clutching her heart, as the tears escape her brow.

She holds tight to Zaahira and Majora. Even if it would be hours before she escapes, she remembers these words given to her.

Maria escapes to her room. Time to herself was needed. But the love and care given to her by her stepsister and brother?

It meant the world.

Even mere words were enough to take her across a different path.

A lonely path. Yet one she wouldn't trade for the world.

For Lavenza and Levius, she'd continue. The sorrow in her heart turning into conviction.

Their legacies lived on in her, that she'd promise.

She'd swear, with all her heart.

"..."

(Maria Malibu)

[00:41] Maria Malibu says, "And their memoru"
[00:42] Maria Malibu says, "..."
[00:42] Maria Malibu nods, smiling to both Zaahira and Majora.
(Maria Malibu)


[00:42] Maria Malibu says, "..."
[00:42] Zaahira Khalas exclaims, "Good night Maria!"
[00:43] Majora Malibu whispers to Maria Malibu: Sweet dreams, Pumpkin.
[00:43] Maria Malibu nods, ushering herself to her room.
(Maria Malibu)


[00:43] Maria Malibu says, "I..."
[00:43] Majora Malibu whispers to Maria Malibu: I love you.
[00:43] Maria Malibu says, "I...."
[00:43] Maria Malibu nods, clutching her heart. She signs 'i love you' the both of them.
(Maria Malibu

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Pub: 09 Sep 2024 04:11 UTC

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