Chapter Text
The room was dim, soft light from medical readouts glowing the same eye soothing green as the alarm clock next to the sole bed in the room. The bed shifted, its occupant tossing and turning in the dark. She whimpered quietly, breaking the monotony of the ventilation fan audible in the wall. She watched helplessly. Trapped by her subconscious as crossbow bolts flew past her head. The sky was orange with smoke and the ground red with blood. Her body moved without her, crouching under the swing of a sword that sliced over her head. She spun her halberd across one arm and used the momentum to drive the wicked axe-head of the weapon deep into the side of the shadow before her. They cried, their voice the same formless grey as their face. Dozens of other geists charged towards her line of defense. Faces all obscured by hoods and rags and grey grey mist. She watched the wave crash into her comrades with a frenzy that only complete desperation could fuel. They chopped and cut and cried out as their scavenged weapons met flesh and blade. Screams filled the air. One louder than the rest. It pierced her mind, driving every other thought out. Her hands ran slick with blood. Her arms relentlessly swinging her polearm around her, chopping and cutting and crying. She was the one screaming.
Frostleaf screamed herself awake. Jolting upright, clutching her head and heart and shoulders. Fingernails scouring red lines into her skin, blood beading in their path. The cool air was thick in her throat, choking her with smoke that wasn’t there. Her hand slapped the table beside her, clutching at the headphones laying there. Their noise cancelation cut out her own panicked breathing. It cut out the soft beep of the medical equipment around her. It cut out the white noise of the ventilation. Silence reigned. It reined in her chaotic thoughts, pulling her from the dream that had trapped her. She was alone. She was here, in Rhodes Island. She was safe.
“Fucking hell.” The curse sour on her lips. She thought she was done with nightmares. It had been months since she was pulled from active duty, Kal’tsit’s orders. The doctor had brought her into her office and briskly informed Frostleaf that she was to be permanently removed from combat missions and placed into medical care. Her infection wasn’t even that bad. Lappland was worse off than her, and she was still seeing combat. Although, Frostleaf thought, keeping the aggressive Vulpo from battle would be near-impossible. Her thoughts wandered as she groped for the phone she had stashed under her pillow, flicking it on. She quickly found one of her favourite playlists and let the crash of music fill her. Drown her thoughts in the tides of sound. Her eyes flicked to the alarm clock beside her. Five AM. Early enough that no one else would be up yet. Perfect. Frostleaf pulled her legs under her and slipped out of the bed. Grabbing her sweater and tights from the floor as she strode into the utilitarian bathroom attached to the room.
Refreshed and dressed, she stepped out into the hall. Door swinging and locking behind her she strode through the grey and blue hallways of Rhodes Island. Different coloured lines and arrows painted on the floor pointed paths to departments and facilities, the labyrinthine mobile facility broken down to a simple system an elementary school student could parse. Frostleaf got lost on the way to the roof. It wasn’t her fault. There were no paths leading to the hatches that open onto the wide swathes of open deck at the top of the facility. She had stopped at a few interactive map stations strewn throughout the place, but although every hatch and staircase and ladder was highlighted, she couldn’t tell which went where. The text shifted and danced on the diagrams, her eyes flashing across the letters without recognition. She sighed and continued her search.
Finally, Frostleaf found a random ladder on a different deck that led to a hatch that opened onto an isolated observation deck. Benches and cement blocks littered the space, small green spaces breaking up the monotony of cement decking. She had taken long enough in the twisting claustrophobic halls that the sun was rising on the horizon. Clouds painted orange and pink streaking across a deep blue sky that lightened even as she stood watching. Her breath caught tight in her throat. This pristine beauty. Untouched by the hands or claws or blades of humanity. She pulled off her headphones to let her ears breathe in the cool morning air. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. The moment was perfect. Or, it would be. If not for some incredibly intrusive clatter close to her. Clacking and soft grunts carrying over a partitioning piece of machinery of some kind. Frostleaf followed the sounds, ready to give the annoyance a few choice words for interrupting her solitude.
As she rounded the array of machinery blocking the intruder she stopped in her tracks. There was a young liberi, her own age or only a year or two older, jumping and riding what could only be… a skateboard? Frostleaf watched in silence as the bird girl managed to lift the board off the ground using only some kind of weight displacement, launching into the air before it crashed back into the ground with a resounding clack. Frostleaf jumped at the loud noise. Hand already shooting to her head to pull the headphones back over her ears. The Liberi girl lifts her head at the movement, sighting the spooked Vulpo. Kicking her board into her hands and walking towards Frostleaf. As she approached, Frostleaf could make out the details of the other girl. Brown hair was sheared off at chin length on both sides of her head, cream and brown feathers cresting the winglike protrusions at her temples. A longer ponytail cascading down the back of the orange leather jacket she wore over a black tank. Black jean shorts and knee pads over black knee socks completed her look with black desert boots. She looked cool. Even the fashionable Frostleaf was impressed.
“Hey.” The liberi’s greeting was short and to the point. She even had single frame blackout sunglasses resting on her head. Frostleaf was shook.
“H-hey.” The meager reply was all she could manage.
“How long have you been watching? I mean, it’s cool. I’m not mad it’s kind of nice to be the center of attention again.”
“Again?” Frostleaf had no idea what was going on at this point. Center of attention? She was most certainly lost.
“Yeah I used to be pretty well known in my neck of the woods, back in Columbia. Aciddrop, they called me. So when I ended up with oripathy and bounced to RI, I figured I’d keep the name as my handle. How ‘bout you? What’s your name, beautiful?”
“F-frostleaf.” She had been given the nickname after she had joined the mercenary company she had traveled the world with. Her superior had once commended her for the grace and deadliness of her ice arts on the battlefield. Snuffing out life with the cold beauty of jeweled frost on a leaf.
“Cool, sounds badass. I couldn’t sleep and decided to kick around up here for awhile, same to you?”
“Yeah.” Frostleaf could barely keep up, but something sparked in her. Saying she needed to give more than a single word. “Nightmares.” So she settled for two.
“Mmm.” Aciddrop’s reply was a quiet hum. Suddenly out of place with the girl’s rather boisterous attitude. She turned to face the now visible sun, light flashing off the lens of her sunglasses. Frostleaf turned with her and together they stood for a moment, silent. “Me too, actually.” Aciddrop finally continued. “I’ve been in my fair share of brawls with the gangs back home.” She paused. Frostleaf’s heart beat loudly. Once, twice. “But it’s different here. I’m glad to help. Be an operator with Rhodes. Do my part and pay them back for taking me in for treatment. It’s just.” Frostleaf watched her out of the corner of her eye, and for a second a flash of pain flickered over the liberi girl’s face. “Sometimes I wonder about how they got there, right? The people I fight. Of course we gotta do it. They’re looking to hurt innocent folks. But every enemy I put a bolt in, I wonder. If I hadn’t had the support, the care, the treatment I had, would I have been in there with them? All rage and hate and vengeance?” The girl broke off. She turned to Frostleaf as her mouth twisted into a sad smirk. “Sorry to lay that all down on our first meeting, that was pretty lame of me.” She huffed a laugh. “I guess I can be more contemplative than I thought!”
“Ah…” Frostleaf could only open her mouth to the sudden confession of the other girl. She hadn’t really thought she was going to play therapist for a random girl on the roof of Rhodes Island when she went to get some fresh air this morning. Something inside her resonated with the girl’s words though. Turned herself inwards to look at her own past.
“Well I’d better hit the caf before it fills up for breakfast, nice to meet you. See ya around.” Frostleaf was deaf to the words as her head filled with images of conflict after conflict. Aciddrop sauntered off to one of the lifts that opened onto the deck and disappeared from sight, but Frostleaf was still staring at the clear sky as it burned bluer and bluer. Did she remember a single face of the people she’d killed?
The days passed in monotony as Frostleaf continued her treatment. Appointment after appointment with medical officer after doctor after nurse. Tests and blood samples and drugs piled on her, pushing her deeper and deeper down. She slept and woke and hurt. Clusters of black crystal breaking her skin in itching sores and freezing cold. She could barely keep herself under control, her body temperature dropping a full degree as the Originium in her body catalyzed her arts. She was sitting alone in the cafeteria. Watching the steam slowly fade from a cup of hot tea, Gummy’s suggestion to warm her up. She felt rather than heard or saw the person sit down next to her, and the hand under her coat tightened over the combat knife she carried.
“Hey.” It was the same liberi girl she had spoken to that one confusing morning. Frostleaf’s mind strained to remember her name: Acidhouse or something. “It’s Aciddrop.”
“Wha- how did you, do your arts read minds?” Frostleaf completely forgot she was an antisocial loner in her shock, words tumbling out of her.
“Haha glad to finally hear your voice again, it’s cute.” Aciddrop flashed her a reassuring smile. “But no, I didn’t read your mind. I read your face! You were completely blank as you stared at me, I thought you had forgotten me entirely!” Frostleaf blushed, she didn’t know what her face looked like when she was checked out, it couldn’t be that bad could it? “Relax, it was cute.” Aciddrop finished.
“Thanks?” Frostleaf wasn’t sure if that was a good thing. Her stupefied face was something she’d rather keep to herself.
“But seriously, I’ve been seeing you here at odd hours of the day. Alone and staring off into space, I wanted to check in, y’know? See how you’re doing.”
“I’m fine.” Frostleaf’s response was instant as she clammed up, her already morose expression shutting off completely.
“Haha okay, wow. You are so not fine. Hey, come with me. Let’s go get some fresh air and see the sun. I bet it’s been a few days since you’ve been outside.” Frostleaf eyed the other girl suspiciously, but there wasn’t a drop of pity or patronizing in the other girl’s face. Just pure cocksure delight. It pissed her off.
“Fine.” She had no idea why she agreed. Probably just to get it over with and get back to bed.
“Sick, here come on.” Aciddrop took Frostleaf’s open hand, pausing slightly as if checking it was okay to touch her. Only taking the vulpo’s hand once she saw a minute nod. She pulled the sick vulpo along behind her as she easily navigated the halls of Rhodes Island.
“Oh hold up, gimme a sec.” Aciddrop muttered quietly as they came to a bunk room door, it’s exterior the same dull grey as every other in the facility. Frostleaf instinctively checked the number next to it, but the digits danced and flashed in her eyes, rendering them illegible. Aciddrop quickly keyed the door open with her ID card and stepped inside “Just a minute ‘Leaf, I gotta grab something.” Frostleaf pondered the sudden nickname as she studied the interior of the room. It was chaotic, a sea of clothes and gear washed the floor. The walls were covered in band posters and blown up photos of different people riding skateboards. Not an insignificant number featured the small liberi girl who was rummaging through a storage crate next to the unmade bed. Skateboards piled next to each other in the corners and a disassembled hand bow occupied the surface of the built in desk. There was obvious care in how the weapon’s parts were arranged and their maintenance that made her ache for her own combat halberd.
“Cool we’re good, let’s go!” Aciddrop had emerged again with her board and a black helmet. “I got black because I figured it’d fit a goth like you, ‘Leaf.” Frostleaf looked at her blankly, not entirely sure what was going on. “Haha, yeah I’m teaching you how to skate!” Aciddrop simply took the questioning look in stride, taking Frostleaf’s hand again with her free one.
“Um.” Frostleaf started. Why the hell was she going to learn how to skateboard? Sure it was pretty cool and looked fun and the liberi was super awesome when she saw her on the board but that didn’t have anything to do with her and… Her thoughts were cut off by a smile from the other girl, it was radiant.
“It’s cool I used to teach the younger kids all the time back home, they all loved it. Besides it sounds like you could use something to do! I asked Warfarin about your physicals and she said it’d be good for you to do some light exercise and that you just stayed in your room all day anyways and…” Frostleaf tuned the excited girl out at this point. Damn her nosy doctor for telling the liberi girl, hadn’t she ever heard of confidentiality? Next time she saw the tiny sarkaz she’d give her a piece of her damn mind. “Anyways I just think you’d look cool on a board. It’s rare to have someone else on this damn ship that appreciates a good aesthetic y’know?” Aciddrop finally finished. The vulpo felt her cheeks pink at the compliments. She did like to keep herself atop of the latest fashions, and she was pleased her care for her outfits showed.
“Yeah yeah. Okay” Was about all she could muster vocally though. The short affirmation was obviously enough for Aciddrop who’s smile absolutely glowed.
“Sick” The liberi girl pulled the hesitant vulpo through the bulkheads and corridors of the mobile facility, finally ending up in a lift that spat them out on the same observation deck where they had met before. “I thought somewhere familiar would be best.” Aciddrop rubbed at the back of her head in a moment of uncharacteristic shyness before barrelling onwards. “Whatever, here!” She dropped the board she was holding under one leather sleeved arm. “I’ll show you how to stand on it first, then we’ll get you on the board real quick.” She kicked the board on the edge and it flipped horizontally to come to a stop perpendicular to the line of her stance. “First start with one foot.” She stepped alongside the board and lifted one black clad boot and set it on the grit tape, about two thirds up its length. She rested there for a second, shooting Frostleaf a quick smile. “Easy right? Super easy. Anyone can do it.”
“Yeah.” Frostleaf replied unsuredly, what the hell was she doing here with this nutcase.
“Okay now this is the hard part.” Aciddrop crouched slightly. “You gotta lower your center of gravity a little to help you balance. Keep your ankles nice and strong. You don’t want the board wobbling too much on its trucks. Frostleaf nodded absentmindedly, it was simple enough. Just like any polearm or staff you wanted to keep a low stance to ground yourself. Okay, she could do that. She’d learned how to wield an axe before she could read, after all. “Now push your front foot to the front screws and shift your weight on the board. Then all you have to do is pop!” She lifted her back foot and set it on the board, keeping her stance low. Then straightening and leaning comfortably on locked knees. “Easy! You wanna try?”
“Mm.” Frostleaf nodded her assent, she could do this quickly then maybe go back to her room. Aciddrop jumped off the board and spun it quickly with her foot before kicking it towards the vulp. Frostleaf took a breath and tried to position the board with her foot. It was heavier than she thought, and it rolled away from her as soon as she nudged it with her foot. “Hm.” Frostleaf muttered at it annoyedly. Aciddrop had an annoyingly excited look on her face. Frostleaft chased the board and set it infront of her with her hands, finally relinquishing the grip she’d kept on her knife the whole time.
One foot first. Easy enough, she simply lifted her foot and put it on the board, about where the front screws were. Oh. It was sticky. She shifted her foot a little and wiggled the board back and forth experimentally. Yes it sure did roll. She shifted it a little too far forwards and the board slipped out from under her. Skating forwards and pulling her into a split before she pulled her foot back. She shot a look at Aciddrop, but the girl wasn’t laughing or snickering. Instead she was just nodding encouragingly.
“Yeah that’ll happen, keep your foot a little closer to the middle of the board before you’re ready to mount up.” Okay. No problem. Frostleaf jogged after the board and set it back in front of her. This time she put a single foot on the board. About two thirds of the way up. She stood there for a second, lowering her balance like she had trained so long. Her mind instantly splashed red and her hand ripped under her coat to clutch the knife she kept there. Aciddrop was beside her suddenly. “Alright, let’s take that for a second, don’t want to fall on it right?” She held her hand out. Frostleaf looked up at her in surprise. Then down at the knife she held in her hand. Nodding gently, she placed the knife in the liberi’s hand. She felt a little lighter for some reason. She focused back on the board under her. Dropping low again she ground her front foot into the gritty black tape. Tentatively she pushed her weight onto the board, keeping it nice and steady and testing her back foot. Lifting it slightly a few times. Finally her impatience won out, popping up her back foot and putting it on the board. She stood there, low and still for a few seconds, board under her and still. Aciddrop let out a whoop.
Frostleaf’s impassive mouth curled into a tiny smile and she started to straighten up and lock her knees like the liberi did.
“Oh I wouldn’t do that if I were you, you’ll…” Aciddrops words were cut out by a sudden rush of wind as Frostleaf’s ankles wobbled, shooting the board forwards as her weight shifted back instinctively. The vulpo was pitched backwards into the air, time slowing as her eyes rolled up to look at the sky, it was so blue. A sharp pain splashed across her back and rear and she slammed into the ground, head lolling back to rest on the concrete. There was a shout as Aciddrop appeared in her field of view, stark against the blue blue sky. Her face was pinched in concern and her mouth moved, forming words Frostleaf couldn’t hear. She was cute. Frostleaf’s head tipped back as far as it could, something bubbling up from her throat. Her mouth popping open and a deep chest rattling laugh bursting out. She clutched her stomach, soreness radiating from her back and butt and she shook and shook and shook. Aciddrop’s concerned face splitting into a grin of her own as the two young girls stared at each other and cried with mirth.