Chapter Text
Heartbreak. That was a new type of pain that she wasn't well acquainted with. She felt it in her bones, in her very being, that she was trained to withstand most kinds of pain, to withstand any physical abuse or even psychological sway that an enemy might attempt to deal upon her. Yet, the one thing she never trained for... the one thing she never could have imagined taking into account... was this feeling. It hurt like a stab, but there was no blade to remove, no wound to treat. It was an invisible gouge in her very essence, something that could not be remedied nor ignored. It just Was. It was all encompassing, yet numbing. And it is what dictated her feet to wander across the Libestan town, straying toward a place she'd not entertained the thought of going to more than once on a lark, and certainly not a place she typically would have stayed. Yet this ache... it demanded an... unconventional balm.
The loud clamoring noises and bright lights ill suited the presence of Elizabeth R Bloodflame, in a normal situation at least. Yet here she was now, greeting the one they called Boo Kie, and placing a wager at the color cannon. She murmured a number, and a color, and listlessly walked to her seat, waiting for the game to start.
"I hope pink wins", a Libestan sat next to her said.
"I don't think there's any pink, sir." Elizabeth retorted, the want to smile going unfulfilled. She wanted to joke, to enjoy herself, yet all she could feel was a wide gaping void where everything else should have been, swallowing the parts of her that made her, her. The cannon beeped, readying its aim, before blasting away several blue blocks, a few green ones, and a scant few yellow. The red was untouched, thankfully. She had bet the highest amount on that and it would pain her to see her wager go to waste. Though, perhaps not as much as thinking about that woman with raven-colored locks and eyes sparkling like rubies... with plush lips that drew the gaze with each shape they made as she spoke... Elizabeth winced, cradling her face in her hands briefly before the sharp sound of cannon fire sounded again, and she hastily glanced up to see what survived. Her bet was still secure at the moment. The numbeness in her seemed to make the time pass much more slowly than ever, or perhaps it was the illusion of eternal daylight that the casino employed. The sound of a cannon loading, and then firing, and... red was blasted away. At this rate, blue was likely to be the winner, which would net Elizabeth a loss. She signhed, no longer interested in the game of chance, simply idling the time until it ended. Looking around she saw Libestans of cheerful demeanor, gambling in good spirits... was she the only one who was here in a time of great dispirit?
When the game ended — predictably, blue was the surviving color — Elizabeth returned to Boo Kie and placed a new wager, then repeated the cycle of betting and sitting, sitting and betting. Each time the game started the same high-voiced Libestan would comment on the hope of a "pink" winning, while each time Elizabeth parried with the fact that pink was not an existing color to choose from. She began to fear that the older citizen was out of touch with reality... yet at the same time finding herself envious of such a thing. Again and again the games came and went and her coffers grew thinner and thinner with each bad bet. She felt numb to the prospect of becoming destitute.
It was the fifth game in a row she had begun to play when the sound of footfalls echoed in the gambling hall behind her. "Didn't think I'd find you here..." came a low, husky voice.
Elizabeth turned to find herself staring right at her guildmate, the woman she had learned was the disciple of the Grim Reaper: Mori Calliope. The pink-haired reaper looked as stunning as usual, her pomegranate eyes shimmering with a supernatural sheen. She wore a playful smile on her face as she nodded over to Boo Kie.
"Placing some bets, huh? That's not the kind of behavior I'd expect from you. Something happen?" Elizabeth felt her face grow warm, and she stammered in an attempt to explain herself. Yet words failed her and she simply stood, an embarrassed expression on her face. The reaper chuckled. "Hey, relax. I'm not trying to grill you or anything. Just... color me surprised to see you spending any time in a gambling hall like this. In my experience, there's only a few reasons someone as upstanding as you would be here... and you're here alone, aren't you?" Elizabeth nodded. Mori placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, why don't I join you for a few games? It's better than wallowing alone, I can tell you that much."
The craving for company in her despair was too great an urge that she accepted with a rapid nod of her head. There was a bit of light brought back to her eyes as she placed a bet, then sat down next to Mori. "I hope pink wins." The voice of the Libestan gambler came from nearby. Elizabeth turned her head.
"How many times do I have to tell you, there's no pink! Silly..." she shook her head, turning to Mori with a grin. "Poor sod. He'll never win if he's truly betting on pink." Her guildmate shrugged, then grinned.
"Maybe he's saying he hopes that my bet will win." she said, rolling her eyes as she realized how cheesy that sounded immediately after uttering it.
Elizabeth, however, gasped. "Oh, you're right! Maybe he was waiting for you the whole time, Calli." she said, an exaggerated awe in her voice and gestures. Both women laughed, and the game began.
Three games in a row, and Mori had won each of them, while Elizabeth's gold reserves continued to dwindle. Noticing the frown on the noble knight's face, the reaper tapped her shoulder.
"Hey, wanna blow this joint? Why don't we get something to eat?" she asked, jabbing a thumb in the direction of her diner. "My treat, what do you say?" Elizabeth hesitated, but when her stomach grumbled, she couldn't help but nod. A brief horse ride later, they arrived in the familiar, cozy environs of Mori's diner. The reaper slash knight slash tavern owner quickly set to work behind the counter, whipping up something that smelled inviting. Elizabeth busied herself with walking along the walls, staring at the decorations or out the window, and wondering what to put on the jukebox. She gingerly held the vinyl record that held the song titled "Excuse my Rudeness, but Could you Please RIP?". It was so tempting to put it on — it was her favorite song of the ones available — but she also knew that Calli did not enjoy hearing it. Something about "cringe" and "does not represent her music styling accurately".
Her attention was brought back to the present as she heard the clink of dishes setting against the countertop, and she made her way over. Seating herself, she thanked Calli for the food, and set about enjoying a milkshake. The cold, thick, sweet treat eased her apprehensions somewhat, and a small smile played at the edge of her lips.
"This is amazing, Calli. I love it." Liz praised, earning a small blush from the reaper.
"Aw heck, it's nothing much. I'm just glad you like it." she replied. Leaning against the countertop, she stared directly at Elizabeth's eyes; part of the knight's instincts was to hold the stare evenly, to not shy away. But there was something about the way that Calli was staring at her that made her feel a bit giddy, shy, and yet entranced.
"Liz." Calli started. "Be honest with me. Are you alright?" Elizabeth's smile faded, her crestfallen expression answering for her. "Was it that Nerissa chick?" Liz nodded. "Well, hey, you're too good for her anyway!" Calli said, crossing her arms and letting out a small huff. "If she can't appreciate you then who needs her, is what I say."
Elizabeth could only nod in response. "I suppose that's true..." she said, playing with the straw in her milkshake listlessly as she tried — and failed — not to think about the willowy woman that once in jest, yet so convincingly, called her "Romeo". The sound of a seat cushion next to her made her attention jump to her right, and suddenly she saw the porcelain skin of Mori Calliope's face mere inches from her, her right hand clasped in both of the reaper's own. Despite being a soul collector, there was no coldness in her touch; rather, it was warm... comforting... almost able to dispel the persistent thoughts in her head. Almost.
"You're too good for her." Calli prodded, the look in her eyes more than concern. "You're... ah damn..." she looked aside for just a moment, then let out a sigh. "Look, you're a cool and honorable knight. We at the Jade Sword are lucky to have you at our back... you're everything a knight should be, and you're..." there was a shimmer in her eye, as though a buildup of emotion hiding just behind the crimson gaze. Calli lowered her head, a hissing inhale sounding from her. "I wish you could remember..." she said finally, her voice soft and tinged with disappointment.
"I do too..." Elizabeth said, "My memories... I wish I had them just as you do. You speak of me beyond just what we have been through together as guildmates, don't you?" Matters of emotion and the heart weren't her strong suit, but that did not mean she was blind to them. She gently squeezed Calli's hand. "Would you... tell me a little bit of what I'm like... as you know me?" Mori Calliope turned, resting her elbows on the countertop and placed her chin in her hands.
There was a wistful expression on her features as she spoke. "What I remember of you... is you're very driven. You have a strong sense of right and wrong, and you're adamant, but conscientious. You also have a voice that lights up a room even brighter than that fire there on your chest." she said with a small smile, as recollection seemed to work its way through her mind. "Your skills with a sword both here and back then are nothing short of amazing, and hearing you sing is practically a priceless gift you hand out for free. Nobody really deserves it but why would anyone turn it down? It's like being handed diamonds. You know you haven't done anything to earn it, but dammit, it's too nice to pass up."
Elizabeth's face felt hot, and she suddenly found herself unable to look at Calli. Turning her attention to the milkshake in front of her, she surreptitiously drank from it in one long inhale. She heard the pink-haired woman laugh a moment later. "Hah, wow... that really did something huh? Your face is almost as red as your hair."
That didn't help matters.
"Oh, did it just get redder? Wow, underneath the cool and strong knight is someone not used to being complimented huh? That's kinda cute..."
Liz withdrew her lips from her straw. "I'm not cute!" she said with a small pout that contradicted her words. "I'm powerful!" This only made the reaper burst out laughing, and made Elizabeth wonder why that phrase sounded so familiar. Was that something she said? Was she called cute often? There was a buzz in her mind, as though the echo of a multitude of voices combined to say the word "cute". Her flustered expression remained, and she wracked her brain to change the topic, but before she got the chance to, she felt Calli's finger hook underneath her chin and turn in her direction, as though suddenly demanding her undivided attention.
"You know..." the reaper spoke, once again but a scant few inches from her face. "It's unfair that I got my memories back so soon... I think if I was still forgetting who I was I'd... probably do something stupid..." Elizabeth's eyes widened and she found herself transfixed, simultaneously unable and unwilling to move from her position. Calli drew closer. "After all, I have both sets of memories now... and I remember back when I opened this place... that I wanted to take you here when no one else was around. Kind of... like right now..." Elizabeth couldn't bring herself to break the eye contact, but she remembered the door was closed, and night had fallen. Just about everyone else was asleep or nowhere near the Jade Sword territory. They were completely alone.
"I remember..." Calli continued, her eyes shining with intent like jewels of the underworld. "Wondering just what a mortal like you would taste like..." her voice was deep and low, a breathy whisper, as she drew even closer, their noses just barely brushing against one another. Elizabeth's vision swam. Why was her guildmate speaking like this? A fellow honorable knight before her memories were restored, and an inconceivably more astounding thing upon her remembrance... Why was Death's Disciple speaking to her, a mere warrior maiden, as though an object of desire? Yet, she didn't find herself objecting. On the contrary, her eyelids fluttered, and her widened gaze narrowed slowly, more and more, as she found herself under the spell of Mori Calliope. Her heart thumped in her chest like a war drum, her chest completely still as she found herself forgetting to breathe, and she closed her eyes, ready to accept whatever the reaper would deign to give her.
She felt something touch her lips, causing her to pucker them slightly in return. After a brief moment, she realized what she was making contact with was not Calli's lips; they were too thin and... firm? She opened her eyes, stunned to find that Calli had placed a finger on her lips. There was a hint of regret in the reaper's eyes as they finally gazed at each other again. Slowly, the tavern owner retracted her digit, smiling somewhat sadly. "It wouldn't be fair to take advantage of someone with no memories, though..." she said with a sigh, before her expression shifted and she wore almost flawlessly a mask of casual cheeriness again. If not for having witnessed her put it on herself, Elizabeth would have been none the wiser.
"I should close up for the night. Even a reaper needs sleep, y'know?" she stood, stretching, a pop here and a crack there. "You're welcome to stay in the accommodations upstairs though!" Calli winked. Elizabeth, at a loss for words, simply shook her head.
"I... um... have a place... it's fine, I'll just... er, what I mean is... I appreciate the offer but—"
Calli waved her hand. "I get it, don't worry." she clicked her tongue. "So uh... I'll see you tomorrow?"
Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, of course. See you on the morrow." She politely bowed her head in thanks for the hospitality, then stood and crossed the room toward the door. She placed her hand on the handle, hesitating. Turning her head, she saw Mori Calliope wearing a smile to send her off. Returning it with one of her own, she opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind her with a soft click.
She waited a few minutes, unmoving from her spot as though expecting the other woman to come back. When she didn't, Calli groaned to herself. "That was so stupid...!" she cried out to herself. "Why did I even tell her that? Am I trying to help or not? Guh...!" she flailed her hands in agitation, before pausing and staring at the finger of her right hand. She slowly brought it up to her face, staring at the fingertip that was the lucky recipient of a kiss from a knight so brave and beautiful. Before she could stop herself, Calli brought it to her own lips, and kissed the same spot. Her eyelids closed, and for a moment in her mind's eye, she could see the expression Elizabeth had when she kissed what she thought was the reaper's lips. But the dream had to end sometime, and she opened her eyes again, pulling her finger away from her face. She was alone again, staring off into the distance where Elizabeth had walked away.
"Maybe when you get your memories back..." she said. "Or whenever the... inevitable happens..." she said, a hollow grin cracking her face. "I'll pluck you someday, my Rose."