Stories of Hope at Hearts Intertwined

Stories of Hope at Hearts Intertwined
Date of Scene:	17 December 2012
Location:	Traverse Town - District 3
Synopsis:	Faruja and Maira have a chance encounter while helping the sick and injured who fled Manhattan
Cast of Characters:	Faruja Senra, Maira

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Maira has posed:
It has been a very long day. Or has it? Maira isn't entirely sure, since she had completely lost track of time a while ago, and as it was always twilight in Traverse Town, she couldn't even go by the sunlight.

For many hours Maira had been working with Hearts Intertwined, helping the refugees from Manhattan. She exits a tent where she had set up her alchemy lab as it were, wearing a stained apron that smells of smoke and various herbs and ingredients. Her hands are likewise stained with the oils of the plants and substances she works with to make her potions, most of them for healing.

She looks very tired.

Stretching out before her is a world of tents, people walking between them, most with the meandering pace of the lost and the dazed. Many are still in shock from Manhattan's fall. Maira has been there. She knows what that is like. That is one of the main reasons she is here. She thinks she can help these people.

Goodness, but there are just so many of them.

Maira heaves a sigh, then moves forward, her eyes scanning the camp for a particular tent that was serving as the infirmary. Spotting the tent with the ragged red banned, she begins to make her way through the crowd.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Faruja feels her pain. After both the events of Manhattan itself, and those surrounding Riku, the young Knight has needed to do some soul searching. And what better way than to do that by helping those lost and still injured? Faruja had just been tending to one of the younger sickly persons; a high fever, and other ailments. Deadly if not treated, by the hustle and bustle of the red bannered infirmary tent ensures that the young girl in question is more than adequately cared for. Currently, the biggest problem seems to be more long-lasting illnesses; disease, bones, and injuries that have reopened.

"Lord in heaven, who bandaged this girl!? When I catch the incompetent that made this field dressing, I should like to twist off their ears!" Comes a more than perterbed voice from the tent. A few minutes later, as Maira works her way through the crowd, the green-clad form of Faruja exits. He seems all medic today rather than knight; no sign of armor or weapon on him at all. The short ratling throws up his arms. "Oh, faram give me strength! What I would do for a little more competency!'

Maira has posed:
With perfect timing that Faruja will likely attribute to his prayer being answered, Maira appears before him outfitted for healing with a basket full of supplies; clean bandages, salves, potions, etc.

Maira blinks, as if her mind needed extra time to process what she was seeing. Then, her face lights up with a bright smile. "Sir Faruja!" she greets, stepping forward to hug him gently with her unburdened arm. "What's that about competency? Are you doing alright? I....I was hoping to find you! Thank you, for getting my out of Manhattan...I guess I pushed myself too hard," she says, flushing slightly with embarrassment. At least now they were even?

Faruja Senra has posed:
Wonderful, sweet, energetic, lovely Maira. Standing before him, dressed up like a proper healer with a basket full of darn near everything he needs. It's been a really long week. The Templar glances about, then distinctly kicks all polite societal rules his civilization puts onto him by full-on hugging the woman in return. It's tight, and quick, one born out of a moment's impulse and pure joy at seeing a friend in one piece again. When he lets go, his ears are a shade more red, and he looks away with a cough. "...Quite good to see you, dear Lady! Ahh, but it seems certain members of this little operation are LESS THAN USEFUL and ILL TRAINED." A pair of white mages slink awkwardly out of the tent to escape the slave driver of a Templar's wrath.

Smile! "But it seems the Lord has finally blessed me with someone who actually knows what they are doing. Come!" Opening the tent flap, he'll let her in.

The rat shakes his head. "No, you pushed yourself exactly as you needed to. You gave everything you had. Maira, you did beautifully. I hardly could allow you to fall in such a way."

Maira has posed:
Maira is all too happy to be hugged! She giggles lightly, "Oh, they are doing the best they can...there are simply SO many..." she replies, shaking her head a little as she thinks on it. It is overwhelming if she looks at the big picture. She knows she needs to focus on one person at a time.

The mage moves inside with Faruja, eyes scanning the tent for a few people in particular she'd looked after previously. She spots and old woman and her granddaughter, the little girl tucked into the weathered arms of the elder. Her parents were missing. They are presumed lost. No one wants to say that they were most likely taken and turned into Heartless. They only have each other now.

Maira looks to Faruja, nodding lightly. "I...thanks...I just wish it had been enough," she sighs. "This way."

As she approaches, both the old woman and little girl look up to see her. While they don't smile, they brighten at her appearance. "How are you feeling you both feeling? How is your leg 'Melda?" she asks the old woman.

The little girls says she's okay, then lets her grandmother speak.

"Better, I'd say. I put a little weight on it, but my head spins when I stand up," she reports. Maira nods a little, pursing her lips before she digs into her basket for a potion. "I think I have just the thing...drink this. It's got lots of things that will improve your energy, and I'll cast another cure spell. You probably just need time to build your blood up again. You need to eat a really good diet, okay?"

'Melda nods, takes the potion, and drinks it down. She doesn't make a face or shudder. Making faces is for youngins.

Maira talks for a little longer with them, offering comfort by her presence and the small touches she gives the two as she casts her cure spell. Then, she says her goodbye and promises to be back tomorrow, leading Faruja away.

She reaches out for his arm, trying to make it look natural, when in reality her own head was spinning. "Melda broke her leg while trying to get through the crowd. She pushed forward with her granddaughter, carrying her, even on a broken leg."

Faruja Senra has posed:
The Templar keeps a straight face, despite knowing all too well the sting of failure. He'd cracked once in front of Reize, done things he regrets. He'll not crack in front of Maira as well. The young boy's words come to him. "...We must push forward. Much is lost to us, perhaps eternally. But there is yet hope. A test of Faith, though the Lord does not wish.../this/." He gestures to the room at large, briefly turning to heal an old man of an aching chest wound.

"There are many who wish to stand together, to fight. And we must do so." The Church's inactive stance on the whole thing bothers him, even if he's sure there's a reason. Perhaps they work in the shadows?

The Burmecian bows to the pair of girl and older woman, offering them blessings before letting Maira take over. It brings a smile, one of pride to the rat's face. The lady indeed knows what she's doing! Giving them both goodbyes, he follows Maira, taking the arm despite the height difference.

"The demons that caused this think people weak. Such determination, such pure love...remember it, Maira. 'Tis for the sake of brave people such as Lady Melda and her granddaughter that we fight." A pause. "...What of the rest of VALKYRI?" He dreaded asking the question.

Maira has posed:
Maira nods in agreement with Faruja, sparing a smile. "Yes. It was very hard, afterward...I grieve, I try to move past my feelings of failure. I can't believe Manhattan is gone forever. There must be a way."

At his question about VALKYRI, Maira swallows. "Avira...she was changed into a wolf-like beast with wings. She's bigger, stronger...but there is darkness in the form. I'm not too worried though, because Avira's heart is strong. She won't turn into a Heartless, not before we can find a way to cure whatever that jerk of a scientist did. However...Angantyr...he made a deal with the Shadow Lord LEXUS to try to save Avira, and he too has been turning into a beast. Being a dark knight, he already had quite a bit of darkness....it has only grown since his transformation," she replies, taking a deep breath, her expression one of deep concern. "He has light in him still. He loves Avira, I can tell...I think that will see him through. We'll find a way to cure him as well. I believe the rest of VALKYRI is well enough, considering..." she says, stopping in her explanation a couple of times to pass out more of her potions, before she moves outside.

She looks up at the sky for a long moment, then back to Faruja. "How about you and the Shard Seekers? Are they...all well? I saw Reize, he was fighting with us...I haven't seen Ivo..."

Faruja Senra has posed:
"No. It is not. 'Tis why the Shard Seekers were formed. A blow struck, but not irrecoverable." Faruja is absolutely adament on that fact. Some certainly despair, and the rat's had his moments. But with Maira's words, he's only spurred on. How can he be weak in front of friends like this?

The news, however, of Avira's change has the rat stumbling for a moment. "WHAT!? Who!? Who did that to her!?" Comes the rat's voice, rising in righteous anger. As for the rest? It clicks.

"...He is dangerous, Maira. Angantyr works with a very, very evil.../thing/. Do not trust him. His presence puts you all in danger, and Lady Avira even moreso. Take my advice; cast him away before he drags you all down. I do not wish to see more friends fall." Riku. That bastard. He shivers, rage boiling under the surface.

"...At least you all survived. We all live. However..." Sigh. "It seems one of our members was a traitor. Riku. He assisted in destroying Manhattan. An agent of the Darkness, lurking right under our noses..." He should've seen. He should've /known/.

Maira has posed:
Maira squares her shoulders, determination in her eyes. "Surely you are not saying Angantyr is beyond redeeming. I know about his darkness. I know what you have told me about Garland...but I'm telling you, there is light in him. He has defended me in the past. He sacrificed himself for Avira...he loves her. I can't believe he can be evil but feel love. I'm not going to give up on him Faruja. I appreciate your worry, I do....but I can't. Avira will not either, for certain," she says, giving Faruja's arm a squeeze.

"If you can't have any faith in Angantyr, have some in me and Avira, okay?"

At mention of Riku, she nods, sighing. "I heard about Riku...that's very distressing. Maybe...I don't know. There is no excusing what he did, but I wish I could understand WHY. I feel like there must be /something/ we are missing."

Faruja Senra has posed:
Such determination...and forgiveness, in another of his friends. The rat, so zealous, so wrathful, so /sure/ the man's a threat. That Maira and Reize could find it in their hearts to forgive them is utterly beyond him. But something stops his rebuke. "...I trust in you, Maira." He's not sure he agrees, but if he can't put some faith in his friends, then what is there for him?

Sigh. "Just, please, be careful."

Faruja snarls at the boy's name. "What is there to understand? Anything he may say is naught but excuses."

Maira has posed:
Maira smiles, warm and sweet as honey. "Thanks Faruja," she replies. She thinks Faruja sees the world in his own way, and there is not much room for gray areas. Maira knows Uist though, who a combination of light and darkness. Like most people! She can only wonder what happened to Riku, to lead him to do such a thing, so young.

"I don't know Faruja..I don't know," she sighs.

Faruja Senra has posed:
Gray is certainly not something that seems to exist in the rat's world view. Likely a very tragic thing, given the amount of power the Burmecian holds. Faruja should thank friends like Maira; they're likely one of the few things keeping him from going off the deep(er) end.

"All we can do is act as we see best to do. But one thing is clear. I will not allow more scheming, more Darkness to seep into the worlds. Too much. For far too long these Dark agents have been free to plot. They must be found and brought to justice."

Maira has posed:
Maira sighs again, nodding. "Justice, huh? I guess I don't really know too much about justice. I don't really know what people deserve, you know? I know I'm still pretty naive," she admits with a blush. "But I'm trying to learn more...and I'm really happy I've met so many people who have been so kind to me, like you and Avira and Aerith and Angantyr...and Ivo...certainly with all these people around, we'll be able to make a difference, right? The next world, we'll be ready for them."

Faruja Senra has posed:
"Maira, societies have been tackling the issue of 'justice' for long before either of us were born. To struggle with it, to question it, is natural." A smile comes to his muzzle. "Of course. Of course we will. And do not forget." A clawed hand waves to the masses around them.

"...What if we had not acted? Rested on our laurels? How many of these people would not be here?"

Maira has posed:
Maira looks around, a small smile gracing her features. It is small, but filled with hope. "Yeah. That's what keeps me going...knowing that. I don't think nearly as many people escaped my world when it fell. There wasn't anyone there, then...not that I saw," she says, her eyes growing distant with memory.

She shakes her head to clear it. "Well, we'd better get back to work then, huh?"