BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Fri May 20, 2016 11:27 pm

The cool air in the Librarium was a small relief compared to outside, combined with his allergies, had only made him more miserable. While in the hallway, heading towards his office, he received a few curious looks from other members throughout the departments none stopped to ask. All the better, really, Hazama reflected. Perhaps it was the foul look on his face that told them it was wiser not to.

"Yes, well, my office will be much quieter, I promise you that," Hazama answered. Even in the headquarter's hallways there was much conversation after all.

Already he was shoulder his door open, having to fumble with the door knob as he did so. Thankfully Charity was rather light, and so it wasn't an extremely difficult task. Even so, she might have grown uncomfortable in his arms while he did so, as awkward as the task had been holding her. Once inside he gladly put her down, stepping away to distance himself from the cat hair clinging to her. He'd have to make a painstaking effort in changing clothes after she was sorted to now. He'd be highly surprised if there wasn't any on him after carrying her for so long.

"There, much better, no?" Even as he spoke he moved to the shelf which housed the switch to reveal a hidden bath. It was always so much nicer not to be interrupted, after all. It was something he'd have rather kept entirely secret but this way he could more easily get rid of Charity's little cat problem. "Now, might I offer you the chance to bath? Surely it would be more relaxing than standing around talking to boring old me!"

----[x]----

The gauze in place minutes later, Nell moved to tug her bag closer. It had slipped off a little as she'd sat upon Jubei's request, the heaviness a familiar weight anymore. Inside were all sorts of materials for art and tattooing alike, the duffel bag unable to fit anything more inside, however it was something sweet that she was aiming to dig out now. As she did so, she answered Ragna:

"So you say." If infection did set in and they couldn't get to a clinic of some sort while Jubei was around Nell had no illusions that the old cat might make Ragna clean it up anyways.

She was quiet for a moment, digging in the bag while questions were asked of her further. For a long minute it didn't seem like she'd answer, not until she fished out a bag of lollipops. With as much blood as she'd lost a bit of sugar would help, even if they would only move for a short while. It would mitigate only so much but replenishing some sugar in her blood would be better than none at all. Sudden movements made her head spin, after all, the only indication of the effects of the injury.

"It's up to you," Nell said finally, selecting a sucker and promptly sucking on it soon after. The wrapper would be shoved back into the bag along with the rest before she'd move to stand, slinging it back over her shoulder with some amount of care. She was well aware she'd probably hit the injury too hard nonetheless however.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 12:20 am

While conversation wasn't as loud, it did grate on her head. His reassurance that his office would be quieter was a relief. Strange and worrying as this situation was, at least she hadn't been found by a beast.

It wouldn't take long to reach said office. Even if she couldn't see it, she could feel him fumble with the doorknob. Things would be a little less awkward then, when he sat her down onto her feet.

She would hear him move around the room, something else moving as well. What was it? It wasn't a moment later he informed her. Oh, the bathroom. She recalled that briefly. Why was it he had that in his office again? Said something about wanting to revamp it too...

Still, she offered him a smile. It wasn't hard to tell what he was getting at. She stunk of cat and probably needed to wash a lot of it away.

"Oh, I got ya. I'll take a bath if it means you don't die sneezing," she answered easily, "So uh...Not to make you my seeing eye dog or anything but..."

The last thing she wanted was to run into something. She already felt stupid enough not being able to get on her own two feet earlier.

---- (x) ----

Ragna blinked as Nell turned to away, fishing around for something in her bag. Her tone was still flat. Was the lack of being able to feel physically weighing on her emotionally to?

"What a handful..." he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck slightly.

He was surprised when she pulled out a lollipop and easily unwrapped the thing to stick it in her mouth. This woman was incredible. She barely even flinched after all of that and now she was just sucking on a lolli like nothing ever happened.

Ragna would motion to Jubei then, leaving the decision up to his mentor. If they needed to stop, they would stop.

"If you think you can make it, we'll distance ourselves from the area I found ya in. Don't know what else might be seekin' that source of magic out."

With that, Ragna would get back to his feet, slinging his large weapon over his shoulder. Mind as well be prepared if he could help it. He offered a hand for Nell, unsure if she'd stumble on her feet or not. A lot of blood had been lost, after all. It wasn't easy to recover from that, feeling pain or not.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 12:56 am

It was a strange sense of relief that washed over him at Charity's cooperation. Perhaps she was the kind-hearted sort and felt bad for causing him such trouble. Well, that certainly made his life easier! Hazama wouldn't bother to look that gift horse in the mouth anytime soon, he decided, the hidden bathroom revealed from behind a bookshelf. Not that any but Charity would know it was there after this and even with her being blind it wasn't like she'd be able to find it on her own.

"Ah, no worries at all, dear Charity!" Hazama answered, already striding towards her once more. "For now I can act the part, however... temporarily."

Her hand in his, he urged her forward, more careful now that she was walking on her own once more. He'd run the bathwater for her once he had her safely at the tub's edge, if only to prevent her from fumbling and hurting herself.

"And please, take as long as you need," he urged. It would give him time to find her a temporary change of clothes, that was for sure.

----[x]----

Nell heard Ragna's mutterings but chose not to reply. Was there a point to when she felt nothing from it? She still didn't know. Maybe she would eventually, or maybe there'd be a way to get rid of this damn curse. For now there was nothing to it but to roll with the punches.

By the time she'd manage to push the rest of the candy back into the bag and sling it over her shoulders Ragna had already stood, extending a hand for her to take. Jubei already had an idea in mind of where to go it seemed, now it was just getting off and away from this place it seemed. For a second though, Nell merely blinked at Ragna's outstretched hand before accepting it, allowing him to help her to her feet. A good idea, it seemed, for once she stood fully another wave of dizziness washed over her and she had to steady herself a moment. Yes, it seemed she'd lost more blood than she thought. If she'd been able to feel the pain that might have been far more obvious...

"Lead the way," she murmured, voice muffled further by the lollipop. "I think I'll be fine for a short while."

It was only a guess, it being too difficult to tell with the lack of feeling.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 4:14 pm

He was accommodating for the time being. Charity wasn't sure how she was going to deal with it all without some kind of guidance but that could be figured out later on. That would be a worry for then.

She was thankful for his hand in her own, carefully tugged toward this bathroom of his. Why he hid it away, she could only assume. Well, she couldn't complain right now. She could already hear the water being run.

"You're very kind, thank you," she commented briefly.

The irony of that statement wasn't wasted on her but he wouldn't know that. Still, as long as he wasn't sticking a knife in her, she figured she'd be fine.

"I'll do that, thank you," she answered, already fumbling with the zipper on her jacket. Best deal with this now, maybe have it washed or something. If it got the stench of cat and the hair off of it, maybe it would help...

---- (x) ----

She stumbled when she was tugged to her feet. For a moment, Ragna extended his other arm just in case she passed out. Nell somehow managed to recover in the very least. He'd make a point to keep an eye out...

"If you're sure..." he muttered a moment later.

Already, Ragna was starting forward, keeping an eye out for anything that might try to rush on them. He was already juggling enough. Who knew this much could happen in a single day?

"Lets just keep an eye on you for a while," he heard Jubei speak up again, already trotting forward with ease, "Proper rest'll come when we're in a safer place."

"So am I gonna get fed by the end of this?" Ragna would ask lazily.

"If ya keep playin' nice, maybe."

A snort left Ragna. At least the old cat was being honest. Ragna didn't have much money on him anyways. He needed to find something to eat before he decidedly collapsed himself. It wasn't the first time, if he was honest...

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 7:31 pm

The water running sounded all the louder in the otherwise quiet office, Charity's shuffled steps drown out from the noise as he lead her to the tub's edge. He'd leave her to undress once she was steady and did not appear to risk tripping into the tub and injuring herself while he was away. Even so he'd sneezed twice during the endeavor, halting her steps each time to make sure she did not topple over from the force of his sneeze.

"Oh, no, no! No need to thank me just yet!" Hazama argued. No, she could do that when he wasn't all but dying. "Why don't you just go ahead and enjoy the bath and thank me later, hmm?"

It was an urging he rushed, eager to get those damn clothes out and away from him and for the stench to be washed from her entirely. He could easily find someone to fetch clothes Charity's size while he did that much. In that vein it would give her a little privacy to boot, however illusory it might be. This was his office and he wasn't going to be driven out of it while she bathed even if he would make a point not to peek.

Even Hazama had some manners, after all.

----[x]----

It was a little surprising when Ragna moved to steady her, his free hand hovering over her uninjured shoulder until she must have appeared better. She spared a nod in thanks, if only to show it wasn't an action gone ignored despite being strangers. Know of these two she might that didn't mean she could say she knew either personally. For all she knew they wouldn't be able to get along at all, anyways.

"I think I am," she relented before he'd started them off. Honestly, she couldn't say for sure anymore without feeling on anything.

She followed between Ragna and Jubei, perhaps an intentional set up, to keep her from being caught on either side if anything else attempted to make a leap for her. As they walked the pair bantered, a testament to how long they must have known each other. Was Ragna still training under Jubei then or...? She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, taking in the crimson coat and large sword... He'd gotten that at the end of his, ah... apprenticeship, hadn't he?

Nell pushed the thought away for now. It wasn't as important as keeping up, even if each step left a wave of dizziness in its wake.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 10:44 pm

It was easy to pry off her jacket, somewhat of a relief now that she could feel the steam rising into the air. She would have normally felt rather uncomfortable with the situation but not seeing almost made her forget about it all.

Without much thought, she began to tug her shirt off. It was at that moment, she paused briefly. Was he outside of the room or...?

Charity would glance around blindly at that moment, suddenly feeling rather modest. Where in the hell was he now?

"Dude, are you still there?" she asked, waiting on answer.

Did her face grow hot, standing like she was. This was embarrassing. She didn't even want to think about how blindness could be a means of taking advantage of her. That was a little more overwhelming than she had originally thought...

---- (x) ----

On occasion, Ragna would glance over his shoulder to make sure she was still following. Her steps were slow and there was a sway in her balance. This wasn't good. She shouldn't have been walking.

This wasn't looking good and she didn't even know it. What the hell were they supposed to do?

"If you keep swaying like that, someone's gonna have to carry you," Ragna barked sarcastically, "Come on, can you keep up?"

"That's actually a good idea. Why don' ya act like a good man and carry the girl?"

Ragna shot a look at his mentor. Well, it wasn't so much of a surprised that he'd say something like that...Ragna just wasn't planning on adding extra weight...

"You kidding me? I've already got enough shit to carry..."

"Then don' suggest things. Now, Nell, if ya'd like, Ragna can carry ya. Don' let the mans bellyachin' bother ya. He's just an unpleasant thing."

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sat May 21, 2016 11:34 pm

He could hear her shuffling about, pulling off her jacket from the looks of it. He'd make a point to send someone to gather up those clothes for him while she bathed, someone who would not ask questions nor take advantage of his newest little friend. No, letting it slip about both his bath and Charity would do no good, so someone who blindly followed orders would be best. Hmmm, he'd think on that a moment.

He was drawn from his thoughts by Charity's voice, her face red with the possibility that he might take advantage. Ah, but he needn't do that, he was better than that after all. He allowed a chuckle to escape him, father from her now his allergies were beginning to wane a little.

"Oh, dear me, let me just shuffle on out the door here first," he called, teasing her a little. Hazama swore he saw her face turn redder before he'd headed out to do as he'd intended. "I'll be sure to send someone to gather up those clothes of yours in my stead in a bit."

With that he would leave her be, the door closing with a soft 'click'. Indeed, he would make due on his word to send someone, perhaps little Tsubaki, to check on her in a bit. True, it'd be something of a... gross violation of rank but then Hazama truly didn't care much. Tsubaki was the unquestioning sort, after all, blindly following orders. She'd be easiest to reach for the simple task.

----[x]----

Nell caught the occasional looks she received from Ragna, even if she was more preoccupied with her thoughts. Hows and whys flooded her mind and the wellbeing of Charity being a mystery... It gave her much to dwell on as they walked. Perhaps it was this that led her to unintentionally begin to tune out the uncomfortable dizziness that hit again and again, becoming normal as she walked for the time being.

She was drawn from them by Ragna's voice, blinking at him even as another sway caused her to stumble slightly. Ah... so she'd lost a lot more blood than she'd thought then...

"I thought I was," Nell answered. She'd at least been walking the entire time, hadn't she? Maybe she'd been slowing down and the pair had merely done the same to keep her in their midst while she'd been lost in thought.

Jubei was quick to begin to goad Ragna into carrying her, as per Ragna's observation. Before this Nell had no doubts that it would have embarrassed her, been entirely awkward to even think about. She hardly even knew him personally after all. Yet now it was all disturbingly empty even as she listened to Jubei and Ragna carry on about the topic.

"Oh," she uttered upon realizing it was up to her. She mulled it over for all of a second, sucking on the lollipop the entire time. It wasn't as if she knew what was up with her body anymore, maybe deferring to Jubei's suggestion would be best because of it. "If you think that would be safer..."

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 12:20 am

Charity had fallen quiet, her face feeling hot as she waited on answer. When he did speak up and she heard him shuffle out the door, that made it all the worse. Her heart seemed to leap right into her throat in fact. It wasn't like she'd ever undressed in front of a man before, intentional or not!

It took her a moment to settle down, even as the door, or whatever it was, clicked behind him. Moments might have passed but she still stood for a moment, heart still hammering against her chest.

Eventually, she heaved a sigh and tugged her shirt and jeans off. The rest would follow, though hesitant at first, and she climbed into the tub. The water was warm and relaxed strained muscles from stress.

"Maybe it won't be all that bad," she muttered, leaning back slightly. All she saw was blackness and she ached to actually see the room but...What could she do? "At least it's not my hearing..."

Still, she wondered why the witch would take her sight of all things. It seemed off to her. What kind of point was she trying to make? Maybe there wasn't one...Charity didn't want to think that way but it was difficult.

Another sigh would leave her as she sank a little lower into the warm water. Things could still work out right in the end, couldn't they?

---- (x) ----

He shouldn't have opened his mouth but the silence was grating as well. Sure, the wind tugged at them from time to time but it wasn't much. No monsters to fight, nothing was happening.

Part of him half hoped that they'd dropped the subject all together. Once again, Nell seemed to mull over her options before leaving it up to them. Jubei waved a dismissive hand, or rather, paw at the statement.

"Then carry 'er Ragna. We'll cover more distance without worry."

He was afraid the old cat would say something like that. Ragna grumbled under his breath before moving closer to Nell. Without much effort or warning, he simply scooped her up into his arms and carried on. Their pace set quicker, they'd make it to a safer spot easier this way.

"You better not be tryin' to use this shit as leverage in any way, old man."

Even as he said that, Jubei seemed far too pleased with the situation at hand.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 12:55 am

He was gone and heading down the hallway to find and locate Tsubaki if not someone else. Who knew? The poor girl could be tied up and he'd have to find some other little doll to do his bidding for him. With Charity's reaction a moment ago he'd have to find another woman, to mitigate her embarrassment. Ah well, there were plenty of women with the NOL he could get to aid him and coerce them to keep their mouths shut if need be.

"Yes, what a predicament indeed!" he muttered to himself cheerfully. He could breath easier now after all.

Hallway through hallway, he sought out faces and gauged them all as he passed. In this way he could find someone to aid him while also giving Charity time to bath. Poor girl certainly needed some time to herself, that was for sure, and in this way he could keep his thoughts to himself for a time. Who knew if she might pick up on subtle cues quickly, after all.

----[x]----

Jubei clearly was thinking in the long term, more for their predicament than for specific comforts. Nonetheless it clearly agitated Ragna, grumbling unintelligibly beneath his breath. Nell hardly caught a word or two before he'd moved to scoop her up easily. Surprise was not there, it seemed it couldn't be but she did feel the reaction of her heart briefly feeling as if it leaped into her throat as if surprise had affected her at all. Strange...

Nell slipped an arm around Ragna's shoulder, to help mitigate some of her weight. She wasn't much but carrying her for awhile would still tire his arms, she was sure. Already he was moving quicker than she'd managed to, his strides longer than hers to boot.

"Leverage?" she echoed, peering up at Ragna for clarification.

She wasn't sure sh'd get any, at least not from Ragna. He already looked grumpier than he had originally and would probably not want to keep a topic going that annoyed him. Still, if one thing was still present with the lack of feeling it was at least curiosity.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 1:46 am

The minutes that passed were oddly peaceful ones. She might have been blind but she could still enjoy this bath. Her muscles her a little less with time and if she had allowed it, she might have fallen asleep...

At a point, she at least started to wash. Mind as well get the smell of her cats out of her hair. Oh, she was going to miss her cats all too much. She wondered of her family back home as well...

The thoughts were halted for a moment as a flash of color came over her. For a moment, only a short time, she could see. It wasn't where she was, though, no. It was somewhere out in the wildness and...An arm was wrapped around a mans neck.

As soon as she saw that, it was gone and everything went black once again. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Those tattoos...

"So Nell is here...She's okay...With Ragna then...Maybe that's a good thing..."

At least she was safe. Thinking back on how she was, Nell was probably in a similar situation. But what did the witch take from her? That remained a mystery...

---- (x) ----

Ragna didn't want to hear it from his mentor but the old cat chuckled in return to her question. Of course he would. Why wouldn't he? For a hero, he really was too laid back. He grumbled once more, trying to push it off for now.

"He can't keep a woman on his arm if he tried," Jubei joked easily, "And the busty ones! Poor man can't figure out what to do!"

"I'm gonna skin you alive," Ragna was retaliate immediately after, "She doesn't need to know any of that!"

Cat was out of the bag so to speak. To her credit, she didn't say much. Not yet at least. Maybe she just wouldn't react at all. It seemed she had some difficulty doing so at all...

"You're a constant pain in my ass," he commented easily. Jubei barely seemed to notice or if he did, simply did not care. That wouldn't quite surprised Ragna. The laid back cat wasn't normally shook by such things.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 5:23 am

He'd not found Tsubaki though some girl who's name escaped him would do for now. A newbie, it seemed, eager to please and raise in the ranks. Well, all that was formality 'round this department but Hazama wouldn't let her know that if it meant making things easier on him. Besides, this way Charity's clothing would be disposed of properly and he could focus on getting her a new set. Yes, that would be easier than potentially missing any cat fur on those old ones...

"Now, the quicker you hop to it, the better! And be sure not to startle the poor thing too much!" Hazama advised, shooing the girl away to tend to Charity and her clothes. It was almost funny how the redhead hopped to it immediately, all but darting down the hallway. "My, my, so eager to please!"

All the better for now. The less that annoyed him today the better now that his allergies were settling down.

----[x]----

Maybe she shouldn't have asked, Nell realized, given the grouchy look on Ragna's face while Jubei happily took to answering her. Sure, it sounded like a joke but it wouldn't be difficult to imagine it as true. With what Nell knew of Ragna's personality it would be easy for any interested woman to grow frustrated and move on. At least, that's how it seemed to her.

"Oh," she said finally. In a bid to at least diffuse the situation between Ragna and Jubei--however one-sided it was--Nell carried on. "Better that than having an ex that tells everyone all you need is 'a good slap.'"

It grew quiet then in which Nell came to realize how bad that might sound without a bit of context. Sure, she was moody and short-tempered and suffered severe bouts of depression, or had before the curse, she hadn't been a horrid bitch either. Nell might have been able to more properly make that none if she'd caught herself and forced the sarcasm in her voice where there had been none previously.

"My ex was a dick," she elaborated as such.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 2:15 pm

Charity had leaned back once more after she lost that brief 'vision'. The splash of color, the sky...It would have been nice to see it a little bit longer. Being thrust right back into darkness left her a little empty.

A sigh left her then, finished washing and just waiting. She would soak, if only to relax a little longer. The water was still rather hot. Partly she wondered how hot it was. If she remembered, an egg had popped up in that reel...already boiled at the time.

"What even was up with that...?" she muttered the question was if anyone could answer.

One thing was for sure, she hadn't felt or heard any eggs just float up in the bath water. That was kind of a relief. She didn't want to ask him about it if she could avoid it...

Charity blinked, her sightly gaze shifting with sound. Did someone come into his office or was he back already? It was hard to say, no voice calling out to tell her who it might have been...

---- (x) ----

He wasn't sure what he expected to hear from her but it wasn't what she eventually parted with. In fact, he was outright surprised by her words a moment later. His jaw hung open a little but no words came out. What kind of people did she associate with?

"That...wow, I thought I was bad," he finally muttered in response. He could have blown up about it but...She seemed rather apathetic by it all.

"So I got two that're gonna need to find partners. Yer given me a run for my money."

Ragna would grunt. The cat was way too into the idea. Ragna didn't have time for women. He wanted to find his next meal and just survive. Lately, he hadn't been getting anything to eat anyways.

"Yea, well, he sounds like one and you apparently need better taste in men," he answered, "Someone should have straightened him out from the sounds of it."

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 4:41 pm

Anna hurried to do as she was told, heading for the Captain's office with a swiftness she tried to carry gracefully. She was pretty sure it wasn't graceful at all but she'd like to pretend in her NOL uniform that she pulled it off somehow. The thought was banished as she came to Captain Hazama's office door however, lingering before it uncertainly. Should she just... go in?

Finally she just pushed the door open, peeking her head inside cautiously before entering properly. It looked liek quite the lavish office and was... was that a bath in here? Anna's face flushed in embarrassment when she realized there was indeed, a bath tub tucked away in another room of the office with a woman inside it. Just what was Captain Hazama doing in here?!

"M-My apologies, miss!" Anna stammered, squeezing her eyes shut as if that would help rectify barging in on the woman. "Captain Hazama sent me to retrieve your clothes!"

If nothing else that was true, she just hadn't been fully enlightened on what was waiting in the office. Or had he only eluded to it? Anna couldn't recall.

----[x]----

She blinked yet again at Ragna's expression, his mouth agape like that and the surprise in his eyes alone enough to let her know what he thought of that little bit of information. Was it that bad? Maybe it was and she'd merely come to accept the fact that it had happened after so long. It wasn't like she'd gone right back into dating anyone after that after all.

"Surprise," she attempted to joke, well aware it sounded far duller than it would have ordinarily. She hated it, hated it as best she could with the emptiness swirling about and negating it all...

Nell glanced to Jubei as he answered, apparently set on teasing the both of them. She had no doubts that it would have worked if the witch's curse was gone, so easily flustered from lack of experience anyways. All too often Charity had liked to tease her with it, after all.

"Oh... consider it like you've unlocked hard mode," Nell said instead, perhaps not helping the situation. She answered Ragna quickly after. "There's a reason I refused to let him back into my life when he tried."

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 8:25 pm

Charity's thought on the matter hadn't gotten very far. The door opened once again but it was females voice that rang out this time. So Hazama had found someone else to fish her clothing...Well, that certainly made her a lot more comfortable all things considered.

"A-ah, it's okay! Umm...I tossed them somewhere...I don't know where. Ah-ha, can't quite see," she spoke a little awkwardly.

Charity would clear her throat a moment later. Perhaps it was the fact that she couldn't see that made her a little more relaxed about the situation or that it was another woman. She couldn't quite say. All she knew was if her own mother had entered the bathroom like this, Charity would have been rather surprised.

"He, uh...Hazama, said something about new clothes. Seems I nearly killed him with my old ones...Cat hair. Never heard anyone sneeze so badly before."

Charity rambled, just trying to get some kind of conversation and to get the other to relax. Maybe it would help, maybe it wouldn't. Charity wasn't sure.

---- (x) ----

She was a tad quiet about it for a few minutes before spoke up again. Her voice was still dull, something that surprised Ragna. He expected something more out of such a situation but she barely showed anger at all. It was as if her emotions had been dulled just as much as her sense of feeling.

If her brief words were meant to be a joke, they fell rather flat. Ragna only offered a scoff. Who knew someone could take such a serious thing so lightly.

"Hard mode? Like some of those weird games people play?" Ragna focused on instead. He didn't get those things much less a lot of technology today. Maybe she was one of those who knew more about it than he did.

"Someone out there for everyone. Preferably less abusive," was Jubei's brief reply.

Ragna lifted his head a little more, glancing around the area. They had to be getting close by now...

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 9:16 pm

Anna was glad when she heard the other woman speak up, less worried now that she had. If she couldn't see then... Anna peeked her eyes open, curious now. She was blind? Anna had never met anyone who was blind before! It was kind of interesting, if she were honest...

"O-Oh, I see! yes, he did mention that I needed to gather up your old clothes, and get you some new ones," Anna answered, informing the stranger of what was going on. It seemed like she hadn't had much idea either.

She strode forward, keeping her eyes away from the other woman's body and only at her face if she glanced at her. It was respectful that way, after all. Besides, she needed to find and get rid of the clothes she'd had so that Captain Hazama's allergies wouldn't keep acting up. A simple order but then it'd be getting her new clothes too...

"My name's Anna, by the way, what's yours?" she asked as she took the task.

----[x]----

Nell blinked, glancing up at Ragna as he scoffed. So, he wasn't into or knew much about games then, huh? Honestly, that made sense, given his status as a SS criminal, if he was already condemned by the NOL that was. Nell didn't know for sure.

"Weird? Some of them are..." she relented. Still, they were more than that to her half the time... "But a lot of them have good stories to them, good characters. It's a good way to escape to a more interesting story if one's life is boring." 'Or you're too fragile to do much,' she added silently.

Of course, maybe that was just the way she saw it, finding a method to cope within those games when she'd had time to. Charity had, at times, been the same, though when their moods were good it was always just a past time. Nonetheless, that seemed to be a lifetime away now, if she were to be traveling with Ragna and Jubei, however long the latter remained with them, that was.

Nell blinked, glancing at the twin-tailed cat as he spoke again. He really seemed set on the idea of... of what? Just someone finding a partner to be with in their life? It was a nice thought but one Nell had long let die given her penchant for shying away and distancing herself when someone grew interested.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 10:15 pm

Her tone seemed to lighten a bit. Good, that was better than being tense or worrying. Charity preferred a lighter atmosphere. It all made her less nervous, if she was honest with herself. Right now, she'd need all the comfort she could get, given the circumstances.

"Ah, I'm sorry about the trouble," she would answer with a smile.

Truly, she meant it. Up to this point, she could more or less take care of herself. Now? It would be a challenge to do just that without relying on someone elses help. That was something that would take time to get used to, much less comfortable with.

She could hear the other woman shuffling about, picking up discarded clothing wherever Charity had left them. At least she wouldn't have to worry about killing anyone what with the cat hair stuck to them now. She perked a little, when an introduction was given.

"My name is Charity. It's nice to meet you, Anna," she greeted, "I hope this isn't too much of an awkward first meeting for you and all."

---- (x) ----

Oh, so she was that kind of person? She'd have to get used to not having them, he guessed. That was if she didn't go off on her own. Something told him Jubei wouldn't allow that, however. All things considered, the NOL might be looking for her.

"You uh...You sound really into this stuff," he answered. Truth be told, he was pretty lost on it. Whatever games she played or what she liked about them, he could only really guess. It all seemed weird to him, "Swinging a sword has more appeal."

It was a conversation that stopped and started as they went. Ranga tried to ignore the grumble in his belly, catching Jubei's attention once or twice. He hadn't any money on him for a while. No money meant no food and Ragna was pretty pathetic when it came to keeping it.

"Yer really pushing the getting fed thing, aren't ya?" Jubei would joke.

It was something Ragna tried to brush off for a time. What was he supposed to say? Any kind of meal at this point would be a good one...

"I haven't eaten for a while, so what else is new? Shit isn't easy to make money," he complained. Really, his mentor would dig at him on any occasion...

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Sun May 22, 2016 10:43 pm

It was much less awkward when conversation began to grow, even if Charity was still bathing. Anna politely tried not to dwell on that, embarrassed but intent to do her job. She was an NOL member, after all, if she disobeyed small orders now than what would it say about her later? Only questionable things, she was sure, even if Captain Hazama's orders were confusing still.

"Oh, it's no trouble at all!" Anna answered, and it wasn't. She'd only been studying, after all, whiling away the hours. Now she had something to do and someone to talk to.

She paused then as Charity spoke again, mentioning the odd meeting. Her face flushed a little as she offered a chuckle, shaking her head before realizing Charity couldn't see it. She'd have to be more aware of that... For now though she tried not to dwell on that.

"I would be lying if I said it wasn't," she admitted. "Do you need anything while I get you another set of clothes, by the way? It won't be but an extra minute, I'm sure."

----[x]----

She hummed in answer to Ragna. Truthfully her collection of games had gotten rather large, ridiculously so... Maybe it might do her good to be away from them all even if it'd mean combating boredom,or what might pass for it now, by any other means. She at least had her art supplies and tattoo equipment, Nell reflected.

"Maybe," she relented. "I'd never had the chance to though. I'm not exactly the, ah... sturdy type. Usually was coerced not to partake in martial arts or sword play."

A shame, she'd reflected as both had interest for her but being as dainty and fragile as she was, her parents had worried she'd seriously injure herself growing up. The mindset had lodged itself firmly in her head once she'd grown and left, now convinced of it herself. Ah, but that didn't matter much, not now. Ragna's stomach was rumbling, loud enough to be heard by her even and to draw the topic away for a moment to a new one.

"I may have a bag of combos left over in my bag," she noted. She'd been snacking on them off and on all day while she'd worked. Nell was certain she'd shoved them in there before leaving the shop with Charity. "When we stop I can dig them out." It was an offer at least.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Mon May 23, 2016 5:38 pm

No trouble at all? Surely it must of been. Then again, Charity didn't pretend to understand the ranks here. She knew a little of Hazama's own and it's importance but the rest was rather confusing to her. These were things she kept to herself, however.

Despite any awkwardness, she at least seemed to chuckle a little bit. Perhaps she was the sheepish kind of thing. Charity could relate to that much.

"It could be worse," she commented lightly in return, "Could have found a man in the tub...Coulda found Hazama in here. There, made it worse for you, didn't I?"

Though it was all sarcasm, she grinned rather largely. There was a silence that let her know what she needed. Strange how it was simple things like that didn't so much need sight. She could just tell, simply through hearing and feeling.

Charity waved a dismissive hand in return of anything that she might need. Clothes would be first and foremost, that's all she wanted. Everything could be figured out later.

"No, I should be alright provided I don't run into any walls or open doors later," she joked, "Don't worry and take your time. No need to fret too much over me."

---- (x) ----

He raised an eyebrow with her response. Well, it didn't take much to guess why that was. She was a stick, lighter than perhaps he was comfortable with. She was lucky that blow hadn't done more than it already had...Why was she so tiny anyways?

A short snort would leave him then. It was good that someone actually warned her about kind of thing in the first place. Not that he'd say it out loud.

"Yea well, you're a fucking stick, I can see why," he answered instead.

He grumbled a little after that, ignoring the pit in his stomach. He could make it a little further. Already, Jubei was darting ahead. Maybe he'd found the place he'd been before all of this.

"I'll survive for a while then maybe I'll see about your 'Combos' or whatever," he answered easily, "Foods food. I'm not gonna complain."

Truth be told, he couldn't recall the last time he had made a point to eat. Probably the last time he lost some money. He couldn't keep his hands on the stuff even if his laugh was at stake.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Mon May 23, 2016 7:16 pm

Anna wasn't sure what she had expected in answer but it wasn't the possibility that she might have walked in on a man in the tub rather than Charity. Anna felt her face flush and though she tried to shake the thought, especially about the Captain. She was not here to fraternize or entertain such thoughts after all!

"Ye-Yeah, yeah you did," she admitted nonetheless. "Let me just... not think on that too much longer though, okay?"

Clothes gathered up she'd asked if Charity needed anything else before she'd spirit away for a time. It was only polite and wouldn't that also be part of Captain Hazama's orders? Anna thought it might be, if he was intent on tending to her, so she would go the little extra mile just in case. Besides, Charity seemed nice and in need of a bit of aid anyways.

"If you're sure then I shouldn't be too long now if this is it," she pointed out.

True, all she'd need to do was get rid of these clothes and find a spare NOL uniform she could wear until she was able to buy new clothes. Anna wondered if Captain Hazama was going to take care of that or not though brushed it aside. She wasn't sure if Charity would know the answer or even what the two were like together. Were they friends or something? It seemed like it if Captain Hazama was going out of his way like this.

----[x]----

Jubei had darted ahead--was he making sure the coast was clear? Nell figured that must be the case, that they were close to whatever campsite he'd made for himself before she'd appeared. Well, at least that meant she'd be able to sit, and maybe get answers. She wasn't sure they'd be helpful answers but they would be better than nothing.

For now she still spoke to Ragna, however, kind of expecting the reply she got. If anything it was as straight forward as one could get. Even so, she offered a smile, the best she could do at the moment.

"Yeah, well, lucky for you right now that's the case," she pointed out. If she weren't as scrawny as she was this might have been more of a chore for him. It wasn't like it was a long walk but it would have been for more troublesome for Ragna to carry her like this if she weighed more.

She said nothing more for the time being, seeing no need to. Instead she'd rather take the time to gather her thoughts and attempt to make sense of the whole situation, unclear though it all was.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Mon May 23, 2016 11:17 pm

Charity had at in that bath for a while before Anna returned once again with some clothing. That was great, she needed out. The heat had gotten a little much and she wasn't exactly comfortable soaking this long.

Clothing passed off, or at least some undergarments, Charity would start to get dressed. She had little trouble with pants but the shirt, she needed assistance with. It was troublesome, though she couldn't complain. At least she wasn't left on her own.

With that done, they could only wait on Hazama once again. There was some idle conversation, finding Anna was quite the sweet thing, hoping to rise in the ranks here. Charity didn't quite ask about what the 'ranks' were. She'd learn about it in time, she was sure.

"It sounds like work," she joked lightly, "Too much pressure. Don't know how people do it."

Of course, she never let on why. In time, her own anxiety might be an easy read but at the moment, she masked it all with humor. As long as she didn't have a break down, she would be fine.

---- (x) ----

The walk had been quiet, more or less. There were points when Nell would speak up again, but they seemed rare. She was mulling over something or other. Ragna didn't pretend to know. There might have been a lot she was taking in now, all things considered.

As time went on, they finally found a place to rest for the evening. Setting up camp was a rather mundane task, something he was far too used to. Jubei scooted the area. They had covered a lot of distance but that didn't mean someone or something couldn't pursue them even now.

With a low fire started, Ragna finally sat down, heaving a sigh. He glanced over a Nell, watching her expression. Bland as it had been before. What in the hell was going through her head?

"So...You holding up?" he inquired after a moment.

Mind as well talk if she had something on her mind. It wasn't something that he was used to but getting something like a conversation up and moving again would be fine, wouldn't it? Hell if he knew. Women were difficult...

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Mon May 23, 2016 11:56 pm

"Oh, it's not all that bad, once you learn everything!" Anna admitted, her hand movements lost on Charity though she found it hard to control. She just liked to talk with her hands, after all! "It's just that part that's the hardest one!"

Well, that and perhaps being of a higher rank, where more than following orders was expected of them. Anna was glad she wasn't that high up, still a newbie after all. Maybe one day, once she'd gotten confident with it all she would work to better her ranking. But for now, she was just glad to get a start.

The door opened then without a knock, and she knew before she'd turned that it was Captain Hazama returning. In a flash she was on her feet, offering a snappy salute to the captain. "W-Welcome back, Captain Hazama!"

Hazama merely stood for a second or two, still surprised at how seriously so many took rank here. My, it was all a formality, after all! He waved her off quickly after, stepping inside as he spoke. The allergies had finally settled, leaving him clear-headed and far less agitated and snappish than before. "Ah, yes Anna, was it? I told you before, no need to be so formal. Though from the looks it you've taken care of matters well so... well done!"

His gaze shifted to Charity then as he neared, inspecting the new clothing. They were of the intelligence department's stores, hardly missed for the time being. She didn't look half bad in them, if he had to say so himself.

"And how are you faring now, Charity? Feeling better? Hmm...?" he prodded, well aware that Anna still stood, awaiting a dismissal or a new order.

----[x]----

The camp site wasn't anything to really marvel at and she hadn't expected much anyways so Nell hardly worried about examining the area. Instead, while Jubei and Ragna had tended to things, leaving Nell to her own devices for a fair amount of time, she'd taken to cleaning the blood off herself as best she could. It was all dried and her clothing would have to remain stained until she had some new ones but at least she'd had a container of green soap made, packed away in the bag.

It was a messy affair, having to use a bottle of half-finished water to mix the soap with before she took to it. At least she had something to wipe it away with, her supplies that took up the most space in the bag her tattoo stock. Even so she'd use her shirt, already ruined, to clean herself off with as best she could.

After that, well... she was left to her thoughts. Without feeling she felt hardly any drive to draw, to try to clear her head that way and she doubted her shaky hands could manage much right now, not until she'd rested and healed from the injury a little first. Even then she wondered if she'd have to force it, if motivation and inspiration were now gone away as well.

She jerked as Ragna spoke, more out of reflex than anything, before tearing her gaze away from the fire to blink at him. it really seemed like that's all she could do since waking up here, was to stare and to blink, lost in thought.

"I'd like to think so," she finally managed to say. "Though it's hard to tell..."

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Tue May 24, 2016 4:57 pm

Anna sure had enough confidence to keep herself going here, that was for sure. Unless she really wanted to be involved in this place, Charity knew she would have struggled. It was the price she paid for only wanting to apply herself to the things she wanted to do in life.

Conversation didn't get much further than that when Anna's words suddenly changed tone, addressing Hazama as he entered the room. Charity had heard those footsteps but hadn't been sure of who they belonged to.

He was quick to wave her off from the sounds of it, leaving Charity to scoff a little in good humor. The man certainly acted laid back for what he did. That was knowledge she kept buried away to herself. It wouldn't be a moment after did he address her.

"You make it sound like I was the one who was dying of allergies," she joked in response, "I'm fine, I swear. It'll take some time to get use to, but I've always managed somehow."

She would pause then, thinking about when she'd get her old clothing back. Whatever she wore now was fine but she much preferred a more comfortable feeling.

"So could I ask what you did with my clothes?"

---- (x) ----

She jerked a little, surprised by his voice. Ragna dismissed it a little. She must have been deep within her own thoughts to produce that much surprise. He merely waved it off as nothing, however. In time, it wouldn't be so troublesome for her. At least, that was the hope.

Her answer didn't inspire confidence, if he was honest. There was a point where he just had to sit and watch her expression. Nothing changed, really, it all just looked flat. What was it like not to feel anything? Part of him would have figured it was helpful.

He heaved a heavy sigh. Why did he have to get stuck with this kind of thing. She looked a little glum about it so maybe talking would help. It wasn't like all her emotions had gone with her loss of feeling, had they?

"So what the hell did you do before you ended up here?" he asked after a moments thought, "Couldn't have been all that exciting if you somehow got involved with a witch."

Of course, however that happened he could only really assume. To make one angry though, that was the dumbest thing anyone could have managed. Then again, he'd pissed off a lot of people in his life too, hadn't he?

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Tue May 24, 2016 11:05 pm

A scoff escaped him upon Charity's answer. Of course she would have noted that even if he wanted to forget it. She already had proven herself the type to, having angered a witch. He'd have to keep an eye on that, however... Rather not let his potential little ally getting swept out of the game because of some other dumb mistake.

"Yes, well, I'm not the one who lost my sight either," he pointed out calmly all the same. "Whihc is much more worrying, I should think."

The oher woman--Anna, was it?--was shifting nearby, a testament to her inexperience given her enthusiasm for following rank around here. Hazama brushed it aside. There were more important things to worry about though at least he knew which face to seek out when he needed Charity some aid and he couldn't be around.

"Hmm? Oh, your clothes... yes," Hazama began, a hand coming to adjust his hat in the ensuing silence. If she was asking then she was clearly attached to the outfit she'd had on...

"W-Well, we had to get rid of them, actually," Anna admitted when he did not, perhaps feeling guilty. Oh, well, better for him that way if Charity got angry.

----[x]----

Ragna's expression flickered briefly after she'd answered and Nell was sure she'd seen confusion there for that moment before it was gone in favor of the stony expression from before. Perhaps he was observing her then, or maybe he just didn't care either way. Nell couldn't say for sure and she wasn't about to ask.

"Maybe not exciting, but I did enjoy it," she answered when finally he prodded conversation further. "I tattooed."

It had been a passion she'd been after for years before finally getting in as an apprentice and furthering the craft from there. While not all days were joyous ones it was definitely work she liked even on bad days. She was rather proud of what she'd produced, even if clients weren't always those she liked after the fact.

It might not have been exciting work or made for exciting conversation but it was something she'd pursued all the same.

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Wed May 25, 2016 1:49 am

She snorted good naturedly in response. He had his point and that was something that she was going to have to take in strides. She would get hurt, she'd have to deal with a lot and she knew it. Hopefully with time, it would just be something that was second nature at best.

"But I'm not dead, so I'll take the lacking sight for the time being," she answered easily, "Course that could lead me to being dead pretty quick too."

There was a short silence when she mentioned her clothing. If she was honest, she just wanted to know what might have happened. The answer might have been funny, if it was drastic enough.

Like she expected, it was along those lines when Anna spoke. The silence hung there for a moment before she shook her head. They were just clothes. It wasn't as if she had anything personal in them.

"Dramatic," she jested easily, "It's okay though, seriously, don't have to sound so worried about it. It's not like you shot my dog or something."

Of course, there might have been more expectancy for her to be angry rather than so relaxed. Charity had grown a little more so after the bath but more over, just being able to see for a moment and know that Nell was here and was alright had left her feeling better. That was enough compared to her current situation.

---- (x) ----

Her answer was as blunt as the last. This was going to be the norm, he figured. Mind as well get used to it while he could. Ragna had met worse, after all. This wasn't nearly as bad as some of them.

What she did for a living, however, didn't quite surprise him. All of the tattoos running up her arm let him in on that idea pretty quickly. She was into body art. He didn't quite expect that she was actually one to give people tattoos however.

"Huh...Well, I guess that kind of makes sense," he answered easily, "Are you any good at it?"

People probably wouldn't hire a bad tattoo artist but what did he know? Whether she was an artist or not was the question. From the looks of it, anything could go. This woman was still a mystery, after all.

"What got you into it, anyways?"

Mind as well keep the ball rolling. Learn more about her that way if they were sticking together for now. Jubei certainly didn't want her to be out of sight just yet...

Subject: Re: BlazBlue :: I'll Follow You :: 1-on-1 Wed May 25, 2016 2:15 am

It was at least relieving to know she wasn't going to cause a fuss over little things. At least, he hoped that was the case given the laidback answer he and Anna had received. It seemed Anna was far more relieved than he, it washing over her very expression for a moment before she caught herself.

"Yes, well, at least it ensures not a hair remained," Hazama answered, perhaps a little more seriously than most would have. But really it was truth. The allergy was far too difficult to maintain the facade he may need to, to remain clear-headed at all times. "Oh, this reminds me, Anna, yes?"

She snapped to attention agian, blinking in surprise. "Y-yes, Captain Hazama?"

"You can consider yourself dismissed now, if you would."

With anO-Oh!" before scurrying out of his office with an equally hurried apology for lingering so long. It was almost funny, if he didn't have other matters to attend to. What to do with Charity now... He very well couldn't just leave her in his office all the time.

"Now, might I ask what it is you enjoy doing in your free time?" he interrogated, moving to take a seat next to her. "I don't imagine you'll have a terrible amount of time that won't be in boredom elsewise."

----[x]----

She'd been digging in her bag, looking for the portfolio but the bandages and the stitches that confined and tugged with each movement made it a little difficult when she didn't take care with he movements. As such it was rather a chore picking through everything in the bag, stuffed full as it was. Ragna didn't seem to mind her distraction, commenting further still.

"I'd like to think I am," she said without a thought. It wasn't until she'd gotten old of the binder she sought--buried under everything else, naturally--that she realized she'd been saying that a lot lately and that Ragna might think she was shrugging him off. "I mean to say, it can be subjective, being art... But I imagine after a couple years of it I've gotten the technicals down."

With a great amount of effort and care Nell managed to finally tug her binder free, holding it out for Ragna to take if he wanted. Inside were a good amount of some of her better work, both tattoos and art of various mediums. Nothing inside were pieces she wouldn't defend until she was blue in the face.

"I always drew, seemed like a good path to take, since tattoos were getting popular." A pause followed, realizing the difference in worlds might mean that tattoos were still not a giant movement in this one. "At least, where I am from."

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