faderift | i know my every strength

Entry tags:

i know my every strength

WHO: Adora & YOU!
WHAT: Adora arrives and starts settling in.
WHEN: Arrival to about two weeks after.
WHERE: Somewhere in the woods, then the Gallows.
NOTES: Warning for intro-typical violence.

arrival (some wooded area outside Kirkwall)

[ Adora's had a lot of nightmares since the war took such a drastic turn. She's had this one before, but never quite this vivid. The effects of it coming true, probably, with the disaster at their camp just hours before. She's in the midst of the chaos again, surrounded by explosions and people screaming. She's in her pajamas (a simple tank top and shorts), body heavy, bone-deep fatigue weighing her down. Vulnerable and exposed, useless when she's needed most--

Adora is thrown from the rift as the blowback of an explosion forces her out, frantic as the Horde bots become fear demons. Panicked, confused, and worn out, it's only muscle memory that keeps her out of harm's way as she scrambles to try and find something to defend herself with. ]

Bow?!

[ She yells uselessly, bewildered at the lack of any of her companions. ]

gallows.

[ In the aftermath of her arrival, Adora tries to settle into a routine.

She doesn't do well when left with nothing to really do. She absorbs all the information being handed to her, spends her time researching about the factions, trying to learn about this new world she's in.

Unfortunately, Adora's never relaxed a day in her life, and it's becoming painfully evident with how often she can be found out among the gallows.

» Every morning as the sun rises, Adora goes for a run the training areas. Then it's through sets of stances, weapons practice, anything she can do to keep her skills up. She'll spar with anyone and everyone, typically a good sport. She's a soldier through and through, and it reflects in how she fights.

» She's given into her better nature and allowed herself to be roped into helping out some locals, running all around the place, taking advantage of her muscled physique to carry heavy things. The more she does it, the more attention and requests for help she seems to attract. As time goes on and the requests keep coming in, it gets harder to break away from the tasks. She can be spotted trying to wave off more requests for help, clearly feeling guilty about it.

» Always tense, and still running largely on hypervigilance and stress, Adora actually makes some attempt to relax. At least, in a way she can justify to herself as useful. After all, everyone needs a bath. So she comes to the communal baths when they're heated, looking way too serious for what's supposed to be a relaxing experience. She makes trying to relax look stressful, trying again and again to breathe deeply and go still and loose in the hot water. It...doesn't seem to be working.

» wildcard! hit me with anything. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Glimmer knows, vaguely, that there was another rift thing which meant it was likely that we're going to be new faces. It didn't happen every time one of these things cropped up but often enough to be half-expected. She's just focused on her own routine that day, crossing the main courtyard on her way to one of the the little offices, smelling faintly of gryphon since she's finished helping with the roost. She's distracted, picking a feather out of her hair when she sees the motion from the area of the docks.

Glimmer doesn't pay it much mind at first. Probably something to unload. Then she catches sight of blonde hair and she thinks for a moment that she has to be dreaming. Has to look again, pace slowing and then finally coming to a dead stop. No. ]

No way.

Adora?

[ The words are murmured in sheer disbelief. In spite of them, Glimmer breaks into a hurried walk, then into a run and she practically hurls herself at Adora, her eyes filling with tears as the solid reality of touching her friend hits home. This is real. Adora is real. ]

Adora!

[ And then she's clinging to the other young woman,full on sobbing as she pushes herself into the other's arms. ]

It's you. It's really you.

Edited 2022-05-29 09:37 (UTC)

[ There are certain things she's come to expect at the sound of Glimmer yelling her name. The odd twinkling of teleportation, a hand or arm or all of Glimmer suddenly in her space. So somehow, months apart from the last time she'd ever seen her, Adora is almost expecting the arm full of Glimmer she gets as soon as she turns around.

For one long moment, though, she's confused as she stares down at the woman in her arms. The height is right. The eyes, the voice, the presence. She seems older, her hair isn't pink and vibrant, but-- ]

Glimmer?

[ She sounds just as disbelieving, eyes wide, burning tears quickly gathering in the corners of her eyes as reality hits.

All at once, her tired mind catches up. Immediately, her arms are around Glimmer, like she might pull away and vanish if Adora doesn't properly anchor her down. ]

Glimmer! Oh stars, Glimmer.

[ She's still in her pajamas, tired and dirty and hair loose. But for a moment it's forgotten; joy and relief overshadowing any ache in her. ]

I've finally found you.

[ Glimmer can't manage to make herself say anything else. For a good few moments she simply clings to Adora and sobs, her body shaking with emotion as she buries herself into the familiar strength, warmth, smell, feel of a friend she's not seen for more than a year. She stays there, simply crying her eyes out until she finally manages to croak out words. ]

I thought I'd never see you again.

[ A raw admission of fear, guilt, worry. Something she keeps buried in herself because speaking it aloud runs the risk of making it more real. ]

We've been trying so hard to find you. I'd never stop. But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere.

[ She holds Glimmer close, running a hand up and down her back. Adora's questions, her worries, they can wait. There's a slight tremble to her, the well of emotions feeling for a moment like they might choke her.

Her voice is rough with emotion as she hugs just a little too tight. ]

Me and Bow and the rest of the rebellion-- We thought you were on Prime's ship. I'm-- I'm so glad you're safe.

I--I was. Catra was there.

[ Glimmer sniffles again, not bothering to try and stop her tears. There's no shame being relieved by the sight of her friend. ]

But--but that was two years ago, Adora. And you were in... you were in New Amsterdam, right? I remember you being there. Catra, too.

Two--

[ That's two whammies at once. Reluctantly, she draws back from Glimmer, hands moving to her shoulders.

One thing at a time. ]

It's only been a few months, Glimmer. I've...never heard of New Amsterdam.

[ But now that she stops and looks, really looks, Glimmer is...different.

Older, for sure. More mature seeming, somehow. And did she dye her hair...? ]

I've been on Etheria, trying to stop Prime's [ a split second of hesitation ] invasion.

[ A small noise comes from Glimmer's lips. Of course. Of course. She remembers New Amsterdam, where Catra and Adora remembered completely different things that she did, where they seemed to be entirely out of step with what she remembered.

Why can't she catch a break? ]

It's--never mind. I just--I'm glad you're here.

[ Another sniff. ]

What are you wearing?

[ They'll need more time to discuss the whole two year thing, but her clothes are enough distraction for now.

Giving a forlorn glance down at the ripped tank top and dirty shorts, Adora sighs. ]

I showed up in my sleeping clothes. There was an attack on our camp, and I was having a nightmare about not being prepared. It was...

[ The bags under her eyes, the gravelly sound to her voice, slowed reactions... It's every time Adora's skipped too many hours of sleep to make a plan a hundred times over.

Still, she smiles reassuringly, holding firmer to Glimmer's shoulders as if she's the one who looks like they're about to collapse any second. ]

It's okay, I'll figure something else out. I have so much to catch you up on. And...there's some news you really need to hear. Something good.

Let's get you inside. A bath and sleep and maybe some clean clothes will be good for you.

[ Glimmer moves to support Adora, her mind racing. How is she going to explain everything to Adora? There's so much to cover that it seems impossible in the moment. As she starts back towards the residential towers she tilts her head. ]

Good news?

[ She moves to wave Glimmer off, insist she doesn't need any sleep. But as Glimmer supports her, it's like every ounce of fatigue she's saved up for days and weeks hit her at once.

Because, even with their previous quarrel, Glimmer makes her feel safe, especially in this new world. A room full of strangers would never let her brain turn off, no matter how tired she got. The list of people who she can truly let her guard down with, lay down in a strange world and let herself be vulnerable enough to sleep is...small. Once upon a time, Catra had been on that list.

These days, it's just Bow, but even he can't provide that feeling in the middle of an invasion.

So, she doesn't argue. For once, she allows Glimmer to take care of her, leaning into her. ]

Let's get somewhere we can sit down, first. It might be pretty shocking.

Yeah. If you want you can stay in my room tonight? The bed's kinda cramped but we'll make it work. And then you don't have to spend your first night here in the bunkroom...

[ She says with a weak smile. ]

I think the baths are closed but I can bring some hot water up and you can wash off and... ugh I think you're still too tall to wear any of my clothes, but we'll figure it out, yeah?

I'd like that. I've really missed you, Glimmer.

[ She could write a book on how much she's missed Glimmer, but now's not the time. ]

I'm sorry it took me so long to find you.

You don't need to be sorry, you dummy. I've been on two different worlds since I left Etheria.

[ Sigh. This is going to take a lot of explaining. ]

How--

[ Right, they'll need to actually take time to go through this. Right now, Adora just needs to focus on getting one foot in front of the other. ]

No wonder you look so different now. What happened to your hair?

I don't know. It was this color when I landed in Thedas.

[ Glimmer looks disgruntled. ]

I haven't seen anyone with pink hair so maybe the magic that brought me here decided I should blend in?

We'll find something sparkly to put in it.

[ It's weird to see, but not a bad look at all. ]

Did you come out of one of those rifts too?

I haven't found anything yet, but having you to help will be great.

[ She nods. ]

Yeah. Same as the rest of the Rifters.

(The Planasene forest has never seen so much action, the still air suddenly shot through with the smell of something burning, blackening, and Abby's entire body pitches off course to follow it. She knows that sound, the crackle of energy, knows what it is even before her own shard joins the horrible chorus with an unsubtle pulse of energy.

Somebody screams.

When she breaks roughly through into a clearing her mace in already in her hands, and the nearest fear demon catches it square in the back. She uses the momentum to slam the sole of her boot against it, yanking her weapon back, shoving the demon forward so it stumbles inelegantly, almost falling. There is a woman scrambling up from the forest floor, her eyes wide-)

Don't have one! (A bow, that is. Not her style. She unsnaps a dagger from her waist and tosses it for her across the forest floor, spraying leaves,) Here–

(That's all she has time for. The struck demon lunges forward, and steals her attention once more.)

[ Abby's arrival is a godsend.

Adora dodges again, rolling and snatching the dagger up from the forest floor. Then she's back on her feet, dagger in hand.

There's only the two, somehow. Whatever they are, that has to be manageable. ]

What-- [ She leaps at the one closest to her, stabbing it straight in the back before repeating Abby's move, kicking it away from her as hard as she can with a bare foot. It's been five minutes and she already misses her boots. ] --the hell is going on?! What are these things?!

Demons! (Obviously! No time to explain when she's busy holding of an attack, straining, demons claws caught on her mace to keep them from rasping against her neck and throat. These things are stronger than they have any given right to be. She shouts wordlessly, ducks, slams her shoulder up into it. Feels a little like trying to knock over a cold wall.)

You have to close the rift– (y'know, if you're done stabbing that other one. Abby is getting the wildest sense of deja vu,) Show it your hand!

(The one with the shard in it, obviously (she wonders if she's noticed, if she's felt the odd pulse. Her own is singing, buzzing in her skin).)

[ There's no time to question what she even means by her hand, just throwing her aching one up as she stumbles away from the demon as far as she can get. Of all the things she expects, it's definitely not for the sudden flash of green as the rift begins to waver and sing.

The green connection that develops between the shard and the rift almost makes her pull her hand back, only force of will and the sparse instructions from Abby keeping her at it. She's got her eyes on the second demon as she does, carefully trying to avoid it while maintaining the connection. ]

Coming- (Abby manages, raggedly, still working on the first demon. The rift surges, her own shard suddenly threatening to pull her arm up too, but she keeps her palm on the handle of her mace and hits once more-

It connects, rings true, and the demon collapses, flaking away-

The second is advancing on the stranger. Abby, out of desperation, punches her shard-hand forward, and a small bolt of green energy shoots out of it, striking the retreating back of the demon.

Wait.

What the fuck? Since when.

It works, drawing attention as it should, but it leaves Abby standing there, panting, staring at her hand.)

[ Adora's first instinct as the demon turns to Abby is to defend her. But she's torn, eyes flicking frantically between the pulsing rift and Abby herself.

Maybe if she has any of her stuff-- How did she even get here, barefoot in pajamas...?!

Gritting her teeth, she stays at the rift. That's what she'd been told to do, and Abby has a mace to protect herself. Still, she yells out: ]

Hey! It's coming at you!

(Oh, right-

She looks up abruptly in time to save herself from a lunging attack, and makes short work of the second demon, stomping down on it to finish it off after she knocks it for six with the mace. It leaves her panting, shaking her hair out of her eyes. The rift draws her arm up anyway, a parent tugging on the hand of an unruly child, come along, come along–

It doesn't hurt. It feels so fucking weird though, even now, like... giving blood. Or something.

Between the two of them, the rift explodes, and everything falls blissfully silent.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i know my every strength

gallows;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

arrival

i'm super rusty on writing fight scenes gomen

No worries!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject