Under Blue Skies [Open]

[Yssen]

Um. It doesn't have arms, but... Nevermind." Hope shakes her head and tosses some fire pots into the neck hole of the second, armless but still moving Dullahan. "Not big on situational awareness is he? FIRE IN THE HOLE!"

 

Hope strides over to where Abaigeal and Genevieve were standing, beaming a big broad grin as the fire pots go off. "Mr. Miner or Mysterious White Miqo'te, you wanna finish that off if it is still moving? Please and thank you!"

 

Hope puts Genevieve's hand in her hands and smiles at her. "Hey! Buck up you! Scary part is over, and we are all fine. Shake it off, mmmm? I have your back. Everything will be fine, I promise. A big blue idiot told me not make a promise to anyone that I could not keep. I'm gonna need your help to keep this one, though. Okay? Dad will have me doing forms until my limbs fall off if he catches wind I didn't keep a promise. So I'm gonna watch your back, and you are going to watch mine. Got it?"

 

Hope looks Genevieve in the eyes, still smiling, and waits patiently for a response.

[Shikei]

Finally roused from her shell shock when Hope takes her hand, she looks down slowly into the young girl's eyes, her own eyes still filled with fear that seems to be ebbing away gradually. When she finally realizes that the battle is over she blushes furiously and casts her gaze down. Looking at her own large hand being held comfortingly by the slender fingers of the much younger and much smaller girl, she feels a wave of shame wash over her.

 

"I...I'm sorry..." is all that she manages at first, her shoulders slumping as she chokes back a sob, "I just...I wasn't ready for that..." she manages to say through the quaking of her voice. Looking first to Abaigeal and then back to Hope, she nods her head and squares her shoulders.

 

"I'll try and do better next time..." she says, clenching her fingers into a fist as she pulls her hand away from Hope. Taking a deep breath, she holds it for a moment before letting it out explosively and shaking her shoulders. "I'll do better next time..." she repeats, trying to sound like she actually believes it.