daisy023 | REPORT 028 :: LIFE // VOICE

This is SPARTAN-023.

I am reporting that in January 30th of the Sixth Cycle of Luceti, Captain Adell of the Blue Rogues has returned to his world to continue his duties.

[...]

Because of it, by his orders established in the case he left, I have been assigned to command the unit until it's original founder, Captain Vyse, returns to Luceti and officially retakes his position as leader of the Blue Rogues.

Additionally, he has asked for someone to keep the Hakurei Shrine in his absence, a project me and the Captain built for mutual friends of ours. Faith is of no matter.

That is all.

[She stops, not sure with what to sign this with. By the UNSC, she was still a Chief Petty Officer, and only if someone on the UNSC chose to do so she would be promoted.

Strangely, now it's the time when she wonders if rank matters at all in here.]

Daisy SPARTAN-023

VILLAGE

[After leaving the message, she remains in her room staring at the note addressed not only to her, but the note addressed to Reimu along with the bottles of Gensokyo and RosenQueen sake Adell trusted her with if he ever left. His final order was basic, and a Spartan, it was curious how much did it make her think. She spends a long time staring at the note he left for her.

"Live. For yourself, for the people you love, and for a better world. Just live."

After several minutes, she grabs the bottles and the notes, and locks them in the same place she kept the more important possessions. She sets the picture of Adell with his old family in House 44 beside Daisy's own. Beside Valvalis, Neliel, Kirimi, and Keimi.

--

This time, she doesn't overdo her exercises and meditations. She dresses in the same winter garbs she wore a year ago, and wanders around the Restaurant, the Tea shop, the Item shop and even the Hot Springs.

If you're a friend of hers? chances are you will receive a message requesting for some time together.

--

Before the day is over, she returns to her Garden over the roof of the Fifth Community Housing to continue her personal project. Winter will end soon, and spring will allow even more flowers to bloom in the aftermath of the harsh environment. There were so many kinds she wanted to plant.

As she called for the help of Faeren and Sona when taking care of the flowers, she couldn't wait until it was the time to plant orchids.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Daisy comes out with a massive red bathrobe, which could have served a blanket had anyone else gotten ahold of it. Once Luke ventures into the water, Daisy undresses to reveal a two-piece.

She slowly enters the water. Unfortunately, she doesn't reach that state of bliss when her body enters the water. Even tough she sinks her body to her neck, her eyes remain open.]

I missed this.

So have I.

[Luke leans against the wall, mindful to remove the glove over his right hand, the prosthetic oddly larger than it should be]

Think the last time I was here was with you, last spring.

[She blinks when noticing the prosthetic, but doesn't comment on it. What surprised her more was the fact he kept it concealed rather than the fact he had it. Cloned limbs and organs were the order of the day in her world.]

I don't go as often. I'm too big for most of the pools.

[She smiles.]

[Luke notices her blink, hard not to with his Force sensitivity, and holds it up.]

Didn't know I was a cyborg?

[He laughs, nodding.]

You are pretty tall, Daisy.

[And Luke is short, even by human standards]

[She blushes. And the lower she goes into the water? It actually rises significantly. This is nowhere as bad as the time she and several other girls shared the same pool.]

It's not strange to see artificial limbs in my world. Most people prefer flash-cloned limbs and organs, but mechanical ones are not as easy to hide.

[Even though some would prefer them for various reasons.]

They're a little looked down on, in my world. For a number of reasons. And nobody uses cloned-limbs. There's a huge stigma against cloning, because of the Clone Wars.

[What he means to say is that people actually give him weird looks for his hand. And it might be. Luke's 5'6"]

You aren't nervous about your height, are you?

[For a moment, there is confusion... until she hears of the stigma against cloning, and the cause of it. Clone wars... Suddenly, her distant wish for having wanted her fragile sister to have been in her place instead of her makes her feel horrible. No one deserved that. Despite what Halsey thought, Daisy realized something she didn't.

She was a person. Just as much of a victim of Halsey's crimes.

Her train of thought stops suddenly when Luke asks her about her height.]

--No. Not here anymore, anyway. [.......] Some... people think it's attractive.

[Her question remains. How and why?]

Edited 2013-02-15 08:33 (UTC)

[Luke doesn't elaborate on the Clone Wars, he doesn't know much. Obi-Wan was the one to talk to about that, he'd lived through them.]

Well, it's not unattractive, Daisy. If that's what you're worried about. You're pretty.

[Luke's tone is fairly neutral, as he's trying to make it plain that he is not flirting with her. He's with Ami. And that's all there is to it.]

It doesn't strike me as odd. You're obviously strong, some people like are attracted to that.

[This is much different from what she used to hear in her universe... then again, she comes to think, a little boastfully after one too many compliments, no one other than Spartans ever got to see her out of armor.

She leans back on the rock behind her.]

I thought most considered it intimidating, especially since many come from twentieth-first century Earth.

I think I understand, though... [She looks to her side.] It's what they have said.

Well, I can't speak for them. Where I'm from, you'd fit right in, and be considered quite attractive.

[He smiles and sinks a bit lower.]

So, you feeling alright?

[She shares the smile. At least in someplace, it's accepted - and cherished. Her smile almost turns neutral, but not sad.]

I knew people were going to leave someday. After Valvalis left, it made me remember that time here was limited. And now with Adell leaving as well... I'm at least seeing things clearly. He asked me to make the most of this place.

[Living. With the memories she wanted to keep. Nightmares, she learned would always follow her -- but she swore they would not stop her.]

That sounds like something he'd say.

[Luke nods, smiling weakly]

It's good advice, you know. If I hadn't taken it, I'd never have found Ami.

[She blinks. Ami and Luke had a relationship. Figures - they had spent time together.]

My world is a hard one. There isn't a lot of time for many things.

[She pauses for a moment. There wasn't a lot in life, either.]

I wouldn't have found Keimi, either. [Her next words sound normal. A worry she had pondered too many times.] But I worry for her, sometimes. On what will happen after I'm gone.

[Luke and Ami weren't exactly secretive, Daisy.]

Mine is too, I understand.

[Not with all the work he had ahead of him]

I'm sure she'll be alright. She seems fairly capable, you know.

[She nods.]

Keimi is stronger than she thinks. But even the strongest here get hit by losing people close to them.

[Adell. Valvalis.]

Aren't we all?

Loss hurts, but we can't give into despair.

[She closes her eyes.]

Some of my friends had to deal with their closest friends and loved ones leaving. Even the two people I looked up for the most. But Spartans don't just give in to despair.

[But there is a catch. Most Spartans never got to enter into a relationship.]

Neither do Jedi.

[He reaches out that mechanical hand to pat her on her shoulder]

Daisy. Remember that. Fear leads to anger, which leads to aggression, which leads to the Dark Side. You may not be able to feel the Force, but that's something to remember.

[She slowly turns to Luke as she mentions the way Spartans used to operate in battle. They transformed their fear into a drive to fight, into aggression to destroy their enemies. And yet in here, it only forced her to transform that fear into whole hours inside of the Battle Dome.

She wasn't sure what to make of it. But she nods.]

I think I understand. For living... I think I do.

Good.

[He squeezes gently]

Learning to live. That's hard. I've seen a lot of soldiers struggle with that. But you can do it. I know you can.

REPORT 028 :: LIFE // VOICE | ACTION

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