{003} dictated;

[ol_northy]

Has... whatever this is happened before? It's like rust. Has anyone else had any luck getting rid of it? I don't think it's anything serious, but maybe we should just take it easy for the day.

[Because now he's walking around with bloodstains on his hands and wrists and the symbol for "theta" bleeding through his clothing over his heart. He's tried to cover it with his armor, and now the strain is rust-colored on his chestplate. If you catch him walking around, he'll have his little purple and pink AI companion hovering nearby. A security blanket.

If you do go wandering later in the day, you'll catch him sitting in the kitchen, having a nice little conversation with his AI, Theta.]

Comments

[lonenoble]

Hasn't hit me. I must have gotten lucky...

Probably just the castle having fun. It won't last.

Is there anything I can do to help? [The Freelancers are the only team she has here now...]

[ol_northy]

It's a little disconcerting. Theta's not taking it very well.

[He considers things and sends a second message.]

I could use a distraction.

[lonenoble]

I think I could handle distracting you, North. [Amused] What kind of distraction are you thinking?

[ol_northy]

Honestly? Right now I don't care.

[lonenoble]

Where are you currently? If nothing else, we can do some form of training.

[ol_northy]

I'm in the library. I found a quiet corner to hide in.

[He admits it. He's hiding.]

It's... not pretty.

[lonenoble]

I'm on my way.

North? I'm a Spartan. I've see plenty of ugly things in my life. I won't be scared off of helping a friend.

[ol_northy]

Thanks. I'd appreciate the company.

[Of course, a Spartan is going to know a lot more horrors than a little blood. Just like he does. It's the meaning that's ugly.]

[lonenoble]

[It's a bit of time before Six shows up in armor, looking North over carefully. She's concerned.] I see why you're not happy.

[ol_northy]

[He's sitting alone, silent, Theta skateboarding across the table in front of him.]

Theta, I need to talk to my friend for a while. Are you okay?

[There's a pause as Theta stops and considers things. He sounds reluctant.]

Okay. But I can come back later, right?

[North smiles.]

I'll be right here. I won't take the armor off until this is over. Alright?

[Theta nods, then waves at Six before blinking out of sight.]

Sorry. He's... not taking it very well.

[lonenoble]

I can see why, North. With that symbol...

Is there a reason the castle gave it to you?

[ol_northy]

[Can he honestly face this? Owning up to his two biggest regrets in life? A deep breath, then a sigh as he speaks.]

I lost him. Well, I'm told he's taken from me. He gets scared really easily.

[North runs a hand over his close-cropped hair.]

They paired us up because they knew I wouldn't let him get hurt or scared, and I guess I couldn't keep him safe, after all.

[encryptedlock]

Hasn't happened before as long as I've been here. So far it seems cosmetic, but--

[Well, judging from York's tone, he's being affected too. Only for him it's not rust.]

[ol_northy]

Theta's not okay, York.

[encryptedlock]

I'm not okay with it, but it could be worse, is what I'm saying. This--at least this we can deal with.

[ol_northy]

I know, I know. And it's not too bad, but Theta's getting upset. I'm not worried about me, you know that.

[lonenoble]

Things happen. We can't protect everyone, North. Trust me. Not even a Spartan can.

I came here from Reach.

[ol_northy]

[Another pause. He turns a bit and adjusts his armor slightly so she can see the back of his neck.]

Our AI are implanted. They ripped him out of my head after I died. That's what they told me, anyway. Worst part is, I'm not even sure how I died. I think someone told me, but it just slips back away again after a while. Point is, I got lucky. I got here before they took him.

[All that mattered in the end? South and Theta. And South did... whatever she did. And Theta was lost. How was he supposed to not kick himself for that? Why he feels like he can confide in her, he doesn't know, but she hasn't judged him yet, she's been a good training partner, and he doesn't have any reason to mistrust her.]

What happened to you on Reach?

[lonenoble]

So you couldn't protect him. But you're here, and so is he. Enjoy the time you have. Because you never know when you're going to vanish.

[regret] The Covenant. My team was trying to stop it. But one by one, we died. I was the last. [That's odd... Something under her armor on her arm feels... wet? But she's trying to ignore it.]

[ol_northy]

I...

[Right, he doesn't want to think about leaving. About losing Theta or leaving South alone. Or whatever South becomes.]

Well, I'll enjoy it as much as I can. He's a handful, but he's... really a good kid.

[His brow finally furrows in earnest.] I'm sorry. All Spartans?

[lonenoble]

Two teammates of mine were here... They aren't anymore. I ended up inheriting pets from one of them. They told me to make the most of it.

We were Spartans. Noble Team. But it wasn't just Spartans that died. Reach was glassed, North.

[She's ignoring the beginnings of her own mark appearing other than shifting her arm a bit. It's not painful. Just uncomfortable.]

[ol_northy]

Making the most of it is all we can do. There;s no other way for me to make this up to them. To any of them.

[Though he'd only mentioned Theta. But there's always more, always something else below the surface with a Freelancer.]

Glassed?

[lonenoble]

Same here...

When the Covenant finished, nothing would have been left alive on the planet. We couldn't stop them.

[And that would be the word Reach appearing through her armor on her forearm now.]

[ol_northy]

[He sees the mark, but says nothing. This is their guilt, their regret. He knows it for sure now.]

You did what you could, didn't you? Nobody can ask more than that of anyone. Trying to save an entire planet...

[lonenoble]

All I could do is get humanity's best hope off the planet. I sacrificed myself to cover the ship leaving. But it was worth it.

[Looking at her arm as the feeling continues. Realizing the truth.] Guess I wasn't lucky.