[Maverick Hunters Headquarters]

Variance rests himself just beside the door, doing the same with his glaive. Concern and regret are still at the forefront of his mind and expression...

Variance again looks off to the right, towards the door of the holding cell. All things considered, he didn't exactly want to go back there, but... there's a chance, there's always that minute, nigh-insignificant chance...

Variance sighs and approaches the door again, the thick plate of steel sliding away in response to his access code.


[Maverick Hunters Headquarters - Holding Cell]

Variance again enters quietly, though not looking nearly as expectant as other times.

Seikou is lying on the bed, looking bored as always. He turns to glance at Variance. "Not in the mood for banter today. But my fellow prisoner tried to kill me, if you care."

Variance settles against the wall, again following his established routine of glaring and being outwardly apathetic. "Can't say I blame him."

Seikou grins and he pushes himself into a sitting position. "You're finally starting to accept it. That much is good."

The sound of soft-yet-metallic footsteps echo off singly in the main entrance area, along with the silent calling of a female voice. "Hello..?"

Variance breaks out of his wall of apathy, immediately standing and exiting the cell. "Aura?"


[Maverick Hunters Headquarters]

Aura is hesitantly standing in the entryway of the Base, pausing to not take more than a full step actually inside. A single tiny dryad is kneeling upon her head, wide green eyes glowing dimly as Aura herself glances around warily.

Variance peers halfway out of the holding cell door, eyes widened in a fair bit of surprise. Aura... what's she doing here? Collecting himself as much as he can manage, he fully enters the main foyer, closing the cell door behind him.

You say 'Aura...'

Aura shakes her head subtly, causing the little dryad to sway back and forth, though she appears unfazed either way. With another step inside, Aura seems to gain a momentary air of boldness. "I want to see him, Variance. I don't care.."

Aura says '..what's happened. I need to at least see him, if only for a short while.'

Variance almost instantly falls to the onset of mild despair, releasing a quiet sigh and nearly subconsciously opening the door beside him again. "I won't stop you..."

You say 'But he's not himself. I can't say what will happen.'

Aura holds herself intact, though anyone looking at her closely enough could see that she, herself, were on her last strands of hope as well. With a silent nod of thanks, she makes her way across the room past Variance, stepping into the opened room.

Variance follows Aura in, more out of a need to be a doorguard of sorts...


[Maverick Hunters Headquarters - Holding Cell]

Seikou is sitting up on the cot, eyes cold again... But as he hears the footsteps and looks up, his eyes soften slightly. "Aula-chan..."

The little dryad in Aura's hair seems at once much less calm about her surroundings, rising to her tiny wooden feet into a standing position, but still doesn't leave her perch, otherwise.

Aura looks beyond the barrier that would form the cell, and just kind of eyes Seikou silently, as if searching for something, her violet eyes growing less and less brave the longer she remains without words.

Seikou shakes his head. "Aula-chan... I'm sorry."

Aura tenses slightly, and offers a fairly small smile, taking another step towards the actual cell. "Seikou.. don't apologize to me.. if what happened to you wasn't within your control, how can I find fault in you for it?"

Aura says 'I just.. I thought I understood how everything worked, between.. 'Reploids'. But, I guess I was wrong.. I just wanted to see you again, before I leave..'

Seikou sighs and shakes his head. "Still... I feel like I should've been able to fight it..." He suddenly blinks and looks up again. "Leave?"

Variance stands somewhere off to the side behind Aura, remaining almost deathly silent in his vigilance. Though no matter how hard he tries, he can't quite banish his pained expression...

Aura rolls her eyes upwards, a silent gesture to the dryad on her head, before looking back at Seikou. "I have to find.. something. Something about myself that I should've already known, but haven't. The power of Mana has something.."

Aura says '..hidden that I need to uncover. The spirits already lent me their aid as far as they can.. the rest I have to do myself. I don't.. know, if I'll be back, anytime soon.. if at all. If it were up to me, I wouldn't think that way. But...'

Seikou shakes his head, eyes pained. "You can't leave, Aula... This is the first time I've been able to fight it off in weeks... You're holding the Virus back... I need you..." A few tears slip down his cheeks. "I love you..."

Aura bares her teeth subconsciously, inwardly straining to keep herself above the breaking point. "I know.. you do, Seikou. And you know I love you, too.. if you think positively, the Goddess allows miracles to happen, now and again..

Aura says '..I don't 'plan' on staying away indefinitely.. but something could happen. That's the strange.. thing..'

Seikou shakes his head again. "You -are- my miracle, Aula."

Aura's voice cracks, coming out in a tiny squeak as she tries to finish her sentence, Seikou's interjection not helping at all as the beginnings of a waterfall of tears present themselves in the corner of each eye. "Seikou.. that's.. I'm.."

Aura says 'You have to see what I.. I'm.. they..'

Seikou sighs and nods. "...You have to go... I understand..." He tries to smile, the tears still falling. "I promise. The virus will be gone when you return..."

Aura falls silent, obviously not coherent enough any longer to even form full thoughts as she merely stands there, watching Seikou as silent tears fall past her cheeks.

Seikou just stares at the cot he sits on, silent now...

Aura says 'I want to promise.. that I'll be back. But, if for some reason, it doesn't work out that way..'

Aura pauses, looking halfway sidelong. "Variance.. the gate. I only need a moment.."

Variance hesitates just briefly before nodding in compliance and deactivating the plasma-based gate. He returns to his position, sending silent concern in Aura's direction.

Seikou climbs off the bed slowly and steps towards Aura, the tears stopped but the pain still evident in his eyes...

Aura forces herself to step towards Seikou as well, moving in place of where the bars once generated to block the cell, holding up something small and metallic that seems to have somehow found its way into her hand. "I still.."

Aura says '..remember that night, you gave me the necklace.. I still wear. I never had anything to return the favor with.. but that first time you heard me sing, in the fields.. remember?'

Seikou nods and smiles a little. "You had... the most beautiful voice I had ever heard... It felt like I had to follow."

Aura shakes her head, a small hint of a blush finding its way into her face. "I never knew what singing was, before.. I had to be taught. But the only song I ever knew.." She holds up the small brass box, offering it to Seikou.

Seikou takes the box slowly and carefully opens it...

Aura says 'In here.. I've had this since before I knew who I was.. before the explosion. But I want you to have it, just the same..'

The box Aura gave Seikou opens into a small little musicbox, with a tiny metallic doll sitting within the center. Though it doesn't play by itself, there is a small key sticking out of one side.

Seikou smiles, still sadly, and places it on the cot. "I'll listen to it every day... Until you come back. I promise..."

Aura smiles just a little bit further, attempting to hold it for the sake of her own comfort, if not Seikou's. "Maybe you'll get lucky, and the spirits will sing for you, too.. they know the words better than I do." She pauses, hesitant.

Aura says 'You.. also owe me something. Something that I think I need.. and deserve, at this point..'

Seikou blinks, looking a touch confused. "...Yeah?"

Aura seems to consider her own request for only a fractional instant, putting all logic aside and her best face forward (literally, but no pun intended) as she moves to place a gentle kiss on Seikou's lips, whispering as she does. ".. This.."

Seikou embraces her, returning the kiss, the tears starting to fall again against all reason...

Variance politely averts his gaze, though still looking deeply troubled. Even so... at least it hadn't taken over completely yet.

Aura holds her own embrace tightly against the affection, though she manages to keep the tears from falling, herself, the dryad on her head looking rather baffled by the whole ordeal, as it merely looks back at Variance in her huge-green-eyed way.

Seikou finally breaks the kiss, although he still embraces the girl, deep pain still showing in his eyes. He smiles slightly. "I know you'll return someday..." he whispers. "And then... everything will be alright."

Aura pulls her face away with some obvious difficulty, looking back into his eyes in a 'I hope you're right' sort of way, though she can't seem to find the words vocally. The word 'If' still seems ever-present, as though she weren't sure why..

Aura says 'You... promise?'

Seikou nods, still barely managing to smile. "I promise."

Aura smiles considerably, allowing herself a small nod. "You'd better hold yourself to it, then.. because if I come back, and don't find you here.. I'll have to go to the Underworld myself to find you."

Aura pauses, then adds, "And don't think I won't.. because I've been there before."

Seikou grins a little. "Don't look for me here... Look for me by the fountain. I'll be cured by then..."

Aura blinks, taking a moment to realize the literality of his words. ".. On one of those rooftops, right?"

Seikou laughs and grins. "You know me too well."

Aura smirks faintly, reaching up to gingerly poke him in the nose. "Good.. I'll look forward to it when I return, then. Try not to cause Variance too much grief, in the meantime.." She glances behind her at said reploid, her smirk fading only slightly.

Seikou nods and steps back. "I'll see you soon, and... I'll always love you, even if something does happen."

Variance offers no smirk in return, barely managing to make himself make eye contact for the duration of the glance.

Aura loosens her hold on him with great hesitance, but nods understandingly, backing up out of the way of where the beams would connect to make the gate. "Good.. though I'd rather not think of it, if worse comes to worse.. we'll both see each.."

Aura says '..other in the end, anyway.'

Aura tries not to look too grim as she speaks, tilting her head slightly in Seikou's direction.

Seikou nods and manages a tiny wave. "I hope your journey goes well..."

Aura forces a small grin, nodding. "As do I. But hopefully, it won't be anything drastic.. In all cases, I'll see you sometime in the future, Seikou.." She glances back at him softly for a moment, before turning to leave the small room.

Seikou collapses onto the cot and buries his head in his hands, the tears starting again...

Aura looks up at Variance for only a small instant as she passes, apparently trying to keep what little nerve she had left whole, before leaving the room entirely.

Seikou says '...What am I going to -do-...'

Variance keeps his gaze trained to the floor, the dim luminance of the activating plasma bars going wholly unnoticed to him. Again, he offers no reply, not even trying to say anything. Why try when there's nothing there?

Seikou shakes his head. "...You should go, Vari-sama. Now that she's gone, I'll probably lose control again."

Variance levers himself up again, bracing a hand on the doorframe just before leaving. Clouded, near-misted amethyst eyes never meet the other's, even as he speaks. "Just keep your promise."

You say 'Don't follow in my footsteps.'

Seikou looks up at Vari. "...Nani?"

The thought is left lingering cooly in the air as the room nearly empties with Variance's departure...