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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 3:06:10 GMT
"Desk work? Aqua, your skills in flight saved us so much searching at the crime scene. I didn't trust my own skills," Shadow tapped the titanium-brass inhibitor ring on his right wrist, "when I joins the force, my chaos was extremely difficult to control. But over time, the more people appreciated the work, the more sure of myself I came." The cooldown timer dinged, summoning his final challenge. "I'm sure Riku appreciates your guidance."
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Post by skyeknight on May 24, 2016 3:23:00 GMT
"Debatable." Aqua replied.
She had made her mistakes already. She had tried to invite Riku to a diner she and Terra used to visit. She accidentally bought him coffee, something she typically did for her old partner. She tried to make things go back to 'normal' but she realized she couldn't force Riku into that cookie cutter mold until he got upset about it.
"I don't know what I'm doing. My partner... He wasn't there for me. Not the way Riku needs someone," Aqua said.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 4:40:34 GMT
Tne comment Aqua uttered was drowned out by the cool down fight Shadow got into. He had punched a werejaguar in the face, send it careening to pixels. The second were leaping forward was a werewolf. Shadow used his chaos to blind the creature, where it plowed into a were-bear. The werecats were swiping furiously, but some well timed punches, chaos fires, and kicks sent them back to the virtual reality where they came. As the final werewolf howled in defeat, disintegrating into data, Shadow dusted himself off. He didn't have to resort to taking off his inhibitor rings, which was a good thing. Especially since Aqua was providing a good conversation. Speaking of Aqua, she had admitted Terra wasn't there for her. His red eyes flashed in a mix of indignance and surprise. How could a partner leave someone in a time of need?
"If your partner was never there for you, don't follow his footsteps." He walked over to her, setting the 'off' button on the spectre where it turned off with a hum. "You're not someone who gives up easily either, so don't tell me you don't know what you're doing. You're trying to figure out what to do because this situation is new, and guess what? That's completely normal. I didn't know what I was doing when I asked Sunshine, someone who had no clue what the difference between a Seelie and Unseelie was, to join me on the force. Maybe take a step into his world, too. We all were new at one point."
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Post by skyeknight on May 24, 2016 14:14:44 GMT
"Why are you telling me this?" Aqua asked softly. "You barely know me."
It wasn't doing much for the hurt and confusion that was swirling through her. She was still left with self doubts. One pep talk wasn't going to change that. She didn't think she could have resolution until she had answers for what happened. He was being far too kind but Aqua appreciated that. She wondered why she had avoided the other officer in the first place.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 15:07:18 GMT
"Like I said earlier, we all need to put for one another in this unit," Shsdow shrugged. It was Sunshinr rubbing off on him, that was sure. Before he wouldn't have bothered. But, with the code in mind, he had just openly helped a cop in a confused mindset.
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Post by skyeknight on May 24, 2016 15:25:39 GMT
"How did you work things through with you and Sunshine?" Aqua asked.
The duo worked well together. If anything it was something to model a working officer relationship off of. They got their work done, no messy feelings, end of story. But they got along outside of the office too. Aqua wasn't sure she knew how to do that, balance work and social life... Hers had become a messy tangle.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 16:55:53 GMT
Well, it helped that they escaped through a life-death situation. And that Sunshine gave him a pleasant reminder of Maria without triggering tragic mysteries . But Shadow wasn't ready to let Aqua in on that personal story. Sunshine's first few days in the force were memorable. The way she hid behind him, despite being taller, when she got nervous; how she only got more confident with each mission; and how she used her sun harnessing prowess to their advantage.
"I started by building her confidence. By letting her know she was doing okay. Graduating from the academy's a big step, so reminding her that if she got through that, she could get through tougher parts. It wasn't always easy, and it never will be, but it got her on her feet
"Outside of work meetings helped, too. We took turns picking where to go, and that broadened the relationship to understanding. I got a glimpse of her world with its mountains of flour and butter and paintings, and she saw mine of streetviews, runs through Raoul, and drinks at the Bourbon."
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Post by skyeknight on May 24, 2016 18:02:50 GMT
Aqua's shoulders slumped a little. She had been harshly critical of Riku's first arrest, assuming he had been threatening the drunk man but also cautioning him about wording things. She didn't want Elsa to have to take matters into her own hands. Especially if it was for something as simple as wording. Riku had the confidence and the eagerness to do his job. He said he gave up a lot to be there. His family hadn't approved of his job choice.
Really now that she thought about it, Riku had been trying so hard to build some common ground between them. Aqua was the one to try and stuff him into Terra's role. Really it wouldn't have worked. Like two pieces of a puzzle, they two men were not equipped to fit the slot meant for the other. For a Seelie Faery her luck with humans ran sour.
"And if he does request a new partner?" Aqua asked.
It was a possibility. He could have gotten so fed up with her he put in transfer papers. She already felt bad enough as it was. She had to try, really try to make it up to Riku but it was hard. She didn't know him. She didn't know what he expected. He obviously wanted her trust and she was giving him a fair bit, enough to trust him with her life in the field but he wanted more.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 21:33:28 GMT
Was Aqua so self-doubting of herself that she feared Riku would leave. It was too early to judge whether or not it was kinks in the pairing. Shadow sighed to prevent saying anything hurtful, thinking carefully on how to word it,
"If he decides to leave, his loss."
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Post by skyeknight on May 24, 2016 21:58:39 GMT
Aqua wasn't so sure she could handle another partner leaving her. She still hadn't seen Terra in months. His things were still in her apartment and she seemed to be the only one who cared that he hadn't contacted anyone, including his family. It just wasn't like her partner to do that to the people he cared about.
"If you say so," Aqua murmured. "You must think I'm pathetic."
He wasn't around anymore. He left her and pining over him like this was ruining her life both in work and her social interactions. Terra had taken everything from her with what he did. Her reputation was in shattered pieces. As was her heart. Her trust was shaken to the core. Her confidence and happiness were just once upon a time stories. Maybe if she let go once and for all she would be able to breathe again.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 24, 2016 22:58:14 GMT
Shadow said nothing for a while. It must have been hard for Aqua to not show any signs of negative emotions show; it took a lot of will to get it hidden. But she was wrong about thing. She was not pathetic. Everyone on the force had to pull their weight while at the same time balancing that it was a group effort, a comradery that quite frankly, was dissolving the more prejudice Others were receiving. "Just because you're concerned about a delicate partnership doesn't mean you're pathetic. I've seen officers here who couldn't give a rat's ass about what happened to their partner."
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Post by skyeknight on May 25, 2016 1:38:58 GMT
Aqua rubbed her hands together, wincing slightly at the tenderness of her hands. She didn't want to say she didn't want to lose her new partner because then she would go back to being alone. She had no family and few friends. The police force was the closest thing she had to any form of family. That's why she had been so dead set in her ways. She thought that if she let go of the past, then she was letting go of something important.
"I want to fix things," Aqua said. "I just hope it's not too late."
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Post by Zuyuri on May 25, 2016 15:56:21 GMT
"The thing about fixing things, they take time." Not the best advice, but it was the only thing Shadow could say without pressing a button. Aqua seemed tender about the topic, and talking about it more would make it worse. He eyed the reddened hands, saying, "there's medical supplies in the main office. You can grab some salve for your hands there."
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Post by skyeknight on May 25, 2016 16:15:14 GMT
"Thanks," she said. "I'll make sure to use some."
She would have to get some for her her hands. After she gave the department head a lecture for swapping the bags and not at least sending out a notice. What if they replaced it with silver and a werewolf punched it? Or if the the bag had broke on her because someone punched it just right? It was a danger waiting to happen.
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Post by Zuyuri on May 26, 2016 2:59:43 GMT
Shadow's answer to the thanks was a nod. He went to the fountain and filled a cup. Fighting virtual demons was enough to quench a thirst. He'd get something from the Bourbon later. As he sipped the water, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Feel free to use the spectre. Good practice for scenarios."
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