caughtinanetwork

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Um, excuse me, would anyone here mind a spar with me? I don't want to hurt anyone but ...I think it's been a while since I last fought someone. I'm a Crystal Eren so that means I'm not a physical fighter...

[After a couple of seconds, Shirley thought about it some more]

Actually, I want to ask, would anyone mind teaching me how to fight using your fists? I think I might need some help training... [And you know, getting ready for the Fishlympics]

I'll promise that I'll teach you about Crystal Erens in return!

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[ . . .

No. No, it was not going to happen like this.]

You should warm up first, Merines. Basic stretches should do.

Oh...um... [oops]

[With that she began doing a couple of stretches. Her stretches seem pretty similar to what Senel use to do]

[It only made sense that something like that would stand out. There was a stark difference between their styles. Senel leaned toward his fists and upper body strength with a solid foundation -- Shirley's stretches as of now reflected such focuses, and Walter found his fingers curling in to his palm.

He gave her five minutes.]

That should be enough. Are you ready now?

[it was then that after she was done her stretches that she realized what she did.

It might be a little bit too late now but...]

Mhmm, now I am. Um...what should we work on first?

Punches. Those seem like they'd come to you easiest.

[Then he fell silent, waiting for her to do just that. With all that exposure to Senel, she must have an idea of how to curl her hands, at least.]

[With that, she did what she was told and formed a fist with her right hand. Her left arm was in front of her body to protect her if anything happened. Then she made a light punch]

[Walter observed her with crossed arms. The idea of giving her a lesson on fisticuffs still did not sit well with him, but it was just the one today.]

Don't be afraid to give it your all. One hard punch can make all the difference.

[He stepped closer, glancing down at her feet.]

Form can be a deciding factor between weak and strong. Your body should twist with the motion.

Oh right!

[And she tried to mimic the stance that Senel has done in the past by putting some distance between her two feet. With that, she tried her best to punch the air in front of her] Like that?

Much better.

[But it reeked of Senel.

. . . ]

Merines. What happened in the Wings of Light?

[Well, she knew that they would have this talk sooner or later. Might as well start now]

...Walter, I never killed the Orerines. I thought it might be better that instead of killing, we...we should work together to close that gap. [Gulp] Not only that, Nerifes seems to agree too.

. . . What?

[He tensed the second she uttered "never," feeling his heart palpitating more at the thought of Orerines still roaming their world -- his face burning up, his arms at his side and hands curling into tight fists. It was a familiar feeling that had mellowed somewhat in his dull stay at Vatheon.

He was angry. Angry at -- ]

What did Senel say to you?

[The words came out harshly as he spat out the name in utter disdain.

Logic was not the first thing on his mind right now.]

[She had been expecting this too but it still doesn't change the fact that she was starting to get a little bit nervous.]

...Senel said that he trusted me, that's all. [She honestly didn't want to disappoint him or want him to think that she betrayed her people.]

Walter, I want to believe that there is a way we can save our people without having to kill anyone. If we can just learn from one another...!

[He blamed Senel.

He was confused. There had to be more than that. Why would Senel's words have even mattered in her reborn state?

But his brows only creased more intensely the harder his mind tried to sort it out. He stared for a little while, aggravated. He didn't believe there was anything to learn from the Orerines -- anything good.

Nerifes had agreed, supposedly.]

Is this truly the will of Nerifes?

[Because that's all she wanted. She just wanted Senel to trust her after he and Stella knew everything. Even after many months, it hurts to think about it. However, she promised herself that she wouldn't let herself be too caught up from the past.]

Yes, it is. After Senel and the other defeated Nerifes, he wanted to end our suffering and thought this was the better way.

[And there was the whole thing with Schwartz but she'll save that for another time] There was a peace treaty as well and ,as the Merines, I am trying to close that gap.

[Thought this was the better way.

The better way.

Even now -- especially now -- he couldn't wrap his mind around how this was supposed to be better. The gap should have been impossible to close. It was ridiculous to think it.

But apparently people had thought it, and Walter's expression hardened, trying to keep everything straight.]

. . . then the rest of the Ferines agreed to this change.

[There was a pause.]

At first, not everyone. Thyra...didn't agree with this at first but...

I told her that it was easier to hate than to actually promote peace. It wasn't until... [Well, might as well tell him now. Somewhere, a part of her was wondering if Grune was proud of her for what she had done] that we fought Schwartz that she agreed to it.

[Thyra and Schwartz.

They seemed like names he should know. But he didn't. Still, Thyra was clearly Ferines -- the one he might have agreed with on gut instinct.

. . . Then who was the other?

She was dumping hardly any information on him, but the few that she had imparted left him more than a little overwhelmed. Gaze trained on her, he kept quiet; a silent indication to go on. Elaborate. End it there. Anything.]

[And Shirley let a small smile at him]

Schwartz is a god like being. Nerifes had asked her to end all the suffering from both Ferines and Orerines alike and that was what she planned to do; kill everyone so we won't have to suffer anymore.

[Pause] Isn't it kind of funny, Walter, that we tried to kill the Orerines and in return, Schwartz wanted to kill everyone.

[He was quiet again. Shaking his head, he offered quietly,]

. . . no, Merines. That kind of death serves no cause.

[Walter found nothing humorous about it.]

[As Shirley hoped it wouldn't]

It didn't matter what race you were, both Orerines and Ferines alike helped us fight against Schwartz. In the end, we won and that's all that matters. Don't you agree?

[She hoped that maybe telling this story would change Walter's mind about the Orerines but...she doubts it. 4000 years of racism isn't easy to erase...]

[She was right to doubt it. It might have been a pleasant thought, but Walter had no mind for it, still fixated on the detail that she hadn't repeated history. For the better.]

None of that would have happened if the Cataclysm had succeeded . . .

[Oh Wally...]

I don't think so, I believe Schwartz still would have arrived regardless.

Who is to say that what Nerifes met by suffering isn't only limited toward race?

Then what could Nerifes have meant?

[It wasn't a challenge so much as he genuinely couldn't think of another reason. Nothing that would warrant the end of even their kind.]

[In which Shirley goes marching up straight to Walter and pinches him]

Who is to say that the Ferines won't end up causing some kind of suffering against each other? It isn't limited to race at all.

Merines, what --

[The pinch didn't hurt; rather, it surprised him, and he was clearly taken back by the physical contact.]

But the Ferines all mean to rally under your name. There shouldn't be disagreements so quickly . . .

action;

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action; time to spam your inbox into forever

action; o-oh, merines; you can invade my inbox forever.

action; ....(unsure)

action; c: . . .

action; Sennnyyy I need your haallpppp

action; Senel smells, he can get out.

action; D8

action; O:<

action; 8D?

action; |:

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