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Post by David B. on Oct 16, 2012 23:21:46 GMT -8
He smiled.
"I've planned to offer it for a while. You are one of very few friends I have left in this world, and if I can do anything to protect your life, I will. That's what friends are for."
He would nod at her offer, taking it to heart and tucking it in the back of his mind. This alliance with the Crows was something that would greatly help them. A portion of his own, personal agenda was filled as well- to make sure Olesya was protected.
He would have marched an army there, just for her.
Best not to tell Delilah that, though.
"Keep in mind what this means. If you are killed, or if someone calls on us in your name, the Alliance won't stand. It must be you, directly, that asks for it. Only then will we lend aid."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 17, 2012 1:42:11 GMT -8
"Keep in mind what this means. If you are killed, or if someone calls on us in your name, the Alliance won't stand. It must be you, directly, that asks for it. Only then will we lend aid."
She nodded. Having it be her and her alone would put a kink or two in the works: it wasn't always easy for her to leave the base. Nonetheless, she understood that this offer was extended to her and her alone. He placed the offer for her and also had the right to make conditions. She would do well to follow them.
Besides, it wasn't like she would be calling on David at the drop of a hat. If the need was really that urgent, she would go to him herself.
"Of course."
She would fall silent for a time.
"But my son...Oliver. Should he outlive me - something I hope for greatly, mind you...ugh," she ran a hand over her face as she thought out her words. "He will have protectors. He'll be safe. Just...if you could watch out for him. Make sure he walks the right path." She would trail off here with an uncertain sigh.
This would be a testament of her trust and faith in David. Even if something should happen to her, Oliver would be taught and protected by Stu, "Unfettered", Kiyoshi and perhaps even Marcus (though she hadn't brought this up with him yet), provided they didn't all die either. What she needed was someone to ensure her son wouldn't take these teachings and go down the wrong path, someone outside her usual sphere of influence that she still knew and could trust not to turn down that path himself. It was also a risk, putting the life of her son in the hands of so many. But death was an increasing possibility these days, and she couldn't risk her son hurting others for gain, or worse, turning out like Barker.
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Post by David B. on Oct 17, 2012 9:35:05 GMT -8
David nodded.
"If something happens, I'll watch out for him like he were family. I'm not ready for kids though, so make sure you stay alive. You let barker take you down and I'll kick your ass!"
A grin. He would pat her on the back, heading for the tent flap. Once out, Brad would be standing there, the rest of the men Picking up bedrolls, weapons and the ilk. He would clap his right fist over his heart and bow a little.
"Sir. Are you now to join the ranks of the Crows?"
He stared at Brad, the rest of the men turning to watch.
"And if I said yes?"
The man stayed in his bowed position, before standing up straight and looking him straight in the eye. He spoke softly.
"Then we would follow. Into hell, if that was your path."
David Stared at him. It was difficult for the man to show such loyalty, when he thought the decision the end of the Dragons. David was moved, but wouldn't show it.
"We are not joining the Crows this day, commander."
David pulled a sash out of his pocket, one with his initials on the corner and a Dragon mouth open in the middle. He'd hand it over to Delilah.
"This woman, though, is under my protection. She can come and go in our territory as she pleases, so long as she wears my symbol. Each one of you will protect her and her son as though they were me."
This didn't mean they had to follow her orders, but as long as a Dragon was around her, they would offer their lives up to a threat before it had a chance to get a glance at her. She wore the banner of an elder, and would be guarded like a precious gem. He would turn back to Brad.
"Prep the men. We are leaving in ten minutes."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 17, 2012 21:37:28 GMT -8
"If something happens, I'll watch out for him like he were family. I'm not ready for kids though, so make sure you stay alive. You let barker take you down and I'll kick your ass!"
She laughed as he patted her back, feeling relieved. Delilah would follow him out to where the other Dragons were packing up as they prepared to move on.
She watched quietly as Brad confronted David, standing just off to the side of David like a quiet little shadow, her blue eyes bright with interest. It was more the way David led than the fact he was the leader that she decided she liked. Again, she marveled at how lucky she was to have found a friend in him.
But it hadn't escaped her notice that her friend was more frail the last time she had seen him, but he also seemed more...patient. More accepting. This caused a frown to crease her brow slightly, but she held her tongue. If and when David thought it was important, he would tell her.
She would accept the sash with a slight bow and a nod to the other Dragon's present before tying the sash around her right arm. She would then salute them, proud to be considered worthy enough of this honour.
"Prep the men. We are leaving in ten minutes."
She would look at David and raise an eyebrow, although there was a certain look of eagerness on her face. "Where to?"
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Post by David B. on Oct 18, 2012 16:05:33 GMT -8
He turned to look at her.
He realized, at that moment, how little he knew of her. For some reason, her question brought that to mind, and made him think for only a moment. He trusted her, fully. Why was that, when he knew so little of her? He took a deep breath. His life. She had saved it, not long ago. When those men came for him at the court house, and she had fought instead of left him to die. And she had offered him shelter, and had been kind. Not many would be that way to a Dragon of his history. He smiled a small smile, before answering.
"I have something else I want to show you."
He's pick up a pack as his tent fell behind them, men having already cleared it out and begun packing it. He would dredge east, directly east from the Crows, not speaking to Delilah as they made their way toward Barkers heart. This wasn't his full army- probably half, and they were silent as mice. No laughter, no extensive crunching of feet. Just a slight sound of moving clothes. Not even heavy breaths. He was proud of them, for the display of control, precision and elite-behavior they were displaying. The training had obviously paid off.
He'd turn to Delilah, and speak again, softly.
"How is old Jonny boy? He still one eyed and limping?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 18, 2012 20:43:06 GMT -8
"I have something else I want to show you."
They started walking, Eastward if her sense of direction was any good. Over the course of the walk, Delilah would make note that the men behind them were making virtually no noise, that they were walking as she walked. This impressed her greatly, and also reminded her of her own little task force back at the 'Nest. She made a mental note to let it slip the next time she was doing stealth training with them that the Dragon's were quieter marching from combat zone to combat zone than they were when stalking unperturbed through the base.
Oh, she knew that would just eat a couple of them alive.
She would gratefully maintain the silence as her eyes moved of their own accord, sweeping overhead, down below, left, right, around corners, behind them, like a well oiled machine.
"How is old Jonny boy? He still one eyed and limping?"
She would raise one shoulder in a half shrug, responding in a well practiced whisper that carried. "He's recovered from his injuries if that's what you mean. Still as patchy as ever though," she chuckled.
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Post by David B. on Oct 19, 2012 9:13:26 GMT -8
OOC: I have Leons permission for this. Wanted to get it out before the attack.
David would grin. Good the man was healthy and ready for war. Now if only be would get off his white haired keester and get it done. David held up a fist. Every man froze, as though he just said "RED LIGHT"- some Men had feet halfway off the ground. David listened intently before turning to his men. He pointed atthe ground and everyone groined or sat, silently waiting. David walked forward a step or two before turning back to Delilah and holding out a hand.
"This next bit will be startling. Try not to cry out."
His voice was barely a whisper, and if she took his hand, it would tingle. She would feel light, light a feather. If she looked down, she would notice Davids feet a two feet off the ground, along with her own. His hand now clenched hers tightly, his other bringing a finger over his lips for silence. The manipulation of the air around them created a near suit of personal flight, Davids Qi giving him total control.
He mouthed words as they floated higher.
"don't let go"
He would then turn, and they would fly gently up the side of the building, keeping at a decent speed but remaining silent. It was a skyscraper they were climbing, and once atthe top, he would set them both gently on the roof.
Once there, he pointed down.
There a few blocks away, was a small army, massing.
All if them wore Barker uniforms.
They were preparing for war.
He stared at her, eyes hard.
"It's either you or me that's getting the force of this. I have no idea which one, but it will be soon. Are you ready?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 19, 2012 16:04:21 GMT -8
They were deep in the heart of the down town area, approaching a mostly-intact skyscraper when David held up his clenched fist. Delilah halted with the rest of the men behind her, watching David intently and listening for something, anything that might give her a clue as to what was going on.
She was confused to say the least. She had no idea why David had brought her out here, but she trusted his judgement. One thing she liked about him was that he never did anything without a reason. And Delilah was nothing if not extraordinarily patient, so she waited as David's men sat down behind her in complete silence, waiting.
He walked forward a ways and held his hand out to her, ready for her to take. Puzzled, but as silent as everyone else, she walked forward and placed her rough, callused hand in his. Immediately, her hand would begin to tingle and her eyebrows would shoot up in surprise.
"This next bit will be startling. Try not to cry out."
If it weren't for that warning, she might have as weightlessness overcame her and she suddenly felt her feet leave the ground. Understandably surprised, her other hand came up to grasp his same arm, clinging tightly to him as they rose higher and higher, clearly not knowing how to deal with this, her lips pinched together in a tight line to prevent herself from asking the eight million questions her mind had suddenly come up with. He mouthed something to her that looked suspiciously like 'don't let go'.
AS IF.
As they traveled higher, Delilah couldn't help but look down at the ground far below, the sudden realization coming to her that if she fell from this height, there was almost no feasible way she would live. She would just have to trust David.
Finally, they made it up the skyscraper and David set them down on the roof. She stumbled as her feet touched down, her legs shaking as her body weight came back to her. She exhaled and looked around at David with a smile that was part hysterical part amused. He was standing at the ledge, pointing down. Figuring this was what he had brought her up here for, she moved to the ledge to get a good look at what he was pointing at.
The sight below her made her eyes widen and her face become pale. She leaned forwards, her hands pressed flat against the ledge as she looked on at the scope of the army that lay below them and what it meant.
"It's either you or me that's getting the force of this. I have no idea which one, but it will be soon. Are you ready?"
She took a moment to reply as she considered the thoughts behind that, her eyes still on the Barker forces below her. Her lower lip found it's way into her mouth and she chewed on it thoughtfully before giving her reply.
"It doesn't matter whether we are or we aren't," she would say finally with a low growl in her voice. Her strong fingers dug into the stone of the ledge as she gripped it. "We've always known something like this would happen, it was just a matter of when. We are at our peak, more so than we ever have been, but Barker could still overwhelm us in spite of this. Whether or not we win or he was more prepared than we are, his attack will cost him so dearly and he'll be unable to take over the world." Her otherwise quiet voice had gotten more vehement as she spoke, filled with righteous anger that turned the woman into a storm cloud of knives and broken glass.
She inhaled sharply and then forced it out again much more slowly and she calmed, reverting back to her usual serene state.
"As for me..." she lifted a hand to touch the tattoo on the back of her shoulder, smiling wryly now. "This is the only task I am suited for. If ever I am not ready, it will be the death of me." She would turn her head to look back at David.
"What of you?"
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Post by David B. on Oct 19, 2012 16:16:49 GMT -8
David grinned.
As vicious a grin as he had ever given crossed his lips as he replied.
"Of course not. When Barker wants to, he'll bring the fly swatter. But this...this army? It won't take us down. If it tries, the amount of death will be so torrential, the beaches of Normandy will have a brother in history he can look on to with pride, and my men will each have a necklace made of Ears for the men they have killed."
He would take her hand again, Blue eyes wide with excitement.
"I look forward to the challenge of the day when the coward comes himself, and we can collect HIS ears."
They would fly up into the air again, heading back down the side of the building and gently touching down in the grass. He stared at her a moment longer, giving a look that spoke of her courage, and how proud he was. The men all stared, the same look of glee in their eyes, for each had seen as she.
He spoke to them three simple words , heading in the direction they had come.
"Let's move out."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 19, 2012 17:05:27 GMT -8
"Of course not. When Barker wants to, he'll bring the fly swatter. But this...this army? It won't take us down. If it tries, the amount of death will be so torrential, the beaches of Normandy will have a brother in history he can look on to with pride, and my men will each have a necklace made of Ears for the men they have killed."
She had to stifle a laugh of delight at this for the sake of the people below. "Damn right!" He took her hand again and the same uneasy feeling of weightlessness overcame her. God, but that was the weirdest damn thing.
"I look forward to the challenge of the day when the coward comes himself, and we can collect HIS ears."
"If I leave you anything to take," she said jokingly. She had to get at least one in before they started the flying thing again. She was beginning to think more and more that she was better off with her feet planted firmly on the ground.
Still it was exhilarating. But traveling down was somehow far worse than going up, like plummeting in slow motion. Again, Delilah would cling tightly to David until they touched down on the grass, not stumbling this time, but certainly more than relieved to not be at a height she knew she wouldn't die from. She looked back at David and caught the look he was giving her, one of pride and assurance.
Surprised but ultimately thrilled, she would recognize this as a compliment in some form and saw her own passion for what lay ahead reflected in his eyes and in the eyes of his soldiers. She returned his smile with her own broad, eager grin, her shoulders rising and falling with suppressed laughter that came from the sheer confidence he had given her with that simple look.
"Let's move out."
They started back the way they came and Delilah followed, glancing down at her wrist that once held a depiction of a red-wing black bird that was now covered by a large, unsightly scar. She made a fist, realizing the feeling that had risen up inside her was the same that had the first time she had slain with her katana, in order to defend her and her son's life as soldiers and horrible people alike had moved to stop their path.
My sword hand is singing.
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Post by David B. on Oct 19, 2012 17:35:09 GMT -8
David, for his part, loved being in the sky. The amount of freedom was mind boggling, and everything below looked so...insignificant. There would come a time when the courage of men would rally against the fist of tyranny. Mankind had spent so much time on comforts and luxeries. They grew fat and complacent.
But soon... Soon these insignificantswould rise up, and they would remember the stories of their strength, and be willing to die for their freedoms.
As he was.
And God help Barker when thy did.
/end thread.
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