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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 18:59:41 GMT -8
On the odd occasion - it was certainly becoming more and more rare these days as refugees from Barker territory poured in every day looking for assistance- Delilah found some free time to herself, even if it was only for a few scant minutes, or an hour or two at a time. Training her group-- the Tengu they called themselves, took up the vast majority of that time, followed by her various engineering tasks, setting up meetings and reporting intel on people and gangs she was meeting, reporting directly to the Zeroes, then family time with Oliver and Stu (when he wasn't busy). The last moment she had to herself had been a week prior when she had escaped the base for a few much needed hours of playing piano. Only she had been interrupted and that turned into a work thing too, in a way.
For now, in between meetings and air conditioning emergencies and Birch's endless innuendos, Delilah was content to sit on the ledge of the Nest, over looking the endless horizon that stretched out to the West, her hair loose and flowing about her shoulders as she watched the sun begin to sink into the sea. Beside her were a couple of boken--it had been Cain's day for a one on one tutorial and they had only just wrapped up practice when the mechanic decided she needed this.
God, when was the last time she was on a roof of any kind? Like...high school? Yep, pretty much. That was when she met Saint and Yahto and had a nice long chat about purpose. Ah, memories.
So, she sat, humming a song quietly to herself as her feet kicked back and forth over the emptiness beneath them contentedly.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 19:26:13 GMT -8
The sound of footsteps come from behind her, bare feet. Kiyoshi had made his way up to survey the landscape, no shoes and just a pair of sweatpants.
"What brings you up here?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 19:33:14 GMT -8
She heard the approach: footsteps, deliberate. Not trying to startle her or open up an attack. That left only three possibilities: Stu, "Unfettered" or--
"What brings you up here?"
--Kiyoshi.
She looked over her shoulder at the Zero Crow, smiling. "Akechi-sama. Konbanwa." <Good evening>. Delilah would bow her head politely before she turned back to face the sea, the suns fading glow warm on her face. "Other than just getting away for a few moments...Honestly? I have no clue. It just seemed like a good idea, so I went with it.
"And yourself?"
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 19:45:58 GMT -8
"Surveying the land."
Kiyoshi answered rather simply. He strode across the roof to take a spot beside her, standing of course, and stared over the city.
"Glad to see you relaxing somewhat."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 20:47:55 GMT -8
She smiled at his reply in Japanese. Apart from her son, Kiyoshi was pretty much the only person on the base who spoke it. It was refreshing to say the least.
"Watashi ga nani o eru koto ga dekimashou. Sore wa hinpan ni okoranai. Anata no tame ni onaji koto o iu koto ga dekiru."
<I take what I can get. It doesn't happen often. I could say the same for you, though.>
She turned her head to follow his gaze towards the ruined skyline North of where they were. The breeze played with her hair and she tucked a few stray strands behind her ear.
"Anata wa seikaku ni, nani o chōsa shite desu ka?"
<What are you surveying, exactly?>[/i][/size]
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 21:05:24 GMT -8
Kiyoshi chuckled softly, definitely didn't get to relax much these days between managing the areas resources and commanding his army. Delilah had stepped up and a new recruit Marcus as well but with Areon gone and Unfettered on honeymoon with Vespyr, or something, the buck stopped with him. That wasn't a situation for cutting loose.
"Encroachments, shifting smoke spots, any change really. The city doesn't make for the ideal battlefield."
He sighed softly.
"How's your son?"
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 21:36:23 GMT -8
She decided to address the last question first. Simpler, that way.
"Oribah-kun...Kare wa yoku yatte iru. Kare o oshiete imasu buki o shiyō suru hōhō
<Oliver is...doing better. I'm teaching him how to use weapons now.>
In Japanese culture, this wouldn't be considered unusual. Once boys turned five years old, they were given weapons and taught how to use them. This was an old tradition, but given the times and the circumstances, Delilah felt it was necessary to adopt certain practices.
"Ochitsuitemasen."
<So, you're not relaxing, then.>
More of a matter of fact statement than a question. She turned her head to look around at him, a worry line creased between her eyebrows. "Sessha daitan ni hanasu kanō-sei ga aru baai, Akechi-sama, Anata ga kyūkei o hitsuyō to suru. Anata ni shinkou ga arimasu, shikashi anata wa hitsuyō jibun jishin ni sū-fun kakaru zero ni modotte kite. Bushitsuke de gomen nasai."
<If I may speak boldy, Akechi-sama, you need a break. We have faith in you, but you need to take a few minutes to yourself to come back to zero. Forgive me for my rudeness.>
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 22:10:45 GMT -8
Kiyoshi smiled with a nod at what Delilah told him about Oliver. That was the future right there, and not in the philosophical manner. If this world continued on in this state, Kiyoshi knew his time would eventually come. Delilah being older might still outlive him but even then, he would not name her as his successor. It would be Oliver.
"I'm fine... I appreciate the concern. Just remember, when it is us two or even just the higher ups, I want you to speak freely."
He nodded to her, figuring it might as well be now.
"If our world remains like this moving forward, I want you to know... I want Oliver to be my successor."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 22:49:41 GMT -8
"I'm fine... I appreciate the concern. Just remember, when it is us two or even just the higher ups, I want you to speak freely."
That was going to be hard. Delilah constantly erred on the formal side when speaking in Japanese, especially to someone who was effectively the Lord of the land. Tradition bade her to speak this way. Still, it was a good thing to hear. To Delilah, it meant they were closer than just rebels with a similar goal in mind and could handle a certain level of familiarity with each other. This was a privilege she was unable to pass up.
"...Sonogo daijōbu. Arigato."
<Okay then. Thanks.>
It literally took all of her willpower not to add more formalities to the end of that statement.
"If our world remains like this moving forward, I want you to know... I want Oliver to be my successor."
She almost fell off the roof.
Gripping the ledge hard with both her hands, she looked slowly back at him with wide eyes. A mix of emotions surged through her at this revelation...on one hand, she was honored on her sons behalf far beyond words. She had always assumed that Kiyoshi would choose someone, an orphan or maybe just someone who impressed him to adopt and mold into that role. The fact that he had even considered Oliver was something she had never even considered, and she was grateful for it. On the other hand, as his mother, the various ways this could go wrong frightened her.
Delilah stared hard down at the ground far below. "Doshite?"<Why?>
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 23:05:57 GMT -8
"As of right now, he is the best choice. I know he will be well taught in every aspect of life by a mother who is beyond myself in some ways. He will know this world and the Crows inside and out. It makes sense to leave the future to him."
He explained.
"Any other child would be behind him in training and knowledge. As for me... chances are slim I will have any."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 15, 2012 23:27:22 GMT -8
Delilah just let herself breathe as he explained himself. She thought of her own instructions to Oliver, the ones she had given him before the bombs fell and their normal little life had been obliterated. The harsh lesson that life would go on if she wasn't there for him anymore. Hell, she had already been grooming him to lead without even knowing it. She would now have to take this into account, though it would probably be able to wait until he was older.
But God, he was growing so fast...
"Ta ni dare ga kono koto nitsuite shitte iru ka?"
<Who else knows about this?>
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Post by Deleted on Oct 15, 2012 23:35:46 GMT -8
"No one."
He said simply.
"These are strange times. I don't need him becoming a target because people want to manipulate us. Officially, it would go to Unfettered or you."
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 16, 2012 0:01:38 GMT -8
"No one."
Genki. <Good.>
"These are strange times. I don't need him becoming a target because people want to manipulate us. Officially, it would go to Unfettered or you."
Delilah nodded, turning back towards the setting sun. It was halfway over the horizon now, burning red and low against the ocean.
"Better that it's 'Unfettered'," she said with a sigh, switching back to English for a moment. "He's already a Zero: he'll be out of the line of fire more so than I am. If something happened to me or Stu...well, he's already Oliver's Godfather.
"But I want you to take part in raising him," she would lift her eyes up to Kiyoshi's, her gaze firm. "Kare ga anata no kōkei-shanara, sonogo no rei kara manabanakereba naranai. Son'nani okonau koto ga dekimasu."
<If he is to be your successor, he must learn from your example. I can only do so much.>
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Post by Deleted on Oct 16, 2012 0:22:08 GMT -8
On the first point, Kiyoshi agreed as it made sense so long as the German was hear to lead. If not it would have to fall on her, hopefully not for some time though. He could make sure he lasted long enough to ensure that Oliver would be closer to ruling age.
"I can do that."
On the second point, there was no disagreement.
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Post by Delilah A. Black on Oct 16, 2012 0:39:47 GMT -8
"Genki desu. Watakushi wa kono ba ni irareru koto wo kouei ni omoimasu."
<That's good. I am honored to be here.>
An odd statement to finish with, but that had purpose too. If she weren't what would have become of her and Oliver? While she was at it, what would have happened to her little team of misfits? A couple of them probably would have been killed for insubordination or a serious crime, others would probably have just died because they had no will to commit to what they were doing.
"What's the plan now?" she didn't just mean for Oliver, but for the Crows and the world in general.
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