Not dead yet!

[transgraham]

 [1]
[Graham is completely unconscious, at this point he is currently recuperating . But visitors are welcome by his bedside]



[2]
[By some miracle Graham is awake! This fact is quite surprising considering the injuries he sustained (even the medic said "any normal man would have been dead or at least seriously injured to the point of permanent damage, is this guy made of steel or what?") he is sitting up in bed reading a novel while Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon plays softly in the background. But I bet he would love some visitors!]

Comments

[sunshine_maiden]

[She gives him a pointed glance.] You don't look fine. Take it easy.

Gundam Thrones? I know of the Gundams Celestial Being uses that run on pixie dust, and the more standard Gundams like Kamille flies... Thrones, though, I'm not sure I've heard of.

[transgraham]

"You don't need to worry about me, but i'm glad you're here all the same. I've been injured before, possibly worse and survived."

[Graham realizes he doesn't know so much about the thrones himself]

"Well to be honest I didn't learn much about them until recently but even then there is still much about them that's unknown. All i know is that they were fake Gundam pilots who used imitation GN drives and posing as allies of celestial being. And that's about all I know"

[He still looks frustrated]

"I hate to get involved with stuff that frankly, isn't my business but, you and Hana, you could have gotten killed yourself. Why did you let yourselves get caught up in a fight like that? You guys seem like really good friends."

[sunshine_maiden]

Well, that's a good omen, then. Just... no more heroics. There's a reason I'm a shield maiden. Let me do my job.

[At the discussion on the Thrones, she sighs.] Fake GN drives... well, that doesn't sound good. Guess we'd better be on the lookout.

[And she frowns at talk of her and Hana's spat.] We got into a fight because we didn't want each other to get hurt. I meant what I said to her - I'm not going to let her get hurt. Not again. That's why I fight: to keep my important people safe.

[transgraham]

"Hah, heroics are my job and from what I saw a good pat of yours. How about we just make sure that our heroics are better in sync next time then we'll be a force to be reckoned with."

[He's suddenly serious]

"You can't protect a soldier like Hana by stopping her from fighting. you will only make it more dangerous for her. Often protecting somebody is about letting them fight and watching their back as much as keeping them out of harms way. I learned that the hard way. A true ace works with his or her squadron so well you cant tell where one soldier's actions begin and another ends."

[sunshine_maiden]

Hana's not a soldier, truly. I don't think she ever will be, and when we tried to change that a while back, she fought us every step of the way. But... I see what you're saying. I see it, but I can't do it. When someone important to me is fighting, everything in me burns to be out there, helping, protecting them. If I could wrap her up in shields and have her be safe for the rest of her life, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[She shakes her head, a hand reaching into a pocket to grasp something.] But I can't. So I'll do what I can to keep her safe. If that means taking on the world, I will. If that just means being by her side when things are rough, I'll do that too. And if that means helping her win her fights the hard way... [Her hand tightens around the thing in her pocket as she pulls it out; it's her Soul Perfume.] ...then I will be the partner she needs me to be.

[transgraham]

[Graham nods knowingly]

"It's that feeling burning you up inside, that knows what will happen if you let up, if you give in for just one second you could lose the ones who are closest to you. Like an inferno in your very soul. I know that feeling very well... It was the one that hurt the worst that day, when I... I, lost them.

[He looks like somebody walked over his grave]

"Do what you must then. Protect her with all your heart. But don't get yourself killed. [he gives you a roguish grin] That's my job..."

[sunshine_maiden]

[The redhead glances at Graham, more than a little worried.] Guess you're not the carefree guy I took you for at first. Sorry if I... brought up something you didn't want to think about.

[A fire burns in her eyes after the moment passes.] And believe me. I will do whatever it takes. I'm not going to die. I've got too much to live for.

[transgraham]

[He looks pained for a moment and then, it passes]

"I, its a long story... I lost, my whole squadron when we were fighting the Gundams. I... couldn't save them...Thats why I know why you fight the way you do. To protect those who mean the most..."

[At seeing the passion in her eyes and hearing Sora's words he seems filled with fire himself.]

"That's the spirit! Death is but another obstacle, and when you face the reaper you look him in the eye and say "This isn't the end and I wont let you win, not today."

[sunshine_maiden]

[Sora seems to remember something at that, her face blanking for a moment before setting in a serene expression.]

Death's already come calling for me. I told him to take a hike and force-fed him some lightning... incidentally, Hana helped. We've got a love-hate relationship.

[She sighs at Graham's recollection.] Gundam, huh... I can only say that I hope I never have to live through something like that. I don't know what I'd do. [Well, she does, but she's not going to tell him that.]

[transgraham]

[Graham gives her a strange look as if seeing her again for the first time

and he's not fooled by the expression on her face, he smiles darkly.]

"You've got some demons of your own, don't you?"

[sunshine_maiden]

Let's just say that you missed a very dramatic breakdown. I haven't been quite the same since, but I'm getting better. Slowly. Having my girlfriend nearby to reassure me she's not dead helps immensely.

[transgraham]

[Graham digests this information for a moment]

"I understand, I went through something very similar myself...You never really get over it, just learn to bury it until, its just a dull burn, like a flicker in the bottom of your chest."

(I wonder...what it would have been...)

"It must be nice to have somebody to depend on in that situation... Even if they have just as much trouble as you... Heh in fact, that might be better."