Private Cry Me A River

[River Kryze]

Location: Concord Dawn, Primary Medical Bay

It wasn't her first time doing something like this, but deep down River hoped it would be the last. Sitting in the hospital room of the one Aloy Vizsla, she felt a whirlwind of emotions as she stared at the comatose woman before her. Perhaps it was just her motherly instinct, but staring at where the woman's right leg had once been was...unnerving to say the least. She had been there of course when it happened, had whisked the girl off to safety when things went south, but since it occurred she found herself unable to part from the woman's side. Perhaps it was mother instinct, worst thing that could happen was the wounded woman waking up alone, finding her leg gone, and not a soul around to confine in. Despite being tired, sore, and frankly sick of wearing the stupid bucket on her head, River remained awake, waiting for either one of Aloy's loved ones to make an entrance, or for the Mandalorian to wake up. At this point, River would be willing to take either or.

The doctors had unintentionally given the Kryze member something to do though, dropping off a cybernetic leg for Aloy to accustom herself to, though River had taken it as an opportunity to tinker to her hearts content. Unable to resist any longer, she finally removed her helmet, setting it on the counter as she focused her attention else where. River began to examine the inter workings of the prosthetic she had been supplies with, trying to see if it would come with any special gadgets that Mandalorians seemed so fond of. To her dissatisfaction, that didn't seem to be the case. Normally, she wouldn't risk removing her helmet, but given Aloy was supposedly still knocked out from her emergency surgery, and the door here had a delayed opening mechanism, River felt the risk was worth the few minutes of relief she could achieve.

She only hoped young Aloy awoke soon, then she could finally take this fething armor off and shower. A hot shower would be like a godsend right now, not to mention sleeping in an actual bed. There were so many small things that came with being a Mandalorian that River never thought of before hand; mostly missing out on the small luxuries in life. She was getting used to the lack of such things of course, but she longed to cast aside the act she had going on. Omar was dead after all, and though she used his name as defense from prying eyes, it was really just a mask she put up to keep lying to herself; that maybe, just maybe, he wasn't dead after all. It was a vain lie of course, one that was based on optimistic nonsense, but in River's eyes it was the only way to keep his memory alive.

A drop of moisture splashed against her arm, causing her to pause her inspection, as she investigated the source. It didn't take long to deduce that she had been crying, and it was very clear to her that she was losing control of her emotions. Placing both hands over her face, she let the pain drain out. The fatigue, the stress, the angry was allowed to spill forth. Drops of oil from her prying into the prosthetic smeared across her face, but she didn't care; grime like that was like make up for a gear head like herself. She was never meant to be a warrior, and being exposed to it all, as well as impersonating her loved one for all this time, it was starting to get at her. And she didn't change something soon, River feared it would only be a matter of time before it broke her.

Why couldn't life ever be simple?

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Spoiler: Frozen Nightmares

Tag: River Kryze

Sight. Sound. Touch. These were the three sensations Aloy remembered right now. The cold feel of ice coursing through her lower body, Like a sudden burning sensation in the nerves followed the quick freeze and the slow numbing she lost all feeling, A relief from the previous pain, Albeit a startling one. Next came the sound. That god awful sound. The blaster fire, The explosions, Everything slowed and then fell silent as Aloy found herself floating through the air, An empty black void that propelled her upwards but stood still around her in silence, Save for one building sound: The shattering of glass.

Or Ice...

Then came the visuals. Shard after shard, Little blue pieces of ice and frost flaked, chipped and cracked as they fell from beneath her in slow motion.

And then it hit her.

Her gaze lifts slowly with each new shard, Getting closer and closer to the source; Herself. Her entire leg was freezing over and shattering in front of her, Her sky blue eyes beheld each and every little shard as her limb was powderized, Right up until the frost faded into living flesh.

∗Beep∗

∗beep∗

∗beep∗ ∗beep∗

∗beep∗ ∗beep∗


∗Gasp∗


She gasps for breath as her eyes open and her ears adjust to the high pitched and frantic beeps produced by the heart rate monitor beside her.

Looking from side to side frantically, Her pale blue gaze is met by the durasteel interior of what appears to be a medical bay, And the familiar leather jacket of "Omar" Kryze, Who seemed to have their back turned to her at the moment, Working on some sort of metallic device.

"Wh- Where am I?" ∗cough∗ "Did we win? Is Truz alright?" ∗Wince∗ By Manda, what is this headache, And why is my leg so numb? She sits up with a pained grunt, Her hand slowly sliding down her thigh towards her right leg, Which felt so numb right now, It was as if it wasn't there in the first place...

 

[River Kryze]

The sound of the machines beeping had flipped River's mind, after the several hours in the room she had just gotten used to the constant droning. So as she was a sobbing mess, the sudden spike in the beeping was enough to snap her out of her sad state. Hearing Aloy begin to speak, the woman gasping with half breaths, clearly no longer unconscious for as long as the doctors had speculated her to be. River nearly shot out of her chair, dropping her attention on the leg, as she redirected it towards Aloy; only to freeze up. This would have been something worth celebrating normally, but there was one slight problem. River still didn't have her helmet on. Panicked, her face still stricken with tears and oil marks, River swiped her helmet from the desk, slotting it over her head in a rather rushed fashion. Her hand went for the voice modulator, feeling it click, though her helmet's seal wasn't perfect. In fact, she soon realized it wasn't even on straight, just a half inch crooked. She had a choice, then and there, either stop and try to put the helmet on the right way, or just go with it and hope no one noticed. She chose the later of course.

Moving to the bedside, River composed herself, knowing that the young woman was about to be given a harsh lesson in life. "You're on Concord Dawn Aloy, the mission well...it succeeded. Everyone is fine. You took a bad hit though." She started, her hand gently clasping the shoulder of the young warrior, seeing her hands already reaching for the missing limb. "Your leg was damaged during the attack. There was hardly anything left when-" River felt the words become stuck in her throat, a stinging sensation clawing at her eyes. How do you tell someone they just got their leg shattered like a piece of glass? How do you tell a young girl that she'll always be missing a part of herself? Every fiber of her being wanted to throw the stupid helmet off and hug the girl, but that wouldn't help anything. Swallowing, her voice began to waver, but she found the strength to finish. "You lost your leg Aloy. They've already issued a replacement for it, it's sitting over there." The imposter's mind pulled away from the emotional attachment, settling instead on the facts of what went down. Aloy lost her leg, but she had a new one. Nothing to get upset about now. It was just a bit of morphine for the pain she could see in the woman. The same pain that River knew all to well; the numbness of loss. Getting down to her knees, River knelt by the bedside, hand still tight on Aloy's shoulder; assuming the woman didn't push her away by now. "I'm so sorry." She added, her voice wavering, as she was expecting the worst to come out of this ordeal. There wasn't a good way to lose a limb. Especially not so young.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: River Kryze ​

"Hah..." She laughs quietly in surprise, Raising a brow at "Omar" "So It's not just numb, It's-" Looking down at her thigh, Her leg is indeed missing, Replaced with a stub connected to a metallic socket for cybernetics "...Gone."

"Hah... haha. Haha! HAHAHA!" Her surprised laughing slowly escalates into a sort of cackle before slowly dying again as she raises her hands to her face "hahahaha... hahh..."

Slowly, She recovers her breath while burying her face in her hands, The laughter sounding less genuine and more forced, More concerned until at last she'd fallen silent for a time.

. . .

. . .

. . .

"Fuck!"

After everything she had been through. Ten years of bounty hunting and working with the lowest scum in the galaxy, Even the sith! She'd remained without a single scar on her body for a decade. And a lucky soldier with a CryoBan launcher takes her kriffing leg off!
Still covering her face in one hand, She reaches down and grabs ahold of her thigh, Massaging what was left of the organic leg before reaching down to touch the metallic socket, Her fingers visibly recoiling at first before finally tracing the cold metal rim.

Uncovering her face, She gives the metal socket a short look over before glancing up at river, The fact that she had cried a tear or two before easily visible no thanks to the moisture buildup on her face.

"R-remember what I said in the forest? About telling Darsch? I think... I think I mighta cursed myself, Huh...?"

After reaching out and touching the hand on her shoulder for a moment, She leans back into the pillow behind her, Staring up at the ceiling with a look of uncertainty about her. She needed to get her mind off a lot and do it fast. So, Best change the subject to something less concerning, Though what she'd seen when she woke up was certainly interesting...

"Anyway... You can take the helmet off. I dunno what you're tryna pull, But it should be obvious by now that Mandalorians don't give two chit's whether you're a man or a woman. As long as you can fight and follow the creed, They'll take just about anybody."

 

[River Kryze]

That...wasn't the reaction she had expected. At first, she was a bit concerned that Aloy was suffering from a mental break down, but it soon became apparent she was just venting in another way. Mandalorians were a tough sort, certainly so, as River was fairly certain that if she was in Aloy's position she certainly wouldn't be laughing about losing a limb. Unsure of how to proceed, River only stood there, nodding as she listened to what the had to say. It did seem like a stroke of bad luck, but that was how life was at times. It played cruel jokes on you, and sometimes, you just had to laugh along. Even if it was down right soul crushing. "Hey, you didn't know. Darsch might be into it, you never know." She said, trying to add a bit of humor in the hopes that it might make her feel a little better.

Aloy would get used to it in time. She was strong like that, after all, the girl had no doubt gone through alot of suffering to wear the armor. The armor that River was feeling less and less sure of wearing. As Aloy sunk back into the bed, River looked over the woman, trying to find words that she just couldn't muster. She was never good at the whole pep talk thing; which for a mom one would think she'd have figured it out by now. Lucky for her, Aloy sprung a surprise on her, as it seemed her rouse was finally caught onto. Pulling her hand back, River's hands gripped the side of her helmet and slowly pulled it away, revealing the mess underneath the beskar helm. "That's the thing. I don't know the creed. My husband never shared that with me." She began, tucking the helm under her arm. "Omar was my husband, I'm just what's left of our family. I'm not a Mandalorian." She spoke quietly, rising from the floor as her eyes began to wander. She wasn't sure where to go from here, but she was fairly certain it wouldn't be good. "I've...just been trying to live with myself since the Sith leveled Mandalore. This was all I had left." Seeing as how she had made it all about herself, River went towards the desk containing Aloy's new leg atop it. "I...don't know how Mandalorians treat people like me. I knew you had women in the ranks, but I'm a civilian. I'm no warrior like you, just a mechanic." Reaching the desk, River set her helm onto the desk, a sigh being drawn from her lips as she sat herself in the chair. "If you're half as tough as I think you are, this won't slow you down. It's just...growing pains." She muttered, her hands reaching for the clasps on her armor, snapping off the releases as there seemed to be little point in keeping the act going.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: River Kryze ​

"Pff! Darsch is into anything haha!" She shakes her head with a tired smile.

River's reaction after that wasn't quite as expected however. She watched the woman pull her helm off, And listened carefully while she explained her situation to Aloy. The woman had lost her husband, A Mandalorian, Though she had come from different beginnings. A "Civilian" she called herself, a mechanic. Obviously not a bounty hunter like Aloy, Or even a smuggler. She was so... Innocent, Compared to Aloy at least. Suddenly her performance on Endor made sense, Though her kill signet was well earned. The woman may be "Just a mechanic" but she'd killed a kriffing jedi all the same.

The Kryze turns towards a table across from them after this, Saying something about "Growing pains" and such. Well, It definitely hurt a little. The sight of River about to remove her armour though, Aloy wasn't sure what that made her feel, But it certainly made her feel something.

"Hey! Hey! Don't..." She sits upright again, Scooting herself back so she can see over the medical pod "You leave that armour on, And you listen to me for a minute..."

∗Sigh∗ "You say you aren't a Mandalorian. Well, Neither am I..." Saying that, It caused her face to scrunch up as she winced at her own words. "Or I didn't use to be anyway. There was a time when I would have been considered a traitor to Mandalore. But back then, The people that branded me as such had betrayed their own. Harder to say now" The red coronation... So much pain and suffering wrought by both sides that day...

"You say that you're just a mechanic but... I saw you fight. You've got a lot to learn but you got spirit. You killed a kriffing sorcerer..."

"So whether you had your armour forged or inherited it, You're already walking the path, Even if you don't realize it. If you need a refresher on the creed? Hell, I'll teach you even. You've taken spears for me... Pulled me out of that imperial mess with one-"

She looks down at her missing leg... She'd never really get used to that, Would she?

"I guess I'm tryna say thank you... And that you could be one of us. You care for you Vod and you can defend them. Those are the first two steps. If this is what you want, You could take the other four."

 

[River Kryze]

Truthfully, River was surprised by Aloy's response, as she stopped herself from removing the armor, her eyes locking onto the young woman across the room. The woman thought it wise to take a boss approach with River, and it was an approach that caught the Corellian woman's attention. Raising an eyebrow towards Aloy, the fatigue as eating away at her, but she was willing to hear the girl out; Aloy had her respect if nothing else. The girl shared her side of the story, and though vague, the struggles she hinted at seemed to be buried in history between the clans; and not a pretty history at that.

Hearing someone praise her for her fighting skills, caused a slight blush to emerge under all that oil and grime, lifting the woman's spirits just a tad in the process. It was nice to know she wasn't some sinner, or going to face a form of punishment for what she had done. For a moment, River had to ponder if her little act had just been a rather stupid ploy on her part; after all, did it really matter why she was wearing the armor? Aloy was right, she did care about the others, and she had gone under the gun for the whole several times; and she didn't intend to start now. River's head drooped, listening to what Aloy had to say, the offering given to teach the woman how to be a Mandalorian. She hadn't expected to be thanked, nor offered a path forward, and yet here it was within her reach.

What else did she have to lose?

Looking up to the fiery haired woman, River took her chair, and drug it towards the woman's bedside. "Well, before we settle that, there's something else about me you should know." Setting down right next to her comrade, a sad smile stretched across the woman's face, breaking the thin line of grime that was starting to cling to her skin. "I used to be a mother you know. It's...sort of my thing to watch out for people, young people, and watching you get hurt sorta...triggered that in me. So, if I start getting all motherly in the middle of a fight, you've been warned." It was true, the fear she had in that moment vanished, and in it's place, she found herself in the middle of combat trying to keep the Vizsla alive. "But, I would be honored to have you as a mentor, Aloy of Clan Vizsla." Giving a short bow to the woman, River let a small chuckle spill forth as a question came to mind. "It...is Clan Vizsla, right? I never quite got the handle of when you called it a House or a Clan." She confessed, certain that Aloy would give her a history lesson about the topic regardless.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: River Kryze ​

"I uhm... Same. I mean you saw me with the Ewok kid..." What was she to do with that kid? "I always told Darsch that I'd make a poor mother... I uhm. I didn't really have a good example growing up. I always said I'd avoid it for mine and the child's sake. But... I dunno, I've always had a soft spot for children that... For children like me."

∗Agh∗


She slumps back into the pillow behind her, Rubbing her temples. This was... Hard. Hell, She couldn't even imagine how she'd explain to Darsch. Her leg, The child. And then there was... Omar, Was it?

"Anyway... Never did catch your name. But I'll explain mine first, Since you asked. It's Aloy of Clan Vizsla. I'm a member of the family itself, Not just a clan loyal to the Vizslas. Your husband would have been Omar of House Vizsla, Assuming he too is a Kryze. Clans Kryze and Wren have been loyal to House Vizsla for almost a thousand years now, Maybe more. Others have come and gone too. The Fett's were once part of Ronan's House Vizsla. I assume Clan Naudir will be joining Our House soon. They've been loyal to Darsch Vizsla, Alor of Clan and House Vizsla ever since the fall of Mandalore and Krieg. So, Funny enough, I think that makes you a member of my House?" She cocks her head to one side with questioning smile.

 

[River Kryze]

The smile on River's face dropped at the mention of the child. Yea, she knew the Ewok. She had murdered his father after all. She didn't even make it quick, just burned him to ashes right on the spot. Looking to her armored gauntlet, River lightly shook her head at the memory. "I'm guessing you and your mom didn't have the best relationship?" Yea, River could relate to that. Frankly, she didn't even know what her mom's name was anymore. Had been too long since she cared to remember. "Well, compared to some people I've met in this band, you're sweet, compassionate, and understanding. Those are pretty good mother characteristics if you ask me." River commented, pull her gaze from the floor and directing it at Aloy. Despite being an adult, she was very much a child in many ways; at least she was aware of it.

She wasn't sure what else to say though, as Aloy was clearly frustrated about her leg situation. River didn't have any comforting words for that. To her surprise though, Aloy asked what her name was, something the Kryze hadn't expected. Listening to the explination of clans and houses, it only helped the woman a tiny bit. "It's River. That's my name. And....you would know better than me. Though if that means I'm sort of house servant then the deal is off. I'm not a fething maid." River honestly wasn't sure what it meant to be part of a house, but from her understanding of politics it wasn't exactly pleasant.


Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Tag: River Kryze ​

"My mother..." She slowly drifts back, Looking off to the side and losing track of reality as visions of the past cloud her sight.

"No... No she was never there. It wasn't her fault that things turned out the way they did but... She certainly didn't help either."

∗ Sigh∗


"Anyway, We're Mandalorians, Not some hotshot Imperialists. You wouldn't be a servant. Think of it like Kreslin's Union. When a house is formed, All the clans within that house pledge allegiance to the leading clan. Vizsla in this case. They support each other, Usually in battle, And sometimes intermerry. It's a Union, A Family."

Family... A word that seemed so foreign to her until recently. Darsch was her family now. And if she met anyone from her house, She'd call them family too.

"If they bleed, I will call them sister, Or brother..." She mutters before glancing up at River.

"River you said? It's a good name. River Kryze has a nice ring to it. You were married to a Kryze, So by your customs I believe you'd keep the name. By ours, You'll want to start learning and practicing the Resol'nare soon. Otherwise, I don't think anyone would mind."

 

[River Kryze]

It seemed that they had a little bit in common, though seemed Aloy's mother had less of an excuse than River's mother. It was unfortunate to hear that things such as that were seemingly so common. Feeling a ping of sympathy for the girl, River gave a small hint at her own mother's failings. "Well, if it helps at all, my mother wasn't much use either. She got busted for illegal swoop racing, got drunk and killed a noble man's son in a wreck. High-tailed it off world that evening, haven't seen her since. Not sure how my father made it truthfully." She remarked, before listening to what the fiery woman had to say about the houses.

To River's relief, she learned fairly quickly she wouldn't be anyone's maid. So, Clans and Houses were like an extended family support network? Of course, leave it to her husband to forget to mention that to her. Hearing that she'd be allowed to keep the name, a small chuckle came from her lips, as she forced herself up out of the chair, moving to collect the helmet on the desk, and returning to sit before Aloy. "This armor was my husbands. I wasn't sure how it went with the Mandalorian customs, but...without our children I assumed I had some claim to it. Once the bombing stopped, I-" River stopped, her eyes falling to the helmet she was holding in her hands, images of the blasted and scorched piece of metal playing in the back of her head. Knowing she needed to find another topic, she redirected her attention, focusing on what she was trying to do with the armor to begin with. "I figured I had to fight, given everything was already gone. Again, I'm sorry for the deception. I...just didn't know if this would be taken from me as well." She muttered, her hands gripping the helmet tightly, her eyes stinging as the suppressed emotions were slowly being forced up from the surface.

River's eyes lifted, falling on Aloy, then drifting down to stump where her leg had once been. Poor girl hadn't had time to even grieve, was probably still holding it in to show how tough she was. Looking down to the helmet, a soft smile came across the Corellian's face, as she handed the helmet to Aloy. "Do...you want to inspect it? I had to rebuild it by hand, I'd like to have your approval." It was the truth, she had to repair the armor once the initial bombing had occurred, but her reason for offering up the helm was more to give the woman time for herself. "Take as long as you need. I want you to be through." She hinted, hoping the girl would take the hint, and the out, that she was offering. It was the least she could do after all. The girl had been through so much already.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Primary medical bay, Concord Dawn
Tag: River Kryze


"I'm sorry, River. It sounds like you've seen some chit. Mandalorians, War and tragedy is... It follows us like our own shadows. It's as much a part of us as our armour."
She wouldn't trade her armour for the world. But that didn't mean she hadn't questioned it once or twice.

Speaking of armour... She carefully takes the helmet, Turning it over to look into the visor while River spoke, Explaining that she had to rebuild it.

"Take as long as you need. I want you to be through". Did river mean what she thinks?...

"Thanks. And uhm. Don't worry, We all do things to protect memories... Most wouldn't like a non mandalorian walking around in this, But... You were married to the man that wore it. You've more claim than anyone else." She says with respectful nod.

Carefully, She slides the golden helm over her head, Taking a deep breath as she adjusts to the dark interior before the helm powers on.

"Mm. Not bad, Not bad. If I had to guess, You've worked with metal before. My old helmet was a little rough around the edges in comparison to be honest." She chuckles nervously.

There was something else though. Aloy had gone her entire life hiding her emotions behind a visor. When she was a child, She'd make faces at people beneath her helm during political meetings and worse. When she was a teen, She would glare angrily her fellow bounty hunters. A few years back, She kept her helmet on while playing cards, The ultimate poker face.

She wasn't used to hiding them in plain sight.

With the helmet back on, The mask broke...

∗ Sniff∗

<"Needs to be aired out a little hah..."> A blatant lie.

Glancing down through the visor, She stares at what little remains of her leg, Instantly tearig up as she closes her eyes suddenly, Leaning back and reaching for a nob to mute the vocal modulator.

<"Just gonna look into the electric suites for a minute, See what kind of optics you're running">

There we go. Now on mute, She was free to let it all out, Eyes closed and locked in her own little world behind the beskar.

 

[River Kryze]

The smile remained as Aloy spoke, finding it nice to know that her plight was understood. Though it paled in comparison to what the young girl had more than likely gone through. Hearing that her metal working wasn't too bad made her feel a bit cheery, after all, she had been doing this work for years. "Well, that's a relief. I guess it fooled everyone, given no one said anything about it." She remarked, leaning back in the chair, only stopping when it began to strain under the weight. "I'm not a violent person, but if someone tried to take this from me..." She started, her face twitching before she finished the sentence. "It wouldn't end well. It's all I have left of them." She chuckled, but not out of humor, out of grime reality. All she had left was some stuffed animals, a suit, and a piece of slag. Not exactly the ideal way to remember ones family.

Shrugging as Aloy mentioned needing to air it out, she could hear the sniffles of the girl within, and it nearly broke River's heart to hear. Seeing her switch the dial off for the voice modulator, River's hand tensed as she thought to reach for the girl and comfort her, but decided against it. Her gaze fell to the ground, her hands coming together as she tried in vain to resist her motherly instincts. It was a lonely feeling being locked up in that suit at all times, and given the situation she believed Aloy felt that very much right now. "Just...know you're not alone Aloy." She mutter, her hand reaching out and grabbing the girl's left leg, squeezing her knee before she recoiled at having broken a taboo. "Sorry...."

This culture just seemed to damn difficult to express herself, and being a mother, it was physically painful at times.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Concord Dawn, Primary medical facility
Tag: River Kryze

Aloy couldn't help help burst at River's worse... "You're not alone". Only one person had said that to her in her entire life. Ten years a wandering Bounty Hunter, Ten long years a lone wolf traveling from rock to rock for the next bounty puck. Even Darsch Vizsla, Her lover and Alor, Had never said those words to her. No, Tan'yill. Tan'yill was the only person to have ever spoken those words to Aloy. And like Darsch had done to her, She had left her Twi'lek companion without so much as a word. She'd taken off in her ship to track down Darsch when she'd heard of the Vizsla's survival, Three years in comatose... They'd fought a war together and without even thinking of what she and Tan'yill had, She told Darsch that she loved her, And became the first member of the reformed House Vizsla.

What if she deserved this? A leg could be replaced. But the Twi'lek's heart? Nothing could repair that kind of damage.

As comforting as River's word were, She didn't feel that she deserved them.

Still, She observed River's sudden recoil after Aloy had received her motherly touch, To which she responded by reach out and placing her hand on River's shoulder. Bowing her head in silence as she looked into the women's eyes through the cold black visor, Her only indication that the Kryze had done no harm.

It wasn't cultural, It was simply that Aloy had rarely been touched in her life. Not by a warm hand anyway, But often cold steel.

Turning slightly, She looks ahead, Pointing to the clawed prosthetic limb on the table before turning back to River. It was time she took the first step into her new life...

​

​

 

[River Kryze]

She had expected some sort of ramification for her actions, and yet it didn't unfold like she had expected it to. To River's surprise, Aloy set her hand on the Corellian, as if to say it was okay. Reaching up, River set her hand atop the fiery young woman's, squeezing the hand as a sign to show she wouldn't go through this alone. A hug was out of the question, but this simple gesture would do some good she believed. "My lips are seal, don't worry." She stated, hoping it would be just a secret between the two of them. Locking eyes with her own helmet was....interesting to say the least. She felt a genuine connection begin to take hold, one that River actually felt might go somewhere.

Seeing the woman's free hand gesture towards the limb, River gave the cybernetic a quick glance, before returning a nod. Rising from the chair, River collected the limb, returning it to the bed side, she held the cybernetic out to the woman, waiting for the leg in question to be offered to her. It was then that the thought occurred to her. "Do....you want me to attach it, or do you want to do the honors?" She inquired, knowing full well how important this would be for the young woman. Either way, River would be there to make sure the process would go off seamlessly; it was the least she could do for the poor woman after all.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Concord Dawn, Primary medical facility
Tag: River Kryze

She turns the vocal modulator's volume up a little, Taking a deep breath as she turns to River <"I'll take it. I uhm. I may need help walking though..."> The last time she'd needed help walking was that job on corellia... When that brigand had activated his plasma shield and nearly severed her foot, Even back then. Darsch saved her, Dragging her out of that mess with her own bear hands. She'd still have that burn scar too, If her leg hadn't been severed...

Taking the prosthetic, She carefully holds the limb to the socket in her thigh, Already feeling the slight magnetic tug on the cybernetics. With a slight twisting motion, She inserts it into the socket, Her hands recoiling suddenly as a durasteel suddenly closes around the socket and though the metallic joints, Locking the limb into place.

Instinctively, The toe-like talons begin flexing and moving on their own for a moment before Aloy realizes that she's the one controlling them, And clenches them in a fist-like grip on the bed sheets for a moment before relaxing them.

<"I-I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that...">

​

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[River Kryze]

Aloy wanted to do this on her own, the River would let her. Surrendering the limb, the Corellian stepped back, watching as the woman applied the prosthetic. "Well, I'll be here to help. So don't fret, what happens here won't get back to anyone. You have my word." She knew it wouldn't be easy for the woman to accept help, but River knew it was important that this wasn't done alone. The girl had suffered enough as was, and this was just the start to her road for healing. It made the older woman think though, about what she might do if she ever lost a limb, would she be able to bounce back from such a loss? Perhaps it was time to start planning, just in case the unexpected happened.

As the joint was snapped into place, River tried to give a comforting smile, but it was easy to tell by the body language of the girl that she wasn't doing well with this change. She began by trying to grab the sheets with her feet, a simple feat, but one that she was at least capable of pulling off. Hearing the sour tone of her voice, River put a hand on her shoulder, knowing exactly how the girl was feeling in this moment. "This will take time, it's going to be the new normal. It may not be easy, but you won't be doing this alone." Unable to stop herself, she caved, wrapping both arms around the girl in an embrace, the tears she had been holding back on were now unleashed. "You're still a warrior, and you're still someone to be respected. Don't think anything less than that just because of an injury...." She wished she could tell herself the same thing, but in truth River was none of these things. Not yet. Aloy was someone she looked to with respect, someone she wished to study under, learn from. The young woman was three times the warrior River could ever hope to be, and to see her spirit be tarnished was an affront she wouldn't tolerate. Now a sobbing mess, unless Aloy pushed the woman away, River would eventually compose herself after a good twenty seconds of crying. Pulling back, she would swipe at her eyes, blinking out the tears that were unable to be pushed back. "I'm sorry, just....motherly instincts get the best of me."

She was going to have to work on reigning those instincts back in.
Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Concord Dawn, Primary medical facility
Tag: River Kryze

The clawed foot eventually releases the sheet, Causing Aloy to sigh in relief as she reigned the damned thing in. That was when River put a hand on the you mandalorian's shoulder, And she turned slowly to listen to what the Kryze had to say.

" This will take time, it's going to be the new normal. It may not be east, but you won't be doing this alone."

There it was again. You're not alone...

Suddenly she finds herself wrapped in the motherly embrace of the corellian, Who was now sobbing which did nothing to prevent her own tears, Which came rushing down from the inside of the helmet, Sliding gently on the underside of her jaw and then down her neck.

" You're still a warrior, and you're still someone to be respect. Don't think anything less than that just because of an injury..."

That was... Either not what she needed to hear or exactly what she needed to hear, But she couldn't decide.
Hugging her a little tighter than before, She closes her eyes and just sits there in silence, Taking this brief respite while it lasted. Eventually, The Kryze pulls back.

" I'm sorry, just....motherly instincts get the best of me "

<"Don't be... I don't know how others of my kind would react, But... For some reason, I'm not the one to turn you down.">
Funny, She'd turned Shai away while they shared an emotional moment to themselves. But this felt different. Maybe it was because she'd never had a motherly figure in her life till now, Or maybe she shared River's pain.

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[River Kryze]

It was...nice to have that physical contact again. She had forgotten how much she missed it. It had been so difficult to lock herself away behind the helmet and put on the act of being a warrior. How nice it was just to just...be loving again. She missed being a mother truthfully, and frankly, she desired to get some level of that back. Feeling Aloy hug her back, it felt rather good to get that degree of acceptance, it just made everything feel....bearable. As she looked back to Aloy, she smiled, brushing back her own tears, as it seemed the pair had a mutual understanding. "Well, if you ever need one of those again, I'm always in demand." She chuckled, moving towards the woman and placing a hand on Aloy's upper back. "Do you want to try standing up now? Not trying to push or anything, we can just...talk if you want." She suggested, her hand gently rubbing the woman's back in a comforting manner, knowing that Aloy was probably just as emotionally shaken right now as herself; probably even more so with everything going on.

Catching the tear drops flowing down her neck, River reached for a small napkin, wiping away the tears with only a small remark. "Guess it's a little stuffy in there. I'm still messing with the air flow, it's a work in progress really." If the girl was so adamant that no one could see her cry, River saw no reason to complicate things by calling attention to it.

The Corellian kept a mental note to herself not to be too nurturing though, Mandalorians were prideful, and if Aloy thought the kindness was moving to pity this nice little moment could go south rather fast.

Aloy Vizsla

 

[Aloy Vizsla]

Location: Concord Dawn, Primary Medical Facility
Tag: River Kryze |

A mother's touch. Such a simple concept, And yet so alien to the ex-bounty hunter. As much as she hated to admit it to herself, She had no memory of anything like this between herself and her own mother.

<"Always in demand huh?"> She half chuckles in between sniffles <"I'll keep that in mind. I uhm, I should try and stand though. This is the first step of my new life, Best get started.">

She slides the sheet off herself and turns, Dangling her legs off the side of the hospital bed and staring at the cybernetic limb for a time. After flexing her cybernetic talons, She finally plants her one organic foot against the durasteel floor, Followed by her clawed cybernetic, Which clicks and clacks against the floor in a series of sickening metallic taps.

<"That's new... But, So far so Gooood-"> Her cybernetic foot slips while taking a step forward, Causing Aloy to fall forward with an awful ∗thunk∗ as she lands face first, Planting her visor right into the floor.

. . .

<"oww...">

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