We Have Some Catching Up To Do [Siobhan]

[Fabula Caromed]

Being touched by others, especially strangers, was still one of those things that Fabs hadn't reacquainted herself with. She had flinched the first time she had felt Lynn's fingers on her skin, now she flinched when Siobhan touched her hand...the only time that she found herself in physical contact with another without worrying about being stabbed was with Fable. The irony struck her that that was one of the most unstable creatures in the galaxy and she had no business being so relaxed around her...

She apparently needed to explain further, because that wasn't exactly what had happened. "Eight years ago, Petra revived this body. She needed a soldier, because she was planning on reviving her little empire. It didn't pan out, and she vanished. I was given all of the information I needed to be an Opitvus Res - an enforcer - and nothing else." A humorless smile found its way to her lips. "It was actually a pretty good plan. She knew I'd gravitate towards violence. She could leave me on my own and I'd forge myself into a weapon of my own accord." Which she had done. Sort of. She'd also managed to disarm herself by leashing her Rage instead of embracing it, and chances were Petra wouldn't enjoy that terribly much.

Taking a deep breath, Fabula's brow furrowed. This was where it would get a little tricky to explain. "When she brought me back, I think part of me slipped away to fill this empty vessel. Just a fragment, a piece of the whole. Subordinate and broken, I didn't have a proper soul for years." She slowly pulled her hand away, crossing her arms under her breasts in a self-hug. "...That also had a pretty nasty effect on the majority that was still stuck in Chaos. A gimped spirit did me no favors in the constant war of the Field of Blades."

Bridge the gap. Shrugging her shoulders to snuggle into a warm, soft couch and drive off the memories of the Netherworld, Fabula closed her eyes and sighed. "I woke up one day in the same place I had been for years, with a full soul and a physical body. Blood, screams, confusion...in the most disgusting way, it felt just like home." She opened her eyes and held up a pale, veiny hand. "And since I'd been soaking in a soup of hatred and murder for longer than this 'Gulag' thing had been a twinkle in some mad scientist's eye, it's had some physical effects on me."

And some mental ones. She was much more..."stable," if you could call it that, but in return her temper had been reborn from the ashes of self-denial like a phoenix of malice. Sitting still in such a mundane and peaceful place was driving her mad. She needed to fight something, now. Right now. Please?

It took her some effort to swallow that Rage again, looking to Siobhan and then Tempest with a fractured smile. "There are a lot of side-effects. The main one is that a lot of my memories have been jumbled, now that I have three different lives to reconcile." Attention on the only vaguely familiar woman who had been largely quiet so far. "Which is why I might not remember you terribly well. I'm sorry."
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Tempest"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Fabula Caromed"], [member="Tempest"]


Seeing how uncomfortable the physical contact seemed to make Fabula, Siobhan withdrew her hand. The Countess just happened to be very touchey-feeley - well, when it came to the ladies at least! - and was quite emotional in general, so sometimes it slipped her mind that such attention was not always wanted.


And so she listened as Fabula relayed her tale. It was almost mind-boggling, but Siobhan believed her. The battle goddess crossing her arms under her...huge tracts of land was...quite distracting, though Siobhan still managed to keep her attention on her. And remember that Fabula's eyes were up there! That said Siobhan tensed slightly when she felt the rage surging from Fabula, so strong that it was palpable and almost like a physical force of nature. A sheer urge to find something to fight and tear it apart. She appeared like a contained wild fire or a barely leashed predator, ready to pounce. It was an...all too familiar sensation, an all too familiar image. Perhaps this was why she and Siobhan had gotten on so well.


"It's ok, Fabula. After what you've been through, I can't complain about you not remembering me that well." After all, they could always, ahem, make new memories! "Thank you for telling me this. I...understand you a lot better now. I...cannot claim to have went through hell like that, but I know some things about having different sets of memories stuffed into your head and struggling to reconcile them." Suffice to say, she had three sets of memories in her head, two of which were not hers. It got confusing sometimes!


"You're damn strong to even still be functioning after what you went through, after madness like that." That was spoken honestly. Apparently Siobhan had not given up her personal mission to boost Fabula's self-confidence and ego a bit. "t's good you're back. So...what plans do you have now that you're out of hell and got your full soul back? You're living on Taris? I take it Lynn's a friend." The old Fabula had been a nomad type, though Siobhan obviously could not know about Fabula's new Mandalorian affiliation.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Fabula Caromed"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tempest listened to the two talk. This discussion of clones and ghosts and spirits made her head spin a bit.
So she remained silent, looking between the two of them. If Siobhan thought of Eyrecae, Tempest thought they two were the real comparisons. Both scarred, damaged people of enormous power, both pawns to dark forces in their past, but now free.

What could she say? ‘I’m sorry to hear that’ sounded trite to someone stuck for 600 years in hell.

“I’m glad to see you back,” Tempest said softly. “Even if it’s not the you I knew before, I’m glad you came out of it in the end.”

 

[Fabula Caromed]

Fabula gave a quick nod to Tempest, as politely as she could manage. Siobhan was an easy memory to sort out. She had seen her several times, worked with her, talked with her...Fabs was even hesitant to say she had made a friend. Tempest, on the other hand, was something of an enigma. She was a periphery thought, a passing acquaintance who had left a very distinct impression. The fact that she had at least confirmed that she did know her was an infinite load off of her shoulders. It would've been very hard to continue any kind of civil discussion after mistaken identity like that.

Siobhan had questions. Of course she did. No matter how much exposition you slung at it, it would have been impractical to believe that someone's entire life could be covered in a single sitting without error. "Lynn is...a bit more than a friend." Fabula found it impossible to keep herself from smiling. "Apparently I didn't tell you before this whole thing happened. I've been married for about seven years now."

Once again, Fabula's head fell back against the couch, but this time it was in pleased relaxation. "Her name is Lynn Caromed, the current acting aliit of her Mandalorian clan." Her eyes closed at the thought, a rather uncommon peace washing across the witchling's face. "I've made steps to officially join her family. Seven years and I've barely come to family gatherings. I feel like an in-law rather than a family member."

Something hit Fabula very suddenly, like a ton of bricks. She sat up, blinking wildly in Tempest's direction. "Agh! I'm such an idiot! That's where I remember you from!" The movement had apparently caused a microtear on her ankle from the purse of Fabs' lips, but she didn't stop. "I visited you for lessons on how to interest Lynn! How to really set her night on fire." Fabula relaxed her shoulders and giggled a little, amused at exactly how well that had worked. Lynn was now taking full advantage of that training, in both of her parts. "Mission accomplished, by the way."
[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"], [member="Tempest"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Fabula Caromed"], [member="Tempest"]


Siobhan gave her minion...apprentice an appreciative smile. "Good work, Tempest. You have to tell me all about it. I'm pleased that you're applying mine and Tegaea's lessons so well!" Her egotism seemed to be intensifying. But then she was proud about the fact that her apprentice and occasional lover was helping people in the best traditions of the Order of the Torch.


She then looked over to Fabula. "Well, I guess congratulations are in order! I've glad you've found someone. Just a shame I was not at the wedding. I'm sure your entrance into her clan will go well. After all, you can punch tanks. Tell me all about Lynn. Come to think of it, would you two like to come visit Tegs and me some time?" Presumably this would lead to crochet...err, non-PG-13 stuff.

 

[Tempest]

[member="Fabula Caromed"] | [member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

Tempest’s eyes widened, and she coughed slightly. Memory was a treacherous thing, both for her, and especially this writer.
“Ah, good. Glad I had an impression,” she said a bit awkwardly. She was still a little shy talking about this sort of thing to people she didn’t know much…and it had been a while ago.

“Well, congratulations on your wedding. I’m glad you’ve found someone,” she said with a smile.