insurmountable | how could i ever forget // outside the morning was cool and wet

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how could i ever forget // outside the morning was cool and wet

[It's not often Ajax finds himself getting his head slammed down onto the hood of a car, least of all a cop car. Usually it's him doing the slamming.

But today the young man finds himself denting the hood, the sound of metal caving in under his head ringing in his ears. Not exactly the ideal situation he was hoping for, but he figured sooner or later he'd have a run in with the cops due to the sensitive nature of his profession, but that doesn't mean he has to like how inconsiderate they are with him as they cuff him and throw him in the back of the paddy wagon. Not that he was considerate to them when he was discovered, as evidenced by the blood all over his clothing and knuckles from the fight he'd gotten into with them. How he managed to avoid getting shot is beyond him- plenty of shots were fired, but that hadn't stopped him from knocking a few of them out.

It's just too bad he'd been instructed that he couldn't kill anyone, or else he'd of gotten out of there without being caught.

The lights of the police station are bright, almost too bright from the contrast of how dark it was outside. Ajax squints as he's dragged inside, held tightly by two cops who hurry him through the station, but not fast enough that he doesn't catch a glimpse of the secretary behind the desk as they come in. Pretty, blonde, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else. Gorgeous eyes, ones that catch his attention almost immediately as he's being shoved towards the back, shining with a radiance that captures him instantly. His eyes lock with hers, feeling something silent yet powerful surge through him from this tiny, insignificant interaction. He doesn't even have a moment to think further on it, before he's so rudely interrupted.

Get moving.

The curt voice of the bigger cop on his right cuts through the moment, anger welling up in Ajax's chest and something dark stirs in his core. If he wasn't cuffed and being restrained, he'd turn that guy's face into a new work of art, something so abstract some insane art collector would gladly pay millions for it.

No sooner had Ajax been ushered in, he disappears from sight as he's taken back into an interrogation room, the mysterious blonde no longer in his sights, now getting shoved into a corner of a room.]

What's with this? Don't you even have the courtesy of giving me a chair to sit in, at least?

[From outside of the room, muffled noises of a scuffle as the cops lay into Ajax can be heard, the loudest of which is a thud of a body slamming into a wall, accompanied by a groan from the ginger kid. Though little do any of them know, their real problems haven't arrived just yet, waking from their slumber right outside of the city...]

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[Goodness, look at that face. She's going on a complete face journey here and it's really funny and kind of cute. Her cheeks get all puffy at him and as she starts looking for something on her phone, he has to hold a hand up to his mouth to hide his amusement. Surely she's searching through her phone for a picture of the fish...

And there it is, the precious Hanabi, looking happy and healthy swimming in its tank. He quickly glances at her before leaning down from his tall height to look at the fish, holding a finger to his chin as he inspects it.]

Sorry, sorry! My, what a cute, well fed fish...I suppose my statement was incorrect. I can tell you're very endeared to her, so please accept my apology.

[The apology is mostly genuine- he still can't help but tease her for reacting like that. The smile on his face is a dead giveaway on how he feels about it, and her acting like this is definitely cuter than the fish in his opinion.]

[ That's right, he better put some respect on Hanabi's name!

Still, Yoimiya gets the sense that he's not taking her seriously. ~~Who can blame him tbh~~ Now that he's gotten a good look at her precious fish, she pockets her phone to cross her arms, a bratty HMPH slips out of her lips. ]

Laugh all you want but once you see Hanabi person, her adorable charm is guaranteed to ensnare you. And when that happens, you'll be on the ground begging for her forgiveness.

[ Ignoring every ridiculous thing that just spewed out of her mouth, it is a soft confirmation that Yoimiya is willing to let him visit her home if this goes well. ]

So, here's what we can say. You went to grab some groceries for me since I was stuck with the late shift AND I asked you to check up on Hanabi. The police won't believe you're my friend otherwise.

[ Why is she so adamant about including Hanabi in the plan? Archons knows... maybe in her head, that goldfish is vital information to her coworkers since she doesn't stop talking about it. ]

[Listen to her, talking as if this goldfish were a queen ruling over Yoimiya's home, for those to pledge fealty to her and to be loyal to her throne. He can't help but giggle at that, the ridiculousness of it all even through Yoimiya's insistence on keeping the fish in their story. She's really dead set on having Hanabi as part of the story, so alright...he can think of ways to make it a little less ridiculous, at least.]

Okay, okay, we can say that I also had to check on Hanabi. I had no idea you'd be so passionate about your little goldfish, hahaha.

[It's tempting to poke her cheeks just to see if she'll let the air out of them after all that huffing. Ajax gives her an amused look, his eyes wide with intrigue of how she'll even respond to that.]

Is that all? You don't have any other surprise pets I should know about?

[ The puffed-up chipmunk keeps her stare locked onto his, seizing him up until he agrees with her ridiculous demand. And he does! Happy day! Hanabi gets to be a part of the story. Her smile broadens as her cheeks deflate, no longer looking like a bratty chipmunk ready to bite. The face journey has reached its final destination, Yoimiya has come full circle with all of the expressions. ]

Nope! Just my sweet Hanabi.

[ And boy, does she look proud of her fat goldfish. ]

I've always adored goldfish ever since I was a kid. There's something about their pudgy little face and beautiful flowy tails that make me wanna melt. They're so cuuuute!

Hahahaha...I see. I'll admit, they are pretty cute...

[He wonders if his siblings would want one, but who is he kidding. They absolutely would, they'd be enamored by it and want to take good care of it. It would teach them a good lesson in learning to take care of something and dealing with the tragedy of life and death, so maybe he'll get them one the next time he's home.]

Speaking of beautiful flowy tails, did you happen to discover anything well...on your body after our little encounter?

[Cuz there's a big 'ol flowy tail on his chest right now and that hasn't had him freaking out or anything.]

[ Thankfully for Ajax's ears, his question prevents her from going on a long-winded spiel about the beauty of goldfish. That's right, shortly after being allowed to leave the hospital, she finally got a glimpse of the strange mark that took shape on her skin. Nodding her head, she pushes the cardigan off her shoulders, showing off a big blue fishtail above her chest. ]

Yes, this is it. I had some time to ponder on it and shortly before I summoned that bow, I remember feeling a peculiar cooling sensation, as if I was being submerged in water. And now that I think about it, I felt it where this mark is at.

[ This whole situation continues to grow stranger by the moment. This mark totally doesn't have her freaked out or anything either. ]

I'm assuming you have one in the shape of a tail too?

[It's exactly what he had feared, the beginnings of a mark that showed which people were to be taken to the laboratories of Nizhnii. Ajax looks it over, clearly recognizing the mark, though it's intriguing to him that it looks like the tail of a fish, or maybe even a whale. Without the rest of it materializing yet, he can't be sure.]

Yeah, [he admits,] it's on my chest as well. It felt like I'd been branded by something, or like that part of me had caught on fire and completely seared my skin. Here.

[He takes the jacket he had off, holding it in the crook of his arm as he lifts up his t-shirt to reveal the tail of what is indisputably...a goldfish tail.]

I wasn't exactly sure what kind of fish it belonged to, until you showed me that picture of Hanabi...

[ I CAN'T BELIEVE HANABI ENDED UP BEING VITAL TO THE PLOT—

As he removes his jacket, Yoimiya's stare is locked onto him, her eyes growing wide as saucers at that all too recognizable mark embedded on his chest. There's no doubt about it, what she's looking at is absolutely a goldfish tail. ]

I... I see. And you felt like a part of you caught on fire? That's a little strange the marks felt vastly different to us.

[ Why did he feel like his skin was burning? Why did it feel like a drop of water was being poured onto her? In theory, it should make more sense that she be the one to acquire the mark given her affinity for goldfish. This mystery grows more and more puzzling by the second. ]

It can't be a coincidence that you suddenly got a goldfish tail mark after meeting me. So, does the mark on my chest have any familiarity to you?

[He might of been surprised by her reaction had she not showed him her fish, but that does solve one mystery. Whatever chose the mark on his chest, it made the decision based off of Yoimiya, most likely. He has no connection to goldfish at all, and it's too much of a coincidence in his opinion. He agrees with her own assessment, nodding his head at her.]

That's the curious part about yours...I don't have any connection to sea creatures that I know of. Sure, I've gone ice fishing plenty of times, but I've never caught a fish with a tail like that. That's a whale tail imprinted on your chest, there's no doubt- but I've never seen one personally.

[He stops to think if there's ever been a time that could've been related to a whale in his life, his hand coming up let his chin rest between his own fingers.]

...I did have a strange dream of one as a child though, one that's stuck with me even to today. I can't remember the details of it, but I remember the giant silhouette of one swimming above me, as if it were watching over me. Perhaps this is why it took that shape on you...?

[ Admittedly, she wasn't sure what kind of tail it was upon first inspection so his answer solves the question that's been swirling in her head for the past week. And well, she doesn't expect Ajax to be harboring a whale as a pet. ~~UNLIKE SOMEONE~~ But his mysterious dream does confirm a connection between him and the sea creature. While not as obvious as her adoration for goldfish, there's still a connection they can't ignore.

It also opens a whole new can of worms regarding Ajax's dreams. There's no denying she's curious to know if there's a hidden meaning behind that whale watching over him but this might be crossing terriority that's not any of her business. So, she'll try to tread carefully. ]

That makes a lot of sense. There's just no way that whale tail was randomly imprinted on my chest.

[ Yoimiya ponders to herself, trying to piece all this information together. The rabbit hole just keeps growing deeper, more answers just brings more questions. Sheesh, her brain is starting to hurt. This is why she was never cut out for being an investigator. ]

This might not be any of my business but I'm also curious about your dream. Was there anything else that stuck out to you? I wonder if that dream is in anyway linked to our situation.

[When she asks, it makes him think a little more on it. He'd never really put much thought into that dream, always having dismissed it as something that his kid brain just didn't want to forget about, even if it ultimately meant nothing to him. But with the reveal of it appearing on Yoimiya, he has to consider that maybe she's right here, that it just might be linked to their shared marks. Ajax replays what he can remember of it back through his mind, closing his eyes as the image of the whale looms back over him.]

...It felt like...like I was safe, floating there in its presence. Like it had saved me from something, and I felt drawn to it, somehow.

[He shrugs, hoping that maybe that would provide some insight, but it still confuses him just as much as before, as evidenced by his expression.]

I wish I could remember more, but I'm afraid that's all I can recall.

[ From the way he describes his dream, it's awfully sweet, as if he's reuniting with a friend or a guardian deity that's been watching over him from the vast ocean. Mindlessly, she places a hand over the mark, a pleasant warmth blossoms in her chest as she listens to him recount that fateful memory from his childhood.

Like it had saved me from something, and I felt drawn to it, somehow. Come to think of it, she's felt drawn to him from the moment he stepped foot into the police station... ]

You did well remembering what you could. Maybe if we're able to get to the bottom of this, we might also figure out the meaning behind your dream.

[ There's a good chance she's looking a bit too hard into his dream but she's not going to give up on that line of thought. There's no way the whale in his dream and the mark on her chest aren't connected in some way. ]

I guess if there's anything we can confirm for sure, it's that the two of us are undoubtedly linked in some way. It's almost as if... our destinies were meant to cross paths.

[Scratching his head, he figures she's right. If they do their own investigating and searching for more answers in regards to their new powers, the marks on them, and the monster that attacked them, maybe they'd be able to figure something out. But for now, he knows they need to concentrate on keeping themselves out of trouble with the police and to keep themselves hidden from his own employer, which still has him a little on edge. He hopes they truly did manage to avoid it, but...]

It seems that way, doesn't it?

[If he didn't believe in destiny before, he does now. Fated to always meet, and now with their own physical manifestations of each other painted on their skin, and how strangely relaxed he is with her, maybe it is destiny.]

But, how do you feel about this arrangement? It's not like I've hidden the unsavory parts of own life from you here, and you were awfully angry with me back in the hospital. Are you sure you can trust someone like me?

[ At his question, Yoimiya goes quiet to gather thoughts together. It's difficult to put into words how she feels about this arrangement, she should be wary of him, yet at the same time, it's easy to feel relaxed in his presence as if the stars above them knew they were meant for each other. But even if she doesn't have it in her to act distant towards him, she still remembers their spat at the hospital. ]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't quite trust you right now. It's hard to trust someone who didn't show the slightest bit of remorse for his actions.

[ His unsavory job isn't something she can just handwave and forget about. But even so... ]

As for my feelings, what's going on is something I can't just walk away from. There's no way I can ignore this and go back to living a normal life without getting to the bottom of this mystery.

Edited 2023-12-18 12:22 (UTC)

Neither can I, so I guess that puts us in the same boat, then.

[And in a way, he's glad that she's not going to be completely trusting of him either. She really shouldn't be, he's accepted this fact and is viscerally aware of it, plus it means that going forward she'll be guarded and be able to protect herself from whatever this ordeal throws at her. So he nods and accepts it, before letting his gaze wander over the water once again.]

However, the path ahead will be fraught with danger. The only real leads so far that I have are the little I know about these marks we've acquired. It was one of things I was told to look for when capturing a target to ensure I'd found the right person. It seems that these powers are linked to it, somehow.

[And it makes sense too- he'd only acquired his power just as he felt that burning sensation across his chest.]

It wouldn't surprise me if my employer knows a lot more about this, given their research into it- but they keep information behind a secure lock and key. Getting it will be tough, and might expose our identities if we're not careful.

[He wishes now he was higher up on the totem pole, but no such luck. He hopes though, that this tells Yoimiya exactly where he stands on the ladder in Nizhnii- not very high.]

[ The smallest hint of a frown settles on her features as she listens to him. His words do confirm that he's not as high on the totem pole as she initially thought he was, dashing one of the assumptions she had about him. It's a start. And at the very least, he does seem genuine about working together with her to solve this mystery. ]

So, I guess that means you aren't as deep into the company as I initially thought. I suppose I should apologize for making that assumption.

[ But, there's something about the way he says capturing a target that puts her on edge. Those poor people... all it took was a mark to seal their fate into becoming lab rats.

An exhale passes through her lips, her eyes downcast towards the clear blue water in an attempt to keep her emotions under control. The last thing she wants is for her temper to rear its ugly head causing them to butt heads like they did back at the hospital. Should it happen, she can already see this conversation going south, ending with her stomping off. ]

So, what's your game plan? Now, you have a mark just like the... [ a pause ] targets you were sent to capture. Do you think that will go unnoticed by the people you work for?

[He can sense the anger simmering beneath the surface of Yoimiya's expression, and for a moment he wasn't sure if she was going to remove herself from his presence or sass him before she left. He wonders how long it'll be before she punches him in the face, but only time will tell- so he continues on.]

Fortunately, it's pretty easy for me to keep it hidden, so there shouldn't be any issues there. They won't suspect me of having one as long as there's no evidence of it otherwise. I never get close to any of the scientific parts of it all anyway, I've just heard stories about it from the few contacts I do have. I'd suggest you keep it covered at all times too. If the wrong person sees it, we'll be in the doghouse soon enough. Want to see something interesting about them?

[He digs what looks like a small, black cylinder out of his pocket, and upon closer inspection, it looks like a flashlight. Clicking it on, a strange iridescent light emits out of it, and he shines it right on her mark. It suddenly glows with a strange, otherworldly power, revealing it for what it really is.]

It's pretty easy to tell it apart from a tattoo. So don't get yourself in a situation like this, okay?

[ That's one worry out of the way. He's not so close to the nitty gritty scientific part of the action and thus, puts him at less risk to be caught. It's also another confirmation that she can at least trust him not to give her up to his job. She might not fully trust him but there is no denying they need to rely on each other in order to survive.

In his hands is a flashlight, the light's shine reveals the truth of the mark, an ethereal power really does stir inside of them. The revelation is a an eye opener, her eyes growing wide with shock as she gazes at the otherworldly glow flickering on her skin.

This is real, this isn't a dream. Normally, acquiring powers should be seen as a blessing but in this instance, it feels like they have been cursed. ]

Oh... oh my goodness.

[ She is at a loss for words. Unfortunately, looks like she won't be able to pass of this mark as one of her tattoos. ]

Alright, looks like I'll have to be extra careful around people from now on. Sheesh, no wonder why your company knows how to find people...

[He quickly clicks it back off after she sees exactly the true nature of the marks that lie on them now, and how easy it is for someone to confirm what it is, pocketing the flashlight once more. He'd chuckle at her comment if it weren't so serious, as they definitely have their ways in finding the right people when they're sent out on a job.]

Yeah, as you can imagine, it's in our best interest to make sure that we don't mix up who bears a mark with abilities and those who don't. At least, that's the way I like to operate.

[His tone of voice suggests there are others who don't take all the same precautions that Ajax does. But he won't go farther into it, figuring that Yoimiya probably doesn't want to know the details on that.]

But enough about that. We have our story, and you know the precautions necessary to protect our secret...now all that's left to do for the time being is to go to the police station. Any idea when they'll finally lose their patience and have us come in? Any sort of timeline to prepare would be nice.

[ She's not quite sure what he's getting at but the implication in his words paints an unfortunate picture in her head. The naturally inquisitive side of her brain is almost tempted to inquire, she mulls it over... yeah, curious minds don't need to know that badly. Kidnapping people, bringing them in to be used as lab rats is already horrific information overload. ]

That was the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I got a call from my job, they'd like to speak with us sometime this week. I assume they probably just want to close this case as soon as possible.

[ Well, "close" as much as they can anyway. Considering the fact they're dealing with otherwordly creatures, there will always be unanswered questions. ]

Since we have our story prepared, we can make plans to go ahead and talk with them in the next few days if you'd like. The sooner we get this over with the better.

[Exhaling heavily, Ajax turns his gaze momentarily out to the water again, to think ahead of the events that would come to pass. If they'd only survived without suddenly gaining new powers, then this little talk would have been the end of it and they could go their separate ways and live normal lives. But as it stands, this is just the beginning of their adventure.]

I tend to agree. If you could, go ahead and tell them I've recovered well enough to be able to come talk about what we saw. Let's make our next plans after that, to see if we can glean anything else from the police on the matter. As it stands, Nizhnii isn't the only thing we may have to worry about.

[Concern coats his expression, since the reason why they have to go to the station in the first place was because of that monster.]

We also need to worry about whatever it was that attacked us, and if we'll see it again anytime soon. Which means it'll be beneficial to learn to use our new powers...if I could get mine to work, that is.

[Ajax frowns- he hasn't gotten his to work since that night.]

[ Nodding her head, she pulls out her phone to type out a message to one of her coworkers. They have a long journey ahead of them, no doubt there will be many, many more roadblocks in their adventure but at the very least, she's already feeling relieved to get this done and not have to worry about the police breathing down their necks. ]

Sounds good to me, I'll go ahead and make the arrangements. We might be able to talk to them as soon as tomorrow. As soon as they get back to me, I'll let you know.

[ Nizhnii company, the police, and now otherwordly monsters, that's three potential threats right there. Ajax is right, they really do need to hone their powers in order to protect themselves. Come to think of it, when they were fighting off that bizarre creature, he did mention that it was coming after him. She makes a note to ask him about that. ]

You too? During our downtime, I made a few attempts to summon the bow but had no luck. This is all I can manage.

[ She places her hand out in front of him, fluttering her eyes close to concentrate all her efforts into mustering up even a fraction of her power. A tiny spark takes shape in the palm of her hand slowly morphing itself into a small, dancing flame. Yeah, it's not as cool as the bow. :c ]

[With having to arrange talking to the police out of the way, he now turns his attention towards Yoimiya's open palm, placing himself in a way that no one else would be able to see if it they were walking by. It's still surreal to him that these powers manifested in them, revealed by the marks on their skin, and now present as a flame in her hand. He only stares at it for a moment before nodding back to her.]

You're doing far better than I. I haven't been able to produce a single bit of the armor I donned that night, no matter how many times I tried. Perhaps mine only comes when it's needed most.

[Which he can see as a good and bad thing. Maybe good for right now, so then he won't be accidentally using it in a busy, public area for all sorts of bystanders to witness- along with just the wrong people mixed in too.]

I know a place where we can go that's secluded enough where we won't be caught using them. But for now, we needn't worry too much about it. Let's focus on dealing with the police first. I can drive you back to the city right now if you'd like...

[The next part comes out without even thinking about it, something tugging at his heart to ask.]

...or, we could keep walking along the shore for a bit. The view is nice, and it's a rare opportunity to be able to enjoy it.

[The second it comes out of his mouth, he feels his heart thump hard in his chest, as if he were hanging on the edge of the question, hoping she'd stay with him for a little while longer. This should really be more of a business meeting to him, and yet he can't help but yearn for this moment to last, to savor this peaceful time they have before they need to face reality again. Ajax's eyes widen just a little in surprise at himself, but they also reflect the sudden small amount of nervousness and anxiety that comes with asking that question, all waiting on Yoimiya's decision.]

[ Once he's gotten a good look at the small glowing flame, she puts it out with thankfully, much less effort than bringing it forth. It's certainly a good idea that he blocked their path because oh boy, getting caught right off the bat would definitely not be one of her smartest decisions. Ajax strikes her as someone who can put up a fight, she figures he has to be given his job, so it's a little surprising he's been unable to summon even a little bit of that mysterious power bestowed to him.

She can already tell he's going to be a force to be reckoned with after he gets the hang of his powers. But for the time being, having some of it locked away probably is for the best, Yoimiya can already picture putting herself on blast by accidentally lighting a few things on fire for the entirety of Fontaine to witness.

Before inquiring about the secluded location, he completely surprises her with the next thing he says. Amused by his offer, she sets her arms at her hips, a curious smile curves on her lips. Now with their story straightened out, she figured the conversation would come to an end and they could go their separate ways until the rendevous with the police. ]

Oh? You still want to spend time with me? Even after I chewed you out at the hospital and declared that I can't trust you just yet?

[ Truly, she wouldn't blame him if he wanted to keep their contact to a minimum after their spat at the hospital. And realistically, the wisest decision would be to keep her distance and only contact him whenever they absolutely need each other. But... it's difficult to deny the feelings stirring in her heart, beyond happy he's extending the offer to spend more time together. Even after everything that transpired, she couldn't stop thinking about him the whole time, desiring to see him, secretly fretting over the fact that he might dislike her after everything she said to him. ]

[He's not sure how he managed to put himself in this position so easily. Surprising himself and then subsequently having Yoimiya question him, albeit playfully, is making his brain short circuit in how he's going to respond to her. Though skilled at deceit and able to manipulate people to a certain extent, he's always been a terrible liar. Dealing in half-truths is much easier than coming up with a complete fabrication, and his hand comes up behind his head as he scrambles to explain himself.]

Well, of course! Ahem...we're supposed to be friends as part of our story, right? Don't you think it would be wise to feel comfortable enough with each other to pass it off?

[Ajax's laugh is clearly more high-pitched than usual and laced with a thin layer of nervousness, like he's been caught red-handed. Only a six year old might get fooled by it...]

What do you say? Maybe you'll come to trust me a little more if you get to know me better.

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Forgive me I'm tagging on mobile

omg tagging on mobile is so dangerous

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