The Day Things Change (Invite Only, Sarah)

[michael]

Since Isaan had returned with the news the assault on Earth had begun, Michael had found it difficult to sit and train with the others without nearly having an outburst directed heavily at their mentor. He knew that time moved slower inside this strange pocket realm that was nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time, thus in reality while he felt as though he was wasting time barely minutes passed on Earth as each day passed for them. On the other hand every minute counted, though it seemed Isaan disagreed and had said they had time before moving was imperative, Michael was needless to say unconvinced.

Sat under the tree on the eastern most point of the floating island, Michael looked out onto the marvel that was the immortal realm. It was like gazing through one way glass, knowing that nobody on the other side could see him, occasionally he'd see immortals in the far distance flying far from the ground of the three huge floating continents. Xion in the skies above the three was beautiful and let off a light that still gave the sensation of staring too long at the sun if he looked for longer than five minutes, he averted his eyes for what must've been the fifth time that day as his retinas began to ache.

Quietly he ran his fingers across the sheathed officer's sabre on the ground next to him, only recently he'd discovered his old blade was something special, an old artefact of the immortals that had been lost to them since the times of Baelze. His hand then went to the jacket folded next to it, still emblazoned with the emblem of the Midnight Society from his world, the uniform had become worn with time as he'd worn it a lot as a reminder of home. Returning the hand to his lap he sighed, putting his forehead in his other hand while his elbow leaned on his knee, his mind now turned to Sarah.

"Difficulties ahead," he murmured, frowning thoughtfully and so wrapped in his own head he wouldn't notice anyone approach, something he'd surely be berated on if it was Isaan who were to come to speak to him.

[sarah]

An orange glare consumed the profile of a woman with wild hair, expanding and tumbling like a breathing being constantly casting shades across the commanding figure. Infernos danced in an out-stretched hand reaching out curled tendrils, clasping onto thin air and retracting only to whiplash out more malicious than before. Tanned digits convulsed weaving the wild blaze into a tamed spherical sun; churning the constant crackle and restricting power into such a small wild ball. Emerald hued eyes divided the glare of the orb with an expression that held a mixture of harshness and compassion revealing the hidden truth of a life that has been dealt its fair share of unfair cards by fate. Releasing the mini-nova of flames with a flex of muscles the flames skittered across the span of empty space before erupting against a barricade of wood engulfing the dry material in the matter of seconds leaving nothing but a heap of ashen dust.

This was how Sarah’s life had been day after day since Isaan had come and instructed he would be training them all. She had discovered a power inside of her that was a gift from her other-self; a path for them both to become one, a way for Sarah to stop suffocating in the shadow of the woman she had never met. But things had not turned for the better in all aspects…

Decisively moving her stretched hand the woman led her fingers through her honey-blonde hair flowing in the wind. She had been instructed to go rest hours ago but being the stubborn lady she was she refused the immortal’s wised words and took herself to one side of the pocket realm to work to a standard she could feel moderately happy about. But the fire she had burning in her chest was stifled under the woman’s wavering emotions…

Growling a feral noise from the depths of her throat, Sarah moved around the edge of the island only to stop as her emerald eyes narrowed upon the hunched figure of Michael. Words caught up in her throat, it was so easy to say hi yet nothing managed to surface other than a gurgle of unfathomed helplessness. Feeling the need to move, to leave the woman found herself rooted to the ground so unsure as she looked at Michael, he was preoccupied as usual he wouldn’t even notice if she left. At least… she hoped.

[michael]

Michael didn't notice that he was being watched at first, his mind was too locked up inside that even his latent psychic abilities didn't pick her up, that was until his mind practically broke down and he bite the inside of his arm to stop sobs being heard by the rest of the group on the island. He'd not let out tears properly in a while now, but the emotions had to be let out somehow, conflicting with each other as they were he needed to let this out if he had any chance of showing strength for the Humans who would survive the first hours of the daemon onslaught.

Unfortunately, with his mind shutting down like that his telepathic abilities immediately returned and he senses Sarah watching him, he clenched his eyes shut rapidly to force to stem the tears and wipe them away on the inside of his sleeve hopefully before she noticed. He knew how she felt, knew she was conflicted emotionally and he hadn't done anything about it, truthfully he felt like she was slipping away from him and it hurt - he wasn't sure what to say or do to turn it around and now he could sense she wanted to slip away before he noticed she was near him.

"Don't go," he says, sounding a great deal more miserable than he'd wanted to. Great, now he felt just a little more pathetic than he already did with the crying and all. He turned his head toward her having managed to rid himself of the tears, but his eyes still obviously baring the appearance of someone who'd just been crying, there was no being rid of that so he just tried to ignore the face and hoped she wouldn't bring it up. Or maybe he hoped she would, he wanted to hold her but he didn't know if she wanted him to anymore, as he rose to his feet he turned to face her.

"I..." he began, closing his mouth a moment as he hadn't planned what to say yet. "I'm glad you're still here, Sarah. I mean, well in this spot but also with us, I know all the things that have happened have been difficult... not to mention me picking up strays and well, neglecting you really. I..." He sighed deeply. "Alright, I really have no idea what to say, or any excuses to make."

[sarah]

Sarah stood rigid as the male slowly wiped the tears from his cheeks, her heart ached to hold him and tell him it was alright, that he didn't need to be strong. But in the end... who was she to make that call? She wasn't strong, level-headed or even able to keep her mind on track anymore. She would have been dead if it wasn't for this man and yet stubbornness stopped her with pride, she couldn't comfort this man anymore. Not when she wasn't even able to keep herself alive from a fire. But that was all going to change, she wielded her own flames now and had become the Commander of a new army that sparked in her hands. She wasn't going to lose to anyone ,she'd be someone he can be proud to love.

It was stubbornness that forced her body to move, to turn around and attempt to leave. But it's never that easy. It's easy to forget, to forget that the hunched figure who had turned from her was the owner of a single thread that he tugged on as soon as she heard his voice rendering her unable to leave him. "Don't go." Turning on her heel she would face the male with an expression of weariness. "I woke up today... I thought I'd make an effort with things. So I put on the same outfit from when you first took me to that church... And my life changed." She didn't say for the better, nor for the worse, her fingers curled around each other picking at her faded nail vanish as her emerald eyes stared down at her white blouse and blue denim jeans. But unlike before when her beautiful hair ran freely, her expression so fresh and new the outfit did not make her shine, for she wasn't shining. Words caught up in her throat again as she tried to explain everything she'd locked up away from him but as usual all she could do was stifle the beginnings of a sob that riled with anger.

When words found their way out; they where bitter and cruel "So what do you think about your Sarah giving me this power? I bet your glad that we're practically the same person- or that she's found a way to keep a little of her uniqueness around you." Immediately as the words came out she regretted saying them. Her unbridled jealousy for her counter-part was something she thought she'd never speak of to him, and yet now she just can't seem to stop. "You're not allowed to cry. -I- should be crying, every fucking day for what you've turned me into. You don't see me Michael, you never will cause you only wanted her."

Had he known? Had he known she'd always felt this drowned in the background, playing out the role of someone he had once loved, secretly telling herself day after day he only say her. When they kissed, he kissed her... that woman. She had yelled at him once before when he did not tell her about why he met her... but things remained alright because they were happy. She could forget about it, he chose her to come with him into space to live happily together. Then came Joseph and Chris... then the immortals. Day by day, that little picture of them soaring through the plains of space together shrunk. He had more important things to think of, others he loved and wanted to save. And oh the selfishness of Sarah for actually resenting him for it. Clawing her hands across her mouth she bolted...

Sarah; the old Soldier actually turned tail and ran. Anywhere, anywhere but there with him. To see his heart shatter...

[michael]

Michael didn't argue with her when she yelled at him, he remained quiet while she seemed to let out things that she hadn't been able to put into words, still the words stung and cut deep as she continued. She didn't know how he truly felt because he hadn't told her, she had no idea that he had gotten over the woman he had once loved months ago, perhaps because he feared bringing it up to her of all people. If he were to be honest when she had manifested the same powers as the Sarah of his home universe, he hadn't been delighted in the slightest, he'd seen it as just another reminder of what was lost - and another thing she would surely try to live up to even though he wanted to tell her she didn't have to live up to anything or anyone.

When she finally bolted he took off after her immediately, not giving her the time to properly flee, but when he grabbed her they both fell as he could feel her struggle to get away and so had grasped at her too harshly. When they hit the ground he grunted as he felt a pain in his side from hitting it, but otherwise he managed to regain himself as he practically pinned her under him by the shoulders, looking down at her with a seriousness he hadn't shown her since the day he'd told her how dangerous it'd be to join him in his travels and she had chosen to come with him regardless of his warnings.

"You let this fester because you're a bloody idiot!" he exclaimed, being nice about it had escaped him after he'd tackled her so roughly. "I told you the day we met, I told you how hard this would all be. I warned you that you would be happier if you stayed home, but you insisted you couldn't live without seeing what's out there, because you'd caught a glimpse and you know what you're right - that part of you is just like the Sarah I knew."

His grip loosened on her shoulders and he leaned down a little so his face was near hers, not close enough to kiss her but near enough that if he spoke more gently, she'd hear him clearly. "But you stupid woman... stubborn, stupid woman." he hissed, though his tone was strangely tender. "I realized quickly after that night you were a different woman to her, you've got a more wicked sense of humour. Quirks she never had that make me smile each time I see them, your hair has more of a shine to it in the sun, and your skin is a little softer."

Michael paused and sat up properly again, technically straddling her legs but letting go of her shoulders, his brown eyes filled with a mixture of emotions but none of them seems tormented or unsure of what he felt. "I hate that you have her powers because I've fallen so deeply in love with you, that at this point all you share with that woman is a name. Many people share a name, Sarah... but I love you, if that wasn't true, if there was even the slightest chance I was just using you as a way of feeling like I still had her, I wouldn't be here anymore."

[sarah]

Sarah fell with Michael struggling to hold her down as she attempted to dismantle the male; only stopping when his hands dug into her arms painfully so, all the fight fled from her body. Her head slumped back onto the earth, tears threatening the corners of her eyes. The way he looked at her caused a jolt in her chest as her heart retched oozing the alarming feeling of guilt. The words he used where so harsh and filled with anger but instead of lighting a match to angered gas it caused the female to raise her hands to her face in clear despair, for what he said was true. Her lips thinned with the comparison of herself to the figure she couldn’t help but feel bitter towards but she remained silent, perhaps afraid if she opened her lips she’d allow her tears to spill over.

Feeling the heat of Michael’s breath against her tanned hands worked like heat to ice, forcing them to fall from her face revealing rippled emeralds glazed in a sheet of salted water staring up at the male, wide eyed and searching for something to hold onto, someone to hold onto. Normally such sincerity about her unique habits would have caused wide smile upon her face, a tint of innocent cheeks but it only stirred further guilt. The feeling only lessoned as the male sat up, continuing to pin her but allowing upper body movement, is his words true? Was he here because he loved her so for being her own person? Bitterness and earnest fought in her confused heart, it was not till her body was pressed against Michael’s torso, her head dipped into his neck was the answer of who won clear. Tears rolled freely down her tanned cheeks as she quietly whispered “Why does it seem like it’s been so long since you’ve said that to me. I’ve been so alone Michael… facing a battle against everything. I just wish you realised I needed you. I still need you. I can’t do this alone anymore.”

Fingers dig into the male’s shirt as she shakes vulnerably, her tears producing no sound from her throat, no sounds of weaknesses; not even the occasional sniffle. She couldn’t help but try and hold back, to try and regain being strong. “I feel like I’m drowning sometimes. That the worlds filling up with water and I have to run, I’ve become so weak… I let you down, I let everyone down.”

[michael]

Michael's arms clutched her tightly to him, looking numbly over her shoulder at the view beyond while she poured her heart to him, telling him how much she needed him and how weak she'd become. He hissed in a breath when she claimed to have let everyone down, somehow that cut into him deeper than anything she'd said before, but rather than berating her he turned and buried his face so that it nestled against the side of her head. That he'd let her feel so alone, it stung but he knew he could remedy it, he hadn't lost her and now he knew his error he could correct it.

"You haven't let anyone down," he whispered, his lips near to her ear emphasising his words that much more. "You've done more than I could have ever asked of you, I'm just sorry I was so caught up in my private war that I neglected to notice you were falling and I needed to catch you."

This was what war did to people and his own private war was spilling over into a full scale invasion of Earth. If he was honest with himself, he might say that he was to blame for it coming to this, if he had not assaulted the demons and their servants so directly and viciously they might not have resorted to enacting their final plan so soon and there might have been time to stop them pre-emptively. Too late to dwell on it now though, the invasion was fast approaching, in fact it had already begun and blame would have to wait until it was over if it ever came.

Quietly he drew her head from his shoulder, cupping both sides of her face and looking into her eyes, the tears that had run down her face had left their trails and so his thumbs ran across her cheeks to brush them away. Then he drew her close and kissed her, the depth of his emotions poured into the embrace, hands letting of her face and his arms wrapping around her to draw her body closer to him, he wanted her to feel loved and more importantly to feel that he was still there with her. After a while the kiss was broken, lingering as long as possible when he pulled away to gaze at her again, one of his hands coming up to stroke hair from her face.

"Don't ever think you're facing this alone, all I think about is ending all of this so I can be with you," he says quietly, lips grazing across hers again and foreheads pressing lightly together. "It would be nice to settle down, a peaceful life just you and me. When this war ends, I want you to marry me."