2023-03-22: Snowflakes Before the Dawn
- Cast: Rita Bernal, Trevor Teach
- Where: ???
- Date: U.C. 0097 03 22
- Summary: Not all secrets are good ones.
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
T'was the night before HaroCon and all through the boat, not a creature was stirring, except for the night crew who were up working on making sure that the Ra Mari II didn't drift into a shoal of cannibal space lobsters or accidentally tip Orbit Base into a path of catastrophic reentry.
Important work for those sleepless heroes.
One such soul who is /not/ on night duty (because this is someone who would probably find a way to drive straight into said cannibal space lobster shoal for an exotic delicacy) is... Trevor Teach, Dread Pirate (self-proclaimed).
His room is... Rather full of stuff. Many things are found within. Most of which he has confirmed were either not stolen or which were claimed via legitimate salvage rights. A lot of it is scrap, but slung about in an artful, intentional fashion that makes the place feel lived in, instead of just messy. And there sleeping-- not on a bed but in the manner of all proper Vestans: snuggled up in a practical and zero-gravity-resistant cocoon hammock-- is the dread pirate himself.
His eyepatch-- or lack thereof-- is obscured by a handy lock of hair. It seems he's sleeping soundly, not even a single little snore.
As for what he's dreaming about, well... He IS a pirate.
...
The seas are rough, tossing the boat this way and that. It rocks, it rolls, it churns through the blinding storm. "Avast ye mateys," Captain Teach roars, "We make it through this meager little squall and we can find our way to the great booty of MARRRRRRs!"
"MARRRRRRRRS," goes an uncannily monotonous chorus of voices. The captain clings to his ship's wheel, grinning fiercely as he wrestles the rudder against the waves. Crewmen scramble over masts and up rigging to keep the sheets from blowing away in the...
...wind...
...The solar wind.
The sea is a perfect, turbulent, black mirror, reflecting a myriad collection of stars. In the distance, rising through the stormclouds, is a shape that can only be the central 'tower' of a PLANT. An aurora of colors batters into shimmering sheets, carrying the ship forward.
It's a dream, after all. And what would a dream be if it were not fantastical?
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
A pirate is a useful thing, when you're someone who needs to be chased. With the promise of a glittering gold score, and an offering of valuable salvage, surely this one would be committed to the hunt, now.
But just in case...
---
Galewinds and sheets of rain lash against Captain Teach's ship. For all his elated fervor at the helm, perhaps he won't notice a slight change to the vessel, juuust behind him. The door leading to the captain's quarters shimmers in green-blue-pink radiance, transforming it from a simple thing to an ornately carved affair. The handle gleams bronze in the storm-light.
It may go unnoticed until, that is--
Knock! Knock!
--a sound from /within/. While certainly curious, it is not compelling. Trevor may choose to open the door, or to simple ignore it and sail on. But what is a man without curiosity? He certainly couldn't be a pirate, especially not one to dream such a spectacular setting into existence.
It's a certainty. Of all people, she would know.
So, /when/ that door opens, as it must, an odd sight greets Trevor. Bare feet against the ship's floor, a white sundress exposing her shoulders, and cloud-like golden hair falling to her waist.
"MAAARRRS!" The young woman, perhaps in her early 20s, shouts. "Oh -- am I late?"
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
Give a pirate a treasure, feed him for probably at least a few weeks unless he's throwing some really wild ragers. Give a pirate a legend to chase with the promise of something glittery, gold and valuable at the end of the rainbow, and he will probably disappear for several years before reappearing with a scraggly beard and either a boatful of treasure or several exotic (many venereal) diseases.
Or both.
Both is more likely than anyone would care to admit.
The dread pirate cackles with the rolling of a (space) thunderclap, utterly and blissfully unaware that something is about to knock on his dreamy door. Until, of course, it does-- and the captain experiences a verifiable NEWTYPE FLASH right across the skull and crossbones emblazoned upon his hat. He turns on his heel and locks eyes with the mysteriously elegant door.
"Hmn," Captain Trevor says to himself, "I don't /think/ that looked quite so... Fancy? Before? Sttttraaaange?" And then: someone knocks! From inside his quarters!? Trevor definitely does not remember anyone else laying in his hammock. He rubs his chin thoughtfully, adjusts his eyepatch and strolls right up to the door to throw it wide open--
Because Trevor Teach is many things, but primarily he is too nosy for his own good.
And what is behind it but...
A /very/ pretty girl!?
"Eh-- harr, what's this now? I don't remember seeing anyone like you before either. Skin as porcelein-- hair like wheat spun into gold...! A beauty upon my forecastle, I say!" The ship rocks, a wave catches it and hucks it high up into the 'air,' but it never quite comes crashing down. "Well, I don't see why anyone could be late for a trip to MARRRRRRRs. Haha, at least not upon this ship!"
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
A laugh. "My name is Rita Bernal! We've met once before." For a moment, Rita's form changes to that of the Phenex -- and back again, quick as Trevor can blink.
Rita practically glows in the low-light of the dream, ethereal and radiant as the dawn. A gentle smile stays on her face, unfaltering, until...
A beauty?
No one has ever used those words toward Rita before. Luminous green eyes blink widely, and she brings her hands up to cover her mouth. Beautiful..? This body is designed to be charming and appealing but still--!
Soft pink flushes her cheeks, and she giggles half-nervously, half-excitedly.
"Thank you, Trevor! You really are charming, aren't you?" After a moment of recovery, she lowers her hands, though the blush remains. "I've come to visit you. Did you find the treasure I told you about?"
With graceful movements, she moves past Trevor, standing at the wheel of the ship. The sudden raise and 'fall' doesn't seem to phase Rita, utterly unaffected save for the motion of her hair. Even that comes back to its typical position gradually, as if moving in slow motion."
"I've never been on a ship like this before. Will you tell me about it?" Glancing around at the rest of the crew, Rita brings a thoughtful hand to her cheek. "I look out of place, don't I? Let's see..."
The white sundress seems to catch fire, burning in that green-blue-pink aurora. Rita is obscured for a moment, but quickly reappears, in a much more setting-appropriate outfit.
Heeled boots raise up to her thighs, covering a pair of leggings. Brilliant scarlet skirts touch the top of the boots, fluttering in the solar wind, long sleeves ending in a flare at Rita's wrists. And, of course, a hat. A glorious hat with a glorious feather, perched jauntily atop Rita's golden hair. Green eyes light up with an idea, and Rita taps her shoulder -- summoning a canary of brilliant gold light to perch there. It seems to manifest itself at her leisure. It's not... exactly a parrot, but whatever! It's cute! It has two extra-long tailfeathers that trail down Rita's back.
...really, she's just added sleeves to the sundress and turned it red. The boots, leggings, and hat are new, at least.
"Oh, this is so fun! I can see why you like it so much!" Rita twirls, laughing. Satisfied with her transformation, she turns her gaze back to the pirate. "Now! Tell me everything. About the ship, about you... About Mars, even! Why are we going to Mars?"
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
"Eh, you're--" Realization flashes through Trevor's mind the moment Rita's image flickers to that of the Phenex. He blinks, and she is herself again. The pirate barks a laugh, doffing his hat and stepping into a gratuitously fancy bow in one smooth motion. "Ah, welcome then! Welcome to the good ship Isadore! Home of the galaxy's most loyal crew and its most humble captain. To think that there lurked a treasure within that golden treasure's chest whose beauty could exceed even that of gold's sunkissed glimmer! Truly we are blessed this evening! Ha-harr!"
There--
There is no shame in this man. At least not in this. Young though he may be, his presence is vaguely reminiscent of a great-spanned bird soaring high in a cloudless sky. If the Phenex is a canary in a gilded cage, Trevor is every bit a condor.
It may help, however, that this is a dream. As showcased by the fact that Rita is able to suddenly change dress in a split second of ~magical girl transformation.~ The Captain applauds with a beaming smile, "Yes, excellent! You truly understand the attire appropriate for an adventure on the high seas!"
Such as they are.
The black seas give way to a vast expanse of rust red, occasionally broken by islands of green amidst the swirling sands. Trevor spins the wheel, turning the Isadore to port. "Ah, Mars is home to a great many legends. It's said that, hidden beneath the desert sands, beneath its vast Layered city and in the secret coffers of ancient ruins-- are treasures beyond imagining...! Such stories are common in my homeland, it is the dream of ever good explorer to hope to discover such a treasure! As for my ship--"
There's a brief, hot wind. The vessel's crew seems to flicker and shift, as side-characters so often do in dreams. But this is... different. Perhaps she noticed when she gave them a glance, but they are all /truly/ identical. When you look at them closely, they are the same-- indistinct shadows of color and wild, flickering shape-- but somehow all the same none the less.
"--Is the Isadore. And wherever it goes is my home." The same name as his machine. And indeed, in the dim Martian sun, its colors are a dead match-- gold and emerald decorates the firm hardwood, as ivory sheets fill with the red planet's dusty winds.
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Trevor bows, and Rita's mind jumps back to an ancient memory. Sitting on her mother's lap, they watch a cartoon prince bow before a beautiful princess. Another bright flush colors her cheeks, accompanying a quick burst of miraculous light from her fingertips.
How is this charming man still single? Maybe he's married to his work? Rita had never known people could be so princely in real life..! Stay focused. She's here to make sure Trevor will appear when she needs him.
"T--thank you!" Rita brings her hands to her face again, giggling happily. "I've never felt so welcome anywhere, before!"
At Trevor's approval of her outfit, Rita beams so widely her eyes squish closed. "Yes! I'll be a pirate for tonight, it'll be fun! Avast!"
Rita does /not/ have the inflection down, but you can't beat her enthusiasm!
As the scenery changes, Rita gasps and rushes to the side of the ship. "It's beautiful! Does it really look like this?" Tearing her gaze away from the glory of the red planet, she listens to Trevor with wide, thrilled eyes. "That's amazing... Like a story. Let's find some treasure!"
"Where is your homeland, Trevor?" Rita asks, as the crew shifts. She's familiar with such things -- it's difficult to maintain all the pieces of a dream. The more moving parts, the harder it becomes. Normal.
Running her hand along an inlaid vein of gold decoration, she smiles. "I can see why you love it. It must be a part of you by now, just like the Phenex and I. Do you ever get afraid having to take the Isadore to a fight? So many things could go wrong."
The little canary on Rita's shoulder flicks her tailfeathers. It seems to be watching Trevor, luminous eyes focused on the pirate.
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
When you're brought up on stories of high adventure as retold by a bunch of rebels, rejects, vagrants, and a distressing number of Zentrans who couldn't quite keep the old bloodlust down, most of whom have utterly no idea how to raise a child, you develop some very interesting ideas of How Things Are. Add a lot of really questionable literature, and that's how you get Dread Pirate Trevor Teach.
As for why he's single...
Well, until recently, he's been doing mercenary work among a crew of Mostly Old Zeonic Types.
(The real reason he's still single is that his player is actually married to work and thus has somewhat limited windows of brainpower to work with)
"Ah, well! It's the least I can do for someone who so graciously provided me with some much needed funds and a peerless ventside story to tell," Trevor says, adjusting his own hat (which does in fact have its own feather, fluttering in the Martian breeze). "As for Mars..." Trevor's expression saddens somewhat, "...Perhaps it would have, had it not been attacked. Now, such greenery can only be found in some of the planet's domes. But the ruins that have been made in the wake of those attacks are home to some fascinating legends. Still, the people of Mars are resilient, I've no doubt that they'll find a way to survive! Many of them are Zentran, you know!"
Trevor has a number of Zentran 'uncles.' His affection for them is fairly obvious from the tone of his voice and the way his expression brightens as he mentions them.
"My home is not far from here. Or. Relatively speaking, it isn't," Trevor's gaze turns towards the Martian sky, peering through the vast space between it and Jupiter. "Somewhere up there is the asteroid of Vesta. That is where my family and I rest our wings. It's a claustrophobic life, but as long as you can deal with tight quarters, it was a good one."
Rita asks about the Isadore. Trevor arches a brow at her. Curiously, it's the one partially hidden by that eyepatch. Even in a dream, he wears one. "Isadore... Has been with me for a very, very long time. It is my brother, my friend. A part of me... Maybe? You might say that? In the same way that a lifelong companion would be, I think. But the conversations we have are not one-way things. Even now, Isadore dreams with me."
That's--
Quite a statement to make. Unless he's just being colorful again.
"Of course, we are afraid when we face danger," the pirate confirms, shaking his head, the memory of the Vajra racing through his mind-- and for a fleeting instant, the insectoid forms flash across the Martian void. "...Sometimes moreso than others. But as long as we are together, we can overcome that fear."
"And of you?" Trevor asks, leaning on a golden railing, "What of you and the Phenex? Are you... one and the same? Partners?"
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Rita knows very little of Trevor's past, however much she can see of his future. The future is what matters. It's the only thing that matters.
"Ah, you did find it then! I'm glad." Rita smiles, mischief in her eyes. "I know where lots of treasure is. I'm very, very fast. I can find almost anything."
When Trevor's expression falls, Rita looks worried, though her smile never wavers. "I see..." Green eyes are eclipsed by miraculous light, and Rita looks distant for a few moments. "Mars has many possibilities before it. Let's find a nice one."
Raising a hand straight above her head, Rita closes her eyes. With a breath out, incandescence spills from her fingertips, casting far across the Martian surface -- easily as far as the eye can see. As the radiance swirls atop the ground, verdant light rises to meet it, bringing with it greenery of every sort. Trees, flowers, bushes.
...it doesn't look particularly Martian, more like something that could be found in Earth's southern hemisphere, once upon a time. Manicured and contained, like a botanical garden. But it is beautiful. Perhaps that will be enough.
Lowering her arm, Rita opens her eyes, beaming at Trevor. "There! What do you think? It'd be nice if it could be like this." Turning to watch the scenery go back, Rita brushes a hand through her hair. "I've always liked plants."
"You have a very loving family. I'm happy for that!" A gentle smile, as she watches an idealized forest pass by. "You have walked the path you chose with such enthusiasm and joy. It's wonderful to see." There's a certain longing in Rita's voice. "I know there have been hard times. And there still will be. But what you've experienced will carry you through."
For however odd Trevor's comments might be about Isadore, Rita takes it in stride. She feels very similarly, of course!
"Yes." A simple acceptance. "I waited for the Phenex for so very long. She saved me. Now, no one can ever hurt me again. I think they'd be friends, the Phenex and Isadore. They'd understand each other."
Trevor's memory echoes to Rita, and she turns, walking back to him. There's so much she doesn't know about the history of the Earthsphere, and beyond. "I'm sorry." One hand reaches out, almost brushing against Trevor's eye patch. "Is that why you wear this?"
The little canary flaps her wings, taking to the air to circle the ship. Rita watches her go with a smile. "We are one, and we are partners. The Phenex has her own feelings, but she's accepted me. She's both my body and my sister. She's the reason I can visit you like this!"
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
It's fine, Trevor knows very little of Trevor's past! Beyond a certain point, anyway.
There are things lurking in his history that may someday come to light, but not here and not now.
"Oho. You will have to give me hints to some more on occasion. Not too regularly though, mind you. It wouldn't be a particularly fun treasure hunt if I simply followed a little canary to each and every hoard," Trevor says with a one-eyed wink. 'Piracy' is not just about getting rich, after all (though that is certainly the goal), it's also about... adventure...!
(Trevor might have a very 'nuanced' view on piracy)
"This is..." The environment shimmers and changes. Mars itself changes. The surface shifts to one that Trevor had never seen before, and may never see in his lifetime. "Amazing. This is something that you'd seen... on Earth, maybe? I've always intended to see more of it, but the gravity is hard to get used to. There's so much... green. So much space. It was so different from what life was like on Vesta. Still, if Mars could look like this one day..."
Perhaps, someday. Perhaps he might even witness it himself.
"Mm, that's kind of you to say. The Vultures did their best with me, I think." Trevor answers with a smile. "You have a wonderful family, too, I think. Or at least, a family that seems to be very worried about you. Those two who were chasing after the Phenex-- they didn't seem to be doing it out of malice. At least, that guy wasn't. You're lucky to have friends like that, though I can imagine that there are reasons you can't return to them."
The Phenex saved her. Saved her from what...? Trevor's gaze glints with curiosity. "Hmn, yes, I think so too," he answers, of the two machines. Or, not really machines. Machine-Friends. "Though Isadore doesn't quite sparkle as brightly as Phenex does. I don't know where I'd even find enough gold to have it do that!"
A hand brushes close to Trevor's eye patch, and for a moment he looks... hurt? Conflicted?
...
.....
.......dramatic....?
He swoons back as if fainting, but smiles and catches his balance, before lifting a hand to pull back his eyepatch to reveal...
...A perfectly normal eye, winking conspiratorially, "It's a secret. Someday someone's going to get the bright idea to try to blind my other eye, and then I'll be able to scare the /pants/ off of them. Ahahahaha~"
He pauses, grinning, and looks up into the dark sky, "...No, I was terrified of them because of how... /vast/ they were. So many minds, all connected together. All so... alien. It wasn't like anything I'd ever felt before, and to think that such creatures could lurk out there in the dark-- it made me worry about all sorts of things. For home. If they could just... /appear/ one day, out of the blue, what else might be waiting in the void?"
"But I've tried to keep my chin up. A proper pirate can't be scared of the things that go bump in the night. Not /too/ much, anyway."
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Rita's eyes glimmer, victory in her expression. "I can definitely do that! How about... every time you come chase me alongside Luio & Co., I'll tell you another treasure location?" It's spoken so casually, as though Rita is just coming up with the idea now. "I want people to support my friends."
Trevor likes Rita's gardening! She beams, spinning to lean against the wall of the ship and face him. "I based it on my very favorite garden -- well, and the only one I've ever seen. It's important to me! I think you should come and see the Earth, Trevor. It's a beautiful place, even if I like space better." A giggle. "Gravity is the worst!"
"It will take a lot of effort." Rita murmurs. "But this is one of Mars' possible futures. If enough people care, it'll come true."
Green eyes blink wide in surprise, though still, that gentle smile remains in place. "Oh, you noticed them. Jona, and Michele..." Rita brings her hands together, as if clinging to herself for comfort. "Yes. They're my friends. Everything I'm doing is for them. I miss them... so much. But it's too soon. I can't go to them yet."
She's quiet for a moment, looking down at her swanky pirate boots. "If you ever come across Jona or Michele, Trevor, please be kind to them. They don't understand."
"Oh, the Phenex won't mind! She likes being the prettiest bird in a flock, anyway." A little laugh, though it's clear Rita is still recovering from the discussion of her friends. "She gets worried about how different she looks from her sisters. I think it'd be good for her to have more friends."
When Trevor swoons, Rita gasps, brilliant-blue sacred fire forming around the pirate's body... But he's okay. Rita puffs her cheeks out, releasing her psychic grasp on him. "That was mean! I thought you were falling!" A little pout, then, the first time her smile has slipped. "But I want to /know/! I'll tell you a secret in exchange!"
It's cajoling, the way a child might beg for an extra treat.
"Those things," Rita says, carefully, "are a very scary threat. They could be the death of possibility. But even they know how to love. There are far worse things in the Void, things that could never be taught to love anything at all. Even themselves."
Rita strikes a pose, then -- both hands on her hips. Light shimmers from her body like a shining aura. "But you don't have to worry! I'm going to protect everyone. Nothing can escape my sight, and I'm very, very strong. We're going to stay on exactly the path we need to."
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
"Hmmmm, a two for one deal, is it...?" Trevor rubs at his chin as if weighing the possibility (though he has of course already made his decision). "Sure, I'm game. Though, you don't mind that we might hurt Phenex in the process? That last time, they came... very close to it. And there was that one man with the terrible energy about him, too. The man from the Sleeves."
He says, as if he isn't in the Sleeves (though truly, he's never met Zoltan in person).
"I've been to Earth a couple of times!" Trevor says with a laugh, the sky briefly turning a familiar shade of brilliant, sky blue. Inexplicably, it's also snowing. "It really was beautiful. We ended up in Antarctica for a little while. Then the desert. I was traveling with the Garanceries' crew at the time though, so it was mostly business." Still, for someone who had grown up far, far beyond Earth's cradle, it was an amazing experience.
Returning for leisure... might be more in the cards, these days.
"Never saw anything like this there, but... if it could grow on Earth, then surely we could make it grow on Mars someday. Vesta... Heh, probably not! Asteroids have a hard time keeping anything green! But I'd be happy enough if there was a garden on Mars to visit from time to time."
Rita mentions names. Jona and Michele. So that's who they were. Trevor nods slowly, "...I understand. It must be a complicated situation, huh...? What /is/ it you're doing, Rita...? Even if you are that strong, you don't have to be fighting alone when your friends want to help you so badly, you know...?"
Even a pirate of the Sleeves can recognize the Power of Friendship.
Even when machines are the friends in question.
"Her sisters, huh? I noticed another mobile suit out there that looked a lot like her. Was that one of them?" Trevor nods along, equipped as he is with enough people skills to sense a sensitive topic where one emerges. "Well, I'm sure Isadore wouldn't mind being friends. Truth be told, I'm trying to socialize him too. But it's hard finding friends to talk to when you're a giant robot, you know?"
But they /are/ friends. Friends that can protect them from things like the Vajra. Things that... can love in their own alien way. Trevor's gaze darkens somewhat, as if in recognition of a threat. A threat, indeed. "...Monsters without hearts..." He murmurs, "...Yeah. That's even scarier to think about than those creatures. At least... I could 'feel' them. Scary as they were. And if they can love... can we talk to them, I wonder...?"
Blue flames ensconce Trevor in the midst of his feigned fainting spell. "Ahaha, I had you worried, huh?" He laughs, straightening up with a tug of his piratical coat, "You really want to know, huh...? Well alright, a secret for a secret. You promise?" Trevor waits for confirmation, a grin on his face like that of every single elder brother with sibling-targeted mischief on their mind.
And if he gets a yes, and a secret worth knowing, he'd nod knowingly and reach up to his eyepatch...
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
The Phenex was terribly, terribly injured last time. Rita only barely made it away. It was terrifying. It shouldn't have been like that! It was supposed to be a quick fight and a clean escape... But Rita can't reveal her flawed Sight to the pirate before her, no matter how charming he is.
"Oh, I know, don't worry. I can heal her." Rita says, projecting a serene confidence. "She and I discussed everything before we became partners. We're fast enough to get away if something goes very, very wrong."
That sweet smile is disrupted by a look of fear and hatred for half a moment, at the mention of Zoltan -- but it's gone again near-immediately. "Don't worry, Trevor. I'll make sure that monster can't hurt anyone. He'll be harmless for a while still. But all he wants is to destroy everything. You can't trust him, not for a second!"
Happy for the distraction from talk of Zoltan, Rita coos in delight at the sudden blue-tone of the sky. At the snow, however, she seems... puzzled. A hand extends, cautiously gathering a few flakes. "What is this? Is it ash from a colony drop?"
"The Garencieres! They're wonderful people. True heroes of the living. You'd be smart to stay with them, Trevor!" Rita winks, a gesture clearly learned elsewhere. "You'll see something amazing if you do. Even more amazing than Antarctica and deserts. Even more amazing than an asteroid growing flowers!"
She laughs. The snowflakes don't seem to melt on Rita's palm, despite how sun-warm her spirit is.
Gradually, her laugh fades, and she looks at Trevor with that ever-present smile. "Bad things are coming. Very bad. Scary, too." Her words resonate, making the structure of Trevor's dream vibrate around them. "Every time you make a decision, possibility splits. Then the next decision splits it again. Again, again, again. For every living thing."
"Newtypes like us are blessed with the Light of Possibility. It comes easier to us. Before I ascended, I only knew one path. But now that I'm like this, I can see trillions, stretching out from now until the end of time." Rita's eyes turn radiant again, trailing bits of sacred fire. "Of all the trillions of paths, I have to make /one/ come to pass. No one can see it but me. I don't understand how the choices intertwine to form the path I need. But I have to stay away, for now. From Jona and Michele, and everyone."
"Understanding isn't important." Rita looks down. "I'll bring us to that single future. Whatever it takes."
"My sisters are a big part of that future. The Lion and the Unicorn! You've met them before." The psychic pressure around the Newtype Spirit eases, as she speaks about her sisters. "I love them both so much. I wish we could be together, but you've seen what happens. The Banshee and the Unicorn aren't stable enough to meet their sisters right now."
"Isadore will make for a great friend. I'll come find you so he and the Phenex can get to know each other, someday soon." Rita says, happily. "We can't feel anything from the Void." It's spoken as a proper noun, capital-V Void. And then another little laugh. "Anything with a heart can be communicated with! You just have to find the right language."
Rita looks grave, then, bringing a hand to her heart. "I promise! A secret for a secret."
That mischevious grin isn't promising, but Rita's got her eye on Trevor. No way he'll be able to trick her! But what would Trevor consider a secret worth knowing? Rita thinks hard, bringing her hands together behind her back. Once more, her eyes are eclipsed by radiance, and her vision darts about, searching through the mists of possibility.
"Oh."
Rita's eyebrows draw together in distress as the radiance in her eyes burns more brightly. This... isn't a fun secret. But it's one Trevor deserves to know. Especially as a Newtype. A few rapid blinks brings Rita back to the dream, and she steps forward, taking one of Trevor's hands in her own.
"This isn't a very happy secret. Just remember, the things that made you don't have anything to do with who you are, okay?" Her words carry weight, she's speaking from experience. "You were created by a very bad person."
Rita raises her free hand, displaying a sleeping woman in some kind of glass case. Her hair is fantastically voluminous, and a purple gown preserves her modesty. It's a tiny vision, as though Trevor is being shown a projection from a palm-sized hologram projector.
"There were many like you. Meant to be you." Rita's voice is soft. "But only you remain. This woman, she wanted a special kind of Newtype, for a very specific goal. It's not... a nice thing."
Green eyes look to Trevor, and Rita squeezes his hand. "We're the same, you and me."
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
Trevor would never exploit a flaw like that! Much. (It might even deter him from asking things like 'what are the numbers for this week's Mega Williams Woolong Jackpot in the future.)
"You can pull off repairs by yourself...? Do you have a crew helping you, or are you just-- growing new parts out of the aether?" The Phenex is a mysterious, gold-plated shiny thing. The idea of regenerative robots isn't actually /that/ weird, but it's also usually the domain of things like Zonders and Primevals, not exactly something you'd expect to find on a Gundam! "I've heard stories of things that can heal themselves like that, but they generally weren't the kindliest of friends."
But the Phenex is certainly a friend. Zoltan though, is... apparently not?
"Mmh, rare that I feel hate like that for anyone so specifically," Trevor murmurs, scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck, "Got it, got it. I'll be wary. He was giving off some pretty nasty vibes anyway, so I kinda figured he was the kind to cause trouble. Though in this line of business, you get to know a lot of scumlike sorts pretty well whether you like it or not, heh~"
Snowflakes seem to materialize out of thin air as the temperature plummets. But the cold doesn't bite in this place. Dreams are nice like that. Trevor frowns as his breath fogs on his lips, "Ash...? What would make you think it was something like that...? No, this is snow! You've never seen it before? It falls out of the sky instead of snow when it gets cold enough on Earth. It builds up enough on the ground to make huge fields of glittering white stuff!" As if on cue, the dreamscape shifts, the snowcapped plains of Mars' poles coming into brief focus. "Like that...!"
"Cap'n Suberoa's a good man," Trevor confirms with a nod and a chuckle. Oh no, Rita's wink is cute too! "They've all got their hearts in the right place," he adds to distract himself, "Something more amazing than any of this, huh...? Does it have to do with... that path that you're looking for?"
The Light of Possibility, the myriad paths that causality can take, a universe that bifurcates endlessly on impossibly vast scales. Trevor can't even imagine it-- he's silent as Rita explains her purpose and intent. "...What is it you're trying to avert, Rita...? Out of a trillion paths, why is that one so important?"
The Unicorn and the Lion-- the Banshee-- play a role in it. If they're machines that can be guided by the Light of Possibility. By the power held in the hands of Newtypes.
He shakes his head.
"Sure, feel free to drop by whenever, long as you give me word in advance. We've been slumming it in Cap'n Eight's berth since we lost the Garencieres, but I can slip away fairly easy. Unless you wanted to give the all a scare, too." Though that might be... risky.
A promise is confirmed, and Trevor's smile widens, but--
Not all secrets are good ones.
He blinks and blushes ever so slightly when she takes his hand. "I-- what?" She explains. Trevor's lips draw into a thin line as he listens, his eye widening in shock at the words, fixing upon the image of that woman in the capsule-- before he tears his gaze away, more... confused than anything. "I'm... Not sure what you're telling me," he says, hesitantly. "I knew I was a clone, but... What, there were more like me? That woman made us for... something?"
She squeezes his hand. Trevor's gaze is baffled, unsure, scared. The dream-air finally does begin to chill as the feelings grip his heart. "...Who is she? Why did she--"
A secret for a secret. Trevor falls silent before reaching up to the eyepatch he wears with his free hand. He pulls it back, revealing...
...It's an eye. Yep. That's just a normal eye. A scar almost bisects the socket down through his brow. "...I almost feel bad, now. My eye's fine. I did injure it a while back-- bad enough to need this patch-- but ever since I've just worn it for the ambiance. And so I could fool people into thinking I only had just the one, for various reasons. It's... not really the best secret," he laughs-- it sounds forced. "...And I found that keeping it covered helps me pilot. I can... see better what Isadore wants to show me, when I keep it shut."
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
"The Phenex is a part of me, just like I'm a part of her. I can heal her with the Miracle Light. It just takes a very, very long time." Rita says, a little sadly. "It's why I have to go back to my Nest after battles. Just me and her! We'd fall apart otherwise, and if she's killed, I won't be able to cling to the physical world anymore."
It's a very nice way of saying Rita would be fully dead.
"We're friends, I promise!" Rita says, with a sweet smile. "The Phenex and I just want to protect everyone."
Rita nods softly at Trevor's acceptance of her hatred of Zoltan. It's an odd contrast, to feel that ravenous fear and scorching hatred, while looking at the gentle smile on the woman's face. "I won't tell you to stay away from him. You're tough enough. But, be careful, Trevor."
"Snow... not ash..." Rita breathes, her eyes lighting up with a near childish-delight. Suddenly, the snowflakes in her palm begin to melt, as if becoming aware of their true nature. "Snow! I never saw it when I was alive! Oh!"
A breathy laugh. Rita rushes to the side of the ship again, taking in the snowcapped pole of the planet.
"It's wonderful!" Rita holds her arms out and spins, face tipped up. Her breath begins to fog, too. "Let's dance, come on!"
Reaching out for Trevor's hands, Rita runs in a circle on the deck, holding on tight. It doesn't seem like she knows exactly /how/ to dance, but you can't beat her enthusiasm. Seeing snow for the very first time... Even if she can't feel it, just /seeing/ it is a little miracle in itself.
Breathless from laughter, Rita lets Trevor go. "Thank you, Trevor! I always wanted to see snowflakes! This is a gift. I'll never forget." Both hands come to her heart, and she smiles, so heartbreakingly genuine.
"Captain Zinnerman will be there to see it. The most beautiful thing of all." Rita says, conspiratorially. "Even more amazing than snow. This path is walked by my sisters, but I'm protecting it."
Trevor asks the Question, then, and Rita blinks widely, as if surprised anyone would ever ask. "Oh. Oh." She looks at Trevor, then away at the distant mountain peak, then back at Trevor. There are so many possible answers. She should just lie, or keep most of the truth back.
But Trevor gave her snowflakes.
"I think you know. Or you /can/ know, if you try." Rita reaches out, letting miraculous light bloom between her fingers. "When I was a little girl, I saw something terrible. I was ready to face it myself, but two people chased after me. And they never stopped."
Rita takes a breath. A flower comes to being in her hands -- long stems with delicate yellow flowers. "They deserve to stop. They deserve to see snowflakes too. They deserve /time/, more than anything."
It's a terribly honest answer, absolute truth resonating between the two Newtypes. For a moment, Rita's lip wobbles, and her eyes fill with luminous starlight...
But again, when Trevor blinks, her face is back to its peaceful demeanor.
"Oh, don't worry!" Rita says, as though nothing happened. "I'm good friends with Captain York. I think I could visit, one day when my sister isn't there. It's kind of funny when people get so worried about the Phenex, anyway. She doesn't even have any weapons!"
As Trevor's smile fades, so does Rita's. Once Trevor finishes looking at the sleeping woman, Rita closes her hand, letting the image fade. "Her name is Eva. She's a bad person. There are many people like her, who want to use Newtypes as weapons."
Rita reaches out as Trevor reveals his eye, brushing a fingertip feather-light against the scar. Once she's felt it, the hand trails down, gently caressing his cheek. "It looks nice on you, Trevor. If it makes you happy, you should wear it as much as you like."
"And if it helps you, I'll be there, when you search for Eva, and your siblings." Rita's eyes are serious. "Your family will be there. You won't be alone. But if you want me to be there, I will."
He gave her snowflakes, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Trevor Teach has posed.
"The Miracle Light-- is that glow that light that the Phenex always carried around, right...?" Trevor certainly remembers chasing after those contrails of light. It shot through the shoal zone like a golden comet, always just out of reach. It was almost like she were playing with her pursuers. Maybe she was? "'The Physical World?' Then you really are a ghost... But you definitely don't seem like the ghosts in the stories. Way nicer, for one. And most story-ghosts ain't adorable."
They're usually the opposite.
Terrifying, that is. They're usually terrifying.
"Well, your vibes are way better than his were. Makes me kind of wonder how he got to be that way, though." But that's how Newtypism too often manifests. They just get so dang curious about other people and how they think and act...! "Friends it is, then. I--"
He's snagged! He's dragged into a dance! He's not exactly as steady on his feet when it comes to dancing, himself. Something about growing up in extremely claustrophobic quarters in low gravity made finding places to dance kind of... hard. But he tries! It helps having an enthusiastic partner! At least the sense of uncertainty is a brief one. "Ahaha, snowflakes /are/ really great! Each and every one is different. Some days, they fall so big and fluffy that you can see how different they are with just your eyes. It's incredible to think that people on Earth get to see this sort of thing all the time. Weather isn't really a thing back home."
Asteroids... aren't exactly known for their atmospheres.
Someday in the future, though... There is something even more beautiful than snow. Or at least, there is according to Rita. "Well, that's reassuring," Trevor nods, "Zinnerman... It's good to know that he'll probably be alright. War's not exactly merciful." That's putting it lightly. Trevor's experience with war is nowhere near as extensive as that of some of his contemporaries. But even so, he's seen how terrible it can be.
But. Trevor asked a question-- and Rita elects to answer it. Again that light glimmers between her fingertips, and Trevor watches as she spins her tale. "It's... all for those two, huh...?" He spreads his fingers over his heart, though its pulse is only imaginary in this space, "I see. Still doesn't make sense to me why you can't tell them this, but I can respect it. This doesn't really make sense in context, but you deserve to live, too. Deserved...?" Ghosts! It's a confusing situation!
Conversations in dreams flow like scenes and scenery. They weave together in unexpected ways. Trevor handles the change in atmosphere without thinking twice. Everything in this space is... less filtered than it usually would be. "Oh, well that's good news. Perhaps one day, then--"
And again the topic shifts. "Eva," Trevor repeats, as if trying to etch the name deep into his memory-- just in case this dream slips into the fog of memory like so many others. "...Nn. I'd heard rumors about this sort of thing, but to think it'd happen to me... Still doesn't feel real, but I'm glad I know. Thank you, Rita."
It's something he can push towards. Knowledge he can seek. A lead, as dark as it is, into the murky depths of his past.
Fingertips trace over his brow, down across his cheek. Trevor... takes the hand in his, dips into a bow, and presses a kiss to them like the impossible pirate prince that he makes himself out to be. Instantly, the fear sinks back into the fathoms of his soul-- but not the gravity in his voice, or the cool focus on his face, "I'd like that, Miss Rita. If you would help me in this, I would be eternally grateful."
<Pose Tracker> Rita Bernal has posed.
Rita wiggles her fingers, exuding more of that fantastic glow Trevor chased after. "Yes! It's the Light of the resonant plane, the Light of Possibility itself. Most of the time, it requires hearts in union to use, but I'm very strong."
"I've never thought about being a ghost before." Rita wrinkles her nose. "It doesn't sound very nice. I guess it's true--" Another blush at the compliment, and a giggle. "And I don't mind if it's /you/ saying it."
"...he was like us." Rita says, simply, of Zoltan. "But he's bad." That is that, in Rita's mind. Nothing can change 'bad'.
Trevor's attempts at dancing are skilled enough to please Rita. It's funny, to think a pirate skilled in navigating the skies would lose his footing in a simple dance! But her laughter is friendly. The effort is enough to make her happy.
"I grew up on Earth, but I never got to see anything like this." Rita says, with a little sigh. "I always wanted to. They kept me inside, they were afraid of me. But protecting the path is more important -- it always has been."
This leads back to Jona and Michele easily, and Trevor earns a little nod. Rita holds the yellow long-stemmed flower in front of her face, hiding. "Yes. They can't hear me the way you can, Trevor. No matter what I try. I even learned sign language with the Phenex, and Jona didn't understand." She lowers her head, the feather miraculously repelling all snow. She hasn't realized it should be getting weighed down. "So if I return to them now, and they learn that I died, they break. It's too much."
"I deserved..?" Rita blinks, then lowers the flower, smiling at Trevor. "You're so kind. I thought pirates were supposed to be scary! If sacrificing my life will save everyone, it's the right thing to do. It doesn't hurt me."
Is that really true? With how she laughed and dance from a simple snowshower?
"I can tell you what will happen, Trevor. With her, with all your life. But you won't be as happy." Rita explains, softly. "Your best future is the one where you take charge of possibility. I can't imagine a man like you would be any more content to follow a little canary to the truth of your past than you would be to follow her to treasure, right?"
Trevor dips into a fantastic bow, and Rita flushes such a sweet, bright pink, her skin begins to glow. "Call for me. I'll be there, no matter what." She promises.
The luminous canary ceases her flight around the ship and returns to hover just off the side of Isadore. She seems to grow in size and spiritual pressure, larger, stronger. More radiant, more powerful. Until, all at once, the Phenex has taken her place. One hand extends toward Rita.
"You're waking up, Trevor. It's time for me to leave." There's a longing sadness to Rita's voice. This has been so fun... "But I'll see you again. I'm sure of it."
Gently, she pulls away from Trevor, leaving her flower behind in his grasp. Rita steps aboard the Phenex's waiting palm. As she leaves the ship, her outfit shimmers, returning to the simple white sundress. The golden Gundam raises Rita close to her chest, and Rita vanishes in a shimmer of aurora-like brilliance.
The Phenex looks down to Trevor, then turns away. In an instant, she rockets into the air, up and out of the dream.
...when Trevor awakes, perhaps he will see the image of a long stemmed yellow flower in his hand, just for a moment. Dreams so often leave residue, like snowflakes vanishing before the dawn.