[h2][color=421A8C]Sapphire Rode[/color] and [color=DarkMagenta]Demetra Rode[/color] - Corridor[/h2]
Sapphire was relieved that Oswald was understanding, relieved that he didn't recoil from her, relieved that he didn't make Demetra's problems worse. If he had, well Sapphire might have had to do something drastic. She was the only protector her sisters had after all.

When Oswald said he was an open book Sapphire almost laughed. The statement was so at odds with how she perceived Oswald. Sure he seemed like the kind of guy that would laugh with his friends, sling back a few beers with the guys but she'd always got the impression that he didn't talk about the really important stuff. The incident after their previous mission involving the gym's heavily brutalized punching bag was proof enough that he had some kind pain he was trying to bury. Maybe he really was an open book, she'd never actually asked about the finer points of his past, about what had drove him to become a hunter beyond the circumstances of living in a border town. More likely though was that she just read him better than others. They didn't see the weight he bore so to them he was an easy going guy who could stand to cut himself some slack.

As if reading her mind, not just her emotions Demetra murmured [color=DarkMagenta]"Only the big ones."[/color] more it seemed to herself than anyone else. She brightened slightly when Oswald talked about how draining a semblance could be but a happy kind of bright, more like the kind of look that people have when they commiserate over the long work day. [color=DarkMagenta]"By itself it doesn't cost me anything... It's just so exhausting being angry, or upset or sad or lonely all of the time. Sometimes it's easier..."[/color] She trailed off. Sapphire knew Demetra though, knew her well enough to know how that sentence ended [i]...it's easier to feel nothing at all.[/i] [color=DarkMagenta]"That's a cool semblance,"[/color] she said though she sounded almost far away. [color=DarkMagenta]"Must be nice to be able to,"[/color] she clicked her tongue to indicate disappearing [color=DarkMagenta]"Whenever you like."[/color]

When Oswald started talking about how semblances reflected their users personalities Demetra turned away from him. [color=DarkMagenta]"I know where my power comes from."[/color] she said it so quietly that Sapphire almost missed it. Of course all of the Rode sisters knew where their semblances originated, with their father. Sapphire had wanted desperately to disappear, to vanish from the situation, at of the way of danger. She'd been given the perfect cloaking system. Demetra had wanted to understand how someone who was supposed to love them unconditionally could do such things and she'd been given the ability to understand everyone. And Cecily, she'd wanted to never forget. Consequently she could bring to mind every memory she possessed in perfect crystal clarity.

Though she'd only given it a moments thought Sapphire sort of felt that Oswald's semblance was a result of him wanting, or rather [i]needing[/i] be able to help everyone at once, to be able to [i]be[/i] everywhere at once regardless what it cost him. Maybe if he put whatever was in his past behind him his semblance would change. More than likely not though, that was a very rare occurrence.

In the back of her mind Sapphire knew that Demetra wouldn't tell Oswald, or anyone what they'd been through as children. As well as being deeply traumatic, it wasn't just her secret. The three of them, sisters all, just wanted to separate themselves from their father's name. Still Sapphire hoped Oswald wouldn't read anything into the little things Demetra had a habit of saying.

As they approached the gym Sapphire heard the signal for the race to begin. She had of course signed up for it but with Demetra to look after and Oswald as he was she didn't feel she could simply abandon them for some juvenile games of strategy.

[color=0054a6]"Why don't we head for the firing range? Gren said something about testing new weapons for Emerald, I can introduce you to her sis. She's nice... if a bit, well you'll like her."[/color]
[@MULTI_MEDIA_MAN]