Fish of Oblivion
Trainerblue192
Nallore
hanzo
Kirah
Forsythe
Vampiretwilight
Guardian Angel HarukiFaith, Bart, & Belladonna
Location: Peter's Grave -> Ireland, 1848 -> Ville au Camp
Skills: N/A
Skills: N/A
Skills: History (Ireland)
Any era where Belladonna did not have to change out of her preferred corseted hobble style dress was a good time for the elder Paradox. Today was such a day. Though she did have to admit her time with Andromeda had been enchanting, she had taken a shine to the pale Paradox. It was time to see how dealing with a pair of paradoxes would go. She had two bags hanging from the tree next to where Peters Grave was still fresh. One was a potato sack filled with worn out and torn wool clothing. It was labeled: Male. Then there was a garment bag filled with a dress and under garments, including a bone corset. It was pink but god, it was going to cinch that waist.
Faith awoke to the day like all the ones before. She had to hand it to herself, she was getting used to the constant ritual. Training with Gio was interesting, but she was excited now. The only ones left to train with were Evelina and Belladonna, two she had been most looking forward to. So when she got up to go read the note, seeing she would be with the senior Paradox, she almost jumped for joy. She had a feeling she would be training with Bart still, which she had gotten used to. She still didn't like the little nerd, but he was proving to be useful. Faith got ready and went out to meet with Belladonna at Peter's grave. She noted the two bags, "Let me guess, clothing change?" She walked up to inspect the other bag and saw the dress, corset, and underwear. God, women had to wear these then? "Oh, that's gonna hurt, isn't it? I'll go get changed then." She had gotten used to the demands placed on her. Blending in with the time so as to not stick out. If she had to suffer with a corset choking the breath out of her, so be it.
A new day had dawned, and with it came a new trainer, as Bart quickly discovered upon waking. Belladonna... He was a bit surprised that a paradox would be teaching them, but he didn't know how long she'd been around. He supposed if she would be training him, she must be rather experienced. At this point, he assumed he'd still be training with Faith. He didn't mind her so much anymore, and she seemed more than capable of holding her own, so he was fine with that. He quickly got himself down to Peter's grave site, and saw Belladonna, along with Faith, along with a bag clearly labeled "Male" Taking the initiative, he strode up to it, took the bag, and said, "I'll get right changed then so we can start the day." If there was one thing he'd learned by now, it was to not waste the time of the trainers. It seemed most of them didn't care much for formalities. Giving a nod of acknowledgement to Faith, he turned back towards the house to change into his new attire.
Oh Belladonna was having none of this. They were on a clock and she had been influenced enough by Evelina to wish to stay on it. "We will not delay while you dawdle. You behind the tree, you other side of the tree. No peaking. I'll help with the corset," she said as she took a hold of the corset and moved into position. As soon as Faith was ready she started lacing it up with an unnatural speed before leaning over the womans shoulder from behind. "Breath out and brace against the tree pulling forward. Three, two." She hadn't even reached one when she pulled back tight, the corset cutting in at the waist and flattening the poor woman's chest. This obviously wasn't a corset designed to accent the breasts. "One." There was a slight grin on her features as she helped with anything else that was needed and motioned towards the portal."Come now, we have death to witness."
Faith stepped back into place, as she had originally attempted to follow Bart back to the house. Changing outside wasn't ideal, but then again the quicker she got changed the quicker they could proceed with their training. Though she at least was happy her attire had pink on it, though the corset left little to be desired. She went back behind her designated tree and waited for Belladonna to help her. She did as she was told and braced herself against the tree as she waited for the count. Before she knew it, she felt her breasts push back against her as if attempting to strangle her through her inside. She felt her waist tighten as the corset was set on her body. She breathed out again, though somewhat strained. She didn't let go of the tree until she managed a steady rhythm. Once done, she turned to face the other Paradox. "Please tell me its whoever decided to make this corset? If not, I'll happily deal out death myself. The world will thank me for it, one day."
There was a bit of mirth in Belladonnas ebony eyes as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Oh darling a woman should always train in a corset. Wonderful invention, if one can proceed with their breath taken away, imagine what one can do when it is cut free. It is truly liberating," she said in a cool voice. Then she followed up, "Especially when a debonair man when a hot dagger assists."
Bart stopped in his stride, and turned red. He didn't like the idea of changing outside, much less where people might catch a peek. Not wanting to argue with Bella though, he stepped behind his tree and reached into the bag, and pulled out his rags. He frowned, as he was at least used to dressing up a bit when he went off camp.He slipped into the wool clothes, and scratched himself. He wasn't a fan of these to say the least, and stepped out after Faith was dressed, and dryly said, "Should I rub a bit of dirt on my face too? I look like a pauper." He was surprised with himself at that. It was unlike him. He considered that maybe Faith was rubbing off on him a little. He positioned himself next to Faith, and looked quizzically at Belladonna, wondering who's death they'd be witnessing.
"Do not be silly, two women of peerage would never allow their boy to accompany them in filth," the Elder paradox stated as she held up a single finger. Turning, she walked smoothly towards the portal and stepped through. On the other side, clouds of gray rose into the air from smoke stacks down the street. There was a divide and it was painfully obvious. A handful of people with far too much money walked past crowds of poor and starving. "Ireland, during what you would call the Great Potato Famine. In truth, what you are witnessing is Genocide."
Faith smirked at Belladonna's comment. It was true, to an extent. Plus, it added a bit of sexiness to look good and be badass doing it. Still, she felt snug while Bart was dressed in what looked like drab, but somewhat comfortable clothing. It wasn't until Bella mentioned that he was their "boy". Now it made sense. They were members of the upper crust, dressed as such, and Bart was part of the lower sect, probably one who worked for them. Now she was happy. She followed Bella through the portal and noticed immediately the difference between the classes here. She was happy she didn't have to appear like a pauper, but wasn't that a danger also? Didn't royalty often get killed for having too much? And now they were here during a horrible time in Ireland's history. "Are we to merely observe this?" She didn't know if she relished watching a group get killed off.
Bart kept himself from glaring at Belladonna. He didn't at all like the role she had decided to give him, but he did know better than to argue with her. That, and he was confident nothing would come of it. It was just the cover she choose. If there was one upside, there was no way Faith was more comfortable than him, even if the wool irritated his skin, at least he could breath easy. He followed her and Faith through the portal. He shuffled uncomfortably near his companions, looking upon the crowds of poor people. He didn't quite understand the point Belladonna was trying to make by having them bear witness to this. Genocide was an odd word for it, in Bartholomew's opinion, as one considers the word to typically describe death via some kind of active choice, rather than from the mere staying from action, but it was horrible nevertheless. "We're not to interfere." He reminded Faith, a touch of bitterness in his voice.
Belladonna nodded slightly to Bartholomew's words but she did not look at him or address him. Lacing her fingers together below her breast as she walked, she kept Faith to her right and Bart to her back left. Yet she did make sure that when she spoke she could be heard by him without straining. "There are some things even if we were to interfere it would not change much. What you are witnessing is systematic genocide. Water mold began this but.." she stopped speaking as a man stumbled into their path, his mouth was green. Bright green and his skin pallid, clammy. He dropped to his knees and fell dead at their feet. Belladonna looked at him with pity. "Cholera, Typhoid. It is wiping this village off the face of the earth. In his belly, he could not even find rotting water molded potatoes to fill it. Grass from the field to stop the pains caused by that had not seen food in far too long."
Faith felt her anger get the best of her after Bart's stupid comment. "I know that, boy, learn to speak when spoken to." Hey, she had to get into character right? She knew that they were not to get involved, but were they merely here to observe as a large number of people just perished? Or was there more to this they needed to see and understand. As they walked, a man stumbled forward and fell before them, dead. She felt more pity for him than she would have imagined. These people were slowly dying. People like she was pretending to be didn't suffer. "And I don't suppose the wealthy elite did much to aid them? Sitting in their towers as the lower class slowly died?" She would be the first to admit she was spoiled in her past life, but she liked to think that if she knew of people outside dying, she would have tried to help. The apocolypse changed that dynamic though.
"What a bitch." Bart thought to himself. He was used to Faith's attitude by now, but being talked down to in that way really ground his gears. He clenched his jaw, and took a surprised step backward when the man stumbled in front of them. The anger in his eyes was instantly replaced with what could only be described at pity. He was surely a revolting sight, and Bart did quickly avert his gaze, but it was something very sad as well. Death by starvation was not an easy way to go, and that topped with Cholera and Typhoid must've made it all the more painful. He thought to speak to respond to Faith, but in tune with his role he kept quiet. He disagreed with her sentiment though, information didn't travel the same way it did when he was alive. If a family was well off, there's a good chance they either didn't know the extent of the problem, or were only effective at helping out near where they lived. That was just his speculation anyway.
"For some it will. They will be able to buy their way over the borders that are closed. There is plenty of food but the potatoes cannot be sold. It is what these farmers pay their English Landlords with. They are tossed off their lands, out of their homes, into the streets, the poor houses, and the coffin ships to the New World where even if they survive to that point will be pushed aside and signs will hang in windows - No Irish Allowed." Belladonna kept walking as she spoke. The further into the village they progressed the worse it looked. The harder it was to breath because of the smell of rotting dead that were in piles in alleyways before they could be taken to mass graves. Children in work houses looked out of stone buildings with dirt and blood on their faces. They were skeletons with skin wasting away.
This was a feeling that Faith had not experienced before. It was like her stomach wanted to be anywhere else but there and then. She felt warm in her chest. Was she having a heart attack? COULD she have a heart attack? God she still didn't understand this whole Paradox process. No, this was something else. She felt...sad. Depressed even. She walked along with Bart and Bella and watched as death claimed another after another, and they could do nothing about it. History had already claimed them. "I hate this. I'd rather have Walker encounters day after day than watch these people perish from something that could have been aided."
Bart watched on as Faith began to audibly freak out. He frowned and averted his eyes. It was incredibly sad, and, from Bella's last comment, completely unfair. He looked at the town around him, and sputtered at the smell. His lip quivered for a second as his eyes lingered on one of the children, somebody obviously already consigned to death. He ripped his eyes away and stared at the ground, struggling to follow his companions. He agreed with Faith, this was repulsive on every level. He swallowed hard, trying to keep himself from throwing up at the sight.
The walk continued and Belladonna lead them out of the town. A mother was curled up on the side of the road, holding her child and singing to the baby weakly. The childs lips were purple and the body rigid. The mother was still singing to her long dead offspring. No words exchanged but she gave the woman a look. The two seemed to understand each other. Mother to mother. The road broke off and then Bella turned and lead them far into a field, up a hill, and stopped as they came to the top. On the other side was something far worse. A potters field newly dug. Hundreds of bodies laid out, rotting, flies were swarming. "Is what we have endured anything compared to this? Petty squabbles. Hurt feelings. Attitude. No, all must be pushed aside for mark my words young ones. Should we fail at our jobs, at what we have been chosen for, this will not just be a moment in time. Our entire world will be a grave and we too shall lay festering."
It was a shitty lesson to learn, but probably one Faith needed most of all. If she were to do this new job of hers, she would have to change. So far she had been operating as if this was a do=over. A way for her to try again. Hell, she even still hoped that she would be able to go back to her world. It seemed like it would not be the case and now she had to stand here and watch as people died and she could do nothing. But Bella was right. The work that they did was important and it was needed. Saving history and those in it meant that others got to continue to live. As much as she would love to heal these people or put a bullet in Hitler, it would ruin history and the world. "I understand. Thank you for showing this to me. I have....a lot to think about, it seems."
Bart's eyes locked on Bella as she spoke, and for once he think he got it. These people's duty, his duty was to make sure that the world didn't turn to this. He drew breath, and exhaled, looking at the pestilence and death strewn around him, he nodded. He just didn't understand why it was him chosen to protect this world. He felt a twinge of anger, knowing that that was a secret never to be known to him. It felt unfair, being saddled with such responsibility without knowing why, but at the same time, this wasn't something he could shirk off. For whatever reason, he was here, and for as long as he was, this was the work in front of him. Bart nodded along with Faith. "Thank you Belladonna, I think I needed this." He said, lowering his head towards her.
Belladonna gave a long gaze across the mass of bodies. A wagon starting up the hill behind them, filled with more bodies. Turning she started back down the hill with her arms crossed and pulling her shawl closer as the winds kicked up around them. It was a long silence on the trek back from the elder Paradox. Then as they neared the portal she began to speak in her velvet voice, quoting something very dear to her heart. It could be heard in each syllable that slipped passed her lips. "Was there a man dismayed? Not though the soldier knew someone had blundered. Theirs not to make reply, theirs not to reason why, theirs but to do and die." Stopping at the portal there was a slight tug at the corner of her lips. "Into the valley of Death my darlings."
Faith followed Bella closely, eager to leave this place. She had a lot of thinking to do. She made note to remember this time period. It would be a reminder that she had an important job. That, above all, the balance of time was important. Even if it meant watching a people die. It was a harsh truth, but a truth that needed to be learned none the less. She stepped into the portal without a word. What could she say really?
Bartholomew walked towards the portal along with Bella, and was quiet as could be on the trip. When Bella finally spoke, it brought a small, melancholy smile to his face. He thought on the words, about how they applied to the Paradoxes. Soldiers recruited for reasons that they knew not, to fight in a battle that they would almost certainly never see the end of. He might have once thought such a sentiment to be foolish, but now he understood. This was bigger than him. Keeping history intact was something far more important than his continued survival. Even if he didn't want to take on everything that admission meant. He stepped through the portal, letting to moment hang without comment.
