New Beginnings

The blinking light of a vehicle's alarm system was the only real light present in the barely-sunlit street that he found himself stepping out into. For days, he had been watching out that window, waiting and biding his time until the day would finally come. Chuckling softly, he resolved that, in fact, today was that day. He had been released from the hospital but eight hours before, and his bags were all packed and ready. Though his first destination lay in complete opposition to the direction he wished to travel in, he felt that this time, it was worth it. This time, he could afford to travel that way. Taking this path along the other end of the country would bring his travelling companion some closure. He was the only one who was allowed to go travelling with regrets, wasn't he? He regretting not staying by Spade's side, he really did. It was taking everything that he had to not leave this stupid Pilgrimage behind and head to the side of his best friend. But... what would Spade say then? "Hah. I knew you'd give up. Just proves that I'm better. HAHAHA!" Ugh. He'd hate to see the look on that smug face, alright. Chuckling again, Apos walked forwards three steps and reached into his pocket, bringing up the interface of his cellphone and pressing a few buttons--Contacts - S - Spade Aeries - Call--Raising the phone up to his ear, Apos heard the slow ringtone. Don't pick up, don't pick up, don't pick up... A beep, and the answer phone started to speak. Once that was over...

"Yo, Shovel. S'Apos." The voice was slightly shaky and breathy, lacking the usual forged confidence. "Today's the day. I wish I could see you, tell you how sorry I am, bro. I..." His words faltered for a brief second, Apos thinking about how he could finish this statement. "I'll miss you, man. I'll miss you, and I'll see you in a few months, maybe longer... don't wait up." Hanging up the phone without a word, Apos slid it into his pocket and smiled briefly. It wouldn't offer the closure that he so really wanted, but it was enough for him. Turning to his side, he looked out, down the road. One way, and then the other. He would have to travel light, it seemed. Now that there were two of them on the cycle, there would only be half the space in the carrying bags, wouldn't there? For his stuff, at least. Slowly turning to face the garage beneath his apartment, Apos opened the door high and stepped through. He placed a hand onto the silver metal and ran a hand down its side. "You're gonna get fucking dirty, aintcha?" He laughed softly and checked the bags. Yup, yup, yup, everything was in order. He'd be able to survive for several months with the space he had. Money had been saved up for a while, now, too. The money that he kept in there would help them in Xing, and past that... for the return. The cycle itself had been modified to withstand both the heat and the sand. Dust guards to stop the small pieces fluttering through. Tyres with grip on them to push through the sandy wastes. This motorcycle was equipped beyond belief, and ready for anything.

Pushing the bike out, Apos wheeled it to his door. He'd asked a couple of his neighbors to look after the place while he was gone, though he only asked them to come in once a month, if it actually started to smell. His place in Central, on the other hand, was sufficiently taken care of. He had leased it out, so that he wouldn't have to worry about paying the taxes on the house. He'd do the same for his own apartment, but he'd already contacted those who needed to know that he was going away for an extended period of time. Phone, water, power... it had all been shut off to that house, at least temporarily. So for now, he would be fine with it all. Walking into the apartment for one last time, he moved quickly--reminiscence was not on his mind today. Picking up the bags off of his counter, Apos turned away from it and slowly walked out of the room, stepping out the door and looking back into the mostly-packed-and-stored-away apartment room. The look was brief, and he quickly turned back to view the world before him. The neighbors had the key. The sun was finally rising into the sky, washing over everything with soft light. He walked down to his motorcycle, slid his stuff into his half of the side pockets and draped a leg over. Picking up one of the two helmets, he slid it onto his head, taking his time to click the lock into place. "Time to go." Kicking up the stand, the bike rumbled into life and broke away from the side of the street, travelling towards the new life he was looking for.

It took about five minutes, but he finally rumbled to a stop at the address he was given. Looking up at the building, he quietly mused over the next few months. He would be... heh. Climbing off of the bike, he leaned against it and pulled out the phone, giving the number that he was recently told a call. It rang for a few seconds before...

"Yo, Vi. I hope you're ready..." He waited for a response. "Yeah, well. I'm outside. Whenever you can get down here, we have a trip to Creta to make..." Closing the phone, he replaced it in his pocket and watched...

"I know what I'm doing, trust me." Vivian paused as she tilted her head into the phone so it was caught between the side of her face and her shoulder, looking at herself in the mirror as she finished pulling her hair into a little chignon, wincing at some little tingles of pain from her arm since it was almost completely healed. It was enough that she didn't need to keep it in a sling anymore thankfully. The muscles were still just a little shot was all. A bandage was still wrapped about it, quite obvious considering she wasn't wearing a long sleeved shirt in order to hide them. No, she was back in a simple black tank top again with black form fitting pants on her legs, stylish black boots on her feet. Her necklace caught the light, swinging forward while her dog tags remained tucked into her shirt. She rolled her eyes at the other voice on the line. "Well if you have that big of an issue, you'll get to meet him soon." A pause. "Tristan for heaven's sake! Worry about yourself ok? You have your own family to take care of, and our parents have already given the green light. I'll be fine. It's not like I'm riding into war." Her voice grew softer at the last part, a smirk flickering across her lips as she gripped the phone in her hand again, staring at herself in the mirror.

Captain Vivian Duchamp. No... Just Vivian. No titles, no requirements, no names to uphold. From today onward for the next few months (or however long they took), thats all she would be. "I will. Love you too. See you in a few hours. Oh, hug the twins for me, and Julian too if he's out of his room. Bye." The phone clicked closed and slipped into her pocket, her strides thudding softly against her temporary housing in North City. Kind of the Amestrian government to do that for her. It was your normal enough place, a living room, small kitchen, bedroom, closet... But it was basically empty. The only bag in the room was her duffel bag that carried all of her things from the war. She hadn't even gone out to buy anything while she was here, not that she particularly minded. Breathe in... Breathe out... It was finally the day. The day she'd be leaving her life behind to embark on a new one with a new friend. The thought of him still brought a little smirk to her lips, chuckling as she shook her head, making one last sweep of the place. Apos Rajan. She never did figure out her answers in the hospital as they spoke that last time. Heh... Before she gave him her number. Since when had she done that? Given a man her number? It didn't matter the situation, it was just one of those things. The principle of it, if you will. It had been a while, she knew that for a fact.

But that was all beside the point. It was the day that they would embark on a spiritual journey of sorts, a walkabout, a search for self. The first stop... The Duchamp mansion in Creta. Ah... right... had she mentioned that to him? Slowing by the window, she shifted the blinds to stare down at the cold streets below, shrugging lightly to herself. He'd find out when they got there. Oh god... She really hoped her parents weren't going to be all goofy because she was bringing a boy home or something. She knew her father would be the upstanding man of the household with his impeccable manners and rather relaxed nature. He'd remain more formal while being friendly. Her mom on the other hand? She could only imagine. She'd probably be more informal while maintaining the behavior befitting a woman of her station. Julian would probably poke his head out from his room for once to see her. She really hoped he was doing well lately... then there was the twins, Amelie and Mikhael. They would definitely be as bouncy as always. She chuckled to herself as she made a mental note to prep for tackling once the door opened.

There was the faint growling of a motorcycle echoing down the streets, snapping her out of her thoughts as her blue eyes focused on the source that was weaving towards her building. Even though he wore a helmet on his head, she knew it was Apos without a doubt. It was time. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled and walked away from the window, snatching up her leather coat off of the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Zipping it up, she checked her pockets for everything that she needed, slinging her duffel bag over her shoulder just as her phone began to ring. "Yo, Vi. I hope you're ready..." She smirked, "I was born ready." She responded as she walked up to the door and opened it, the keys jingling in her hand. "Yeah, well. I'm outside. Whenever you can get down here, we have a trip to Creta to make..." The door closed softly and she locked it, dropping the keys through the mail slot as she nodded even though he couldn't see it. "I'll be right down. See you in a minute." With that, her phone closed with his and it returned to its home in her pocket, making her way down the stairs.

The cold greeted her as she stepped outside the building, looking to her companion perched there on his bike waiting patiently for her. Waving, she chuckled softly, slipping fingerless gloves on her hands. "Shall we?"

"I'll be right down. See you in a minute." The crackled voice came from through the airwaves, Apos shutting the phone and looking down at it with a soft smirk crossing his lips. He would wait for a few seconds, breathing long spiels of steam into the air in front of him, watching the white smoke make shapes and rings in front of him. He slid his hands into his pockets, closing his eyes and smiling softly. "Tak'n ma last cig, done everything I can to gain closure... looks like it's just you, me, her and th' open road..." He placed his hand onto the metallic machine, staring at it with an almost longing worry. There would always be that doubt. When one went into the world to discover themselves, they would always leave whatever remained of their old self behind. Chuckling quietly, Apos shook his head and watched the door as the raven-haired woman slowly stepped down and out, approaching him and the cycle. He chuckled. Yeah, he'd admit it. He was somewhat smitten. Somewhat. Only a little. Of course, he'd never admit it to her face. Not yet, anyway. A low smile crossed his face as they got closer together, Apos standing up straight and letting the low light levels shine long shadows across his face. A long tendril of steam rose up into the air, and he chuckled quietly.

"Shall we?" Did she need to ask? Chucking her a helmet, he draped a leg over the motorcycle and adjusted his own, making sure it was on tight enough for the trip. He may have been reckless, but he didn't need the goddamn cops on his ass. Grinning, he waited for the woman to sit on the cycle behind him, before kicking it into gear. The motor slowly rumbled to life, and he closed his eyes for a brief second. Breathing in and out, Apos took one last look at the Amestrian scenery before him. "Onwards... to Creta." Pulling back on the accelerator, the motorcycle started off, rumbling as it streamed down the streets and into the distance. First stop: Creta...

He hardly looked that changed from the hospital, sitting there so calmly on his bike. This was mostly his big journey, she was there for the ride. Or maybe... maybe it was a searching for both of them hm? Who could tell these things beforehand? Certainly not the young Captain. She caught the helmet with ease as it was tossed to her adjusting her hair slightly to account for the head wear. Hold on, had she ever ridden a motorcycle before? Oh yes... In college, she had ridden on the back of Kalle Eriksson's bike... Boy did that seem so long ago now. It may as well have been a different lifetime. She wasn't the same woman she was back then. Not by a long shot.

Vivian strapped her duffel bag to the back behind where she would be sitting, sliding on shortly after he did. An arm slid naturally around his mid-section to ensure that she would remain close and on the bike, unable to ignore the bit of tingling that went through her body at the sensation. His body felt as powerful as it had appeared in the hospital with his chiseled form, despite the fact that they were merely sitting on the bike together. She could just... tell. The bike roared to life beneath them signaling it was time to depart. She too took a deep breath, listening as his voice joined the other sounds in the air. "Onwards... to Creta." With that, they were off, her head almost barely resting on his shoulder as they sped off. Onwards to the unknown was all she could think to herself, focusing on the warmth of the body she was pressed so closely against.