Nation of Simulacrum
Weiss rested her hands on the railing of the observation deck she stood upon. Her pale blue eyes were riveted on the sight of the landing area before her, on the Simoun of her choir as they rose into the air. The twin helical motors of the advanced two-seater aircraft effortlessly lifted them into the sky, her fellow sibyllae en route for a routine patrol along the border of their small nation.
She clamped down on the scowl that threatened to wash over her, cognizant of her status and of those observing her surreptitiously. As a priestess, a sibylla, she had to maintain a certain decorum among those who were not her peers.
Not out of any sort of pride, of course. It was simply expected of them, those who were exalted enough to fly the holy Chariots of the Gods.
The only sign of her agitation, her desire to be among her sisters, was the slight tightening of her grip on the railing.
It'd been three days since her partner had left for the Spring. It was simply the way of things, of course, and she certainly didn't place any blame on Ruby. Everyone on their world was born with the anatomy of a female. Those in Simulacrum, at the age of seventeen, made the pilgrimage to the Spring to either choose a gender or have one chosen for them, at which point they were considered to be adults. For many it was a rebirth of sorts, a chance to start over, to finally be who they were meant to be.
Others, of course, were doomed to disappointment. The holy site had seen as many tears of sorrow as it had of joy.
Those who were called into service as sibyllae remained technically genderless, though they were still female in appearance and legally children. They were the only ones who could fly the Simoun and protect their nation against their greedy, warlike neighbors, the ones who wished to steal their technology and secrets.
But Ruby, she'd had enough of the life as a priestess. The bubbly brunette had felt the call of motherhood and had made the journey much as her sister (now brother) did the previous year.
Weiss let out a sigh. No, she couldn't fault her former partner at all. The only problem lay in that a Simoun required a pair to fly. Thus, she was grounded until a replacement could be found.
The worst of it was how complacent she'd become over the past two years with Ruby, how comfortable she'd become. At first, she'd been incredibly annoyed at the other girl's incessant chatter and effervescent attitude, but she'd grown accustomed to it. In fact, the platinum-haired girl had almost become dependent on the positive energy that'd flowed non-stop from the rear seat as they flew, inscribing Ri Majon in the sky, the enormous glyphs that could produce such magical effects.
But now she was without that. And, of course, had no idea what to expect with her new partner, an unknown entity due to arrive at some point today.
Eventually, her musings were interrupted by the presence of another girl some distance away. Close enough to converse, but not near enough to intrude upon her introspection, which she appreciated.
That was the one thing about Ruby, she had no concept of personal space.
Out of the corner of her eye, Weiss took in the taller girl's appearance. Long, luxurious hair the color of midnight, so black that it appeared to be a dark purple in the waning sunlight, hung in waves past her high-collared flightsuit. Amber eyes gazed intently at the dwindling specks of Weiss' choir, five Simoun, before drifting down to regard the one aircraft left on the field.
Weiss cleared her throat quietly before turning her head. "I take it you are the new sibylla?" she inquired as neutrally as possible.
"I am," the other girl replied in a husky monotone. For some reason, those two simple words sent a thrill down Weiss' spine.
Nodding, she turned and took a step forward with her hand outstretched. "Weiss."
Her new partner mimicked the action, clasping hands. "Blake."
Her hand is so warm… Weiss suddenly realized that the handshake had crossed the line of appropriateness a number of seconds ago, and hurriedly dropped the contact. "Er, good, I mean… It's very nice to meet you."
"Likewise." Was that a glimmer of mirth in those intense amber eyes?
"Yes, well… As you can see, my choir has already left on their patrol, but we can get you settled in now." Weiss cleared her throat once again, crossing her arms over her chest.
Blake tilted her head slightly as she regarded the shorter girl. "Are you… nervous?"
"W- What? No, of course not, why would you…?" Weiss let out a huff, glancing to the side where her beloved ship lay. I have to do this if I want to fly again. "I'm not nervous, merely… cautious. You are an unknown factor, but I presume we'll be able to work together well enough."
"A harmonious relationship makes for serene prayers to Tempus Spatium," Blake agreed levelly, referring to both the Ri Majon and the piloting of the Simoun themselves. The goddess that they worshipped in Simulacrum was a peaceful enough deity, but she gave her priestesses the power to defend their nation were it so required.
Both of them turned as one, leaning against the railing as they were before. This time, however, they stood practically shoulder to shoulder. Weiss grimaced slightly at the close proximity but refused to move.
If anything, she began to relax somewhat. Unlike Ruby's almost manic enthusiasm, Blake was like a calm ocean of tranquility, sure and peaceful.
Eventually, though, Blake broke the silence. "I must admit, I was somewhat nervous to meet you."
"You were?" Weiss asked, perplexed.
"Yes, well…" Blake's mouth twitched into a brief smirk. "You may not know this, but the stories of your temper are legendary among the other choirs, even in the training ones."
"Oh."
"I believe they have the wrong of you, however."
Weiss turned her head slightly, brow furrowed. This first meeting wasn't going anything like she'd envisioned.
Nodding slowly, Blake continued on her train of thought. "Even having just met you… I think that under that caustic exterior lies someone… special."
The platinum-haired girl blinked her eyes uncertainly. While normally she might bristle at being called caustic, more often than not giving immediate credit to the term, she found herself more interested in the meaning behind Blake's particular phrasing.
"Your previous partner…" Blake murmured. "She went to the Spring, did she not?"
Swallowing, Weiss turned her head away again. "Yes, she did."
"It's hard losing someone like that."
"I didn't… lose her. It's not like she died, or…"
"Perhaps not, but she will no longer fly with you. It's very likely you may never see her again." Blake leaned forward slightly, gazing down at the ground beneath them. "I know how difficult it is to… to have that sort of bond broken. Not as a sibylla, of course, but just before I entered service as a priestess."
"You do?"
"Mmm. His name is Adam, now." Blake closed her eyes briefly. "I had always thought we'd be sibyllae together, fly together, say the prayers together… But then he chose a different path." Opening her eyes, the raven-haired girl turned her head to regard Weiss. "And so here I am."
"Yes, here you are…" Weiss could feel herself blush involuntarily at the nearness of the other girl, the intense focus of her amber gaze. "We… We should try a flight first thing tomorrow."
"Mmm." Blake nodded in agreement, giving her a quick wink before pushing herself off of the railing. "I'll go take my bags to my room, then. Feel free to stop by if you like."
Weiss nodded numbly as she watched the other priestess slowly saunter away. Unbidden, an image of her blessing their Simoun before flight came to mind, sharing the traditional kiss that ensured the bond required for the craft to take flight.
As if she'd been reading her mind, Blake paused, glancing over her shoulder with an unabashed smirk. "I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning," she offered huskily.
Licking her lips, Weiss stared at the empty space that her new partner had just occupied. Her mind was awhirl, but even as flustered as she was, one thought drifted to the top with ringing clarity.
They were a pair, now. And Weiss was actively looking forward to seeing how well they might bond together.
A/N: Something a little different from my usual offerings. Simoun is an amazing anime that I highly recommend to anyone who hasn't seen it. In fact, it was introduced to me by the very person this story is intended for as a birthday present. Hope you enjoyed the one-shot!
Stay shiny!