10/10/16
I can't get over how stellar the cast was for this game. I guess the original Xenoblade doing as well as it did inspired Nintendo to go out there and get more muscle for X in terms of voice acting and music direction. However I can't help but feel that Nintendo's increased attention to the title also brought increased discretion. Let's be real, Nintendo pulled a lot of stuff out of the game and I can only imagine what would've been taken out of the original Xenoblade. C'mon Nintendo, don't do this to Monolith's next game or Naga forbid do even more. Just let those geniuses do what they do best. Make incredible games.
That random opinion bought to you by a man so tired because of reading this chapter like 20 times and singing more Sonic songs at the top of his lungs.
Anyway this was one of my favorite chapters to write alongside "Progressing" for all the character interaction. Granted "Progressing" had Lin and Alexa there, but still. Beyond fight scenes my favorite things to write are interactions.
Relaxing
Entering the barracks, Elma was surprised to see no one around. Today was usually the day Lin and Kruse were working on something.
"Maybe they took it to the Outfitter's Hangar…"
As she walked towards her room she spotted a note attached to the door. Tilting her head she took it off and began reading, a smile coming to her face.
"Of course."
A few moments later she found herself on top of New LA's walls where she saw Kruse reclining on a chair. He looked over to her and brought his sunglasses down "Hey!"
She shook her head and approached "Taking a day off?"
"I figure one isn't too bad. Things have honestly never been as quiet as they are now and there is nothing wrong with a little relaxation here and there."
Elma nodded "I suppose not."
Kruse gestured next to him where there was another seat.
"C'mon, you know you deserve a break."
Elma looked at Kruse who just smiled "I suppose you're right."
After she sat down and leaned back the pair remained quiet for a few moments.
"Do you usually relax alone?"
Kruse shook his head "Most of the time L is here and I'm listening to him tell some incredibly engrossing stories. Suffice it say he has been around."
"I can only imagine."
"Other times I might be up here with Phog and Frye, though it mostly devolves into chatting with Phog after Frye drinks himself into delirium."
Elma laughed at that "Well what else is new?"
"And finally there are times where I'm relaxing with Lin, Alexa or Mia just…talking. Those three keep pretty busy almost all the time so I make it my business to give them some time to just…decompress. Everyone needs a little relaxation."
"Indeed. Though I'm amazed you manage to hold Lin here for any stretch of time."
Kruse chuckled "More often than not I invite her to talk about her work, run some ideas by me and such. She really enjoys talking about her projects with people who have a relative grasp on it. She's even said some of my random out of the blue ideas have actually helped her out. In fact she was just here a while ago but she got a call from Alexa, some breakthrough with her Police Skell."
Elma smiled "I assume she took off as soon as?"
"Well she originally brushed it aside, not wanting to leave me alone but I could tell she really wanted to go. Lin's made it pretty clear that she doesn't really see working on Skells or with machines as…well, work. She loves doing it so who am I to stop her from doing so?"
"How selfless."
Kruse shrugged "It's a gift."
The two shared a laugh as Elma looked around "I assume you no longer come up here for…other reasons."
Kruse's smile vanished and he took off his glasses. Sitting up he looked over to Elma who did the same "Elma I-"
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up…I'm just…"
After a while she sighed "I'm just worried."
"Worried?"
Elma nodded "You were in a really bad place Kruse. You'd convinced yourself that everything terrible that happened here in New LA was because of you and you refused to share your fears with anyone else. I know that was a long time ago but…I just want to make sure. You aren't hiding anything now, right?"
Kruse shook his head "I swear to you Elma since that night that you came up here I've never…"
He sighed and tried again "Whenever I think about that night all I can see is your face. How…how sad and how hurt you looked once you realized that I was considering…ending my life. I never want to see you looking at me like that again and I never EVER want to be the one to cause you pain."
Kruse let out a long breath as Elma spoke "I'm sorry for bringing this up…you're here to relax and here I am…"
As she shook her head Kruse reached over and touched her "Elma, I'm not upset you brought it up. Not at all. If anything it helps me realize how far I've come since then and that I have yet another thing to thank you for. So don't beat yourself up Elma. Please."
She looked at him and upon seeing his smile she nodded.
"I'm just. I'm glad that you're in a much better place now. I'm relieved to hear it…"
"I do still come up here some nights alone. But it's never for that, never for wallowing in self-pity, no. I just like to…"
He then gestured out to Primordia, Elma following his line of sight. The land before them was bathed in the sun's radiant light and a rainbow could be seen painting the sky.
"This planet is so beautiful."
Elma whispered, Kruse nodding as she continued "Once this whole mess with the Ganglion is settled I can't wait to explore it and actually take in the sights. Absorb what this place really is like."
"You and I both."
There was more silence, however unlike the countless awkward or stressful ones Kruse found himself in, this one was comfortable. Warm. Leaning back in his seat he looked over to Elma who did the same.
"Elma if you don't mind me asking. When you aren't on a mission or busy with any BLADE work, what do you do?"
He looked at her, noting a strange look on her face "I just…think."
"Think?"
"About everything. All of us here on Mira, what we're doing to survive and…what the future will bring. I'm hopeful for the future, there are things I look forward too once we find peace. But the future also scares me…"
"The future is a scary thing. It's…well, it's unknown. But if there is one thing we all want it's to be there for when it comes. And we will be."
Elma nodded "Yes, we will but…I just…"
She closed her eyes and shook her head "Never mind."
Kruse raised an eyebrow "You sure? Elma, whatever it is I-"
"I know Kruse. I know you'll listen…and I know that…that you'll probably tell me exactly what it is I imagine you will and I'm immensely grateful for that but…"
She looked to him and he saw an Elma he'd never seen before. Quietly she spoke "Not yet. Please."
Kruse nodded "Alright. For you, anything."
Elma let out a long breath, Kruse wanted to do something for her. Anything, but he wasn't sure what. He'd never seen her act that way before. Whatever it was she didn't want to talk about, it had to be something massive to worry her so much.
"Elma."
He waited till her eyes were on him again "I'm always going to be here. I'll always be willing to listen. Whenever that day comes or even if it never does. Know that you'll always have me."
She gave him a sad smile and nodded "Thank you."
With that the two fell into another silence. Kruse himself was unsure how to spark up another conversation or even if he should.
After a few minutes of silence, Elma finally spoke "Kruse, how was your most recent session with Ga Buidhe?"
Grateful for the change in tone and knowing that is exactly why she asked, Kruse decided to follow suit. There would always be another day for the heavier stuff.
"Good, very good, I've been landing more hits on her than ever before. Most recently I managed to disarm her. After that Ga Buidhe assured me that I'm currently entering the final stretch. If I continue at this pace she'll go to Ga Jiarg and let him know I'm ready."
Elma smiled "That's great. Do you think you're ready for his lessons?"
Kruse shrugged "I have no idea. Ga Buidhe is supposed to be the Wrothians' harshest taskmaster. She is incredibly hard on those she trains and I can attest to that. Of course since that is the case I guess that means Ga Jiarg won't be as bad…but I can't be certain. All I know is I'm not going to underestimate him."
"Can't wait to see how far you've come next chance we get."
He nodded "Neither can I, no doubt you've been hard at work."
"Indeed. New LA is lucky to have individuals like us, so obsessed with getting better."
"To the point of exhaustion."
Elma gestured to them reclining on their seats "We really needed this."
"We really did."
The pair shared another laugh before falling into another comfortable silence. As with almost every instance where he was alone with Elma he thought about the talk he had with Ga Buidhe. It's been even longer since then and despite what he believed was true resolve after he left the Wrothian Stronghold, it all died the second he came face to face with Elma.
"Hey, Elma."
"Yes, Kruse?"
Kruse fell silent again. Unsure how to say what it is he wanted to say. Sighing he shook his head "Never mind."
Elma couldn't help but chuckle at the role reversal. Something Kruse realized as well "We're hopeless."
"Kruse. I feel it only right to extend to you the same kindness you share with me. If there is ever anything you want to talk to me about, anything at all. I'm always willing to listen."
"Thank you, Elma…it's just that with the Lifehold and everything as it is right now. I feel that it's best if I…hold off on what it is I want to say."
"You want to stay focused?"
"…yeah. Something like that."
"Very well, just remember. Anytime. Anywhere."
She smiled at him and he smiled back. The pair then leaned back on their seats. Elma felt something tap her and turned to see Kruse holding out another pair of sunglasses. After a small laugh she put them on. Kruse gave her a thumbs up and they fell into another warm silence.
So I'm sure you noticed but if not I did reference one of my other Xenoblade X fics in this chapter.
I imagine that all my X fics are loosely connected in a few ways and I want to keep it as such because there are a lot of fun scenarios in mind to mess with and it'd depend on Kruse and Elma's relationship status changing so if anything I'd like "Stay Sharp" to be my 'canon' story for how they get together and everything else to be snippets based off of it or just stories where I can indulge in some more Cross and Elma goodness.
