Even though, technically, the war has started, it doesn't feel real until after the final ships leave Port Ferox. Hell, even on the ocean it barely does. The team already had experience batting away the dregs of Valmese thugs that crossed the sea they themselves were about to traverse. Plegia took its sweet-ass time providing the last of the warships, signifying, along with the sword in her hilt, why she'd never trust the bastards with everything in her.
Hours later, when there is no land to see, it's real, and Sully doesn't feel much of anything. Possibly it's her deliberately forcing any negative emotions out of her damn mind. She's in her full crimson armor, standing on alert with her sword as if it's gonna stop any enemy warships. As if it's for any more than calming her down, forcing her mind into meditation.
She doesn't even know why she's doing it. She hates her damn sword. Gods, she misses being on horseback.
As the hours go on, Sully realizes she's cultivated a reputation over the years. That is to say, no one has the guts to tell her to give it up. Not that there are many people on her ship over anyone else's, but it may as well be zero. People walk past her, occasionally looking at her and deciding to do nothing (not that her challenging glares help). The more people know her, the less likely they are to get involved. Hell, her friend Stahl sees her and freaking runs the opposite way. Yeah, dumbarse, run right into the ocean. See what happens.
Thinking about it, it doesn't make her feel at her best to know her friends would rather jump into the ocean than deal with her, but she knows a thing or two about making your own bed. Besides, lying in it isn't so bad. It weeds out the weak, at least.
Sully doesn't like weak people.
A few minutes later, she feels a presence over her shoulder. She doesn't know who they are, but they're taller than her and don't move even when she doesn't show any signs of being receptive. The shadow has taken their own space, not a hair touching her. It strangely loosens her up from the stress she's experiencing.
"Yo, what's up?" she asks, not turning around.
The presence clears their throat in a familiar voice. By the time he says "You should probably stand down," the word Libra buzzes in her head.
She moves her sword from over her shoulder to rest its tip on the ground, not letting go of it. She's gotta get a sheath one of these days. She turns around to see Libra, expressionless but with kind eyes, in his familiar war monk attire.
"Ain't you a sight for sore eyes!" she laughs.
Finally, Libra smiles. "It's good to see you as well." After a few seconds of silence, he adds "We have about a week or so before we reach the shores of Chon'sin. Perhaps the time would be better spent resting up."
Sully nods reluctantly, and Libra notices.
"Is everything well?"
Sully sighs, but she's also kind of glad that Libra actually inquired into her feelings. "I dunno. Just anxious a little."
"That's understandable," he responds. "I'll let you know if your presence is needed." Looking down at how she's about to bore into the ship with her sword, he adds "Your sword as well."
Sully chuckles. "Yeah, just give me time, okay? Gotta get over this sort of blah feelings."
To her surprise and relief, Libra simply stays put, offering Sully a comforting smile. Sully closes her eyes and turns back around, but she knows for a fact that she's smiling too.
She doesn't mind having him around.
Whether she admits it or not, that scares the hell out of her.
It's been a couple days since the surprise attack at sea, and Libra can still feel tension within the ship. Perhaps the others had believed that they would be safe from attack in the sea- despite the army traveling in warships. Some still seemed like they had hoped they would be safe, even though they weren't sure. His mind keeps going back to Sully and how she was braced for attack, despite being poorly equipped. He's sure that Robin anticipated it- a tactician anticipates everything- and to be honest, it crossed his mind as a possibility and left it just as easily. Sully was the only one on his boat who seemed resigned to something like this.
As such, she was the only one aside from him who is now fully relaxed.
He can see her now. She's down at the other end at one of the ships that remain after the attack and Robin's awe-inspiring diversion. (He's not going to ever lose the sight of a sea on fire from his memory until his dying day.) She and Princess Lucina, Chrom's daughter and the benefactor of Naga's grace via time travel, are talking to each other. He doesn't walk closer to eavesdrop, but he is curious to know what they're talking about. Maybe he'll ask her if they cross paths again.
The ship is certainly more crowded than it was before, what with half of the others being torched at the bottom of the sea, and perhaps that's the most unnerving thing to Libra. Not only is there a wide net of tension courtesy of most of the Shepherds and Ylissean soldiers, but the amount of people making small talk is setting him off more than the spontaneous fight ever did. There were a few people who wanted to pray with him or look to him for spiritual guidance, which he did with more ease than he ever did fighting. He didn't mind that. No, it was those who tried to chat with him- some casually, others more forcefully- that set off his nerves.
The latest person to tire of him was the manakete Nowi who, despite being in her thousands, had the attention span of an eight-year-old human. She was probably off talking to someone more receptive than he. She had asked him about the scar on the neck and he shut it down immediately, so of course she would grow weary of him. Besides, his tone that was more serious than he intended, betraying the emotional difficulty of the question at hand. He should apologize, but he's sure that Nowi will forget it in no time.
She'll probably ask him about it again in the near future. He'll be nicer about not telling her how he got it.
So lost in thought is he that he doesn't notice Sully stand near him, sword in a holster that he didn't know she had. "What's up, Libra?"
He closes his eyes for a moment. "I'm simply enjoying the ocean and its offerings."
Sully chuckles. "Now that it's not on fire, at least."
Libra smiles, but thinks of the vision again and is surprised to find that it unnerves him. He changes the subject instead. "I couldn't help but notice that you were talking to our Princess."
Sully smirks, face darkening. "Couldn't help but notice me, could ya?"
Libra shakes his head. "I apologize. I hadn't meant to follow you."
Sully is close to clapping him on the back but stops and claps her hands together instead. Not the smoothest transition, but he appreciates it. "I'm just messing with ya," she says. "Don't worry."
Libra smiles. "I'll do my best."
"Speaking of," Sully responds, "I think everyone is worrying a little after that battle."
Libra nods. "I have… come to find that out." In very personal ways, at that.
"Har, I betcha," she says. "You're the priest. I bet you've had to deal with a ton of freakouts afterward."
Libra shakes his head. "These are trained soldiers," he points out. "In the back of their minds, I think they knew this to be a possibility."
Sully looks down. "Ah, damn," she says too quietly. "Guessing you're right."
"Besides," he continues. "It's where I am most at home, to be honest. Imparting the wisdom and comfort of Naga… even to the non-religious, it can be reassuring to feel that someone is watching over them."
"Truth," she responds, leaning back against a stairwell, arms resting on the handle. "I mean, even though I'm one of those people… hard to pretend Naga doesn't exist and all. So it's a comfort in some ways. I just…" She darkens again. Libra doesn't pressure her to talk, but smiles and joins her against the stairwell, granting her presence and reassurance even though her words look to fly in the face of what she knows he believes.
Eventually, she continues. "Sorry, I just don't…" she drags out her words. She's surprisingly worried about what he thinks. "I don't think she altogether cares about our whole deal on this planet, you know?"
Libra nods in understanding, even though he can't say he fully does. "I would counter with the fact that you just recently talked in the flesh to our Exalt who had prior existed in a different timeline."
"That's true," Sully responds listlessly, like she'd considered this point when coming to a conclusion far different than his. Still, she says no more, though Libra would welcome it; he hopes he isn't putting off an unapproachable air.
"I believe the grace of Naga is her strongest aspect," he continues. "Though she is not all-powerful, she will never let her creatures face a wall alone that they did not will into existence."
"That's a nice idea," she admits, but judging by her own disappointment he can tell that it is not a nice idea that she shares with him. Libra closes his eyes, but he's okay with that. He knows Naga doesn't condemn the nonbeliever; as such, neither will he.
A light goes off in his head. It looks like the flames of the sea. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to share what you and Exalt Lucina were talking about?"
Sully blushes. It's a new look on her. "You know," she says. "About the road ahead. She's from the future, so she's got a bit of a hold on what we need to do."
Libra can tell that's the truth, but that's not the whole truth. Still, he can respect someone wanting to be secretive. He's just surprised that it's Sully being secretive. She's clearly inexperienced at it.
Sully breaks any impending silence by adding "You call Lucina the Exalt?" She snorts. "She's still a baby."
Libra scratches the back of his neck in a specific spot away from his scar. At least the storm did not steal away her candor. "I feel as though I should retain the formality of the title. She was the exalt once." With a low chuckle: "She certainly has more experience than either of us do."
"I dunno," she responds. "You certainly seem royal enough."
Libra smiles. "For that, I am flattered."
Sully grins like the conversation went well and, despite the flood of questions on his mind, he can't deny that he agrees.