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Reunion of Sorts

Who: Lucia, Zeke, Anastacia
When: Around 6 p.m.
Where: A small diner in Gambino
Weather: Pretty cool, but clear night

Lucia's first time out alone since the possession is to meet Zeke. While it is a reunion of sorts Lucia wants to thank him.

Enjoying the Silence

Who: Doucette and Lucia
Where: The Cemetery
When: After dark, bring a flashlight
Weather: Not a cloud in the sky, good star counting weather

While Lucia goes to Yuurei's grandmother's grave to eat and visit, she meets a stranger who is there just enjoying the silence.

Setting sun, Helping hand

Who: Lucia and Alex
When: Sunset and early evening in mid May
Where: Alex’s Beach Home
Weather: Clear sky, warm, soft breeze from the ocean

-On going-

Home. Rei was home and tanner and feeling better. She no longer had headaches—well too often. She was relaxed and healed and ready to take care of things again. For the most part. The 6 weeks down under had been nice – especially that last week when it was more vacation than anything else. Well the last week had been nice for her, hard on Ty as she had pestered him almost hourly to get everything together to come or at least let her go on a normal plane home. But he insisted, so she had to wait a week. Waiting a week in his open apartment overlooking the ocean had been not too hard to handle. But Yuurei wanted to go back. She was in her room unpacking, letting Ty and Lucia get settled again and trying to figure out how in the hell to fix their relationship.

Ty had made arrangements at work to test everything online. And every month – for now – he had to fly home for a few days to check in. He planned on staying with Yuurei and Lucia for at least the summer, so the extra bedroom was his. With its own view of the ocean, though a bit further away than the one at his apartment, it was almost like being at home. As he placed down his suitcase, now actually equipped with enough clothes for a long-term stay, Ty opened the balcony door and looked out. The air was about the same temperature as at home, maybe a little cooler. Australia was really in its Autumn season while Gaia was in its Spring.

He could totally do the summers in each location. Stepping out on the balcony, his eyes opened in surprise to see Lucia next to his door. ”Oy, sorry!” He nodded gently before turning back towards his room. It seemed like the balcony attached to each of their rooms. Which meant it would be a little complicated with the ladies. Maybe they could have a truce, he wouldn’t spy on her and she wouldn’t spy on him, or complain about the moans and screams and cries of ecstasy that would eventually pour from his room. Maybe tonight, he thought as he stepped off of the balcony.

”Ty?” the frei called out. She was sitting on the ground thinking about Zul and missing his companionship. And she was thinking about the meeting she had to set up with Rivener. She didn’t know how he’d react. Between her clueless affection, his angst toward that, and her stalking and attacking him, she couldn’t imagine him forgiving her as readily as Yuurei seemed to, or Delia did. And she definitely couldn’t imagine the comfort from him that she got from Zul. With Rivener, she didn’t know what to expect. She wanted comfort there. She didn’t trust Yuu enough—if Lucia wanted to shift blame badly enough she could blame Yuu’s cluelessness, or inability to act, or pissing her off in the first place that made her go to the spirit world.

But she wouldn’t do that. It was mostly Brian’s, and a bit of her own fault for the things that happened. She couldn’t completely remove blame from herself. She didn’t know what she could have done—she thought she tried everything, but maybe, just maybe there was something – anything that she could have done to stop from killing those people and attacking her friends.

The Kitten didn’t even notice that her guardian’s brother had returned until he was crouched down beside her.

Ty brushed his blonde hair out of his eyes when he heard his name being called. He really didn’t know what to think of the creature that Yuurei was taking care of. I mean she was cute. But she also did try to kill Rei.

All of this stuff was a little weird for him – lab-created creatures, possessions, the world of the dead – might work well in his video game, but real life? Living in the room next to one? He wasn’t sure. Ty turned around and stepped back out onto the balcony. He looked through the glass pane at the frei. She looked sad and deep in thought. He closed his door, making sure he had unlocked the outside handle, and said her name. ”Lou?” She didn’t respond. ”Loush-ya?” She was biting her lip. The circle of soft purple light beneath her didn’t make any freakin’ sense, but he crouched down next to her anyway. ”Lou?” he said as he reached out and laid his calloused hand on her petite shoulder. She seemed almost fragile as she blinked and then looked at him with a tight-lipped smile.

Her violet eyes turned and rested on Ty. He looked a little like Yuu, but there was the knowing smile he returned, the softness in his face. And he saved Yuu. And Alex seemed to like him enough. ”I need to apologize to one of my friends. It’s a guy a kind of had a crush on. I—umm—almost killed him, well, too. Would—“ Lucia took a breath and studied Ty’s reaction. He was level, his face didn’t react, waiting for her to ask the question.

”Would you mind coming with me, Ty? I don’t know how he’s going to react—“ she didn’t know what would happen. She almost didn’t want to know.

She had an apology present all ready for Rivener, complete with a ring she bought (an onyx stone band with a deep red stone in the middle it was simple, cool to the touch, and dark and she liked it), a black shirt with a angled bottom that had a destroyed look to it (with deep reds blending into the black and leather appliqués and zippers that she had added herself, so painstakingly), a long leather jacket she had modified with zippers and appliqués similar to the shirt, and, she had smiled with the purchase of the final item – arm bracers that almost reminded her of Zul’s gorget. They were black with two rows of silvery spikes.

In the box, on top of everything was a letter she wrote to him while at Alex and Zul’s house. She knew that an apology without an explanation wouldn’t work for him, but she was unsure she’d be able to tell him everything once she saw him, or if he’d even be willing to listen like Zul had. So she wrote the letter. Even before she wrote it she knew she wanted to see him, not mail him everything. But she wrote the letter in case she couldn’t face it.

Her handwriting was long and slanty. She had put a lot of effort into figuring out what to say to the Scorpion. On the light grey paper she had written slowly and deliberately in black ink, making sure every idea was presented as clearly as she possibly could.

To Rivener,

I’m sorry.

I cannot make that any more clear or poignant. I am sorry. I know there is nothing I can do to undo it or change it (unless you know a raevan who can control time?), but

You deserve an explanation from me. I don’t know if Zul or Alex or Aphi or Kyou or anyone else told you what happened, but either way you deserve to know from me.

I know what I did to you was awful. It was despicable and I’d hate myself for it if I knew there was any possible way for me to do anything about it that I failed to do. Simply, when my body attacked you, it was possessed. I can travel to the world of the dead and the last time I did, that serial killer Brian Sparks possessed my body.

He made me do a lot of awful things. And one of the worst was attacking you. Zul tells me it wasn’t me who did it – that it was Brian. I try to believe him. Brian used the emotion I had for you against the both of us. He made me attack everyone I loved.

I tried everything I could to get him out of my body—to control any aspect of my movements, but nothing worked. Because I cared about you he made me attack you. If I could have stopped it I would have. I hated it. I screamed. I cried. And I know you couldn’t hear it, but it only made him laugh and hit harder. So I stopped screaming, just to get it to stop. But he only got angry that I could try to control it, and hit harder. I can’t imagine how it must have seemed to you.

I can’t justify anything. I can’t explain it away. All I can do is apologize and explain and hope you’ll understand. I……hope……you will be able to. And if you can’t, I……hope……I’ll realize why.

Please just know, ……I……am……so……so……very……sorry.


……..……..……....……...……...……...……....……Love,
……..……..……....……...……...……...……....……Lucia

Ty sat down next to the frei, removing his hand from her shoulder. He pushed his hair away from his bright green eyes and smiled gently. His voice was warm, and his accent made the Kitten relax and even smile in return. ”Sure. But before you get me into this, tell me about it?”

Yuurei figured it out. A family outing. That’s what they could do. A nice picnic – no Lucia didn’t eat. A good time at the beach – well Lucia didn’t swim. A trip somewhere? Had Lucia ever been to an amusement park? She didn’t really want to go there. What about a mall of sorts. A strip mall might work. That way she and Lucia could talk outside or shop and Ty could chill in a coffee place or bar, or wherever.

It was early evening. Lucia’s schedule was still a** backwards so 4 pm and she wasn’t up yet, the blonde noted, seeing her closed door. Ty, however was. ”Hey Ty! I had an idea.” He was in the rec loft working on his laptop. ”Yeah?” The blonde paused the level he was working on, looking for bugs, and looked at his half-sister. ”Would you be up for going to Gambino? There’s an outdoor mall there. Some shops, some eaterys, nothing too crazy. But I figured it’d be a good way to get out. And there might be some ladies in the shops or a bar nearby?” Yuurei grinned at her brother, knowing his weakness for the possibility of getting laid. ”You know me well!” He laughed and closed the laptop, standing up and stretching. ”I’ll get ready, Rei. The shower should wake her up.”
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Lucia groaned as she heard the water running. The light filtered through her dark curtains and she crawled out from under the covers. Her hair was a little disheveled from the long sleep. She let out a soft sigh and floated up.

There was a soft knock on her door. ”Yeah?” Yuurei opened the door and peeked her long blonde haired head in. ”Get ready. Ty, you and me are going shopping. You can help him get some clothes.” The frei instantly perked up. Really?! Lucia waited for the bathroom by picking out a cool outfit.
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Reforging the Chain

Who: Vyn, Lucia, Yuurei, Ty
Where: Gambino Outlets
When: Around 5pm
Weather: very nice out – sunny, warm, a light breeze

During their family outing, the trio run into Vyn. What will happen when the two freis meet again? Will they brawl? Will one run away? Or will they begin reforging the chain?

I stare out the window as the rain poured against and down the sides of it. The drops of water beaded as they slid, making the glass clear still, but wet. It wasn't a typical rain, I think, staring outside. Storms like these barely lasted a few hours, let alone a few days. Calcifer is going crazy being locked up. Like running in circles crazy. Literally. He runs around the room and my eyes, when not looking outside, are on his treck. Past the shelves, under the table around the stairs. His tentacle legs desperately gripping the soft carpet so he doesn't propel himself down the level. If he makes it around the stairs, he just continues past the shelves, under the table, around the stairs. If he doesn't he realizes it at the last second, and his legs rush to catch up with his body as he bolts down the stairs around the rec area, where Ty has been trying to work on a laptop to avoid any electrical surges, and back up the stairs to try again.

I smile as his soft head reappears at the top of the stairs, and he runs towards me, apparently one accidental trip down the stairs too many. With a mewing sigh, he curled up in my ribbon. My fingers gently stroked the back of his dome as he went to sleep and my eyes returned to the window - well what was outside it at least.

Normally thunderstorms don't make me sad. Half the time I get excited. I love watching lightning with or without a low rumble as a night sky lit up with flashes and streaks. I want to know how it happens, but at the same time, I don't want to remove the mystery. It's the same with astronomy. Stars are beautiful. But why get scientific and ruin their mystery. The other times when there are big storms I am scared. When the heavy drops pound against the windows. Or if the thunder booms so loudly that it shakes the windows and chills me to my rune. What if the thunder were to shake me like it can the house?

But this storm. It's not scary. It's not exciting. It's sad. And I don't know why. There is something familiar about it. I'm not sure what. I've never seen a storm like it. It's like remembering a forgotten friend. Like thinking about that first bird I helped. I didn't get to check on the nest this summer. One of her babies chose it for a home last year. But this year? I don't know. They lived, even though she didn't.

But what is familiar about this storm? I look through the glass, across the bay and towards the heart of Gambino. What am I missing?

Staring outside, I think about the friends I lost this past year. And I spy a bird on this side of the bay, fighting the wind and the rain and the thunder and the lightning and the overwhelming sadness.

Journal Entry
Brian can't win. That's what I figured out. If I can't move on from this, iIf I can't help everyone move on from this, he wins. And he can't win.

I haven't heard back from from Riv. I don't want to be creepy. So I'll try to give him some space. Come Christmas, I can try again.

Now my only other problem is missing friends. Like Zul. He needs to visit more. I've called, but he hasn't been home. Maybe I can reach him soon...

The Eng of a Very Long Journey

Who: Lucia and Zul
Where: Yuurei's home and property
When: late evening (after sunset)
Weather: a warm breeze, full moon, and few large puffy clouds

Note: Growth Quest - FIN