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 Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:37 pm
Riven turned and looked at her closely, then hugged her tight. "Even if you never land a blow on Chaos of any kind, that means more than... a lot," he said, quietly.
He gestured at the thicket as they drew up to it. "You remember this place?" A smile played across his lips. "I'll phase through, you fly over and meet me?" He phased out, reaching out one hand and letting the briar thorns pass right through him.
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:45 pm
"I remember."
Ghlyssa extended her wings and fluttered over the briars, alighting gently within. She smiled warmly.
"I like this place. It seems so safe." Folding her wings again and relaxing visibly, she looked about herself. "I think it's nicer than I remembered..."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:55 pm
"It's different in winter, that's for sure." Riven looked up at the nearly bare branches... however, the tree with the flower in it still retained some leeaves, and the flower itself unfurled petals as they approached. "The plant you sent me kind of reminds me of this one," he said, with a smile.
He sat down on the moss beneath the largest tree, which had remained mostly snow-free. The ground was even a little warm. "I was... kinda expecting you to be different when you got back," he admitted. "Have you changed? Any?"
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 9:58 pm
She sat down beside him, folding her hands as she did so. "I... guess I don't look very different. But I feel different."
For a moment, she doesn't speak, but just sits and feels--the trees, the grass, the warmth. "There isn't a difference between me and the Earthkeeper anymore. Not much of one, anyway. We're... one thing. But with two minds. It's sort of strange and complicated. I had to. It was... if we hadn't... I would have had to take the path of Humanity. And I really didn't want to. For a lot of reasons."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:02 pm
Riven thought about this for a moment. "I'm glad you're not taking that path," he said, slowly. "And you're not the only one - Anen is three minds, I think... but one person. It's strange, but it makes sense if you don't think about it too much." He reached out one hand and smoothed down a strand of her hair. "As long as you are you, I..."
And then he remembered what she'd yelled back at him last time, and he froze. "D...do you remember what you said last time?" he said, quickly, wanting to check that he hadn't just made that memory up.
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:05 pm
She blinked, then blushed very, very dark green. "Yes," Ghlyssa squeaked. "I think I said something about... loving you. Something like that."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:09 pm
Riven grinned. "Oh, good. I was afraid I'd imagined it." He leaned over close and whispered into one pointed ear. "Because I love you back."
He pulled back, lips quirked up into a nervous smile, as if waiting to see what she'd do next.
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:14 pm
Ghlyssa blushed darker, and squeaked again. "I... I..."
After failing to say anything really intelligible, Glee contented herself with squishing herself closer to Riven. "I... I'm really glad," she whispered, "because I think I ran off because I was afraid you wouldn't say that."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:19 pm
Riven just leaned forward and held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her and her flowers. "Don't go again," he said, abruptly. "If you have to go, let me come with you. And I will do the same if I can."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:25 pm
"I... I won't if I don't have to." Ghlyssa was visibly a little surprised by this request. She put her arms around Riven and held him tightly. "If I have to go, and you can come with me... I'd like it if you came..."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:33 pm
"I should probably meet the rest of you, huh?" He laughed, although there was an underlying current of tension in it. "Just like you met Ssala..."
He leaned back again, though, a more serious look coming over him. "But I want you to be really careful... Chaos manipulated my thoughts of you, and vice-versa. He knows about you... and he knows how important you are for me. It might... might come after you. Or Miss Sundragyn, or Bronnie. I don't know. Be careful."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:36 pm
She paled a little. "I'll be careful," she promised. "And I'll... do you think I should warn Sunny, then? I really don't want them to get hurt." Ghlyssa's wings shuddered nervously.
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:43 pm
Riven bit his lip. "Tell her, but... just so she'll be careful? I guess? My mom says I shouldn't let it eat me up, that that's as destructive as Chaos could want. Tell her... but there should be balance, too."
He sighed. "I keep feeling like I lost balance. There's weird things going on with Biome too. I don't think it's Chaos, but if it isn't... then there's another strange thing out there I don't know about. If it IS... I just don't understand."
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Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2005 10:49 pm
"I don't understand either, not hardly, but I think even if you have lost balance, you could find it again. I wouldn't have thought it was the sort of thing you could lose forever and never find again." Ghlyssa paused at the mention of Biome, and put her hand on the pocket with the sprockets.
They rattled, irritated at being cooped up.
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Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2005 10:57 pm
"I hope I can't lose it forever..." Riven bit his lip. "I think I almost, did, once.... when I died. The first time, the only time.
... I don't remember what happened then. Ssala won't tell me," he admitted.
Then, as if quickly looking for an excuse to change the subject, he peered at Ghlyssa's hand, curiously. "What do you have?"
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