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 Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:32 am
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:33 am
Yelena went to the Halloween Ball with Melek. There, they met Ivan and Pyper, a pair of kitsune twins.
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:33 am
 Of Bones and Spirits mini-meta Post count: enough
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Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2020 11:38 am
 Winding Down? Yelena paragraph count: 13 Fajra paragraph count: 14
In her arms, Yelena carried an overlarge book. It was ominous and old. It had been something a villain had very much wanted, and no one seemed to care that she had just taken it. She was confused and not at all sure if this had been the right thing to do. But she placed it on her desk under her journal. The weight difference left her arms feeling buoyed.
With that feeling she headed off to bathe. Towel and robe accompanied her. She did not really think of anything as she focused intently on cleaning her body. Instead scenes from that evening flashed before her in random order. Over and over. The fey people, faeries and pixies, fighting in a battle. The destroyed body of one pixie. Oh! That poor pixie! The lions. First running from them, then fighting alongside one. That scary elf with the antlers. Over and over again she fought him. Over and over he overpowered her. He was fearless. Terrifying. The spiders. They might have accepted their passage if not for Dagiel's poorly chosen words. The lab, the cryogenic tubes. The bear girl and the mushroom kid. What had happened to them? Would they be able to play and be kids again? She got out of the tub when she realized she was washing the same spot over and over again. She was clean.
She leaned against her desk, looking at the large book again. The majority of her body, despite the relaxing nature of a bath, felt weighted down, battered, and something else she could not put her finger on. Something of darkness and light. Because she could not explain it, she had said nothing to anyone earlier. They would have worried, probably needlessly-- no. Only Dagiel would have cared and he was already gone, having taken Zi with him. She wondered why he had been so quick and so adamant, but there was no way to find out. Was he even a student here at Sanctuary?
Perhaps they had gone looking for the lab in this time. A lab like the one they had half-destroyed. She could not fathom why they would want to go, but Zi being the fey who could get them through Sulia Wood was suspect. Something within her began to agitate and she could feel it in her chest like something squirming with heat. She could not understand this feeling. Was she upset? Why would she be? Maybe because she wanted to help? She wanted to see who was in those tubes. She realized that she really wanted to go. But the reasons why in her mind were still nebulous at best.
With a sigh she left her desk behind and fluffed the towel on her head, and the pajamas sticking to her still-wet body from bathing. Her costume was lost in time, the clothing she had worn underneath was drizzled in blood. Probably ruined. She would have to find some more.
She pulled her hair down, realizing that it had probably been a mess since they came back to Sanctuary and for once she didn't really care. She carefully combed her long blonde hair. Finally she was ready for bed; she reached for the light and flipped it off, lying down and pulling the covers over her. It was not long at all before she fell asleep.
- - -
Fajra was ever at Yelena's side since the battle had ended. During the battle they had fought as a team should, anticipating the other's moves and working as a perfect bonded pair. It was exceedingly difficult, but somehow they had just clicked and immediately they were performing like veterans. It was inexplicable. But that was the nature of such a bond. And it was glorious.
Then, something changed. No one else had noticed. But there was something different about her. Something dark and cold. It was almost a smell beyond her normal smell. And indeed, a spider body has a smell that is unique to the species. But this was something different. It pervaded and lingered.
In Yelena's room, though she had never been there before it smelled and felt familiar because it was the girl's den. The feeling, the smell, it came with them. Some of it was that book, that evil book, but still it was with Yelena even when she bathed and changed.
Yelena had tried to pet her gently on the neck and shoulder. If she could purr she would have. She gave a gentle growl instead. She raised a paw and gently touched the girl's arm, head-butted her hand.
Fajra curled up on a pallet of blankets the girl had made quickly for her. It was soft and warm but not very squishy. She was so used to having no bed that she did not mind. Then the girl shut the lights off and went to sleep.
Then everything changed.
- - -
The light came back on and Yelena crawled out of bed with some difficulty. Her body was sore and hesitant, though it still retained the sprightly movements of the jumping spider.
The huge green lion got up and growled, roared in a muted tone. Her muscles were bunched up and her ears flat.
The girl hissed and spoke in a hoarse voice. "Calm down or someone will come."
The lioness growled and backed off, but remained ready. Ready to do what, exactly? Pounce on the girl-- Yelena?
Yelena had not opened the large book. Not until now. Setting the journal aside, tiny fingers reached for the larger tome and flipped it open. Turned the pages very carefully. Inside, was-- the girl sighed with a little smirk and closed the book. This was exactly what was needed. The journal was placed in its spot over the tome.
The spider girl crawled back into bed and shut off the light.
- - -
A creeking sound issued from the door, heralding the arrival of some stranger. Immediately the lioness growled defensively and rose to her large padded feet. Fajra could only see their silhouette: small but with large wings. Had Yelena mentioned this person to her? Maybe. Perhaps this was Melek?
The door closed and the light came on and she snarled in surprise. Her eyes burned for an instant and she growled out her frustration. Melek was said to have a mask on their face. Did not everyone from the party wear a mask? But this stranger did wear a mask.
The angel flattened against the wall and started studdering. She lived here. She wanted to be left alone.
The green lioness narrowed her eyes. A wafted scent tickled her nose. The winged meta smelled familiar. It was very faint upon the spider child's bed. The room had the scent of this person though. She relaxed and nodded slowly.
"So, we're good?"
Fajra nodded. This was certainly Melek.
"Okay." The angel got ready for bed, which amounted to switching on a desk lamp, shutting off the main dormroom light, and kicking off her shoes. She laid on her bed with her costume on.
Fajra laid back down as well. This person seemed all right, for now. But she didn't trust her. Not yet.
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Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2020 11:17 pm
"Sleepwalker" Players: Fajra, Shilba, Uaithne, Wisteria, YelenaParagraph Count: Fajra - 8 Shilba - 1, more in journal Uaithne - 8, more in journal Wisteria - 1, more in journal Yelena - 14
A lion.
The lioness roared at the treedeer, but made no move against them.
Uaithne jumped to his feet, hands on Shilba's neck and shoulder. He did not want his glimmer to die. He stood beside the treedeer and glared fiercely at the lion. He tried to Tempt the lioness. "Leave us alone. Go back."
The green lioness took a step backward. At first she felt a little unsure as a wave of contrary intent washed over her. But then she recovered her ground and took another step forward. Tiny tongues of flame danced about her body like hissing sparks on water.
All right, she was not about to leave. But she was not about to lunge at them either. Even so, he absorbed some minerals from the soil and created a Rock Armor for his arms, legs, and a circlet of stone around his head.
"Nice armor."
Startled, Uaithne watched as a girl appeared in the clearing, approaching just far enough in to stroke the flaming lion's fur. At first she was covered completely in shadow. He could see her silhouette and pale hair, but that was all.
A tiny girl, she stepped into the light and stood confidently with her arms crossed as she sized up Uaithne with a practiced eye. Her expression screamed, "I could take you." With all that stone armor, he looked like a little boy in a Halloween costume. It was not carefully crafted or balanced like a good sword was balanced. He did not stand like a fighter. Just a scared little boy.
The scared little boy got into what he thought might be a good stance. He didn't really think about it. He just hunched his shoulders and tensed all his muscles. He was ready to fight for his life.
The little girl, blonde and with huge orange eyes, flinched. Leave them alone! They did nothing to you.
Uaithne saw the flinch. Should he fight first? No. Wait and watch. You can do this.
What do you think I was going to do? Beat the crap out of a little brat like you? I could if I wanted to, but why? The girl stepped off to the side, revealing as it finally stepped into the light, that more than half of her body was giant spider. And to a knowledgeable eye, a jumping spider at that. Aggressive. Angry. Athletic.
Uaithne was a sluagh. His people were not regarded by others with much kindness. In fact, this spider was about as scary as he should seem. That is, if anyone knew about their rumor and myth. Thus, a creature of the darkness, he recognized a kindred spirit in the spider, even if they were on opposite sides of a ring.
I... don't know.
Oh, I won't hurt them. Disgust was written all over her face.
Shilba glanced at Uaithne briefly. Was he watching the same show? Why all the delay and hesitation?
The lioness likewise looked a little uncertain, this time thanks to her bond.
Wait. If that lion was with that girl, then the lion is a glimmer. Maybe she is a student at Sanctuary. "You! You're from Sanctuary, aren't you?"
"Riiight..." Caught off-guard, the girl followed his interjection slowly.
"Then we shouldn't be fighting. We're both... out for a stroll, right? So leave us alone, or join us. We don't want to fight." The boy stood upright again, loose-limbed. He was doing his best to convince her without using a little Temptation.
Wisteria returned to the clearing at that moment, a flash of color and leaves. She did not bother to try to lighten her steps. Suddenly the boy was surrounded by allies. Wisteria snorted. There was no sign of Cullo, nor fear in any fiber of her being. Done with her mission, she was back and ready to fight.
The spider-girl sighed in disgust. "Fine! I'll go." And with that, a wave seemed to pass through her body and she shivered. Stricken, she glanced at Uaithne; she looked like she wanted to tell him something, but thought better of it before turning to the lioness. "Let's go, Fajra." And just like that, they left.
- - -
Yelena slowly became aware of her surroundings. First she saw her hands, then her legs folded beneath her. She glanced around and got to her feet. Beside her, Fajra had been laying. She had a hand on one shoulder to brace herself, just in case.
The last couple of days she had awoken in random places. Not at home. The first time or two it had scared her witless but this time she was not so surprised. She found herself in the Sulia Wood by the looks of it. Fajra would get them home. She was no longer worried about getting lost in this forest of the fey.
"Oh Fajra. I wish you could tell me what is going on."
The lioness growled softly. She wished she could as well. She was like a sleepwalker, one could interact with her as she had with the boys and their treedeer, but she would not remember what had transpired. And so witnesses were left wondering. If her friends had known they would have been very worried. Fajra did the only thing she could think to do, she headbutted her arm gently. She was very worried indeed.
"Please take me home."
Fajra complied, picking her way through the woods around the faerie glamours. She was careful not to take them back toward the clearing that the boys had chosen to occupy. It meant a bit of a roundabout path, but Fajra guided them safely through.
Yelena followed silently, skittering along the path. Once or twice a felled tree crossed it and she was able to stretch her legs in a great leap to the other side. Even Fajra had to climb over, but not Yelena. Otherwise she was left alone to her thoughts. Tears fell hot down her cheeks with not a peep from her lips. How was she supposed to deal with this? How could she even start to look? She still had no idea how to tell anyone about it. She just couldn't grasp it and so she suffered without a word to the wise.
Periodically, Fajra peeked over her shoulder, and Yelena scrubbed her back or shoulder with her nails. Why should the tiny person be the one to lend a comforting hand? It should be Fajra making Yelena feel better. When they reached the campus Fajra led her through a more scenic area and she could see the corners of the girl's mouth soften and turn upward. Ah, that was better. Sometimes one needs only a setting to set the mood for the better.
Yelena did appreciate Fajra's efforts. She knew this was not a direct route home, so she just enjoyed it for what it was at this point, a stroll. But Yelena was tired and ready to relax when they got home. Thank goodness for indoor beds with indoor heating and indoor everything. She flopped on the bed in a uniquely taurian way. She didn't even remember where she had fallen asleep, just knew that it was good to be home.
Fajra curled up on her bed. It was nicely done compared with Halloween. Some time had passed since then, just enough for her to feel comfortable and relaxed with just Yelena (and sometimes Melek) in the room. She could agree with Yelena, she was glad to be back.
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