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 Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:11 pm
Decisions, Decisions
Melete sat at the table in her room, one hand clenching a fountain pen she had found, the other scrunching up a sheet of looseleaf paper. Once it was in a neat ball shape, she tossed it into the pile on the floor, which was steadily growing. It really was wasteful, but everytime she thought she knew what to write, she changed her mind.
Did Commander Haladet really have to dump all that on her at once? And when her mind was still processing the whole situation with the gods too. What was she expected to do with all this information? Make a decision when her mind was cluttered? That was hardly proper, especially in a situation that could potentially change her life forever.
Her time in Gaia had changed her. Not necessarily for better or worse, but a definite change. She didn't find the place quite as horrifying as she had initially. It was still no match for her home, but there were certain people that weren't bad. The Porcelain, for instance. And her host, Mister Lionel. The other one she still didn't trust one bit, nor most of the other people in the house, but she had come to accept that.
She now knew Neilan might not be the shining glory she had once made it out as. Home or not, there were some things that went on there that she had come to disagree with. The ridicule of those less gifted, for instance. Perhaps, just like Gaia, there were pockets of goodness and badness in her home world.
And the MILITARY?
Her mind was no clearer than before she had launched this new wave of thoughts, but she made one decision- not to decide until she was sure. With that thought present, she put the pen to paper once more.
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Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:16 pm
Letter Home
Dear Brother-
Thank you so much for the package. It's great to see something from home again, and even better to know that you have been well and taking care of the garden too. Now is the time to start planting for the renewal, isn't it? I wonder what the elders will do this year.
My host, Mister Lionel, took me out for lunch one day, and I decided to try Gaian tea. I don't think I'm going to do that again. Lots of them have stupid names, and they taste terrible! First I thought it had poison in it, but Mister Lionel tried some and said it was good. I guess Gaians get used to the bad taste or something.
I got taken out for tea again a week later. I wasn't going to have anything first, except I saw that they had Neilani teas. It seems like the person who owns the shop is from there. I got to talk to her for a while. Miss Keth is very nice, and she has a very cute daughter, and a good shop. Maybe I can go there again soon.
Commander Haladet says I can go back home soon. I don't know what I want to do with the rest of the time, but I want to visit you. When I'm home we can talk about things. I don't want to make any important decisions without you, and even if I did, I want to make sure you're okay. And I miss you.
Hope to hear from you soon, and see you soon too!
Lots of Love,
Melete
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Posted: Mon Feb 28, 2005 8:18 pm
Giving and Getting
Lionel rapped at the door, all hesitation he had shown on previous visits erased. He was finally becoming comfortable in his role as host, and it was apparent. A smile showed on his face, albeit a tight-lipped one, and he fingered a small bundle wrapped in crisp white tissue paper.
Melete looked up from her notebook frowning. She had been rereading her log and puzzling over it when the interruption came, and she wasn't pleased. Still, she couldn't very well ignore it.
"Come in," she finally called.
He did so, but didn't move far from the door, instead leaning against the inside wall in his usual fashion. Chit-chat wasn't his thing, at least not in these times, but he took a stab at it. "Been busy?"
"Enough. Did you want something?"
"Not particularly. But I have something for you."
One of Melete's furrowed eyebrows raised fractionally. "Why?"
"It's the duty, and in this case pleasure, of a host to present a gift to their guest." Lionel shifted uncomfortably. Was this a bad idea after all?
"Can I see?"
"May I see. And of course," he hurried to add, handing the small parcel over.
The eyebrow raised further as her blue eyes looked over the gift. Finding nothing wrong with it, she carefully pulled the paper off.
"A watch?"
"A nice, steel pocketwatch. Much better than these 'digy-tall' things I've seen."
So it was. The body was made of a dark colored metal that shone in the light that leaked through the window. Fiddling with it proved to operate a springloaded switch that opened the watch, revealing a bronzed interior and a plain watch face. It seemed normal enough, until Melete noticed one thing.
"The hands aren't moving."
Lionel blinked. "Are you sure? I bought it from a supposedly reputable shop and-"
"I'm sure."
The man emitted a sigh. "Well, I suppose we can go to get it fixed soon."
"Okay."
With nothing left to say, Lionel turned to leave.
"Mister Lionel?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks." Melete smiled and held the watch tightly. "I'll take good care of it."
Without turning, Lionel nodded. "I know you will."
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Posted: Tue Mar 01, 2005 12:22 am
Touch and Go
Melete cast a sideways glance at the unembellished watch that lay on the side table. The dark metal barely reflected any light at all, but otherwise it seemed to be a pretty normal timepiece. A nice gift, if they managed to get it fixed. Otherwise it served as little more than a paperweight, and she had no need for something so frivolous. Hopefully they'd fix it soon, she thought, and absently ran a hand over the cool metal.
rm... warm... touch?
Startled, Melete snatched her hand away, bringing it to her chest where it rubbed her necklace. Did the watch have feelings? No, that was impossible.
But she had felt something, that was certain.
Fighting mild fear, she let her fingers rest on the watch's body again.
touch... person? friend?
This is absurd, Melete thought. How could she befriend a watch? The thought was even more mindboggling than befriending a Gaian, and that was saying something.
Allowing herself a shudder, she turned back to her writing.
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Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 6:22 pm
Transition
A small bag of Filuti tea dropped from Melete's fingers, and she turned to face the bedside table.
The watch had begun to vibrate, much like a cellular phone. The noise had a vaguely metallic sound despite the obviously wooden surface of the table, as if the small clock was rattling against itself. It sounded almost like an alarm clock, if that were possible.
Melete tried to back away, but found herself stopped by the weight of the box on her lap, and also the overpowering curiosity that fixed her eyes to the shaking watch. Should she do something?
"Hey, stop that," she said, clenching one hand over the timepiece.
ime... time now!
The watch pulsed once and started to ring loudly.
Soon Melete found her hand being forced apart as the item held in it changed shape. It quivered, wiggled, and as the watch fell silent she finally released her fingers.
"'lo."
A strange gremlin-like creature stared at Melete. Its skin, if you could call it that, was the dark irony tone that the watch had been, and the palms of both its hands and feet, as well as tiny horns atop its head, were the same bronzy color of the watch's interior. All four limbs were clawed, the large gear on its back whizzed, and it had a tail made of the watch's chain. The face had centered itself in the creature's stomach, whereas the new face of the strange being bore a suspicious expression.
It would have been frightening had it been more than two inches tall.
"You friend?"
As far as weirdness went, this took the cake. But at least now Melete's mind could rationalize the feelings she'd felt from the device earlier. To be able to do that much was a comfort. The rest she would deal with later.
"Sure, I suppose. You're my watch?"
"Me Jaicorwenwaldomiasolophindo."
Did the creature actually expect her to remember that mouthful? "What was that?"
Taking a tone one would use with a child, it started to repeat itself. "Me... Jaico-"
"Jaic. Well, nice to meet you Jaic." Melete extended a finger towards the being for it to shake.
It started to protest, but paused, savoring the new word. "Jaic. Yes. Me Jaic." Grinning, it grabbed the finger and started to climb up the host's arm.
"Me Jaic. You?"
Luckily Melete wasn't ticklish, or she might have thrown her new aquaintance off. As it was, she nodded. "Me- I mean, I'm Melete."
"Mel."
"Melete, she repeated slowly."
"Mel. Me Jaic, you Mel." Despite its small stature, it produced a glare that dared anyone to argue.
"Fair enough," Melete agreed amiably. "Now, what are you anyway?"
The creature, Jaic, let out a whirring sigh. "Me Jaic," it said, as if that answered everything.
Spotting the box, it cackled and dived in, emerging almost immediately with the small bag of Filuti. Its claws pierced the plastic, but it was too delighted to notice.
Melete sighed. This would be tough after all.
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:09 pm
Revision
"Hey, Mellie?"
At first Melete chose not to respond to the nickname. She was busy anyway, writing a note to Lionel about her imminent departure. She only had a few days to prepare.
"Mellie, hello? Gaia to Mellie, come in-"
"What. Is. It." The words were spat out between clenched teeth.
Ying sauntered into Melete's room, looking around curiously. "Nice place you've got here," she commented idly.
"Did you come here just to tell me that?"
Geesh, some people were so testy. Still, Ying had come for a reason. "Not really. I just wanted to talk."
"I'm busy." Melete hadn't turned to her visitor once, but it was apparent who it was. She found both of the girls near her age petty and vain the first time they met, and her opinion had changed very little since then.
Resisting the urge to answer with an equally rude reply, Ying walked further into the room. "Listen, Mellie, I know we've gotten off on the wrong foot, and-"
"And you barging in here won't help that." Finally unable to take anymore, Melete stood and faced the Jumi. "Is that all you people ever do in this place? Barge in without even knocking, force your words on people who are busy with other matters?"
Ying had started to falter, but Melete wasn't finished yet. "Do you think that other people's worlds revolve around you? That I've been moping here for weeks, horrified because you didn't like me? Despairing because I don't have perfect relationships with everyone under the same roof? At least I know enough to realize that not everyone's going to like me, and I don't make false aplogies just because I want to seem all nice and sweet in theirn eyes. If people want to accept me, they do, and if not, they don't. So just get out."
"But-"
"Didn't you hear me? Leave me alone, I don't want to hear it!"
Eyes full of tears, Ying started to leave. But halfway to the door, something in her mind changed and she turned around abruptly. "No."
Melete stared. "What do you mean, no?" Surely no one could be this dense.
"I mean no. I've heard all your chatter, all your assuming that we're all bad. Now it's your turn to listen. You're right, I didn't like you when you came here. You were snobby and rude. But I was wrong too, for not trying harder to see what you were like under that. Today I just wanted to see what was really going on inside that head of yours, and I guess I found out. You know Mellie, relationships are always a two-way street. So shape up or ship out."
Half of the words made no sense at all to Melete, but she could feel the pain of trying that the other girl felt, and it startled her. For once, she was speechless.
Ying seemed to understand this, and backed off. "Hey, listen Mellie-"
"Melete." It was all she could manage to say.
"Don't like nicknames? That's cool. So Melete, how about we both go cool off, and talk this over another time when we're not so mad and- hey, since when're you taller than me?"
Off topic already. Still, she had a point. "Sure. And I'm not."
Ying tilted her head. "Taller? Yes, you are-"
"Mad. I'm not mad." Anger was a waste of time anyway, she just had to remember that.
"Oh." Giggling, Ying waved and walked backwards out of the room. "Well, I'll let you get back to work. Ciao, Mellie!"
That went well, she thought.
Melete sighed, but mentally agreed.
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 9:11 pm
Preparations
"Melete, what's this about?" Lionel brandished a neatly written letter like a weapon at his student, who instinctively took a step back? "What do you think you're playing at?"
Letting out a small sigh, Melete rose. A half-packed bag was on the bed, the drawers of her night table were open and disorganized, and a box lunch was tucked neatly into the front of her satchel. "I'm not playing at anything. I'm going home."
"Without asking me?"
"I informed you of my decision. I didn't think I had to ask, since nothing you would say could keep me from visiting my family. You have no right to keep me here, nor a way to effectively do so. All this means is that you needn't worry about me for a while."
Much as he hated to admit it, the girl had a point. Though he could hardly consider her a girl any longer, she had grown quite a bit since her arrival. It was almost like watching his sister grow up again, despite their difference in looks. Their ages seemed the same at least, but the similarities ended there. Still, it was enough to give Lionel a taste of nostalgia, and the homesickness that always accompanied it.
How could he begrudge his charge a visit home simply because he was denied the same privilige? If he kept the spoiled behavior up, he would end up much like his father. That thought alone often sent him scurrying back onto the path of righteousness.
"How long will you be gone?" he asked softly, taking a seat on the bed.
"I'm not sure. I'll send word when I return home." If was a better word than when, but she kept that thought to herself.
Jaic pulled himself up from his seat in the thickest part of Melete's curls, making himself visible. "I come too," it announced.
Eyes wide, Lionel leaned back. "What is THAT?"
The TimeBandit studied Lionel with equal curiosity, though his was far more eager. "Me Jaic. You?"
"That's Mister Lionel, my host," Melete explained as she continued packing. "The watch that you gave me turned into this creature. Jaic."
Making no effort to decrease the distance between himself and the strange being, Lionel gulped and nodded. "I see."
The nobleman's fear was nearly tangible, all too obvious to Melete. She smirked, then commented with a softer smile "It's a very unique watch you gave me. I'm grateful."
"Th-that's good." Pausing, he scanned the room quickly. "You're not hiding anything else, are you? Clockwork demons are bad enough..."
Jaic huffed and vanished back into Melete's mess of hair.
The girl chose not to correct her host. "No."
"Good." His relief was as evident as his anxiety had been just moments before, giving Melete more opportunity to feel on top. However that lasted for barely enough time to realize it.
"I do wish you trusted me enough to discuss your choices with me, instead of feeling like you have to sneak around behind my back."
Melete began to protest. "I did no-"
"Then why did you feel it necessary to inform me in writing?"
"I didn't want you to try to dissuade me."
"What makes you so certain I would have?"
"Because..." That was a tough one, and once she thought about it Melete felt ashamed. This was a man who was kept away from his own home by forces beyond his control. Certainly he would understand the need to visit one's kin.
"I don't know."
That answer surprised Lionel. "What, not because I'm a Gaian?"
"No," she answered truthfully.
Smiling, Lionel patted Melete's shoulder as he rose. "I'm proud of you. Keep in touch while you're away; I'll miss you."
As stressed and distant as their relationship was, Melete believed it, and much to her surprise felt the same. "I will."
"Take care of yourself, Melete." Giving a casual wave, Lionel strode out the door.
"I will," Melete repeated softly. "Thanks."
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:51 pm
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Posted: Sat Apr 23, 2005 8:53 pm
Portal
Melete almost tripped over the threshold of the gate as she crossed to the Neilan side. Both her hands were racing up and down her bare arms, fingers scratching madly. Her reaction the first time she travelled through the passage was the same, and she had been hoping it was a fluke. She was proved wrong.
Why in the gods name did the blasted portal have to make her itch all over? It wasn't only her arms, though that was all she could reach comfortably. Something told her that if she bent down to scratch her legs, she would catch several disapproving glares. And if she scratched other places, the reaction she got would make the glares seem downright friendly.
"-lahen?"
Turning with a start, Melete nearly bumped into a man wearing the uniform of the Neilan Military. "I'm sorry, sir."
"Quite alright, Miss Kelahen. Welcome home."
"Thank you, sir," Melete responded politely. Her eyes drifted to either side, searching.
"I have a message for you, Miss Kelahen. Your brother offers his apologies that he was not able to meet you here, but eagerly awaits your arrival at the air terminal in your hometown. May I show you to the air terminal here?"
Nodding happily, Melete took a breath of fresh air and let out a happy sigh. Even with the constant bother of the itching, she was home. Finally.
"Let's go."
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:46 am
View from Above
Weaving her way through several rows of seats, Melete finally reached her own and dropped into it. A clear bottle dropped from her hand into a nearby chair, its contents nearly exhausted. She would have to replenish her supply of cooling lotion during her stay. Her trip to Gaia had used up half the bottle, and the way back had used the rest. Messy, but effective, it got rid of the itchy feeling the portal left her with.
In retrospect she supposed it was a good thing that Mister Lionel was late to meet her, as it gave her time to apply the salve. This time she had to wait until they took off to feel better. Though that still didn't excuse his lateness.
As they started to drop, Melete edged over to look out the window. It was familiar territory on the ground, but from the air it took on a whole new meaning. It was the first time she had seen the whole of her homeland- on the way to Gaia, she had been too annoyed to look at anything. Perhaps the stay had done her good then. Though if she had been flying anywhere else, surely she would not have been angry and therefore gotten a good look at the scenery.
But it wouldn't mean the same thing, she knew that. Seeing the land from this perspective before would have been entertaining, possibly thrilling. Now she was thinking about what Commander Haladet had mentioned more than once before she left. About what she had seen Mister Vilden do that night shortly after her arrival. About the offer that was made to her- the task of protecting everything she saw.
Her journey to Gaia had its bad parts of course. Foremostly missing her brother and her home, but also having to deal with the unfamiliar (and selfish) culture. Still, if she hadn't gone she wouldn't have met Mister Lionel, or Xue, or Jaic. She wouldn't have seen the ways her own culture could be like that it critisized. And of course, she wouldn't have seen THAT.
Yet accepting the fact that her trip had changed her, did that necessarily mean that a longer stay would be better. Did it?
"Attention passengers, we will be landing shortly."
There would be time to reflect on that later, Melete decided, gathering her meager belongings. For the time being, she was home. And that felt better than she could ever imagine.
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Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 12:57 am
Reunion
A small crowd hovered in front of the gate, welcoming those who came through with open arms. Many were taller than Melete, and it frustrated her at first. At this rate how could she ever find her brother?
A familiar presence soon washed over the lost girl, as the tallest man in the crowd came towards her. He looked to be in his mid-twenties, about the same age as Lionel, if a little younger, but much taller.
"Hello stranger," he crooned, reaching a hand out to graze her face.
Unaware of the single tear that rolled down her cheek, eventually splashing on the man's hand, Melete was otherwise calm. "Hello stranger," she repeated. Finally her resolve broke and she launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around the bottom of his torso tightly.
After that no words were spoken. They would simply get in the way.
***
The pair decided to walk the rest of the way to the town in lieu of taking another form of transportation. It was only a couple miles, and Melete wanted to see everything she had lived without for so long.
"You've grown quite a bit," Elgei commented, breaking the silence. "You'll be taller than me in no time."
"No one could be taller than you without hitting their head on the ceiling. Besides, it's just a few inches. No big deal."
The last thing Melete wanted to do was talk about herself. After all she had missed at home, she wanted to be caught up. Besides, talking about herself could lead to a discussion on what would come next, and she wasn't ready to talk to her brother about that yet.
Wisely, Elgei changed the subject. "Calara asked about you often. She wanted to come with me to get you, but she's feeling ill today. Milgi has been worried as well. They're both extremely curious about your adventures. I admit, I'd like to hear about some as well- when you're ready."
The names of Melete's two closest friends put a smile on her face. "I'm looking forward to seeing them. Has Milgi finally gotten over his fear of working?"
"He's improved, I'll give him that. You can ask them yourself, once we've paid a visit to the elders."
The elders. She had forgotten about that bit of village tradition, and now that she was reminded, her stomach started to churn. They would ask her the questions she didn't want to answer yet. But unlike with her family and friends, she wouldn't be able to dodge or change the topic.
Elgei rested one palm on Melete's head. "We can go tomorrow, if you're not feeling up to it today. It just means that you can't see anyone else for a while. But if that's okay with you, I'm fine with it."
"I..." If she stayed home sick, Elgei would have to do the same, and Melete didn't want to cause that. Nor did she wish to be confronted with the questions the elders were sure to answer.
"Sleep on it." Elgei stopped in front of a small house, at the outskirts of a grouping of similar structures. "Welcome home."
Home. Such a wonderful word to experience.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:29 pm
Recollection
For two days Melete stayed inside, recovering from her trip and the gatelag that accompanied it. Neither of them was particularly severe, and after one good night's sleep she was feeling perfectly refreshed, but still wanted to stay in. Elgei understood this, and didn't press the issue. They talked about Gaia, had some tea, and went to bed early.
On the third day Melete went outside. She wasn't feeling especially ready, but the sooner she saw the Elders, the less time she would have to worry about it. Not that she was supposed to worry anyway; the elders were supposed to be there for support and guidance. But she worried all the same.
They lived in a large hut-like structure in the center of the village. It was more antiquated than much of the surrounding architecture, but the whole area, village included, was far behind Neilan's main technological "advancement," having instead decided to cling to their roots. The hut was constructed largely of wood, but also incorporated clay and grass into its design. There was only one entrance, which Melete hesitated at, not sure if she should enter.
A voice inside answered her unasked question. "Come in, child."
There were five, differing in gender and appearance, all seated on the floor. While no one knew exactly what an Elder did when they weren't holding council, or taking in meals with the others of the village, it was assumed that they were in constant meditation. While standing outside, Melete hadn't felt any real emotion or presence within the structure, but yet there they were. Perhaps it was something that came with age.
Once inside, Melete sat on her heels and briefly bent over, touching her forehead to her knees. It was a sign of respect rather than worship, as her people knew better than to try and idolize other flesh and blood beings. It was a lesson the Gaians would do well to learn one of these says.
"I have returned from my journey," Melete said, the words feeling clumsy in her mouth. It felt more like she was a stranger than a long-lost member of her people. The feeling was very disturbing.
A few of the Elders exchanged a glance. One smiled and nodded. "You have. After so long away, you needn't be embarrased to feel strange upon your return."
Melete blushed. Even though it was a trait hardly unique to Elders, to feel so strong an emotion, it was still just a bit unnerving after returning from the land of the deaf and blind. "I... thankyou."
"We understand you have much to tell us," another of the Elders said expectantly. They nodded in unison, waiting for the report to begin, all perfectly synchronized.
And so Melete started to talk, relating her visit. It felt like so much more than a visit, though. She spoke of her hosts, briefly of DS and her brood of unruly children, and a bit more of Lionel, his unusual ways and homesickness. She spoke of Gaian culture, of the terrible teahouse that Lionel took her to, of the strange habit of inanimate objects to evolve into sentient beings. Jaic had opted to stay at home with Elgei, so she did not have an example, but she described the pocketwatch bandit in detail. She spoke to great lengths of the Porcelain race she had encountered, of Nusumu and Xue and their quirks and habits. She mentioned briefly her encounter with other Neilani, other students like Krisamine and Declan, and the Keths, June and Vilden. Finally, when her voice was starting to become hoarse, she wound up with her thoughts on the people themselves, few of which were good, but compared to her attitude when she arrived on Gaia, some views were downright liberal.
A couple Elders seemperturbed, but the one who had first adressed her was perfectly calm. "Thank you. It is our time to speak now. You have seen much on your journey, it seems. At the very least it has proven to be somewhat educational. It is a relief to discover. You recall that we were against this at the beginning."
Knwoing better than to give a verbal answer, Melete nodded. She had felt the same way at first. Now she wasn't so sure.
"And we respect that. However, your findings have only proven to us how little Gaian culture can help educate our people. We do not imply that you failed, merely that Gaia has failed you. For this we are sorry. We also decide to end the program here." The Elders, all five of them, nodded together. A different one picked up. "You handled yourself well in the face of adversity. You needn't endure anymore."
For a few moments Melete was struck dumb. She had understood that the return home was a visit, no more. What would Lionel say when he heard? If he heard at all? What about Commander Haladet, and the offer to join the military, to do something valuable with her life? And Vilden, and what he had shown her...
"We understand your surprise, and perhaps reluctance. But this is for the best. You will see." The Elder's words had an eerie finality to them.
"But-"
The voice became touched with severity. "Welcome home, Melete."
"I... thank you." Working in a daze, she touched her head to her knees again, stood up, and left. Only once she was a few yards away did she notice that her face was damp. For some unknown reason, she was crying. And the fact that she didn't know why she was crying, that she wasn't more relieved not to have to go back, that she was so unsure, made her hurt even more.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:32 pm
Reconnection
By the time Melete returned home she had managed to talk herself out of crying. Her face was dry, her expression placid, and her heart stilled. Whatever was bothering her would still be there later, ready to be dealt with. For the time being, she didn't want to upset her brother, or the others she knew waited inside.
A blur of green and brown darted out throug the door, tackling Melete forcefully. This face was not dry, but damp with tears of joy and excitement. The girl belonging to the face was a little rounder than Melete remembered, but otherwise relatively unchanged. She was clothed in a long, loose green dress with simple yelloe embroidery on the front, and cloth and leather sandals on her feet. Her dark brown hair was braided into several thick sections, and her dark eyes screamed delight. "Mel!" she cried, voice full and warm. "You're back! I missed you so much!"
Melete had to catch her breath, since it had literally been knocked out of her, but once she did she threw her arms around the girl, returning the embrace. Until that moment she had been unaware of exactly how much she had missed her best friend. But she remained, for the most part, composed. "You look wonderful, Calara," she finally replied, holding the now laughing girl at arm's length. "I missed you too. It's so good to be home."
"Calara, you're going to knock her over!" Another youth, this one male, stood just inside the entrance to Melete's house. He was taller than both Melete and Calara, and his skin was a few shades darker. Dressed in patched brown slacks and a loose, sleeveless white shirt, he looked utterly lazy. His expression, a sly one trying to be a grin but not sure that was what it wanted, did nothing to dispute this. He leaned against the entryway, and gave a quick nod. "Are you coming in, or am I going to have to come out there?"
Both girls giggled and linked their arms together to face the speaker. "You are such a tease," Calara scolded.
"Maybe I should make you come out here, Milgi," Melete added. "It would be good to see you moving for a change."
With an air of wounded pride, Milgi put one hand to his heart sorrowfully. "Such spite doesn't look good on pretty girls," he said loudly. Then he grinned, as Melete and Calara giggled and started walking towards him. He knew that the right words would work wonders.
"Feelings speak louder than words," Melete said accusingly, but she too was grinning. Milgi may have been a slacker and a goof, but he always knew how to cheer her up. She had known him almost as long as she had known Calara, because the two were cousins. But unlike his dilligent relative Calara, Milgi hated to do much of anything, except maybe being a tease. He could be infuriating, but even then Melete often found herself having a hard time keeping a straight face. Which was why, despite her better judgement, she constantly forgave him.
At this point Elgei had joined Milgi at the door. "Welcome back. There's some tea that's almost ready."
The subtext to Elgei's seemingly simple statement went unnoticed by everyone except Melete, who smiled even more widely. There was a touch of worry in there, and the knowledge that she had been talking a lot, which supported his decision to make her favorite tea. The first thing Melete did upon entering was get to the kitchen, where she poured the Summer's Hope into four glasses and then expertly carried them into the sitting area. Once everyone else had been served, she took a long sip and relaxed. No one made tea like her brother.
"So Mel," Calara asked once they had all had opportunity to drink, "what was it like? Are they really as uppity and ignorant as they look?"
"They," of course, meant Gaians. And even though it was natural for her friends to ask what her visit to Gaia had been like, Melete wasn't sure she wanted to answer. She quickly took another sip of tea, stalling for time to come up with a reply. "They were," she began slowly. "Some of them, at least. Many. But some of them weren't all that bad."
"All that bad?" Milgi asked innocently, snorting a little. "Well, in that case they must be Gods." The prevailing emotion in his statement was amusement, both at Melete's comment and his own rebuttal. But if one were to dig a little deeper, they would feel an edge of superiority, sharpened by the confirmation that as a Neilani, he was better than those on Gaia.
Melete caught this, and her temper flared briefly. She could see that both Milgi and Calara noticed this, and looked at her with differing exressions of alarm, but she didn't care. The arrogance that she was getting was infuriating. And then, with a shock, Melete realized that she was buying into it as well. Phrasing the Gaians as uppity and ignorant only boasted her own superiority, evn as a simple reply. And if that was the case, maybe there wasn't much difference between Neilan and Gaia after all. The idea tore through Melete's mind like a whirlwind, ripping everything she thought she knew apart.
Part of Melete's consciousness registered that Milgi looked somewhat afraid, and Calara was holding her arm tightly, saying something that wasn't quite audible. But for the most part, she was caught in the storm inside her mind, numb from the winds of conflicting ideas, and she couldn't think straight.
Then a firm but gentle wind took hold and pushed Melete guidingly, doing its best to protect her from the worst of the fierce gusts. Before she realized what had happened, she found that the noise of confusion had stopped. The tornado continued its destructive movement around her, but she was at its center, able to think for the moment.
The pressure lightened, as if taking a step back. Worry rushed into its place, mixed with a warning for caution and a sense of relief. Each of these emotions lessened, until they weren't in Melete's mind at all anymore. The only feeling left was on her shoulder, of a string hand supporting her. It provided enough comfort for Melete to open her eyes.
"... should go," Calara was saying worriedly. She was still holding Melete's hand, and when she saw her friend stir, smiled bravely. "I'll come back tomorrow. I still want to ear about your trip." She patted Melete's hand once more, then stood up and prepared to leave.
"Thank you," Elgei said quietly, his arm not wavering a bit even under Melete's weight. He remained absolutely still until the guests were gone.
Melete struggled to move, but found herself exhausted from the day's emotional strain. This only distressed her further. What in the Gods' name was wrong with her, thinking such things? "Brother, I-"
"Shhh." With one arm still supporting Melete's back, Elgei bent down and reached under her legs, picking up his sister with surprising ease. The few days back home weren't enough to fix months of eating poorly, ill-accustomed to Gaian cuisine. But there would be time to remedy that later. "Sleep. When you wake up, we can talk."
She wasn't sleepy, Melete wanted to argue. But she was, in fact. Screwing up her face like a child, she relented and nodded her consent. Now that things were better, they had as much time as they needed.
By the time Elgei set her in her bed, Melete was fast asleep.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:32 pm
Repose
Melete was alone, in the middle of a long, white tunnel. At first she didn't recognize it, but then, when her arms started to itch, she realized where she was. It was the portal, the channel between Neilan and Gaia. She didn't know what she was doing there, especially since she wasn't allowed to return to Gaia. There were also noises, and though she couldn't be sure where they were coming from, they unsettled her. She had never heard any sort of noise in the portal before. It felt wrong.
Then, without warning, the tunnel began to flood with people. Both sides opened wide, and angry mobs rushed in, each hurrying towards the other and shouting furiously. For Melete, who was in the middle, it was quite frightening, and she looked for a way out, finding none. They took up every bit of room, and were coming together like a pair of solid walls.
"What are you doing?" she screamed, panicking.
"Those Gaians are going to be the end of all of us! They're selfish, extravagant, they think they know everything but they never learn-"
"Well, what about those Neilani? They think they're better than everyone else, so cocky and conceited, and they have their own problems!"
The voices got louder and more heated, and Melete put her arms out, as if that would stave off the stampedes. It did nothing. "Look," she cried, "being angry isn't going to do anything!"
"That's right," one voice rang out clearly. Suddenly both sides were armed, pointing everything from pitchforks to laser cannons at each other. They had halted for a few precious seconds, the front lines of each faction about ten feet apart. Melete was close enough to touch one of the long rifles that one of the Gaians was holding. Instead of trying, she backed away, bumping into a pulse firer that two Neilani were steadying. She froze, looked at it, and squeaked, backtracking to the middle of the small gap.
The voice, familiar but unplaceable, spoke again in the silence that was almost as deafening as the roars that had preceded it. "Where do you stand, Melete? With us? Or against them!"
"Don't listen to them," another voice called out. "You have to be on our side!"
"No!" Melete shouted, putting her hands over her ears. Being on the side of Neilan would mean hurting the few but important friends she had made on Gaia. And being on the side of Gaia would mean alienating her family, her home. Neither option was attractive. She didn't want to be on any side. Taking sides was pointless, and would only lead to more people getting hurt.
The weapons were primed. One side advanced by a couple of feet, shouting, "If you're not with us-"
"-you're against us!" the other side finished, advancing as well. They were so close that Melete could stretch out one arm to each side and touch a weapon. Shaking all over, she crouched into a small ball on the ground. Her hands were still over her ears, but it didn't matter. The sound still invaded her mind, and she could feel the final word before it was spoken. "Don't!" she screamed, crying. "Don't!"
"FIRE!"
With a silent scream Melete sat up, her body trembling all over, eyes wide open and sweat pouring down her face. For several seconds she simply sat in her bed, panting and trying to get a grip on reality. Then she looked around, hugging herself to keep from shivering too much. She was at home. Everything was okay. She had been home for a while, and had gone to see the elders that day, and talked to Calara and Milgi. After that things were sort of fuzzy, but she remembered enough to know that she had fallen asleep very confused. The dream was probably just a reflection of that. But a terrifying one.
The darkness outside Melete's window implied that it was either very late at night or very early in the morning. Yawning, she slid her legs over the side of the bed and, noticing that she was still in her day clothes, changed quietly into her summer nightgown and a light robe. She ran a brush through her thick hair, which had become tangled and messy, and once she was satisfied, made her way into the kitchen.
There was a light on in the small kitchen, and Elgei was using it to make another pot of tea. For several moments he lingered in front of the cabinet, trying to choose the perfect kind. Finally he settled on Garden of the Moon, a blend that had a gentler taste than some Neilani teas, but was also a known relaxant. He could use some of that almost as much as Melete could.
From the doorway Melete watched, not ready to go in and disturb her brother just yet. It had been so long since she had seen been home and able to spend time with him. She was so used to missing him that even watching him in front of her felt strange, almost unreal. That it wasn't was the one thing that Melete loved, with no apprehension or worry that she was in the wrong. While the others around her made he doubt what she knew, and the Elders seemed unwilling to let her consider new horizons, Elgei would always be there for her, a pillar of strength and hope.
"I'm sure that Calara and Milgi didn't mean to make you worry," Elgei commented innocuously, his back still turned as he fussed with the teapot. When he finished, he turned away carrying a homemade mug in each hand. He handed one to Melete, and blew the steam off of his own. "Let it steep for a few more minutes. I know you like it strong."
"Thanks," Melete said warmly, taking the cup carefully. Rather than move to another room she took a seat in one of the three chairs, setting her cup on another. There wasn't enough room in the kitchen for a table, so they used another chair in place of one. The arrangement had worked for years, and Melete liked it. It gave the kitchen a homey sense that DS's monstrosity of a kitchen on Gaia lacked. As ever, an example of Gaian overkill. Then she winced at the thought. Prejudice was so deeply engrained in her system, and while she knew that Gaians did have a long way to go, she now felt guilty for feeling that way.
Expression unreadable, Elgei took the third chair and settled his mug in his lap. Why did she always have to worry so much about everything? It made his job of making her feel better that much harder. Didn't she know tha the world would not end if she had a little fun?
"Fun isn't everything, Brother," Melete said wryly. "I'm just... I don't know. I'm not sure what to do, what happened."
"Talk it out," Elgei urged. "Tell me what happened. Maybe together, we can think of a solution."
And Melete did, if a bit reluctantly. She told Elgei what the Elders had told her, about their wishes and her reaction. She talked about Milgi and Calara's visit, even though Elgei had been there, and spoke of how she felt when she realized that Neilani were acting the same way the Gaians were. She described her dream as quickly as possible, not wanting to relive it. Nothing was left out; if Elgei suspected that she was witholding information he would only worry more, and she couldn't let him do that, not over something so trivial.
When Melete had finished, Elgei took a sip of his tea and nodded thoughtfully. "I see. I thought it would have been good for you to be exposed to another culture." He smiled affectionately. "I can see I was right. That you're thinking about others only proves to me how much you've grown up."
Melete blushed and quickly took a drink of her own tea, savoring the taste. "But I don't know what I'm supposed to do now."
"Is that a bad thing?" Elgei asked, raising his eyebrows. "You don't always have to know what to do. For now, it seems that the path is a bit hazy. I don't think I can help much with the Elders for now," he admitted. "But wait and see. In time, you may have a better idea of what you want to do. For now, there's nothing wrong with enjoying being wrong."
Sighing, Melete nodded. Elgei was right of course, he was always right. That didn't make her feel much better. But letting herself enjoy being home did. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. Now, finish your tea and get some rest. We have things to do if you're going to be home for a while."
Melete sighed again and took another sip. Barely home and already being put to work. That was the way things worked, she supposed. But she wouldn't have it any other way.
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Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 12:34 pm
Reparation
Melete itched all over. And this time, it wasn't from the portal. She was nervous, and it itched in her mind. It was a feeling she only got when she was both scared and confused, a rare combination for Melete. She thought she had gotten over that when she got past her Gaiaphobic phase. Apparently there was more in store for her. Much more, if the elders had anything to say about it. And they would. Why else would she be waiting to be spoken to? Two summons within a year was excessive, and yet there she was, only a few months after her return to Neilan, waiting for another audience. Anyone would be nervous.
"Melete?" Elgei poked his head into the kitchen, but kept most of his body- and moreover, his arms- in the short hallway.
Melete had been playing with Jaic, who had discovered the joys of sailing in a bowl of water. This makeshift raft was an improvement from his last cardboard one, and was constructed of a thick piece of plastic, some hot glue, and a minuature sail that Melete blew into. That was enough to propel the raft, and the Time Bandit on it, across the mixing bowl, to the delight of both involved.
When Elgei entered, however, Melete abandoned the game and stood abruptly, jostling the table and spilling water onto the tablecloth. "Brother! You're back early!"
Elgei cracked a smile, but that did nothing to mask the graveness behind it. "A bit, yes. I have to talk to you. Unless you're too busy." He referred to the bowl with a smirk.
"No! Of course not!" Grabbing a cloth from the kitchen counter, Melete soaked up most of the spill and tossed the rag in the sink to drain. She then extended her arm, and pointed at it. "Up."
Jaic looked at Melete crossly. He had been having fun, and didn't take kindly to being bossed around. But he knew that this person was important to her- definitely more important than anyone in the other place- and decided not to put up too much of a fuss. "More later," he insisted, scurrying up her arm and onto her shoulder. "Yes."
"Yes," Melete agreed. "Is something wrong, Brother?" She could feel the unease behind his seemingly innocuous words. He didn't want to idle chit chat, or even a sibling heart-to-heart. This was something unusual. But beyond that, she couldn't tell what his intentions were.
Elgei sighed, taking a seat at the table. "Perceptive, aren't we? No, there's nothing wrong, exactly." Not yet, at least, but he didn't say that. Instead, he brought his hand out from behind his back, and placed a sheet of paper on the table. "For you."
As soon as she saw the paper, Melete cringed. It looked familiar, and suspiciously like-
"A summons." Elgei confirmed, finishing Melete's thought. "It is yours."
"Why?" Melete's thoughts tumbled out unchecked. "I haven't done anything! I've stayed here, just like they told me to! What am I supposed to do, anyway? They can't mean anything bad, it's not like I've acted out of line. I don't understand, it's-"
"Melete!"
Hearing her name was enough to snap Melete out of her rant, and she looked up. "What?"
"I don't know what they want," Elgei admitted. "But it can't be anything bad. Maybe they just want to talk. Maybe they want to make sure you are okay."
"You don't believe that," Melete said, folding her arms.
Raising his eyebrows, Elgei shook his head. "And you don't have to get all bent out of shape, and scared. It's just a summons. Unusual, maybe. The end of the world? No."
She deserved that. Melete lowered her eyes, staring instead at the fraying edge of the tablecloth. She had been jumping to conclusions, and reading into Elgei maybe a little too much. So he had done it back, and rooted out her fear. And she deserved it.
While Melete was busy reflecting, Elgei stood and walked around the table, placing one hand on his sister's shoulder as soon as he was within reach. "You're too hard on yourself. Just see what they want, and then decide what to do. Okay?"
Rubbing her eyes, Melete looked up and nodded once. "Okay."
That didn't make Melete any less tense. And when she was beckoned inside, she could have sworn that she was actually shaking.
"I have come as asked."
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