Welcome to Gaia! ::

And an Aether this time.

Aether – 56 – Biohazard

Jack sneezed, groaned and rolled over. Sneezing hurt. Coughing hurt. Hell, breathing hurt. He stared blearily at the thin, dark haired man sitting in a chair beside his bed, a cigarette between his lips and a book on his lap. Guyy looked quite unconcerned at Jack's obvious suffering. The redhead reached for a tissue and blew his nose.
“Not fair.” He grumbled, coughing into the sheet of white tissue and wrinkling up his nose in disgust at the various vile substances his body could produce.
“Huh? What's not fair?” Guyy didn't even look up from what he was reading, his voice soft as he turned the page. Jack balled up the tissue and threw it at him limply. It bounced along the ground and rested against Guyy's foot. The raven haired man snorted and closed his book, picking up the tissue by a corner and lobbing it into a nearby bin.
“You're not sick. Everyone is sick, but you're not sick.” Jack complained, coughing a word that might very well have been quite rude. “Here I am, dying of tuberculosis or typhoid or dengue fever or something and you sit there smoking and reading. Put that out will you?” he coughed again.

Guyy sighed and chuckled, duly extinguishing his cigarette. Sometime he forgot how fragile others could be. Most of Durem was bedridden right now. The virus spread fast, as they always did in heavily populated areas.
“You've got flu, you daft sod. Not something fatal. Mind you, I could go away and leave you to yourself for a few days, then you'd see what fatal was like.” he threatened, topping up Jack's glass with orange juice. Jack turned away with a disgruntled noise. Guyy chuckled softly. “Look, you'll be fine in a few days. Then you can get back to doing whatever it is you normally do. Besides, not everyone is sick. You're the only one in the library who is sick.”
“Why don't you ever get sick?” Jack sighed, staring at the ceiling through watery eyes and wishing he didn't ache so much.
“It's just the way I am. Part of the package I guess. I know there are viruses about though, I can feel them as my body cleans them up.” he shrugged and tapped his chest. He wasn't going to admit that it actually felt pretty good for him to be infected, the little boost he got from converting the foreign bacteria actually made him pretty cheerful.
“So you've never been sick? Really?” Jack turned just enough to look at him as Guyy set his book aside. He was shaking his head. “Not even chicken pox?”
“Not even chicken pox.” the snake confirmed with a smile. Jack made a noise that could have been a phlegmy snort and could have been disgust at the injustice of it all. “How on earth did you catch it anyway? You're not supposed to leave the library at all and I've been careful about contamination since the epidemic hit.” Guyy raised an eyebrow and leaned over his childhood friend accusingly. Jack looked away and fidgeted a little, chewing on his lip in an unmistakable expression of guilt. Guyy shook his head and rubbed the bridge of his nose with exasperation. “Alright, fine. Where have you been, or do I even need to ask?”
“Den.” replied Jack quietly, still not meeting Guyy's eyes.

Guyy leaned back in his seat and let out a long sigh of frustration. Despite his best efforts Jack was getting far too competent at sneaking out of the library when no one was looking. And nine times out of ten he was at Dragon's Den, watching over everything anonymously.
“Jack, do you remember what you are not supposed to do?” Guyy questioned the little redhead. If he sounded like he was treating him like a child it was because that was exactly what he was doing. He simply wouldn't listen. There was a moment of silence before the other man spoke up.
“Leave the library alone.” he grumbled quietly, coughing a little.
“And where, very specifically, are you not to go under any circumstances?”
“Disney Land?” Emerald eyes blinked up at rubies.
“Jack...” Guyy replied warningly.
“Fine. The Den.” Jack relented.
“Do you remember why you're not meant to leave the library alone and go to Dragon's Den?” Guyy finished with his questioning. Jack turned on his side to face his friend and gave him a pleading look.
“But I...”
“No buts, Jack. You know fine well it's far too dangerous. Jimmy could be waiting to ambush you again.” he frowned and shuffled closer on the edge of his seat to look down at Jack. Jack sighed glumly. “See what it got you? You got flu. Consider this a warning. You're bedridden and quarantined, but it could easily have been far more serious you know.”
“But I miss it.” Jack complained so quietly Guyy almost couldn't hear him. The snake spirit clucked his tongue and reached out to pat his friend gently.
“And we'd miss you a whole lot more if something worse happened to you.” he told him with a smile. “Besides, Raven's insufferable enough as it is with you stuck in bed. Not that he'd admit it.” Guyy smirked. Jack managed a small snort of laughter.

“Can he come visit at least?” Jack asked hopefully. Guyy shook his head and the redhead pouted.
“Not yet. In a few days. It wouldn't do to have him get flu too. I'm not going to nurse him. Besides, you need him to keep the Den running smoothly while you're stuck here.” The raven haired man reasoned. Jack reluctantly nodded. “Besides, I prefer it when he's at the Den and out of my way. I don't want him stuck in bed down here for a week or two.” Guyy smirked. Jack laughed and batted his hand at him weakly, chastising him for being cheeky.
“You really don't like him, huh?” Jack rolled his eyes. Guyy simply smiled and said nothing in reply. He'd never admit that he actually liked how happy the annoying blond made Jack and how good he was at cheering Kaori up.
“Tell you what, I'll ask him to bring you some papers to look over when he's allowed in. Would that make you feel better?”
“Yeah, thanks.” Jack smiled, nodding his head and pausing to blow his nose.
“Right then, I'll see to it. Now get some sleep, I've got a book to finish.” Guyy ordered, picking up his book with a smirk and waving a hand at Jack dismissively. The little redhead stuck his tongue out at his friend and rolled onto his back. It wasn't long before he was snoring softly, scarlet eyes watching over him quietly replaced by turquoise orbs. Jack was in for a pleasant surprise when he woke.

Water please

Fire – 29 – Club

Jack was 14, and small even then. He was also, when Guyy wandered across him on that Summer afternoon beside the Boss's gymnasium, crouched on his haunches with his back against the wall and in tears. They had known each other about a year, which in teenage boy terms was forever. And recently, Guyy had come to learn, Jimmy was stepping up the younger boy's training under orders from the Boss himself. Guyy was used to Jimmy's rough hand and was more than tough enough to take it. Jack... well. He was not a natural fighter. The tears staining his cheeks and the bruises colouring his skin were more than enough for anyone to realise that about the boy. He sobbed quietly, as if afraid he might be heard. Afraid Jimmy would punish him for his weakness, more likely. Guyy stopped in front of him and crouched down until they were on a level.

“Hey.” He said flatly, in a way that was both sympathetic and testing. Jack might just turn away from him and refuse to speak,or he might want the company. The red eyed boy still wasn't really used to socialising with others without watching his back for a possible ambush. Jack looked up at him with wide, watery eyes. He hadn't even noticed Guyy's approach it seemed.
“Oh, Guyy. Hey.” he sniffled. He raised an arm to wipe his tears from his eyes. Just because he had been crying didn't mean he wanted anyone to see him. He winced as he raised his hand, gasping softly.
“Hurt?” Guyy asked, already knowing the answer. It was obvious from Jack's movements that the bruises went below his shirt. And possibly more. Jimmy had really given him a beating this time. Jack nodded a little hesitantly, wincing once more. Guyy made a noise in his throat, a grunt of annoyance. Jimmy hadn't been his favourite member of the Boss's team, not since the day he had been recruited, and every incident like this made Guyy hate the man a little bit more.

“Hospital. Come on.” Guyy instructed in the curt manner of one not really used to holding conversations. It wasn't a suggestion, it was almost an order. Jack shook his head fast, fear in his eyes. He immediately regretted it as he cut short his action with a whimper of sudden pain.
“Jimmy says we're not allowed, you know that. We have to stay in the compound. And he says I should suffer it anyway, it'll make me stronger.” Jack gasped, holding his arms across his chest tightly.
“The hell it will.” Guyy muttered. He reached forward and grabbed Jack's arms (under protest from the redhead as usual, but Jack was hardly a match for Guyy even when he was on top form) and moved them out of the way. The arms themselves had patches of red and fresh blooming bruises. He'd taken a severe beating. There were spatters of blood on his shirt too, suggesting Jimmy had ended as he usually did, by giving the redhead a nosebleed and then making him clean up the resulting mess despite his injuries. He tugged the shirt up, even that slight movement making Jack shudder and whimper. There was a massive bruise staining one side of his chest, extending to the shoulder. Guyy reached out carefully to touch it. Jack gave a small yelp, fresh tears on his young cheeks.
“Broken. Maybe collar too. Hospital.” Guyy sighed, shaking his head.
“No, we can't!” Jack croaked with obvious fear in his emerald eyes. He was terrified of disobeying Jimmy and suffering worse.
“No choice. Might be worse.” Guyy shrugged as he pulled himself to his feet. He looked around thoughtfully. Jack knew the look in his crimson eyes, there was trouble on the horizon.

“Guyy... what are you...? He began asking. But the older boy waved a hand to silence him.
“Wait here. Something to do before we go.” Guyy told him, pointing to the spot Jack was sitting on. Once done he pulled open the door to the gym.
“Guyy, wait, no!” Jack called after him, reaching to try and stop him and scrambling on a minute before collapsing back down to the floor in a heap through the agony.
“Hey, Jimmy!” He heard Guyy calling to the blond adult, though he couldn't see beyond the door as it swung itself shut.

There was a muffled reply as Jimmy replied. And then a loud, awful, cracking and thudding noise. That was followed by the sound of something very heavy and very limp crumpling to the wooden floor, then steps across the room and back to the door. Guyy stepped through it looking deeply satisfied with himself and wielding a baseball bat from the gym stores. It had red on it. Jack's eyes went wide in a mixture of terror and awe.
“What did you do?!” Jack cried with horror. Guyy shrugged and waved the bat.
“Went clubbing.” he smirked. “Jimmy got a headache.”
“You're a psychopath.” the little redhead groaned. There was a slight sigh from his lips and a pause as Guyy casually threw the bat aside. “He's going to wake up, isn't he?”
“Yup. Gonna be pissed though.” Guyy smirked.
“We're in deep s**t, aren't we?” Jack groaned. Guyy laughed and shook his head, pointing to himself.
“I'm in deep s**t.” he corrected. “C'mon. Hospital”

Jack allowed Guyy to help him to his feet and support him as they steadily and slowly made their way to the garage, 'borrowing' one of the Boss's cars for the short journey to the hospital. The snake would suffer for it, but not until Jimmy got over his concussion. Besides, it was worth it to get one over on that sadistic lump of muscle. Guyy didn't stop grinning to himself for the entire car ride.

Earth – 84 – Courage

Little Hunter stamped her feet in irritation at her older cousin. Cloudchaser merely looked down on her with bemusement. The little cub had been quite a handful since Alpha's daughter had been born. She was no longer the baby, nor the only little girl in the village. Not that she had ever been exactly feminine. Her favourite toys included the local rodents. Until she broke them anyway, then they became snacks. She was three, almost four and entirely made of trouble.
“I am NOT scared of mans! Not not NOT!” she shouted at the eleven year old.
“Never said you was, did I? I said that even you weren't brave enough to see them off if they came round this way.” he shook his head and toyed with one of his droopy ears.

They had both been told the stories by the adults. Man creatures were bad, worse than anything they could meet in the forest. Under no circumstances should they ever attack a man (not that Cloudchaser attacked anything if he could help it. Little Hunter on the other hand was well known for attacking anything that moved, not to mention a few things that didn't). If they saw one in the forest they were to run home right away and tell every adult they saw. The adults would chase them away, if they could. Cloudchaser had worked out long ago that something about these man things really scared the grown-ups and he suspected it had something to do with the metal bracelets some of them wore and Aunt Mu having died before he was born.

“Am too brave enough! I could eat a whole man!” Little Hunter growled fiercely, displaying her needle sharp cub teeth and claws. Cloudchaser couldn't help but laugh at her.
“You could eat a whole whale! But mans are bad. Real bad.” He warned her. Before she had a chance to reply the sound of Theta's voice ringing over the village and calling her son to come home. “I gotta go. Mama's calling.” he sighed, flicking his tail and dropping to all fours to pad through the village. Little Hunter watched him go with an indignant snort.
“Not scared of mans.” she muttered to herself, wiping a paw across her muzzle and sitting in the grass. She'd show them. She wasn't scared of anything. Not even those wicked monsters that her parents told her such horror stories about to keep her from wandering too far into the forest. After all, she might barely be walking but she had already brought down a wild boar and a few fawns.

With the sort of stubborn determination only ever seen in a toddler she pulled herself up onto her four oversized paws and held her head and tail high. She was going to go on the best hunt ever, then no one would dare say she wasn't brave enough to do anything. Not even her silly cousin. Just because he was older didn't mean he knew everything. With a glance and a fearsome growl at the huts of the tribe she turned tail and walked into the trees. Not that she really knew where she was going, but that wasn't important. She'd tagged along on hunts before and knew fine well that before long whatever you were looking for showed up. There were bound to be mans in the forest somewhere.

She walked for hours, getting distracted now and then by some small scuttling creature or a new scent or sound. She drank from the sweet streams that ran through the area and caught a small rabbit which she happily devoured for dinner, not caring that it wasn't cooked. And though her young paws got tired she kept going, oblivious to the rising worry at the village when no one could find her. Even Cloudchaser, who had seen her last, was unable to guess where she might have gone. She just kept wandering along merrily as if she was merely having a great day out.

It was growing late when the new smell hit her nose. Something strange and metallic. Whatever it was, it wasn't natural or normal. She paused and sniffed the air with curiosity, following the unusual scent to its source. It got stronger and mixed with a variety of unfamiliar aromas and eventually sounds the closer she got. Suddenly she broke through the tree line and found herself staring down at some very odd looking huts in a clearing. Nervously, wondering what sort of tribe they belonged to, she crept forward on her belly. She reached out and tapped one of the huts. It was made of a sort of smooth cloth. She jumped back with raised hackles as the material sprung back easily. She sniffed around it. Whatever creature lived here wasn't home right now. There was another hut, but it was raised from the ground on round, black springy thing. It was the source of the metallic smell. She found a window open and climbed inside. The inside was just as strange, with large bouncy places (which she a lot of fun jumping up and down on) and hard places with all sorts of strange patterns and shapes to wonder over. She also found a whole host of small interesting things. That was when she got the idea.

She rooted around until she found a bag. She then began taking the prettiest, shiniest and nicest looking trinkets she could find and loading up the bag with them. Keys, buttons (pulled off a shirt), coins, bottle tops and a variety of other things jangled around in the bag. Once satisfied she had gotten the best stuff she climbed out of the large metal hut and into one of the small cloth ones. Here she found even more things to take with her. She had just raided the third cloth hut when a noise in the bushes got her attention. Laughter and the jovial ring of a group of young men coming back from the woods surprised her and she dragged her stolen prizes into the trees. From here she could see what sort of creatures lived here. Three men, and from the description she had been given by the tribe elders she knew they were men, rode into the clearing on strange metal things. They had round parts at the front and back and the men seemed to get them to move by kicking them.

Men. So that was what they looked like. Little Hunter felt the hairs on the back of her neck go up. She did feel a little bit frightened now. What if they found her? Would they attack her and kill her? She watched them as they dismounted and rested their bikes against a tree as they began to look for their food. It didn't take long for a cry to go up among them. They realised they had been robbed. But they knew there was no one out in these isolated woods to rob them. Little Hunter looked down guiltily at the cookie she had been chewing on. She stuffed the rest in her mouth and slunk away as silently as she could, dragging her bag of stolen man things. She headed right back to the village.

When she arrived back she was met by her frightened mother and a severe telling off. Until she produced her bag of trinkets. That was enough to stun them into silence. After some coaxing she told them where to find the men (though she may have made up a few things about how many there really were and just how sneaky she'd been). Kappa was dispatched immediately to investigate (though by the time she got to the campsite the men had already moved on).
“You really went to a man village by yourself and stole these things right from under their noses?!” Cloudchaser asked incredulously. Little Hunter nodded enthusiastically.
“Uh-huh! And they was riding these big strange metal deer with wheels for legs and they had another huge one and everything!” She told him.
“That was awfully bold of you.” Epsilon shook his head with bafflement.
“Yes, she's our bold Little Hunter.” Laughed her mother, Lambda. Epsilon blinked and then a smirk spread across his muzzle. “Oh, I know that look. You've had an idea.” She sighed, smiling.
“I think she's finally earned her name, don't you?” Epsilon suggested, nuzzling his mate's ear.
“Boldhunter?” Lambda blinked, a smile spreading over her lips when her mate nodded slowly. “Yes, Boldhunter! How fitting! What do you think of your name, daughter?”

The little cub looked up at them. In some part of her mind she knew something important had just happened. She mused over the name she had earned and nodded with a wide grin. She liked the sound of that. Boldhunter.

Starting off mah brain in here, let's see what's-a gettin'.

I choose.. Air

39-Earth- Prelude

Carys sighed as she stared at the computer screen. She was disappointed with the results of her trip to the Akea records office, although the rest of the road trip had been fun. The records office claimed to have no record of her mother’s marriage, or of her father at all. Of course it might have helped if she knew her father’s name. But her mother grew so upset whenever Carys tried to bring up the subject, that she had long ago given up on that front. Of course the records office claimed that Annoura had disappeared from Akea some three or four years before Carys’ birth, which Carys knew was not true. Where else would her mother have been? On the off chance, she had checked in Barton and the Isle of Gambino, but they had no records of her mother at all.

Also adding to her restlessness, was the strange dream she had had last night. She’d begun having them shortly after damaging what Lady Aya said was some kind of barrier within herself. They involved a dark room, and a man whose aura reminded her of Caine’s a little bit. Even though her vision was better than most people’s in the dark, Carys still could not make out much more than a silhouette, but she could tell that he had the same long pointy ears that she did. He is always chained, but sometimes in different positions, and Carys can always feel both his desperation and his hopelessness.

Deciding that what she needed was a good workout, Carys got up and headed for the elevator, leaving her computer on. Very shortly it made a dinging noise, to let the absent Carys know she had an email. On the blinking screen the message showed for a brief second before the screensaver came on.
You’ve been asking questions. That needs to stop, for if you continue your inquiries so indiscreetly, you will reveal your presence to powerful enemies. I felt you crack the barrier I made on your mother’s request, and I know of your association with the Shinagami. It may be that eventually you will be strong enough to have no need to worry about the Queen of the Unseelie and her court, but that time is not here yet. For your own safety, cease and desist.

earth