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 Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 7:54 pm
Her feet stopped moving for a moment, green eyes turning over Lina quizically. Alex's face didn't shift much at the news, nor after the outpour of reasoning. She wasn't angry...quite the contrary, she was...relieved. "Jesus Lina," she murmured, snaking an arm around her shoulders and starting to walk again. "I thought you had the disease again. You're--" The woman stopped again, as if the reality of it hit her. Pregnant? That meant...babies.
Alex stooped down suddenly and picked Lina up once again, giving her a firm hug and spinning around once. "That's--!" She hiccuped and lowered her voice so she wouldn't alert people, as if dancing in a circle with the woman wasn't strange enough, "That's great! Congratulations!" Her face was earnest, and there were unshed tears in her eyes; in a moment of darkness and death, there was still life...there was still hope. She gave Lina another affectionate squeeze before releasing the woman, who would likely want to smack her or throw up on her.
"Don't you worry about it for a second. I wouldn't expect it to slow you down...I'm just glad it's one month. I have a feeling you'd be here, no matter the time, and I'd be delivering a little surprise." The woman wasn't very good at being humorous, not when she felt like all her fear and doubt was melting like a wax wall. Alex felt as though she might have been walking blind for the past few hours. She smiled all the same, her eyes not so dark. "You've suffered my choices, no matter how stupid they've been. We'll both finish them. I have faith in you, Lina, and the choices you'll make for yourself...and your future."
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:01 pm
((LOL LESBIAN UNDERTONES *shot*))
Lina was bracing herself for--
...being spun around in a circle by a woman who was clearly not angry.
Lina's mouth slowly turned up in a smile as she listened to Alex speak...so she...Alex DID understand. She did. And if her knees almost gave out from underneath her again for a moment, if the tears came back a little bit larger and wetter, it was no longer because she was sad; it was because Alex understood.
"Alex...I...I...."
Thank you.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:03 pm
DAY 6 HAS ENDED.
====================================================
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:29 pm
They'd made it back to the scientist's hill.
Herei had lead the way around the forest, but once they got back into the hills, Alex had taken them the rest of the way. The surviving people had been shocked to see the group again, and whole at that; Henry was beside himself with worry upon seeing Lina, immediately trying to lead her inside and offer more tea.
The Advisor had told everyone to go inside, and to tell the scientists everything they'd seen, as each detail was crucial. "Alex," he murmured as he stepped behind the woman before she could go in, "a moment please."
The woman nearly dropped the note in her hand, quickly stuffing it into her bag and looking over to the Chinese man with surprise. "Uh...yeah. Zhi?" Alex called to her little brother, slinging her bag at him as he turned. "Take that in for me?" She grinned as the boy caught it and made a face at her, disappearing inside. Turning back to Herei, she gave a nod, waving her hand, "What can I do for you?"
Herei regarded her thoughtfully before remarking, "I'm amazed you remembered which hill was the right one. How'd you know?"
Alex said nothing, merely staring at the man.
"That's a heck of a memory." He chuckled, turning to look at the forest, a mere green dot in the fading day. "I'd daresay that's a very unique trait to have."
Silence.
"I never got your last name."
"I never offered it."
Herei smiled widely. "Touche." He started to pace a little, tucking his chin into one of his hands as he thought outloud. "You have an interesting tracking sense. It just made me think of these maps I used to use...Italian manufacturer." He didn't look at her while his grin nearly reached his ears.
More silence. Then, "Do you have a point to make, Advisor? Time is--"
"--wasting. I trust you know how to get back to him?"
An extended silence followed, punctuated only by a slight nod on her part.
"Good. I want you to wear this. Let me know when you're halfway, and we'll move." Herei produced something small and black from his robes, no larger than a coin, holding it out for the woman to inspect. "Put it somewhere near your head, so we can hear clearly. And don't worry, I have the receiver."
Alex hesitantly picked up the thing in his hand, surprised to see what looked like a minature mic with a small hook on the end. "A hearing device?" She held it up to get a better look at it, before moving her hands back to her hair clip, moving around her thick tresses while arranging the mic within the claws of the clip itself.
The man nodded his approval, watching. "After what you said, I think we can use all the help we can get. Him especially."
After struggling for a moment, she fastened the piece, jogging back a few paces before murmuring quietly, "Well?"
Herei touched his ear and nodded. "That'll do. We have an agreement, then?"
The Italian nodded a little. "It'll be dark when I get there. If you leave when I say and move fast..."
"We'll get there before morning."
Alex stared at Herei a moment longer, taking in his blissful smile and demeanor that was so carefree. How much had he thought this out? He was brilliant, but then...so was the doctor, when he wasn't out getting himself lost in enchanted forests. "Take care of Ka'hmesh's hand, please. And tell the boys...no, don't worry about it. They'll know where I went."
The Advisor nodded. "I think they'd be disappointed if you didn't." Brushing his own long locks over his shoulder, he started to walk towards the still open gates and the warm light within. "Be quick." He glanced over his shoulder to find that the woman had already left, barely visible against the forest. Herei shook his head, his smile wistful. He wished he didn't have to bank so much of the mind of a careless man and a wild vagabond. He'd have to get some short rest before she got in touch with him. It was going to be a hectic night.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:16 pm
Greg really wasn’t doing anything at the moment. Well he wasn’t doing anything other than making sure that all of the students were there. It looked like everyone was there, not necessarily all in the same room, but all in the same general area. That was a good thing, especially as he had been worried about the idea of them loosing more people on the way back.
As he looked around he recognized one person that walked in as someone that he wanted to talk to. Rui Zhi.
The boy was close to Alex, calling her sister, and he wanted to ask some questions about the woman. He had some… … questions… that needed answered about her past.
“Rui Zhi?” he asked going over to the boy. “are you doing all right?” He asked, not really wanting to be rude and just ignore him and ask about Alex. After all he was important too, he was going to help defeat the aliens.
“I’ rauko-mellon, ro lond tula. Ro nowe doer gurth, ro nowe dagor lye ilya, heru Kenth yeste.” Irame hissed to Dante. “We should have gone with him, or at least done something. I'quelin rauko-mellon naa ba rauko-mellon.” Irame had been with Dante since they had come back. She knew that what she was saying was a bit strange, but it was true. The man that had come really had been what she would have called a rauko-mellon. She hadn’t done anything about it, as he had helped them, and that unnerved her. She was supposed to have done something. Her drilling from the elves made her regret the fact that she had done nothing and the way that Lina had reacted had made it all the worse. “I should make something now to go back, or I should go back myself.”
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:21 pm
RuiZhi looked up, still clutching his sister's pack in his arms. He smiled widely at the man, starting to wave, the bag nearly spilling from his grasp. The boy moved quickly to hold onto it, a small piece of white paper coming out, opting to bob his head at Greg in acknowledgement. "Professor Larine!" he quipped, genuniely happy to see the teacher. He needed a friendly face.
"Oh I'm fine," he assured the red-head, leaning down to pick up the note. He glanced at it without thinking about it, looked to Greg, then did a double take at the thing in his hand. The boy blinked at the paper a few times before slowly turning his brown gaze back to the older man. "Uh. I'm fine." He had a strange kind of smile on his face as he pulled up a few chairs, taking a seat in one of them.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:36 pm
Greg started to lean down to get the paper as well, but, as RuiZhi beat him to it, he simply sat down in one of the chairs as well. He watched as the boy looked… well he wasn’t quite sure what to call it. Confused maybe? By the note. Greg figured that he really shouldn’t pry…
“Something wrong with the… note I guess it is? You know I’m not Alex, but I can say that older siblings normally don’t like their little brothers looking though their stuff, even if they don’t mean to. Now older siblings. They have every right to go through their younger siblings stuff… not that they should.
“And about the whole sibling thing, how is it that you two are siblings? Adoption or just the two of you saying you were siblings or…?”
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:41 pm
RuiZhi gave an indignant snort, not unlike Alex would do. "I'm not looking through her stuff, it fell out and I...I just looked at it." That strange smile was back on his face, and he gave a slight shrug before opening her bag with the intention of putting it back. "It involves your brother, but you're right...shouldn't be going through her...things..."
The boy looked curiously in the bag, and started to paw through it, answering as he did so. "We met here when the disease broke out. She took care of me and a lot of the other orphans." He paused, pulling out her herb box before setting it on his lap and continuing to dig. "After Doctor Kenth and Weiyuan figured out the problem, she...uh, she...th-that is, she was sick." RuiZhi stopped his pawing long enough to glance up at Greg, looking a little ashamed. He wasn't a very good liar.
"W-well, so, she wasn't well and I took care of her for a few weeks." There, that was less of a lie. "We talked a lot and Weiyuan and I got close and she kind of...took it upon herself to watch over us." With a shy smile, he continued his search of his sister's belongings.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:19 am
Dante nodded at his sister's assertions. "Perhaps you should make something,," he said, a small smile touching his lips. "I did not want to leave him as well. But the safety of the students come first." He paused. "Summon or make whatever you feel is necessary, Irame.
That settled, he stopped outside shortly afterwards, walking briskly over to Herei. "...She left."
No sooner had the words come out of his mouth then Lina hurried out. "Alex! Alex!"
"She's gone back after Kenth, Miss Lina."
Lina jerked back a bit; then pain came over her face, then she closed her eyes. "...I...I thought so. She...wouldn't leave him behind, at the mercy of that...that...." she shuddered.
"....You musn't go after her. Especially since--"
"I know. I know!" Lina said, her voice pained, her face contorted in sorrow. "...I know it's selfish. But...." She looked up at Herei. "...she'll be all right?
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:05 pm
Weiyuan watched Alex and Herei interact, slightly smirking to himself. If there was one person, it had to be her. Just like last time. Indeed, if Kenth was the ball then Alex would be the dog. As cruel as it sounded it was afunny picture in Wei's mind.
He wasn't worried. Who knows, perhaps finally the two would sort out their relationship. As much as he disliked the idea of Alex spawning, the two skirting around each other was annoying. He turned to Rui, sifting his hand through the younger's hair, messing it up quite a bit. Tsk tsk. He was sure Rui knew better than to look through other people's belongings.
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:03 pm
Sighing, resigning herself to her fate to be stuck here, at least until further notice, Lina turned and walked in....
And found herself staring at three boys, of all differing ages (it was hard to think of Professor Larine as anything other than a big, bumbling boy with a cheerful smile and a sharp, clear laugh that carried some form of hysterical sorrow and helplessness in it--but it was still a cheerful sound). Looking at the not-quite-listless, not-quite settled looks on their faces, Lina just smiled and walked over to her duffel bag, taking out a small black tube, one that someone would confuse for a camera-film canister.
Instead, she poured dice out into her hands--six of them. Then she walked over to the others and gave them a smile.
"Anyone up to playing a game of Farkle?...I'll explain if need be."
((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farkle))
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:35 pm
Anyway he really wanted to ask something else, he could come back to the letter… And her and Kenth…
“So the first time you met was here in China… Do you know anything about her from before that? Like really before that, when she was a child I mean. Did she mention anything?” He looked over at Lina as she walked in.
“Oh, sorry, not right now Lina. Although later would be great. I’m always up for learning any game that can be played with dice.”
“I already did.” Irame said quietly as she took out four of her over all seven vials of blood that she had prepared. “I did it before we left, but he couldn’t keep track of the two of them. There’s took much interference to track the two of them without marking one.” She didn’t know if Dante had heard her, as he had left while she had been taking out the empty vials. Well she had tried to tell him. She put them back in her robes and decided to go back inside, and heard Lina ask about… Farkle.
“I’ve never heard of it, but I’ll try. The only thing that I could think to play now would be Tablero, but I really don’t think that it would be the best thing for anyone to be playing right now.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:13 pm
RuiZhi paused in his digging to smile up at Weiyuan. He honestly didn't think the woman would mind - she once told him she had no secrets, except one, and it wasn't nothing material. Looking back to Greg, he thought for a moment, trying to remember everything he could about what she'd told him of herself as a child...which wasn't much. "She had a mother and a father, who both died...during that first part of the war. A brother, too, but I'm not sure how he died, although he did before she was my age."
He absently pawed through the bag, fingers brushing on something cold and metal. As his hand curled around it, he murmured, "She mentioned living in the northern country, before she started to travel. But she didn't say anything more than that." RuiZhi glanced at the objects in his hand which clinked together, pursing his lips. "Weird." Then with a startled jerk of his head, the boy smiled at Lina. "When Professor Larine and I are finished, I would like to."
Herei watched Lina come and go, nodding once to Dante. "By my request, although I think she would have gone eventually. I just gave her a head start." He smiled warmly at the elven man, motioning towards the gate. "We have only a few hours before she calls to us...maybe less if she's still running." The man chuckled as though greatly amused. "Now we spend the time with the students and answer questions they have. We'll be going into the heart of that place soon."
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:29 pm
“Hmm.” Greg said with a shrug. “Well if that’s all that she said… Still thanks.” He was going to turn to Lina, to take her up on the offer of learning how to play Farkle, but the things that RuiZhi had in his hand caught his eye.
“Are those dog tags?” He asked surprised. “I didn’t think that Alex was in the military.”
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Posted: Thu Jul 26, 2007 8:36 pm
RuiZhi blinked at Greg, then at the tags in his hand, squinting at them. "No...these are...male's names." He pulled them out and handed them to the Professor, not once stopping to think that he was invading Alex's privacy. She did, after all, say she had nothing to hide. He was a little surprised to see old blood on the necklace piece, but didn't say anything, not wanting to know if it was hers or someone else's.
"She wasn't in the mil-e-taree, I'm sure of that. She doesn't have the right attitude." The boy uttered a soft laugh at the idea of Alex taking orders from anyone. "Maybe they're family?"
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