|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:50 am
"The questions don't bother me," she said straight out, broken from her thoughts. "It's my answers bothering you that bothers me," she answered.
"I still don't see why I'm all that scary," she muttered to herself, pulling up her knees up to herself and propping the bottle up on one of them. She looked unsure of herself as she said those final words though.
He stopped and then sat back down on the bed.
"It doesn't bother me. It's what's bothering you that bothers me." He ruffled her hair. "And I have my reasons on why you scare me. Besides, I scare myself sometimes too. I almost thought what was my life was going to end if you did listen, but you have your own mind and your own reasons. Not other people's reasons. You're not a lamb."
"My reasons are mine." It was said like it was as simple as finding the sun. While she understood the 'bothers you/bothers me' topic it when she said it, when the words returned to her, they sounded more muddled and confusing and she fumbled with the idea. She moved on to something else to change the topic, confused enough that she hardly noticed her hair being messed with.
"Why would my listening kill you?" she asked, looking up at Micheal with curiosity.
He smiled.
"When I told you to kill me, you didn't do it... or is that something I need to look forward to?" he lightly chuckled at his ill joke. "You're also not listening to Kiru either which is a good thing - and I hope I am right when I say this."
"No. Yes. And can we stop talking about killing and death for a moment?" The ranger's head dropped on to the knee that wasn't holding up the bottle. It was bringing back the whole reason she was here with the bottle in the first place. "I mean, honesty is all good but just a minute here," she said as she took a breather.
Micheal sat there trying to piece together the yes and no's, letting the air clear for her by not speaking aloud. Instead, he hummed a melody that he was fond of, one that was slow but uplifting.
Jay let the absence of words clear out the fog that had built up around her and in her head. Quietly she listened to the sounds of a song Micheal was humming, wondering how long it had been since she heard someone sing... or nearly sing like this. The bar songs didn't always quite cut it.
"You didn't see anything of that dream, did you?" she asked one final time, knowing that he probably spoken true earlier, but it was the easiest way for her to break back into the conversation.
He looked at her and slowly stopped his humming.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 11:54 am
"Why would I want to pry into something that is yours? All I did was sit and watch you toss and turn, wishing I could know so I could help. But I respect your wishes, so no, I didn't see anything other than you awaking more pale than a ghost."
He thought back.
"I thought you were upset with me. That's why I left, but I won't leave this time," he said and then rubbed his shoulder and neck.
"It was more than roundseason ago. There was a call for archers, experienced mercs in particular, to take a job for Baroness Yvette," she started, still talking into her legs. The scenes began to play out in her head, similar to what was in her dreams, but not as warped by the current events. It was a decent sized town just as she said, a mix of stone and dirt streets though it looked as if she was in a less upscale part of the city.
"Another place was having problems with raids, a larger town, and this was a small group of Fallen. It was a few days waiting before the dragons returned again. Everything began to go downhill fast."
The scene of daylight on a city switched to a smoke-filled evening, just as if someone snuffed out the sun, the area only lit up by the fires of entire buildings nearby. From the scene's playing, the ranger was up away from street-level, possibly a rooftop or some other taller structure. She was scrambling for a better view as she pulled out her bow and another arrow, her quiver already half empty.
"The dragons and what bounds were with them retaliated. The dragon's breathed fire while the bounds did a mix of things. Dropping things from the sky that set fires once the dragon breath was used up or they faught the hireds like myself who were about the city."
"You were apart of this?" was all he said, not wanting to draw her from the subject but still wanting her to continue.
"Would hardly be the first time," she answered. Brief images of other jobs flashed through her mind at the mention. "This job was bigger than those past, however."
The image of the small city returned and in the streets the mercenaries were in their assigned groups or doing their solo work. There were still villagers fleeing the area, ones who hadn't left after the first raid. Most of them just didn't have anywhere else to go.
There was movement to the side and the view changed to see a scuffle. It wasn't long before a bow was readied, a pause, and a man clutched his shoulder where an arrow was sticking out from it - at least until the man he was fighting with struck him down with his blade.
The view then returned to the sky where the bellows of dragons covered up even the sounds of the streets below, dark winged shadows crossing the small city like black ghosts. The nearest belonged to one that was flying awkwardly, one wing beating harder than the other as it constantly was trying the maintain its advantageous height.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:01 pm
"Already two dragons were down, one dead and the other grounded. My target was a dragon who's wing had taken a hit and was now faltering in the sky. A few other archers and I had gotten in a few shots earlier but had to chase it down as it moved to a different part of the city. I picked a new spot on a rooftop and waited for that dragon or any others to come by for a shot, and then I got my chance..."
The dragon seemed small in the distance but it was quickly growing. It looked as if it might fly right past her position. The wind tossed a stray hair into her face, but she didn't flinch. It was hard to tell how fast or slow time went until arrow was already in the air, the first missing, the next hitting below a wing joint, and the last making a line straight for the dragon's head....
"...and I got a hit. The dragon was screaming. It started making wild dives at the buildings below and blew another breath of fire. More arrows were flying through the air. The dives continued until the dragon's wing buckled and it began to plunge toward the ground."
Even out of the path of the dragon's blast, the surrounding air around had heated up and enough ash was stirred for the ranger to choke and gasp for air until the next flap of wings brought in new air.
As the picture began to shake less and the lung ache began to go away, there was small face in a nearby ground floor window. It was the face of a little boy looking around in the gold flickering light, watching everything with wide eyes. The boy's face turned to look to the side as if someone had called for him.
But that's when the house and the dragon became one in her mind.
"It crashed into a house. There was someone inside. I had a glimpse of a kid..."
Then there was a feeling of falling as something from beneath gave way. Sudden pain spiked up beneath the left shoulder blade and the upper right arm before everything went black.
"I think either part of the dragon or flying debris from the crushed building took out a part of the building I was standing on which caused part of its collapse. That probably would have been my last night if it weren't for the healers who were out there as well. When I came back to, everything was throbbing, though I still remember the voices I had heard."
There was a strong smell of smoke followed by another fit of coughing that shook the start of the next hazy picture. There were voices all around, one belonging to someone very close and above her, probably the healer from the words being said. Another voice in the distance was also clearer, not so much because it was loud, but because it was being focused on. A man was shouting - even swearing from time to time. Something about his family: wife and kids. Someone else said for the man to stay away from the building and the dragon body. The building was still burning. There was more swearing. More yelling.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:04 pm
"I found out later as I was being treated that there had been people still in the house when the dragon hit: a mother and two little boys. I've seen countless scenes, but this one refuses to die and remains frozen in my head."
His eyes switched as he left the images in her mind, though something puzzled him as he started to realize this was strangely stirring a hunger he didn't want to have around her so he slowly collected himself before he spoke.
"It wasn't your fault these events happened, but something tells me the kid is fine and his twisted string didn't end that night." He glanced her way, a thoughtful expression on his face. "If I can help, let me know, but right now I think we are both exhausted. I can be the little wolfie again so you can pet my coat," he said with a slight smile.
There was a frown on the ranger's face even though she had not lifted it from her knee.
"Don't joke with me. I do not wish to make light of it, whether it be directly of my control or not." Though she may not have seen the bodies, it was almost a morbid hope that anyone in that house had met their death upon the dragon's impact. If they had not, it meant a far more painful way out of this world.
"But yes, I suppose it is time to call it a night," she said more so to end any further conversation on the topic, as if the story had run her out of words. She lifted the wine to her lips once again, the contents of the bottle were a noticeable notch lower when she moved and set the bottle on the floor beside the bed.
"Do with the rest what you will. It's served what purpose I had for it."
She slid back farther on the bed, but instead of lying down she leaned back against the wall, wrapping her arms around one bent knee while letting her head hang down as she closed her eyes. If her mind had any say, she would not sleep that night, exhaustion or no, but she knew that sleep would come due to the alcohol at least and hopefully it would be soon, before she could have a chance to be ill from the contents she swallowed.
Micheal watched her slide back, and he just laid back looking at the ceiling and occasionally glancing at her.
"That mustn't be very comfortable for you."
He knew he was probably talking to himself now as he returned his gaze up at the ceiling, quietly humming the melody he heard earlier. As his thoughts went back to what Jay just showed him, and how it slightly bother him for some reason cause this was bothering her too. Micheal eyes shifted to check on her again as his thoughts summed on one answer. There's more to the story something she probably knew or something she knows that could have changed many of things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:07 pm
"More comfortable than lying down."
Micheal's voice seemed louder for some reason as she let herself drift. Before it had just been another tune butting its way in, but now it was the tune playing in their head.
"Grass is better though," she mumbled, her breathing slowing down as she listened to the tune.
He made a small nod as he continued humming just barely above her level of hearing. His then tried to clear his mind so he could get what he would call sleep but thoughts of dangers still crept upon his mind. It was almost as if he was being forced to change his path now or things would forever end.
He paused humming briefly as he considered his choices, humming again when the thought passed.
The ranger hardly noticed that Micheal had quieted down, her own mind now carrying her away with a field of green and part of the hummed tune playing by itself in the background. It had only been a little over a week and she already reminisced about being back outdoors and traveling freely again.
It wasn't too much longer before Jay was noticeably asleep, though probably not drifting off into deeper sleep like she would - assuming she had not consumed what amount of wine she did. There were a few times were her eyes flitted open, but they did not stay open for long before she would drift off again.
Her eyes only fully opened once it was late afternoon the next day, though puffiness around them and the groggy head kept her in bed for far longer, only getting up for water and to relieve herself. When sunset rolled around, she was still lying in bed, though she was actually lying down in the covers now instead of sitting up against the wall as she started out.
Awake she might be, but well she felt not.
He was holding a black card in his hand as she walked around the room and then returned to the bed. He slowly started humming again as his thoughts played out his options of what would happen.
For a moment she listened to the sound again, battling whether the volume in her head was too much or if the melody was soothing enough to push away the ache in her mind, indecisiveness becoming it's own answer to the situation for some time.
"You sound cheery," she muttered half into the pillow. "And I suppose you don't get headaches either," she asked with a sigh.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:22 pm
Micheal smiled, hiding the card.
"I have head aches all the time. Comes with going in other minds." He then rubbed his eyes. "Do you need more water?"
The ranger didn't say anything due to the embarrassment of having him just get a glass of water. Her own thoughts betrayed her however as she suspected the lack of water she had was probably part of what was making her head hurt so much.
"You hide most the headaches well then," she answered leaning further into the pillow.
"Laughing helps I suppose, but then I would try it if I were you. You wouldn't give up that bottle last night," he lightly chuckled, remembering the previous night.
"Not now," the ranger groaned at the thought of laughing. "Definitely not now." She ached to much for that.
The growing feeling of awkwardness at lying prone on the bed with Micheal awake had now come to the point where she slowly forced herself to sit up in bed and lean back against the wall. Bed-raggled hair and disheveled clothes never mattered to her before and did not matter to her now still, though there really wasn't much to straighten out as her hair was still pulled back with a tie and she was still in still in the traveling clothes from the night before.
"Doubt that I would have," remembering bits and pieces of her clutch on the bottle, seeing it still sitting next to the bed where she left it. "Cherish those memories. Even my mentor only has two of those tales to his name, one of them at his suggestion so I'd know the effects of overdoing it."
Rubbing her temples she looked over at the window and then looked to Micheal for the first time that night. "Late enough for you to be up. Out pretty much the full day then..."
He lightly said to himself. "Cherish you better when your sober." He then grabbed and lightly tossed the covers over Jay.
"I don't really sleep. It's more of just closing the eyes for... well ... the hell of it." He then smiled at her hair screaming to be free from it restraints. "But it's late enough for you to continue to sleep."
He then stretched and sat on the floor and laid down where he wasn't truly visible.
"So relax. Let your hair down. It just might help your headache a little."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:35 pm
'Yeah, I like sober better as well... minus those few memories,' she thought to herself reflectively.
"Feel like the mother hen tonight, don't you?" she said more than asked in her slightly perturbed tone, undecided as to whether she was more irked about being fussed over or that her personal space seemingly kept getting breached. She looked back at the darkness in front of her as the outline of Micheal ducked out of what little sight she had in the room.
"I'd rather my hair was out of my face, at least right now. Sleep will have to wait until the headache goes away," she said, closing her eyes as she leaned the full weight of her head back against the wall. His suggestion of 'relaxing' was something she was all too willing to reach for at this point, however. She had been as tight as a bowstring for too long and she could really feel the complaints in her body now, mentally and physically.
"A hen? Unlikely. Surely you're more creative then that," he said, barely loud enough to be heard.
"More creative? Try asking me that when my head doesn't hurt as much then," she said with a grumble.
"If you don't sleep yourself, then are you awake that whole entire time under that raggedly blanket of yours?"
He remained silent while reviewing the thoughts in his head until her question caught him a little uneasy.
"Yes more or less so awake... but it's one of the few times that I actually can separate what goes through my mind. It's like getting rid of a hangover, but it always returns." His eyes looked to the bed that was above him, and he fell silent again.
"Now is the hangover you're referring to your dragon's mind or am I way off here?" the ranger said, slightly curious now. She couldn't think of anything else that would go away and come back.
"I wish that was the case," he chuckled before rubbing his head again and beginning to hum.
"So what really is the case..." she started to ask before her head started to throb again. "You know what? Hold on to that explanation. I need to lie down again," the ranger muttered as she slid back into bed.
He didn't say anything and just continuing humming. When he closed his eyes again, they shot wide open as he envisioned something he didn't want to see.
The ranger on the other hand closed her eyes only to deal with the cloudy mess in her mind left over from the alcohol, oblivious to whatever visions that Micheal might be seeing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:37 pm
Micheal noticed that daylight was showing through the crack in the curtain, barely lighting up the room. He slowly sat up rubbing his eyes and then started walking around the room like a caged animal would.
The bed remained occupied by its human who was sleeping quietly, hardly a stir from the body unlike the previous night. It was a deep enough sleep that it was not until late afternoon that the ranger slowly began to wake, the throb in her head apparently gone, but her stomach began to rattle off its own complaint.
Micheal lightly chucked at the faint sound. "Did you sleep well?"
"As far as I can tell," Jay replied as she got out of bed and started looking for her boots.
"You could always finish the rest of that bottle on the floor," he smirked.
The ranger groaned at the suggestion. "Are you crazy? Only if you want me to spit it all back up and ruin that pretty little shirt of yours that you just got now."
A smile appeared on Micheal's pale face. "No, not crazy. Just need reasons. Besides, the shirt is fine."
There was a pause.
"I got an invite to a formal ball held by the clan that I haven't mentioned yet."
"Well, you go have fun at that." The ranger avoided Micheal's gaze and focused on the one boot she just found.
"Oh yes, fun." It was probably a good thing the ranger didn't look up as the barely hinted at sarcasm in his voice was more apparent on his face. "You will wear a dress. If you could... please."
"No," she answered. The ranger half wondered why Micheal didn't try asking her this while she was drunk earlier.
"Would you rather be drunk?" he asked with a chuckle following her line of thought. When the ranger refused to answer, he continued. "You know I need to bring something when I go. And you're right; you are not going to drink again - at least not that much."
"Darn right," Jay muttered after putting the first boot on and looking for the second.
"So you agree that you will come?"
The ranger sat up straight at that line. "Now where did I even hint at that?" she asked, surprised.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:43 pm
"Well, at least you're not disagreeing," he said watching her.
A cross look appeared on her face. "I said 'no' earlier. Your hearing is off."
Micheal walked over to the wall across from the ranger and leaned against it. "It was either you or some stupid girl... and you know what I would do." He took the few steps forward from the wall and placed his hand on the side of her face, making certain to get his point across now. "She would disgust me so much that I would put her in a better place after I made her enjoy every last minute of her life with me."
"Maybe you would just let the idea drop? No, not your style. Drag me kicking and fighting..." She pretended to think about it for a moment. "That might be closer to it," she said, mocking the whole idea of her going to this vampire ball he was speaking of. "And oh please, the rest of that has nothing to do with this dance you were just talking about."
Micheal stepped back to lean against the wall again, lightly growling, "It's more like a meeting where all the clan catches up with each other, then have a meal."
"Yeah, then I'm definitely out. No offense there," she said, looking at Micheal like he was completely missing the point. He was looking away from her, however. "Other than the fact that I don't do dresses, I don't feel like hobnobbing with the other bitey folks."
"Then dress like a guy for all I care," Micheal replied. "It's better than breaking my diet."
"Breaking your diet?" she asked, remembering she still had another boot to find.
"I might end up never seeing you after this," the vampire simply said.
"Why would that be?" she asked, now confused with this new information.
He looked up at her just slightly. "It has been several years since I've fed on a human."
Jay pressed the issue farther. "...and what would that have to do with any of this?"
"My clan hunts the weak and innocent and takes advantage of emotions. Humans only," he answered.
"Yeah, I figured just as much. Just the reason why I thought not going to this meeting was more logical."
Micheal turned to look away from her. "Then it would be then end of this trail."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:12 pm
"You still didn't explain anything," the ranger said as she got up to retrieve her other boot.
Micheal smiled. "You never really asked."
"I did too," she said as she shoved her other boot on. "I asked what did you not feeding on a human for several years have anything to do with not seeing me or this ball thing?"
The smile disappeared from the vampire's face. "The other girl I would have to bring... I will kill."
There was a silence that filled the room.
"How many girls are like you? Think about it," Micheal pressed as if he was trying to impress upon her something important.
"So, whatever person you bring to this ball gets to be food, is that it?" Jay started once again, trying to piece together everything from the beginning.
"For myself, of course," Micheal answered. "More like a trophy of what I caught and and you can't have."
"I don't see how personality fits here." The ranger moved about the room to gather everything back into her bags, stiffening a little more as the topic went on.
"It doesn't bother me of course. In fact, you're much smarter."
"So, you just want me to tag along for lunch? But you were just complaining about possibly not seeing me again," she said, still trying to puzzle that one out.
"Just so I don't do something I won't regret later," he answered, unhappily. "Jay, use your brain..."
The ranger looked over at the table like there were a pile of pieces on the wood, but they were all brown.
"Why does it always have to be a puzzle with you though?" she asked looking over at him.
"Puzzle... look who is talking," he rebutted.
The ranger made her own counter. "Hey, if I'm pissed, you know it. None of this what's-he-playing-at-stuff."
"Sure sure... puzzle. Maybe it's cause I don't know heads and tails of my thoughts as well," Micheal answered wearily. "I've been up night and day watching you since Kiru really showed an interest in you," he said cautiously at half volume.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:19 pm
"But... it's been barely over a week of knowing..." she started, her own sound not coming out as loud as it had been.
The ranger turned and began to put her armor back on.
Micheal slid down further along the wall and closer to the only other person in the room. "...so, your thoughts?"
"You do realize you've pretty much asked me either to die or to let someone else go with you to die..." she said as she put on the second bracer.
"I asked you to keep me from killing. You're something more than what others are. Why would I want to give up something as priceless as that?"
"Why would you go to this ball in the first place?" the ranger says, her leather armor all in place, her cloak spinning out behind her as she throws it on and turns to look at him.
"To prove them wrong," he answered with a slight smile.
"The... others..." Jay said, refraining from calling them anything else, "they will be coming with their own... 'consorts' as well, no?"
He nodded. "Yes, but... there is the chance of temptation to take one from the other. Where head games will be played till meal time where everyone is satisfied with the show. This is where I know if Kiru would want to challenge me in front of the clan. He would do so then."
"And what? That would be your chance to lead the clan instead of him?" she asked, though there were obviously other thoughts on her mind, ones of the other humans being brought in... suspecting or unsuspecting.
"Unsuspecting. Most spellbound," he commented on her thoughts. "And I wouldn't lead the clan. I would free them."
"You would free that raggle of...!" the ranger exclaimed, pausing in mid yell before turning away and making for her quiver and backpack.
"Simple if I could kill him right," Micheal stated watching her.
"Madness," she growled as she saw wild vampires roaming the countryside in her head.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:33 pm
Micheal stopped the image she was obsessing on and began to twist it. "You need to see it this way." The raging vampires turned into day walkers that moved about, ate, and lived like humans, only that they kept their pale form and physical attributes. "Some fear this because they think they would vanish if their leader did. I don't see it that way."
The ranger stopped trying to fit her quiver on for a moment.
"Is it madness now?" he stepped away from the wall to stand closer. "But don't let my eyes change yours. Go ahead and make your decision."
"Yes," she answered, shifting the straps from her backpack and quiver until they felt comfortable before reaching for her belt with her swords. "Food? Daylight? Those are physical needs and traits, no? You're talking about massive changes there, Micheal. How in the world..." She turned around to face Micheal again as she worked with the belt buckle.
"No thirst," he answered. "And a creative mind probably, but then that's why Kiru loved me so and why he probably regrets the day he turned me as well."
"That wouldn't even be the beginning of it. I'm just guessing here, but you'd have to change how some... many of these... 'people' have lived."
"Like I said, some are for it, some aren't," he answered. "We could all just turn to dust right before your eyes as far as what everyone thinks. I'd rather have you witness it than a stupid girl that the village would think had been just hallucinating."
The ranger shifted her weight to one side. "Tell me honestly. How many of your clan actually see the same way you do?"
"Little over half. I am not so sure if they are true or not, but they agree that a change must be made."
The ranger wrapped her arms around her sides and began to pace.
"Acting would be involved here as well," he said as he watched her. "Though if you let me, I could make this very easy for you."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:34 pm
"Easy..." the ranger scoffed, the feeling of it being a deathtrap still rolling off her like rain.
"You would just have to enjoy yourself, though I would need to know the line so I don't cross it," he explained, trying to give her some control in the situation.
"There isn't even a line to cross yet. You're getting ahead of yourself," the ranger warned.
"So you wouldn't mind if I took sole advantage of you right now and claim you into my arms where your fight is worthless, my lips just right above your forehead barely ready to place against your warm skin," he stated more than inquired.
Jay immediately stopped pacing.
"But no, I wouldn't stop there. Neither would I start there." The vampire started to hum the song he had deemed as hers once again as he started to toy with her thoughts. "I would gently slide my cold fingers up along your neck as you were in my grasp."
"You're pushing it now. Stop..." the ranger hissed as her hand began to slide down toward her hip.
The humming stopped and he looked at her, getting a brief image of the waterskin hanging at her hip in his mind as the object of her reach. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable." His eyes were brown and he smiled. "Now, those thoughts aren't needed, but you're not going there armed with a water skin. You said there was not a line, did you not? Make up your mind."
"I said 'yet'. There wasn't one to cross yet as there had been no agreement to anything," Jay said as if she were trying to physically pound out any sort of misconception with her words.
Micheal looked at her and closed his eyes. "Truthfully, I don't know where to quit. It's been so long since being human that is. Why do you think I laugh all the time? Cause it's funny? No. Just because. That's all."
The ranger ran her fingers over through her hair with a tense sigh. "You probably picked the wrong human if you wanted the average experience."
He thought for a moment. "Average? That's tempting?"
The ranger shook her head. "Back in the beginning you told me you were suppose to learn something that you had lost or forgotten or... heck if I know what your dragon wanted you to find." Despite the fact that she had just risen from bed not long ago, she was looking tired once again. "Has this always been the plan? To find someone who could play this part for you?" she said, taking a bold step forward looking for a serious answer.
Micheal looked at her and tilted his head. "Play? You think I am playing..." There was an amused growl.
The female ranger took a defensive step back. "I need space..." she mutters as she turns to grab the saddle and saddlebags before she strides quickly out of the room and out to the stables, tossing the room key and a small coin to the man at the stables there when she realized she forgot to return it to the inn keeper.
The vampire watched her go, knowing that it wouldn't be far.
I wonder if she's going to kill me yet, he thought alone.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:36 pm
The ranger's scent led out to a section of woods a ways outside the city. As he closed in on her trail, the sound of metal hitting tree trunk became more clear. He lightly jumped into a nearby tree and just watched his quarry from there.
"Why..." he could hear her muttering to herself as she moved about stepping back into stance, her thoughts wandering from scenario to scenario.
In one, she saw herself watching other normal people being killed, drained, torn to pieces in front of her.
In another, she found herself walking into a room only to be snatched by some other vampire and meet an end like the others she had imagined before.
There were other scenarios that followed as well such as one where she lost her cool and flipped out on the vampires around her, only to be mobbed...
There was a scene of Micheal and Kiru facing each other and it going completely wrong...
And there was one where Micheal was at her neck - though that one she quickly stomped out of her head.
A light chuckle slipped from Micheal as he wondered about the shift in her emotions.
"Why..." the ranger asked again as she began to twirl the pair of blades around her in her own kind of natural dance. Long blade over the short of the dagger, a dive of steel and then a spin before a break in the move as if to stop and attack from the side.
Though like her moves, her thoughts kept going right along with them. She imagined possibilities of what would happen if Kiru's... or really Micheal's challenge would go through. She imagined chaos in the room as soon as the idea of 'freedom' hit the air that they didn't breathe.
Or in another scene, she saw the room of beings split in half, one group following what Micheal's ideals were, the other remaining under Kiru's watch - with Kiru still there... watching her.
There was a ragged movement in her dance, a step that didn't look as if it should have been in there. The blade dance continued though, recovering from that odd step and pushing her to focus even more despite the visions of blood that kept coming with each scenario she came up with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:51 pm
Feeling that enough time had passed, Micheal lightly picked a twig from the tree he was in and waited to see if she would notice. Wrapped up as the ranger was in her own thoughts as well as her footsteps making noise on the woodland floor, it didn't seem as if she noticed the snap.
There was a slight curl in the vampire's lips as he eyed the twig and then...
- THUNK -
...it hit Jay right in the back of her head, tangling in her hair.
The ranger wizzed around on one foot, the dagger in her left hand almost flying in Micheal's direction, her grip tightening at the last second as she held her breath. She slipped the dagger back into her belt and fiddled with the twig until she got it free of her hair before tossing it to the ground.
"What?" she said, half annoyed after spying Micheal in the tree and half annoyed at herself for being near losing it.
"You're upset?" he asked curiously.
"Have you not been listening in then?" she said as she raised an eyebrow.
"Listening to what?" he asked with the same tone.
"My head as usual," she answered back, her weight shifting to one leg as she stood there. "Or are you feigning ignorance?"
Micheal shook his head. "I rarely listen to your thoughts. I rather have you tell me than for me to intrude like that."
The ranger shifted her weight again as she rubbed her head. "If I told you this whole dinner thing of yours still screams 'deathtrap deathtrap deathtrap' in my head, would that explain anything?"
"Yes."
"Well, that would be your answer then," she said as she retrieved her dagger from her belt again. "While you're talking, I don't suppose you can come down and tell me more about this vampire shindig of yours?"
Micheal leaped down from the tree. "I really just hope I can pull it off as a walk-in-walk-out situation," he answered frankly.
"So you aren't dead set confident about this thing," the ranger said with almost a relieved look on her face.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
