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 Posted: Thu Sep 28, 2006 11:13 pm
It was raining when the girl came to the house in Port Gino. Not that she minded, it wasn't too cold and rain was just a sign that everything was right in nature. It just made standing outside, waiting, a bit more wet.
"Someone's at the door," DS said automatically. Her hands were caked in biscuit batter and she sighed, cursing the timing. "Xue, sweetie, could you get the door?"
Nodding, Xue put down the tray he was holding and ran for the door, swinging it open when he got there. Rain flew inside, but he didn't mind, instead grinning for their guest. HELLO! biggrin
The girl shivered and stepped inside, nodding her acknowledgement. She wasn't soaked through, but wet enough to possibly catch a cold. Still, she didn't seem to notice. It looked like she was busy looking for someone.
Can Xue help the pretty girl? sweatdrop
The mindspeech startled the girl, but she nodded. "Is Ying here?"
Yes! Is the pretty girl a friend of Yin's? Yin is home, and Xue can call her. YIIIIIIN! blaugh
Just in case that wasn't enough, Xue ran back into the hallway and banged on the third door in. YIN!?
Before the porcelain put his hand through the door, Ying pulled the door open. "What is it, Xue? I'm busy."
Yin-neesan has a visitor! surprised
"What?" Before she could ask more, Xue dragged her to the front, where she gasped. "Rin-chan! I haven't seen you in forever! Where have you been, what happened?"
Rinsei was so relieved to see Ying that she didn't worry about the questions, or that Ying was so much taller than her now. She let herself be hugged, not worrying about the water that was pooling around her. She had other things to think about.
"Is that Rinsei?" Hands clean, DS stepped out of the kitchen. "It's nice to see you, dear. I was getting a bit worried. How is Lori doing?"
And there it was. Rinsei knew someone would ask, and it was probably better that they were getting it out of the way so soon, even if it wasn't something she wanted to say. "I don't know," she all but whispered. "Gone."
Ying frowned worriedly. "Gone? How could she just be gone?"
"I don't know. Liwazo, Miko, Serenity... all gone." It was the most Rinsei had said in quite sometime, about the thing she least wanted to discuss. She had no idea where they had gone, or why she was the only one left... but there she was, all alone, and needing a place to stay.
Liwazo's gone? sad Xue patted Rinsei's arm urgently. Xue doesn't want Liwazo to be gone!
"Gone..." DS shook her head. It seemed that everyone was gone. Why or how, she didn't know. But all of her friends were vanishing, one by one, and DS was feeling rather alone herself.
Why was everyone so down? "It'll be okay!" Ying insisted, hugging Rinsei tighter. "I mean, you're still here, Rin-chan! And you can stay with us for now. Right, DS-okaasan?"
DS blinked. "Of course, Rinsei-chan. For as long as you need."
Xue is glad the pretty girl isn't gone too! 3nodding
"We're here for you," Ying finished firmly.
Rinsei nodded wordlessly. She'd known all of this from the start, but hearing it- the reassurances, the caring, the fact that someone was still there for her- that was something she'd needed to hear them say. And she knew that Ying would. Hugging back tightly, she smiled a little. Her family would be back. And until then, she had a different family to stay with, for a while.
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:24 pm
[Reserved- Pretty in Pink]
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:25 pm
[Reserved- The Stone Curse, pt. I]
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Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 8:26 pm
[Clay and Stone- The Emergence of Dawn and Twilight, compiled by Aryn]
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin hurried along as quickly as he could while still holding the two glowing stones tightly but not enough to jostle them too much. He really hoped he was heading in the right direction given that the instructions he got weren't exactly crystal clear. That was the last time he asked a cow.
Well, he wouldn't have asked the cow in the first place if there had been a better option around. Grass and trees didn't make for very good options.
Gongjin needs to think positive. This is the right way. It has to be. If this place has a gift store or something, Gongjin will be sure to buy a map so he doesn't get lost like this again.
Good little stones. Gongjin will figure out what's going on with you soon. At least he hoped. DivineSaturn The trio headed towards Etansel did not speak, for a change. Usually Ying would talk energetically with whoever they had brought along, and Rinsei would interject every so often. But that day, Ying was uncharacteristically quiet. She knew that things wouldn't have changed since the last time they had been by, which had only been a couple of days ago. But she had to make sure.
Rinsei hadn't wanted to go at all that day. As much as she liked Crystal and wanted to help, she knew that the constant visits were harder on Ying than the older Jumi liked to admit. Moreover, seeing the Clarius frozen like that made her afraid she would lose her new "family" in the same way she had lost the old one.
Walking between Rinsei and Ying and holding their hands was Xue, who had insisted coming along because, goshdarnit, both girls were so sad and not talking and not happy and they needed someone to make them better. And even though he had been warned that it might be scary to come along, he wanted to come. He would be brave and protect them, if he really really had to.
Although secretly, he hoped it wouldn't come to that. sweatdrop
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin stopped for a moment and listened. He thought he heard something. Quiet except for his breathing, he thought it might be something moving.
He thought it over for a moment and figured that heading towards it wouldn't hurt. Worst case scenario, he'd be just as lost as he was right now. He picked the general direction he had thought the sound came from and started walking.
The more he walked, the more Gongjin couldn't shake a vague familiar... sense. He had no idea what else to call it, but it at least seemed encouraging to his decision. DivineSaturn Xue felt a similar pull, but effectively ignored it for the reason that Rinsei was acting strangely. Suddenly his left hand was empty and he wanted to know why. D:
A quiet girl who preferred listening herself, Rinsei had heard something a few seconds earlier, but by the time she had cupped her hands to her ears, the noise had stopped. Still, she was sure she hadn't imagined it. "Somebody's there."
"Really?" Ying stopped too and looked around, putting one hand over her core. There was the faintest pull at it, which she hadn't noticed before. If there was a Jumi in the area, it was either very very far away, sick... or a core. There had to be some cores still out there.
"Who's there?" she called, somewhat afraid. If it wasn't someone with a core... Zhou Gongjin Voices! Yes! Gongjin's luck was good! He hurried forward and tried not to be too excited to trip. Falling face first would be bad. Falling face first ONTO the cores would be worse.
Gongjin is here! he replied to the voice that called out. Gongjin is here and Gongjin is lost and Gongjin is worried about his glowing stones!
Half a beat later it occurred to Gongjin that whoever it was might not be open to mindspeak. Speaking too would probably be a good idea too.
"Gongjin is," he said aloud in the direction of the original call. DivineSaturn THAT Xue noticed, and scurried off in the direction that the mindvoice seemed to come from. Hello Gongjin that name rings a bell but Xue is too excited because this is the FIRST PORCELAIN XUE HAS SEEN IN MONTHS WOW. eek
With longer strides than either of her companions, Ying reached the stranger first. His appearance- similar to Xue's in a way- was striking, but not as striking as the two cores in his arms. Two. More than one. Ying knew that some families, like her own, had more than one Jumi. But she had never seen one person with two cores before.
But they did, at least, assure her that the stranger was safe. "Hello!" she called back cheerily enough. "I'm Ying. And this is Rinsei and this is Xue. You're looking for Etansel, right?"
Rinsei decided to stick close to Ying. There wasn't anything she really had to say that her companions hadn't already, but smiled warmly nonetheless at both the two cores and the one holding them with apparent care.
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin just stared for a moment at the Porcelain running at him. He looked familiar, but PORCELAIN OMGWTF. His brain felt like it was going into slight meltdown from the shock.
It took him a moment to notice the other two and that on was speaking to him. He tried to note names and what she was saying while still staring at Xue. The question got his attention.
Etansel? Gongjin thinks... oh yeah.
"I... think so. Will Etansel help the shiney stones?" Gongjin asked hesitantly, gesturing carefully with the cores in his arms.
To the Xue he asked Do they understand mindspeak too? Gongjin forgets about talking often. DivineSaturn
HELLO PORCELAIN. blaugh
Umumum. Yin and Rin can understand Xue so they should probably understand Gongjin (why is that name familiar) too! Because they're cool like that. 3nodding
Shiny stones? "The cores? Well, yes! I mean..." Ying froze, the smile slowly vanishing as she remembered what awaited her, and the rest of them, at Etansel. "Well, the one who usually helps is... she might not to be able to. But you can come anyway. Maybe we can work something out."
A bit reluctantly, Rinsei nodded, though she knew as well as Ying that a solution of any kind was unlikely. But it couldn't hurt.
Zhou Gongjin Whew. That makes things easier.
Gongjin had the distinct urge to ruffle Xue's hair despite the cores in his arms because his enthusiasm was just... so cute. He gave Xue an amused smile.
His amusement faded when he turned his attention back to Ying and her change in mood. Any help is good help to Gongjin. Gongjin has no idea what he's doing. sweatdrop
It heartened him a little that the quiet girl seemed to have a similar thought. DivineSaturn
Nodding seriously, Ying gestured towards a particularly large tree nearby. "This way."
Along with Ying, Rinsei put one hand flat on the trunk of the tree, enjoying the feel of the bark under her palm. That feeling only lasted a few seconds, however, as the air around the girls brightened, shimmered, and warped unusually.
Waitwaitwait for Xue! gonk
Nearly tripping over the slick grass, Xue scurried over and slapped one hand on the tree as the image of the two Jumi began to disappear.
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin blinked and hurried after the two girls and Xue. No sense in getting even more lost as this day just got weirder and weirder. He crooned comfort at the cores in his arms, even though he was probably doing it more to comfort himself however much he planned on denying it. DivineSaturn
The four of them (six including the cores) appeared just outside the entrance to Etansel- a large, circular structure seemingly studded with gemstones and covered in a large amount of water, which pooled into crevices and tumbled over walls like waterfalls. For anyone who hadn't seen it before, it was a remarkable sight.
However to Ying, who had seen it many times, it only reminded her of the friend who was literally frozen at the top of the tower. Even if she wasn't able to do something, she wanted to see Crystal, and the sooner the better. "Follow me," she said urgently, hurrying towards Etansel. "No time to waste."
Rinsei would have caught up to Ying, but her friend seemed to want to be alone for the moment. Instead she looked at Gongjin, then at the cores, and smiled again. Emergences were always exciting.
If Yin said they should go, they should go. Xue looked at the building with dread, only remembering one thing from his previous visit- the seemingly endless staircases.
Maybe Xue shouldn't have come after all. xp But then Xue would never have gotten to see the other Porcelain and that was worth it. He hoped. ^^;
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin gaped at the entrance until Ying's tone snapped him out of it. He gave a worried glance to Xue and Rinsei and hurried after Ying. Gongjin tried to project reassurance to Xue, but he did have to admit that the thought of endless staircases sounded daunting. DivineSaturn
The stairs were as daunting as Xue remembered. They did not seem to faze Ying, who climbed and climbed without appearing to tire. In truth, she had too many things on her mind to really focus on the mindless activity of walking, and was used to the exertion.
Hovering somewhere between Ying and Xue, Rinsei would climb a stretch of stairs, only to pause and wait for the others if they were lagging. She didn't want anybody to get lost. Etansel wasn't as safe as it had once been.
Xue pulled up the rear, huffing and puffing a little but trying his darndest to keep up. This didn't make him the best company, since the one thing running through his mind like a mantra was "no more stairs no more stairs."
Not soon enough, they reached the top, and after a short stretch of hallway, Ying paused outside a large stone door, trembling ever so slightly. She put one hand on the cold rock and waited for the others to catch up.
"Only the Clarius can release a Jumi from their core," she said softly. "Our Clarius is inside. Are you ready?"
Zhou Gongjin Huffing and puffing in the back with Xue, Gongjin was surprised the that stairs suddenly ended. His legs had gotten far too used to going up and up and up even though they felt like they were on fire. He didn't think he stumbled too much, though he couldn't be sure.
Clarius, Jumi, core. Ok. Gongjin could work with this. He nodded gravely in answer to Ying's question, mostly because he was too tired to do nod more expressively.
Gongjin is ready. Shiney stones are ready too. DivineSaturn
Creeping up behind Ying, Rinsei took one of her friend's hands and squeezed it tightly in support. Everything would be okay, she could feel it. She just hoped that Ying could feel it too.
Ying smiled slightly and pushed the door open with her other hand. It moved with surprising ease and lack of noise, revealing a large chamber. There was a throne-like seat near the back, but no one was sitting in it. No one was anywhere, in fact.
The only humanlike body in the room was closer to the entrance, kneeling on the floor with hands clasped around some sort of sphere. It was a statue of a young woman, carved entirely out of a rough gray rock. It was expertly made, and each fold of her clothing, each strand of hair, all of her gentle expression, everything was perfectly visible. In the center of the statue's chest was the only thing not made of that same monotonous stone. It was a polished orb, similar to the two Gongjin held, but opaque and a brilliant black. One who knew about gems might recognize it as a rare black pearl. As the visitors approached, the pearl sparkled dimly.
Taking a few steps into the room, Ying gestured towards the statue. "This is Crystal. Our Clarius. She wasn't always like this, but now... we're not sure what to do. I'm sorry."
Then, without warning, Ying burst into tears.
Zhou Gongjin Looking at the statue that apparently wasn't supposed to be a statue, Ying's steady decline in spirits suddenly made a whole lot more sense. He couldn't decide to be horrified, worried, or fascinated by what could have possibly have done this.
In the end he settled for uncomfortable embarrassment, wincing as Ying burst into tears. Gongjin always felt completely helpless and useless when a girl started crying, no matter how much he would have like to help. He tried to project comfort to her, since the cores he held kinda prevented the only other idea that came to him.
"I'm... sorry, for what has happened to her." DivineSaturn
"I'm sorry," Ying repeated, rubbing her eyes as if that would stop the tears. "Really, I didn't mean to. It's just that I don't know what to do!" Admitting that made her feel even worse, and she started sobbing into her hands.
Also projecting comfort, if rather hurried comfort, Xue hurried forward and did what he always did when someone was upset, whether they really wanted it or not. He opened his arms wide and pulled Ying into a bear hug. It was more like a bear cub hug, all things considered, but he held on tightly. Yin should not be sad because being sad was bad and everything would be okay because being okay was not-sad!
Feeling as uncomfortable and helpless as Gongjin, Rinsei gently pulled on his sleeve, trying to lead the new Guardian closer to the statue. Everybody had to meet the Clarius one way or another, and while now wasn't really as good a time as any, there was nothing stopping them from at least telling Crystal that they were there. Whether she heard or not was another matter.
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin smiled warmly at Xue, glad he had enough spunk to do what probably was best for Ying in this situation.
At the tug on his sleeve, he looked down at Rinsei and let her lead her to the statue with the pearl. She seemed to know what she was doing and Gongjin was inclined to let her lead on. DivineSaturn
The sobs in the background quieted, much to Rinsei's relief. She took a quick look behind her to make sure that things were okay, then turned to face the statue once more. It was the same as she remembered it. Rinsei wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Hello," she said in a hushed tone. Hopefully wherever Crystal was, she would hear, and know that people were worried about her.
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin had the distinct urge to wave at the statue, but luckily wasn't able to follow through the gesture. Instead he projected at the statue. If she could hear Rinsei speak, then mindspeak wouldn't hurt.
Hello Miss Crystal. Gongjin is pleased to meet the Clarius. Shiney stones are pleased to meet you too, Gongjin is sure of it. DivineSaturn
Rinsei nodded approvingly. If this many people showed up, then Crystal would be sure to come back at some point. Everyone would make sure of it.
The statue's core glinted again. At the same time, the twin cores in Gongjin's arms shimmered as well. And from somewhere, deep inside the statue, something stirred. Thank you...Zhou Gongjin Gongjin blinked in surprise, at both the cores and at what he thought he heard. He tried not to fumble the stones.
You're welcome, Gongjin replied politely, still pretty lost at everything. DivineSaturn
Rinsei looked up in confusion. She hadn't heard anything, but it looked like the other one did. How strange.
The core sparked again, but this time it was only a prelude to a much brighter light that emitted from the core, a light that would blind Gongjin and anyone else looking at the statue. The core, and the twins being carried as well, shone with such intensity that nothing else was visible. Nothing, that was, except for the statue, standing out clearly in a field of glowy haze. It seemed to regard Gongjin for a moment, and then the voice sounded again. Tell them I am sorry, it said, full of regret and worry. All of them. And thank you again.Zhou Gongjin Gongjin was not hearing things, or at least he thought he wasn't and then....
Ow. Bright light. Ow. Even with his eyes closed tight Gongjin could have sworn he could still see the light.
The voice came again and Gongjin worried at the worry in it. But he would help out any way he could and if that meant playing messenger he'd do it.
Gongjin will tell them for you Miss Crystal. And you're welcome again. DivineSaturn
Set them down, the voice requested gently. I can do this, at least.
There was no more from the statue except for a clear sense of expectation and the continued, steady, bright as ever light.
Zhou Gongjin Them?
Oh yeah. Shiney stones.
Gongjin gingerly set the stones down as near to the statue as he could blindly. He rocked back on his heels nearby and waited patiently. DivineSaturn
Thank you. And be careful...
The light, if possible, grows in brightness. This time, however, it changes in hue, becoming a soft shade of purple. After a few seconds of violet haze it changes again, separating into distinct colors. On one side, there is a bright pink. On the other is a darker, but no less vibrant blue. The two grow in intensity until it's too much to stand.
And then, all of a sudden, it's bearable. The light has diminished enough to see, if the vision spots would just go away.
Once they do, however, a pair of surprises await Gongjin:
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin will be!
Ok, the evil afterimages were really annoying, but Gongjin blinked at them to go away and blinked even more at his two new charges. Suddenly Boyan's letter made MUCH more sense.
Hello. Gongjin is Gongjin. Shiney stones turned into cute little girls. Everything all better now, yes please? DivineSaturn
Rinsei rubbed her eyes and blinked to try to clear the haze that swam before her. After a few seconds of this the world took a decidedly clearer shape, one that included a pair of girls that Rinsei hadn't seen before. But the cores in their chests made it clear who they were.
"Oh wow!" Ying cried, pulling Xue behind her as she ran into the room. "She did it! She really did it!" Not that she had any idea HOW the whole emergence had worked, but the fact that it did at all was heartening.
Xue has no idea what's going on. But since everyone's happy, he's going to assume it's good. So YAY! biggrin
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin beamed happily at everyone as he gathered the two girls up. The pink cored girl beamed twice as brightly and the blue cored Jumi blinked shyly at them.
Gongjin was told to tell you all that Miss Crystal says she's sorry. And thank you. Gongjin nodded matter of factly. DivineSaturn
Waving back with equal shyness, Rinsei eyed the newcomers. "H-hello."
Not nearly as shy, Xue waved exuberantly. HIHIHIHIHI XUE IS XUE WHO ARE GIRLS?
"Do you have names for them?" Ying asked politely, her smile betraying her excitement. Some of her usual spark was returning. She paled slightly at the mention of Crystal, but nodded. The fact that she could send a message had to mean that she would be okay.
Zhou Gongjin Gongjin thought about it a moment, glancing at each girl.
"Dawn". Gongjin gestured to the pink cored girl while projecting a feeling of sunny warmth.
"Twilight" was followed by a projection of calm peaceful evenings as Gongjin hugged the blue cored girl gently.Newly named, Dawn waved back to Xue and Rinsei with just as much enthusiasm. She nudged her sister into waving too. DivineSaturn
The names, along with the projections, reminded Rinsei of the time she and Ying had camped out in the yard, looking up at the sky until morning. They were perfect, she thought, and smiled at the girls. She then realized that she was still waving and put down her hand, so she wouldn't look too silly.
Pretty names for pretty girls! whee
"It's nice to meet you then, Dawn and Twilight," Ying said with a giggle. They really were pretty names, and the whole thing was pretty darn exciting.
((in favor of sleep on the behalf of both RP parties, it's assumed that they talked a bit and then parted. Also, Ando and Hiro = Win.))
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 12:09 am
[Reserved- Househunters and Headhunters]
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Posted: Tue Dec 26, 2006 12:10 am
Ying tossed and turned under her thick cover of quilts and sheets, unable to sleep. Every time she came close to dreamland, something would tug at her mind, bringing it back to reality with an unfomfortable bump. After the third time it happened, she slid one hand out of her tent of blankets and grabbed her glow-in-the-dark alarm clock. It took several seconds for her eyes to adjust enough to read it, but when she did she blinked and slammed the clock back down on her nightstand. The fact that it wasn't even midnight yet was nothing short of obscene.
A noise from the floor made the Jumi girl peek her head over the side of the bed at her roommate. Rinsei, who always slept soundly, was naturally fast asleep on her futon. Ying couldn't help but feel a slight pang of guilt; she had offered to take the floor in the beinning, but Rinsei wouldn't allow it. Still, it couldn't be very comfortable down there.
Her eyes darted to the clock again. All of that and it STILL wasn't midnight. She had no excuse to wander the house, and if anyone caught her she'd be scolded for not being in bed. After all, Santa only came when everyone was asleep, and Ying knew it was in her business to give it another shot. She yawned, pulled all her limbs back under the covers so only a tuft of purple hair was visible, and rolled onto her side.
Unseen by Ying, a pale green shadow floated above the foot of the bed, long fingers curled around one of the girl's long pink hair ribbons. It was only a matter of time before that pest of a bond fell asleep, and when she did, Tsavorite would finally get to have her fun. Santa might prefer good little girls and boys, but Savvy didn't care what an old codger in a tacky suit thought. Besides, coal was, among other things, messy. Not to mention flammable. Imagining all the ways she could use such a very big lump of coal, for she wouldn't settle for a small one, kept Savvy occupied until she heaed the delightful half-snores she'd been waiting for. Finally, Ying was asleep, and the fun could begin.
Ying walked through Etansel with her friends. It was a nice warm day, if a bit overcast, and she felt positively radiant. And why not? She was spending time with two of her best friends in the whole world, and was going to pay a visit to another. Maybe they would have a tea party, or else play some sort of game in the chambers, like tag or hide and seek. A picnic would have been even better, but Crystal had responsibilities as the Clarius, and needed to stay close to her chamber where she could be found if she was needed. Still, as Ying chatted with Mesmerelda and stopped to smell the flowers with Rinsei, she couldn't help but feel that it was a truly remarkable day. Even the dark clouds collecting above didn't dampen her mood at all.
Ugh, thought Savvy, pausing in her work. Even without focusing, she could feel the intense joy pour out of Ying, completely unchecked. The girl had no sense of self control. And why must all her dreams be so happy? Doesn't she ever have nightmares? Sulkily, Tsavorite tightened the ribbon around Ying's ankles with a little more force than necessary, not really caring if the Jumi awoke. It doesn't matter, Savvy reassured herself. At least she'll have something to worry about when she wakes up.
"Now."
Ying turned, not sure which of her friends had spoken. That was strange, since bold Mesmerelda was so different from softspoken Rinsei. And stranger, when she turned, neither were there. There was no sign of them. "Guys? Where'd you go?" Ying called. Her voice didn't even echo in the courtyard. It was as if something out there was swallowing up all evidence that she was there, and threatened to swallow her too. "G-guys? This isn't funny!"
No one answered. The air grew colder, and the cloud cover thicker, amassing mounds of dark gray fog that threatened to split the sky open. Shivering, Ying started rubbing her arms with her hands. She hated the cold, it made her feel so stiff and empty. And she definitely didn't want to be caught outside if it started to rain. The natural decision was to head inside, which she did with as much speed as she could muster.
The inside was, if possible, colder and darker than the outside. The torches that usually lit the halls were nowhere to be seen. Ying's shoes clacked against the stone floors, her heart beat rapidly, her breath was quick. There were dozens of sounds to be heard now: her own body, the rustle of cloth as she moved, the dripping of the rain outside, the occasional creaking of a door as she opened them, working her way through the chambers. But none of these noises were made by people, except herself. The rooms were as deserted as the courtyard outside.
As Ying ascended, even the louder sounds of thunder, and her clacking shoes, grew quieter. It was as though she had suddenly put in earplugs that steadily muffled more and more of what she heard, until she couldn't hear anything at all. Finally she tapped her ears, wondering if she had gone deaf. "Hello? He-"
Well, if she could hear her own voice, that was a good sign that she wasn't deaf. But even that sounded weird, like she was hearing herself from far away.
Before too long Ying found herself at the door to the Clarius' chamber. She hesitated for several moments, then scolded herself for doing so. What did she have to be scared of? Mes and Rin had probably gone ahead of her while she was standing like an idiot, and they were probably talking with Crystal even as she stood there. Teasing her for being such a slowpoke. That was something she could definitely picture. And they would tease her for standing like a statue outside, if they saw. Ying forced a laugh; she really was being silly.
Nonetheless, she made sure she had a few deep breaths under her belt before opening the door.
"Ying!" Crystal was sitting on the throne like she usually was, playing with her her long black braid absently. When Ying entered she perked up considerably. "What brings you here?"
Ying let out a sigh of relief. "Just visiting!" she replied with false cheer, looking around the chamber. Except for the two of them, it appeared to be empty. "Didn't Mes and Rin come too?"
Crystal frowned, confused. "No. You're the only one I've seen today."
"Oh. Then they must be somewhere else!" It wasn't really possible to laugh something like that off, but Ying had to give it a try anyway. She hurried over to Crystal, pelting the Clarius with silly questions and idle comments. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice anything wrong until Crystal's expression began to change.
"Crystal?" Concerned, Ying waved a hand in front of her friend's face. The Clarius looked petrified, as if she was seeing something just behind Ying that scared her to death. "What's wrong?"
"I..." Crystal raised her arm. It was quickly turning gray, clothes and all, as if someone had dipped it in stone-colored paint that crept up her arm and onto her shoulders, then over the rest of her body. It had the decidedly un-paintlike effect of hardening the girl's body, so that she couldn't move.
Ying stared, trembling all over. "What in the-"
"Help!" Crystal sank to the floor, just before her legs were rendered useless. All that was left unstoned was her left arm and her face. Her neck was slowly stiffening, but she still managed to speak. "Ying, help me!"
"Wh-what can I do?" Ying stammered, putting her hands on Crystal's shoulders. "Tell me what to do! I c-can't..."
"Ying, please help me!" Crystal cried. "Pl... ease..." Her face turned gray, flashed, and became still. A peal of thunder crashed in the distance, and the concurrent lightning illuminated the chamber enough to reveal exactly what had become of the Clarius of the Jumi.
She was a statue.
"Crystal!" Ying screamed. "Crystal! Oh my god... Crystal, no!"
Tsavorite jerked awake. Something cold was gripping her from the inside out. It was uncomfortable, and she put one hand to the stone in her chest, the way Ying sometimes did, looking inside. She was feeling something alien, something she had never felt before, and it was paralyzing. Strange.
A moment's reflection was all it took to trace the source of the feeling back to Ying, which was even stranger. And then the strangest thing of all- Ying's mind, while not aware of it, identified the feeling as fear. And quite strong fear at that.
Well, it's about time she had a nightmare, Savvy thought with amusement. Even the timing was perfect. Of course, she would have rather inflicted that kind of fear herself, but if the dream saved her the work, it made no difference. It just left her time to work more in the real world. Everything was more perfect than she had hoped for.
So then, why did she feel so uneasy?
Ying was bent over the statue of Crystal, her friend's last pleas echoing in her ears. The stone underneath her was damp from her tears. "Crystal... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!"
What had she done? Or rather, what had she not done? Crystal had asked, begged for Ying to do something. And all she could do was watch, frozen in place, as her friend was turned to stone. Some friend she was. She was useless, worthless, and had let Crystal down.
"You're next."
That voice again. Now that Ying was alone, she realized that it never belonged to her friends. There was something darker in it, something sinister, a tone or an inflection or something else that chilled her to the bone. She looked around for the source, but again, saw nothing. Her eyes were full of tears. Wiping her eyes with her sleeve, she looked around again. What she saw froze her from the inside out.
The statue of Crystal was still in front of her, but it wasn't alone. There were others behind it, more of her friends, faces frozen in stony expressions of fear and agony.
"Mes! Rin!" Ying touched the statues of her two friends, feeling like someone had laid hands on her heart and was squeezing it tightly. But there were more. "Em-chan! Verde-chan! Tsumi, Kameko, Arc..." All of them were there, stiff and gray and cold. And there were more Jumi, some faintly familiar, some not. Ying wondered if there was an end to it. If there was one Jumi that this curse, or whatever it was, hadn't taken yet.
And then she realized that there was one Jumi left. Herself.
Tsavorite clutched her chest with both hands, mind screaming. What WAS that awful pain? It completely immobilized her, flooding her veins with ice and her heart with stone. If she had veins, that was, and her heart wasn't already a stone. But Savvy barely had time for her sarcastic thoughts before the pain, if possible, worsened.
What IS this? she wailed. She's the scared one, not me! I have- I have nothing to be scared of! Nothing! But each silent cry was fainter, more drained than the last. Every ounce of strength was being leeched out of her, sapped by the petrifying force that had already stilled her body. Now it had come for her mind.
"Now you."
Ying felt cold breath on the back of her neck. How she felt it through her own frozen body, she couldn't say, but it made her want to run and not stop until she was at home in bed. The more she wanted to run, the more she found that she couldn't. Some force was keeping her planted in place.
But she could, and did, turn her head very slowly.
Under other circumstances, Ying might have found the creature somewhat pretty. It did, after all, sparkle attractively, various parts of its body shining in different jeweltones. That, however, was its only redeeming feature. All in all, it was a monstrosity, part spider, part crab, part snake, with four pointed, splayed legs that crawled towards her, and a long, grotesque neck with spikes on its back. Its head was more like a large claw, snapping open and shut noisly. But most frightening of all was the relief that appeared where its neck met its body. It looked like a human head and torso. And more frightening still, the image of the human looked eerily familiar...
"Stay back!" Ying yelped, trying to move. But she had locked eyes with it, and had falled under its spell. She was nothing but a toy, and it could take its time with her. The others had been rushed, but she was the last one, and a weakling at that. She wouldn't be turned to stone.
"No!" screamed Ying, fighting the force that held her in place, but it did no good. "Someone, please help! NO!"
Tsavorite could feel it too. Every scream, every pain as she realized she was alone, every icy stab of knowing that she could have done something, and didn't. Finally she couldn't take anymore. She faced Ying, whose body was contorted, her face furrowed and damp, and smacked the Jumi with a hand she barely managed to make solid in time.
WAKE UP!
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 2:21 pm
Ying sat up suddenly, both hands over her core. She was breathing heavily, and sweat plastered long strands of purple hair to her forehead. Shivering, she shed her mountain of blankets, feeling much too hot. Normally the winter nights made her cold even under blankets and sheets, but suddenly it was like somebody had lit a fire inside her. She was wide awake, and heat coursed through her. She was ready to run.
But it had only been a dream. That much was obvious from the fact that she was safe at home. It was still nighttime- a glance at the clock said that it was very early morning, hours before the sun would rise. She was wearing her pajamas, and while parts of them were damp with sweat, she was otherwise exactly how she went to bed. Except, perhaps, for a sore cheek.
Shivering herself, Tsavorite tried to stay out of sight. She didn't feel comfortable confronting her bond at the moment. If the twittering girl was still afraid, maybe staying away would save her from the pain that her fear summoned. She just couldn't take any more of that. It was too profound, too beyond her scope of imagining. While Savvy took pride in scaring others, her little tricks might cause a nightmare or two, at best, but nothing as consuming as what she could feel from Ying. And if the backlash through their bond was so painful, Savvy could only imagine what the girl must be feeling like. Not that she wanted to.
Slowly, Ying's breathing began to return to normal. "It's okay," she told herself softly. "It was just a bad dream. Nothing to be scared of. It'll be Christmas soon, and then we can all open presents and sing carols and eat cake. Just a few more hours."
Yawning, Rinsei opened her eyes but did not sit up. When she saw Ying, however, she frowned. "Ying?"
"Rin-chan!" Ying almost jumped out of her seat, but steadied herself quickly. "Did I wake you up? I'm sorry."
Rinsei shook her head. She had woken up by herself, and while it was possible that Ying's tension had something to do with it, she would never blame her friend. Especially when she was so distressed. Quickly Rinsei worked her way out from under the covers and climbed up on Ying's bed. "Bad dream?"
"Yeah. A real nightmare." That was all she could say. Even if she had wanted to, Ying couldn't disclose the details. Describing it would be too painful, especially to Rinsei, who had been turned to stone in her dream.
Inching closer to Ying, Rinsei put her hand on the taller girl's arm. It would be okay, that much she was sure of. As long as they were together, nothing bad would happen to them. Sometimes Rinsei still had bad dreams, dreams that put her family in terrible situations that she couldn't deny, because she didn't know where they were. But Ying helped her through those. It was her turn to return the gesture.
I think I'm going to be sick, Savvy thought disgustedly. All that lovely fear, gone to waste. Maybe it wouldn't be too much for her to make a bit of mischief. There were two of them, which meant it would be harder to scare them, but all the more rewarding. There was still the ribbon, but would that be enough?
Before she could decide, her chest tightened again. Something was wrong. She felt like she had when Ying had been dreaming, but she was awake now...
About to tell Rinsei to go back to bed, Ying paused. "Did you hear that?"
Eyes wide, Rinsei listened too, but shook her head. She couldn't hear anything, apart from Ying's voice and their breathing. Was Ying still scared, and hearing things that weren't there?
But Ying didn't even notice Rinsei's reply. Heartbeat quickening again, she swung her legs over the side of the bed, stood up- and promptly fell over. When she looked back, she could see that her ankles had been tied together with one of her own ribbons. "Savvy!"
Tsavorite slowly floated into view, but she didn't look remorseful, or pleased, or anything that Ying expected. Instead, her large pink eyes were wide, and she was looking around. Something...
This was getting scary. Struggling to sit up, Ying looked at the fiend worriedly. "Savvy?"
Move!
Darting down, Tsavorite grabbed onto Ying's arms and hauled the Jumi back onto the bed, right on top of Rinsei. Moments later, something dropped from the ceiling, landing right where Ying had been splayed moments before. Something big.
Under other circumstances, Savvy might have found the creature somewhat pretty. It did, after all, sparkle attractively, various parts of its body shining in different jeweltones. That, however, was its only redeeming feature. All in all, it was a monstrosity, part spider, part crab, part snake, with four pointed, splayed legs that crawled towards her, and a long, grotesque neck with spikes on its back. Its head was more like a large claw, snapping open and shut noisly. But most frightening of all was the relief that appeared where its neck met its body. It looked like a human head and torso. And more frightening still, the image of the human looked eerily familiar, though Savvy had no idea why...
Staring at the creature, Ying tried to run, but her ankles were still bound. So she did the only other thing she could do. She screamed. There were no words this time, just one long, piercing scream that somehow managed to express everything she was feeling. Her anger, her worry, her desire to protect herself and her family, and most of all, her fear.
Crushed underneath Ying, Rinsei couldn't see what was going on. But for the moment, she wasn't sure she wanted to. Instead she just held onto Ying, closed her eyes, and hoped that it was all just a dream.
Elsewhere in the house, there were several thumps and bumps as various people woke up suddenly. Yeine awoke soundlessly, at the first sign of danger. When Ying screamed, she didn't hesitate. Jumping out of bed, she pulled on her robe, grabbed her staff in one hand, thrust a short blaster in her belt, and hurried next door. Whatever was wrong, she wanted to be prepared.
At the same time, Eriol thrashed violently and fell out of bed with a thump. He could hear Viviana crying, but she was nearly drowned out by Ying's screams. "A'righ, a'righ," he muttered, rubbing Viviana's head while he tried to wake up. "Sit tight, cookie, an' I'll see what the noise is."
"Ying!" Yeing screamed, throwing open her door- and running right into Eriol, nearly bowling him over. "Oh, Eriol-niisan, I'm sorry! Ying is-"
"Ying's makin a helluva fuss," Eriol cut in grumpily. "She woke me'n Vivi, an it looks like you too, an I jus wanna get her back t'sleep. Alrigh'?" Rubbing his eyes, he opened the door.
Ying was still curled up on the bed, clinging to Rinsei. She couldn't move very well, since her ankles were still tied together. Her voice had given out, so she couldn't yell either. She had followed Rinsei's example, and just closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over.
But neither Yeine nor Eriol was looking at her. Instead they were watching Tsavorite, who was fighting with some grotesque beast. Its head, looking more like a venus fly trap than anything else, was somehow being held at bay. But it was clear that the fiend was having difficulty.
Yeine gulped, but remained, for the most part, calm. "Check on Ying," she told Eriol, fingering her blaster. The staff would be no good on that thing, all shell and scale. But the blaster might. "I'll hold it off."
Before he could argue, Yeine darted forward and aimed two quick shots at the monster's head. They glanced off, but distracted it, so that its focus was now on the Cathar. Perfect, Yeine thought. Now what?
Cursing under his breath, Eriol ran to the bed and hauled Ying up. "What the hell's that thing?" he yelled, giving Rinsei a hand so that she too could get up.
Too relieved for words, Ying threw her arms around Eriol's neck and sobbed. Somebody had come for her. She couldn't do anything for Crystal, but there were people helping her. She was relieved, yes, but still scared, and sad.
Staring at the monster, Rinsei pulled on both Eriol's and Ying's sleeves. If they didn't move, they might get hurt.
That made Ying freeze and pull away. "Eri-niisan, my legs! I can't-"
Groaning, Eriol looked at Ying's ankles. They were tied too tightly, if he bothered with the knot they would waste time. "This migh hurt," he muttered, pulling off one of his gloves. He didn't mention that it would hurt him more. Rubbing his fingers together, he formed a small ball of fire and flicked it at the ribbon, searing it instantly. One section had turned to ash, and he ripped the rest off with little trouble. "Come on!"
"Kyaah!" Letting out a cry of anger, Yeine dodged one of the creature's spiky legs and tried to aim a shot at its underbelly. But she missed, and burned a hole in the wallpaper instead.
Ying paused, hesitant. On the one hand she wanted to run as far as she could. But on the other hand, she couldn't leave the others to take care of her nightmare. Even if she would just get in the way if she fought, she had to be able to do something.
Tugging urgently, Rinsei tried to get Ying away from the room, but it was no good. And if Ying didn't leave, she couldn't either. Because she knew that Ying wouldn't leave her. But what could the two of them do?
"Dammit," Eriol muttered, pulling off his other glove and tossing it aside. With both of his hands bare, he began to rub them together rapidly. They warmed up very quickly, and in a matter of seconds they started to smoke. Another few seconds, and bright orange flames began to engulf them. If he'd had more time, he would try to form some kind of projectile. But the creature was coming towards him. Throwing all of his weight forward, Eriol lunged at the creature with fists that were literally flaming.
The creature let out a deep moan and thrashed its claw-head. Unprepared for this, Tsavorite was thrown off, and flew threw the air like a frisbee. There was not much room, and she knew the wall was coming. Focusing, she did not hit it, but passed through and out of sight.
That left the creature free to attack with its menacing jaws. But before it could, Yeine lobbed a shot into its mouth. It was a hit, and the monster reeled, staggering back a step. It was getting slowed down, but none of the attacks so far showed any promise of stopping the monster.
Ying could only watch, staring at the frightening beast, with its collage of parts. The most frightening was the human body that seemed to be melted into it. The face leered at her, the torso was arched backwards, the jagged core glinted in the dim light-
Then Ying realized. It wasn't a human torso- it was a Jumi! And if the beast still retained some of the traits of a Jumi, if they could just remove that core, it might stop it. But try as she might, she couldn't speak. Her whole body was paralyzed, and her throat muscles refused to work.
However, her throught got through.
The core, eh? It made sense, Savvy realized, watching the battle from Ying's window while she regained control of her senses. Everything seemed to go back to jewels, for herself and her bond, so it wasn't too surprising that the same was true for the monster. In that case, she had to get that core out.
Diving through the closed window, Savvy sped towards the beast, grabbing at its core with her long fingers. But try as she might, the core was embedded too deep. If she could just pull it from underneath, she might have a chance. But how?
The creature saw what Tsavorite was doing, and reached down with its snapping jaws. Hurriedly, Yeine let off a barrage of shots at the creature's legs and lower body. It wouldn't do much damage, but it would hopefully distract the beast long enough to let Savvy get out of there. I hope she knows what she's doing, Yeine thought, firing off another shot.
Ying knew that she did. Savvy had gotten the message somehow, and was trying to help. The fact that they were working on the same team took some getting used to. But this wasn't one of their little rivalries, where one tried to get a rise out of the other. This was life and death, and they both knew which they preferred.
You can do it, Savvy. You have to.
Tiring, Savvy still scraped her hands against the core. She couldn't keep it up for much longer. Holding a physical form was taking its toll on her, and her hands sometimes scraped the inside of the core, instead of the outside.
Then, all of a sudden, it was clear. Plunging her hands in almost elbow-deep, Tsavorite tried to cup the core in her arms. Then, making herself solid again, she pulled out as hard as she could.
With a sickening squilch, the core was ripped out. Savvy dropped it on the carpet. She watched as the creature gave a shrill, keening yell and seemingly exploded in a splash of light. For a moment it looked like someone had set off fireworks in the room, which only took more energy out of the already exhaused Tsavorite. And then, finally, all was still.
Yeine watched silently for a moment, trigger finger tense. When she was sure it was really gone, she let out a sigh of relief and collapsed on the carpet. "What... what WAS that?"
"I'd like to know that too," Eriol said, patting his shorts in order to put out lingering flames. His hands were red up to the wrist, with several blisters starting to emerge, and he winced each time he touched something. But at least the creature was gone.
Ying shook her head. She couldn't speak yet. It was gone, and she was relieved, and that mixed with a mountain of lingering fear. She didn't know what to do or say, or if she could even move.
It was a monster from her nightmares.
Suddenly Savvy had the attention of everyone in the room. It wasn't entirely comfortable. And Ying was staring at her with a look of horror, but that wasn't unusual. What? That's what it was, wasn't it?
Trembling, Ying found everyone's eyes on her now. She still couldn't speak, but she nodded once. That was the easy part. How the beast had materialized in her bedroom was the confusing part, and she had no idea how to answer it. Fortunately, no one asked.
"Oh, Ying..." Crawling over to the door, Yeine wrapped her arms around the shivering Jumi. "It's okay. We handled it, right?"
Nodding, Rinsei held Ying's hands tightly. Neither of them had done much that she could see, so she couldn't take credit. But it was gone, and that was what mattered. Now they could work on getting everyone calmed down again, which was something she might actually be helpful with.
It was too much to take. Squeezed between her two best friends, Ying started to cry. She wasn't especially sad anymore, or especially anything, because all her emotions had mixed together until even she didn't know what they were. But that made the release all the more important.
Suddenly a handkerchief dangled in her face. Eriol waved it in front of her until she took it, then gingerly put his hands on my face. "What're y'all cryin' 'bout? Cheer up. I mean... hey, it's Christmas!"
This was true, and Ying had to laugh. So it was. What an unusual Christmas present.
"So," Eriol continued, "let's go open presents."
Yeine blinked in surprise. "It's so early! Miss DS won't mind?"
"Nah. Besides, I think all of us have earned it. Don' you?"
Earning the reward or not, Rinsei felt that opening some presents would help get everyone's mind off the monster and back on good things. Getting up, she pulled Ying and Yeine towards the living room.
Yeine followed, but Ying lingered for a moment. When her voice returned, she spoke softly in the stillness of the room. "Savvy?"
Tsavorite had retreated into the shadows, but made herself visible when Ying spoke. There was an unusual air of uncertainty about her that she tried her best to ignore. Yes?
"Do... how did you know? Did you make me have that awful dream? How did that monster get here?" All of the questions that Ying had been unable to get out suddenly spilled forth. She wasn't sure she wanted the answers, but that didn't stop her from asking.
If Savvy had been insulted, she didn't show it. I can't give you dreams. And I don't know how it got here. But when you feel things strongly, she mused, running a stray finger over Ying's core, I feel it too. Then she touched her own stone, and the bright magenta swirls surrounding it. The soul bond. A troubling thing.
"It saved us tonight," Ying whispered. "The core... you heard me, didn't you?" They were working together, for a change. It felt good, but strange, alien. Like something had changed.
And? Are you trying to say something, or just being annoying?
And then it was clear that nothing had changed. Frowning, Ying tugged a piece of Savvy's hair. "Fine. But... thank you."
If you die, I die. Even someone as slow as her bond couldn't forget that. Still, there was more to it, more to the whole situation, than mutual protection. Savvy had tried to restrain the creature from the start, as if she was compelled. And it wasn't just the soul bond that made her do it. But what else could it be?
Ying stared at the floor, which was stained with green liquid and scorched from blaster fire. "I mean it. Thank you. You didn't have to go so far, and you did."
Eh. You can be reasonable, Savvy admitted. You can figure it out. Now go and open your stuff before the others get back and I lose my patience.
"You wouldn't dare," Ying growled. All the same, she took one last look at Tsavorite, and ran into the living room. "Don't start without me!"
Satisfied, Savvy melted back into the shadows to plan her next assault. She hadn't given up, far from it. Still, she would give the girl the day off. She'd earned it.
Tomorrow, however, was another day.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 9:48 pm
[Reserved- Diamond Necklace Entry (see disk)]
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:02 pm
With screams still echoing in her ears, Ying awoke suddenly, blinking away the wetness at her eyes. It took her several seconds to realize that it was just another bad dream- the third that week. Since the incident at Christmas, Ying had been troubled by similar nightmares. While at first she didn't think too much of it, now she noticed that they were coming more and more frequently. Furthermore, it felt like they were getting worse, but since she didn't always remember exactly what each dream was like, there was no way to be sure.
At least, she rationalized, she hadn't screamed that time. If she had, Rinsei would have woken up and been worried about her. Since her roommate was still asleep, it meant she must have been quiet. Which was a mixed blessing, she supposed.
Yawning more from boredom than tiredness, Tsavorite slipped in through the wall. She'd finished swapping the salt for the sugar in the kitchen, and tying the laces of everyone's shoes together when she felt Ying wake up. Small stuff, since she'd been leaving the big machinations for later in the night. Hopefully there would be enough time.
Savvy knew, of course, about the recurring nightmares. She even considered telling someone, knowing that it would be the last thing her bond wanted. But that would mean a bunch of sympathy and pity for Ying, which would only make Savvy feel ill. At least the nightmares didn't bother her as much as they used to. While the first one had downright immobilized her, subsequent ones were far less serious, and she only felt a twinge of discomfort, as though someone was looking over her shoulder, that nothing could shake.
Now, she decided, it was time for her to do the shaking. Oh dear, awake already? she asked Ying, the words practically coated with syrup. You should really get your beauty sleep. You need it.
"Leave me alone, Savvy," Ying grumbled. She would have liked to make a more biting comment, but three things prevented her from doing so. One, she rarely liked to speak harshly and barely knew how. Two, it would only encourage Savvy, which wouldn't help anything. And three, it would wake Rinsei. Ying wasn't sure which reason was really holding her back.
Savvy rested her elbows on the bed's railing, with her tail drifting up towards the ceiling. Touchy, hm? Don't look at me like that. It's not like I woke you up.
Frowning, Ying threw on her robe and stormed out of the room, into the empty kitchen. There she could air her feelings without anyone bothering her. "Are you sure about that?" she asked the air, speaking in a more normal voice. "I'm still not convinced you're not the cause of all this."
Little old me? Savvy acted hurt, but they both knew it was just an act. If I wanted to scare you- and believe me, I do- I'd rather have you be awake for the experience. She was still in the bedroom at that point, but decided it would be best to face Ying about this issue, so she followed her into the kitchen in time to stop her bond from turning the lights on.
"I can't see without those," Ying scowled. Ever since she had met Savvy- or rather, Savvy had leeched onto her life force- she had found herself becoming more and more irritable. It was maddening to realize, especially since Ying was a naturally cheerful person. But with a spiteful fiend after her during the day, and nightmares at night, it was impossible for her to stay the way she was. And that only made her angrier.
For these times, she needed something sweet. Sighing, she shuffled to the fridge and pulled out a pitcher of lemonade, pouring herself a glass. It was cold, so it didn't need ice, but it did need some extra sugar. While she added some from the bowl on the table, she murmured aloud, "that wasn't an answer, you know. You could still be behind all this."
So the girl was cautious now. It had taken long enough. Savvy twirled a strand of hair around her finger, wondering how to answer. I could be behind it, she admitted. But I'm not.
Ying snorted. "Right. Why should I believe you?"
Because when you feel the way those dreams make you feel, it affects me too. And I don't like it. It was a blunt, selfish answer, which was the only kind of honesty Savvy had. When I bother you, it makes me giddy. And it makes you angry. When this scares you, you freeze- and so do I. I don't like the cold.
"So you only care because you're a little hurt, is that it?" Ying asked scornfully, stirring her lemonade with a straw. "My heart bleeds for you, Savvy. Such shining honesty."
Shrugging, Savvy sat in the chair opposite Ying, propping her head up on her hands. Of course. The only way you'd believe me is if I had something to gain. If I told you it wasn't me because I think dream magic isn't fair play, you'd laugh in my face, and I wouldn't blame you for it.
That gave Ying pause. What was Savvy saying there exactly? "Wait a minute... so does that mean you were telling the truth, or not?"
You decide, the fiend answered airily. And have your drink so you can go to bed.
Tilting her head, Ying puzzled over it for a moment, then shrugged and shook her head. "You're so weird, Savvy," she almost laughed, leaning forward to take a sip of her lemonade. Approximately two seconds later, she spit it out and almost howled with rage, while at the same time running to wash the taste of salt out of her mouth. "SAVVY!"
But by that time, Savvy had retreated to pantry, to do what she did best- plot dastardly deeds.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:03 pm
Three... two... one...
Ying sat upright in bed, screaming. Her eyes took a few seconds to open, but as they took in the surroundings, her screams petered out, to be replaced by sobs. "Damn," she swore, pounding the bed with her fists. "Why does this keep happening?"
While she used to keep her post-nightmare screaming and wailing to a minimum, now she didn't bother. Her roommate had left to search for her family. Despite Rinsei's assurances that it had nothing to do with her, Ying couldn't help but feel like she had been nothing but a burden on the friend that had become like a sister to her. Likewise, while she always knew that Yeine would have to go away someday, to continue her studies, she couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't pushed her away.
"And Eri-niisan is spending less time at home," she said bitterly, counting off her family members on her fingers. "Karan-kun thinks girls are stupid, and I'm starting to think he's right." At that point, she stopped counting her famuly and threw herself back on the bed. Why did the nightmares keep coming, and coming worse each time. And why did she continue to care, when it was clear everyone else had stopped?
Tsavorite put her hands over her ears. What am I, chopped liver? she asked, fully aware that Ying wasn't listening. That girl never paid any attention to her those days, unless Savvy earned it the hard way. There was a fair bit of that still going on, but most of it had lost its joy. There was no challenge in beating someone who was already broken.
You finally figured out how to make me miserable, she added dryly. Savvy could take shouting, screaming, crying, admiration, anger, fear, sadness, even hatred- as long as she was the cause. But she could not stand being ignored. Worse still was that Ying did little other than wander around like a wounded puppy. She put on a terrible act of being fine for her own benefit more than anything else, and she didn't even benefit from it. She just wept her heart out when she was alone.
There was a thump against the closet door. "Don't think I can't hear you!" Ying shouted hoarsely. "And don't expect any pity, you witch! If you're miserable, that's the first good thing to happen in months!"
She didn't mean that. Savvy knew that, she could feel that. But it didn't stop her from feeling briefly horrified. The Ying she knew was painfully cheerful, accepting of everyone- even of her- and could barely even think about wishing others ill. This was not the Ying she so enjoyed squashing the spirit of. This Ying was defiant, angry, and deeply, deeply hurt, and Savvy did not like it at all.
She phased out of the closer, just in time to have a shoe thrown through her stomach. Nice, she commented, but she saw that Ying wasn't paying attention to her anymore. She was throwing things willy-nilly, shoes, clothes, magazines, makeup, all over the room. It was another sign that things were deteriorating. Before Ying would only throw things at her, and before that not at all.
What's happening to us? Ying was obviously different, and so was she. Mellower. Less destructive, if only because of a lack of people to wreak havoc with, now that Ying was spending less and less time out and about. She even cared about Ying, in her own way! That never happened before. It wasn't pity, and certainly not actual concern, but Ying's state of mind did mean something to her.
When she exhausted her energy, Ying let herself fall into her pillow, tears still streaming down her face. She fought it, but her eyes started to close of their own accord. She was so afraid of what might come in her dreams... but reality wasn't all that much better, was it?
... ugh. What annoying bond. Now Savvy would have to do something about it, or risk being bored to death. But what to do? It wasn't as though she had any power over Ying's dreams. She wasn't lying when she said she didn't cause them, and there was nothing in her arsenal that could fix them.
Maybe if she touched Ying while she was dreaming, she could at least get a better idea of what was going through her usually empty head. Not that Savvy relished the idea of another terrifying experience. Since the first nightmare, she'd done all she could to build up a resistance to feeling what Ying felt. All that work down the drain. Well, there's nothing else I guess.
Savvy gingerly rested one hand on Ying's shoulder. Or at least, she meant to. Instead, she felt her hand go inside Ying's body, plunging in core-deep.
Maybe if I pull her heart out, she'll leave me alone, Savvy thought grimly. Of course, if Ying died, so would she. And while she was insubstantial, there wasn't a whole lot she could feel. Except there was something she could feel inside Ying's body. Several somethings, all moving. Some, she felt, were bigger than others. Some were moving and some were not. It didn't feel like she imagined blood or organs would feel against her not-skin, but she couldn't imagine what else it could be.
So, with a 'why not?' attitude, Savvy leaned forward and stuck her face inside Ying's chest.
Ying's body spasmed, as if it felt the intrusion. Inside, the things moving began to move faster. Her eyelids fluttered slightly, even though it was too soon for her to be dreaming.
Dark and red. That was all that Savvy could see, pretty much. But she could still feel the things moving all around her. Some, when they got close, made Savvy feel strange. She was used to being connected to Ying, but being this close was not at all normal. She was intruding, the mysterious feelings knew it, and they wanted her gone.
So she would go, but not empty-handed. On a whim, she reached in and grabbed for where she felt the largest invisible thing was. She wasn't sure how she could a actually grab it without killing Ying, since it was sure to phase through her fingers, but...
But it didn't. The thing struggled against her insubstantial grasp. Surprised and confused and pleased with herself, Savvy pulled away, bringing the big thing with her. It took a good bit of concentration, but soon she could see the room again. Relieved, she let go of her prize prematurely, and it vanished. Or so she felt, since even in the dim light of Ying's room, she could see nothing. And now she had nothing to show for it.
Savvy swore mentally, so upset that it took a few moments for her to notice that Ying's body was stiller than usual. At night, she tossed at turned and slept fitfully. But now she was so still that it was difficult to tell that she was breathing.
... she was breathing, right?
Panic set in. Did she accidentally kill Ying? The girl was annoying and a real chore to take care of, but she had some spunk. Never mind that- Ying was her lifeline! If she'd inadvertently stolen something that Ying needed to survive, they would both be dead! Some last laugh she'd have about that!
Savvy tugged at her hair anxiously and looked around. Maybe, if she tried really hard, she could find whatever it was she took and return it before she did too much damage. Or would CPR be better? No, better to find the missing thing; Savvy couldn't replicate CPR if her life depended on it. Which it did.
There was a soft, lighthearted giggling coming from the bed. Ying's eyes were open, but she was still lying down, curled up in a ball. "You look funny," she practically sang.
Whirling around, Savvy saw Ying's face and thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't killed them both. You scared me half to death, you half-wit.
"Me? No way, silly Savvy. Scaring people is your job, remember?" Ying sat up and touched Savvy's face where her nose would be. "I'm hungry. Want to have a snack with me? I know you don't eat, but we could sit and chat together. It'll be fun. What do you say?" She tossed off the covers and pulled on her long pink robe, tying it in a neat bow.
Savvy was speechless for several long, silent seconds. Uh. No thanks?
Ying looked briefly put out, but then she smiled again. "Suit yourself. You know where to find me if you change your mind!" Then her expression shifted again, and she frowned meaningly at Savvy. "If you mess up my room any more than you already have, I'm tying your tail in a knot."
With one last wink, she slipped out of her room and down the hall.
Leaving one dumbfounded fiend to try and work out what exactly she had done. That her actions had affected Ying was obvious. The only question was, how?
She's not mad at me anymore, she thought to herself. No, that's not true. She's not furious, but she's mad. But she's happy too- happier than she's been in months. Why? And what did it have to do with the thing she took away from Ying?
It wasn't anything physical, so it had to be something spiritual. A part of Ying's spirit, perhaps? In that case, it was lucky she wasn't affected by it. But which part? I'd say the rational part, but I don't think it exists. Not anything directly affecting her life. Something less important. Not her anger either...
Suddenly, it came to her. Savvy hadn't taken Ying's anger. She'd taken her sadness. As soon as it occurred to her, she was certain she was right. That was why Ying seemed so cheery all of a sudden. She wasn't sad. But where did the sadness go, and what did it all mean?
Savvy's eyes narrowed in her equivalent of a smile. Her boredom was gone. She had something fun to occupy her time now. Thank you, Ying. I owe it all to you, and I promise I'll pay my debt in full.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:05 pm
[Reserved- Stripping Away the Shadows]
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:12 pm
[Reserved- Forging Friendships (see disk)]
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