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Grifferie rolled 2 10-sided dice:
9, 8
Total: 17 (2-20)
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 Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:28 pm
The light should have surprised her more, but after everything, it hardly seemed odd. So she followed it. She followed it, and she sighed. She followed it and she was glad. The serenity of the place was calming. It was warm, like the light had been. The tree spoke, her (her?) words something that Sherry both understood and did not understand. Sherry let her hands rest on the tree as she nodded. She would help. She knew that much. Sherry continued on. The lake was beautiful. Quiet, calm, and beautiful. She walked closer, wondering how the lake could sing and knowing it didn't matter. She stepped closer and once her head was under water, she heard. She nodded, and moving back, cupped her hands to gather water. She moved slowly, fingers tight, and carried as much of the water as she could to the tree, the orbs guiding her. It felt right. It was what she needed to do. Her breath caught as she watch the tree shiver. Had she helped? Had she done right? An acorn fell. The tree withered. It's thank you echoed in Sherry's head as she picked up the acorn  Acorn size: 17 mm
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:34 pm
Sherry followed, silent, as the orbs guided her to the lake. She stepped into the water, moving deeper. She heard the voice. She nodded again.
The dark blue bubbles surprised her. They were hers? Something about them seemed odd. Her missing memories? Memories she had not yet made?
It didn't matter. She needed to give the memories to the seed.
So she started to gather them, reaching out and pulling the bubbles close. They odd, so odd. Yet hers.
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Grifferie rolled 1 10-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:34 pm
Sunlight. It was a good day to race, she knew that much. Bright, hot, and cheerful. None of that soggy gray business.
She stood at the edge of the pool, staring at the light as it glittered on the water.
"Today," she whispered. "Today is the day we finally race Higashi again. I can't loose. I can't let Rita beat me. I will win and I will take the gold. We will be in the nationals this year. I have worked too hard to lose. I--"
"OI!" A voice broke through the serenity of the moment. "Sherry! Don't just stand there! Get to sweeping! They'll be arriving any--"
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Grifferie rolled 1 10-sided dice:
3
Total: 3 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:43 pm
Sunlight. It was bright, hot, and almost overbearing. Her had kept it off her face, but the heat still seeped through her clothing, too warm to be comforting. Sherry shrugged it off.
'It's not right.' 'Not for a woman.' 'Go back behind the bar where you belong.' 'Put the gun away and settle down.'
Their words echoed in her mind as she rode, the pace of the horse slow and steady. She'd show them. She had more fight in her than most of them, boys included. She could already ride and shoot and tend the bar better than anyone her own age. Heck, better than half the folks in town, which was something, since most folks only worked on ONE of those things at a time. Sherry was different. All she did was practice.
All for this.
Her horse crested the hill, and she could see the train tracks below her. "Come along, Mia, time to go put you on the track." The girl in the frilly dress struggled against her bonds and tried to say something. It was difficult, considering the gag and the fact that being slung over the horses rump like she was sent most of her blood to her face. "Oh, come now," Sherry said, urging the horse forward. "The 2:02 to Reno will be by shortly, and it'll stop for you. I'll get what we need and take you right on home. Nothing to fret about."
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Grifferie rolled 1 10-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:54 pm
"Sherry Greyson."
Everyone but her gasped. It was the usual reaction from the crowd. Gasp and hold their breath so they could see how the chosen would react.
Well. She had no intention of giving them an interesting story to talk about. No one would see her cry, or wail, or break down and scream about how it wasn't fair. The older people always screamed. They said things weren't always this way. People younger than her were usually frightened, but this was all they knew, and they didn't scream. Sherry.... nodded.
She could almost remember a time before the lottery. She didn't remember the town without walls, but she did remember holidays being times of Joy.
It felt like a dream.
So nodded and walked towards the door. The clansmen, War she noticed, opened the door for her. A hand, large and rough grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her through.
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Grifferie rolled 1 10-sided dice:
1
Total: 1 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:00 pm
"Wake up wake up wake up!"
She hadn't been sleeping. At least she didn't think so.
"Work work work!"
Right, right. Work.
One clawed hand reached out, picking up the sharp object, not even flinching as the glass broke through the gray flesh. Dark gray wisps of smoke began to rise from the wound, but she ignored them. They would go away sooner or later.
"Clean clean clean!"
The palace needed to be ready. Other figures pulled at pieces, pushed at them. Yellow eyes glittered and shown as they moved, searching, clearing, not thinking.
"Wake up wake up wake up!"
"Work work work!"
It was the clearest voice, so it was the one she listened to.
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Grifferie rolled 1 10-sided dice:
7
Total: 7 (1-10)
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:09 pm
Her fingers nervously fidgeted with her sleeve. Oh, no. Oh, no. It was almost her turn. Five...no four students, then her. Oh no, oh no, oh no.
"Please," she whispered. She wanted anything ANYTHING but Serpentarius. Anything but that. She was hardworking! She was smart! She was even brave! (Maybe not as brave as the Leo's in the famous stories, but still brave.) She could be in any of the other groups except Serpentarius. She could never live with the shame of that. But what if...what if they knew about that time she let the frogs go in Mrs. Gardenia's house? Sure, the old bat had it coming...but it hadn't been nice. What if they knew about that time she told the kid down the street he was going to have a watermelon grow inside his stomach because he ate that seed? OH. She should have been a sweeter girl, like everyone always said she was.
Anything but Serpentarius. Three students to go. Surely she had enough brains or motivation to be in any other group. She didn't want to be a bad kid. It would be the end of her life, and she'd JUST started school here. Oh no, oh no, oh no.
"Stop bouncing," a voice from behind her nearly growled. "You're annoying me."
She turned to see a boy with blue hair scowling at her. Scowling at her like he hated her. For what? Fidgeting? He didn't even know her! She scowled back, but then thought better of and smiled. With a scowl like that he was sure to end up in Serpentarius, and she certainly didn't want to join him. So she smiled and turned back around.
Please. Please oh please don't let her get put with the bad kids. She tried not to fidget, but it was difficult.
Two more students before her.
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:29 pm
One by one, she gathered the memories. Strange as they were, they were hers. Somehow. She tried not to think about it. She didn't need to think about it. The seed needed them. She knelt on the ground, setting everything down as gently as possible. A good spot. Gentle fingers pushed the seed into the soil, then one by one, she gave it the memories she'd collected. One by it took them and it grew. The sapling was beautiful. Beautiful and new and grand and Sherry loved it. She could feel it, too, in her heart somehow. It was excited, happy. She had done well.
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:45 pm
Sherry watched her tree, loved it. She cared for it even though it was young and she had not known it long. It didn't speak to her, but she could feel something there, that same excitement. She hoped this tree would live a long life. She almost turned to go. The tree would be fine, and Sherry had places to be. The voice stopped her. Sherry turned and looked. The scene before her was breathtaking, but she was focused on what was needed of her. Water. A blessing. A choice. Her footsteps were slow and deliberate as she walked among the pools, searching for the right one. Which once would be best for her tree? She stopped in front a pool with clear water. It looked chilled, Sherry had always liked how clear cold water could look. She nodded to herself before dipping her hands into the pool. This was the best-- Ice shot down her back as she remembered, and she tried not to shiver. Death, blood. Warm, wet good seeping into her clothing. The memory chilled her to her core. Another memory flashed. She was helpless and it hurt. There was nothing she could do as-- Sherry pushed the memories aside as best she could and took the water to the tree. "Are you satisfied with what I have become?" Sherry thought for a moment, looking at the wyrm that had grown with her tree. "Yes." The tree had love, she had loved it. The tree knew hurt, so it knew how precious love was. And it had a wyrm, just like her. It would be a strong tree.
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Posted: Fri Aug 23, 2013 4:48 pm
"That's a good kitty," she rubbed the kitten behind it's ears. "Not quite a kitten, I suppose. Almost too old to be called that, aren't you?" Sherry laughed. The cat simply looked at her.
"Here. For now this will have to do." She set down the plate with the tuna on it. "I'll get you some proper cat food tomorrow when take you to the vet. Hungry little guy."
The cat had all but jumped on the food. Poor thing looked half starved.
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