|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:14 am
There was much left to do in the dimly lit tiger cages at the back of the Cirque lot. The animals had been safely removed and were kept close at hand in smaller, temporary cages while their home was being cleaned. The small figure in the cage wielded a rake with a pole that was extended atleast eight inches above her head, but she continued to sift through the hay with no problem. Hefting the loads of sodden flooring into a wheelbarrel just outside the cage door, she paused after turning over one such batch into the wheelbarrel as another carnie wheeled the vessel to the appropriate waste disposal area. The night was hot and stuffy, though the girl had no idea what world they were in now. Aemilia Saint Sinclair had seen much in what little of her life she could remember, but a circus that traveled the expanse of space and dimensions had definitely been beyond her comprehension not too long ago. Now here she was in an unknown place mucking out a tiger's pen as if she had done so all her life, but then she might have and just not know it yet. Swiping the back of her hand across her sweaty forehead, she took a few more seconds to breathe deep and gather more energy before going about her business.
She was able to use her abilities minutely to direct a little more light into the back cage that seemed farthest from any major source of light. Bending the rays from various shiney objects in the vicinity, she was able to provide enough light to keep from tripping over herself as she moved across the floor covered in hay, feces and discarded food. Cirque treated it's animals almost better than it treated it's carnies, but Amee enjoyed working in the animals cages and really getting her hands dirty. Nothing soothed a worrying mind then a hard day's work that also served to remind her that there was no way on the planet that the military could track her here - for that simple reason, that they were no longer in the world she had learned to live in. She was no longer in the world that was infested with a power-hungry military force and their hordes of bounty hunters and scientists. She was, essentially, free in her contract and employment with the traveling circus. Here, she could safely and efficiently exercise her abilities without fear that some menacing man in a dark hood would take that small bit of freedom away from her with the stab of a needle.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, she sniffled lightly as she began emptying the waste into the wheelbarrel once again. Her nose was beginning to bleed; it was more of an instinct than an actual knowing that clued her in to the overuse of her talent. She'd been bending light for well over two hours in minimal amounts, but as of yet she was unable to perform even that long to help her with menial tasks about the grounds. Almost three hours was most definitely an improvement, but she knew that to progress in any fashion she would need to push much harder. Turning the last rakeful of dirty hay into the wheelbarrel, she nodded to her partner, "Aye, that's about it." Her accent was light, most likely left over from a life long before her time in the labratory. The use of some distinct words pulled the accent further to light, but nevertheless only one with particularly good linguistic skills (or one merely with sharp ears) would know exactly which region it might have originated from. The United Kingdom (or what is the United Kingdom in her world), most likely a descent of Yorkshire influence though she couldn't tell you for certain.
The step down from the cage was a doozie, but she made it in a small leap before hefting a bag of new flooring over her shoulder with ease. Flinging the bag into the cage door, it was soon followed by another before she hefted herself back into the now nearly pitch black cage. By exiting the dark interior she had been able to take a short break from exercising her talent, but now that she returned to the work in the shadows, she employed it once again. A pocket-knife was extracted to easily rip open the tops of the hay bags before she reached her hand in to throw the clean bedding about. It provided little respite from the hard wooden floors, but she figured that the animals hardly noticed the difference after they made their own beds from it. The big cats didn't seem to take note at all. They were tougher and much more resistant to shows of weakness. Inhaling deeply through her nose, Aemilia wiped any blood that had dripped from her nose before continuing on. No pain, no gain; if she didn't push herself, her abilities would never progress on their own to the things that Grete had said she had seen medically enhanced.
It wasn't much longer before the animal caretakers returned to help situate the tiger back into his cage. Sighing softly, Aemilia bent light completely away from herself so that she disappeared in a sort of curtain effect as the tiger's temporary cage was opened and the opening pressed to the entrance of his home cage. It was Aemilia's job to shut both doors once the animal was in its cage, drawn to the farthest corner by a slab of dinner meat. Letting the gate clang shut behind her, Amee dropped to the ground before releasing the light and nearly colliding with an unknown form. New to the Cirque and she was already running into people? Her luck never ended.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:42 am
___Hazina balked and stepped back quickly avoiding a possibly disastrous interception. She stood there, large cloth bundles in both hands and one upon her back, trying to remember if the girl was there before. Squinting one eye with careful apprehension, she reached a hand out and gently poked the girl in the shoulder. Hazina recoiled quickly, well, she was real. Her mind shuttered through possibilities, could she also be a Fakir? They were notorious illusionists, perhaps she managed to take it a step forward. She looked at her finger, and rubbed it with another, wondering if there was some application upon the girl's skin that aided her. The Masai girl stood there, pondering, almost completely absorbed in trying to decipher how she could've possibly done it. Mumbling to herself she rubbed her chin, staring at her hand, almost completely forgetting about the girl.
___Deciding to let it go for the time being, she turned her attention to the young woman before her. Her mind went blank, what was she doing again? She furrowed her eyebrows and stared very intently at the girl, trying to remember once more. Her mouth opened with a small breathy "Ah!", and she bowed her middle slightly.
___"Boma kiko wapi." She asked slowly, gauging if the girl possibly knew Masai. When she didn't see a recognizing change in the facial expression, she bit her lip and began to fumble poorly. "Boma, where is." She stared and then haphazardly began to recite words she faintly remembered that very pale woman yelling at her, "Boma. Bow-mah. Cottage, Shack, Palace?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:55 am
The poke was taken in stride, her mix-matched eyes widening as she watched the other woman consider the situation. A part of Aemilia was clenched impossibly tight in the unbidden fear at someone having discovered her in the midst of exercising her abilities. It was a fear imbedded in her from her time wandering the streets post-escape, darting through crowds and stealing when possible. No one had seen her then, but the phobia still existed. Now, however, she had to remind herself that her ability was to be exploited rather than hidden.
Pulling a brave face, she set her jaw and watched silently as the woman rubbed her chin and then at last recognized that Aemilia was still standing there. The acknowledgement did nothing to aide in the girl's confusion, however, when the stranger spoke in some strange tongue. Aemilia knew nothing of language other than her own and some small bits of French; this new scrap of culture was entirely beyond her. A wave of relief crossed her features and she let her shoulders relax when she caught a few words she recognized. Amee tried to follow the train of thought, furrowing her brow in concentration before at last speaking slowly, "Ah, do y'mean trailer?" The petite form shrugged hopefully, a soft smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:20 am
___Hazina's eyes flew wide open, and she grinned, pointing almost excitedly at the girl. "Hoyia!" She agreed enthusiastically, nodding, she felt a sense of pride for being able to say the right words. "Tray-lr." She slurred the last syllable, still getting used to it. Her stance brightened, filled with renewal and the boost in confidence, small as it may seem to others it was a big deal to her.
___Proudly she thumped her chest with her palm. "My name, Hazina." Anxious to show she knew more, she began to klutz her way through English with happy abandon. The excitement ebbed away quickly as common sense returned and she touched her head gently. "En-kíwúáŋátá?" She used the Masai word for lightning, referring to the girl's hair. Remembering the girl didn't speak Kimasai, she echoed, "Sky ... Fire, Light? Storm Light."
___She didn't wait for the girl to respond before letting out a loud, "O-hoi!" and chuckling while looking at the girl's eyes. Hazina nodded approval, and pointed to her bright gold ones. "Different from rest, you and I." Hazina nodded again fervently, already impressed with this girl, possibly a high-ranking Fakir with such an exotic look.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:53 am
She wasn't exactly sure what was going on, or exactly who this woman mistook her for, but she figured the situation was harmless enough that she need not excuse herself. Besides, she was due for a break in her work afterall as well as new enough that any punishment would be blamed simply on her 'newness' to the environment and schedule. She couldn't help the soft bubble of laughter at the woman's enthusiasm, though the sound was not unkind. The confidence was catching and Amee found herself nodding before touching her own chest with her fingertips, "Aemilia. S'pleasure to meet you, Hazina."
She recognized that her hair was being referred to by Hazina's gestures, though her question was mildly unsettling. Tilting her head, she alternatively shook and nodded her head before giving a nervous chuckle and shrug, "Aye, of sorts?" Lifting her hand, she touched the colourless streak of hair which shifted from white to a striking pink and back again as Amee first opened then closed the spectrum of light absorbed by the strands. She wasn't sure if this would aide or further confuse the other woman, though when attention was drawn to Amee's mix-matched eyes she blinked a few times.
"Different? Aye, we're different, love." Nodding solemnly, the smile quickly pulled at the corners of her lips before she offered a hand for one of the bundles of cloth. "Whose trailer were y'headed towards?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 11:08 am
___Hazina shamelessly admired the change of colours, nodding over and over, expressing her extreme approval. As she watched the strand of hair she repeated, "Ay-Emela, Ai-Emeelia. Aiemelia. Mi-mila. Milia. Ai, Aye, Aeeee." Hazina raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth determinedly, "Ah-e-milia, Aemilia!" Proud to sound it out, she lifted her chin a little higher and felt her mouth become broader.
___Hazina looked at her outstretched hand, and began to think hard. The pale woman always said greeting, but it was too low for her handshake or an arm-clasp. Lower, more towards the cloth bundled around her belongings. Ahhhh, she was meaning to help. Hazina stretched out her arm, offering it to her. Once released, she slid the bundle from her back to the hand, and stretched happily. Rotating her metallic shoulder, she began to try and dictate yet another sentence.
___"Head-man, King?" She questioned her choice of words. "Leader-person." Lifting her arms in an odd motion she continued, "Need to find trailer-shack for new boma."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 1:10 pm
Her bright eyes remained fixed on her new comrade, brow arching as she listened to the woman sound out her name. When Hazina pronounced it correctly, her lips spread in a reassuring smile as she chuckled, "Aye, or Amee if it's a big easier." She held the bundle with one arm easily as she turned her gaze about their surroundings. She'd been given a brief tour some time before by another stall mucker, and her eyes narrowed as she tried to remember exactly where the Ringmaster's trailer was placed. They were some distance from the living quarters either way, so with a smile she nodded her head in the general direction.
"This way, I think." She fell into step, keeping one eye over her shoulder to be sure Hazina understood to follow. Once the two were in an easy pace together, she tried to form a question in the simplest form possible, "I'm new here as well. Been with the Cirque long?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 1:21 pm
___Hazina shook her head, she was incredibly new to this place. It was very different from the dirty and crowded streets of India. For a moment her mind lapsed, and she thought fondly of the towering rock known as Ol Donyo Lengai. It was so open, and free, to take a breath of fresh air and feel that you wouldn't run out. She spied several animals she was well acquainted with. Lions, tigers, elephants. She smiled, her heart becoming comforted by the similarities in fauna. A strange place, but interesting. She remembered when she first saw the enormous structure. It reminded her so dearly of home.
___Following the girl she smiled, feeling a sense of appreciation towards her friendly attitude. She noticed people going in and out of big wooden wagons, and shuddered, Hazina hoped she wouldn't have to sleep in one. They looked like they might be very small on the inside, and dark. She lazily tossed a weighted arm in one of the trailer's direction, "You are in one?" Hazina inquired, wanting to know if it was as bad as it seemed.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 3:42 pm
Aemilia had known nothing before coming to this place. She knew humans, birds and the occasional dog or cat; she knew crowded, dirty city streets or the contrasting bright, sterile environment of the military development center. She hadn't even known the names of these creatures that she now cared for, learning their species as the day went on by listening to others speak or openly shrugging at her own lack of knowledge. Her coworkers didn't appear to notice her gap in understanding, but she was sure they snickered behind her back at her apparent stupidity. Aemilia was hardly stupid, just missing information. Either way, the open air was a wonderful contrast to the cramped confines of the cell she only occasionally remembered. The trailers she had experienced, however, weren't much better until she'd managed to get one to herself. She understood that soon she'd have roommates, but even one more body wouldn't do much harm.
At Hazina's question, she smiled as well and shrugged, "Aye. Alone for now, they aren't so bad. Hopefully I won't get shafted with a bucketful of roommates, though I was promised at least one." Her smile took on a reassuring note, as if catching the reasoning behind the woman's inquiry, and then she added, "S'not so bad, lass. You can always slip out if need be."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:18 am
___Hazina continued walking, quietly musing to herself as she trailed behind the other girl. Shifting, she continued to look around. Room-mates, again being tossed into a living situation with someone else. She pulled on a string with metal fingers, continuing to think. Hazina didn't know what she was going to do, when faced with the person in-charge. She needed an angle to appeal to them, to make them want or need her to become part of this strange place. If anything, she needed to figure out exactly what this place was.
___"This gana-" she stopped, "-group. People say they ... Upekuzi, searching, for unusual people." Hazina's mind wandered briefly. "I talk soon with head." She nodded and concluded the statement to herself. "There are others, perhaps, look little like me? Dark, red hair. Speak Kimasai?" Hazina asked, a tinge of hope staining the sentence.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 9:47 am
The girl was mentally jotting down what words Hazina said that she knew the meaning for - as the meaning was given, anyway. Thus far she had only that boma meant house or living space while gana meant... group? Her brow furrowed as she listened to the woman speaking, staring at each trailer as they passed to look for distinguishing features that would point them in the right direction. Upekuzi meant searching? When Hazina finished her inquiry, Aemilia's face twisted in unseen concern as she recognized the bit of hope that creeped into the woman's voice.
Carefully scanning her mind for any one she had seen that might have looked or sounded like Hazina, at last she sighed and shook her head. She didn't want to tell her no, but she couldn't lie to the woman either, "No, afraid not, love. Unusual people, yes, and I'm sure Aiden would love to speak with yeh but I haven' seen anyone like yourself about." She offered her the most reassuring smile that she could, shrugging slightly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:22 pm
___Hazina nodded, and puffed her cheeks. Inverting and pushing her lips out quickly she made a popping sound. She nodded and turned her head towards the other girl. Different, like all the others she might find here. It was odd, not hearing the chatter of Persian merchants and the screeches of children. This girl was pale, paler than most people she'd seen come through the Empire.
___"Where from? Family, here?" She questioned carefully, unsure of whether she was phrasing it right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:29 pm
Aemilia was used to the various types of people she had seen in the city she hailed from, as well as now within the essential boiling pot of the Cirque with all it's varying ingredients. Glancing back at the woman at the sound and following inquiry, she hesitated before shaking her head, "'Fraid not. No family that I know of is living." She shrugged, curls bouncing over her shoulders as she looked at a passing trailer, "What of you?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 4:16 pm
___The red-haired girl considered Aemilia's question. She stopped, visibly mulling over what answer she should give. Shrugging as she started up the pace again, she said plainly, "Dead." It was true, and she even felt a little badly for saying it as bluntly as she had, but in all honesty was there really any other way to? Well, maybe for others, but not for her, she supposed. Her heart twisted, and the guilt began to overwhelm her, almost like her family was scolding her from far away. She looked at the girl and said quickly.
___"Dead but, still here." Hazina touched her chest, and felt the guilt ebb away slowly, though some remained clinging tight. An inadequate atonement for expressing her family with such verbal brutality, and she knew she'd have to find a way to ease her conscience later on.
___"From here?" She asked, and then remembering that Amee had already said she wasn't, rolled her eyes to the heavens and made an attempt to recover, "Where from?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2007 5:18 pm
The woman's reaction didn't bother Aemilia. She knew nothing of the bonds of family, nor of honoring the dead (both loved and not). What Hazina spoke was the truth, Amee knew nothing more of the matter. Watching as her companion revised her answer, the girl found herself nodding slowly in comprehension. In the heart. Grete had told her such things during the short time following her escape. She'd said that Aemilia would always have a place in her heart and home; something about the experiment replacing a lost sister. Shaking her head at the memory, she moved her mind to answer the next question.
"London. Cur - " She stopped herself, there was no current time for this circus, "2007. Bit different than the average 2007, so I've been told." A co-worker was from another 2007. He'd been confused by her random bits of information, and the different dimensions visited by Cirque was the only logical (ha!) explanation. "And yourself?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
