A slow, gentle tune wafted through the air, bringing with it a sense of calm and contentment. Light shined down through the transparent roof above, lighting up the lone figure clad in a simple, light-blue gown sitting by the piano in a room otherwise filled with various instruments; everything from cellos to lyres covered the walls and various stands in the spacious room, but only one piano sat in the centre of it all.
The tune was interrupted by a misplaced key, creating discord and instantly disrupting the entire melody, forcing her to stop. A quiet, yet obviously annoyed sigh escaped Lily’s lips, her fingers hovering over the keys.
She wasn’t exactly good yet, but she was starting to learn how to play this one piece without mistakes. Almost.
Playing the piano was a habit she had taken to during the past year, having decided that she wanted to learn to play it as well, after she first stumbled upon the music room and heard another student play the piano. She had waited for him to leave before she took the spot for herself, and failed miserably when she tried to replicate anything resembling a melody.
Luckily—and also somewhat to her chagrin—he had returned shortly after and, rather than mock her, had offered to teach her. She had reluctantly accepted, for once in her life acknowledging that help might not be a bad thing.
That was a year past, however, and now she was at least getting somewhere in terms of playing cleanly. Mastery was still a long way off, but she worked her way there. She shook her head, dispelling what motes of doubt had gathered. Her otherwise braided hair hang loose, scant inches from the floor from where she sat and bereft of anything resembling bows, clips, and whatever else that might’ve kept it in check.
The tune began a new, her slender fingers carefully pressing down each note.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a figure walking into the room and leaning against the wall. Perhaps they were hoping to use the piano? Doubtful. It did not take long for it to be clear that she was the focus of this sudden audience. Still, they did not interrupt. At first. When it became apparent that she was perfectly fine ignoring whoever else had walked into the room, they spoke.
“You’re Lily Strider, right?” asked the female voice, walking closer.
Lily stopped, fingers hovering over the keys. She had managed to avoid any mistakes so far, so of course fate had to make sure she was interrupted in other ways. Looking up, she turned her head just enough that she could see the approaching woman clearly out the corner of her eye.
“I am,” she replied, taking her hands in her lap. “And you are?”
“Celica.” She had a hand on her hip, and her eyes searched the room with the expression one wore when they couldn’t decide whether to go to the point or start with small-talk. She chose the latter. “You’re good at this. I never had the patience to learn an instrument.”
She couldn’t quite help but grimace at that comment, scrunching up her nose briefly in what could almost be described as distaste. “Not as good as I’d like to be,” she admitted, glancing back at the piano. “Started last year. Some guy from that time’s first year taught me the basics. Mostly I’ve just been practicing on my own.”
“Well, you know what they say about practice,” she gave her a small smile before sighing. “In a way, that’s why I’m here. I heard you were a Kitsune, and I wanted to ask a few questions. Maybe a favor.”
Her brows rose at the mentioned of a favor, and she turned fully towards Celica, head tilted ever so slightly to the side. “What questions?” She asked. It has something to do with me being a Kitsune, but what? She tried searching for any hint in Celica’s eyes, but didn’t immediately find anything. “And what favor, exactly? I’m not in the best of moods today, so whether I grant it or not depends very much on what it is.”
“I can imagine,” Celica said with a sly smile. “Some of my questions might be about what has you feeling that way.”
Lily’s eyes narrowed, a hostility that was previously absent now very much present. “Tread. Carefully.”
The woman gave her a half-lidded stare. “So cold. That’s supposed to be my shtick.” She shook her head. “Fine. I guess I can forget about that for a moment. Mostly, I wanted to ask you about that life-drain magic of yours.”
The hostility disappeared and her eyes were no longer narrowed, but she was still on guard. Mainly her curiosity was peaked, however. “What about it? It’s something every Kitsune can do.”
“You happen to be one, so two birds with one stone, you know?” With a shrug and a half smile, Celica picked up one of the nearby stools and took a seat. “Could you explain it for me? What it does, what happens when you use it, that kind of thing.”
Lily sighed and resigned herself to having to wait before she could get back to playing the piano. Didn’t look like this Celica would be satisfied with only a quick rundown. “Magic,” she began, “is a force that we all carry in our bodies. It doesn’t matter if you’re a plant or a human; we all have it. For plants and animals the amount of magic in them is proportionate to their size. A small oak wouldn’t have anywhere near the same amount of energy as a large mahogany. Same way a mouse would have very little compared to a tiger. Sapient beings like humans, shifters, or mythics, however, are different. No one really knows why some are stronger than others.”
“Magic isn’t just a power source, but something intimately connected to the rest of you. And I don’t mean that it’s something personal, but that it’s a part of your very life. In fact, it’s not really called ‘Magic’ unless there’s talk of people capable of using it. For animals and trees and so on we call it Life Energy.” She paused for a moment, watching for any reaction before she continued. “Essentially what we do is drain the very life out of whatever is near us in order to empower ourselves. It’s different with sapient beings as well.” She extended her hand, palm up. “Give me your hand and I’ll show you. And no, I’m not going to do anything that’ll harm you.”
“Someone’s being paying attention to her lessons.” Celica chuckled, placing her hand atop Lily’s without hesitation. “That’s good. I was going to ask for a demonstration.”
“It was either pay attention or risk destroying my own body if I tried to do it incorrectly,” she mumbled. “Now, you’ll feel something akin to a probe; a presence. Ignore it and don’t resist.” Celica nodded, closing her eyes. A few moments passed during which she did nothing, waiting for the pale woman to prepare herself. Even un-shifted what she was doing could be dangerous. When she was certain that she had prepared herself, Lily took a deep breath and dove in. She found Celica’s magic pool almost immediately, visualising it as a large pool of silvery liquid in what she could best describe as an underground cavern.
“That feels strange.” She could feel the magic reacting to her presence, a feeling akin to being watched. The liquid shivered indecisively, as if struggling with the urge to push against her incursion. Or, considering the curious expression in Celica’s face, perhaps she was resisting the urge to bring it closer for inspection.
“This will feel a bit uncomfortable, but bear with it,” she murmured. With that, she reached out for the pool and took a fraction of it and pulled it to herself. She had only taken enough that Celica would feel the slightest effects of it; the feeling of being winded after ascending a few steps of a staircase. The power Lily drew, she simply stored away for later use. Not much she could do with it now. “And that’s it,” she said, putting her own hand back in her lap.
Celica sighed and opened her eyes. She held her hand in front of her and gave it a long look, turning it around as if expecting it to have changed in some way. “It felt… almost like casting a spell.” She grimaced, unsatisfied. “No, more as if you cast a spell using my magic.” Celica hummed thoughtfully, giving Lily a sidelong glance.
“I could have locked you out, couldn’t I? That’s why you told me to ignore you.”
“Yes and no. You couldn’t have locked me out, but you could have fought against me. In all honesty, what I just did breaks about a dozen rules. We are not, under any circumstances, allowed to drain the life of another sapient being. There are exceptions, but this wasn’t one of them. But to answer you question; locking me out entirely is impossible, but when there’s a way in there’s a way out. You could combat me and create a backlash so powerful that it might just kill me, depending on how much I attempt to drain. If I attempt to make you an empty shell I wouldn’t stand a chance if your will ends up being more powerful than mine, and you’re capable of striking back. It’s a… dangerous process, which is why we’re only allowed to do it to plants, trees, bushes, as well as animals and such that are near death. The “near death” part is a question of morals more than anything else, however.”
Celica nodded thoughtfully. “Do you need to stay in contact with whatever you are draining?”
She shook her head briefly. “No, but it makes it easier for the larger… vessels. There’s a max range, so to speak. But generally the closer I am the easier it is.”
“I see. That’s usually how this kind of thing works.” Celica nodded to herself before smiling. It was then that she produced a small glass bead from her pockets, the kind of thing cheap necklaces were made of. “How about a little experiment?”
The bead received a raised eyebrow in response, Lily’s curious gaze resting on it for a few moments before it was directed at Celica herself. “I’m not much for playing with beads, but I don’t think that’s what you want.”
The woman shrugged. “You might as well call it that. There is a tiny sliver of magic stored in this thing. I want to see if you can pull it out.”
“That… shouldn’t be a problem, but why?”
“I’m curious. If a Kitsune can pull magic out of an object like this, I’m surprised I haven’t heard of anything along the lines of ‘magic batteries’.”
Lily stared at it for a few moments, silent. She tried to grasp it with her mind multiple times, but nothing happened. In the end she just sighed. “Probably because it doesn’t work that way. I can’t take anything from it. It’s… dead, is the best way to describe it. Makes sense when you think about it; According to the legends we Kitsune—or Gumiho, if you will—drain the life force of whoever we charm with your beauty—yes it sounds arrogant, blame whatever created the Kitsune, because it’s fact. Anyway, according to those we only took the life from living people, and while it’s not entirely accurate it does make sense: If it’s not alive we can’t drain from it.”
Celica clicked her tongue. “Damn. And here I thought something would come out of that.” She glared at the little ball of glass, turning it around in her hand. “I wonder what it would mean for it to be alive,” she muttered in a low voice, seemingly to herself. “A Kitsune can take the energy of a living being, I understand that, but I don’t see the distinction. The energy is there, and it came from me, the energy of a living being, if not in a living vessel. Why would it matter if the thing to be drained is the same? Is it perhaps that I changed it when I placed it inside the object?”
Lily couldn’t help but smile. It was a slightly condescending one, but only slightly. “Someone didn’t listen to the legends. There’s a grain of truth in every legend. What is the exact wording of this specific one? We drain the life, not the energy. What’s in there, I just realised, is only magic. It’s bland and, to be frank, useless. What I can use to power myself is life in its most basic form.” She paused for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts and figure out how to explain it properly. “Wait… I got it wrong. It’s like this: The way I drain is by tethering my mind—or life, you could say—to something else’s. That link allows me to take from them, like a pipe, but it has to be alive for me to be able to establish such a link. If it isn’t… I can’t, plain and simple.” She pointed at the marble. “That’s why the magic in that thing is useless: Because it’s only magic that is not bound to ‘life’.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call it useless. I put it in there, and there is a way to bring it out. Now, if I could only find a way to pull it back intact…” Celica sighed, a disappointed expression on her face, but it was quickly replaced by a smirk. “Well, I learned some things. It’s interesting to think that, even if everything alive has this energy, not everything with magic is alive. Even if things die once their magic is taken from them, magic cannot be the same as life, and maybe not even the same as a soul.”
“It isn’t, but it’s tied so closely to it that if you use too much, you die. It sticks to it, for lack of better words. That’s why you get tired when you use too much of it.”
“Sounds about right,” she said, holding out a hand. “Thanks for the help.”
“You’re… welcome,” she said, hesitating a bit before she tentatively took Celica’s hand in her own.
Celica smiled. “You know, you strike me as a nice girl. I find it hard to picture you trying to kill Alice.”
Rather than scowl, narrow her eyes, or pull her hand to herself, Lily just smiled. “Figured there was something off about you. You did hint at knowing why I was in a bad mood earlier, after all.” She pulled her hand to herself again, her expression never once coming even close to anger. “So you’re a friend of hers?” She asked.
“Nosy roommate,” she clarified. “I admit I’m kind of disappointed. After that warning, I was expecting you to go up in arms. Not quite as fun if you just take it in stride.” She pulled her hand back, resting her chin on it. “So, what did she say, anyway? She didn’t threaten you or someone else, did she? That’s not quite her.”
“What she said is none of your business, but suffice to say there are ghosts in my past I would not want to deal with.” Her tone wasn’t unfriendly per se, but it was definitely not a friendly one either. One would almost say that it was monotone, to some extent. “There’s one thing, however,” she added after a little while. “Why did you expect me to get violent simply by the mention of our conflict?”
“I wouldn’t say violent. Angrily uncooperative, maybe. And that ‘tread carefully’ warning.” She tilted her head. “Come on, there are always ghosts. Think you can trust me with this one? I can tell it bothered Alice.”
Lily chuckled. She couldn’t do anything else. Celica’s request was simply too absurd “Pretending to be a knight in shining armour riding in one your white charger to save me from my past?” She shook her head, almost somberly. “No. You can’t save me, and telling you won’t help. Not to mention that it’s not something I’m going to talk about.”
“Hm. I might not be so tight lipped about the few dozen rules you broke with your demonstration.” Celica clicked her tongue, glancing away. “But then again, that would just be spiteful, wouldn’t it? Fine. I don’t really need to know. I only came to ask if you remember why we are being trained.”
“Why we’re being trained?” Her eyebrows rose almost of their own accord, momentary surprise taking the place of indignation at the threat of blackmail. “I’d say it is to protect ourselves and ultimately push back Endolas to the point where they accept that they cannot achieve their goal of a joint government—or whatever it is they want.”
“We’re going to war, Lily. We’re not students, we are recruits. The Mythics may not see the distinction, but they don’t have to, as long as we have the skills we need. The mindset is not their problem.” For once, the traces of amusement were gone from the pale woman’s face, leaving behind a sober gaze. “When we signed that waiver and took the procedure, our responsibility ceased to extend only as far as ourselves. Once we are out there, and we’re placed on the spot, we will be forced to trust whoever is standing next to us with our lives. There won’t be a choice in the matter. You can hate everyone’s guts, bear as much pain as you want, as long as you can shoulder that responsibility. Whether you actually do it or not is up to you. It’s for us to blindly trust.”
Celica stood up, and began walking away from the piano. “I’ll see you around, Lily. Hope I see you in practice.”
Lily’s curious gaze was fixed upon Celica as she spoke, and then for a time after she said her goodbyes. But before she could leave the room, she called after her. “I may not want to tell you of my past, but I can tell you one thing.”
Celica lagged at the doorway, then looked over her shoulder, eyebrow cocked.
“What I have had,” she waved a hand at the area around them, though indicating the entire compound and every other student—or recruit—in it. “This is more than I’ve ever had.”
Celica snorted. “Then protect it.” And with that, she left.
Lily sighed, shaking her head once again before she turned back to the piano, her fingers quickly finding the notes she had been playing before, her lips parting for one final sentence as Celica left. “And I will.”
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Bio
So... Bio's are a thing now. Fancy.
Anywho!
25 y/o guy, currently student and living by myself, yada yada.
Veteran Roleplayer, with over 7-8 years of experience in both Pen & Paper and text based, with minimal LARP Experience. I have a great interest in fantasy settings and tends to dislike Post Apocalypse, or generally anything involving guns and modern weaponry. Gimme a sword and the ability to throw fire, and I'm happy.
I have relatively high standards and find myself somewhat disappointed if my posts are below 500 words, preferring ~1000+ whenever possible (sadly, not always easy). At the same time I expect similar standards from my fellow players. I also have a tendency to play female characters in spite of my being a guy, mainly because I find it more entertaining than playing the big burly guy.
Anywho!
25 y/o guy, currently student and living by myself, yada yada.
Veteran Roleplayer, with over 7-8 years of experience in both Pen & Paper and text based, with minimal LARP Experience. I have a great interest in fantasy settings and tends to dislike Post Apocalypse, or generally anything involving guns and modern weaponry. Gimme a sword and the ability to throw fire, and I'm happy.
I have relatively high standards and find myself somewhat disappointed if my posts are below 500 words, preferring ~1000+ whenever possible (sadly, not always easy). At the same time I expect similar standards from my fellow players. I also have a tendency to play female characters in spite of my being a guy, mainly because I find it more entertaining than playing the big burly guy.
Most Recent Posts
Cats are not morning people!
Yay ^^
That'll be a fun meeting :P
That'll be a fun meeting :P
Yeah... I know I revealed quite a bit. Probably shouldn't have.
By the way, should Evelina find the Rebel Bastard, would you control him in a coop post? I mean... he's sort of a "Big character" ... <.<
By the way, should Evelina find the Rebel Bastard, would you control him in a coop post? I mean... he's sort of a "Big character" ... <.<
Early morning light streamed through the tiny crack between the drapes, in the small window of a small house. The house, if it could even be called that, was the house of one of the few local healers in Olnesse. Dried herbs and various mixtures and poultices lined the many shelves hanging alone the walls in the living room and kitchen, giving the rooms a pleasant smell, if a bit strong for those not used to it. Through a small door leading out from the main room was the bedroom, furnished with little more than a bed, a cupboard and a shelf filled from top to bottom with books, ranging from the epic stories of heroes of old to the idle romance stories. Most of the books, however, were of medicine in some way; be it a book about rare or common herbs, how to set a bone after it's been broken or how one should go about treating an infection of the lungs.
Even did one not know who lived here, a single step inside and a quick glance would let anyone in on the fact that this was the home of a Healer.
Said healer, a young—and peculiar—woman by the name of Evelina reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up in bed, the light passing though the small window above her bed having woken her up much to her chagrin. The thick blanket fell away as she stretched, revealing a chest larger than even some of the most well-endowed concubines. The fact that the young woman was slim and had a toned body did nothing to hide them, rather it made them all the more noticeable.
"What am I going to do with you?" She asked herself, glancing down at herself. She sighed, reaching for the crumbled roll of old bandages on her cupboard and went about tying it around her chest. It was a work that took only a few minutes, but the results were undeniable. At least now she only look like she had an average bosom. With that done the last of the blankets were shed, revealing the most startling of her peculiarity. From the waist and down she looked not quite human, having instead digitigrade legs covered in short, brown fur, and ending in a pair of large paws complete with a set of retractable claws as sharp as any predator's. A long and agile tail extended from just above her rear as well as a pair of feline ears atop her head completed the most startling differences, though the green, slitted eyes and elongated canines also bears mentioning.
Several minutes passed during which her long, fiery hair was brushed into a state of decency, and a simple gown was adorned; legless clothing worn so as to hide her lower body. T'is true that the city of Olnesse had primarily gotten used to her odd appearance, but that did not keep her from trying to appear as normal as possible. She counted herself lucky that healers were in short supply, and with the size of Olnesse that meant that some were forced to go to her in times of need, even if they felt uncomfortable with her... peculiarities. Money is money.
Breakfast consisted of a small loaf of bread, some cheese and cold milk which had been standing outside during the night. In hindsight it probably wasn't the best of ideas to drink milk which wasn't fresh, if only because letting it stand outside during the night could very well invite some smaller Voidling or other to poison it. Luckily for her, however, nothing happened and it tasted just like milk should.
About an hour had passed since she had finished her breakfast and work had gone to her work room: A small shack, would be the best way to describe it, in which she kept most of her dried herbs and poultices. Her living room looked positive bereft of mixtures compared to how much hung from the ceiling and stood on the shelves in here.
She had started grinding a few choice herbs in hope of replenishing her store of of a certain disinfectant she was running low on. Only problem was that one of the herbs she needed for it was almost out of stock as well. She grumbled something about that herb being one of the few she had trouble growing in her own private garden. It wasn't like the forest outside of Olnesse were incredibly dangerous, as what few predators there were, were of little challenge when faced by her and her sword.
She let out a sigh, grinding the last of the herbs she had for that disinfectant. She scrunched up her nose at the sight of it; enough for five patients at most. She needed more, which meant she needed to either go to Aelholt to see if anyone sold it, or go gather it herself in the nearby woods.
"I need to hire someone to go gather for me," she grumbled, well knowing that no one would bother regardless of what she paid them... almost, at least. She wasn't poor by any means, and actually lived quite comfortably, but that didn't meant she was about to strew around her with money.
Her musings were interrupted by a series of rapid knocks on the door. It wasn't a frantic knocking, but it was quick and sharp. She turned from her work desk and carefully strode towards the door, her paws giving little in the way of sound as she walked across the wooden floor. Opening the door she peered outside through the crack, then opened it fully when she noticed who it was.
"Cormack?" She asked, taking a step back away from him, though not as an invitation to enter. "What're you doing here?" Her tone was low and cold. She had yet to forget what he did, and likely never would.
"Sorry," he muttered, dragging a hand through his unruly hair. He had seen better days, that much was for sure, and though he was reaching his fortieth year he looked somehow older; haunted, even, as he looked her in the eyes. "But there are news, something you may want to know. I just met him earlier today and he talked about a rebellion. He... He briefly mentioned something along the lines of revenge, as well."
Evelina looked up at him, her face a mask of perplexion. "What? Who?" She pressed. "Who are you talking about? Revenge for what?"
Cormack took a deep breath and let his hand fall to his side. He held the breath for several long moments before he let it go. "Have you heard of the rumours rising seemingly out of nowhere during the past few weeks?"
Evelina shook her head, tail swishing agitatedly behind her. Won't he just get on with it? "I haven't. The wolf attacks have been steadily increasing lately, and I've been busy treating patient after patient. Running low on disinfectant, too. Doesn't make it any easier that some of the patients comes from Stoneshire. One would think they'd go to Aelholt instead."
"Perhaps they were travelling to Olnes—"
"I know that's a possibility," she said, cutting off Cormack. "But why did you come? You were telling me about someone."
He looked suitably embarrassed at her comment, obviously having forgotten what he was about to say for a moment. "Right. Sorry. A young man, around your age, has been garnering support lately here in Olnesse. He's trying to start a rebellion against the king to grab the throne. He has hair like yours, and the same colour eyes. And... he also briefly spoke about a sister he had lost." He stopped then, awaiting a reply, or any kind of response.
Silence reigned for the longest time, Evelina's eyes wide and body tense. He tail had simply stopped moving, hanging limp behind her. "What?" Her voice was quiet, almost at a whisper. She gulped, almost afraid to speak herself. "Did he say who he was?"
"The bastard son of the king, and half-brother to the prince," he replied; short and to the point.
"Where?" She didn't so much say the word as she breathed it out.
Cormack shook his head. "I don't know. I met him a couple hours ago and he said that he was about to leave for one of the smaller cities to recruit. I think he's left by now."
"I..." Evelina moved away from the door, sitting down on a small stool near the work desk, hands in her hand and hair covering her face. "He's alive," she whispered. "I have to meet him." She looked up, a determined fire in her eyes. "Cormack, go find out where he is. I have to meet him. Ask around or what not. I don't care. Find him." She had barely finished her sentence before Cormack nodded and left, knowing well enough that making Evelina angry was a bad idea. Especially after their first encounter years past. She breathed out a relieved sigh, anxiety and joy welling up inside her. "Now... I—"
"Excuse me? Are you Evelina?" The voice came from the door and belonged for a young woman, a girl—somewhere around the age of five, Evelina guessed—in her arms.
"I am." She put on a smile, waving them inside. "What can I help you with?"
"Adam here got bit by a rat yesterday, and his hand has been swelling. Can you help?"
Evelina nodded and started fishing out bandages and a few mixtures. "Of course, now if you'll just..."
Even did one not know who lived here, a single step inside and a quick glance would let anyone in on the fact that this was the home of a Healer.
Said healer, a young—and peculiar—woman by the name of Evelina reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up in bed, the light passing though the small window above her bed having woken her up much to her chagrin. The thick blanket fell away as she stretched, revealing a chest larger than even some of the most well-endowed concubines. The fact that the young woman was slim and had a toned body did nothing to hide them, rather it made them all the more noticeable.
"What am I going to do with you?" She asked herself, glancing down at herself. She sighed, reaching for the crumbled roll of old bandages on her cupboard and went about tying it around her chest. It was a work that took only a few minutes, but the results were undeniable. At least now she only look like she had an average bosom. With that done the last of the blankets were shed, revealing the most startling of her peculiarity. From the waist and down she looked not quite human, having instead digitigrade legs covered in short, brown fur, and ending in a pair of large paws complete with a set of retractable claws as sharp as any predator's. A long and agile tail extended from just above her rear as well as a pair of feline ears atop her head completed the most startling differences, though the green, slitted eyes and elongated canines also bears mentioning.
Several minutes passed during which her long, fiery hair was brushed into a state of decency, and a simple gown was adorned; legless clothing worn so as to hide her lower body. T'is true that the city of Olnesse had primarily gotten used to her odd appearance, but that did not keep her from trying to appear as normal as possible. She counted herself lucky that healers were in short supply, and with the size of Olnesse that meant that some were forced to go to her in times of need, even if they felt uncomfortable with her... peculiarities. Money is money.
Breakfast consisted of a small loaf of bread, some cheese and cold milk which had been standing outside during the night. In hindsight it probably wasn't the best of ideas to drink milk which wasn't fresh, if only because letting it stand outside during the night could very well invite some smaller Voidling or other to poison it. Luckily for her, however, nothing happened and it tasted just like milk should.
About an hour had passed since she had finished her breakfast and work had gone to her work room: A small shack, would be the best way to describe it, in which she kept most of her dried herbs and poultices. Her living room looked positive bereft of mixtures compared to how much hung from the ceiling and stood on the shelves in here.
She had started grinding a few choice herbs in hope of replenishing her store of of a certain disinfectant she was running low on. Only problem was that one of the herbs she needed for it was almost out of stock as well. She grumbled something about that herb being one of the few she had trouble growing in her own private garden. It wasn't like the forest outside of Olnesse were incredibly dangerous, as what few predators there were, were of little challenge when faced by her and her sword.
She let out a sigh, grinding the last of the herbs she had for that disinfectant. She scrunched up her nose at the sight of it; enough for five patients at most. She needed more, which meant she needed to either go to Aelholt to see if anyone sold it, or go gather it herself in the nearby woods.
"I need to hire someone to go gather for me," she grumbled, well knowing that no one would bother regardless of what she paid them... almost, at least. She wasn't poor by any means, and actually lived quite comfortably, but that didn't meant she was about to strew around her with money.
Her musings were interrupted by a series of rapid knocks on the door. It wasn't a frantic knocking, but it was quick and sharp. She turned from her work desk and carefully strode towards the door, her paws giving little in the way of sound as she walked across the wooden floor. Opening the door she peered outside through the crack, then opened it fully when she noticed who it was.
"Cormack?" She asked, taking a step back away from him, though not as an invitation to enter. "What're you doing here?" Her tone was low and cold. She had yet to forget what he did, and likely never would.
"Sorry," he muttered, dragging a hand through his unruly hair. He had seen better days, that much was for sure, and though he was reaching his fortieth year he looked somehow older; haunted, even, as he looked her in the eyes. "But there are news, something you may want to know. I just met him earlier today and he talked about a rebellion. He... He briefly mentioned something along the lines of revenge, as well."
Evelina looked up at him, her face a mask of perplexion. "What? Who?" She pressed. "Who are you talking about? Revenge for what?"
Cormack took a deep breath and let his hand fall to his side. He held the breath for several long moments before he let it go. "Have you heard of the rumours rising seemingly out of nowhere during the past few weeks?"
Evelina shook her head, tail swishing agitatedly behind her. Won't he just get on with it? "I haven't. The wolf attacks have been steadily increasing lately, and I've been busy treating patient after patient. Running low on disinfectant, too. Doesn't make it any easier that some of the patients comes from Stoneshire. One would think they'd go to Aelholt instead."
"Perhaps they were travelling to Olnes—"
"I know that's a possibility," she said, cutting off Cormack. "But why did you come? You were telling me about someone."
He looked suitably embarrassed at her comment, obviously having forgotten what he was about to say for a moment. "Right. Sorry. A young man, around your age, has been garnering support lately here in Olnesse. He's trying to start a rebellion against the king to grab the throne. He has hair like yours, and the same colour eyes. And... he also briefly spoke about a sister he had lost." He stopped then, awaiting a reply, or any kind of response.
Silence reigned for the longest time, Evelina's eyes wide and body tense. He tail had simply stopped moving, hanging limp behind her. "What?" Her voice was quiet, almost at a whisper. She gulped, almost afraid to speak herself. "Did he say who he was?"
"The bastard son of the king, and half-brother to the prince," he replied; short and to the point.
"Where?" She didn't so much say the word as she breathed it out.
Cormack shook his head. "I don't know. I met him a couple hours ago and he said that he was about to leave for one of the smaller cities to recruit. I think he's left by now."
"I..." Evelina moved away from the door, sitting down on a small stool near the work desk, hands in her hand and hair covering her face. "He's alive," she whispered. "I have to meet him." She looked up, a determined fire in her eyes. "Cormack, go find out where he is. I have to meet him. Ask around or what not. I don't care. Find him." She had barely finished her sentence before Cormack nodded and left, knowing well enough that making Evelina angry was a bad idea. Especially after their first encounter years past. She breathed out a relieved sigh, anxiety and joy welling up inside her. "Now... I—"
"Excuse me? Are you Evelina?" The voice came from the door and belonged for a young woman, a girl—somewhere around the age of five, Evelina guessed—in her arms.
"I am." She put on a smile, waving them inside. "What can I help you with?"
"Adam here got bit by a rat yesterday, and his hand has been swelling. Can you help?"
Evelina nodded and started fishing out bandages and a few mixtures. "Of course, now if you'll just..."
No... definitely not what I expected. Had expected someone a bit slimmer, honestly. Don't ask me why, I think it's because of the Avatar Picture xP
I said Blood Magic, not Blood Bending :P Totally different xD
Eitherway, it's late and I should go to bed. Night! (I expect your cat to behave and not fuck stuff up this time! :p Also, Gdocs save automatically ^^)
Eitherway, it's late and I should go to bed. Night! (I expect your cat to behave and not fuck stuff up this time! :p Also, Gdocs save automatically ^^)
Aeon, one thing I got to thinking about earlier today: Blood Magic. Is it a thing? If yes, outlawed? Allowed? What can/does it do, and how dangerous is it? (Not gonna use it, but some might)
Aeon PM'ed me! He is online! *sits and waits eagerly for the IC to pop up, holding onto hope that Real Life has been kind to Aeon*
Wisps of smoke seemed to drift from the corners of her eyes, removing the space around her head. It spread. An impenetrable blackness spreading outwards and surrounding a wide area around them, the two of them being the only things visible.
“I hope you had fun. Enjoy your Wonderland.” She raised one arm and brought it down, a titanic dragon foot coming from above Alice, sending her crashing down onto the ground. She walked closer, each step sending ripples across the blackness surrounding them. Each one bringing her closer to Alice. As the walked, the crackles of energy seemed to move, travelling from all around her body to her right hand, all of it gathering for one last blow.
Well… fuck. Alice thought, She’s cranky, and it seems I should to get out of here. She looked at the dragon claw, straining against the weight. “I really don’t like illusions.” She pushed against the claw, bracing herself as she pushed once more, straining to lift the massive weight. She panted slightly, shoving against it more, Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck it all. Fuck the weight, it’s not there. She grinned as the claw moved, flooding her body with more magic, channeling it all into getting the damned claw off. “MOVE SOME MORE ALREADY, DAMNIT!” she shouted at the foot, shoving it with all her might again and almost blinking in suprise as the claw shifted considerably, more than enough for her to kick it off and roll out.
“You really need to get a thicker skin.” she called over to Lily, building up energy throughout her own body and channeling it into her sword. She flew at Lily with flames licking off her own body and let loose an arc of flame bigger and stronger than anything else she’d made that day, she wasn’t trying to kill Lily, far from it. She began pumping her wings with a fury, trying to get away from the homicidal Kitsune. She was pretty confident that sparring matches weren’t to the death. She shouted, “Hah, take tha-” only to stop abruptly as several ropes blindsided her, latching onto her legs and torso, “Oh fucking hell.” she swore, throwing another quick blast of flame Lily’s way and straining against the new illusion.
Lily’s left hand clenched into a fist, the ropes she had summoned from the ground latching unto Alice and holding her in place. They didn’t, however, latch unto her arms quick enough to stop the blast from coming. Not that she cared. She was way past caring.
The flames hit her dead center, and while she was forced to take a step back and use her tails to avoid getting thrown back, she continued forward. What remained of her shirt hang in tatters around her; one half of her sleeve still clung to her shoulder, but the rest was dust and ashe. Her torso wasn’t in much better shape, either. A large wound of sizzling flesh and oozing blood covered the upper half of her chest, spreading further across her left shoulder and arm.
But despite that she still did not show any signs of pain save for gritting her teeth even more.
With a few more steps she closed the distance between the two, standing face to face with Alice, Lily’s slitted eyes boring into the Valkyrie’s. With almost torturous slowness she raised her right hand, a large orb of swirling blue energy hovering just above her palm. With an almost animalistic scream, she brought it down. And was stopped.
A hand seemingly materialized out of nothing, grabbing hold of Lily’s arm before the orb connected with Alice’ face. Barely a split second later and the orb was snuffed out like a candle, and Ikari stepped into view. With a wave of her free hand the illusions around the were banished and Alice found herself able to move again.
Lily looked up, her eyes livid with barely restrained anger. It was Ikari, that much she realised, but she cared not the least for her right now. “Why did you stop me?” She demanded.
“Because you would have killed her had I not,” the Mythic answered, her tone calm and collected, but with a dangerous edge to it. The furrow of her brow only deepened as Lily spat at her feet.
“And so what?”
What Ikari said next was in a tone that could only be described as dangerous. Even Lily in her current state gave pause at the tone, yet it was too late. “That’s enough,” she said, and barraged Lily’s mind with just enough force that she fell unconscious, then turned to Alice. “You’re not off the hook either. Her wounds will be tended to first, and then we will have a talk.” She raised an eyebrow, challenging Alice to so much as think about speaking up against her. “Got it?”
Alice gave a small salute and a nod. The near brush with death had certainly shaken her a bit, but she kept it under lock and key.
Ikari nodded and lifted Lily from where she lay, carrying her with one arm under her back, and another behind her knees. “Follow me,” she said, then turned her attention to the mental link. ”Everything’s in order here, Draco. I got Lily, but she needs urgent medical care; go get The Sister Dryads. Also, these two were the last of them. You can tell everybody that classes are over for the day.”
”Got it. And good luck.”
“And you’re not leaving here until you’ve both worked it out,” Ikari warned, closing the door behind her.
Lily and Alice were currently in what—at the moment—could best be described as an interrogation room, albeit far more comfortable thanks to the small fireplace, table, armchairs and a single couch. It was, in fact, one of Ikari’s personal rooms, but for Lily it felt like she was some suspect in a mystery novel.
Bandages covered her entire chest as well as her shoulder and upper arm. The Sister Dryads could have healed her completely to the point where there wouldn’t even be scarring, but Ikari had asked them to leave enough damage that she was forced to deal with the pain for the remaining few weeks it’d take to heal naturally. At least they promised there wouldn’t be any scarring.
She moved to the nearest chair and sat down, hands restlessly playing with her braid. Ikari had asked—no, commanded—them to work out their differences. That included an apology on both sides, as well as an explanation, she had said. She wasn’t much keen on it, if she had to be honest, so she simply stared into the fire for the time being, completely ignoring the presence of Alice.
Alice, for her part, lacked any significant injuries. There was bruising here and there, and a bloodied lip, but for the most part she stood uninjured. The room was considerably nicer than she’d been expecting, and she walked slowly and stiffly towards another chair, furthest from the fireplace, sitting down without removing her hands from the pockets of her coat. She replayed the fight from earlier in her mind, analyzing it and thinking up new strategies for fighting another Kitsune like Lily, or even Lily herself again.
Eyes trained on the fireplace, watching the flames dance and weave, grow and shrink, minutes passed without Lily even noticing it. Her mind was… empty; the fight was forgotten, Alice’s presence unregistered. Even Ikari’s orders were pushed to the far recesses of her mind. But even then, a question came to her, one she spoke without even realising it.
“Why?”
Alice looked up, over at Lily, muttering something along the lines of “Hmm?” Her mind kept replaying the fight from earlier, now having moved on to tactical errors of hers, “Sorry, what’d you say?”
Glancing at Alice through the corner of her eyes, Lily said again. “Why?” Her gaze returned to the fireplace. “Why did you say what you said?”
“Why do we say anything?” Alice replied, leaning back into the chair, “Why did we suddenly see fit to sling insults at each other? Why are we sitting here right now asking why?” she looked up at the ceiling, “Honestly, we were taunting each other, baiting each other. The insults got worse and hit home more accurately. It was only a matter of time before either you or I found an especially sore spot, I just found it faster.”
Silence reigned again for moment after moment, until enough time had passed that Lily didn’t care guess how much. Could’ve been half an hour, could’ve been an entire hour. Her gaze was still fixed on the flames, having purged Alice’s presence from her mind as best as possible, yet… it wasn’t entirely possible. She could hear her rustling; the slight movements of someone trying to sit still.
“Tell me,” She said after a long while. “What’s it like having a family? A home? Friends?”
Alice looked to her and shrugged. “Does a father who makes Drill Sergeant Hartman look kind and understanding count as family?” she sighed, leaning into the chair, “Do black belts with an attitude problem count as friends? Wouldn’t a home be a place you want to return to?”
Lily’s eyes were trained on the tip of her braid she was still playing with when Alice spoke, and she couldn’t quite help but give a lopsided grin, but it was empty; devoid of life. Grim, even. “Hell if I know. Sounds like you had a father, food, and a place to sleep, at least.”
Alice glanced back over at Lily, grumbling, “Wouldn’t call that sick fuck a father, but you are right about the latter two.” she leaned back into the chair again, “Damnit.” she sighed.
“But he was there, is what it sounds like to me,” Lily said, unable to counter Alice complaints with what might be called the silver lining. “Cruel though he may have been, but you had him… I had a cardboard box.”
Alice blinked. “Oh.” she rasped awkwardly, her voice dropping off a bit as she muttered again, “Oh.”
Lily couldn’t help but smile ruefully. The way Alice spoke made it easy to hear that the comment had taken her off guard. “Twenty one years,” she continued, figuring that she may as well get it over with. Not like she’d get out before she gave at least half the truth. “I’m twenty three.”
Alice nodded, “I see.”
“That’s why I asked you those questions. Because I don’t know. To say I’ve been lonely would be the understatement of the century. Heck, there are two people in this world I’d consider friends, and one of them died seventeen years ago. And family… It’s a word as foreign to me as the sun. I’ve heard it, I’ve seen it, but I don’t know what it feels like.” She glanced at Alice. “And don’t think I’m going to start sobbing and asking for a hug.” She looked back to the fire. Silence.
“If we’re talking blood relatives you didn’t miss much, as far as I’m concerned.” Alice grumbled back at Lily, “If you want to talk family, maybe don’t talk family with me. All I’ve got from family is a contract with a private military company and this.” she waved her right leg around aimlessly for a second, before halfheartedly grabbing the pant leg and pulling it up.
The dull firelight gleamed off of black carbon nanotubes in thick cords, clinging to dull grey composites underneath, a solid rod of the same composite material around the place the fibula would normally be, outside the mass of synthetic muscle. Parts of the leg resembled an organic one in shape, while others looked like something straight out of science fiction.
Despite herself, Lily turned her head to look as she heard Alice move and pull up the pant leg, revealing the prosthetic. She couldn’t help but snort. “Congratulations. You have a fake leg. What’s it to do with anything?” She looked back at the fire. “If anything, I’ll agree that it’d suck to lose a part of your body.” She sighed, glancing at the door. How long do I have to be stuck with this bitch? “Did you have a mother?”
“The fake leg is to do with that father you think was nice to have around, he’s the one responsible for needing it.” she grumbled, “And no, I didn’t have a mother.”
“Better to have something you hate than nothing at all,” Lily murmured. “You could say that’s why I stuck with Tsukiko. Hated her positive attitude to begin with, but I kept near her because she was the only thing I had. That and she refused to let me get out of sight.” She sighed, closing her eyes briefly before she stood up and faced Alice. “Don’t discount what you had just because he treated you like shit. He stuck with your for a reason, even if you don’t realise it. Regardless of how much you hate him, you have something I don’t, and what you said—” she waved her hand in the direction she hoped was to their previous fighting grounds “—out there reminded me of that. You rubbed it in my face that I had never had anything whatsoever before I came here.” She stopped, tilting her head. “Do you understand now why I reacted the way I did?”
Alice nodded simply, “Yes. I can see why.”
“A word of warning, then,” Lily said, her voice taking on a warning edge. “Don’t ever say anything like that to me again. I’m not going to try to make a threat, but should we be put on the same team we need to be able to trust each other, and that’s not going to happen if you don’t keep your mouth in check.”
“But enough of that, I’m tired of being here. Ikari told us to apologise, so I will apologise for acting the way I did,” for trying to kill you. She didn’t move for the door, but just looked at Alice.
Alice nodded, “I apologize for what I said.” We’re all assholes here, it seems.
Contrary even to what Lily herself would have thought, she smiled; not mischievously or falsely, but an actual thankful smile, even though it was brief. “Thanks.” With that she walked out the door, leaving it open behind for Alice to exit as well. She briefly caught Ikari looking at her as she made her way out of the Mythic’s rooms, just barely noticing the small, approving nod they received.
Alice rose and walked out after Lily, acknowledging Ikari’s nod. Depending on the Morrigan’s attitude she’ll either be amused or kick my ass. Maybe both. she thought as she walked towards the exit, looking at nothing in particular, even if she kept her ears and general senses open as usual.
Lily was already well on her way towards her own rooms, but the one who had waited for her was not. As Alice stepped through the door to the hallways outside of Ikari’s room, Tsukiko grabbed one of Alice’s shoulders and pressed her against the wall with the one arm currently not in a sling, her usually kid eyes filled with something akin to fear. “Please,” she said, “be careful what you say around her. She’s more fragile than you think.”
Alice looked after her, “I’ll keep that in mind, please tell her I am sorry.” she began to walk to her own dorm, muttering silently to herself, “Join the club…”
Tsukiko grinned, her large canines making her look not quite as happy as she had hoped. “I will.” She then removed her hand from Alice’s shoulder and started at a jog to catch up to Lily.
“I hope you had fun. Enjoy your Wonderland.” She raised one arm and brought it down, a titanic dragon foot coming from above Alice, sending her crashing down onto the ground. She walked closer, each step sending ripples across the blackness surrounding them. Each one bringing her closer to Alice. As the walked, the crackles of energy seemed to move, travelling from all around her body to her right hand, all of it gathering for one last blow.
Well… fuck. Alice thought, She’s cranky, and it seems I should to get out of here. She looked at the dragon claw, straining against the weight. “I really don’t like illusions.” She pushed against the claw, bracing herself as she pushed once more, straining to lift the massive weight. She panted slightly, shoving against it more, Fuck this. Fuck this. Fuck it all. Fuck the weight, it’s not there. She grinned as the claw moved, flooding her body with more magic, channeling it all into getting the damned claw off. “MOVE SOME MORE ALREADY, DAMNIT!” she shouted at the foot, shoving it with all her might again and almost blinking in suprise as the claw shifted considerably, more than enough for her to kick it off and roll out.
“You really need to get a thicker skin.” she called over to Lily, building up energy throughout her own body and channeling it into her sword. She flew at Lily with flames licking off her own body and let loose an arc of flame bigger and stronger than anything else she’d made that day, she wasn’t trying to kill Lily, far from it. She began pumping her wings with a fury, trying to get away from the homicidal Kitsune. She was pretty confident that sparring matches weren’t to the death. She shouted, “Hah, take tha-” only to stop abruptly as several ropes blindsided her, latching onto her legs and torso, “Oh fucking hell.” she swore, throwing another quick blast of flame Lily’s way and straining against the new illusion.
Lily’s left hand clenched into a fist, the ropes she had summoned from the ground latching unto Alice and holding her in place. They didn’t, however, latch unto her arms quick enough to stop the blast from coming. Not that she cared. She was way past caring.
The flames hit her dead center, and while she was forced to take a step back and use her tails to avoid getting thrown back, she continued forward. What remained of her shirt hang in tatters around her; one half of her sleeve still clung to her shoulder, but the rest was dust and ashe. Her torso wasn’t in much better shape, either. A large wound of sizzling flesh and oozing blood covered the upper half of her chest, spreading further across her left shoulder and arm.
But despite that she still did not show any signs of pain save for gritting her teeth even more.
With a few more steps she closed the distance between the two, standing face to face with Alice, Lily’s slitted eyes boring into the Valkyrie’s. With almost torturous slowness she raised her right hand, a large orb of swirling blue energy hovering just above her palm. With an almost animalistic scream, she brought it down. And was stopped.
A hand seemingly materialized out of nothing, grabbing hold of Lily’s arm before the orb connected with Alice’ face. Barely a split second later and the orb was snuffed out like a candle, and Ikari stepped into view. With a wave of her free hand the illusions around the were banished and Alice found herself able to move again.
Lily looked up, her eyes livid with barely restrained anger. It was Ikari, that much she realised, but she cared not the least for her right now. “Why did you stop me?” She demanded.
“Because you would have killed her had I not,” the Mythic answered, her tone calm and collected, but with a dangerous edge to it. The furrow of her brow only deepened as Lily spat at her feet.
“And so what?”
What Ikari said next was in a tone that could only be described as dangerous. Even Lily in her current state gave pause at the tone, yet it was too late. “That’s enough,” she said, and barraged Lily’s mind with just enough force that she fell unconscious, then turned to Alice. “You’re not off the hook either. Her wounds will be tended to first, and then we will have a talk.” She raised an eyebrow, challenging Alice to so much as think about speaking up against her. “Got it?”
Alice gave a small salute and a nod. The near brush with death had certainly shaken her a bit, but she kept it under lock and key.
Ikari nodded and lifted Lily from where she lay, carrying her with one arm under her back, and another behind her knees. “Follow me,” she said, then turned her attention to the mental link. ”Everything’s in order here, Draco. I got Lily, but she needs urgent medical care; go get The Sister Dryads. Also, these two were the last of them. You can tell everybody that classes are over for the day.”
”Got it. And good luck.”
“And you’re not leaving here until you’ve both worked it out,” Ikari warned, closing the door behind her.
Lily and Alice were currently in what—at the moment—could best be described as an interrogation room, albeit far more comfortable thanks to the small fireplace, table, armchairs and a single couch. It was, in fact, one of Ikari’s personal rooms, but for Lily it felt like she was some suspect in a mystery novel.
Bandages covered her entire chest as well as her shoulder and upper arm. The Sister Dryads could have healed her completely to the point where there wouldn’t even be scarring, but Ikari had asked them to leave enough damage that she was forced to deal with the pain for the remaining few weeks it’d take to heal naturally. At least they promised there wouldn’t be any scarring.
She moved to the nearest chair and sat down, hands restlessly playing with her braid. Ikari had asked—no, commanded—them to work out their differences. That included an apology on both sides, as well as an explanation, she had said. She wasn’t much keen on it, if she had to be honest, so she simply stared into the fire for the time being, completely ignoring the presence of Alice.
Alice, for her part, lacked any significant injuries. There was bruising here and there, and a bloodied lip, but for the most part she stood uninjured. The room was considerably nicer than she’d been expecting, and she walked slowly and stiffly towards another chair, furthest from the fireplace, sitting down without removing her hands from the pockets of her coat. She replayed the fight from earlier in her mind, analyzing it and thinking up new strategies for fighting another Kitsune like Lily, or even Lily herself again.
Eyes trained on the fireplace, watching the flames dance and weave, grow and shrink, minutes passed without Lily even noticing it. Her mind was… empty; the fight was forgotten, Alice’s presence unregistered. Even Ikari’s orders were pushed to the far recesses of her mind. But even then, a question came to her, one she spoke without even realising it.
“Why?”
Alice looked up, over at Lily, muttering something along the lines of “Hmm?” Her mind kept replaying the fight from earlier, now having moved on to tactical errors of hers, “Sorry, what’d you say?”
Glancing at Alice through the corner of her eyes, Lily said again. “Why?” Her gaze returned to the fireplace. “Why did you say what you said?”
“Why do we say anything?” Alice replied, leaning back into the chair, “Why did we suddenly see fit to sling insults at each other? Why are we sitting here right now asking why?” she looked up at the ceiling, “Honestly, we were taunting each other, baiting each other. The insults got worse and hit home more accurately. It was only a matter of time before either you or I found an especially sore spot, I just found it faster.”
Silence reigned again for moment after moment, until enough time had passed that Lily didn’t care guess how much. Could’ve been half an hour, could’ve been an entire hour. Her gaze was still fixed on the flames, having purged Alice’s presence from her mind as best as possible, yet… it wasn’t entirely possible. She could hear her rustling; the slight movements of someone trying to sit still.
“Tell me,” She said after a long while. “What’s it like having a family? A home? Friends?”
Alice looked to her and shrugged. “Does a father who makes Drill Sergeant Hartman look kind and understanding count as family?” she sighed, leaning into the chair, “Do black belts with an attitude problem count as friends? Wouldn’t a home be a place you want to return to?”
Lily’s eyes were trained on the tip of her braid she was still playing with when Alice spoke, and she couldn’t quite help but give a lopsided grin, but it was empty; devoid of life. Grim, even. “Hell if I know. Sounds like you had a father, food, and a place to sleep, at least.”
Alice glanced back over at Lily, grumbling, “Wouldn’t call that sick fuck a father, but you are right about the latter two.” she leaned back into the chair again, “Damnit.” she sighed.
“But he was there, is what it sounds like to me,” Lily said, unable to counter Alice complaints with what might be called the silver lining. “Cruel though he may have been, but you had him… I had a cardboard box.”
Alice blinked. “Oh.” she rasped awkwardly, her voice dropping off a bit as she muttered again, “Oh.”
Lily couldn’t help but smile ruefully. The way Alice spoke made it easy to hear that the comment had taken her off guard. “Twenty one years,” she continued, figuring that she may as well get it over with. Not like she’d get out before she gave at least half the truth. “I’m twenty three.”
Alice nodded, “I see.”
“That’s why I asked you those questions. Because I don’t know. To say I’ve been lonely would be the understatement of the century. Heck, there are two people in this world I’d consider friends, and one of them died seventeen years ago. And family… It’s a word as foreign to me as the sun. I’ve heard it, I’ve seen it, but I don’t know what it feels like.” She glanced at Alice. “And don’t think I’m going to start sobbing and asking for a hug.” She looked back to the fire. Silence.
“If we’re talking blood relatives you didn’t miss much, as far as I’m concerned.” Alice grumbled back at Lily, “If you want to talk family, maybe don’t talk family with me. All I’ve got from family is a contract with a private military company and this.” she waved her right leg around aimlessly for a second, before halfheartedly grabbing the pant leg and pulling it up.
The dull firelight gleamed off of black carbon nanotubes in thick cords, clinging to dull grey composites underneath, a solid rod of the same composite material around the place the fibula would normally be, outside the mass of synthetic muscle. Parts of the leg resembled an organic one in shape, while others looked like something straight out of science fiction.
Despite herself, Lily turned her head to look as she heard Alice move and pull up the pant leg, revealing the prosthetic. She couldn’t help but snort. “Congratulations. You have a fake leg. What’s it to do with anything?” She looked back at the fire. “If anything, I’ll agree that it’d suck to lose a part of your body.” She sighed, glancing at the door. How long do I have to be stuck with this bitch? “Did you have a mother?”
“The fake leg is to do with that father you think was nice to have around, he’s the one responsible for needing it.” she grumbled, “And no, I didn’t have a mother.”
“Better to have something you hate than nothing at all,” Lily murmured. “You could say that’s why I stuck with Tsukiko. Hated her positive attitude to begin with, but I kept near her because she was the only thing I had. That and she refused to let me get out of sight.” She sighed, closing her eyes briefly before she stood up and faced Alice. “Don’t discount what you had just because he treated you like shit. He stuck with your for a reason, even if you don’t realise it. Regardless of how much you hate him, you have something I don’t, and what you said—” she waved her hand in the direction she hoped was to their previous fighting grounds “—out there reminded me of that. You rubbed it in my face that I had never had anything whatsoever before I came here.” She stopped, tilting her head. “Do you understand now why I reacted the way I did?”
Alice nodded simply, “Yes. I can see why.”
“A word of warning, then,” Lily said, her voice taking on a warning edge. “Don’t ever say anything like that to me again. I’m not going to try to make a threat, but should we be put on the same team we need to be able to trust each other, and that’s not going to happen if you don’t keep your mouth in check.”
“But enough of that, I’m tired of being here. Ikari told us to apologise, so I will apologise for acting the way I did,” for trying to kill you. She didn’t move for the door, but just looked at Alice.
Alice nodded, “I apologize for what I said.” We’re all assholes here, it seems.
Contrary even to what Lily herself would have thought, she smiled; not mischievously or falsely, but an actual thankful smile, even though it was brief. “Thanks.” With that she walked out the door, leaving it open behind for Alice to exit as well. She briefly caught Ikari looking at her as she made her way out of the Mythic’s rooms, just barely noticing the small, approving nod they received.
Alice rose and walked out after Lily, acknowledging Ikari’s nod. Depending on the Morrigan’s attitude she’ll either be amused or kick my ass. Maybe both. she thought as she walked towards the exit, looking at nothing in particular, even if she kept her ears and general senses open as usual.
Lily was already well on her way towards her own rooms, but the one who had waited for her was not. As Alice stepped through the door to the hallways outside of Ikari’s room, Tsukiko grabbed one of Alice’s shoulders and pressed her against the wall with the one arm currently not in a sling, her usually kid eyes filled with something akin to fear. “Please,” she said, “be careful what you say around her. She’s more fragile than you think.”
Alice looked after her, “I’ll keep that in mind, please tell her I am sorry.” she began to walk to her own dorm, muttering silently to herself, “Join the club…”
Tsukiko grinned, her large canines making her look not quite as happy as she had hoped. “I will.” She then removed her hand from Alice’s shoulder and started at a jog to catch up to Lily.
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