Neki
EcoGrid Master
Just a Doll in a Belfry
Posts: 683
RP Characters: Mykah Mikelle, Shinrah Marr, Lyr Ballamy
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Post by Neki on Sept 25, 2010 13:49:09 GMT -5
ok, here it finally is! I have my sotry!
[glow=red,2,300]Edges of an Endless Summer[/glow]
Wind blew slightly over the city scape, ruffling the few grasses that were allowed to grow next to buildings. The moon was a slight claw in the sky, giving faint light on the building. Shadows danced in the silver light, all tinged with a serene beauty. There was no one out in sight, leaving the world ethereal and peaceful, no movement to startle this early evening beauty.
A shadow moved from under one of the high rooftops, slinking into the light. It was a slim figure, long red black hair blowing around with a mind of its own. The woman watched the ground, thinking. Her ears twitched at the bark of a nearby crocodog, but there was no other movement. Her green grey eyes scanned the world as her mind spun in circles. She tried to concentrate o the task at hand, but her mind went back to the smiling face.
A smiling face, unfocused eyes cloudy blue. Blue hair waving in the wind showing the scars across his face and ears. She closed her eyes for a moment to remember the spicy scent that followed him around. It was electric, and it was something that would not be forgotten. A trash can crashed a few feet away and she was alert, eyes opening and watching everything. She saw another shadow move, and decided to follow it. It weaved in and out of the darkness, form barely even an outline. Damn. Someone’s gotten a hold of those new sneak suits. That makes me angry. Lazy bastards are all going to start relying on tech to hide them. She sighed, moving across the roof tiles soundlessly. This house was one the lucky ones to even have roof tiles. Most just had shingles or thick tin plates.
She jumped off the roof, landing cat soft on the ground and rolling to a stop. She smiled to herself, thinking she needed more practice. The landing could have been completely silent. The young woman sighed, pulling a band from her pocket. She knew the shadow could keep, and her hair was getting in the way. She took a moment to enforce it into a hast braid. The band slipped around, causing her to curse it In her mind. Out of all things her hair was her one vanity. Even though it could give a hold for an attacker she still had it. Even so, she had devised a piece to braid in her hair that had needle sharp spikes. It anyone dared to grab it they would regret it for a long while.
Hair out of the way she meandered down the street. The need for secrecy was less than usual, but it was still there. She blatantly ignored it, hoping anyone watching noticed. She knew there were at least three of them with the way the shadows moved, but she couldn’t be sure. Sometimes even her special senses failed her. Calculation ran through her head as she moved to the meeting place. The message was to be delivered to Darren by her hand, but she was going to be careful. She didn’t want it to be delivered with her head as well.
Someone stepped out into the open, sneak suit wavering in the ghostly light. It was another woman, her unbound hair cut strangely.
“ We have the message for you to take to Darren, Red Dragon.” She told said. An envelope was clutched in her hand. The assassin flinched inwardly at the name. She noticed that the messenger said we, and immediately knew there were many people there. She also knew that it spelled nothing but ill for her. The young woman sighed, wondering what to do now. She could always take the envelope and just leave, but a feeling let her to believe that that was going to be out of the question. She smiled at the woman and walked forward, taking the envelope. Her smile was almost threatening, and not something a person would want to come against.
“ Then I’ll be going. You might want to tell your buddies following would be a bad idea. People who vex me don’t live very long.” She watched a tic of surprise jump in the woman’s face, then she nodded gravely. The assassin turned and walked away, hearing the ruffle of fabric. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting her senses tell her what was happening. There were two waiting for her a couple hundred feet ahead, two following behind her. She shook her head, readying herself for some fun. Inside the well of eco opened, slowly flooding her body and giving her more strength than she normally had. She didn’t want to be caught of guard, and was ready for whatever was coming.
As she passed under an alleyway arch something above moved ever so slightly. She tensed, and waited. The shadows moved, getting ready to come down. The young woman watched and moved along, wanting them to think she had no clue they were there. In her mind she went over what could happen, then grimaced. Other times things had gone wrong. The yellow eco bomb, the fake intel…..
Something above snapped, and the shadows rolled off the roof like black rain. Their landing were soft and quiet, only the strip of their eyes visible. Their sneak suits mimicked the area around them, silver moon light and all. She watched their faint outlines shift, waiting for her to say or do something. Well, I might as well give them a show if their expecting it. I wouldn’t want to disappoint whoever is paying to try and have me doused. She watched them carefully too, waiting for them to move. She wasn’t going to be first in this game of cat and mouse. Unfortunately these people must have never heard how she was dragon and liked to eat little kitties.
“ Now ladies and gentleman,” She stated, watching their eyes. “ There’s no need for this. Run back to your kennel like good puppies and don’t bother me again. You won’t like the consequences of my anger.” She told them. A ripple of laughter passed through them. The one in the middle, a woman, stepped forward slightly.
“ Dragons may have teeth, but we’re going to pull yours out..” She threatened, a low burr in her voice. She watched them shifting, waiting for some minute signal from the head woman. They looked nervous, more so than any one sent to do a job like this should look. A mental smile bloomed in her mind. They were a afraid of her.
She turned and started to walk away, every sense on fire, waiting for movement behind her. The air shifted as they moved, liquid shdows disappearing. She could feel their movement above her as if they thought they could take her down from above. The shadows rolled off the roof again, surrounding her. There were more than before, maybe ten or so. She sighed, looking around with no amusemnt on her face.
“ Now now, no sense making me angry. I win’t play nice.” Her deadly sweet voice rang in the circle. A shiver went through some of the less experienced of the group. She looked at them, trying to figure out who to take down first. They all looked green, too green to be out on a mision like this.
“ Fine. Its your fault. Playing with fire gets you burned.” She streaked out, fast as lightening, channeling her eco into her fist as she clipped the shoulder of one of them. The suited person went down, unmoving. She spun around, fist catching one of them coming up behind her. Two more moved in, trying to corner her. She rolled in between them, charging her legs with eco. When she uncurled she shot into the air, leaving dents in the ground from the force. The two climbed up the building side, and she jumped off the side, careening into them. Both fell, and she could hear the crunches of breaking bones.
“SHINRAH!” The yell stopped her cold. She turned slowly, not liking the sound of her name on the womans lips. She could see she and the woman were alone, the other.s having fled with their downed comrades. Shinrah watched her carefully, testing her reserves of eco. There wasn’t all that much left.
“ How do you know my name?” She aske din a low seething voice. The woman smiled through her mask, making the thin shadows around her move. Shinrah watched her carfully, ready to move. She was slowly focusing the energy she had left into her fist, waiting to smash the womans face in.
“ We all know We all know we’re to look for Shinrah Marr, The Red Dragon, and kill her. Hmph. You don’t seem like much. Anyone could take out a few green wannabes. I rthink Genjii and Trisana would be disappointed.” The woman laughed coldly, and the anger that was building inside Shinrah snappeed. What was left of her ed eco vanishedd, leaving only something roiling with the tang out lightning in its wake. The woman lost sight of her for a second, and there was a snap. The woman fell to the ground, dead of a broken neck. She hadn’t even seen the surge of lightining power that had propelled Shinrah forward and made her mve faster than she ever had before.
Letting out a deep breath she started to walk away, but something was tugging at her mind. The names tat she had been given, those of her parents. She had never known their names until now. Genjii and Trisana. I wonder… She shook her head, moving faster so she could deliver the message.
It was darker out now, even more so than it had been only an hour ago. Shinrah was home, getting ready for dinner. She sat there, wondering what was going to happen. She needed to start getting ready, but something occurred to her. She didn’t really have any nice clothes. Not a dress or skirts, but just something nnice. Frustration creeped over her, only adding to her now aching arm. It was covered in bruises from blocking hits, and it made her angry. Maybe, just maybe she would have use for that ouytfit that Lark had given her so long ago. She shook her head, red black hair a waves of darkness. Shinrah walked over to the sink, staring out the small window there. The sound of happy children laughing drifted in, and she only sighed. She didn’t want children. No, but, maybe. NO! Why am I thinking these traitorous thoughts? How did I even get like this. I guess I… I guess I love him in my own way. But, how long can this go on? Hw can I live like this and lie to Leo? It doesn’t feel right. I feel like I shouldn’t be lying to him. Ever. She crashed her fists against the counter, leaning over and laying her forehead on the cool surface. Her brain spun in circles a it did every time she thought abut Leo. At least he wasn’t here to share her tumoil. She wasn’t sure if she could handle that, seeing him saddened with her.
She opened her eyes, staring at the counter. The swilrs of cool marble soothed her, made her think things over again. She knew she could do this. She lifted her head up and looked out of the window again, seing lights from the street lighting the tiny bit of backyard she had. Shinrah made a face, then turned away going upstairs. Her room was simple, and she liked it thT WAY. She moved to her bed, pulling up three of the floorboards. A black box lay underneath, rectangular and flat. Shinrah pulled it out and set it on the bed, a cloud of dust coming off of it. She stared at it, a single word written in white words the top.
Queenie
She sighed and opened it. The box had been a gift from Lark, one of the few people she had trusted in the gang. Lark had been her mentor, teaching her all that she knew. Sometimes Lark even came around to say hi and give her another “lesson”. More or less a beating of her life. She smiled t the memory.
Shinrah pulled the clothes out of the box. The shirt was a deep green, a color akin to her eyes. It was simple, the sleeves going halfway down her lower arm. The slacks were black and simple, elegant. There was a necklace too made of malachite, and a bracelet, but she couldn’t bear to take of the necklace Jaythen had given her. It was her only link now, for she thought him dead. She pulled another box from the space, thick black boots in its depth. Though they were beautiful they were not as innocuous as they seemed. Knives could be stored in them in sheathes she had, and things could be stored in the hollow heels. She didn’t waste another moment, putting the outift on.
Once that was done she braided the edges of her hair, pinning them up like a red black halo around her head.
“ Fits my blackened soul..” She muttered looking at herself in the large ornate mirror.
There was a knock downstairs, and she tensed listeing attentively. She could hear soft curses in a familiar voice and smiled. Making her way down the stairs quickly she saw Leo seated in the seat that faced the stairqway. As her foot touched the bottom stair, making a soft click his sightless eyes gazed at her. She smiled a dazzling smile of innocence one would never guess she had. Somehow Leo made her feel like she was when she was younger, when she had Jaythen
[/]Fire and rain trice damned! I must stop thinking of him. I haven’t seen him in forever and I most likely won’t ever see him again. I just have to stop.[/I] The quiet thoughts only took a second before she resumed her movement. It wasn’t the soft movement of someone excited, it was the quick, hard edged movement of someone who was nervous. She tried not to show it, but her muslces were all tense as if she were ready for battle. In a way it was a battle, one with herself that she had been fighting for weeks now. She was slowly working on how to figure this out, but it was slow going. The smile flickered, spreading to her eyes as she really looked at Leo. He wore a clean white shirt with black pants and matte black shoes. His mussy hair was combed to stay moderately orderly, and a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. Looking at him it only came as an after thought that the scars on his face made him look rugged. She never seemed to notice them when she looked at Leo. It just slipped her mind that they were there. Shinrah didn’t want to sigh, but her mind did anyway without her permission. He was so….. She searched for the right word. Beatiful or pretty weren’t any good, and good looking was an understatement. But she couldn’t say angelic, or anything else stupid and sappy. The thought finally popped into her head.
Relaxed. Despite being around me he’s relaxed. And he probably knows who and what I am. Despite that he still stays relaxed around me. Her hand sparked with her anxiety, and she shoved it in her pocket trying to get the spasm to go away. She hadn’t figured that one out yet, and was wondering what was happening to make that happen.
“Good evening Shinrah.” He said politely He looked completely happy, and that somehow made her happy. “ Are you ready to go eat?” He asked her, voice soft and soothing. She moved forward towards him, trying too decide what to do next.
“ Yes. Hopefully it will be a rather quiet evening. I can’t say that I’d like the trouble that normally dogs me interrupting my night off.” She knew there was a joke in their somewhere, but wasn’t sure where. She locked the thought away, deciding it didn’t matter. Leo’s ears twitched as she spoke, picking up the sounds of her voice. She stretched her hand out towards him, and slid it into Leo’s warm hand. Shinrah knew he could find his way about, but she didn’t care at the moment. For a moment a stubborn look passed across his face, then was gone.
As they went outside to the side of her house Leo chuckled.
“ I’m thinking that you will need to drive.” He joked, but she pulled him away from the garage. She laughed at the joke, mirth dancing in her eyes.
“ The restraunt I was thiking of ins’t that far. Within walking distance.” She replied to his joke. She smiled again, happy t be around Leo. Somehow he took the best in her and made it come to light instead of the angry, sarcastic killer she usually was. She pulled him forward, going to the restaurant. It was a small place she went to sometimes when she was in the mood for good food. She was happy she had picked it, for it would be quiet at this time of night.
The smell fo smoke covered the air, ash drifting down from the sky. Her face contorted, wondering what was happening. Was a building on fire? People ere hurrying past with bucket and hoses, trying to put the blaze out. As she came around the corner her fears were confirmed. She gasped, and had the urge to hit something. The restaurant that they were headed to was going up in flames. It was colored with bright its of flame, people trying to contain it so that it wouldn’t cathch the other buildings on fire.
“ I’m guessing that’s the end of our litle trip now isn’t it?” The heat waves made Leo’s hair move slightly, red light making it purple. Shinrah shook her head, sad, disappointed and angry all at the same time. She had had high hopess for tonight. She just wanted to show Leo that she did know how to relax, how to be normal, butnow those hopes were going up in flames I=with the building.
“ I guess so. I’m sorry. There’s no other restaurants close enough to walk to before midnight.” Her voice was unhappy, tones sliding all over. Leo made a soothing sound, trying to make her feel better. He was slightly disappointed too, though he wouldn’t say.
“ Lets walk back to my house.” Shinrah opened her mouth then closed it, deciding not to complain. Maybe she could try to cook something there. His house has only recently been finished from the destruction of a few weeks before. Te new coat of paint ws nice, making the building stand out cherrily. Only s few days before he had come to take his books back home. Shinrah had worked furiously to try and learn ancient precursor. It had amused Leo, and he had helped her for a while.
The two stopped in the doorway as lighting flared overhead and the following peal of thunder roled across them Light drips of rain followed, and they ducked under the overhang. The air ws filled with drops if rain for a few moment.
“ I’m sorry that tonight was so awful. Maybe we can do something another time.” Shinrah said carefully, the words sounding odd on her own tounge. Leo nodded, eyes gazing outward. For a moment when the lighning flashed everything was illuminated in blue, and he was startled. Then it was gone.
“ Leo?” Shinrah questioned. He shook his head, combed hair going back to its normal spiky messiness. He pointed his face towards her, hoping he was looking at her. He placed on hand n her hand, the other on her face. For a moment he could see her again, thoughts rapidly running through his head.
“ Thank you Leo.” She whispered oddly. Shinrah stood on her tiptoes, at almost eye level with him. Smiling she kissed him on the cheek, feeling his skin beneath her lips. She untangled their fingers and disappeared into the darkness as the lightning flashed. Leaving Leo standing there looking out into the darkness with a warm feeling in his stomach[/color]
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Nelly
Newbe
oorah
Posts: 1
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Post by Nelly on Sept 27, 2010 22:24:52 GMT -5
Last minute entry! Lol XD ~
Just Another Wonderful Day
In the Haven City Prison[/font] The Short Story"You've turned out to be an unusual guest here," crackled the Voice in the intercom.
I'd lost track of time, but it felt like I'd been there for days. I was getting awfully annoyed at this guy; all I really knew about him is that he had shaded brown eyes, almost auburn. They were guarded at all times, and I felt like I was being watched by an unsentimental android when he watched me.
I frowned, mumbling almost to myself, "I'm just a guest here in this lovely prison of yours, huh?" The Voice responded with only one unhumomorous laugh.
This was only the third encounter between us, the last time being his attempt to interrogate me. I was fairly uncooperative, I knew which was getting me nowhere. And yet he still tried with questions like What was your business outside the city walls? and Why have I never heard news of a freak with wings? I think may have heard him add to himself, And with such ridiculously short ears as those? Well, that's one more thing I knew about him: #3. Has long, pointy ears just like the green-haired boy and the guards in red armor. Okay, so far this place was eleven on my scale of one to ten for Freaking Weird.
I was on the cold bed, lying uncomfortably on my side. I wanted so much to get up and start screaming. I couldn't take this much longer. My own blue-hazel eyes locked gazes with the man's, trying to give away nothing but disregard; I could never admit to myself how terrified I was, let alone give him that pleasure.
After a moment of thought, the Voice responded in a chilling purr. "This prison is not mine. But you are."
I gave a start. "What the—"
But the man withdrew from sight, leaving me yet again having said so few words that yet get beneath my skin so easily. This guy sure had a real touching way with words. What a freaking jerk! I jumped up, almost foaming at the mouth. "Come back here, you heartless bastard!" I shrieked furiously. No reply. Crossing the room in all of two swift steps, I peered through the window desperately. A second later, I found myself forcefully banging my fists on the bars of the little window with all my strength, crying angrily. If you're wondering, then yes. I did sort of loose it… To tell the truth, it just felt good. I mean I only left the room twice a day to get up and pee. But even then I had to wear shackles and a freaking blindfold. When I was done screaming and punching the door, I sank to the floor, sobbing and whimpering softly. I had bloody knuckles, and the sides of my hands and fingers had deep cuts; probably from pieces of metal that broke off the bars, but the pain was only just beginning to process in my head. I curled up on the spot, leaning a shoulder against the door and cradling my bloody hands by my belly. I was like that for hours after that. I was sort of half asleep, yet somewhat awake, sort of aware of the numbing pain of my injured hands.
I managed to calm myself down by humming to myself, one that my Aunty had always used to hum before she died, and eventually began to sing. Sing, you ask? I know I don't sing, but hey. I was insanely miserable, what was I supposed to do? Besides – it made me feel less lonely, despite the incredibly depressing tune and all… couldn't help that either, I guess. Don't judge me, I know I'm a tad melodramatic, but that's just me. The comforting sound rang in my ears, sweet and quiet. It sounded all right, if you ignored the raspy, whispery… well, it was terrible. Shut up. But to me, it sounded like I wasn't so alone… I was mesmerized by my own voice, spellbound by every beautiful note. Even though half the notes were cracked in half by my hoarse crooning. I guess this was my main entertainment for the moment, but it sure as hell beat the solemn ring of silence that seamed to rake at my ears hours and hours. After a while, I looked up stiffly and rubbed my eyes, ignoring the pink scars on my hands. (Thank god for unnaturally fast healing.) I saw that ominous purple flickering on the walls again, pouring through the window eerily. Every day now, I would see it once and not look again, and I'd force myself back into the corner of my own mind, trying hard to block it out of my conscience.
But thanks to my recent spark of insanity, the bars on the window were bent and broken, and the glass behind them was shattered, yet somehow it was still intact. I noticed as I glanced up that there was a tiny missing shard at a couple points. My face twisted into a horrified grimace at the faint but strong sound that came through that.
Screams and shrieks from that poor boy tore at my eardrums and sent a shudder up and down my spine. I could also hear a droning buzz and a faint crackling that I flat out knew was the electrical current coming that flowed from the lightning rods from the machine. I gritted my teeth and cupped my hands over my ears, curled up tightly. But I could still hear the broken boy's howls of terror, and it was horrible to listen to. Right then, I cursed my abnormally sharp hearing. The daunting scene was vivid behind my eyes, and I was all too aware that this was happening within fifty feet of me. I felt terribly guilty when I realized that I was freaking out when I wasn't even the one in the chair. Nobody would ever, ever get me in that wicked chair. If anyone tried, oh, I swear… Just like the last four times, the ended after maybe five minutes or so. I didn't have to sneak a glance; I heard the whining of the machine as it shuddered to a halt. The boy, however, still gasped painfully and heavily through his teeth. I heard a mechanical voice. "Dark Eco injection cycle complete," it said with a rather feminine quality. "Bio readings: nominal and unchanged."
Wow, guys. Looks like I've just stumbled upon the strangest whitecoats in America. If I was even in America anymore. And what was this 'dark eco?' As much as I wanted to stand up and see was happening, I couldn't bring myself to move, though my eyes were wide as plates.
Somebody grunted, sounding irritably displeased. "Nothing!" This time it was a real voice. It was deep and gruff, and was unmistakably dripping with resentment. "I was informed that this one might be different." Each word was spat in a harsh accusation. I unraveled myself from my tight little ball of misery, listening intently. Something weird is happening…I would have definitely snuck a peek through the window, but something deep inside my mind told me otherwise. Hooray for instincts!
Then came another voice, more husky and young. "He's surprisingly resistant to your—" There the slightest pause, perhaps while the man rephrased his thought. "…experiments, Baron Praxis; I fear the Dark Warrior program has failed." I listened attentively. To tell you the truth, I was beginning to recognize it as the Voice. It was probably just the absence of the feedback from the intercom that threw me off.
The first man hissed, and I imagined that it was directed toward the boy in the chair. "Argh! You should at least be dead with all the Dark Eco I've pumped into you!"
"What now?" I heard the Voice query. "Metal Head armies are pressing their attacks."
I half giggled at the title. Metal Head? Some kind of robot or something, I guess. Nice name. Huh… this place must be at war with these 'Metal Heads' then. This should get interesting…
The second man continued severely. "Without a new weapon, my men cannot hold them off forever."
It was quiet for a moment, then the older man spoke, sounding weary and exhausted. "I will not be remembered as the man who lost this city to those vile creatures." Aw, poor guy. His little torture experiment didn't work, and now he's sad… I rolled my eyes and listened as he continued. But the all the exhaust was gone, and only belligerent violence drove his voice. "Move forward with the final plan! And… finish of this 'thing' tonight."
"As you wish," answered the Voice in a wicked murmur. I heard the clank of heavy armored boots as one of the men dismissed himself and passed my cell toward the elevator at the end of the room. The airlock door shut audiably behind him.
"I'll be back later," sneered the Voice, and I could just imagine the boy being held by the collar of his ragged green prison shirt. I heard lighter footsteps, but this time coming toward my cell. I was still on the cold ground by the door, where he'd left me about an hour ago. So I quickly lay on my side and curled up again, looking cute and pathetic. My eyes closed, and with a bit of effort, my breath slowed to the normal rate. Within a second, I felt the cold stare of those auburn eyes raking over my body. There was no buzz from the intercom, so he was probably talking to himself when he said, "And you, dearest. I have to figure out what I'm going to go with you. Perhaps you could be of use to me…" I had no idea what he meant, but I wasn't sure I wanted to ask. Listening as the creep left the room, I tried unsuccessfully to relax.
Oh, God. I thought, stunned with fear. Not so much for me, but for the boy whose life would be of no more by tomorrow. I gotta get out of here…and with any luck, save the boy as well. And… there goes that plan. I was looking around, hopeless thoughts scattering my brain. Then my ears picked up an ever so faint noise, sort of like little claws on metal. I frowned, bemused. What in the name of…? I was about to search my cell for rats when I heard an entirely new voice. (Man, all the voices, right?) This one was small, like a child's.
"Ding-ding! Third floor…" It said playfully, the shrill sound echoing around the huge room. I could just barely hear it through the crack in the window, but I did. I straightened, taken off guard. I risked peering out of the broken window. The first thing was a furry little rodent, in a color of fiery orange, scampering up to the chair in which the boy silently rested. It carried a bag that was just about as big as the rodent itself. "Body chains; roach food; torture devices…" Said the fuzzball same obnoxious voice. Yes, I kid you not – it speaks! I stared, eyes wide, as it tossed the bag into the boy's lap, then heaved itself onto the chair. This just kept getting weirder and weirder…
It jumped onto the boy's chest, looking proud and arrogant. "Hey, buddy. Seen any heroes around here?" It seemed to get its first good look at the emaciated boy, because I saw sudden shock cross its furry face. "Whoa! What'd they do to you?"
I suddenly just felt tired. My half starved mind was playing tricks on me. Or maybe I really was back at the School, in just another cruel simulation test. I shook my head. The whitecoats must be enjoying this. Oh well. This was pretty damn interesting – why not play along?
The little orange rat thing looked slightly disappointed as he studied his friend's face. "Jack…?" Well, maybe it had more of a 'K' sound. Let me rewrite that.
"Jak…?" Whimpered the creature uncertainly. "It's me, Daxter!"
The boy lifted his head in a huge effort to look at the rodent, only to fall back, looking strained. The fuzzball put its paws on its hips in disapproval, looking like a teenage girl. "Well that was a fine hello," it huffed. The little animal began to pace up and down the Jak's torso, going off on a cute little rant. "I've been crawling around in this place risking my tail—" Daxter whipped around to grab hold of his own tail. (While at the same time, I might add, stepping down onto the kid's groin and making him flinch weakly. I just had to giggle at that…) "—literally, to save you. I've been looking for you for two years!" I watched 'Daxter' as he grabbed a pawfull of his friend's shirt collar, begging pitifully. "Say something!" He wailed dramatically. "Just this once!"
To my astonishment, the animal's plead seemed to get through to Jak; the boy's blue eyes flickered open, swirling with a rage that made me shiver. "I'm gonna kill Praxis," he snarled, and I was taken aback at how much hatred and revulsion his voice held. The orange rodent clasped his paws over Jak's mouth, shushing loudly before he could say any more. "Right now, we have to get outta here," it mumbled, scrutinizing one of the security locks that fastened one of Jak's wrists to the chair. I saw Jak panting, no – more like growling as his face twisted into an ugly grimace. A sharp pain suddenly sprang up at the back of my mind, but I ignored it. Daxter had a look of concentration on his face, while behind him, Jak was getting restless, his hands clenching into fists then opening, fingers like claws. His body arched upward as he struggled.
I thought I saw a violet spark flash to life in one of his hands, but then my mind seemed to explode. I gasped, cringing. It felt like my brains would be spattered on the walls, that's how bad it hurt. I crouched, holding my head between both hands. It went on for all of four or five seconds, during which I was wishing I were dead. But it stopped as abruptly as it'd started, leaving me gasping for breath and hot tears welling up in my eyes and threatening to spill over. The first thing I heard was Jak's rough voice; he sounded kind of woozy. "Daxter?" He asked, almost as I confused as I. I steadied myself and shook my head, clearing my vision. Jak was standing up now, all the restraints from the chair broken and scattered in pieces all over the floor. Daxter was staring at Jak with huge eyes. "What the heck was that!" He demanded of his friend, staring at him tentatively.
I blinked twice, slightly dazed myself. What had happened? Scratch that — what had happened to me? Daxter picked up the bag from the floor, brushing dust from his fur. "Sheesh. Remind me not to piss you off! Come on, Tall, Dark, and Gruesome." (I frowned, not sure what the fuzzball ment.) He held the bag up and said, "I, uh, brought you some new threads. Put 'em on." Jak took the bag, and I looked elsewhere reverently as he changed his attire. Just a habit. When I looked again, the filthy prison clothes were just a pile of murky green fabric on the floor. Jak was dressed in a blue long-sleeved tunic and white pants. His combat boots were heavy duty, and I kind of admired them. They would be nice to have, I thought hazily. He also had the weirdest holster arrangement: three leather straps all held together by a brass ring on his chest. Around back, they held a huge pouch in place for the actual gun, for easy access. Jeeze... My eyes lingered on the empty holster for a second, then continued to study his new fashion. He also wore a pair of goggles on his forehead just over his hairline. (Green… I can't get over that.) One lens was not a lens at all, only a nub that seemed to tell of a missing scope. And I say again, his overall look was… cool. Natural.
I watched as Daxter climbed onto Jak's shoulder. My eyes followed them as they headed toward an air vent. Then I came to my senses. I began pounding on the door of my cell. "Hey!" I called. "Over here! Please let me out!" Jak paused, pivoting his body to look around at the surrounding cells. "Help me!" I called again, full of sudden hope. Jak's icy blue eyes locked with mine, and he cautiously turned to approach my cell. Tears were now spilling down my cheeks, my only thoughts being: I'm outta here!
But, of course…
"Jak, what d'ya think you're doing?" Screeched the furry rodent on his shoulder. "We gotta get out before the K.G. find us!" Daxter looked at me and blinked warily. I had no words, only a pleading gaze that shone in my watery eyes. I could taste the salty tang of blood, probably from me biting down on my lip so hard. Jak looked at his friend suggestively, who then hissed adversely in his ear. "I bet she's one of Praxis' experiments. Probably dangerous…" Daxter finished rather fearfully.
No, no, no! My lips moved, but I couldn't make any sound. This couldn't be happening! I wasn't dangerous. I could never hurt anything! I looked at Jak desperately, who now frowned uncertainly. He was leaning away from the cell, about to leave. With a huge effort, I just barely managed a fleeting, "Please!" But he was already sprinting to the air vent. With one perfect roundhouse kick, the cover snapped off and fell to the floor with a metalic clang, and he hopped gracefully into the duct. With only one last glance at me, Jak vanished. Along with him, he took my last hope of escape.
Damn it!
~
My legs gave in beneath me and I sank to the floor, dejected, confused, scared. I hurt, both mentally and physically. My body ached all over and I was just about starving – and I'll tell you, it's not pleasant when your stomach threatens to eat itself. The food had stopped coming when the first plate was taken out several hours after it was offered, flies and all. Right now I was really regretting that. I yearned for a nice, warm bowl of soup… Right then my stomach growled, and I snapped out of my humid, tropical fantasy doubling up in pain. I groaned pathetically and pulled myself onto the bed, shivering. If it weren't for the bindings on my wings, I would've pulled them around my body as a feathery blanket. But, of course it had to be dramatically unfair for me. Unfair, I say! So I just sang with what breath I had left, in unsuccessful attempt to convince myself that I wasn't alone in the world. And, well, this pretty much set the mood for the next hour or two, or at least until I fell asleep.
"I'm not dangerous!" I cried, watching the boy and his little creature turn their backs on me. Neither of them seemed to hear me. I stared after him, sobbing, as I clutched the mutilated bars with shaking pale hands. All of a sudden, my vision was blocked, and all I could see were a set of blazing auburn eyes that seemed to mock my very being. Then I heard the Voice, echoing as if it were coming from all around me. "You're mine!" It said, then erupted into psychotic laughter. I screamed, shutting my eyes tight. That made it better. The laugher was gone, the eyes as well. It was silent. Peaceful, even.
I opened my eyes again and found myself sitting upright in my bed, my heart fluttering. Sunlight filtered in through the huge window and chased the shadows of my latest nightmare away. It was bright, but it was also warm. Yay. I lifted a hand to shade my eyes, but then I realized something.
Whaaaat?
I didn't have a huge window in my room. I didn't have a queen-sized bed with a draping canopy either. I looked around uneasily, my heart picking up again. The bedroom was spacious and pleasant, royal even. The window was to the left of the big bed, covering almost a whole wall. On the far side of the bed was a big granite hearth, in which were lovely golden flames whose heat I could feel warming my bones from where I sat. Off to the side was a wooden chiffarobe, and beside that was a full sized mirror in a brass frame. The girl in the mirror caught my eye. She sat dazedly, wrapped up in pale gold sheets of silk. Her wings, no longer bound together, were orderly and unruffled. But what I noticed was that she was clean. Clean and not caked in dirt and dried blood. I looked at my hands, no longer filthy, no longer scarred. My caramel blonde hair fell around my face in neat, somewhat curly waves, and just barely touched my shoulders. I wore a spaghettie-strap white night gown that fit my body as if it were made for me. It even had slits in the back for my wings. Creepy. If I hadn't been confused and scared, I would've enjoyed this luxury. Unless I was dead… which I kind of hoped was true. Doubtful. First off, I'd been held as a prisoner for I don't know how many days, and now I was being catered to as a goddess. And second, somebody bathed and dressed me. Do you know how violated I felt when I thought back on that?
So. Now how to get out… I asked myself inwardly, then looked at the window automatically. I could see that this room was very high up, and if I wasn't totally sane, I would've thought that the view was slowly moving. Nevertheless, I rejected the option as soon as it came to mind; a window as large as that was bound to be at least a few inches thick. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see two doors. I guessed one would lead to a closet or bathroom, and the other would be my escape. Yay… I slipped out of the bed, feeling the smooth wood panel floor under my feet. I almost lost my balance; walking almost felt new to me all over again from laying or sitting for so long. I leaned on the side of the bed for support, making my way around it and toward the doors. I stretched my wings to balance myself, and I eventually got it down. I tried the door to my left. Bathroom. Big bathroom, by the way. I bit my lip, turned the knob of the other door, and opened it just a crack. Peering through, I found myself looking down a long metallic corridor that branched off into other hallways. Draped all along the sides were red banners with what looked like a black skullish mask… thing. Huh. How inviting. I silently opened the door wider and started down the hall. I jumped like a spazz at every little sound, which mostly came from the tapestry murmuring gently on either side of me. I knew I wouldn't be so lucky as to leave the building unnoticed. And of course, here was why. Ahead of me, I heard two sets of metal-plated footsteps just about to turn the corner from one of the hallways. I ducked into the nearest corridor and pressed my back to the wall, holding my breath as I listened for them to pass. When they did, I relaxed, sighing quietly, and got set to take off again. But then I felt something hard jab me sharply between my shoulder blades. I lost my balance and fell forward, just as cold metal gauntlets seized my arms and dragged me back up. I looked up numbly at the two red soldiers who held me firmly. They were much bigger up close; I noticed when I looked up at one of them, seeing my reflection in the red scopes of his mask. One of them, the soldier to my right, addressed me through the speaker built into his mask. "We have orders to take in a meager little girl with uncanny features," he said gruffly, maybe even scornfully. He twisted my arm behind my back and I squeaked. "Aw, you meanie-face." Huh, wow, Noel. Great comeback.
The soldier to my left looked at his partner and warned him, "She needs to be brought to the commander alive, Thirty-Four."
I yawned and put on my best nonchalant face, despite the painful pressure on my arms. "Yea. What he said, Thirty-Four."
"Shut up," ordered soldier Thirty-Four, and I gave in when he clutched my wings together in a tight, excruciating lock hold. They set off down the main corridor, going down toward the very end, where a huge metal door painted royal red bore a black skull mask that resembled the banners along the walls of the corridor. The big door opened as soon as we were within five feet of it. Beyond that door was what looked like a huge throne room, considering the chair conveniently placed at the top of a reasonably tall flight of stairs. The wall behind that was all glass, as was the ceiling. Towering stone pillars were lined up all along the side of the long room as well. I'd go into farther details, but I kinda had other things of my mind. Such as Holy crow, I gotta get the Hell out of here. The soldiers pushed me into the room, then left. I tried to turn around and run after them, but the door shut in my face. Ouch. I turned again, looking around. Maybe I could get out through the glass ceiling, I thought, shading my eyes as I looked up. And then there were two.
"I wouldn't try," said a voice. I immediately distinguished it as the Voice. The words still echoed around the huge throne room as I whipped around, feeling paranoid, as if I was about to be dragged back into prison. Filthy, wretched prison… The Voice continued. "The walls are reinforced with a foot of steal. And as for the glass, it's at least six inches thick. I wouldn't want to be scraping your splattered carcass from the glass, now would I?" I folded my arms. He was depicting me like a bug on a windshield. Ew. I didn't say anything, just waited. The Voice tried a different approach. "I had you transported here from the prison fortress, overnight. You were very tired, weren't you? We didn't even have to drug you." (Yay... Now I felt weak and naïve.) I still was silent as the Voice paused for a second. "Not very talkative, are we?" The question reverberated off the walls and high ceiling. I grunted igorantly, folding my wings tightly against my back. With my best face of boredom, I started strolling toward the throne, just listening as the Voice continued its attempts to get me to talk. I couldn't deny it, I was scared out of my wits, but I couldn't allow myself to show it. I stopped just a couple yards away from the steps. Something moved in my peripheral vision, just in the shadows of one of the huge pillars, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.
"Damn it!" I hissed, breathing hard. I hated being frightened like that, and now I was slightly pissed. I glanced up again in time to see a somewhat handsome young man come forth from the shadows. I stood up, trying to collect myself into a more decent stance. Didn't really work as well as I thought it would.
The man looked rather amused. "My apologies, did I scare you?" He asked, but I found no hint of sincere courtesy. It was partly derision, although… his voice did hold some sort of, well, nervousness that truly confused me.
"Oh, you noticed," I muttered, straightening myself. I studied his outlandishly weird features. His hair, for example, was chaotic, standing up in fiery orange flames. I could easily recognize the auburn eyes that glinted darkly in the daylight. But the aspects I had had yet to see were pretty much everything else, and I took a second to thoroughly look him over. His ears (which, as I expected, were long and pointy like that boy, Jak's) and face were tattooed in strange a pattern of faint blue, and he wore a sort of mask, which was pulled up on his forehead at the moment. It looked… alien. I can't explain it, really, it just had these big buggy red eye glasses that gave me the impression of, like, a gasmask. Sort of. Well, you'll have to live without certain specific details. I can't sit around describing things. But the one important thing that I saw was that he wore a red uniform of chest and shoulder armor bearing that black mask symbol, that resembled the crimson soldiers' suits. Might be a chief officer of some sort, I guessed vaguely. His eyes narrowed, and he started at a slow, dawdling pace toward me. He looked fairly lenient as he did so, with an exceptionally neutral – only slightly smug – grin, so I resisted the urge to turn tail and flee. Why so haughty, Mr. Commando?
"Ah, yes. Well, again – my apologies. For that, and for confining such a charming creature like you in such an unpleasant detention." The man advanced until he loomed over me, just all of a foot away. To most people, I was pretty tall, but this guy was taller. My eyes were level to his chin. I backed up involuntarily, not enjoying the feeling midget... ness.
"Great," I said bitterly, straightening my gown. "Apology (hardly) accepted." I felt sort of exposed; it's fabric stopped a few inches short of my knees, and I wasn't quite used to that. I usually wore full-length jeans. Just a little tidbit about me.
He gave one spiteful laugh, then walked toward the stairs and sat on the third step nonchalantly. "Well, I could have clipped your wings and killed you myself…" Grinning that same careless little grin, he tapped the handgun holster strapped to his left thigh with a gloved finger.
Ooh… dangerous. I'm scared now. Somewhat actually true. I said nothing, just frowned to cover up my unease.
"We haven't been properly introduced," began the creepy dude that was seriously beginning to scare me. He took a little jesting bow. "I am Erol, famously known as the Commander of the Krimzon Guard."
I snorted, but managed to pass it off as a violent sneeze when it was too late to do otherwise. "Erol?" I replied as casually as I could. "That's… cool. My name's Noel." Yea, who cares? I'm not very formal. I mean – Noel, famously known as the Amazing Bird Girl. Ha!
Erol nodded, staring at me in a fascination that really made me want to slap him silly. "What a pleasure. So, Noel, what do you think of Praxis' Palace?" I paused, shifting my weight from foot to foot. After a moment, I decided to play it cool for now. This guy seemed to like me, or at least have interest in my being. I could make this work somehow.
"I'm sorry… I don't know who Praxis is, I don't know where I am, and I don't know why I'm here. Could you fill me in?" I forced a small but convincing smile, which he returned. All of his earlier mockery and bantering was gone; either he was a good actor and in reality wanted to interrogate then torture me, or he was actually beginning to enjoy my company. Gahh.
"You're within the protective walls of Haven City." Erol answered arrogantly. "Governed by Baron Praxis, as well as I. One of my Krimzon Guard units found you nearly dead in the desert, several miles outside the city walls – quite close to Spargus, in fact. I'm surprised the Wastlelanders didn't find you." He looked at me, reading my obvious expression of confusion. "You fell into the right hands, Noel. You're a lucky girl to have me to protect you. After all, I am the second highest in power in Haven."
What a prick.
I smiled, doing my best to look amazed/grateful. "I guess I am."
Erol suddenly jumped up and crossed the space between us. "Come now, I have clothes, specially made by a local tailor for you, fit for public eyes." He pressed a gloved hand to my mid back, making me flinch against my will. He didn't seem to notice though, as he went to lead me back through the door, where two fresh Krimzon Guards awaited. Maybe I was just paranoid, but I think I felt his gentle fingers gliding up my back to lightly touch the bases of my wings. I stiffened, trying my best not to freak and spazz out on him, or smack him or something. Oh, how I wanted to wack that pervert. But I just wasn't that brave...
"Escort the lady to the guest bedroom, and have someone bring her her items," commanded Erol, and the Guards saluted. This was the good part, I was being pampered. Erol had taken a liking to me, and I was no longer rotting in prison for no reason. Haha, this is getting fun!, I thought, just barely able to hide my coy grin. Erol turned to me. "I'll meet back with you soon. I have business to attend to, for the time being. But I look forward to giving you a tour of the Palace." Aha! Right there was my ticket out. I didn't care how much this guy cared about me – he was turning out to be a huge, self-righteous jerk. Once I knew my way around, I could figure out how to get out. Walk right out the front door. Eh, doubtful. But something like that. The Guards didn't grab me this time, only waited patiently to assume my spot between them, flanked by their protection. As I did so, I was aware of Erol's auburn eyes linger on me as the Guards and I left him in the doorway of the throne room. Yuck. I thought inwardly as I was ushered through the corridors. This guy acts like a prince with his princess around me, and I hardly know him. I'm all of fourteen or fifteen years old. And he's like, what, twenty-five? Creep.
The Guards eventually stopped by a door, then stood on either side of it with their guns at the ready. I stood there for a second, looking at them. Dang, they were like statues. I got curious and went so far as to wave a hand in front of one of the Guards' masked face. He looked down at me, glowing red scopes reflecting my face back at me. I blushed, randomly startled, and wasted no time hurrying through the door.
~
Inside, I identified the room as the one I'd awoken in. The bed was now made, and on it was a neatly stacked pile of clothes. I reluctantly put them on, then looked in the mirror beside the chiffarobe.
"Damn," I breathed, looking over the pale blue dress I now wore. It resembled the sleeping gown, but this one was a halter top, which meant I could easily slip my wings in and out. I also had on a silver necklace with some sort of clear, light-emitting crystal, and a white sash around my waist. All of it was kind of over the top, but I didn't want to offend my oh, so-handsome savior, now did I? Ha. But beneath the dress, I wore a skin-tight body suit that would hopefully cover me from beneath from prying eyes when I was airborne. I didn't want people looking up my dress, thank you very much. I knew I'd probably ditch the dress once I got out of this 'palace' and take a look into a local store for some jeans and non dress-up clothes. I left the mirror and was about to leave the room, when I smelled this wonderful aroma that suddenly made my stomach almost literally howl at me. Don't ask how I could make that analogy. Anywho, my starvation came right back to me, like a slap in the face. and I looked around, noticing my thunderous hunger again for the first time since I woke up. Then I saw it: on the nightstand beside the bed was a platter of – you guessed it. Food! I hadn't eaten in what felt like forever. On the tray were three eggs, a piece of toast, and an assortment of fruits that I'd never seen before. I eyed it down, but took no time to actually savor the wonderful tastes. One fruit sort of looked like a cherry, but it had exterior seeds, like a strawberry. I normally didn't eat eggs, but all three of them disappeared pretty quickly. And so within minutes, the platter was empty, and I was satisfied. I wanted to just flop onto the bed and digest. Instead I returned to the waiting Guards outside the guest bedroom. There was a third Guard who held my tie-dye shoulder bag that I hadn't seen since I passed out in the desert. It was filthy, colors dulled beneath sand and dirt, but it was as full as I remembered. I gave the Guard a quick smile and took the bag, opened it and made sure everything was there. Everything was there, my iPod, my American Outfitters jacket, the photo of me and my aunt and what few books I had carried. But there was one thing that I already knew was missing. "Excuse me, where's my bow?" I asked timidly, looking up. He did not answer me. He only turned and walked away. Fine. "Be that way," I muttered under my breath, taking my iPod out of my bag. I'd get another.
The two attendant Guards went to take their positions on either side of me, but I sidestepped them. "I'll be fine on my own, really." I forced a soft smile. They looked at each other for a split second, making a silent agreement. A quick nod from both of them, and they turned in unison and left me to wander by my lonesome. This as just getting too easy. I slung the tie-dye bag over my shoulder and ambled off in the opposite direction, looking around. I turned on my iPod and shuffled through the songs. It was amazing the battery had any juice left. I finally settled on I'm Yours by Jason Mraz. Now, to all of you who don't like Jason Mraz, that's great for you. I loooove his music. I couldn't help but sing along as I strolled down the corridors – I knew every freaking word. Hell, I even had a cute little bounce in my step. Happy time for Noel.
I did a quick 360° and noticed nobody was around. I was alone. Hesitantly, I stretched my wings to full length and shook them out. I was grateful of the relief, I hated holding them tight to my back every painful second.
The whole wall to my left was a giant window. The warmth of the sun's light that poured in felt wonderful on my skin, which was ashen compared to my usual tan. My white wings (with light speckles of tan, in case you were wondering) curved around on either side and captured the light around me. Interesting effect, if you can picture it. I walked to the window and placed a single hand on it as I peered through. The building in which I was seemed to tower over everything else, and the view was fantastic, let me tell you. From what I could see, the city was divided into several separate sections, each looking very different in comparison. The city itself was enclosed inside a huge barrier wall, but I could see several areas outside that I already wanted to check out. The song ended, and Fireflies began, one of my all time favorite songs by Owl City. I was so glad to hear the familiar notes after the never-ending silence of the cell. I felt almost… at home.
I heard a voice over my earbuds, and I jumped, swearing under my breath. I turned to see Erol looking at me, leaning against the window with his arms folded.
"What was that you said?" I asked, pulling out one of the buds so I could hear.
He chuckled. "I said, you have a lovely voice."
I just stared at him. "Huh?" Oh, I must have still been singing aloud. Woops. "No, I'm just… listening… ah… Here," I said awkwardly, stepping closer to hand him the bud I wasn't listening to. I had to get close to him so the other one wouldn't be yanked out of my ear. Erol blinked, looking at the earbud with a confused expression, like he wasn't sure what to do with it. He seemed to understand after a second, because he held it close to his own ear. (I hardly managed to keep my eyes concentrated on him rather than his freaky elf ears. Sorry if the constant reminder is getting annoying, I'm still just getting over it.) I laughed at his expression of… well, of whoa. I guess they didn't have stuff like iPods, despite the freaky technology that seemed to be the whol architectural design of the city.
"This is interesting…" He murmured, looking up at me. Our faces were all of three or four inches apart, and I was feeling uncomfortable. My cheeks warmed, probably now a deep scarlet shade, and I glanced awkwardly to the side. I felt his amber eyes still on my face. Erol straightened and handed me back the earbud. "I promised you a tour, did I not?"
I nodded and followed my escort when he started walking down the hallway. His strides were so long I had to jog to keep up. Erol gestured toward the window wall. "What you see from here is only the Northern half of Haven..." He led me through several passages, throwing in a note here and there. I didn't listen, though, I was looking out for breakable windows or air ducts that could be easily accessed. We went up an elevator a couple times, and I came out with shaky legs. The dang thing rose/fell so quickly, then stopped so abruptly. I had to hold onto Erol to keep myself from toppling over.
I got bored after ten minutes, but I hoped I looked interested. I started up a conversation. "So… who was that boy? Back in the prison fortress?"
Erol's eyes suddenly looked guarded. He answered hesitantly, "An experiment. The Baron was doing tests on him, looking for new ways to advance the war. The brat escaped, though. Why do you ask?"
I shrugged, looking away. "Oh, just curious… So you said something about a war…?"
He nodded and dropped his gaze to the floor, rubbing the back of his neck. "The Metal Heads are pressing their attacks on the city." There were those Metal Heads again. Still funny. I listened as he went on. "They're getting aggressive, and I want to take them out personally."
Okay, Mr. Macho. Have fun with that. I sighed, answering unenthusiastically. "Oh. Cool." Erol was quiet for a moment, as if thinking to himself. He suddenly turned to me, lightly grinning.
"I'm going to show you the balcony."
I couldn't help but smile at his stupidity. Did he seriously trust me? Wow, this guy wasn't the brightest. But that was sure nice of him. The flame-headed commander took me gently by the wrist and hauled me back to the elevator. I hissed under my breath when it suddenly rushed upward. When it stopped, (me almost being thrown to the ceiling of the little box) the doors opened up to sunshine and fresh, warm air. I stepped outside, forgetting the slight nausea from the elevator. Erol led me to the edge of the balcony, where I leaned over the stone banister to gaze down at the streets. The outlook on Haven City was wonderful. Straight below, there was a plaza in front of the Palace, in the middle of which was a huge fountain with a statue of who I guessed was Baron Praxis. I saw tiny dots that roamed about, probably pedestrians out to enjoy the sunshine.
"Wow…" I breathed.
Erol was a few feet behind me, watching me intently with a rather smug grin. "Lovely, isn't it?"
I nodded distantly, feeling dizzy. Not even I typically flew this high up. I backed up a few feet, closer to where he stood. I was a bit more comfortable there, thank you very much.
I heard Erol chuckle softly behind me, and was just beginning to turn to face him when suddenly he snaked his arm around my waist and pulled my body close to his, which brought my face only inches from his. "So very, very lovely," he whispered. I was too startled to struggle or slap him, like I wanted to so very, very much. Instead, I probably looked somewhat calmer than I felt, though my mind was screaming, Ah! Friggin' rape!
I stared up at him, eyes wide. He stared back at me intently. I tried to push him away, but my arms felt like jello and found myself just scrabbling ineffectively at his chest. His hand crept up between my wings to clutch the small of my back. Erol slowly leaned his head in obviously savoring the moment. But right before our lips touched, I found myself. I shoved him away from me, breathing roughly, and got as far from him as I could. My back was to the banister on the edge, and I could back up no more.
He was frowning, almost scowling. "I'm sorry," he murmured, stepping forward.
Don't be, I thought briskly, but actually didn't say anything. I glanced casually over my shoulder and climbed warily up onto the banister. I stood on the narrow concrete beam and spread my wings to balance myself, and he paused, looking dazed and confused for a moment. But in the next second, Erol's face was a mix of horror and regret as he suddenly lurched toward me shouting, "No!" But I didn't notice much else once I let myself slip.
"Sayonara!" I called up at him, the wind almost ripping the sound from my lips as I fell backward. The last I saw of him was his silhouette, black against the brightness of the sun, as he leaned over the edge to stare after me. The walls of the Palace whooshed past me like I was in an invisible elevator that was... well, free falling. The roar of wind filled my ears, and I was sure as Hell glad to be back up in the air again. I twisted around in the air and angled my body just right. My wings opened only a little, but they gathered wind immediately and I immediately slowed. With a few down strokes, I was rising, and eventually soaring, maybe four hundred feet over the city.
I took a few huge breaths and let it all out, relieved beyond relief to be away from the prison, the Palace, and most of all, Erol.[/color][/font] ~Fin~  |
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