BACK WHERE THE SUN CAN FIND YOU
By Me :banana:
Okee, hur's another one o'me storees from me Pride'n'Ebonee collection. Don' chu worree tho. More're on dee way. Dis one hur deals wit dee tu in dee future, when dee citee is more o'less stable. hehehe. Enjoi. (oh an by dee way, i reallee don talk like dis. Me 'n' a friend at skool are tryin ta see who kin write an talk like dis fur dee longest.) :p (storees not included)
Author's note: okee, okee, okee, I sorta got creative license n dis storee. I tuk sum of dee stuff from the tribe, info from different timelines and put em all tugether, so's i hope yu like what i got. :banana:
PART ONE
More or less, he was feeling good. Good enough to sleep, good enough to eat, good enough to lie down and die. Pride sat up slowly and rubbed his aching head. It was early morning and he was suffering from one of the worst hangovers of his life. Twenty-five and he still didn't get it. Never go out and challenge Lex to a drinking match...There was some Scottish in the other boy's bones...Either that, or he was a Dwarf in disguise. Pride looked over at the sleeping form of May and sighed. He'd better get up before she decided to. He hated it when she made him breakfast in bed...It always made him feel guilty. He'd married her for the wrong reasons and still he didn't love her. He wanted to get away from her.
He got up slowly, going over to his dresser. He took some aspirin first then, picked up his pants, shirt, coat and boots, put them on and crept out into the quiet setting of the mall. He figured it was really early morning, so no one would be up. Out of the mall he went and started along the sidewalk. He knew it wasn't like him to just up and leave, but he needed time to think. Always, he needed to think. Why didn't he just act. The little problem of May wasn't going to go away.
He found himself walking passed the old Horton-Bailey hotel, the large sign of Ebony's Palace torn down and graffiti ridden. He shook his head at the fallen glory of a once well known name. She'd done it to herself. He continued on walking until he came to the Casino. Technos guards were outside the doors, young bloods too. Pride smirked. Ram was slacking. Never in his youth-youth? Pride wondered about that fleetingly- did he let the young ones go out. He kept them inside, training them, sending the older guards out to take on the city. Pride sighed and went into the Casino to seek out Lex. This was his normal hang out since Tai-San left him to achieve balance between life and vitrua-life, the equilibrium of the matrix and the human body. Pride saw him, slumped over in a corner.
"Been that way for a while," came a voice behind him. Pride turned and nodded at Ved, the blonde coming to stand beside him.
"Yeah, I suppose," Pride said looking at him. "Ever since Tai-San..."
"Yeah," Ved said quickly, as Lex suddenly snapped awake.
"Oi, Waiter! Hey you! Get me some more booze!!" Lex shouted rudely at the passing girl. She looked down at him and shook her head. Then promptly ignored his cries for more service. Pride shook his head and went over to the fallen Sheriff.
"Oi, Lex, how's it going?" he asked taking a seat beside his friend. Lex stared at him puzzled for a minute, then grinned.
"Ah, my drinkin Buddy Pride." He grinned and said," Heard anything from Tai- San?"
He stared at Lex's hopeful features and decided not to lie to him. He'd had too much of that already.
"No, Lex," he replied and his heart wretched at the sight of Lex's face shattered into a thousand pieces.
"Well, y'know how she is," he said gruffly."What with the matrix and everything. But she'll be back."
"Maybe," Pride whispered and watched as Lex fell into a state of tranced bewilderment. Pride bit his lip.
Please, don't tell me he's about to go through another one of his episodes......
And suddenly, Lex shot up from his seat and glared around the room. He raised his voice, saying,"Hey! Hey! Get this dump cleaned. Now, I'm the Sheriff of these parts and what I say-"
"Oh, shut up!" came the annoyed cry. Lex whipped around and glared.
"Lex,"Pride begged. "Lex, just let it go-"
"Who said that?" Lex cried angrily. "Who?"
Then swooping down, and out of the blue, the Casino guards and Technos hauled Lex out of there before he could pick a fight. Pride watched in sadness and in pity.
What have we succumb to.
"Maybe, Ram should build an institution," Ved said stoically. "y'know, one for crazy people?"
Rather than snap at the boy, Pride changed the subject. "So, how's Cloe and your son, Jacob? I heard he just started walking."
Ved grinned proudly. "Yep, and saying his ABC's and 123's. We're very proud of him."
Pride looked into Ved's eyes and felt his stomach twist into knots. He saw the pride of parent hood in them, the gladness of having a child, and the pity that others didn't have one as smart as Ved's. Pride turned away and started towards the front entrance.
"Good luck to you and Cloe and Jacob," he said with forced cheer. "Be sure to tell Cloe hi for me."
"Sure thing," Ved called back.
Pride stepped out of the Casino and looked around. Finally, his eyes fell on the limp figure of Lex lying on the ground. He shook his head. Perhaps, in someway, he should be happy. He had a wife, the city was stable, there was peace with the outer tribes...but somehow the struggle of happiness and sadness raged in him. Look at Lex...Look at the air, listen to it...Does it have the sweet underlying sound of peace? Does it? DOES IT?! Pride shook his head. He should be happy...he should be...happy.
He went over to Lex and hoisted the groaning man up and onto his feet.
"C'mon, Lex. Let's go home."
******
She stood at the edge of the city, her mind at ill ease. She was coming back home, a home that was suddenly so very alien and foreign to her that she just wanted to turn around and run back to the cover of tree shades and the wide open grasslands she knew so well. Instead of the latter she sighed and turned to face those gathered round her. A motley bunch they were, a mismatched group of twenty or thirty that had decided they would rather survive under her leadership, representing their tribes of eco-warriors and lovers of the earth, rather than the harsh rule of the Technos. And she was grateful for that, grateful for their loyalty. Goodness knew it took her along time to attain it. She raised a hand in the air to silence their murmurings.
"Brothers! Sisters!"she called to them from atop her horse, windrider, a morgan of deep red-brown."We go now to the Tribes of the City and Sectors, to not only insure peace from both our worlds, but to also bring to them the tranquility of the earth and all that it has to offer, and to perhaps help them join us in the happiness we share with each other and our brotherhood." Ebony turned to the vision of the city's full sky line and wrapped a scarf about her face. She wouldn't be too hastey in letting people remember her, lest her plans not fall through. She'd worked too hard to change herself and to unite all Outer Tribes, and become their leader, she wasn't going to let her city fall to ruin because of everyone's discontentmnet with Ram. Oh yes, she'd heard of some of his new policies concerning the Games and use of the Motherboard.
"TRIBES," she cried, her horse reigning in the air. "MOVE OUT!"
******
"So, she's here," Ram said in a self-satisfied voice, his chair swiveling around to face his second in command. Jay cleared his throat uncomfortably and nodded at his leader.
"Yes, Lord Ram," he replied stiffly as his leader turned and faced the city from his tower above it. This was the new Technos base, directly at the heart of the city, in a radio tower, where he controlled everything from communications to the Games.
"Excellent," Ram replied and licked his lips. He grinned at the pale blue sky, twinged slightly green under a hot summer sun. Few clouds were in the sky. Ebony couldn't have chosen a better day. Ram turned back to Jay and asked," So, how many of her people are out there?"
"About ten tribes that we can see, maybe more just in the forest rimming the city."
"Ten plus," Ram said inquisitively."Hmmmm...I like those odds." Then suddenly becoming serious," Round up the troops. While she's here, I don't want any trouble. Censor or get rid of anything that conflicts with Techno belief. Do you understand, Jay?"
"Perfectly, Lord Ram," he replied and turned on his heel to leave.
"Ah, Jay," Ram called. His commander looked back.
"You do realize, she's going to want to talk. Make sure you set up a proper meeting hall. Just in case."
"Yes, Ram." Jay stepped out of the office and onto his orders.
**********
"Is he alright?"Salene helped Pride drag Lex up to his room and dump him unceremoniously on his bed. Pride sighed and stared down at his friend.
"He went through another one of his episodes,"he replied and went to rest on the door frame. "Been having alot more of them lately."
"Well, we'll just have to see what happens this time," Salene informed him. "Meanwhile, have you heard the talk?"
He shook his head as his face creased into puzzlement. Salene led him out of Lex's room. They walked down the steps to the mall's quad.
"There's some one from the outer tribes visiting the city, talking about overthrowing the Motherboard and Games," Salene told him as they sat at a table. Pride's face registered surprise.
"Who?" he asked. Salene shrugged.
"Nobody knows, except, of course, the Technos and Ram," she replied.
Pride frowned.
"I don't get it," he said."Why would anyone try to overthrow Ram. He's too powerful-"
"Well, well, well, now I really have heard everything," said a voice behind them. "Pride admitting that Ram's won, can't be."
Salene's face was a mask of shock."Pride, look."
He turned and looked, his eyes going wide. There standing, like a goddess sprung from myth, arrayed in a dress much like the belly dancers of Arabia, only much more exotic, was Ebony. Her long braids were no longer their typical brown and red, but instead a surreal deep blue and indigo. Her facial paint was different too. While the bandit's strip still painted over her eyes it was of a different color: purple and mahogoney. Her lips were painted a peacock black and on her left cheek was an odd, yet wicked symbol of a burning flame. The former Queen of the Locos was flanked by ten guards, grown men in their early twenties, all attired in garments similar to Pride's old Ecos tribe, and yet also different.
He shot up from his seat, immediately on the offensive. What was she doing here? He thought they'd gotten rid of her long ago.
"Ebony, are you the cause of the buzz in the city?" Salene asked vehemently. Ebony shrugged carelessly and grinned-actually grinned. It wasn't devious or conniving, just a slight upturn of her lips. Pride was too shocked to comment.
"You might say that," she replied casually and took a seat at one of the quad tables. "They don't know that it's me, though."
"Then maybe we should inform them a serpent's back in town," Salene lashed out. Ebony rolled her eyes and said in a voice Pride thought-actually thought!-sounded sincere," I've changed Salene. I'm not the same Ebony you remember."
"Well, forgive me if I don't jump up and celebrate," she snapped back and crossed her arms. "Just what do you want?"
But before Ebony could answer a sudden cry filled the air:" Tai-San! Tai- San! TAAAAAAAIIII-SAAAAN!"
"Lex," Pride said almost appologetically. He started to go and see to his deranged friend when Ebony stood and stopped him. In her hands was a vial of some green guck inside. Her look was oddly reassuring as she ascended the steps of the Mall and went towards Lex's bedroom. Pride frowned and went up to follow her. The others followed closely behind.
He stopped in the doorway and watched in awe as Ebony calmed a flailing Lex by singing, and it wasn't just the serenity that fell over her face that struck him. It was her voice: so pure, so sweet, like the heavenly song of angels. He heard Salene behind him gasp, and Ebony's guards sigh. Then Ebony made Lex drink the guck inside the vial. He did so willingly and smiled like a satisfied babe.
"Is everything going to be alright now...Ebony?" He asked sleepily. She smiled warmly, a smile that sent strange shivers up and down Pride's spine, and said in a gentle tone,"Hush, now, and sweet dreams. Come find me when you wake up."
He nodded off to sleep. She stood and quietly left the room, the others trailing bhind.
"Ebony,"Pride called. She turned to him and her eyes peered up at him quietly. There was a calmness in them that put him at ease. He bit his lip. Why was he, so suddenly, taken up by her tricks? She was Ebony, the vile Ebony that he hated, the girl the city feared, an angel of fallen glory. Why was she so damn...he just didn't know. "What did you give him?"
"Just herbs, Pride," she said softly and scanned his face. He looked away from her and looked to Salene, the city leader and his ex-lover. He couldn't bear to meet Ebony's roving eyes, they seemed to have a mesmeric pull, transforming into eyeglasses peering into his soul.
"What will those 'herbs' do to him?" Salene asked. Ebony shrugged and said," Put his mind at ease. Things have been happening in this city. Bad things to people's souls. It's like.."pause"...people are smiling, but there are worms in their bellies, forcing the smiles up and that if they opened their mouths, the worms would just spread and spread until everything is a wasteland."
Pride drew in a sharp hiss, his eyes snapping to meet Ebony's. Her's were probing, curious. How could she know? How could she possibly know? Perhaps she felt the undercurrent of the city-the un-peace. Maybe she too could feel the underlying unhappiness that everyone was afraid to confront.
But.........
How could Ebony know all this? How could she percieve all this without having lived it? How could she know how anyone felt-how he felt, for that matter.....And he was struck with the odd possiblility that maybe she had changed and that she DID know, without knowing, that she'd expressed his very own feelings.
"Do you want to stay at the hotel?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. Salene looked at him in utter shock. He turned to her sheepishly." Y'know, to help out Lex."
"Maybe another time," she said softly and he met those strange eyes again. The shiver that had been at his spine now rushed over into his stomach.
"Of course." It was barely a whisper. The little dark haired goddess stepped lightly, her skirts rustling, away down the steps and out of the mall. Pride looked after her and sighed within his chest.
"What was that about?" Salene snapped, breaking him from his moment of quiet. He turned to her quickly and shrugged.
"For Lex."
"Right," Salene replied unconvinced. She gave him an irritated sidelong glance. "Wonder what she's up to." Salene said moving off to check on Lex.
'World peace,' a voice said in Pride's mind, and for some reason, his belly warmed at the thought. He turned and followed Salene.
By Me :banana:
Okee, hur's another one o'me storees from me Pride'n'Ebonee collection. Don' chu worree tho. More're on dee way. Dis one hur deals wit dee tu in dee future, when dee citee is more o'less stable. hehehe. Enjoi. (oh an by dee way, i reallee don talk like dis. Me 'n' a friend at skool are tryin ta see who kin write an talk like dis fur dee longest.) :p (storees not included)
Author's note: okee, okee, okee, I sorta got creative license n dis storee. I tuk sum of dee stuff from the tribe, info from different timelines and put em all tugether, so's i hope yu like what i got. :banana:
PART ONE
More or less, he was feeling good. Good enough to sleep, good enough to eat, good enough to lie down and die. Pride sat up slowly and rubbed his aching head. It was early morning and he was suffering from one of the worst hangovers of his life. Twenty-five and he still didn't get it. Never go out and challenge Lex to a drinking match...There was some Scottish in the other boy's bones...Either that, or he was a Dwarf in disguise. Pride looked over at the sleeping form of May and sighed. He'd better get up before she decided to. He hated it when she made him breakfast in bed...It always made him feel guilty. He'd married her for the wrong reasons and still he didn't love her. He wanted to get away from her.
He got up slowly, going over to his dresser. He took some aspirin first then, picked up his pants, shirt, coat and boots, put them on and crept out into the quiet setting of the mall. He figured it was really early morning, so no one would be up. Out of the mall he went and started along the sidewalk. He knew it wasn't like him to just up and leave, but he needed time to think. Always, he needed to think. Why didn't he just act. The little problem of May wasn't going to go away.
He found himself walking passed the old Horton-Bailey hotel, the large sign of Ebony's Palace torn down and graffiti ridden. He shook his head at the fallen glory of a once well known name. She'd done it to herself. He continued on walking until he came to the Casino. Technos guards were outside the doors, young bloods too. Pride smirked. Ram was slacking. Never in his youth-youth? Pride wondered about that fleetingly- did he let the young ones go out. He kept them inside, training them, sending the older guards out to take on the city. Pride sighed and went into the Casino to seek out Lex. This was his normal hang out since Tai-San left him to achieve balance between life and vitrua-life, the equilibrium of the matrix and the human body. Pride saw him, slumped over in a corner.
"Been that way for a while," came a voice behind him. Pride turned and nodded at Ved, the blonde coming to stand beside him.
"Yeah, I suppose," Pride said looking at him. "Ever since Tai-San..."
"Yeah," Ved said quickly, as Lex suddenly snapped awake.
"Oi, Waiter! Hey you! Get me some more booze!!" Lex shouted rudely at the passing girl. She looked down at him and shook her head. Then promptly ignored his cries for more service. Pride shook his head and went over to the fallen Sheriff.
"Oi, Lex, how's it going?" he asked taking a seat beside his friend. Lex stared at him puzzled for a minute, then grinned.
"Ah, my drinkin Buddy Pride." He grinned and said," Heard anything from Tai- San?"
He stared at Lex's hopeful features and decided not to lie to him. He'd had too much of that already.
"No, Lex," he replied and his heart wretched at the sight of Lex's face shattered into a thousand pieces.
"Well, y'know how she is," he said gruffly."What with the matrix and everything. But she'll be back."
"Maybe," Pride whispered and watched as Lex fell into a state of tranced bewilderment. Pride bit his lip.
Please, don't tell me he's about to go through another one of his episodes......
And suddenly, Lex shot up from his seat and glared around the room. He raised his voice, saying,"Hey! Hey! Get this dump cleaned. Now, I'm the Sheriff of these parts and what I say-"
"Oh, shut up!" came the annoyed cry. Lex whipped around and glared.
"Lex,"Pride begged. "Lex, just let it go-"
"Who said that?" Lex cried angrily. "Who?"
Then swooping down, and out of the blue, the Casino guards and Technos hauled Lex out of there before he could pick a fight. Pride watched in sadness and in pity.
What have we succumb to.
"Maybe, Ram should build an institution," Ved said stoically. "y'know, one for crazy people?"
Rather than snap at the boy, Pride changed the subject. "So, how's Cloe and your son, Jacob? I heard he just started walking."
Ved grinned proudly. "Yep, and saying his ABC's and 123's. We're very proud of him."
Pride looked into Ved's eyes and felt his stomach twist into knots. He saw the pride of parent hood in them, the gladness of having a child, and the pity that others didn't have one as smart as Ved's. Pride turned away and started towards the front entrance.
"Good luck to you and Cloe and Jacob," he said with forced cheer. "Be sure to tell Cloe hi for me."
"Sure thing," Ved called back.
Pride stepped out of the Casino and looked around. Finally, his eyes fell on the limp figure of Lex lying on the ground. He shook his head. Perhaps, in someway, he should be happy. He had a wife, the city was stable, there was peace with the outer tribes...but somehow the struggle of happiness and sadness raged in him. Look at Lex...Look at the air, listen to it...Does it have the sweet underlying sound of peace? Does it? DOES IT?! Pride shook his head. He should be happy...he should be...happy.
He went over to Lex and hoisted the groaning man up and onto his feet.
"C'mon, Lex. Let's go home."
******
She stood at the edge of the city, her mind at ill ease. She was coming back home, a home that was suddenly so very alien and foreign to her that she just wanted to turn around and run back to the cover of tree shades and the wide open grasslands she knew so well. Instead of the latter she sighed and turned to face those gathered round her. A motley bunch they were, a mismatched group of twenty or thirty that had decided they would rather survive under her leadership, representing their tribes of eco-warriors and lovers of the earth, rather than the harsh rule of the Technos. And she was grateful for that, grateful for their loyalty. Goodness knew it took her along time to attain it. She raised a hand in the air to silence their murmurings.
"Brothers! Sisters!"she called to them from atop her horse, windrider, a morgan of deep red-brown."We go now to the Tribes of the City and Sectors, to not only insure peace from both our worlds, but to also bring to them the tranquility of the earth and all that it has to offer, and to perhaps help them join us in the happiness we share with each other and our brotherhood." Ebony turned to the vision of the city's full sky line and wrapped a scarf about her face. She wouldn't be too hastey in letting people remember her, lest her plans not fall through. She'd worked too hard to change herself and to unite all Outer Tribes, and become their leader, she wasn't going to let her city fall to ruin because of everyone's discontentmnet with Ram. Oh yes, she'd heard of some of his new policies concerning the Games and use of the Motherboard.
"TRIBES," she cried, her horse reigning in the air. "MOVE OUT!"
******
"So, she's here," Ram said in a self-satisfied voice, his chair swiveling around to face his second in command. Jay cleared his throat uncomfortably and nodded at his leader.
"Yes, Lord Ram," he replied stiffly as his leader turned and faced the city from his tower above it. This was the new Technos base, directly at the heart of the city, in a radio tower, where he controlled everything from communications to the Games.
"Excellent," Ram replied and licked his lips. He grinned at the pale blue sky, twinged slightly green under a hot summer sun. Few clouds were in the sky. Ebony couldn't have chosen a better day. Ram turned back to Jay and asked," So, how many of her people are out there?"
"About ten tribes that we can see, maybe more just in the forest rimming the city."
"Ten plus," Ram said inquisitively."Hmmmm...I like those odds." Then suddenly becoming serious," Round up the troops. While she's here, I don't want any trouble. Censor or get rid of anything that conflicts with Techno belief. Do you understand, Jay?"
"Perfectly, Lord Ram," he replied and turned on his heel to leave.
"Ah, Jay," Ram called. His commander looked back.
"You do realize, she's going to want to talk. Make sure you set up a proper meeting hall. Just in case."
"Yes, Ram." Jay stepped out of the office and onto his orders.
**********
"Is he alright?"Salene helped Pride drag Lex up to his room and dump him unceremoniously on his bed. Pride sighed and stared down at his friend.
"He went through another one of his episodes,"he replied and went to rest on the door frame. "Been having alot more of them lately."
"Well, we'll just have to see what happens this time," Salene informed him. "Meanwhile, have you heard the talk?"
He shook his head as his face creased into puzzlement. Salene led him out of Lex's room. They walked down the steps to the mall's quad.
"There's some one from the outer tribes visiting the city, talking about overthrowing the Motherboard and Games," Salene told him as they sat at a table. Pride's face registered surprise.
"Who?" he asked. Salene shrugged.
"Nobody knows, except, of course, the Technos and Ram," she replied.
Pride frowned.
"I don't get it," he said."Why would anyone try to overthrow Ram. He's too powerful-"
"Well, well, well, now I really have heard everything," said a voice behind them. "Pride admitting that Ram's won, can't be."
Salene's face was a mask of shock."Pride, look."
He turned and looked, his eyes going wide. There standing, like a goddess sprung from myth, arrayed in a dress much like the belly dancers of Arabia, only much more exotic, was Ebony. Her long braids were no longer their typical brown and red, but instead a surreal deep blue and indigo. Her facial paint was different too. While the bandit's strip still painted over her eyes it was of a different color: purple and mahogoney. Her lips were painted a peacock black and on her left cheek was an odd, yet wicked symbol of a burning flame. The former Queen of the Locos was flanked by ten guards, grown men in their early twenties, all attired in garments similar to Pride's old Ecos tribe, and yet also different.
He shot up from his seat, immediately on the offensive. What was she doing here? He thought they'd gotten rid of her long ago.
"Ebony, are you the cause of the buzz in the city?" Salene asked vehemently. Ebony shrugged carelessly and grinned-actually grinned. It wasn't devious or conniving, just a slight upturn of her lips. Pride was too shocked to comment.
"You might say that," she replied casually and took a seat at one of the quad tables. "They don't know that it's me, though."
"Then maybe we should inform them a serpent's back in town," Salene lashed out. Ebony rolled her eyes and said in a voice Pride thought-actually thought!-sounded sincere," I've changed Salene. I'm not the same Ebony you remember."
"Well, forgive me if I don't jump up and celebrate," she snapped back and crossed her arms. "Just what do you want?"
But before Ebony could answer a sudden cry filled the air:" Tai-San! Tai- San! TAAAAAAAIIII-SAAAAN!"
"Lex," Pride said almost appologetically. He started to go and see to his deranged friend when Ebony stood and stopped him. In her hands was a vial of some green guck inside. Her look was oddly reassuring as she ascended the steps of the Mall and went towards Lex's bedroom. Pride frowned and went up to follow her. The others followed closely behind.
He stopped in the doorway and watched in awe as Ebony calmed a flailing Lex by singing, and it wasn't just the serenity that fell over her face that struck him. It was her voice: so pure, so sweet, like the heavenly song of angels. He heard Salene behind him gasp, and Ebony's guards sigh. Then Ebony made Lex drink the guck inside the vial. He did so willingly and smiled like a satisfied babe.
"Is everything going to be alright now...Ebony?" He asked sleepily. She smiled warmly, a smile that sent strange shivers up and down Pride's spine, and said in a gentle tone,"Hush, now, and sweet dreams. Come find me when you wake up."
He nodded off to sleep. She stood and quietly left the room, the others trailing bhind.
"Ebony,"Pride called. She turned to him and her eyes peered up at him quietly. There was a calmness in them that put him at ease. He bit his lip. Why was he, so suddenly, taken up by her tricks? She was Ebony, the vile Ebony that he hated, the girl the city feared, an angel of fallen glory. Why was she so damn...he just didn't know. "What did you give him?"
"Just herbs, Pride," she said softly and scanned his face. He looked away from her and looked to Salene, the city leader and his ex-lover. He couldn't bear to meet Ebony's roving eyes, they seemed to have a mesmeric pull, transforming into eyeglasses peering into his soul.
"What will those 'herbs' do to him?" Salene asked. Ebony shrugged and said," Put his mind at ease. Things have been happening in this city. Bad things to people's souls. It's like.."pause"...people are smiling, but there are worms in their bellies, forcing the smiles up and that if they opened their mouths, the worms would just spread and spread until everything is a wasteland."
Pride drew in a sharp hiss, his eyes snapping to meet Ebony's. Her's were probing, curious. How could she know? How could she possibly know? Perhaps she felt the undercurrent of the city-the un-peace. Maybe she too could feel the underlying unhappiness that everyone was afraid to confront.
But.........
How could Ebony know all this? How could she percieve all this without having lived it? How could she know how anyone felt-how he felt, for that matter.....And he was struck with the odd possiblility that maybe she had changed and that she DID know, without knowing, that she'd expressed his very own feelings.
"Do you want to stay at the hotel?" he blurted out before he could stop himself. Salene looked at him in utter shock. He turned to her sheepishly." Y'know, to help out Lex."
"Maybe another time," she said softly and he met those strange eyes again. The shiver that had been at his spine now rushed over into his stomach.
"Of course." It was barely a whisper. The little dark haired goddess stepped lightly, her skirts rustling, away down the steps and out of the mall. Pride looked after her and sighed within his chest.
"What was that about?" Salene snapped, breaking him from his moment of quiet. He turned to her quickly and shrugged.
"For Lex."
"Right," Salene replied unconvinced. She gave him an irritated sidelong glance. "Wonder what she's up to." Salene said moving off to check on Lex.
'World peace,' a voice said in Pride's mind, and for some reason, his belly warmed at the thought. He turned and followed Salene.