AN: So, I'd just like to make it clear that this is NOT super-clean writing. Still decent- I made sure it was - but it's not as clean as I'd like and seems a bit rushed to me. That's just my opinion though. You guys are welcome to think what you'd like xP I DO need OC's for this story though, so if you want to submit one all the information I'll need is at the bottom of the chapter :) I'd also like to mention this story will be separate from Lightning Gaze and Scarlet, so there won't be appearances by any of those characters. ENJOY!
~In dedication to Jarod Maxwell. October 1, 1997 - September 13, 2012. Happy birthday buddy~
Chapter 1:
Miss. Meredith placed the bowl of salad in front of me. It looked crisp and yummy like it was just picked from the garden - and it probably was. The carrots were a bright orange, the lettuce leaves sparkled in the lamp-light, the tomatoes looked red and juicy. Everything about it looked delicious, but…
"Cerise, why aren't you eating?" It was Miss. Meredith's sweet voice that asked the question. I shrugged, not meeting the Marleybonian's gaze. Instead I kept staring at that yummy little salad. My stomach started growling, sounding like a starved Minotaur, but I didn't move my hand to pick up the silver fork. Just one more night, Sellus, she thought. Then we'll be out of here.
"Cerise..." Miss. Meredith wrapped her paw-like hands around my own, the fur brushing gently against my skin. She placed a hand on my cheek and made me look at her. Her green-blue eyes sparkled with sympathy. "I know you're upset, hun, but you have to eat at some point."
"Why?" I murmured, looking away again. "Sellus can't eat anymore. Why do I have to?"
"Because that's what Sellus would want. He wouldn't want his sister to starve," I shook my head and shoved the salad away. It spilled over, the little red tomatoes rolling off the table and plopping onto the ground. Mr. Whiskers, the orphanage's fire-cat pet, trotted over and began licking them up. Let him, kitties need to eat too. Miss. Meredith sighed and pulled away from me, shooing Mr. Whiskers and bending down to pick up what the cat hadn't managed to get. I took the chance to get out of my seat, sneaking down the hall towards my room.
When I flicked on the light, everything was still the same. A bunk bed rested against one wall of the room, a large window on another, and two dressers on the last. One dresser held boys clothes, one held girls clothes. The top bunk had dark blue blankets with stars and moons on it, the bottom bunk had light purple blankets with yellow Storm insignias on it. One half of the windowsill had action figures of various wizards, another half had unicorns and dolls. In the middle was a picture of us, me and Sellus. I slowly made my way over to it, picking it up and staring at it. We were twins. Same short brown hair, same plush lips, same wide brown eyes and same petite body. We were playing wizard together when this picture was taken. He was a Pyromancer and I was a Diviner. I think he was winning, but I couldn't remember. I sat down on the bed, feeling tears gently roll down my cheeks. He was my best friend. You're still my best friend Sellus.
I heard Miss. Meredith come down the hall and spotted her shadow as it paused by the door. The door handle gently shook, but before she was able to open it the bell rang. Again Miss. Meredith paused, then finally, after a few long moments, I heard the tap tap tap of her heels as she walked away to answer the door. I slumped my head on my pillow, hugging the picture to my chest. You're still my best friend, Sellus. Just think, one more day until we're wizards. We'll be wizards, Sellus. I felt my heart pound unforgivably at my chest, making me feel like that one time that bully was beating me up. Only this time, Sellus wouldn't save me. Sellus was never going to save me ever again.
The tears streamed down my cheek and my throat started to hurt as I fought back my sobs. The other kids hated it when I sobbed. They said it kept them up at night. Suddenly a brighter light streamed into the room as the door creaked open and I felt my bed weigh down. A hand rested itself on my shoulder, but it wasn't the same plush, furry one of Miss. Meredith, but a stronger one. I glanced over my shoulder and saw a man dressed in all red. His caramel eyes sparkled with sympathy.
"Hi mister Jenstin..." I whispered, feeling a tear trickle into my mouth. It tasted salty, and I shook my head to rid of the taste and the rest of the falling tears, but it didn't work. Jenstin gave me a small, unhappy smile as he used his finger to brush away some lingering tears on my cheek.
"Hi Cerise..." he murmured, gently brushing my hair out of my face. "How are you?"
I sat up and leaned on his shoulder, still hugging the picture as I sobbed into his shirt, more salty tears dripping into my mouth as his strong arms wrapped around me. A few groans from upstairs told me I woke some of the kids up, and I forced myself to shut my mouth. Forced myself to stop sobbing. Forced myself to listen to their angry grunts. It's rude to wake people up, right Sellus? Jenstin rested his hands on my shoulders and pulled me away. He took out his handkerchief and wiped away some more tears. "It's alright to cry, sweetheart," he murmured. "You need it."
Even as he said it I didn't allow myself to sob. I felt my nails gently begin scratching at the back of my picture. "I miss him Jenstin..."
"I know..." his arms wrapped around me again, and gratefully I leaned against his chest. "Just think. Tomorrows a new day...a new dawn...things will be better."
"You've been saying that all week, and it's not getting better." Jenstin's chest blew up as he took a slow, deep breath.
"Tomorrow you'll go to Ravenwood though. Won't it be nice to be out of this orphanage?" I pulled away from him as he said it, the name of the dreaded school Ravenwood. Sellus had wanted to go there since he first found out about it. Sellus wanted to be a wizard. Sellus deserved to be a wizard. I hopped out of bed and stared out of the window. Jenstin stayed seated where he was, looking at me sadly. Helplessly. No one can help me, no one except Sellus.
"I don't want to go anymore..."
"Why not?" There was genuine shock in his tone as if he expected a different answer, something like 'I'll go for Sellus' or 'I guess it is better'. He was wrong though. The reason was because of Sellus, but what he thought was wrong. He'd always be wrong...
"Because Sellus won't be there." Jenstin's frown deepened, and he came over to rest his hands on my shoulders one final time, giving me a gentle kiss on the top of my head. He squeezed my shoulders once before pulling away and walking slowly out of the room. He realized he wouldn't be any help to me, I guessed. Not anytime soon at least. I continued to look out the window for a while longer. It had rained the night before, and some of the remaining puddles reflected the streetlights. The sky, which was now devoid of any clouds, sparkled with stars and moonlight, and in the distance I saw a small circular shape. I wasn't sure if it was Krokotopia or Mooshu, but I knew it was some far off world. A world that could only be reached through the Spiral Door.
The Spiral Door, I thought. Sellus had always wanted to go to all the different worlds, from Wizard City to Celestia, even to the far off Azteca. A part of me also wanted to explore those worlds, especially now that Sellus was gone, but it didn't seem right. His eyes wouldn't be able to see the wonders the Spiral had to offer. His ears would never capture the sounds of Mooshu's waterfalls, or the festive music if Wizard City. His hands would never know what it was like to hold a wand and cast a spell. Everything that this universe had to offer would only be mine to explore, not Sellus's.
I glanced over at the grandfather clock. Midnight. My eyes suddenly felt heavy and I knew I needed sleep. I went back over to the bed, only this time I went on the top bunk, curling myself in Sellus's old blankets and continuing to hug the picture. I'll go to Ravenwood, Sell, if only for you. Goodnight, brother, The tears started up again, creating the same old salty rivers. I'll miss you…
It was early the next morning I felt a hand shake my shoulder. When I opened my eyes I saw Miss. Meredith, her eyes and voice as gentle as always. "Its time to go."
"Already…" I groaned, pulling myself up in a sitting position. I felt nauseous, dizzy, like I was about to fall over. Miss. Meredith nodded and sadly glanced at the picture, which I was still hugging to my chest.
"I know Ravenwood doesn't normally allow students to take many things coming into the school, but…" She glanced around the room. "I'm sure you can take the picture with you and maybe one other thing," I frowned, thinking. Almost everything - except for the picture, of course - belonged to the orphanage, and I wasn't at all comfortable with taking what didn't belong to me. Miss. Meredith glanced over at the windowsill, staring at our favorite toys we had. "You can take one of those, if you'd like."
I didn't hesitate long before jumping off the bed, already knowing what I wanted to bring. I grabbed an old wooden toy puppet that had a red wizards hat and orange robe. It wasn't as cool or neat as some of Sellus's other toys or even my dolls, but it was his favorite. You can't come Sellus, but I'll make sure a part of you does.
I nodded to Miss. Meredith, telling her I was ready. She gave a small, faint smile and rested her furry hand on my shoulder. I hugged the toy and the picture tighter to my chest as she lead me down the hall towards the dining room. Seven or eight other kids my age were already there, sitting and standing about as they quietly talked to each other, excitement lighting their eyes and their smiles spanning from cheek to cheek. I couldn't bring myself to feel the same. Not only was Sellus not going to be there with me, but none of my other friends from the orphanage were old enough to join the school. I was completely alone.
I shivered, suddenly feeling cold and terrified, and in an effort to comfort myself I stroked the coarse, familiar fabric of the toy. It didn't help. My legs started to shake, and unable to keep myself up any longer I collapsed in the corner of the room. It felt like a large chasm had opened itself in the pit of my stomach, opening wider and wider, threatening to make me throw up, threatening to make me look like a sick fool, threatening to take away any chance I had of leaving the orphanage, threatening to ruin Sellus's favorite toy, threatening to ruin the only things I had left of him. I swallowed, feeling the disgusting, bitter bile return to the chasm it came from, burning up my insides. Broken glass replaced my heart, stabbing and cutting me with every painful beat. My chest grew heavy, like I was deep underwater, and I gasped for breath, tears forming in my eyes as I finally realized what death really meant: I was never going to see my brother again.
I finally realized he was going to be nothing but a memory. His smile would be gone. His laugh would be gone. His warmth would be gone. His love and protection would be gone. His eyes, which once saw everything with a curious and bright light, would never be able to see again. His hands, which so often played with the wooden toy I now held, would never be able to feel again. I felt a tear trickle down my cheek. I was never going to hear his voice again, or feel his arms wrap around me in a hug. He was gone… I felt myself break, and unable to hold it in any longer, I retched.
Suddenly every little voice stopped and I felt the stares of everyone on me, their disgust and surprise apparent. I felt the tears release themselves and I couldn't bring myself to look up. I had moved my head to the side of me so I wouldn't get any of the vile stuff on Sellus's things, but now I stared directly at the disgusting mess I made. No one laughed, no one made fun of me, but I felt so embarrassed I started to sob, the tears dripping off from the tip of my nose and plopping into the bile. I felt two hands rest themselves on my shoulders, feminine but not furry. It wasn't Miss. Meredith, but I didn't care. I let the lady, whoever she was, pull me up and guide me to the kitchen. I kept my head down, unable to meet the gaze of anyone. I was lifted up and put on the kitchen counter.
"Sweetie, are you okay?" The woman's voice was gentle, soothing. I shook my head helplessly. I felt a wet rag wipe my mouth and cheeks, a soft thumb stroking my shoulder. It took a long while before I started to relax, if only slightly. I buried my face into my hands, unsure what to do or say. Sellus, why did you have to go?
"Mrs. Drake," It was Miss. Meredith coming into the room. "I sent the kids to the abbey, as you said. How's Cerise doing?" I forced myself to look up, running a hand through my hair with a shaky breath. Miss Meredith glanced at me and rushed over, pulling me into a hug. I buried my face into her shoulder, wanting to absorb every bit of warmth she had to offer.
"Why do I still feel like this?" I sobbed, my nails digging into the Marleybonian's dress as I attempted to pull myself closer to her. "Why did he have to go?"
"I don't know sweetheart, I don't know…" Miss. Meredith pulled away though her arms were still wrapped around me. Her dog-shaped face was full of sympathy and pain. She brushed my hair out of my face and pressed her forehead awkwardly to mine. "Do you still want to go?" I thought about this for a few precious moments, or maybe even minutes. I didn't want to go, but Sellus…
"I don't, but S-Sellus did." The Marleybonian, who was so much like a mother to me, nodded in understanding. She glanced over to the side, and following her gaze I saw the woman who had brought me in. Her hair was the color of autumn leaves and her eyes green as grass. She gave a small, somehow comforting smile.
"My name's Sylvia Drake, dear, I-I'll be the one taking you," she held out my picture and toy, and shakily I took them from her. There was a genuine sadness about her though I knew she never met Sellus. I glanced at Miss. Meredith, who kissed me on the forehead and placed me down on the ground.
"Go with her, sweetie. For Sellus," I stared up at her, and unsure what to do, I repeated her words quietly.
"For Sellus," I walked over to Sylvia, who gently took my hand and started leading me out the kitchen entrance. I glanced back Miss. Meredith, who blew me a kiss goodbye. That was the last I saw of her before we disappeared in a flash of green light.
So this is it Sellus. Everything's changing now...
So yeah, basically an emotional dump. I wrote this chapter on my friends birthday though it's not being posted until now, so emotions were just overwhelming for me that day. He was a writer too, so I wanted to dedicate this story to him :') R.I.P buddy...ANYWHO, ignore the emotional wreck I am, the OC submission form is what you want. I'd prefer it if you sent me the info via PM, but if you want to review instead that's fine (talking to you anonymous readers out there, you can review, everyone else BETTER PM ME *gets chainsaw*) I'll try to get everyone's characters in, but the most detailed ones will land a main part in the story. (I have no set number of chars I need yet, so I'm sorry if yours doesn't make it. I'll try to give them a small part, but I won't make any promises. You can submit up to 2 characters.) Have fun creating!
name:
age: (any age, but Cerise will PROBABLY be 10-18 in this)
level: (can be any level, Cerise PROBABLY 1-60. I say probably because I suck at planning xP)
gender:
school:
secondary school: (if there are more than two schools, specify here)
looks: (must include hair, eyes, body shape, any distinct features like scars or tattoos, any important clothes like necklaces, rings, etc.)
Weapon: (name and basic description)
personality: (include any fears)
likes:
dislikes:
family: (name, age, relationship to character)
pets: (include what they are, their names, and what their personalities are like)
mounts:(same as above)
good, evil, or neutral: (or neutrally-good/ neutrally-evil XD)
Background: (how their life is, any important experiences and/or why they are the way they are)
etc: (this can include anything I might have left out that's important to your character, such as fighting style, favorite spell, dark secrets, etc.)
