Hmmm...look at this I've revived a story from the dead! Here ya go!

Enjoy!


Les papillons d'or

Chapter 7

Sunrise-sunset


"It's so hot...I can't do any more work," Stephanie sighed, moving her frame to the movement of the fan, her eyes closed, "Heidi, tell me I can have a break."

"You can have a break."

"Yes!"

"After you move the TV in the parlor, there's a show I want to watch and the parlor gets the best reception," Heidi doesn't look up from what she was doing in the kitchen, her hair up in a high bun, and a golden butterfly covered apron on her frame, "You humans and your half backwards technology…."

The last part was muttered to herself as Stephanie rushed into the kitchen, her face red, "Heidi! Your TV is one of those old boob tubes! Those things weight 200 pounds, on a good day! I'll break my back!"

"Oh…then lift with your knees," Heidi looks up from her work, with a smile, "Oh, did you read a story?"

"Oh…yeah, I read a story about some sisters…" Stephanie leaned against the counter, looking over to Heidi as she stirred something, "I sort of forgot what I read, it was kind of hazy."

"That's alright, if you got through all the juicy details," Heidi pours what she made into several sets of smaller bowls and set it to the side, "Could you please move the TV now, it's very important that you do."

Stephanie sighs and stands, leaving the kitchen as Heidi gets out a tea serving set, "Where's Ranger, shouldn't he be doing this, he's the strong man around here."

"…." Heidi smiles as she pours hot water into the teapot, before scooping several blue and gold tea leaves into it as well, "He asked if he could go somewhere and I allowed him, he will be back soon, I promise you."

Stephanie lets out a huff, pushing the TV into the Parlor and plugging it up, "Heidi, I have the TV set up."

"Turn it on, please, I'll be out there in a minute!" Heidi set three China cups on the tea set, "I do hope that vampire drama is on tonight!"

Stephanie sat on the floor in front of the TV, turning it on and sitting back, looking at the show that was on, "….I hear things, but I don't see anyone on it!"

"Oh that's the vampire flick, that's a popular flick in the Netherworld," Heidi began to quickly add cake plates and silverware.

"Netherworld, what?" Stephanie tilted her head as a young woman walked across the screen, in a blue strapless sun dress, humming as she walked by the nothingness, "Erm…

"Oh, Catherine, you should know that Steve is cheating on you with Amber!" the woman turned to the empty space as she walked off the screen.

"What?!" a voice shouted in the middle of the TV screen, just as Stephanie turned the channel.

"….Erm…" Stephanie watched as, on the screen, came on a talk show with several women talking in high pitch chirps, "They sound like birds…"

"Oh that's a popular show somewhere else!" Heidi hummed, "It's enjoyable!"

Stephanie's eyes widen as the same woman walked across the screen again, stopping to drink one of the woman's drink, "Mmm, this is tasty!" before she set the cup down and she walked off the stage.

"….!" Stephanie turned the channel, showing the bottom of an ocean and she watched as the woman swam across the TV screen with ease. She turned the channel again and again until she stopped on a cooking show, hosted by grey colored elves.

"Now, you're going to have to let this rest for several minutes before you-" the elven woman started but the woman who walked across the screen jumped in front of the camera and shouted, "Oi! Stop changing the channel, I'm trying to find an exit! Humans, bah!"

"Oh…don't make her angry," Heidi walked out the kitchen with the tea set, setting it down on the table, "Move out the way or…."

Stephanie let out a shriek as the woman jumped out of the TV and landed on her back. The woman looked around and got off Stephanie and looked over to Heidi. She gave her a glare and then ran over to her, holding out her fist. Heidi raised her own fist and together, the two women shook them until their fingers shot out.

"…..Rock beats scissors, I win!" the strange young woman squealed, smiling, "I finally beat you!"

"Bah! You got lucky," Heidi glared, before she smiled and hugged the woman, "Brittany!"

"Heidi!" The strange woman hugged her back, the two of the spinning around, "How are you?"

"Good, Brittany, how are you?" Heidi and Brittany sat down.

"Good!" Heidi picked up the tea pot and begin to pour the golden blue tea, "I hope I didn't bother you, Brittany."

Brittany accepted the tea and sipped it slowly, "No, I always have time for you…"

Stephanie sat up and looked over to the two women, rubbing her back, "Ow, that hurt so badly," She turned to glare at the two women but stopped short, looking at the woman beside Heidi. She and Heidi looked so alike, except, instead of amber eyes, the woman had blue eyes that were so dark they were black and her black hair was so dark that it shone blue in the light. She had the same skin color, the same length hair except she was shorter than Heidi and was covered in a black aura that had Stephanie stepping back, what was that around her?

"Oh, I wish I could make tea like you, Heidi," Brittany smiled softly, before she lifted up a large black bottle, "Oh, I forgot, I went to-"

"Is that…" Heidi cooed, clasping her hands together, "Night Tree Nectar?"

"Mhmm, it's extra potent this year, the black rains were heavy this season and the tree was happy," Brittany shook the bottle, "I hope you made the custard!"

"Yes!" Heidi stood and ran into the kitchen with Stephanie at her heels. Stephanie placed a hand on Heidi's shoulder and whispered, "Heidi, that woman, Brittany-"

"Oh…? You sense her?" Heidi turned to look at Stephanie as she set out the custard bowls onto the cake plates, "Yes…she is…special, I hoped the tea's effects would settle in before you saw her, but it must not have seeped long enough. That woman out there is my sister and…she's pure evil."

(~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~)

"Wow, it's so thick!" Heidi's eyes widened as Brittany poured the nectar over the custard, "You were right, the Night Tree was quite happy this year!"

"Mhmm," Brittany smiled, picking up the small plate and handing it to Stephanie, "I hope you like it, and please…"

Stephanie gulped as Brittany gave her a dark look and hissed, "When I walk on the TV screen, don't change the channel."

"Got it!" Stephanie squeak, causing Brittany to smile brightly as she served her sister a plate of nectar soaked custard, "You're Heidi's sister? I never knew she had a younger sister…."

"She doesn't have a younger sister, I'm the older sister," Brittany smiled, "I'm sorry if I startled you earlier in the TV and on the couch, you must have seen an evil aura before."

Stephanie scooped up some custard, "I'm sorry to say this but I've never seen…evil like that before."

"It's alright, you're only human," Brittany waved her off leaning against Heidi, who ate her custard with gusto, "Heidi, eat with some manners, what would our mother say if she saw you!"

"She would pat me on the head and call me her favorite," Heidi cooed, licking her plate, her cheeks flushed, "MMM! This nectar is so good this year, I hope next year the black rains are even heavier!"

Stephanie looked down at the spoonful of custard in her hand and jiggled it. The custard looked like a normal egg custard but the liquid on top of it was black, and it seemed to shimmer and sparkle in the light. She shrugged her shoulders and ate the custard. The moment it hit her tongue, she dropped her spoon and let out a noise of pleasure, her cheeks flushed, "This is so good, it's like summer vacation in my mouth, I love Night Tree Nectar!"

Brittany smiled as Stephanie ate her custard with gusto as well, "Your little human is so cute," She looked down at the coffee table, her dark eyes landing on the book of fairy tales, "Oh, you're reading fairy tales, how lovely, have you read the one named Sunrise-Sunset?"

Stephanie shook her head, finishing her custard, "I don't think so, in fact I don't think that story was in the book."

"Ah, it's my favorite one, I love it when you tell the story, Brittany," Heidi poured more nectar on a serving of custard, "Please?"

"I cannot deny you anything, sister," Brittany smiled and picked up her tea cup, "Once upon a time, when Gaia was still new, the All Mother, the creator of Gaia, looked upon her silent creation and suddenly found herself longing to make it prettier. She added trees, water and life to Gaia but she knew it was missing something but didn't know what it was. When she looked up into the sky, she found her answer there. She had spent so long making Gaia pretty, that she had neglected the sky. Without the sky, Gaia could not be possible. She took her time and made herself two daughters for the sky; Sunrise and Sunset. The All Mother loved her creations equally, but Sunrise and Sunset held a special spot in her heart. She would tell them both that each were dependent upon each other, without a Sunrise there could be no Sunset, and without a Sunset, there could be no Sunrise. The two, understanding their mother's wisdom grew together nurtured their gifts. Sunrise learned how to paint the sky lighter colors and Sunset learned how to paint the sky darker colors. The two sisters lived together in harmony and all was well on Gaia, until a blackness came, threatening to swallow up the All Mother's creation. This blackness was not like the night that the All Mother had created, this blackness was something that the All Mother did not understand…"

Brittany set the cup down and looked over to Stephanie, her blue eyes bleeding black, "This blackness was evil…"

Stephanie shivered as the black aura wrapped itself around Brittany, like a lover's caress, a long black snake nuzzling the woman's cheek.

"The All Mother only made goodness on Gaia, she knew no evil, for she believed that there was good in everything. She didn't make evil because she did not know what it was. However, the All Mother forgot that in the universe there is a balance and if there is more is some thing the universe will attempt to compensate for even balance."

"it compensated too much and pure evil threatened to swallow Gaia whole," Stephanie watched as Brittany twirled her fingers around in the darkness, "Sunrise and Sunset knew that Gaia would not survive if the evil consumed it, and so, Sunrise sacrificed herself and consumed the evilness herself. Sunset became Sunrise, because after Sunrise ate the evil she herself became darker than the night . There can not be two Sunsets and so The original Sunset became the morning and the original Sunrise became the night. Because of Sunrise's sacrifice, evil now only came out at night, while goodness came out in the sunlight."

Brittany hummed, as she caressed the darkness, "The new Sunset was now full of evil but..." She smiled, "She still kept her pure heart, can you image it? Pure hearted evilness, but all good things couldn't come to her now, only the All Mother and Sunrise could touch her without recoiling in terror. Sunset lived alone but her sister, Sunrise swore to her sister that her sacrifice would not be in vain, that she would find her someone who was not afraid of her aura, even now, Sunrise looks for her sister's special one, hoping to give her sister a light in the evil darkness…."

Brittany looked up to Stephanie a smile on her face, "Wasn't that a beautiful story?"

"I-" Stephanie started but then she stopped as she heard a soft whisper in her ear.

"Are you my Special One?"

Stephanie looked over to Brittany who sat stone still, looking at her, the blues in her eyes bleeding black, the blackness surrounding her spreading out and slowly wrapping around Stephanie's body. Stephanie tried to let out a scream but couldn't as the blackness blotted out the light. She turned to Heidi who stood still as well, looking at her sister, before she lifted the cup to her lips, with a hum. Stephanie's eyes widen as the darkness began to wrap around her quickly until, finally, in the overbearing darkness it was just Stephanie and Brittany. Brittany stood up and slowly went over to Stephanie, reaching her hand out to touch her cheek. Stephanie tried to let out a cry but she couldn't make a sound, she couldn't even move. The terror rose in her throat and got stuck there as Brittany's hand got closer.

"You have such a lovely-"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!"

"Stephanie…" Heidi's voice had Stephanie snapping back to reality, clutching her plate and her chest heaving, "Are you okay?"

She was sitting there, in the living room, and Brittany was eating her custard in silence, head bow. Heidi finished her tea and smiled at Stephanie, "Can you let Carlos in, he's waiting downstairs in the basement by the blue door."

"Was there-? Did I-?" Stephanie set down her finished custard and stood, looking at the two women, "Okay, I'll be back," She walked out the room quickly, still shivering from what occurred.

Did that occur or did it all occur in her mind, Brittany was eating her custard and Heidi would have said something.

Heidi looked over to her sister, "I'm sorry," she sets her cup down and grabs at Brittany's hand.

"No, it's not your fault," Brittany looked up at Heidi and smiled softly, "I should get going now, the effects from the tea is fading and I know how your house gets, the longer I stay in it."

Brittany stood and walked over to the TV. She stopped suddenly and then slowly combed her fingers through her long black hair until a single strand rested in her hand. She turned and walked back to her sister and placed the strand in her hand, "You'll be needing this, for later, I'll be back soon to visit again, perhaps I'll use the door this time."

Brittany waved to her sister and then jumped through the TV screen, leaving Heidi alone in the parlor. Heidi looked down at the strand of her sister's hair and stood, walking over to her desk. She pulled out a small wooden box and placed the strand in it, sighing as her house seemed to ruffle in agitation.

"It's alright, I'm going to put a seal on it," Heidi smiled, looking up at the walls, "She's my sister, you should treat her better."

Heidi pricked her finger with the tip of her quill and wrote a small symbol on it, with her blood, before setting the box back inside her desk.

"Hmm, I should send Stephanie off to the store, I need more berries for the wine I want to make," Heidi listens to Carlos and Stephanie as they walk into the parlor, "Oh, Stephanie, be a dear and go and get some berries from the store, I'm making a light dinner and want to make a berry wine to go with it."

"What happened to the berries I bought yesterday?" Stephanie had an arm wrapped around Carlos's forearm.

"I made tarts, and you ate half the batch," Heidi smiled brightly, earning a groan from Stephanie and a chuckle from Carlos.

"Fine, fine, I'll go," Stephanie turned and kissed Carlos' cheek and then walked out the house. That dinner better be worth it!

"Something evil was here," Heidi looked over to Carlos, who looked back at her, arms crossed, "But…"

"But?" Heidi tilted her head.

"It wasn't a bad evil, if that makes sense," Carlos shrugged, "I know it makes sense to you, Heidi."

"It does," Heidi walked over to the serving set, "Would you like some custard?"

"…..Sure," Carlos accepted the small dish and sat down, eating a spoonful, "It's delicious, what this syrup over it?"

"Night tree nectar, from the flowers of the Night Tree, a tree that grows in the shadows. Once a year, after the black rains come, it produces nectar. The nectar is said to have the power to ensure people have good fortune until the next time the Night Tree produces nectar, but it has to be eaten over golden sun custard for that to happen." Heidi began cleaning up the mess, "Did you have a good training session?"

"I did," Carlos hummed as Heidi walked out of the parlor.

"I'll be starting dinner now, I-"

"He told me to tell you that death walks beside you, and that you should be careful," Carlos finished his custard, looking over to Heidi, who had stopped walking, "He said to me that I should watch you because death is close to touching you."

"He said that?" Heidi whispered, nodding her head, "Thank you for the news, Carlos, I'll keep that in mind."

Carlos watched Heidi walk away and then looked out the window, something dangerous was going to happen soon, he would have to be on guard.

TBC


Woo! Welp...there's that! I've been busy with work and school, hopefully, by the end of this year, I'll be student teaching so I'll have time to write! I'll try to update more stories soon!