All right... Well. I started the chapter trying to lead it one way and I ended up leading it... another way. So. The beginning is crap, but I can think of no other way to start it off... so... sowwy. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: My name does not start with Libba and doesn't end with Bray. Therefore, these don't belong to me. The characters, I mean. Anything that didn't come from the books belongs to me. Almost. I dunno... Leave me alone! Don't sue me! I've got no money! Go sue Libba Bray for killing Kartik!!
Gemma woke up feeling disoriented. She tried to stretch and ended up nearly hitting the warm lump beside her. Turning onto her other side, Gemma saw Kartik sleeping and sat up slowly in the bed, trying not to wake Kartik. In his sleep, he hugged her around the waist and snuggled his head into her stomach.
"Teddy…" he murmured softly. Gemma smiled evilly and whapped him on the head, causing him to wake up with a start.
"So what, I get trumped by a teddy bear in your dreams?" Gemma asked as Kartik sat up in the bed, eyes watering.
"Jesus, Gemma, what was that for? It hurts!" Kartik whined. "Besides, it's six in the morning on a Saturday!"
Gemma smiled despite Kartik's whining. Leaning over, she kissed the top of his head.
"Poor Kartik…" She said with a pout. "Have any more injuries I need to kiss?"
Kartik smiled and pointed to his bottom lip. Gemma leaned in until his lips were less than a centimeter away, but suddenly pulled back.
"I have to go get ready. I have shopping and stuff to do for school. First semester is-"
"A month away, Gem." Kartik said, pulling her back into his body. "Come on."
"I'm not vegetating in bed, no matter who my bed partner is. Come over to my apartment, would you?"
Ten minutes later, Gemma was on her way to her apartment. Kartik promised to swing by later- he needed the sun shining before he could be persuaded to get out of bed.
"Hey Gem!" Poonam said as Gemma walked in and hung up her jacket. "How was your first time?"
Gemma glared at Poonam. For the prude that Poonam usually was, this line of teasing was extremely annoying. However, Poonam did have food in her hands, and her cooking was the best of the house. Gemma grabbed a plate and a few pancakes before answering.
"Nonexistent. We didn't fool around or anything, much to your horny mind's dismay. Besides, why would you want to know if I screwed your brother?" It was only after Gemma pointed this out that Poonam stopped asking.
Breakfast went by in a series of pancakes and syrup fights, after which a very sticky Gemma had to go take a shower and wash up.
"Stupid long-armed cretin… can't believe he's my brother…"
Gemma stripped off her clothes and stuck them in the sink to soak. She then turned on the shower and stepped in, relishing the feel of the warm water on her skin. The heat made her feel content, and feeling its flow on her hair was simply heavenly. After a few moments, she began to feel tired…
Bile rose up into the back of her throat and dropped again, a burning wave of pain blinding her thought process and leaving her seeing white lights for a few moments. It didn't take long for Gemma to realize that the white lights were… people. Girls, actually, who were giggling and leading Gemma along a strange path.
"Look where we are, Most High," one girl gestured to the earth. There was a vague familiarity, but it was so changed that there was close to no resemblance to the old. The only thing that marked the ground besides green grass was a round seal with the same crescent and eye design that she knew as her own seal on the land's magic. As she approached, the land started to shake. With a squeal of fright, she backed away. The figures in white started laughing.
"Most High must choose a side! Most High must choose!" They cackled.
"Wait! What must I choose? Why? What's going on?" Gemma cried. She chased after the figures for a moment, then approached the seal again when the disappeared into thin air. The land began to shake again, but then it stopped as she suppressed her anxiety and moved closer. Gemma touched the seal and felt a surge of… well, it was hard to characterize. It made her feel powerful, heavy and light at the same time, sort of like that time she had been in the zero g chambers at space camp…
"How do I get out?" Gemma wondered aloud. Gemma Doyle's memories flashed through her mind rapidly, showing various times that Gemma Doyle and her friends had gotten in and out through…
"A white door?" Gemma asked aloud. Seconds after the words escaped her lips, Gemma saw one appear very faintly at the end of a long path. She followed the path and was inches away from the door…
"…Most… High…"
Gemma spun around and gasped. As her memories swirled painting a picture of the once proud gorgon, the picture in front of her struggled against its chains. Where hissing snakes once coiled at a moment's notice hung limp snakes that swayed only to prove their existence. And where once stood a tall, proud, fierce warrior now sat a wizened creature, resigned to fate.
"Gorgon!" Gemma cried. She ran over to the gorgon, and without a second thought, hugged the gorgon. "What's happened to you? Why are you like this?"
"Most High…" The gorgon whispered again. Gemma watched as the gorgon seemed to grow stronger and younger within an instant. "Most High, the situation here is more dire than you think. The creatures of the Realms are unable to access neither the magic in the ground, nor that which is seeping into the air, so they steal magic from one another. Only a member of the Order is allowed to handle free magic, something that we have only found out recently."
"This is bad…" Gemma whispered, still kneeling.
"Most High! You must leave! They come!" The gorgon hissed, pointing towards the centaurs that had started to come. Gemma reached for the door when she felt strong arms grab her from behind.
A menacing voice cackled, "Welcome back, Most High. We've been waiting!"
"Neela!" Gemma exclaimed. "Wait, all of you, just wait!"
"You kept the magic from us. Now we'll take it from you!"
Gemma growled as she tried to break free, fingers stretching towards the white door.
"Kartik… help me…"
Sorry for making you all wait for so long... and then it's a cliffie. Well... I'm working on the next chapter now, so don't come after me, CORNED BEEF FAMINE! Besides, I don't even eat beef, so there, Lissie! Muhahahahaha!
Sonya... is loving spring break but hating the fact that I wasted it all reading Hana-Kimi and now Ouran High School Host Club (both really good mangas, by the way! YAY SANO AND MIZUKI!!)
