Phoenix and Wild D claim no ownership over Keeper of the Lost Cities. All characters, events, and places mentioned in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series belong to Shannon Messenger. OCs like Anise belong to the bookhawks, and so does the plot. Story by Wild D, with support and editing from Phoenix.
Prologue
There were only a few elves in the bakery this early in the morning, all sporting breakfast and drinks. Anise's mother gave her a peck on the forehead and told her to wait on one of the stools.
"I'll go get grandpa, stay put," Anise nodded and watched her mother leave, contemplating if it would be a good idea to turn into a vanisher and follow. Her mother had never let her into the back, no matter how many times she insisted. She probably had good reason, but Anise was a big girl, ready to know stuff!
Even if I turn into a vanisher, I wouldn't be able to hold it anyway.
A person with a thick black cloak caught Anise's eye. All thoughts of Vanishers were gone. Ze was in a corner without any windows, and the light was dim.
"Don't talk to strangers in black cloaks."
That was the rule. But something about this person, something that made her itch to talk to zir.
She sat down on the stool next to ze, peering up at zir, sat hunched in a way she couldn't see zir face.
"Have you ordered yet? The cinacreme is good, so is the breakfast special" Anise pointed at the words on the menu, proud of finding a good excuse to talk to zir.
The person growled, "I'm not here to eat, little girl."
"Then what are you doing?" Anise queried. Yes! Mama would be proud of the transition!
"I wanted to see this place for the last time." Their tone was wistful. The voice was low, and Anise couldn't make out if it belonged to a male or female. The cloak was in a shapeless form, and she wasn't able to tell.
"The last time? The bakery is open almost every day!" Anise didn't know what she was expecting from zir, but certainly not someone crazy!
"Not for long."
Anise wasn't exactly sure where this conversation was leading, so she asked what she had been wondering all along.
"Why are you wearing that big cloak? It's not cold today." She looked at zir warm cloak, the only one here.
"Oh, but isn't it better to be safe than sorry?"
"It is, but you should at least show your face."
"I highly doubt you would want to see my face, Anise."
Chills ran down her spine. How did ze know her name? She wasn't well acquainted with many people; her mother preferred to keep her away from crowds, knowing the dangers of being a genetomorph. She rarely even mentioned Anise, and Anise had no complaints about that.
"How do you know my name?"
Ze laughed, an almost maniacal, villainous laugh.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" she wanted to call for her mother, but she could also feel the pulsing hum of excitement and thrill building up inside of her, and it made her want to stay.
"I'm hiding," the person seemed so amused now, almost to the point that ze was hysterical.
"From what? What's so scary?" Adrenaline pulsed through her, her heart was beating faster, and she leaned forward slightly. She had watched her mother interrogate others, and she had watched Amina ask prodding questions, always getting the answers she wanted. She could be that person. She could be the one asking questions.
Another laugh. All the excitement was gone, and suddenly, the person was scary.
"Oh Anise, it's not me who's scared, it's them. They who are afraid of my power, who choose to lock me away and ignore me, because they say it's for my good. Ha! They're all scared of me!" ze shifted to face Anise and then drew out a shaking, pale hand, and pointed it toward her. Anise felt hot, no she felt burning sparks. And then, the hand retreated. The sparks were gone, and they were replaced by fear. Anise was scared. This wasn't for her. What had she been thinking?
"You, you are scared too." The nobles stirred, as if they only just woke up, and gave Anise concerned looks, some inching closer, wanting to hear the words. Why were they just standing there? They were supposed to come and help! It was their job! Where was her mama?
"All of you! Well, guess what? I'm done hiding from you. Now I'm going to stand while you cower. I'm going to watch you all burn!" ze threw off the cloak. She could see now, that the person was male. That was the least of her worries. Anise wanted to scream. A face that shouldn't have been. Something that used to be beautiful, destroyed. Even more, who the face belonged to. A stump for a hand, and scars. So many scars. Brant seemed to grow larger, and the room seemed to grow darker, the shadows longer, and then there was fire. And screaming, so many earsplitting shouts and shrieks, and Anise couldn't tell who they were from. She was frozen, scared, and she felt small.
"Anise!" Mama. Mama was here.
Everything was going to be okay, Mama was here.
Mama would make everything go away.
Mama would save her.
Mama's strong arms would wrap around.
Mama's strong arms did wrap around her.
"Glad to see me, cousin?" Brant was sneering, his face was haunting and scary.
"Don't talk to me! Don't talk to me or my daughter! You sick twisted thing. Get away from here. Run before I catch you because when I do, I will destroy you!" Mama was angry. Anise was scared. Mama was scary. The fire was scary. Uncle Brant was scary. She wanted to cry. She wanted to cry and cry and cry and cry and cry until everything stopped.
So she did. She cried so much, she didn't feel her mother taking her away. She cried so much, the burns didn't hurt. She cried so much, she didn't realize her world had stopped, ended.
Then she stopped.
"Anise, it's going to be okay," Mama was here. Mama was good. Mama wiped away the tears, Mama held her close in a sooty mess on the floor under the leapmaster.
After that day, Anise never cried again.
Wild D: Poor Anise. By the way, her name is pronounced Anne- iss, like the an in man and the iss in kiss. leave a review, I will be updating soon.