Author: Hendiadys (hendiadys146@yahoo.com)
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: We don't own anything except a crappy computer and a weird fantasy
Characters: Dawn, Spike
Spoilers: For all seasons; the story starts right at the end of Chosen
Summary: It's high time for Dawn to make her own decisions. But after escaping her familiar environment, she realizes that she has yet to find her identity. Living in an illusory Utopia, she makes new friends and unexpectedly meets an old one.
Feedback: Always appreciated!
Special thanks: To our beta Hazmat
Chapter 3
Ken walked quietly along the riverside. It was a beautiful day and the afternoon sun made him feel warm and content. He thought about the meeting of the Town Council a few hours ago, and smiled. The outcome had been very satisfying for him and his kind. There had been a few minor quarrels, but the meeting had, all in all, been quite peaceful. Disagreements couldn't really be prevented, he thought. After all, 20 different "ethnic groups", as he called them, lived in this community. But the decision to let 10 new creatures join them had been finally made, after several weeks of discussing.
I rather like the Magnicordelis, Ken mused. They seem really friendly and they possess a lot of skills which could be of use to all of us. They seem to soothe everyone they talk to, and I felt absolutely at peace for a few moments when one of them addressed me.
The members of the Council had decided that the Magnicordelis could indeed be of help, working in spiritual welfare or the like. Although the people there seemed to be generally happy, sometimes an inexplicable sadness fell over them. This melancholy was so profound that they neglected their work and chose to withdraw completely from social life, preferring to be alone till the fit passed.
Fortunately, this happened at regular intervals and at different times for everyone, so that not all of them stayed away from work at the same time. And with the Magnicordelis to console or just listen to them, people might cope with their melancholy better.
Busy with his thoughts, Ken hadn't even realized that he had reached the bridge across the small river. He just wanted to cross it to head home after his short walk, when he heard a distinct *plop* somewhere at his feet. Curiously, he walked down the slope of the river bank and cast a look around him. And froze.
He had to avert his eyes from what he saw. One reason was the blinding greenish light that emanated from something under the bridge. The other reason was that it wasn't something, but very clearly a person. A naked person.
Oh my, Ken thought, blushing. Later he would wonder why he didn't mind seeing all kinds of different creatures every day, but seemed shell-shocked by the sight of a single naked human girl.
Well, I will have to look in her direction anyway if I want to know what's going on, he scolded himself mentally. Holding his hand partially before his eyes to shield them from the green glow, he approached the lying form on the ground slowly.
"Hello? Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you. And I'm not some kind of peeping tom, if you're thinking that," Ken stammered when he came nearer. "I'm not a pervert, either, I'm rather a shy kind of guy. Okay, I had this one girlfriend some time ago, but that didn't go so well and you can tell by my babbling that I'm really nervous…"
But the girl didn't move. When Ken came nearer, he saw that she lay on her belly, her long dark hair covering almost all of her back. She seemed to be soundly asleep. He took off his coat and after wrapping it around her, picked her up gently into his arms. Thinking it would be the best solution, he carried her home.
~*~
When she opened her eyes, her vision was blurred and it took a short while until everything around came into focus. When she turned her head, she saw a small window, a desk and a wardrobe. Everything seemed to be made of dark wood. And, sitting at the end of the comfortable bed she was lying in, sat a young man, about twenty years old.
The sight of him made her jump. "What? Who, who are you? And where am I?" Dawn asked, panicked.
The man didn't move. "Shhh, it's all right, you're perfectly safe. I won't harm you, I promise!" he tried to calm her down. "My name is Ken, and right now you're in my hut in Pacantia. Who are you? And why were you naked?"
Dawn glanced with a shocked face down her body, which was now clad in cotton pyjamas, and didn't know what to say. She tried to recall her own name with all her strength, but it was no good. "I don't remember, and I don't remember why I'm here, actually I don't remember anything! What's going on here?"
"Go ahead, drink some water!" He held out a glass to her, which she emptied in a few gulps. "I'm sure, we'll find everything out, just try to calm down, okay?"
Dawn looked at him again and for the first time really saw how handsome he was. He had dark curly hair, cat-green eyes and prominent cheekbones that were strangely familiar.
Maybe I should get a Magnicordelis for this matter! he thought, watching her closely. Even though he had known her for such a short while, he felt immense sympathy for this pretty girl who seemed to be so helpless. "Are you hungry? I could make you some tapioca and tea, or something else?!"
"No, thank you. But maybe you could show me a way how to get away from this place." She had a pleading tone in her voice.
"But where do you want to go?" he wanted to know. "Do you remember where you've been before?"
Dawn didn't reply. Obviously she had not considered this problem and he desperately tried to think of a way to cheer her up somehow.
"Okay, well, what about showing you our little town? Maybe you even like it here!" he said and hoped inwardly that she would say yes.
"I don't seem to have a choice, do I?" she said sadly.
Ken looked down. "But I need some new clothes, or do all the women here wear these pyjamas?" That made him smile and as new hope flooded him, he held out a hand to her and helped the young girl out of the bed.
„Sure, I'll get you something more appropriate to put on. After all, we don't want you to be too conspicuous, do we?"
When they were at last walking down the street leading into what Ken had told her was the town centre, Dawn had a closer look at the people that were passing them by.
"You thought I would be too conspicuous in my pyjamas? Have you seen the creatures strolling around here in broad daylight? Those are demons!" Dawn was shocked beyond measure and also a little frightened when they passed a particular nasty looking creature which was about twice their size and sported a row of pointy horns on its bald head.
Now it was Ken' turn to look shocked. "Shush! Are you out of your mind?"
"Actually, considering I seem to have lost my memory, I'd answer this question with a hearty yes," Dawn replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You can't go around insulting people!" Ken's face was turning quite red with indignity. He was looking around carefully to see if they had been overheard.
"What do you mean, people? I told you, they're de--"
But Ken interrupted her this time. He tried to keep his voice low, but managed to sound outraged all the same. "For god's sake, be quiet! I know they're demons. It's just, we prefer not to call the citizens of this town according to their ethnic group…"
"Ethnic group? What are you on about?"
Ken sighed. There seemed to be many things to explain to the girl. "We just try to be politically correct. You see, there are about 20 different races in this town, living together peacefully. That doesn't mean there are no conflicts. People from so many different origins are bound to argue at one point or another. But for our community to function, everybody has to behave according to certain rules. There are laws to prevent people from discriminating against others. The term 'demon' is considered an insult and the fees for uttering it are quite high."
Dawn couldn't hide the astonishment she felt. She couldn't think of anything clever to say to these new facts. So she remained silent, trying to process everything she had just heard.
Seeing the expression on her face, Ken decided to just let her be for a few moments. He had no idea why this information had been such a shock for her, as it was part of the world he had been living in for 19 years now. He couldn't even imagine any other way than to exist among all those different people, who made his every day life so very interesting.
They kept walking down the street in silence, Dawn still lost in thought. The boy took this opportunity to look at her a little more closely. She's beautiful, he thought. Indeed, Dawn's cheeks were rosy now from their stroll, her big blue eyes all the more prominent in her pretty face. Her shiny hair was blowing about in the soft breeze. The clothes Ken had given her were the traditional clothing for humans in Pacantia, consisting of a pair of light trousers and a kimono. The silky fabric was shining in the weak evening sun. He had chosen the clothes in a light green with silver flowers on it. I couldn't imagine any other colour suiting her as perfectly as green does, he mused.
The pair had now reached the centre, which was actually just a huge square surrounded by trees and some benches. In the mornings, the square served as a market-place, but now it was almost deserted.
When they passed one of the benches, Ken decided to restart the conversation. "Would you like to sit down, --?" And he remembered he didn't even know her name and neither did she. "You really can't remember your name, can you? Well, nevertheless it'd be nice to know how to call you. You could choose a name for yourself."
Interrupted in her thoughts, Dawn looked at him. In her bewildered gaze Ken could see something for a short moment – something like recognition. Had some part of her memory come back?
Dawn had a strong sense of deja-vu. In the depths of her mind something told her she had heard Ken' last sentence once before. Directed by her intuition, her hand went right at her throat, searching for something hanging there. But she didn't wear any jewellery at the moment.
Then a word flickered in her mind for one small second.
Nwad.
Oh wait a moment, is that supposed to be a name? I really must be going insane.
But that strange word was quickly followed by another, not nearly as weird sounding a word. She gave Ken her most glowing smile – making him blush furiously – and said, in a very determined voice: "I know what my new name will be. I will call myself Joan."
Tbc