Sorry if I'm not myself this chapter. I just got a letter from the library saying I owe like TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS in overdue fines! First I went through shock. Then irony (I just collected from my paper route) then oh-crap-there-goes-twenty-five-dollars. Just when I thought I was home free (all those school assignments-gag). Now I am pissed off the library doesn't even tell you until you've got twenty dollars in fines, and by the time you get it it's twenty-five. Damn- maybe I should write it on my calendar or something…
This one is pretty far-fetched. Very far-fetched. But it all makes sense in time, trust me. Sorry this took so long- I've been barred from the computer for four days (not that that stops me- heh heh) and have been up to by ears in useless nonsense ideas that came into my head (like for all you ML fans, I did this whole thing called 'Hawkbrother Jokes'. It's really, really stupid). I think most of you have skipped this because it was so long but oh well.
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Chapter 6: Stormskin
Myranda growled, sitting in her room. She didn't want to get up to do any of those 'authorized activities' that everyone raved about. So she sat in this cubicle-room and boiled in her anger. Bastards. Every last one of them. She just wanted to run them through with a sword. They were remarkably like her parents- they didn't care what you acted like, or who you were- they all wanted something from you. Wouldn't settle for Myr just being herself.
And when she had found out that she had half-siblings and a full brother- why hadn't they told her? How come she hadn't ever known? They just wanted her to be ignorant, that was it. They hated her knowing anything worth knowing.
Myr was so rolled up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice Faeya enter.
"Hello," she said shyly. Myr almost didn't hear.
"Hello miss I-have-mental-problems. How's your day going? What's the weather like? What did you eat for breakfast? Do you know who Ghardan of Yeslife is? Do you care? Is this whole conversation pointless? Is life?" Myr didn't stop there. "Everyone is the same. They want you to fit in their comfy little molds that they made for you before you were born. I hate my name, you know that? Why can people choose their own names? Why can people choose their own lives?" she whirled at Faeya, red hair flying.
"Why am I alive? Why is anyone? Why don't I have magic?" Fae almost stared at her, surprised. The child of the Wildmage and a black robe had no magic?
"I hate my mother! I hate my father! I with they were never born! They give me these stupid puppy looks and test me for it every five minutes, as if it might develop over night! Why me? All Daine's other children have magic!"
Fae was even more surprised at that. Daine had other children? "Yes, she had other children!" Myranda continued. "My brother told me when we met! I'd never even known my own brother existed! And I had a dead half-sister who was the Empress of Carthak! And a pair of halfling half-siblings, a brother and a sister!" she started to laugh hysterically. "Halfling half-siblings. And Daine never told me! I know they hate me! They hate me because I hate magic and I hate fighting and I just hate my life! I wish I was dead!" and to Faeya's immense surprise, Myranda broke down and started to cry.
"I don't know what I want except to be dead," she sniffled. "I hate drafts and I hate silly court ladies and I hate wide open spaces. I hate frilly dresses and I hate tunics and I hate big castles. I hate the wilderness and I hate sewers and I hate everything else about Tortall!"
There was a slow pause. "We're not in Tortall any more," Fae whispered, and left as quietly as she had come.
Myranda sat up and glared after Faeya with red eyes. And I hate you. I hate you, too…
~*~
It was the depths of the night. Carson had shortwired the door to his room long ago, and he could come and go as he pleased. Down here at Juvie Hall, you had to take everything you got. He pressed on his penlight and went down the emergency staircase, something that nobody used any more.
He used a simple piece of wire to open the door at the bottom of the staircase, and pushed it open silently. Dark shapes filed into the empty mess, converging in the center table. Carson carefully shut the door behind him and tiptoed towards the center, where a girl with a flashlight stood. Within ten minutes, the hall was filled with children of all ages, from all ethnic backgrounds.
"Lectricpup." The girl in the center said in clearly, her voice resonating around the room. The flashlight created eerie shadows on her thin face, giving her skin a sallow complexion. "Lectricpup," she repeated. Carson turned to face her. "You evaluated the newcomers. Do you think we should initiate them?"
Lectricpup/Carson looked pensive. "The loud one- Myranda- will be an asset. She has anger, which can be channeled to our uses. She can keep her mouth shut when she wishes to. The other one- Faeya- is quiet. She keeps her emotions hidden, and is less likely to give us away. Though she claims to have no Wartie magic, she has strong telekinesis. Stronger than mine." There were murmurs of the audience at this. "She has an uncertain emotional background, but then again- who of us doesn't?" there were chuckles at that. "I will volunteer to be her teacher in our ways. I think we should initiate them."
That was the deciding phrase. The girl stood up, her blond hair shining in the dim light. "Then I, the Stormsmaster, leader of this Kin, declare Faeya and Myranda of the Natives to be Unnamed."
Lectricpup nodded, and sent two of the Stormskin to fetch the Unnamed. They had been chosen into the group- and now they had to prove themselves and earn a name. He had earned his by way of his skill with electronics- he took care of the shortwiring for all the Kin.
A few minutes later they returned with the two girls, firm hands over their mouths. Faeya looked dazed, and Myranda looked pissed off.
"Release them," he commanded. They stepped back. He turned his gaze upon the two girls. "You have been chosen by the Stormsmaster under my recommendation. Do not prove me wrong. If you want to join our kin, you must prove yourselves by earning a name. I am Lectricpup. I earned my name through skill with electronics." He waved a hand at a boy beside him. "This is Fleahi. He earned his name from jumping." Fleahi did a midair somersault to demonstrate. (***This is not unrealistic- I actually know someone who can do this- not on a trampoline and he wasn't some trained professional or anything***).
Myranda snorted. "The only thing I'm good at is eavesdropping. Like reading lips and stuff."
Lectricpup snorted right back at her. "You call that nothing? We don't have anyone who can do that. And you?"
Faeya looked shyly back up at him. "I couldn't do anything. Never."
He eyes her slowly. "Either you think of something fast- or you get probed. The Stormsmaster is good at probing, and it isn't pleasant."
Faeya didn't move.
Lectricpup straightened. "I will take you to her now."
He pulled them over to where the Stormsmaster was waiting. She stood there, stock still, only her lips moving. "I am the Master of the Storms," she said. "You are unproved to me, Unnamed. Tell me your secrets, and be one with the Kin."
Fleahi pushed Myranda forward. "This one is skilled in the manner of listening to others, Stormsmaster."
The Stormsmaster looked at Myr carefully. Myr shivered. "That is truth. This one will have the name of Lipseye." Myranda sank back into the crowd, and Fae was pushed forward.
"This one will be probed," Lectricpup said softly. The Stormsmaster reached forward and placed her hands on Faeya's shaking temples, and entered her mind…
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CLIFFHANGER!!! Ooh, I love those. I'm baaaad.
