Black Feather: Episode XXXXII
"Where I Belong"
Ytoell Prairie
11:20 p.m., 03/21
The tetrad had expected a long, bloody battle, but was instead, rescinded. The Four Horsemen disappeared from sight, relocating themselves to the four corners of the world.
More relieved than he is worried about them, Qastor's shoulders relaxed, knowing he could live another day.
"I've contacted my transport. I'll escort you all to Wyndon City, but we must land first." Lucifer descended first, while the others did so similarly.
He realized his Logic Drive timer was running out. Qastor and the others quickly landed at the edge of the crater. Lucifer's transport arrived presently.
_____________________________
Qastor found Iris running into his arms shortly after departing his cockpit. They stood there, silently embracing. With the exception of the couple, the transport hangar was empty of people. The transport hummed in flight...
"I missed you so much..." Iris dug her face in Qastor's shoulder. He responded by stroking her hair. Inside, the on-going battle between love and isolation raged, welling up a spectrum of emotions in his heart... He almost choked from it, but successfully hid it from Iris...
They held each other for the entire trip back.
_____________________________
Rose, tired and aching, strolled back to her dormitory. She passed by the lobby, turning back when she realized someone was in there. A pile of crushed, empty soda cans sat lazily and intrusively by the vending machine. She entered cautiously, despite her sleepiness. Egret was found sitting stolid, a table decorated with soda cans caught her eyes.
"You're back... and alive."
"Yeah... I guess I am." Rose gave a slight, airy laugh, but stopped when she noticed Egret replied with tense stagnance. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't listen, ok? I just couldn't leave Iris behind-"
"I was really worried about you, you know that? You shouldn't just..." Egret held a cupped palm to his yawning mouth. "...throw your life away like a soda can... ya know?" He folded his arms on the table, eventually wiping off some of the soda cans that littered it and digging his face in his arms. Rose came up and sat beside him. She patted his shoulder.
"I do know. Iris and I are childhood friends, okay? We look out for each other..."
"Yeah, well, I never had any childhood friends, so why even bother telling me?" His voice muffled against his arm.
"...I was just saying, she's really important to me."
"Would you have done the same for me...?" Slight sorrow traced his words. Rose's best answer was silence. Egret hiccuped. "Ah, don't worry. Just know me for a few more days and I know you'll like me enough to do so..." All that soda finally got to him. Rose waited for the right time.
"Come on. Let's get you back to bed. There'll be a ruckus if someone catches you sleeping here." Egret slowly pulled himself up, striking some more of the cans off the table. They both quietly wandered back, through cloistered hallways in the night air and wide enclosed aisles. Rose gazed at the reflecting luster of the marble and metallic floor, while Egret felt terrible slushes inside his tummy...
After tucking him to bed, Rose turned off the lights and stood at the doorway. She looked at him, sleeping soundly, despite the gallons of soda in his stomach.
Rose walked away. The door shut behind her.
_____________________________
Lucifer dropped himself into bed. He folded his arms and placed his hands behind his head. It had been a long, strenuous day. He stared at the black ceiling, his eyes shutting and opening, trying to find sleep. He unlatched his sword and placed it hidden under the bed on a rack. Automatic straps held the sword down. He took off his head circlet and deliberately placed it on the adjoining stand. The door beeped.
"What is it?" His tone was professional again.
"It's Garnet." Strange emotions stirred in him when he heard her voice.
"Come in." Splitting open, the door revealed Garnet, as she walked through the dark quarters and sat in a chair next to the bed. "What?" A frosty rime was in his voice.
"Lucifer, we need to stop this."
"Stop what?" Lucifer turned his head away.
"We can't go on like this. We've been avoiding each other for too long." Garnet went straight to the point to get his attention.
"Who said anything about avoiding?"
"Why can't things be the way they were before?"
"Because people change... and situations also." Lucifer purposefully sounded flat.
"You're too caught up in Sphere."
"If I don't take them down, who will?" Garnet's lips didn't move. Lucifer closed his eyes.
"Why can't we love each other again?" Her words were longing. He opened his eyes again.
They exchanged gazes.
_____________________________
Qastor and Iris relished in the nigh-midnight sky together. They sat close on the dormitory roof. The central headquarters illuminated with gentle hues. Iris rested her head on his shoulder, while he held her close, ignoring the ferocious battles of emotion tearing him apart.
"The stars... they're nice..." Iris whispered. They both quietly chuckled. "Where have you been all this time?"
"Aw, you know... Here and there... Not much." Qastor didn't want to ruin the moment by telling her he died. He didn't want to tell her that he endured electrical torture and interrogation, that he was coming closer and closer to finding out who he really is, that he finally found a place where he can belong...
Her heart...
"Where I Belong"
Ytoell Prairie
11:20 p.m., 03/21
The tetrad had expected a long, bloody battle, but was instead, rescinded. The Four Horsemen disappeared from sight, relocating themselves to the four corners of the world.
More relieved than he is worried about them, Qastor's shoulders relaxed, knowing he could live another day.
"I've contacted my transport. I'll escort you all to Wyndon City, but we must land first." Lucifer descended first, while the others did so similarly.
He realized his Logic Drive timer was running out. Qastor and the others quickly landed at the edge of the crater. Lucifer's transport arrived presently.
_____________________________
Qastor found Iris running into his arms shortly after departing his cockpit. They stood there, silently embracing. With the exception of the couple, the transport hangar was empty of people. The transport hummed in flight...
"I missed you so much..." Iris dug her face in Qastor's shoulder. He responded by stroking her hair. Inside, the on-going battle between love and isolation raged, welling up a spectrum of emotions in his heart... He almost choked from it, but successfully hid it from Iris...
They held each other for the entire trip back.
_____________________________
Rose, tired and aching, strolled back to her dormitory. She passed by the lobby, turning back when she realized someone was in there. A pile of crushed, empty soda cans sat lazily and intrusively by the vending machine. She entered cautiously, despite her sleepiness. Egret was found sitting stolid, a table decorated with soda cans caught her eyes.
"You're back... and alive."
"Yeah... I guess I am." Rose gave a slight, airy laugh, but stopped when she noticed Egret replied with tense stagnance. "Look, I'm sorry I didn't listen, ok? I just couldn't leave Iris behind-"
"I was really worried about you, you know that? You shouldn't just..." Egret held a cupped palm to his yawning mouth. "...throw your life away like a soda can... ya know?" He folded his arms on the table, eventually wiping off some of the soda cans that littered it and digging his face in his arms. Rose came up and sat beside him. She patted his shoulder.
"I do know. Iris and I are childhood friends, okay? We look out for each other..."
"Yeah, well, I never had any childhood friends, so why even bother telling me?" His voice muffled against his arm.
"...I was just saying, she's really important to me."
"Would you have done the same for me...?" Slight sorrow traced his words. Rose's best answer was silence. Egret hiccuped. "Ah, don't worry. Just know me for a few more days and I know you'll like me enough to do so..." All that soda finally got to him. Rose waited for the right time.
"Come on. Let's get you back to bed. There'll be a ruckus if someone catches you sleeping here." Egret slowly pulled himself up, striking some more of the cans off the table. They both quietly wandered back, through cloistered hallways in the night air and wide enclosed aisles. Rose gazed at the reflecting luster of the marble and metallic floor, while Egret felt terrible slushes inside his tummy...
After tucking him to bed, Rose turned off the lights and stood at the doorway. She looked at him, sleeping soundly, despite the gallons of soda in his stomach.
Rose walked away. The door shut behind her.
_____________________________
Lucifer dropped himself into bed. He folded his arms and placed his hands behind his head. It had been a long, strenuous day. He stared at the black ceiling, his eyes shutting and opening, trying to find sleep. He unlatched his sword and placed it hidden under the bed on a rack. Automatic straps held the sword down. He took off his head circlet and deliberately placed it on the adjoining stand. The door beeped.
"What is it?" His tone was professional again.
"It's Garnet." Strange emotions stirred in him when he heard her voice.
"Come in." Splitting open, the door revealed Garnet, as she walked through the dark quarters and sat in a chair next to the bed. "What?" A frosty rime was in his voice.
"Lucifer, we need to stop this."
"Stop what?" Lucifer turned his head away.
"We can't go on like this. We've been avoiding each other for too long." Garnet went straight to the point to get his attention.
"Who said anything about avoiding?"
"Why can't things be the way they were before?"
"Because people change... and situations also." Lucifer purposefully sounded flat.
"You're too caught up in Sphere."
"If I don't take them down, who will?" Garnet's lips didn't move. Lucifer closed his eyes.
"Why can't we love each other again?" Her words were longing. He opened his eyes again.
They exchanged gazes.
_____________________________
Qastor and Iris relished in the nigh-midnight sky together. They sat close on the dormitory roof. The central headquarters illuminated with gentle hues. Iris rested her head on his shoulder, while he held her close, ignoring the ferocious battles of emotion tearing him apart.
"The stars... they're nice..." Iris whispered. They both quietly chuckled. "Where have you been all this time?"
"Aw, you know... Here and there... Not much." Qastor didn't want to ruin the moment by telling her he died. He didn't want to tell her that he endured electrical torture and interrogation, that he was coming closer and closer to finding out who he really is, that he finally found a place where he can belong...
Her heart...