Solace chapter 10
Ronin jerks himself awake. Damn Rhys and his poison. He decides he wont be able to sleep much and lies there, lookign at Korunue.
Korunue cries out in her sleep, one single word,2 syllables in length. It holds anxiety, grief, and unbearable pain in it. It speaks of pain, and more pain, pain that will not go away. "Ronin!"
Ronin perks up...slowly. He reaches out and hugs Korunue. "Kor, you ok?" he asks, concerned
Korunue does not wake, her body needing the rest badly. She whimpered some more, her ears still... they had scarcely moved since she asked him to stop if he loved her. They pointed forwards. She sniffled, a little, in her sleep.
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Ronin sighs and stares at Korunue. The fire had left his body for the most part and he could move freely again. He is weary now though. Maybe it is a side effect of the poison. He sighs and leans forwards to kiss Korunue's forehead.
Aldrea busies herself. She had woken early that morning, or early-ish, around 10 or so. She scratches out symbols and draws diagrams on paper. She was almost finished, and Kit had found two young birds and was holding them captive. She winces, then finishes her diagram and begins murmering in the language this spell was written in. This is a temporary effect; it was rare a spell was named. When in permanent form, it requires many, many years of the castor's life and was called "The Immortalizer" Aldrea finishes, her power and Kit's draining from her body. She felt excruciating pain as 5 years off her life were sucked away, but it only lasted a second. She could sense her handiwork as a net, but it was too thin, too thin... the strong wills of those to be caught in it would tear right through. With a sigh, she went in her belt-pouch after a small piece of rose quartz. Aldrea rubs the rock a little, lovingly; she had been through a lot with it. Then she desciribes it in the language the spell was in, describing it's power and what it could do, and that she planned to use that power. The net glows like pink fire in her mind's eye, and strengthens. She opens her hand: the rock is now a fine powder, all used up. She stumbled to the bed, face pale, and fell into a deep, deep sleep. Aldrea hopes, as she drifts off, that she hasn't forgotten anything important. The parchment is full to the brim of tiny, tiny writing and diagrams, unreadable to anyone not mage-trained. It curls itself up on the desk as Aldrea slept.
Korunue sleeps, dreaming. In her dream, she dreams of a large crow, that is at the same time a beautiful woman with large black skin-covered wings. "he will leave you" the crow-woman tells her in the dream. Her voice is familier, somehow... Korunue shakes her head in the dream. "no. he loves me." "Once he finds out how worthless you really are, he will leave you. Or he will be killed in combat. Will you wait, never knowing what has happened..."
Korunue dreams. She dreams that she replies to the crow-woman "no... it hurts so much... will it ever stop hurting?" The crow-woman replies "No. It will hurt this much forever. I am a crow-woman, a seer, a mind-reader. I have heard his thoughts; you are cursed. You will always be in pain, and are destined to wind up alone. Change the destiny; Die, and be free of it."
Ronin looks at Korunue and sighs. Why did she think he didn't love her? How could he prove himself? He rackes his brain, thinking of anything he can.
Korunue does not answer, and the dream ends. She wakens, just in time to hear Ronin's sigh. 'I can't deal with this now' is the only though her confused brain can process. She pretends to be asleep, wondering what to do. She had awakened with a plan, but his being awake had shot that.
Ronin yawns loudly. He looks, bleary eyed, at Korunue. Surely she wouldn't wake up. Maybe he could get a little sleep. He scoots closer to her and wrpas his arms around her in a hug. He kisses her forehead one more time before slinetly falling asleep.
Korunue smiles. Oh how well things were bending to her plan. This MUST be the right thing to do: the universe was supporting her. Waiting a little for him to fall into a deep sleep, she slips her hand to where she knew Ronin had hidden a dagger, removing it carefully so as not to wake him. Before he could wake, she makes a single cut, left to right with a small upcurve at the right edge, right along her scar. It hurt, but she was used to it. She placed her dagger on her heart, turning to take a last look at her beloved. She did love him so... she hoped he would not wake, and she could savor her last moments with him.
Ronin sighs in his sleep and squeezes Korunue tighter.
Korunue smiles. How she loves him! The pain, both physical and emotional, was becoming a lot to bear, though, so she decides to get it over with. She lines up the dagger carefully, sliding it in simply and, she thought, painlessly. No dice. It hurt; it hurt a LOT. More than she ever thought it could. Her body grew cold as her spirit was chased from her body by the pain. She is on her way.
Ronin jerks awake. Something felt wrong! He opens his eyes and stares, open-mouthed, at the dagger sticking into Korunue. "KOR!!!" he screams. "Kor, wake up, Kor, please....Kor..." he yells at her, finally collapsing onto her and doing something he hadn't done in a long, long, long time. Cried. Hetares at Kor's body and sets his mind. He said he would follow her and he will. He rolls over onto his back and pulls out a dagger. He looks at Korunue one more time and rams the dagger home into his heart.
Korunue is alone, in a dark, dark place. She sees a single point of light off in the distence. She begins to head towards it, only to be stopped by something... something that had give to it. She pushed, hard, and it pushed back! She was forced back. She runs at it, hard, only to find it no longer has any give: it is a solid wall. She can not pass.
Ronin floats in a dark place as well. He sighs and looks around. He notices a light in the distance and heads towards it. As he gets closer he notices something....could it be? Kor! He heads towards her and silently floats behind her. "I told you I would follow you." he says, he voice echoing eerily around him.
Korunue turns to him, eyes wide. "no.. no... you can't... this is all wrong! I was supposed to die and you were supposed to stay, and move on, and maybe someday find your true love and get married... not follow me! Not throw away your life! not for me...."
Ronin nods grimly at Korunue. "I told you I would. You are my true love. You dying left me with nothing. I had no reason to stay behind." He floats closer to Korunue. "I love you."
Korunue sobs. "I didn't think you would actually... this is all wrong!" she looks at the distant light, putting a hand out to feel the invisible wall. "I'm cursed... and you're stuck here with me..." she turns, looking back the way they came. Nobody ever looked back. There was another light, behind them.
Ronin takes Korunue into his arms, not looking back. "Right, I'm stuck here....with you." He strokes her hair gently. "Calm down Kor, don't you love me anymore?"
Korunue turns, looking into his eyes. "oh Ronin... I always loved you, more than life itself. That's why... it hurt me, so badly, when you good as said you didn't love me... I couldn't take it... I don't want you to be stuck here, with no light, for all eternity!" She is still crying.
Ronin places a finger under Korunue's chin and raises her face to his. "At least I'm stuck here with you." he says with a slight grin.
Korunue looks back the way they came once more. "no." she says, decicivly. "If that light's anything like the one ahead of us... you're going back. You deserve to LIVE, Ronin... I can't let you stay here for eternity, even with me. You go back, and I'll, i dunno, find a way to... if I can't get to heaven, perhaps I can find a way to hell."
Ronin shakes Kor a little. "Kor! I'm not leaving you. Stop trying to get away from me. Even if I did go back and you didn't. I would just kill myself again and come back to you."
Korunue looks into Ronin's eyes. "no... not for me... I... I'm worthless, utterly worthless. I failed everyone, everyone who ever depended on me... mother, Aldrea, you... I can't trust people, Ronin, I'll be paranoid forever... you deserve someone who will be faithful. Please... if you really love me... go back." This sounded too familier...
Ronin nods at Korunue. "Alright, I'll go back, but you're coming with me." He says with a slight grin. "And no you're not worthless. You're the only thing that was keeping me alive." He leans down and gives her a quick kiss. "I'm not going without you."
Korunue sobs, looking odd. "If I go back... pain, is all that awaits me. Pain, and a life of torment: it is my destiny to be alone, and the pain won't end. The dream-crow-woman said so, and crows see the future... you have a life ahead of you, but I..."
Ronin frowns at Korunue. "Then I'm staying here with you." he says stubbornly. "Now we either go, or sit here forever. One or the other."
Korunue shakes her head vigourusly. "you go back, I find a way around this wall." she shoved Ronin towards the light and went back to probing the wall with her fingers.
Ronin flies forwards to Korunue. "You're going back with me then." he says, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the light with him.
Korunue fights him, though she knows his grip is strong. She sighs, and gives in, letting him drag her back to life. She can always kill herself again if the pain is too much... find a way to stop him from following her...
Ronin stops before reaching the light. "Kor, whats wrong? You don't act like you love me...."
Korunue becomes frantic. "how can you say that?! The only reason it hurts me to live is because I love you so much! I died for love of you, pretty much. It's YOU that doesn't love ME!" She sobs, pulling free of him and running back to the wall. The pain had followed her, even here... would she never be free of it?
Ronin flies after Korunue. "Why do you think I don't love you? Why Kor? WHY?"
Korunue stops, turning to him. "You... I told you, if you loved me, to stop, and you ignored me! Even if you were under a spell... love conquers all, right? And you attacked Sinai! It makes sense: you used me to get to her, and said you loved me to keep me alive." she is sobbing uncontrollably by now.
Ronin frowns at Korunue. "That wasn't me entirely. I was bloodlusting. Even if you had reached through the spell, it was too late. I don't even remember attacking anyone." he says with a sigh.
Korunue sobs. "then.. I can't trust you... what if you attack me someday?" she looks away, through the wall. "Please... go back... you don't belong here, you don't belong dead... I couldn't stand causing your death..."
Meanwhile, Sinai had come to the Inn to check up on Ronin and Korunue, hoping they'd be all right, and now walks up the stairs to their room, knocking a little before entering the room.
Ronin frowns at Korunue and flies up to her. "LISTEN TO ME!!!" he bellows. "I'm not under any spell to make me attack anyone anymore. And I would never attack you Kor. I love you...dont you understand that. I love you and have no reason to go back without you."
Korunue stands there, looking at him. Just looking, nothing more. After a long while, she looks down. "if you won't..." she murmers... "If I was willing to give my life for you... a little eternal torment should be nothing, right?" she says, looking up weakly, her eyes scared to death.
Sinai is just kind of standing there, having dropped the cup of tea that she had on a saucer in her hand, eyes wide, jaw dropped, floored.... "Korunue...? Ronin....?"
Rhys was behind Sinai quite the distance but smiling as he sees the reaction on his face.. Poor poor korunue and ronin commited suicide.. how utterly delicious! Rhys does his usual stalk attempt to sneak behind Sinai and speak loud and booming as Usual.. "A pleasuring sight is it not?"
"No...No...Canna b'...no..."Sinai is shaking her head slowly, starting to tremble, walking slowly over to the bed they were lying on, her feet seeming as heavy as granite right now, her breath caught in her chest as she stares, unbelieving. "Korunue, Ronin, wake up...wake up, lad, lass...please..." She can smell the blood that has soaked the bedsheets, but still doesn't believe they could be dead.
Ronin blinks at Korunue. "It won't be torment. I'll be there for you."
Sinai can't even control herself, she is so in shock and in such grief...In turning to see who it is, uncaring who it is really, she swings her arm, full force, backhanding whoever it was that DARED talk of them like that...
Rhys' large rough scaled hand falls on Sinai's shoulder.. his twisted smile enjoying the trembling and pathetic sympathy Sinai is giving toward the two deceased.. "Death is such sweet sorrow.." Rhys is slapped in the lower chest.. breathing slightly as the hand scrapes itself on his rough scales.. "Temper.. Temper.." Rhys says licking his lips.
Sinai hisses, and brings her hand back, having been scraped and immediately starts licking it clean, growling, then walks to them and kneels by the bed, shrugging off his hand.
Rhys folds his arms and watches Sinai mourn.. such a pleasurable and fufilling sight.. The pain Rhys caused with so little effort had him thinking.. What if he actually tried? as his metallic sounding voicee seems to send shrills down some backs.. "Sinai, I really hope there going to enjoy hell.. I lived there somewhat.. Look at me.." Rhys says, giving a mocking smile.
"Shut up...you did this...you caused this...I will never...ever...ever...forgi' you..."Sinai looks to him, eyes flaring with a deep, blood red, but the look of utter hate and despising fills the expression on her face. If she wasn't mourning her friends, she would've attacked Rhys outright, without remorse or conscience
Korunue smiles, uneasily, and walks a few steps towards the light, away from the wall. "coming?" she calls over her shoulder, continuing on her way.
"You know Sinai.. Your right in every way.. But that hating glare look in your face is the reason i do this.. Just to see you in your worst form.. And it fills me" Rhys says, moving toward Sinai.. "With glee.." Rhys says, licking at her cheek real quick with his long slimy tongue.. the taste of her salty skin filled his tongue as Rhys backs up quickly.. "Tasty you are.."
Sinai notices the knives in their chests, and pulls them out with some effort. "I'll...I'll ha' tae bury them..." She fumes, disgusted and appalled at his actions, the daggers gripped tightly in each hand, she stands, trembling still, but this time in anger. "Why....are you here? Why are you tormenting me?"
Ronin floats over to Korunue. "You believe I love you?" he asks slowly.
"I have my reasons but more importantly you pull that dagger out of his chest.. and you will feel more and more pain.." Rhys says, nodding sagely.."And ofcorse your going to do it.. its only said in the circle.."
Korunue looks away. "I don't know what to belive... but I would rather have you alive..." she continues on her way back to life, the light getting closer and closer.
Ronin glides up next to Korunue. "You know I would rather have you alive too, but...do you believe I love you?" he asks more insistently this time.
Sinai is really about to just implant one or both of those knives in Rhys' head/upper body...Frustrated, she screams/growls in anger. "What in the BLOODY BLUE HELL are ye talking about? What Circle?"
Korunue stops, looking at Ronin. "I don't know! I don't!" she near-shouts, at the end of her rope. "I don't... I can't... I don't know." said quieter.
Ronin places his hands on Korunue's shoulders and looks at her. "C'mon you know I do. Surely you do...."
Korunue looks at him, pained. "I don't know who to belive, or who to trust... the crow-woman said you'd leave me, once you found out how worthless I was... I know, you say you'll never leave me, but... I don't... I don't know how to trust anymore." this all said softly.
Ronin sighs and hugs Korunue. "Oh Kor..." he says softly. "I don't know who this crow-woman is, but maybe she is the some one who has been trying to hurt you. It's happened before."
Korunue hugs him back, gently, then disentangles herself. "I don't know." she repeats, softly, looking into his eyes with her pained ones. Then she takes his hand and begins to close in on the light. Ronin grips Korune's hand and follows her into the light.
Sinai growls lowly at Rhys, and turns from him as he leaves stealthily, throwing the daggers on the table next to the bed, having not realized that tears were beading around her eyes and dripping down her face when Rhys taunted her that last time..."Bastard."
Korunue walks into the light. The utter darkness is replaced by utter light and purity, surrounding her. Then, pain. Pure pain, through every nerve of her body. She couldn't scream, she couldn't move... pain, pain neverending, pain eternal, physical and emotional. Her silent screams forever.. or so it seemed. Who knows how long it really was?
Sinai kneels by the edge of the bed, and just cries...bawling, sobbing into Korunue's hand, into the fabric of the bedspread, leans back and howls/screams in grief.
Ronin follows and is suddenl back in his body. Gods the pain!. But its almost nothing compared the poison of Rhys. He reaches up to remove the dagger and discovers it isnt there. But he is covered in blood, and more is pouring out. "Kor...." he says weakley.
Korunue suddanly feels rather heavy. She can hear, first off, and what she hears makes her wish she is dead again. She doesn't wish that kind of pain on anyone. Her own pain shrinks, into her chest, burning fiercly, becoming purely emotional, the same as she felt when she died. Something feels wrong... some minor thing missing... ah, that's it. She isn't breathing. But, breathing means she is there to stay... she is in no hurry to start again.
Sinai stops for a moment, her ears twitching at the sudden sound...Ronin's alive!!!...She cries even harder, bringing her head up. "Ronin!...ye're alive!"
Ronin gasps for breath. "Check Kor....she should be alive too... Now Sinai, now." he says in as urgent a voice as he can manage.
Sinai wipes her tears away, astonished they could both be alive, having had a dagger in their chests for some time..She rolls Korunue over onto her back carefully. "Korunue? Are ye alive?? PLease...say something if ye are..."
Korunue hears the urgant plea. She can't talk, not without air... she can't move without air... she can't stay long, unless it is to be permanent... but, the pain.... but Sinai... and Ronin, he'd die again without her... she mentally curses herself. Coward! Worthless freak! If she loves him, truely loves him, she'll live for him. She takes a breath, a single, deep breath, and wishes she hadn't... the pain... too much...
Sinai starts sobbing again, just glad to have her alive again. "Oh Korunue...I thought I'd lost ye both..."
Ronin gasps for breath after breath, fighting for each one. It seems that his chest is on fire. But, wait, the fire is cooling. His breaths come easier and easier, almost like he is being healed
Korunue continues to breathe. "you had." she manages, her voice weak. "we were dead. He wouldn't go back without me... said he'd die again...." she looks at Ronin, knowing that in her eyes, he could see how much emotional pain she was in, how this was killing her, the not knowing. She let the healing spell fix her, cureing her physical pain, wishing it would do the same to her emotions.
Sinai is shedding tears of joy, just so damn glad to have her friends back alive.. "I dinna know how...but ye're alive...I...I came in to see if you two were doing all right...and I found ye..both dead...I.." She just sobs now.
Ronin groans and looks at Korunue. "I'm glad to have you back." he says, smiling weakly. He rolls over onto his side and wraps his arms around her. "I love you little one."
Korunue closes her eyes, her ears drooping. "I had no idea i'd be missed so much..." she whispers to Sinai. She sighs at the hug. "At least someone is happy... and I'm glad you're happy. I love you too." She sounds... wistful,as if she wishes she could be that happy that she was alive. She takes a deep, painful breath. Of course, it had never hit home that he was dead; she planned all along to send him back. She closes her eyes, falling asleep, unable to deal. She just couldn't handle it... just like before... she remembered the last time she had thought that... and regretted it immediatly.
Sinai dries her tears as best she can... "Rhys willna get away wi' this...he caused this...caused this whole ordeal...I willna lose m' friends again. Not by his hand, or anyone else's, otherwise I will ne'er be pacifistic again...I'd rather die by the sword--or claws--of my enemy than live without my friends." She looks to Ronin. " Will you two be all right? D' ye need anathing?" The look in her eyes would tell anyone that she cares beyond reason for them, they being her friends, devoted and loyal to the end to them.
Ronin looks up at Sinai. "Just don't let him hit you with his tail." he says with a slight wisp of a grin. He smiles. "Thank you." he says, yawning. "I just hope she doesnt try that again...I'll follow right after her."
Sinai chuckles softly. "I put tha' in m' memory after I saw ye get hit wi' it." She nods. "And I'll follow both o' ye, draggin ye back from whate'er hell Korunue decided she was headed towards."
Ronin smiles weakley at Sinai one last time before passing out next to Korunue.
Sinai notices the blood-soaked sheets--at least smelling them--and sighs, moving both to the other bed, not wanting either of them to be sleeping in a pool of their own blood. "Forgi' m' guys, but tis no' proper tae sleep in yer own blood..." She yakes the dirtied sheets, and takes them down to the laundry room, hoping Moe won't be wondering why there's a huge bloodstain on the sheets.. Going back up to the room, she tucks them in, getting them comfortable, then locks the door behind her as she leaves.
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Korunue wakes, having maybe a moment of normalness before the shock and pain hit her. She revels in it. She remembers her dream, and heads to the window above the bed opposite. She opens it, letting in a large black bird. A crow? A raven? The bird climbs onto her shoulder as she sits on the spot where she had died. She looks out the window, thinking.
Ronin feels the bed shift when Korunue gets up. He silently rolls over and looks at her. Quietly he gets up and sneaks up to her, laying a hand on her other shoulder and staring at the bird. "Kor....."
Korunue jumps. She looks at Ronin, her eyes full of dispair and pain. She gasps, then stands up. "I can't... I just... I'm going for a walk." she fled the room, running through the inn, letting her feet take her where they will.
Ronin groans as Korunue runs off. "KOR!!" he calls after her. He sighs and tries to run after her but is hit wiht a combination of pain and weariness, so the best he can do is slowly drag himself out the direction she had gone.
A large, white dove flies down to perch on Ronin. She seems intelligant, for a bird, and is about the size of the one that Korunue let in. She regards Ronin for a moment, before talking to his mind. damn, she went overboard on you two! she shakes her bird head for a second, as if in awe.
Ronin stops and looks at the bird, staring at it intently. "Who did what now?" he says out loud, voice wavering a bit.
Korunue lets her feet take her where they will, talking to the bird with her mind. She noticed when they arrived behind the stable, and she collapesed and cried bitterly, listening to the bird talk to her about her options. They weren't good.
The bird shakes her head quickly, a very human guesture for a bird. sorry. A... girl I know. Very evil. She seems to have picked Korunue as her target. It's a kind of... game... we play... a twisted game, but.. she challanges herself to ruin lives, and I try and help undo what she does... she hates me, to be sure, and whishes I wouldn't do it, so we make it a contest. I cannot interfere with her work on Korunue... but I can talk to you. Make sense?
Ronin nods at the bird and staggers on, down the stairs and out the door to the inn. He stops outside and sniffs the air, staggering slowly in the direction he thought Kor had gone. "What cna you tell me then, bird?"
The bird flaps after him. hang on! wait! Sheesh! I have a NAME, you know, and if you hold still a minute, I can find out more about this situation. My name is Psiona. she lands on his shoulder again.
Ronin stops and sighs, looking at the bird. "Well, Psiona, tell me about this situation. I'm starting to get rather fed up with the whole deal. All I want is to be with Kor and be happy. Can you help me do that?"
Korunue talks to the bird on her shoulder. She crouches in the snow, not caring about the cold or her weakness. "What? He's coming after me? Thanks." she stands up and, taking a looping path to throw him off the scent, makes for the woods. She climbs up in a tree, and hops tree to tree for a while.
Psiona stares straight at Ronin for a second, then takes a small step back. oh man... she's gone nuts! She looks at Ronin cockeyed. tough one. Korunue... well, the number one thing to do is stop her killing herself. You seem to have done that.. she seems.. lemmie see.. she reaches about for her mind, trying to glean info from it. hmm...
Ronin stares at the bird and frowns. "Well, what is it. Speak Psiona. I don't have all day. I'm worried about Kor." he says, looking off anxiously in the direction he had been going.
Psiona exchanges thoughts with the black bird on Korunue's shoulder. yes... that might work... what if... would you mind terribly having her in your mind? I can take you through hers, if you want to... but be warned, my si... i mean, the demon.. seems to like this idea, of you going through her mind.
"Whatever it takes, bird. I just want Kor back to normal. That's all, let's just do whatever it takes." Ronin replies.
Korunue listens to the bird quietly. "If I go through his mind... I can find out what I need to know?" she listens for a second. "Alright. Yes, I agree. Of course!" She leans back against the tree trunk and shuts her eyes. the bird flies off to the roof of the Inn, turning into a young woman in a black dress with large, black, skin-covered wings.
Psiona nods. try and relax, fall asleep... I'll find your mind then and lead you to hers. She flies off to the roof of the inn, next to the woman, and becomes an identicle woman, but with lighter, green skin-her sister's was purple-and golden wings. She frowned at the other woman, then they shut their eyes and lay back, mind-talking furiously.
Ronin sighs and sits beside the inn, realxing as best he can.
Korunue follows her dream-guide-bird, finding herself in a black place, with golden balls all over the place. She looks carefully: she is not reflected in them, but a few figures doing something... she touches one, and is overwhelmed by a memory of a person saying something. She looks out of Ronin's eyes. She listens as the bird tells her what to do, and finds her way back.
Psiona appears, in Ronin's dream, as a bird, though at the same time she is a woman with green skin and golden wings. She beckons for him to follow her. "your mind, to meet with Kor? Or her mind, to find out what she thinks, look through her memories?" she asks, pausing.
Ronin nods at the birdwoman "Lets go then." he says wearily.
Psiona rolls her eyes, exhasperated. "Which mind? Yours or hers?"
"Mine" Ronin replies.
Psiona nods, leading the way. She did not know what his own mind would look like to him; it was different for everyone. She saw a field, with flowers as his memories; one glance, and she knew what the memory was. She saw Korunue at the other end, looking about, and she saw the woman with black wings, standing off to the side, instructing.
Korunue wanders about the dark place, looking at the balls. Memories, as she now knew. She looks, then finds where they seemed to be more recent. She found a few that seemed to have her... but which ones were important? Which ones to look at?
Ronin glances around, his mind seemed to be like a file cabinet, able to call up any memory at any time on demand. He looks around and sees Korunue. "What do I do Psiona?"
Psiona shrugs. "your call. I would go to her, point out what memories you want her to see. Think carefully, though. Ones about her.. but not any where you were mad at her. The important ones. This is your chance to prove your love to her. Memories don't lie. Pick carefully."
Ronin walks up to Korune. "Kor..." he says slowly. "Lets look at memories...like this one." he calls up the night when they were having the pillow fight.
Korunue takes the ball he holds out, slipping into the memory. She sees herself, laughing, and felt... happy. Like it was the most wonderful thing in the world. She lets the ball go, biting her lip. She finds another, on her own: she had seen a seppuku scar on her stomach when she glances at it. Intreagued, she takes it, watching the night she first showed him that she tried to commit seppuku. Korunue sees herself, hearing thoughts. Ronin's thoughts. "What have you done this time?" she hears herself say. She hears, as if talking to him, Ronin's voice. 'She looks terrible... something happened to her. I must know!' She felt concern. She watches herself lift her kimono, and felt shock, then concern. She let it go at that point, taking the memory he offers.
Ronin sighs as he watches Korunue. He offers her another memory. This one being the night she had run from him, tried to get into her room, and he had first kissed her. He watches the memory she just did and puts it up, waiting for her to finish.
Korunue sees herself, human. She ignores the conversation, concentrating on his thoughts. 'She did WHAT? Where are her ears? They're the cutest part!' She feels herself grow angry at whoever had done this to her, demanding that she remove the spell. She sees herself refuse, and grow quiet. She remembers all to well what SHE had felt... she concentrates on what Ronin felt. Truth time. She watches in shock as she tossed the collar to him/her, and hears what she had said. She feels... bewildered. Then, it hits home. She was going to do WHAT? KILL... but she couldn't! She/he leaps up, chasing after her, slipping. She feels... she/he realizes she/he loves her. that she/he could never let her die. She/he tries desprately to stop her... she lets the memory go.
Ronin forces the memory back at Korunue. "Watch." he says, in a single, solid tone.
Korunue takes it, watching, as she/he reached her. Her memory-self turns. She hears the words she had spoken, feels it hurt as she uses her sarcasm as a defense tool. S/he hears her confession, and felt... joy. She confesses that s/he loves her back... and their first kiss... it was as wonderful in his memory as in her own. She lets it go again. She does not speak to Ronin, instead reaching for the nearest memory rapidly. It is the night they died.
Ronin silently watches as Kor hefts the memory. It cetainly meant something and showed his love as well, and better than most.
Korunue watches... S/he wakes up, feeling that something isn't right. S/he looks, seeing the knife sticking from her own chest. She hadn't seen this part, for obvious reasons. She feels... intense grief, sadness, unbearable sadness. She can hardly stand it... she feel tears slide down her face. S/he remembers his earlier words: "I'll follow you." S/he reaches for a dagger, feeling it slide into his flesh. She drops the memory rapidly.
Ronin picks the memory up and tucks it away. He reaches out and places a hand on Korunue's shoulder. "You see now?" he asks slowly.
Korunue sobs silently. She seems about to say something... then stops, listening to a voice in her head. She begins to smirk. Yes... it IS entertaining,.. it would be better if she could see the look on his face... no! What is she saying! And yet... it would be interesting to make him squirm... no! No! She suddanly feels sick to her stomach, as she drops to one knee.
Ronin quickly drops to his knees in front of Korunue. "Kor!" he yelps. "Kor, whats wrong? What is it?" He turns and looks at the bird. "Whats happening?"
Psiona shakes her head. "I don't... " she gasps. "Jenny!" she cries, glaring at the woman in black. The woman smirks, evilly, and says nothing, though she makes a face at the name. Psiona goes on. "It's her. She's doing it..."
Ronin roars and leaps at the woman in balck, attempting to bring her down in a tackle. "Let her go. Leave her alone. She didn't do anything to you!" he repeats over and over as he leaps.
The woman lept aside, and was gone, exiting his mind in a hurry. Korunue looked up, weakly, at Ronin, then gasped. She stood up, closing her eyes, willing herself to awaken... then did so, disappearing. She woke, in the tree, gasping. "I can't....". The black bird returned to her shoulder, to comfort her... or was it something else?
Ronin stops, the woman had left. He turns to look at the one in white. "Get me to Kor, NOW!"
Psiona nods. "Simply... no, it's your mind. Take my hand, I'll lead the way out." She offers her hand, preparing the way to wakeness. "But... you may not want to go to her right away..." she cautions him.
Ronin takes her hand and stares at her hard. "Why not?"
Psiona takes them to awakeness. On the way, she manages one last thing before they seperate. "because the blackbird's telling her..." and she was awake, on the roof. She turns into a bird and finds where he is awakening, perching on his shoulder.
"Blackbird is telling her what?" He asks, struggling to his feet.
Psiona looks at Ronin. "What she fears most." She sits there, staring at Ronin.
Ronin glares at the bird. "Well why can't I go to he? If that bird is telling her stuff, then she is near, and I can extract some revenge while I'm there."
Korunue leaps from tree to tree, running until she can't run anymore. She is thouroughly lost. good. How could she even THINK that about him? Maybe she WAS a monster. His pain wasn't supposed to be fun!
Psiona looks at him, hard. She gives in, sending him instead of words an image: Korunue, running through the woods, alone save for the bird. She sent him her thoughts: "I can't deal with this, not now... how could I think that? Maybe I am a monster... maybe if I leave for a while, it'll stop..." She sent him the feeling of desperation. You can look for her if you want... she added.
Ronin groans and staggers forwards. Why did he have to be hurt during a time like this? "I can help her, or at least kill that black bird."
Korunue collapses, at long last, near a brook. She lay against a tree, panting hard. She couldn't deal... she just couldn't.
Psiona stays put, watching him stagger, flitting forward a little, so she was with him the whole time. She offers no help, knowing he would most likely lose her scent rather quickly.
Ronin blunders blindly into the woods, just hoping that fate would help now.
good place to stop. REVIEW!!
Ronin jerks himself awake. Damn Rhys and his poison. He decides he wont be able to sleep much and lies there, lookign at Korunue.
Korunue cries out in her sleep, one single word,2 syllables in length. It holds anxiety, grief, and unbearable pain in it. It speaks of pain, and more pain, pain that will not go away. "Ronin!"
Ronin perks up...slowly. He reaches out and hugs Korunue. "Kor, you ok?" he asks, concerned
Korunue does not wake, her body needing the rest badly. She whimpered some more, her ears still... they had scarcely moved since she asked him to stop if he loved her. They pointed forwards. She sniffled, a little, in her sleep.
************
Ronin sighs and stares at Korunue. The fire had left his body for the most part and he could move freely again. He is weary now though. Maybe it is a side effect of the poison. He sighs and leans forwards to kiss Korunue's forehead.
Aldrea busies herself. She had woken early that morning, or early-ish, around 10 or so. She scratches out symbols and draws diagrams on paper. She was almost finished, and Kit had found two young birds and was holding them captive. She winces, then finishes her diagram and begins murmering in the language this spell was written in. This is a temporary effect; it was rare a spell was named. When in permanent form, it requires many, many years of the castor's life and was called "The Immortalizer" Aldrea finishes, her power and Kit's draining from her body. She felt excruciating pain as 5 years off her life were sucked away, but it only lasted a second. She could sense her handiwork as a net, but it was too thin, too thin... the strong wills of those to be caught in it would tear right through. With a sigh, she went in her belt-pouch after a small piece of rose quartz. Aldrea rubs the rock a little, lovingly; she had been through a lot with it. Then she desciribes it in the language the spell was in, describing it's power and what it could do, and that she planned to use that power. The net glows like pink fire in her mind's eye, and strengthens. She opens her hand: the rock is now a fine powder, all used up. She stumbled to the bed, face pale, and fell into a deep, deep sleep. Aldrea hopes, as she drifts off, that she hasn't forgotten anything important. The parchment is full to the brim of tiny, tiny writing and diagrams, unreadable to anyone not mage-trained. It curls itself up on the desk as Aldrea slept.
Korunue sleeps, dreaming. In her dream, she dreams of a large crow, that is at the same time a beautiful woman with large black skin-covered wings. "he will leave you" the crow-woman tells her in the dream. Her voice is familier, somehow... Korunue shakes her head in the dream. "no. he loves me." "Once he finds out how worthless you really are, he will leave you. Or he will be killed in combat. Will you wait, never knowing what has happened..."
Korunue dreams. She dreams that she replies to the crow-woman "no... it hurts so much... will it ever stop hurting?" The crow-woman replies "No. It will hurt this much forever. I am a crow-woman, a seer, a mind-reader. I have heard his thoughts; you are cursed. You will always be in pain, and are destined to wind up alone. Change the destiny; Die, and be free of it."
Ronin looks at Korunue and sighs. Why did she think he didn't love her? How could he prove himself? He rackes his brain, thinking of anything he can.
Korunue does not answer, and the dream ends. She wakens, just in time to hear Ronin's sigh. 'I can't deal with this now' is the only though her confused brain can process. She pretends to be asleep, wondering what to do. She had awakened with a plan, but his being awake had shot that.
Ronin yawns loudly. He looks, bleary eyed, at Korunue. Surely she wouldn't wake up. Maybe he could get a little sleep. He scoots closer to her and wrpas his arms around her in a hug. He kisses her forehead one more time before slinetly falling asleep.
Korunue smiles. Oh how well things were bending to her plan. This MUST be the right thing to do: the universe was supporting her. Waiting a little for him to fall into a deep sleep, she slips her hand to where she knew Ronin had hidden a dagger, removing it carefully so as not to wake him. Before he could wake, she makes a single cut, left to right with a small upcurve at the right edge, right along her scar. It hurt, but she was used to it. She placed her dagger on her heart, turning to take a last look at her beloved. She did love him so... she hoped he would not wake, and she could savor her last moments with him.
Ronin sighs in his sleep and squeezes Korunue tighter.
Korunue smiles. How she loves him! The pain, both physical and emotional, was becoming a lot to bear, though, so she decides to get it over with. She lines up the dagger carefully, sliding it in simply and, she thought, painlessly. No dice. It hurt; it hurt a LOT. More than she ever thought it could. Her body grew cold as her spirit was chased from her body by the pain. She is on her way.
Ronin jerks awake. Something felt wrong! He opens his eyes and stares, open-mouthed, at the dagger sticking into Korunue. "KOR!!!" he screams. "Kor, wake up, Kor, please....Kor..." he yells at her, finally collapsing onto her and doing something he hadn't done in a long, long, long time. Cried. Hetares at Kor's body and sets his mind. He said he would follow her and he will. He rolls over onto his back and pulls out a dagger. He looks at Korunue one more time and rams the dagger home into his heart.
Korunue is alone, in a dark, dark place. She sees a single point of light off in the distence. She begins to head towards it, only to be stopped by something... something that had give to it. She pushed, hard, and it pushed back! She was forced back. She runs at it, hard, only to find it no longer has any give: it is a solid wall. She can not pass.
Ronin floats in a dark place as well. He sighs and looks around. He notices a light in the distance and heads towards it. As he gets closer he notices something....could it be? Kor! He heads towards her and silently floats behind her. "I told you I would follow you." he says, he voice echoing eerily around him.
Korunue turns to him, eyes wide. "no.. no... you can't... this is all wrong! I was supposed to die and you were supposed to stay, and move on, and maybe someday find your true love and get married... not follow me! Not throw away your life! not for me...."
Ronin nods grimly at Korunue. "I told you I would. You are my true love. You dying left me with nothing. I had no reason to stay behind." He floats closer to Korunue. "I love you."
Korunue sobs. "I didn't think you would actually... this is all wrong!" she looks at the distant light, putting a hand out to feel the invisible wall. "I'm cursed... and you're stuck here with me..." she turns, looking back the way they came. Nobody ever looked back. There was another light, behind them.
Ronin takes Korunue into his arms, not looking back. "Right, I'm stuck here....with you." He strokes her hair gently. "Calm down Kor, don't you love me anymore?"
Korunue turns, looking into his eyes. "oh Ronin... I always loved you, more than life itself. That's why... it hurt me, so badly, when you good as said you didn't love me... I couldn't take it... I don't want you to be stuck here, with no light, for all eternity!" She is still crying.
Ronin places a finger under Korunue's chin and raises her face to his. "At least I'm stuck here with you." he says with a slight grin.
Korunue looks back the way they came once more. "no." she says, decicivly. "If that light's anything like the one ahead of us... you're going back. You deserve to LIVE, Ronin... I can't let you stay here for eternity, even with me. You go back, and I'll, i dunno, find a way to... if I can't get to heaven, perhaps I can find a way to hell."
Ronin shakes Kor a little. "Kor! I'm not leaving you. Stop trying to get away from me. Even if I did go back and you didn't. I would just kill myself again and come back to you."
Korunue looks into Ronin's eyes. "no... not for me... I... I'm worthless, utterly worthless. I failed everyone, everyone who ever depended on me... mother, Aldrea, you... I can't trust people, Ronin, I'll be paranoid forever... you deserve someone who will be faithful. Please... if you really love me... go back." This sounded too familier...
Ronin nods at Korunue. "Alright, I'll go back, but you're coming with me." He says with a slight grin. "And no you're not worthless. You're the only thing that was keeping me alive." He leans down and gives her a quick kiss. "I'm not going without you."
Korunue sobs, looking odd. "If I go back... pain, is all that awaits me. Pain, and a life of torment: it is my destiny to be alone, and the pain won't end. The dream-crow-woman said so, and crows see the future... you have a life ahead of you, but I..."
Ronin frowns at Korunue. "Then I'm staying here with you." he says stubbornly. "Now we either go, or sit here forever. One or the other."
Korunue shakes her head vigourusly. "you go back, I find a way around this wall." she shoved Ronin towards the light and went back to probing the wall with her fingers.
Ronin flies forwards to Korunue. "You're going back with me then." he says, grabbing her arm and dragging her towards the light with him.
Korunue fights him, though she knows his grip is strong. She sighs, and gives in, letting him drag her back to life. She can always kill herself again if the pain is too much... find a way to stop him from following her...
Ronin stops before reaching the light. "Kor, whats wrong? You don't act like you love me...."
Korunue becomes frantic. "how can you say that?! The only reason it hurts me to live is because I love you so much! I died for love of you, pretty much. It's YOU that doesn't love ME!" She sobs, pulling free of him and running back to the wall. The pain had followed her, even here... would she never be free of it?
Ronin flies after Korunue. "Why do you think I don't love you? Why Kor? WHY?"
Korunue stops, turning to him. "You... I told you, if you loved me, to stop, and you ignored me! Even if you were under a spell... love conquers all, right? And you attacked Sinai! It makes sense: you used me to get to her, and said you loved me to keep me alive." she is sobbing uncontrollably by now.
Ronin frowns at Korunue. "That wasn't me entirely. I was bloodlusting. Even if you had reached through the spell, it was too late. I don't even remember attacking anyone." he says with a sigh.
Korunue sobs. "then.. I can't trust you... what if you attack me someday?" she looks away, through the wall. "Please... go back... you don't belong here, you don't belong dead... I couldn't stand causing your death..."
Meanwhile, Sinai had come to the Inn to check up on Ronin and Korunue, hoping they'd be all right, and now walks up the stairs to their room, knocking a little before entering the room.
Ronin frowns at Korunue and flies up to her. "LISTEN TO ME!!!" he bellows. "I'm not under any spell to make me attack anyone anymore. And I would never attack you Kor. I love you...dont you understand that. I love you and have no reason to go back without you."
Korunue stands there, looking at him. Just looking, nothing more. After a long while, she looks down. "if you won't..." she murmers... "If I was willing to give my life for you... a little eternal torment should be nothing, right?" she says, looking up weakly, her eyes scared to death.
Sinai is just kind of standing there, having dropped the cup of tea that she had on a saucer in her hand, eyes wide, jaw dropped, floored.... "Korunue...? Ronin....?"
Rhys was behind Sinai quite the distance but smiling as he sees the reaction on his face.. Poor poor korunue and ronin commited suicide.. how utterly delicious! Rhys does his usual stalk attempt to sneak behind Sinai and speak loud and booming as Usual.. "A pleasuring sight is it not?"
"No...No...Canna b'...no..."Sinai is shaking her head slowly, starting to tremble, walking slowly over to the bed they were lying on, her feet seeming as heavy as granite right now, her breath caught in her chest as she stares, unbelieving. "Korunue, Ronin, wake up...wake up, lad, lass...please..." She can smell the blood that has soaked the bedsheets, but still doesn't believe they could be dead.
Ronin blinks at Korunue. "It won't be torment. I'll be there for you."
Sinai can't even control herself, she is so in shock and in such grief...In turning to see who it is, uncaring who it is really, she swings her arm, full force, backhanding whoever it was that DARED talk of them like that...
Rhys' large rough scaled hand falls on Sinai's shoulder.. his twisted smile enjoying the trembling and pathetic sympathy Sinai is giving toward the two deceased.. "Death is such sweet sorrow.." Rhys is slapped in the lower chest.. breathing slightly as the hand scrapes itself on his rough scales.. "Temper.. Temper.." Rhys says licking his lips.
Sinai hisses, and brings her hand back, having been scraped and immediately starts licking it clean, growling, then walks to them and kneels by the bed, shrugging off his hand.
Rhys folds his arms and watches Sinai mourn.. such a pleasurable and fufilling sight.. The pain Rhys caused with so little effort had him thinking.. What if he actually tried? as his metallic sounding voicee seems to send shrills down some backs.. "Sinai, I really hope there going to enjoy hell.. I lived there somewhat.. Look at me.." Rhys says, giving a mocking smile.
"Shut up...you did this...you caused this...I will never...ever...ever...forgi' you..."Sinai looks to him, eyes flaring with a deep, blood red, but the look of utter hate and despising fills the expression on her face. If she wasn't mourning her friends, she would've attacked Rhys outright, without remorse or conscience
Korunue smiles, uneasily, and walks a few steps towards the light, away from the wall. "coming?" she calls over her shoulder, continuing on her way.
"You know Sinai.. Your right in every way.. But that hating glare look in your face is the reason i do this.. Just to see you in your worst form.. And it fills me" Rhys says, moving toward Sinai.. "With glee.." Rhys says, licking at her cheek real quick with his long slimy tongue.. the taste of her salty skin filled his tongue as Rhys backs up quickly.. "Tasty you are.."
Sinai notices the knives in their chests, and pulls them out with some effort. "I'll...I'll ha' tae bury them..." She fumes, disgusted and appalled at his actions, the daggers gripped tightly in each hand, she stands, trembling still, but this time in anger. "Why....are you here? Why are you tormenting me?"
Ronin floats over to Korunue. "You believe I love you?" he asks slowly.
"I have my reasons but more importantly you pull that dagger out of his chest.. and you will feel more and more pain.." Rhys says, nodding sagely.."And ofcorse your going to do it.. its only said in the circle.."
Korunue looks away. "I don't know what to belive... but I would rather have you alive..." she continues on her way back to life, the light getting closer and closer.
Ronin glides up next to Korunue. "You know I would rather have you alive too, but...do you believe I love you?" he asks more insistently this time.
Sinai is really about to just implant one or both of those knives in Rhys' head/upper body...Frustrated, she screams/growls in anger. "What in the BLOODY BLUE HELL are ye talking about? What Circle?"
Korunue stops, looking at Ronin. "I don't know! I don't!" she near-shouts, at the end of her rope. "I don't... I can't... I don't know." said quieter.
Ronin places his hands on Korunue's shoulders and looks at her. "C'mon you know I do. Surely you do...."
Korunue looks at him, pained. "I don't know who to belive, or who to trust... the crow-woman said you'd leave me, once you found out how worthless I was... I know, you say you'll never leave me, but... I don't... I don't know how to trust anymore." this all said softly.
Ronin sighs and hugs Korunue. "Oh Kor..." he says softly. "I don't know who this crow-woman is, but maybe she is the some one who has been trying to hurt you. It's happened before."
Korunue hugs him back, gently, then disentangles herself. "I don't know." she repeats, softly, looking into his eyes with her pained ones. Then she takes his hand and begins to close in on the light. Ronin grips Korune's hand and follows her into the light.
Sinai growls lowly at Rhys, and turns from him as he leaves stealthily, throwing the daggers on the table next to the bed, having not realized that tears were beading around her eyes and dripping down her face when Rhys taunted her that last time..."Bastard."
Korunue walks into the light. The utter darkness is replaced by utter light and purity, surrounding her. Then, pain. Pure pain, through every nerve of her body. She couldn't scream, she couldn't move... pain, pain neverending, pain eternal, physical and emotional. Her silent screams forever.. or so it seemed. Who knows how long it really was?
Sinai kneels by the edge of the bed, and just cries...bawling, sobbing into Korunue's hand, into the fabric of the bedspread, leans back and howls/screams in grief.
Ronin follows and is suddenl back in his body. Gods the pain!. But its almost nothing compared the poison of Rhys. He reaches up to remove the dagger and discovers it isnt there. But he is covered in blood, and more is pouring out. "Kor...." he says weakley.
Korunue suddanly feels rather heavy. She can hear, first off, and what she hears makes her wish she is dead again. She doesn't wish that kind of pain on anyone. Her own pain shrinks, into her chest, burning fiercly, becoming purely emotional, the same as she felt when she died. Something feels wrong... some minor thing missing... ah, that's it. She isn't breathing. But, breathing means she is there to stay... she is in no hurry to start again.
Sinai stops for a moment, her ears twitching at the sudden sound...Ronin's alive!!!...She cries even harder, bringing her head up. "Ronin!...ye're alive!"
Ronin gasps for breath. "Check Kor....she should be alive too... Now Sinai, now." he says in as urgent a voice as he can manage.
Sinai wipes her tears away, astonished they could both be alive, having had a dagger in their chests for some time..She rolls Korunue over onto her back carefully. "Korunue? Are ye alive?? PLease...say something if ye are..."
Korunue hears the urgant plea. She can't talk, not without air... she can't move without air... she can't stay long, unless it is to be permanent... but, the pain.... but Sinai... and Ronin, he'd die again without her... she mentally curses herself. Coward! Worthless freak! If she loves him, truely loves him, she'll live for him. She takes a breath, a single, deep breath, and wishes she hadn't... the pain... too much...
Sinai starts sobbing again, just glad to have her alive again. "Oh Korunue...I thought I'd lost ye both..."
Ronin gasps for breath after breath, fighting for each one. It seems that his chest is on fire. But, wait, the fire is cooling. His breaths come easier and easier, almost like he is being healed
Korunue continues to breathe. "you had." she manages, her voice weak. "we were dead. He wouldn't go back without me... said he'd die again...." she looks at Ronin, knowing that in her eyes, he could see how much emotional pain she was in, how this was killing her, the not knowing. She let the healing spell fix her, cureing her physical pain, wishing it would do the same to her emotions.
Sinai is shedding tears of joy, just so damn glad to have her friends back alive.. "I dinna know how...but ye're alive...I...I came in to see if you two were doing all right...and I found ye..both dead...I.." She just sobs now.
Ronin groans and looks at Korunue. "I'm glad to have you back." he says, smiling weakly. He rolls over onto his side and wraps his arms around her. "I love you little one."
Korunue closes her eyes, her ears drooping. "I had no idea i'd be missed so much..." she whispers to Sinai. She sighs at the hug. "At least someone is happy... and I'm glad you're happy. I love you too." She sounds... wistful,as if she wishes she could be that happy that she was alive. She takes a deep, painful breath. Of course, it had never hit home that he was dead; she planned all along to send him back. She closes her eyes, falling asleep, unable to deal. She just couldn't handle it... just like before... she remembered the last time she had thought that... and regretted it immediatly.
Sinai dries her tears as best she can... "Rhys willna get away wi' this...he caused this...caused this whole ordeal...I willna lose m' friends again. Not by his hand, or anyone else's, otherwise I will ne'er be pacifistic again...I'd rather die by the sword--or claws--of my enemy than live without my friends." She looks to Ronin. " Will you two be all right? D' ye need anathing?" The look in her eyes would tell anyone that she cares beyond reason for them, they being her friends, devoted and loyal to the end to them.
Ronin looks up at Sinai. "Just don't let him hit you with his tail." he says with a slight wisp of a grin. He smiles. "Thank you." he says, yawning. "I just hope she doesnt try that again...I'll follow right after her."
Sinai chuckles softly. "I put tha' in m' memory after I saw ye get hit wi' it." She nods. "And I'll follow both o' ye, draggin ye back from whate'er hell Korunue decided she was headed towards."
Ronin smiles weakley at Sinai one last time before passing out next to Korunue.
Sinai notices the blood-soaked sheets--at least smelling them--and sighs, moving both to the other bed, not wanting either of them to be sleeping in a pool of their own blood. "Forgi' m' guys, but tis no' proper tae sleep in yer own blood..." She yakes the dirtied sheets, and takes them down to the laundry room, hoping Moe won't be wondering why there's a huge bloodstain on the sheets.. Going back up to the room, she tucks them in, getting them comfortable, then locks the door behind her as she leaves.
*********************
Korunue wakes, having maybe a moment of normalness before the shock and pain hit her. She revels in it. She remembers her dream, and heads to the window above the bed opposite. She opens it, letting in a large black bird. A crow? A raven? The bird climbs onto her shoulder as she sits on the spot where she had died. She looks out the window, thinking.
Ronin feels the bed shift when Korunue gets up. He silently rolls over and looks at her. Quietly he gets up and sneaks up to her, laying a hand on her other shoulder and staring at the bird. "Kor....."
Korunue jumps. She looks at Ronin, her eyes full of dispair and pain. She gasps, then stands up. "I can't... I just... I'm going for a walk." she fled the room, running through the inn, letting her feet take her where they will.
Ronin groans as Korunue runs off. "KOR!!" he calls after her. He sighs and tries to run after her but is hit wiht a combination of pain and weariness, so the best he can do is slowly drag himself out the direction she had gone.
A large, white dove flies down to perch on Ronin. She seems intelligant, for a bird, and is about the size of the one that Korunue let in. She regards Ronin for a moment, before talking to his mind. damn, she went overboard on you two! she shakes her bird head for a second, as if in awe.
Ronin stops and looks at the bird, staring at it intently. "Who did what now?" he says out loud, voice wavering a bit.
Korunue lets her feet take her where they will, talking to the bird with her mind. She noticed when they arrived behind the stable, and she collapesed and cried bitterly, listening to the bird talk to her about her options. They weren't good.
The bird shakes her head quickly, a very human guesture for a bird. sorry. A... girl I know. Very evil. She seems to have picked Korunue as her target. It's a kind of... game... we play... a twisted game, but.. she challanges herself to ruin lives, and I try and help undo what she does... she hates me, to be sure, and whishes I wouldn't do it, so we make it a contest. I cannot interfere with her work on Korunue... but I can talk to you. Make sense?
Ronin nods at the bird and staggers on, down the stairs and out the door to the inn. He stops outside and sniffs the air, staggering slowly in the direction he thought Kor had gone. "What cna you tell me then, bird?"
The bird flaps after him. hang on! wait! Sheesh! I have a NAME, you know, and if you hold still a minute, I can find out more about this situation. My name is Psiona. she lands on his shoulder again.
Ronin stops and sighs, looking at the bird. "Well, Psiona, tell me about this situation. I'm starting to get rather fed up with the whole deal. All I want is to be with Kor and be happy. Can you help me do that?"
Korunue talks to the bird on her shoulder. She crouches in the snow, not caring about the cold or her weakness. "What? He's coming after me? Thanks." she stands up and, taking a looping path to throw him off the scent, makes for the woods. She climbs up in a tree, and hops tree to tree for a while.
Psiona stares straight at Ronin for a second, then takes a small step back. oh man... she's gone nuts! She looks at Ronin cockeyed. tough one. Korunue... well, the number one thing to do is stop her killing herself. You seem to have done that.. she seems.. lemmie see.. she reaches about for her mind, trying to glean info from it. hmm...
Ronin stares at the bird and frowns. "Well, what is it. Speak Psiona. I don't have all day. I'm worried about Kor." he says, looking off anxiously in the direction he had been going.
Psiona exchanges thoughts with the black bird on Korunue's shoulder. yes... that might work... what if... would you mind terribly having her in your mind? I can take you through hers, if you want to... but be warned, my si... i mean, the demon.. seems to like this idea, of you going through her mind.
"Whatever it takes, bird. I just want Kor back to normal. That's all, let's just do whatever it takes." Ronin replies.
Korunue listens to the bird quietly. "If I go through his mind... I can find out what I need to know?" she listens for a second. "Alright. Yes, I agree. Of course!" She leans back against the tree trunk and shuts her eyes. the bird flies off to the roof of the Inn, turning into a young woman in a black dress with large, black, skin-covered wings.
Psiona nods. try and relax, fall asleep... I'll find your mind then and lead you to hers. She flies off to the roof of the inn, next to the woman, and becomes an identicle woman, but with lighter, green skin-her sister's was purple-and golden wings. She frowned at the other woman, then they shut their eyes and lay back, mind-talking furiously.
Ronin sighs and sits beside the inn, realxing as best he can.
Korunue follows her dream-guide-bird, finding herself in a black place, with golden balls all over the place. She looks carefully: she is not reflected in them, but a few figures doing something... she touches one, and is overwhelmed by a memory of a person saying something. She looks out of Ronin's eyes. She listens as the bird tells her what to do, and finds her way back.
Psiona appears, in Ronin's dream, as a bird, though at the same time she is a woman with green skin and golden wings. She beckons for him to follow her. "your mind, to meet with Kor? Or her mind, to find out what she thinks, look through her memories?" she asks, pausing.
Ronin nods at the birdwoman "Lets go then." he says wearily.
Psiona rolls her eyes, exhasperated. "Which mind? Yours or hers?"
"Mine" Ronin replies.
Psiona nods, leading the way. She did not know what his own mind would look like to him; it was different for everyone. She saw a field, with flowers as his memories; one glance, and she knew what the memory was. She saw Korunue at the other end, looking about, and she saw the woman with black wings, standing off to the side, instructing.
Korunue wanders about the dark place, looking at the balls. Memories, as she now knew. She looks, then finds where they seemed to be more recent. She found a few that seemed to have her... but which ones were important? Which ones to look at?
Ronin glances around, his mind seemed to be like a file cabinet, able to call up any memory at any time on demand. He looks around and sees Korunue. "What do I do Psiona?"
Psiona shrugs. "your call. I would go to her, point out what memories you want her to see. Think carefully, though. Ones about her.. but not any where you were mad at her. The important ones. This is your chance to prove your love to her. Memories don't lie. Pick carefully."
Ronin walks up to Korune. "Kor..." he says slowly. "Lets look at memories...like this one." he calls up the night when they were having the pillow fight.
Korunue takes the ball he holds out, slipping into the memory. She sees herself, laughing, and felt... happy. Like it was the most wonderful thing in the world. She lets the ball go, biting her lip. She finds another, on her own: she had seen a seppuku scar on her stomach when she glances at it. Intreagued, she takes it, watching the night she first showed him that she tried to commit seppuku. Korunue sees herself, hearing thoughts. Ronin's thoughts. "What have you done this time?" she hears herself say. She hears, as if talking to him, Ronin's voice. 'She looks terrible... something happened to her. I must know!' She felt concern. She watches herself lift her kimono, and felt shock, then concern. She let it go at that point, taking the memory he offers.
Ronin sighs as he watches Korunue. He offers her another memory. This one being the night she had run from him, tried to get into her room, and he had first kissed her. He watches the memory she just did and puts it up, waiting for her to finish.
Korunue sees herself, human. She ignores the conversation, concentrating on his thoughts. 'She did WHAT? Where are her ears? They're the cutest part!' She feels herself grow angry at whoever had done this to her, demanding that she remove the spell. She sees herself refuse, and grow quiet. She remembers all to well what SHE had felt... she concentrates on what Ronin felt. Truth time. She watches in shock as she tossed the collar to him/her, and hears what she had said. She feels... bewildered. Then, it hits home. She was going to do WHAT? KILL... but she couldn't! She/he leaps up, chasing after her, slipping. She feels... she/he realizes she/he loves her. that she/he could never let her die. She/he tries desprately to stop her... she lets the memory go.
Ronin forces the memory back at Korunue. "Watch." he says, in a single, solid tone.
Korunue takes it, watching, as she/he reached her. Her memory-self turns. She hears the words she had spoken, feels it hurt as she uses her sarcasm as a defense tool. S/he hears her confession, and felt... joy. She confesses that s/he loves her back... and their first kiss... it was as wonderful in his memory as in her own. She lets it go again. She does not speak to Ronin, instead reaching for the nearest memory rapidly. It is the night they died.
Ronin silently watches as Kor hefts the memory. It cetainly meant something and showed his love as well, and better than most.
Korunue watches... S/he wakes up, feeling that something isn't right. S/he looks, seeing the knife sticking from her own chest. She hadn't seen this part, for obvious reasons. She feels... intense grief, sadness, unbearable sadness. She can hardly stand it... she feel tears slide down her face. S/he remembers his earlier words: "I'll follow you." S/he reaches for a dagger, feeling it slide into his flesh. She drops the memory rapidly.
Ronin picks the memory up and tucks it away. He reaches out and places a hand on Korunue's shoulder. "You see now?" he asks slowly.
Korunue sobs silently. She seems about to say something... then stops, listening to a voice in her head. She begins to smirk. Yes... it IS entertaining,.. it would be better if she could see the look on his face... no! What is she saying! And yet... it would be interesting to make him squirm... no! No! She suddanly feels sick to her stomach, as she drops to one knee.
Ronin quickly drops to his knees in front of Korunue. "Kor!" he yelps. "Kor, whats wrong? What is it?" He turns and looks at the bird. "Whats happening?"
Psiona shakes her head. "I don't... " she gasps. "Jenny!" she cries, glaring at the woman in black. The woman smirks, evilly, and says nothing, though she makes a face at the name. Psiona goes on. "It's her. She's doing it..."
Ronin roars and leaps at the woman in balck, attempting to bring her down in a tackle. "Let her go. Leave her alone. She didn't do anything to you!" he repeats over and over as he leaps.
The woman lept aside, and was gone, exiting his mind in a hurry. Korunue looked up, weakly, at Ronin, then gasped. She stood up, closing her eyes, willing herself to awaken... then did so, disappearing. She woke, in the tree, gasping. "I can't....". The black bird returned to her shoulder, to comfort her... or was it something else?
Ronin stops, the woman had left. He turns to look at the one in white. "Get me to Kor, NOW!"
Psiona nods. "Simply... no, it's your mind. Take my hand, I'll lead the way out." She offers her hand, preparing the way to wakeness. "But... you may not want to go to her right away..." she cautions him.
Ronin takes her hand and stares at her hard. "Why not?"
Psiona takes them to awakeness. On the way, she manages one last thing before they seperate. "because the blackbird's telling her..." and she was awake, on the roof. She turns into a bird and finds where he is awakening, perching on his shoulder.
"Blackbird is telling her what?" He asks, struggling to his feet.
Psiona looks at Ronin. "What she fears most." She sits there, staring at Ronin.
Ronin glares at the bird. "Well why can't I go to he? If that bird is telling her stuff, then she is near, and I can extract some revenge while I'm there."
Korunue leaps from tree to tree, running until she can't run anymore. She is thouroughly lost. good. How could she even THINK that about him? Maybe she WAS a monster. His pain wasn't supposed to be fun!
Psiona looks at him, hard. She gives in, sending him instead of words an image: Korunue, running through the woods, alone save for the bird. She sent him her thoughts: "I can't deal with this, not now... how could I think that? Maybe I am a monster... maybe if I leave for a while, it'll stop..." She sent him the feeling of desperation. You can look for her if you want... she added.
Ronin groans and staggers forwards. Why did he have to be hurt during a time like this? "I can help her, or at least kill that black bird."
Korunue collapses, at long last, near a brook. She lay against a tree, panting hard. She couldn't deal... she just couldn't.
Psiona stays put, watching him stagger, flitting forward a little, so she was with him the whole time. She offers no help, knowing he would most likely lose her scent rather quickly.
Ronin blunders blindly into the woods, just hoping that fate would help now.
good place to stop. REVIEW!!