Chapter 3
Small sturdy hands stitched the back of the doll up. Sylvia smiled as she eyed her handiwork. The blond doll with blue eyes may have been far from an artistic work of art, but for Transfer Doll it was beautiful. She began to clear away her supplies, the empty bowl of blood taken from the syringe... Left over strands of blond hair still clung to the brush she was discarding into the plastic bag. Now all she had to do was charge it, and the transference would begin... and soon her mother would be healthy again. For all she needed was the young healing blood of the Warrior of Wisdom, the Warrior of Light... She frowned thinking of her beau... poor boy won't know what hit him. Does he really deserve this. Was it right for her to claim his life in exchange for her mother's? She groaned, clutching her head, she was never the best at making decisions... That's why she needed her mother, to make the decisions again... Yes, yea, of course she was doing the right thing. After all, a girl does need her mother... and Sage was strong.. He's a warrior, and not just any warrior, he was special. Maybe he's survive it somehow... maybe...
"....Sage.... You getting up today?" Rowen rolled his eyes as he listened to the blaring of Sage's alarm clock on the other side of the room. It seemed to be getting louder for ever minute it wasn't acknowledged and turned off, "Sage!" Rowen groaned and dragged himself out of bed. He grumbled as he made his way to Sage's sleeping form. Rowen liked to sleep in until the last minute, he unlike Sage, did not need an hour and a half in the bathroom! But now he was up, and if he was to be up, then so would Sage! "Wake up!" Rowen shook Sage rather roughly. He was just a little grouchy...
Sage moaned and slowly came awake, "What Ro? Oh damn.. Is it morning already?" Sage sat up in his bed slowly and reached to turn off his alarm clock. Rowen stood glowering over him, "Yes it is morning, and you interrupted my morning snooze! You want the shower first you better get in it now."
Sage blinked and tried to clear the fog from his brain. He shook his head and ran his hand through his matted hair... He sighed, what was this feeling? He felt so drained, and lethargic, and his head was killing him. He rolled himself out of bed and trudged out of the bedroom to the bathroom that he and Rowen shared. He did not miss Rowen's snort as he crawled back under his blankets trying to salvage what was left of his sleep time.
"Geez, you look like shit," Kento breathed staring at Sage as he sat down at the table to breakfast with the rest of them.
"Well thank you Kento," Sage snapped. He stood up as soona s he sat down, "I'm gonna go on to school, see you guys later."
"Sage wait, your breakfast!" Cye called after the retreating blond, "What was that?" Everyone looked to Rowen, if anyone would knew, it had to be him. Rowen shrugged looking ill-tempered, "I don't know."
"Did you two have an argument?" asked Ryo looking at Rowen. Rowen scowled, "No."
"Well damn, something went down in that room, cause the both of you are acting like you're on PMS," Kento said evenly, "Did it have anything to do with Sage's alarm clock going off for like 15 minutes?"
Rowen's eyes flared to life, "You heard the damn thing too! Interrupted my sleep....Sleeping right next to the damn clock and the only one that didn't freakin' hear it. I had to get out of bed at 5:45 to wake his ass up..." Rowen stabbed his egg with his fork.
"Damn, take notes you guys. Rowen is not the best person to wake before 7," Kento snickered, "Sage slept through his alarm clock?"
"Damn skippy he did," Rowen grumbled, "I wish I could have too."
Ryo chuckled at Rowen's crankiness, but secretly prayed that it would fade as the day wore on. A cranky Rowen was no picnic. "So what do we have planned to do tonight guys?"
"Nothing," Cye said simply, "Did you want to try something?"
"Uh-uh," Ryo interjected, "Guys' Nights are fun, but remember we have homework to do too! I've fallen behind in geography, and I know you guys have to be behind too..."
"Not me," Rowen muttered ramming a piece of toast in his mouth.
"Well, aside from the genius..." Ryo rolled his eyes.
"You're right Ryo," Cye said thinking about his piling up assignments for calculus that he had carelessly laid to the side.
Kento scowled, "Great.. Nerds.. Hey I wonder if Sage will let me go out with him and Sylvia. That'd be great. I'll have to ask him when I see him at school."
Ryo and Cye laughed, "Sage is gonna knock your head in."
"I'm counting on it. Sparring with him will at least give me something to do tonight!" Kento smirked and began filling his plate with thirds of breakfast, he had finished his seconds minutes earliers.
"Kento, you are a true glutton for punishment."
"Mother loved your visit Sage. The doctors say her charts have improved!" Sylvia was gushing on about the pleasing news of her mother's slow return to good health. Slowly her chatter died away as she gently stroked Sage's golden hair away from his face. He had fallen asleep on her shoulder listening to her talk. She smiled pityingly, "I'm so sorry Sage... you really are a nice boy, but she's my Mom." She had thought maybe he could survive the ceremony, maybe he could spare the life energy, but looking at him right then, she knew he would perish, that he would be a sacrifice.
She felt the ever present glares of envious eyes probably dying to be able to run their fingers through the fine golden silk, mistakenly referred to as hair, on Sage's head. She felt butterflies of guilt in her stomach... She quickly killed the butterflies with the torrent of anger that ran through her body at herself. How could she be so stupid? How could she have known he was going to be so good-looking, so intelligent, so wonderful... She had feelings for him, she knew it, but what she was going to do about it she didn't know.
It was well after dinner time when Sage came in that night. "Where've you been Sage?" Mia asked him as soon as he stepped through the door, "You didn't call or tell anyone you wouldn't be home before..."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Sage said quickly.
"We were worried something may have happened to you Sage," Mia said, "You always call... Now if it had been Kento, we wouldn't have been as worried, he always does things like this and forgets abot the people at home... but not you."
Sage sighed, feeling rather annoyed by the guilt trip Mia was trying to send him on, "Mia, I said I was sorry. I lost track of time, and came home as soon as I realized how late it was."
Mia raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice, but said nothing, "Go upstairs and let the others know you're back, they were about to go out and look for you."
"Great," Sage groaned trudging up the stairs feeling guilty about how nasty he had been with Mia downstairs... she was only worried, and she was right. He usually did call... but he and Sylvia had been at the hospital all afternoon, and then they had gone out for dinner. Sage sighed, thinking about his full stomach, a stomach that had gotten full after a few bites of dinner, and he was so tired... Something was wrong with him, he knew it. He just didn't want to admit it to anybody. As soon as his feet his the top step Ryo was there to pounce on him, "Where the hell have you been?"
Sage rolled his eyes heavenward, here we go...
"He was with Sylvia again, weren't you Sage?" Kento first addressed Ryo's question directed at Sage, and then looked towards Sage for the answer to his question.
Sage flushed, letting both Kento and Ryo know the answer to that question, "Sage, I mean it's cool that you're trying to have a life outside of duty... but Sage duty calls. You can't be out with her every night at all hours of the night. We have trouble, and we need you. You have already proved that you can miss a battle while you're out with Sylvia. Well what happens if there's another battle, a serious one and we need you, we need Inferno, and you're no where to be found cause you're at the mall with Sylvia?"
"We were at the hospital," Sage muttered.
"Sage, you spent all day in a hospital?"
"No, just a few hours, after that I took her to get some dinner. She has no one to eat with. She usually eats in the hospital with her mother which is as good as eating alone, or she's home alone at her apartment."
"Sage I know you care about Sylvia deeply, I mean I like her too, but you can't spend every waking minute with her, especially not in a hospital. That's unhealthy for you," Cye had appeared behind Ryo and Kento, " Too many feelings and emotions pass through hospitals; it's taking its toll on you, I can see it in your complexion."
Sage almost smiled, Cye had given something to think about. Maybe he wasn't getting sick, maybe it was psychic strain from being in the hospital and having to bear so many thoughts and uncontrolled overwhelming emotions for hours on end.
"Thank God," Rowen pushed through Ryo, Kento, and Cye to reach Sage and give him a quick hug, "Thought you'd been kidnapped or something. Since when do you forget to call home?"
Sage shrugged, "I was just preoccupied."
"Which is why you need to think about what I said earlier,"Ryo said flatly. Sage sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Are we finished yet?"
Ryo's eyes widened at Sage's nerve, he shook his head, "Go to bed Sage, Cye's right, you look like shit." With that he walked off leaving the other four speechless staring after him.
"Um Sage, for the record... I never said you look like shit," Cye said blinking and scratching his head at Ryo's temper.
"Yeah, I did," Kento said, "Remember?"
Sage nodded, "Yeah I do.. And I think I already thanked you for it too." He walked through Cye, Rowen, and Kento, going to his room.
"Well, isn't eveyone in such a lovely mood this evening?" Kento said sarcastically earning himself two glares from Cye and Rowen, "Kento?"
"Yeah."
"Shut the hell up."
Small sturdy hands stitched the back of the doll up. Sylvia smiled as she eyed her handiwork. The blond doll with blue eyes may have been far from an artistic work of art, but for Transfer Doll it was beautiful. She began to clear away her supplies, the empty bowl of blood taken from the syringe... Left over strands of blond hair still clung to the brush she was discarding into the plastic bag. Now all she had to do was charge it, and the transference would begin... and soon her mother would be healthy again. For all she needed was the young healing blood of the Warrior of Wisdom, the Warrior of Light... She frowned thinking of her beau... poor boy won't know what hit him. Does he really deserve this. Was it right for her to claim his life in exchange for her mother's? She groaned, clutching her head, she was never the best at making decisions... That's why she needed her mother, to make the decisions again... Yes, yea, of course she was doing the right thing. After all, a girl does need her mother... and Sage was strong.. He's a warrior, and not just any warrior, he was special. Maybe he's survive it somehow... maybe...
"....Sage.... You getting up today?" Rowen rolled his eyes as he listened to the blaring of Sage's alarm clock on the other side of the room. It seemed to be getting louder for ever minute it wasn't acknowledged and turned off, "Sage!" Rowen groaned and dragged himself out of bed. He grumbled as he made his way to Sage's sleeping form. Rowen liked to sleep in until the last minute, he unlike Sage, did not need an hour and a half in the bathroom! But now he was up, and if he was to be up, then so would Sage! "Wake up!" Rowen shook Sage rather roughly. He was just a little grouchy...
Sage moaned and slowly came awake, "What Ro? Oh damn.. Is it morning already?" Sage sat up in his bed slowly and reached to turn off his alarm clock. Rowen stood glowering over him, "Yes it is morning, and you interrupted my morning snooze! You want the shower first you better get in it now."
Sage blinked and tried to clear the fog from his brain. He shook his head and ran his hand through his matted hair... He sighed, what was this feeling? He felt so drained, and lethargic, and his head was killing him. He rolled himself out of bed and trudged out of the bedroom to the bathroom that he and Rowen shared. He did not miss Rowen's snort as he crawled back under his blankets trying to salvage what was left of his sleep time.
"Geez, you look like shit," Kento breathed staring at Sage as he sat down at the table to breakfast with the rest of them.
"Well thank you Kento," Sage snapped. He stood up as soona s he sat down, "I'm gonna go on to school, see you guys later."
"Sage wait, your breakfast!" Cye called after the retreating blond, "What was that?" Everyone looked to Rowen, if anyone would knew, it had to be him. Rowen shrugged looking ill-tempered, "I don't know."
"Did you two have an argument?" asked Ryo looking at Rowen. Rowen scowled, "No."
"Well damn, something went down in that room, cause the both of you are acting like you're on PMS," Kento said evenly, "Did it have anything to do with Sage's alarm clock going off for like 15 minutes?"
Rowen's eyes flared to life, "You heard the damn thing too! Interrupted my sleep....Sleeping right next to the damn clock and the only one that didn't freakin' hear it. I had to get out of bed at 5:45 to wake his ass up..." Rowen stabbed his egg with his fork.
"Damn, take notes you guys. Rowen is not the best person to wake before 7," Kento snickered, "Sage slept through his alarm clock?"
"Damn skippy he did," Rowen grumbled, "I wish I could have too."
Ryo chuckled at Rowen's crankiness, but secretly prayed that it would fade as the day wore on. A cranky Rowen was no picnic. "So what do we have planned to do tonight guys?"
"Nothing," Cye said simply, "Did you want to try something?"
"Uh-uh," Ryo interjected, "Guys' Nights are fun, but remember we have homework to do too! I've fallen behind in geography, and I know you guys have to be behind too..."
"Not me," Rowen muttered ramming a piece of toast in his mouth.
"Well, aside from the genius..." Ryo rolled his eyes.
"You're right Ryo," Cye said thinking about his piling up assignments for calculus that he had carelessly laid to the side.
Kento scowled, "Great.. Nerds.. Hey I wonder if Sage will let me go out with him and Sylvia. That'd be great. I'll have to ask him when I see him at school."
Ryo and Cye laughed, "Sage is gonna knock your head in."
"I'm counting on it. Sparring with him will at least give me something to do tonight!" Kento smirked and began filling his plate with thirds of breakfast, he had finished his seconds minutes earliers.
"Kento, you are a true glutton for punishment."
"Mother loved your visit Sage. The doctors say her charts have improved!" Sylvia was gushing on about the pleasing news of her mother's slow return to good health. Slowly her chatter died away as she gently stroked Sage's golden hair away from his face. He had fallen asleep on her shoulder listening to her talk. She smiled pityingly, "I'm so sorry Sage... you really are a nice boy, but she's my Mom." She had thought maybe he could survive the ceremony, maybe he could spare the life energy, but looking at him right then, she knew he would perish, that he would be a sacrifice.
She felt the ever present glares of envious eyes probably dying to be able to run their fingers through the fine golden silk, mistakenly referred to as hair, on Sage's head. She felt butterflies of guilt in her stomach... She quickly killed the butterflies with the torrent of anger that ran through her body at herself. How could she be so stupid? How could she have known he was going to be so good-looking, so intelligent, so wonderful... She had feelings for him, she knew it, but what she was going to do about it she didn't know.
It was well after dinner time when Sage came in that night. "Where've you been Sage?" Mia asked him as soon as he stepped through the door, "You didn't call or tell anyone you wouldn't be home before..."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Sage said quickly.
"We were worried something may have happened to you Sage," Mia said, "You always call... Now if it had been Kento, we wouldn't have been as worried, he always does things like this and forgets abot the people at home... but not you."
Sage sighed, feeling rather annoyed by the guilt trip Mia was trying to send him on, "Mia, I said I was sorry. I lost track of time, and came home as soon as I realized how late it was."
Mia raised an eyebrow at his tone of voice, but said nothing, "Go upstairs and let the others know you're back, they were about to go out and look for you."
"Great," Sage groaned trudging up the stairs feeling guilty about how nasty he had been with Mia downstairs... she was only worried, and she was right. He usually did call... but he and Sylvia had been at the hospital all afternoon, and then they had gone out for dinner. Sage sighed, thinking about his full stomach, a stomach that had gotten full after a few bites of dinner, and he was so tired... Something was wrong with him, he knew it. He just didn't want to admit it to anybody. As soon as his feet his the top step Ryo was there to pounce on him, "Where the hell have you been?"
Sage rolled his eyes heavenward, here we go...
"He was with Sylvia again, weren't you Sage?" Kento first addressed Ryo's question directed at Sage, and then looked towards Sage for the answer to his question.
Sage flushed, letting both Kento and Ryo know the answer to that question, "Sage, I mean it's cool that you're trying to have a life outside of duty... but Sage duty calls. You can't be out with her every night at all hours of the night. We have trouble, and we need you. You have already proved that you can miss a battle while you're out with Sylvia. Well what happens if there's another battle, a serious one and we need you, we need Inferno, and you're no where to be found cause you're at the mall with Sylvia?"
"We were at the hospital," Sage muttered.
"Sage, you spent all day in a hospital?"
"No, just a few hours, after that I took her to get some dinner. She has no one to eat with. She usually eats in the hospital with her mother which is as good as eating alone, or she's home alone at her apartment."
"Sage I know you care about Sylvia deeply, I mean I like her too, but you can't spend every waking minute with her, especially not in a hospital. That's unhealthy for you," Cye had appeared behind Ryo and Kento, " Too many feelings and emotions pass through hospitals; it's taking its toll on you, I can see it in your complexion."
Sage almost smiled, Cye had given something to think about. Maybe he wasn't getting sick, maybe it was psychic strain from being in the hospital and having to bear so many thoughts and uncontrolled overwhelming emotions for hours on end.
"Thank God," Rowen pushed through Ryo, Kento, and Cye to reach Sage and give him a quick hug, "Thought you'd been kidnapped or something. Since when do you forget to call home?"
Sage shrugged, "I was just preoccupied."
"Which is why you need to think about what I said earlier,"Ryo said flatly. Sage sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Are we finished yet?"
Ryo's eyes widened at Sage's nerve, he shook his head, "Go to bed Sage, Cye's right, you look like shit." With that he walked off leaving the other four speechless staring after him.
"Um Sage, for the record... I never said you look like shit," Cye said blinking and scratching his head at Ryo's temper.
"Yeah, I did," Kento said, "Remember?"
Sage nodded, "Yeah I do.. And I think I already thanked you for it too." He walked through Cye, Rowen, and Kento, going to his room.
"Well, isn't eveyone in such a lovely mood this evening?" Kento said sarcastically earning himself two glares from Cye and Rowen, "Kento?"
"Yeah."
"Shut the hell up."
