Chapter Three-Paint it

I see a red door and I want it painted black

No colors anymore, I want them to turn black.

-Vanessa Carlton

A rumbling filled the untouched forest, and in one small piece of it, the land began to crumble apart. The dirt fell down around the large ruins that were forcing themselves out of the ground. The animals around did not bother to stay and find out what it was; they scattered at the first beginnings of the noise. They had been on edge for several days, sensing something big was coming.

Trees were torn from their roots as the ruins pushed them up and over, any animals left died at only touching it. From a distance, it looked like it was black, but on closer examination anyone could clearly see the millions of black beetles crawling over it, creating a blanket of black color. The rumbling stopped half an hour after it had started and the large ruins were finally stable again. The black beetles never stopped though, they continued to crawl all over it, as dark clouds began to form over the peak of the ruins.

It was the only area of the forest that was experiencing a lightning storm, bolts sent trees and grass in flames. Later on in the day a native who stood on a cliff peak noticed the peak of the black ruins, fully in tact. He was quick to go as quickly as he could down the slope and to the nearby villages. Although he'd never seen it before he didn't wonder where it came from. Ruins don't just grow out of the ground.

********************

Van was having a very difficult time. He was frustrated at himself this was the fifth time. And it was one time too many.

" Augh! That's it! I can't do it!" He yelled to the world that wouldn't listen to him or treat him with the least bit of mercy.

Moonbay rolled her eyes, " Van, be quiet. You haven't done anything wrong yet…you really haven't done anything at all yet. Now just put the pot on the fire…"

" But what if I burn the water!"

She sighed, and shook her head slightly. This was the fifth cooking less…which was one lesson too many. Zeeke was doing better and the organoid didn't have long enough arms to even do anything with.

Fionna watched them with a small smile on her face. It was true, Van couldn't cook but he looked so cute when he tried. Then again it was sort of sad, Fionna realized that Moonbay was teaching Van to cook because she was planning on leaving them soon. It was just too painful for her to be around people who constantly reminded her of Irvine, even if they were her friends. But Fionna doubted that the problem would be fixed by her running away. It didn't really help Irvine's problem…

Irvine…she didn't even know where to start on him. Her feelings were mixed between hate, guilt, and sadness. Guilt because she knew he was going to leave and she never stopped him or explained things with him. It was all left with no closure because the power she used caused her to be very weak…but that was no excuse. Sadness and hate for more reasons than she could count. Fionna sighed why did things have to be this way? Why did she have to learn everything…

The power that she had discovered had yet to show itself again, but Fionna had told Moonbay and Van about it. Neither of them knew what to make of it, and besides they were much more interested in what she saw…which had been too hard for her to tell them, until now. As Van shouted in anger to the sky once more as he spilt some burnt water on his leg, Fionna walked to her two friends.

" Fionna…I have to tell you. Van is impossible! I don't know how you can stand to be with him so much…he's driving me insane!" Moonbay said, smiling with a playfulness that wasn't all together there, of course she was putting up a front.

Van grumbled angrily, " Hey! Cooking isn't everything!"

" To your stomach it is."

Fionna looked at the ground a moment, having trouble deciding whether or not to tell them. This reminded her so much of their better days, except…there was no Irvine and Moonbay seemed to put up fake emotions to replace whatever she was really feeling. It had to be told. Her friends realized her seriousness. They turned to her with somber expressions, the worry apparent in their eyes.

" I've got a long story to tell you…of what I saw that night. I'm going to try to explain it as best as I can."

********************

Raven found the village in the forest, and that's where he stopped. The entire time he knew where to go, something was driving him on. Now that something just seemed to leave. It confused him, but there wasn't much he could do about it. Raven didn't consciously know where he was supposed to go, so he had to stop even though he wanted to keep going, if he waited much longer he was afraid he'd run away.

" Hey, are you all right?" A young woman about his age, seemed to come out of no where, she had medium length red hair and green eyes.

Raven started to answer that he was just fine when he felt himself falling. Her arms were around him immediately, holding him up. Her face was contorted in worry.

" I'm Kyra. Don't worry, I'll get you to my house. You can rest there and eat…you look much to thin."

Although Raven was going to resist, he didn't have the strength. Kyra quietly dragged him inside her house, where she placed him on a soft couch. As Kyra quickly went to fetch some water, her mind stayed on the young man. He was cute, that's what had made her notice him in the first place. Those dark eyes…there was just something about him that made him different than anyone else she'd ever met. Not that they'd even officially met yet.

Her heart thumped, as she returned with the water and placed it to his lips for him to drink. They were…so close, a spark seemed to be going off in her body. Surely he felt it too. However, the young man if he felt it showed no sign of it. His face was emotionless as he gulped down the water like it was air after being held under water long past his due. When he finished, his body forced him to lay back down, despite his odd urgency to investigate the area. There must be something that would give him a hint of where to go next. The great power was coming, it may have already been unleashed, and he couldn't do anything.

Kyra came back from putting the cup away, to find the outsider a sleep on her couch. A light snore came from him. She couldn't help but think how cute it was. Sighing, Kyra sat down on the chair beside him. How badly she wanted to get to know this man…yet how much of a mystery he was. Who knows he could be a serial killer, but she laughed at this thought. It didn't seem possible, this now harmless, amazingly handsome guy. He'd probably never harmed a fly.

********************

" I can't believe I was friends with a murderer." Van stood up, so quickly in anger Fionna was beginning to regret her decision.

" Van…"

He kicked the pot of soup over, and yelled. His mind was filled with mixed feelings of hatred, rage, and something else he couldn't quiet tell what it was. Fionna stood slowly, staring at him with sympathy and a little bit of fear. She glanced at Moonbay who was looking into the distance, in silence.

" What's wrong with me? I let him travel with us for so long…all he is…is a, a…oh. Why? Why couldn't he have been carpenter or something like that…instead of a worthless, scumbag murderer?" He turned to the setting sun as if it could explain everything. " It's all just so freakin stupid…"

Van walked off quickly into the distance. Fionna sighed quietly, suddenly feeling very guilty. Van… Her heart went out to him, but she was a little more afraid of what would happen if she left Moonbay alone. Fionna turned to her friend, who now looked back at her…with a smile?

" I'm glad."

Had she gone mad? Fionna looked closely at her friend, " Glad about what?"

" Glad he broke it off with me. Otherwise I'd be dating a murdering jackass…"

Fionna's stared at the ground a moment, listening to Moonbay hum a soft melody to herself. The sun was setting farther, and there was still Van to find. She shook her head slowly and walked off into the distance. I should never have told them…they weren't ready for the truth. Who knows if they would ever be ready for it.

***********************

Hate the dreaming madness

that centers of destruction

destroy, destroy

what's left when

the world is gone.?

nothing…

nothing…

the world is gone

and nothing

Kyra woke with a start. She nearly fell out of her chair. Heart beating quickly against her chest, she picked herself up sweaty hands pushing against the carpet weakly. What had she dreamed of? It was hard to remember, only flashing visions of screams and pain entered her mind and she automatically tried to block that out. No matter, dreams were only dreams. Right?

Pushing her back against the chair, her gaze fell on the couch where her sleeping visitor still lay. The only problem being that the visitor was no longer there. Kyra searched the room but no sign of him anywhere. It was almost as though…he'd never been there. Maybe he hadn't. Maybe that handsome man was only a part of her dreams…but then again. Her heart lept as she saw the little slip of white paper on the couch.

Picking it up, her heart fluttered with excitement. It could only be a message from him. Would it say that he had feelings for her? Would it tell her where he was? Would it give her hope, advice, or laughter? She opened the small fold and read.

Thanks.

Raven

Kyra smiled. So his name was Raven, like that of the black birds who come and go with the seasons. She had a strange feeling that someday she would see him again.

********************

Fionna glanced at Van who had been completely silent up to this point. She should never have told him. After this there may never be a chance of the good days to come back. The ones where they were all happy and good friends. Where they had their adventures and sadness, but the sadness only came once in a while and everyone relied on each other. She missed that so badly; there was a great aching inside whenever she remembered those days.

Van started speaking very slowly, as though he thought something might break otherwise. " No wonder those men wanted revenge…and no wonder they thought killing him was the only answer. Why if my sister was shot I'd…Well, I don't know what I'd do. Irvine killed their entire family…If I would've known, I'd…"

" You'd what? Kill him for them. Do you want to kill Irvine, Van?" Fionna asked.

He looked at the ground, " I don't really know. I don't want to kill anyone, but…Fionna, I didn't think Irvine was like that I didn't…think he was so evil, it doesn't make any sense. Why can't, couldn't we see…why couldn't I see?"

She put a finger on his lips to quiet him, and leaned her head on his shoulder. " Stop blaming yourself Van…you didn't kill anyone. The only person who should feel guilty tonight is Irvine…wherever he is."

" I guess you're right…Thanks." He kissed the top of her hair, before leaning his head on hers, and together they watched the sun set. Turning the sky from the rosy color of early evening, into the blackness of night.

Painted, Painted,

Painted black,

Black as night,

Black as coal,

I wanna see it

Painted black.

-Vanessa Carlton

A/N: aren't you proud of me? I got it out early actually. I'm going to try to keep up a steady pace of out putting the chapters so I won't have to make you wait any longer. Thank you all so much for your support and for your reviews they mean so much to me. Special thanks to Starkiller (your very sweet, and your reviews make me smile), Psycho-Kitty-Purra (yes it's Irvine, I love him too much not to give him one of the main roles. ;) ), BlkStrmSwrdr17 (thanks, yep the bird's Raven.) Orange Girl Expression (yes, I'm extremely sorry about that, that's why I tried to get this one out faster) Fire Fox (yes it's for Raven fans like you that he's here in the first place lol.), Anthony, and Namagomi-Chan (thanks both of you, I hope you liked the other two as well). And of course thanks everyone else who has reviewed my stories, I'd like to put all your names here, but I want to get this up and I'm not sure if any of you are also reading this so I could show my appreciation specifically to you. Anyway…sorry to bore you with the long note. The next chapter's coming out as quickly as I can. Thanks.