Darkness in the Twilight
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
By Psycho Ferret and LunarCrystal
Freaks, Geeks, and Rock 'N' Roll
Ethan was silent, curled up against the chair, head pillowed softly against it. He was sleeping quietly, the controller still in hand. They both looked cute, the haphazard way they slept.
Now, when Nicole woke up, she was a little groggy. She was a short girl, somehow inherited a stray gene that her tall brothers were lucky enough to have avoided. She was dressed in a powder blue terry cloth robe, and as she fumbled down the steps of their uncle's old town house, she raked a hand through her dark black hair. Eyes half open, she barely got halfway down the steps before spotted the stranger on the couch.
Now, you have to give a girl some credit where its due -- which wasn't the case with Nicole. Her scream seemed loud enough to knock two birds off from a near by branch and several dead insects off the walls outside.
Ethan jerked awake at the scream, tensing, sitting upright, wide-eyed.
Allen started, the sharp motion pulling at his shoulder and leg and he promptly groaned, curling up a little. Ow. The movement hadn't helped him at all.
"Whoa!" was the first thing out of Chris' mouth, rubbing his eyes scrambling up out of the chair to meet his younger sister on the stairs, trying to calm her. Nicole's outburst was brief, thankfully, as it was quite sobering from her grogginess to scream like she did. She quickly calmed, gulping.
"Who the hell is on our couch?" she asked, and Chris began to explain things slowly -- at least, the best extent he could given what little detail he had on the matter.
Celena was awake, startled as much as her brother, and she saw him curled up in pain. "Allen, don't move." she told him. It was all she could do to comfort him, not even knowing where they really *were* . . .
Chris turned back to her, his sister sitting on the steps and trying to calm her heart palpitations. "It's okay. This is our sister, Nikki."
Ethan stood ad padded over to Allen, frowning a little. He rested a hand on the blonde's uninjured shoulder, worriedly. "Hey... don't... don't move much, okay?" He glanced over at his sister, biting down on his bottom lip softly, nervously playing with the tongue piercings. "Nikki... are you okay?"
Allen's voice was soft, weak, but still... friendly, of course. He was Allen, after all. A woman? Well, then...
"My apologies, miss... for frightening you so. Wasn't my intention at all, if you must know..."
Ethan just stared at him. He'd been bleeding all over the place and here he was acting like that?
Chris came back downstairs, his sister stayed sitting on the step before quickly excusing herself with, "I'll have breakfast later." The tall boy sighed, coming next to his brother.
"Well, that was fun. Hey, um . . . man. You're name's Allen, right?" he asked of the knight. All of this was just too weird, and he couldn't stop staring at their costumes.
Allen lifted his head slightly, nodding. "I am... Allen Schezar, Knight Caeli."
"...say what? Hey, Chris? I told you they were from a convention."
Chris rolled his eyes at his introduction, but Celena reeled on him. "He speaks the truth! He is a knight of the royal house of Asturia." Now, Chris was always one for the fantastical - having read plenty of fantasy fiction and collected swords, fancying himself a knight . . . This young man on his couch, who looked a couple years *younger* than him, claimed to be a knight.
And if it weren't for the fierceness in Celena's voice, the stern look in her eyes - her eyes, my gods, he thought. They were so strange. So incredibly vivid, and really rather beautiful. No, if it weren't for her, he probably would have passed it off as a silly convention persona - if it hadn't been him that stitched up those wounds, which were so real, staining his hands with blood - he probably wouldn't have believed her.
As it was, he stopped, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh. "I think he's telling the truth."
"Of course I'm telling the truth." Allen straightened a bit, arching a brow. To think... that someone was accusing him of lying about his knighthood?
Ethan chewed idly on a piece of gum he'd fished out, slowly glancing at his brother. "There aren't knights anymore, Chris, not like he's saying. Not like... sword wielding, dragon slaying knights."
"...I am no dragonslayer."
"He says he's not a dragonslayer." answered Chris sardonically. "And you're his sister, right? What's your name then?"
Celena started a bit, quirking an eyebrow and standing up proudly. "Celena Schezar."
Allen frowned slightly, turning his head slightly to the side. Slaying dragons... that wasn't his duty.
"Ah, so... where... um, where are you two from?"
"Santa Cruz, California." said Chris scathingly, looking at his brother with a grim disposition. "Listen, buddy - could you tell us what the Mystic Moon is? Your sister seems to think we're on it."
"The Mystic Moon?" Allen frowned a little, shaking his head slightly... forcing himself to focus, remembering things Hitomi had told him about the place. Ah! An easy way to tell. "Is there some place called... Japan, here?" Allen cocked his head to the side slightly, waiting.
Chris sat on their poorly kept coffee table, making the wood creak in protest under his weight. He was amazed, by this strange encounter. The wounds, the questions - the eyes. They cannot be of this world, and Chris knew it in his heart. "Japan is across the Pacific Ocean. Yes, it's here. You're in the United States of America."
"By the gods... it is the Mystic Moon. Celena, this is where Hitomi is from. Well, not right here, but... this planet."
"If you saw the things I'm seeing, Allen," Celena said, settling once more beside him, "It is definitely not of our world. By Jechia, how did we get here?" She seemed upset - she didn't want to leave her home, Asturia, the crew . . . the fort! "Oh, gods, Allen - the fort. The men. What do you think happened to them?"
Allen stiffened, scowling. "We have to get back. We have to get back. Gaddes and Van... everyone. They can't beat back Basram alone..." Allen groaned, dropping his head into his hands.
"Hey, take it easy. I just finished stitching you up and I *don't* want my fabulous handiwork reopened." admonished Chris to the knight, since he was obviously older than he was. "Look, your sister mentioned that you can't see, so it's probably best if you just stick around for a while."
"I've been this way for over a year. Hell," he murmured softly, frowning into his hands, "Palas is going to get ransacked... Millerna... at least she's been warned..."
Chris honestly had no reply to all these names and places the young man was mentioning. He looked to his brother, struggling to say something in response, but all he could come up with was, "I think my brother and I'll start making some breakfast. You guys must be hungry."
Celena's eyes narrowed, "I am *not* a guy."
"Oh, um... it's a generalized term. H-he wasn't meaning that you're male. He was just... referring to both of you..."
Allen smiled softly... he was a lot more comfortable with these terms than her, after all, he'd been around Hitomi. "He's right. Hitomi used to say it a lot..."
Celena growled slightly but said nothing, watching the two young men hastily leave them to make the morning meal. She turned to her brother. "Can you sit up?" she asked.
Allen shook his head slightly, sitting up, waving away her efforts of help. "Why are you so angry about it?"
"I - I don't know," admitted the girl quietly, "I just didn't like being called that, is all." She looked over her brother's frame. He was clean now, save for the stains on his uniform, the severe rips where his shoulder and thigh had been injured. She sat next to him on the couch, his hair was matted with dried blood, caked on the side of his head. "Can you stand?"
"I'm not going to push it. Not with this leg I won't be able to. Just don't get so upset about things..."
"Allen," she began truthfully, "I don't think we should stay here. . ."
"I've already said it, Celena. We have to get back."
"But how?" She demanded, a little too loudly, and ignored Chris when he poked his head in from the kitchen.
"If I knew, Celena, I'd be working towards it."
"Well, don't get mad at *me*." she seethed, "All I did was try to keep you awake when your pendant started glowing . . ."
"Then that's what it was." Allen pressed a hand to his chest where the pendant hung. "It has to do with the pendant."
Celena rolled her eyes, "Then make it work. Make it take us back home."
Allen sighed softly, forcing himself to stand, shuffling carefully, painfully away from the couch. This was irritating. They were already snapping at one another.
"Well?" She demanded, not bothering to describe the geography of the strange room -- to hell with his blindness. They needed to get *home*!
"Like hell you demanding it like that is going to get it any further, Celena." Allen sighed aggravated, running a hand through his hair.
"I want to go home." she choked, "Gaddes . . . the others . . . What if the fort's fallen? And Basram is probably marching towards the capital!"
"You think I don't know that!?" Allen pressed a hand to his chest as a faint flash of pain, one besides the throb from his leg and shoulder, jolted through him. "You think I want to leave them there!? Those men are my life, Celena, and I've just left them to die. You can't even imagine what I feel like right now."
She stood, clutching him desperately around his middle. Now she would let the tears fall, and they came readily like rivers along with choking sobs. "I don't want to be here. I'm frightened. It's so strange here. We have to save the fort . . . I don't know what to do, Allen."
"And you think I do? At least you can see this place. I can't even do that."
"We should leave here." she told him softly, wiping away at her tears.
"And go where? I don't know how to get back."
Frustrated, and distraught, she pushed him away from her, "I don't *know*! Just somewhere!"
Allen stumbled, hissing and, thankfully, catching himself on the wall. Lovely. He groaned, taking the weight off his leg. Well... that was nice. He spoke through gritted teeth, eyes closed, slowly, barely reigning in his anger and frustration. "I will not throw myself into another unknown. Go if you so wish."
"Then I *will*!" she said angrily, tearing passed him and leaving through the front door of the stranger's home.
Chris came running in after he heard the front door being torn open, skidding to a halt. "Where the hell is she going?!"
Allen turned his head towards him, still leaning against the wall. What wonderful shape he was in. "I don't know... I know you've already done much for us already, but could you, by chance, retrieve her? She doesn't know any more about this world than I do..."
Women. Women and their bloody tantrums.
"Already on it," said Chris, who grabbed a jacket from the closet so that he wouldn't parade down the streets while shirtless. He ran out the door, leaving Allen alone.
Allen sank down, but was caught by Ethan, who smiled, chattering on with him, helping him back to the couch. "Don't worry about your sister... or Nikki. I'm sure she'll warm up to you after a bit."
"Why should he have to worry about me?" accused Nikki as she came down stairs, dressed and ready. She was a cute little goth chick, as far as her brothers were concerned, fond of ripped fishnets, platforms and tattered skirts. She too, sported many piercings one ear, the other being adorned by a pointed ear cuff. Pale skin, black hair - her favorite color was black. She romped down the bottom steps and peered at her brother through her heavily lined eyes. "I know a weirdo when I see one. He just scared me, is all."
"He's not weird, Nikki, he's from another planet." Ethan smiled a bit, then paused. "...Nevermind, that does sound somewhat odd."
"I apologize again, miss, for frightening you so. I hadn't intended it.
Nikki peered at Allen now, still narrowing her eyes and craning her neck - more from concentration. He didn't turn to look at her, or anything. "Are you blind?" It was really just a matter-of-fact question, and Nikki was very quick witted about those sorts of things. She watched people as a hobby downtown, when she wasn't working at the coffee shop.
Allen cocked his head to the side a little and gave a soft, sad-like smile. "Unfortunately, I am. There was a riot in front of the castle and... oh, nevermind."
Nikki smirked, "You're wrong. I'm right. He's nuts." She walked away nonchalantly to a corner of the room that seemed to be heavily decorated with - various objects. Incense holders, jars of herbs, and a cloth hanging on the wall with Celtic knots on it. She lit a stick of Dragon's blood incense.
Allen sighed, shaking his head slightly. He held up a hand to quiet Ethan, smiling a little. "I thought the same thing when Hitomi first came..."
"Did you guys make breakfast?" Nikki asked, going over to her brother and the stranger, pulling on Allen's arm to lead him to the kitchen.
Allen stood, wincing a bit, leaning on Ethan as they went in.
"Yeah, we did," he smiled, speaking quietly. He was the youngest of the three siblings... and he still wore that torn shirt of his. He hadn't bothered to change since the night before.
"It's amazing. You actually managed to make something edible?" She asked, continuing to pull more than lead the poor blind stranger.
"Hey... Chris did it, not me." Ethan smiled sheepishly, shrugging a bit. "Hey, hey! Slow down, Nikki! He can't walk very well at all!"
"Why, he's just blind, not crippled." she said nonchalantly, leading him toward a table.
Ethan tugged Allen back, holding him to keep her from tugging him along. "Stop it, Nikki... he's injured." Allen just smiled a little. He did appreciate the comment. Though, admittedly, he knew better. He couldn't walk well, he knew that much. And moving fast was out of the question. He did blink a little at Ethan's protectiveness, though.
"How injured?" she asked impatiently, stopping.
"Well, he's got this... this hole in his leg. like... straight through it. And his shoulder has this huge gash in it..."
Nikki quirked an eyebrow. "Sounds painful." It's not that she didn't believe Ethan. She was just - a little morbid. The kind of person who watched operation shows hoping they'll show a good amputation once in a while. Of course, much to Nikki's disappointment, they never did. "Alright, move slower. Come on, table over here."
Ethan helped Allen into a seat gently, then slid into his own. "Allen's a knight, you know." Ethan smiled brilliantly. After thinking about it, he realized that those two really weren't like them. And that likely they were telling the truth.
Well, their family had always been a little strange. And all of them probably even *thought* at some point that if a strange person ever dropped out of the sky and claimed to be from a different world, they would probably believe them. Ah, fantasy is a wonderful thing. Now they had *two* people drop out of the sky and claim to be from a different world. After getting over her initial reservations, even Nikki had to admit that she was excited about the idea.
"Oh, yeah?" she said, "Our very own people from a different world, huh? Can we keep them as pets?"
Ethan's smile fell. "What? Nikki, they're people, that's horrible. And from what I've seen, they're very nice people, too." He rested a hand on Allen's uninjured shoulder and the blonde turned his head slightly towards him. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll adjust soon enough."
"I was just kidding, stupid," Nikki admonished, setting a plate of the so called breakfast that Chris worked so hard to . . . reheat. "Mmm, left over quesadillas. Well, I guess it's better than cold pizza." She sat down and grabbed one of the soggy quesadillas, biting into it hungrily.
Ethan pouted a bit, munching on the quesadilla. That was mean...
Allen arched a brow slightly. Even siblings reacted differently here. Of course... he hadn't had the most normal childhood experiences.
"So, where are you from again?" She asked around a mouthful of food.
"Palas in Asturia." Allen arched a brow a little. She wouldn't know the place, but... nonetheless.
"Cool, cool." she said, nodding her head and finishing the soggy chicken and cheese filled tortilla in one bite. "Got a little banged up, I see. How'd that happen?"
Allen frowned slightly, shaking his head. "One of the countries on our border took advantage of the fact that our king passed away and attacked. The fort Celena and I were stationed at is right on those borders, just outside the swamplands. A few of my men and I headed out to find one of the poachers that were there and we stumbled upon his body... and then they attacked. We managed to beat them back the first time, though my guymelef was severely damaged. The entire left limb was missing.
"The second attack, we thankfully had allies... and I had no choice but to defend the fort again within the damaged guymelef. The helmet was crushed by the rather large blade that made this gash in my shoulder, and the damage to the face plates were horrendous. Part of the grating jarred loose and, well... rather impaled my leg. Excruciating, really."
Nikki, who was a cheeky little pain in the ass, grabbed a post-it note pad that was on a table with a nearby pen and furiously began to write notes. "Okay," she said without looking up, "So far, words I don't understand include 'guymelef' and 'Celena'."
Ethan pouted a bit. "Nikki, stop being like that. You're the one that asked him, you should listen to him without being so--"
"Really, it's fine. I know how it is, facing someone from another world. It's... unbelievable at first."
"What *is* your world called, anyway?" Nikki asked, scrutinizing him with her piercing black lined eyes.
"Gaia. From there we can see your world, the 'Mystic Moon.' However, Hitomi taught us that the name was 'Earth.'" He seemed sincere about it, no hint of lying about him. In his mind, at least, he was being utterly truthful.
Nikki huffed, giving her little brother a look, "This is a trip alright. You bitches are lucky I don't work today."
Ethan blinked. "Why? Come on, Nikki, don't just shove it off like that."
Allen made a face at the crude language. A lady... using such words? It was utterly disturbing.
"I'm not shoving anything off." she defended, standing. "The truth of the matter is that he *is* hurt. I guess I'll have to ask how he knows our language later - didn't that occur to you? Anyway, he's hurt, he needs to lay down. I may be dark and morbid, but I'm not heartless you know."
Ethan sighed a bit, standing, tugging Allen to his feet. The knight did, really, have a genteel air about him, calm and easy.. and unoffended. Except for that last bit. To think that a lady would use such unfeminine wording. Wight a light grasp on the boy's upper arm, his weight slightly supported by him, he made his way back towards the couch.
"I'm gonna raid Chris' closet. The guy needs clothes that don't look like they're from Ren faire." she said, not bothering with plates and stocking up the stairs. It really wasn't too long after that when Chris came back with Celena.
"Let - go - of me!" she struggled, the young man's grasp strong on her arm.
Allen lifted his head, frowning. "Celena, come here..."
Ethan blinked, glancing over at his sister as she retreated, sighing softly.
Indignant, Celena wrenched her arm free from Chris and quickly rushed to her brother's arms, clutching him fiercely, trembling. Chris gave a spectacularly heavy and frustrated sigh, running his hand through his hair and throwing his coat into a nearby chair.
"She nearly got ran over by a car." he stated angrily, "Jesus fucking christ, I never knew a girl that could run so fast and then just stop right in front of a car."
Allen turned his head towards Chris, smiling softly, inclining his head a little. "Thank you... I do appreciate the gesture. I would have gone after her myself, but it's obvious why I could not." The blonde cocked his head to the side slightly, confused. "A... what?"
"Melefs . . . on wheels. They glide across the ground at super high speeds!" exclaimed the frightened and shaking Celena.
Chris rolled his eyes and looked at Ethan, "Speed limit's 35."
"Modes of transportation, then." Allen pursed his lips softly and had his eyes not been dull with his blindness, they would have glittered with the chance of absorbing yet more knowledge.
"Hey, Ethan," said Chris, walking up to his brother and touching his arm, "Why don't you put on a little music? Something soft." It was suggestion that came from Chris' cleverness and his psych degree. Though, it was nearly common knowledge that humans were inherently responsive to music. It might help calm them down, thought the boy.
Ethan arched a brow slightly. Well, that certainly wouldn't be any of his music. "Like what? Like... Motzart or something? Do we even have any of that lying around here?"
"Yeah, I'm sure we have something. Like, the new age stuff Nikki likes. Put some of that on." Chris said, starting to go back upstairs, "Meanwhile, I'm taking a shower. Ugh, I hate running in the morning."
"Oh! Nikki's going through your closet, by the way..." Ethan blinked a little, glancing over his shoulder. He stretched a bit, standing and rifling through the CDs they had and withdrew something along the lines described. He, himself, never really listened to that stuff... but nonetheless...
"What . . . what is it?" Celena asked softly once the music faded into her hearing. She lifted her head from her brother's chest, looking at the device that Ethan had used to play the music. "Where is that music coming from?"
"Ah, it's called a CD player. Er... compact disc player. There's music on one of these," he said, holding up a variety of CDs, "and there's a little laser inside the box that reads the music off the disc and plays it. Or something like that. I'm not really good at explaining these things." Even if he did plan on making his living with his band, he still didn't know how to describe the workings of a CD.
"Compact discus?" she asked tentatively, "And a - a laser? That *reads* the music? Can I see one of those discus?"
"Ah, actually, they're 'discs,' and sure. But be careful not to touch the shiny side." Ethan smiled, handing her one of his. That way if it got ruined, it'd be his. He was considerate that way.
"Describe it to me, Celena," Allen murmured softly, a faint smile on his lips.
Celena sat up, and examined the disc closely, being careful to touch only the rim of the little round discus. Her mouth hung open, her jaw working, biting her tongue, her lip, as she concentrated on how to describe such a thing to her brother. "It's flat, round - a discus, but thin and made of some extraordinary light material. On one side, it's shiny, and silver but it reflects rainbows on it's surface. It's really pretty!" She exclaimed, taking her brother's hand carefully so that he could hold the disc himself.
Allen grasped it lightly in hand, a smile on his lips, tracing his fingers along the edge of it, careful not to touch the flatter surfaces. "And... this plays music, you say?"
Ethan smiled brightly, nodding. "It sure does."
"But I don't understand." she said quietly, looking closely at the shiny surface as her brother examined it with his fingers. "I don't see any music on it. Not a note, or a scribble. How can anyone or anything read just rainbows?"
"Well, there's, um... there's a machine that records the music and turns it into little files... and it... uh... yeah. I don't really understand it."
Celena only shrugged, looking more confused. Then she sighed, touching her brother's head. "Maybe we should just take his word that it plays music. . ."
Allen smiled softly. "I was planning on it. He obviously knows more about it than we do." Ethan smiled, taking the CD from him when it was offered, setting it aside.
Celena settled herself next to her brother, getting comfortable. She let her thoughts fly around her head. She started thinking of the fort, of Gaddes - hoping they were alright. It was so strange, being home one moment, then on the Mystic Moon the next. How it happened or why it happened would probably be left unanswered. All she knew was that if they *hadn't* been transported to this strange place, her brother - sweet brother that he was - would have died.
And so now they're on the Mystic Moon, where Hitomi had come from. In a completely different country where she'd come from, but the same world nonetheless. Her concern would always stay with Allen, though. No matter how angry she would get, not matter how frustrated - she couldn't stay angry very long. She loved him, after all. And despite those few occasions where they really did act like siblings, she fancied herself to be his wife.
"Ethan," she asked quietly, thinking about her train of thought, about her brother. "May I ask you something?" Allen was silent, keeping to his thoughts, to his darkness. He'd grown used to it by now... but in this familiar territory, his blindness would be yet more of a hindrance. He sighed softly, turning his head towards his sister as she spoke.
Ethan blinked, glancing up. "Hm? Of course..."
"My brother - you know he cannot see." She began, sitting up again and taking Allen's hand. "What are blind people like here?"
Ethan cocked his head to the side a little. "Well, um... they walk around with.. canes. And they... where you come from, do they have Braille?"
"I don't know what Braille is, no." she said carefully, shaking her head. "What is it?"
"Well, it's the way they read." He saw Allen perk slightly and he grinned. "I don't know it, personally, but it's an alphabet made out of raised bumps. When they're situated in certain ways, they mean different letters. It's really neat"
"Allen!" she said happily, turning to face her brother. She had a beautiful smile on her face, and she bit her lip, "You'll be able to read here." Allen was already smiling a bit, nodding slightly.
"Ah... there are lots of things to accommodate people with... um.." said Ethan.
"Handicaps?" said Allen readily.
"Ah, yeah... I'm sorry. I didn't know if it'd offend you or anything." Ethan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, anyway. There are lots of things to help people with a variety of handicaps."
"I wonder what other marvels they have here." mused Celena, thoughts of home and battle slowly fleeing her mind. "Could you show us, Ethan? Like, - what religions are here - you have a corner that seems like a shrine. Allen, there's a symbol of magic upon one of the shelves. The five pointed star in a circle."
"Ah? Well, I'm probably not the best person to ask. That's all Nikki's stuff. But, um... there's lots of religions. Christianity and all the little sects that go with it, Judaism, Buddhism... there's a whole lot more, too. I never was good at explaining this kind of stuff."
Though she was about to ask about marriages and the rules about them, Celena got her common sense back on track and silently made a mental note to ask Nikki later. . . hopefully she won't scream when she sees her the next time they meet. For the time being, however, Celena's stomach began to growl, and she rubbed her tummy, groaning. "Ugh, I'm so hungry."
"Oh, um... I think there's some quesadillas left. They're... well, they're cold, but we can heat them up for you if you want."
"Kesa what?" she asked, scrunching up her nose at the thought of new and unusual food.
"Ah, it's... well, it's like... a tortilla with chicken and cheese inside of it."
"They're decent, Celena." Allen chuckled a little, shaking his head. "I've definitely eaten worse."
"Well, okay, I guess I'll have some of that kesa . . something or other." She tried to pronounce it helplessly, shrugging.
Ethan laughed a little, good naturedly, of course, and led her into the kitchen. He heated one of them up for her, setting it down at the table when it was done. "It's not the greatest food ever, but... well, it's better than I can do."
Celena held up the soggy flat bread wrap - thing, dripping cheese on to the plate. She looked over to her brother, her expression priceless in its disgust. "You wouldn't have eaten it if you saw what you ate."
"I'm rather sure I would have. Believe me. I'm sure I've eaten something that looked worse. I was in the military."
"You? For how long?"
"Ah... I was 16 when I was inducted into the knighthood."
"...and... um, you're how old?"
"24." Allen sighed, running his uninjured hand through his hair.
Celena watched the exchange for a moment, before biting into the flat bread wrap hungrily, devouring it in mere seconds. Nikki came back down the stairs, her black platform boots clomping loudly with every step.
"Found some clothes for the guy . . . Oh, another one." she said, seeing Celena. She came beside the two outsiders who sat on the couch. "Allen, right? I brought you some of my brother's clothes. He's about 6'3. Is that about how tall you are?"
Allen arched a brow slightly. "Ah...? I'm not sure, honestly. I never asked the tailor my measurements, to be honest." Allen shook his head slightly, smiling a little, almost apologetically. Tailor. Pair that together with the polite mannerisms, the knighthood and the neat manner about him--even with the torn uniform and the bloodstains--gave hint that he was, well... an aristocrat.
"Oh, shit." said Nikki, groaning - again with the quick wittedness. "You're a fop, aren't you?"
Celena smirked, trying hard not to choke.
Allen started slightly, lifting his head a little. He ignored Ethan's startled cry. "Nikki! Be nice!"
The blonde blinked a little, then smiled softly and, well... laughed. He was sore, but that didn't really matter right now. He was too amused.
"Yeah, I'll be nice." said Nikki scathingly, dropping Chris' clothes onto the couch next to the knight. "Just try those on. Pants and a shirt, pull over not button up - didn't know if you had problems with buttons."
Ethan glanced at his sister, then sighed, walking over to Allen and gathering up the clothes. He helped Allen to his feet and into the nearby bathroom, leaving him with the clothes. With a second thought, he paused, turning and walking in with him, telling him the colors and everything. After all the knight was blind! Ethan shut the door quietly behind him, walking over to Celena and offering a small smile. "Are you still hungry? We have more food..."
Celena nodded excitedly. Food, she thought, I love food. I never thought I could love food so much until now. "I am rather hungry," she admitted demurely, blushing at Ethan's kindness. Nikki rolled her eyes, going back upstairs to get some clothing for Celena from her own closet.
Ethan smiled, nodding and rummaging around in their cabinets. "Um... do you like pasta?"
"Pasta!" Celena said, surprised. She stood and followed Ethan into the kitchen, peaking over his shoulder impatiently, "Pasta is a specialty in our country."
"Oh, well... it's nothing really fancy. I can't cook well. But we have ramen and I know how to cook that." Ethan held up a pouch of oriental flavored ramen with a sheepish grin.
New words again, and it made Celena get that cute little confused pout. "I'm afraid I do not know what ramen is. We have pasta in many different forms in Asturia, though. I wouldn't have the slightest idea how to make any of it. I -- uh -- I burn water."
Ethan laughed a little. "I'm almost to that, but not quite! Here... I could live off this stuff." Ethan grinned, walking over to the stove and getting the water ready, letting it boil.
She let him work around the kitchen, a quaint little place, with a strange looking stove. She watched him fill the pot with water - from the sink. Yet another marvel. "You have indoor water access? Like an apothecary!"
"Like a what? Oh... we call them pharmacies, here." He smiled softly, nodding. "Yeah... we have all indoor plumbing. It's really convenient." He dropped the noodles in when the water was boiling, adding the seasoning when the noodles were softened, then poured it all into a bowl and set it before her. "Ramen. The only food, really, that I'll cook for myself."
She was handed a fork, and she stared dubiously at the bowl of pasta in broth. Slowly, she dug into the myriad of noodles, gathering a clump on her fork and shoving into her mouth. Her expression changed, noodles were hanging from her mouth and she slurped them up, humming and nodded to Ethan in approval.
Ethan grinned a little. "You like them? It's a good thing they're easy, too. They've got lots of different kinds of flavors, too!" He blinked at the sound of a door opening and peered out. He blinked, then grinned again.
Celena, curious, bit off the hanging noodles and let them fall to the bowl before standing, "What is it? Is Allen done?"
Ethan nodded, smiling. "It looks odd to see him dressed like that after seeing him in the other clothes."
Allen was wearing black pants that were faintly larger than they should have been in the waist, settling low on his hips. The t-shirt was a dark, smoky grey color, fitted a bit closely, his hair pulled back. He looked... more like a teenager, really.
"He looks good like that," Ethan murmured, smiling a bit.
"Allen," said his sister, "You look so young." She went to him automatically, her hands reaching up to straighten the collar and shirt - not that it needed straightening. She was just used to doing it after helping him dress after he lost his sight.
"Do I get new clothes too?" she asked, turning to Ethan. She sounded much too excited for someone who had just come from a battle field the night before.
Allen smiled wryly. "I feel odd without my swashbuckling boots." It's what Gaddes had called them so long ago and the name, well... it fit. He sighed softly, shaking his head a little.
Ethan grinned, shaking his head. "You and Chris are a lot alike in build, it seems."
"Are these pants supposed to fall this low?"
"Wow," said Nikki, tromping back downstairs with yet another set of clothes, "He looks good. If blond were my type, I'd fuck him." she grinned to her brother, handing the flabbergasted Celena a black long skirt and a lacy bell sleeve button up shirt.
"I *do* beg your pardon?" Celena said, stunned and numbly accepting the clothing.
Allen arched a brow, starting slightly. He wasn't used to such language from a woman... especially with such language was directed at him.
"Ah... yeah, that's... well, that's Nikki. She's... um... vulgar."
"...but she's a lady." Oh, and Celena knew all about his stance on all of that. He'd ground it into her skull enough.
"She doesn't dress like one," whispered Celena into Allen's ear.
Allen sighed, shaking his head a bit. How saddening. How utterly saddening.
"Ethan, go take a shower. Goddess knows you need one." said Nikki to her brother, scowling and pushing him towards the stairs. "Chris should be out soon anyway."
Ethan eeped, glaring over his shoulder at her for a moment. Geez, did she really have to be so pushy all the time? The auburn-haired boy ran a hand through his hair, turning and padding off towards his room to snag something to wear after he showered.
Feeling accomplished with making her little brother go through his morning ritual, Nikki turned her attention to Celena and Allen. One hand on her hip, her tattered black skirt moving about her as she moved, "Go ahead and try those on. You can keep them if they fit. Free clothes is always a good thing." she said to the girl.
Celena took a step back with Nikki approached, only slightly frightened by the strange way the girl's face was painted. The only reason she hadn't completely run the other way, screaming, was because Allen was by her. She quickly nodded and went into the small bathroom from where Allen had emerged, and closed the door.
"Whew! What a productive day, so far." she said to no one in particular.
Allen sighed softly... then, using the wall to brace himself, made his way back to the couch. He'd have to force himself to walk on his own. Just like with his blindness, he knew he wouldn't be able to depend on everyone else for his entire life. And he despised the thought of it, too. Sitting down, he grasped the sword belt, tugging the main belt off of it and fitting it around his waist. It didn't much help the fact that the pants were lowslung, but it was still kind of stylish. And it kept them from slipping lower.
"Yeah, so . . ." started the girl, going to Allen. "I guess we should try to get you back home, then? That's usually what happens in the books I read. Character in a strange place, first thing they want to do is go home. Really kind of stupid. . . " she watched him work the belt, "You know? 'Cause, I can't imagine anyone wanting to come back here. But I guess your home's not that bad?"
"It is what I know." Allen shook his head slightly. "It is war-torn and full of sad memories and hardships... but the people there I know and I care for. When we were brought here, it was in the middle of a battle defending the place I had known as my home for so very long. I want to go back. I want to know that they are alive, I want to know that Asturia is safe." He clasped the belt shut, nimble fingers working it easily.
"Alright, Alex, we'll try to help you out." said Nikki.
"Allen," he murmured, shaking his head slightly. Ah well, it really was no matter. "So... tell me of this place, would you? This city?"
"Ah, yeah, sure." she said, taking Allen's arm and moving him to be able to sit on the couch without falling to the floor. "Here, sit down."
Allen smiled softly, inclining his head towards her. "Thank you..."
Nikki smiled slightly - and she was not typically prone to smiles. They sat and she took a breath. "Well, the city's name is Santa Cruz. The state is called California. The country is the United States, and the world, of course, is Earth. Good start, yeah?"
"How far is this country from Japan?" He arched a brow slightly. "That's where Hitomi was from, though I forget which city she spoke of."
"Japan is across the ocean. I don't know exactly how far, but it's somewhere like a fifteen thousand miles or more. I forget. We're on the coast that would be closest to Japan, actually. You know, they speak an entirely different language there . . ." she was almost sounding accusing, "How the hell can you speak English, anyway?"
"English?" Allen arched a brow slightly... he just thought... "no, of course you don't know Asturian." The blonde pursed his lips thoughtfully tapping his chin lightly. "You know... that's a rather good question to ask."
"I thought so," she replied. When he brought his hand up, the movement made her follow her face to his chest, and she noticed the pendant. "Nice pendulum."
"Mm? Ah... it was a gift from Hitomi." He smiled a little. "It originally belonged to my father. But her grandmother came to Gaia, just as she did, and he gave her the pendant. It was passed onto Hitomi... and then onto me."
"That's an interesting line of succession for an heirloom." she said thoughtfully, wondering how the girl's grandmother got into the whole mess of being transported to another world. She shrugged. Whatever the case, it was the past and not something to be dwelt on, "You know how to use a pendulum, right?"
"Not quite, to be honest. She'd always kept it with her and it was only recently that I got it. She hadn't had time to explain such things."
"Well, they're used for fortune telling. You can ask a pendulum a yes or no question and depending on the way it swings, it will tell you yes or no. Really simple, actually. Although, I don't know how you might be able to use it. It looks pretty around your neck, though." All of this was said, of course, in a straight forward, no holds barred manner.
"Well, Hitomi showed me in a far more indirect manner how to use it for a different purpose. But fortune telling? She had a stack of... mm, what did she call them...? Tarot cards that she carried around with her all the time." Allen smiled softly. Pretty. he was used to it, really. He knew he wasn't the manliest creature out there.
"Tarot cards and pendulums. She sounds like a divinity witch." said Nikki, still thoughtful and scholarly now.
"A what?" He cocked his head to the side slightly, arching a brow.
"Divinity is fortune telling, foresight . . . that kind of thing. Usually only witches nowadays practice such things. Of course, there are always other religions that touch it." she replied patiently.
Allen nodded slightly, sighing a bit. There really was a lot to learn a bout this place. And they hadn't even brushed the surface of it.
Celena stepped out of the bathroom, awkwardly walking in the shoes that Nikki had given her - the only pair that weren't platforms were some old-fashion lace up boots with a small one and one half inch heel. "I think I look funny," was the first thing she said.
Allen arched a brow slightly. "I'm sure you don't, though I really can't have an opinion on this."
Celena smirked, blushing and embarrassed. Nikki stood and went to her, circling her and nodding approvingly at the taller girl. "Gods, I'm good." she said.
Allen was still settled on the couch, one arm resting on the arm of the furniture. He smiled softly... Nikki seemed to be having fun with this.
Nikki turned back to look at Allen. "Well, I guess since you're dressed like normal Terrans now, we should have a look outside. My brother Chris told me where he found you. Maybe there are some clues there that'll help you back home."
"It would be doubly helpful..."
Ethan shuffled out, his pants, well... considerably bigger with a variety of straps and chains and zippers on them. He was currently towel drying his hair, glancing over at Allen. "I don't think he should move around that much..."
Nikki thought for a moment. "A hole, huh?"
"Yeah, I'm serious."
"It's usually what happens when something is impaled." Allen shrugged one-shouldered. The injury is another I'll simply have to deal with."
Nikki let out a huff. "Jesus. The guy's younger than Chris and he's been in *battle*. That's just weird. Don't you think, Ethan?"
Celena pouted, looking indignant, "I don't see what so strange about it. . ."
"Well, you see... you can get into the military when you're 18. But... around here, we don't have a whole lot of wars and stuff, so even if you're in the military, you don't usually see a lot of action."
Allen rested a hand on Celena's arm softly. "Always remember that their customs will be different, Celena."
"Yeah... so I was shocked when you said you were a knight so young."
Allen smiled softly. "I was the youngest, actually. So it was a bit odd there, as well."
"But - you're blind . . . how are you even able to fight, if you don't mind me asking," That was Nikki, back to her impulsive and forward questioning.
"Well... I wasn't blind at first. This happened around a year ago. However, I can still fight if need be. I just cannot rely on my sight, for obvious reasons. Hearing, mostly."
"Aw, man," she groan, "a blind swordsmen. Talk about lucky."
Celena stalked up to the girl, seething and looking about ready to punch her lights out. She poked her in the ribs. "Stop making fun of him."
Allen sighed, turning his head towards Celena. "Don't you think it's a bit odd that you're the one getting upset when I'm the one she speaks of? Calm down, Celena, I don't mind. It's something I have to deal with."
"I wasn't making fun," said Nikki, "It's just - I know for a fact that it's near impossible for a blind person to do anything dexteritous. I mean, all that Zatoichi stuff Chris likes so much . . . it's all bullshit. Real people can't do that. It's no wonder you were so fucked up when you got here."
"It is simple enough if you work at it. That's all it takes, really. Celena herself has seen me fight off men who can see as well as I could before the blindness." Allen shook his head slightly. He wasn't offended--except at the vulgarity again--in the least.
Ethan sighed, stretching. "I bet he's right. I bet he could be like Zatoichi. Only... not poor."
"Right, maybe he could be a masseuse too." Nikki smirked, "Not that you'll have to stay here long enough to get a job. But it's something to think about."
"A job?" Celena blanched visibly, "Me?!"
"Celena, there is no Schezar nobility here, remember that." He was more accustomed to work than she, but even still. A job. Hopefully he'd be able to wear gloves.
Chris finally joined them at that point, romping down the stairs in a loud poly button up shirt with a blue flame print on black design, black pants, not dissimilar to the pair Allen was wearing, and his heavy boots. His hair was tied back, the short little ponytail was a tuft of dark brown curls. He looked around and the bunch of them standing and/or sitting in the living room. Having heard the last bit of their conversation, he thought it would be a good idea to add his two cents.
"If they're not from here – this planet – they might have a hard time doing anything legal," he told them. Nikki turned, her expression still thoughtful yet her curiosity was definitely perked.
"Well, I'm not saying they're gonna stay here. But just in case, they need a job," she told her older brother, looking petulant with a hand on her hip. Chris approached her slowly, sighing and kissing her cheek.
"They need to exist first." He said patiently. Celena harrumphed, her ego was still too used to being nobility for the three years of being returned to Allen. The bell sleeves of her tight – way too tight – lacy top flared out as she placed to fists on either of her hips.
"Well, we're obviously not figments of your imagination." She said.
"No, no, of course not." Said Chris again, politely taking her arm and escorting her back onto the couch to sit beside her brother. "What I'm saying is that there are papers that tell us when we're born, and where. Documents that prove that we exist. Records. If you're not from here, there's no record of either of you existing."
Nikki sat in on of the old fluffy chairs by the couch and TV, crossing her legs and smiling almost demonically as her dark lipsticked lips up turned into a grin. "What are you suggestion, Chris?" Ethan was right. She *was* having fun with this.
"My dear brother and sister," began the tall brunette, "I believe we might need to get them some fake I.D.s . . . if they want to function in our society and not get thrown in jail. Which would suck."
Allen nodded slightly, pursing his lips. "That would make things a bit difficult." Interesting. So they kept records of the people born here, hm? "What a novel idea... maybe I should suggest to Millerna. That way, we'll know precisely the amount of food needed in Palas to feed the citizens so another riot won't occur."
He smiled sheepishly, waving a hand at them lightly. "Ah, forgive me. I go off on tangents sometimes."
Ethan grinned a little. "I do that, too. It's called ADD. But that'll be explained some other time."
Nikki grinned wickedly, "He can't have ADD . . . at least he *can* think."
Celena shook her head in defeat, "What is this ADD?"
"Ethan's, right. We should explain that later. For now, though, we should figure out why and how you got here." Chris said. "The park we found you guys in . . ." he ignored the scowl that Celena gave him at the mention of the word 'guy', "is just across the way a bit. I think Allen would need to stay here. Ethan can go with Celena and Nikki - just investigate the area. I'll say with you, Allen, and make sure that you stay off that leg I stitched up."
Ethan pouted a bit, looking at his sister. Neh... she always was like that. Ethan sighed a bit, tucking his hair behind his ear. "Alright, that works. Hopefully we'll find something, mm?"
Allen smiled softly nodding a bit. "I trust you with her more than myself." Of course, in this world, he was a danger to her. With all these new things out there, and with him unable to see... there was much danger.
"Alright, chickapen." said Nikki, standing and tugging Celena's arm to follow her. "Let's get this over with."
"Chickapen?" quirked Celena, somewhat disgusted. Chris just nudged along from behind, patting her back in reassurance.
"Sorry about her. You'll get used to it. . ." he said.
Ethan smiled, looking over at Celena. "Yeah... she's alright, don't get too offended or anything."
Allen shook his head slightly, a faint smile on his lips. This was rather amusing. And intriguing, of course. Chris, with the same amused look on his face, watched them leave through the front door, Nikki practically dragging Celena outside despite the girl's protests and embarrassment.