Disclaimer: I don't own any of Lynne Ewing's characters.
I hate writer's block. I had to hit myself over the head for hours before I even thought of something.
"NO! Stanton"
Lain's screams echoed throughout the entire house. A good thing only Trent was home.
"What are you bitching about?" Trent entered the room with a bagel in is hand. His red highlights were in front of his eyes.
"How did I get home yesterday?"
"Um some guy named Stanton. You said he was your boyfriend." He took a bite of the bagel.
"I did?"
"Yeah. Well you better get to school, im skipping again." Trent left the room and went downstairs and turned on his stereo.
Lain changed into black baggy pants, a black tank top and black boots. On her way out, Trent tossed her a blueberry muffin and a wallet with ten bucks. She used the money to buy herself some coffee at a Starbucks. While she drank her coffee and ate her muffin, she noticed something. It was quiet. She didn't hear anything. All the spirits around her were silent. They were trying hard to go unnoticed, afraid to speak. This was unusual, just as unusual as last night. Why had Stanton erased her memories of their conversation? Lain needed to find Stanton and ask him about it.
**La Brea High School**
The usual thoughts and murmurs of the students were enough to make anyone go crazy. The sexual thoughts and the silent insults were disgusting and shallow. Lain entered her geometry room and sat down in her seat. She took out her pocket watch and closed her eyes, focusing on the enchanting melody.
"I know what you are Chula. So you better step off before you get burnt. Usted entiendes?" a voice said.
Lain opened her eyes to find Jimena standing in front of her.
Lain leaned closer to Jimena's ear so that only she could hear her whisper.
"You have no idea what I am. So back off before I give your precious friend Serena another mind crush" Lain's voice was harsh and cold. Jimena backed away with a look of surprise and fear. It was almost as if Jimena was looking at the Atrox itself. Lain smirked at her expression. Just then the teacher came into the room and everyone took their seats. And thus the school day began. Before Lain knew it, it was lunch time. She sat alone in the courtyard of the school, slowly sipping on a can of mountain dew. The five goddesses insisted on keeping a close eye on her, so they sat in a table only five yards away from her.
Almost on instinct, Lain looked up to the long fence that surrounded the perimeter of the school. There, past the fence was a low black metal car. The window rolled down, revealing Stanton. Just the person Lain wanted to see. She quickly ran to the fence and climbed over it. Lain looked over her shoulder and saw the look of surprise on Serena's face. Lain grinned and hopped into Stanton's car.
"So what's the occasion?" Lain asked impatiently
"Why are you so angry?" Stanton asked
"I want to know why you took some of my memories away" Lain had a demanding, but innocent tone.
"I gave you timed information. Your memories will return to you when you need them most." Stanton simply said
Lain narrowed her eyes at Stanton but decided to leave the subject alone for the time being.
"Lain, I need to know what your spirits have been saying lately" Stanton had a bit of urgency in his voice.
"Why? Does this have something to do with the new plan the Atrox is fixing up?"
Stanton hesitated ". . . yes"
"The spirits have been silent all day. At first it feels like they're afraid. But then when I listened closer, it was more like they were waiting for something else to speak first."
Stanton stopped the car in front of Lain's house.
"You need to ask Maggie"
"Maggie?!" Lain had a look of pure loathing on her face
"I need you to find out more about this. And no I can't ask Serena. I want to keep her out of this as much as possible. I don't want to risk putting her in danger."
"But you'll gladly send me wouldn't you?" Lain muttered more to herself than to Stanton. Stanton leaned closer to Lain, his hand was gently caressing her cheek. "Lain, I love you more than I can ever put into words."
Lain was shocked to hear such sincerity from Stanton. His eyes were deep and filled with such compassion.
"I know you're uncomfortable around Maggie, but I need you to do this for me."
Lain looked into his eyes for a moment. She then kissed Stanton's hand lightly, her lips were soft and warm. The feeling nearly took control of Stanton. He fought hard to keep his composure.
"...I'll think about it, Stanton."
"Thank you"
Lain got out of the car and walked inside her house. She had a lot to think about before the night ended.
STANTON'S POV
Lain got out of the car and walked inside her house. Stanton waited until she was inside the house before he took off. As he was driving Stanton looked at the hand Lain had kissed. The warmth was still on his skin. In all the years he knew Lain, Stanton had always been curious to see how far a relationship between them would go. But how could he love someone who had only saw him as a big brother? He tried desperately to forget about his problem with Lain and focus on the task at hand. Stanton needed to find out what the Atrox are planning and figure out how to save Serena from it.
"Could they have let it out?" he asked aloud
The Atrox were telling no one of the new plan, even Stanton had been left in the dark. Whatever the Atrox was planning, it would surely have major effects on the relationship between him and Serena.
LAIN'S POV
Lain stood outside of Maggie's apartment. All the logic in her brain was telling her not to go in, but the spirits started to speak again and kept leading her to this spot. She pushed the button on the intercom. After about a minute of waiting Lain was answered by a kind voice.
"Hello who is this?"
Lain hesitated.
"Hello?" the voice repeated. "Um, Maggie?" Lain answered.
Maggie gasped "Oh Lain! Please come in."
The buzzer sound came and Lain opened the door. She walked up the steps and into the elevator. When she got to Maggie's door, she didn't even bother knocking. Maggie already knew she was coming. Maggie opened the door and embraced Lain as if she were her own daughter.
"Lain I have been so worried about you" Maggie led Lain inside the apartment and began making tea.
"I am so happy you decided to visit, Lain. Now we can catch up and maybe if you stay for a while you might be able to meet some of your fellow sisters" Maggie said happily
Lain cringed when she heard the words 'fellow sisters'. "Maggie I'm not here for a pleasant chat. I need information about something."
"Oh, what about?"
"I need to know what evil threatens you this time. Whatever it is it seems to have the ability to silence the spirits." Lain said seriously
Maggie placed two cups of tea on the table and then sat down. "I was afraid of this."
"You know what it is?"
"No. Not exactly. We never had a chance to find out what it was. All I know is that is was released about fifteen years ago and nearly destroyed all of the daughters of the moon." Maggie took a sip of her tea.
"You mean the daughters that came before Serena and the others?"
"Yes. All of them were destroyed except for two" It seemed like Maggie was reliving a nightmare. Her faced was filled with horror.
"If it was released before then why don't any of the followers remember it?"
Just then there was a knock on the door. "Maggie, it's us. Open up" Vanessa's voice could be heard behind the door. When hearing Vanessa's voice Maggie's face became happy again. She stood up and opened the door.
"I so glad all of you could come" Maggie said happily.
"Oh no" Lain thought
I hate writer's block. I had to hit myself over the head for hours before I even thought of something.
"NO! Stanton"
Lain's screams echoed throughout the entire house. A good thing only Trent was home.
"What are you bitching about?" Trent entered the room with a bagel in is hand. His red highlights were in front of his eyes.
"How did I get home yesterday?"
"Um some guy named Stanton. You said he was your boyfriend." He took a bite of the bagel.
"I did?"
"Yeah. Well you better get to school, im skipping again." Trent left the room and went downstairs and turned on his stereo.
Lain changed into black baggy pants, a black tank top and black boots. On her way out, Trent tossed her a blueberry muffin and a wallet with ten bucks. She used the money to buy herself some coffee at a Starbucks. While she drank her coffee and ate her muffin, she noticed something. It was quiet. She didn't hear anything. All the spirits around her were silent. They were trying hard to go unnoticed, afraid to speak. This was unusual, just as unusual as last night. Why had Stanton erased her memories of their conversation? Lain needed to find Stanton and ask him about it.
**La Brea High School**
The usual thoughts and murmurs of the students were enough to make anyone go crazy. The sexual thoughts and the silent insults were disgusting and shallow. Lain entered her geometry room and sat down in her seat. She took out her pocket watch and closed her eyes, focusing on the enchanting melody.
"I know what you are Chula. So you better step off before you get burnt. Usted entiendes?" a voice said.
Lain opened her eyes to find Jimena standing in front of her.
Lain leaned closer to Jimena's ear so that only she could hear her whisper.
"You have no idea what I am. So back off before I give your precious friend Serena another mind crush" Lain's voice was harsh and cold. Jimena backed away with a look of surprise and fear. It was almost as if Jimena was looking at the Atrox itself. Lain smirked at her expression. Just then the teacher came into the room and everyone took their seats. And thus the school day began. Before Lain knew it, it was lunch time. She sat alone in the courtyard of the school, slowly sipping on a can of mountain dew. The five goddesses insisted on keeping a close eye on her, so they sat in a table only five yards away from her.
Almost on instinct, Lain looked up to the long fence that surrounded the perimeter of the school. There, past the fence was a low black metal car. The window rolled down, revealing Stanton. Just the person Lain wanted to see. She quickly ran to the fence and climbed over it. Lain looked over her shoulder and saw the look of surprise on Serena's face. Lain grinned and hopped into Stanton's car.
"So what's the occasion?" Lain asked impatiently
"Why are you so angry?" Stanton asked
"I want to know why you took some of my memories away" Lain had a demanding, but innocent tone.
"I gave you timed information. Your memories will return to you when you need them most." Stanton simply said
Lain narrowed her eyes at Stanton but decided to leave the subject alone for the time being.
"Lain, I need to know what your spirits have been saying lately" Stanton had a bit of urgency in his voice.
"Why? Does this have something to do with the new plan the Atrox is fixing up?"
Stanton hesitated ". . . yes"
"The spirits have been silent all day. At first it feels like they're afraid. But then when I listened closer, it was more like they were waiting for something else to speak first."
Stanton stopped the car in front of Lain's house.
"You need to ask Maggie"
"Maggie?!" Lain had a look of pure loathing on her face
"I need you to find out more about this. And no I can't ask Serena. I want to keep her out of this as much as possible. I don't want to risk putting her in danger."
"But you'll gladly send me wouldn't you?" Lain muttered more to herself than to Stanton. Stanton leaned closer to Lain, his hand was gently caressing her cheek. "Lain, I love you more than I can ever put into words."
Lain was shocked to hear such sincerity from Stanton. His eyes were deep and filled with such compassion.
"I know you're uncomfortable around Maggie, but I need you to do this for me."
Lain looked into his eyes for a moment. She then kissed Stanton's hand lightly, her lips were soft and warm. The feeling nearly took control of Stanton. He fought hard to keep his composure.
"...I'll think about it, Stanton."
"Thank you"
Lain got out of the car and walked inside her house. She had a lot to think about before the night ended.
STANTON'S POV
Lain got out of the car and walked inside her house. Stanton waited until she was inside the house before he took off. As he was driving Stanton looked at the hand Lain had kissed. The warmth was still on his skin. In all the years he knew Lain, Stanton had always been curious to see how far a relationship between them would go. But how could he love someone who had only saw him as a big brother? He tried desperately to forget about his problem with Lain and focus on the task at hand. Stanton needed to find out what the Atrox are planning and figure out how to save Serena from it.
"Could they have let it out?" he asked aloud
The Atrox were telling no one of the new plan, even Stanton had been left in the dark. Whatever the Atrox was planning, it would surely have major effects on the relationship between him and Serena.
LAIN'S POV
Lain stood outside of Maggie's apartment. All the logic in her brain was telling her not to go in, but the spirits started to speak again and kept leading her to this spot. She pushed the button on the intercom. After about a minute of waiting Lain was answered by a kind voice.
"Hello who is this?"
Lain hesitated.
"Hello?" the voice repeated. "Um, Maggie?" Lain answered.
Maggie gasped "Oh Lain! Please come in."
The buzzer sound came and Lain opened the door. She walked up the steps and into the elevator. When she got to Maggie's door, she didn't even bother knocking. Maggie already knew she was coming. Maggie opened the door and embraced Lain as if she were her own daughter.
"Lain I have been so worried about you" Maggie led Lain inside the apartment and began making tea.
"I am so happy you decided to visit, Lain. Now we can catch up and maybe if you stay for a while you might be able to meet some of your fellow sisters" Maggie said happily
Lain cringed when she heard the words 'fellow sisters'. "Maggie I'm not here for a pleasant chat. I need information about something."
"Oh, what about?"
"I need to know what evil threatens you this time. Whatever it is it seems to have the ability to silence the spirits." Lain said seriously
Maggie placed two cups of tea on the table and then sat down. "I was afraid of this."
"You know what it is?"
"No. Not exactly. We never had a chance to find out what it was. All I know is that is was released about fifteen years ago and nearly destroyed all of the daughters of the moon." Maggie took a sip of her tea.
"You mean the daughters that came before Serena and the others?"
"Yes. All of them were destroyed except for two" It seemed like Maggie was reliving a nightmare. Her faced was filled with horror.
"If it was released before then why don't any of the followers remember it?"
Just then there was a knock on the door. "Maggie, it's us. Open up" Vanessa's voice could be heard behind the door. When hearing Vanessa's voice Maggie's face became happy again. She stood up and opened the door.
"I so glad all of you could come" Maggie said happily.
"Oh no" Lain thought