The Angel and the Outcast, Part II
There are times on this planet when people treat you with respect, with care, with love. There are times when you are surrounded by the friendliest people on earth, welcomed into private circles, allowed to share the moments that others might miss. There are times when you can love one without others objecting, living with someone without others ripping their hair out at you.
Sadly, those times were long gone.
Surveying the room, Jenna let a small sigh. Over a year ago, she had been surrounded by people who were somewhat happy, trying to not let the dispair caused by the loss of Vale hold them to the earth. Mere months ago, Jenna had recieved an invitation to live with Ivan, Sheba, and Picard in a small house they built, as she had not chosen a dwelling to reside in. She could not bring herself to do such, for reasons that she could not fathom. It made sense - live with friends that others would not yell at you for, live with people that were "good," and live with those that showed conscern for your thoughts.
But she could not bear the thought of him suffering.
Why he drew her to him, she could not comprehend. Glancing at the room, she noticed the smooth linings of the wall, almost as though it was coated in ice. Though she knew that Ivan had caused this with some electricity, the very sight only served as a reminder to who she cared for.
But WHY did she care for him? No one else really was conserned with his well-being. Well, Sheba and Ivan pitied him, but did not do anything, for fear of reactions from Garet, Isaac, and Felix. Isaac hated Alex for several reasons, namely that he "nearly killed" his mother when her house collapsed while she was trying to leave it. It was not Alex's fault that Dora had been ill and weak at the time the Wise One told the villagers to flee.
Naturally, Isaac did not see it that way.
Garet also blamed Alex for the destruction of his home and the "near death" of his family. However, Jenna, as well as anyone else in the rebuilt village, knew full well that the true reason he despised Alex was because of Mia. Mia hated Alex, but why exactly, Jenna was never able to completely discern. Mia did feel that Alex betrayed them, but beyond that, she did not know. Maybe the broken trust was as bad as killing someone. Or were they close friends before? And why did THAT notion make Jenna herself feel jealous?
And Felix, well... Jenna seemed to get the impression that Alex had caused him some form of pain or betrayal, if his actions were any signs. She tried to ask a few times, but usually was unable to assertain his reasons. She thought of asking Alex, but Felix forbade her from going near him for reasons only he knew.
Walking out the room, she pondered her "relationship" with Alex as she walked down the stairs. For almost nine months now, she had been fixing soups for him to eat, adding a few vegetables that Kraden would give her from time to time. Each time, it was almost the same - take the food up the mountainside, show him the food (usually by knocking, though he was ocassionally by the cliff), take it in, set it down, and watch him eat. Once he ate his fill, she would go back down the mountain, only to prepare for making another trip as soon as she returned.
Jenna knew not why she did this, did not know why they never talked when they were together. It was a simple system - Jenna would provide the food, and he would welcome her into his presence for a time. Somehow, simply being around him made her feel...something. She did not know why his presence was so intoxicating, or why he glanced at her with an odd look every so often.
Entering the kitchen, she glanced around. A small pot held by two metal bars over the fire housed the soup, with a bowl, spoon, and tray mere feet away. It was almost time for the evening trip, the last trip she would do for the day. How she wished that she didn't have to travel that far to be near him. If only she could talk him into moving in the spare room she had.
As she spooned up the soup, she pondered that thought. She didn't know her exact feelings for him, and Mars only knows what kind of feelings Alex had for her, and yet she somehow wished that they were residing together. Why was that? True, she did have an extra room in case someone moved in, but that room was not built for anyone specific.
Yet something seemed to tell her that someone would eventually be in there.
Some in the village called such thoughts a "mother's intuition," or a "woman's instinct" as to what would happen soon. She was not a mother, and she didn't believe that this was pure instinct. Or, rather, she didn't want to believe that anything she felt was instinct.
Carrying the tray to the door, she carefully lifted the small metal lock, pressing her back to the door to open it. As always, the door slowly opened, allowing her to exit the house. Walking around to close the door, she glanced at the sky. The normaly clear evening sky was filled with little gray whisps: small clouds. Normally, such clouds appeared before a storm, but they always appeared in the day.
She considered going back in, as she did not wish to travel the mountain path down during rain (and she knew full well that once it rained, it would RAIN). But she could not let Alex starve. To do so would be inhuman - how could she let Alex suffer while she was nice and cozy in her house? Why did she think of such thoughts?
Walking towards the path, she noted Kraden in his garden. For whatever reason the sage had, he usually gave her various goods, usually a carrot or some tomatos, when she went up. And he usually supplied most of her goods for the soups to boot. What he had to gain from this, she did not know, nor did she dare inquire. Kraden never did anything without reason, and to question his actions would not only bring on trouble, but also insult the sage. The last person to insult him found it difficult to sit down for a week. No one dared ask what Garet had done to infuriate Kraden.
Seeing the aging scholar, she walked towards him, a gentle smile on her face. As usual, his face was one of compasion and knowingness. At one time, she would have said that he was the craziest person she knew, that he wished to take any measures to get what he wished to learn. And yet, for some reason, his attitude had turned around when he finished his small hut. Or was it when she started to take Alex his foods? She did not know, and possibly would never know. The sage rarely explained his motives any more, and no one really paid attention if he did.
Nodding as he placed two carrots and a banana on her tray, she spoke a soft "thank you" and made her way to the trail. As she did, she noticed the clouds gathering. If she was not quick enough, the rain would fall down, ruining his food. For some reason, that notion sounded worse to her than if she slipped and fell.
What WAS this she felt?
To her suprise, the rain did not fall, though the clouds certainly were ready to burst at any given moment. Walking as fast as she could without spilling the soup, she made her way up the path, an act that she had become an expert on. Nearing his house, she saw the dwelling he had built, mostly from the odd tools and goods that she had managed to get by Garet and Felix. It was saddening that her own brother would not help Alex, condeming him to suffer. The Feix she remembered would not have done such an act.
Nearing the house, she walked around to the front, noting that he was probably inside. Gently tapping on the door to keep it from falling in, she felt her stomach tighten as she saw his face once the door moved aside. His face was one of both relief and warmth. Or was it simply his reaction to seeing food? Whatever it was, he gestured for her to enter, sliding the door shut once he did. Observing her surroundings, she let out another soft sigh.
Glancing at the roof, she frowned at the site of several holes. Many seemed to be patched with various materials, but most of the patching had come undone. Seeing the rock he used as a table, she kneeled down, laying the tray on the stone in such a way that it faced him. Picking up the spoon, she handed it to him as he kneeled down. This was the usual routine - she would watch him eat, she would clean up the tray, would tidy up his house as best she could, then would go back down.
As he finihsed eating, she reached over to lay the spoon in the bowl when it happened. The massive dark forms in the sky finally reached their limit, pouring wave after wave of showers down. Glancing up, she saw dozens of holes release water into the house, turning dirt into mud, the matress into a soggy pillow.
Turning to face him, she was actually suprised that he was looking at her, his eyes... was that caring? Worry? Curiosity? She could not tell what his mind plotted and thought. She picked up the tray, moving to the door. She could not stay here, as only one matress was available. But she could not leave him here to that wet thing. But what could she do about it? Any attempts to dry it would prove useless as the rain continued to pour down!
To her suprise, Alex moved to the door, lifting it aside and gesturing for her to leave. As she exited the building, she noted that no rain fell on her. Turning around, she saw Alex standing rather close, a light blue glow surrounding him. Her mind ignored the fact that he was pushing the rain away, unable to see anything except that he was very close to her. VERY close to her.
As he nodded, she began to walk forward, hearing the soft taps of his feet as she walked down the path. Usually, when wet, she would walk down herself, as there was light. In this case, Alex had apparenlty decided to guide her down, using his psyngergetic glow to cast a light that only Adepts could see. As they walked down, she glanced at the village, suddenly realizing that someone might see Alex's aura and rush out to attack him.
Nothing moved.
Alex continued to follow her, silent save for his shoes. They passed Kraden's garden, rounded her house to the door. To her suprise, Alex reached over and pulled the door handle, opening it for her to enter. As she did, she saw him standing outside, his eyes sad. It took only a moment for her to realize that he was about to climb back up the path. Nodding her head towards the inside of the house, she tried to tell him to enter. Why she did not simply ask, she could not know. She felt as though speaking might cause him to run, or something of a similar nature.
To her relief, Alex walked in, pushing the door to and locking it. Jenna made her way to the kitchen, placing the tray down on the wooden table. Walking back, she saw that Alex had not moved since he shut the door. Whether he was stunned from her actions or wanting to look around, she did not notice: she gently grasped his right hand with her left, smiling at him. To her suprise, he smiled back.
Gently tugging, she led him up the stairs, moving towards the spare room. As he entered, she gestured for him to lay on the bed while she went to a nearby closet to grab a blanket. Walking back, she noted that he was already asleep, to her suprise. Maybe it was due to the use of psynergy. Or maybe he simply had not slept on a real bed in ages. Or he was comfortable in her presence (again, she questioned WHY she thought that). Whatever the reason, she gently laid the blanket over him, tucking the sheets around him as a mother would do to her child.
Moving towards the door, Jenna turned to stare back. For whatever reason, her body began to move towards the other side of the bed, much to her mind's confusion. Laying next to him, she stared at his head. Though she had only the spare pillow (she did not have another spare blanket, and she would not disturb his sleep by getting under the blanket he used), she was quite suprised to find that sleep greeted her quite quickly.
Well, there's part two. Hope everyone likes this!
Quick note in general - several of my reviewers asked why I made the review count of 15 the requirement for this post. This was actually a calculated move on my part: A) Almost by default, I generate at least 8 reviews a post of late within a few days; B) Alex/Jenna seems to have a fair-sized following, and given the fact that I am STILL getting reviews to Chilling the Flames, I decided that it was reasonable to add about 6 or so to the average of 8 reivews; C) I knew that it would be a couple of days, allowing me to plan out what specific path I wished to use.
Observation is as important as planning. =D
And now to comment on the reviews!
Forgotten Souls - Thanks! And for Saturos's partner, I was referring to Menardi. lol
Rain Child - I know you'll yell at me for this, but I like the name change. Thanks!
TemplarofNi - Thanks!
Karst-Blazen - Thanks!
Mars Adept - Thanks!
Nightmare-chan22 - Thanks!
shadowzero - Thanks!
Great Saiyaman - Thanks!
Kiyakai Luna - Five differient nicknames? Considering that I probably only need four more, I doubt it. lol Thanks!
Phoenix20043 - Thanks!
Metal Card - Thanks!
Shy-Lil-Dreamer - I did! Thanks!
Jenna2190 - Glad that so many readers are noting that I set this up with a couple of chapters in mind... Thanks!
Angel's outkast - Thanks!
wildcats1310 - Thanks!
Well, now I need another 15 reviews for part III, and I hope to get started on it soon. Thanks to all of the reviewers for the support!
I DO NOT OWN GOLDEN SUN OR NINTENDO!!
REVIEW TO SEE THIS CONTINUE!!
There are times on this planet when people treat you with respect, with care, with love. There are times when you are surrounded by the friendliest people on earth, welcomed into private circles, allowed to share the moments that others might miss. There are times when you can love one without others objecting, living with someone without others ripping their hair out at you.
Sadly, those times were long gone.
Surveying the room, Jenna let a small sigh. Over a year ago, she had been surrounded by people who were somewhat happy, trying to not let the dispair caused by the loss of Vale hold them to the earth. Mere months ago, Jenna had recieved an invitation to live with Ivan, Sheba, and Picard in a small house they built, as she had not chosen a dwelling to reside in. She could not bring herself to do such, for reasons that she could not fathom. It made sense - live with friends that others would not yell at you for, live with people that were "good," and live with those that showed conscern for your thoughts.
But she could not bear the thought of him suffering.
Why he drew her to him, she could not comprehend. Glancing at the room, she noticed the smooth linings of the wall, almost as though it was coated in ice. Though she knew that Ivan had caused this with some electricity, the very sight only served as a reminder to who she cared for.
But WHY did she care for him? No one else really was conserned with his well-being. Well, Sheba and Ivan pitied him, but did not do anything, for fear of reactions from Garet, Isaac, and Felix. Isaac hated Alex for several reasons, namely that he "nearly killed" his mother when her house collapsed while she was trying to leave it. It was not Alex's fault that Dora had been ill and weak at the time the Wise One told the villagers to flee.
Naturally, Isaac did not see it that way.
Garet also blamed Alex for the destruction of his home and the "near death" of his family. However, Jenna, as well as anyone else in the rebuilt village, knew full well that the true reason he despised Alex was because of Mia. Mia hated Alex, but why exactly, Jenna was never able to completely discern. Mia did feel that Alex betrayed them, but beyond that, she did not know. Maybe the broken trust was as bad as killing someone. Or were they close friends before? And why did THAT notion make Jenna herself feel jealous?
And Felix, well... Jenna seemed to get the impression that Alex had caused him some form of pain or betrayal, if his actions were any signs. She tried to ask a few times, but usually was unable to assertain his reasons. She thought of asking Alex, but Felix forbade her from going near him for reasons only he knew.
Walking out the room, she pondered her "relationship" with Alex as she walked down the stairs. For almost nine months now, she had been fixing soups for him to eat, adding a few vegetables that Kraden would give her from time to time. Each time, it was almost the same - take the food up the mountainside, show him the food (usually by knocking, though he was ocassionally by the cliff), take it in, set it down, and watch him eat. Once he ate his fill, she would go back down the mountain, only to prepare for making another trip as soon as she returned.
Jenna knew not why she did this, did not know why they never talked when they were together. It was a simple system - Jenna would provide the food, and he would welcome her into his presence for a time. Somehow, simply being around him made her feel...something. She did not know why his presence was so intoxicating, or why he glanced at her with an odd look every so often.
Entering the kitchen, she glanced around. A small pot held by two metal bars over the fire housed the soup, with a bowl, spoon, and tray mere feet away. It was almost time for the evening trip, the last trip she would do for the day. How she wished that she didn't have to travel that far to be near him. If only she could talk him into moving in the spare room she had.
As she spooned up the soup, she pondered that thought. She didn't know her exact feelings for him, and Mars only knows what kind of feelings Alex had for her, and yet she somehow wished that they were residing together. Why was that? True, she did have an extra room in case someone moved in, but that room was not built for anyone specific.
Yet something seemed to tell her that someone would eventually be in there.
Some in the village called such thoughts a "mother's intuition," or a "woman's instinct" as to what would happen soon. She was not a mother, and she didn't believe that this was pure instinct. Or, rather, she didn't want to believe that anything she felt was instinct.
Carrying the tray to the door, she carefully lifted the small metal lock, pressing her back to the door to open it. As always, the door slowly opened, allowing her to exit the house. Walking around to close the door, she glanced at the sky. The normaly clear evening sky was filled with little gray whisps: small clouds. Normally, such clouds appeared before a storm, but they always appeared in the day.
She considered going back in, as she did not wish to travel the mountain path down during rain (and she knew full well that once it rained, it would RAIN). But she could not let Alex starve. To do so would be inhuman - how could she let Alex suffer while she was nice and cozy in her house? Why did she think of such thoughts?
Walking towards the path, she noted Kraden in his garden. For whatever reason the sage had, he usually gave her various goods, usually a carrot or some tomatos, when she went up. And he usually supplied most of her goods for the soups to boot. What he had to gain from this, she did not know, nor did she dare inquire. Kraden never did anything without reason, and to question his actions would not only bring on trouble, but also insult the sage. The last person to insult him found it difficult to sit down for a week. No one dared ask what Garet had done to infuriate Kraden.
Seeing the aging scholar, she walked towards him, a gentle smile on her face. As usual, his face was one of compasion and knowingness. At one time, she would have said that he was the craziest person she knew, that he wished to take any measures to get what he wished to learn. And yet, for some reason, his attitude had turned around when he finished his small hut. Or was it when she started to take Alex his foods? She did not know, and possibly would never know. The sage rarely explained his motives any more, and no one really paid attention if he did.
Nodding as he placed two carrots and a banana on her tray, she spoke a soft "thank you" and made her way to the trail. As she did, she noticed the clouds gathering. If she was not quick enough, the rain would fall down, ruining his food. For some reason, that notion sounded worse to her than if she slipped and fell.
What WAS this she felt?
To her suprise, the rain did not fall, though the clouds certainly were ready to burst at any given moment. Walking as fast as she could without spilling the soup, she made her way up the path, an act that she had become an expert on. Nearing his house, she saw the dwelling he had built, mostly from the odd tools and goods that she had managed to get by Garet and Felix. It was saddening that her own brother would not help Alex, condeming him to suffer. The Feix she remembered would not have done such an act.
Nearing the house, she walked around to the front, noting that he was probably inside. Gently tapping on the door to keep it from falling in, she felt her stomach tighten as she saw his face once the door moved aside. His face was one of both relief and warmth. Or was it simply his reaction to seeing food? Whatever it was, he gestured for her to enter, sliding the door shut once he did. Observing her surroundings, she let out another soft sigh.
Glancing at the roof, she frowned at the site of several holes. Many seemed to be patched with various materials, but most of the patching had come undone. Seeing the rock he used as a table, she kneeled down, laying the tray on the stone in such a way that it faced him. Picking up the spoon, she handed it to him as he kneeled down. This was the usual routine - she would watch him eat, she would clean up the tray, would tidy up his house as best she could, then would go back down.
As he finihsed eating, she reached over to lay the spoon in the bowl when it happened. The massive dark forms in the sky finally reached their limit, pouring wave after wave of showers down. Glancing up, she saw dozens of holes release water into the house, turning dirt into mud, the matress into a soggy pillow.
Turning to face him, she was actually suprised that he was looking at her, his eyes... was that caring? Worry? Curiosity? She could not tell what his mind plotted and thought. She picked up the tray, moving to the door. She could not stay here, as only one matress was available. But she could not leave him here to that wet thing. But what could she do about it? Any attempts to dry it would prove useless as the rain continued to pour down!
To her suprise, Alex moved to the door, lifting it aside and gesturing for her to leave. As she exited the building, she noted that no rain fell on her. Turning around, she saw Alex standing rather close, a light blue glow surrounding him. Her mind ignored the fact that he was pushing the rain away, unable to see anything except that he was very close to her. VERY close to her.
As he nodded, she began to walk forward, hearing the soft taps of his feet as she walked down the path. Usually, when wet, she would walk down herself, as there was light. In this case, Alex had apparenlty decided to guide her down, using his psyngergetic glow to cast a light that only Adepts could see. As they walked down, she glanced at the village, suddenly realizing that someone might see Alex's aura and rush out to attack him.
Nothing moved.
Alex continued to follow her, silent save for his shoes. They passed Kraden's garden, rounded her house to the door. To her suprise, Alex reached over and pulled the door handle, opening it for her to enter. As she did, she saw him standing outside, his eyes sad. It took only a moment for her to realize that he was about to climb back up the path. Nodding her head towards the inside of the house, she tried to tell him to enter. Why she did not simply ask, she could not know. She felt as though speaking might cause him to run, or something of a similar nature.
To her relief, Alex walked in, pushing the door to and locking it. Jenna made her way to the kitchen, placing the tray down on the wooden table. Walking back, she saw that Alex had not moved since he shut the door. Whether he was stunned from her actions or wanting to look around, she did not notice: she gently grasped his right hand with her left, smiling at him. To her suprise, he smiled back.
Gently tugging, she led him up the stairs, moving towards the spare room. As he entered, she gestured for him to lay on the bed while she went to a nearby closet to grab a blanket. Walking back, she noted that he was already asleep, to her suprise. Maybe it was due to the use of psynergy. Or maybe he simply had not slept on a real bed in ages. Or he was comfortable in her presence (again, she questioned WHY she thought that). Whatever the reason, she gently laid the blanket over him, tucking the sheets around him as a mother would do to her child.
Moving towards the door, Jenna turned to stare back. For whatever reason, her body began to move towards the other side of the bed, much to her mind's confusion. Laying next to him, she stared at his head. Though she had only the spare pillow (she did not have another spare blanket, and she would not disturb his sleep by getting under the blanket he used), she was quite suprised to find that sleep greeted her quite quickly.
Well, there's part two. Hope everyone likes this!
Quick note in general - several of my reviewers asked why I made the review count of 15 the requirement for this post. This was actually a calculated move on my part: A) Almost by default, I generate at least 8 reviews a post of late within a few days; B) Alex/Jenna seems to have a fair-sized following, and given the fact that I am STILL getting reviews to Chilling the Flames, I decided that it was reasonable to add about 6 or so to the average of 8 reivews; C) I knew that it would be a couple of days, allowing me to plan out what specific path I wished to use.
Observation is as important as planning. =D
And now to comment on the reviews!
Forgotten Souls - Thanks! And for Saturos's partner, I was referring to Menardi. lol
Rain Child - I know you'll yell at me for this, but I like the name change. Thanks!
TemplarofNi - Thanks!
Karst-Blazen - Thanks!
Mars Adept - Thanks!
Nightmare-chan22 - Thanks!
shadowzero - Thanks!
Great Saiyaman - Thanks!
Kiyakai Luna - Five differient nicknames? Considering that I probably only need four more, I doubt it. lol Thanks!
Phoenix20043 - Thanks!
Metal Card - Thanks!
Shy-Lil-Dreamer - I did! Thanks!
Jenna2190 - Glad that so many readers are noting that I set this up with a couple of chapters in mind... Thanks!
Angel's outkast - Thanks!
wildcats1310 - Thanks!
Well, now I need another 15 reviews for part III, and I hope to get started on it soon. Thanks to all of the reviewers for the support!
I DO NOT OWN GOLDEN SUN OR NINTENDO!!
REVIEW TO SEE THIS CONTINUE!!