Chapter 15: Burned Out of the Pattern

Destiny sipped some coke from her cup. She was currently tracing back the treads of her wheel and sorting them out. Pull this string, retie that one. Well, that's just great, where is that girls'? She thought. With a sigh, Destiny changed form into a boy with red-blue hair.

He poured the drink over the wheel and loom set up. Several glowing lines shown brightly against the other threads; two shone brighter than the rest. These two threads intertwined as if there should have been a third.

Destiny retrieved a pair of knitting needles out of, somewhere, and began to poke and prod at the two. "This doesn't make since. I haven't had this happen since..." The boy spun around and froze.

Floating in the air was a ball of seemingly liquid fire. A closer look reveled what appeared to be a ball of golden yarn. "Shit..."

)()()()()()()()(

Ruby sat balanced on the mast, twirling Thom's flute in her hand. She had been planning to talk to Ranma, but he was asleep more often then not. The only times she could speak to him were at night, but he wanted to train her then. Ruby thought that he used so much energy teaching her he couldn't talk to her during the day.

Thom usually tried to teach her to play the flute; he had been pleased at her natural ability of tumbling. He didn't know she practiced with Ranma. She spun the flute in her hands, and then got an idea.

Ruby tightened the muscles in one of her legs, then grasped the flute and held it to her lips. She played "Jack o' Shadows" quietly for a moment while thinking. "What should I do about Mat? Half the time I think he wants to kill me, the other half... I don't know what to think anymore."

She kept her balance on the mast as the ship rocked, heedless of the danger. "Well, I suppose that if I'm going to do something I better hurry and do it."

"Girl! If your trying to break your neck, don't lose my flute while you do it!" Ruby looked down and saw Thom. She slipped the flute into her belt and hung upside down while looking at the older man.

"Thom? What are you doing up here?" She scratched the base of the braid then stopped to stare at her hand.

"When you wouldn't pay attention to people shouting at you... Burn me, you got everybody thinking you've gone half-mad."

She looked down at the people on the deck. "Only half?" She saw the captains' worried look. "You want me to come down then?" she shouted.

At Thom's enthusiastic nod she grabbed a free rope and jumped. Thom hurried down. Ruby swung around the mast once and twisted to avoid a boom. She landed in front of Mat, turned, and bowed. Several people clapped. Thom was stroking his moustache. Mat was peering at her with accusing eyes.

Ruby knelt down, chin on knees. "Mat can I talk to you in the cabin?"

He paused, having an internal battle. "Sure, Sure..." They rose and left, Ruby walked with a gait that fell just short of Thom's when he was in full gleeman mode.

Ruby closed the door behind them. "What's this about Ruby?" Mat asked. "Is the crew going to mutiny, were you threatened?"

She shook her head. "No, nothing like that. It's about your dagger."

"My dagger?! It's MINE you can't have it!" He clutched it case to his chest and hunched over.

"Stop! I don't want it! I'm worried about you! Have you looked at yourself? Maybe they can't see it, but I can! Everyday you seem weaker or, or different. Keep the dagger, I want MAT back!" She blocked the door. His features softened, but they held a mischievous look to them.. "I will keep it Ruby."

She stepped forward, slowly. "Take my hand, Mat, please." He complied. She took a deep breath. "Ranma you had better be right about this...I can't believe I'm trusting a voice in my head."

Dream 'scape

First she came to a wall. It was huge and made of steel. Ruby walked toward it, noticing how it flared at her touch. The whole thing seemed to be full of mischievous emotions, it even laughed at her. The barrier shone and made her blink.

She passed through unharmed, but very shook up. Dark clouds were now all around her. The clouds swirled calling her, making promises, welcoming. Some of the things they said made her shiver. She wanted to turn around, but a quote popped into her head from somewhere, "When they give you ruled paper, write the other way."( A/N Quote from Fahrenheit 451 (Juan)- a great book.) The belt she wore pulsed, and the clouds backed off. Suddenly she felt a presence at her side.

Ruby swerved her head and caught a flash of robes. Her hands were raised in position. Whatever it was; was gone. She calmed herself and reached for her own source of life. It burst around her in a blue-fiery wave and rippled along the black clouds traveling to guide her to where her goal.

There was a pool of life; it was a soft white, like milk. Ruby let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding; it was pure Mat that pool was. The clouds were soaking the life up like rotten sponges. There was barely any flow of new going into the pool. Ruby shot her hands into it and pumped her own reserves in.

She shook her shoulders and set to work. She searched through to make sure she found every piece there was. First she blocked off the clouds. They swirled and thunder rolled. The clouds gathered around her, threatening to squash her into a paste. Ruby sent a burst of chi out. The cloud at first gleefully took in the new food source. Then they writhed and rung themselves while slowly turning a soft gray color. After a few minutes all the clouds had been changed.

Ruby pulled her hands out and gave a nod of approval as fresh life poured in and began to fill up the dry lakebed. She closed her eyes and felt where her belt should have been. Her feet rose off the ground. "Lets get back huh." She whispered. She rocketed out to the wall. Before impact, it melted away like butter and closed behind her. Ruby peeked her eyes open...and saw what looked like a human with long hair standing on the wall.

Back to the real world

Ruby peeked open her eyes to see Mat slumped on the ground. He was passed out, but his hand was firmly locked around the ruby hilted blade. She dropped a blanket over him and walked out side. "It's over." She smiled leaned against the ship wall. Her stomach growled. "Heh heh heh." Ruby walked down to the galley.

Later

She finished out playing the song and gave a smile and bow. Several sailors called for more, but quieted when Mat started juggling in loops. One attempted to copy but failed miserably. This was followed by more laughter. It was near mid-morning and most of the import jobs on the ship had been taken care of. Many of the people were watching Thom, Ruby and Mat.

"Whitebridge! Whitebridge ahead!" Called the lookout. Mat unconsciously flicked his wrist as the colored balls disappeared up his sleeve. Thom rubbed his chin for a moment. "Didn't teach him that yet..." he whispered to himself.

The next half-hour or so was spent docking the ship and gathering supplies.
Ruby said good-bye to all of her new friends. She approached Thom, Mat, and Captain Domon.

"...me gleeman? Can I no talk you into continuing on? I be going all the way to Illian, where folk have a proper regard for gleeman. There be no finer place in the world for your art..."

Ruby looked at the city. She was in awe of it. 'And I thought Baerlon had been a city. Light..." The milk-white bridge reflected the same color as Mat's chi had been. It was like lace suspended over the river. It was like fat, when she thought about it. Milk-white, and the water slid off of it; just like animal fat. In fact, the lace looked amazingly like the blood veins in fat... She was pulled out of her musings.

Domon turned to the girl. "And you Ruby, can I no interest you into leaving this boy?" He gabbed a finger at Mat, who snorted. "You are a regular sailor girl. Never seen anyone take to the ship as fast as you."

"No thanks Master Domon." She clung to Mat's arm and made mooneyes.

"Well, if you ever need work..." she nodded politely as they started off the ship.

"Just have to find the right innkeeper. Innkeepers have all the news and gossip. We have to talk. We three." Said Thom as they passed through the crowd. People called out to Thom, he would either issue a short reply or ignore them depending.

)()()()(

Destiny, back in female form, screeched as she saw another one of glowing threads burn and disappear. Knowing what she would see, she turned to the second glowing ball of yarn. She pulled a crochet needle out and buried it in the new ball. She jerked, trying to single out a strand to weave back in the pattern. The whole needle was sucked in. Screaming, she proceeded to slam her head into a convenient desk.

END