AN- Okay I have to admit that although I'm not a review junkie (I need one more review…just for today…please) and I probably enjoying giving reviews than getting them…I have to say that this week felt good to get more reviews than I wanted to get. :-), thanks peeps.
Music- One Girl Relovution by Superchic(k)…thanks go to Jen for the song…speaking of Jen…
Jen- You're absolutely, utterly nuts…more than I. Thanks for reminding me of where I thought that monk stuff up from…I guess that means that I watched too much Dragon Ball as a kid…but you already knew that. Yeah, Punkin's a pragmatic but she's a bit of a sanguine too. And yeah you're not the only person that likes my crazy ideas…and I expect my pictures some time…I can't wait till my b-day. And if you ever write something it'll rain honey and thz 4 th Blindside CD…it is kewl…I think I might write something to 'The Endings' …Laterz.
Guan- I wanted to write about the bachelor/ bachelorette parties but…it would be hard to get Punkin in it…maybe I'll make it a one-shot…Tomi as the priest…I don't know what I was thinking now that I think about it but I'll go with it. And the trick I sort of stole for 'The Sandlot' one of my favorite movies as a kid where this kid did that to get kissed by the hot (and might I say leggy) lifeguard he had a crush on. Glad you're not killing me over Jude's character…more for Punkin's comments about him.
Witchwolf- That was one of those lines that just happened…but it's how Punkin would react. What girl doesn't like being ogled over. And I can't race ya…I only have four more chapters to go…I feel such a sense of lost.
Fomy- I'm an eagle and you're a fish…does that mean we're enemies. –Laughs-. I just thought about that…and you're a rabbit and I'm a tiger…I don't think they get along much either. –Laughs again- but you're definitely a rabbit (my best friend is one too)…love to play under the moonlight yep that's you…I should have mailed all that but…what the hey. I like writing about school because I've done it for almost twelve years now and it's all I know:-).
Before I head off into my story I remembered something very important that I wanted to bring up…
Tifa, FF7 - "Words aren't the only way to tell someone how you feel."
That's very, very true and of course it is if it's from Tifa. And now that I'm thing about FF, I was reminded of how similar Meris/ Punkin seem to Squall/ Rinoa from FF8…I wish I could send them to outer space on a monster-filled ship and have them sing and dance together…oh the joy…sorry I'll daydream after I'm done…
CHAPTER NINE
My armchair and I became mortal enemies that night. I was restless, my mind was set on Meris and I knew that no potion would ease that mental state. I was rustling around so loudly that I was sure the dead would knock on my down and ask me to keep it quiet but I think they appointed Amberlee to did it for them.
"You can't sleep either," she asked as she flipped over in my bed.
"No, I have a lot on my mind."
"About Meris," she asked as she sat up in her white nightgown.
"Not just that…I know he knows something that I don't and more than just what happened to him back home…something about me."
"Do you think he thinks something bad is going to happen to you?" she asked.
"I don't know… he's hard to read. But does seem to show up right when something bad is about to happen…"
"Like the shadow and the firebrand scroll." She interjected.
"Yeah…but I could have handled that scroll."
She covered her mouth in an attempt to shield me from the next comment, "And burned half the city while you tried too."
"Whatever…I got the only 3 that Master Takrath ever gave out…"
"Is that an accomplishment?"
I threw a pillow at her, "You don't even go to school so you wouldn't even know."
"I know not to try to burn a building to the ground," she said and returned the pillow…to my head.
"I thought you were trying to help me?"
"I was?" she said with a sheepish grin, "Okay, I'll help…you need it."
"You need it," I mimicked.
"Well…first since he's part planar he probably has a bit divination in him…perhaps he can see into a small window in time."
"He never mention it…"
"How does he do one tests?" She asked.
"Pretty good…actually he's never missed a question…if Master Takrath taught from the book he'd have gotten a 5."
"Maybe he can see into the future?"
"I doubt it though…or he'd have killed the shadow before it attacked me…"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes and don't ever say anything like that again. He wouldn't want to see me suffer."
"Okay, forget I mentioned it."
"Forgotten…where were we at?"
"Everyone needs their secrets. It's only natural especially when it comes to things we aren't proud of…"
"So do you have any secrets?" I asked.
"Me? I thought we were talking about Meris…"
"We are I just want to know if you have any."
"Well…yeah of course I do…I've kept a lot of things from my parents."
"I wouldn't think you'd be the deceitful type."
"I'm not but everyone doesn't need to know everything about you."
"So I should just back off," I asked.
"Pretty much…if I know one thing about guys," that cause a snicker from me, "I know that they show themselves a lot slower than us girls do…that's why girls are better friends."
"How did you get so wise?" I asked as I leaned back into my chair.
"The truth comes from the mouth of babes." She said a rolled over on began her ritual to go to sleep.
XOXOXOThe day before a wedding was a procrastinator's worst nightmare come to life…I had my dress ready and I obviously knew the accessories that I'd wear but more than that I hadn't planned very well. Linu was doing my make-up for the pre-wedding party tonight and Celeste would help me do something with my hair, which had turned into a rat's nest over night. The rehearsal was planned for the evening, right before the party and needed to present my songs there…I had that covered…I guess I wasn't in that bad of shape.
"Hey, Punkin," Amberlee said as I got dressed for the morning part of the busiest day of my young life, "I wanted to ask you last night…"
"About," I screamed to her in the dining room cleaning up after her family.
"Your scar." She said bluntly so that everyone in the house came to a hush.
"What…scar?" I said peeking my head out of the door.
"The one on your back…it's right below your left rib cage…in the small of your back."
I heard the herd of lunatics racing over to my room, I quickly locked the door and reappeared before myself in my full length mirror. Holy cowskins, I had a scar. It was ugly as Morag to boot.
"That damn shadow!" I screamed which caused the knocking on my door to cease. This wasn't good, my dress cut low in the back…I couldn't get another one in time for the wedding.
"Can I come in?" Asked Amberlee. I opened the door, let her in and slammed it locked afterward.
"This isn't good I can't sing with everyone staring at my scar…I didn't even know I had it." I said without breathing.
"Don't worry, I have an idea but we have to hurry," she said.
"What do you think we should do?" I asked.
"Did you notice my shoulder?" she asked.
"No…why?" I said.
She showed me her shoulder and on the bone that sat below her shoulder, her scapula, she had three small stars, "They're tattoos…I got them in a small town called Silverburg."
"They look cool…why are the stars so small?" I asked.
"It was supposed to be…something else but I kind of chickened out. I'm sorry."
"If you say you're sorry again I'll dye your hair while you're sleeping." I said.
"Sure you will. Anyway, I heard that there is an underground parlor here in Neverwinter…" she said.
"Who told you?" I asked.
"Some guy I was talking to…he told me were to find it…want to go?"
"Sure but we have to hurry?"
"Of course we can't be late…we'll get caught." She said.
XOXOXO"If I knew this place was in the sewer I would have thought twice about going to it" Amberlee said as she slowly looking at the direction.
"Are you afraid?" I asked as I saw her trembling with the scroll in her hand.
"I don't like being underground."
"Isn't that what your parents do…excavation?"
"Yeah and I go with them most of the time but I still don't like it." She said as we turned and saw a 'room' of weird chairs and a squat dwarven guy probably twice my age with some odd needle in his hands.
"Wat do ya want?" is how he greeted us.
"We're here to get a…" Amberlee said and then whispered, "Tat-too."
"I know…wat do ya want me ta draw," he said in a raspy voice.
"Oh it's for my friend here," she said and pushed me over to him, "She needs to cover a…"
"Shut up!" I said even though he'd find out. I didn't want to have to talk about it. "I'll want something 'in' on the same of my back."
"Drag'n…'kay. On the chair." I sat down, "Do ya want meh ta cov'r dat scar, hon?" he asked.
"Well if you insist," I said and he began. I still wonder why I didn't catch Amberlee's hint that this was going to be as painful as it was rebellious. If Amberlee was there I would have screamed and ran out of there but I had to keep my pride…I sure my ego had a lot to do with it also. But after a half an hour I was done and had a blue and purple dragon with red eyes on my back.
"That's so cool…you'll knock 'em dead at the wedding." Amberlee said.
"So do ya ladies got date's…cause I was…I ah…"
"We're taken," I said.
"I…ah…I'm not allowed…my dad…ah…" Amberlee stumbled backwards.
"Oh…I don't want no trubble." He said.
XOXOXOI walked into my house and was meet with Meris sitting on the living room couch with his head down next to a woman holding his hand with both of hers. I had never seen him more uncomfortable.
The elven woman who I couldn't place an age on, elves are always tough to translate, but she looked over at us and said, "Who are those cute girls that just walked in? Don't you think they show distinction in those clothes." Shorts and a tee shirt are distinction?
Meris quipped, "I think you meant to say distinctly."
"That's no way to talk about your date," I said with my hands on my hips.
"It's not a" Meris said.
"DATE!" all three, including Amberlee said in unison and laughed as the lady stood up.
"So you must be Punkin Capernum," she said and gave me a hug. A warm, maternal hug, "I'm Salandra Sensbane, Celeric of Tyr. It's been a pleasure to finally meet the girl that has my Meris out of his little world."
"Mother." Meris said and shook his head. I'd be willing to bet he was blushing.
"He's the sweetest guy I've ever meet. Did he tell you he saved my life?" I said. I heard him moan.
"No," she said and turned to him.
"I didn't…she just…she…"
"He killed a shadow creature," Amberlee added.
"It was trying to kill me," Meris explained, "I had…to defend…"
"Oh, Meris you've always been so modest." Ms. Sensbane said. "So is he taking you to the party tonight."
"If you approve Ms. Sensbane." I said in my most polite voice.
"What manners you have," she said and I smiled, "of course he will. He'll pick you up after he's dressed."
"Okay," I said to Meris who was trying to ignore the whole arrangement, "I have rehearsal so you can pick me up from there."
"Whatever," he said.
"Meris?" Ms. Sensbane said with a dishonorable look.
"It'll be my pleasure." He said flatly.
"Great I got another date," I said and looked at his mother's confused look, "With Meris, I meant."
"Oh." Is all she could say.
XOXOXOThe rehearsal was full of beauty…everyone was made over and many of them look like completely different people…especially Tomi in a suit probably for the first time in his life.
"Sharwyn is out…ah, getting ready for the wedding practice," Tomi informed us.
I had to butt in, "You mean she's getting a little liquid courage."
"Aye, ya got it," Tomi chuckled, "In all seriousness, this is important ta da lass, we gotta have everythin' in order…my head is on da line here." He informed.
Linu walked up and addressed everyone on conduct and commitment to the schedule, "High noon, Punkin. You start singing then no moment sooner or later, okay."
"Sure." I said.
"What are you singing anyway? Did you bring the sheet music for the musician?" Linu asked.
"Sheet…Music?" I played stupid.
An overpowering hush fell over everyone, "Yes…a sheet with notes for the orchestra."
I pretended to look ineptly through my pack, "I haven't seen anything like it."
"Okay, come down, Linu," the cleric started to talk to herself.
"Oh these," I said, held up the scrolls and gave them to the musician that Nasher had hired from Amn.
"Punkin Capernum I swear you'll be the death of me," Linu said as she caught her breath, "Do you need to go through the numbers…or bars, whatever you call them?"
"Not really…If the band wants to run the music they can…I'd prefer to go at it fresh tomorrow."
"Okay, you're the star." That's right, Linu. I'm the Star.
The band got my music down perfect …they were worth whatever the groom spent on them. Love is Alive and Twilight were the slower ones at the beginning of the wedding after I opened up the wedding with a song I had written called Faith. I looked over the stage and noticed it was bigger than anything I'd ever performed on but it gave me a lot of room to work with. I was going to rock them dead.
XOXOXOI looked at myself in the dressing room mirror as I waited for Meris my date. My dress was long, wide and flowing. It bunched at my waist, tightly slid up my torso, excluding most of my back, which was exposed and the sleeves welled out into wide, wavy cuffs that covered most of my hands. It was purple with pure gold trim on the seams…I had spent a fortune on it. My hair was braided, it was the only thing that Celeste could do to tame it and was partly hidden by the purple and gold tiara towering it. My face was lightly colored the only thing that was visible was my new purple eyelids.
I was gorgeous.
"Are you ready to go?" I heard him from behind me. I turned and was meet by my tuxedo-clad giant.
"Boy, you do dress up well." I said as I grabbed his arm.
"Thank my mother," he said dryly.
"I will."
XOXOXOThe party was already underway when we got there. It seemed that this was the 'underage' one. I assumed that Sharwyn had an adult one going on somewhere else perhaps the Trade of Blades and Nasher had another at an undisclosed locale.
"Way do you always do this," Meris asked as I grabbed his hand and pulled him to the dance floor.
"Do what?"
"Make me do stuff I don't want to do," he said.
"I guess it's L-O-V-E," I said as I started to lead him in a waltz.
"This music sucks." He said.
"And what would you prefer?" I asked. Me maybe?
"Something I could scream to," he said.
"WE WANT ROCK!" I screamed at the DJ.
"YEAH!" the rest of the crowd screamed.
"Alright, here ya go," he said and started some fresh music.
I wear a disguise
I'm just your average Jane
The super doesn't stand for model
But that doesn't mean I'm plain
If all you see is how I look
You miss the superchick within
And I christen you Titanic
Underestimate and swim
I've got the rifle
Gonna be myself
I'll be everything that I want to be
I am confidence in insecurity
I am a voice yet waiting to be heard
I'll shoot the shot, bang
That you hear 'round the world
I'm a one girl revolution
Some people see the revolution
But most only see the girl
I can loose my hard earned freedom
If my fear defines my world
I declare my independence from the critics and their stones
I can find my revolution
I can learn to stand alone
I'll be everything that I want to be
I am confidence in insecurity
I am a voice yet waiting to be heard
I'll shoot the shot, bang
That you hear 'round the world
I'm a one girl revolution
"This is my favorite song," I said as I lead in close to him.
"It's better than the moshy crap," Meris said.
"So Meris…I met your mother. When are we gonna get hitched." I said.
"Hitched?"
"Married." I said.
He pulled back, "M-m-married!"
I didn't let him get away, "Yeah, that's what people do. They find some special and they get married."
"M-m-married."
"Okay, well talk about that when we get there." I said.
"If we get there."
"IF…," I said nearly yelling, "What is that supposed to mean?"
"We…we aren't immortal. Though you seem…to have faith that you may be…" I gave him a hard stare, "You remind me of this song, you think you're a one girl revolution."
"I am a one girl revolution and a wondrous revelation as well."
"Don't forget that you're never lacking in confidence either."
"Nope, never." I said.
"I don't even think you're nervous about singing in front of all those people tomorrow." He said as we swept quickly across the floor in our dance, full of life.
"Not at all. I think then I act and then I feel so panic does come to me on stage."
"Are you afraid of anything?" He asked.
I saw a deal brewing in my head, "I'll tell you but you have to answer a question of mine."
"Deal," Meris said after a moment of weighing the options.
"I used to be afraid of losing my parent but I'm not scared of that for obvious reasons but I think it was a smaller element of a fear of being alone."
"Being alone?" he said.
"Yeah, I don't like it. I hated living alone in my family's house…no one around and always wondering if someone would care if I lived or died."
"So that's way you're so personable." He said.
"That, my superior beauty and my charismatic charm." He laughed at my comment. He looked so amazing when he laughed…it always reminded me of my father but still different enough that I didn't feel icky.
"I can honestly say that I have never met anyone like you." He said.
"And you never will…hey, that was the first compliment you've given me on our…what do you want to call it?" I asked.
"You deceived my mother into thinking you're a decent girl, you shrieked at the DJ about the music and you've belittled me into submission…I think it's fair to call this a date."
"So now you've said it, do you fell better?" I asked.
"Not really but I'll pretend," he said with a faint smile.
"Oh yeah, now I get to ask you a question. What makes you see your friend in me?"
"Oh…I don't know where to start…"
"Bardic rule number one, always start from the beginning," I said.
"Okay…I was born on…" he said.
"Not that far in the beginning," I hissed.
He smiled and continued, "Her name was Kestaryl but I knew her only as Kasie. She was my mother's adept and she had a lot of your qualities…strong-willed, tough and always listened to her heart. She was like a big sister to me since it was part of her duty to keep me out of trouble. It all started around her 100th birthday, in elven cultures this is a big thing, she started to act different. She became overly fascinated with exorcism spells and darker magical arts. On the night of her birthday I followed her while she performed some weird spells on a special dagger from my mother's collection, and she sneaked into my mom's room. She stealthfully removed my mother's shoe and cut a small 'X' on her foot. I screamed when I saw this and see looked at me with dark crimson eyes…her eyes were green as most elves are…then she fell to ground weeping. She pleaded with me to put her out of her misery and claimed that she was being manipulated by a demon. She told me that she had put a powerful sleep spell on Mom but didn't understand the demon's allure to her but that she didn't want to do it's bidding anymore. She wanted to be free. So I killed her in my…I guess she'd claim our Mother's room on her 100th birthday."
"Oh, that was…very heroic of you," I said as I held him closer. He didn't budge but I could tell he was fighting with himself not to cry.
"It didn't feel heroic."
"Nothing ever does," I said, drew his cheek to my lips and gently kissed him.