Implied Odds
As quietly as she could Nycole opened the back door. She moved with patients that very few possessed.
"Cutting it a little close aren't you?" A small feminine voice came from behind her.
"Are they up yet?" Nycole spun around becoming eye to eye with Kathain.
Kathain relaxed allowing all her weight to shift to her right leg. Cocking her head slightly her expectation spread across her face.
"Here." Nycole said as she lifted the brown paper bag from her side. The light aroma of Moo Goo Gai Pan wafted around them. Nycole felt the appreciation wafting off the girl. The small ripples of pleasure and excitement washed up and against the empath. Nycole had to admit that feeling alone could make the risk worth it.
"Only Kristo. But he is practicing right now. He didn't see me come down. You better hurry though." Leaving the frail redhead to enjoy her lunch, Nycole quickly made her way up the stairs.
Moving as silently as she could the girl made her way across the common room and into the room she shared with Kathain. Unbuttoning her shirt and skirt she allowed the clothing to slip to the floor. Pulling her pajama set from the end of the bed she pulled the pants back on. Slipping the t-shirt over her head she was almost finished. Pulling the tie out of her hair she made one last effort to look like she had just crawled out of bed. Stepping in front of the mirror she studied her appearance. Finally satisfied she made her way out into the common room.
The room was still quiet. She could hear the sounds of people moving in between rooms. The familiar sounds of morning came. Morning was a relative term in this little family. Morning came when the group woke up, even if that was at almost four in the afternoon. Then again if you asked Kathain it was always morning.
'It is always morning. This way the day always has a chance to improve.' That was Kathain's philosophy. And Nycole had to admit it was a good one. She didn't always live by this policy, but the longer she was with this group the more Nycole seemed to adopt this way of thinking.
Nycole made her way into the small kitchen. Pouring herself a half-cup of coffee Nycole set out to prepare breakfast. The slight prickles on the back of her neck warned she had of his presence. She allowed herself to open completely looking for some indication of his mood. The empath didn't need to turn around to know Geoff stood in the doorway. She could feel the fuzziness of his mind and the lethargy seeping out of his muscles.
"Morning Geoff. Do you want eggs or just pancakes?" The girl asked as she gathered ingredients from the fridge. Eggs, ham, cheese, milk, butter, the list seemed to go on. Piling the items on to the counter behind her, Nycole tried to arrange them in some order. Opening the dishwasher she pulled her faithful frying pan from the bottom rack.
"Both if you don't mind." His voice was raspy causing him to clear his throat.
Pulling a mug from the cabinet overhead she poured him a cup of coffee. Cracking six eggs in the bowl she set out to make breakfast. She enjoyed cooking. It was one of the few things that she felt confident in. It came naturally to her. She began cooking early on. Mix a little of this with a bit of that. Taste the food as you spice. All of the elements would come together creating something that many could enjoy.
So she did. She blended, spiced, tasted, and re-spiced. Finally satisfied with the way both the eggs and pancakes turned out she laid them out on the counter.
"Geoff, will you tell the others that breakfast is ready?" She asked the still half awake male.
"Yeah." She watched him move with the speed of a turtle. It was hard to believe that this figure was the bartender she watched fill orders quicker then any one else in the group. But then again she wasn't up to full capability twenty minutes after waking up either. Pulling plates out of another cabinet and then flatware out of the drawer she was done in the kitchen.
"I am going to go find Kathain." She called out as she made her way through the common room. She didn't want the others to catch up with her. Feeding them would give her the time she needed. She had to tell Kathain and Raven about the runes. She swelled with pride. It was working.
xxxx
Something missing
Left behind
Sakaki sped down the inside lane of the highway. The radio in his helmet blaring in his ears.
Searching in circles
Every time I try
Leaning into the bike he allowed the world to fall away. The rushing yellow lines were steady, consistent, and comforting. It was in this space that he didn't have to think about witched, scars, or hunts. He didn't have to think about anything other then what he wanted.
I've been here before
I've seen you before
The male allowed his mind to wonder over the events of the day. Sakaki could still see the girls honey brown eyes. The young hunter ran the conversations back through his head.
On a normal day she would have been mundane. Slightly out of place being that she was American, but she probably would have slipped under his radar. It was the girl's bright red hair that stood out in his mind. The way the strands of hair seemed to flow like fire around her face.
I can't escape winding down these halls
Hard to find a place where there are no walls
Sakaki cursed himself again for not seeing through her. The girl had led the conversation the entire time. The cyclist could almost see the dance now.
And no lines begging me to cross
Only straight ahead better move along
She would step towards the answers she wanted. Then step slightly off to the side. Like a dancer knowing which steps to take for the final show. He could feel his anger beginning to rise.
Like Clockwork
I commit the crime
How could he have not seen it?
I pretend to be
Every thing they like
But for now that didn't matter.
I've been here before
I've seen you before
Sakaki allowed her smile to slip away from his mind.
He allowed her to slip between the lines of the road as he sped towards Raven's Flat. She didn't matter anymore. Nothing would matter for the next thirty miles.
xxxx
The two girls sat on top of the bar fastening thin reflective ribbons into each other's hair. With a bobby pin here and a barrette there the two girls were close to perfect. Nycole sat back and marveled at her new masterpiece. Ringlets framed Kathain's face showing off her Irish heritage. It took two hours, two sets of curlers, one bottle of hairspray and a little bit of gel to create this curly creation. But it was worth all the work. Her counterpart was a vision. And from the look on Kathain face Nycole knew she was too.
"You two need to get a move on it and get off my bar." Geoff's scruffy voice came from behind Nycole. Lifting her legs off the counter Nycole spun to get a better look at the bartender.
"But your bar is so comfortable. Plus all we have left to do is change. We've already stretched." Kathain teased.
"Then why don't you two help out by giving the rooms a final look over?" Geoff gave the two a stern look.
"Now shoo. You two are in my way."
The two sprites ran through the open areas of Purgatory glancing under tables for scraps of paper or other trash. With a glance at each other they were already in sync. Without a word the two girls agreed that the dance hall passed inspection. Turning in unison they both headed towards the staircase. With only an hour left it was time to make their final preparations.
Giggling and racing up the stairs the two seemed to be one. Nycole glanced back down the stairs to ensure that her partner in crime was still in tow. It was only when she noticed Kathain's eyes stretch in surprise that Nycole began to turn back around.
With a sharp thud against the side of her head Nycole stumbled back. Struggling to remain focused the girl tried to find the culprit. Her eyes blurred as the tears swelled in her eyes. The throbbing in her temple seemed to grow louder with every breath. Stepping backwards she tried to regain her balance. A strong hand seized her wrist pulling her forward.
"Nycole, you should be more careful. Are you okay?" Brett asked half scolding and half concerned. Slowly the world began to focus again. Giving her head a slight shake she began to pull her self back together.
As a reflex her hand shot up to the afflicted area. It was so easy for her to take the pain of others. It was a simple process. Nycole reached out with her heart and mind. Allowing herself to feel the pain of the person. Imagine the pain like a small black cloud sitting on the person's body. Then when she had a firm understanding of the pain the empath pulled; drawing the pain out of her patient. She would see the black cloud flowing from their body on to her own. Then the empath would allow the foreign pain to simply flow out of her self.
It was in moments like this that Nycole wished the same was true for her own pain. But no matter how much the girl wished she could just allow her pain to dispel it wouldn't. In times of pain the redhead could not separate her empathy from her own pain.
"You have to let me look at it dear." Brett's voice was soothing. a young child she allowed the fire-child to remove her hands exposing the afflicted area. Her eyes still stung with tears. Carefully the man probed at the empath's forehead. Sharp pains spread from the tiny goose egg. Pulling back she allowed a quick hiss of air to escape her lips. Her eyes snapped shut.
"You will be fine. You split the skin but you are not bleeding to bad." Brett announced.
"Nycole, I know you just scrambled your brain and all… but we do have to get dressed. If it will make you feel better I have a surprise for you." Kathain piped up.
"Yeah. I know." The empath shook her head trying to regain her focus.
xxxx
The line in front of the club sat three people deep and snaked around the building. The club goers swam with energy. Nycole looked down from the bay window over her bed. Absent mindedly she pulled at the arm warmer as they slipped around her elbow. In the states, empath had gone to enough club openings to know exactly what they were thinking. Nycole didn't need to reach out to them.
The girl stared down picking out their individual faces. The dreamy quality of the attending seemed to radiate. It was only when her eyes stopped a few people back from the front that her heart leapt then sunk. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to make out the exact features of the young man.
'It couldn't be. I don't know why he would be here. He doesn't know, does he?' The question seemed far fetched, at least she prayed so.
"What are you looking at?" Kathain inquired.
"Just the people." Nycole replied trying not to betray her feelings to the other girl.
Turning from the window the girl sat facing the closet. Folding her hands into her lap, Nycole closed her eyes. Waiting patiently she allowed her mind to calm. She tried to find her center. Unfortunately he was there waiting on her. The empath could see his face again. Nycole wondered for a second how he was.
So what's a girl to do? Has the STN-J come to Nocturne? What will our hunter say when he finds her there?