Heheh. This is the result of me turning my hair dark brown when I was light blonde. It looks good on me but I hate it. This took a long time 'cause we gots to go Ski. WHEEEE!
I just want it to be known that I have put my all into this, and, therefore, and disappointed that I have only one friend reviewing me. Why did everyone read the one-shot? WHY?! Blind sucks to me…
On with deh show!
Dear Merr,
I haven't talked to you in so long. I wish you were still with me. So I could revel in your smiling face. Today marks the third year since your death. To me, it feels like the third hour. Lan has told me I should try to forget your death, and he got a bit frustrated when I told him that these days and weeks I've chronicled in this book are to your spirit, wherever you may be. Did you join your sister in the sky?
Enough. The day you died, you told me not to regret.
I managed to get the girl Kieru to let me call her "Ru" today. On a similar note, Danatoth is now "Toth". It's completely odd that Ru opened up so easily. Toth said it usually takes years to earn her trust. Maybe not. Maybe it's that she likes Jumi, and we count. After all, don't we have cores? Anyway, nothing major happened today. Taayx still can't fly, Ru still isn't convinced that drinking is bad, and Ryo got decked because he tried to out-drink her and got the lewdness again.
With deepest love,
Reianaa
Post Script: I'll write more later.
Reia sighed as she closed the journal. She'd kept it for a long time, nearly four years. With a wry sort of humor she recalled when it had merely been a log of the happenings of the day. That had been before Merr had died.
Merr had been father, brother, protector, and teacher. When he died, she had been bound to Lan by complex knots and weaves of her twisted mother's devices. At first he had frightened her; large, silent and dark, figuratively and mentally, he had been far too brooding and depressing to spend too much time around. Now she looked to him with a bond as close as that she had shared with Merr.
She slid the diary back into her satchel and tied it closed. They had been in sight of Etansel since midday. Now they were nearing the gates, and Danatoth had begun to fidget nervously. Kieru had taken on a relaxed air, and the two male of her species had become so tense that the air around them seemed almost palpable.
Behind her, Taayx nudged her hand. He wanted attention so much. But, she had managed to shut him out during her writings in the book, so all he knew was that she seemed upset. She absently reached down to stroke his sensitive neck and throat, and realized that she did not have to reach down very far. He was growing so fast. It had been only nine days since he'd hatched. Were Tasharaad supposed to grow this quickly?
Her trail of thought was interrupted when a pair of strange voices hailed them.
"What reason have you for proceeding toward the Bejeweled City?" They asked, in unison. The overtone was of a masculine voice, though the softer was feminine.
"Gate duty, Esmeralda? Did Blackpearl start your training, then? Or are you teaching her, Rubens?" Kieru asked, looking towards the place on either side of the giant gate where a person was standing. One was a human male, wearing clothes adorned with thread-of-gold flames on a crimson background. From what she could see, the girl wore a strange shirt and a pair of baggy trousers. These clothes, though odd, were nothing compared to her hair. Not only did she have a great deal of it, from what Reia could see, but it was such a shade of blazing emerald that the real stone, which was bared by the low neck of the girl's blouse, looked somewhat pale.
"Kieru!" The girl exclaimed happily. She dashed down from her vantage, opened the gate and rushed out to hug the woman. "You haven't come to visit us in nearly five months! I'll go get your rooms ready right away! There're five of you? " She paused, suddenly realizing that all three of the demi-humans had cores.
"If you don't have room, then we've agreed that boys can share their own room, and Kieru and I can use another." Reia said, unaware that Esmeralda was not aghast by their number but their race.
"Are you…Ronso?" The green-haired girl asked, staring at all three of them intensely.
"You gonna stare at us all day? Yes, we're Ronso. Inhuman. Horned, Core-Containing, Lion-kin. Is this an issue?" Ryo sounded cross. Surprising; Reia was sure that she'd have to drag him off of the younger woman later; she actually was rather pretty. Her large, childish green eyes trailed toward Danatoth and Kieru after a few more moments of silence.
"I'm glad that you're willing to share; our community is growing rapidly." Esmeralda explained before rushing back and darting up several flights of stairs. She had reached the third tier when she entered and soon exited two rooms. She darted back down, panting slightly. "All ready. I'm going to go alert Diana and Flourina." And she bolted off again.
"I'm her combat instructor, but it seems that Blackpearl is more interested in making her a messenger." Rubens sounded slightly agitated.
"I hope she aspires into a good knight." Danatoth said kindly before leading his fellows up the tiers to their rooms.
"Wooooooow…." Reia appraised when the two girls entered the room. There were two good-sized beds, both covered by lovely quilts, sitting in the southwest and northwest corners of the room. A tapestry depicting the hunting scene of two large wolves hung between the beds on the wall. Another room filtered out tantalizing steam and, upon closer inspection of it by Reia, was actually discovered to be a chamber with a bathing pool. Several large, thick towels were stacked on a table, but, otherwise, the chamber was empty. Just outside of the small room there was a floating mirror and a writing desk.
"D'you mind if I take a quick bath?" She inquired. Kieru, who had finished stacking her things away in the corner, was sitting on the edge of one of the beds. She looked as if immersed in thought.
"Wha-oh, sure. Esmeralda alerted the cooks, and we'll be eating soon. I wanna take one when you're done." She sighed richly and fell onto her back, eyes closed. She was obviously thinking extremely hard about whatever she was thinking about.
Cheerfully, Reia retrieved a change of clothes from her bag and entered the room. After a few minutes of fumbling with the sliding door, she managed to close it and was very soon disrobed and stepping into the deep pool. It was nice; it was tall enough for her to lay down in it if she wanted. And deep enough to sink under and have two inches of water above. After a few more minutes of probing, she realized that it circulated, and that the water managed to remain very clear and warm.
Content that she would not soil the water for Kieru, she flounced under the surface and sat there for a moment. Enveloped in the water, eyes closed, she was impervious to disturbing tone with whish Kieru was using to scream at herself. However, when she pulled her head out of the water to get at the pile of scrubbing sand, she heard the voice. It sounded confused and angry.
"What is wrong with you?!" Kieru asked, loudly. Reia took it upon her to check and thus donned a towel and slid the door open slightly. There were nail-marks in Kieru's palms, and an angry expression on her face, but there was no one else in the room.
Unaware that she was being watched, the blonde grabbed hold of her thick tresses and yanked stiffly. After a moment, she collapsed onto a small stool which had previously been beneath the desk. Fascinated, she watched as her newfound friend removed the pipes that adorned her hair and began to comb the thick mass.
She was about to return to the tub when she heard Kieru speak again. "There. I needed that. To stop thinking about things…about him…" She sounded calm, and Reia felt relieved when her friend settled on her bed and pulled a small journal out of her essentials bag.
Feeling that her friend's little spell of insanity was over, she returned to the once-more clean water and struck up a storm against her hair. Despite traveling through heavy rain, it hadn't been completely clean in some time. Perhaps she could make it look nice for the sake of representation of her race. She hated brushing it; her hair was more like a mane, and it tangled horribly.
Reia walked out of the bathing room at the same time that Esmeralda left. Sitting on a tray was two bowels of a rich stew. There was a small bottle of spirits next to Kieru's bowl, and some sort of slightly fermented drink in a small glass near her plate. There was also a pitcher of water and two empty cups in the middle of the tray.
Kieru was silent as she ate. When, at last, she finished the hearty helping she regarded her friend with an odd look in her eyes. "What's the matter, Ru?" Reia asked at last. The silence had become too palpable.
"Did you hear me berate myself?"
"Yeah, so?"
She eased, leaning back onto her bed. "I'm so glad that you don't know which him I'm having problems with." She said, closing her eyes.
After a moment, she stood up and cracked her knuckles. After a moment, she arched her back and popped that, too. "I'm going to bathe." She explained, digging through her bag and coming up with a change of clothes.
As soon as Kieru shut the door, Reia lay back on her bed and closed her eyes. Sleep would come easily tonight; she was comfortable, for a change. Or so she thought.
Can I sleep with you tonight? Taayx asked, scraping on Reia's door. Sure love. She responded and opened the door. The good-sized creature whirred happily and leapt onto her bed. She got in and sighed. There was plenty of room for the holy beast; the bed was big, after all.
(Time lapse; back a few minute to right before Kieru starts yelling at herself.)
Danatoth smiled as he pushed the door open and entered the room he was sharing with his new companions. After a moment, he knew that he had been perfectly content with his actions.
Pearl had come to say hello. She had 'cornered' him on the small balcony-like protrusion of the ground out over the lake that was near the city. His suspicion had been fulfilled; Pearl and Blackpearl were no longer one person. One of those strange beasts had been encountered in the lake. Obviously they were an aquatic species, then. He didn't have to worry about facing one.
Lan and Ryo were out somewhere, talking about something, and he was blissfully alone. Taayx was looking at the water. Admiring it. He liked it quite a bit. But that was before he heard his sister bellow something.
"Why can't I stop thinking about him? Why?" They were not so much questions as angered exclamations.
Interested, he listened further. "Its not like I see him that much!" She was upset about something. Someone. He thought for a long time about it.
Elazul.
"What's wrong with you?!"
Ahh. She was pissed at herself. He had become accustomed to her habits, and this was one of them. She yelled at herself every so often. He guessed that it was the key to her self control; lose it one in a while and keep it all the time.
"Who's she yelling at?" Esmeralda asked, causing him to jump. She was pushing a tray. Three large portions of stew were resting on the stew, as well as three glasses with ice and a pitcher of water.
"Herself." He replied, looking hungrily at the stew.
"Oh. I remember now; she did it once when we were looking for my sisters' cores. Locked herself in the hotel room and hollered at herself. Enjoy your dinner." She smiled and walked out of the room, leaving him alone again. However, it was not long before Ryo and Lan joined him again. Both of them were staring long and hard at the food.
"Looks good!" Ryo exclaimed at last, diving hungrily on the largest bowl. Calmly, Lan took another and settled himself to eat. Danatoth took the last and they took their meal in silence.
The frail rays of light that meant dawn were just casting their radiance on the shimmering streets when Kieru awoke. From beneath the heavy oaken door, she could see just how bright, and briefly contemplated going outside. Though she had been here many times, she had never seen what the fiery rays of dawn managed to look like here. She was wearing a plain gray robe and a white shirt beneath that, which didn't feel right after so long of her tunic, but, she reasoned, she was only going just outside.
Pushing the heavy door open, she had to pause for a moment in order to absorb what sight lay before her. The giant gemstones inlaid in the surfaces of the wall and the floor reflected the delicate light and toned it brilliantly. Below, she was sure that she could detect traces of the colored light on the surface of the water.
Unaware that she might be open to assault, she dangled her legs over the precipice and began humming a nostalgic tune to herself. It was in a language she did not know, but she knew the tune and remembered that her aunt had crooned it to them to get her to sleep when they were restless.
She ceased her humming and listened, suddenly feeling the presence of another. It wasn't a familiar carriage, and there was no sound accompanied with the feeling, but she knew someone was there. Her suspicions were confirmed when something connected with her back and she went sailing out over the precipice.
"Marinyx! How many times do we have to tell you before you quit?! Guests aren't accustomed to being tossed about so." The angered female voice belonged to Blackpearl. Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted, and the direction of her momentum shifted upward. However, she was lucky that this broke her fall; the surface of the water had split peacefully around her. Now that she was soaked, she felt herself lifted up as if on strings.
When she stood on the floor of her interim home, she was, indeed greeted by the sight of the Lady Blackpearl. The woman's hair looked like richly spun gold, and looked odd resting next to her black core. Beside her stood a childish looking male Jumi.
His hair was the shade of a refined aquamarine; pale cyan. It did not, however, match his core. His core looked like Elazul's, only somehow different. Darker. Duller. The boy's eyes took on the similar dullness, and his flesh was ghostly pale. However, beneath his dull eyes, Kieru could see a flaming spirit and spark of mischief. She trod towards him and prodded his forehead. The force of her finger sent him recoiling back.
Manipulating undine in the minute way she could-her brother was stronger at the element of water-she managed to make the water roll off of her and form into a sphere of sorts. She manipulated it, straining to make it hover above the boy's head before tossing it back towards the lake.
"Fair game. Warn me next time and we'll se who's falling into the lake then." She scowled at the little boy before turning to Blackpearl. "Who is he? He wasn't here when I healed the rest of you." She shook her head. Too many new people.
"You're the one who brought them back?" The boy sounded taken aback. No question as to which them he thought of.
"Yes, but don't shout it or they'll all want one." She said, crossly.
"Much apologies, ma-'" He started, easing his knees into a steep bow.
She snatched his hair and hauled him upright. "Nyet. None of that." She was suddenly grinning. "Ah, morning, Reia. Have you met the little trouble-maker yet?" She beckoned the slightly bleary woman toward them.
Marinyx was in shock. "Wh-wha…?" Kieru knew that the Ronso would speak for herself.
Reia's hand lazily staked out and she lifted the boy by his scruff. "Worth it? Why are people never happy to see grown Ronso out of the mountains?" She shook the boy lightly and placed him back on his feet. She yawned cattishly, exposing her mouthful of sharp teeth. She flexed her fingers, displaying ten powerful daggers there, also.
The boy wobbled and tottered on his feet. He was looking past Kieru, towards the door to the men's room. Obviously, Lan had just emerged. "So, what did he do, Ru?" The blue-furred and taller of the women asked.
"Knock me off the edge." She said, suddenly souring again. She had just watched a familiar blue-haired someone tread down the stairs, toward the eating hall. Where she had been going.
"The food's downstairs." Blackpearl said before striding in that direction.
After a moment of watching, Kieru decided that wearing appropriate attire would be in her best interest. When she left her room again, her hair was tied back in a simple way, most unlike her usual preference. Tied back like this, she could easily measure that it was at least five inches thick. Why did she have so much damn hair?
When Danatoth saw his sister, he gave it little thought. Pearl was playing the questioning game, the topic being Taayx and Reia. When Kieru spotted him, she blinked and wandered over to sit near Esmeralda and her three sisters. He observed that she would shoot an agitated glance at him and an angry glare at Elazul every few minutes.
"So, umm, how old is Taayx then?" Pearl asked, bringing his attention back to her. Goddess, but she was pretty…Sure, lots of people had blonde hair, but hers looked like strands of sunlight woven onto a spool. Pearls were suspended by intricate design all about her tresses, corresponding with the pallor of her face and moonshade of her eyes.
"Ehh…Ten days. I think. I haven't been counting, to tell the truth." He scratched the back of his head innocently, pausing to crack his knuckles against his skull. He was fascinated with her, but she was fascinated with the topic of discussion. Kieru would be glad to know that her brother's already volatile ego would take a dive for a low.
New rule; I sleep with Reia. She doesn't kick
. "Taayx, come here. Pearl wants to see you."
Your beloved?
"Stop it!"
"Stop what?" Pearl asked, looking at him oddly. "Who're you talking to?"
"Wha-oh, I was talking to Taayx. Did I speak out loud?" He blinked a few times. "Taayx, love, you're growing too fast. When you admired the water last night you reached my waist when I was sitting. Now, it's my shoulder. Why is that?"
Because I'm growing. I'm going to be as large as your house is. Taayx crooned at Pearl, offering his head. His plumage was different again; now it was a soft gold. When Pearl stroked him, she sighed and shuddered all at once.
"He's cold but…calm…" She reached out to stroke him again, reaching toward his forehead. She rubbed gently, roughing up his plumage in a ticklish manner. His hide changed in a strange way again, picking up the confusion of the white-hearted Jumi who was so interested in him. The lack of shade was what it really was; he turned pure white. He purred richly, butting her hand whenever she paused.
She knows where I itch… The spoiled creature thought, content spilling through to his impressers. He let loose something like a sigh, falling into a state of over-well-treated bliss.
I think my average is going to be six pages or so. RnR as always.
Thanks for the Compliments, Feral. I loves jhoo!
From Final Fantasy VIII, I just read a Queifer. If you can't guess, that's Quistis/Seifer. Don't ask if you don't know. It's like a CT LuMa, an Arikku from FFX, and any other odd pairing from most games.