(Yeah, well, this story pretty much is only with made up original characters. If 'the' original characters ever make a scene in this, it'll most likely be towards the end. But that's an interesting idea, to bring the originals into it. I'll think about it. Thanks for the comment, Zachary.)
Emergence of Tallulah's Wrath
Kai laughed at Serenity again and then looked at Lhinx when she caught the crab. "Excellent! Good job, that's one enormous crab," Kai said as Lhinx put it over the fire. "And Serenity, it's okay, we'll eat soon."
Lhinx looked over to Serenity and grinned, her white predator teeth enough to make anyone nervous. "Want some?" Lhinx pulled out the crab and held it out to Serenity.
Serenity lightly jabbed her elbow into Kai's side for laughing at her again, then her eyes widened at the sight of crab being offered to her. She looked up to Lhinx and smiled brightly. "Oh, is it really okay Lhinx? Thank you so much!" She took hold of the crab, passing it from hand to hand like a hot potato for it was still warm. "Oh, this is going to taste soooo good…" She bowed again gratefully to Lhinx.
Lhinx nodded and put her staff away as she watched the girl try not to burn herself.
(Ah, this evening is quite a contrast to earlier today. One hour we're fighting half-fiends, the next we're enjoying a cookout on a nice peaceful evening. What a day...) Lhinx thought with a wistful demeanor.
The Ronso looked around, wondering where the rest of the group was.
…
Kai turned to Serenity when she nudged him. "Hey…" he nudged her back and then Lhinx offered Serenity some of the crab and he watched her toss it from hand to hand waiting for it to cool off. "You know, if you let it just sit there for a second you wouldn't have to worry about it burning you," he said, moving a stone in front of Serenity large enough to set the crab down on. "There, set it down."
…
Silver walked out of the house dressed in some baggy black shorts and a sleeveless XL red shirt with the legend 'Tiger' on it like a double sense. He sat cross-legged between Serenity and Lhinx as he looked at the fishes cooking. "Well, I think it shall be ready in just a second." His eyes then went up and met Tallulah's, and for a second he just wished Sin came back out of nowhere and swallowed him. He felt so guilty.
Snap! Back to reality, boy!
Silver turned away and looked at everyone one by one, Zephyr, Lucine, Lhinx, Kai and finally at Serenity, blushing a little all of sudden. "Well, feel free to start," he said and stood up to go get some drinks and the apples from earlier that day.
…
Serenity stuck her tongue out again at Kai, and set the crab down on the stone he placed in front of her. He sure was being the annoying brother he was supposed to be all of a sudden. Trying to make up time, I suppose… "Well, for your information, I didn't exactly have a place to set it down before. But now, all thanks to you, my hands shall not burn and I shall not have to worry," she said, thanking him sarcastically, and bowed at him in a big, exaggerated way, smiling.
Picking up the crab again, she began lightly cracking it on its side to open it up, and Serenity looked up as Silver sat down on her other side. She smiled at him when he finally looked at her, and went back to prying open the crab as Silver got up again to get something.
…
Silver returned carrying along a basket filled with apples on pressing it between his hip and his left hand and with a bag with cans of juice. "Ok people, dinner time at last." He placed the basket next to the fire so the apples would warm up a little and the cans just in front of him. He began passing them along until they all had one and he put the bag behind him.
He took an apple and cut small pieces from it with his claw, then he looked and grinned at Serenity, somehow the grin seemed a little cocky as he threw the piece of apple high in the air and caught it with his mouth. Not sure if that was a good way to impress a lady, he blushed and laughed softly.
…
Zephyr, who had been pondering the words of the evening for a while, tried to shake off the puzzle that was haunting her. She knew that they had to go to Guadosalam. If her theory was right about the half-fiends and their origins. . . the only people who would be able to help them with information would be the Guado scholars.
And the dead, of course. There's always the dead.
She stared at the table thoughtfully. However much she tried to think happy thoughts, she was incapable. Everyone was trying to forget about the journey, for this night. As if it were a pleasure trip.
It had started out a pleasure trip, for her, but it seemed so much more important now. And here these people were, laughing and acting so. . . cheerful.
"I'm not hungry," Zephyr spoke up suddenly, standing up straight and walking out of Silver's house, down to the waterfront. She couldn't stand this. It was as if something was gnawing at her subconscious, an idea she couldn't quite wrap her mind around. . . like the answer, an explanation was right in front of her. . .
"Zephyr..." Silver was about to jump on his feet but then he didn't. Zephyr seemed like she wanted to be alone so he'd giver her that. "Now what's with out Guado girl all of sudden? Could it be her 28th day or something?" he joked, smiling a little and throwing another piece of apple to catch it with his mouth again.
…
Happy she finally cracked the crab open, Serenity smiled and began eating. She looked to her side at Silver as he cut an apple with his claw, and moved her gaze up to his face, meeting with his grin that had a hint of cockiness. Smiling back a bit hesitantly, unsure of what he was doing. The next moment, he threw a piece of apple into the air and caught it with his mouth. Serenity covered her mouth and laughed silently, wondering why he had done that. It was entertaining, and that was enough for her.
"I'm not hungry," Zephyr had said suddenly, and Serenity abruptly stopped laughing and watched her stand up and walk off. Serenity got a worried look on her face, and Silver spoke up to fill the silence. Serenity smiled slightly at his joke and looked back at where Zephyr went. She knew she should let Zephyr be alone, like she seemed to want to be, but she had to say something at least before she would be able to do that.
"I—I'll be right back," Serenity said, and placed her crab down and stood up. Clasping her hands tightly in front of her, Serenity followed after Zephyr.
"Zephyr!" Serenity called as she neared her. "You…looked sad back there. Wanna scream?" Serenity joked lightly. "Look, I know you want to be alone right now…I just had to say something before I could allow myself to let you be alone." She looked up at the horizon, where the stars were now poking through the sky. "This…trip…it's become so much more serious then what we could have ever thought. I guess…we're not trying to make this 'pilgrimage'…into some sort of joke, you know…I want my journey, your journey, our journey, to be full of laughter."
Serenity paused then and smiled softly. Those words…her mother's words…it felt comforting. She put a hand on Zephyr's shoulder gently. "Don't let it get to you too much, 'kay? We're all here if you need us." Serenity let go and turned away. "I'll let you be alone now." With that, Serenity made her way back to Silver's house, and sat herself down at her place between Kai and Silver. She opened her can of juice and sipped the liquid.
"So…" Serenity said, looking at the group, "Who can catch a piece of apple with their mouths?"
…
Lhinx looked at the apple and observed the spectacle of the tiger demon catching the fruit in his mouth. Upon Serenity's inquiry of any others who could perform a similar task, the Ronso tossed the apple in the air and snapped her jaws shut as the apple fell into her large mouth.
(Hmm, not bad.) The Ronso thought.
Silver looked at Serenity as she went out and then smiled when he saw her back. "So…" She said, "Who can catch a piece of apple with their mouths?" Silver laughed and cut another piece of apple. "You can," he said and threw the piece of apple on the air and watched it fall down directly towards Serenity's face.
Serenity giggled and clapped as Lhinx threw and caught a whole apple with her mouth. "Bravo!" Serenity cheered. She heard Silver laugh and Serenity turned to him.
"You can," he said and threw a piece of apple towards her. Serenity opened her mouth in disbelief and shook her head, waving her hands in front of her. "No," Serenity mouthed, but soon opened her mouth again to try and attempt it. The piece of apple hit her on the nose, and Serenity held out her hand to catch it before it fell on the ground. She ate the piece of apple and poked at Silver playfully. "I can't catch apple, but…"
Serenity held up her index finger for them to hold on a second, and she jumped up and went into the kitchen. She came back with a bunch of grapes and sat back down. "I sure can catch grapes," Serenity finished, smiling. She threw up a grape and caught it her with mouth. She threw her hands up in the air as a silent cheer as she chewed on the grape. "Tada!"
Soon she sobered up, staring into the dying fire, and dreaming of the adventures to come. "Wow…I'm kind of tired.." She said, standing up. "Do you guys mind if I turn in for tonight?"
…
Words like Serenity's were all well and good, but Zephyr couldn't allow a smile to cross her face. She sat on the beach in the quickly fading light and sifted the sand through her fingers, silver-lined brow furrowed with thought and annoyance.
She'd studied all of this, the theories about half-fiends. It was an interesting aside to her study of alchemy. That had been all it was, for so long. And now she couldn't even remember. . . how was it that half-fiends came into being, anyway?
The halfling blocked out the laughter and chatter than floated her way from Silver's house and from the town itself. And finally, she remembered.
All of that hatred gathered as a fiend didn't always just fade away, once the fiend was killed. Not all souls could return to their original form. . . the pyreflies manifested the memories of old fiends, spirits who had become so embittered and strong with hatred. . .
In the Farplane, they became half-fiends. Unable to feel the bliss of death. Still spiteful, still jealous of the living.
Zephyr watched salty droplets fall and leave dark spots on the sand, imagining the anger and the creatures they had killed in that temple. Imagining the hatred.
In the background, she heard her comrades laughing.
…
Silver clapped and laughed as she caught the grape. "You're good," he said and smiled as he took his fish that had a stick from tail to mouth and began eating as properly as he could, slowly although suddenly she stop and some blood came out of his mouth. He had bitten his own tongue with his sharp fangs as he wanted to keep his mouth close while eating. He swallowed the piece of food he had in his mouth along with the blood and smiled. "Ouch."
Silver licked the blood that was rolling down his chin. "I never thought I could be so tasty," he said, embarrassed by what happened. He then looked at Lucine and smiled again. "Sweet dreams, feel free to sleep wherever you want."
"Um…actually, you look like you need some ice or something for your tongue…do you want me to get something?" Lucine asked, not even waiting for his reply but going into the kitchen to get a towel. She brought it back in and handed it to Silver.
"Well, I guess I'm going to bed now. It's getting kinda late. Hey Silver, mind if I sleep on the couch?" She pointed to the small, worn-out but comfortable couch in the corner.
Silver smiled and took the towel, cleaning the lower part of his face from the blood that remained. "It's ok, happens a lot when your fangs are as long and sharp as mine and your skull hasn't the exact shape to hold it. One of the few disadvantages of being a Demon." He laughed and took another bite of his fish. "If I had a mouth like Lhinx's it would be much easier."
…
Kai laughed at watching the others throw different food up and catch them in their mouths. It was great having the downtime during the crazy and hectic time. Kai took a bite out of the fish he got. "Excellent," he said, thinking the fish was some of the best he had.
…
Tallulah ate in silence, sitting between where Zephyr was and Lucine, looking up at Silver from time to time and glaring at Serenity without being noticed. She wasn't in the best mood, now they were going to repeat the journey she and Silver made years ago. But that could be her chance, maybe Silver would remember and fall for her once again.
She took a small bite of the fish with her eyes closed. Then sipped her drink and went on eating her fish. Tallulah looked at Silver's shirt and blushed as she remember the story of it. Their first night he had worn that, and although he would never talk about it she knew he still remembered.
…
Serenity had moved onto the fish after finishing the crab Lhinx had given her. Fighting the urge to lick her fingers, she looked up when Lucine had gone to fetch a towel for Silver and watched as Silver wiped his face of the blood. She turned away briefly from the sight and looked back at him. "Silver…you don't have try and eat 'properly' if that's what's going to happen."
"Well, I guess I'm going to bed now. It's getting kind of late," Lucine said after delivering the towel. Serenity nodded and waved. "Have a good night's rest, Lucine." She stretched and lied back down, using her arms as a pillow for her head. "I suppose it is getting late. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Maybe we should turn in ourselves."
…
Kai looked at the others then up at the sky, and after a moment he stood up and walked into the house and up the stairs, finding a window. Ah, this will get me onto the roof, Kai thought to himself as he climbed out the window and onto the roof. After getting there, he easily found his balance for the roof was not on that much of a slant. Kai made his way up the roof and found a nice spot to sit near the top and look to the sky.
…
Silver laughed embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, then he finished his fish, very careful not to bite his tongue and still trying to eat properly. He looked at Serenity and smiled, then at the rest. "I can put what's left in a freezer pack to carry along, I have one somewhere around here."
He stood up and took ten of the thirteen fishes left, leaving three for anyone who wanted and went inside where he placed them inside a big metallic backpack. It had three bags inside of it as well. He put then some apples and a few cans of juices in the other bags. "Ok, all settled," Silver called from inside the kitchen, walking the outside. "Whomever wants to take the bed you know where to find it."
Serenity sat up, wondering where Kai had gone off to since he didn't say anything when he left. Shrugging it off as another person who wanted some time alone, Serenity took one of the three fish that Silver left and began eating. "I think I'll sleep out here tonight if that's okay. I'm just going to need a spare blanket and I'll be fine."
…
Kai leaned back and was now lying on the roof looking up at the stars. He felt bad that he didn't tell anyone he came up there but that didn't really matter. "Man, the stars sure are clear here like they are back on Besaid," he said quietly to himself while thinking about the day his parents left and how he wanted to go with them.
…
Lhinx smiled with amusement as Serenity had tossed grapes into her mouth and at Silver's comment about her mouth. When it came time to decide who slept where, the Ronso resigned to sleep out on the deck.
"Lhinx worried about Zephyr," Lhinx finally said. "Not good to be away from friends."
…
"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," Tallulah said, grinning almost evilly and wishing she could see Serenity's reaction as she walked into the house and went upstairs. An evil move, yes, but was worth it. Serenity would have to almost as innocent as a baby, which she knew she wasn't, to not to understand what she meant by 'good memories'. She let herself fall on the bed, remembering the very first night she spend on that bed with Silver.
…
Lucine curled up on the couch, using a blanket she found to cover herself up. It was so warm...and outside she could see the last of the fire's embers ,their smoke twirling up into the cloudless night sky. "This is the happiest I've been in a long time..."Lucine managed to say quietly, before falling asleep. The last thing she saw was Kai getting up from the fire...
…
"Coming, m'lady," Silver said to Serenity and ran inside. A minute later he came out with a warm blanket and a pillow from his bed. He placed both next to her and sat right by them, smiling. "Seems like your brother likes my favorite sleeping place just as I do," he said, listening to Kai talking to himself. "The stars here are really pretty."
But not as much as her eyes...
Here you go again...
Let me be for Spira's sake!
"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," he heard Tallulah say and he blushed bright red... again wanting to be swallowed by Sin or something like that.
Lhinx noted Silver tense up as Tallulah went up to his bedroom.
(Oh dear....) The Ronso thought as she took off her vest and folded it into a pillow like device. She took off her arm guard and smiled at how gentlemanly the tiger demon was toward Serenity.
(Love is weird...) The Ronso thought as she pillowed her head with her hands as well and looked up to the sky.
…
Zephyr blinked herself out of her strange, almost trancelike state, and listened to her comrades getting to sleep. Once again, she would sleep under the stars, where she could hear the lapping of the waves against the shore. This time she didn't half expect pleasant dreams.
The halfling settled herself into the sand, almost wishing one of the half-fiends would break out and kill her before she woke. If it would help satisfy their bloodlust just a little.
Poor creatures. What kind of people were they, she wondered, before they died with all of that hatred in their hearts . . .
With this thought, she fell into unsettled dreams.
…
Silver came back with a warm blanket and a pillow, and Serenity smiled back at him as he sat down beside them. "Seems like your brother likes my favorite sleeping place just as I do," Silver commented, and she looked up at the roof. "Yeah, looks like it…" Serenity said, and hoped Kai was okay.
"I think I'll take your bed, Silver, good memories come to me," Tallulah said, and went inside. She was glad that Tallulah left before she could see her reaction, which even then was hard to decipher. Good memories…? Serenity repeated in her thoughts, and turned her head to the side. What sort of memories can she have about…a…bed… Serenity closed her eyes tightly for a moment, and looked to Silver to see his reaction on it. She saw him blushing quite red, and Serenity closed her eyes again. No…
"I think…" Serenity started, her voice faltering, "…I think I'll go sleep on the beach with Zephyr…" Serenity said softly and stood up. "Um…Lhinx is right…she-she shouldn't sleep alone out there…and…stuff…" Serenity added, hoping the reason she was leaving wasn't too obvious. She didn't feel right sleeping there all of a sudden. She bowed her leave to Lhinx and to Silver, not making eye contact with him, and made her way out.
"Serenity!" Silver stood up and motioned to follow her but he didn't. A sudden rage took over him. He knew what Tallulah had meant and still remembered. And now he knew Serenity wouldn't look at him the same. Without a word he began walking to the woods again, wishing he had his mask with him.
Damn you...
You hormones finally have betrayed you...
SHUT UP!!! LEAVE ME ALONE!!!
You are alone...
I am... and I don't care! I do not need anyone!
You need her...
No, I don't, I only need myself and that's all...
You lie...
I... know...
He found himself away from the house after some minutes. He could still see the dim light of the dying fire from where he stood. Silver looked then at a huge tree just in front of him and turned his hands into fists, his claws going into his own flesh. He motioned his right fist back and punched the tree real hard and it fell. The a second one just next to it and a third one. He couldn't get rid of his rage.
Blood soaked his hands. His own. He didn't care, Silver had never been this angry not with anyone. But he wasn't mad at Tallulah, or at Serenity, he was mad at himself. Looking up he saw a nice branch on an unaffected tree and jumped on it, resting his back on it and closing his eyes.
…
Serenity came across Zephyr, who had settled herself quite nicely into the sand and was fast asleep, though she didn't look like she was having any nice dreams. Serenity looked up at the night sky as she walked in the sand, the light of the moon and the stars merging into one as tears blurred her vision. How am I…supposed to compete with that? She lost her footing and tripped, falling face forward rather harshly though it was sand. Serenity didn't bother to sit herself up, and turned her head down to the sand, feeling the warmth of her tears falling down her cheeks.
What in Spira made me think he could ever like me…? Serenity curled up and clutched her hands close to her heart, feeling sleep eager to take over and dominate all her thoughts and turn them into bitter nightmares. Closing her eyes, Serenity eventually gave in and fell asleep, trapped inside her subconscious until daylight came and could free her from its grip.