Author's Notes: Hello again! No, I'm not dead! ;D Not yet, anyway. XD I probably apologize every chapter, but I'm sorry it took me a whole six months to update. Alot has happened since last update, yes it has. o.o
Anyway, I believe I have a present to give out! To ReadingWhiz89, Ruru, I give a very late Christmas present because she found a manga reference in the previous chapter. The 'last run' was the reference, I believe. Well done for spotting it, Ru. I present you with the honorary Stick of Justice, courtesy of the Official Beating-Knives-With-A-Stick Association. May you give many a good whack.
And now, may I just say, that I do intend to finish this fic! Even if it takes me five years, I'm gonna finish it! I will never abandon this fic.
Please cheer for me now. XDD
;standard disclaimer still applies.
Chapter nineteen: Blade
Airies quietly sat in the shadows of the hushed plant room, bored and uncomfortable. It had been nearly a week since she had returned with her oblivious captive, and in that time no event of the slightest interest had occurred. Airies had not even seen Knives, though it was evident that he was still around. His continued "experiments" could be heard, if faintly, from most reaches of the ship and he had buzzed Airies once or twice on the intercoms since her arrival. So, apart from the occasional rumbles issuing from the freezer, very little happened. Their raven-haired guest had hardly even moved, let alone awoken, and Airies was tiring of watching her, as ordered by her father.
The prone, limp captive lay only a few feet from Airies, in little a different position than when she had been roughly dumped there. Airies' eyes had long since drifted away from the girl, now focusing on the quietly awe-inspiring plant. Grimacing, she shifted her weight onto a less numb portion of her backside. A small noised issued from her stomach, a longing grumble. It was not surprising that she now needed something to eat, despite being a plant, for she hadn't eaten for nearly a week and half.
Airies picked herself up and glanced at the sleeping captive. It wouldn't hurt to leave for a moment or two, she supposed.
'Guess it's important to stay alive.' At that thought, she chuckled a cold, quiet laugh to herself and stepped out of the shadows. As she made for the door, however, a strangled moan met her ears from behind. She veered round, her eyes narrowing, and saw that the captive female had awoken. Airies snapped deftly back into the black shade and watched as the girl writhed on the floor, clutching her at her leg. She gathered that a leg cramp must have roused the girl, and a very painful one at that, but she seemed not to have yet noticed Airies.
The teenager squirmed about on the floor in pain for a few minutes longer, but, having recovered, she began to absorb her surroundings. It clearly puzzled her. One could say it even alarmed her, for she glanced apprehensively back and forth between the walls for several moments. Then she registered the immense plant standing behind her in mint grandeur. She turned to it and it consumed her attention for minutes on end.
Though the consciousness of the captive was a new advancement, Airies soon grew very much bored of watching the girl ogle the plant. She shifted again, purposefully noisily to stir up the female before her in fear, or even confusion—anything for Airies to amuse herself with. This produced the effect that Airies had wanted, albeit it was only a minor startling on the girl's part. Thus, Airies wasn't entirely satisfied.
She grinned maliciously and clicked her fingers. Her prisoner snapped to attention and stared directly at where the noise had issued from, though not discerning Airies for the black shroud around her. Airies eyes flashed and glowed with nasty glee at the intense fear in the young female's eyes. She could hear the heavy breathing, even from such a distance. The girl was undoubtedly and dreadfully afraid. She glanced from side to side in a panic and Airies let a small giggle escape her lips as she watched the poor creature scamper unsteadily up the stairs onto the high ground of the plant's control platform. She must have put a foot wrong and tripped or knotted her feet or something precarious because in a moment, she was on the floor again and rolling about in immense pain.
Screams and cries filled the chamber and Airies felt a clash at her conscience. She hadn't meant to cause anguish to the girl, failing whether this prisoner happened to be against her or not.
"Daddy, where are you?" the human wept out. Airies froze at the mention of a father figure, but almost instantaneously pushed the concept away and shook herself into action. She walked forward and out of the haven of the shadows, not at a terribly fast pace, and ascended the stairs to the prisoner. The human quivered and writhed before her, helpless and oblivious to Airies' presence, and Airies blanched, wondering whether this was indeed the person whom had been contacting her throughout her life. There was only one way she would know.
-
Lavender had hardly let out the force of her pain through her tears when suddenly she was grabbed at the shoulder from behind. She was turned and could not help but shriek at the ghostly face that met her.
"AHHHHHHHH!" she yelped, helped by her tears, as she stared into the blurry, ghostly visage of her father. But it was not Vash.
"Stop it," the person ordered quietly. Lavender kicked out at the—what she supposed it was—apparition. Failing to even connect with the individual in question, however, Lavender's ankle twisted even more out of shape. She shrieked out again, though this time more in shock than fear or pain, for she hadn't yet realized that there was no longer any pain stemming from her ankle. In effect, she felt nothing from her ankle at all anymore. She screamed on, however, mostly unintelligible phrases concerning her father being prominent in her wails.
"Stop it!" they ordered again, this time more firmly. They were now grasping Lavender resolute at both shoulders. Lavender flailed out once more, but fell short and complied to the being in front of her, quieting down to small sobs.
The room grew gradually more and more muted as Lavender's sobs became tiny hiccups and then the hiccups to sniffs. For the first time, wiping her aching eyes, Lavender dared to steal a glance at the one still pinioning her by the shoulders. It was a girl, and of Lavender's own age. Feeling surer of herself, she turned and faced the opposing teenager head on, observing her. She had remarkably long, gold-blonde hair and light teal eyes, and an angular face—an appearance not unlike that of Lavender's father. Thus, Lavender suddenly realized how she had mistaken this individual to be Vash. This girl was strangely pale, though. She looked sort of "washed out", as if she had never seen the light of the twin suns. There was something oddly familiar about her, though, other than her resemblance to Vash.
Neither of them moved, much less spoke, their constant breathing the only apparent sound in the room. They simply stared into one another's eyes, turquoise boring, assaulting, into lilac. Lavender spoke first.
"Who…" she stuttered. "Who are you?" she asked in a would-be firm voice. The girl just stared, her teal eyes fixed in a glare. Lavender felt uncomfortable under her gaze, but more so angry that the girl had failed to answer her question.
"What's your name?" Lavender pressed. Again, she received no reply. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" she teased. Her captor hissed, and then slowly her mouth curled into a toxic smirk. Lavender's insides squirmed and she wished that the girl would release her.
"My name is Airies," the girl finally replied. An odd (misplaced, Lavender thought) tone of surprise was present in her voice.
Doing her best at attempting to appear tough, Lavender cocked a brow.
"Airies?" she said emphatically, as if studying the name. "What kind of a name is that?" she mocked, plastering a smirk to her face. She immediately wished she hadn't. Airies offered her a powerful frosty glare, her fingernails tightening uncomfortably around her captive's shoulders.
"Let me go," Lavender said quietly through gritted teeth. It wasn't a request. Seemingly offended, Airies' face contorted and scrunched up crookedly in anger. Her grip tautened again, her fingers looking to pierce through Lavender's clothes and cut her raw to the bone.
"Let go of me!" Lavender ordered again, irate. Airies bared her angular teeth menacingly and—despite Knives orders not to harm the individual—thrust Lavender down on the steel, hard. Lavender squealed, pinioned again, and shoved her hands frantically up at Airies' face in an attempt to free herself.
"You have no idea how much I hate you!" Airies choked down at Lavender in a seething whisper, her voice dripping with sincere loathing. Lavender's brow creased in irritated bewilderment as she struggled. Who on earth was this girl?
"You don't even know me!" she rowed, striking Airies across the cheek defensively, her nails leaving an elongated scratch and stinging pink raises. Airies howled in ire rather than in pain, returning Lavender's nick with a great punch. Lavender yelled out, feeling her cheek being contused and bleeding within. With her able foot she jerked out and threw her offender off, and with a firm slap in the process. Airies landed hard against the metal railing, winded, her eyes wide, glazing, and smoldering with hatred.
"What do you want with me!" Lavender screamed out in demand, scuttling back as fast as she was able without injuring herself. Airies grinned wickedly, but her eyes were hard and set.
"Shouldn't I be asking that question?" she spat scathingly, folding her arms gingerly over her throbbing stomach.
"What are you talking about?" Lavender moaned, the utter confusion and alarm evident in her tone. "You don't make any sense!"
"No, you make no sense!" Airies bellowed back accusingly. "You and all humans! You kill anything and everything that gets in your way just so your pathetic existence can carry on!"
Lavender was taken aback at the harshness of the girl in front of her and her ominous words. Airies waited for Lavender to speak, her breath heavy and fast with fury and indignation.
"But," she went on, her voice lowered and severe, "your inferior race won't plague mine any longer." Lavender, thoroughly vexed, opened her mouth to question.
"You won't plague me any longer!" Airies roared, pointing vehemently at Lavender with an accusing forefinger. "For seventeen years—my whole life—you've tried to use me!" she raged on. "You thought you could penetrate my very mind! And just to get to my kind!" Airies stood, giving Lavender a look that could cremate. She let out a colossal howl and Lavender's hands flew up over her ears. "NO MORE!" Airies shouted.
"STOP IT!" Lavender retorted, throwing her arms out in protest to Airies' brutal accusations. "STOPITSTOPITSTOPIT!" she screamed. Airies took a step back from the raucous girl, quiet, but her expression written with no less severity.
There was a pregnant hush, in which only Lavender's panting prevented utter silence. After a minute or so, having let the atmosphere cool a little, Lavender grasped a hold of the platform railing and slowly hauled herself up in an attempt to match her opposing side. She stood gingerly, putting her weight on her able foot. She wobbled precariously a moment, but kept a firm face.
Airies, her brows knit, looked quizzically at Lavender for her apparent weakness. She watched as Lavender steadied herself on the railing. Lavender gazed steadfastly into Airies' visage.
"What the hell are you on about?" she posed, shaking her head in disbelief. Airies jerked her head back in bewilderment. Silence ensued for turbulent minutes. Lavender simply stared with her firm, questioning eyes. Airies' turquoise orbs scrutinized her, darting in a manic pace from Lavender's face down to her feet and back up again.
"I asked you—" Lavender began.
"Don't play dumb with me," Airies growled contemptuously, seething. "No more games!" she hollered, jolting forward and roughly tackling the shocked Lavender over in a split second.
"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU AND ALL YOUR KIND!" There were no words that Airies could sum up to describe her emotion. No phrase that could understand the raw hate that brewed inside of her for the disease that was mankind. The very emotion permeated her being and made her skin literally tingle.
She seized and clutched at Lavender's delicate human throat and squeezed the very moisture from her pale skin. Airies then raised her other arm to attack and—it was beyond her power to explain why or to care, but—began to feel it pulsating.
Lavender barely registered anything. Her consciousness was all a blur. She felt herself clutching feebly at Airies' wrist, her throat protesting and her lungs begging for air. She looked up at Airies through her glazed, brimming eyes and simply stared, her mouth falling open in awe at the sight of Airies' arm. Even if she had been able, she wouldn't have even breathed.
Airies' face contorted in pain at the cruel, foreign sting of the alterations now beginning to occur in her suspended arm. Blinding white light began to stem from it, and she and Lavender both screwed up their eyes.
Then Airies gasped as an extreme amount of raw and uncontrollable power began to surge through her living being, and she quickly forgot about the girl pinned down beneath her. She could feel what she only thought were soft, downy feathers lining her skin, and then felt her hand retracting and changing into something else. Her fingertips prickled electrically for a moment and then stung like only one thing she had ever felt before: a blade. The sting then began to circulate and travel up her forearm.
It didn't stop. Airies could feel it; she knew her arm was transforming into something unnatural. She dared to look down and what she saw, coupled with the pain that was intensifying by the second, made her shriek. They were sprouting out of her arm like poised spears. She could feel them lacerating up out of her skin and through the wad of feathers now lining her skin up to her temples. They slid out in all directions.
Airies' fingers were gone, replaced by the grim, chilling aberrations that her entire arm was swiftly becoming one of. She screamed out desperately, willing the process to cease.
Lavender's body and mind were frozen in unison. She couldn't think and everything—sight, sound and feeling—were fast becoming just a confusing blend of senses that she couldn't focus on. She barely even realized that Airies had released her.
There were only two things that would remain firmly indented in her mind: the sudden, clammy and sickening feel of someone else's hot blood spattering across her face, and then the sharp, malicious sound of a man's laughter.
Review now, poyos! OR I WILL CRY. ;-; ... Please?
Hehe, thanks much if you do. Also, thank you so much to Wolferz again, for whom I have been writing this story since the beginning! You give me so much inspiration, Wolfie! You have my infinite gratitude. Everyone give a hand for Wolferz, for she gave me an entirely new view on my fic and I imagine it will take a few more interesting turns because of her. I'mma start a Wolferz fanclub! XD
Again, please review my pretties! ;D