Minga: (dances) Another chapter.
Ina: (yawns and grumbles)
Minga: Awww, someone's tired.
Ina: (grumbles) bite me.
I do not understand why you cry.
-Shut up, Syrioss.-
Whin pulled on her helmet and mounted her bike. –It wasn't your fault, you know. We've established the fact that it was our fault, really.- Whin cracked a tiny smile at the endearing tone in his deep voice.
'I know, Ran. Thanks.'
You are in no condition to drive.
-Shut up, Syrioss. I'll drive, Whin.-
Whin sniffed. 'Thanks. As for whose fault it is, I doubt Optimus would agree.'
-He doesn't understand,- Ran explained patiently, starting the bike.
Whin sighed though it sounded more like a hiccup. 'I know. I wish I could explain it to him.'
You can, but you just don't want to.
-Syrioss!- the other fell silent. –Primus, he's an idiot.-
I am not. Syrioss huffed, but fell silent once more when Ran growled at him.
'I do want to tell him, but I know he won't listen long enough. Likely throw a punch or five by the time I get around to saying "Hi, bro."' she said bitterly.
-One day, Whin. He'll listen one day.- Ran told her trying to lift her plummeting spirits.
'I'm starting to lose hope, Ran. Twenty-five years is apparently not long enough to put our differences and pasts behind us.'
Ran was silent for a while as he pulled into the driveway. –Have faith, Whin. I hate seeing you like this, and you know it. Think of Narz and Prowl and Jazz. You need to be strong for them, and you must have faith. We're always here for you; you know that. Even that other idiot.-
Syrioss made a sound of agreement, but not at the insult. Really, Whin. We'll always be here for you when the world walks out on ya.
Whine gave one last sniff and got off the bike. 'Thanks.' Getting out the key, she unlocked the door and walked inside. 'What do you recommend for dinner?'
You have steak in the freezer from last week. Syrioss told her immediately.
-You also have shrimp from before that.- Ran pointed out. –And chicken breast too. Why don't you make pasta? That way you could use all of them.-
'And the argument?'
Syrioss paused, thinking. Pasta sounds good.
Whin cracked a smile. 'Pasta it is.'
-
With a soft hiss, the stone moved along the length of the amazing golden blade, making the metal-like weapon sing as it slid off its razor-sharp tip. There were two blades on each arm, lines up with each other and positioned on the outside of her arms, in line with her pinkies.
Whirling, she slashed out at the lamp with her left hand. With a hiss and a clatter, the top of the lamp slid off and fell to the floor, sheared neatly off by the golden blades. The blades flared as their bearer was surprised by a knock on the door. With a flick of her wrists, she ordered the blades back in their place. Obediently the golden blades sunk downwards and disappeared into her arm as the door opened.
"Jazz and Prowl are home," Narzenim told her adopted mother quietly, eyeing the remains of the lamp.
Whin smiled up at her daughter. "Okay. I'll be right down." With a nod the teen closed the door. When the door had shut, she turned to look at the lamp. Flapping a hand at it, she left as well. The broken lamp twitched then moved together and becoming one once more, flew up to rest in its previous position on the table.
-
"Sorry about earlier today, Whin," Jazz said and surprised, the woman looked up from the prodding of her pasta.
She gave a shaky smile and shook her head. "Nah, it's okay, Jazz. Orion and I just haven't gotten along for nearly thirty years."
"What happened that made him hate you?" Prowl asked and Whin frowned slightly as if contemplating whether or not to tell him.
"I'm older than him by thirteen years, and our mother had to work, so she'd leave him home with me and 'Streak – that's my twin sister. Streak got jealous because Orion and I were practically joined at the hip – a position she used to have with me." Whin sighed. "Streak hated Orion at first – the 'lil' pipsqueak' needed to be fed, burped, changed, played with, kept from harm, and worst of all to her was that he'd scream. It certainly didn't help that Mother kept his crib in our room so I could take care of him." She sighed again, prodding her uneaten pasta with her fork. "Streak hated Orion with a passion and when we turned twenty, she left us. Orion, however, loved her as much as he loved me and was just as heartbroken as I was that she left. He was ten and couldn't understand why Streak would just up and leave like that. He began distancing himself from me – he didn't want his heart to be broken if I decided to leave.
"One day while he was at school I had come home to visit him – it was attending college at the time – to find our Mother bleeding. I called the police of course and tried to bring her back. 'Course, that did nothing but get me all bloody, and when Orion came home, he flipped and thought I killed her." Whin grimaced at that and shuddered. "A month later, they established the fact that I was not her killer – her real killer is still on the loose." There was something strange in the way she said that, but Jazz and Prowl dared not interrupt. "Orion's father and I got into an argument. About what, I don't really remember, but he tried to punch me – attack me with a kitchen knife, really – and I fought back only in defense. My nerves were frayed horribly and I didn't want anything bad to happen to Orion's sole surviving parent. Orion walked in on us and once more, flipped." She sighed. "He's hated me ever since and he's still convinced that I killed Mother."
"So what projects are you working on now?" Jazz asked, always eager to know what sort of artwork Whin worked on.
The woman blinked in surprise at the sudden shift in topics. "Nothing, really. I don't have any commissions so I'm working on projects I've been wanting to work on during my free time."
"Are we going camping again soon?" Narzenim piped up from across the table where she was helping herself to her third serving of pasta.
Whinny smiled. "Yes, pretty soon." She cast a golden eye at Jazz and Prowl almost thoughtfully before returning to her meal. Camping was a tradition with them – they went into the wilderness every few months for about a week, letting Jazz and Prowl have the house all to themselves.
Narzenim looked up and glanced at Jazz and Prowl, gaze lingering unlike her mother's. Narzenim, like Prowl, was adopted by Whin at a young age and raised by the older woman. Her eyes were a vibrant emerald, bright against her light skin. Like Prowl, she had bright red hair which she usually wore in a long braid. Her eyes always seemed to convey stillness and calm while letting you know that despite how invisible you felt, she always saw you; you could never hide from her emerald eyes.
At last the hard gaze subsided and she offered them an apologetic smile before eating her dinner once more. Whinny looked over at her and Prowl and Jazz felt as if they were missing something – a conversation between mother and daughter that lasted only a scant few seconds. Their gazes were locked and abruptly split, going back to what they were doing before.
Jazz and Prowl exchanged a glance then resumed eating.
-
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. Do you doubt me?"
"No, no. I never doubt you, love. It's just…"
"I know. The Dragon symbol is not the best one to have."
"He will be cursed for the rest of his life. Sometimes I wish I had never damned him – that I wasn't his mother…"
"You did what you had to do. When the time is right, he will know and he will understand. He must learn, however, to turn his curse into a blessing for himself. As for being his mother, I believe that you may have made a mistake then, but with him existing, I think that there are a great many things that can and will be accomplished. I ain't sayin' he's the damned Messiah, but I would rather live in a world with him than without."
There was a chuckle. "You are wise beyond your years, Little One."
"I know."
"Wise ass."
"But you love me anyway."
-
Blearily, Jazz blinked as his comm. unit chirped irritatingly at him. Grunting, he heaved his tired body off the bed and grabbed it before it could wake anyone else. "Jazz here."
"Jazz, it's Optimus."
Jazz blinked in surprise. "Optimus? To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"
"There's nothing good about it, Jazz." Something in his leader's voice wiped the smile off the man's face. "You know Whin? Before today, I mean."
Jazz frowned thoughtfully. "Yeah. I live with her." There was a sharp intake of breath on the other line. "Why? Is something wrong?"
Optimus sighed. "She's Marked."
Immediately Jazz was wide awake. "Who's she bound to?"
Though he couldn't see him, Jazz could tell that Optimus shook his head. "I don't know; I haven't seen her in nearly thirty years." The older man reminded the younger bitterly. "I just called to tell you to be very, very careful because Whin's dangerous."
"Do you know her Markings?" Jazz asked quietly.
"Dragon and Torch, though their meanings for her, I do not know. I just know that she has incredible power that we do not possess; we'd need the Seer for that."
"And we don't know where he is." Jazz finished almost bitterly.
"Precisely. So be on your guard around Whin, okay? I don't want to lose someone else to her."
"Acknowledged. Out." The comm. unit went dead and Jazz sighed. Rubbing his eyes, he looked up –
To find Whin standing in the doorway, cup of tea in her graceful hand. Her strange golden eyes fairly glowed in the dim light and Jazz wondered how long she'd been there and how much she had heard of the conversation with her brother.
"Megatron does not have the Seer, so you needn't worry." She said at last, eyes hard. Unconsciously one hand rose to rub her chest just below her collarbones. "Orion doesn't have her either and I do not plan on giving her to him unless it is what she wishes. You may tell him I said that if you wish." On silent feet she walked out and down the hall, disappearing quickly.
Ina's Monologue:
Today's topic:
Marks: In this story, a Mark is a tattoo-like mark on the skin that appears first on the day the subject was born, then disappears the nBouext day. The Mark appears a while later when the subject is older and the Mark Activates. The Activation of a Mark will be discussed in a different Monologue, perhaps next chapter. There are thirteen Marks: Angel, Ant, Bear, Caduceus, Cat, Dragon, Hawk, Lion, Shield, Spyglass, Sword, Torch, and Wolf, and each have their own meanings. The meanings of the Marks will also be discussed later.
Bound: In the conversation between Jazz and Optimus, they discussed Whin and her Marks, as well as who speculating if she is bound to anyone. In this context, they are referring to the act of choosing a side.
Seer: Will be explained later in greater detail, but in essence the Seer is a child who sees (duh) things that not many people can. This child can usually tell who is Marked and who is not, and sometimes even see the future. The Seer also has the ability to know whose side someone is on, what their Marks are, and if aforementioned Marks are Active.
Whin, Ran, and Syrioss: Whin has issues, but schizophrenia is not one of them. Her only injury is a broken heart and such conversations with Ranthanoss and Syrioss are normal. As one with a Dragon Mark, she has split personalities: human and dragon. Ranthanoss is her Dragon-side, but Syrioss is there because of her Torch symbol, thus a three-way split with poor Whin.