" Jinto, what are you doing?"
I open my eye at the question wondering vaguely where the voice had come from. With a jolt I see the sad excuse for a room around me, I really was here. The door twings, but it doesn't open and it sounded louder, like it might be announcing someone. Curious, I roll off the bed and walk to the door, seeing a similar panel that is outside I wave my hand in front of it. The twings just it opens, to reveal a young boy standing in front of me.
" Jinto?" I ask, taken aback.
The poor kid, he looks terrified now that I'm in front of him.
" Jinto?" he stood there looking like he had gathered all his courage to walk down here but now that he was he seemed to have lost his nerve. " Why don't you come in, Jinto." I stood to the side and allowed passage, then I remembered the state my quarters are in and flinch.
The boy walks unsteadily inside, glancing at me like I might be luring him in. I walk to the bed and sit on the edge, Jinto takes the chair. We sat there for more then ten minutes and I started to wonder if he was ever going to talk.
I decided to give him a boost, " So, Jinto, what brings you here?" I sounded subdued, just like I planned.
" Um, I was just curious if the story is true." he sounded nervous.
I smiled kindly, " I'm sorry, Jinto, but your going to have to give me more than that. What story?"
He shifted in the chair looking all the more like he wished it would swallow him, " I heard that your... unusual. That you could have hurt my father and the rest of the camp if you had wanted to and that no one would have been able to do anything to protect themselves." his mouth closed abruptly like he feared he'd said to much.
My smile vanished, " Jinto, where did hear this story?"
" Teyla and my father were talking and they didn't know that I listening."
I nodded, " I figured, and so it begins. Okay, Jinto, here's the truth. I am unusual, to put it lightly, and I could have hurt your father and everyone else if I wanted to. But. I didn't. You see, I'm not like you, or your father, or Teyla. I'm not even human. But I wont hurt you, Halling, Teyla, or anyone else in this city. You wanna know why?"
He nodded.
" Because now after a very long time, I have found hope and I'm not going to waste it. That and I couldn't kill anyone here from the simple fact that I don't want to, they have done nothing to me and in return I will do nothing to them."
He sat there for a moment digesting what I said, " Teyla said you feed on us like the Wraith."
" Teyla just used the Wraith as an example, and the only reason she said it like that is because we both feed on humans. Mines just a little less permanent, that is if I can control myself properly."
" What do you do?" so innocent.
" Wraith feed on life, energy. I feed on that which gives life, in other words, blood."
" Why?"
" I don't really know to tell you the truth. I just do, because if I don't I suffer greatly."
Jinto was quiet for a minute before looking at the door, " I think I should go, my friends are waiting. They probably think I'm dead by now, but I'm going to tell them what you told me."
" Okay, Jinto. See ya around."
He pauses, " You talk similar to Major Sheppard, why?"
I stand and walk him to the door, " Let's just say that even though I am different from you and Teyla and also Sheppard, he and I have a little more in common."
I nudge him through the doorway and wave my hand over the panel, I think about what just happened and wonder if I'll have to ask questions for my entire life here. I wait five minutes before waving my hand again and I head into the corridor. Turning at random(right) and listen as my door closes behind me.
Slowly, I start wandering down the halls making erratic turns in direction. Ever so often I walk past people either talking quietly to themselves or fiddling with a sort of mobile computer. Neither of which seem to notice me, which is fine with me. The next turn I make takes me to a deserted corridor with a windowed door at the end, sunlight is spilling through the colored glass leaving rainbows covering the floor at the end. I walk toward the door and pause to study to brilliant hues mixing with each other.
I wave my hand and the door opens as be expected, but the view beyond was like nothing I had ever imagined. I walked out into bright sunshine as I marveled the towers around me, and around them the bluest ocean you could possibly think of. The air was clear and fresh, the wind smelled of salt and whistled through the city. I found myself next to the railing with my body leaning over the edge. I felt an odd urge to fly around the city and see if it looks just as amazing from above.
" Faith!" Teyla's voice startled me and I nearly tumbled over the railing.
After I regain my balance I glare over my shoulder as Teyla approaches.
" What?" my high spirits from a moment ago seemed to have sunk because my voice dripped with displeasure.
" I had been looking for you ever since Jinto told Halling what you said. When I saw you leaning over the rail I feared you would fall, or jump."
I release a strained sigh, " I wasn't going to jump or fall, that is until you surprised me by screaming my name. Why have you been looking for me?"
" I wanted to thank you, for explaining. I had begun to fear what you would be thinking after he told you that. He misunderstood, Halling and I were just discussing how lucky we were that you were kind enough not to harm anyone. You must forgive Jinto, he is young still."
" I hadn't really thought anything of it, I had actually expected it. Honestly, I am something to fear, because I do have my moments. I don't if others of my kind are the same way or if I'm just a freak of nature. I've given this thought over my years and I've decided it's the latter."
She didn't say anything after that, probably afraid of how I would react to anything she said, I might snap. The city lay before and above me, the urge to soar around the towers surged through me again. The only difference is that Teyla was standing next to me and I would have an audience, not that I really cared but I kinda wanted to show-off my wings.
" Hey, Teyla? Wanna see something cool?" I didn't move as I said it but continued to lean against the rail.
She hesitated, " Okay." she sounded uncertain.
" Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything dangerous, to myself or anyone else. But I must ask you not to over react and to not try to stop me." I got a nod in return.
Without thinking twice, I jump over the rail making sure to keep a firm grip as I planted my feet in between my hands. Again, I moved so fast that by the time Teyla registered what I was doing I had my hands behind holding the rail and my legs bent preparing to push away.
She didn't have time to say anything because I released my grip and leaped into the air, I kept my arms behind and my legs straight. As I started to fall I unfurled my wings and spread them to their full length, allowing me to glide.
The city, Atlantis, was even more amazing from above as I had guessed. I saw people watch me fly by from the tower windows, shock plastered to their faces.
Smiling like I had not a care in the world, I pushed with my wings and set myself shooting up higher into the air. From this height I could see that the ocean around us went on for miles, I saw a speck in the distance that might have been land but I didn't want to go and investigate right now. Instead I flared my wings and leaned backwards, at the axis of my climb I pulled my wings to my body and started a free fall.
I let myself fall until I was near the ocean surface before I opened my wings again and flapped them so as not to crash into the icy water. After that I lazily glided back to Atlantis, on a balcony on the central tower I saw Weir watching me with a look of awe.
Why not?
I shifted my weight to the right and headed in that direction, I had to flap my wings a couple times kinda hard so as I did not ram into the side of structure. As my feet touched down I pulled my wings back into their resting position, I knew they had disappeared when Weir's eyes widened.
I flash a crooked grin, " Hello, Elizabeth. Nice day." I didn't take offense when she didn't answer, she was kinda in shock at seeing me fly around the city with wings that most likely had reflected the sun.
" No offense, Elizabeth, but I think I'll go back to my quarters," Teyla's mind screamed at me as she raced to the central tower, " Mostly because Teyla is planning on ripping me a new one for jumping over the rail." I smiled as I caught a glimpse of Teyla's bronze hair and I turned around to survey what was below. I catch sight of another balcony about a hundred feet down, easy.
I hear the door that enters onto this balcony open and I glance over my shoulder, sure enough, Teyla's face is furious as she see me. A wicked grin spreads across my lips and I jump up and swing my legs over the edge, but I didn't hold on this time. It felt rather weird being in the air without neither ship or wings but I enjoyed the sensation none the less.
I flared my wings for a split second to slow my speed as I landed. When my feet met solid ground I tilted my head up to Weir, Teyla, and that McKay guy watching me a few stories above. I smile faintly and walk through the doorway, I'm mildly surprised to see a few dozen people watching me stopped in the process of eating. Considering the wideness of the this area and the many upon many tables and chairs, I think this is the cafeteria.
Not really the place you expect to see a vampire.
Knowing that I'm attracting a lot of attention, I purposely go over to the food being offered and grab a brown bag labeled Turkey Sandwich. I ignore the murmurs behind me and walk casually out, I hear one person follow me out but I don't look to see who. I walk with indifference to my quarters, when the door closes behind me though I sigh with relief.
The person pauses outside my quarters but leaves within thirty seconds, most likely to avoid getting caught. I collapse into the chair with a huff, the bag still in my grip. Curious to see if there really is food in there, I extend my right pointer talon and slice the length. I retract the talon before looking inside. Sure enough there lays a cold turkey sandwich, I find myself enjoying the scent that wafts around me.
I wonder. I haven't actually eaten anything in ten thousands years. Partly because the Wraith don't have food food. I wonder.
I lift the sandwich out of the bag and take a cautious bite, not at all surprised by the momentary gag reflex to spit it out, but when the flavor registers I ignore that reflex and gobble the rest down.
Better than I remember.
Kinda odd really, I'm a vampire, a blood drinker. Why would human food taste even better than it did when I was human? The answer was simple: I'm more aware of my body and everything is heightened, including my taste buds apparently.
An urge to go back to the cafeteria surges through my body but I resist it and stare at the dark expanse that is my room. Pain in my fingers makes me aware of the fact that I'm digging them into the chair and I lessen it immediately. The only thing that I really wanted to go back for was to see if there was any chocolate, I had been a serious chocoholic when I was human. But I can wait, I've waited ten thousand years, whats another ten hours?
I roll my eyes at myself and my logic and probably would have went to the bed to see if I could make those ten hours move faster, but a chime from my door interrupted me. I sigh as I get up and walk to my door, I glare momentarily at the panel already getting tired of flashing my hand in front every time I wanted to open the door. My glare lessens as a thought occurs to me, I'm a vampire with the ability to operate technology with my mind.
Smiling, I walk back to the chair and sit down before turning my attention to the panel again, I narrow my eyes with my focus and suddenly the door opens. Standing on the other side I see McKay with an uneasy expression, either at my door opening by itself or at the fact that my room was darkening with the setting sun.
" Oh, um." he still wanted to come in but the condition of my living space was detouring him.
" Come on in, McKay, I won't bite." I laugh at my own joke, what can I say, I couldn't resist.
He does as I order and steps into the darkness without a backward glance, just to mess with him I close the door behind him a few seconds later than it usually would have itself. He eyes the panel but doesn't say or do anything. He stops in the middle of my room and I see his eyes squint, like he's trying to see into the shadows.
Slowly, I stand and walk to him, my theory is proved correct when he doesn't move or react.
I smile, " Can I help you with something?" it was to easy, granted I may have spoken a little to loud but I had been aiming for that racing heart. Boy, did I get it. I thought he would have a heart attack there for a minute. With a quick search I found the controls for the lights and turned them on.
Standing in front of me with an extremely pale complexion and eyes seeming to try to bug out of his head, McKay. My smile falters at the fear on his face, I hadn't meant to scare him senseless, just give him an adrenaline boost. Who knew?
"McKay, relax. I'm not going to do anything."
" Ya, well, tell that to my heart." I detect a definite Canadian accent, figures.
I sigh, " I'd rather not. I just couldn't resist scaring you, it was to easy."
" I'm so glad that I was at service." his fear melted into anger and he glared at me.
" Haven't you ever heard not to stare an animal in the eye because it's a sign of challenge?" much to my amazement I didn't flinch when I referred to myself as an "animal".
I watched his anger fizzle and he looked down, unsure how to proceed without eye contact. Rolling my eyes I release a heavy sigh, " Chill, McKay, I was only kidding. Mostly. Actually, it depend on my mood and your just lucky that I'm in a good mood right now. You could probably call me every name in the book and I would just ignore you."
McKay's eyes met mine again and narrowed, he walked past me(seriously traumatize for the rest of my life because he's taller than me) and took a seat in my chair. " Ya, sure, have a seat." I couldn't help but mumble under my breathe.
Shaking my head slightly at his nerve I sit on the edge of my bed and face him. He stares at me like I'm his greatest rival but there is nothing he can do about it. After around ten minutes of this staring contest my good mood starts to slip only to be replaced by annoyance. I didn't have one of the best days of my life the last fifteen years only to have this idiot ruin it.
" Do you have a problem, McKay?" I sounded a little more bitter than I had planned on.
His expression didn't change but his mind kicked into gear, and to honestly tell you the truth I had to pull out because my head started to hurt with all the stuff running through. He was like a walking/talking calculator, but with more complex equations. Well, it I ever had a question as to why he's here I don't anymore. I quickly discovered that I didn't enjoy this turn of events because I couldn't tell what he was planning, thinking, or considering. I was blind as far as that sort of stuff went.
" How old are you again?" he blurted.
Shock followed by irritation at his nerve swiftly dissipated to confusion, " Ten thousand. Why?"
His expression turned disturbed, " All that time must have given you plenty to study many thing."
I didn't hear a question in there but I answered anyway, " I suppose. I learned to speak and understand Wraith pretty well, does that count?"
" Wraith? Wow. What about science?" there was something in his tone of voice that signaled this was the real reason he was here.
" Science? No. Besides, even when I was in school and human I was only interested in physical/ interactive science. Like, vinegar and baking soda. Blowing stuff up. That was my kinda science." I grin at the memory of a geyser of red foam covering the backyard, my grin disappears as I realize that my memories are rather vague. My heart drops and I feel my turkey sandwich try to push up.
" Hey? Are you okay?"
My mind is fuzzy, which is my first warning sign, and I feel my ten thousand years, " No, not really." no sooner had I said this that my body went numb and blackness clouded the edge of my vision.
" Maybe we should-" I didn't hear the rest. The blackness completely covered my sight, the last thing I was aware of was someone yelling before I slipped into the abyss.