Chapter 2
~ Amethyst Haze and Azure Lies ~
666 hours, 6:52 A.M.
Eve leaned back on the rare oak within the forest, feeling the hard and durable wood against her back. Her hair caught on into the ridges of the bark, but she could care less in the rising day.
Her mother had sent her. Again. To visit... Rena. She had told her, over and over, that Rena was dead. But the older woman wouldn't accept the fact. She kept insisting, kept pushing her to go.
She had to go.
The wicker basket hung at her side once again, but she knew that the supposed life saver inside was now rendered useless. I might as well take the road to Velder and sell the medicine off. It will then be of some more use to saving someone else's life.
Someone else who is not dead.
Shaking the thought out her head, she pushed herself off of the oak with fragile pale fingers.
It had been watching her for a while. Multiple questions swam inside its head, but none were spoken into the strangely silent air. It didn't want to break the peace. And it didn't want the girl to notice it.
Eve stopped in front of the exact same cedar again. The one in the middle, with its branches spreading into the sky, with its roots lodging it into place within the ancient earth. She knew she shouldn't have paused here, should have just continued towards Velder to sell the medicine. Or check the cabin again, to see if it was just an illusion. But her mind was no fool for lies like those. She knew that what she had seen was no mirage.
She pulled her amber gaze away from the azure sky that seemed to harbor a web of dark branches and backed from the glade. Walking silently amongst the children of the earth, she decided that she had to check the cabin. Despite what lay inside, her feet started pointing into the direction of the residence.
And even as she walked, she felt the gaze upon her. She walked past the cedar, she walked out of the glade, she walked back towards the cabin. And the entire time, she knew it was watching her.
And I will pretend to not notice and pass over.
The sun gave her what little warmth it could provide with its weak rays of light as she stood in front of the cabin once more. It's shutters were hanging open, giving the interior of the house a gaunt feeling. She knew she had to do something about the dead being inside, though. It couldn't just be left to rot... No, Rena couldn't just be left without a burial.
She entered once more and glanced impulsively around. Eve instantly knew there was something different in the air. Yesterday, it was completely dark. Still. Silent.
Dead.
What is that humming sound that I hear?
She crept forward cautiously, unable to resist her unsatiable curiosity. Her urge to know, to collect information. To understand.
The silver-haired girl crossed through the horribly lit living room and paused, suddenly, in the middle. There was something at the back of her mind, something she almost forgot but couldn't quite remember. Topaz. Crimson. Emerald. The colors flashed for a second, then faded away as she became mesmerized from that faint sound.
Eve took a few steps, as if walking in a haze. Amethyst. The next color that entered her field of vision was a dark purple, yet nothing close to violet or lavendar. A mix.
The girl stood by the window, cooking in the kitchen. The humming resonated from her as she slid the window up, letting the breeze whisper in. The cold slap of air snapped Eve from her trance as she watched Aisha.
Aisha.
I have known her all my life, have I not? The question surfaced from the folds of her slumbering, opaque memory, challenging her to answer it. She continued standing there, unsure of whether to greet "Aisha" or slink back out into the forest.
The wicker basket dropped from her hands.
She turned around, her purple pigtails whipping against the sides of her face. Her eyes of royal violet pierced through her, then relaxed. "Good morning, Eve!"
How does she know me?
Two contradicting inquiries, one of recognition, one of confusion.
No answer to each.
And there was still someone else. Someone who was supposed to be here, supposed to be on-
"Salutations, Aisha." It felt as if something was forcing her mouth to form the greeting. 'Nonsense,' the more rational side of her sanity said. Eve went on, like she had done this countless times before. To-to...who? Who else but the physical entity swathed in variations of purple in front of her, painted with a smile? Peridot, emerald, forest, all three suddenly became only colors for the grass, the leaves, the plants.
Yes. Only. And it has always been this way, has it not?
"I set out at sunrise today to visit the far field just a little ways beyond the hill. And, you can't believe what I found, Eve!" Her face beamed a grin, wild and untamed. "There were just patches, patches of berries! I just couldn't help myself and took a whole basket back." Eve looked curiously past her and saw ruby strawberries, sliced into neat tenths and dumped into a lime green bowl accompanied with crimson raspberries. In a separate bowl were plump dark blueberries, sprinkled with midnight blackberries and void black boysenberries, all bursting with juice. Even placid, emotionless Eve couldn't help but stare at it longingly. Most of the harvestable crops, by now, were frozen in the icy atmosphere.
Aisha laughed at her rare display of a different expression and gleefully said, "I'm baking pie right now, so we can both be nice and warm at the end of the day! Wait; here, take these extras and give them to Chung!"
"Chung?" She tilted her head to one side, confused. "Who is this Chung?"
"Oh, you don't know him?" Aisha blinked as she searched for the words to describe him. "He's got some short, spiky, dusty blond-ish hair with two tips dipped in brown and blue, blue eyes. Blue as the ocean, if we had one near us. And he owns a stall next to-who was it-oh! He owns a stall next to Allegro. That enough to help you know where he is?"
She nodded meticulously slow. "Yes. I think I may know where he is. Thank you."
Her friend winked mischievously at her. "Come back fast before I eat it all!" She laughed merrily and shoved her out the door.
Aisha shut the door and left her outside, staring at the grass waving. Green. Patches of it had dried and turned to a hay-like color. Gold? Green and gold? Why did she always feel that prick in her memory, like a part of it was missing? Like a shred of it had shriveled up and been forgotten?
She shook it off the instant she felt that shadow again. That same shadow. Except instead of watching her this time,
She noticed it sitting under the shade of a nearby tree.
Red hair. The peaceful face of a sleeping boy, with no hint of what color the eyes behind the lids were. He looked just like a regular boy of her age.
Another thought struck her.
Age?
How old am I?
Frantically searching her mind for anything indicating of her birth and her current age, she found nothing. Nothing at all. But deep inside, she felt strangely calm. As if the importance of how old she was was trifling, something she had never considered nor cared for.
His nose twitched slightly at the aroma of Aisha's baking. His eyes, dark crimson too, fluttered open gently and instantly found their way to her.
He stared at her, shock scrawled on his expression.
She stared back, completely devoid of anything betraying what she felt.
He seemed as if he wanted to say something, maybe voice his thoughts. Perhaps greet her, like anyone else would, she thought later on. Discuss some matters with her. But the look on his face, similar to desire, immediately vanished and he along with it.
Her sharp eyes had not missed the sight of a russet-colored tail and a pair of lowered ears. They had not missed the shadow of the boy become shorter, more lithe, more smooth, more...
...animalistic.
He, indeed, had blue, blue eyes. Those were the first features she noted as she approached him. His stall consisted of several machine parts, higher technology equipment, and cluttered worktables. People within Velder came to him to fix their broken mechanisms, whatever they might be. There was barely anything mechanical in this time era.
His soft smile was directed at her as she came up to place the wicker basket in front of him. "Ah, are these from Aisha?" She nodded, mute. He peered inside and broke out into a chuckle. "She got lucky today, huh?"
Eve was silent as she waited for him to finish with his customers. There is something about him, she thought, that causes me to feel nostalgia.
When the last of the people had left, the sky was already tinged with a setting orange hue and night was close to falling. She hadn't bothered with time; time passed fast enough for her. At last Chung pulled a chair next to her and sat down, handing her an azure porcelain mug steaming with tea. He sipped his own out of an identical cup and gazed at the setting sun. "Thanks for bringing me this," he started, gesturing at the basket. She nodded silently again, waiting patiently for him to continue. "Say, how old are you?"
She flinched at his question. She didn't know how to answer, and lying was not an option as she searched his own searching cerulean eyes. "I do not know," she said honestly.
"Hah, I'm only sixteen. I couldn't tell how old you were, so I asked." He paused, looking at her forehead. "Have you ever seen your reflection?"
She thought about it. "I do not think so. It has never occured to me. Why?"
"Then look at your tea."
She blinked at her reflection in the dimming light and saw an unnatural orb of endless blue embedded in her forehead beneath her bangs of ivory. "Do you mean this?" She tapped the orb.
"You're not human, are you?" That question, just like all the rest, surprised her. He was giving her different insights, which no one had done. Not her mother. Not Aisha. Not-not-who was that?
Chung watched her as her eyebrows knitted together. She was debating about something and was deeply troubled by it. "Drink your tea before it gets cold." He could see her amber eye twitch at his commanding tone, and he almost burst out laughing. Of course no one could order the Queen around. But she had to stay ignorant right now. It was best if she didn't find out everything.
It was best if she didn't find anything else.
While Eve drained her cup, his thoughts wandered to another girl. He wasn't completely sure if he could believe her, but he always had. Her personality, so honest and innocent, had given off an aura that everyone eventually warmed up to. Then his mind travelled to the man she had stood next to. He had been reduced to a shadow of his former self; he was now completely quiet and antisocial. Was it because of what she did? He stopped drinking the soothing liquid and jolted. Could he have gone crazy?
"It is my turn, I believe." She played this just like the sides of a war; one struck and the other gathered back to retaliate. "You inquire about certain things that have been going wrong. I will ask of you to explain how you know of such things."
He hesitated. Chung wanted to horribly protect her, but she had answered his questions. He had to answer hers.
She was still completely devoid of emotion, right? So she wouldn't feel a thing if he told her a slight truth.
"Eve, you're-"
"And of how you know of my name, how you flicker a sense of nostalgia within me. Do I know you?"
"One at a time, one at a time." How would he explain this? He knew she wouldn't be able to remember anything. Even under that sharp, commanding glare, he had to lie. Some truth, some lie. "I know your name because Aisha's always been telling me of you." He knew her name unsettled her and rushed on. "You've probably seen me around somewhere before and talked to me. Many know me, but a lot don't remember. I've also met some of your kind before. Cyborgs." Chung winced inwardly; if she had truly known, he would have gotten a full-blown slap for calling her that. "They're all really distinctive because they look like they're human but have this orb on their forehead."
She took a moment of silence to digest this, then snorted. "I do not have time to waste on you anymore. Lies as poorly executed as yours are not worth anyone's. I will come back when you decide whether to tell me the truth or keep on foolishly spewing out illusions to convince yourself."
As she stalked back into the cover of the forest, he stared numbly at his strangely still reflection, just as she did. It was disturbed by a droplet of water that had plopped into the center, causing ripples to spread. Rain slowly drizzled down from the gloomy clouds that hung above, covering the beautiful sky that was there a few minutes before.
Was that Denif? He blinked sadly, torn to pieces at the realization of Eve being here as well. Is the earth I'm standing on stabilized by Gaia? Is the moon that rises every night caused by Ebalon?
Or is everything just a sick illusion?
He shook his head at that thought. That doesn't even matter anymore. Pointing out each Master's doing isn't important at all.
After all, each and every one of them sent us to this never-ending nightmare, this endless hellhole.
Haaaah, I'm finally finished with this chapter! xD Pardon that there's basically only talking in this chapter. OAO It's just one of those chapters where it reveals things through talking. x3 So now that we have five characters introduced... Here are my replies to my four reviewers! :DDD
Kat Neko983: Here's the update then! :3 Sorry if you didn't get anything in this chapter, it might confuse you for a bit. xD If you have any questions, feel free to ask~
Ruby Crusade: OAO I'm finally off of the block, I know right?! xD GOOD TO SEE YOU TOO! Cx :glomps you back: *-* Anyways, don't flatter meh. .w. I am not one of the best, but it's your opinion... and I always think bad of myself anyways... o-o Expect some crazy stuff to be thrown atchu in this fanfic! :D Also, I'm stalking every one of your fanfics... You can count on it that I've probably read every single one of them. :3
FANG ee: Yes, it has. OuO Yep, Rena is just one of those irrelevant deaths out there! :D Don't worry, you'll be staring at more corpses soon... :evil malicious aura: MWAHAHAHAHAH-:cough: Ahem. Right. Thank you for the compliment, just tell me if I overdo the detail and make it boring. xD
Yum-San Angel: LOL Rena is the first of the deaths, so you might actually count on it to have someone's name to say every other chapters... *-* Yes, yes, so many more deaths... xDD By the way, nice crackfic you made! I laughed so hard that I'm just going around quoting a part of your fic to everyone. qwq So they think I'm crazy now. :'D
And, yet, still... To all those other readers who like to stay silent or are too lazy to review, thanks for coming here! :DDD