Thank you all for the constructive criticism. It is very much appreciated, because as I have said this is my first fanfic. Hopefully you all are not disappointed with this update. It will take me a little while to update after this, the real-world calls, and the plot bunnies are hiding after River cut one with a Butcher's knife. ;) Again, I own nothing and this is all for fun please don't sue.
Reality Shifts…
It is the middle of the night cycle. The girl walks through the empty corridors, there is a drip drip sound trailing behind her. She continues walking around the corner, and one of the orderlies comes out of a room. The girl stills. The orderly does not notice her presence and begins to walk in the other direction. The girl continues on. She rounds the next corner, and she is at the door she needs to be at. She goes in. The man looks up from behind his desk.
He looks at her warily as she walks forward to the side of his desk. "River what are you doing out of bed sweetheart? It's the middle of the night and we are supposed to meet tomorrow to discuss your progress."
"The girl has something to give you, a present for all that you have given her."
The man looks slightly surprised at this, and shifts uncomfortably in his seat. He knows what she is capable of if provoked. He slowly reaches towards the silent alarm button underneath his desk.
He isn't quick enough though, before he can blink she has sliced through his throat with a scalpel. He now grasps at his throat, the blood gurgling and dripping down to stain his white shirt. He slumps forward now. His head falling on to his desk.
The girl smiles at this, the drip drip dripping is now louder and she thinks she hears the beat of a drum in it. She turns and goes to walk out the door, but before she does she whispers to the now corpse. "The girl thanks you Dr. Mathias."
River's POV
The girl jolts awake. The group had stopped to rest from the beating rays of the sun in the shade of an alcove on the way to the settlement and the girl must have dozed off. The others talk aimlessly about their lives, what they left behind, what they were looking for. But they only supply half truths, and there is a tension in the air they are trying to avoid. Trying so hard to be the mask they wear. They all carry secrets. The girl knows them all too well.
The feckless little man just continues counting in his head how much to charge the company for his 'lost goods.' He only sees credits and coin.
The three boys are clouded with questions of faith. The question whether they should take their vows when they reach New Mecca, or run away from the confines of the church, the only home they have ever known.
The Holy man is like an overcast day, warm but the there is the threat of rain. A metallic wall blocks off part of his memories, there is something he wishes to wall up and forget. But the girl can hear the rumbling behind the wall. Silly man, everything eventually comes crashing down.
The settler is incomplete and consumed in her sorrow. All she can think of is the life she will not have, the memories they will not make.
The Butterfly sits calmly, listening to the others, but her mind is on edge. She is wary of the girl. It runs over how she could know, she suspects but will not ask, not yet.
The blue eyed devil's thoughts are jumbled and rambling. His mind is a cesspool, a bog of eternal stench. He was never as good as he thinks, and the girl can see the things he has done; see the pain he has caused. The drugs running through his veins are reaching equilibrium and he will need his next spike soon.
The only thoughts and emotions that truly interest the girl are the ones that emanate away from the group. From the man that stands looking at the horizon.
But unlike before, when symphonies could be heard, now there is only static. He knows how to place walls around his thoughts. Knows how to keep the girl out.
He looks over at her now, a smirk creeping up the side of his face. He knows the girl is thinking about him, and what he has done. This annoys her and she returns his smirk with a glare.
Riddick's POV
Damn little girl, thinks she is being so coy, hmm. I don't need my eyes to tell me what you're looking at girl. Your scent gives you away. There is a twinge of muskiness to the lavender when you are thinking about me. But you can't hear me now, can you hmmm? I turn and look at her now a smirk playing on my mouth. She glares at me now. She doesn't like not being able to hear what's in people's minds, it takes away some of the control. But I don't like being told not to touch sharp things little girl, especially when they're mine. I think you need to know what kind of beast you let out of that cage. And this thought just makes me smirk more.
Shazza catches the glare on River's face and looks towards the source. The man turns his head back towards the horizon line and she leans in to whisper to the girl.
"Your assumptions are unfounded," the girl replies before the woman can even formulate the words in her throat.
"River, he is dangerous."
The girl turns and faces the woman now, the intent clearly labeled in her eyes. "As is the girl."
Shazza recoils at this, and turns back to the others. Like the others she is unnerved by the little girl, and especially by her behavior towards the man that could all kill them in their sleep.
Riddick's POV
"Alright people, we move out in 5 minutes." Johns barks out. He then proceeds to walk over to where I am standing.
"How much does it eat you up, Richard?"
"What are you talking about, William?" I say in the same condescending tone.
"That you'll never get to have a sweet-thing like what's sitting over there?" He says as he points in River's direction.
"Who says I won't?" There is a lecherous undertone to ol' Billy badass, and I do not like it one bit. "Way I see it the girl's already mine Johns, and you know how I don't like it when people touch what's mine…"
"We'll see about that Riddick, we'll just see." Johns goes and walks back to the group.
Time to get this show on the road.
Another hour or so goes by, the women are keeping the little slip away from me now, afraid she's going to antagonize me with those glares.
I know that the girl is trying to find a way in through the static, I can feel her trying to break down the walls, and the musky undertone in back. I think the little girl needs to be taught her lesson. And I am just the fucker to do it. I begin to let my mind wander to what should have happened in back at the crash site in that room. Think of how many different things I could have done to that girl. I let them all play over simultaneously. The blood, hers, mine, the splatters on the wall. Her hands held above her head. I let them all begin to run together. And that's it, that's when I let my walls crash down.
River's POV
The girl cannot help but stop moving. Every inch of her is assaulted at once. She was not prepared for this. She had been looking for a back door. The girl didn't have her own guards up. The smell of blood fills her nostrils; she feels calloused hands on her skin, hands crushing every inch of her. Cool metal on her back, her throat. She feels everything. He ears do not hear one distinguishable song, but many warring for dominance. It overpowers the other voices around her, and makes her head ache. She cannot help but falter.
Her lack of movement does not go unnoticed. Shazza sees the girl stop, her breathing become uneven.
"River, are you alright?"
But the girl cannot speak, she fears if she does the breathy gasp she is holding in will escape. She can feel her skin growing a deep red every second.
The Holy man is the next to stop and look. "Child, is it the sun? You look faint."
The girl just continues to stand there. All eyes looking at her now.
And just as she is about to let the gasp spring forth, she feels one concrete sensation, one song. But it is not one she would expect to win the war. Beethoven's moonlight sonata, 1st movement. And she feels a part of her melt.
"Water" is all she can say as her face flushes red. Shazza hands her a bottle and she drinks it in gulps. The other's still looking on in puzzlement.
There is a booming laugh from the back and all heads turn to its source.
"The girl having a stroke or something? These things weigh a ton so unless she is dying keep moving."
They all look back to the girl now. She feels her face redden, but this time of embarrassment. "The girl didn't have adequate liquids, and her core-processor was overheating."
The blue devil and butterfly roll their eyes and begin to walk again. The three boys soon follow.
"Child, next time say something. We are all uncomfortable in this heat." And with a pat on her shoulder the holy man walks away.
Shazza looks between the girl and the Riddick a moment but then continues as well.
"Are you going to get left behind then?" He purrs behind her ear. The girl then turns and faces him, but now there is only anger.
Riddick's POV
The look on her face is priceless as she turns and faces me and I cannot help but give her a feral grin.
"Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again. You embarrassed the girl. She was not prepared for what songs you played." She punctuates her first words sharply. The scent from the first time she said my name is back again, and this just makes me want her more.
"Oh come on you know you liked it." And my grin grows bigger as her eyes grow as wide as saucers.
"That. Is. Not. The. Point. Richard!"
The use of my first name annoys me and she knows it does. "Little girl I will do what I want, when I want, dong-ma?"
Now there is an equally wicked grin on her face, and her eyes narrow slightly. "Then she will do the same." And with that she turns and skips towards the others.
Yeah, this girl is just going to be all kinds of fun.
There were no other outbursts or disruptions the rest of the way to the settlement. Once they reached the outskirts River ran off in the direction of the dormitories.
"Child it is not safe by yourself!" The Holy man calls out after her.
"The girl will be fine!" And she continues running. The other 's just looked at her and shrugged.
"Alright we've got enough power for a sys-check… but we are going to need more cells."
"How many are we talking about?" Johns asks.
"Let's see, we got a 110-gig draw. The other…takes 20 gig cells, so that'd be six." Fry responds.
"Six total to launch?"
"Thirty-five kilos each?"
"Well, that's pretty heavy."
"You know that old sand cat out there? I might be able to get it going." Shazza pipes in.
"Do it if you can. But if you need a hand…." Johns looks around at this "Where did Riddick go?"
River's POV
The girl traces her hand over the walls of the structure. They tell her all she needs to know. She hears the laughter of the children that ran through the halls. The lively discussions from the Geologists stationed here.
She walks into the first room. There is a dresser and a closet to her right. She opens the dresser and thumbs the material of the clothing. She begins to pull things out. She takes the tattered dress she has been wearing over her head and lets it fall to the floor and then kicks off the boots.
When the girl left the academy it had been in a dress that had been in the locker room of the staff. It was a tent on her small frame and made her look much younger than the girl was. The boots had been supplied to her by an orderly who the girl was sure would not miss them. Now she intends to properly outfit herself, and she pulls on the leggings she has found in the dresser. She walks to the closet and opens the door. Again, she begins thumbing the material, listening to the stories each garment tell her. There is static again and she begins to smile.
"You may enter; the girl knows that you are there."
Riddick's POV
Dammit, was so close, so close to sneaking up on this girl. How the fuck did she hear me? I know she can't hear me when I try to block her out. I lean on the doorway and begin to watch her.
"The girl can still hear the static of the wall."
I quirk an eyebrow at this. "So even when I try to keep you out, you can still hear noise. Makes sneaking up on you damn near impossible then doesn't it?" This is not what I wanted to hear, and a frown begins to form.
"Afirmative. The girl may not hear what music is being played, but you cannot stop all noise from seeping through. Girl has advantage on that score."
Her answer perks my interest. "What other kinds of advantages you got? Hmm?" She's standing there in nothing more than leggings and a bra, vast amounts of milky flesh exposed, and my mind begins to lose its edge.
She moves to the closet now, in search of more to wear.
River's POV
"Shame to see you covering up that much skin darling," Riddick purrs as he leans against the door.
"Necessary for proper attire. And the girl wishes to be seen in something other than a tent."
He laughs at the girl's statement and she can feel electricity in the air. He walks towards her now and skims his calloused hands down the girl's arms. The electricity hangs heavy in the room now, and she feels the feeling of lust returning from the man behind her. She quickly reaches out and grabs a black shirt from the closet.
He laughs at the girl's apparent shyness. "There's no reason to be getting shy."
"The girl meant what she said, no touching, Orpheus must earn the right to play for the Queen." She goes to move away from the man behind her, but he catches her arm and harshly pulls her towards him.
"And how exactly do you expect me to earn this right? Hmm?" he is inhaling the scent of her hair, and the girl begins to hear the tempo building in her head. Just as he is about move a hand to turn her head, she grabs it and uses his momentary lapse of judgment to flip him to the floor.
While he outweighs her, she has the tactical advantage and uses all her weight to pin him underneath her.
"Well if you wanted to be on top you could have just said." He chuckles out.
"The girl is angry at the Riddick for the earlier assault. She was not prepared for that, and it was highly unacceptable."
Another chuckle emanated from beneath her. The girl narrowed her eyes at him.
There is a tense moment as they eye each other. Both can feel the tension mounting. The girl stands and released the Riddick's hands and goes in search of footwear in the closet.
"So," he says sitting up. "When do I get to see what you can really do?"
"Soon."
"That wasn't the answer I was looking for." There is a hint of agitation in his tone.
She looks over to his seated position and with a smirk on her face and a glint of something evil in her eye says "Soon."
She can tell he wants to protest, but the jumbled thoughts of a certain blue devil approach and she groans in annoyance at the expected intrusion.
"Johns." Riddick grits out between his teeth. He can smell the merc approaching and is as irritated as the girl.
"Affirmative." She now pulls boots out of the closet and begins to sit down and lace them up as the blue devil enters the room.
"Well isn't this cozy," he says glancing about the room. "Let's go. You're missing the party. Come on, boy."
The Riddick hesitates a moment before he realizes the blue devil will not leave without him and he groans at this and leaves. Once they both leave the girl lingers a few more moments listening to the voices. She then goes in the direction of the others.
"All praises to God, for his many blessing to us." The Holy man rejoices as the girl enters the room.
She can feel all eyes on her now for her change in attire.
"What? The girl desired something other than a tent." Riddick chuckles at this.
"It's the winner of the look-alike contest," Paris motions with his thumb.
The butterfly breaks the silence that follows. "Who were these people, anyways? Miners?"
"Looks like geologists."
Riddick's POV
"An advance team, moves from possible terra-forming location to another once adequate data has been collected." They all stare at the girl at this remark, but he just finds it comical they are so dense they can't figure out what's in front of their faces.
"Nice of them to leave so much stuff here."
"Why did they leave their ship?" the whelp man asks.
"It's not a ship. It's a shuttle and it's disposable."
"More like an emergency life raft, right Fry?" Johns asks.
"They probably had a big drop ship take them off planet…"
"Please, these people didn't leave. Whatever got Zeke got them. They're all dead. You really think they left with their clothes on hooks…Photos on the shelves…" There lack of observation skills baffles me, and all I can think is can these people really be that dense?
"They-they talk to me, they want me-they want me to talk…" She says, staring at the glasses of water in front of her.
This time everyone just ignores her, tired of listening to the crazy little girl. Johns quirks an eye in her direction. Knows what she means, just trying to figure out what to do with this information. I can see the wheels turning in his mind.
"Maybe they had weight limits."
"I know you don't prep your fucking emergency ship unless there's an emergency." I reply.
"So what happened then? Where are they?"
River whispers something under her breadth at this, but loud enough for me to hear. "The girl knows."
Before she can continue on though the Holy man notices the littlest pilgrim is not present. "Has anyone seen the little one? Ali?"
And then I see her stiffen, her pupils go wide, and she grips the table tops till her knuckles turn white. "Coring room," she mutters.
They run to the Coring room after they hear the scream, Johns shooting the lock on the doors. The others fill in after that, just in time to see the things fly down the hole in the center of the room.
They find Ali in the closet, half the skin on his face torn away to the bone. The other half with claw marks.
"Other buildings weren't secure. So they ran here. Heaviest doors. Thought they would be safe inside. But they forgot to lock the cellar." Riddick says rather somberly.
After that they all just file out close the doors.
River's POV
They return into the room in silence, but their thoughts are screaming at her. Looking for answers and the girl does not know if she can give them all they want.
"How did you know?" the butterfly asks her disdain dripping from every syllable. She is asking about more than the boy, but refuses to explain it further to the group.
"She's a gorram reader is why, ain't you darling" The blue devil is now seething. She wants his shinny needle. He wants the sting.
"Affirmative." She remains solid as stone, refusing to let their thoughts effect her outward appearance.
There is a spike of emotion swirling in the room. The Holy man and Shazza are the loudest voices, boiling with anger at her. Why didn't she tell us what would happen! Why didn't she try to stop it?
The girl looks at them when they begin to place blame on her and tries to explain so they will understand. "The girl cannot see what will be. She may calculate, she may plan accordingly, but she cannot give answers which she does not have. Do not blame her for things out of her control."
Shazza and the Holy man understand; they know there is no use in blaming the girl for something she didn't do. She feels the resentment, but the waves of anger are becoming ripples now.
"Well that explains a lot." Paris says.
"So you know what happened to the people who were here then…" the question hangs in the air.
"Affirmative. Helios was blinded and harpies came out to play. They ran, but they could not stop the inevitable."
"Does anyone understand what the gorram hell the brat is saying?" Johns is getting twitchier by the minute.
"She means there was an eclipse; that those things come out in the dark." Surprisingly it is Paris that provides the interpretation and she looks at him with an appreciative smile. He just looks more unsettled by the smile and twists in his chair uncomfortably.
"So if we stick to daylight, we should be okay, right?" The Holy man seems to visibly relax at this revelation.
"Affirmative, but complications arise. Helios will be blinded again."
"WHAT!" They practically all yell in unison.
"3.35 hours until then. But calculations could be off by as much as 20 percent."
"And you think to tell us this now!" Johns is livid and gets up from where he was sitting to march over to her. The girl is surprised at how fast the Riddick moves to stand in front of her.
"Girl could not calculate until gathering further data. Needed to walk around and listen to the voices left behind."
"Shiny, just Shiny! We got us a gorram reader and but she don't make a lick of sense half the time and she tells us NOW that we need to hurry. Shiny, just Shiny." Johns is now stalking out of the mess. The butterfly quick on his heels.
"The girl is sorry, there was nothing else I could do." The Holy man walks over and puts a reassuring arm around the girl then. His touch sends ripples of calm over her skin and she feels less resentment in the air.
"I better get working on that Sand-cat then…" With this Shazza leaves the room.
Outside Johns is pacing in the shuttle as Fry goes over the controls. "So we got to get the power cells. I've got to check the hull, patch the…"
"Wait on the power cells."
"Wait for what? Until it's too dark? You heard the gorram girl, we have…"
"She could be wrong, you heard her yourself."
"Get the fucking cells here Johns, why is this a discussion?"
"I should tell you how Riddick escaped…"
Author's Note: As always feedback, good, bad, ugly, always welcome. =)