Monday, February 27, 2006

The Latest Installment ^^
Chapter 3: What’s That Smell?


The clouds that day were beautiful. I was moving them around, making shapes and people. I soon got bored, and started soaring through the clouds.

She looked down at the ground while on her walk through the forest and gasped. “A footprint? But that means…”

She hurried up to a stone building with strange silver markings on it.

‘Is that Shinji?’ I thought. ‘I hope she’s okay. She looks kinda panicked.’

I dove down to the entrance and peeked my head around the door. My eyes widened as I watched Shinji pull a white sheet off a body, a hole in the ceiling casting scattered rays of sunshine on him.

I gasped softly and began to back away. She heard me.

“Who’s there?!” she called.

I poked my head around the corner again. “It’s just me, Shinj.”

Her eyes widened. “I-it’s not what it looks like… I can explain.”

I nodded. “I’m sure you wouldn’t keep his body like this unless you had a reason…”

She sighed and looked back at his golden locks. “I have you keep his body safe so he can be brought back… If any harm comes to it, he won’t be back.

I hugged her comfortingly. “He’ll be back, Shinj.”

“I know…” she whispered. “He has to…”

She pulled the sheet back over her lover’s lifeless form, tears in her eyes.

I did a small prayer motion with my left hand and bowed deeply. Shinjite muttered something in Atlantien, and then turned to me.

“Come on,” she said with a forced smile and lead me out.

Once we got to the door, she bit her finger, drawing blood, and traced the Kanji for protection on the door. The symbol glowed and the door slid shut. “Come on, I’ll race you,” she said with a smile.

I grinned as we said in unison, “Ready… Set… Go!” and took off towards the house through the woods. She was there just a second later, watching for me off the porch. I ran up, dazed with a black eye and a bloody nose. I’d run into a tree on my way.

Her eyes went wide. “Taren!”

I started laughing. “I ran into a tree, Shinji.” A cool wave came over my face as she healed it. “Thanks,” I said, giggling.

“No problem,” she said with a smile. “Hey, isn’t it about time for your training today?”

I blinked. “Yeah, it is. Where’s Sekai?”

“Oi! Sekai!” Shinjite called out suddenly.

He swung down from off the roof and hung upside down directly in front of Shinji, face-to-face. “Yes, Princess?”

She squeaked and stepped back. “Sekai! You scared the hell out of me!”

He dropped down, laughing, and hugged her. “I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to scare you.”

I giggled and rolled my eyes. ‘He cares for her so much, and she’s so oblivious,’ I thought.

“It’s time for Taren’s training, Sekai-sama,” Shinji said as she poked him in the stomach.

“Where’ll it be this time?” I asked. “The woods, or above the lake again?”

“Your choice,” he said.

“Hmmm. Well, the lake would help me get control of my elemental advantage, but the woods would peak my senses.”

“The woods,” we all said in unison, and then Shinji and I broke into a fit of giggles.

Sekai disappeared, and I said to Shinji with a giggle, “Stay out of trouble, y’hear?”

She giggled and nodded, and I took off into the woods.

This was no ordinary training. I was in the pitch-black woods, no way to see, training with Sekai. He is my second teacher, Kaji Da training me physically, mentally, and emotionally for battle, and Sekai training me in all the same ways, but for a much different reason.

To become Shinjite’s guardian.

How could I not? I owe her my life. She’s done so many things for me, and all so selflessly. She’s helped me, saved me, been a mother and sister figure, and, even though she didn’t know it was them, dealt with my crazy relatives.

But the fight with my family was far from over.

Sekai and I had begun fighting. Kick, punch, zap, dodge, swoosh. It was nearly an even match; he’d been training me every day for about two and a half years. I knew that he was holding back, though.

Back at the house, Shinji was sitting on the porch talking to Shinri.

“Maybe I can teach you to cook, nichan,” Shinji said with a loving smile.

“Can I take a rain check? I need to go to Earth realm.”

“Why do you need to go to Earth realm?”

“Oh, I just need to burn down someone’s house. No big.”

“Shinri!” Shinjite scolded. “You know Earths can’t put out fires!”

“They have four houses!”

“Who is it?”

He mumbled an answer.

“Oh, well, that’s easy. Just flood it.”

He grinned and disappeared in a burst of flame.

She kept hearing this strange sound, like the air was ripping.

Suddenly, three metal spikes shot at her, two lodging in the post next to her, one going right through her stomach.

Her eyes widened and her hands automatically went to the spike.

Sekai stopped and turned to the house. “Taren. Home. Now.”

I nodded and shot off to the house. He’d already arrived and was trying to help her.

“Oh, Gods, Shinji! What happened?!” I cried.

“Nnngh,” she groaned after trying to talk and failing.

I glanced at Sekai, who was having a hard time letting me handle it. I grabbed the spike in her stomach, counted to three, and pulled it out.

Her eyes went wide as silver liquid started gushing out of the rather large hole.

She seemed too weak to heal herself, so I started to heal her.

“N-no, stop,” she gasped out, wincing. “Y-your l-lightning…”

I stopped, not even aware I was using my lightning, and let her slowly heal herself.

“I’m sorry, Shinj. I didn’t even-” I began.

“No… It’s okay. I’ll be fine, really.”

“Did you see who did this?” Sekai asked, finally having lost his willpower to let me handle it.

She shook her head.

My eyes went wide. “Oh, my Gods.” I gasped out. “What in the HELL is that smell?!”

They blinked and sniffed. “What smell?”

I began to cough and choke on the air that surrounded me as my face turned purple.

They both stared at me in confusion. “Taren, are you okay?” Shinji said.

I slumped down to the earth and passed out.

Less than five seconds later, Shinji and Sekai smelled it, too.

“Oh, shit, what IS that?!” Shinji said with teary eyes.

“Smells like… sleeping gas…” Sekai said.

“Oh, shit,” they said together before passing out.

A tall man with straight ebony hair that flipped out at the ends, right above his pierced ears, wearing a flowing black, vinyl trench coat with black clothes on underneath and a small gas mask covering his mouth walked out with three henchmen, a male metal, a female ice, and a male fire.

“Gita, take the hybrid back to the emerald room.” he said, motioning to the ice. “Jakunti, take the metal to the diamond room,” he ordered the metal henchman. “Cyto, follow them.”

The three of them took the two of us, leaving the leader with Shinji.

“Oh, he said. “You will be mine in due time. I won’t let him have you, Princess.”

He ran a finger down her cheek and she slowly opened her eyes. She screamed. He tied her in a magically-enforced, unbreakable rope before she knew what was going on, and raised an eyebrow at her. “Now, now, Princess.”

“DON’T call me that. Who are you? Let me go!”

“There will be time for talk later, Princess. Now we must leave,” he said and quickly knocked her out again, picking her up, their faces dangerously close, and disappeared off to the sapphire room in the castle.

End Ch3.


I'll be on a lot more in the evenings, mom's on nightshift. ^^ Byyye.
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Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Chapter Two: A Painful Explanation

As I stood in front of my family, the ones who truly love and care for me, I began to explain what had gone horribly wrong.

“About… four years ago,” I managed to choke out as I looked at the faces of my silenced family. “Wh-when I was in the orphanage… I had tried to run away, and was hiding in the forest. Along came this boy. We had never met, but we were connected, and neither of us knew it. Well, he… he, uhm…” I stammered.

“And I got…” I said softly, one hand placed gently over my stomach and a tear rolled down my cheek.

A soft gasp and a few growls were emitted from my audience, but I pushed on.

“Soon after, someone who will be related to me soon, sooner than I though, came to my rescue. Any guesses?”

A few names were called out, all wrong. Suddenly, my rescuer appeared in the doorway. A voice rang out from the silhouette. “Who else would it be?”

Everyone stood and got in their fighting positions.

“Relax,” I sighed heavily. “He’s the one who saved me.”

They remained standing, but lowered their weapons.

He walked over and draped his arm around my shoulder protectively. Shinri growled and narrowed his eyes.

“Kazi…” Shinri warned.

“Oh, relax, Princey. She’s not yours, anyways,” the Dark Lord said with a smile.

He growled louder and took a step towards us. “What do you mean, of course she’s mine!” He looked over at me.

I just stood there, staring at the floor.

“Right, Taren?” Shinri asked with wide eyes. I didn’t reply. “Taren, tell him that he’s wrong!” he cried, tears in his eyes.

“Oh, you haven’t gotten to that part yet. My sincerest apologies,” Kazi said with a mischievous grin.

I sighed and wiped my eyes. “Kazi… ‘Uncle’ Kazi took me in. He was kind, loving, and sweet. Just like the father I can remember so vividly. A few months later… Well, I think you know what happened…”

“Taren, you... you’re not serious…” Shinji stammered.

I lowered my eyes. “H-hai…”

Everyone stood in shock, except for Shinji, who fainted, and was quickly caught by Sekai.

“You’re joking,” Sekai said with a smirk as Shinji woke a few minutes later.

I looked up to them with sorrowful eyes. “You have no idea how serious I am.”

“B-but you… And… We… I… How could you, Taren?” Shinri stuttered, tears already running out of his eyes.

Shinji looked up to me with hurt showing in her silvery mirror eyes. “Taren… Why didn’t you tell us? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I… I couldn’t… Shinji… You don’t understand… I finally found a family. I finally fit in somewhere. I didn’t want to ruin it, Shinji. I didn’t want right now to happen. This. All of this. I just wanted to be able to live with my family. For once, by the gods. I guess that’s just too much to ask for sometimes…”

I slid against the wall, overcome by my tears, and continued. “That’s not all, either. T-that boy, that horrible boy… The father of my baby girl… Is Koru Lazuko… King of Exile…” A few confused looks. “And also… My betrothed.”

Shinri, at this point, was crying. He’d finally realized that I wasn’t joking. He’d really lost me forever. Jinku had her face buried in Aeolus’ shirt, and Shinji’s silver eyes were filled with tears.

“I… I’m… Just so… Sorry, guys… I… wish that it was… all okay again…” I managed to force out.

“Oh, Taren, I brought you a surprise,” Kazi said with a fatherly tone.

I looked up at him in shock. “You… You didn’t.” He nodded. “Where?” I asked and looked up at him with hopeful, thankful eyes.

“Lady Kiza! You may come in now,” he called.

In a split second, the tall, lean blonde whose eyes I had inherited turned the corner, with a small person behind her that could barely be seen.

“Go see Mommy,” Kiza said smoothly to the small figure behind her, giving her an encouraging, but gentle push forward.

I looked at the short, thin girl that stood before me. She had her father’s eyes, the blackest black, making it look like they were just two enormous pupils. Her hair was long and straight, in high pigtails it fell down to her knees. Her hair was just as black as her eyes, with several streaks of royal purple, light blue, and a golden yellow that stood out brilliantly. She was wearing a knee-length play dress, the color of the purple in her hair, with large white polka dots, and black shin-high boots with faint blue and yellow markings up each side.

She ran towards me, and I kneeled and opened my arms, catching the toddler that nearly tackled me. “Kigara! How are you today?” I asked with a loving, motherly smile.

“I’m okay, Mommy it’s pretty here I like the trees who are those people wow this place is cool her hair is cool it’s all blue and brown and stuff wow can I hold the silver guy’s sword it looks really awesome I want to make cookies, can we make cookies wow that guys hair is blue and red why does everyone look so sad, Mommy? That painting is cool can I go outside wow that guy looks tough his eyes look like fire! Can me an’ him fight, Mommy, I can take him, really I can!” Kigara said, in one big breath and looked up at me with excited eyes.

I looked up at the group. “Eheheh. Guys, this is Kigara. Kigara, these people are Shinji, Shinri, Sekai, Kaji Da, Jinku, Sato, and Aeolus,” I rambled off, pointing to each person as I said their name.

Shinji promptly fainted again right into Sekai’s arms. Shinri stared, shocked and dazed. Sekai smiled slightly, because she was just like I was at that age. Kaji Da raised one eyebrow, staring at her with slight amazement. Jinku poked Aeolus jokingly and his eyes widened. Sato had gotten distracted, as usual, and wasn’t paying attention.

“Taren,” said the smooth feminine voice of Kiza from beside Kazi, “Outside, please.”

I nodded and followed her out the door and several feet away from the house.

“How much would you like to have your parents around again?” she asked.

“I think you know that I miss them very much and would love to have them back, Kiza. But they were killed for a reason, and I know that they were bad, bad people.”

“But what would a royal wedding be without the bride’s parents?” she said smoothly.

I stopped in my tracks. “I am not marrying that spoiled little-“

“Oh, yes, you are, Taren. I set this marriage up long before you were born. Before your grandparents were even born. You are marrying Koru, Taren, like it or not.”

I gasped. “So… This… Is all your fault, then…”

“But you might want your parents at the wedding,” she said with a convincing smile.

My expression saddened. I nodded, and she explained that my parents would be back with every memory they had except the day of the murder, and artificial memories would be placed in to cover the time gap.

“So… What do I have to do?” I asked.

“Just close your eyes, Taren, and hold out your hand.”

And I did, just as Shinji ran out after hearing that I was alone with Kiza. Kiza held up a vile and quickly drew her dagger and slashed my wrist. I gasped and held it with my other hand, immediately doubled over and crying. “Damnit!” I gasped out.

“Taren!” Shinji cried as she ran to me.

And with that, Kiza and Kazi simultaneously disappeared, taking my baby girl with them.

“Taren, show me your arm,” Shinji said, slightly panicked.

“Nah,” I said, forcing a smile. “It’s fine, really.”

The emerald liquid was dripping off both hands, and I’d gotten a little pale.

“Taren, show me your arm,” she repeated.

I refused, and she activated my command necklace. So there I was, face first in the dirt, Shinji healing my bloody wrist and asking me what seemed like five million questions.

I muttered and answer.

“She WHAT?!”

“She… told me that she would bring back my parents, Shinji. I refused at first, knowing how they were and all, but… She was just so persuading… I’m a horrible person, Shinji… Greedy and selfish… I just didn’t know what to do,” I explained, the tears finally overflowing out of my eyes.

Once my arm was fully healed, she stood and walked back to the house, muttering about Inverses.

I lied down in the grass and stared up at the sky, making some dark clouds roll in and lightning flash, illuminating the cloud-darkened, seemingly night sky.

As the heavens began to cry, so did I, and when the soothing tears of the clouds hit my face, they washed away my sorrow for that short moment.

End Chapter 2

HEY GUYS, I'M NOT DEAD. -cling-
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