Kenji Murasaki
23rd December 2003, 06:00 AM
Greetings.
This is coming from an off moment. Moment, meaning 'this year in which I
haven't written anything, I'm such a lazy git'. It's a good thing because
I've been writing again, period. It's bad because it's not one of my
current works, which WILL be worked on in the coming weeks, I promise you.
The following contains characters from Breath of Fire 2. It's a character
piece that picks up late in the game's plot, so it does help (but isn't
really vital) to know the game. There might be three other pieces of
similar nature in the future, only my muse will know.
Feel free to rip it to shreds, or lemme know how you viewed it. And yes, my
C&C queue is still rather full, so I'll get to it...first thing in the morn.
*joke*
Enjoy
- Kenji M. (nexuspost@hotmail.com)
Kenji's Nexus:
http://www.geocities.com/nexuslink
Random Plug:
http://www.elgoonishshive.com
__________________________________________________ _______________
Working moms: Find helpful tips here on managing kids, home, work — and
yourself. http://special.msn.com/msnbc/workingmom.armx
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: dindraft.txt
The sun was slowly setting over the northern woods, allowing evening
shadows their time to frolic and play. Within the small, but especially
vital centizenship of Township, blanketed by that same forest, the mood
was hardly jovial enough for anyone within to make merriment of the
earthbound shades.
The warriors and their chieftain had just returned from a harrowing
flight upon their newest member. Plans were being made in silent,
the showdown with St. Eva's main church was promised upon the sun's
rising. For the moment, the small, adventurous party felt it enough
to honor their comrade's sacrifice, and reflect on it until morn.
"Haven't seen a canary that big in QUITE some time. It was
actually refreshing."
Well, almost all of them.
Ryu, chieftain of the village of pot-luck people around their globe,
party leader to the band of adventurers, and last known
descendant of the Dragon Clan, favored the speaker with a harsh
look. "Bleu, that's not nice."
The speaker didn't bother to acknowledge the critique, instead
choosing to reflect further on her statement. "Actually, I haven't
had a decent ride in some time. PERIOD. Honestly, things get
so boring when they're peaceful..."
The third member of the tired quartet shook his head in some small
amount of disbelief, and no small amount of disgust. "Oi, Bleu,
this isn't really the time. And where DID you find that Winlan Ale,
anyway?"
"Doesn't matter, monkey boy," the woman replied, quite clearly despite
her evident sloshed appearance. "What does matter is I want another
ride. On somethin' different."
The monkey in question, Sten, arched a brow as the naga-esque woman
took another long pull of the bottle held in her hand. "Maybe on
something a little firmer, though. The feathers are a plus..."
"She's not there for your amusement," came the icy reply from the
fourth member, bristling at Bleu's chatter.
"What would you know?" the snakewoman sniffed disdainfully. "You're
too young to know what good entertainment is. Though the feathers
are definitely a keeper. Could lay on those soft things for DAYS, I
tell you."
"This is kind of why friends shouldn't let friends fly drunk," Sten
remarked, folding his arms to his sides and openly staring at Bleu.
Bleu looked at her fellows in what could have passed for honest
confusion and hurt, if not for the huge grin. "Hey, people, c'mon.
What is with you all? You'd think we'd just lost the fight to Tyr
for the evil faces you're giving me. The little bird's still with us,
and we've got our shot to head to that overblown chapel and give
those fanatics a good toastin', rescue any captive damsels, and
put our names in history." She tilted her head to the side, suddenly.
"Well, five times for me, without notoriety."
The fourth girl seemed to grow angrier with every word from the elder
sorceress's mouth. "My sister just made a horrible sacrifice, and I'd
appreciate it if you'd not use her for the butt of your horrible jokes."
"What's a joke without a downline, er, punchline?" Bleu slithered
up to the girl, wrapping an arm around her, causing her to tense up.
"She's still with us, and probably ain't all gone as you'd like to think.
And here I was thinking for a moment that you'd matured, little Nina."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Nina responded, stretching
her ebony wings, forcing Bleu to retain her distance.
"THAT's what I mean," Bleu replied with a leery smile. "You're sulking and
angst ain't gonna to bring her back to human form, and it definitely
ain't gonna help in our investigation tomorrow. Y'need to lighten up,
but I guess you like poutin' a lot." The naga invaded the aviary girl's
sphere of comfort once again, whispering in her ear, "Besides, y'don
really think you can catch him while you're brooding, do you?"
Nina jumped back, beyond flustered. "Would it kill you to keep serious
for more than a couple of minutes! That's my sister you're slurring!"
"Wasn't 'slurring' her, I was complementin' her," Bleu shot back hotly,
taking another pull of spirit. "Much softer than you, probably'd know
how to have a better time anyway. At least she makes good with her
gifts."
"You...you're calling me spoiled, now!?" Nina was sneering, stepping
toward the naga. The windows around the houses were opening, everyone
curious as to what spectacle was being presented.
"Nope, not really. I merely said that Mina's using her talents, as
opposed to you." Bleu studied her nails, not deterred in the slightest
about Nina's outburst. "Now that I think 'bout it, you ancestor was
a whole lot quicker on the uptake, too."
It was a deeper barb, and both Ryu and Sten winced.
"What?" The frosted tone in Nina's voice returned. The air seemed to
correspond by dropping several degrees.
"Yeah, she was a bit less of a snert than you," Bleu started, then
paused. "Wait, no, she was worse, really. Responsible, dedicated,
reliable...hell, she even could use a sword with her magic!
"She was twig inside and out, though. Her face was the one thing she
had goin' for her, and it was always stoic. Always 'we've got a
mission to finish and a people to save' or some other grand-standin'
crap. But at least she knew what she wanted, and to hell with what
everyone else thought!"
Bleu looked, half-lidded, at the small Windian princess. "But you,
lil' missy, are a completely different picture. Body of a twig, just
like her, same looks to match, but so uncertain about your own
feelings and selfworth, that it's almost a shame to the predecessor.
And THAT'S sayin' a lot!"
Nina stood, fascinated, and then her face flushed dark red. "Why you
arrogant, overblown--"
"GIRLS!" Ryu's voice served the needle to bleed the tension from the
air, though Nina continued to glare at the unconcerned naga.
"It's been a long day, and we still have a lot to do, come sunrise.
Let's just go get some rest, okay?"
Nina turned to look at her leader in shock. "Ryu!"
The dragon put a palm in the air, as if forcibly pushing her protests
away. "You know how Bleu can get when she's had too much."
At which point he offered a hardened stare at the naga, who finally
decided to look slightly sheepish.
"Geez, they wanna crucify a person for tryin' to lighten her disposition
in the world," she lamented, heading toward the main lodging.
Ryu patted Nina on the shoulder. "We all respect what Mina did for
us, Nina. No one will take that from her. And who knows? We might
find a way to revert the change."
His piece apparently said, Ryu went inside. The windowsill crowd,
noting the show was over, returned to their evening activities.
Sten made to comfort the quiet Windian, but turned to follow his
companions, leaving Nina to her inner toils.
*******************
Niro looked up from his tallying sheets at the sound of the door
opening, followed by Bleu's angry slither into the back area
of the three-story lodge. He refrained from commentary, having
heard the argument outside. His years of traveling told him when
best to sit and observe, and that was what he was content to do.
Observe he would. For an irritated, drunken naga, Bleu redefined
'slink'. With every movement, her hips would exaggerate more motion
than any human would require, and her hair adjusted accordingly, the long
azure locks spilling from beneath her pink cowl flowing as if imitating
the raging sea.
Powerful, that one was. Quite the looker, and probably as venomous
as he had heard. And he had heard quite the number of myths and
legends surrounding the millennia-spanning sorceress. One of the
forgotten seven warriors who aided the dragon clan in saving the
world, and even before that, a master of magic long forgotten. Then
there were the bedtime stories...
Niro was startled from his stupor with a tap from Sten. "You shouldn't
lose your concentration so easily," he offered with a smile, outside
scene entirely forgotten in his demeanor.
"Oh, it takes a lot more than that for me to lose a target," the aging
man replied, once again staring at the exotic image of Bleu from the
secondary doorway. She had gotten as far as the massive meeting table
in the room, and tilted her head to the stairs leading to the second
level when she turned around and eyed the old man.
"Something interest you, Niro?" she asked languidly, earlier annoyance
gone as well.
"Jus' taking in the sights, is all," the man responded with a appreciation
in his voice.
"Hmph. Voyeurism doesn't suit you. Y'should try taking a more active
role, sometime."
He couldn't decipher for the life of him what to believe from her words,
her laughing eyes or her cruel smile. "Well, I'm afraid all I can do
is sight-seein' these days. Otherwise I'd be out with you youngsters."
She sniffed, taking a seat, setting her staff next to her, and placing
her bottle on the table surface. "You insult me. You can easily be
ten times my descendant."
Niro chuckled. Sharp as a whip, she was. "Maybe. I take it things
didn't go too well?"
Her eyes regained some of her earlier ire, obviously at the spat with the
Windian mage, he thought. "Apparently not. Little missy is sore that
her sister beat her into bein' useful."
"Sister? What happened?" It must have been painful, even he could
tell the signs behind the naga's eyes as they flickered, but then were all
angry again.
"Apparently falling for the dragon didn't do my former comrade any good,
and her downline..." she stopped to chuckle at the double meaning in
her words. "Are the ones to suffer for it. Though why it's like that, I
couldn't tell you. You'd think one's child would be strengthened from
dragon's blood."
Niro offered a shrug, but Sten was the one to reply. "You can never
tell with something as powerful as the dragon-clan. I've heard a couple
of instances where whole clans lost their abilities."
Bleu waved them off, and, to Niro's eyes, pointedly ignored the front
door opening, announcing Ryu's entry. "All lost through petty
bickering, I assure you. From what I've seen, the dragon's powers
respond to need more than anything, so the curse of the Great Bird
over Windia is probably somethin' else they flopped on their own."
Ryu paused at the counter with Niro and Sten, curious. "What's up
now?"
"Well," Sten began. "Methinks the lady be referrin' to some reason
as to why Windian's can't fly anymore."
Ryu frowned. "Bleu," he started warningly.
"Oh, please! I'm not going to dance eggshells around Miss Snippy. In
fact, I think the information might help her out, should she choose to
listen." The naga took a pull from her golden bottle, and set it back
down. "'Course, don't feel much like talkin' about it anymore, anyway.
I'd rather discuss more interesting things. And the thought of studying
a dragon's mating habits have always been...very intriguing."
Niro had to laugh as Bleu's voice dropped into heavy breathing,
and Ryu's posture rose in tenseness. Savior or no, the boy was still
that, a boy. Easily cowed and swayed by a woman's charms.
Ryu grit his teeth, telltale fangs gleaming in the light. "I thought I
asked you to knock it off, Bleu."
"Spoilsport," she pouted, but did not relent. "You all are always like
that. So gruff and dodgy. But that's okay, since I've done enough
research to know how to pull you type away from that habit," she
purred the last part, rising from her seat and sliding into his
direction.
She was almost to the boy when Katt came bounding down the stairs.
"You're back! How'd it go?"
"S'goin fine," Bleu said, not missing a beat. Ryu stepped back, still
flustered, while Sten started making his way to meet with the feral
catgirl.
Katt frowned at her teammate's behavior. "It didn't sound fine, from
the screaming outside. Was that Nina?" Her gaze grew worried.
"Did something happen to her?"
"She'll get over it, I guarantee you." Bleu was now next to Ryu, who
was growing more and more agitated.
Katt's firey fur rose on her back, though Niro couldn't see it. It
was child's play, however, to make out the anger in the Fullen's jade
eyes.
"It didn't go so well," Sten spoke up, putting a hand on Katt's shoulder.
"And I'd think you'd want to hear it more from Nina than from us."
Said person chose that time to finally walk through the door, and
everyone took notice. Usually calm, placid emerald eyes were
arguing between sorrow and anger, and her posture sagged, her
shoulders tense, carrying some unnamed weight. Even the ebony
wings on her back seemed lifeless and dulled.
She focused her sight to the naga, who had taken the opportunity to
'snake' an arm around Ryu's torso, and something bordering on a sneer
broke out on the blond's almond-shaped face.
"Nina!" Katt instantly made it to her side, her presence visibly calming
the Windian.
"Ryu," Nina began, then, taking in the scene before her, shook her
head.
"I'm going to get some rest."
Not waiting for anyone to respond, the winged girl headed for the
back assembly room, and then upstairs.
Ryu looked at the retreating form in a bit of confusion, and then shook
his head. "Anything for us, Niro?"
The old man shrugged, his eyes traveling the group. Sten and Bleu
were content to let the poor girl sulk, while Katt looked torn
between grilling the dragonboy for answers, and following after Nina,
obviously to comfort the girl.
"Well, chieftain," he answered, enough to draw Ryu's attention away
from Bleu. "We're going to have to do some heavy revision. The
merchants all want a better trade route, and have put together an idea
for connecting to Hometown through a northern port.
"We're short on game, though that Azusa guy says that's only because
no one's hunting, and we've no real outside contact." Niro smirked at
Ryu's frown. 'The merchants can fry themselves', the lips seem to
say, without necessary movement.
"Any luck on that thing in the well?"
"None, really." Niro scratched his balding head. "That Eichichi girl
is pretty focused on it, but from the few times she's come up, she ain't
said nothin' significant." Energetic girl, Niro thought. Very...fanatic
with machines.
"Oh! The old woman wants a word with you, if you have the time." He
watched Ryu repress a shiver, and empathized. To a point, anyway. The
old fusion witch certainly was spooky, but her assistants made visiting
her more than tolerable.
"The usual boring stuff that you could probably do, 'young' man," Bleu
casted a weathered look at Niro.
"Possibly, but I'm not strapping and full of vigor, like Ryu is." The
old man replied evenly.
"So you can't hunt," Bleu tisked, ticking off fingers for each reason.
"Can't plow, can barely do carpentry work," at this, the old man
scoffed. "You wait for us to come back before doin' stuff you could
have done while we're away... Just what good are you?"
"Remember those warm avocado pies waiting for you on your last return?
And those bottles of ale?"
"Okay, he's important," Sten concluded.
"Very," Niro agreed. "But right now, you guys should be relayin'
for your next moves, and rustling up some dinner."
"I guess," Ryu admitted reluctantly. "Tell everyone to gather up. I'm
pretty sure our bid's gonna be delayed by supply runs, but better safe
than sorry."
Giving a nod, Sten went upstairs, Katt following shortly after.
Niro looked at the two remaining. "And what about you, Ms. Bleu?"
"I," she announced. "Am going to get some sleep. Lemme know when
you guys are taking off." She then leaned in to Ryu's ear and
whispered, "Feel free to wake me up personally, if you want."
Ryu watched her leave, a frown on his face. "She really needs to take
some things seriously." His face drooped even more. "Guess I'll
go see what Granny wants. Send someone for me when they're ready."
"Not a problem," Niro responded, watching the youth leave out the front
door. Indeed, strapping and vigorous, if more than a little thick-
headed and brash.
Not without understanding, Niro noted. Given the way the boy grew up,
it was no wonder why Ryu's tolerance seemed low with Bleu's playful
affections. Bow, the boy's childhood friend, must have kept him wary
of any attitude that seemed overly unconcerned of actions or
consequences.
Niro did expect more empathy from the shaggy blue-haired
adventurer concerning his traveling companion and friend, Nina. As
far as the old man could tell, they now shared a common bond, as both
were effectively orphans, though for different reason. Yet, the youth
seemed totally unaware of Nina's sorrow, on top of other emotions.
Stress or no, he was certain Ryu needed to open his eyes. Even with
the daunting task of investigating the demon menace, it wouldn't do
for him to have friends in his fight uncertain of themselves. It would
be like bringing a rusted blade to labor, it was bound to break at the
most inopportune time.
*******************
It could usually be a tough walk to the third floor of the compound.
There was no dumbwaiter, nor a simple-service elevator for passengers.
Nina, being born from the aviary clan of Windia, experienced no such
problems. While her massive wings, tips that easily reached her calf
muscles, could not exactly allow her great distances like actual birds,
they could allow a good deal of flight, even with no wind to rely upon.
She did not fly up the stairs, however. As her boots padded each
step with a pronounced, fatigued thump, she thought that the last thing
she needed a reminder about was the cursed appendages on her back.
Damn them! She'd lost her sister to those blasting things and the curse
they carried. It should have been her baring the mark of the Great Bird,
she who was supposed to surrender her humanity to give her friends the
opportunity they needed to investigate Evrai.
It never became. Mina, saddened and troubled by her own lack of
knowledge of her own sister, took the burden herself. All the elder
princess was able to do was bang on the gate to the ceremony chamber,
somehow willing for the transformation to fail, pleading to her very
soul that she would be able to hold her baby sister in her arms again...
Nina's took notice of the oak door and swung it open, revealing her
room. She shut it again, and took a seat next to her vanity.
A mess, she decided, looking into the small wall mirror, big enough to
show her upper torso. Her face betrayed her, displaying to her the
expressions she fought. A sadness that she'd felt before, shone in
her eyes, threatening to tear from the effort to dam it all up. In
desperation, she replaced that sadness with a now-familiar anger.
Anger at herself, not being aware enough to know her own sister.
At her ancestor, foolishly choosing a man over duty. Bleu's jibing,
heartless remarks that Nina thought bared too much ground.
And Ryu. Noble, dependable Ryu, who would stick up for her, yet
barely acknowledged the pain she so obviously carried. Her supposed
friend, who thought little beyond her than to break up a squabble for
no other reason than to plan for the impending assault...
She shook her head violently. This wasn't her! Did she not swear to
cease dwelling, and instead bring to justice those who forced Mina's
sacrifice? Ryu was right, petty squabbling was only detracting from
her objectives, their objectives.
She eyed a hairbrush on her table, but made no move to pick it up.
Preparing for bed seemed so very moot, suddenly. She didn't feel
up to another fight, even if it was with her wild, dirty blond hair.
Nina picked herself up and headed to her wardrobe to pull her
nightgown, and laid it on the bed. She removed her bracers,
then the boots, and started unbuttoning the back of the comforting,
soft, dress.
It made her smile, if only a little. The outfit was quite daring for
a simple magician. When her body started bearing the fruit of maturity,
she thought it an appropriate time to fit herself for a dress.
Some dress, she thought, staring at the full body mirror perpendicular
to her bed. Fine, sturdy material, dyed a calming freshwater blue.
Fluffed at the shoulders, hugging everywhere else. The skirt was split
at her left side and trimmed expose her right leg from the thigh, down.
It was overboard, maybe, but not too much when she considered Katt's
choice of attire, or even Bleu's ensemble, or, for both cases, the lack
thereof.
On days where the studying and experimenting with forces got to be too
great, it calmed her to look in the mirror, and set out on the town,
or around the school, striking up a conversation with the citizens, or
her male peers. It always seemed to pep her up to realize that she was
still a woman, above all else. On the trip back to Windia, Mina had
joked about acquiring a similar outfit and turning the city upside down...
"Nina? Can I come in?"
The Windian was startled out of her thoughts, and turned to the door.
Which was opening. The Fullen never did understand the concept
of privacy. Her slight surprise turned into horror at Katt's next
words.
The feline stood in the door, eyes open in shock. "Nina? You're
crying?"
"No!" she shouted hotly, mostly to herself. She'd made a promise,
and her word wasn't something she'd ever break. Not to anyone,
especially family.
Just to prove her bond held true, she casually wiped away at her cheek
with her hand, sure to find no such--
Nina's stomach churned. When? When had it happened? Her head
began spinning with accusations and insults, now she couldn't even keep
her own word to her sister? What kind of person was she? What kind
of princess?
She shivered, and became aware that she was doing so in somebody's arms.
"Nina?" Katt's expression displayed and open concern the princess was
absolutely certain she'd never seen on the girl's face before.
"I can help if you tell me what's wrong. Please?"
nina hel dthe Fullen's pleading gaze a moment longer, then bowed her
head. "I... I lost Mina, today." She did not look up to gauge Katt's
reaction, instead, studying her useless hands. "We set out to retrieve
the Mark of the Great Bird."
"Is that what's gonna get us to Evrai?"
Nina nodded. "But using the Mark comes with a penance. When Mina
discovered I passed the trial to obtain the Mark, she stole it and
performed the ritual on her own." She looked up then, and Katt squeezed
her closers.
"Oh, Nina. I'm sorry. I didn't think that..."
"No, it's nothing like that," the princess responded, cutting the
other girl off. "It's just...I never seem to be strong enough when
it counts." She shook her head, staring back and her slim fingers and
calloused palms. "All of my traiing, and I couldn't save my family."
She'd witnessed the glaring, hostile looks her uselessness had achieved
for her. Even in her mother's hollow, empty eyes, there was a flicker
present, questioning the young princess, demanding of the black winged
scourge just why they were being made to suffer so....
Nina choked on her own breath, her body convulsing with every effort.
Doubled over, she fought the dispair and deep sadness that clawed at
her, begging for release.
Katt gripped her back into an embrace, but Nina ignored the girl. She
ignored her own shivering, stubbornly paid no heed to the deep,
moaning cries coming from her throat.
Nina saw herself, alone and unwanted, dirty, fatigued from fleeing
Windia. Small, scared, but determined not to give in to her inner
Feelings.
She refused! She was a princess and master magician, and a woman of
her word. SHE would decide when and where she would mourn.
And this would not be the place.
Nina fought for her composure, putting an end to her body's traitorous
desires. Her breathing evened out, her shivers receded. The burning
in her eyes returned to a dull protest of a headache.
A moment had passed, Nina still in Katt's uncertain grip. She thought
for a minute to fall into that embrace further, but savagely turned her
back to that idea. It would only invite the remorse and guilt to
return.
"Nina?"
"Air." Her voice sounded haggard and thick.
The Fullen nodded, and, ensuring the Windian was well enough on her
own, went to open the window.
"Can we...go somewhere?" Nina asked, her voice less shaky, more sure
of itself.
Katt gave a nod. "Sure. I can tell the others that we'll be out--"
The blond shook her head. "No. I'm sure Ryu would insist on coming,
and I still don't want to deal with him. Not yet."
The feline female frowned. "I guess, if you insist."
"What?" Nina asked, refastening her dress, and shooting the Fullen a
drawn smile. "Don't think we can take care of ourselves for a while?"
"Hmph," Katt responded, tail twitching. "I can always take care of
myself."
Steadying her balance, Nina stood from her bed and smoothed over her
clothing. "Then let's go."
*******************
Nina had chosen the window as their escape route. It wasn't much of
an obstacle for herself, and had, oddly enough, proven a delight to her
companion.
Katt had taken to the third story jump with an unsurpassed agility and
skill, bending the air around her to her bidding, landing first on the
adjacent one story roof of the neighbor's building, then touched down
with nothing more than a soft thud.
Nina landed beside the feline and noted the wild, pleased glimmer in
her jade eyes, but refrained from comment.
Together, the two were off into the northern woods.
The delightful mood didn't last forever. Soon, the forest around them
reciprocated Nina's quiet somberness. She treid hard to ignore the
despairing within, only to have the heavy guilt take its place.
"Let's go hunting."
The statement scared away Nina's feelings, leaving confusion to take
the fore. "Huh? You know I can't hunt."
Katt scoffed. "Of course you can. You never bothered to try with
the other guys around."
"You make it seem like I'm lazy," Nina replied testily.
"Are you?" Katt challenged, mischief in her tone.
Nina's wings bristled visibly. "Of course not. What do we do first?"
The smile on Katt's face grew wider. "First," she stated, point down
the pathway they'd chosen to walk. "We keep out its range of smell."
It could just be made out in the moonlight, a powerful buck stopping
to graze on a patch of grass near an old oak.
"Once we get close enough," she continued. "You can stun it, while I kill."
Nina gave the girl a half-lidded stare. "Doesn't that defeat the
purpose of me hunting?"
The Fullen blinked. "You want the kill? Then fire when you get
close enough."
"Don't be silly," Nina retorted. "The blast would scare it away before
it did any real damage."
Now it was Katt's turn to appraise Nina with hooded eyes. "Then what
do you suggest?"
"I guess the first plan sounds good," the princess replied, sheepishly
studying her feet.
Katt sighed through a smug grin. "Then follow my lead."
While Katt began to stalk the deer, Nina opened her senses to the
magic around her, letting it fill her being, ready to commit to her
task.
As if alerted, the buck lifted its head, suddenly wary of the forest.
The air seemed far too still, which meant danger was near...
It leapt away, but far too late to do the animal any good. The very
air around the deer pressed it to the ground forcefully, singing a
soft lullaby in its ear. It fought the urge to follow the sound into
a state of slumber.
Then, with a sharp, powerful blow to the neck, it was over. Katt
raised her staff once more, wary of any death throws, but the
creature did not move. She motioned Nina over, keeping a watch over
the cooling body. The girl came, but her eyes never left her partner's
weapon.
*******************
The hunt continued, with more or less the same results. Three different
times the two girls had come across other deer, only managing to
snag one.
Weary, Katt pointed out a nearby stream. Nina instantly agreed at
the implied break.
The stream forked into two directions, the second heading into a deep
depression in the earth, where it pooled into a moderate sized spring.
Placing their game nearby, the girls began to wash away dirt and
grime.
"I didn't think it would be that easy," Nina said lightly as she washed
her hands in the stream.
"What?"
"Hunting. Even with all that tracking, I'd think it would be a little
more difficult."
Katt stripped her gloves from her hands, dipping them in the stream.
"Oh, it really is," she said as she scrubbed the dirt away. "It's just
easier now 'cause there's two of us instead of just one."
"Oh?" the Windian questioned.
"Yeah." Katt withdrew her hands from the water. "It'd be a lot harder
by yourself. You don't have my trackin' skills, see?"
"Fancy that," Nina replied dryly.
"Didn't mean anything by it," Katt said, raising her hands in a placating
gesture. "Everyone's got their own skills. Without your magic, these
bodies would be a whole lot more bloodier."
"Maybe," Nina replied, doubt in her tone.
"C'mon, Nina, I'm serious. Y'think I would've been able to kill that
thing without getting messy? That air trick of yours was pretty useful."
Katt looked at her friend, her posture becoming anxious as she noted
the effects her words were having. It was the words that followed to
her sensitive ears, however, that brought her to anger.
"If I'm so useful, then why am I here now, instead of being where Mina
is, in the sky?"
The springs were quiet, only the booking water dared speak against
the sudden silence. Nina's eyes flashed indignity and anger at her
companion as she held a hand to her reddened left cheek.
"Damnit, where do you get off thinkin' you're useless? Since when did
you become so weak?"
Nina only glared at the Fullen whose hand was still raised from the
strike.
"Well?" Katt demanded. "Do you think you'll be so useless when we
head off to stop St. Eva's followers?"
"You've no right," Nina replied coldly.
"I got every right! Hells, you're gougin' yourself over something you
couldn't have helped about! Mina made her decision, now you! Why
don't you honor her for it and take her pound of flesh from the church?
Or are you really that powerless?"
"Maybe I am!" Nina shot back, angry tears pooling in her eyes. "Maybe
I am that weak and powerless, so why not take Bleu, instead? She's
More than enough sorceress for the job!"
"That's crazy." Katt dropped her hand to her side. "Bleu wasn't there
to help us catch that golden fly." She matched the enraged princess's
glare with her own. "Blew wasn't the one to dispel the demon keeping
grandpa forced in that cliff. She certainly wasn't around to take down
the Joker gang near single-handedly."
The two stared at each other, angry emerald meeting righteous jade.
Then a cry split the stalemate, scattering the nightwalkers who were
spectators to the argument.
Both girls looked skyward, and their breath caught. The Great Bird
flew overhead, the aurora spectrum of her plumage sparkling in the
moonlight. Mina beat her massive wings once, twice, then started
circling low, over the spring where the girls stood.
Both women were awed at the sight, and anger seemed to fade in Mina's
Presence. Clarity came to Katt's eyes, and looking back at Nina, her
tufted ears drooped.
Then she was blindsided, claws raking swiftly across her hide-protected
torso. The force threw her, and she came rolling to a stop meters
away from her companion. Nina herself turned to the noise, and
narrowly avoided her belly being opened.
The assailant was a mountain lion, but astonishingly only so much
smaller than a full grown bear. She, or at least Katt, would have
noticed its approach if not for their arguing, or Mina's sudden screech.
Had her sister been trying to warn her?
She had no more time to dwell on thoughts as she was hard pressed to
dodge the puma's lunges and swipes. A few instinctive mumbles, and
Nina hurled a ball of fire at the beast, stunning it.
The Wing Clansman opened herself fully to her magic, her eyes taking
an unearthly glow. Wind whipped and howled around the scene, pinning
the giant cat to the ground. Then, from the air itself, blades white
with glowing force impacted against the beast, who roared in pain.
Twice more, the blades struck the mountain lion, then it fell, dead,
In two bisected pieces.
*******************
There was quiet between the girls as Nina tended to Katt's mostly
healed wounds. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Then, "Thank you."
The words sounded weighed, but Nina only gave a terse nod.
"I," Katt started again. "I should've been watching to see if something
was tailing our scent."
"It's alright. Mina tried to warn us. We were both too preoccupied."
"Yeah..."
"We can't let this happen again," Nina said. "Become so caught up in
ourselves that we overlook danger."
Katt nodded. "True. I do apologize, Nina. I don't want to be angry
at you, and I didn't mean to yell." The Fullen studied her hands.
"It's just that you're not useless, no matter what anyone thinks. I
know you shouldn't think that of yourself, especially since you just
saved my life."
Katt raised a hand to her friend's face, and Nina flinched, remembering
the slap from earlier. A guilt pass through Katt's eyes, but she
continued her gesture, cupping Nina's chin in her palm.
"I don't think that's what's eating at you, Nina. I think...you should
let yourself mourn."
"What?" the princess asked, shock etched in her features.
"Just let it out, if it's tearin' you away that much." Before the girl
could protest, Katt placed the other finger to her lips. "It's just
me and you out here. No one would expect to keep that kind of
grief inside. You KNOW it's distracting you, so why take that risk?"
Katt's expression saddened. "No one expects warriors and royalty to
keep that much pain at bay for long. I'm your friend, and I'd like to
help if I can. Because..."
The redheaded girl blinked away a tear. "Because I would have killed
to have a friend to help me overcome mom's death."
The princess looked long and hard at her friend, not knowing what to
say. Her mind seemed confused and hurt, unwilling to flesh out a
response to give to Katt.
She wasn't given a chance, as Katt gripped the girl in a smothering
hug. Memories and words ran through Nina's head. Picnics, training,
studying. The sad day of her exile to Hometown. Meeting with Ryu
and the others. Reunited with her parents, even with her father on
his deathbed.
Images blurred until they were no longer discernable. Nina shut her
Eyes, hoping to focus on voices. Ryu's proud tone. Her mother's
Regal son. Katt's own laughing lilt.
Above all, one small voice, almost like her own. A voice she'd never
hear again in the same way, as she was now a mournful siren, playing
her song for the sky alone.
Nina's body caught up with her. Her chest was painfully tight, making
it hard to breathe. Air could only be taken in gulps.
Her sister. She'd lost Mina, lost her chance to walk with her again,
or scold the girl for leaving the castle. They'd never study, or go
out ever again. She'd never have the opportunity to see Mina take
the throne, or make her an auntie...
Nina finally acknowledged all of these with the hot tears streaking
down her cheeks. She cried out, hoping her sister would answer back,
but knowing Mina never would.
"It hurts," Nina cried, broken and distraught.
"I know," replied Katt's laughing lilt, just as sorrowful and heavy.
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'
This is coming from an off moment. Moment, meaning 'this year in which I
haven't written anything, I'm such a lazy git'. It's a good thing because
I've been writing again, period. It's bad because it's not one of my
current works, which WILL be worked on in the coming weeks, I promise you.
The following contains characters from Breath of Fire 2. It's a character
piece that picks up late in the game's plot, so it does help (but isn't
really vital) to know the game. There might be three other pieces of
similar nature in the future, only my muse will know.
Feel free to rip it to shreds, or lemme know how you viewed it. And yes, my
C&C queue is still rather full, so I'll get to it...first thing in the morn.
*joke*
Enjoy
- Kenji M. (nexuspost@hotmail.com)
Kenji's Nexus:
http://www.geocities.com/nexuslink
Random Plug:
http://www.elgoonishshive.com
__________________________________________________ _______________
Working moms: Find helpful tips here on managing kids, home, work — and
yourself. http://special.msn.com/msnbc/workingmom.armx
-- Attached file included as plaintext by Ecartis --
-- File: dindraft.txt
The sun was slowly setting over the northern woods, allowing evening
shadows their time to frolic and play. Within the small, but especially
vital centizenship of Township, blanketed by that same forest, the mood
was hardly jovial enough for anyone within to make merriment of the
earthbound shades.
The warriors and their chieftain had just returned from a harrowing
flight upon their newest member. Plans were being made in silent,
the showdown with St. Eva's main church was promised upon the sun's
rising. For the moment, the small, adventurous party felt it enough
to honor their comrade's sacrifice, and reflect on it until morn.
"Haven't seen a canary that big in QUITE some time. It was
actually refreshing."
Well, almost all of them.
Ryu, chieftain of the village of pot-luck people around their globe,
party leader to the band of adventurers, and last known
descendant of the Dragon Clan, favored the speaker with a harsh
look. "Bleu, that's not nice."
The speaker didn't bother to acknowledge the critique, instead
choosing to reflect further on her statement. "Actually, I haven't
had a decent ride in some time. PERIOD. Honestly, things get
so boring when they're peaceful..."
The third member of the tired quartet shook his head in some small
amount of disbelief, and no small amount of disgust. "Oi, Bleu,
this isn't really the time. And where DID you find that Winlan Ale,
anyway?"
"Doesn't matter, monkey boy," the woman replied, quite clearly despite
her evident sloshed appearance. "What does matter is I want another
ride. On somethin' different."
The monkey in question, Sten, arched a brow as the naga-esque woman
took another long pull of the bottle held in her hand. "Maybe on
something a little firmer, though. The feathers are a plus..."
"She's not there for your amusement," came the icy reply from the
fourth member, bristling at Bleu's chatter.
"What would you know?" the snakewoman sniffed disdainfully. "You're
too young to know what good entertainment is. Though the feathers
are definitely a keeper. Could lay on those soft things for DAYS, I
tell you."
"This is kind of why friends shouldn't let friends fly drunk," Sten
remarked, folding his arms to his sides and openly staring at Bleu.
Bleu looked at her fellows in what could have passed for honest
confusion and hurt, if not for the huge grin. "Hey, people, c'mon.
What is with you all? You'd think we'd just lost the fight to Tyr
for the evil faces you're giving me. The little bird's still with us,
and we've got our shot to head to that overblown chapel and give
those fanatics a good toastin', rescue any captive damsels, and
put our names in history." She tilted her head to the side, suddenly.
"Well, five times for me, without notoriety."
The fourth girl seemed to grow angrier with every word from the elder
sorceress's mouth. "My sister just made a horrible sacrifice, and I'd
appreciate it if you'd not use her for the butt of your horrible jokes."
"What's a joke without a downline, er, punchline?" Bleu slithered
up to the girl, wrapping an arm around her, causing her to tense up.
"She's still with us, and probably ain't all gone as you'd like to think.
And here I was thinking for a moment that you'd matured, little Nina."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Nina responded, stretching
her ebony wings, forcing Bleu to retain her distance.
"THAT's what I mean," Bleu replied with a leery smile. "You're sulking and
angst ain't gonna to bring her back to human form, and it definitely
ain't gonna help in our investigation tomorrow. Y'need to lighten up,
but I guess you like poutin' a lot." The naga invaded the aviary girl's
sphere of comfort once again, whispering in her ear, "Besides, y'don
really think you can catch him while you're brooding, do you?"
Nina jumped back, beyond flustered. "Would it kill you to keep serious
for more than a couple of minutes! That's my sister you're slurring!"
"Wasn't 'slurring' her, I was complementin' her," Bleu shot back hotly,
taking another pull of spirit. "Much softer than you, probably'd know
how to have a better time anyway. At least she makes good with her
gifts."
"You...you're calling me spoiled, now!?" Nina was sneering, stepping
toward the naga. The windows around the houses were opening, everyone
curious as to what spectacle was being presented.
"Nope, not really. I merely said that Mina's using her talents, as
opposed to you." Bleu studied her nails, not deterred in the slightest
about Nina's outburst. "Now that I think 'bout it, you ancestor was
a whole lot quicker on the uptake, too."
It was a deeper barb, and both Ryu and Sten winced.
"What?" The frosted tone in Nina's voice returned. The air seemed to
correspond by dropping several degrees.
"Yeah, she was a bit less of a snert than you," Bleu started, then
paused. "Wait, no, she was worse, really. Responsible, dedicated,
reliable...hell, she even could use a sword with her magic!
"She was twig inside and out, though. Her face was the one thing she
had goin' for her, and it was always stoic. Always 'we've got a
mission to finish and a people to save' or some other grand-standin'
crap. But at least she knew what she wanted, and to hell with what
everyone else thought!"
Bleu looked, half-lidded, at the small Windian princess. "But you,
lil' missy, are a completely different picture. Body of a twig, just
like her, same looks to match, but so uncertain about your own
feelings and selfworth, that it's almost a shame to the predecessor.
And THAT'S sayin' a lot!"
Nina stood, fascinated, and then her face flushed dark red. "Why you
arrogant, overblown--"
"GIRLS!" Ryu's voice served the needle to bleed the tension from the
air, though Nina continued to glare at the unconcerned naga.
"It's been a long day, and we still have a lot to do, come sunrise.
Let's just go get some rest, okay?"
Nina turned to look at her leader in shock. "Ryu!"
The dragon put a palm in the air, as if forcibly pushing her protests
away. "You know how Bleu can get when she's had too much."
At which point he offered a hardened stare at the naga, who finally
decided to look slightly sheepish.
"Geez, they wanna crucify a person for tryin' to lighten her disposition
in the world," she lamented, heading toward the main lodging.
Ryu patted Nina on the shoulder. "We all respect what Mina did for
us, Nina. No one will take that from her. And who knows? We might
find a way to revert the change."
His piece apparently said, Ryu went inside. The windowsill crowd,
noting the show was over, returned to their evening activities.
Sten made to comfort the quiet Windian, but turned to follow his
companions, leaving Nina to her inner toils.
*******************
Niro looked up from his tallying sheets at the sound of the door
opening, followed by Bleu's angry slither into the back area
of the three-story lodge. He refrained from commentary, having
heard the argument outside. His years of traveling told him when
best to sit and observe, and that was what he was content to do.
Observe he would. For an irritated, drunken naga, Bleu redefined
'slink'. With every movement, her hips would exaggerate more motion
than any human would require, and her hair adjusted accordingly, the long
azure locks spilling from beneath her pink cowl flowing as if imitating
the raging sea.
Powerful, that one was. Quite the looker, and probably as venomous
as he had heard. And he had heard quite the number of myths and
legends surrounding the millennia-spanning sorceress. One of the
forgotten seven warriors who aided the dragon clan in saving the
world, and even before that, a master of magic long forgotten. Then
there were the bedtime stories...
Niro was startled from his stupor with a tap from Sten. "You shouldn't
lose your concentration so easily," he offered with a smile, outside
scene entirely forgotten in his demeanor.
"Oh, it takes a lot more than that for me to lose a target," the aging
man replied, once again staring at the exotic image of Bleu from the
secondary doorway. She had gotten as far as the massive meeting table
in the room, and tilted her head to the stairs leading to the second
level when she turned around and eyed the old man.
"Something interest you, Niro?" she asked languidly, earlier annoyance
gone as well.
"Jus' taking in the sights, is all," the man responded with a appreciation
in his voice.
"Hmph. Voyeurism doesn't suit you. Y'should try taking a more active
role, sometime."
He couldn't decipher for the life of him what to believe from her words,
her laughing eyes or her cruel smile. "Well, I'm afraid all I can do
is sight-seein' these days. Otherwise I'd be out with you youngsters."
She sniffed, taking a seat, setting her staff next to her, and placing
her bottle on the table surface. "You insult me. You can easily be
ten times my descendant."
Niro chuckled. Sharp as a whip, she was. "Maybe. I take it things
didn't go too well?"
Her eyes regained some of her earlier ire, obviously at the spat with the
Windian mage, he thought. "Apparently not. Little missy is sore that
her sister beat her into bein' useful."
"Sister? What happened?" It must have been painful, even he could
tell the signs behind the naga's eyes as they flickered, but then were all
angry again.
"Apparently falling for the dragon didn't do my former comrade any good,
and her downline..." she stopped to chuckle at the double meaning in
her words. "Are the ones to suffer for it. Though why it's like that, I
couldn't tell you. You'd think one's child would be strengthened from
dragon's blood."
Niro offered a shrug, but Sten was the one to reply. "You can never
tell with something as powerful as the dragon-clan. I've heard a couple
of instances where whole clans lost their abilities."
Bleu waved them off, and, to Niro's eyes, pointedly ignored the front
door opening, announcing Ryu's entry. "All lost through petty
bickering, I assure you. From what I've seen, the dragon's powers
respond to need more than anything, so the curse of the Great Bird
over Windia is probably somethin' else they flopped on their own."
Ryu paused at the counter with Niro and Sten, curious. "What's up
now?"
"Well," Sten began. "Methinks the lady be referrin' to some reason
as to why Windian's can't fly anymore."
Ryu frowned. "Bleu," he started warningly.
"Oh, please! I'm not going to dance eggshells around Miss Snippy. In
fact, I think the information might help her out, should she choose to
listen." The naga took a pull from her golden bottle, and set it back
down. "'Course, don't feel much like talkin' about it anymore, anyway.
I'd rather discuss more interesting things. And the thought of studying
a dragon's mating habits have always been...very intriguing."
Niro had to laugh as Bleu's voice dropped into heavy breathing,
and Ryu's posture rose in tenseness. Savior or no, the boy was still
that, a boy. Easily cowed and swayed by a woman's charms.
Ryu grit his teeth, telltale fangs gleaming in the light. "I thought I
asked you to knock it off, Bleu."
"Spoilsport," she pouted, but did not relent. "You all are always like
that. So gruff and dodgy. But that's okay, since I've done enough
research to know how to pull you type away from that habit," she
purred the last part, rising from her seat and sliding into his
direction.
She was almost to the boy when Katt came bounding down the stairs.
"You're back! How'd it go?"
"S'goin fine," Bleu said, not missing a beat. Ryu stepped back, still
flustered, while Sten started making his way to meet with the feral
catgirl.
Katt frowned at her teammate's behavior. "It didn't sound fine, from
the screaming outside. Was that Nina?" Her gaze grew worried.
"Did something happen to her?"
"She'll get over it, I guarantee you." Bleu was now next to Ryu, who
was growing more and more agitated.
Katt's firey fur rose on her back, though Niro couldn't see it. It
was child's play, however, to make out the anger in the Fullen's jade
eyes.
"It didn't go so well," Sten spoke up, putting a hand on Katt's shoulder.
"And I'd think you'd want to hear it more from Nina than from us."
Said person chose that time to finally walk through the door, and
everyone took notice. Usually calm, placid emerald eyes were
arguing between sorrow and anger, and her posture sagged, her
shoulders tense, carrying some unnamed weight. Even the ebony
wings on her back seemed lifeless and dulled.
She focused her sight to the naga, who had taken the opportunity to
'snake' an arm around Ryu's torso, and something bordering on a sneer
broke out on the blond's almond-shaped face.
"Nina!" Katt instantly made it to her side, her presence visibly calming
the Windian.
"Ryu," Nina began, then, taking in the scene before her, shook her
head.
"I'm going to get some rest."
Not waiting for anyone to respond, the winged girl headed for the
back assembly room, and then upstairs.
Ryu looked at the retreating form in a bit of confusion, and then shook
his head. "Anything for us, Niro?"
The old man shrugged, his eyes traveling the group. Sten and Bleu
were content to let the poor girl sulk, while Katt looked torn
between grilling the dragonboy for answers, and following after Nina,
obviously to comfort the girl.
"Well, chieftain," he answered, enough to draw Ryu's attention away
from Bleu. "We're going to have to do some heavy revision. The
merchants all want a better trade route, and have put together an idea
for connecting to Hometown through a northern port.
"We're short on game, though that Azusa guy says that's only because
no one's hunting, and we've no real outside contact." Niro smirked at
Ryu's frown. 'The merchants can fry themselves', the lips seem to
say, without necessary movement.
"Any luck on that thing in the well?"
"None, really." Niro scratched his balding head. "That Eichichi girl
is pretty focused on it, but from the few times she's come up, she ain't
said nothin' significant." Energetic girl, Niro thought. Very...fanatic
with machines.
"Oh! The old woman wants a word with you, if you have the time." He
watched Ryu repress a shiver, and empathized. To a point, anyway. The
old fusion witch certainly was spooky, but her assistants made visiting
her more than tolerable.
"The usual boring stuff that you could probably do, 'young' man," Bleu
casted a weathered look at Niro.
"Possibly, but I'm not strapping and full of vigor, like Ryu is." The
old man replied evenly.
"So you can't hunt," Bleu tisked, ticking off fingers for each reason.
"Can't plow, can barely do carpentry work," at this, the old man
scoffed. "You wait for us to come back before doin' stuff you could
have done while we're away... Just what good are you?"
"Remember those warm avocado pies waiting for you on your last return?
And those bottles of ale?"
"Okay, he's important," Sten concluded.
"Very," Niro agreed. "But right now, you guys should be relayin'
for your next moves, and rustling up some dinner."
"I guess," Ryu admitted reluctantly. "Tell everyone to gather up. I'm
pretty sure our bid's gonna be delayed by supply runs, but better safe
than sorry."
Giving a nod, Sten went upstairs, Katt following shortly after.
Niro looked at the two remaining. "And what about you, Ms. Bleu?"
"I," she announced. "Am going to get some sleep. Lemme know when
you guys are taking off." She then leaned in to Ryu's ear and
whispered, "Feel free to wake me up personally, if you want."
Ryu watched her leave, a frown on his face. "She really needs to take
some things seriously." His face drooped even more. "Guess I'll
go see what Granny wants. Send someone for me when they're ready."
"Not a problem," Niro responded, watching the youth leave out the front
door. Indeed, strapping and vigorous, if more than a little thick-
headed and brash.
Not without understanding, Niro noted. Given the way the boy grew up,
it was no wonder why Ryu's tolerance seemed low with Bleu's playful
affections. Bow, the boy's childhood friend, must have kept him wary
of any attitude that seemed overly unconcerned of actions or
consequences.
Niro did expect more empathy from the shaggy blue-haired
adventurer concerning his traveling companion and friend, Nina. As
far as the old man could tell, they now shared a common bond, as both
were effectively orphans, though for different reason. Yet, the youth
seemed totally unaware of Nina's sorrow, on top of other emotions.
Stress or no, he was certain Ryu needed to open his eyes. Even with
the daunting task of investigating the demon menace, it wouldn't do
for him to have friends in his fight uncertain of themselves. It would
be like bringing a rusted blade to labor, it was bound to break at the
most inopportune time.
*******************
It could usually be a tough walk to the third floor of the compound.
There was no dumbwaiter, nor a simple-service elevator for passengers.
Nina, being born from the aviary clan of Windia, experienced no such
problems. While her massive wings, tips that easily reached her calf
muscles, could not exactly allow her great distances like actual birds,
they could allow a good deal of flight, even with no wind to rely upon.
She did not fly up the stairs, however. As her boots padded each
step with a pronounced, fatigued thump, she thought that the last thing
she needed a reminder about was the cursed appendages on her back.
Damn them! She'd lost her sister to those blasting things and the curse
they carried. It should have been her baring the mark of the Great Bird,
she who was supposed to surrender her humanity to give her friends the
opportunity they needed to investigate Evrai.
It never became. Mina, saddened and troubled by her own lack of
knowledge of her own sister, took the burden herself. All the elder
princess was able to do was bang on the gate to the ceremony chamber,
somehow willing for the transformation to fail, pleading to her very
soul that she would be able to hold her baby sister in her arms again...
Nina's took notice of the oak door and swung it open, revealing her
room. She shut it again, and took a seat next to her vanity.
A mess, she decided, looking into the small wall mirror, big enough to
show her upper torso. Her face betrayed her, displaying to her the
expressions she fought. A sadness that she'd felt before, shone in
her eyes, threatening to tear from the effort to dam it all up. In
desperation, she replaced that sadness with a now-familiar anger.
Anger at herself, not being aware enough to know her own sister.
At her ancestor, foolishly choosing a man over duty. Bleu's jibing,
heartless remarks that Nina thought bared too much ground.
And Ryu. Noble, dependable Ryu, who would stick up for her, yet
barely acknowledged the pain she so obviously carried. Her supposed
friend, who thought little beyond her than to break up a squabble for
no other reason than to plan for the impending assault...
She shook her head violently. This wasn't her! Did she not swear to
cease dwelling, and instead bring to justice those who forced Mina's
sacrifice? Ryu was right, petty squabbling was only detracting from
her objectives, their objectives.
She eyed a hairbrush on her table, but made no move to pick it up.
Preparing for bed seemed so very moot, suddenly. She didn't feel
up to another fight, even if it was with her wild, dirty blond hair.
Nina picked herself up and headed to her wardrobe to pull her
nightgown, and laid it on the bed. She removed her bracers,
then the boots, and started unbuttoning the back of the comforting,
soft, dress.
It made her smile, if only a little. The outfit was quite daring for
a simple magician. When her body started bearing the fruit of maturity,
she thought it an appropriate time to fit herself for a dress.
Some dress, she thought, staring at the full body mirror perpendicular
to her bed. Fine, sturdy material, dyed a calming freshwater blue.
Fluffed at the shoulders, hugging everywhere else. The skirt was split
at her left side and trimmed expose her right leg from the thigh, down.
It was overboard, maybe, but not too much when she considered Katt's
choice of attire, or even Bleu's ensemble, or, for both cases, the lack
thereof.
On days where the studying and experimenting with forces got to be too
great, it calmed her to look in the mirror, and set out on the town,
or around the school, striking up a conversation with the citizens, or
her male peers. It always seemed to pep her up to realize that she was
still a woman, above all else. On the trip back to Windia, Mina had
joked about acquiring a similar outfit and turning the city upside down...
"Nina? Can I come in?"
The Windian was startled out of her thoughts, and turned to the door.
Which was opening. The Fullen never did understand the concept
of privacy. Her slight surprise turned into horror at Katt's next
words.
The feline stood in the door, eyes open in shock. "Nina? You're
crying?"
"No!" she shouted hotly, mostly to herself. She'd made a promise,
and her word wasn't something she'd ever break. Not to anyone,
especially family.
Just to prove her bond held true, she casually wiped away at her cheek
with her hand, sure to find no such--
Nina's stomach churned. When? When had it happened? Her head
began spinning with accusations and insults, now she couldn't even keep
her own word to her sister? What kind of person was she? What kind
of princess?
She shivered, and became aware that she was doing so in somebody's arms.
"Nina?" Katt's expression displayed and open concern the princess was
absolutely certain she'd never seen on the girl's face before.
"I can help if you tell me what's wrong. Please?"
nina hel dthe Fullen's pleading gaze a moment longer, then bowed her
head. "I... I lost Mina, today." She did not look up to gauge Katt's
reaction, instead, studying her useless hands. "We set out to retrieve
the Mark of the Great Bird."
"Is that what's gonna get us to Evrai?"
Nina nodded. "But using the Mark comes with a penance. When Mina
discovered I passed the trial to obtain the Mark, she stole it and
performed the ritual on her own." She looked up then, and Katt squeezed
her closers.
"Oh, Nina. I'm sorry. I didn't think that..."
"No, it's nothing like that," the princess responded, cutting the
other girl off. "It's just...I never seem to be strong enough when
it counts." She shook her head, staring back and her slim fingers and
calloused palms. "All of my traiing, and I couldn't save my family."
She'd witnessed the glaring, hostile looks her uselessness had achieved
for her. Even in her mother's hollow, empty eyes, there was a flicker
present, questioning the young princess, demanding of the black winged
scourge just why they were being made to suffer so....
Nina choked on her own breath, her body convulsing with every effort.
Doubled over, she fought the dispair and deep sadness that clawed at
her, begging for release.
Katt gripped her back into an embrace, but Nina ignored the girl. She
ignored her own shivering, stubbornly paid no heed to the deep,
moaning cries coming from her throat.
Nina saw herself, alone and unwanted, dirty, fatigued from fleeing
Windia. Small, scared, but determined not to give in to her inner
Feelings.
She refused! She was a princess and master magician, and a woman of
her word. SHE would decide when and where she would mourn.
And this would not be the place.
Nina fought for her composure, putting an end to her body's traitorous
desires. Her breathing evened out, her shivers receded. The burning
in her eyes returned to a dull protest of a headache.
A moment had passed, Nina still in Katt's uncertain grip. She thought
for a minute to fall into that embrace further, but savagely turned her
back to that idea. It would only invite the remorse and guilt to
return.
"Nina?"
"Air." Her voice sounded haggard and thick.
The Fullen nodded, and, ensuring the Windian was well enough on her
own, went to open the window.
"Can we...go somewhere?" Nina asked, her voice less shaky, more sure
of itself.
Katt gave a nod. "Sure. I can tell the others that we'll be out--"
The blond shook her head. "No. I'm sure Ryu would insist on coming,
and I still don't want to deal with him. Not yet."
The feline female frowned. "I guess, if you insist."
"What?" Nina asked, refastening her dress, and shooting the Fullen a
drawn smile. "Don't think we can take care of ourselves for a while?"
"Hmph," Katt responded, tail twitching. "I can always take care of
myself."
Steadying her balance, Nina stood from her bed and smoothed over her
clothing. "Then let's go."
*******************
Nina had chosen the window as their escape route. It wasn't much of
an obstacle for herself, and had, oddly enough, proven a delight to her
companion.
Katt had taken to the third story jump with an unsurpassed agility and
skill, bending the air around her to her bidding, landing first on the
adjacent one story roof of the neighbor's building, then touched down
with nothing more than a soft thud.
Nina landed beside the feline and noted the wild, pleased glimmer in
her jade eyes, but refrained from comment.
Together, the two were off into the northern woods.
The delightful mood didn't last forever. Soon, the forest around them
reciprocated Nina's quiet somberness. She treid hard to ignore the
despairing within, only to have the heavy guilt take its place.
"Let's go hunting."
The statement scared away Nina's feelings, leaving confusion to take
the fore. "Huh? You know I can't hunt."
Katt scoffed. "Of course you can. You never bothered to try with
the other guys around."
"You make it seem like I'm lazy," Nina replied testily.
"Are you?" Katt challenged, mischief in her tone.
Nina's wings bristled visibly. "Of course not. What do we do first?"
The smile on Katt's face grew wider. "First," she stated, point down
the pathway they'd chosen to walk. "We keep out its range of smell."
It could just be made out in the moonlight, a powerful buck stopping
to graze on a patch of grass near an old oak.
"Once we get close enough," she continued. "You can stun it, while I kill."
Nina gave the girl a half-lidded stare. "Doesn't that defeat the
purpose of me hunting?"
The Fullen blinked. "You want the kill? Then fire when you get
close enough."
"Don't be silly," Nina retorted. "The blast would scare it away before
it did any real damage."
Now it was Katt's turn to appraise Nina with hooded eyes. "Then what
do you suggest?"
"I guess the first plan sounds good," the princess replied, sheepishly
studying her feet.
Katt sighed through a smug grin. "Then follow my lead."
While Katt began to stalk the deer, Nina opened her senses to the
magic around her, letting it fill her being, ready to commit to her
task.
As if alerted, the buck lifted its head, suddenly wary of the forest.
The air seemed far too still, which meant danger was near...
It leapt away, but far too late to do the animal any good. The very
air around the deer pressed it to the ground forcefully, singing a
soft lullaby in its ear. It fought the urge to follow the sound into
a state of slumber.
Then, with a sharp, powerful blow to the neck, it was over. Katt
raised her staff once more, wary of any death throws, but the
creature did not move. She motioned Nina over, keeping a watch over
the cooling body. The girl came, but her eyes never left her partner's
weapon.
*******************
The hunt continued, with more or less the same results. Three different
times the two girls had come across other deer, only managing to
snag one.
Weary, Katt pointed out a nearby stream. Nina instantly agreed at
the implied break.
The stream forked into two directions, the second heading into a deep
depression in the earth, where it pooled into a moderate sized spring.
Placing their game nearby, the girls began to wash away dirt and
grime.
"I didn't think it would be that easy," Nina said lightly as she washed
her hands in the stream.
"What?"
"Hunting. Even with all that tracking, I'd think it would be a little
more difficult."
Katt stripped her gloves from her hands, dipping them in the stream.
"Oh, it really is," she said as she scrubbed the dirt away. "It's just
easier now 'cause there's two of us instead of just one."
"Oh?" the Windian questioned.
"Yeah." Katt withdrew her hands from the water. "It'd be a lot harder
by yourself. You don't have my trackin' skills, see?"
"Fancy that," Nina replied dryly.
"Didn't mean anything by it," Katt said, raising her hands in a placating
gesture. "Everyone's got their own skills. Without your magic, these
bodies would be a whole lot more bloodier."
"Maybe," Nina replied, doubt in her tone.
"C'mon, Nina, I'm serious. Y'think I would've been able to kill that
thing without getting messy? That air trick of yours was pretty useful."
Katt looked at her friend, her posture becoming anxious as she noted
the effects her words were having. It was the words that followed to
her sensitive ears, however, that brought her to anger.
"If I'm so useful, then why am I here now, instead of being where Mina
is, in the sky?"
The springs were quiet, only the booking water dared speak against
the sudden silence. Nina's eyes flashed indignity and anger at her
companion as she held a hand to her reddened left cheek.
"Damnit, where do you get off thinkin' you're useless? Since when did
you become so weak?"
Nina only glared at the Fullen whose hand was still raised from the
strike.
"Well?" Katt demanded. "Do you think you'll be so useless when we
head off to stop St. Eva's followers?"
"You've no right," Nina replied coldly.
"I got every right! Hells, you're gougin' yourself over something you
couldn't have helped about! Mina made her decision, now you! Why
don't you honor her for it and take her pound of flesh from the church?
Or are you really that powerless?"
"Maybe I am!" Nina shot back, angry tears pooling in her eyes. "Maybe
I am that weak and powerless, so why not take Bleu, instead? She's
More than enough sorceress for the job!"
"That's crazy." Katt dropped her hand to her side. "Bleu wasn't there
to help us catch that golden fly." She matched the enraged princess's
glare with her own. "Blew wasn't the one to dispel the demon keeping
grandpa forced in that cliff. She certainly wasn't around to take down
the Joker gang near single-handedly."
The two stared at each other, angry emerald meeting righteous jade.
Then a cry split the stalemate, scattering the nightwalkers who were
spectators to the argument.
Both girls looked skyward, and their breath caught. The Great Bird
flew overhead, the aurora spectrum of her plumage sparkling in the
moonlight. Mina beat her massive wings once, twice, then started
circling low, over the spring where the girls stood.
Both women were awed at the sight, and anger seemed to fade in Mina's
Presence. Clarity came to Katt's eyes, and looking back at Nina, her
tufted ears drooped.
Then she was blindsided, claws raking swiftly across her hide-protected
torso. The force threw her, and she came rolling to a stop meters
away from her companion. Nina herself turned to the noise, and
narrowly avoided her belly being opened.
The assailant was a mountain lion, but astonishingly only so much
smaller than a full grown bear. She, or at least Katt, would have
noticed its approach if not for their arguing, or Mina's sudden screech.
Had her sister been trying to warn her?
She had no more time to dwell on thoughts as she was hard pressed to
dodge the puma's lunges and swipes. A few instinctive mumbles, and
Nina hurled a ball of fire at the beast, stunning it.
The Wing Clansman opened herself fully to her magic, her eyes taking
an unearthly glow. Wind whipped and howled around the scene, pinning
the giant cat to the ground. Then, from the air itself, blades white
with glowing force impacted against the beast, who roared in pain.
Twice more, the blades struck the mountain lion, then it fell, dead,
In two bisected pieces.
*******************
There was quiet between the girls as Nina tended to Katt's mostly
healed wounds. Each was lost in their own thoughts.
Then, "Thank you."
The words sounded weighed, but Nina only gave a terse nod.
"I," Katt started again. "I should've been watching to see if something
was tailing our scent."
"It's alright. Mina tried to warn us. We were both too preoccupied."
"Yeah..."
"We can't let this happen again," Nina said. "Become so caught up in
ourselves that we overlook danger."
Katt nodded. "True. I do apologize, Nina. I don't want to be angry
at you, and I didn't mean to yell." The Fullen studied her hands.
"It's just that you're not useless, no matter what anyone thinks. I
know you shouldn't think that of yourself, especially since you just
saved my life."
Katt raised a hand to her friend's face, and Nina flinched, remembering
the slap from earlier. A guilt pass through Katt's eyes, but she
continued her gesture, cupping Nina's chin in her palm.
"I don't think that's what's eating at you, Nina. I think...you should
let yourself mourn."
"What?" the princess asked, shock etched in her features.
"Just let it out, if it's tearin' you away that much." Before the girl
could protest, Katt placed the other finger to her lips. "It's just
me and you out here. No one would expect to keep that kind of
grief inside. You KNOW it's distracting you, so why take that risk?"
Katt's expression saddened. "No one expects warriors and royalty to
keep that much pain at bay for long. I'm your friend, and I'd like to
help if I can. Because..."
The redheaded girl blinked away a tear. "Because I would have killed
to have a friend to help me overcome mom's death."
The princess looked long and hard at her friend, not knowing what to
say. Her mind seemed confused and hurt, unwilling to flesh out a
response to give to Katt.
She wasn't given a chance, as Katt gripped the girl in a smothering
hug. Memories and words ran through Nina's head. Picnics, training,
studying. The sad day of her exile to Hometown. Meeting with Ryu
and the others. Reunited with her parents, even with her father on
his deathbed.
Images blurred until they were no longer discernable. Nina shut her
Eyes, hoping to focus on voices. Ryu's proud tone. Her mother's
Regal son. Katt's own laughing lilt.
Above all, one small voice, almost like her own. A voice she'd never
hear again in the same way, as she was now a mournful siren, playing
her song for the sky alone.
Nina's body caught up with her. Her chest was painfully tight, making
it hard to breathe. Air could only be taken in gulps.
Her sister. She'd lost Mina, lost her chance to walk with her again,
or scold the girl for leaving the castle. They'd never study, or go
out ever again. She'd never have the opportunity to see Mina take
the throne, or make her an auntie...
Nina finally acknowledged all of these with the hot tears streaking
down her cheeks. She cried out, hoping her sister would answer back,
but knowing Mina never would.
"It hurts," Nina cried, broken and distraught.
"I know," replied Katt's laughing lilt, just as sorrowful and heavy.
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins@anifics.com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request@anifics.com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'