[MOVED THREAD! Authors: Small Wonder and Emoosts]
Small Wonder
Gackt is God. XD
Posts: 1210
(12/15/04 12:53 pm)
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Calm after the storm...
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It had taken weeks of hard travel to make her way back to the village but, to her own surprise and amazement, she had done it. More than anything, she was surprised she had remembered the way back. So she did have a good memory, a photographic one, at that. Until now, she hadn't known that.
You learned something new everyday.
Of course, she hadn't done it without help. She'd asked for directions along the way whenever she sighted someone who looked friendly, and without having people pointing her in the right direction every now and then, she probably wouldn't have found her way back. After all...this was the first time in her life that she was out on her own, truly out on her own. To the age of fourteen, she'd lived among her village back in her homeland, and had only strayed from it when she had someone to go with her. The other villages were spaced widely apart, and there were dangers beyond the safety of the village walls. Yes, she'd lived a sheltered life...until only a few weeks ago, she hadn't even been swimming, much less in a body of water that she couldn't stand in. She still didn't know how to swim, though now, at least, she'd been taught to tread water.
But, village life wasn't completely secure, and at fourteen Sunni had been taken from her family by the very government that protected them, taken from everything familiar, never to see it againâ€"to begin life anew as a courtesan to the Emperor.
A life she had immediately shirked.
It had been a safe life, and a secure one, and the only other life she had known until the age of seventeenâ€"and even now, she wasn't yet eighteen. There was nothing that was denied to her, no physical, tangible item or comfort. But...she hated it. She had been treated well...but...she wasn't free. She wasn't allowed out of the palace walls. Most of the time, she wasn't even allowed beyond the inner seraglio. Her life wasn't her own. Her body wasn't her own. She was simply a well-treated slave, one among many, whose duties were...
She grimaced slightly and shook her head to clear her mind of the thought. Funny how the mind could wander.
Now, though, she was hardly looked the part. Her dark blue hair was a mess, soiled from sweat and dust from travel, and her dirtied clothesâ€"loose-fitting breeches and a shirt, anything to conceal her petite, shapely figure; she'd ditched her native clothing quickly upon arriving hereâ€"were torn in places, ripped about her legs and arms. Her cat-like blue-furred tail was matted from lack of care, and soil smeared her face in places, blurring the blue flame tattoo on the left side of her face. And her condition wasn't all just from travel. Not weeks ago, she'd nearly been killed! For the first time in her life, her life had been in serious jeopardy! But...it had turned out okay, in the end.
And it had been worth it, due to the people she'd met.
Who, unfortunately, she'd been separated from...
That's why she was returning here, the first place she had come to when she'd come to this world, the one place she was truly familiar with. And she was so relieved to find herself here...she hadn't known if she would make it.
She'd never had to travel long distance before this.
Sunni paused for a moment as she looked upon the village sprawling out before her, relief flooding her, making her blue cat-like ears droop, as the sights before her registered. She'd made it...
Without warning, her knees buckled and she stumbled forward, but wasn't able to catch herself and toppled onto her hands and knees. But she hardly felt the pain throbbing in her skinned knees. They'd been skinned enough times on her way here...and she was too exhausted to care. And thirsty. And hungry. She hadn't really gotten much sleep along her travels...or much to eat. She'd been too afraid to sleep out beyond civilization, and sparse wild fruits hardly made for a fulfilling meal.
But, overall, she was just...relieved.
She hoped everyone else was faring well...and maybe, one day, she'd be reunited with them.
Especially with Dis.
emoosts
SotE addict
Posts: 59
(12/16/04 8:15 pm)
204.186.1.199
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Sumarai acted as nothing more than a shadow. She glided through the veils of darkness. She was struck with flashbacks of her family, of those who she had ran from. But of course that was a year or two back. Now was now and something wasn't right. A curious looking girl had fallen to her knees and Sumarai couldn't resist helping. Perhaps it was the fact she had never had anyone help her. But God helps those who help themselves. Maybe that was true? She didn't know.
Sumarai slid from the shadows, materializing. Her snow-white skin hidden from head to toe. Her arms and hands were wrapped in bandages and her wavey black hair had been bound upon her head. She had wrapped something like a scarf around her head, but it hung loose. The only thing really visible was her ebony eyes and the bridge of her nose. She was slim and almost delicate looking. But she was stronger than she appeared.
As Sumarai moved towards the catgirl she offered a tightly wrapped hand, a soft icy chill emnanting from her body. That was why she was ladden with clothes. She felt ashamed of the chill that creeped from her body. She didn't want people to feel the coldness that seeped from her flesh. What if they thought her heart was as cold as her skin?
Sumarai had been born into a very normal, human family. Her parents, finding she was not human had disowned her. She was abused and kept a secret. A secret hidden in the hidden rooms no one dared entered. Her powers grew and so did her strength and understanding of the world she was born into. She then simply, not able to take the scorn and shame, had left. To begin again, anew in a different land where, perhaps, she would be accepted as a being.
Small Wonder
Gackt is God. XD
Posts: 1229
(12/17/04 8:50 am)
68.7.17.236
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Huh? Oh!
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Sunni didn't immediately try and get back up. Despite the pain in her knees, she found this position oddly comfortable, a resting position, and she certainly needed the rest. After all that traveling, the muscles in her legs were quite sore and rubbery, though that was nothing compared to what she'd experienced weeks ago.
Weeks ago, and her whole body had been in pain during that whole debacle at the waterfall, when the peaceful scene had turned violent and she'd been attacked. But her burn wounds had been minor, especially compared to others in her party, and had been healed along the way. But she knew the others would be alright...they were strong, and they'd been the ones to protect her. If only she hadn't been split off from them...
Her large violet eyes blinked in surprise when a hand suddenly filled her vision, and she raised her eyes slowly to see a...a woman. It had to be a woman; she couldn't really make out any distinguishable featuresâ€"everything on her body was wrapped up, practicallyâ€"but that was definitely a woman's figure, and she was offering to help her up.
And Sunni needed the help. She felt like she could stay here all day until her muscles recovered!
"Oh! Thanks," she murmured, taking the wrapped hand in her own delicate, but equally soiled, hand and allowing herself to be pulled to her feet, where she stumbled a little as she regained her bearings. Oww...her knees hurt...
Looking at the woman that helped her, Sunni suddenly, despite herself, felt a little embarrassment, embarrassment that hadn't settled in until she'd made it to a civilized area and finally been noticed. She looked a wreck, with her greasy hair and soiled clothing! She winced a little at the mental image she got of herself, and uneasily brushed some blue hair from her eyes.
emoosts
SotE addict
Posts: 60
(12/17/04 2:52 pm)
204.186.1.233
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Sumarai nodded her head, her eyes flickering shut to emphasive the motion. Sumarai rarely talked nowadays. Being told not to talk and being beaten into took a toll where sometimes, you were just afraid. Sumarai still felt awkward in this world, and both mental and physical scars had not faded over the course of those healing years. But everyone seemed to have one or two unhealed scars.
Sumarai tilted her head, just for a moment. She almost had the wish to communicate, but fear flickered inside her ebony eyes. She calmed herself and gazed at the catgirl. Her slim, graceful hand withdrew, although she had stepped closer when trying to pull the girl up, noticing how she had stumbled.
You... okay?
Her voice was barely audible, a soft, hoarse whisper. Her voice was rarely used and it showed.
Small Wonder
Gackt is God. XD
Posts: 1232
(12/17/04 3:25 pm)
68.7.17.236
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I think so?
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"I think so," Sunni replied, straightening a little and bending a little to examine her knees. Her left knee was bleeding, the old scab that had grown there having broken open, but there were no new scrapes, really.
Geez...if only the Emperor could see her now!
The thought was equally amusing and equally frightening. Amusing given courtesans were chosen based on their attractiveness, but frightening since him seeing her would imply she'd been returned to her world. And that was certainly a scenario she was planning on enacting, even if she wasn't wanted for treason. The Emperor had never been cruel, by any means...but he didn't view courtesans as actual people, either. More like a pretty piece of property, there for his own entertainment.
"Just kinda sore...and worn out..." she admitted, blue tail swaying behind her. And her weariness showed by the way her shoulders slumped, ears drooped, and legs shook, ever so slightly. "And...in serious need of washing," she added sheepishly. Aw man...she probably smelled, she imagined...she'd never been this dirty before in her life. "And I'm not quite sure what to do now that I finally got here..."
emoosts
SotE addict
Posts: 64
(12/17/04 3:55 pm)
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She gave a nod, thinking to herself on what to offer this blue-tailed catgirl. She was quite a mess, but first things first, right? Tending to wounds, food, and then pampering. That's how Sumarai viewed the list of things to do.
"I could help," she spoke in her whispering voice.
She gave another nod at how she spoke that she had no idea what to do now she was here. Sumarai herself made a camp to wherever she deemed to stay. She was mostly alone and preferred traveling that way. But her throat was already begining to hurt as whenever she spoke her throat seemed to catch and crack and scratch. But no matter. She didn't expect to use it alot for how long she was here. I mean, she'd be off again and out of everyone's way in a short, short time. No use in bothering anyone at all with meaningless things that she had. Of course not.
Small Wonder
Gackt is God. XD
Posts: 1235
(12/17/04 4:05 pm)
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You could?
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(XD Once you start, you can't stop!)
"You could?" Sunni asked, blinking those large, feline eyes of hers. "Hey, if you could, that'd be great! I mean, I'd really appreciate it," she told the girl. She wasn't about to refuse help offered to her, especially when she was in no position to refuse such aid.
Except...for one thing. She remembered something from when she had first recieved these new clothes of hersâ€"which, well...weren't really new anymore, but quite thrashed. Money. People here used money, and she'd never used money in her entire life. On her village, there was no need to; trade was the means of acquiring a service. And at the palace? Everything was provided for her. She didn't have a single bronze of copper piece on her. For that matter, she didn't have anything on her of any value! When she'd first come, her clothes had been quite nice, but those were from harem life. Even if they'd been modest, she didn't want any reminders of that life, and she'd gotten rid of them as soon as possible. She'd also had earrings...but she'd gotten rid of those, too. They'd been a mark of rank in the harem...and they'd been the first things she'd gotten rid of.
"I...I don't have anything to repay you with, though..." she said at length, biting her bottom lip.
emoosts
SotE addict
Posts: 65
(12/17/04 4:25 pm)
204.186.1.233
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She studied the catgirl, very quietly. She noticed the clothes and how they were torn and how the girl was dirtied and smudged. The poor girl, Sumarai thought to herself.
"No payment," Sumarai was trying to get away with the least to be said.
Sumarai would refuse any payment. She was doing this because she the girl needed help, not for the money. Although money she would need to buy some supplies, but she could work for it later. She had enough supplies to go around between both her and this new acquaintance of sorts.
"Come," Sumarai said in her whispering voice just above silence.
She turned her slowly and walked off, just off behind the trees on a narrow, animal like trail. She waved her slim hand in front of her and her cloaked, unseen camp laid and materialized. She knelt, her robes folding in around her as she started the fire, using the magic that had been woven into her very blood. She heated the pot of portidge and crushed some herbs into it. Before here she had visited many worlds and tribes and had gathered much information about food, even if she could not name them. She took out a flask of water and offered it to the blue catgirl kindly.
"I can heal wounds," the hidden woman said.
She could, and she looked at Sunni with her intense ebony-eyed gaze. She would only heal her if Sunni wanted the wounds to be healed. It would be simple and easy. She then looked to the small pot over the fire in which she took it off, scooping it into a bowl with a utensil. She set it out for Sunni. She then looked up to the girl, waiting for the answer.
Small Wonder
Gackt is God. XD
Posts: 1241
(12/18/04 10:38 am)
68.7.17.236
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Really?
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"Really? Are ya sure...?" Sunni wasn't about to pass up this opportunity...but she also didn't want to come across as rude. But...she also had nothing on her, and couldn't do anything about that, exactly, so...
She followed after the woman without further comment as she lead the way, following her just behind the cover of trees on a small trail. And it was a good thing wherever they were going wasn't far away, for Sunni's legs were sore and shaky, and she wasn't quite sure how far she'd be able to travel before they gave out again. Blood had trickled down her left leg, a thin line, but the bleeding itself had stopped and the blood was already crusting. Still, the cut stung, and she winced as she walked, trying to bend her knee as little as possible, lest the wound be reopened.
And then, when they finally stopped...she gave a small gasp and jump when, with a wave of the woman's hand, a camp materialized. A camp that had been invisible!? She'd never heard or seen anything like it! This world was just full of surprises. Of course, she knew about magic. She couldn't weild it herself without the aid of a special black crystal, and even then she was limited in her skills. She barely knew how to open a portal! That had been pure luck. But making whole areas and items invisible...that was new.
And all without a crystal, too!
"How'd you...how didja do that...?" she asked, still openly awestruck. But then she blinked and shook her head, catching the woman's next words as water was offered to her, which she took gratefully.
"Heal wounds...? That'd be great if you could. I...I reall owe ya for all this...thank you..." she murmured between gulps of water. She never thought she could miss something so simple so much...
Thirst quenched, she then took to the porridge, shoveling spoonfuls into her mouth before she realized what she was doing. She knew she had been hungry...but she hadn't realized she was this hungry.
And for that reason, it wasn't long before the bulk of the porridge was consumed, leaving her scraping the bowl.
emoosts
SotE addict
Posts: 69
(12/18/04 2:10 pm)
204.186.1.170
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Sumarai smiled at the catgirl, although the smile was hidden by the scarf. She then listened closely to the girl's astonishment. It had been years since she was amazed by it, but she was very much amazed and dazzled by others' magics. Perhaps living with hers had made her grow very accustomed to it.
"I have visited many places and I've learned to channel magic..." Sumarai said openly and softly.
She then carefully pulled off the bandages, her fingers delicate as she unraveled each hand. She then leaned over and traced the girl's legs and face, her fingers barely touching her. Trails of frost were left in her fingers' wake. She then let her magic take affect in which it would curl the flesh and create it and heal the wounds.
Sumarai watched as she wolfed down the potridge and she felt relief and happiness bloom inside. She felt content to have helped someone. She always did, despite her lack of communication.
"Would you like some more potridge?" She asked calmly.
