Print Page - Faeries and pixies and demons, oh my!

Title: Faeries and pixies and demons, oh my!
Post by: Rhindeer on December 28, 2004, 11:16:26 AM

[MOVED THREAD! And I'm especially lazy right now after moving a ton of threads, so...ahem...I'll clean it up later...]

Small Wonder
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Faeries and pixies and demons! Oh my!
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The sun was fading fast, and with it, Raijah's consciousness. He was exhausted! This day had been especially busyâ€"and trickyâ€"and he hadn't come out of it unscathed.

Sitting beneath an ancient tree, he willed his violet eyes to stay open as he wrapped his left arm with a cloth, wincing whenever he touched the flesh the wrong way. A long, deep gash stretched up from around his elbow to near his shoulder, red and enflamed, though the bleeding, at least, had long since stopped. For the most part. Argh.

Stupid humans!

Well, alright...so it had actually been the bear's doing...but it had been the humans' fault! After all, they had been the ones to set the trap, and the bear was simply acting out of pain, fear, and instinct. And in her panic she'd mistaken him for a human, apparently, because she'd lashed out violently and refused to let him near her. Or tried to.

It'd taken a while before he was able to free her, and that was partially due to the bear's own exhaustion. Which was lucky, because had that not been the case...things would have gotten a lot nastier. Hell, even after he freed her she was violent, and she only came to realize what he truly was when he finally healed herâ€"and he could only heal her after her leg was free of the trap that was crushing it.

Quite a situation, indeed. He was lucky he'd deal with similar situations before, otherwise he'd have come out worse than just a scratch and a mangled quarterstaff.

But, he didn't blame her. He blamed the humans. Idiots. He was always cleaning up after them. If he could only encounter them, they'd get a good talking to. And if he weren't bound by honor, they'd get a lot more than that!

They were free to hunt here. But trapping? That was a big no-no. Especially the trapping of a mother like that bear!

Grumbling to himself in annoyance, he finished binding his wound, and then tiredly laid back against the tree and shut his eyes. Finally. Slee--

A shadow passed over his eyes. "JAH-JAH!"

Raijah jolted upright so fast he nearly toppled over where he sat...but not just because of the motion itself. Pain shot through his arm, and he sucked in his breath with a curse. "Ishtaq!" he groaned, unable, for the moment, to form any other coherant words.

Ishtaq, of course, was immensely amused, and was giggling like the sadistic pixie she was. "Heehee! What? Aren'tcha happy to see me, Jah-Jah? Ohhhhh! I see!" She flitted over to him, hovering near his shoulder. "Awwww...Jah-Jah's got a boo-boo...does he need me to kiss it 'n' make it feel all better?"

Raijah grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like an explicative, and Ishtaq burst into laughter. She reached out a tiny hand to pat him on the head. "Yer so cute 'n' charming when your pissed. Hey! Speaking of which! I brought ya your friend!"

Nursing his arm, Raijah cocked an eyebrow without looking up at Ishtaq. "...Friend?"

"Uh huh! Just wait! You'll love her!"

"...Her?" This time Raijah did look up, both eyebrows raised as he stared at Ishtaq both suspiciously and skeptically. "Ishtaq..."

"Just hush! She's comin'!"

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"What the hell did you get yourself into this time?" A familiar voice asked, cool and full of twisted amusement. Rakkalepta slowly flitted to the ground, and though in a relatively short skirt, managed not to flash anyone on the ground below. Her characteristic smirk was in place, arms crossed.

"Seems I was right Ishtaq, he did get into trouble. I should have made a bet..." A soft snicker came forth, and she grinned mildly at the little pixie.
Calmly strolling up to the disgruntled Raijah, Rakk knelt and glanced at his arm in a way that proved she did not see as everyone else did.
"That's infected you know." She mused, brushing some blue hair from her face. "What got you that bad?" She glanced at his mangled quarterstaff and smirked.
Oh yes, she was definately amused by his misfortune.

Small Wonder
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Yep!
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Ishtaq laughed. "Yeah, ya should! But ya can always make a bet on the future! Shouldn't be too long before he's beat up again!"

"Bets?" Raijah was rubbing his brow with his other hand. Aw man...he should have known Ishtaq would find the fae that so loved to gross him out by mangling her wings every chance she got! Which Ishtaq, of course, found irresistably "awesome". Seemed they were great pals. Not surprising.

And, of course, they both seemed to find his misery amusing.

"A bear. She was in a human trap," Raijah replied curtly, ignoring Ishtaq's snigger. "And howd'ya know it's infected?" he asked, this time in surprise as he quickly unwrapped his bandage a bit to look at it. It was really red...but he had figured some of that was bloodstains. Argh...just what he needed. An infection.

"Yeah right! I'll bet you got tangled in a bush or somethin'!" Ishtaq laughed. "A bear? Really, Jah-Jah, ya can lie better than that!"

Raijah glared at her, and she giggled. "Heehee...you're so cute when you're mad. Isn't he, Rak?"

Rakkalepta and Raijah. Hey...that had a nice ring she hadn't thought of before!

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"A bear?" She repeated, glancing yet again at the wound that was now open to the wind. She did not see the wound really, but she could see variations between the healthy flesh and that which had been damaged.
And she could see the budding infection, bright against the reddish background.

At Ishtaq's interesting little comment about Raijah's cuteness when angry earned a mildly amused grin, and an interesting response.
"Excruciatingly."
She set her attention back to the wound, apparently pondering it closely, wings fluttering sporadically behind her.
"I know, because I can see it. The vision you use is blinded to me, so I see in an entirely different way. There's an infection starting up, and it looks like it'll be a nasty one."
One that could potentially prove deadly, though she did not let that part out just now. No need to scare anyone...yet...

"Of course, I'm sure you know of something in this place that can help, besides a good cleaning and some fresh bandages."
It was surprising to hear words like that come from her mouth. Then again...this body was that of a fey...annoyingly enough, to Rakk...
The tendency for a caring side was sometimes too strong to override.

Small Wonder
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I'm a healer, not a doctor!
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Ishtaq was grinning mischievously as she watched, butterfly wings fluttering behind her as she hovered. Rakkalepta thought he was cute, too! Heh heh heh...and awww...they were hitting it off already! Lookit that...they were gonna play doctor together...

So far, so good!

Raijah winced as Rakkalepta spoke--purposely ignoring her previous comment concerning his supposed "cuteness". Geez...alright, so he was lucky Ishtaq did bring her here. He hadn't seen anything unusual about the wound, himself... "Something in this place that can help?" he repeated suddenly, blinking. "You mean...aside from magic?"

He grimaced. Aww man...that meant none of them were healers. He couldn't heal himself, Ishtaq didn't have the ability, and obviously Rakkalepta couldn't. That meant doing it the slow way. Which was always annoying. And inconvenient.

"This place is full of medicinal plants," he told her. "There's a red-hued one that grows in damp, shadowed areas, and it helps promote healing and fight against impurities...think that'd work for infection?"

He was by no means an expert in this area. He was a healer, not a doctor!

Blue the Traumatized
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Rakk sighed heavily at his first response. "Yes, aside from magick." She wasn't entirely sure she could still pull on the magickal reserves within this body. Sure, the faerie had been able to heal, but her soul had been replaced with Rakk's, and she definitely was no healer.
Damn...
Well, if worst came to worst...

"I don't know, maybe. We can try, but if things get bad, as it seems it will, I have one last option. But only if it's absolutely necessary."
With that, she stood and moved away from the injured fey. "Stay with him Ishtaq, I'll go herb hunting."
She snorted at the self-appointed job, then took off into the forest. This wouldn't be too difficult...she could look for the auras of healing plants, which should be a dark green...

And so the search began.

Small Wonder
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Aye aye!
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"Another option?" Raijah asked, but Rakkalepta had already started away, leaving Raijah writhing mentally with curiosity. What option? If worst came to worst...

She better not be thinking about cutting off his arm. For some reason, he wouldn't put that past her...

Ishtaq grinned and held up her hand in a salute. "Will do!" she said as Rakkalepta took off into the woods before flitting down to perch on Raijah's shoulder. She shook her head and clicked her tongue as she peered down at his wounded arm. "Geez...I leave ya alone for a minute..." she reprimanded playfully. "Oh well! Look's like you'll be gettin' a cool scar when it heals! Heh! Really lucky I brought Rak!"

Not the best first--well, okay, second--impression...his being injured kinda put some plans on the backburner for the time being, but...oh well!

"How ya feelin', Jah-Jah?" Ishtaq asked, voice this time sincerely concerned.

"Alright..." Hrm. Maybe some of it was psychological, but, indeed, Raijah wasn't quite feeling his best. His arm was really starting to hurt.

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It took Rakk the better part of an hour to find all the plants and herbs with healing auras about them. Of course, she could not tell what plants and herbs did what, so she'd have to bring them all back to Raijah and let him decide which to use.
As she said, she was no healer.

Using the front of her button up shirt as a sort of holding area, Rakk started back. Now held in the dip of her shirt were many differnt kinds of plants and herbs, a few collected of each. She flew carefully, keeping a firm hold of the shirt so as not to drop any of the plants she had spent so much time collecting. The scratched aquired from picking through brambles were quickly healing, though a few deep scratches still remained. Not that Rakk rightly cared.

Coming within sight of Raijah and Ishtaq, Rakkalepta landed and calmly walked over to them both. She dumped the plants before Raijah uncerimoniously and crossed her arms, the shirt falling back in place and again covering her stomach.
"Alright, which ones?"
She asked coldly and without much feeling, staring down at the two and waiting for a response. She really didn't want to play doctor, but it seemed she had no choice...

Small Wonder
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Eenie meenie... >.>
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Raijah's eyebrows lifted at the sight of all the plants Rakkalepta had collected. He certainly hadn't expected her to collect so many different types. And he certainly had no clue as to what half of them did. He knew they were all medicinal--to live out here, you had to know what plants were good, bad, and completely harmless--but as to what medical purpose they served, exactly...he hadn't a clue.

The only one he really knew anything about was the red one he'd mentioned earlier, and even there his knowledge was painfully limited.

"Which ones? Uh...that one." He pointed to a plant with fleshy, reddish leaves. "That's the one I was talking about. I don't know what the other ones do..."

"Aww! Look whatcha did, Jah-Jah! Rakk went and got aaaall those plants and got all scratched up!" Ishtaq exclaimed, and Raijah winced in surprise when she gave his hair a yank. "And you, dummy, don't even know what they do! Did ya even pay a bit of attention to Makyo?"

"You know botany was never my--hey, you didn't either!"

Ishtaq shrugged. "I wasn't the one being taught," she replied simply. "Besides, my area of expertise is darker stuff, not plants, silly." With that, she fluttered back over to Rakkalepta to watch her progress, butterfly wings shimmering.

Raijah shook his head in irritation and leaned back against the tree, but then sat back up when, through his irritation, something Ishtaq had said rang true. He looked over at Rakkalepta. "Hey, uh...thanks, by the way..." he told her. Ishtaq was right. She had been gone at least an hour scrounging around for herbs for him, something she certainly didn't have to do. After all, she was a dark fae...

Blue the Traumatized
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Rakk didn't really want to get into the fact she had just wasted an hour collecting plants nobody knew anything about. Therefore, she simply shrugged at his thanks.
"Want me to get more of those then?"
She asked, kneeling and feeling the red-leaved plant closely with her fingers. She memorized the small differences in it's aura compared to other plants, and hoped she could remember it when she might have to get more.
As she said, she was blind to the vision Raijah and Ishtaq used.
Which technically meant she did not even know what Raijah or Ishtaq looked like in detail...just their auras and heat signatures reflected into her eyes...

The demonic faerie awaited an answer, crossing her arms and continuing to kneel upon the ground.
"Times wasting, the infection is getting worse already." Rakk noted, the only one able to see the infection thus far.

Small Wonder
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^^;;
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"I...think that should be enough..." Raijah replied haltingly. In other words, he wasn't completely sure. "Ah...well, we can always go with what we have now, and if more is needed, collect it as we need it," he suggested finally, and cringed when she stated the infection was growing worse.

He couldn't see the infectionâ€"save for the obvious redness and swellingâ€"but he could certainly feel it; the whole area in and around the wound was throbbing painfully, making him wince. It wasn't like it was the first time he'd been wounded; he'd been in actual battles and had suffered injuries worse than this. But there was always a fae healer to tend to injuries and, thus, this was the first time he'd ever experienced an infection. A serious one, at least.

Once this was over, he'd make a point of studying up on plants...

"D'ya need help, Rakk?" Ishtaq asked, hovering over her shoulder.

Blue the Traumatized
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Rakk nodded at his words. True, she could get more if they needed more. A small snort was issued as Raijah again winced in pain. She had never had an infection before, so couldn't fathom how painful it was. Then again, she seemed to like pain, so it probably wouldn't have bothered her either way.

Without warning, Rakk grabbed Raijah's injured arm and leaned over it. Taking a deep breath, she blew softly on the swollen wound, covering the entire length of the gash carefully. Within moments the swelling began to go down, and the pain lessoned a bit.
"That'll wear off soon..." She muttered, quickly gathering the needed plants and studying them some more.

Should she grind them? Make some sort of paste for the wound? She knew less about this than any of them, and was left to the task of preparing things.
Damn it all...
"If you can help, then be my guest." She responded, still wondering what the best method might be for this.
If only she had aquired the fae's knowledge along with her body...

Small Wonder
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Whew.
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Raijah stared at his arm in wonder. Oh, sure, it still hurt, but not nearly as bad as it had; it didn't look as bad as it had, either. Blinking, he looked back up at Rakkalepta. Well, that was easy. Why hadn't she done that earliâ€"

Rakk's next statement answered that question. Darn...

Ah well. It would be nice while it lasted. Damn...so this was what an infection was like. Rakkalepta hadn't been kidding when she said it was going to get nasty...

Ishtaq grinned. "I think ya should make it a mush to spread over the wound," she suggested, noticing how Rakk stared at the plant uncertainly. "At least, that's what I always saw his cousin do." That was said with a look Raijah's way, which Raijah rolled his eyes at.

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Rakk nodded. "Alright then." Well, this shouldn't be too hard...
With a crisp sound, her arms were suddenly covered in the sheets of silver metal that spawned from the ruby around her neck. Holding the plants in the palm of one clawed hand, she balled the other into a fist and began to grind the strange red-leafed plant.

Soon, it was a reddish hued paste, and Rakk glanced down at it with blinded eyes. The healing aura had increased quite a bit with the crushing of the leaves, and she smirked mildly.
"Guess that was the right thing to do."

Shifting back over to Raijah, Rakk let the metal on her grinding hand retract back into the necklace so she could apply the paste. "Sit still, and try not to scream or anything." The dark Fae ordered gruffly. Then began the, what she would assume, painful process of salving the wound with the paste. She had to get it down into even the deepest crevices of the wound, and that could NOT feel good...
Still, she was as gentle as she could be, so at least it was evident she cared enough not to purposefully increase his pain.

Small Wonder
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*whimper*
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Easy for her to say.

Even with his jaw set against the incoming agony, he couldn't help but wince and, if he wasn't careful, gasp in pain. The fingers of his free hand dug deep into the ground, bracing himself as best as he could. Overall, though, he was pretty controlled in his reactions.

That is, until she really started to apply the salve deep into the wound.

Raijah gave a yelp of alarm and pain and jerked roughly away from her touch to hug his injured arm possessively to his bodyâ€"an action which, ironically, resulted in even more pain. "Do you HAVE to be so friggin' ROUGH!?" he snapped, his response more instinctive than intentional. Aghhh...his arm was throbbing again like mad, aching horribly up and down the length of his arm.

It was really hard to tell that someone was attempting to be gentle when the littlest bit of pressure set the nerves on fire.

"Oh, suck it up and stop bein' a baby, Jah-Jah!" Ishtaq snorted while shaking her head. Heh, in all actuality, she found this whole thing very morbidly amusing.

Raijah didn't, and he responded to her amusement with a death-glare. "Shut up..." he warned in a venomous tone, arm still smarting horribly.

Edited by: Small Wonder at: 10/3/04 1:00 am

Blue the Traumatized
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My, but that was the wrong thing to do. Just because she was being gentle, and somewhat nice, did not veto the fact she was demonic.
And she did not take kindly to being snapped at, especially when she was doing something she'd rather not do in the first place.

"Here, let me help you with that pain." Rakk hissed, and out of nowhere her metal-free fist came rocketing straight for Raijah's face.
If it were able to smash into his grimacing facade, it would more than likely knock him clean out. Which, of course, was the purpose.
Or...maybe it was just because Rakk was pissed.

Small Wonder
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x_x
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Rakkalepta got her wish. Her fist connected, and Raijah slid instantaneously into unconsciousness.

Ishtaq had frozen for a moment, eyes wide in shock and wings barely moving as she watched the whole ordeal and its outcome. And then, a second later, the surprise passed and she burst into fits of giggles, nearly doubling over in laughter. Ohhh man...this was just too great!

"You go, girl!" Ishtaq sniggered, flitting over to hover at Rakk's side.

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(*Points at dancing bannana* It's peanut butter jelly time! It's peanut butter jelly time! Peanut butter jelly and a baseball bat! *too amused*)

Rakk snorted sharply, and continued with the application of the paste as if nothing had happened at all. He was out cold, which meant he wouldn't feel any of it. So she shed the pretense of being gentle and just shoved the stuff onto the wounds as fast as possible.
She was done with this damn doctor sh!t...

Yeah, Raijah had pissed her off all right. Now he'd be lucky to get her help even if his arm was rotting off. Or, she might just cut it off...which wasn't really helping if you thought about it.
Finished, Rakkalepta stood and moved away in silence. Finding a good sized tree, she flitted up into it's lower branches and sat. Leaning back, she crushed her wings against the rough bark, and even went so far as to shift back and forth, tearing them even worse.
Yeah, she was angry all right.

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.Freya.

Finely-boned muzzle, that of a fox, peers out from behind the curved surface of a treetrunk, followed by the appearance of a tawny physique. Contented from a recent kill, and energy restored from sleep, the vixen had set about wandering, traveler's mind mapping the terrain of the vast realm her journeying had brought her to. And now, her driftings had brought her here. Lithe limbs folding themselves silently into a sitting position, amber eyes observe the scene before her. Here was a figure sprawled against the ground, apparently unconscious; here a tiny shape hovered in the air, preseumably a pixie-like creature, and perched high in a tree's emerald heights was a winged female, posture speaking of anger. A strange tableau, indeed.

Slight frame raised from the earth, the minx begins to drift closer, movements cloaked in the relative silence that accompanied a predator's gait. Muzzle lifts slightly, nares scenting the air, catching the armona of.. freshly ground plants? Finally choosing to reveal herself, red-gold figure emerges from the shadows, the three white-tipped plumes that proclaimed her different from a common fox waving in her wake. Coming to stand at the fringe of the trees, not far from the three, gaze roves the clearing silently before words are projected to those present in general. Her lips do not move, however, her mental voice clear, almost musical.

"Greetings"

Small Wonder
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^___^
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OOC: XD No worries, we don't bite! At least...I don't; I just ate. Eheheh! Welcome to the thread!

IC:

Uh oh...Rakk didn't look too happy at all...she wasn't even talking to her! Argh! Stupid, stupid Raijah! If he'd spoiled all her fun, cool, plans because he was such a hot-head, he'd be in soooo much trouble by her!

Hiding her disappointment and disdain, the pixie went to fly up near Rakkâ€"the fae was doing that nifty trick with her wings again! Couldn't miss that!â€"but a voice stopped her. And, turning in mid-flight, she looked in its direction...then gave a squeal of delight.

"OHH! A kitsune! WHOA!" she exclaimed, immediately fluttering down to swoop before the fox, buzzing around its body to inspect itâ€"especially the tails. "Ahhh! So cool! I haven't seen one of ya guys in AGES! Love the tails!"

Raijah was still silent where he had slumped.

OOC: bad post! ^^;; But I gotta run! Ahahah!

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(Nah, I don bite either! ^_^)

Rakk was in too deep a brood to really notice the small, multi-tailed fox. Arms crossed over her chest, she sat silently in the tree, only registering the musical voice vaguely.
Of course, her milky white-blue gaze shifted towards the fox once Ishtaq began making such a big racket.

The little pixie was much too easily amused...
Rakk smirked, then shut her eyes and continued her silence. Her body, though fae in appearance, radiated a demonic aura. And she was still crushing her fragile wings ruthlessly against the tree.
She had never been much of a talker anyway, but angry, she was dead silent.

(Argh, tis craaaap! x.X)

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OOC: lol. Thanks!

.Freya.

Black-tipped auditiories swivel toward the high-pitched squeal given by the pixie. Amber eyes, sparkling with amusement at creature's intense curiosity and delight, tracking her as she buzzes around the vixen's red-gold form. She was surprised that the pixie apparently knew of her kind, and even more so to learn that she had previously encountered a kitsune. After all, there were not many, and those that were tended to keep themselves hidden, despite their love of meddling.

A soft mental chuckle can be heard, before further speech is projected, directed toward the miniature figure hovering above her.

Thankyou. What is your name? They call me Freya.

Gaze turns briefly toward the silent figure in the tree, yet as she makes no sound, the minx glides forward a little, toward the figure of Raijah, halting her movement a few paces away. She notes his mangled arm, and the paste spread over it. This was where the scent of ground plants had come from, then. Still, this didn't explain his unconsciousness. Curious, the vix turns to the pixie, addressing her once again.

What happened to our friend here?

.Freya.
..Versifer..Dreamspinner..Clotho's Apprentice..

Small Wonder
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Well...
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"The name's Ishtaq!" the pixie introduced, reaching out a tiny hand to stroke one of the kitsune's tails as her rainbow-hued wings worked to allow her to hover there. "Nice to meetcha, Freya!"

She paused in her wide-eyes examination of the kitsune for a moment when she inquired about Raijah. "Oh, and that? That's Jah-Jah, my buddy! Well, his real name's Raijah, but call him Jah-Jah, 'kay? he hates it! But, ah, anyway, he's an idgit, hence the arm and unconsciousness and stuff. Hasn't yet learned that it's not nice to speak bad to a ladyâ€"to Rakk up thereâ€"" She pointed toward the tree, where Rakkalepta was lounging. "Heh, Rakk's so cool. But, anyway! Well, uh, he spoke bad to her, that's why he's unconscious, at least, I mean! The arm and all is from a bear, he said."

She nodded sagely, and through it all, she hadn't paused once for a breath. That was a talent she was quite proud of, actually.

From where he lay, Raijah stirred slightly as consciousness began to return, and he gave a low groan. Damn...everyone was being so loud...

Edited by: Small Wonder at: 10/8/04 10:04 pm

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Rakk watched Freya and Ishtaq with mild interest throughout the conversation. She still did not speak to them, for anger made her silent, but was was interested in what they were saying.
A small smirk formed as Ishtaq announced that she was 'cool'. Rakk couldn't imagine why, but if the pixie believed it, than so be it...

Finally, Rakk jumped from her place in the tree and landed graceful as a cat. Apparently, Raijah's groan had attracted her attention, and it was confirmed as she made her way over to him.
Sensing he was more sleeping now than being unconcious, a slow, malicious smirk formed.
Metal slid from the ruby around her neck to sheath her left hand. With her right, she jabbed Raijah in the chest a few times.
"Wake up, or I'll start cutting things off." She hissed, her voice dead serious.
Yes, Rakk was a strange one all right...

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.Freya.

The red-gold kitsune remaines silent throughout the pixie's long and animated monologue, listening with some amusement while extracting the facts from her high-speed narration. The tale completed, the vixen gives a slight nod, soft laughter colouring her mental speech.

"Well, I think perhaps she has made her point."

Her attention is brought back to Raijah at his stirring, before amber gaze turns to watch the demonic fae jump from her treetop perch to come to his side. Silently, she stalks slightly closer, and upon hearing Rakk's words, rethinks her phrasing. Turning back to the pixie, further words are directed to the tiny figure.

"Or, perhaps she has further points to make yet."

Dancing eyes come to rest upon the form of Raijah, lyrical speech sent towards his mind. After all, what better a wake-up call than one that came from inside your own head?

"Rise and shine, Raijah, you have company."

.Freya.

OOC: Sorry guys, but I'm going away for the next 2 days, and may not be able to get online.
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Small Wonder
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GYAH!
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Ishtaq giggled at the kitsune's pun, and followed her as she crept closer. "Ya got that right! And she'd do it, too...when she says stuff, she means it!"

Raijah twitched slightly as something jabbed him in the chest and a musical wake-up call filled his mind, but kept his eyes shut stubbornly. "Go away..." he mumbled thickly, draping his uninjured arm over his eyes to block out the glaring light. Wonderful. In addition to a painfully throbbing arm, he now had a headache that could kill. Just his luck. And, as usual, it seemed no one could stand the idea of letting him sleep. But what was worse was that damned prodding...ARGH! Whoever was doing that was so gonna diâ€"

"What!?" His violet eyes snapped open at that last statement, the one about cutting things off, and the first thing he saw was Rakk standing over him with that...weapon...of hers. Oh, damn...

"Gyah! I'm awake, I'm awake!" he told her hastily, and quickly sat up straighter, wincing slightly as his head throbbed in protest, in addition to his arm. "So...ah...you can put that away, now..."

(No prob! have fun wherever you're goin'! ^_^)

~*~

RHI'S BUSHEL OF BITCHESâ,,¢

Sachi - Cadmus - Tiaret - Natara - Lena - Rheiku - Hatame - Raijah - Ishtaq - Makyo - Yokanil - Darkfate - Thorn - Pure Magic - Orion - Yuma - Aki - Zeirne - Questa - Makoto - Dokuja - Taidra - Sanyu - Sunni - Kiade - Aniketos - Nakaris - Alice - Kajioh - Kujin - Neviko - Zharith - Raki - Beatrid - Keina - Sougra

FUN GAMES!

Duck Duck Goose - Guess That Style!

CULTS

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Blue the Traumatized
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Blinded eyes watched Raijah's blatant refusal to wake in a way no one else could see. He would regret that soon, for she always kept her word.
The clawed hand flexed dangerously, making the smooth sound of metal sliding across metal.

A deceptively sweet grin was provided at his awakening, though the weapon retreated. "And I was hoping you'd sleep in, too."
She mused, her sadistic side not even attempting to hide itself. She stood, but before doing so poked the forming bruise on his jaw. Her handiwork, of course.
But at least the healing paste was on the angry wounds, though whether it would work or not was something for the morning to tell.

And that was some ways away. Night was finally falling, cloaking the world in a thick blanket of shadow. Now Rakk could see in yet another new way; that of those nocturnal creatures, with the washed out coloring of the day, and undefined lines of beings.
Perhaps this was the best time for Rakk to actually see and note what Ishtaq, Raijah, and Freya truly looked like as far as features went. During the day, only the sight of aura and heat were hers, and they did not show where one's eyes, nose, and mouth were placed on a person's face.
However, she seemed little interested in seeing what her companions looked like. At the moment, her gaze was surveying the night sky, more importantly, the large orb that was the moon.

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.Freya.

The flame-kissed figure of the Kitsune sat motionless beside the hovering Ishtaq, vivid citrine eyes watching the small drama unfolding before her. Silence ruled her mind for the time being, tracking the vengeful movements of Rakkalepta with some amusement, delicate ears picking up the speech of the two. So different, were the three that embodied this gathering - the fun-loving Ishtaq, the demonic Rakkalepta, and the vioilet-eyed Raijah, whose character she had not had an opportunity to judge as of yet.

The deepening shadows of the oncoming night shrouded the minx's petite form, her stature belieing the power that resided in her mind, young as she was by the standards of her race. Seeing the demonic Rakk stand, the vixen herself rose from the earth, red form, darkened by the dusk, drifting over to stand before the awakening Raijah. Her three white-crowned tails waved in her wake, as her chiming mental speech picked up once again.

"Hello, Raijah. I am Freya."

.Freya.
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Small Wonder
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La!
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"Ow..." Raijah winced when Rakk poked his jaw, swatting her hand awayâ€"and then raised an eyebrow suddenly and felt his jaw with his fingers. Sure enough, there was a bruise there. And the flesh itself felt puffy and swollen. Like he'd been punched or something. "Wait...how'dâ€"!?"

"Ya passed out from the pain and hit your face against the tree!" Ishtaq cut in quickly, noticing the way he was looking at Rakkalepta accusingly. Erk! Funny as it was, she knew the knowledge of what had happened would set Raijah off...and that would set Rakkalepta off...and then that would royally screw up all her plans! Especially if one of them killed the other! And more than likely, that "other" would be Raijah. "Ya big baby."

Raijah's face darkened slightly with a blush, and he was about to retort to Ishtaq when a voice filled his mind. One that was vaguely familiar, though he didn't know from where.

Turning his head and blinking in confusionâ€"how did whoever was speaking know his name?â€"his eyes landed upon the kitsune. And then he blinked again. Unlike Ishtaq, he'd never seen one of her kind before, though he had heard of them.

Almost immediately, his moody demeanor softened respectfully. "Oh...ahh...hello, Freya..."

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Rakk snorted lightly at Ishtaq's improvised excuse for the bruise. My, wasn't that smooth...
A small roll of clouded eyes was given to Raijah's sudden mood swing from pissed to kind and respectful. Maybe she should knock him out again...

The demonic fae frowned lightly. Damn, he was really starting to bother her, wasn't he?? Time for some away time. People shouldn't bug her like that...

Without warning, Rakk flitted her wings a few times then took off. She easily rose above the trees and began to disappear into the darkened distance.
"See you in the morning...maybe." She called back before her form was enveloped in shadow. Maybe...just to see if Raijah's arm was going to need to be amputated or not.

~~~`**`~~~

.:Creations From Blue's Traumatized Little Mind:.

~Blade~Shadow Walker~Michael Morro~Gabriel Morro~Taracotl Kirvana~Lotha Errdegahr~Akso~Tasarin~Arkarian~Maelthra~Renor Senger~Sierra~Sakkata~Terri~Enyalie~Blue, the Mentally Traumatized~Barra Arisa~Facyt~Kyle~Rakkalepta~Bob~Waelin~Kanto Strike~Serke~Naule~Aya Nightlark~

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.Freya.

Finely-boned muzzle gave a slight nod, both in answer to Raijah and to silently commend Ishtaq's smoothing-over. Watching Raijah's confused anger dissipate, flaxen gaze was raised to meet his own violet eyes, further speech breaching the gap between minds.

"You've been asleep for a while.. your friend here introduced me."

She said, visage turning slightly to indicate Ishtaq. The sounds of Rakkalepta's flight then reached her ears, and her amber eyes followed the demonic fae as she took off. Doubtless, she had had enough. A faint smirk formed on the delicate muzzle of the vixen, before she turned back to Raijah.

"She also said your arm was injured by a bear."

.Freya.
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Small Wonder
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Heh!
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Awww...Rakkalepta was leaving, now, Ishtaq noted disappointedly. But...she said she'd be back! Yay! That was good...she'd better come back, otherwise Ishtaq would just have to hunt the "scary-faerie" down again!

Oh well! In any case, it gave her time to formulate plans and ideas. This would be tricky...but she could do it! She had her ways...

Grinning, she flitted up into the tree Raijah was sitting under and perched on one of the branches there (well, actually it was a twig, but to Ishtaq it was a branch) where she could watch and plot.

Using his good arm, Raijah masked a small yawn with his hand. "Heh...I guess I have..." he murmered, still slightly embarrassed. Passed out from the pain? Aw man... "Yeah...a bear did this. I don't blame her, though...I would have probably done the same in her situation..." He glanced down at his arm, then away, again. The wound was still angry looking with infection, but the healing paste had drawn away some of the pain.

Speaking of which...

He glanced around for Rakkalepta, then blinked when he noticed she was gone. He winced. Ah, right...he had been kinda snappy to her when he woke up...whoops...

Much as she irritated him at times, she had gone out of her way to help...

Edited by: Small Wonder at: 10/13/04 4:46 pm

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.Freya.

The kitsune nodded slightly at Raijah's words, amber eyes on the pixie as she flitted up to the tree branches. She had a certain look about her.. no doubt she was up to some sort of mischief. The vixen's attention then returned to Raijah, listening to his last statement. She took a step closer closer, plumed tails flickering absently as she looked at the wound. She did not have any kind of magical vision like Rakkalepta's at her disposal, but from here, even to the common eye, the wound appeared red and inflamed. Surely, some kind of infection was present, if he had been injured by a bear. Although she had limited knowledge of healing herbs and the like, not having much use for them herself, she did not think the paste that had been applied would cure an infection fully, even if it did act as a pain-killer. However, her kind was versed in the arts of magic, and she had a limited range of healing powers. Perhaps she could do something for him. The vixen tilted her head to the side slightly, almost quizically, aureate gaze on Raijah's again.

"Let me see the wound? Perhaps I can help."

.Freya.

OOC: Kitsune in general don't have healing powers as far as I know, this is one of those Freya-specific things.
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Small Wonder
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Hmm?
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He tilted his head slightly in curiosity, then nodded slowly, uncertainly, and painfully held out his wounded arm for her to see. The deep gash extended all the way up his arm from his elbow to his shoulder, and even with the healing salve masking it, it was easy to tell it was deep and still horribly tender. Yet he trusted the kitsune. To some extent. He never fully trusted anyone when it came to his wounds, much like the animals he tended, but she certainly seemed gentler than Rakkalepta and Ishtaq, both of whom seemed to find his misery amusing, even if they were infinitely helpful. When they wanted to be, that is.

"What can you do?" he asked, curious and yet naturally a bit wary as he watched.

~*~

RHI'S BUSHEL OF BITCHESâ,,¢

Sachi - Cadmus - Tiaret - Natara - Lena - Rheiku - Hatame - Raijah - Ishtaq - Makyo - Yokanil - Darkfate - Thorn - Pure Magic - Orion - Yuma - Aki - Zeirne - Questa - Makoto - Dokuja - Taidra - Sanyu - Sunni - Kiade - Aniketos - Nakaris - Alice - Kajioh - Kujin - Neviko - Zharith - Raki - Beatrid - Keina - Sougra

CULTS

Proud founder of the "Pet Blue" cult!

Second in Command in the "Goose Gold Cult!

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.Freya.

For a time the red-gold kitsune remained silent, mind reaching back many human years to the few lessons she had had in this sort of healing. In truth, she knew little, having quickly abandoned the study of healing and medicines for more enthralling and exciting passtimes. However, what she did know, she remembered, and she should be able to do something about that infection, at least. Responding to Raijah's question, her chiming mental speech picked up again, perhaps laced with slight laughter.

"This."

And with that she expelled a breath, the departing air glowing a soft gold. Slowly, it spread up the length of his injured arm until it coated the wound, the magical light blazing a brighter gold before disappearing from vision. The vixen paused a moment before she spoke again, pleased that it appeared to have worked.

"That should clear up any infection you have there. As for the actual wound itself, the healing process will have been sped up a little, but still it will take some time."

.Freya.
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Silly Jah-Jah.
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He watched with wide violet eyes as the kitsune exhaled, sending a golden glow upon his wound, coating it fully, glowing brightly, and then...vanishing. Rakkalepta had done something similar not long before the kitsune had come, only she had never promised that it would cure the infection, as this kitsune did. Rakkalepta had only been able to relieve some of the pain. And, as he watched, it appeared that, for a moment, the wound appeared less inflamed, felt less painful, as though the infection really had left. Relief washed over him...finally...

"Thank you, Freya," Raijah murmered, letting his body relax since the first time this whole ordeal had begunâ€"save when he had been unconscious, of course. "Gods, I don't know how I canâ€""

He cut off abruptly, clenching his teeth stubbornly as the pain suddenly returned, the wound once again throbbing and pulsing painfully. And, even as he watched, the redness began to return, once again spreading from the wound to blot the healthy flesh around it angrily. Within seconds, it was once again the horrid wound it had originally been...and the pain seemed to have increased slightly...

He drew his arm back sharply, and immediately regretted the action as pain shot blossomed through his arm as alarm blossomed through his mind. "What theâ€"!? What happened? What was that?"

"Jah-Jah...umm...did you forget...?" Ishtaq had been watching the whole ordeal, and was now peering over the twig down at he and the kitsune.

"Forget what?"

Ishtaq sighed and shook her head. "Does fae magic ring a bell?"

For a moment, Raijah stared up at Ishtaq blankly, as though she were insane. Fae magic? Could she be any more vague? He knew all about fae magic! He was a fae! Did she really think he was that foolâ€"oh...

"Faes can only be healed by other faes...by fae magic..." he muttered, suddenly feeling very foolish, indeed. Argh...how could he have forgotten? Guess desperation had made him conveniently forget. Ah...that explained it nicely. Freya's magic had never worked on him...only given the illusion that it had as his own magics and immunities kicked in. And the whole blunder hadn't made his condition worse...it was only that his condition had worsened naturally as the infection ran it's course...

"Damn..."

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.Freya.

The red-gold vixen watched in puzzlement as the redness that marked infection began to spread from the gash once again. She tilted her head slightly to one side, quite perplexed until her delicate ears picked up Raijah's half-muttered speech. His last statement was echoed in the kitsune's thoughts. Yes, damn. That was someting she had not known. Lyrical voice speaks out again, albeit to state the obvious.

"In light of that, then, there is nothing I can do."

Her telepathic voice was tinged slightly with a sigh, before a stray thought entered her conscious mind at a slant, and amused words were sent toward Raijah's mind.

"Perhaps you will seek out Rakkalepta again."

And, no doubt, if the demonic Rakk were able to help, there would be some amount of convincing to do on Raijah's part. Still, the kitsune was sorry she could not do more.

.Freya.
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Small Wonder
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Yeah...
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Raijah nodded slowly. "It's alright, you tried. I should have warned you about that...but I forgot. Ugh...dunno how I could have...sorry..." His thoughts felt so disjointed lately, and he didn't know why...he never forgot stuff like this, especially when it was important! Maybe he was just tired...that was probably it. He hadn't gotten any real sleep...and he did feel fatigued and exhausted. And very sore and achy and just generally, well...not well.

Rubbing his temples tiredly and holding in a yawn, he grimaced slightly in surprise, blinking. The flesh felt damp, clammy...a sensation he'd never felt before...

"Hm? Rakkalepta?" Another grimace. "If she comes back...yes...but...I don't know where she went, and..." He yawned, unable to hold this one in. "...and...and...ugh, I dunno..." His train of thought was shot, it seemed. He was just so tired...and the coming of night wasn't helping. Neither was the developing fever, though Raijah was unaware of that; he'd never had one before, after all.

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.Freya.

The vixen nodded at his first words. His lapse of memory wasn't of great consequence to her; something as simple as what she had just performed would not cost her much energy. Her amber gaze rested on his face as his speech became more broken, finally trailing off into silence. Suddenly her eyes snagged on something, and she re-focused her sight, making out tiny beads of sweat upon his forehead. A fever, then, too. Certainly, that was the last thing he needed. Her mental voice was soft.

"Raijah, you're developing a fever."

The kitsune's three tails waved in a slight breeze, as she stood in the deepnening light of dusk. Her head was tilted up to the sky, citrine gaze picking out the pinpoints of emerging stars. She hadn't intended to stay, but she may as well do so now - she was certain there was enough game in the immediate area to satisfy a predator's hunger should she wish to go hunting. Her thoughts swung back to Raijah's fever, searching her memory for treatments. Although kitsune rarely suffered from sickness, many enjoyed lingering disguised in their human forms, and so were taught the non-magical remedies for human ailments. Her gaze swung back to the injured fae-man.

"You would do well to keep as warm as possible, and drink frequently.. if there is water nearby."

Her jet ears flickered, sifting through the sounds of wildlife for the song of a forest stream before she spoke once again.

"And in the meantime, I will stay."

With that, her vixen's form blazed golden, the light obscuring her from sight for a moment. In truth, the light was unnecessary, but, why not put on a pretty show? The glow dwindling, the slender figure of Freya's human form emerged, clad in a simple figure-hugging, short-sleeved earthen gown, its hem hanging just above her knees. She appeared to be about 18, the approximate human equivalent of her age as a kitsune. Twining around one wrist was a bracelet, comprised of a continuous spiral of gold. Vivid red-gold locks fell half way down her back, a contrast against her fair skin. Her hair framed a finely-boned face, faintly resembling that of her previous form. Her eyes, however, remained the same, the slightly slanted amber orbs of a fox.

.Freya.

OOC: Ooh, feverish ravings??
Yay, finally a decent sized post.
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Not good?
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"What's a fever?" came Ishtaq's curious responce to Freya's diagnosis. Rainbow-hued wings flashing in the fading light, she flitted down from her perch to land lightly on Raijah's knee, peering up at him, and then at the kitsune. She saw the beads of sweat and forming flush against his light skinâ€"all very odd, as the night was cool; there was no reason for him to be hot!â€"and concern entered her usually care-free mind as Freya spoke of ways to treat the affliction.

It didn't sound good...at all. And Raijah was gradually starting to look more and more haggard and tired.

"Is he...is he gonna die...?"

"Of...of course not, stupid..." Raijah muttered thickly, cracking an eye open at her irritably. It may have seemed harsh, the way he spoke to his companion, but in all truth it was how they normally spoke to one another; a sort of...affectionate teasing. Of sorts. "It's just...slow healing. Prob'ly...takes a while...to...to start...to work. Y'know?" It was becoming quite the effort to keep his eyes open. Fever? Ehhh...he had no idea what that was, either, save that whatever it was, he apparently had it. Keep warm? But...but he was warm. And yet, there was a vague sensation of cold, of a growing chill in his spine...and the mere thought of drinking cool water made him shiver slightly. Or maybe that was the fever's doing.

"...Thanks...Freya..." he murmered, allowing his eyes to close heavily, though undoubtedly they would have closed even had he resisted. He just wanted to sleep. That was all. He was so exhausted, he hardly felt the pain in his arm at all.

Only moments later, he was asleep, and only Ishtaq was around and conscious to witness Freya's changing. That ws certainly not something she had expected, and she stared openly. "Whoaa..."

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.Freya.

The kitsune, still at this point in the form of a vixen, watched as Ishtaq fluttered down from the tree. Chiming voice began to formulate a reply to the pixie's query, trying to remember the definition of a fever.

"A fever.. it would have been caused by the infection in the wound. His temperature is running high, and his body will try to regulate it, so he'll feel cold and shiver, as well."

In response to the pixie's second question she shook her head slightly, her eyes on Raijah. No, he wouldn't die from the fever.. but he was very ill. She watched him slip into sleep, then the golden glow appeared around her vixen's form.

Her transformation completed and the light fading from existence, Freya took a moment to get her bearings. She had lived in this form before, yet not for some time. She had chosen to travel here in her true form, it being far less conspicuous, as well as swifter. Hearing Ishtaq's exclamation of surprise, she turned to grin at her briefly, before her gaze again travelled the clearing. Lucky Raijah, unconscious with a fever and an wounded arm in the wilderness of a mountainside. Well, he would need to drink, else he'd lose too much water and become dehydrated.

"Ishtaq, are there any streams nearby?"

.Freya.
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Ishtaq nodded, chewing her lip concernedly. She had quickly recovered from the surprise of Freya's transformation, and was once again back to being worried for her friend. She always had a tendency to jump from one subject and situation to the next with hardly any transition. "Yeah...there's a stream not far from here, not far at all...it's over there!" She pointed with a tiny finger, to the place where the clearing ended and the woods truly began. "It's just right through there...Jah-Jah always makes sure water is really, really close by when we choose an area to stay! It's never fun walking for miles and miles and miles to get water to drink or wash with."

She gave a sage nod. Indeed...they had learned from experience to always seek out a water source before deciding on staying in an area for any given time. Of course, Ishtaq had exaggerated the whole "miles" thing a bit...but exaggeration was in the pixie's nature. Or...perhaps it wasn't exaggeration at all to her. After all, she was only six inches tall, not including her wings.

"Hey...Freya? He's starting to shiver more 'n' stuff..." she said suddenly, and took to the air again to go and hover above Raijah. Rakkalepta had been right...this was turning out to be a pretty nasty infection, and the fever it had induced was slowly increasing in intensity, causing him to shiver steadily nowâ€"even if it was still fairly mild. But the flush had increased...and the gash in his wound was not looking any better. It looked even more enflamed. And, even though he was very much unconscious, it didn't seem as though it was entirely painless; sweat had dampened his bangs, making them cling to his skin, and his brows drew together with every shudder.

Tentatively, she touched his skin. "He's hot!" Well, of course Freya had explained it all...but...still...it was so weird! He acted cold...but he was burning up!

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.Freya.

The kitsune nodded at the pixie's words - that was sensible, and fortunate in this case. Her gaze was drawn back to Raijah at Ishtaq's exclamation, noting with slight concern his worsening state.

"Hmm.. he'll be alright."

Her mental voice was reassuring, if slightly pre-occupied. She would go to fetch water soon, but for now, in light of Raijah's increasing shivers, a small fire wouldn't go amiss. She began to walk around the clearing, gathering pieces of dry wood. Choosing a bare section of earth on which to pile them, she twirled a hastily sharpened twig between her hands, the friction caused by the pointed end held against a strip of bark conjuring a spark. The wood crackled as it caught alight, the flickering flame spreading across the twigs, gaining strength until it cast a pool of warm light against the ground. The sort of practical magic that would have been used by some human mages to conjure magical fire was not Freya's own, and so she turned to more mundane methods for tasks such as this. She sat back for a moment, glancing again at Raijah, before she stood, tossing the sharpened twig into the fire. Now, for water. Turning to Ishtaq, the kitsune spoke again.

"I'll be back in a moment."

She set off in the direction the pixie had indicated, small bare feet finding an easy path through the leafy forest trees, guided easily in the dim light by her fox's nocturnal vision. Quite soon, she came upon the stream, kneeling on the bank. She procured a small water flask from somewhere about her person, removing the lid and lowering it into the cool, rushing water. She then made haste back to the clearing, crossing to where the fae-man lay.

Setting the flask on the ground nearby, the girl knelt once again, absently brushing errant strands of red hair aside before shaking Raijah lightly to wake him. Losing as much fluid as he was through sweat, it was important that he drink, or his temperature would continue to escalate. So this, at least, was a necessary diversion from sleep. And, she thought with wry amusement, he was probably too confused and in too much pain to make much of a fuss. Once again came the internal wake-up call.

"Raijah."

.Freya.
..Versifer..Dreamspinner..Clotho's Apprentice..

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Ishtaq stayed with Raijah as Freya went to gather the water, watching over him worriedly. The heat from the fire was strong and good...but it didn't seem to have affected the strange cold her companion was feeling. His teeth were chattering, now.

Stupid Raijah! Dealing with an angry she-bear alone! Of course, caring for such creatures was his duty...but he should have waited for her! She could have distracted her, even soothed her with song if it came down to it.

She was relieved when Freya finally returned. Whew! She didn't like being alone and not knowing what to do.

Raijah moaned lightly when he felt his body being shook slightly, and his eyelids fluttered, but didn't open, even though he had been jolted awake by that movement. Gods, he hurt...his whole body felt like it was on fire, and yet he was shaking uncontrolably with cold, the jarring movement and odd, warring combination of temperature painful. He heard a voice call his name, that familiar musical voice, but for some reason it didn't want to register in his mind, it didn't want to stick, and comprehension was lost to him.

His eyes clenched tightly shut for a moment, and then, slowly, opened a little; only enough to be able to register some shapes and colors, but everything was so horribly blurred, and he was so tired, he quickly shut them again.

His wound, on the other hand, had also gotten worse; beneath the damaged, swollen skin and relatively useless healing salve, the flesh was slowly starting to whiten in places even as the area around it grew more enflamed. Now, the infection was becoming more pronounced, more obviousâ€"if it wasn't so already.

It was going to be a long night, it seemed...and this fever wouldn't be broken easily. It was, after all, the result of a steadily worsening infection...

Ishtaq fidgeted worriedly. Rakkalepta...she said she was gonna come back in the morning! Dang...they could certainly use her help, now! Argh! If only Raijah hadn't been dumb and pissed her off!

A long, night, indeed. Ishtaq found herself anxiously counting the hours to morning.

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.Freya.

Watching Raijah intently, Freya saw his eyelids flutter, then quickly fall closed again. He appeared to be awake, then.. just. Glancing briefly at his wound, she sighed slightly. It appeared to be worsening, signs of the infection now clearly visible to the common eye. She was sorry to have to awaken him to further pain.

Looping an arm around his shoulders, she helped him into a sitting position, being as careful as possible of his wounded arm. Determined that he would drink, and slightly unnerved by his shuddering state, her mental call intensifed.

"Raijah! Wake up, you must drink."

Taking up the water flask, she held it to his lips as best she could, wondering how much liquid he

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on December 28, 2004, 12:10:59 PM

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Momentarily eyeing the empty flask - she had been right about his thirst, Freya answered Raijah's vague question, choosing to quietly recount the events from the time he had passed out.

"The infection you had in your arm caused you to develop a fever. I couldn't break it without magic,"
A slightly reuful smile appeared on her lips.
"so it was lucky Rakkalepta returned when she did. She healed your arm.."
The kitsune nodded toward the now unmarked arm, which the fae-man apeared not to have registered yet. About to speak again, her words died and she rose in alarm, hearing Rakk's sudden scream. Whirling to face her, she registered with considerable surprise the new, opalescent wings which had sprouted from her shoulder-blades. Her intial alarm dissipating into curiosity, Freya's head tilted slightly, watching the former demoness's disgusted actions. Hardly knowing Rakkalepta, the kitsune was confused as to what was taking place. Seemingly, the act of healing Raijah had caused some immense change in her, but she didn't know of what nature, or of the reasons behind it. Speaking again to Raijah, she mused;

"As for Rakkalepta.. I have no idea what's happening to her."

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"ACK!" Ishtaq had to do some serious wing-work to avoid colliding with Rakkalepta's face, butterfly wings a blur as she swooped back and to the side. Yeesh! Luckily, Rakkalepta's scream had given her fair warning...thoughm why had she screamed to begin with? That didn't seem like a Rakk thing to do. She was too tough for that!

And then, as she looked over Rakkalepta, she saw the source of the reaction. New wings. And they were big! And pretty! And...whoa! Rakkalepta had pink eyes?

Weren't they weird and cloudy? Oh well. The wings were cooler.

"Whoa, Rakk...how'dja do that!?" she exclaimed, peering at the elegant wings curiously. She could destroy her wings and grow them back!? She was just full of surprises...

And yet...Rakk didn't seem too happy, which was odd. She'd just grown an awesome new pair of wings and looked all pretty and stuff! What was there to be upset about!?

---

Raijah blinked as Freya updated him, and his eyes quickly darted to his arm. Which was as Freya said. Healed. And even more than that...unmarred. Just as it had been before the injury. And the demonic fae had... "Rakkalepta...she did thiâ€"" he jumped in surprise at the sudden scream, words leaving him, and his gaze quickly settled on the very...changed...Rakkalepta.

So that hadn't been a trick of his eyes...

Yeah. Beautiful described her quite well, now.

Though...he couldn't help but share in Freya's confusion. She looked fine. Hell, she looked better than ever! But from her expression, something was clearly very wrong...

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No...no no no! That damn fae spirit...it was reinstating itself into her system! Sure, she was still in control, but not of her appearance.
It was reverting back to what the fae had originally looked like...

Without warning, Rakk's deep, sky blue hair began to grow rapidly. She growled as it happened, part of her face hidden by the sudden length. It was well past her shoulders, to about her midsection, though above her waist. It held gentle waves, quite the change from Rakk's normal cropped-short look.
And it only added to the elegant beauty.
Oh crap.
She didn't want to be pretty!

Hiding her face against her knees, hair forming a glistening curtain, Rakk gave a soft groan. "Please stop staring at me..."
This was so stupid...

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Freya watched intentely as a Rakkalepta's hair lengthened into flowing azure waves. Some sort of metamorphosis was taking place, it seemed. However, only Rakk's external appearance and manner appeared to be changing, as she continued to protest. She'd never come across anything like this before in her 350 human years of life, although that was not considered long by the standards of her race. Clearly there was nothing possessing Rakkalepta, so whatever was happening had to have been caused by some facet of herself. Perhaps, the healing had, being seemingly uncharacteristic, forced her to change in order to accomplish it. For the moment, the kitsune girl remained silent in the strengthening light of the early morning, awaiting enlightemnent, although she doubted the talkativeness of the
transformed fae.

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Ishtaq and Raijah alike watched as, right before their eyes, Rakk's hair began to grow, quickly lengthening. Ishtaq watched in pure and unrestrained awe and admiration, clearly wowed by what she saw as yet another of Rakk's amazing, hidden talents. That was certainly something she'd never seen another fae do! She hadn't even known it was possible! It wasn't even possible for pixies! Well, at least, not her kind. So...maybe it was possible for different faeries?

Raijah, on the other hand, simply blinked, violet eyes wide. This was also something he'd never expected to see...

But, unlike Ishtaq, who was absolutely taken by the transformation, he could tell that Rakkalepta was not a bit pleased about the whole deal. It was pretty obvious, actually, by the way she was now huddling in on herself, seemingly trying to make herself appear less conspicuous.

Good luck with that.

"Ishtaq...stop staring..." he told the pixie, who seemed not to have heard. Likely, she was in her own little world.

"Huh?" Ishtaq looked his way confusedly, clearly not knowing what she was doing wrong, then laughed. "Hah! You're finally awake, ya wuss!" she exclaimed, her attention suddenly on him instead. Indeed...she did tend to have a very limited attention span, at times.

Shaking his head slowly and tiredly, Raijah glanced back at Rakkalepta. "Rakkalepta...are you alright...?"

Seemed like no one else was going to ask, so it was up to him to break the silence. Not that there really was any silence to begin with, with Ishtaq around.

Besides...she had helped him, right? It was only fair...

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Great, just great...She was back where she started. She could feel it. Her appearance had reverted back to the fae's, and even her personality was shifting to incorporate the fae's. She'd have to work all over again to get back to where she had been only moments before.
Years worth of effort....
And all because she just had to heal that idiotic Raijah.

She was tempted to snap, and at the same time, tempted to tell him Rakkalepta wasn't right...damn!
"No...not quite..."
She answered softly, shivering lightly. The small movement travled to her now large and beautiful wings, causing them to sparkle brilliantly.

Suck it up Rakk...this was weak! Stop hiding...
Damn it all!

Rakk forced herself to come out from the protective curtain of hair, lifting her head slowly. Colors, shapes, textures jumped out at her renewed eyes. At first she could only stare in awe. No! Stop that...
Blinking, Rakk forced herself to ignore what was arround her, ignore the amazing sight her rich pink eyes allowed her to witness.
She sighed softly, hastilly brushing stray strands of the long hair from her face.
"Back where I started..." She murmured, forcing herself not to look at anything, or anyone, in particular. The sky seemed the easiest, so she stared up at it instead, taking in the wonderful blue she had missed seeing every day.

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OOC) Meep, same here. It's been test week at school, revision's been taking up all my time.. haven't been able to get on to post in a while.

Confusion persisted in the thoughts of the flame-crowned kitsune, helped not at all by the cryptic answer given by Rakkalepta. Her keen hearing, more enhanced than that of a human whatever form she was in, picked up Rakk's murmur, managing to decipher the words. Back where she started? This was getting more puzzling by the minute, and most of the usual venom appeared to have drained from the former demoness's voice now, too, as well as the dramatic physical transformation.

The fox-turned-girl shifted her aureate gaze to Raijah and Ishtaq, but no hints were to be gained from them, both seeming as mystified as her, even if the pixie did appear to be more in excited than intrigued or concerned. Deciding it was time she ventured out of her silence, Freya spoke again, continuing to use what humans would term 'normal' speech. A quiet-spoken half-question, slightly wary of an angry outburst. After all, who was she to pry, having known these three less than two days? Yet, they were all confused..

"Tell us what's happening, Rakkalepta?"

If the demonic-hearted fae even knew herself, that is..

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Rakkalepta continued to stare fixedly at the blue sky. She did not respond at first, and it seemed she was utterly entranced by the sight of the heavens above. Or perhaps she was simply pondering her response.
Maybe a mix of both...

Finally, quiet words left Rakkalepta's lips, though she would not let herself look down at them all. She'd have to look at them eventually...damn it...
"I am as I was years ago...before I went blind...when I first got this body..."
She didn't really want to get into the actual explanation...how she possessed a fae, took over her body, banished her soul, and worked on making the body more to her liking.
And how the greed cost her the precious gift of sight.

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The kitsune listened silently to Rakkalepta's speech. She wasn't too astounded at her answer, however, the blood of a race of magic-using shapeshifters allowing her to quite easily accept this sort of thing. The blue-haired fae must have been able to change her appearence somehow, over the years. 'When I first got this body.' That was strange terminology, but she dismissed it. Well, it was certainly a starkley different form that Rakkalepta had reverted back to, with its glistening wings and clear pink eyes. Still, she wondered why healing Raijah would have caused this transformation, if she had had control over her appearance. Well, strain, obviously, but it didn't quite make sense. Freya turned to glance briefly at Raijah and Ishtaq, wondering what their reaction would be to the formerly demonic fae's revelation, before she spoke again.

"Ah. Then why not shift back, when you've rested enough? "

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Raijah blinked in surprise when, finally, Rakkalepta explained. Kinda. "First got that body...?" he echoed vaguely, and glanced back toward Freya, puzzled. As though she'd know what Rakkalepta was going on about better than he would, even though he'd known her longer and still had no clue as to what she was trying to say. Got that body? Yeah...that was a strange way of wording things...but he had a nagging feeling the word choice was deliberate, if nonsensical.

"What do you mean 'first got that body'?" he asked before he could stop himself, and he quickly shrugged it off. Er...probably best not to pry. Beautiful and sweet as she now looked, she was still the same violent fae.

The same violent fae that had healed him.

Geez, this was confusing.

Freya spoke up, though, and he nodded at her words. Made sense. If this change bothered her so much, and since she had obviously altered her appearance somehow to begin withâ€"why she'd want to was lost to himâ€"then she could just do that again. An easy enough fix.

"Yeah! That'll make ya better again!" Ishtaq piped up cheerfully, Rakkalepta's horror at her new state finally dawning on her. "Then you'll be cool again! Though you're still really cool! Just in a pretty way! Pretty cool!" She giggled, amused at her own pun.

Raijah rolled his eyes.

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Rakk flinched lightly at Raijah's question. That...would involve too much of an explination. One she didn't feel she owed to anybody. Least of all him. She had already sacrificed enough for him.
And as for Freya's response...

Finally, Rakk built up the courage to look at the three of them. Her pupils dialated slightly, and she was blasted by the range of colors, shapes, and textures she suddenly saw. And she simply couldn't help it. She lost all composure and just stared, slightly slack-jawed, at them.
"Wow..."
It was...just so...beautiful....

She snapped out of it rather quickly, and stared very fixedly at her hands. So many things to see there too...
Damn!
"It doesn't work that way. It took me years to get to where I was. I have to start over again...all over..."
Just because she had to go and help Raijah...
Stupid stupid stupid!!
He wasn't worth so much! Why in the HELL did she do that???

Though her mind acted like Rakk, her body did not. She simply sighed and shut her eyes. Those ornate wings fluttered slightly, glittering in the early morning light.
A small grin formed at Ishtaq's remark, and she shook her head lightly, long blue hair shifting with the movement.
"Thanks Ishtaq..."

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A brief smile appeared on Freya's lips at Ishtaq's ever over-enthusiastic manner, but faded a little when she caught Rakkalepta's astonished gaze. It must be a great shock to have colour vision suddenly returned.. beautiful and painful at the same time.

She heard Rakkalepta's response to her question, and nodded slightly. Of course it wouldn't be as simple as that.. little ever was. She did wonder, though, why it was that the fae wanted so strongly to change her appearance. There was nothing wrong with it, save for the fact that it didn't relfect her personality, but rather the opposite. Still, sometimes a mask could be useful. She spoke softly once again.

"I'm sure you'll gain control of it in time. Perhaps it won't take so long this time, as you've done it before. Bodies tend to remember that sort of thing, like it remembered this form when you weren't able to maintain it anymore."

She didn't remark on or press the point of Raijah's question, although she was curious herself. Rakkalepta didn't look like she was about to reveal anything she didn't want to, and people deserved their privacy.

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Raijah, also, didn't press the question any further. He was terribly curious, and that comment was really eating away at himâ€"simply because it was so bizarreâ€"but he didn't want to pry. If she didn't want to talk about it, she didn't want to talk about it. They hardly knew each other, anyway. And even so...she'd saved his life. He respected her for that, and he wasn't about to disrespect her.

For a moment, Raijah simply watched Rakkalepta take everything in. He couldn't imagine what that must be like...he'd always had his vision...

Must be a pretty overwhelming sensory experience, to say the least.

Nodding at Freya's words, Raijah looked from her back to Rakkalepta. "That's true. And anyway, you shouldn't panic just yeâ€"" He yawned, and quickly masked it with a hand. He couldn't help it. He was still bloody exhausted and weak. "â€"Just yet. That won't help you keep a clear head..."

Ishtaq sniggered openly at that statement, and he, once again, sighed and rolled his eyes. Yeah, he was one to talk about keeping a clear head, when he was always so quick to be annoyed and driven by impulse!

"You're welcome, Rakk! Don't worry! Freya's right! And just think! Ya can see again!"

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Rakkalepta had been hugging her slender midsection, as though she felt sick, while they spoke. Her gaze had reverted back to the ground, which was like a wonderful little mosaic...
A smile slowly appeared, and she looked up at them all, secretely annoyed with her sudden emotional responses.
"Um...thank you, really. Maybe it won't take so long this time..."
Her grin turned on Ishtaq, clear pink eyes taking it all in. "Yes, that is one good thing. I've missed my vision...Now I can see you all."

Which wasn't a good thing! Being hardly able to see had helped her stay so aloof and cold all these years! She hadn't had to worry about infatuation due to the appearance of another, nor fawning over anything beautiful. It had successfully narrowed the margin of emotion as far as other people went...
Damn! Damn...
With yet another sigh, Rakk carefully averted her vision again.
This was getting frustrating...what was she going to do? Her own personality would soon be drowned almost completely out, and then Aimee would regain full control!
Well...maybe...
Perhaps...their spirits had been together so long...was there even an Aimee left anymore? Or were they...both one in the same??
Oh hell...

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Through her amber-coloured eyes, the only thing that stayed the same whatever form the kitsune occupied, Freya watched the the transformed Rakkalepta. At least the rapid changes in her appearance had subsided. She nodded at the blue-haired fae's speech, watching her intently as she answered. Even considering her recent exertion and morphing, the fae was behaving a little strangely, as if her words were at odds with her actions, which were at odds with her thoughts.

"At least theres' that. And I'm, sure you'll regain your strength soon."

There were still several blank patches in the kitsune's understanding of the recent events, but she subsided questioning for now, deciding that the fae had plenty on her mind already.
Recalling Rakkalepta's previous stance, she spoke again.

"You're not ill, though?"

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Raijah couldn't help but feel slightly unnerved at the way Rakkalepta as now behaving. It was just really...weird. He hadn't known her long, but what he did know about her was that, well...she didn't smile like that! Her manner of speaking also seemed so much more...pleasant.

And for some reason, that was oddly disconcerting, though he was too sleepy to analyze why that was.

She had changed in more ways than just physically, which was strange enough as it was. None of this made sense...well, then again, she had called herself a "dark fae" or something along those lines when he had first met her. He couldn't say he knew much about those types. Maybe this was typical.

Maybe he should just stop thinking.

It was probably a lot simpler. She had healed him of her own will, so perhaps the most likely answer was the most obviousâ€"there was just a lot more to her than what she wore on her sleeve.

Or so his drowsy mind thought.

"Why'dja lose your vision in the first place?" Ishtaq asked, brow pulling together slightly as she frowned. "I'd never wanna lose mine! Everything's so pretty! Especially 'lilac' over there!"

"Ishtaq..." Raijah groaned, rubbing one eye tiredly. No. Just...no. She wasn't giving him a new nick-name! "Jah-Jah" was bad enough! Time to change the subject and get the attention back off him and to the original, more important, topic...

Thankfully Freya did that for him, and he nodded when she had finished, looking back to Rakkalepta. Yeah...Freya was right in asking that. Rakkalepta certainly didn't look like she felt too great, what with how she was holding her mid-section...

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Rakkalepta was finding it harder and harder to stop staring at all the wondrous things around her. The more she looked at it, the more she wanted to keep looking. It was just too beautiful, to entrancing.
People really took their sight for granted.
She nodded lightly at Freyaâ€™s words, only partially agreeing with them. Her strength might return...or it might not...she hoped it would. She hated being weak.
Looking up again, her renewed gaze fell on Freya yet again. Simply amazing...the colors, shapes, textures, everything...
â€œNo, no...Iâ€™m not ill. Just a bit woozy from healing Raijah is all.â€?

She made a note to unwrap her arms from about her stomach, not wanting to give the impression that she was getting sick.
Ishtaqâ€™s question roused a small flicker of past pain, but she decided to answer anyway.
â€œBecause I was too greedy. Because I could not, or would not, wait. And so...it deteriorated. It left me, just as my emotions began to leave me.â€?
The dreary tone was easily broken by Ishtaqâ€™s new little nickname.
Rakkalepta could not help but laugh, and there was a small sound of her old rueful snicker mixed in as well.
â€œI donâ€™t think Raijah appreciates your new nickname for him Ishtaq.â€? She managed through a few stray giggles, then allowing her pink eyes to flicker over to Raijah and conduct a brief survey of him.
â€œIt fits though.â€? She stated finally with what was very near a smirk, but it was more playful and much softer than any smirk the old Rakkalepta would have given.
But it was proof at least that the old personality was still in there...somewhere....

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Laughter played in the amber eyes of the kitsune as Ishtaq produced her next taunting nickname for the voilet-haired fae-man. She shook her head slightly, a smile curving her lips. 'Lilac'. Poor Raijah.

Noticing Rakkalepta's gaze fall on her, she nodded at her first words. That was good, for she couldn't have done much to help her, either. Freya listened as the transformed dark fae related further pieces of the puzzle that was her past in answer to the pixie's question, although her words shed little light on the situation.

Suddenly, the kitsune became aware of the gnawings of hunger that began to plague her. The mountainside was lit with the light of morning by this time, and it was only now that she remembered that due to Raijah's fever, she had not hunted last night, and had not eaten since the previous day. Having been travelling in her vixen form, she had no food with her, either. She would have to go soon, as much as the unknown reasons for Rakk's transformation intrigued her. She was glad everyone appeared to be alright now, if still weak.

She straightened, addressing the three in the clearing.

"Regrettably, I'm going to have to leave for now, having not hunted since yesterday."

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"Aww..." Ishtaq murmured sympathetically at Rakkalepta's answer, but she had soon piped back up again to cheerfully add, "Your emotions, too? You're gettin' those back too, right? Hey! This wasn't such a bad thing after all, then, right? You get all this cool stuff back!"

She grinned, hovering daintily before the changed fae, butterfly wings flashing brilliant colors. Hm...still, Rakkalepta didn't look too thrilled. But that didn't mean Ishtaq was going to stop trying to cheer her up! She hated it when people weren't happy. Well, expect for Raijah. He didn't count. He was just downright funny when he was upset. As he was now.

But he kept his annoyance in check, and also nodded at Rakkalepta's comment. "Now you have that knowledge to learn from. This time, you'll know better than to let it get out of hand," he offered.

But a moment later, his irritation had once again been provoked, and he hunched up more as Rakkalepta joined in the teasing. "I think, of the two, I prefer 'Jah-Jah'..." he muttered miserably, violet eyes flashing dangerously over at a smirking Ishtaq. It wasn't his fault he had purple hair. He liked his purple hair! And it was dark, too, nothing like a lilac. Lilacs were lighter. Maybe his eyes could fit the description, but not his hair...argh! And now here he was letting it get to him.

Though he wasn't annoyed enough to miss the sound of Rakkalepta's giggles, his eyebrows arching slightly. That was a sound he never thought to hear from Rakkalepta...her transformation had affected more than just her looks. Odd...

His attention was drawn from Rakkalepta and the merciless Ishtaq when Freya stood, excusing herself. Hunt? Oh, that's right...she was a kitsune, after all. He had grown used to her in this form. "Understandable. Thank you for your help, Freya," he told her, aggravation temporarily draining away.

"Oooh! Ya gonna shape-shift again?" Ishtaq asked excitedly. Shape-shifters always fascinated her, since she herself wasn't one.

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The kitsune nodded in answer to Raijah's words, a slight smile curving her lips.

"That's alright, Raijah"

Hearing Ishtaq's excited squeal, Freya's grin broadened, nodding again. A faint golden light wrapped around her form, growing brighter, then waning and dispersing into a fading mist. It was the illusion-casting abilities of her race that allowed the glowing light, as well as far more complex images and effects. The kitsune were adept at illusion-weaving, being the trickster-race that they were.

The vanishing light revealed Freya's true form, that of a three-tailed red-gold vixen once again. Her amber eyes, the single feature that remained constant no matter what form she occupied, drifted over the three beings. Once more telepathic, her musical voice addressed their minds.

"Goodbye, everyone, I hope to see you again soon. And Rakkalepta - I hope everything works out. Farewell."

With that, the vixen turned, black-gloved paws carrying her soundlessly away into the wilderness of the mountainside. Now, about breakfast..

[Transfer: COMPLETE! Resume posting!]

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 11, 2005, 08:45:02 PM

Rakk sighed softly and watched the Kitsune transform in a brilliant display of golden light. She was completely enraptured with the showing, renewed eyes of light pink drinking in the colors and textures.
It really was a feast for eyes that had not seen much in years.

She stared after the shape-shifter for a moment, then slowly stood. The wings were heavier than they seemed, and it took a moment for her to grow accustomed to the weight again. Her hair was now cumbersomly long, and made her feel awkward and too feminine.
Damn...

Without warning, Rakkalepta turned and walked away from the duo quickly. A stream, she wanted to find a stream. She couldn't possibly look how she had back then...it wasn't possible to regress that badly...
She struggled through the brush, her large wings continuing to get in the way of her movement.
By the time she made it to the nearest river, her wings had a multitude of scratches and punctures, and her hair was a frayed mess falling about her face.

No no no...she couldn't look exactly the same...NO
Rakk fell to her knees, lips pursed, and stared dismaly into the ripplying reflection before her...

Title: Was it something I said?
Post by: Rhindeer on January 15, 2005, 12:01:37 AM

Rakkalepta was not the only one enraptured by Freya's transformation. Ishtaq stared openly, dazzled by the pretty lights that surrounded the kitsune for the duration of her transformation. That was just so cool...she wished she could be able to put on a show like that. Then again, whatever deity that had created her had probably known in advance that, in Ishtaq's case, giving her any natural, "sparkly" abilities would be a bad idea. She was far too easily amused, and, if given the ability to create the same lighting effects as Freya, it wasn't too much of a stretch to assume that she could easily spend days at a time entertaining herself with such an ability.

She was almost like a crow in that respect. Shiny things amazed her.

However, as Freya went off on her way, Rakkalepta suddenly decided to vanish, as well, and Ishtaq turned to find Raijah looking off in the direction she had presumably gone.

"Heeey...didja say something mean to her while I wasn't lookin', huh? Where'd she go?" the pixie demanded, hands planted on her tiny hips.

Raijah glanced up at her, violet eyes slightly bloodshot from lack of sleep. "Saying mean things is your territory, Ishtaq," he replied drowsily, though soon a lock of hair had been seized by his smaller companion, who tugged on it forcefully.

"Only to you!"

"...and doing mean things...let go, already!"

"Only to you! Where'd she go?"

"That way...and she kinda looked upset, like she kinda wanted to be left aloâ€""

Ishtaq huffed with agitation, shaking her head. "You're hopeless. No wonder you don't get laid. You don't know anything about chicks. Go comfort her, Lilac!"

"Uhhh...what...?" Raijah asked, suddenly a bit less drowsy. "What the hell are youâ€"nevermind, I really don't want to know." Dear Gods, the pixie was insane. Absolutely insane. "ANYWAY...uh...comforting...? No." He raised an eyebrow slightly at Ishtaq. What kind of game was she playing at? Some kind of sadistic one, that was for sure. Either she wanted to get him pummeledâ€"because she really enjoyed that kind of thingâ€"or she was...ugh. No, he didn't want to consider that option. Too creepy.

He had no qualms about helping the changed fae, and he owed her as much, anyway. Really, he was indebted to her with his life. But, uhh, whatever it was Ishtaq was going on about...no.

Just...no.

Pretty and fragile as Rakkalepta looked, she still had the capability of punching his lights out. She didn't seem the "cuddly, comforting" type.

"Feh! Fine! I'll go do your job for you, loser!" Ishtaq snorted, and with that took off after Rakkalepta, leaving Raijah with an overwhelming desire to bang his head against the tree trunk he was resting against.

Finally coming upon Rakkalepta near the stream, Ishtaq hovered near the fae quietly, looking over her. "Hey, you okay?" she asked, suddenly gone from mischievous, plotting pixie to, for the time being, genuinely concerned.

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 15, 2005, 07:09:38 PM

(YAAAAAY you posted Rhi Rhi!!! *glomp* Pleeeeeeeeeaze get on msn some time! I miss you! :cry: )

She looked exactly the same...It just couldn't be possible. After all those years of work, to mold the body into what she wanted and needed, and here she was back at square one again.
No, worse than square one. Because Aimee's soul and her own had begun to merge in their long time spent locked in the same body together. She wasn't even sure if she could change it back now...
Goddamn it!!!!

"Hey, you ok?"

Rakk jumped a bit, and stared up at the small pixie with soft pink eyes. Was she even Rakkalepta anymore? Or was she Aimee? Or both?
Who the hell was she now!?
Sudden tears welled up in those lovely eyes, and she completely broke down.
"No, no I am not ok! I don't know who I am anymore! Everything is ruined! I've changed back completely, and I'm not even me anymore! And I'm not her either! So who am I??"

Head hung, the confused fae curled up and cried, no longer sure of her existance, or even her own name. Her entire world had suddenly fallen about her ears, and the only two beings that might give her comfort were acquaintances at best. As Rakkalepta, she hadn't put any effort into making friends. And none of Aimee's friends were living any longer.

"Who am I?"

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 15, 2005, 09:07:35 PM

[Of course I did! XP And I'll be on MSN sooon! I'm trying to download it now at my dad's, where I currently am...61% done and 44 minutes to go! X_x But I'll be on from now on, since...the chaos at my place has settled down, heh heh. I miss you too, chicadee! T_T *CLING!*]

Ishtaq shook her head slowly, taken alightly aback by the sudden change of emotion in the usually aggressive fae. Not her, either? Well...that explained a lot. She could be wrong in her assumption, but this sounded like more than just a simple identity crisis, even though Ishtaq had no idea what it was Rakkalepta had done. Still, it sounded deep. And complex. More than just a moment of self-doubt.

Gliding closer to the curled up fae, Ishtaq brought a small hand up to rest it on her shoulder, though her touch was so light, chances were Rakkalepta would hardly be able to feel it. "What did you do?" she asked softly, her voice oddly gentle as her entire demeanor changed. No, though cruel humor and mischief was the side of her personality she most often chose to show, in truth, Ishtaq's personality was as multi-faceted as a gemstone. She didn't look it by any means, but she was old and she hardly acted it, but she was wise, and in addition to a friend, she served as a guide to Raijah. Of course, her favorite style of teaching was often rough and what many might consider crude, but in Raijah's case, that was what he neededâ€"he needed to be poked and proded and occassionally kicked in order to break those personal barriers he put up around himself for whatever reason he might have.

But that didn't mean she couldn't be gentle, too.

"You don't have to answer that. It's not important now. Who are you? You don't know who you are?" She gave a soft chuckle. "Well, you're you. Rakkalepta. Apparently you are able to distinguish between yourself and her, so I wouldn't think you are too lost," she offered.

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 15, 2005, 09:25:31 PM

The confused fae shook her head dismaly, tangled hair shifting. But it wasn't so tangly anymore, slowly working itself out with the self glamour many fae had. One could actually see the strands straightening themselves. And her wings were patching themselves up as well, clearly visable if one stared at them hard enough.

"No, no, it's not that easy! I'm not Rakkalepta, and I'm not...I'm not..." She had to say it. She hadn't said her name in so long. But now, it had to be said. Because it was there, with Rakkalepta, partially merged into one complete soul neither her nor Rakkalepta.
"I'm not Aimee either..."

Sparkling tears were still streaming silently down her face when she raised her head to look at Ishtaq. "Rakkalepta did something horrible! Once she was a disembodied demonic soul who needed a vessel. She took over Aimee's body, this body, and wrenched her soul out of control. But she couldn't banish Aimee away, so she just stuffed her in the deepest recesses of her mind and body and forgot about her. For that, her sight began to deteriorate. But while Aimee was locked away, her soul began to slowly merge with Rakkalepta's. Now that the body was reversed back, due to Rakk using Aimee's magick, the merge in the souls has become apparent and grown. I'm not either of them! But I'm not both either! I have no idea who I am!!"
She was becoming slightly hysterical now, faced with the ability of being lost forever, stuck between two souls and one body. She wished Ishtaq was big enough to cling to, for she was in desperate need of some physical comfort right now.

"What should I do Ishtaq?" She whispered softly, hoping that she would have some sort of answer for her. She couldn't live like this...with no set identity, no full soul. She just couldn't do it!

Title: Oh, geez...
Post by: Rhindeer on January 17, 2005, 11:28:40 AM

"Shh, shh, it's okay, try and calm down," Ishtaq murmured comfortingly, though an impending sense of surprise and concern had settled itself about her small shoulders as the fae had told her story. And it was worse than anything Ishtaq could have come up with, and well out of her range of experience. Ishtaq had seen a lot, and lived a long life, but this...this was entirely new to her. She'd never seen or heard of anything like it. Oh, sure, she knew all about the many different kinds of possessionsâ€"the good, useful kind of being possessed by a deity for the duration of a shamanistic ritual, and the troublesome type of being possessed by some lower entity. But she'd never before heard of souls actually merging during a possession, even a long-term one.

And then, to top it off, there was another problem. Ishtaq herself was most familiar with Rakkalepta, the demon who had possessed the fae. She liked Rakkalepta, and hadn't even known that this body wasn't her rightful one. It didn't matter that Rakkalepta was a demon; Ishtaq had no concept of a universal Good or Evilâ€"though she had a concept of right and wrong on a smaller levelâ€"and Raijah's tribe had a similar philosophy. Demons weren't viewed as evil creatures, though many of their acts were viewed as...troublesome and wrong. Possessing someone was clearly wrong, and Raijah's tribe had even dealt with some cases. The invading entity was always taken care of via an intense ritual designed to purge it from the body...

But this was different on so many levels! A ritual wouldn't be able to purge a soul that had merged with the original one, and...and both she and Raijah, even, were acquainted with the invading entity, in this case! Hell, that invading entity had saved Raijah's life, and though the reserved Raijah didn't really show it, Ishtaq knew he was grateful and would probably have the sameâ€"or, at least similarâ€"thoughts as Ishtaq! Although, unlike Ishtaq, he was bound by duty and honor. Regardless of his own thoughts, had he known the body Rakkalepta inhabited was not her own, he would have been forced to act in the original fae's favor. But, since the souls were merged...

But even if their souls weren't merged, Ishtaq wouldn't feel right exiling Rakkalepta. But, she also wouldn't feel right leaving Aimee banished within her own body.

This was...this was complicated beyond anything Ishtaq had ever seen.

She took a deep breath, and flitted around to hover on eye-level with the confused fae. "What you're going to do is you're going to hang in there, okay?" she told her, reaching out a small hand to gently brush away some of those sparkling tears. The action, considering her size, was hardly effective and really only succeeded in soaking her hands, but it was the motion that counted, really. She wasn't really large enough to do much by way of physical comfort, but she tried. "We'll get this all figured out. I'm sure there's something that can be done, though it's waaay outta my range, kiddo. For now, though, you're gonna get up, dry your tears, and we're gonna go see Raijah. He might know something. And if he doesn't...well, we can just all put our heads together and figure something out, right? We'll get it straightened out."

She gave a small smile, going for upbeat and positive.

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 19, 2005, 06:03:24 PM

She attempted to calm herself, tried to take some deep breaths and stop the hysterics. But how could she even think of trying to calm down when she was two people and yet nobody??? Was it even possible to calm herself after such a discovery!?
And again she was beginning to cry and hyperventilate.
Only Ishtaq's kind intervention stopped her from screaming and pulling her hair out.

She sniffed lightly, and took a few moments to collect herself. "O...Ok Ishtaq. Let's go see Raijah. And please...we have to find a way to fix it..."
She stared seriously at the little fae, happy for the small amount of contact.
"I might go crazy if we don't."

With that she stood slowly, and carefully began to make her way back to the clearing they had stayed the night in. She concentrated on walking. One foot in front of the other, and nothing else.
She really would start screaming if she thought about her problem right now.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 19, 2005, 08:56:33 PM

"There, good. See? Everything's gonna be alright," Ishtaq assured, flying alongside the confused fae. Geez...crazy...yeah. She could only imagine, and even then it was only a vague idea of what it must be like. Two souls trapped in one...

That was...not good.

She didn't even know if Raijah could do anything or offer any advice, but, well, she certainly didn't know a thing about this! Anything to soothe this fae's peace of mind would be something...any bit of progress would make a difference...

"You won't go crazy. We're gonna fix this, okay? Don't worry...just hang on..."

Raijah looked toward the two as they came into view, and grimaced slightly at the sight. Rakkalepta had a look he'd seen before, one of repressed panic, it seemed, and Ishtaq, though he couldn't make her out from the distance, was murmuring comforting words to her, a note of worry in her voice that he hadn't heard in ages. But then, he had known something was wrong, ever since Rakkalepta's strange mood-swing...even if he hadn't wanted to pry.

He just wasn't that type. And besides, he really knew nothing about the opposite gender, and often felt awkward around them. It just wasn't an area he was comfortable or knowledgeable in.

They could be so confusing. It was just...best for Ishtaq to handle the situation.

"Raijah!" Ishtaq called ahead, though she didn't move from the fae's side. "We got a...situation...here! Get over here!" Then, to the fae as Raijah began to rise, "Okay, just make yourself comfortable, 'kay? Take it easy. And, if you could, explain it to him. I can if you don't want to...but it might be best if you described it," she told her gently, and laid a hand on her shoulder encouragingly.

Raijah was still drowsy, but not so much so as to resist Ishtaq's request, especially given the way the pair looked, and he made his way over to the duo quickly, expression sober as he looked them over. Especially Rakkalepta.

"What's going on...?"

(Blah! Suckiness!)

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 20, 2005, 08:00:08 PM

The two-in-one fae slumped to the ground and rested her back against the tree behind her. Both huge and ornate wings had to spread out in order for her to preform the action, the glittering colors now impossible to miss. All her long, aqua marine hair was now tangle free and just as silky as before.
Slender arms held her bare legs close to her chest as she curled up, awaiting Ishtaq and Raijah's return.

When they did reach her, she knew she would be unable to explain to Raijah what had happened. She just...didn't seem to feel comfortable talking about it with him. Perhaps that was Rakk's influence...
She just hoped it didn't hurt his feelings, and the thought was a purely Aimee one.
She sighed, shook her head, and tried to clear her mind of anyone's thoughts, including any that might be her own.
"Please Ishtaq...you tell him..."
She pleaded softly, staring fixedly at the ground by her feet. No...she didn't want to go through it again...
The confusion would just double, and she would be even more of a wreck than she already was.

(blah post...)

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 21, 2005, 10:28:29 AM

[*cringes at her last post*]

Raijah slowly settled down on the ground near the duo, violet eyes looking from Ishtaq to Rakkalepta in utter confusion, especially given the tear tracks on Rakkalepta's cheeks. Tears? She'd been...crying? She certainly didn't seem like the type that would, and he knew she'd been confused and a bit upset earlier due to all her work on her appearance being reset, but...erk. Something told him this ran a bit deeper. Rakkalepta looked...lost and uncomfortable, to say the least.

And it was apparently something so bad that she wasn't even able to personally tell him about it.

His vision settled on Ishtaq as the pixie nodded understandably at Rakkalepta's request and settled on the fae's shoulder, where she could pat a lock of the lost fae's hair comfortingly. Raijah couldn't remember a time he'd ever seen her so gentle. "Raijah...she doesn't know who she is anymore. The one we both came to know as Rakkalepta, the one who healed you, was a demon, a demon that took over the body of a fae named Aimee and pushed her soul to the farthest corners of her mind. But...she couldn't purge herself of Aimee completely. That's why she lost her vision. And now...it's no longer as simple as a possession...their souls have merged..." she recited quietly. "She's neither of them, but both..."

The question of what to do was left unvoiced, but it was obviously there in the way Ishtaq spoke and trailed off uncertainly. Raijah blinked at the news as it all settled in, and for a long moment was quiet as he mulled it over, only just managing to veil his surprise. Indeed...Ishtaq was more than right. It was far from as simple as a malign possession, if you could call those simple to begin with. Though, compared to this, they were far easier to solve, as he had a means of dealing with them. This...he didn't. Like Ishtaq, he had never heard of anything like this happening, much less witnessed it...

And, as Ishtaq had already realized, even if it was just a simple possession, that wouldn't have made it any less complicated. Even more, though Ishtaq thought Raijah would be required by duty to exorcise an entity from a possessed creature regardless of his own biases, that was true...but what was also true was that it was the demon that had saved him, and, again regardless of biasesâ€"he respected Rakkalepta, to say the least, and had become familiar with herâ€"he was now bound by honor to repay her...

He blinked again, very slowly, eyes slowly widening as these realizations dawned on him. On one hand, he was required to work against the demon and for the trapped fae's benefit. On the other, he was required to work for the demon's benefit. And never mind his own thoughts on the matter. And never mind that he was expected to figure this out and had no idea where to even begin.

Holy crap.

Before long, before he was even aware of what he was doing, he had burried his face in his hands as a confusion wave of his own struck, bringing with it the beginnings of a headache.

"Uhh...Jah-Jah...?" Ishtaq grimaced. Erk. Looked like he'd gone into overload. He'd always had a tendency to stress out at the most inopportune times...

"Just...give me a sec. Alright..." He drew a deep, calming breath, then sat upright again and spoke as his thoughts came to him. "This...is complicated..." Stating the obvious. "But...first things first...I will help. I have to. And I want to," he began honestly. "Honestly, though, I have no idea where to begin...I've never seen anything like this, or heard of it. But that doesn't mean a thing; my knowledge is limited, but my kind are problem-solvers. I have an idea of what the goal should be...your souls should be separated. But neither of you should be punished...I have duty and honor toward the both of you...uh...you don't have to understand that. It's complicated. But...yeah. Freeing you both in a way that benefits you both is the ultimate goal as I see it..."

Trailing off, he rubbed his temples. "It's just...achieving that goal that will be the problem. That is, if that is a goal...er...you are comfortable with...?"

Title: A.imee
Post by: Anonymous on January 22, 2005, 07:35:45 PM

She shivered only once as Ishtaq explained to Raijah what had happened in both past and present. Just hearing it gave her chills up and down her spine. Neither, but both...
Neither, but both...

The lost fae waited patientlu for Raijah to take it all in, feeling guilty immediately for bringing him into it. It wasn't his problem...he hardly knew Rakk, and didn't know Aimee or herself at all.
He shouldn't feel obligated to help...

As he finished, her saddened pink eyes finally came up to rest on him. "Really, you're not obligated to help. I...I mean...I'd like your help and all...but... you shouldn't feel that you have to help." She shifted uncomfortably, glancing around at their surroundings. "You didn't really know Rakkalepta. Then again, nobody really did...and as for me and Aimee, well, you don't know us at all." She sighed, then shivered. She was placing herself in the role of a seperate soul. But she wasn't, she didn't have any right to feel she had an identity! It was Rakk's and Aimee's lives at stake!
She didn't exist!!

She shut both eyes for a moment, wincing at the terrible thought. She had no right to make decisions for the both of them...no right to try and deterr Raijah from helping. Not that she wanted to stop him from helping...
Or maybe she did. Because once he seperated Rakk and Aimee's souls, she would really cease to exist.
OK, then it was settled! She was an unsoul! She had no right to hinder the existance of her two mother souls! She shouldn't by any rights even be here!

She finally looked back at Raijah with a look of determination in eyes that were quickly filling with tears. "All right! Do what you have to do, but please, do it quickly! Do it before I really feel like a person, like I feel that I have a right to live when I don't! Please, if you do any part of this for me, then do it quickly so I won't feel like I am someone!"
She pleaded softly, though her voice was as firm as she could make it through the wavering that tears and saddness make.
She didn't want to grow attatched to life...not when it was never hers to have. She was the merged part of their souls, a completely different entity. But she shouldn't exist...
No, she had to be destroyed in order for Rakk and Aimee to continue their lives.
She had to be...destroyed...

Title: Uhhhhhh...
Post by: Rhindeer on January 23, 2005, 07:46:43 PM

"No, it's okay, I want to help you," Raijah replied quickly. Aside from Rakkalepta saving his life, it just wasn't his nature to turn someone in need away. And this...well, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose yourself...except that it could quite possibly, from his own ideas on the subject, be one of the worst fates possible. How could you even live without knowing who you were, without having an identity...

Without having a real soul.

In any case, stress or no, he hated coming across a problem he couldn't solve. This was unlike anything he'd seen or heard of, and he just had to get it sorted out. His stress level might skyrocket, but that was nothing he hadn't felt before. But...now that he had an idea of the solution...he just had to work backwards and figure out the path to reach that solution.

That could take a while...and, from the fae's tear-filled plea, it didn't sound like they had a lot of time. And it was obvious, too. She had referred to herself as an entity separate from Rakkalepta and Aimee...it was progressing fast.

Before she became someone...

This situation had the potential to become even more tricky. And even harmful. What if she did become someone? What then?

"I..." Well...he didn't know what to do. Ishtaq didn't know what to do. Sitting around here wouldn't do anything. They had to find someone who knew what to do, or at least was more experienced in matters of the spirit. He hadn't the time to figure things out on his own. Or, rather, the fae didn't have the time. "Fae." He didn't know what else to call her. "We...we should leave here. I don't know what to do, and you don't have the time to wait for me to. There are members in my tribe that are more experienced with these matters...they might be able to give guidance, at the least."

Though a Guardian of this place, it didn't mean he wasn't allowed to leave, especially if it was urgent. And this was. And this girl was of his own blood, she was of his kin. That was incentive enough.

(gyah, suckage again! XDD)

Title: Unsoul
Post by: Anonymous on January 24, 2005, 06:07:50 PM

She winced slightly at the only name appropriate, Fae. What else would he call her? She did not have a name, and didn't deserve one. Still...it...it bothered her that she had no name...
Rakkalepta...
Aimee...
and...
Fae...?

A weak nod was given to his proposal, eyes downcast yet again. "Alright..." She spoke softly, turning her head toward the perched Ishtaq. The pixie was her one source of real comfort right then, and she cherished it with as much a soul as she had.
No! Dammit, she had to stop thinking of herself as a person! SHE WAS NO ONE!
She suddenly jerked her head away from Ishtaq, eyes still tightly shut.
"Please, hurry! I don't want to feel like I am about to die!" She whispered fiercly, teeth clenched.
She couldn't be someone, not if Rakk and Aimee were to have their lives returned to them.

She couldn't be anybody.

No one.

She was No One...

Title: ...uh oh...
Post by: Rhindeer on January 26, 2005, 11:37:28 AM

Raijah's eyes widened despite himself, brows rising in surprise at the fae's fierce exclaimation and skin paling slightly with the new realization that statement brought.

I don't want to feel like I am about to die!

Oh no...

For a moment, he was silent and unmoving. As a Guardian, as a fae of the Elorynn tribe, duty and honor came before everything else, even before his own emotions. This wasn't the case for all faes of the tribe, but Guardians were held up to a higher set of standards than most, even Guardians assigned to what others considered a simple, menial jobâ€"like the one Raijah was assigned to; this pristine land, where humans, the primary cause of destruction and chaos on the Earth, rarely trod, where nature worked unhindered...it was hardly a job that required much.

In the face of duty, he was supposed to remain stoic and unbiased. He owed both Aimee and Rakkalepta, was required to aid both of them for very separate reasons. This fae...by rights, she wasn't even supposed to exist. The laws of his own tribe would tell him that much. She was an accident. She couldn't be allowed to exist, not when her existence would leave two other sentient beings in limbo, two beings who had a right to life, two beings who had lived on their own with their own unique souls.

But...this fae...she...this right here was proof. She was not thinking of herself as a merge between two souls...she was thinking of herself as something that was alive and could be killed. She felt sorrow. She was afraid, and deathly so. Didn't...didn't that mean she had a right, as well?

Laws or not, how could he sentence her to death? If that was how she felt...then that would be exactly what he would be doing. He would be leading her to her execution, a thought which made him suddenly feel ill.

But how could he sentence Rakkalepta and Aimee to the same?

Raijah shivered, took a deep breath, and then, very softly, asked, "Is...is that how you feel? Like you are about to die? Please, answer honestly."

Gods help me. He didn't know what to do anymore. It had seemed so clear cut and simple. Well, simple compared to this. But now...no, he wasn't supposed to let his own ideas get in the way. But...how could he not? Especially when the subject of this dilemma, the one whose fate practically rested in his hands, was sitting right before him with tears in her eyes! He wasn't heartless. Far from it.

Ishtaq hadn't moved from her spot, though she had winced, as well, when the fae jerked her head away from her touch. And it was a good thing the pixie was so small, because her own eyes were starting to get misty.

Title: No One
Post by: Anonymous on January 26, 2005, 04:55:32 PM

The lost fae shivered and dipped her head gravely. She had to just stop talking...she was making him feel guilty, she knew she was! It would change his decision...she couldn't do that. Not to him, or to Aimee, or Rakkalepta. It was her duty now to make sure Aimee and Rakkalepta were seperated!

She slowly raised her head, a look of calm determination set on her fair features. Yes...that would be her purpose. She would make sure that Aimee and Rakk got themselves untangled! Maybe she could even figure out a way to get Rakk her own body. She'd make sure they both got their lives back, cross her very own heart.

And then, in that one decision filled moment, the lost little soul became not so lost anymore. She had given herself a purpose, a reason to exist. And that was when something changed, shifted, within the three semi-combined souls...

"Yes. I think I will die. But I'm going to do it so that Aimee and Rakkalepta can be free again. I'm not afraid anymore." There was such resolution in her voice, it was almost unnerving. And one could only really guess at what she was thinking, for she showed nothing in her unwavering pink eyes.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 26, 2005, 05:44:36 PM

Raijah breathed a soft sigh of relief, though he still wasn't quite sure what to think anymore. She was agreeing to this. It was something she wanted to do. The determination and resolution in her eyes told him this. She wasn't afraid...it was something she wanted to do...

"In that case...if it's something you want to do...we'll find a way to do it." He had no idea what would have to be done if she hadn't given her consent. Laws or not, he didn't think he could ever take away someone's life, not even a life that wasn't supposed to even exist, without consent. It was just...not something he could even wrap his mind around. Life was irreplaceable, and it was a rather permanent decision. That was what made this whole situation so...well...stressful. And it was stressful even without taking into account Rakkalepta and Aimee, which only continued to add to the trickiness of the issue.

Which also brought up an odd point...

Members of his tribe were not supposed to kill without consent, unless it was out of self defense or the defense of another. It never specified whether this applied to situations like this or not. Then again, it was unlikely anyone had come across something like this before...still, it was something to think about.

Still, it was a relief she agreed. Even if only in a really, really odd way. He couldn't help but see her as, well, a person.

"If that is what you want...it'll be done..." he told her, expression blank. He just...he just had to stop thinking. That was all there was to it. Just go through the motions, take care of business, and get this over with. That was it. "I appreciate your cooperation."

Title: No One
Post by: Anonymous on January 29, 2005, 02:08:48 PM

The fae nodded stiffly. Her...cooperation. Well...yes, that's what it was. Even though she felt it was her duty to do this, the fact she was signing away her own life still bothered her.
She stood then, large wings fanning a bit. She wanted to get this over with...
No, she didn't. She wanted to live, to LIVE! But it wasn't her choice. So, the sooner she was pulled appart....the....better....
She shivered once, and wavered a bit on bare feet.

"Please...can we hurry?" She whispered, loosing some of her nerve already. But the fact she could feel both Aimee and Rakkalepta kept her from turning back. They were both there somewhere, attatched to her as she was attatched to them. Because she was the merge of their two souls...
This was too hard...she couldn't do it!

The fae took a few deep breaths, and tilted her head gently toward where Ishtaq sat on her shoulder. She could do this...she was strong enough to handle this...
She had Rakk's strength, and Aimee's morals. She couldn't give up. She wouldn't.
She could do this.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 31, 2005, 04:25:31 PM

"Yeah, of course," Raijah said, rising to his feet with a start. Her whispered voice had brought him back from the thoughtful trance he had begun to sink into, immediately reverting his attention back to the here and now. He could think about what would have to be done along the journey, but in the meantime...no, there was just no need to prolong the anticipation for her. As determined as she sounded, he didn't imagine that wiped away the fear that must be there.

Best to just get it over with as soon as possible. For the both of them.

In the meantime, he'd just have to distance himself from her. It just...it just wouldn't feel right tearing someone's soul apart, even if their soul wasn't meant to have existed. Despite Raijah's moody, and sometimes hardened demeanor, that was really just the front he put on. In truth, this did bother him. And, well, that was why he'd have to distance himself, lest he, too, started second guessing. And his tendency to put his own ideas first or second guess a decision was one of the primary reasons his tribe hadn't really wanted him to be a Guardian. He had the experience...it was just the mindset he needed to work on. Putting the good of the whole first as opposed to the good of the minority.

As long as he didn't view her as a realy person...he'd be fine.

"It'll be a few days' journey at best. With flight, that is. I don't suppose you can...?" She had just grown those new wings, after all.

"Ya could always carry her if she can't, Jah-Jah," Ishtaq offered up, now cuddled into the curve of the fae's neck and petting her supportively, and Raijah could only stare at her blankly. And it was an effort not to groan.

So much for "distance". Damn. It looked like Ishtaq was already attached...hopefully not...

As for himself...

He shifted awkwardly, put on the spot. "Um...yeah...I suppose..." No logical reason why he couldn't, except, of course, for the whole distancing deal. Which Ishtaq knew nothing about, and failed miserably at herself. And which he had no plans of explaining. He'd rather put on an cold front and make people believe that it was his true nature than out and say, "yeah, I'm just pretending to be cold and trying to ignore you so I don't get attached to you or view you as a person before I send you to be killed". Somehow, the latter seemed worse.

Title: No One
Post by: Anonymous on January 31, 2005, 07:17:49 PM

The fae, for she had no real identity, closed her soft eyes at Ishtaq's reassuring touch. She could do this...she could do this...she could do this...
She blinked at the time frame, realizing she may not be able to fly with her huge, ornate wings. But then...she didn't really know...
"I...well..."
She shifted, glancing back at her flittering wings. She pondered it, fluttering them experimentally. They were rather heavy, and slightly cumbersome for a creature her size. They didn't seem to be able to flap all that quickly...
But she could feel...something, that told her otherwise.
She could...it was possible...but...just how to do so was just beyond the reach of her fragmented memory.
"Maybe...I mean, something tells me I can but...I don't remember how."

She could read from his vague body language that he didn't really want to have to carry her, so she didn't want to inconvenience him further. With a soft sigh, she glanced at the ground, hands clasped in front of her. "...Sorry..."

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 01, 2005, 12:56:47 PM

Ishtaq shot Raijah a meaningful look at his hesitation, and she was close enough to him to know just what kind of facade he was putting on. After all...she'd known the fae since he was practically a toddler and could read him better than he could oftentimes read himself. It was obvious to her, it was an act he put on often enough, and she didn't approve then and certainly didn't approve now; she'd been trying to break him of that annoying habit of baracading himself up all the time. He just wasn't a "touchy" person. Never was, didn't know how, and preferred to bottle things up. All of which definitely wasn't needed now, of all times.

All of which frustrated Ishtaq, who was the direct opposite and saw that as impeding his life.

And...the poor nameless fae. She could certainly use some support. Even if she...even if she was going to have her soul split, it didn't mean she should have to be miserable and neglected during what time she had left! Even if she would eventually cease to be, it didn't mean she shouldn't have a friend. And little as Ishtaq was, she intended on being a friend to this fae, even if she knew the fae would eventually die. That didn't matter, though; it was all the more reason to get close, really. At least, that was how she saw it.

Raijah shifted again as he looked from Ishtaq to the fae, caught between the two. Especially the fae. And the fact that she seemed to feel guilty made him feel guilty. He shifted yet again, back to the other foot. "I...no...no, it's not a problem, don't worry about it. I can carry you."

Ishtaq gave a little sigh. Not convincing.

"Don't feel bad, Fae. Jah-Jah's only being like that 'cause he feels bad. He's weird like that," Ishtaq whispered up to the fae, translating the Raijah-speak she knew all too well. The last thing this fae needed was to feel guilt over anything, especially something not her fault, as this whole thing certainly wasn't her doing. She'd have to lecture Raijah later for being so dumb. "Try and cheer up. When we stop somewhere to rest, we'll have to do something fun, 'kay?"

Title: No One
Post by: Anonymous on February 01, 2005, 08:08:44 PM

'Fae'....she didn't like being called that. Like she was...an object. A soft shudder tightened her shoulders, making her wings fan out again.
"Could you...could you not call me that please...?" She asked gently, too unstable to demand anything, or even be a bit more firm. She felt like she was...tresspassing, somehow. Enroaching on their time. Forcing them to do something they shouldn't have to.
She still felt guilty, as much as Ishtaq might feel she shouldn't.

She shook her head at Raijah's unconvincing reply. "It's ok, I'll manage. You don't have to. Really." Truly, she felt like screaming. Not at him. Not at anybody really. She just wanted to scream. It felt like a Rakk impulse...
She glanced at Ishtaq with those soft, sad eyes as the little fae spoke. Her nickname for Raijah was cute...Jah-Jah...
She wished she had a nickname...
No! Ah, she had to stop thinking like that or she'd never be able to go through with this!!
She managed a very weak, unconvincing smile at Ishtaq, though her eyes didn't brighten with the offer.
"Ok, that sound great." Do something fun together...kind of like...friends...?
"Thank you Ishtaq..."
She murmured, again looking at the ground.
She'd fly on her own. She wouldn't burden either of them any more than she had to. She'd get this done quickly, so that the two other souls could have their lives back.
She would get attatched...
She wouldn't...
Be....
Somebody...

Title: Stressy stress stress.
Post by: Rhindeer on February 02, 2005, 09:01:01 AM

"Okay...but we gotta think of something to call ya," Ishtaq said, feeling the shudder ripple through the fae. The fae was right. Calling her just "fae" probably wasn't too nice, though Ishtaq had just adopted that from Raijah. But it was just so impersonal. Maybe that was the point, but the fae didn't like it, and everyone needed a name. And she was going to be with them for a few days, so she needed something to be addressed by, since every other option that lacked a specific nameâ€"you, hey you, girlâ€"were even worse than "fae" in that respect.

Besides...she should enjoy some of life's pleasures. The poor thing was miserable, and understandably so! She didn't have much time...but she should have fun with what time she had. Otherwise...she'd just have more regrets in the end, Ishtaq imagined. She wasn't going to be alive long, but while she was alive, she should act it!

"Hmm...you're really pretty. How about...Tana? It means 'faarie queen', and you're pretty enough to be one!" Ishtaq offered up with an encouraging smile.

Raijah fought the sudden urge to twitch. Was Ishtaq trying to make this more difficult than it already was, for everyone?! She was gonna get attached, the fae was gonna get attached...it was gonna be a disaster. And she was naming the fae now. Naming her. Oh jeez...it was hard enough dealing with someone who didn't have a name, but now...was she trying to blow this whole thing apart? Aimee and Rakkalepta were on the line, here. Two people...the majority before the minority...and the fae wanted to go through with this, she'd said...

Was she trying to make both he and her lose their nerve?! It was tough enough already.

As if he didn't feel bad enough as it was...

"I said it wouldn't be a problem," he told the fae, biting back the bitterness that wanted to creep into his voice. No...no need to vent his irritation on her. She didn't deserve it. It was Ishtaq he was irritated with. No. Not even really Ishtaq. Just this situation in general. It was crap. It didn't feel right. But it was. Alright, deep breath, no need to stress out again now. "But," he began after a pause, voice far calmer. "If you think you can manage and want to do it on your own...you should practice here, first, or you might injure yourself." Those wings of hers were huge! His own wings were rather large, too, in order to carry him, but not nearly so ornate and fancy. Just dragonfly style wings of a solid electric blue color. No bells or whistles. Just...practical.

Title: No One
Post by: Anonymous on February 02, 2005, 07:29:04 PM

She was vaguely surprised Ishtaq was so willing to give her a name. She understood why they had called her Fae before. It was supposed to be impersonal. And that was what they needed.
But it wasn't what she wanted...
Not that what she wanted was supposed to matter.
Damn it, she had to stop being so damn guilty!

A few rapid blinks followed that thought. That...that was pure Rakkalepta...
What was happening to her???

A deep blush rose to her cheeks at Ishtaq's kind words. "I..I...wha...?" She stuttered, staring at the little fae. Her...pretty? Really...?
Someone in her agreed fully, reassuring her that her physical form really was quite pretty.
Tana....faerie queen...
What a wonderful name.
Smiling shyly, she...Tana...nodded softly. "Thank you Ishtaq..." She had just been complimented, and given a lovely name.
"Tana...I love it. Thank you!"
She finally showed another emotion aside from sorrow, her eyes brightening a bit and the smile growing slightly.
It made her entire countanance much more cheerful. And it suited her much better than sadness or guilt did.

Her attention turned back to Raijah...heehee, Jah-Jah...at his remark. He seemed irritated, but she wasn't sure at who or what.
Practice...?
"Yes, ok...I'll try..."
There it was again, that knowing that she could indeed fly with these huge wings of hers.
Not normally of course. But then, faeries weren't exactly your most conventional creature.
Her gaze again flickered to Ishtaq. "Will you come with me while I practice? Please?"
Ishtaq gave her much needed reassurance and comfort, and she really liked the tiny fae. She was perhaps Tana's first, and maybe last, friend.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 03, 2005, 08:11:26 PM

Ishtaq giggled at the faeâ€"Tana'sâ€"response to her compliment. Heehee...she was blushing and everything... "What, don't believe me? Silly. You could make even me jealous, if I was the jealous type!" she kidded.

Tana's utter happiness at having been given a name, her sheer gratitude and the look of pure joy that lit up her features, really touched Ishtaq. Indeed, happiness did suit the poor fae...but, then, happiness suited everyone. No one deserved to feel so dejected. No one deserved to feel unwanted or unloved. The poor fae was no different...or, maybe she was. She deserved it even more, since she was probably going through more in her short life than anyone would ever have to worry about in a lifetime! With the briefness of it all...well, it was all the more reason to live even more.

And there Raijah was, being all angsty and irritated now, probably with her. Yes, she'd definitely need to have a talk with him and drill some things through that skull of his. She knew what he was trying to pull, distancing himself and the like, thinking it was for the best, when that was the last thing any of them needed! He had a tendency to get so lost in the details that he missed the big picture, stressing over what he had to do and letting that rule over everything else. He really could come across as cold...but that wasn't the real Raijah that Ishtaq knew. Not around her when they were alone, at least.

She could read him like a book.

"You're welcome, kiddo!" Ishtaq chimed and ruffled a lock of her hair playfully. "It really suits ya! And of course I'll go with ya! Someone's gotta make sure you don't goof up. Hey, speaking of which...Jah-Jah, ya gotta come with! You're bigger! You can help, 'cause, well, I kinda got this whole size issue goin' on, yanno..."

She'd make him loosen up. She just had to play at his own game. And an easy way to convince him of anything was to point out some obvious fact. If Tana needed some assistence, Ishtaq couldn't exactly support her, and learning to fly took more than just flapping your wings.

Raijah listened, then nodded very slowly. Yes...that was true...he'd need to help...

"Alright."

The faeâ€"Tana, Tana...Ishtaq had named her Tanaâ€"looked a lot happier...and that both bothered him and, well...was at the same time a nice sight to see. Ishtaq was right. She was beautiful. And she was so happy now...

And that made him feel even worse about the whole situation.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 03, 2005, 08:42:33 PM

Tana blushed a bit more, rubbing the back of her head with humble embarassment. Ishtaq was being so kind to her...and she knew the little fae was being sincere, which made it all the more heart-warming. She really did like Ishtaq, though it wasn't as though she had ever disliked her to begin with.
Even Rakk liked her.
Wait...how did she know that???

She began to slip into that state of unease again, until Ishtaq ruffled her hair and spoke. She grinned softly at the fae on her shoulder, the expression looking at home on her fair features. She was glad the little fae was going to come with her, and seemed so enthusiastic about it as well.
Ishtaq really did want to help her.
Help her, not to die. But to live.

Rose-shaded eyes glanced at Raijah nervously as he slowly accepted. "You don't have to if you don't want to. I'm sure I can manage..."
Aaack, did he really not like her...?
Well, he had known Rakkalepta...maybe...he felt badly towards her since she was now in control of the body instead of his friend...?

Raijah and her were not friends. She hardly like the guy...

Tana blinked, having clearly felt Rakkalepta that time. Those were not her thoughts. Not in the least. What was going on...? Why did their thoughts and feelings keep filtering through to her...?

Shifting uncomfortably again, Tana glanced at the petite Ishtaq with a look of worry and confusion on her face.
What was going on within her mind...? What was happening???

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 05, 2005, 04:24:48 PM

[heehee...this is gonna be written under the influence of a migraine "hangover", so apologies in advance if it reads weird in any parts. XD *shouldn't be writing, ish still out of it, but is bored of staying in bed...has slept for 13 hours already, grawr!]

Ishtaq gave a soft sight as Tana once again sank back into that familiar state of unease. And she had been so happy just a moment ago...

And since Ishtaq could not see what was going on in Tana's mind, and since Tana had looked so nervously over at the only male in the area, she could only assume the trigger for this regression was Raijah, who was being such a downer right now. Gods, couldn't he just try to pretend to be supportive?! Poor Tana was probably getting all the wrong signals from him, especially since she didn't know him as Ishtaq did. And the poor thing had already felt so guilty...she might think he disliked her...

Then again, Raijah wasn't helping that outlook much. And right now, that was the image he was projecting, however unwittingly.

Idiot. He really had no clue when it came to communication.

Raijah shifted a little awkwardly himself under Tana's nervous glance. "No, it's okay...I want to..."

That was it. Ishtaq had caught Tana's most recent troubled glance her way, and decided it was about time to set things straight. "Would you stop that already, Raijah?!" Ishtaq's sudden demand made Raijah jump, a serious note in that feminine voice that usually wasn't there. And the fact that she chose not to use her nickname for him only further drilled in that point. She always called him Jah-Jah, much as he hated it...but, truth be told, he had come to prefer being called that, as being called by his real name usually indicated that he was in trouble. A funny little irony, and funnier still that he would jump to attention when Ishtaq issued a command, given his size in comparison to hers and their usual public relationshipâ€"of which included mostly bantering and bickering. But Ishtaq truly was his mentor, and he had known her since he was young enough to hardly be able to walk.

Hell...he knew her better than he knew his own mother.

"Now is not the time to wall yourself up! Look at Tana! You're making her nervous and sad again! She probably thinks you hate her! So stop being so cold and be a bit more hospitable!"

Raijah blinked in surprise, taken aback yet again. "Hate her? No! No, I don't, not at all, I..."

"Then stop acting like it."

"...Acting? I...I wasn't, I'm not..." He fumbled uselessly for words. Erk...was that really the image he was projecting? He was reserved, he knew that, Ishtaq had prodded him about that enough, but...he couldn't help that! Old habits ran deep. Old habits that were beat into you ran deeper. He didn't think he'd been coming across as cold, though...he'd never thought about it like that. He didn't want anyone to think he hated them, especially when he didn't. Tana least of all. He was just...stressed. And he'd never been very good at dealing with stress. And he had been worried, most of all, that he would lose his nerve or Tana would.

He gave a nervous glance at Tana, but it was nervous for a different reason now. Jeez...did she really think he hated her? "Sorry..."

Ishtaq crossed her legs where she sat on Tana's shoulder. Hrm. Hopefully that had served as a bit of a wake up call, and she knew all too well that if Raijah thought he'd upset someone, it would drive him crazy. He could be cold, but he tended to be very empathic. Maybe that was part of the reason he tried to shell himself up. It was safer.

Glancing up at Tana, she gave the fae a reassuring smile. Ishtaq was Raijah's mentor, but had taken it upon herself to be Tana's guardian.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 05, 2005, 05:24:25 PM

Tana had been able to feel the presence of the two other souls ever since she came into control of the body. She knew they were there. But she hadn't...she hadn't thought that...
How could they speak to her??
She could hear them...both of them...arguing in the back of her mind. Bickering, was probably the better word. It was like a vague pressure in her forehead, that feeling that there was more than one person living within her mind.
What was happening to her???

The poor distraught fae jumped alittle as Ishtaq shouted from the close proximity of her shoulder. She was yelling at...Raijah?
She blinked from the little fae to the larger one, and back again. It was as though Raijah was being chastized like...well, like a child almost. She hadn't realized Ishtaq held such a spot as...well...not really like a parent, but more of like...a leadership figure of some kind.
She commanded Raijah, and he responded, without ever arguing with her.
Little Ishtaq had a very different side to her, but Tana liked her no less.

She shifted uneasily, even more confused than before. She had begun to think that Raijah really did dislike her...not necissarily hate her, but...
And now he was saying he wasn't? She had to listen closely to Ishtaq's words to really understand what was going on.
Or, maybe she didn't...

Look, Tana, Raijah has a habit of closing himself and acting cold. Pisses Ishtaq off like nothing else. It's not you, I promise. If he really was being an ass to you on purpose, I'd have to come out there and hurt him...

Tana let out an involuntary scream and clutched her head. Her heart was pounding, breathing irregular. What was going ON??? She could hear Rakkalepta, as though...as though the demon was speaking to her! But but...but how was that possible?? And if Rakk could speak to her, why wasn't the demon demanding her existance back??? She sounded so cool and collected, as though being trapped inside this body was nothing.
And...and Aimee...she had felt her there the entire time, a faint calming force...
Why wasn't she trying to get her body back either??

Violent trembling shook little Tana, her new eyes squeazed shut. Thoughts, ideas, and words were flying through her mind, battering her already tattered concious. This...this wasn't right...
What...what was happening to her...?
Why could she hear them!?

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 06, 2005, 05:50:38 PM

Tana's sudden scream ended any further "prompting" Ishtaq might have administered, making both she and Raijah jjolt in alarm. And poor Ishtaq, being so small and near Tana, got the worst end of it, though, and gave a shriek of her own as she clapped her own small hands over her pointed ears and hunched her shoulders. Yeek! That had been unexpected! And even though she had shielded her ears, it was likely they would be ringing for the next few hours to come.

Not that that was important right now. Something had obviously spooked the fae and, her own small heart beating rapidly, she slowly lowered her hands and opened her eyes. She could feel the fae shivering violently, and pressed near her neck as she was, she could feel her quick pulse and hear her uneven breath. The fae was clutching her head, too, in a way that made Ishtaq think she was in pain. "Tana! Tana, are you okay?! What happened?" Ishtaq asked quickly, colorful eyes wide with concern. But she also took advantage of the fact that the fae had her eyes clenched shut, for she used this as an opportunity to silently flag down Raijah, who had still been standing apart from the group.

But Raijah came on his own this time.

He could seem cold, but it wasn't the truth, really, and Ishtaq knew that. It was just a defense mechanism, really, and a habit that ran deep. But...well...Ishtaq's short lecture had put things in a different light. He didn't want the fae to think he disliked her. And...well...maybe Ishtaq had the right idea about the whole thing to begin with. She always knew what she was doing...she'd never once lead him astray. Sure, her lessons could be rough and tended to be the type where you didn't even know they were a lesson until you learned something in the end, but...she just always knew wat to do. Always said the right thing, always did the right thing. He didn't know how she did it; he never seemed able to do that. Like now, for instance. He was blowing it and coming out looking like a jerk, apparently. And he hadn't even been aware of it.

Erk. He really was dense...

Maybe he should just stop worrying.

Easier said than done, of course. He wasn't the type that put his faith in the idea that everything would work out on it's own. Do that, and you were just setting yourself up for a hard time.

"Faâ€"Tana. Tana, are you hurt?" Raijah asked quietly. He stood next to her now, but was still...distant. He didn't really know what else he could do right now but ask and find out what was wrong.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 06, 2005, 06:21:45 PM

Tana was still trembling violently, her entire body shivering without control. She couldn't seem to make it stop, no matter how hard she ordered herself to stop it. She could at least steady her breathing, deep ragged breaths being sucked in as much as she was able.

Breath in through your nose, out through your mouth Tana.

Tana did, and then realized it was Aimee who had just instructed her to do as such. Tana screamed again, shaking her head back and forth. "Stop it! Stop talking to me! You shouldn't be able to talk to me!!" She shouted out loud, tears gathering at the corners of her clenched eyes. This was too much...
She couldn't take this!

And then Raijah nearly called her fae again, while asking her if she was hurt in a voice that didn't quite sound concerned.
Dammit!

"No you idiot, she is not hurt!" She screamed at him, but it was a mixture of Rakk's attitude and Tana's own frayed nerves. As soon as it left her lips, Tana gasped and stared at him. Wait a moment, she hadn't even thought of saying that! "I...I...I'm sorry!" She whimpered, and then turned and fled, dislodging Ishtaq in the process.
No no NO! If she couldn't have a life or her own soul or her own body, she at least wanted to have her own mind!
"Please! You'll get your body back soon, I promise! Just get out of my head! Please!" She cried as she ran blindly, still holding her head as though it might help.
Both Rakk and Aimee were shouting at her to calm down, pleading with her to stop, trying desperately to keep her from hurting herself.
But it didn't help. If anything, it made it worse. The press of their voices became a ringing in her ears, and with a shout she tumpled, her foot catching on a root.

Her ankle throbbed, and she struggled to get back up, gasping for air. The voices...they...they had stopped...
Blinking the tears out of her eyes, Tana looked around at the blurred scenery. Oh...oh no! Ishtaq and Raijah probably thought she was insane! And she probably was...
Oh no...
Oh no oh no oh no...

Ok, ok, snap out of it. Tana shook her head and sat, wincing as she gingerly shifted her injured ankle. Alright...everything she had just done was unforgivably stupid. But...well, how would you act if your mind had suddenly been invaded by the two souls you felt you had robbed of a body, of an existance???

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 06, 2005, 07:58:15 PM

"GYAH!" Ishtaq landed with a soft thud in a pile of leaves, dislodged so suddenly she hadn't even had time to react. Or maybe it was a combination of that and the sudden shock of Tana's words that froze her up right there. In any case, soon enough she was rolling over onto her stomach and pushing herself up to her feet, bare arms and legs scuffed with the moist soil that was smeared along the leaves. What...what was going on with Tana?? She...she had sounded like...like Rakkalepta there for a moment! And...talking to her...?

Oh no...she was acting like...like someone was talking to her. In her head.

And Rakkalepta...

Was she as merged as they all thought she was?

No, those questions could wait. She had taken off! She was running somewhere now like a spooked animal, and who knew where she was going or how far she'd gone? She probably wasn't thinking straight now! Panic tended to do that, and with those huge wings of hers, and since she probably didn't know where she was going...oh, she could really hurt herself! She could get lost! She was no Rakkalepta in that respect, she couldn't take care of herself! And then she'd be all alone and scared!

"Raijah! Raijah, we have toâ€"!" She spun around frantically to face himâ€"and was surprised to find he wasn't there. But her ringing ears suddenly picked up the sounds of running, and twisting around again, she was just able to make out a flash of blue as light reflected off dragonfly wings, before the forest swallowed Raijah from view.

Alright. Maybe he wasn't as dumb as she thought.

Well, then again...it was just his nature. He would protect anyone that needed it, or that he felt was in need of it. He was distant...but he was also compassionate, even if that didn't really show because it was burried so deep down inside him. Stupid regressive tendencies...

Brushing her legs and arms off, she spread her wings carefully and took to the air. She'd follow after him, just to make sure everything was okay...but this time, she would let him handle this one on his own...

Raijah was cursing mentally as he followed the path Tana had taken, both because he hadn't realized how fast she was, and because she had gotten pretty far ahead of him before the shock had worn off and he had followed suit. And because, well, he was, once again, horribly confused, thrown for yet another loop. Damn! That had been Rakkalepta! He could recognize that attitude anywhere! But weren't those souls merged, and that was why...well, why they now had the fae called Tana? She certainly wasn't anything like Rakkalepta, so the change in personality and tone for that split second had been...jarring.

And then there was more. Tana, screaming, pleading with something to get out of her head...

But...it just made no sense! If she was a merge between souls, why was she still aware of the other souls? How could a merge of souls be aware of separate souls, when there were no separate souls? At least...that was what Raijah could assume...that the souls weren't acting very merged if they were...speaking to her. And through her.

He was completely lost.

And he was doing a crap job at helping her.

But for now, all he could really focus on was finding her. Shit...she could go anywhere! And if she wasn't careful, and was running blindly...there were just too many opportunities for her to wind up in a dangerous situation. He should have kept a better watch on her. He probably should have been more supportive, and he sucked at that, he knew, as Ishtaq had told him time and time again, but he couldn't help it! But maybe then she wouldn't have split. He wasn't making her feel very welcome...he knew it...damnit, damnit, damnitâ€"!

He came to an abrupt halt, a familiar colorful figure coming suddenly into a view, a figure sitting on the earth and wincing, ankle stretched out. And he let out a deep breath, the tenstion that had clutched at him receding with that breath. Thank Gods...she was okay. From the looks of it, it didn't look like she had completely escaped injury, but things could have been much, much worse. And perhaps this would be a lesson to her not to run offâ€"

Damn, he was starting to think like Ishtaq. Speaking of which...she apparently hadn't followed. How subtle of her...

Taking another deep breath, he slowly made his way over to her, and instinctively crouched down beside her without a word. Well...what was he supposed to say? asking if she was hurt would be a stupid question, and had invoked Rakkalepta last time. Not a good question to ask, especially since she kind of obviously was, given the tender way she had shifted her ankle. But silence was awkward. More awkward than words, perhaps...

"Hey..." he began, looking over at her, violet eyes concerned. "So...do you...ah, think you're through running for now?" GYAH! Stupidstupidstupidstupid! Very smooth. Just what she probably wanted to hear after having some sort of crazy soul-based attack. "I mean...ah..." Damnit, where was Ishtaq?!

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 06, 2005, 08:21:25 PM

She was crying, sobbing really, and she didn't know why. Perhaps it was a mixture of the sharp pain in her ankle and the distraught feelings of the situation she was in. Her uninjured leg was pulled close to her, but also tilted inward, so as not to flash anybody in her rather short skirt. Not that there was anybody around...
What did she expect? She had probably freaked them both out so bad they wouldn't ever want to speak with her again!
And then what would she do??

She was surprised then when a figure came out of the woods in front of her, and as blurred as her vision was from tears, she could make out the purple hair and electric blue wings.
She quickly moved her arm over her eyes, rubbing in an attempt to dry the tears she had no real explination for.
She then sat, drowning in the uncomfortable silence, unable to look at him. She kept her eyes averted, down, looking at any other thing aside from the fae beside her.
Raijah ended up being better at this than he thought.

Tana laughed softly at his words, shaking her head gently. "Yes, I'm done now." She responded softly, finally glancing at him.
"I'm sorry..."

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 12, 2005, 02:31:56 AM

Raijah was relieved when his words didn't have the effect he had been worried they would. In fact...he was surprised to find they had a completely opposite reaction. She actually laughed, though he noticed the way she looked at anything but him, eyes downcast...and it looked like she had been crying, judging by the marks on her cheeks.

And then, finally, she did look at him.

He shifted a little beside her so that, finally, he was also sitting as opposed to crouching, and he shook his head slowly, violet hair swaying slightly. "No...don't be. I...was just worried, that's all. You shouldn't run off like that. You don't know this area, and it can be dangerous. There are predators here, and the terrain is unstable. You really could have gotten hurt or even lost. You're very lucky you didn't. Well..." His eyes moved over her wounded ankle, and he could see it was starting to swell. "Not badly, at least. Don't do that again. Alright? Now...how's that ankle? Do you mind if I look at it?" For now, he avoided the question of what had happened back there. He didn't want to overwhelm her. He'd just take it little by little...

He hadn't really meant for that to turn into a mini lecture, but...this really was out of his league. But he really had been worried, and that was truthfully what he was tryng to get across. He just wasn't good at wording it. Comforting others...he couldn't say he had much experience with that. He hadn't exactly come from the most warm and fuzzy family...

But, he was trying. And...he really did feel bad. Ishtaq's words had struck a chord in him. Was he really that insensitive? Well, duh, that had been what he had been going for! But it seemed he had been wrong in doing so...he could see that now. But it didn't make him any less lost or any less confused. Or any less troubled.

"Tana...do you think I dislike you?" he asked suddenly. For some reason, that idea bothered him. Sure, he had been trying to distance himself earlier...but not really because he wanted to, just because he felt he should. And that idea had been scraped, in any case...and, well, he was glad.

He didn't want someone to die thinking he hated them...

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 12, 2005, 01:15:48 PM

Tana blinked at him, surprised to find he was actually worried about her. She had freaked out right in front of him and run off, and he still managed to worry about her?
Maybe he didn't really dislike her after all...
A small grin began to form as she was soundlt lectured, but she tried her best to hide it. She didn't know why it was so funny, it just was. He just kept going and going...

She glanced down at her swelling ankle as he addressed it, the grin vanishing with a wince as she remembered the throbbing. Oh man...
Sha glanced back at him and sighed. "I won't run off again, promise." She almost grinned again, but managed to keep a straight face.
"And you can look at it...just...don't move it around, ok?"
Oh but it would hurt if he moved it!

Light pink eyes blink rapidly at his sudden question, Tana turning a bit to look at him. Was he still worried she thought he hated her? Well...she had never really given him a reason not to think that...
She managed a small smile. "No, I don't think you dislike me Raijah." She shifted lightly on the lumpy ground, again glancing at her poor ankle. "Thanks for coming after me..."

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 12, 2005, 10:22:38 PM

Raijah thought he saw Tana grin when he was "lecturing" her, and had to blink a few times in confusion. He could have sworn she looked...amused. But, maybe he was just imagining it. He didn't think he had said anything funny...or...did he have leaves in his haor or something? Reflexively he felt his hair, trying to be as subtle as possible as he checked to make sure and hoped to pass it off as him just scratching his head. Nope...no twigs or leaves. Hmm. Odd. Oh well.

But, hey, that was good to know she wouldn't be doing this stunt again! One less thing to stress over...he didn't want to have to worry about her running off at random and him not knowing about it; it was just too dangerous. He gave a relieved sigh of his own. "I'll hold you to that," he told her, though his tone was softened a bit by the faint smile that touched his lips.

Shifting around so he could sit comfortably near her ankle, he glanced up at her as he carefully touched the swollen flesh. "I won't move it. I'm just going to feel it to see what's wrong with it, if it's a sprain, fracture, or break. I doubt it's the latter, though...you'd be bawling if it was...but just gotta be sure. I'm gonna put a little pressure on it, so it might hurt a little. Just tell me when I find the area that's most sensitive."

Feeling around her ankle carefully, he listened to her words even while he worked and watched her out of the corner of his eye for a reaction, for a flinch of pain or anything that would indicate discomfort. And then Raijah paused again as her words finally registered, perhaps a little bit after the fact. But...eh, what could he say, multitasking was never his strong point. Glancing up at her again, he gave yet another sigh of relief. And then he quickly went back to examining her ankle. "Good, because, well...I don't, Tana. I...I just wanted to clear that up..." He'd been cold. Even he knew that. He hadn't given her much reason to think he liked her.

"And you're welcome..."

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 12, 2005, 10:37:39 PM

Tana gulped and nodded, waiting for the pain and trying to prepare herself for it. As soon as he began to put pressure on the swollen ankle she winced despite herself, sucking in a breath.
OUCH.
She let the breath out through her nose and tried again, though Raijah was still feeling about for the real damage. As soon as he really got to her ankle, the area that had been badly twisted, she winced again, biting her lip.
"Ok ok!" She let out on a strained whisper. Ah, he needed to stop squeazing now!
The corners of her eyes were beginning to tear up, but she managed not to cry. At least, not out right.
And then suddenly...

"Alright, give the girl a break now. That hurts like hell!" She barked, before blinking in surprise and touching her hand to her temple.
Oh no...oh no oh no...
It was happening again!
Tana quivered lightly. "S..sorry!" She whimpered, pain still shooting up her bare leg.
That was Rakkalepta...without Aimee's influence no less. Rakk was a bit more brash when left on her own...
Ah, how did she know that!?

Tana took a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes, trying desperately to calm herself. It was alright...this shouldn't be so shocking. The other souls were there, she knew that. So what if they could talk to her? Talk through her...?
Oh no...what if they could control her too???
The poor fae shivered again, fists clenched against the ground as she took deep, soothing breaths. Her eyes were still clenched tightly together though, revealing her badly hidden fear and nervousness.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 19, 2005, 03:25:31 PM

Raijah glanced up at her when he felt her wince, but as she did not tell him yet to stop, he continued on, moving his hands gradually along her ankle. Healing was never his strong point; he was always more of a fighter. But, he did his best with what he knew, andâ€"gyah! That must be the wounded area.

He stopped quickly as she made some strained sound, and, looking up, was about to make a hasty apology when she snapped at him instead, a barked order that referred to herself in the third person. But she looked just as surprised afterwards as he undoubtedly did, his surprised blinks mirroring hers...until he registered the voice. That voice and attitude was completely out of character from what he'd gathered of Tana's characterâ€"for her personality was, indeed, very unique from what he'd gathered, which was perhaos something else that had thrown Raijah out of whack for so long.

That voice...that was all Rakkalepta.

And he had heard Rakkalepta speak through Tana beforeâ€"this was the second time!â€"but it didn't make it any less surprising. Or unnerving. It brought up an impossible amount of unanswered questions...how was she able to do that? Weren't their souls supposed to be merged?

And whose souls was he even referring to when he thought that anymore?! There was Aimee, there was Rakkalapeta...and now Tana, it seemed. At least, subconsciously he had started to view Tana as an individual, and, really, how else was he supposed to view her? The merged souls made her, created something new, and she recognized herself as unique...

But...so what did it mean that Rakkalepta could speak through her?

What was going on here...? Damn, he didn't have a clue about how the whole soul thing worked. Up until now, he just figured you had a soul, and that was that. He knew one could be possessed...but he hadn't known they could merge...and what was happening now? It was completely beyond his level of understanding. He'd never encountered it before.

"It's...it's alright..." Raijah replied slowly, watching her. Her eyes were clenched shut, traces of tears there, though he wasn't sure if that was due to the pain or fear. In any case, she looked badly shaken...

And he decided it would be pointless to ask her what was happening. Her frightened behavior answered that question well enough.

Damn...so...basically...she had voices in her head. Except, they weren't the product of her own psyche, but were real voices, the voices of the other souls?

Yeah...that could freak anyone out, he imagined.

"Tana, you're gonna be alright," he spoke up as she shivered, feeling a bit uncomfortable himself. He really didn't like seeing people in that sort of state. Even if he didn't know how to handle it or respond to that sort of emotional display, it didn't make him any less concerned. In fact...the fact that he didn't know how to respond to such a situation was what bothered him the most. But, eh...he couldn't really help that he didn't come from the most loving of families. "It's not your fault what's happening, alright? We're gonna get this figured out..."

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 19, 2005, 08:55:01 PM

Tana continued to try and calm herself, heart thudding in her chest, breathing just a tad irregular. She managed not to forget to keep her legs pressed together thankfully. No need to flash poor Jah-Jah.

Oooo, you're using his nick-name!

ACK! Tana cringed at Rakk's undeniable voice in her head. This was so weird...and scary too! They could talk to her and through her, how much longer before they could control her too???
Wait, stop thinking like that. It WAS their body, they had every right to be in control. So...maybe she should...
Well, here goes nothing.

Ra...Rakkalepta...?

Finally, you're catching on. Don't worry, we're not going to take over and shove you in some dark recess of the mind.

Unlike what happened to me.

Shut up Aimee.

You have no right to talk to me like that! You're a horrible, horrible person and...!

Tana let out a strangled scream, her eyes quickly snapping open, frantically trying to shut off the arguing voices in her head. She focused on Raijah and her ankle, sucking in breaths through her nose and letting them out through her trembling lips. She realized then he had been talking to her. She hadn't heard a word of it! Oh no!

"I...I'm sorry! I...I didn't hear any of that...I was...trying..." She gulped, trying to steady her quaking voice. "I spoke to them! Rakkalepta and Aimee! They started arguing with each other, right there in my mind!"
She shook her head, long blue hair shifting along her shoulders. This was all too strange...
"They're both here...in..in my head." She was really crying now, and looked back at him. "Raijah, what am I supposed to do? I don't know what to do!"

You could calm him Jah-Jah again...

"Ahh, no, shut up!" She clutched at her head. "I'm not going to call him Jah-Jah! He doesn't like it!" Oh no, she was arguing with Rakk! Out loud!
Oh no oh no...

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 24, 2005, 05:35:06 PM

Raijah somehow got the feeling she wasn't listening to him, judging by her irresponsive behavior. Except...wait, she did cringe. Erk...was he really that bad at giving moral support that he could elicit cringes from people? His violet eyes crossed as he frowned a little, starting to feel frustration creeping along his mind. He knew he wasn't the best, but he hadn't really thought he was so utterly horrible at it that he could score negative pointsâ€"

Tana let out a strangled scream, and every ounce of frustration was knocked right out of his head as his body gave a violent jolt of alarm at the sudden sound. His eyes snapped over to her as she sat there, sucking in air shakily, and, feeling a bit shaken up himself as shock after shock just kept coming, Raijah had been about to ask her what the hell just happened when she answered the question for him. And began to cry as she did so. Oh no...

Well, yeah...now as the surprise wore off, what she said made sense. Rakkalepta had spoken through her before a few times, as Raijah had experienced, but the rest...the souls within her spoke to her, and she could speak to them? Good Gods, it just kept getting more and more complicated. And...and...she'd been looking to him for an answer when it had first started, when it had just seemed an issue of souls merging together. Raijah had thought that was a complicated issue worthy of stress. Now...the merged soul issue seemed as simple as lacing a boot. Now ot was no longer an issue of merged souls. If they could talk to her, and through her, and she could speak to them...

That made them sentient souls, right?

So, then...what the hell did that make her? Her own soul? Well, yeah, he'd figured she was unique, but...he'd figured that individual personality and outlook came from being the product of the merge. But, if it was no longer a case of being merged, then...but how could it not be if she came about from a merge? Did the souls un-merge? It seemed it, if they were acting on their own. So...they were separate now? Or...

Oh jeez, his head was starting to hurt.

He grimaced as he looked at her. He really hated to see people cry...and she expected him to know what to do. She trusted him to know, to help her, and he'd promised to help, and he wasn't going to retract that promise, either. He'd meant it, and he still did. He always kept his word.

Tentatively, he reached out to rest his hand on one of hers. The gesture was clearly awkward, not something he did oftenâ€"or everâ€"but...she was so scared, and...well...he was trying. "I...I don't know. But listen, Tana, we'll figure it out, alright? Now calm down...you'll be fine, okay? You'llâ€"what?"

He blinked at her next outburst for a few seconds, and despite the situation, despite her tears...for some reason, he found the comment so completely out of place and random it was almost amusing. Well, it would have been amusing if the situation wasn't so damned serious. Ah. And that...must have been Rakkalepta...

Wait.

That also gave him an idea...she said she could speak to them. They could speak to her. Maybe...

"Wait, Tana? You can speak to them, right? Try asking them. Try asking if they have an idea what to do. Or...maybe they can at least explain. Can you?"

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on February 24, 2005, 06:18:13 PM

As soon as his hand nervously covered hers, she grabbed it and held it tight. Even that small gesture gave her unmeasurable amounts of comfort, knowing Raijah was still willing to help her. She listened to his suggestion, and winced at the idea of going back in there.
Wherever 'there' was...
"Uh...um....I..I can try..."

She took a deep breath, mustered a few scraps of courage, and concentrated. Maybe they really did have answers...

U..um...Rakkalepta...? Aimee...?

She waited, the silence empty and dark.

Back again, eh Tana?

Greetings!

Uh...do you...do either of you know what's going on???

Simple. Three happy sould living in one body.

Almost happy, anyway...

Shut up

Ahem. Tana, you ARE the merging of our two souls, but we never did merge completely. We are both here, and so are you. Think of it as the letter 'Y'. Rakkalepta and I are the two branches at the top. You, Tana, are the branch at the bottom. Make sense?

Oh...wow, yes it does. Thank you Aimee! Um, I'll go tell Raijah now...

Tana sucked in a breath and glanced over at Raijah. "Ok...well, Rakkalepta said that there are three souls living in one body, this body. Like the letter 'Y' as Aimee put it." She drew one in the dirt with her finger.
"Rakkalepta and Aimee are these branches here," She pointed to them, glancing up to see if Raijah was following.
"And I'm here, the merge, at the bottom." She pointed then to that, and sat up straight, watching him for a reaction.
"Does...does that make more sense now?" She asked softly, not entirely sure if she was completely comfortable with the idea of boing back into her own mind to chat it up with her fellow body-mates.
It was just too weird...
Her small hand also hadn't yet released his, the trembling in her frame from confusment and fear much less now, but not yet gone.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on February 25, 2005, 01:51:26 PM

Raijah nodded patiently as she consented, and waited just as patiently as her mind drew inward to speak with the souls that shared her body. He was still utterly confused by the whole situation, but he reined that feeling in. No need to feel confused. Rakkalepta and Aimee would be able to offer an explanation. Hopefully. Any explanation would be a start, since he had absolutely nothing. So, he just waited, quiet, holding onto her hand, an action which was becoming less awkward as time passed. Still, in some corner of his mind, he sorely hoped Ishtaq was not anywhere near where she could see, otherwise he just knew she'd tease him like crazy.

But that was only a small, unimportant thought. He honestly didn't mind anymore, and it seemed to be making her calmer. She was holding on so tight...

Soon, Tana had returned from wherever it was she had gone, and Raijah watched her attentively as she began to speak. And relief washed over him. Oh...good. So they had been able to offer up some bit of knowledge! Wait...three souls...? He opened his mouth, but then closed it quickly with a small click of teeth, already starting to feel the confusion returning. No, he'd wait until she was done...

Letter "Y"...he watched as Tana drew in the dirt, and pointed to each individual line. Aimee and Rakk were at the top. She was at the bottom. Three souls. Connected...but not merged. But connected enough to create a new soul, Tana. He bit his lip a little, that not really making much sense to him, except...wait. It was kind of like...creation and birth, in a way. Like Rakkalepta and Aimee were...

"Ah...so...Rakkalepta and Aimee are...kinda like your parents, then?" he asked, raising his eyes from the drawn "Y" to look at Tana.

Maybe it wasn't a perfect analogy, but that made sense in his mind. "That makes sense, yeah."

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on March 25, 2005, 10:03:42 PM

Tana thought on his discription of her explination. Like her parents...? "Um, well, yeah, I suppose. I mean, my soul is made of the part of theirs that merged together." She sighed softly and glanced down yet again at her swollen ankle. She hadn't let go of his hand yet, though her grip finally let up a bit. She wasn't really scared anymore, now that it was making more sense. But she was still confused, and now more than ever, very weary.
But it had to be ten times worse for poor Jah...er, Raijah.

She finally glanced back up at him through a curtain of aqua hair. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make this harder for you." She took a deep breath and had to look away again for a moment, though it was only a movement of her eyes. But her gaze was back again, and this time she brushed all that hair away to look him square in the face.
"I want to help to make this right! I'll tell you what I know, though I really don't understand how I know it. This is Aimee's body, ok? Rakkalepta is a demonic spirit who possessed her. I think we should get Rakk her own body, and there by seperate me and let Aimee have her body back."
That was, if it could even be done. However, her hand trembled in his even as she spoke. She was signing her own death warrent. But it didn't matter! She wasn't even supposed to exist really!
This was what she had to do. This was her purpose now.
She was willing to give up this strange life so the two older souls could have theirs back. Even if it scared the daylights out of her, like was reflected in her big blushing eyes. But she was...determined.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on April 16, 2005, 04:18:36 AM

Raijah frowned down at her ankle. Though it wasn't broken, it was one nasty sprain and would likely take a while to heal. She might have even pulled a tendon. But he wasn't sure. Some people just had that doctor's touch and could just feel and injury and know what was wrong based solely off of their knowledge of anatomy, but Raijah just wasn't one of those people. He healed others using the energies of the earth and the wounded's own healing energies. In other words, magic. He wanted to heal her, but he was still rebounding from his close call with that infection, and running after her had about wiped out what energy he had left.

Still, he could wrap it for her. He knew a few basics about treating minor injuries. And he could probably expend a little energy, just enough to relieve some of the pain.

He gave her hand a little squeeze. That was odd for him to do since he wasn't exactly a very touchy person, but, since she'd already claimed his hand, he might as well. And wasn't that what you were supposed to do when you were holding someone's hand? It seemed to calm her a little before, to reassure her. "I can probably ease some of the pain," he offered, giving a sharp nod to her ankle. He had to ask before he used magic, ever, as a general rule, out of respect for any who might feel uncomfortable about it for whatever reason.

And then it was back to the more pressing situation at hand...

And Raijah couldn't help but flinch as she spoke, as she apologized for making things hard on him and then basically went on to plan out her own death! Practically in the same breath! For some reason, that really bothered him...she was worried about stressing him out, and yet it was her very existence that was at stake here! And, there he went...he had accepted her as a unique creation...a unique entity. An individual creature. She was no longer just a merge of souls in his mind. She was her, as individual as he was.

How the hell was he supposed to help her die?

And how the hell did duty factor into this? If she was an individual, as she was in his mind...she had just as much a right to life as Rakkalepta, as Aimee, as Ishtaq, as himself. Even if by rights her existence was an accident. It didn't matter how she was created, though, did it? The ends mattered more than the means in this case...right?

His brow knotted as he mulled over everything in his mind, carefully, and he didn't say anything in response to her for a few moments. And when he finally did...

"...Tana. I can't." He bit his lip. "I...I'm still really confused about this whole thing, but from what I see...you're you, right? You're like...a new being. As new as if Rakkalepta and Aimee really had actually, physically conceived you. Well, had one been male, but that's beside the point." He ran a hand through his violet hair absently, staring at the ground as he spoke. "You have as much a right to exist as anyone else does, Tana."

Maybe he had gotten attached. Maybe that was what did him in. Her, clinging to his hand, staring at him with those big eyes, her sheer innocence...it really was like she was a new being. Like a wide-eyed fawn viewing the world for the first time, so uncertain, but so curious...

"There's...there's gotta be another way. You're a new soul, right? I mean, the letter 'Y' thing, it's only figurative now, right? I mean, if you can talk to Rakkalepta and Aimee...that's gotta mean you're kinda separate...right? Can't we get you a body, too?" Oh man, now he was talking like he was a miracle worker of something. Tana had suggested getting Rakkalepta her own body, and he had not the slightest clue how on earth you went about getting a disembodied soul a body. What, did you make it somehow? Dig an old one up? Erk. Neither option sounded too...plausible.

This whole thing was, indeed, going to give him a migraine yet.

He had no clue what the hell he was doing.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on April 16, 2005, 02:20:40 PM

Tana looked again at her...no, Aimee's, ankle. It was swollen and ugly, though her body...no, dammit, Aimee's body had made the area go numb and stiff. All of this was Aimee's, not hers. She had to remember that...she had to remember that...
She appreciated the little squeaze Raijah ventured to give her hand, and nodded softly. "Ok..."
Her...ahhh, no, AIMEE'S ankle!, wasn't the top priority on her mind.

There was a ripple of aqua hair as Tana turned a surprised face toward Raijah. He couldn't??? What?? Didn't he want his friend back??? Tana just stared at him, wide-eyed, in disbelief. Why was he saying all that!? Why did he care if she...
The fey straightened a bit. He didn't actually like her at all did he??? He couldn't get attatched!! She was going to DIE soon!
Gah!! In her mind she was running around in frantic circles. He couldn't get attatched at all, not now!! No no no no!!

Tana pulled her delicate hand out of Raijah's abruptly. "No!" She shouted, and struggled to get up, stumbling away from him. Clutching at the thick trunk of the nearest tree, Tana tried her best to glare at Raijah. "No! Stop that right now! I'm not a legitimate person! So hate me, ignore me, do whatever you have to do, but don't do that!" She sniffed then, angered to find herself crying. She quickly whiped them away. "Don't treat me like a person! This body isn't mine, and neither is my soul! None of it belongs to me! I'm a mistake, do you hear!? An accident! You can't treat me like a person that should be cared for! I won't let you!"

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on April 16, 2005, 08:33:39 PM

He nodded, and had been about to extend some of the healing energies into her wound...but that was when she pulled free of his grasp and stumbled to her feet. And looked incredibly angry and suddenly hurt. And all he could do was stare up at her in surprise as the deluge of words poured forth.

And then his eyebrows drew together as her words registered, a flicker of annoyance sparking in him. She really was self depreciating, wasn't she? She really thought she needed to die. She expected him to murder her! Raijah jerked himself to his feet to be back on a level with her, body rigid. Oh, but he had been ready to do just that not too long ago, but...but that had been before he put everything in perspective! That was before he thought everything through, before Rakkalepta and Aimee explained things, before it occurred to him that there were now three souls in one body. Oh, but the situation had changed drastically, now...

"You'd ask me to betray everything I'm supposed to uphold? Look, Tana, at this point you're no more a mistake than the unwanted child of a rape, and your situation is no different from such a case, as the forced union of Rakkalepta in Aimee produced you. A mistake, yes, unwanted, more than likely, but you have a right to exist, now. Just like such a child does. I can't kill you any more than I could kill such a child, so if you want to die so badly, then do it yourself. But you will not ask me, expect me, to kill you. If you want my help, we're doing it on my terms, and my terms recognize that you are legitimate. So as long as you're around me, I will fucking treat you like a person, because my terms say that you are a person deserving of as much caring as any other being in this world," he all but growled, surprised to find that his agitation had grown the more he spoke. Which he hadnâ€™t intended, but it justâ€¦happened.

Raijah didnâ€™t mean to get angry. And he wasnâ€™t really angry at her. And she was crying, besidesâ€¦

He swallowed, took a deep breath. Okay, calm down. He didn't know why this was bothering him so much, but it really was. Something had really struck a chord in him, something about the whole thing, something about the whole analogy he'd drawn, something about the way he now viewed this situation. He exhaled slowly. Just calm down, no need to flip out on her, she didnâ€™t know, and he was the one that had drawn the analogy to begin with...

Another deep breath. "Okay...look...if...if there's no other way after we try some stuff, then okay. If there's no other way then I'll agree to this. To destroy you. But that will be a last resort, if there is no other way. Understand? If I am to help you, that's how it's going to be. If you can't agree to that, then we can just part ways right here and now."

Raijah folded his arms across his chest as he watched her steadily, violet eyes oddly fierce.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on April 17, 2005, 07:00:06 PM

Well...
...
That had worked a bit too well. He was practically growling at her he was so angry!

Ok Tana, you wanted something similar, so what are you going to do with it now??? Oh gods...he was pissed, and still refused to do what she wished of him. This was horrible! Everything in her told her to just turn and walk, er, limp away right now. She hated having him yell at her with such...vehemence. It hurt. It really did.
But it was odd, because he was arguing that she WAS a person, she WAS improtant, and that she DID deserve to live.
It would have made her feel good if the circumstances were a bit different.

Tana turned away, still propped up on the tree, and tried to calm her trembling. She was still crying, harder than before actually. And her chest was heaving with the effort of not breaking down and sobbing. He was being harsh, ok. She had wanted him to feel something similar to that. But he still had a bleeding heart about the entire thing! He was willing to try anything else before doing what had to be done. Dammit!
"Raijah! It would be easier to seperate two souls, instead of three. And besides, I've never lived before now! I don't even know if I can function without Rakkalepta and Aimee!" She bit her lip for a moment, unable to look at him right then. "Why do you have to prolong this?? What if Rakk and Aimee fully merge if we wait too long?? Then what Raijah?? They'll be lost forever! If your morals are too high and mighty to help me do what I have to do to save them, then fine! Maybe I will go and find someone else to help!"

She didn't really want to leave. He and Ishtaq were the only people she knew! And her ankle was horribly sprained...what chances did she even have of finding someone else willing to help?? But the more she had to wait, the more the dread in her heart built up. A revelation had come upon her. She would not truly be somebody, have her own soul, until Rakk and Aimee fully merged together. Until then, she was just some sort of fragment, a filler to hold the body while Rakk and Aimee struggled for control, while ever merging more and more together at their base.
She couldn't have that weight on her heart!

"Raijah...I'm running out of time! They're still merging, I can feel it! If you pull me away from them, seperate us, you'd be tearing away a part of them to keep me alive! A part of their soul!! You can't do that Raijah!"

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on May 27, 2005, 12:29:49 AM

Raijah didn't really want her to leave. He really didn't. Truth be told, he was worried about her. Yep. There. He admitted it. Even after all his lecturing of Ishtaq, all his lectures about not getting attached to her, of carrying out her wishes not a few hours ago, and here he was arguing with her about her right to live and be considered a person while she argued the adverse! It felt weird, almost, like their orignal roles had suddenly been switched. And he couldn't even pinpoint when that had even happened to begin with. Damn, that was odd.

But, yeah. He was worried. Sure, he'd meant every word he'd said...he would not play executioner, not when there was the possibilty of another option! If she couldn't accept that, he couldn't help her. He could not have that guilt on his shoulders; these weren't just lives they were talking, but souls! Gods, but if...if he killed Tana, if he separated them...Tana would experience more than just a mortal death. Her soul would be gone. She would cease to exist. Be nothing. Nothing. Is that how it would work for her?

That idea, he thought of sending someone not just to death, but to a permanent state of non-existence, was enough to make Raijah feel physically ill. He swallowed hard. No...he couldn't do that. Lives were different. Souls...that was far, far different. He had no business messing with souls. That was a matter best left to the Gods, and he had no idea why he even got involved. Well, actually, he did. Duty, a bleeding heart, and the fact that he hadn't quite known the full weight of the dilemma; it had seemed simple.

But...Tana woud disagree. She probably would. And then he'd just have to stand firm by his word. Then he'd just heal her, escort her to the nearest village andâ€"

Well, the idea of standing firm on his word went flyng out the window. Crying. If there was one thing that weakened his resolve, crying could do it. It really made him feel like an ass. And...and he'd promised. And Tana-Rakkalepta-Aimee was in this situation to begin with because of him...the healing...

No, he truly did want to help. He really did. He felt partially responsibleâ€"and Tana only helped to reinforce that sense of responsibilityâ€"he'd promised to help, and though it was in his nature to stress out and snap, it wasn't in his nature to turn people away; the utter urgency and desperation in her voice made his heart ache. And who else would help her? And how long would it take to find someone and explain the whole situation to, assuming she even found someone? It was just...this situation was just so difficult...but...he couldn't give up on this.

He'd started it. Now he had to see it through to the end, whatever that might be.

And, yeah, he cared about her. I was had not to care for someone you'd been around for any length of time, especially someone in the kind of mess she was in.

It was painful.

"...There's no other way, then...?" he asked at length, though it was more statement and less question. His voice was drastically calmer, but in a resigned sort of way. "Alright. I said I'd do it if there was no other way...you say there is none, and time is running out. Well...then I guess we've no choice, huh? But...Tana...if I do this...what happens to you? I mean...I know what happens to you, physical you, but I mean...your soul. Your essence. Will you just...not exist? Or will you go to the Other World and be reborn, like others after death?"

Again, that feeling of queasiness. Gods, tell him she would not just...cease to be.

As impossible as it might be, Gods help him, but he wanted to save all three...

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on May 30, 2005, 06:38:11 PM

Ok Tana, calm down. Crying doesn't help this situation one bit! If anything...you're..you're just guilt tripping him! Dammit...
Tana sniffled, and quickly wiped the tears away again. This was stupid! Why was she crying? There was no reason to cry! So what if he was pissed at her, she brought it on herself.
She was bringing all of this on herself...

The slender fey continued to lean heavily against the rough tree, keeping her injured foot off the ground. She had nothing more to say really...it was up to him. He was either going to help her, or she was going to hobble her way elsewhere and find someone else. Still...
Was it really ok to put all of this on him? Her heart was heavy with alot of things, and foremost was guilt. She was making him decide on whether or not to kill her. That wasn't right...but then, it wasn't really right for her to ask anyone to do that. If she could do it herself, she would...
All for two souls she did not even know.

Now Tana was doubting herself, doubting everything. Everything was nothing but a haze anymore, and she didn't know where she was going. What if the other two souls didn't want to be saved? How did she know they wanted their old lives back??
How did she know anything???

Fatigue suddenly washed over her and she collapsed, sliding down against the tree to rest on the ground once again. Her arms were limp in her lap, and she stared at the blue of her skirt. She just couldn't seem to get her emotions under control. Maybe it was a side effect of being a soul fragment....she was too disjointed in thought and feeling.
Tana took in a deep breath, but kept her eyes averted.
"I'm sorry Jah-Jah...I'm acting really weird, huh?" Gah, it slipped out again! Oh what the hell...It didn't matter. "I'm a mess...just, emotionally, I guess. Just...just forget it. I'll...I'll work it out somehow. I'll...I don't know, I'll talk to Rakkalepta and Aimee later. We can sort it out." She hugged herself, a killer headache spawning. She really was acting spastic...
Poor Jah-Jah had to be annoyed...
There it was again!
"Just give me alittle while, I'll be alright. You should go rest...you're still weak..."

And without warning, Tana passed out, sliding right off the tree and onto the earth.

(Random is fun! Lol...*brain melts*)

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on June 06, 2005, 11:33:10 AM

Yeah...she was acting weird. But how else would someone in her position act, really? He knew he'd flip out if he were in her shoes and, hell, he had already flipped out a few times today over this whole ordeal. Tana was really calm, though, about the whole thing. Aside from the crying, aside from the fact that her life was at stake, and aside from the random passing out, she was doing surprisingly weâ€"

Crap.

Raijah quickly went to kneel down beside her, checked her quickly to make sure her breathing and pulse were steady, and concluded ruefully that it was probably stress that did it. That thought sent a pang of guilt through him. This whole ordeal was stressful enough for her, and he probably hadn't helped a bit by adding his own emotions to the mix. It was kind of odd, actually, considering he was arguing for her rather than against her, but this whole situation was screwed up.

And it seemed that he had no choice. The only way to help her, to help anyone here, was to destroy her. Destroy one life in order to save two others. The good of the majority over the minority. Raijah understood that all too well, and understood all too well the concept of sacrifice. It only made sense, and as a guardian, it was a concept he was supposed to understand and follow when the need arose. Easier said than done, though, especially when it was his first time ever coming across a situation where that applied.

And through it all, Tana's sheer bravery amazed him. She was so strong.

At least, on the outside. Gods, what must be going through her mind? This episode certainly showed that what she projected and what she actually felt might be two different things altogether...

And, morbid as it sounded, it bought some time, too.

He carefully moved her, turning her over onto her back delicately so as not to agitate her ankle or hurt her ornate wings, and then gathering up a small pile of fallen leaves to cushion her head on. All he could do while he waited for her to revive was to ensure that she'd at least be comfortable and wouldn't wake up with any cramps or stiffness. And, in the meantime, he might as well make himself useful and deal with the one thing he could fixâ€"her ankle. He set to that as soon as he'd arranged her, chaneling the healing properties of the elements into the wounded flesh and prompting her own immune system to aid in the healing process, but only a little. He didn't want to tax her body any more than necessary, especially when he hadn't been given permission, so he instead allowed more of his own energy to deal with that. It would tire him, but he was already tired, and it would probably be a while before she woke, anyway.

And, really, it was the least he could do. This had only happened to her because she had healed him. Well...at least, one of her halves had.

It was the least he could do...

It finished soon enough, and Raijah allowed himself to collapse down beside her where he'd sat, sleep taking over from there.

Title: ``Faerie Queen, Princess, and Mage``
Post by: Anonymous on June 30, 2005, 09:37:10 PM

Tana was falling backward, further and further, into a well of darkness. There was nothing around her, not even the rush of wind, and her wings were useless in that empty void. And so she fell, and fell, and fell...

Something caught her, and she gasped, rose pink eyes snapping open but seeing nothing but pitch black, so that she was unsure if she had even opened her eyes to begin with. And she still didn't know who was holding her. She flailed blindly, connected with somebody's face, and suddenly she was on the ground. Or some sort of solid surface at least.
"Ow, fiestly little wench." The person hissed, and suddenly Tana knew who it was.
"Ra...Rakkalepta??" She whispered, afraid to move, afraid to fall again.
"Ugh, get ahold of yourself. This is your mind, stop being so afraid!" The cranky demoness demanded, still completely hidden by shadow. There was no way to see anything at all, no light, nothing.

But...if this was her mind, then she should be able to control it, right? So Tana concentrated, and suddenly the 'room' filled with gentle light, like that which filters down through the leaves of a forest on a spring day. It comforted her, though she had never seen such a sight before. The ground was white marble, streaked with soft gray, and cool to the touch. And the real Rakkalepta stood before Tana, arms crossed, face tight.
And Tana was shocked into silence.

Rakkalepta was tall, not fey sized at all, and slender, too slender. She was borderline emaciated, and it was just so unnatural. Her hair was shoulder length, the ends uneven, and much of it hung in her pale face. The color was a dark purple, a few shades shy of black. Her eyes were ash gray, with a ring of bright ride just on the outside of her irisis, and she had dark circles under them, making them seem sunken into her face. Her clothing was black, and at moments looked tattered, but at others seemed artfully cut, so that Tana was completely unsure as to which it actually was. Rakk smirked thin lips at Tana's stare, flashing some seriously razor sharp teeth, one heavily booted foot tapping.
"Surprised, pretty little Tana? This is what degenerate scum like myself look like. Demonic souls without a body that cannot help but be twisted and pitiful." Her voice was full of old spite and bitterness. "I look as dark and ugly as my soul looks, because that is all I am. A soul."

Tana quickly stood, chills shooting down her spine with Rakk's hollow gaze. She breathed in deeply to keep from flat-out fainting, and then noticed something most strange. A small smile creeped it's way onto her face. "Well if that's true, then those must represent the part of you that cares about Jah-Jah." And she pointed to the two delicate faerie wings flitting nervously on Rakk's back.
The demon hissed and looked away. "They are so fragile, one touch would shatter them. It is not a lasting spirit-traight."
"I think it is, if you'll let them grow." Echoed a voice almost identical to Tana's, only much softer, wiser. Tana turned to gaze upon the mirror image of herself, but a mirror image that seemed amplified. It was Aimee, and she glittered with light and power and beauty. Tana suddenly realized that Rakkalepta had to have been either exceedingly lucky, or exceedingly powerful, in order to have possessed a fey this incredibly powerful.
Rakk spat at Aimee, but didn't leave. The three of them had business.

Tana moved back as Aimee came forward, feeling small and insignificant compared to the glittering faerie before her. "Maybe we should swich names...I am no queen compared to you." She whispered, unable to take her eyes off the fey that was like her, but so unlike her.
Aimee looked incredulous. "What a horrible thing to say! Tana, you are more beautiful and wise and strong than you know. Don't let anyone tell you differently. You are truly the queen in this court, and I say that truthfully."
Tana blushed furiously and did look away, worrying the hem of her skirt. It didn't seem right to get such a compliment when the body that was so beautiful was not even her own.
"Oh, but it is yours. Rakkalepta and I are far too intwined now to ever take this body back seperately. I think we have both lived our lives, and made that one mistake that ended that life, though somehow we were not met with death. Perhaps one day, if you grow strong and wise enough, you'll be able to determine a way to give us our lives back without the cost of your own."
Rakkalepta didn't seem to like what Aimee had said, for a look of pain flashed over her face and she looked away. "Spare me the curse of living in a body that reflects my soul." She hissed, head turned away from the two glowing fey that she might long to be, but would never have without stealing a body as she once did.

Tana winced slightly, and then moved closer to Rakkalepta. "I think if you let those wings grow Rakkalepta, by the time I reach such a level as Aimee says, your form will no longer be a curse." It wasn't exactly how she planned to say it, but it was her mind, so the thoughts that could not be formed into words still made their way to Rakk. The demon stared warily at the fey, and then glanced at those glittering, paper-thin wings that had just begun to grow.
"Ugh, all because of that stupid Raijah." The demoness straightened and smirked, again flashing sharpened teeth. "Alright, whatever. We'll be here for you and all that shit. Just make sure to keep that idiot Raijah out of trouble. He's bound to get himself killed if he's not watched. And tell Ishtaq hey for me. She's just as much of a trouble maker as I was when I was younger. She'll take care of you when we can't."
Aimee smiled and nodded, fairly much agreeing with the demon that had stolen her own life away. But it had been her fault back then, and perhaps the story would fall to Tana some day.

And then without warning, Rakk and Aime both pushed Tana back, and she was falling again. The glistening white marble with the dappled tree sunlight flew upward, away and away until she could no longer see it, and she fell back into darkness...

Tana woke up with a start, feeling as though she had just been hurled back into her body. Yes...her body. Aimee had said it was hers. Or...was that all just a dream? Some pain and stress induced dream?
Somehow she knew it wasn't, and she was far more at peace now then she had been upon passing out. It was then she realized she didn't see Raijah anywhere. That was, until she looked to the side, on the ground. Oh...he had fallen asleep too? Right, he had just gotten over that strange illness Rakk had healed. And...her ankle felt better! Had he done that too? No wonder he had passed out!
Tana stared up at the sky then, noticing the day had passed without their notice. She had been asleep for far longer than she had previously thought. It was already dusk, the world bathed in that strange half-light that fogged up one's vision in a most annoying way. Curling her knees to her chest and fanning her large wings periodically, Tana waited silently and patiently for Jah-Jah to wake, in no rush to go anywhere anymore. For now, she pondered that strange beautiful place in her mind where she had met her other halves, face to face...

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on July 05, 2005, 02:01:10 AM

Raijah gave a soft groan, brow contracting slightly, as a sudden motion beside him jolted him just enough to disturb his sleep, but not quite enough to bring him completely out of his doze. Instead, he lingered in that place between sleep and waking, vaguely aware of the sounds of crickets chirping, and the sparser songs of night birds, rousing as the shadows lengthened in preparation for hours spent hunting rodents. The sounds registered in the part of Raijah's brain that was awake, but only enough to incorporate the sounds into a dream that suddenly seemed oddly real and three dimensional in his half-awake state.

Or dreams, more like, for each disturbing vision faded into another. And his most recent was no less troubling. An owl's screech in the waking world became Tana's scream in the subconscious realm of dreams as she was torn apart slowly, two other forms jerking outward from within her, tearing her, ripping her, killing her...

With another groan, his brow furrowing, he rolled restlessly over onto his other side and curled up against the warm, soft presence he suddenly felt next to him, nestling his face againstâ€"wait...warm...presence...? What the...? For some reason, that just didn't compute. Something was wrong about this...

His eyes blinked open groggily, and he immediately took in the hazy form that he had been snuggling against.

Which happened to be Tana.

Raijah didn't think he had ever jerked upright faster in his life, nor did he ever think he had blushed so profusely. But he did now, his violet eyes wide and skin deeply flushed. Gyah! That was right! He'd healed her...and then he'd just sort of...passed out right next to her. Oh jeez...how long had he been cuddling with her?! And without even realizing it! The increased heat in his cheeks told him that idea had likely only deepened his blush.

"Ah! Tana! I'm sorry! I...I must have...ah...fallen asleep!" he sputtered, ducking his head in embarrassment. As if that weren't obvious.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on July 10, 2005, 08:57:21 PM

Tana heard the groan over the soft whispers of dusk, and tilted her head to look down at Raijah. He seemed troubled, and she guessed he was having a nightmare of sorts. The young fey frowned lightly, wondering if it would be alright for her to wake him from his dreams, or if she should let him sleep on.
Instead Tana settled for simply watching him, unable to compell herself to wake him up and face what they had left when she passed out.
She only hoped his dream wasn't too b...

!!!!!!

Tana froze with surprise, and then embarassment, as Raijah snuggled against her...well, she was sitting on the ground with her knees drawn up. There are only so many things one can snuggle into!
Both ornate wings quivered behind her and she stared down at him, now doubly unsure if waking him was a good idea.
Luckily, she didn't have to.

He jerked upright faster than a cat with it's tail stepped on. Tana jerked a bit in surprise, her own cheeks slightly flushed with color. But it was no where near the magnitude that poor Jah-Jah had all over his face. He was beet-red!
The look of startled shock on her face quickly melted into one of mirth as he began his stuttering speech of embarassment, and she covered her now grinning mouth with one hand to muffle the soft giggles.
"So I noticed."
She then laughed freely and gave Raijah a gentle push in his hunched shoulder. "It's alright Jah-Jah, no harm done." She grinned. "And I promise I won't tell Ishtaq...Unless of course you give me some good reason to." She added the last mischeivious part on jokingly, fairly sure she wouldn't actually use the little incident as leverage against him.
Fairly sure anyway.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on October 07, 2005, 02:29:24 PM

Raijah only blushed deeper at Tana's amused comments, though he gave a weak laugh when she pushed his shoulder. "Better not tell her...you'd be her victim just as much as I would," he muttered, still sheepish. No, no harm done, but stiiill...gyah. He should have known passing out next to her was a recipe for disaster, but then again, one didn't really have time to think before passing out, now did they? He kept his face tilted downward, dark violet hair falling across his face messily, until he felt the blush recede and his cheeks cool. That was when he finally lifted his chin and met her eyes, though his composure was still slightly shaken with embarrassment. It always took him a while to recover from something like that.

Or, at least, it normally did.

But when he truly took her in--for he hadn't really yet since waking, having been avoiding looking at her until he recovered at least some semblance of dignity!--he noticed for the first time that she was grinning. Raijah had heard the amusement in her voice, a sound that generally came with a smile, but it hadn't really registered that she truly was amused, because the last time they had talked...well...that had ended rather...depressingly. At the most, he'd thought her amusement was feigned--her putting on a brave face. But as he looked at her, he saw it was genuine.

Which confused him.

He didn't think anything could amuse him if he had basically been condemned to die. No, not even just die, it was worse than death; it was losing your soul, your very essence of existence. No, it was possible that he could find happiness and humor even in being sentenced to death, but losing your very existence...how...how was it even possible to even keep calm with that looming over you, much less keep sane?

Maybe she'd blocked it from her mind.

Or maybe she'd reconsidered. Maybe she hadn't given up. Maybe she'd thought of something else, another idea...

He could only hope. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't help it...he was only mortal...

But Raijah didn't ask about any of that, for it was a topic he just wanted to put off as long as possible. Instead, he asked, clearing his throat awkwardly, "So...how does your ankle feel?"

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on October 07, 2005, 08:49:09 PM

(Warning, my muse isn't quite back yet, this post is gonna suck I can tell...)

She laughed softly at his comment and tilted her head. "I don't think so. She likes me too much for that." And she stuck the tip of her tongue out at him playfully. She seemed to be in a really good mood for some reason...
There was a pause, and she blinked lively pink eyes at him through the darkness, wondering what he was thinking about. He seemed to be pondering her very heavily.
Was he thinking about before...?
Well, did she have news for him!

She smiled a bit at his question. "It feels great! Thanks for healing it Jah-Jah, you really didn't have to when you were so tired and worn out." Wait...crap! She was calling him Jah-Jah again!!
She covered her mouth with slender fingers. "Uhh...oh, right, you don't like that nickname much, do you? I'm sorry, it just sort of slips out..."
Oops...
She then blinked again. There was something she was going to say...something important...
Uh...

"Oh oh oh! Jah-Jah!! Erm, Raijah!!" She grabbed him by the shoulders and beamed into his face. "I saw Rakk and Aimee in my dream! They were really there, in my mind! So maybe it wasn't a dream...oh whatever! The important part is, Aimee said I can keep the body! They don't mind staying as they are! I don't have to die!!"
And without warning she hugged him tightly.
"I don't have to die..."

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on October 11, 2005, 06:21:38 PM

Raijah blinked as she stuck her tongue out at him playfully. She seemed to be in a really good mood, laughing and all. Maybe she just forgot. Maybe passing out like she had had made her blank out and forget everything. Stress. She'd been stressed. That could do it. Then should he remind her? It was kind of an important issue, and one that she had to make a decision on, ultimately. But she looked so happy! He'd never seen her this happy, his whole meeting with "Tana" thus far had been nothing but one crazy emotional whirlpool for the both of them.

He could allow her just a few minutes of happiness...right? That wouldn't hurt. Just a few. She deserved happiness...she deserved a life. Who knew how long she had...he knew if he found out his life were going to end soon, he'd want to spend his last hours not in gloom and doom but in joy and fun. Go out with a bang.

That probably meant he should stop acting so doom and gloom himself right about now. It would probably be hard to spend your last moments alive happy if everyone around you was depressed. Still, he wasn't too keen on being chosen to be the one to take her out of this world...

Maybe she'd come to accept the whole dying business...

Gods, he felt awful.

He forced a grin when she called him Jah-Jah, for once in his life not annoyed by the nickname. But, then, it was coming out of Tana's mouth, and...gyah...just hearing her say it made it not sound a bit annoying, but made it sound...both cute and sad. Mostly sad. Perhaps it was because he still felt so damned guilty about this whole thing, so she could get away with that "transgression"--the only person in history that he would let get away with calling him that much hated nickname.

But she wouldn't have much time to be able to call him that...argh. This was his fault. If he hadn't been stupid and gotten injured, Rakkalepta wouldn't have...but then...but if she hadn't...Aimee...argh...this whole thing was screwed up.

He managed to hold onto that grin, though, even as emotions contrary to what he was showing ran through his head at breakneck speeds. "Good, glad to hear that. It was no problem, really. And it's okay if you call me--" he began.

But that was when she suddenly grabbed his shoulders and beamed brightly at him, news spilling from her lips quickly.

Those were the last words he would have ever expected.

He also didn't expect the hug, but he was still reeling too much over the news to have really noticed it too much, even though he was vaguely aware of his arms wrapping about her thin body, hugging her back tightly as he exclaimed, "Are you serious?!"

She didn't have to die...she could keep the body...he didn't have to kill her...

"Gods, Tana, that's...that's..." His brain just didn't seem to be functioning anymore. Either that, or just weren't any words in existence that could describe how...how wonderful this news was...

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on October 11, 2005, 06:47:34 PM

She laughed, and shook her head. "Why would I joke about that??? That's a horrible joke! No, never, I really mean it! It's true! That's what they said!" And again excitement coursed through her and she gave him one squeeze as tightly as she could before rocking from side to side. She just wanted to move, to get up and jump around happily. To think she had almost forgotten!
Without warning she didn indeed jump up and out of his arms and literally ran around in wide circles around him, smiling and laughing when the urge came to her to do so.
"I'm not going to die! I'm not going to die!!"

Her shouts were very nearly morbid, just because she was shouting death so happily. But it was for a good reason. She knew that dream was not just a dream, and that what they had said was true and had really been said.
They were letting her have the body! She would get to live!
Finally, exhausted, she collapsed, giggling, hardly able to sit up. Her wings flitted with the tiredness of her legs. Breathing hard, she stared up at the now-dark sky, leaning back on her arms. Wonderful...it felt...wonderful...
She then realized some of the stars in the sky were moving, and that they were not actually stars at all, but some sort of glowy lights that flitted around the clearing.
"Ah, ooh, Jah-Jah, what are these glowing things??" She sort of poked at them, but they always moved away from her finger. In the darkness, she could not see their little beatle bodies.
Fire flies, she didn't know they were fire flies.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on October 11, 2005, 08:59:50 PM

"Oof!" was all Raijah was able to get out as Tana squeezed him, and then proceeded to rock them both side to side. No, he believed her. She was far too happy--and honest; Gods, but she was self-sacrificing, to a degree that one could only hope to live up to--to have been making this up, and besides...he wanted to believe her! But he was far too shocked to do anything but stutter incoherently, his voice a lot calmer than what he felt. Truth be told, he didn't exactly know what he felt. Or, at least, he couldn't put it into words. Just an indescribable sense of relief, a sudden lightness, a happiness. She could live...Tana didn't have to give up her life...and the other two involved...they were fine with this...

It was an odd feeling...Rakkalepta was fine with this? But he had learned she was a demon. She had stolen Aimee's body. Why would she be fine with giving up the very body she had stolen?

But she hadn't been horrible...he had learned that. She had saved his life. No, demons were supposed to be vicious, but...there had been more to her than that...

Thank you Rakkalepta, Aimee...for Tana's sake, thank you...

His lips twitched up into a genuine smile this time when Tana suddenly released him and jumped to her feet--and proceeded to race around him in wide circles, exclaiming the news for all the world to hear. A passerby would have probably found her antics quite...insane. Raijah could only smile and watch her, the fading light glinting off her ornate wings, sparkling like her laugher sparkled in his ears.

If he hadn't been so naturally reserved--and not to mention still recovering from the shock of everything--he might have done the same thing as she. But he wasn't nearly so outgoing, and it would just feel...weird to him.

But he was content to watch her, everything about her new and...innocent...even though the bodies that made her were who knew how ancient.

Finally, she collapsed, still giggling and looking quite worn out from her little relay. He chuckled as she caught her breath, hardly noticing that it was nearly fully dark by that time. All he could do was think in wonder about everything that had come to pass, and in so short an amount of time...

She would get to live...

It was times like these that really hit it home how precious life really was...

He was brought out of his reverie by Tana's exclaimation and question, and he blinked over at her, suddenly aware that it was officially night. He blinked in the darkness, finding her shape in it, and it took him a while before he realized what she was talking about. It was only when he saw the shadow that was her hand move after a small glowing orb that he realized what she was referring to.

She didn't know what a firefly was...

Stretching out on the grass, he rolled onto his stomach facing her, and reached out idly to one of the little bright balls as it passed him, missing. "That's a firefly. It's a type of insect, but they're special, and their abdomens light up at dusk and night," he told her, wings flexing absently behind him. She didn't know what a firefly was...what else didn't she know? For some reason, he had just assumed she would already know all these things.

But at the same time...he didn't mind at all. She really was new. In every sense of the word.

And he didn't mind having the opportunity to teach her.

Now he didn't have to worry...

"If you're fast enough, you can catch one. They don't bite. Or if you try speaking to them, they might even decorate your hair for you. I don't think they'd mind; you're very pretty, and that's what they like."

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on November 12, 2005, 09:38:49 PM

"Fire fly?" She repeated, again poking at the glowing dots as they flitted by, always eluding her touch. She looked over at his dark figure as he continued to speak, noticing that the number of glowy fire flies was increasing. They were appearing from the surrounding forest and filling up their tiny little clearing. Jah-Jah was just barely illuminated by greenish light, making him seem unearthly in the night. But not in a bad way.
She didn't know how to describe it.

"I can catch them?" She looked back at the creatures, and readied her hands. It would be so neat to hold a little ball of light in her hands! She made up her mind then she was going to catch one, and rose up onto her knees, now kneeling in the soft, cool grass. But his last remark interjected into her train of thought.
...you're very pretty, and that's what they like.
She blushed in the darkness, glad he couldn't see it. She still hadn't come to terms with her own appearance, and such a kind remark surprised and flattered her. She knew he didn't really mean it that way, but she still hadn't gotten used to the fact that her body...no, she, was pretty. Like Aimee...

She quickly snapped out of her quietness, not wanting him to worry or start asking questions. "Ok, I'll catch one and ask it to do that for me." She had no hesitation about catching a bug and asking it to decorate her hair. Most people would find the idea of talking to an insect strange, but she was naive to the fact it might be considered strange, and she trusted Jah-Jah completely. The fact she was a faerie didn't even clue into her train of thought, either.
Obviously a faerie could do things like that.

It took her a few fumbled attempts before she finally managed to catch one. She held it gently in her cupped hands and bounced up, beaming. She quickly ran over to Raijah and sat down again. "Look, look, I caught one!" She giggled, and peeked open her hands, staring in awe at the bright glow in her hand. She could feel its little feet tickling her palm as she moved around, and she grinned even more, her face bathed now in that strange green light.
"Oooh wow, its so pretty! Lookit how bright its glowing!" She marveled at it, completely forgetting to ask it anything at all. It was such an incredible thing to her, like it would be to a young child. She was struck nearly speechless at this tiny creature's new and bright beauty.

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on January 27, 2006, 01:59:20 PM

[Oh crap...lost my post. Grrrr...so this is a sucky version... T_T]

Raijah watched as Tana set out to catch a firefly, propped up on his elbows with a grin slowly forming on his face, hidden in the darkness. He gave a nod as she repeated what he'd said, that she could catch them, and his grin only grew when she stated that she'd do just as he'd suggested. It didn't even occur to him how odd this would probably seem to anyone else, talking to an insect and all. Then again, Raijah himself hadn't had much contact with anyone else outside of other fae and the animals and insects that lived around him. Fae, or at least the ones in his tribe, simply regarded other living things as their brethren--fae were simply another animal, no more, no less...even trees and rocks had their own essence, though most people would argue that a rock wasn't living. That simply wasn't the case to someone who was taught that the world as a whole is alive.

And it was only natural for him to assume that, as a fae herself, she had the same gift of tongues that he and the other fae he'd known had. It didn't even occur to him that, maybe, some fae didn't have that ability.

And it was easy to forget, especially seeing Tana as she was now, that there were other entities living within her, and that one of them was a demon.

Suddenly Tana bounced up and ran over to him, and Raijah sat up as she settled down near him, holding out her hands. "Hey, good job, that was pretty fast!" he told her as she opened her hands. Sure enough, there it was, shining brightly through the darkness and illuminating Tana's face. That smile looked good on her...and it was good to see her so happy after all that fear and sorrow. She really was like a child--and not in a bad way. The body of a grown fae woman, but with all the wonder and awe at the world of a child...which was something more adults could do to possess.

Himself included.

He laughed softly as she marvelled at the little creature, then leaned in a little closer to her. "You should try talking to them. See if you can get others to come over to you, just by asking them to. See if they understand you," he prompted, curious for himself as much as for her.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on April 14, 2006, 05:23:18 PM

(heheh, I just reread this entire thread... ^_^ )

Both heads bowed over the glowing little creature, their faces were illuminated in green-yellow light. She had opened her hands fully now, but the fire fly did not attempt to leave. It simply skittled around her hands, tickling her skin as it moved about, as if as interested in learning more about her as she was about it. Then Jah-Jah spoke up. "Oh, right!"
She wondered if there was a specific way to go about this, but since she didn't know if there was or not, she figured just talking to it normally would be her best bet. Quieting her voice, she concentrated on the little creature.
"Hello, my little friend. Do you think you could call some of the others over here for me? I'd like to meet them." She whispered, trying not to be too loud. It was so small and delicate, she didn't want to hurt it.

There was a long pause, the insect continuing to skittle around her hand as it had been. Tana frowned softly. "Maybe I can't do it..." She sighed sadly and closed her eyes, feeling the little feet brush over the palms of her hands.
Do not loose hope. You must be patient...
Aimee? That must have been her...
Tana trusted Aimee completely, and so did not hesitate to regain hope. She opened her eyes, and noticed that the little beatle was now flashing in a most strange manner. "Are you...?" She didn't get to finish, for within moments all the fire flies in the clearing had converged on their spot, flitting and dancing around Tana, their lights making her wings sparkle in a most strange way. Tana was alight with mirth, smiling and giggling as they flew around herself and Raijah. And still that little one remained in her hand. "Oh, thank you! Look at them all! They're so sweet!" She giggled as they tickled her nose and flew around her wings to make them glow, landing on her hair and arms, tickling.
"Oh look Jah-Jah, they're in your hair too!" She giggled more as many of the fire flies took to playing with Raijah in much the same way they were with her.
It was so amazing!

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on July 23, 2006, 04:57:01 PM

Jah-Jah--er, Raijah--watched Tana as she talked to the little creature, a small smile on his face. She really was good at this. A lot of people would just kind of stare like you like you were crazy if you suggested talking to an insect, and yet Tana fell into it easily and really, truly talked to the creature as though it were an equal. She certainly was a natural, and the firefly seemed to know it, to know she meant it no harm and to trust her utterly. Because for something that small, it certainly was a huge leap of faith to walk around in the very hands that, had they belonged to anyone else, could have easily smashed it.

Aw...and she called it her little friend! Raijah couldn't help but grin at that one because, well, damn, she really was adorable. And...that wasn't a word he often used, if ever, but it certainly applied to her and he couldn't think of another word that was more fitting. Then, after those softly spoken words, it was just a matter of waiting, waiting to see if she also had the natural born gift of most fae, dragonfly wings twitching behind him in suspense...

...As nothing happened.

Glancing over at Tana's face, Raijah tried to keep his own disappointment from showing, even as his wings practically wilted. Or...maybe she couldn't do it. She wasn't really a real faerie...she just had a faerie and a demon inside her, their souls at least. Still, he didn't want Tana to be sad about that--augh, maybe he shouldn't have gotten her hopes up by even suggesting it--so he offered up a quick grin in her direction, and even placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. "Hey, don't worry...maybe you just can't do it yet. You haven't been around that long, after all, or maybe you just have to focus more. Some of these things take time, but look, that one seems to trust you. That's certainly a start." That was no lie. It was a good sign, so obviously she had something of a fae's aura about her.

In any case, it seemed that she hadn't quite given up yet, because she had closed her eyes, only to reopen them again as Raijah scooted in a little closer, still watching. But that was also when a flashing out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he glanced back down toward her hands, where the tiny firefly was still stationed. And was flashing.

Yes!

He had no time to congratulate her, for that was when all the fireflies in the clearing gathered about them, wasting no time in flying about them, tiny wings and bodies brushing against his skin, tickling, a myriad of lights sparkling and flashing in the darkening clearing that was now bathed in ethereal yellow-green light. Raijah actually laughed as the little creatures tickled his arms and brushed against his neck, some landing in his hair and others resting on his wings, the irridescent blue membrane glowing oddly as they reflected the light. Chuckling, he held out his arms and let the fireflies fly about him, careful not to move too quickly lest he harm one of them. "Haha, Tana, you did it! And look, they really love you!" he laughed, a chill running up his spine as one brushed against the side of his neck.

Grinning brightly at Tana, he pointed carefully to her wings, where a bunch of fireflies had taken to landing on, just as they had decorated his own. Hmm...seemed they were trying to tell them something. After all, he had Tana both had insect wings just like they, even if hers were far more beautiful. "Hey...Tana? Did you still wanna learn how to fly?" Then, with a small smile, he added, "After all, you have some of the best teachers here right now with you."

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on July 23, 2006, 05:16:06 PM

Tana couldn't help the giggles that bubbled forth from deep within her. She couldn't believe it! It had actually worked...they trusted her and wanted to play! All the hundreds of little beatles brushing against her skin tickled like mad, which only made her giggle harder. She kept her arms lifted, her hands cupped, as so many little bodies landed on her and glowed, until it looked like her body was bathed in starlight, her hand cupping sparkling moondust of an iredescent hue.
It was pure amazing life that surrounded them then, and Tana was experiencing it for the first time in her short life.

Her aqua hair was alite with color, many glowing barretts in the long, flowing waves, like those of the sea. So many had landed on her wings, she could feel the tiny vibrations of their own minute energy thrumming along the edges of her delicate butterfly membranes. The light made them sparkle and glow, their colors coming out to their fullest. She smiled as one landed on her nose and blinked its little bum at her, pale pink eyes going crosseyed in an attempt to stare at him.
Only Jah-Jah's voice broke her out of this incredible trance.

She blinked a few times at him, her mouth opening and closing. "Fly?? I...do you think I can?? Could you and the fireflies teach me???" Her voice rose in pitch as hope and excitment filled her.
Suddenly, all the glowing fireflies lifted off from her in a hum of wings, as if answering in a resounding 'yes'. She stared up at them, flying around her head,waiting for her, but then the twist of fear tied in her gut.
She looked back down at Raijah and shivered a bit. "Do...do you really think I could do it?" She asked softly, her wings flipping very softly behind her, almost nervously in a way. Those wings could never lift her. Only magick could, of which she had no knowledge.
How well would this work?

Title: You can fly, you can fly, you can fly!
Post by: Rhindeer on July 23, 2006, 10:19:24 PM

"Think? I know you can," Raijah answered firmly. Okay, maybe that was a lie. He didn't know. Not for sure. Those wings of hers were huge, too ornate, not the same functional wings that he possessed. It shouldn't be possible for her to fly, logically, but bumblebees could also fly, and they weren't supposed to be able to fly, either. They did anyway, so she could too. The trick was just figuring out how, but they had all the time in the world.

The fireflies seemed to think she could, too, as they lifted off of both she and him to illuminate the space above them. Grinning, feeling suddenly about as excited as Tana, Raijah stood up and held out a hand to her, to help her to her feet. "The fireflies know you can, too. And, honestly, there are more of them than there are of me. Majority rules, right?" he asked softly, glancing up briefly at the hundreds of glowing bodies above them before looking at Tana again seriously. "There's only one way to find out, anyway. Don't worry...whatever happens, I'm here, and I certainly won't let you fall, okay? We can teach you."

As though to reassure her, he reached out and brushed some blue hair back from her face. "Just relax and don't worry. That's all there is to it." Though Raijah wouldn't mention that this would be his first time teaching someone how to fly. "Now...just hold onto my shoulders," he instructed gently, and placed his own hands around her waist. "Even if you don't pick it up right away, you can still get a feel for it; I just want to let you get used to the height right now, to the sensation of what it's like to be up in the air. You're gonna have to trust me to not let you fall first, because when you're ready to learn for yourself, you're going to have to learn to trust yourself to keep you from falling. Now...are you ready?"

The fireflies sure were.

Amazing how mellow Raijah was now. Damn, but he couldn't even remember the last time he'd just...goofed off like this. Probably when he'd been younger, before he'd been smacked over the head with responsibility...

This was nice.

Ishtaq qould probably be having a blast right about now.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on July 23, 2006, 11:44:13 PM

She smiled at him and his reassurances, taking his hand as he offered it, and standing before him. She giggled and stared up at the fireflies. "Well, then I guess I can't fail, with so many having faith in me..."
She listened to him carefully, a bit surprised by his gentle action, the brushing away of her hair.
Did she no longer make him feel uncomfortable...?
She hoped so...

She set her hands gently on his shoulders as instructed, blushing a bit as he put his own hands on her hips. Why was she blushing...?
She took a few deep breaths, but a wave of fear crushed her, and she trembled.
Fighting it, she suddenly hugged Raijah close, her arms wrapped around his neck as she hid her face. Just being close to him helped to calm her, and finally, her shivering dissapeared.

She lifted her head a bit, looking up at the waiting firefiles. She would do this. She would.

"I trust you, Raijah. I trust you." She spoke softly, and released his neck a bit, though still kept a tight hold on him. She would do this. She could. She could trust him, trust the fireflies, and most importantly...
She could trust herself. Somehow she knew...

She would fly.

Title: Here we go!
Post by: Rhindeer on July 28, 2006, 12:45:57 AM

"Exactly. Don't even think the word failure," he told her quiely as she set her hands on his shoulders, and it was lucky for them both that it was dark because he couldn't see her blush through the shadows and yellow-green light. Which also meant she probably couldn't see his own. All the better. Because, well, it was silly to get bashful over something like this...kind of immature to get embarrassed just because he was touching a woman. Jeez. Wasn't like they were doing anything...he was just trying to help her fly, and...where else was he supposed to hold her? That would be comfortable for her, that is, and keep her wings free.

He guessed it was just because he'd never really gotten all that close to anyone. Physically, that is. Wait, that sounded wrong! He just meant that he'd never really been one for touchy-feelie stuff like hugging and the like! His parents hadn't really been all that affectionate, so he guessed it had just kind of rubbed off on him. Which was something he really did, honestly, regret...Ishtaq had always gotten onto him about that, always bugging him about his little personal bubble and doing what she could to pop it.

For the time being, at least, it looked like it had, indeed, been popped. And truthfully? He really didn't mind it. It was sort of awkward, to be sure, but...

He was just glad...glad she could live. That, in and of itself, made him feel more comfortable around her, because, really...how could you be really comfortable around someone you were supposed to...get rid of?

Now, he could just relax. And honestly, he was too relieved and happy about that whole recent turn of events that his whole "personal bubble" deal didn't even really enter his head. That would just be petty.

Then, suddenly, Tana hugged him, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face against him. Oookay, so it was one thing when they were a few inches apart, her holding him by the shoulders, but quite another when she was pressed up against him! To his own amazement, though, his blush didn't deepen. Even more surprising to him was that he wrapped his arms around her when he felt her shiver, rubbing her back, or at least the part where her wings weren't in the way, in soothing little circles. It just seemed the natural thing to do. "Hey...don't be afraid...it's okay..."

Though he could imagine being up there in the air would be quite intimidating...hell, the prospect was intimidating to him! He couldn't even remember how he'd learned, and to teach someone else...oh boy. He was no teacher, but that didn't mean he couldn't try.

Still, he held her until she calmed and loosened her grip, then he nodded at her words and and slid his hands back down to her waist, gripping firmly but carefully. "Alright, then, if you're ready. I'll just count to three, okay? Then we'll give this a shot. You don't have to do anything yet, just relax, alright? So...here we go...one...two...three."

His wings snapped open, electric blue dragonfly wings, and, gripping Tana, he pushed lightly off the ground as his wings began to work in a blur of motion, their buzzing unusually quiet. Perhaps magic was involved with his flight--truthfully, Raijah never had been sure, because it just came so naturally, and because magic itself was simply such a natural, vital part of his life, as natural as breathing. But, that's just how it was with his kind. Still, it probably did have something to do with magic. Those wings might have been able to carry him, but to be able to lift Tana, too...well, they hardly seemed strong enough, delicate insect wings that were quite unlike the feathered wings of other, stronger flying creatures.

Still, however it happened, he managed to lift Tana off of the ground with him, holding her closely and securely as the ground dropped out from beneath them, and the fireflies followed. Or rather, they lead.

Finally, after a moment, Raijah paused, hovering above the trees with the mountains spreading out below. "You okay?" he asked.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on July 28, 2006, 01:16:50 AM

Tana tried to steady her breathing, even as Raijah started to count down. She thought she was doing well...
Until she felt her feet begin to lift off the ground.
Her fingers dug into him and her breath caught in her throat.

Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid.

Don't.Be.Afraid...

But then she looked out past his wings, which were nothing but a blur of blue movement, and suddenly saw how far up they already were.
With a squeal of fright, she grabbed him tightly again, burying her face into his neck, eyes closed and moist with unfallen tears.
She did not know why it was so scary, it just was. She had wings, and she was with Raijah, who she trusted. Yet it still scared her half out of her mind, her only comfort the feeling of Raijah's body, which was the only solid thing she had to touch now.

Her entire body trembled tensely, and she could not for the life of her fight off the fear that had locked every one of her muscles. Her belly did flip-flops, and she could hear her heart thudding in her ear even as she sucked in air through her nose.
His question had an obvious response.
"No." She squeaked, not even reassurred by the fireflies that brushed against her.

She just...couldn't...stop...shaking...

Title:
Post by: Rhindeer on August 31, 2006, 11:27:23 PM

Gah! That...had not been the reaction he'd been going for. He wasn't trying to scare her, and certainly not enough to bring tears to her eyes! Then again...erk...maybe this had been a bit too sudden. She'd never flown before. She was new to this life. And what did he do? He shot straight up into the air who knew how many feet above the ground! Maybe that hadn't been the smartest move. His mistake. He was so used to flying himself, and being around people who flew, that he forgot that there was such a thing as a fear of heights!

But Tana was a faerie. She had wings! And wings and a fear of heights just...didn't initially register in Raijah's head. It didn't seem possible since it was just so natural for him. So for a few moments, all Raijah could do was stare at the top of her blue head as she clung to him, as she told him that no, she wasn't okay, and as she shivered so helplessly in his arms. The way she was breathing made him think she was on the verge of hyperventilating! Oh shit...

...Hadn't he been frightened his first time flying? When he'd had to be taught? Yeah, he had. He'd been scared out of his wits of falling...but not this scared because he'd grown up around people and creatures that flew, and lived high up in the enormous trees his clan built their homes in. He'd never been afraid of heights. Just falling when he was learning to fly. Kind of weird, but that's how it went.

"Oh...oh...Tana...hold on, I'll get us back down..." he said hurriedly and, clutching her tighter against him, he very slowly began to lower them back down toward the ground. Maybe they should start out lower and slowly work their way higher...

Yeesh...this teaching business was going to be difficult. He'd never had to teach anyone anything before. Gah...maybe he wasn't cut out for it...and the last thing he wanted to do was to give her a heart attack or something!

Wings a blur, he finally stopped their descent when they were only about ten feet off the ground, simply hovering above the land like that. Yeah...he was starting them off really low, eh heh. "Tana? Tana, open your eyes. We're lower now...just look. I'm sorry...I probably shouldn't have, ah...gone up so high like that right away. I won't do that again, okay? Do you want to go back down completely, take a break?" He was seriously worried that he'd traumatized her or something.

Title: ``Faerie Queen``
Post by: Anonymous on September 01, 2006, 12:26:33 AM

She felt them start to descend, and that, coupled with his holding her tighter, began to sooth her fright. She could feel the fireflies continue to brush along her face and the bare portion of her back and legs, trying to calm her shivering.
"I..I'm sorry! I don't know why I'm so scared..." She said softly, still clinging to him, her toes yearning to touch the ground.
But then, they stopped.

Fear jumped back into her throat, but at his words, she relaxed. She trusted him...
She wanted to make this a good experience. She wouldn't be afraid!
Drawing up some bravery, Tana peeked open those rosey eyes, her heart jumping.
But...they were close to the ground, just as he had promised. With a shivering sigh, Tana felt a good part of her fear wash away.
"No...no, I want to stay in the air. I want to learn how to fly with you Raijah."
She took a deep breath and pulled back alittle, trying to force her hands to relax on Raijah's shoulders, even as she looked around tentatively. Their nighttime world was lit up by the fireflies and the stars, and she smiled gently at the beauty of it all.
She loved it...being able to see these things...

She looked back to her faerie companion with a new feeling of confidence.
"Alright." She shivered alittle, trying not to let the fear of this foreign sensation get to her.
"Can we try going higher? Just...um...slowly please." She smiled sheepishly. Sure, she was getting her bravery up, but it only went so far!

Title: One step at a time.
Post by: Rhindeer on September 05, 2006, 05:16:23 PM

"No, it's okay...that was my fault," Raijah said quickly, glancing down a bit sheepishly. "I shouldn't have just assumed that you'd just automatically be okay with heights just because you have wings..." She shouldn't be the one apologizing! What did she have to apologize over? At this point, his hands were no longer around her waist; rather, almost unbeknownst to him, he'd pulled her closer, his arms looped around her back and under her wings to hold her more securely. One hand kneaded lightly against the bare skin there, as though to calm her. "Don't apologize, okay? It's okay to be scared; just let me know if what I'm doing is scaring you--I want us to go at whatever pace you're comfortable with, alright?"

He waited patiently, just hovering there above the ground with her, ready to stay there as long as she needed, or to land and give up for the night if that's what she wanted. He may know nothing about teaching, but he did imagine that there was no sense in forcing anything or pushing her--she needed to go at her own pace, otherwise she might just get scared of flying altogether! And what a waste that would be...flying was wonderful, and she had such huge, gorgeous wings...

Gods, he hoped those wings could support her...he hoped she could fly.

Raijah nodded slowly when she bravely said that she wanted to stay in the air, that she wanted to learn. "Okay...we can do that." He didn't go any lower or higher, though; he would wait for her instructions, for what she wanted to do, and he was content to just watch the fireflies swirl around them, sparkling like the stars that were so far away. He felt Tana's hands relax a little, fingers no longer biting into his shoulders, and he turned his attention back to her face and smiled a little, encouragingly.

That's when she said it, her courage building, and Raijah chuckled a little. "Of course. Just tell me when to stop, and I can stop, or tell me to slow down if I'm going too fast," he told her gently before, slowly, he sped up his wings and began to rise--slowly, practically inching his way up. "...Or to speed up if I'm going too slow," he added with a wry grin.

He doubted that would be happening any time soon, though!

Spirits of the Earth

Serendipity => Wester Highlands => Topic started by: Rhindeer on December 28, 2004, 11:16:26 AM