Nova flew as fast as she could over trees and everything else. She knew the Light Mage VIllage was close, and she new that Light Mages were healy people. She saw the village coming up, and flew lower. She noticed that Enki was bleeding now, and flew faster. She noticed a sign in front of a house right on the edge of town for a healer; it was written in lots of different languages, so she could read one of them. She landed quite gracelessly in the backyard of the place. She set Enki down on the ground before turning back into her human form and running inside.
Nova: Hello? Is there a healy-person here? My Enki is hurt and I need you to fix 'im!
By the time Nova got to the Light Mage Village Enki was unconscious. He flopped to the ground when she set him down, the arrow in his collarbone snapping in the center. The grass around his nose waved a little every now and then.
Marduk grit its teeth and pumped its wings so hard they felt like they would peel off. Nova sure was fast! And she was getting faster! Marduk couldn't fly any faster, so it hoped she wasn't going very far. They couldn't go very far, it had to be able to remember the way back so it could go get Tassy if Nova forgot about her.
Nova was getting smaller and smaller, and then she started to go down. Marduk stopped and sat on a whisp of cirrus cloud, its wings twitching like they wanted to fly some more. No more flying today, it was just too hard to keep up with Nova. Hmmm. Marduk looked down at the cloud and then at Nova's shrinking self. It snapped its fingers and buried both hands in the tiny cloud, which reared up like a horse and began to soar after Nova.
A middle-aged woman came out of the house to see Enki laying unconcious on the ground with an arrow through his collar, and Nova running around naked.
Woman: My goodness, what is going on out here?
Nova: Well, I was looking for Enki, and when I found him, he was with this other lady, Tassy, and this really mean and angry man showed up and tried to fight Enki, and then he started shooting at us, and I wanted to save Tassy, but she was trapped-ed, and I had to save Enki, because he's my bestest friend, and you gots to help him!
Woman: Slow down a moment! Okay, is that shot the only injury he has?
Nova: Yeah, I think. Can you fix it?
Woman: Well, if it just broke the bone and didn't hit anything important, then I probably can. Hold on. *calling into the house* Derrick!!
A young man came out of the house when she called. He looked at Nova and blushed darkly until the woman smacked him.
Woman: Derrick, carry that man inside the house and get him set up on the bed. *to Nova* Come inside and I'll get you some clothes.
Nova nodded and followed the woman into the house as Derrick went to pick up Enki.
While Nova was talking to the woman from the house Marduk swooped down on the cloud horse. Marduk leapt off once it got near Enki's head and walked to his nose, the cloud following close behind. "Poppy," Marduk poked Enki's nose. "Poppy we left Tassy all by herself with the bad stick man. Should I go back and get Tassy?"
Enki didn't say anything.
"Poppy?" Marduk turned to the cloud. The cloud raised its 'head', flew up Enki's nose and drifted out the other nostril a few seconds later.
Enki's nose twitched a little when the cloud flew in and out, but otherwise he did nothing.
Then Marduk noticed the man coming towards his Poppy. Maybe he could wake Poppy up so it could ask whether or not to go back and get Tassy! Marduk flew up and began to whiz around the boy's head. "Hi! Who are you? My name's Marduk Tinwe, what's your name? Do you have a nickname? Do you want me to give you a nickname? Can you give me a nickname too? What are you going to do with my Poppy?"
Nova followed the cleric woman into the house. The woman led her into a walk-in closet.
Woman: Oh, where are my manners, I haven't introduced myself yet! My name is Mycorrhina. Most patients just call me 'Cleric' or 'Cleric Rhina.'
Nova: I'll call you Rhini!
Rhina: That's a new one. No matter. You're welcome to wear anything in here, though I think that the only things that will fit you are in that drawer.
Rhina pointed to a drawer.
Rhina: You go on and get dressed while I tend to your friend.
Nova: Sure thing Rhini! Take good care of 'im!
Meanwhile, Derrick was in a bit of shock. He didn't believe in faeries, and now there was one speaking to him.
Daerrick: Uhh, my name's Derrick. I don't have a nickname or anything, sorry. Uhm, could you hop up so I can carry him inside?
Marduk landed on Derrick's shoulder, the cloud flying up to perch next to him. "I hopped up Derr! I'm gonna call you Derr since nobody gave you a nickname. Did you ever ask anyone to give you a nickname?"
Marduk jumped into the air and fluttered up to perch on Derrick's head. "What are you going to do to Poppy when you take him inside? Are you going to take the stick out of him? The stick is why he's sleeping. Putting a stick in somebody makes them go to sleep. Did you know that? Do you know why that happens? I think the sticks have magic in them, magic and colored water. See, look," Marduk pointed down at the arrow and the black, silver tinged blood peeking out from under his surcoat.
Derrick: Uhm, I've never asked for a nickname, but okay.
Marduk mentioned the sticks making Enki go to sleep.
Derrick: Uhm, he's not sleeping; he's unconsious. And the stick is an arrow. They're supposed to hurt people and, er, put them to sleep, only permanantly.
Derrick picked Enki up gently, one arm on his back, the other under his knees, and he carried him inside, setting him down on the couch.
Meanwhile, Nova was trying on clothes, trying to get into something comfortable and roomy. She found a tan shirt, baggy brown pants, and some comfy brown shoes. She pulled on a matching jacket as an afterthought before coming out to see Enki.
Marduk and the cloud-horse fluttered after Derrick when he brought Enki inside, Marduk chattering all the way. "He'll go to sleep permanently! How lazy! I think it would boring to go to sleep permanently, do you? What will Poppy dream of if he has to sleep forever? Can you wake him up so I can ask him? When I sleep I want to have dreams of shiny, fluffies. Do you like shiny fluffies Derr?"
After Derrick put Enki down Marduk hovered over his chest, looking at the stick and back to Derrick. The cloud perched on top of Marduk's head and went through some motions that looked like a cat cleaning itself. Marduk looked like it was considering whether ot not to poke at the stick, since that might be able to affect whether or not he woke up.
Then Marduk saw Nova out of the corner of its eye and turned to look and grin at her. "Hey Nova, what do you think Poppy dreams about? Do you think he dreams about shiny fluffies?"
Derrick looked at Marduk again.
Derrick: Lazy... right. Well, when you go to sleep permanently, you don't dream. You just sorta... stop doing anything.
Marduk then fluttered over to Nova.
Nova: Well, I don't know what Enki dreams about, but I can't see why he wouldn't dream about sparklies! Sparklies are pretty and... sparkly! I dream about sparklies sometimes. I also dream about having fun with my friends. 'Course I really only have two friends, an' that's Enki and Noxie, but I don't think you've met him. I haven't seen him in a long time. I hope he's okay.
Once Enki was placed on the bed, Rhina walked over to him and started assessing his situation.
Rhina: Derrick, come help me get his shirt off all the way so I can see if any more damage has been done.
Derrick came over and helped Rhina remove the shirt. Rhina then started to press down on his chest, checking for broken ribs, but not finding any. She checked all over his upper body, but didn't find anything other than some bruises. She then set to working on the arrow. It had broken in the center, but luckily was outside the wound, and hot inside Enki's chest. She snapped off the broken part and wiggled the end that was in Enki around gently, to be sure it hadn't broken internally. Once she was sure it hadn't, she pulled slightly on the arrow to see if it would come out easily. It slid out a little when she pulled on it. She pulled a little more, and it inched out again. She then slowly pulled it out the rest of the way without much difficulty, except when getting the head out, which wasn't very difficult. She then nodded at Derrick.
Derrick: * to Nova* We have to be quiet now, since she has to pray and such. If you want, you can leave and walk around the village a little.
Nova: Oh, okay. Should I take Marduk with me?
Derrick regarded the strange little fairy-thing.
Derrick: Yeah, that might be a good idea.
Nova looked over at Enki and decided that he looked okay, and that Rhini was doing a good job.
Nova: C'mon Marduk! We hae to leave for a little bit while Rhini fixes Enki!
Marduk looked back at Derrick. momentarily distracted by his further insight on sleeping. "How do you know if they dream or not? Did you ask someone that went to sleep per-ma-nen-ta-l-ly?"
The distraction didn't last long. Soon Marduk was sitting on top of Nova's head and leaning over her forhead. "I like sparklies too!" Marduk held a hand in front of itself and a brightly colored sparkle fluttered of each fingertip. "I don't know Noxie, is Noxie a friend of Poppy? What is Noxie like?"
Enki shuddered a little when Rhina removed his surcoat and shirt, his eyes twitching rapidly under the eyelids.
"Poppy's broken?" Was Marduk's reaction after Nova finished beckoning him outside. "Why did the mean stick man break Poppy?"
Nova: Yeah, Noxie's a friend of Enki's. They was travellin' tagether when I met 'em. Noxie's cool, though he was a bit creepy at times. He was really funny and he really likes Enki.
Rhina placed her hands on Enki's chest, a hand on each side of the wound. She closed her eyes and began chanting silently, moving her lips, but emitting no sound. Nova walked out of the door of the house and shut it so that Rhina could get to work. Once outside, Nova decided to answer Marduk's other question.
Nova: Enki isn't broken, but his bones are. Those are these hard stick thingies inside your arms and legs. Rhini's gonna fix his bones so's that he can be okay. Hey, I want to get something for Enki to make him feel better. What do you think he might like?
"I don't know," Marduk watched a sparkle flying around his head. "I think he might like something fun, like a big rubber ball on a dinosaur's head. Then he could throw the dinosaur off a building and it would bounce when it hit the ground. I think that would be fun to watch. Or maybe," Marduk leaned over to look in Nova's eyes. "Maybe we could get him a cloud pony, I have a cloud pony, it's fun to ride."
Enki's upper lip pulled back a bit and his arms quivered, his eyes still running back and forth rapidly under his eyelids.
Nova grabbed her chin in her hand and started thinking. Or at least trying; it took a few attempts before her brain got used to it. Her eyes lit up shortly afterwards.
Nova: I know! We'll get him something sweet! Everybody like sweets! Sweets are the bestest things ever!
Meanwhile, Rhini continued to chant silently over Enki, opening one eye every now and then to check on him. She noticed his eyes moving around a lot under his eyelids, so she placed two fingers on his chest firmly enough to keep him from getting up if he came to.
"Really?" Marduk leapt off Nova's head and began flying circles around her out of pure excitement. "Can we get some for us too? We can all share them! I think I'll name mine Mixxy! What are you going to name your sweets?"
When Rhini put her fingers on Enki's chest his eyes snapped open and he made a whimpering sound. His eyes were widely dilated, the colour barely visable.
Nova: Aww, I don't wanna name my sweets. I'd feel bad eating something with a name. But of course we can get some for ourselves. We'd be crazy not to. Enki wouldn't mind.
Nova spotted a bakery/sweet shop and sqealed. She grabbed Marduk and ran for the shop.
Meanwhile, back at the house, Rhini gently but firmly put her hand over Enki's mouth. She didn't want him to distract her by talking, but she made sure she didn't cover up his nose. She felt a familiar tingle in her fingers and Derrick, who was watching from across the room saw a faint white light pulse from Rhini's hand to Enki's wound. The bones hadn't been broken severely; just in one spot, so they came together fairly easily and started to patch together, though it was rather slowly. Rhini stayed patient as always, though, and kept on mumbling and concentrating.
Marduk giggled when Nova plucked it out of the air and dashed to the sweet shop. They were going to get some sweets for Poppy, and for themselves - Yay!
Enki's eyes widened when Rhini put a hand over his mouth. He clenched his teeth and turned his head toward the cushions on the couch, burying his face in them. His breathing got deeper and he shut his eyes tight.
Then his shoulder starting warming up. Enki opened his eyes, which weren't dilated anymore, and looked up at Rhini. His breathing evened out, but he looked more than a bit disorientated.
Inside the sweet shop, there was shelves upon shelves of delectable sweets. Cookies, cakes, pies, tarts, donuts, and... Nova's eyes scanned the shelves looking for something in particular. She squealed again when she saw them, dashing to the shelf they rested on.
Nova: Eeeee!! Eclairs!!
Back at the house, Rhini opens an eye to look at Enki. She winks at him, but continues her work. Blood vessels mend together next, these quite a bit faster; one, because they're smaller, and two, because it works faster once she gets going. The puncture begins to close up, and some of the blood in the area seeps back in the wound.
Eh? The last thing Enki remembered was Nova flying off and he didn't get to figure out where she was going because he was having another attack. This one wasn't as bad as some of the others though, and spiraled away rather quickly once the woman... whoever she was started channeling magic into his arm.
Oh shit! Tasarin! If he was there then what happened to her? Was she here too? Was she still back in the forest?
Enki tried to get up, moving his head from side to side to free it from the woman's hand.
Marduk shimmied out of Nova's hand after she ran into the sweet shop and immediately flew up to a shelf that held a cake that was taller than it was. Was this a sweet thing? It was big enough to be a friend! Marduk was about to start talking to the cake when it heard Nova squeal.
Marduk had to know what interesting thing would make her squeal like that, so it left its potential friend and fluttered back to Nova's shoulder. "Is that a sweet?" Marduk asked, pointing to the eclairs.
Derrick: Don't move!
Rhini's concentration faltered for a moment at the disruption.
Rhini: Please cease your moving.
She tried to concentrate again, but it wasn't working too well. She had done most of the major repairs, it was just the skin that had to be patched up.
Rhini: Derrick, you want to take it from here?
Derrick's eyes widened. He'd never practiced on a person before. Just bunnies and birds and the like.
Rhini: All that's left is the flesh wound. No broken bones or anything.
Derrick walked over to Enki and Rhini stepped aside, letting go of Enki at the very last moment, so Derrick could hold him down without interval. He closed his eyes and started concentrating. Rhini leaned over and whispered to in Enki's ear.
Rhini *to Enki*: Your girlfriend brought you in for us to heal you. I am a skilled cleric and I can assure you there is nothing to worry about.
Back at the sweet shop, Nova was quite enthusiastic.
Nova: It is the king of the sweets! Eclairs are the best damn things in the whole universe. Okay, well, second best, but first best to most peoples. Eclairs are the best food there is!
What the hell where these two on about? Don't move, he had to move if he was going to get that hand off his mouth! He had to know why he was here. If Tasarin was here. If Nova and Marduk where here. Being alone and, yipe topless, with these two strange people was a bit unnerving.
Take it from here? Take what from here?? What were they doing to him? His breathing began to deepen again. This was so much worse than an attack. Argh how could he even compare those stupid visions with something happening right here, right now! All he wanted to know was that he wasn't here alone.
No broken bones? Flesh wound? These people must have been healers. That magic must have been a healing spell then. Knowing who these people were calmed him down a little. He still wanted to know where the others were.
Then the older cleric leaned over and began whispering in his ear, and all that energy he was using to panic immediately funneled into estatic joy. "Where is she?" They never told him to be quiet, just to stay still. Talking made his collar sting a bit, but he ignored it. "I need to talk to her, please bring her here!"
Wait a minute... Girlfriend??
Marduk stared in awe at the eclairs when Nova dubbed them the King of Sweets. "I've never met a king before," it said excitedly. "What's better than the king of sweets?"
Rhini: Relax. She and your faerie went out to get you something for when you're healed. Something to make you feel better or something. It's quite sweet actually. They'll be back in a little while.
Derrick wrinkled his forehead concentrating. The faint white light came up around his fingers, which he had resting lightly on Enki's wound. The last bit of blood trickled back into the cut and the skin started "zipping" itself up from each end until it sealed up in the middle. Derrick opened one eye to check out his work, then opened the other one and sighed audibly. Rhini stood back up and smiled at him before turning back to Enki.
Rhini: I would suggest taking a nap now that you're healed so that we can check if there's anything else wrong with you. I'll have your girlfriend wake you up when she comes back.
Back at the Sweet Shop...
Nova: Well, Enki of course! Enki's the number one bestest thing in the universe. Betcha didn't know your Poppy was that awesome, didja?
They went out to find something to make him feel better? Enki smiled a little. It was a nice gesture.
The healing magic felt odd, like a pins and needles sensation was crawling across the surface of his skin. Then again, he wasn't used to healing magic and from what he did know it seemed to be tailored to the healer.
Sleep? Enki's eyes widened a little and he sat up. He was almost sleeping when they brought him in and had been sleeping before being reunited with Nova. Sleep wouldn't help him out at all. "I"m not tired," he said stubbornly. "I'll wait up for her."
Marduk grinned widely and zipped around Nova's head a few times. "You're right! Poppy's the greatest I knew that ever since I was a little baby in his head, and you know it too! You're smart Nova!"
Nova looked at Marduk, dumbstruck. She froze for a second before grabbing him and hugging him tightly.
Nova: Nobody's ever told me that before! You're the next-to the-next-to-the-best thing there is!
Meanwhile, Rhini sent Derrick off to do some errands. She sat on the edge of the bed Enki was on to talk to him.
Rhini: Enki, my magic isn't at all what it used to be and you need to sleep to give it time to, well... finish. It has to have about an hour to make itself permanent. Derrick's work on your skin is already finished, but for the inner injuries to heal you have to rest. I can assure you that nothing will happen to you while you sleep, and I'll wake you as soon as the girl returns. Please trust me.
Marduk felt happy to be the next-to-the-next-bestest thing in the world. There was a lot of stuff in the world, being next-to-the-next-bestest was a good thing. Marduk snuggled against Nova's chest and began to turn pink.
Enki watched the cleric-woman send her apprentice off and swung his legs off the bed, but kept from standing up completely when she sat down. He'd listen to whatever excuses she had, but they weren't going to keep him in this bed.
Or...
Maybe they would. Breaking the same bone twice in one day didn't seem like a good plan at all. Enki frowned a little, pulled his feet back up on the bed and rested on his back. Ouch, he winced a bit, she wasn't speaking jibberish, his collar felt a bit sore when he did that. "Fine," he shifted his legs around a bit to get them in a comfortable position, finally leaving them lying straight ahead. "I'll lay back a bit, I don't think I'll sleep, I had enough of that."
Nova let Marduk go after she was satisfied that he had been adequately huggled. She then took two eclairs from the shelf and walked up to the register. A woman and a man were behind the counter. Nova was almost to the register when she stopped, remembering that she was at a severe lack of funds with which to but the next-to-the-best thing in the universe.
Nova: Uh-oh. Marduk, we can't buy these! We don't have any money! Dammit...
The woman behind the counter looked up at Nova and Marduk when she heard them speak. The man, her husband, paid them no mind, but instead went into the back to get a fresh tray of cresent rolls to set out to cool. The woman waved Nova over.
Woman: I'm sorry for butting in, but I overheard what you were saying. Don't tell my husband about this, but since your fairy is so cute, I'll let you take them.
Nova smiled and shook the lady's hand, not being able to hug her from the opposite side of the counter.
Nova: Thanks a lot! One of 'ems for my Enki. He was hurt, but I took him to a healy-person to fix him.
Woman: Oh how nice. Is that your boyfriend?
Nova went quiet for a second. Was he? She didn't really know.
Nova: Well, he's my friend, I know that. He's like my best friend, only I like him differently than I liked my last best friend. But he doesn't call me his girlfriend, so I wouldn't say that he's my boyfriend.
The woman smiled at Nova, a little confused, but she thought Nova was adorable, so she didn't care. The man's footsteps were heard returning from the kitchen.
Woman: Ooh, leave now and don't let him know I gave you those eclairs!
Nova scampered out, calling after Marduk to follow her.
Meanwhile, at Rhini's place, Rhini nodded at Enki's response and retreated to the kitchen. Derrick was already there.
Rhini: Derrick, fix some tea, will you? He says he won't sleep, but I think a warm cup of tea will change his mind.
Derrick: You want me to put anything in it?
Rhini: Oh, no. I don't want to drug him or anything. Warm tea should be enough by itself.
Derrick nodded at her and put a kettle on the stove.
Marduk, who was now various shades of pink, flew up to perch on top of Nova's head after she let it go and began humming a little song, swaying back and forth against the rythmn of the tune. Thus the entire eclair exchange flew right over Marduk's head.
The song ended a few seconds before Nova called Marduk after her. Marduk jumped to its feet and giggled, pointing down at Nova's face. A line of rainbow sparkles flew from its fingertip and began swirling around her head. They weren't enough to block her vision, but they did make the surrounding area look shiny. "I'm up here! We're going to see Poppy now. Is he going to be fixed? He's not gonna go to sleep forever?"
Enki looked up at the ceiling, wondering where 'his girlfriend' and 'fairy' were. The fairy had to be Marduk. Who was his 'girlfriend' then? The cleric didn't mention anyone else coming with him, and that made his stomach knot up. Either Tasarin or Nova was still back in the forest.
Tasarin was hurt herself... and if she was the one with him now he wouldn't be here with a cleric. Tasarin would have healed him herself, she had no need for a human cleric. That meant Nova was here now. Good, if she got him here that meant she wasn't badly hurt. But Tasarin... his stomach twisted up a few more times.
Once Nova got outside the door, she stopped, and stared at the shinies. Preeee-tyyyy... She spun around to see if they were all around her. They were. She giggled and blew at them, seeing if they would flutter around. They did. Nova temporarily ignored Marduk's question, because she didn't hear it.
Meanwhile, the tea finished brewing and Rhini poured two mugs. She took one for herself and brought one to Enki.
Rhini: Drink this. I don't know about you, but tea always makes me feel better. It's fresh, too.
Rhini sat on the corner of the bed again decided to talk to him until he fell asleep.
Rhini: So, would you mind telling me a little about your campanions? When they first brought you in, there wasn't much room for conversation.
Marduk clung to Nova's hair and giggled when she spun around. Marduk wiggled its fingers and a shower of silvery sparkles rolled off them like water, to bounce off any surface they landed on and ricochet chaotically around.
Enki accepted the mug Rhini gave him, sniffing the vapor rising off the surface before taking a teeny sip. Hot ouch. He blew on the cup and took another little drink, managing not to scald his tongue this time and actually taste the tea. Not bad.
When the cleric began talking to him he looked up at her, holding the cup just above his lap. Question time. And the questions, damn. She was probably expecting doting comments about his 'girlfriend' and amusing fairy antics. Well... Marduk did do some amusing things, but they wouldn't be told from the point of view of a friend. Marduk seemed a little bit easier to explain... that was something he never thought he'd say in the day (was it a day? How much time had passed since Marduk was born?) since Marduk was born.
Actually, Enki took another swig of tea, he might be better off talking about Nova first. Telling her Marduk was his son while she still thought Nova was his girlfriend might make her think that Nova was Marduk's mother. Explaining his way out of that one didn't seem like it would end too well. Hell, it might make her worried about Nova! Enki took another drink of tea.
"Nova, that's the red haired girl's name," Enki took another drink. "Nova's not really my girlfriend. She's a friend, a traveling companion. I met her... we first met when I was following this guy, Noxcaladoxia because I needed to ask him something *gulp gulp*. I was following Noxcaladoxia and he was at the ocean, I think its east of here I could be wrong though, I'm not too familiar with the Earth *sip sip* We were at the ocean and there was Nova. She was washed up on the beach because she... *sip* she was running away from someone I think. We met there, and we met some other people, who I really haven't seen since then, and that's how Nova and I met."
Enki yawned and put a hand up to cover his mouth, quite forgetting that it was the same hand he was holding the teacup in. Thus the remaining tea spilled all over his lap, leaving tea coloured splotches in his white pants. Enki tensed up when he felt the tea splash over his legs, dropping the teacup. "Fuck, I'm sorry!"
Soon after saying that a pair of red feathered wings unfurled from the prestigal wing lumps on his back, Enki's eyes glazed over and he fainted dead away.
Nova's eyes widened as Marduk made more shiny things.
Nova: *gasp* You can make sparkly things! Eee!!
Nova grabbed Marduk and glomped him to her chest.
Meanwhile, Rhini was having a bit of trouble. Enki was now out cold on the floor, with his wings out.
Rhini: Oh dear. That could be a problem.
Derrick heard Enki hit the floor and came into the room.
Derrick: What the hell was in that tea?
Rhini: Funny, I was going to ask you that. But no, he spilled tea on himself and passed out.
Derrick walked over to Enki, almost stepping on his wings before Rhini caught him.
Rhini: Oh, do be careful around his wings. We don't need to be causing more problems to fix, and I imagine that would hurt him as well.
Derrick nodded and carefully walked around Enki until he got to a good spot to pick him up. He put him onto the bed.
Derrick: Is the hot tea on his pants going to bother him?
Rhini: It might. I'll get his shoes and such, you get his pants off. We'll cover him up with a blanket.
Rhini pulled off Enki's shoes and sock, with a bit of difficulty on the former, but did eventually work them off. Derrick got to pulling off Enki's pants, and Rhini quickly tossed a blanket over his lower half.
Rhini: There we are. Now I think I should wash these pants for him.
Rhini took his pants off to a side room to wash them, and Derrick went back into the kitchen.
And once again Marduk was smothered in Nova's boobs.
Only this time, it kept on making little sparkles. They marched out from Marduk's fingers and crawled up and down Nova's shirt in little patterns: Kittens, flowers, balls, sparkles. Once they covered her shirt they all turned various rainbow colors and began moving, kittens prancing, flowers swaying, balls bouncing and sparkles sending off more sparkles.
Enki, of course wasn't able to put up a struggle against his clothes being removed and looked all the world like he was sleeping once the blanket was draped over him.
Nova continued to be amused by the spkarlies for a few moments, until she realized something. She grabbed Marduk and started running towards the cleric's house.
Nova: Marduk, we gots ta go see Enki! He's better 'n sparklies!
The cleric's house wasn't very far, so Nova was there in no time. She opened the door and walked in quietly. She looked around, but didn't see anyone. Then she saw Enki on the bed, with a blanket draped over him. She let Marduk go and walked over to the bed.
She thought for a second, then grabbed an eclair from the bag and broke it in half. She waved it around Enki's nose.
Nova *whispering*: En-ki, wake up~!! Wakey wakey Enki!
Marduk fluttered up to perch on Nova's head soon after she let it go, soon deciding to hop off and sit on the bridge of Enki's nose afterwards.
Enki didn't move much other than his chest rising and falling as he breathed.
Marduk watched Nova break the eclair in half, with big sparkly eyes full to the brim with entrancement. Breaking the eclair probably hurt it, but it looked pretty! The gooey stuff coming out from where it was broken looked like it would be fun to play with? "Novey can I have some of the gooey stuff that's coming out of the eclair right now? I promise I'll give it to Poppy once I get done with it."
Nova watched as chocolate oozed out of the eclair. It did look good. Yummy yummy chocolate. Gifts from the gods. Who needed fire? Chocolate was better. Way better. You can't eat fire.
Nova: Well you wouldn't want to give it back to him. That's chocolate, an' you're supposed ta eat it. Enki won't want it after you eat it. But you can't have any of this one. We have one of our own to share.
Nova noticed that the chocolate was dripping on Enki now. On Enki's neck to be specific. Chocolate is very sticky, Nova knew that. Enki would not want to wake up sticky. Nova knew she should clean it up. But she also knew that it was a deadly sin to let chocolate go to waste.Her mommy said it was a cardinal sin. She looked around for Rhini or Derrick, but saw neither one, or anyone else to offer help. Well, Nova knew a way to do both. Clean it up, and not waste it.
Nova Crawled on top of the bed, and on top of Enki. She put her legs on the outside of Enki's and she gently turned his head to the side, so she could get to his neck easier. She lowered her mouth to his skin and started to lick up the chocolate.
Marduk was immediately interested in why Nova was doing something to Poppy's neck. "Hey!" It yelled, giggling a little afterwards. "That's supposed to be for Poppy, we've got one that we're supposed to share. Or is it this one that we're supposed to share?"
Marduk hopped off Enki's nose and went hurtling straight for the peice of broken eclair. Marduk balanced on the torn end and looked down at it. "Hello second-best-thing-that-ever-was! My Poppy is first-best-thing-that-ever-was, that means he's better than you. And he's my Poppy, what does your Poppy do?
Enki sighed a bit in his 'sleep' when Nova began lapping the chocolate off his neck.
Nova took her mouth away from Enki so she could answer Marduk's question.
Nova: No, this is Enki's it just spilled, and I am getting it up. It is sticky, and no one likes to wake up sticky.
Nova bent down to lick some more, before reacting to Marduk's conversing with the eclair.
Nova: It's not gonna talk to you silly! And I don't think it has a poppy. It's not really alive. It's food, not a animal or a person.
Nova was satisfied that she had gotten all the chocolate that she could lick off of Enki off, so she had to get the little bits that started to soak in. She put her lips to his skin again and started sucking the chocolate out.
There was a soft creaking sound within the room suddenly, though it died so quickly that one could not be sure if they truly heard it or not. But then it started again, right in the very room where Enki, Nova, and Marduk could be found. It was the moaning of the wooden floorboards. More specifically, the wooden floorboards around and under the couch on which Enki and Nova lay.
They began to buckle upward, lifting the couch just barely off the floor and making it tilt gently from one of its sides to the next.
And then it stopped.
A sudden flower sprung up in front of the couch, peaking through one of the cracks between the floor boards. It unfurled into a surprised pink, and sat still and calm in full view.
That was just the tip of the iceburg.
Without warning, the buckled spot of the floor burst open, rocking the couch violently as vines and sapplings sprung up from under it. But they did not stay under the couch. Instead they twisted outward, coming around the sides of the couch, and cradling it on their trunks. Within seconds, the three were encased in a small-scale version of a forest. One could not even see through all the foliage from the other side, the trees and vines and flowers too thick.
Within that mini-forest, where the three now were, was a gorgeous site to behold. Flowers and fruits exploded onto the young trees, their fragrance entering the air sharp and immediate, but not too overwhelming. The brilliant colors surrounded them, like a blanket of soft petals and smooth fruits.
There was a calming aura about it, a protective feeling of security. The way any forest creature feels when they are surrounded by their home.
And then, from nowhere really, a large heavy flower fluttered onto Enki's chest.
It was blood red.
Marduk tilted its head to the side when the eclair failed to respond, and Nova explained that it probably wouldn't and that it didn't even have a Poppy. What was the use of comparing Poppies when the eclair, the second-best-thing in the world, didn't even have one? Marduk stuck its tongue out at the Poppy-less eclair, afterwards craning his neck around to look at the ground. Something creaked in there... maybe it'd want to be friends!
Enki's lips parted slightly and he tilted his head back in the pillow...
Oh, yes... right there, this dream is pretty vivid. It couldn't be from the span of time. Noxcaladoxia was chewing on my neck not too long ago. Or rather, not too long compared to the length of time between other types of initmate congress. Congress? This had to be a dream, that word doesn't usually flutter around my brain. Hell, it sounds like something out of some old novel. Congress...
That's fascinating, but I should probably open my dream eyes and... just a moment. Wasn't I planning on staying awake? Oh hell, nothing I can do about it now. The hell was I thinking about a second ago?
Ah. I should open my dream eyes and see just who's on my neck. Have to figure out whether this is a dream or a nightmare...
What the?
Shali-
Enki's eyes snapped open and he saw red. Red hair. Nova had red- oh holy- that dream was vivid. Perhaps because it was happening.in.real.life. Nova didn't seem like the type to do this. Enki felt his heart fluttering, his his head start to spin, curled one hand's fingers so the clawed ends pointed downwards.
Then the couch started rocking and Enki stopped giving a damn about who was sucking his neck. At least for the moment, if they fell they'd probably take him with them, or tear a chunk out of his neck in a blind panic. He wrapped his curled hand around the person's shoulders, pressing them down into himself and grabbed onto a cushion with his other hand, hanging on for dear life.
Marduk was fascinated by the rocking couch and squealed with delight when the vines and little trees began growing. It fluttered off the couch and perched on one, riding the little tree as it grew up and out. A passing vine snagged a chunk of its long hair and tugged Marduk along, until it shot a glob of sparkling liquid at the snag. The wet hair slipped free of the vine and Marduk tumbled a little before regaining its wings and hovering. Grinning widely at all the pretty things popping out from the trees. Flowers and fruits that were pretty both to see and smell!
Once the couch stopped rocking, Enki loosened both his arm and hand and sat up. Now that, that was over he could go back to panicing like he planned to. His lungs were already starting to tighten up.
Or... maybe not. He recognized those bright green eyes. Nova? Strange suddenly met stranger. Which meant he should probably start expecting strangest anytime now.
Spoke too soon. Then again... a flower suddenly appearing when apparently an entire forest appeared wasn't that odd. Only this flower was a particular shade of red and just happened to land on his chest. If his wings hadn't already been out they'd probably be popping right about now. Enki cupped it in his free hand and stared down at it.
What if a forest hadn't grown around them... what if they were teleported to a forest? What if this was the same forest they left Tasarin in? Talk about not inconvenient... he didn't have his shoes or any of his outer clothes. If Ornemalin found them here he'd have no problem making Enki 'pay'.
Enki shuddered, that wasn't something he wanted to focus on now. He had to find something else to focus on to keep from dreading that. Were they all there? Nova was definitely there, Enki put a hand on her shoulder, she was probably about as freaked out as he was just then. Where was Marduk??
"Marduk?" Enki's voice was soft, strained and almost inaudible over his panting breathes.
"Yes Poppy?" Marduk, arms full of petals and small berries, dropped down next to them.
Enki felt lighter after seeing and hearing the kid. Both of them were there. Good. "Marduk, fly past those trees there," Enki gestured to what he assumed was the end of the trees.
"What's there Poppy?" Marduk leaned forward, a few berries spilled from its arms.
Enki said the first thing that came to his mind: "Bunnies."
Marduk all but teleported to the end of the mini-forest.
Nova's eyes went wide and she quickly jerked away from Enki as soon as he let her go. She looked around franticallybefore drawing in air to scream. Her Draconic instincts started kicking in, and before the scream was finished, it became a roar. Bright green scales replaced tan skin and red hair, and Nova's wings had already begun beating at the air, lifting her up. Instincts and an already short attention span made her momentarily forget about the people she was with, instead focusing on getting the hell out of where she was.
"Nova!" Enki sat up and promptly raised a hand to fend off the gusts of wind from her beating wings. The trees waved above them, sending a few leaves and flower petals raining down.
Marduk walked along a sinewy branch, daintily hopping over threads of wood and vine. This was a fun game and then he would see bunnies! What were bunnies? It didn't know, but Poppy must have thought Marduk would like them. They were probably fun and sparkly and great and one of the best things in the world. But, they couodn't be the first or the second or the third because Poppy was first and eclairs were second and it was third because Poppy was first. Nova would know what bestest the bunnies were though!
The end of the branch led into a room. Imagine that, going from a forest to a room like one in a house! Maybe this was a bunny house. Marduk fluttered down the hall and saw the man that knew about going to sleep forever and ever. "Hey!" Marduk flew over to him and hovered in front of his face. "Do you know where the bunnies are?"
Derrick was still in shock. He was staring wide-eyed at the small forest that had just erupted in his master's living room. Said master, Rhini, was sitting on the floor in the kitchen with her eyes closed and her mouth moving wordlessly. One could assume she was praying, and he or she would be correct. Derrick managed to focus his eyes on Marduk, but when he tried to speak, all he did was stutter.
Nova didn't even look back as she flew away. Her instincts weren't even letting her think about Enki. They just screamed 'get the hell out of here,' and Nova lacked any and all capacity to outthink instinct.
"Bunnies?" Marduk repeated in a small cute voice. "I don't know what they are, could you show me where they are? Poppy said there were bunnies beyond the trees."
Enki peeked up when the wind died down.
And saw no sign of Nova.
"Nova?" Enki looked up, saw a rough hole in the trees and another in the roof. She flew away... the forest springing out of nowhere must have frightened her. Hell, it must have scared her to death.
He couldn't just sit here though. Even though lacking his outer clothing and shoes was a mighty fine reason for staying, finding Nova and Tasarin and hell... Marduk was an even better reason for getting off the couch.
First off, he had to find his shoes. They had to be somewhere in this mass of shrubbery. Enki scooted to the edge of the couch and then realized that if he was going to go digging around the mini forest he'd need something to cover himself up. The blanket would do. He knotted it around his waist, setting the knot on his hip so it would drape open.
One problem solved. Enki leaned over and tried to look through the branches, looking for any sign of his boots so he wouldn't have to dig through them.
Oh, wait. Didn't Rhini do something with his boots? Finding his way out of the forest to talk to her seemed like a better alternative. Then he wouldn't be endlessly looking and he could probably get that apprentice of hers to do it for him, if she set the boots somewhere in this room.
In a few minutes, Enki discovered that better didn't always mean easier. Exhausted, his feet sore in every fibre and particle, he flopped against one mini tree that was all too far from the end of the mini forest. He just wasn't made for walking without shoes, especially on the uneven treebark. Enki panted and rested his head against the tree, resisting the urge to slide down to a sitting position. It wouldn't do any good, his feet would still be sore and he wouldn't be any closer to the edge of the mini-forest.