Rain Dance

Kimi mumbled something unintelligible to Adair with a darker green flush and politely declined the meat from Ava. The firelight, brighter than the small flame she had managed in her small cave, revealed just how gaunt and thin she was. She knew it was normal for her kind, but she was unaware of their ignorance to her foreign race. Her white hair shimmered like silk in the light and her cloak seemed to be made of thick heavy material that would be uncomfortably hot.

Trevor, noting that they would be there for a while, took a seat next to Kimi when Voltaire pulled her over to the fire. He stuck his nose up when offered meat and he hissed in disapproval.

"Trevor doesn't eat warm-blooded things." Kimi explained softly.

"The meat needs to be chilled?" asked Ava, slightly confused as to why any creature would not enjoy warm food.

"No, she means that he doesn't eat mammals or birds, only reptiles and bugs and things like that," Voltaire explained.

"But when you kill reptiles and bugs their blood isn't cold either," Ava replied, now more confused.

While Voltaire, with some annoyance, explained to Ava about how cold-blooded animals were different from warm-blooded ones, Adair turned back to Kimi.

"Have you been traveling by yourself?" Adair asked with some concern, noting her unusual thinness. "Well, I suppose you have Trevor, but the area around here has many demons as well as Hunters and Heroes. It's not really a good idea to be here alone."

"I didn't start out by myself" Kimi replied softly. She was more unwilling to tell her story to Adair. He seemed much more like he was prying rather than Voltaire, who had been polite and kind with her. "And I'm rather well at hiding. But Trevor isn't with me all the time. He gets restless and I must send him back to our homeworld otherwise he starts getting territorial"

"Homeworld? Like in dreams?" questioned Adair. He had heard many different versions on where spirits go when people die and wondered if this was what she meant.

"But I still don't think it's fair to called them cold-blooded when they're not cold," Ava protested, still talking with Voltaire.

The Hunter let out a frustrated groan. "Look, call 'em whatever you want. Point is, furball eats reptiles and bugs and not us."

Kimi shook her head. "Not exactly." She mumbled. She didn't feel comfortable saying anymore.

Trevor nudged her hand for attention.

Kimi obliged him by petting him gently.

Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, Adair also fell uncomfortably silent. His friendly expression faded to dispassion as he turned his gaze to the blaze. Ava, done bothering Voltaire for the time being, was now gobbling down a few scraps of meat.

Voltaire noticed the odd quiet between the two nobles and was puzzled. He figured they would have plenty to talk about since they had so much in common. Assuming Adair's reluctance to discuss family matters was to blame, Voltaire decided to pipe up for him.

"C'mon, Mr. Hero. I thought conversing with other royals easily was supposed to be part of your job description," the Hunter shouted over to him. "Certainly you and Princess over there could at least compare noble habits or something."

Adair stared at Voltaire, then at Kimi, and then back to Voltaire. "She's a princess?"

Now it was time for Voltaire to give a puzzled stare. "Yeah, didn't see tell you?"

Kimi flushed green and ducked her head.

Trevor growled at the withdrawal of his affection and Kimi quickly started petting him again.

"I did not." She mumbled. "It is not something I openly advertise."

"Well, it's not like you tell everyone who I'm related to," Adair pointed out. "Or even who you really are."

"Guess you got a point," Voltaire answered. "I just thought she'd tell you since she already told me. Whatever. Anyway, we're kind of on the run-"

"Kind of?" questioned Adair skeptically.

"Always on the run, so we try not to tell people who we really are," Voltaire amended. "Anyway, sorry for being a dumbass and blurting that out. People usually trust Adair more than me."

Kimi shrugged. "Then I suppose we're one and the same. I'm always running now as well." She sighed. "Its not something we can really help. and I just don't know what to do anymore. I miss big brother, but I'm never going to see him again for his help."

"What happened to your brother?" asked Adair.

"Got captured by the guys she's running from," explained Voltaire, before turning to Kimi. "How long ago was that?"

Kimi closed her eyes, trying to remember. "... Three moon cycles ago. He made me hide and promised he would come back to find me. I heard them fighting. I saw the corpse of the one he managed to kill, Trevor ate it to dispose of it. I haven't heard anything else, but I have run into another demon guard, an exile. He offered me a place to hide and I declined. Two days later I just managed to hide from another hunting party."

Trevor growled.

"That was at the last moon cycle." Kimi finished. "I've been hiding in the cave system ever since."

"I see," replied Adair, looking to the side and then to the flames. "We got here a few days ago. We might have left sooner than that, but lately it's been raining almost constantly outside. Not really a good idea to be out in the rain when you have fire powers."

"We'll need to go soon, though. There's a tournament in the Noirbrook area in a few days," said Voltaire. "Considering it might take a us a couple just to find the tournament when we get there..."

"It is the start of the rain season. The rain should last for three constant moon cycles." Kimi stated. "It will only get worse." She paused, both in speech and in petting Trevor.

Trevor growled slightly.

"If you wish, I know a spell, a sort of barrier... But its a proximity spell" Kimi stated.

"Well, we can't afford to wait three moon cycles for the rain to stop," said Voltaire, folding his arms. "So I guess we'll have to use your barrier."

"I-If that's alright," Adair added quickly. He wished Voltaire would be a little more polite in asking for help.

Kimi nodded. "Then once we arrive at Noirbrook, you may use Trevor to find your tournament." She stated. "I can find my way back here afterwards. It isn't a big deal, and its the least I can do after you helped me with the centipede creature."

"As long as he doesn't try to eat us, fine," said Voltaire, knowing Trevor did not eat mammals but still not trusting the aggressive creature. "Though won't you have trouble getting him to leave you behind? He's a possessive little beast."

"Well, Since I have to come with you to use the spell, I won't be very far at all." Kimi stated. "Like I said, its a proximity spell. I can only use it in close proximity to myself."

Trevor, realising that he wasn't getting any more attention from Kimi, stood with an agitated growl and stepped forward into the fire. He curled up among the flames and yawned.

Kimi frowned at him. "It isn't that cold you jealous little thing."

Seeing Trevor cutely curled up in the flames did nothing to reassure Voltaire. It did tell him something important though: fire attacks weren't going to work on the small fiend if it did decide to turn on him or his companions.

"We should get going pretty soon then," suggested the Hunter. "We don't really have much reason to stay here if it's going to be raining for three months."

"You'll have to wake up Ava first," replied Adair, gesturing toward the now-sleeping phoenix. It seemed to be a full sleep and not the half-sleep-with-one-eye-open rest that she usually did. Either she was very tired or very relaxed.

"We can leave in the morning." Kimi assured him. "It isn't that far, Noirbrook is just a few hours walk from where my brother left me."

"Well...fine, I guess that works, if it's only a few hours away," Voltaire answered, getting up and stretching. He was still a bit wore out from the day's (mis)adventures, but he wasn't about to admit that.

"We'll need to get to sleep then," said Adair, also standing up. He walked over to the slumbering Ava and slipped under one of her wings. Voltaire was about to go under the other wing, then felt self-conscious about it in front of Kimi (as if he hadn't looked like enough of a wuss today). He decided to sit down and lean against the top of wing instead.

This woke Ava up. She noticed Voltaire leaning against her, let out a soft crooning sound, and proceeded to groom Voltaire's long hair with her beak.

"Stop that!" Voltaire protested, to no avail. So much for not looking more pathetic.

Kimi smiled softly at the sight. She pulled her hood up and laid down where she sat, still facing the warm fire. She fell asleep easily.

~~~~~~
Running. Hurried footsteps. The sound of claws against flesh. The smell of blood. Talmara's face leering above her as his sharp claws slid smoothly over her skin, raising blood, her green blood, with the slightest of pressure.
The scars.

Heat. Flames. The glow of the iron poker as it was drawn from the forge. The iron shackles digging into her wrists as she struggled. Her feet swinging helplessly above the floor. The hiss of white hot metal on skin. The smell of burning flesh. Tears of pain. Screams of anger. Her brother, across from her, strung higher up. Blood, his blood, running in rivets down his arms. His face contorted in anger, his own body covered in scars.

Fangs, in her neck. Pain. Roughness. Skin against skin. Her brother bound and gagged to a chair. Forced to watch. Green blood against the pale skin and even whiter dress. Glowing yellow eyes. Looking down on her. Smirking. Bringing the Pain.
~~~~~~

Kimi woke with a muted gasp as she forced herself into a sitting position. The fire had gone out.

Trevor was sitting in the entrance of the cave, the muted moonlight reflecting in his eyes. It was still raining.

Kimi clutched her heart. The small, yet vital organ beating wildly in her chest as she tried to calm herself over the nightmare, the memories. She panted, the soft sound seeming unbearably loud in the silent cave. She clutched her knees, tears in her eyes, and settled to wait until morning.

(ooc: Just wanted to get this out of the way- Talmara, the guy Kimi's running from, is probably about as close to Satan as any of my characters get. He did alot of bad things to Kimi before she was able to get out of there. He's also her dad. Hope you don't mind her dream to terribly much, I was struck by inspiration.)

(no problem, glad for the details. Hope you don't mind a dream or two in return :P. Warning: longness ahead.)

A small fair-haired child curled up on the dank wooden floor, the old nurse above him with an emptied syringe. What was that funny red-and-yellow shot for? His stomach was hot, his chest was hot, his heart was hot. He didn't feel so good. He didn't feel so--

He retched, and a strange mist rose out of his throat and through his mouth. The burning smoke-like substance had flecks of white, but was mostly black. He stared at it in exhausted fascination, the mostly-dark cloud that was drifting toward the half-rotten ceiling. What was that?

"That's a sample of your soul," said the nurse, a gentle yet sinister smile on her face. "See how black it is? That shows how bad you are. Poor dear, you will suffer your whole life either suffering yourself or causing misery and misfortune to those close to you. You poor, poor child, you will never be-"

-------

A red-haired boy, play-fighting among his brothers. Loud laughing and taunting and grins, while the servants and parents watched faraway, smiling. Everyone always smiled. Everyone smiled because they loved each other, because they were the ultimate family of Heroes, born to destroy demons and evil!

A red-haired teen with his brothers again. They were so strong and mature now. How did they get so good at controlling themselves all of a sudden? He envied them. He couldn't wait until his own coming-of-age ceremony. He was almost there, he was almost--

It was time. The sword Clarent revealed before him. It was a laser sword, yet it did no harm to his flesh. His whole family was there, beholding him with such calm, mature gazes. He felt pride as the peaceful blade passed through his eyes, harmlessly, his mind, harmlessly, the right side of his chest, harmlessly, his heart, harm--

But this hurt! Why it did it hurt? Why did it seem like all his emotions were attacking him at once? Why...Why was his family just watching him while he was obviously in pain, watching him with those calm, mature stares...emotionless stares...dead stares... They were, they were--


"Ava!" Adair cried out upon waking. Both the phoenix and Voltaire were woken by the yell, immediately alert. When they realized it had been another nightmare, Ava cooed and groomed Adair's hair to comfort him. Voltaire meanwhile just leaned against the golden avian, his stomach still feeling sick. He would never...He would never...

Kimi didn't react to the yell except for her slight stiffening. Her own dream was fresh in her mind. She didn't even look up, keeping her face, her tears hidden in her knees. His face in her mind brough everything she ever learned back. Don't react, or it will be worse. No emotion, or it will be worse. Not a sound, or it will be worse.

Trevor finally moved away from the cave entrance. He padded lightly over to Adair and looked up at the prince's face. He gave a small reassuring sound before continuing over to Kimi, showing the small beast was capable of sympathy. He curled around Kimi, purring and rubbing his head on her elbow.

"Hey, he likes you," said Ava to Adair.

"Of course he does. Animals love Adair," Voltaire replied, still in a rotten mood from his dream. "I try to make friends with one and they try to rip my face off."

"Maybe because you hunt them?" answered Adair, also in bad spirits.

"So do you," countered Voltaire. "Yet they practically just run up to you saying Please feast on me, o noble Hero. We can't bear to see you go through hunger pangs. I know, why don't we parade you through the forest and see how much prey we attract and sell the extras?"

"You're horrible," growled Adair.

"Yes I am, and I'm just as bad on the inside as the outside. What of it?" Voltaire answered with a sneer.

"Stop it, both of you," Ava interrupted. "Kimi princess is trying to...oh, you're awake Kimi?"

Kimi was shaking slightly. She still had yet to react to them, trying to calm herself down. Her dream had been so Vivid.

With a growl, Trevor strut over to Voltair and grabbed his sleeve in his teeth. He tugged him toward Kimi and growled, as if he were trying to say 'get your ass over there, now'. He had a positively vicious look in his eye.