What is it that is hiding.
Deep inside my mind.
What is it that I fear.
The thing that's tearing my soul apart.
What is it that keeps me going.
Way beoynd the dark.
Is it what I fear the most?
those vile disgusting eyes,
those claws and that tail,
to lose control,
to be,
The hunter in the night.
Will I ever be so far gone...
...that I'll never return?
) The air was humid, the floor was damp and she couldn't see
( a thing. The room was practically filled with dark shapes.
) In front of her there were tails wriggling around, behind her
( something was breathing down her neck. She could almost
) feel the the dread that permeated the room
(
) Without warning all the shapes that she felt, disappeared
( and tension started building, like when a carnivoure got
) ready to pounce on its victim.
(
) -Miaou!
The little boy closed the door after him.
(No sense in alerting "mother" yet, not like I did at the last one. She was a bundle of nerves every time I was alone in my room)
He put on a pair of dark sunglasses and wandered around in his room.
(Right, the closet is a bit obvious but it's the only place there is, unless I can hide it under my futon)
He looked under the futon that his new "mother" had laid out for him, there was not enough room for what he had intended there.
(We'll, the closet it is) He thought and shoved the door aside.
After a few moments, a wind went through his room, coming al the way from the window, through the room and into the closet.
( She cocked her ears (What am I doing here?) She thought.
) All round her, there were eyes, staring at a spot not too far
( from her. They were staring at a little boy.
) The boy was whimpering and was begging the things to leave
( him alone.
)
( It was no use, she could herself see that. Even from her
) position, the eyes looked unforgiving and cruel.
( She slowly began to creep closer to he boy.
) (Don't worry, I'll help)
(
) As she came closer she noticed how a dark cloud seemed to
( form behind the boys back, it swirled around a bit but after
) a while, it formed into another child of the same age as the
( boy.
)
( Suddenly, when she wasn't more than a few inches from the
) two, the children both turned towards her.
( It was almost enough to stop her right there, the look in the
) children's eyes were pure terror.
( She gulped and slid forward ever more cautiously; this could
) be crucial, the hurt was 'here', somewhere in this memory
( was the cause of the children's pain and she was damned if
) she was going to let it continue.
(
) (Don't be afraid) She sent to them.
( Suddenly, as suddenly as they had reacted to her before, the
) eyes attacked.
-Iruka?
-Yes,what is it?
The little yellow raincoat turned towards him and Ikyo's face became visible; she looked agitated about something.
-Are you going to stay with me? She asked.
His face slumped. Looking thoughtful for a moment, he began to gather words.
-Ikyo, there are some things you cannot control. Things like rain, thunder, light or the wind, people like us can easily control.
There are, however, things that are outside even our control.
*splish,splosh,splih,splosh*
The rain poured heavily.
-So you will be leaving then. She said, head turned down, with such a final tone to it that it startled him somewhat.
-Yes, he replied, but I will most likely return within the day.
She looked up at him questioningly.
-As I said "there are things you cannot control", The fact that you can't control them doesn't necessarily mean that they last very long or that they are unpleasant.
She nodded happily and started dancing again.
(He will come back) Kept running through her head again and again.
) Hayai-ohki was tired, she had been figthing off the invisible
( cats for a long time now. The cats didn't seem to slow down
) even a bit and as she tired she was getting desparate.
( (If you two know any way out of this, please feel free to
) help) simultaneously as this message to the to kids she sent
( out a wild cry for help to all others in the vicinity.
)
( She thrusted out with her paw and could for the first time
) feel it hitting a part of the enemys body. She jumped back
( to avoid a set of claws that came at her midsection, only to
) feel a single claw drive through her back.
( Crying out in pain, she slumped down on the floor.
)
( Behind her, a low hissing sound began to grow.
In his room, Happosai was busy.
He was making something; it was big and round and it was hollow. At the moment he was busy mixing together different colored sand.
-From now on Ranma you will bear respect to your master.
(And if I do this right, something more as well) Ha ha ha ha ha!
He stopped laughing in order to see that everything was as it should with the mixture in front of him and then got a thoughtful expression.
(I mustn't let this stuff come to close to me, the way it affected me when Cologne was near was bad enough)
He shuddered (that was too close for comfort, if I had looked into those big clear....) He stood still and dreamed of her as she had been a long while ago, nearly a century perhaps more.
Suddenly he snapped out of it (It's getting to me already) Panic seemed to creep over him as he shok himself free of the intrusive emotions.
(Quickly now, I must hurry up before it becomes worse) His hands became a blur as he mixed in new sands and mixed the whole thing again.
After it was mixed as much as was possible, he dumped it into the large round object and began placing candles around.
) When she could move again, she opened her eyes and lifted
( her head. What she saw was unpleasant, to say the least
) All around her were cat, either dead or dying of fatal wounds.
( There weren't half as many cats as there had been eyes
) though, for that she was been grateful.
(
) She slowly got on her feet and steadied herself, so that she
( wouldn't fall again.
) The room was a little lighter than before and she looked up
( to see the opening of a pit.
) (So that's were the rest of them went) She realised.
( (I wonder where those kids are, they looked so scarred. I
) better go look for them. If they get into any trouble I won't
( be able to forgive myself) She began looking around for an
) exit, as she couldn't see the kids anywhere.
(
) A pebble tumbled down one of the walls of the pit and she
( moved closer to see if she could get up that way.
) When she got close enough to the wall to be able to examine
( it, someone pounced her and jumped away.
)
( It was a friendly sort of pounce she realised, lying still on
) the floor. It was more playful than anything else.
( (Hello) She tried, calling to the shadows of the walls.
) No response.
( (Kids, are you there?) She tried again.
)
( Something sauntered out. It looked like the same kid that had
) begged for mercy before, but he didn't act like he did then.
( He walked on all fours, he had a the beginnings of fur and he
) didn't look afraid anymore. (I'm Hayai-ohki, who're you?) She
( sent, looking into his eyes. This time, she didn't expect a
) verbal response, so she tried to skim his surface thoughts
( instead.
)
( Immediately she got a huge headache and slumped down into
) a heap. The boy walked forward cautiously and began licking
( her face.
)
( Up above, on the rim of the opening, was a blue-colored
) animal. It frowned somewhat and then melted away into a pool
( of water. The pool stayed a pool for a while but quickly
) turned into steam and floated away.
-Hahahahahaha!
A girl in blue traveling clothes was lying on the floor of the tent and was nearly laughing her head off.
-Shut up, it's not funny! A boy in a yellow jacket and dark green pants said in a hurt tone.
-Oh, but it is Ryouga, it is. She said rising up and brushing away the tears in her eyes.
-You know you're very cute as a pig, I wouldn't be surprised if the girls were all over you. She continued, waving a finger at him.
-Grmblgmhrgl. He mumbled angrily.
-If you arn't careful you might end up as someone's pet. She said a bit more somberly.
-Ya, that would be bad, he he he....
Royuga laughed nervously as Naoko eyed him carefully.
She pulled herself forward until her face was inches from him and looked him square in the eyes.
-You didn't, she whispered disbelievingly, did you?
*gulp*
-He he he....
( -Wha? She opened her eyes and looked up, right into the most
) beautiful pair of blue irises she had ever seen.
(
) -Where am I? She asked the boy that was hunching
( protectively over her.
) -Miaou! He answered empathicaly.
( -Hey! I can speak! She jumped up and down on the spot.
)
( -This is great! I can talk, now I don't have to use my mind
) anymore. She beamed with happiness.
( -Miaou! The boy said happily before he licked her on the
) nose.
( -Myaaa. She said and blushed.
)
( He miaoued reasuringly and took a good grip on her neck
) with his mouth. She looked at him questioningly and felt a
( jolt of surprise when he suddenly jumped clear of the pit.
) (Whoa) She thought warmly (this kid is pretty strong)
(
) When they landed, he set her down in front of another kid
( that could have been the first one's twin.
)
( -Hi, who are you? He said.
) He bent down and picked her up, cradling her like she was a
( baby.
) -I wonder why I'm not afraid of you? He murmured as he
( began stroking her fur.
)
( Then something clicked inside her and she knew where she
) was.
( -It's probably because we're inside your head. She said and
) sighed. He nearly dropped her in his surprise, but he quickly
( caught her again.
)
( -You, you can talk! He exclaimed.
)
( -Yeah, I know. It was a surprise to me too. She laughed.
As the teacher left the classroom, a beautiful orange-haired girl walked up the isle between the desks to talk to Nabiki.
-Nabiki? She wondered.
Nabiki was busy looking in her legislate, and simply raised an eyebrow to prove that she had heard the girl.
-You know, about the sewers? The orange-haired girl let the meaning waver.
-Yes? Nabiki continued to stare at her ledger.
-We'll, it's just, I mean, I'm sorry. She resolved bowing her head down.
-Good, but you don't need to worry, It was useful information.
The orange-haired girl's eyes grew large, she was pardoned!
-Thank you Nabiki, thankyouthankyou, thank you, If you want I could follow him to see why he appeared there.
Nabiki didn't say a thing.
The orange-haired girl bounced away as happy as ever.
(The right strings, It's all about the right strings) Nabiki thought happily to herself.
) -So this Neko-ken is really that guy over there. She said,
( pointing her ears in his direction.
) -And it's all because your father threw you into a pit full of
( cats when you were little.
) -Yup, he answered, me and Uchan, although I only remember her
( there half of the times.
)
( -OOOOH, I am gonna kill that man! She screamed.
)
( -Get in line. The youth replied disinterestedly.
)
( -Miaou! The fourlegged version agreed.
)
( She blushed a bit and tried to work up the courage to ask a
) question.
( -Forgive me for asking but, are his feelings the same as yours?
)
( The boy paused his petting for a moment and rubbed his chin
) in an effort to look like he was thinking.
( -I think so.
) She looked up into his eyes while she felt her her heart
( melting.
) -What would you think of me if this wasn't a dream?
(
) Taking a careful look at her, he replied honestly.
( -I'd be very frigthened.
)
( -Why? She cried worriedly.
)
( -I'm afraid of cats. He stated calmly.
)
( -But I'm not a cat! She whimpered.
)
( -I know.
)
( She started to despair (He'll think I'm one of those monsters
) from that pit, and he'll hate me and I am gonna be so lonely
( WAAAAHHH) She cried inwardly.
)
( He removing of a tear that had formed under her left eye.
) -What's the matter?
( She looked up into his caring face and was just about to cry
) for real when she got an idea.
(
) -Yes or no? She asked hurriedly.
(
) -What do you mean? He narrowed his eyes.
( She looked at him pleadingly.
) -Just say yes.
(
) -Okay, yes! The tear that Ranma still held on the tip of his
( finger smiled and evaporated.
)
( -Thanks, she said, vanishing.
Akane looked thoughtfully at the note yet again.
Contest for Ranchan.
You decide the type.
Winner gets one date.
Loser makes sure no-one interferes.
Interested?
Ukyou
p.s.
If all goes well, no matter who wins, we could make another one with the same stakes.
She was about to right throw it into the wastebasket, but stopped. (ONE date? If I win, a date alone with Ranma, without interferences. And if I lose, it would only be for ONE date)
She smiled when she thought about it (If it works, I could find out his feelings for me) She looked at the not again.
(ONE date?) She wrote her answer on the note and sent it back.
--
-The NEKO-KEN! The man paled to an almost grey color (wich made all of him apart of the same color tone, clothes and all)
-Nyaa! The little creature confirmed.
-And you're sure about this? He asked in a crouched position.
-Nyaa! She answered.
-Did he say yes?
-Nyaa! She replied again.
-We'll I certainly can't stop you. He said as he let her bond with her new master.
A moment later the boy woke up.
-What happened? He asked testily.
-You've got a new pet, the man in grey said as he shoved the litle creature into his arms.
-Come along now, he continued and pushed him through the door that opened up in free space.
-Remember to feed her a lot! He said before he closed the door.
-*phew* If they ever hold me responsible for this one, I'm screwed. Oh well, he amended, I better get old blue to take a look at the computers again.
He made his way back to the cages. (If she ever finds out that I've been using her pet for such "trivial matters" she won't let me sleep for a decade)
--
Outside Ranma stood, a bit dazed as she held the little furball.
Looking down without actually seeing it, she nearly laughed.
-Well whatever you are, it seems I'm gonna be taking care of you for a while so we'd better get home before either of us gets a cold.
Hayai didn't mind the change of gender, SHE was with HER owner, and that's all that mattered!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---
Can you see the red thread,
the yellow or the blue?
Can you see the green one
inbetween the two?
Take a look at all of it.
Can you see it too?
It all forms a tapestry.
A tapestry for you.
(Dewin Duvae)
---
Freemage's notes:
Look, I'm not kidding! It would be a really good idea to send Dewin a bit o' C&C, ASAP!
Click according to the thread you wish to follow:
