| Title: The World We Loved Author: Anna Disclaimers: Same old, same old! Not mine. Notes: Heh. I'm in a rare mood today...this will be a weird chapter, consequently. Well, this is a weird fic...*nervous grin* So let's see if I can pull this off, hmm? P.S. I know this chapter ends abruptly, but...but! I'm lacking in good-chapter-ending skills. Chapter Seven Cerasi was asleep in the front room of Qui-Gon Jinn's quarters, curled up on Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's sofa, hidden beneath several blankets. Obi-Wan didn't want to rouse her. Bringing her up had been an adventure in itself. She had barely been awake as he guided her inside, and without a word, she had fallen back into an unmoving slumber. He splashed water on his face in the refresher. Any relief he had felt earlier was gone. He had no idea what was wrong with Cerasi, and seeing her cry had driven home the fact that there was nothing he could really do for her. Obi-Wan gazed out the door to the pile of blankets and cushions where his friend was sleeping, sighed, and looked into the mirror. He started, eyes widening at the blood on his tunic. It wasn't old blood either, just barely changing to the rusty brown dried color. But the only person who had touched him was Cerasi...which meant... He sprinted out into the common room, and gently shook Cerasi awake. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?" "Hmm? No...what's wrong?" she looked blearily at him, and as the lighting reflected on her eyes, they shone a brilliant yellow-green. "Obi-Wan?" "I just..." there didn't appear to be any blood on her tunic. Baffled, Obi-Wan looked down at his red stained shirt. The only person to touch him was her. He wasn't hurt, and neither was she. He frowned. Thinking back, he was certain that when they had first landed on that planet, he was clean. Then Cerasi had come to him, sobbing... But that was all. And the conclusion was stupid; people didn't cry blood, and neither did she. He had seen her cry real tears on Melida/Daan. And then, presently, he saw her face. He saw the horrified, astonished, defensive expression as she stared at the blood. "What?" "Nothing." her tone was clipped. ^Fangs^ his thought was dripping with terror. He probably couldn't even feel all the emotion that thought was tainted with. But Cerasi did. Her mind couldn't go numb from someone else's feelings. Her hand covered her mouth, eyes shut, and then she leaped off the couch. "Cerasi!" he called, trying to grab her. She yanked open the door as Obi-Wan pushed himself to his feet and ran to the door. She was too fast; the door slammed shut the second before he got there. She was halfway down the corridor by the time he threw open the door. "Cerasi! Wait!" he felt the Force flow around him, and he drew on it, boosting his speed. She leaped up, higher than any 'normal' person he had ever seen...but she wasn't a 'normal person' now, was she? "Wait!" She hoisted herself up to the vent above, the fingers of one hand expertly holding her whole weight while she tried to undo the latch to the ventilation shaft. It wasn't working, though, and she knew it, so she dropped back down. By then Obi-Wan was there. In the brighter lights of the hallways, her eyes had lost the yellow tint, which helped his nerves a bit. "Cerasi," he whispered. She turned away from him. ~Of all places? A dead end?~ //It's not funny...// ~Being caught?~ "Cerasi...what's happened?" ~Somehow I'm doubting he's got his wits about him. Maybe you should show him your fangs.~ //Shut up, shut up, shut up!// She tried to run. Obi-Wan recognized it before she got two steps. "No!" he stepped in front of her. "Please...listen to me? Talk to me." She didn't hear much of what he was saying; what she did hear wasn't registering. Her thoughts were still centered on two words. "I'm a...vampire..." she whispered raggedly. //Shut up!// ~Shora will know~ //Shut up!// ~Shora!~ She straightened. "I have to go," she told Obi-Wan, straight on. And then she pushed past him, running as far and as fast as she could. ******* "What have you done to me?" Cerasi had never felt so much anger directed at one person. It was strange that it was her anger. Perhaps I ought to try to explain that, one of the mute doctors replied. Shora was still looking, bemused, at her hostaged servant. You see, the chemical we gave you was dilute for a reason, apparently. Besides being mentally traumatic. //Mentally I'm just the same,// Cerasi thought bitterly. One of my partners mixed an experimental substance in that we found in an ancient ruin. We believe it's some sort of Sith punishment drug. Punishing, you see, because it attacks your blood. You need a Force user's blood-more specifically, their midichlorians-to prevent it from destroying your blood cells. Is this all clear? "Yes!" her hands were shaking. "Why did you do this to me?" Oh...dear girl, don't be afraid. Your instincts will tell you what to do. And I'm certain we can find some way to reverse it. Cerasi's stomach felt tight. "How can you know for sure? You can't, can you?" Sith were clever. They wouldn't have made something like this without- "They would have if it was just a punishment!" ***End Part Seven*** |
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