Post by Kira & Lee Norris on Aug 9, 2007 18:45:20 GMT
occ: I know this begins in the Entrance Hall, but it's mostly in the Common Room, so meh, here it goes...
Kira crossed the threshold of the school, throwing back her silvery blond hair over her shoulder as she did so. A bitter wind bit at her ankles, and the doors closed behind her with a loud, echoing bang; like a gunshot richochetting around the hall. Kira shivered slightly, pulling her sodden jacket off and twisting it around her arms.
The weather had turned cold and bitter on her way up to the school. Although the sun had scorched the Square just a few hours earlier, it had soon faded away behind steel grey clouds of thunder. Then great fat droplets of rain had begun to fall, spattering her exposed face with an awful, icy fury that sent her reeling backwards. Gritting her teeth, she'd pushed forwards, and was a sodden, shivering wreck by the time she'd reached the school gates.
Though... she wasn't sure whether she was shivering with the cold or nerves...
On her way past the defence group (she'd already sent a shadow ahead, as proof of identity) she'd begged them for any scrap of information about how the battle was going, but her pleas were met by nothing but curt nods or shakes of their heads. No-one made direct eye contact with her, and no-one spoke. Soon, she gave up on them all, and hurried her way up the path.
What she couldn't stand about all of this was this terrible... this terrible not knowing. She reckoned that had to be the worst of it. This awful lack of knowledge left a yawning gap in her mind; and soon, horrible pictures of war and bloodshed began to flit through it, entertaining her like some disgusting show. Each time an image came up, she pushed it down again, swallowing it back further and further; but the harder she tried, the more the demons of her mind began to nurse these fears. Death and destruction... bodies bathed in blood... screams... shouts... gunfire...
Was that the glory of battle?
The corridors were empty as she made her way through them. They were shrouded in a dark gloom; with the dull patter of rain beating the hope out of every second as it spattered the windows with a determined force. Kira stared dead ahead, her senses unusually alert, but her mind... her mind was far, far away...
Her mind was racing across the battle field with her friends. Inside her head her imagination was running wild. There came the pictures once more, flitting past, faster and faster until they burned and blurred into one, horrible, bloody mess... Kira was shaking, horribly aware of her stomach's contents snaking and twisting around each other in a mad dance. Her lungs kept squeezing- every breath hurt; and she was drenched in a cold sweat that left her chilled and clammy.
She just couldn't stop shaking...
She wanted to know...
Kira wished- for the millionth time- that she'd gone into battle with the Warriors; more importantly, with Madeleine. At least then she'd know something- she'd be part of it all- no time for thoughts, no time for worries- just adrenaline and bloodlust. She could imagine it now... the way the two circled each other, winding their way around her neck and choking her in their coils...
Kill, Kira, just kill...
Another one, another one...
... they're your enemy- KILL!
For Macy, or for herself?
She wasn't... she wasn't a bad person. She never had thought about killing someone before; but now the very thought was rocketing around her mind, chilling her. The point was- she could do it. She knew ways, did she not? She knew... she had that power over people; and vice versa. Kira was capable of murder.
But that didn't mean she would be able to do it.
Well, if this whole thing had taught her anything, Kira now knew she was a coward. Her friends had needed her, and she backed out. She was out there joking and laughing, for god's sake- whilst her friends could be dying... one by one...
I least I met Deron...
Oh, yes, some excuse. Was the acquaintance of one person worth the lives of dozens of others that you could've saved?
I don't know what would've happened if I'd gone...
Guess you never will then, huh?
Kira bit her lip. With each step she took on the winding staircases, she felt lower and lower. She couldn't deny that shameful feeling- that... that relief she felt. She was actually relieved she hadn't gone! Not only that, she was actually glad. Yes, on some level, she was happy with her decision.
Because I got to meet... to meet Deron...
Because you got to save your own butt.
I'm not a coward...
You are, you are, you are...
Coward... It was such a hateful, horrible word. It left her mind tainted, and her tongue dripping with sick. How she longed to rip that word apart; to throw it across the room and let it rot. But then, that wouldn't change what she was, would it?
Next time, came a fierce voice from inside of her. Next time, fear won't get in the way. Next time, you'll fight. Not only that- you'll win...
But then came a louder, far more solemn voice. What if there isn't a next time...?
Kira jumped as a door banged shut a few floors above her. The noise cracked like a whip throughout the deathly silent halls. Every so often, a dry sob came from behind one of the closed doors; sometimes, someone would just let it all out, and howl. Each little, miserable sound spoke volumes.
At least they were all going through the same thing...
Stretching out her arms blindly through the gloom, she pressed her hands against the familiar oaken doors of the Common Room. And then, as she pushed the door open, she could hear it... the tumultous cry of joy... of... no... it couldn't be? Victory. Suddenly, a dazzling light shone through as the whole room was illuminated before her eyes. Corks were flying, streamers criss-crossed the ceiling and a radiant Macy stood beaming at her, arms stretched wide in triumph... Her smile broke through to Kira, whose heart suddenly soared forward, flying about the room. She rushed towards Macy, embracing her friend tightly and sudden tears of joy and relief burst forth, tumbling down her cheeks...
"You're here, oh my god, you're here!" she half-laughed, half-sobbed into Macy's shoulder.
Laughing, Macy pulled back, grinning at her. "Wake up, Kira."
Kira's smile faltered. "Wh- what?"
"Wake up."
She blinked. The Common Room's light faded, and revealed itself to her properly. It was shrouded in shadows, and nearly empty, give or take a few silent residents. The merrily crackling fire had been extinguished, and the rain seemed even louder from in here. Over by the empty grate, Kira could see a couple, their arms tightly wrapped around each other. The girl was quietly sobbing, as the boy whispered to her; soft and soothing...
Kira felt her awful fear... her guilt and misery come rushing back all at once. She allowed herself a bitter smile. It'd just another one of her mad little dreams... or delusions, as it would seem... Just a happy little fantasy.
Wake up, Kira.
Suddenly, the very person she was looking for leapt out at her from across the room. There he was, hunched over by the chessboard, moving the pieces silently back and forth. All of sudden, she felt a sickening uprise of emotion in her throat, rising like a lump. It caught it her throat, gagging her, but she pushed it back determinedly.
Only a single tear escaped.
Making her way over, Kira sat down slowly beside him. After a few moments, he raised his dark eyes upwards, staring into her blue gaze. For a few moments, they sat in silence. Those seconds spoke more than words ever could.
Suddenly, Kira's hand reached out through the blackness, and took his, squeezing it tightly. For a moment, he looked like he was going to pull away, but then his whole frame sagged, and he pulled his cousin into a tight hug.
"I feel sick, Kira," he murmured softly, letting her go. "Is that normal? Sickness?"
"Either that, or we're both complete weirdos. Crazy!" she added, with a weak grin.
"Craziness is a nice feeling," he muttered.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing..." Lee leant backwards, stretching slightly, and turned towards the rain as it rammed against the window. "Doesn't seem real, does it?" he said suddenly. "I still can't quite believe..."
"Well you'd better believe it, 'cause it's sure as heck real," Kira said suddenly, reminding herself irrestibly of a boy from the village she'd met today...
Lee turned back to her, a little surprised. "Thanks."
Her smiled faded. "Sorry, Lee," she muttered.
There was another, brief silence, then he heaved a sigh. "Our family are idiots."
She nodded slowly, biting back the sarcastic comment she knew Deron would've spewed out in a second.
"I mean..." he sighed, rubbing his temple. "They're all... alive... aren't they? They're all... I mean..."
"They're all alive, and well. They could be together, they could be happy and yet they choose instead to bicker; to let a war rule their lives. A war! Which- might I add- if anybody just stood back and took a proper look, they would all just give up on, because the whole thing is ruddy ridiculous anyway. No stupid... stupid argument is worth the death of hundreds."
"Thousands."
"Millions."
"Billions."
"Trillions."
"Madeleine."
Kira jumped, staring at her cousin. She could only see him in profile, but it was enough. Feeling a sense of strange awkwardness, she reached out and put her free hand on his shoulder, pulling a little closer. She laid it there for a few moments- just a few- then drew it away again; but she held his hand ever the tighter.
"You really care about her, don't you?" she said softly, barely a whisper.
"Stupid, isn't it?" he said, in a strangely muffled voice. "I barely know her yet... there it is. Remember Kate? Remember Tiffany? Remember Jenna? It was never like this with any of them. I mean, I liked them. I knew them for ages. But it wasn't... y'know... the same..."
Kira smiled. "Yeah... I know. Madeleine's... well... yeah."
He laughed; a strange noise in such a quiet room. "Nice summary of her there."
"Indescribable," grinned Kira.
"That can be taken in a good way, or a bad way."
"Choose away," she giggled.
He smiled ruefully at her. "I don't want her to die."
Something inside Kira was twisting around itself, pulling tighter and tighter, but what it was... she couldn't say. She pushed a smile onto her face. "She won't."
"That's what she told me," he replied, his hold on her hand tightening painfully. "Before... or was it after? I can't remember... we kissed and then... I can't help but think... What if that's the last time I ever kiss her?"
"Sentimental twerp," she said softly.
He grinned. "We're at war, Kira. I have an excuse."
"She's a fighter."
"I know."
"She'll fight, Lee. And she'll win."
"I should've gone with her," he said suddenly, looking towards the window. "I should've gone- protected her- "
"Like she'd need it," scoffed Kira- not unkindly... more... reassuringly. "Come on, Lee. Don't... don't do that to yourself. I mean... you can't think about what you could've done or whatever. Concentrate on the now. Because... now's all that matters..."
Think about that, Kira. Think about that.
He nodded slowly, his grip on her slackening. "You're right, Kira. As always. No point in dwelling in the past... no point thinking back about what... could've been done- what should've been done... At least I kissed her. That was something."
That was everything. But Lee would never admit something like that. What he was already saying seemed to be an effort. It was funny... he probably would never say these things to anyone else- even Madeleine. Kira was just... an exception. She always had been. Always would be.
Silly sod. He was too easily embarrassed. That's all.
"Have you just been up here all day?" she asked him.
"I've been looking for you," he answered. "I went about the school- some of our old haunts and junk... where were you?"
"The village," she replied. "I went to the Square and Coffee Book Shop and..." And what? Spent your day faffing about? Spent your day not facing up to reality? Spent your day as a distraction?
"That's why I couldn't find you," he said blankly. "Makes sense. I didn't think to go down there. Would've been good. Would've helped to escape this place... just for a bit."
Kira felt a sudden, warm rush of affection for her cousin. "Yeah..."
"Intense, isn't it?" he muttered, his eyes flitting over the people in the room. They hovered just a fraction longer on the couple by the empty grate before snapping back to Kira. "Everyone feels it."
"Hard not to," she said dryly.
"I wish I was out there," he said suddenly; with an air of boldness about him. Suddenly, he was sitting up straight, a slightly more determined look about him. "I wish I was out there right now- fighting the fight."
Kira could've cried in her relief. "You've no idea how much I want that to."
He smiled at her, and pulled her into another rough hug. "To fight for the school."
"To fight for Macy."
"And to fight for Madeleine," he finished, letting her go, as he lapsed into silence. "I'd fight for her too..."
Kira crossed the threshold of the school, throwing back her silvery blond hair over her shoulder as she did so. A bitter wind bit at her ankles, and the doors closed behind her with a loud, echoing bang; like a gunshot richochetting around the hall. Kira shivered slightly, pulling her sodden jacket off and twisting it around her arms.
The weather had turned cold and bitter on her way up to the school. Although the sun had scorched the Square just a few hours earlier, it had soon faded away behind steel grey clouds of thunder. Then great fat droplets of rain had begun to fall, spattering her exposed face with an awful, icy fury that sent her reeling backwards. Gritting her teeth, she'd pushed forwards, and was a sodden, shivering wreck by the time she'd reached the school gates.
Though... she wasn't sure whether she was shivering with the cold or nerves...
On her way past the defence group (she'd already sent a shadow ahead, as proof of identity) she'd begged them for any scrap of information about how the battle was going, but her pleas were met by nothing but curt nods or shakes of their heads. No-one made direct eye contact with her, and no-one spoke. Soon, she gave up on them all, and hurried her way up the path.
What she couldn't stand about all of this was this terrible... this terrible not knowing. She reckoned that had to be the worst of it. This awful lack of knowledge left a yawning gap in her mind; and soon, horrible pictures of war and bloodshed began to flit through it, entertaining her like some disgusting show. Each time an image came up, she pushed it down again, swallowing it back further and further; but the harder she tried, the more the demons of her mind began to nurse these fears. Death and destruction... bodies bathed in blood... screams... shouts... gunfire...
Was that the glory of battle?
The corridors were empty as she made her way through them. They were shrouded in a dark gloom; with the dull patter of rain beating the hope out of every second as it spattered the windows with a determined force. Kira stared dead ahead, her senses unusually alert, but her mind... her mind was far, far away...
Her mind was racing across the battle field with her friends. Inside her head her imagination was running wild. There came the pictures once more, flitting past, faster and faster until they burned and blurred into one, horrible, bloody mess... Kira was shaking, horribly aware of her stomach's contents snaking and twisting around each other in a mad dance. Her lungs kept squeezing- every breath hurt; and she was drenched in a cold sweat that left her chilled and clammy.
She just couldn't stop shaking...
She wanted to know...
Kira wished- for the millionth time- that she'd gone into battle with the Warriors; more importantly, with Madeleine. At least then she'd know something- she'd be part of it all- no time for thoughts, no time for worries- just adrenaline and bloodlust. She could imagine it now... the way the two circled each other, winding their way around her neck and choking her in their coils...
Kill, Kira, just kill...
Another one, another one...
... they're your enemy- KILL!
For Macy, or for herself?
She wasn't... she wasn't a bad person. She never had thought about killing someone before; but now the very thought was rocketing around her mind, chilling her. The point was- she could do it. She knew ways, did she not? She knew... she had that power over people; and vice versa. Kira was capable of murder.
But that didn't mean she would be able to do it.
Well, if this whole thing had taught her anything, Kira now knew she was a coward. Her friends had needed her, and she backed out. She was out there joking and laughing, for god's sake- whilst her friends could be dying... one by one...
I least I met Deron...
Oh, yes, some excuse. Was the acquaintance of one person worth the lives of dozens of others that you could've saved?
I don't know what would've happened if I'd gone...
Guess you never will then, huh?
Kira bit her lip. With each step she took on the winding staircases, she felt lower and lower. She couldn't deny that shameful feeling- that... that relief she felt. She was actually relieved she hadn't gone! Not only that, she was actually glad. Yes, on some level, she was happy with her decision.
Because I got to meet... to meet Deron...
Because you got to save your own butt.
I'm not a coward...
You are, you are, you are...
Coward... It was such a hateful, horrible word. It left her mind tainted, and her tongue dripping with sick. How she longed to rip that word apart; to throw it across the room and let it rot. But then, that wouldn't change what she was, would it?
Next time, came a fierce voice from inside of her. Next time, fear won't get in the way. Next time, you'll fight. Not only that- you'll win...
But then came a louder, far more solemn voice. What if there isn't a next time...?
Kira jumped as a door banged shut a few floors above her. The noise cracked like a whip throughout the deathly silent halls. Every so often, a dry sob came from behind one of the closed doors; sometimes, someone would just let it all out, and howl. Each little, miserable sound spoke volumes.
At least they were all going through the same thing...
Stretching out her arms blindly through the gloom, she pressed her hands against the familiar oaken doors of the Common Room. And then, as she pushed the door open, she could hear it... the tumultous cry of joy... of... no... it couldn't be? Victory. Suddenly, a dazzling light shone through as the whole room was illuminated before her eyes. Corks were flying, streamers criss-crossed the ceiling and a radiant Macy stood beaming at her, arms stretched wide in triumph... Her smile broke through to Kira, whose heart suddenly soared forward, flying about the room. She rushed towards Macy, embracing her friend tightly and sudden tears of joy and relief burst forth, tumbling down her cheeks...
"You're here, oh my god, you're here!" she half-laughed, half-sobbed into Macy's shoulder.
Laughing, Macy pulled back, grinning at her. "Wake up, Kira."
Kira's smile faltered. "Wh- what?"
"Wake up."
She blinked. The Common Room's light faded, and revealed itself to her properly. It was shrouded in shadows, and nearly empty, give or take a few silent residents. The merrily crackling fire had been extinguished, and the rain seemed even louder from in here. Over by the empty grate, Kira could see a couple, their arms tightly wrapped around each other. The girl was quietly sobbing, as the boy whispered to her; soft and soothing...
Kira felt her awful fear... her guilt and misery come rushing back all at once. She allowed herself a bitter smile. It'd just another one of her mad little dreams... or delusions, as it would seem... Just a happy little fantasy.
Wake up, Kira.
Suddenly, the very person she was looking for leapt out at her from across the room. There he was, hunched over by the chessboard, moving the pieces silently back and forth. All of sudden, she felt a sickening uprise of emotion in her throat, rising like a lump. It caught it her throat, gagging her, but she pushed it back determinedly.
Only a single tear escaped.
Making her way over, Kira sat down slowly beside him. After a few moments, he raised his dark eyes upwards, staring into her blue gaze. For a few moments, they sat in silence. Those seconds spoke more than words ever could.
Suddenly, Kira's hand reached out through the blackness, and took his, squeezing it tightly. For a moment, he looked like he was going to pull away, but then his whole frame sagged, and he pulled his cousin into a tight hug.
"I feel sick, Kira," he murmured softly, letting her go. "Is that normal? Sickness?"
"Either that, or we're both complete weirdos. Crazy!" she added, with a weak grin.
"Craziness is a nice feeling," he muttered.
"Hmm?"
"Nothing..." Lee leant backwards, stretching slightly, and turned towards the rain as it rammed against the window. "Doesn't seem real, does it?" he said suddenly. "I still can't quite believe..."
"Well you'd better believe it, 'cause it's sure as heck real," Kira said suddenly, reminding herself irrestibly of a boy from the village she'd met today...
Lee turned back to her, a little surprised. "Thanks."
Her smiled faded. "Sorry, Lee," she muttered.
There was another, brief silence, then he heaved a sigh. "Our family are idiots."
She nodded slowly, biting back the sarcastic comment she knew Deron would've spewed out in a second.
"I mean..." he sighed, rubbing his temple. "They're all... alive... aren't they? They're all... I mean..."
"They're all alive, and well. They could be together, they could be happy and yet they choose instead to bicker; to let a war rule their lives. A war! Which- might I add- if anybody just stood back and took a proper look, they would all just give up on, because the whole thing is ruddy ridiculous anyway. No stupid... stupid argument is worth the death of hundreds."
"Thousands."
"Millions."
"Billions."
"Trillions."
"Madeleine."
Kira jumped, staring at her cousin. She could only see him in profile, but it was enough. Feeling a sense of strange awkwardness, she reached out and put her free hand on his shoulder, pulling a little closer. She laid it there for a few moments- just a few- then drew it away again; but she held his hand ever the tighter.
"You really care about her, don't you?" she said softly, barely a whisper.
"Stupid, isn't it?" he said, in a strangely muffled voice. "I barely know her yet... there it is. Remember Kate? Remember Tiffany? Remember Jenna? It was never like this with any of them. I mean, I liked them. I knew them for ages. But it wasn't... y'know... the same..."
Kira smiled. "Yeah... I know. Madeleine's... well... yeah."
He laughed; a strange noise in such a quiet room. "Nice summary of her there."
"Indescribable," grinned Kira.
"That can be taken in a good way, or a bad way."
"Choose away," she giggled.
He smiled ruefully at her. "I don't want her to die."
Something inside Kira was twisting around itself, pulling tighter and tighter, but what it was... she couldn't say. She pushed a smile onto her face. "She won't."
"That's what she told me," he replied, his hold on her hand tightening painfully. "Before... or was it after? I can't remember... we kissed and then... I can't help but think... What if that's the last time I ever kiss her?"
"Sentimental twerp," she said softly.
He grinned. "We're at war, Kira. I have an excuse."
"She's a fighter."
"I know."
"She'll fight, Lee. And she'll win."
"I should've gone with her," he said suddenly, looking towards the window. "I should've gone- protected her- "
"Like she'd need it," scoffed Kira- not unkindly... more... reassuringly. "Come on, Lee. Don't... don't do that to yourself. I mean... you can't think about what you could've done or whatever. Concentrate on the now. Because... now's all that matters..."
Think about that, Kira. Think about that.
He nodded slowly, his grip on her slackening. "You're right, Kira. As always. No point in dwelling in the past... no point thinking back about what... could've been done- what should've been done... At least I kissed her. That was something."
That was everything. But Lee would never admit something like that. What he was already saying seemed to be an effort. It was funny... he probably would never say these things to anyone else- even Madeleine. Kira was just... an exception. She always had been. Always would be.
Silly sod. He was too easily embarrassed. That's all.
"Have you just been up here all day?" she asked him.
"I've been looking for you," he answered. "I went about the school- some of our old haunts and junk... where were you?"
"The village," she replied. "I went to the Square and Coffee Book Shop and..." And what? Spent your day faffing about? Spent your day not facing up to reality? Spent your day as a distraction?
"That's why I couldn't find you," he said blankly. "Makes sense. I didn't think to go down there. Would've been good. Would've helped to escape this place... just for a bit."
Kira felt a sudden, warm rush of affection for her cousin. "Yeah..."
"Intense, isn't it?" he muttered, his eyes flitting over the people in the room. They hovered just a fraction longer on the couple by the empty grate before snapping back to Kira. "Everyone feels it."
"Hard not to," she said dryly.
"I wish I was out there," he said suddenly; with an air of boldness about him. Suddenly, he was sitting up straight, a slightly more determined look about him. "I wish I was out there right now- fighting the fight."
Kira could've cried in her relief. "You've no idea how much I want that to."
He smiled at her, and pulled her into another rough hug. "To fight for the school."
"To fight for Macy."
"And to fight for Madeleine," he finished, letting her go, as he lapsed into silence. "I'd fight for her too..."
