Remnants of the Earth
ARCHIVES => Abandoned IC Stuff => The Archives => Scrapped Threads => Topic started by: Anonymous on November 24, 2008, 10:26:53 pm
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Imagine a beautiful landscape, with wide flowing rivers, grassy hills, a valley in the far corner with a thick, dark wood to give a fine contrast. In the distance, one can see mountains and how the streams lead up to them in a gentle rush of crystal blue water. Few words could describe the awe and power of nature upon the mere sight of it. And yet, despite its raw stature, it is soothing to the soul and gives one a feeling of tranquility. Perhaps this place once existed. Perhaps this was what a blue planet known as Earth looked like.
Now take this same landscape, add Man, science, and technology into the equation, and you get a wasteland. For this was earth five thousand years later.
Or at least that was how Void remembered it. Had it been so long since he’d visited this particular galaxy to this particular system that he could only vaguely picture the omnipresent beauty that was once a place called Earth? It must have been, for he couldn’t calculate any other method in which to understand the inhospitable terrain that existed beneath his feet came to be.
As he let gravity take hold of his lean form and sink him down towards the dinginess below, he was met by the most unusual climate thrashing in his existence. The air was thick and cloudy and dust threatened his eyes. Internally, he thanked whoever was his creator that he could hold his breath for long periods of time.
Sealing off his lungs, Void let his body plummet towards the planet’s surface. The air rushed pasted him as he fell like a sinking rocket. He gained speed until he was practically free falling. He didn’t expect the landing to be smooth. Yet what he least expected the most was to land in the most out of place patch of green he’d ever seen.
The patched enlarged quickly, and soon became a mildly wide forest. Immediately, he plunged into the depths of an unknown body of water. Water filled his nostrils as he thrust open his eyes and felt his body slowly recover from the abrupt stop in a downward motion. The stop was nearly a shock wave and his body instinctively reacted by fighting to break the surface. He rushed against the fifteen feet of water above him, kicking with his boots until his hands reached thin air. His purple hair was the first to be spotted as he gasped for breath.
Regaining some sense of calm, Void allowed himself to float upon the surface. Still it was nothing like the weightlessness of space. For a few brief seconds of glancing about, he could have sworn he had landed on another planet, for this single patch of green was the primary anomaly of what first greeted his sight. Was this place all that remained of the old Earth? This was almost too much to take in at once and for one who was as old as he was, it took a while to register something that was quite out of place.
So, he just floated there in the midst of the placid pond, every muscle in his body aching and throbbing from the recovery of the fall. So it probably wouldn’t be very surprising if he looked like a dead body with his still form and ashen skin.
[Not the best post I've ever written but I hope you have enough to work with.]
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A soft humming could be heard drifting through the wood, accompanied by a rhythmic crunching of twigs. A bug-eyed (and rather cute) furry rodent scampered up a nearby oak tree, shaking it's tail huffily at the raven-haired girl passing by and smiling at him, as pale white sunlight filtered gently through the trees, and scattered dry leaves shivered on skeletal branches, creating tiny bits of dancing light on the forest floor.
It was Autumn in Sevenwinds.
Della had taken a peek outside this morning and couldn't help but hang the “out for lunch” sign on her shop door earlier than usual. The sunshine was radiant, bouncing off so many colored leaves and creating such an enticing glow that it seemed all the woods animals were out today simply just to enjoy the calm of the last natural forest on planet earth.
How can that be? Della asked herself, shuddering at the thought. She shook off the wave of despair looming over her and instead chose to live in the moment. This was a fairly regular battle for her.
Large basket in hand, she had spent the last hour or so taking a slow and careful stroll through the wilderness, gathering various plants with medicinal properties. This was the best time of year to collect some of the villages most coveted winter staples, and very few had the knowledge to properly extract the elements needed. Della came in handy for that, she had quite a knack with anything that is was or will eventually be growing. Not to mention, it was decent for trading to get what she needed to survive with a little luxury added.
A clearing near a large pond came in to view up ahead and it was decided that this would be a perfect place to have a sit and enjoy a bit of lunch. She placed her basket on the stump of a fallen tree and gracefully removed her cloak, spreading it on the ground to act as a picnic blanket, and made herself comfortable with her bread and pumpkin butter.
“What a glorious day!” she stated aloud, tossing a bread crust to the small Robbin a few feet ahead. Migration ceased to exist in this tortured world, as there are very few places to migrate to. The birds in this wood had learned to adapt themselves to the cold, harsh winters, and even still many didn't make it. Della smiled at him knowingly, compassionately acknowledging the struggle he was about to endure, and tossed him a whole slice of bread broken in to bird-sized bits.
“Eat your fill, little man. You're going to need it.”
The Robbin fluttered it's feathers gratefully and did just that. When it had devoured nearly half of the crumbs, it nudged the remainder into a small pile, which he gradually started picking up and flying away with, only to return and repeat. Della watched him, very much amused, and imagined he must be taking them home to his nest to save for later. She rose to her feet in search of wherever that might be, considering it might be a good idea to take note, so she could check up her new little friend when the days became a little colder.
She carefully peeked around the large tree she had been sitting against, trying to spot where the Robbin had gone without disturbing him. It was then, with quite a start, that she noticed the body in the water.
She stumbled backward, her heart catching in her throat and her hand moving quickly to cover her mouth. It was never good, finding people in the woods like this. More than once Della had discovered something dreadful hidden in her travels to the far edges of these lands. A large number of residents to this area feared going too deep in to the forest, and with fair reasoning. There were creatures there that differed greatly from those they were quite used to. However, this particular pond wasn't in terribly deep at all, in fact it was scarcely two miles from the edge of town.
Della wrinkled her nose, somewhat confused, as she noted that whatever it was (it appeared to be human-ish, anyway) though discolored, wasn't plump and bloated like most things you find dead in the water. She squinted her eyes, peering closely, and decided something was not quite right here. She reached down and grabbed a fairly long stick, and proceeded to creep closer to the pond.
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The form that floated in the pond and was slowly drifting toward the near edge had two arms, two legs, a body, and a head; qualities that would usually ascertain if a being was human or, at the very least, humanoid. The humanoid body of which Void naturally assumed was definitely male, for there were no breasts on the chest area that would distinguish him as female. The soaked clothing on his lean form consisted of a black sleeveless tunic, a white sash-like cloth wrapped around his waist with ends floating on either side of him, conforming brown pants with the thigh-area effectively cut away in a rounded oval shape, and black lace-less boots that looked like weights upon his feet. Void floated upon the surface of the pond almost as if he were gliding and, with his face placid, as he was ready to slumber right where he was. But still, he was flesh and blood in this form, and would probably freeze or drown if he didn’t get to dry land soon.
He didn’t sense the approach of another in the area nor did he hear any available voice that could break through his trance. Yet it wasn’t a voice that permeated into his thoughts but the chirping of a bird nearby. His eyes fluttered open slowly as his chest faintly rose to take in a breath. It seemed he drifted far enough on the bank that he didn’t need to use any of his limbs to take him to the nearest part of the shore.
Turning over on his belly, Void reached the pond’s shore with little effort, crawling on his hands and knees as he shook his purple hair as a dog would in an attempt to free himself from too much moisture. Yet as he flung it back over his head, he peered up to find a strangely horned being in front of his sights. And she was reaching for a stick! Immediately that action sent alarms ringing in his head and his magenta eyes flashed decisively.
The mere sight of her was enough to cause him alarm, for he didn’t think he’d ever seen a girl with horns growing out of her head that wasn’t an alien. But then again he didn’t think, after all the destruction and whatnot, that humans would like aliens on their planet. Natives of most worlds were like that in some fashion. Still, from what he could tell, the being before him didn’t register on any of the aliens he could remember seeing in the last thousand years. More importantly, however, he hoped to prevent what might become a hostile situation.
“You,” he said with a demanding undertone. “What are you doing with that stick?”
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As Della returned to a full standing position, she was stopped dead in her tracks. Here she had been expecting to take on the unfortunate job of poking a recently drowned man with a stick, and now he was out of the water and speaking to her? Her dark eyes slowly took in the scene around her as she pursed her dry, scarlet lips. Purple hair... and bright pink eyes? This guys wasn't from around here.
A small, teasing gust of wind rushed around this scene in pause, coming up and gently pushing at Void from the backside and then moved forward, hitting a bemused Della full on. Her simple, loose-fitting white gown was forced to cling to her curves, while her waist-length dark locks were blown back away from her face and made to dance for only a moment as though attached to marionette strings being manned from the branches above.
The girl realized that indeed she was holding a stick, and seeing as though this odd man was no longer lying dead in a pool of water, such a stick seemed rather unnecessary. She blinked a few times, bewildered, and stammered in a whisper for a moment. She considered tossing the small branch to the side to ease his mind, but second-guessed herself, reasoning that this stranger may potentially be dangerous. She sighed a little in earnest: What was a silly old stick going to protect her from anyway?
She attempted a good-mannered smile at the soaked stranger before her and snapped the stick in half. He spoke her language, it seemed. That would make things easier.
“I uh, hmph...” she trailed off, her eyes displaying a gentle kindness while the rest of her body screamed deer in headlights. “Honestly? I thought you... um...” ...were dead, and I was going to poke you with it? She winced, tossing the two smaller sticks to her right, far enough away that he shouldn't worry, and then cleared her throat, trying hard not to be threatening or at the very least awkward.
“Are... are you alright?”
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Here he was on Earth no more than ten minutes and already he was sure his nerves were on end. Void was a solitary creature, unaccustomed to socialization that involved nothing to be gained. He had no remorse for using people and disposing of them for his own means. However, the situation was quite different when he encountered another being with no motives; such moments often called for either intense hostility (he never trusted anyone completely) or severe awkwardness. So much for living thousands of years and then never obtaining proper social skills.
Void kept his expression anxious despite the fact that the girl before him had disposed of the stick. He’d no intention of hurting her, only to protect himself. As far as he knew, if a person didn’t take care of number one then everyone else would walk all over them. He was yet to obtain a number two, three, and so on. He found it strange that the female opposite him, despite being of a race unknown to him, attempted efforts toward a friendly disposition. Furrowing his eyebrows in slight bewilderment, he questioned internally, Have humans changed so much in the last five thousand years?[/i]
Shaking himself from the thought, he slowly took his glance downward, unwilling to meet her gaze. Taking each motion smoothly as to avoid further awkwardness, he carefully shifted to sit on his haunches. He took great care to avoid letting her see him tremble as he shivered as a result of the gust of wind. “I…” he began carefully. “I…will live. Swimming is not a problem for me if that’s what you’re implying.”
He looked up at her, his eyes clearly conveying a faint sense of mistrust toward her. Yet he continued his articulation, “Do you always go around ponds in search of bodies? Who are you anyway?” Though his expression may have been less than nice, he meant the questions to be genuine. Surely he had no true desire to get to know her but he knew that it would make adjustment into this world easier if he knew her name and purpose. He didn’t think it was safe to assume that body-searching was a common activity on Earth…even after five thousand years.
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Della raised a quizzical eyebrow at the mention of body-searching.
“I frequent the area, yes, but in search of fulfillment and tranquility... as opposed to bodies.” He seemed strange; out of place. Almost as though he was uncomfortable in his own skin. “I don't get much more than sadness and nausea from finding bodies. Perhaps a nightmare here or there.”
She imagined for a moment that somewhere someone must actually have the responsibility to patrol and collect bodies, and the thought was wrenching, and sickening. She closed her eyes for a moment to steady herself and took a deep breath, hoping to avoid stating her name before being confident that there was no reason to be concerned.
“I live near town,” she stated vaguely. “and you don't. So I think really the question of the hour, would be who you are, exactly. And why you're floating fully clothed in my favorite swimming hole?”
She had, for whatever reason, gained a notable amount of confidence suddenly and folded her arms, expectantly awaiting a response.
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It was said that learning was an experience that one endured through life, for as long as one lived. But sleeping for long periods of time during the ‘learning’ process helped no one and it certainly wasn’t Void’s savior. One could almost quite literally claim that he was as old as dirt if anyone was able to say that they knew him long enough. But still one of his favorite activities, aside from manipulating people, was sleeping. Or rather, taking time off from watching one world destroy another. It was sort of like vacation for him.
But these slumbers did nothing to help him keep up with the changes of time and learn properly. Thus, he could sit here now and say that talking to this…er, person…was going to teach him nothing. And yet he knew the only way to learn more about this world was through socializing with the natives; after all, he might get the wrong impression about Earthlings from just observing them. But it couldn’t be helped. He had to choose between enduring the terror of social interaction and remaining as ignorant as ever. He’d leave being ignorant to the village idiot.
Void looked down once more to the soil beneath his boots realizing that she was turning the tables of the conversation. Not that he cared, but he could see now that she wasn’t intending on telling him anything completely useful. “You—aren’t going to make this easy… This I can see. You wish to know who I am?” He paused for a moment, remembering how he’d been personified through the ages. Without skipping a beat he answered, “My name is Void. I, uh, landed.” He carried his magenta eyes to the clear sky above his head, pointing as well. “From the sky.” He then pointed to the pond. “The water broke my fall.”
He turned his head quickly and stared at her, eye to eye. “Should I dare hope that that answers your question?” He smashed his eyebrows together in an attempt to make a sarcastic expression out of the discomfort caused by shivering in the cold wind. Then he quickly remember something she’d said only seconds earlier. Town, she lives beside a town somewhere close by. Softening his expression, he said, “You said there’s a town nearby, right? Could you take me there?” It wasn’t like he planned on staying in his drenched clothes forever.
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A complete and utter wave of confusion had crested on Della and now settled around her comfortably, finding it's way it in to tiny nooks and crannies that might otherwise hold some shred of graspable information. She was, for possibly one of the first times in her life, entirely stumped on what her next move ought to be. Her sense of safety in the wood was threatened, and her otherwise keen intuition was running in circles like a puppy awaiting a stick to be thrown. The sun had gone beyond a mountain and it was getting darker, and cold. She shivered, longing for her cloak but abstaining from any sudden movement.
Della paused to give herself a moment to process. He was from space, apparently. That could mean one of several things, a couple of which were harmless and a few that were quite the opposite. Several years ago when she was oblivious to life outside of Sevenwinds, Della would have been happily intrigued and would take it upon herself to run him home immediately and make sure he was alright, but these days, one had to be a bit more cautious.
She set her jaw and narrowed her eyes, considering him intently. There was always the chance he was some sort of spy, and it would be dreadfully silly to lead him straight to the heart of town. On the contrary, there was always the chance he was someone just like her: just an innocent bystander thrown into a frightening world. Not one to shy away from opportunity, she finally rationalized that her home was on the outskirts of town, and she could easily mislead him at least to hold him off should the need arise.
Nodding her head in agreement with herself, she said, “I'm Della, and yes, there is a town not far from here.” She moved her hand before her eyes to shield a dry, gray leaf swirling at her through another gust of wind, and when she dropped her arm, she daringly met his eyes. “My house isn't far from here. First, however, I'm afraid I require you to state your purpose here.” She said it playfully, but was unsure of herself. She sensed something far beyond her comprehension, and she could only hope she was making a wise decision.
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Now this was more like it! Suddenly this was turning into something that resembled an interrogation. This was something along the lines that Void was used to. It seemed she was holding something from him, something she was keeping secret. He didn’t have to know anything about this world to recognize she was dodging his questions. Very well, she’ll have it her way until the moment was right. Besides, there wasn’t much Void had to hide right now.
….except his purpose.
But he rationalized that who might believe he was a time-shifter to come across thousands of light years to find the fool who thought they should suddenly invent a time-machine. He was sure there was still such a thing as ‘crazy’ in this little patch of green that remained of Earth. Telling her anything that had to do with time travel was sure to brand him as a maniac, or whatever they’re calling those people nowadays.
He tipped his head to her slightly, observing her tone and attempted method of projection. She seemed unsure of something… Perhaps unconvinced of her own confidence? Maybe she was sure she couldn’t trust him? These were questions that could be asked later; at a time when he wasn’t so damn cold! So of course he would take the initiative to lead her where he thought it best to lead her in conversation. Void nodded slightly, “It’s a pleasure to meet you Della.” He smiled wryly. Fading it away rather quickly, he resorted back to his old visage. “I’ve escaped…” he looked away to enhance the effect of such a perfect lie. But who? Escaped from who? “You see, I was dropped off by a salvage ship just a while ago from taking a few things from a prison barge. They found me in the heap as I managed to slip away from the view of the guards. Telling them my story, they told me they could help me escape. So they proceeded to hide me inside the garbage and that Earth was their next stop. And so they just…dropped me off."
Void filled his eyes with anxiety as if he was sure Della might give him away. To add to his feign's effectiveness, he softly finished with, "That's why I was a little hostile toward you when you had the stick. Will you help me?"
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A smirk grew on Della's face and a glint in her narrowed eyes as he told his tale. Well, he couldn't be a spy from Aedolis, otherwise he would have had a far more seamless story. As that was the most important thing to know, Della decided they were clear to head home, and anyway, this was the most excitement she'd seen in months... not to mention the company (though awkward and tense) was something similar to enjoyable.
She nodded by way of acceptance, then immediately crouched to retrieve her basket and handed it abruptly to Void, implying he ought to be a gentleman and carry it for her. Della went on to brush off her cloak and swirled it around her broad shoulders, as though nothing he had said was out of the ordinary in the slightest.
“We travel due West.” She said, nonchalantly hooking the clasp on her cloak. “It's only about a 30 minute walk, if you can keep up.” She looked over her shoulder and shot him a brief smile before simply taking off toward her home– in an East-bound direction.
Not waiting around for a question or even a protest, she swiftly glided through the clearing and into the wood in the direction she had come from, hardly making a sound. She knew this forest floor so well, it was as though she always knew which direction to place her foot, never snapping a twig or stumbling over a fallen branch. Glancing behind was unnecessary... she was pretty sure he would follow.
After several long moments of travel, she thought it wise to make sure he was keeping up and hollered behind her, “So how did you really get here? There aren't any dumping spots around for miles, and all our waste is self-contained.” A broad smile crept across her lips in jest, and when she went a few moments unanswered, she slowed her pace and turned to check behind her. “hey...” what was it again? “...Void?”
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He wasn’t entirely sure if she bought the tale or not, but it definitely wasn’t the best story he ever weaved. But it seemed sufficient enough for she signaled that they begin their journey. The effort of leading her around with words no longer mattered, only their destination. Or at least where he had assumed she would lead him. There was no underestimating this one, he wasn’t that naïve. But still….he would take his chances if he had to. There was much to learn about the ways of this new world and it was always better to start sooner than later.
He mimicked her actions, standing only after she did and wiping off some dirt that proceeded to stick to his backside. Adjusting his waist wraps slightly about his abdomen, he was about to step forward when she offered him her basket. Looking down at it with some confusion, it wasn’t until he recalled the customs of some other cultures that he figured she might want him to carry it. Why, can’t she hold it herself? She has two perfectly good arms, doesn’t she? Still, he did as was bid of him since there was no harm in doing so.
She set off at a rather speedy pace, but he wasn’t too perturbed for his own long legs could take him across an expanse of land rather swiftly. Nature surrounded him on all sides and the heartbeat of a wounded land beat languidly in the atmosphere about him. He could practically feel its withered skin about him. But the fact that this was a devastated world was something he was willing to accept for wasn’t Man ever to be a destroyer of himself and all about him. As far as he was concerned they were not a race worth saving…
The minutes passed as he kept up behind Della. There was no need to shrink the distance between them, for he was merely following where she led. Eventually she took the time to ensure that he was following and she did so with a comment regarding his story. It took only a brief second for him to stop dead in his tracks as she fumbled to find his name. He looked at her piercingly as was wont of him in his natural state. His eyes always were like mirrored daggers.
So, she could see right through his lie… Why wasn’t he surprised? Earthlings never seemed to stop being clever creatures even if he could tell this one wasn’t human. Oh, well, it wasn’t like he lied to her about the landing part. He could work around this. “You’re smarter than you look,” he replied darkly, grinning for only a second. “But I told you already.” Void looked at the underbrush beneath his boots once more and met her with a flawless gaze. “I came from the sky. I drifted over and just kinda…y’know fell.” He didn’t know what she expected from his answer, but as far as he understood there was really nothing to hide.
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She nearly jumped right out of her skin when Della turned around to check to see that Void was following closely, and found him to be far closer (and quieter) than she had expected. She blinked several times and took a deep breath before taking a small step backwards to distance them a tad. Who was this guy, anyway? His eyes were haunting and had an effect similar to the sun in that they were too bright to look in to. Della averted her gaze instead to the darkening sky and noted that a storm seemed to be blowing in. Best to hurry home, and put a kettle on the fire.
She turned to proceed onward, but more slowly this time to keep up conversation. Her curiosity was getting the best of her, and in any case, he could be rather charming and would make for a good dinner guest. The Xanathian estate had become quite the lonely spectacle over the last few years, and Della, however risky it might be, was looking forward to entertaining.
“You... fell?” Just fell, right out of the sky?” it was questioned with no disrespect, but only curiosity.
She allowed his stride to fall beside hers as the trees grew more sparse and far between, rocking back on her heel to search his shoulders for any wings that might be hiding under sopping wet clothing.
“I don't see any wings... and if you had some sort of... space... flyer... I would imagine we would have seen it in passing...” blah blah blah BLAH BLAH... SHUT UP, Della!
A hand flew to smack her own forehead out of desperation. She said nothing, perhaps it was a better idea to just keep quiet and stop asking questions that could get her in trouble.
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Void looked up to the sky, regarding what she said. “Yes. I fell from the sky.” He kept his eyes front even though she made it quite obvious that she was taking time to inspect him for…something. She was acting stranger than he was and he was the one that fell from the sky! He tried his best not to squirm beneath her inspection and quirked his eyebrows only when she commented on wings or something that granted flight. Offering her an expression nothing short of bewilderment, he said, “You mean a…starship?” He was sure that’s what they were called nowadays. A lot of other worlds had them but they didn’t seem to be as popular as they were with this one.
Shaking his head, “No. I don’t have any wings. Nor do I own a starship. You only need propulsion where I come from.” Pausing for a moment as the trees were losing their density, he glanced around him and saw this noticeable difference. Where was she taking him? He had little time to bring the question up before they approached a thinned clearing that brought something of calm to his spirit.
Nature, no matter what planet he was one, was a device that always seemed to remind him of the beauty of life; but such a concept’s meaning was only so impacting to a being with little to no emotion. What good was life anyhow? That was something he didn’t think he’d ever be able to understand, no matter how long he lived.
Peering at the sight before him, he quickly snapped his head to Della. “What is this place?”
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The thick bulk of trees and bushes began giving way to an expansive, open, grassy area, and some beautiful (but lonely-looking) rolling hills came in to view on the opposite side of a small valley. A wide dirt path marked the road, which looked as though it had probably seen better days, and alongside the road ran a crystal clear blue-green creek, muddy with fallen leaves. It truly was a breathtaking sight, this small valley tucked away from the rest of the faced-paced, deteriorating world. Never did a day go by that Della didn't thank the stars (and mostly her parents) for giving her the opportunity for such a rich life. Never did a day go by that she wasn't thankful.
They paused as they reached the clearing, Della lost in complicated thought as she tried to ponder the existence and inner-workings of... propulsion, was it? Stuck there, and rather wanting to understand it further, she frowned slightly when she realized Void had better things to talk about. She had watched his jaw drop slightly when the trees cleared away to display this green, grassy valley. He looked thrilled, but mundanely. It was obvious at this moment that this man held no threat to Sevenwinds. Perhaps to her personally, or someone else personally... but not this place. Clearly, he didn't even know it was here.
Another gust of wind hit them from the north, stronger this time, and it forced Della to pull her cloak around her tightly. She wasn't much a fan of the wind. It brought a chill and seemed to extinguish the last of the flooding sunlight, leaving only a dull glow behind.
She tilted her chin to look at him, once again noticing a distasteful burn when she met his eyes. “This is Sevenwinds. The most beautiful place on Earth, or so I'm told.” In truth, she had never been anywhere else. This twenty mile radius was the only reality she had ever known. So much for being well read, right? She forced herself to stay put, though the wind was picking up and making her increasingly more uncomfortable. He needed a moment to take it all in, she understood. When her father would return home from long voyages, he always demanded an hour alone in the study at least, simply to decompress.
After a long moment had passed, Della gently jerked her head to the right, and moved to continue their journey on the road. In the far distance, a large southern-style porch could be viewed from where they stood, with melon-sized glowing blue orbs dangling down and swaying in the wind. It's amazing, how such a dull day can turn so very eventful in a matter of ill-planned moments. He must be freezing... she thought. For a moment she considered offering him her cloak, but reasoned it would be too friendly. Which makes perfect sense, of course, considering in ten minutes time you'll be offering him a meal, followed by your father's forgotten clothing and a warm bed. Absolutely. The cloak is too much. She silently rolled her eyes and pressed on. Well, at least she wasn't acting crazy out loud this time!
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Hospitality was a rare gem these days, though Void wouldn’t know this. And it certainly wasn’t something that was going to be wasted on a timeless being such as him. What did one gain through aiding others but a lot of mouths to feed and nothing to show for it but a big headache in the end? But things like cooperation and the beauty of life were lost to a nigh heartless creature like Void so therefore it wasn’t much of a surprise if he couldn’t understand why someone would want to waste their time on him. And little did he know the plans this person called Della had in store of him concerning the word ‘hospitality’.
He was too preoccupied with the sight before him. There was certain calm to the area yet an undeniable anxiety that seemed to root down into the soil beneath the rolling hills and community atop it. Perhaps the inhabitants were hiding from something. But just what exactly would still remain as a question unless he mustered the gall to ask it? Maybe the brief interrogation prior to their travel had something to do with it. He was almost too enthralled with the sight to muster his legs into action as he spotted Della move down the dirt path toward the distance. This place…Sevenwinds, as she called it…was certainly a sight to be seen. As far as he could tell from her words, there was no other place on Earth like it and if this was true, this world was as doomed as he suspected.
The house that met his sight reminded him of one of his first ventures to Earth; there was a great war then that tore a nation in two, something to do with rights or whatnot. You didn’t nice houses like that on other worlds; except for this one. Void blinked up at the structure, unsure of what to think of it. It’d been a while since he’d a ‘manor’. With magenta eyes flashing with wonderment and his body trying to abate a shiver from the sudden gust that thrashed at his soaked clothing. As they approached the building with blue orbs upon what he recognized as the porch, he turned to her and asked, “You’ve led me here. Now what?”
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Keeping her teeth from chattering was proving more of an issue by the second. Where had the day gone? Damn! Never enough hours... The winters kept getting colder, the summers much warmer. Della cursed audibly about the cold as they walked, longing dearly for her comfy living room and very curious why it was that she was so sleepy...
As they neared the bound willow gate in front of the house, a relieved Della waved a hand and it sprung open before them. She closed it behind them, taking a moment before walking up the path to appreciate how quaint it was. There were three stories, not including the basement, though the area of each floor wasn't much larger than a couple good-sized rooms. The top floor was dark and the windows visibly cobwebbed from the outside, clearly signifying the lack of time spent in that portion of the house. The ground and second floors appeared the most lived in from the outside, with crystals decorating the windows and a a small, puffy orange kitten peering at them from what appeared to be the foyer window.
Della was preparing the 11-step hike up the front steps to the door when her guest turned to her and asked, “You've led me here. Now What?” His expression was rather bland, similar to that of a small child wanting to misbehave but fearing a severe scolding. Della raised a curious eyebrow at him.
“I should think you'd like to get out of those clothes...” Wait, that sounded wrong! Er... She fumbled for the railing as she headed toward the door. “That is, I can hang them up to dry... wash them even if you like, the pools get a bit mucky this time of year...“ her words trailed away and she fiddled with the door to get it open. “I mean... I have.... other clothes. You can... wear.” She nodded twice and ushered him in the door, furious with herself for being so ridiculous when it came to things like, you know, normal speech and social interaction. She stared at the floor when she went to relieve him of her basket, then bustled away to set it in the kitchen. A match flared as she lit a lantern, and returned with it. “The Library's right through here...” she gestured into a room across the hall, “You might find it more enjoyable than waiting by the door... there's a bad draft.” She lit the foyer lantern, illuminating the tiny room and the both of them in a warm glow, then tossed him a match with a tiny smile and set off up the stairs without another word, the small orange puffball trailing behind.
-
To venture further into the customs of this strange world was proving a much easier task than he’d initially imagined. He assumed that he would have to take it upon himself to drag out the information dire to his situation. It wasn’t like everyday people fell out of the sky, was it? The reasons behind Della’s choice to show him courtesy and hospitality were beyond him. The reasons behind emotions like kindness and mercy often went over his bright purple head, passing without much of a second thought. Still, here was his chance to learn of the ways of this world, of which were being handed to him right on the spot, and it far from him to desert such an awesome opportunity.
Void was only vaguely resistant when she shoved him through the door, advising that enter the library. No sooner had she arrived that she departed to the staircase with a strange four-legged orange ball of fluff trailing close behind her. A sudden ‘meow’ triggered that associated word of ‘Cat’. Void grinned a little to himself at the though of the survival of such a wily species even after so many thousands of years. To be honest however the rest of the house wasn’t quite what he’d expected to see.
As his moist body carefully treaded over the floors of this manor and into the library, the sight that met his eyes was that of an almost timeless library, something that might be considered ancient by the standards of this day and age of starships and blaster pistols. It was relatively familiar the way each book case was stacked in rows and how some lined the walls. Books beyond what he wished to count were aligned with the shelves in the neatest manner as he’d ever seen. A cold gust swept beneath the door in the foyer and slapped as his back. In a shivering jump he leapt forward and deeper into the library. Now here was a room that had captured his interest from the start and the best part about it: He did have to think about taking his clothes off yet!
-
Truly, it was all more an issue of curiosity that hospitality. Given, Della was a fairly well-mannered creature to begin with, but even so. The wonders of this world were expanding for her, and she couldn't really pass up an opportunity to experience... something else, first hand. And anyhow, if he did turn out to be some sort of space-creep, she would find comfort that she had only led him here, rather that straight in to town to stay at the Inn.
A short climb and a few moments later, Della found herself on the second story of her home. She sighed deeply, feeling winded for some reason. A glance around the cold room made her shiver, and she immediately set off to light enough oil lamps to get around easily, finishing off in the bathroom. The tiny orange puff of a cat butted it's head against her shin, meowing for attention and food. She smirked and shooed him away with her foot, shaking her head slightly. “We have a guest, Paco. You'll just have to wait.” As she reached to run a hot bath, the kitten seemed to glare at her, and sauntered away to go bother this stranger that was getting between him and supper. Della laughed softly and continued to hand-pump water up from the hot spring in the yard. It smelled a bit sulphuric, but it was a warm, and quick. With the addition of some herbal-infused bath salts it should be bearable.
When the large claw foot tub had reached it's full capacity, Della carefully hung a clean towel on a nearby brass rack, and fleeting thought of slipping in the bath herself. It looked a little more than inviting. Perhaps later, yes. She shivered, hugging herself and rubbing her arms for warmth, and after tossing her cloak on the sofa she proceeded to retrieve her guest from downstairs.
The steps groaned and creaked the tales of days long passed as she descended, and when she neared the bottom of the old rickety stairs she quietly peeked her head into the Library, simply to observe for a minute. Her eyes were getting a bit heavier with the night and she looked sleepy, almost as though she had spent a long night drinking. After a long stretch of moments, she cleared her throat gently to grab his attention.
“...hi.”
For only a brief moment, Della was overcome with the sight of someone in this room. Visions of her father where Void stood flashed before her eyes, and just when she was on the brink of tears she shook off the feeling. Was she really so lonesome that any creature found half drowned in the woods should bring her to tears? Dear god... Della wrinkled her nose in distaste with herself and shoved that very fresh memory as far to the back of her mind as possible.
“There's a hot bath waiting for you upstairs, through the hall and to the right.” she nodded in that general direction. “You can toss your clothes outside the door, I'll hang them up to dry. Unless of course you want them washed, and then you'll have to wait until morning.”
-
What was he to do in a room filled with books? Void peered to the left and right, confused as to why Della had requested that he wait in this specific room. He didn’t think it was only to escape the draft that made his spine quiver, but he was often suspicious of any self-proclaimed do-gooder. Helping people was something he would never understand that was for sure; after all, weren’t people quite capable of helping themselves? But, while he could take care of himself, Void couldn’t really be considered a person; at least one not trapped in the mortal coil. However that didn’t leave things like coldness and feelings to be abated from his demeanor. He was perfectly capable of being able to feel physical things as well as emotionally; he was simply incapable of comprehending most emotions and therefore merely projected them, never truly feeling them.
Void took advantage of the silence nonetheless. Quiet was always a valuable time to think and, aside from the silence of space, was a pleasure he indulged in whenever he could afford to. This time was also vital toward thinking and for him, thinking about what he was to do/ learn next in this little hole of a hamlet. Though he had to admit he thought it was strange that she had led him a ways away from the rest of the community known as Sevenwinds. Pondering this for a moment, he didn’t feel her presence as she entered the room. The clearing of her throat made him jump a little as he turned to meet her. Nodding at the instructions, he then peered down to his own sopped, mucky clothes and said in awkward voice, “I think…washing will most likely be…the best solution.” He offered her a trying smile and proceeded to where she indicated the bath would be. Out of the corner of his eye he did notice the cat sitting warily by a large stack of books, regarding him with curious eyes. Void shrugged inwardly and walked away; animals were only good for a few things and to be analyzed by one was not one of them.
The door to the indicated bathroom was something that brought Void back to the ages of old. This place surely was somewhere lost in time! Things appeared as if they were prior to Earth’s destruction and certainly were up to par with anything he’d seen on the Space Station only a few months ago. Quickly, he shook his head of the memory. It wasn’t something he wanted to think about anyways.
He entered the bathroom cautiously as if trying not to disturb any spirit that might lay at rest here. The first thing that met his eyes was the steaming tub toward the back of the room and immediately he thought of a steaming pot of stew.
He them proceeded to undress from the sopping clothing that hung loosely on his leanly muscled frame. It certainly didn’t help that his tunic had chains hanging around him in a harness fashion for no practical reason. Unwrapping his waist wraps and letting them plop on the floor with an insidious fwop!, he then slid the black tunic from his torso and too let the weight fall to the once immaculate floor. After removing all his clothing: cache pants, silver belt that fell to his thighs in something like a loincloth (not that his pants didn’t already cover his…well, maleness), and boots, he sighed uselessly to himself. “Wow! I didn’t think the pond was that…filthy.” Still, he did as was instructed and placed his clothing outside the bathroom door.
Every carved crevice of his musculature stood like a tall statue as he looked over the steaming pool in nothing but his bare essentials. His eyes went like moons as he thought, What is this girl trying to do? Boil me? No that he wouldn’t be able to manifest again in his humanoid form it but wasn’t like he wanted to be cooked here and now. Despite such a thought he stepped into the tub with the utmost sincerity, gritting his teeth a lot and cringing only a little. Yet as he sat completely down, the heat was almost…soothing! Every muscle within was forced into a sudden relaxation that he almost smiled at the feeling. Maybe being boiled wouldn’t be such a bad thing after all.
There were a few interesting items that presided beside the bathtub on a hanger. There were a few containers that he immediately recognized as bottles containing thick substances that he suspected would go into his already soft hair (well, soft when it was dry). However what initially caught his interest was the white block of fresh smelling—chocolate, was it?—that made his brows come together in a curious gaze. He picked it up and examined it carefully in his large gray hands. The smell was certainly delectable and he slowly put it too his mouth. Immediately his pupils shrunk and he dropped the white block in the water with a splash, spitting effectively to the side at the awful taste. The white block didn’t taste like chocolate at all!
The scrubbing and cleaning that came after learning what each object around the bathtub was a great way to pass the time. Had he had any control of his own time-shifting ability at the moment he would’ve no doubt made the experience go buy as fast as possible, but his powers had a tendency to go awry whenever someone attempted to mess with the time-stream. In a strange mixture of relaxation and unpleasant discovery, Void successfully emerged from the tub without drowning himself and dried himself with the supplied towel. After doing so, he was left without much else to do and no clothing beside him. “Then I guess I’ll just have to go get some,” he sighed to himself.
Wrapping the towel about his hips, Void exited the bathroom and entered the hallway half-naked. The cold air that swept through was a nice change from the heat of the water that previously caressed his skin. However that didn’t stop him from feeling like an idiot standing in the middle of a stranger’s abode with nothing but a towel to cover him. “Uh...Della!” was all he managed to call out.
-
An amused smirk toyed at Della's lips as she watched her new acquaintance climb warily up the stairs to the second floor. He was quite strange, but oddly likable. An outright giggle erupted out of her when he reached the landing and was startled by a delayed creaking of the old wood. She quickly stifled the sound with a cold hand and ducked into the kitchen before she was found out, shaking her head from side to side.
And to think I would have spent the evening alone with my cats...
She giggled audibly again, almost in a state of disbelief. There was a very real chance this was some sort of bizarre lucid dream. Life as she knew it was simply not this exciting. Feed animals, feed self, work, feed animals, feed self, sleep and repeat. She furrowed her brow just thinking about it.
“That's bloody depressing, that is.”
She divided a jar of food amongst three small dishes lined against the far wall under the window, and watched quietly as the tiny puff ball by name of Paco darted for the nearest dish and began devouring the slop inside as though he hadn't eaten in a week. Moments later, a larger silver cat slunk out from the shadows and took his place next to the small kitten, and they ate happily and quietly. Contentedly watching her beloved companions, Della noticed her own stomach grumble; several hours had passed since her meager lunch of bread and butter.
“What would one prepare for a spaceman's supper?” She asked aloud. Neither cat answered, as could be expected. “A lot of help the both of you are...” she muttered, and silently decided perhaps some crusts and cheese would do for now. A handful of dried rye rounds and several slices later, she carefully made her way upstairs, balancing a small genuine silver platter in one hand and lifting the corner of her long skirts with her other.
An impressive yawn stretched it's way through her, and again she noted her unusual drowsiness. She found herself sitting wearily on the sofa, a fire crackling it's way into existence and a piece of half eaten cheese dangling between her fingertips. Her eyelashes fluttered in slight confusion-- what the... hell?
I must be waaay more tired than I thought...
The cheese tasted stale in her mouth, and rather distasteful, so she discarded the remainder by tossing it on the fire. It sputtered and liquefied almost immediately, and after all trace of it was gone, she pushed herself out of the sofa's tempting embrace. She wavered as she rose, but steadied herself just as the door to the bathroom swung open to reveal a very... revealed Void.
Della sat back down.
“Uhm, yes?” her chocolate brown eyes were large and wide. She blinked a few times, slowly, and couldn't help but absentmindedly look him up and down. “...oh! Right, of course, clothes.” Clothes? Clothes. Her cheeks turned a pale shade of scarlet as she scrambled out of her seat and nearer the hallway. “I'll, um... yes. Sorry about that, I- well I suppose I lost track of time...” Her expression was a priceless combination of apologetic and innocently embarrassed, and she lowered her eyes so as to not have to face the look she knew he was bound to give her. She hurried through the hall, grabbing a lantern off an iron sconce at the bottom of the staircase to light her way up to the third and final story of the house.
Rustling and a few loud banging noises could be heard from above, and after a short while she returned with a pile of neatly folded nightclothes. The wind blew hard against the siding of the house, and it made her wince as she extended the pile across the hallway.
“My father is... shortish. I hope at least they'll be comfortable, since they'll likely be less than fashionable.” She attempted a weak smile, but it vanished quickly as the wind blew even harder and the trees against the house lashed violently at its windows.
-
It was one thing to be herded into a stranger’s abode and offered to shower without any visible strings attached (he still thought she was hiding something), but to stand in the open, without so much as a towel to clothe himself, and a rather small one at that, was a much different story. He didn’t know such feelings as embarrassment or shame as he saw Della’s face go an interesting shade of scarlet as she fumbled for words. Still, that didn’t stop him from gripping the edge of the towel awkwardly and reaffirming what coverage he had. Void only nodded as she rushed off toward the upper floor, searching for what he hoped indeed would be clothes.
He remained there for a few more moments until she appeared with a set of clothes that were surely not his own. The size of what looked to be nightclothes seemed that while they would be loose enough for comfortable movement, they would only reach to the top of his ankles. Sometimes it was a bitch to be so tall, but he really had no other choice but to make use of them.
Yet as the wind thrashed against the side of the manor, a look of horror nearly befell Della’s face, where once a trying smile grew. Void gulped in response to the lashing of the trees outside; it seemed as ever nature would continue to be wrathful against man. “The storm outside’s brewing,” he said softly, gently taking the clothes with a free hand and grasping them as if they were precious artifacts. His eyes darted toward the walls around him, taking in the fact that this building must have withstood storms in the past and there was a faint sense of reassurance that it should continue to do so through this one. For one in tune with the atmosphere of a natural world, Void felt the tumult outside grow and cease for a few moments.
It was only then did he realize, however, just how long he’d been standing here, half-naked, when he should be changing into the clothing she offered him. Jumping a little and shaking his head at this revelation, he fumbled for words as he tossed his gaze to the floor. “I-I’m…s-sorry. I’ll, uh…um, change now… Th-Thank you.” He nodded quickly and walked back into the bathroom, sealing the door behind him.
Inside, he prepared to equip the proffered attire, finding after slipping on the trousers and shirt that his assumptions were correct: The clothes were too small on him. The fit itself was loose as he expected but the length only disturbed him a little. To compensate for such misfortune he proceeded to roll up the leggings to his knees to give the appearance of shorts. After doing so, he buttoned up the shirt and too rolled up the sleeves to compensate the shortness. “Well, at least, if it’s to look funny…it’s gonna look funny with my authorization,” he whispered as he wiped the mirror down a bit with the towel. It was only then that he exited the bathroom, ready to face any humiliation that awaited him in the hallway.
But he saw only the tiny puffball he’d noticed eying him earlier. Stepping cautiously around it, the cat stepped from its seated position and began following Void as he strode down the stairs. When he reached the landing, he was further surprised to be countered by another cat, this time silver and much larger than the orange one. Panic was ready to set into his veins. He was here for no more than perhaps an hour and already the native residents were ready to gang up on him!
-
Left stunned and still mildly embarrassed, Della blinked rapidly after Void shut himself in the bathroom once more. She was often curious why people closed themselves behind doors to undress, but after her blatant ogling earlier, she didn't blame him. She stood swaying on the spot, disoriented and mentally struggling for some sort of rational grasp on this whole situation. When none came, she shrugged a shoulder, signifying to whatever powers that be that she was willing to just ride this one out, and then wandered downstairs and into a small washroom off to the side of the kitchen.
A loud clap echoed through the house as the first sign of thunder reared it's ugly head. Both cats were startled, as was Della. Moments later, another roar of thunder sounded, causing the larger cat to dart right under her feet. She stumbled, falling to the floor and tossing a basket full of laundry straight in to the air.
“---GAH! Quicksilver you skiddish little bastard! If it weren't raining like hell just broke loose out there, I'd... oh!” she was once again startled as Void entered the kitchen. Della removed a stray undergarment from atop her head and tossed it back in the basket from her seated position. She leaned slightly out the doorway to find Void and Quicksilver in the middle of what looked like a staring contest. The cat perked it's ears and it's hair stood on end. Void appeared challenged.
“He'll win, you know.” She said, still planted firmly on the cold floor and covered in laundry. Why bother trying not to look stupid? It was bound to happen no matter what. Might as well have left the panties on her head, really. "Kind of a cheeky little thing, that one."
-
The phrase was hanging on the edge of his tongue, he could practically feel the letters of each word on his taste buds. What he really wanted to say but couldn’t find the means was, “What did I do to deserve this?” Seriously, a staring contest with a cute, fluffy cat was not Void’s idea of fun; not that he really knew what fun was, but if he did, this definitely wouldn’t be it. Instead silence overcame the time-shifter for all he could do was endure the discomforting gaze the big yellow eyes awarded him. So this was what it was like to undergo what humans called a ‘stalemate’.
After noting that Della was in the vicinity and hearing her advice, he muttered in agreement, “I don’t doubt it.” He blinked stupidly for a moment as if upon a revelation. “But does he really have to be so…obvious about it?”
That’s it! Void blinked once more and jumped as the silver cat that he had heard her refer to as Quicksilver hissed and ran off with his tail pompously in the air. Damn cats. As Void reclaimed his breath, he knew he was right never to trust animals and doubly more that he never trusted humans. Well, enough of that, there were more important things to attend to than be bothered by an egotistical feline.
He saw that she was on the floor for the first time and gave her only a bewildered gaze. How’d she get there? “What are you doing on the floor, Della?” he asked without a hint of amusement growing on his gray face. Seriously, how would one as confused and outlandish as he laugh at something that was so obviously funny. He just didn’t get things like that.
-
A thin eyebrow lifted at Void's inane question, and Della shifted her weight on to her knees. "Uhm... yeah..." She gave him a rather quizzical look. What was wrong with him? There was no emotion in his eyes, no feeling whatsoever. Her eyes narrowed and she stared at him for a moment, puzzled. It was as though under that sallow skin he was almost... machine.
A sudden thick and sickly fear oozed over her as the wind blew hard against the old house. Had her intuition mislead her? Technology had an intoxicating way of masquerading it's self as something harmless and helpfull... perhaps she should have held on to that stick...
A trembling hand began returning the pile of disheveled clothing to the large basket it belonged in, and Della's mind raced wildly. Her heart pounded against her chest as anxiety set in around her, blurring her vision and making her squeeze her eyes shut in an attempt to close it all out. This was just an unfortunte chain of events, this was.
Her thoughts strayed to her father; he would know exactly how to handle a situation such as this, where as Della falt as though she was failing miserably.
Laundry room finally tidy, she rose to her feet and mustered up her courage, looking Void right in the eye and making her best attempt at being emotionless and cold, to match his game and hopefully win some brownie points. What was there to do really, other than wait it out?
"Don't they have cats where you come from?" His behavior was unlike that of any Sevenwinds resident, nor many of the travellers she had met before. "Quicksilver's just the man of the house is all, he doesn't mean any harm..." Or did he? Was his distaste for their guest an indication of Void's intetions here?
"Are you hungry?" She asked, bluntly, not knowing what else to do. "I don't suppose you happen to eat wood nymphs, by chance." The saracsm in her voice was muddled and strange.
"...what are you really doing here, anyway?"
-
To compare Void to a machine was like trying to transform glass into gold, one could never be the other. Furthermore, the time-shifter was just as ignorant to the new forms of technology that had arose as Della was (which was why he were here in the first place, to learn the ways of this new world). Yet she was correct in at least a few aspects of her evaluation. Like a machine, Void couldn’t comprehend emotions or the use of them; specifically feelings like mercy, joy, or love. For all his years of existence, he’d seen the destruction of many a world and learned that these happenings were brought about by passionate feelings like hate, anger, or pride. He knew that no being of any species could be trusted, the logic of his mind adhering to this like a frogfly to a muck pond. Everyone was either out for greed or revenge and just why such emotions of hope existed were beyond him.
Standing here in the room with Della was enough caused to make his visage even more bollixed. He noticed her face change, or at least the gleam in her eyes dim, and suddenly the pounding of a heart not his own began to echo in his ears. He would have asked if she was alright had not a violent squall berated the side of the house the moment the thought struck his mind. Oh! The storm must have startled her.
The questions that followed her sudden change of façade were simple enough but held a tiny hint of suspicion behind them. He grinned shyly, as if he was completely unaware of what she was going to (which he almost was). “Uh…no,” he answered, looking to the floor before peering up at her with sparkling magentas. “Where….” He began again slowly, considering his words carefully, “I’m from…we have…savage creatures. Your, uh, cat just has an interesting way of greeting guests is all.” He added an innocent shrug and moved to the window, keeping his eyes on the rain falling outside so that he wouldn’t have to stare Della in the eyes.
Almost as if he was lost in the fascinating sights around him, he replied rather absentmindedly, “Yes. I’ve often enjoyed the native cuisine in my travels. Er, well…when I traveled. Now I’m rather stagnant. As to my purpose…” He turned back to Della and gave her a gaze as if he could see right through her.
An uncomfortable pause ensued as he refused to finish his statement. After a short while of looking at her, he quirked his eyebrows together and inquired quite honestly, “Do you always have a habit of asking a question more than once?”
-
Della's hands rested on her hips and she shot Void a daring look.
"Generally."
Was he insane? Of course his intentions were to be questioned. He was a stranger in a strange land! There was a chance that she was wrong, but she was pretty sure that was fair reasoning for suspicion in any society, since like, the dawn of time. She looked him up and down, and considered for a moment being snotty and repeating her question about his appetite just to be irksome, but then decided against it.
Her long hair was mussed and tangled from the wind, and hung about her shoulders in stringy locks, and her eyes were nestled in large dark circles; the evidence of a long day. She crossed her arms in front of her and blew some stray hairs out of her eyes, finding herself somewhat impatient with Void's lack of explanation. Why come along with her, if he didn't think he could gain something from her? Food and shelter could have been fairly easily obtained on his own, and Della was growing more and more curious what he wanted with her. Granted, now he had to hang around until dawn if he wanted his clothes back.
“Well...” she started, unsure of what to say, “...there's a guest room on the second floor, there's a leak in the corner, but it's warm. Your clothes should be good as new by morning.” She paused, scratching her forehead. “I'm uh, going to go up there and sit by the fire. Feel free to join, I guess?”
Della's room was also on the second floor. It was small and cramped, but it had been her childhood bedroom, and it had a bay window that she loved. Several times over the last few years she had considered moving upstairs into the luxurious master bedroom, but never found the strength within herself to clean out her parents' things. Thus the old pajamas. At least someone was benefiting from it!
She edged gently toward the stair, which Void of course was blocking full on.
“uh... I need to...” yeah. go.. that way. She pointed, indicating the direction she had mentioned she was going to be traveling. “Unless of course... you're hungry? In which case... we can stay. In... the kitchen?”
-
He found it suddenly unusual how quickly he became semi-accustomed to her presence. She still bothered him and made his skin feel pricklish but that could be helped with some distance a few sentences of friendly conversation. He didn’t want to make her feel as if he was a waste of time (though she certainly was wasting his when he had important time-travelers to look for). For wasn’t it her that invited him to stay over?
She said something that he didn’t hear too well as he kept his attention on the lightning flash in the sky and a subsequent thunder roll that shook the house. Wow, he hadn’t seen a storm like this in ages! Even the horrendous sandstorms on the desert planet of Cycer were like gentle ocean waves in comparison to this tsunami. But it was a refreshing experience that he wouldn’t want to pass up at all.
But as she perdure in her words, he turned about, giving her his full attention. Hungry, eh? Since she mentioned it more than once, like her question about his origins and purpose, he decided to give in this once to her ‘begging’. “Alright,” he nodded slightly, giving a soft genuine grin as a show of trust. “I’ll try what you’ve to eat. To be honest I like trying new foods. I just…uh, I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a nymph before. I always thought they were just mythological creatures.” He looked across to her horns and squinted his eyes in curiosity. “But I never knew nymphs had horns?”
-
Had the idea that she was "begging" in any sense of the word been expressed out loud, it would have been followed by an abrupt scowl.
Della stole a glance at herself in the high window above the old, wooden kitchen table, taking in the large dark circles under her eyes and the large dark horns that circled her pointed ears. She looked exhausted. More than exhausted. dead, even. For a breif moment she mourned the apparent loss of her good looks, and then wondered why it even mattered in the first place.
"Nymphs don't have horns, " she stated simply, "but I'm fairly sure we exist." Her expression was sour, her patience growing scarce. "I am however not on the menu, if that's alright with you." Her eyes narrowed as she assesed him for the hundredth time, searching blindly for some thread of reason.
"A Satyr's blood runs through my father's veins." She continued carefully while stooping in the pantry to fidget with the icebox. Moments later she emerged, a large glass jar in hand, and began to build yet another small fire under a black kettle in the kicthen hearth. "Fetch me that ladle there, will you?" she demanded, uncerimoniously dumping the thick and sweet smelling contents of the jar into the kettle, and perched herself on her cooking stool being careful not to let her skirts fall too close to the flames. She considered for a moment adding another jar to the pot, but decided against it since her own appetite had once again subsided.
-
Confusion seemed to be the sentience of the day for all of her reactions ended with a misinterpretation on his part. He couldn’t quite understand why she kept stating that she didn’t want to be eaten. He had no intention of eating her! What did she think he was, some kind of maniac? Huh, it seemed he didn’t even have to tell her that he was looking for a time machine for her to think he belonged in the nearest halfway house. Things were not looking good.
Void smashed his eyebrows together innocently as he watched her head disappear into a cabinet where a bunch of dry goods resided. She said that her father was a Satyr. “Oh,” he said simply, trying to smile good-humoredly. “That makes sense now. So, your mother is a nymph and you father is a satyr. I understand. Thank you for clarifying that.”
He watched her as she set down the items she had, his magenta eyes glittering with curiosity. It was rather interesting how beings gathered different ingredients, added them together, and consumed them for sustenance. In all honesty, Void didn’t need to eat, but he took some sense of pleasure in emulating mortals in their toil of survival. There was a certain charm in watching the survival of different creatures and when age set in, it might be said that he was almost jealous of them. Yet it remained a fact that he wouldn’t know exactly why they fought to survive; purpose was often lost to him.
Suddenly, his head jerked out of his deep trance as he realized that Della had ordered him to do something. “This?” Reaching out, he grabbed the indicated item and handed it to her. Looking at the stuff she poured into the kettle, he sniffed and narrowed his eyes. “What is that stuff? It smells…pleasant.”
-
Despite her growing weariness, Della found herself laughing out loud.
"Never seen a stew before, have you?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, traces of her broad grin still visible on her narrow face. That thought was hard to believe, and she didn't really. The idea of anyone not recognizing a stew was in general rather absurd. Yet, when her eyes rose to meet his there was a blind innocence in his expression. "...really? Never?" she inquired, amused.
A thunderous roar grumbled through the house, making Della shudder as she reached out to grasp the ladle, (though it could be noted that she tried to hide her discomfort), and raindrops could be heard taking wild suicide dives onto the rooftops. She appeared thoughtful as she gingerly stirred at their supper, gently nibbling on her bottom lip. A notably good cook though she was, she was hardly interested in being impressive at the moment. Drowsiness washed over her again, more sudden and brief this time. Her eyes drooped momentarily and her cold and uncaring facade faltered.
"You know... Void, was it?" It looked at though fluid speech required much more strength than was available at the moment, and she slowly batted her dark lashes out of sleepiness. "I don't believe I've ever met anyone quite like you. I'm not sure I understand what you're doing here."
The words didn't make any sense as they came spilling out, but what did it matter if he thought her strange at this point? She continued to slowly stir the contents of the kettle in a clockwise motion, the scent of barley and bay leaves wafting through the air.
-
The smell was rather wonderful and gentle to his olfactory senses. And after centuries of hanging around in dead space, the warmth and smells of the kitchen were a welcomed change of surroundings. It sure as hell beat the exhilarating experience of rocketing through the atmosphere too, shooting down through the gases and clouds of inconsumable poisonous air.
When Della shot an awe-filled look at him, all Void could do was shake his head. He'd never actually had a 'stew' before. Most things he'd ever eaten consisted of raw vegetation and scarce articles of meat. Besides, it wasn't that he had to eat anyway. But he would indulge in her cooking if that's what she really wanted him to do. What harm could there be to him in trying out this interesting and so wonderfully smelling 'stew' that she brewed in that ancient cauldron?
Her actions were momentarily fluid as she stir the liquid inside the pot. Yet when the manor's walls were once again punished in the wrath of the storm, he noticed her countenance had changed significantly from the calm nymph that he'd seen only a second before the crash to a shaking victim attempting to hide her fear. Taking a glance out the window, Void wondered how someone could fear something that was nothing more than wind and water. Sure, there was a certain admirable violence in it, but it was nothing that he was afraid of. He was learning more and more about the ways of Earth beings already! Progress so far was going great.
He turned his attention back to her when she spoke, bringing up the subject of what he wanted to do with this time on this planet. He looked at her curiously, narrowing his magenta eyes and then transferred his gaze toward the window again, as if unable to look at her. The aroma of the stew calmed his nerves and made him feel at ease with Della's presence. Could he tell her? Would she lack the sense to call him crazy? Perhaps. But that all remained to be seen. "Do you really want to know? Promise me, you'll just listen first."
Pausing, Void took a moment to prepare the news. "I'm--er." Oh, just blurt it out, will ya? "I'm looking for something. Something I found out might be here, on Earth." There, was that so hard? It was easy! Vague, but easy!
-
A deep breath swept it's way through Della's lungs and calmed her as she exhaled. Silly storm, making her all uncomfortable... it wasn't so much that she was frightened, exactly...
Her stew began to bubble finally, signaling to her that the heating process was finished and the cooling process was about to begin. She removed the kettle form the fire and placed it on the counter, atop a thickly folded piece of burlap, and in it's absence the fire cast a warm glow throughout the small kitchen, illuminating the tiny insignificant things that made it cozy.
Made it home.
The subtle change in light relaxed the nymph considerably, and in some way seemed to warm not only the room, but Della herself. She smiled faintly at Void as he searched for a response to her casual statement, and his eyes hinted at some inner turmoil she could not decipher. She decided to politely turn her head to save him from any implied scrutiny, and instead busied herself with the careful addition of some powdered cayenne pepper to the concoction on the counter top.
“Do you really want to know?” he asked, a slight trace of anxiety in his cool and steady voice. Della had to fight to contain her excitement at the thought of gaining further information. As though that in it's self weren't thrilling enough, the way he worded himself and the tone he used suggested he was speaking to her in confidence. As though she were trusted. It was the first time since those long hours ago when they first met in the wood that the mechanical nature of this man melted away, and for one fleeting instant she could sense the humanity in him. For whatever inexplainable reason, her heart nearly leaped right out of her chest, and her eyes carefully met his, displaying an emotion somewhat similar to fondness.
“Promise me, you'll just listen first.”
She nodded, silently.
His confession wasn't exactly what she had expected, but something to go from regardless.
“So... you're on a rescue mission, of sorts?” She tried to clarify, straining to understand what he was trying to convey in so few words.
That was valiant! Impressive even. For the first time, she felt like she might know this stranger just a little better than before. The thought was intriguing, and even a teensy bit comforting. She tried not to get excited and/or jump to any conclusions. Her father's voice rang in her ears.
Guard your trust, child. It is a weakness and an infinite danger to you.
She grimaced, stung by the echo of stern reprimands, and began to scoop steaming spoonfuls of stew into two small bowls.
-
Void definitely wasn’t the valiant type, but he wasn’t going to tell her this. For Della had every right to come up with as many fantasies as she pleased. It wasn't that he was a coward, but bravery was a topic that was up for much scrutiny. What one might consider a brave and honorable action was possibly the stupidest thing a person could do to another. Of course, the same could be said of honor. The best way around this was to keep one's morals to oneself...and keep as few of those as possible. When it came to taking action when appropriate, morals had an annoying way of interrupting that which must be done.
He gave a trying smile for a second watched as she continued with her tasks about the kitchen. He wasn't paying attention to the change in the glance she gave him because he now took his vigilance to the floor. "I guess you could look at it like that, if you really think hard on the situation." Coldness reverted back to the smoke of his magentas as he glanced back to her for another awkward second. A faint hint of the need to be understood lingered in his steady look, imploring. "It's a little more complicated than that."
Taking the bowl of hot stew after it was filled, Void smiled genuinely and thanked her in a nod. Unsure of what to do next exactly, he supposed now was as good a time as any to finish explaining himself. "What I'm really looking for is--well, frankly this will probably sound crazy, so please brace yourself--a....a.... I'm looking for a time machine." He forced his eyes to look down at the ground again, to keep himself from having to peer up at that gaze he knew she was bound to give him. After all, it wasn't like every day, a guy fell from the sky only to tell you that he was looking for a time machine.
-
She had almost expected something more fantastical.
Well, he was sure interesting, if nothing else...
Della's eyes fluttered gracefully for a second as she tried to comprehend a notion such as a time machine. Once, her father had spoken to her of a device which measured time, even in the shadows, and that it was made to wind up like a leopard before a long-shot of a pounce. She wondered if that was a time-machine? Or perhaps related to one, somehow? Her brow wrinkled in thought, and she peeked tentatively up at Void, only to sharply return her gaze to her hands, absently wringing her skirt in her lap. His expression mixed with her intuition told her that this machine in question was far more important than some silly children's story.
She was fairly certain he was expecting shock, or even horror in response to his words but the only thing that came was confusion, and a hint of embarrassment. It seemed there really was so much more out there that she was unaware of. Much, much more than she'd even even dared to imagine.
Blink. Blink. Blink.
She tilted her chin upward, and shyly stared. This was going to be so painful to admit.
“I...” she started, biting her lip after only one word to pause for consideration. It was so rare that she wasn't in control of image she drew herself as, the Della she wanted people to see. Everything up to this point was bearable, all the strings of awkward moments and even the part just a bit ago, when she fell on her ass in the laundry room, she had taken it all with a grain of salt.
Just not this, the admittance that she didn't KNOW something. It ate at her for a good three minutes of silence, burning bright in her pale cheeks until she bit the bullet in her quest for understanding and gave in with a sigh.
“What... is a time machine, exactly?”
Her face softened and appeared somewhat childlike. Naive. And then, it turned apologetic. She realized, looking up at Void, that he had been in some very small way been silently hoping she would have understood what he was doing, even if it meant her calling him crazy. What good was the release of divulging a secret when the outsider didn't know what the hell you meant?
She backtracked, trying to mend the spot where her ignorance had caused his momentary lapse of confidentiality to be worth nothing. Her hands continued to wring the skirts resting in her lap, her knuckles turned white with tension.
“You don't... have to explain.” She muttered, in between shallow breaths. “Unless you want to, of course.” she added, as an after thought. She half expected him to hack her to pieces now that she was obviously useless.
Her hand, every so slightly trembling though it was, left her lap to absently stir her stew, which sat untouched on the counter in front of her.
-
There couldn’t be much that he expected her to say in response to his outrageous statement… Well, one he thought she would consider purely crazy. But it seemed things were going better than he thought they would. He found her distraught with the term and fighting to find the right words for a suitable response. Her confusion was only half realized on his part, however, and knowing whether or not she would understand what he was talking about was another matter to be contended with another time.
As she fumbled with her words to finally spill that she hadn’t a clue what a time machine was, Void couldn’t help but feel an amused grin tug at the ends of his mouth, his normally drawn, ashen face brightening at the face of her bewilderment. A faint sense of relief washed over him as he feared that she might throw him out in the rain (not that he would have minded such an action, weather was a very curious thing to him). It wasn’t every day people fell from the sky looking for time machines, was it?
He observed her expression altering, reminding him a bit of the transcending colors of a semi-imploding cosmo, but prettier and much more vital. His congenial grin widened went further to brighten his face. With eyes flashing faintly, he said softly, “I wouldn’t mind doing so, but um…” He searched for words. Now, he suddenly realized just how much her naïveté would benefit him; with her ignorance, she was virtually harmless to his quest, for she would promulgate no knowledge of an object as outlandish as a time machine. However, he also realized, that she wouldn’t be able to tell him where he could find one either.
“Well, you see, this, er, thing is a… It’s a machine, of course, that tells time. Something like a clock but much bigger and…complex. It’s very important that I find this and, as you’ll know, I can’t afford to take many risks.” From where his eyes had once been bright with conversation and amusement, his magentas turned somber and burned once again the failing ashes of a heart gone.
-
It was a difficult thing, to force herself to eat slowly and look semi-normal. Della began to wonder, however, if Void's perception of “normal” was anything close to hers.
A minute ago, as he was watching her agonizing display of ignorance, he had grinned so widely that it softened his whole expression and made her question whether he thought her stupid or cute. Perhaps both. Either way, she flushed a furious rosy pink and refused to meet his eyes.
She listened quietly as he attempted rather hopelessly to explain a time machine. Her dark eyes glittered slightly when he mentioned the word “clock” and recognition of her silly children's story settled in. This was, in fact, related and also far more complicated. Her spoon dropped insignificantly from her hand into her bowl, only about a two inch fall, and pale though she was already, she went whiter still. Even the rose of her cheeks drained away, leaving her sallow and ghostly.
When realization of something unfathomable hits you, it comes in a long, slow but violent wave, and Della, while composed and outwardly still, was secretly drowning in it. Her eyes glazed over, and she felt mildly faint. This was it. The proof that there really was a whole lot more out there to be afraid of, the reason she had been fighting so hard to keep the wood at optimum health, and perhaps the most painful realization of all: this was proof that Dimatticus, her beloved father, really was fighting a war out there, somewhere beyond the stars.
“Mister...” she managed to choke out, any knowledge of his name momentarily escaping her. “You don't know where you are, do you?”
-
Now he was really beginning to have his doubts. Not so much about the fact that she would think he’s crazy but of where he was. Wasn’t he on Earth? He knew things were really different than when he’d last been here but he didn’t think that he’d lost complete familiarity with the place! He couldn’t quite comprehend her exact meaning. Did she mean to indicate that his senses had been wrong? Sure this planet was the Earth he once knew but exactly how it was different now was only so beyond him. Suddenly he now felt out of time and out of touch more than ever.
“What do you mean?” he asked, once again drowning in a sea of puzzlement. There seemed to be no end of his confusion. But perhaps he assumed to much already. “Why do you say such things? Where exactly am I supposed to be, if not on Earth?”
-
Della blinked slowly, several times. What was he talking about? Overwhelmed and suddenly groggy again, she struggled to lift her head and face reality.
"I'm not sure exactly where you're supposed to be..." she ventured, "...but this is Earth."
She paused, studying his body language, hoping perhaps she had eased his mind at least a little. A bowl half full of stew was pushed to the center of the counter, unwanted, and Della raised her elongated hand to press on her temples. Her head was heavy, pounding alongside her heart.
"It sounds as though you are familiar with this planet... do you not find it odd that things... grow here? There are no tall buildings, no concrete, no machines. Is this the Earth you know?"
[[sorry for so little so late. Work's been killin' me!]]
-
Things were as ever to become an awkward state of conversation for Void. Would he ever learn to effectively socialize? That remained to be seen, but he currently at to deal with the cutting nerves of the moment at hand. "Well, then I'm in the right place..." he said softly, setting down the bowl he held in his hands and turning back toward the window. The rain continued to thrash against he ground, the soil drinking in the water as would a prisoner who hadn't seen a clean glass of water in years.
"But nothing is as I remember it... And nothing is as I thought it would be. It's almost as if I'm rather lost. So long...so long..." He sighed softly. "I envisioned a different world. Things here are close to the past but everywhere else is virtually...mechani zed. Man couldn't be trusted with machines. I was right to trust my instincts. This is the closest thing that dares embrace my memory... It's quite amazing what I've been through."
Suddenly he turned back to Della, curiosity burning in his magenta eyes. "Do you know what happened...to the planet in my absence? Why are things so different?"
-
Thunder roared as the scene in the kitchen took a slow-motion pause. Della gazed up curiously at her company, and he stared just as curiously back. So many questions, and such little understanding hung heavily in the air like damp laundry on a line. The fire flickered violently as wind swiftly persuaded it's way down the chimney, and the shadows on the walls leaped from wall to ceiling in a fierce and surreal display.
Della shook her head, overwhelmed and unsettled.
"I know nothing of machines... of technology. I don't know where you've come from. Or where you've been." she paused, carefully thinking how to explain herself. "The only history I can give you is the history of Sevenwinds, and the mountains to the East. I've spent the entirety of my 22 years here, in this valley that I only recently realized is one of the last pieces of paradise left on this... dying planet.”
It seemed a gulp of air was necessary after such an immense statement, and after a deep breath she added quietly, “and something tells me your kind likely has a longer life span than mine.”
-
Void had the need to suddenly be very blunt with her despite all his cautionary attributes. Because in the end, honestly, what could she possibly to do to him to prevent him from achieving his goals in the long run. And, if all else failed and he indeed found her traitorous, he would have no remorse with a little necessary killing. So Void looked her hard in the eyes, a strangely smoldering flame burning faintly in his, and said softly, “I don’t have any ‘kin’. I am alone in my existence and that’s how it should be; for only chaos would reign if there was another with my power. The places I’ve been… the things I’ve seen… You couldn’t possibly imagine.
“My memory spans the universe; my age is timeless. I’ve lived to see the ends of worlds and the birthing of new ones; supernovas, black holes, the rise of technology, the obliteration of beasts, these are among the things that I’ve known. And have come to understand that the way of life is destruction and rebirth from the ashes. Della, there is something you must understand: there is more out there in universe. So much more to be understood than in this damp, little squat. It’s like a thousand beautiful jewels hanging amongst the stars, each just waiting to be touched by the right person; to set off the catalyst of change.” The coal burning in his magenta eyes was dying low now and his visage became more than adequately somber.
“I’ve been away so long… Five thousand years. The idea in and of itself is almost too hard to grasp. But I sense no lies in your words, Della. Earth has decayed since I last saw it, far more than I had imagined. Sometimes…man and machine can perform unspeakable horrors… Della, I think I need some time to think this over. Will you please show me where I can stay for the night?”
-
The girl was nearly beside herself with the urge to call this man a lunatic and throw him out of her house, just to push it all away. To convince herself none of these spoken words were true. To blindly turn away from this.
But there, at the height of her repulsion, were images of the wood and it's crystalline pools, the brilliant starry skies and the abundance of small furry creatures skittering about in the brush, and Della knew that she could never live with herself if she turned a blind eye.
Her face was twisted with anxiety, worry and a suppressed fear, her dark eyes turned gray. She gazed up at Void like a small child, hardly having the sense to process what he was saying past the point of language alone. (Later in the evening, she would lay awake for hours finally realizing what she'd just been told and trying to make sense of it.)
Upon his request for a place to lay his head, she mustered up the coherence to shove off from her stool and stumble toward the hall.
"Of course... right this way."
Her voice wavered, matching her unsteady stance as she floated again toward the stairs leading to the second floor, where he had bathed earlier. She was, in the truest sense of the word, in shock.
"The guest room is through there," she muttered, pointing half-heartedly down a hallway to the left of the landing. "and my room is on the other side, there."
She again pointed, this time to the small hallway on the far side of the fireplace. "Please do say so if you're uncomfortable."
Their rooms shared a wall, but he would never notice, as she was generally quiet as a mouse anyhow. She looked him wearily in the eye and then floated in the direction of her room without another word.
-
The girl was nearly beside herself with the urge to call this man a lunatic and throw him out of her house, just to push it all away. To convince herself none of these spoken words were true. To blindly turn away from this.
But there, at the height of her repulsion, were images of the wood and it's crystalline pools, the brilliant starry skies and the abundance of small furry creatures skittering about in the brush, and Della knew that she could never live with herself if she turned a blind eye.
Her face was twisted with anxiety, worry and a suppressed fear, her dark eyes turned gray. She gazed up at Void like a small child, hardly having the sense to process what he was saying past the point of language alone. (Later in the evening, she would lay awake for hours finally realizing what she'd just been told and trying to make sense of it.)
Upon his request for a place to lay his head, she mustered up the coherence to shove off from her stool and stumble toward the hall.
"Of course... right this way."
Her voice wavered, matching her unsteady stance as she floated again toward the stairs leading to the second floor, where he had bathed earlier. She was, in the truest sense of the word, in shock.
"The guest room is through there," she muttered, pointing half-heartedly down a hallway to the left of the landing. "and my room is on the other side, there."
She again pointed, this time to the small hallway on the far side of the fireplace. "Please do say so if you're uncomfortable."
Their rooms shared a wall, but he would never notice, as she was generally quiet as a mouse anyhow. She looked him wearily in the eye and then floated in the direction of her room without another word.
-
Void nodded at this information and let his wander in the direction that she pointed to in reference to her room. So they would sleep side by side? The fact made little difference to him for his journey had to begin as soon as he possibly could make it. Should she deign to help him…well, he would leave her to her own devices and decisions. He would not stop her. But for now, he needed to rest and then he could focus on being reacquainted with the happenings of Earth now.
“I will. Thank you.” He nodded and departed after she disappeared into her quarters. The room was a comfortable settlement with a small but sizeable bed in the corner, a dusty armchair, bookcase and small desk overlooking a small garden in the back of the house. The sight was rather appeasing to his eyes and he smiled faintly in approval. Closing the door behind him with a resounding thrick!, Void stepped toward the bed and lied down like a human might. The springs ached beneath his weight yet it was rather comfortable for an archaic setting. This was certainly nothing like sleeping in the bathroom of a space station.
And he closed his eyes, placing his mind on the empty serenity of nothingness, the gap of space and time. A creature like him, in this form, while he could experience physical wear and tear, he was not accustomed to the concept of sleep. He knew only that one lied down in a form that allowed them comfort and this was his, a corpse pose. Surely he looked like a dead man with his ashen face and still body and slowed breathing. But when it came down to it, sleeping was more like meditation for Void. In it bore the higher mysteries of existence and he intended to find them even if it killed him. Tomorrow would be good for that; a good day to learn about the ways of this new world.
[SOOO sorry I took so long to reply. Life and my other threads on SotE often take up more of my time so I have to make sacrifices for certain things. I apologize and shall try to be more prompt from now on.]
-
Had it not been for the dewy glow that covered Sevenwinds from head to toe, the brilliant morning showed no sign of the passing storm. The pale sunlight stretched it's rays through puffy white clouds to set diamond fire to everything in it's reach, and the effect was truly something out of a dream.
Della awoke blinking and surprised. Hadn't she only closed her eyes a moment ago, when it was still dark and windy? She removed a tiny sleeping Paco from her chest and sat up, replacing him at the foot of the bed, and patting his puffy little head. Shockingly, she was not in any way blurry or confused about the happenings of the night before, and instead found herself waking from a short but restful sleep. Her mind was crystal clear, and her heart beating steady. She turned to peer outside, her eyes wide with astonishment, and examined the glistening countryside. Her lips curled slightly upward in a contented smile and she drew a slow, deep breath.
This was a brand new day.
She had stared at the ceiling for hours, thinking, worrying... silently crying. Fear had gripped her heart and shook her bones, it had overwhelmed her. Finally when the sun was scarcely an hour from rising, sleep had swept up light a ghost and taken her, and a peaceful rest settled in around the house and it's inhabitants. Now, as she rose from her bed and approached her old vanity mirror, she felt not even a faint reminder of the fright that had chilled her the previous night. Her face looked refreshed and youthful, her eyes bright and clear. Even her long dark hair sat in perfect waves around her horns, and she only had to comb her fingers through the ends to tame them. She dressed for the day in a very thin, white cotton dress which looked rather more like it ought to belong underneath another dress, and nodded at herself approvingly, as if agreeing that all was exactly as it should be.
When she peeked out of her bedroom and in to the hearth area between their doors, she concluded that Void had yet to rise. She tip-toed across the room to the staircase, shushing the hungry kitten at her feet, and grabbed a large basket from beside the landing before heading in to the kitchen, to start preparing a large and very aromatic breakfast.
-
A great bright ball of orange swept passed Void’s eyes. The motion was swift enough to catch his attention, however, when he glanced in that direction, the ball was nowhere to be seen. Out of the opposite direction came a mewing that made his head swivel that way. Still seeing nothing, Void sighed uselessly, closing his eyes as his heart leapt into his throat. I must be losing my mind, he thought with a grimace forming on his face.
Suddenly he heard the faint mewing once more, except that with every utterance the sound grew louder and louder. Just when he thought his eardrums were about to burst, his eyes tore open and before him…. CATS!! Adult cats, kittens, kitty cats. Orange cats, black cats, white cats, brown cats, calico cats, and any other damned designed for the furred menace he could think of. There were shelves of them and they lurked in every corner of the small bedroom of Della’s house. They mewed like beasts, screeched, cried, and clawed at him. Never in his life had he seen so many cats before and they all looked as if they were poised to attack….HIM! Just as he was about to make his escape when at least ten of the orange ones leaped at him in vengeance, fully prepared to sink their puffy clawed paws into his ashen flesh…..
Void thrust himself from the bed as he awoke from such horrifying nightmare. His skin was cold and clammy, brushing a shaking hand through the bright purple of his hair. However it took a few seconds of mental recovery before he was able to realize the bigger achievement: He’d actually fell asleep. It was miracle and despite the remains of the nightmare, he smiled a little at this fact. “Huh,” he said to himself. “Well, that was a first.”
He laughed a bit to himself and departed from the room when he felt a faint, yet not unpleasant scent tickle at his nostrils. It took only a few steps down the still unfamiliar staircase to realize it was food. He didn’t bother to dress in anything but the clothes Della offered him the day before because…well, he didn’t have anything else. He entered the kitchen doorway in a quiet tiptoed fashion, as if scared he was going to wake the dead. He eyed Della for a few minutes as she moved about the kitchen cooking, the smells making his head just about spin. It was merely a contented sigh that gave away his position behind her.
-
If Della was good at anything other than plants and herbs, it was cooking decadent and plentiful feasts. Meal time had always been family time in this home, and even since her parents had long been forgotten by these old walls, Della had always kept the kitchen alive with the sounds and scents of a happy home. It had been so long since she'd had a guest for breakfast, and though it was a difficult thing to swallow at first, this stranger had brought her the gift of purpose, and knowledge. She felt it only right of her to tantalize his senses with an extravagant and appreciative meal.
She flitted around the small room, busying herself with preparing ham, eggs, a plethora of delicious garden herbs and vegetables, all picked fresh just an hour before... plump, ripe fruits in phenomenal shapes and colors, and a large steaming pot of tea between two clearly hand sculpted mugs. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, with messy fallen ringlets bouncing here and there as she went back and forth between the hearth and the open back door, which led to the gardens.
She spun around at the sound of Void's sighing. Her face was flushed, but notably unworried, and her lips went so far as to voluntarily part themselves in a small but brilliant smile.
“Mornin'.” She offered casually, with a hint of a smirk as she looked him up and down. “I hope you're hungry.”
-
Void wasn't so familiar with the cuisine of today. He was much more accustomed to the indigenous foods of alien planets; they ate things like lion wolf hearts and strange smelling plants that really made the whole meal smell not only terrible but gave the stomach a terrible case of diarrhea.
But he knew the smell of eggs and ham when he sniffed it. Even after the five thousand years he was away from Earth. And he also knew it by the immense growling his stomach gave off when the scent entered into his olfactory senses, but that was the primary consequence of choosing a physical body to manifest in: You had to maintain it somehow.
He looked up at her stupidly as she twirled around to him, blushing furiously for some odd reason he couldn't make out. He noticed her smile and, curious, tried to mimic her expression. It was a real shame the remnants of his nightmare reemerged when he saw the tail of one of the cats slide by in the doorway. His smile faded and he instead rubbed his chest, feeling the cloth of the pajamas on his torso and felt his stomach rumble fiercely once more in response to her statement.
“Yes,” he managed, gulping confusedly. “It seems so. It’s hard to remember to eat sometimes. Er—I mean, what are you making?”
-
Della's eyes narrowed as she studied Void, her smile only softening in bewilderment for a brief moment. Her brow glistened like that of a woman at work, and she dabbed at it with the back of her wrist. She was almost surprised at herself for being so pleased with having company in the house. Sometimes it was so easy to forget what it was like not to be alone!
“Uhm, just about anything you like, really.” She smiled again, a bit wider this time. “Ham, potatoes, eggs... mushrooms, onions, radishes...” A loaf of dark, steaming bread sat royally on a rack on the counter, and she gestured to it happily. “...bread and jam?”
Her expression was astonishingly warm and peaceful, like a slate wiped clean. The worry lines on her forehead had vanished, the circles under her eyes brightened. She was clearly immersed in her element here in this old house, among these elaborate gardens full of love, and life. She laughed softy and poured him a cup of tea, perching on the same stool from the evening before to rest for what appeared to be the first time in several hours.
“Fresh cream? Or sugar?”
-
He watched mesmerized at the amount of food surrounding him in the kitchen. She gestured toward the ham, onions, potatoes, eggs, bread, and every other thing that managed to make the aching in his stomach churn into an incredible pain. Void gripped his stomach a little as he though of the food in all its succulent glory.
As she answered, he jumped in response because her voice dragged him out of his hypnosis with the food. “Uhh,” he rubbed the back of his head methodically. “I like all of it. The smells…make my stomach hurt with an incredible pain. Uh—” at the bread and jam “—yes, please.”
Then he turned to the window leading outside. He noticed it had stopped raining and the daylight really shone in a glorious beauty he hadn’t seen since his last supernova. It moved a part of him and it was a feeling he found strange. Particularly due to the fact that nothing could move the being, he was Void and his emotions were void.
At her next question, he looked at her curiously and stoically at the same time. “Um…both? If it’s not too much trouble. W-what plans have you for today?”
-
The corners of Della's mouth twisted into an amused smile, and she nudged a cup of hot black tea (cream and sugar added as requested) toward Void along the counter. Her smile broadened further as he described the pangs of hunger in his belly.
She pulled bread tray closer to herself, and upon looking around realized she needed to reach across his chest to retrieve her knife and she did so carefully, so as not to alarm him and also to ensure that she did, in fact, respect his personal bubble.
“It's no trouble at all.” she assured him moments later as she slathered a generous layer of freshly churned sweet cream butter and another consisting of crushed raspberries and mint. She smiled and held it out to him with a pale arm. “Well, it was going to be a day devoted to tending the grounds and the gardens for the most part, but since you've come along, it seems my plans have little say in grand scheme of things.”
She shot him a playful look, finding it easier to be herself in this beautiful sunny weather. Her lips pressed around the rim of her cup, rosy and pink like the first Spring blossoms, and her eyes wandered out the large double-paned kitchen window and rested on the high, green mountains.
Perhaps it was a good day for a picnic... but then with Della, nearly every day that so much hinted of sunshine was a good day for a picnic.
-
Void accepted the cup she proffered and took a gently sip, keeping his gaze out the window. He felt her eyes fall on him again but paid it no mind. Instead, he only looked back at her when she gave him the food. Consumed by the smell, he forgot his manners and ate with avarice, as if he hadn’t eaten in a thousand years. Which may as well have been the truth of it all.
In the last of the bite, he took another sip of the tea to wash it all down and said, “Thank you. That was delicious. And I’m sorry for being such a pig…” He blushed a little and pointed out the window to the plants outside. “Would you mind showing me the garden? You’re plants…they look…very interesting. Maybe you can teach me something about them. I’d very much like to learn.” He took a final sip, set the cup down and looked at her a bit shyly.
[Wow! Almost two months. I am so sorry for taking that long!]