Faline

Wednesday, 8:42 am

Yawning and fresh from my shower, I'm already deep into my co-op short story with Nicolaus. About a female adventurer seeking out a rogue's help in acquiring a rare magical artifact, she's currently in a tavern going over plans when a male sits down next to her. I can't help but smile as my tag name is used; 'Lady Marion', a mysterious woman who dares converse and deal with Vampires.

This is where I'd first met Nicolaus; in role-plays much like this, where he himself remained elusive to most who approached. I'd heard he mingled with some of the 'elite' female populace, which isn't much of a surprise considering his level of charm and how he 'speaks', so imagine my surprise when he seemed to seek me out directly. Granted it did cause some friction with some other writers, and those made for some epic fighting scenes before they stopped getting on altogether. Talk about rage-quitting.

"Faline! Where's my charcoal pencil?"

I look up from the monitor, rolling the chair to the entrance of the hallway.

"It's in the blue drawer, in the bathroom," I yell to her.

I watch as she goes from her room to the bathroom, mumbling about my moving her art stuff around the house. A smirk plays over my lips. I do it just to get a rise out of her. Her left arm is still wrapped up, if not a little loose.

She then comes out and goes to one of the bookshelves and picks out a book, looks into it, then puts it back and heads back to her room. That section is made up of 'reference material' when actually it's several books on different animals. Shrugging, I roll back to the desk. Nicolaus has replied.

After those writers had quit, others seemed to take up their mantle of course, but he had stayed close, seeming to really enjoy our work together. There was a rumor that had gone around for a time that the girls were actually missing in real life, but I seriously doubt that. More like they just changed accounts to get away from embarrassment or something. An instant message pops up before I can type anything else. It's from Nicolaus.

"I want to see you today."

"We've been through this Nicolaus, I can't."

"Bring your sister along, I'll bring a friend as well and we'll meet at a park."

I blink at the screen. Bring my sister? He's never invited her before. Sure, I've thought about dragging her along, but I never get around to asking about it. Procrastination at its best. Although, it may have merit.

"I'll ask her. What park?"

"The one out by the Harlem high school."

"Alright, I'll ask her, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Ask her now."

Sighing, I get up from my seat and head to my sister's room. The high school isn't that far from here, but still a few minute drive. I find her sitting on her bed, hunched over, and drawing.

"Hey, wanna go meet some new people at the park later?"

I watch as she sets down her sketch pad. What looks to be a wolf chimera-looking thing is sketched and some of the finer detail half done, the charcoal had been used to do part of it. I glance back to her face, eyebrows raised as she looks at me.

"Who?"

"Nicolaus, at the park."

"Not especially."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to."

"What if I go?"

"You're not going alone."

"Then come with me."

"No."

"Fine."

I ball my hands into fists. I knew she wouldn't go for it. I turn and go back to the computer. This is ridiculous, it's only one meeting and she would be there, so why couldn't we go? I sit down heavily on the swivel chair, my fingers fast on the keyboard in my anger.

"She said no Nicolaus, I told you she would."

"Did she give you a reason?"

"No."

"I bet I could change her mind. She never lets you do anything. Let me talk to her."

"She said no Nicolaus, I'm not about to make her mad at me."

Seething, I log out and shut off the computer. Crossing my arms, I lean back in the chair. Why won't she let me go? It isn't like I'm underage anymore.

I go to my room, slamming the door. The book on my bed gets tossed to the dresser, knocking off the small dark fairy clock that resides on top of it. Sighing, I go over to pick it back up, placing it carefully back where it was. The clock itself reads 10:02 am.

Going back to my bed, I plop down on it and gaze from wall to wall with all the pictures and posters staring down at me.

Boredom.

The various short stories I've been writing aren't finished yet, but I don't feel like working on them right now. I get up and head to the full-length mirror that I had Kierra attach to the wall. I had put my hair in a ponytail when I was on the computer, but right now, I don't like it, so it gets pulled out and my reddish-blond hair falls around my head to just below my shoulders.

My hair is thin, straight, and always getting tangled. I hate it. Leaning closer to my reflection reveals that I need to redo my eyebrows again, I don't like them thick, and the arch needs to be fixed. My hazel eyes look dark today, but that's probably due to my mood.

"This sucks."

Mumbling to myself, I walk out of my room and into my sister's. When I get there, I find her messing with the bandage over her shoulder. She has always healed pretty fast, but it should still be pretty raw, only forming that soft scab layer that always looks so gross.

"Quit messing with it."

She jumps as I reprimand her, green eyes flashing as she glares at me, but she stops picking at it. Her drawing is finished, well, as finished as she gets them. She doesn't care to color them when on paper; I guess she's scared of ruining them or something.

Climbing onto the bed, I crouch down on her left side so I can fix what she messed up.

"You know if you mess with it, you'll scar, so why do you do it?"

"It itches, I can't help it. And the scabs are pulling on the skin, it's annoying."

We go through this every time she's injured, I can't count all the scars she has from messing with them before they've healed. She's a bit of a masochist, I think.

"Can you take this thing off me before I rip it off?"

Kierra sounds aggravated and exasperated. Her eyes looking at me with an almost plea. I should let her suffer, but I get started at unwrapping it.

It doesn't take long, she has it so loose and the cloth pad underneath comes away wet with blood and that clear liquid that always accompanies wounds. The holes are lightly scabbed; a couple of the openings seeping blood from her messing with it.

"Now see what you did? You opened the wounds."

She heals quickly, but not that fast. Pushing the thought aside, I sigh and retrieve the alcohol and liquid bandage to put over the smaller wounds. It might not do any better though since I've seen her peel that stuff right off with no problem. When I come back into the room, she's messing with it again.

"Stop!"

She jumps again and glares daggers at me.

"You know, it's a wonder I never have more injuries with you sneaking up on me all the time."

Smiling sweetly, I get to work.

***

Kierra

11:14 am

"Ow! Can you be any gentler? That's a sensitive area, you know."

Faline just ignores me while I rant on. It doesn't hurt that bad, only a twinge here and there really, but if I don't remind her she can get carried away, putting on too much of the liquid stuff that burns like hellfire.

Since she had asked about going to meet this Nicolaus, I've been trying to come up with a way to soften my 'no', knowing that I'm not being fair to her. Feeling guilty over my over-protectiveness, I had come up with several ideas, but none of them seemed to say "I'm sorry" enough.

Then a new idea popped into my head. There's a new store opening up at the mall, not sure what kind of store, but it's something worth trying out. We only live a couple miles away, we could go for a walk. I just have to remember to bring my wallet; it might be a really good store.

She's just about finished taping me up. Perfect.

"Hey."

"Yep?"

"Wanna go for a walk with me?"

"Where to?"

"Well, around mostly, but I figure we could stop over at the mall and see what new store they got over there."

She glances up at me, eyebrow furrowed.

"You mean Machesney Mall?"

"Yeah."

"They don't have any new stores, just J.P. Lenny and Spergmen's that are at the ends of the strip. And we've already been in them."

"I'm not talking about them. They're opening a new store right in the middle."

"Oh? Since when?"

"Not sure really, Tristan told me about it."

"Oh."

She doesn't look convinced, eyebrows raised and all. But I keep on, not wanting her to say no. I smile at her, all innocent-like. Riiight. She isn't fooled.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothin', just figured you'd want to get out of the house for a while."

She's silent for a moment, looking over the gauze mess she created before looking up at me.

"Sure."

I smile, she rolls her eyes. Moving my arm around, the skin is tight but bearable. I guess. It still hurts a bit, but not as much as I thought it would. The wrapping is done up much thinner than the first time, it being just a single patch. She gets up to put the alcohol, gauze packages, and the little bottle of Liquid Skin away. I tell her to get ready to leave.

Getting up myself, I go to my closet and rummage around for a pair of jeans. Blue or black T-shirt? Hmm, I grab the black. Can never go wrong with black.

After putting on my socks and knee-high leather boots, I head to the bathroom to brush my hair. My hair is a mixture of colors. You ask one person what color it is and they'll tell you red, where if you ask another, they will say auburn or copper. It just depends on the way the light hits it.

Looking at my reflection, you can't really tell my age, and I certainly don't look like I'm twenty-five, soon to be twenty-six. Piercings help with that a little bit I think, ears done all the way up as they are and the metal barbell in my mouth. Used to have my lower lip and eyebrow done too, but decided to take them out.

After brushing till it shines, I put on some black eyeliner. Girly, yes, but eh, it really makes my green eyes glow. Finished, my tongue ring flicks against my teeth in habit before I go into the living room for my wallet, cell phone, and keys. I don't believe in purses. Give me a wallet and good pockets any day.

Faline is lounging on the couch waiting, legs hanging over the arm, wearing a light blue tank top and faded blue jeans. A short jean jacket is draped over her and gray ankle boots make her a little taller than the barely five-foot I know her to be. Her eyes are done up as well.

"You ready?"