Half-Bloods R • 2 : Growing Shadows

C • 21 : Sparks in Clouds, Chill in Wind

"Pretty good, kid. Though, I'd suggest a little less salt next time," Vaelan patted Anna's head as he watched the girl begin to season the steaks for that night, "Now, what should you add next?"

"Hmm," Anna cupped her chin in her palm, today she was wearing her casual prosthetics, arms that looked like real, flesh and bone limbs, "Garlic powder?"

Vaelan gestured for her to go ahead and use the garlic powder.

Christopher watched for a moment, locking his eyes on the small mark left on Vaelan's neck from the boiled water. He had apologized profusely when he woke up, and to his surprise, Villin apologized for dropkicking Christopher. Anna was the first to see him when he woke up, but when he asked her if he'd attacker her, she laughed and playfully hit him in the shoulder.

Now, everyone except Demi and Villin was in the kitchen. Elizabeth and Christopher were quietly reading at the table, he looked at his kerronasen friend, she'd been acting strangely lately, but he didn't dare to ask her what was wrong. Christopher, on the other hand, was instantly back to his normal routine of either reading books or heading to the research labs and testing new technology or stolen Order tech. Today, however, was his off-day so he opted to stay home and read.

"Looking good," Vaelan's voice broke Christopher's concentration, "Now we'll start by searing them on the stove, and we'll move them into the oven in a bit."

"You two sound like you're having fun," Christopher quietly chimed in.

"Hell yeah!" Anna chirped in her raspy voice, her pale blue eyes shining, "Not only can I fight, but soon I'll be cooking like a master!"

She turned qway from the stove, then threw a quick hook and a jab at the air with a big smile on her face. Christopher looked at her, she was a long way from the frightened little girl that he once tried to protect in the facilities. Her mechanical arms may not show any muscle, but he knew that within a short time of Vaelan's training, her body had become as tough as steel, and been chiseled down to pure muscle. Her advanced growth had halted completely, at the age of five, she already had the body and mind of a full blown adult, and her blue eyes had become pale like ice.

Christopher, though, stayed the same. Robotic arms and legs that couldn't strengthen or weaken, that could be broken easily in battle, or simply be replaced. His cheeks and eye would cook or freeze the surrounding skin in extreme temperatures. Then there were his metal horns, made to act like the antenna on a radio so that he could receive information, but without a connection to the Order, the implants were useless and dangerously attached to both his mechanical and nervous systems. The only parts of him that would change would be his organs and his hair.

Suddenly, a shock sped up his neck. He forgot that he had finally become a proper chimera, but even that didn't make him feel better. He sighed, put his book down, and looked at his hands, he could never again feel with his real fingers and palms, his real nerves. His ribs, skull, and even his spine had all been reinforced and "upgraded", but he certainly didn't see any of it as better. His limbs were heavy and the spots where they connected to his body were always sore, the metal that made up his cheeks was uncomfortable when he woke up or went to bed, and his gut always felt awkward due to his organs being bunched up against each other.

He looked up and saw Anna, she looked at him and smiled awkwardly, "You okay, Chris?"

He nodded.

"Bad day?" Vaelan asked.

He nodded again.

Anna walked up to him, while Vaelan moved the steaks to an oven tray and placed them in the oven, she wrapped her arms around Christopher. He closed his eyes for a moment, and smiled when she pulled back.

"Anything I can do to help?"

He shook his head, "Just the hug helped."

His stomach gurgled as a feeling of queasiness crawled its way into him. He slowly stood up, his metal joints creaking, and a crackly groan oozing out of his throat, "I think I'm gonna go lay down, actually."

He began slowly walking out of the kitchen and toward the living room when he looked back. For a single moment, the briefest of moments, he saw the eyes of Throne: Ophanim watching him and felt bile surge up into his throat. At the sight, he couldn't help but keel over as the eyes disappeared and were replaced by his friend's faces, he cupped his mouth as his metal knees and palm struck the tile floor. Anna rushed over to Christopher as Vaelan pulled a bucket out from under the sink and tossed it to her.

Christopher vomited into the bucket and spat out the lingering taste of magimist that had been on his tongue since the incident. Memories of people shoving their tongues down his throat flashed into his head for a second before he forced them out of his mind.

He coughed and murmured, "Thanks."

He looked up and saw Elizabeth watching him with a terrified expression, her lavender eyes glowing.

"You okay?" Elizabeth asked, he could see the veil-marks on her hands glowing lightly and couldn't help but wonder why.

He nodded, then shook his head.

"Just having an off-day," he groaned.

"Come on," Elizabeth gently lifted him to his feet and wrapped one of his arms around her, "Let's get you to bed for a while."

She guided him up the stairs and to his room, where she laid him down and pulled a trashcan up the side of his bed. She sat down beside him, but didn't dare to look at him. In the dark, the purple ends of her hair, her eyes, and her veil-marks all glowed gently and beautifully. He wanted to hold her hand, but stopped himself, if he was sick he didn't want to risk spreading anything anymore than he already had. He watched her in silence for a few seconds, then a minute, then a few minutes. Was she waiting for him to fall asleep?

Now would be the perfect time. He thought. No, she's got Animus.

"I'm so sorry, Chris," she finally said in a wavering voice, "I really fucked up."

She began to sob.

"Because of me, you were possessed by Throne: Ophanim, I wanted to do something nice for you, and instead I got you fucking possessed."

Tears were rolling down her face as she took shaky breaths. He had never seen her like this, he and Demi had been the only Chimeras to ever cry in front of the others, but Elizabeth? She had always done her best to restrain any feelings of sadness or anger in front of the others if it could be helped, to see her crying, he didn't know what to do.

He slowly patted her back, then left his hand there for a moment. She looked at him and he was paralyzed when he saw her full face covered in tears. Sure, her eyes were puffy, and her face was reddened, but somehow she still remained beautiful, even with a little snot running from her nose. He took his hand back and she looked away.

"You didn't fuck up," he whispered, his voice suddenly gone, "And I'm sorry I made you worry."

She chuckled to herself for a moment, looked at him, then looked away, "Chris, I"-

She cut off, the words caught in her throat. She looked at him one more time and smiled, then wiped her face and headed to his door. She opened it and lingered there for a few seconds.

"Get some rest, Chris, you need it," she walked out and closed the door.

He stared at the door for a while. Had he said something wrong, offended her? He shook his head, that couldn't be it. Another wave of queasiness washed over him, he leaned over the side of his bed and puked into the trashcan. When he was done, he leaned back against his pillows and waited for sleep to claim him, but it didn't come for a long while. Instead, sleep evaded and left him to the torture of sickness for what felt like hours, before finally claiming him and leaving him in a dreamless darkness.

Yet, as he slept, he could've sworn that something soft gently pressed against his forehead. Nonetheless, he ignored it and continued his sleep in the void, hidden away safely from the dream realm where Throne: Ophanim could find him, and enjoyed the silence.