Wired: Metta's Story

Burden

Mistral

Outside Piedmont - December 19, 2012 - 5:32 PM

"TRY IT AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME, PUT A LITTLE... OOMPH INTO IT!"

Mistral sat on the sidelines as Metta sighed and proceeded to try the sequence again. Bill floated against a gray California backdrop. Time was frozen for the three of them, but Mistral was getting pretty hungry. Her mother would be cooking when she got home. Maybe. They'd gotten takeout a few times recently. Her dad was always the better cook.

She leaned forward with interest when Metta's eyes opened and he breathed out, green grass brightening on the ground beneath his feet, spreading outward. It was going well this time. Mistral pulled her jacket tighter around herself when the wind returned, lifting her hair, blowing in her eyes. The walk back into town would certainly be cold. Ah well.

He was almost there, now. Soon they'd be pulled back into the world's timeline. If Metta could pull this off, it would a fantastic demonstration of control. Mistral knew he could do it. He'd been practicing all day, after all. It gave her chills the way his eyes glowed. He looked so powerful. Of course he did.

Mistral shifted her focus to Bill. He was watching Metta as well, appearing more and more excited each second. What was he so excited about? Unless this benefited him in some way? She looked back to Metta, examining more closely, cautiously reaching out to his mind. On a surface level, it seemed self contained. Like Metta was totally in control. But when she paid attention she could feel the real chaos of it. If Metta kept going, he would-!!

Metta, stop!!

She jumped up and forced her way into Metta's mind, breaking his focus. He turned sharply to her, clearly frustrated. She flinched, but stood her ground.

"I almost had it!!!" Metta stomped his foot. "Why would you do that?"

"Because you were losing control!" Mistral pointed an accusatory finger to Bill. "Which is exactly what he wants to happen."

"WHO, ME...?"

"Yes, you..." She crossed her arms. "I bet you were hoping for the chance to come back into our world. That's totally what it was!"

"Mistral..." Metta sighed tiredly. "You can't freak out on me every time I use chaos. I'm trying to learn control. I had it. It was fine."

He said that, but his emotions were open to her. She could feel the doubt, the panic, the pure chaos. It wasn't fine.

"YOU WERE DOING GREAT!" Bill put an arm around Metta's shoulder. Metta flinched. "YOU'LL RETURN TO YOUR FORMER GLORY YET, LIGHTNING BOLT!"

"Stop calling him that." Mistral snapped. Metta didn't have the nerve to say those things himself. Mistral didn't care.

"We've been over this..." Metta spoke softly. "I'm not trying to return to anything. I never had any idea what I was doing anyway."

"AND I LIKED YOU SO MUCH BETTER THAT WAY..." Bill lamented. Mistral rolled her eyes. "STILL, IT'S A SHAME THAT YOU GOT CUT OFF BY A CHILD'S TRAUMA RESPONSE! TALK ABOUT A BUZZKILL!"

"Shut up." Mistral swatted him away like a gnat. "Metta, c'mon. I'm not stupid. I know what I saw, what I felt."

Metta made eye contact with her. She did her best to impart to him that Bill's evil manipulation was obvious and he needed to be careful. It seemed he got the message, shifting his gaze to Bill and shaking his head.

"...let's stop for the day." Metta finally said.

"YOU SURE, KID?" Bill immediately zipped in front of him. "I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO LEARN?"

"I did learn today, Master!" Metta smiled, using a sing-songy voice. It only partially sugarcoated the fact that he was still calling Bill 'Master.' Mistral hoped to get him off of that at some point. "I learned what not to do. Listen to a word you say."

Mistral giggled softly. Bill looked deeply offended.

"WELL, SEE IF I DO YOU A FAVOUR AGAIN! FINE."

Bill snapped his fingers, and the world returned to normal. He was gone again. Metta sighed deeply and turned to Mistral. She gave him an awkward smile.

"...well, let's head back then."

Mistral nodded and fell into step behind him. She could still feel his anxiety, his deep pain that just hadn't gone away since he'd woken up. It was something she understood, for sure. She wasn't an empath like Rose was, but she didn't need to be to know that practically everyone was carrying this pain. Mistral's own mother's eyes were shadowed by grief. And Mistral was... well, she didn't know what was going on with her. Her own feelings felt muted, in a way. She opted not to think about that.

Metta was the one she knew she could help with. She could feel exactly what he felt. And what was the point of her SOUL being connected to his if she couldn't ease his burden? That was her job.

"I know what you're thinking." Metta suddenly spoke. Mistral blinked, caught off guard. Right. She'd forgotten this was a two-way street. "You don't have to help me."

"I-I know that!" Mistral stammered out. "It's what I want to do! Someone has to, right?"

"Frankly, no." Metta stopped, turning to look at Mistral properly. "And especially not a 12-year-old girl. Mistral, I'm sorry you got caught up in my mess. I wouldn't wish this pain on you for anything."

Mistral didn't understand. They were supposed to be friends... right? Why was he shutting her out now? Clearly, his situation was worse than she'd thought.

"That's not what it is!" Metta shook his head, becoming obviously frustrated. "I know Bill was being... deceptive, but he's right about one thing. You're a traumatized kid, and... and I've relied too much on you already. Have you even let yourself grieve...?"

"I-I don't..." Mistral could feel tears coming into her eyes. "But you... you're not doing well, and I just want... to make it easier."

"It'd be easier on me if I knew you were... okay." Metta turned away again. "I've accepted my fate. In six months, I die, and I take all the harm I did with me. But you don't have to deal with that, Mistral."

"W-What are you doing, Metta...?" Mistral could feel the chaos swirling around them again. She became desperate. She tried to reach him, but he felt so inaccessible. "Please! Don't cut me off! Metta!!"

He didn't say anything for a long time. Then he turned, controlled, powerful. He shined. His magic felt stronger than ever as it wrapped around Mistral and imprinted into her mind.

"We'll always be friends, Mistral." Metta spoke softly, echoing in Mistral's ear. But it wasn't like Bill. His voice was comforting. Relaxing. Smooth. She felt herself lose her resolve to fight this. "But my burden is not yours to carry."

Mistral walked in the door to her house, waving goodbye to Metta. Her mother was there, looking tired. Perhaps Mistral could cheer her up by suggesting they set up for the Christmas Party her father had wanted to throw this year.

"Sweetie." Her mother breathed softly, happy to see her. "How was your day?"

Mistral opened her mouth, and found she... wasn't sure. There were some strange blanks in her memory. But something at the back of her mind told her she was okay and there was no need to worry about that. So she simply smiled and answered her mother.

"It was good."