Facing The Sun

Missing Someone

"Ivis!" Her mother burst through the door, a limp and bloodied body in her arms. His red wings were stained purple, and it was obvious that someone attacked him. "Get the medical supplies." She laid them down on the bed, applying pressure to the wound in their stomach.

"What happened to this one?" Ivis asked as she laid out their supplies, watching as her mother stuffed the wound.

"A spear. Some thieves attacked him, stabbed him once—but I bargained for his life before they could kill him." She answered with a disgusted look on her face. "Stitch up the wound on his wing, I think he'll live."

Ivis nodded, pleased that he would live, and got to work.

~ * ~

Upon their return, Vedrith spoke with Yael for a while, and then opted to take a nap on the ship. Ivis didn't mind, but she wasn't sure what she was supposed to do for however long Vedrith slept. For the past thirty minutes, she had been going through and pruning her wings—but she could only run her hands through them for so long before all the damaged and loose feathers were gone.

She held up one of the orange feathers in her hand, fiddling with its soft edges as she lost herself in thought.

Part of her had never left Neurothon, and was still on edge—keeping her guard up high. But the other part felt a lot more peaceful than it used to... like it did before she was entered into the Arena.

Ivis didn't know how to feel. She thought that she would be happier after she left Neurothon—that it would change everything, but it hadn't. Sure, she felt different, but the memories were still engraved into her mind—as if she had been branded with hot metal. As if she still had chains around her neck after the one's on her wrists were broken.

You're still a killer, Ryoko. Leaving doesn't change that. Spoke Ainwir in Ivis's head, It sounds to me like you have a guilty conscience.

It's all in your head. She never said that. Ivis assured herself—something she had to do too often.

She tapped the top of the table she was sitting at, trying to create some sort of noise to draw her focus away.

After Vedrith went back to the ship, Ivis was brought to a sort of visitors room... an empty one. Probably to be safe. No one bothered her, or acted as if she was out of place. It felt strange, yes, but also nice.

"I thought you'd be rather bored," said a voice from behind Ivis, "But it seems you're alright." Ivis turned around quickly, feeling startled, but was relieved when she identified Yael in the doorway. "Didn't mean to scare you, by the way. Sorry." Yael rubbed the back of her neck, and Ivis could tell that she meant it.

Ivis wasn't sure what to say, so she just nodded in response. Yael's presence hadn't felt threatening throughout all their interactions so far, and even though Ivis didn't have a particular reason to—she felt at ease around her.

Yael took a step towards Ivis, but paused mid-stride. "Mind if I join you?" She asked, pointing towards the empty seat beside Ivis.

Ivis shrugged, and nodded her head again. She didn't see why not. Yael pulled out the chair, and sat down next to Ivis, sighing as she did so.

"So," Yael patted the tops of her knees in a mock-rhythm. "I've noticed that your hair seems rather unkempt, and I feel rather inclined to help you... so I wanted to offer to, well, help." She smiled, leaning back in her chair as she spoke.

"Why?" Ivis asked, unable to find reason in Yael's offer. Ivis usually took some care of her hair, but it was pushed to the side as of late.

"Well for one, it's what my mother used to do for me—and two, you've had to put up with Vedrith for over a week now. So ya deserve some kind of award." Yael chuckled, and Ivis wondered if Vedrith would say the same about her. "If ya don't want help though, that's just fine. No offense will be taken." Yael stated.