Looking the mirror up and down, I smiled absent-mindedly as I quickly adjusted my uniform. My vest was clean, not a wrinkle to be seen, my shirt soft and straight, the shoulders puffed out by design. Shorts even length and my leggings with the one black stripe completely and totally visible beneath, while my iron tipped boots fit snug to my calves, allowing a sliver more of the leggings to show through. My hair was slicked back already, all of it evenly parted and clean, if you forget about the improper piece of hair that simply refused to stay down. My goggles, that hung limply about my neck, would hold it down, but it was still a nuisance.
However, I was not to be discouraged. In the end I would look like usual, uniform and crisp, even as I ran and struggled about the city delivering whatever I was so aptly required to. I was a Qrow, and I was reminded of this fact as I adjusted my goggles to fit over my eyes and nose, effectively disguising who I was. Even if I looked the same as all the others, I found myself loving the appearance. I had slicked black hair, reaching the nape of my neck, as well as pure white skin, and medium gray eyes. My physique was the slick, wiry side of muscular, though I still found myself short. All the Qrow's looked like this, and there was to be no differentiating between us. It was safer this way.
I closed my door, racing down the street as I made my way to my first stop of the day. This was the Qrow's headquarters, held in the middle of the city. It was safe, far from the borders where danger and fear was imminent, and well guarded. I had to acquire my first load, usually consisting of letters or boxes from the Higher Order. I never knew what they were for or who got them, or even what they said or were about, but I delivered them all the same. No questions asked, simply delivering these items with a hidden face. It didn't bother me, however, as it was my job; my life.
Having arrived quickly, I entered the grey building, already seeing the many hidden faces with glass eyes and achromic attire and dull features. I smiled again, rushing about and losing myself in the blissful feeling of belonging. I belonged with these people. These people who you could never distinguish a single one from the other, not during work hours anyway. I felt more at home here, amongst the familiar and similar and common faces and statures and builds than about the other residents of the city. Forgetting myself, I hadn't realized I'd already arrived at the loading dock until the Order of Qrow handed a large box to me, with the letters 'WD-40' in neat characters atop it. The WD district was where the Oles lived, closest to the Forest. I shuddered, taking the package and carefully making my way back outside. No words were spoken inside, no greetings or goodbyes as I made my way out. I never expect different, and neither do the others, as the sound of shuffling feet and papers dissipated as the door closed behind me. Now, to get to the WD District without alarming the Oles or getting to close to the forest.
The sprint began quickly, myself clutching the box tightly as I weaved through the tiny crowd and ducked under pipes connecting the bright, dull houses, before I broke free from the crowd. Both my breathe and my feet stumbled, and I came to a jarring stop as I took in the empty square. People always bustled about, our safety and freedom most important on our minds as we did our work, avoiding mentioning or even looking up at the trees that loomed far above the city. This area was entirely empty however, and I found myself with dread nagging deep in my stomach, as if I'd swallowed something cold. This feeling was magnified by how little it was felt, not by just me, but in that moment I remembered how uncommon such a feeling was. If you felt it, you were instructed at a young age to run and find an Ole. That was what I planned on doing, before I felt a hand land on my shoulder. I did not scream, I did not make a sound, as I turned to face the strange man. He looked similar to the Oles, hair grey and skin Davy's gray, however the wild and fearful look in his black eyes told me something was wrong. His outfit was wrong, dressed not like an Ole. He looked torn, as if he'd been dragged through the streets against his will, which confused me even more. There was no violence, not against the people nor by the people.
We were safe.
This man refused to acknowledge silence, breathing heavily as he reached into his pocket, my eyes following every movement as I felt frozen. I should run, I knew I should, but I found it impossible to move myself. The man pulled out a small box, maybe as large as my fist, and handed it to me. Or, rather, shoved it into the crook of my arm not holding the delivery package. He watched me, before nodding, and once more racing away. My knees felt like they might give out under me, before I found myself moving again. That break in routine was so terribly wrong and different that I could not fathom it, instead continuing on my route. I still had the tiny black box he'd given me, unsure of how to respond to that. It was never taught in the schools, how to adjust to the unordinary. We were always taught how to respond to what would happen in our lives, undoubtedly and calculated, never what to not expect.
There were no surprises in the City of Silence.
I still continued on my route, despite the nagging feelings found deep in my abdomen that threatened to lock my knees and force me ill. I could not run though, and as I was able to make out the wall of the forest in front of me, I found myself looking away. The forest was silent now, despite the distant rustling in the bushes. It all felt too loud. The noise was too loud. The hues were louder.
The forest was bright and alive with something the Order taught us was called colors and hues. I did not know if these chromes had names, but they left me terrified, knowing they were dangerous. The Order knew what was best for us, and the colors would kill us, so they kept us here in the city. Kept us all safe and secure.
The box in the crook of my arm seemed to react to the forest, as it grew warm and I nearly dropped it, before adjusting my grip and running the last last way to WD-40. It was the second to last building before the forest began, bricks a light silver and windowless. Making my way across the bleak pavement, the area empty, I found myself before a massive door. It was closed, prepared for attack, as I set the box down gently. Backing away from the door, taking the small box in my hands, I turned and ran.
The pavement smacking in a loud 'pat pat' beneath my boots felt much too loud. Rarely was anything delivered to this district. It was too dangerous.
That was all I knew.
So, I made my way back towards the main city. It was quick, both my speed and knowledge of the area helping tremendously. Though I had to jump a root that had grown into the city, colors too vibrant as it disrupted the bricks and broke the paved path. The Oles would come soon to remove it, and the Cassoways would return the pavement to its unbroken state. But the sight of it once more made me feel ill as I had to jump over it, now close enough to hear quiet chitter and chatter and footsteps on the hard stone. The noise distracted and calmed me. The day would return to normal now, I was sure of it. Everything would be just fine and wonderful, as it was every day. The Order would take care of that strange man, and we could all be happy again. That did still leave the box, but as the day's routine became relevant once more, I felt my mind clearing. The man had given me this box, and then just run away. He obviously was no Qrow like myself, so this was no delivery.
I decided I would place it by my door, to look at later, and as I made the brief detour, I thought about what exactly had happened.
Whatever had, it had happened too fast. As I ran, I passed multiple others Qrows, doing just the same. All Qrow's did was run, really, so no one was surprised by the urgent footsteps or swift, shorter individuals side stepping through crowds. I nearly ran into a Cassoway who was simply resting. Her white eyes and silver hair caught me off guard as I passed by. All Cassoways looked like that, and mostly female, however it did not allow a moment of notice as I was captivated. No longer able to see her, I couldn't help but hope my Life Partner would be a Cassoway. I adored their bright exteriors, even if they all looked the same. I fantasized about my future once I was assigned my Life Partner, setting the box down carefully by my door, before I turned on one heel and took off. The fatigue was only beginning to wear on me, as my stamina was high, but the feeling of a shoulder brushing mine--intentionally stepping into my path to brush my shoulder--and soft fingers ghosting my wrist through my sleeves was the next off thing. I did not stop to turn, nor to say anything as the ghastly figure and myself went opposite ways.
I could easily envision the white hair, upswept at the bangs and almost curled, as well as the dark gray, nearly black eyes, and especially the light gray skin. He was taller than I was, had been since we were young. I could scarcely compare him to the others that normally would look so identical, as they were so rare and few that it was difficult to place a specific look to them, except for him. He wanted to meet with me, right before Dark Time began. We would speak then, there at my home, as per usual. We could see each other at no other time, and he cared not for the strict rules about Dark Time. I did, but I could not stop him.
Especially since he was my best friend. Especially when he was so hard headed.
That day continued normally from there, delivering items and papers here and there. I would count the letters on the pages while I ran or waited, curious what they read, but incapable of knowing. It was a short day, and nothing was remotely as interesting or terrifying as the stop at the WD district. As soon as the day started, if felt like the Dark Time would begin. I knew he was waiting outside my door, looking as inconspicuous as he could, despite his play and role. He would wait until I returned, long after he could no longer see as the Dark Time began.
And just as that thought finished, the city became black. My goggles adjusted fine, allowing me to see despite all of the lights and powers within the city having been shut down by the Order for the night. No standard citizen could see, but the Qrows would continue to make their rounds in the dead, silent dark, and deliver items to the doorsteps of citizens. We would be silent, moving through most districts of the city with ease before returning to our homes to sleep. We could not run as fast during the Dark Time, fearful of alerting the Red Faces that watched us from the forest, that we were vulnerable. I was not taught what the Red Faces were, but I did know they were not human, unlike us. Red was also the only color I knew, if my assumption was right. They were flowing, colored lights that slithered and moved and watched us. Another warning of the threat of chrome and how it preyed upon and tried to kill us.
There was a loud bark of noise from the other side of the city. It meant a Red Face or something else had entered the city and was being held back by the Oles. All Qrow's would return home and hide away until morning, and I quickly returned home, keeping an eye open for any sight of glowing color. I saw nothing, arriving home quickly as several more shots rang out. I tried to rush and push the door open, before I saw the much too calm eyes of him standing, leaning upon the door. I grabbed his arm, and he stepped aside, knowing who I was, before I led him inside. I brought him to my room, where he turned on the quiet light he had. Only those of his position or similar could carry lights. It illuminated his features, reminding me more of our difference in position.
Everything about him said BlauJae, and I found myself pouting at him. He would be assigned a Cassoway as a Life Partner, I knew it. He was closer to being assigned his than I was, as well as being more deserving. He was seventeen now, as was I, but there was still a gap of 'Months' between us.
Seventeen and instead of fantasizing about who his Life Partner would be, he focused on his work and on me. I appreciated him, I really did, but I wish he'd be less himself sometimes.
Nikoli Harris frowned at me, tilting his head slightly in obvious confusion. He was usually busy, but in these moments he was relaxed and more open. It was nice, even if a bend to the rules.
"What's that look for?" He asked me, and it was always a shock to hear words for the first time each day. Words that were spoken directly at me, as none were said on the job. It made me even more jealous. He'd be given a Life Partner he'd see often, even if he doesn't care to get one.
"Mikael," I was brought out of my reverie then, seeing a soft smile on his face that once more turned to a mix between bored and frustrated that only Nikoli could manage.
"Why was it urgent to talk to me?" I asked, as he adjusted my goggles so they fell limp against my chest again. My eyebrows were knit close together, watching his careful movements. He was scared.
Nikoli shifted slightly then, his light wavering as he refused to look away, even if he was shaken.
"I found," He took a deep breathe, almost shakily, as his hands fumbled to hold the light proper. "I found a document in the Ordered Vault."
I was confused. Of course he found a document there. That was his job as a BlauJae, to organize and keep in order the documents and important papers of the Order. My confusion apparently showed on my face, prompting him to continue.
"Mikael," He started, "I don't know if the Screaming Forest is as dangerous as they tell us."
Nikoli's voice was barely a whisper, quiet in the night.
With a jolt I realized he was worried someone might hear us. This did little to quell my anger and discomfort at the idea of him calling the Order out on fraud. On lies.
"You know the reason it's called the Screaming Forest. It isn't safe for us! We could," he cut me off, hand over my mouth as he signaled with his other hand for me to be silent. I tried to be quiet, I really did, but the sound of another shot had me flinching, before it was dark again. Nikoli had turned off the light, moving his hand. It was quiet for a few moments, before I felt rather than saw him shake his head.
"We'll talk about this later, Mikael."
"I don't want you getting hurt. If you would stop," I paused, "what's the word?"
"Reading," He smiled, I could hear it in his voice, "it's called reading, Mikael."
"Yea, that. If you would stop reading the papers, then you wouldn't be suspicious." I finished my response, crossing my arms, before a his hand settled on my elbow. Before I knew it, there was phantom weight, and I pulled back, placing my goggles back over my face, and racing back to the door. I heard Nikoli briefly call after me, but I ignored him in favor of grabbing the item that was still in place next to my door. It was small, warm to the touch, and I quickly carried it back inside, returning to see the small light was on again. Nikoli looked like something unreal.
I sat back on my bed next to him, looking down at the small black box. Nikoli watched it, obviously confused, before reaching out to touch it. The moment his hand came into contact with it, he reeled back, shocked by the warmth of it. He turned up to face me more, searching for some kind of explanation. He would not voice this prompt, and I could not voice an answer.
"What's inside?" He asked instead.
"I'm not sure."
Nikoli looked at me in something similar to disinterest, but I recognized it more as frustration. I had been avoiding thinking about it or opening it until now, curiosity subdued by instinct and reaction instilled in the brief years of schooling from long ago. Now though, with my closest friend, really my only friend, by my side asking what it was, I found the curiosity undeniably strong, and I reached up to open it.
It opened easily, the black of the box almost shimmering in the dimmed light, before what was inside was revealed. Among the rings of a pillow of white, soft velvet, there was a clock. It ticked softly, the noise only now reaching our ears, as it moved through time. The same time I felt frozen in. I touched it, pressing a finger against the glass, feeling it shift inside the box. There was more to it, it seemed, as I carefully pulled it from the velvet. The watch was light, though something about it was off putting and it felt like my eyes were being tricked. The straps on the side of the clock--the watch, Nikoli informed me it was properly called--were colored a very dark, very pale form of something.
We weren't taught the names of colors.
Nikoli's breathe caught once he noticed it, reaching out with one hand to touch the strap, almost seeming to be drawn to it. I myself felt like throwing it, the sickened feeling taking hold of me again. I quickly put it back in the box, almost incorrectly, before closing it again. I stared at it for a moment, the case for the watch seeming so normal to my everyday life, but the soft 'tick' from the inside made me want to run away. Run to the Oles and leave this all behind. It made me want to-
"Where did you get this?" I blinked, turning to see Nikoli who seemed unfazed, almost calm. This was like a dream.
"Man, in the street, he gave-he forced the box into my arms, I don't..." I continued babbling in senseless rhythm for several minutes, panic evident on my face and in the bare bones of my speech, before I realized the light was gone, and I felt like I was being suffocated. The feeling was oddly welcome, but I still felt uncomfortable, coming to terms slowly with what was currently happening. Nikoli had wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close, and while it calmed me down, I was only confused by the action. My voice was quiet, asking what he was doing, before he pulled back, replacing the prior distance between us.
"It was something the ancients did," He explained, "I read about it in one of the Old World Testaments during Day Break. It was a calming act apparently performed by friends, familial figures, and even Life Partners," Nikoli's voice was factual as he spoke, properly explaining to me what the strange ritual he had performed was. While I suppose it had been comforting, it was strange and archaic, and I explained this to him, where he told me he'd refrain from reenacting ancient customs in my presence. He had a tendency to do that, and even though he said he would stop, he always found something new he wished to try. It was dangerous, but he found it too interesting. I could never deny his curiosities.
There was this, and other times as well, including the time he informed me of strange devices the ancients had that they could do almost anything with, and yet it fit into the palm of their hand. The ancients were brilliant.
However, their brilliance had led to violence.
I was brought back to reality and the present when I found the box snatched from my hands, looking over to find Nikoli opening it and examining the watch again. I quickly grabbed it back, nearly shoving him in the process, as he looked at me in bewilderment. I was never physical with him, or with anyone for that matter, but it seemed to strike him in particular as odd.
"Mikael, I am staying here tonight. It's too late into Dark Time for you to walk me home, and this watch has caught my interest. What role was the man who gave it to you?" Nikoli tried to sound like everything was normal, but the question at the end betrayed his loyal curiosity and interest. It showed that this was strange, and even for him he knew not how to answer the question. I watched him for a moment, eyes flickering down to watch the case again, before I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
"I think he was an Ole. His clothes were," I paused for a moment, eyebrows knitting together as I thought. "His clothes were wrong."
"Wrong?"
"Wrong."
We were quiet the rest of the Dark Time. Nikoli, like many nights, fell peacefully into sleep on the floor beside my cot. I myself took some time to relax, still jumpy from the conversation we'd had. It was not until the next morning and I was awoken to the sound of electricity once more running through the building that I realized I had even fallen asleep. I sat up quickly, grabbing another, newer, and cleaner uniform, and began my normal routine. Nikoli continued to sleep, however, until I finished and was about to leave. I decided to wake him, send him back to his district and home to prepare for another day of organizing. He awoke much slower than I had, uncurling from his long coat, and sending an awful glare towards my way. He was hungry, but he could not eat until Day Break, this much I knew. I could not either, the hunger settling deep like a buzz in my stomach. We both ignored it, as we silently left.
With neither of us mentioning the box.
The day continued from there. I made my routes, I made my way, I made my pay. The pay was really just the Day Break, where I would sit and watch the crowd pass through, while I ate my daily meal. It was a good day today, I decided, popping another of the tiny pellets into my mouth. It was sweeter today than yesterday; the tiny food capsules everyone was fed. Usually once or twice a day we were given the food, and we happily ate them during Day Break, when most of the crowd were making their way to a suitable eating spot.
Nikoli ate inside, unlike most of us. He got to sit among the Order's Shelves, eating the food pellets and and drinking his water, before moving on to continue organizing new papers, letters, and important notes about the citizens of the city. Once, he told me the ancients hunted animals and roasted them over flames. The thought always made me feel threatened. Fire was a hazard, and the hunt and harvest of meat from living beings sounded cruel and barbaric. I was content with the food provided day after day. I suppressed a small laugh at the thought of how much safer we were than the ancients. How cruel they must have been.
Day Break went by without a hitch, however it was after it ended that things went awry. The ground shook and a crash was heard, but no one made a sound. We did not scream or gasp or cry. We simply moved back in the crowd, towards the center of the Order. It was the farthest from the forest, and so we wouldn't have to witness the city streets be disrupted and broken by the roots and trees and plants and overgrowth and loud sounds and loud colors. The discord was too much in these moments, where the forest grew into the city, the roots breaking the stone, climbing as high as some buildings. We'd lost sunlight long ago, the trees towering so high above the city that if they fell, they could easily destroy it.
Every time the ground shook, it was a common knowledge that a Great Tree could fall and crush us. The last of the human race, gone beneath a tree that was so much larger than they had ever been in the old world, according to the records Nikoli spoke of.
After the quaking, both in the ground and in the people, subsided, we were instructed over the speakers placed around the city to continue on with the day. So, we did just that.
Nikoli approached me more directly in public this time, addressing me with his eyes and actually watching me, nodding, before turning and taking off before his absence was noted. I disliked his sneaking about, hiding and stealth. It was so wrong and different from the rest of the people, that I questioned why he even befriended me. I was normal. I was the same. I was no Nikoli Harris. I was only Mikael Da'larian. I was a Qrow, who had nothing remotely abnormal going on in their life.
I ate the food pellets. I worked my job to perfection with no flaws. I worked through my life on a default. On a routine. I was preparing to be assigned my Life Partner by the Order of Cardinale. I wore my uniform and I spoke seldom to others outside of the close, familiar individuals in my life. Yet I had been given a miniature clock that grew warm for reasons I could not comprehend as well as having color, forced into my possession by a potentially rogue Ole. How pleasant, I thought dryly, delivering a set of papers, before turning to return to the headquarters of the Qrow.
The roots were more pronounced, as I had to make several deliveries to the WD district this time. I had to duck under the roots, if not just climb over them entirely, which was perilous and difficult. I found my heartbeat elevated, racing as I jumped over a new root and an area of horribly ruined brick pavement. It was a disturbing sight, but I pushed on, focusing on other things to bide my time and secure my mind. I stopped then, realizing someone other than an Ole was in the district with me this time. The Oles were always tucked away, hiding away in their alcoves and homes until the Dark Time. This individual however stood atop a raised root, looking down at me and holding the case. Of course, Nikoli would grow impatient with me. He looked down at me, sitting on the root, as I observed his precarious and curious position. Why would he be up there? That was dangerous, horrible. It was part of the Screaming Forest. If he wasn't careful, something terrible would happen. I could feel it.
"We need to leave."
The words were a shock. Nikoli was moving too fast, always one step ahead of me, sure. This though was something new. Leave to where? He didn't mean the city, did he? That was preposterous. Ridiculous. Leaving the city was a death sentence. Nikoli meant they'd go to my house, I'm almost sure of it. Or, rather, I was sure of it until he spoke again.
"We need to leave the city, Mikael," Nikoli's words were quick and sharp, and as he swung down from the many feet high root penetrating the ground, I felt cold dread settle once more throughout me. It held me down, watching him with face displaying all my terrors and it gave him insight to how I would react. He knew how I would, and so he responded again to something unanswered. His hand settled warm on my elbow, and I jerked back almost instantaneously. I tripped back over a surprisingly small root, potentially making the first sound of surprise in my life, a brief gasp, as I landed harshly on the ground. I groaned softly, the scrape on my hands and the embarrassment making nerves fire off and adrenaline pump at a threateningly high level. Nikoli crouched beside me, having dropped the box in the process to reach towards me and try and coax and help me.
I shoved him back for the second time, scrambling backwards and into another root. I winced, feeling blood bubble to the surface of my hands, the scrapes not bad, but enough to draw a smidgen of blood. I looked at Nikoli, who appeared now to have lost his facade and looked almost entirely shocked. The weight of the situation was making me feel nauseous. To see Nikoli look so hurt and surprised by my actions, before he scrambled to his feet, dusting himself off, and grabbing the case. He rushed over to me, kneeling again, and grabbing my wrist. The action was so familiar that I let it happen, my only desire being for things to return to normal. To safe. Nikoli checked my palm, flicking stray pieces of debris from the hand, before he wiped at the dark, greyish-black blood with his jacket, smearing it briefly, before he put the case in my palm, closing my fingers around it, already having regained his composure. He pulled away then, watching and waiting. It hit me that he was observing myself and my actions. He was curious about what I might do.
I looked at it, wincing at the way it rubbed at the wound, before I carefully reached up to open it. The sight and the sound made me want to throw it. To break it. I was terrified of this small, harmless object. It had color, a hue to it, that it should not have had. It was evil, and would only hurt us if we kept it. I lifted my arm, about to throw it, before lightly greyed hands reached forward and gripped my arm tight. It was nearly bruising, as he stared at me with eyes full of a fiery determination that made me falter in my actions, before he lowered my hand, the watch now held dangerously close to my face. The tick was all I could focus on, other than the fair hair of my best friend as he slowly released his grip. He wanted me to actually interact with the watch. As if to prove something, to show him something. I did not know what he wanted, but I finally returned to reality, and my eyes closed harshly, pressed tight as I tried not to shake.
"Nikoli, we can't!" I managed, voice released on a breath of tension, before my eyes opened, looking at him again. Nikoli looked older in that moment, as if he'd seen something strong and harsh and yet so very, very beautiful. Like he already had his Life Partner; like he had known her for many Leaf Falls and Leaf Growths. His eyes narrowed though before I could comment on it.
"Mikael, they are using us! The watch-that man, they want us to leave this place! It's written in the Old World's Testament, how we were meant to be free, Mikael!"
"Stop saying my name. We can't just leave, we'll die out there!" He knew I was right, judging by the falter in his face, before his grip tightened on my arm again. It was not painful, but it was a reminder of who he and I were, and where we were. It grounded us both.
"Stop yelling. If an Ole hears you, they'll throw us out there to be fed to the wolves!"
"What are wolves? Okay, you know what? It doesn't matter. Nikoli we can't go out there. We have work-you have work! If we're gone for too much longer they'll search for us, and-and-" He cut me off, before I could panic myself any further.
"Mikael Da'larian, we'll be fine. We need to keep the watch safe, and we can't just continue to carry it around in its case. One of us needs to wear it."
"Why do we need to keep it safe? And why wear it?"
"It's just a whim, Mikael. I can't wear it as they'll notice it too easily in the silence of the room," Before he could continue, I was the one to cut him off.
"We should just throw it to the forest! It was forced into my possession by some crazed Ole who was wanted by the Order, I'm sure of it! There is no whim, no chances, Nikoli. It's an item of color, and the city will be safe if it is gone. We'll be safe!"
"It was never safe, Mikael!" Nikoli's voice raised, and he grabbed the case from me this time, prying it from my hands as he removed the watch from its case, before the case was pressed to the ground and the physical object of the small, leather bound clock was now what was curled in my fingers. I looked to Nikoli, about to decline, before I noticed the faint tint of hue about hm. His hair seemed off white in that moment, skin fairing a worse effect of the strange hallucination. His eyes and clothes stayed the same, and I shook my head to clear the image. I looked down at the watch, seeing the strange bars on it move with a pattern programmed into it long ago. It reflected me, the lights still on in the city, and I could see every detail about myself in it. Or, really it was obscured and off center, but it was recognizable as me. Though there was that same, off-color appearance to it, as if things were suddenly no longer bleached and blank, black or monochromatic. The world itself seemed to do the same thing.
Nikoli noticed my staring. The awed, confused, maybe even terrified look in my face and in my posture, before he reached towards me, taking my by surprise as he grabbed the watch and fastened it to my wrist. He was going to get himself killed one day, the thought briefly passing through my head, questioning his motives and the motives of that strange man once again. I blinked then, feeling faint and the world blurring, before I slumped and closed my eyes. I felt weak and pitiful, nothing like my normal self, for what felt like a few minutes. When I opened my eyes, I was greeted with wide eyes staring back at me. Nikoli looked like he had seen a ghost. It was off putting, before he grabbed my open palm again, staring at it. My gaze followed, watching the blood that was once black fade into a red color.
My gaze then drifted to my own skin. It appeared no longer white, but something else. I wasn't sure what to call it, but it was still pale, barely a noticeable difference from the usual white, except it was extremely noticeable. I looked at Nikoli, feeling the panic set in once again, dragging me down in a frenzy of feelings and emotions that I did not know how to deal with. I had never experienced them before. Knew not their names nor purpose, other than that it felt horrible. Nikoli reached forward, a hand brushing against the watch, and once again I saw his own palette shift slightly to something different. He seemed shocked by it, as if he'd only then noticed it, before he smiled. Nikoli Harris, my usually lethargic and maybe even a little cold best friend, was smiling and laughing with a kind of glee I'd never seen before. Not in him, nor others.
The entire situation was a phantasmagorical one. It was wrong, and while it should have been hideous and I should have been crying and running to an Ole or even a Cassoway or the Order to find a solution. To fix me. To fix this and to destroy the watch. Instead I was watching my best friend smile at me-this new me. It was not the same Mikael who wore his shorts over his leggings and made sure his hair was slicked back perfectly. This wasn't me anymore. It felt like my body was not my own, yet more my own than ever before as I looked at my hands. Scraped with traces of red, the only color I could name, and a strange pale color. Nikoli then grabbed my wrist again, and I was about to berate him for doing that as much as he had been, before he pressed his palm flat against the watch. As he held it there, I noticed his colors shift again, as he looked dazed and lost.
It was a contrast to the older, wiser Nikoli I'd seen minutes before. This young, curious, childlike Nikoli I'd once known came to life, just as the hues broke free from the fair whites and pale greys, now making him appear more alive than ever. He smiled once he seemed to return to his body, pulling his hand away and studying himself. He smiled at me, and I found myself smiling back, though in confusion. This was wrong. This was terribly wrong. We should be in panic, yet we felt calm. As though we'd been cured of an ailment and could relax, or like we'd finished our work early and could simply enjoy the Bright Time. This lasted for moments surreal and pleasant almost, in its own unintelligent and unfathomable way. Until the sound of a shot rang through the air. Nikoli and I quickly got to our feet, turning to run home, when we saw a group of Oles, lined with their Boomsticks as they watched us through masks and fullbody attire that shielded all of them from view. One took aim at us, holding his Boomstick steadily as another began speaking. I could not hear him, feeling mute after the shot had gone straight passed my ear. It fell deep into the forest, where a loud 'skree' of pain was heard as a large monster from within was struck by it. I flinched then, my hearing returning, before Nikoli began shoving me towards the forest. I was about to beg for help, confused, before two more shots rang out, and suddenly we were running. I was much further ahead, Nikoli not used to running, and especially not quickly. He was already panting harshly, while I continued just fine. I reached the tree line before him, climbing over a root just as he reached a vine hanging down from a tree, a few meters away.
A shot rang out, and suddenly Nikoli fell. I felt my entire being freeze, willing him to get up, but all he did was lay there limply. I could see the red spreading beneath him, his breathing still evident as he rolled over, holding a hand to his abdomen and looking at me, pitifully. He was speaking to me, telling me to go, but I barely heard. The Oles were refueling their Boomsticks, so I ran from the safety-or rather the danger-of the trees to grab him. I pressed his hand further against the wound, trying to suppress the bloodflow, before I began dragging him towards the trees. I did not have long, and neither did he, but it had to be attempted. He was still my most familiar person, and even with this strange, bizarre jumble of events, I could not abandon him.
The shots rang free just as we reached the trees. I picked him up properly then, and began making my way into the forest, him half hazardly being carried by my own person. It was hard, as he was taller than I was, but he was as light as many packages I had carried before. I thanked that thought briefly, hearing him groan softly as he pressed his hands harshly against the wound. I questioned where he'd learned to do that, but I did not have time to ask as we were enveloped in darkness. I paused, leaning him down quickly to reach up and adjust my goggles, only for my hand to come away wet. Confused, I ran my hand over my cheek again, wiping away more wetness before I realized I was, and had been, crying. Many things and thoughts crashed upon me in that moment.
I was no HaerKop. I knew I could not heal nor save him. He would bleed out, something that just yesterday I thought could never happen in any lifetime. He would die, and I'd be left alone in the forest to be torn apart by whatever lurked within. I also noticed the brush and bristle of leaves and the earth as things scurried about. I knew it wouldn't be long until a Red Face found us, killing us slowly before presumably eating us. We were going to die, no matter what I did. We were helpless. Defenseless.
Choking on a sob, I lifted Nikoli's upper body to press him closer to me, reenacting the strange contact we'd shared the other day, wanting to provide him the same kind of comfort as he had given me. I could feel his blood seep out despite his efforts, and I raised my hand, placing it overtop his and pressing down. I would keep him alive as long as I could, but it was inevitable. I knew it was. I whispered an apology.
I decided to focus on good memories, crying with loud hiccups and sobs while I thought. I focused on Nikoli and I, how we'd met. We'd seen eachother, through the tiny fence that separated the children at school. He'd been nearly all alone, secluded with a later to be Cassoway and Ole. He did not talk, but the sight of him had a very young version of myself interested in who or even what he was. I had approached the fence, holding onto the chain links as I watched him in the play yard. He was sitting, back to the fence, and when I poked him, he panicked, scrambling away from the fence before looking at me, eyes wide and confused. He looked startled, but younger me only smiled.
I felt something brush against my shoulder, and I had a similar reaction that that younger vision of Nikoli had shown. I jumped, Nikoli groaning as the movement brought rupture to his body, before my head shot around, tears falling faster and blurring my vision as I prepared for the worst. What I did not expect, however, was a human. Not only one human, but multiple. They were clothed in strange gear, but this was not the most shocking nor striking feature about them. These humans carried something akin to spears, their faces painted in the most vibrant colors.
The most shocking part of their appearance, was the color they possessed. Their bodies, their clothing, every part of them burnt a different color. It was burnished and bright, different. These humans all looked different from eachother, features easily distinguishable They scared me, their eyes searching me, and watching Nikoli with obvious interest. Before I could speak, I felt him be ripped from my arms, and I turned, going to grab him again, before seeing multiple of these colored people carry him with ease. They made their way through the brush that was so much larger than any of us. I stood up, racing after their retreating forms, seeing the colors blend and shift and blur in the dark of the forest. They were taking him away from me, and I would not allow them to.
"Nikoli!" I called, tripping on a root and crashing to the ground. My vision blurred further on impact, the world spinning slowly, before I allowed myself to close them. Just a brief moment, to clear my head, and then I'd catch them. I'd save him. I would protect him.
I woke up with a start, feeling myself no longer in oversized, tall grass, but instead laying upon some kind of hair. It was short, and as I looked down, multi colored. It was too much too soon, another assault on my eyes, before someone entered the building. It was small, and I do not believe it really was a building, as it appeared to be made of fabric, but as a young woman of color entered, I could not help but watch her. Study her face paint and markings. My mouth was dry as I prepared to run. Where, I did not know.
"Human of City, you returned to roots, yes?" She asked, words off rhythm and flowing strangely.
“Where is Nikoli?”
“Do not fret, Human of City. He is in our care. You returned to roots, yes?” She repeated the question.
“Roots?”
“Yes, your roots,” She clarified. “You have undone the years of torturous breeding your people endured, yes. How have you done it?”
My head was still spinning, only hurting worse at the questions. Roots? Breeding? Did she mean the fact I was colored again? I stared at her, scared. I needed to see Nikoli. I had to know if he was alright.
She seemed to understand this, moving back out of the tent, signaling for me to follow. I hastily followed, wincing at the feel of my scraped hands on the rough ground. Once out of the small fabric house, I could see the small area. It was a clearing, which surprised me, full of many cloth homes. Each one was painted in strange swirls and lines of color that left my vision reeling and my stomach turning. I ignored it, in favor of following the girl to the largest cloth house. Opening the odd flapping door, we stepped inside, ignoring the stares of the strange humans outside. Inside, it was warm, and I could see Nikoli's form on one of their own cots, seeming to have been patched up. He looked paler than earlier, though his skin was still darker than my own, but he was breathing. A sigh of relief left me, and I felt spent tears attempt to reappear to once more create the sobbing, broken mess I had been earlier. I approached him, ignoring the girl and the others inside, before kneeling at his side. I reached forward, pressing a hand to wrist, brushing over the sensitive area as I reminded myself that we were alive. That we were, potentially, safe. I was too trusting, I should have known better, but these people had taken the effort to heal him and that’s all that I could drudge up a care about.
He gave a weak jerk at my movement, though his eyes remained closed. I sighed, pulling back, and turning to the girl for questions. I would call her Guide from then onwards in our short interaction. She informed me of the treachery of the City. Deeds and lies and faults of the Order that I remained blind to, even as Nikoli tried again and again to tell me. Guide told me of her people, how they survived, living peacefully with the monsters-insects, she told me-of the forest. That the insects only hunted the City of Silence because we were an unnatural, horribly created breed of human that was to be destroyed.
The watch, she told me, was something she'd heard about from a man that visited once from the city. A man of no color who had wanted to return the world to its previous state, where humans were free again. I was unsure if I should believe her about all of this, but I found it in my best interest as she continued with her colorful stories. Her tales of war and sorrow that had been passed down for years, about both of our people. Somewhere through it, Nikoli had woken up, weakly gripping my sleeve as he laid there. He would take some time to heal, they informed me, as the wound had been deep. The strange concotion they had put on it would do all it could to close the wound faster, but he would still be in pain for some time to come. We would heal, and we would be okay. Guide informed me that their group of survivors of the Old World, the true descendants of the Ancients, would welcome us for our color and knowledge.
Much time passed. Nikoli was healed, now standing next to me, still holding and tugging on my sleeve as he had during his recover period. He was no longer weak, and I was no longer weak-minded, as we developed and grew with our time with the colored. We learned, and Nikoli confirmed suspicions and concerns about and for the people. We learned how to coexist with the insects, even the large Red Faces, who were actually rather friendly once we were no longer abominations. They were large, centipede like creatures-as I'd been told to call them-with pincers around their large jaw for chopping humans and other creatures in half. They were massive, hundreds of gargantuan body pieces, two legs for each section, as they slithered about silently in the forest. We had one behind us now, as we stared forward at the City of Silence. It would not stay silent for long, we knew, as we stepped one foot into the city, the Red Face releasing a large 'Skree' of war and battle.
As the first shot rang out, the Boomsticks and the Oles ready to fight and tame and destroy, we found ourselves without fear. The shots rang off the Red Face, who was unfazed as it knocked aside the cities guardians, until we were in the center of town. Many people were gathered, vaguely recognizing us, and curious and scared and horrified of what would happen. They believed themselves dead, but as Nikoli spoke, we saw the terror increase to pure horror.
"We are here to rescue you."
