Spider Queen (Completed)

Unreal

Silkwood was spick and span, Ruby noticed that anything that could remind her of May had been removed from their home, someone had probably stashed all May's things and locked them away on another floor where Ruby wouldn't be able to find it. The people hadn't taken out the small wooden table and chairs; it had been May's only furniture. Ruby just noted that to herself, she didn't 'feel' anything.

It was even a different set of sheets on the huge double bed, Ruby's mind made the connection but the feelings associated with May just didn't appear.

Amore started packing out the pill bottles onto the bedside table where May's black and white picture used to be. Ruby only had two thoughts about that, "May's picture used to stand there" and the other thought was "These meds aren't really so bad, I wonder if you can get addicted to prescription medication".

When it was time to sleep Amore tucked Ruby in. Amore decided to sleep in the same bed as Ruby so she could help Ruby immediately any time during the night in case Ruby needed to use the bathroom. Amore climbed into the bed next to her and went to sleep. Ruby rolled on her back and waited for the meds to kick in.

Physio carried on at home, a carpenter had installed physiotherapy equipment in a side room for use. Ruby was getting stronger daily but it was in tiny increments, Amore estimated it would take another six months until Ruby would ready to move independently.

In the third month at home after yet another psych evaluation the doctor allowed visitors, only one visitor at a time. Ruby could set the pace. Ruby wanted to see Daddy first he would be coming tomorrow.

That night Maw sneaked down from the top floor while Amore was sleeping, a male spider held a cotton swab with something on it by Amore's nose to make her sleep deeper. Ruby dragged herself out of the bed and onto the hoverchair, she decided to keep on using the hoverchair even though it looked ugly and worn out. Ruby guided the hoverchair into lounge.

Maw bowed to Ruby, Ruby couldn't telepath to Maw and Maw couldn't telepath to Ruby either. Ruby spoke to Maw and Maw had a male spider scribble notes on paper for her to read.

"Hello Maw" Ruby said.

"I missed you Babygirl" the spider scrawled on the paper.

"Why can't we talk mind to mind" Ruby asked.

"It is the medication" the spider scrawled again.

Maw fixed up the tattoo on Ruby's temple and took away the ugly scar on the side of her face with a pulsing orange magic. "Your face is perfect again" the spider scrawled when Maw was finished.

They talked that way until the meds forced Ruby to go to bed at 2 am.

The next morning while Amore was bathing Ruby, Amore noticed the scar on Ruby's face was missing and the tattoo had been repaired. "And your scar" Amore asked? "Maw fixed it while you were sleeping" Ruby answered. "Oh okay, next time tell her to please say hi" Amore said, "Now what do you want to wear today for your father's visit".

"I don't want to look like a cripple or a drug addict, could you maybe pull that off" Ruby asked "I think he would prefer that, as for myself I really don't care".

Daddy bought some mushrooms along so everyone sat in the kitchen at the small table where the hamster cage used to stand, no one knew or remembered that the wooden table had been May's only piece of furniture. Ruby peeled her mushrooms with a small knife, her hand co-ordination wasn't good enough yet to pull off the delicate skin from the mushroom. Daddy always looked her in the eye when he spoke.

When Daddy asked what they could talk about Ruby said "Anything Daddy, my heart's bust, I can't feel emotion anymore, my emotions died with May". Daddy's face fell into sadness and he held her hand, Amore starting crying and left the room. Ruby leaned forward to Daddy and whispered "maybe Amore can use some of my meds".

They spoke for half an hour and Daddy bought her up to date. After more than a century in a coma not much had changed, the tribe had moved every year before the rainy season as per law except for 15 years back when they stayed for three years at an area where there was an abundance of copper on surface dunes Granny grey found in the darkness a mere 300 miles from the clan. It took the clan 3 years to collect all the surface copper and Mr. Radio could now go on with his radio research.

Daddy said mother was still the same; mother would be coming to visit tomorrow.

1 had taken over the Mayflower as guardian and appointed a manager for the business. Apparently 1 had interviewed managers and Mentats for the position but all of them fled as soon as they saw Maw. Eventually 1 settled on Stoner Bob that lived on the outer edges of town who apparently also now had a small spider collection.

When their half hour was up Daddy was smiling and happy that Ruby was back, Ruby didn't bother to give him a goodbye smile but then again why fake an emotion that wasn't there anymore.

"I am sorry I cried" Amore said behind her as Daddy shut the door on his way out. "It really doesn't bother me Amore, maybe it bothers them but it really doesn't bother me at all, the part of me that could get embarrassed or angry isn't there anymore" Ruby answered. "That's what worries me" Amore answered starting to clean up the kitchen.

So the daily routine changed, Ruby took one visitor a day, all of them left after the visit, happy but disturbed about Ruby's lack of emotion.

Halfway through the sixth month Ruby asked Meister to visit, when Amore said she didn't know who Meister was Ruby just said "Mr. Magic".

Ruby could now move independently, Amore just took a close guard on accidental balance problems that could cause Ruby to fall. Amore was scheduled to go at the end of the six months period. Ruby sat in the lounge and waited for Meister.

Meister greeted and smiled, Ruby greeted and didn't smile. Meister picked up very quickly that Ruby was emotionless and asked her about it. Ruby said that part of her had died, the giant emotion switch in her heart was switched off. Meister wasn't too perturbed; he explained some magic's specifically called for it.

Ruby said she wanted to go on with her magic training and Meister agreed with her and asked Amore to leave the room and shut the door. Amore complied and they spoke further.

Sex magic had to done emotionlessly. Meister warned her "The second that you feel even the slightest hint of emotion you must stop what you are doing and take a really long break from the sex magic".

He went on to explain further ins and outs of sex magic, possible pitfalls. He told her that there were so many sex magic books that it would take hundreds of wheelbarrows if it were to be delivered. Most Mages were men and men loved sex, so that's why there were many sex magic books. He said there was a set of magic books written in Essvee by a female mage who called herself the "Ice". Almost all the mages called her the "Ice Bitch" behind her back. There were nine books in the set, one for each color then Calistherm and Essvee; Meister would have them delivered tomorrow. He told Ruby she was welcome to keep the books as male mages didn't really bother with female magic.

There was a knock on the door and their half hour was over.

The next day the books were delivered about an hour before Roxanne arrived. The books were huge and fat and looked something like a small encyclopedia set.

Roxanne and Ruby also had privacy in the lounge. Amore went to start lunch. It turned out Roxanne was just as emotionally cold as Ruby was.

Roxanne saw the books and walked over to them; "By the way" Roxanne said "I wrote these books, didn't Meister bother to tell you I am Ice".

They clicked immediately, Roxanne asked if Ruby had ever been with a man before and Ruby said she hadn't. Roxanne said it was a golden opportunity. Ruby could start as soon as she wanted to, there would be a medical examination to certify her virginity when she started.

They would have carried on talking, they were two of the same coldness, the knock on the door interrupted them.

"See you soon" Roxanne said as she closed the door on her way out.