Requiem

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

((Closed to Snootchybootchykins))


It was the crowds I hated the most about humanity and inhumanity. I stood with my back pressed against the wall and I tried to stay out of the way of the crush of people that flowed between stone and plaster walls. It reminded me of a far too crowded fish tank, the occasional brightly garbed person flashing in the light as if it were a fish suddenly turning against the current, against the crowd. I often wondered why people seemed to hurry so, yes time flew swiftly, and faster for the slovenly. Were not 60 to 80 years enough for most? Or better yet the hundreds of years other races had, yet they hurried along just as fast, swept up into the frenzy humanity existed in.

I think, with me knowing it, my perception must have changed when I threw away most of my humanity in attempt to better suit this world. As the girl I was once was I had been weak and scared. I looked down at my hands, holding the white appendages up for inspection as I flexed them. Dust, pounded up from the road by and uncountable number of feet lightly etched the fine lines of my hands. The soft, slowly hardening claws that had replaced my human finger nails lightly scratched my palms, tickling them. An odd feeling one a mix of forbidding and anticipation came over me.

Sighing mentally I decided it was time to leave my hiding spot and find the shop I was looking for. As I slipped into the stream of people, I started up humming the simple melody I had learned one that soothed those around me. I was pleased to see that the immediate group around me relaxed subtly, their pace slowing my a step, the curious glances I got were more of placid interest than paranoid wariness.

At last I spied the tailor shop I had come searching for and quickly ducked into its entryway. I took a moment to brush the road dust from my clothing and tug the fluffy mass of my tail into place before entering the shop. The dimmer light within the shop was soothing not only to my eyes but also to my nerves.

“Ello there, I’m Erin what can I help you with today, dearie?” I fought back a smile at the rushed chattering of the older woman with twinkling blue eyes that partly disappeared as she smiled. Hold a firm grip on the clam tranquil mask I used for an expression I studied her for a moment before speaking.

“I’m not entirely sure yet, give me a bit to browse through the cloth and come up with a idea then I’ll let you know.” It was getting harder to not smile at the woman that seemed over 40 yet acted a fraction of her age.

“Of course, but do try to choose a color other than black. You look like a ghost, dear. I’ll be in the back making some tea. I’ll bring out two cups incase you would like to have a cup.” In a swirls of rustling skirts she hurried off before I could tell her that I couldn’t drink tea. I thought I heard her talking to herself about biscuits and sighed. It seemed as if the flighty woman was in a world of her own making.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

The Bazaar was like Althanas' mall, only without one crucial detail. Dip'n'Dots. Tiny ice cream balls of yummy goodness, and today was hot enough that I would have really appreciated a little cup of them. It was hard to tell, though, with all the tents and awnings, if the heat was due to the weather or the sheer mass of people. Without the looming timetable of nine to six to guesstimate rush hour, I was boned.

Something not unlike agoraphobia had me in it's grip. I've never liked crowds. It may or may not have anything to do with the fear, but I don't like being hemmed in. Toss that with an abject distrust of humanity in one-on-one cases, and I'm a ticking time bomb of anxiety. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a misanthropist. I love humanity, the hopes and dreams of millions of people who walk this earth, families and loves and even the darker side of us. People on whole aren't bad. A little wicked, but that's to be expected. It's when you get smaller groups that the scary ones come out.

My breath was starting to hitch, my hands shaking when I heard it. I remembered falling asleep a time or two to a voice like that. In fact, the pitch and tone were almost the same. It was beautiful, sweet, and a little sad. There couldn't have been much more than a few poeple between me and the song, and I turned into one of those awful one-on-one cases myself, pushing and hissing. I just wanted closer to that song, but it was fading. I fought through the crowds long after I couldn't hear it anymore, before I let the crowd take me where it will. I wasn't sure why, but something about that song made me want to be home so badly I could taste it, and that brought a pang of guilt. With all that had been happening lately, there hadn't been much time to sit and think of the things I'd left behind.

People were shoving at me now, urging me on forward, I had to sidestep to avoid a cart of fruits, and it took me into a small tent that had been set up in the lee between two buildings. Before I had the chance to look around, there was a flash of silver in my peripheral vision.

"Have a fish!" "Oh no!" "Whoops!" Splat!

Something wet, cold, and exceptionally wiggly slapped me right upside the head.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

In the cool dim light shop I prowled between shelves filled with blots of cloth. Bright spills of cloth, every color imaginable, seemed to brighten the room a little, lend an almost surreal feeling. I had a rough idea of what I wanted, or rather I had. Erin's comment that black made me look like a ghost had left me feeling a little self-conscious.

A grumbling hiss filled the back of my throat as old feelings of inadequacy tried to resurface. I forced them away and buried them in with the memories of the world of my birth. Jennifer was long dead and gone in her place I was Kahlina and I refused to return to the chaotic, scared girl I once had been. The dry, powdery scent of tealeaves drifted up into the shop and I grimaced. Human foods no longer held an appeal; the taste was much like trying to chew on ashes and dirt. My diet had become rather barbaric yet simple. I needed only water and raw bloodied meat. Some uncooked herbs and vegetables were fine once in a while.

Still chattering to herself in a low unending stream of words, Erin reappeared carrying a large tray filled with the makings of tea and heaped with baked goods. I frowned as I watched, over the shelf, her pour two cups of tea.

"Miss, the tea is ready. Goodness I don't even know your name, my dear." Erin called. Reluctantly, I walked away from the beautiful grey silk I had been fingering and approached the counter, eyeing the cup set out from me and the saucer the had some sort of cream filled sweet waiting for me. For a moment I almost wished I could taste things as I used to. The memories of sweets were dim and faded with time.

"It's Kahlina, ma'am." I watched her flap a hand at me and frown despite the fact that her eyes gleamed with laughter.

"Now now, no need to call me ma'am, Kahlly. So, have you managed to find cloth that you like? You with you pale coloring and you lovely eyes I bet a pale pink, blue or cream would look lovely on you. Mmmm, patterns patterns. What would look good on you? Of course the boa has to go, it looks ridiculous." I listened to her ramble on, more than a little amazed that despite all of the talking she did she still managed to down two cups of tea. Surreptitiously I traded her cup with mine. I waved a hand to catch her attention before she had talked herself into cutting off my tail all in the name of fashion.

"Erin, the 'boa' is my tail. It stays right where it's at." As if in agreement the end of it flickered, I watched it and wondered when I would gain enough motor control to be able to move my tail as I wished. "I need to head out but I'll return in a day or so with a sketch of what I would like produced. We can discuss colors then. Have a good day Erin." I hurried out at a walk that was actually a restrained run.

The bright light and heat gave me a pause for a moment. I huddled against the door trying to accustom myself once more to the crush of people. I reached out for the soothing song in my mind to create a small calmer space for myself instead found myself humming a silly song I hadn't thought about in ages. The only part of it I recognized was something about a cheeseburger.

"Veggie Tales." I smiled slightly even though the song saddened me, reminding me of the best friend forever lost to me by more than just distance.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

It had taken me longer than I would have liked to get away from the fish salesman. Not just because the fish kept slipping between my fingers as I tried to return it to the man, but then I had to sit at the doorway for a moment, steeling myself. The rush of the crowd was again upon me and I let it take me like the tide. I knew why I was here. I needed a sheath for my sword.

It was tempting not to use the weapon to cleave my way through the crowd. Between the heat and my angst, tho, I wasn't sure I could cleave my way through anything but maybe some butter. At the mere thought of food, as people were pushing past me, turning me around a bend, my stomach began to grumble angrily. I was starving. I'd lost a lot of weight lately, the rope that held my pants up proof. While that could all be blamed on Bess and my quest to bring her to her Duchess-hood or whatever, I didn't want to get any skinner because of starvation.

Kate Moss, I am not. I wanted a fucking cheeseburger.

I had to swallow a load of spit just then. Like Pavlov's dog, a cheeseburger made my mouth water instantly. It was also the bearer of memories that I hadn't brooded on in days. There was a time when I'd never have to brave the Bazaar crowds looking for something to keep my gigantic bone sword in. There was a time when I'd stumble drunkenly around my best friend's room, trying to grope her and assaulting her with favorite songs that were little more than nonsense. Cuddled up with Jennifer, watching the silly song tapes or Jonah was the best times we ever had. Even though she shunned Christianity and I'd found myself running from it as fast as I could after years of faithful belief, it was a Christian children's show that we could love together.

I could deal with the way it didn't really make sense, sure. I couldn't deal with the idea of never being able to scream "Cebuuuuu!" at random intervals again and have someone know what I was talking about. Screw Althanas, I just wanted my Jenny.

Another lone tune caught my ears through all the noise, and I started to sing. It was automatic, a reflex of hearing it and my thoughts being on my best friend.

"Cheeseburger, please do not be angry. He'll eat and be back here for luuunch! Cuz your his cheeseburger, his priceless cheeseburger! Be back for you-oo, he'll be back for you-oo! Won't be long cheeseburger, oh lovely cheeseburger, be back for you-oo, oh he'll be back for you!"

Several Radasanthians and the towering form of a Draconian were staring at me now.

"What? Mr. Lunt is fucking cool. Can't you people appreciate a love song?"

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

I watched people hurry on towards their destinations from my marginally cooler hiding place in the shadows and wondered if the Bazaar was always this busy or if I just picked a bad day. Turning a speculative eye at the skies I considered the possibility of what ever gods ruled over Althanas laughing at me as if I were some rag doll caught in a terriers sharp teeth and slung around in a cute yet alarming manner. Unable to resist the urge my hands traced down my body that the vivid image of a dog shaking a doll version of myself. A relieved sigh escaped my lips; my body was whole still.

“…his priceless cheeseburger!…” I just barely caught the words, the multitude of voices and the soft whistling of the wind whipping around the corner combined to make it near impossible to catch more than a word or three at a time. Cheeseburger? No one on Althanas knows what that is? What is the probability of someone singing, of all things, about a cheeseburger near me?

Pulling up out of my slump against the wall I made use of my new height, thankful that poor nutrition kept most of the people in the Bazaar short of stature, and looked around intently. I wanted to yell for Manda. I was almost positive she was near by. which way had the words come from? Frustrated, my nails sank into the decorative wood of the entryway, marring the fine carvings. For a moment I considered yelling and old insult in quenya, one that had never failed to get a rise out of Manda. Biting my tongue I held back out of caution. Knowing my luck some one would indeed understand and more than likely take offense. Damn! Damn! Double damn!

It was during the silent ranting and cursing of everything I could think of that I spotted the tall form of a Draconian standing still, looking at something with the perplexed expression I knew so well. Many times I had been reduced to doing nothing more than staring speechless at a certain best friend of mine. More than once my very wits and tongue had fled in an attempt to protect my sanity. Grinning, in a way I hadn’t for a long time I dove into traffic. In my haste I forgot about trying to move about unnoticed as possible. Rudely I shoved several people out of my way when the Draconian turned, obviously dismissing what ever had held his attention.

I caught a glimpse of a woman that seemed familiar. The way she carried herself and the dark brown hair that was slightly wild and long in a way that I remembered seeing for years made my heart leap into my throat, strangling me with hope. Just as the petite woman disappeared into a weapons shop I caught a clear view of her, head to toe. A puzzled frown pulled at my features. The body was different, more slender than the adorable hobbit like figure I remembered.

Ideas running rampant as I sat on the lip of a small fountain and dug through my pack for a notebook and pen. For a long moment I chewed on the tip of my tongue and watched the door.

Though chilled by the caress of moonlit breeze.
Is it raindrops or teardrops that wet my skin so?

What sweet melody must I hear.

Tone and tune, a cry carried by the wind
Sing sweet

By the Grace of God go I
Sing into the wind
Tone and note
Tear and sigh
Shall never we be lost once more

Skeptically I looked down at the hastily scribbled poem. I was unsure if it were enough to give Manda, if the woman indeed was Manda, enough to go on. Carefully folding the letter and putting away the notebook and pen I wondered just how I was going to get the letter to Manda. I’m too much of a coward to walk up to that woman and risk being wrong.

A vendor selling over priced sweets caught my attention. The small box of candied rose petals I bought at an exorbitant price seemed right. A shiny gold coin and the promise of two more bought me a way to get the bow and letter to the woman I hoped was Manda. Anxiously I returned to my perch on the lip of the water fountain and watched the boy enter the weapons shop to look for the woman I had described to him. Ignoring the looks I got over my appearance I stayed in plain view and hoped that I didn’t look too nervous.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

The woman behind the counter was already measuring my blade for the sheath when the boy came in. I could smell sugar as soon as he opened the door, and the box caught my eye. It was pretty, tied with a bow that had a small piece of paper slipped into it. It reminded me of any of the myriad of boxes that were given away on Earth to Valentines. That made me think. What day of the week was it here? Hell, I didn't know the month, sometimes was confused on the season, and sure as hell had no clue to the year. Was I missing out on both Earthian and Althanian holidays in my ignorance?

I thought I knew something about Althanas, and that it was that wisdom that was keeping me alive. Thinking back, I was starting to think it might be nothing but dumb ass luck. It's even worse than dumb luck, because it won't just run out eventually, it'll kick you on the way out. I paid for the simple leather sheath, wrapped tightly with a cord that held a whetstone to it. Just fifteen of the coins that had been filling a pouch faster than I could spend them lately, and I was glad to see them go. I don't like to handle money; it's not that I don't like having it, but I'm always afraid to have it in my hands.

I was in the process of returning the pouch to my side when the boy handed me the box. For a moment, I just stared at it. The fine weaving of the silk bow must have cost a fortune here, where Halmark couldn't just buy eighteen billion machines to make bows in every texture and color you could imagine. Not to mention the smell of candy. I'm a pretty "scentient" being, if you get my drift. Nothing stretching out of human range, but I definitely follow my nose on a lot of things. In a place like this, food was something that was going to keep you alive. Candy was fluff, and fluff was expensive. The kid still hadn't moved from in front of me. He was staring, with bit dopey eyes. I wanted to name him after my dog. After another perusal of the box, I moved to hand it back.

"Look kid, I'm a little old for you. I'm sure if you went to school, you'd find a nice girl you're age who would be over the moon about these. I mean, besides, do you know what happens to diabetics when you give them sugar? Have you seen the movie Gremlins? Seriously. End of the fucking world, and I left Gizmo back on Earth."

He looked less than impressed.

"I was told to give it to the girl with brown hair who came in here to shop. You're the only shopper." His brow arched, he shifted his weight onto one leg and held out his hand. "Something for the trouble?"

"Uh...huh..." I said slowly, fingering a few gold out of my purse. I held them over his grubby outstretched palm, but refused to release him, looking at him with a squinty look that I hoped was full of journalistic fire.

"Who's my secret admirer?" I asked.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret," he shrugged. Bastard kid. I went ahead and dropped the gold into his hand, and he went skittering off, leaving me to inspect the package. I set it down on the counter so I could finish tying on my new sheath and the coin purse. The storekeeper had been eying it, obviously dying to know what was inside. I was too. It smelled yummy and I was starving. I unwrapped the bow, the paper fluttering across the counter with my movements. While I opened the box, the keeper picked the paper up, opening it and reading. I didn't really mind. She'd been a nice lady so far, and I wasn't feeling really possessive over a mystery love.

I was shocked, however, to see what was inside. It looked like a jewelry rose had wilted it's petals into the box. Dusky pinks and reds were laying in there, arranged in patterns of little spiraling blossoms. They shone and sparkled with the glaze, and when I picked one up, it was stiff, not sticky as I'd assumed at first. And it was delicious. I had no idea what it was, but it probably required copious amounts of sugar. Either way, it was as if someone had plucked up a moonbeam, a pearl, hours of orgasms and the wink of someone far better looking than I and fused them into an artful treat. There had to be heroin somewhere in there. I couldn't be sober and this taste that good. Using all the restraint I had, I folded the bow into the box and replaced the bow. When I finally took a deep breath and looked at the shopkeeper, she was grinning and holding out the paper.

"Whoe'er sent tha must have quite the feelin' fer ya, if ye don' min' me sayin'." she said. I gave her a puzzled look and began to unfold the paper.

"Doesn't it say who it is?"

"Well, I cannae read tha writin'. 'Stoo messy." she said, leaning back.

When I finally opened the paper and gazed at it, I knew what she meant. It was done in a hasty, tight, fine scrawl, the cursive looking to have been written whip-fast. There were few people who might have been able to read the tiny script on Althanas. I happened to be one of them. After years of reading stories, letters and sharing a journal with the bearer of this writing, I would be lying to say I wouldn't know it. I kept it close to my heart, and my eyes started to tear up.

"This is cruel." I said, wiping my eyes as I sat down on the floor. The keeper, concerned, peered at me from over the counter.

"Somethin' wrong, miss?" she asked.

"Well, it just can't possibly be my friend, but it sure looks like it." She said something, probably meant to comfort me, but I wasn't listening anymore. I had actually begun to read it now. My face was frozen in a mask of concentration.

"What does it say?" the keeper asked.

"It's a poem..." I muttered, re-reading, but this time reading it like it were just a letter. "It's a request."

"A ... request?" she asked, puzzled, as I stood, scooping the box from the counter. I waved to her and raced outside. My mind was filled with memories. I'd once stood under the hot spray of a showerhead with my best friend. We'd been remarking on the acoustics of the bathroom and started to sing to one another. Curled up against her, embracing, I'd sung a slow song from a CD I'd recently bought. I don't think I sing many songs well, my voice isn't made to serenade. She'd liked it though. Maybe she liked it enough to ask me to sing it again.

Now I stood at the top of the steps of the shop, scanning the crowd. Most people were moving on the sea of the crowd, though there were a few stopped. Mostly in twos, old women who had paused in their shopping to talk to friends and family. Here and there someone was still, staring into space. I saw the Draconian from earlier, an elf, several humans, a tall woman with light hair that was being whipped by the breeze. My eyes were scanning quickly, but I didn't see her. I looked back down at the note. My eyes wouldn't help me here, I decided.

I shoved my hands through my hair, closing my eyes and I started to sing. It was soft at first, then slowly gained volume as I lost myself in the melody. It got easier to ignore the people, and all I wanted to do was shove my voice into the wind and let it carry to Jennifer. I just needed my best friend right now, even more than my growling stomach needed food. I could go a day or two without food, but right then my soul was starving, needing nothing but the woman I loved.

"Looking down through a tide of no return
is a field where the crops no longer grow.
Parched is the land, strangled and bedamned...
there for the grace of God go I!

Down beside where the riverbed lay
is a man not knowing what he should feel.
Mocked by the waves that beat the water's edge...
there for the grace of God go I!

If I ever hurt another like thee again
I would drown myself beneath your name
Lost is the child we all once did hide...
there for the grace of God...
there for the grace of God go I...."

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

Time trickled by at a crawl after the boy disappeared into the shop. Silently I tapped a nail on the stone that had been polished smooth by countless days, hands and bottoms. I wondered if she hand missed me as much as I missed her. We had many stories to exchange and I hope I would get the chance to trade them. Sure there was no pizza or TV here but I had my room at the Inn paid up through the week. There we could lounge on the bed and giggle like old times as we chattered like two old maids.

I wanted to tell Manda of the battles I had been in. The wars and tournaments, certain that she would find an army of near nothing but her hilarious. Especially given I had deliberately kept them drunk on tequila. She should know that I had been to the Obsidian Spire and met Devon’s daughter. That my first days were spent in the company of one of her most sadistic creations, Kor. A light tugging on my clothing yanked me out of my wistful thoughts and plans. I looked at the grubby sun browned hand that was held greedily out to me.

“I gave the box to the lady. Where’s my gold?” He demanded his dirty face screwed up in an attempt at being intimidating. Arching a brow at the child I considered not giving the gold to him. Manners are everything.

“If you say please, nicely I’ll give you the gold. Your mother should have taught you better.” I received a dirty look filled with helpless anger.

“I ain’t got no mother, she was a dock whore that left me when I was old enough to walk. Now, please give me my gold.” The word please was spat out as if it tasted like rotten meat. Torn between pity for the little guy and amusement I silently handed over the two gold coins. Jeering at me, he scampered off at a full run despite the shouts that followed him from the people he clipped.

Chewing lightly on my tongue I looked back to the weapon’s shop door and waited. A minute passed then three. My heart constricted in my chest and I looked down at my reflection in the water. Some one less than human stared back at me with my eyes as if mocking the hollow pain that spiked through me.

Had I gotten it all wrong and the woman that I had sent a box of over priced sweets too wasn’t my friend at all. Or was the riddle in the poem too hard to figure out? My heart constricted in my chest painfully as I thought of a third option. Perhaps I had actually found Manda and she understood the poem but didn’t want to see me. I slapped my reflection in a surge of self-pity, I didn’t want to see the paper white face or the odd fluting on the bridge of my nose.

This is why you changed, why you sought out Perth to change you from the girl that fell into Althanas. You’re different now so why pursue something from the past? It will only bring pain! I thought harshly, chiding myself and trying to crush the little spark of wistful hope that still burned.

Quietly, almost too soft for me to make out the words, my ears picked out someone singing. The sounds around me dropped away until I was in a hush that existed of only myself and the sweet, slightly husky voice that sang a song I was so familiar with. With a stinging sensation my vision slowly misted over, despite being partly blind I stood up and turned towards the source.
“Manda!” I shouted, forcing the word past the knot in my throat as the song finished.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

"Jen?" My eyes snapped open, but I still couldn't see my best friend. There seemed to be movement in the crowd, as people turned to look at who had shouted. At least they weren't staring at me anymore. My face burned, but beyond that there was no embarrassment on display. I was just anxious. It was as if someone with a lot of power decided that today would be the day that something great would be handed to me on a silver platter. I wasn't about to pass it up. With a banshee's yell, I tore down the stairs.

The crowd was in my way, but I didn't care. I shoved and barrelled my way through them. It was like a mosh pit and I just kept hopping and fighting to get to the stage. I knew what direction the call had come from, and I gritted my teeth. I didn't so much as apologize, even when getting through the mass of bodies took me beaning an old lady across the head with the fancy box of candies. Hey, we've all done things we regret. At least mine was for a good cause - Jenn.

When I emerged, across from the water fountain, there was a space that was unoccupied. People moved around me and I looked for a moment. As my eyes scanned the people by the fountain, I paused. My gaze had stopped stark still upon a woman who was far taller than anyone I'd yet to meet who wasn't Draconian. Whips were curled at her waist, a tail that reminded me of something out of Dragon Ball Z curled around her. Her hair was whiter than anything I'd seen without bleach, but it was her eyes, meeting mine, that convinced me. The creature that stood before me was, or had been, Jennifer Dorris. Chaney. Whatever. She'd been mine.

"Jenny?" I asked again. My eyes were shocked, but not so much at her appearance. Jenn had always been different, in an ethereal way. There'd always been inhumanity in her. You could see it like a second skin. While I wasn't sure it would look like this, it didn't really matter. I loved her, no matter if she would have been the same as I'd last seen her, or a giant clucking turkey.

I ran at her, hugging her the moment I hit her. I wasn't sure if it was my footing on the ground or something about her new body, but miraculously we didn't go careening into the water. I was crying now, sobbing incoherently. Relief and happiness was flooding, and I tried to hug her in a way that wouldn't let the hilt of my sword, gained through blood and toil, dig into her leg. I hoped that enough of her remained the same that she would still want me around.

Nearly imperceptibly, my hand moved until it was gently squeezing her right breast.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

After my shout I watched Manda, a silly grin stretching my features as she looked about, mouthing my former name. Well at least I know she still wants to be friends. The gleeful thought bubble through my mind as I raised my self up to bounce on my toes, watching her flow through the people standing between us.
The sideways looks and whispers did not go unnoticed but I refused to let them ruin this moment.

It seemed like magic when she appeared so suddenly across the fountain from me. As she looked around at the people milling about and watching us as if we were some terrible accident that they just couldn’t tear their eyes away from I studied her. She seemed thinner than when I had met her in high school, her skin tanned a little darker by the sun but it was still the same person. The sheer force of her exuberant personality shone through making her seem years younger, a little girl the excitedly bounced around in an older body.

I think I winked at her when she finally met my gaze and I saw recognition spark. The only thing I was aware of was the sound of my name ringing out in the air and my arms full of my best friend, my sister, my daughter and my occasional lover all wrapped up into one cute and precious bundle. Chuckling I let her cry as I cuddled her wishing that I could shed a few tears myself, but one of us had to keep a straight head. Absently I decided that as soon as I got us back to my room at the Inn it would be my turn to cry.

“Hello Banzee.” I whispered, laying my head on top of hers. A light touch then a squeeze on my breast made me giggle quietly.

“You know that is neither the time nor the place for that. I’d wack you but people are staring enough as it is. Come on, you’re coming with me.” Scooping up my pack and wrapped an arm around Manda I used the advantage of my height to get us through the crowd. The protective stance I took with Manda reminded me of the times we had gone to concerts and I had used my body and attitude to keep the people from crushing her shorter form.

It took no time to rush both of us to the Inn were I was staying. In passing I tossed several coins at the Innkeeper and called for a meal to be brought up to my room. I was a little hungry but the meal was for Manda, I would eat later, away from her. I was sure what she’d think of my new eating habits nor was I ready to show her everything yet. With the sound of the door latching behind us I turned to her and grinned.

“Story time. Would you like to go first or would I?”

[SnootchyBootchykins]

I smiled at the familiar nickname that I hadn't heard in far too long. It filled my chest with warmth, exploding stars of happiness floating around my head. I couldn't believe my luck. It just didn't seem possible that my most revered wish had finally come true. I sighed into her, a maddened grin on my face at her half hearted admonishment of my wandering hands. I couldn't help myself; I needed to touch her. I needed to know she was real, that I wasn't just dreaming this up.

I didn't so much walk to her room at a nearby inn as I floated there. Cloud Nine swept under my feet and when we were finally in her room, I could have broken out in song. It's The Best Day Ever: The Musical! I pulled her to the bed, curling up onto it and hoped she'd follow suit. So many afternoons had spent whiled away, staring up at the ceiling together as we talked. Her question was so innocent, and I knew my answer right away.

My fingers stretched out, moving softly with the grain of her scales. My hand traced her forearm before dropping, letting my touch move through the sea of soft fur her tail offered. The changes to her body held me amazed, and I wondered what she'd given up to gain them. More pressing, I wondered why she'd decided to warp herself like this. Jenn had never been normal. I wasn't as surprised as I thought I should be, and was mostly approving. I thought that Althanas had made it's mark on her, and she adapted in a way that I could not, by changing herself. I was still trying to mold Althanas around me. I envied her, because I would never have the brass cojones to do what she'd done.

"Tell me about all this..." I breathed, finally tearing my hand away from touching her. "How'd you get here, how'd you change?" I refrained from asking why. Somehow, I didn't really need to ask.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

The sight of my best friend stretched out across my bed made me grin, I was beginning to feel foolish about smiling so much. It’s not everyday you find a lost person, quit bitching about it. Done chastising myself I let my body flop down on the bed next to her and was over whelmed with deja vu. The setting was all-wrong but the actions were familiar and comforting.

The light touches, one of the first since I changed were unusual feeling. I had allowed no one to feel the scales that ringed my forearms, neck and lower legs, nor were any allowed to touch the fluffy mass of my tail. After moment of hard thought the end of it flickered a little, curling slightly to cup her wrist. I almost frowned that it took some much effort of thought to produce such a tiny movement. I smirked at her question and rolled over on to my back to look at the bland ceiling and ordered my thoughts.

“I’m not entirely sure how I got here, I’ve been deliberately burying those memories. It’s easier to live that way, but, the last thing I remember of Earth was sitting at the computer, eating. I think I spilled something on to the laptop then I was waking up here. Actually I woke up in the middle of nowhere in Raiaeria about twenty feet away from the Red Forest.” The excitement that had been coursing through me began to fade as I examined memories that I had been avoiding for some time.

“Oh! You’ll never guess who was the first person I met after I woke up. It was Kor. A very shirtless Kor. No shoes and his pants were held up by a length of hair that turned out to be some old ladies hair." Tilting my head I glanced at Manda sideways as I paused for a moment, smirking. I knew just how Manda felt about her homicidal hottie.

"He caught up with me just before nightfall the first night and offered to help me get to Eluriland. He had is own reasons of course, but he even saved me in the Black Desert from one of the scorpions. He got stung, don’t worry the asshole survived. By the way, why in the hell did you have to come up with such a disagreeable person? He was a huge dick the whole time, we did nothing but fling scarastic and rude words at one another the whole time.

“I, ah, joined the Gisela." Sheepishly I smiled and absently played with the end of my tail, smoothing the fur down then fluffing it by rubbing it the wrong way.

"It was stressful but a lot of fun. I had two versions of my mom as my hero’s; GI Kelly and General Kelly. The rest of my army consisted of intelligent shadows, red wolves, and damn dirty pirates. The majority of the army though was copies of you armed with razor embedded paintbrushes. I kept the girls drunk on tequila for the most part but I had a core group of Mandas that were ‘shock troops’ that were given vodka. The first enemy I encountered was actually Thoracis.” I watched Manda for reactions as I jabbered on. Spilling the stories of things I had done with little dramatic flair.

"Istraloth was my next destination after I heard some rumors about a sage there. A lot of weird things happened there, and I mean a lot. Edgar was on board, Calico decided that since I knew of them. I must be Edgar’s wife,. We were kicked off the ship. An absolutely adorable little boy named Tzaphiel found us and traveled with us around the island. Poor little guy didn’t realize that his Grandfather was gone. Perth’s chimera’s chased us through part of the jungle there. Perth himself was a very odd old man, and his creations were, well unusual.

I have to tell you, I never, Ever want to see another tropical jungle ever again. The moisture, the plant life and even the animals are horrible! I fell out of trees trying to get one animal that Perth demanded in return for doing as I asked. I think I've rambled on long enough for now.” Smiling, I skipped the rest of that story. Recalling the painful experience of changing my body from human to what I am now normally created flashbacks, painful ones. I so didn’t feel like flopping around on the floor like a fish and screaming as my mind dredged up sensations from the 'oh so fun' time.

“That’s where this story ends for now, I don’t like talking about my changes, way to painful. Now, it’s your turn to spill the beans.” A knock on the door interrupted me. The scent of cooked meat drifted into the room, my nose wrinkled at the now unpleasant scent. In less than a minute I had paid for the meal, tipped the older woman that was kind enough to bring the tray and laid it on the bed near Manda.

“You’re not getting out of telling me about your adventures. I know you have no problems talking while eating.” I smiled teasingly as I sat on the far edge of the bed, as far away from Manda’s meal as I could. Unable to help myself, my nose twitched and creased even though I was breathing from my mouth.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

"Oh Jeez. Vodka..." I said as I grinned. The rest of her story was sinking, though my mind kept going back to Kor. They'd met and she was still alive. Surely that meant that Kor was a part of me, and every part of me loved Jenn more than anything. My stomach was rumbling, demanding food. I grinned at her, not noticing that she was averse to the dish in front of me. Althanas' food was growing on me, though I still missed my midnight taco runs with Jennifer. My mind trekked nostalgic, ignoring her request for a moment.

"Hey, remember that one time we went through the drive-thru at Taco Bell with Irish accents and gave a lecture about why we didn't want any onions in the burritos." I laughed, and then leaned back to howl, "Atomic Tacos!"

Another bite and I let my laughter subside. She'd had a rough time here, and I almost didn't want to let the mirth completely subside as I told my story.

"Not much happened with me until about two weeks ago," I said. "I got drunk as all hell in some tavern, and decided I should go save this innkeeper's daughter from a homicidal oracle, right? Normal Althanas quest craziness. It's just so much easier writing, it tho. Some Moontae helped me get to the oracle..." I paused, wondering if I should tell her I'd been given an impromptu skydiving lesson. I decided against it; I didn't need her killing off the Moontae trying to get to one asshole. "and when I got there, he made me kill him. It unlocked some sort of destiny thing. Ah, you know me, I don't really get how that shit works. In the end I got stuck with this pretentious little whore. Apparently the inkeeper just adopted her and she's some sort of nobility. You know how I hate rich ass motherfuckers who try and rub the face of the common man in the mud. Bastards. Anyway, I had to take her back to where she belonged, to take her place as some sort of Duchess. They didn't even fucking want her. I almost got killed getting away from there. It was fucking crazy."

I sighed, stuffing the rest of the meat pie in my mouth greedily, my cheeks flaring up like a chipmunk. Delicately, much like the unfurling of some sort of impossible mission, I tried to continue to talk without spraying food everywhere.

"Do you know where you're going next?"

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

The mention of atomic tacos set off, if I had had a mouthful of anything both of us would have been wearing it. Shaking my head and giggling I grabbed a pillow and tossed my tail over it before laying my head on its now super soft surface.

“Yeah, I remember that, clear as a bell. I also remember that I can’t fake an accent even if it were to save my life. I thought that Taco Bell guy was going to bust his gut laughing at us.” I smiled even as I chewed on my lower lip. Trying to not smell the food Manda was eating I still watched her movements. I was slightly jealous that she could enjoy the taste of the sweets and cooked foods, but more than anything else I wanted to memorizes her movements. To store them in my memory for the long days and nights ahead when we were not around one another.

“You met one of the Moontae? Was it Avery?” I arched a brow at her suggestively, after all no one knew the Moontae better than Manda did. They were her creations after all. Not to mention it would be just like Manda to seek out her sexy driven creations for an adventure or three. The pauses as she poke prodded my imagination. I fought back images I wasn’t quite ready to see. I’d had enough excitement for one day, I didn’t need traumatic images of Manda and some unknown Moontae drifting through my head helped along by every porn or hentai image I had ever seen.

“I had a… dream when I was traveling. You were in a web filled place. There was a unicorn and you killed it. It wasn’t a dream after all.” I murmured quietly, frowning.

“Fate is a bitch, isn’t it?” I flashed her a lop-sided grin as she scarfed down the food. “Looks like your own adventures have been full of excitement too. Do you want me to send for another tray? Or I could go down and get one for you.” I offered thinking that getting the tray myself would be the best idea. It would give me a few moments of time to myself to quickly eat my own gruesome meal. Not to mention it would allow me a bit of time to think on Manda’s question.

“I thought that I would head for Raiaera.” I offered lamely with a little shrug and half smile. I little to no clue about what I would do, or where I would go, next.

[SnootchyBootchykins]

"Nah, I don't need anymore food.." There was something in her voice that prodded me, and I amended, "but drinks would be great. Something about Radasanth makes me thirsty; prolly knowing the Silver is around here somewhere." I smiled, but it felt a little half hearted. I was tired, and the talk of Raiaera worried me.

Sure, when I'd been taken to Althanas, peace was abounding, but knowing the kind of person Madison was... Well, I'm sure something was happening in Raiaera by now. I'd been spending next to no time in the big metropolis since I'd left to tend to Bess. Now I was itching to go outside and find someone who could tell me what was going on in the world. Maybe I was worrying too much. Looking at my friends new body, obviously she'd been the one to suck it up, put on the big girl panties and get on with life. I was running around playing hero.

When she came back, handing me a mug of spiced mead, we curled up together in the bed. It was like old times, us huddling together while we giggled and rambled. I said nothing of my apprehension of Raiaera. Instead, I told her of the Moontae Skyknights, a project that never really got to bloom on Althanas. We fell asleep like that, my words slurring as my story dropped into snores, the mead cool and forgotten on the room's sidetable.

It was nice like that, in peace. We were so content to listen to each other breathe that we never noticed the cogs of destiny turning in the background.

[RumpleGrumblePuss]

A cool damp spot on my tail, a familiar scent and a warm body cuddled next to mine woke me up. I blinked up at the ceiling, trying to clear away the cobwebs felt by sleep so I could think clearly. Memory returned quickly and with it the knowledge that I was happy and had my friend back, of course the loud chain saw like snores that rattled off from the petite figure beside me also helped restore my thoughts.

Caught between a smirk and a grimace I turned just enough to watch Manda sleep. The pale golden light that seeped into the room around the shutters softened my view of Manda. She seemed younger, much like the fourteen-year-old girl I had met on the first day of High School, abet a much quieter one. Unabashed at the soft emotion that filled me I simply laid there and watched Manda sleep, my tail now her pillow and cuddle toy to hug and drool upon. As if feeling my eyes She shifted in her sleep, tossing to lie upon her side and smacking her lips. Heavy locks of mahogany obscured my view.

I reached out to brush the locks out of the way and paused just before my hands touched her. Against the healthy, robust, sun-darkened skin my hands looked inhuman. Unnaturally pale skin, long slender fingers tipped with wicked looking claws, and just below the cuff an iridescent scale or three gleamed. It’s funny how my hands seem so inhuman to me now; now that I can compare them to someone I give a damn about. Odd, considering I know that’s my tail she’s… moistening. Using a knuckle I brushed the hair out of my way and stared. Absently I wondered if it would be like old times, I normally got an alarmed squeak or squeal for staring at her so closely. A quite chuckle chased the grin that twisted and stretched my lips. Wakey wakey, little Manda bunny.
~~~~~
Tossing the shutters open I let in the light, studiously ignoring my grumpy bedmate. One would have thought months in Althanas would have changed sleeping habits, but no, Manda still woke up like a bear from hibernation. Stifling a smile at the grumbles behind me I held onto the memory of the high pitched shriek I had received upon Manda waking to finding me inches from her face and staring intently at her.

“Come on woman, brush your hair and what not, then we can go for breakfast and shopping!” I called as I dragged my own brush through my hair and tail. The damp hair of my tail was slightly knotted and difficult to brush but I refused to go out with knots in hair or fur.

“You know, next time you decide to use any part of me as a pillow I’ll make sure to keep a rag near by.” I tossed a teasing smile over my shoulder to go with the sarcastic remark and headed down for the tavern below. Shaking my head that the men that were already into their cups this early in the days, I caught the older woman that worked the floor and ordered Manda something to eat as well as a small plate of raw potatoes for me to nibble at.