Old Wounds, New Wounds
Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 2:43 pm
Steam swirled around the bathroom, fogging the mirrors, smelling faintly of sandalwood soap. Mimi stood in the shower stall, face upturned to the spray, relishing the feeling of the hot water on her face. The water flowed from her face and hair, running down her neck and breasts, washed over her tummy and down her legs, and pooled at her feet before slipping away down the drain. Mimi turned her head down, feeling the spray massage her scalp. She winced slightly as the water’s course changed, running down her back, stinging slightly. She watched with some disdain as the water at her feet turned pink. The wound on her lower back would take some time to heal.
It had started as a youthful, joyous dare: she had joined Detective, Jade Rooster, and Sapphire Angel on a trip to Bloody Bay to investigate the meteors that plagued the area. It had turned on a dime, becoming unbelievably frightening, when a hazy form had come from nowhere, attacking the four students as they surveyed the crash sites. Armed with a samurai sword and moving with incredible speed, the villain had made short work of them, slicing and hacking as he callously laughed at the blood that flowed. Even Sapphire’s attempts to teleport them to safety had proved futile; the villain had pursued them all the way to the Longbow security helipad, and the attacks continued. Whoever he was, he was relentless and seemingly unstoppable.
Mimi closed her eyes, trying not to cry. It had been a long time since she had felt so powerless. What would Mary Moltar think if she had seen her? The blind panic, the pitiful cries of pain, the hopelessness. Mimi pounded her fist against the tiled wall. Pathetic. Weak and pathetic.
“My god,” said a soft voice from behind her. “What… has happened to you?”
Mimi looked backwards over her shoulder, squinting as the water sprayed into her eyes. A form stood there, partially obscured by the steamy mist. But the short, cropped blond hair was as big a giveaway as the accent. Mimi hadn’t even heard Yulia come in. She had been so distracted, so consumed by shame, that even her hypersensitive hearing had failed her. No wonder the man had beat her so easily. Mimi turned her face back to the water.
“I heard you were back,” Mimi said in an even tone.
“Yes,” Moth said hesitantly. “This afternoon.” Mimi nodded, but the conversation stalled.
Moth bit her lip softly. The long, jagged slash across Mimi’s back was raw, new. Something horrible had happened. But it wasn’t just a physical wound she bore; Moth didn’t need to be an empath to tell that much. Three weeks earlier, Mimi would have smiled, would have been happy to see her. But now, nothing. What had happened? Was it the pain of the wound, or had Pad poisoned her mind to her?
“You are badly hurt,” Moth said, finally. She stepped closer, reached out her hand to evaluate the injury. Mimi nodded vaguely. But when Yulia's fingertips touched Mimi’s back, the older girl tensed and whirled about suddenly.
“What are you doing?” Mimi demanded. She raised her arms to cover her breasts. “What do you want?” Mimi’s eyes flashed with anger and fear, ready to attack. But looking upon Moth’s face through the steam, she felt confusion quickly replace her anger. Standing so close, Mimi could see that Moth’s face and shoulders were spotted with bruises. Thin cuts and abrasions, like shrapnel wounds, were newly clotted. The towel wrapped around her was spotted with a few drops of blood. Suddenly, Mimi felt herself back in Bloody Bay, the fear, the confusion. But something was wrong. Moth wasn’t in Bloody Bay.
“I did not mean…” Moth began. She hated the fact that Mimi felt so threatened by her. Especially now. “I was concerned about your back.”
“I’m not the only one who’s hurt,” Mimi said, struggling to clear her mind. “What happened to you?”
Moth felt her face flush with embarrassment. She shook her head. “It is nothing, really.”
Mimi set her jaw sternly. Moth saw the anger come back into her eyes. “Bell did this to you, didn’t she?” Mimi began to step from the shower stall, a purposeful look upon her face. Moth had seen that look on Mimi’s face only once or twice, and only on patrol. It frightened her.
“No!” cried Moth, and laid a hand upon Mimi’s shoulder. Mimi’s angry eyes met hers. “You mustn’t,” Moth said quietly. “I… I provoked her.”
Mimi sneered slightly. “Unlikely. Your girlfriend’s been a real bitch for the last couple weeks.” Moth was simultaneously elated by the word girlfriend and offended at the word bitch. It made her stomach turn in a knot. Mimi read the conflict on her face, and she shook her head angrily. “What the hell is wrong with you? You want to be a doormat? Fine, be a doormat. But don’t stand here and lie for her.”
Moth bit her lip again. She wished desperately to be somewhere else. “I am not lying,” she said, but she heard the uncertainty in even her own voice. She shook her head sadly. “There are things,” she said hesitantly, “that you do not know.”
Mimi waved a dismissive hand. “Undoubtedly,” she said gruffly. “But you know what? I don’t care. November can’t treat people this way. First she blows up because you’re gone. Then she blows up because you didn’t come all the way back for the dance. Now she blows up because you’re back? To hell with that. Is this what you want? You want to be bullied around by her?”
Moth didn’t know what to say. Things had happened while she was gone, things she hadn’t even considered. What did it mean? The sound of the shower filled the bathroom, drawing attention to their silence. The steam continued to swirl about, slowly pasting Moth’s hair to her forehead. Water droplets beaded on Mimi’s face and slipped down her throat.
Moth swallowed hard. “I want November to be happy,” she finally said.
“Damn it, Yulia!” Mimi cried, turning to face her. She grabbed Moth by the shoulders. Her fingers dug into the little cuts and bruises, and pain flooded into Moth’s mind. From the pain came a certain mental clarity, and it felt suddenly awkward to be this close to Mimi’s naked body. “Nobody can help November if she doesn’t want to be helped! Don’t you get that? Nobody can make her happy if she doesn’t want to be!”
Moth stayed silent.
Mimi let her hands slip from Yulia's shoulders. She sighed heavily. “I think it’s the bell,” Mimi said quietly.
Moth raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“The bell, you know,” Mimi said, and gestured to her breastbone in a pantomime. The gesture served to remind Mimi of her nakedness, and she crossed her arms again and stared at the floor, blushing slightly. She sighed again and continued. “About a week ago, it started ringing. I don’t even know if anyone besides me can hear it. But it’s definitely ringing, softly, all the time.” Mimi looked up and met Moth’s eyes. “It didn’t use to do that. But now it does. And ever since I started hearing it, November has been… different.”
Moth felt the color drain from her face. She thought back to Ybur Academy, to what had happened there. To the night when November told her about the ringing. To the fire…
Mimi cocked her head. “What?”
Moth shook her head. “I do not know, yet,” she said quietly. Moth felt like she was on the edge of understanding, and that gave her hope. “But I think your clever hearing may have saved her.”
Mimi shrugged. “Uhm, okay,” she began.
Moth broke into an excited smile and took Mimi by the arms. “Oh, thank you!” she sighed, leaving Mimi puzzled as to how many students were going to lose their minds today. But even as she began to wonder, Yulia leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.
The shock of it left Mimi dazed. But as soon as it had begun, it was over. Moth didn’t seem to register the look on Mimi’s face as she turned and skipped towards the door.
“There is hope yet,” Moth laughed as she reached the door. “for all of us.” She paused at the door and turned to face Mimi through the thick steam. She was just an outline, her face unreadable. “Thank you, Mimi,” she said, and vanished through the door.
Mimi put her fingers to her lips and touched them. She stumbled back into the hot shower spray, and felt her back ache. Her own nudity embarrassed her suddenly, and she covered her body with her arms. She leaned back against the tiled wall. Her injury strung sharply, and she thought again about the villain who had attacked them on the helipad. But in her mind’s eye, the villain took a new shape, a different form. She slid down the wall, and felt the wound tear open again from the friction. The pain was distant. And as she slipped into a sitting position on the floor of the shower stall, the water around her growing red, she began to cry uncontrollably.
In her mind’s eye, Mikaela held the sword.
It had started as a youthful, joyous dare: she had joined Detective, Jade Rooster, and Sapphire Angel on a trip to Bloody Bay to investigate the meteors that plagued the area. It had turned on a dime, becoming unbelievably frightening, when a hazy form had come from nowhere, attacking the four students as they surveyed the crash sites. Armed with a samurai sword and moving with incredible speed, the villain had made short work of them, slicing and hacking as he callously laughed at the blood that flowed. Even Sapphire’s attempts to teleport them to safety had proved futile; the villain had pursued them all the way to the Longbow security helipad, and the attacks continued. Whoever he was, he was relentless and seemingly unstoppable.
Mimi closed her eyes, trying not to cry. It had been a long time since she had felt so powerless. What would Mary Moltar think if she had seen her? The blind panic, the pitiful cries of pain, the hopelessness. Mimi pounded her fist against the tiled wall. Pathetic. Weak and pathetic.
“My god,” said a soft voice from behind her. “What… has happened to you?”
Mimi looked backwards over her shoulder, squinting as the water sprayed into her eyes. A form stood there, partially obscured by the steamy mist. But the short, cropped blond hair was as big a giveaway as the accent. Mimi hadn’t even heard Yulia come in. She had been so distracted, so consumed by shame, that even her hypersensitive hearing had failed her. No wonder the man had beat her so easily. Mimi turned her face back to the water.
“I heard you were back,” Mimi said in an even tone.
“Yes,” Moth said hesitantly. “This afternoon.” Mimi nodded, but the conversation stalled.
Moth bit her lip softly. The long, jagged slash across Mimi’s back was raw, new. Something horrible had happened. But it wasn’t just a physical wound she bore; Moth didn’t need to be an empath to tell that much. Three weeks earlier, Mimi would have smiled, would have been happy to see her. But now, nothing. What had happened? Was it the pain of the wound, or had Pad poisoned her mind to her?
“You are badly hurt,” Moth said, finally. She stepped closer, reached out her hand to evaluate the injury. Mimi nodded vaguely. But when Yulia's fingertips touched Mimi’s back, the older girl tensed and whirled about suddenly.
“What are you doing?” Mimi demanded. She raised her arms to cover her breasts. “What do you want?” Mimi’s eyes flashed with anger and fear, ready to attack. But looking upon Moth’s face through the steam, she felt confusion quickly replace her anger. Standing so close, Mimi could see that Moth’s face and shoulders were spotted with bruises. Thin cuts and abrasions, like shrapnel wounds, were newly clotted. The towel wrapped around her was spotted with a few drops of blood. Suddenly, Mimi felt herself back in Bloody Bay, the fear, the confusion. But something was wrong. Moth wasn’t in Bloody Bay.
“I did not mean…” Moth began. She hated the fact that Mimi felt so threatened by her. Especially now. “I was concerned about your back.”
“I’m not the only one who’s hurt,” Mimi said, struggling to clear her mind. “What happened to you?”
Moth felt her face flush with embarrassment. She shook her head. “It is nothing, really.”
Mimi set her jaw sternly. Moth saw the anger come back into her eyes. “Bell did this to you, didn’t she?” Mimi began to step from the shower stall, a purposeful look upon her face. Moth had seen that look on Mimi’s face only once or twice, and only on patrol. It frightened her.
“No!” cried Moth, and laid a hand upon Mimi’s shoulder. Mimi’s angry eyes met hers. “You mustn’t,” Moth said quietly. “I… I provoked her.”
Mimi sneered slightly. “Unlikely. Your girlfriend’s been a real bitch for the last couple weeks.” Moth was simultaneously elated by the word girlfriend and offended at the word bitch. It made her stomach turn in a knot. Mimi read the conflict on her face, and she shook her head angrily. “What the hell is wrong with you? You want to be a doormat? Fine, be a doormat. But don’t stand here and lie for her.”
Moth bit her lip again. She wished desperately to be somewhere else. “I am not lying,” she said, but she heard the uncertainty in even her own voice. She shook her head sadly. “There are things,” she said hesitantly, “that you do not know.”
Mimi waved a dismissive hand. “Undoubtedly,” she said gruffly. “But you know what? I don’t care. November can’t treat people this way. First she blows up because you’re gone. Then she blows up because you didn’t come all the way back for the dance. Now she blows up because you’re back? To hell with that. Is this what you want? You want to be bullied around by her?”
Moth didn’t know what to say. Things had happened while she was gone, things she hadn’t even considered. What did it mean? The sound of the shower filled the bathroom, drawing attention to their silence. The steam continued to swirl about, slowly pasting Moth’s hair to her forehead. Water droplets beaded on Mimi’s face and slipped down her throat.
Moth swallowed hard. “I want November to be happy,” she finally said.
“Damn it, Yulia!” Mimi cried, turning to face her. She grabbed Moth by the shoulders. Her fingers dug into the little cuts and bruises, and pain flooded into Moth’s mind. From the pain came a certain mental clarity, and it felt suddenly awkward to be this close to Mimi’s naked body. “Nobody can help November if she doesn’t want to be helped! Don’t you get that? Nobody can make her happy if she doesn’t want to be!”
Moth stayed silent.
Mimi let her hands slip from Yulia's shoulders. She sighed heavily. “I think it’s the bell,” Mimi said quietly.
Moth raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“The bell, you know,” Mimi said, and gestured to her breastbone in a pantomime. The gesture served to remind Mimi of her nakedness, and she crossed her arms again and stared at the floor, blushing slightly. She sighed again and continued. “About a week ago, it started ringing. I don’t even know if anyone besides me can hear it. But it’s definitely ringing, softly, all the time.” Mimi looked up and met Moth’s eyes. “It didn’t use to do that. But now it does. And ever since I started hearing it, November has been… different.”
Moth felt the color drain from her face. She thought back to Ybur Academy, to what had happened there. To the night when November told her about the ringing. To the fire…
Mimi cocked her head. “What?”
Moth shook her head. “I do not know, yet,” she said quietly. Moth felt like she was on the edge of understanding, and that gave her hope. “But I think your clever hearing may have saved her.”
Mimi shrugged. “Uhm, okay,” she began.
Moth broke into an excited smile and took Mimi by the arms. “Oh, thank you!” she sighed, leaving Mimi puzzled as to how many students were going to lose their minds today. But even as she began to wonder, Yulia leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.
The shock of it left Mimi dazed. But as soon as it had begun, it was over. Moth didn’t seem to register the look on Mimi’s face as she turned and skipped towards the door.
“There is hope yet,” Moth laughed as she reached the door. “for all of us.” She paused at the door and turned to face Mimi through the thick steam. She was just an outline, her face unreadable. “Thank you, Mimi,” she said, and vanished through the door.
Mimi put her fingers to her lips and touched them. She stumbled back into the hot shower spray, and felt her back ache. Her own nudity embarrassed her suddenly, and she covered her body with her arms. She leaned back against the tiled wall. Her injury strung sharply, and she thought again about the villain who had attacked them on the helipad. But in her mind’s eye, the villain took a new shape, a different form. She slid down the wall, and felt the wound tear open again from the friction. The pain was distant. And as she slipped into a sitting position on the floor of the shower stall, the water around her growing red, she began to cry uncontrollably.
In her mind’s eye, Mikaela held the sword.
))
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